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Samsung Galaxy Note review
Remember the display on your first mobile phone? If you've been chatting on the go for as long as we have, it was probably barely big enough to fit a complete telephone number -- let alone a contact name or text message. And your first smartphone? Even displaying scaled-down, WAP versions of web pages was asking a lot. Now, those mobile devices we couldn't live without have screens that are much, much larger. Sometimes, though, we secretly wish they were even bigger still. Samsung releases 1.5GHz Exynos processor and 16MP CMOS for mobiles, if you're nice Samsung's Galaxy S II for T-Mobile proves that unicorns do exist (hands-on video) Samsung Galaxy Note announced: 5.3-inch display, built-in-stylus, custom 'S Pen' appsSamsung's new GT-N7000 Galaxy Note is the handset those dreams are made of -- if you happen to share that dream about obnoxiously large smartphones, that is. It's as thin as a Galaxy S II, lightning fast and its 5.3-inch HD Super AMOLED display is as gorgeous as it is enormous; the 1280 x 800 pixels you once could only get with a full-size laptop (or in the Galaxy Tab 10.1) can now slide comfortably into your front pocket. Its jumbo display makes it the perfect candidate for a notepad replacement and, with the included S Pen stylus, you'll have no problem jotting notes on the fly, marking up screenshots or signing documents electronically. But, is that massive display too much of a good thing? You'll need to jump past the break to find out.%Gallery-137768% %Gallery-137793%
Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus WiFi hitting the US November 13th for $400, available in 16GB for now
Nearly a month after its initial announcement, Samsung's ready to deliver the Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus to the good ol' US of A just in time for the winter gift-giving season. The WiFi-only device, which packs a 1.2GHz dual-core CPU with 1GB of RAM, Android 3.2, 3MP camera with 720p HD video capture and a 7-inch LCD with 1024 x 600 resolution, will be begging for your credit card as of November 13th at Best Buy, Amazon and other retailers. Are you an early adopter? No prob -- you'll have the opportunity to pre-order yours at "select retailers" this coming Sunday, though no specific outlets were called out by name. The 16GB is the only version arriving so far, but Sammy told us to expect the 32GB flavor later this year or early 2012 (likely for $499, if yesterday's brief appearance on Amazon is any indicator). No word on partnerships with carriers yet, but we'll keep you posted on any updates. View the press release in all its glory below.
Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus ready for your pre-orders, sticky with Honeycomb
Having passed the FCC's critical eye, and hot on the heels of Samsung's now official love-in with Google, the Korean manufacturer's pint-sized tablet refresh is now up for pre-ordering. Priced at $399 for the 16GB model (or $499 for 32GB), Amazon remains tight-lipped on release date info, but is more than happy to tell us what we'll get for that wad of notes. That includes Android Honeycomb 3.2, and a dual-core 1.2GHz processor -- a substantial jump up from the single 1GHz processor we had with the original Galaxy Tab. If Samsung can promise a swift Ice Cream Sandwich upgrade, we could well be sold.
Details on the Samsung Galaxy S III leak out: 1.8GHz dual-core CPU and 12MP camera? (Update: wrong terminology)
We're still awaiting the release of the Samsung Galaxy S II on T-Mobile this week, and yet it's already starting to look like yesterday's half-eaten breakfast. That's because some fuzzy details are now leaking out about its inevitable successor, the mystical Galaxy S III. The leaked presentation slide above, uncovered by Phandroid, shows a phone that's packing a 1.8GHz dual-core Exynos 4212 CPU with 2GB of RAM and a 12 megapixel rear-facing camera. Oh, and a 4.6-inch Super AMOLED Plus HD display isn't too shabby either. If this ends up being true, we're a bit puzzled by the inclusion of four buttons on the bottom -- a departure from the first two Galaxy S devices -- and why the slide refers to the original Galaxy S as running on an Exynos processor, rather than Hummingbird. Color us a shade of skeptic since we're still a few months out from CES and MWC, but it's never too early to start getting excited over an upcoming device, right?Update: One other piece of evidence that leads us to believe this is fake is the fact that the term "Super AMOLED Plus HD" is used; if this were real, Samsung would likely use its proper terminology, which is HD Super AMOLED.
