HTC One X unveiled, more Android 4.0 models coming this April

HTC was ready to show its upcoming One X smartphone at the Barcelona Mobile World Congress. The HTC One X is the flagship member of HTC's new One family of smartphones. It features a 4.7-inch, 720p HD display and is powered by a quad-core NVIDIA Tegra 3 processor clocked at 1.5GHz. It is constructed of unibody polycarbonate, and has an 8 megapixel camera with 1080p HD video capture.

The One X runs Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich with HTC's new Sense 4.0 interface with ImageSense camera features. HTC will launch the One X globally in April. A version with LTE and Qualcomm's Snapdragon S4 dual-core processor will be headed to AT&T in the U.S.

Alongside the new flagship One X, HTC was also showing off its just-announced One S at MWC 2012. The One S has the same unibody type of construction as the One X, but instead of polycarbonate it is made of aluminum. The finish of the phone features an ultra-matte black Ceramic Metal surface that is the result of a microarc oxidation process. This gives the phone a surprising amount of grip when it is in your hand, though it still attracts fingerprints like other matte finishes. The One S is extremely thin and light too, and the slight curvature to the body fits your hand better than say Samsung's flat, thin smartphones.





HTC also revealed the entry-level One V which has a retro unibody design that harkens back the to the Legend from 2010 and Hero from 2009. The One V is certainly lower-end than the One X and One S, and it lacks the "wow" factor that the other two have when held in your hand. Its display is noticeably smaller, at 3.7-inches, and the chassis is considerably thicker than the others.

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Nokia 808 PureView smartphone unveiled with 41MP camera

Nokia has unveiled the 808 PureView smartphone featuring a 41-megapixel camera at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. The handset runs Nokia’s dated Symbian operating system, a factor that could ultimately lead to US carriers passing on the opportunity to offer the PureView in the states.

Popular Photography notes that the PureView has been in the works for more than five years which could explain why it’s running Symbian OS instead of Windows Phone. The WSJ claims that a spokesperson said the technology would be coming to other devices but a timetable wasn't given.

Aging operating system aside, it’s the camera that is certain to garner the most attention for the PureView. At 41MP, the pixel count is even higher than Nikon’s $3,000 D800 DSLR professional camera that captures 36.3 million pixels. But if you know anything at all about cameras or photography, a high megapixel count doesn’t always equate to better quality photos.

First and foremost, the output file won’t be 41MP, but just 5MP at default settings. While the image sensor does technically rely on well over 30 million pixels to record data, it uses what Nokia calls ‘pixel oversampling’ technology that combines eight pixels into one in order to produce a cleaner image with less noise.





Nokia is also touting up to 3x “optical zoom” (4x in video) without image loss thanks to the massive megapixels. Instead of actually zooming in, however, the camera simply selects an area of the sensor to record data from rather than collecting everything taken in. The company has limited the zoom range to prevent upscaling so you can’t zoom in further than the input resolution.

Other features include a Carl Zeiss lens with a F/2.4 aperture and unlike most camera phones, it comes with a real flash.

Nokia has posted a sample photo gallery online but as always, these should be served with a grain of salt. Either way, don’t let the marketing-friendly 41MP lure you in too hard; this is no replacement for even a low-end DSLR or Micro Four-Thirds camera.

Other features include a 4-inch AMOLED display running at 640 x 360 with Corning Gorilla Glass and 16GB of internal memory with support for up to 48GB using an external microSD card. Other key hardware wasn’t noted in the specifications list on Nokia’s website.

The 808 PureView will initially be released in Europe for 450 Euros (roughly $600 USD)

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Samsung working on a frameless Galaxy B Android handset for Q3

Samsung, the Korean smartphone giant is reportedly prepping an almost bezel-less Android phone that is dated for Q2 or Q3 2012 release. Unofficially dubbed as the Galaxy B, the phone will have a large display that could probably fit a 5-inch OLED display on a 4.3-inch body and will have a bezel only to host the earpiece and the camera at the top, no side frame, and no buttons underneath it. Probably, a futuristic smartphone with flexible OLED display –yes, if you’ll remember the AMOLED displays with plastic substrates and corning with a Lotus Glass technology making a frame-less display possible.



