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According to Pacific Crest analyst Michael McConnell, the next version of the Nexus 7 will feature a Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro (APQ8064) processor instead of NVIDIA’s next-gen Tegra 4. Because of Qualcomm’s tighter integration with modem technology, McConnell figures that a Snapdragon chip will simplify the supply and essentially lower costs.  As you all know, [...]



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Many are speculating that Google and ASUS will be unveiling and announcing a new Nexus 7 tablet at this years Google I/O event in May. Last year they debuted the exciting $199 Nexus 7 with Android 4.1 Jelly Bean, and this year we’re hearing a next-gen Nexus 7 is coming with an upgraded 1080p HD display, and along with it will be a Qualcomm Snapdragon quad-core processor.

Back in January reports and rumors started floating around that Google and ASUS look to continue their partnership on a 7-inch portable and budget-friendly tablet, and this seems to back that up. The initial report suggested a thinner bezel, more industrial design, the HD display and more as mentioned above. And now we’re hearing a few more reports that are getting us excited.

Some reports and analysis were dug up from the folks at UnwiredView stating Google will jump ship from NVIDIA’s Tegra 3 (or possibly the Tegra 4) and opt for Qualcomm’s Snapdragon S4 Pro for multiple reasons. One being excellent battery life as Qualcomm’s continued to improve, and then the other main factor being 3G/4G LTE radios under the hood. Having the entire Snapdragon S4 Pro SoC powering the device would be a good move to help keep costs down.

“Supply chain conversations indicate two reasons for Google’s selection of the Snapdragon APQ8064 over Tegra 4: competitive pricing, and a decision to single-source the application processor and 3G/4G modem to simplify logistics and create a fully pin-compatible platform interface.” – Analyst Michael McConnell

Hopefully this Nexus 7 supports 4G LTE. As a reminder Google I/O is set to take place this year on May 15-17th and Google should have plenty of exciting things to show off. Those include Android 5.0 Key Lime Pie, the rumored Motorola X-Phone being developed in partner with Google, as well as this Nexus 7 tablet. Either way this year should offer another amazing and exciting Google I/O event.

[via UnwiredView]

Not all that long ago, “budget” Android phones were, more often than not, synonymous with junk. Rapid growth in Android’s efficiency as an operating system and decreasing costs for higher-spec’d hardware have conspired to make this notion a relic of the past.

That isn’t to say that the Pantech Discover is a “budget” phone. At $49.99 with a two-year contract from AT&T, it’s not going to break the bank, but it has many of the features found on current high-end phones. In our review, we’re going to take a look at how the midrange Pantech Discover holds up not only to phones in a similar price range, but higher-end phones as well.

In a hurry? Either check out our video review of the Pantech Discover, or jump to the conclusion at the end of this article.

Specs

• Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Plus MSM 8960 1.5 GHz dual-core processor
• 4.8-inch 720p display (1280 x 720)
• 1 GB RAM
• 16 GB Internal Storage
• 2,100 mAh battery
• 12.6-megapixel rear facing camera, 1080p video recording
• NFC
• Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich

First Impressions

As you may recall, we first got a look at the Pantech Discover at CES a little while back. While it wasn’t quite the showstopper that some of the other devices we saw on the show floor were, it was instantly clear that the Discover isn’t the result of a company shoveling out a midrange phone with little thought to design or usability.

The flowing design of the Pantech Discover is eye-catching. Even though the device isn’t boasting the newest software or latest hardware, the style and care put into the design help it overcome those minor setbacks.

Build Quality & Design

It seems that Pantech has put a lot of thought into making the Discover easy to hold and use. The back of the device is textured very similarly to the LG Spectrum 2 we reviewed last month, and I am quickly becoming a fan of this type of texture. The slight bump on the back of the device actually helps as well, making holding the phone during calls much more comfortable than the numerous all-flat designs we keep seeing.

While it would be reasonable to assume that the bump on the back of the Discover is there for the camera lens, this isn’t the case; this actually makes room for the stereo speakers. Pantech makes a point of talking about this feature whenever possible, and its for good reason. While the size of a phone is never going to allow for big, booming bass, the Discover can pump out a good amount of volume without the breakup that occurs with a lot of other devices.

The only hardware buttons you will find on the Pantech Discover are the power button and the volume rocker. Everything else is handled by on-screen buttons. Personally, I like a few capacitive buttons at the bottom, but judging from recent conversations I’ve had, I may be in the minority here.

