Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 to Launch with Stock Honeycomb 3.1

Tweet
Samsung just announced that the Galaxy Tab 10.1, given away early to attendees of Google IO  will be available over the next two weeks, and they snuck in a little surprise. As had been rumored, the Galaxy Tab 10.1 will indeed launch with the latest version of Honeycomb, Android 3.1 on board. The extra bonus here is that to meet the deadline, the Tab will be running stock 3.1, rather than have Samsung’s TouchWiz UX skin as originally planned.


The news was indirectly mentioned in the press release today announcing the dates for the Samsung tablet, when at the bottom it said that TouchWiz UX would be available as an additional download at a later date. A comment from the president and CEO of Samsung, Dale Sohn, confirms that making sure the Galaxy Tab 10.1 launched with Android 3.1 was a primary goal. It appears that this goal has come at the cost (or to some, bonus) of no Samsung UI skin.
There is no confirmation that later down the road, the device will not ship with TouchWiz. This news is an indication of how manufacturers UI skins, if nothing else, slow down upgrades. While it does naturally take time to make adaptions for different screens, chipsets and the like, the main reason many phones don’t get an upgrade for so long is because of the time it takes to work skins like HTC’s Sense, Motorblur, or Samsung’s TouchWiz UI on top of them. I for one am a fan of stock Android, and would take an upgraded version of Android without a skin over an older version with a UI any day. I’m glad to see Samsung give priority to the upgrade in this case, and think that offering their UI for download at a later date was a good compromise on their part
So if you love stock Android, and love Android tablets thinner than the iPad, you can pick up the Galaxy Tab 10.1 starting June 8th at the Best Buy in Union Square in New York, NY, or nationwide June 17th.
)

Read More

Verizon Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 4G LTE official: Pre-orders from June 8

Tweet

It’s not just the WiFi-only Galaxy Tab 10.1 arriving imminently; Verizon has thrown up details about its 4G LTE version of the Samsung Honeycomb slate, which is set to hit pre-order on June 8 in either gray or white. Set to arrive in stores this summer – nothing more specific than that, sadly – the Android tablet has the same 10.1-inch display and dual-core Tegra 2 processor as the Limited Edition version we reviewed recently.

There’s also a 3-megapixel main camera, 2-megapixel front camera, WiFi, Bluetooth and GPS. Verizon will also be offering a bevy of accessories, including a full-sized keyboard dock and a docking station for multimedia use.
Unfortunately this LTE goodness doesn’t come cheap. Verizon is asking $529.99 for the 16GB model and $629.99 for the 32GB model, both with a new, two-year agreement.
Press Release:

Verizon Wireless Adds 4G LTE-Enabled Samsung Galaxy Tab™ 10.1 To Portfolio
4G LTE-Enabled Samsung Galaxy Tab™ 10.1, Exclusive from Verizon Wireless, Measures Only 8.6 Millimeters Thin
06/02/2011
BASKING RIDGE, NJ, and DALLAS, TX — Verizon Wireless and Samsung Telecommunications America (Samsung Mobile), today announced the 4G LTE-enabled Samsung Galaxy Tab™ 10.1 will be available on the fastest, most advanced network in coming weeks. The slim and sleek Galaxy Tab 10.1 debuts with Android™ Honeycomb and will be available in either Metallica Gray or Glossy White. Customers will be able to pre-order the device online on June 8 at www.verizonwireless.com/galaxytab4glte. When the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 hits Verizon Wireless stores this summer, it will be accompanied by an array of optional accessories such as a full-sized keyboard dock and a multi-media docking station.
“The Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 is a great option for customers who want to enjoy the Verizon Wireless 4G LTE network – the fastest network in America,” said Jeff Dietel, vice president of marketing for Verizon Wireless. “Customers can also use the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 wherever they are on the nation’s largest 3G network.”
Dietel added, “The tablet market is exploding as customers are discovering new uses for the technology that features a large screen, powerful processing speeds and access to Android Market™’s 200,000 applications. The Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 is perfect for customers who want to take advantage of Google™’s new movie rental option and view their favorite film on-the-go.”
“Samsung Mobile is excited to expand its mobile tablet portfolio with Verizon Wireless to include the 4G LTE-enabled Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1,” said Dale Sohn, president of Samsung Telecommunications America. “The Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 is the thinnest and lightest tablet in the world that delivers a truly mobile multimedia experience on an Android Honeycomb platform.”
The Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 offers full support for Google™ Mobile Services, including GmailÔ, YouTube™ and more. Customers will relish the 10.1-inch enhanced display with a 1280×800 resolution HD screen, 1 GHz dual core application processor, a 2-megapixel front-facing camera and a 3-megapixel rear-facing camera. Both consumers and business customers will find a multitude of uses for the Galaxy Tab that range from video chat to business tools, including those that allow for the opening and editing of documents, spreadsheets and presentations. The Galaxy Tab 10.1 features Adobe® Flash® Player to deliver an enhanced Internet browsing experience and access to content-rich Websites.
Verizon Wireless will offer two 4G LTE-enabled Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 models both priced with two year customer agreements: $529.99 for the 16GB model and $629.99 for the 32GB model. For more information on the Samsung Galaxy Tab, go to: www.verizonwireless.com/galaxytab4glte.

