PC Tech World: Nexus

Showing posts with label Nexus. Show all posts

Tuesday, March 26, 2013

Google Play starts offering devices in India, starting with the Nexus 7

Google Play Books recently launched for India; it's only fitting that locals get some hardware to read with. Accordingly, Google just opened device sales for India through Google Play, beginning with the Nexus 7. The initial offering is decidedly modest and includes just the 16GB WiFi version of the reference tablet, which costs 15,999 rupees ($294) and should deliver by April 5th. While that doesn't provide the selection that we know in some countries -- and the Nexus 7 definitely isn't one of the cheaper tablets Indians will have seen -- it's an important step toward creating a truly complete Google Play ecosystem in an influential country.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Via: Android Police

Source: Google Play

Monday, March 4, 2013

How would you change the Nexus 7?

Google's Nexus 7 has a rather colorful life story. It started out as the ASUS MeMO ME370T, until a sharp-eyed Google executive decided that it was ripe for a Mountain View makeover. When Andy Rubin and friends were done, it had Android 4.1, whip-smart internals and, best of all, it cost under $200. As such, it's perfect, right? Well, that's what we want to know. We've been toting these units around since last summer, and that means it's high time we asked you what you loved, hated, and more importantly -- what would you change?

Source

By: Unknown On 6:25 PM

Saturday, March 2, 2013

Android 4.2.2 binaries arrive for AOSP-supported Nexus devices

Google has just provided a veritable boon to Android devs and custom ROM makers. The Mountain View company has recently uploaded the latest Android 4.2.2 binaries to the Nexus device download page for all AOSP-supported Nexus gear: the Nexus 4, the Nexus 7 WiFi, the Nexus 7 3G, the Nexus 10, the global version of the Galaxy Nexus and its Verizon equivalent. This also means that the AOSP (Android Open Source Project binaries) finally exist for the Nexus 7 3G and the Nexus 4, which had been missing from previous updates. If you've been on the hunt for the latest and greatest drivers for your wares, go ahead and download the binary of your choice from the source below and get to updating it before a certain green pie update comes along.

Via: Android Police

Source: Google Developers

Monday, February 18, 2013

Nexus 4 Wireless Charger hands-on

Palm's Touchstone dock immediately came to mind when we first saw LG's Nexus 4 Wireless Charger last fall (now available for $60 in the Play Store). Both devices are circular, with a micro-USB port in back and a slanted front surface on which to rest the phone. That's where the similarities end -- while the Touchstone is cylindrical and uses a proprietary wireless charging system, the Nexus 4 Wireless Charger is larger, spherical and Qi-compatible. Another major difference is that Palm's dock uses permanent magnets to line up and secure the handset, and LG's accessory relies primarily on the friction / suction between a rubber ring and the glass back of Google's flagship phone. Design-wise the Nexus 4 Wireless Charger looks similar to a smaller Nexus Q cut in half, down to the matching recessed square connector cutout.Nexus 4 Wireless Charger hands-onSee all photoswhen.eng("eng.galleries.init")

In the box you'll find a 5V 1.8A AC adapter (vs. 1.2A for the one supplied with the Nexus 4) along with a micro-USB cable (longer than the one provided with the handset). The manual warns to "use only the power adapter and micro-USB cable that come with your Nexus 4 Wireless Charger", but we didn't have any trouble with other USB power sources beyond longer charging times. We tested the dock with the Nexus 4, Droid DNA, Lumia 920 and Lumia 822 (with the optional Wireless Charging Cover) -- basically, LG's accessory provides the same experience as Nokia's Wireless Charging Plate ($50), which is also Qi-compatible. The $10 difference buys you a matching design and a spare USB power adapter and micro-USB cable (Nokia's plate comes with a proprietary AC adapter). It takes about 4 hours to fully charge Google's flagship phone using wireless power -- check out the gallery above for some action shots.

