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OmniVision OV2724 should lead to super-small, 1080p60 front phone cameras
When most front-facing mobile cameras are shoehorned in between a myriad of sensors, they seldom have the breathing room they'd need for truly noteworthy performance. OmniVision can't quite defy physics, but its new OV2724 sensor could challenge at least a few of our common assumptions. The OV2722 successor stuffs 1080p imaging into the company's smallest chip of the kind, at 5mm by 5mm by 3.5mm -- ideally, leading to full HD front cameras in tinier devices. Full-size devices still stand to benefit, though. The OV2724 has the headroom to record at an extra-smooth 60 frames per second, and individual frames should be more eye-catching between the higher dynamic range and better low light shooting. The only frustration left is having to wait for mass production of the new sensor in the summer quarter -- we won't see any phones or tablets reaping the rewards for at least a few months.
Google Nexus 7 mod unlocks 720p recording on front-facing camera
To the delight of live event crowds everywhere, the ASUS-made Nexus 7 sidestepped the primary camera route, only furnishing the slab with a 1.2-megapixel front-facer. While it didn't take long for app-makers to tweak their wares especially for Google's statement tablet, users over at XDA Developers have dug a little deeper to unlock the shooter's 720p recording potential, removing the previous 480p cap. There are several (relatively simple) ways to get it done -- visit the source for the full instructions.
Huawei throws R&D dollars at gesture control, cloud storage, being more 'disruptive'
Undeterred by the fact that even humans struggle to interpret certain gestures, Huawei says it's allocating a chunk of its growing R&D budget to new motion-sensing technology for smartphones and tablets. The company's North American research chief, John Roese, told Computerworld that he wants to allow "three-dimensional interaction" with devices using stereo front-facing cameras and a powerful GPU to make sense of the dual video feed. Separately, the Chinese telecoms company is also putting development cash into a cloud computing project that promises to "change the economics of storage by an order of magnitude." Roese provided scant few details on this particular ambition, but did mention that Huawei has teamed up with CERN to conduct research and has somehow accumulated over 15 petabytes of experimental physics data in the process. Whatever it's up to, Huawei had better get a move on -- others are snapping up gesture recognition and cloud patents faster than you can say fa te ne una bicicletta with your hands.
HTC Omega blessed with renders, revealing its front-facing camera
HTC's decided to throw a similar get-together to rival the kickin' shindig we had tonight, which hopefully means the company will show off the latest and greatest phones soon to grace its lineup. One such phone that's been seeing a lot of talk lately is the Omega, rumored to be one of Peter Chou's upcoming Windows Phones. Unfortunately, it's just been a faceless name on paper -- until now. Pocketnow got its hands on a rather well-detailed render of the Mango device, which shows off HTC's traditional two-toned design (this time in white and gray) and a front-facing camera. While the latter feature isn't new to the industry by any stretch of the imagination, it backs up Microsoft's confirmation Wednesday that Mango will indeed support it. Anyone up for some sweet Skype video calling?
HTC Bliss gets its clearest photo session yet, shows off front-facing camera
The HTC Bliss is undoubtedly going through the typical pre-launch routine: it's passed through the ranks of the FCC, received its first Blurrycam session, and now we're finally seeing the upcoming device up close and personal. The folks at XDA China got their hands on one and took a few high-quality images for the world to see, which means we're probably not too far away from the phone's forthcoming release. They confirmed that the Bliss will in fact run on HTC Sense 3.5, feature a front-facing camera, and that it will come in a variety of colors. So, will we find this on display at next week's HTC meetup? Or maybe our team will get some hands-on time at IFA? And will this "female-oriented" smartphone find a place with its intended demographic? Hopefully the wait is almost over.
Acer M310 Windows Phone said to have HDMI-out, 8GB storage
We first heard about the existence of the Acer M310 Windows Phone last week, but literally no information was given besides the fact that two test units were discovered on a developer's traffic sheet. How about a few more shreds of meat to chew on? According to WindowsPhoneNZ, the Mango device was sighted at TechEd New Zealand with HDMI-out support. We may be seeing this feature across a large variety of Windows Phones coming out this fall, as the HTC Eternity has been rumored to include video output via HDMI as well. The observer claims the M310 has a "black shiny look" and "bevelled edges," has a similar appearance to the Acer W4 (shown in the above image), and includes DLNA support over WiFi. The handset was also seen snuggling up to Asus' entry into the Windows Phone market, which was said to have a matte black finish and may have a front-facing camera. Certainly, if these factoids are correct, this fall's Mango lineup looks to be laden with all kinds of hidden gems we haven't seen on Microsoft's OS yet.
