There aren’t a ton of 1080p smartphones out there yet, but we do have the HTC J Butterfly and the upcoming Chinese-market Oppo Find 5. Hoping for more devices that support true HD in the near future? Your wish is about to be granted.

Samsung, LG and Pantech all have affirmed plans for 1080p smartphones in 2013. These high-end devices should start showing up before the end of the first half of the coming year.

So what could these devices be? For Samsung, our money is on a True HD display for the Samsung Galaxy S4. For LG and Pantech, it is less clear. Pantech could do just about anything here, and LG already has its ‘core’ flagship device with the Optimus G.

Either way, HD fans will have plenty of choices next year. While these are the only new companies to affirm plans, I have a feeling we will also see 1080p smartphones from companies like Motorola as well.

How important is the idea of true HD on such a small display, in your opinion? Are you excited for future 1080p smartphones or are you perfectly content with 720p resolutions?

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Continuing with the extra large superphone trend that led to phablets like the Galaxy Note II and LG Intuition, the HTC J Butterfly also has more to offer than just its super-sized Super LCD 3 display. Under the hood is a quad-core Snapdragon S4 Pro processor (1.5GHz), a full two gigs of RAM, 16GB internal storage, microSD expansion, 2020mAh battery, Wi-Fi tethering for up to 8 devices, NFC, Bluetooth 4.0, GPS, HDMI out, and BEATS audio. It also ships with Android 4.1 Jelly Bean right out of the box, overlaid with HTC Sense 4+.

The camera on the back looks like it’s going to be really good too, following in the footsteps of the flagship HTC One X superphone. There’s an 8MP CMOS shooter back there with a wide F2.0 aperture for better low-light performance. There’s also a front-facing 2MP camera for video chats and self portraits. All of this is housed in a phablet that’s just 9.1mm thick and 140 grams.

That’s all good news, except it comes with one giant caveat. It appears that the J Butterfly is being offered exclusively in Japan via KDDI. It’ll use their 4G LTE network that is capable of download speeds of up to 75Mbps. HTC might offer a variant to other markets eventually, but the Japanese model will ship in early December in your choice of black, white or red.

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This super retina display LG was showing off at Display Week boasts a 1920 x 1080 resolution, with an impressive 440 pixels per inch of the crispest, smoothest RGB you’ve ever seen on a 5-inch screen.   Although we doubt Apple would go to LG for a display panel, this resolution would be in line with something we’d see out of Cupertino or Samsung’s labs in a next-gen smartphone. In fact, we’re pretty damn surprised Samsung didn’t reveal this first.  The Galaxy S3 has a 1920 x 720 resolution display, which is AMOLED mind you, and 306 PPI, and available right now.  We can expect one of LG’s upcoming Android handsets to pack this super retina with extremely high PPI count; it also features AH-IPS (advanced high-performance in-plan switching) which gives enhanced viewing angles.  Not something for private emails on the metro, but with a crowd around you watching a YouTube flick, it’ll be perfect.

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When camera phones came around, people still wanted to have their regular digital cameras to take better pictures. When those digital cameras gained the ability to take video, people still wanted to have standalone camcorders to take better video. While there are certainly cameras and cameraphones that shoot some pretty great video these days, there is still something to be said about having a true dedicated camcorder for your movie-making purposes.

Offering full 1920×1080 HD video in the palm of your hand is the Samsung HMX-QF20. The Samsung QF20 is a very compact camcorder, but it comes loaded with a number of impressive features, like integrated Wi-Fi and an assortment of art filters.

Features and Specs

Even though the QF20 is marketed as offering full HD video, that’s only partly true. It shoots 1080i at 60fps or 720p at 30fps, with no option to shoot at a true 1080p at all. This isn’t a huge deal breaker for the average consumer, but the discerning techie would have likely wanted to get that full 1080p HD treatment.

The high-quality Schneider Kreuznach lens has a 35mm equivalent focal length of 38.4mm to 768mm for a suitably equipped 20x optical zoom. There’s also the digital zoom factor in there if you want to bump that figure to 40x. The aperture range is F/1.8 to F/3.9, giving you plenty of light even at full telephoto. For stills, you are limited to just a 5.1-megapixel imaging sensor.

Unlike the Samsung HMX-H106 HD camcorder, which has a built-in solid state drive, the HMX-QF20 relies on its SD card slot for storage. Thankfully, it’s also considerably cheaper as a result. Rounding out the specs are optical image stabilization and a 2.7-inch touchscreen LCD.

The QF20 is more compact that I expected at about 12cm in length and a 5cm diameter, making it somewhat pocketable (depending on your pockets, of course).