Read More

Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 set to hit US on June 8

Tweet
The Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 tablet has finally received an official launch date with Samsung saying that the tablet will hit Best Buy on June 8. The only catch is that the June 8 launch day is for a limited number of the devices in stock only at the Best Buy Union Square store in NYC. The general availability of the Galaxy Tab 10.1 will be June 17 at all Best Buy stores and lots more places like Amazon and Fry’s.


The 32GB version of the Galaxy 10.1 WiFi will be $599 and the 16GB version of the tablet will be $499. If you have missed the details of the tablet in the past, the device will run Android 3.2 and has a 10.1-inch screen. The tablet is very thin at 8.6mm thick and it weighs 1.25 pounds. The screen resolution is 1280 x 800.
The tablet will also have WiFi and it runs an NVIDIA Tegra 1GHz dual core processor. The tablet has a 3MP rear camera and a 2MP front camera for video chat and it can play 1080p HD video. We knew the launch date had to be soon when pricing and availability on the official accessories for the tablet turned up recently.
)

Read More

HTC Flyer vs Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1

Tweet

We pit the HTC Flyer up against the Android 3.1-powered Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1
HTC is no stranger to acclaim. Its smartphones are widely regarded as industry leading specimens and innovation and design excellence have become synonymous with the Taiwanese manufacturer.
But up until recently it was a stranger to the tablet market, and we've decided to put the company's premier tab, the Flyer, through its paces by placing it up against a device that has enjoyed a very positive reception: the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1.
Let's see how it got on.
Display
Samsung's Galaxy Tab 10.1 features, unsurprisingly, a 10.1-inch TFT display that operates at a resolution of 800 x 1280 and the screen is just about as impressive as you'd expect from Samsung. It may not rival the company's Super AMOLED products but you'll be hard pushed to find anything to dislike about the Galaxy Tab 10.1's display. It's big, responsive and is great for watching HD content or web browsing.
The Flyer however, only offers a 7-inch screen, operating at a resolution of 600 x 1024, which HTC claim will make the device altogether more mobile than its competitors. Performance-wise the display's solid enough, colours look vivid and blacks deep, but the lack of space does prove to be a hindrance at times and the small-size sometimes gives you the feeling that you might be better off with a large screened smartphone, which you can slip into a pocket. We have no major complaints though.
Winner - Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1
Power
The HTC Flyer may feature a small screen but it doesn't lack in the engine room and the single-core 1.5GHz CPU is a beast, it chomps through tasks super speedily and the 1GB of installed RAM help matters along nicely.
Samsung opted to go down the dual-core route with the Galaxy Tab 10.1, packing a 1GHz chip into the device, which takes care of multi-tasking without skipping a beat. The Galaxy Tab 10.1 also offers 1GB RAM too, making it a fast, well provisioned machine indeed.
While the Samsung weighs-in heavier with the dual-core, we're pretty fond of the higher clocked chip of the Flyer too, and let's not forget, Android isn't 100% ready for dual-core just yet, so we're happy to call this one a draw..for now.
Winner - Draw