HTC EVO 3D review
The first time we saw the rumored Supersonic we were blown away. HTC and Google had just wowed us with the Nexus One, and here we were looking at something even better -- a 4.3-inch phone with WiMAX wrapped in a white body. This prototype was buggy and had abysmal battery life, but it was real. Four months later it landed in our hands at Google I/O. We're of course talking about the EVO 4G which went on to become a runaway hit for HTC and Sprint as the first ever 4G smartphone in the US. And here we are a year later with the HTC EVO 3D, the legitimate heir to Sprint's mobile kingdom -- at least until the Motorola Photon 4G comes along. When we first played with the 3D-capable handset at CTIA we were suitably impressed, but we left with a lot of unanswered questions. How do the 1.2GHz dual core processor and qHD display affect battery life? Is 3D a compelling feature or just a gimmick? What is 2D camera performance like with the lower specced camera? Is the EVO 3D a worthy replacement for the EVO 4G? Find out in our review after the break. %Gallery-126409%
Samsung D600 leaks out as Conquer 4G, hints at Sprint release
That Samsung D600 we saw so sketchily detailed in the FCC? It's back, but this time with a name and face to go with it. Leaks are pinning this one down as the Conquer 4G, an entry-level Android phone that's possibly headed to the sub-$100 price range. While we find the name to be a bit odd for a device that would likely only 'conquer' the market for first-time smartphone buyers, we're liking the specs for the cost here: 1GHz CPU, 3.1 megapixel rear shooter with low-res front-facing sensor, and WiMax ready to go. Last -- and apparently the least -- the blasé 320 x 480 touchscreen (same resolution as the Replenish) is unfortunate but not unexpected. We still haven't been officially introduced to this leaked handset, so it's all hearsay until we see more confirmation of its existence. If it turns out to be correct, though, this could be a cost-effective alternative to monoliths like the Photon 4G. Another image after the break.
Droid Incredible 2 review
It wasn't that long ago that we were jonesing for a Nexus One on Verizon. What HTC gave us instead was the Droid Incredible, with the same 1GHz Snapdragon CPU and gorgeous 3.7-inch AMOLED display -- not to mention a better camera (8 megapixel vs. five), 8GB of built-in flash storage, an optical trackpad, HTC's Sense UI on top of Eclair, and a dash of funky industrial design. The Incredible was an impressive phone with a lovely camera, marred only by questionable battery life and lack of supply, forcing HTC to build a Super LCD-equipped model to satisfy demand. Judging by the popularity of the Incredible, it came as no surprise that following HTC's announcement at MWC, the Incredible S eventually became Verizon's Droid Incredible 2. With a 4-inch Super LCD display, global CDMA / GSM radio, front-facing camera, updated internals (including 768 MB of RAM), trick capacitive buttons, and a Froyo-flavored serving of Sense, the Incredible 2 seems like a worthy successor to last year's Incredible. Does it live up to our expectations or is it just another fish in the crowded sea of Android? Does it significantly improve upon the original formula or is it merely a refresh? Hit the break for our review. %Gallery-124397%
T-Mobile G2x review
It's only been a few weeks since the Optimus 2X crossed the desk of our European review bureau as the first known dual-core smartphone in the universe. Now LG's wunderkind has made its way across the pond and landed on US soil to be reborn as the G2x on T-Mobile. While the hardware remains the same elegant Tegra 2-infused slab of glass, metal and plastic, the software has been liberated from the shackles of LG's UI customizations into a serving of vanilla Froyo -- the exact same approach T-Mobile took when it introduced the Desire Z as the G2 without HTC's custom Sense skin last fall. Unlike previous G-series phones, the G2x ditches the physical keyboard for a 4-inch WVGA display with HDMI output and an 8 megapixel camera with 1080p video capture. Beyond the transition from messaging-centric device to multimedia powerhouse, what else is different about the hardware? Is plain Android a vast improvement over the lackluster software that shipped on the Optimus 2X? How does the G2x fare against T-Mobile's current flagship, the Samsung Galaxy S 4G? Find out in our full review after the break. %Gallery-121708%
iPad 2 gets glasses-free 3D display using front-facing camera for head tracking
Now that the iPad 2 has a front facing-camera and some decent horsepower under the hood, there's a lot of potential for really interesting camera-plus-screen coordination hacks. The clever folks over at the Engineering Human-Computer Interaction Research group have managed to combine a feed from the front-facing camera, with a bit of software wizardry, to track the position of a person's head in 3D in real-time. They call it Head-Coupled Perspective, and the result, as you can see above and past the break, is a 3D representation on the 2D screen that moves when you do. Like looking through a small window, the dynamically adapting 3D effect is pretty convincing, at least on camera, and it's not just the iPad 2 that can get in on the action; the iPhone 4 can be kitted out, too. Considering that all you need is a front-facing camera, something that every Apple device capable of running apps already comes packing, we could see some pretty ingenious 3D application interfaces that don't just rely on tilting the device. Currently, it's just a tech demo, but there's a possibility of an app in the cards for the near future. In the meantime, hit the break to check out HCP in action on the iPad 2.