User Interface

There is no power button or switch on this camcorder at all. Instead, it automatically turns on when you flip out the touchscreen panel and it turns off when you close it back up. That touchscreen can also rotate around as needed for a better viewing angle. If you close it up with the screen toward the outside, the QF20 will automatically enter playback mode.

As far as the touchscreen UI goes, it’s all pretty basic and standard. There is a physical “home” button next to it that brings up the main menu with the ability to switch between modes (like Smart Auto or Art Time Lapse), as well as access to the Social Sharing, Auto Backup, TV Link (AllShare), and Settings menus.

While shooting, there are a few icons available to you on the screen too, like switching between video and stills. You can optionally bring up virtual buttons for zoom, but the five way controls at the back of the camcorder are generally more comfortable to use. As with so many other similar products, the touchscreen on the QF20 isn’t the best; we’ve become far too accustomed to the responsiveness of capacitive smartphone displays, so going to this plastic-y resistive display is disappointing.

There is a built-in lens cover and this is opened and closed via a switch on the right side, just in front of the hand strap. The stereo microphones, which seem to be very sensitive, are located on top towards the front of the barrel.

Switch Grip and WiFi Functionality

Lefties of the world rejoice! The trouble with most camcorders that take on this form factor is that they are very rightie-centric. While that’s still mostly true here, you can simply “flip” the camcorder over and the UI on the touchscreen will also flip accordingly. This way, you can hold the camcorder in your left hand and everything will work just the same (without an upside down video).

Another selling feature is the inclusion of integrated Wi-Fi. You can use this to upload videos directly to Facebook and YouTube, for example. This sounds like it could be an interesting feature in concept, but entering your access point and social media account credentials via the touchscreen can be the expected exercise in frustration.

For my part, even though the Wi-Fi could be interesting, I can’t see myself ever using it. Even if I didn’t want to do some basic editing on my computer, I’d want to be able to write up a proper description and tag my videos before uploading. But that’s just me.

Still Photo Performance

So, how do those 5MP photos turn out?

Here is an example of an indoor shot taken on an overcast day with a fair bit of interior incandescent lighting. I left all the settings at full auto. You can see that there is noticeable noise, particularly visible on the black portions, and the details aren’t nearly as “crisp” as they could have been. It does the job, but it could be better. The lack of flash makes taking stills with the QF20 under darker conditions virtually impossible too.

There are a number of digital effects that you can apply to both videos and stills. Here is the “art” effect, for instance. There is also black and white, sepia, negative, ghost, noir, western, and dazzle.

Overall, the quality is probably best described as just decent. It may be a step above some cameraphones, but you’ll likely get better results from a suitable point-and-shoot digital camera.

Video Performance

Comparatively, the video performance on the QF20 is quite a bit better. The details come through quite well, but I did find that the “Smart Auto” mode goes too far in overcompensating for backlighting. This is understandable and it’s a common problem, but it goes even further in this regard than many other cameras.

Video quality is definitely better than what you’d get some of the pocket camcorders out there, like the Flip MinoHD, and having access to a true 20x optical zoom lens is a huge plus. The file sizes are typically smaller than what you would get from shooting 1080i or 720p with a conventional P&S too.

Here is a sample compilation video that I put together. It was shot at 1920×1080 at 60i, de-interlaced in Pinnacle Studio 14 Ultimate with the “blend” function, and then rendered out in 720p HD. Aside from that and the titling, the video was not otherwise edited or altered.

To see how slightly edited 720p video looks, you can watch this video that I shot at a Japanese restaurant. It also clearly demonstrates the issue with overcompensating for the backlighting, resulting in a complete loss of visibility for the faces of some people at the table.

Conclusion

The Samsung HMX-QF20, despite its shortcomings, is quite the nice little camcorder. I like the compact size, as well as the “switch grip” feature. You can even shoot vertical HD videos, if you ever decide that’s something you want to do. Having 20x optical zoom (and 40x digital zoom) is incredibly useful too.

The lack of onboard storage is certainly forgiveable and while I still find the touchscreen to be not as responsive as I would have liked, it’s still perfectly usable without too much trouble. While the quality of the stills aren’t up to snuff, they’re still decent and the video quality is really why you’d want this camcorder anyway.

With retail going anywhere between $300-$400 (toward the higher end of that in Canada), the QF20 is a moderately priced camcorder that–for the most part–gets the job done. You might want to use the available manual mode to avoid over-exposure, though.

The post Review: Samsung HMX-QF20 HD Camcorder appeared first on Mobile Magazine.

High speeding down the slopes, you cut through a half dozen trees before lifting off and grabbing huge air, you think, shouldn’t I be recording this?  If you did, you have to wait until you get to a computer before uploading your adventure to the world.  That’s not the case if you own the ION Air Pro HD camera. It lets you share your clips in real time to social networking sites.

