HP announces the Pro Slate 8 & 12: two high-res tablets with futuristic smartpens
HP has just announced two new Android-powered tablets, the 12.3-inch HP Pro Slate 12 and the 7.9-inch HP Pro Slate 8. HP has never really been known to release tablets with amazingly up to date specifications, but these two tablets actually have the potential to run quite well. Both devices are running a 2.3GHz Snapdragon 800 processor, 2GB of RAM and both are only 8mm thick. One of the more interesting aspects of these tablets are the Gorilla Glass 4-covered displays, with the Pro Slate 8 bringing a resolution of 2048 x 1536 with a pixel density of 326ppi. The Pro Slate 12 has a decent resolution at 1600 x 1200 and a pixel density of 163ppi. And remember, both of these tablets have a 4:3 aspect ratio, not 16:9 that we’re used to seeing in many other Android tablets. Additionally, both tablets are running Android 4.4 KitKat, which we assume will get the update to Lollipop eventually.
HP has also included a new pen with both devices, dubbed the Duet Pen. The pen allows you to write on any surface, whether that’s paper or any other flat surface, and your writing will appear instantly on the tablet. Four super-sensitive microphones are built into the tablet that pick up ultrasonic sounds produced by the pen. This is a somewhat new technology, and we’re really excited to see how this works in everyday use.
If you’re interested in picking up either of these two tablets, you’re going to have to shell over quite a bit of money for each. The Pro Slate 8 is available for $449 and the Pro Slate 12 is a hefty $569. So, is anyone interested in either of these tablets? They seem pretty nice, but are they too expensive?
Best AT&T Prepaid Android Phones
As good at the moment as it may be to be able to buy a flagship smartphone that costs upwards of $800 at a subsidized rate, not everyone is looking to get tied down in a 2-year contractual commitment to do so. Luckily, there are a lot of decent options when it comes to buying phones off-contract and opting for a prepaid plan. Apart from a slew of prepaid carriers, major network operators like T-Mobile and AT&T also offer such devices. Today, we’ll be exploring some of the best prepaid smartphones available from AT&T.
#1 Samsung Galaxy S5
The Samsung Galaxy S5 is the best Android smartphone you can get if you decide to opt for a prepaid GO plan from AT&T. As is the case with any Samsung flagship, the Galaxy S5 packs a host of software and hardware features, including the new additions of a fingerprint scanner up front, integrated into the physical home button, along with a heart rate monitor at the back. Samsung’s TouchWiz UI on top of Android 4.4 Kitkat, which should soon be upgraded to Android 5.0 Lollipop, means that there is no shortage software enhancements either.
Of course, since you will be buying this device off-contract, you will have to pay the full price for this high-end smartphone. In the case of AT&T, that number is $649.
Specs
- 5.1-inch Super AMOLED display with 1080 x 1920 resolution
- 2.5GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 CPU
- 2GB of RAM
- 16/32GB of on-board storage, microSD expansion up to 128GB
- 16MP rear cam, 2MP front cam
- Removable 2800mAh battery
- 142 x 72.5 x 8.1 mm, 145g
- Shimmery White
- Android 4.4.2 KitKat (Lollipop update coming down the pipeline)
Read more
- Samsung Galaxy S5 review
- Samsung Galaxy S5 officially announced
- Best cases for the Samsung Galaxy S5
#2 Motorola Moto G 4G LTE
Not to be confused with the current iteration of the Moto G, the Motorola Moto G 4G LTE comes with features and specifications identical to the first generation device, while allowing you to take advantage of high-speed internet connectivity on AT&T’s 4G LTE network.
The Moto G 4G LTE will also receive Android 5.0 Lollipop soon, and while it is starting to show its age on the specifications front, it is still a fantastic option for those on a budget, with its impressive price point of just $179.99 off-contract.
Specs
- 4.5-inch LCD display with 1280 x 720 resolution
- 1.2GHz Qualcomm quad-core Snapdragon 400 CPU
- 1GB of RAM
- 3G/GSM
- 4G LTE and microSD
- 8GB and 16GB storage options
- 5MP rear cam, 1.3MP front cam
- 2070 mAh battery
- 143g weight, 129.9 x 65.9 x 11.6mm
- Removable colored backs
- Android 4.4 KitKat
Read more
#3 Asus Padfone X Mini
If you’re in the market for a smartphone and a tablet, but are on a budget, the Asus Padfone X Mini might be the answer. As is the case with most mini iterations of flagship devices, the Padfone X Mini is decidedly mid-range in its specifications, featuring a 4.5-inch display, an Intel Atom processor, 1 GB of RAM, and 8 GB of expandable storage on-board.
