A T-Mobile Samsung phone with the model number T989 has just passed Bluetooth Org, but what exactly could it be? The model number suggests it could be a part of the Galaxy S line. The Samsung Vibrant and Galaxy S 4G were T989 and T989v respectively, though, and we’re not sure if this is a case of “the higher the number, the better the phone”. One thought is it could be that Samsung Hercules we’ve all been hearing about.

If previous rumors are to be believed, T-Mobile will have a Galaxy S II phone but it won’t be quite like the versions for Verizon, Sprint and AT&T. Instead, the Samsung Hercules will have a 4.5 inch Super AMOLED Plus display, a dual-core processor by Qualcomm with an Adreno 220 GPU, full 42mbps HSPA+ support with AT&T radios in case the merger is approved and a whole lot more. A full list of those specs can be had below.

T-Mobile is thought to be passing on a true Galaxy S II phone due to uncertainty with the looming merger. If approved, AT&T would have had two Galaxy S II phones which could get very confusing for both AT&T and consumers down the line. With that, the Hercules would be to the Samsung Attain as the Samsung Infuse 4G is to the Samsung Captivate when all is said and done. I

t’s still a bit too early to think of it that way, though, as integration might take quite some time to start after the merger is possibly approved, and we still don’t know exactly how long that’ll take. In any case, keep your eyes on this phone if you’re a T-Mobile customer.

• 4.5-inch 480 x 800 Super AMOLED Plus display
• Android 2.3 (Gingerbread)
• NFC support, though compatibility with the forthcoming ISIS mobile payment standard is “to be determined”
• Category 24 HSDPA (42Mbps) and Category 6 HSUPA (5.76Mbps) for extremely fast HSPA+ support — faster than any HSPA+ phone currently sold in the US
• AWS plus 850 / 1900MHz compatibility for support on AT&T’s “4G” network if the merger succeeds
• Preliminary measurements place it at 5.16 x 2.76 x 0.37 inches — within a few hundredths of an inch of the Infuse
• 16GB internal ROM, 1GB internal RAM, external microSD up to 32GB
• Here’s where it outdoes the Infuse: it’s quoted with a Qualcomm 1.2GHz dual-core APQ8060 application processor, which is extraordinarily unusual for a Samsung — particularly considering the availability of Samsung’s own multi-core Exynos line; it’s paired with an MDM8220 modem processor
• 8 megapixel primary camera with flash and 1080p video capture, secondary front-facing camera
• Like the Galaxy S II, the Hercules won’t have a dedicated HDMI port — it’ll move high-def video over Micro USB using MHL

[CellphoneSignal]

Android Phone Fans

Sources in Asia are reporting that Samsung is gearing towards launching a newer version of its Galaxy S II phone that will give it a 200 Mhz boost. That would bring it to a whopping 1.4Ghz dual-core processor.

According to the reports the reason is because of the IPhone 5 release. If you remember, earlier in the year, Samsung made major changes to the Galaxy Tab 10.1 to go head to head with the IPad 2. That was mostly cosmetic, but you have to give Samsung credit for recognizing where they need to be to go against the competition. That is how you become a big player in the smartphone market.

The only thing that is not determined is if this will be in the current device or a different version, but it is expected to debut sometime in August or September.

One of the rumors is suggesting that they will change the name of the phone and not market it with the Galaxy branding. What is also most interesting is how this fits in with U.S. We all know that the Galaxy S II will hit the U.S. soon, and with the IPhone 5 releasing sometime in August or September, could these changes be for the US market? If they don’t plan on marketing it under the Galaxy branding, it makes sense, because you will not see that branding here in the U.S.

Is the Samsung Galaxy S II getting a bump of 200 Mhz?

Android News, Rumours, and Updates

Sprint’s Q3 roadmap has leaked and it reveals the Samsung Epic 2. It will come with a 4-inch display, a 1.2GHz single-core Hummingbird processor, and a 8MP camera. The current Epic (1) 4G has a 1GHz Hummingbird and a 5MP camera. Not an impressive upgrade so I think we should just called it an “update.”

