Android and Me » Phones

HTC switching to simple philosophy with Sense 4 and new devices

Edgar Cervantes — Thu, 01 Mar 2012 19:16:25 +0000

HTC is in the middle of one of its biggest transitions in the mobile industry. The plan is to simplify everything, from the range of devices to HTC Sense itself. We have already started to see this being implemented, specifically with the unified HTC One device line-up. But there is also a substantial improvement in HTC’s customized UI overlay.

In an interview with Pocket-Lint, at MWC, HTC’s Chief Product Officer Kouji Kodera went on the record about HTC Sense 4.0. Kodera mentions that their custom skin had become too complicated, and needed a renovation. While Sense has proven to be one of the most popular among custom manufacturer skins, the simplicity of stock Android is unbeatable. And HTC is now focusing on bringing the experience closer to stock.

From the original Sense up to Sense 3.5 we added too many things. The original concept was that it had to be simple and it had to be easy to use and we had that philosophy, but over time it got cluttered.Kouji KoderaHTC Chief Product Officer

Kouji goes on to mention that HTC Sense had become very cluttered. “There where too many things in there. Even on the home screen we had four or five icons before consumers got a chance to add things themselves,” he said. And this is true, not only did Sense become a bit of an over-worked product, but it also was known to be a battery hog.

HTC claims that things were brought down to Sense 2.0 with the HTC One devices, making for a much cleaner experience. But that is not the only thing that is changing in 2012. Kodera also re-stated that we will be “hearing less from them,” as product releases will also start decreasing.

This year, HTC has decided to switch its whole philosophy, in order to become less cluttered and confusing for the consumer. Everything will be much more simple and seamless, with a much smoother flow.

With fewer devices and a UI that is more parallel with stock Android, we can surely expect much better and more timely updates, as well as more thought out, quality smartphones. This is assuming that things are done right, of course, but we assume big HTC has a good strategy in its plans.

Let’s sit tight and see how things turn out. But for now, the new Sense will be available via the HTC One X and One S. The lower-end HTC One V has HTC Sense 3.6, so we don’t know just how well it will play out among its bigger brothers. But the device is not bad, and the Sense 3.6 UI looks just as clean as Sense 4.0.

Are any of you planning to enjoy HTC Sense 4.0 on one of the new devices?

Sony acquisition of Ericsson now complete – what we can expect

Edgar Cervantes — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 20:14:22 +0000

This has been one of the smoothest acquisitions we have seen in the life of Android. In less than 4 months since its announcement, Sony has completed the full acquisition of the Ericsson mobile devision. This costed the Japanese manufacturer €1.05 billion, but good ol’ Sony is now in full charge of its mobile division.

Even before this transaction was finalized, though, things had already started to change. We have seen the latest Xperia devices being unveiled without the Ericsson branding (like the Sony Xperia Ion and the Xperia S). But we feel like Sony’s plans are not fully portrayed by these devices.

Sony can turn the tables around, and make things much better for its future. And we would assume that Sony has a plan – they did not spend €1.05 billion on a hunch. Sony Ericsson hasn’t been making the best profits, but we should start seeing some strategy changes soon.

Seamless Connectivity with Sony Products

According to Sony, this is the main reason for said acquisition. The company wants smartphones to be part of the connected home that they have been creating for years. As of now, they have done a great job with their other products: computers, televisions, Blu-ray players, game consoles and other devices have the ability to communicate with one another, taking us closer to the “smart home.”

This is something we can see the smartphone being integrated into – better communications with other Sony products and services. Many Sony TVs can now be turned on automatically when a Playstation 3 or Blu-ray player is in use, and the console can be controlled via a keyboard and mouse.

It would be great if a portable device could be added into the equation. Imagine if there was an option that allowed you to do the same with your smartphone. Simply select the DLNA (or any form of wireless communication) option when walking into the living roon, and boom – the TV turns on and starts playing the movie.

Maybe being able to access your Playstation 3 while on the go will also be featured in the future, much like the PSP devices have been able to do for a long time. The possibilities are endless, but such features are what we should start seeing in Sony smartphones. The connected home is the future, after all.

Better Gaming

Sony is one of the most successful competitors in the video game industry. Its consoles have created a great consumer loyalty since the release of the Playstation 1. It continues to hang with the best of them with consoles like the Playstation 3 and the PS Vita.

There have been recent rumors of Sony moving to Vita OS in the future^[1], but this is not expected to happen for a long time. And we hope it never happens, because it has great potential to be successful in the Android world.

Gaming is something very important in the mobile ecosystem, and Sony can apply some of its talent to coming smartphones. We have already seen a gaming device being released, the Sony Ericsson Xperia Play (image to the right). This phone is great, and the controller pad definitely makes for a better experience. The games and specs left much to be desired, though.

