Posts with tag samsung
Could the Nexus program expand to HTC?
HTC One model with stock Android coming soon?
Google made waves when they introduced the “Google edition” Samsung Galaxy S4 the other week at I/O 2013, which brought the pure stock Android experience traditionally found in Google’s own Nexus devices to Samsung’s high end Android device. But what about us fans of the beautiful and powerful HTC One – don’t we have anything to look forward to? We do, according to sources who have spoken with popular Android blog AndroidAuthority, who say that HTC will soon be announcing the HTC One “Google Edition” to match Samsung’s efforts.
The device is said to be coming sometime this summer and will include an entirely stock version of Android 4.2.2, the absolute latest version of Android available. The hypothetical device would sell alongside the Nexus 4 and the Samsung Galaxy S4 “Google Edition” on Google’s own Play Store and would come unlocked for use on either T-Mobile or AT&T, and yes – unlike the Nexus 4, it will retain LTE capabilities.
So you can pay $649 for a piece of plastic running stock or… You can wait :) #IO13
— Leigh (@jetleigh) May 15, 2013
To add to the rumors, HTC employee Leigh Momii recently tweeted her thoughts on the stock Samsung Galaxy S4, coyly telling users to wait if they’re interested in a stock Android device.
Source: AndroidAuthority
Stock Android on your Galaxy S4
Google announces special “Google Edition” Galaxy S4
I/O has been full of surprises today. Just announced is the “Google Edition” Samsung Galaxy S4. Hardware-wise, it’s exactly the same as a retail Galaxy S4; the difference is in the software.
The “Google Edition” Galaxy S4 comes with Android 4.2 with the same experience as the Nexus family of devices, despite it not being a Nexus device. The phone comes with 16GB of built-in storage, is SIM unlocked for AT&T and T-Mobile and is also bootloader unlocked so you can run just about anything on it.
If you’re interested in one, you can head over to the Google Play store on June 26th. It will cost $649.
Source: Google I/O 13 Keynote
Better late than never
Verizon issues update for Galaxy Note II devices
Carriers have a bad habit of delaying updates to their Android handsets, making Android’s fragmentation all the worse – unlike iOS, where Apple pushes out an update to all iPhones regardless of carrier, OEMs themselves often issue carrier-specific updates to their Android phones, usually at an incredibly delayed pace when compared to the global unlocked models. Thus was the case with Verizon’s Galaxy Note II, which finally – after a seven month wait, has just received an update to Android 4.1.2 – which, may we remind you, is still behind the Android 4.2.2 that is currently the most recent version of Android found on many handsets.
Still, even an already-outdated update brings along some very worthwhile features aside an update to Android itself, including but not limited to (according to Verizon’s changelog):
- Download images via Enterprise Exchange email
- Download ring back tones through VZTones version 5.1.2 preloaded application
- Access downloaded languages on the Samsung keyboard
- Use Multi Window support for more applications (YouTube, Gmail, Facebook, Twitter, Amazon Kindle, Viewdini, Google Maps and Talk)
- Search or filter by Name in the dialer screen
- The snooze option in the Alarm Clock app is set to “ON” by default
- All Alarm Clock options are now viewable without the need to press the “more” button
- Added a Notification Panel editing menu under Display Settings
- Transfer content from your old device seamlessly with the Samsung Smart Switch application, now supported
All in all not a bad update, but if I were a Verizon Note II customer I’d still be annoyedly awaiting Android 4.2.
"Sir, I think this is the wrong phone"
Hired celebrity tweets Galaxy S4 praise… from his iPhone
Oh dear. It appears that David Ferrer, a spanish professional tennis player who just so happens to have been paid to tweet out some kind words about his “new Galaxy S4″, is using the wrong phone. And by that I mean even though his tweet says he’s “configuring S Health on my new #GalaxyS4 to help with training @SamsungMobile”, the actual tweet itself was tweeted from none other than an iPhone, as evidenced by the screenshot grabbed by AppleInsider above.
