Will Large Screen Smartphones Wipe Out Tablets?

We have been seeing a major push in smartphones lately, especially smartphones with a large screen. Large screen smartphones are nearly as big as a small tablets now. At the moment, there is a massive trend for companies to make and push out phablets (phablet = a screen size of 5 inches or more). We have been seeing a lot of these new devices being released at MCW 2013. Below, I have listed some of my favourite devices, that really do stand out. 

Mobile phones or phablets are all well and good but if your in an area with poor or no signal and are looking for a better solution then a set of Mototrbo radios would be advised.

• LG Optimus G Pro - This beast is a phablet that has a 5.5 inch full HD IPS screen with a 1920x1080 resoluto and 440ppi.

• Nokia Lumia 720 - This is one of the many new smartphones that Nokia have released at MWC. However, I really like this particular smartphone because it has a stunning unibidy type of design. You can wirelessly charge it, and it has 8GB of internal storage.

• ZTE Grand Memo - This is another very large screen phone. The screen size is 5.7 inches. It runs Android version 4.1.2. This phablet also has a 13-megapixel camera on the rear with a 1-megapixel on the front.

• Fujitsu Arrows X - This is a new flagship smartphone from Fujitsu. It's rocking a Tegra 3 CPU, with 2GB of RAM. It has a 5-inch 1080p screen with a finger print scanner!

Will a large screen smartphone eventually overtake a tablet? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below. 

Sony announces global availability of Xperia™ Tablet Z – the world’s slimmest tablet

At Mobile World Congress, Sony Mobile Communications (“Sony Mobile”) today announced that Xperia Tablet Z – the slimmest* tablet available – will launch globally in Q2 calendar 2013. Additionally, Sony’s flagshipsmartphone, Xperia Z will be available to buy in stores from March 1st.

Since it was announced in January, the Xperia Z has won 13 awards and received the widest ranging of any Sony smartphoneto date with 140 sales channels in 60 markets across the globe. Both the Xperia Z smartphone and Xperia Tablet Z combine premium specifications with the best of Sony technology, entertainment, design and connectivity.

Premium Tablet Design Xperia Tablet Z is the most premium, high performance 10.1” LTE Android tablet available. Built from quality materials and featuring the same stunning OmniBalance design as its smartphone sibling, Xperia Tablet Z is also incredibly slim and lightweight at 6.9mm and 495g. Available in black or white and in LTE and WiFi versions, it is the first tablet to run on Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ S4 Pro asynchronous quad core processor and has the highest levels of water resistance (IP55 & IP57) ever delivered in a tablet, making it immune to accidental spills and splashes.** ”Xperia Tablet Z sets new standards in entertainment by matching premium specifications and Sony technology with cross-device connectivity and a consistent user-experience,” said Kaz Tajima, Corporate Vice President, Head of UX Creative Design and Planning, at Sony Mobile Communications. “Xperia Tablet Z reinforces our intention to be a leading player in the premium Android device market, by building on the principles established by Xperia Z and perfectly optimising them for the tablet form factor.” Integrated Sony Technology Xperia Tablet Z includes the very best of Sony technology. With a 10.1” HD WUXGA Display, powered by Mobile BRAVIA Engine 2, it delivers enhanced colour reproduction for a brilliant TV-like viewing experience. It also draws upon Sony’s camera expertise with an 8MP rear camera featuring “Exmor R for mobile” as well as a 2MP HD front-facing camera for capturing the best images in any condition. Sony’s S-Force Front Surround 3D, guarantees soul-shaking audio performance alongside Sony’s Clear Audio+ mode and the innovative use of two in-built speakers with four ‘speaker halls’ on the left and right corners delivers amazing sound no matter how it is held. Xperia Tablet Z also includes Battery STAMINA mode, Sony’s unique battery management technology that can significantly improve standby time. The WiFi variant also offers up to 64GB of storage with an optional mircoSD card. Seamless One-touch Connectivity Xperia Tablet Z includes more connectivity options than any other tablet. It also includes Sony’s One-Touch functions that let users transfer content seamlessly from HD tablet to TV, tablet to speaker or phone to tablet just by touching them together. One-touch functions are a key component of Sony’s device range this year and no other consumer electronics company is bringing as many NFC-enabled products to market. The tablet’s Universal IR Remote allows users to control the TV and other Sony devices - as well as products from other manufacturers - directly from the tablet placing the device at the heart of the home. TV SideView is a new application that gives users an entirely new way to interact with the TV. Sony’s media applications Sony’s signature media applications - “WALKMAN”, Movies and Album - allow users to enjoy, control and view content regardless of their device. The Sony Entertainment Network can also be accessed from these applications and includes Music Unlimited with more than 18 million songs and Facebook social integration as well as Video Unlimited with access to over 100,000 movies and TV series. Xperia Tablet Z Accessories Xperia Tablet Z will launch with a number of accessories including a charging cradle, an LCD Screen Protector and Leather Carrying Cover that comes in Black, White or Red. These will be available from Sony stores or registered retailers.

