Vertu’s new Constellation is its second Android phone, and you still can’t afford it

Vertu's new Constellation is its second Android phone, and you still can't afford it

With the Ti liberating Vertu from the Symbian shackles, it was only a matter of time before the luxury phone maker released its second Android device. The Constellation, as it's called (instead of "Constellation V" as listed by the FCC), takes a small but bold step away from Vertu's usual design language, as it lacks the iconic ceramic pillow on the earpiece. What it gains instead is the largest piece of tough sapphire glass that Vertu -- or any phone maker for that matter -- has ever crafted, as well as a layer of soft but durable calf leather wrapping around the Grade 5 titanium body. It'll also come in five colors: dark brown, orange (our favorite so far), black, light brown and cherry.

Vertu's CEO Massimiliano Pogliani told us that this "less is more" approach is to have a more neutral, less showy offer that he believes will appeal to a larger audience.

"It tested extremely well [in study groups] in China and Russia," said the exec. "In terms of design and appearance, it is being luxury but not too bling, too wild, too pushy, so I'm very happy and very confident."

Filed under: ,

Comments

Source: Vertu

BlackBerry Z30 official: 5-inch Super AMOLED display, 1.7GHz Snapdragon S4 Pro, 2,880mAh battery and BB 10.2

DNP BlackBerry

If you were paying attention to the late summer leaks, then the BlackBerry above won't strike you as a surprise. That's because it's the newly announced BlackBerry Z30, the official successor to the all-touch Z10, and it matches up quite closely to what we've already seen. The Z30 is the company's first smartphone to ship with version 10.2 of the BB 10 OS (yes, the naming scheme is a bit confusing) and arrives with a larger 5-inch, 1,280 x 720 Super AMOLED display. The device's pixel density of 295ppi may pale in comparison to the more diminutive Z10's 356ppi, but its internals are a different matter.

The Z30 takes a modest spec step up with a dual-core 1.7GHz Snapdragon S4 Pro (paired with 2GB RAM) and Adreno 320 GPU, which should put it somewhat on par with the Nexus 4 and Moto X (sans the X8). There's also a beefier 2,880mAh battery inside, which the company claims is a first for its product line and, this time around, it's integrated (read: non-removable). In terms of dimensions, the Z30 comes in with nearly the same silhouette as its predecessor (9.4mm vs 9.3mm), but is substantially taller and wider at 140.7mm x 72mm owing to that 5-inch display. Internal storage remains at 16GB, but users will have the option of augmenting that via microSD. And, as for radios, the Z30 will support 4G LTE (exact bands haven't been specified), dual-band WiFi a/b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0 and NFC. The Z30's camera setup appears mostly similar to the Z10's, with a 2-megapixel front facer capable of 720p video and an 8-megapixel rear module with an f2.2 lens that captures video in 1080p. %Gallery-slideshow85069%

Filed under: , , ,

Comments

New Nexus 7 ‘Razor’ prices, specs, benchmarks revealed (update: Best Buy pre-order page still up)

New Nexus 7 'Razor' benchmarks, specs revealed update Best Buy preorders still up

It seems like new Nexus 7s are everywhere, so we're not surprised one of the tablets floating around has finally been subjected to a quick round of benchmarking. Android Police has dug deep into the specs, confirming this slate -- device codenamed "Razor" -- has internals nearly identical to the Nexus 4, with a Snapdragon S4 Pro CPU running at 1.5GHz and 2GB of RAM behind its 1920x1200 7-inch screen. Running the 3DMark and AnTuTu benchmarks revealed scores slightly higher than the Nexus 4, but we'll probably have to wait just a little longer to find out exactly what its Android 4.3 OS is bringing to the table.

Update: Droid-Life points out that Best Buy has kicked off pre-orders early for the 16GB and 32GB variants. The pricing ($229 and $269, respectively), release date (July 30th) and specs are all well-known by now, but if you're willing to be the next person to buy one, you can get in line at the link below.

Update deux: Best Buy has pulled the pre-order pages. Sadface. [Thanks, Charlie]

Correction: OK, so the pre-order pages haven't been taken down, as such. You will no longer find them by searching Best Buy's site, but the direct URLs are still live and they confirm the key specs (see the source links).

Filed under: ,

Comments

Source: Android Police, Droid-Life, Best Buy (16GB), Best Buy (32GB)

Moto X benchmarks and specs slip out, point to a fine mid-tier phone

Moto X benchmarks reportedly slip

We've already seen Motorola's rumored Moto X in press renders, photos, videos and even the hands of a Google executive; why not throw some benchmarks and specifications into the mix? Android Police is more than happy to add that grist to the rumor mill with a set of photos that reportedly show the AT&T Moto X ("Ghost") running AnTuTu and 3DMark tests. If accurate, the scores hint at a mid-range Android 4.2.2 phone whose 1.7GHz dual-core Snapdragon S4 Pro and 2GB of RAM produce good (though not great) results. The rest of the visible specs are equally middle-of-the-road -- we see a 720p screen, 16GB of built-in storage, NFC, a 10.5-megapixel rear camera and a 2.1-megapixel front shooter. The hardware alone may not tempt customers, then, but Motorola could be counting on customization and software tricks to lure more customers. We'll know the full story on August 1st.

