Grand X Coming Out With Stock Android

ZTE, one of China’s biggest mobile manufacturers, has unveiled the Grand X (formerly known as the Mimosa X), a dual-core 1GHz Tegra 2 smartphone, with a 960×540 qHD resolution for a 4.3″ display, a 5MP camera with auto-focus and flash, VGA front facing camera, and 4GB of internal storage, which can be expanded to another 32GB with a microSD card.

While this sounds more like an early 2011 flagship, it does have one killer feature that not many smartphones have these days – it comes with stock Android 4.0. Since so many manufacturers have skinned their Android implementations, at this point, having stock Android really is a big differentiating feature, especially for people who actually know what an Android phone is.

But the market for the ZTE Grand X could easily expand beyond those types of users, if those users recommend this phone to their friends, which is usually the case. Manufacturers will never give up skinning Android as long as people buy them the way they are, instead of choosing stock Android devices. If there is an increasing demand for stock Android, manufacturers might start changing their minds, and at least offer some good smartphone options that run stock Android. They don’t necessarily have to roll out stock Android across all their whole lineup, although obviously that would be great for us.

ZTE is the first manufacturer to do this in recent times, and I’m hoping other manufacturers will start taking notice, and do the same soon. The fact that the Galaxy Nexus has dropped to just $350, and that there may be at least five Android 5.0 devices launching this fall, gives me hope that a trend will start where both consumers and manufacturers will want more stock Android devices.

The ZTE Grand X may not be the very best phone on the market, but it seems like it will launch at a very reasonable £189.99 in UK on Virgin Media and Phones 4U, starting in August. You could also get it for free with a two year contract for £24 if you’re a new Virgin Media customer, for or £19 if you’re an existing customer.

In US, it will probably cost around $250, unlocked, so around $100 cheaper than Galaxy Nexus. That doesn’t necessarily mean the ZTE Grand X will get updates just as fast or just as many as the Galaxy Nexus, though. It all depends on ZTE, and it would be nice if they offered an upgrade schedule for it.

Fake Version of Skype Released?

A couple of weeks ago Trend Micro spotted a fake version of Skype for offer. Now Microsoft, who own Skype, has published some more details about this malware dressed up as a legitimate app.

How the malware works is like this: once an unsuspecting user installs the app, it sends SMS messages to premium rate numbers without the users’ consent. This costs the user money which goes straight into the malware author’s pockets.

The problem for the victim is that the charges for the premium SMS messages will most likely only be seen once the next bill arrives and long after the app has been uninstalled (as the victim realizes that it isn’t a legit version of Skype). This creates a big incentive for cybercriminals to continue perpetrating this type of fraud.

But why create a fake Skype app? Simple – popularity. There are millions of Skype users and it is a trusted brand. Also, its popularity seems to be growing. Earlier this year, Skype had 40 million users, all signed in, all at once. Quite a technological feat. Combined with the fact that Skype is a telephony app, which means users might not be suspicious of the fake app’s request for SMS permission, this means that less vigilant users can get stung.

Microsoft (and all the team at Android Authority) recommend the following measures:

Download your apps from only legitimate and trusted sources like Google Play and Amazon’s Appstore.

Install a security app on your Android device (see my recent roundup of the best antivirus apps)

If you do need to download an .apk file from a website (rather than one of the trusted stores) then scan the app with your PC’s antivirus before loading it onto your device. You can even use Microsoft Security Essentials (which if free) to do this.

Motorola Droid Razr Maxx Review

The good: Despite a beefed-up battery, the Motorola Droid Razr Maxx has a slim, attractive, and durable design with the same gorgeous display, 1.2GHz dual-core processor, and fast Verizon 4G/LTE data speeds as its predecessor. It retains powerful multimedia chops and tight security features.

The bad: For such an advanced smartphone, the vague promise of a future Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich is disappointing. Also, while a stronger battery is great, it's still not user-removable. People with small hands will find it hard to wrap around the phone's wide frame, and the 8-megapixel camera is unimpressive.

The bottom line: The Motorola Droid Razr Maxx proves that a powerful Android superphone can remain thin yet still promise marathon-worthy battery life.

Android Jelly Bean 4.1

Just how sweet is that Bean? The Nexus 7 will be the first device to ship with the latest incarnation of the Android OS, version 4.1, also known as Jelly Bean. Though Android 4.1 on the Nexus 7 is just as customizable as previous incarnations of the OS, the way it's presented here feels much more controlled and focused, and while a bit less intimidating to the uninitiated, it also feels a bit constraining.

Part of the reason is the way the home screen now works. Well, it works the same as it does on every other Android tablet, allowing you vast customization options, but now if you turn the tablet to landscape mode the screen won't rotate. It rotates fine in apps, but as soon as you tap that home button, you're back in portrait mode. Not the biggest deal in the world, but it does contribute to a slight tinge of claustrophobia when navigating and can be quite annoying. To me, at least. Google may see it as a safety net: if you get scared or confused, just press this home button and return to the comforting bosom of the home screen in the same orientation you remember. Not a bad compromise if Google is indeed going after a mass audience with this tablet.

The dock on the bottom of the home screen is filled mostly with Google services apps like Play, Music, Books, and Magazines. There's also a folder housing Chrome -- the default browser -- as well as Google Maps, Google Plus, Gmail, and other services. Directly in the middle of the tray is the apps button. Swiping up from the home button and across the apps button takes you to Google Now, Google's new predictive personalized helper.

Google Now displays information like the current weather, local bus schedules, and nearby restaurants you may be interested in. While this can be useful on the Nexus 7 if you're near a Wi-Fi connection, it loses its appeal if you're already outside, waiting for a bus, and is much more useful on a phone.

Google Nexus 7 Review

The good: The Nexus 7's quad-core Tegra 3 processor delivers fast performance and a beautiful and responsive screen. Also, it's comfortable to hold and Android 4.1 brings a surplus of welcome additions. At only $200, the Nexus 7 is a steal.

The bad: The lack of built-in expandable storage and omission of HDMI are disappointing, and the design follows the plain, black tablet mold. The top and bottom bezels are a bit too thick.

The bottom line: With a beautiful screen, fast performance, a comfortable design, and overall great media options, the Nexus 7 is easily the best 7-inch tablet available and one of the top tablets on the market.

Sony STR-DN1030 Review

The good: The Sony STR-DN1030 is the only midrange receiver with built-in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. Its networking features also include built-in AirPlay, plus plus support for DLNA, Pandora, and Slacker. And the STR-DN1030's sound quality is excellent.

The bad: The STR-DN1030's five HDMI inputs are fewer than many competitors have. The user interface is particularly bad and makes it frustrating to use some of the streaming music services. And the STR-DN1030's multiroom functionality is very limited.

The bottom line: The Sony STR-DN1030 is the only midrange AV receiver with built-in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, making it one of best receiver values this year.

OLED evolution in Samsung Galaxy S smartphones

While I’m sure that most of you will be interested primarily in the head-to-head battle between the S Series’ screens, DisplayMate’s report actually insists more on Samsung’s OLED evolution and in suggesting ways to drive the technology forward in the future.

If you’ll take a look at the report in full, you’ll notice that its author, Dr. Raymond Soneira, is mentioning more than just a couple of times that the technology “needs work”. Samsung’s “marketing policy” is especially criticized for crippling the OLED evolution, as most of S3’s issues come from the company’s desire to make the most competitive, brightest and power efficient display while keeping its thickness obscenely low.