thumpad » Mobile phones

Like Telus November 21st, Motorola Motokey Social set to

thumpad.com — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 08:37:09 +0000

We've seen the official product page of the Motokey Social, a new Facebook Phone with the special blue button, and we knew it was heading to Telus. All we needed to seal the deal was the date, and now we have it: the Motokey Social and Telus will change their status to “In a Relationship” on November 21st, and you can take part of the festivities. It's no Android, of course, but it offers as 3MP camera, 2.4-inch QVGA (320 x 240) touchscreen display, five home screen panels, social n……

For full content click here

smartphone-only portfolio in 2012 Sony Ericsson Q3 results: 0 profit

thumpad.com — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 10:01:13 +0000

Sony Ericsson is still walking the line of profitability and has crossed it a few times in the last few quarters. The third quarter of 2011 saw a decrease in most of the major stats year-over-year (YoY), but the company did perform better than it did in Q2.

The most interesting figure of the press release is the net income – 0. Income before taxes was €31 million but none of that made it to the company's coffers. Still, the company seems to be recovering from the Japan earthquake which affected its……

…..read full story

190M Androids activated, Google Q3 profits beat estimates

thumpad.com — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 10:01:13 +0000

Larry Page, who not so long ago took over as Google's CEO, handed in the company's Q3 financial results with a big smile on his face. Revenues were up 33% Year-on-Year (YoY) to $9.72 billion.

Of that cool 31% transferred into operating income ($3.06 billion) and 24% ($2.21 billion) went to advertisers. The same numbers for last year's Q3 were 35% ($2.55 billion) and 26% ($1.81 billion).

The number of paid clicks on Google's ads increased 28% YoY and 13% compared to the previous q……

…..read full story

to be announced October 19th Samsung Galaxy Nexus

thumpad.com — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 10:01:13 +0000

We've all been aware of the continued partnership between Samsung and Google with regard to the birth of the third Googlephone, following on from the Samsung Nexus S, for some time now. The Nexus Prime or Galaxy Nexus as it has more recently been known, was set to take center-stage alongside the official launch of Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, the latest edition of Google's mobile OS.

Unfortunatley, we encountered a slight snag as the Unpacked event at the CTIA conference in San Diego, intend……

…..read full story

coming to T-Mobile USA as Exhibit II 4G Samsung Galaxy W

thumpad.com — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 10:01:13 +0000

T-Mobile USA is readying a replacement for the Samsung Exhibit 4G, which is barely a few months old. It's called the Exhibit II 4G and is a T-Mobile version of the Samsung Galaxy W (which we have previewed).

The Samsung Exhibit II 4G for T-Mobile drops the hardware home button and goes for four capacitive keys, but other than that it should bring the exact same package.

That includes a 3.7″ WVGA screen, 1.4GHz single-core CPU with 512MB RAM, Android 2.3 Gingerbread and a 5MP camera with 720p……

…..read full story

LG Optimus Note Tegra 2 QWERTY slider leaks Korea-bound

thumpad.com — Thu, 08 Sep 2011 04:00:33 +0000

Just days after the Galaxy Note announcement, we meet another Note – only this time it's a member of the LG Optimus lineup. It's a QWERTY slider with 4-inch WVGA NOVA display and based on the Tergra 2 chipset with a 1.2GHz dual-core processor.

The rest of the specs we know so far include are 5 megapixel camera with HD video recording, a VGA front camera, 8GB internal storage, an HDMI port and Wi-Fi Direct support. The LG Optimus Note is reportedly, just 12.3mm thick, and is running on Android 2……

…..read full story

charging on the go Cellphone

thumpad.com — Fri, 08 Jul 2011 09:12:23 +0000

Getting an unlimited stream of power for smart pocket devices while on the go is on top of the wish-list of billions, regardless where one lives, in the urban jungle or in the forest jungle.
Wearable power, how to make good electrical use of all the kinetic energy people generate as by-product while going, running and jumping around all day is the focus point of research and experimentation.
Joining this growing line of people to crack the mobile power challenge is Argentine designer Soledad Martin who e……

more….

streaming real-time data. The challenges

thumpad.com — Fri, 08 Jul 2011 09:12:23 +0000

Gnip CEO Jud Valeski talks about managing Twitter's fire hose and how the Internet's architecture must adapt to real-time needs…….

