BlackBerry's Android Priv wins praise, but price tag questioned

BlackBerry Ltd launched its first Android-based device on Friday, with the future of the company's hardware business riding on a slick smartphone called Priv that boasts an impressive array of features and a hefty price tag.

img source: http://www.engadget.com

The company is betting the Priv's large curved screen, full array of Android apps from the Google Play store and blend of productivity and security features will help it rebuild its share of the smartphone market, which has slid to under one percent.

With hacking and data theft issues becoming a bigger concern these days, BlackBerry expects keen interest in its pre-loaded DTEK feature that alerts users every time any app attempts to access data, or turn on the phone's microphone or camera.

"You will be blown away by some of the apps you use and how much data they actually access of yours," said BlackBerry's head of devices, Ron Louks.

The smartphone's "wow" factor, as Louks dubs it, is actually a throwback - a slide out physical keyboard. While the small number of such Android 'slider' phones that do exist have had little success in the market, most are dated and clunky, say analysts.

BlackBerry (BB.TO 6.5%) (BBRY.O 5.53%) is hoping its sleek design and touch-sensitive keys that allows users to swipe, scroll and set up shortcuts will woo former loyalists back to using the Priv.

Initial reviews of the device were mixed, with many lauding its security offerings, long battery life, camera, dual-keyboard design and other features, but panning the Priv's high price tag - $699 without a contract in the United States and C$899 without a contract in Canada.

Still, if the Priv does well, analysts note the device could be a game changer for the Waterloo, Ontario-based company.

"If the Priv – with its premium price of about $700 – is a hit, it could drive meaningful growth for the company. Moreover, the smartphone industry tends to be largely perception-driven, and a single hit flagship product can bolster a company's brand image and create a halo effect around its entire product line," said research firm Trefis, in a note on Thursday.

Blackberry is pivoting to focus more on software and device management services but has said it will stick with hardware if the segment is profitable.

BlackBerry shares rose 4.7 percent to $7.96 in early trading on Friday on the Nasdaq.

source: http://www.bnn.ca

Google unveils Nexus 5X and 6P smartphones, Pixel C tablet - Complete Review

Google is countering the release of Apple's latest iPhones with two devices running on a new version of Android software designed to steer and document even more of its users' lives.

The Nexus 6P and Nexus 5X unveiled Tuesday are the first smartphones sold with an Android upgrade called "Marshmallow." It features changes that will give expanded powers to Android's personal assistant, Google Now, so it can explore the information that people call up in the mobile applications.

Previously, Google Now learned about its users' interests and daily habits by analysing search requests and scanning information contained in emails.

The Marshmallow version of Android enables users to summon Google Now to scan whatever content might be on a mobile device's screen so it can present pertinent information about the topic of a text, a song, a video clip or an article.

The new Android feature, called "Now on Tap," will be activated by holding down the device's home button or speaking, "OK Google," into the microphone. That action will prompt Now on Tap to scan the screen in attempt to figure out how to be the most helpful. Or, if speaking, users can just say what they are seeking, such as "Who sings this?"

Google began taking pre-orders for the Nexus phones in the U.S., United Kingdom, Ireland and Japan on Tuesday with prices for the 6P starting at $699 and $559 for the 5X in Canada with no commitment to a wireless contract required. They are expected to start shipping by mid-October.

Google uses its Nexus line of phones to showcase how the company would like Android to be set up. Most phone makers, though, still take advantage of the freedom that Google gives them to alter Android, although the free software usually is still set up to drive traffic to Google's search engine, YouTube video site and other digital services.

Marshmallow also features Google's revised mobile payment system, Android Pay, and more privacy controls, including support for fingerprint scanning for phones such as the new Nexus models equipped with that technology.

"In a multiscreen world, it is even more important for Google to do the hard work so the experience is simple and delightful for the users," Google CEO Sundar Pichai said.

Cameras, fast charging challenge iPhone

The Nexus phones also feature better cameras than previous models, matching similar upgrades that Apple just made to its iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus.

