Samsung preferred for Android business use

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.

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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.

Read more about anti-malware in Network World’s Anti-malware section.

This story, "Samsung preferred for Android business use" was originally published by NetworkWorld .

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Sony Xperia Z1S review: Give this phone a chance

 

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.

Newly filed lawsuit claims Google deliberately made Android phones too expensive

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.

(New Game) Set of Threes – simple to play yet hard to master

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.

Price: Free, $0.99

Tested on: Samsung Galaxy S4
Content Rating: Everyone

 

for install

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.maf.set&utm_source=androidtapp.com&utm_medium=Web&utm_campaign=Install

AndroidTapp.com Android Game Review

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Simple rules yet hard to master!
• Toggle Help hints on/off!
• Minimal and elegant UI!

Features

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.

How to fix your Android phone’s terrible battery life

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.

Take a look at what may be the first render of Amazon's smartphone

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.

Acer Iconia A1 review: A merely competent budget tablet

The Android tablet landscape has drastically changed since the debut of the less-than-fantastic Motorola Xoom, with the likes of Samsung, Sony, and Asus bringing high-end offerings to the market. We’ve also seen the low-end tablet market explode, with dozens of affordable Android tablets available today. One such tablet is Acer’s Iconia A1, which brings with it a serviceable set of specifications at the very low price of $180.

Hardware

Mike Homnick

The Acer Iconia A1 ships with an 8-inch IPS display with a resolution of 1024x768, giving the tablet a measly pixels-per-inch (PPI) of 160, but this is to be expected from a tablet of this caliber. Still, the display on the A1 has decent viewing angles and color saturation, so not all is lost.

While a tablet’s display leads the charge for the consumer experience, the Iconia A1 has more going for it. Shipping with a 1.6GHz dual-core Intel Atom Z2560 processor, 1GB RAM, 16GB internal storage and 4,000 mAh battery, the innards found on the A1 are expected, given its low price point. Rounding out the specifications, you’ll find a 2 megapixel front-facing camera, 5 megapixel rear camera and dual speakers.

As far as performance is concerned, the A1 feels snappy enough. The Intel Atom processor really is the highlight of the tablet, and I found no lag inhibiting the overall experience, though it’s not the most responsive tablet I’ve handled.

Given that the battery on the Iconia A1 is only slightly larger than the battery on some of the newer really big smartphones today, the battery life is your standard affair. It’ll last you a few days with moderate use, maybe more.

Designed by team Afterthought

Mike Homnick

 

The Iconia A1’s design is painfully simple, and it’s easy enough to see that Acer was looking to go with a design that’s very reminiscent of the Apple iPad. So much so, in fact, that it seems a bit silly. The ultra-clean face of the tablet gives way to an aluminum rear side that looks nice enough, but is ultimately uninspiring. The subtle, chamfered edges that meet the plastic bezel on the front side do little to show that Acer put a lot of thought into the A1’s design. I can’t say that this is a bad looking tablet, but it just doesn’t stand out in any way.

A solid, durable tablet

The A1 feels solid in the hands, and the aluminum backside gives it a nice and sturdy feel. Holding the A1 in one hand is possible, but you’ll likely find yourself using this tablet with two. With an 8 inch display, we wish that Acer had made the display a little taller than wider, which would allow users with smaller hands to hold the device more comfortably. Doing this also could help prevent it from slipping out of the hands. Luckily, the A1 could likely take a tumble and remain relatively unscathed.

Straightforward but aging software

Mike Homnick

On the software side, Acer has done little to differentiate itself from the stock Android experience, save for a few custom widgets and applications, and some may like this. The Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean-toting tablet comes with custom video, gallery, and music applications pre-installed, along with the Google counterparts. Amazon’s own app store is also pre-installed, as well as some choice app picks, like 7digital, Accuweather, Dropbox, and Evernote.

So, what’s it like to actually use it? With no genuine standout features or software customization, the A1 feels a bit like a Nexus tablet. One that’s stuck with Android 4.2.2. In time, that could change, but for now, the Acer Iconia A1 is a Jelly Bean tablet that only dreams of KitKat. Those who do purchase this tablet may not take issue with, or even know what version of the operating system the A1 is running, so it might not be a problem. Still, Acer needs to upgrade the OS ASAP. 

