Intel Reference Design aims to deliver Android updates within two weeks of release
Intel wants to make it much easier for Android users to stay up to date with the latest platform releases. To do so, it has created a new Intel Reference Design Program for Android. Announced at IDF, the new program is a commitment to bringing Intel-based devices to market much easier. What’s more, the system will help streamline the process of getting updates out to customers in a much timelier manner.
“It’s exciting to see Intel bring their years of expertise in reference designs to Android… and speed up time-to-market for manufacturers…The result will be… devices… with an operating system that is up-to-date…offering a great overall user experience. – Hiroshi Lockheimer, VP of Engineering for Android, Google
According to Intel, any device shipped using the Intel Reference Design for Android will get updates within two weeks of an Android Open Source Project (AOSP) update. And, as if that’s not good enough, Intel is promising to support these devices for two years after launch.
Learn more at Intel’s Reference Design for Android at Intel’s blog.
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Apple iPhone 6 and 6 Plus vs Android: The flagship showdown
Apple has announced not one, but two new iPhones, which only means one thing – there are two new flagship smartphones that have been added to the mix of already stiff competition.
But which is the best device overall in terms of the numbers? Here we are breaking down all the specs into simple, matter of fact statements so you can see which flagship smartphone is the biggest, which is the lightest, which has the highest resolution display and which has the best camera.
Enter the usual suspects – Apple iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus, HTC One (M8), Samsung Galaxy S5, LGG3 and Sony Xperia Z3 – and let the spec crunching begin.
Build
The Apple iPhone 6’s aluminium build measures 138.1 x 67 x 6.9mm and weighs 129g, while the iPhone 6 Plus measures 158.1 x 77.8 x 7.1mm and hits the scales at 172g.
If you are looking for the lightest of all six devices, the Apple iPhone 6 is the winner, followed by the Samsung Galaxy S5 at 145g.
For those after the slimmest, both Apple iPhones are thinner than any of the Android competitors, with the Sony Xperia Z3 taking third place for its 7.3mm build.
The largest of the bunch is the iPhone 6 Plus at 158.1 x 77.8 x 7.1mm and the most compact is the iPhone 6 at 138.1 x 67 x 6.9mm.
Display
You’ll find a 4.7-inch 1334 x 750 pixel resolution display on the Apple iPhone 6, and a 1920 x 1080 pixel resolution on the 5.5-inch iPhone 6 Plus, which means a pixel density of 326ppi and 401ppi respectively.
The biggest display award goes to both the LG G3 and the Apple iPhone 6 Plus, both offering 5.5-inches.
LG mops up the sharpest display however, with its 2560 x 1440 resolution providing a pixel density of 534ppi.
All the other Android smartphones offer a 1920 x 1080 pixel resolution.
The smallest display is Apple’s iPhone 6, which is 0.3-inches smaller than the next contender, and also the lowest resolution and ppi.
Processor
The Apple iPhone 6 and Apple iPhone 6 Plus both feature the company’s latest A8 processor on board with 64-bit architecture, supporting the 64-bit software of iOS 8. It has the M8 coprocessor to handle motion.
Android is not 64-bit yet, which is lucky as none of the flagship Android devices support it.
All of the Android devices have a quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon processor under the hood but the Sony Xperia Z3 has the most RAM at 3GB.
Comparing the devices like for like is very difficult: with undisclosed hardware from Apple, and different operating systems, there’s no easy way to measure them on the spec sheet.
Camera
When it comes to camera, the Apple iPhone 6 and Apple iPhone 6 Plus both feature an 8-megapixel rear snapper and a 1.2-megapixel front snapper.
If you arbitrarily want highest number of pixels on the rear camera, you’ll want the Sony XperiaZ3 with its 20.7-megapixel sensor.
If you are a selfie snapper, then you’ll want the HTC One (M8) for the best front camera with its 5-megapixel offering.
This is the fiercest battleground of all, but we’d expect the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus to be strong performers with the latest tech they are offering including HDR selfies. That’s not to say they will win though, we suspect the camera battle to be the hardest fought.
Battery
The Apple iPhone 6 comes with a better battery than the iPhone 5S and Apple claims it will offer 14 hours talk time and 240 hours standby, while the Apple iPhone 6 Plus is said to provide 24 hours talk time and 384 hours standby. Apple hasn’t disclosed the battery capacity, however.
For the biggest battery capacity, the Sony Xperia Z3 wins the group at 3100mAh, which means the longest standby too at 740 hours.
The Samsung Galaxy S5 and the LG G3 fight for the most amount of talk time though, both claiming up to 21 hours.
For audio playback, you’re answer is the Sony Xperia Z3 again with up to 130 hours of music playback.
The smallest battery capacity is the HTC One (M8) at 2600mAh and 496 hours standby.
Storage
Apple doesn’t offer microSD support but its iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus will come in 16GB, 64GB and 128GB storage capacities.
This means Apple’s iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus offers the biggest internal storage options.
All the Android flagships have microSD slots for storage expansion up to 128GB, but typically offer 16 or 32GB storage.
Features
The Apple iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus has iOS 8 on board, which means a whole host of new features but its most unique offering is Apple Pay, which is launching initially in the US.
In terms of unique features for the Android handsets, the HTC One (M8) has a Duo Camera that captures depth of field information, the Samsung Galaxy S5 brings a heart sensor to the mix, theLG G3 uses laser focusing and the Sony Xperia Z3 is waterproof and lets you play PS4 games.
Prices
The new iPhone 6 will start at £539 for 16GB. The iPhone 6 Plus will start from £619 (16GB).
