Samsung Galaxy Gear Review: What can Samsung's Smart Watch?

The mobile industry is currently waiting for the next big boom. After 2007 came with the iPhone, the first serious smartphone on the market for three years and also tablets are on the rise now, many are waiting for the boom of the "wearables".

In these "wearables", ie smart gadgets like the clothes worn on the body, is for many one of the main sites of the mobile industry in the future. The Samsung Galaxy Gear is Samsung's first Smart Watch and many seemed particularly so early in his eyes, in order to forestall the competition and especially Apple. Whether this was to start early, or whether the Galaxy Gear is expected to meet a SmartWatch ...

The specifications:

• 800 MHz Exynos 4212
• 512 MB of RAM
• 4 GB internal memory
• Bluetooth 4.0 LE / NFC
• 1.63 inch SAMOLED display with 320 × 320 pixels
• 1.9 MP BSI CMOS camera, 720p video
• Accelerometer / gyro sensor
• 36.8 x 56.6 x 11.1 mm with 73.8 grams
• 315 mAh battery / 150 hours standby 
• 2 microphones, 1 loudspeaker

The battery and charging:

Generally, the battery of smartwatch is seen as a sticking point. As the Samsung Galaxy Gear presented, was often only 10 hours of talk time sound. I had never problems to come over two full days. Certainly no great shakes, but ok. The only annoying: Loaded is only through a separate charger, a microUSB connector as the Sony SmartWatch 2 sadly lacking in the Galaxy Gear.

Processing and design:

The Samsung Galaxy Gear is a Smart Watch and naturally applied as such to the design of a conventional wristwatch. Is surprisingly low, the weight, the Samsung Galaxy Gear weighs 73.6 grams For a watch this size, this is surprisingly little that is realized especially through the use of plastic on the back of the clock and the bracelet. In this version we tested white plastic somehow reminds me of home-sickness tablets, watches from you is simple otherwise wertigeres usual - usually there are at least metal on the back.

The design is of course always a matter of taste, but the Galaxy Gear is in my opinion an absolutely perfect blend of retro design and high-tech under the hood. Only my inner Monk is whimpering in the corner: Samsung has sunk four screws around the 1.63-inch SAMOLED display. While this makes the device an overall valent appearance, however, the orientation in the delivery seems arbitrary. I had to use a screwdriver turn the screw first so that it suited me.

The buckle is slightly thicker advised by a built-in speaker, compared with a usual thickness of the closure is still just fine. The size of the adjustment is also easy to master.

The display and the clock.

1.63 inches tall, SAMOLED, 320 × 320 pixels - for a clock amazingly well. At night, you will love the display, with popping in the sun you have to either power-hungry outdoor mode switch, or live with a little good readability - unfortunately an automatic brightness control is missing.

It is - unlike the Sony SmartWatch 2 - not permanently active. Either by pressure or by head gesture which can be adjusted in the Gear Manager, you activate the display. With a little practice a good solution. The clock is basically yes, the most important feature of a clock ... and here the Galaxy Gear is always a good thing. Own background colors and with the app "Watch Styler" also own designs (yes, at the xda-developers there is even a template for the clock from Knight Rider!) Make the clock completely customizable. I also like to use the clock during exams, permanently activate the display but can not - by no later than 5 minutes on this off and even that is likely already enough to gnaw the 315 mAh battery.

Camera and phone: gadgets

Yes, you can make calls with the Galaxy Gear. With two microphones and a loudspeaker in the clock in the buckle possible. Therefore one must then keep the gear either extremely unusual to the ear, or you can play "Knight Rider" and talk with his arm. In theory, that might be cool, but in practice it acts similarly stupid as in soliloquies with Siri or Voice in the south metro, or calling with Bluetooth 20 EUR gloves in winter. I called twice with the gear in the car, it may be convenient for me, otherwise a pure gimmick. The speakers in the buckle might therefore like to give my opinion. That one with the Galaxy Gear can not autonomously phone was criticized in some test reports - it's me care less, even if that were possible, I would not do it. Practically, it is that incoming calls are displayed on the Gear in silent mode - so you miss a call by mistake.

Also a camera can be found in the Galaxy Gear. It dissolves with 1392 × 1392 pixels is not very bad at, but also has barely functions. The point of the camera in a clock if you already have it have the smartphone to use the clock did not open up to me. The Galaxy Note 3 has a 13 MP camera, 2 MP Gear just short - why should I do to square images of me on the Gear? In addition, one feels when shooting with the gear, as if it had not quite enough for James Bond.For me - so far without useful apps available - a mere gimmick. Perhaps there is something in the future, you would have been happy to give my opinion on the sensor. A side effect as with the Google Glasses is the way that the other person feels constantly monitored, then you put the gear on the camera, this is likely to scratch pretty quickly.