Of course, the great news with this device is the fact that the phone can be docked into a Padfone Station to then use it as a 7-inch tablet with a display resolution of 1280 x 800, and a 2,200 mAh battery. Granted, you can’t use it as a tablet without the phone, but with the phone features carrying over to the tablet, including making and receiving calls, this shouldn’t be too much of a problem. With an off-contract price of just $149.74, the Padfone X Mini is certainly a great option for those wanting a single device that can serve as both a phone and a tablet.
Specs
- 4.5-inch IPS LCD display, 480 x 854 resolution, 218 ppi
- Intel Atom Z2560 processor
- 1 GB RAM
- 8 GB internal storage, expandable up to 64 GB
- 5 MP rear camera, 2 MP front-facing camera
- 3G/4G LTE
- 132.1 x 66.3 x 12.7 mm, 148.8 grams
- Android 4.4.2 Kitkat
- Padfone Station: 7-inch IPS LCD display, 1280 x 800 resolution, 1 MP front camera, 2,200 mAh battery
#4 HTC Desire 610
HTC’s penchant for great design and build quality makes its way over to even its budget-friendly offerings, and that is exactly what you get with the HTC Desire 610. Even with its plastic build, the phone certainly doesn’t look or feel cheap in the hand. Also available is HTC’s signature front-facing BoomSound speakers, which may not pack as much of a punch as its more expensive siblings, but is still one of the better audio experiences you can get, especially at this price point.
The Snapdragon 400 processor performs quite well, and the Sense UI keeps things running smoothly and lag free. Except for the qHD display, the Desire 610 is a worthy competitor to the Moto G, with an equally impressive price point of just $139.99.
Specs
- 4.7 inch qHD (960×540) display
- 1.2GHz quad-core Snapdragon 400 CPU
- 1 GB RAM
- 8 MP rear camera, 1.3 MP front camera
- 8GB internal storage, expandable up to 64GB
- 2040 mAh battery
- 3G/4G LTE
- 143.1 x 70.5 x 9.6 mm, 143.5 grams
- Dual front stereo speakers
Learn More:
#5 ZTE Compel
The ZTE Compel is an entry-level smartphone available from AT&T. While the specifications are decent, with its 4-inch display with 480 x 800 resolution, quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 processor, and 1 GB RAM, what is great about this device is the fact that it can also take advantage of AT&T’s 4G LTE network for high-speed internet access.
At a price point of $69.99, the ZTE Compel is a fantastic smartphone for anyone looking for a good entry point into the world of Android.
Specs
- 4-inch TFT display, 480 x 800 resolution, 233 ppi
- 1.2 GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 400
- 1 GB RAM
- 4 GB internal storage, expandable up to 32 GB
- 3G/4G LTE
- 5 MP rear camera
- 1,820 mAh battery
- Android 4.4. Kitkat
While there a few options available, none of these smartphones are anywhere near the latest and greatest, instead mostly comprising of good mid-range and entry-level smartphones. The good news is that a lot of unlocked smartphones can work on AT&T’s network, so you do have the choice the pick one up separately and subscribe to AT&T’s Prepaid GO plans.
Looking for a good unlocked phone to bring over to AT&T’s GoPhone service? Some of the best budget-friendly choices include the following:
- Motorola Moto G 2nd gen – $180 unlocked
- Motorola Moto E – $112.99 unlocked
- LG Nexus 5 – $349 (limited (fluctuating) stock)
- OnePlus One – $300 (invite currently required, again)
None of these do it for you? Don’t forget to check out our roundups of the best Android smartphones, and the best budget-friendly smartphones currently available.
AT&T now offering unlimited calling to Mexico
America’s second largest carrier, AT&T is now offering free calling from the U.S. to Mexico. This comes after the carrier acquired Mexican telecom network Iusacell a week ago.
The carrier’s World Connect Value pack can now make unlimited number of calls to any number (even mobiles) in Mexico at no extra cost. Enabling World Connect Value on your postpaid account will cost you $5 per line and will offer international calling at very cheap rates. Not too long ago, AT&T announced a similar unlimited plan, but only limited to international texts and MMS.
