Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini to get colorful new versions

Samsung‘s mini flagship smartphone has barely hit the market and potential buyers already face a new, tough decision to make. Based on leaked photos, the Galaxy S4 Mini will soon be available in three new colors in addition to the previous white and black models.

The three new colors available to the Galaxy S4 Mini are red, brown and blue but are given more enticing names: Scarlet Dawn, Bronze Autumn, and Blue Iceberg, respectively. Other than a change of coating, these variants will still be packing the same hardware: 1.7GHz dual-core Qualcomm Snapdragon processor, a 4.3-inch qHD display, and the bizarre 1.5 GB of RAM.

We were able to get down and dirty with the Galaxy S4 Mini last June and found it to be exactly that: a miniaturized Galaxy S4. It was quick, smooth, and stable, but it’s definitely not something made to wow people. 

The new models will still be running the same Android 4.2.2 version with Samsung’s TouchWiz. There is no word on when these variants will be officially announced. It is also unknown which markets will have it first or if it will be limited to selected markets only.

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Samsung Galaxy S4 tweaked to achieve unrealistic benchmark results

When Samsung’s Galaxy S4 hit the market and reviewers hands, it was quite impressive overall. One area in particular was benchmarks, and now we’re starting to figure out exactly why. Don’t get us wrong, the Galaxy S4 is a splendid device and possibly the best smartphone on the market, but new reports are surfacing that they specifically tuned the GS4 to score higher than usual in popular Android benchmarking apps.

The always thorough guys over at AnandTech have done some investigating, and revealed that benchmark apps received extra attention from Samsung. And it goes so far as to basically show that benchmarks even received more power from all those processors than regular apps, as a way to inflate the benchmark scores.

This mainly breaks down the Exynos 5 Octa chip found in select Galaxy S4, as the US and other regions all have Qualcomm’s chip. The Exynos 5 Octa and Snapdragon 600 reserved higher speeds only for benchmarks, and real world usage didn’t receive the same. It’s a pretty interesting and detailed report, and makes us question benchmarks as a whole. For example the GPU would crank up to 533 MHz for benchmarks, and run at a speed no users apps or games will ever be able to enjoy. Stuck at 480 MHz for regular use. Which of course makes it look better than it really is.

As we all know, benchmarks are only numbers and don’t represent real-world usage. For all of our readers, you know every review we do we specifically show benchmarks, but follow that up with real world usage. As benchmarks are only a small part of the story. They can’t fully be trusted, have always been a grey area, and are more for bragging rights than anything.

To be honest though, the PC world has been doing this for years with NVIDIA and ATI. It’s nothing new, as manufacturers are always striving to offer the best results to show off their impressive products. Two wrongs don’t make a right, and we’d love some transparency here, but either way the Galaxy S4 is still a great device. Even if this was a little deceiving.

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An Alleged Galaxy S4 Explosion Completely Destroyed This Apartment

It's one thing if your phone bursts into flames and cooks up your leg-meat real bad, but that's nothing compared to losing your whole apartment in an inferno. That's exactly what a Honk Kong man claims happened to him while he was just plugging away at Love Machine (an app, not a euphemism) on his Galaxy S4.

According the owner of the phone and apartment-identified only as ""Du""-he was simply minding his own business when the phone's battery went out with a bang. Startled by the loud pop of the apparent explosion, Du quickly flung the handset under the couch, which promptly spread his fire problems from phone to home. And while the explosion was minor, the ensuing inferno did some real damage. Fortunately he and his wife escaped unscathed.

Du claims the phone was not charging at the time, and insists that the phone, battery, and charger were all official Samsung gear. But considering everything is burnt to a crisp, it's going to be tough to tell how much of Du's story is true. But if you just happen to find yourself with a flaming phone you just have to fling, maybe it'd be wise to aim for the sink. 

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Purple Mirage and Brown Autumn Galaxy S4 coming to the U.S.

Back at the Samsung Premiere event, Samsung revealed plans to deliver the Galaxy S4 in five new colors: Blue Arctic, Purple Mirage, Red Aurora, Brown Autumn and Pink Twilight. The first of these colors to make its way to the states was Red Aurora, via AT&T. Now it looks like Purple Mirage and Brown Autumn are also on their way to the U.S. market, at least if famed news leaker  proves correct.

Last year Verizon customers were treated to a special edition Amber Brown color for the Galaxy S3, and recently the Amethyst Purple Galaxy S3 was made exclusive to Sprint in the United States. Apparently both carriers were happy with their special color choices, as Purple Mirage is said to be coming to Sprint and Brown Autumn will apparently arrive on Verizon.

