Tag Archives: ifa2013

Garmin’s smartphone-compatible HUD makes an appearance at IFA 2013, we go eyes-on

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Garmin HUD

The connected car concept has gained plenty of traction, but not everyone can afford an Audi or BMW to get that functionality built in. Deutsche Telekom's hoping to bring a taste of that luxury to the masses by pairing its Navigon Telekom Edition app with Garmin's heads-up display. This version of the app, available exclusively for German customers, brings heads-up directions, speed limit and other important stats to the HUD, provided it's connected to your smartphone via Bluetooth. Garmin's dash-mounted hardware is already available stateside for $150, but it's up for grabs here at IFA for €149. We go eyes-on in the gallery below.

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Zach Honig contributed to this report.

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Eyes-on with Samsung’s 31.5-inch 4K PC monitor

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Eyes-on with Samsung's 4K 31.5-inch PC monitor

Samsung's continuing the UHD TV march here at IFA with plenty of sets, but it's also showing a 4K (3,840 x 2,160) 31.5-inch monitor that's built to sit on your desktop. Crisp images deliver on the Ultra High Definition promise, but the colors are particularly vibrant, due in part to the LED panel's ability to reproduce 1.07 billion colors and pictures that can cram in 99 percent of Adobe's RGB color spectrum. Because of that, the set easily distances itself from others that have flat, dull image reproduction. However, viewing angles leave something to be desired, as standing far off to the side clouds the monitor. Not only does this piece of kit churn out good imagery, but it easily tilts and pivots into a vertical position, to boot. When it comes to connectivity, the screen packs four USB ports and slots for HDMI, DVI-DL and DPX2. If you're ready to hook up this display to your PC, there will be some waiting involved -- no pricing or release details have been divulged. If you'd like to gawk at the firm's hardware, look out below for our gallery.%Gallery-slideshow83282%

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Archos 101 XS 2, ChefPad and ChildPad tablets hands-on (video)

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With Archos, when it rains, it pours. We popped by the company's booth at IFA this morning to take a peek at its customary deluge of devices. In addition to a number of handsets, Archos was showcasing a whole pile of tablets -- though we've opted to focus on some of the more interesting ones, namely the 101 XS, ChefPad and ChildPad. And we have to say, while the company hasn't always been known for sexy devices, all of the tablets we looked at had surprisingly nice builds. The company also gets some credit for seeking out some interesting niches within the tablet space.

The 101 XS 2 is certainly the most mainstream of the three. The Gen11 device is probably most notable for its included keyboard dock, which magnetically attaches to the front of the slate, protecting its screen when not in use. When you're ready to go, pull off the thin cover, unfold the stand on the dock and stick the tablet into its port, propping it up in landscape mode.%Gallery-slideshow83285%

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Alcatel OneTouch Idol Alpha hands-on

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Alcatel OneTouch Idol Alpha handson

Alcatel OneTouch has turned a new leaf in 2013. In the past, the TCL-affiliated manufacturer has been known to crank out a dozen or more cheap smartphones at European trade shows with no apparent focus on quality, but after a recent adjustment in brand strategy, we're looking at the company in a completely new light. The frequency of new phones hasn't changed much, but Alcatel is working hard to change its reputation by adding a few high-end devices to its portfolio, such as the Idol Alpha. Taking the lead as the flagship of the company's premiere Android lineup, the Alpha is a 5-inch beaut that appears to live up to its name, complete with aluminum build and a new type of transparent material on the top and bottom. It's a phone that took us a bit off-guard, so join us after the break (and the gallery below) to read more of our first impressions.

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Alcatel OneTouch reveals prototype E Ink flip cover (video)

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Alcatel OneTouch reveals prototype E Ink flip cover handson

E Ink -- the tech behind a large number of e-readers on the market today -- is starting to make its way onto smartphones. We've seen it on reference phones as well as devices like the YotaPhone and even the iPhone and Galaxy Note II (in the form of a case), and now a largely unknown company is rather unexpectedly seeking to harness E Ink tech for its latest flagship. That manufacturer, interestingly enough, is Alcatel OneTouch. Taking advantage of the magnetic docking ports on the back of the brand new 6-inch Hero, the company has designed a prototype flip cover with an E Ink screen on top. This offers the obvious functionality of reading e-books in traditional fashion without having the display drain massive amounts of power, but as you can see in the image above, its engineers are exploring other use cases such as a full lock screen with a dynamically changing weather widget, and we figure the sky's the limit. While press releases seemed to indicate that the accessory will see the light of day, company reps told us that it is still just a prototype and they're not certain if it will make it out to the market. Whatever may happen down the road, it's great to see E Ink coming alive on smartphones in different ways. Check out our gallery and a brief video below.

