Samsung Admits to Posting Fake Reviews Again!
Fri, Apr 19 2013 12:17
| Samsung
Earlier this week, it was discovered that Samsung Taiwan hired students to post fake negative reviews about HTC’s smartphones on Taiwanese websites. Following the discovery of Samsung’s practices thanks to documents published by TaiwanSamsungLeaks.org, Taiwan’s fair-trade officials started an investigation.
Responding to these allegations, Samsung issued a comment to media outlets, admitting that the company had indeed engaged in such dirty marketing tactics:
HTC said that it regrets its competitors “malicious attacks” and doesn’t rule out a legal action against Samsung.
The Register has some of these anti-HTC comments that were posted by Samsung:
In the cache of forum posts, one user complained that his girlfriend’s HTC One X phone was always on the blink, while Samsung’s Galaxy Note phone was described as far better than HTC’s Sensation XL handset. Another post even asked if anyone who owned a Samsung phone had been given a job promotion.
The whole thing is obviously bad for Samsung from a PR standpoint, but the company has frequently come under severe criticism from press on several occasions:
During the Samsung-Apple trial, an internal document went public that revealed how exactly Samsung formed its strategy to copy Apple.
The company flew some bloggers across the world for the launch of the Galaxy Note 2, and then threatened to leave them stranded there if they didn’t promote Samsung’s products during the launch.
Certain acts in Samsung’s Galaxy S4 launch event were labelled as “shockingly sexist“
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Samsung Refuses To Launch Windows RT tablets in the US.
Samsung's line of Windows Ativ tablets was announced just this past fall, but it doesn't look like the company will be bringing the RT version to the US any time soon. Speaking to CNET, Samsung executive Mike Abary said that the Qualcomm-powered RT tablet will not be sold in the US, citing the high cost of educating the consumer on Windows RT and studies from retail partners that said demand for Windows RT tablets was not enough to warrant the heavy investment in consumer education.
When we did some tests and studies on how we could go to market with a Windows RT device, we determined there was a lot of heavy lifting we still needed to do to educate the customer on what Windows RT was," noted Abary. Consumer education is something that Microsoft has had to struggle with for both Windows 8 and Windows RT, and it looks like this is a direct consequence of that. He added that Samsung was also not willing to bring the Windows RT tablets to market with the compromises it would need to make to hit the lower price point expected from RT tablets. "We didn't necessarily attain the price point that we hoped to attain," Abary said.
Samsung isn't completely abandoning the US market with its Ativ products — it's been selling the Ativ Smart PC with Windows 8 at AT&T retail stores since November, and it just announced availability of the Ativ Odyssey smartphone for Verizon Wireless. But the Samsung's decision to not sell the Windows RT Ativ tablets in the US doesn't bode well for other manufacturers that may plan to launch their own tablets with the platform. Fortunately for Microsoft, Samsung hasn't completely ruled out the US market for Windows RT if it is able to address the issues of customer training and cost. But we aren't getting our hopes up to see one any time soon. "It's still a viable option for us in the future, but now might not be the right time," concluded Abary.
Samsung 'sudden death' bug affecting Galaxy S III owners
Sat, Jan 5 2013 01:25
| Samsung, Andriod, Smartphones
Own a Galaxy S III that appears to be suffered some form of chronic failure suddenly and for no apparent reason? Samsung is aware of the problem, and is working on a fix. The issue, being referred to in the forums as "sudden death," seems to be relatively rare: a Samsung spokeswoman told Tweakers that the problem affects "only a very limited number" of devices. So far, we know the problem applies to users running the stock software, as well as custom ROMs. For whatever reason, too, these defective models are all 16GB variants, according to Samsung. In any case, Sammy says it will push out a firmware update to correct the problem, though the company hasn't said when that patch will be ready.
Samsung Charged by the EU with abusing vital telecoms patents
The European Commission has charged Samsung Electronics with abusing its dominant position in seeking to bar rival Apple from using an patent that's essential to cell phone use.
The Commission sent a "statement of objections" to the South Korean group, with its preliminary view that Samsung was not acting fairly.
"Intellectual property rights are an important cornerstone of the single market. However, such rights should not be misused when they are essential to implement industry standards, which bring huge benefits to businesses and consumers alike," Competition Commissioner Joaquin Almunia said in statement.
Apple and Samsung, the world's top two smartphone makers, are locked in patent disputes in at least 10 countries as they vie to dominate the lucrative mobile market and win over customers with their latest gadgets.
The filing of competition objections is the latest step in the Commission's investigation. After notifying Samsung in writing, the company will have a chance to reply and request a hearing before regulators.
If the Commission then concludes that the firm has violated the rules, it could impose a fine of up to 10 percent of the electronics firm's total annual turnover.
Technology companies are increasingly turning to the European Commission as the European Union's competition authority, to resolve their disputes. The Commission is also investigating Google and Microsoft.
In the case of Samsung, its standard-essential patents (SEPs) relate to the EU's 3G UMTS standard. When this was adopted in Europe, Samsung committed to license the patents fairly to competitors, the Commission said.
However, it began seeking an injunction in 2011 in various EU member states against Apple's use of these patents. The Commission opened its investigation in January 2012.
Samsung said it was studying the Commission's statement. It said it would cooperate fully and "firmly defend ourselves against any misconceived allegations".
"Samsung is confident that, in due course, the Commission will conclude that we have acted in compliance with European Union competition laws."
The Commission sent a "statement of objections" to the South Korean group, with its preliminary view that Samsung was not acting fairly.
"Intellectual property rights are an important cornerstone of the single market. However, such rights should not be misused when they are essential to implement industry standards, which bring huge benefits to businesses and consumers alike," Competition Commissioner Joaquin Almunia said in statement.
Apple and Samsung, the world's top two smartphone makers, are locked in patent disputes in at least 10 countries as they vie to dominate the lucrative mobile market and win over customers with their latest gadgets.
The filing of competition objections is the latest step in the Commission's investigation. After notifying Samsung in writing, the company will have a chance to reply and request a hearing before regulators.
If the Commission then concludes that the firm has violated the rules, it could impose a fine of up to 10 percent of the electronics firm's total annual turnover.
Technology companies are increasingly turning to the European Commission as the European Union's competition authority, to resolve their disputes. The Commission is also investigating Google and Microsoft.
In the case of Samsung, its standard-essential patents (SEPs) relate to the EU's 3G UMTS standard. When this was adopted in Europe, Samsung committed to license the patents fairly to competitors, the Commission said.
However, it began seeking an injunction in 2011 in various EU member states against Apple's use of these patents. The Commission opened its investigation in January 2012.
Samsung said it was studying the Commission's statement. It said it would cooperate fully and "firmly defend ourselves against any misconceived allegations".
"Samsung is confident that, in due course, the Commission will conclude that we have acted in compliance with European Union competition laws."
Samsung Galaxy S3, Galaxy Note 2 and others have a major security flaw.
Samsung's Galaxy S3 and Galaxy Note 2 smartphones have been revealed to suffer from a security flaw found in their Exynos ARM-based system-on-chip (SoC) processors, which could lead to users' personal data being exposed to malware.
First spotted by a user on the XDA Developers forums, the flaw affects all Android-based Samsung devices that use the Exynos 4210 and 4412 system-on-chip processor - including the Galaxy S2, Galaxy S3, Galaxy Note, Galaxy Note 2 and Galaxy Note 10.1, but not the cut-down Galaxy S3 Mini, which uses a different processor. The Samsung-manufactured Nexus 10 tablet, meanwhile, also escapes the bug as it uses the next-generation Exynos 5-series processor rather than the Exynos 4 family.
Currently, the flaw is not known to be exploited in the wild except for an application designed to allow users to 'root' their handsets - a process analogous to 'jailbreaking' an iPhone - without the need to connect the handset to a computer and use third-party software. The developer who discovered it, however, warns that it could be potentially serious: allowing full read/write access to the device's memory, the flaw allows malware to read personal details - including usernames and passwords - or patch itself into other applications, such as to record telephone calls or text messages. The vulnerability could even be used to trigger the device's microphone or camera remotely.
So far, there is no news of an official patch from Samsung, with some researchers releasing a third-party unofficial patch to work around the flaw.
Samsung Galaxy S4? No.. Not Happening Any Time Soon.
Wed, Dec 12 2012 07:37
| Samsung
The successor to the blockbuster Galaxy S III won't be showing up anytime soon.
Don't hold your breath for Samsung to unveil the Galaxy S4 any time soon.
The successor to Samsung's blockbuster Galaxy S3 smartphone won't be showing up at the Consumer Electronics Show next month, CNET has learned.
At the tech confab, Samsung is planning to introduce a number of electronic products, heavily focused on televisions, according to people familiar with the company's plans. Those announcements, however, do not include any major mobile news, and Samsung plans to showcase its mobile products at a separate media event after CES.
Speculation about the Galaxy S4's arrival surfaced yesterday after Samsung released a teaser video for CES. The video revealed little, but it was enough to kick off speculation and anticipation for a smartphone announcement. Samsung actually downplayed the rumor a while back, but that was largely ignored.
It wouldn't make sense for Samsung to unveil the new version so soon, given that the Galaxy S3 continues to sell well, and the company has put its resources behind promoting the newly released Galaxy Note 2.
Many companies are holding off until Mobile World Congress in February to make their announcements, with a number, including Samsung, opting to follow the Apple model and holding their own events.
The Galaxy S3 has proven to be a hit nearly on par with Apple's iPhone franchise. While it doesn't draw the crazy lines and crowds, Samsung's products have consistently ranked among the top-selling wares at each of the carriers. Part of Samsung's success has been its ability to get a consistent version of its Galaxy S3 phone at every carrier, allowing it to tap into the largest base of customers possible.
It's a far cry from the first Galaxy S phone, which was heavily altered and renamed by the U.S. carriers, and looked more like generic smartphones. But persistent marketing and carrier support has helped Samsung establish a reputation for quality mobile products.
Ericsson Sue's Samsung.
Samsung seems stuck in a sue sandwich. It is embroiled in patent litigation with Apple across the globe, and now Ericsson is coming after it, as well. On Tuesday, the mobile network infrastructure manufacturer sued Samsung for patent infringement, claiming that the company continues to use its mobile technology patents even though its licensing agreement has expired.