Optics
Samsung's Galaxy Tab 10.1 features a 3.15-megapixel primary snapper which performs adequately, with an LED flash and auto-focus included to make your life easier and while it won't set the world alight it should be ample for casual use. The device does capture video at 720p though, which should allow all you amateur film makers to exercise your creative muscle! The Galaxy Tab 10.1 also packs a secondary 2-megapixel camera for video-calling.
HTC's Flyer comes with an altogether more impressive 5-megapixel shooter which also features autofocus but, brace yourself, no flash! So you're golden if you're outside or in good lighting but step inside after dark or on one of the UK's infamous grey days and you might just be done for!
Video capture functionality on the Flyer is the almost-standard 720p and the device also boasts a secondary 1.3-megapixel camera.
Winner - Draw
Form
Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 - 256.6 x 172.9 x 8.6 mm, 595 g
HTC Flyer - 195.4 x 122 x 13.2 mm, 420 g
HTC's plan to make the Flyer a super-portable tablet works. The device is small, light and comfortable to use but while you'll be stoked it isn't weighing you down while you're carrying it, you might not be as impressed when you crack it out to use. Sure, it feels balanced in the hand and is made of high-quality materials, but it just seems to exude a 'smartphone with gigantism' vibe. On the positive side it might make you feel like a kid again.
The Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 is a well constructed, nicely designed device which looks good, performs well and is eye-catching enough to stand next to the likes of the iPad 2 without blushing. It is a little on the heavy side for a tablet though but in the aesthetics category we give it an enthusiastic A+.
Winner - Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1
Software
Both the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 and the HTC Flyer run on Google's all-conquering Android platform and as such offer the user the ability to customise with widgets, download from the huge app catalogue that is the Android Market and browse with full flash support!
Tablet-only support is a little thin on the ground for Android at the moment though, so don't expect to enjoy the same sort of tablet-only support you'd get on Apple's gadget.
The notable difference between these two devices is the version of Android that they run. Strangely, HTC opted to install version 2.4 of Android on the Flyer, rather than the tablet-specific 3.0, which the Galaxy Tab 10.1 enjoys and as such certain nice features, like the new system and overhauled apps aren't present on the device. It does feature HTC's neat Sense UI but for once that isn't enough of a sweetener to clinch the deal, which means we're putting our tick firmly next to the Galaxy Tab 10.1 box in this round.
Winner - Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1
So it's a pretty decisive victory for the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1! The device builds nicely on the foundation laid by its predecessor the Galaxy Tab, making it a great device for Android enthusiast and newbie alike. Build quality is second to none and the feature list is jam packed too!
The HTC Flyer is something of a damp squib though and while we can't help but admire its good looks and pedigree it generally doesn't fit in with the smartphone market, or the tablet, a fact cemented by the baffling decision to run the device on a smartphone platform rather than tablet software.
If you're looking for a more portable tablet it will serve a purpose but other than that we can't think of a single reason why you'd want to choose the Flyer over one of its big-screened peers.

Read More

T-Mobile gets Samsung Exhibit 4G and Gravity SMART budget Android smartphones

Tweet
T-Mobile and Samsung Mobile have announced that T-Mobile will be getting a pair of new budget Android smartphones for its users to choose. The new devices include the Samsung Exhibit 4G and the Samsung Gravity SMART. The big feature of both of the Android-powered smartphones is the price. Both of the smartphones will sell for under $100 each after a $50 mail-in rebate. Naturally, that price requires a new 2-year agreement.


The Exhibit 4G smartphone will work on the T-Mobile 4G network. The T-Mobile 4G network is good for download speeds up to 21Mbps in theory. The smartphone runs Android 2.3 Gingerbread and has a 1GHz processor inside. It comes with T-Mobile TV pre-loaded and has games pre-loaded as well. Other features include a 3MP camera with flash and video recording and a front camera for video chats. It also has WiFi connectivity.
The Gravity SMART runs Android 2.2 Froyo and has a slide-out QWERTY keyboard for messaging. The keyboard is spacious with four-rows of keys. The screen on the Gravity SMART is a 3.2-inch touchscreen unit and it features Swype for easy text input. The camera on the phone is a 3MP unit with flash and video recording capability. Both of these smartphones will connect to the Android Market.

