With CES 2015 out of the way, it’s time to get back to business — and that’s exactly what Samsung is up to. The electronics giant has just launched its new Galaxy A7 smartphone with fairly decent specs and dependable, if not new, Android KitKat 4.4.
The A7 follows the current trend of 5.5-inch screens, but manages to stay notably slim at just 6.3mm with a metal unibody design. It’s got a 1080p AMOLED display and is powered by an octa-core processor (with 2GB RAM and 16GB internal memory. There’s also a microSD slot that supports 64GB cards, a 13-megapixel rear camera and 5-megapixel front camera, and a 2,600mAh battery to round things out.
Samsung is talking up the A7’s ‘advanced selfie’ features that let users take pictures with voice commands or by waving a hand. What we’re really waiting to hear about is the price.
➤ Samsung Galaxy A7 [Samsung Tomorrow]
Sony Xperia Z3 Tablet Compact: A skinny, waterproof 8-inch slate with an abysmal name
What happened to Android tablets? Aside from Samsung’s Galaxy Tab S line-up, there’s been precious little for gadget fans to drool over recently. Sony is one of the few companies still pursuing this space and today it unveiled its latest effort: the Xperia Z3 Tablet Compact.
Not a name that rolls off the tongue, I know.
As the name suggests, this is essentially a smaller version of the Xperia Z2 Tablet announced in February at Mobile World Congress. The new slate sports an 8-inch full HD (1080p) display, a 2.5Ghz Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 processor, 3GB of RAM and 16GB of internal storage, bolstered by a microSD card slot. It runs Android 4.4 (KitKat) and is powered by a 4500mAh battery.
The design of the Xperia Z3 Tablet Compact is attractive, but unremarkable. It looks like any other Sony device, with a regimented shape, minimal branding and a metallic frame running around the outside. It’s incredibly thin (6.4mm), just like the Xperia Z2 Tablet, and the rear cover is made from slightly softened plastic. It’s comfortable to hold and the bezels are about the right size; not monstrous, but large enough that you can easily grip it one-handed.
Like the Xperia Z3 and Z3 Compact, the Xperia Z3 Tablet Compact also supports Remote Play . Sony’s PlayStation 4 console has been a massive success and with this device, you can play the latest video games on your tablet too. The company recommends using this service in your home, just to ensure performance and latency is kept to a minimum, but it’s certainly possible to play over different Wi-Fi networks. Given the large display, this could be a viable option for gaming in another room, or when you’re settled at a relative’s house.
The Xperia Z3 Tablet Compact is waterproof – almost a prerequisite for Sony devices these days – and boasts an 8.1-megapixel rear-facing camera, in addition to a 2.2-megapixel snapper on the front. I suspect neither will be particularly impressive, but they should serve for the occasional Skype call or selfie.
If you’re looking for a new, high-end Android tablet that’s a tad larger than the Nexus 7, Sony’s latest slate could be a good option – at least until Google unveils its long rumored Nexus 9/X tablet. Gamers yet to invest in the PlayStation ecosystem might want to check out NVIDIA’s Shield Tablet first, however.
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OnePlus, the startup founded by a former Oppo exec, will unveil its first smartphone on April 23
OnePlus has been teasing its first smartphone, simply called the ‘One’, for a few months now by drip-feeding features and specs in its forums. It promised to launch the device in the first half of 2014 and finally, the company has given a date for the handset’s grand unveiling: April 23.
So what do we know so far? It offers a 5.5-inch 1080p display , a Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 processor (the 800 version was confirmed before) a 3,100 mAh non-removable battery and a 13-megapixel rear-facing camera , doubled-up with a 6-megapixel version on the front. It will also feature replaceable ‘ StyleSwap ‘ covers in denim, bamboo, kevlar, faux-silk and faux-sandstone.
OnePlus was founded by Pete Lau, a former Oppo executive. New hardware manufacturers are always cause for excitement, especially given the relatively minor upgrades offered by other Android flagship handsets this year, such as the Samsung Galaxy S5 and Sony Xperia Z2. It’s now less than a month before we can judge OnePlus’ potential to carve out its own slice of the market.
➤ OnePlus (via Engadget )