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[unpopularblargh]

Dolphin. Wipes the floor with Chrome, but a lot of people can't get past the green colour scheme. Sucks for them.

I used to use the AOSP browser on CM10.1 on my One X. Stock on N4 comes with Chrome which overheats my phone and kills the battery.

Found a way to install the AOSP browser on XDA. Will stick with it for now.

 

[zomgbbqftw]

not everybody needs a high end device, a good mid range phone at a decent price is what some of us are waiting for (well, not me, my wife is XD )

You're in Europe right? No Moto X for you (or me) then!

 

[Quasar]

not everybody needs a high end device, a good mid range phone at a decent price is what some of us are waiting for (well, not me, my wife is XD )

And that was the Nexus 4 for me. Only 300$ unsubsidised, decent processing power and and the comfort that I will get upgrades for a good while. And really I'm really happy with it overall. My one gripe being headphone volume.

Maybe the MotoX will fit in that same camp.

 

[thespot84]

What time is the second coming tomorrow?

 

[Quasar]

You're in Europe right? No Moto X for you (or me) then!

So Motorola isn't selling it outside the US? Thats weird.

 

[Groof]

And that was the Nexus 4 for me. Only 300$ unsubsidised, decent processing power and and the comfort that I will get upgrades for a good while. And really I'm really happy with it overall. My one gripe being headphone volume.

Maybe the MotoX will fit in that same camp.

More so than that, the silly pop up warning about high volumes. Want to turn that off so baaaaad

 

[Bboy AJ]

They added the new tab button, took it away, now added it again.

 

[Quasar]

More so than that, the silly pop up warning about high volumes. Want to turn that off so baaaaad

As this is my first android device I assumed that was there on all android devices. Admittedly the fact that I have it permanently maxed out does make that worse. Though one thing I wonder about is whether the low volume issue is there with in-ear headphones. I imagine not.

 

[Groof]

As this is my first android device I assumed that was there on all android devices. Admittedly the fact that I have it permanently maxed out does make that worse. Though one thing I wonder about is whether the low volume issue is there with in-ear headphones. I imagine not.

I use in-ear headphones and while audio can get pretty loud, it's not nearly as loud as other devices. But, it's loud enough for me. Just want to destroy that message because it serves no purpose other than to annoy you.

 

[tzare]

You're in Europe right? No Moto X for you (or me) then!

yes, that is my fear, that it will only be available in the US (at least for a while)

And that was the Nexus 4 for me. Only 300$ unsubsidised, decent processing power and and the comfort that I will get upgrades for a good while. And really I'm really happy with it overall. My one gripe being headphone volume.

Maybe the MotoX will fit in that same camp.

yes, that would be (along with ascend p6, XSP and optimus G) the best option, but i was waiting a bit to see what motox was about. I also may wait a few months and go for N5. AH... decisions!

 

[Avon Barksdale]

What time is the second coming tomorrow?

3 pm Eastern.

 

[vgamer1]

I use in-ear headphones and while audio can get pretty loud, it's not nearly as loud as other devices. But, it's loud enough for me. Just want to destroy that message because it serves no purpose other than to annoy you.

Then root and remove it?

 

[zomgbbqftw]

So Motorola isn't selling it outside the US? Thats weird.

It could take a while.

 

[tzare]

So, another option while waiting for N5 would be buying a 'cheap' chinese phone, there's this one in Spain that is decent:

http://www.bqreaders.com/productos/aquaris-5.html

What specs is Nexus 5 supposed to have? any rumours? 5'' screen? snapdragon 600?

 

[brotkasten]

I just read Paul Thurrot's Nexus 7 (2013) review.

Nexus 7 pricing makes the iPad look ridiculous—Apple seems to find itself in this position a bit too frequently—but then so does the Nexus 7 feature set. It’s no contest. And, God help anyone trying to make the case that the only available Windows mini-tablet at the moment, the Acer Iconia W3, is any competition at all. That machine doesn’t even rate.

...

