Showing posts with label Samsung. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Samsung. Show all posts
Saturday, November 10, 2012
Android Overload: Google exec says there should be more carrier UI’s, T-Mobile 2-day sale for select Samsung phones, and more
Samsung Galaxy Beam review: stay for the projector, but nothing more
With a seemingly endless stream of flagship phones hitting the market before the holiday season, it can be easy to forget some of the other devices that play a more niche audience. The Samsung Galaxy Beam definitely belongs in this category, as it includes a built-in Texas Instruments DLP pico projector. All told, the phone faces a lofty challenge: while the projector could be useful for the PowerPoint crowd, the phone itself falls on the lower end of mid-range, and isn't powerful enough to do business users much good otherwise. With a 1GHz dual-core NovaThor CPU, an overly outdated OS, a 2010-era display and a middling 5-megapixel camera, the Beam's target demographic appears to be ridiculously small. Still, might the projector be enough to carry this device to its full potential? Does a niche device like this have a place in such a crowded market? Read on to get in touch with our thoughts, feelings and emotions regarding the Samsung Galaxy Beam.
In many respects, the Galaxy Beam is just a Galaxy S Advance that's been redesigned to fit that projector. While the two look completely different on the outside, the internal specs are nearly identical, with the exception of battery capacity. For instance, both devices have a 1GHz dual-core NovaThor CPU with 768MB RAM, a 4-inch WVGA TFT display and a 5-megapixel rear-facing shooter with 720p video capture. Both have 8GB of internal storage, though the Advance also has a 16GB option. These aren't the only similarities between the two, but you get the idea for now.
In many respects, the Galaxy Beam is just a Galaxy S Advance that's been redesigned to fit that projector.
The outside is a different story. The Galaxy Beam has a rugged, sporty look, with a black textured battery cover on the back and a large yellow stripe ringing the outside of the device. (Note: a white-and-grey option is also available in certain markets.) While we doubt it's actually as rough as your standard MIL-spec device, it's at least trying to give off the impression that it's not built with run-of-the-mill cheapo plastic. To its credit, it certainly has a solid feel, and its 124 x 64.2 x 12.5 mm (4.88 x 2.53 x 0.49 in) frame is small enough to ensure that the jaws of life wouldn't be able to relax your grip on the thing. At 5.11 ounces (145g), the phone isn't terribly heavy, but the projector still makes it weigh a bit more than your average 4-inch device.
The star of the show is perched on the top edge of the phone, and its heft creates a bulge that pokes out the top of the battery cover. Let's give the designers some credit here: we figure it can't be easy to design a phone around a projector (or vice versa), and the team did a good job of somehow incorporating it into the chassis without turning it into an awkward mess. Yes, the phone is much thicker than what we're accustomed to, but it's still comfortable to grip. In fact, this may be a reason the company chose to stick with a 4-inch display -- we could definitely see the thickness becoming an issue on devices with larger screens.
Since the top of the Beam seems to be the normal locale for the 3.5mm headphone jack, this particular feature migrated to the phone's left side to make room for the projector. That isn't a good place to stick it -- most smartphone users who listen to music on a regular basis find this setup quite frustrating when they need to stick the device in their pockets. Ultimately, in this case, the best place for the jack would've been on the bottom.
Accompanying the headphone port on the left side are the volume rocker and full-sized SIM slot. This is cause for another frustration, as most smartphones released in the second half of this year take advantage of micro-SIMs. If you sport a smaller SIM, you'll need to either swap it out for the super-size option or quickly find a $1 adapter. Be careful though: the SIM port's ejection mechanism can be a bit fickle (the cards go in just fine, but getting them out takes a little more effort), so avoid cheap plastic adapters that snap like twigs.
The right side of the phone houses the projector on / off switch, the standard power button and microSD slot. The latter port can support cards up to 32GB, which is important to point out since you only get 8GB internal storage (which ultimately leads to less than 6GB that you can actually play with when all is said and done). A micro-USB charging port sits on the bottom of the phone.
As we briefly mentioned earlier, the Beam's display is a 4-inch WVGA (800 x 480) TFT panel. This is the sort of resolution you'll mainly find on budget phones nowadays. Frankly, we would've preferred to see a qHD screen here, especially since the going price is around £270 ($430). For what it's worth, Samsung's decision to use TFT over the PenTile Super AMOLED was a wise one, as we didn't find ourselves getting too distracted by pixelation or jagged edges. While it isn't as sharp a panel as we like to see on today's fancier phones, we still found watching movies to be pleasant. Additionally, the screen is bright enough that we were able to pull off some daylight reading, and the viewing angles are also better than we originally expected.
The back cover features a soft rubbery finish with a fine texture to offer some extra grip and keep fingerprints away. You'll also see the 5-megapixel camera and LED flash front and center, with the Samsung logo sitting directly underneath. The only other feature on the back is the speaker grille, which is slightly raised to keep the external speaker from being muffled. The back cover and accompanying 2,000mAh battery beneath are both removable.
Undoubtedly, the highlight of the Galaxy Beam -- and frankly its sole reason for even existing -- is the 15-lumen DLP nHD (640x360) pico projector built directly into the upper half of the device. Unconventional as it may seem to some, this isn't Samsung's first (or even second) time at the projector-phone rodeo; we've seen the manufacturer attempt this form factor with the AnyCall W7900 (aka the Haptic Beam), the AMOLED Beam W9600 and the original Galaxy Beam I8520. Of course, this is the best of the bunch, and the competitive landscape is virtually non-existent at the moment; most manufacturers haven't even bothered with this particular niche. (Warning: it likely goes without saying, but don't look directly into the projector when it's turned on.)
This isn't Samsung's first time at the projector-phone rodeo, but it's the best effort we've seen so far.
The idea is that you can project movies and images up to 50 inches in size, and maintain its clarity for up to six feet away from the wall or ceiling you're projecting it onto. We were quite pleased with its overall performance: it maintained solid video quality and synced audio smoothly, so that everyone's voice came out at the exact time it was supposed to. The projector itself has adjustable brightness levels, although even at its brightest setting the projection was a little darker than what we saw on the screen. But that's to be expected -- the Galaxy Beam won't be replacing anybody's TV, but it still works well in a dark room (results are mixed in daylight). Also -- and this shouldn't come as a surprise -- but it's worth noting that the projector gets quite hot after extended use.
