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The Galaxy Tab S3 is good, but not $600 good
Samsung is continuing its quest to outdo Apple at the tablet game with the new Galaxy Tab S3. The $600/£599 Android slate improves on the already pleasant multimedia experience that the Tab S2 offered by packing a brilliant HDR display and four speakers tuned by AKG. It also comes with an S Pen for on-the-go scribbling. Plus, its beefy processor and long-lasting battery help the Tab S3 better take on rival flagships. But although I enjoy watching movies, playing games and sketching on the Tab S3, I still find its $600 price hard to swallow.
Samsung sticks more colorful screens in its new Galaxy Tab S
Thanks to the internet, we've already seen leaked images of Samsung's flagship Galaxy Tab S. So when the company announced a press event for June 12th, we had a pretty good idea of what was in store. Sure enough, the company just unveiled the Tab S family, which includes models with 8.4- and 10.5-inch screens. Update: You can check out our hands-on impressions here!
Samsung Galaxy Tab Pro 8.4 review: great screen, disappointing battery life
We often tease Samsung about the seemingly arbitrary way it divvies up its tablet offerings -- not content with round numbers, it's released tablets that are 10.1 inches wide instead of 10, 8.9 instead of 9, 7.7 instead of 8, and so on. And so too is the case with the Samsung Galaxy Tab Pro 8.4, whose extra 0.4 inch seems unnecessarily tacked on. Yet, this results in a 16:10 aspect ratio that makes it well-suited for watching movies, which makes us willing to forgive its silliness. Plus, even if that weren't enough to sway us, there's so much else to like about Tab Pro 8.4 that the odd screen size is but a minor detail. Indeed, while Samsung released its latest Galaxy Tab Pro line of tablets in both 10.1 and 12.1 inches, it's the 8.4-inch model that's likely to win the hearts of most. Why do I say that? Simple: Portability. Just like the iPad mini with Retina display, the Galaxy Tab Pro 8.4 offers a sharp tablet in a travel-friendly form factor. Except, of course, the Tab Pro 8.4 runs Android, and is thus an alternative for those who'd like a premium 8-inch tablet without having to lock themselves into iOS. And that's not all that the tiniest Tab Pro has going for it: The display is pin-sharp; the design is handsome; and the quad-core processor is not to be sneezed at. But at $400, it's not exactly cheap and it's also got some serious competition.
Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 8- and 10.1-inch versions to launch worldwide early June
In addition to the Galaxy Tab 3 with a 7-inch display we've known about for a while, Samsung's announced the slate will come in 8- and 10.1-inch varieties, too -- something rumors and FCC filings have long suggested. The 8-inch model has a TFT display sporting a 1,280 x 800 (WXGA) resolution (189 ppi), a 5-megapixel rear camera and 1.3-megapixel front-facing shooter. It's got vaguely respectable internals: a 1.5GHz dual-core processor (no word on the manufacturer), 1.5GB of RAM and 16 or 32GB storage configurations. A microSD slot is present, supporting up to 64GB cards, and a 4,450mAh battery provides the necessary juice. Android 4.2 is OS of choice -- no surprise there -- and when it arrives, you'll have the choice of WiFi-only (dual-band, a/b/g/n), 3G (HSPA+) and LTE variants. The 10.1-inch version stretches that same WXGA resolution across its display (149 ppi), and carries a smaller 3-megapixel rear camera and the same 1.3-megapixel front-facer. According to Reuters, the 1.6GHz dual-core CPU in this larger slate is provided by Intel, confirming a previous rumor. Unfortunately, it's saddled with only one gig of RAM, and the storage options are the same as the 8-inch model, with a microSD slot also supporting up to 64GB cards. Also running Android 4.2, the 10.1-inch Tab 3 packs a 6,800mAh battery, and comes in WiFi-only, 3G and LTE variants. Both tablets will be available worldwide at the "beginning of June." Update: The Galaxy Tab 3 10.1 will be the first Android device from Intel to pack its new LTE chip. %Gallery-190100%
Three mystery Samsung Galaxy Tab profiles spotted: GT-P8200 model houses 2,560 x 1,600 display?
