SYNAPSE CIRCUIT MWC14 CONCLUSION

SYNAPSE CIRCUIT
MOBILE WORLD CONGRESS CONCLUSION
#MobileWorldCongress #MWC14 #MWC2014 #Android

Good evening, Synapse Circuit Readers! How are you? How was your day? It’s been raining nonstop over here in London. If your day is still happening I wish you a very joyous and productive one!

Yes, the Mobile World Congress is over and it has been a fantastic show! In fact I think it should be called Android Mobile World Congress instead as all the worthwhile mobile innovations are coming as a result of what Android can do!

TABLETS
With regards to tablets I am a tad disappointed as I expected more premium slates offering exceptional value for money.

Here’s a list of some rather interesting tablets:-

Lenovo Yoga Tablet 10 HD+

HP Slate 7 VoiceTab

Huawei MediaPad X1

Huawai MediaTab M1

Nvidia Tegra Note 7 LTE

Sony Xperia Z2

Archos 80 Helium

I was expecting at least double that amount – especially for Samsung to reveal the next line of Galaxy Tabs! Never mind... I can only assume that there will be more Android tablet releases to come throughout 2014.

As you know, I thought the MWC 2014 Best Tablet award was lazy. The Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 Pro is, in my opinion, one of the most underrated tablets in the tech press. I have read and viewed comparison reviews (between iPad Air and Galaxy Note 10.1) that say when it comes to design and build, “The iPad Air is of a higher build and made from quality materials than the plastic Galaxy Note 10.1 Pro. However, the Galaxy Note 10.1 Pro has a faux leather back that makes it easier to hold in the hand than the iPad Air. The iPad Air feels as though it could slip out of the hands; if you dropped it it’ll shatter!”

Now, I think that reviewers are confusing the subject of design and build with practicality. Reviewers seem to go on about the aesthetics of the aluminium back, etc but then go on to say that it feels slippery and delicate. For me, that right there is an epic fail in design and build terms. Because the Galaxy Note 10.1 Pro is made of plastic the reviewers (sic) are then complaining that it’s not up to the “premium” build and feel of the iPad Air which is contradictory! I would have the Galaxy Note 10.1 Pro over the iPad any day of the week! Either you want to stare longingly at the iPad Air and not touch it for the fear of breaking it or you want to get down to the business of productivity on the Galaxy Note 10.1 Pro! I grant you that the iPad Air looks like something out of a Sci-Fi movie but that should not be the basis of the award.

While it may be true that Android has to catch up with the Apple App Store when it comes to tablet specific applications that is still no reason to give the award to Apple’s iPad Air by default. I think that is wrong! I think that the award should be given for:-

Design & Build: Is the tablet designed for everyday use? Does it feel comfortable in the hands?

Screen & Resolution: How sharp is the screen?

Power & Speed: Can the tablet get job done quickly? Can it perform tasks with ease?

I think that the Galaxy Note 10.1 Pro ticks all the above boxes! Certainly the pixel count is higher! 2560 x 1600 (299 ppi) vs the iPad Air’s 2048 x 1536 (264 ppi). C’mon, even those with dyscalculia can do that math! Lol! I would like to review it myself.

The one thing about my reviews is that because I am independent I can afford to write the truth! In my experience many, many magazines that I have written for just pander to those who pay the most ad revenue. Also many journalists are biased to their favourite tech i.e. the Apple mobile devices. Whereas I am interested into the practical use of technology!

But on paper the Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 Pro gets the award for the best tablet from Synapse Circuit!

Again, I am very much looking forward to reviewing the aforementioned slates!

HANDSETS
Oooh, it was handsets galore and the majority of them are Android! Look...

Huawei MediaPad X1

Sony Xperia Z2

LG G Pro 2
HP Slate 6 & 7 VoiceTab

Yotaphone

Blackphone

HTC Desire 816

ZTE Grand Memo II LTE

Yes, I am aware that the MediaPad X1 and HP Slate 6 & 7 are phablets / tablets but they look comfortable to hold and paired with a Bluetooth headset they could work as a phone too! Needless to say that this is yet once again a very exciting time for the Android platform! I can’t honestly say that I was impressed by the Nokia X series but it may be an option for some consumers. I would like to review them too!

It appears as though Android has taken over the mobile world! Yes, there were some Ubuntu and Firefox handsets that I would like to get my hands on as well.

One thing is for certain, Android is spearheading the innovation in the mobile and tablet world.

What do you reckon?   

Take good care!

Thank you for watching and reading!

Please check out the Synapse Circuit website for video, i-PDF and more! 

Synapse Circuit Dot Com

SYNAPSE CIRCUIT OOOOH! DESIRE 816!

HTC showing their true colours...

SYNAPSE CIRCUIT
OOOOH! DESIRE 816!
#HTC #HTCDesire816 #Desire816 #MobileWorldCongress #MWC14 #MWC2014

Good evening, Synapse Circuit Readers! How are you feeling? I hope you care feeling fine and dandy!

HTC did a throw down to Samsung today...

INTRODUCING THE HTC DESIRE 816
I have to say that it is good to see HTC back in the Android handset game! I know, I know... I have been very harsh against them (HTC) and the reason why is simple: I LOVE the designs but felt let down by some of the features such as the camera! I have always felt that HTC was lacking and wasting their potential by trying to emulate Samsung with their handset for just about every walk of life! I am just waiting for a manufacturer to create a handset for a dog! The Woof Translator! Hee hee hee...  Anyhoo... It could very well be that HTC have read a few of my articles because they seem to be making handsets that excite people again! I for one am excited by the Desire 816!

