Sharp Aquos Crystal smartphone gets its official video trailer

We talked about the Sharp Aquos Crystal smartphone a bit earlier this month when the edge-to-edge display of the smartphone was first unveiled. This week Sharp has rolled out the official video trailer for the phone touting some of the features the device offers. The video focuses not so much on the hardware inside the smartphone as it does on the things the phone offers for audio and camera functionality.

Sharp brags that the Crystal smartphone has Harmon Kardon audio inside to improve the quality of sound for music and conversations. Another cool feature of the device when it comes to audio is that the smartphone has a direct wave receiver that uses the entire front panel of the phone to produce sound, rather than a small speaker.

That direct wave receiver means that when you pick the phone up to answer a call you get better sound quality no matter what position you hold the smartphone in against your face. Sharp also fits the Crystal with Clari-Fi sound technology that is designed to restore audio files to their original glory for improved sound quality.

The video also talks a lot about the camera featuring shutter detection to snap a picture when a smile is detected on the subjects face. Other camera features include panoramic mode, night capture mode, and a picture framing advisor with grid lines to make framing images easier. To store all the video and images Sharp expects users of the device to take, the Crystal has a microSD card slot that supports up to 128GB of storage.

Samsung Galaxy Mega 2 leak shows a different set of specs

Samsung is preparing yet another one of its gigantic contraptions, that much is known. But what the Galaxy Mega 2 will bring to the table is still a bit of a mystery. A new leaked photo gives us a glimpse of the giant once again, but it is noticeably different from the specs we've seen before.

The details we've gathered from TENAA certification reveal a 6-inch beast with a 720p resolution screen. It is powered by a 1.2 GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon processor and paired with 2 GB of RAM. Internal storage is capped at 8 GB. The two cameras on this version of the specs measure 13 megapixels and 5 megapixels on the rear and front, respectively.

This new set of components differ slightly but still comes with the same 6-inch 720p display. The processor has been swapped out with a relatively unknown Pega Pro quad-core chip, said to be running at 1.5 GHz, while memory has been taken down a small notch, now at 1.5 GB only. The cameras have also been downgraded, left at 8 megapixels on the back and 2.1 megapixels for selfies and video chat. Interestingly, there is more storage space, which now measures 16 GB.

There is a plausible explanation for this discrepancy. Samsung has been known to out at least two variants of a device with slightly different specs, depending on the region. That said, this tactic will be quite new to the Galaxy Mega, which previously had two very different models, one with a 6.3-inch screen and another with only 5.8 inches. It is somewhat reassuring that this time, Samsung will be sticking to the same 6-inch size for both variants. All that's left now is to find out which of the two will be landing in the US, a detail that might be revealed in IFA 2014 next month.

VIA: SlashGear, GSMArena

Story Timeline

• Samsung Galaxy Mega Plus takes the giant to a new quad-core level


• Galaxy Mega 6.3 takes a bullet for man in altercation in China


• Samsung Galaxy Mega 2 certified by TENAA, has faux leather design

ASUS teases Android Wear smartwatch unveil at IFA

Around two months ago, rumours of a fourth smartwatch using the Android Wear platform began circulating, and ASUS was the most likely suspect to develop it. Reports were saying that the Taiwanese OEM would be launching its own device to compete with the LG G Watch, Samsung Gear Live and the soon-to-be-out-in-the-market Moto 360. Now a tweet from ASUS seems to confirm and tease that they will indeed be launching one at next month’s IFA.

The tweet teases a watchface-like image hidden in the shadows, which most likely pertains to the launch of a new smartwatch. The image also contains a quote from author Khalil Gibran, saying “Time has been transformed and we have changed.” The tweet then says that “something #Incredible” will be happening at the #IFA2014. So unless they’re pertaining to an entirely different thing, then it’s most likely their long-rumored new toy.

Rumors have placed the smartwatch, at least in terms of prices, somewhere in the lower range of Android Wear devices, between $99 and $149. But in terms of specs, it will probably be close to the two existing ones in the market, as the platform is relatively new in the wearables industry. It will reportedly use both voice and gesture controls as well as “more natural user interfaces” as per ASUS chairman Johnny Shih.

All will be revealed in a few days time, as the graphic included in the tweet shows the date September 3 during the IFA in Berlin. The highly-anticipated Moto 360 is also expected to finally be available in the market by early September, so we’ll wait and see how the Asus smartwatch will compare to it, as well as the two other existing wearable devices on Android Wear.

SOURCE: Asus

Verizon One Max finally gets a new Sense

Verizon is rolling out an update to HTC's 2013 giant and it is quite a big one. The update brings the new HTC Sense 6.0 experience to the One Max phablet, a promise that was made quite some time ago. Curiously, HTC's software update page remains unchanged, but this news comes from the horse's mouth so there is little doubt about its veracity.

Sense 6.0 gives HTC's devices a fresh new coating when it comes to the user interface. Most obvious changes can be seen in the new design that is noted to use a stronger color palette and emotive typography, quite in line with Google's own aesthetic bent. HTC's custom news app BlinkFeed has also seen significant improvements, letting users easily customize the content they want to see. The homescreen has also been updated with ease of use and quick changes in mind. One new feature is the ability to not only choose a font but to also to download new ones from Google Play Store.

The update isn't all about UI changes, however, as HTC has also included several behavioral ones as well, primarily bug fixes. Issues surrounding the ISIS mobile wallet system as well as the fingerprint scanner have been addressed. There are even new features included, like the ability to set a schedule for Do Not Disturb mode. And there is a new pre-loaded app included in the package in the form of Emergency Alerts.

