| Gigabyte GSmart G1362, G1342 and M1348 at Computex 2012 (hands-on video) Jun 7th 2012, 08:42  Want a dual-SIM phone running Ice Cream Sandwich? You've come to the right place. Here at Computex in Taipei we uncovered three of the handsets Gigabyte announced yesterday -- the GSmart G1362, G1342 and M1348 -- and took two of them for a spin. First up is the G1362 which sports a 4.3-inch FWVGA (854x480) display, 5 megapixel AF camera with LED flash, 1.2GHz dual-core Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 CPU, 512MB or RAM and 4GB of internal storage. Next is the G1242, featuring a 3.5-inch HVGA (480x320) LCD, 5 MP autofocus camera with flash, 800MHz single core Qualcomm Snapdragon processor, 512MB of RAM and a lowly 1GB of built-in flash. The M1320 M1348 was non-functional and hidden in a display case. It's expected to match the G1342 in specs but uses a 1GHz MediaTek CPU and offers 4GB of built-in storage. As previously mentioned, all three phones include two SIM slots (one of them HSPA 7.2Mbps-capable) and run Android 4.0.4. Despite packing a Snapdragon S4, the G1362 looks and feels like a mid-range handset, with a less-than-stellar display (poor brightness and viewing angles). The UI was reasonably responsive, however, which is pretty much what you'd expect from a phone with such a powerful processor. As for the G1362, it's basically your standard fare low-end Android handset albeit with dual-SIM support and ICS. Build quality was in line with other prototypes we've handled -- that is to say a little rough around the edges. Of course, it's important to keep in mind that we played with pre-production units running non-final software. The G1362 should be available in July for less than $300 unsubsidized, the G1342 is shipping this month (June) for under $200 and the M1348 is expected later this summer at a sub $150 price point. Want to know more? There's a gallery below and a pair of hands-on videos after the break. Continue reading Gigabyte GSmart G1362, G1342 and M1348 at Computex 2012 (hands-on video) Gigabyte GSmart G1362, G1342 and M1348 at Computex 2012 (hands-on video) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 07 Jun 2012 04:42:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | | Neon Genesis Evangelion SH-06D limited edition Android phone arrives June 29th (video) Jun 7th 2012, 08:27  Sharp's heavily customized NERV Edition SH-06D phone finally has preorder and release date info on Japanese carrier NTT DoCoMo, and Neon Genesis Evangelion fanboys will want to get there early. It appears there will only be 10,000 of the phones available, with 3,000 sold via NTT DoCoMo's online store starting June 29th over three days, with 1,000 of them going on sale each day at noon. The rest will be sold at other retailers with preorders kicking off June 16th and although there's no price specified, we're expecting it to be around 25,000 - 30,000 yen with a two year contract. As we saw when the phone was announced in March, it features a heavily customized case, hardware buttons and 3D Android 2.3 skin designed to reflect its heritage. Getting one may require some camping out either in front of a store or on the carrier's website (in Japan of course, we don't expect ot see any of these overseas), but at least it's got to be easier than life in Tokyo-3. Check out an in-universe video look at how NERV and NTT DoCoMo supposedly came together to develop the collectible's unique features after the break and our impressions of an unskinned SH-06D here. Continue reading Neon Genesis Evangelion SH-06D limited edition Android phone arrives June 29th (video) Neon Genesis Evangelion SH-06D limited edition Android phone arrives June 29th (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 07 Jun 2012 04:27:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink  Impress |  NTT DoCoMo | Email this | Comments | | AMD shows off LiveBox mini desktop based on one of its Fusion chips (video) Jun 7th 2012, 08:01  Between the Raspberry Pi and the new Chromebox, we've been spending more time than usual lately talking about miniature desktops. Until now, though, AMD hasn't really entered the discussion; all of the models we've tested have featured either an ARM chip or Intel processor. So we were intrigued, then, when we found this mini PC hanging out at the company's Computex booth. It's called the LiveBox, and it runs one of AMD's X86-based Fusion chips. Before we get into specifics, though, have a gander at our hands-on photos and check out that funky design. In addition to being tiny, it has a two-pronged power connector attached, allowing you to plug it directly into an outlet. We're not sure individual consumers will prefer that cordless design, but we can see it translating well in businesses and schools -- precisely the sorts of places where AMD thinks these boxes might find a home. Again, the LiveBox is based on a Fusion APU (a 1GHz C-60 chip, to be exact), complemented by 1GB of RAM and Radeon HD 6200 graphics. As for storage, the unit on display had a Samsung-made 64GB SSD. Take a tour around the edges and you'll find two USB 2.0 ports (no USB 3.0), a Gigabit Ethernet jack and an HDMI socket. There's also a memory card reader, a SIM slot for quad-band 3G (WCDMA) and Bluetooth 4.0, in case you want to pair it with any wireless peripherals. As you can see in the video below, those modest internals are enough to output smooth 1080p video, which means this setup should suffice for basic things like email, web surfing and YouTube. Unfortunately, the machine on display was running Windows 7, not 8, which is a bummer. We also wish we knew more about the target price: AMD won't say what brand will be selling this, or when it will be available. Until then, it's tough to say where the LiveBox fits in. But hey, hands-on photos and video can't hurt, right? Continue reading AMD shows off LiveBox mini desktop based on one of its Fusion chips (video) AMD shows off LiveBox mini desktop based on one of its Fusion chips (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 07 Jun 2012 04:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | | Vodafone and O2 to team up for UK 4G network Jun 7th 2012, 07:49  While Everything Everywhere patiently waits for approval on it's next-generation network, Vodafone and O2 has announced that it'll be forming an alliance to create a single shared grid in the UK. While the two UK carriers will still compete for customers, it'll pool the infrastructure needed to roll out 4G coverage. Both companies will run on separate spectrum and each will have access to around 18,500 masts, apparently boosting the number of sites by more than 40 percent for each operator. The duo will also cooperate on new masts in remote areas and intend to start later this year -- once Ofcom's had its say. Vodafone and O2 to team up for UK 4G network originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 07 Jun 2012 03:49:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink BBC | O2 | Email this | Comments | |
