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ASUS Computex teaser hints at PadFone Laptop mashup

ASUS has released its second teaser video leading up to Computex 2014 next week. This time, the hints are somewhat more obvious, which could be pointing to a new PadFone that comes complete with a keyboard dock.



Will it blend? Or perhaps ASUS really meant "will it mix?" It does and it actually has. There was a time when ASUS' PadFone came not just with a tablet dock but a keyboard dock as well, giving users practically three devices in one: a smartphone, a tablet, and a laptop. Those days seemed to be over, until a recent sighting at FCC seemed to imply otherwise.


There, a somewhat large phablet was seen hanging around not just with a tablet but also with a keyboard. This gave rise to hopes of the official return of the accessory, though there were indicators that this could be a bit different from previous generations of PadFone devices and their keyboard companions. If the speculation holds, the keyboard would not have any battery to supplement that of the phone's or the tablet's and would actually communicate via Bluetooth instead of physical interfaces. Depending on your opinion of Bluetooth keyboards, that could be a good or a bad thing.




It's still not clear how the first teaser connects with this, which could be a totally different device. Fans and aspiring PadFone owners would have to keep their eyes peeled once Computex starts rolling next week on June 2. As for that other PadFone model, AT&T has already revealed that the PadFone X will be available for pre-order next week as well.





Reuters: T-Mobile sale to Softbank nearly final

If you’re not a fan of the T-Mobile/Sprint merger, this news may not make you happy. Reuters is reporting that T-Mobile parent company Deutsche Telekom has agreed to terms with Sprint parent company Softbank to sell T-Mobile. This would move Sprint and T-Mobile closer together, likely merging the two US carriers.




This news comes to Reuters via Japanese news agency Kyodo, who are citing “industry sources”. They’re reporting that sometime in mid-May, Softbank CEO Masayoshi Son proposed his terms to Deutsche Telekom, and was received favorably. T-Mobile’s parent company has been actively pursuing a sale of the company they hold a 67% interest in, and have been outspoken about the need for carrier consolidation in the US.


At the Code conference, this week, Softbank’s Son praised T-Mobile CEO John Legere’s efforts to shake the industry up. Legere is believed to be the frontrunner for the CEO spot if the two companies merge, where current Sprint CEO Dan Hesse has said he’d gladly step down to let Legere rule. Son and Legere are also similar men with swashbuckling ambition.


Though the merger may have been hammered out, the FCC still has the final say. They’ve recently made moves to allow smaller carriers like Sprint and T-Mobile equity in spectrum auctions, a move believed to stop this merger short. The FCC is outspoken about their desire to have four major carriers in the US, so it seems push may have come to shove.


There is no indication at this time any finalized paperwork has been filed, or any agreement committed to. The deal is believed to be upwards of $40-50 billion, roughly double what Softbank paid for Sprint two years ago.


Source: Reuters





Search Now lets you do search inside any app

Here is yet another floating icon, multitasking app that shows a bit of promise. Search Now puts the ability to do web or even app searches right under your fingertips, no matter what app you're in. And it's even quite configurable.



Search Now uses the same Facebook chat heads floating icon mechanism that seems to be showing up quite a lot of late. Like Inapp Translator, which we took for a quick test a few days ago, you can relocate the circle or even hide it completely with a tap and hold gesture. Unlike Inapp Translator, however, you don't need to leave your current app and go to the main app just to bring it back up. Search Now lets you bring back the search window by tapping on its Notification panel entry, which is a configurable setting.


Tapping on the icon or the notification will bring up a window with a search bar. What makes Search Now a bit special is that it doesn't just do web searches. It goes through you contacts, apps, bookmarks, media, calendars, and even settings, to bring up relevant results. Even better, it lets you choose which search engine to use. Supported ones include Google, Yahoo, Bing, and, for the privacy-conscious, DuckDuckGo. Search Now has settings that let you control the size of the floating icon, which it calls the "Point", and its translucency.


Search Now does have its own set of quirks. For one, the settings can be a bit confusing. The "Stay in notification" option, when enabled, will put a notification entry for Search Now whether or not the floating icon is visible. If disabled, the notification only appears if the icon is hidden. However, if you disable the floating icon, it will also disable Stay in notification, so you can't have a notification without permanently hiding the icon. This is a bit annoying because if the icon is hidden and you tap on the notification, it becomes visible again. The second issue is a random one, that of performance. Search Now tries to present real-time search suggestions, which could bog down the app when using some search engines. Unfortunately, this has the effect of also temporarily freezing up the whole device.


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Still, perhaps with a bit more polish, Search Now can be a formidable tool in the multitasker's belt. It's free to download from Google Play Store and, best of all, doesn't have any in-app purchases.


Download: Search Now on Google Play Store

VIA: XDA


Samsung SIMBAND puts health at the heart of wearables

While Google is making Android Wear the software platform for the next wave of wearables, Samsung is doing its own thing on the hardware side. It is putting forth SIMBAND as an open sensor platform that can be used to usher in a new generation of wearables that focus on health.



