This new Verizon-exclusive GizmoTab is perfect for kids, not bad for parents either

With even mainstream, mass-appealing Android tablets in danger of extinction, it takes a great deal of bravery to cater a new 8-incher specifically to children aged 3 to 8 these days. But unlike super-low-cost Amazon Fire and Samsung Galaxy Tab Kids Editions, the Verizon-exclusive GizmoTab means business.

This is no glorified toy, aiming to provide parents the speed and performance they need to multitask and enjoy their “favorite apps, games and videos” after the little ones are off to bed. Indeed, once you remove the “kid-tough” bumper, the Marshmallow-based slate looks pretty standard, not to mention it packs a powerful Snapdragon 617 punch, 3GB RAM, also sporting Full HD (1920 x 1200) screen resolution.

Still, its key selling points include first and foremost unlimited access to 300 premium learning apps handpicked by “educational experts”, and featuring “recognizable brands and characters that children love”, like Crayola, DreamWorks, Hasbro, Sesame Workshop, and Toca Boca.

All you have to do to receive $600 worth of educational content free of charge is activate the GizmoTab on Big Red. That’s free of additional charge, of course, with the actual 8-inch tablet setting you back $80 on-contract, $250 outright, or $10.41 a month with payment plans after $0 down.

While it also offers full Play Store access, the GizmoTab lets parents “customize the fun” to the child’s age and skill level, as well as practically control and restrict every game they play, video they watch, and learning app they can run.

The post This new Verizon-exclusive GizmoTab is perfect for kids, not bad for parents either appeared first on Pocketnow.

from Pocketnow http://pocketnow.com/2016/12/01/verizon-exclusive-gizmotab-kid-friendly-android-tablet

MediaTek tries to cover all its high-end SoC bases with Helio X23 and X27 announcement

In anticipation of Qualcomm’s relatively vague Snapdragon 835 announcement a couple of weeks back, MediaTek similarly unveiled its own very first 10nm-based mobile processor in late September without giving everything away in terms of specifications and especially commercial release dates.

But now the Taiwanese fabless semiconductor company is essentially going back to refresh the 20nm-designed Helio X20 family. While also destined for high-end smartphone use, these new “benchmark-setting” MediaTek Helio X23 and X27 SoCs are obviously no matches for the SD835-contending X30 when it comes to both raw speed and energy efficiency.

They do however promise “more than a 20% overall processing improvement” compared to the Helio X20 and X25 respectively, despite the X27, for instance, very marginally upping the clock speed ante of its two top-shelf ARM Cortex-A72 cores from 2.5 to 2.6GHz.

The ARM Mali GPU also gains a puny 25MHz for a grand total of 875, with both the Helio X23 and X27’s CPUs rocking Tri-Cluster Deca-core architecture composed of an A72 duo, and a couple of A53 quartets at different velocity.

Dual camera photography with an “upgraded MediaTek Imagiq image signal-processing solution”, MiraVision EnergySmart Screen power-saving technology, and Envelope Tracking Module for “further power-efficiency” are touted as important Helio X27 and X23 enhancements as well. Unfortunately, all we know about smartphones powered by the two new chipsets is that they’re coming “soon.” No names, no dates, no nothing.

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from Pocketnow http://pocketnow.com/2016/12/01/mediatek-helio-x23-x27-new-high-end-socs

Nokia’s officially back in the phone game

Earlier today we heard rumors of two new Nokia phones that could be launching in early 2017, and now things have got a lot more official, with Finnish company HMD formally announcing its entry into the smartphone market under the Nokia name.

The company plans to launch Nokia-branded feature phones, tablets and smartphones, the latter of which will run Android, with its first smartphones set to land in the first half of 2017.

While HMD hasn’t provided any details about those phones, it has said that its range will be focused on innovation and quality, as well as “the iconic Nokia mobile phone attributes of design, robustness and reliability.”

Something for everyone

That sounds good to us, but based on current rumors its initial output might be mid-range rather than high-end.

That said, a mysterious Nokia 5320 was benchmarked a few months ago with flagship specs, so the Nokia range might soon be able to cater to everyone.

HMD is also going to extend its presence on the huge feature phone market using the Nokia name, which is likely to have a big impact on sales given the old Finnish brand used to be the main vendor of cheap non-smartphones globally.

Beyond that vague first half of 2017 window we don’t know when we’ll start seeing new Nokia smartphones though, but there’s a chance they’ll show up at MWC 2017 in late February.

• At one point Nokia was even working on a smartwatch

from TechRadar: Phone and communications news http://www.techradar.com/news/nokias-officially-back-in-the-phone-game

The iPhone 7 just won our fastest phone test of 2016

The iPhone 7 may not have done well in our best phone battery test earlier this month, but it has proved itself as the fastest phone in our new look speed test video.

