Blu Vivo 4.8 HD Android Smartphone: Specification & Reviews

Blu Products has announced its latest flagship smartphone running on the Android operating system. The new android powered gadget is called the Blu Vivo 4.8 HD and it comes with an impressively thin body. Whole hardware is packed 6.9mm thick body making the smartphone very slim.

The Vivo 4.8 HD has a screen that is 4.8- inches and is powered by AMOLED tech. The smartphone interior includes quad core MediaTek MT6589T processor operating at 1.5GHz and a PowerVR SGX544 GPU. The phone offers Android 4.2 and the quad core processor is coupled with 1GB of RAM which makes it very sharp and smooth.

The Vivo 4.8 HD comes packed with 16GB of internal storage and it supports the 4G 42Mbps HSPA+ connectivity. The smartphone has an 8MP rear autofocus camera that uses second-generation backside illuminated sensor that is able to record full HD resolution video. And a 5MP front facing camera for video calling.

Overall The phone looks very attractive and comes in four colors including green, black, white, and pink.

Other hardware features include:
> integrated GPS,
> Bluetooth 4.0,
> hotspot capability,
> FM tuner, and WiFi.

The Vivo 4.8 HD operates on 2G (GSM/GPRS/ EDGE) 850/900/1800/1900 MHz, 3G (HSPA+ 42Mbps) 850/1900, or 850/2100.

The smartphone is available in the US for $249.

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Everything You Need To Know About Jelly: An iOs & Android App.

Jelly, the much-hyped, question-and-answer-based social network by Twitter co-founder Biz Stone, launched last week on iOS and Android.

Although it's just beginning to build up a user base, with a famous founder and impressive list of investors (which includes Bono and Al Gore, along with Stone's fellow Twitter co-founders Jack Dorsey and Evan Williams) the service likely won't be going anywhere anytime soon.

If you're still not sure how Jelly works or if the service is for you, here's what you need to know.

What Is Jelly?

Jelly's goal is to help users find answers to their questions in real time by crowdsourcing opinions from their social networks — sort of a cross between Quora and Snapchat. Users snap a photo, ask a question, and get answers from connections in their social networks.

Stone says he developed the idea because there are some questions that can't be answered with a simple Google search. "Jelly changes how we find answers because it uses pictures and people in our social networks," Stone explains in Jelly's blog. "It turns out that getting answers from people is very different from retrieving information with algorithms."

Getting Started

Begin by connecting to at least one social network (right now, Facebook and Twitter are the only ones available). Part of what makes Jelly stand out is it also links you to friends of friends, so you can still connect with other users, even if none of your Facebook friends or people you follow on Twitter are using the service.

Each question begins with a photo. You can either snap a new photo, pull one from your device's camera roll or use a photo from Google Images. You can also draw directly on your photo, similar to Snapchat. After choosing your image, you type out your question (text is limited to 240 characters but can include links).

Answering Questions

You can see when people answer your questions under the activity header, which holds all of your notifications. Answers appear in cards underneath the text of your question. Swipe between the cards to view all of your responses. If you particularly like an answer, you can send the user a thank you card or share their answer via email, text message, Facebook or Twitter.

At the bottom of the screen is a tray showing how many other users need help answering questions. Questions appear as cards with the text overlaid on the photo. Answering questions works much the same way as asking —answer with text, a link, or by drawing on the photo (or any combination of the three). If you don't want to answer, swipe down to move to the next question card.

Forwarding and Following

While asking and answering questions is at the heart of the app, there are other ways of interacting with questions. Star questions you're interested in following in order to receive notifications as the questions are answered by other users.

And, taking the crowdsourced approach a step further, questions can be forwarded to friends who don't use Jelly, via email or text message. Forwarding questions sends a link to the question, which can be viewed from a browser by those who don't have the app installed. Non-Jelly users can then answer questions the same way as users of the app, with text, links or by drawing on the photo.

Where's It Going?

While the app is still in its infancy, it does seem Jelly has already built up a sizable user base. According to statistics from RJ Metrics, Jelly had 8,275 active users on its first day alone. Though impressive, Jelly's biggest hurdle right now, according to RJ Metrics, is maintaining engagement. While Jelly users asked almost 100,000 questions in the app's first week, only about a quarter of those questions were actually answered.

Adding more features will also be key to maintaing engagement. At this point, the app itself is still relatively bare-bones, with little organization. There's no way to search or sort through questions for topics you're interested in, for example, and the only way to browse is by manually swiping through each card. There's also no way to view which, if any, of your friends are using the service. The app also lacks a back button, which can make navigating between screens tricky.