Read More

T-Mobile Officially Announces Samsung Exhibit 4G and Gravity SMART

Tweet
Hot from the press, T-Mobile issued a press release only a few moments ago announcing 2 new Android powered handsets from Samsung Mobile. First up is the Exhibit 4G which is the more “high-end” of the two, featuring a 1GHz Hummingbird processor, VGA front facing camera, 3MP rear camera, 3.7-inch 800×480 AMOLED display, Android 2.3 Gingerbread and fully compatible with T-Mobile’s blazing fast 4G network, all for only $80 after a $50 mail-in rebate. It will also be available in both black and purple color options.

Next up is the Gravity SMART. This feature phone continues in the Gravity line of Samsung’s phones except this is the first to feature Android as the OS. Gravity SMART will come with a 3.2-inch screen, 800MHz processor, 3MP camera and Android 2.2 Froyo and even Swype if you don’t feel like typing on the slide-out full qwerty keyboard. The SMART will only set you back $70 after $50 mail-in rebate although, you can score it for $30 if you purchase it on T-Mobile’s website.

While none of these phones are going to make anyone’s jaws drop, its always nice to have options. With the Exhibit 4G only $10 dollars more than the SMART seems like kind of a no-brainer on which to choose although that full qwerty keyboard doesn’t look half bad. You can look forward to both these devices dropping sometime this month (although rumored for a June 8th launch date) on T-Mobile.
[Via T-Mobile]

Read More

Samsung Galaxy S II gets even better 1080p 30Mbit/s video hack

Tweet

Yesterday I mentioned that there was a new hack that had been unveiled for the Samsung Galaxy S II smartphone that wasn’t quite ready for the masses. The hack took the standard video capability of the Galaxy S II and gave the smartphone 1080p 24Mbit/s capability with 44.1khz/192kbps audio. The developer of that hack was hyperX. HyperX has now teamed up with a developer at XDA-developers called potatoman to develop an even better hack.


The new hack takes that 24Mbit/s video from yesterday and turns it up a notch with 30Mbit/s Super fine 1080p HD at 30 fps with 48Khz/192kbps audio. The new hack has some other options for the video settings as well. In addition to the new 30Mbit mode, the hack also offers access to the 24Mbit fine mode we talked about yesterday.
Users can also opt for 17Mbit normal mode. All of the available modes use the same sound quality. Apparently, another version of the hack keeps the sound standard and just ups the video quality. Potatoman and hyperX say that they will work together on more hacks for the GSII in the future. There is no word on when this mod will be ready for the masses.

Read More

Nexus 3 was a Fake, Hearts Break

Tweet

Well people the internet over were skeptical. I personally wanted it to be true, but it turns out that the supposed leaked image of the Nexus 3 was indeed a fake. As several people have noticed, there do appear to be signs on the image which would tend to indicate a photoshop job. The site responsible for the leak has apologized and explained that their source, whom they believed to be a Google employee, was in fact not. It was fun while it lasted, now we go back to awaiting the real Nexus 3.


It was a weak link from the beginning, and now the evidence proves hands down the leak was always a fake. TechHog had several photo experts confirm that the image had indeed been fabricated, as many suspected. Adding to the certainty was a non-responsive source, who it turns out was the one who requested TechHog pull the info and image from the site. I can’t imagine what so motivated this guy to fake a leak anonymously, but he clearly put some thought into it.

The image above is the supposed source of the fake leak. We aren’t sure what this phone is, but it bears a resemblance to several previous HTC phones, appearing to be a metallic version of the Sensation, or the Incredible S. A key thing to notice is that the image above, still has the usual extra bezel space for hardware buttons, even though they are not visible, further strengthening the link to the Incredible S and its rotating capacitive buttons. We’ll keep you updated if anymore details about this phone, or the Nexus 3 comes to light.
[via TechHog]

Read More

Linaro and Samsung partner for Origen board with Samsung Galaxy S II chipset for devs

Tweet
Open source developers need hardware to test the offering on and Linaro and Samsung have partnered to deliver a high-end solution to developer needs. The new device is called the Origen development board and the coolest thing about the little board is that it uses the same powerful Samsung Exynos 4210 chipset that you find inside the Samsung Galaxy S II smartphone. That chipset has a dual-core ARM Cortex-A9 processor.


