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New iPad, Asus Transformer Prime, or Samsung Galaxy Note: Which Tablet To Buy?

noreply@blogger.com (Mr Astute) — Sat, 10 Mar 2012 12:12:00 +0000

New iPad, Asus Transformer Prime, or Samsung Galaxy Note: Which Tablet To Buy?

I'm in the market for a tablet. Yeah, I know: I'm the tablet guy. But this one's for my wife and daughter, and I'm torn between the gorgeous new iPad, the Asus Eee Pad Transformer Prime, and the Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1.

I recommend iPads to most of my readers. But there's a gap between generic recommendations and specific needs that these other tablets may be able to exploit. The question for them is, are there enough people in their niches to make their tablets successful?

My Killer AppsEveryone has their own killer apps. The most common killer apps for tablets are email and Web browsing. Pretty much all tablets do those things nowadays, so speed and stability play critical roles.

New tablet buyers often don't know what their killer apps will be. In that case, the tablet with the broadest array of third-party apps wins, just because it offers the most options. That's where the iPad reigns supreme.

But some of us have specific needs. My wife is a professional artist, and wants to experiment with digital painting. That's a pretty tiny niche.
Our family travels a lot, and we have a huge amount of video in various formats stored on a NAS at home; we'd like our daughter to be able to watch some of those files on the road. That's a somewhat larger niche.

We're Android phone owners, and it would be nice to leverage our existing Android Market purchases and use a familiar interface. That's a much larger group.
And finally, we're looking for a tablet stable enough not to make a six-year-old cry. I think that covers everybody.

The Android DilemmaHere's why I don't recommend 10-inch Android tablets to many people. (Seven-inch tablets are a different market in my mind, with different portability and price considerations.)
A reader rightly criticized me for saying that Android tablets "don't have apps." Of course they have apps. But the apps are often lower quality than iPad apps, and there are far fewer of them.

Apple showed why at the iPad event. Google's approach, which is to say that apps should be screen-size-independent and that it's okay to blow up phone apps to tablet size, is simply wrong. Developers need to take different design approaches on a 4-inch screen and on a 10-inch one. There is no shortcut, no way around this.

The result is that you have a lot of apps on Android tablets—Twitter and Facebook are the most prominent—that function but look ugly and take lousy advantage of the real estate. They aren't grainy like iPhone apps blown up to 2x on an iPad, but they're awkward to use and full of blank space.

We see this problem regularly in the PCMag Labs when we try to do Android tablet app stories. It's easy to create a list of 75 great iPad apps. Building a list of great Android tablet apps is harder. On our last attempt, our software team only found 12.

Which Tab For Me…And For You?My family recently took a two-week international trip, bringing the Asus Eee Pad Transformer Prime with us. It did a great job as a video playback device. It played all the games we're familiar with from our Android phones. Chrome Beta should be an excellent, speedy browser. However, the tablet is completely useless for painting with a stylus; the screen is too unresponsive.

Most worryingly, though, we kept on running into little bugs with the keyboard dock and my daughter's gameplay kept being interrupted by annoying firmware update messages. The update messages would jump into the middle of whatever she was doing, making my six-year-old sad. The attachable keyboard, meanwhile, would sometimes drop characters when writing emails in the built-in browser and couldn't type some capital letters at all in Chrome Beta.

Then there's the Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1. This will be the world's best painting tablet, thanks to its pressure-sensitive Wacom stylus support. It'll run familiar Android apps and play my daughter's video files. Sounds great. But Samsung warned that it may be expensive, it uses a slower processor than other recent top-of-the-line Android tablets, and it may not go on sale for months. We want a tablet soon, not months from now.
Finally, the new iPad has an amazingly gorgeous screen. It will work well with styli, although it isn't pressure sensitive like the Galaxy Note 10.1. It won't play my daughter's videos without a slow, painful re-encoding process through iTunes on a PC, which is a real bummer.

The iPad has far more and far better apps than the other tablets. We'd have to re-buy many of our Android favorites such as Cut the Rope, Where's My Water, World of Goo, and Quell, but that's only a few dollars. And we'd be opening up a world of thousands of tablet apps that aren't available for Android, which we've never played with before.

How Android Could Close the GapLook at the niches my family fits into, and there are some opportunities for Android-powered tablets in the world at large. Few people are painters. Relatively few have a terabyte WD NAS full of children's videos. But most people with smartphones have Android-powered phones and download Android apps. They're familiar with the world of Android.
Google and manufacturers have done a hideously poor job of leveraging that huge user base into tablets. Part of the problem is the disproportionate usage of free apps on Android; if you don't have money invested in a platform, it's easy to cast off.

But most of the issue is that nobody has convinced Android app developers to create tablet experiences. We can argue all day about whose fault that is. But I don't want, and I think few people want, a 4-inch-screen experience blown up to 10 inches the way we see with the Twitter app.

For me, that leaves a gulf between my specific killer apps and the general app situation. Samsung, for instance, can deliver a tablet that's perfect for one thing—drawing—but as long as the Android tablet ecosystem as a whole remains weak, it's hard to promote even the best Android tablet hardware.

Apple's New iPad Will Pressure Android: Analyst - Mobile and Wireless - News & Reviews - eWeek.com

noreply@blogger.com (Mr Astute) — Fri, 09 Mar 2012 12:27:00 +0000

Apple's new iPad will pressure Google Android tablets. Although it dominates the tablet market, Apple faces a variety of competitors in the space.

Apple's new iPad could help solidify its position against other tablets in the marketplace, according to a new analyst report.

"We believe Apple will maintain its dominant market share of the fast-growing tablet market despite increased competition," T. Michael Walkley, an analyst with Canaccord Genuity, wrote in a March 8 research note. "We believe the new iPad has raised the bar relative to competing tablets with impressive hardware specifications, competitive pricing, and the leading software ecosystem."

Apple is apparently helped by Android manufacturers' increased focus on smartphones over tablets. "While Android tablets were a primary focus at last year's [Mobile World Congress]," he added, "most Android OEMs offered tablets but focused our MWC meetings on new smartphone offerings. With the iPad launch, we believe Apple has extended its leadership position in the fast-growing tablet market."

Apple's new iPad includes a high-resolution "Retina Display," a new A5X processor with quad-core graphics and a 5-megapixel rear camera capable of shooting 1080p video. It weighs slightly more than the iPad 2, at 1.4 pounds, and offers comparable battery life. Those in the United States will have the option of purchasing the new iPad with 4G LTE connectivity on either Verizon or AT&T.

The new iPad will keep the same prices as the previous model, starting at $499 for WiFi only versions and $629 for those with 4G capability. Prices top out at $699 for the WiFi-only, 64GB model and $829 for the 64GB model with WiFi and 4G.

Apple also dropped the price of the iPad 2, with the 16GB, WiFi-only version starting at $399. In doing so, it replicates the strategy it started with the iPhone, where the prices of the previous version fall with the introduction of a new unit. It could also help further spur iPad adoption.

Other analysts believe the new iPad's features will help it in the battle against Android.

"Given the 8" Kindle Fire ($199) and several lower-priced 10" Android Tablets," Gene Munster, an analyst with Piper Jaffray, wrote in a March 7 research note, "we see the price reduction of the iPad 2, and the lower entry-level price for the iPad family, as a strong defensive move from Apple." Nor does he see the iPad 2 price reduction as negatively impacting sales of the new iPad: "Rather, it expands Apple's addressable market in the rapidly growing tablet space."

From: http://ping.fm/EijCm

Crave Giveaway: Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9!

noreply@blogger.com (Mr Astute) — Fri, 09 Mar 2012 12:08:00 +0000

Crave Giveaway: Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9!

The newiPad debuted this week, but it's still pretty pricey. Here's your chance to win a free Samsungtablet worth $469.

(Credit:Josh Miller/CNET)

First, a big congrats to Felix C. of Parkville, Md., for winning a Grace Digital Audio Mondo in last week's giveaway. Felix beat out more than 1,300 other entrants to snag the Wi-Fi music player. Now, here's your chance to get a shiny, new gadget for free.