While we know Samsung's planning plenty for us to see in Barcelona in a few weeks, we're still not certain on the specifics. Perhaps, then, it's got a handful of tablets for us. That's what these handful of User Agent profiles purport to show us. The model numbers GT-P3200, GT-P5200 and the GT-P8200 suggest that they'll join the Galaxy Tab family, although these profiles only give us a little detail to work on. The GT-P3200 appears to be the entry-level slab, with a 1,024 x 600 resolution more suited to tablets of yesteryear. This is cranked up to 1,280 x 800 for the P5200, while the GT-P8200 will apparently match the Nexus 10's pin-sharp 2,560 x 1,600 display. Unfortunately, there's nothing here to confirm screen-size, processing punch or much else, although we managed to sniff out an AnTuTu benchmark for the GT-P8200 that reckons it'll house a (presumably multicore) 1.7GHz processor and Android 4.2. However, like these User Agent Profiles, we're looking at these results with a suspicious glare until something more official surfaces. Between the trio, there's likely to be a division between two different sizes of tablet -- possibly either side of that Galaxy Note 8 that's set to make an appearance next month. Check out the GT-P8200's short-but-sweet benchmark listing after the break.
Samsung Galaxy Tab cleared for sale in The Netherlands, says Dutch court
Despite Apple's attempts to get Samsung's Galaxy Tab 7.7, 8.9, and 10.1 banned from sale in The Netherlands (per ongoing litigation between the two companies), a Dutch court in The Hague struck down that request in a ruling today. Apple claimed Samsung's Galaxy Tab line too closely resembled its own line of iPads, but apparently Dutch officials disagreed -- Apple is paying Samsung €63,678 ($84,755) in court costs as a result. This isn't even the first time a Dutch court sided with Samsung over Apple's claims on its Galaxy Tab line. The two companies are engaged in a worldwide patent struggle, each trying to get the other company's products banned for sale in various regions. The situation in The Netherlands is particularly contentious, with some serious back-and-forth over various devices across the past several years. Today's news is just one more small step in the ongoing patent saga between Samsung and Apple, sadly, and we'll assuredly see much more minutiae before the two are through.
Daily Update for November 1, 2012
It's the TUAW Daily Update, your source for Apple news in a convenient audio format. You'll get all the top Apple stories of the day in three to five minutes for a quick review of what's happening in the Apple world. You can listen to today's Apple stories by clicking the inline player (requires Flash) or the non-Flash link below. To subscribe to the podcast for daily listening through iTunes, click here. No Flash? Click here to listen. Subscribe via RSS
Samsung Galaxy S Relay 4G review: T-Mobile's QWERTY slider falls flat
More Info Samsung Galaxy S Relay 4G bringing keyboard, longwinded name to T-Mobile September 19th Samsung Galaxy S Relay 4G shows off all sides, sticks with new name Samsung Galaxy S Blaze Q may be renamed to equally awkward Galaxy S Relay 4G We first heard rumblings about the Samsung Galaxy S Blaze Q slider back in August, and what stood out most -- apart from the rumored Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 processor and HSPA+42 connectivity -- was that long-winded moniker. Interesting, then, that Sammy should re-brand the T-Mobile device with a name that does nothing to clarify this handset's identity: the Galaxy S Relay 4G. That jumble of words aside, this phone offers a five-row QWERTY layout, a dual-core S4 chip and a 5-megapixel camera with LED flash, all for the moderate price of $150 (with a $50 mail-in rebate). Is this slider the best T-Mobile has to offer? Join us past the break as we give the Relay the full run-through.
AOKP team posts giant update to its Jelly Bean build, allows rotation and tablet UI anywhere
Custom ROM fans will know AOKP (Android Open Kang Project), but the first build derived from Jelly Bean was knowingly rough around the edges. What a difference a month makes: along with the usual round of bug fixes, the team's second build has added options to force screen rotation and the tablet interface on any device. Not-quite-so-early adopters also get fine-grained control over the interface DPI, LEDs, theming and vibration, and the device list has grown to include the Verizon Galaxy S III, the Galaxy Note and multiple variants of both the original Galaxy S and the Galaxy Tab family. If you were waiting to stay just short of the bleeding edge before trying AOKP, your version is ready.