With Sony in charge, we should be seeing many improvements in the Xperia gaming strategy. Better gaming smartphones and tablets, an improved Playstation Certified experience and console quality games could really turn things around in the Android ecosystem.

Will we see super phones with access to games with PS Vita quality and resolution? We will have to wait and see. It is highly likely Sony will make some strong moves within mobile gaming, though.

Design and Performance

Sony Ericsson devices have not been the best, but they improved greatly last year. Sony Mobile Communications could take great advantage of the company’s resources and talent. As already mentioned, Sony is no small kid on the playground. Many of its products are highly desired by the population, and their name has a great reputation for solid manufacturing.

Sony Ericsson’s design already fits in with Sony’s style, and we probably won’t see that changing too much. We may see Xperia devices with much better specs, though. If the new smartphones are going to be powerful gaming devices, the specs will have to be much more impressive.

Quad-core processors and gadgets with 2 GB of RAM are just around the corner. We might, or might not be seeing Sony taking a leap in this movement. Sony might have some hiccups with the transition, but we could expect them to stay on top of the game from then on.

Conclusion

Sony has great potential and talent. We have seen it in their other products, and hope to see better smartphones being added to its line – but this is only the beginning. There is much more that could be done. The Japanese manufacturer could make use of its talent to add great cameras, better sound, better displays and all of the above mentioned improvements.

But Android enthusiasts care about even more – for some, a super phone is immediately discarded after learning that it has a locked bootloader (Sony Ericsson has been great about open bootloaders). It is also a big “no no” if a manufacturer is known for not keeping its devices updated in a timely fashion.

There are many things that Sony could do to make its customers very happy – some being relatively simple to accomplish. So let’s see how Big Sony plays things out. We hope that it goes well. Competition is a great factor for the mobile evolution, and we hate to see manufacturers fail.

But let us know what you think. Do you think Sony will do well with the acquisition? If so, what do you see coming in the near future?

References

Via The Verge ↩

Sony Ericsson: Ice Cream Sandwich rollout will start in March/April 2012

Alberto Vildosola — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 23:44:04 +0000

You have to give it to Sony Ericsson, they really want you to know that they care about updating their Android phones. The company has been bombarding us with new information about its Ice Cream Sandwich rollout ever since Google dropped the source code a few weeks ago — from giving us a detailed description of how the updating process works to even releasing an alpha ROM based on Ice Cream Sandwich.

Today, the device manufacturer has dropped yet another piece of information related to Android 4.0. The company has narrowed down its update schedule from “in the future” to “between March and May”. More specifically, Sony Ericsson will split its ICS rollout into two groups, with the first group receiving the update around late March or early April. The devices included in the first group are:

Xperia Arc S
Xperia Neo V
Xperia Ray

Then between the end of April and beginning of May, the following devices will receive the update:

Xperia Arc
Xperia Play
Xperia Neo
Xperia Mini
Xperia Mini Pro
Xperia Active
Live with Walkman

Sony Ericsson has also said that not all devices of the same model will receive the update at the same time. Since the actual OTA update to the device is up to the carriers, and we all know how fast those are. The update will be available via 3G and WiFi — says Sony Ericsson — and also via a tethered option. Lastly, the company has promised to keep its users up to date on the progress they make by uploading videos of the new version as they work on it. So keep an eye out for those in the near future.

Even though March is still a few months away, all you Xperia owners out there are now lucky enough to know exactly when your ICS update will arrive. Which is more than we can say about most Android users out there.

Video: Verizon Galaxy Nexus – unlocking the bootloader

Edgar Cervantes — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 20:12:13 +0000

After all the hype and waiting, the Samsung Galaxy Nexus has finally been released in the US and is available for purchase straight from Verizon. We know many of our readers have been waiting for this moment and probably have this device in their hands right now, or are about to. There are many reasons to want this device, but one of the biggest incentives is the fact that a Nexus phone is known to have a more open ecosystem, meaning it is much easier to unlock the bootloader.

The Samsung Galaxy Nexus is a bit different, though. It comes with Ice Cream Sandwich, one of the most (if not the most) revolutionary updates the Android OS has received. Android 4.0 has much to be excited about, and even the CyanogenMod team has mentioned that some of their “extra” features have been taken off the custom ROM, since Ice Cream Sandwich is now incorporating them. This means that, more so than before, users are considering not installing any custom ROMs on their devices in favor of the Stock ICS UI.