…..more

sets foot in Portugal as Optimus Stockholm, Huawei's latest Ideos X1

thumpad.com — Sat, 11 Jun 2011 09:41:38 +0000

Huawei specialize in supplying carriers worldwide with affordable handsets which are being sold with different names. The Chinese tech giant quietly released yet another low-cost Android device, this time in Portugal. It is called Optimus Stockholm, and is a version of Huawei's latest Ideos X1 droid.

It must be noted, that the Optimus Stockholm has no relation to the LG Optimus line of devices. The budget Android handset is named after the carrier which released it in Portugal – it is called Op……

…..read full story

to posting next quarterly results at a loss, Nokia is on route

thumpad.com — Sat, 11 Jun 2011 09:41:38 +0000

We already knew Nokia was expecting a lower profit in the second quarter of the fiscal year, but according to analysts, Nokia won't even make any profit whatsoever. According to a Reuters report, the mobile phone manufacturer will report a loss for this (Q2) and next (Q3) quarters.

Apple's iPhone and Google's Android are to be blamed for the current Nokia situation. Even at the market of lower-end devices and feature phones the Finnish company is losing ground to a tough competition com……

…..read full story

already jailbroken, iOS 5 beta is barely out the closet

thumpad.com — Sat, 11 Jun 2011 09:41:38 +0000

The jailbreak was done using the LimeRa1n exploit, which is used from iOS4 up until 4.3.3. Still it's only a tethered jailbreak, meaning that each time you reboot your iDevice you'll need it hooked up to a computer to work the jailbreaking magic anew.

Naturally, people are hoping that an untethered jailbreak will be available for iOS 5 even before it launches in the fall. But it seems that Apple has removed the possibility of jailbreaking iOS 5 (the untethered way) by patching the current n……

…..read full story

HTC Sensation

thumpad.com — Sat, 28 May 2011 02:08:30 +0000

A hotly anticipated smartphone with a 1.2GHz dual-core processor, a “Super” 4.3-inch screen, and a manufacturer-skinned version of Android 2.3 — we must be talking about the Samsung Galaxy S II, right? Not on this occasion, squire. Today we're taking a gander at HTC's Sensation, a handset that's just begun shipping in Europe under a short-term Vodafone exclusive and which should be making its way to T-Mobile in the USA early next month. By beating its stablemate the EVO 3D and Mo……

For full content click here

still not buy-able, Lenovo IdeaPad K1 tablet hits some online retailers

thumpad.com — Sat, 28 May 2011 02:08:30 +0000

Lenovo still hasn't officially confirmed it, but all signs are pointing to an imminent US launch of its Android-based IdeaPad K1 tablet. It just hit the FCC under the “K1″ moniker earlier this month, and it's now gotten a full blown listing on Buy.com, complete with specs and some pictures that show off Lenovo's “custom-built Android interface.” Those specs include a 10.1-inch display, a Tegra 2 processor (not a Snapdragon as we had seen on the LePad), 32GB of storage, dual came……

For full content click here

Japan-only droid with custom UI, KDDI iida INFOBAR A01 is a cool

thumpad.com — Tue, 17 May 2011 10:29:57 +0000

Refreshing design? Check. 3.7-inch qHD screen? Check. Android 2.3 Gingerbread with a unique, flexible UI? Check. The KDDI iida INFOBAR A01 stars in today’s installment of “We want a Japanese smartphone” drool fest.

The KDDI iida INFOBAR A01 has a 3.7” qHD (540 x 960) pixels capacitive screen with about 300 ppi (Retina display on iPhone 4 has 326 ppi). The screen uses ASV LCD technology, which promises excellent viewing angles.

KDDI iida INFOBAR A01

The iida INFOBAR A01 runs Android 2.3 Ging……

…..read full story

the first LTE AT&T phones? HTC Holiday and Lead to be

thumpad.com — Tue, 17 May 2011 10:29:57 +0000

AT&T is going LTE soon, everybody knows it. There are still no AT&T LTE-capable announced devices, but thanks to a few leaked ROMs we already know two – the HTC Holiday and the HTC Lead.

Both smartphones are high-end droids based on the Snapdragon MSM8660 chipset – a 1.2GHz dual-core processor, Adreno 220 graphics, LTE and HSPA+ support (21Mbps HSDPA and 5.76Mbps HSUPA).

