Quad Core Smartphones

The advent of the smartphone brought with it a dramatic shift in how people work, communicate, and play. Of course, the primary use of the ‘cellphone’ is still to make and receive phone calls, but our mobile devices are increasingly being utilized for a wide variety of other purposes. Email, social networking apps, internet browsing, and serious gaming capabilities mean that we have all the information we need at our fingertips and are never far away from breaking news or the next party invite.

Quite simply, the increasing demands we are placing on mobile devices have brought about the necessity for more powerful processing. We have moved on from “weak” processors to dual-core powerhouses and now, we are seeing the steady introduction of quad-core devices. Granted, we are seeing this shift to quad-core only for Android devices so far, with Apple relying, for now, on dual-core processors, and Nokia featuring a single-core processor to power its Windows Phone 7 handsets.

Here, we will talk about some of the fundamental features of mobile quad-core processors. We will discuss not only what makes the quad-core chip a big step forward for mobile tech, but also the situations when more cores can actually lead to an inferior user experience.

What is a quad-core processor?

As the name suggests, a quad-core processor is a System-0n-a-Chip (S0C) equipped with a four CPU cores . Every “core” is a single ARM processor, with the four put together to create the complete chip. ARM designs the architecture of chips used in almost every smartphone available in the world. You can see a chart above of how ARM core processors have advanced over the years, with each iteration being more powerful.

So, it is obvious that a dual-core Cortex-A15 processor will be more powerful than a dual-core A9 processor, and that a quad-core A9 processor (such as the NVIDIA Tegra 3) will be more powerful than a dual-core A9 processor (NVIDIA Tegra 2). A lot of processor manufacturers also buy the right to tweak the basic structure of the ARM design, as is seen with the NVIDIA Tegra 3 4+1 core setup, that incorporates a companion (ninja) core for low-powered activities, to offer extended battery life.

What we expect from a quad-core processor

This is typical of marketing graphics, that always claim more performance, less power consumed

At the most basic level, we expect that doubling the number of cores, from dual-core to quad-core, would double the speed of running applications. Imagine a dual-core processor device running eight applications. This will, ideally, divide four applications across two cores. With a quad-core device, you would be, again ideally, running two applications over four cores. In essence, doubling the efficiency and speed of the device.

Another major expectation that many have is that a quad-core processor should significantly increase the battery life of the device. With the presence of more cores, executing a task should exert less pressure on the processor and therefore require less power from the battery, right? Users should enjoy a substantial increase in battery life.

We’ve been seeing a significant number of classic PC games being developed for handheld devices. There are also a large number of graphic-intensive games available for Android devices. As more and more of such games become available, quad-core processors are expected to provide a major improvement in the user’s gaming experience.

What actually happens

The first misstep when it comes to complicated processor architecture and technology is the basic assumption that 2+2=4. Ideally, that is exactly how it is supposed to work, but that does not happen, at least not yet. Let’s take a look at why. 

When moving up from dual to quad-core processors, although the number of cores are doubled, the other systems are not. The four-cored processor is still relying on one, albeit slightly more powerful, memory pool, battery, etc. 

The example given above about four cores working at double the capacity, holds trueonly if there is an equal sharing of tasks. Unfortunately, that is not the case so far. The OS itself needs to support “multi-threading,” that is, assigning a part of the task equally to all cores. 

For a quad-core device to work efficiently, developers need to write code for programs and applications while keeping multi-threading in mind. The issue being that not only is writing such code for apps much harder, but also increases the complexity of debugging such a program of something goes wrong. Apps created for multi-core processing are simply much more difficult to create and maintain. 

At this point, quad-core efficiency will significantly improve only with apps that are specifically made for multiple core use. 

There has been some disbelief about the expected increase in battery life. There is a very good reason to think so. When it comes to battery life, one of the biggest consumers is the processor, the display, and the cellular radio. While processors have become more battery efficient, the others have not. Every high-end smartphone features a high resolution display which requires a lot more power, and we all know the affect 4G radios have on battery life. So again, while there might be an increase in battery efficiency due to quad-core processors, it not as significant an improvement as we would hope.

