Samsung’s latest flagship devices bundle in several new features and capabilities, and they critically cap off these additions with shiny new black, silver, and gold color schemes, so the best way to protect the new device is the award-winning transparent CandyShell Clear from Speck. Samsung has done many things to improve the reliability of the new Galaxy smartphones, including new waterproofing and dust-resistance technology, but the devices will still be prone to damage from drops, scratches, and nicks.
By now we’ve heard multiple rumors and reports on Samsung’s next generation phablet. In today’s latest report from SamMobile, the publication claims that it knows when the Samsung Galaxy Note 5 and S6 Edge+ will be unveiled and released to the public. Citing its “insiders”, the report states that the Galaxy Note 5 will be announced on August 12th and be available to buy shortly afterwards on August 21th.
Samsung today has officially unveiled the Galaxy S6 and S6 edge at its event in Barcelona during Mobile World Congress. The devices feature a new design as well as all sorts of updated specifications under the hood. Gone is the classic all-plastic look and feel and in is a mixture of glass and metal.
One of the worst-kept tech secrets in recent memory, the HTC One M9 was finally announced today on stage by CEO Peter Chou at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. None of the specs were much of a surprise though the 20 megapixel sapphire camera and new configurable DotView cover will make some headlines. Under the hood is Qualcom’s new flagship 810 processor which HTC calls the fastest mobile processor in the world.
As for the appearance, I’m not sure I’m a fan of the Dual-Tone finish tweeted below but that beats the Pink version of the M9 IMHO.
Yesterday morning the FedEx truck delivered a cute little diorama that represented a Motorola keynote event complete with reporter badge, stage, and most importantly a demo unit of the new Moto E. Very nice job Moto PR. Nothing like going into a review with a smile on my face in my blogger PJs.
More importantly, the product they shipped is a big winner. The new Moto E, if you like your screens at 4.5 inches and non-Retina, is about the best thing you can get out there at any price. The fact that it is $150 for the LTE version and $120 for the HSPA+ GSM pushes this phone into no-brainer territory.
Amazon also has an HP Chromebook for $149.99 shipped. This one comes with a USB charging and a nice slim design and a screen that gets great reviews. Specs:
Samsung Exynos 5 Processor 1.7 GHz
2 GB DDR3L SDRAM 16 GB Solid-State Drive
11.6-Inch Screen, Chrome OS, 6.25-hour battery life
Need a Wear Watch? It will be hard to beat LG’s G Watch dropping down to $99 but all Google Play watches will get a $50 Google Play Credit when purchased from the Play Store today.
The hardware requirements for Android One devices were set by Google to deliver a good experience with the latest stock versions of Android. All three handsets are supplied with the latest KitKat 4.4.4, and Google is promising that they will receive two years of updates, starting with the Android L update … Expand Expanding Close
LG’s G3 Stylus, either leaked or teased earlier this month as a budget-friendly phablet, has now been officially confirmed – but it looks like it probably won’t go on sale in the USA.
The LG G3 Stylus is a pen-enabled smartphone that offers a large display and many of the premium user experience (UX) features of the G3 all in a fairly-priced package […]
LG will roll out the G3 Stylus in 3G markets starting in Brazil in September followed by countries in Asia, Middle East and Africa and CIS …
If hardware quality was the only factor in buying a phone, you could stop reading right here and go out and buy the HTC One M8 – it is the best looking, best built (AFAICT after 3 days) phone out there, bar none.
The front will look familiar, if elongated, to current One owners. It still has separated stereo speakers which incidentally are again the best you’ll hear in a phone by a long shot, but the screen is bigger and unfortunately so is the bezel around the screens.
That extra length tallies to a centimeter taller than its predecessor making an already big phone now almost phablet-like in stature. Add to that HTC’s insistence of putting a power button on top of the phone which you must shimmy up and down to reach and you’ve got yourself some usability experience issues before you even turn on the phone.
The back of my gray “stainless steel” unit matches up nicely with my fridge in the kitchen. I mean that in the nicest possible way. It looks gorgeous, though I’m not sure I’d say the same for other color variations offered, particularly the gold model. The improved curves are super nice in the hand and also look the part. You’d almost forgive how long this thing is…almost.
The M8 may not be terribly repairable by iFixit standards, but HTC has your back with a pretty impressive repair plan called HTC Customer Advantage. In it, you get a free screen repair within 6 months, a somewhat vague promise to keep Android updated to the most recent version (the website says “We are committed to keeping you current” but at the show they said 2 years of upgrades), and 25-50GB of extra Google Drive space.