The cheapest SIM free handset on our panel of Android flagships is the LG G3, at £479 (16GB), which is the most affordable overall.
The iPhone 6 Plus is the most expensive and ironically has the same size display as the LG G3.
Conclusion
It depends what is most important to you as to which of the usual suspects will win you over, but if you just take them all on number value and nothing else … this is how it goes down.
The smallest, lightest and slimmest phone is the new Apple iPhone 6.
The biggest display is shared between the LG G3 and the Apple iPhone 6 Plus, but the sharpest display is the LG G3.
The highest resolution rear camera is the Sony Xperia Z3 and the best front camera is the HTCOne (M8).
The biggest battery capacity is the Sony Xperia Z3.
The most internal storage goes to Apple’s iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus, but all the Android devices offer microSD card support.
The most affordable device is the LG G3 at £479.
And that friends, are the tech specs crunched.
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Motorola addresses Moto 360 battery controversy
iFixit teardown revealed that there’s a 300mAh battery inside the Moto 360 while Motorola advertised 320mAh battery capacity. This created a lot of controversy, even though 20mAh is not that much, besides capacity doesn’t have to mean anything, the watch might do just fine as far as battery goes and fulfill Motorola’s promise. Either way, it… Read more »
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Dell’s new stick lets you share your tablet’s screen with bigger displays
If you happen to own one of Dell’s Venue tablets, you now have an easy way to put its content on a bigger screen. Dell has just launched the Cast, a simple stick that lets you link your slate to any HDMI-equipped display. You can either mirror your screen directly (much like Chromecast) or use the larger panel as a makeshift desktop, including multiple web browser windows. Shades of Motorola’s Webtop, anyone? The add-on is available now for $80, although you may need to be patient depending on your choice of platform. Only Android-based Venue tablets can use the Cast right away. You’ll have to wait until later this year to pair it with Windows-based models like the Venue 8 Pro.
Filed under: Peripherals, Tablets, Dell
Source: Dell
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Moto 360 teardown reveals ancient chips, clever tech and a small battery
Motorola has been willing to offer a quick peek at the Moto 360’s inner workings, but let’s face it: that doesn’t really go deep enough to sate your curiosity, does it? You don’t have to worry, though, as iFixit has torn apart the circular smartwatch to examine every last detail. In the end, the hardware is an odd mix of the latest technology with surprisingly old components. While that round LCD and inductive charger are pretty forward-thinking, the teardown also confirms the presence of TI’s OMAP3630 processor — a chip that hasn’t been cutting edge since that Droid 2 you rocked back in 2010.
There’s also a bit of a rude surprise in iFixit’s unit. The DIY repair shop spotted a 300mAh battery, which is decidedly smaller than the officially claimed 320mAh. What gives? Motorola tells Computerworld that 320mAh is only the “typical” figure, and that 300mAh is the “minimum” you’ll get. That’s bound to rub a lot of would-be owners the wrong way, although the company says it’s thinking of showing both the minimum and typical figures in the future. However you feel about that discrepancy, you probably won’t want to double-check yourself given the tricky disassembly process; this teardown will likely be the closest you get to seeing what’s under the hood.
Filed under: Wearables, Google, Lenovo
Source: iFixit
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AT&T to carry the Moto 360
AT&T on Tuesday announced its intention to carry the Moto 360 smartwatch. As the second wearable powered by Android Wear, the round-faced Motorola device complements the square-faced LG G Watch. Pricing and exact availability are not yet clear however we can’t see Ma Bell asking for more than the current $250 sticker. Perhaps AT&T may be… Read more »
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iFixit teardown finds Motorola lies about Moto 360 battery
Maybe you’ve heard a gripe or two about the new Moto 360 and its battery. According to some of the early reports, the wearable device won’t make it through the day. Our review model, on the other hand, gets through an entire day without any issue and still has juice to spare. Nevertheless, we could always use… Read more »
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LG G Watch price drops to $179 for limited time ($50 OFF)
As if it were a matter of sheer coincidence, LG’s first Android Wear device, the G Watch, is now on sale. Head to the Google Play Store before September 23 and you pick the wearable up for a mere $179.99. What’s more, you can also grab one from Best Buy for the same price. At… Read more »
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Netflix makes it easier to marathon shows using your Chromecast
One of the most alluring (if dangerous) features of Netflix is its auto-play feature — that’s how you end up watching half of House of Cards when you only meant to check out one episode. Chromecast owners haven’t had that luxury, however, so Netflix is releasing new versions of both its Android and iOS apps that enable the serial viewing option when you’re using Google’s streaming media stick. It works much like you’d expect if you were watching on the mobile device itself, but gives you extra time to reach for that phone buried in the couch cushions. You should see both apps surface within the next few days, and PC support is due “soon.”
Filed under: Home Entertainment, HD, Google
Source: Netflix, App Store, Google Play
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LG’s G Watch just got a $50 price cut in the Google Play Store
A handful of new smartwatches unveiled at IFA and beyond (we’re looking at you, Moto 360 and Apple Watch) are already making some still newish models look a little long in the tooth. Take LG’s poor G Watch for instance – it’s only been on the market for about two months and it’s already got a rounder, handsomer big brother with a slightly better screen to boot. That may just be why the OG G Watch has just gone on sale in ye olde Google Play store, where you can now lay claim to your own for $179 (or $50 off the original price tag). You’ve only got until September 23 to snag one at the reduced price, but hey – we wouldn’t be surprised to see that sale price stick around a little longer just to help move more hardware.
Source: Google Play Store
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AIVAnet 