The HTC Holiday should pack a 4.5-inch qHD display, 1GB RAM, 8 megapixel camera with 1080p camcorder, 1.3 megapixel video-call cam……

…..read full story

gets a stable 1.5GHz overclock Samsung Galaxy S II

thumpad.com — Thu, 12 May 2011 05:39:57 +0000

It's been just a few days since the Samsung Galaxy S II hit the shelves and the first impressive and stable overclock is done. Speeding up its dual-core processor up to 1.5GHz will get you some serious bragging rights and will certainly raise your online rep no matter what tech forums you frequent.

Samsung initially intended to launch the Galaxy S II with a processor clocked at 1GHz, but then it announced the dual-core beast inside is going to run on 1.2GHz.

Samsung Galaxy S II (1.5GHz) be……

…..read full story

has five 3G/HSPA bands, still not official Nokia N9 spotted at FCC

thumpad.com — Thu, 12 May 2011 05:39:57 +0000

The long-awaited Nokia N9 has passed FCC checking and that gives us a glimpse at a schematic of the device and also info on the wireless connectivity of the device. The last we’ve heard of Nokia’s MeeGo efforts, they said that there will be a device called N950, which will be out by the end of this year. Not a word since, we’re not even sure if the N9 and the N950 are the same device.

The Nokia N9 was tested for 850/1900 GSM/GPRS/EDGE bands with a note that outside the US the device can also use the ……

…..read full story

attend my own conference Would I?

thumpad.com — Fri, 01 Apr 2011 11:02:26 +0000

Conferences that want to be taken seriously by people who take other kinds of people seriously need more diversity among the speakers. Read more.

……

…..more

Play review Sony Ericsson Xperia

thumpad.com — Tue, 29 Mar 2011 05:35:16 +0000

The PlayStation Phone. We've had quite the intimate history with this gamepad-equipped slider, learning of its secretive existence way back in August and then handling a prototype unit in January, so you'll forgive us for feeling sentimental and still entertaining our pet name for it. The Sony Ericsson marketing gurus renamed it the Xperia Play when it finally went official at MWC this year, but the PlayStation connection remains as strong as ever. Aside from the D-pad, iconic game keys……

For full content click here

How important is a mobile device feel

thumpad.com — Thu, 24 Mar 2011 08:08:20 +0000

Whether you buy into Apple's “post-PC” spin, the rise of mobile computing does seem to shift the pers……

…..more

Nokia X7, 3 UK roadmap reveals 1.4 GHz Galaxy S II mini

thumpad.com — Mon, 21 Mar 2011 07:10:38 +0000

The Three UK roadmap just surfaced, revealing excitingly sounding devices such as a Samsung Galaxy S II mini and confirming that the Nokia X7 hasn't been canceled world-wide. Unlike the Galaxy mini, the S II mini will be a high-end smartphone, targeting those that find the Galaxy S II and its 4.3″ screen a bit too large.

The leaked slides say that the Samsung Galaxy S II mini will launch as early as next month, featuring a 1.4GHz CPU (probably identical to what we saw on the HP Pre 3) and a 3.7″ W……

…..read full story

are new phones for AT&T US, LG Thrill 4G and HTC HD7S

thumpad.com — Mon, 21 Mar 2011 07:10:38 +0000

AT&T announced today that it will be converting two well-known devices to its lineup and making them 4G-capable. Those are the HTC HD7 and LG Optimus 3D.

Keep in mind that in this case 4G refers to HSPA+ 21Mbps, not the real-deal LTE. Still we guess there will be many people willing to buy either.

The two smartphones are also getting new names. HTC HD7 gets an “S” to its name – HTC HD7S. And the LG Optimus 3D will be LG Thrill 4G. Pretty much nothing else is changed.

