New smartphone just for Africa

Demand for smartphones in Africa has prompted two big players within the technology market to join forces and launch a new phone specifically designed for the continent.

Chinese telecoms giant Huawei has teamed with Microsoft to launch a bespoke Windows-run smartphone exclusively available in Africa.

The phone, called the Huawei 4Afrika, is the first in a series of smart devices being custom developed for the continent and released as part of Microsoft’s sweeping new 4Afrika Initiative.

It is hoped the 4Afrika initiative will make tens of millions of smart devices available across the continent in the next couple of years.

Designed specifically as an affordable option for students, small businesses, developers, and first-time smartphone owners, the Huawei 4Afrika with Windows Phone 8 will make its debut later this month in seven countries: Angola, Egypt, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Morocco, Nigeria, and South Africa.

The phone will be marketed according to the retail market within those individual nations.

The new phone is a variant of the Ascend W1 launched at last month’s Consumer Electronics Show. Features include a four-inch 480 x 800 display, dual-core 1.2 GHz Snapdragon processor and 4GB of internal storage as well as front and rear-facing cameras.

It also comes with pre-loaded, custom-built apps created by African developers for African consumers and includes a market-specific store within the larger Windows Phone Store for downloading locally-relevant apps and content.

Jean-Philippe Courtois, President of Microsoft International, said:  “We believe there has never been a better time to invest in Africa and that access to technology—particularly cloud services and smart devices—can and will serve as a great accelerator for African competitiveness.”

Windows Phone already has a strong presence in Africa with devices from HTC, Samsung, and Nokia. In fact, another part of this broad 4Afrika initiative is a joint Nokia and Microsoft customer training program in Kenya and Nigeria to help accelerate adoption of Nokia Lumia 510 and 620 phones.

More than 90 percent  of phones sold today in those markets are feature phones, so Microsoft and Nokia are teaming up to provide free in-store training for customers to help them get the most from their new Lumias and manage their new data plans. 

smartphone buyer's guide: summer 2013 edition

Summertime is now in full swing, and it's also a period of transition within the mobile world. With the exception of a brand-new smartphone that wields a 41-megapixel shooter, our buyer's guide hasn't changed much since the last installment, but that's not to suggest the market is stagnant. On the contrary, high-profile smartphones such as the next iPhone, the Moto X and the successor to theGalaxy Note II are in the pipeline, and there are even rumors swirling of a larger BlackBerry. Likewise, two of the world's premiere smartphones -- the HTC Oneand the Galaxy S 4 -- are now available with stock Android directly from Google, which brings the added promise of timely software updates.

Mobile carriers are changing the game too, thanks in large part to the T-Mobile Jump program, which allows customers to upgrade their smartphone every six months. AT&T Next and Verizon Edge will soon provide similar (albeit more expensive) offerings, with upgrade eligibility that comes once per year. Even Sprint is doing its part with Unlimited, My Way, which promises unlimited data for life. Whether you're looking to purchase a new handset right away, or you're simply evaluating your options, Engadget's smartphone buyer's guide is the definitive resource for finding the very best smartphones on the market today. We'll be here when you're ready.

ANDROID

HTC ONE

Quite simply, the HTC One is the best, most well-rounded smartphone on the market today. Not only does it fuse exemplary design with chart-topping performance, but it also combines the finest mobile display we've ever seen with a versatile camera that excels in low-light situations. Beyond hardware, the One features a unique, social-centric home screen known as BlinkFeed, along with Zoe camera functionality, which weaves still pictures and short clips into lovely, 30-second creations that bring life to your photos. Purists may appreciate the HTC One Google Play edition, which features the latest version of stock Android 4.2.2 and is sold unlocked directly from Google.

The bottom line: The HTC One raised the bar for all smartphones with its gorgeous display, versatile camera and impeccable design. It's currently the standard by which all other smartphones are judged, and it remains the One to beat.

Key specs: 4.7-inch 1080p (1,920 x 1,080) S-LCD 3 display, 1.7GHz quad-core Snapdragon 600, 4MP rear / 2.1MP front cameras, 32GB / 64GB non-expandable storage, Android 4.1.

Price: $200 to $300 (AT&T, Cincinnati Bell and Sprint); $600 (T-Mobile)

SAMSUNG GALAXY NOTE II

We reckon it'd be difficult to make a device much larger than the Galaxy Note IIwithout sacrificing pocketability or ease of use, and besides, this phone is nearly ideal if you're seeking an extra-large display. The Galaxy Note II's jumbo-sized 5.5-inch screen is well-suited for viewing web and media content (especially if your eyesight isn't all that great), and thanks to its S Pen stylus, the phone's also a capable replacement for a traditional notepad. Combine this with one of the better cameras on the market and a beefy 3,100mAh battery that goes for miles, and it's easy to understand why the Galaxy Note II is a popular choice, regardless of its niche appeal and high cost. That said, the phone is also coming due for a revision, and if history is any indicator, Samsung may announce the successor to the Galaxy Note II in September.