This week's Crave giveaway prize is the 16GB, Wi-Fi version of the Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9. TheAndroid Honeycomb tablet features an 8.9-inch touch screen with a 1,280x800-pixel resolution and comes with a 1GHz dual-core Nvidia Tegra 2 processor, a front-facing 2-megapixel camera, and a rear-facing 3-megapixel camera.

It's pretty much a more compact version of the Galaxy Tab 10.1, but as CNET Senior Editor Donald Bell points out in his review, the smaller design in many ways eases the user experience.

Normally, the 16GB, Wi-Fi version of the Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9 would cost you $469, but you have the chance to get one gratis. How? Well, there are a few rules, so please listen up.

Register as a CNET user. Go to the top of this page and hit the Join CNET link to start the registration process. If you're already registered, there's no need to register again.
Leave a comment below. You can leave whatever comment you want. If it's funny or insightful, it won't help you win, but we're trying to have fun here, so anything entertaining is appreciated.
Leave only one comment. You may enter for this specific giveaway only once. If you enter more than one comment, you will be automatically disqualified.
The winner will be chosen randomly. The winner will receive one (1) Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9 (16GB, Wi-Fi) with a retail value of $469.
If you are chosen, you will be notified via e-mail. The winner must respond within three days of the end of the contest. If you do not respond within that period, another winner will be chosen.
Entries can be submitted until Monday, March 12, at 12 p.m. ET.

And here's the disclaimer that our legal department said we had to include (sorry for the caps, but rules are rules):

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. A PURCHASE WILL NOT INCREASE YOUR CHANCES OF WINNING. YOU HAVE NOT YET WON. MUST BE LEGAL RESIDENT OF ONE OF THE 50 UNITED STATES OR D.C., 18 YEARS OF AGE OR OLDER AT DATE OF ENTRY INTO SWEEPSTAKES. VOID IN PUERTO RICO, ALL U.S. TERRITORIES AND POSSESSIONS AND WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. Sweepstakes ends at 12 p.m. ET on Monday, March 12, 2012. See official rules for details.

Good luck.

Please note that the author, while maintaining this website as a free-site, may accept ad-generated income to maintain the website.

Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 on the horizon??

noreply@blogger.com (Mr Astute) — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 01:31:00 +0000

Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 on the horizon??

For those of you that were worried about the size of the current Galaxy Note, you better sit down. Evidence is now pointing towards a Galaxy Note 10.1 in the works and headed towards Mobile World Congress. Try holding that puppy up to your ear. Just kidding. The Note 10.1 wouldn't be a phone for obvious reasons. It will still be an S-Pen device with all the wonders that the current Note offers, just on bit larger scale. Making this one an 'actual' tablet. Samsung's marketing manager Ryan Bidan let a few details about something coming slip not to long ago that would be S-Pen centric, include 3D gesturing and voice controls. This could have been what he was unintentionally referring too.

All of this info comes from two locations that Samsung has used the Note 10.1 reference. One was for a casting call for 'Teen Students' for a commercial with a Note 10.1 and another for Samsung's developer day at MWC. We highly doubt Samsung messed up twice when using the Note 10.1 name. A 10.1 inch version of the Note should be a really amazing device. After playing with one at CES, I can see how just the use of the S-Pen on a much larger screen could give people a great way to create and share. If things go as planned, we should hear more about it soon. Lets hope it is the next-gen Exynos chip on Ice Cream Sandwich and not another dual-core Gingerbread device.

Apple overtakes Samsung in Q4 smartphone sales

noreply@blogger.com (Mr Astute) — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 01:30:00 +0000

Apple overtakes Samsung in Q4 smartphone sales

BIGGEST VENDOR:Analysts said the key to Apple’s success this year will be whether the iPhone maker can crack open the large, lucrative Chinese market

Bloomberg and AFP

Apple Inc passed Samsung Electronics Co to become the world’s biggest smartphone vendor in the fourth quarter on surging sales of its iPhone, Gartner Inc said.

Almost a quarter of smartphones sold were iPhones as Apple’s market share rose to 23.8 percent from 15.8 percent a year earlier, the Stamford, Connecticut-based researcher said. Apple sold 35.5 million smartphones to consumers while Samsung sold 34 million, Gartner said.

Global sales of such handsets that use computer-like processors and can handle business e-mail and streaming video increased 47 percent to 149 million units. Apple’s sequential growth may slow this quarter as pent-up demand was largely sated by holiday sales, Roberta Cozza, a Gartner analyst based in Egham, UK, said in an interview.

“The wild card for [this year] is China,” Cozza said.

“If Apple closes a deal with China Telecom (中國電信) or China Mobile (中國移動) they could see their units double in that market,” he said.

Gartner forecast 39 percent growth in smartphones this year, slowing from 58 percent last year. Google Inc’s Android software ran on more than half of all smartphones sold, according to Gartner.

Nokia Oyj’s smartphone market share fell to 12 percent, from about 30 percent a year earlier, putting it third, Cozza said. Nokia’s share declined as the Finnish company shifted its focus to Microsoft Corp’s Windows Phone software and phased out the 10-year-old Symbian line.

The introduction of Nokia’s Lumia handsets didn’t stem a decline in Microsoft’s market share, which dropped to 1.9 percent from 3.4 percent in the fourth quarter, Gartner said. Cozza said she expects Windows Phone to reach an 8.6 percent share of smartphones by the end of the year.

Apple’s smartphone success made it the world’s third-largest vendor of handsets overall, passing LG Electronics Co, which fell to fifth place behind ZTE Corp (中興). Nokia kept its position as the biggest vendor with a 23.4 percent share, narrowing its lead over Samsung to 4 percentage points.

Gartner forecast overall mobile phone growth at 7 percent this year, slowing from 11.1 percent last year.

In related news, Apple is testing a tablet computer with a smaller screen than the hot-selling iPad, The Wall Street Journal reported on Tuesday.

The newspaper, quoting unidentified people familiar with the situation, said the California gadget-maker was working with component suppliers in Asia to test the tablet computer with a smaller display.

The Journal quoted officials at Apple suppliers as saying the company has shown them screen designs for a device with a 20cm display.

The iPad has a 24.6cm screen. Apple has sold more than 55 million iPads since launching the device in April 2010.

The Journal said Apple was working with Taiwan’s AU Optronics Co (AUO, 友達光電) and South Korea’s LG Display Co to supply the test panels.

The newspaper cautioned that Apple frequently works with suppliers to test new designs and “could opt not to proceed with the device.”

Apple reportedly plans to unveil a new version of the iPad in the first week of March. According to the Journal, the “iPad 3” will have a higher resolution screen than the iPad 2 but will be the same size.

Both Amazon.com Inc and Samsung Electronics Co offer smaller and lower-priced tablets than the iPad.

How to hard reset the Samsung Galaxy S

noreply@blogger.com (Mr Astute) — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 15:18:00 +0000

How to hard reset the Samsung Galaxy S

We show you how to factory reset the Samsung Galaxy S to clear all data and restore its original settings

The Samsung Galaxy S is highly customizable and you have been hard at work tweaking it to your liking, but now the fun is over and you want to return it to its factory settings again. Here, we show you how to hard reset the Samsung Galaxy S with step by step instructions.
Please note that all data will be deleted from the Samsung Galaxy S as a result of this procedure. This process does NOT delete data stored on the microSD card. We recommend backing up all of your personal data before proceeding.
First, try this:

From the main home screen, tap menu
Tap Settings, then Privacy
Tap Factory data reset
Tap Reset phone
Enter your password, then tap Yes to confirm

If that doesn't work, or if your phone is frozen:

Turn the power off. If your Samsung Galaxy S is frozen, pull the battery out and reinsert it
Hold the Volume Down button
Press and release the Power button
You are now presented with a menu that allows for Fastbook, Recovery, Clear Storage, and Simlock
Select Clear Storage by pressing the Volume Down button
Press and release the Power button
Now simply confirm your decision: Volume Up for YES and Volume Down for NO

If you selected YES, all data including third-party applications will be deleted from the Samsung Galaxy S. Once the wipe is complete, the phone will reboot to its factory fresh state.