If you're considering using the Beam as a TV substitute, we have some good news: we had no problem watching movies via third-party apps like Netflix, which means you can stream video with ease. There are also a few extra settings that Samsung has thrown into the dedicated projector app, such as a flashlight mode, a "quick pad" mode that lets you take screenshots of your screen and draw on it (ideal for presentations) and an ambience mode that lets you watch slideshows with music playing in the background. There's also a "visual presenter" that uses your phone's camera to act as an overhead projector.
At first, we couldn't think of many uses for the Beam's projector, outside of a businessperson using it for presentations, but it actually came in handier than we expected. This editor watched movies on the wall (and ceiling) in his bedroom before falling asleep -- a convenient option, since the projection was larger than the TV he had laying around. What's more, restless children can watch a movie (or use the quick pad to draw) in almost every possible situation. And think about the amazing impromptu vacation slideshows you can show off to your friends. Is that enough justification for most people to buy this phone? Not really, but we're happy the option is available for anyone who feels the need.
Think the hardware is a tough sell? The firmware isn't going to help convince you to purchase a Galaxy Beam either, since it's running Android 2.3 Gingerbread. As a quick reminder, this build of Google's mobile OS is about to celebrate its two-year anniversary. There's simply no excuse for a modern smartphone to be running an antiquated OS, even if it is an entry-level device. To be fair, Samsung's confirmed that Jelly Bean will come eventually, but the company hasn't given at ETA. It's quite possible we won't see an update until sometime next year.
There is no logical reason this phone should be running Gingerbread.
What you get on the Beam is the same standard-grade TouchWiz 4.0 UI that first shipped on the Galaxy S II. And since it's not tied to any specific carrier, you won't have to worry about any frustrating bloatware -- good thing, too, since it's not so easy to get rid of unwanted apps on Gingerbread. Worst-case scenario, this particular version of TouchWiz allows you to add folders into the standard app menu, so it's much easier to just tuck annoying apps out of the way so you don't have to see them.
Looking at the Beam's spec sheet, we're not surprised to see a 5-megapixel shooter and VGA front-facing camera. These are Samsung's go-to modules for lower-end smartphones, and we didn't really expect to see many breathtaking images come out of this phone as a result. Sure enough, our sample shots were okay, but if imaging is your thing you'll want to look to the manufacturer's higher-end options.
In terms of features and settings, you actually have quite a few ways to tweak your shots -- Samsung has always been very generous in that regard. You can customize the settings sidebar with the features you use the most. Tap the viewfinder to lock focus but not exposure; if you want to do both, just hold down the shutter button until you're ready to fire away. You can also take panoramic shots and use the usual smattering of scene modes (low-light will be particularly valuable), exposure adjustments, macro focus mode, three filters, white balance and ISO. HDR isn't an option here, unfortunately, but chances are you won't miss it too much on a lower-end camera.
Spec-wise, the camera has a focal length of 3.54mm and an f/2.6 aperture. In daylight, lighter colors were typically washed out, while the white balance appeared to favor a shift toward yellow. Detail wasn't much of a concern here, and we didn't notice any compression in our photos. Low-light images actually turned out well, so long as we used the dedicated low-light scene mode (standard and backlight shots won't do any good). Additionally, the LED flash enabled the camera to capture more color than we anticipated.
With a lower-res camera often comes lower-res video capture, with 1,280 x 720 being the best you can get here. All movies are recorded in MPEG-4 format at 30 fps (on average) and use a bit rate of 12.3 Mbps. The mic picks up voices well, but the resulting footage is slightly choppy and lacks a lot of detail and sharpness. It doesn't meet our expectations, but it's adequate for the occasional home video.
If you've chanced a gander at the silicon inside, you'll know that the Beam isn't meant to please the high-end power user. It packs a 1GHz dual-core NovaThor U8500 (a 45nm 32-bit Cortex-A9 processor) with 768MB of RAM and a Mali-400 GPU. Samsung's processor selection is a little curious here, as ST-Ericsson's NovaThor brand isn't exactly known for high performance. The Sony Xperia U and Xperia P both share the same chipset but again, we don't think top-notch performance was a priority for the company with this device. Anyone resigned to getting a budget phone will be happy with its speed and responsiveness, but power users will crave something more robust. Also, we'd advise you not to use this device if you're planning to play a lot of graphics-intensive games, though the phone does work fine for casual gaming. Here's how the benchmarks pan out:
Samsung Galaxy BeamSony Xperia PSony Xperia UGLBenchmark 2.5 1080p Egypt Offscreen (fps)SunSpider: lower scores are better. Xperias were tested on GLBench 2.1 and Vellamo 1.0, which are now obsolete.The Beam has a 2,000mAh removable battery that performs respectably. Our standard rundown test, which involves looping a video with the screen at 50 percent brightness, yielded nine and a half hours of life before it dwindled down to 10 percent capacity (the video refused to play after that). As for real-world usage, we got a day and a half with moderate use. But how does the phone hold up when you're using the projector? As you might expect, battery life takes a huge hit, but the phone managed to last four hours with the projector running. As an aside, we ran our test as it circulated through the same slideshow over and over, so the battery will likely drain even faster if you're using the projector to stream Netflix or perform similarly graphics-intensive tasks.
The Beam offers good battery life, but its performance will be off-putting to anyone not looking for a budget smartphone.
You'll find above-average audio quality on the Beam when listening to music or watching movies. Before the review, one of our biggest worries was how loud the sound would be when viewing multimedia via the projector (not everyone will be gathered around the phone, after all), but we can confidently say that there's no reason to be concerned unless you're in a crowded room; the external speaker exceeded our expectations, though the audio wasn't all that wonderful when we had our Klipsch Image S4A headphones plugged in. You're not going to get quite the dynamic audio range or fullness of sound that you'll hear on a flagship handset like the Galaxy Note II -- the bass that comes through sounded muddy, and voices were slightly distant.