“We’re always looking for opportunities to show our appreciation to our customers,” said David Christopher, chief marketing officer, AT&T Mobility. “Mexico is the most frequently dialed country among our wireless customers—and now they can call as much as they want with our enhanced World Connect Value package.”
Source: AT&T
Come comment on this article: AT&T now offering unlimited calling to Mexico
Microsoft UK cuts price of the HP Stream 7 Signature Edition to £75
If you’re in the UK and looking for a decent, cheap Windows 8.1 tablet, this deal on the HP Stream 7 Signature Edition might be what you’re looking for. Usually retailing for £99, the UK Microsoft Store has cut £24 off the asking price leaving it at just £74.99. And that includes the free 1-year subscription to Office 365, as well.
Super Bowl XLIX to be livestreamed by NBC
In what has become a tradition since 2012, the Super Bowl will be streamed online again this year. The kind gesture, which is free of charge to anyone in the US, comes courtesy of NBC — the network that started the trend of livestreaming The Big Game. For Super Bowl XLIX, set to take place on February 1st in Arizona, NBC plans to have an 11-hour block of video coverage over the internet, including pre-game analysis, the popular halftime show and an all-new episode of the primetime series The Blacklist. As Variety points out, the Peacock channel intends to heavily promote its TV Everywhere efforts during the stream, hoping to drive demand for services like the NBC Sports Live Extra app — one that typically requires a pay-TV login.
Online viewers can watch Super Bowl XLIX, between the Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots, on NBC’s website as well the Sports Live Extra application. The latter option, however, is only going to be available for tablets, since Verizon owns the rights for smartphones streams via the NFL Mobile app. For people overseas, NFL GamePass could be a solution, both for live or on-demand streaming, but you’ll have to pay a small fee if that’s how you plan to consume the biggest game of the season.
[Image credit: Associated Press]
Source: Variety
‘Powers,’ the first PlayStation TV show launches on March 10th
When Powers failed to materialize on Sony’s PlayStation Network back in December, you were probably distracted by the company’s other, more high-profile catastrophes. Now that some of the dust has settled, however, series creator Brian Michael Bendis has taken to the PlayStation Blog to tell the world that the supernatural cop show will debut on March 10th. The first three episodes will all land on that day, with the remaining seven episodes that comprise the first season launching on subsequent Tuesdays.
If you already throw Sony $50 a year for a PlayStation Plus subscription, then you’ll get to watch the adventures of Walker and Pilgrim for free. Otherwise, the first episode will also be available online, free for anyone to watch (presumably in the hope of convincing them to shell out for a PS4 if they haven’t already). Unfortunately there’s no word – yet – if the release is limited to the US or if global PlayStation users will be able to join in, not to mention a lack of info about paid downloads for non-gamers and Xbox owners. Still, we’re looking forward to finding out more, and if you hadn’t guessed yet: everyone wants to be Netflix. Don’t be surprised when you see IHOP launch a series of gritty pancake-related dramas in 2018.
Filed under: Home Entertainment, Sony
Via: Variety
Source: PlayStation Blog, Powers
What to expect from Microsoft’s next Windows 10 event
After taking big swings with Windows 8 and 8.1 — how big a miss they were is open to interpretation — Microsoft’s trying to redefine how we work with computers once more. We’re going to get a much closer look at Windows 10 at 9AM PT/12PM ET tomorrow (which we’ll be liveblogging, naturally), and all the usual suspects will be on hand to wax poetic about Windows’ next steps: There’s CEO Satya Nadella, of course, along with Windows chief Terry Myerson, mobile impresario Joe Belfiore and Xbox czar Phil Spencer. Let’s take a moment to look at what we know — and what we expect — Microsoft will show off in Redmond very soon.
A rose by any other name
You know where we’re going with this: Microsoft outed the (well-meaning, if misguided) Windows 8 back in 2012, and followed up with a solid 8.1 update about a year later. Now, here we are with Windows 10. Since it officially broke cover last September, we’ve seen a slow, inexorable current of leaks and brief updates outlining Redmond’s modified vision of computing. So, what’s on the docket for tomorrow?