Put simply, the Nexus 7 has redefined the mini-tablet category and raised the bar enough that it doesn’t matter whether Apple releases a Retina-class iPad mini this year or not. That device will still be far too expensive to matter, and with the Android ecosystem poised to overtake the iOS ecosystem this year once and for all, I think we can safely say that the battle is already over. Ladies and gentlemen, meet the new king of mini-tablets, the Nexus 7.

http://winsupersite.com/mobile-devices/google-nexus-7-2013-review

It's good to see that he's not totally biased.

 

[Massa]

I just read Paul Thurrot's Nexus 7 (2013) review.


http://winsupersite.com/mobile-devices/google-nexus-7-2013-review

It's good to see that he's not totally biased.

But he is totally biased, just wait until Microsoft introduces a competing tablet in 2015.

 

[Nicktendo86]

It's a panty dropper. Only works with Samsung devices though.

Sansung'd

 

[Quasar]

I just read Paul Thurrot's Nexus 7 (2013) review.

http://winsupersite.com/mobile-devices/google-nexus-7-2013-review

It's good to see that he's not totally biased.

That last bit you quote is interesting given Pauls admitted dislike for Android as an OS. Personally I still see iOS tablet apps in a much stronger light than Android ones. But thats obviously depends on what kinds of apps you have an interest in.

I am kind of curious to see what an iPad refresh looks like, both mini and non-mini. What will I guess the A7 SOC for the ipad look like for instance. Where will it sit in terms of I guess the Tegra 4 and whatever the bleeding edge Qualcomm SOC in I guess Q3/Q4 look like.

 

[Quasar]

But he is totally biased

You must be tuned into the Bizarro-Paul.

About the only thing he's really pro on (well aside from Xbox and COD) is Windows Phone. And personally I agree with him to some degree, I really like WP8 as an OS and some of the newer hardware. I'm just not comfortable enough with the app situation to buy a WP8 device. But then I don't even like the android tablet app situation.

 

[Groof]

Had to clear Chrome's app data, but at least I got my new tab + back <3

 

[brotkasten]

That last bit you quote is interesting given Pauls admitted dislike for Android as an OS. Personally I still see iOS tablet apps in a much stronger light than Android ones. But thats obviously depends on what kinds of apps you have an interest in.

I am kind of curious to see what an iPad refresh looks like, both mini and non-mini. What will I guess the A7 SOC for the ipad look like for instance. Where will it sit in terms of I guess the Tegra 4 and whatever the bleeding edge Qualcomm SOC in I guess Q3/Q4 look like.

He mentions that part in the review.

From a software perspective, I’ve long since come to terms with the inevitability of Android—something I’m sure Mac users went through with Windows in the early 1990’s—but as I’ve been discussing on podcasts recently, I’ve never been truly excited by Android. Some have taken this to mean I “hate” Android, but the reality is less dramatic. I’m just ambivalent about Android.

I'd give the whole review a read, it's pretty good.

 

[Nicktendo86]

You disappoint me zomg, Sony q1 earnings out. 36% jump in mobile revenue.
http://www.engadget.com/2013/08/01/sony-q1-2013-earnings/

 

[tino]

I just read Paul Thurrot's Nexus 7 (2013) review.


http://winsupersite.com/mobile-devices/google-nexus-7-2013-review

It's good to see that he's not totally biased.

Its funny that he made fun of Acer w3. That tablet can run photoshop and its only $100 more. I m waiting for acer make the lighter vertion and I ll buy it.

Of course he would hate on acer, since the CEO dude publicly diss RT before it was out.

 

[-Pyromaniac-]

Its funny that he made fun of Acer w3. That tablet can run photoshop and its only $100 more. I m waiting for acer make the lighter vertion and I ll buy it.

Of course he would hate on acer, since the CEO dude publicly diss RT before it was out.

I'm pretty sure Thurott himself has dissed RT as well. He hated on it because the screen sucks and its build is cheappp yo.

 

[brotkasten]

Its funny that he made fun of Acer w3. That tablet can run photoshop and its only $100 more. I m waiting for acer make the lighter vertion and I ll buy it.

Of course he would hate on acer, since the CEO dude publicly diss RT before it was out.

He hates on Acer, because it's a terrible device. Especially the screen is supposed to be absolute crap and Acer already acknowledged this flew and want to address it in the next version.