Refresh Roundup: week of August 27th, 2012
Your smartphone and / or tablet is just begging for an update. From time to time, these mobile devices are blessed with maintenance refreshes, bug fixes, custom ROMs and anything in between, and so many of them are floating around that it's easy for a sizable chunk to get lost in the mix. To make sure they don't escape without notice, we've gathered every possible update, hack, and other miscellaneous tomfoolery we could find during the last week and crammed them into one convenient roundup. If you find something available for your device, please give us a shout at tips at engadget dawt com and let us know. Enjoy!
Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 packing 4G LTE comes to Verizon on August 17th
Verizon subscribers jonesing for a 7-inch LTE tablet won't have to consider springing for the pricey Galaxy Tab 7.7 any longer. The carrier just revealed plans to offer up a 4G-equipped (and previously hinted) version of Samsung's Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 starting on August 17th. There's no revolution under the hood outside of the cellular link: it's still toting Android 4.0, the rear 3.2-megapixel and front VGA cameras, a (slightly faster) 1.2GHz dual-core chip and a somewhat thin 8GB of built-in memory. At the $350 contract-free asking price, however, the tinier Galaxy Tab is low-hanging fruit for data lovers.
IHS iSuppli: Apple iPad takes 69.6 percent of tablet brand market share in Q2, reader tablets take a bruising
An earlier portrait of the second quarter's tablet market share made it quite clear that the iPad was on a rebound, if it was ever in a slump to start with. All those numbers focused on platforms and not brands, however -- we didn't know how the individual makers were doing. If IHS iSuppli's figures are on the ball, there's even more of a discrepancy if you break down the period's results by manufacturer. The iPad staked out 69.6 percent of tablet shipments in the spring. That wasn't just an 11-point jump over a year earlier; it was a level of share Apple hasn't had since the Motorola Xoom was just cutting its teeth early in 2011. As for the rest? Transformer Pads kept ASUS growing, but it's not a pretty sight if you're making an Android reader tablet; both Amazon and Barnes & Noble shed roughly a point and a half each, which is no small amount relative to their size. Samsung also lost share by this after its deliveries of Galaxy Tabs mostly stayed flat. We'd add that there's some wiggle room as to real performance knowing that units shipped and sold aren't always one and the same. Most of these companies are leaving clues regarding upcoming tablet refreshes that might level the playing field, some not so subtle, but it's currently Apple's game to win.
T-Mobile's Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus getting ICS today; Springboard update coming tomorrow
Our calendars no longer say July, but we'll forgive T-Mobile (and its partners) for a month-long delay. As expected, albeit a little late, the Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus for T-Mob can now be updated to Android 4.0 via the download in the source link. Moreover, the Springboard slate will get an Ice Cream Sandwich update of its own via an over-the-air push that starts tomorrow. Looking for more intel on either? Give those links below a tap.
Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 hits the UK on August 22nd, starts at £300 for WiFi-only model
It's 'bout time, right? Having been up for grabs here in the US since way back in May, it's now looking like Sammy's second-gen Tab 10.1 is finally ready to make its official retail debut across the pond. According to Carphone Warehouse, the Galaxy Tab 2 10.1's "expected" to be in stock as early as next week -- or, August 22nd to be exact -- in the United Kingdom, with the base 16GB, WiFi-only flavor set to be priced at a mere £300, while £100 more gets you the model that's also sporting 3G connectivity. Better yet, the retailer's taking pre-orders as we speak, so click on either of the source links below and choose the Tab 2 10.1 variant best suited for your slate needs.
Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 WiFi gets taste of Ice Cream Sandwich in the US
Samsung was widely (if unofficially) expected to upgrade the Galaxy Tab line to Ice Cream Sandwich this summer. Thankfully, that wasn't just wishful thinking on the part of a few fans. Numerous Galaxy Tab 10.1 WiFi owners in the US have reported receiving an official push to Android 4.0.4 shortly after getting out of bed on Monday. The new TouchWiz, Chrome support and more are all welcome -- just don't anticipate any unique twists from the upgrade. In some respects, we're likely getting a Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 with a Tegra 2 processor. The only real uncertainties are when the rest of the eligible Galaxy Tab line will make the leap as well as the possibility of Jelly Bean; hopefully, it's not the end of the update road for some of Samsung's earliest tablet adopters in the country.