Look at this gorgeous midrange spec:-

DESIGN
Device type:
Smart phone

OS:
Android HTC Sense UI

Dimensions:
6.17 x 3.10 x 0.31 inches (156.6 x 78.7 x 7.99)

Weight:
5.82 oz (165g) the average is 4.8 oz (137g)

DISPLAY
Physical size: 5.5 inches
Resolution: 720 x 1280 pixels
Pixel density: 267 ppi
Touchscreen: Multi-touch

Features:
Light sensor, Proximity sensor

CAMERA
13 MP
Flash: LED
Aperture size: F2.2
Back-illuminated sensor (BSI)
Camcorder: 1920x1080 (1080p HD)
Front-facing camera:
5 megapixels

HARDWARE
System chip: Qualcomm Snapdragon 400
Processor: Quad core, 1600 MHz
Graphics processor: Yes
System memory: 1536 MB RAM
Built-in storage: 8 GB

STORAGE EXPANSION:
microSD, microSDHC, microSDXC up to 128 GB

BATTERY
Capacity: 2600 mAh
Not user replaceable

MULTIMEDIA
Music player:
Filter by: Album, Artist, Playlists
Album art cover, Background playback
Speakers: Earpiece, Stereo speakers
YouTube player: Yes

INTERNET BROWSING
Built-in online services support:
YouTube (upload), Picasa/Google+

NETWORKS
GSM: 850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz
UMTS: 850, 900, 2100 MHz
FDD LTE: 800 (band 20), 900 (band 8), 1800 (band 3), 2600 (band 7) MHz
Data: LTE, HSDPA+ (4G) 42.2 Mbit/s, HSUPA 5.76 Mbit/s, UMTS, EDGE, GPRS

SIM
nano-SIM

POSITIONING:
GPS, A-GPS, Glonass
Navigation: Yes

Wow! Pretty good spec for a midrange handset! I am very, very curious about the quality of the camera! I guess as it is midrange 4K video is definitely out of the question! It could have been at 30 frames per second... Ah, well...

But I see the Desire 816 as a firm move to challenge the dominance of Samsung. Will Samsung have an answer to this potentially great midrange handset? I wonder how much it will cost!

CLEVER
HTC are boxing clever with this (the Desire 816), and I assume, all their handsets to come. If consumers don’t fancy the cream of the crop this year then the Desire 816 could be the answer – especially with the stereo speaker design similar to the One. But what HTC and many manufacturers face is the fact that the cream of the crop yesteryear’s models may offer even better value for money! Who hasn’t learned by now to do a selfie with the main camera? Then again the consumer has to weigh up if they’d be better off with a 16 or higher megapixel camera with a better phone that come with it! Plus there will be a bunch of handsets from China such as Acer, Huawei and ZTE aimed at the midrange market too!

The Android economy is getting stronger and very, very competitive. It’s going to be interesting to see which manufacturer comes up with the most innovative propositions this year and the years to come!

What do you reckon?   

Take good care!

Thank you for watching and reading!

Please check out the Synapse Circuit website for video, i-PDF and more! 

Synapse Circuit Dot Com

SYNAPSE CIRCUIT UNPACKED 5 PART 1

The Galaxy S5: I like the design. It's growing on me already!

SYNAPSE CIRCUIT

UNPACKED 5 PART ONE:
THE AFTERMATH!
#Samsung #GalaxyS5 #GS5 #MWC2014 #GalaxyS5Prime #Unpacked #Gear

Good very late evening / early morning, Synapse Circuit Readers! Are you ok? Did the Samsung Unpacked 5 leave you feeling a little shell-shocked? I am feeling shell-shocked and feel compel to write my way back to a calm reality...

"With the Galaxy S5, Samsung is going back to basics to focus on delivering the capabilities that matter most to our consumers."

JK Shin
President and Head of IT & Mobile Communications Division at Samsung

SAMSUNG EAT HUMBLE PIE???
Noooooo! That’s not the Samsung I know! The Samsung that I know are innovators; and the Galaxy S4 was and still is brilliant! It is said that the sales of the GS4 was a bit of a disappointment but I find it hard to believe. Could it be that Samsung actually believes that their Air Gestures / View and Smart Stay / Pause, etc were a failure and that’s why the GS4 didn’t sell as well as they had expected? C’mon! That can’t be right because the GS3 started it off and that is still a great seller!

I really think that Samsung is suffering from being... Er... Uhm... Great! Look, my GS2 is still going like the day it came out of the factory (thanks to CyanogenMod 11, KitKat custom ROM). I would have gotten the GS3 only it didn’t coincide with my upgrade. Greatness could be a major problem for Samsung as the GS3 is still selling like hotcakes – especially as it has been reduced in price and will probably come down a tad further now that the Galaxy S5 is here!

Again, like I said in my coverage of the Unpacked 5 event, Samsung appears to be looking to keep it powerful and accessible for the masses who like their technology invisibly powerful. In other words: easy to use through intuition. This is how Apple makes the iPhone appealing.

But what about the people who love technology and wants it anyhow Samsung delivers it?

I LOVE TECHNO
I don’t know if I am in a minority... I probably am... But I LOVE technology and I love Samsung’s innovations! Literally, I fell in love with the GS3 after my initial shock regarding the design. And I am of the opinion that Samsung hasn’t done enough by the way of design and, like Apple, they have become a little precious about not wanting to rock the boat just in case people don’t like it. But design is one of Samsung’s many strong suits! When the GS2 came out I was so impressed that I had to have it right away! I loved and still love the design – it’s like it was chipped out of some black crystal! I guess that’s why I was initially shocked by the GS3! That was a great leap in design! But the leaps from GS3 to 4 and 5 have not been so wide.

What about me, Samsung? What about me? What about my love for all things tech-tripped out? I can’t help but wonder about this Galaxy S5 Prime... It has been inadvertently leaked by a third party protective case manufacturer. By the process of logical elimination, the Galaxy S5 Prime must be the one without the ‘Home’ button. Check it out here:

http://synapse-circuit.blogspot.co.uk/2014/02/synapse-circuit-samsung-galaxy-s5-prime.html

There’s still a possibility that the, potential, GS5 Prime model could look quite different from what is shown in the picture. What I have noticed from revisiting the picture is that there is no Heart Rate Monitor where the flash is (on the back) on either of the models. In fact not only is the ‘Home’ button missing on one of the models, there is no ear receiver grill too! Now what does that mean? Does it mean that the protective case manufacturer does not have the design of the GS5 Prime?