HP Slate 7 Android Tablet Revealed – Launches in April for $169

On the eve before Mobile World Congress officially kicks off in Barcelona, HP announced its first Android tablet, the Slate 7.

The device is a relatively mid-range 7-inch tablet with a 1024 x 600-pixel resolution. It packs a 1.6GHz dual-core processor, Android 4.1 Jelly Bean, Beats Audio support, a 3-megapixel camera, a VGA front-facing camera for video chat and 1GB of RAM. It packs just 8GB of storage, however.

The real meat of the story here is that HP is re-entering the tablet space after its failed launch of webOS powered tablets. The Slate 7 is expected to launch in April for a budget-friendly price of just $169. We’ll be trying to find one here at Mobile World Congress to bring you a closer look.

[Source: TechnoBuffalo]

Samsung Galaxy Note 8.0 now official

Samsung has stepped forward and officially announced the Galaxy Note 8.0. We've sen and heard enough leaks and rumors to know that we would be seeing an 8-inch version of the popular Note series, but tonights' news clears up al the speculation and replaces it with information direct from Seoul. 

The Note 8.0 takes everything you love about the Note series, adds some great new features, and packages it all into a solid tablet form factor. The Note 8.0 will still be able to make phone calls in some countries, but the 8-inch screen puts this one squarely into the portable tablet genre. And that's a good thing. Users who didn't want a full-sized 10-inch tablet, but still wanted access to the great S Pen technology now have that option.

We've spent some time with the Note 8.0 on the eve of Mobile World Congress 2013, and have the answers to all your questions covered. The Samsung Galaxy Note 8.0 will be available world wide (Europe, Korea, North America, S.E. Asia, S. W. Africa, the Middle East, China, Taiwan, and Latin America) in Q2. Keep an eye on Android Central for exact dates and pricing. The full press release, press photos, and a Chat-On video featuring the Note 8.0 are after the break.

[Source: AndroidCentral - Read the full story here]

iPad 5 Case for Rumored Redesign Surfaces

With numerous specs circulating for the iPad 5, it isn’t surprising that we have seen the first potential case surface.

Case maker MiniSuit has supplied MacRumors with an image of a case the firm has already made for the fifth generation iPad based off of specs it has received from a source. The case is similar to the leaked iPad 5 rear shell that surfaced back in Jan. that showed a relocated microphone. It also follows along with the rumors we’ve heard that the new tablet will share more design characteristics with the iPad mini, and also come in somewhat slimmer than the fourth generation iPad.

It is not unusual for case manufacturers to begin work on cases based solely on rumors. While they could end up being wrong, if they’re right, and able to get their cases to market quickly after the announcement, it can be a financial windfall for them.

Currently rumors for the release of the fifth generation iPad range anywhere from March to October, but June seems to be taking the lead as of late as the probably release window.

[Source: TechnoBuffalo] 

Samsung Galaxy Note 8.0 spotted at MWC, almost hides your entire hand

At last, here's what we've been promised: an 8-inch flavor of Samsung's Galaxy Note lineup. Spotted by an anonymous tipster on the MWC show floor earlier today, the booth shows off said tablet designed with portrait usage in mind, meaning it'll pretty much cover up most of whichever hand you'll be holding it with. And obviously, the Note 8.0 comes with a stylus as well. There's not much more to share at this point, but we'll be seeing this new device in its full glory very soon, so stay tuned. One more shot after the break.

[Source: Engadget]

Steve Ballmer is “Super-Glad” Microsoft Built Surface, Thinks Windows 8 Adoption is “Perfect”

Steve Ballmer sat for a spell with MIT Technology Review to discuss the Windows 8 ecosystem.

It’s no easy task to gauge the impact Windows 8 is having on the industry, in part because the industry is changing. The traditional desktop is taking a backseat in popularity to mobile form factors, like notebooks,tablets, and hybrids. Windows 8, as you know, is an attempt to bring all these devices together, along with smartphones, under a unified user interface. IsMicrosoft happy with its strategy up to this point?

Jason Pontin, MIT Technology Review’s Editor-in-Chief, had a chance to speak with Steve Ballmer about Windows 8 and related topics. One of the questions he asked is what Ballmer feels is a reasonable adoption period for a new version of an operating system that’s to be used by a billion people.

“Well, it’s a complex question. You’ll need to define what you mean by adoption rate. It’s affected by three things: How many do we sell? How quickly do people retire the installed base that they own? And what are the similarities and differences between the consumer market and the corporate market?,” Ballmer said. “In the first 10 weeks, we sold 60 million copies. All new consumer PCs are now Windows 8 based. So in that sense, I would say that here the adoption rate is perfect.”

