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Samsung NX100 hands-on (video)
We're expecting to get our grubby paws on an NX100 later today for some longer-term testing, but for now, we wanted to go ahead and get you our initial impressions after handling the new mirrorless compact for a couple of minutes following Samsung's Photokina 2010 press event. The device itself is far smaller than the NX10 of last year, but it's still decidedly solid, if not a touch thick. The 20mm pancake lens on the model we tested was well built, and the i-Function capabilities were downright impressive. It took us a tick to grok how it works, but a good 30 seconds of learning presented us with loads of on-the-fly flexibility. You simply tap the i-Function button with your right hand in order to select what type of setting you'd like to change (exposure, ISO, shutter speed, etc.), and then rotate the wheel on the lens in either direction in order to change the value. Despite our doubts, it actually worked beautifully, and now we're eager to see this type of technology on even more cameras (even if its reserved for Samsung's range). The 3-inch AMOLED on the rear was also stunning, sharp and bright, and the whole thing fit in our hands well. We're still fond of our DSLR for most things, but we could totally see a unit like this making the most sense for amateurs who aren't fond of lugging around something so gigantic. Ergonomics, design and i-Function? All were stellar -- here's hoping the image and video quality meet those same standards, and we'll be bringing you those opinions just as soon as we can form them. Video's after the break, if you're thirsty for more. %Gallery-102746% %Gallery-102745%
Nokia CBD vs. Apple Retina display fight, part deux: sunlight edition (video)
You asked for it, so here it is: the iPhone 4's retina display versus a prototype Nokia E7 with new AMOLED Clear Black Display in direct sunlight. With both displays set to 100 percent brightness, we'd say that the EPD had a very very slight edge as it offered the best visibility under the most extreme viewing angles. Having said that, both are equally uncomfortable to use in intense sunlight, even as that's defined on a cloudless morning in London. Feast on the gallery below and video after the break to see the two under a variety of viewing angles.%Gallery-102275%
HTC Droid Incredible nearing switch from AMOLED to SLCD?
HTC already transitioned its Desire and Nexus One units from AMOLED to Super LCD, and it looks as if the outfit may soon be doing likewise on the highly popular Droid Incredible as it struggles against a long-running AMOLED shortage. The Verizon memo you see above clearly lays out the firm's intentions, with an entirely new SKU (ADR6300VW3) expected to flush through retail channels "around the end of September." In other words, those who purchase an Incredible after the end of this month will all but definitely be guaranteed an SLCD unit. We pinged HTC to see if it wanted to deny or confirm the claims, and here's what we received: "We haven't announced any moves towards changing the Incredible display from AMOLED to SLCD." Yeah, a textbook denial. Oh, and if you're wondering whether to rush or retard your impending Incredible purchase, have a look at our Desire head-to-head here. Decisions, decisions...
Nokia CBD vs. Apple Retina... display fight!
Come on, you knew this post was coming. Here we have a prototype Nokia E7 and its new 4-inch, 640x360 pixel Clear Black Display pitted again the iPhone 4's 3.5-inch 960x640 pixel Retina display. To our eyes, the iPhone 4 display has a noticeable blue warmth and wasn't as vibrant or bright as the CBD. The CBD, however, did come across a bit oversatured (just look at those red "breaking news" bars), but hey, it's AMOLED. It certainly looks just as good as the Galaxy S' Super AMOLED. We'll have to see how the polarized layer on the CBD affects sunlight viewing. More on that later. Until then, play nice dear readers.%Gallery-102126%
Nokia E7 first hands-on
Wow. That's the feeling that hits when you pick up the Nokia E7 for the first time. That 4-inch "Clear Black" display really pops as you'd expect from AMOLED and the full QWERTY slider is packed into an incredibly svelte and attractive form factor. Impressions coming up shortly. Until then, check out the E7 next to its N8 cousin and iPhone 4 foe. Update: Follow the break for some quick thoughts on this bad boy. %Gallery-102120%%Gallery-102151%
Samsung NX100 mirrorless camera gets official: 14.6MP, i-Function lens, 3-inch AMOLED