Source

By: Unknown On 8:55 PM

Thursday, February 14, 2013

Android 4.2.2 spreads to Nexus 4 with new battery sounds (update: no LTE)

Android 422 spreads to Nexus 4 owners with new battery sounds

No, Nexus 4 users, Google hasn't forgotten about you. About a day after Google started pushing Android 4.2.2 to most Nexus devices, the company's latest and greatest smartphone is also getting the patch over the air. When it shows, there will be a pair of small additional rewards for running the latest hardware -- the Nexus 4 now plays a unique sound when wireless charging kicks in, as well as an updated low-battery sound. We wouldn't upgrade just to get the new tones, but they cap what's proving to be a more significant update than the version number would suggest.

Update: As Brian Klug over at AnandTech notes, Google both giveth and taketh away -- that very, very unofficial LTE access disappears with the update. When 4G only worked in limited areas, and was never going to get official support, we won't cry too much.

Source: Android Central, Google Git

Tuesday, February 12, 2013

Nexus 4 wireless charger now on sale for $60 at Google Play Store (update)

When the Nexus 4 was first announced, we had a glimpse of a wireless charging dock that was meant to go with it. Well, good news for folks in the United States, as the induction dock has just popped up on the Play Store, and Nexus 4 owners can order one now for just $59.99. It puts out 1 amp of juice at 5 volts and joins a host of other Qi-enabled wireless chargers -- cord cutters rejoice!

[Thanks, Luis]

Update: As tipster Gen points out, the Nexus 4 in the image above shows a battery status screen that we haven't seen before. Google hasn't made mention of any software changes just yet though.

Update 2: The good folks at Pocket-Lint have discovered that the battery status screen is actually a third party widget app that can be had at the Play Store for $1.99

Source: Google Play Store

Thursday, February 7, 2013

Nexus 7 WiFi + 3G model goes on sale in Japan February 9th

Google's Nexus 7 tablet will soon be freed from the tyranny of WiFi range in Japan, as the 32GB WiFi + 3G model (supporting W-CDMA and HSPA+ networks) is finally launching there this Saturday, aka February 9th. Nothing's changed from the WiFi-only version apart from the additional micro-SIM slot, of course, and although there's no confirmed pricing, it's expected to cost 29,800 yen (around $318, a little more than in the US) when it pops up online. Given the rate at which new Nexus devices disappear from the Play store, those eager for one from the first batch should think about clearing their diaries, and adding "click refresh" to their weekend to-do list, a thousand times over.

Source: Impress Watch (Japanese)

Tuesday, February 5, 2013

Google's Nexus 10 tablet goes on sale in Japan after a few months delay

Mimicking the postponed release schedule of its 7-inch cousin, Google's Nexus 10 tablet is just now going on sale in Japan. We originally expected Japanese availability at the same time as other areas last fall, but that was not in the cards for the high ppi slate. Shipping within the next couple of weeks, it's priced at 36,800 yen ($397) for the 16GB, and 44,800 yen ($484) for the 32GB, comparing very favorably with current US pricing. The specs remain the same, so if the only thing keeping you from owning one has been local availability then that's no longer a hurdle, although grabbing a hot-selling Nexus 4 is still a bit more tricky.

Source: AV Watch, Google Japan

Wednesday, January 30, 2013

Nexus 4 trots out in white, sets unicorn fans aflutter (update: more shots)

We're pretty fond of ~~unicorns~~ white phones here at Engadget, especially rare ones like the white Nokia N9. So you can imagine our excitement when we came across this photo of a white Nexus 4 over at Phone Arena. While rumors of a white Nexus 4 have been swirling around the intertubes for some time, a picture speaks a thousand words, right? We took a long, eagle-eyed look at this image and didn't see any signs of trickery. Obviously this doesn't mean a white Nexus 4 is on the way -- it could just be a dummy handset and / or a one-off prototype. Still, if last year's white Galaxy Nexus is any indication, there's a chance this is the real deal. We've reached out to Google and LG for comment, so stay tuned -- it sure would be lovely to add this beast to our stable.

Update: The folks over at Tinhte managed to grab a closer look at the device. Hit the second source link for a full photo tour -- we've added another shot of the back (in full glittering glory) after the break.

