PayPal Updates Mobile Apps with More Payment Options
PayPal today issued an update to both its Android and iOS mobile applications. The update applies a broad range of new features, chief among them the ability to find local shops that accept PayPal payments. The app can be used to make payments at a limited number of shops and restaurants once the user has checked-in. The app also adds the ability to order ahead at select restaurants. PayPal can always be used to manage funds and payment options. The update represents a significant change in direction for PayPal, which is looking to make more of a mark in real-world payments. PayPal for Android and iOS is free to download from the Google Play Store and iTunes App Store.
Google Drive for iOS Gains Card User Interface
Google today updated the Google Drive application for iOS devices with a refreshed user interface. The app now makes use of the card-style UI that Google has spread to a number of its mobile apps. The cards present files in a more attractive grid of thumbnails rather than a list. The app also gains the ability to edit in landscape mode (on the iPhone), copy file URLs, and more easily share files with others. Google Drive is free to download from the iTunes App Store.
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Sprint's Moto X Goes On Sale Friday for $199
Sprint today announced that the Motorola Moto X will be available online and in stores beginning Friday, September 6. Sprint is charging $199 for the 16GB Moto X, but will offer a $100 credit toward the purchase of a Moto X to those who port their number from another carrier. The promotion runs for a limited time. Sprint is selling both the black and white variants, and said that its customers, too, will have the opportunity to customize their Moto X with Moto Maker in the months to come. Sprint was not more specific about Moto Maker's availability.
Verizon's LG G2 Goes On Sale September 12
Verizon wireless today announced that its version of the LG G2 will be available online and in stores beginning September 12. It will cost $199 with a new contract.
T-Mobile Announces LG G2 and F6 Pricing and Availability
T-Mobile today said that the LG G2 smartphone will be available from the company's website on September 18 and in most stores on September 25. It will require a $99 down payment followed by 24 monthly payments of $21 each. The G2 is LG's flagship smartphone for the year and features a 5.2-inch HD display. It is available in black or white, though white will only be sold online. The F6 from LG will be available online beginning today and it reaches stores September 11. The F6 will require a $49 down payment followed by 24 monthly payments of $10 each.
from T-Mobile
Idol X from Alcatel Is Less Than 7mm Thick
Alcatel showed off the Idol X this week in Berlin, an Android smartphone that measures just 6.9mm thick. The X may be thin, but it still features a 5-inch full HD display with Dragontail glass and a 1.5GHz quad-core processor with 2GB of RAM. The X also includes a 13-megapixel main camera and 2-megapixel user-facing camera that can each shoot 1080p HD video. Connectivity options include Wi-Fi, GPS, Bluetooth 4.0LE, FM radio, DLNA, and HD Voice. The Idol X supports UMTS 900/2100 and is unlikely to be sold in the U.S.
Alcatel Updates Idol Series with the Alpha
Alcatel revealed the Idol Alpha at the IFA trade show this week, a new Android smartphone that has unique, translucent edges that will light up and flash when there are incoming alerts or notifications. The edge lights also indicate when the device is charging or being used in several other modes. The Idol Alpha includes a 4.7-inch 720p HD display with Dragontail glass, a 1.2GHz quad-core processor, and a 13-megapixel main camera. It has a 1.3-megapixel user-facing camera and both image sensors can record HD video. The Alpha also includes Wi-Fi, GPS, Bluetooth 4.0LE, FM radio, support for HD Voice, 16GB of storage, and a 2,000mAh battery. Alcatel did not announce plans to sell the device in the U.S.
