Sony Xperia Z4v heading to Verizon with QHD display
Sony’s latest flagship has only launched in a handful of countries since its quiet unveiling in Japan back in April, but the smartphone, or rather the Xperia Z4v, will be heading to the US this summer though Verizon Wireless.
As per Sony’s Xperia naming scheme, the Verizon handset will be known as the Xperia Z4v. However, it is making the journey to the US with a couple of hardware changes, so it’s not quite the same as model Japan’s Xperia Z4, which also known as the Xperia Z3+ in Europe.
The Z4v will ship with the same Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 SoC, 3GB of RAM, 20.7 megapixel rear and 5 megapixel front cameras, and the same IP65 and IP68 ratings for water and dust protection. The most noticeable change to the Z4v is the new 5.2-inch QHD (2560×1440) pixel display, which is a step up from the 1080p resolution found in the regular Z4. The Z4v also comes with an ever so slightly larger 3,000mAh battery, compared with the normal 2930mAh size, and features dual-mode Qi and PMA wireless charging technology, just like the Samsung Galaxy S6.
However, this extra technology comes at the expense of the handset’s aesthetics. The Z4v is 1.7mm thicker and weighs a minor 18g more than the regular Z4, making it look and handle more like the Z2 than Sony’s slimmer successors.
Much like last year’s Xperia Z3v, Sony is touting media consumption as the handset’s major selling point. Along with its audio software and higher resolution display, Sony is hoping that its PS4 Remote Play feature, which can stream games wirelessly to your smartphone or tablet over your home network, will make the handset an appealing choice for the country’s Playstation 4 owners. While the specifications easily match those of other recent flagships, we’ll have to see if the older look and feel of Sony’s handset is too much of a compromise for US consumers.
Sony and Verizon state that the handset will be arriving this summer, so it might be a few weeks until the smartphone goes on sale. We are still waiting for news about a retail price, but we know that the handset will ship in black and white color options.
What do you make of the Xperia Z4v? Will you be picking up Sony’s latest when it lands in the US?
Verizon announces Sony Xperia Z4v, set to launch later this summer
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For a number of years Sony’s presence in the states was limited in its offerings. In the early years AT&T brought the Xperia Play and then T-Mobile picked up with the Xperia Z and Xperia Z1s. It wasn’t until the Xperia Z3 that most US carriers started to offer Sony phones that were flagships from the company. Now it seems that Sony has a bit of staying power, at least with Verizon, and will be bringing the Xperia Z4 (Xperia Z4v to be precise) to consumers later this summer.
The Xperia Z4v isn’t light years ahead of the Xperia Z3v, but it does bring in a few upgraded specs that might sway you to the device. The screen is still a near perfect size for many at 5.2-inches, but this time around it is on par with the competition, boasting a 2560 x 1440 resolution. It packs in the Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 octa-core processor, 3GB of RAM, Sony’s 20.7MP rear camera and the 5MP front shooter. You will also find that the device sports the Qualcomm Quick Charge 2.0 function for fast charging and has wireless Qi and PMA charging built-in, like the Galaxy S6. As for battery size though, the Xperia Z4v is packing a 3,000 mAh power supply. That is 200mAh lower than the Xperia Z3v, but a slight bump from the standard Xperia Z4 device which carries a 2930mAh battery. It comes in one storage size option of 32GB, but does offer micro SD support up to 128GB’s.
“The Sony Xperia Z4v continues a tradition of high-quality smartphones that have the best of entertainment with Sony movies, PlayStation gaming, and in-demand features like a powerful battery, all on the largest and most reliable 4G LTE network in the United States,” said Jeff Dietel, vice president, Marketing for Verizon Wireless. “This combination of a great network and a great device makes it easy for customers to explore and enjoy what wireless connectivity can bring to them where they live, work and play.”