The software:

I had actually typed this review ready. The headline should be "Galaxy Gear: The Glass clock with the Google problem" loud. Simply because the Galaxy Gear for a long time could not deal. A few notifications from Samsung services, time and Runtastic Pro, that was all. For a few days there is an update and this is my picture of the Galaxy Gear quite changed. Meanwhile, it is also possible to select notifications for other apps. Thus, about WhatsApp messages are displayed (if they contain any images) or emails will be flown at about Gmail on the clock.Sure, would have to answer the phone brought back from his pocket - with the notifications you can often save it but because you can already see on the clock, whether a reply worthwhile.

In everyday life one learns the Galaxy Gear for notifications love. If you have the phone on silent mode, incoming calls to the clock WhatsApp, Twitter and Gmail are displayed, too - the Notification LED on the Galaxy Note 3 you no longer need actually. Whoever wants to can open WhatsApp and co on the gear and can then be displayed on the smartphone. Nice to have.

Otherwise, the operation is simple: A few simple gestures to help with navigation. This is so amazingly comfortable, although only one physical button on the Galaxy Gear is available. To 1.63 inches so you can even call a task manager (if the clock is on a need to be seen) and quickly adjust the display brightness and volume. Also, the first connecting is simple: In the back of the charger is integrated NFC, holding man's Galaxy Note Galaxy 3 or S4 now with the back to the back of the Galaxy Gear, the two will automatically connect via Bluetooth 4.0. The only drawback: The Galaxy S III and Galaxy Note II are not compatible - in time for Christmas but should be able to have the update to Android 4.3, the Galaxy also hereby Gear is then supported.

In the Samsung Apps is a separate category for "Galaxy Gear apps" available. In addition to "Watch Styler" I found here Runtastic particularly important. I had always Runtastic per show on the score 3, with the extension of the gear can then be the distance traveled and the speed on the clock. Extremely handy if the Galaxy Note is stored in a 3 arm pocket while running.

tl, dr: The bottom, top or flop?

Two weeks here was to find a pretty clear "flop". Not enough functions I simply gave no value for a 300 euro gadget. After the last update I had to throw overboard the Review: WhatsApp, Gmail, phone calls, twitter - and I've actually everything on the gear, see what's worth it. Clean.The battery lasts two days with heavy use - five would be better, but it can still hold out amazingly well. The number with the charger sucks. Nevertheless, it remains a v1, a first version of Samsung's interpretation of a SmartWatch. I have my phone with clock can not and I also prefer photos with the smartphone. I would possibly be even a remote shutter release on the App Gear for my NX300 (including manually adjustable aperture and shutter speed) give me would be enough as photo function - a separate sensor is simply too big or too bad. If Samsung camera and speaker removed and it then installs a bigger battery and maybe incorporating a wertigeres bracelet, the gear at a lower price than almost 300 euros would be more interesting for me. V1 as I find the gear ok, but now I burn the certainly sometime appearing successor, who will hopefully make some better. Let's see if I'm weak in the Galaxy Gear before Christmas, when the price falls a little - after the last update I'm going to miss my tester anyway.

For Rs. 27,990 Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini now available for pre-orders

Pre-orders for the Samsung S4 Mini (GT-I9192) has started at Samsung's official online store.

Samsung launched its Galaxy S4 Mini smartphone for Rs. 27,990 in India. However, it is only now that the company has started taking pre-orders for the device. The online store also notes, "Expected date of material availability 18th July." This means the device can be expected to be available only after July 18 and until then people can pre-book the smartphone. Another online retailer has also listed the device, although it comes with a 'coming soon' tag.

Samsung has been rolling out different variants of its flagship smartphone, Galaxy S4 globally for a while now. The device has been launched in India to strengthen the premium mid-range segment of the company.

As far as the specs are concerned, Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini is powered by a 1.7GHz dual-core processor with 1.5GB RAM. The device boasts off a 4.3-inch qHD (540x960 pixels) Super AMOLED display, with a pixel density of 256ppi. It comes with 8GB of internal storage which can be further expanded up to 64GB via a microSD card. It runs the Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean with the company's TouchWiz skin on top. On camera front, the device features an 8-megapixel rear camera and a 1.9-megapixel HD front facing camera. The device also supports dual SIM (GSM+GSM). The Galaxy S4 mini is backed by a 1,900mAh battery and is available in two colour options - White Frost and Black Mist.

