I’m sure you’ve heard of a little device known as the Galaxy Note, right? No, you say? Where have you been? It’s currently one of our favorite devices on the market because of its gargantuan, brilliant HD Super AMOLED display, it’s powerful 1.4GHz Exynos dual core processor, and because there’s nothing out there like it. Some may say it’s too large, but for us – it’s just right.

Anyway, who cares? We’ve teamed up with Samsung for this awesome giveaway, and all you have to do is leave a comment below why you want Exynos in your smartphone and/or tablet, and like our Facebook page!

We’ve got tons of other great giveaways coming up in the next little while, so be sure to check back often!

And, in case you don’t know what this monolithic powerhouse is packing, check out the specs below.

Specs:

• CPU: Dual-core 1.4GHz ARM Cortex-A9 processor, Mali-400MP GPU, Exynos chipset
• Memory: 1 GB RAM, 16GB/32GB storage
• Display: 1280 x 800pixels, 5.3 inches, HD Super AMOLED capacitive touchscreen, 16M colors
• Size: 146.9 x 83 x 9.7 mm, 178 g
• Camera:
  • Primary: 8 MP, 3264×2448 pixels, autofocus, LED flash
  • Secodary: 2 MP
• OS: Android OS, v2.3, upgradeable to Android 4.0 ICS

Now, remember – this device costs nearly $700 unlocked! You can have it for free, just by doing two simple things.

Instructions: 

• Leave a comment below telling us why you want Exynos processors in your smartphone and/or tablet
• Like our Facebook Page

It really doesn’t get much easier than that, folks. Also, unfortunately, this particular giveaway is only for U.S. residents. Sorry about that! We’ve got lots of international giveaways coming up – and we promise to make it up to you, our dear International Android lovers!

For any of you interested in knowing more about the blazing fast SoC’s (processors!) in our latest and greatest devices – check out our in-depth feature piece: Qualcomm S4 Vs NVIDIA Tegra 3 vs TI OMAP 4470 vs Samsung Exynos

We wanted to share the excitement that is Mobile World Congress with all of you, and we’ll be there covering all of the latest Android devices! So much good stuff is coming, it’s absolutely ridiculous.

It’s with great pleasure that we are going to be giving away an International Samsung Galaxy Note! Good luck everyone! Also, let us know how we’re doing in the comments too. We do this for you guys – everyday!

source: androidauthority 

The lens offers users a 130-degree angle view using “crystal clear optics,” says the company, and tripod mounts are available on both the top and bottom sides of the case to allow attachment to tripods or other devices. The case also features a microphone/light mount on the top.

The unit requires an iPhone 4 or iPhone 4S for its custom-fit shape, and is made of solid high-grade aluminum over three quarters of an inch thick. The M-27 action camera mount sells for $100 and is available now from the iSteady Shot website.

source: electronista

In both apps, the “Find Friends” feature has gained an explicit user confirmation alert to ensure the user understands that by using the “Find Friends” feature, the user’s contact list must be uploaded. This is in response to the uproar created when another social service, called Path, was discovered to be uploading users’ contacts lists to enable a similar feature without any requests, permission or user awareness.

Other companies that engaged in similar practices are now making sure users are aware of what’s happening and give explicit permission (or at least have a way to opt-out). Like Path, Twitter says the information is used strictly for one purpose: to alert users which of their friends is also on Twitter. Recently, Twitter admitted that the uploaded contact information stays on its servers for 18 months.

Twitter for iPhone (which used to be known as Tweetie before the company bought it up) also returns the ability to copy and paste the text of tweets and user profiles, and returns the ability to mark all Direct Messages (DMs) as read. The design for DMs has also been updated slightly.

Links within tweets are better handled now as well, with users being able to share just the link itself rather than the whole tweet if desired. Twitter for iOS can also now add links to Safari’s “Reading List” feature, or the ability to directly open the link in Safari. As mentioned, font sizes can be adjusted under an advanced Settings menu.

Twitter for Android is now optimized to run on Android devices that use Ice Cream Sandwich (aka v4.0) and also includes new support for the Kindle Fire as well as the Barnes & Noble Nook Color and Nook Tablet (the version for the Nook Tablet will be available February 23rd).

source: electronista

ViewSonic is lining up a new 7-inch Android tablet for launch at Mobile World Congress 2012, a source has exclusively revealed to Pocket-lint.com.

