Sony Xperia ZL review: a giant phone in a surprisingly compact frame

Sony took a rather unusual path with its flagship smartphone for 2013: it designed the hardware twice. The Xperia Z is ostensibly the star of the show with its glass body and waterproofing, but it's launching alongside the Xperia ZL, an equally brawny, yet plainer sibling. On a spec sheet, there's no apparent reason for the ZL to exist when its features almost perfectly match those of the slimmer and more stylish Z.
Still, it's precisely that emphasis on function over form that might just win the day. Sony bills the ZL as the most compact 5-inch smartphone on the market, which could win over folks who see large-screened phones as unwieldy. But is it enough to challenge conventional thinking on big phones, especially in light of fiercer competition? And is there anything special lurking underneath the ZL's reworked hood? Read on and we'll let you know whether the second device in Sony's dual-phone strategy is strong enough to outshine the Z -- and, more importantly, its rivals.

Gallery: Sony Xperia ZL review

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, Sony
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Samsung Galaxy Mega is official and comes in 6.3- and 5.8-inch sizes

We knew Samsung was planning more devices, but we didn't expect the arrival of two Galaxy Mega smartphones at the same time. Both are apparently headed to Europe some time next month, continuing to prove that Samsung are willing to test out any screen-size. The 6.3-inch model has an 'HD display' (we're chasing the precise resolution, though it's likely 720p) alongside a dual-core 1.7GHz processor, Android 4.2 and an 8-megapixel camera. Software features like Air View, Multi Windows, Pop-up Play will make sure you have plenty to do on that giant screen. The Galaxy Mega arrives somewhere between Samsung's Galaxy Note 8 and Galaxy Note II, although we're hoping it'll be priced slightly more humbly than either neighbor. The Galaxy Mega 6.3 houses LTE and HSPA radios, while you'll get GPS and GLONASS to aid any location-based antics. There's a 3,200mAh battery and internal storage that can be expanded by microSD up to 64GB, with 8 or 16 gigs (there's two models) built-in to begin with.
The HSPA-only Galaxy Mega 5.8 reduces the size -- and pretty much all the other specs. The resolution drops down to qHD (960 x 540), while it packs a lesser 1.4GHz dual-core processor. It has the same 8-megapixel camera, while the smaller, er, Mega, will arrive in only one size -- an 8GB model. No word on pricing for either yet, but the Ubergizmo team has already got the chance to handle the Korean manufacturer's 6.3-inch goliath. Take a look at their first impressions at the More Coverage link.
Update: Samsung has confirmed to us that the resolution on the 6.3-inch model is in fact 1280 x 720.

Gallery: Samsung Galaxy Mega 5.8 and 6.3 press images

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, Samsung
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Source: Samsung

Hands-on redux: Creative's Interactive Gesture Camera at IDF 2013 Beijing (video)

At IDF 2013 in Beijing, Intel is again making a big push for perceptual computing by way of voice recognition, gesture control, face recognition and more, and to complement its free SDK for these functions, Intel's been offering developers a Creative Interactive Gesture Camera for $149 on its website since November. For those who missed it last time, this time-of-flight depth camera is very much just a smaller cousin of Microsoft's Kinect sensor, but with the main difference being this one is designed for a closer proximity and can therefore also pick up the movement of each finger.
We had a go on Creative's camera with some fun demos -- including a quick level of gesture-based Portal 2 made with Intel's SDK -- and found it to be surprisingly sensitive, but we have a feeling that it would've been more fun if the camera was paired up with a larger display. Intel said Creative will be commercially launching this kit at some point in the second half of this year, and eventually the same technology may even be embedded in monitors or laptops (remember Toshiba's laptops with Cell-based gesture control?). Until then, you can entertain yourselves with our new hands-on video after the break.

Gallery: Hands-on with Creative's Interactive Gesture Camera at IDF Beijing 2013 (video)

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Source: Intel

Miami judge accuses Google, Apple of using the courts 'as a business strategy' (updated)

Miami U.S. District Judge Robert Scola had choice words for Apple and Samsung Google during a patent dispute between the pair, accusing the two of of having "no interest in efficiently and expeditiously resolving this dispute" and instead using such proceedings "as a business strategy." The Florida case began in 2010 and has since swelled to over 180 claims, causing the pair to ask the court to reduce the scope of the case. That caused Judge Scola to rail against the combatants, saying "without a hint of irony, the parties now ask the court to mop up a mess that they made," adding that he would "decline this invitation." Instead, he gave them four months to streamline the case themselves, lest it be placed on hold until all the nearly 100 terms in dispute are defined to everyone's satisfaction -- but we know how that's gone before.
Update: The original post mentioned Samsung and Apple as the disputants, but it's actually a suit involving Google and Apple. Thanks for all who pointed it out.
Filed under: Cellphones, Misc, Tablets, Apple, Samsung
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Via: Games Industry International
Source: Bloomberg

