Wednesday, 15 August 2012

Reviews

Although my blog is still in its early days. Im looking to focus my blog, mainly on Android hardware.
Rather than following the mainstream android bloggers and blogging everything android related.

Any manufacturers who are willing to loan devices to me for review...please get in touch.

Without help from manufacturers I wont be able to get this blog of the ground.

Wednesday, 1 August 2012

Android 4 is coming to Raspberry PI!

Android 4.0 is coming!

Naren has been working on a port of Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) to Raspberry Pi, and as you can see from the screenshots and video below, he’s been making great progress. Hardware-accelerated graphics and video have been up and running smoothly for some time; AudioFlinger support is the only major missing piece at the moment.



This implementation uses a different kernel and VideoCore binary image from the one available on GitHub, which is why we’ve been keeping quiet about it so far. We’re investigating the feasibility of converging the two code lines to produce a single common platform as soon as we can, at which point we hope to release the sources for you to play with.


Originally posted on raspberrypi.org

Prestigio Multipad PMP5080B - Review

Prestigio Multipad PMP5080B


 




A low cost Android tablet, for those on a budget.
Before I review this 8" tablet offering from Prestigio
Here is a list of the tech specs.

CPU    ARM Cortex A8 Rockchip RK2918
CPU Internal Clock Rate    1.00 GHz
Display
Display Size    8.0"
Display Resolution    800x600
Display Technology    TFT LCD
Display Features    Capacitive multi touch screen
Screen rotation    N/A
Memory
Internal Memory Size    4 GB
Installed RAM Storage Capacity    512 MB DDR
Flash Card    Supported Micro SD/Micro SDHC Card
Phone Features
Phone Technology    No
Phone Protocols    No
Phone Bands    No
Interface
Interfaces    HDMI, USB 2.0, Wi-Fi, SD, SHDC
Interface Wi-Fi    IEEE 802.11a/b/g/n
Interface Bluetooth    N/A
Interface USB    USB 2.0
Interface HDMI    1 x HDMI
Interface Audio    1 x 3.5 mm mini jack
Interface VGA    Not
Multimedia
Digital Camera    2 Megapixel, Front Facing
Supported eBook Formats    FLV
Supported Audio Formats    APE, WAV, OGG, AAC, WMA, MP3, FLAC
Supported Picture Formats    BMP, JPG, GIF
Supported Video Formats    AVI, MP4, MKV, FLV, MOV, WMV, RM, RMVB
Video Features    Video Download, Video Playback
Sound Features    MP3 player, Sound Recording
Software
Operating System    Android 2.3 or Android 4.0.3
Battery
Battery Technology    Lithium Polymer
Battery Current Capacity    5400 mAh
Battery Video playback Time    Max 4hr
Battery Audio playback Time    Max 6hr
Battery Standby Time    N/A
Miscellaneous
Built-in Devices    Stereo Speakers, Card Reader, Microphone
Included Accessories    Power Adapter
System Requirements    N/A
Applications Installed    N/A
Warranty
   
Warranty Term (month)    24 month

First impressions.
Opening the box reveals the tablet comes safely tucked away in a very nice leather sleeve, which is lined with some kind of red felt material, which helps to keep to tablet snug inside the sleeve.
The PMP5080b weighs around 500g and feels very well built indeed. no visible gaps around the edges of the screen. button layout is very good, with power and volume buttons being on the left handside. there is also 4 capacitive buttons on the right edge of the screen.

Performance.
When I received the tablet, it came installed with Android 2.3 Gingerbread, but soon after purchasing an upgraded to Android 4.0.3 Ice cream sandwich version was made available. so for the purpose of this review I will be using this tablet with ICS.
Boot time is around 45 seconds and around 50 seconds before it is "fully" loaded up and the app menu populated. the User interface is very responsive and fluid with virtually no lag. Games such as Angry Birds and Temple Run, run perfectly fine with no lag. HD video play back is good, but due to the 800x600 screen resolution an 4:3 aspect ratio. you really need to connect to a HD tv to watch HD video in all its glory.
Browsing the Web using the built in Web browser is good, sometimes text seems a little washed out. but generally the browsing experience is very good, especially in landscape mode.
 The only issue I have encountered when using the PMP5080B is when watching HD content on the YouTube app. I can only watch a couple of minutes before buffering occurs! I know my internet connection is fine, So this has to be an issue with YouTube's Application or the tablet.

Benchmarking with Quadrant Standard gives a score of 1537




Battery life is rather good, Thanks to the 5400mah battery. I can typically get around 6 hours out of the device. when browsing the web, using Facebook and Twitter.

