Clove Technology's Blog
The NetGear PTV3000 Push2TV adaptor is a Miracast dongle that will work with any Miracast-enabled handset, which by now is quite a few different phones.
In the video below, Youtube user veryannoyingname shows the PTV3000 being used seamlessly with the Samsung Galaxy S4.
We are expecting stock of the PTV3000 to arrive at Clove within the next few weeks, having initially expected stock to arrive in April. We’ll provide an update as soon as it’s in stock.
Purchase a Sony Xperia Z from Clove from 1st-31st May 2013 and receive £20 for FREE to spend on the Sony Entertainment Network.
The Sony Entertainment Network (SEN) is made up of Music Unlimited, Video Unlimited, PlayNow memories & the PlayStation Store. This giveaway will allow you to buy movies, games or music, it is your choice. This voucher will equate to two of the latest movie releases, two months access to Music Unlimited, or up to four full games from the PlayStation store.
Included movie release includes films such as Les Miserables, Django Unchained and The Life of Pi.
To redeem your £20, follow the following steps:
Updated 25th April with user commets
Without going into too much detail, let’s have a look at some of the main pros and cons of the Samsung Galaxy S4. To put these into context, we’ll draw some brief comparisons with its main competitors – the HTC One and the Sony Xperia Z – where appropriate. Some of these factors alone could be enough to influence a buying decision and certainly worth considering if you’re interested in buying the S4.
For more detailed comparisons you may be interested in some of the other Samsung Galaxy S4 vs HTC One content that we’ve posted.
Removable battery – this is a big plus – it gives the opportunity to manually power the phone down should it freeze, facilitates accessories such as the Galaxy S4 flip cover (which replaces the back cover to clip to the handset, thus adding less bulk than other cases) and also enables a third-party extended battery to be attached if/when it’s released. The HTC One and the Sony Xperia Z do not have removable batteries.
Repairability – early reports have suggested that the Galaxy S4 should be very easy to repair should the situation arise. This is in stark contrast to the HTC One, which was given the lowest repairability score possible by iFixit.
MicroSD slot – for some the inclusion (or lack of) expandable storage can make or break a purchase decision. The inclusion of a microSD slot with the S4 gives the opportunity to expand the storage by 64GB. The Xperia Z can also take a microSD card up to 64GB, whereas the HTC One does not have a slot at all.
MHL 2.0 – Less wires when connecting the S4 to a TV. Using MHL 2.0 means that an external power source (microUSB charger) is not required to power the MHL adaptor, making it more convenient to connect and more portable. The Xperia Z and the HTC One do need the MHL cable to be powered.
Smaller and Lighter than the competition, but still manages a 5″ display. It’s only ~15g lighter than the One and the Z, but beats both with its dimensions measurements as well.
Newer version of Android – All three handsets run Jelly Bean, but the S4 runs Android 4.2.2 out the box whereas the others run 4.1.2. There isn’t a huge difference between the two versions so not too big a factor to consider, but is perhaps indicative of Samsung being quicker to update its handsets to the latest version of Android.
Wireless charging - a nice feature but not all that important in terms of functionality. It’s also worth noting that additional accessories are required (release date awaited) so it is not offered out of the box.
Accessories – overall the S4 has the most diverse range of accessories compared to other handsets. However, it should be mentioned that Samsung has disappointed customers in the past by delaying or not fulfilling accessory promises. Wireless charging for the S3 as announced but never released, for example. The situation looks better this time around though and some stock of protective accessories such as cases has already started to arrive.
Built in TV remote – A useful, but not essential feature to have. This is also included with the HTC One.
Eye tracking – The S4 has several eye tracking features included which are its main differentiator when it comes to software.
Multi window (split screen mode) - another software element that is unique to Samsung handsets. It was first introduced with the Galaxy Note II, but is now included with the SGS4. This feature enables you to view two apps at once, which is particularly useful for web browsing, checking email and reading through documents. Officially there are only certain apps that work with multi window, but there’s a hack for the Note 2 to force the feature for other apps, so there will likely be one for the S4 as well.
AirView - the ability to preview content by hovering a finger over it – no need to touch the screen. Hovering over the S Planner (calendar), images, videos and more will activate the content as though it’s been clicked.