Ericsson said the suit follows two years of failed negotiations with Samsung, during which the South Korean company sought to significantly reduce the licensing fees it pays to license Ericsson’s IP under so-called fair, reasonable and nondiscriminatory (FRAND) terms.
“Ericsson has tried long and hard to amicably come to an agreement with Samsung and to sign a license agreement on FRAND terms,” Ericsson’s chief intellectual property officer, Kasim Alfalahi, said in a statement. “We have turned to litigation as a last resort.”
Samsung, for its part, says that it would like to license Ericsson’s patents on FRAND terms, but that’s not what the company is offering. “Ericsson has demanded prohibitively higher royalty rates to renew the same patent portfolio,” Samsung said in a statement of its own. “As we cannot accept such extreme demands, we will take all necessary legal measures to protect against Ericsson’s excessive claims.”
Better get those ready, Samsung, because Ericsson isn’t messing around here. It alleges that Samsung has sold “hundreds of millions” of unlicensed devices since the expiration of its previous agreement, and it’s seeking damages on all of them, as well as an injunction against the infringing products themselves.
Ericsson said the suit follows two years of failed negotiations with Samsung, during which the South Korean company sought to significantly reduce the licensing fees it pays to license Ericsson’s IP under so-called fair, reasonable and nondiscriminatory (FRAND) terms.
“Ericsson has tried long and hard to amicably come to an agreement with Samsung and to sign a license agreement on FRAND terms,” Ericsson’s chief intellectual property officer, Kasim Alfalahi, said in a statement. “We have turned to litigation as a last resort.”
Samsung, for its part, says that it would like to license Ericsson’s patents on FRAND terms, but that’s not what the company is offering. “Ericsson has demanded prohibitively higher royalty rates to renew the same patent portfolio,” Samsung said in a statement of its own. “As we cannot accept such extreme demands, we will take all necessary legal measures to protect against Ericsson’s excessive claims.”
Better get those ready, Samsung, because Ericsson isn’t messing around here. It alleges that Samsung has sold “hundreds of millions” of unlicensed devices since the expiration of its previous agreement, and it’s seeking damages on all of them, as well as an injunction against the infringing products themselves.
Samsung Tech Going For Flexible Screens.
Thu, Nov 15 2012 04:55
| Samsung
The Wall Street Jounall is reporting Samsung is heavily invested in flexible screens.
Samsung's display unit, Samsung Display Co., is in the last phase of development of flexible displays for mobile devices, which are expected to be released in the first half of next year, a person familiar with the situation said.
It is still unclear when devices using the technology will be available commercially, and Samsung declined to comment on how much it is investing in the displays.
Samsung Group's flagship company, Samsung Electronics Co 005930.SE -1.70% ., which makes products as diverse as semiconductors, television sets and smartphones, combined its liquid-crystal-display operations with its organic light-emitting diode joint venture, Samsung Mobile Display, earlier this year and turned it into Samsung Display.
The move to mass produce flexible displays comes as global smartphone and tablet makers look to differentiate their products to boost their profit margins and market share in the fast-growing markets.
Samsung's flexible displays will incorporate OLEDs, a display technology that the South Korean company is already using in its smartphones and television sets.
OLEDs are thin and can be put on flexible material such as plastic or metal foil. By using plastic rather than glass, they make the displays more durable and light. Flexible OLEDs have been in the development phase for many years, and companies including Sony Corp. 6758.TO -10.69% of Japan and LG Display Co. 034220.SE -1.71% of South Korea also have launched prototypes. However, manufacturers haven't been able to commercialize them or use them in devices due to technological barriers in mass production. Samsung hopes it will be first to bring the product to the market.
Samsung's push has taken on more urgency, because other display makers are also moving to introduce different screen technologies for cellphones and tablets. Sharp Corp. 6753.TO +2.63% of Japan and LG Display are already selling liquid-crystal displays with technology used for the screens of Apple Inc.'s AAPL -0.43% iPhone 5. The "in cell" technology makes the smartphone's screen thinner by integrating touch sensors into the liquid crystal display, eliminating the need for a separate touch-screen layer.
Samsung is able to invest heavily in the display business despite a supply glut of panels as its profits are soaring. In the third quarter, Samsung Electronics' net profit surged 91% from a year earlier to about $6 billion.
The vice president of Samsung's display unit, Lee Chang-hoon, said the company is currently sampling the displays with a few customers. Mr. Lee said the release date of a new product based on flexible displays hasn't been determined yet.
"The key reason for Samsung to use plastic rather than conventional glass is to produce displays that aren't breakable. The technology could also help lower manufacturing costs and help differentiate its products from other rivals," said Lee Seung-chul, an analyst at Shinyoung Securities.
Samsung's success isn't guaranteed, however.
Sony said it has been researching the technology since 2002, though a spokesman for the company said Monday that it can't comment on when flexible displays will be mass-produced or commercialized. Two years ago, Sony showcased a 4.1-inch flexible OLED display.
"Samsung is still busy making the original glass-type displays for its latest Galaxy S III smartphones and Galaxy Note II devices, so profit-wise the new displays don't seem to be that attractive," said Julius Kim, an analyst at Woori Investment & Securities.
Samsung Galaxy 2 and 3 phones Vulnerable to being reset by malicious code.
www.tech-sanity.com
A major security vulnerability has been discovered in some TouchWiz-based Samsung smartphones, including the Galaxy S2 and certain Galaxy S3 models. Security researcher Ravi Borgaonkar at the Ekoparty security conference discovered it several days ago. . It involves the use of a single line of code in a malicious web page to immediately trigger a factory reset without prompting the user, or allowing them to cancel the process. Even more serious is the possibility that this could be paired with a similar glitch to render the user's SIM card inoperable. And as the malicious code is in URI form, it can also be delivered via NFC or QR code.
Various Samsung phones seem to be affected such as Galaxy 2 and 3, the Galaxy Ace and Galaxy Beam. As far as we can tell, though, the bug does not affect Samsung phones running stock Android, like the Galaxy Nexus. So it's Touchwoxz relalated.
The vulnerability is the result of the way the native Samsung dialer app handles USSD codes and telephone links. USSD codes are special combinations of characters that can be entered in the keypad to perform certain functions, like enabling call forwarding, or accessing hidden menus on the device. On Samsung phones, there's also a USSD code for factory resetting the phone (and presumably another for nuking your SIM). This, combined with the fact that the dialer automatically runs telephone links that are passed to it by other apps, results in a particularly nasty issue for anyone unfortunate enough to run by a malicious web page.
There are, of course, other applications of this glitch -- for example, the ability to automatically run numbers through the dialer could be used to call premium-rate phone numbers. But the fact that just visiting a web site could factory reset your phone, wipe your internal storage and nuke your SIM is a very serious issue. So we'd advise you update your software if you're running an S3, and if you're not, we'd recommend using a third-party dialer like Dialer One until all this has blown over.
A major security vulnerability has been discovered in some TouchWiz-based Samsung smartphones, including the Galaxy S2 and certain Galaxy S3 models. Security researcher Ravi Borgaonkar at the Ekoparty security conference discovered it several days ago. . It involves the use of a single line of code in a malicious web page to immediately trigger a factory reset without prompting the user, or allowing them to cancel the process. Even more serious is the possibility that this could be paired with a similar glitch to render the user's SIM card inoperable. And as the malicious code is in URI form, it can also be delivered via NFC or QR code.
Various Samsung phones seem to be affected such as Galaxy 2 and 3, the Galaxy Ace and Galaxy Beam. As far as we can tell, though, the bug does not affect Samsung phones running stock Android, like the Galaxy Nexus. So it's Touchwoxz relalated.
The vulnerability is the result of the way the native Samsung dialer app handles USSD codes and telephone links. USSD codes are special combinations of characters that can be entered in the keypad to perform certain functions, like enabling call forwarding, or accessing hidden menus on the device. On Samsung phones, there's also a USSD code for factory resetting the phone (and presumably another for nuking your SIM). This, combined with the fact that the dialer automatically runs telephone links that are passed to it by other apps, results in a particularly nasty issue for anyone unfortunate enough to run by a malicious web page.
There are, of course, other applications of this glitch -- for example, the ability to automatically run numbers through the dialer could be used to call premium-rate phone numbers. But the fact that just visiting a web site could factory reset your phone, wipe your internal storage and nuke your SIM is a very serious issue. So we'd advise you update your software if you're running an S3, and if you're not, we'd recommend using a third-party dialer like Dialer One until all this has blown over.
Samsung Galaxy Note 2
Thu, Aug 30 2012 06:49
| Samsung
www.tech-sanity.com
The Note 2 has a 5.5 inch HD SuperAMOLED 16:9 display at 1280x720, a 1.6GHz Exynos quad-core processor, 2GB of RAM and 16, 32 or 64GB of storage. Powering the whole show is a pretty sizeable 3100mAh battery, and we also get NFC and Samsung's latest Touchwix Nature UX based on Android 4.1 Jelly Bean. At only 9.4mm thick and weighing in at 180g the Note 2 doesn't feel as large in the hand as its massive screen would possibly lead you to believe. The overall design of the Note 2 lends very much from the smaller Galaxy S 3, which in turn sets it apart from the 2011 Galaxy Note.
The Note 2 will be available in a choice of two colors, Marble White and Titanium Grey, and is pegged for a Q4 2012 launch date. There is also support for 4G LTE as well as 3G/HSPA+.
It feels pretty good in the hand, but lets not forget that this is a big phone. A really big phone. As with the original, you aren't likely to be one handing the Note 2 all that often. The key component once again is the inclusion of the S-Pen. For the Note 2, the S-Pen has been redesigned a little. It's now taller and thicker, has a textured button on the side and a rubber tip on the end now which creates a subtly different interaction with the screen from its predecessor.
The tagline for the Note 2 is "Be Creative," and as such there is a big push towards creation and productivity software with the Note 2. The first generation of S-Pen apps such as S-Planner and S-Note are still present, but have been tweaked and given some additional features. The S-Planner application now has Facebook integration, providing the ability to manage Facebook events within the S-Planner app itself.
A really interesting feature in the Note 2, is what Samsung is calling Air View. In its simplest form, Air View allows you to interact with the Note 2, without the S-Pen having to actually touch the display. In the gallery for example, hovering over folders will preview the content within without having to open the folder. When watching a video, the pen can be held over the video timeline and will show a preview frame from that particular point. Email contents and attachments can also be viewed in the same way.
