More than half of Android devices being used in the enterprise are made
by Samsung, according to a report from mobile device management company
Fiberlink that surveyed more than 250,000 devices worldwide.
Fiberlink, which is owned by IBM, pulled device information from users
of its MDM products around the world to determine which Android gadgets
were popular among enterprise users. Samsung took first place by a
comfortable margin, with 56% of the market, followed by Motorola at 22%,
HTC at 8% and a host of other companies with 2% or less.
The company also identified the most popular smartphone and tablet for
each of the major Android OEMs Samsung’s Galaxy S III was its most-used
enterprise phone, and Motorola’s was the DROID RAZR M. HTC’s Droid
Incredible 2 was its top handset, and LG’s Nexus 4 took the prize.
Fiberlink spokesperson Jonathan Dale said in a statement that Samsung’s
emphasis on security features had helped push the company’s products to
the top along with their more general popularity among consumers.
“Samsung has invested heavily in enterprise security features that make
IT professionals more comfortable having their devices in the
workplace,” he said. “We’ve also been hearing from businesses that
Samsung is making devices that have more curb appeal and generally rank
high on the cool factor.”
This week’s launch of the Samsung Galaxy S 5 did, indeed, focus in part
on enterprise security features, as the company pushed its Knox security
suite to the foreground at the release event. Knox 2.0, Samsung said,
offers advanced new features like two-factor authentication provided via
a fingerprint scanner/password combination and real-time code
monitoring.
Android gear is still small potatoes next to Apple products in the enterprise, however another recent report, this one from Good Technology,
found that nearly three-quarters of all new business smartphones and
tablets activated in the fourth quarter of 2013 ran iOS, not Android.
Sony doesn't get as much attention for its Android-powered devices as
Samsung and HTC do, and that's a shame. For the most part, the company
has been consistent with its phone and tablet releases, manufacturing
modern-looking, angular devices with capable specs. But to really
compete with the top tier movers and shakers in the Android realm, it
has to step up its game. That means adding in features that rival other
Android handsets and sticking only with current generation processors.
With
the Xperia Z1S, Sony packed in a 20-megapixel camera sensor with
abilities that rival some of the best-selling Android phones, in
addition to a 2.3GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 system-on-chip (SoC). It's a
solid handset worth taking a look at. It's only serious drawback is
that it's exclusive to T-Mobile's network.
Pretty, as usual
Michael Homnick
Around here, we always say that Sony's handsets are
"second-tier premium." The Xperia Z1S in particular is stylish in its
shiny glass casing, but it's still not quite as refined as the HTC One (M8), for example.
While
all the latest phones are getting bigger these days, I didn't find the
Xperia Z1S uncomfortable to hold or type with, despite its uncommonly
bulky build and sharp edges. However, the Xperia Z1S is already too
thick to wear a case to protect its delicate chassis. Its glossy case is
also quite the attractor of smudges and greasy fingerprints, too. It
can get pretty gross.
Michael Homnick
But it's so thin.
I appreciate the mid-line power and volume
buttons: they're easier to hit with my thumb when I'm cradling the phone
with one hand, and that's normally how I handle a phone when I'm using
it to listen to music or check the time.
Michael Homnick
The power button it located halfway up the phone for easy thumb access.
Since it's waterproof, the expansion slot and
charging port are hidden behind a tiny door. They shut tightly to keep
out water when you dunk it, but as a result you'll have to really get in
there with your fingernail to pop it open. The Xperia Z1S is awkward to
use while charging because the port is placed at the top-left side of
the device and there's a flap hanging off.
Michael Homnick
This will end up driving you nuts after a while.
Just powerful enough
Michael Homnick
What's packed inside this phone?
The Z1S's system-on-chip (SoC) is on par with many other phones out on the market, including the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 and LG G2,
which both launched late last year. It features a quad-core Snapdragon
800 processor, 2GB of RAM, and 32GB of internal storage, as well as a
microSD expansion slot. There were no issues multitasking between games
and apps of varying types and the interface wasn't bogged down either;
screens transitioned fluidly and everything felt speedy right out of the
box. The only app that took a while to settle was the camera
application, which takes a bit of time to calibrate on launch.
The
Xperia Z1S's 1080p 5-inch display is extremely bright at its highest
setting and quite dim at its lowest. There is a bit of color
over-saturation, too, though not as bad as Samsung's Super AMOLED, and
although the blacks remain relatively black, other colors appear blown
out at the highest brightness setting.
