HTC Skyline Concept Runs Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich With Simple UI

January 13th, 2012

(50 votes, average: 4.74 out of 5)

 Loading ... Deviantart member ArtLime created an interesting concept interface for Android Ice Cream Sandwich and applied it to a HTC design called Skyline. The UI is simply called Simple UI and it’s very minimalistic, this design traits being clear especially in the lockscreen, home menu and applications area. The lockscreen involves a simple sliding bar and it shows all the notifications one needs (alarms, missed calls, texts and emails).

The Home menu is very standard with 4 dock icons at the bottom, that include the classic Back and Recent apps virtual buttons, while the My Applications menu seems to include a Games section and a Favorites section. As far as the HTC Skyline concept is concerned, this model resembles the HTC Rhyme quite a bit and its front styling also reminds me of the HTC HD 7. This Android phone probably has a 5 or 8 megapixel camera, 16GB of internal memory, 1 GB of RAM and most likely a dual core processor, although HTC recently launched some single core handsets that were actually decent.

I guess that the display here is around 4 inches in diagonal, a choice that HTC didn’t quite tackle so far, if I’m not mistaking. What do you think about this nifty Android 4.0 UI and handset?

[via Deviantart]

Posted in HTC | 5 Comments »

Sony Xperia Glass Offers An Unique Design; Here’s a Comparison With the Xperia S from CES 2012

January 12th, 2012

(37 votes, average: 4.70 out of 5)

 Loading ... We all know that this week at CES 2012 Sony showcased the Xperia Ion and Xperia S models, the latter with a delightful transparent area at the bottom. However, some designers think that the work is not complete here, like Jsus, who created this Xperia Glass concept, that adds a layer of glass all around the handset. Below you can see the pictures of the concept device first and then the real thing.

Meet the Xperia Glass, a device with a beautiful glass area under the screen, that house the typical touch Android buttons. The glass is also in the bezel of the phone and if it lights up in a cool way, then I’m sold. I expect here, a smartphone with a dual core 1.5GHz processor, 12 megapixel camera and 4.3 inch HD display, just like the Sony Xperia S. This device feels a little bit rigid, especially with its straight lines and especially compared to the curves of the Xperia Arc.

Transparency has always been a fascinating feature on phones, but it’s not easy to achieve even nowadays, since it requires some hardware sacrifices. Which device do you prefer? The Sony Xperia S or the Xperia Glass design?

[Thanks Jsus]

Posted in Sony Ericsson | 1 Comment »

BlackBerry Urraco Concept Created by ChauhanStudio Was Supposed to Save RIM

January 12th, 2012

(8 votes, average: 2.63 out of 5)

 Loading ... If you’ve been following the smartphone-related news recently, you must know that Research in Motion, the creator of Blackberry devices hasn’t been doing so well lately. They lack original models, they have image problems, the lost the trademark to the BBX OS and much, much more. Now, it appears that at some point there was a BlackBerry concept that could have saved them called Urraco.

BlackBerry Urraco was created by ChauhanStudio back in 2009, that was appointed by RIM to deliver the next best thing for the Canadian company. The result is a very slim and elegant cellphone, that keeps the trademark BlackBerry QWERTY keyboard. The back of this phone reminds me of an automobile rather than a phone and maybe a bit of the Microsoft Kin failure. ChauhanStudio is a London-based design agency, hired to create such concept designs. It took then 12 weeks of work to come up the physical mockups of the BlackBerry Urraco shown here.

The device is named after a Lamborghini, so that’s why I said it looks like a car, thanks to that angular design. Imagine if this phone was launched 3 years ago, with enough RAM, a powerful CPU and maybe even a touchscreen. RIM could be in an entirely different situation right now and not facing recent rumors about a possible buyout from Microsoft, with the aid of Nokia. This handset is still doable, provided that RIM wants to return to that design…

[via fastcodesign]

Posted in Cool concepts | No Comments »

Nokia Colorful Concept Uses Asymmetry to Stand out

January 11th, 2012

(20 votes, average: 4.15 out of 5)

 Loading ... Deviantart member Qromodynmc created a very colorful Nokia concept phone, dubbed YosePhone, that can be seen below. The key here is borrowing some element from the Nokia N8 and the N9 maybe and another important factory is asymmetry. Notice hone the left side is different from the right one, especially at the back and so is the lower area and upper side.