The Note 2 has a 5.5 inch HD SuperAMOLED 16:9 display at 1280x720, a 1.6GHz Exynos quad-core processor, 2GB of RAM and 16, 32 or 64GB of storage. Powering the whole show is a pretty sizeable 3100mAh battery, and we also get NFC and Samsung's latest Touchwix Nature UX based on Android 4.1 Jelly Bean. At only 9.4mm thick and weighing in at 180g the Note 2 doesn't feel as large in the hand as its massive screen would possibly lead you to believe. The overall design of the Note 2 lends very much from the smaller Galaxy S 3, which in turn sets it apart from the 2011 Galaxy Note.
The Note 2 will be available in a choice of two colors, Marble White and Titanium Grey, and is pegged for a Q4 2012 launch date. There is also support for 4G LTE as well as 3G/HSPA+.
It feels pretty good in the hand, but lets not forget that this is a big phone. A really big phone. As with the original, you aren't likely to be one handing the Note 2 all that often. The key component once again is the inclusion of the S-Pen. For the Note 2, the S-Pen has been redesigned a little. It's now taller and thicker, has a textured button on the side and a rubber tip on the end now which creates a subtly different interaction with the screen from its predecessor.
The tagline for the Note 2 is "Be Creative," and as such there is a big push towards creation and productivity software with the Note 2. The first generation of S-Pen apps such as S-Planner and S-Note are still present, but have been tweaked and given some additional features. The S-Planner application now has Facebook integration, providing the ability to manage Facebook events within the S-Planner app itself.
A really interesting feature in the Note 2, is what Samsung is calling Air View. In its simplest form, Air View allows you to interact with the Note 2, without the S-Pen having to actually touch the display. In the gallery for example, hovering over folders will preview the content within without having to open the folder. When watching a video, the pen can be held over the video timeline and will show a preview frame from that particular point. Email contents and attachments can also be viewed in the same way.
Samsung ATIV Tab 10.1-inch Windows 8 RT tablet
www.tech-sanity.com
Samsung's new ATIV Tab, a Windows RT-packing cousin of the Galaxy Note 10.1has been announced. The new 10.1-inch slate isn't quite as aggressive as its Android counterpart and centers on a 1,366 x 768 display, a 1.5GHz dual-core processor, a 5MP rear camera paired with a 1.9MP front-facing cam, and ports for micro-HDMI as well as USB. Dimensionally, the tablet is as light and skinny as you'd hope: it weighs 20.1 ounces (570g) and measures a slim 8.9mm thick. The 32GB and 64GB storage options aren't shockers given the extra space Windows and the bundled copy of Office 2013 Home and Student 2013 will demand, but there's a treat for long-haul users in the battery -- it's been upgraded from the 7,000maH pack of the Note 10.1 to an ample 8,200mAh unit. Samsung hasn't handed out launch details, but it's safe to say that the ATIV Tab won't arrive any sooner than October 26th.
Samsung's new ATIV Tab, a Windows RT-packing cousin of the Galaxy Note 10.1has been announced. The new 10.1-inch slate isn't quite as aggressive as its Android counterpart and centers on a 1,366 x 768 display, a 1.5GHz dual-core processor, a 5MP rear camera paired with a 1.9MP front-facing cam, and ports for micro-HDMI as well as USB. Dimensionally, the tablet is as light and skinny as you'd hope: it weighs 20.1 ounces (570g) and measures a slim 8.9mm thick. The 32GB and 64GB storage options aren't shockers given the extra space Windows and the bundled copy of Office 2013 Home and Student 2013 will demand, but there's a treat for long-haul users in the battery -- it's been upgraded from the 7,000maH pack of the Note 10.1 to an ample 8,200mAh unit. Samsung hasn't handed out launch details, but it's safe to say that the ATIV Tab won't arrive any sooner than October 26th.
Samsung Found "Willfully" copying. Apple awarded over $1 Billion damages. Verdict in extremely fast!
In a shockingly quick return of the juries verdict Samsung has been found "wilfully" copying Apple products and design.
The fact that the jury came back extremely quickly says a lot. They obviously needed very little in the way of discussion and considered this very clear cut.
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Awarding Apple $1,051,855,000 in damages. Samsung, on the other hand, was granted a total of $0 in damages.
Here’s a quick rundown of how the jury came down on both of the companies. Remember, there are plenty of devices at play here — on Samsung’s side alone, there’s the Captivate, Continuum, Droid Charge, Epic 4G, Fascinate, Galaxy Ace, Galaxy Prevail, Galaxy S, Exhibit, Infuse 4G, Mesmerize, Nexus S 4G, Gem, Galaxy Tab, Galaxy Tab 10.1, Replenish, Vibrant, plus every carrier’s version of the Galaxy S II.
• The jury found no infringement by Apple on any of Samsung’s utility patents.
• The jury found that Samsung infringed on patents for ’381 “bounce back” scrolling functionality on all devices.
• On the ’915 patent, relating to one finger to scroll, two to pinch and zoom navigation, all but three Samsung devices (Ace, Intercept and Replenish) infringed.
• For Apple’s ’163 patent (tap to zoom) all Samsung devices except Captivate, Indulge, Intercept, Nexus S 4G, Transform and Vibrant infringed.
The jury then answered a question about inducement, regarding whether Samsung made its U.S. arms infringe: yes for the ’381 “bounce back” patent on all devices, yes for ’915 “one finger scrolling” for all devices except Replenish and yes for ’163 “tap to zoom” for all except Captivate, Continuum, Gem, Indulge, Nexus S 4G.
One of the biggest questions answered by the jury was if Samsung was willful in its infringement, which is where the major damages came into play. The largest damages came from the prepaid Galaxy Prevail (over $57 million).
The dense trial involved more than a dozen different patents, over 30 allegedly infringing devices and wide-ranging claims on design ownership; both sides argued their cases and defended themselves concurrently, all while enraging federal judge Lucy Koh.
Apple began with a full-fledged assault, hurling numerous trademark claims, design and technical patent claims and more; after judge Koh ordered Apple to pare it down, the company has focused on a few key patents, the simplicity of its design and working to prove a pattern of copying by Samsung. Apple’s total monetary demand was $2.525 billion.
Meanwhile, Samsung claimed that Apple’s iPhone and iPad were infringement and demanded $14.40 per device sold.
The verdict came in shockingly quickly, as the jury was only in deliberation for three days. The jury worked one hour late yesterday and reached a decision at 2:35 PT today. Over 700 individual decisions had to be made by members of the jury, which does not come from particularly technical backgrounds, on their complex worksheets.
It has been expected since the beginning of this trial that both companies would file appeals regardless of the verdict, so it would be shortsighted to assume that this is the end. That said, unless something happens as attorneys from both companies review the document, Apple is going to walk out of this courtroom much happier than Samsung is.
The fact that the jury came back extremely quickly says a lot. They obviously needed very little in the way of discussion and considered this very clear cut.
93 Comments
Awarding Apple $1,051,855,000 in damages. Samsung, on the other hand, was granted a total of $0 in damages.
Here’s a quick rundown of how the jury came down on both of the companies. Remember, there are plenty of devices at play here — on Samsung’s side alone, there’s the Captivate, Continuum, Droid Charge, Epic 4G, Fascinate, Galaxy Ace, Galaxy Prevail, Galaxy S, Exhibit, Infuse 4G, Mesmerize, Nexus S 4G, Gem, Galaxy Tab, Galaxy Tab 10.1, Replenish, Vibrant, plus every carrier’s version of the Galaxy S II.
• The jury found no infringement by Apple on any of Samsung’s utility patents.
• The jury found that Samsung infringed on patents for ’381 “bounce back” scrolling functionality on all devices.
• On the ’915 patent, relating to one finger to scroll, two to pinch and zoom navigation, all but three Samsung devices (Ace, Intercept and Replenish) infringed.
• For Apple’s ’163 patent (tap to zoom) all Samsung devices except Captivate, Indulge, Intercept, Nexus S 4G, Transform and Vibrant infringed.
The jury then answered a question about inducement, regarding whether Samsung made its U.S. arms infringe: yes for the ’381 “bounce back” patent on all devices, yes for ’915 “one finger scrolling” for all devices except Replenish and yes for ’163 “tap to zoom” for all except Captivate, Continuum, Gem, Indulge, Nexus S 4G.
One of the biggest questions answered by the jury was if Samsung was willful in its infringement, which is where the major damages came into play. The largest damages came from the prepaid Galaxy Prevail (over $57 million).
The dense trial involved more than a dozen different patents, over 30 allegedly infringing devices and wide-ranging claims on design ownership; both sides argued their cases and defended themselves concurrently, all while enraging federal judge Lucy Koh.
Apple began with a full-fledged assault, hurling numerous trademark claims, design and technical patent claims and more; after judge Koh ordered Apple to pare it down, the company has focused on a few key patents, the simplicity of its design and working to prove a pattern of copying by Samsung. Apple’s total monetary demand was $2.525 billion.
Meanwhile, Samsung claimed that Apple’s iPhone and iPad were infringement and demanded $14.40 per device sold.
The verdict came in shockingly quickly, as the jury was only in deliberation for three days. The jury worked one hour late yesterday and reached a decision at 2:35 PT today. Over 700 individual decisions had to be made by members of the jury, which does not come from particularly technical backgrounds, on their complex worksheets.
It has been expected since the beginning of this trial that both companies would file appeals regardless of the verdict, so it would be shortsighted to assume that this is the end. That said, unless something happens as attorneys from both companies review the document, Apple is going to walk out of this courtroom much happier than Samsung is.
September a Big Tech month! Samsung, Nokia, Microsoft, Google's Motorola, Amazon, Apple.
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Samsung, Nokia, Microsoft, Google's Motorola and Amazon have announced plans to launch new products and not surprisingly, just few days before Apple's rumored media event on September 12.So here's what Apple's competitors are likely to announce to try and steal some spotlight from Apple's event.
Samsung:
Samsung has scheduled an event on August 29, where it is widely expected to launch the Samsung Galaxy Note II, which may come with a slightly larger display (5.5-inch from 5.3-inch).