The new tablet will be launching on Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich and will feature a high resolution of 1024 x 600 pixels, giving it a pixel density of 169ppi – the same as the ViewPad 7x we saw back in August 2011.

We don’t have any images of the new tablet, other than the artwork above, which must be a work in progress because one of the ViewScene 3D pages shows a “photo of the day” from “Flicker” (girls in bikinis too, naughty, naughty).

Although the tablet will come with the ViewScene interface, as we’ve seen on all recent ViewSonic devices, we’ve had it confirmed that it will be a Google-certified device, so you’ll get all the normal Google services and Android Market access.

Our source says the tablet will be “ultra light”, but other than that we have no details on the design. If the image above is the new tablet, it looks to have a squarer profile than the ViewPad 7x.

We do know that it will be equipped with mini HDMI, Micro-USB and Mini-USB, which is something of an oddity. There will be cameras on both the front and back, we’ve been told that the rear will be 2-megapixels, setting the specs slightly below the ViewPad 7x.

There will also be a microSD card slot, so you can expand the memory over the 4GB that it ships with. We don’t know what the processor is, but we do know there will be 1GB of RAM, so we’d guess it is a dual core processor of some variety.

We’re told that this tablet will also offer 3G connectivity, which we guess is behind the G70 moniker, but otherwise, the name doesn’t reveal at what level this tablet sits and our source didn’t disclose a price.

However, we’ve found the ViewSonic G70 listed online and it looks like the price will be around $350 (£220), so looks to be good value for money.

Of course, nothing official has been announced by ViewSonic yet, but we’re excepting a full reveal at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona next week.

source: poket-lint

Rumours of Microsoft Office on the iPad have been doing the rounds for some time, but today we have a little more flesh to put on those bones.

The Daily is reporting that Microsoft Office for iPad will be submitted to the Apple App Store for approval some time soon, saying the design team has finished working on the project, but there’s no precise date.

In terms of user interface, it looks to be close to the existing OneNote iPad application, launched late in 2011, but with a touch of Metro about it and a snapshot of the opening screen shows familiar icons for the main Office apps.

Apparently Word, Excel and PowerPoint files can be created and edited, although it’s not clear exactly how far things will go beyond creation and sharing, what other support you get or how it might integrate with online services. A Messenger icon is also present, suggesting you might be able to get live Messenger collaboration running on docs.

In news that will surely come as a blow for Android users, “sources close to the matter” are also cited as reporting that there is no Android version of MS Office in the works.

We know that Microsoft is lining up to make various announcements at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona; the headlining act will be Windows 8 so we’re not certain they’ll muddy the waters by launching Microsoft Office for iPad at the same time.

via: poket-lint

We last saw details about a Sony Windows Phone 7 handset in January and if new spy shots are to be believed, then the new Sony Windows Phone 7 handset will be a side slider. QWERTY Windows Phones are somewhat rare these days, with the majority being touchscreen only, but it is an area where Sony (Ericsson) has some experience.

The new leaked images show the keyboard and rear of the device. It carries the Sony Ericsson name on the front and the logo on the rear, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t a future device. In recent weeks, we’ve seen the Xperia S with both Sony and Sony Ericsson branding, for example.

Sony Ericsson has a tendency to launch keyboard devices as “pro” models, assuming that only business types want a keyboard (see the Xperia Pro for example).

The displayed device isn’t too dissimilar to the Pro either, although we note that the keyboard is open, yet the Bing search page is still in portrait, so whether we’d see Windows Phone 7 reorienting to work perfectly in landscape is a different question.

Sony is expected to be launching a number of devices at Mobile World Congress 2012 in Barcelona next week and we’re expecting to see new Windows Phone 7 hardware too, so we’ll bring you all the details as we get them.

UPDATE: After further research, it appears that this isn’t a new device at all, it’s an old unreleased model doing the rounds, no doubt caught up in the excitement of next week’s Mobile World Congress. Thanks to all those who pointed it out.