Besides the length coupled with the power button, I’m still a huge fan of the exterior. But then there is the interior with HTC’s insistence on Sense 6.0 and this new 3-camera system… Expand Expanding Close
We’re getting set for tomorrow’s big launch event by watching previews of what we’re going to see. A lengthy claimed video of the long-awaited successor to the HTC One has been posted, and while it’s unverified, it certainly looks convincing.
The M8 is simply the codename for the handset, just as the One was codenamed the M7. It’s not known whether HTC will brand the replacement as the new HTC One or give it a new name. Separate rumors have suggested the HTC One 2, and the HTC All New One, both of which sound pretty silly.
We’re expecting to see a Snapdragon 801 or 805 processor, 2GB RAM, a choice of 16 or 32GB storage, support for microSD cards of up to 128GB and a full-HD (1920×1080) display, running Android 4.4. The casing appears to be all-aluminum, with a brushed finish. Rumors have suggested that it will be available in a choice of silver, gold and grey colors … Expand Expanding Close
Last week, we went on the record saying that HP was set to unveil their new smartphones within a week and here we are just 5 days later with an announcement. The quad-core Slate 6 and Slate 7 VoiceTab are (as predicted) 720P displayed “mega” phablets that will play in the same market as Samsung’s Galaxy Mega line. The initial launch country will be India but more are on the way. While no price was given, we’d imagine that since the other details were true, the $200 price point for the Slate 6 VoiceTab and $250 for the 7-inch seem like a pretty good starting point.
The phones will come with 16GB of on board storage and have a Micro-SD card for 32GB more storage. As you can see in the image above, they both have stereo speakers a la the HTC One (no word yet on Beats Branding which HP still uses and HTC once used).
It appears that HP has really done its homework here and has identified a market where it can make things happen. HP obviously has a huge brand and PC presence in India and at the same time, the market is easy to enter because the carriers aren’t gatekeepers like they are in the US.
As for the phones themselves, they actually have some styling which is a notable step up from HP’s US slate lineup. While I’ll go on the record saying that I’m not a fan of the Black on Gold appearance from the press release and Android skin they are showing off, I’m not privy to style considerations from India.
Also ringing an alarm bell is the Android 4.2 launch OS. Combined with that pretty heavy looking skin/overlay, Indian consumers are already starting 2 OSes back…and counting.
In all, though Google has to be pretty satisfied with the launch. HP is traditionally a Windows shop but since Meg Whitman’s return has gone ChomeOS and Android first with the Slate line of tablets and now their Smartphones.
Another image if the Slate 6 Voicetab and Press release below: Expand Expanding Close
HTC, a global leader in mobile innovation and design, today announced the HTC One max, a super-sized smartphone that brings the award-winning design, functionality and performance of the HTC One to fans of larger handsets. A new Fingerprint Scan feature takes convenience to a new level while acclaimed features including HTC BlinkFeed™, HTC Zoe™ and HTC BoomSound™, combined with the new HTC Sense 5.5, which are all enhanced to continue to deliver the best overall smartphone experience, now on a larger screen.
Most of the specs are as per the rumors we’ve reported over the last few months, including the almost non-existent bezel, 5.9″ full HD1080p display, 3300mAH battery, (optional) capacitive stylus and fingerprint scanner. The fingerprint sensor unlocks the phone, of course, but also has a neat feature where you can assign a different app to each finger, switching on the device with that app loaded.
The CPU is, however, less powerful than rumored. Everyone had been expecting a Snapdragon 800 processor running at 2.3GHz, but instead the Max has the same 1.7GHz Snapdragon 600 chip as the phone on which it’s based, the HTC One … Expand Expanding Close
The Samsung Galaxy Mega, the crazily-sized smartphone that was launched in Europe back in May, is arriving in the U.S. this month at AT&T, Sprint and US Cellular.
The ultimate option for those who really can’t work out whether they want a smartphone or a tablet, the device has a massive 6.3-inch screen, a 1.7Ghz dual-core processor, LTE, dual cameras (8MP on the rear, 1.9MP on the front) and is available with 8Gb or 16Gb storage (with a microSD slot supporting up to 64Gb). It is shipping with Android 4.2.2.