The display on the Acer Iconia W3 won&#8217;t be winning any awards any time soon as it has a WXGA LCD display at a resolution of 1280 x 800. We&#8217;re sure Acer had to make some sacrifices when they put together an 8-inch Windows 8 tablet, and this seems to be one of them as the display doesn&#8217;t look as crisp as other tablets we&#8217;ve seen this size running on competing operating systems. When you look closely, you can see there are small grains in the display which reminds us of how early touchscreen devices looked when they were first introduced into consumer electronics.: http://www.ubergizmo.com/2013/07/acer-iconia-w3-review/

The W3 has a widescreen 1,280 x 800 pixel display, similar in aspect to Android tablets like the (slightly smaller) Nexus 7. Sharpness is a little limited, but it's the panel type used that's the problem here.

The Acer Iconia W3 appears to use a TN panel, which offers poor viewing angles compared with the IPS displays found in most tablets these days. There's fairly significant contrast shift when the tablet is turned in certain directions, and that's disappointing when almost all other tablets at the price have higher-quality screens.

http://www.trustedreviews.com/acer-iconia-w3_Tablet_review

Even for a budget tablet, the W3's 8.1-inch, 1,280 x 800 screen feels like a letdown. Head-on, at least, colors are balanced and the pixel density is pleasing, but once you adjust the screen angle at all, whether it be horizontally or vertically, the panel quickly becomes washed out. Pick a really off-kilter angle and the screen takes on a sickly yellow overcast, especially in areas that are supposed to be white. That's bad news for people who don't immediately buy the optional keyboard dock; you're going to spend a lot of time with the tablet resting face-up on a table or your lap. And it's a shame, because we're pretty sure the industry is better than this: if ASUS and Amazon can make budget Android tablets with knockout screens, surely the same can be done for Windows... right?

http://www.engadget.com/2013/07/10/acer-iconia-w3-review/

These negatives start with the screen, which is an 8.1-inch panel running at a surprisingly acceptable 1280 x 800. I noted in that First Impressions post that the screen appears to have a &#8220;coating that gives the display a sort of mottled look that I associate with cheap devices of days gone by.&#8221; TWiT&#8217;s Iyaz Akhtar noted to me that it reminded him of the displays we saw in the generation Tablets PCs from way back in 2002-2003, and he&#8217;s right: That&#8217;s what this screen effect reminded me as well. What it is, simply, is cheap: The mottled effect is basically the glue that binds the touch-sensor to the screen. It&#8217;s horrible to look at, and gets worse if you&#8217;re not looking directly at the screen from the proper angle. The screen will make this device a non-starter for many people. Try it in a store before you buy.

The 8.1-inch display offers 1,280-by-800 resolution and five-digit multi-touch, and you'll be able to do all of your Facebook, Google, and Netflix viewing with relative ease, but you might not want to look at it for long. While tablets have traditionally been web and media-consumption devices, this display isn't the best for those applications, looking decidedly low-res when compared to most any current smartphone or tablet. It was especially noticeable when watching video or reading for any amount of time. Colors look dull and flat, and fine details look grainy. Add to this the thick bezel around the screen, and the display does a lot to leave the Iconia W3 looking and feeling less like a new innovation, and more like a budget device.

Have fun using Photoshop on it, lol.

Also, Thurrot is one of the biggest RT haters out there. I just posted one of his "fuck RT" rants in the Windows 8 thread.

 

[Whiteshirt]

If that Acer thing is like any other Acer tablet you can find at JB Hi Fi or Officeworks, its an objectively awful device outside of possibly price. The RT at least has the benefit of being built fairly well and having a pretty decent screen outside of pixel density.

 

[brotkasten]

If that Acer thing is like any other Acer tablet you can find at JB Hi Fi or Officeworks, its an objectively awful device outside of possibly price.

Acer is asking 379 for a relatively thick and heavy tablet with slow 2012 components and a 2006 display. An iPad Mini is cheaper and better, not to mention the new Nexus 7.

 

[zomgbbqftw]

You disappoint me zomg, Sony q1 earnings out. 36% jump in mobile revenue.
http://www.engadget.com/2013/08/01/sony-q1-2013-earnings/

Oh, right yeah.

