Phandroid
Samsung sets the record straight after receiving heat over gold Galaxy S4
Samsung is definitely no stranger to “Apple copy cat” claims. I think we all remember how their lawsuit with Apple ended. Where those were some extremely early Galaxy models, we’ve since seen Samsung come into their own, taking on Apple head-to-head in a variety of ads with their latest flagships.
Last week, Samsung once again landed themselves in more hot water — not of the legal variety, only in reputation — after they announced via their official Samsung Gulf Facebook page, the arrival of the all new gold Samsung Galaxy S4.
As expected, Samsung immediately began receiving heat from netizens over the timing of the new color option, announced only a few weeks after Apple finally made the gold iPhone 5s official. Many felt Samsung was once again playing the “me too” game, but only after they watched as the new color variant become the iPhone in highest demand (and shortest supply).
It was over the weekend Samsung took to their “Samsung Tomorrow” blog to set the record straight. In an attempt at gaining back some of their mobile street cred, Samsung reminds us who’s been making gold colored phones for years now, highlighting just a few of the Samsung devices to feature the color dating all the way back to 2004.
In dealing with the gold Samsung Galaxy S4 “announcement”? Turns out, that was nothing more than a reminder. The gold Galaxy S4 was actually announced on August 27th for United Arab Emirates and made available in stores for purchase on Sept 8th, 2 days prior to the gold iPhone 5 ever becoming official. As it stands, the gold color option hasn’t been made available anywhere outside of UAE, Kuwait, and Qatar, with no current plans to do battle with the gold iPhone globally.
So, what do you guys think? Does this help their case just a little bit. Keep in mind Samsung isn’t saying they invented the gold colored phone, merely stating that they’ve been doing them for a long time.
Motorola DROID MAXX official bumper case review
With great power comes great responsibility, and with great smartphones comes an even greater need to protect them. That’s what I set out to do with the device I plan on using for at least the next six months — the Motorola DROID Maxx — while I was at the Verizon store helping my sister and mom but the new iPhone 5S last week. I settled on the official bumper case for $20, as I am not too worried about the back of this particular phone getting damaged (Kevlar-coated backing for the win). So how has it fared for me so far?
Design and Aesthetics
If there’s one thing to love about this bumper case, it’s the looks. The DROID MAXX bumper case I picked up is a hard plastic wrap that features a distinctive red stripe in the middle. It screams “Verizon,” “DROID,” and all the other aggressive marketing tones typically associated with the DROID line. The red is closer to maroon than anything, with a somber temperature that will make it stand out while not being an eyesore.
There’s not much else to note about this two-toned wonder. It’s a bumper case, so there’s little room for them to do anything special (which also means there’s little room for them to screw it up).
Fit and Form
The bumper was a bit confusing to install at first. I’ve always dealt with bumpers that allow you to install it at any angle, but you have to install the DROID MAXX at a specific angle. Once you get past this, though, it’s easy to slip on. In the same breath, it’s hard to take off. That last one is bitter sweet if you like switching cases often, but not a problem otherwise (especially considering there’s no battery door or microSD card that needs to be accessed on this phone).
The “sweet” comes from the case’s snug fit. The manufacturers machined this thing to perfection. It may be odd to see me patting them on the back for something that you should come to expect, but some manufacturers simply don’t take enough care to make sure their molds are perfect. As such, it becomes quite necessary to applaud the ones who do.
While I have not yet had the displeasure of dropping my phone, it feels like a case that will absorb a lot of the beating that it will get in that inevitable situation. The case’s tapering on the bottom front, bottom back and upper back means it’ll be quite difficult for the evil forces of concrete to force it off the device (unlike my previous device’s two-piece setup that would come apart if you so much as sneezed on it).
Accessibility and Usage
As you would expect from any decent case, all of this device’s ports, microphones and other ugly holes are given ample room to breathe. Of course, it’s even easier to get that right with a design that doesn’t cover the entirety of the phone sans display.
The case does have guards for the power button and volume rocker, though, and therein lies my one complaint. These guards are so stiff that it’s hard to tell if or when you actually press the buttons. In fact, you shouldn’t be surprised if you ended up not pressing the button altogether.
It’s been a bit easier to use after breaking it in with a week’s worth of use, but it still takes a bit more force to push than usual. This isn’t a terrible problem for someone who has hands as heavy as mine, but those with more of a light touch might be better off looking elsewhere.
Will it hold up?
If not for the difficulty in pushing the power and volume buttons, I’d say this is one of the best bumper cases ever made. It looks and feels fantastic, and gives you confidence that the phone can hold up to a fall or two.
That said, I’m more inclined to use it naked than having to put up with the stiff button covers every time I need to power my display on/off or adjust the volume… well, that’s at least until I find another one I like, anyway.
After my previous phone survived a 2 story drop thanks to a bumper case, I definitely won’t be going without one. If you want to try it for yourself, the fine folks at your local Verizon store should be more than happy to let you try it on before you buy.
Be sure to visit AndroidForums.com for suggestions on more great accessories for the Motorola DROID MAXX. There’s already a big accessories thread for you to take part in, so stop by and see if you can’t find something you like (or lend a helping hand and suggest cases to others).
Sony Xperia Z1 Mini leaked as “Xperia Z1 f” – Snapdragon 800, 20.7MP camera seemingly confirmed
Back during IFA 2013, Sony pulled back the veil on their upcoming flagship, the Sony Xperia Z1. The device packed many of the high-end specs you’d expect from a flagship — Snapdragon 800 processor, 20MP camera, 3,000mAh battery — and true to most Androids these days, a large 5-inch, 1080p full HD display. While some would have you believe that bigger is always better, we like to think there is still very much a market for smaller, more pocketable smartphones.
It’s only lately that we’ve watched the Android “Minis” gaining some steam, handsets like the HTC One Mini, Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini, or even the Motorola Moto X being a few. Unfortunately, their “mini” stature has also been equated with the use of smaller specs, with these devices usually having more in common with mid-range devices than the premium flagships they’re named after. Looks like Sony is aiming to change that.
We’ve heard about the mysterious Sony Xperia Z1 Mini through countless leaks and rumors and were surprised to find no mention of the device during the Sony’s official Z1 announcement a few weeks ago. According to leaks, the device is supposed to share many of the high-end specs from the Z1, only in smaller, bite sized package. Today we’re getting a even more confirmation of the existence of this device, it’s specs, and possibly even its official name.
The “Sony Xperia Z1 f” has allegedly been leaked in official Sony documentation, where it is headed to Japanese carrier NT DoCoMo. You can see from the Sony brochure many of those rumored high-end specs we’ve been hearing about are intact:
- Qualcomm 2.2GHz Snapdragon 800 quad-core processor
- 4.3-inch 720 x 1280 resolution display
- 20.7MP rear camera sensor/ 2.2MP front camera
- 2GB RAM
- 16GB internal storage
- 2300mAh battery
- IP55/IP58 dust and water resistance
- 127mm x 64.9mm x 9.4mm
Size and specs alone are enough for the Xperia Z1 f to trump much of its Android competition, but its the combination of processing speed and camera prowess that put the miniature Z1 in a unique position of going head-to-head with the newly launched iPhone 5s. Of course, Sony will need to entice US carriers to pick up the device if it hopes to make an splash. Currently, not even the Sony Xperia Z1 has found a home with any of the Big 4 carriers here in the states. Let’s hope that changes real soon.
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