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Intel's 64-bit Bay Trail CPU coming to Android Gadgets

Sure, 64-bit support is all the rage nowadays in the mobile space, what with Apple setting off a trend with the introduction of the iPhone 5s.

Now, according to Intel's CEO, tablets running Google's operating system are next and will soon be available with 64-bit compatibility. During an earnings call yesterday, Intel chief Brian Krzanich said that Android tablets using the company's new Atom-based Bay Trail processor are set to hit the market as early as this spring, bringing along a technology which so far has been limited to Windows 8.1 devices.

It's also worth noting that while 64-bit slates may be arriving soon, the number of Android applications optimized to take advantage of the feature will be very low at first. Still, chances are developers will quickly take care of this as more and more 64-bit-ready phones and tablets start to become available.

Source: Engadget

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Samsung Announced the Galaxy Camera 2

Samsung on Thursday announced the Galaxy Camera 2, the sequel to last year’s Galaxy Camera. It’s actually the same exact camera as the original, with some modest improvements to the software, as well as a bigger battery and NFC support.
The Galaxy Camera 2 features a 16-megapixel image sensor and 21x optical zoom lens. There are some physical changes, like a hinged flash, as well as a similar faux-like build to the Galaxy Note 3 .
Samsung has increased the number of Smart shooting modes to 28, and you can separate exposure and focus, controlling them via the camera’s rear touch display. The Galaxy Camera 2 runs Android 4.3 (Jelly Bean), which brings a host of improvements over Android 4.1 found in the original. But like its predecessor, since the Galaxy Camera 2 runs Android, you can download apps from Google Play such as Instagram, and upload or share images directly from your camera.
The camera’s display measures the same 4.8- inches as before, with 720p resolution. But the RAM has been increased to 2GB, and the processor is bumped up to a 1.6GHz quad- core chip. The battery is bigger now as well, at 2,000mAh, so you can record longer videos. Finally, Samsung has added NFC, which will let you do things like the tap the camera to share pictures with your phone.
Pricing and availability have not yet been announced. And though the camera works over Wi-Fi, there’s no word whether carrier- specific versions will be introduced. The camera will be shown at CES next week, where I suspect we’ll learn at least some of those details. For reference, the first Galaxy Camera cost $449.99. Given the relatively minor improvements here, I think Samsung would be wise to choose a slightly lower price if it really wants the Galaxy Camera to take off.

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LG Odin processor shows up in Antutu benchmarks

A few days ago information surfaced regarding possible specs for the new LG G3 smartphone expected to be released during 2014. Among those specs was a reference to LG’s Odin processor, their own in-house chip that has been in development for a while now. The ability to produce component parts in house will be a key part of LG’s strategy if they want to challenge Samsung’s supremacy. Results have now surfaced that seem to indicate the Odin chip have been run through the paces with the Antutu benchmark, though we may be left still wondering just what Odin is capable of as well as whether the test device was an early prototype of the LG G3.

According to the Antutu benchmark, the Odin chip was only running at about 1 GHz. Despite the slow speed, the Odin posted results similar to several other popular chips though certainly not at the top of the heap. The question now is whether LG had the chip slowed down for these initial tests or have they figured out a way to squeeze respectable performance out of a chip running at only 1 GHz. If the latter, that could be a sign of significant power conservation characteristics for the chip. Earlier reports indicated the quad-core version of the Odin chip could run at 2.2 GHz. An octa-core version is supposedly in development as well.

The results also indicate the graphics processing unit is part of the PowerVR Rogue series. This is the same family of graphical chips that powers the iPhone 5S. A good gpu will be needed if the LG G3 comes equipped with a 2k display, although the unit in this current test was only running at 1920×1080 resolution.

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Nexus devices still suffering from several Bluetooth bugs