Let's get this out of the way first. SIMBAND isn't a consumer device. It is quite simply a platform that could be used to develop consumer devices. Samsung calls it an "Investigational Device", really meant more for research and development. As a development platform, Samsung wants to leverage the power of the community by making every part open. The hardware is open, the software is open, the mechanical design is open. The open reference sensor module, which is the size of an SD card and is powered by a 1 GHz dual-core Cortex A7 chip, can work with any advanced sensors, either from Samsung or from other vendors. The key point is to get as much people working towards the same goal.


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And Samsung has a rather ambitious vision for that goal, one that is probably shared by any wearable device manufacturer. It envisions a health-centric wearable device that can give users the deepest and most accurate insight into their health, without sacrificing privacy and security, and without having to charge every half day or so. For the battery and charging, Samsung is planning something rather special called a Shuttle Battery. Instead of charging the smartwatch, or any wearable, directly, you instead charge the battery charger which you then plug into the smartwatch, without having to remove it from your wrist.


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When it comes to the software side of the platform, Samsung isn't exactly being talkative. While there is mention of open software, that pretty much covers both Android and Tizen, the latter of which is its latest darling for its wearables. Then there is also Android Wear, based on Android but more formally designed for such devices, though Samsung hasn't exactly expressed or hinted at any interest in the new platform.


VIA: SlashGear


US Cellular Galaxy S III getting Android 4.4.2 Kit Kat

The Samsung Galaxy S III is far from the newest device in the US Cellular lineup. But despite having a pair of successors (Galaxy S4 and Galaxy S5) enter the lineup, it seems US Cellular is giving the Galaxy S III some attention. Simply put -- the handset is getting an update.



US Cellular users carrying a Galaxy S III are getting Kit Kat. The update is arriving as Android 4.4.2 and will bump the baseband version to R530UVXCND4. You'll be able to grab the update over-the-air (if connected to WiFi), or by connecting your device to a computer using a USB connection.


The former (WiFi option) is the easier of the two, however Samsung does have a detailed set of directions available for those looking to update through USB and a computer. And to clarify, the computer update process works on Windows 7, Vista or XP. Mac users will have to stick to the over-the-air option.


Perhaps key here -- this update brings improvements with the Phone Dialer, Hangouts and the Camera app. Users will notice how contacts will now be prioritized based on how often you use them. The camera improvement means a new 'touch to focus' with the option to adjust the focus and exposure.


Anyway, those carrying a US Cellular branded Galaxy S III will want to keep an eye out for an update notification.


SOURCE: US Cellular





Samsung Galaxy Tab S firmware reveals fingerprint sensor, ultra power saving mode

Samsung's next AMOLED tablet might still be a good week or two away, but the firmware for the Galaxy Tab S is now already available online. And thanks to some sleuthing by the folks at SamMobile, we're getting a peek at some of the features in this device, including a fingerprint scanner.



The manufacturer already made it known that it wants to bring the its biometrics-based security technology to more of its Galaxy line in the future. For now, that has so far been limited to a fingerprint scanner on the Galaxy S5. An inspection of the firmware for the upcoming Galaxy Tab S, however, revealed instructions on how to use a fingerprint scanner, which pretty much confirms the presence of that feature in the tablet as well.


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Also interesting is the presence of Ultra Power Saving Mode, a feature again so far only found on the Galaxy S5. This special mode tries to conserve battery by muting colors on the screen and turning completely black and white. Considering how this feature works only or most efficiently with AMOLED displays, which uses no power to display a black pixel, this also confirms the rumors and leaks of AMOLED technology being used for this tablet. The firmware also has other interesting tidbits, like the camera app interface and the new Magazine UX that debuted with the Galaxy Pro tablet line.


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The firmware for the WiFi-only model of the Galaxy Tab S, namely the SM-T800, is already up, but mostly for the purposes of reflashing to stock ROM. The existence of this 10.5-inch tablet isn't expected to be formally acknowledge until around June 12.


VIA: SamMobile (1), (2)





OnePlus details the next phase of invites

OnePlus caused a bit of controversy when they announced the "Smash the Past" marketing stunt for users to get invitations to buy the One smartphone. The company later switched things up and decided to let users donate their old phone, as opposed to smash it.



It seems 86 of those 100 winners chose to donate to Medic Mobile. That company refurbishes the phones then sends them out to be used by healthcare workers in impoverished regions of the world. That aside, it seems OnePlus is going to continue on the path of giving back.


The company has recently announced the "Invites For A Cause" initiative. This is a setup where OnePlus will be auctioning off a "super pack" of invites. The highest bidder will get 15 invitations, which sort of opens things up quite a bit.


One person could bid, win and then give the invitations away. Or alternatively, a group of people could get in on the action for one large bid. The 'for a cause' aspect comes in with what OnePlus will be doing with the money from the winning bid.


You may have guessed it -- they will be making a charitable donation. They are allowing forum members to choose who gets the donation, and users can choose to vote for Water.org, Unicef, WWF or 1% for the Planet.


SOURCE: OnePlus





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