What I have noticed with Samsung is that they put out their premium handset i.e. the Galaxy S4 and then they dilute it with the GS4 Active and Zoom. So, I think this time around, Samsung have put out what they see as the Standard GS5 and will probably release more advanced models such as the much rumoured GS5 Prime with the 2K screen further along down the line. I would love to see Samsung either scrap the Galaxy S Zoom device in favour of putting it into a top notch handset. I felt that the Galaxy S4 Zoom was a good idea but wrapped up in an average handset. Please do not do that again, Samsung! Give me – us, a higher spec than the GS5 handset and whack a tripped out camera on it! 20MP? If you are reading, Samsung... I don’t suppose you can turn the headphone socket into a dual external microphone socket for decent video sound? Is that what you have in store with the GS5 Prime?

Anyhoo, let’s not get ideas above our station! But look at the Galaxy Note 3 - it has all that lovely techno-whiz-bang stuff that people love so much! People are buying it! I would get one if I could! But I guess I am in line for a Galaxy Note 4! It’s fine by me!

Let me close this article with a positive from a GS3 user:

“Guess I'm going from the GS3 to the GS5. Its upgrade time! It’s definitely a big jump up from my GS3 which I love dearly...”

GS5 SPEC:-

NETWORK
LTE Cat.4 (150/50Mbps)

DISPLAY
5.1” FHD Super AMOLED (1920 x 1080)

AP
2.5GHz Quad core application processor

OS
Android 4.4.2 (Kitkat)

CAMERA
16MP (rear), 2.0MP (front)

VIDEO
UHD@30fps, HDR, video stabilization
Video Codec : H.263, H.264(AVC), MPEG4, VC-1, Sorenson Spark, MP43, WMV7, WMV8, VP8
Video Format: MP4, M4V, 3GP, 3G2, WMV, ASF, AVI, FLV, MKV, WEBM

AUDIO
Audio Codec : MP3, AMR-NB/WB, AAC/ AAC+/ eAAC+, WMA, Vorbis, FLAC
Audio Format: MP3, M4A, 3GA, AAC, OGG, OGA, WAV, WMA, AMR, AWB, FLAC, MID, MIDI, XMF, MXMF, IMY, RTTTL, RTX, OTA

CAMERA FEATURES
HDR (Rich tone), Selective Focus, Virtual Tour Shot, Shot & More

ADDITIONAL FEATURES
IP67 Dust and water Resistant
Ultra Power Saving Mode
Download Booster
S Health 3.0
Quick Connect
Private Mode
Kids Mode

Google Mobile Services: Chrome, Drive, Photos, Gmail, Google, Google+, Google Settings, Hangouts, Maps, Play Books, Play Games, Play Newsstand, Play Movie & TV, Play Music, Play Store, Voice Search, YouTube

CONNECTIVITY
WiFi: 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac HT80, MIMO(2x2)
Bluetooth®: 4.0 BLE / ANT+
USB: USB 3.0
NFC
IR Remote

SENSOR
Accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer, Hall, RGB ambient light, Gesture (IR), Finger Scanner, Heart rate sensor

MEMORY / STORAGE
RAM: 2GB
Internal Memory: 16/32GB
microSD slot upto 64GB

DIMENSIONS
142.0 x 72.5 x 8.1mm, 145g

BATTERY
2800mAh
Standby time: 390 hrs / Talk time: 21 hrs

What do you reckon?

Review coming very soon.... Stay tuned (pun unintended but works so well)...    

Take good care!

Thank you for watching and reading!

Please check out the Synapse Circuit website for video, i-PDF and more! 

Synapse Circuit Dot Com

SYNAPSE CIRCUIT SAMSUNG UNPACKED 5

SYNAPSE CIRCUIT
UNPACKED 5, THE GALAXY S5 & GEARS!
#Samsung #GalaxyS5 #GS5 #MWC2014 #GalaxyS5Prime #Unpacked #Gear

Good evening, Synapse Circuit Readers! I hope that all is well with you! Yes, the wait is long over as the Galaxy Unpacked 5 has just finished.

If you missed the live event I will give you a rundown...

SUBDUED: TH E UNPACKED 5 PART 1
My goodness... What happened?? The Samsung Unpacked 5 event saw Samsung at their most humble! Gone was the flair and supreme showmanship! No celebrity presenters to speak of! It was a very odd Unpacked for Samsung indeed... I am a bit shell-shocked!

If this is part 1 I can only imagine that part 2 will feature the Galaxy S5 Prime (as leaked by a third party protective case manufacturer). How about the S5 Zoom? S5 Active? Or have we seen an amalgamation of the S5 and what would be a separate Active device? S5 Mini? The Unpacked for the Galaxy Note 4 probably will not be announced until August / September 2014.

THE GALAXY S5: DESIGN
I did my best to prepare us for not too much of a design departure and I am glad that I did! The design...

Well, as a fan of Samsung I can say that I appreciate the design. I am not wowed by it but I do appreciate that it’s water and dust resistant (not waterproof and it probably won’t last long in a sandstorm).

