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New Samsung Galaxy Note ad: freedom's just a stylus away (video)
Ever wanted to soar majestically through the clouds? Good news, freedom from your earthly ties is a 5.3-inch display and S Pen away. All that and more in the Galaxy Note ad after the break -- though as we can attest, the whole creating beautiful landscapes thing isn't quite as easy as Samsung's simulated images make it out to be. No one ever said freedom was simple.
Samsung Galaxy W revisits the FCC, is this T-Mobile's 'Ancora?'
Samsung's Galaxy W has already made its requisite FCC debut, brandishing radios fit for AT&T. Now another variant's cropped up in the Commission's electronic database, this time bearing the model number SGH-T679M and AWS bands. That's right, this looks to be the same Sammy handset, dubbed the Ancora, we spied earlier this month in that leaked T-Mobile roadmap. If the release date rumors prove true, you'll be seeing this low-end, 4G Android device and it's purported 1.4GHz processor up for sale early next month. Until then, you'll have to make due with the multitude of titillating frequency tests at the source link below.
CubeStormer II rocks a Samsung Galaxy S II, makes CubeStormer I look downright slothful (video)
CubeStormer I was pretty cool, we guess, but that was way back in 2010. Now we're all about CubeStormer II. Built by Mike Dobson and David Gilday, the puzzle-cracking robot is capable of solving Rubik's Cubes at blazing fast speeds, shaving precious fractions of seconds off of human world records. The 'bot was constructed from four Lego Mindstorms NXT kits, with our old pal the Samsung Galaxy S II serving as the its "brain." CubeStormer will be making a public appearance at ARM TechCon 2011 in California, later this month (and really, the whole thing seems like a bit of an ad for ARM -- albeit a really awesome one). In the meantime, check out some video of it in action after the break.
Samsung Galaxy Y available now from Vodafone UK
The latest product off Samsung's near-constant conveyor belt, the Galaxy Y, has been spotted loitering around Vodafone UK stores. The "youth"(translation: entry-level) smartphone arrives with a slightly better spec sheet than the Korean giant's cheapest Android phone, the Galaxy Mini, although you shouldn't expect a load of GS II-eque features. The petite handset includes a two megapixel camera, a three-inch touchscreen, an 832MHz CPU, and the typical wireless medley of Bluetooth, 801.11 b/g/n WiFi and GPS -- all packed into a 3.5 ounce shell running Google's Gingerbread OS. Sure, there's no 4.3-inch Super AMOLED Plus screen, but for just £10.50 per month, we may be willing to overlook it.
Samsung modifies Galaxy smartphones to satisfy Dutch court, plans to resume sales soon
Earlier this summer, a judge in The Netherlands ruled to ban sales of Samsung Galaxy S, S II and Ace smartphones, stating that the devices violated an Apple patent which deals with a "method of scrolling." Well, nearly two months have passed, and Samsung is just now getting around to releasing "upgraded" versions of the affected devices, presumably implementing a non-infringing scroll tool. A Samsung spokesman told Reuters that the three phones will "shortly be available for sale," neglecting to provide an exact release date -- so we wouldn't suggest lining up to get your Galaxy S II fix just yet. This small victory is only the latest in the Apple / Samsung lawsuit saga, which has created quite a stir in a handful of courts around the world. We have yet to hear about a solution to the Galaxy Tab 10.1 ban in Australia, for example, where fingers are being pointed in every direction.