Well, expect a more thorough outline of the consumer-friendly features that’ll pepper the new OS. We’re almost certainly going to get a closer look at the shape-shifting Continuum feature for one, which sadly wasn’t ready in time for the original tech preview release. In case you missed it the first time around, Continuum modifies how Windows 10 looks and feels based on how you’re trying to interact with it. Running Windows 10 on a tablet? You’ll deal mostly with those big, finger-friendly tiles and icons. It’s a totally different beast when a keyboard and mouse are added to the mix, though, as it’s back to the more traditional Windows desktop for you. Then there’s Spartan, Microsoft’s other web browser. The Verge reported earlier this month that the new, more lightweight app would live alongside Internet Explorer — which has finally been relegated to legacy/compatibility status — and features better support for note-taking with a stylus and the ability to play nice with Cortana. Throw in a slew of UI tweaks that range from the substantive (like that new spin on the Start menu) to the seemingly minute, and you’ve got the sort of high-level overview we expect from Microsoft tomorrow.
Now that the world’s techies have had ample time to put that first Windows 10 build through its paces, it’s high time for Microsoft to push out another preview build for us to tinker with (hopefully not long after the event wraps). Some techie prognosticators will also be chomping on their popcorn and waiting for word on what Windows 10 will actually cost, but that seems just a tad premature — as far as we know, Win10 is still slated for a launch later this year, and Microsoft only let official Windows 8 pricing slip a few weeks ahead of its general availability window. Still, we won’t complain if the folks in Redmond want to surprise us with a detailed pricing breakdown toward the tail end of the event. It’s nice to know where our wallets stand, right?
A better, deeper assistant
Apple’s Siri is strictly a mobile entity. Google’s Now voice-recognition and search chops are oozing into Chrome OS proper. And Microsoft? We’ve known for a long time that Cortana — its digital assistant with the familiar name — will make the leap from your Windows Phone to your desktop, and tomorrow’s likely the day we’re going to see how it all works. Of course, that’s not to say we haven’t already gotten a glimpse. Last month, WinBeta posted a video of a very early version of Cortana running on a (naturally) pre-release build of Windows 10 that works about as well as you’d expect: Some of the juiciest bits, like Xbox Music integration and navigation directions, weren’t in working order yet, but she could still take notes and fire up Skype for calls without much verbal prodding.
Still more reports claim that she’ll be baked directly into the Windows search interface, which you’ll recall now occupies its own space in the taskbar — no more jumping between the desktop and Microsoft’s beloved tile-centric UI when you need to scour your hard drive. With a debut expected in Redmond tomorrow, we just might see how much smarter Cortana has gotten since those initial leaked videos first got Her fans worked up. What’s more, ZDNet’s seemingly prescient Mary Jo Foley posited that Cortana could eventually replace the traditional search interface completely. A bold move, if true, and we sort of can’t wait for someone to usher in the age of controlling our computers by barking natural-sounding commands.
The mobile-friendly future
While it’s unclear how much of Windows 10 for mobile we’ll actually get to see tomorrow, some of the biggest changes are happening under the hood anyway. As far as Microsoft is concerned, the future of the desktop is inescapably intertwined with that of the smartphone in your pocket — a vision that’s been talked up in a big way since the introduction of the Universal app concept at the company’s Build developer conference early last year. Microsoft’s end goal? To create a single, unified app store that desktop, mobile and even Xbox users can tap into without forcing developers to craft code for each disparate platform.
And the mobile nitty-gritty? Details are still sparse, but at this point it looks like the really-quite-nice Lumia Camera app will transcend device boundaries and become a stock Windows 10 app for all Redmond-friendly gadgets. That Spartan browser will almost certainly get a shout-out too, though early reports indicate it’s not actually a Universal app — separate versions will apparently be available to desktops and mobile devices. Meanwhile, early appearances by devices like the Lumia 532 suggest that the version of Windows 10 meant for your phone will be called… Windows 10. Anticlimactic, sure, but if true, the name speaks to the sort of unity that Microsoft has been keen to craft among all its devices. After all, if your Windows Phone and your Surface tablet can run the same apps as the tower sitting on the desk in your office, why differentiate between platforms? Like Steve Ballmer famously declared, we’re quickly approaching the age of One Microsoft, not just in corporate structure, but also in a sweeping ecosystem that encompasses most (if not all) of the bits of silicon on you rely on daily.
