Details of Chevy’s first all-electric car, the Spark EV, hit the web yesterday, and today the diminutive car got its official unveiling at the LA Auto Show. Since we’re here in SoCal, we figured we’d bring you some shots of GM’s latest electrical offering, and Chevrolet was kind enough to cut apart a Spark for us to see its innards. Head on down to our gallery below, where you’ll find the 130hp electron-powered motor, 20kWH battery pack, and MyLink-equipped infotainment system displayed in all their glory.
The difference between the Google Play Nexus 4 and the T-Mobile Nexus 4 is neither in the hardware nor in the software, but in the cost and agreement you’ll be making with T-Mobile – but that doesn’t mean we can’t give some more time to Google’s own smartphone hero for Android 4.2 Jelly Bean – for science! First be sure to take a peek at our original full Nexus 4 review as done by our own Vincent Nguyen, then have another dive in with the slight differences between it and the T-Mobile edition – must be something for the massive difference in price, right?
Hardware
I had major reservations about the LG Nexus 4 after having experienced the strangely slippery hardware of the LG Optimus G (see our full review here). I’m not talking about any sort of slipperiness in an ephemeral sense – I mean the plastic and glass that makes up the bulk of the device is literally slick. As it turns out here with the LG Nexus 4 though, any little bit of grip friendliness lost is more than made up for by the fabulously well-crafted curved edges of the front-facing panel.
Both the front and back panels on this device are made of Corning Gorilla Glass 2, the newest in undeniably tough glass action from the biggest name in reinforced glass panels for mobile devices today. Under the back panel you’ll find the same Crystal Reflection pattern that the LG Optimus G has, many different squares of reflective material creating an ever-changing pattern of light and dark. The name “NEXUS” sits on the back in big clear letters so you know what you’re using, too.
The display on this device is a lovely 768 x 1280 pixels across 4.7-inches of IPS PLUS LCD. That’s 320 PPI, just above Samsung’s Galaxy Nexus at 316 PPI (PenTile* in that case), and the Nexus S which was all the way back at 235 PPI. For comparison purposes: the iPhone 5 (and 4/4S) sit at 326 PPI and the highest sharpness on the market today exists on the HTC DROID DNA at a massive 440 PPI (across 5-inches of display, no less).
The Nexus 4′s display is as bright, sharp, and vibrant as your eyes can handle – so says DisplayMate. Touch sensitivity on this display has been nothing less than top-notch, and viewing angles are essentially perfect. This device works with an RGB subpixel arrangement rather than the PenTile we’ve seen on several recent device including the Galaxy Nexus. LG’s choice here means that that any pixelation you might have noticed in the Galaxy Nexus is gone here and the display experience is easily one of the best you’ll find on any smartphone or tablet out today.
This device also works with not just wireless mirroring in the near future with Miracast, but SlimPort as well. With SlimPort accessories you’ll be able to mirror your display via full-sized HDMI while your device charges at the same time – quite similar to what the HDMI converter accessories for MHL-compatible devices do. Here though you’ve got compatibility with HDMI, VGA, DVI, and DisplayPort too – though just the HDMI accessory exists at the moment.
Also note that the Miracast standard wireless technology exists on several devices at the moment, also including the Samsung Galaxy S III. You wont find so much as a peep from this technology in the Nexus 4 at the moment, though – we must assume that it’ll show itself once more accessories working with the Miracast standard hit the market. It is strange that Google would market the device as having said abilities without them being utilized right out of the box – isn’t it? Have a peek at a column by the name of Miracast Accessories: don’t jump in head first just yet for more information on the future of this technology – the imminent future, that is.
Camera
The camera is a vast improvement over the Samsung Galaxy Nexus’ clunky 5-megapixel shooter, and not just because you’ve got a few more megapixels to toss around here. It would appear that LG, Qualcomm, and Google have come together to create a camera experience here that’s sharp and clear. It’s not perfect, and we’re not quite ready to say it beats out the Samsung Galaxy S III, Nokia Lumia 920, or iPhone 5, but it’s certainly a contender.