Samsung Retina-like 11.8-inch tablet in the works according to court docs
If you've been following the Apple vs. Samsung case even casually, you're probably aware that today marked the start of the patent trial in the US District Court for the Northern District of California, with Judge Lucy Koh presiding. And while the proceedings themselves won't necessarily justify an Olympics-level play-by-play, several interesting bits are sure to come to light. Today's nugget relates to Samsung's tablet roadmap, revealing that a Retina-like tablet may be in the works. The P10, as it's been labeled internally, packs a 2,560 x 1,600-pixel, 11.8-inch display, along with WiFi and LTE connectivity. Details are thin beyond that, and it's still possible that Samsung may not have a high-res tablet for us this year -- though with the company's mysterious New York City event coming up in two weeks, followed by IFA later in the month, there are plenty of opportunities in August alone for such an official reveal. Philip Palermo contributed to this report.
Apple denied Galaxy Nexus and Tab ban in Germany
Samsung is having slightly better luck in Munich than it is here the US in its ongoing legal battle with Apple. The high court upheld a previous ruling that Cupertino's patent relating to "list scrolling and document translation, scaling, and rotation on a touch-screen display" was invalid. The end result is that the Galaxy Tab 10.1N and Galaxy Nexus will stay on shelves in Germany, while Apple undoubtedly looks for a new avenue of attack against its primary competitor (one we presume will also be of the legal variety). The decision to deny an injunction against the 10.1N comes only two days after the same device passed a similar challenge in Dusseldorf, where the cosmetic design was the focus. Samsung was obviously pleased with the result, saying that it confirmed the company's position that its Android products did not infringe on Apple's IP. Cupertino, on the other hand, remained predictably silent. Of course, this war is far from over, and it's only a matter of time before a new ruling hands one of the two manufacturers another small victory.
Apple wins stay on having to post 'Samsung did not copy' notice
Apple's pride can stay intact for at least a little while longer: the company successfully won a stay on a UK ruling that would have it post notices clearing Samsung's name in the wake of the two tech giants' patent dispute in the country. Apple now won't have to face any kind of public flogging unless it loses an appeal on the non-infringement verdict, which is due to be heard in October. Not surprisingly, the iPad creator doesn't want its own site to become a billboard promoting someone else's work. The decision makes Samsung's victory that much more bittersweet -- along with losing that instant satisfaction from a humbled Apple, it still has to accept a verdict that claims the Galaxy Tab supposedly isn't cool enough to have been an imitation.
Samsung denied a second time, Galaxy Tab ban stands
You can't blame 'em for trying, but it's no surprise that Samsung's second attempt to put a hold on the impending American ban of its Galaxy Tab failed. Judge Koh has already say the preliminary injunction could not wait while the Korean company pursued an appeal, and now the Court of Appeals is backing her up. To make matters worse, the court has also refused to expedite the appeal process, potentially prolonging the time the flagship slates are missing from the shelves. Now Sammy will just have to wait for the trial to start on July 30th and hope for a victory, or go back and redesign its tablets to look less like an iPad. We hear that triangles might be the ticket.
SugarSync to ship with many Samsung mobile devices, make Galaxy S III a home away from home
Samsung and SugarSync are already cozy with each other, having struck a deal to put SugarSync's cloud file sharing on Samsung's AllShare Play-equipped TVs. That relationship just got a lot closer: SugarSync will now be a mainstay for Samsung's rather successful mobile devices. Starting with the Galaxy S III, any Samsung phone or tablet that supports AllShare Play will have SugarSync built-in, whether it's for looking at files and media from back home or just to upload the phone's own photos and videos for sharing later on. The service still offers a free 5GB of storage as a baseline and will scale up to 500GB if you're willing to fork over up to $40 a month. Between this and a Dropbox deal for most carriers, Samsung has the cloud largely sewn up on its handhelds -- if you can't access it, it probably doesn't exist.