Look out, world -- the mirrorless camera game just got a lot more interesting. Shortly after Olympus introduced a new mid-range DSLR, Samsung has outed its newest, the (previously rumored) NX100. It's the predictable successor to last year's NX10, offering a sleeker body, 14.6 megapixel APS-C CMOS sensor, a 3-inch VGA AMOLED display 'round back, an ISO range of 100 to 3200 (with a boost mode hitting 6400), 720p movie recording (H.264), SD / SDHC card slot, optional geo-tagging with GPS10 module and 'Sound Picture' mode that allows users to record audio when a photo is taken. The standout feature here, however, has little to do with the body itself; instead, it's the new i-Function lens system, which features a dedicated 'i-Function' button that allows users to scroll through manual settings, and a focus ring which is used to change parameters for each setting. Users can toggle between shutter speed, aperture, EV, WB, and ISO by simply using the i-Function button and ring on the lens, and it's a feature we're frankly desperate to try out ourselves. Sammy's planning to offer a variety of lenses for the NX100, including a 60mm macro, 18-200mm telephoto, 20mm wide-angle pancake and a 20-50mm compact zoom. The full details on the camera as well as the glass arrangement is just after the break, but good luck finding a price and release date. Depressing, we know. %Gallery-102062%
Spot the difference: HTC Desire's SLCD versus AMOLED
(function() { var s = document.createElement('SCRIPT'), s1 = document.getElementsByTagName('SCRIPT')[0]; s.type = 'text/javascript'; s.async = true; s.src = 'http://widgets.digg.com/buttons.js'; s1.parentNode.insertBefore(s, s1); })(); Digg If you'll recall, a little while back HTC waved its white flag amid AMOLED shortages and made the jump to the readily-available SLCD for its Desire and Nexus One handsets. As a quick recap, here's what CEO Peter Chou said about the swap: "The SLCD displays provide consumers with a comparable visual experience to HTC's current 3.7 inch displays with some additional benefits including battery performance." So, just how "comparable" is the SLCD? To find out, we picked up both flavors of the Desire to perform some comparison tests. Let's start off with the picture quality: what caught our attention straight away was how much sharper SLCD is, but alas, AMOLED is still in the lead for vibrancy and brightness. We dug a little deeper and learned that this has to do with the different pixel arrangements on the two types of panels -- unlike traditional TFT LCD panels, AMOLED's PenTile RGBG (red, green, blue, green, etc.) filter matrix utilizes just two subpixels per pixel instead of three in the same amount of space, thus allowing greater transmittance due to the larger red and blue subpixels. But obviously, the downside is that the pictures aren't as sharp as the denser-packed SLCD. Read on for more! %Gallery-101997%
Samsung Mobile Display promises 10x increase in production next year, end to AMOLED shortages
We already knew about Samsung's grand plans for expanding its display production in 2011, but now we also have a number to give us a sense of scale: 30 million. That's how many screens the new Mobile Display fab (set to go live in July) will be able to churn out in a month, a vastly superior rate than the current 3 million maximum. Lee Woo-Jong, the display business' marketing VP, tells us its estimates for AMOLED market demand have been revised upwards to 700 million units in 2015, with the new facility obviously being the key cog in making that growth happen. Intriguingly, he also notes that Super AMOLED -- one of the big attractions of the Galaxy S line of Samsung phones -- is not exclusive to Samsung's electronics arm, everyone can apparently use it. That directly contradicts what we heard from Sammy's mobile reps, but then this is hardly the first time that one part of Samsung doesn't know what the other is doing. Still, it's nice to at least dream of a S-AMOLED HTC HD7, no?
Bell HTC Legend prematurely put out to pasture due to AMOLED supply constraints?
It's a sad day for fans of Android, brushed aluminum exteriors, and retina-searing AMOLED displays. Bell's HTC Legend seems to have come to the end of its days, the provider moving the phone to "end of life" status due to "ongoing supply constraints from the manufacturer." Phandroid speculates this is due to AMOLED shortages slowing down HTC manufacturing, and that certainly seems like a reasonable conclusion. We also checked out some other suppliers of the phone and they too are not listing it in stock, so this could be a rather abrupt end of the road for one of the best looking, though not necessarily best performing, Android handsets. Update: David D. wrote in to point out this Forbes article pointing out that chip shortages could also be at least partly to blame here. [Thanks, Tati]
Samsung's Galaxy Tab said to be debuting at IFA next month
We'd already heard that Samsung's 7-inch Android-based tablet (apparently known as the Galaxy Tab) would be rolling out sometime in the third quarter of this year, and it looks like we now also know when it'll be making its official debut. According to South Korea's JoongAng Daily, an unnamed "high-ranking official" at Samsung has confirmed that the device will be officially unveiled at IFA, which kicks off September 3rd in Berlin. No more new details beyond that, unfortunately, but previous reports have suggested that the device will match its smartphone counterpart with an AMOLED display, and boast some decent specs across the board, including Android 2.2, a 1.2GHz Cortex A8 processor, 16GB of on-board memory, and both WiFi and 3G connectivity.