Nexus 4 trots out in white, sets unicorn fans aflutter update more shots

when.eng("eng.perm.init")

Saturday, January 5, 2013

US retailer pegs Nexus 7 dock release for January 10th, we remain wary

ASUS' official dock for the Nexus 7 has been an elusive beast, to put it mildly: Americans, at least, have had to sit tight for half a year if they weren't content with third-party hardware. We just might be reaching the end of that road, if B&H is right. The retailer is listing the audio-capable cradle as arriving January 10th for $40. The accessory could be tantalizingly close as a result, although we'll believe it when we're charging our tablets -- we've seen as many retailers take stabs in the dark on release dates as those that use real information, so we may still be left waiting in a week's time.

when.eng("eng.perm.init")

Thursday, January 3, 2013

Nexus 4 coming to all T-Mobile locations later this month

Having a hard time getting your hands on the coveted LG-made Nexus 4? Look to your local retailer: word on the street has it that the device is heading to all T-Mobile retail locations later this month. The phone has been available at select locations since November, but an internal document uncovered by TmoNews promises a full rollout for sometime in January -- touting the Nexus 4's 8MP camera, quad-core processor and 4.7-inch display. The notice didn't give a specific availability date, but gave stores the green light to sell the device as soon as they receive inventory. The document is also careful to remind employees that the Nexus 4 can still be had through Google and stresses that devices purchased through Play are not eligible for exchange at T-Mobile stores. Skip on past the break to see T-Mobile's availability expansion notice.

By: Dilusha On 6:34 PM

Wednesday, January 2, 2013

Video: Open webOS is running pretty smoothly on a Google Nexus 7

The gang at WebOS Ports has been very busy. When Open webOS v1.0 was released, we got to see Open webOS running on a Samsung Galaxy Nexus the very next day. Since then, we have seen Open webOS run on a variety of devices. The pace of development is pretty impressive for the three months that have gone by since the official release of the open source platform.

Now, we get to see it in action again, this time on a Google Nexus 7. There are two things that stand out about this particular port, the first is that it only took Simon Busch with WebOS Ports a week to translate the build from the Galaxy Nexus to the Nexus 7, the second is that Open webOS is able to run without being connected to a PC. Boot-up still requires a tether, but after that, the tablet can be unplugged from the desktop.

Being that the Nexus 7 is a pure Android tablet, it was a natural step to take for the WebOS Ports crew. The video below says it all. Remember, this is an early alpha build. Despite that, it is pretty impressive to see how smoothly things are operating on the Nexus 7. This is pretty much the work of guys in their spare time which makes the progress made over the past three months even more notable.

via: webOS Nation

View the original article here

By: Dilusha On 10:43 PM

Tuesday, January 1, 2013

Retina iPad, Google Nexus 10 and Kindle Fire HD 8.9 Comparison Smackdown

OMG! Just a few days left to the holiday shopping season and you still don't know which tablet to pick? Or maybe you're counting those gift certificates and waiting for that day of shopping mayhem known as Dec. 26 (or Boxing Day if you speak Canadian). In this smackdown we compare three 9 to 10 inch tablets with better than full HD displays: the iPad with Retina Display, Google Nexus 10 and Amazon Kindle Fire HD 8.9. The iPad 4 and Nexus 10 are similarly priced (the Nexus is $100 less) while the Kindle Fire HD 8.9" is the budget shopper's friend at $299.

Pricing

iPad with Retina Display (4th gen): starting at $499 for the 16 gig with WiFi and $629 for the WiFi + 4G LTE models. Max price is $829 for the 64 gig with WiFi and 4G LTE.

Not surprisingly, the Amazon tablet is the least expensive and Apple's is the most expensive in this lineup.

Display

These are all very high resolution tablets given their respective display sizes. The Kindle Fire HD 8.9" and iPad with Retina Display use IPS panels while the Nexus 10 has Samsung's PLS panel that performs similarly to IPS. All are glossy and have wide viewing angles. Though Amazon claims to use a display filter to reduce glare, I find it every bit as much a mirror as the other two tablets.