Bottom Line

For $180, the Acer Iconia A1 is a solid Android tablet that could be good for kids or as your first budget tablet, but there are more options that can give you more bang for your buck in either price or features. The Nexus 7, Kindle Fire HDX, Tegra Note, and the Galaxy Tab 3 7-inch can be yours for just a few more greenbacks, so the A1 certainly isn’t an affordable tablet in a desolate space. Possibly the most interesting part of the Acer Iconia A1 is the fact that it ships with an Intel processor, but that’s just a curiosity that won’t impress those who are actually going to buy it.

The A1 ends up as another cheap Android tablet with a decent build quality, but little else. It performs serviceably, but with that said, it would behoove you to look at other options with similar price points before pulling the trigger.

Acer announces two new Iconia Android tablets

 

Because the world needs more cheap tablets and no one looks weird holding a 7-incher up to their ear, Acer just announced two new Iconia-branded Android tablets. The Iconia One 7 and Iconia Tab 7 are firmly planted in the midrange market, and the 3G-enabled Tab 7 is capable of placing phone calls. 

The Iconia One 7 ships with modest specs, which is no surprise, given its $130 price point. The tablet comes with a 7-inch, 1280x800 IPS display, along with an Intel Atom Z2560 processor, MicroSD card slot, and dual speakers. It has both front and rear cameras, and Acer says it can get up to 7 hours of 720p HD video playback on a single charge, but didn't get specific about the battery's actual capacity. 

Expect to see the Acer Iconia One 7 in a variety of colors when it lands in Pan American markets at the end of June. The tablet will launch in European, Middle Eastern, and African markets in the middle of May.

The Iconia Tab 7, while still lacking in the spec department, is a tad more interesting due to its ability to make calls. Outside of the connectivity options, the Tab 7 shares the same 7-inch 1280x800 IPS panel found on the One 7. Users will also be treated to a quad-core processor, front-facing and rear cameras, as well as a MicroSD card slot for storage expansion. 

The Acer Iconia Tab 7 will be coming to Latin American markets by the end of June for 1,990 MX Peso (just over $150). European, Middle Eastern, and African markets will see the tablet in the middle of may for €149 (around $205).

Both tablets will ship with Android 4.2 Jelly Bean out of the box, with the promise of an eventual 4.4 KitKat upgrade in the future.

After reviewing Acer's $180 Iconia A1 tablet not long ago, the prospects of these new tablets have me less than ecstatic. Still, a semi-capable tablet for $130 is hard to ignore. 

QuickCamera app attempts to emulate Moto X feature

 

Since the Moto X debuted last year, its been praised for its unique features and customization options. Since then, the there has been an attempt by app developers to emulate these features for other phones. QuickCamera is yet another attempt. Instead of faking the Moto X’s active notifications or always-on listening, it mimics its ability to launch the camera with a twist of the wrist.

By using the accelerometer on your Android phone, QuickCamera launches the camera when a particular gesture is produced with your phone while it is in its locked state. The app also requires Google Camera to be installed “in order to launch the camera from the lockscreen,” according to the developer. 

I tried QuickCamera on both the HTC One (M8) and HTC One (M8) Google Play Edition with little success. Tweaking the settings seemed to do nothing, although, when calibrating the gesture sensitivity, the app did mention that it successfully detected the movement. I finally managed to get the camera to launch when the phone was in its locked state, but very few times, and with a lot more effort than it should take.

Since this the app is still in alpha, bugs and the sort are to be expected. If you’d like to give the app a try, you’ll need to join the Google+ community here, and confirm yourself as a beta tester. After that, you’ll be on your way to possibly getting some Moto X functionality. 

Recap: Apple wins partial victory in round 2 against Samsung

The jury in Apple vs. Samsung round 2 reached a verdict on Friday, and while Apple came out on top again in its second case against its smartphone competitor, the award was nowhere near as large—or as decisive—as it was the last time the two companies met in court.

What was the fuss over, anyway

Apple claimed that Samsung infringed on five of its patents in nine phone models and one tablet, as IDG News Service’s Martyn Williams points out, and asked for $2.2 billion in damages. 

Samsung filed a counter-claim alleging patent infringement on Apple’s part, and sought a $6 million award. (Williams notes that Samsung’s relatively small damages claim was a protest of sorts—the company tried to make the point that patent infringement claims shouldn’t amount to hundreds of millions–or billions—of dollars.)
The trial took about a month, as the San Jose Mercury News points out, and the jury deliberated for four days before agreeing on a verdict.

