Hasta La Gadget!

Verizon’s footprint in Windows Phone devices is still relatively light, and so the Samsung ATIV Odyssey is a welcome addition to the carrier’s CDMA network, despite the somewhat humble specifications. Going head-to-head with cheaper Nokia phones, the ATIV Odyssey packs a 1.5GHz dualcore Snapdragon S4 processor and a 5-megapixel camera, but in the hand its biggest distinguishing feature is the relatively compact size. In a world of 5-inchers, the ATIV Odyssey’s 4-inch display is a welcome change.

That puts it on a par with an iPhone screen, at least in size, though the ATIV Odyssey falls short in resolution and clarity. At WVGA it’s decidedly low-rent, especially given Windows Phone 8 brought with it 720p HD screen support, and the overall phone isn’t as tiny as you might expect, thanks to a reasonably chunky bezel and plasticky casing.

Still, you get a full 1GB of RAM, so there should be no incompatible app problems, and there’s a 1.2-megapixel front-facing camera along with a 5-megapixel main camera on the back, with an LED flash. Those expecting longevity will be happy to see the removable battery, too, which is a reasonable 2,100 mAh pack, and there’s a microSD card slot with support for up to 64GB cards.

All in all, it falls well short of dramatic and struggles to really reach appealing, though for the target audience that’s probably not too much of an issue. Those looking for an entry-level smartphone with an approachable OS like Windows Phone will probably find something to like, assuming the price is right.

Verizon’s Samsung ATIV Odyssey hands-on is written by Chris Davies & originally posted on SlashGear.
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The Kids Tablet? Okay, Polaroid doesn’t get any points for creativity on the naming side of things, but the company clearly did put some thought into creating a low-price slate for tiny hands. This seven-incher features a rugged rubberized design — in fact the company didn’t flinch when we dropped it twice during the video hands-on that you’ll find after the break. The buttons are big and easy to press, and tablet looks fairly easy to clean after the inevitable PB&J smears.

The screen leave a bit to be desired, we’ll say that, but that’s probably to be expected from a $150 kids tablet. The device runs Android 4.0, featuring a Polaroid skin that looks a bit like Microsoft tiles — again, probably a good thing for clumsy little fingers. Polaroid’s also loaded up some kids software, like Kids Vids, a video app that pulls videos off of YouTube based on the users’ age. There some age controls on here as well, though they’re hardly the most involved we’ve seen on a device like this.

Interested parties with tech loving kids can pick the tablet up now.

Continue reading Polaroid Kids Tablet hits CES, and we drop it on the ground a couple of times (video)

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Fitbit’s been in the fitness-tracking game for a while now, but today marks its first official entry into the wearable band space. Shown off here at CES 2013, the Flex is a wireless band much in the vein of Nike’s Fuelband and Jawbone’s rebooted Up. But while it shares many similarities with those existing products, there are a few very notable areas where it breaks apart from the pack– namely, the inclusion of Bluetooth 4.0. Now, health nuts can wirelessly update their stats to an iPhone or limited selection of Android (!) devices via that standard without having to manually sync.

While it doesn’t boast the Yves Behar design that Jawbone fancies, the Flex should prove to be a welcome accessory for fashion conscious consumers. To that end, it comes in five different colors — navy, black, tangerine, slate and teal — and features a thin strip of LEDs that can be activated by a simple tap. Those lights, five in total, each represent 20-percent towards a user’s assigned goal, so current progress can be easily monitored. And, as you might expect, there’s a vibration motor within the band to alert users based on settings made from the companion app.

The Flex is indeed a waterproof product and can be worn in the shower or even the swimming pool, though we wouldn’t advise you take it diving. Despite this H20 resistance, the Flex won’t track your butterfly strokes (or doggie paddles), but it will keep count of your steps, calories burned, sleep and distance walked.

Perhaps one of the most welcome innovations of this particular wearable is its ability to play friendly with Android — specifically, the Samsung Galaxy Note II and Galaxy S III. Users who purchase this band will be able to download that app from Google Play at the end of January. Further, there’s one additional perk for Android users: the ability to tap-to-pair with NFC. In theory, this functionality should provide users with easy access to their stats, but we (in addition to the company’s many reps) had significant trouble triggering the action on repeated occasions.

If you’ve been monitoring the fitness-tracking space, but have been holding out for a band that offers just a little extra, then it’s worth considering the Flex. You can look for it to hit this spring for $100. Stay tuned for a video demo of the Flex in action.

Sarah Silbert contributed to this report.

Continue reading Fitbit Flex hands-on at CES 2013 (video)

Filed under: Cellphones, Wearables, Wireless

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We’ve just spent some time with Corning, which is showing off the strength of its third-generation Gorilla Glass. The company has tweaked the chemical and atomic composition of the raw materials of the glass, which in turn has increased its density — making it much more scratch and dent resistant than last years model. Interested in seeing just how much stronger it is? Head on past the break for the video.

Continue reading Corning demonstrates how strong its Gorilla Glass 3 really is (video)

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The Samsung ATIV Odyssey bound for Verizon has been a known device ever since Windows Phone 8 was launched, but at the time of its announcement we were told that we could expect it in December. The month came and went, and today we were informed that the new smartphone is now going to be hitting the market in “the coming weeks.” Fortunately we finally got some face time with the phone tonight, and it’s about as forgettable as we expected. This doesn’t mean it’s a terrible device — we’ll reserve judgment until its official review when it comes — it just doesn’t have the crazy flagship-type specs we would like to see. It’s packing a 1.5GHz dual-core Snapdragon S4 processor, 1GB RAM, 4-inch WVGA display, dual-band Wifi a/b/g/n, 8GB internal storage, a 5MP rear camera and 1.2MP front-facing cam. It also sports a removable 2,100mAh battery and microSD slot capable of supporting cards up to 64GB.

Our thoughts? For anyone accustomed to larger devices, the first thing you’ll notice is how tiny it looks and feels. It’s definitely on the light side, and our hands wrapped around the phone quite easily. This gives it a little much-needed grip since the hyperglazed, semi-glossy back is completely smooth. (It can also easily attract fingerprints.) The camera and LED flash are side-by-side, with the large Verizon logo directly below. Near the bottom you’ll see the ATIV-style grille (similar to what we saw on the ATIV S), with a 3.5mm headphone jack on top, micro-USB on bottom, power and hardware shutter buttons on right and volume rocker and microSD slot on the left.

While we wait for the phone to hit shelves in the near future, head below to sneak a peek at some photos of the Odyssey.

Alexis Santos contributed to this post.

Filed under: Cellphones, Wireless, Mobile, Samsung, Verizon

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