There’s no doubt Samsung Galaxy S II have propelled the company back on the smartphone arena, and it seemed a perfect timing if Galaxy S III will boast this technology, right?

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SanDisk 19nm 128Gb flash memory chip is world's smallest

SanDisk has announced the world’s smallest 128Gb (16GB) NAND flash memory chip built using a 19nm process, knocking another nanometer off of the world’s current smallest flash memory chip, Micron’s impressive 20nm 128Gb version that was announced in December.

Toshiba teamed up with SanDisk to develop the new memory chip, in a joint effort led by Yan Li, director of memory design at SanDisk’s Milpitas campus. It can store up to 128 billion bits of information on its silicon die that measures just 170mm² and uses SanDisk’s multi-level cell (MLC) NAND chips combined with their own  three-bit per cell X3 technology, which allows for read/write of three bits of information in each memory cell.

"At 19-nm, SanDisk is deploying its ninth generation of multi-level cell (MLC) NAND products and fifth generation of X3 technology," the company said in their press release. "This combination of manufacturing and technical expertise helps SanDisk pack more information into each memory cell making it possible to create a smaller, denser NAND flash memory chip."

The 3X technology gives the new memory chip an industry leading 18MB/s write performance when combined with the company’s All-Bit-Lane (ABL) architecture, which allows for reliable simultaneous access to two word lines.

"Building a 128Gb NAND flash memory chip with this level of complexity is an incredible achievement," said Mehrdad Mofidi, vice president, Memory Design. "This innovation allows SanDisk to continue to be a leader in helping our customers deliver smaller, more powerful products capable of doing more at lower cost."

A single 128GB memory module would consist of eight 128Gb (16GB) NAND chips, making it tiny, fast and power efficient for its size and capacity. Micron is already mass producing 128Gb versions on the 20nm process, so the increased competition should help drive prices down as the new memory chips make their way into the latest next generation tech gadgets such as tablets, smartphones and solid state drives.

Also announced is a 19nm 64Gb (8GB) NAND flash memory chip that is compatible with the MicroSD format. SanDisk has begun shipping both chips, with production expected to ramp up to full capacity and mass production very shortly.

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Top 10 Most Anticipated Smartphones in 2012

Do you still remember what your first mobile phone was? It has been decades since they first introduced mobile phones in the market. If we’re going to back track the history of mobile phones, we will see that it has gone far from where it started. It has evolved a lot from only being a call and text mobile phone to the smartphones that we have now. The smartphones that were being released in the market nowadays offers a lot of great features from instant messaging, gaming, social networking and many many more. And because of this, the demand for smartphones has grown from year to year. This is the reason why top mobile phone manufacturing companies are launching different and new variants of smartphones.

Apple, Samsung, Nokia, Sony Ericsson and Blackberry are some of the top mobile phone companies nowadays and to give you an idea on what these companies may have in store for us this year, here are the top 10 most anticipated smartphones in 2012.

1. iPhone 5

Since 2011, we already heard a lot of rumors regarding this phone. Many Apple fans have been waiting for the release of this smartphone and have become a big hit already. It is believed that it will be one of the best Apple products ever launched with its improved features. More details on iPhone 5 here.

2. Samsung Galaxy SIII

It boasts a 12 MP camera with 1080p full HD video recording, a dual core 1.8 GHz processor and a brilliant connectivity features. This phone is known as the biggest competitor of iPhone 5.

3. Blackberry 10

This superphone as it was called is one of the most awaited Blackberry of all times. Although there are rumors about the features, it has not really been evidently revealed. But they are pointing out that it will level up to the latest smartphones to be released.

4. Nokia Lumia 900

After Nokia released the version of Lumia 800 last 2011, they come up with Nokia Lumia 900 which is packed with features. It is considered as the superior form of the previous Lumia which has a 4.3 inch AMOLED ClearBlack screen at 800×480 pixels, 8 megapixel with Carl Zeiss optics and 1.4 GHz Snapdragon processor.

5. Sony Xperia S

This smartphone was launched during CES 2012 and believed to be released on the 2nd quarter of 2012. Runs in Android 2.3 with 4.3-inch HD display, dual core 1.5GHz processor and NFC capabilities.

