Aloysius Low

Leaving last year’s HTC One for the new One M8

I loved the original HTC One . In fact, it was my standout device last year even if I had to to send it in for repair. The problem was a purplish glow whenever I took low-light shots with the UltraPixel camera. It wasn’t debilitating, but it was annoying. After that fix, the One took …

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Xiaomi’s Hugo Barra: True world phones in 2 years, Android all the way

Hugo Barra, Xiaomi’s global vice president, rocking an Android t-shirt. Aloysius Low/CNET BEIJING, China — As we sit down for lunch at his favourite Korean restaurant near the Xiaomi office here, Hugo Barra, former Googler and current Xiaomi global VP, seems like a changed man. He looks relaxed and casual, clearly enjoying the food despite an upset stomach — a …

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Oppo debuts world’s first 5.5

Allen Wu, Oppo’s vice president domestic (China) division, takes the stage to introduce the new handset. Aloysius Low/CNET BEIJING, China — Priced at a reasonable $599, Oppo’s latest Find 7 has just made its debut in China, and is the first to sport a 5.5-inch Quad HD display. QHD, not to be confused with qHD (960×540 pixels), has a resolution …

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Oppo shows off O

An Oppo spokesperson holding up the O-Band at the Oppo Find 7 press conference. Aloysius Low/CNET Oppo announced its entry into the wearable fitness market with the new O-Band. The wristband serves as a pedometer and can monitor your sleep patterns. It also works as an alarm clock since you’ll be wearing it at night when you sleep. Like the …

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Corephotonics’ dual

Now playing: Watch this: Corephotonic dual-camera puts optical zoom on phones 1:34 Two-year-old Israeli company Corephotonics is ready to change how you take pictures with your smartphone, and it could happen as early as this year. The company’s dual-camera technology has been making waves here at Mobile World Congress, and it’s hard not to see why. Before we begin though, …

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YunTab S5 Android phone uses 3D infrared for secure face unlock

BARCELONA, Spain — Everyone knows how easily you can beat Android’s Face Unlock feature with a simple photograph, but it will take a lot more to crack Chinese smartphone maker YunTab’s solution. Found on the company’s $135 S5 Android-powered smartphone (not to be confused with Samsung’s Galaxy S5), the 5.5-inch handset uses two infrared emitters, a secondary infrared camera to …

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Android widgets on the Nokia X feel out of place

BARCELONA, Spain — I popped by the Nokia booth earlier today to try out the new Nokia X range of handsets and came away unimpressed. The first thing I did was to try customising the user interface, and while Nokia has added a Windows Phone-like skin, the UI was decided sub-par in experience. You can add widgets like Android, but …

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Learn how to dance Gangnam Style with the Kpop Dance app

BARCELONA, Spain — If you’re reading this, you’ve probably heard of Gangnam Style or have a passing familiarity with Korean pop groups such as Girl’s Generation or Super Junior. Those who’ve always admired the slick dance moves of such groups can now learn how to do so with the free Kpop Dance app (available on iOS and Android). The app …

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Software converts Android apps to Tizen OS

BARCELONA, Spain — Infraware, a Korean software developer and creator of the Polaris Office suite for mobile devices, is showing off how easy it is to convert Android apps to Tizen OS at the Smart Content Korea booth here at Mobile World Congress. With a simple click, the Polaris App Generator software is able to wrap an Android APK and …

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I’m Tracer is a wearable GPS tracker for kids and pets

BARCELONA, Spain — Italian company I’m Spa’s latest product, the I’m Tracer, is a GPS tracker that can be worn as a wristband — or a collar for your pet. Underneath the water- and shock-resistant rubber casing is a GPS tracker as well as a SIM card. The I’m Tracer uses GSM to triangulate your position before getting a lock …

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