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 unveils Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus, packing 1.2GHz dual-core CPU and coated in Honeycomb
Samsung has just unveiled a rather unexpected addition to its fleet of tablets, with the Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus. Available in both 16GB and 32GB varieties, this new slate is fueled by a 1.2GHz dual-core CPU, runs Android 3.2 Honeycomb and features a seven-inch LCD with 1024 x 600 resolution. It also packs a two megapixel front-facing camera, along with a three megapixel shooter that supports 720p video, boasts 1GB of RAM and ships with Sammy's TouchWiz UI baked-in. In terms of connectivity, you'll find support for quad-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE, 3G with 21Mbps HSPA and the usual smattering of Bluetooth 3.0 and GPS capabilities. In addition, this little guy offers WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n at both 2.4GHz and 5GHz, along with support for channel bonding and apt-X Codec for Bluetooth. Pricing has yet to be announced, but the 7.0 Plus is slated to hit Indonesia and Austria by the end of October, before rolling out internationally. Slide past the break for more details, in the full PR, or check out the gallery below for more images. %Gallery-135281%
Samsung releases AT&T Galaxy S II kernel source far in advance of the phone's release
Whoever's cranking out the kernel source in Samsung's headquarters has some serious aspirations. Cooking it up for the Galaxy S II Epic 4G Touch the day it was released was a rather snappy process, but the manufacturer's managed to one-up even itself by pushing out AT&T's version a full week and a half early. Talk about an exciting deal for developers, who now have a sizable head start ahead of the Galaxy S II's October 2nd launch. Not too shabby, right? Let's see exactly what those with the know-how can build in the meantime -- we predict customization options aplenty by the time the phone's officially stocked on store shelves. How early can we expect to see the kernel for T-Mobile's Galaxy S II? Hard to say, but for now you can grab the kernel source at... well, the source below.
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%
Galaxy S II finally lands on American shores for Sprint, T-Mobile and AT&T
Well, it's been a long time coming, but you fine folks living in the good ol' U-S-of-A are finally getting blessed with Galaxy S IIs to call your own. Conspicuously missing from the party is Verizon, but Sprint, T-Mobile and AT&T are all getting in on the Super AMOLED Plus action under the guise of the Epic 4G Touch on Sprint and just plain old Galaxy S II on AT&T and T-Mo. As we had heard earlier the Epic 4G Touch is sporting a slightly larger 4.52-inch screen as will the T-Mobile variant, while AT&T is sticking with the 4.3-inch panel found on the international model. Sprint customers will be first to get their shot at owning one on September 16th for $200, with AT&T and T-Mobile a little further down the road. Otherwise there are very few surprises here, with a 1.2GHz Exynos pushing Gingerbread and TouchWiz to each gorgeous screen. All are packing 16GB of internal storage and being pitched as 4G handsets -- with WiMax on board the Sprint model and HSPA+ for T-Mo and AT&T. Ma Bell's is specifically championing its variant as the "thinnest 4G smartphone," which might have something to do with the smaller 1650 mAh battery inside (the Epic 4G Touch is sporting an 1800 mAh pack). Check back soon for some hands-on. %Gallery-132069%
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.
Galaxy S II LTE and Galaxy Tab 8.9 LTE announced, set to debut at IFA
Well, if you thought Samsung was done tweaking the Galaxy S II, you were very mistaken. The Korean company is getting ready to unveil the Galaxy S II LTE at IFA in Berlin this week, alongside an LTE version of its still elusive Galaxy Tab 8.9 -- and we'll be there to get some hands on time. Both devices are sporting an updated dual-core processor running at 1.5GHz, while the S II is also getting a size bump and moving up to a 4.5-inch screen. The Tab remains otherwise unchanged, rocking the same 1200 x 800 screen and super-svelte (8.6mm thick) design. Honestly, we're not sure what else you need to know -- 4G LTE and an over-the-top processor? OK, maybe price and availability would be nice, but you'll just have to make do with some PR for now. Check it out after the break.
Samsung Admire now on MetroPCS shelves, can be yours for $130
Didn't see any budget phones on our Back to School list that tempt you? Perhaps the Samsung Admire (aka the R720) on MetroPCS might make the grade. Launched today -- earlier than its expected September release, we might add -- the Gingerbread-laden handset is being offered for $130 with the carrier's $50 unlimited monthly plan. All in all, it's pretty decent underneath the hood; among the specs are an 800MHz CPU powering a 3.5-inch HVGA display, as well as a 3.2MP camera. It's also taking advantage of a respectable 1600mAh battery, though the battery life is rated at three hours of talk time. Head on over to the source link to do your homework on the new prepaid device.
CyanogenMod founder joins Samsung Mobile, promises to make Android 'more awesome'
We already knew Samsung loved the guys at CyanogenMod, but we didn't think they'd start absorbing parts of its development team. According to Steve Kondik's Facebook page, the Android facade's head sculptor is setting up shop at Samsung Mobile. Sammy's new software engineer told his fans that although his 'side project,' CyanogenMod, is not affiliated with his employer in any way, he will be "working on making Android more awesome." Makes sense, we heard Samsung's phones were looking for a fresh coat of awesome. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Samsung Galaxy R officially announced for Europe and Asia, nobody surprised
That Samsung Galaxy R we've heard about? Yep, it's real. Not that it's much of a surprise to us, considering we've seen leaked press renders and even a four-minute video about the device, but Samsung and NVIDIA have finally banded together to give the "mystery phone" its official blessing. Here's the skinny: the Galaxy R will house a 1GHz Tegra 2 CPU, a 4.2-inch WVGA (800 x 480) Super Clear LCD, dual 5MP / 2MP cameras in the rear and front (respectively), and Gingerbread with Samsung's TouchWiz UI. The phone's already available in Sweden as the Galaxy Z, but it's finally on its way to parts of Europe and Asia (including China). No word on if or when we can plan on seeing the R in North America, but it's likely that its launch would be quickly obscured by its older brother, the Galaxy S II, if it made an appearance. A full press release and demo video can be found after the break for your enjoyment.