The bottom line: If you're seeking either an extra-large display or stylus functionality, the Galaxy Note II is a great choice that's currently without a rival.

Key specs: 5.5-inch 720p (1,280 x 720) Super AMOLED display, 1.6GHz quad-core Exynos 4412, 8MP rear / 1.9MP front cameras, 16GB / 32GB / 64GB expandable storage, Android 4.1.

Price: $300 (AT&T, Sprint, US Cellular and Verizon Wireless); $624 (T-Mobile)

Microsoft wants to give away Windows 8 computers in student deal

Last month, June 4 to be precise, Microsoft announced its "Chip in" program, designed to help students finance a new Windows 8 computer. The program lets students with a valid .edu email address crowd-source funds to help them purchase a qualified PC of their choosing from Microsoft Store.

Now the software maker elects to take it one step further, by sweetening this deal. Students must successfully fund their PC, but Microsoft chips in 10 percent of the price and the first 10,000 to be successful in this venture get a free copy of Office 365 University added into the bargain.
Now the company tells us that "as part of this program, today we're excited to announce a Buy One, Give One program. As part of the campaign Windows will give away one PC, for every student that fully funds their PC by September 1, to the Year-Up organization, which is dedicated to empowering urban talent". Year Up Chicago Executive Director, Alan Anderson, claims "we are thrilled to partner with Microsoft Windows on the Chip In, Buy One, Give One Campaign".

Potential customers have little more than one month to take advantage of this offer, so those who possess a student email address need to act soon.

Android 4.3 supports TRIM, improves performance on Nexus devices

It's no secret that many Android phones and tablets show a decrease in performance over time. Nexus devices are not immune -- it's particularly noticeable with the original Nexus 7. Our friend Brian Klug over at AnandTech discovered an interesting tidbit while testing the new and improved Nexus 7: Android 4.3 supports TRIM. What this means is that Google's mobile OS can now instruct the flash storage controller when to collect / recycle unused data pages / blocks. The net result is that devices running Android 4.3 will no longer become sluggish with time -- in fact, existing Nexus handsets and tablets will see performance improve after the update. It also looks like Jelly Bean invokes TRIM maintenance once within a 24-hour window (after one hour of inactivity), and only if the battery is 80% full (30% when charging). 

Microsoft, Oracle and others side with Apple over US iPhone 4 ban

Representatives of several companies are asking the Obama Administration to intervene in a patent dispute between Apple and Samsung that resulted in a ban of the sale of older iPhones in the US.

The International Trade Commission ruled last month that Apple infringed on patents owned by Samsung, and ordered a ban on the sale of the iPhone 3G, 3GS, and 4 in the country beginning August 4. Of those devices, only one is now sold. The effect on Apple’s business is likely to be considerable however, given that the iPhone 4 is now free with contract through most of its US partners.

In a rare show of solidarity, representatives for Microsoft, Intel, and Oracle have come to Apple’s aid, arguing through the trade group BSA that bans on products due to the use of standards-essential patents should not be permitted except under extraordinary circumstances.



Verizon and AT&T -- who also stand to lose out in a deal -- also have contacted the Administration asking US Trade Representative Michael Froman to nix the ruling. Froman has the authority to overturn such rulings, but doing so would be unusual. The US Government has not overturned an ITC ban since 1987, when the Reagan Administration nixed a ban on the importation of Samsung memory chips.

Although Apple does not break out sales of its iPhones by model, it is believed the iPhone 4 sells well as a result of its low price. The device accounted for 18 percent of all iPhone sales between April and June of this year, Consumer Intelligence Research Partners says.

Without the iPhone 4, Apple stands to lose a significant portion of its market share and a chunk of its sales. The effect will likely only be temporary -- given the iPhone 5S and a cheaper plastic iPhone are expected to debut in September or October of this year.

NASA Is Taking a 3D Printer Into Space

NASA clearly loves 3D printing as much as we do—to the extent that it's decided to take an entire 3D printer into space as early as next year.

The space agency has co-designed a custom shoe-box sized 3D printer, made specifically to work in micro-gravitational conditions. The hope is that it will make it aboard the International Space Station sometime in 2014.

Before that can happen, NASA and co-designer Made in Space will take the printer on one final test flight later this summer to observe it's ability to safely handle microgravity. While that shouldn't prove much of a hurdle—the teams have apparently been working on the technology since 2011—things can, and do, go wrong in space.

The printer itself is much like any other: it adds layers of plastic or metal to print 3D components additively. Fully enclosed in metal with a glass window on the front, the astronauts will be able to see what's happening inside, while stray material will be stopped from floating around the ISS.

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And what will it be used for? In the first instance, manufacturing small replacement parts for the ISS and the crew: clips, buckles, and other little components, say. But almost certainly not pizza. [Made in Space via Verge]