I can see this as the long awaited follow-up to the Nokia N8, with a potent 16 megapixel camera (it has been done by HTC Titan II at CES 2012), dual LED or maybe dual Xenon flash and some powerful speakers. The screen seems like an edge to edge affair, maybe a 4 inch Super AMOLED screen with a qHD or even HD resolution. Other than that I’m expecting a dual core processor inside and maybe some of that promised Symbian Donna action I’ve been hearing about.

What would you want to see on this phone and what other Nokia model do you think it resembles? Also, what OS do you fancy on it? As I said, I see it as Symbian Donna material…

[via Deviantart]

Posted in Nokia | 1 Comment »

LG Optimus Black S – Upgrade of One of the Most Interesting Single Core Units From 2011

January 11th, 2012

(13 votes, average: 4.23 out of 5)

 Loading ... As a person who played with the LG Optimus Black in prototype phase, long before it came out I have to say that last year in Spring I considered the handset to be one of the best Android devices of the moment. It had the elegance, it had the style, the OS was OK, everything was fine… and now comes a follow-up, at least as a concept. Meet the LG Optimus Black S, created by Hasan Kaymak, who also has some other LG concept phones here.

This time the LG Optimus Black S is a dual core phone, one that uses a 1.5GHz processor, a 4.3 inch 720p HD Nova display and an 8 megapixel camera at the back. There’s also a 3MP front cam, as well as NFC, LTE, HSPA+ and WiFi b/g/n (60GHz) and a 2100 mAh battery. The handset uses Gorilla Glass 2 protection, a metallic case and the same G button we liked so much on the original model, probably with new feature. I’d love to see this phone with Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, which is a possibility considering the specs.

Will this handset ever become real or it will remain a mere LG smartphone design?

[Thanks Hasan]

Posted in LG | 1 Comment »

Xperia Maxi Android 2.3 Phone, a Design Inspired by Xperia Active

January 11th, 2012

(12 votes, average: 4.33 out of 5)

 Loading ... Designer Androgama recently sent us one of his new concept Sony Xperia devices, the Maxi. The Xperia Maxi is a rugged, resilient handset that takes its inspiration from the Xperia Active, as shown by the design, choice of colors and features. However, this time we’re dealing with a more evolved unit.

Maxi comes with a 1.2GHz processor, a 5 megapixel camera with autofocus, LED flash and HD video recording, plus geotagging, face and smile detection, red eye reduction and a 3 inch LCD display with Bravia Mobile Engine technology. Exmor R tech is also used here and Maxi is scratch resistant, water resistant and has wet finger tracking. There’s also a Maxi II planned by Androgama, a concept that aimes at giving the best smartphone performance in the mid end range.

It’s also a handset for the young people, just like the Xperia Active and the first Maxi. Basically, this phone is an SE Xperia Active model with an upgraded CPU and some design tweaks, if you ask me…

[Thanks Androgama]

Posted in Sony Ericsson | 1 Comment »

Sony Vaio Tablet Prototypes Shown at CES 2012, Should Run Windows 8

January 10th, 2012

(13 votes, average: 4.69 out of 5)

 Loading ... It’s not all Xperia wonders these days at CES 2012, since Sony also brought some nifty Vaio tablet prototypes, that some people actually call laptops. Whatever you want to call them, they’re pictured below and they look really nice on the showcasing floor in Las Vegas.

On the one hand we’ve got the concept tablet pictured above, with a design that reminds me of the HP TouchPad and a very curved body. There’s also a flat keyboard in the mix with what look like touch keys. At the back of the slate there’s some sort of rounded stand, that allows it to sit up easily like some sort of futuristic mini TV set. There’s also a version of the Vaio tablet without that bulb thing to support it so it may be an accessory.