Samsung's Cetus SGH-i917 sashays into FCC database, winks seductively at AT&T
AT&T came right out and confessed that it would be "the premiere carrier" for Windows Phone 7, and while it's obviously far too early to say if that'll be the case, this ain't a bad way to start proving one's point. Samsung's Cetus (SGH-i917) was just recently confirmed to be one of the first commercial Windows Phone 7 devices last week, and now the always-disclosing FCC database has shed even more light on the phone's intentions. Based on the mention of 850 / 1,900MHz frequency support -- and that whole "SGH-i917 (ATT)" marking on the label -- it's pretty safe to assume that this 4-inch, AMOLED-packin' superphone will soon be fighting with the iPhone 4 for shelf space. There's obviously no indication of when Ma Bell plans on releasing this one to the wilds, but it's typically not too far out after hitting this milestone. Giddy yet? %Gallery-98984%
Pantech drops AMOLED completely due to shortage, may resume use in 2H 2011
The Pantech Vega that just hit Korea may boast a sizable 3.7-inch AMOLED screen, but don't expect future phones from the Helio manufacturer to follow suit -- after suffering the same shortages that drove HTC to Sony's SLCD-illuminated doorstep, Pantech's also temporarily giving active-matrix organic technology the boot. Now, you may not give two nickels about the technologies in Pantech's next handset, but the firm's got a finger on the industry's pulse. So when an unnamed executive says "phones to be rolled out in the first half of next year" won't use AMOLED, that hints at when the shortage for US-bound devices might also let up. In case you're curious, 2H 2011 is when Samsung's next AMOLED facility is slated to open, though by that point AU Optronics and TPO Display should be shipping the screens as well.
Pantech's Vega IM-A650S launched in Korea, packs Android 2.1 and a bit of kimchi
Pan-who? You know, the guys behind the long-forgotten Helio devices? Doesn't matter, because the Korean firm's back with a follow-up model to its Sirius Android handset. Dubbed the Vega (IM-A650S), Pantech's latest 4.02-ounce offering -- a mere 0.14 ounces less than the Samsung Vibrant -- is pretty much just a lighter rehash of its predecessor: 1GHz Snapdragon processor, 3.7-inch 800 x 480 AMOLED capacitive touchscreen, Android 2.1, 5 megapixel camera, 500MB internal storage, and 8GB external memory to boot. If this phone's somehow tickling your fancy, then you're in luck -- Pantech claims to be "in talks with AT&T and Verizon" to bring this baby to US of A. They better hurry up though -- that Froyo ain't gonna stay frozen forever.
iSuppli: OLED panel shortage a concern for Android smartphone makers
Everyone wants an OLED display on their cellphone, right? Ok, maybe not everybody, especially when compared to regular AMOLED, but we certainly want, no demand, a 4-plus inch Super AMOLED on our next Android smartphone. Problem is, there just aren't enough to go around according to iSuppli. An issue compounded by the fact that Samsung, the world's largest AMOLED panel manufacturer, gets first crack at its displays in support of its massive growth plans for 2010, leaving companies like HTC to look elsewhere as we've already heard. That leaves LG, the only other source for small AMOLED panels, to shoulder the burden until the two can ramp up production, or until more players can enter the market. Samsung hopes to significantly boost production in 2012 when it brings a new $2.2 billion AMOLED facility on-line. Meanwhile, Taiwan-based AU Optronics and TPO Display Corp. plan to introduce AMOLED products by the end of 2010 or early 2011. Until then there's always the venerable LCD which will continue to dwarf AMOLED shipments for many years to come. See the numbers after the break.
Nexus One sees red, nearly doubles battery life? (video)
These five Nexus One smartphones may seem to have defects, but there's actually nothing wrong with their AMOLED screens -- the funky colors are an attempt to improve battery life by turning off unnecessary sub-pixel LEDs. Hooking up his handset to an industrial power meter, Android engineer Jeff Sharkey discovered a blood-red screen drew 42 percent less current than full color -- the least of any combination by far -- purportedly doubling the effective battery life of the phone. While you're probably not going to be able to test the requisite software patch for yourself unless you're mildly familiar with Google code, you'll find a video of the crimson wonder after the break to fuel your dreams of a eyestrain-free astronomy cheat sheet... and Android bullfighting, of course.