I can’t forget to mention why the Xperia Z line is so great though, especially for Verizon, they are water and dust proof with an IP rating of 65 and 68 respectively. IP65 is listed as being Dust Tight which doesn’t allow dust or particles inside the device where as IP68 states it is protected from continued immersion in water at depths greater than 1 meter. For comparison, the Galaxy S6 Active is IP68 rated as well and Samsung states 1.5 meters for 30 minutes. You can check out what the various ratings means on Sony’s site.
You also get the benefits of the PS4 Remote Play support as well. Simply put, you can play your Playstation 4 games on the phone and use your DUALSHOCK 4 wireless controller to get the most out of it. Think NVIDIA Shield, but for your PS4. It is a pretty cool ability if you are a PS4 gamer.
Any current, or would be, Verizon customers looking forward to the launch of the Sony Xperia Z4v? If the answer is YES, then head over to the sign-up page to dump your email address for more details when the device launches. As for those of us on other networks, we are out of luck. At least, for now anyways. Verizon had the exclusive on the Xperia Z3v, but it soon found its way to other US networks. It is possible that the Xperia Z4 will do the same.
Via: Verizon | Sign-up page | XperiaZ4v Sony page
The post Verizon announces Sony Xperia Z4v, set to launch later this summer appeared first on AndroidSPIN.
Verizon launches the Sony Xperia Z4v as an exclusive this summer
There must be a multi-device agreement between Verizon and Sony because the carrier has received another exclusive device. The two worked together late last year on the Xperia Z3v and today Verizon introduced the Xperia Z4v. The device is very similar to the global Xperia Z4; however, the Xperia Z4v has some very noticeable changes. The display, while remaining the same size, has seen its resolution increase and the size of the battery has been altered to compensate for the display. Sony also included special charging technology just for Verizon’s Xperia Z4v.
Key specifications:
- 5.2-inch, Quad HD display (2560×1440)
- Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 octa-core processor
- 3GB of RAM
- 20.7MP rear camera, 5MP front camera
- 3000mAh battery with Qualcomm Quick Charge 2.0, wireless charging (Qi, PMA)
- 32BB internal storage, microSD card slot for an additional 128GB
- 144.4 x 72.3 x 8.8mm measurements
- Android 5.0.2 Lollipop
There seems to be a heavy focus on battery life since the Xperia Z4v features a bigger battery, quick charging capabilities, and wireless charging support. The 3000mAh battery should allow for “up to a full day of charge” and device owners will have access to the STAMINA modes to lower device performance and extend battery life. Then, when charging is necessary, use the Quick Charge 2.0 technology to get going in less time. The Xperia Z4 even supports Qi and PMA wireless charging standards for those that want to ditch wires. The high resolution display should cause not any major issues considering all of these options.
Sony develops camera technology worldwide and has the luxury of featuring much of it in its own devices. The Xperia Z4v has a rear camera of 20.7MP with an Exmor RS image sensor and 4K video recording. The 5MP front-facing camera has a 25mm wide-angle lens with Sony’s SteadyShot technology. Sony’s expertise in imaging should equate to crisp shots and beautiful selfies (and gorgeous videos).
Another area in which the company has an advantage over the competition is gaming. This year’s flagship supports PS4 Remote Play to mirror games from the video game console right on the Xperia Z4v.
On the audio side, yet another area Sony has experience in, the Xperia Z4v has a Digital Sound Enhancement Engine (DSEE HX). Basically, the Xperia Z4 supports audio of a very high resolution and tailors it based on the the speakers or headset being used.
Like other flagship devices from Sony, the Xperia Z4v features a dust-tight and waterproof design with tempered glass. Verizon did not share specific certifications for these, so just assume that the Xperia Z4v can handle being dropped into a puddle on a rainy day.
The Xperia Z4v will be available exclusively through Verizon this summer.
Come comment on this article: Verizon launches the Sony Xperia Z4v as an exclusive this summer
Nokia and LG reach smartphone patent licensing agreement
LG and Nokia have announced that they’ve reached a licensing deal related to several of Nokia smartphone patents. LG has licensed a wide range of patents covering communications over a mobile network, although neither company disclosed how much LG is paying for the licensing.