Kindle Fire HD 8.9: 254 ppi
iPad with Retina Display: 264 ppi
Nexus 10: 300 ppi

Kindle Fire HD 8.9: 1920 x 1200 IPS
iPad with Retina Display: 2048 x 1536 IPS
Nexus 10: 2560 x 1600 PLS

Honestly, they are all excellent displays and they yield pleasing and fairly accurate colors with rich blacks. Text is very sharp, but I can see the difference on the Google Nexus 10: it's clearly the sharpest when using an app meant for Android tablets like Google Play Books. But your eyes will love you no matter which of these three tablets you choose. Despite it's top dog text, the Nexus 10 is the least ergonomic for eBook reading given the 16:10 aspect ratio and larger size.

Both the Fire HD 8.9 and Nexus 10 have micro HDMI out. With the iPad you'll have to buy Apple's Lightning to HDMI dongle adapter.

Winner: Google Nexus 10

Speed and Performance

The Kindle Fire HD 8.9" isn't the sharpest knife in the box compared to the iPad 4 and Nexus 10. But that's tough competition because the iPad and Nexus 10 are two of the fastest tablets on the market. Still, those with a need for speed and a keen fondness for specs will likely gravitate away from the Kindle. Amazon makes a tablet that's designed to be easy to use, reliable and good at delivering Amazon's many content types. This is not a general purpose tablet running standard Android, and it isn't built to win benchmark wars. It feels adequate in terms of speed, though the UI lags and pauses here and there. Honestly, the CPU inside is more than adequate to power a snappy experience, and I suspect Amazon's heavy UI overlay prevents the tablet from absolutely flying.

The iPad with Retina Display, like all iOS products does fly. Apple makes the hardware and software and so can tune them perfectly together. The new A6X CPU with quad core graphics certainly helps. This is a fast tablet from UI interactions to app launches to gaming. It's also very stable.

The Nexus 10 has been the most responsive Android tablet we've tested to date (and we test them all!). Ours hasn't lagged, stuttered or left us feeling a little impatient. Unlike the Asus Transformer Infinity TF700 with a full HD display and a fast Tegra 3 CPU, it doesn't put up "please wait" messages due to slow flash memory. It's also been stable except for two unexpected reboots when installing apps in batches of 10 during initial setup.

- Kindle Fire HD 8.9": 1.5GHz dual core OMAP with PowerVR SVG 544 graphics
- iPad with Retina Display: 1.2GHz Apple A6X dual core with quad core GPU
- Google Nexus 10: 1.7GHz Exynos dual core with MALI T604 graphics

Winner: iPad with Retina Display, though Google Nexus 10 has seriously fast hardware and is very close.

Battery Life

Hours of actual use time (not standby) in a mix of web, email, streaming video playback and music playback:

Nexus 10: 8 hours
Kindle Fire HD 8.9": 9 hours
iPad 4: 11 hours

Camera

Here's another area where Amazon doesn't try to compete. The Kindle Fire tablets lack rear cameras, though you do get a front HD camera that delivers very good outgoing video in Skype. The built-in mic likewise works well.

The iPad with Retina display has a 1.2MP FaceTime front camera and a rear 5MP camera, both with BSI sensors. The Nexus 10 has a front 1.9MP camera (same as recent high end Samsung Android smartphones) and a 5MP rear camera with LED flash. Both can shoot 1080p video and take fairly good photos. I give the edge to the iPad 4 for photo quality, but both the Nexus 10 and iPad 4 have pretty decent cameras. The iPad's built-in mic picks up better audio than the Nexus 10 for video chat.

Tie: iPad with Retina Display and Google Nexus 10.

OS and who These Tablets are For

The Amazon Kindle Fire HD 8.9" is for Amazon customers who have an investment in Kindle books and magazines, Prime Instant Video and Amazon's MP3 store. It makes reading and watching videos brain dead simple. It just works for those tasks. Amazon's app store has 50,000 apps, which is far fewer than the Google Play Store, but the top app picks are there. Those who are a bit geeky can side load apps from sources other than Amazon's app store; Amazon doesn't block that capability, unlike B&N and their Nook tablets. The 8.9" Fire is particularly well suited to video watching and viewing magazines, and it's the better pick over the 7" Fire HD if you plan to do lots of both. The 7" makes more sense for those who mostly read eBooks.