Make no mistake: Microsoft’s mobile ambitions will definitely get some time in the spotlight tomorrow, but don’t be surprised if the company saves some juicy tidbits for MWC come early March. Don’t fret: You might get a taste of the phone-flavored Windows 10 before yet another trade show rolls around. ZDNet chimed in earlier today with word of a preview program that’s due to kick off (if everything goes according to plan) sometime next month.
Gaming without boundaries
No, you read the list of guest appearances right: Xbox head honcho Spencer will be there, too. Within the past few weeks, Spencer has said that Microsoft is gearing up to show off the “best operating system we’ve ever created for gamers” on Wednesday — the sort of uber-vague corporate bombast that stokes curiosity without actually satiating it.
“This is the beginning of our discussion with our fans about bringing gaming to the Windows 10 operating system,” he noted in a video interview with Microsoft’s Xbox Wire. Very enlightening.
But really, expect him to trumpet the ability for developers to create games that play nice across multiple kinds of devices, accessible from one united store. It’s sort of a dream for certain gamers: You buy a game once and pick up where you left off (hopefully without much of a performance hit) no matter what Windows device happens to be within reach. Our fingers are crossed, but we’re not convinced he’ll get too much more detailed than that. Oh, and a bit of DirectX 12 discourse is par for the course. Given that it’s been designed to help improve gaming performance on Microsoft’s gadgets across the board, not to mention how it’ll supposedly keep your battery from being run into the ground too quickly, we don’t much mind the recap.
And then we’ve got the really pie-in-the-sky stuff. Microsoft’s also working on (or at least, gearing up to work on) a new service code-named “Arcadia” that’s reportedly meant to stream full-blown games and apps to compatible devices, though it’s probably way too early for that to get anything more than a shout-out at tomorrow’s show. There’s also word of a Microsoft “gaming helmet” of sorts referred to internally as Project B that could make an appearance onstage. Researchers at Microsoft have been plugging away at the concept for years now, and perhaps it’s finally the right time to throw down against Oculus, Samsung and Sony. We’ll see.
[Image credit: Michael Kappel/Flickr (Microsoft logo)]
Samsung Galaxy A5 Review
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The Bottom Line
- Aluminium build feels great
- Fast and accurate camera
- Snappy performance
- Beautiful screen
- Awkward location for speaker grill
- Status-quo Samsung design
- Chrome around lip chips easily
As expected the Samsung Galaxy A5 does not disappoint and is a great mid-range offering from the company. While it looks the same as the last few generations, the change in the build material from plastic to metal finally allows for the premium feel in the hand that many have been waiting for.
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There’s no denying that Samsung goes all out with their smartphones, packing them to near bursting point with tons of special features and generally cutting edge specs. Special features and hardware aside, one point of contention has always been the use of plastic, making even premium devices feel somewhat cheap. The good news is that Samsung began turning over a new leaf by introducing the metal-framed Galaxy Alpha and Galaxy Note 4. More recently, Samsung also introduced a couple of mid-range smartphones that featured a full metal unibody metal construction. Today, we’ll be taking a closer look at one of these devices, in this in-depth review of the Samsung Galaxy A5!
Design
As mentioned, the marquee feature of the Samsung Galaxy A5 is its full metal unibody construction. Apart from the change in build material, the general design language of the device remains largely the same as the many other Samsung smartphones available.
The signature home button returns up front, flanked by capacitive back and Recent Apps keys, with the 13 MP camera on the back placed at the usual position, along the top and in the center. On the right is the power button and dual SIM card slots, on the left is the volume rocker, with the headphone jack and the microUSB port found at the bottom. The rear camera is flanked by the LED flash and the speaker grill.
Despite its aluminium construction, the Galaxy A5 is quite light at just 123 grams, and is one of the thinnest smartphones in the company’s portfolio at just 6.7 mm. With the phone being as thin as it is, the rear camera module does protrude a little bit, and while the device doesn’t sit flush with a surface, it remains well balanced and doesn’t rock back and forth.
The Samsung Galaxy A5 is light and sleek, and finally offers the premium feeling in the hand that consumers have been calling for. If this is an indication of what we can expect from Samsung’s upcoming flagship, a lot of people are going to be very happy.
Display
Given its mid-range nature, the Galaxy A5 packs a 5-inch Super AMOLED display with a 720 resolution, resulting in a pixel density of 294 ppi, with the device featuring a decent screen to body ratio of 71%.