How to configure call filtering on the Samsung Galaxy S - Know Your Cell

noreply@blogger.com (Mr Astute) — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 15:16:00 +0000

How to configure call filtering on the Samsung Galaxy S

We show you how to regain control over your incoming calls and automatically send the ones you don't want to voicemail

Samsung's Galaxy S features a 4-inch super-AMOLED display, a 1GHz processor and Android 2.1

There's always that handful of people that, if given the option, we would rather not talk to on most occasions.
Sure you can typically "ignore" their calls and kick them to voicemail, but many folks are able to tell when a call has been screened manually. As a result, you're inevitably going to end up with some hurt feelings on the other end of the line.
But what if you could determine whose calls ring through and whose don't? If someone's call always goes straight to voicemail, he or she will likely think your phone is off or outside the service area.
The Android operating system has a nifty feature built-in, albeit somewhat hidden, that allows you just such freedoms.
In this guide, we'll show you how to gain a little more control over your incoming calls on a contact-by-contact basis.

Open your contact list

Scroll until you find the contact that you'd like to send straight to voicemail, and tap to open the contact

Near the bottom of the contact page, find and tap on the Send to voicemail option

A pop-up will appear asking if you're sure you want to enable this feature.

Tap OK

And you're done! You can do this to as many contacts as you choose and now, only the people you want to be able to reach you directly will have that power.
Bonus tip: Do you have a pesky telemarketer who doesn't get the hint? Save the number in your phone strictly for these purposes and cut stress in half!

How to configure call filtering on the Samsung Galaxy S - Know Your Cell

noreply@blogger.com (Mr Astute) — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 15:16:00 +0000

How to configure call filtering on the Samsung Galaxy S

We show you how to regain control over your incoming calls and automatically send the ones you don't want to voicemail

Samsung's Galaxy S features a 4-inch super-AMOLED display, a 1GHz processor and Android 2.1

Open your contact list
Scroll until you find the contact that you'd like to send straight to voicemail, and tap to open the contact
Near the bottom of the contact page, find and tap on the Send to voicemail option
1. A pop-up will appear asking if you're sure you want to enable this feature.
Tap OK

How to install ringtones on your Samsung Galaxy S - Know Your Cell

noreply@blogger.com (Mr Astute) — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 15:13:00 +0000

We show you how to install ringtones on your handset quickly and easily

The Samsung Galaxy S comes with, shall we say, an interesting selection of ringtones. While some people may find something usable amidst the pre-installed options, others might prefer a wider selection.
Luckily, it couldn't be easier to install ringtones on your Samsung Galaxy S.
In this guide, we show you exactly how it's done.
First, you'll need to find some ringtones you like. To make things as simple as possible, ensure your ringtones are DRM-free MP3 files. Also, they should typically be 30-seconds or less in length.
A good source for free ringtones is mobile9.com and high quality normal, ringing ringtones can be purchased from RCP Tones. You can also make your own ringtones using music you already own thanks to free audio editing software such as Audacity.
Once you have some great ringtones on your computer, you're ready to go:

Ensure your microSD card is in your Samsung Galaxy S, then connect it to your computer using the supplied USB cable
1. If your Samsung Galaxy S does not mount automatically, touch the USB icon that appears in the menu bar at the top of the display, drag it down to expose the Android Notification Pane, then tap on USB Connected and select Mount (or Disk Drive)
Using a file explorer on your computer, navigate to the root folder (the main directory) of the memory card in your Samsung Galaxy S
Create a new folder called ringtones (some devices require a lowercase "r" so please name the new folder exactly as specified)
Now, simply copy all of the MP3 ringtones you want on your Samsung Galaxy S into the new ringtones folder

That's it! You can now unmount your Samsung Galaxy S and your ringtones will become available as options when changing your ringtone.

To set one of your new MP3s as your ringtone:
From the home screen, tap Menu then Settings
Tap Sound, then Phone ringtone
Scroll to the ringtone you want, select it and then tap OK

Enjoy.

Samsung launches low-cost Android 4.0 tablet - tablets, Samsung Electronics, hardware systems, Android tablets - Computerworld

noreply@blogger.com (Mr Astute) — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 15:11:00 +0000

Samsung launches low-cost Android 4.0 tablet - tablets, Samsung Electronics, hardware systems, Android tablets - Computerworld

Samsung Electronics has launched the Galaxy Tab 2 (7.0), the first of its tablets to ship with Android 4.0 and its own Touchwiz user interface, the company said on Monday.

The latest addition to Samsung's tablet portfolio is powered by a dual-core 1GHz processor and has a 7-inch screen with a 1024-by-600 pixel resolution.

The tablet will cost about €270 (US$350) excluding taxes for the Wi-Fi version, according to a statement from Samsung in Sweden, which also says that it will start shipping in March.

Samsung will also sell a 3G version of the Galaxy Tab 2 (7.0), which can function as a phone and connects to the Internet using HSPA (High-Speed Packet Access) at 21M bps (bits per second).

The tablet is 10.5 millimeters thick and weighs 344 grams, compared to the iPad 2 to which is 8.8 millimeters thick and weighs 601 grams.

The specification also includes two cameras; 8, 16 or 32GB of integrated storage and MicroSD card slot; and a 4000 mAh battery that should last for up to 39 hours, according to Samsung.

With a lower price, Samsung hopes to attract a larger audience to its tablets. Sales of Android-based tablets more than tripled during the fourth quarter of 2011, but Apple still dominates the market, according to a recent report from Strategy Analytics. The Android camp had a 39.1 percent share of global tablet shipments, compared to 29 percent a year earlier. Apple's share dropped from 68.2 percent to 57.6 percent, according to Strategy Analytics.

Samsung Unveils Galaxy Tab 2 With Ice Cream Sandwich

noreply@blogger.com (Mr Astute) — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 15:05:00 +0000

Samsung Unveils Galaxy Tab 2 With Ice Cream Sandwich

Samsung on Monday revealed the Galaxy Tab 2 (7.0), the follow-up to its original 7-inch tablet and its first tablet to debut with Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich.

The new 7-inch tablet will be packed with a 1-GHz, dual-core processor and 1GB of RAM, and it will feature a 1024-by-600 LCD display. It will also include dual-facing cameras, with a VGA lens on the front and a 3-megapixel setup on the back. Additionally, the device will be Bluetooth 3.0-compatible and have HSPA+ connectivity.

The Galaxy Tab 2 will come in Wi-Fi and 3G version, and it will roll out worldwide in March, starting in the U.K., Samsung said.

In terms of software, the Galaxy Tab 2 will ship with Samsung Hub services, including Samsung Music Hub with a selection of 17 million songs; Readers Hub, which offers 2.3 million e-books and thousands of magazines and newspapers; and Game Hub, which provides instant access to various game titles. Samsung is also debuting Video Hub, which as the name suggests, boasts a selection of more than 1,000 movies to rent, as well as a trailers and reviews of an array of films.

The Galaxy Tab 2 is Samsung's first device to ship with Samsung's AllShare Play service, which allows users to stream content to the tablet from their PC, smartphone, or third-party storage service.

Samsung, of course, is engaged in a worldwide legal battle with Apple over patents pertaining to its Galaxy line of devices. In fact, Apple has contested just about every smartphone and tablet Samsung has released in the past two years, claiming the gadgets violate patents held by the Mac maker. Samsung has fired back at Apple with similar claims.

The latest development in the seemingly never-ending war happened last week when a Dusseldorf court denied Apple's request to have the modified Galaxy Tab 10.1N banned in Germany. The original Galaxy Tab 10.1, however, is temporarily banned in the country.

Samsung Galaxy S3 Expected to Hit Markets in April

noreply@blogger.com (Mr Astute) — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 06:32:00 +0000

Samsung Galaxy S3 Expected to Hit Markets in April

The Samsung Galaxy S3, supposedly the next flagship smartphone from the South Korean electronics giant, is expected to hit the market this April, according to the latest report.

As per Eldar Murtazin, the Russian blogger and chief editor of Mobile-review, it is expected that Samsung will announce the Galaxy S3 at Mobile World Congress 2012 in Barcelona in February after which the Android smartphone will make its way to the shelves sometime in April.
Murtazin and his series of tweets also mentioned Samsung Galaxy S3 specs. Murtazin claims that the third-generation Samsung Galaxy Android smartphone will ship with the latest Android version, the Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, and the device will feature an HD screen. The rumor's source also added that Samsung will introduce a new camera for the Galaxy S3, a 12-megapixel back facing camera which is technically more powerful than the last year's phone. Murtazin tweeted, "HD resolution, 12 mpx camera, sw tweaks, android 4 – i like my new phone. Eager to see official announcement in Barcelona."