Display

The screen on the Pantech Discover is a 4.8-inch, 720p TFT display with a resolution of 1280 x 720. While this may not seem particularly impressive when compared to the upcoming influx of 1080p phones, you have to remember that we’re looking at a phone that sells for a far lower pricepoint than those phones are likely to meet.

We’ve seen better 720p displays, sure, but there is absolutely nothing wrong with the display on the Pantech Discover. Photos taken with the camera (see below) looked as rich on the Discover as they did on other screens, and there was no noticeable blowout on the edges of the screen, as will sometimes happen on lower-priced devices.

Performance

Performance was pretty much exactly as expected. With so many devices running the Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Plus chipset, it’s fairly easy to guess how well a certain device will perform just by looking at the model numbers and specs. So no, it isn’t going to outperform the current crop of high-end devices, but for the most part, it’s going to handle any apps and system-related tasks you throw at it quite easily.

Gaming performance takes a small hit, as does any app that hits the GPU harder than the CPU, but it isn’t exactly likely that anyone who is super enthusiastic about Android gaming is going to be buying a midrange phone in the first place. In daily use, you’ll likely never find yourself cursing the Pantech Discover for running slowly.

Software

The Pantech Discover runs Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. Fortunately, Pantech has said that an update to Jelly Bean is on the way. Somewhat less fortunately, we don’t know whether it will be 4.1 or 4.2.

On the plus side, the Pantech Discover has some useful software built right in, including a personal favorite of mine, SwiftKey. If you do a lot of typing on your phone, chances are fairly good that you’re already familiar with SwiftKey, but it’s nice to have it built in right out of the gate.

Unlike a lot of phones we see, the Discover isn’t absolutely loaded with bloatware. There are a few apps included by Pantech and AT&T, but not nearly as many as we’ve seen on some other devices recently.

While many of us aren’t fans of skins, it’s worth noting that Pantech’s skin can be customized fairly heavily, ranging from the homescreen to the lock screen.

Camera

It may not offer the crazy filters and effects that are finding their way into the stock camera apps on more and more Android devices lately, but the Pantech Discover’s camera was definitely usable. In addition to standard functionality, it offers HDR and panoramic modes.

Low light performance was generally good, producing clear images with minimal grain. This is a place where smartphones rarely excel though, so take the previous statement with a grain of salt. I found the flash to be overly bright, but this is an issue that isn’t even limited to phones, and when you need it, it’s nice to have a flash available.

Video was surprisingly decent, as this is generally a weak point on even high-end devices. The framerate is solid, colors are reproduced faithfully, and despite the Discover’s light weight, there was minimal shakiness.

Battery

While the battery is only 2,200 mAh, the Pantech Discover’s fairly modest specs allow it to get a reasonable amount of juice. I have noticed that Qualcomm Snapdragon chipsets have a knack for providing a decent balance of battery life and processing power, and that seems to be the case here.

One feature that is going to make a lot of people happy is the removable battery. Many phones seem to be phasing this out, much to the chagrin of their users. Whether that trend will continue remains to be seen, but it’s always nice to see a new device released that allows you to pop out the battery.

Video Review

Conclusion

As I mentioned at the top of the review, we’ve come a long way in a very short amount of time. A few years ago, the thought of getting a phone like the Pantech Discover at the price it is selling for was unheard of. That said, if you’re looking for a top of the line device, this isn’t it, but it’s doubtful that anyone reading this review would think that was a case.

If you want to keep your spending on a new device low, but don’t want to sacrifice points for style, the Pantech Discover is certainly worth keeping your eye on. There may be other phones aimed at capturing the same portion of the market, but right now it seems that with the Discover, Pantech is the one to beat.

It’s been available for coming up on two weeks now, so you may already have gotten your hands on a Pantech Discover. If so, what do you think of it? Let us know in the comments below.

Related Posts

• CES 2013: Pantech Discover hands-on and first look [video]
• The AT&T Pantech Discover is coming to Verizon as the “Pantech Perception”
• AT&T Pantech Discover offers 4G, 720p display and 13MP camera for $50 on contract

Given Acer’s rather lackluster smartphone line, we were just about to say the leaked V360 looks decent enough to be called the company’s next flagship device. Fortunately, we’re now finding out that the V360 might have a handsomer brother, going by the V350 model number.

Though we don’t have any pics with this V350 yet, we’re referring to inner beauty when we say it might be “handsome”, given it’ll most likely be powered by the very popular dual-core 1.5 GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 MSM8960 CPU.