Other than that speedy Samsung chipset, the Origen board also has 1GB of DDR3 RAM and a Mali400 GPU. The board is aimed at developers looking to make tablets, smartphone, and other connected screens that want high quality graphics and performance. Linaro will provide Linaro Evaluation Builds of Android and Ubuntu from its website to use with the hardware. Perhaps the coolest thing about the Origen board is that it will sell to devs for under $200.
The board also integrates mobile oriented feature is not the board like interfaces for HDMI, SD cards, WiFi, Bluetooth, Stereo audio, LCD, JTAG debug, and cameras. The Exynos processor is mounted on a small daughter board with the DDR3 RAM to enable future upgrades. “The Origen board and Linaro’s provision of software and tools makes it easier, faster and less expensive for developers and companies to develop high-end embedded Linux products,” said George Grey, CEO Linaro. “Origen provides outstanding performance for tablets, smartphones and a wide range of embedded Linux products, and we are excited to be offering optimized open source components and builds of Android and Ubuntu for this development platform.”
[via Linaro]

Read More

Samsung Galaxy S II I9101 snapped in the wild

Tweet
We all know all there is to know about the Samsung Galaxy S II smartphone. The device has been very popular and sold a million units in South Korea alone so far. The smartphone is one of the more sought after Android offerings around. Another version of the Galaxy S II has now turned up in the wild and Mr. Blurrycam has snapped the device with what appears to be a camera phone after a bit too much caffeine.


We have no idea what sort of specs the smartphone in these pictures offers for sure. What we do know is that the splash screen clearly shows the model number of the phone to be I9101. We might not know what’s under the hood of the phone in the images here, but it’s easy enough to guess that what we are looking at is that Galaxy S II with NFC inside that Samsung has confirmed for the UK in June.
At the time the UK NFC version of the phone was announced we wondered if there would be two version of the device offered in the UK. It appears with this new Galaxy S II turning up with a different model that there will be two versions. Presumably, this side of the NFC assumption, the hardware will be the same.

Read More

Samsung sells 1.3m Galaxy S II in Korea; promises successor in 1H 2011 plus 4G Galaxy Tab

Tweet
Samsung has announced that it has broken the 1m sales barrier for the Galaxy S II in South Korea, smashing sales records in the process. Meanwhile, mobile comms chief J.K. Shin has confirmed that a sequel to the GSII, aka the “Galaxy S III”, is planned for the first half of 2012, while a Samsung Galaxy Tab 4G slate should arrive later in the year.

Details on the two new devices are unknown, with Shin only saying that the tablet would be built upon, and improve, what the current Galaxy Tab models offer. The 4G standard it will support is also unclear, so it could be LTE, WiMAX, HSPA+ or – most likely – all three to suit the various carriers.
Samsung actually sold 1.3m GSII units in May, Shin says; the original Galaxy S took 70 days to reach the 1m mark. As for the ongoing legal battle between Samsung and Apple, Shin dismisses it as not being “legally problematic.”  ”We didn’t copy Apple’s design” the exec insisted, “we have used many similar designs over the past years.”