The tweet has since been taken down, however not before it was noticed by a a journalist from The Huffington Post quick on their feet (and with their fingers), eager to post evidence of Samsung’s misfortune. This isn’t the first time something like this has happened – Opera recently and famously tweeted about how much she loves her Microsoft Surface from her Apple iPad, whilst the Chinese government orchestrated a media campaign against Apple on Twitter while posting all of those tweets from iPhones.
There’s a lesson to be learned here somewhere, I’m sure. Not like Samsung doesn’t have the advertising budget for a few misfires like this, though.
Via: AppleInsider
Source: HuffingtonPost
Pre-orders start tomorrow
Verizon breaks its silence, to offer the Samsung Galaxy S4 on May 30th
AT&T, T-Mobile, and Sprint have all spoken, and it was long past time for Verizon to open its mouth as well – the mobile carrier has just announced that they will be offering the Samsung Galaxy S4 on May 30th, a full month behind its competitors. The good news is that you can pre-order yours starting tomorrow, April 25th however.
Verizon also confirmed the pricing on their Galaxy S4, which remains in line with most other carriers – the 16GB Galaxy S4 will cost $249 up front with a $50 mail in rebate, or a whopping $649 for an unsubsidized 16GB model. AT&T and Sprint are both charging $199 for the Galaxy S4, while T-Mobile has managed to one-up all of them and is charging $149 up front with those now familiar monthly installments.
Via: The Verge
Source: Verizon Wireless (Twitter)
AT&T laughs maniacally
Sprint and T-Mobile both delay launch of Samsung Galaxy S4
Well, this is somewhat of a bummer to you Samsung fans hoping to get your Galaxy S4 fix – both carriers were planning on launching the new Samsung Galaxy S4 in late April – April 24th (or, in other words – today) for T-Mobile customers, and April 27th for Sprint, however it looks like neither are confident in the inventory they have readily available and have decided to delay the launch on both networks. Sprint in particular is blaming the delay on “unexpected inventory challenges from Samsung”.
Meanwhile, AT&T will continue to launch the Samsung Galaxy S4 as expected on April 27th. Bummer, right guys?
Via: Engadget
Source: AllThingsD
"The next big thing is coming"
Samsung Galaxy S4 signup page goes live on Verizon Wireless
The Samsung Galaxy S4 isn’t set to be released in the United States for another couple of weeks, but that isn’t stopping Verizon Wireless from launching their Galaxy S4 signup page to get the excitement going. Just plop in your e-mail address and Verizon will send you updates as soon as they’re ready to announce more – including, we’d assume, a specific pre-order date and launch details.
The Galaxy S4 is Samsung’s next generation Galaxy S flagship device. Though it outwardly appears as similar to last year’s Galaxy S3, it includes a faster processor, better (and bigger) screen, improved camera, and improvements to Samsung’s TouchWiz Android UI layer.
When the Note II just isn't big enough
Samsung announces new Galaxy Mega line of absurdly sized smartphones
People thought Samsung was absolutely out of its mind when they announced the Galaxy Note line of smartphones a couple of years ago, and then people thought they were legitimately out of their mind when they made the Note II even larger then its predecessor. But then something funny happened – the Note II began selling. In pretty large numbers. Sure, it’s no Galaxy S III, but Samsung has apparently made a modest profit off of these oversized smartphones. Now Samsung is at it again as it has just announced a brand new line of premium and oversized smartphones, the Galaxy Mega.
Coming in two variants, one with a 6.3″ HD display and the other with a 5.8″ QHD, both Galaxy Megas feature fairly fast dual core processors – the 6.3″ clocking in at 1.7 GHz and the 5.8″ clocking in at 1.4 GHz. Both phones come with a full 1.5GB of RAM, and both feature 8GB standard onboard storage with a 16GB option also being available. Both models also feature an 8MP camera and a 1.6MP front facing camera.
Design wise, the Galaxy Mega looks pretty much the same as the just announced Galaxy S4, though obviously on a much larger scale. Both phones will come in the Galaxy S4′s black and white colors, and both phones are launching this May in Europe and Russia, with an international rollout expected not long after that.