The only area where quad-core devices completely meet our expectations is gaming. Most gaming applications take advantage of multiple threads, and the increased number of cores provide a more efficient and much smoother gaming experience. Plus, it’s important to remember that games and other advanced applications that need as much power as possible are only as good as the code they are written on. In the case of the Tegra 3 SoC, which is found in many of today’s hottest devices, including the Transformer Infinity Pad 300, the original Transformer Prime, and the HTC One X (non-LTE), NVIDIA has employed its vast expertise in creating world-class hardware, and has collaborated with developers to really optimize these gaming titles, and do so in such a way that they take advantage of all of those latent cores.

The Present

The current crop of quad-core processors (Nvidia Tegra 3, Samsung Exynos 4412, etc.) feature ARM’s Cortex A9 architecture. The Tegra 3 processor is far better than the dual-core Tegra 2, with similar architecture. But this does not seem to be the case against Qualcomm’s dual-core Snapdragon S4 processor with its Krait cores, as seen from some benchmark tests. This can be attributed to the fact that the Krait core is more akin to the Cortex-A15 architecture, but the benchmark tests are still quite surprising. We are still eagerly awaiting the arrival of the Samsung Galaxy S3 with a quad-core Exynos processor, and the Huawei Ascend D Quad, dubbed “the world’s fastest smartphone” with Huawei’s own K3V2 quad-core processor. But for now, it seems as though quad-core processors aren’t as powerful as most would expect.

The Future

We’ve already seen some rumors that indicate that we should see the introduction of the NVIDIA Tegra 4 quad-core ARM Cortex-A15 processor as early as Q1 of 2013. There have also been some leaks on a Qualcomm Snapdragon quad-core processor in the works along with continuous upgrades for Samsung’s Exynos processor lineup. We cannot say exactly what is coming in the future, but we do know that it will only get even better from here on in.

Conclusion

Quad-core processors are a big step up in CPU technology, and they undoubtedly represent the future of mobile processors. The real question of whether they fit into the present is debatable. The more we examine it closely, the more it becomes apparent that we will have to wait for app and game developers to catch up before we can truly enjoy what today’s and tomorrow’s quad core and octo-core (8) SoC’s are bringing to the table.

As it stands, quad-core technology isn’t “all that,” at least, not yet.

What are your thoughts? Would you wait on getting a quad-core device or is it a must-have right now?

Quad Core Smartphones

By: Unknown on: Monday, April 30, 2012

Android's Next Iteration... code-name: "Jelly Bean"

From the beginning, Android users have been trying to guess what's in store for the OS, even down to what the next version will be called. While many have speculated on what Ice Cream Sandwich's successor will be named, This is my Next reported today that a "trusted source" revealed that the next version of Android will in fact be called Jelly Bean.

As usual we have no idea what version number this will be, but the source also divulged that "game-changing" features will be integrated into Jelly Bean, some of which were initially meant for Ice Cream Sandwich.

As it stands, we have very little to go on regarding Ice Cream Sandwich, so it definitely feels a bitearly to begin thinking about Jelly Bean - but with today's story, the speculation can officially begin.

Update: This Is My Next has just reported that another "well-regarded" source chimed in today to calm concerns over the game-changing features supposedly left out of Ice Cream Sandwich in favor of Jelly Bean. The source says first of all that Jelly Bean is simply "in the running" as the name of the next Android OS because there are honestly just a few sensible dessert names starting with 'J' (personally I'm rooting for Jawbreaker). The source also indicates that Ice Cream Sandwich will still be a major release, bringing several fundamental changes and improvements with it, and not just a slightly tweaked re-hash of Android 2.x.