Nokia and Microsoft:
Nokia and Microsoft have announced a media event on September 5 in New York. It is speculated that Nokia will unveil next generation Lumia smartphones running Windows Phone 8.
Google's Motorola:
Google-owned Motorola has announced a media event on September 5 in New York. Motorola is widely expected to launch to launch Driod Razr HD with is rumored to come with a bigger battery, 8-megapixel camera, and NFC functionality.
Amazon:
Yesterday, Amazon has announced that it will hold a press conference on September 6. It looks like Amazon is gearing up to launch the next generation Kindle Fire and possibly even the rumored Kindle smartphone.
Apple:
It's not official, but Apple is widely expected to unveil the hotly next generation iPhone on September 12, followed by the release on September 21. There's also a slim chance that Apple will launch iPad mini, the next generation iPod touch and iPod Nano at the event. But as John Gruber of Daring Fireball has pointed out yesterday, Apple might have separate music event in October to launch the other products.
Do you think Amazon, Nokia, Samsung and Motorola will be able to steal the hype from the 'iPhone 5' launch?
Samsung, Nokia, Microsoft, Google's Motorola and Amazon have announced plans to launch new products and not surprisingly, just few days before Apple's rumored media event on September 12.So here's what Apple's competitors are likely to announce to try and steal some spotlight from Apple's event.
Samsung:
Samsung has scheduled an event on August 29, where it is widely expected to launch the Samsung Galaxy Note II, which may come with a slightly larger display (5.5-inch from 5.3-inch).
Nokia and Microsoft:
Nokia and Microsoft have announced a media event on September 5 in New York. It is speculated that Nokia will unveil next generation Lumia smartphones running Windows Phone 8.
Google's Motorola:
Google-owned Motorola has announced a media event on September 5 in New York. Motorola is widely expected to launch to launch Driod Razr HD with is rumored to come with a bigger battery, 8-megapixel camera, and NFC functionality.
Amazon:
Yesterday, Amazon has announced that it will hold a press conference on September 6. It looks like Amazon is gearing up to launch the next generation Kindle Fire and possibly even the rumored Kindle smartphone.
Apple:
It's not official, but Apple is widely expected to unveil the hotly next generation iPhone on September 12, followed by the release on September 21. There's also a slim chance that Apple will launch iPad mini, the next generation iPod touch and iPod Nano at the event. But as John Gruber of Daring Fireball has pointed out yesterday, Apple might have separate music event in October to launch the other products.
Do you think Amazon, Nokia, Samsung and Motorola will be able to steal the hype from the 'iPhone 5' launch?
Apple slaughtering competition in tablet sales
www.tech-sanity.com
U.S. tablet sales last quarter: Apple sold 5.2 million iPads where as Samsung, Apples main Tablet competitor, only sold 37,000 actual units.
Both Apple and Samsung filed documents in a California federal court on Thursday that specified the companies’ U.S. tablet unit sales.
“According to Samsung’s court filing, it sold a total of 37,000 tablets in the U.S. last quarter,” Philip Elmer-DeWitt reports for Fortune. “Apple sold 5.7 million tablets in the U.S. last quarter, court documents show.”
Read more at http://macdailynews.com/2012/08/10/u-s-tablet-sales-last-quarter-apple-sold-5-2-million-samsung-sold-37000/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+wordpress%2FxhfA+%28MacDailyNews%29#G80wDghKuwwu0ey8.99
U.S. tablet sales last quarter: Apple sold 5.2 million iPads where as Samsung, Apples main Tablet competitor, only sold 37,000 actual units.
Both Apple and Samsung filed documents in a California federal court on Thursday that specified the companies’ U.S. tablet unit sales.
“According to Samsung’s court filing, it sold a total of 37,000 tablets in the U.S. last quarter,” Philip Elmer-DeWitt reports for Fortune. “Apple sold 5.7 million tablets in the U.S. last quarter, court documents show.”
Read more at http://macdailynews.com/2012/08/10/u-s-tablet-sales-last-quarter-apple-sold-5-2-million-samsung-sold-37000/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+wordpress%2FxhfA+%28MacDailyNews%29#G80wDghKuwwu0ey8.99
Samsung’s Report Says Galaxy Would Be Better If it Were More Like the iPhone
www.tech-sanity.com
As part of its case against Samsung, Apple has shown snippets of an internal Samsung document comparing the original Galaxy S phone with the iPhone.
On Tuesday, Apple managed to get the whole 132-page document admitted into evidence. And it’s a doozy.
The 2010 report, translated from Korean, goes feature by feature, evaluating how Samsung’s phone stacks up against the iPhone.
Authored by Samsung’s product engineering team, the document evaluates everything from the home screen to the browser to the built in apps on both devices. In each case, it comes up with a recommendation on what Samsung should do going forward and in most cases its answer is simple: Make it work more like the iPhone.
In short, the evaluation report makes the case that the Galaxy (identified here as the “S1″) would be better if it behaved more like the iPhone and featured a similar user interface. And it appears to play directly into Apple’s charge that Samsung “slavishly copied” the iPhone.
As part of its case against Samsung, Apple has shown snippets of an internal Samsung document comparing the original Galaxy S phone with the iPhone.
On Tuesday, Apple managed to get the whole 132-page document admitted into evidence. And it’s a doozy.
The 2010 report, translated from Korean, goes feature by feature, evaluating how Samsung’s phone stacks up against the iPhone.
Authored by Samsung’s product engineering team, the document evaluates everything from the home screen to the browser to the built in apps on both devices. In each case, it comes up with a recommendation on what Samsung should do going forward and in most cases its answer is simple: Make it work more like the iPhone.
In short, the evaluation report makes the case that the Galaxy (identified here as the “S1″) would be better if it behaved more like the iPhone and featured a similar user interface. And it appears to play directly into Apple’s charge that Samsung “slavishly copied” the iPhone.
Samsung China Found Using Child Labour and Forcing Excessive Hours In Assembly Lines.
www.tech-sanity.com
A Chinese company that assembles devices for Samsung Electronics Co. (005930) hired children at its production facilities and forced employees to work excessive hours, violating labor laws, China Labor Watch said in a report.
Seven children younger than 16 were working in the factory of HEG Electronics (Huizhou) Co. that makes phones and DVD players for Samsung, according to the report issued today. Child workers faced the “same harsh conditions” as adults and were paid only 70 percent of the wages of other workers, according to the New York-based group, which said it conducted investigations in June and July.
China Labor Watch previously published reports on explosions at factories and in 2010 accused Foxconn Technology Group, the assembler of Apple Inc. (AAPL) iPhones and iPads, of running a sweatshop in the country after a spate of suicides, a charge the Taiwanese company denied. The latest report said working conditions at HEG are “well below” those at Apple suppliers.
“Samsung Electronics has conducted two separate on-site inspections on HEG’s working conditions this year but found no irregularities on those occasions,” Nam Ki Yung, a spokesman for Samsung, said in an e-mailed statement. “Given the report, we will conduct another field survey at the earliest possible time to ensure our previous inspections have been based on full information and to take appropriate measures to correct any problems that may surface.”
Undercover Investigation
Li Qiang, a director at China Labor Watch in New York, said a group member took a job at the factory to conduct the investigation and interviewed the seven children. The group used aliases when referring to the children in the report to protect them, he said.
China Labor Watch did not report the cases to public security bureaus or other government agencies, Li said.
“What we want, most of all, is for the children to go back to school,” Li said by phone today.
Four calls to two telephone numbers in Huizhou, southern China, listed on HEG’s website were unanswered, and an e-mail sent to the company’s designated address bounced back. HEG is a unit of Harbin Electronic Group Corp., according to its website.
“The company has clearly violated Chinese labor laws,” China Labor Watch said about HEG Electronics. “A serious light needs to be shined on these issues.”
Overtime of between three to five hours a day in addition to the routine eight-hour work day is compulsory for HEG employees, China Labor Watch said in the report. Workers on HEG’s 11-hour night shift are given only a 40-minute break for meals, the labor rights group said.
“Child labor is a common practice in the factory,” the report said. Student workers amount to 80 percent of the factory workforce, it said.
A Chinese company that assembles devices for Samsung Electronics Co. (005930) hired children at its production facilities and forced employees to work excessive hours, violating labor laws, China Labor Watch said in a report.
Seven children younger than 16 were working in the factory of HEG Electronics (Huizhou) Co. that makes phones and DVD players for Samsung, according to the report issued today. Child workers faced the “same harsh conditions” as adults and were paid only 70 percent of the wages of other workers, according to the New York-based group, which said it conducted investigations in June and July.
China Labor Watch previously published reports on explosions at factories and in 2010 accused Foxconn Technology Group, the assembler of Apple Inc. (AAPL) iPhones and iPads, of running a sweatshop in the country after a spate of suicides, a charge the Taiwanese company denied. The latest report said working conditions at HEG are “well below” those at Apple suppliers.
“Samsung Electronics has conducted two separate on-site inspections on HEG’s working conditions this year but found no irregularities on those occasions,” Nam Ki Yung, a spokesman for Samsung, said in an e-mailed statement. “Given the report, we will conduct another field survey at the earliest possible time to ensure our previous inspections have been based on full information and to take appropriate measures to correct any problems that may surface.”
Undercover Investigation
Li Qiang, a director at China Labor Watch in New York, said a group member took a job at the factory to conduct the investigation and interviewed the seven children. The group used aliases when referring to the children in the report to protect them, he said.
China Labor Watch did not report the cases to public security bureaus or other government agencies, Li said.
“What we want, most of all, is for the children to go back to school,” Li said by phone today.
Four calls to two telephone numbers in Huizhou, southern China, listed on HEG’s website were unanswered, and an e-mail sent to the company’s designated address bounced back. HEG is a unit of Harbin Electronic Group Corp., according to its website.
“The company has clearly violated Chinese labor laws,” China Labor Watch said about HEG Electronics. “A serious light needs to be shined on these issues.”
Overtime of between three to five hours a day in addition to the routine eight-hour work day is compulsory for HEG employees, China Labor Watch said in the report. Workers on HEG’s 11-hour night shift are given only a 40-minute break for meals, the labor rights group said.
“Child labor is a common practice in the factory,” the report said. Student workers amount to 80 percent of the factory workforce, it said.