What’d Apple get out of it

The company won a total of $119.6 million, a small percentage of the $2.2 billion in damages it was seeking, and much smaller than the $929 million it won in an earlier court battle with the company.
The relatively small award is due in part to the fact that Apple did not win on each of its claims. As Martyn Williams points out, “It was only for U.S. Patent 5,946,647, which covers quick links that add contextual menus to items like phone numbers and email addresses, that it found all Samsung products infringed.” 
The jury found no infringement for two of Apple’s patent claims, and gave Apple a partial victory on its claim that Samsung violated its patent for the “Slide to unlock” lock screen.
As for the fifth patent, the Mercury News points out that a Federal Judge had previously found infringement on Samsung’s part, so the jury only needed to determine damages.

Samsung won something too, right

Yes. The jury awarded Samsung $158,400 in damaged after finding that Apple infringed a Samsung patent that related to organizing a combination of photos and videos on smartphones and tablets. 

What’s next

An appeal on Samsung’s part, probably. The company previously appealed the jury’s ruling in the earlier Apple vs. Samsung case—an appeal that’s still working its way through the courts, as the Mercury News notes. 

OnePlus One hands-on: Customize the Cyanogen uber-phone to your heart's desire

After months of speculation and painfully slow teasing, we finally got some hands-on time with the much ballyhooed OnePlus One, the CyanogenMod-powered Android smartphone. This spec-packed uber-phone is currently available by invitation only, so this hands-on might be the closest you get to the OnePlus One for a while.
Below are my initial impressions of the purported “Nexus-killer.” For a full list of specs and features, check out our earlier coverage here.

Lighter—and thinner—than other phones

Image: Florence Ion

The OnePlus One.

The minute I picked up the OnePlus One, I really like what I saw: a thin, polycarbonate chassis; a vibrant, almost edge-to-edge high-resolution display; and a fluid, customizable interface. It’s a beautiful device, though it slightly resembles a flattened-out version of the LG-manufactured Nexus 5.
And while the OnePlus One was surprisingly light to hold—at least compared to some of the latest flagship handsets I’ve been wielding—it was still a bit wide. Regardless, I can see the phone picking up traction with users just for its thinness alone.

Image: Florence Ion

It’s so thin and light.

The OnePlus One adopts the same hardware button convention as other stock Android phones: a power button on the right and a volume rocker on the left. The capacitive navigational buttons are also fully customizable from the Settings menu. You can even define specific behaviors for gestures like a double-tap on the screen or a short press of the menu button.

Image: Florence Ion

The OnePlus One’s version of Cyanogen lets you customize what the hardware buttons do. Neat!

’Customize everything’

Image: Florence Ion

The OnePlus One’s Themes settings page.

Cyanogen’s ethos is that you should be able to customize everything, and this proves out, emphatically, with the OnePlus One. It runs a custom version of CyanogenMod 11 tweaked to run optimally on the One’s hardware, and features some very extensive theming capabilities.

Pick a theme, any theme.

By default, the One model we used had three available themes, including the Android default Holo theme and Cyanogen’s OneMod. The custom icon packs looked a lot like ones we’ve seen crop up before in the Google Play store, and the idea of being able to simply flip a switch to use them sounds much more enticing than having to dig for them elsewhere.

Image: Florence Ion

You don’t have to stick to a theme’s ringtones if you don’t want to.

Cyanogen said it planned for deeper integration than just icon packs, so each theme comes packed with different boot animations, fonts, icon, wallpapers, lock screens, and ringtones. As an added bonus, you can mix and match parts of the different themes as you see fit.

A camera for the masses

Image: Florence Ion

The OnePlus One features a 13-megapixel rear-facing camera powered by a Sony Exmor processor.

Cyanogen intended to deliver a camera interface that’s easy for anyone to use one-handed. It’s debatable whether the OnePlus One sticks to that original promise, as the phone is so large. But I digress.

Image: Florence Ion

The OnePlus One’s facial recognition abilities recognized our own Blake Stimac.