The HD7S has the same 4.3……

…..read full story

will focus on software instead, Microsoft reportedly kills off Zune hardware

thumpad.com — Mon, 21 Mar 2011 07:04:12 +0000

Details are still emerging on this one, but it looks like Microsoft has finally killed off the Zune — or the hardware side of things, anyway. According to Bloomberg, a “person familiar with the decision” has confirmed that Microsoft won't be producing any new Zune media players, and that the company will instead focus solely on the Zune software that already has a foothold on the Xbox 360 and Windows Phone devices (it's not clear if the name will stick around). Microsoft will apparentl……

For full content click here

spotted in the wild again, The almost forgotten Nokia X7

thumpad.com — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 05:17:31 +0000

The quad-speaker Nokia X7 leaked numerous times before, so today's pictures are not actually news. But what's important here is the Symbian^3 gadget is still alive and we hope Nokia goes public with it before it's too late.

First we saw the X7 in a short video, followed by some better live and official photos. The pictures today are quite blurry, but at least we know the Nokia X7 is still in the cards.

Nokia X7

We hope Nokia announces the X7 soon because otherwise its (rumored) ……

…..read full story

Samsung gave it birth, T-Mobile US Sidekick 4G revealed.

thumpad.com — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 05:17:31 +0000

The Sidekick 4G is Samsung's first addition to the T-Mobile's Sidekick lineup. It's powered by the same hardware as the original Galaxy S, runs on Android v2.2 Froyo and packs the familiar five-row QWERTY keyboard.

It seems Samsung has replaced Danger in manufacturing the Sidekick lineup. The latest member – the Sidekick 4G – packs a 3.5-inch capacitive WVGA display, 3 megapixel camera plus a front VGA one for video-calls and all-round connectivity options including support for T-Mobile'……

…..read full story

wearing a nice white dress, Sony Ericsson XPERIA mini2 leaks

thumpad.com — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 05:17:31 +0000

We've just got a live photo of a yet unannounced Android-running Sony Ericsson handset. The Sony Ericsson XPERIA mini2 comes to succeed the most compact droid in the company portfolio and it will obviously be available in a pretty white outfit.

Now we didn't get any specs along with this leak, but it seems safe to suggest that the Sony Ericsson XPERIA mini2 will be identical to the XPERIA mini pro2, but for the keyboard. This means a 3″ HVGA screen and some pretty powerful processing unit und……

…..read full story

cost 649 euro, The XPERIA Play will launch in Spain on 1 April.

thumpad.com — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 05:17:31 +0000

We hope this is an early April Fool's joke – the Sony Ericsson XPERIA Play will apparently be launching in Spain on 1 April, for the hefty 649 euro SIM-free price. It will come with 6 games preloaded but the price still seems pretty steep.

Vodafone Spain will offer the white Sony Ericsson XPERIA Play in the first 15 days but the other operators will get it afterwards. The black one will be available from the start (1 April). At this point it's not clear how much the Play will cost on a contract……

…..read full story

first hands-on! LG Optimus Pad

thumpad.com — Mon, 28 Feb 2011 06:25:03 +0000

We've just gotten back from playing around with LG's 8.9-inch, 3D-friendly Optimus Pad (known as the G-Slate in the US). This Android Honeycomb tablets sports a dual-core CPU inside and a dual-camera array outside, giving you both the optical and processing capabilities to produce 3D video. Its screen cannot actually play back glasses-free 3D, but if you really have to have that third dimension on the move, you'll be able to buy a set of glasses to recreate the effect. The Optimus P……

For full content click here

now in delicious LTE and HSPA+ flavors, RIM BlackBerry 4G PlayBook tablet

thumpad.com — Mon, 28 Feb 2011 06:25:03 +0000

Count 'em, because RIM has now announced four varieties of its BlackBerry PlayBook tablet. As of today, we've got the PlayBook with WiFi + LTE and WiFi + HSPA+ models joining the previously announced PlayBook with WiFi and PlayBook with WiFi + WiMax. As such, there's a pretty good chance that your carrier will have a 7-inch dual-core PlayBook with the QNX-based BlackBerry Tablet OS on offer at some point in the future, no matter how it chooses to define “4G.” Unfortunately, RIM says ……

For full content click here

port for dual-purpose USB or HDMI out, Samsung Galaxy S II first with MHL

thumpad.com — Mon, 28 Feb 2011 06:25:02 +0000

There's a small but important fact about Samsung's newest Android flagship that slipped under our radar last week at Mobile World Congress. The Galaxy S II is the first smartphone to feature an MHL port. MHL, as you'll recall, was first announced in 2008 as the Mobile High-Definition video Link “standard” for mobile devices promoted by a consortium that includes Nokia, Samsung, Toshiba, Sony, and Silicon Image. So yeah, another mobile interconnect standard just like DisplayPort, min……