Android's Next Iteration... code-name: "Jelly Bean"

By: Unknown on: Sunday, April 29, 2012

4 Years Of Android

Oh, Android. How far you've come since the days of the G1. Android has gone through its seventh major iteration. How has Android changed? What better way to illustrate Android's evolution than its home screen, the hub of user interaction. Here's a look at the face of Android over the last 3 years.

Android Version 1.5: Cupcake

Cupcake was step one for what was, at the time, Google's recently acquired mobile operating system Android. While Android 1.0 was introduced on the G1 at launch, Cupcake marked the first iteration of the Android we generally know today (with things like a virtual keyboard!), and also the start of Google's dessert-based code name system for versions of the OS. So, we felt it was better to start here.

Android Version 1.6: Donut

Donut was largely a under-the-hood overhaul for Android, and brought support for CDMA networks, text to speech, a vastly improved market, and revamped the Search functionality to not just search the web, but your phone as well. Minor visual changes (like a lighter notification bar color) were implemented, but generally, it looked pretty similar to Cupcake.

Android Version 2.1: Éclair

Éclair was Android's first visual revamp since the company's acquisition by Google. Gone was the old app drawer, live wallpapers were introduced, icons were all revamped, and Android just started to look a whole lot better. Home screen dots were added, and menus were improved, as was performance generally.

Android Version 2.2: Froyo

Android Froyo brought us the quick-launch icons for the dialer and browser next to the app drawer, as well the addition of the selectable search type menu on the Search widget. Froyo was most vaunted as a performance boost, and included major backend changes to Android that sped up the user experience, and particularly apps.

Android Version 2.3: Gingerbread

Initially, Gingerbread was supposed to be a "major" visual update for Android. In reality, it was more of a boot polishing. Gingerbread finally did away with the ugly, old notification bar, in favor of the black one you see above. The launcher icons were also changed, and the whole OS's color scheme was changed to black and green, with that nifty orange menu scroll glow. There was also the introduction of the cathode-ray TV style screen power-off effect, which was just awesome. Gingerbread brought a lot of other improvements as well - including major updates to Google apps and performance enhancements. Oh, and a cool new keyboard.

Android Version 3.0: Honeycomb

Honeycomb will probably be remembered as the stepping stone to bigger and better things for Android - the good idea that never gained much traction. But Google sort of designed it that way. Honeycomb was pretty much closed source, and it was never intended to run on phones. So it wasn't really like any other version of Android. But clearly, design cues and interface functions were taken from the tablet-centric OS when developing Ice Cream Sandwich, making it worthy of a mention, at least.

Android Version 4.0: Ice Cream Sandwich

Ice Cream Sandwich marks the biggest visual change to Android since Éclair. In fact, it's a significantly larger step than that. Software function buttons. Brand new icons. A whole new system font, color scheme, and reorganized menus. Ice Cream Sandwich is what Windows 7 is to XP - it kind of works in the same way, but you can immediately tell there have been major changes. And we love it. ICS also brings a slew of hardware acceleration enhancements, revamped Google apps, and a plethora of other stuff. There's so much going on that it wouldn't do this update to justice to try and cram it all into a single paragraph.

And Beyond?

What's next for Android? Who knows. We know that "Jelly Bean" is a contender for the next name in the Android line - but we kind of like the sound of Jawbreaker. Maybe Jujube. Or Jello. I'll stop now

4 Years Of Android

By: Unknown on: Saturday, April 28, 2012

Android Apps Vs. Apple Apps

Here’s some more good news for Android fans (me included). Ovum, a telecoms analyst group, projects that over 18 billion applications will be downloaded this year. Of these 18 billion, only 6 billion will be for the Apple OS. A sizable number, but the remaining 12 billion is being shared between its rivals. The lion’s share of this bounty is being gobbled up by the other dominant OS force in the app market: Google’s Android.

This also means that despite the large application library available to them in the iOS platform, most smartphone users are abandoning the iTunes apps store in large numbers. This supports Ovum’s claims that Android smartphone users will be downloading more apps this year than Apple iPhone owners, propelled by the increasing sales of devices using Google’s operating system.