Alcatel Reveals OneTouch Hero with 6-Inch Screen
Alcatel recently announced the OneTouch Hero, the company's flagship smartphone for the rest of the year. The Hero, which runs Android 4.2 Jelly Bean, boasts a 6-inch full HD display and a 13-megapixel camera. The device is powered by a 1.5GHz quad-core processor with 2GB of RAM and a 3,400mAh battery. It also includes a 2-megapixel user-facing camera, Wi-Fi, GPS, Bluetooth 4.0LE, and either 8 or 16GB of storage. In addition to the device, Alcatel revealed several novel accessories for the OneTouch Hero, including an e-ink cover and an LED cover. The e-ink cover adds a second display that can be used instead of the phone itself for reading and saving battery life. The MagicFlip LED cover has lights embedded in the surface that act as notifications for incoming messages, calls, as well as status updates. The Alcatel OneTouch Hero is sold with a stylus and supports wireless charging. Alcatel did not say if the OneTouch Hero will be sold in the U.S.
Qualcomm Debuts AllPlay for Wireless Media Streaming
Qualcomm recently announced AllPlay, its own solution for streaming media from devices such as smartphones to home theater equipment. The technology behind AllPlay is Qualcomm's Alljoyn software framework. It will offer an SDK to hardware equipment makers and app developers so that phones can talk to receivers, speakers, and other products via Wi-Fi. Qualcomm is offering tools for the Android and iOS platforms, but not Windows Phone yet. AllPlay supports two different speaker zones with their own, independent volume controls, and will feature native integration with popular music services' mobile apps, such as Rhapsody. It also supports both local and cloud-based content streaming. Qualcomm expects to make the AllPlay SDK available by the end of the year. The technology will compete with Apple's AirPlay and Google's Chromecasting.
Google Dinged $14M in Microsoft-Motorola Patent Spat
Microsoft says a jury awarded it $14 million in damages against Google-owned Motorola over standard-essential patents. Microsoft alleged that Motorola was overcharging for the patents, which are required to be licensed at fair, reasonable, and non-discriminatory rates. The jury agreed. Motorola must now pay Microsoft. Microsoft was pleased with the outcome, but Motorola said it would appeal the decision. This marks the second case that Motorola has lost to Microsoft over patents. It lost another last year that pertained to Wi-Fi.
Skype for Windows Phone Gains Video Messaging
Skype today updated its Windows Phone app and added the ability to make and receive video messages. The feature has been available to Android devices and the iPhone for several months. Skype says video messaging is ideal for sharing short moments with others.
BlackBerry Aiming For Speedy Sale
The Wall Street Journal is reporting that BlackBerry's board is pushing for a fast auction process to sell all or part of the company by November. The company announced just last month that it was officially "exploring strategic alternatives." Microsoft was seen by many analysts as a potential buyer, but this week they announced plans to buy most of Nokia instead.
Hands-On: Samsung Galaxy Note 3 and Gear
Samsung's third-generation phablet is an impressive improvement and the Gear adds a unique twist to how we interact with smartphones.
from Samsung
Samsung Galaxy Gear Smartwatch Is a Companion for Note 3
Samsung today announced the Galaxy Gear, a smartwatch that serves as an accessory to smartphones such as the Galaxy Note 3. The Gear has a 1.63-inch touch screen, 800MHz processor with 512MB of RAM, and uses Bluetooth 4.0LE to communicate with the Note 3. The Gear includes a 1.9-megapixel camera and a speakerphone, both of which are embedded in the wristband. The camera can record 720p HD video, and images and video are synced to the Note 3 for safekeeping. The Gear runs Android from Google, but uses a unique user interface from Samsung that permits users to swipe from screen to screen and from app to app. The Gear runs several native apps, such as pedometer and clock, and also interacts with the Note 3. When paired with a smartphone, it can be used to place phones, view rich notifications, and interact with Samsung's S Voice app. The Gear runs third-party apps as well, and will ship with several from the likes of eBay, Evernote, RunKeeper, TripIt, and others. The Galaxy Gear will go on sale after September 25, but pricing was not announced.
