Hasta La Gadget!

We’ve seen a fair share of Android-powered set-tops in our time, but KDDI (with the help of Panasonic) has taken a slightly different entertainment route with its recently unveiled Smart TV Box. Similar to some Google TV boxes, which the Smart TV Box isn’t, KDDI plans to bring this one to cable providers in Japan to act as the main unit in living rooms, with the testing phase set to commence as soon as next month. KDDI’s Smart TV Box is powered by an undisclosed dual-core chip and feeds off of a tasty bite of Mountain View’s Ice Cream Sandwich. As far as ports and other features, there’s HDMI and three USB ports on board, while ethernet (WiFi, too) keeps you connected and a built-in hard drive takes care of all your DVR needs. Like we said earlier, trial runs will start in August, but the Japanese company expects to have the brick officially up-and-running in a number of households later this fall. In the meantime, though, there’s a soothing video for your viewing pleasure just past the break.

Continue reading KDDI unveils ICS ‘Smart TV Box’ for cable providers in Japan, available later this year (video)

Filed under: Misc. Gadgets, Home Entertainment

KDDI unveils ICS ‘Smart TV Box’ for cable providers in Japan, available later this year (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 20 Jul 2012 14:39:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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When v2.0 of the Sky Go for Android app arrived earlier this month it promised another update would follow soon with support for Android 4.0 and more phones, and now it has arrived. We’re not seeing it in Google Play yet, but the press release (included after the break) indicates the app is ready to run on the Galaxy S III, Galaxy Nexus and Galaxy Note from Samsung, and is also finally Ice Cream Sandwich compatible on those devices and the HTC Sensation / Sensation XE. That brings the total supported device count for the video on-demand player to a round 11, which is less than the “all” we’re looking for but still more than the zero supported prior to February.

Continue reading Sky Go for Android adds support for Ice Cream Sandwich, Samsung’s Galaxy S III, Nexus and Note

Filed under: Cellphones, Home Entertainment

Sky Go for Android adds support for Ice Cream Sandwich, Samsung’s Galaxy S III, Nexus and Note originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 20 Jul 2012 04:20:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sony Europe and Sony North America has announced not one but four new DAP including the very sexy F800 Series powered by Android 4.0
Walkman F800 Series
Treat yourself to an extreme on-the-go entertainment experience. Powered by AndroidTM 4.0 (“Ice Cream Sandwich”), the web-enabled Walkman® F800 Series lets you enjoy a generous range of pre-installed apps, from email to maps and media gallery. Connect wirelessly via Wi-Fi or Bluetooth® and download more from an ever-growing choice on Google …

If this is the “advanced gaming smartphone” that ZTE teased a few days ago, then we can’t help but feel a little miffed. It’d be fairer to describe the Grand X as the most advanced phone in ZTE’s growing budget line-up, and if you look at it from that perspective then it’s rather more impressive. For £190 PAYG with Virgin Mobile in the UK, you’re getting a 4.3-inch qHD LCD touchscreen, dual-core 1GHz Tegra 2 processor (no Nexus 7 guts here unfortunately), microSD expandable storage (plus 4GB built-in and 512MB RAM), 5-megapixel rear camera and VGA front-facer, sub-10mm thickness and — ta-da! — stock Ice Cream Sandwich, albeit accompanied by legacy Gingerbread navigation buttons. We’d have liked to see the proper, up-to-date Android 4.0 button layout, but in any case the absence of ZTE’s Kanzi skin or indeed any other customization is a welcome change, because Google juice tastes fine served neat.

Now, we already did an early hands-on with this phone in June (not to mention its previous incarnation, the Mimosa X) and noted its fluid operation, solid build quality and capable display, and all of those things remain true in the retail-ready handset we’ve seen in the UK. The budget scene has certainly come a long way since last year, but do we expect the Grand X to have an easy ride on the market? Probably not — at least not when a phone like the Orange San Diego are offering a more modern processor, more RAM and better pixel density for just £10 more. That said, if a pure and uncluttered version of the OS is a priority, and if you can get this phone on a great deal when it arrives at Phones4U and Virgin Media stores at the beginning of August, then the Grand X is certainly worth a look.

Continue reading ZTE Grand X coming to UK for £190 pay-as-you-go: 4.3-inch qHD, microSD, stock Android 4.0

Filed under: Cellphones

ZTE Grand X coming to UK for £190 pay-as-you-go: 4.3-inch qHD, microSD, stock Android 4.0 originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 18 Jul 2012 12:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Walkman F800 is Sony’s latest PMP; a 3.5-inch Android media player that replaces the company’s middling Z series. Perhaps the most intriguing point is that the new media player will arrive with Android 4.0 from the start, alongside the usual raft of WiFi and Bluetooth connectivity options. Storage choices range from 8GB, through to 16GB and 32GB, with 4.5 hours of video playback apparently possible on the handhelds. It’s the new flagship media player for Sony, and will launch in Europe priced at around £210 ($279).

The noise-cancelling E series (and an even-more-bare-bones version) has also been refreshed. The hardware hasn’t changed that much, aside from a larger 2-inch LCD screen, but there’s a whole raft of new patterns and colors. The petit slabs will arrive alongside a new dock that will run off the PMP’s own battery, augmenting the existing built-in speaker. If you liked the E series, but need something a little more wireless, then the just-announced Bluetooth-toting Walkman S770BT may hit the spot. Aside from that addition, the device otherwise lists the same specifications as the E series. Sony tells us that all three Walkman families will be available in Europe starting today — and we managed to handle both the new noise-cancelling E474 (£80, or around $80) and the F800 last week. Unfortunately, we were only able feel around the device, as unfortunately neither were powered up. The F series feels a lot like a solidly-built smart phone, with a matte black finish — the device arrives in just the single color option. Meanwhile, the E series attacks the rainbow, with a range of patterns. These feel predictably lighter, and should slip into pockets very easily. Take a closer look at the PMP pair in the galleries below.

Continue reading Sony unveils 2012 Walkman range: Android 4.0 F series and refreshed entry-level E series (eyes-on)

Filed under: Home Entertainment

Sony unveils 2012 Walkman range: Android 4.0 F series and refreshed entry-level E series (eyes-on) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 18 Jul 2012 07:10:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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