Yicks my pockets hot cause the Galaxy S III exploded!
www.tech-sanity.com
A Galaxy S III owner in Ireland is reporting that his newly-purchased phone burst into flames, exploding with an audible bang while he was taking a drive yesterday. Photos posted by boards.ie user dillo2k10 show a significant amount of charred and molten plastic on the bottom of the device, originating about halfway between the right edge and the microUSB port (pictured above). Samsung has already issued a statement on its blog, saying:
"There have been recent online posts displaying pictures of a Samsung GALAXY SIII that appears to have heat-related damage at the bottom of the device. Samsung is aware of this issue and will begin investigating as soon as we receive the specific product in question."
Lots of companies have had electronics explode over the years, and as far as we can tell, this is the only case of a Galaxy S III overheating. Still, Samsung has to be taking the claim very seriously
A Galaxy S III owner in Ireland is reporting that his newly-purchased phone burst into flames, exploding with an audible bang while he was taking a drive yesterday. Photos posted by boards.ie user dillo2k10 show a significant amount of charred and molten plastic on the bottom of the device, originating about halfway between the right edge and the microUSB port (pictured above). Samsung has already issued a statement on its blog, saying:
"There have been recent online posts displaying pictures of a Samsung GALAXY SIII that appears to have heat-related damage at the bottom of the device. Samsung is aware of this issue and will begin investigating as soon as we receive the specific product in question."
Lots of companies have had electronics explode over the years, and as far as we can tell, this is the only case of a Galaxy S III overheating. Still, Samsung has to be taking the claim very seriously
Samsung Galaxy S III preview. It's big!
Fri, May 4 2012 02:01
| Samsung, Smartphones, Android
www.tech-sanity.com
Samsung's tried to bring its Galaxy S series in line with (and in some ways, further ahead of) what its team-up with Google accomplished. It's added some new quad-core Exynos processing juice, a 4.8-inch, HD Super AMOLED screen and a handful of Galaxy S III-only features in an earnest bid to maintain its place at the top of the Android pile. You'll find our detailed impressions and a hands-on video just after the break.
Hardware
Once enabled in settings, you can tap and hold the screen, rotate the phone horizontally and you'll be sent to the camera app. Using the same accelerometers, a new calling function will dial whoever's contact details you have displayed when you raise the phone to your ear. Keeping with the contextual phone skills, Samsung's Smart Stay feature makes the device detect (through the front-facing camera) whether a face is looking at it in order to switch the display on or off. A little eye icon would appear on the notification bar when it was seeking out our face. Similarly, Smart Alert will display any missed calls or notifications when you pick up the phone, using the built-in accelerometer. It's the sort of magic that HTC's been using for a while, but it does help the new phone to stand out from Samsung's existing phones that are starting to blur together.
S Voice is Samsung's latest effort to introduce voice interactions to its phone series, but unfortunately it wasn't working during our briefing. We've been promised that your commands will be able to unlock the phone, control the music player and capture photos. Samsung also told us that it's already working with third-party apps to build up similar functionality for those too. Like a certain voice assistant rival, it does require a data connection because voice patterns are processed in the cloud. S Beam was in a more generous mood during our hands-on, riffing from Google's Android Beam while using WiFi in tandem with NFC to share meatier files. Beaming through NFC peaks at around 400Kbps, but that's only for pairing and smaller files -- sharing media engages WiFi Direct at up to 300Mbps, according to Samsung. We saw a 10MB video file bounced between two phones in an instant. It's a very nice show-piece, although the necessity for all your S Beam sharing partners to upgrade to the Galaxy S III does inevitably taint that offering.
AllShare Play shares your media content with the big screen, while AllShare Cast will duplicate your phone's display for big-screen gaming. (Samsung told us that it's working on populating its own game hub with optimized titles, although it was still keeping quiet on any specifics.) Like S Beam, this is also broadcast through WiFi Direct to a compatible TV, rather than through DLNA -- although the handset does technically still support DLNA.
A new feature that best showcases the phone's new Exynos muscle is Pop Up Play, which plays a video file on top of any other app in its own window. Playback is limited to the native media player -- no YouTube greatest hits on top of your email just yet -- but the window can be moved around the screen and at its fixed size covers just under a sixth of the full screen.
To recap: this is a good-looking phone, with an impressive high definition Super AMOLED screen and a processor that looks likely to spar for top spot among Android devices. However, Samsung hasn't responded to the recent trend for stand-out build and materials and this new flagship feels a lot like all its older relatives; given the whole "nature" spiel, some smart new finish would have been nice. It's no doubt this lack of wow-factor hardware that has led Sammy to emphasize software progress instead, and indeed there are plenty of intriguing TouchWiz features that warrant further investigation on a finished handset -- assuming you're not a vanilla Android die-hard. Glacial hardware design progress aside, if Samsung manages to get these new features polished up and working flawlessly, the company might well have another bestseller. And yes, we'll take the Pebble Blue, please.
Samsung's tried to bring its Galaxy S series in line with (and in some ways, further ahead of) what its team-up with Google accomplished. It's added some new quad-core Exynos processing juice, a 4.8-inch, HD Super AMOLED screen and a handful of Galaxy S III-only features in an earnest bid to maintain its place at the top of the Android pile. You'll find our detailed impressions and a hands-on video just after the break.
Hardware
At first blush, we were a little disappointed that Samsung didn't intend to push the design envelope with its new flagship. That's not to say we were repulsed: it just looks a lot like an amalgam of all the Galaxy phones we've seen in the last year. It flies closer to the Galaxy Nexus than the Galaxy S II, with a shape and contour all too similar to Google's first Android 4.0 handset. In the hand, the 4.8-inch screen is counter-balanced by the thin bezel, resulting in a shape that is still comfortable to hold. It feels very light, a mere 133g (4.7 ounces -- just a smidgen heavier than the HTC One X), and measures 8.6mm (0.34 inches) deep across its central waistline. (That's right, there's no more chin.)
A glossy plastic coats both the front face and flat battery cover, with a particularly attractive finish on the Pebble Blue option, making it our early favorite over the Marble White. A slightly different (but still glossy) plastic follows around the edge of the device. Thankfully, the absence of a metallic chassis does nothing to hurt the feeling of quality or solidity in the build.
The phone retains the physical home button, though it's now slimmer and generally less visually obvious. It's flanked by a pair of capacitive buttons that light up and disappear, and as expected there's the camera module, flash and loudspeaker at the back.
The 8-megapixel camera looks to be very similar to what we've seen on both the Galaxy S II and Galaxy Note -- which means it's a pretty capable shooter, although we're withholding judgment until we can test it out it in a mix of scenarios. Instead of shaking up the camera hardware, Samsung's pushed forward with the software interface -- something we've gone into more detail here. In brief, the new camera app supports dual still and video capture, adds face tagging for existing contacts and boasts improved face identification and tracking.
The screen is a 4.8-inch HD Super AMOLED display. The bad news? The lack of a "Plus" in that name means it's PenTile, which means that pixelation is still visible despite the 306 ppi density, due to the sharing of sub-pixels. The good news is that the resolution is still really good, and should suffice for all but the most eagle-eyed -- although if you're still not sure you can check out our own microscopic comparisons right here. It's also nice to see that the panel is cocooned in Gorilla Glass 2, besting its relative's fortified face, and it also offered great viewing angles.
The Galaxy S III's beating heart is Samsung's new 1.4GHz quad-core Exynos processor, aided by a fresh GPU that is supposedly 65 percent faster than the companion Mali 400 graphics chip on the Galaxy S II. Unfortunately, we didn't have time to give GTA III a blast, nor run our typical benchmark apps, but in any case the model we played with was not final hardware. That said, we were able to grab a quick SunSpider browser performance score of just under 1,500ms, putting the phone below HTC's polycarb-clad wonder -- but lower is better, by the way. Whizzing around the native apps and web browser was as pleasant as we expected, pinch-to-zoom pinged into action, while multimedia playback was effortless, irrespective of the software additions that Samsung has thrown into the mix (more on those in a second).
The phone houses a removable 2,100mAh battery, with a wireless charging option already in the works. Next to the battery and space for a micro-SIM, you'll find an increasingly rare microSD slot, whose absence was one of the main criticisms leveled at the Google Nexus, not to mention the HTC One X. This expandability sits alongside 16GB, 32GB or 64GB of internal storage, depending on which variant you buy. Other connection options here include Bluetooth 4.0, WiFi Direct, DLNA, an MHL-compatible micro-USB port and headphone socket, with NFC connected to the battery unit.
Software
Samsung's pitch to us focused heavily on the software. Pure Android enthusiasts may wince at the sight of TouchWiz (overlaid on top of Android 4.0.4) and from the brief time we played with the device, Ice Cream Sandwich looks a lot like how it arrived on our updated Galaxy S II -- it's not close to a stock Android experience. Instead of messing with its UI, Samsung has concentrated on specific apps -- and plenty of new gesture functionality.
Five icons populate the base of the screen, including the app drawer, while the homescreen itself has a more typical four-icon-wide berth. "Inspired by nature, designed for humans" is the winsome philosophy behind the Galaxy S III. In terms of the nature thing, this basically means that the phone comes loaded with some splashy water graphics and sound effects as well as plenty of seasonal wallpapers (including some new smart wallpapers like a background news feed).
The built-in keyboard is perfectly functional; at this screen size there's simply a greater likelihood of hitting the letter you're after. The menus and icons are all drawn in Samsung's TouchWiz style, though there are some new additions, including lock screen app shortcuts. In fact, the lock screen is where Samsung's new "intelligent" smartphone starts showing its gesture antics -- part of its "designed for humans" mantra.
Once enabled in settings, you can tap and hold the screen, rotate the phone horizontally and you'll be sent to the camera app. Using the same accelerometers, a new calling function will dial whoever's contact details you have displayed when you raise the phone to your ear. Keeping with the contextual phone skills, Samsung's Smart Stay feature makes the device detect (through the front-facing camera) whether a face is looking at it in order to switch the display on or off. A little eye icon would appear on the notification bar when it was seeking out our face. Similarly, Smart Alert will display any missed calls or notifications when you pick up the phone, using the built-in accelerometer. It's the sort of magic that HTC's been using for a while, but it does help the new phone to stand out from Samsung's existing phones that are starting to blur together.