Google Inc. is promising the Nexus 6P will be able to be fully charged in half the time that it takes the iPhone 6s Plus.

The Nexus 6P has a 5.7-inch screen, slightly larger than the iPhone 6s Plus. The Nexus 5X has a 5.2-inch screen.

The debut of the latest Nexus phones underscores the steadily intensifying rivalry between Google and Apple as they duel for consumers' loyalty in the increasingly important mobile device market. The battle also encompasses tablets and is starting to spill over into the living room as both companies introduce devices that help people watch internet video on their TVs and listen to online music through their speakers.

Besides its Nexus phones, Google also began selling upgrades to its Chromecast video-streaming device and a new Chromecast model that can be plugged into speakers to play music from a phone or an internet service. The devices will sell for $45 apiece in Canada. The original Chromecast sells for $40.

Google disclosed Tuesday that more than 20 million of the Chromecast video devices have been sold since its debut two years ago.

Google also provided a peek at a tablet called the Pixel C that is aimed at consumers and workers who want a device that can accommodate a lot of typing. The $499US tablet comes with an attachable $149US keyboard that transforms the device into the equivalent of a laptop, when needed. Google did not release Canadian pricing. Apple will begin selling a similar model of its pioneering iPad later this fall.

Apple got a head start on Google with the release of its newest iPhones last week. More than 13 million of the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus were sold during their first three days on the market, according to Apple, the strongest debut for the device yet.

Although iPhones tend to generate more excitement and longer lines when they are released, far more smartphones run on Android. More than 1.4 billion devices worldwide are now powered by Android, up from 1 billion a year ago, according to Google. 

source: http://www.cbc.ca

Google Expected to Unveil New Nexus Phones, Latest Android OS

Google is expected to unveil two new Nexus smartphones, its new mobile operating system and the next generation of its Chromecast streaming device at an event in San Francisco on Tuesday.

Analysts will be watching closely, but not just for product updates: The event marks Sundar Pichai's first presentation as CEO and investors will be looking for signals of a change in direction for Google's business.

"[It] will be interesting to see if Pichai talks about any topics other than products. Will he discuss business or organizational goals‎ for Google? [We] will be looking for signs of how active or distinct of a CEO he will be," said RBC Capital Markets analyst Mark Mahaney.

Pichai is expected to unveil Google's new flagship Nexus phones from LG and Huawei. The Nexus 6P is Huawei's first Nexus device and, according to Android Police, will be available for pre-order on Tuesday in the U.S., U.K., Ireland, Canada and Japan starting at $499.99 and the device features a metal body, Gorilla Glass 4, a Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 v 2.1 processor and 3450mAh battery.

The Nexus line provides Google with the opportunity to show off the features of its new Android software. Most device makers and carriers customize Android, but Nexus phones run an unchanged version, allowing Google to showcase its vision for the new OS dubbed "Android Marshmallow."

The two new Nexus phones Pichai is expected roll out are an important part of Google's pitch to developers to get them to build apps on the platform. According to Comscore, Android has 51 percent of the US smartphone market share and an even greater share of the pie outside the U.S., where Apple's iOS devices are less popular.

Android Marshmallow, first unveiled in May, includes some key new features to rival Apple's iOS 9 and is expected to be released in early October.

Android Pay — a rival to Apple Pay — lets users pay for products using an Android phone, and virtual assistant Google Now gets an upgrade with Now On Tap, which let users access the service by holding down the home button, just like Apple's Siri. The new feature also incorporates information Google knows about users, such as location data and data from gmail, to suggest useful information.

Pacific Crest analyst Evan Wilson said that the fragmentation of Android limits its impact in the short term. Only 21 percent of Android smartphones are currently running Google's latest Android OS, Lollipop, according to the Google Play store.

Still, Android has "closed the functionality gap with [Apple's] iOS at high end and is now a true competitor," Wilson said — an important step since Android phones are generally seen as targeted to more price-conscious users.