Michael Homnick
The Xperia Z1S, as compared to the HTC One (M8) on the left, and the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 on the right.
The Xperia Z1S's 3,000mAh battery pack is a huge improvement over its predecessors, especially the Xperia Z Ultra. The
Z1S managed nine hours and 37 minutes in our video rundown tests, which
places it at the top of our list alongside devices like the new HTC One
and Galaxy Note 3. It also features a myriad of power settings you can
enable in the Settings panel, including STAMINA mode, which disables the
background data when the screen is off.
The Xperia Z1S has a multitude of power saving features.
Say cheese!
For the
most part, Google has left Android's camera capabilities up to the
manufacturers (that's supposedly going to change, if the recent rumors
have any validity). Sony kicked it up a notch by leveraging its some of
its point-and-shoot camera technology in its mobile devices.
Sony offers a multitide of camera modes.
The
Xperia Z1S's 20-megapixel camera is truly impressive. By default, the
camera app will shoot in Superior Auto mode and take photos and videos
with automatically optimized settings. This works much better on the Z1S
than my previous experience with last year's Xperia Z, where the camera
failed to adjust to the situation.
Test shots with the Xperia Z1S.
In our lab tests, photos came out bright a
clear in both high and low light situations. Outside shots looked great
whether it was a sunny or a cloudy day, and the flash didn't blow out
the subject, but rather enhanced it. My only concern is that it takes a
while for the camera to focus, which sometimes resulted in unfocused or
delayed photos.
Pictures taken with the Xperia Z1S came out crisp and clear.
Even the low-light photos were more than passable.
There are also a few
neat tricks the Xperia Z1S can do, like add Augmented Reality effects,
Burst mode, and Background defocus, which takes photos with a background
blur and lets you select the focal point before you snap a photo. You
can then adjust how much you want the background blurred-out after the
fact. There is also a mode called Info eye that will perform a search
for you based on any landmarks, books, wine labels, business cards, and
barcodes that you snap a photo of.
The features may seem like a
gimmick at first, but Sony took the time to refine each to make them
something you'd truly want to use. The easy-to-use camera UI also
ensures that you're not pointing your finger all over the place trying
to figure out what kind of camera mode to use.
Look, Ma! I'm underwater. Kind of.
An interface that's Android-ish
Sony's
Xperia UI runs on Android 4.3 Jelly Bean and while it isn't as vanilla
as stock Android, at least it's not as heavily stylized as Samsung or
LG's Android interfaces. It's at that sweet spot where you won't have to
forget everything you know about Android to relearn how to use another
company's version.
Sony put its own little flair on Android without overdoing it.
Some of its elements are quite helpful, too.
Sony put the Quick Settings bar at the top of the Notifications panel so
that you don't have to click through to another screen to adjust the
brightness or turn on Airplane Mode. You can adjust which ones you want
displayed from the Settings panel.
Finally, a Notifications shade that isn't taken up by icons and things.
Its application drawer also offers a plethora
of viewing options, including the ability to search through apps, set
them up in your own order, or quickly launch whatever app stores you
have installed.
Options are always nice.
However,
Sony is still playing the old Samsung card by cramming in its own suite
of applications alongside Google's. On the Home screen, Sony's Walkman,
PlayStation Mobile, Movies, and Album applications are front and
center, and though Google Chrome and the Google Play Store make it into
the dock, everything else is hidden in the application drawer. At least
they're there if you need them, and Google Now is easily accessible with
an upward swipe.
Give Sony a chance
Sony's
device launches last year were a bit better than average, but this year
the company seems committed to knock it out of the park. The Xperia Z1S
isn't Sony's flagship device for the year, but its impressive camera
abilities, speedy processor, and stylish outfitting are an indicator of
how the company plans to regain some of its barely-there U.S.
marketshare. If the Xperia Z1S is where Sony's heading, then we can't
wait to see what's next.
With the Apple versus Samsung trial hitting its climax, this is
apparently an opportune time to rope Google into its own lawsuit, too.
You get a lawsuit, and you get a lawsuit—everyone gets a lawsuit!
A complaint
filed earlier this week accuses Google of deliberately conspiring with
device manufacturers to make its search engine the default on Android
phones and tablets, thus driving up the cost of those particular
devices.
The suit was filed Tuesday in the U.S. District court for
the Northern District of California. It alleges that Google made
agreements with manufacturers to require its suite of apps to be placed
front-and-center on the Android operating system. It specifically refers
to the Mobile Application Distribution Agreements (MADA) and references
companies like Samsung and HTC and uses the HTC EVO 3D and Galaxy
SIII.
