Sony Smartwatch 2 Vs Samsung Galaxy Gear

The smartwatch has been around for some time but the technology of the devices brought to market so far haven’t been the Secret Service/James Bond style that everyone pictures when they say the word “smartwatch”. Now though, Sony and Samsung seem to have stepped up their game and are going head to head in a considerably more exciting battle of the smartwatches than we’ve seen to date.

Sony Smartwatch 2 Spec Overview

• 1.6 inch display 220 x 176 pixels
• Aluminum body with interchangeable straps
• Micro USB Charging with 3- 4 day battery life (average use)
• NFC and Bluetooth connectivity
• $262 out late September 2013

Samsung Galaxy Gear Spec Overview

• 1.63 inch display 320 x 320 pixels
• Stainless steel body
• Snap-on USB 3,0 charging with 24+ hours heavy use
• Bluetooth 3.0 connectivity
• $299 out October

Battling It Out

So what does it all mean? Well for a start, the Samsung Galaxy Gear seems to have a sharper display. In fact Samsung are proud to say that the display is bright enough not to be affected by sunlight. No cupping your hand over the smartwatch’s face to tell the time.

Both the Samsung and the Sony are nicely designed although the Sony Smartwatch 2 offers a little more flexibility for its users with interchangeable straps.

Both watches are extremely app friendly (of course), but Samsung have an advantage with this as they’ve secured partnerships with some of the more popular app developers. Also, when it comes to running apps, the Samsung model might be slightly better as the CPU is faster than its competitors.

Bond, James Bond

For anyone who wants to pretend they’re a spy, the Samsung features some brilliant tools. There’s a 1.9 megapixel camera contained in the strap of the camera for the photo opportunity that needs instant capture without fiddling around for a camera or smartphone. Users can also make calls directly from the watch which has a built in microphone and speaker, as well as the Samsung ‘S Voice’ voice recognition tool.

The second version of the Sony Smartwatch doesn’t feature these benefits although users can use the watch to call friends and family but only with a Bluetooth headset as there isn’t a mic or speakers. But what kind of spy could do without a waterproof watch? Sony’s watch allows its user to swim whereas the Samsung will only protect them from a shower.

Which is Best?

The one thing that will undoubtedly let the Samsung watch down is the fact that it is only compatible with the Samsung Galaxy Note 3. A short way down the road there will be updates to make it compatible with the S3, S4 and Note 2. In comparison, the Sony watch is compatible with any android phone that operates Android 4.0. the options are almost endless.

Now though, other companies are hot on the heels of Sony and Samsung trying to push the limits of the smartwatch all the time.

Samsung Mega: For When The Note 2 Is Just Not Big Enough

Huge. Ginormous. Brobdingnagian. Humongous. Whatever adjective you want to use to describe the new Samsung Mega, you probably won’t be far off from reality. If my life depended on it, I still wouldn’t be able to convince myself to go for the new Samsung phone, the Samsung Mega. To be honest, I didn’t know about the phone till I chanced upon it at the mall a couple of weeks ago. It was so big that I just had to do a double take.

It has not been released in some parts of the world, but the Samsung Mega is already making waves. And, how could it not with that size?

As a matter of fact, the 6.3-inch phone (phablet, you may want to say) is being released today in the US via AT&T. At some point, Sprint and U.S. Cellular will also be offering the unit.

If you’ve got hands the size of Hulk’s, then this phone might just be perfect for you. Aside from the size, though, there is another factor that makes the Samsung Mega interesting: the price.

For AT&T at least, the price is a reasonable $149.99 – with the usual 2-year contract, naturally. There even is an installment option, which makes it $24 per month. Not bad at all, yeah?

Of course, we have to look at the specs – after all, size isn’t everything. Here’s what the Samsung Mega has to offer:

• HD Super Clear display
• resolution of 1,280×720 pixels
• Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean
• dual-core 1.7GHz processor
• 1.5GB of RAM
• 16GB of internal storage
• expandable to 64GB with an external microSD card
• 8-megapixel camera

Microsoft CEO To Retire In The Next Year

Steve Ballmer, Microsoft CEO, has announced that he plans retire in the next twelve months, depending on when a replacement can be found.

The company publicly announced the news on Friday, which resulted in the company’s stock shooting up by nearly 9% in pre-market trading.