Both companies have said the deal is mutually beneficial, which I’m sure everyone will agree with. LG gets access to some patents to make better phones, and Nokia gets some extra cash. It’s not like Nokia was using the technology to make any compelling smartphones.
Jabs aside, it’ll be interesting to see what comes of this agreement in the future. And we should all be very glad that this didn’t turn into another drawn out set of lawsuits.
source: Nokia
via: Android Central
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Saygus V2 gets delayed again, expected to ship in the fall if Indiegogo campaign is successful
The Saygus V2 is trying its hardest to become the most delayed smartphone of all time. Just one day before it was supposed to begin shipping back in May, Saygus indefinitely pushed the launch of the device back with not much more than a small apology.
Fast forward one month, and in a move that should surprise absolutely no one, the phone has been delayed again. Saygus claims manufacturing issues are the problem here, so in an attempt to move things to another manufacturer, they’ve started up an Indiegogo campaign to raise $1 million to keep the ball rolling. Anyone that’s already pre-ordered the device will still be able to get one, although they are kindly offering refunds if you’re tired of waiting. If the fundraising campaign hits its target, you can expect the device to start shipping in the fall this year. Maybe. Possibly. Don’t hold your breath.
On the bright side, the device will include dual-SIM slots and Android 5.1 instead of 4.4 now. Are those extra features enough to make up for the constant delays? Eh.
Can’t wait to see what happens with this phone later this year.
Saygus Launches Indiegogo Campaign and Introduces New Feature to Saygus V-SQUARED
SALT LAKE CITY—June 15, 2015— The progressive American smartphone manufacturer, Saygus, today announced that it is launching an Indiegogo campaign athttp://igg.me/at/saygus. Along with the campaign, Saygus is introducing a new feature to the V-SQUARED that customers around the world have been asking for—a dual SIM card option.
“The Saygus V-SQUARED combines technologies that the mobile world has never seen in a smartphone such as the Wireless HD beaming feature and mega storage capacity of dual microSD card slots,” said Chad Sayers, Founder of Saygus. “Earlier this year, we conducted a pre-registration sales event through our website where people could secure an early place in line for our V-SQUARED smartphone. Customers ordered from 54 different countries across the globe confirming the demand for the V-SQUARED handset. Those who ordered during our pre-registration event will receive their phones as soon as they are ready to ship.
“We are now excited to announce the launch of an Indiegogo campaign. Saygus has combined incredible technology in the V-SQUARED and through this campaign we plan to bring together early adopters from around the world to join us. We believe people want to do more with mobile, and that they will, if they don’t have to compromise. Indiegogo is a great platform to assist us in bringing together a global community of technology enthusiasts who want to collaborate with Saygus to create the future of mobility,” he said.
Sayers continued, “Indiegogo is another vehicle to let people know about the V-SQUARED smartphone and enable consumers to understand the unique features and their benefits. This is one more way to inform consumers around the world about the V-SQUARED as it delivers unprecedented features, that combined, create an unparalleled mobile experience. All phones ordered through Indiegogo are scheduled to ship in the fall of 2015.”
One of the features that drove initial excitement in the Saygus V-SQUARED was the dual microSD card slots that provide its user 464GB of potential storage capacity. Saygus has implemented a new feature that provides the ability for a second SIM card. This feature has been requested from consumers around the world because it allows a user to switch between SIM cards for personal or work data or swap between carriers for plan savings.
Regarding the shipping plans, Sayers said, “We recently informed our customers who pre-registered for our phone that the shipment will be delayed due to our need to switch manufacturers because they were not meeting our stringent quality requirements. While we were changing manufacturers, we made the phone even more incredible by adding the capability for two SIM cards as well as moving from Android 4.4 (KitKat) to Android 5.1 (Lollipop). In the meantime, for any of our original customers, we can provide two options. First, we will ship them the V-SQUARED from our upcoming production run, or second, we can provide a refund, if preferred.”