The iPad with Retina Display as ever has the widest selection of tablet-optimized apps and a huge library of games. Our advice still stands: if turnkey ease of use, speed and a huge selection of apps and quality games are what you want, then the iPad is for you. It's a general purpose tablet like the Nexus 10, and it can also play Amazon Instant Video like the Kindle Fire HD.

The Google Nexus 10 is a general purpose tablet with no manufacturer software customizations. It's particularly great for techie types and Android lovers who want to root it or install custom ROMs and prefer a clean OS. It doesn't have a manufacturer-bundled set of apps like an MS Office compatible suite or utilities that newbies might find comforting, though the standard healthy selection of Google apps are on-board, including PIM apps, email, Gmail, maps, YouTube, the Chrome web browser and multimedia players. You have access to the Google Play Store for books, movies and music, much like iTunes. For experienced Android users who already have a stable of preferred apps, the lack of bloatware is appealing as is the Nexus guarantee that you'll always get the latest OS updates first. The Google Nexus 10 gets an extra point for having a GPS. With the Kindle Fire HD 8.9" and iPad with Retina Display, you'll have to upgrade to the more pricey LTE models to get that feature. For those of you who must have cellular data on your tablet, the Nexus 10 isn't for you since Google doesn't offer an LTE version of the Nexus 10.

Here's our iPad with Retina Display, Google Nexus 10 and Amazon Kindle Fire HD 8.9" Comparison Smackdown Video:

Related:

Google Nexus 10 Review

iPad with Retina Display Review (latest generation)

Amazon Kindle Fire HD 8.9" Review

--------------------
Lisa Gade
Editor in Chief, MobileTechReview

View the original article here

By: Dilusha On 12:42 PM

Get notified whenever any of the Google Nexus devices are back in stock

One of the problems with waiting for the Google Play Store to replenish its inventory of Google Nexus devices is that by the time you hear about it, the devices could be sold out again. You can just imagine how high the demand is for the $349 16 GB Google Nexus 4 since it seems to sell out inside of 30 minutes everytime it goes on sale. But there is an app available that will push a notification to you whenever there is a status change on any of the devices.

The app is designed to look like the actual product page on the Google Play Store and you can customize the app to monitor the entire Google Nexus line-up or just those devices you want to know about. You can also set how often the app checks the status of the devices from as often as every minute, to as long as once a day. The default setting is for Auto Refresh and the app will play a sound and vibrate when there is a change to report.

The beauty of installing this app is that it could be the difference between getting to the Google Play Store in time to buy the Google Nexus 4 when the next batch is on sale, or getting shut out. And for us in the media, installing this app gives us the chance to scoop the competition the next time any of the Google Nexus line is available. According to the app, everything is sold out at the moment.

The Nexus Availability Checker gives you the price of each device in local currency and also gives you a link to the Google Play Store. You can download it free from the sourcelink.

source: NexusAvailabilityChecker via MobileSyrup

View the original article here

By: Dilusha On 12:10 PM

Review: Updated: Google Nexus 10

Powerful processorHigh-res screenAndroid 4.2No 3G/4G optionNo expandable storageMuted colours for media

The Google Nexus 10 was only announced around a week ago but in many circles it had been anticipated since the announcement of the Google Nexus 7. After all, if Google was entering the tablet field directly then how could it resist the potentially very lucrative 10-inch market?

And here we are, just a few short months after the Nexus 7's launch and Google is taking the fight to Apple, going head-to-head for tablet supremacy.

Google Nexus 10

It's not going to be an easy fight for Google; the iPad has always been in a league of its own and has a serious head start, but Google isn't entering the fray unprepared.

At $399 for the 16GB model the Google Nexus 10 is $100 cheaper than the equivalent iPad 4, which is $499. In fact, $499 is what a 32GB Nexus 10 costs. Once again, it's $100 cheaper than the equivalent Apple tablet, since a 32GB iPad 4 will run you $599.