There is also a “full touch 4G” device from Samsung. There are no other details, but it is probably a safe assumption that this will the the Samsung Galaxy S II. We know it will eventually hit all the US carriers. A month ago we reported that the Sprint version might be called the Within.

There are also a couple of BlackBerry phones, the Bold Touch and Monaco. These names are expected to change and will be capable of GSM global roaming.

Samsung Epic 2 and ‘full touch 4G’ slated for Q3 according to Sprint roadmap

Android News, Rumours, and Updates

Cloud computing is a term we’ve heard with increasing frequency recently.

It’s the idea that our usual computing tasks are not run by the hardware in our computers, but instead on powerful servers connected to your machine via the internet.

Operating systems on netbooks and laptops are still firmly tethered to the hardware, with Windows 7 and Linux distros being the OSes of choice. Into this fray comes Google’s Chrome OS, an operating system designed to drag laptops and netbooks into the cloud.

The machines that run Chrome OS are known as Chromebooks, and Samsung is ahead of the pack by releasing the first Chromebook in the UK – the Samsung Chromebook Series 5.

For more information on what Chrome OS is all about, check out our guide: Google Chromebooks – what you need to know.

As the first of its kind with no immediate competitors – an Acer Chromebook has been announced by Google but Acer has yet to confirm if we will see it in the UK – the Samsung Chromebook faces some interesting challenges.

While it launches with no other competition from Chromebooks, it’s currently solely responsible for persuading consumers to move from the more familiar Windows operating system to Chrome’s browser-based interface, and to encourage early adopters to embrace the new technology.

The Samsung Chromebook Series 5 also needs to set the bar for what we can expect from this new breed of computer.

One of the biggest selling points about the Chromebook is its simplicity.

Where other laptops would boast of their specifications, cramming in powerful components wherever space allows, the Series 5 is proud of its pared-down simplicity.

Google’s aim with Chrome OS is to offer as uncomplicated a computing experience as possible, ideal for people who just want to use their computers with little fuss. Google wants you to ‘just use’ the device, rather than have to tinker with and maintain it.

While this back-to-basics approach could seem limiting and frustrating in the wrong hands, Samsung has created a remarkably accomplished machine that offers simplicity without being patronising.

It might be inevitable that the focus is going to be on Google’s new operating system, but it would be a shame to ignore what Samsung has achieved with the Series 5 Chromebook.

On the outside it appears to be a standard Samsung netbook, although the Chrome logo that’s displayed underneath Samsung’s name hints that this is no ordinary device.

Opening it up shows what both Google and Samsung are trying to achieve with Chromebooks. The keyboard has larger buttons and greater spaces between them than you’d find on other netbooks. The usual ‘F’ function keys are dispensed with in favour of Chrome OS-specific buttons for changing volume and flipping between tabs.

We found that even though this gives the Series 5 Chromebook a slight air of a Fischer Price ‘My First Laptop’, it feels very comfortable to use.

The mouse track pad is a lot larger than on most laptops, and you click with one finger for a left mouse click, and with two fingers for a right mouse click. It’s quite an elegant solution that works well.

The Samsung Series 5 Chromebook comes in two versions, one that’s Wi-Fi only and a 3G version which costs £50 more.

Because Chrome OS is web based, the Series 5 Chromebook needs to be connected to the internet for it to work properly – one of the very first things it asks you when you turn it on for the first time is to connect to a wireless network.

Whilst the Wi-Fi only version works fine around the home, the 3G version is recommended if you are going to be using it while out and about. The constant need for an active internet connection is a good example of how you need to think differently when using a Chromebook, and if you’re unwilling to commit to a 3G contract just to use your computer, then you’re going to find the Series 5 Chromebook very limiting.

With other laptops the biggest worry is running out of battery – with the Chromebook it’s losing your internet signal.

Talking of the battery, the Samsung Series 5 Chromebook has a very decent lifespan of eight to nine hours between charges, mainly due to the fact that Chrome OS is so light to run.

