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The Grand Memo II LTE is ZTE's phablet sequel (hands-on)
ZTE's back with yet another take on the sans stylus phablet it introduced at Mobile World Congress last year, except this time, the device isn't touting a world's first with its Qualcomm CPU. The Grand Memo II LTE marks the company's second attempt at the smartphone category created by the Galaxy Note and G Pros of the world with a 6-inch 720p display, 13-megapixel rear camera and 7.2mm thickness. To ZTE's credit, it's whipped up quite a sleek and attractive plastic design, marked by a grooved, reflective backplate. Not only is the handset ultra slim, but also its curved edges and thin bezels somehow conspire to make the device appear slighter than its massive size.
Sprint Vital leaks out: 5-inch HD display, 1.5GHz dual-core processor, 13MP camera, Android 4.1 (video)
Looks like Sprint really is prepping a 5-inch Android flagship of its own: the Vital. Thanks to an anonymous source, Engadget's received a motherlode of details on the upcoming, white-labeled device, giving us a glimpse at everything from renders to a slickly produced promo video. Based on the information at hand, the ZTE-made Vital should rep an HD display (resolution unspecified) of the 5-inch variety, an unnamed dual-core processor clocked at 1.5GHz and paired with 1GB RAM, 13-megapixel rear camera, 8GB of internal storage (expandable via microSD), NFC and a healthy 2,500mAh battery. As you can see from the image above, the Vital will also be running what appears to be an unskinned version of Android Jelly Bean -- version 4.1, according to the documents -- and will run on Sprint's 4G LTE network. We're not so sure the Vital's going to sway consumer interest away from its more bold-faced rivals (i.e., HTC One and Samsung Galaxy S 4). But competition's always a good thing and if Sprint can price this one right, it might even have a fighting chance. Hit the break for the promo video. %Gallery-190357%
Oppo previews sample shots taken with Find 5's Sony-made Exmor RS sensor
Sony pulled the plug on the original specs for its next-gen Exmor RS sensor, pushing a rollout for those modules into the new year. So while that move, made for quality control purposes, guarantees that a new batch of Xperias outfitted with the tech won't appear until 2013 at the earliest, imaging fanatics curious for a preview can get a sneak peek courtesy of Oppo. Baked into the Chinese manufacturer's newly announced Find 5 -- a quad-core S4 Pro Android Jelly Bean handset with a 5-inch 1080p display -- is the top shelf 13-megapixel version of Sony's sensor tech. Oppo's provided a few curated snapshots taken with the camera on its site and, as you'll see, the resulting images are rich with color and exhibit a fine level of detail. We'll reserve judgement until we can get our hands on a review unit for extensive testing. Until then, feast your eyes on the samples at the source below.
LG Optimus G and its quad-core 1.5GHz S4 Pro coming to US shores in Q4 (update: video)
When it comes to LG's latest flagship, it appears there can be no shortage of official announcements. So, while the news from overseas may not be quite so fresh, there's certainly nothing stale about the Optimus G. Today the company held a second celebration in honor of its powerhouse -- the first to pack Qualcomm's Snapdragon S4 Pro: a quad-core SoC clocked at 1.5GHz. Buffered by a heaping 2GB RAM and an Adreno 320 GPU this absolutely beastly device is officially coming to American shores in the fourth quarter of this year. The 4.7-inch phone may ship with some slightly different specs, depending on carrier, but they'll still find a home for the 1280 x 768 True HD, in-cell, IPS display. There's no specifics about carriers or pricing as yet, but we'll let you know when we do. Update: Hit the break for LG's Optimus G PR video.