No word on when exactly Sprint and Verizon customers will get their hands on the new colors. That said, once a leak like this surfaces, an official unveil is usually just around the corner.

What do you think, would you like to get your hands on one of these special colors or do you prefer the ‘original’ Black Frost and Artic White?

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The Best Screen Protectors for the Samsung Galaxy S4 (video)

The Samsung Galaxy S4 costs a pretty penny, especially when you purchase it outright. On Amazon, it can be found unlocked for anywhere between $619USD and $700USD. That’s a lot of money to lose if you drop your new device and shatter or badly scratch the display, and that’s why you should always protect your investment. How do you protect it? By using protective cases and durable screen protectors, of course!

We’ve already covered some epic cases for the Galaxy S4, and now we’re going to look at some awesome screen protectors that’ll keep your new device scratch free! In a rush? Jump straight to the video, otherwise, stick with us as we take a closer at the best screen protectors for the Galaxy S4!

Spigen Steinheil

First up is the Spigen Steinheil Ultra Crystal screen protector. This comes with an array items to successfully apply the screen protector on your device. In fact, if you mess up the application process or it’s time for a replacement, a second screen protector is bundled in the package.

The first step to installing the screen protector is to thoroughly clean the Galaxy S4′s screen with the included cloth. You don’t want pieces of lint and dust on the inside of your screen protector. There’s also dust removal stickers you can use the ensure that there won’t be any air bubbles or anything of the sort.

Finally, take the screen protector and remove the plastic cover, revealing the adhesive side of the screen protector. Carefully place it on your device, and smooth out any air bubbles that surface; you can usually get most of them out with your finger, but you can also use the included squeegee to gently work them out. After that, your Galaxy S4 is ready to go!

There are four different models — the Ultra Oliophobic, Ultra Crystal, Ultra Fine, and Ultra Optics. The Ultra Crystal is very true to its name, though it does catch the glare of the sun. Regardless, it’s a great screen protector, and it’s optimal for all of your media consumption! You can get the Ultra Crystal model from MobileFun for a mere $14.

Casemate HD

Next is the Casemate HD screen protector. Much like the others, it comes with a cleaning card, a cleaning cloth, and a single screen protector. As we did with the others, use the cleaning cloth to remove all of the dust, lint, and smudges on your smartphone. Like always, remove the top piece of plastic to reveal the adhesive side. Then, using the home button, align the screen protector with your handset, and carefully apply it. If you have any air bubbles surface, use the cleaning card to remove them.

This is an anti-glare screen protector, so it does protect against the glare you would normally get from the sun when outside. Overall, it looks really great when installed, and it really prevents any sort of glare really well, making media consumption fairly nice when out and about.

You can pick up the Casemate from MobileFun for $15.49.

InvisibleShield

Last up is the Zagg InvisibleShield screen protector. I opted to not use the full coverage, as I just wanted to focus on screen protection in this video. Now, this is a wet application screen protector, so unlike the others, you should power off your device before applying it.

As usual, clean off your device with supplied cleaning cloth. Next, you’re going to want to spray the application fluid on your hand just so you don’t get any smudges or finger oils on the InvisibleShield. Peal off the plastic from the InvisibleShield, revealing the adhesive side, and spray the application fluid right on that adhesive side. Never spray it directly on your smartphone.

Finally, line the protector up with the home button, and carefully apply it on the Galaxy S4. Use the squeegee to work out the application fluid towards the sides of the device. You’re going to want to clean up the liquid with the cleaning cloth, as you don’t want it getting on your handset.

In my opinion, out of all the screen protectors, the InvisibleShield offers the most protector. After all, it is a military grade screen protector, and them materials are used to coat helicopter wings. That should be a testament to its durability.

Overall, the InvisibleShield is very nice, though it doesn’t have any anti-glare properties. Regardless, you can pick it up from MobileFun for $18.99, which is a great price for this particular screen protector.

Video review

Wrap up

And that’s it folks. While screen protectors aren’t a requirement, they do ensure the protection of your screen. After all, you don’t want any bad scratches on there, and it’d be a tragedy if you dropped your device and your screen shattered. Screen protectors don’t stop complete shattering, but they can prevent a lot of that extra damage, allowing you to continue using your device without harming yourself.

We’d like to give a huge shout out to Mobilefun for providing us with all of these screen protectors. You can find their full list of Galaxy S4 protectors here. Check ‘em out!