The camera interface is simple and minimalist, just like stock Android’s, except that it doesn’t require you to do that annoying “swipe-up-and-up-and-away” motion to adjust camera settings. It also does live facial recognition, which worked remarkably well even in the preview. There’s also live filter support, which was also really impressive. I like the idea of seeing what my final, filtered shot will look like before I even snap a photo.

Image: Florence Ion

Scroll through varying filters and watch the preview window update in real time.

Cyanogen and OnePlus don’t seem too concerned about getting the masses to jump ship to their tweaked Android handset, and that’s too bad. The customization options are easy to use, and would appeal to even the most novice smartphone users. OnePlus would do well to up-sell its themeing capabilities to the less technological savvy, while also touting hardware spec and more granular software customization options for the hardcore Android-loving masses.
We’ll do a thorough review of the handset and put it through its paces once it becomes available. Stay tuned.

Watch Apple's CarPlay in action, as Mercedes-Benz takes us for a spin

Apple’s CarPlay is bobbing up in more and more places. As the projected summer rollout nears, the tech company's bid to put iTunes, Messages and navigation on your dashboard has shown up in the iOS 7.1 upgrade. Apple partners Alpine and Pioneer have already announced aftermarket systems that can be installed in older cars. And our first chance to see it live happened on Monday, when Apple partner Mercedes-Benz showed us a prototype implementation of CarPlay in a 2015 Mercedes-Benz C-Class

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Our guide was Hamza Lakhani, manager of embedded software at Mercedes-Benz’s Research and Development, North America, based in Sunnyvale, Calif. In this prototype, Mercedes-Benz had crafted a small, Stump-Stand-like cradle for the iPhone—using a 3D printer, of course. The cradle sat in the center console, so it could plug in without the hassle of having a cable plugged into a port.
When Lakhani connected the phone, the CarPlay logo flashed on the phone’s screen, and the CarPlay home screen appeared on the car’s display. Mercedes-Benz does not design touchscreens into its cars, but Lakhani showed how you could use controls built into the center console to navigate the CarPlay screen. A hard button on the console summoned Siri.

Image: Ina Maria

The icons on the CarPlay interface look just like the ones on your iPhone.

The screen icons are the same ones you’ve seen on other CarPlay examples. You can make phone calls, access your iTunes library, find locations and plan routes, and even send and receive text messages. Lakhani noted that third-party apps—like Mercedes-Benz's own Comand remote-control app, seen in the image above—could be added to the screen as developers bring them to Apple’s App Store.
This was just a prototype, so there were hiccups: The air conditioning’s soft whoosh seemed to make Siri harder of hearing, though Lakhani said it had worked just fine in a previous demo. When CarPlay finally goes live in the near future, though, it looks like it will make it a lot easier—and safer—to use your iPhone in your car. 

Get the most from your Samsung Galaxy S5 with these 16 tips and tricks

The Samsung Galaxy S5 is a big phone, both physically and figuratively. Packed within its slightly boring plastic shell is mega-powerful hardware running the latest and greatest software from the world’s top Android manufacturer. When a phone has as many features as this one, figuring out where everything is and how it works can be a little daunting.

Samsung’s TouchWiz Android skin used to be horrific, but has improved quite a lot. All you need is a little primer on where all the best stuff is hiding and what features are worth your time. These tips will help you make the most of your shiny new GS5.

Sort the app drawer

The default arrangement for the Galaxy S5 app drawer is alphabetical, but you can set it to group apps however you like. Tap the menu button in the corner and change View as to custom. That menu also lets you create folders in the app drawer for better organization.

Toolbox

The Toolbox is one of those feature that makes a ton of sense, but isn’t very prominent, all tucked away in the settings menu. This is a floating icon (think: Facebook chat head) that opens a list of customizable app shortcuts. It can be toggled on and off with the button you find in the expanded notification in the notifications drawer. You can configure which apps are listed in the main system settings for the Toolbox under Sound and Display.

OK Google...

The updated TouchWiz home screen has Google voice search hot-word detection built right in. If you can see the search bar, you can say “OK Google” to launch the voice interface. Tell your phone who you want to call or text, or ask it common questions to get search results or Google Now cards. It’s almost identical to stock Android devices.

Register fingerprints for better accuracy

The Galaxy S5 fingerprint reader is a little finicky, but setting up your prints correctly goes a long way toward improving accuracy. You get eight swipes to register each print, but don’t just hold your finger straight up and down every time. Tilt a little bit side-to-side several times so the phone learns what the patterns look like in those directions too.