The new cam will record your rides in full 1080p HD and there’s also an option for snapping 5-megapixel stills. It features a 170-degree wide-angle lens, which is more than enough to record all the action.  The catch is there is no display on it. But there is no need to check whether or not it is recording, just flip a switch and your broadcasting live.   Aside from that critical button, there’s two more; for switching it on and off and taking stills.

Engadget got a their little hands one one, they say that the cam feels comfortable.  Weighing just 123 grams, about 20 less than GoPro in its housing. The new cam also comes with a tripod mount,  memory card slot, HDMI port, AV out all accessible from the rear removable panel.

The realtime feature is not built into the camera itself, you will need to attach a Wi-Fi “Podz” on its rear. You just have to download a free app and you can see what your camera sees (and yes, there is a range limit). The app will allow you to upload clips directly to Facebook and YouTube too.

But that’s not all. You get 8GB of cloud storage. That’s really sweet. Head here to check out a few stills snapped with the cam and check out the first video to know more about it. The second video is a sample and it’s a bit shaky, but you will understand its capabilities.

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The ION Air Pro will be available next month. As for the pricing, it’s £229 (about $365) for the camera alone, £249 ($395) if you are interested in the bike mount and tripod kit, and £299 ($475) for the full Wi-Fi kit.

The post ION Air Pro POV Cloud Camera (Video) appeared first on Mobile Magazine.

As expected, HTC has just introduced their Quad-core Tegra 3 handset and the flagship phone appears to be one of the most impressive Android devices ever designed. The One X, which will be part of the company’s new “One” series, comes with awesome specs.

HTC’s One series is basically what the Galaxy series is to Samsung. And HTC has come out with their latest line after listening to feedback and taking a decision to change their strategy completely. And they appear to have delivered.

The HTC One X boasts a beautiful 720p 4.7-inch Super LCD2 display which provides vibrant and bright colors. The screen performed well in bright sunlight and the viewing angles are good as well. The 312ppi screen is no iPhone 4S display, but it surely is very pretty.

Gizmodo says the handset feels very comfortable in the hands as it features a curved back and is light (but strong) since its body is made out of a machined polycarbonate. The device is one of the fastest they have ever played with all thanks to its 1.5GHz quad-core Tegra 3 processor. The applications were launching and running smoothly, and multi-tasking is impressive. As you might know, this is the same Tegra 3 seen in the Transformer Prime, and therefore it’s expected to do well. But we will be taking a closer look at its performance later on.

The phone also boasts Beats by Dre audio, 1GB of RAM and 32GB of storage (and 25GB of free Dropbox storage for two years), NFC, a front-facing 1.3MP shooter (supports 720p video chat), a 1800mAh battery, Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich with Sense 4.0 UI, and comes with 4G LTE.

Many of you out there might not be too excited about Sense, but the new version appears to be quite interesting, although we will have to do a thorough inspection before the final verdict. The device’s rear 8MP camera has “the best optics and sensor (they’ve) ever used“. We will be checking out that later but we do know that it will do well in low light conditions with f2.0. And HTC’s new ImageChip (a secondary processor exclusively for image processing) will make sure that you shoot 1080p video while simultaneously take full resolution stills.

And if you are interested in watching a movie or playing a game on your TV using the phone, the HTC MediaLink, an HDMI dongle, will be  what does it.

HTC is promising that the ONE X will arrive within the next 60 days. It will be available in white or black exclusively from AT&T. No hints on the price, but we are expecting $200-$300 on contract.

The post MWC 2012: HTC One X appeared first on Mobile Magazine.

CES is just around the corner and as expected, we are seeing a flood of announcements and teasers about what’s going to be showcased at the event. Sony Ericsson’s pre-CES teaser campaign started earlier with their messages on their Facebook and Google pages. Now the company has released yet another teaser, a few close-ups of an HD-capable smartphone.

“Just a few more days until we can reveal some interesting news” says Sony Ericsson, but no hints regarding the identity of the device or what’s under the hood.

As you can see in the above image, the mysterious device has a dedicated shutter button, an HD-capable camera, a micro-USB port and the onscreen toggle to switch between photos and videos with a simple touch.

The images suggest that the new device is similar in outward appearance to the XPERIA Arc S handset. The Arc S has the same curved camera key, HD labeling and squared-off microUSB port.

We are most probably looking at the Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc HD, previously also known by the name Xperia Nozomi.

The camera-related hints suggest that the new device might be coming equipped with something special for all the shutterbugs out there. We are expecting a 12 to 13 MP camera with an Exmor R CMOS sensor.