Ballmer pointed out that consumers upgrade PCs less frequently than phones but upgrade them more frequently than TVs and game consoles. And in the corporate world, “adoption is always a little slower.”

And what of Microsoft’s Surface strategy?

“I’m super-glad we did Surface,” Ballmer said. “I think it is important — and not just for Microsoft, but for the entire Windows ecosystem — to see integrated hardware and software….Surface is a real business. In an environment in which there’s 350 million PCs sold, I don’t think Surface is going to dominate volume, but it’s a real business.”

[Source: TechnoBuffalo]

Ubuntu Touch Developer Preview Available Now

Well that was fast. Canonical, the parent company behind Ubuntu, recently announced itsintentions to provide Ubuntu for tablets, in addition to its goal to launch Ubuntu smartphones in 2014. Good news, tinkerers: the developer preview of Ubuntu Touch is now available for download.

Ubuntu promises the software, which is available for the Galaxy Nexus, Nexus 4, Nexus 7 and Nexus 10, will provide support for WiFi, GSM network connections, functional cameras and the shell and core applications needed to experience the software in full. You’ll need to have some coding chops to get started, however, since there are a few commands required. You also have to make sure your device is unlocked so that Ubuntu can access the bootloader.

Thankfully, if you don’t dig the experience and want Android back, it’s as easy as downloading the factory image and reflashing it to your device. If you run into troubles along the way, you can join the company’s mailing list or head over to its IRC channel at irc.freenode.net and joining the #ubuntu-phone channel.

[Source: TechnoBuffalo]

Google Nexus 7 and 10 first to try new Ubuntu tablet OS

Ubuntu for tablets is a new operating system for slates, joining Ubuntu for phones -- and you can try out features such as phone apps sharing the screen with tablet apps on your Google Nexus 7 or Nexus 10.

Although it's optimised for the ARM chips that power tablets, the tablet version of the OS shares most of its code with desktop Ubuntu. That means you should be able to dock your phone or tablet with TV, computer or keyboard and the interface will adapt accordingly.

With Side Stage, you can put phone and tablet apps side-by-side on your tablet screen to multi-task to your heart's content. Maybe you need to consult a website and a map or note app at the same time -- or maybe an app doesn't come in tablet form yet and you want to pair it with another app.

You navigate with gestures at the edge of the screen, so there's no physical buttons and no home button required. The software is based around a universal hub for search, apps and your music and movies and other stuff, with a notification centre that uses sideways swipes to access your email, tweets and settings.

There's support for multiple users so you can share the tablet round the family and visitors, and there's voice control using the Ubuntu HUD interface.

[Source: CNET - Click here to read the full story]

Microsoft sells out of 128GB Surface Pro models online and in some stores

If you were wondering how well the public would take to a Microsoft-made tablet costing $899 or more... quite well, at least from initial impressions. The 128GBSurface Pro has sold out at Microsoft's US online store, and checks suggest a lack of stock at both the company's retail stores as well as Best Buy and Staples. Canada is facing similar shortages at Best Buy and Future Shop. Not surprisingly,storage worries (since partly alleviated) have left the 64GB tablet as the only one in consistent supply, and we suspect that the 128GB model in Microsoft's Canadian store won't last for much longer. We'd be cautious before declaring the Surface Pro a runaway hit, however -- there's no word on how many units each store had, and Microsoft has refrained from reporting Surface sale numbers to date. Still, the early uptake is good news for Microsoft's first foray into designing an x86 PC, and it shows that many early adopters aren't hung up on the price.

[Source: Engadget]

Galaxy Note 8.0 Will Reportedly Come in Three Different Iterations

When Samsung releases the Galaxy Note 8.0, it should arrive in three iterations: Wi-Fi-only, Wi-Fi + 3G and Wi-Fi + 3G + LTE. And, according to Bluetooth SIG information, the devices will at the very least arrive in Europe. Of course, we’d expect such a big name Android device to also come to North America and Asia as well, though no such announcement has been made for any continents.

The alleged device has shown its 8-inch face on more than one occasion, so it’s safe to say the device is coming. And the likely platform Samsung will use to introduce the device will be Mobile World Congress, which begins at the end of this month. Specs are still cloudy, but reports suggest we can expect the device to come with Jelly Bean, an S Pen, quad-core processor, 5-megapixel camera and  a1280 x 800 display.

[Source: TechnoBuffalo]

Nexus 10 launches in Japan

Some two and a half months after the original launch, Google and Samsung's Nexus 10 is now available in Japan. The high-resolution, 10-inch Nexus tablet is on sale through the Japanese Google Play Store, where it's priced at ¥36,800 (around $400) for the 16GB model, and ¥44,800 (around $480) with 32GB.

[Source: AndroidCentral]