Pocketnow

Microsoft needs to fire its marketing firm urgently Posted: 29 May 2013 02:47 PM PDT Historically we’ve seen many cases of how crucial the right marketing can be for a company, or how devastating the wrong marketing can be as well. On the positive side, we’ve seen how Samsung and Apple have hugely benefited from great marketing. Many of us agree that both Apple and Samsung products are great, but so are HTC products even if we don’t see HTC succeed in the same way. The only difference between these three companies is their approach to Marketing, where HTC clearly doesn’t push as hard as the other two. And then we have the complete opposite, where ... Continue reading » The post Microsoft needs to fire its marketing firm urgently appeared first on Pocketnow.

CyanogenMod founder talks Android security, privacy, and wants your input Posted: 29 May 2013 02:18 PM PDT A little earlier this month, we shared a rumor with you that Google might be thinking of giving users more control over how apps interact with Android, granting you the ability to pick and choose which permissions you wanted an app to have, rather than granting them in an all-or-nothing situation. Some of you mentioned in the comments about how CyanogenMod used to do this, but removed the feature. As luck would have it, project leader Steve Kondik took to Google+ this afternoon to not only discuss that issue, but the ... Continue reading » The post CyanogenMod founder talks Android security, privacy, and wants your input appeared first on Pocketnow.

Additional smartphones and tablets confirmed for Verizon high-speed AWS LTE Posted: 29 May 2013 01:38 PM PDT Yesterday we told you about Verizon’s efforts to start offering LTE service on its newly-acquired AWS spectrum space, with the first markets going live later this year. Like T-Mobile did for phones like the Note II when it switched-on its own LTE network, Verizon revealed plans to activate this AWS mode on specific handsets through a future firmware update, giving them access to higher-speed data. At the time, the only phone we knew would be getting such an update was Samsung’s Galaxy S 4. Today, we can ... Continue reading » The post Additional smartphones and tablets confirmed for Verizon high-speed AWS LTE appeared first on Pocketnow.

Samsung Galaxy S 4 Active, GS4 Zoom specs rumored Posted: 29 May 2013 12:54 PM PDT We just got an opportunity to check out some pretty believable specs attributed to Samsung’s upcoming Galaxy S 4 Mini, but that’s only one of several new GS4 spin-offs we’ve been tracking. Chances are we’ll soon hear the Mini announced, in addition to the GS4 Active and the GS4 Zoom. We’ve had the chance to look at a phone that appears to be the Active, but remain more in the ... Continue reading » The post Samsung Galaxy S 4 Active, GS4 Zoom specs rumored appeared first on Pocketnow.

HTC talks strategic advantage of control over phone components Posted: 29 May 2013 12:55 PM PDT HTC sometimes seems to be cursed with bad luck, and a number of the unexpected problems it’s faced stem from issues with the components that help make up smartphones. Most recently, we saw Nokia snatch away access to the HAAC microphone components HTC had been using for its One handset, after the company producing them for Nokia distributed them to HTC without Nokia’s blessing. That’s far from the first time HTC’s had to rethink a phone’s design post-launch due to component issues, and ... Continue reading » The post HTC talks strategic advantage of control over phone components appeared first on Pocketnow.

Google announces new Gmail inbox experience Posted: 29 May 2013 10:08 AM PDT It’s been clear lately that something new was coming for Gmail. Screenshots shown at Google I/O seemed to reveal a new look for the Android app, and rumors suggested that an announcement of an update could be just about to arrive. Sure enough, Google’s come through with news of a big Gmail refresh, only it’s not exactly what we were expecting. Indeed, today’s news is a bit more broad than just a new look for the Android app. Google is introducing a new way to do inboxes, splitting your messages up into ... Continue reading » The post Google announces new Gmail inbox experience appeared first on Pocketnow.

Stock Android devices remind us why Sense and TouchWiz are so important Posted: 29 May 2013 09:55 AM PDT I have always valued the stock Android experience over the various customized strains from OEMs, even before Android itself looked anything like it does today – back in the Donut, Eclair, Froyo and Gingerbread days. It’s more rustic, rough around the edges … raw. I like to use devices as they were intended to be used, how they were supposed to look and feel from the factory. This is exactly why I don’t use cases. They mask the true beauty, engineering mastery, the design, and all the hard work that went into making a phone. It’s like saying you want to protect a ... Continue reading » The post Stock Android devices remind us why Sense and TouchWiz are so important appeared first on Pocketnow.

Surface Pro beefs-up for Japan launch with 256GB edition Posted: 29 May 2013 09:17 AM PDT Microsoft’s Surface Pro is an incredibly versatile tablet, and its fantastic software support really blurs the line between what we expect from both tablets and laptops. With options for 64GB and 128GB models, it’s also one of the tablets with the most native storage available. Then again, the OS and pre-installed software takes up a pretty decent chunk of that space. Sure, there’s microSDXC expansion, but if you’ve been dreaming about a ... Continue reading » The post Surface Pro beefs-up for Japan launch with 256GB edition appeared first on Pocketnow.

Nokia Amber WP8 update gets a leaked image gallery Posted: 29 May 2013 08:37 AM PDT A couple weeks back we got the official word on the Amber update in store for Nokia Lumia handsets. Beyond just the general Windows Phone 8 GDR2 update, this release would deliver some extra Nokia-specific enhancements to the company’s lineup. Nokia told us to expect the arrival of this software in July, so while we’ve still got weeks and weeks of waiting to go, some new images of the new software have arrived to keep our interested piqued in the meantime. We’ve got a new Lumia 925 here, and the ... Continue reading » The post Nokia Amber WP8 update gets a leaked image gallery appeared first on Pocketnow.

Nothing about fingerprint scanners on smartphones makes sense Posted: 29 May 2013 07:54 AM PDT Time and time again, I’ve found myself defending the technology of years past as it catches a second wind and starts to make inroads upon the smartphone landscape: I adore the return of the stylus on devices like the Galaxy Note (except for those big, blunt, generic capacitive styluses which rightly deserve to die in a lake of fire), I think an infrared transceiver is a versatile, inexpensive addition any phone could benefit from, and I wish FM radio tuners were as ubiquitous as Bluetooth support. There’s one thing, though, ... Continue reading » The post Nothing about fingerprint scanners on smartphones makes sense appeared first on Pocketnow.