Nexus devices are great. They get software updates directly from Google very soon after the new versions of Android are made available. The downside of that is that newer versions of Android aren’t always bug-free. We’ve seen Google push out minor updates to Android 4.4 right after release to fix a small number of bugs, but it looks like there are still a handful of issues surrounding Android’s Bluetooth stack that was introduced in 4.2 to replace the older, less-functional stack in prior versions of Android.
The new Bluetooth stack brought some new really cool features to Android, such as Bluetooth LE that helps power many smartwatches and wearable tech, and KitKat built on that feature set to add in a few more enhancements. Unfortunately, some really basic things have been broken in the process for many Nexus users, including Bluetooth pairing, volume control, and general inconsistency with Bluetooth devices. Audio quality can be affected, connections can randomly drop, and even the entire Bluetooth service can crash because of these issues. Overall, definitely not something you want plaguing Google’s flagship devices.
These issues affect pretty much all Bluetooth devices, but as for affected Android devices, it’s pretty much been narrowed down to three primary culprits; the Nexus 4, Nexus 5, and 2013 Nexus 7. They’re all Nexus devices, but a common point between all three is that they’re Nexus devices that specifically use Qualcomm processors. It could just be a coincidence, but it could also have something to do with Qualcomm’s supplied Bluetooth drivers. This is one of the rare cases where it’s nice to have a skinned manufacturer phone, since many of them use custom Bluetooth stacks for their devices to guarantee stability with devices.
Android Police has done an excellent job of writing up a full list of problems and possible solutions, so if you’re affected by any Bluetooth bugs on a Nexus device, you may want to check out the link below to try to get some issues fixed.
source: Android Police

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This is how Android phones get updated (infographic)

Want to know why it’s taking so long for KitKat to come to your phone? HTC has made an infographic that sheds light on the update process, and it isn’t as simple as you think.

Ever wonder why it seems to take most phones forever to receive a new version of Android? It turns out the update process is a lot more complicated than you’d imagine. HTC has created a fantastic infographic, detailing the anatomy of an Android update, tracing the steps from a pre-announcement PDK all the way to your phone.

According to HTC, there are no fewer than 12 steps necessary to bring an Android update to a carrier-based device. And though it isn’t mentioned in the graphic, a number of those steps involve waiting for approval from the carrier, which makes a lengthy process even longer. You can get your software faster with a Google Play edition device, or an unlocked or developer phone, but even those updates require seven or eight steps respectively.

Seeing this doesn’t take any of the frustration of waiting months for an update, but it does help to put things into perspective. And kudos to HTC for being relatively transparent about the update process, at least as far as its HTC One Series of phones are concerned. The OEM shows which phone are currently running Android 4.4 KitKat, and where other phones are in the update process. It won’t make those updates come any faster, but at least you’ll know you’re not waiting in vain.

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Android 4.4 KitKat update for Galaxy Ace, Fit, Mini and Gio unofficially available via CyanogenMod 11

The Android 4.4 KitKat update is now unofficially available on several older Samsung Galaxy devices including the Ace, Fit, Mini and Gio.

Samsung is yet to release the KitKat update for several of its flagship devices let alone older models, but since Google’s Android 4.4 OS version is compatible with smartphones and tablets that have at least 512MB of RAM, we’re not surprised to see more “old” low-end to mid-range devices get the update.

This time around, we’re looking at updates created by the smart folks at xda-developers, which have found a way to bring KitKat to the Ace, Fit, Mini and Gio via CyanogenMod 11 (that’s also based on KitKat). In case these handsets do not sound that familiar, that’s because they were released by Samsung all the way back at MWC 2011 and hit various markets in months that followed the event – therefore, we’re looking at handsets that will soon be celebrating their third anniversary.

As with other unofficial Android updates, you should expect various bugs with these KitKat builds, but they may be fixed in the future. One of the issues developers are apparently working with is the lack of storage space on these handsets. Even so, running an unofficial KitKat on the Ace, Fit Mini and Gio should be a pleasant surprise for the owners of these handsets.

As usually, we advise against installing unofficial ROMs on your hardware, and we’ll point out the fact that you’re the only person responsible for what happens to them during such updates. But since these devices are pretty old by now, and may already be gathering dust in some corners, installing KitKat on them may be a fun project.

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LG G3 Specs: Leaked

The LG G3 probably won’t be released for at least 8 months, but it’s never to early to speculate what the hardware will be.

According to “unidentified industry sources,” the LG G3 will support a 2,560 x 1,440 IPS LCD display, an octa-core processor, and a 16MP rear camera.

We presume the octa-core will be LG’s own processor codenamed “Odin.” The big question is if this processor will be widely available for all regions or be similar to Samsung’s situation, in which most of the world doesn’t get the Exynos octa-core?

Like I said, there is a still a lot time before we see the G3, so these specs could easily change.

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Talking Tom 2.4.2:- Unlimited Coins Mod

Here TopPost brings you the popular Android Time Killer. All New Talking Tom 2.

FEATURES: -

Talk to Tom: Speak and he repeats what you say in his own hilarious voice. -

Play with Tom: Stroke him, poke him, challenge him in an all new mini-game. -

Customise Tom: New accessories, new clothes, new outfits.

