Author: Serkadis

If you want to look where America is headed, look no further than the recent activist video released by Mark Dice. He attempted to gather signatures for a petition that demanded America become a Nazi-style Orwellian police state, complete with forced mercury injections…

Ever wanted to learn more about the history of action-adventure and role-playing games, and how they evolved from rudimentary monochrome graphics to today’s 3D masterpieces?

Indie developer Shiro Games promises to take you through a brief history of the genre using elements from some of the most iconic titles (Zelda, Final Fantasy, Diablo, etc).

I… (read more)

The Samsung Galaxy S 4 reviews hit this week and it appears the consensus is that Samsung added a boatload of features to help it keep its smartphone crown. I spent several days using a review unit of the Galaxy S 4 and found it to be a high performing device that looks much like its predecessor. Along with many new Samsung-specific functions, however, the company was able to boost the screen size to 5-inches while keeping the phone at roughly the same size as the Galaxy S 3.

That display is wonderful to look at all day. And why not when it’s a 1920 x 1080 Super AMOLED screen? The quad-core 1.9 GHz chip and 2 GB of memory keep things humming while the battery should last all day for all but the heaviest power-users. Of course, you can always remove the back cover and replace the battery with a spare if needed; most probably won’t.

Samsung’s secret sauce is on the inside, however: It’s the software. The company’s TouchWiz interface is improved while a number of special features round out the package.

Hovering over the screen with a finger dives deeper into more information without opening an app, for example. You can swipe through gallery images with a wave your hand. And you can pair multiple Galaxy S 4 phones to wirelessly play a single song, with each handset acting as an independent speaker.

All of this makes for solid, but sometimes complicated experience. I don’t think it will hurt sales, however. Folks will either use the Easy Mode — which hides some of the advanced functions — or simply ignore the features they don’t want to use.

Speaking of which: HP has largely ignored the tablet market ever since it’s $1.2 billion investment in Palm and webOS backfired in the form of the TouchPad. That changes with the HP Slate 7, a $169 Android 4.1 tablet now available in the U.S I took a look — on paper, that is — at the HP Slate 7 compared to Google’s Nexus 7 tablet, which costs $30 more. Some will surely opt for the HP, but I see a number of reasons to pay the extra money for a Nexus 7.

The main one is the difference in displays: HP chose a meager 1024 x 600 resolution display while Google uses a 1280 x 800 screen. You’re going to be looking at and using the screen more than any other component on a tablet, so I think you should get the best one you can. Having said that, the HP does offer some features not found on the Nexus 7: micro SD card expansion, Beats Audio support and a rear camera.

One of the things I use my tablet for the most is email management. I’m a Gmail app user on all Android devices, but on iOS I prefer the new Mailbox app. It’s very useful in how you can set reminders for various emails; they disappear from your inbox only to reappear at a time more appropriate for you. You can also send emails to a “to-do” list with a tap. Most every function is done with a simple swipe: Mark as read, delete, postpone, etc…. take a look:

The good news is that the Mailbox folks have admitted on Twitter that an Android version is in the works. There’s no time-table for the software, but I hope it’s soon. I’ve been able to get through my email more effectively on iOS with Mailbox and I’d love to have the same experience on my Android phones and tablets.

Related research and analysis from GigaOM Pro:
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• Analyzing the wearable computing market
• Carrier IQ and the continued erosion of operator trust
• Siri: Say hello to the coming “invisible interface”

For your weekend reading, here’s a recap of five noteworthy stories that appeared on Data Center Knowledge this past week. Enjoy!

Facebook Decloaks, Confirms Plans for Iowa Server Farm – It’s official: Facebook will build a massive data center in Altoona, Iowa. After a year of secret scouting missions, the social network today decloaked and confirmed its plans to invest $299.5 million to build the first phase of a three-building campus in Altoona, a suburb of Des Moines. Facebook says the 476,000 square foot building will be the world’s longest data center, providing the company with a digital beachhead in the middle of the U.S.

Google’s Infrastructure Boom Continues: Expansion Ahead in Oregon – The scope and acceleration of Google’s data center construction program makes it clear that the company sees massive growth ahead in its Internet businesses. Google’s 2013 building boom represents the largest investment in data center infrastructure in the history of the Internet.

Companies Gobbling Up Turn-Key Data Center Space – Data center users have leased more than 400,000 square feet of turn-key data center space in recent months, according to a new market survey from real estate firm Avison Young. Despite that strong activity, the market for wholesale data center space continues to face a potential oversupply, the report said, with more than 1.9 million square feet of space available.

Digital Realty Boosts Connectivity at its Data Center Hubs – Digital Realty will build dark fiber infrastructure to connect its key Internet gateways and data center buildings, making it easier and cheaper for customers to connect with the carriers and clouds of their choice.

T5 Plans $800 Million Campus in Colorado Springs – T5 Data Centers has unveiled plans for an $800 million data center campus in Colorado Springs, Colorado. The project marks a major step forward in Colorado Springs’ ambitions as a data center destination, and continues a steady expansion by Atlanta-based T5.>

Stay current on Data Center Knowledge’s data center news by subscribing to our RSS feed and daily e-mail updates, or by following us on Twitter or Facebook or join our LinkedIn Group – Data Center Knowledge.