Samsung Galaxy S4 mini key specifications

• 4.3-inch qHD Super AMOLED display
• 1.7GHz dual-core processor
• 1.5GB of RAM
• 8GB internal storage, can be expanded by up to 64GB via microSD card
• 8-megapixel rear-facing camera
• 1.9-megapixel HD front-facing camera
• 1900mAh battery
• Android 4.2.2 (Jelly Bean)
• Dual SIM (GSM+GSM)

Source: Ndtv Gadgets

Samsung to launch 'Galaxy Tab 3' tablets in 2013, Note 8.0 could be priced between $249-$299: Report

A day ago we had shared an indicative product roadmap for Samsung's devices that are expected to launch during the course of this year. The company's tablet plans include the Galaxy Note 8.0, which is more or less confirmed for an Mobile World Congress (MWC) release. Now, according to Digitimes, we know that the 8-inch tablet could see a price range of $249-$299.

The report also mentions that the company is also planning to launch 7-inch and 10.1-inch tablets along with many ultrabooks this year. The 7-inch tablet we know of, may be priced between $149-$199. Rumoured specs for this tablet include a full-HD display, Android Jelly Bean and a quad-core processor. 

The Galaxy Note 8.0 has been spotted quite often lately, with the latest appearance in the form of a leaked press image listing out some of the earlier rumoured specifications of the tablet.

From the looks of it, the Galaxy Note 8.0 will compete head on with Apple's iPad mini. The specs listed in the image seem to be in line with previous rumours mentioning an 8-inch 1280x800 display as opposed to iPad mini's display 1024x768 across 7.9-inches.

Other specs listed include a 1.6GHz quad-core Exynos processor, 2GB RAM, options of 16/32GB as internal storage, Android 4.2, 5-megapixel rear and 1.3-megapixel front cameras, Bluetooth 4.0, USB 2.0, Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n, A-GPS, HSPA+ and LTE support and the famed S-Pen. It is expected to come with a 4,600mAh battery.

There are also speculations doing the rounds that Samsung may launch two versions of Samsung Galaxy Note 8.0 - Samsung GT-N5100, which will be a 3G+Wi-Fi version and the GT-N5110, which will be a Wi-Fi only version.

Samsung dedicated blog SamMobile further reports that the next generation Galaxy tablets will be branded as Galaxy Tab 3 and will include the 7-inch and 10.1-inch versions, both with and without 3G support as part of this series. These will feature a 5-megapixel camera.

Furthermore, citing their Korean insider, the blog states that these Galaxy tablets will be developed under the codename "SANTOS" and their new code numbers would be GT-P3200, GT-P3210, GT-P5200 and GT-P5210.

Additionally, there will also be a high-end tablet from the Korean manufacturer, the GT-P8200 currently codenamed "ROMA" that will come in 16 and 32GB variants.

Though the specifications of these tablets remain unknown as of now, they are expected to reach markets in the first half of the year. Apart from tablets, the previously leaked roadmap also shows phones including Galaxy Pocket Plus, Galaxy X Cover 2, Galaxy Young and Galaxy Chat 226.

The company's next flagship device, the Galaxy S IV codenamed 'Altius' is expected to be announced in March and go on sale in April. Samsung is also planning to launch the 5.8-inch Galaxy Fonblet in Pure White with Android Jelly Bean straight out of the box and feature dual-SIM capabilities as well.