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Samsung Galaxy S4 edges out iPhone 5 in camera test

DxO Labs has named Samsung's Galaxy S4 a new winner in its mobile-phone camera tests.

The French firm, which specializes in camera optics and image sensor analysis, gave the newAndroid phone a score of 75 this week, edging out the iPhone 5 at 72. The top scorer is the Nokia 808 Pureview at 77, but that model is hobbled by its Symbian operating system, a commercial failure compared to Apple's iOS in the iPhone and Google's Android in the Galaxy S4.

Cameras have become a crucial part of smartphone performance as people shift away from dedicated cameras to a device that they're likely to have at all times and that comes equipped with a network connection for immediate sharing.Perhaps Nokia will have better commercial success with its rumored "Eos" phone, which could incorporate the relatively large image sensor and high-end Zeiss lens of the 808 Pureview into a Windows Phone model. And of course the iPhone 5 isn't the last word from Apple.

The Samsung flagship phone outdid its iPhone rival in most categories for still photos and videos, DxO concluded, but it wasn't a clean sweep. The iPhone 5 suffered fewer image-processing artifacts and its video stabilization worked better.

The Galaxy S4 showed "impressive detail preservation in bright light conditions," DxO said. "The 13-megapixel sensor shows a significant improvement compared to the best 8-megapixel smartphone cameras."

In low light, though, the Galaxy S4 suffered from noise, and in general the camera oversharpened images so that edges suffered from halos.

DxO Labs breaks down the photo and video scores for the Samsung Galaxy S4.

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The best Android phones of 2013

Last year's phones were great, don't get us wrong. Who could forget the HTC One X, the first Android handset with a quad-core processor? Or the nature-inspired Samsung Galaxy S3?

But it's about time that we make a new list of the best Android phones released in 2013, and talk about some exciting devices that are rumored to be released in the coming months.

So far, 2013 has been an absolute whirlwind for Android. There are a lot of great phones worthy of being called “the best” out there, and we know that more are on the way (Nexus 5, anyone?) so we will update this piece accordingly.

But we also know that there can be only one. So without further ado, meet the current contenders to the title of best Android phone of 2013.

HTC One

If you're looking for reasons why you shouldn’t upgrade to the Samsung Galaxy S4 — or purchase any other phone, for that matter — we can give you at least one. The HTC One is, by far, the absolute best Android phone that HTC has ever created, and it's a serious contender for the title of best smartphone of 2013. It's also a symbol of HTC's fight for survival.

HTC One specs

• Display: 4.7-inch Super LCD3, Full HD (1920×1080 pixels), 469 ppi
• Camera: 4MP auto-focus camera with LED flash (1080p video recording)
• SoC: 1.7GHz quad-core Snapdragon 600 CPU, Adreno 320 GPU
• Memory: 32GB/64GB internal storage (no microSD support), 2GB RAM
• OS: Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean, upgradeable to Android 4.2.2
• Battery: 2,300mAh battery (non-removable)

We have to admit, the HTC One doesn't exactly scream “best Android phone ever” on paper. Some of its features might even make it look a bit underwhelming: “4 megapixel camera?” But don't let the appearances fool you.

The HTC is anything but underspec'ed. It's actually one of the more feature-rich handsets launched so far this year, especially when it comes to the camera. It also offers a unique homescreen experience courtesy of an app called HTC BlinkFeed, which may or may not be useful depending on how you use your phone. The stereo speakers, part of the BoomSound sound system, are another highlight of the HTC One.

The bottom line is, in a sea of Android lookalikes, the HTC One easily stands out.

HTC One review and image gallery

Google Nexus 4

LG pretty much gets a free pass to be on this list because of its status as maker of the current flagship Nexus smartphone from Google. And it doesn't hurt that it did a really great job with it, too. The Nexus 4 is one of the most in-demand Android phones out on the market because it offers a no-frills “stock” Android experience, one that won't leave users annoyed with bloatware and scrambling for ways to flash a custom ROM. It's also very cheap, if you get it from the Play Store

Nexus 4 specs

• Display: 4.7-inch IPS+, HD (1280×720 pixels), 318 ppi
• Camera: 8MP auto-focus camera with LED flash (1080p video recording)
• SoC: 1.5GHz quad-core Snapdragon S4 Pro, Adreno 320 GPU
• Memory: 8GB/16GB internal storage (no microSD support, 2GB RAM
• OS: Android 4.2 Jelly Bean, upgradeable to Android 4.2.2
• Battery: 2,100mAh battery (non-removable)

Another thing that makes the Nexus 4 a must-have is the fact that it gets Google-issued Android software updates faster than any other handset you can buy right now, which is standard operating procedure for all of Google's Nexus devices. There are some who find the Nexus 4′s lack of support for microSD cards disappointing, but the good news is that Android — the default version of the operating system itself, that is — doesn't really take up too much space to begin with.