As predicted, the Galaxy S5 design takes up from where the Note 3 left off. I guess the faux leather backing hasn’t made it to this model... Could it be designated for the Galaxy S5 Prime? Here’s the GS5 spec:-

NETWORK
LTE Cat.4 (150/50Mbps)

DISPLAY
5.1” FHD Super AMOLED (1920 x 1080)

AP
2.5GHz Quad core application processor

OS
Android 4.4.2 (Kitkat)

CAMERA
16MP (rear), 2.0MP (front)

VIDEO
UHD@30fps, HDR, video stabilization
Video Codec : H.263, H.264(AVC), MPEG4, VC-1, Sorenson Spark, MP43, WMV7, WMV8, VP8
Video Format: MP4, M4V, 3GP, 3G2, WMV, ASF, AVI, FLV, MKV, WEBM

AUDIO
Audio Codec : MP3, AMR-NB/WB, AAC/ AAC+/ eAAC+, WMA, Vorbis, FLAC
Audio Format: MP3, M4A, 3GA, AAC, OGG, OGA, WAV, WMA, AMR, AWB, FLAC, MID, MIDI, XMF, MXMF, IMY, RTTTL, RTX, OTA

CAMERA FEATURES
HDR (Rich tone), Selective Focus, Virtual Tour Shot, Shot & More

ADDITIONAL FEATURES
IP67 Dust and water Resistant
Ultra Power Saving Mode
Download Booster
S Health 3.0
Quick Connect
Private Mode
Kids Mode

Google Mobile Services: Chrome, Drive, Photos, Gmail, Google, Google+, Google Settings, Hangouts, Maps, Play Books, Play Games, Play Newsstand, Play Movie & TV, Play Music, Play Store, Voice Search, YouTube

CONNECTIVITY
WiFi: 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac HT80, MIMO(2x2)
Bluetooth®: 4.0 BLE / ANT+
USB: USB 3.0
NFC
IR Remote

SENSOR
Accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer, Hall, RGB ambient light, Gesture (IR), Finger Scanner, Heart rate sensor

MEMORY / STORAGE
RAM: 2GB
Internal Memory: 16/32GB
microSD slot upto 64GB

DIMENSIONS
142.0 x 72.5 x 8.1mm, 145g

BATTERY
2800mAh
Standby time: 390 hrs / Talk time: 21 hrs

GALAXY S5: FIRST IMPRESSIONS SPEC-WISE
The Galaxy S5 ticks all the boxes when it comes to specifications and features. I think the LTE and Wi-Fi support is outstanding and should be rocket of a handset! I was expecting 3 or 4GB of RAM but it’s 2GB, which is good enough.

The Finger Scanner has made it! I am curious as to how this works! And if that’s not enough, there’s a Heart Rate Sensor where the camera flash is (at the rear.

Speaking of the camera... Yes, it will capture 4K video and it’s a 16MP instead of the anticipated 20MP. The camera has some depth of field attributes that is a feature on SLRs, Selective Focus, but I do believe that the camera software is more simplified. I have to see it to believe it! HDR promises to be faster and I can’t wait to test this!

WHAT SAMSUNG SAYS OF CUSTOMERS WANTS
Samsung says that the customer “Wants a powerful, fast but simple technology...” That’s why the camera has been overhauled to be practically minimalist in comparison to the Galaxy S4.

Normally Samsung would talk about sharing the latest Galaxy S screen with other Galaxy S models and compatible televisions. They would also talk a little more about their TouchWiz improvements, but it was said that the S features wouldn’t get in the way of the interface.

And once again, there was no mention of Android (the GS5 is running KitKat) or a listing of specification.

I am not too sure about all that... Yes, I appreciate that the S features on the interface are streamlined, etc. Of course, a faster camera is desired. But with regards to the camera I would have wanted a simplified interface and an option to have more complex photography attributes presented to me. Hmmmm...

MY OVERALL THOUGHTS OF THE UNPACKED 5, GALAXY S5 & GEAR 2014
This was a tactical launch from Samsung. I suspect that this is just the beginning of their onslaught. Again, this was part 1! And in part 1 Samsung made sure that they hit certain marks such as the LTE 4 and Wi-Fi connectivity with no uncertainty! They have made a great and compelling argument to the everyman and everywoman. What they have done with the Galaxy S5 presentation is to iPhone-ized it. “iPhone-ized” it??? Yes, Samsung has presented the GS5 as a simple, back to basics handset. It’s practical, fast, powerful and very simple to use. It should appeal!

Yes, Samsung introduced the full Gear family: Gear 2, Gear 2 Neo and Gear Fit – the first wearable device to feature a curved AMOLED display! Cool! I am curious about the Gear pricing!

Samsung knows that the competition is stronger than ever this year! I am quite sure that come part 2 we will be seeing the Galaxy S5 Prime and other handsets introduced to the Galaxy Family! HTC is coming! As is Sony and LG to name a few! And of course, we are expecting the iPhone 6! Usually, Samsung introduces the next Galaxy S successor at around April / May but it has come in February! You have to suspect that something is going on! Wink, wink!

I love the Electric Blue colour! I did state in one of my articles that I wished for an Electric Blue colour and Samsung has made me feel that they did it just for me! Aaah! Lol! Oh, I would say that the bezel and handset is slightly thicker to accommodate for the water and dust resistance. Again, I do prefer a thicker handset just because it makes it easier to take pictures! There’s nothing more nerve-shredding than taking a photo with a device that is wafer thin! The slightest knock and I shudder to think!

I can’t wait to review one!

SOUND
Oh, I almost forgot to mention that Samsung introduced some new headphones! Looking good! I wonder how they sound?

Great idea! Payment through using a fingerprint verification.

Oooh... I have to try it!

Jock strap...

Get fit with the Samsung Gear Fit!

The Gear 2 gets a "Home" button.

Great colours! Blue, Blue Electric Blue...

The Galaxy S5 Heart Rate Monitor.

 Samsung's J. K. Shin wearing the Gear Fit.

 Once your children get a hold of your phone you may not get it back!

If the battery says "10% power" the Ultra Power Saving Mode kicks in and extends the battery for 24 hours! That's amazing! Essentially, the GS5 screen is reduced to black and white.

Now you can hide your pictures! ;) 

I can't wait to hear them!

The user interface promises to be simpler.

What do you reckon?

Review coming very soon.... Stay tuned...

Take good care!

Thank you for watching and reading!

Please check out the Synapse Circuit website for video, i-PDF and more! 

Synapse Circuit Dot Com

SYNAPSE CIRCUIT GALAXY S5 PRIME SUSPECT

The Galaxy S5 looming in the background. It looks fatter - not that I'm complaining!

At least the camera and flash looks consistent...