Read More

Samsung Galaxy S2 vs LG Optimus Black

Tweet

How will the LG Optimus Black fare against the Samsung Galaxy S2? We find out
We compare the LG Optimus Black to Samsung’s Galaxy S2.
Form:
Samsung Galaxy S2 - 125.3 x 66.1 x 8.5 mm, 116 g
LG Optimus Black - 122 x 64 x 9.2 mm, 109 g
You could be forgiven for thinking both phones were designed by the same person as each seems to be inspired by the trends set by the iPhone for neat, minimalist slabs topped with glass. Both these handsets are incredibly thin and light, in fact it takes some doing to get something lighter than the Galaxy S II and the Optimus Black has achieved that here, though the Samsung still maintains its position as the thinner of the two. We like the looks of both these phones and will have to look elsewhere to figure out which is superior.
Winner - Draw
Display:
The Optimus Black uses a 4-inch IPS LCD Nova capacitive touchscreen with a resolution of 480 x 800 pixels and dots-per-inch (dpi) rating at 233. The phone has an accelerometer and comes loaded with the Optimus 2.0 user interface (UI) and the Gesture 2.0 UI.
The Samsung’s display setup is a more advanced affair with a 4.3-inch Super Amoled Plus capacitive touchscreen reinforced with ‘Gorilla Glass’.
The Super Amoled Plus technology offers better power efficiency as well as greater colour depth and image sharpness than standard LCD screens and the Gorilla Glass should keep it all in good condition.
The display comes in at 480 x 800 pixels and 218 dpi and features multi-touch input, accelerometer and gyro sensors.
The Galaxy S2 is loaded with the TouchWiz 4.0 UI.
It’s a fairly close one here, both screens offer the same resolution, the Samsung’s is slightly larger which is a positive point in its favour but the Optimus Black has a higher dpi, however, the Super Amoled Plus screen goes a long way to compensating for the Galaxy S II’s lower dpi rating and this, combined with the additional features with multi-touch and reinforced glass makes it a preferable choice for us.
Winner – Samsung Galaxy S2
Storage:
With 2 GB of storage the Optimus Black may not have a vast archive of space like some smartphones but it should be adequate for a reasonable amount of content and is certainly better than many other handsets with less than 1 GB. RAM is 512 MB and Micro SD cards are supported up to 32 GB.
The Samsung does have a lot of space by comparison with variants available for either 16 or 32 GB of internal storage, the Galaxy S II boasts 1 GB RAM and Micro SD support up to 32GB, while an 8 GB card is included as standard.
Again, the Optimus Black is better than most without being exceptional, the Samsung though really does give you a lot of space to play with as well as more RAM to help the processor out, for those reasons it wins this round.
Winner – Samsung Galaxy S2
Operating System:
The Samsung runs on Android 2.3 Gingerbread and while the LG comes with the earlier 2.2 Froyo build it is fortunately upgradeable to Gingerbread - but you'll have to wait for that.
There’s no real competition here with both phones having access to the same operating system, Gingerbread is the best choice for each handset as it offers enhanced multi-tasking over previous versions along with an advanced app management suite, an improved touch keyboard which offers excellent performance and responsiveness, and a generally upgraded, faster and more intuitive user interface.
Our only gripe is the web browsing which hasn’t received the attention we would like to bring it up-to-date with Honeycomb 3.0’s smooth and tabbed browsing experience.
Winner – Draw
Processor:
LG has given the Optimus Black a single core 1 GHz TI OMAP 3630 processor, the single core shows the Optimus Black as being more of a budget option with a lower spec, still with the TI technology clocked at 1 GHz it’ll give decent enough performance even if it doesn’t have the slickness of its dual core counterparts.
Speaking of which, the Samsung packs just such a dual core power plant with 1.2GHz ARM Cortex-A9 processor running the Orion chipset. This is supported by a Mali-400MP graphics processing unit (GPU).
Naturally this stomps all over the Optimus Black’s relatively humble offering, we don’t wish to discredit it as it's a good processor in its own right but it simply can’t keep up with the Samsung’s performance.
Winner – Samsung Galaxy S2
Camera:
The Samsung Galaxy S II has a really nice camera setup with an 8-megapixel primary at 3264x2448 pixels, while video quality is at 1080p. Autofocus, LED flash, geo-tagging, touch focus, face and smile detection and image stabilization complete the features line-up and there’s a secondary 2-megapixel camera too.
The Optimus Black has a 5-megapixel primary camera at 2592 x 1944 pixels with video at 720p, the secondary camera is the same as that on the Samsung at 2-megapixels. Features-wise it has autofocus, LED flash and geo-tagging along with face and smile detection.
An easy win for the Samsung here but that’s mainly due to its 8-megapixel camera is the exception rather than the norm and there’s still nothing wrong with the Optimus Black’s 5-megapixels, but the Galaxy S2’s setup is far superior.
Winner – Samsung Galaxy S2
Final Thoughts:
The Galaxy S2 tends to beat most competitors save for the LG Optimus 3D, HTC Evo 3D where it draws even, and the HTC Sensation and LG Optimus 2X where it is shaken slightly but not toppled.
In this case it’s not surprising that it outranks a mid-range phone like the LG Optimus Black, but that’s not meant as a slight to the LG, it’s a perfectly competent piece of kit and it isn’t pretending to be anything other than what it is, a slightly lower spec but more affordable smartphone. It isn’t as good as the Galaxy S2 but it’s a decent handset if the Samsung is out of your budget.
If you want the better of the two though it is definitely the Galaxy S2.