Sure, that’s still one or two steps behind the processors expected to make Samsung, HTC or Sony’s upcoming flagships to purr. Then again, the SoC can at least make the V350 fit in the gap between mid-range and high-end, and that’s more than we can say about other Acer smartphones.

Besides that decent chip, the V350 will have another couple of features recommending it for an upper mid-ranger status in the Android world of tomorrow – a 1,280 x 720 pix res display and Android 4.1.2. Sadly, that’s about all the insight the GLBenchmark listing could provide on this puppy’s spec sheet, so we’re left with a ton of questions.

What size will this bad boy be, first off? Will it come with 1 or 2 gigs of RAM (though we’re guessing one)? Will it have a microSD slot? A decent enough battery? An 8 MP rear-facing snapper? And most importantly, where and when is Acer planning to release it? We’re guessing the V360 is to be a China-bound device, but does that mean the V350 will hit the international stage?

There’s no way to fully answer those questions yet, but fret not, because we have a hunch we won’t have to wait but for CES or MWC to be put at ease.

Related Posts

• Acer V360 gets outed in China sporting a 4.5-inch qHD display and Jelly Bean
• Jelly Bean-based Acer V360 gets leaked again, coming soon with DTS sound enhancements
• Acer Liquid Gallant Solo pops up online

Is a smartphone that utilizes both a regular LCD screen and an e-ink screen possible? Russian wireless carrier Yota Devices wants to remind you that yes, yes it is possible with its new YotaPhone concept. Under the hood, the smartphone has a dual-core 1.5GHz Snapdragon S4 processor, 2GB of RAM, an LTE chip and a 12-megapixel rear camera. However— the real kicker of the device is its two displays— one on the front, one on the back. The front display holds a 4.3-inch 1,280 x 720 (720P) display, while the rear one can display a full e-ink content. It appears the rear display will be best suited for displaying key information tied to a user’s everyday life like appointments, playlists or other things of that nature.

While the concept is indeed interesting, prospective customers will need to go through quite a wait before the device can get in the palms of their hands. The YotaPhone is expected to go on sale in Q3 2013 in Russia, while other markets internationally will see the device sometime after that. More details can be found in the presser once you hit the break.

Qualcomm‘s Snapdragon S4 line of processors has proven to be incredibly popular, so it isn’t much of a surprise that the company has added two new CPUs to the Snapdragon S4 family. Announced today, the MSM8226 and the MSM8626 are bound for China, and offer a number of features that we have a feeling manufacturers will pay attention to. Those manufacturers will have a little bit of a wait ahead of them, though, as these new processors aren’t scheduled to launch until Q2 2013.

The 28nm silicon quad-core chips can boast support for 1080p recording and playback along with support for up to 13-megapixel cameras thanks to the Adreno 305 GPU. Both of them come with multi-SIM support, which includes dual SIM, dual standby and dual SIM, dual active and each can support China’s TD-SCDMA, CDMA, and HSPA+ networks. According to Qualcomm, the WTR2605 radio that makes these chips compatible with those networks is 40% more efficient and an impressive 60% smaller than its predecessors.

At the same time these chips launch, the company will also be delivering Qualcomm Reference Design versions of each. With these chips, developers receive handset development resources, which includes access to hardware and software that has been tested for compatibility with QRD devices. According to Qualcomm, its QRD customers will be “offered everything they need to rapidly deliver differentiated smartphones to the mass market.”

So, Qualcomm continues to push forward, meaning that we’ll expect demand for its Snapdragon S4 line to stay high. There isn’t any specific release information available yet, but with as fast as the technology industry moves, Q2 2013 should be here before we know. Keep it tuned here to Android Community, as we should have more details about these chips soon.

The folks from LG are reaching towards the high end with their latest smartphone. That being their new flagship LG Optimus G powerhouse. When you think of top-tier specs or a dream smartphone, the LG has almost everything you’d like. With an HD screen, quad-core processor, 4G LTE (sort of) and awesome hardware can this smartphone do it all and earn your hard earned cash. Read on to find out what we thought of the Optimus G.

With the LG Optimus G, the OEM is aiming for and hitting the top-end of the smartphone battle. They’ve tossed all of their lately technology, and others, into one and made one of the most powerful devices on the planet. LG’s really stepped up their game and hopefully they do the same with the software and update side of things. Can LG’s new flagship compete with the Galaxy S III and others? Only time will tell. Out of the gate we’ll be completely honest. This is an awesome all around device that is hindered by a terribly slow 3G network. AT&T’s model however has 4G LTE all across the country. More on that below.