Samsung brings WNBA-sized Galaxy Tab 8.9 to BlogHer 2011
The release date and pricing info we're waiting on from the Galaxy Tab 8.9 continues to elude us, but Samsung's slightly smaller slate did find time to make a live US appearance at BlogHer 2011 this week. Handled by our friends at Tecca, the new TouchWiz UX looked every bit as slick and speedy here as it did on the regulation size 10.1-inch Tab, but on a screen that might be easier to handle. There's no real surprises -- you knew the speakers had migrated around to the sides of the Tab's proprietary connector, right? -- but now that Samsung's showing it off to the public a wide release is hopefully just around the corner.
OTA TouchWiz update comes to Samsung's Galaxy Tab 10.1 right on schedule
We were there when a select few got their Galaxy Tab 10.1's loaded up with TouchWiz for the very first time, and we gave you a rundown of what to expect from the newly skinned slate. Now the day has finally arrived for all the other owners to get the new software, and Samsung's delivered the OTA update as promised. We grabbed the update ourselves on an untouched Tab, and found that it's a 188MB download -- so be prepared to hurry up and wait a while for your new media-enhanced, widget-happy tablet experience. Once you're done doing the download dance, do let us know how the new UX is treating you in the comments. [Thanks, Michael]
Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9 shows up for pre-order at Amazon.co.uk, ships August 11th
Back when we got word of the Galaxy Tab 10.1 making its British debut on August 4th, Samsung told us that our UK brethren could expect its elusive younger sibling, the 8.9, "later in the year." Well, if its recently minted Amazon page is correct, the Galaxy Tab 8.9 will land across the pond just one week after its big brother, on August 11th. The 3G-sporting Android tablet carries a £605 price tag. Considering its stop off at the FCC in June, and the recent appearance of the Retail Mode app, we hope to see the 8.9 stateside sometime soon. Otherwise, it'll be off to the UK for you die-hard Galaxy fans. [Thanks, Jules]
Hands-on with TouchWiz UX for the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1
Today's Samsung event in New York City was a strange scene -- the company collected Galaxy Tabs from the journalists in attendance and handed back coat check receipts, promising to give the devices back after the press conference ended. One Samsung executive acknowledged the unusual nature of the event, explaining that, "this is the first time we've held a news conference for a software update, and it probably won't be the last." The event marked the pre-launch of a major software update for Samsung's slate -- one that is set to get wide release on August 5th. Members of the press, however, were given a side-loaded preview of the tablet UI -- as were New York City Galaxy Tab 10.1 owners who showed up to the Samsung store with tablet in-hand. We've been playing around with the update for a bit and have a full hands-on preview for you after the break.%Gallery-129900%
Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9 Retail Mode app makes its debut on a Galaxy Tab 10.1 (video)
Still yearning to find out when the Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9 will be released worldwide? Aside from Sammy's previously announced September release for the Nordic areas, there's been no other official word on when the rest of us can get our mitts on one -- not to mention that a month's time has passed since the AT&T-banded 3G Galaxy Tab 8.9 hit the FCC. It appears that we'll know more soon though, as Samsung's apparently slipped out a new "app" that serves as a demo Retail Mode for the upcoming slate. Reportedly, once the store mode is downloaded from Samsung Apps and installed, using the password "5444" will grant you the access needed to get it running on a current Galaxy Tab. You'll find a video of the TouchWiz filled demo after the break, but don't get to excited yet; it's running on the 10.1-incher. Patience, friends. Patience. %Gallery-129552% [Thanks, Will]
Samsung to roll out Galaxy Tab 10.1 TouchWiz UX update on August 3rd in NYC, and NYC only
Everyone else will get it eventually, of course, but Samsung is once again giving folks in New York City first dibs on its latest Galaxy Tab wares. In this case, it's the previously announced update that brings the TouchWiz UX to the tablet, and adds things like Samsung's Live Panel, Mini Apps, and a newly redesigned Media Hub interface. That will first be available to the press during a media event on August 3rd, after which Samsung will open the doors at its Samsung Experience store to the public from 1PM to 6PM, and let any Galaxy Tab 10.1 owner side-load the update onto their device. Needless to say, we'll be there to bring you all the details if you aren't able to make it yourself.