It comes with just 16GB of internal memory, the idea being that you’ll be saving your work in the cloud. While this is all well and good in areas where you can easily get an internet connection, if you’re stuck in a 3G blackspot, you’re not going to be able to access your work.

You can also plug in external storage to load media and documents using the Chromebook’s file browser. A file-browser opens as a new tab as soon as you plug one in.

Ports

The right-hand side of the Chromebook is where the SIM slot is for your 3G USIM card, and that sits next to one of the two USB ports and the developer switch.

Front left sits the SD card slot for plugging in the memory card from your camera, for instance.

And on the left is the second USB port and the display output port- you can plug the chromebook into a monitor using the bundled VGA adapter – alongside the charging port and a 3.5mm headphone/microphone port.

If you buy the 3G version, in the box you’ll find a Three SIM card with 3GB of free PAYG data on it – so you’ll be able to get yourself online straight away before sorting yourself out with a contact. Alternatively, you can wait for your free data to run out and then simply top it up.

Cutting the bloat that can often be associated with the more complicated Windows operating systems for the simpler and lighter Chrome OS has resulted in one area where the Samsung Series 5 Chromebook is leagues ahead of its Windows-based brethren – startup speed.

While computers such as the Acer Aspire One 721 and Samsung NC110 take around three minutes to fully load and allow you online, the Series 5 Chromebook takes less than 10 seconds. Open the lid after some downtime and it’ll resume from sleep and get you online instantly.

Media playback on the Samsung Series 5 Chromebook is more hit and miss.

Clicking on JPEG photos, a small thumbnail was displayed on the right-hand side of the screen, with options to view the photo or send it to a Picasa online album. We selected a number of images and clicked on ‘View’.

This opened up a new tab and we were able to scroll through each photo using the arrow buttons. Admittedly the photos were quite large, but the Samsung Series 5 Chromebook showed noticeable signs oflag when flicking between the photos. Not something we’d expect to see in a new machine straight out of the box.

We tested a variety of video file formats and were rather disappointed with the results. Out of the box, we managed to get .mov and .MP4 videos to work just fine, but more exotic formats like .wmv, .mkv and a basic DivX .AVI were not recognised by the OS.

We looked online to try to find an extension or plug-in to allow us to play the wmv file type, but with little luck. This is hardly the pick-up and use simplicity that Sundar Pichai, senior vice president of Chrome at Google, promised when we talked to him earlier this week.

The files that worked showed off what the 12.1-inch display is capable of, with colours looking bright and vivid. However, when playing in full screen the limits of the hardware again made themselves known, with choppy playback when we tried HD content on the BBC iPlayer site. However, 720p video on YouTube played without much of a hitch though the framerate again was ever so slightly lower than we’ve been used to with other devices.

Web browsing

For day-to-day web browsing the Samsung Series 5 Chromebook is good, with Chrome feeling just as fast a browser as its always been. However, when we ran the SunSpider 0.9.1 JavaScript benchmark tool it took a surprisingly bad 1452.1ms to complete the tests, compared to 351.7ms using Chrome on a desktop PC.

As soon as Chrome OS was first demonstrated we had a feeling that its much vaunted simplicity would be a defining element that it would succeed or fail on. And so it has come to pass.

We liked:

In the areas where the Samsung Series 5 Chromebook’s simplicity works well, the machine really benefits. The keyboard and the mouse work well, and the almost instant startup time is fantastic.

For people who don’t want to mess around with operating systems, worrying about installing anti-virus software and having to deal with Window’s crashes and quirks, then the simplicity of just opening up the Chromebook, signing into a Google account and then getting straight into browsing the internet is certainly attractive.

We disliked:

Unfortunately on many other aspects the simplicity of the Samsung Series 5 Chromebook works against it.

Its Intel Atom CPU and integrated graphics card just doesn’t have enough horsepower to play back demanding videos with optimal spoothness, and while its ability to play media might not be its main selling point, when you’re paying £350 to £400 you’d expect it to be a bit more competent.

Compatibility issues with some file types will no doubt be ironed out in future updates, but at the moment performance is limited, so early adopters should approach with caution.