For full content click here

expanding with 8.9-inch model by summer, Samsung Galaxy Tab series

thumpad.com — Mon, 28 Feb 2011 06:25:01 +0000

Not much detail here kids, but the Korean Yonhap News Agency is reporting that Samsung has an 8.9-inch Android tablet due in the first half of the year. This, according to a Samsung company spokesman speaking to the reputable news site over the phone. Yonhap also notes local media reports claiming that the tablet could be for sale as early as next month. We first heard about Samsung's plans for 7-, 8-, and 10-inch tablets way back in June — long before the 7-inch Galaxy Tab was announced. N……

For full content click here

to hit Germany (and India) in three days, Samsung I9003 Galaxy SL

thumpad.com — Fri, 25 Feb 2011 08:54:48 +0000

The Samsung I9003 Galaxy SL is just about to hit the shelves in Germany and India. Pre-orders are already accepted and the most eager customers will be able to get their hands on one come Monday.

The Samsung I9003 Galaxy SL was announced a three weeks ago, but we guess its similarity to the Galaxy S helped it enter production so quickly. Plus with the Super Clear LCD replacing the Super AMOLED there's no screen supply shortages to worry about.

Now for the pricing. In Germany the 16GB (there……

…..read full story

will be offered by multiple US carriers, HTC Merge goes official

thumpad.com — Fri, 25 Feb 2011 08:54:48 +0000

After the HTC Merge images leaked a while ago, now the Taiwanese company finally makes the phone official. The device is also HTC's first Android-based CDMA/GSM dual mode phone or “world phone” as they call it States-side.

The HTC Merge runs Android, and naturally will come with HTC’s custom Sense UI on top of it. The device packs a sliding QWERTY keyboard and a capacitive 3.8-inch touchscreen. At the back the Merge touts a 5MP camera capable of 720p video recording.

Pricing is still unknown……

…..read full story

smartphones outsell computers for the first time, IDC report says

thumpad.com — Wed, 09 Feb 2011 07:06:07 +0000

2010 was defined by a series of explosive growths in the smartphone market. For the first time ever, smartphones have outsold traditional computers, says IDC. Leading manufacturers posted staggering quarterly and yearly growths with more to come in 2011.

IDC estimates that a record-breaking 92.1 million computers were shipped in the fourth quarter of 2010. Smartphones managed 100.9 million shipments over the same period – an 87.2% increase compared to Q4 of 2009.

Traditional computers still have the……

…..read full story

we get camera and video samples, XPERIA Neo demoed on video

thumpad.com — Wed, 09 Feb 2011 07:06:07 +0000

It hasn't been a week since the last Sony Ericsson XPERIA Neo preview and here is another one. This time we get glimpse of the homescreen and main menu, some camera and video samples.

Yeah, the XPERIA Play and XPERIA Neo keep showing their faces everywhere. Not that we complain, but it's tedious to get teased about an unannounced device again and again.

The focus today is on the XPERIA Neo, which is caught on a hands-on video. The video shows part of the Android UI – the main menu and the h……

…..read full story

Nokia’s poor track record, CEO Stephen Elop admits

thumpad.com — Wed, 09 Feb 2011 07:06:07 +0000

We just got wind of an internal Nokia memo created by Stephen Elop, Nokia's recently appointed CEO, in which he describes how the reasons for Nokia's shrinking market share and brand preference.

The nicely-written letter delivers the cold truth analyzing the reasons for the poor results they've……

…..read full story

HP Pre 3 webOS smartphones and HP unveils the HP Veer

thumpad.com — Wed, 09 Feb 2011 07:06:07 +0000

It’s been a long waiting, but finally the results of the Palm acquisition by HP is bearing fruit. HP just presented the HP Veer and HP Pre 3 smartphones, as well as the HP TouchPad tablet, all running webOS.

It's been almost a year since HP acquired Palm for $1.2 billion and we're finally seeing devices coming out as a result of the acquisition. The “Think Big. Think Small. Think Beyond” tease that HP threw at us is now demystified.