Samsung Galaxy S III fervor begin already, realistic press images leak

noreply@blogger.com (Mr Astute) — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 13:29:00 +0000

Samsung Galaxy S III fervor begin already, realistic press images leak

When it comes to Android device releases, nothing is more exciting than a Nexus smartphone or tablet, except when it comes to the Samsung line of Galaxy S devices of course – and today we’ve got what very well may be the next generation: the Samsung Galaxy S III in leaked press images and details. The story goes like this: Concept Phones, a blog that specializes in conceptual renderings of devices, has intercepted a couple of images and some details sent in from a fellow by the name of Ivan Ilchenko who reported them appearing on Samsung’s “official” page on a Russian social network by the name of Vkontakte. If you’ve got all that, good, because here’s the confusing part: the device may well be the first smartphone to be dual-booting Android and Bada OS right out of the box.

This device is being called the Samsung GT-I9500 Universal, and its details are rather incredulous. While the renderings appear really quite crisp and certainly in line with what we’ve seen from Samsung lately, specifically with the Galaxy Note and the Galaxy Players, the magic inside might be too far-fetched to be realistic. Behind a 5-inch HD Super AMOLED 1280 x 720 pixel resolution display you’ll find a 9mm thick body and a 12 megapixel camera on the back with both LED flash AND Xenon flash. Weird stuff to be sure!
Then there’s a front-facing 2 megapixel camera, availability of 32 or 64 GB internal memory, and a microSDXC slot for memory expansion. This device is said to come with a stylus like the Galaxy Note, but doesn’t appear to have the same onboard slot for carrying said pen like its big cousin does, USB 3.0 capability, and 4G LTE connectivity in its first iteration. Also onboard is a quad-core Samsung Exynos 4412 1.5GHz processor, and the whole thing works with TouchWiz 5.0.

And it all works with both Android and Bada OS. That’s just too strange to be realistic – why on earth would anyone want such a thing? Also we’ve never seen a display like this outside of conceptual renderings as a bezel allows for the display to have some overlap around the edges – how this will work is outside my understanding. Finally, before you cut up the idea of this device because of the buttons at the bottom of the display running against what’s recommended for Ice Cream Sandwich, know that Android 4.0 does have the ability to easily run with these buttons still in-tact.
We’ll either find this device to be real relatively soon or the name Galaxy S III wont pop up again until early 2012. The possibility also exists that this device is close to what we’ll see in the USA release of the Galaxy Note. We’ll see! Thanks for the tip, Alex!
UPDATE: Per Concept Phones:
“Samsung Russia just contacted us and said this is not a real phone. Here’s what they said: “The mock-ups, published in the article on Concept-Phones.com, were posted in the “Imagined Phones” section of “Samsung Phones Owners’ Club” group on VKontakte.ru. This section contains unofficial artworks and designs, created by group members, and are products of pure imagination, sometime even a joke”.” – Concept Phones

Samsung Galaxy Nexus vs Nokia Lumia 800

noreply@blogger.com (Mr Astute) — Sat, 24 Dec 2011 13:26:00 +0000

Samsung Galaxy Nexus vs Nokia Lumia 800

We see how Samsung's Galaxy Nexus stands up to the Nokia Lumia 800

Published on Dec 22, 2011

We compare Samsung's flagship Android Ice Cream Sandwich phone, the Galaxy Nexus, against Nokia's premier Windows Phone 'Mango' handset, the Lumia 800.

Form Samsung Galaxy Nexus - 135.5x67.9x8.9mm,135g
Nokia Lumia 800 - 116.5x61.2x12.1mm,142g

Visually both devices are very impressive with some distinctive and unique design features which help them stand out from the competition.

The Nokia Lumia 800 is a very sharp and angular handset being bluntly rectangular in shape and topped by a gently curved glass screen.

Build quality feels very impressive indeed, the phone uses an aluminium unibody and it’s probably one of the most well put-together handsets we’ve seen this year.

Samsung’s Galaxy Nexus is the polar opposite in terms of aesthetics, it’s all curves but it isn’t over-the-top – being a larger phone overall the longer lines compliment the slight curvature at either end of the device quite nicely.

Sadly, the Galaxy Nexus doesn’t feel quite so solid construction-wise as its opponent.
We have to give this round to the Nokia Lumia 800.

Winner – Nokia Lumia 800

Display
Nokia’s Lumia 800 has a relatively small display at 3.7-inches but it makes up for this with incredibly sharp picture quality thanks to the use of a Samsung AMOLED screen and Nokia’s own ClearBlack technology.

It features multi-touch support and reinforced Gorilla Glass, while the 480x800 pixel resolution grants a pixel density clocking in at 252 pixels-per-inch (ppi).

It’s one of the best displays on a Windows Phone we’ve seen to date, the screen is bright and crystal clear with vivid colours which really pop out at you.

The Galaxy Nexus uses Samsung’s own Super AMOLED technology, which is slightly better than the Nokia’s ‘vanilla’ AMOLED and it’s a pretty big slate of glass at 4.65-inches.
Despite its large size, Samsung has managed to keep the pixel density very high indeed, a 720x1280 pixel resolution results in 316ppi.

Multi-touch is again supported and an oleophobic coating protects the screen from oily fingerprints.

Both displays are pretty amazing to behold and each manufacturer has clearly lavished a lot of effort and attention on these screens.

At the end of the day, however, the Samsung Galaxy Nexus goes that extra mile, not only is it a substantially sized display, making media easier and more satisfying to view, but it achieves this without compromising on picture quality and goes so far as to offer some of the best available. It’s very impressive stuff indeed.

Winner – Samsung Galaxy Nexus

Storage
Samsung’s flagship Android Ice Cream Sandwich phone has two options for storage, with choices of either 16GB or 32GB onboard. Processing power is supplemented by 1GB of RAM.

The Nokia Lumia 800 only has the 16GB option for internal capacity which, while ample, is half the top-end offered by Samsung’s device. It’s also slightly behind on the RAM side of things with around half the memory of the Galaxy Nexus at 512MB.

Neither smartphone is fitted with a card slot, meaning there’s no option to expand storage space with microSD.

Samsung’s Galaxy Nexus wins this round by doubling up on the Lumia 800’s offerings.

Winner – Samsung Galaxy Nexus

Processor
Discussing the processors between Android and Windows Phones is a tricky thing, because you invariably run up against the issue of how the two platforms work in relation to optimisation.

However, the Galaxy Nexus is a little different from most other Android phones.

The problem with Android normally is it’s a one size fits all system which isn’t optimised very well, but this isn’t an issue on the Galaxy Nexus because, as it’s the Android Ice Cream Sandwich flagship device Samsung has worked closely with Google to get everything as finely tuned as possible.

The Galaxy Nexus uses a dual core ARM Cortex-A9 processor clocked at 1.2GHz and running the Texas Instruments OMAP 4460 chipset alongside a PowerVR SGX540 graphics processing unit (GPU).

Performance on this setup is going to be something pretty special, especially with the extra optimisation and tuning.

Nokia’s Lumia 800 runs on single core hardware but again it’s been well optimised and offers really good performance from its 1.4GHz Qualcomm Scorpion processor running the MSM8255 Snapdragon chipset and an Adreno 205 GPU.

Both offer excellent performance in terms of typical smartphone tasks and navigating their respective interfaces.

However, the Galaxy Nexus will handle high-end apps and games with demanding graphics much more capably and will remain the more competitive option looking ahead to the future.

Winner – Samsung Galaxy Nexus

Samsung Galaxy S, Tab: No Android 4.0 for you

noreply@blogger.com (Mr Astute) — Sat, 24 Dec 2011 13:22:00 +0000

Samsung Galaxy S, Tab: No Android 4.0 for you

Owners of Samsung's Galaxy S smartphone and the 7-inch Galaxy Tab won't be getting the latest and greatest version ofAndroid.