With all of that said, the Nexus 4 is clearly not the most powerful model that you can get your hands on. People tend to buy it more for the software, and rarely ever for the hardware. It even lacks an FMradio, but buying it can save you a bunch of money, and that's a good thing.

Google Nexus 4 review and image gallery

Samsung Galaxy S4

You can't have a list of the best Android smartphones of 2013 without what is currently considered by many as the undisputed king of all: the Samsung Galaxy S4. It has all of the features that made its predecessor, the Galaxy S3, a favorite, and ups the ante with a boatload of new and exciting features.

Samsung Galaxy S4 specs

• Display: 5-inch Super AMOLED, Full HD (1920×1080 pixels), 441 ppi
• Camera: 13MP auto-focus camera with LED flash (HDR + 1080p video recording)
• SoC: Exynos 5 Octa 5410 with PowerVR SGX 544MP3/Snapdragon 600 with Adreno 320
• Memory: 16GB/32GB/64GB internal storage + microSD (up to 64GB), 2GB RAM
• OS: Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean
• Battery: 2,600mAh battery (removable), 62 hrs. music, 17 hrs. talk

On top of all the TouchWiz standard features, there's also a number of exclusive software tricks, of which some can be life-changing while the rest are a bit gimmicky. Some users have argued that Samsung should have just left these software tricks out in favor of letting users enjoy all the extra storage space, but the die has been cast.

Some have been very vocal about their disappointment in the Galaxy S4′s apparently limited amount of internal storage (at least in the case of the base model), but we think that shouldn't stop you from purchasing this powerhouse.

Samsung Galaxy S4 review and image gallery

Sony Xperia Z

Sony has been making a lot of good moves in the Android universe lately, and users can't help but notice. But don’t call it a comeback, Sony has been here for years. The flagship Xperia Z is the product of the vast amount of knowledge and experience that Sony has acquired from working in the mobile industry for so long.

Sony Xperia Z specs

• Display: 5-inch TFT, Full HD (1920×1080 pixels), 441 ppi
• Camera: 13.1MP auto-focus camera with LED flash (HDR, 1080p video, sweep panorama)
• SoC: 1.5GHz quad-core Snapdragon 600, Adreno 320 GPU
• Memory: 16GB internal storage + microSD (up to 64GB), 2GB RAM
• OS: Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean, upgradeable to Android 4.2
• Battery: 2,330mAh battery (non-removable), 40 hrs. music, 11 hrs. talk

As you can see, the Xperia Z is not just beautiful on the outside. With the kind of specs it has, it's quite beautiful on the inside as well. Its camera feature in particular is interesting, owing to its use of the exclusive Exmor RS sensor from Sony. And did we mention it's water-resistant, with the ability to survive a dip into up to one meter of water?

It may not be a Nexus, but Sony has promised to provide plenty of software support for users of the Xperia Z well into the future. In fact, it decided to create an Android Open Source Project for it last month, in order to show its commitment. Among other things, it fully works with the latest nightly builds of CyanogenMod as well.

Sony Xperia Z review and image gallery

LG Optimus G Pro

LG has been on a tear lately, managing to regain its footing and hold on to the third place in the world smartphone market, thanks to successful devices like the Nexus 4, Optimus G, and Optimus G Pro. The latter gives the Note 2 a serious run for its money, thanks to its large, crisp display and powerful internal components.

LG Optimus G Pro specs

• Display: 5.5-inch IPS LCD, Full HD (1920×1080 pixels), 401 ppi
• Camera: 13.1MP auto-focus camera with LED flash (HDR, 1080p video)
• SoC: 1.7GHz quad-core Snapdragon 600, Adreno 320 GPU
• Memory: 32GB internal storage + microSD (up to 64GB), 2GB RAM
• OS: Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean, upgradeable to Android 4.2
• Battery: 3140mAh battery (non-removable), 15.5 hrs. talk

When we reviewed the Optimus G Pro, we were impressed with its beautiful display, which makes the Note 2 feel a bit dated. The design is modern, though some may take offense with the plastic, the cameras are excellent and the specifications are the best you can get at this moment.

