This week Google and LG have made the unicorn of the Nexus lineup – that being the White Nexus 4 – a reality. Here at SlashGear we’re taking the time to unbox and have a closer look at the device and its brand new Bumper Case as it makes its way to online stores and eventually into the retail space in the USA. And yes, it’s basically the same package: it’s just white.
One of the only big differences between the original Nexus 4 and this white iteration is the makeup of the band around the edge. While the original Black version has a slightly grippy feel to it, this White is a bit more slippery. This might be just the bit you were looking for if you’re all about the shine over the ability to hold on to your phone.
Otherwise this machine works with the same guts as its Black affiliate: 4.7-inch display at 1280 x 768 pixel resolution, IPS LCD technology covered with a pane of Corning Gorilla Glass 2. Dimensions of the device remain 133.9 x 68.7 x 9.1 mm with a weight of 139 grams, and the back works with the same 8 megapixel camera as specified in Google’s own listing of the original Black.
Inside you’ll find the Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro quad-core processor, this just a step down from the Snapdragon 600 found in the Samsung GALAXY S 4 and the HTC One. Android 4.2.2 is here on the device right out of the box, while we do expect updates to Google’s mobile OS sooner than later.
Also in the package we’ve gotten is Google’s white iteration of their own Bumper Case. This case acts as a protector between your Nexus 4 and the ground and acts as a bit of a bonus grip that you might not otherwise have with LG’s preference for slippery, slippery plastic. This device will be available from Google soon, and it’s unknown at the moment whether or not T-Mobile – or other carriers in the future, for that matter – will be carrying this color in stores.
BONUS: As you may have already noticed, the videos above have been filmed with Google Glass – or #throughglass, if you prefer. This adds to a collection of features filmed with Google Glass that will be continuing to expand through the future here on SlashGear, another of which was our 2014 Lexus IS Prototype Test Drive earlier this week – stay tuned for more!
Although ASUS recently delivered the $150 7-inch MeMo Pad and PadFone Infinity combo device, it’s been a while since a premium Android tablet graced the lineup. A recent FCC filing from the company, however, reveals an unannounced K005 model equipped with the venerable Snapdragon S4 Pro (APQ8064) SoC clocked at 1.7GHz. Further details are light, but G4Games notes that it reveals AT&T-compatible GSM, CDMA and LTE connectivity and the model number suggests a 10-inch frame. Check out the FCC filing for yourself below and rest assured that we’ll fill you in when we hear more.
You might say the day is never really done in consumer technology news. Your workday, however, hopefully draws to a close at some point. This is the Daily Roundup on Engadget, a quick peek back at the top headlines for the past 24 hours — all handpicked by the editors here at the site. Click on through the break, and enjoy.
Mention Qualcomm and what would most of you think of right away? Chances are it would be chipsets, especially those that keep a fair number of smartphones around the world up and running. Having said that, here we are with […]
Qualcomm has unexpectedly revealed a new mirasol mobile display, a 5.1-inch panel running at a whopping 2,560 x 1,440 resolution. Last we heard of mirasol, Qualcomm was dousing production plans and focusing on licensing out the low-power technology instead, having seen production issues and the dominance of E Ink undermine its market. However, this new
We haven’t heard about Mirasol for a while now, but Qualcomm’s reflective display tech showed up in a few proof-of-concepts on the SID Display Week floor. We got a look at a previously announced 1.5-inch panel embedded on the top of an “always-on” smartphone and on the face of a smartwatch. Though a rep took care to emphasize that these were just mockups, he said the screen will soon show up in some third-party devices.
More interesting, though, was the company’s next-gen display: a 5.1-inch panel sporting a stunning 2,560 x 1,440 (577 ppi) resolution. Viewed up close, it delivers crisp images, but the reflective display kicks back a silvery tint and colors don’t pop as they do on other handsets. But while the sky-high pixel count may not tell the whole story, the screen offers one huge plus: a 6x power advantage over LCD and OLED displays. In practical terms, that means devices could go days without charging. Don’t expect to see this guy in your next smartphone, though: by “next-gen,” Qualcomm means this tech has a few more years in the R&D phase before it’ll be ready to hit a licensee’s production line. For now, make do with our hands-on video after the break.
The original Google Nexus 7 tablet (as manufactured by ASUS) has been tipped to be getting a refresh with new hardware and a launch time around June or July. This updated piece of equipment would, if this set of predictions turns true, have the tablet ready to be re-introduced at Google I/O 2013, the company’s developer conference. This conference begins next week, starting on Wednesday the 15th of May, ending Friday.
It was just one year ago that Google I/O 2012 revealed the Google Nexus 7 originally, giving it there to every developer attendee so that they might develop games and apps for the device with ease. That original Google Nexus 7 remains on sale today with the specifications it came with in the first place.