While the Beam's HSPA+ radio is only capable of hitting a theoretical limit of 14.4 Mbps, it actually performs admirably given its constraints. Our unit, which offers quad-band 3G (850/900/1900/2100) and quad-band GSM / EDGE (850/900/1800/1900), was consistently able to reach average download speeds between 6 Mbps and 7 Mbps. It won't access 3G on any AWS networks, unfortunately. Calls came through loud and clear, and we didn't have any struggles hanging onto a conversation since the Beam's reception was quite reliable throughout our tests.
How much of a premium should be placed on a phone that comes with a projector, especially when the rest of the device merits a resounding meh? The Beam's price varies by market, but in the UK, at least, it's available for £270 ($430), while the Galaxy S Advance goes for £250 ($400). It's also available in France, Singapore, India and Brazil. Interested US customers can import an unlocked model with AT&T-compatible 3G. Samsung's still courting other markets as well, so there's a good chance we'll continue to see the Beam become more widely available.
There's definitely some excitement to be had when reviewing a device so out of the ordinary, but we found it a little difficult to make a final judgment call. The Galaxy Beam does well at what it claims to be good at (projecting media), but it's otherwise mediocre at best. That's not to say it's a horrible phone, but the low-to-mid-range feature set makes it a tough sell at $430, especially when you can pay the same price for much nicer devices these days. In this situation, it means that you either have to love the projector enough to justify the higher price, or the feature is so important to your business that you're willing to sacrifice a lot of modern functionality to get it.
The Beam is interesting as a proof of concept, but we don't see it blossoming into anything more than that at the present time. That's not to say this über-specific category doesn't have a future, but something as unique as a projector would likely find more success in a more premium phone: it needs to be incorporated into higher-end devices without making compromises in components, firmware or size. Only then can it be viable as a mainstream device. Until then, it's a fun gadget to show off to friends, but that's the extent of its strengths.
Richard Lai contributed to this review.
Samsung, Philips, LG and others reportedly set to face EU regulatory fines for CRT price fixing
By Mark Hearn 
posted Nov 9th 2012 2:58PM 
posted Nov 9th 2012 2:58PM Samsung SDI, Philips, LG, Technicolor, Panasonic and Toshiba are said to be facing heavy fines from the European Commission due to alleged involvement in a TV cathode-ray tube price fixing ring. According to Reuters, the fines will be announced on November 28th and can reach up to ten percent of the turnover during the period which the cartel was said to have ran. Based on 2011 revenues, LG could be fined up to $5 billion, while Dutch-based Philips would top out at around $2.9 billion. While the fines aren't expected to reach such heights, it will definitely take more than a few Black Friday blowout sales to recover this type of coin.
Friday, November 9, 2012
Samsung Galaxy Note 2 and Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 now available from AT&T
Two new Samsung devices are now available from AT&T. The Samsung Galaxy Note 2 and Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 are now on sale, giving fans of large displays plenty of options when it comes to satisfying their need for more pixels. The Note 2 is available for $299.99 on a new contract, while the Tab 2 10.1 can be had for $399.99.
The Galaxy Note 2 features a 5.5-inch display, quad-core processor, and Android 4.1. The Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 features a 10.1-inch display, dual-core CPU, and Android 4.0. Go for both and you will have a device for any situation, though the Note 2 makes a great compromise for someone seeking both a smartphone and a tablet.
Planning on picking either up today (or awaiting the arrival of a pre-order)? Head on over to Android Forums and join the discussion at our Galaxy Note 2 and Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 forums.
Thursday, November 8, 2012
Samsung Galaxy S III dethrones iPhone 4S as smartphone sales champ for Q3 2012
Samsung Galaxy S3 Overtakes Apple iPhone 4S to Become World's Best-Selling Smartphone Model in Q3 2012
November 8, 2012 09:22
According to new research from our Country Share Tracker (CST) service, Samsung's Galaxy S3 overtook Apple's iPhone 4S to become the world's best-selling smartphone model for the first time ever in the third quarter of 2012. A large touchscreen, extensive distribution and generous operator subsidies have propelled the Galaxy S3 to the top spot.
Samsung's Galaxy S3 smartphone model shipped 18.0 million units worldwide during the third quarter of 2012. The Galaxy S3 captured an impressive 11 percent share of all smartphones shipped globally and it has become the world's best-selling smartphone model for the first time ever. A large touchscreen design, extensive distribution across dozens of countries, and generous operator subsidies have been among the main causes of the Galaxy S3's success.
Apple shipped an estimated 16.2 million iPhone 4S units worldwide for second place, as consumers temporarily held off purchases in anticipation of a widely expected iPhone 5 upgrade at the end of the quarter.
Samsung's Galaxy S3 has proven wildly popular with consumers and operators across North America, Europe and Asia. However, the Galaxy S3's position as the world's best-selling smartphone model is likely to be short-lived. The Apple iPhone 5 has gotten off to a solid start already with an estimated 6.0 million units shipped globally during Q3 2012. We expect the new iPhone 5 to out-ship Samsung's Galaxy S3 in the coming fourth quarter of 2012 and Apple should soon reclaim the title of the world's most popular smartphone model.
Sprint updates Samsung Galaxy Note II with Multi-Window feature
Reception and call quality 8.9 Display 9.6 Battery life 9.3 Camera 8.9 Ease of use 8.4 Design and form factor 9.1 Portability (size / weight) 7.6 Media support 9.5 Durability 8.2 Ecosystem (apps, accessories, etc.) 9.1
Get better reviews from people who actually have this product!
write a reviewsee all reviews ?Install CWM Recovery for AT&T Samsung Galaxy Note 2
Users that don’t want to use the TWRP touch-based Recovery mode can install the ClockworkMod Recovery variant. Use the info listed in this guide and you’ll manage to flash all files in no time.