How about Cowboy Tom or Pirate Tom? -

Video Tom: record videos of what Tom is doing and send it to your friends or upload on Facebook and YouTube -

Cool new location: Tom’s moved out of his old alley into a cool new apartment. -

Fun new actions: Involving exploding bags, pillow smashes and lots of farts! -

Free gold: get gold coins for just playing with Tom every day, playing the mini-game and much much more.

Requires Android: 2.2 and Up Version: 4.2

Note:- TopPost brings you the full paid app for free. So Download below and spend some quality time with the Tom.

DOWNLOAD HERE

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Samsung Announces its own Standalone GamePad

Apple began allowing third-party gamepads on the iPhone with iOS 7, and Samsung is also upping its presence in the space after announcing its own gamepad (the not-so-creatively named ‘Smartphone GamePad’) for Android 4.1 phones.
Unlike the iPhone gamepads which attach themselves to the device, Samsung’s is standalone and uses a Bluetooth connection to link up with a smartphone — although Android 4.3- powered Galaxy phones enjoy more features, including NFC connect support.
The GamePad weighs in at 195g and features an eight-way D-Pad, two analog sticks, four action buttons and two triggers located on the shoulders of the device. The pad is accompanied by an app (‘the Mobile Console app’) through which users can browse and buy supported games.
The GamePad appears to support all Android smartphones, but some features — including a ‘Play’ button — are exclusive to the Samsung Galaxy family. The company points out that Galaxy device owners can hook their phone up to their TV using an HDMI cable or mirroring apps like Samsung’s AllShare service, and then replicate a home console experience using the GamePad.
Samsung says the GamePad is available now in “select” countries in Europe, although it has not revealed a price (we’ve contacted Samsung to try to get it). The company says the accessory will become available in other markets “in the coming weeks.”

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LG G Pad 8.3 News & Reviews

If you've been eyeing the LG G Pad 8.3 , your decision just became more difficult. Yesterday Google announced -- and began shipping -- a Google Play edition of the tablet for $350 in the US, which makes it the very first slate to receive the stock Android treatment. What does this mean, exactly? Google Play editions come with Android 4.4 KitKat without any manufacturer or carrier customizations, so it looks precisely the way Google intends it. This can be good or bad, because there are a couple tradeoffs you need to consider: The good news is that these types of devices typically get upgrades to the newest version of Android far earlier than the vast majority of smartphones and tablets, but you also need to give up a few features that were unique to their skinned counterparts.
In the case of the G Pad 8.3, this means you won't be able to enjoy the Knock On (aka, "double-knock") feature, nor will you have Slide Aside or access to a litany of LG's Q-branded functions like QPair, QRemote or QSlide. None of these missing services are crucial to the functionality of the G Pad, although we must admit that we've grown rather fond of Knock On. The camera interface is also quite different, but the only thing that might frustrate you is the lack of manual settings; if you only rely on automatic mode to make the photo magic for you, this likely won't be an issue of concern. Just like we saw on the Z Ultra Google Play edition, the G Pad also doesn't come with the native Android gallery app, as it appears that the Google+ Photos app has taken its place as the default. You'll also have the stock camera UI to deal with, rather than LG's, so you won't be able to make many manual adjustments. Of course, this probably isn't a huge concern for a lot of tablet users who may only use their camera for basic needs.
Aside from software changes, you're not going to see anything different on the outside. The dimensions are all the same as the original model, as are the actual hardware components. It's only available in black (the back strip is fitted with brushed metal, with black plastic ends), but it's offered for the same price as the model we reviewed last month.
Source: Engadget

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Android Device Manager App arrives to Android Devices

Last August, Google rolled out a web-based service akin to Apple’s Find My iPhone called Android Device Manager, which helps you find your lost Android device. Google has finally made an Android app for the service, which is great news for those who own multiple Android devices.
While the Android app is useless to those who own only one Android device, those who own an Android tablet as well as an Android smartphone will have an easy time locating that lost smartphone. In addition to locating your lost device, the app can remotely wipe your phone’s internal storage, ring the phone at the maximum volume and even lock the device’s screen.
The apps’ interface is easy to use and navigate, showing a map at the top with a device selection screen below. All devices that have been registered with your Google account show up, with a list of commands displayed below.
The Android Device Manager app is a great addition to Google’s find my phone feature set, which now spans both the web and Android devices.
Source: intoMobile inc.

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