SYNAPSE CIRCUIT
GALAXY S5 PRIME SUSPECT
#Samsung #GalaxyS5 #GS5 #MWC2014 #GalaxyS5Prime

Good evening, Synapse Circuit Readers! As always, I am hoping that all is well in your world!

Not long to go now before we learn of the Galaxy S5!

OUTED!
Uh-oh! I guess that picture of the “leaked” forthcoming Galaxy S5 could be a reality! I was so hoping for a more radical design and judging by the photo above we can see what the Galaxy S5 looks like from the back!

So, don’t get too excited regarding an outlandish design! Hahahaha! You can see the much talked about gold coloured GS5 too!

By the looks of it there will be a Prime variant too! But it is not clear if the Prime version will be available at the same time or released to coincide with the forthcoming iPhone 6.

Apparently, the 2k screen is a reality!

We’ll soon find out, won’t we!

What do you reckon?

Review coming very soon.... Stay tuned (pun unintended but works so well)...    

Take good care!

Thank you for watching and reading!

Please check out the Synapse Circuit website for video, i-PDF and more! 

Synapse Circuit Dot Com

SYNAPSE CIRCUIT HUAWEI MEDIAPAD X1

SYNAPSE CIRCUIT NEWS
HUAWEI MEDIAPAD X1
#Huawei #MWC2014 #AndroidHandset #AndroidTablet #MediaPadX1 #MediaPadM18.0

Good evening, Synapse Circuit Readers! I hope that you are having a wonderful day of relaxation this Sunday!

Huawei said, “We are ready to amaze the world again...” and I have to say that they delivered! At least here their hybrid tablet / phone is concerned...

CRINGE?
Did you cringe at Huawei’s fun swipe at Apple and Samsung? I actually thought it was quite funny! From what I have gathered, many people thought the ad was bad! Lol! I guess you can’t please everybody! For the record I thought that “Some song” could have been a misfire that is typical of a voice input method!

Anyway, the Mobile World Congress has kicked off to a brilliant start already and this is what I am amazed about...

MEDIAPAD X1
At freaking last! A 7” tablet that manages to minimize the ugly bezel factor that plagues many Android tablets! I have always asked why the bezels on tablets can’t be like that of the handsets and Apple’s iPad mini gave me an answer! Lol! When Google launched their Nexus 7 tablet my immediate thought was, “Nice spec! Such a shame about the design...” Now the Huawei MediaPad X1 and M1 prove that great tablet designs are possible. Mind you, Samsung did show off their 8” tablet, Galaxy TabPRO 8.4, at the recent CES 2014.

The MediaPad X1 looks impressive! And the specs are equally as impressive...

MEDIAPAD X1 SPEC:-

SIZE  
Height
183.5mm
Width
103.9mm
Depth
7.18mm

WEIGHT
About 239 g

COLOUR      
Snow White
Diamond Black

DISPLAY      
7-inch, 1200 × 1920 LTPS full-view-angle screen
323PPI (pixels per inch)
10-point capacitive touchscreen

CPU  
SoC: Hisilicon Kirin 910 quad core 1.6 GHz
GPU: Mali450-MP4

OPERATING SYSTEM     
Android 4.2(Jelly Bean) + Emotion UI 2.0

MEMORY     
ROM: 16 GB (can be customized to 32GB)
RAM: 2 GB LPDDR3
External Storage: microSD up to 32 GB

NETWORK  
LTE TDD Cat4 (up to 112Mbps DL / 10Mbps UL)
LTE FDD Cat4 (up to 150Mbps DL / 50Mbps UL)
DC-HSDPA+ (up to 42Mbps DL / 5.76Mbps UL)

GPS   
GPS/A-GPS
Connectivity 
Wi-Fi: IEEE 802.11a/b/g/n, 2.4&5 GHz (dual band for LTE version)
Bluetooth: 4.0 (compatible with 3.0 2.1 + EDR)

SENSORS   
Ambient Light Sensor
Accelerometer
Proximity sensor
Gyroscope
Compass

CAMERA      
Front camera: 5 megapixels
Rear camera: 13 megapixels, autofocus

AUDIO          
Dual built-in noise reduction MIC, Receiver and Speaker
DTS sound technology
Audio formats: MP3/WMA/FLAC/APE/WAV/RA/Ogg/MIDI/3GP and so on

VIDEO           
1080p @ 30 fps full HD video playback
Video formats: MPEG-4, 3GP, 3G2, RM, RMVB, ASF, FLAC, APE, MOV

CLOUD SERVICE  
Supported

BATTERY    

Type: Li-Polymer
Capacity: Built-in, 5000mAh

IN THE BOX
MediaPad X1 7.0: 1
5 V/2 A travel charger: 1
USB charging and data cable: 1
Headset: 1

Impressive stuff! I could actually go for this tablet! The 5000mAh battery is huge! I have to say that the materials and build look fabulous! I hope they feel that way too!

Hopefully, I will bring you some reviews on the products!

MEDIAPAD M1: PREVIEW
Here’s a look at the forthcoming MediaPad M1!

The Mediapad M1 resembles the HTC One, but it's all good!

It’s an 8” tablet that looks great but sacrifices a bit of quality to keep the cost competitive – I assume! Here’s the spec so far...

SIZE  
Height
214.4mm
Width
120.7mm
Depth
7.9mm
Weight
About 329g

COLOUR      
White
Tulip
Carnation
Lily/Lotus
Titanium Gray
Display          
8-inch, 800 * 1280 IPS full-view-angle screen, 188PPI (pixels per inch), multi-point capacitive touchscreen.

CPU  
SoC: Hisilicon Kirin 910 quad core 1.6 GHz
GPU: Mali450-MP4

What do you reckon?

Take good care!

Thank you for watching and reading!

Please check out the Synapse Circuit website for video, i-PDF and more! 