Compared to last year’s 7.4 billion total, this year’s projected 18 billion is more than double that amount. With the booming growth comes an increase in market shares. Right now, for the first time, phones that run on Google’s Android operating system will be downloading more apps than iPhones. Their market share is pegged at 8.1 billion compared to Apple’s 6 billion.

The second quarter of this year saw an Android phone boom, with over 46% of smartphones sold using the OS. Apple on the other hand suffered in comparison and pegged at just 20% of the market. Ovum predicts that Android will only improve its lead, and projects that by 2016 that Android app downloads will be double of the projected iOS download. The analyst group sets it at Android apps being download 21.8 billion times compared with 11.6 billion times for iOS apps.

Of course, this doesn’t call into account external forces, but it seems that Android’s continued progression is only upwards.

Android Apps Vs. Apple Apps

By: Unknown on: Friday, April 27, 2012

Galaxy S III Up For Pre-Order On Amazon

As the launch of Samsung’s Galaxy S III draws ever-closer, Amazon Germany has already begun accepting pre-orders of the handset, and whilst there aren’t any accompanying images, the price and features revealed are – given Amazon’s rep as an online retailer – as good as confirmation.

It was only yesterday that a Vietnamese tech site released a video purporting to be the device, but its list of the smartphone’s specs don’t quite correlate with Amazon’s. Yesterday’s leak suggested an 8 mega-pixel snapper would take the role as main camera, however Amazon Germany notes it will include a 12-megapixel camera – in line with dozens upon dozens of rumors up until yesterday.

The display will be a 4.7-inch Super AMOLED one, so there will be – as predicted – plenty of screen real-estate for Android users to play around with.

As far as price goes, the unlocked, SIM-free version will retail for €599, which, at the current exchange rate, is just shy of 800 US dollars. With that being said, consumer electronics vendors don’t usually use Google to convert currencies, so the chances are, it will be slightly cheaper for those lucky souls residing in the US of A.

While we still believe the Vietnamese leak yesterday to be a legitimate prototype, the labeling of the device suggests it was made in December of last year, since which Samsung will have made quite a few improvements and amendments.

While megapixels are certainly not the holy grail in features that make up a good camera, we still fully expect it to excel in terms of performance. Samsung’s forte is in the AMOLED, so it will want to make sure the display gets a fair representation with a beastly new camera.
There’s likely to be 16GB of internal storage (expandable via the microSD card slot), while the camera will be further enhanced by an LED flash. In terms of the operating system, we’ll certainly be seeing Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, and although Amazon cannot shed any light on the design, it’s likely to offer a ceramic finish.
Whatever the case, we’ll find out on May 3rd for sure what the Korean LCD specialist has up its sleeve, and if it’s anything like the rumors, it could easily be the most successful Android-based smartphone launch to date.

If you want to pre-order yours however, then head over to this link.

Galaxy S III Up For Pre-Order On Amazon

By: Unknown on: Saturday, April 21, 2012

Dolphin Browser HD (Major Update)

As far as mobile browsers go, Dolphin has built up a reputation as one of the best. With a vast range of useful features along with a smooth, gesture-based user interface, it’s claim as the Google Play Store’s number one web browser is not surprising.

The standout quirk of Dolphin is undoubtedly its capacity to create custom gestures. You can, for example, set your device to recognize a heart-shaped gesture as your favorites/bookmarks, or even just set it to load a particular URL. For some, the feature maybe an unnecessary extra, but it does give Dolphin a certain charm only a handful of apps exude.

As well as the gestures, the settings button makes way to reveal the more usual, to-be-expected features, such as selecting your default search engine, font size, whether you want to browse privately, or in desktop mode – which allows you to view webpages in their familiar form as opposed to the scaled-down mobile versions, and we don’t like to see scaled down version of the web now do we?