The tl;dr version:

Xperia sales up to 9.6m for the quarter from 7.4m the year before.

Revenues up to 285bn yen from 171bn yen the year before

ASP up from $280 to $330 pointing to strong high end sales (Xperia Z/ZL/ZR)

Operating profit of $60m

Regular:

I'm told that the tablet income is booked elsewhere, probably within the Vaio division because that's who first started making tablets for Sony with the tab s and x-tab s. That will be folded into the mobile devices reporting this year though, we may even get a breakdown of tablet sales soon which will be useful.

Mobile devices division (Xperia, Vaio, Walkman) showed an operating profit of $60m, but Vaio lost money this quarter due to low sales volume so SMC likely made more than the $60m reported, I have yet to get a figure attached, but probably around $110-130m operating profit for the quarter for SMC, which is a decent turnaround.

No real change in guidance for the future, other than they expect PC shipments to decrease and that while they are keeping the 42m shipment target for Xperia, they expect revenues will be higher than previously thought because of weaker yen and because their product mix has trended towards the higher end.

On the figures given I think Xperia Z series sales accounted for around 65-70% of shipments, again that's good, but they will be worried about the lessened sales of the mid-range. I think the SP, L and M will get a big advertising push soon so that people are shown Sony still have very competitive mid-range offerings.

 

[etrain911]

I need a new smartphone before I start school on September 11th. I'm really hoping that that rumored S4 with a Snapdragon 800 comes out by then. Either that or Sony's Honami is going away with me.

 

[The Faceless Master]

I need a new smartphone before I start school on September 11th. I'm really hoping that that rumored S4 with a Snapdragon 800 comes out by then. Either that or Sony's Honami is going away with me.

that SD800 S4 is china only iirc

 

[zomgbbqftw]

that SD800 S4 is china only iirc

Korea as well, it's on sale there already I think.

 

[The Faceless Master]

Korea as well, it's on sale there already I think.

oh, right. there's also a Note 2 with Snapdragon 600 in China!

 

[etrain911]

that SD800 S4 is china only iirc

http://pocketnow.com/2013/07/19/snapdragon-800-galaxy-s-4-2

There are rumors and rumblings that it could go international, which would be awesome. I'd be a little bit peeved if I were an early adopter though.

 

[PaulLFC]

Really disappointed with the 4.3 update, I expected better from Google. Not feature wise, but testing and stability wise.

First the bug with Netflix locking up the phone, and today I discovered that my Nexus 4 now suddenly refuses to charge via USB when it's switched on.

With the power off, it charges fine. As soon as it's switched on, nothing. "Charging" briefly appears for a fraction of a second, then disappears, and the phone doesn't charge.

A quick Google search has revealed at least a few others having this issue - it can apparently be solved by using the official micro USB cable, but I only have one of those, at home, and wanted to charge the phone at work.

I've been using a Samsung micro USB cable because the official one doesn't seem to be available anywhere (I haven't checked the Play store, because last time I did their charges were ridiculous, but it isn't on the usual sites like Amazon). Until the update, that Samsung cable worked perfectly. Now, it suddenly doesn't.

Not impressed to be honest.

Edit: Found a workaround for the USB charging problem online - if anyone is having the same issue, when the phone is plugged in to USB go to Settings - > Storage - > Menu - > USB computer connection. Then untick MTP and/or PTP. Exit the menu and then unplug & replug your USB cable. The phone should charge then.

 

[zomgbbqftw]

http://pocketnow.com/2013/07/19/snapdragon-800-galaxy-s-4-2

There are rumors and rumblings that it could go international, which would be awesome. I'd be a little bit peeved if I were an early adopter though.

Honestly if they do that it will piss of a bunch of GS4 buyers and go against their core principal that has seen them rise to the top - one flagship per year.

Part of the reason Sony are having such a tough time is because they have had multiple flagships per year and people don't want to buy a phone that will soon be outdated. If Samsung release this in the west I think it will be more trouble than it's worth. Sony just about get away with it because the Xperia Z was announced such a long time ago and with a worse spec than the GS4, plus the i1 has been heavily trailed by the media so people are ready for it and many held off purchasing a Z/ZL for it.