Final verdict

It is very early days for both Chrome OS and the Chromebooks that run it. The Samsung Series 5 Chromebook gets enough of the basics right that we can see the potential of the new operating system.

However it is not the strong start we’d have hoped for. We can see the logic in keeping the hardware simple when it keeps the performance streamlined and costs down. However in this case the hardware is just a bit too weak for any tasks more strenuous than viewing a website, and for a price that rivals more powerful and more feature-rich laptops.

With a few choice upgrades and a lower price, Chromebooks could be a hit. But at the moment, on the evidence of the Samsung Series 5 Chromebook, they still have a way to go.

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A lot of people have been waiting for the release of the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1. The wait is over because tomorrow it will be available nationwide. The Tab 10.1 comes with Android 3.1, has a 10.1-inch WXGA display, TouchWiz UX, and a 7,000 mAh battery for up to 9 hours of use.

It is the world’s thinnest mobile tablet and priced in line to the IPad 2. It is $ 499 for the 16GB model and $ 599 for the 32GB.

Hit the break for the full press release

Read More…

Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 will be available nationwide tomorrow

Android News, Rumours, and Updates

Four days ago Apple got a court order to smell what the Samsung is cooking. And now it would seem that Samsung is looking to play a game of “You show me yours, I’ll show you mine”.

With this request, Samsung is looking to catch a glimpse of the yet to be announced “iPhone 4S”, “iPhone 5″ or anything closely resembling that lineup; as well as the “iPad 3″, “Third Generation iPad” or anything resembling that lineup. So, you know, these lawsuits wont happen again. With Apple’s track record, Samsung could just look at the stuff that’s already out, imagine it thinner, call it the next generation and have a 95% chance of getting it right. Of course that’s probably another lawsuit.

[via This is my next | Read on Engadget]

Android Phone Fans

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]

Android Phone Fans

The Samsung RC710 is a large family laptop and an excellent option for staying connected online.

802.11n Wi-Fi is supported for connecting to wireless networks, which is currently the fastest wireless networking standard available. If you have Wi-Fi at home, you can enjoy superfast networking speeds on your favourite social networking sites. If you don’t have Wi-Fi, you can use Gigabit Ethernet to connect to the internet via a cable instead.

Although this laptop opts for a previous generation Intel Core i5 480M processor instead of the latest Sandy Bridge technology, there’s still enough power for all the family to run their applications. You can comfortably multi-task with creative applications, media players and other software, with no noticeable slowdown. The 6144MB of memory helps considerably.

Dedicated graphics

Multimedia performance is also good, thanks to the dedicated Nvidia GeForce 315M graphics card, which provides similar power to the Packard Bell EasyNote TS13-HR-035 and Sony VAIO VPC-CA1S1E/G. If you want to edit video or photos for posting online or sending to friends, the Samsung can manage it with gusto. However, if anyone in your family is a gamer, they’ll be better served by the Dell Inspiron 15R.

The Nvidia GPU features Optimus technology, which automatically shuts the graphics card off when not in use. This conserves battery power, although you’ll only get 237 minutes of life on the move, less than the Dell Inspiron 15R and Packard Bell.

Benchmarks

Battery life: 237 minutes
MobileMark 2007: 257
3DMark 2003: 10,228

It’s also one of the heavier machines here, weighing in at 3.1kg, so is best suited to home use.

The integrated high-definition (HD) webcam is as sharp, and is great for chatting online or capturing any exciting monologues for uploading to YouTube. Be warned that there’s a fair bit of motion blur, which restricts your movements while recording.

As well as shooting HD movies, you can also watch them using the built-in Blu-ray drive. The 17.3-inch display is a superb way of consuming your media, with a sharp 1600 X 900-pixel resolution and vibrant Super-TFT coating.

Whether you’re instant messaging or bashing out a novel, frequent typists will like the full-sized isolation-style keyboard featuring a separate numeric keypad. It’s comfortable to use over extended periods, while the sensitive touchpad is also good.

If you need a laptop for getting online, enjoying your media and staying in touch with friends and family, the RC710 is a great option, though best kept at home, thanks to the bulky build and limited battery life.