CWM Recovery mode helps users install new custom ROM, create and restore ROM backups, wipe data and factory reset phones etc. Installing this on your AT&T Galaxy Note 2 is easy and you can complete the installation successfully without too much trouble. If you want to flash the files without hitting any roadblocks, please read the pre-requisites guide below:
This is a tutorial that only works with the AT&T version of Samsung Galaxy Note 2. Do not attempt to flash the files you find here on any other smartphones, as that will result in a failed attempt and you might end up bricking those other devices.The phone should be rooted as otherwise you cannot flash any of the files listed in this post.The computer you’re using to install CWM Recovery should have the Note 2 drivers installed on it. If yours doesn’t then you should the following links and install them: Windows 32bit X86 USB drivers for Note 2 | Windows 64bit X64 for Note 2. You can use Samsung KIES to install such driver but, note that KIES shouldn’t be running when you’re flashing the custom recovery file.Make sure that your PC doesn’t run any antivirus or security software. Those programs might try to block the install of the custom recovery image files.Enable the USB Debugging option from your phone’s development settings menu.Remember to charge its battery so that the device doesn’t power off during the installation process.Note that we cannot be held responsible in case your phone is bricked after installing CWM recovery or in any other case that makes your phone unusable. Also, we cannot be blamed if you lose any data files.Install the ClockworkMod Recovery image only if you’re an advanced Android user. Note that in case you cannot complete the update, then you should ask for more help in our comments field.These were all the preparation steps you had to take and now you can get to the ‘how-to’ guide.
Download the ClockworkMod Recovery image file from HERE. Place it on your desktop screen.Get the ODIN 3 3.04 zip from HERE. ODIN is the application you’ll use in order to flash the custom Recovery file. Unzip the ODIN contents into a single folder on your desktop, there should 4 extracted files.Power off your smartphone and then you need to boot it into Download Mode. Do it by pressing simultaneously ‘volume down’ + ‘home’ + ‘power’ buttons. Release the buttons when you’re asked to press Volume Up. Do it, and then Download Mode will load.Go to ODIN folder on your PC and run the ODIN executable file.Now you can connect your smartphone to your PC. ODIN will say ‘ADDED!!’ and then you can get to the next step. Note that in case ODIN doesn’t display the ‘added’ text, then you will have to re-install the USB drivers for your smartphone.Go to ODIN program window and click on ‘PDA’. Find the ‘CWM recovery img.tar’ file and load it into ODIN exe. Now you should make sure that you don’t change any ODIN default options. However, note that the ‘Re-partition’ box shouldn’t be checked.Press the ‘START’ button and ODIN will begin to install ClockworkMod Recovery image on your AT&T Galaxy Note 2 device.After the install process is complete, the device will restart and ODIN should say ‘PASS’. This means that the process was successful.Your AT&T Note 2 device will now load into normal mode and that should be all.Test CWM Recovery to see if it works by powering off the device. Press ‘volume up’ + ‘home’ + ‘power’ buttons at the same time and release then when the screen flashes.Use the volume buttons to navigate through options and the ‘power’ button to select them. Reboot the device when you’re done and then the phone will load into normal mode. Now you can use ClockworkMod Recovery to install custom ROMs and other files that will enhance the Android experience for your device.
NOTE: If ODIN doesn’t complete the installation and it freezes or in case it says ‘FAIL’ instead of ‘PASS’, then you should disconnect the phone from PC. Close ODIN, remove the phone’s battery and after that re-insert it after 5 seconds. Now repeat the entire tutorial starting with steep 3.
If you have any extra concerns or questions, then tell us in comments and we will get back to you.
Have a question or issue ? Ask it here !Install TWRP Recovery for AT&T Samsung Galaxy Note 2
TWRP Recovery is the custom recovery image created by the Team Win Recovery Project, and you can use this tutorial to learn how to successfully install it on your AT&T Galaxy Note 2.
The TWRP Recovery image comes with a more user-friendly interface which is easier to use on touchscreen devices. Other features included within are the file manager, a faster method to backup and restore ROMs, support for themes and several other small functions and features. This is a different recovery image than ClockworkMod and it seems like a great alternative for you to use on your Note 2 AT&T smartphone.
In order to make sure you correctly flash the files, you should first read the preparation guide below. Here’s what you need to take into consideration before installing TWRP Recovery on your smartphone:
note that this guide will work only with the AT&T variant of Samsung Galaxy Note 2. Do not attempt to flash these files on any other Android devices, as that will brick their firmware.Your computer should have the USB drivers for your smartphone installed. If yours doesn’t then you should get them from these links here: Windows 32bit X86 USB drivers | Windows 64bit X64 USB Drivers. Alternatively, you can use Samsung KIES to install these drivers. Make sure that KIES isn’t running when you’re moving to the tutorial.Your device should be rooted.Disable all the security and antivirus applications that are currently running on your computer. This will prevent them from blocking the install of TWRP Recovery files.Enable USB Debugging option from the Android Development menu.Charge the phone’s battery until it goes over 50%.Note that we cannot be blamed in case something goes wrong during the installation of this new custom Recovery image.Apply all the instructions listed in this post. Use the comments section if you’re having problems with the installation of TWRP Recovery.Don’t use this guide if you’re a novice. I think that this is all the extra info you had to read before moving to the next part of this post.
Download the TWRP Recovery image file from HERE. Save it on your computer.Download the ODIN zip file from HERE. This is the tool that you’re gonna use and install the custom recovery file. Extract the files in the ODIN zip and save them on your PC desktop screen. You should now have 4 files in the ODIN folder.Power off the smartphone.Boot it into Android Download Mode. It can be done if you press at the same time ‘volume down’, ‘home’ and ‘power’ buttons. Keep the buttons pressed until the screen powers on and then you should press ‘volume up’ to load Downloade mode.Next, launch ODIN exe on your computer.Connect your AT&T Galaxy Note 2 to your PC using the USB cable. ODIN will display an alert that says ‘added!!’. Change the USB port in case you don’t see that message, or you can try to reinstall the USB drivers for your phone.In Odin, select the ‘PDA’ button and then browse your PC for teh ‘twrp recovery img.tar’ file. It should be the file you downloaded at step 1. Load it into ODIN. Don’t change any default ODIN settings and make sure that the option named ‘re-partition’ is not checked.Press START to begin the installation of TWRP Recovery on your phone. Wait until the phone restarts and after that you will see its Samsung boot logo and you can disconnect it from computer. ODIN will say ‘Pass’ and that means that the install process has been completed. Your AT&T Note 2 will restart and load into normal mode. That is it, you’re done with the installation.Test to see if the TWRP Recovery is installed by powering off the smartphone. Then press the following buttons at the same time: volume up, home and power. When the screen flashes you can release the buttons and the device will continue loading the custom recovery mode.