Samsung Galaxy Nexus spotted in the wild? (video)
Leaks are flying left and right as Samsung's Unpacked event approaches, with the latest coming from Romania's Mobilissimo.ro. Today, the site published new images and video of what could be the Samsung Galaxy Nexus -- the long-awaited follow-up to the Nexus S. At this point, it's difficult to say whether the device (model number "Tuna") totally jibes with the leaked specs we saw earlier this week, though its spacious display (rumored to be of 4.65-inch HD Super AMOLED stock) does look rather sharp -- the screenshots we've seen are indeed at 720 x 1280 resolution. Other than that, the handset appears to boast a 1,750mAh battery, along with a five megapixel camera and that rumored Ice Cream Sandwich UI, replete with onscreen buttons.Compared with the Nexus S, the front-facing camera on this handset is shifted further to the right, with the proximity sensor nestled between the earpiece and the shooter, rather than all the way on the left. Its corners, meanwhile, seem less rounded than what you'll find on the earlier version, though we noticed that it does have a micro-USB port lurking at the bottom center, much like its ancestor. Of course, we'll have to wait until October 11th to see whether these shots are as good as advertised, but you can head past the break to see the purportedly authentic video or to gaze at some extra screenshots.[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
New Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 holder comes with bike attached
For a tablet that prides itself in being thin and lightweight, the latest Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 accessory sure adds considerable heft to the device. The Korean manufacturer's UK branch has teamed up with 14 Bike Co to bring the world the Samsung Galaxy bicycle -- a mild-mannered bike with a custom paint job and a detachable holder for the Galaxy Tab 10.1 made from carbon fiber. So, why carry a tablet on a bicycle? For checking things like mileage planners and route trackers on the go, apparently. No word on pricing yet, but we're guessing that this'll be among the more expensive tablet accessories out there. Press information after the break.
Samsung Galaxy S II now available on AT&T for $200
October 2nd. Boy, the date sure creeped up on us, but it's here regardless -- the Samsung Galaxy S II has finally debuted on AT&T. Many of you who've been waiting several months for a subsidized GSM model in the US may find it hard to believe that you're able to head on over to the carrier's site and purchase one for a couple C-notes. Rest assured, we've checked it out ourselves and it's really, really there, waiting for you to click that "add to cart" button. So if the style and carrier fit your fancy, friends, carpe diem. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
AT&T Samsung Galaxy S II review
Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus now shipping from Amazon Google confirms Android security issue, server-side fix rolling out today Engadget's holiday gift guide 2011: smartphones Here comes the second episode of a thrilling three-part saga. Not content with simply selling ten million units of the GT-I9100 -- its flagship device -- in the course of the last five months, Samsung's ready to flood the good ol' US of A with a healthy dose of the Galaxy S II, and it has three carriers -- Sprint, AT&T and T-Mobile -- already signed up on the dotted line. The Epic 4G Touch has already made its way into stores (not to mention the hearts of customers), and Ma Bell's next in line to appease the masses. This time, things are a smidge different. Whereas Sprint opted to enlarge the screen and add in a few other select design tweaks, it appears that AT&T wanted to keep its variant -- appropriately named the Galaxy S II -- as close to the international smash hit as possible, opting for the same display size, squared corners and battery (albeit, with a twist). As it turns out, the tweaks are much more subtle than they were on last year's Samsung Captivate, which arguably looked almost nothing like the original Galaxy S. So does AT&T's model fit in with its two close compadres? Was its design choice the right decision for this go-round? Follow us below to get the full scoop. %Gallery-135231%
Samsung Galaxy W gets the FCC once over (again), appears ready for AT&T
In a Samsung Galaxy soon coming your way, are a stable of alphabetically ranked handsets. Among these newly hatched Korean mobile offspring is the 'W' line -- meant to imply wireless wonder. Well, wonder about its US bow no more because that handset -- previously announced for the British Isles -- is getting a double take at the FCC. The time 'round, the Commission's filings reveal GSM / WCDMA 850MHz / 1900MHz bands, making this variant prime for Canada's networks and our own AT&T -- at speeds of 14.4Mbps down. We know from previous reports that this 3.7-incher sports a Super LCD display, in addition to a single-core 1.4GHz processor, 5 megapixel camera, 4GB of storage, WiFi and Bluetooth. Now, all we need to complete the picture is an official announcement and an offering in virgin white. Check out the source below if spectrum testing rings your bell.