Hardware
This hardware needs no introduction, but we’ll run down the impressive list just to be sure. The LG Optimus G powerhouse rocks LG’s new ZeroGap technology 4.7-inch TrueHD IPS+ display with a beautiful 1280×768 HD resolution. ZeroGap enables the display to be closer to the front glass for a crisper image, brighter colors, vivid text, and a better more accurate and responsive experience.

Under that beautiful HD screen is Qualcomm‘s (also brand new) Snapdragon S4 Pro quad-core processor running at 1.5 GHz. You’ll get 2GB of RAM, 32GB of internal storage — which is not removable and swappable like the AT&T model — 4G LTE speeds in select cities, a 2,100 mAh battery and a massive 13 megapixel rear camera. AT&T chose to dumb down the camera, while the Now Network used the 13 megapixel BSI sensor for awesome images. Then you’ll get a 1.3 front shooter as well. You should probably start with our hands-on and unboxing, then enjoy our detailed hands-on video below.

The hardware here from LG is excellent. It truly is. From the display, the simplistic yet unique design, their glass-like rear panel covering that 13 megapixel camera and more. LG’s hardware has always been fairly nice, it’s the software that worries most. Other than the Gorilla Glass 2 protected front, and rear panel, the rest is a hard plastic and feels extremely durable in all aspects. This is by far LG’s best smartphone to date. There’s no doubt!

In the gallery above you’ll get another look at that stellar hardware. The power button is alone on the right edge and easy to locate, the bottom houses the micro-USB for charging and a few screws to keep the back and battery non-accessible without some work, then the microphone. The left edge gets the volume up/down, and when pushed at the same time enables their QuickMemo app to write on the screen. Then up top you’ll enjoy the 3.5mm headphone jack and that awesome 13 megapixel camera on the rear with LED flash.

LG’s crystal reflection design on the rear is rather unique. You get a lot of reflection from lighting that always makes the back look textured, but it’s smooth and very glass-like in feel. Although LG isn’t calling it glass, it certainly can be cracked so use caution. In the end the hardware gets a massive thumbs up from us. Only negatives is the 13 megapixel camera causes a large hump on the back, and the non removable battery or storage is something we’re against. We’ll end on a good note. The LG Optimus G has absolutely no carrier branding! So that’s a plus.

Software

As you saw from our video above, Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich is extremely quick and stable, but LG’s skinned it to the teeth with customizations. While we actually loved all the options available, we almost feel as if they’re trying too much. Keep things sleek, simple, smooth, and stable and we’ll all be happy. Their home launcher is extremely customizable like many 3rd party options, as is their animation effects, battery meter on the notification bar and more. It’s a fine blend between a stock device, and a custom ROM. Very interesting approach. Menu’s have been completely redesigned, the launcher is very custom, Wise Screen keeps the display on as long as the front camera notices a face is present and more. They’ve done a lot of good things here, but plenty of bad too.

I can’t help but feel as if they are slowly copying Samsung. Right down to the UI changes and sounds. Screen lock and unlock presents a nice water drop sound, exactly like the Galaxy S III that launched months ago. We also have a very similar S-Pen like function to draw on screen, save documents, or screenshot and take notes on images and emails. LG’s QuickMemo feature works great, and can be toggled with a widget in the notification bar, or holding volume up/down at the same time. For a better idea of all the changes mentioned above, and the hardware/software as a whole take a peek at our video review below.

Aside from the obviously changes shown above Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich is exactly as we expected it to be. We’re impatiently awaiting Android 4.1 Jelly Bean to arrive, and even more impatient for 4G LTE. The Now Network certainly has been slow in that regard, and this device is completely cut off at the knees because of that. Without 4G LTE Sprint’s 3G network is painfully slow. To the fact that updating more than a single app in the Google Play Store takes forever unless you’re on WiFi. At least that’s the case here across the greater Las Vegas valley. Other than a few carrier specific apps there’s essentially no software bloatware or preinstalled apps, so that is a plus. Hopefully LG can get updates out fast and efficient, as that is another KEY aspect of staying in the top-tier along with Samsung and HTC.