In a blog posting on a Korean promotional site run by Samsung, the company noted that the two devices would not receive the update to Android 4.0, the most up to date version of Google's mobile operating system.

The reason for that, as The Verge explains, centers around Samsung's use of additional software features on those phones, including TouchWiz, widgets, video calling and carrier software pack-ins. These suck up hardware resources to the point of giving users a less than desirable Android experience, Samsung says.
Sure to make things a bit complicated is that the Galaxy S is a close sibling of Samsung's recently-released Galaxy Nexus--at least on paper. That phone ships with Android 4.0, known more readily as Ice Cream Sandwich.

Announced in October, Ice Cream Sandwich adds a number of new features to devices on the platform, the main one being the unification of the OS for bothtablets and smartphones, as well as the addition of software-based buttons that replace the ones that have been physical buttons. As with other major releases of Android, it carries with it particular hardware requirements, leaving a number of older devices stuck on certain versions indefinitely.

Samsung Galaxy S2 vs Samsung Galaxy Note vs Samsung Galaxy Nexus

noreply@blogger.com (Mr Astute) — Fri, 25 Nov 2011 09:32:00 +0000

Samsung Galaxy S2 vs Samsung Galaxy Note vs Samsung Galaxy Nexus

Mobile Phones

Samsung's built some incredibly good mobiles recently, making its Galaxy range of smart phones a massive player in the tech world. But of the Samsung Galaxy S2, the Samsung Galaxy Nexus and the Samsung Galaxy Note, which Galaxy is deserving of your cash? Let's meet the mobiles that will be vying for our adoration.

Samsung Galaxy S2

The Samsung Galaxy S2 is an absolute beast, and when it came out earlier this year it proved itself to be the best Android phone in the universe. While other phones have grown bigger since, at the time we were blown away by the 4.3-inch Super AMOLED Plus display, and dazzled by its 1.2GHz dual-core processor. But that was months ago! Does the S2 still look so fresh today?

Samsung Galaxy Note

On the off-chance you didn't think the Galaxy S2 was big enough, the Note will certainly sort you out. The display on this monster mobile measures a mammoth 5.3 inches, and it's something of an animal on the inside too, with a 1.4GHz dual-core processor running the show.

Samsung Galaxy Nexus

The Samsung Galaxy Nexus has a 1.2GHz dual-core processor and a 5-megapixel camera, alongside a 4.65-inch display. That's fine, but what really sets this phone apart is that it's running Android 4.0, aka Ice Cream Sandwich, the newest version of Android. Does that make it worth picking up? Or will a meddlesome volume bug prevent it from finding glory?

Design

The Galaxy Nexus boasts a rounded display, adorned with black gloss and kept looking minimal by a lack of physical buttons. Instead you control the Nexus using three on-screen buttons. It's reasonably slim at 8.9mm thick and it's impressively light at 135g, but we're not blown away by the back plate, which is grey with a textured finished. The bulging spot where the camera pokes out is a little funny-looking too.

The Note is a tad classier, with a curved back and a camera that's flush to the casing. It's 9.7mm slim and 178g, which makes it portable on paper, but you'll likely struggle to fit the Note in your hands, let alone your pocket. There's a serious design no-no going on here too -- Samsung's hidden a cheeky stylus in the bottom of the Note, which is useful for jotting down notes or sketching bowls of fruit, but will almost certainly get lost.

The Samsung Galaxy S2 looks as good as it did when we first snatched it out of its box earlier in the year. It's under 9mm thin and weighs 115g, making it lighter than its Galaxy rivals. The 4.3-inch screen still makes a striking impression, and while some have complained that the case feels rather plasticky, we think the phone itself feels sturdy. It looks and feels fantastic -- we're throwing this one the S2's way.

Design winner: Samsung Galaxy S2

Hardware

The Galaxy S2 blew our tiny minds when it first arrived on the scene, thanks to a dual-core 1.2GHz processor that proved brilliant for apps, games and playing video. The screen was similarly amazing, liquifying our ocular bulbs with the brightness pumped out by its 4.3-inch Super Amoled Plus display.

Almost impossibly, Samsung also squeezed an 8-megapixel camera into the S2's slender chassis, making it an all-around hardware powerhouse.

For a month or so, anyway -- then other smart phones equalled the S2's hardware chops. The Galaxy Nexus goes further than the S2, with a 4.65-inch display that as well as being bigger, boasts a stonkingly high 1,280x720 pixel resolution.

Everything on this panel comes out looking crystal clear, so get ready to be impressed when you fire up a video or web page, and a 1.2GHz dual-core processor keeps everything running smoothly.

But the Galaxy Nexus has a slight hardware downside -- its camera has a meagre 5-megapixel resolution. We were impressed by the stills and video it managed to produce though, so it's not worth writing the Nexus off completely on that front. The Nexus has a 16GB capacity, and you can't expand that using a microSD card.

The Galaxy Note is an absolute hardware monster. Around the back you'll find an 8-megapixel camera, and underneath the bonnet hums an alarmingly potent 1.4GHz dual-core processor that outpaced the Galaxy S2 in our benchmark tests. Using the phone is like sailing through a sea of silk, with apps opening at lightning speed.

The display on offer here is absolutely ginormous at 5.4 inches. In fact, we wouldn't blame you at all if you dismissed the Galaxy Note for being simply too massive. The screen resolution is a touch higher than the Galaxy Nexus' at 1,280x800 pixels, but because the screen is so much bigger it has a lower dpi (dots per inch). It still looks crisp, clear and really colourful though.

Brimming with speedy components and with a screen big enough to eat your dinner off of, the Galaxy Note dominates when it comes to hardware.

Hardware winner: Samsung Galaxy Note

Software

While all three of these phones are running Android, one of them is different. For while the S2 and the Note are powered by version 2.3 of Google's mobile operating system (also known as Gingerbread), the Galaxy Nexus is more advanced, and arrives running Android 4.0, aka Ice Cream Sandwich.

That improved operating system brings visual refinements, and navigating through the phone is handled by three on-screen buttons, rather than any physical keys. Tapping one of those virtual buttons brings up a new multi-tasking menu, which stacks all the apps you've got running up the screen. Also new are folder refinements, and the ability to unlock your phone with your face.

The other major strength of the Galaxy Nexus is that it's running a vanilla version of Android, whereas the Note and S2 are both running a Samsung-tweaked edition of Android. The benefit of using a version that Samsung hasn't fiddled with is that when updates for Android arrive, you'll get them quicker because you don't have to wait for Samsung to squeeze its custom skin over that new version.

That's not to mention the fact that both the S2 and the Note come with loads of Samsung-installed bloatware apps you almost certainly won't want, and would rather delete as soon as possible.

But right now there's a serious problem with the Galaxy Nexus. A bug means that the phone spontaneously drops volume, meaning you miss speech during phone calls, and can miss texts or other notifications in the meantime.

We've been thoroughly testing the Nexus, and it seems that the bug rears its ugly head when you're connected over a 900MHz 2G connection. Networks in the UK that operate on that frequency include Vodafone and O2, as well as Tesco Mobile, giffgaff, Asda Mobile and BT Mobile.

For an analysis of the bug, read our tests. Google has told us a fix is incoming, so hopefully the issue will be resolved soon, at which point the Galaxy Nexus will definitely be winning in the software category. In the meantime though, we're going to call this one a draw between the Galaxy S2 and the Note.

Software winner: Samsung Galaxy S2 and Samsung Galaxy Note (draw)

Tiebreak

It's a tie! So we're going to have to decide between the Samsung Galaxy S2 and the Note.

We weren't impressed by the Note's battery life -- that massive screen appears to guzzle juice, and we got less than 12 hours of use from a full charge, even with moderate use. The S2, meanwhile, is decent when it comes to battery life. No smart phone is great when it comes to surviving away from the mains, but based on our tests the S2 should at least last you a full day's use.

The other issue is that the enormous dimensions won't suit everyone. Most people will probably prefer a smart phone that will fit easily into your pockets or handbag. Size isn't everything, y'know.