About Saygus Saygus is a US-based mobile device designer and manufacturer located in Salt Lake City. Saygus is focused on delivering leading-edge cellular devices that introduce new, innovative features to the mobile marketplace for the benefit of the consumer. For more information on Saygus, please visit: http://www.saygus.com
Come comment on this article: Saygus V2 gets delayed again, expected to ship in the fall if Indiegogo campaign is successful
Google paying out cash bounties for identifying and solving Android vulnerabilities
Google takes security very seriously, and now that’s more true than ever. The company has offered bounties for anyone that could find or solve vulnerabilities in Chrome and their websites with their Security Rewards program, and today they’re extending that to cover Android, too.
Just how it works with other apps and services, if you find or fix a vulnerability in Android Google will pay out a bounty depending on how severe the bug or vulnerability is. Identifying a bug nets you anywhere from $500 to $2000 based on how severe the issue is. Providing test cases or patches for those bugs drastically increases the payout, topping out at around $8k for very critical vulnerabilities. If you can find a functional exploit via a third-party app installed on a device, Google will shell out upwards of $20k. Those are some pretty high rewards if you think you can slip through Android’s current state of security.
The only conditions to these bounties are that it must apply to the Nexus 6 or Nexus 9 AOSP or OEM code. They’ll also only be rewarding the first instance of a bug being disclosed. There are a handful of other rules and exceptions to read up on if you’re interested in taking a crack at snagging one of these bounties.
source: Android Security Rewards
Come comment on this article: Google paying out cash bounties for identifying and solving Android vulnerabilities
The Farting Pig: farm animals gone wild (review)
Do you remember Mario? The awesome hero plumber that burst onto the game scene and took it by storm? Ever since the success of The Super Mario franchise there have been copycats after copycats trying to replicate Marios recipe for success. Hundreds of platform games have tried to emulate Mario although they have always been disappointing.
Well, The Farting Pig may have broken that chain of disappointment. In the slide scrolling 2d platform adventure, The Farting Pig tasks you to play as a cute pink pig and save him from an angry mob of crazy farm animals. Run piggy run! The unnamed pig runs, jumps and farts his way through 3 different locations: Barnyard, Grand Canyon, and Cornfield.
As the piggy runs through each location, he has to head-butt haystacks to collect coins to unlock or buy new special items. Some of the haystacks once hit, give you a pink pig nose that gives you an extra life, which you will need since you are basically a defenseless pig throughout the entirety of the game.
Some foes that you will encounter as you run for you little piggy life are: Boxing Rooster, an evil rooster who throws some mean combinations anytime you get to close that kill you instantly. Suie-the-Racoon, a suicidal bomber who tries to blow herself up anytime you get within 4 or 5 feet. You also have Porcupine, and the Seed-Shooting duck, who we will let you figure out what they are capable of doing… With so many foes, you are going to have to try to run and jump your way through their clever traps, avoid the electric zappy fence and not get horned by the mad bull!
The Farting Pig immerses itself with colorful visuals and interesting characters. In many modern mobile games, you are able to fly effortlessly through levels, well in this game that is not the case.
This game starts off difficult with the awkward controls, the placement is way too close for having you to press them at a moment’s reflex. Many times I observed myself pressing the wrong direction or just my devices screen instead of pressing that needed button to complete my killer combination of moves. Also, the pig is huge and is expected to jump and double jump to grab coins avoiding chickens, flying seeds, and bombs.
If the pig is punched, a seed hits him, or a bomb explodes on him, he dies instantly, which slows down the flow of the game. The frustrating part is the pig dies often due to the fact that the game makes it way to easy for him to die. While we all love difficult games, (I am talking about you Dark Souls), after a while you begin to lose your will to play.
After dying a couple of times, I closed out the game and came back to it the following morning. I felt the same nonfulfillment as I had the day before, thinking, this pig is outnumbered, out manned and it is not worth continuing. I understand making a game difficult but making it so difficult your audience is unfulfilled and unengaged is senseless.