Performance and Gaming
Enough talk about hardware and updates, how is performance? This thing is an absolute beast in all aspects. From browsing the web, enjoying some videos, playing HD games on that 4.7-inch display and more. Qualcomm’s Snapdragon S4 Pro quad-core processor is easily the most powerful chip on the market. Blowing past 7000 in Quadrant with ease. Seriously nothing stock comes close. This isn’t just impressive on paper — it’s impressive in general. Check out these benchmark results, as well as some hands-on videos with multiple games. The quad-core keeps everything running exceptionally smooth no matter the task!

As you can see from the videos above, gaming performance is absolutely stellar. Between that 4.7-inch HD screen and a quad-core processor this is the ultimate gaming experience for those who love mobile gaming. So, with the LG Optimus G you can be a gamer, multi-task with ease, blow through the benchmarks, and be a business professional with QuickMemo and more — all on a single device.

Phone and 4G LTE
As an actual phone the Optimus G is pretty great too. If you’re not all about gaming you’ll be happy to know the call quality is great, texting is easy with the massive display, and the external speaker gets fairly loud. The problem with the LG Optimus G here isn’t the hardware, software, or anything else. It’s the carrier! The Now Network is dead slow compared to the competition. Even T-Mobile’s aging 3G network and 4G HSPA+ blazes past the 3G of this device. I never once saw over 1 Mbps download speeds, not once. They are slowly rolling out 4G LTE but at the end of 2012 approaching Verizon reaches over 400 markets with their LTE, AT&T is in close second, and these guys will be lucky to have 30. Unless this device has 4G LTE the experience severely lacks without a capable WiFi signal to keep you company.

Rather than continuing to say why you should or shouldn’t get the Optimus G, we’ll just put it simple. 4G LTE completes this stunningly beautiful and fast device, and the device isn’t complete (or competent) without it.

Camera and Video
Just like the international version we’re working with a 13 megapixel camera here — and it is awesome. From daily photos, indoors, and low-light situations it performs great. You’ll compromise on the sleek design for a slight hump on the back but if you enjoy taking photos with a smartphone, this phone is a great choice. Here’s just a few of many we snapped along with a 1080p video demo.

Battery
Battery is something we can’t accurately judge given that we aren’t using a 4G LTE network. But at the same time most users that opt to purchase this device won’t have 4G LTE yet for a few more months either — so it goes either way. Being equipped with a 2,100 mAh battery you’re likely to get through an entire day ok. The main factor hear is that 4.7-inch display. LG’s touted it to be more efficient than anything else, but so far it seems about the same as most. As long as you don’t have 6 hours of continuous screen-on use, you’ll make it through an entire day on a single charge. We’ve managed well over 24 hours with moderate usage. Here’s a quick screenshot.

Obviously once the battery hungry 4G LTE radios get churning under the hood these results will likely take a small dive. Until we can further test their 4G LTE network it isn’t known how much of an effect however. Qualcomm’s 4G LTE radios seem quite capable so this shouldn’t be a cause for concern.

Wrap-Up
This device is clearly LG’s best device yet. They have added some of the most cutting edge mobile options all into one package. With an HD display, quad-core power, 4G LTE (sorta), a stunning 13 megapixel camera and more all while keeping it extremely sleek and user friendly. While the 4G LTE data speeds are extremely important to most, if you aren’t too worried about that front this is certainly the device to get from the carrier.

4G LTE and carrier problems aside, this is one stellar smartphone. LG and Qualcomm came together to produce a stunningly nice and powerful smartphone that will rival some old netbooks. In terms of the hardware this is by far one of if not the best smartphones available today. Hopefully now that LG is also making the LG Nexus 4 they’ll be quick to software updates. The only downsides I see to this otherwise excellent device is software updates, and the lack of a good data connection. You might need to head into your nearest Now Network retail store soon and get hands-on to truly feel the power yourself. Enjoy the rest of the pictures and camera samples below. Who’s buying?

Rigonauts, an award winning ship building puzzle game, has landed in the Google Play store. Well, for some. If you own a Verizon device that is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon processor, then you can grab the game today and play it exclusively for two weeks before it goes public to all Android smartphones.   [...]



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Now that we know the codename for LG’s Nexus phone is Mako, we can start the usual searches for it across the web. One of the first things we almost always do is search NenaMark, as testers tend to benchmark their devices on this site well before they are ever released. After doing a quick “find [...]



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Today, Texas Instruments has come out and announced that they will be looking to “shift focus” away from their mobile processor business. In a market that has become increasingly dominated by Qualcomm, NVIDIA and Samsung, Texas Instruments has not found the wiggle room to keep their business going. This could mean that we won’t see [...]



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