 

[DrFunk]

Moto X will probably cost $299 off contract, costs $225 to make

 

[renitou]

$299 and a modest profit per device (or break even, with the stipulated large marketing campaign), or $199, subsidize again and really go for it?

 

[Sqrt_minus_one]

Would be kinda surprised if the $500M marketing budget is for a US only phone seems a bit much?

 

[tino]

$299 and a modest profit per device (or break even, with the stipulated large marketing campaign), or $199, subsidize again and really go for it?

Google can't get the phone on half of the US carriers anyway. So my money is on 299.

 

[Fox318]

I can't wait till the moto x reveal.

 

[Ephemeris]

Moto X will probably cost $299 off contract, costs $225 to make

Falls in line with my expectations (sadly). So.. $350 for the 32GB?

Still a great price, considering the N4 is a great price and is three fiddy for 16GB's

 

[AndyD]

$299 and a modest profit per device (or break even, with the stipulated large marketing campaign), or $199, subsidize again and really go for it?

Would be kinda surprised if the $500M marketing budget is for a US only phone seems a bit much?

Unless the marketing budget includes subsidizing it to 200/249. Even if its say a $299 device but the first wave gets a $50 Play store gift card, similar to the Chromecast's Netflix promotion. They may be willing to take an initial loss to gain a strong foothold in the market.

I am still worried about what hoops we will have to jump for various providers. Not optimistic about Verizon.

 

[Ephemeris]

I'm all for it being cheaper, I mean I *love* spending less money on things.

But don't forget these other hero devices cost twice as much.

 

[DrFunk]

It's happening:

The Motorola Moto X is going to go down in smartphone history as one of the most anticipated devices of 2013. Of course, the overwhelming amount of leaks has definitely helped to up the hype surrounding the soon-to-be new kid on the block.

With hours left until we see the official unveiling, the Motorola/Google duo has decided it's about time they follow up on their promise for a seamless transition between the Moto X and your current device.

Say hello to Motorola Migrate, a new app by Motorola Mobility that has just become available on the Play Store. Sympathetic and attuned to the hardships of switching phones, Motorola Migrate promises to help you pull the trigger, and emerge on the other side with all your photos, videos and SIM contacts in tow.

So how does it work? Simple, really &#8211; the minimalistic-looking app will prompt you to scan the QR code of your shiny new Moto X and the rest is, supposedly, cake.

 

[brotkasten]

"The Motorola Moto X is going to go down in smartphone history as one of the most anticipated devices of 2013" sounds like BS pctx would write.

 

[Ephemeris]

So how does it work? Simple, really – the minimalistic-looking app will prompt you to scan the QR code of your shiny new Moto X and the rest is, supposedly, cake.

Oh snap.

 

[kehs]

They can't all be 1028s.

 

[NH Apache]

Oh snap.

Yeah, except you can't have two devices activated at once. Which means they store all this info on their server until you activate your new device, possibly excluding wifi.

So moto will have access to all your media, contacts, etc. I'd love to read that privacy statement.

Edit: TiBu 4life

 

[Blackhead]

$299 and a modest profit per device (or break even, with the stipulated large marketing campaign), or $199, subsidize again and really go for it?

Google can't get the phone on half of the US carriers anyway. So my money is on 299.

Not good enough. It either needs to be $299 MSRP/$0 on Contract for every US carrier including the prepaid and regional carriers or $199 MSRP (at most, $249) if there's minimal official carrier support. This is the US market; not the European or Asian markets. Motorola's main competitor isn't Samsung, it's Apple. Google already tried the $S300 priced handset and that didn't stop Apple making gains in US marketshare this year. Moreover, the 'cheap' iPhone is incoming this fall. Motorola doesn't have enough cool cachet in the US to go head to head with that, even with a $500 million ad budget. Google/Motorola needs to either go big or not bother.

 

[SimleuqiR]

"The Motorola Moto X is going to go down in smartphone history as one of the most anticipated devices of 2013" sounds like BS pctx would write.

Leo Laporte has been touting this phone. He is under a NDA, but keeps telling people to hold off buying any new phones until you can see for yourself what the Moto X is about. He feels it will change the mobile landscape.

::shrugs::