PhoneSat 1.0 during high-altitude balloon test. Photo courtesy of NASA Ames Research Center, 2011.While most of the recent media attention on NASA has understandably focused on the Curiosity rover on Mars, that’s not the only experiment that the space and aeronautics research agency has in the works. A team at NASA’s Ames Research center in Moffett Field, California, is working on the future launch of miniature satellites constructed with Android-powered Nexus One smartphones at the helm. Dubbed “PhoneSat,” this project is part of a larger experiment called the Small Spacecraft Technology Program that incorporates small consumer electronics into working nanosatellites.
The PhoneSat launch has no firm date, but three PhoneSat units will be rocket-bound sometime in late 2012. (Hopefully, we’ll start seeing Tweets from PhoneSat’s currently quiet Twitter account.) However, there’s much to be excited about with the launch fast approaching. Here’s what we know so far.
PhoneSat’s Two-Design Plan
According to information provided by NASA’s Space Technology Program, the team has built two nanosatellite prototype models, which were originally going to be launched at different times. The first model, PhoneSat 1.0, has minimal functionality—the team wants to see if a mini-satellite with a smartphone can survive a short stint in space. A major gauge of success will be whether the satellite can send back operational health and picture data while in space. Besides a Nexus One, the main pieces of the satellite will include external batteries and an external radio beacon. A watchdog circuit will monitor the system and reboot the Nexus if necessary.
Assembly of PhoneSat 1.0. Photo courtesy of NASA Ames Research Center, 2011.All of this will be packaged in a 10-by-10-by-10-cm CubeSat shell—not much bigger than a coffee cup—and three of these units will be manufactured. Each unit clocks in at an impressively low 4 pounds. And what chariot will carry this mini-sat? An Antares rocket, a low-Earth-orbiting rocket that can carry up to 15,000 pounds.
A more advanced model, the PhoneSat 2.0, will improve on the capabilities of PhoneSat 1.0 by using a newer Samsung Nexus S; the satellite’s design will also include a two-way S-band radio, solar arrays, and a GPS receiver. The radio will command the satellite from the ground, while the solar panels will enable the unit to embark on a mission with a long duration. Also built into the PhoneSat 2.0 design are magnetorquer coils (electromagnets that interact with Earth’s magnetic field) and reaction wheels to control the unit’s orientation in space.
According to a NASA public relations representative, two PhoneSat 1.0 models and one PhoneSat 2.0 are scheduled to launch aboard the maiden flight of Orbital Sciences Corporation’s Antares rocket later this year.
Strides So Far
The PhoneSat team has been preparing for this mission for a few years now by running tests to push the Nexus One’s limits. In July 2010, two Nexus Ones were launched on rockets as a preliminary test of how the phones will handle high speeds and high altitude. One rocket crashed and destroyed the smartphone; the other landed with the Nexus One perfectly intact. PhoneSat 1.0 has also been tested in a thermal-vacuum chamber, on vibration and shock tables, and on high-altitude balloons, all with great success.
The philosophy behind these launches is quite similar to the Silicon Valley entrepreneurial mindset—to “launch the lowest-cost and easiest to build satellites ever flown in space,” as stated in a PhoneSat flight demonstration document. Each PhoneSat prototype costs about $3500 to build, and the NASA engineers use commercial off-the-shelf hardware in their designs, none of which have been modified. The engineers have not created any new technologies for this mission—they’re working entirely with widely available products.
What’s Next for PhoneSat?
Not only do these low-cost units show off how run-of-the-mill consumer devices can be used in larger space exploration experiments, they also will decrease development costs for future NASA small-spacecraft projects. The team plans to use the PhoneSats in future missions involving moon exploration, low-cost Earth observations, and testing of new technologies and components for space flight. Another mission scheduled for 2013 plans to use the PhoneSat 2.0 to conduct heliophysics measurements.