Samsung looks to broaden chip base as Apple cuts orders

Samsung Electronics Co is looking to supply chips to more Chinese and other emerging smartphone makers, the head of its system chip business said, to counter any fall-off in demand from Apple Inc, which is weaning itself off Samsung chips used in its iPhones and iPads.
Samsung and its main U.S. rival, and biggest customer, together account for more than half the global smartphone market, and the South Korean group is the main supplier of mobile processors, or application processors (AP), powering both Apple devices and its own range of Galaxy phones and tablets.
But, as Apple looks to be less reliant on its rival for parts for its gadgets it is already buying fewer Samsung memory chips and display screens as the two have gone to war over patents - concerns have grown that Samsung may see its processor revenues tumble.
"As there are just two smartphone makers that are doing really well, chipmakers supplying them have grown in tandem. So we plan to bolster our relationship with those key customers," Stephen Woo, president of Samsung's System LSI business, which makes processors for Apple products, said in an interview.
Supplying processors for Apple products has been the mainstay of Samsung's system chips business.
Goldman Sachs estimates Samsung's AP chip sales to Apple will rise to 9.3 trillion won this year, or nearly 80 percent of Apple's spending on Samsung processing chips, memory chips and flat screens. But that could tumble to just 2.5 trillion won next year, as Apple will shift 30 percent of its AP business from Samsung and eventually 80 percent by 2017, according to Goldman.
"(We) should diversify our customer base and are making such efforts already, adding some Chinese customers," Woo told Reuters ahead of his first keynote speech at the annual Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas on Wednesday.
China's Meizu, one of the local smartphone newcomers, uses Samsung's Exynos quad-core chip for its MX smartphone, and Lenovo's K860 LePhone is also powered by Exynos.
Still, Samsung's mobile processor business is almost entirely tied to the fortunes of Apple and its own mobile business - the Galaxy range. By comparison, chip rivals such as Qualcomm Inc, Texas Instruments and Nvidia have a broader client base - from LG Electronics Inc and Nokia to HTC Corp, Huawei Technologies Co and Google's Motorola.
"We see emerging players who have potential to grow in smartphones and we will continue to make efforts to supply them with our chips," Woo said.
Eyeing baseband
The mobile processor market, driven by roaring sales of smartphones and tablets, is a bright spot for a semiconductor industry that is struggling with falling computer sales. Research firm Gartner estimates the mobile processor market will grow 30 percent this year to $13.5 billion and hit $16.5 billion next year.
To strengthen its chip capability, Samsung bought UK chipmaker CSR Plc's mobile phone connectivity and location technology for $310 million last year, and it is now looking at how it can improve modem chip technology, especially the baseband chip solution that enables wireless devices' radio communications.
"Baseband is a very important segment, but we don't have it. Given its importance, we're reviewing various options," Woo said, suggesting Samsung could be scouting for potential targets.
Qualcomm is the biggest baseband chip company with nearly 50 percent of the market, followed by the likes of Mediatek, Texas Instruments and Broadcom.
Single chipsetChipmakers are increasingly seeking to produce a single chip solution that combines AP, modem chip and connectivity chips that support Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and near-field communication functions, in one chipset. This combo-package is popular among low-end smartphones as it allows phone makers to cram various chips into compact devices.
Woo said Samsung, however, was not considering expanding into a single chip solution and will instead continue to focus on pure AP chips favoured for high-end phones, as it allows manufacturers to differentiate their hardware offerings with various chip combinations.
The explosion of mobile devices has opened a big opportunity to Samsung as Intel Corp, the world's top chipmaker, struggles to crack the mobile processor market dominated by the makers of ARM Holdings licensed chips. Samsung is the biggest maker of ARM-based chips, such as Apple chips and Samsung's Exynos brand.
Intel's market share in mobile devices is just 1 percent, as UK chip designer ARM holds a near monopoly.
Woo said Samsung was not looking to break into the desktop computer or server processor market - which Intel dominates, but is under threat from ARM-based chips that boast low-power consumption and compact design.
"For the time being, our focus will pretty much be on enhancing our AP offering, especially for high-end mobile devices," he said.
New powerful chip, flexible display
At his keynote speech, Woo unveiled Samsung's latest "Exynos 5 Octa" processor, tailored for high-end smartphones and tablets.
The new processor boasts eight cores: four to handle processing-intensive tasks and four to take on lighter workloads, to conserve battery life.
Glenn Roland, vice president and head of new platforms at Electronic Arts, demonstrated its processing power by running the high-octane, fast-paced "Need for Speed Most Wanted", on a Samsung reference tablet.
Other guests at Woo's speech included ARM Chief Executive Warren East, Microsoft chief technical strategy officer Eric Rudder, and former U.S. president Bill Clinton.
Samsung also unveiled a prototype phone with a flexible display that can be folded back and forth - almost like paper - by replacing a glass panel with super-thin plastic to make it bendable and unbreakable, as well as a smartphone equipped with a curved display.
"It won't break even if it's dropped. This new form-factor will really begin to change how people interact with their devices, opening up new lifestyle possibilities allow our partners to create a whole new ecosystem of devices," said Brian Berkeley, senior vice president of Samsung Display, a flat-screen unit of Samsung Electronics.
© Thomson Reuters 2012

Samsung unveils Exynos 5 Octa SoC with eight cores, likely to power Galaxy S IV

If Nvidia came with the Tegra 4 and Qualcomm brought its Snapdragon 800 Series to the CES stage in Nevada, then Samsung unveiled the next processor in its Exynos 5 lineup called the Exynos 5 Octa, an eight-core SoC dedicated to tablets and high-end smartphones.

That's right. Eight cores. These are divided into two separate groups with four-cores each. Any device that will feature the Exynos 5 Octa integration, is bound to have two quad-core processors powering it. This is one of the first chipsets to feature ARM's big.LITTLE architecture based on switching processor technology.

While four of them are Cortex-A15 cores as seen in the Exynos 5 Dual powering the Nexus 10 and Samsung's ARM Chromebook, the other four are Cortex-A7 CPU cores. The A7 cores have the same features and capabilities as the A15 cores, though they are more focussed on power efficiency than performance. The Korean manufacturer claims 70% power saving with this chip compared to its Exynos 5 Dual.