The panorama mode as well as Photo Sphere create images that are impressive to behold, but again, are not perfect. While the stitching of images together to create a whole are rarely done without error, the final product is almost always worth keeping. Have a peek at a couple of Photo Spheres in action in the following: [Mall Parking Lot], [Gas Station], [Arcade] – each are posted to Google+ in full-on exploration mode so you can see them in their natural state. Google cross-promotes their social network and the software here as Android 4.2 Jelly Bean+ will bring on this Sphere ability to all devices that run with it from that point onward – fun stuff!
Initial Cost and Data Plans
Once again, let’s not forget that you literally get the same device from T-Mobile that you’d get from Google here, packaging and all. That said, the off-contract price for the T-Mobile-sold Nexus 4 is up at $499, that being approximately $150 more than the off-contract model you can buy from Google Play. Considering the fact that the Google Play online store is completely sold out of the device right now, with a 4 week wait (for some) before device delivery, you might want to drop that $150 to get it sooner.
The device is available from T-Mobile attached to a 2-year contract for $199.99 (this being that $150 less than the Google Play $349.99 price), which you might as well go for if you’re planning on working with T-Mobile one way or another. T-Mobile has a large collection of monthly plans for data, text, and talk, with the largest being a lovely $124.99 per month for unlimited action for all services with 10GB of data working at full speed (with throttling after that). This plan also includes hotspot abilities so you can share data from your smartphone to your other devices as well as 10GB of cloud storage.
Though T-Mobile does have several unlimited data plans, its worth mentioning that you will be “throttled” after the specified amount of data is used each month. Throttling data speed means you’ve got significantly slower data delivery than, in this case, T-Mobile’s 4G HSPA+ network normally delivers. You’ve also got a $79.99 per month plan that includes unlimited data, text, and talk, this time with 2GB of high-speed data before throttling.
Wrap-up
The LG Nexus 4 is just as awesome a Nexus device as any that’ve come before it. Google continues to bring forth stronger and stronger devices, amalgamations of power here in addition to standardization for developers. With this generation comes one of the most powerful processors on the planet along with one of the strongest cameras on the market and a rather top-tier experience for not just the expert Android user, but the average smartphone lover as well.
The only thing you’ll want to keep your eye on is the fact that this device does not work with 4G LTE – if you need data speed in a mobile way, this isn’t your best bet – not yet, anyway. If you’re in the shade of the great wi-fi gods on the regular: no worries. Outside of data speed, this is easily one of the most fabulous smartphones on the market today.
So, we learned two things today. Firstly, Will.i.am is able to attract quite a media scrum, and secondly, national press photographers have sharp elbows. Nevertheless, we braved the London debut of the Black Eyed Peas star’s i.am+ iPhone accessories and fortunately came away with more than just Elephunk-sized bruises. We got some brief playtime with the gadgets, plus an interview with the CEO of Will.i.am’s tech venture — none other than Chandra Rathakrishnan of Fusion Garage fame (or notoriety). If you’re wondering if we asked him why anyone would spend upwards of £199 ($315) on a wide-angle lens attachment when a really decent alternative can be had for a fraction of that cost, then hopefully the video and early impressions after the break will satisfy your curiosity.
Efforts to put cheap computers in the hands of students have always hit major stumbling blocks. Most notably price. The OLPC project had noble goals, but ultimately ended up well above its target price of $100. The Classmate was more of a “me too” product than anything truly revolutionary. What started as India’s effort to launch a $10 laptop, slowly mutated into a $35 tablet that, even then, struggled in its initial incarnation. What ultimately became known as the Aakash was painfully underpowered and had carried a cost almost double its $35 target. With the second version DataWind is hoping to make good on the promise of an ultra-affordable tablet that can actually be used by students and educators. CEO of the company Suneet Tuli swung by our offices with the Ubuslate 7Ci, the commercial version of the Aakash 2, to give us a chance to put the device through its paces and talk about the transformative power of education.
It’s time to get smart with the developers behind the music streaming app Rdio – updated today for iOS as well as Android. This update brings on a fully redesigned user interface that’s ever-so-slightly cleaner than we’ve ever seen from the app before and will likely instill much more confidence in the system for both artists and those looking to subscribe to the pay service. Last month the team launched a Rdio Artist Program and a massive advertising campaign over the past few months to bring the app into prominence.