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Although you might feel like a better person for buying an ecofriendly phone, the Replenish’s specs and features are largely underwhelming.

Macworld

Times are sure changing as well as technology.  We’ve gone from 3G to 4G, GSM to UMTS, Edge to 3G and then HSPA+, single-core to dual-core processors and the list just keeps going on.  Well, with the next gen Galaxy Tablet in mind, Samsung is continuing the tradition of innovation by introducing their new line of memory modules.  Dynamic random-access memory (DRAM) is improving more and more on a daily basis.  With this new module, Samsung has developed a 1GB DRAM module with a wide I/O interface capable of interacting with both tablets and smart phones, transmitting data at 12.8 GB/sec.  That is music to our ears.

Here’s to the greatest words ever spoken, “faster is better”.  Compared to the LPDDR2 DRAM chip set, this is an eightfold increase in bandwidth.  Samsung has also trimmed power consumption by 87 percent while successfully doing this.  This is extremely impressive and something to look forward to as new and innovative handsets and tablets join the market by Samsung.  Samsung increased data transfer rates by using a new wide I/O DRAM which encompasses a 512 pin system, much larger than the 32 pin set used in previous chips.  The folks over at Engadget have reported that Samsung hopes to provide 20nm-class 4GB wide I/O mobile DRAM by the year 2013.  Here’s to hoping the technology reaches new mobile products much much sooner than that.  As the technology begins to unfold more, we’ll definitely be reporting it back for you all, so don’t forget to check back in with Talk Android.  What do you think?  Is an attainable 12.8 GB/sec fast enough for you?

Samsung Develops DRAM With Up To 12.8GB/sec Data Transfer Rates

View full post on Android News, Rumours, and Updates

Well, it looks like even though you thought you could get a Samsung Galaxy S 4G at RadioShack for $149 on sale, you won’t be seeing that pricing from T-Mobile after all. They apparently…made a boo-boo with the pricing. It’ll cost $199.99 after a $50 mail-in rebate, and taxes n such of corse too. So, to grab one, you’ll actually need around $275.00 then have to fill out a rebate form at home for the extra $50 savings. Yeah…that sucks.

The Samsung Galaxy S 4G has;

• Cortex A8 Hummingbird 1GHz processor
• 4-inch Super AMOLED touch screen
• Android 2.2
• ST-Ericsson M5720 HSPA+ 4G modem capable of giving 21 Mbps
• Front-facing-camera
• 5MP camera with 720p HD video recording

Is the 4G version of the Samsung Galaxy S worth it?

Samsung Galaxy S 4G will cost you $200 with T-Mobile

View full post on Android News, Rumours, and Updates

With the new era of Android products appearing from all over the world, the Tablet is appearing as the focus for this year. Once you have a tablet, you try to find new ways to improve its functionality and one obvious choice is to make inputting information easier.  Your tablet has a bigger screen and many have USB Host connectors that allow you plug in full keyboards and mice so you can type complete documents and surf the web easier.

Enter the Samsung Keyboard Dock for the Samsung Galaxy Tab.

Samsung Keyboard Dock for Galaxy Tab

This comfortable, soft touch, 83 key keyboard makes maximizing the features of the Samsung Galaxy Tab a breeze. Increase productivity, communicate faster and more conveniently, all while your Samsung Galaxy Tab is securely stationed in the weighted, integrated charging and media dock.

Features:

• Full Size Keyboard
• 3.5mm Stereo Audio Line-Out
• Charge and Sync
• Internet, Email, SMS, and Document Editing
• Shortcut Keys
• Multimedia Sync

Head over to the AndroidSPIN accessory store and pick up one up now.

View full post on AndroidSPIN

Samsung seems to be in a giving mode today; not only did they provide developers with the Froyo source code for the Epic 4G, they’ve also provided it for the Samsung Vibrant as well.

Remember, this is not an update that you can flash immediately to your Vibrant to have Froyo. This is more for developers looking to enhance their device or use their own vanilla Android versions.