Both sets of cores are said to work in tandem together and offer great speeds without compromising on battery consumption.This differs from Nvidia's Tegra 3 and Tegra 4 SoCs, which include a low-power Cortex-A9 and a Cortex-A15 (respectively) "companion core" that can only be used when all of the SoC's other CPU cores are powered down

The new SoC will be manufactured using a 28nm process as opposed to the 32nm process used by the Exynos 5 Dual, hence claiming to be more power-efficient.

Earlier rumours were indicative of the Samsung Galaxy S IV being powered by a 2 GHz quad-core Exynos processor and an 8-core GPU, that will use ARM big.LITTLE architecture featuring a combination of an energy-efficient A7 processor and an A15 one for simple and heavy task processing. 

Samsung Galaxy S III, Galaxy Note, Galaxy S Duos, Galaxy Ace Duos India prices slashed

Samsung seems to be looking at spreading some New Year cheer for its patrons in India. According tofonearena.com, the Korean smartphone maker has dropped the prices of Samsung Galaxy S III, Samsung Galaxy Note, Samsung Galaxy S Duos and the Galaxy Ace Duos.
Samsung had launched its flagship smartphone Samsung Galaxy S III in May 2012 for Rs. 43,180. This smartphone had got a sharp price cut in September 2012 and was retailing for Rs. 34,900 and is currently available for Rs. 31,990.
Similarly, Samsung Galaxy Note, which was retailing for Rs. 29,990 from September onwards, is now available for Rs. 27,500.
The 4-inch Samsung Galaxy S Duos which was launched in September for Rs. 17,900 is available for Rs. 14,900 after the price revision. The other features of this smartphone include 1GHz processor, 5-megapixel rear camera and VGA front camera. It runs on Android 4.0.
Lastly, Samsung Galaxy Ace Duos is now retailing for Rs. 10,900. This smartphone was launched in India in the month of June for Rs. 15,090. It is a dual-SIM smartphone, which has a 3.5-inch TFT touch screen display with a 320x480 pixel resolution. Samsung Galaxy Ace Duos is powered by 832 MHz processor, has 512MB RAM and 3GB internal memory, which is expandable up to 32GB via microSD card.

Samsung reportedly ready to launch two Galaxy S II Plus variants in Jan 2013

2012 witnessed the launch of plenty of interesting Near Field Communication (NFC) smartphones and looks like 2013 is going to be no different in this regards. About fortnight ago we had reported that Samsung is working on Samsung Galaxy Grand Duos and Galaxy S II Plus.
According to Unwired, Samsung is expected to launch two variants of Samsung Galaxy S II Plus - GT-i9105, and GT-i9105P. The only difference between these two Samsung devices will be that GT-i9105P will support NFC while GT-i9105 will not.
Samsung has launched Samsung Galaxy S Plus in August 2011 as an upgrade to Samsung Galaxy S. However, this time around Samsung Galaxy S Plus II does not seem to be much of an upgrade. Reason being Samsung Galaxy S Plus II is speculated to have the same 4.3-inch screen with 480X800 pixel resolution like Samsung Galaxy S. Moreover, instead of 1.2GHz processor, Samsung Galaxy S Plus II is expected to have just a 1GHz processor.
On the positive side, Samsung Galaxy S Plus II will most likely be running on Android 4.1.2 (Jelly Bean)
It is being speculated that Samsung Galaxy S II Plus will be launched in January 2013 and Sam Mobileclaims that it will be available in two colour options - Chic White and Dark Blue. However, there is no information available in regards to what could be the price of this smartphone
There are also speculations that Samsung will be launching an upgraded version of Samsung Galaxy Pocket, which will be dubbed Samsung Galaxy Pocket Plus S5301.

Samsung Galaxy S III mini shipping with Android 4.1.2 for Asia users

Apart from getting three new colours, Samsung Galaxy S III mini users in Asia can rejoice the new year with some more good news.

Prominent Samsung blog SamMobile is reporting that the Korean giant is now shipping the Galaxy S III mini with the latest version of Android Jelly Bean, v4.1.2 in Vietnam and Indonesia. Other Asian regions should soon be getting the good news as well. Initially when launched, the Galaxy S III mini devices came out with Android 4.1.1.

Whether or not the latest Jelly Bean version on the Galaxy S III mini includes all features from the company's Premium Suite, is something users will have to find out on their own.

For those unaware, the Galaxy S III mini was launched in October this year and is a miniature version of the company's current flagship smartphone the Samsung Galaxy S III. It features a 4-inch screen and runs Android 4.1 Jelly Bean. The smartphone inherits Galaxy S III's features like S Voice, Smart Stay, Direct Call and S Beam.