There’s a nifty ‘night mode’ which, in knowing you’ll need less backlight when it’s dark outside, dims the display in order to conserve battery.

The Webzine feature (similar to Flipboard, for those familiar, but not as pretty), offers fast webpage loading by removing all of the advertisements and fuss, allowing you to just read the bits you’re interested in.

From start to finish, it makes you feel like you’re testing the perfect mobile browser. Any feature you could possibly want or imagine is present, and functioning with aplomb. The native Android and Apple browsers – while each possessing their respective strengths, just don’t measure up to.

It’s absolutely free, and the HD version – designed specifically for the iPad – has also recently been updated, and you can check it out by clicking on the link below. If you’re frustrated with your current browser – or even if you’re not – Dolphin really is the way forward.

For those already using Dolphin, the update brings minor changes and improvements to each version, most of which are design-based.

Download Dolphin Browser HD for Android [Google Play link] 

Download Dolphin Browser for iPad [iTunes link]

Dolphin Browser HD (Major Update)

By: Unknown on: Saturday, April 14, 2012

How Android and iOS became smartphone superpowers [infographic]

Today, half of U.S. mobile consumers own smartphones. But five years ago, before Apple and Google turned the smartphone world upside down and before “Angry Birds” were associated with feathery fowl dispensing poop from above, the world was a very different place.

But the world we live in has changed, and Google’s Android and Apple’s iOS are at the center of a mind-boggling mobile revolution. Here we look back at how smartphone superpowers Android and iOS have taken over the universe.
The infographic included below, created by mobile security startup Lookout, puts it all into perspective, highlighting the major Android and iOS milestones over the course of the past five years.

So sit back, grab a cup of coffee, and soak in this rather astonishing history-in-the-making lesson.

How Android and iOS became smartphone superpowers [infographic]

By: Unknown on: Wednesday, April 11, 2012

Oracle and Google head to trial over Android

After months of tentative talks and rejected offers, Oracle and Google are finally heading to court in a lawsuit that puts the fate of the Android operating system in the balance. 

In a memo penned on the 2ed of April,(which I’ve embedded below), Magistrate Judge Paul S. Grewal wrote that Google and Oracle had reached an irreconcilable impasse in their talks and, “In the end, some cases just need to be tried,” wishing both companies luck as their trial begins in San Francisco on Monday, April 16.

Oracle first filed suit against Google in 2010 claiming the search company had infringed on Java-related intellectual property.

Java is the programming language that forms the backbone of Android, Google’s blockbuster success of a mobile operating system. The Java IP in question, including a slate of specific copyrights and patents, had only recently been transferred to Oracle when that company finalized its acquisition of Sun Microsystems in early 2010.

Last summer, Google indicated it may have been willing to settle out of court in the matter. However, after some delays and a judge-ordered stay in the proceedings, the talks have apparently ended with no satisfactory resolution in sight. Ergo, a trial.

An Oracle victory in court could add up to billions in damages, and given that Google’s revenue per device is quite low — perhaps adding up to less than $550 million since Android’s debut in 2008 — any per-device licensing fee would put a damning dent in Google’s Android revenue.

Googlers have previously and repeatedly reassure VentureBeat that Android is not going anywhere anytime soon. “From a consumer standpoint, consumers should not be concerned about losing their Android phone,” a Google spokesperson said in a recent phone chat. “There’s no indication that Android is under threat… We’re actively pushing back on Oracle to preserve choice in the marketplace in the long term.”

Still, as Oracle — an unquestioned heavyweight in the patents department — and Google head to court, it’s hard not to cringe a bit when we think about how Android could get mangled in the process.

I'm trying to reach out to Google for an update on the lawsuit and will keep you posted as this story develops.