(Microsoft, founded in 1975, is a multinational tech corporation based in Redmond, Wash. Microsoft is best known for launching the Windows operating system in 1990. The company played a huge role in molding and enhancing the Internet over the last two decades, under the leadership of Bill Gates.
Microsoft specializes in products, software and game development. The company excels in technological innovations. In 2009, Microsoft launched Bing -- a new "decision engine" to compete with Google. Bing is now one of the biggest search engines on the web and powers Yahoo.
The current CEO of Microsoft is Steven Ballmer. Bill Gates stands as the corporation's chairman. Microsoft's long list of businesses and company divisions include Xbox 360, Zune Music and Video, Office, Exchange, MSN portals, Skype, So.Cl and much more.)


In a statement Ballmer said, “There is never a perfect time for this type of transition, but now is the right time. We have embarked on a new strategy with a new organization and we have an amazing Senior Leadership Team. My original thoughts on timing would have had my retirement happen in the middle of our company’s transformation to a devices and services company. We need a CEO who will be here longer term for this new direction.”

Only one month ago Ballmer Ballmer led a massive reorganisation of the company in a bid to bring all the divisions under one unified vision. Microsoft has said that a special committee has been appointed to oversee the process of hunting for Ballmer’s replacement.

Microsoft Agree To Buy Nokia’s Mobile Phone Unit

In a bold move, Microsoft has settled a deal to buy Nokia’s mobile phone business for $7.2 billion. Included in the deal are Nokia’s patents and mapping services, which will be licensed to Microsoft.

Microsoft Chief, Steve Ballmer described the deal as a “big, bold step forward” and that the company was transforming itself from one that “was known for software and PCs, to a company that focuses on devices and services”.

“We’ve done a lot of great work in the two-and-a-half years that we’ve been in partnership with Nokia, going literally from no phones to 7.4 million smart Windows phones in the last quarter that was reported,” he said.

The announcement comes at a time when Microsoft is struggling due to consumers choosing smartphones and tablets over PCs and laptops. It has been accused of being too slow to enter the mobile device market.

Nokia on the otherhand was once the leading name in mobile phones but its sales were down 27 percent in the quarter compared to last year. The Nokia Lumia phone, which runs a Microsoft operating system however, saw sales rise in the same period.

Manoj Menon, managing director of consulting firm Frost & Sullivan feels that the deal between these two well known companies could help bring the “hardware closer to the operating system and achieve a tighter integration”.

“This should help Microsoft make a more effective strategy to compete in the mobile sphere,” he said.

Due to the sale, Nokia has announced that there will be changes to the management at the company. Stephen Elop is to step down as president and chief executive of Nokia Corporation and resign from the company’s board. It is likely he will “transfer to Microsoft at the anticipated closing” of the deal, the firm said.

It has been suggested that he could be one of the forerunners to replace Steve Ballmer, who announced last week that he will be retiring within the next year.


The companies are both awaiting the approvall from Nokia’s shareholders and regulators before the sale can be completed. Nokia has said that once it has been completed it plans to concentrate on three key businesses: the network equipment manufacturing, mapping and location services and the development and licensing of technology.

Newkia Aiming To Take Nokia Talent To Android Platform

Out of the ashes of what many perceive as the burning death of Nokia, comes Newkia.  It is the Singapore-based company that was founded the same day the US$7.2 billion Microsoft-Nokia deal was announced, with the single aim of acquiring Nokia employees and knowledge, but to focus on the Android platform.

Newkia plans to acquire as much of Nokia’s know-how as possible and do what they really should have done at Nokia and push Android forwards.  ”The Microsoft-Nokia deal reflects the complete failure of the Windows strategy”, says Thomas Zilliacus, executive chairman and founder of Mobile FutureWorks.

He spent over 15 years as a Nokia employee including seven where he was Asia-Pacific CEO. He left the company in 1993 but spent another three years under Nokia’s payroll as a regional consultant.  He left to become an entrepreneur and currently runs investment company Mobile FutureWorks, which advisors include former Nokia’s mobile phones CEO Jorma Nieminen and Ericsson’s former CEO Sven-Christer Nilsson.