Although most average users won’t be working with these files, it’s nice to know that Samsung is staying committed to Android and beginning to provide more updates for users. Plus, maybe some pretty sweet custom ROMs will come out of these source codes!

Samsung releases Vibrant source code for Android 2.2

View full post on Android News, Rumours, and Updates

We’d already gotten prices from third-party providers WalMart and Wirefly, but T-Mobile has gone ahead and announced their official pricing for the Samsung Galaxy S 4G: you’ll be able to grab the thing up for $199.99 after a $50 mail-in rebate. I’d see if I could get a better deal at a third-party retailer if I were in the market for it, though. Look for this device to hit store shelves starting February 23rd. [via T-Mobile]

View full post on Android Phone Fans

You guys know me and my never ending search to customize my device beyond what is normal. This easily falls into that category of extra special.

The most recent release from Team Whiskey, Bionix 1.2.1, had a lot of back end work done to it. One of the most noticeable visual changes was the new rotary lock screen. If I remember correctly, this lock screen has been around for a while and was first used on a Huawei Android device that was for T-Mobile overseas in the Netherlands. I might be wrong, but I know it was a Huawei device.

All the original credits go to  Whitehawx and Hoey2011, but thanks to jcc332006 for bringing this to the forefront of the Vibrant section. Take a look at these images and let us know what you think.

If you are interested in picking this mod up, head on over to the following xda-developers page. Give the ZIP a download and flash using your Clockwork Mod recovery. It should work on most newer ROM’s available for our devices. I have successfully flashed this mod to my Bionix V1.2.1 with no issues. If you are using anything different, I suggest a backup first just to be safe. This will replace a good chunk of your framework-res on you current build.

Happy flashing everyone.

View full post on AndroidSPIN

Wirefly has published their presale plans for T-Mobile’s Samsung Galaxy S 4G, an HSPA+ enabled follow-up  to the Samsung Vibrant You can get the phone a bit cheaper than you would get it from T-Mobile, and it should be on your doorstep sometime next week. Click on through to Wirefly to check it out.

[Update] And now Wal-Mart is starting to get their devices in, though they aren’t allowed to put it up for sale until February 23rd – just like Wirefly. Awesome. Let us know if any of you are planning to grab this up. [TmoNews]

View full post on Android Phone Fans

I’m sure most of you remember our initial post on this subject. Finally Vibrant owners have an “official” source to build from. While Im sure this is too little too late, as far as saving Samsung’s reputation, it’s a step in the right direction.

Alright, alright stop the excitement for a second, to download the source codes you’ll need to visit Samsung’s Open-Source Site and do a search for “Sgh-T959″. Now that that’s over with, let the celebrating commence, and please allow me to join you in celebration: *fist pump* “YES!”

Source: Samsung via Twitter

View full post on AndroidSPIN

While we don’t have any pricing or an exact date on this release T-Mobile did state via Twitter that they would indeed inherit the new superpower amongst the Galaxy S line. Of course this really comes as no surprise with them also carrying the new Galaxy S 4G.

This phone however is no comparison to the Galaxy S 4g though aside from the internal storage, and the name they are completely different. The new Galaxy S II has a slew of goodies  not being offered thus far.

• Android 2.3 Gingerbread
• 4.27″ Super AMOLED Plus display with 800×480 resolution
• 1.2GHz Dual-core processor with 1Gb RAM
• 16Gb internal storage expandable via microSD
• 2Mp Front facing, 8Mp rear facing camera with LED flash and 1080p Full HD video capture

With the vast amount of Galaxy S phones that don’t have official updates from Samsung yet, maybe this will make up for it. Granted it requires purchasing, but also offers so much more capabilities than what users currently have. I know a lot of people are waiting to get their hands on this phone, and it’s always our pleasure to heighten the anticipation a little more.

Update: Everyone gets excited and T-Mobile retracts statement and tweets this after. Apparently they thought they were being asked about the Galaxy S 4G. We’ll have to wait for more updates. Back to the drawing board.

Source: Android Central via Mobile Central

View full post on AndroidSPIN

Apparently, Samsung’s head of product management in the UK mobile division doesn’t think there’s much to having 3D on a smartphone, and so, they aren’t going to bother with it…right now anyway.