With all that being said, as I was about to close the game out again, I decided no, let me keep playing a little longer. The longer I played, the longer I died, the more coins I accrued. Eventually, I was able to stack up some coins and get some cool weapons. The arsenal consisted of weapons such as Shrink Gun, Hoverboard, and Flower-Power to calm down the farm. Want to get all of those cool gadgets from the beginning, good luck. It took me countless times of dying before I was able to accrue enough coins to get them all.
One thing that I noticed when playing the game was that The Farting Pig fails to inform you why this cute little pig is being attacked by a mob of angry farm animals in the first place. While a storyline is not needed to play this platformer, it still would have been nice to know the backstory behind all of this chaos.
The difficult gameplay is not for the casual gamer looking to pass time and to achieve rewards quickly. More hardcore gamers or those looking to laugh at a pig farting and flying through the air might be interested in giving The Farting Pig a farting chance.
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Have you played The Farting Pig? Tell us what you thought in the comments below!
The post The Farting Pig: farm animals gone wild (review) appeared first on AndroidGuys.
Google will pay up to $8000 to researchers disclosing Android vulnerabilities
Google is extending its bug bounty program to cover vulnerabilities found on Android devices sold through its store.
The new Android Security Rewards program covers vulnerabilities found on current Nexus phones and tablets that are available in the Google Store (formerly, the hardware section of Play Store). Currently that means the Nexus 6 and the Nexus 9. The program supplements Google’s other bug bounty schemes, such as the Patch Rewards program, which launched in 2013 and includes AOSP and many other projects.
“Eligible bugs include those in AOSP code, OEM code (libraries and drivers), the kernel, and the TrustZone OS and modules. Vulnerabilities in other non-Android code, such as the code that runs in chipset firmware, may be eligible if they impact the security of the Android OS.”
Google will only reward the first reporter of a specific bug, with bounties varying based on the severity of the issue, and whether or not the reporter offered a test case and/or a fix for the vulnerability.
For verified exploits that can lead to the kernel or boot being compromised, Google is willing to raise the bounty by up to an extra $30,000. The company will match any bounty that reporters opt to donate to a charity of their choosing.
Google launched its first bug bounty program in 2010, and since then, it paid $4 million to researchers, with $1.5 million in 2014 alone.
Installed on four out of every five smartphones in the world, Android has become the primary target of mobile malware developers, though the security measures implemented by Google ensure that only a very small number of malware-ridden apps compromise user devices. But it’s not just malware that Google worries about – a recent report revealed that the NSA was very interested in using the Play Store to surreptitiously deliver spyware on target devices, though it’s not clear what came of that program.
Unfortunately, Google’s efforts alone are not enough to ensure that bugs are exterminated in a timely fashion. Carriers and OEMs have the power – and responsibility – to deliver security patches for most devices, but time and again, they proved uninterested in doing the right thing for the customer.
South Korea’s KT launches 1.17Gbps GiGA LTE
South Korea’s largest telecommunications company, KT, has announced the world’s fastest commercialized mobile data service, based on its GiGA LTE technology. By combining traditional LTE coverage with localized WiFi networks, the service is able to provide consumers with data speeds up to an incredible 1.17Gbps.
KT has 200,000 LTE base stations and 140,000 Wi-Fi hotspots installed across the country and hopes to have the majority of the population covered with GiGA LTE. Current high-speed multi-band LTE-A implementations tend to top out in the region of 300Mbps, making GiGA LTE up to four times faster than existing networks. Although real world traffic usage and handset speed restrains will lower the achievable results, speeds will certainly be noticeably faster than before.
As well as offering consumers higher data speeds, KT is looking to GiGA LTE to help accommodate future demands on network bandwidth, which is expected to increase up to 1,000 times by 2020. KT suggests that this will be as a result of 8K video content and UHD hologram services.
Rival South Korean mobile carriers SK Telecom and LG Uplus have also announced that they will be launching their own network technologies that make use of simultaneous Wi-Fi and LTE data connections later this month.