Samsung’s high-end Galaxy S4 smartphone has finally been unveiled at an event held in New York City, USA.
Surprisingly enough Samsung’s Galaxy S4 does not bring any major innovations – instead the smartphone is an upgraded version of the Galaxy S3. It measures 140.1 x 71.8 x 7.7 mm and packs the expected 5-inch Super AMOLED display at Full HD resolution (1920 x 1080 pixels, 441 ppi).
Also Samsung somehow managed to include the rumored Exynos 5 Octa eight-core processor with big.LITTLE architecture. The chip features two computational clusters with four cores in each one – the first one is based on powerful ARM Cortex-A15 cores and runs demanding tasks, while the second one has ARM Cortex-A7 cores and handles light applications. The three-core PowerVR SGX544MP3 GPU provides graphics.
The specs list continues with 2 GB of RAM, 16/32/64 GB of internal memory, a microSD card slot, 13 MP rear and 2 MP front cameras with Dual Camera function that allows both cameras to work at the same time, MHL 2.0, Bluetooth 4.0, Wi-Fi and IR LED. The battery that powers the smartphone packs 2600 mAh of energy and supports wireless charging.
Samsung’s Galaxy S4 smartphone runs Android 4.2.2 (Jelly Bean) but will become commercially available at the end of April 2013. Pricing is still unknown.
Whether you’re in the mood to listen toJustin Timberlake’s new album, read Harlan Coben’s latest bestseller or discover a new game to play, you want the experience of finding and making your purchase to be quick and easy. Today we’ve started rolling out a redesigned Google Play store on Android phones and tablets that is simple, clean and — most importantly — helps you find great entertainment, fast.
The new design focuses on bigger images that jump off the page. Similarly themed content is grouped together so you can hone in on a magazine to read or an app to try. As you move down the page, new recommendations continue to appear so there is always more to see and explore. We’ve also simplified purchasing so you can breeze through checkout and get to enjoying your movie rental or other content.
The redesigned Google Play store app starts rolling out today for Android phones and tablets running Android 2.2 (Froyo) and above. People around the world should see it over the next few weeks. Get ready for a simpler Google Play.
The giant Korean phone makerSamsung is rumoured to be producing yet another “massive” 6.3-inch Android smartphone. The new device will be larger than the current Galaxy Note.
According to a Korean website ETNews, Samsung is perhaps experimenting with the 6.3-inch device if it is acceptable by users. ETNews termed it as a “smartpad” or a phone cum tablet combination (phablet).
The news apparently was leaked by an unknown Samsung official as stating, “As of now, smartphones and smart pads are separate gadgets, but the two will converge into one product under Project Möbius.” The massive device is rumoured to be launched as the Samsung Galaxy Mega.
The rumour also indicated that the Samsung Galaxy Mega will debut in June and will feature Google’s latest operating system – Android 5.0 Key Lime Pie.
Other specs rumoured is a dual-core Exynos processor, an 8MP main camera, a 2MP front-facing camera and available in both black and white colour models only. The humongous phone is likely to be aimed at a mid-range market.
There is no news as regard to pricing or availability yet, and Samsung said it does not comment on rumour and speculation.
Samsung Electronics America said on Tuesday that the Samsung Galaxy Note 8.0 will hit the North American market this Thursday, April 11. It will be offered through participating offline and online retailers such as Amazon, Best Buy/Best Buy Mobile, h.h. gregg, Newegg, P.C. Richard & Son, Staples and TigerDirect.com. The price? A meaty $399.99.
Sporting an 8-inch WXGA (1280 x 800) screen, Samsung's new Android 4.1 "Jelly Bean" tablet packs an Exynos 4412 quad-core SoC clocked at 1.6 GHz, 2 GB of RAM and 16 GB of internal storage. Also thrown into the hardware mix is a 1.3MP camera on the front, a 5MP camera on the back, and a microSD card slot allowing up to 64 GB of extra storage. Dual-band Wireless N connectivity allows the tablet to access 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz network channels, if available.