Documents obtained through the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) reveal the Obama administration is actively marketing the federal food stamp program (SNAP) to illegal immigrants. A Spanish-language flyer obtainer by Judicial Watch says, “You need not divulge information…

Bored of the same old bicep curls and dips? Sick of shoulder presses? You can sculpt your arms and shoulders with unique exercises. Exercise variety is beneficial, not just so that you don’t get bored in your workouts, but also because it keeps your muscles from adapting…

Every supporter of Obamacare, from the president on down, has spent hours upon hours and expended exhaustive amounts of energy telling Americans what a wonderful law it is and how fortunate we are to finally have the federal government running (sorry – “managing”) our…

A taxpayer-funded government task force has issued new guidelines that literally urge healthy women to take toxic cancer drugs “preventively” in order to allegedly decrease their risk of developing breast cancer. As recently promoted by The New York Times (NYT), these…

Taking a page from national political parties and federal lawmakers, an Oregon group trying to convince Portland residents to approve adding fluoride to the city’s drinking water has taken to buying off key constituencies for their support. It seems like all aspects…

Our entire universe may exist alongside another universe composed of dark matter, complete with an alternate Milky Way, physicists have suggested. ”There could be a mirror world where interesting things are going on,” said dark matter researcher James Bullock of the…

Drinking a can of sugar-laced soda a day will raise your risk of developing diabetes by 22 percent! According to a new study out today evidence suggests that just one 12-ounce serving of a sugar-sweetened beverage can significantly raise the risk of developing type 2…

Although the use of computed tomography (CT) scans has become increasingly common, there is no reliable evidence that such scans are safe, according to a paper recently published in the journal Radiology. ”The number of CT exams in the U.S. has increased by about…

The state of Kansas has enacted legislation that essentially cancels out any future federal attempt to regulate guns or impose new gun control measures and restrictions in a move seen by supporters as protecting the integrity of the Second Amendment and Kansans’ right…

It’s odd that studies are being done to “prove” certain medical arts have positive effects even after they’ve proven beneficial over centuries. This seems to be the case with Traditional Chinese Medicine’s (TCM) and its most widely practiced methodology, acupuncture…

It starts so innocently, so easily, you hardly noticed. You’ve been stressed lately and getting to bed later than normal with all the things on your “To-Do” list. You tell yourself: “It’s only temporary”, but with your recent reliance on pre-prepared and fast foods,…

Cardiovascular diseases kill more Americans than cancer and motor vehicle accidents combined. Most of our aging baby-boomer population will be brought down by problems located in the heart and cardiovascular system. Even so, we can significantly increase heart longevity…

New research recently presented at a joint meeting of the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and Experimental Biology confirms a little-known benefit of eating mushrooms – higher vitamin D levels. As relayed by MedPageToday.com, researchers from…

(NaturalNews)I think, at the very least, YouTube should censor them. Well, wait a minute. Not censor, but put up a notice on all their videos: ”It’s come to our attention that these three characters are as annoying as a bad case of fleas. Caution: watch and listen at your own…

It might seem harmless if you grab a bowl of cereal at night, but the fact is that it is better off if you eat that in the morning. New studies have shown that the human body is inclined to convert food consumed at night into fat and then converting it into energy during…

The question is long overdue, particularly since I asked about Samsung Galaxy S4, the other major 1080p smartphone freshly released. After some delays, the One can now be purchased — well, if you can find the thing — and HTC is advertising rather aggressively. I’ve seen commercials in prime time, sometimes two in a row, throughout the week.

This afternoon, I hauled off to one of the two San Diego T-Mobile stores selling HTC One. Both are stocked out, but there was a live phone I could play around with. I toyed with ordering the smartphone from T-Mobile online late last night. Opportunity lost. The One is “out of stock” today. AT&T and Sprint also sell the One. Supplies are limited.

Up close, I’m less impressed by HTC One than expected, because of software. Sense UI is still too obtrusive for my taste, and T-Mobile loads up lots of crapware, including the Lookout security app, which at first blush can be disabled but not removed. Yet there are some aspects of Sense, such as news and social feeds up close and personal on the homescreen, that conceptually appeal. I’d like to use them though to see if they’re worth the trouble, something not easily done in the store.

Build quality and design really distinguish the One from every other phone I’ve handled, including iPhone 5, which is a beaut. The aluminum body begs to be touched, caressed and seen. If eye-pleasing is a priority, HTC’s baby won’t disappoint.

Regarding the display, I can only say wow. After spending just a few minutes with the One, I have to say Apple CEO Tim Cook’s excuse for 3.5- or 4-inch iPhones is even more lame-ass than my first impression. During this week’s earnings conference call, in response to an analyst question about smartphones with 5-inch displays (think Galaxy S4), Cook answers: “iPhone 5 has the absolute best display in the industry”, which audacious claim. “Our competitors had made some significant trade-offs in many of these areas in order to ship a larger display, we would not ship a larger display iPhone while these trade-offs exist”.