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SYNAPSE CIRCUIT ARCHOS MWC14

SYNAPSE CIRCUIT
ARCHOS MWC 2014
#Archos #Handsets #Tablets #MWC2014 #MobileWorldCongress2014

Good late evening / early morning, Synapse Circuit Readers! I hope you’ve had a good day and if your day is unravelling where you are... ...there’s still time! 

3 more days for the Mobile World Congress to kick off! There’s no doubt that it is going to be an Android event! The Android onslaught is like a nonstop avalanche!

Archos, the French tech company has been wowing a regular QVC audience with pre-Android for over a decade! When Android came on the scene it made their products dated and they have been trying to catch up with a bunch of products that have been met with mixed reviews.

HELIUM 4G
This is an 8” tablet quad core, 4G tablet for under $250! Gosh! Now there’s a surprise! It’s what I have been asking for! You saw my article on the standard budget Android tablet, right? Here it is: http://synapse-circuit.blogspot.co.uk/2014/02/synapse-circuit-when-budget-android.html

ARCHOS 80 HELIUM 4G – SPECS:

OS: Android 4.3 “Jelly Bean”
Processor: Qualcomm MSM8926 / Quad Core 1.2Ghz Cortex A7
GPU: Adreno 305
Display: 8” 1024×768 Screen with IPS technology
RAM: 1GB
Storage: 8GB expandable using microSD
Camera: 5MP- Autofocus with LED Flash, 2MP front camera, 1080p Video encoding
Network: 4G/LTE: 800 / 1800 / 2100 / 2600 Mhz, LTE cat. 4 150Mbps/50Mbps
Connectivity: Bluetooth: 4.0 + A2DP + HFP + EDR
Battery: Li-on 3500mAh
Price: $249

Pretty good spec, huh? I really do think that by now any tablet should have a full 1080p screen as standard. But as this is a 4G quad core I can overlook it! I would like to get my hands on it and inspect the quality!

ARCHOS 50C OXYGEN – SPECS:

Now we’re talking decent budget handset! It’s about time! This Oxygen handset is rocking an octa-core CPU with a 5” screen! Again, I don’t see why this handset should be without a full HD screen! However, we’re talking octo-core here and this looks like it could shake up the budget efforts of the likes of LG! I can’t say that I was overawed with the LG L Series III and the Oxygen could put a spanner in the works of the LG L Series III! It works out to be roughly £119 pounds! I obviously have no clue if the pricing will amount to that when it hits the UK – if it hits the UK!

OS: Android 4.2 “Jelly Bean”
Processor: MediaTek MT6592 / Octo-Core at 1.7GHz Cortex A7
GPU: Mali 450MP4
Display: 5” 1280 x 720 Screen with IPS technology
RAM: 1GB
Storage: 8GB expandable using microSD
Camera: 8MP- Autofocus with LED Flash, 2MP front camera, 1080p Video encoding
Network: HSPA+ 21Mbps/5.76Mbps
Connectivity: Bluetooth: 4.0 + A2DP + HFP + EDR
Battery: Li-on 2000mAh
Price: $199

ARCHOS 64 XENON – SPECS:

Ah, I see that this is aimed at the consumer wishing to have a phablet without all the costs involved and therefore they’ve given the Xenon a quad core processor and a 6.4” screen, 1280 x 720! It’s fair! And it’s the same price as the Oxygen!

OS: Android 4.2 “Jelly Bean”
Processor: MediaTek MT6582 / Quad-Core at 1.3Ghz Cortex A7
GPU: Mali 400MP2
Display: 6.4” 1280 x 720  Screen with IPS technology
RAM: 1GB
Storage: 4GB expandable using microSD
Camera: 8MP- Autofocus with LED Flash,2MP front camera, 1080p Video encoding
Network: HSPA+ 21Mbps/5.76Mbps
Connectivity: Bluetooth: 4.0 + A2DP + HFP + EDR
Battery: Li-on 2800mAh
Price: $199

ARCHOS 40B TITANIUM – SPECS:

Hmmm... This is the kind of handset that I wished manufacturers would stop making! C’mon, 512MB RAM??? It isn’t gonna fly! I don’t see the point of giving this model a dual core 1.3GHz CPU and it’s only packing 512MB RAM??? Get serious! I have had these types of handsets and everything starts off ok until you upgrade apps like Facebook, etc. But I could be wrong. The Titanium could turn things around! I would imagine that this handset could be an option for the consumer that doesn’t want a feature rich handset and wants the minimal amount of power to run a select few apps.

One of the features of the Titanium is the front-facing speakers to enhance the listening experience. Yes, that could work... It could be seen as an Android iPod that can make calls! I would love to test this one due to my dislike for handsets of the spec! I would like my mind to be changed! Should it arrive in the UK the price should be below £80! This could possibly work! But I have to say it, such low, low handsets must have 1GB RAM as standard! I will happily eat my words if the Titanium lives up to its name!

OS: Android 4.2 “Jelly Bean”
Processor: MediaTek MT6572 / Dual-Core at 1.3Ghz Cortex A7
GPU: Mali 400
Display: 4” 800 x 480 Screen with IPS technology
RAM: 512MB
Storage: 4GB expandable using microSD
Camera: 5MP- Autofocus with LED Flash, VGA front camera, 720p Video encoding
Network: HSPA+ 21Mbps/5.76Mbps
Connectivity: Bluetooth: 4.0 + A2DP + HFP + EDR
Battery: Li-on 1400mAh
Price: $119

GIVE US A BREAK!
Yes, that was a KitKat joke as the tagline for the ads in the UK is, “Have a break. Have a KitKat...” I can do with a KitKat right now! Lol!

What I have noticed about these beautiful looking devices is that none of them have the latest Android, KitKat! I wonder if an upgrade is likely... I reckon when KitKat is installed on those devices it will certainly give them a boost as KitKat is smaller and faster! Seriously, it makes my Samsung Galaxy S2 look like it just came out of the factory as it is that good! Ok, I am running CyanogenMod 11 and if that’s anything to go by I am sure that these Archos offerings will benefit greatly for having KitKat!