The compact S III version is powered by a dual-core 1GHz processor and features a 5-megapixel camera. It has a 1500 mAh battery and 8/16GB internal storage options.

Just recently, the Galaxy Note web page hinted Premium Suite features for original Note users as part of the Android Jelly Bean 4.1 update. But it did not provide a timeline for the said update.

Premium Suite features include:

• Multi Window that lets you view and perform multiple tasks on the same screen
• Popup Note that helps you jot down information while on a call
• Popup Video and Popup Browser that allow you to catch a video or surf the Web while performing other tasks on the device
• Photo Note and Photo Frame features that enable users to write notes on the front or back of their photos
• Easy Clip that lets you crop text or images from any screen to save it or share it
• S Planner, which allows you to send handwritten notes to yourself
• Paper Artist that lets you add various picture editing effects
• Enhanced S Note feature, which lets you create notebooks with images, videos, templates and other effects

Samsung Galaxy Music Duos now for Rs. 9,199

Samsung has officially started selling the Galaxy Music Duos through its official online store for Rs. 9,199.
Samsung had announced the Galaxy Music and Galaxy Music Duos smartphones back in October. Samsung Galaxy Music Duos is a dual-SIM phone which comes with a 3.0-inch QVGA display. It comes with 512MB RAM, 4GB internal storage (expandable by another 32GB) and runs on Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich).
Other features include a 3-megapixel rear camera, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and a 1300mAh battery. The smartphone is targeted at music lovers and comes with a dedicated music key, music player with SoundAlive, 3.5mm ear jack, stereo FM radio with RDS, built-in FM antenna and frontal stereo loudspeaker with SRS surround audio effect.
It is available in two colour options blue and white. Earlier this month, Samsung's online store had started taking pre-booking for this smartphone but taken it off in a matter of minutes.
Samsung Galaxy Music Duos will be competing with the likes of Sony Xperia tipo dual. Sony Xperia tipo dual features a 3.2-inch TFT display with 480x320 pixel resolution and run on Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich). There is 800MHz Qualcomm Snapdragon processor on board along with 512MB of RAM. This smartphone comes with 2.5GB internal storage and can be expanded up to 32GB via microSD. It is currently retailing at a street price of approximately Rs. 10,000.
The Sony smartphone has a slightly bigger screen and is a little bit costlier than Samsung Galaxy Music Duos.
Samsung Galaxy Music Duos key specifications

• 3.0-inch QVGA(240x320) display
• 4GB User memory + 512MB(RAM), microSD (up to 32 GB)
• Dual-SIM GSM+GSM
• 3-megapixel fixed-focus rear camera w/ no flash
• Music player with SoundAlive
• 3.5mm ear jack, stereo FM radio with RDS
• Built-in FM Antenna
• Frontal stereo loudspeaker w/ SRS surround audio effect
• GPS/ Glonass
• Bluetooth 3.0, USB 2.0, Wi-Fi b/g/n, Wi-Fi Direct
• 110.1 x 59.0 x 12.25mm, 106.9g
• Li-ion 1,300mAh battery

Samsung sells 10 million Galaxy devices in India

Korean company Samsung Electronics said on Thursday that it has sold more than 10 million Galaxy devices in the Indian market since the launch of the first Galaxy device, 'Galaxy S', in June 2010.
"Innovative devices like the Samsung Galaxy S, Galaxy S II and S III, Galaxy Note, Galaxy Note 2 and Galaxy Y have caught the imagination of customers and helped us democratise the smartphone experience in the Indian market," says Samsung VP (Mobile) Asim Warsi.
This has helped Samsung sell more than 10 million Galaxy devices in the Indian market since June 2010, when the first Galaxy device was launched, he added.
The Galaxy series comprises a portfolio of devices like Galaxy Y (launched in October 2011), Galaxy S II (May 2011), Galaxy Tab (November 2011), Galaxy Tab 2 310 (May 2012) and Galaxy S III.
Though the company declined to comment on individual contribution of a particular device, Galaxy Y series, Note series and Galaxy S III together contributed more than 50 percent of the sales.
"Through our series of consistent Smartphone launches, Samsung has fuelled the growth of the smartphone market in India and has been a category leader since last year.
Samsung's portfolio of 13 Galaxy devices in the Indian market are priced between Rs. 6,790 to Rs. 39,990," Warsi said.
According to CyberMedia Research (CMR) India Mobile Handsets Market Review, India shipments of mobile handsets was recorded at 102.43 million units during January-June 2012.
Of the smartphones market of 5.50 million units, Samsung had a 41.6 percent share, while Nokia and Research in Motion had 19.2 percent and 12.1 percent share, respectively.