Well, hell, I sure am impressed by HTC’s trade-offs. Apple should make some. The 4.7-inch One display is scary crisp. Oh, yeah, my Nexus 4, which has same-size screen, seems sooo much less now. But, hey.

The Right One

For anyone considering the phone, the major competitor is Galaxy S4, based on features and screen resolution, for starters. But you should consider all the major contenders. Spec-fest for your consideration:

HTC One: 4.7-inch Super LCD3 display with 1920 x 1080 resolution and 468 ppi; 1.7GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 600 quad-core processor; 2GB RAM; 32GB or 64GB storage; 4MP front-facing and 2.1MP rear-facing cameras; 1080p video recording; 4G: LTE (Asia 1800/2600 Mhz), EU (800/1800/2600 MHz), AT&T (700/850/AWS/1900 MHz), Sprint (1900 Mhz), T-mobile USA (1900 Mhz); HSPA/WCDMA (850/900/1900/2100 MHz); GSM/GPRS/EDGE (850/900/1800/1900 MHz); WiFi N; GPS + GLONASS; Bluetooth 4; NFC (carrier chooses); DLNA; ambient-light and proximity sensors; accelerometer; digital compass; gyroscope; 2300 mAh battery; Android 4.1.2 with HTC Sense. Measures 137.4 x 68.2 x 9.3 mm and weighs 143 grams. In the United States, AT&T and Sprint: $199.99 for the 32GB model, with 2-year contract. AT&T sells the 64GB One for $299.99. T-Mobile: $99.99 upfront and 24 $20 monthly payments for 32 gigger.

Samsung Galaxy S4: 5-inch Super AMOLED with 1920 x 1080 resolution and 441 pixels per inch; 1.9GHz quad-core or 1.6GHz dual quad-core processor; 2GB of RAM; 16GB, 32GB or 64GB storage (expandable up to 64GB with microSD card); 13-megapixel auto-focus rear-facing and 2MP front-facing cameras; 1080p video recording; 4G: LTE (Cat 3 100/50Mbps), HSPA＋ 42Mbps (850/900/1900/2100 MHz); 2.5G GSM/ GPRS/EDGE (850/900/1800/1900 MHz);WiFi N/AC; GPS + GLONASS; NFC; Bluetooth 4; IR LED; MHL 2; accelerometer; barometer; gyroscope; geomagnetic, gesture, proximity, RGB light and temperature & humidity sensors; 2600 mAh removable battery; and Android 4.2.2 with TouchWiz UI. Measures 136.6 x 69.8 x 7.9 mm and weighs 130 grams. Prices and configurations vary by carrier. In the United States, AT&T: $199.99 and $249.99 for 16GB and 32GB, respectively — locked with 2-year commitment. T-Mobile: $99.99 upfront and $20/month for 24 months.

Apple iPhone 5: 4-inch display with 1136 x 640 resolution, 326 ppi; Apple A6 dual-core processor; 1GB RAM; 16GB, 32GB or 64GB storage (depending on model); 8MP rear-facing and 1.2MP front-facing cameras; UMTS/HSDPA/HSUPA (850, 900, 1900, 2100 MHz), GSM/EDGE (850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz), LTE (bands vary by carrier model and region); accelerometer; ambient-light sensor; gyroscope; GPS; proximity sensor; digital compass; Bluetooth; WiFi N; 1440 mAh fixed battery; carrier locked; iOS 6. Measures 123.8 x 58.6 x 7.6 mm and weighs 112 grams. With 2-year contract sells for: $199 (16GB), $299 (32GB), $399 (64GB). Carrier locked, but in United States not Verizon model. T-Mobile: $99.99 upfront and $24 $20 monthly payments.

Nokia Lumia 920: 4.5-inch display with 1280 by 768 resolution with 332 pixels per inch; 1.5GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 4 dual-core processor; HSPA+ and LTE (no T-Mobile USA HSPA support); 1GB RAM; 32GB storage (and 7GB SkyDrive free); 8.7MP rear-facing camera (F/2 aperture, 26mm focal length and Carl Zeiss Tessar lens) with LED flash; front-facing camera; 1080p video at 30fps (back camera), 720p (front); NFC; Bluetooth 3.1; Assisted-GPS; WiFi N; WiFi Direct; WiFi Channel bonding; DLNA compatible; magnetometer; ambient-light, proximity and orientation sensors; 2,000 mAh fixed battery; and Windows Phone 8. Dimensions: 130.3 mm high by 70.8 mm wide by 10.7 mm thick; weighs 185 grams. Sells locked for $99.99 with 2-year contract from AT&T.

Early Reviews

If I ever get my hands on HTC One, expect a review. To help you better answer the question, here are some reviews from other tech sites:

• “HTC One review“, BGR
• “The gorgeous HTC One is a winner“, CNET
• “HTC One Review: The Beauty Is a Beast“, Gizmodo
• “HTC One review: an amazing screen but a baffling interface“, The Guardian
• “HTC One Is a Winner“, Mashable
• “HTC One review: Heating up the race for the perfect Android phone“, The Verge
• “The HTC One is the best smartphone I have ever used“, ZDNet

So there remains one question. Will you buy HTC One? Please answer the poll above and explain in comments below.