HTC running low on AMOLED stock, will add SLCD to the mix for some models
AMOLED displays in phones haven't necessarily lived up to their promise; they'd been billed as the be-all, end-all answer for clarity, vibrance, and low power consumption, but in reality, the latest and greatest LCDs look just as good, offer similar viewing angles, have little to no impact on battery life, and fare far better in direct sunlight. We've been able to confirm this evening that HTC will be adding an additional supplier of displays later this year -- Sony -- which will be delivering its Super TFT LCD tech as a mobile exclusive (initially, at least) to key HTC handsets, some of which are already in the marketplace. Specifically, Samsung's had a devil of a time keeping up with deliveries of its 3.7-inch WVGA AMOLED display, which means that the Desire, Droid Incredible, and Nexus One could all theoretically be impacted -- but because this is a problem of the demand for displays outstripping supply (or at least the supply that Samsung is letting HTC buy), at least some of the affected phones will likely be offered both in AMOLED and SLCD varieties. How those products will be differentiated in the market is unclear, but it may not matter much -- we're told that the displays are virtually indistinguishable. We're working to get our hands on an SLCD phone just as soon as we can, and when we do, we'll put our eyeballs on the case.
iPhone 4 Retina Display vs. Galaxy S Super AMOLED... fight! (updated)
If the title of this post isn't enough to entice you, we don't know what else to say. We've gone and run some sunlit comparisons between Apple's brand spanking new phone's Retina Display and Samsung's equally fresh and exclusive Super AMOLED panel on the Galaxy S. We don't know if we'll be able to settle the argument, but we're certainly going to subject both superphones to an expansive visual inspection. Follow us after the break for video exploration of this most pressing topic. Update: Due to the Galaxy S having a separate setting for browser brightness, which we didn't max out in the original investigation, we've gone back and collected some truly 100 percent illuminated pictures. See the gallery after the break. Keep in mind that this shouldn't discredit most of the work done here, as we were more interested in pixel-level detail than brightness.%Gallery-96227%
Exclusive: Samsung Captivate for AT&T preview
AT&T may have been accused of crippling its Android phones, but the Samsung Captivate -- one of the US versions of the Galaxy S -- is about to change all of that. Oh sure, the company released the specs last week, but us resourceful folk got some hands-on time with the Super AMOLED-boasting, Android 2.1 phone prior to its unknown stateside launch. The model we got to play with was clearly an early build (it wasn't even branded Samsung or AT&T), but that didn't stop us from putting it through the paces at a local Starbucks. Hit the break for a bulleted breakdown of our impressions and a short hands-on video. Oh, and don't forget to make a pit stop at the gallery below before getting into the good stuff. %Gallery-95992%
Super AMOLED vs AMOLED vs LCD in direct sunlight... fight! (video)
By now you know that (one of) AMOLED's Achilles' heel is readability in direct sunlight. But Samsung's been working hard to fix that with its new Super AMOLED technology. Techblog took the display to task by pitting the Samsung Galaxy S (4-inch, 480 x 800 pixel Super AMOLED) against the HTC Desire (3.7-inch 480 x 800 pixel AMOLED) and Sony Ericsson XPERIA X10 (4-inch, 480 x 854 pixel TFT LCD). It's clear from the video embedded after the break that the LCD still has the edge in the harsh Greek sun, but the Super AMOLED certainly makes a much stronger showing than its AMOLED sib. In fact, differences in visibility between the LCD and Super AMOLED are often indistinguishable, like the picture above. That'll be good news for us just as soon as Samsung can start meeting demand... regardless of what Stevie J has to say. Check the video after the break and be sure to click the source for some more side-by-side pics, including a few taken indoors where that Super AMOLED display really shines.
Samsung Galaxy S preview
Just because the US has gone gaming crazy these past couple of days doesn't mean the smartphone world has stopped turning. Samsung trotted out its Galaxy S handset last night in London, and we were naturally there to try and glean a better understanding of where this 4-inch Android 2.1 device fits in our wishlist hierarchy. It's quite the stat sheet stuffer, as we're sure you're aware, and it strikes an alluring figure for those looking to get on the true do-it-all smartphone bandwagon. Check out our latest impressions -- replete with video and a whole gallery dedicated to the Super AMOLED screen's performance in sunlight -- just past the break.%Gallery-95331%