The original Google Nexus 7 worked with a 7-inch IPS LCD display at 1280 x 800 pixel resolution, that ending up bringing on a 216 PPI screen density. This device was 198.5 x 120 x 10.45 mm large and was released in both wifi-only and 3G-capable iterations, having Bluetooth, NFC, and GPS inside. The original Nexus 7 worked with 8GB of internal storage – this was quickly upgraded to 16GB of internal storage in the smallest, standard model, while another 32GB internal storage iteration was released as well.
Perhaps most important of all, this original Nexus 7 was – before it was scooped up by Google – an ASUS/NVIDIA collaboration. As a low-cost quad-core processor-toting tablet, NVIDIA had it announced at CES 2012 with ASUS without a formal release date. This device was quickly spotted by Google and brought on as an exclusive release under the company’s Nexus brand. Fun fact: we also predicted this collaboration – albeit with the wrong price attached.
This ASUS Eee Pad MeMO was announced with NVIDIA’s own Tegra 3 quad-core processor inside and continued to carry that processor through to its re-naming as the Google Nexus 7. In an analyst report with 9to5Google by Mingchi Kuo from KGI securities today, the new Google 7 tablet will be bringing with it a quad-core Qualcomm processor.
The processor this new Nexus 7 is tipped to bring with it is the same APQ8064 Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro processor carried by the Google Nexus 4, the current hero smartphone for Google (manufactured by LG). This would be a relatively major blow to NVIDIA as the Nexus 7 allowed their chipset to reach a relatively large cross-section of users over the past year.
This new Nexus 7 would be manufactured by ASUS as the first iteration was and will have 7-inch LTPS display with 1920 x 1200 pixel resolution. That puts the density of this display at 323 PPI, far greater than the original device. This new Nexus 7 is also suggested to be coming with a thinner bezel than before, Qi standard wireless charging, and a back-facing camera sitting at 5-megapixels strong.
We’ll know one way or the other next week – if Google is aiming to re-introduce the Nexus 7 with new specifications for this year, Google I/O 2013 is the ideal place to do it. Stick with SlashGear in our Google I/O portal for more information on the event and head to our Facebook event page to sign up to remind yourself to join us!
LG’s flagship Optimus G Pro, due to launch on AT&T on May 10th, might just make its way to Sprint later this year — and possibly with an upgraded processor. A User Agent Profile on Sprint’s website reveals a 1080p, Android 4.2.2 handset called the LS980, which lines up with AT&T’s model number (E980) and also corroborates an earlier listing at the Bluetooth SIG. Curiously, the UAP mentions Qualcomm’s flagship Snapdragon 800 (“M8974”), in contrast to the existing G Pro’s Snapdragon 600 processor. Then again, there’s only so much you can tell about future products from XML files like these. It could be an upgraded Sprint G Pro variant, but the reference to a totally new chip has us (and Android Police) thinking it could also be a full-fledged Optimus G sequel, which has already been rumored and possibly leaked. Either way, it’s nice to see evidence of a top-tier phone maker using this cutting edge Snapdragon, especially after the comedy of ZTE’s Grand Memo.
QUALCOMM has officially announced that it has elected a new member to its corporate Board of Directors. The new member is Jonathan Rubinstein, and brings more than 30 years of experience in mobile, computing, and computer electronics to the table according to QUALCOMM. Rubinstein’s last position was senior vice president of product innovation for HP.
Rubinstein has worked for some of the biggest companies in the technology industry, he was previously senior vice president and general manager of the Palm Global Business Unit. He acted as executive chairman for Palm in 2007 where he was involved with webOS. He also acted as CEO of Palm in June of 2009 until HP purchased it in 2010.
Perhaps the most famous position that Rubenstein held was at Apple where he ran the iPod division and is said to have been instrumental in creating the iPod and the iPod ecosystem. Rubinstein is also a member of the Amazon.com board.
Considering how webOS failed at every turn, Rubinstein doesn’t appear to have been tarnished by the failure. QUALCOMM CEO Paul E Jacobs says that the company is extremely pleased to welcome Jon as a board member.
The smartphone OPPO Find 5 was a surprise to behold when it first left the box here on the SlashGear review bench, mostly because when a relatively unknown smartphone brand delivers a package that appears to be too good to be true, it generally is. Here with OPPO Find 5′s 5-inch display at 1080p, a Qualcomm quad-core processor, and a 13 megapixel camera connected at its center by a unique user interface, it seemed as though the company had created a pretty nice beast. The packaging certainly does the device some favors as well.
Hardware
This smartphone is a rather interesting amalgamation of plastic and glass. It feels thin and smooth to the touch – the back is a single sheet of hard plastic without pattern while the front has a single pane of reinforced glass. The front has three capacitive buttons, not quite jumping in on the trend Google has been pushing with on-screen buttons quite yet.
The display up front of this device is a 5-inch 1080p panel all but hidden by the black bezel that surrounds it. While the display is on you can certainly tell where it begins and ends, but whatever OPPO has done to equalize the quality of black in the bezel surrounding the display while off and the screen itself is working. While on, this display kicks in 441 PPI, equaling that of the Sony XPERIA Z and the Samsung GALAXY S 4 and narrowly missing the current density winner: the HTC One (468 PPI).