Overall winner: Samsung Galaxy S2

Samsung claims Android 4.0 to hit Galaxy Note, Galaxy S II and Galaxy Tab next year

noreply@blogger.com (Mr Astute) — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 15:16:00 +0000

Samsung claims Android 4.0 to hit Galaxy Note, Galaxy S II and Galaxy Tab next year

Samsung Italy put an end to doubts after revealing its plans to upgrade the higher-end devices to Android 4.0. Consequently, the Galaxy Note, Galaxy S II, and the Android 3-based tablets from the Tab 7.0 Plus through the Tab 10.1 would be upgraded by the spring of next year. HDBlog.it says that the original Galaxy S as well as other models represented lower priorities. Samsung considered the highest priority as getting the operating system on devices that would support it and only then evaluating its lower-end devices.

Samsung may have revealed a real hardware baseline for the new Android 4.0 operating system when saying that any device had to have at least WVGA at 400×800 to receive an upgrade.

Android 4.0 will help most the Galaxy Note and Galaxy S II, both of them getting major phone interface changes. The changes are subtler on a tablet and mainly include updated core applications and face unlock, as well as others that are not dependent on the size of the screen.

While showing Samsung decided to support its older hardware, it is still clear that the Galaxy Nexus is the only device of Samsung to carry Android 4.0 in the near future. Other devices are likely to appear at the CES expo in January and in February at Mobile World Congress.

Samsung Galaxy Nexus Already Rooted, Phone Not Even In Stores Yet

noreply@blogger.com (Mr Astute) — Sat, 05 Nov 2011 14:48:00 +0000

Samsung Galaxy Nexus Already Rooted, Phone Not Even In Stores Yet

It's not even in stores yet, but modders have already rooted Samsung's upcoming Galaxy Nexus smartphone. The crack comesthanks to Paul O'Brien, founder of the online Android communityMoDaCo. O'Brien managed to get his hands on Samsung's new Ice Cream Sandwich device ahead of the official launch thanks to a few seemingly well-connected friends.

Details of the custom boot were first posted on the MoDaCo forums, complete with instructions on how to apply the 'Superboot' fix to the upcoming smartphone.

Upon downloading and extracting the 'Superboot' image file, the Galaxy Nexus needs to be in bootloader mode. Once you do this and run the Superboot file,you'll be granted adminstrator rights to the Galaxy Nexus--simple!

O'Brien's quick work is good news for the moding community, proving that Ice Cream Sandwich, the next version of Android, is not any more difficult to tinker with than previous versions of Google's mobile OS.

Samsung Galaxy Nexus

noreply@blogger.com (Mr Astute) — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 02:00:00 +0000

Samsung Galaxy Nexus

In the last few years Android has gone from strength to strength, adding features and new tricks that keep it a favourite among geeky gadgeteers who love to tinker with their tech.

The Samsung Galaxy Nexus will be the first phone running Android version 4.0, aka Ice Cream Sandwich, the very latest edition of Google's robot-riddled operating system. Due out in November, this massive mobile is the follow-up to the brilliant Google Nexus S. Can it keep Android on the cutting edge?

We're still waiting to get hands-on time with the Galaxy Nexus. In the meantime, this preview will round up everything you need to know in terms of the phone's specs, and tell you what we'd expect to see from such a high-profile phone.

Design

In terms of its actual shape, Samsung hasn't strayed far from what it knows with the Galaxy Nexus. Rounded edges and a gently curved frame are the order of the day, and there's a grey-ish patterned coating across the back.

The camera bulges out of the frame slightly, in a way we're not too keen on. But it's a minor quibble, and one we'll forget if the camera itself proves to be a good one.

There are no buttons on the Galaxy Nexus, not even touch-sensitive ones. Now everything happens on-screen, but more on that later.

With a 4.65-inch display, the Galaxy Nexus is a really big mobile. It's nearly as big as the HTC Sensation XL, and that phone feels huge. We wouldn't be surprised if those with shorter fingers find it hard to stretch their digits across this vast touchscreen.

The Galaxy Nexus has a curved chassis that's just 7mm thick at its thinnest point.

Despite being so massive you could land a Boeing 747 on it, the Galaxy Nexus is reasonably thin, at just under 9mm thick. We suspect you'll have no trouble fitting it inside your jeans pocket or handbag.

It's light too. The Galaxy Nexus weighs just 135g, which is 5g lighter than the smaller iPhone 4S. That means the size of the screen is the only issue in terms of portability, and as we mentioned already, we suspect most pockets are up to the challenge of housing this beast.

Ice Cream Sandwich

The most exciting thing about the Galaxy Nexus is that it's going to be the first phone to run Ice Cream Sandwich, the very latest edition of Google's Android operating system, following on from Gingerbread.

Ice Cream Sandwich is designed to be the operating system that unifies the smart phone and tablet versions of Android, tying the whole lot together in a whirl of Tron-style glowing blue boxes. With Ice Cream Sandwich you get on-screen buttons, 'back', 'home' and a multi-tasking button borrowed from Honeycomb.

When you tap that button all the apps you have running will appear, stacked on top of each other in little boxes. Scroll through this tower of apps and tap on the one you want to switch to.

The unlock screen in Ice Cream Sandwich can be opened by the camera recognising your face. Cool!

It looks like a neat method of handling multi-tasking, and with any luck it'll make Android a bit easier to use. This rather geeky OS can sometimes feel a bit baffling if you're not used to its quirky behaviour.

Other treats include the ability to unlock your phone by letting your mobile recognise your face, and responding to incoming calls with pre-programmed texts, such as, "Not now, I'm in a meeting." Clever stuff.

The fact that the Galaxy Nexus is running raw Ice Cream Sandwich with no Samsung apps or skin is also appealing -- this is Android for purists, and means the Galaxy Nexus will likely get updates faster than other phones.

Screen

One part of hardware the Galaxy Nexus does boast that outdoes its rivals is its display. This is a 720x1,280 pixel screen, making the Galaxy Nexus a proper HD phone. With a 100,000:1 contrast ratio, we're really eager to get a look at this panel, and see how it handles our movies and hundreds of photos of cats.

We can't wait to see how the hi-def screen handles movies and photos.

The Galaxy Nexus will come in 16 and 32GB flavours -- which size you opt for will depend on whether you're planning on filling the phone with apps and video. It also comes with NFC tech, for making mobile payments (though Google hasn't brought this to the UK yet) or trading info with other NFC-enabled phones.

Camera

The Galaxy Nexus has a 5-megapixel camera, which is troubling because that's a much lower resolution than the snappers you'd find on rival phones. The iPhone 4S has an 8-megapixel model nestled inside its smooth glass frame, as does the upcoming Motorola Razr. Even the Samsung Galaxy S2, which has been out for ages, has an 8-megapixel camera.

Decent photography is not all about the megapixels -- this much we know. But a low resolution camera isn't a particularly good omen, especially from a phone that's going to be the Google flagship. Fingers crossed the Galaxy Nexus can muster up some decent snaps when we give it the full review treatment.

Outlook

In some respects, the Samsung Galaxy Nexus looks like a blisteringly cool phone -- the screen is of a much higher resolution than we're used to, and it's going to be the first mobile to run Ice Cream Sandwich gives it definite kudos. But there are some things we're concerned about, like the disappointing camera resolution, and the design, which doesn't look too striking.

Other phones will be snarfing the Ice Cream Sandwich, though currently it's anyone's guess as to when that'll be. As such, the Galaxy Nexus needs to prove itself a great piece of kit in its own right if it's to ensure long-term success. Stay tuned for the full review.

New Samsung tablet bundled with social TV app

noreply@blogger.com (Mr Astute) — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 01:58:00 +0000

New Samsung tablet bundled with social TV app

Samsung has just opened up pre-orders for its new Galaxy Tab 7 Plus tablet. You can pick one up for $399.99 for the 16 GB version and $499.99 for the 32 GB device beginning November 13th.

These new tablets will come bundled with Peel, the universal remote and social TV app (also available for iOs and Android devices). In a slick user interface, Peel suggests TV shows based on what you watch and like, and until now, it required you have the “Peel Fruit” device to control your entire entertainment system with the app. The fruit converts WiFi commands from your iPhone or iPad to IR signals.

