Phandroid
Ever wanted a projector/mobile hotspot combo? Sprint’s got you covered
In the age of Chromecast and other over-the-air streaming methods, folks aren’t exactly yearning for a portable pico projector. Going one step shy of putting said projector into a phone (looking at you, Samsung), Sprint today introduced the LivePro, a combination mini projector and mobile hotspot powered by Android 4.2 Jelly Bean. Sharing YouTube clips with your friends and family while on the go just got a little more weird.
Sprint is calling it a “world’s first,” but we’re left wondering if it was even necessary. Sprint has us asking that question quite often, so it’s nothing out of the usual. The projector portion features a “10-inch to 10-foot projection display” and the 3G/4G hotspot can offer up to 8 WiFi connections simultaneously. A 4-inch touch display gives access to that Jelly Bean user interface and the gadgets 5000mAh battery can even be used to charge a smartphone. Sprint (by way of ZTE) really thought of everything with this one.
The most ironic part? The projector support WiFi Miracast to wireless broadcast video content to the projector. OK, we get that this could be useful when there is no compatible TV nearby, but let’s be real. I suppose we get the angle that this could be a useful business tool, but most modern offices have more than enough equipment on hand to make easy work of showing slides at a meeting.
In short, the LivePro is a device that attempts to do everything you never needed it to do, and it doesn’t do it cheap. When purchased via a Sprint Easy Pay plan, the LivePro will run $18.75/month for 24 months, or $450 total. Welcome to the framily, LivePro!
Carrier leak suggests Sony Xperia Z3, Z3 Compact could arrive at IFA 2014
Recent weeks have brought an early glimpse at the device that most likely will end up as the Sony Xperia Z3, and the timing has led to plenty of speculation as to when we can expect the handset to officially launch. A new document allegedly sourced from Vodafone’s German arm adds to the intrigue, suggesting we could see the Z3 (as well as the Z3 Compact) on shelves before the end of this quarter.
The document in question references an internal rewards program that assigns point values to specific device models. These points are awarded to an employee upon completing the sale of one or more of these associated devices. Listed among the 1.5 point category? You guessed it — the Xperia Z3 and Xperia Z3 compact.
With the contest ending on September 30th, this makes that month’s IFA 2014 a strong contender for the location of Sony’s next big smartphone reveal. It makes sense, too. Sony launched the Xperia Z at CES in early 2013 only to be followed shortly after by the Xperia Z1 at IFA later that year. Early 2014 saw the launch of the Xperia Z2, this time at the yearly MWC exhibition. The biannual pattern sets up perfectly for the launch of the Sony Xperia Z3 during this year’s IFA show.
Of course, we must consider that this bit of carrier documentation could be inaccurate or at worst faked. If the latter were true, this would be one subtly executed hoax.
We don’t know many details about the Xperiz Z3, but leaked specs for the Z3 Compact suggest the pair could be quite the contenders when they arrive. The Compact is said to carry a 4.5-inch display, Snapdragon 801 processor, 2GB of RAM, and a whopping 20.7MP rear camera.
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