S Voice is Samsung's latest effort to introduce voice interactions to its phone series, but unfortunately it wasn't working during our briefing. We've been promised that your commands will be able to unlock the phone, control the music player and capture photos. Samsung also told us that it's already working with third-party apps to build up similar functionality for those too. Like a certain voice assistant rival, it does require a data connection because voice patterns are processed in the cloud. S Beam was in a more generous mood during our hands-on, riffing from Google's Android Beam while using WiFi in tandem with NFC to share meatier files. Beaming through NFC peaks at around 400Kbps, but that's only for pairing and smaller files -- sharing media engages WiFi Direct at up to 300Mbps, according to Samsung. We saw a 10MB video file bounced between two phones in an instant. It's a very nice show-piece, although the necessity for all your S Beam sharing partners to upgrade to the Galaxy S III does inevitably taint that offering.
AllShare Play shares your media content with the big screen, while AllShare Cast will duplicate your phone's display for big-screen gaming. (Samsung told us that it's working on populating its own game hub with optimized titles, although it was still keeping quiet on any specifics.) Like S Beam, this is also broadcast through WiFi Direct to a compatible TV, rather than through DLNA -- although the handset does technically still support DLNA.
A new feature that best showcases the phone's new Exynos muscle is Pop Up Play, which plays a video file on top of any other app in its own window. Playback is limited to the native media player -- no YouTube greatest hits on top of your email just yet -- but the window can be moved around the screen and at its fixed size covers just under a sixth of the full screen.
To recap: this is a good-looking phone, with an impressive high definition Super AMOLED screen and a processor that looks likely to spar for top spot among Android devices. However, Samsung hasn't responded to the recent trend for stand-out build and materials and this new flagship feels a lot like all its older relatives; given the whole "nature" spiel, some smart new finish would have been nice. It's no doubt this lack of wow-factor hardware that has led Sammy to emphasize software progress instead, and indeed there are plenty of intriguing TouchWiz features that warrant further investigation on a finished handset -- assuming you're not a vanilla Android die-hard. Glacial hardware design progress aside, if Samsung manages to get these new features polished up and working flawlessly, the company might well have another bestseller. And yes, we'll take the Pebble Blue, please.
Samsung announces 1.4GHz Exynos 4 Quad processor for 'next Galaxy smartphone'
www.tech-sanity.com
Samsung apparently couldn't wait for its big 'Next Galaxy' announcement on May 3rd to give us details on the chip that will power it. Dubbed the "Exynos 4 Quad," the chip will run at 1.4GHz per core and is based on the ARM Cortex A9. Samsung is touting the 32nm High-k Metal Gate technology, power management, and per-core dynamic voltage and frequency scaling. Most importantly for those waiting for the Galaxy SIII, Samsung has also let loose that it will be used on the next Galaxy smartphone:
Already in production, the Exynos 4 Quad is scheduled to be adopted first into Samsung’s next Galaxy smartphone that will officially be announced in May. Samsung’s Exynos 4 Quad is also sampling to other major handset makers.
The Exynos 4 Quad will be pin-to-pin compatible with the Exynos 4 Dual, which Samsung believes will make it easier for manufacturers to make the switch on upcoming phones. It will be capable of full 30fps 1080p video playback and recording, includes an interface for HDMI 1.4 and also an embedded image signal processor interface. Samsung claims the chip will offer double the processor power of its 45nm predecessor while drawing 20 percent less power.
We exclusively revealed that the next Galaxy would have a quad-core processor with "superlative" benchmarks on April 18th and Samsung itself had teased the chip back in February — so it's not a shocker that the Galaxy SIII will have it. The only real question left is whether or not the LTE version (which we're assuming will be announced) will be powered by the chip.
Samsung also released a promotional video for the Exynos 4 Quad, and the company couldn't help but drop a quick reference to the Exynos 5 Dual at the beginning.
Samsung apparently couldn't wait for its big 'Next Galaxy' announcement on May 3rd to give us details on the chip that will power it. Dubbed the "Exynos 4 Quad," the chip will run at 1.4GHz per core and is based on the ARM Cortex A9. Samsung is touting the 32nm High-k Metal Gate technology, power management, and per-core dynamic voltage and frequency scaling. Most importantly for those waiting for the Galaxy SIII, Samsung has also let loose that it will be used on the next Galaxy smartphone:
Already in production, the Exynos 4 Quad is scheduled to be adopted first into Samsung’s next Galaxy smartphone that will officially be announced in May. Samsung’s Exynos 4 Quad is also sampling to other major handset makers.
The Exynos 4 Quad will be pin-to-pin compatible with the Exynos 4 Dual, which Samsung believes will make it easier for manufacturers to make the switch on upcoming phones. It will be capable of full 30fps 1080p video playback and recording, includes an interface for HDMI 1.4 and also an embedded image signal processor interface. Samsung claims the chip will offer double the processor power of its 45nm predecessor while drawing 20 percent less power.
We exclusively revealed that the next Galaxy would have a quad-core processor with "superlative" benchmarks on April 18th and Samsung itself had teased the chip back in February — so it's not a shocker that the Galaxy SIII will have it. The only real question left is whether or not the LTE version (which we're assuming will be announced) will be powered by the chip.
Samsung also released a promotional video for the Exynos 4 Quad, and the company couldn't help but drop a quick reference to the Exynos 5 Dual at the beginning.
Samsung Galaxy S III event in London on May 3rd
Mon, Apr 16 2012 09:48
| Samsung, Smartphones
www.tech-sanity.com
Samsung Mobile has just sent out the invite above to UK press, along with details of an event in London on May 3. It invites members of the press to "come and meet the next Galaxy." That'll be the Galaxy S III, then. Samsung says it plans on live streaming the event, which kicks off at 7pm local time (2pm EDT, 11am PDT), via its official Facebook page, too.
Samsung Mobile has just sent out the invite above to UK press, along with details of an event in London on May 3. It invites members of the press to "come and meet the next Galaxy." That'll be the Galaxy S III, then. Samsung says it plans on live streaming the event, which kicks off at 7pm local time (2pm EDT, 11am PDT), via its official Facebook page, too.
Samsung spinsoff Display division into 'the world's largest display manufacturer'
Mon, Apr 2 2012 07:25
| Samsung
www.tech-sanity.com
The new Samsung Display Co. is now a separate 20,000-employee entity under the Samsung umbrella, forming the world's largest display company, the company announced today. Despite LCD sales of 22.7 trillion won (about $20.1 billion) in 2011, the company took a 750 billion won (about $665 million) loss last year, prompting the spin off. Just as planned, Samsung has formally separated from its display business, which will begin solo operations "in earnest" April 3rd. The newly created -- and still 100 percent Samsung Electronics owned -- Samsung Display comes into existence immediately as "the world's largest display manufacturer" with 20,000 employees and five production facilities around the world. New president Donggun Park reiterated the company's stance that this move will better allow the display unit to stay ahead of the market, although what that might mean in LCDs, OLED or any other new technology isn't clear yet. Competitor LG has had a separate LG Display unit since 1999, which was originally a joint venture with Philips before that company sold all of its shares in 2008. As you can see from the new logo above not a lot has changed so far, but we'll see what "customized products" it can develop in the future.
The new Samsung Display Co. is now a separate 20,000-employee entity under the Samsung umbrella, forming the world's largest display company, the company announced today. Despite LCD sales of 22.7 trillion won (about $20.1 billion) in 2011, the company took a 750 billion won (about $665 million) loss last year, prompting the spin off. Just as planned, Samsung has formally separated from its display business, which will begin solo operations "in earnest" April 3rd. The newly created -- and still 100 percent Samsung Electronics owned -- Samsung Display comes into existence immediately as "the world's largest display manufacturer" with 20,000 employees and five production facilities around the world. New president Donggun Park reiterated the company's stance that this move will better allow the display unit to stay ahead of the market, although what that might mean in LCDs, OLED or any other new technology isn't clear yet. Competitor LG has had a separate LG Display unit since 1999, which was originally a joint venture with Philips before that company sold all of its shares in 2008. As you can see from the new logo above not a lot has changed so far, but we'll see what "customized products" it can develop in the future.
ICS for the Samsun Galaxy Note will come in Q2, with 'premium suite' apps
www.tech-sanity.com
Samsung mobile has issued a press release all about the Galaxy Note and it's upcoming "Premium Suite" software upgrade. Sometime in Q2 of this year, Samsung expects to update the 5.3-inch Note to their version of Ice Cream Sandwich and bring better application support for the S pen as well as unnamed extra multimedia features.
The three applications mentioned specifically are S Note, a tool that combines notes or drawings with other digital content as well as using "Shape Match and Formula Match applications that help correct and digitize geometric shapes and even solve numeric formulas hand-drawn with S Pen"; My Story, which appears to be an application that helps you design e-cards and notes with multimedia content; and of course Angry Birds Space -- the newest iteration of the Angry Birds franchise from Rovio. In addition, Angry Birds Space will be available (sans the extra-special Galaxy Note level) for all Galaxy Series devices.
Of course the biggest draw for most of us will be the update to Android 4.0, which Samsung teased Note users about on Facebook earlier today. The version for the Note is said to include the features we've come to expect from ICS, including Android Beam and Face Unlock, as well as an "entirely new look and feel" to the Android operating system. The Q2 timeframe is coming up shortly, and International Galaxy note users are ready and waiting. Hopefully, the AT&T version follows quickly. Hit the break for the full press release.
Samsung mobile has issued a press release all about the Galaxy Note and it's upcoming "Premium Suite" software upgrade. Sometime in Q2 of this year, Samsung expects to update the 5.3-inch Note to their version of Ice Cream Sandwich and bring better application support for the S pen as well as unnamed extra multimedia features.
The three applications mentioned specifically are S Note, a tool that combines notes or drawings with other digital content as well as using "Shape Match and Formula Match applications that help correct and digitize geometric shapes and even solve numeric formulas hand-drawn with S Pen"; My Story, which appears to be an application that helps you design e-cards and notes with multimedia content; and of course Angry Birds Space -- the newest iteration of the Angry Birds franchise from Rovio. In addition, Angry Birds Space will be available (sans the extra-special Galaxy Note level) for all Galaxy Series devices.