6. Lenovo S2

Lenovo S2 is an Android smartphone that is powered by Android 2.3 (Gingerbread). It is great for social networking, has a good battery life and also has good 3G and WIFI connectivity features. This smartphone also comes in two versions, the 16GB and 32GB.

7. Sony Xperia Ion

Another one from Sony Ericsson that is said to be released this year is the Sony Experia Ion. It is powered by 1.5 GHz dual-core processor, has a 12.1 MP camera and an internal memory of 16GB.

8. Motorola Droid Razr Maxx

For 2012, Motorola will be releasing a new Android phone. It has an advanced touch screen display with qHD, a remarkable 8MP camera with flash and image stabilization and an excellent battery life.

9. Lenovo K800

Another one from Lenovo, the first Intel-powered smartphone, Lenovo K800. This smartphone has a 1.6GHz Intel Medfield processor, a TFT display, and an 8 megapixel camera and runs in Android 2.3 (Gingerbread).

10. HTC Titan II

The smartphone which may become the next target of HTC fans this year. It has superb LCD capacitive touch screen, a 1.5 GHz Snapdragon S2 processor, and a 16MP camera that provides excellent quality photos and videos.

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Windows 8 Consumer Preview coming Feb. 29, bundled apps leaked

As promised, Microsoft will release a public beta of Windows 8 this month. The company scheduled a launch event for the "Consumer Preview" of its next operating system on February 29 in Barcelona, Spain -- the same timeframe and city as Mobile World Congress but they're separate occasions. Although the company is doling out invitations, it hasn't shared much about the event or whether a US affair is planned.

While Microsoft's announcement is lacking juicy details, The Verge has learned more about the programs that might ship with Windows 8. According to unnamed sources familiar with Microsoft's plans, the OS will offer Metro-style camera, messaging, mail, calendar, SkyDrive, photo, video, music and "people" applications -- all of which will be present in the Consumer Preview, but aren't set in stone for the full release.

It's noted that the calendar, mail, messaging and people apps will be more encompassing and useful than solely Windows Live software. The messaging app, for instance, is claimed to have support for SMS. The music and video apps are currently labeled as Zune, but they were built by the Xbox team and they'll soon be rebranded as such. Xbox Live will be the entertainment brand for Windows 8's music, videos and games.

Microsoft has kept Windows 8 in the headlines by gradually releasing information over the last year or so. Although there are new features for conventional desktop users, the next OS is expected to address the many mobile-oriented shortcomings of Microsoft's previous offerings, including the addition of a touch-friendly "Metro" interface.

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Galaxy S III is 7mm thin, has quad-core CPU, coming in May

Although Samsung's Galaxy S III won't appear at Mobile World Congress at the end of February, the device is expected to hit shelves in the first half of 2012. According to South Korea's Electronic Times News, the next-generation Galaxy S will be one of the thinnest smartphones to date and it'll supposedly arrive in May -- later than the previously-speculated April launch and more in line with the Galaxy S II's anniversary.

If the rumored info is accurate, Samsung's upcoming flagship will measure a mere 7mm thick, roughly 1.5mm thinner than the Galaxy S II, 2.3mm thinner than Apple's iPhone 4S and a hair slimmer than the Droid Razr. To achieve such a trim profile, the company is reportedly using components that are 10 to 20% thinner than standard parts, including the printed circuit board, connectors and miscellaneous chips.

Inside its diminutive shell, the handset will pack a quad-core processor -- a first for Samsung -- along with 2GB of RAM, an 8-megapixel rear camera, a 2-megapixel front camera and support for LTE networks. It'll also have a HD Super AMOLED Plus display and it'll run Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. Separate rumors from late January suggest the Galaxy S III will carry a 12MP camera and 64GB of storage.

ET News notes that if the Galaxy S III's camera is as thick as its predecessor's, it will likely protrude from the phone. If we understand the translation right, Samsung hopes to ship 30 million of its next-gen device and its primary goal is to defeat the iPhone 5. Not only does Samsung want its highest-end Galaxy S III to outshine Apple's upcoming handset, it wants to offer more variety with up to seven iterations.

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