Android

Android keyboard Kalq quicker than Qwerty, scientists say

It's hard to type fast and not make any spellibg msitakes, but scientists reckon they've solved that with a new keyboard for Android tablets. Kalq is a keyboard calculated to have you typing 34 percent faster.

Developed by keyboard heroes at the Max Planck Institute for Informatics, the University of Montana, and the University of St. Andrews, Kalq -- named, like the standard Qwerty keyboard, for one of the rows of letters -- splits the keyboard in two so you can quickly type with your thumbs. … Read more

GS4 quad-core or 8-core? Samsung chief says it doesn't matter

U.S. customers won't be getting their hands on a Galaxy S4 powered by an eight-core processor, but the head of Samsung Electronics says it shouldn't matter to buyers.

Some models of Samsung's flagship smartphone, available globally in the coming weeks, will feature a quad-core processor from Qualcomm while others will feature Samsung's Exynos 5 chip with eight cores. The U.S. version will use the 1.9GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 600 series chip.

Some in the tech press have criticized the lack of an eight-core chip in the U.S., but J.K. Shin, co-CEO of … Read more

Verizon calls up entry-level Pantech Perception

Verizon announced on Tuesday the Pantech Perception, an entry-level Android with a wallet-friendly price tag.

The Pantech Perception is an Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich handset with yesterday's top hardware. Specifications include a 4.8-inch HD (720p) Super AMOLED display, 16GB internal storage, an 8-megapixel rear camera, and a front-facing 2-megapixel camera.

In addition, the Perception also boasts "global ready" capabilities and 4G LTE connectivity. The hardware details dovetail with early rumors and suggest this is, in fact, a Verizon-branded take on the Pantech Discover.

In terms of software, the smartphone features a modified UI with … Read more

EnchantMoon tablet aims to be your digital pen and paper

Would you be more willing to buy a tablet if it had a slick sci-fi promo video? How about something that mixes "The Matrix" with Apple's iconic "1984" Macintosh ad?

That seems to be what Japanese app developer Ubiquitous Entertainment iss shooting for with a series of eerie, dystopian videos titled "Brave New World" that introduce EnchantMoon, a stylus-operated tablet that lets you easily create HTML5 games and apps without programming code. … Read more

Nokia granted temporary ban on microphone sales for HTC One

The HTC One now faces a setback over its supply of microphones.

Nokia yesterday won an injunction from an Amsterdam District Court preventing sales of the current microphone for HTC's new flagship phone. Manufactured by STMicroelectronics NV for the HTC One, the microphone uses components allegedly invented by Nokia and made exclusively for Nokia phones, Reuters reported today.

Nokia said that it dissassembled an HTC One phone to find that the "dual membrane HDR" microphone, which can record high-quality audio, is the same type used on its own phones.

"HTC has no license or authorization from … Read more

AT&T confirms April 25 release for Galaxy S4 pre-orders

AT&T subscribers who pre-ordered the Samsung Galaxy S4 could have the hotly-anticipated smartphone in hand by Thursday.

When AT&T began taking orders for the Galaxy S4 last week, it promised delivery of Samsung's new flagship smartphone by the end of the month. Now, the mobile provider is rushing to get to the finish line ahead of its rival carriers.

A spokesperson for AT&T confirmed to CNET Monday that all customers who pre-ordered their 16 GB Galaxy S4 before 9 a.m. ET Monday could receive the smartphone as soon as April 25.

And, … Read more

Where and when to buy the Samsung Galaxy S4

The release of Samsung's next super smartphone, the Galaxy S4, is just days away. Sporting an improved design over the Galaxy S3 and packed with a ton of high-end features and specialized software, the Galaxy S4 already is an Android powerhouse. And even better, it will land at all major U.S. carriers plus a few smaller, regional providers.

Note, however, that the carriers aren't following the same release schedule. T-Mobile, for example, will begin selling the phone this week, but U.S. Cellular customers will have to wait until next month. Meanwhile, C Spire and Cricket have … Read more

Huawei debuts 5-inch A199 for China

Huawei has announced (translate) a midrange Android smartphone for China and emerging markets in the form of the 5-inch A199.

Powered by Android 4.1 Jelly Bean, the Huawei A199 also features Huawei's custom Emotion 1.5 UI. On hardware, the handset falls in the mid-to-high end of the spectrum with its quad-core 1.5GHz processor, 2GB RAM, 8GB internal storage, and 8.0-megapixel rear camera.

Whereas most 5-inch smartphones tend to offer a 1080p HD display, the Huawei A199 comes with a still respectable 720p resolution screen. Additional hardware includes a 1.3-megapixel front-facing camera, a 2,150mAh … Read more

Google Glass could allow control via winks and two fingers

Google Glass users may be able to snap a photo just by winking.

Code uncovered in the MyGlass companion app by a Reddit user named fodawim lists several intriguing options for users of the high-tech specs.

One snippet of code reads "EYE_GESTURES_WINK_TAKE_PHOTO," which clearly sounds like a mere wink of your eye would be enough to take a photograph. Another line says "BROWSER_TWO_FINGER_ZOOM," which suggests the ability to zoom in and out of the browser simply by moving your thumb and index finger, just like on a touch-screen device.

Two more slices of code called HEAD_GESTURES_HEAD_WAKE_ENABLED and HEAD_GESTURES_HEAD_WAKE_DISABLED … Read more

CBS invests in TV-streaming tech provider Syncbak

CBS has made an investment in Syncbak, the company said today, giving it a minority stake in the television-streaming technology provider as it continues its focus on mobile.

Syncbak, a privately held company founded in 2009, makes location-based authentication technology that allows local television stations to stream their signals to in-market customers. Essentially, Syncbak "localizes the Internet" for broadcasters, networks, and TV studios, allowing retransmission of live television over the Web in much the same way it works over cable and satellite. The company's app is available for iOS and Android smartphones and tablets, but it doesn'… Read more