Read More

Official Galaxy Tab 10.1 accessories all caught on video

Tweet

We really like the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 tablet a lot around here and we have reviewed that limited edition version already and are looking forward to the retail version landing. Monday the official accessories turned up on a European website with prices and availability on some of them listed. There was a number of accessories including cases and lots more there for fans of the tablet to check out.


If the photos that accompanied the accessories on that European website weren’t enough to allow you to decide which to buy, they have turned up on a video over on Andoridmixer. I don’t understand the language the guy on the video is speaking, but you can see the accessories in action. The normal hard case looks nice. The leather case is nothing but a pouch; I would go with the hard case.
The video goes over the dock and just about everything else as well. The keyboard dock is the one that didn’t have a pic on the post earlier this week. It looks really nice. The right shift key is small, which is a pet peeve of mine. Anyway, check out the video to see the stuff in action.

Read More

Samsung Galaxy S II Tops iPhone 4 This Month in UK

Tweet

The Samsung Galaxy S II was released earlier this month and it has already  passed up the iPhone 4 in the UK. Yay! That much is according to uSwitch.com, anyway, who monitors sales and mobile searches. Is this really a victory for Samsung, though? The iPhone 4 was released last summer to all regions and still sits in the top three list next to Samsung and HTC. To keep such a spot for so long is a victory in and of itself. I’m obviously playing devil’s advocate for Apple here (I know, how blasphemous) but facts are facts. Here’s hoping Samsung (or any other Android manufacturer) can stay on top for the long haul. [IntoMobile] 

Read More

Galaxy Tab 8.9 Hits the FCC, Coming Soon!

Tweet

I know you all are just like me and are excited and anxiously awaiting the Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9 to hit store shelves. Its super thin and will most likely be a big seller. I think 8.9″ is the perfect size and feels just right in the hand. Recently we mentioned the Tab 10.1 would be hitting stores in the next few days, and now we are seeing the Tab 8.9 hit the FCC. Things are looking better and better and hopefully I can get my hands on this device soon. Check out our Galaxy Tab 10.1 hands-on while you are here.

Our friends and AndroidCentral have just got word that the Galaxy Tab 8.9 has hit the FCC. This device is being called the “GT-P7310″ and you can see more about that here. The Galaxy Tab line will now all be shipping with the updated Android Honeycomb version 3.1 and should be amazingly thin like we have already seen.
I personally cant wait to have the Galaxy Tab 8.9″ for myself as I’ll probably be taking it everywhere I go, It just feels right. So will you be getting the 8.9″ or will you opt for the larger 10.1″ that will be here soon? Or get the Asus Transformer that is out now? To keep you all excited I’ll go ahead and post the latest hands-on we have seen of the Galaxy Tab 8.9″ for your viewing pleasure. Sorry but it is not in English but we only need our eyes for this video.

[via Android Central]

Read More

Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 Shipping With Android 3.1

Tweet

I don’t know about you guys but I’m stoked about the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 hitting the market.  I haven’t really been a fan of any device over 7-inches but this one has caught my eye for a number of reasons.  Mainly because it’s slim as heck, has a cool keyboard dock and will be shipping with Android 3.1.  The new 3.1 update offers Resizable widgets, access to the open accessory API, USB host API and improvements for the Media Transfer Protocol and Real-Time Transport Protocol.  You can get your own Tab 10.1 on June 8th for $499 with 16GB of memory and $599 for 32GB.  Let us know what you think in the comments below.  Hit the break to check out our pal’s over at IntoMobile’s quick look at the Galaxy Tab 10.1

Read More

Sprint Samsung SPH-D600 mid-range WiMAX Android phone leaks

Tweet
One of Sprint’s upcoming mid-range WiMAX Android smartphones has leaked, with the Samsung SPH-D600 turning up in the wild for a few blurry photos. Phandroid‘s tipster sent them the loot, a triplet of shots showing the DROID X-esque fascia, simple back panel and software screen confirming it’s Android 2.3.3 Gingerbread onboard.