HTC Desire S review
This time last year, HTC had two Android smartphones for the mainstream: the 3.7-inch Desire, outfitted with the latest and greatest, and the 3.2-inch Legend, which was humbler in specs but offered the novelty of an aluminum unibody construction. After seeing that strategy pay off handsomely, the company's come back in 2011 with a similar proposition. The 4-inch Incredible S is now the higher-end device, while the 3.7-inch Desire S is the smaller, aluminum-shelled handset. What's curious this time, however, is that the Desire S has exactly the same 1GHz Snapdragon inside it, the same graphics, same WVGA resolution, and the same 768MB of RAM as the Incredible S. Throw in the fact it comes with Gingerbread preloaded and a few new tweaks to the Sense UI and you've got to wonder if this might not be the more, um, desirable of HTC's new Android duo. Only one way to find out, right? Full review after the break. %Gallery-120779%%Gallery-120778%
More HTC Pyramid pics leak, now with less blurrycam and extra specs
It looks like the steady stream of leaked HTC Pyramid pictures shows no signs of slowing down. While we've recently seen shots of the back and the front of the device, we're now getting the full monty, courtesy of xda-developers. Thankfully, Mr. Blurrycam toned things down this time around: there's a spread of the phone with its battery cover removed, and screenshots detailing additional specs. The HTC Pyramid is expected to land on T-Mobile at some point with a 1.2GHz dual-core Snapdragon processor, 768MB or RAM, a 4.3-inch qHD (960x540) display, font-facing camera, 8 megapixel camera with dual LED flash, HSPA+, and Android 2.3.2 (Gingerbread) with Sense 3.0. Hit the source link for more photos. [Thanks, egypt and Andrew]
HTC Pyramid turns around, shows us a qHD visage
Okay, so a dual-core, large-screened HTC phone isn't quite the unique event it was this time last week, but that shouldn't preclude the Pyramid from vying for our gadget lust. Today, a picture of its front end has made its way to GSM Arena, where a careful analysis of it side by side with a Desire HD confirms the same 4.3-inch screen size, but a likely resolution bump all the way up to qHD (or 960 x 540). A 1.2GHz dual-core Qualcomm chip and a 4.3-inch qHD display are the two crowning features on HTC's EVO 3D, so this looks to be its brother for another carrier. One last note of import is the home icon you see below the blurred-out applications menu -- that's stock Android fare right there. It doesn't necessarily mean the Pyramid will ship with stock Android, but we can dream, can't we?
HTC Incredible S review
There's a big juicy review for you to dig into, so skip past the break to get started.
Huawei IDEOS X3 and IDEOS S7 Slim tablet revealed en route to MWC launch
Huawei, the company whose name rhymes with the typical response of "who are they," has uploaded a few images to its Flickr page teasing new hardware bound for this year's Mobile World Congress. First up is the IDEOS X3, an Android handset seemingly set to provide a more budget-oriented family mate to the X5. It has two cameras, one on the front and one on the back, three Android buttons, and at least four different color options (red, blue, silver and black). The Barcelona event will see it joined by an IDEOS S7 Slim tablet, also running Google's mobile OS, though our knowledge about that device doesn't extend any further than noting it too has a front-facing camera. Check it out after the break.