The only caveat with the LG Optimus G Pro is its size – if you're used to the Note 2 or other similarly sized devices, it's okay, but for someone coming from an iPhone or an older Android, the size of the G Pro can be shocking.

LG Optimus G Pro review and image gallery

Asus Padfone Infinity

The Asus PadFone Infinity is probably the most unique device on our list. Asus’ idea to create a smartphone that turns into a tablet was received with skepticism, but the truth is the PadFone has huge potential. If only it was available in more countries.

Asus Padfone Infinity specs

• Display: 5-inch Super IPS+ LCD, Full HD (1920×1080 pixels), 441 ppi
• Camera: 13MP auto-focus camera with LED flash (HDR, 1080p video)
• SoC: 1.7GHz quad-core Snapdragon 600, Adreno 320 GPU
• Memory: 32GB/64GB internal storage, not expandable, 2GB RAM
• OS: Android 4.2 Jelly Bean
• Battery: 2400mAh battery (non-removable), 19hrs. talk

The Padfone Infinity's unique ability to become the brains of a tablet shell can be very compelling, but the phone itself is extremely appealing. It features specs that are as good as anything out there, the display is gorgeous, while the metal build give it a classy appearance. The device is expensive (especially if you want the full package, including the tablet and the keyboard dock) and hard to get by in Western markets, but if you do manage to buy it, it's certainly one of the best phones of 2013 so far.

Asus Padfone Infinity hands-on and image gallery

Upcoming and rumored smartphones

We are approaching the middle of 2013, and we’ve already seen some amazing Android smartphones launch. But more great Android phones are expected in the coming months, so we’ll be updating this list often.

For now, we’ll go through some of the leaks and rumors to get an image of the most exciting Android phones that will come out by the end of the year.

Google Nexus 5

There has been no shortage of rumors pertaining to the highly-awaited Google Nexus 5. We're not even sure yet of who will end up making it in the first place (LG seems a good candidate), but we've already got clues as to what kind of features it will bring to the table once it finally gets released.

The latest Google Nexus 5 rumor states that it will come fitted with a 4.5-inch screen that has a native resolution of 1280×720 pixels. It's also said to have a 9MP CCD camera as well as a 2,800mAh battery, which we think would be useful. But as always, it would be wise to take this information with a grain of salt.

LG Optimus G2

Like the other handsets in this section of the article, the LG Optimus G2 has been the subject of many rumors. It has been spotted in benchmark scores in the past, plus there's really no reason why it shouldn't exist, especially since the original — the LG Optimus G — is so popular. So what exactly are all the Optimus G2′s rumored features so far?

The LG Optimus G2 will reportedly come with a 5-inch Full HD screen, a Snapdragon 800 CPU and the latest version of Android pre-installed. So far, LG has managed to remain mum about it, so we can't tell you anything official yet. But we will, as soon as more info comes to light, so stay tuned.

Motorola X Phone

The Motorola X Phone — a.k.a. the Google X — is surely one of the most rumored Android-based Motorola handsets ever. But for something that gets talked about so much, we still know very little about it.

Some people don't even think that the Motorola X Phone is real. For those who do, the rumored specs include the following: a 4.8-inch screen with a resolution of 1280×720 pixels as standard, 2GB of user-available RAM, and Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean. Whether or not it is able to live up to the expectation that all of the rumors have been setting it up for, we'll find out soon enough.

Samsung Galaxy Note 3

The thing about the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 is that it's almost guaranteed to be a bigger, better, faster, and more powerful version of all of Samsung's current Galaxy smartphones combined. Based on information from the most recent Galaxy Note 3 rumors that have appeared online, we can tell you that it will be fitted with an Exynos 5 Octa CPU as well as a Mali-450 MP GPU, along with a 4.99-inch screen.

The current version of the Samsung Galaxy Note is, of course, already quite interesting enough. You can be sure that we'll  be all over its successor to tell you all about it once it finally arrives some time later this year.

Sony Honami

Honami is the codename for one of Sony's upcoming Android smartphones, rumored to be called officially as the Sony i1. The most interesting bit of info about it that we have so far is that it will be made with a focus on the camera feature, even carrying the old yet famous Cyber-shot brand, taken from another product owned by Sony.

It is said that the Sony Honami will be second only to the Nokia PureView 808 in terms of camera performance. That would make it something that's really worth looking forward to, if only to see what kind of output it would produce in the hands of a professional.

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