And if it is capable of recording 1080p HD video, you can surely expect high-end specs. Rumors point towards a dual-core 1.5GHz processor and 1GB of RAM along with a 4.3-inch screen with a resolution of 1280 x 720. Hopefully the device will be powered by ICS.

Whatever is coming, we definitely won’t have to wait too long to learn everything about it. Stay tuned to this space for updates.

The post Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc HD Teased Ahead Of CES appeared first on Mobile Magazine.

Most pocket projectors out there are not at all impressive, but it’s certainly a good thing that some picos are being brought out with improvements such as better picture quality. The latest micro-projector from Velocity Micro, the Shine Projector, is claimed by its makers to be the smallest HD-capable projector.

The new projector is definitely small. It will fit in a pocket, a large one though. The Shine comes with a native resolution of 1,280×768 pixels (WXGA). Although that is far from full 1080p resolution, Velocity Micro is promising that it will accept a 1080p signal.

The Shine, which measures in at 4 inches on its longest side and weighs 9 ounces, makes use of Texas Instruments’ DLP technology with LED illumination. And you will have to plug it into a wall outlet as it does not come with a built-in rechargeable battery like many other picos.

Other strengths include a 2,000:1 contrast ratio and a throw ratio of 1.4:1, and 300 lumens of brightness suggests that it is significantly brighter than the earlier, smaller pico projectors.

It can be easily connected to any compatible media device such as PCs, smartphones, and tablets via a mini-HDMI connector. You will also get full USB connectivity, and an audio-out jack, and it uses just 23 watts of power.

The Shine Projector will be shown off at the upcoming CES. No word yet on when it will be available on sale or exact pricing, but we do know that it will have a price tag less than $400.

The post Velocity Micro Shine Is The ‘Smallest HD-Capable’ Projector appeared first on Mobile Magazine.

If you ever dreamed of traveling the sea like Captain Nemo or Jacques Yves Cousteau, the Aquabotix Hydroview Submarine may help you get there.

The 10-pound submarine can be yours for just $2,995, shipping and handling included. It’s a tethered device with cable lengths between 50, 150, or 300 ft. It also comes in 2 models; the Hydroview Sport and Hydroview Pro, with a Pro version diving deeper: up to 150 ft compared to 75 ft of Sport. The Pro version also glides faster (5 knots forward and 2 knots in reverse, compared to the 3 knots forward and 1 knot reverse of the Sport), and the battery lasts longer too: 3 hours versus 2 hours with Sport. The pictured model is the Sport (perhaps in this red color), and the Pro version will be painted Amber. It’s unclear which of these two models has got priced, but good chances are the Hydroview Pro by Aquabotix than the $2,995.

The unmanned submarine is equipped with a 1080p camera and dozen high-powered LEDs for lighting. The tether cable comes to a controller brick that in its turn can be connected to your Apple or Android smartphone or tablet via WiFi. Using WiFi netbooks is also supported and that’s where the undersea fun begins.

Some practical uses for this class of submarine can include things like inspecting boat hulls. For me, I would load it with some little torpedoes and start an underwater war in my pool. Certainly that would be much more fun than hull inspection. Or make a blockbuster film for your next installment of Jaws in the open waters. Specs don’t say how much these submarines are hardened against the shark’s bite though, but in any case, the footage will be priceless.

The post Aquabotix Hydroview Wired Sub Swims 5 Knots, Has 1080p Camera appeared first on Mobile Magazine.

Just because you want an Android tablet doesn’t mean that you have to bump all the way up to the 10-inch or even the 7-inch offerings on the market. Archos has some smaller tablets too and joining that arena is a new entry from Latte Communications. It’s called the ICE Smart Media Player and its screen measures the same five inches across the diagonal as the Dell Streak.

Except, as you can imagine, it’s not a phone. In this way, it’s probably closer in scope to challenging the iPod touch, as well as other smaller Android tablets. Power comes by way of an 800MHz ARM11 processor with built-in 3D acceleration and the ICE Smart Media Player ships with Android 2.3 Gingerbread out of the box. They say that it can support 1080p full HD video playback, though the display only has a resolution of 800 x 480 pixels. Too bad it’s capacitive.

Rounding out the spec sheet is 802.11b/g Wi-Fi (where’s the N?), g-sensor, speaker and mic, USB OTG support, 8GB internal storage, and a microSD slot. It’s unclear whether Latte Communications got the full authorization, so I can’t say for sure whether this’ll do Android Market. There are so many Android tabs that don’t so buyer beware. But at only $189.99, which is $60 cheaper than its regular price. As an iPod touch alternative, you could do a lot worse.

The post ICE Smart Media Player 5-inch Android “tablet” drops to $180 USD appeared first on Mobile Magazine.