Have you been waiting for a SIM free purple coloured Sony Xperia Z?
If the answer is yes, then your wait is now over as we have the phone in stock for immediate dispatch.
Just CLICK HERE to order yours.
We are now expecting the first stock of the Sony Xperia Z Purple to arrive on Monday April 15th.
We’ve just confirmed that the first stock of the Xperia Z DK26 charging dock is due to arrive in purple in mid-May as well, so if you do want to make the move to an all-mauve setup for your smartphone and charger, we’ll be able to supply you with the combo within the next couple of months.
The Xperia Z is one of the first flagship handsets to be offered in the purple variety, so this handset certainly comes with a unique look about it. If you’re still making your mind up on the Xperia Z, be sure to check out our review.
In the meantime here’s a look a quick run-through of the main features:
We have now made the Sony Xperia Z DK26 charging dock available to order in PURPLE. The first stock of the purple version of the dock is due to arrive mid-may.
Please be aware that this does not change the situation of stock constraint with the black and white DK26 docks. The Sony DK26 has been a very popular accessory so far – if you are interested in having a purple dock from the first batch of stock that arrives in May we advise placing an order as soon as possible.
The video below shows an unboxing of the Sony Xperia Z DK26 charging dock. To see the other Sony Xperia Z content that we have posted, including our review of the handset, please click here.
The chances are that if you’ve come to this post, you’re already aware that your device has MHL (video out capability), so I won’t explain what an MHL cable is used for (there are good definitions within the linked products below) and we also have this post, which explains what MHL does and shows off some of its coolest features.
However, while MHL is an industry standard (meaning that in theory the same cable should be compatible with all MHL-enabled devices), that is not the case – some use a 9 pin arrangement, others use a 5 pin arrangement. The point of this post therefore is to tell you which MHL cable is compatible with your device.
We have created a video to show the description below in action, which you can view here
The Samsung Galaxy S3 and Samsung Galaxy S4 MHL adaptors are interchangeable with both handsets. That’s to say, the S4 MHL adaptor will work with the S3, and the S3 MHL adaptor will work with the S4. However, there are still some differences.
The Samsung Galaxy S4 uses MHL 2.0. This means that there is no power connection needed for the MHL adaptor to work – the S4 can power the connection itself. That being said, it is advisable to power the connection if possible (using your handset’s microUSB charger) in order to prevent battery drain. Both the S3 and S4 adaptors work with the S4 without the need to power the connection.
The situation with the Samsung Galaxy S3 handset is the opposite. Both the S3 and S4 MHL adaptors will need to be powered if you are using them with the S3. This isn’t a huge problem as the microUSB charger supplied with you handset is fine for this purpose, it just makes the setup slightly more inconvenient.
The other difference between the two adaptors is that the S4 adaptor has a 60MHz refresh rate, whereas the S3 has a 24GHz refresh rate. This means that the S4 adaptor will provide a better image on screen, whether you are using it with the S3 or the S4.
Samsung Galaxy S4 MHL Cable (demo video)(also compatible with the Samsung Galaxy S3)
Samsung Galaxy S3 MHL Cable (demo video) (also compatible with the Samsung Galaxy S4)
Samsung Galaxy Note 2 MHL Cable (demo video)
Sony Xperia Z (see a demo video for this here)
HTC One (see a demo video for this here)
Samsung Galaxy Note 2 Smart Dock – due early April. It’s possible that this will also be compatible with the Samsung Galaxy S3, but we will confirm this once we have received stock.
There was a similar product for Sony handsets called the LiveDock, but this has now been discontinued.
MHL is a relatively new standard when it comes to its inclusion with smartphones, so you could be forgiven for expecting it to be included with newly released handsets. however, some new handsets do not include it, but use other standards such as SlimPort, which we explain here. Here are a list of those that we are aware of that do not use MHL and the equivalent standard that they do use.
LG Nexus 4 – SlimPort
Updated 8/4/2013 –
Thank you for your patience in the arrival of your Sony Xperia Z charging dock; there have been some extensive delays with the product.
It is our every intention to supply the dock to you as quickly as possible but this is affected by the stock we receive from Sony.
At this time we are still unable to provide exact dispatch dates for your particular order, but the good news is we have been receiving some stock which is slowly clearing our backorders, meaning your order should ship soon.
