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Canon takes on Fujifilm's Instax with its IVY instant cameras
Canon is going up against Fujifilm with its first instant cameras, the IVY CLIQ and CLIQ+. You can save digital photos or load them up with 10 sheets of Zinc paper and print in 2x2- or 2x3-inch formats. The cameras pack built-in flashes and selfie mirrors, optical viewfinders, microSD card slots, USB charging and auto exposure/focus. They feature wide and relatively fast 25.4mm f/2.2 lenses.
Samsung adds some power to its latest Android flip phone
With the tactile buttons, nostalgic looks and snappy foldability, flip phones have a certain je ne sais quoi. But nobody wants to use a feature phone like a caveman, so Samsung has just revealed its latest model, the Galaxy Folder. It's arriving right after rival LG's Gentle flip phone, but is quite a step up. Along with 4G LTE and Android 5.1, it's got a higher-res 3.8-inch, 480 x 800 screen, twice the RAM (2GB), a sharper 8-megapixel camera and a much bigger battery. Imagine! That'll let you do most of what you normally, then fold your phone away like Lindsey Graham. No, really imagine, because it's available in Korea for $250, but ain't likely to come here.
Oppo's 4.7-inch R819 arrives with svelte 7.3mm profile, stock Android option (updated)
Oppo has just announced the R819, a 4.7-inch smartphone that's likely to have high appeal to lovers of stock Android. The Chinese firm will release the handset with its Oppo Color ROM, but users will also be able to install stock Android through a relatively simple sideloading procedure. Hardware wise, it's also decently spec'd, considering that Oppo seems to have tried to cram as much as it could into the sleek 7.3mm thick (.29 inch), 110 gram (3.9 ounce) shell. You'll get a quad-core MediaTek CPU, 720p IPS display, 1GB RAM, 16GB ROM, a Sony Exmor-equipped 8-megapixel f/2.0 rear camera with an LED flash, a 2,000mAh battery and dual-sim capability. There's no word on availability or pricing yet, though unlike some China-based handset makers, Oppo's devices often wind up in the US. Update: As you probably saw in our hands-on, the Oppo R819 is indeed set to arrive at online retailers in September for $349 (269 euros).
Huawei MediaPad 10 FHD hitting stores starting in September
The Huawei MediaPad 10 FHD has made a somewhat circuitous journey across our eyes, through our hands and past the FCC's screwguns. Finally we know when you can get one, as it goes on sale starting in September. The device is already available in China, and will be rolled out to Europe next month with the rest of the world "to follow," according to Huawei. It'll feature an in-house K3v2 1.4GHz quad-core Cortex-A9 processor, along with Android 4.0, a 10.1-inch, 1,920 x 1,200 IPS display, an 8-megapixel rear camera that captures 1080P video, and 150Mbps LTE compatibility. We've already expressed our ardor about its gorgeous screen, great aluminum body and decent performance -- if you feel the same, check the PR to see when it's coming to your neck of the woods.
Sony announces new Exmor RS cameraphone sensor: upgraded signal processing, HDR video recording
That camera sensor in your smartphone is very likely to be a Sony-made module which means it's worth keeping an eye on the company's latest sensor developments. Your next phone could be packing one of its latest Exmor RS camera modules, a stacked CMOS image sensor that's currently being readied for future smartphones and tablets. At the moment, three components fall under the new RS label, with two eight-megapixel sensors (one with new camera signal processing tech) and a top-drawer 13-megapixel module. Alongside the new sensors, Sony's crafted new f/2.2 lenses alongside a refreshed auto-focus module and all of them will be capable of HDR video recording. The company's now working on improving sensor behavior, image quality and keeping it all tiny enough for that next pricey phone contract. The first products are expected to arrive in October, so we may not see it in Sony's very next tablet, but development could be done in time for next year's effort -- and help validate the manufacturer's imaging investment.