Oracle, Google fail to settle--court order by IDG News Service

Oracle and Google head to trial over Android

By: Unknown on: Tuesday, April 10, 2012

The Evo One 4G LTE

The original HTC Evo 4G was notorious for its massive (at the time) 4.3-inch screen, which needed a kickstand for additional support. So it’s no surprise that the kickstand makes a return with the HTC Evo One 4G LTE on Sprint, which sports an even bigger 4.7-inch display. As for fitting in your pocket… 

The HTC Evo was the fastest selling device when it was released, so the new model has a lot to live up to. Past Evo iterations brought 4G and 3D display capabilities to Sprint customers before other carriers. The HTC Evo One goes up for presale on May 7th at $199.

“It’s the premier Sprint franchise,” said CEO Dan Hesse. The Evo One’s screen has a 720p resolution and runs Android 4.0.3 and HTC’s Sense 4.0 interface. It sports a rear 8-megapixel camera with an f/2.0 lens, and a front-facing 1.3MP shooter. It comes equipped with Beats audio, which is becoming a powerful brand among gadget heads in its own right.

“It’s not just all about the specs,” said HTC president Jason MacKenzie. “It’s about the experience. We’re doubling down on design to make sure the phones feel great in customers hands.”

The phone will run on Sprint’s upcoming LTE 4G network, which is scheduled to launch in the middle of the year in six markets.

Jonah Becker, the lead designer from HTC, says the aluminum space frame is blasted, chemically etched, then machine beveled to reveal the natural color, which makes phone super light, solid, and futuristic. He talked about how the large screen evokes a plasma TV, which makes the Evo One better-suited to watching movies and TV shows than phones with smaller displays.

You can hold down the camera button on this puppy and take 4 shots per second for 90 seconds, then easily pick the best one and delete the rest. (Leave that SLR at home baller.) You can do video and photos simultaneously, just tap the shutter button while you’re shooting or playing back video and you get a still shot.

If you’re still making old-fashioned voice calls, this thing has “HD Voice”, which uses multiple microphones and special software to cut out background noise. Kiefer Sutherland did the demo and man he sounds good over all the restaurant chatter. 

The Evo One 4G LTE

By: Unknown on: Monday, April 09, 2012

iPhone crybabies need to shut up about Instagram on Android

Tuesday, Instagram announced the news many Android users were waiting for; the retro photo-sharing app hit the Google Play store for Android phones. It took the app just 24 hours to reach one million downloads and has since become the bane of many iPhone owners.

While Android users rejoiced at the app, many iPhone users took to Twitter and Instagram to voice their apparent hatred of the news.
“ugh #instagram is on the android? the app went from a gated community to section 8 housing in 24hours…” @IWasJustinYou said on Twitter, while @BeLikeKeys tweeted, “Android users are going to abuse and ruin Instagram for everyone.”
Likewise, Instagram users left comments on popular photos in the app that warned Android Instagram users to not bother following them, using the hashtag #teamiphone to show solidarity. This simple little app has sparked class warfare between iPhone and Android owners, with seemingly more shots being fired from some of the 30 million iPhone users. Android users responded with a general sentiment of “Woo-hoo, I have Instagram” and “Hey iPhone users, get over it and move on.”
One Instagram user (who has since made her account private) went so far as to say, “Android is ruining my life.” That’s frankly a bit dramatic for a phone operating system that she likely has never even used.

A war between Android and iPhone owners has waged for some time now, but people on opposite sides usually don’t sneer so openly at each other. Instagram, given its immense popularity, seems to be a tipping point in bringing out the quietly building rage from iPhone users, who gave off an air of “I’m better than anyone who uses an Android phone, ew” when Instagram hit the Google Play store.

Instagram is an app and nothing more. Sure, there are millions of users taking photos, posting them for the world to see, and interacting with other’s faux-artistic pictures, but it’s only an app, people. No matter which phone you have, Instagram won’t make you a better photographer. If your life revolves around an app that lets you put filters on crappy photos, then maybe you have bigger problems to deal with. So let’s put our energy toward worrying about more important things, shall we?

iPhone crybabies need to shut up about Instagram on Android

By: Unknown on: Monday, April 09, 2012