“Because consumers want access to Google’s products, and
due to Google’s power in the U.S. market for general handheld search,
Google has unrivaled market power over smartphone and tablet
manufacturers,” says the suit. It also suggests that Android devices
would be cheaper if manufacturers didn't have to pay Google for better
positioning in the market and that users would have more search options
if it weren't for the embedded Google search integration. "[Consumers]
do not know how to switch, nor will they go to the trouble of switching,
the default search engine on their devices."
A Google spokesperson sent out a brief statement on the matter.
"Anyone can use Android without Google and anyone can use Google
without Android. Since Android's introduction, greater competition in
smartphones has given consumers more choices at lower prices."
The
lawsuit comes at an interesting time considering the fact that the next
wave of low-end devices meant to help bring smartphones to emerging
markets run Android. Granted, not all of them were developed in
conjunction with Google—Nokia's X phone, for instance, is a completely
independent venture. However, companies like HTC and Samsung do offer a
myriad of sub-$200 devices that come standard with Google's app
offerings.
It'll be interesting to see how this lawsuit pans out.
Android is an open source mobile operating system, but in order for
Google to stay relevant is has to be a part of the process in one way or
another. The catch is that the inclusion of Google's suite of apps and
search engine by default is in practice just as limiting to users as its
competitors.
Set of Threes is
a puzzle gamers dream challenge! The rules are simple yet it’s
difficult to master. Can you find three sets of threes in the cards?
Download the app now and read the review to see how to play because it’s
vital.
Set of Threes is a fun and frustrating game in a good way.
It’s vital that you know how to play as this eases that tension of
intense challenge. Check out the how to play and examples below… I’ll
explain after the break:
Set of Threes – How To Play Tutorial
The goal is to find three sets of threes. Each card has color, number, shape, and shading. You must find a combination of three cards on which each features is the same on all three cards or different on all three cards. That’s it! Sound simple? Well it’s harder in gameplay.
Take a look at the first example
above; there are three red star that are the same (color), there are
three stars (number), and there are three of the same (shape). This is
the easier example, however, most of gameplay will be like the last
example consisting of three sets of three differences- which is way more
challenging. In that example there are three different colors, three
different numbers of the items and three different shapes. You start off
with 1,000 points and of course you’re awarded points for solving correctly but also penalized for getting any incorrect or using the Shuffle button if you get stuck- so use sparingly.
As you play you have five minutes to solve as many puzzles as
possible. When you solve one, more time is awarded, and you’re awarded
more time by solving faster. If Hints are turned on and it’s
taking too long the game will offer up to two of the answers by wiggling
the cards then you to solve the third. The background loop might get a
bit annoying but luckily you can turn it off, or sound effects and for
the die hard players you can turn off hints all from the start screen.
Once time expires your score is tallied plus you can see how you fare
in the global ranking powered by Google Play Games. Finally, there are
achievements but like many of the games that use Google’s leaderboards
they do not offer advantage in the game itself- just personal
satisfaction achievements.
It’s the early afternoon, and your Android phone is already running on
“E.” What’s the deal? A smartphone is supposed to be the hub of your
digital life, but it can’t do that very well when the battery has run
dry, can it?
You probably shouldn’t wait until your phone has failed you at a
critical moment before you figure out what’s destroying your battery
life—there’s no better time than now to track down the culprit. If
you're lucky, you might even be able to fix the issue without
sacrificing functionality.
Wakelocks and misery
Android has gotten much better at managing background processes in the
last few years. Anyone who has used Google's platform since the early
days can tell you how bad things used to be when “task killers” were a
necessity. Even though Android as a whole isn't subject to the same
horrible battery life issues, the wrong combination of apps can still
break Android’s elegant process management scheme.
Conventional wisdom used to be that you should open the multitasking
interface and kill any application you’re not using to save battery
life, and unfortunately this superstition still persists. But Android
knows how to manage background tasks, and swiping apps out of the
multitasking interface only closes the foreground process. If an app is
indeed causing issues, it's usually the background process that's doing it. This sort of micromanagement will only waste time.
Compare Awake and Screen On.
The stock Android battery use menu can be helpful, but it only tells
part of the story. Most apps show up here because you're actually using
them a lot—that's to be expected. This menu merely shows you the system
process and app packages that are using juice, but the 'Awake' and
'Screen on' lines are the most important. If you have a lot more awake
time than screen on, something might be keeping your phone from
sleeping. This is called a wakelock, and it's the number one enemy of your battery life.