from Samsung
Samsung Note 3 Offers Bigger Screen, Smaller Footprint, Updated S Pen
Samsung today announced the Galaxy Note 3, its third-generation phablet with S Pen stylus. The Note 3 increases the screen from last year's 5.5-inch display to 5.7 inches. It also improves the resolution from 1280 x 800 to 1920 x 1080 full HD. Despite the larger screen, the Note 3 is 1mm narrower and 1mm thinner than the Note 2, and also weighs significantly less thanks to the use of polycarbonate in the frame. Samsung also refreshed the design language, giving the Note 3 a faux leather texture to the back cover rather than the glossy plastics of the Note and Note 2. The Note 3 will come in two variants, an LTE version with a 2.3GHz quad-core Snapdragon 800 processor, and an HSPA+ version with 1.9GHz eight-core Samsung Exynos 5 Octa processor. Both will include 3GB of RAM. The Note 3's camera has been improved to 13 megapixels, and the user-facing camera rates 2 megapixels. Both can record 1080p HD video and carry over all the camera features Samsung first debuted with the Galaxy S4 earlier this year. Other specs include a removable 3,200mAh battery; 32/64GB of storage with support for microSD cards up to 64GB; Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0LE, GPS, and GLONASS radios; and infrared for controlling TVs, MHL for connecting to TVs, and USB 3.0. The Note runs Android 4.3 as well as Samsung's TouchWiz user interface. Most of the software is carried over from the Galaxy S4, but Samsung made a number of improvements to the S Pen stylus and its accompanying software. A new Air Command tool brings the S Pen functions front and center, and they let users take instant screen shots, create actionable memos, search through handwritten notes, create searchable scrapbooks, and of course scribble simple notes. Last the Note 3 includes improved multitasking with Pen apps. The Pen apps resemble LG's QSlide apps, and place a small app such as a calculator, web browser, or YouTube window on top of any other app. The Samsung Galaxy Note 3.0 will by sold in the U.S. by AT&T;, Sprint, T-Mobile, U.S. Cellular, and Verizon Wireless. Pricing and availability was not announced.
from Samsung
Hands-On: Sony Xperia Z1
Sony updated its flagship device with a better camera and smoother design.
from Sony Mobile
Sony Intros Lens Accessories for Smartphones
Sony today unveiled two lens accessories for smartphones that put a new spin on the idea of improving the on-board camera. The Sony QX100 and QX10 are attachable lenses and also serve as stand-alone cameras. Both lenses connect to smartphones (Android and iOS) via Wi-Fi and, along with a companion app, can be used instead of the smartphone's built-in camera. The companion app uses the phone's screen as a viewfinder and offers some simple controls over shooting mode, zoom, point of focus, and others. The lenses can be mounted on smartphones with the use of clips, as well as used on their own. Both use Sony's EXMOR sensors and can be paired easily with devices via NFC. The QX100 has a 20.1-megapixel camera and offers 3.6x optical zoom while the QX10 offers an 18.2-megapixel camera and 10x optical zoom. The QX100 and QX10 lens-style cameras will be available later this month for $499 and $249, respectively. The come in black and white.
Sony Reveals the Xperia Z1
Sony today announced the Xperia Z1, an Android smartphone that builds on the premium experience offered by the Z. It looks similar to the Z, but loses the sharp edges and replaces them with smooth, rounded edges instead. The Z1 features a 20.7-megapixel camera that has a BIONZ for mobile image processing engine, a G Lens, and a 1/2.3-inch camera sensor. The camera has a burst mode than shoots 61 images: 30 before you press the shutter button, 1 when you press the shutter button, and 30 more after the shutter button has been pressed. Other camera features include an augmented reality mode that puts subjects in themed locations, such as with dinosaurs. The Z1 has a 5-inch full HD display with TriLuminos and X-Reality processing engines. It is powered by a 2.2GHz quad-core Snapdragon 800 processor with 2GB of RAM, and comes with 16GB of internal storage. Like the Xperia Z, the Z1 is water resistant. It can stand in 3 feet of water for up to 30 minutes. It includes Wi-Fi, NFC, GPS, and Bluetooth 4.0LE. It runs Android 4.2 Jelly Bean and will be available worldwide later this month.