Google is also expected to announce the second generation of Chromecast stick with home screen support for streaming video and improved Wi-Fi capabilities, and a new Chromecast audio stick for streaming music. Android Police reports that Google will also announce a Play Music family plan for $15 per month for up to 6 devices, rivaling similar offerings from Spotify and Apple. It's all part of Google's effort to get more devices using Google's platform.

With Android facing probes in Europe and reportedly in the U.S. over antitrust claims, first reported by Bloomberg, Google is under increased scrutiny from regulators, though analysts are split on how much of a threat these investigations pose to Google's business. "For now, we are assuming that regulatory scrutiny of Android will not lead to any material changes at Google. Largely because there are no direct revenue streams associated with Android," said Mahaney.

But SunTrust analyst Robert Peck says Wall Street is not so optimistic. "Many believe there could be some cash penalty, akin to what Microsoft saw several years ago (several billion). However, the much more important part would be any impact to top-line growth rates, should Google be forced to emphasize other services (i.e., YELP) over its own," he said.

source: http://www.nbcnews.com

This Is Not The New Nokia Android Smartphone You Desire

Nokia’s fall from the top of the smartphone pyramid is a story that will continue to be told for many years to come. Fans of the Finns have long hoped for a Jobsian revival of the company that started the first smartphone revolution now that the dalliance with Windows Phone is consigned to the history books. Those hopes rest on an Android-powered device, and a recent leak offers fresh hope to the followers.

The potential handset’s image was found on CNMO (reports The Verge) and suggests a model name of Nokia C1, powered by an Intel Atom processor, running Android 6.0 Marshmallow, and comes with a 5-inch sized 1080p screen. These specifications and the bare-bones nature of the handset point to a budget or mid-range device.

The timing feels wrong as well. The purchase of Nokia’s Devices and Services section by Microsoft included a number of clauses that prevents Nokia marketing a smartphone for a fixed period. Morlino also acknowledged this:

As we agreed with Microsoft, the soonest that could happen is Q4 2016 — so it’s safe to say Nokia won’t be back (at least in phone form…) before then.

There’s nothing that I’m aware of that would stop Nokia sourcing partners and designing a handset that would be ready to go on sale when the agreement expires. But if you’re expecting this Nokia-badged handset to appear in the next few months, you will be disappointed.

source: http://www.forbes.com/

Lenovo's new smartphones are weird

Alongside all of its other announcements today, Lenovo is showing off a pile of random, weird smartphones. None of them will be coming to North America, but if you're wondering what Motorola's parent company has planned for China, the Middle East, and Europe, prepare to take in the strangeness. The craziest of all are the two Phab phones. I've made my peace with the Phablet term — it was annoying until it wasn't, and now that all phones are basically huge, it sort of doesn't really apply to anything anymore. But Lenovo is embracing it and, well, extending it. The base model Phab has a 6.98-inch, 1080p screen and decidedly middle-of-the-road internal specs. The upgraded Phab Plus has a slightly smaller 6.8-inch screen with the same resolution and slightly better internals, including 2GB of RAM and a Qualcomm 615 processor. Neither is powerful, both stretch the definition of phone past the breaking point and into tablet territory. Lenovo's PR says that these devices "eliminate the dilemma of choosing between costly smartphones with big screens and underwhelming small tablets by offering a sweet-spot 6.8-inch device." I say it's a small tablet you can make calls with. Potato, Potahto, Phab. If that's not weird enough for you, gaze upon the Vibe S1, which has two front-facing cameras for selfies. The main sensor is 8 megapixels while the second is just a 2mp depth-sensing camera so you can add bokeh effects to your selfies. There's also some surprisingly decent specs to commend the Vibe S1 to you: it has a MediaTek processor, sure, but there's 3GB of RAM and 160GB of storage. Lenovo also has a Vibe P1 and P1m, both of which have another gimmick: a physical switch that puts the phone into power-saving mode. Oh, and one more: absolutely gigantic batteries. The P1m is the lower-end of the two with a 5.5-inch 720p screen and a 4,000mAh (!) battery. The P1 has a nicer 1080p, 5-inch screen and a 5,000mAh (!!!) battery. Just. Massive. The P1 weighs 6.67 ounces, too, which for a phone is not light. All of these phones will be coming out in the next few months — some as early as this month. But, again, North American customers won't be able to partake in the weirdness. Sorry. source: http://www.theverge.com