"A mid-sized addition to the Galaxy Note family of products, the Galaxy Note 8.0 has the power and advanced technology to enable multi-tasking at home, at work or on the go," the company said. "The Galaxy Note 8.0 is the perfect size for entertainment and productivity, with unrivaled multimedia performance in a compact format. The S Pen has evolved to improve everyday usability with Air View, and Multi Window now supports more apps to perform tasks simultaneously allowing users to do more."
The Galaxy Note 8.0 is the first tablet to feature Samsung WatchON, a new search and recommendation service for finding TV shows and on-demand video content. The tablet also comes with a built-in IR blaster so that it can be used as a universal remote, and a Multi-Windows functionality so that apps like Facebook, Chrome and Polaris Office (20 supported apps total) can be open on the same screen, side-by-side.
The new 8-inch Samsung tablet also features a Reading Mode which adjusts color and brightness to an optimal level for reading. It also allows users to customize fonts and themes so that ebooks, magazines, documents and Web pages are easy to read. All of this is backed by a 4,600 mAh battery promising up to 9 days of usage time and up to 30 days of standby time.
The Galaxy Note 8.0 will be available this Thursday in white for $399.99. Optional accessories sold separately in mid-April will include Book Covers in white, grey, pink or green, as well as USB and HDMI adapters, and a travel charger that connect via the device’s microUSB port.
Looking to replace your aging Android companion with something newer and with a little more oomph? Here are five excellent Android-powered smartphones from Google, Motorola, and Samsung.
No matter whether you are looking for a consumer handset, or something that will be suited to a BYOD role, you're bound to find something of interest here.
The handsets are arranged in no particular order, but my current favorite is the Nexus 4. It's a powerful package that delivers what I believe to be the best, purest Android experience possible.
HTC knows how to make good-looking hardware. I loved the white ceramic body of theHTC One X and Nokia could learn a thing or two about making Windows phones by taking a closer look at the HTC Windows Phone 8X. The company’s latest offering, the HTC One, is a paragon of industrial design: Its chiseled chamfers, rounded edges, and chrome accents are sure to turn more than a few heads when you whip out the phone in public. But the One is more than just a pretty face: HTC packed a lot of power under the phone’s hood, and the handset’s camera benefits from numerous software and hardware tweaks that should excite fans of mobile photography.
A feast for the eyes
JASON CROSSThe HTC One is a well-crafted handset.
The first thing you’ll notice when holding the One is how well it sits in your hand. At 5.4 by 2.7 by 0.4 inches, the phone is larger than Apple’s iPhone 5 but smaller than HTC’s previous handset, the Droid DNA. Though the phone comes with a 4.7-inch display (shades of the Samsung Galaxy S III), the One’s aluminum unibody design and gentle curves compare favorably to the S III’s primarily plastic body. That slick exterior does come at a price, however: The One’s power and volume buttons sit flush with the phone’s chassis—which makes them difficult to press—and the 2300mAh battery is nonremovable. The phone also lacks a microSD card slot, meaning that you’re stuck using the supplied 32GB (or 64GB, if you buy the larger model) of on-board memory to store your photos, apps, music, and movies.
JASON CROSSThe One has two front-facing stereo speakers.
The absence of expandable storage is lamentable, especially since in other respects HTC designed the One to function as a multimedia powerhouse. The One’s 1920-by-1080-pixel display packs 468 pixels per inch, which makes viewing HD content a feast for the eyes. Bordering that gorgeous display are two large, front-facing stereo speakers, which pump out surprisingly loud, clear audio. One big advantage of positioning the speakers on the front of the device rather than on the back is that audio doesn’t get muffled when you set the phone down on a flat surface. I did notice an occasional pop at higher volumes, but the speakers’ sound quality was more than acceptable overall.
The TV app on the HTC One.