Via: phonearena.com

Olympus has announced two new ultra-zooms, including the Olympus SP-620UZ with a 16-megapixel CCD and 21x optical zoom, and the Olympus SP-720UZ with a 14-megapixel CMOS sensor and 26x zoom lens. Both cameras feature sensor-shift image stabilisation, a TruePic III+ image processor, Eye-Fi memory card compatibility, Magic Filters, in-camera panorama stitchning and 3D photo shooting. In addition, the Olympus SP-720UZ records Full HD videos, boasts an “HDR Backlight Adjustment” function and comes with a 460,000-dot rear screen, while the SP-620UZ shoots 720p HD movies, offers.“Advanced Face Detection” and “Shadow Adjustment” technologies, and comes with a 230,000-dot display. The SP-720UZ is available from late March for €249 / £229.99. The SP-620UZ goes on sale for €189 / £179.99 from mid-January.

Massive zoom

Upgrading the 14-megapixel SP-610UZ, this model predictably boosts the effective resolution by a couple of million pixels to 16, from a total of 16.6MP on a 1/2.3-inch CCD. Its noteworthiness is not resolution however, but that it fields a 21x optical zoom, slightly curtailed from its forebear’s 22x. The S-620UZ’s focal range now starts wider but stops shorter in offering the 35mm equivalent of 25-525mm, as opposed to 28-616mm.

Without the optical or electronic viewfinder of more expensive models – which would add bulk as well as cost – Olympus users are left with the 3-inch LCD at the rear. It’s a pretty standard 230k-dot screen resolution with which to compose stills and 720p HD videos and is unchanged from the previous iteration.

There is a SP-720UZ model that sits just above the SP-620UZ in the range, offering a better 460k-dot screen plus a 26x optical zoom. However resolution is a lower 14-megapixels, so it’s swings and roundabouts. The SP-620UZ’s overall dimensions are officially 109.7 x 74.3 x 73.7mm, while it weighs 435g with batteries and card inserted. It’s available in silver or black body finishes.

All the above has to be set against the fact that the Olympus SP-620UZ has a manufacturer’s suggested asking price of £179.99, with street prices bound to shave £20-30 off that. This indicates a lack of frills and tells us that this is very much a budget model among bridge models.

Built to a price

The mass market, as opposed to enthusiast-pitched pricing, makes itself felt initially only in the SP-620UZ’s rather plasticy exterior and its frill-free control layout. Although, the latter is as much to do with providing ease of use and an ‘approachable’ first impression as anything else.

The cost-cutting is also apparent in this Olympus being powered by four, bog-standard, alkaline AAs instead of the usual lithium ion rechargeable cells. Of course, any user can buy their own set of rechargeables relatively inexpensively. We can live with this to an extent, as here the combined weight of the batteries adds solidity to the SP-620UZ’s frame. Even if they do fall out each time you want to remove the DS/SDHC/SDXC media card that shares a slot next to them. The cover is also fiddly to slide shut, because the batteries don’t always sit flush in their loading tubes.

As this cover requires a degree of force to shut, and means gripping the camera tightly with both hands, it’s easy to accidentally activate the power button at the same time.

Fast enough

Still, the camera is reasonably responsive, powering up from cold in a couple of seconds if date and time have been set first. The lens is protected when not in use by a slip on (rather than clip on) plastic cap.

If shooting stills, nudge the zoom lever that handily encircles its shutter release button with a forefinger and it powers through its range from maximum wideangle to extreme telephoto in three seconds.

Zoom action is automatically slowed right down in movie mode to prevent jarring transitions however. If you do want to use the zoom you first have to turn off the sound via the movie menu. With HD video shooting (usually) being such a big feature of stills cameras these days this is a bit rubbish, as effectively the zoom is disabled if you want sound on your video clips.

Controls and design

It’s as a stills device then that the SP-620UZ serves amateur photographers best. A half squeeze of the shutter release button triggers the auto focus, which, while not quite as quick as the Olympus Pen range, it’s fast enough to get the shot. A full, fine compression quality JPEG is written to the card in 3-4 second; not massively quick, but not a deal-breaker either on a camera costing what it does.

The SP-620UZ’s control layout is clean-looking, sparse even. Up top we just have the on/off button, and large shutter release encircled by the zoom lever, both set forward on the tip of the handgrip. There is integral flash, the self-raising variety – by which we mean it has to be manually raised. There is no dedicated lever to do this, nor does it suddenly swing into action if you happen to select a flash mode on the camera. Indeed flash modes are disabled until you’ve activated it by hand.

At the back we have the fixed, 3-inch, 230k dot resolution LCD presented in standard 4:3 ratio. It’s shunted to the left, leaving space for six controls to its right, located where they easily fall under the thumb.