NOTE: In case ODIN gets stuck or you see the ‘FAIL’ message instead of ‘PASS’, then the install was not successful and you should unplug the Note 2 from PC and after that close ODIN. Remove the smartphone battery and re-insert it back after 5 seconds. Now repeat the entire tutorial starting with step 4 and you you should manage to flash the files at your second attempt.
If you’re having any extra problems with the installation, then you should ask for more help in our comments field. We will try to offer you a solution to your problems and complete the flash process of TWRP Recovery for AT&T Samsung Galaxy Note 2.
Have a question or issue ? Ask it here !Samsung Chromebook review (2012)
Whenever we review Chromebooks, we always come to more or less the same conclusion: it's a neat idea, a computer where everything is done online, but it's not worth the money. That was back when Chrome OS devices were priced at $500, competing with netbooks that could run not just the Chrome browser, but all manner of Windows apps. Ditto for tablets, which can be tricked out with many thousands of apps on both iOS and Android.
But what if we told you the price had been slashed to $249? Then could you see yourself pulling the trigger? That's the gamble Google and Samsung are taking with the new Chromebook, which retails for $249 with an 11.6-inch display, 6.5-hour battery and a more compact design. All told, it's as good a piece of hardware as any netbook you'll find, only cheaper. And good luck finding a tablet-and-keyboard combo for less than $250.
There is one major change this time around, though, and that's the Chromebook's dual-core ARM processor, instead of something from Intel's Celeron family. The performance isn't likely to be as good, but will that matter if all you're running is the Chrome browser? Will the lowered price be enough to lure in parents, travelers and other folks looking for a cheap second laptop? Let's see.
You simply won't find a netbook this nice for that little money.
Until now, Samsung's Chromebooks have been priced in the $500 range with a build quality a step above what most netbooks have to offer. As you might expect, now that the price has been slashed to $249, it feels slightly cheaper than the last-generation Series 5 550 -- but only slightly. With the exception of the palm rest, which used to be made of inlaid metal, this has the same look and feel as the Chromebook we reviewed earlier this year.
Once again, you're looking at a lightweight machine built from matte gray plastic. The whole thing feels compact, at 2.5 pounds, and because it has a smaller display (11.6 inches versus 12.1) it's significantly lighter than the last Chromebook, which weighed 3.3 pounds. The island-style keyboard is just as comfortable, and the trackpad is similarly large. It was a nice package when it cost $500, but it's really nice now that the MSRP has been lowered to $249. You simply won't find a netbook this nice for that little money.
The new Chromebook is thinner, too, at 0.8 inch thick, but that thinness means Samsung's Chromebook has gone back to not having an Ethernet port. (It was missing from the OG model, but was added in the one that went on sale earlier this year.) The inability to use a wired internet connection could be a problem in computer labs, where Chrome OS devices have proven popular, though we suspect mainstream consumers won't care. Look closely at the edges and you'll also find an SD card reader, 3.5mm headphone jack, USB 3.0 and 2.0 ports, HDMI output and a 3G SIM slot. As ever, the bottom of the device is sealed, so that you can't easily mess with the battery, storage or RAM.
Given what the Chromebook is -- an inexpensive, ultra-mobile device for people who prefer physical keyboards -- Samsung really can't get away with offering a shoddy typing experience. After all, back when Chromebooks cost $500, they were priced in line with both netbooks and tablets. If the keyboard were uncomfortable, there'd be little reason not to get a cheap PC instead, or use a tablet with either a touchscreen or keyboard case. The typing experience mattered then, and it matters today, even now that the Chromebook is priced less than most netbooks and tablets.
Fortunately, the keyboard is as good here as it ever was, despite the fact that this smaller model has a little less room to fit all those buttons. The individual keys have a pleasantly soft finish, and all of the major buttons (Enter, Backspace, et cetera) are amply sized. As on other Samsung PCs, the keyboard is a bit shallow, but the learning curve shouldn't be too steep: we were typing at a brisk clip minutes after setting it up. Additionally, we appreciate the shortcut keys in the top row, which allow you to refresh pages, switch tabs and page forward or backward with the press of a button.
As we said, the trackpad is nice and spacious, which makes it easy to pull off two-finger scrolling. Single-finger navigation is also reliable, but with tap-to-clicking, we sometimes had to apply a little extra pressure to make those taps register. Overall, though, it's easy to use. Unfortunately, it doesn't support pinch-to-zoom, which would have been nice for magnifying websites with fine print and sprawling maps.
The best thing about the Chromebook's 11.6-inch, 1,366 x 768 display is the matte finish, which means screen glare won't get in your way the next time you're watching a "Modern Family" marathon on Hulu. Still, a matte finish doesn't necessarily equate to wide viewing angles. Push the display forward and the screen will wash out, making it very difficult to read text or follow along with a movie. The brightness is also lower than it was on earlier Chromebooks: 200 nits compared with 300. Neither of these things should be deal-breakers; you'll just want to futz with the angle before settling in to work with the Chromebook on your lap.
The Chromebook's dual 1.5-watt speakers are located on the bottom side of the machine, very close to the front edge. As you might imagine, the sound doesn't get very loud, but you still might want to avoid cranking it up unless you really can't hear: even movie dialog sounds a bit distorted at top volume. As we've often found with tinny speakers, instruments like electric guitar sound especially grating, but you could get away with listening to softer, more acoustic music -- especially if you keep the volume at a more moderate level.
If you're a Chromebook user, you sacrifice very little by buying this for $249 over the other model for $450.