Orange San Diego Medfield phone: a closer look at Computex 2012 (update: video)
Well what do we have here? Yes, it's the Orange San Diego we first saw at Mobile World Congress and it's going on sale in the UK today for £200. This isn't just yet another Android smartphone, but one of the first Medfield-based handsets on the market. We caught this pre-production unit chilling out at the Intel booth here at Computex 2012 and decided to go up close and personal. First impressions? It's thin, light and feels great in the hand thanks to a pleasant soft-touch back. The Gigabyte-made device packs a 4-inch glass-capacitive 1024x600-pixel LCD (that's 300dpi), an 8-megapixel autofocus camera with LED flash, a 1.6GHz Intel Atom Z2460 CPU, 1GB of RAM and 16GB of built-in storage. While the screen looks decent enough, it falls somewhere in the middle of the pack in terms of viewing angles. The phone features Android 2.3.7 (Gingerbread) and runs most apps from the Google Play store directly via an emulation layer. Performance matched prior benchmarks and was on-par with current mid-range ARM-based Android handsets -- the experience was mostly smooth, but we noticed some lag when scrolling and zooming pages in the web browser. Battery life remains the major outstanding question when it comes to Medfield handsets, so expect more details once we have our very own review unit. In the meantime, check out the gallery below and hit the break for our hands-on video.%Gallery-157275%
Sony Xperia P review: a solid, mid-sized smartphone waiting for Android 4.0
More Info Sony Xperia S review Sony announces the Xperia P: Aluminum unibody, shipping Q2 Sony pushing ICS to more devices next week, confirms Xperia Play won't be upgraded As the middle child from Sony Mobile's NXT family, the Xperia P steps out from behind the Xperia S' shadow with its own 4-inch screen -- and a touch of WhiteMagic. Screen technology aside, the phone's design follows a path very similar to Sony's latest flagship and picks up a few quirks of its own on the way. The see-through button strip is actually touch-sensitive on Sony's 2012 middle-weight -- a curious oversight on the bigger model. It packs Sony's 8-megapixel Exmor R camera sensor (likely to be the same one found in the Xperia Arc S), a dual-core 1GHz processor and just under 13GB of user-accessible storage. But there's one unfortunate Xperia trait here -- we're still playing with Android Gingerbread, even while its ancestors begin to dip their toes into Ice Cream Sandwich. Does anyone want an incrementally smaller Android phone from Sony? And what exactly is WhiteMagic and what does it mean for the battery life?
First sample shots with HTC's EVO 4G LTE for Sprint
What better way to see what a smartphone camera is made of than taking a tour of the best of what New Orleans has to offer? We were given the opportunity to take the forthcoming HTC EVO 4G LTE on a brief tour of the city here at CTIA 2012. Our full review of Sprint's latest LTE-capable device is on the way, but we want to give you a small teaser to arouse your curiosity ahead of time. So check out some of the sights through HTC's 8MP ImageSense camera (including HDR shots) and take a look at how it stacks up against the likes of the One X and One S below!
PSA: AT&T's HTC One X now in stock, get it while it's frosty
While the AT&T One X is getting some flack for being blocked from HTC's bootloader unlocking program, the good news is that it's officially available starting today. So long as you're not fazed with having Sense 4 sprinkled on top of your 4.7-inch Ice Cream Sandwich, the dual-core, LTE-enabled device is on offer in gray or white for $200 with a two-year contract ($150 if you order through Amazon Wireless). Hit up the source links below to get your hands on a One X to call your own -- and don't forget to parse our review if you're still making up your mind about this frosty treat.
HTC One X for AT&T review
... More Info HTC One X review HTC One X exclusive to AT&T in the US, brings LTE, Beats, ICS and Sense 4 to Ma Bell AT&T HTC One X hands-on After last year's scattered lineup of products, HTC's been going through a bit of a renaissance lately thanks to the One X, One S and One V -- a beautifully focused trio of phones that run the company's new, lightweight Sense 4 skin on top of Ice Cream Sandwich. Hot on the heels of T-Mobile's One S comes AT&T's One X, which is launching May 6 for $199 on contract. The reworked device gains LTE and drops NVIDIA's quad-core Tegra 3 chip for a dual-core Snapdragon S4. So, does this brain transplant make it a better or worse proposition than the global One X? Hit the break to find out.
HTC One S for T-Mobile review
A couple weeks ago we got to have our Ice Cream Sandwich and eat it too, thanks to a gorgeous couple phones from HTC -- the One X and the One S. Both run Sense 4 -- a thinner, lighter version of the company's polarizing UI -- and together with the entry-level One V, represent HTC's attempt to make a comeback after a lackluster year of me-too products. The first to make its way to the US is the One S which lands on T-Mobile April 25 for $199 on contract (with a $50 rebate). We just spent a weekend with Magenta's new flagship handset. So how does it compare to the global One S? Find out after the break.
Nokia Lumia 900 vs iPhone 4S camera test
Nokia and AT&T are launching the Lumia 900 this weekend and reviews for the Windows Phone hit the Internet last night. CNET had a review unit and used that opportunity to compare the 8-megapixel Lumia with another 8-megapixel shooter, the iPhone 4S. Jessica Dolcourt traveled around San Francisco and took photos with the both phones under a variety of conditions. From what my untrained eye can see, the two cameras are very close in performance with the iPhone delivering sharper images and the Lumia providing warmer tones and richer colors. You can check out the photo comparisons on CNET's website and then let us know what you think in the comments.