If you tend to mislay your TV remote, you’ll appreciate the One’s built-in IR blaster, which lets you use the phone as a universal remote control. The phone has a TV app with a setup wizard that simplifies the task of programming the One to work with your TV, cable box, and home theater. The app also pulls listing information fromPeel, showing which TV shows and movies are currently playing. You can arrange for the phone to remind you when your favorite shows are on and to provide a brief synopsis of specific episodes. I tested the remote functionality of the phone with an LG TV and a Motorola cable box in our office and was surprised at how well the combination worked. Though I was 13 feet away from the cable box, I noticed little or no delay when I changed channels or browsed through the guide. The app is so well made that I almost wish I subscribed to cable...almost.
Built to be social
HTC’s BlinkFeed app.
Another cool bit of software that the One offers is BlinkFeed. HTC is marketing BlinkFeed—which resembles the Live Tiles on Windows Phone to some extent—as a “magical” way to stay up-to-date on your social networks and news feeds, but in reality it’s just a glorified RSS reader that lives on your home screen. You can tie BlinkFeed to your Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter accounts so that your friends’ updates show up there; however, clicking an update just kicks you into the corresponding app. You can also instruct BlinkFeed to display news headlines, but the news outlets you can subscribe to are limited to a handful of blogs—though you can subscribe to a catch-all news category like ‘lifestyle’.
Despite using the phone for several days, I never felt inclined to spend much time with BlinkFeed. Though I loaded all of my social accounts into it, I ended up using the stand-alone Twitter and Facebook apps to update my status and to see what my friends were up to. Being able to browse headlines quickly was convenient, but other dedicated apps such as Zite perform better in that regard. Most annoyingly, you can’t turn BlinkFeed off: It always appears as your leftmost home screen, and you can’t get rid of it without installing a different launcher.
UltraPixels make a difference
JASON CROSSThe HTC One has a 4-megapixel camera.
The other features that HTC played up when it announced the phone were the One’s camera and camera software. Rather than perpetuate the myth that the more numerous the megapixels, the better a camera’s image quality, HTC opted in favor of a 4-megapixel camera with larger pixels than those traditionally used in smartphones. These UltraPixels are designed to take in more light, making them better for capturing photos in low-light environments.
After taking the One’s camera out for a spin, I think HTC may be on to something with UltraPixels. The One handled everyday shots well enough, but it excelled at taking photos in areas with less-than-optimal lighting. Photos were less noisy than comparable shots taken with an iPhone 5 or a Nokia Lumia 920 under the same conditions, and the One’s flash didn’t completely wash out the subject. The iPhone 5’s outside shots looked better than the One’s, but the two were more evenly matched on indoor photos.
A sample photo taken with the HTC One.
The One’s biggest advantage over the iPhone, however, is in the number of features that HTC packs into the phone’s native camera app. The default Android camera has various extras built into it already, but HTC seems to have omitted only a kitchen sink app in assembling the One’s camera software: Among the available shooting modes are HDR and panorama; and you can apply filters to your photos without having to resort to third-party apps such as Instagram.
Another noteworthy shooting mode is Zoe. When you activate Zoe, the phone takes up to 20 photos and records about 3. seconds of 1080p video. The feature is designed for action shots, of course, where you’d expect a lot of movement; and you can select and pull additional stills from the 1080p video. Though Zoe mode is a neat extra, I didn’t find much use for it in my day-to-day life. Perhaps very creative people will find some cool uses for the feature.
The processor steps up the power
The One’s many features require a lot of processing power, which the One has in good supply. The One is the first handset to ship with Qualcomm’s quad-core Snapdragon 600 processor, which is supposed to deliver superior graphics and battery life. The phone gracefully handled every app I threw at it, including games like Shadow Gun and Temple Run, though it did get noticeably warm when performing processor-intensive tasks (like gaming) or downloading 20+ apps at once.
