Technology Android

[S O F I]

I think you should save it for your healthcare.

 

[masta247]

We have a public one that sucks already.

 

[THEV1LL4N]

The HTC One S is a nice phone, if you were to go for something new at this point then i'd say go for that. But I think it might be worth the wait until November when the new lineup of Nexus phones come out - that's approx 5 months away. I don't know how long you're willing to wait but it might be worth the wait.

It should be a month or two before we start hearing a lot more concrete evidence and not just rumours about these Nexus phones, and especially since the Asus Tablet will be running Jellybean, we'll also know what to expect for the Nexus phones in relation to JB.

 

[masta247]

Thanks. I suppose I might wait it out until Google I/O and then wait for opportunities for the One S. If there won't be any I'll wait it out.

 

[Pittsey]

The Nexus phone is released, and 3 months later the companies release something better they've been sitting on.

I've got the S3 on the way, and I'll see what is available again next March.

 

[masta247]

http://jonchoo.blogspot.com/2012/05/samsung-galaxy-s3-contains-wolfson-dac.html

It's not new but I just found this. I'm considering gettign the SGS3 after all..

Why? It's the best audio chip available for mobile devices. It sounds really great. I've heard that it's a new model from Wolfson but the last one they packed in the SGS1 and Wave was great and Wave had by far the most awesome music quality on a portable device I've heard.

Also, there's the Voodoo mod for Wolfson DACs which (they say) results in the best audio quality of all non-audiophile grade devices. The first Iphones and Ipod touch devices renowned for good audio quality used an older Wolfson DACs before they went for cheaper Cirrus chips.

I know that this review is supported by Samsung and it's all over their Facebook page but it sort of made me like that phone more:
http://www.slashgear.com/samsung-galaxy-s-iii-review-27230300/
I even really dig the TouchWiz improvements.

edit: but then again, it looks so bad, even compared to much cheaper competition ;-( Getting a 700$ phone that looks like a 200$ phone kind of sucks.

 

[THEV1LL4N]

Samsung Galaxy Note II (Picture, Specs and Estimated Release Date):
http://www.youmobile.org/blogs/entr...AMOLED-Display-Coming-in-October-Specs-Photos

Specs:
http://www.youmobile.org/article/Samsung-Galaxy-Note-II

 

[S O F I]

if I had to pay full price for phones, I'd still be rocking a Nokia from the 90s. I guess it all evens out in the end in terms of how much I pay per month for the phone bill and it might even be more in the US in the end, but still. That's a used car.

 

[Casey]

if I had to pay full price for phones, I'd still be rocking a Nokia from the 90s. I guess it all evens out in the end in terms of how much I pay per month for the phone bill and it might even be more in the US in the end, but still. That's a used car.

People in the US pay too much for phones anyway. Here in the UK I've NEVER paid for a phone up front. I got the G1 just after launch and I preordered the Galaxy S2 before it launched and I didn't have to pay anything up front for either. £35 a month on 18 month contracts and they give you the phone for free.

Having said that it works out mostly the same as if you bought it outright and had a cheap service plan.

 

[masta247]

I always pay the "full price", but I always look for opportunities. I have a great deal on my number and it doesn't come with a contract.

 

[Pittsey]

Got my S3 for £28 a month. Nothing up front.

600 mins.
3000 texts
1 GB data.

24 month contract

 

[masta247]

I've installed custom 4.0.4. I'm satisfied with my phone again. I suppose I'll wait till a better opportunity comes. For now, if I'll need a change I'll just pick a different rom.

After trying out a few different roms I picked one based on ICS 4.0.4 and MIUI UI, which looks damn cool. Much better than ICS' default dark UI, which looks good on Amoleds but really bad on LCDs, which my phone has.

 

[ARon]

I was never a fan of miui

 

[ARon]

Fuuuuck I think I'm gonna get the s3. Rumors have it with an s4 and 2 gigs of ram on tmo, pretty enticing

 

[Casey]

Google Earth to get radically better 3D images, new UI on iOS and Android

4

in​

Share​

​

Google has announced its plans to improve 3D maps. It’s using "automated technology to extract 3D from aerial images." The effect is stunning, every building is competely modeled from street to roof. Compared to the scattershot look of Google Earth before, it’s night and day. Google demonstrated the 3D images on both Android tablets and iOS, and said the new features should be coming soon, but didn't specify an exact date. The feature should cover "several" cities, and the goal is to have a "very large number" by the end of the year.
To make the images, Google uses planes to take images at 45-degrees from four different angles — flying them in a tightly-controlled pattern with plenty of overlap. Google builds the 3D model off of these many images, using algorithms to create the shape and color of buildings. The process is "fully automated," building the 3D images without any human interactions. The system is intelligent enough to know when a certain image is blocked or shadowed, for example. The company hopes to combine the 2D mapping and vector data with the 3D images to perhaps someday provide vertical location information.


GOOGLE EARTH 3D MAPS DEMO

VIEW FULL GALLERY

Previous​

• 

  ​
• 

  ​
• 

  ​
• 

  ​
• 

  ​
• 

  ​
• 

  ​
• 

  ​
• 

  ​
• 

  ​
• 

  ​
• 

  ​
• 

  ​
• 

  ​
• 

  ​
• 

  ​

Next​

• RELATED ITEMS​
  GOOGLE MAPS​

​

http://www.theverge.com/2012/6/6/3068231/google-maps

 

[Pittsey]

Who didn't see this coming?

Apple calls for an early ban on Samsung Galaxy S III, isn't amused by S Voice

By Jon Fingas posted Jun 6th 2012 4:10PM​

​

Samsung might have been right when it said lawyers didn't design the Galaxy S III, because it's in legal hot water again. Apple has moved to add the new Android 4.0 flagship to the same request for a preliminary US ban that would stop the Galaxy Nexus. Cupertino believes the Galaxy S III violates at least two patents, one the data tapping patent that's also being leveled against HTC and the other a unified search patent that covers Siri; not surprisingly, Apple isn't keen on that strangely recognizable S Voice interface. A hearing was already scheduled for June 7th and is now taking on a new sense of urgency, at least in Apple's mind: it's arguing that the rumored nine million pre-orders (still unconfirmed) are evidence of the potential damage if the US court lets the dispute slide. Samsung has already said that the injunction call won't affect its rapidly approaching US launches. The company had better hope it's right, or it risks disappointing a lot of early pre-order customers.

 

[masta247]

While it clearly looks like Siri there were several apps like those way before Siri.

 

[S O F I]

i could not give less of a fuck about 3D maps. I'm trying to live life by remembering where to go instead of seeing maps in 3D.

 

[Casey]

Interestingly enough the Apple court papers confirm that the S3 is "the most highly pre-ordered consumer electronics device in history". That's got to be a bitter pill for them to swallow

 

[ARon]

Apple is just sad man