EU to set out anti-trust case against Samsung soon

EU to set out anti-trust case against Samsung soon

The EU will set out its case against Samsung Electronics "very soon" following an anti-trust probe of the smartphone and mobile tablet market, Competition Commissioner Joaquin Almunia said Thursday.
"We will adopt a statement of objections very soon," Almunia said, meaning a document detailing the EU competition watchdog's possible objections.
"I don't know if it is at the end of this year or the beginning of next year," he said, adding that "we are on the last last steps of our internal procedures."
The Commission opened a probe in January on whether the South Korean tech giant was abusing its market position by seeking bans on sales of products made by its competitors in several European countries, alleging they were illegally using its patents.
Samsung said this week it would drop a legal request to ban Apple products in Britain, France, Germany, Italy and the Netherlands but would maintain lawsuits for alleged patent infringement.
Commenting on Samsung's decision to withdraw the requests, Almunia said: "We are very happy with this because one of the most important objections that we have when dealing with holders of standard essential patents is their possible abuses using their ownership (of patents)."
Samsung overtook Nokia as the top mobile phone brand for 2012 and has opened up a decisive lead over Apple in the smartphone market, market research firm IHS iSuppli said earlier this week.

Samsung acknowledges Exynos vulnerability, claims fix coming soon

Samsung acknowledges Exynos vulnerability, claims fix coming soon
Samsung has acknowledged the vulnerability reported earlier this week in kernel of some Samsung Exynos chipsets and claimed that a fix is coming soon.

Samsung issued the following statement to Android Central:

Samsung is aware of the potential security issue related to the Exynos processor and plans to provide a software update to address it as quickly as possible.

The issue may arise only when a malicious application is operated on the affected devices; however, this does not affect most devices operating credible and authenticated applications.

Samsung will continue to closely monitor the situation until the software fix has been made available to all affected mobile devices.

The exploit was revealed earlier this week by user alephzain over at XDA who claimed that any user application could access all physical memory available to the device. The exploit affects the Exynos 4210 and 4412 chips, which power some of Samsung's most popular devices including Galaxy S II, Galaxy S III, Galaxy Note, Galaxy Note II and Galaxy Note 10.1.

sam4sammy :: Samsung unveils Galaxy Grand with 5.0-inch display, Android 4.1

Samsung has unveiled the Android 4.1.2 running Galaxy Grand with 5.0-inch WVGA display.

Samsung Galaxy Grand is powered by a 1.2GHz dual-core processor and it comes with 1GB RAM and 8GB internal storage (expandable by another 64GB). Connectivity options include Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n (2.4GHz), Wi-Fi HT40, USB 2.0, Bluetooth 4.0 + LE, A-GPS, Glonass and DLNA. It comes with the usual set of sensors like accelerometer, light and proximity sensors, gyro sensor and a digital compass. The Samsung Galaxy Grand is powered by a 2100mAh battery.

Coming back to the display, as rumoured, the Galaxy Grand sports a WVGA 480x800 display in a bid to keep the costs down. While that is sure to bring the PPI of the screen down along with the costs, we would like to reserve our comment on the quality of the display until we see it in person.

The Samsung Galaxy Grand comes with a 8-megapixel rear camera and a 2-megapixel front camera capable of making 720p video calls.

Galaxy Grand comes with Android 4.1.2 and includes various software features that have made an appearance on earlier Samsung devices including Direct Call (automatically dial a call by raising the device up to the ear), Popup Video (lets users watch video in a pop-up window anywhere on the screen while running other tasks) and the virtual assistant S Voice.

The Samsung Galaxy Grand will be available in both single-SIM (GT-I9080) and dual-SIM (GT-I9082) variants. The dual-SIM variant is dual-active, which means it is possible to receive calls on one SIM number while talking on the other.

There's no word from Samsung yet on the pricing or availability of the phone.

Samsung Galaxy Grand technical specifications

• 5.0-inch WVGA 480x800 display
• 1.2GHz dual-core processor
• 8GB internal storage (expandable by another 64GB)
• 1GB RAM
• 8-megapixel rear camera, 2-megapixel front camera
• Android 4.1
• 2100mAh battery
• Dual-SIM (dual-active) option
• Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, USB, HDMI, A-GPS, DLNA

Sam4sammy :: Samsung Galaxy Grand Duos and Galaxy S II Plus surface online

Pictures of two new Samsung Galaxy smartphones have been spotted in the wild. There have been rumours in regards to the Korean handset maker working on Samsung Galaxy Grand Duos and Galaxy S II Plus and both these smartphones were caught on camera going through China's TENAA certification process.