We’ve seen the most major billboards in Time’s Square showing off no less than the logo for this app and a blast-faced Madonna looking over the landscape. Does that make a great app? Sure, why not? And while the developers behind this app were at it, they updated the software as well – might as well!
What we’re seeing here is an update that makes the app for mobile devices resemble the web browser-based environment, this bringing the whole family together for a fun party. You’ll see an extremely large back-library of artists still sticking around through this update – essentially the same as Spotify with 18 million. While it would appear, according to TechCrunch’s figures, that Spotify is the more popular of the two services, Rdio may well be coming up quick.
The new Rdio app update will certainly have you thinking twice about updating past that free trial you get when you first sign up. If on the other hand you’re in the mood for free music at home, you’ve got lots of choices beyond Rdio – lots with advertisements backing them up, of course. Rdio remains the same as it was when it launched all those months ago – free trial to pay-to-use only – and no advertisements anywhere.
This app is available for download in the iTunes App Store now. It’s also available in a slightly different iteration for Android in the Google Play app store right this minute!
Amidst the fierce competition in the Chinese mobile market, Meizu has managed to keep up with its annual cycle to unveil its latest flagship device, the MX2. Announced at the launch event in Beijing earlier today, the MX2 comes with a Samsung-made 1.6GHz, Cortex-A9 quad-core SoC dubbed “MX5S,” along with 2GB of RAM, a 30-percent faster GPU, a 4.4-inch 347ppi (1,280 x 800) gapless display with 3.15mm bezel and efficient “New Mode 2” technology (the description of which sounds like IGZO to us), an improved eight-megapixel BSI F/2.4 camera and a choice of 16GB, 32GB or 64GB of built-in memory. There’s also a front-facing camera, dual-mic noise cancellation, MHL video output, S/PDIF audio output, a non-removable 1,800mAh battery, Bluetooth 4.0 and HSPA+ radio at 2,100MHz (2G at 900/1800). As before, the white double injection-molded back cover can be taken off to access the SIM card slot, but there should also be various color options in the near future. Read on for more info, and do also check out the official introduction video after the break.
Update: We now have some hands-on photos courtesy of Stone Ip from Engadget Chinese. They’re in the second gallery below.
Nokia has revealed its first “Facebook phone”, the Nokia Asha 205, along with a colorful candybar, the Nokia 206, borrowing the Lumia colors for a budget market. The new Asha 205 features a full QWERTY keyboard and a dedicated Facebook button, as well as forty free EA games, while the 206 comes in the same black, cyan, magenta, yellow, and white as Nokia’s Lumia Windows Phone 8 handsets, and offers up to 47 days of standby time. Both the Asha 205 and the 206 are available in single- or dual-SIM versions, each keeping both SIMs active simultaneously, and feature Nokia’s new Slam file-swapping system.
Unsurprisingly, given Nokia is pricing them both at $62 (SIM-free and pre-subsidy), neither phone has 3G nor any particularly complex features. There’s a 1.3-megapixel camera and Bluetooth, with the latter being used for “Slam” – that uses the strength of a Bluetooth connection to automatically select the nearest phone to you for photo, music, or other transfer. It’ll work on the Asha 205 and 206, as well as send to any other S40, Asha, or Android device (the proximity detection is the new part; regular Bluetooth is used for the transfer). However, not Windows Phone at present; Nokia says that will follow on in time.
In practice, Slam cuts down on a couple of button presses. Choose to send “via Slam” and have the two devices near each other, and it automatically identifies the other phone; there’s no passcode to punch in, just an accept-transfer dialog on the other device. When we tested it versus the regular Bluetooth transfer, the only real difference was that we needed to pick the right Bluetooth recipient from a list.
The Asha 205 comes preloaded with the Facebook app, eBuddy Chat, Twitter, email support, and access to the Nokia Store for other titles. It supports up to 37 days or standby (on the single SIM model; up to 25 on the dual SIM) and up to a 32GB microSD card. The Facebook button simply acts as a launcher to the Facebook app – it can’t be remapped to, say, Twitter, and unlike the button on HTC’s Salsa and ChaCha Android handsets, doesn’t automatically trigger a Facebook share of, say, the photo you’re currently viewing. In the hand, it’s light but a little thick, but the keyboard is easily used.