The new Samsung tablet doesn’t require the Peel Fruit to interface with your home entertainment system. This is possible, “with its built in IR remote functionality,” which Greg Lindley, chief experience officer for Peel explains. This opens up a new audience for Peel’s app that hasn’t wanted to buy a separate device.

“The Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus optimized with the innovative Peel application will enable users to connect seamlessly to view their favorite TV shows,” said Dale Sohn, president of Samsung Mobile. “Our partnership with Peel further builds on Samsung’s convergence strategy to create enhanced user experiences.”

Samsung is already a major player in the Connected TV world and bringing their tablets one step closer to their “Apps Built for your TV” world is a smart idea.

Samsung Smart TV App Store Reaches 1000 Apps & 10m Downloads

noreply@blogger.com (Mr Astute) — Sun, 16 Oct 2011 15:56:00 +0000

Samsung Smart TV App Store Reaches 1000 Apps & 10m Downloads

Korean consumer electronics giant Samsung Electronics this week celebrated two major milestones for its HDTV-based app store, Samsung Apps. The application store for Samsung’s internet-connected Smart TV displays has now reached the first landmark of having one thousand registered apps, and a second even more impressive achievement of smashing through the ten million download barrier.

Samsung Smart TV app store reaches 1000 apps

The figures showed that the Samsung Apps store is growing both in terms of size and popularity among tech-hungry consumers. Topping the list of most downloaded apps were online video applications, which took the top spot both on a regional and an international basis. YouTube was the most popular Smart TV app in both South Korea and the United States according to the data.

In February of last year, Samsung became the first TV manufacturer in the world to launch a television-based app store. Since then the app store has gone from strength to strength, reaching five million downloads in May 2011, and growing by more than 100 percent in the space of just a few months to break the ten million barrier today. This has come about due to the number of downloads per day doubling compared to May of this year, having increased to an average of 50,000 downloads per day.

The data not only reflected the popularity of the Samsung Apps TV store, but also demonstrated how the number of active users of Smart TVs has grown. The Seoul-based conglomerate has been striving to create an ecosystem that provides a huge range of top quality content through collaborations with leading content providers, and it seems that users are lapping up the huge amount of choice and great content on offer.

Kang-hyun Kwon, Samsung’s senior vice president of media solutions centre, said that the company will continue to build on its success by seeking partnerships with more content providers who are also interested in bringing high quality apps to market.

Apple-Samsung Patent Battle: Apple's Totally Winning

noreply@blogger.com (Mr Astute) — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 15:55:00 +0000

Apple-Samsung Patent Battle: Apple's Totally Winning

Samsung's not getting much love from the courts as it tries to defend against Apple's patent infringement claims.

In the United States, District Judge Lucy Koh repeatedly mentioned the visual similarities between Samsung's Galaxy Tab 10.1 and Apple's iPad. In one instance, reported by Reuters, she held up both tablets side-by-side, and challenged Samsung's attorneys to tell them apart. One Samsung attorney, standing 10 feet away, said she couldn't tell the difference at that distance. Another Samsung lawyer picked the correct answer a moment later.

Koh is now considering whether to ban Samsung's tablets from the U.S. market for the duration of the patent infringement trial. Fortunately for Samsung, Koh made a "tentative" decision not to ban the Tab based on Apple's "utility" patents, but she may still allow an injunction based on the similar designs. Apple will have to establish the validity of its design patents if it wants the Galaxy Tab 10.1 removed from store shelves.

Overseas, Samsung's luck has been worse. The Galaxy Tab 10.1 has already been banned in Australia and Germany. In the Netherlands, Samsung's attempt to strike back and gain leverage with an infringement claim on the 3G patents used in the iPhone and 3G iPad was denied. The ruling could, in turn, affect similar claims that Samsung has made in France and Italy. Samsung has been talking about launching a stronger offensive against Apple's newest iPhone, but so far the company's not getting much traction.

My non-legal mind continues to think that if Samsung's getting busted for making a tablet that looks like the iPad, then all non-iPad tablet makers should be under scrutiny. But I also think the competition is healthy and good for consumers. So whatever happens to the Galaxy Tab 10.1, I hope Samsung can move on and keep making tablets. Some of them look pretty cool.

Samsung Galaxy S Stratosphere Takes iPhone 4S Head-on Tomorrow Read more: http://www.itproportal.com/2011/10/12/galaxy-s-stratosphere-takes-iphone-4s-head-on-tomorrow/#ixzz1ae1U2W9j

noreply@blogger.com (Mr Astute) — Thu, 13 Oct 2011 07:27:00 +0000

Samsung Galaxy S Stratosphere Takes iPhone 4S Head-on Tomorrow

Just a day before Apple's flagship iPhone 4S becomes available, Samsung's 4G LTE Galaxy S Stratosphere will go on sale.
Verizon was the only major US carrier that didn't include the Galaxy S2 (newly crowned T3 'phone of the year') in its line-up, and now the Galaxy S Stratosphere promises to take advantage of the pent-up demand. In addition, the Stratosphere is the first smartphone with a physical Qwerty keyboard supporting the 4G LTE network available on Verizon.
In order to get the Galaxy S Stratosphere Verizon subscribers will have to sign a two-year contract and pay a subsidized price of $149.99 and additional $70 monthly fees for voice plan and 2GB data plan.

However, both companies hope that the features integrated in Stratosphere make the price worth. The distinctive characteristic is the five-row physical keyboard, important for business users as well as 4-inch AMOLED touchscreen. The two cameras, one in front with 1.3 MP for video chatting and one in the rear with 5 MP are also meant to impress the users. Additional business features as Cisco AnyConnect 2.1 SSL VPN security, support for Exchange ActiveSync and Sybase Afaria Mobile Device Management should attract business users that are currently more loyal to RIM devices. Verizon's LETE network with data speeds up to 12 Mbps is also perceived as a convincing selling motivation.

Meanwhile Stratosphere' s great rival iPhone 4S already breaks the selling records as pre-orders figures show.

Samsung Galaxy Tab 750 review

noreply@blogger.com (Mr Astute) — Thu, 13 Oct 2011 02:57:00 +0000

Samsung Galaxy Tab 750 review

Anorexic is in…amongst tablets and the first Samsung tablet that we reviewed – the Galaxy Tab – didn't exactly fit that profile. But Samsung did make an impression with its debutante's quality and prowess.

The second in the series was released almost a year later. Samsung missed out on some opportunities because in the interim, a lot of companies had entered the foray, each of them bringing in more innovation targeted at outdoing competition. Samsung is now striking back with the new Galaxy Tab 750 and Galaxy Tab 730. Both tablets are similar as far as the tech specs are concerned, differing only in the screen sizes they come in. I spent some time with the 10.1-inch Galaxy Tab 750 figuring out how well it fares as my primary media consumption device.

Music and movies

The Samsung tabs have shed the original's girth and gained some tech weight instead. In fact they are marginally thinner than the iPad. The Samsung review unit's 10.1-inch screen with a resolution of 1280x800 pixels reproduced images and videos beautifully. I watched a long-pending BBC documentary ‘The Life and Death of a Mobile Phone' on the tablet. The speaker grilles placed on either side of the bezel tended to get covered when I was holding the tablet by the sides, muffling the output. However, the audio quality on the tablet was definitely above average. It did not match the loud volumes on the Motorola Xoom, but dialogues and music were pretty clear. The display on the tablet too, turned out to be quite brilliant.

Checking out the clicker

The Samsung Galaxy Tab 750 is endowed with a 3MP camera at the rear, surprisingly no better than the original Galaxy Tab. The results were as anticipated – decent shots under sunlight and slightly grainy pics indoors even with most lights on. This camera also lets you capture high-definition videos (in 720p). The video-conferencing camera at the front has been upgraded to a 2MP clicker and the results were marginally better.

One of the best uses I could put the Galaxy Tab 750 to was using it as an e-reader. On the massive screen, books were not only perfectly legible by default (no pinching and zooming to get it to the right size) but it also felt like an original book in my hands owing to the tablet's dimensions.

Power specs

The Samsung Galaxy Tab 750 runs on a 1GHz dual-core NVIDIA Tegra-2 processor – the same as LG Optimus Pad, Motorola Atrix and Asus EeePad Transformer. The tab never froze during use but there were a handful of times when there was a visible lag during functions. At times, the homescreen's orientation stuttered while I was changing it from landscape to portrait. I also noticed the same problem while swiping through homepages once in a while.

