Dr. Augustine Fou's Online Scrapbook

Saturday, November 17, 2012

Google's Nexus 10 tablet gets torn down, found to be Samsung-made inside and out

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/11/16/googles-nexus-10-tablet-gets-torn-down-found-to-be-samsung-mad/

We've already seen what makes the Nexus 7 tick, and the folks at PowerBook Medic have now done the teardown honors with its larger counterpart, the Nexus 10. Expectedly, there aren't many major surprises to be found, but the site did note the "complete ease" of taking the tablet apart, with no glue or other impediments getting in the way. It's also confirmed that this is very much a Samsung-made tablet, with the company not only putting it together, but manufacturing everything from the processor to the flash memory to the battery. You can find the full rundown at the link below.

Filed under: Tablets

Google's Nexus 10 tablet gets torn down, found to be Samsung-made inside and out originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 16 Nov 2012 18:39:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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iFixit pries open Google's Nexus 4, exposes somewhat stubborn battery (update: repairability verdict, LTE chip)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/11/16/ifixit-google-nexus-4-teardown-battery/

The warranty-voiders over at iFixit decided to spend their Friday evening tearing into a freshly delivered Nexus 4 and have given us a peek inside Google's smartphone darling. After removing a pair of screws and spending a few minutes prying off the rear cover, the teardown specialists found that the backplate's sparkling exterior isn't the only thing that makes it special. In addition to serving a cosmetic purpose, the hind side plate packs a handful of pressure contacts that power the handset's NFC antenna and connect its wireless charging induction coil. Extracting the battery required evicting additional screws and a fair amount of elbow grease to wrangle the 2100 mAh pack free from adhesive. As for the motherboard, its removal was a relatively easy process comprised of freeing it from a couple of connectors. The outfit's final verdict on the device's repairability isn't in just yet, but you can tap the source link below to gaze at the LG-made phone's innards.

Update: iFixit has given Mountain View's smartphone a 7 out of 10 score in terms of repairability. The three point mark-down stems from a tricky battery removal experience and the glass front, which is fused to the display and its frame. Also, despite the lack of LTE support, a close look at the motherboard reveals a Qualcomm WTR1605L seven-band 4G LTE chip.

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, Google

iFixit pries open Google's Nexus 4, exposes somewhat stubborn battery (update: repairability verdict, LTE chip) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 16 Nov 2012 19:35:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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PSA: HTC One X+, five other devices from ASUS, HTC, Novatel and Samsung on sale at AT&T

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/11/16/psa-asus-htc-samsung-novatel-at-att/

American carriers love to launch their device lines in bundles, and AT&T just proved the rule in style. Forget the LTE iPad mini -- six other devices have shipped in one day, covering just about every category Big Blue offers. Want a Windows tablet? There's a $500 ASUS VivoTab RT waiting for you. Smartphones? HTC's $200 One X+ covers the high-end, while its $50 One VX and Samsung's $100 Galaxy Express target the more frugal among us. Even shutterbugs and cutting-edge networkers can pick up a $500 Samsung Galaxy Camera or Novatel's $50 MiFi Liberate hotspot. There's no doubt that AT&T is cramming the channel full of new gadgets in the hopes of scooping up all the Black Friday sales it can, but we'll forgive the slightly cynical strategy for the sake of a wider device selection.

Filed under: Cellphones, Ca meras, Tablets, Networking, Mobile, Samsung, HTC, ASUS, AT&T

PSA: HTC One X+, five other devices from ASUS, HTC, Novatel and Samsung on sale at AT&T originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 16 Nov 2012 22:12:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Lenovo's upcoming five-inch 1080p phone to feature dual-SIM connectivity

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/11/17/lenovo-1080p-5-inch-phone/

By now you should already know that HTC, Sharp and Oppo share a common theme: 1080p display on their five-inch phones. As it turns out, Lenovo also wants in on the VIP list. Spotted on Sina Weibo earlier this week (but have since been deleted) are the above three screenshots showing off Lenovo's customized Android UI in 1080p glory. As with many phones in China these days, the device in question supports dual-SIM connectivity -- the screenshots indicate that it's connected to China Telecom's CDMA2000 network and China Mobile's 2G network simultaneously.

Our own source wouldn't directly confirm that it's a five-inch display on this mysterious phone, but we were told that it'll be somewhere between 4.5 inches and 5.5 inches -- we'll take that as a yes, especially since the only 1080p mobile panels available right now are the five-inch, 440ppi ones from Sharp and JDI. Our source also said the phone's entered DVT (Design Verification Test) phase for some time, so it might not be long before we hear an official announcement in China. As always, stay tuned.

Gallery: Lenovo's upcoming five-inch 1080p phone to feature dual-SIM connectivity

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, Lenovo

Lenovo's upcoming five-inch 1080p phone to feature dual-SIM connectivity originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 17 Nov 2012 02:08:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Friday, November 16, 2012

LG F240 possibly spied in benchmarks packing 1080p screen, Snapdragon S4 Pro

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/11/16/lg-f240-possibly-spied-in-benchmarks-packing-1080p-screen/

LG's Optimus G (and Nexus 4) might have been the resolution champion among non-phablet Android phones for only a brief moment before the HTC Droid DNA arrived, but there's clues surfacing that LG may fight its way back to a draw. Following hints through browser profiles, a set of results on GLBenchmark have appeared for an unconfirmed LG F240 wielding a 1080p screen resolution; given the allusions to Korean phone carriers like KT and LG's earlier decision to back away from tablets, we suspect that it's something pocketable. The F240 could otherwise be more of an evolution, if it's real -- the Adreno 320 graphics and 1.5GHz clock speed allude to the Optimus G's Snapdragon S4 Pro sticking around, and the biggest leap beyond the screen could be an upgrade to Jelly Bean (4.1, not 4.2). While benchmarks aren't entirely trustworthy without a tangible device to match, there's enough here to imply that HTC will have at least one major competitor in a very young category.

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, LG

LG F240 possibly spied in benchmarks packing 1080p screen, Snapdragon S4 Pro originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 16 Nov 2012 13:41:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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