When an app or service needs to run a process, it can wake the device
with an alarm. The wakelock mode keeps the CPU awake so the app can do
its business. This is usually no big deal: the app finishes up, and the
device slips back into deep sleep. Conflicts and bugs can cause
wakelocks to persist, essentially keeping your phone from sleeping at
all. In order to figure out what's messing with the battery, we need to
find the root cause of this baffling case of smartphone insomnia.
Solving the case
It might not be immediately obvious that a phone is in wakelock for long
periods. By all appearances, the screen is off and it seems to be
asleep like it should be. One clue that something is going wrong is
excess heat generation. When the CPU is cranked up instead of in deep
sleep, the device might be noticeably warmer than usual when you pick it
up. You'll need to do a little detective work, though, and that's where
the apps come in handy.
One quick and easy way to watch for a phone that won't sleep is to use an app like System Monitor
to track CPU clock speed. This app breaks down CPU activity as a
percentage. Unless you've been using the device almost constantly, ”Deep
Sleep” should be the largest part of the chart. If not, you've probably
got a misbehaving app or system process.
Deep sleep is a good thing.
You'll have to dig a little deeper in order to sort out the exact cause
of your shortened battery life. The best app for this is BetterBatteryStats. The developer posts free beta builds on the XDA forums,
but it's also for sale in Google Play. Rooted users see more
information in the app, but you can still get some data on wakelocks
with almost all devices.
Just give the app a few hours to calibrate, and then filter for Kernel Wakelocks and Since unplugged.
If you see a process up near the top of that list with a lot of
wakelock time, that's the guilty party. Kernel wakelocks are system
processes like suspend_backoff or wlan. BBS BetterBatteryStats sometimes
includes links to more information about wakelocks with some ideas for
fixing them. Otherwise, you can search for information on the exact
system process and find a likely solution. Often, a reboot will knock
some sense into your phone and clear this up.
If you suspect a misbehaving app on your device, check for the PowerManagerService
listing. This is a catchall for so-called partial wakelocks caused by
apps. Rooted users can see the partial wakelocks in the app, but
everyone else will have to do some detective work by comparing recently
installed apps and the onset of the PowerManagerService issue.
To confirm, uninstall suspect apps, create a custom reference point in
BBS, put the phone to sleep, then check the wakelocks a little later. If
PowerManagerService is no longer eating up most of your sleep time,
you’ve cracked the case. Well done, gumshoe!
Wakelocks: Your mortal enemy.
More often than not, the root of your problem will be some app you
installed. The easiest way to deal with the issue is to leave the
offending app or game uninstalled, but maybe you actually want to use
the app despite its battery sucking behavior. In that case, you need a
way to end the process safely. Android has a built-in way of hibernating
processes, and you can easily trigger it with an app called Greenify.
Simply use Greenify to identify the problematic apps, and hit the
hibernate button after you're done using them. Greenify works best with
root access—it can handle all this in the background. For non-rooted
devices, you can use the in-app button or a widget to manually trigger
the hibernation routine.
Greenify those apps with extreme prejudice.
Going through this process might seem like a hassle, but it's preferable
to having a phone that can't hold a charge. It can also save you from
disabling useful features like GPS or background sync in the name of
eking a bit more life out of your device.
The folks at BGR are all over the upcoming Android phone. Maybe they have someone on the inside? First they give us a look at the actual hardware, though covered with a protective case to hide the real design of the phone. Then they break the news about the phone’s unique gesture controls. Now, the site has what it claims is the first true look at the phone, a clear render of the final design.
There’s
not a lot to say about it. It looks kind of cheap, to be honest—like an
iPhone 5c without the color, or an Android phone from several years
ago. With the exception of being absolutely loaded with special camera
sensors (six of them), the specs don’t sound incredible, either: a
quad-core Snapdragon processor and 2GB of RAM is par for the course now,
and the reported 4.7-inch 720p screen is a little on the low-res side
compared to the 1080p phones we see.
Naturally, we expect the
phone to run a special phone version of “Fire OS,” Amazon’s highly
customized fork of Android, and to get apps exclusively from Amazon’s
store. If we were the betting sort, we would guess that Amazon will also
price the phone very aggressively. Part of the offering is said to be a “Prime Data” service, though it’s unclear what that would be.
Michael Homnick
Michael Homnick 
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Michael Homnick 
It’s vital that you know how to play as this eases that tension of
intense challenge. Check out the how to play and examples below… I’ll
explain after the break:
