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Andy Rubin, you coy devil. I suppose we could ignore those rumors about Google retail stores if you ask nicely and bat your eyes at us. That's what the head of Android would like us to do, anyway, as he spoke at Mobile World Congress stating that "Google has no plans [for a retail store] and we have nothing to announce."
Yesterday, we attended a press conference at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona where we were treated not only to the unveiling of ASUS' new Padfone Infinity and aptly-named Fonepad 7" tablet phone (with which we later got some hands-on time), but also to the dazzling (ly awkward and hilarious) antics of a "tech illusionist," and plenty of other awkward moments.
Late yesterday, we headed over to the ZTE booth to check out the company's latest smartphone - the Grand Memo. The selling point? It's big and powerful - sporting a 5.7" display with a Snapdragon 800 600 processor of some kind.
After having a chance to play with the ZTE Grand Memo yesterday, I was a bit perplexed. It was kind of slow. Actually, it was really slow - I haven't seen UI lag like that on a top-tier smartphone in over a year. It was terrible switching between tasks, and while ZTE's hilariously overwrought UI is likely slowing it down a fair bit, something just didn't feel right for a phone allegedly running on the very latest Snapdragon chip.
While I was a bit too preoccupied at ASUS's press conference to really pay attention to the details of its products (you can find said details here), later in the day, I headed over to the ASUS booth on the MWC show floor to check out the Padfone Infinity and the Fonepad.
Update: Looks like ZTE may be fibbing a bit on the specs of this device, at least in what it's showing off as the "Grand Memo" at MWC...
[MWC 2013] Samsung Unveils KNOX, A Secure Enterprise Solution For Workplaces With A BYOD Policy
Samsung Unveils KNOX, A Secure Enterprise Solution For Workplaces
The push for BYOD (bring your own device) policies in workplaces has been on the rise for the last couple of years, but many corporations have frowned upon Android devices due to "security issues" within the OS. Samsung is looking to change that mindset with its newly-announced KNOX solution.
We're here at ASUS's press conference in Barcelona, where the company has just unveiled two new Android products: the Padfone Infinity and Fonepad.
At an afternoon press conference across the street from MWC 2013's enormous venue, ASUS has just wrapped a (hilarious) press conference that saw the introduction of two new devices (or three?) – the Padfone Infinity and the Fonepad. Before we dive in for hands-on, let's take a quick look at the specs and pricing for the devices.
[MWC 2013] Hands-On (Video) With The Sony Xperia Tablet Z: Light, Thin, Waterproof - But Worth $500?
Sony's latest tablet, the Xperia Tablet Z, isn't exactly new. While it was announced for Japan last month, Sony fans have been waiting with bated breath for news on worldwide availability and pricing. Today, we have some more information on that front: the Tablet Z is slated to be released across the globe starting in Q2. Furthermore, the US version of the device (which is Wi-Fi only), will cost $499 for the 16GB version, and $599 for the 32GB.
So, Google TV isn't exactly great. And Windows media boxes aren't exactly "average consumer" friendly. With that in mind, it would seem, Samsung has unveiled the Home Sync box. It's a 1TB media server / smart TV box all-in-one, and it's actually pretty cool. To clarify, the Home Center does not run Google TV. The idea here is that Home Sync is the center of your Galaxy-device life - which is to say, I doubt you'd want one if you aren't already carrying around a fair bit of Galaxy hardware.
[MWC 2013] Samsung Galaxy Note 8.0 Hands-On (Video): Yep, It's A Small-Ish Samsung Tablet With A Pen
There's been a lot of hubbub around the Note 8.0 leading up to MWC, and this morning, we finally got a chance to go hands-on with Samsung's newest slate. The early verdict? It's... an Android tablet with an S-Pen and Samsung software.
When we first caught a leaked glimpse of the Optimus G Pro in 5.5" form, Note II comparisons were immediately drawn - the G Pro really is the Note's not-so-long-lost brother.
If only there was an affordable, powerful, and well-supported 7" Android tablet out there. Oh wait, there is exactly that. But HP thinks there is room for a cheaper, moderately worse tablet. So, meet the Slate 7. It's not bad looking at all; actually, I quite like how HP's designed this thing. It feels pretty nice (the back is a sort of brushed matte plastic), and is relatively light. Most of the niceness stops there, though.
[Eyes-On] Tegra 4, Tegra 4i, And The Phoenix Reference Phone At MWC 2013 (With Benchmarks And Stats)
We had a chance this evening to take a closer look at NVIDIA's Tegra 4 and Tegra 4i chips, and with Tegra 4, a chance to run some benchmarks. We also took a quick look at NVIDIA's reference design phone for Tegra 4i, the Phoenix (though we were only allowed to look - not touch).
[MWC 2013] HP Slate 7 Officially Announced: $169 Buys Low-End Specs, Beats Audio, And Stock Jelly Bean In April
HP Slate 7 Officially Announced: $169 Buys Low-End Specs
It took them the better part of two years, but HP is finally ready to get back in the consumer tablet game, this time backing Android. Their first tablet will be the Slate 7, a small model that's light on price and even lighter on surprises. Roughly comparable to the Galaxy Tab 2 7.0, the 1024x600 FFS+ LCD screen sits on top of a 1.6Ghz dual-core A9 processor, 1GB of RAM, and 8GB of MicroSD-expandable storage. According to HP's promotional page, it will be available in at least two colors. The rear camera is a disappointing 3 megapixels, with the front a dismal VGA model, and it runs stock Android 4.1. Wait, what?
Well, Mobile World Congress is officially underway, and Lenovo just kicked things off the only way it knows how: with three fairly mundane tablets. They've given each of the three a "subtitle" of sorts to suggest that they may actually be more than they are, but they're not fooling anyone. These are undoubtedly the "John Smith" of the tablet world – they're just average, everyday devices.
Huawei announced its newest smartphone at MWC this morning, the Ascend P2. The P2 is the follow-up to the Ascend P1, which was announced at CES last year.
We've seen it leaked a few times, but Samsung has beaten the Mobile World Congress rush and officially unveiled the Galaxy Note 8.0. The device is basically a super-sized version of the Note 2 smartphone, right down to the physical home button (a first for Samsung's post-Android 3.0 tablets), call capability, and vertical orientation.
We're here in Barcelona, preparing for what has probably become the world's biggest mobile-centric trade show: Mobile World Congress. This year's show may have a few surprises in store, but there are a few things we're expecting to see. We'll be bring you live coverage courtesy of our friends at Avast!