Google Nexus 10 review

Don't think that just because it's relatively cheap it's not a premium powerhouse device. With a retina-searing 10.05-inch 2560 x 1600 Super PLS display, it's even higher resolution than the latest iPad, with 300 pixels per inch against the iPad 4's 264ppi.

That makes it the highest resolution tablet in existence. With a display that beautiful it's reassuring to know that it uses Corning Gorilla Glass 2 to keep it in pristine condition.

It's no slouch under the hood either. With a dual-core 1.7GHz Samsung Exynos processor and 2GB of RAM it should have no problem keeping pace with the fastest Android devices. It comes with Android 4.2 out of the box and being a pure Google tablet, it will be one of the first devices to get the next version of Android, keeping it up to date and future proofed for as long as possible.

Google Nexus 10 review

It's the same tactic used for the Google Nexus 7 - produce top end hardware at the lowest price possible to get people buying. It's even learned a few lessons from the Nexus 7, as this time is isn't bothering with a cripplingly small 8GB model and making a 32GB version available from day one.

Early sales of the Google Nexus 10 have been extremely promising. Despite the slightly higher price tag compared to other tablets on the market, the Nexus 10 has sold out on Google's Play Store on multiple occasions, with buyers clearly entranced by the super high resolution screen and larger dimensions.

Right now, the Google Nexus 10 is Wi-Fi only, but if you want 3G or 4G you might not have to wait too long, as the Nexus 7 has just been made available with 3G, so we expect the Google Nexus 10 will follow suit.

Saturday, December 29, 2012

Another new wave of Nexus 4s shipping

Nexus 4

Nary a moment too soon, word in our Nexus 4 forums is that another batch of the hard-to-buy (and harder-to-ship, apparently) smartphone is on its way to the good boys and girls. The phone's still sold out on Google Play, both in the 8- and 16-gigabyte versions, as are the rubber bumpers. (Interesting, though, is that it's saying we've reached our limit for bumper purchases, not that they're sold out. Apparently we're consider bumper horders or something.)

Anyhoo. Be on the lookout for a shipping e-mail if you haven't gotten on already.

More: Nexus 4 forums

View the original article here

By: Dilusha On 9:04 PM

Friday, December 28, 2012

Engadget UK Giveaway: win a Nexus 4 courtesy of MobileFun

Who cares whether you've been naughty or nice this year? Not UK phone and accessory retailer MobileFun.co.uk, that's for sure. Because the team there has been kind enough to pass along one shiny new Nexus 4 for us to give away (indiscriminately) to one lucky UK reader. MobileFun sells the latest in mobile tech all year round, but if Santa didn't give you everything you wanted, there's a good chance it's on sale over there, so do go check it out. Not until you've entered the competition by leaving a comment of course. Good luck!

The rules:

Leave a comment below. Any comment will do. Duplicate entries will be filtered out and discarded, so adding additional comments won't increase your likelihood of winning. This contest is open to all UK residents -- aged 18 years or over! Sorry, we don't make this rule (we hate excluding anyone), so direct your anger at our lawyers and contest laws if you have to be mad. Winners will be chosen randomly. One winner will receive one (1) new Nexus 4. Service does not come included with the prize. If you are chosen, you will be notified by email. Winners must respond within three days of being contacted. If you do not respond within that period, another winner will be chosen. This unit is purely for promotional giveaway. Mobilefun.co.uk and Engadget / AOL UK are not held liable to honor warranties or customer service. The full list of rules, in all its legalese glory, can be found here. Entries can be submitted until 30th of December, 2012 at 23:59 GMT. Good luck!

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile

Comments

]]>

Sourse

By: Dilusha On 9:02 AM

Tuesday, December 25, 2012

Unannounced Google Nexus 10 dock appears in festive Android video

Google gets festive with Android holiday video

Google looks certain to launch a dock connector for its Nexus 10 tablet after the unannounced accessory appeared in a festive video.

The 'Happily Holidays from Android' clip, posted this weekend, features the Android mascot meeting up with pals and the latest generation of devices, the Nexus 4 phone and the Nexus 7 and Nexus 10 tablets.