HTC may not have PureView, but it does have ImageSense
Not to be outdone by the Nokia 808's appearance at MWC, HTC has released sample shots taken using the ImageSense camera module that comes in its One X and One S phones. In many ways they're normal-looking stills, with nothing like PureView's 41-megapixel oversampling (which is claimed to result in a superior still), and certainly no massive 1/1.2-inch sensor. However, if you look closely, you can see the benefits of some of HTC's improvements. Top among those is the faster f/2.0 lens, which will allow for shorter exposures and clearer moving subjects -- like the skateboarders above. Such images will also likely benefit from the 0.7-second time window for capturing an image and the 0.2-second auto-focus when shooting continuously. Whatever you make of the sample shots in the gallery below, HTC can also claim one key advantage over PureView -- at least for the time being: camera technology that still fits into a regular-sized smartphone.%Gallery-149381%
LG's Optimus Vu shows up on video, flaunts note taking expertise (video)
Another pre-Mobile World Congress tease from LG? Yup, you're looking at it. While the company's technically already spilled the beans on its upcoming Galaxy Note-rival, the Optimus Vu, this occasion marks the first time we've gotten to see the phablet in video form. In the roughly 1,000 frames of animation above, you're treated to closeups of the Vu's 5-inch 1024 x 768 IPS display, its 8-megapixel camera and a brief demo of its screenshot annotation abilities. That's really all there is to it, so watch and learn folks, as you mentally prepare yourself for our more intimate rendezvous with it in the coming week.
AT&T Galaxy Note with LTE hands-on at CES 2012 (video)
It's official! As expected, everyone's favorite giant superphone, the Samsung Galaxy Note, is finally making its way to the US -- and with a dash of LTE, no less. The mini tablet will be available on AT&T in both carbon blue and ceramic white for an undisclosed price sometime in the near future. Specs are almost identical to its global sibling -- 5.3-inch 1280x800 HD Super AMOLED display, S Pen, Android 2.3.6 (Gingerbread), 1GB of RAM, 16GB of built-in storage, up to 32GB of additional storage via microSD card, 2,500mAh battery, eight-megapixel 1080p AF camera with flash and two-megapixel front-facing camera. Like its stablemate, the Samsung Galaxy S II Skyrocket, AT&T's Galaxy Note receives a brain transplant with a 1.5GHz dual-core CPU (presumably a Qualcomm Snapdragon S3) replacing the 1.4GHz dual-core Exynos processor. Beyond support for AT&T's speedy LTE network, the device includes UMTS/HSPA+ (21Mbps) and GSM/EDGE world radios. This US variant will also be available with a number of accessories, including a desktop dock, a spare battery charging system, flip cover cases (available in multiple colors) and the Galaxy Note S Pen holder kit.We took AT&T's Galaxy Note for a spin, and it's a dead-ringer for the global model in terms of size, weight and general layout. The most obvious differences are the carrier logo just below the earpiece, and the four capacitive keys replacing the three-button layout (physical key flanked by capacitive buttons) common to non-US Galaxy handsets. Pop the battery cover and you'll notice subtler changes, with the plastic SIM and microSD card holders being replaced by thinner metallic ones in order to accommodate the additional thickness from (presumably) an LTE the NFC antenna mounted inside the battery door with matching contacts on the phone's chassis [see update below]. Another difference is with the S Pen, which now features a contrasting grey side-button instead of the same black color as the pen's body. While the key is still just as difficult to locate by touch, it's now trivial to find at a glance. Performance wise, during our brief time with it, this version of the Note felt just as snappy as its predecessor, despite the aforementioned chipset swap. Unlike the other Galaxy S II-class devices on AT&T, there's no sign of NFC here. We'll keep you posted as we learn more, but until then check out the galleries below and hit the break for our hands-on video and the mandatory PR.Update: We've been able to confirm that AT&T's Galaxy Note features NFC. The antenna is located inside the battery cover, just like on the Nexus S.Richard Lai contributed to this post.
