Alcatel unveils 6-inch One Touch Hero smartphone with E Ink and LED cover options

Alcatel's pen-toting One Touch Scribe HD now has a larger counterpart: meet the One Touch Hero. The new Android 4.2 smartphone upgrades to a 6-inch 1080p LCD, and gets a raft of optional cover accessories that augment the giant display. An E Ink cover lets owners read books without using the power-hungry main screen; there's also a wireless charging cover and a MagicFlip cover with LED notifications. Even without those extras, the Hero is overall more powerful than its Scribe HD ancestor. It carries a faster 1.5GHz quad-core processor with 2GB of RAM, a sharper 13-megapixel rear camera, an improved 2-megapixel front shooter and either 8GB or 16GB of expandable storage. Should you be intrigued, the One Touch Hero will be available in October for a "high-end" price. Alcatel will also sell a Bluetooth phone accessory (much like the HTC Mini+), a TV Link video adapter and a pico projector that doubles as a stand. %Gallery-slideshow77141%

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile

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Source: Alcatel

ASUS briefly posts Fonepad 7 ad that reveals dual front speakers (video)

ASUS can't stop tweaking the Fonepad, it seems. Just a few months after boosting the specs of its phone-and-tablet hybrid, the company has inadvertently posted (and retracted) a video ad for yet another refresh, the Fonepad 7. You'll be disappointed if you were expecting a more substantial update this time around, though. As Android Community notes, the biggest change to the Atom-powered slate is the addition of dual front-facing speakers. After that, the visible upgrades are limited to a 5-megapixel rear camera (up from 3.2MP) and an integrated contact interface for calls and text messaging. There aren't any clues in the promo as to when the Fonepad 7 will launch, although the timing hints that we could learn more at IFA.

Filed under: Tablets, ASUS

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Source: Android Community

Google teases Android 4.4 as 'KitKat,' passes one billion Android activations

Google's SVP Sundar Pichai has just confirmed -- by way of the above photo -- that the next version of Android is named KitKat (rather than the rumored "Key Lime Pie") aka version 4.4. The exec shared this geeky nugget on both Google+ and Twitter, while his company has updated the Android developer site with a page chronicling Android's milestones so far. While details are light at the moment, Google teases its upcoming release with the following line:

"It's our goal with Android KitKat to make an amazing Android experience available for everybody."

And just to recap, here are all the previous dessert-based names: Cupcake, Donut, Eclair, Froyo, Gingerbread, Honeycomb, Ice Cream Sandwich, and Jelly Bean. Yep, it's "K" after "J" now.

Pichai also announced that there are now over one billion Android device activations, surpassing the 900 million mark back in May this year.

Developing...

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, Google

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Source: Google+, @SundarPichai (Twitter), Google

Cell Phones : [ Samsung Galaxy Centura™ (Straight Talk) ]

Android™ 4.0, Ice Cream Sandwich Makes Multitasking a Snap

Acer Liquid S2 hands-on

Acer is known for its influence on the PC and tablet markets, but it does actually have a pretty solid Android smartphone lineup as well -- and the company is starting to put more focus behind it. Take the Acer Liquid S2, for instance: it's a 6-inch Android smartphone with 4K recording capability, a Snapdragon 800 processor and 13MP camera, and we had the opportunity to check it out in Berlin ahead of IFA 2013. It's destined to arrive in Europe this October at a suggested price of 549 EUR.

The unit will come in both black and red hues, and we were able to play with each one. Reps indicated to us that the units they had on hand are still pre-production, so both firmware and hardware are subject to change between now and the phone's launch. With that said, we didn't notice any bugs or issues with general performance, but let's face it: even when it's not fully optimized, a device packing Snapdragon 800 still feels incredibly fast. Head past the break for our first impressions.

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Filed under: Cellphones, Wireless, Mobile

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Cell Phones : [ T-Mobile® Sidekick® 4G Android Smartphone ]

Ultimate Messaging

Now Powered by Android™

Unique and Stylish Form Factor

Total Entertainment Package at 4G Speed



Ultimate Messaging

The T-Mobile® Sidekick® 4G offers you innovative ways to always be socially connected so you never miss a tidbit of news. You have Group Text, which allows multiple people to text at the same time on one threaded message. Cloud Text is also available, which lets you text over the web using your PC. With your Sidekick 4G, email is always at your fingertips. Social Networking is this phone's specialty, with Facebook® and Twitter™ preloaded. Plus, all your favorite social networking sites are in one convenient location with Feeds and Updates. The front facing camera with Qik offers you uninterrupted video chat with friends and family over a 4G network.

Logitech unveils two folio cases for Galaxy Tab 3 owners

Logitech is giving its Android tablet accessory line a welcome boost today by launching versions of its Ultrathin Keyboard Folio and Folio Protective Case for Samsung's Galaxy Tab 3 range. Both protectors are largely on par with their iPad counterparts, although there's varying levels of compatibility. The Ultrathin Keyboard Folio (shown above) is built solely for the Galaxy Tab 3 10.1, and centers on a Bluetooth keyboard that turns the tablet into a makeshift laptop. The Folio Protective Case (pictured after the break) drops the keyboard, but it's available for all three Galaxy Tab models. You'll find both cases in stores this October. The Folio Protective Case will cost $50 regardless of tablet size, while the Ultrathin Keyboard Folio will sell for $100.

Filed under: Peripherals, Tablets, Samsung

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Source: Logitech