The phone’s battery should survive an entire day of normal use (about 9 hours), so you don’t have to worry about the One dying on you in the middle of the day. If you like to play lots of movies or games on your phone, however, you’re well advised to bring along your charger: The One’s high-resolution screen can be a real drain on the battery if left on too long.
We received the Sprint version of the One for testing. (It will also be available on AT&T and T-Mobile.) Call quality over Sprint’s network was solid, with little or no static on either end of the call. Unfortunately, Sprint’s data speeds were somewhat underwhelming. In San Francisco, where we have access to Sprint’s LTE network, I often found myself using the One on Wi-Fi when streaming HD video or downloading large apps. Its performance might improve as Sprint fleshes out its LTE network, but for now don’t expect miracles if you’re a Sprint customer looking to upgrade to the One.
Bottom line
Even with its handful of quirks, the HTC One is among the best Android phones you can buy. Heck, it’s among the best smartphones you can buy, period. A superb design, a beautiful screen, and such extras as the IR blaster and the Zoe camera mode help it stand out from the pack. If you’re in the market for a new smartphone, this is the one to get.
Not a smartphone or operating system. Facebook Home is an interface which transforms an Android device into a welcome device for Facebook.
The speculation is over. Mark Zuckerberg has unveiled Facebook Home and is clear. "We are not building a telephone and we are not building an operating system". Facebook Home is more than just a simple Androidapplication though. It is a group of applications which take advantage of the open mobile OS.
Facebook Home becomes the welcome and locking screen of the smartphone, with the usual Android applications being easy to access in Home with an applications launcher that can easily manage favourite applications.
The central element is a window called Cover Feed. Once the smartphone is turned on, or when the home button is pressed, you will see a screen full of photos and Facebook news feed items. It is for example possible to like photos by clicking on it twice.
When a friend publishes on the users Timeline, a notification is received with the profile photo directly on the welcome screen. If you don’t want to see this then you simply need to drag the notification to the side of the screen and it will no longer be displayed.
While Facebook Home will occupy the role of Facebook on Android, Facebook Messenger is also an important function. It will be supported by Chat Heads so that it can also send and receive SMS messages through the same use as any other Facebook application.
Facebook Home will be available as a free download from the 12th of April from the Google Play portal (initially in the USA and then soon after in other countries). Before other handsets follow, the service will initially be released for five compatible phones: HTC One X and One X+, Samsung Galaxy S3 and S4, Samsung Galaxy Note 2. A tablet release will be made available at a later date.
Facebook Home will also come pre-installed on the HTC First smartphone. This LTE model is equipped with a 1 GHz dual core Snapdragon 400 processor, 1 GB of RAM, a 4.3 inch screen and 5 mega pixel camera lens. It will be sold in the United States by AT&T for 99.99 dollars.
L’éditeur Ludia propose de créer son propre Jurassic Park sur smartphone Android et iOS.
Si vous êtes un fan de la saga d'aventure Jurassic Park dont le premier opus ressortira bientôt en version 3D au cinéma et un adepte des jeux vidéo de gestion tels que Theme Park ou Zoo Tycoon, voici quelque chose qui devrait vous plaire.
L’éditeur Ludia propose en effet l’application Jurassic Park Builder qui est disponible gratuitement sur les portails de téléchargement App Store / Google Play.
Jurassic Park Builder ( DR ; cliquer pour agrandir )
Comme le nom le suggère, il s’agit ici de développer son parc d’attractions avec comme thème l’ère du Jurassique.
Pas moins de 34 espèces de dinosaures et 30 espèces marines sont disponibles. Le tout avec desgraphiques 3D, des musiques d'ambiance et des effets sonores qui participent à l’immersion.
Jurassic Park Builder ( DR ; cliquer pour agrandir )
Grâce à une connexion au réseau communautaire Facebook, il est même possible de voir les parcs d'attractions de ses amis et d’aider ces derniers.