Google bestows the Nexus 10 with covers, available now for $29.99

Sure, you may own the highest res Android tablet on the block, but is your Nexus 10 really all that special when it's as naked as everyone else's? Problem, meet solution: the Nexus 10 cover from Google. The $29.99 add-on hit the Play Store this fine day, which stands as the first official accessory for the larger of Google's two tablets. The matte finish cover is available in dark grey and scarlet, which clips onto the slate without adding much bulk. As another nice touch, you can also wake and sleep the Nexus 10 simply by opening and closing its cover, which seems quite smart, if you ask us. Naturally, the Gorilla Glass 2 display of the Nexus 10 is plenty beefy already, but if you want that added layer of protection, you'll now find it for purchase in Google Play.
Filed under: Tablets, Samsung, Google
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Via: Droid Life
Source: Google Play

Numark announces Mixtrack Quad four-channel DJ controller, we go hands-on

Who'd have thunk it? Numark, at a music trade show with a new another DJ controller for your consideration. This time it has taken its popular Mixtrack console, and doubled down on the number of channels on offer. This now means between the Mixtrack, the Mixtrack II, the Mixtrack Pro II, and this, there's likely a Mixtrack for everyone. Evidently it's a format that works, so it only makes sense to offer a number of options based around the theme. As with other members of the Mixtrack family, the layout is fairly traditional, with two platters plus transport controls flanking a central mixer section. Above each platter is a set of eight MPC-style trigger pads and some rotary controls for FX and filters.
If the Quad looks like it's got an extra splash of color compared to its siblings, that's because it has. The pads and platters have have configurable RGB LEDs, which we first saw in the NS7 II (Numark is going strong on the colors generally, it seems). Again, as before there's a built-in audio interface, which is pretty much essential for a controller of this level. And what level is that? Around the $349 one, apparently, whenever it comes to market (no word on that at this point). While you're waiting to find out, however, you might as well scoot over the fold for the hardware impressions.

Gallery: Numark Mixtrack Quad hands-on

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Touch Bionics' latest 'i-limb' offers a powered rotating thumb, smartphone controls

Touch Bionics' i-limb prosthetic hand has advanced quite a bit in recent years, adding features like Bluetooth connectivity and upgraded fingers. Now the company has made available its latest revision, the i-limb ultra revolution, which offers powered thumb rotation for some added dexterity, as well as a new "biosim" app (iOS-only for now) that gives the wearer quick access to 24 different grip patterns in addition to diagnostic and training modes. Of course, the hand isn't only controlled using a phone; as with previous models, it relies on muscle signals to shift into different pre-set patterns, which let the wearer perform a wide variety of actions. You can get a glimpse of some of those capabilities in the video after the break.
Filed under: Misc, Wearables
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Source: Touch Bionics

Samsung NX1100 ILC now shipping for $600 with bundled Lightroom 4

Samsung's quietly introduced replacement for the NX1000, the NX1100, just hit stores today with a $600 price tag. The camera, which sports a 20.3-megapixel CMOS sensor, 921k-dot, 3-inch LCD, 8 fps RAW and JPEG shooting, a top sensitivity of ISO 12,800, 1080p video capture, built-in WiFi and an Android and iOS companion app, comes bundled with a copy of Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 4, which typically carries a sticker price of around $125. You also get a 20-50mm f/3.5-5.6 lens and an external flash in the box, making this quite an appealing offer for beginners looking to step up from a point-and-shoot.
Filed under: Cameras, Samsung
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Philips TLED lamp prototype combines efficiency, brightness and warmth

We know what you're thinking: "light bulbs? Yawwwwn." But we'll say this, Philips has done something pretty impressive and interesting with its TLED prototype lamp. Generally LED bulbs use either a combination red, green and blue LEDs to create white light, or they use a phosphor coating (more common) in combination with a blue LED. The problem with the latter is that it tends to generate a very cool light with a blue tinge, while the former is less energy efficient because of their reliance on green LEDs. Philips' solution is to combine two blue and one red element, but use a green phosphor filter to convert one of the blue LEDs to green. The result is a relatively warm light, between 3,000 and 4,000 kelvin, that generates more than twice as many lumens per-watt as Philips' current LED bulbs. In theory, a 7.5-watt TLED could generate as much light as a 100-watt incandescent bulb. With any luck the tech should hit the market sometime during 2015, but it'll be primarily for office and industrial application at first -- so don't start tossing your CFLs just yet.
Filed under: Household
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Google's Inactive Account Manager secures your digital existence after you kick the bucket

If you're worried about what will happen to your mounds of digital data when you pass away, Google has just announced a feature for keeping said libraries secure. The outfit's Inactive Account Manager allows users to set time out periods of three, six, nine or 12 months for inactivity before deleting all of the stored files or having them handed over to a family member or "trusted contact." Those still left roaming the Earth can be granted access to Blogger, Drive, Gmail, Google+ and more without an application process, or they can simply be notified of the situation. Before any predetermined action is taken, the system will beam out a text and an email -- so if you're still around, you can halt matters from progressing further. Set up that digital will via the source links below and or by accessing the Google Account settings page.
Filed under: Internet, Software, Google
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Source: Google (Public Policy Blog), Inactive Account Manager

Samsung Series 9 Premium with Intel Core i7 and 1080p display available now for $1,400