Source: TechCrunch
And people thought the iPad mini was expensive
Samsung Galaxy Note 8.0 to go on sale in US on April 11th for $399
It seems like forever ago we last saw Samsung’s oddball Galaxy Note 8.0 tablet – a strange mashup of the larger Galaxy Note 10.0 with the design of a Galaxy Note II, complete with HSPA+ phone capabilities (perhaps officially making it the largest and most ridiculous Android phone on the market). Well, Samsung is finally getting ready to launch this guy in the United States on April 11th, though with a few concessions.
First, unlike the international version of the Galaxy Note 8.0, Samsung must have decided that there just wasn’t enough of a market for an 8″ Android phone – so cellular functionality is officially out. I’m sure that will break the hearts of only a few hardcore Android fanatics, but the next concession is bound to do a little bit more damage: the Galaxy Note 8.0 will premiere for a whopping $399. That’s $70 more than the already rather expensive iPad mini.
The Galaxy Note 8.0 is no slouch, combining a 1.6 GHz quad-core processor with 2GB of RAM, a 5MP camera, “S Pen” functionality, and Android 4.1.2 (still no Android 4.2 in sight). Still, in a world where you can grab an enticing Kindle Fire HD or Nexus 7 Android tablets for under $199, the price is more than a bit disappointing.
Via: TheNextWeb
Source: Samsung
Phone to start at $249
AT&T Samsung Galaxy S4 pre-orders start on April 16th
Have you been scouring the internet for more information on the phone of your dreams, the Galaxy S4, but remained saddened over the fact that there’s still no concrete information regarding when you’ll be able to actually get one? If so, AT&T has a treat for you – the carrier has just announced that pre-orders for the eagerly anticipated phone will begin on April 16th. The phone will be priced at $249, a fairly hefty fee in a world where high end phones usually start at $199. Verizon, Sprint, and T-Mobile have all committed to carrying the device but remain tight lipped as to when they will begin accepting orders.
The Samsung Galaxy S4 is the follow up to the wildly successful Galaxy S III device, and features a one-Note-worthy 5″ display, a 13 megapixel camera, Android 4.2.2, and a 1080p Super AMOLED display. The phone will be launching in two colors, White and Black (yes, Black, not that weird off blue that the Galaxy S III came in). It is expected to compete head to head against Apple’s rumored iPhone 5S when the devices launch later this year.
Source: AT&T
Has a few less than kind words to say
Steve Kondik, founder of CyanogenMod, leaves Samsung
Steve Kondik, the founder of everyone’s favorite fork of Android, CyanogenMod, has officially left his position as a software engineer within Samsung he revealed in a post on his personal Google+ account. In the post, Kondik had a few words to say about the Galaxy S4 and TouchWiz in particular, but made it clear that the overarching reason behind his departure is that he “just decided to do something new.”
Notably, Kondik praised the hardware of the Galaxy S4, claiming that it “crushes” competitors, but had little good to say about its software. Kondik especially criticized TouchWiz, claiming that Samsung’s Android modifications “feel like it has been sent a few years back to its Froyo days.” Froyo was the codename for Android 2.2, an old and often criticized version of Android from the days when Android felt more like a poorly done “me-too” clone of iOS rather than the viable mobile operating system that it is now.
Via: The Verge
Source: Steve Kondik (Google+)
Those are some decent chops
Samsung Galaxy S4 almost twice as fast as Galaxy S III, iPhone 5
Geekbench 2 has long been a valuable tool in the quest to accurately determine the performance of a device, and today Primate Labs has utilized the software to determine the actual performance of the Galaxy S4 and its new Qualcomm Snapdragon 600 SoC. Perhaps predictably, the device easily tops all of the currently released smartphones fairly handily, including HTC’s new HTC One.
Most notably, the Samsung Galaxy S4 is nearly twice as fast as the previous generation Galaxy S III and the nearly year old iPhone 5. Apple is expected to release an updated version of the iPhone 5, expected to be called the iPhone 5S, this summer – history has told us that new Apple devices are usually over twice as fast as the previous generation, meaning the iPhone 5S should hypothetically be competitive with the Galaxy S4 whenever it makes its appearance.
Via: MacRumors
Source: PrimateLabs
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