Facebook Home, which was announced at the beginning of this month, hit Google Play on the 12th of April. Now, after nine days it has surpassed 500k downloads. But it will be interesting to know how many people hang on to it.

That number, although it sounds awesome, is not so big especially when we think about the number of Facebook users around the world. And in comparison, when Instagram was launched on Android it hit over 5 million downloads in just six days. Of course Home is just available on few devices including the Samsung Galaxy S III, Galaxy Note II, HTC One X and One X+, and the HTC First. The numbers are expected to increase after Facebook expands compatibility in the future.

As you probably know, Google Play does not show the number of uninstalls. So far reviews about the new app have been mostly bad, with complaints about battery life getting killed faster, constant freezing of the home screen, and questions such as why anyone would be “on Facebook all of the time”? It seems many have already uninstalled it.

We do think that the new app will be a great experience, but for only those who are VERY dedicated to Facebook. Features such as the Chat Heads are very convenient, though the lack of folders and widget support is a bit disappointing.

Of course Facebook will be listening to feedback and reply with updates, but it seems that they should start work ASAP. What do you think about Facebook Home? Did you install it? And are you still using it? We wonder what the guys over at Apple are thinking right now.

The post Facebook Home Installed 500k Times, But How Many Times Has it Been Uninstalled? appeared first on Mobile Magazine.

Have an old iPhone laying around? HTC wants it, now. A new deal from HTC is giving away its urBeats headset (valued at $99) when you hand over your iPhone and purchase an HTC One X.

Now, I know what you are thinking. The iPhone 4S or even iPhone 4 are certainly worth more than $99. That’s true, but HTC isn’t restricting this deal to newer iPhones. If you happen to have an old OG iPhone, that would even qualify.

For those that were considering the HTC One X and don’t want to go through the trouble of listing the iPhone 3GS or newer on Ebay, this might be a good way to get rid of it and get a little extra out of the deal- but again, the true value will be for those with really old iPhones just laying around.

So what do you think? Would you consider this deal? Or are you more interested in getting rid of your old iPhone in favor of the iPhone 5?

[ source ]

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Samsung’s response to the iPhone 4S, the Galaxy S3, is also expected to compete against the iPhone 5. But it won’t be easy for the S3 to survive as LG’s D1L smartphone, which is said to be coming with some very powerful specifications, is also expected to arrive soon. The D1L is believed to have a 4.7-inch HD display, a dual-core Snapdragon S4 processor with LTE like the latest One X, and also Android 4.0 ICS. Now we can add one more feature to that list.

Korean website DDaily says that the handset boasts built-in wireless charging, a feature that will also be available with the Galaxy S III, if rumors are to be believed. According to the website, the D1L will be available in South Korea at the end of May via all the three major carriers, but no hints regarding its global availability.

As you might know, Verizon’s LG Revolution also features wireless charging, although that requires the user to buy an optional backplate that makes the handset a bit thicker. But there won’t be a similar problem with the LG D1L as it will come with the feature built in.

We will keep you updated on the D1L, so stay tuned. In the meantime, you can leave your thoughts below. Do you think that the mobile industry as a whole should adopt wireless charging?

The post LG D1L Rumored To Have Built-In Wireless Charging appeared first on Mobile Magazine.

They’ve gone big and powerful for this outing, inserting a 4.7-inch 720p Super LCD 2, a dual core 1.5GHz Snapdragon S4, 1GB of RAM, Android 4.0 ICS, HTC Sense 4.0 UI, 8MP camera, a discrete camera button, and a signature kickstand on the back (in eye-popping red!) for good measure. For the most part, this phone is quite similar to the HTC One X that we’ve already seen.

Some early impressions appear to be positive, calling this “probably Sprint’s best phone in quite a while.” Performance is mostly snappy, being described as “buttery smooth” for the most part. It is a little “unwieldy” due to its size, but it does have a “remarkably solid feel to it” despite its lighter weight.

Pre-orders begin on May 7 with the price set for $199 on contract when the HTC EVO 4G LTE ships later on in Q2.

[Source]

The post HTC EVO 4G LTE: The One X for Sprint appeared first on Mobile Magazine.

Although the HTC One X is still a few weeks away from hitting store shelves, that hasn’t stopped Android developer, Paul O’Brien, from cracking the new flagship device’s software and offering a tool that will allow others to easily do the same. The new method is called Superboot, and while it isn’t a one click solution, it is still fairly easy to follow through with. This is pretty impressive, especially when you consider that the device is now cracked well before it is even in the hands of consumers.

The One X looks to be rather impressive, featuring ICS, a Quad-Core 1.5Ghz Tegra 3 processor or Qualcomm Snapdragon (depending on the LTE radio), and 1GB of RAM. The HTC One X is supposed to arrive to European carriers in April, with a US variant expected to arrive via AT&T, this summer.

[ source ]

The post HTC One X Already Rooted, Weeks Ahead Of Its Launch appeared first on Mobile Magazine.