Samsung Epic 4G Touch review
Samsung's Q3 2011 overall profit falls despite incredible phone sales T-Mobile unleashes HTC Radar 4G, Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1, myTouchQ and more today Sprint Overdrive dual-mode WiMAX / EV-DO mobile hotspot leaks into the wild If you haven't heard about the Samsung Galaxy S II by now, you're definitely tardy to the party. But as the proverbial saying goes, it's better late than never, right? The Galaxy S, its predecessor with myriad chassis selections and carrier variants, is still selling like hotcakes all over the world, and the sequel is no lightweight (figuratively) either -- selling three million units in 55 days only seems to be rivaled by a company based out of Cupertino -- and for good reason. We gave the unlocked version high marks for its excellent performance, gorgeous display and top-of-the-line camera, so it was only natural that we'd spend the next four months wondering when we'd see the powerhouse make it Stateside. Don't get us wrong -- we've seen our fair share of unlocked Galaxy S II devices proudly shown off in the US (most of them from our own editors, admittedly) because it's already available at full retail (roughly $650-700) from multiple vendors. However, the Samsung Epic 4G Touch is the first to be offered at a subsidized cost in return for a two-year commitment, and it won't be the last as AT&T and T-Mobile pull up the rear with their own styles of the same handset. So how does the landmark phone stand up to not only the test of time but several carrier-specific design changes? Are Sprint customers getting a "tainted" version of Sammy's flagship Android device? These questions have been pondered for months, and we finally have the answers if you keep on reading. %Gallery-133563%
Is Samsung's T679 a T-Mobile bound Galaxy W?
Are you a T-Mobile subscriber itching for more "Wonder?" You might be in luck, as Cell Phone Signal notes that the T679's FCC schematic lines up perfectly with the previously announced Galaxy W -- you know, Sammy's midrange 3.7-inch, 1.4GHz Gingerbread smartphone that we briefly coddled at IFA. Of course, there's no word on when it'll land on our shores, but here's to hoping Deutsche Telekom delights us with its white tuxedo variant.
Samsung Galaxy R, Wave M, M Pro, W, Xcover, and Wave Y hands-on (video)
Samsung's Galaxy S II still reigns supreme in the eyes of many smartphone aficionados, but it's now joined by a healthy collection of lesser Galaxy devices, including (in alphabetical order) the Wave M (Magical), M Pro, R (Royal), W (Wonder), Xcover, and Wave Y (Young) -- all announced last month, but presented for the first time as a mismatched family here at IFA. There's the wise, conservative elder (R), the speedy head of household (W), the rowdy, rugged, dirt-bike-sporting teenager (Xcover), the mid-twenties QWERTY typing champion (M Pro), and the slightly rebellious, underpowered preteen (Wave Y) following in its older sibling's footsteps (M). BlackBerry owners looking to make the switch to Gingerbread may find the M Pro most appealing, with its 2.7-inch HVGA touchscreen, 5 megapixel camera, and QWERTY keyboard. The Royal steps things up with a 1GHz dual-core processor, 4.2-inch "Super Clear" LCD, Gingerbread, HSPA+, and a 5 megapixel camera. The Wonder includes those last three features as well, but swaps in a 3.7-inch WVGA display and 1.4GHz processor. And the dustproof and water resistant Xcover sports a 3.65-inch HVGA LCD, 800MHz processor, and 3 megapixel camera. With its small footprint, 3.2-inch HVGA LCD, 2 megapixel camera and relatively sluggish 832MHz processor, the Wave Young is probably enough to satisfy your pre-teen, but anyone on to their second or third smartphone will almost certainly be underwhelmed. It's running Samsung's new Bada 2.0 OS, like its Magical Pro sibling, which includes the same processor but jumps to a 3.65-inch HVGA display and 5 megapixel sensor. Both include Samsung's new ChatON IM service as well. All in all, it's not the speediest family in town -- and there's no US visa on order for a future trip to the states -- but not everyone needs the top of the line, so skip on past the break and through the front door to meet the latest Sam fam.%Gallery-132472%
Samsung Galaxy S II LTE ready for your reservation on Rogers
There was much rejoicing Stateside upon Tuesday's unveiling of the Samsung Galaxy S II, but it's Canadian fans that are getting the party favors ready. A reservation page for the Galaxy S II LTE -- essentially the device we've grown to admire, but with an added 4G turbo boost -- is now up and running on Rogers' site. As a disclaimer, the only way to get one put on hold with your name on it is to fork over a $40 refundable deposit. We haven't seen any change in the phone's official release, so for now we should still expect it before the end of Autumn; at least speed enthusiasts are now one step closer to having the highly-coveted device in their hands. [Thanks, Mariano]
Samsung Galaxy Note hands-on (video)