“Around five to six more high-end and mid-end Samsung handsets, compatible with the GiGA LTE, will be released in the latter half of this year along with some LG Electronics handsets,” – KT
Of course, consumers are going to need compatible smartphones to make use of the technology. The first supported handsets will be the Samsung Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge, which will begin receiving an update from today to make them compatible with KT’s GiGA LTE network. Other compatible handsets will be launched later in the year.
What is GiGA LTE?
GiGA LTE is part of the drive towards the still not fully defined 5G standard, which aims to increase available network bandwidth once again. Multi-antenna LTE-A technology was the first step down this road and combining long range wireless data transmission with high-speed local hotspot network access is what some envision for 5G.
KT has teamed up with Samsung Electronics for the past nine months to develop the GiGA LTE technology. Although we don’t have the exact details on how GiGA LTE works, you may recall that Samsung has been working on a similar type of aggregation technology for quite a while.
Samsung’s Download Booster technology showed us the possibilities available with aggregated LTE and Wi-Fi networks a while back.
The “Download Booster” feature found in flagship handsets like the Galaxy S5, Note 3 and Note 5 looks like the starting point for GiGA LTE. Last year US carriers chose to block network access to Samsung’s Download Booster, but they hadn’t invested in the infrastructure to offer consumers this type of network experience anyway.
The implementation of dedicated small node Wi-Fi signals is enabling KT to offer 1Gbps speeds to consumers over such a vast area. Samsung is most likely supplying the know-how on the mobile hardware and software side, to ensure compatibility with KT’s network and hotspots.
Qualcomm has also been talking a lot about this type of small node, big network concept for a while now and recently unveiled details on its own LTE-Unlicensed initiative. This aims to supplement LTE data with LTE-U small cell networks operating in the unlicensed 5GHz spectrum usually used by WiFi networks. Although hardware support across a range of carriers and network services is really needed to make LTE + Wi-Fi technology ubiquitous and suitable for a 5G standard.
Qualcomm has unveiled plans for its own LTE-U 5GHz based aggregation technology.
As usual, South Korea is leading the way with commercialized advanced mobile technologies, but GiGA LTE is a sign of things to come for all of us further down the line.
Apple Watch Shipments Arriving to Apple Stores, In-Store Availability Appears Imminent
Apple Stores in the United States have begun to receive shipments of the Apple Watch to fulfill in-store reservations through Personal Pickup, according to BGR. The report claims the Apple Watch will be available for in-store pickup starting today or tomorrow, but the exact product mix remains unclear at this point.
A spot check of the Apple Online Store reveals that the Personal Pickup option remains unavailable for the Apple Watch at brick-and-mortar Apple Store locations in New York and elsewhere in the United States. A dedicated Reserve and Pickup page for the Apple Watch that was live in early April also continues to redirect to the main Apple Watch product page on the company’s website.
Apple Watch orders have been taken exclusively online since pre-orders began on April 10, although Apple is now catching up on the backlog of shipments and is better positioned to sell the wrist-worn device in stores soon. Apple executive Jeff Williams confirmed earlier this month that it would soon begin selling some Apple Watch models in Apple Stores, but he did not provide a specific date.
“The response to Apple Watch has surpassed our expectations in every way, and we are thrilled to bring it to more customers around the world,” said Jeff Williams, Apple’s senior vice president of Operations. “We’re also making great progress with the backlog of Apple Watch orders, and we thank our customers for their patience. All orders placed through May, with the sole exception of Apple Watch 42 mm Space Black Stainless Steel with Space Black Link Bracelet, will ship to customers within two weeks. At that time, we’ll also begin selling some models in our Apple Retail Stores.”
Apple Watch launches in seven additional countries on June 26: Italy, Mexico, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Switzerland and Taiwan. The wrist-worn device will be sold through the Apple Store, Apple Online Store and select authorized resellers in the countries, including 10 Corso Como in Milan, BOONTHESHOP Cheongdam in Seoul and Malmaison by The Hour Glass in Singapore.
AIVAnet 