All in all I have to say that I am impressed with these products on paper – as it were – and that I am looking forward to reviewing them!

What do you reckon?

Take good care!

Thank you for watching and reading!

Please check out the Synapse Circuit website for video, i-PDF and more! 

Synapse Circuit Dot Com

SYNAPSE CIRCUIT 5 DAYS TO GO 4 GS5

No contest, right? 

With specs like that I want the Samsung tablet!

SYNAPSE CIRCUIT
5 DAYS TO GO... HERE COMES THE GALAXY S5!
#Samsung #GalaxyS5 #GS5 #GalaxyGear2 #Tizen #MWC2014

Good late evening, Synapse Circuit Readers! I hope you’ve had a good day and if your day is unravelling where you are... ...there’s still time! 

As we’re counting down to the main event we’re going to see a few more leaks that include spec changes... Lately, I’ve seen online rumours that the “Galaxy S5 Prime” that is said to feature a 2K screen is “not expected to arrive too soon...” In other words, all we’re seeing is rumour and disinformation... In fact, it wouldn’t surprise me if the sources of rumours are just a way to bring traffic to their respective websites. However, you can’t ignore or get into the guessing game!

Oh, guess what? Samsung are back to their ol’ fun antics again! Yay!

AD INFINITUM
Yes, that’s right! I am on about the latest Samsung ads that put Apple in their place! When you see such ads it makes you realize – even more – that Apple products aren’t up to their hype!

I love the ad that compares the Galaxy Tab Pro 10.1 to the iPad Air. I have yet to get a tablet and I reckon that the Galaxy Tab Pro 10.1 could be it! I can see that it has quality over the iPad (Hot) Air in terms of screen resolution, build and multitasking function.

And the ad that compares the Galaxy Note 3 to the latest iPhone 5S is great fun! What’s more is that the information is accurate! Apple can’t beat Samsung products: FACT! The only thing that Apple can do is attempt to sabotage Samsung with endless lawsuits for standard interaction on a mobile device. Apple wants to make like they are the beginning and end of mobile devices.

It shows that Apple have nothing inventive in the tank! Whenever you hear someone from Apple talk or read an interview they are always griping and taking shots at the competition. Cook and co thinks that by continually slating the competition that their (Apple) products will be better by default. But I guess this idea is working because the iPad Air is said to be the biggest selling tablet at the moment. People are easily brainwashed!

These ads should air (no pun intended) on British TV! I think these ads will shock those who think they know best!

MORE RUMOUR...
...it is said that Samsung will reveal Galaxy Gear 2 with the Tizen operating system. Hmmm... Could there be any truth in that? I guess the only way it could be true is Tizen being completely compatible with Android and apps! Remember, the first Galaxy Gear works with Galaxy handsets and it would defeat the purpose if Tizen weren’t compatible.

Yes, there is a rumour that Samsung will reveal one Galaxy S5 with Android and the other Tizen. To me it does not make sense for Samsung to confuse the marketplace with a version of the GS5 that could leave people confused, thus causing folk to go onto the competitors. I know that people are eyeing up the next incarnation of the HTC One – The Newer All Shiny One or whatever it will be called!

MY PREDICTION FOR THE GS5
What we will see revealed at the MWC14 on Monday will be the following...

A new design based around a 5.2” screen that’ll be 1080p that’ll be sharper than the GS4.
An improved 16MP camera.
A fingerprint scanner.
A 2.5GHz CPU with 3GB RAM.

Oh, we will probably see refinements in the TouchWiz overlay! But that’s about it!

I think this build up concerning this 2k 560 dpi screen may come as a big disappointment to some!

In my estimation the key things for Samsung to get right is the design, camera and fingerprint scanner – if scanning your fingerprint is too clunky then it’s game over already!

The design has to be more of a departure from this similar looking range. I personally like the designs as they become more refined with each release. Just look at how beautiful the Galaxy Note 3 looks compared to the Note 2! The Galaxy S3 was a grand statement in design and the S4 looks more like a Note 2 mini! Samsung has to somehow present the GS5 with something that looks out of this world come Monday!

I thought the GS4 camera was good but it was slightly disappointing as Samsung is capable of more. The competition has more than caught up with the camera on both the GS4 and Note 3, but I give the edge based on quality to the Galaxy range.

I am slightly concerned about this fingerprint scanner... It has to be a very, very decent implantation or it becomes a focal point of derision which I would not want for Samsung or my future Galaxy S5! I am due an upgrade at some point!

5 whole days... It is torturous for this Samsung fan! Lol!

MY PREDICTION FOR THE SAMSUNG MWC14 UNPACKED
Come Monday we’ll see the Gear 2. We all know or should know that the initial Gear was put out in a rush in order to beat Apple. Apple was a no show and I can only assume that they are perfecting their iWatch device!

If Gear 2 will be revealed I suspect that it will be an Android device and that it will be a big improvement!

Then Samsung will reveal a new Exynos chip – perhaps it’ll be 64 bit and that it will be coming to the Note 4!

Knowing Samsung I do think that there will be other iterations of the Galaxy S5 i.e. Zoom, Active and so on. If the new Exynos chip is 64 bit and it is not in the Galaxy S5 then I do suspect that a “Prime” model will be on the cards. Why? Ok, glad you asked...

It is no secret that Samsung wants to punish Apple for their seemingly endless contempt (and unfairly so); the iPhone 6 is said to be due around September – I think! So, it would not surprise me if Samsung put out a GS5 Prime model that features the 2k screen as well as the Galaxy Note 3. Some people still find that the Galaxy Note phablet is too big and it is a possibility that people would opt for the smaller GS5 Prime instead.