How excited is Samsung about the new Galaxy Note? The company is convinced that the device heralds a whole new space for the industry, something in between the smartphone and the tablet. And what's the space called? The Note, of course. At 5.3 inches, the thing does feel a lot more like a cell phone than a tablet -- albeit a really large one. It's still reasonably portable, certainly more so than the also recently announced Galaxy Tab 7.7, but the added screen real estate might not be worth the extra pocket space for those who don't use their portable devices to watch movies. Interestingly, the major application here actually seems to be enterprise users. While Android 2.3 isn't particularly known for being a great business OS, the ability to scribble notes with the stylus, the "S Pen," harkens back to the old PDAs and will likely appeal to users sick of typing with their fingers. That said, we had some difficulty mastering the pen in the short time that we spent with it. Despite Samsung's insistence on the thing's accuracy, the stylus was quite slippery on the device's glossy screen, and we had a lot of difficulty being precise for simple drawings -- as you can see in the scribble above. All in all, it's hard to envision the Note as a whole new space, and it remains to be seen whether the S Pen can indeed give the aged stylus new life. Check on our hands-on video after the break and see for yourself. %Gallery-132284%
Samsung Galaxy Note announced: 5.3-inch display, built-in-stylus, custom 'S Pen' apps
Until a few days ago we'd heard surprisingly little about the Galaxy Note, a handset rumored to be launching alongside the Galaxy Tab 7.7 and Wave 3 at IFA. It's ironic, really, because of all the phones to have kept a low profile, this is a memorable one. Behold, a 5.3-inch handset with a stowaway pen for note-taking, drawing and grabbing screen captures. In other words, a Dell Streak-esque hunk of a device that blurs the lines between phone and tablet. You're looking at a Gingerbread-running LTE and HSPA+ handset with a 1280 x 800 Super AMOLED display, dual 8MP and 2MP cameras, a removable 2,500mAh battery and the same Samsung-made dual-core 1.4GHz processor you'll find in the just-announced Galaxy Tab 7.7. For a phone this gargantuan, it's actually quite thin at light, at 9.65mm (0.38 inches) thick and a reasonable 178 grams (6.3 ounces). We had a few minutes to handle the phone in advance of today's press conference, and found it surprisingly easy to grip, even in our small hands. As with the Infuse 4G --whose own 4.5-inch screen once seemed impossibly sprawling -- the thin shape makes it tenable, as does the lightweight, textured plastic lining the back. As you'd expect, Android 2.3 comes layered with TouchWiz on top and, in this case, seven home screens and a touch-optimized interface dubbed "S Pen" designed to take advantage of that pen. These include S Planner, a native calendar and to-do list app, from which you can drag and drop appointments, changing time slots without having to open an entry. S Memo for note-taking, meanwhile, accepts voice, photo, text and handwritten input. We also got a quick glimpse of Virtual Whiteboard, a more collaborative form of note-taking. On top of that, Samsung says it's releasing the S Pen SDK to third-party developers, and the company's banking on more apps for organizing photos and drawing, among other things. For now, this is merely a global launch: Samsung says it's still in discussions with carriers worldwide, so depending on your neck of the woods it might be awhile before you hear anything definitive about pricing or availability. Find the some fancy press shots (and a promo vid) after the break, and stay tuned for our hands-on. %Gallery-132247%
Samsung Galaxy S II logs confirm NFC support for AT&T, none for Sprint
What's the point of investing $100 million in a mobile payment system if you don't have the goods to back it up? AT&T may be adopting this philosophy, beginning with the Galaxy S II. With the aid of eagle-eyed Android dev François Simond, we conducted an extended analysis of Ma Bell's latest gem and discovered it's rife with NFC. In addition to containing kernel drivers and a pre-installed APK, the system files also indicate the device is running in a mode named NDEF -- short for NFC Data Exchange Format. We haven't been able to determine if the handset will be capable of making payments, but the presence of Near-Field Communications in the Galaxy S II is definitely a good sign. T-Mobile is keeping a tight lid on its variant for the moment, preventing us from getting an in-depth look, but FCC filings confirm it will contain NFC as well. As for the third handset announced last night, the Epic 4G Touch contains no mention of NFC. Upon further analysis, we uncovered something else potentially more disturbing: it's using the same WiMAX module (cmc732) as the Samsung Nexus S 4G, a handset that was plagued with performance issues when it was originally released (those concerns were eventually resolved in a later update). In this case, it's hard to tell if that means we'll relive the painful experience once again, or if it will come with improved firmware to ensure it doesn't take the same path as its 4G brother. We're starting to unravel the mysteries, folks, and will continue to fill you in as we learn more. If you're considering one of these three lovely models, will these discoveries sway your decision in a particular direction? [Thanks, François Simond]
Samsung Epic 4G Touch training docs leaked, likely to have 4.5-inch display?