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Lenovo / Vodafone’s Smart Tab III shows up in 10- and 7-inch versions at IFA (hands-on)

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There are always a few treats to be had at Vodafone's IFA booth. This year, the company was showing off the successor to the Smart Tab II -- a device we happened to first glimpse at last year's event. The Lenovo-designed Vodafone Smart Tab III comes in two flavors, a 1280 x 800 10-inch model and a 1024 x 600 seven-inch version. Both devices are running Android 4.2.2, with promised upgrades to Kit Kat when the time comes. The models we saw here in Berlin were also running Bild, a skin that aims to make app discovery easier from within the OS itself, thanks in part to its clustering together titles in categories like Social and Travel -- of course, that all makes things a bit tougher to find the first time you boot things up. We did manage to locate the settings panel eventually, though.

There's a 1.2GHz processor inside of both, along with 1GB of RAM and 16GB of built-in storage, which is expandable via a microSD slot. Both slates also feature front and rear facing cameras, the latter of which clocks in at five megapixels. Both are pretty solidly designed, with fairly slim profiles. The seven-incher has a front-facing speaker grille and the 10-inch version has two on the top of its textured backing. Also, in spite of Lenovo's input, the company hasn't branded either device at all. Instead, there's a single Vodafone logo smack dab in the center of both tablets' backs. %Gallery-slideshow83279%

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Source: Vodafone (Translation)

LG’s 77-inch Ultra HD curved OLED TV is the biggest, with the most buzzwords (update: eyes-on)

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LG's 77inch Ultra HD curved OLED TV is the biggest, with the most buzzwords update eyeson photos

The never ending battle between Korean manufacturers Samsung and LG has moved to its inevitable next level, as LG has introduced an even larger super high-res OLED than its competitor's 55-inch models. The new high water mark is this 77-inch Ultra HD curved OLED it's showing off at IFA 2013, which is a step up in pretty much every way possible and even makes us recall the LCD size wars of the mid '00s. Whether or not we asked for it, it's bringing new display technology, a rare shape and of course, that truly outstanding size. It's only a concept now, but so was the $15,000 55-inch version at one point so we'd suggest keeping your black card handy.%Gallery-slideshow83284%

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Source: LG Newsroom

Leaked Verizon doc prices Galaxy Note 3 at $699 retail, $299 with contract, $599 if you bundle the watch

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AT&T and T-Mobile customers already know what they will have to cough up if they want to squeeze Samsung's Galaxy Note 3 into their pockets. Verizon customers, however, are currently in the dark -- despite big red encouraging you commit in advance all the same. A reportedly leaked document received by AndroidSPIN pegs the phone at $699 sans-contract, or $299 if you sign on the dotted line for a two-year fling. Verizon seems keen to bundle in the Galaxy Gear, too, offering a joint package for $599 should you want to go all in. The pricing-curtain officially lifts at 9am ET, but here's a head start if you need to count those beans. Take a squint at the image yourself past the break.

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Via: Sammobile

Source: AndroidSPIN

Griffin’s MultiDock looks sleeker than ever, and it can still house and charge a herd of devices at once

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Griffin's MultiDock looks sleeker than ever, and it can still house and charge a herd of devices at once

In an age where expecting humans to limit themselves to a single piece of electronics is a little too much to ask for, what could be better than to own a physical hub where multiple things can be charged simultaneously? In all seriousness, though, the Griffin MultiDock can indeed be a rather handy tool for businesses, schools and other organizations needing to store, power and sync a large number of devices at once.

What's also good about the second-gen MultiDock is that it's no longer only compatible with iPads, allowing a multitude of slabs from different manufacturers to be housed inside of it. Griffin's also quick to point out that the new MultiDock's design was the result of a collaboration with designer Thomas Meyerhoffer, who's more famously known for having worked on the Apple eMate. Regardless, be prepared to break the piggy bank, since the MultiDock's set to be priced starting at $699 when it becomes available later this month.

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Source: Griffin

Alcatel intros four One Touch Pop C-series smartphones, keeps them cheap

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Alcatel intros four cheapandcheerful One Touch Pop smartphones

Not everyone needs a giant, higher-end smartphone like the One Touch Hero -- many can get by with just the basics. For those users, Alcatel has unveiled four One Touch Pop models with smaller screens and entry-level performance. The Android 4.2-based range begins with the Pop C1, a starter phone with a 3.5-inch screen, a dual-core 1GHz processor and sprightly color options like neon green and pink. Need more? The Pop C3 jumps to a 4-inch screen and a dual-core 1.3GHz chip; the Pop C5 steps up to a 4.5-inch screen, and the Pop C7 carries both a 5-inch display as well as a quad-core 1.3GHz processor. If you're interested, you can pick up the C1 or C3 as soon as October. The C5 ships in November, while the C7 arrives sometime during the last quarter of the year. %Gallery-slideshow79376%

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Source: Alcatel