HTC One X+, The "Other" Smartphone King

In today's world it is hard not to be continually inundated with advertising of the latest smartphones. Whether it is Samsung commercials bashing the iPhone, Apple commercials showcasing Siri, or Jessica Alba telling you to buy a Windows Phone, we get our fair share of exposure to the best of today's smartphones.

One phone, however, that is not as widely advertised, and not near as popular, that is definitely worth looking into is the HTC One X+. The One X+ is the newest iteration, or update to the flagship of HTC's smartphone family, of the One X. While this phone is only available on AT&T's network here in the U.S., it is certainly a phone to keep an eye on.

The One X+ is similar to its predecessors in that it is nearly identical in design, and it only comes in a matte black finish. The "upgrade" to the One X+ is found on the inside of the phone. The battery has been upgraded from a 1800 mAh battery to a 2100 mAh battery resulting in longer battery life, a 1.7 GHz processor upgraded from the 1.5 GHz in the previous phone, internal storage has been upgraded from 32 to 64 GB, Android 4.1 (Jellybean) in place of Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich), and the front camera has been upgraded from 1.3 to 1.6 Megapixels. While these may not be "significant" upgrades to someone that already has a One X, they are certainly specs worth considering if you're  looking to get a powerful android phone. The One X+ also has the same great specs that its predecessor had such as LTE connectivity, 1GB of RAM, 8 Megapixel rear camera, and a beautiful 4.7 inch display.

While the HTC One X+ is not the perfect phone, it is better than most. The interface, HTC's "Sense" software, at times experiences lag and could use some improvements. That being said, this phone offers a great android experience, and a great smartphone experience as a whole. At a competitive price of $199.99 from AT&T, the same price as the Samsung Galaxy S III and the iPhone 5 entry level models, it is right in line with the other smartphone kings.

The HTC One X+ is a great offer to shoppers looking for an android phone that is powerful, fast, and well designed. The build quality of this phone is great, and the specs are in line in key areas, such as connectivity and processing power, as other flagship phones. This holiday season, if looking to purchase a great smartphone, consider the HTC One X+. While it may not be as popular as the iPhone or Galaxy S III, it is certainly just as good.

Source: Spec Showdown

Google Nexus 4 Announced

Even though hurricane Sandy forced Google to cancel Monday's Android event in New York City, Google still released information on their newest phone, the Nexus 4. The new flagship phone, designed exclusively by Google and LG, marks the first time that Google has partnered with someone other than Samsung on their Nexus line of smartphones. While there are hundreds of different smartphones that run Google's Android operating system available, the Nexus line of smartphones are the pinnacle of Google's efforts.

The new iteration of the Nexus series brings with it many improvements over the previous generation, the Galaxy Nexus. Some of the new features include an upgraded 8 Megapixel Camera, a 4.7 in. display with 320 ppi, wireless charging capabilities, and Android 4.2, the newest Android OS. The device is expected to be available on November 13 on the Google Play online store. The unlocked version of the phone will be available in both 8 GB and 16 GB storage options starting at $299 for the 8 GB version. There is also an alternative purchasing option available as T-Mobile will offer the 16 GB version for $199, with two-year contract, starting November 14.

The Nexus 4 brings to the very crowded smartphone market a new android device that offers many great features. While many of the features available on the Nexus 4 already exist on other phones and some key features such as LTE connectivity are missing, there remains one key element that separates a Nexus phone from the rest of the smartphone field, the fact that it runs stock Android. The version of Android that will be available on the Nexus 4 is Android 4.2 Jellybean, a slight update from Android 4.1 Jellybean. Some of the updates include a feature called "Photo Sphere", along with gesture typing. Nexus 4 is unique because running stock android means that the OS is pure Google and is not filled with various manufacturer "skins" such as "Touchwiz" on Samsung and "Sense" on HTC smartphones. This means a better experience as a whole for the OS, and first-priority updates of any new Android operating systems.

While the device has yet to hit the market, and the impact is sure to be big, it remains to be seen if the LG-produced Nexus 4 can challenge the smartphone kings Apple and Samsung. Competing against the iPhone 5 and the Samsung Galaxy S III is sure to be an uphill battle, but if any new Android device has a shot to compete, it is sure to be the Nexus 4.

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Sources: CNET - Nexus 4, Google Play Store

iPhone 5 Shortcomings

With Apple's expected announcement on September 12, 2012 regarding the release of iPhone 5, many iPhone fanatics are anxiously awaiting the details of the phone’s new features. However, there may be some shortcomings to this new device; and even for diehard Apple users, a switch to an Android phone might not be such a stretch anymore.