As is the case with most Samsung displays, saturation levels are high and colors have a punch to them. If the colors are too vivid for you, you do have the option to change the settings to better suit your liking. Even with a non-flagship resolution, Samsung’s display prowess shines through and you will have a great experience doing anything on this screen.
Performance and Hardware
Under the hood, the Samsung Galaxy A5 packs a quad-core 64-bit Qualcomm Snapdragon 410 processor, clocked at 1.2 GHz, along with the Adreno 306 GPU and 2 GB of RAM. With Android 5.0 Lollipop slowly making its way to more and more devices, this 64-bit processing package is likely what we’ll see with most upcoming mid-range smartphones.
In terms of performance, the Snapdragon 410 certainly impresses, with day to day usage feeling comparable to even the high-end Snapdragon 805. The device flies through the various elements of the user interface, and all the issues users have faced with TouchWiz lag are nowhere to be seen. Multitasking is a breeze, and gaming is quite good on the device as well. Apart from the most graphic-intensive of games, the Galaxy A5 handles gaming smoothly, without any lag.
The Galaxy A5 comes with 16 GB of on-board storage, which is further expandable up to 64 GB. A full suite of connectivity options are available, including support for LTE, which works on the AT&T and T-Mobile networks for high-speed internet access. Dual microSIM slots are also available, ideal for users who travel internationally.
As mentioned, the speaker grill is positioned on the back next to the rear camera, which proves to be somewhat awkward, especially while using the phone in landscape orientation. While watching videos or playing games, it is quite easy to cover up the speaker grill, and the placement also makes the sound lack depth and a sense of direction. Using the speakerphone is fine, but when listening to music, all the issues related to a single speaker setup show up.
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On the battery front, the Galaxy A5 features a 2,300 mAh unit which is not removable. This is an unfortunate compromise that had to be made to accommodate the new unibody design, and might leave some Samsung fans who appreciated the replaceable battery setup unhappy. The performance of the battery is quite good, and you should be able to easily get a full day of use out of this phone.
Camera
Samsung recognizes that the camera is an important feature for a lot of users and packs even their mid-range devices with high quality cameras, which is the case with the Galaxy A5. The 13 MP rear shooter is an extremely quick camera, and provides very clean images. For a smartphone camera, the depth of field is also quite impressive.
In good lighting, images appear bright and vivid, and the quality remains quite good even as the lighting conditions deteriorate. There is a bit more grain to the images and they sometimes lack color, but it is still one of the better low light cameras out there.
The front-facing camera is a 5 MP unit, but the images are lacking in detail and color, and depends on the software to compensate for that. A Beautify Mode is on by default, but it doesn’t always result in the best images.
On the camera software side of things, it isn’t as feature packed as you may be used to with Samsung cameras, with only a few shooting modes available. While more can be downloaded from the Samsung store, the available options are quite limited. A slide out menu on the right includes some additional settings such as white balance and ISO, along with voice activated pictures and hand gesture settings to make taking selfies very easy.
The 13 MP rear shooter of the Galaxy A5 is equally impressive as the 16 MP camera of the flagship Galaxy S5, with image quality at par with each other, even if there are a few more shooting modes available with the latter.
Software
Out of the box, the Galaxy A5 is running Android 4.4 Kitkat, of course, with TouchWiz on top. There are three screens by default, with a swipe to the left giving you access to Flipboard, and pressing and holding on the screen lets you select various homescreen functions, settings, or add widgets.
Apart from a few Samsung applications like S Planner, Voice Recorder, and My Files, the software is otherwise free of any bloatware. A contributing factor is also fact that the Galaxy A5 isn’t linked to a network carrier in the US, which does tend to add its fair share of bloatware to the overall software experience.
TouchWiz seems to have been watered down in its current iteration, and isn’t as in your face as it may have been before. Lot of reports suggest that Samsung is moving to a more stock-like version of its software with its upcoming flagship, and while TouchWiz is still TouchWiz in a lot of ways, the decided lack of additional applications and features is very noticeable.