Like many other highly-anticipated product announcements, a few bits of information have leaked out mere hours prior to tonight's reveal of the Samsung Galaxy S II. This time, we have a new piece of 411 about the Epic 4G Touch, Sprint's weapon of choice. According to leaked training documents that surfaced today, it appears the device will match the Hercules in screen size, receiving a healthy bump up to a 4.52-inch Super AMOLED Plus display. True or not, we don't have much longer to wait before Sammy lets us in on all of the secrets these three Galaxy S II models have been keeping for so long.
White Galaxy W surfaces, flashes its backside
Samsung's already given us a few tidbits about its upcoming Galaxy W, but none pertaining to color. Lending credence to a bleached variant of the upcoming "Wonder" smartphone are a bevy of shots from Mai Nguyen, depicting the gizmo and its textured derriere in exquisite detail. Thus far, all that's been confirmed are its 3.7-inch WVGA display, 1.4GHz CPU, 5 megapixel camera and that it'll sling HSDPA packets at speeds of up to 14.4Mbps. We plan on finding out more at IFA next week, but in the meantime venture past the break for another snap, or hit the source for the full monty.
Mobile Miscellany: week of August 22, 2011
This week was packed with news on the mobile front, so it was easy to miss a few stories here and there. Here's some of the other stuff that happened in the wide world of wireless for the week of August 15, 2011: Phone Releases Fido launched the Samsung Galaxy Q, also known as the Gravity Smart in the US, on Thursday. [via MobileSyrup] The BlackBerry Curve 9360 can already be purchased on Telus for $50 with a three-year contract, and the Torch 9860 will be available on August 30th. [via IntoMobile and CrackBerry] SouthernLINC Wireless announced the immediate availability of the Motorola Titanium, offered for $150 with a two-year commitment. T-Mobile released the Samsung Gravity TXT, a basic messaging phone that's on sale for $10. [via UnwiredView] Cricket has begun offering a new messaging phone called the Samsung Comment, which offers a full QWERTY keyboard, stereo bluetooth, a microSD slot and 1.3MP camera. It can be had for $90 with no commitment required. [via PhoneScoop] Other news The government of South Korea, in reaction to Google's planned acquisition of Motorola, now intends to form a consortium of local companies that will work together in building a brand new mobile operating system. [via IntoMobile] Randall Milch, Chief Counsel for Verizon, is so frustrated with the patent wars going on that this week he filed an appeal to President Obama, asking for him to provide assistance in the matter. [via PhoneScoop] The Motorola PRO is expected to debut in the UK in mid-September, though pre-orders are already taking place at select authorized resellers. [via UnwiredView] Leaked posters indicate the BlackBerry Torch 9850 will be offered by Verizon and screenshots show the same phone going to US Cellular, though we're still unsure of the release date or pricing. [via CrackBerry(1) and (2)] Last week we reported on the rumored Sony Ericsson Nozumi, a smartphone that will likely feature a 1.4GHz single-core Qualcomm S2 CPU, Adreno 205 GPU, and 4.3-inch display with 1280 x 720 resolution. At the time, it was assumed to be only selling in Japan; however, there's a good possibility the Nozumi will end up available globally instead. [via XperiaBlog] Pantech's LTE phone on Verizon may actually end up being called the Breakout (rather than the "Apache"), according to a leaked screenshot. When released, it'll feature a 1GHz CPU with 512MB of RAM, dual cameras, and will be preloaded with Gingerbread. Not much to write home about at this stage in the game, considering these are incredibly similar to the specs of the LG Revolution. However, it would be the first 4G phone on Big Red that has a 4-inch display. [via AndroidCentral] T-Mobile may be planning to throw a data pay-per-use feature onto any smartphone that currently has its internet access blocked. If this happens, it will affect current customers as well as new ones. [via TmoNews] Dish has petitioned the FCC for permission to use 40MHz of allocated spectrum to begin building out an LTE-Advanced network. [via PhoneScoop]