Some of the expected iPhone 5 shortcomings are:

The iPhone will finally get a bigger screen. It's expected that the current 3.5-inch design will grow to 4-inches diagonally. But rumor has it that this increase will come with a change in the display's aspect ratio. Meaning, instead of the iPhone's original boxy shape, it will be more of a rectangular design, a 16-by-9 ratio. Though this seems like a good idea for frequent mobile movie watchers, the majority of Apple’s app designs were developed for the original aspect ratio. This then causes a potential incompatibility fitting old apps to screen. That familiar little black box, that is now lost in many videos, may reappear soon with the larger screen.

 One of the improvements a lot of the older generation iPhone users are looking for is an  easier way to text. The small keys on the keyboard are difficult to use when the phone is held upright in landscape mode, and texting when the phone is turned on it's side, in a portrait orientation, requires two hands that are seldom no available. The inclusion by Apple of a “Swype”-like keyboard technology could go a long way to make texting simpler.

Finally, rumor has it there will finally be a USB connector for the iPhone 5. While this is a universally sought after improvement, it will may make your current Apple accessories obsolete. That’s right, you’ll have to replace your iHome, many USB cables, chargers, etc. To add insult to injury the new charger is not expected to be backward compatible with your older iDevices.

So in the end the question is this: Do these shortcomings outweigh all of Apple’s improvements to the phone? Or is the current iPhone 4, with it's tired and true features, all the iPhone you'll need in order to pass on the iPhone 5?

Sources: TechCrunch: Apple's New iPhone, PhonesReview: Android vs. iPhone Market share

Jobs Didn't Like the Name Siri

A recent report released by Network World revealed that Apple’s founder Steve Jobs was not particularly fond of calling the iPhone 4S voice assistant app by the name of Siri.

Dag Kittlaus, one of the co-founders of Siri, was a keynote speaker at Technori Pitch, a monthly event hosted in Chicago. Kittlaus discussed entrepreneurship, start-up culture and the acceleration of technology advancement. He also talked about the history of Siri and Siri’s name.

Originally, Kittlaus had run Siri as an app until it was acquired by Apple. He said that Jobs saw plenty of promise in the Siri technology; however, he was not thrilled about the voice assistant’s name. During his presentation, Kittlaus offered some explanation as to why the technology was named Siri.

"Siri means in Norwegian 'beautiful woman who leads you to victory,'" he said. "I worked with a lady named Siri in Norway and wanted to name my daughter Siri and the domain was available. And also consumer companies need to focus on the fact that the name is easy to spell, is easy to say."

Kittlaus’s firt child was not a girl; therefore, he decided to name the voice assistant Siri instead. Although Jobs thought that they should choose a better name, somehow Siri stuck. This was not the only time that Jobs was skeptical of the names of new technology. Network World pointed out that he was also unsure about the names iMac and iPod; however, we all know how that worked out.

Siri has become quite popular, despite the fact that she might not be the most accurate voice assistant. She was mentioned in a new Flaming Lips song and appeared on an episode of The Big Bang Theory. Obviously, no one else has had a hangup about her name.

Sources: Network World - Steve Jobs wasn't a fan of the Siri name and PCMag - Report: Steve Jobs Didn't Like the Name 'Siri'

DVD Video Projectors are exactly what they sound like. A combination unit that combines a DVD media player with a video projector, cutting out the need for multiple pieces of electronics and wiring.

Army Debuts New Army App Marketplace

There have been rumors of a specific Army app store created specifically for the United States military floating around for a while now, and those rumors may have just become real. The United States Army has officially launched the very first prototype for the Army Software Marketplace, a web-based app store that has also recently been approved for Army-wide use.

The newly launched app store only has 12 apps so far, each one designed as a mobile training application for soldiers, allowing them to use the apps while on personal phones or tablets. The apps themselves were designed by Army training schools in the Connecting Soldiers to Digital Apps (CSDA) initiative. Each app, all of which have been approved for Army-wide use, can be acquired online at www.marketplace.army.mil, with the CSDA community dedicated to providing more apps in the future.

According to Lt. Gen. Susan Lawrence, Chief Information Officer/G-6, "The Apps Marketplace is at the center of Army efforts to radically reduce the time to deliver applications across the force. This prototype is a first step in establishing and exercising new submissions and approval processes that will eventually enable Army members, organizations and third party developers to release applications for Army-wide distribution."

This new app marketplace prototype brings key Army stakeholders together, allowing them to focus on implementing industry-proven agile software-development practices, like increasing collaboration early on between developers and end-users as well as delivering software to users in short release cycles.

The marketplace currently supports publicly-facing apps on personal iOS devices, which means you can only have access to these applications if you are using an iPhone, iPod Touch or iPad from Apple. The marketplace is, however, currently working on support for Android devices as well, allowing you to have access no matter what OS you're using. Some of the currently available apps include The Soldiers Blue Book (initial entry training guide), Army Values, Army Social Media Handbook and Developing a Performance Work Statement.