As for the 206, that’s a classic form-factor with a surprisingly effective and modern design. Gloss-finish on the front, and easily-gripped matte on the back, it feels solid despite the $62 price tag, and the buttons are clicky and tactile. Nokia is positioning it as an ideal – and distinctive – phone for emerging markets as well as those users simply looking for a basic talk and text device, particularly those who might prefer a large, clear 2.4-inch display and sizable keypad.
Both the dual-SIM variants of each phone use Nokia’s EasySwap, which keeps both of the SIM cards active at the same time. That’s handy for travel, when you might want your home SIM active for emergency calls, but a local SIM present for cheaper service; alternatively, you can set up each SIM to be active only for voice, data, SMS, or MMS, or a combination of the four, depending on what tariff you have for each line.
Both the Nokia Asha 205 and the Nokia 206 will begin shipping before the end of the year.
Feature phones don’t grace our pages too often, but when Nokia said it had a new Asha to show us, we thought we’d go take a look. We’ve been following the Asha range since it launched a little more than a year ago, but we were also interested to see Nokia Slam in action, a new Bluetooth quick-sharing feature with Android compatibility. There were no touchscreens in sight as we were introduced to the Asha 205 — a Series 40 QWERTY handset with a social angle aimed primarily at emerging markets, but also at those who either don’t have the cash or the need for a top-of-the-range device. Bearing that in mind, we gave the phone a brief once over, looking at what it does for roughly $62 (excluding taxes, etc.), rather than what it lacks compared with smartphones at higher price points. During the meeting we also glanced over the Nokia 206, which shares many of the same features but isn’t part of the Asha family due to its numpad input (see the video and gallery for more details). Head past the break for our thoughts on the Asha 205, and a demo of Nokia Slam in action.
We wouldn’t quite call it an annual tradition just yet, but this winter does mark the third in a row where Ona has released a scrumptious new laptop / camera bag just before the all-important holiday season. Following the original Union Street messenger and the Camps Bay backpack is the Brixton Leather — a leather-clad iteration of the company’s more compact messenger case. For those unfamiliar with the brand, it specializes in high-end, high-quality bags that both ooze class and hold the things that bona fide nerds care about. The internal compartments act as a paradox from the traditional-looking exterior, being thickly lined with customizable padded inserts that are sure to treat your smartphones, hotspots, ILC cameras and DSLR lenses with care. Oh, and your ultraportable laptop. Join us after the break as we take a closer look at one of the world’s finest gadget bags.
Arriving just after its debut on Windows Phone 8, Skype‘s updated its Android app, with a focus on improving the tablet experience. Surely thanks to improved Google tablet sales, Skype references that it’s optimized the new UI for the Galaxy Tab 2, the Nexus 7 and ASUS’ Transformer Prime, among a few others. Menus and navigation are both repurposed to make use of the extra space, and while the navigation home screen still exists on the phone version (which hasn’t changed, design-wise), you’ll be staring at your contact list most of the time when using it on a tablet. In fact a persistent tab on the left side of the screen will take you to recent calls and the base contact list, while settings, search and the phone dialer all reside in the top right corner.
Video calls are generally better with bigger slabs, offering more screen real estate to beam your friends, family and co-workers to. However, tablets aren’t well known for their camera skills, and our camera output was obviously far sharper on the Note II than on the Nexus 7. Supplanting Messenger as Microsoft’s chat app of choice, you’ll also be able to login with (and combine) your Microsoft account and this was relatively painless on both the phone and tablet. Skype has also updated the app with its latest SILK audio codecs, attuned specifically for human speech and — more importantly — varying internet speeds. After some initial ‘robot voice’ while connecting, we soon had no issues with several international video calls through WiFi. Hardware demands for Skype’s latest encompass the minimum of Android 2.1 OS and an 800MHz processor or faster and if you pass those requirements, the source below is ready to offer you the download.
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