Among the confirmed specs so far are a 1GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon processor, 480 x 320 resolution touchscreen and a 3.2-megapixel main camera, while there’s also a front-facing webcam for video calls. That doesn’t exactly make for a groundbreaking product sheet, but it should hopefully mean that Sprint can offer this 4G handset at a more affordable price.
With rivals like Verizon releasing a number of 4G LTE phones at the moment, Sprint needs to claw some attention back to its own 4G offering. A $99 or lower sticker for the SPH-D600 could certainly do that, and we see nothing in the specs that would really prevent it. No word on release date nor official name at this stage.

Read More

Galaxy Tab 10.1 “a few days away” with Android 3.1 onboard!?

Tweet

I am really looking forward to the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 hitting the market for folks to get hands on. I know I am not the only one. We put up a review not long ago of the Galaxy 10.1 that was handed out at Google I/O and we liked the thing pretty well. The tablet we laid our hands on was packing Android 3.0.1 under the hood. There is now evidence surfacing directly from Samsung that the Galaxy Tab 10.1 may in fact be packing Android 3.1 when it hits stores.

As you can see in the photo here the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 product page, the description now lists Android 3.1 as the OS behind the scenes. All the other hardware remains the same with the 1280 x 800 10.1-inch screen, 1GHz Tegra 2 dual-core processor, and 65536MB of storage. The Tab 10.1 also has a 7000mAh battery for all day run time. The front camera is a 2MP unit and the rear camera is a 3MP offering.
To add another wrinkle to the saga of the Galaxy Tab 10.1 a tweet also surfaced that said the tablet is only days away. Granted some might consider the June 8 launch date that has been talked about for a long time now to be days away, those days just happen to add up to weeks. That June 8 launch may be delayed a bit to allow the Tabs to get Android 3.1. We will have to wait for more information to be sure when the 10.1 is shipping.

Read More

Unlock Samsung Galaxy S 2 For Use On AT&T Or T-Mobile

Tweet

Sometimes there are those phones overseas that are just so appealing, you may want to get them shipped over stateside. Thanks to overseas phone’s being based off the GSM technology (SIM cards) it makes them compatible with GSM carriers like AT&T and T-Mobile here in the US. Normally, you would have to make sure the phone in question is “unlocked” so that it will work with your carrier or go through the hassle of calling the original carrier or taking the device to a shop to be unlocked by a professional. Well, apparently the original Samsung Galaxy S line of phones made this process extremely easy by storing the unlock code inside the phone. This code could then be extracted thanks to a handy app found on XDA allowing you to use these imported phones on either AT&T or T-Mobile.
Well, it looks like Samsung hasn’t changed much and their overseas Galaxy S 2 handsets still provide that special unlock code hidden inside their phones, only to be extracted by a new free SIM unlocking app that can be found on the Android Market. Keep in mind your phone will have to be rooted before you can use the app but the benefits of having an unlocked Galaxy S 2 here in the states before anyone else could make it all worth it. Also, T-Mobile uses slightly different bands than the UK so although you can make calls and text, you may be stuck with only Edge data.
Now that you know how easy it is to unlock the Galaxy S 2, anyone tempted on getting one of these bad boys imported stateside for all your friends to drool over?
[Via XDA]

Read More

[Updated: It's Gone] Samsung Galaxy Player 4.0 Now Available On Amazon For $229

Tweet
UPDATE: …and it’s gone. Did anyone successfully place an order before Amazon pulled the listing?
If you’re the type that would rather have a dedicated MP3 player instead of using your phone for such a task, but still want to show your love and support for Android, then you’ll be glad to know that the Samsung Galaxy Player 4 is now officially on sale at Amazon for $229.

This 4 inch iPod Touch competitor features a 1GHz processor, 8GB of internal storage with SD card slot (expandable up to 32GB), 3.2 MP rear camera, VGA front camera, Wi-Fi b/g/n, GPS, Bluetooth, and Android 2.2 with Market access. In short, it’s a Galaxy S phone… without the phone (although if can be used to video chat on Skype and Qik using the front facing camera). It also supports a wide variety of media types, including MP3, WMA, Ogg, FLAC, AAC, AVI, MP4, 3GP, WMV, AST, MKV, and FLV, so you should be able to listen to/watch just about anything on this device.
If you plan on picking one of these up, prepare for a bit of a wait. Even though it’s available for purchase immediately, Amazon is claiming a 3-6 week shipping delay.

Read More