We’re reaching out to our readers to see what their opinion is on this matter. We’d like to see how many of you are going to stick with stock, or if you’re loyal to the custom ROMs developer community. One of the main advantages of following the developer community is that updates come out much faster, but this wouldn’t be an issue with a Nexus device. (They are the first to get updated). At the same time, many of you may like the extra juice that some developers add to your device.

Unlocking the bootloader will allow you start messing with your smartphone as you please (rooting, flashing custom ROMs and kernels, etc.), and it’s very easy to do with the Samsung Galaxy Nexus. Our friends from Droid-Life have posted a video that demonstrates how this is done, as well as a detailed step-by-step guide. The process is very simple; the bulk of the process is setting up the SDK, ADB and drivers.

As always, there’s a disclaimer. Before doing this, you should realize that customizing your device (this includes unlocking the bootloader) may void your warranty and/or brick your device if not done carefully. If you choose to do so, the responsibility is solely yours, and you may be on your own if something goes wrong.

Check out Droid-Life’s video to see how to go about unlocking the Samsung Galaxy Nexus bootloader, and let us know what you think. Will you be unlocking the bootloader to play around with your phone, or would you rather stick with stock this time? If you’re doing it, is it mainly for rooting? Do you think installing custom ROMs is necessary with Ice Cream Sandwich already on your device and updates coming in a timely fashion?

Gorilla Glassless Galaxy Nexus attacked by car keys, survives

Sean Riley — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 19:55:15 +0000

It may seem like a distant memory at this point, as every day waiting for the Galaxy Nexus to launch feels like a week, but at the end of October we found out that the Galaxy Nexus wouldn’t be using the Corning Gorilla Glass that has been protecting so many of our phones from tragic run ins with keys and whatever other various and sundry items we keep in our pockets or bags.

This caused a minor outbreak of doom and gloom hysteria from some who apparently assumed Samsung had decided to go with Priscilla Glass, which is another little-known product from Corning that scratches in a light breeze. Samsung tried to assuage these concerns at the time, but all they really had to say was that they were using another fortified glass.

Well now that the lucky ~~bastards~~ folks over in the UK have their hands on the Galaxy Nexus, we can finally see whether the fortified glass that Samsung used can hold a set of keys at bay.

As you can see in the video, it does indeed survive a vicious keying at the hands of its new owner. So the pitch forks and torches can be put away for the time being, and Samsung can be forgiven for going with this mystery glass.

Since Samsung still isn’t fessing up to what they used, can we come up with a name for the Galaxy Nexus’ glass? I’m slightly partial to Megaunbreakableadamantium Glass, but that might be a little too lengthy for print ads.

HTC Rhyme launching on Verizon September 29 for $199

Anthony Domanico — Tue, 20 Sep 2011 15:26:40 +0000

At their event in New York City this morning, HTC announced the mid-range HTC Rhyme, which will launch on Verizon Wireless September 29 for $199. The HTC Rhyme is the official name for the HTC Bliss, and the Rhyme is largely targeting the ladies out there. The Rhyme comes in a Plum color, inspired by a suite of applications and wallpapers designed by the HTC team.

Specs for the HTC Rhyme include:

1 GHz Qualcomm MSM 8655 processor
Android 2.3.4 with the latest version of HTC Sense (3.5)
3.7-inch Super LCD display
4 GB internal memory, 8 GB external SD card
5 MP rear camera with 720p video capture, VGA front facing camera
Charm indicator (more below)
3G speeds (read: No LTE)

Where HTC is attempting to differentiate this device is in the included and available accessories. In the box, you’ll find a charm indicator (basically a small charm with a built-in notification light) to let you know when you have a new notification. Since the charm glows, it will allow you to locate the device in your backpack, purse, handbag, satchel or whatever else you might need to rummage through to find your phone. Also included in the box is a set of tangle-free earphones.

The Rhyme also has a couple of accessories available for purchase, the most promising of which is the docking station. It essentially turns your phone into an alarm clock/multimedia device. You can also pick up a sports armband, bluetooth headset and bluetooth car speaker–all manufactured to match the style of the HTC Rhyme.

If you’re interested in picking up the Rhyme, you won’t have to wait long. The device will be available on Verizon on September 29, and will set you back $199 with a 2-year contract. You can preorder the device at Target starting September 21.

Pictures and videos of the Rhyme in action can be found below. Who out there plans to pick up the Rhyme when it launches next week?

Promo Video

Accessory Video

Gallery

EVO 3D update brings ability to unlock bootloader

Anthony Domanico — Fri, 19 Aug 2011 14:01:06 +0000

Modders rejoice!