AT&T claims it will be the first U.S. carrier, offering the Mega for $24 per month with AT&T Next or $149.99 with a two-year agreement. Sprint will offer the Mega with unlimited 4G data on its Unlimited, My WaySM or My All-inSM plans. Full Samsung press release below …
When the Google Play Edition Galaxy S4 was originally announced, I was really intrigued by the idea. Google has been releasing Nexus devices for the past few years, but I’ve never really fallen in love with one. They’ve all been good, but not great hardware. Nexus devices generally don’t feature top-of-the-line specs and are meant, in Google’s eyes, purely for developers to test apps their apps on.
Seeing how I had loved the original Galaxy S4, but couldn’t stand the bloated TouchWiz overlay, the Google Play Edition Galaxy S4 seemed like the perfect device for me. Near-stock Android paired with high-end, future-proof ‘resistant’ specifications. A match made in heaven, so to speak. Expand Expanding Close
I gave myself a few weeks to use the $199 w/planLG Optimus Pro on AT&T to see if a phablet could replace my normal Android device, the LG Nexus 4. The Optimus Pro is very similar to the Samsung Galaxy Note 2 which I reviewed and liked. LG doesn’t include the stylus, which I considered a downside on the Note 2. It also has a less intrusive overlay and a bunch of other handy features which I found helpful…
After lots of leaks, rumors and outright company forecasts, Samsung today announced the Galaxy Note 8.0, an 8-inch iPad Mini competitor. The 1280×800 pixel display will have a slightly better PPI of 189 than the Mini and match camera specs and a quad core processor. Samsung’s Note 8.0 will also double up the Mini with 2GB of RAM and add an S-Pen for those who need/want it as well as expandable storage via the Micro-SD card slot. Just like the Galaxy Tab 7 2 it has an IR blaster with a rebranded Peel station navigation. On the down side, it won’t have LTE (only HSPA+) and it will run a slightly out-dated 4.1.2 version of Android Jelly Bean. It also weighs almost an ounce more than the iPad Mini.
Oh and it can make calls like a huge phone.
Will this go head to head against the Mini? My gut reaction is no. Samsung’s Touchwiz overlay and pen will keep these out of the hands of mainstream users. No price or launch date is yet planned but the specs tell me (720P TFT display) that Samsung is aiming for a low price. I’d expect to see this at $250 in the US probably just after it launches in the 2nd quarter in a number of Asian and EU territories.
This thing has the same specs as a laptop ‘shrunk’ to ‘phone’ size.
LG just announced its 2013 flagship phone the Optimus G Pro that was leaked last month. The ‘Pro’ stands for huge and fast here, with the first Qualcomm 600 quad core processor running at 1.7GHz. The screen bests even the Samsung Note II phablet screen with a 1080p IPS (not OLED) over 5.5 inches—which is going to look marvelous at 400ppi. Cameras? Yes. There is a 13.0 around back and a 2.1 up front that is HD for video conferencing. Also: 2GB RAM, huge 3,140mAh battery, and Android 4.2—all coming in under 9.4mm thin.
No word yet on when we can grab one stateside.
Optimus G Pro Key Specifications:
• Chipset: 1.7GHz Quad-Core Qualcomm? Snapdragon™ 600 Processor
• RAM: 2GB DDR
• Memory: 32GB / microSD (up to 32GB)
• Display: 5.5-inch Full HD (1920 x 1080 pixels / 400ppi)
• Camera: Rear 13.0MP with LED Flash / Front 2.1MP
• OS: Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean
• Battery: 3,140mAh (removable / wireless charging capable)
• Size: 150.2 x 76.1 x 9.4mm
There have been rumors that Samsung has a new lineup of Galaxy tablets in the works, possibly set to make an appearance next month at Mobile World Congress. Today, SamMobile claimed to have confirmed details of the upcoming Galaxy tabs, citing a “Korean insider,” and provided new information for the Galaxy Tab 3 lineup codenamed “Santos”.
According to the report, Samsung has both 7-inch and 10.1-inch variants of the new lineup in Wi-Fi and 3G configurations. The tablets will also include 5-megapixel cameras, but we don’t get any other details in terms of hardware specs on the four Santos models including GT-P3200, GT-P3210, GT-P5200, and GT-P5210. The report said the tablets are expected to launch in early 2013 in 16GB and 32GB variants.
There was also mention of a Samsung GT-P8200 tablet codenamed “ROMA.” The report didn’t provide many details, but AndroidCentral pointed out the product number isn’t too far off the “GT-P8110” of the Nexus 10.