LG Optimus G: hands-on with Korea's latest powerhouse (video) (updated)
We're in Seoul for the launch of LG's latest flagship smartphone, the Optimus G, and we finally managed to spend a few minutes with a demo unit. This is a powerhouse -- the first handset built around Qualcomm's 1.5GHz quad-core Snapdragon S4 Pro. It features LTE, a 4.7-inch 1280x768 True HD IPS PLUS display, 2GB of RAM, 32GB of built-in storage, a 13-megapixel autofocus camera, a sealed 2100mAh battery, and NFC. We like the simple and elegant design, which is reminiscent of LG's Chocolate and Prada models -- it's thin (8.45mm / 0.33 inches) and reasonably light for its size (145g / 5.11oz). The front sports a glass surface with three capacitive buttons and the back showcases the company's Crystal Reflection process -- an attractive patterned glass-like finish that's a bit of a fingerprint magnet. Materials and build quality are excellent (better than the Galaxy S III) and the Optimus G feels pleasant in hand. You'll find a volume rocker and micro-SIM slot on the left edge and the power / lock key on the right. There's a notification light next to the 1.3MP front-facing camera. A standard headphone jack sits on the top side, with the micro-USB / MHL connector on the bottom. The speaker and main camera are in the back, pretty much where you'd expect them. While the display is definitely high quality, it's not mind blowing (the One X screen still looks better) -- we expected better viewing angles from LG's True HD IPS PLUS and Zerogap Touch technologies. Sadly, we didn't spend much time using the software, but the Optimus G runs Android 4.0.4 (Ice Cream Sandwich) with a skin similar to what we saw on the Optimus 4X HD and performance is definitely impressive. We'll get more seat time with LG's flagship over the next few days, so stay tuned for more impressions. In the meantime, enjoy our gallery below and our hands-on video after the break. Update: We've added pictures of the white model and screenshots to the gallery.
LG launches Optimus G flagship smartphone: quad-core S4 Pro, LTE, 2GB RAM, ICS, 13MP camera (updated)
It's official! Today in Seoul LG is announcing its latest flagship smartphone, the Optimus G. The 8.45mm (0.33-inch) thin handset -- which has been rumored for weeks -- packs Qualcomm's Fusion 3 chipset which pairs a 1.5GHz quad-core Snapdragon S4 Pro SoC (APQ8064) with a 2G / 3G / LTE radio (MDM9615). It features 2GB of DDR RAM and a 4.7-inch 1280x768 (320ppi) True HD IPS PLUS display with Zerogap Touch (in-cell touch) technology. A sealed 2100mAh Li-polymer battery rated for 800 charge cycles powers this Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) device. The rear camera sports a 13-megapixel backside-illuminated sensor with 1.1µm pixels, an f/2.4 autofocus lens and a single LED flash -- along with a more pedestrian 1.3MP shooter in front. There's 32GB of built-in flash storage, but no microSD card slot. Other specs include WiFi, Bluetooth 4.0, A-GPS, NFC and MHL. Aesthetically, the Optimus G marries LG's Chocolate and Prada design-languages into a sleek 145g (5.11oz) unibody smartphone. The front is all glass with three capacitive buttons while the back indroduces the company's Crystal Reflection process which gives the handset "the ability to display different patterns depending on the viewing angle and lighting". LG's placing a lot of emphasis on how the user experience benefits from the Optimus G's quad-core Krait CPU and Adreno 320 GPU -- something it calls "cross-tasking". This includes capabilties like QSlide Function, Live Zooming, Dual Screen Dual Play, QuickMemo, Screen Zooming, Application Link and Icon Personalizer, plus camera funtionality such as Time Catch Shot, Cheese Shutter, Smart Shutter and Low Light Shot Noise Reduction -- all of which are detailed for your reading pleasure in the PR after the break. Stay tuned for hands-on pictures, video and first impressions later today... Update: Unsubsidized pricing will be 999,900 KRW ($895 USD) when the Optimus G ships in Korea next week. That's pretty steep, even for an unlocked device.
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.
Fujitsu-Toshiba unveils waterproof Arrows Z ISW11F handset with 13 megapixel CMOS sensor
Toshiba may be bowing out of its mobile joint venture with Fujitsu, but not without bestowing this Gingerbread-munching flamingo upon the Japanese market. The Wimax-enabled Arrows Z ISW11F, unveiled today by Japan's KDDI au, is juiced by a 1.2GHz dual-core processor, sports a 4.3-inch 1280 x 720 LCD and, most notably, rocks a 13 megapixel CMOS sensor. It also features a 1.3 megapixel front-facing camera and supports 1080p video, along with your standard suite of 802.11 b/g/n WiFi and Bluetooth capabilities. Oh, and to top it all off, it's waterproof, too. No word yet on pricing, but KDDI plans to bring this bubblegum to the Japanese market sometime in November. Doggie paddle past the break for more information in the translated presser.