Zilliacus, tried to buy out Nokia a year ago with the aim to push the company toward a strategy focused around the Android platform, but was unable to raise enough funds to do so despite approaching several global sovereign wealth and equity funds. He still believes Nokia makes the best phones in the world, citing the Lumia collection which he said had been well-received in the market.  ”But consumers simply don’t want the Windows OS because it lacks the ecosystem and there are not enough apps and services built for the platform that users find crucial today,” he said.  He added that the Windows market share is too small for developers to want to develop for the OS. “There’s also a general image problem where Microsoft isn’t perceived as a sexy company.


Developers think it’s cooler to develop for Android and Apple iOS.” He has welcomed Microsoft’s buyout because it opens up the floodgates for his company to now swoop in and gather up Nokia’s technology know-how.

Rise of the Phoenix

“We set up Newkia literally the day Nokia sold its phone business to Microsoft. It was the day Nokia died in Finland, and the new Nokia was born in Newkia. I know Nokia employees who are keen to develop for Android and maybe would like to join us…I strongly believe Nokia still has the best know-how in terms of mobile phones and we want to get the best people to join us.”

Thomas Zilliacus has already gathered a team of former Nokia employees and hopes to acquire more staff with expertise, from logistics to manufacturing through to smartphone design.  The company will be based out of Singapore, but Newkia plans for its core research and development team to be based out of Finland and the company may set up other R&D divisions across the globe where there are advanced skills sets, such as in Silicon Valley.


In effect, what Newkia plans to do is to use the Nokia framework of technology and design to build the world’s best smartphones, but running on Android.  I personally, cannot wait to see what comes of this!

Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini Confirmed & Specs Revealed

The Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini has been confirmed by the team at Samsung.

As expected the Galaxy S4 Mini keeps close to the S4 but with a small display and mid-range hardware options.

According to Samsung the S4 Mini features a 4.3-inch qHD Super AMOLED display and a 1.7GHz processor that supports 1.5GB of RAM. Samsung executives have not revealed which mobile processor is being used in the S4 Mini.

The S4 Mini also comes equipped with 8GB of storage for which 5GB is available for free use. Buyers needing more space can expand their hard drive holdings via the included microSD cardslot.


Also housed within the Galaxy S4 Mini is a rear-facing 8-megapixel camera and a front-facing 1.9MP option.

Connectivity on the device includes Wi-Fi, GPS, Glonass, Bluetooth 4.0, NFC, and an infrared LED that can come in handy for controlling your television set and other infrared devices.

The S4 Mini will offer an LTE connectivity option while the entry-level version of the device will feature quad-band HSPA+ connectivity.

Along with Google Android 4.2.2. the Galaxy S4 Mini will also feature a slew of Samsung software options that includes Group Play, S Translator, Samsung Hub, ChatON, and S Voice. As you may recall from Samsung’s Broadway inspired release party, it is the devices software features that really stand out on the new smartphone.


With its smaller display and smaller overall size the Galaxy S4 Mini also pushes the battery size down from 2,600mAh to 1,900mAh.

Samsung says the new smartphone will be available in both White Frost and Black Mist casings. The company has not announced pricing or the release date for the smartphone.

Samsung Galaxy S4 Active – It’s Waterproof

Finally, after all the rumours circulating about the Samsung Galaxy S4 Active, Samsung have confirmed that it will hit markets this summer. They have labelled it the new “rugged” version of their popular Galaxy S4 smartphone.

This new handset is aimed at those of you who love the great outdoors; so if you want to phone your mum whilst abseiling down a cliff or send a quick text when you’re white water rafting, this is the phone for you! Samsung have developed a sealed design which they promise will protect the S4 from water and dust particles. This new design protects the phone for up to 30 minutes in submerged water, at a depth of three feet. They also claim you will be able to take photos using the Active’s 8-mega-pixel camera, which has an “acqua mode”, improving picture quality and clarity underwater. The phone comes with a water-resistant ear jack, enabling you to listen to music whilst swimming.

The Active will run on Android 4.2.2 (Jelly Bean). It comes with a 1.9GHz quad-core processor, a 5-inch 1080p screen and a 2,600mAh battery.

Some others feature of this phone include: Smart Pause- allowing you to control the screen with optical clues, Air View- lets you hover over content for previews, and Air Gesture- with this you can scroll web pages and take calls with a wave of the hand.


There will be three colours available, urban grey, dive blue and orange flare.