Verdict
 Prestigio have delivered a truly wonderful device for around 180 Euro. which im sure could give some of the more expensive devices a run for their money. It would be nice if the device had a higher screen resolution, But I suspect this would push the costs up a lot more.
An excellent device, especially for those on a budget.

My rating 4/5.

The PMP5080B can be purchased from PrestigoPlaza

Monday, 9 July 2012

Samsung Galaxy S2 updates

Official updates to Ice cream sandwich 4.0.4 are starting to roll out!

First one is for Russian S2's
Available via samfirmware.com or via Kies


Leaked firmware for GT-i9100 (I9100XXLQ5)

A few days ago a leaked firmware for the Samsung Galaxy S II (GT-i9100) surfaced on the web. originally posted by samfirmware.com and then posted on various android forums, Including the popular forum XDA it has since come to light that this leaked firmware can brick your phone, if used incorrectly!! The leaked firmware (I9100XXLQ5 Ice cream sandwich 4.0.4) is available to download via samfirmware.com and comes in the form of 4 files, flashable via Odin.
If you wish to flash your s2 with this firmware, Please do not use to included .Pit file as you will end up losing some internal storage. Also do NOT attempt to use CWM recovery to wipe your phone after flashing, as chances are your WILL brick your phone

Samsung Galaxy S III

Samsung's latest flagship Android device is now available to buy from various networks and is also available
sim free.
At the time of writing this post. The Galaxy S III was available from Amazon.co.uk sim free for
around £480. in pebble blue or marble white.


Product Features

  • Product code : MICSAMI9300PBLU
  • Brand : SAMSUNG
  • Manufacturer part number : GT-I9300MBDBTU
  • PLEASE SEE PRODUCT DESCRIPTION BELOW FOR MORE INFORMATION
  • With a 4.8 inch HD Super AMOLED display, the GALAXY S III offers a large and vivid viewing experience. Samsung Mobile's heritage Super AMOLED display even enhances to HD and 16:9 wider viewing angles.
  • With the innovative smart stay feature, Galaxy S III automatically recognises when you are looking at the phone, whether it is to read an e-book or browse the web. The front camera looks deep into your eyes and maintains a bright display for continued viewing pleasure
  • The Galaxy S III's minimal and organic design is reflected in its smooth and non-linear lines. Its comfortable grip, gentle curves and platinum organic form deliver a natural look and feel
  • In addition to recognising your face and voice, the Galaxy S III understands your motions to offer maximised usability. If you are messaging someone but decide to call them instead, simply lift your phone to your ear and ‘Direct call’ will dial their number
  • Doing things simultaneously on the Galaxy S III is easy and fun. With 'Pop up Play' and the powerful Quad-Core processor, you can watch an HD video in another window while sending an email or text simultaneously

Technical Details


Network: 2.5G (GSM/GPRS/EDGE 850/900/1800/1900 MHz), 3G (HSPA+ 21Mbps 850/900/1900/2100 MHz), 4G (Dependent on market)
Display: 4.8 inch HD Super AMOLED 1280 x 720
OS: Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich)
Main Camera (Rear): 8MP Auto Focus with Flash and Zero Shutter Lag, BIS
Sub Camera (Front): 1.9MP, HD recording (30fps), with Zero Shutter Lag, BSI
Video Codec: MPEG4, H.264, H.263, DivX, DivX3.11, VC-1, VP8, WMV7/8, Sorenson Spark
Recording/Playback: Full HD 1080p
Audio Codec: MP3, AMR-NB/WB, AAC/AAC+/eAAC+, WMA, OGG, FLAC, AC-3, apt-X
Additional Features: S Beam, Buddy photo share, Share shot, AllShare Play, AllShare Cast, Smart stay, Social tag, Group tag, Face zoom, Face slide show, Direct call, Smart alert, Tap to top, Camera quick access, Pop up play, S Voice, Burst shot, Best photo,
Recording snapshot, HDR
Google Mobile Services: Google Search, Google Maps, Gmail, Google Latitude, Google Play Store, Google Play Books, Google Play Movies, Google Plus, YouTube, Google Talk, Google Places, Google Navigation, Google Downloads
Connectivity: WiFi a/b/g/n, WiFi HT40, GPS/GLONASS, NFC, Bluetooth 4.0(LE)
Sensor: Accelerometer, RGB light, Digital compass, Proximity, Gyro, Barometer
Memory: 16 Gb user memory, MicroSD slot (up to 64Gb)
Dimensions: 136.6 x 70.6 x 8.6 mm
Weight: 133 g
Battery: 2100 mAh.
Hoping to review this samsung device. once I can get my hands on one!