As always, firmware updates roll out in staggered fashion, so it is unlikely that all owners will receive the notification all at the same time. If you haven't yet, the usual method of manually querying the update servers via the device's About Phone settings is always available. And of course, a stable WiFi connection and ample battery charge will be required to perform this update smoothly.

SOURCE: Verizon

Story Timeline

• Verizon One Max Android 4.4.2 update expected on April 7th


• HTC One Max starting to receive Android 4.4.2 update


• HTC Sense 6.0 HTC One M7 and One max reaches Certification phase


• CyanogenMod adds HTC One Max, Find 7 to roster

OneNote now supports handwriting, better tablet experience

Did you ever wish that your note-taking app on your smartphone or tablet should act like a real-life notebook? If you’re the type who’d like to bridge the digital with how actual journals and notes are like, then chances are you’d like something to that effect. While other apps like Evernote and S-Note (for Samsung) have had that feature for some time now, Microsoft’s OneNote has finally caught up with them in their latest update, which features handwriting support and a redesigned user interface for tablets.

Handwriting support, whether your penmanship is actually legible or not, is a great feature to have on note-taking apps, when you’re tired of just typing out your minutes or thoughts. The OneNote update lets you make handwritten notes, drawings or sketches through your gadget’s stylus or your finger. You can also annotate on text, images or screenshots, and highlight important parts, like you would an actual book. If you’d like to insert an image or an actual text in the middle of writing, just use your finger to tap until you bring out the cursor. In terms of formatting, you can even change the color and thickness of your pen, as well as the background of your paper (page color, grid or rule, etc).

In terms of notes that you actually want to type out, there are also updates to this feature on the app. There are new formatting options, including font type, size, color, etc. Just like with Evernote, you can now insert tags so that it will be easier to find and sort through them. The update to OneNote also features a redesigned UI for tablets so that it will be easier to organise and find your notes as well.

If you haven’t yet, you can download OneNote for Android through the Google Play Store, with the latest update. If you already have it on your device through GPS, the update would have been rolled out already. If you got the app from the Amazon App Store or the Nokia Store, it will happen within the next few weeks.

SOURCE: Microsoft

Story Timeline

• OneNote for Android adds new features, consistent cross-platform experience


• Microsoft OneNote update transforms app into a digital dumping ground


• OneNote makes its way to Amazon Android devices

Samsung Level Box mini: quality audio at a slimmer size

Samsung has unveiled the newest member of its Level line of premium audio accessories and it’s a stylish and compact gadget to amplify your music on the go. The Level Box mini is, you guessed it, a smaller version of the Level Box wireless speakers that became available in the US market just last month. It’s perfect for carrying around in your bag and whipping out in case there’s a need for an impromptu dance party somewhere.

The Level Box mini is a 55mm stereo speaker that packs a wallop when you pair it with your Android smartphone to aurally project music from your music player or your music streaming service of choice. As long as your smartphone is NFC enabled, you can quickly connect it with the wireless speakers. It also has a passive radiator, noise reduction and echo cancellation features. It even has a built-in microphone so you can also use it for conference calls.

It is also compatible with the Samsung Level App so you can control the volume and settings from your smartphone. You can also use the text-to-speech features of the app as well as the S-Voice functions of Samsung gadgets. The SoundAlive technology adjusts the volume and sound quality of the speakers by analysing the sound source of the connected gadget to your Level Box mini.

Compared to the original Level Box speakers, the mini version is 30% slimmer and has 1,600mAh battery that can last up to 25 hours playback without needing any charging. It’s available in blue, blue black, red and silver varieties. There is no SRP yet on the product page but given that the Level Box is at $169.99, you can expect the it to be a little cheaper than that.

SOURCE: Samsung

bKey: wireless,compact smartphone battery as big as a key

Powerbanks and battery extensions have become a necessity as the battery life of our smartphones continue to frustrate us, while at the same time our dependence on our gadgets for almost all our activities continue to increase. But sometimes, it is a pain to be constantly carrying around wires and batteries that feel (and look) like a bar of soap in our bags or pockets. A new crowd-funded product aims to revolutionise all that with a compact and wireless battery extender that is literally as big (or as small) as a key.

bKey may not pack the punch of the usual 5000 mAh powerbanks, but in terms of portability and the comfort of not needing any wires, it may definitely be worth it. The creators specifically made their PCB board as small as they could to house the battery it in a key-like case. It’s almost the same size as a car key, 75mm in length and 6.55mm in thickness (or rather, thinness). It’s good for an additional 30 minutes of charging for your smartphone with its 230 mAh and can hold its charge for around 30 days, with 500+ battery cycles.

Charging the tiny device doesn’t need any wires either. You can just stick it in the USB port of your computer, laptop or an A/C wall adapter. Then to use it, you just stick the micro-USB tip into your Android phone (it also has an iPhone tip as well) and you’re good to go. Well, for a few additional minutes at least, just enough to “bridge charge” when you’re commuting at a short distance or you just need to make a quick call and you have nowhere to charge at the moment.

Their Kickstarter campaign has already gone beyond their target of $25,000 with 18 days to go still left for people to back up the project. Their target is to be able to package and ship the bKey by the end of this year. Hopefully it will also be available in retail stores by early next year and not cost too much as well.

SOURCE: Kickstarter