Last month, Samsung outed an update to the 13-inch Series 9 that saw its 1,600 x 900 LCD display replaced with the glory of full 1080p. And starting today, that Windows 8 Ultrabook is going on sale with pretty much the same internal configuration it had in a previous, less Premium life -- save for the 2GHz Core i7 inside. For a cool $1,400, you're looking at 4GB of RAM, an integrated Intel HD Graphics 4000 GPU, WiFi a/b/g/n and a 128GB SSD all neatly packed into an aluminum unibody design. So, you can do your eyes a favor (and your wallet some significant damage) by trading up now. Or stick with what you've got. Don't worry, if they don't ask, you don't have to tell Intel.
Filed under: Laptops, Samsung
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LinkedIn acquires Pulse news reader for $90 million

LinkedIn has been pretty clearly repositioning itself as a source for news as of late, and it's now made that shift even clearer with a fairly major acquisition. The company announced today that it has acquired Pulse, maker of news reader apps for mobile devices (in addition to a web-based offering) at a cost of some $90 million. In its own blog post announcing the news, Pulse says that its apps will remain as they are for now, although they will now offer a "LinkedIn Influencer" feed featuring the company's hand-picked contributors. According to Pulse, its apps currently have over 30 million users around the globe, with approximately 40 percent of those outside the US; for its part, LinkedIn recently topped 200 million users.
Filed under: Internet, Software
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Source: LinkedIn, Pulse

Twitter expands Trends to 160 new locations

Is the Ukraine hooked on Game of Thrones? What's Kenya's favorite Justin Bieber song? Thankfully, those questions (and more) may finally be answered, with the expansion of Twitter's Trends offering. The list of hot topics is coming to 160 new locations, including, for the first time, Belgium, Greece, Kenya, Norway, Poland, Portugal, and Ukraine. The list also includes 130+ cities located in countries that already have trending representations. Interested parties can switch locations in the Trends sidebar on Twitter's homepage.
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Source: Twitter

Jelly Bean update for AT&T's Samsung Galaxy S II Skyrocket now available

We've witnessed AT&T deliver a very fresh Android experience to a number of Samsung's galactic handsets in the past few months, but we definitely won't complain when others get the same treatment -- even if it is slightly overdue. Available now via Kies, this Jelly Bean upgrade will give Galaxy S II Skyrocket owners what will likely be a much welcomed boost, including new features such as Smart Stay, Direct Call and Pop Up Play. Of course, the aforementioned tidbits are only part of the bigger Mountain View picture, since the new version means automatic access to Google Now and overall under-the-hood enhancements thanks to things like Project Butter. It's here, it's real, and it's ready to rejuvenate your device -- all you have to do is pay our source link a visit, where you'll find specific instructions on how to get the goods.
Filed under: Cellphones, Software, Mobile, Samsung, AT&T
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Source: AT&T

Huawei G510 heads to Vodafone UK, puts Jelly Bean on a budget

Huawei's G510 isn't what you'd call a screamer. In fact, the handset's more of what the Chinese market refers to as a "1,000 yuan" phone, or as we so benignly call it: a budget device. Formerly available in Asia-only, the G510's now making the trek to the UK on Vodafone for £130 outright or £13 monthly. Despite its lower-end leanings, the Android Jelly Bean device packs a reasonably large 4.5-inch WVGA display, dual-core Cortex-A9 clocked at 1.2GHz, 5-megapixel rear camera, NFC and a 1,750mAh battery. It's also the first of Huawei's UK releases to ship with its custom skin, the Emotion UI. It's a questionable bragging right, we admit. But we'll let it slide for now.
Filed under: Cellphones, Wireless, Mobile
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Edison2 shows off an updated Very Light Car EV by exposing its unique frame (hands-on)

We've had a few looks at Edison2's Very Light Car (VLC) project including its gasoline-powered X-Prize winning incarnation, but today's EV looked a bit different. In an event at the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, MI, CEO and founder Oliver Kuttner showed off the latest version of the vehicle, this time unskinned -- while referencing similar body-less showcases of the Lamborghini Miura and Volkswagen Beetle -- to show off the innovative suspension that contributes greatly to the car's light weight. The in-wheel suspension units connect to single piece axles that bookend the car's chassis and feature fewer contact points than traditional car suspension designs. Kuttner claims this technique will also feed back into conventional car bodies, opening up more space and taking weight out of future vehicles. Check after the break for more details about what's changed and what's next for Edison2, or dive into the gallery to take a look for yourself.

Gallery: Edison2 VLC at Henry Ford Museum

Filed under: Transportation
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Eyes-on with Samsung's eggplant-flavored Galaxy S III

Main Entry: purple [pur-puhl]
Part of Speech: noun, adjective
Definition: blue and red colors mixed together
Synonyms: amaranthine, amethyst, blue-violet, bluish red, color, heliotrope, lavender, lilac, magenta, mauve, mulberry, orchid, periwinkle, perse, plum, pomegranate, reddish blue, violaceous, violet, wine

Gallery: Samsung Galaxy S3 in Purple (Sprint)

Filed under: Cellphones, Handhelds, Wireless, Mobile, Samsung, Sprint
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