But I am quite certain that Apple will be launching at least 3 different handsets this year:

iPhone 6 4.8”
iPhone 6 6”
iPhone 6C 4.8”

When Apple are pretty quiet you just know that they are going to buck a trend that will go against its once hard and fast rule. Apple are a business at the end of the day and if they see Samsung enjoying great success with their Galaxy Note range then they will reluctantly follow suit for the money and to be seen as keeping up with the competition. I have always said that Apple should not speak in public with regards to their “Hand Science” design that allows the iPhone to be used comfortably in one hand! This is why Samsung have created the ad that shows the iPhone as dated in comparison to the Note 3 which has a HD screen! In doing so Samsung will show the audience that it is Apple who are copyists! Kudos to Samsung!

What do you reckon?

Review coming very soon.... Stay tuned (pun unintended but works so well)...    

Take good care!

Thank you for watching and reading!

Please check out the Synapse Circuit website for video, i-PDF and more! 

Synapse Circuit Dot Com

SYNAPSE CIRCUIT NEWS HUAWEI, READY TO AMAZE THE WORLD AGAIN

SYNAPSE CIRCUIT NEWS
HUAWEI, “READY TO AMAZE THE WORLD AGAIN...”
#Huawei #MWC2014 #AndroidHandset #AndroidTablet

Good late evening / early morning, Synapse Circuit Readers! This is my last article of the night! I am wishing you a great day ahead!

Huawei is constantly threatening to do something brilliant and, according to them, they are ready to amaze at the forthcoming Mobile World Congress, 23 Feb!

TAKING A FUN SWIPE AT APPLE (FRUIT) AND SAMSUNG (SOME SONG)
Ooooh, this is truly an exciting time for mobile devices! I can’t wait to see what will be revealed at the MWC this month! It is going to be phenomenal!

It’s no secret that the ones to beat are Samsung and Apple when it comes to smartphones and tablets! The runners up are LG, HTC and Motorola! A few companies have shown potential brilliance and have yet to deliver: Acer, ZTE, Alcatel and, of course, Huawei!

What has happened with the LG, Alcatel and Huawei budget market is that Motorola threw a spanner in the works! Well, I say “spanner” but it really was a standard. That’s right, I am talking about the Moto G which is very inexpensive at £99 (as you probably have seen) and you get a very good handset for the money! Rather than opt for one of the above manufacturers budget efforts that aren’t up to much in terms of speed and storage capacity you’d, if you’re smart, go for a Moto G! I would! I am done with the Android budget market from any other manufacturer! The Moto G rules! Don’t get me started on HTC’s and Samsung’s budget efforts! Lol!

With the new budget standard set by the Moto G I envisage a massive scramble to produce a quality budget handset that will astound from the usual players! The question is: Will Huawei truly amaze? They have come so very close to releasing brilliant and beautiful handsets only to be usurped by Samsung, HTC and Apple premium handsets. Personally, I don’t like the iPhone design; I will probably never own an iPhone unless Apple gives me one so that I can review the handset fairly (as I would) and the apps that come with it.

POPULARITY CONTEST
I think that Huawei’s biggest hurdle is getting people to know about Huawei products. Apple was very clever with their advertising and it helped that they were the first to produce something so simple and appealing. We know that Apple’s marketing strategy has just imploded!

Samsung has done remarkably well to claw a substantial market from Apple with the Galaxy premium devices in S and Note. It also helps that the products are great! Just about everybody who loves handsets are wondering that the Galaxy S5 is all about!

I know that Huawei can come up with a decent – more than decent – handset. But can they publicize it enough to make it matter? One of the good things about these powerful new premium handsets is that it drives down the prices of the likes of Huawei’s idea of premium and therefore you should be able to pick up a decent, powerful older premium Huawei handset! I would like to get hold of one just to root it and experiment with loading up new ROMs and launchers!

PROMISES
Huawei’s is promising a decent handset with a remarkable front-facing camera and a very slim tablet with a wow factor! Well, if they can deliver 2014 could be Huawei’s year! It would be great for them as they have been trying very, very hard!

Let’s prepare ourselves to be amazed! Hopefully, I will bring you some reviews on the products! 

What do you reckon?

Take good care!

Thank you for watching and reading!

Please check out the Synapse Circuit website for video, i-PDF and more! 

Synapse Circuit Dot Com

SYNAPSE CIRCUIT 7 DAYS TO GO... GALAXY S5

SYNAPSE CIRCUIT

7 DAYS TO GO... THE SAMSUNG GALAXY S5 WILL BE REVEALED...
#Samsung #GalaxyS5 #GS5 #MWC2014

Good late evening / early morning, Good Friends! I am getting ready to wrap it up for this session! I see that you are enjoying my articles! Good! That makes me so very, very happy!

Are you foaming at the mouth over the Samsung Unpacked event on the 24^th of this month? I am certainly getting there! Hahahaha!

DÉJÀ VU? WISHFUL THINKING?
Yes, as always I have fallen for one of the concept images out there of what will be the Galaxy S5! I was trying to avoid it but I just cannot help it! I find myself wishing that a particular concept design will be it! But wait a minute! That concept looks awfully familiar! Didn’t I see it at the 2013 CES? Yes, Samsung demonstrated their YOUM display and showed off a prototype handset that looks remarkably like one of the concept renderings of the Galaxy S5! Gosh!

FEELING...
I’ve got a nagging feeling that what we will see on the 24^th will be more of a refinement of the prototype handset.

What I would love is if the display was a high resolution plastic as demonstrated in the video below! This would mean no more horrid screen breakage!

But is the YOUM technology ready? We’ve seen the Galaxy Round and it wasn’t released in large numbers because it is understood that Samsung is not able to deliver high volumes of the flexible display! I am also inclined to believe that Samsung had to release the Round just to be the first! Samsung are not only competing with Apple but LG too! LG seems to have a flexible display technology in the works that threatens to detract from what Samsung is preparing or has prepared! You have probably noticed that LG has released a couple of stunning handsets of late that I will write about soon!

The bottom line is that all the major Android manufacturers are gunning to topple Samsung from its rightly deserved number one spot and so they have to deliver something very special on the 24^th!

What do you reckon?
Take good care!

Thank you for watching and reading!

Please check out the Synapse Circuit website for video, i-PDF and more! 

Synapse Circuit Dot Com