While HTC has plans to release their newly unveiled S4 powered One S (T-Mobile) and One X (AT&T version) within the next two months, Microsoft is reportedly busy testing a Windows Phone 8 smartphone, which is intended for Sprint’s network, with the dual-core 1.5GHz Qualcomm MSM8960 chipset. The new info comes to us courtesy of the folks over at The Verge who were apparently tipped off by “sources familiar with the company’s plans”.

According to The Verge, at least one Windows Phone 8 handset will arrive later this year and the company is hoping that their device will exhibit impressive performance with the chip onboard as the S4 has been proven to be better than Samsung’s Galaxy S II (Exynos) and Motorola’s Droid 4 (TI OMAP) via many tests.

Reportedly, Sprint is interested in a Windows Phone 8 handset equipped with the chip and won’t be launching any new Windows phones before the introduction of WP8. The carrier has also contacted Nokia for sharing their LTE specifications.

But it is not known whether Microsoft will be checking out the quad-core Tegra 3 processor on the global version of the HTC One X. Although Qualcomm’s Snapdragon S4 has done remarkably well on previous tests, the latest benchmarks of the HTC One series show that the Tegra 3 is on par with S4 in processing power, and it actually is better when it comes to graphics performance.

The idea of multi-core processor support for future Windows Phones can never be pushed aside after this leak. And Qualcomm, when asked about the possibility of Windows Phone S4 devices, gave out answers that suggest they know about Microsoft’s tests.

We will keep you updated on the matter, so stay tuned.

The post Windows Phone 8 Dual-Core Smartphone For Sprint Being Tested? appeared first on Mobile Magazine.

At the MWC 2012, HTC unveiled their new “One” series which includes the impressive One X handset. The only disappointment was that the device was announced to be an exclusive to AT&T in the US, but we have good news for you. According to the latest rumors, the device might be headed to other carriers as well.

Just in case you missed a few things earlier, the One X features a 720p 4.7-inch Super LCD2 display, a 1.5GHz quad-core Tegra 3 processor and Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich with Sense 4.0 UI. But AT&T’s version will only feature a dual-core Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 processor due to an LTE compatibility issue.

A rumor, which comes from Evan Blass of Pocketnow, suggests that the device will hit Sprint equipped with the same dual-core Snapdragon S4 with integrated LTE. Apparently, Blass found out about an HTC Jewel handset (for Sprint) which has all the features of the One X. This new info is believable as Sprint is expected to release an LTE device sometime around the middle of 2012.

But that’s it about the Sprint device. What’s more interesting is the rumor about an upcoming T-Mobile One X. According to available info, T-Mobile’s version of the One X has also been planned and it will be included in the carrier’s family of “G” devices. Codenamed G4X, the device will feature the quad-core Nvidia Tegra 3 processor as there is no LTE compatibility trouble and it will be running stock ICS (what many users will prefer over Sense 4.0 UI). If this device is indeed coming, it will be the most attractive version of the One X in US soil.

It won’t be a surprise if the rumors turn out to be true as HTC will love their flagship handset to hit as many carriers as possible. And the T-Mobile One X can’t be pushed aside as we have seen other devices on T-Mobile from HTC without any customizations or skins.

But we haven’t got confirmation about anything. We will keep digging in for more info, so stay tuned for updates.

The post HTC One X With Stock Android 4.0 ICS Headed To T-Mobile? appeared first on Mobile Magazine.

Some companies just go ahead and make their rugged products as hideous as possible. Is it because they have a belief that those who look for rugged gadgets do not care about looks? But we are glad that Sony knows the importance of a thing of beauty. Their new DSC-TX20 rugged compact camera boasts all kinds of ‘-resistant’ prefixes, yet features an elegant and innovative design.

The DSC-TX20 is part of the company’s new Cyber-shot line-up which will be offering an updated “Exmor R” CMOS sensor with higher pixel count, improved Optical image stabilization, better low light performance, enhanced AF speeds (approximately 0.13 second during the day and 0.25 seconds at night), and more.

The DSC-TX20 is tough but Sony appears to have spent some quality time while designing it. The new camera comes in several dual-color versions and two of the models (green/silver and orange/gray) feature a nice texture as you can see below.

The slim camera is waterproof (up to 5m), dustproof, freeze-proof (up to 14⁰F) and shockproof (up to 1.5m). It comes equipped with a 16 MP “Exmor R” CMOS sensor, a 25mm equivalent lens with 4x optical zoom, and a 3 inch LCD touchscreen. You will also get 8x virtual zoom via the “Clear Image Zoom” technology and it will allow you to shoot full HD movies.

The camera’s “Dual-Record” feature will allow you to capture 12 MP stills while shooting video. In case that feature sounds familiar to you, HTC’s new One X and One S that we saw yesterday come with a similar capability.

The DSC-TX20 will be available in orange, green, black, blue and pink color versions in May with a price tag of approximately $330.

The post Sony Cyber-shot DSC-TX20 Rugged Compact Camera Looks Pretty 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.