“Think small.” Part of HP’s message materialized in the for……

…..read full story

does it have a touchscreen or not? Photos of Nokia E6-00 leak

thumpad.com — Mon, 07 Feb 2011 12:11:27 +0000

The Nokia E6-00 has been laying low for almost a month but it resurfaced with the first photos of the device. The photos confirm the QWERTY bar form factor and the camera resolution but don't give us much more.

The Nokia E6-00 leaked a while ago through an XML and some sample photos on Picasa. Curiously, the XML reported Symbian^3 for the E6-00 with a VGA screen (all Symbian^3 phones so far have nHD resolution).

Nokia E6-00 leaked photos

The camera is an 8MP unit with dual-LED flash. The ……

…..read full story

thanks to the Super Bowl ads, XPERIA Play is finally official

thumpad.com — Mon, 07 Feb 2011 12:11:27 +0000

Sony Ericsson has finally made the XPERIA Play official through a creepy Super Bowl commercial. The presentation is still scheduled for 13 February, but now you finally know what to expect then. Oh, wait…

We've already lost count of the XPERIA Play leaks, pictures, videos, previews, benchmarks, etc. Sony Ericsson did the right thing teasing with the Super Bowl ad and making the XPERIA Play somewhat official. Really, it was about time.

Sony Ericsson XPERIA Play

The ad itself turned out t……

…..read full story

sets you back 599 euro as Nokia E7 hits the shelves in Finland

thumpad.com — Mon, 07 Feb 2011 12:11:27 +0000

Nokia officially announced availability information about the flagship E7. Currently, the phone is available for purchase from the Nokia’s Flagship store in Helsinki, Finland and other Nokia flagship stores.

The Nokia E7 packs a 4” ClearBlack AMOLED touchscreen with a QWERTY keyboard running the Symbian^3 OS. Featuring an 8MP snapper with dual-LED flash at the back, the device also holds for you 16 gigabytes of on-board memory.

For now the device is available only in selected stores and should s……

…..read full story

could this be the Desire 2? HTC top-dog leaks again

thumpad.com — Mon, 07 Feb 2011 12:11:27 +0000

New information has just leaked, suggesting the successor of the HTC Desire will be aptly called Desire 2. An inventory list from Vodafone with the name “Desire2” nicely coincided with the series of photo leaks we've been seeing lately.

As we reported a while back, HTC is gearing for a big (in numbers) announcement at the MWC 2011. We got to see the upcoming phones in nice press-quality shots, but we had no names.

This weekend we spotted a live shot of an unannounced HTC handset, codenamed the ……

…..read full story

now up for pre-order stateside, Archos 70c color e-reader

thumpad.com — Sun, 06 Feb 2011 07:32:30 +0000

What do you get when you cross the Atlantic ocean with the Archos 70b color e-reader? An alphabetical shift one place, it seems. The Android 2.1-powered book substitute with a 7-inch 800 x 480 TFT display has popped up for pre-order on JR.com. No picture (although we assume it's pretty much the same as the 70b), a $149.99 price tag, and no definitive release date. Resistive touch screen, 600MHz CPU, 4GB Storage, WiFi, SD slot, and a 10-hour untethered lifeline. Much cheaper than a Nook Colo……

For full content click here

unlock your N8 in a pop intelligently, Nokia Bubbles

thumpad.com — Fri, 04 Feb 2011 01:39:35 +0000

The humble unlock screen gets ever fancier, and Nokia Bubbles is one of the fanciest we've seen yet. Like a variety of aftermarket lock screens it enables you to control your media player or initiate calls before you even unlock your handset, but does so in an interesting way. You just grab the bubble for what you want and drop it on what you want to do. A simple unlock entails dragging the key onto the lock, and if you have a missed call you can grab that person's bubble and drag it to……

For full content click here

replacement for 60-watt incandescent bulbs. Cree shows off ‘no-compromise’ LED

thumpad.com — Wed, 02 Feb 2011 05:34:36 +0000

Compact fluorescent (or CFL) bulbs may currently be the dominant alternative to traditional incandescent light bulbs, but there's still a strong contingent betting on LEDs as the true long term replacement. One of the major players in that camp is Cree, which recently teamed up with Dean Kamen's FIRST organization to have kids distribute LED light bulbs door-to-door like Girl Scout cookies (seriously), and is now showing off what is says is the “first no-compromise replacement for a 60-……