The other tablet is the one shown below, the one involving a sliding keyboard and stylus in the mix. This model reminds me of the ASUS Eee Pad Slider and the Samsung Series 7 tablet that actually never made it to the market. People are saying that these are actually Windows 8 models, due to the associated between the Vaio series and commitment to Windows. I have no idea of these Sony Vaio tablets will remain prototypes or enter production ever… Fancy them?

[via Pocket Lint]

Posted in Sony Ericsson | 1 Comment »

Sony Ericsson Xperia Duo Smartphone Design is a Look to the Near Past

January 10th, 2012

(8 votes, average: 3.50 out of 5)

 Loading ... With CES 2012 in full bloom now and Sony already announcing the Xperia S and Xperia Ion devices, it’s time to start searching for future handsets, such as the concept below. This Xperia concept was created by Csaba Fazekas, who chose to use the old-school physical buttons under the display, cramping up the space a bit.

This model is known as the Sony Ericsson Xperia Duo and last time I heard this codename it referred to a dual core phone, so I guess that this is also the case here. Xperia Duo probably comes with an 8, 10 or 12 megapixel camera, 1.5GHz dual core processor, 16GB of internal memory, 1GB of RAM and Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich as the OS. In case I didn’t get it right with the OS and it’s still Gingerbread, there’s always the option to update.

What do you think? Will Sony get rid of physical buttons in the future?

[Thanks Csaba Fazekas]

Posted in Sony Ericsson | No Comments »

Nokia Hercule, the First Nokia Donna/Symbian Donna Device, Shown as Mockup

January 9th, 2012

(29 votes, average: 4.28 out of 5)

 Loading ... You must’ve heard that Nokia decided to give up the name Symbian, simply naming the OS on its handsets Nokia Belle/Anna etc. Thus, this Nokia Hercule concept doesn’t run Symbian Donna, but rather Nokia Donna OS, to make it clear. This design, mockup or whatever you want to call it was done by Rawad Semaan and I have to say that it’s a breath of fresh air from current designs.

Nokia Hercule uses a 2GHz Scorpion CPU (Qualcomm MSM8255), an Adreno 205 GPU and a 4.7 inch S-LCD screen with 480 x 800 pixel display. The screen aspect sounds identical to the one on the HTC Sensation XL and HTC Titan, which is not necessarily bad. We get a surprising internal memory of 60GB, 1GB of RAM, 4G connectivity and Bluetooth 3.0, plus microUSB 3.0. At the back there’s an 8 megapixel camera with autofocus, dual LED flash, geotagging and 720p video capture.

There’s also a secondary 5MP camera and an accelerometer, gyroscope, proximity sensor and compass fill in the blanks of the hardware specs. Seeing the back of this Nokia concept, I can imagine that the texture on its back feels very nice in the user’s hand and those elegant lines remind me of an Armani suit. What do you think about this device and what do you think it lacks?

[Thanks Rawad Semaan]

Posted in Nokia | 4 Comments »

ASUS Nexus Tablet is the Google Slate That Everyone’s Waiting for

January 9th, 2012

(6 votes, average: 3.50 out of 5)

 Loading ... Recently Eric Schmidt from Google admitted that the search engine giant is preparing its very own tablet, that will be unveiled in about 6 months. Taking on this idea Bob Freking created the ASUS Nexus tablet, that Google Tablet that everyone is curious to see in action.

This Nexus slate comes with Android 4.1, an ARM15 quad core processor, a 3 megapixel camera at the front and an LED notification light. The same ASUS concept tablet comes with an 8 megapixel camera at the back and a 10.1 inch Super AMOLED HD 1080p display. The device is as thin as the ASUS Transformer Prime, so that means thinner than the iPad 2. To me this ASUS Nexus tablet looks like a bigger phone and considering that Google said they want to price this product around $200, this will be hard to do with such advanced specifications.

I’m pretty sure that Google will actually use Motorola to make the new tablet, since they bought Motorola Mobility last year and it’s easy to develop the product in-house than go to another company, right? What do you think? Would ASUS or Moto do a better job on the Google Nexus Tablet?

[Thanks Bob]

Posted in Asus | No Comments »