Just days after the release of the unlock tool for the European Sensation, HTC has announced via it’s Facebook page that the latest OTA firmware update for the EVO 3D will allow users to utilize HTC’s unlock tool to unlock your bootloader. In order to unlock your bootloader, you will need to be on the latest software version (2.08.651.2). If you’re on any other software version, be sure to update by going to Settings –> System Updates –> Firmware Update.

Once you have the latest update, head over to HTC’s Dev website and follow the instructions there to unlock the bootloader on your EVO 3D. Do so at your own discretion, however, as unlocking your bootloader will void all or parts of your warranty.

If you do decide to unlock your device via HTCDev, let us know how the process went for you by leaving a comment below.

Will Motorola Droid HD upstage the Droid Bionic?

Sean Riley — Wed, 17 Aug 2011 16:30:30 +0000

Oh Droid Bionic, you haven’t even managed to make it out of the starting gate yet and already some uppity youngster is parading around trying to show you up in front of your fans.

The Droid HD name has shown up at least once before in some flickr images snapped around the Motorola campus, but it’s finally getting out from behind the lens for a little modeling session of its own courtesy of an Engadget tipster.

Based on these pictures alone, the Droid HD should have a 4.5-inch screen at either 960 x 540 or 1280 x 720. It is approximately the same thickness as the Galaxy S II and has capacitive buttons, a 1080p capable rear-camera, a front-facing camera, 4G LTE, externally accessible sim and micro-sd slots, micro-HDMI and micro-USB ports.

These specs line up closely with the Motorola Dinara we told you about last month. If you’ll recall, the rumored specs for the Dinara included a TI-OMAP4430 or 4460, a 13 MP rear camera, VGA front-facing camera, an HD screen, 1 GB of RAM, a non-removable battery and a lock button on the side.

Now I’m sure you’ll be quick to point out that there’s a fairly substantial red tag that says “battery removal” on the back of the phone. But that doesn’t necessarily mean users are going to have access to that compartment; just a squeeze of glue and that door gets slammed shut to most users.

The rumored release for the Dinara is “Winter,” which could place this beauty in your hands anywhere from December to February if the Droid HD is indeed what the Dinara has become.

So what are your thoughts on the as-of-yet unreleased Droid Bionic’s successor?

Update: Droid Life’s tipsters are telling them that this isn’t the Dinara, although that doesn’t rule out this being a variant of the Dinara for Verizon with the actual Dinara going to AT&T. I’m sure we’ll have more information soon enough.

Gallery

Samsung temporarily halts Touchwiz OTA for Tab 10.1

Anthony Domanico — Mon, 15 Aug 2011 21:19:22 +0000

Another week, another OTA update gone bad.

Over the past few weeks, Samsung has been rolling out an over-the-air update for their Galaxy Tab 10.1, which brings along their TouchWiz UI overlay to the Honeycomb platform. According to reports over at XDA, the update has caused some owners of the Tab 10.1 to encounter graphical errors that render the tablet basically unusable.

The folks over at AndroidPolice reached out to Samsung about this error and received the following statement via Twitter:

(The update has) been temporarily halted to assess progress and ensure it's a positive experience for customers. The update will resume shortly and we'll let you know as soon as we have a confirmed date.Carla SaavedraSamsung

For Samsung to officially halt an over-the-air update they had already started rolling out, there clearly had to be quite a good number of users that experienced this issue. Though I was able to update my personal Tab 10.1 without a hitch, we’re sure there are many users out there with inoperable tablets.

Are you a Tab 10.1 owner who applied the Touchwiz update? Did it screw up your tablet? Or did the update go off without a hitch? Let us know in the comments.

Samsung Galaxy S II will finally pull the U.S. into its orbit on August 29th

Sean Riley — Fri, 12 Aug 2011 17:25:46 +0000

Now that Samsung has that whole Galaxy S II in space thing all locked up, they’ve finally turned their attentions back to those of us in the troposphere and realized that the U.S. launch still hadn’t happened.

On August 29th in New York, the company will be making a major product announcement that will prominently feature the roman numeral II. Now, unless they’re real gluttons for punishment, we’re going to assume it’s our beloved–if somewhat belated–Galaxy S II.

Hopefully we’re looking at a faster turnaround time from announcement to launch with the Galaxy S II than we saw with the original Galaxy S last year; the clock is ticking and the specs on the Galaxy S II aren’t exactly as out of this world as they once seemed. (If it’s any consolation that pun caused me some slight physical pain).

Question remain regarding what minor variations we’ll see from carrier to carrier–such as whether the Galaxy S II will offer each carriers version of 4G or “fauxG.” But in just seventeen days we’ll finally have our answers.

I know the Galaxy S II has had a rabid following at times, and it certainly hasn’t had any trouble selling worldwide. But with a September launch (at the earliest) are you still on the SGS2 bandwagon?