For full content click here

for launch this month, T-Mobile promises Samsung Galaxy S 4G

thumpad.com — Wed, 02 Feb 2011 05:34:35 +0000

Look, let us just sum up the Galaxy S 4G for you: it's a Vibrant with Froyo, a front-facing camera, and Inception. After reading through the new details T-Mobile's outed on its latest HSPA+-equipped Android smartphone today, that's really the best way to describe it… and let's face it, Avatar (which, you might recall, came bundled with the Vibrant) was getting kind of old and played out anyway. Naturally, like T-Mobile's other video call-capable devices, the front-facing c……

For full content click here

the Samsung Galaxy S2 unveiling at MWC 2011, New teasers confirm

thumpad.com — Tue, 01 Feb 2011 10:57:36 +0000

Samsung just released a new batch of new Galaxy S2 teaser videos to get the excitement going again. With just 12 days left to the MWC in Barcelona, who knows what Sammy will throw at us next.

Unfortunately, the videos don’t reveal much of the device itself. They only suggest that the Galaxy S2 looks ridiculously thin, which is probably due to its sAMOLED plus screen.

Here are the teasers themselves:

Just to refresh your memory, a Korean newspaper leaked some specs of the Samsung Gala……

…..read full story

fight agent Smith? Sony Ericsson Halon to be called XPERIA Neo

thumpad.com — Tue, 01 Feb 2011 10:57:36 +0000

Nothing stays a secret on the Internet for very long – the latest reveal is the alleged retail name for the Sony Ericsson XPERIA Halon (which also goes by Vivaz 2). The name is XPERIA Neo, which sparks instant association of the iconic character from the Matrix.

The Sony Ericsson XPERIA Neo uses the same camera as the XPERIA Arc, an 8MP Exmor R sensor that can record 720p videos. The camera placement is reminiscent of the Vivaz, explaining the “Vivaz 2″ name.

Sony Ericsson XPERIA Neo

The ……

…..read full story

the X8 is bugfixed, Pinch zooming now available for XPERIA X10

thumpad.com — Tue, 01 Feb 2011 10:57:36 +0000

Sony Ericsson just announced it's rolling the next wave of updates for the XPERIA X10 (minis included) and the XPERIA X8. The XPERIA X10 update is now rolling gradually, but the X8 update will be a week or so. You can get your X10 update either through the Sony Ericsson PC Companion or over-the-air directly on the phone.

The most important thing about the update is that the X10 users will now enjoy the Pinch-to-zoom feature in Google Maps and the Internet browser. Unfortunately, there's now……

…..read full story

Cowon D3 Plenue priced at $370, or $100 per inch of AMOLED

thumpad.com — Tue, 01 Feb 2011 09:50:07 +0000

Want yourself a “Prestige” portable media player to make even legit smartphones blush in envy? Then the D3 Plenue from Cowon might just be for you, what with its 1080p video playback, 32GB of storage, Android 2.1 OS, and 3.7-inch, 800 x 480 AMOLED display. It's just that today we're finding the Prestige label also extends to its price, which Amazon has set at a mighty $370. That's not terrible when contrasted against unsubsidized pricing for comparable smartphones, but then this isn……

For full content click here

High Efficiency Video Coding / HEVC / H.265 : Beyond H.264

thumpad.com — Fri, 01 Oct 2010 23:31:32 +0000

JCT-VC develops next video compression standard

As of September 2010, work is continuing on the new video coding standard, currently known as “High Efficiency Video Coding” (HEVC). A Joint Collaborative Team on Video Coding (JCT-VC) has been set up by ISO/IEC MPEG and ITU-T VCEG. Following a Call for Proposals in January 2010, 27 proposals were submitted to the first meeting of the JCT-VC in April.

Elements of some of these proposals have been combined to develop an initial Test Model, a starting point for development of the new standard. The initial Test Model has similarities to earlier standards such as H.264/AVC, including block-based intra/inter prediction, block transform and entropy coding. New features include increased prediction flexibility, more sophisticated interpolation filters, a wider range of block sizes and new entropy coding schemes.

Coding performance varies across the different proposals. It looks like we might expect to see a 2x compression improvement compared with H.264/AVC (i.e. half the bitrate at the same visual quality), at the expense of a significant increase in computational complexity (perhaps 3x or more).

source (vcodex)