Filed under: , , ,

Comments

Source: Android Police

Nubia Z5 mini official, touts full-size hardware at a tiny price

Nubia Z5 mini launches with fullsize specs

ZTE's sub-label Nubia may want a refresher on the definition of "mini," because we're not seeing many sacrifices in its just-shipped Z5 mini. At 4.7 inches, the Android phone is nearly as large as the 5-inch Z5 flagship; it also shares the bigger Z5's quad-core Snapdragon S4 Pro, 2GB of RAM, 2,300mAh battery, 13MP f/2.2 rear camera and 5MP front camera. The mini is likewise a first-class citizen in its home country with 3G support for China Mobile, China Telecom and China Unicom. Prospective owners are only really giving up screen resolution (down to 720p) and storage (down to 16GB), and they're getting a choice of pastel-colored, replaceable backs in return. As such, that makes the Z5 mini a potential bargain at its ¥1,888 ($308) price -- buyers are getting most of the Z5 experience for considerably less cash.

Filed under: ,

Comments

Via: Engadget Chinese (translated)

Source: JD.com (translated), Zealer China (Sina Weibo)

BlackBerry A10 specs reportedly leak, hint at big battery and Verizon model

BlackBerry A10 specs reportedly leak, suggest screen size is the big deal

So far, we've only had furtive glances of the rumored BlackBerry A10 through basic specs and a short video. However, CrackBerry forum member nereuszeer may have given us much more insight by posting what appears to be a presentation slide with most of the A10's details. If accurate, they suggest that the 5-inch, 720p OLED screen wouldn't be the only standout feature -- there's also a much larger 2,800mAh battery and a slightly faster 1.7GHz Snapdragon S4 Pro. The phone wouldn't otherwise represent a big break from the Z10, although the leak hints at both a preloaded instance of BlackBerry 10.2 and a thicker Verizon variant. When the slide reportedly dates back to May, there's a chance the hardware could change before release. Still, don't be surprised if this ultimately represents BlackBerry's fall flagship.

Filed under: , , ,

Comments

Source: CrackBerry (1), (2)

ASUS K005 tablet hits the FCC, Snapdragon S4 Pro hints at top-tier performance

DNP ASUS K005 tablet hits the FCC, Snapdragon S4 Pro

Although ASUS recently delivered the $150 7-inch MeMo Pad and PadFone Infinity combo device, it's been a while since a premium Android tablet graced the lineup. A recent FCC filing from the company, however, reveals an unannounced K005 model equipped with the venerable Snapdragon S4 Pro (APQ8064) SoC clocked at 1.7GHz. Further details are light, but G4Games notes that it reveals AT&T-compatible GSM, CDMA and LTE connectivity and the model number suggests a 10-inch frame. Check out the FCC filing for yourself below and rest assured that we'll fill you in when we hear more.

Filed under: ,

Comments

Via: G4Games

Source: FCC

ZTE Grand Memo and Grand S on sale now in China

ZTE Grand Memo and Grand S on sale now in China

Two of ZTE's Android flagships have just gone on sale in China: the Grand Memo and Grand S. If you'll remember, the Chinese OEM introduced the devices earlier this year, unveiling the 5-inch 1080p Grand S at CES and the stylus-less, 5.7-inch Note competitor, the Grand Memo, at MWC. Although the big buzz around the Memo's introduction had much to do with its Snapdragon 800 heart, the variant hitting the Chinese market won't have that claim to CPU fame -- it'll ship with an S4 Pro instead and should retail for 2,688 yuan (or $432 USD), while the S will run about 3,399 yuan (or $547 USD). Still no word on whether we'll ever see either handset stateside, but given ZTE's bold new brand push, it's likely one of the two'll make the transcontinental trek in some fashion soon.

Filed under: , ,

Comments

Source: Engadget Chinese (Translated)

ZTE Grand Memo hands-on: a Galaxy Note competitor without a stylus (video)

ZTE Grand Memo handson a Galaxy Note competitor without a stylus video

Nothing's changed since last we saw ZTE's Grand Memo in Hong Kong last January. But the Chinese OEM's trotting it out once again at MWC 2013 here in Barcelona, reintroducing the palm-stretching device for the global press. From the name alone, it's clear that ZTE's angling this tabletphone (sorry, no stylus included) at Samsung's successful Note line; a competition that's already been won by the recently unveiled and incredibly massive Note 8. The Grand Memo's specs have remained the same -- 5.7-inch 720p TFT display, quad-core 1.7GHz Snapdragon S4 Pro, 1GB RAM, Android 4.1.2 and 13-megapixel rear camera module -- but now we have an English-language demo to walk you through it. So check out the video tour after the break and stay tuned for our live coverage of ZTE's press event.

Filed under: , ,

Comments

Sony Xperia Tablet Z preview: a thin and light 10-inch Android Jelly Bean tablet

Sony Xperia Tablet Z handson

Notice the family resemblance? For Sony's latest Android tablet take, its Xperia Tablet Z, the company's extending the austere, omnibalance design (focus on all around symmetry and reflective surfaces) and waterproof certification of the Xperia Z to a 10.1-inch footprint and higher 1,920 x 1,200 resolution. Which means the unique, highly polarizing magazine-like fold of its predecessor, the Xperia Tablet S, has fallen by the wayside and, according to Sony, it's not likely to ever make a comeback. But a cosmetic evolution isn't all that's propping up the Xperia Tablet Z; its lightly-skinned Jelly Bean OS, quad-core 1.5GHz Snapdragon S4 Pro CPU and 2GB of RAM ensure above average performance for this Sony tab. So how does this Z of another frame fare? Follow on, as we take it for a brief test run.

Filed under: ,

Comments