Samsung Vibrant 4G appears in leaked docs, touts 21Mbps HSPA+, front-facing camera
Samsung did say it's ready to supply all US carriers with 4G phones, not just Verizon, and we may already be looking at one of those devices before us. Billed as a T-Mobile exclusive, the Vibrant 4G looks to be a gentle refresh of the current Vibrant handset, with the notable upgrades being the inclusion of 21Mbps-capable HSPA+ connectivity -- to speed your mobile broadband up into T-Mobile's definition of 4G speeds -- and a front-facing camera paired to Qik video chat software. The onboard version of Android is 2.2 and internal specs seem to generally match the earlier-released namesake. Speaking of the original Vibrant, these leaked docs also show it's sold over one million units in its time in the US and is the nation's best-selling Galaxy S variant. Great, now can someone please leak it to Samsung that Android 2.3 is already out? [Thanks, Brian]
LG Optimus Black and LTE-equipped Revolution coming to CES
LG is busily preparing its CES presentation area right now, where the well known Optimus 2X is being joined by a pair of intriguing new devices, the Revolution you see above, an LTE-connected handset that seems destined to ride Verizon's minty fresh 4G network, and an Optimus Black (pictured after the break). The latter handset promises the "power of light" housed within an "innovatively slim smartphone with the best display clarity." Both the allusions to slimness -- we've found specs listing it as a 9.2mm-thick device with a 4-inch screen -- and display prowess match up to the LG "B" device we've seen leak out previously, which LG itself promised will be launching at CES. Other details include Wi-Fi Direct certification and the world's first two megapixel front-facing camera. It's gonna be a fun week, to be sure. %Gallery-112541%
Samsung said to be bringing a 4-inch Galaxy Player to CES 2011
Samsung Hub is reporting this morning that Samsung intends to introduce a new Galaxy Player to the tech gathering known as CES early next month. We've not been able to track down Samsung's official word on the matter, but the Hub's information details a 4-inch Super Clear LCD display with 800 x 480 resolution, Android 2.2 as the operating system (replete with Sammy's own TouchWiz layer, by the look of that screenshot above), a 1GHz CPU, 3.2 megapixel imager on the back plus a front-facing camera, and a 1200mAh battery. Android Market access is also in the cards, apparently, but when (or if?) this most worthy successor to the Galaxy Player 50 will make its US retail debut remains a mystery for now. We'll be sure to ask when we get our hands on the new hardware next week.
What would convince you to buy iPad 2?
It hardly seems like it, but it's been nearly a year since the announcement of the iPad. Soon, we'll no longer be able to call the device that's selling today by the simple name "iPad" -- instead, it will become "the original iPad," "iPad 1," "iPad 1G" or "first-generation iPad." If history (and leaks from Foxconn) are anything to go by, we may see an announcement of the iPad 2 in a little over a month, with devices hitting store shelves a couple months after that. Undoubtedly we'll be hearing a lot about the forthcoming iPad 2 over the coming weeks (we've heard several iPad 2 rumors already). Maybe you have an iPad already and are looking to upgrade, or maybe, like me, you didn't find the current iPad compelling enough to purchase until the second generation. In either case, it's worth asking the question: what would convince you, savvy TUAW reader, to buy an iPad 2? Personally, I've got a laundry list of features I'd like to see in the next iPad, but even if only one or two of them make it into the iPad 2, I'll be getting one. I originally thought there wasn't a wide enough gap between the iPhone and my MacBook Pro to justify an iPad, but with the advent of multitasking in iOS 4.0 and the iPhone 4's vastly improved CPU and Retina Display, I've not only found my iPhone taking over a lot of the functions I used to use my Mac for, I've also found myself thinking, "Gee, if only this thing's screen were bigger ... if only Apple made something that was basically just a big iPod touch." (That sound you just heard was a hundred iPad-hating pundits crashing to the floor simultaneously, crippled by cognitive dissonance.) I've got my own thoughts on what I'd like to see in the next-gen iPad, which you can see by clicking "Read More." We also have a poll where we've asked you what you want to see most in the iPad 2.