A central “OK” button for selecting any menu or setting changes sits in the middle of a control pad-come-scroll wheel. The latter is especially sensitive, so much so that it largely negates its feature as a time saver. We found it all too easy to scoot past the setting we actually wanted, and so had to take a more gentle approach.

Playback, menu and dedicated video record buttons are also present and obvious. Less so is a button marked by an enigmatic question mark. Give this a press and you’ll discover Olympus’s built-in help manual. This allows users to search alphabetically by keyword if they know a function they’re looking for.

Aimed at less-experienced users

The emphasis here then is on a camera that is user friendly enough to just point and shoot. Olympus obviously expects us to do this, as no shooting mode dial or dedicated button is provided. The likes of intelligent auto and program mode are instead selected via an on-screen toolbar.

It’s via this same toolbar that we find 11 pre-optimsed scene settings for common subjects. There are daytime and night-time photography modes, and, slightly more interestingly, automatic 3D and panoramic image generation Plus the ability to apply digital effects filters at the point of capture.

The 3D feature, which generates an MPO file can be “seen” only via a 3D equipped TV, takes two images and merges them. The panorama option takes three shots in succession – the user lining up each successive shot via a floating ‘target’ on screen – and automatically blends them together. Neither mode is as sophisticated as, say, Sony’s 3D Sweep Panorama feature on its Cyber-shot cameras, but they do work, and the Olympus does cost less.

For those looking to shoot handheld in low light, the SP-610UZ is not massively exciting. With the lens supported by dual image stabilisation, there’s the ability to manually select ISO sensitivity up to ISO1600. While that’s modest, results at this top setting, though displaying some grain upwards of ISO800 are perfectly usable.

We were surprised to find that the SP-620UZ displays a live histogram revealing the areas of brightness in an image in capture mode if you press the top edge of the control dial/scroll wheel the requisite number of times. Exposure can be manually adjusted +/- 3EV.

via: poket-lint

Amid the sea of Apple TV and iPad 3 rumours engulfing the tech world in early 2012, the old-faithful iPhone 5 was probably feeling a little bit unloved. Well, the next generation Apple smartphone is now back on our radar with new indications of when it may land.

Respected Japanese Apple blog Macotakara says it has received word from “Asian sources” that Apple will launch the device in September or October 2012.

“According to Asian reliable source, next iPhone will be released in September or October, and this cycle seems to be kept for years,” read a translated portion of the report.

If the article proves to be accurate, it would mean the company is returning to the 12-month launch cycles we saw for the first four versions of the beloved device.

Last year’s October iPhone 4S launch was the only time Apple has verged from the summer cycle, making users wait 15 months instead of the usual 12 for a new handset.

While the iPhone 4S was more of an evolutionary upgrade, with a faster processor an improved camera and the addition of the Siri voice control app, the iPhone 5 is likely to bring a more revolutionary approach, perhaps with the addition of a 4G LTE internet and a larger screen size.

via: t3.com

Barens & Noble is looking to undercut the price of the Amazon Kindle Fire with the introduction of a Nook Tablet model with half the internal storage as the version currently available. According to The Verge, an 8GB Nook Tablet is headed to store shelves this Wednesday, February 22nd. A leaked document from Walmart says the new device will go on sale just as the clock strikes midnight and suggests that units are already arriving in stores.

The 16GB Nook tablet sells for $249, a full $50 more than Amazon’s Kindle Fire. Halving the storage capacity is a quick and easy way to close the gap between the two. Expect an 8GB Nook Tablet to sell for $200 or less.

[phandroid via Gizmodo]

Sony’s Google TV hardware has finally succumbed to the folks over at GTVHacker, giving up root access in the process. The exploit isn’t necessarily quick and easy, but it will turn Sony TVs and Blu-ray players running Google TV 2.0 (Android 3.2) into custom kernel-running machines. Booting into a modified kernel provides users the ability expand the capabilities of Google’s internet TV platform. This includes streaming content blocked by network TV and cable providers. Instructions can be found over at GTVHacker, but they aren’t for the faint of heart. You’ll need quite a few thumb drives and some knowledge of the Windows command line, and the experimental method will wipe any stored data on the device and could even brick it. In other words: process at your own risk.

via: phandroid