Samsung Galaxy S4 Zoom – A Smartphone & Camera Rolled Into One

Samsung seems determined to produce niche Galaxy S4 variants, first the S4 Active and now, the Galaxy S4 Zoom.

It looks very similar to a Galaxy S4 Mini, but with a big camera lens plopped on the side. The camera has 16-megapixels and a 10x optical zoom. It also has a built-in optical stabilization, taking better photos in low light and helping prevent shakiness in videos. The Zoom sports a 16MP sensor, a xenon flash and a 24mm wide lens.

Under the hood of the Galaxy S4 Zoom, is a 1.5GHz dual-core processor and 1.5GB of RAM. It is built around a 4.3″ Super AMOLED display with a resolution of 960×540 pixels. Compared to the S4 Mini, it is notably thicker and heavier, but with a much larger camera module that was a bit obvious.


It has an internal memory of 8GB but you can increase this to 64GB by using the microSD card. As a smartphone you will be able to have connectivity via Wi-Fi a/b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0LE and A-GPS. It supports 3G with HSPA and LTE connectivity.

There have been no announcements regarding pricing yet but the Galaxy S4 Zoom is expected to arrive in the US and UK by the end of this year.

Android 4.3 Now Available For Download – At Your Own Risk

Just how adventurous are you when it comes to “upgrading” to the latest OS – even if it’s still on beta? Last week, I was taken down a peg or two because I installed iOS 7 Beta 2 on my iPad. Contrary to my initial reaction – immediately roll back to iOS 6 – I still am on the iOS 7, but I learned enough not install this version on the iPhone 5. Now, if you’re an Android user, does it make a difference?

If you are an ultra early adopter, and if you’re NOT a developer, but you still like downloading early versions of operating systems, then you might want to give Android 4.3 a go. Oh, but you have to be using a Galaxy S4 (GT-I9505).

The early build of Android 4.3 was spotted by SAMMOBILE last week, and it looks like it is working pretty well.

Of course, early builds and unofficial releases always come with risks, and Android 4.3 is no exception. For one thing, downloading and installing this will require you to flash your ROM. Oh, and your warranty will be voided.

I can already see hardcore Apple users rolling their eyes, but then again, no fan boy or girl will be reading up to this point for sure.


In any case, while the topic of Android 4.3 was noticeably absent from this year’s I/O, this development is solid proof that we will be seeing the latest Android version available for public consumption soon enough.

Word(s) of caution from SAMMOBILE, which I strongly feel we should reiterate – we wouldn’t want you saying we didn’t warn you enough in case things go south:

• This is not flashable through Odin.
• This will void your warranty.
• Don’t attempt this if you don’t have the skills to flash a custom ROM.
• You are doing this on your own risk.

Good luck!

Sony Phones That Will Have Android 4.3

Android 4.3 Jelly Bean is finally out of the bag, much to the delight of Android enthusiasts. In a press event held last July 24, Google unveiled the highly anticipated mobile operating system, and not too surprisingly, it also announced that the OS will be launched on the new Nexus 7. The new tablet will be thinner, with a hi-res screen (of course), and will cost about $230 – that depends where you get it, of course. Owners of existing Android devices will have the opportunity to update their gadgets to Android 4.3 over the air. These gadgets include the first-gen Nexus 7, the Nexus 4, the Nexus 10, and the Galaxy Nexus.

The good news is that other brands are also going for the Android 4.3, Sony included.

Sony might have had received a lot of criticism in the past, but it sure is not going anywhere – at least not if the big boys in that camp have anything to do with it. With the new Android OS being announced, it is interesting and heartening to hear that Sony is actually joining that bandwagon for sure.

Less than a day after the unveiling of Android 4.3 Jelly Bean, Sony made an official announcement that some of their devices are going to run on the OS. These devices are as follows:

• Xperia Z
• Xperia ZL
• Xperia ZR
• Xperia Tablet Z
• Xperia SP
• Xperia Z Ultra

You’ll have to be a tad patient when it comes to other details such as the WHEN, but you can follow @SonyMobileNews for timely news regarding the topic.

In the meantime, if you own an Xperia ZR and/or an Xperia Tablet Z, you only have a couple of days – or maybe a little more; Sony says early August – to wait for Android 4.2 to be available for your device/s. Also, take note that software rollouts are dependent on the market and the carrier, so don’t be too disappointed if you have to wait longer than others.