Of course the biggest draw for most of us will be the update to Android 4.0, which Samsung teased Note users about on Facebook earlier today. The version for the Note is said to include the features we've come to expect from ICS, including Android Beam and Face Unlock, as well as an "entirely new look and feel" to the Android operating system. The Q2 timeframe is coming up shortly, and International Galaxy note users are ready and waiting. Hopefully, the AT&T version follows quickly. Hit the break for the full press release.
More: Samsung's Angry Birds site
Samsung offers Premium Suite software upgrade for GALAXY Note users
March 22, 2012
Software package offers exclusive S Pen applications, enhanced multimedia features, and an Android 4.0 upgrade
SEOUL, Korea – March 22, 2012 – Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd, today announced it will be offering a Premium Suite upgrade for GALAXY Note users worldwide from Q2. It includes extra multimedia features and a range of new S Pen optimized applications in addition to an OS upgrade to Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich.
The Premium Suite offers new features and applications exclusive to GALAXY Note and its innovative S Pen, which includes S Note, a unique tool that lets you combine your notes or sketches with other digital content, giving you a new way to create your own stories. S Note comes in various ready-to-use templates for a range of tasks including meeting minutes, diary and others.
S Note also includes the innovative Shape Match and Formula Match applications that help correct and digitize geometric shapes and even solve numeric formulas hand-drawn with S Pen, increasing your on-the-go efficiency and productivity. You can draw tables and grids which are instantly digitized, saving time and effort. Moreover, by using the S Note’s integrated knowledge search engines, users can quickly search, and obtain information.
For a touch of self-expression, the Premium Suite also includes My Story, another S Pen optimized application that allows you to create personalized digital cards for friends or family using any type of content including notes, video content, photos, text or voice.
In celebration of the Premium Suite upgrade announcement, Samsung will provide special offers to all GALAXY users as an official launch partner of Angry Birds Space, the newest Angry Birds game from Rovio Entertainment. For all Samsung GALAXY users, an exclusive GALAXY Note level will be provided for extra fun. Moreover, a special package of 30 challenging levels – ‘Danger Zone’ – will be available for free if unpacked within the three-month period. Visit http://samsung.angrybirds.com/galaxynote for more information.
“GALAXY Note continues to delight customers all over the world with its incredible versatility and unique user experience. With the Premium Suite upgrade, we wanted to add features that enrich users’ Note experience even more, including the great advantages of Android 4.0 and innovative applications for S Pen,” said JK Shin, President of IT & Mobile Communications Division at Samsung Electronics. “We are committed to providing extraordinary experiences for consumers, and we will continue to provide new features and upgrades to enrich our offering.”
The Ice Cream Sandwich upgrade brings an entirely new look and feel to Android on GALAXY Note, with a more intuitive user interface that includes a redesigned App menu for easier multi-tasking. The upgrade also introduces innovations such as Face Unlock, Snapshot, Android Beam and others.
The availability and scheduling of the software upgrade will vary by market and wireless carriers’ requirements.
Samsung fined for obstructing Korean government investigation into price fixing
www.tech-sanity.com
Samsung is among the companies being fined for price fixing in the handset space, and now the Korean Fair Trade Commission has issued an additional fine of 400 million won ($356,000) after Samsung was found to have obstructed the FTC's investigation. This latest penalty is in addition to the 14.2 billion won fine ($12.6 million) the company already received for its part in the price fixing scandal. According to a report from the Korea Joonang Daily, when FTC officials arrived to investigate Samsung's offices in Suwon, they found their way impeded by a team of security guards. Meanwhile, employees were ordered to delete data and replace computers that contained important information, while an executive falsely stated that he was away on a business trip to avoid an interview. By the time FTC officials made their way into the building, nearly an hour later, there was just one employee in the office. It was also revealed that some of the data that Samsung actually turned in had been manipulated.
The FTC's latest fine is its largest yet in an obstruction case. All told, the commission has issued around $40 million in fines to Korean telecommunications companies and handsets manufacturers, who are accused of colluding to artificially raise the prices on phones, and then using subsidies to make the devices look like a good deal.
Samsung is among the companies being fined for price fixing in the handset space, and now the Korean Fair Trade Commission has issued an additional fine of 400 million won ($356,000) after Samsung was found to have obstructed the FTC's investigation. This latest penalty is in addition to the 14.2 billion won fine ($12.6 million) the company already received for its part in the price fixing scandal. According to a report from the Korea Joonang Daily, when FTC officials arrived to investigate Samsung's offices in Suwon, they found their way impeded by a team of security guards. Meanwhile, employees were ordered to delete data and replace computers that contained important information, while an executive falsely stated that he was away on a business trip to avoid an interview. By the time FTC officials made their way into the building, nearly an hour later, there was just one employee in the office. It was also revealed that some of the data that Samsung actually turned in had been manipulated.
The FTC's latest fine is its largest yet in an obstruction case. All told, the commission has issued around $40 million in fines to Korean telecommunications companies and handsets manufacturers, who are accused of colluding to artificially raise the prices on phones, and then using subsidies to make the devices look like a good deal.
Galaxy S III to have quad-core Exynos SoC with built-in LTE?
www.tech-sanity.com
A report from the Korea Times today cites an anonymous Samsung executive as saying that the company is preparing a quad-core system-on-chip to power the successor to the Galaxy S II, which, importantly, will have Samsung's own LTE modem built in. We've written at length about Nvidia's problem of not having an LTE-compatible Tegra 3 configuration to offer to US carriers — a hurdle that's mostly been erected by Qualcomm's refusal to help a direct competitor integrate its LTE modems into the chip — and this news seems to show Samsung had the foresight to develop its own alternative in time for the GS III launch. Citing a second Samsung executive, the report goes on to note that the company has already used its LTE solution in the Galaxy Nexus in the United States and feels confident about its compatibility and reliability.
As usual with Samsung and the Galaxy S III, however, this remains unconfirmed information. When the Korea Times reached out to Qualcomm and Samsung for official comment, its requests were met with a wall of silence. The latest intel we'd previously heard on the matter was that Samsung was considering using Qualcomm's MSM8960 — a system-on-chip that combines LTE and application processor into one, dropping Samsung's hardware — or some combination of Samsung- and Qualcomm-built parts. The addition of a Samsung LTE modem to the upcoming 32nm Exynos processor could take care of that problematic choice very easily and free up Samsung from having to rely on Qualcomm's consent for future products.
A report from the Korea Times today cites an anonymous Samsung executive as saying that the company is preparing a quad-core system-on-chip to power the successor to the Galaxy S II, which, importantly, will have Samsung's own LTE modem built in. We've written at length about Nvidia's problem of not having an LTE-compatible Tegra 3 configuration to offer to US carriers — a hurdle that's mostly been erected by Qualcomm's refusal to help a direct competitor integrate its LTE modems into the chip — and this news seems to show Samsung had the foresight to develop its own alternative in time for the GS III launch. Citing a second Samsung executive, the report goes on to note that the company has already used its LTE solution in the Galaxy Nexus in the United States and feels confident about its compatibility and reliability.
As usual with Samsung and the Galaxy S III, however, this remains unconfirmed information. When the Korea Times reached out to Qualcomm and Samsung for official comment, its requests were met with a wall of silence. The latest intel we'd previously heard on the matter was that Samsung was considering using Qualcomm's MSM8960 — a system-on-chip that combines LTE and application processor into one, dropping Samsung's hardware — or some combination of Samsung- and Qualcomm-built parts. The addition of a Samsung LTE modem to the upcoming 32nm Exynos processor could take care of that problematic choice very easily and free up Samsung from having to rely on Qualcomm's consent for future products.
Samsung Will Supply Apple With Touch Screen for New IPad
www.tech-sanity.com
Samsung will supply the touch screen for the new iPad according to an analyst with iSuppli.
Samsung, the world’s top flat-panel maker, currently is the sole vendor of the display for the 9.7-inch device, said Vinita Jakhanwal, a senior manager at iSuppli, a unit of Englewood, Colorado-based IHS Inc. The new tablet goes on sale March 16.
The supply deal deepens Apple’s partnership with Samsung, which already makes the chips that power the iPhone and iPad, even as the companies sue each other around the world regarding patents. Apple unveiled a new version of the iPad last week that features a sharper display and faster processor to fend off growing competition from products including Samsung’s Galaxy Tab.
Steve Park, a Seoul-based spokesman for Apple; Jason Kim, a spokesman for Samsung; Claire Ohm, a Seoul-based spokeswoman for LG Display; and Miyuki Nakayama, a spokeswoman for Osaka, Japan- based Sharp, declined to comment.
“The display specifications on the new iPad are very demanding in terms of the very high resolution,” Jakhanwal said in an e-mail. “Achieving this high resolution without compromising on the power consumption and brightness and maintaining Apple’s quality standards are supposedly proving to be a challenge for LG Display and Sharp.”
Apple maybe attempting to reduce its reliance on Samsung components, but its bill from the Korean firm is likely to be the largest to-date according to one exec: up from $7.8bn in 2011 to as much as $11bn by the end of 2012. “The amount of the current contract is around $9.7 billion” a Samsung executive told The Korea Times on understanding of confidentiality, but “is expected to rise to $11 billion by the end of this year as Apple is planning to release a smaller iPad, probably with a 7.85-inch screen, and to sell more of its MacBook Air PCs using Samsung’s faster solid state drive storage.”
Patent Lawsuits
Apple, and Samsung have been locked in patent disputes concerning mobile technology and design since April, when the iPhone maker accused the Suwon, South Korea-based company of copying its products.
The iPad’s new display has four times as many pixels as the previous version, making on-screen text, images and video appear crisper and more realistic. Apple may almost double spending on screens for tablets and smartphones this year, according to iSuppli.
Market research firm Gartner Inc., based in Stamford, Connecticut, estimates 103.5 million tablet devices will be sold in 2012, with Apple accounting for two-thirds of them.
LG Display is Apple’s largest vendor of liquid-crystal displays used in the iPhone and older models of the iPad. The Seoul-based company gets about 2 percent of its revenue from Apple, according to data compiled by Bloomberg.
LG Display and Sharp may start shipping panels for the new iPad in April, said Jakhanwal, who’s based in Santa Clara, California.