Both Samsung Galaxy Grand Duos and Galaxy S II Plus are expected to feature Android 4.1 Jelly Bean.

According to Unwired.com Samsung Galaxy S II Plus is expected to feature a 4.3-inch WVGA display, dual-core 1GHz processor, 8-megapixel rear camera with flash, and a 2-megapixel front-facing camera. Earlier reports had indicated the Galaxy S II Plus will come with Android 4.0, 4.52-inch qHD display, 1.5GHz dual-core processor, 8-megapixel rear camera and 16GB of internal storage.

The Galaxy S II Plus GT-i9105, which could be officially unveiled later this month, looks a lot like the original Galaxy S II i9100 (launched in the first half of 2011).

The second new Samsung handset is the Galaxy Grand Duos GT-i9082. We've heard this would pack a 5-inch display and a quad-core processor, but that doesn't seem to be true. Instead, the handset should feature a 4.5 inch WVGA screen, 1.2GHz dual-core processor, 8MP rear camera, 2MP front-facing camera, and Android 4.1Jelly Bean.

Obviously - as its name suggests - the Grand Duos is a dual SIM device. 

There have been rumours about Samsung Galaxy Grand even in the past. It is expected to be anaffordable Samsung phablet for the consumers who are fascinated by large screen phones such as the Samsung Galaxy Note and Samsung Galaxy Note II but don't want to splurge as much on a smartphone. Grand Duos seems be the dual-SIM variant of this smartphone but the 4.5-inch screen instead of a 5-inch screen might be a bummer for some.

Additionally, as Galaxy S II Plus reportedly does not support 3G, it is a possibility that this smartphone might be targeted at developing markets such as India.

Samsung shares full details of Galaxy S III Premium Suite upgrade

Samsung has finished sharing full details of the Galaxy S III Premium Suite upgrade.

Samsung teased the Galaxy S III Premium Suite upgrade on Friday, sharing the first set of features under categories "Contextual awareness" and "Enhanced features". Monday's update lists 7 new features under the heads "Powerful multimedia" and "New features & better accessibility".

The Galaxy S III Premium Suite looks like a promising update for existing owners of Samsung's flagship smartphone. The update will add features like multi-window support that we've seen in Galaxy Note 800 (Galaxy Note 10.1) and Galaxy Note II. Other new features (see complete list below) include a new low-light shot function and a "best face" features, that takes 5 consecutive shots for times when someone or the other in a group photo blinks.

Full list of features in Galaxy S III Premium Suite upgrade (part 1):

Contextual Awareness

(1) Page Buddy: Your phone will smartly predict what you intend to do according to your actions. For example, when you plug in your earphones, the device automatically opens up a page with the music player.

(2) Contextual Menu:  When you list up apps, you can now choose to see the most frequently used ones first. Especially convenient when you're looking through apps  to find files to attach.

(3) Contextual Tag:  When you take a picture on the phone, you can tag the weather, date, and place immediately.

Enhanced Features

(1) Multi Window: You can open two different apps at the same time into two different windows on the mobile screen.

(2) Auto Share Shot Pairing using NFC: By setting the camera to 'Auto Share Shot' mode, you can quickly share your photos and videos by simply tapping their GALAXY S III with other NFC and S-Beam enabled devices

(3) Reader Mode: You can easily control the size of the text on your browser! Also, you can just click the webpage to share it!

(4) Facebook Lock Ticker: The easiest way to see your Facebook News Feeds - set your phone to show it on your lock screen.

Full list of features in Galaxy S III Premium Suite upgrade (part 2):

Powerful Multimedia

(1) Paper Artist: You can make a picture like a pop artist! Change the moods of your pictures whenever you want!

(2) Camera, Low Light Shot: It's always tough to take pictures in dark places. So the GALAXY S III with Premium Suite has a Low-Light-Shot  function. Get your hands on one and check out the difference!

(3) Camera, Best Face: The problem with group pictures? Somebody always, ALWAYS blinks. Well, Best Face is your solution to that.  Best Face takes 5 consecutive pictures and lets you choose the best face for each person among those shots.

New Features & Better Accessibility

(1) Easy Mode: For first-time smartphone users and/or those who are really really, well, lazy. This function helps you set up the most five frequently used widgets on the home screen, so you don't have to be tired of looking everywhere to find those apps.

(2) Sound Balance: You can adjust the balance of volume one each side of earphones.

(3) Setup Wizard: After turning on your cell phone, you can see the accessibility menu right away on the screen.

(4) Camera Easy Snap: With 'talk back' and 'face detection' on your settings menu, the GALAXY S III tells you how many faces it can detect on the camera preview.