Au coeur de l’impitoyable champ de bataille mondial de la téléphonie mobile, les Windows Phone mordillent énergiquement les orteils des iPhone et des smartphones Android.
Dans l’ombre de deux ogres du secteur, le système d’exploitation mobile de Microsoft gigote comme un beau diable pour attirer l’attention des consommateurs.
Dans la peau de l’outsider, les téléphones Windows rêvent d’un destin digne de "Rocky", le "looser" au grand coeur soudainement bombardé champion du monde.
A défaut des trompettes de "Gonna Fly Now", l’hymne de l’étalon italien signé Bill Conti, les Windows Phone déploie des trésors d’ingéniosité pour vous convaincre d’envoyer au tapis iOS d’Apple et Android de Google.
L’heure du KO va-t-elle bientôt sonner ? Avec une pointe de mauvaise foi et de subjectivité, voici nos dix raisons d’adopter un smartphone Windows.
1. Toi, toit, ma tuile
Avec les tuiles ("tiles") de son écran d’accueil, Windows Phone donne un coup de pied dans la fourmilière des interfaces ô combien codifiées de l’iPhone et d’Android. Mieux, ce toit interactif s’anime sous vos yeux, les tuiles à la taille paramétrable affichant photos, messages, "news"…
2. L’union sacrée Nokia / Microsoft
Annoncé en février 2011, le mariage de deux bras cassés du smartphone bénéficie aux consommateurs, heureux de mettre la main sur des téléphones Windows assemblés avec tout le sérieux nordique du constructeur finlandais. La gamme Lumia en est le plus vibrant exemple.
3. Word et Excel au bout des doigts
Nul besoin de télécharger une application qui fait Office de suite bureautique. Les Windows Phone intègrent par défaut les éditions mobiles de Word et Excel. Pratique, malgré certaines limitations frustrantes.
4. La navigation au top
Destins croisés. Conspué sur les ordinateurs, le navigateur Internet Explorer fait des étincelles sur support mobile. Sur iPhone, Safari d’Apple s’enfonce dans la brousse pour cacher ses performances en retrait. Sous Android, c’est tout aussi nickel avec Chrome.
5. Le disque en ligne par défaut
Pour les plus paresseux (NDLR : dont je fais partie), la présence dès l’allumage d’un lien vers le disque en ligne Skydrive est une bénédiction. Nul besoin de se ruer sur le magasin d’applications pour rapatrier Dropbox et consorts.
6. La photo en un clic
Avis aux farceurs et aux photographes précoces. Même verrouillé, le Windows Phone bascule à vitesse supersonique en mode photographique en appuyant sur le bouton dédié. Idéal pour prendre la photo de Régis, votre collègue maladroit, qui vient de se trébucher devant la machine à café. Sacré Régis.
7. Le triangle magique
Coordinateur potentiel de tous vos plaisirs, Microsoft vous ouvre les pages du Kâma-Sûtra du système d’exploitation et vous invite à vivre une expérience unifiée sur ordinateur, tablette et smartphone.
8. Xbox Music only
Greffé par défaut aux entrailles du Widows Phone, le service de streaming musical Xbox Music vous donne un accès instantané à un catalogue riche de millions de fichiers musicaux. "Let the music play", n’est-ce pas, Barry ?
9. Le Store, ce plat pays
Union désordonnée entre le bazar et le souk, les boutiques d’applications de l’iPhone et des téléphones Android ne tardent pas à vous égarer dans les rayons (trop ?) fournis. Nettement plus clairsemé, le Windows Phone Store ne risque pas de vous désorienter.
10. Pas bras, pas d’Instagram
Vous ne supportez pas ces photos de repas retouchées avec un filtre rétro, ces infâmes rejetons rejetés par le placenta maléfique de l’application Instagram ? N’ayez crainte, la célèbre "app" n’a pas trouvé le chemin menant au marché des applications Windows Phone. Ouf, "La Malédiction" de Damien a été vaincue.