The tablet supports Bluetooth 3.0 connectivity letting you transfer media at a speed ten times faster than on a USB 2.0. The tablet has a mini-HDMI port so you can hook it up to a larger display to watch high definition videos. The 7000mAh battery keeps the Samsung Galaxy Tab 750 powered on for almost 8-9 hours with the Wi-fi connected, occasional downloads, gaming, and streaming music videos on YouTube. You have the option of choosing between 16GB and 32GB of internal storage on this tablet.

App talk

The apps bundled with the tablet include Polaris – to create and edit power-point presentations, Word documents and spreadsheets. Social Hub lets you have your entire list of contacts, emails and status updates integrated from various platforms like Twitter, Facebook, Gmail etc., in one screen. You can choose from more than 15 social networking sites that are available within the Social Hub.

The 3G SIM card slot is at the top ridge of the tab, where the 3.5mm headphone jack, volume rocker and the power button are also lodged. With a glass fascia and pristine white rear panel, the Galaxy Tab 750 looks really elegant. Weighing in at about 565 grams, the device is probably one of the lightest in the genre, as of now.

The verdict

The Samsung Galaxy Tab 750 has a couple of factors that tip the scales in its favour. The lightweight construction, elegant design, high-res screen make for a device that takes care of most of your multimedia needs. As far as claims of this being an iPad killer are concerned, I'll have to say this tablet has its moments but in its entirety doesn't really give you the kind of experience that the iPad 2 delivers. Nevertheless, Galaxy Tab 750 turns out to be a nice sequel to the original Galaxy Tab and remains one of the top buys in the market. How long it'll be able to retain that position is something that remains to be seen.

Samsung ambushes Apple's iPhone 4S launch in Sydney

noreply@blogger.com (Mr Astute) — Wed, 12 Oct 2011 06:47:00 +0000

Samsung ambushes Apple's iPhone 4S launch in Sydney

iPhone 4S and Samsung Galaxy high street battle

Apple fans queue outside Sydney's Apple store for Friday's delivery of the new iPhone 4S as bargain-hunters queue for the $2 Samsung Galaxy S II, just one shop away.

Samsung has ambushed the launch of the iPhone 4S by offering $2 smartphones in a temporary shop just metres away from the official Sydney Apple store.

A queue - longer than that outside Apple's store - was seen outside the Samsung "pop up" store at 8am today, with those in line hoping to get their hands on a new Samsung Galaxy S II smartphone for the nominal price of $2.

Some waiting in line had been there since Monday, with the store only letting the first 10 in line each day receive the $2 phone. Those waiting since Monday were those wanting the next day's batch of phones.

It comes just days after Samsung said it halted the unveiling of a new Google Android phone as a sign of respect for those mourning the death of Apple founder Steve Jobs.

The South Korean company this week rented a store just two doors down from the Sydney Apple store to promote the Samsung Galaxy S II smartphone and its new online music subscription service, Music Hub.

Samsung's temporary "pop up" store on George Street. Photo: Samsung

The iPhone 4S, Apple's latest revision of its smartphone, goes on sale at 8am on Friday.

Samsung is one of Apple's strongest competitors, with its Galaxy S II smartphone making inroads against the iPhone 4.

Samsung's tablets are also receiving favourable reviews despite attempts by Apple to use the courts to prevent the tablets from going to market.

Inside Samsung's "pop up" store. Photo: Ben Grubb

Samsung has also filed suit in both France and Italy in an attempt to block the iPhone 4S from launching but has not filed a similar suit in Australia.

It's not the first time the smartphone wars have extended into guerilla marketing tactics. At an HTC event last year Nokia representatives were outside HTC's launch venue in London and the Finnish phone maker even handed out HTC press conference "survival kits" to journalists.

Nokia also purchased advertising on high-profile sites such as Fairfax Media's smh.com.au on the day the iPhone 4S was unveiled last week, which advertised its N9 smartphone.

John Kim, 19, and Russell Lee, 20. John plans to sell his $2 Galaxy S II and Russell plans to keep his. Photo: Ben Grubb

An embargoed version of Samsung's Music Hub release that went out to select media on September 30 did not include the fact that Samsung would rent the "pop up" store on George Street.

A general media release sent on the night of the Music Hub launch last Thursday - the day Jobs died and just one day after the announcement of the iPhone 4S - did, however, include the fact.

Fife Capital's Gareth Sneade, who manages the $24 million building Samsung has used part of for the week, told Fairfax that Samsung approached it within the last three months to rent the bottom floor store front of the building.

People waiting outside Samsung's store on Monday. Photo: Samsung

Mr Sneade wouldn't disclose how much Fife was leasing the property to Samsung for but said it was providing short-term month-to-month leases to anyone who wanted one. He was ''unaware'' of Samsung's future intentions with the property after Friday and said Samsung ''was a good fit'' to have renting its property. Samsung said it had "no plans" to continue renting the property beyond Friday.

The building is yet to be renovated and had a development application approved by the City of Sydney in May. Clothing store Fletcher Jones previously rented the store front, according to land title records.

Apple line

How Fife Capital envisages the store Samsung is currently in temporarily to look like after it is developed. Photo: City of Sydney/Fife Capital

Sydney school students Tom Mosca, of West Hoxton, and Wil Batterham, of Chatswood, both 15, have lined up outside Apple's George Street store before Friday's iPhone 4S launch. They arrived at 10.30am yesterday.

The two boys - who are good friends and first met in line waiting for the iPad 2 earlier this year - said many people had approached them trying to convince them to stand in the Samsung line instead of the Apple line.

"There's this guy who has come up to us trying to convince us to buy the Samsung Galaxy S II two days in a row now," said Tom. "And he's an idiot.

Russell Lee will be using his $2 Galaxy S II to replace his old Nokia 100 phone. Photo: Ben Grubb

"The amount of people asking what we are lining up for is absolutely astonishing," said Wil.

Wil said the iPhone 4S was "so much simpler, it's better, it's classier, it's sexier" than the iPhone 4.

Both boys said their parents knew they were camping at Apple's store. Tom's parents told him that if he wanted to camp out he could, he said.

Caroline and Jessica Kim waiting in the Samsung line. Photo: Ben Grubb

The last time the two lined up - which lasted 50 hours - was at the same Apple store for the iPad 2. Tom was third in line then, he said, as two others beat him to being first. "The reason I was third was because the other two guys were tourists and they didn't have any place to stay."

Tom recently sold his iPhone but is keeping it until he gets the 4S on Friday. He said he laughed when he saw the Samsung store and people waiting in line there. "I mean we're no better than them but at least we're getting an iPhone." Wil interjected with a laugh, saying the two were better.

Wil said he wasn't lining up at the Chatswood Apple store that was closer to him as the experience was not as good. "Lining up at the Chatswood store you have to wait outside a mall and you don't get the experience that you would here."

Tom Mosa and Wil Batterham, both 15. Photo: Ben Grubb

Samsung line

Two people Fairfax spoke to in Samsung's line - brother and sister John, 19, and Jessica Kim, 20, from Lidcombe and Burwood respectively - said they would sell their $2 Samsung Galaxy S II smartphones to go on a trip to India. John used an iPhone and would be sticking with it, and Jessica an Optus MyTab, which she used as a phone and tablet. They said the were planning on using the funds to finance some of their India trip.

A cousin of theirs, Caroline Kim, 21 and from Strathfield, said she would keep the Galaxy S II. Her boyfriend, Russell Lee, 20 and from Lidcombe, would also keep his. He's using it to replace his old Nokia 100 mobile.

Both Jessica and Caroline were sleeping in a bright orange tent while John and Russell kept each other company on camping chairs.

Jessica couldn't believe why the two boys at the Apple store were lining up so early. "I can't believe people are lining up for three days just to get it earlier."

"They're waiting three days to pay the full price of the iPhone," said John, suggesting they could've waited in Samsung's line and paid $2 for the Galaxy S II and sold it and used the funds to purchase an iPhone 4S.

This reporter is on Facebook: /bengrubb