With steep price cuts come trade-offs, and we're not just talking about the build materials. Whereas Samsung's first two Chromebooks ran dual-core Atom and Celeron processors, respectively, this third-gen model moves to a fanless design with an ARM chip -- specifically, a dual-core A15-based Samsung Exynos 5 Dual (5250) SoC. Paired with it are 2GB of RAM, 16GB of built-in flash storage, 802.11a/b/g/n and Bluetooth. In the absence of any quantitative benchmark scores, this is the best way we can describe the performance: it falls somewhere between the original Atom-based Chromebooks and the current Celeron-equipped Series 5 model.
The system didn't have any issues playing back 1080p content in YouTube and Hulu. Still, use it long enough and you'll notice some slight delays in response time, even when you're doing things like opening new tabs. Another problem: Netflix streaming isn't yet supported for this device. A Google spokesperson issued the following statement: "We're working closely with Netflix and support will be coming soon. Once ready, your new Chromebook will be auto-updated with Netflix support." While we don't have any reason to doubt Google is working on it, this will nevertheless be a disappointment to many folks unboxing an early unit.
All told, if you're a Chromebook user, you sacrifice very little by buying this for $249 over the other model for $450 -- in fact, you gain in terms of less weight, thinness and improved portability. You lose the Ethernet and the 3G radio (it's optional now) but you do get built-in Bluetooth. But what if you're not already a Chromebook user? Should you get this or a tablet (or even a netbook)? It depends how much you live in the cloud. When it comes to text input, the Chromebook is superior to any tablet (even the Transformers) because of its great keyboard and because it's more practical than carrying around a separate keyboard / dock. The browsing experience and performance also beats any tablet -- it steamrolls them with a score of 677.3ms in the web browser benchmark SunSpider, for instance. Then again, of course, there are no native apps.
Netbooks, meanwhile, have come a long way in terms of keyboard comfort and overall performance, but you won't find anything of this quality for $249. Additionally, of course, they have the advantage of being able to run lots of legacy Windows apps. If you think you need desktop programs, though, you shouldn't even be considering a Chromebook. Ditto if you need more local storage beyond what your SD card is capable of. And that's always been the argument for netbooks over Chromebooks, frankly, except now Samsung's Chromebook is half the price. Given that there aren't any similarly nice netbooks in this price range, it's easier to forgive the Chromebook's shortcomings and recommend it as a cheap, secondary computer.
As for battery life, it's rated for six and a half hours of runtime. Indeed we logged six hours and 33 minutes in our usual rundown test, which involves looping a video off local storage with WiFi on. That's better than most Ultrabooks we've tested recently, though that isn't saying much. For years now, Atom-powered netbooks have been capable of 10-hour battery life. The latest crop of Atom-powered Windows 8 tablets also claim about 10 hours of juice. Not to mention, many ARM-powered tablets last nine or 10 hours -- we're talking products like the latest iPad, the ASUS Transformer Pad TF700 and the Surface for Windows RT. So, while six and a half hours is nice, it doesn't compare that well to what you'll get from other low-cost mobile devices.
$249 seems like an appropriate price for this sort of device.
The layman's explanation for Chrome OS: it's the Chrome browser you're used to using, except that's all you see when you boot up the computer. That's the caveat we'd make to our low-tech friends who noticed Best Buy is selling a Samsung laptop for $249, and are wondering if it's a good deal. For the rest of you, we'd say this: Chrome OS has evolved quite a bit over the last year and a half, and looks more like a traditional OS than it did when we reviewed the first Chromebook. If you read our review of version 19 from a few months back, you should be up to speed. As we described then, Chrome OS now has a "desktop," of sorts. We use quotes because the desktop isn't a space where you can pin shortcuts to websites or documents you might be working on. You can, however, change the wallpaper and pin favorite apps to the bottom of the screen. Ultimately, though, it's not a desktop in the conventional sense of the word; it's more of a visual flourish that should help newcomers feel more at home with their Chromebooks.
Speaking of the sort, the first time you sign on you'll see a welcome box containing the following: a primer on apps, the touchpad, saving / accessing files, working offline, documents and working with photos. Everything happens in the browser, if that wasn't already clear. And while there haven't been any major UI changes, Google has, at least, added more functionality to its web apps. With build 19, for instance, Chrome OS got a photo editor with light editing tools. The media player supports more formats than it used to. Google+ is now integrated, Hangouts included. You can do more and more offline in the event you lose your internet connection -- this includes working on documents and, as of build 19, reading Google Books. Chrome Remote desktop lets you access other devices, and also share your screen with others. What's more, Chrome OS syncs open tabs from your mobile devices, as well as any PCs you use that are running Chrome.
There are some new features in build 23, however. With this version, the OS gets a new log-in screen; more wallpapers; a new apps list; a mosaic photo filter; and deeper integration with Google's cloud storage service, Google Drive -- including 100GB of free storage for two years. The list of native apps has also expanded to include Calculator, Camera, Docs, Sheets, Slides and Google Play Movies.
No matter how cheap Chromebooks get, they will always be a polarizing class of product: there are some people who couldn't be paid to use a laptop where everything is done in the browser. That said, $249 seems like an appropriate price for this sort of device -- more so than $450, certainly, which is what the last-gen model sold for. At $249, this device's faults (a dimmer display, less processing power) are the sorts of shortcomings you can easily deal with. Our biggest complaint is that it doesn't currently support Netflix streaming, but we believe Google when it says it's working on a fix. After all, it's already brought streaming to other Chromebooks, so we have no reason to believe this model will get left out in the cold. Again, we might mind these things more if the device cost twice as much, but as is, it's priced in impulse buy territory.
So who's this for? For starters, we've always felt that Chromebooks could be useful in computer labs and one-to-one laptop programs in schools, but now they're priced aggressively enough that mainstream consumers might want them, too. We're thinking travelers who need a lightweight machine for the road, or parents who cringe at the idea of spending $600 on a laptop for their kids. And these were always the target customers, really, except now they're unlikely to find a tablet or equally nice netbook for the same amount of money. In that regard, a price cut goes a long way.