Obi Mobiles to launch new line of smartphones on 26 August in San Francisco

Obi Mobiles is set to launch its new line of smartphones on August 26, 2015, in the Silicon Valley. The company has been co-founded by  John Sculley, former head of Apple and Pepsi-Cola. At the moment, the company has established its presence in various countries including Dubai, Shenzhen, New Delhi, London, Singapore and USA.

Naturally, everyone wants a piece of one of the fastest growing smartphone markets in the world. India has seen a number of new brands make an entry in the smartphone market last year alone. From Chinese companies such as Gionee and Oppo, to American PC giants HP to brands such as Japan’s Panasonic have given up on the smartphone game back home, but have big budgets for India.

In the past, Obi Mobiles had launched its flagship smartphone dubbed Octopus S520. Sporting a  metallic design, the Octopus S520 is powered by a 1.7GHz octa-core processor, coupled with 1GB of RAM. Following the current trend among budget phones, it runs on the latest Android 4.4 KitKat. It sports a 5-inch HD IPS display and the company claims that the thickest part of the device is 8.4mm.

The Dual SIM smartphone comes with support for 3G. The 8GB onboard storage can be expanded further up to 32GB. On camera front, one can expect 8-megapixel rear camera and a 2-megapixel front-facing camera. The device is fuelled by an 1800mAh battery that promises 240 minutes of talktime and 180 hours of standby time.

source: http://tech.firstpost.com

Samsung Woos iPhone Users with $1 Trial Offer for Latest Smartphones

Samsung is offering users of rival Apple (AAPL) iPhones a 30-day trial to test its latest Galaxy S6 Edge+ and Galaxy Note 5 phablet in a no-strings attached promotion that costs users $1 to participate.

The vendor has set up a separate web page for what it’s calling its “Ultimate Test Drive” promotion, which begins on Friday, August 21, corresponding to the opening day of availability for the new smartphones announced last week. The offer comes with a free data plan, an activated SIM card and is not tied any single carrier, Samsung said. The standard Galaxy S6 Edge also is included as an option in the offer.

Here’s the online text of the offer:

For just one dollar, you can try one of our latest Samsung phones for 30 days with no obligation. Your test drive kit will come with the phone of your choice, an activated sim card, and a step-by-step guide to help you start your test drive. After 30 days, if you buy a qualifying Samsung device, there’s even more love in store for you.

Samsung’s promotion comes as the growth rate of global smartphone shipments slowed to its lowest level in two years, according to researcher Gartner. In Q2, worldwide smartphone shipments grew 13.5 percent from the same period last year to 330 million units, hampered by saturation in the China market, Gartner said. China accounts for some 30 percent of total worldwide smartphone sales, the researcher said.

While Samsung continues to lead the segment with 72 million units shipped for the quarter and a 21.9 percent share, its position has been eroded by some 5 percent by Apple, which moved 48.1 million units during the period for a 14.6 stake of the global market. Samsung shipped about 4 million fewer smartphones in Q2 this year than at the same time last year as Apple shipped 13.3 million more units.

Samsung competitors Huawei and Xiaomi also saw significant year-over-year shipment increases in Q2, Gartner said, although Lenovo shipped 2.5 million fewer units for the period.

The Korean manufacturer hopes its new Note 5 phablet and S6 Edge+ handsets will reverse the trend with a kickstart from the month-long test drive promotion.

source: http://thevarguy.com