We are world leaders in 3D, but we haven’t seen a need for 3D on mobiles as yet … we just don’t see [3D] is needed yet—good luck to the innovators though, it will be interesting to see if it works, and if it does you’ll see a response from Samsung quickly

I can certainly see them pulling a 3D device out their behinds if other 3D smartphones start to take off though. Do you think 3D belongs on smartphones or no point?

Samsung doesn’t think 3D belongs in smartphones

View full post on Android News, Rumours, and Updates

The consensus on this device is confirmed again, “Yes, it’s essentially a Vibrant, but throw in Android 2.2.1 out of the box, 4G speeds, front-facing camera, longer battery life  … and it’s a really nice upgrade.” With that said this phone ships with the newest version of Froyo 2.2.1, which I’m sure is a relief to those Vibrant (and most other Galaxy S) owners that just got the “official” Froyo release. If you’d like to pick up a Galaxy S 4G it’s available for pre-order at our store or you can wait til February 23rd and grab it from T-Mobile.

In the video below you’ll see a direct comparison of the Vibrant vs the Galaxy S 4G, as well as some benchmark scores and general information.

The Samsung Vibrant has been a popular phone for T-Mobile. One of Samsung’s wildly successful Galaxy S series of cell phones, the Vibrant had a big and bright display in a sleek package, with some nice features added to the mix. Deciding to refresh the Vibrant, the new phone is called the Galaxy S 4G, and it has the same sleek package and top-notch display that distinguished the Vibrant.

In addition, the Galaxy S 4G brings more great features to the T-Mobile party, including 4G network speeds on T-Mobile’s 21 Mbpe HSPA+ system, a front-facing camera for video chat, and a bigger battery that just may be the biggest standard battery for any Android phone. Running Android 2.2, the Galaxy S 4G keeps the best of the Vibrant and moves into the new 4G world.

This video is a quick review of the Samsung Galaxy S 4G, including some benchmark testing and a peek at the phone’s camera quality. Click on the box to the right to see the entire video.

Source: Wirefly

View full post on AndroidSPIN

Along with Samsung Mobile’s High end device, the Galaxy S2, they have brought their more budget friendly devices to spread the mobile love.  And thanks to our friends over at Engadget, they’ve gotten a great slew of hands on photos for you to stare and compare.  Check them out below in our gallery after the thread along with their respective specs.  Don’t forget to let us know what you think in the comments below.

Samsung Galaxy Mini – The Mini sports a 3.14-inch touchscreen, a 600 MHz CPU, 3 meg camera and QVGA display.  And though the device is small, it’s also a little on the thick side.  Hopefully, Sammy can keep this device priced on the low end of the scale and generate some much wanted revenue.

Samsung Galaxy Ace, Gio, Fit, and Mini Get The Hands-On Approach

View full post on Android News, Rumours, and Updates

Samsung unveiled four entry-level Android handsets last month – the Mini, Fit, Gio and Ace – and we got our grubby hands on them for the first time (as expected) at Mobile World Congress.

None of these devices will blow you away but they’re the type of offering I’d suggest to a first time smartphone user who doesn’t want to be bothered with the Android learning curve and a huge piece of hardware in their pocket. Want an introductory Android that does a lot more than your current phone and the ability to do so much more if you’re up for learning? The Mini, Fit, Gio, or Ace could be your next phone.

The Galaxy Mini reminded me a lot of the HTC Wildfire S announced yesterday. They’re both new iterations of successful phones but I thought they looked alike, too. Comparing them side by side I notice less of a difference, but both reminded me of smaller, dumbed down versions of the Nexus One

We’re always eager to see the next age of elite phones but don’t forget there is a massive number of non-smartphone users the manufacturers would love to convert. Maybe the Galaxy Mini, Fit, Gio and Ace will help accomplish that task.

T-Mobile USA will launch the Galaxy Mini in the Spring for $50 to $75 on a 2-year contract.