Myriam Joire contributed to this review.
Tuesday, November 6, 2012
Samsung infringed four Apple patents, ITC rules
The International Trade Commission has ruled that Samsung has infringed on four Apple patents dealing with multitouch, audio and display technologies.
If administrative law judge Thomas Pender’s Wednesday ruling is upheld, the U.S. may ban those products from import. The judge’s decision is subject to review by the full ITC commission.
Read full article >>
Monday, November 5, 2012
Apple posts revised 'Samsung did not copy' statement, acknowledges first version was inaccurate
By James Trew posted Nov 3rd 2012 5:17AM 
posted Nov 3rd 2012 5:17AM Apple has just reposted its statement acknowledging that Samsung did not copy its tablet design, after the initial wording was deemed unacceptable by the UK courts. The new version is a lot shorter, and simply repeats what it published in national newspapers this week, stating that the court did not find Samsung to be in breach of Apple's registered design No. 0000181607-0001, reminding us that it was also upheld by the Court of Appeal, providing links to the appropriate patent and judgement documents online. The mention of the same case going in Apple's favor in Germany has been removed completely. When first published, Apple included a short link at the bottom of its homepage. Now, to completely comply with the court's bidding, there is a short statement accompanying the link, confirming that its initial acknowledgement was inaccurate. The court also told Apple that it must keep the admission online until at least December 14th. Will this be enough to appease the UK courts? We'll just have to wait and see.
Samsung Galaxy Camera arrives in the UK on November 8th for £399
UK AVAILABILITY OF SAMSUNG GALAXY CAMERA ANNOUNCED FOR 8th NOVEMBER
Samsung brand store customers to get new connected camera from 5pm on November 7th
5th November 2012, London, UK – Samsung Electronics has today announced the Galaxy Camera will be available across the UK from November 8th. Samsung brand store customers will get the opportunity to buy it earlier, from 5pm on November 7th. First seen in Berlin at IFA 2012 in August, the new connected camera combines high performance photography with the cutting-edge design of Samsung's Galaxy smartphone range.
Simon Stanford, Vice President, Telecommunications & Networks Division, Samsung UK and Ireland said: "The initial response to the Galaxy Camera has been amazing and we are really looking forward to offering our customers a completely new type of digital photography device. The Galaxy Camera is a fantastic example of our continued passion for innovation and we are excited to be evolving our Galaxy range even further."
The Samsung Galaxy Camera features a 21x optical zoom lens, the latest Android OS (4.1 Jelly Bean) and 3G connectivity so it's possible to go online and share photos with friends and family anytime anywhere. Plus photographs and videos can be edited and shared easily and spontaneously wherever you are.
A 21x optical touch zoom lens and super-bright 16M BSI CMOS sensor means it's possible to take high quality pictures with the Galaxy Camera and its 'Smart Pro' technology guarantees the end result is a professional-looking, stunning shot every time. The Galaxy Camera's 16-Megapixel 1/2.3" BSI CMOS sensor makes sure that every image is captured in brilliant colour and resolution, and even wide-angle shots are possible thanks to the 23mm aperture lens. With the world's largest and most vivid camera display – a 121.2mm HD Super Clear Touch Display - photographs are always crystal clear.
The Galaxy Camera will be available exclusively at the Samsung Brand Store with champagne and canapés on offer from 5pm on November 7th and it will then hit a range of high street stores and online retailers including Carphone Warehouse, Phones 4u and Jessops on November 8th.
Mophie’s first non-iOS smartphone case is available for the Samsung Galaxy S3
I’m sure many of you folks have heard of Mophie. The company creates mobile battery-charging units, and it got its claim to fame by making “juice pack” cases for iOS devices. These cases provide protection and extra battery life at the same time, so it’s like having an extended battery or swapping out a spare. While this problem was obviously more geared toward the non-user-replaceable Apple devices, many people wanted these cases for other phones.
Well, Mophie has finally extended its collection to include the first Mophie juice pack case that isn’t an iOS device. As you might have guessed (that’s if you didn’t read the title first) it’s for the Samsung Galaxy S3, and this makes total sense for the company. For starters, the Samsung Galaxy S3 is pretty much identical on all carriers in all regions. Some units might be just a tad thicker, but the difference is so marginal that it doesn’t matter.
This gives Mophie just one form factor to target, and since the Samsung Galaxy S3 is a wildly popular phone it’s the perfect device to break out of the iOS wheel they’ve been stuck with. The Galaxy S3?s Mophie juice pack delivers an extra 2,300 mAh of juice, which is actually 200 mAh more than the capacity of the battery the Galaxy S3 ships with. This effectively gives you double the battery life, and while your phone will get a tad bigger you’ll no doubt appreciate what it adds.
Of course, there are a couple of different ways to use this case. Some people keep their devices inside the pack all day, even if they start the day at 100%. Others will only attach the pack when their devices are about to die, and this is probably the most practical way to use it.
But no matter how you prefer to go about your business the commonality of it is that you’re getting a great mobile charging solution that isn’t as cumbersome as the usual bricks we see. It’ll cost you $100 for the privilege of owning one, and you can go ahead and take the plunge over at their website today. The cases are available in either white or black. Read on for full press details.
New mophie juice pack Lets Samsung Galaxy S® III Users Do More with their Device
Battery Case Doubles the Time to Rock, Talk, Surf and Send
SANTA ANA, Calif., Nov. 1, 2012 /PRNewswire/ — The mophie™ juice pack, which has kept millions of iPhone’s “in the green,” is now available for the popular Samsung Galaxy S® III, providing double the battery life on one charge as well as complete device protection in an ultra-thin, lightweight, low-profile design. The juice pack for Galaxy S III marks the company’s continued expansion into the Android market, with the new case joining mophie’s existing universal line of external rechargeable batteries.
“mophie has become synonymous with device power, and we are motivated to engineer new battery solutions for both the Apple and Android communities,” said Ross Howe, vice president of marketing. “We’re excited to empower Galaxy S III users to do more with their device without having to worry about running out of battery or having to take a time-out to recharge at a wall outlet.”