Huawei Ascend P1 S and P1 hands-on (updated: video)
Huawei went ahead and made its new line of Ascend phones official at this morning's pre-CES event. The Ascend P1 S and P1 are near identical mobile twins, with 4.3-inch Super AMOLED 960 x 540 displays and are separated only by the former's skinnier profile. At 6.68mm, the P1 S is one millimeter thinner and packs a beefier 1800mAh battery, as compared to its sibling's lesser 1670mAh. Both devices will ship with Google's latest Android flagship Ice Cream Sandwich onboard and run atop a dual-core TI OMAP 4460 Cortex A9 with SGX 540 GPU. No pricing or carrier details have been announced, though the pair are set to launch in April of 2012. We had a chance to get some hands-on time with the phones, so follow on after the break for our initial thoughts.
Samsung Captivate Glide review
The QWERTY slider hasn't exactly gone the way of the dinosaur, but it's definitely approaching giant panda status. That is to say, it's become rare for a major device manufacturer to output anything other than candybar touchscreen smartphones. And why not? Slimmer, faster, beastlier is the mobile motto as of late and that's precisely what consumers seem to gravitate towards. But for diehard fans of tactile feedback, Samsung's birthed the Captivate Glide, a handset that marries the best of both form factors. Sitting just below its high-end brethren, Sammy's 4-incher runs along AT&T's 21Mbps HSPA+ network and bundles an 800 x 480 Super AMOLED display with a dual-core 1GHz Tegra 2 processor, 1GB RAM, 8GB of internal storage, a 1,650mAh battery, WiFi, Bluetooth 3.0, a 1.3MP front-facing camera and an 8MP rear camera capable of 720p video capture. At $150 on a two-year contract, it's just half a Benjamin short of the top-tier, LTE-capable HTC Vivid. With that small of a price divide, you have to wonder: is the downgrade really worth it for the Captivate Glide's (comparatively) slower speeds and physical buttons? Are you willing to trade-in thin and sleek for messaging convenience and a bit of bulk? Follow on past the break as we deliver the answers to those burning questions. %Gallery-142058%
AT&T's LG Nitro HD goes up for sale, LTE-enabled Gingerbread pep for $250
In case you forget that AT&T's latest LTE-equipped smartphone hit shelves today, consider this a friendly reminder from your mobile obsessed friends here at Engadget. We're talking about the LG's Nitro HD, the 4.5-inch device we lovingly handled last week -- loaded with a skinned version of Android 2.3.5 Gingerbread, running atop its peppy 1.5 GHz Qualcomm APQ8060 dual-core processor. If you'll recall, it's notably packing a 1280 x 720p screen resolution with an ultra-crisp looking 329ppi, an 8 megapixel rear camera (1.3 MP up front) and a healthy 4GB of internal storage supplemented by an included 16GB microSD card (expandable to 32GB). Thankfully, bloatware on the Nitro is at an all time low, but we'd be remiss if we didn't mention that's it's been confirmed to be loaded with the ickyness of Carrier IQ. Sure, it's not as tasty as an Ice Cream Sandwich, but if your hungering for LTE-enabled 4G speeds on Ma Bell, at least you now have a third option. It can be yours now for $250 with a two-year renewal of service, and you'll find more info at the source link below.
Motorola XT615 Android phone arriving in China and Taiwan: slim, but not RAZR-thin
Side-stepping the moody design tones of its RAZR brethren, Motorola has announced a new Android-powered smartphone for Taiwan. Measuring in at 9.8mm thin, this Gingerbread-powered slab sports the outfit's MotoBlur-derived Moto Switch UI, with an eight megapixel camera on the back and a VGA shooter on the front. The XT615 packs quad-band GSM (850/900/1800/1900), WCDMA (900/2100) and HSPA (7.2Mbps) radios, while processing power comes from a slightly underwhelming 800MHz Qualcomm MSM7227A-0, possibly explaining the NTD$10,900 ($360) price tag. The pearly-toned phone hasn't revealed any plans to leave the island nation of Taiwan just yet, but that doesn't mean you can't familiarize yourself with the full specifications in the PR below.
Sample shots: ASUS Transformer Prime camera gets a workout
The photographer's mantra is "the best camera is the one that's with you" -- a lazy philosophy that gets them out of having to walk everywhere with a DSLR in case the aliens invade. Fortunately, if they're toting 'round ASUS' new Eee Pad Transformer Prime, it won't matter. Instead they can use the eight megapixel, f/2.4 aperture auto-focusing snapper to capture the carnage in glorious HD, with a back-illuminated CMOS to ensure that color enhancement is 30 percent better than similar devices. We've got some sample shots from the company to show off just how good your pictures will be (if you've got the backing of a major hardware corporation, a world-class lighting rig and Photoshop) if you start capturing life with just this handy transforming tablet. [Thanks, Timlot] %Gallery-139388%