SamMobile also provided exact specs for the Samsung GT-N5100 Galaxy Note 8.0 it first posted about last week. The full specs for that device, expected to pop up during MWC next month, are below: Expand Expanding Close
One of the more interesting products released in 2012 is the $500 Samsung Galaxy Camera— a little combination of an Android smartphone and a high-end point-and-shoot camera with a 21X optical zoom.
Samsung isn’t the first one on the scene with an Android point and shoot. That award goes to Nikon with its $350 Coolpix S800c, and technically Polaroid, too. However, with Samsung’s leadership role in smartphones, as well as a strong point-and-shoot camera business, this one is the most anticipated with knock-your-sock-off specs.
Samsung unveiled its low-end, specialized Galaxy Music smartphone today that promises to deliver a premium sound quality and various must-have features.
The Ice Cream Sandwich-powered handset boasts a “powerful processor,” although Samsung neglected to name the hardware, with promises of a fast and smooth performance. It also features dual front stereo speakers, an FM radio, and the ability to handle high-speed downloads. The unique aspect of the 3-inch device is its dedicated Music key that “provides quick and convenient access to the music player for the perfect listening experience.”
The Galaxy Music will also be available in a dual-SIM version as the Galaxy Music Duos. There is not much else for details, including price and availability for both variations, but check out the Galaxy Music’s white paper below and official press release after the break.
Specs:
Display: 3.0-inch QVGA 240-by-320 TFT
OS: Android Ice Cream Sandwich, access to Google Play
Overlay: Samsung Touchwiz and apps
Camera: 3 Megapixel fixed-focus camera with no Flash
Video: Recording and playback — WVGA at 25fps
Audio: Music player with SoundAlive
Connectivity: Bluetooth technology v 3.0, USB 2.0, Wi-Fi b/g/n
Sensors: Accelerometer, digital compass, proximity
Memory: 4GB user memory, 512MB RAM, microSD up to 32 GB
Update: Cnet reports that it has learned from a reliable source that the LG Nexus will be introduced at the end of this month. It is also hearing that a final name for the device has not been decided, and there could possibly be other Nexus devices introduced by additional OEMs:
The phone will be announced at the end of the month, according to a person briefed on the matter. While it will run some of the same specifications as the Optimus G, it will be modified to fit into the Nexus program. Google and LG haven’t yet come up with a name for the product… LG, however, may not be the only company to unveil a Nexus phone, the person said.
Tech community MoDaCo, citing “various sources,” just revealed a list of hardware and software features for a yet-to-be-announced LG Nexus device.
The much-discussed pure Android device is supposedly Optimus G-based, but it will not look the same, and it boasts a quad-core Snapdragon S4 processor, 2GB RAM, 8-megapixel camera, and 1,280-by-768 True-HD IPS display. According to MoDaCo, additional specs include:
Google subsidiary Motorola Mobility unveiled its new line of Droid Razr smartphones just last week, and now the Droid Razr M is officially available at Verizon Wireless for $99 on a two-year contract.
We recently reviewed the device and dubbed it our “favorite little Droid.” It packs a Super Amoled Advanced 4.3-inch display with 40 percent more screen real estate and a 40 percent more powerful battery than the Apple iPhone 4S. It also notably features a Corning Gorilla Glass display, DuPont Kevlar fiber and a splash-guard coating on the outside, while the software on the inside comes equipped with Android 4.0.4 Ice Cream Sandwich (with an upgrade to Jelly Bean by “the holidays”) and access to Google Play. It also touts Chrome for Android, Google Maps, Voice Actions for Android, Google, YouTube, and an easy-to-use tutorial for interactive help with customization
Additional premium specs include 4G LTE and NFC capability, a 1.5 GHz dual-core processor, 1 GB RAM, 8-megapixel camera with LED flash and 1080p HD recording, front-facing camera for video chatting, mobile Hotspot and a microSDcard slot with support for up to 32 GB. The Droid Razr M comes in either “sleek black” or “stand out white.”
Ahead of IFA beginning later this week, South Korean-based Samsung announced a new personal media player for its line of 3.6-inch, 4-inch, 4.2-inch, and 5.0-inchers. In a press release this morning, Samsung unveiled the new Galaxy Player 5.8 that rocks a humongous 5.8-inch display with a resolution of 960-by-540 LCD. The company has not given any details on launch or pricing, but it told us the device also packs Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, Samsung’s infamous TouchWiz UI, a 16GB or 32GB storage option, microSD slot, front VGA camera for video conferencing, and modest 2,500mAh battery.