"Training aids, planning tools and other apps in the Marketplace give soldiers easy access to information we need to keep current," said Sgt. 1st Class Nanette Williams, a member of the Army Executive Communications Team at the Pentagon. Army CSDA Director Brig. Gen. Wayne Grigsby Jr. also stated that the prototypes "will allow CSDA to start distributing training and leader development content to the soldier at the point of learning."

Source: U.S. Army - Army launches apps marketplace prototype
Engadget - US Army debuts app marketplace prototype: iOS first, Android coming soon

Short-throw projectors only require half the projection distance of traditional projectors. The projector can be placed just a foot or so from the screen. This is nice because it keeps the projector and screen near each other instead of having a long throw projector that people can accidentally block.

Best Buy Sells Nearly As Many iPhones As Apple

In April 2008 Apple decided to partner with Best Buy to sell the iPhone, and according to data released by the Consumer Intelligence Research Partners, it seems as though Apple made a very smart decision. The data revealed that Best Buy sells nearly as many iPhones as Apple does itself.

Consumer Intelligence Research Partners surveyed iPhone buyers from December 2011 to February 2012. The firm asked consumers where they had purchased their iPhone, and the results showed that 15 percent of consumers bought their iPhones directly from Apple and 13 percent bought theirs from Best Buy. There is only a two percent difference between the sales at Apple and the sales at Best Buy.

The other 69 percent of sales belong to mobile carriers AT&T, Verizon and Sprint. AT&T sold 32 percent, Verizon sold 30 percent and Sprint only sold 7 percent. However, according to the research, Apple and Best Buy both sold more new models than any of the mobile carriers.

"Apple and Best Buy sold more high-end phones, with the iPhone 4S accounting for 87 percent and 82 percent of total iPhone sales, respectively, for those two outlets," Consumer Intelligence Research Partners wrote in its report. "In contrast, carriers sold relatively more lower-end phones, with iPhone 4S accounting for 57 percent to 66 percent of total iPhone sales at AT&T, Verizon, and Sprint."

“Apple Stores and the Apple Website are tremendously productive, but they are limited by their relatively small retail footprint,” said CIRP analyst Josh Lowitz. “There are four times as many Best Buy stores, and probably 20 times as many AT&T, Verizon, and Sprint stores, so aggressive distribution through all these channels is critical to Apple’s U.S. strategy.”

The survey also looked at more than just where consumers were buying their iPhones. The research showed that people prefer to buy their iPhone in the store instead of online. Seventy-six percent of iPhone sales were from retail stores, leaving only 24 percent to online sales. Those numbers did spike a bit when the iPhone 4S was first released however. Retails stores grabbed 67 percent, while online had 33 percent.

Sources: TechnoBuffalo - Best Buy Sells Almost As Many iPhones as Apple Does and PCMag - Best Buy Sells Nearly As Many iPhones as Apple

DVD Video Projectors are exactly what they sound like. A combination unit that combines a DVD media player with a video projector, cutting out the need for multiple pieces of electronics and wiring.

Android App Size Limit Increased to 4GB

Ever since it first hit the scene, Android has limited its applications to a maximum size of 50MB. Overall this has worked pretty well, with smaller apps obviously having an easier time with the limitations. However, every megabyte you add that gets closer to 50 makes it that much harder for users to download the app and start using it. Other apps, specifically the ones that use high-end 3D graphics, use more local features. With regard to this, Android has decided to increase the Android app size limit from 50MB to 4GB.

Before you go planning the next mega-app, the size of the APK file will still be limited to 50MB to make sure you have secure on-device storage, though you now have the ability to attach expansion files to your APK. The Android Developers Blog listed some features of the new size increase, which includes:

• Each app can have two expansion files, each one up to 2GB, in whatever format you choose.


• Android Market will host the files to save you the hassle and cost of file serving.


• Users will see the total size of your app and all of the downloads before they install/purchase.

A lot of newer mobile devices expansion files will be downloaded automatically as soon as you download the app from the marketplace. The refund period won't start until the expansion files are downloaded. Older devices have your app download the expansion files the first time it runs through a downloader library, which can be found on the blog.

The Android Developers Blog also says that even though you have the option of using the two expansion files however you want, they recommend that you use one as the initial download and only update rarely, if at all. They say you should use the second one as a smaller file to act as a "patch carrier" that will get revised with each major release of the app.

This is definitely going to have some big implications on the app development world and it will be interesting to see how it affects both app developers and users alike. What do you think? If you're an app developer, is this something that you are very interested in or excited about?

Source: Android Developers Blog - Android Apps Break the 50MB Barrier
Engadget - Android Market raises maximum app size to 4GB, APK files still limited to 50MB

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