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The Samsung Q430-JS02UK is a compact laptop, yet still manages to pack an impressive amount of power and strong mobility into its sleek, silver chassis.

This a slim laptop with a depth of only 35mm, and with a weight of just 2.2kg, it’s also light, making it a good choice for commuters. The battery life of 294 minutes further enhances portability.

The brushed-aluminium finish to the plastic chassis gives it a solid appearance, although there’s a little flex towards the centre of the palm rest. We also liked the dark grainy design on the lid, which does a great job of masking fingerprints.

The strong build quality continues with the isolation-style keyboard, which proves excellent for touch-typing and, while we would have preferred a larger touchpad, at least the one in place is smooth and responsive during use.

True widescreen

Since the Samsung is compact, the screen is also smaller at just 14 inches. However, this proves perfectly comfortable to work on for long periods and the true widescreen aspect ratio is great for watching movies or working on documents side by side.

Contrast levels are strong, but the screen is reflective and doesn’t bend far back from vertical, so it can be difficult to see in bright conditions.

The Intel Core i3 350M processor provides more than enough power for multi-tasking and we witnessed very little slowdown when putting this laptop through its paces. Despite this, the Core i5 machines around this price point inevitably offered even stronger performance and could prove a better long-term investment.

If you’re looking to edit your media or play games, however, the Samsung is a good choice with its dedicated Nvidia GeForce 310M graphics card. It’s only an entry-level GPU, so you’ll need to turn down detail levels on more complex games, but photo and video editing suites will run fine.

Benchmarks

Battery life: 294 minutes
MobileMark 2007: 217
3DMark 2003: 10,613

Wireless networking matches most other laptops for the money, while Bluetooth 3.0 provides speedy data transfer with compatible devices.

The 320GB of hard drive storage is also standard and is enough space to carry a fair-sized media collection around with you. There’s also space on the compact chassis for an SD Card reader, as well as VGA and HDMI ports that allow you to output video to an external display.

Overall, the Samsung Q430-JS02UK is a well-built and highly usable mid-range laptop. The slim and light chassis makes it a great travel companion and there’s no loss of power as a result.

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We have always been huge fans of Samsung’s entry-level laptops, but unfortunately the RV510 failed to impress us quite as much as previous models have. This is largely due to its poor usability.

The large keyboard is spongy and slightly unresponsive, making it a little frustrating to type on. This is compounded by the fact that, like the HP Compaq Presario CQ56-111SA, the touchpad is easy to brush when typing, so make sure you try before you buy.

Nevertheless, the screen is very bright and produces vivid images which make the laptop great for viewing photos and films. The standard glossy Super-TFT screen coating is in place, but manages to suppress reflections in bright light well.

An attractive silver paint finish has been implemented and this contrasts nicely with the black screen bezel and mock-chrome mouse buttons to make this an aesthetically pleasing laptop.

Build quality is surprisingly good and at 2.4kg this is quite light. The 247 minutes of battery life is also useful for those who travel a lot and require a decent battery life.

The Intel Celeron T3500 processor isn’t the most powerful and only beats the MSI CR630. Nevertheless, those with basic performance requirements and who are content with simply running office applications, checking their email and browsing the internet will find their needs catered for.

Those after more power for multi-tasking resource-intensive applications should consider the HP Compaq Presario CQ56-111SA.

Benchmarks

Battery life: 247 minutes
MobileMark 2007: 158
3DMark 2003: 1555

Basic multimedia

The entry-level graphics card will allow you to run basic multimedia tasks only – but watching DVDs on the integrated drive and videos via the internet won’t be a problem.

Ample storage is provided courtesy of a 320GB hard drive and, unless you have huge music, photo and movie libraries, you are unlikely to fill it in a rush.

802.11n Wi-Fi provides the fastest wireless networking technology currently available, so you’ll get impressive networking speeds when connecting to a router, and there are three USB ports for attaching peripherals, such as an external mouse or even an MP3 player for charging.

We always have high hopes for Samsung laptops, but the RV510 unfortunately just doesn’t quite deliver, thanks to its irritating keyboard and mouse and performance that is a little underwhelming.

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