Kill S Voice

It’s strange that S Voice still exists, considering the more prominent role for Google’s own voice function on the Galaxy S5’s home screen. S Voice is still hidden behind a double-press of the home button, but that comes at a cost: after a single press of the home button, the phone will delay briefly to wait and see if you’re going to press it again it to activate S Voice. Yeah, not likely, Samsung. Get rid of the delay by going into the S Voice app settings and disable the option to wake up via the home button.

One-handed mode

Being a big phone, one-handed operation can sometimes be an issue with the Galaxy S5. To help with that, head into the main system settings and find One-handed operation under Sound and Display. Once enabled, you can toggle it on with a quick edge gesture—swipe in from the edge of the screen toward the middle and back out again. The screen shrinks down toward the lower right corner, making it easier to reach everything.

High screen sensitivity

Buried in the settings is an option to make Galaxy S5 owners in colder climates very happy in the winter. High screen sensitivity mode lets you use the device with regular gloves on (rather than those special touchscreen gloves). This feature can be found in the Display sub-menu, or a few rows down in the notification toggles.

Ultra power saving mode

You need not fear a dead battery when you’re away from the charger with a nearly empty Galaxy S5—the new Ultra power saving mode can give you substantially more standby time by shutting off CPU cores, blocking background tasks, and flipping the screen to a delicious retro black and white theme. The toggle for Ultra Power Saving Mode is in the notification area, but you’ll want to check it out and get your apps set up before you need it.

Separate home and lock screen wallpaper

Many Android devices just use your home screen wallpaper on the lock screen, but Samsung offers you the option to set these individually. Check the Settings for the Wallpaper item and then select home screen, lock screen, or both from the menu before picking an image.

Disable built-in apps

Both Samsung and your carrier have been kind enough to include some non-removable apps that you’ll probably never use—thanks, guys. While you can’t truly delete them, you can at least disable them so they don’t show up in the app drawer or run in the background. Head to the Application Manager in settings and swipe over to the All Apps tab. Open the info screen for any app you want to silence and tap Turn off.

Alternately, you can long-press on an icon in the app drawer, and drag it up to the “Disable” link at the top of the screen.

To re-enable any of these apps, go to Settings > Applications > Application Manager and look for the Turned off column on the far right.

S Finder

The notification shade in TouchWiz is graced by two new, non-removable buttons, one of which is S Finder. This one is actually a pretty useful universal search app that finds matching apps, calendar appointments, browsing history, bookmarks, contacts, messages, files, settings, and more. It’s a great way to find that sneaky hidden setting buried 4 sub-menus deep. You might as well make use of it.

Customize notification toggles

The handy buttons at the top of the notification shade might not contain all the settings you want, but that’s no problem for someone like you who had the good judgment to buy a Galaxy S5. To customize these buttons, open the expanded toggle list with the button in the upper right corner, then tap the edit button in that same area. From this menu you can drag the buttons around so the ones you use most are easily accessible.

Blocking mode

That drunk phone call from your idiot friends at 2 in the morning will never again trouble you after setting up this feature. Just open Blocking Mode under Personalization in the main system settings, and decide what kinds of notifications you want to block—calls, alarms, or all notifications. Now you won’t be bothered during your quiet hours unless you get a call from a favorite contact.

Disable My Magazine

Samsung’s My Magazine is basically a Flipboard widget that takes up a whole home screen panel. Even if that sounds neat, it’s ridiculously slow. If you want to turn it off, just long-press on the home screen and open the home screen settings. There’s a checkbox for turning the My Magazine panel on and off (I strongly suggest off).

Edit quick settings

Samsung’s quick settings are shown at the top of the main system settings list as a handy shortcut for commonly accessed menus. To tweak the list of which settings show up here, go to Settings, hit the on-screen menu button, and select Edit quick settings. This screen allows you to pick any 12 pages from the settings list to keep right at the top.

Screen indicator swipe

As your list of apps and widgets grows, you might end up with a lot of pages on the home screen and in the app drawer. Swiping again and again to get through all of it is liable to give you finger strain, or something. TouchWiz has a solution, though. Just tap the indicator dots on the bottom of the home screen and app drawer, then drag left or right to zip through pages in a flash.