Monthly Archives: November 2012

The HTC Droid DNA, a new smartphone powered by Verizon Wireless, will be equipped with a massive 5-inch, high-resolution display.

We admit to being a little mystified at the rise of the "phablet," a portable device that occupies the awkward middle ground between tablet and smartphone.

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Still, the things are apparently selling pretty well earlier this year, Samsung announced it had sold 3 million Galaxy Note II phablets in just over a month. It was an indicator, TechCrunch argued at the time,of "serious momentum for enormo-phones."

The latest super-sized smart phone to hit the market is the HTC Droid DNA, a slim gadget equipped with a5-inch HD display. By comparison, the screen on the iPhone 5 measures 4-inches corner to corner and that was a size upgrade from the 3.5-inch display on the iPhone 4S. So yes, the Droid DNA has a lot of screen real estate. It's also got a record-setting pixel density of 440 pixels-per-inch.

"That is the highest-pixel density on any mobile screen to ever hit the States," writes Brent Rose of Gizmodo, "by a gigantic margin (HTC announced the J Butterfly last month in Japan which has the same screen). To put that in perspective, the iPhone 5 has 326 PPI, or 114 fewer pixelsper inchthan the Droid DNA. It's also better than any tablet, computer, or TV on the market."

Other niceties: TheAndroid 4.1 Jelly Bean operating system, an 8-megapixel camera, a 1.5 GHz quad-core Snapdragon S4 processor, and 2 gigabytes of RAM. The Droid DNA will be powered by Verizon Wireless, and available on Nov. 21. The price is $199 with a two-year voice and data contract. And already, the DNA is enjoying some seriously glowing notices ("this thing is nuts," notes Rose of Gizmodo).

"On back, the phones soft-touch surface cut from premium polycarbonate reminds me more of the HTC One X and One X+s design language though," writes CNET's Brian Bennet, in a hands-on preview posted today. "Youll need that soft-touch coating too since its rubber feel provides a sure grip. The devices large, yet thin. Its 0.16-inch profile make it thinner than the Samsung Galaxy S III."

More when we know it, including a more comprehensive look at reviews.

Read this article:
HTC Droid DNA : Better hope you've got big thumbs

NEW YORK, NY--(Marketwire - Nov 13, 2012) - The idea of a patient's DNA being routinely tested by a next-generation sequencer to help a doctor make a diagnosis may seem a bit futuristic right now. But Kalorama Information suggests that sequencers are expected to see usage in at least five clinical areas over the next several years. At the same time, the healthcare market research publisher warns that there are unpredictable variables which will affect the timing for each clinical application, including science, regulation and economics, not to mention the strengths and weaknesses of different DNA sequencing technologies. Kalorama recently released a white paper titled, "Next-Generation Sequencing Moves into Clinical Applications," covering some of these perspectives, following the third edition of its full market research report on this industry, DNA Sequencing Equipment and Services Markets.

"There are several clinical areas where next-generation sequencers are likely to see rapid growth, causing the overall segment to become a large fraction of the sequencer market within five years," said Justin Saeks, Kalorama analyst and author of the report.

According to Kalorama Information, these areas include:

Kalorama notes these areas are progressing gradually, due to the regulatory process, the complexity of the science, and the medical community's cautious approach with new tests. Eventually, the technology is expected to gain significant momentum in healthcare, possibly more rapidly in Europe's easier regulatory environment, as the complex issues are addressed and the individual systems become proven in their applications.

Kalorama suggests that different areas can have different requirements in terms of read length, accuracy, coverage, throughput, run time, sample size and other features, which may result in niches. For example, cancer applications might have specific needs for higher accuracy/coverage, longer read length, and/or single cell capability due to the large variety of cancers, the large genetic aberrations, and the heterogeneity of the tissue often involved. Over time, medical discoveries, along with technological advances in hardware, software, and reagents, will continue to change this landscape.

"The continuing drop in DNA sequencer and consumables costs, along with increases in performance, are the primary drivers of adoption into new applications," Saeks said. "But the exponential drop in the cost of sequencing may slow revenue growth in the near term, as the complex factors affecting adoption will likely take some time to shake out."

A range of new challenges and questions are also likely to manifest in unforeseen ways, for example, relating to ethical, legal, and social aspects. Along with the scientific challenges, these may take ten years or more to address before a tipping point is reached. But in the long term, sequencers are eventually expected to become ubiquitous in healthcare, with patients having the DNA in their circulating blood tested regularly. In the meantime, instrument suppliers, diagnostics companies, and clinical labs will need to consider how the various trends will impact these applications in the rapidly changing market.

Kalorama Information's report, DNA Sequencing Equipment and Services Markets, 3rd Edition, contains a deeper discussion of some of these trends, a review of products currently on the market, and competitive positions of players. In addition to analyzing DNA sequencer sales and making forecasts for future sales, it also looks at sequencer consumables and services sales.

About Kalorama Information Kalorama Information, a division of MarketResearch.com, supplies the latest in independent medical market research in diagnostics, biotech, pharmaceuticals, medical devices and healthcare; as well as a full range of custom research services. We routinely assist the media with healthcare topics. Follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn and our blog.

See the original post:
Report: Five Clinical Areas Most Likely to Benefit From DNA Sequencing

Verizon's Droid DNA

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[More from Mashable: Why the Smartphone Isnt Mainstream Yet]

The brand-new HTC Droid DNA smartphone for Verizon, which was unveiled on Tuesday in New York City, has a laundry list of cutting-edge specs -- not only is it the most high-definition smartphone yet, it runs lightning fast.

Mashable snagged some hands-on time with the latest HTC smartphone, which runs on Android 4.1 Jellybean, to see if the promised features translated well to the real world. And upon first impression, the answer is yes. Oh, yes.

[More from Mashable: Find YouTube Videos on Android, Play Them on Google TV]

Despite its 5-inch screen, the Droid DNA fits comfortably in your hand, even if they are on the smaller side. At 0.38 of an inch thick and weighing in at about 4.8 ounces, it doesn't feel as bulky as the Samsung Note II. Speaking of design, the black body with a slight red trim nicely echoes the look of the Android brand.

But the real game-changer is its stunning Super LCD3 display, which is the first phone display capable of showing 1080p video at full resolution. Its pixel density (440ppi) blows away the rest of the competition by a long shot -- the iPhone 5 has 326 ppi. When watching movie trailers on the Droid DNA, checking out photos or even surfing the web, the resolution was crisp, bright and colors popped in ways we didn't even know they could on a small device.

The Droid DNA packs a powerful punch, thanks to its quad-core 1.5GHz Snapdragon S4 processor. Navigating through the hardware and software was intuitive too. It didn't take long to figure out holding the home button down launches Google in a web browser as a short cut.

There are also lots of newly-added camera perks. If you're taking pictures on the go and the lock screen pops up after being temporarily dormant, you don't have to re-enter your password to log back in -- you can bypass the lock screen entirely, so you don't miss the shot you want. Another sweet perk is the countdown timer, which gives you a few seconds to prep before the picture is taken.

The rest is here:
Hands-On: Verizon's Droid DNA Wows With High-Def Display