Apple may want to diversify its sources for the displays because of the lawsuits with Samsung, said Kang Yoon Hum, a Seoul-based analyst at NH Investment & Securities Co.
“Since the relationship between Apple and Samsung isn’t great these days, Apple would want to get shipments elsewhere as well,” Kang said by phone.
Samsung will supply the touch screen for the new iPad according to an analyst with iSuppli.
Samsung, the world’s top flat-panel maker, currently is the sole vendor of the display for the 9.7-inch device, said Vinita Jakhanwal, a senior manager at iSuppli, a unit of Englewood, Colorado-based IHS Inc. The new tablet goes on sale March 16.
The supply deal deepens Apple’s partnership with Samsung, which already makes the chips that power the iPhone and iPad, even as the companies sue each other around the world regarding patents. Apple unveiled a new version of the iPad last week that features a sharper display and faster processor to fend off growing competition from products including Samsung’s Galaxy Tab.
Steve Park, a Seoul-based spokesman for Apple; Jason Kim, a spokesman for Samsung; Claire Ohm, a Seoul-based spokeswoman for LG Display; and Miyuki Nakayama, a spokeswoman for Osaka, Japan- based Sharp, declined to comment.
“The display specifications on the new iPad are very demanding in terms of the very high resolution,” Jakhanwal said in an e-mail. “Achieving this high resolution without compromising on the power consumption and brightness and maintaining Apple’s quality standards are supposedly proving to be a challenge for LG Display and Sharp.”
Apple maybe attempting to reduce its reliance on Samsung components, but its bill from the Korean firm is likely to be the largest to-date according to one exec: up from $7.8bn in 2011 to as much as $11bn by the end of 2012. “The amount of the current contract is around $9.7 billion” a Samsung executive told The Korea Times on understanding of confidentiality, but “is expected to rise to $11 billion by the end of this year as Apple is planning to release a smaller iPad, probably with a 7.85-inch screen, and to sell more of its MacBook Air PCs using Samsung’s faster solid state drive storage.”
Patent Lawsuits
Apple, and Samsung have been locked in patent disputes concerning mobile technology and design since April, when the iPhone maker accused the Suwon, South Korea-based company of copying its products.
The iPad’s new display has four times as many pixels as the previous version, making on-screen text, images and video appear crisper and more realistic. Apple may almost double spending on screens for tablets and smartphones this year, according to iSuppli.
Market research firm Gartner Inc., based in Stamford, Connecticut, estimates 103.5 million tablet devices will be sold in 2012, with Apple accounting for two-thirds of them.
LG Display is Apple’s largest vendor of liquid-crystal displays used in the iPhone and older models of the iPad. The Seoul-based company gets about 2 percent of its revenue from Apple, according to data compiled by Bloomberg.
LG Display and Sharp may start shipping panels for the new iPad in April, said Jakhanwal, who’s based in Santa Clara, California.
Apple may want to diversify its sources for the displays because of the lawsuits with Samsung, said Kang Yoon Hum, a Seoul-based analyst at NH Investment & Securities Co.
“Since the relationship between Apple and Samsung isn’t great these days, Apple would want to get shipments elsewhere as well,” Kang said by phone.
IOS Runs Html5 Games Much Faster Than On The Android OS.
Tue, Mar 6 2012 02:32
| IOS, Samsung, Smartphones, Android, Apple
www.tech-sanity.com
Spaceport's (http://spaceport.io/) has just completed a new study on mobile game platforms that clearly shows that Apple's iOS runs HTML5 games three times faster than the Android operating system, reports "VentureBeat" (http://macte.ch/igwYf).
Spaceport.io created a benchmark dubbed PerfMarks to test performance at running HTML5 code. The benchmark tested a device’s ability to animate image movement. The report measured the number of moving images on a screen at 30 frames per second (FPS), a frame rate which provides a near-native user experience.
Repeated tests show that iOS performed far better at running animations than Android, notes "VentureBeat.
Here are a few of the results.
Pad 2 score 327
iPhone 4S scored 252
Samsung Galaxy Nexus smartphone scored 147
iPhone 3GS 53
Kindle Fire scored 25.
The new Android Galaxy Nexus was the only Android smartphone that could handle images at 30 frames per second, the article adds.
Spaceport's (http://spaceport.io/) has just completed a new study on mobile game platforms that clearly shows that Apple's iOS runs HTML5 games three times faster than the Android operating system, reports "VentureBeat" (http://macte.ch/igwYf).
Spaceport.io created a benchmark dubbed PerfMarks to test performance at running HTML5 code. The benchmark tested a device’s ability to animate image movement. The report measured the number of moving images on a screen at 30 frames per second (FPS), a frame rate which provides a near-native user experience.
Repeated tests show that iOS performed far better at running animations than Android, notes "VentureBeat.
Here are a few of the results.
Pad 2 score 327
iPhone 4S scored 252
Samsung Galaxy Nexus smartphone scored 147
iPhone 3GS 53
Kindle Fire scored 25.
The new Android Galaxy Nexus was the only Android smartphone that could handle images at 30 frames per second, the article adds.
Samsung introduces Galaxy Beam, an Android smartphone with built-in projector
www.tech-sanity.com
It's only 4AM in Barcelona, but the Mobile World Congress news is already popping — Samsung just took the wraps off the Galaxy Beam, an Android 2.3 smartphone with a built-in HD projector. Outside of the projector, the phone's other specs are fairly pedestrian. There's a 4-inch display with an 800 x 480 resolution, 1GHz dual-core processor, 5MP back camera with flash plus a 1.3MP front-facing camera, and 8GB of storage onboard (plus a microSD slot). As for connectivity, it'll run on GSM networks thanks to quad-band HSPA+.
While the specs are unexciting, the projector is the real draw here. It's rated at an "ultra-bright" 15 lumens and can project onto surfaces in HD up to 50 feet wide. There's also some custom software on board -- it sounds like the project doesn't just output whatever is on your screen but instead uses a "project dedicated" application to let users share specific pieces of content like photos, video, or games. We'll surely get to see this handset at MWC and will let you know our impressions.
Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 (10.1) officially announced at MWC, 3.1 extra inches of Ice Cream Sandwich
www.tech-sanity.com
We already saw Samsung's Galaxy Tab 2 (7.0) just over a week ago, and now the company has come clean with its 10.1-inch variant (along with a new Galaxy Beam smartphone). Aside from bumping up the screen resolution of its LCD to 1280 x 800, from 1024 x 600 on the 7.0, the 10.1 features the same 1Ghz dual-core processor, 1GB of RAM, Bluetooth 3.0 connectivity, front and rear cameras (VGA and 3-megapixels, respectively) and 21Mbps HSPA+ connectivity if you opt for the 3G model instead of WiFi. The 10.1-incher notably comes equipped with a 7,000 mAh battery (up from 4,000 on the 7.0), which will hopefully ensure stamina that's similar to its predecessor. The slate is unsurprisingly loaded with TouchWiz-flavored Ice Cream Sandwich, and will be offered in 16 and 32GB models (expandable by up to 32GB if you supply your own microSD card). There's no word on pricing just yet, but Sammy plans to start selling all 10.1-inches of this treat during March in the UK -- and you can bet we'll get our own in-person hands-on while we're traversing the show floor here at MWC. For now, you'll find full details about the slate in the press release after the break and press images in the gallery below.
We already saw Samsung's Galaxy Tab 2 (7.0) just over a week ago, and now the company has come clean with its 10.1-inch variant (along with a new Galaxy Beam smartphone). Aside from bumping up the screen resolution of its LCD to 1280 x 800, from 1024 x 600 on the 7.0, the 10.1 features the same 1Ghz dual-core processor, 1GB of RAM, Bluetooth 3.0 connectivity, front and rear cameras (VGA and 3-megapixels, respectively) and 21Mbps HSPA+ connectivity if you opt for the 3G model instead of WiFi. The 10.1-incher notably comes equipped with a 7,000 mAh battery (up from 4,000 on the 7.0), which will hopefully ensure stamina that's similar to its predecessor. The slate is unsurprisingly loaded with TouchWiz-flavored Ice Cream Sandwich, and will be offered in 16 and 32GB models (expandable by up to 32GB if you supply your own microSD card). There's no word on pricing just yet, but Sammy plans to start selling all 10.1-inches of this treat during March in the UK -- and you can bet we'll get our own in-person hands-on while we're traversing the show floor here at MWC. For now, you'll find full details about the slate in the press release after the break and press images in the gallery below.
Samsung: Mobile Quadcore Processors
www.tech-sanity.com
Samsung will soon officially announce its first quad-core mobile processor, a successor to its current Exynos chip. At the International Solid-State Circuits Conference, Samsung offered a look at the new processor, which comes in dual- and quad-core format and will use 32nm rather than 45nm technology. The chip is supposed to have 26 percent higher performance than its 45nm predecessor, and Samsung promises a 34 to 50 percent improvement in battery life. It's also supposed to improve video framerates by about a quarter.
With this chip, Samsung is apparently optimizing for battery rather than pure performance, with an eye towards more efficient smartphone power use and heat management. When the chip is released, it will be competing with Nvidia's quad-core processor, which was announced last year. We'll also be waiting to see if it's officially unveiled at MWC.
Samsung’s 7-inch Galaxy Tab 2, runs Android 4.0 [Updated w/ pricing]
www.tech-sanity.com
Samsung has officially announce their first tablet running the latest Android OS. The Galaxy Tab 2 runs Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) and is somewhat similar to the original Galaxy Tab. It is powered by a 1GHz dual-core processor and 1GB RAM and features a 7-inch WSVGA display (1024×600) PLS TFT LCD, Wi-Fi, 3MP rear-facing fixed focus camera, VGA camera on the front, HSPA+ support, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 3.0, A-GPS, 8 or 16 or 32GB internal memory, microSD card slot and 4,000mAh battery.
Samsung has officially announce their first tablet running the latest Android OS. The Galaxy Tab 2 runs Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) and is somewhat similar to the original Galaxy Tab. It is powered by a 1GHz dual-core processor and 1GB RAM and features a 7-inch WSVGA display (1024×600) PLS TFT LCD, Wi-Fi, 3MP rear-facing fixed focus camera, VGA camera on the front, HSPA+ support, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 3.0, A-GPS, 8 or 16 or 32GB internal memory, microSD card slot and 4,000mAh battery.