The back of this smartphone is solidly attached to its front – there’s no removable or replaceable battery here. This device is certainly not built to be winning any repairability contests due to its one-piece presentation, but you will feel as though OPPO created a solid package when you’re working with it.
The touchscreen on this device works just as well as any other top-tier device and the viewing angles are generally OK. With IPS LCD technology backing up the OPPO Find 5, you’ll certainly be able to see what you’re doing outside, but don’t jump in to direct sunlight too often or expect a family of four to gather around from all angles to see the same image – it’s good, but it’s not perfect.
This device works with NFC both for reading and writing – as most embedded NFC sensors do. What’s impressive about the OPPO Find 5 for NFC is its built-in NFC writing software. Pre-sets and a set of two NFC tags in the box make for an entertaining out-of-box experience to be sure.
The audio experience on this device is great for a back-facing speaker setup. The HTC One takes the rest of the smartphone world to lunch with its Boomsound speakers on their own, but with both of them facing the user, straight out from around the display of the smartphone, they make the rest of the smartphone world sound like a mistake was made. Unfortunately OPPO’s main onboard speaker is, indeed, back-facing.
Software
OPPO creates an ever-so-slightly interesting software experience here on top of Android, bringing in a sort of candy-coated collection of app icons that remind one of the first plays Samsung had at Android back with the first Galaxy and TouchWiz 1.0. It’s not the same iOS-esque game here, on the other hand, with the rest of the changes keeping well in the Android world with screen transitions and lockscreen elements only otherwise seen in user-customized 3rd party homescreen replacement apps.
Below you’ll see our hands-on demonstration of the OPPO Find 5′s software build – take note of the speed at which apps load and/or don’t load – this isn’t an experience that’s as optimized for Android as the Nexus 4 is, but general everyday use is perfectly decent.
According to chats we’ve had with users already owning this device – and users like you bringing on the comments – we’re to understand that carriers working with this device have had an easy time upgrading software, working with the device for software fixes, and offering good service in general. Generally that’s not an issue with a big-brand smartphone (not always, but generally), but with a still-relatively-small group like OPPO, it’s encouraging to hear and read.
Below you’ll also find some benchmark results from the OPPO Find 5 with its most up-to-date software. Again, this device isn’t going to win any beastly smartphone battles, but it gets the job done. This device isn’t going to be the best on the market if you’re looking for a top-tier gaming experience, but for media consumption and capture and everyday non-game app activities, you’ll be par for the course.
Camera
The camera on the OPPO Find 5 can create some excellent photos and video but actually capturing them seemed to be above-average difficult. This machine works with an Exmor RS sensor with 13 megapixels of power on its back, this allowing for some rather excellent shots if you’re willing to take the time to capture them. The examples below should show you a wide variety of examples from our time with the device – good and bad.
Have a peek at some other reviews done by me, Chris Burns, to check on your humble reviewer’s ability to take quality shots if you’re suspicious of the images appearing here. If you’re the kind of person who rests their camera on still surfaces when you’re taking photos, you’ll get good photos. It’s as simple as that.
Also have a peek at some video here to see what we’ve captured in a regular test-quality situation. We’ve made similar runs at this arena in the past with devices of all kinds – compare at will!
Battery
You’ll want to download some battery optimization software if you’re planning on getting a full day’s use out of this machine. Unlike some of the big-name devices we’ve worked with towing the same processor here from Qualcomm, this device can really knock a battery out easily. Though the same is true for any device that’s got a display as bright and as sharp as this in keeping the brightness on auto, apps of all kinds seem to drain the OPPO Find 5 a bit quicker than they should.
Owning the OPPO Find 5
Reviewing this device was bittersweet, if only because I knew we’d not be seeing a lot of readers here that’d actually be able to use this device in the end. It’s a smartphone being sold in China with no plans for overseas release. That said, it’s refreshing to see such a company doing such a top-notch job when the only other devices with such a solid package on the market today have been made by one of five companies.
Right this minute you’ll be able to find the OPPO Find 5 for between $499.99 and $600 USD unlocked and carrier free. Make sure you know your SIM card will work before you pick one up and let us know how you like it!
Wrap-up
The OPPO Find 5 is not a Samsung Galaxy device, nor is it an iPhone. It’s not a Motorola hardcore delivery, nor is it an LG powerhouse, or a Google Nexus device for that matter. It’s not the HTC One and it’s certainly not a Sony device. Instead you’ve got a unique approach from OPPO in a package that’s certainly going to stay strong in owners’ pockets for extended periods.
And the end result of OPPO’s efforts are a bright spot for the company – this device, packaging to final smartphone build, make the case for this brands’ future. Keep an eye out for future OPPO releases and count them in as a brand to be reckoned with in the next few years across the pond – hopefully beyond China, too.
This is site is run by Sascha Endlicher, M.A., during ungodly late night hours. Wanna know more about him? Connect via Social Media by jumping to about.me/sascha.endlicher.