Specifications
| Screen | 5-inch Super AMOLED display 720p resolution, 294 ppi |
| Size and Weight | 139.3 x 69.7 x 6.7 mm 123 grams |
| Cameras | 13 MP rear camera 5 MP front-facing camera |
| Memory and Storage | 2 GB RAM 16 GB storage, expandable up to 64 GB |
| Processor | 1.2 GHz quad-core 64-bit Qualcomm Snapdragon 410 Adreno 306 GPU |
| Sensors | GPS, Accelerometer, Compass, Proximity |
| Networks | 3G/4G LTE |
| Wireless | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n, dual-band, hotspot Bluetooth 4.0 |
| Ports | micro-USB 2.0 |
| Battery | 2,300 mAh |
| OS | Android 4.4 KitKat |
Gallery
Pricing and Final Thoughts
The Samsung Galaxy A5 isn’t available at a subsidized rate from any network operators in the US, but can be picked up from Amazon, priced at $434.95.
So there you have it – the Samsung Galaxy A5! This smartphone is another fantastic addition to Samsung’s mid-range portfolio. The latest Snapdragon 410 processor, coupled with a watered down iteration of TouchWiz allows for a fast and snappy experience. The camera is one of the better ones out there. And of course, the full metal unibody construction gives the device the premium look and feel that we’ve all been wanting from Samsung. If you’re in the market for a mid-range smartphone, the Samsung Galaxy A5 is definitely one of the choices you should consider.
AT&T brings unlimited calling to Mexico through its World Connect program
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AT&T has just announced unlimited calling to Mexico for its users through their newly-updated AT&T World Connect program. For just $5 per month for each line, subscribers can not only place unlimited calls to Mexico, but can also place calls to over 225 additional countries for reduced rates. The only real requirement, other than the $5 monthly fee, is that you must be a postpaid subscriber. Additionally, thanks to AT&T’s revamped Mobile Share Value plan they introduced last year, users can send unlimited SMS and MMS messages to Mexico. We know this has been around for quite some time, but it’s worth noting that many AT&T subscribers can now take full advantage of communicating with users in Mexico.
AT&T’s recent acquisition of Iusacell, the Mexico-based mobile carrier, has a lot to do with this new deal. AT&T is looking to expand beyond the borders of the US, and this is just the first step in doing so. Iusacell was Mexico’s third-largest mobile carrier, and AT&T bought them for $2.5 billion. AT&T notes that Mexico is the most-called country from the carrier’s customer base, so this is quite a bit of good news for many people on USA’s second largest carrier.
Capture Any Audio on a Mac With Audio Hijack 3 [Mac Blog]
Rogue Amoeba today announced the launch of Audio Hijack 3 for Mac, which allows users to record audio from any source, including Skype, Safari, or hardware inputs like microphones. As described by the company, “if it can be heard on Mac OS X, Audio Hijack can record it.”
Audio Hijack 3 follows in the footsteps of Rogue Amoeba’s Audio Hijack, which was first released in 2002, and Audio Hijack Pro, a second version that added additional features and support for various audio plugins. Version 3 of the software introduces a new look and dozens of new functions to make this the most full-featured version of Audio Hijack yet.
Audio Hijack 3 includes a new audio capture interface, which lets users see the sound as it’s being captured using a pipeline-style view that organizes different types of audio into Blocks for full customization.
The most visible change is Audio Hijack’s new audio capture interface. The terrific pipeline-style view of exactly how audio flows makes Audio Hijack 3 a snap to learn for veteran and rookie users alike. Different types of Blocks bring in audio from application and hardware sources (Source Blocks), adjust it with audio effects (Effects Blocks), then record it and send it out to speakers (Output Blocks). The fully customizable layout means users can configure the exact pipeline they need, to get the audio results they want.
The app is organized into three sections, including Sessions, Recordings, and Schedule, and Session Templates let users complete common tasks quickly. It’s possible to record multiple formats at once, or different sources in sync, and there are simple tools for accessing various audio effects.
Dirty audio can be fixed with Denoise, Declick, and Dehum tools, and there are new preset options for saving configurations. For the first time, Audio Hijack can record in lossless FLAC format and in high-efficiency AAC.
Jason Snell of SixColors and Chris Breen of Macworld have both written detailed reviews of Audio Hijack 3 that are well worth reading to get a solid sense of what’s new and how the software works.
Audio Hijack 3 is available for Macs running OS X 10.9 and up. It can be downloaded from the Rogue Amoeba website for $49. New users will need to pay the standard $49 price, but people who purchased an Audio Hijack product in the past can upgrade to Audio Hijack 3 for $25. Customers who purchased Audio Hijack Pro since February of 2014 can download the new software for free.
AIVAnet 