The juice pack Galaxy S III is now available for $99.95 at mophie.com and launching this weekend in select retailers nationwide.Features of the case include:
100% Extra Battery Life-Packed with a 2300mAh rechargeable battery, users will appreciate up to 9 hours of additional talk time, 11 additional hours of Internet use, 32 hours of audio playback, or 8 hours of video playback
Custom Design-The ultra-thin, lightweight and low-profile case design provides protection while perfectly complementing the sleek look of the Galaxy S III
Sync with Ease-A pass-through USB cord allows users to charge and sync without removing their mobile device from the juice pack case
Charge on Demand-Features an on/off toggle switch that allows for standby and charging mode, giving users the ability to dictate when extra juice is needed
Battery Status Indicator-An integrated 4 LED status indicator notifies the user of how much battery power is left and displays how much charge time remains when the case is plugged in
For more about mophie and its full suite of products, please visit www.mophie.com.
About mophie
mophie is a California-based, award-winning designer and manufacturer of accessories that let users do more with their portable devices. The brand is widely recognized and highly acclaimed for its creative designs and innovative solutions; specifically surrounding the juice pack, the first “Works With iPhone” portable battery solution certified by Apple Inc. All of mophie’s products are developed to address real consumer and business needs and are seamless integrations of industrial, electronic, software and artistic designs. mophie products are available in more than 100 countries, and can be purchased in Apple stores worldwide, AT&T, Best Buy, Verizon, Sprint, and on www.mophie.com. Follow mophie on Twitter at twitter.com/mophie or on Facebook at facebook.com/mophielovesyou.
Apple UK updates Samsung statement, but makes sure people don’t see it
Apple did not take its loss against Samsung lightly, in the UK. The Cupertino Giant was forced to post a statement in their UK website, stating that Samsung did not infringe on Apple’s patents. Needless to say Apple still went for homerun and decided to highlight the competition’s shortcomings and Apple’s victories across the world.
UK courts then asked Apple to correct the previously posted statement and publish a Samsung-friendly one. The link also had to be more noticeable, placed under Apple’s homepage at a font size no lower than 11 points. But of course, Apple found another way to make such statement less visible to the general public.
Apple UK went as far as re-coding the site so that people won’t be able to see the statement link without a bit of effort. Apple’s UK website resizes itself depending on screen size and resolution, making the statement harder to get to, regardless of what device you may be using. This is done mostly by resizing the image of the iPad Mini to accomodate the browser’s size.
Code
var HeroResize=AC.Class({initialize:function(b){this._height=null;this._hero=$(b);
AC.Object.synthesize(this);this.__boundResizeHero=this.resizeHero.bindAsEventListener(this);
if(typeof window.ontouchstart===”undefined”){this.resizeHero();Event.observe(window,”resize”,this.__boundResizeHero)
}},setHeight:function(b){this._height=(b<0)?0:b;return this._height},resizeHero:function(){this.setHeight(parseInt(window.innerHeight||(window.document.documentElement.clientHeight||window.document.body.clientHeight),10)-310);
this.hero().style.height=this.height()+"px"}});Event.onDOMReady(function(){var b=new HeroResize("billboard")
});
The code you see above ensures that the bottom 310 pixels of the site stay out of view unless one makes an effort to scroll down. I have tested viewing both sites from multiple monitors and can attest to the fact that the bottom part stays out of view, with the UK site’s iPad Mini picture changing sizes (while the US version stays the same).
The only way I managed to keep the statement in view was to put my 23-inch monitor on portrait orientation and blasting the site full-screen. And this was only because the iPad Mini image couldn’t get any bigger without crossing the side edges.
Apple, you just really have to have the last word, don’t you? Is it that hard to accept a defeat and leave a statement until mid-November? We could not expect any less from Apple and its unfair tactics. Now let’s see if UK authorities will notice this and force Apple to once again make changes to its official site.
[via Reddit]
Thanks, Jake!
Samsung Galaxy Note 2 sells 3 million units in 30 days; Galaxy S3 at 30 million
The Samsung Galaxy S3 took the world by storm when it released this past summer. Sales are still going strong, and Samsung has found its bread and butter in the mobile world. Many didn’t know if that same success would eventually roll over into the Samsung Galaxy Note 2 series. Still relatively young, Samsung started perfecting this phablet phase back in 2011, and while the Samsung Galaxy Note was no failure, it certainly hadn’t reached the same success the Galaxy S line did.
The line is starting to blur, however, as it appears the Samsung Galaxy Note 2 is quickly becoming a hit. In the short 20 days since it’s been available the Samsung Galaxy Note 2 has apparently sold 3 million units. Sure, Apple might be able to sell that many iPhones in just a week or probably even a day, but considering how large this device is up against more slender and small options those seem like some very good numbers.
And consider this: most of North America haven’t even gotten a chance to buy the phone yet. Verizon and AT&T customers won’t have a chance to buy it until later this month, while those in Canada are only just now beginning to get their hands on it. Add in all the smaller countries in Europe, Asia and South America that might not yet have it and we’d say the Note 2 is doing pretty damn good for itself already.
Meanwhile, Samsung’s Galaxy S3 has already eclipsed 30 million units sold to date, and with the holiday season looming it looks like they might be in line for another surge in sales after those who missed the summer rush finally get a chance to buy one. Samsung maintains four out of its best five weeks came after the launch of the iPhone, a figure that might indicate brand loyalty for Apple is finally starting to wane a little bit (though there’s really no telling what, exactly, it comes down to).
Whichever way you put it, Samsung has found no issue getting through the iPhone launch and this further shows why it now has a vast majority of the world’s major carriers in the palms of its hands (yep, even in the cellular mess that we enjoy here in America).
[via Samsung Tomorrow]
Apple, Samsung continue worldwide court battle
There have been a couple of new developments in the worldwide battle between Apple and Samsung, in the United States and in Britain.
District court judge Lucy Koh, who presided over Apple’s successful patent case against Samsung in August, ordered Apple to publicly disclose its sales, earnings and profit margins on the iPhone on Wednesday.
Read full article >>
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