The clip shows a user placing the Nexus 10 tablet in a small dock connector and playing Christmas-themed content, much to the delight of the cute wee green droid.

The appearance suggests that the launch probably should have happened by now, or that its release is imminent.

The video comes after an official Nexus 7 dock - also featured in the video - went up for pre-order through third-party retailers.

You can check out both in the video below.

Via Android Central

Editorial: All I want for Christmas is a new HTC Nexus

To this day, I remain in love with my HTC One X, but its fate has already been sealed. Soon enough, this fast and beautiful smartphone is going to find a new life in a drawer that holds my spare change, sunglasses, checkbook and various receipts. Is it wrong to relegate one of the best phones on the planet to my stash of odds and ends? Perhaps, but the past few months have taught me that excellent hardware alone doesn't make a device that's sufficient for enthusiasts.

Like many, I've been waiting for an upgrade to Jelly Bean ever since HTC first promised it back in July. I have no doubt that the company is working hard to prepare the Android 4.1 update for its customers, but the software is already past its expiration date. Google has moved onto something better. Quite frankly, I'm no longer willing to perpetually live behind the curve. I want to play with new toys as they come out, and that's wholly impossible outside of the Nexus ecosystem.

Why should HTC care about my personal revelation, or the desire of anyone else who wants to stay on the cutting edge? Well, I'd like to offer the simple suggestion that enthusiasts matter. Take any introductory marketing class and you'll learn the early adopters -- in other words, the nerds who like playing with the very latest stuff -- set trends and influence others. Companies should be falling over themselves to cater to this influential segment, and yet within the Android ecosystem, that's the exception to the rule. There's only one device for sale today that's suitable for enthusiasts, and it's high time for that to change.

Continue reading Editorial: All I want for Christmas is a new HTC Nexus

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, HTC

Comments

]]>

Sourse

By: Dilusha On 4:07 PM

Tuesday, December 18, 2012

Google apologizes for Nexus 4 delays, blames LG for erratic and scarce supply

google, android, nexus, smartphone, jelly bean, nexus 4, apolo

Google’s latest Nexus 4 smartphone is a great deal for anyone looking to buy an unsubsidized phone upfront. It's only $300 for 8GB or $350 for the 16GB model, as opposed to $600 or more for today's high-end phones if you can find them off contract, and since it comes unlocked you'll be able to get a cheaper or pre-paid plan rather than locking yourself into two years of overpriced voice and data.

Indeed, demand for the Nexus 4 is there, but the problem is Google can’t seem to get them into customers’ hands. Supplies of the handset have been scarce since launch, with Google pushing the initial 3-5 day shipping estimate to up to eight weeks in some cases, and then pulling new orders altogether.

Google UK and Ireland Managing Director Dan Cobley wrote on his Google+ page this weekend to explain the situation, pinning the blame on "scarce and erratic" supplies from manufacturer LG, but also admitting that their communication has been flawed. Cobley personally offered “an unreserved apology” to Nexus 4 buyers, calling the delays “unacceptable”, and promising to work “through the nights and weekends” to resolve the issue.

Orders that originally showed a 3-5 day shipping estimate are being processed this week and will receive a refund for the shipping charge soon. Orders with pre-Christmas shipping estimates are also said to be going through shortly. You can read the full statement below and other comments from Cobley on his G+ page.

Dear all
I know that what you are going through is unacceptable and we are all working through the nights and weekends to resolve this issue. Supplies from the manufacturer are scarce and erratic, and our communication has been flawed. I can offer an unreserved apology for our service and communication failures in this process.
For those that originally received a 3-5 days shipping estimate, your orders are now in process for fulfillment. You can expect an email notification early this week which will include tracking information. Although you will be initially charged in full, you will receive a credit for the shipping charge soon after.
For others that received pre-Christmas shipping estimates, we anticipate processing your orders for fulfillment this week.
I realise that the people who ordered the Nexus 4 so early are among our most committed and loyal users and we are doing all we can to put things right.
Sorry again.
Dan

View the original article here

By: Dilusha On 3:12 PM