We took the iPhone 7, Samsung Galaxy S7, Google Pixel, HTC 10, Sony Xperia XZ and the LG G5. and put each through our new, high intensity speed test.

Running eight different apps in quick succession, each phone was tested on how quickly it loads games, video editing and even loading a 3D graphics file.

Check out below to see how each of our phones did in the new speed test.

from TechRadar: Phone and communications news http://www.techradar.com/news/the-iphone-7-just-won-our-fastest-phone-test-of-2016

HMD Global formally ‘enters the market’ to launch Nokia-branded smartphones in H1 2017

In case you still held out hope for a last-minute 2016 release or at least announcement of Nokia’s smartphone comeback effort, HMD Global Oy just crushed your dreams, clarifying a few things, and reiterating others that were known since May.

The “proud exclusive licensor of the Nokia brand in mobile phones and tablets” will open a “new and exciting chapter in the story” of the Finnish company that once ruled the mobile hardware world during the first half of 2017.

Technically, Nokia surrendered all branding and intellectual property rights to this HMD startup, only indirectly working on the development of those oft-rumored D1C prototypes. But take just one look at the market rookie’s “leadership team”, and you can safely anticipate a continuation of the classic Nokia heritage and DNA.

The CEO, President, Chief Finance and Commercial Officer, CMO, Chief Product Officer, COO, General Counsel and VP of Human Resources all have years of experience guiding Nokia’s business, product creation and management through thick and thin, rise and fall, Microsoft ownership, transition and survival.

Some of HMD Global’s leaders have also served at HTC and even Rovio, with key regional executives mainly coming from Nokia, Microsoft and HTC backgrounds as well. Bottom line, HMD is hardly a humble industry novice, and with Foxconn and Google in its corner, it understandably aims for greatness off the bat, “developing an exciting new consumer centric product range which will focus on innovation, quality and experience, alongside the iconic Nokia mobile phone attributes of design, robustness, and reliability.”

Hype level – over 9,000!

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from Pocketnow http://pocketnow.com/2016/12/01/hmd-global-formal-announcement-nokia-smartphones

Best iPhone SE cases

These are the most popular Google Play apps, movies and songs of 2016

As 2016 turns into 2017 expect to see a deluge of 'best of' lists, and Google has been quick off the mark with news of what we've all been watching, downloading, listening to and reading over the past 12 (or 11) months in the UK.

Rihanna and Drake take the most-streamed song with Work, which is followed in the top five by This Is What You Came For (Calvin Harris featuring Rihanna), One Dance (Drake featuring WizKid and Kyla), Work From Home (Fifth Harmony featuring Ty Dolla $ign) and Girls Like (Tinie Tempah featuring Zara Larsson).

So if you've not got a "feat" credit on your song, forget about it for 2016.

Over in the films section, Star Wars: The Force Awakens - the latest in the well-known Western-in-space franchise - claimed the top spot, with Deadpool, The Martian, newest Bond flick Spectre and Captain America: Civil War rounding out the top five.

For TV shows, if you think the dragon-filled fantasy epic almost everyone is watching came out on top, you'd be absolutely right. The runners-up to Game of Thrones were The Walking Dead, Suits, Peppa Pig and Family Guy.

Books, apps and games

Paula Hawkins' The Girl On The Train topped the book charts as well as making it to cinemas as a feature film, while One with You (Sylvia Day), Me Before You (Jojo Moyes), and the Harry Potter and the Cursed Child stage play (J.K. Rowling, John Tiffany, Jack Thorne) were also in the top five.

In fifth place for books was Lean In 15: 15 Minute Meals And Workouts To Keep You Lean And Healthy by Joe Wicks, so it would seem a lot of us were still too busy to stay healthy in 2016. There's always next year, hey?

That leaves us with apps. Video caller Google Duo, video filter tool MSQRD, Camera 360 Lite Version, Google Keyboard and 30 Day Fit Challenge Workout were the top trending apps of the year, according to Google's calculations.

As for games, Pokémon Go predictably topped the charts, followed by Clash Royale, Ultimate Ninja Blazing, Dream League Soccer and Slither.io, the fiendish, modern variation on the classic Snake game.

Google says more than 65 billion apps were downloaded by users from 190 countries throughout the course of 2016, so it's reassuring to know that many people are still obsessed with long-running movie franchises, vintage games and fantasy worlds.

• Google is finally tackling spam apps in the Play Store

from TechRadar: Phone and communications news http://www.techradar.com/news/these-are-the-most-popular-google-play-apps-movies-and-songs-of-2016