Samsung to mass produce flexible displays from October

Posted by Unknown on Monday, September 30, 2013

Posted by Abhijeet M. on 30 September 2013 at 21:26

flexible-AMOLED-feature

Samsung reportedly confirmed that it would launch a smartphone next month with a flexible display, and now a new report backs indicates that Samsung (and LG) will begin mass producing flexible displays from October. These displays will be 5.5-inches in size, which means that either the device won't be the Galaxy Note 3, or it will be a smaller-sized variant of the phablet.

As it has repeatedly been mentioned, these flexible displays won't allow you to actually change the shape of the screen/device, though Samsung has stated that it "developed the technology to make batteries a little curved and to fix them after being curved." The report cites unnamed industry sources as saying that Samsung is looking to produce 1.5 million flexible panels each month this year, something which we've heard of before in a separate report.

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Snapdragon and Exynos variants of Samsung Galaxy Note 3 compared on video

Posted by Unknown

Posted by Abhijeet M. on 30 September 2013 at 20:30

feature-Samsung-Galaxy-Note-31

The Galaxy Note 3, like the Galaxy S4, comes in two variants – one powered by a quad-core Snapdragon processor and the other by Samsung's in-house octa-core Exynos. However, compared to the S4, the Galaxy Note 3 runs much faster versions of each processor (Snapdragon 800 vs. Snapdragon 600, and Exynos 5420 vs. Exynos 5410), but which of those is the better performer?

The folks over Gadget Portal took the time to compare both variants on video, and, at least in benchmark scores, the Snapdragon variant was just a few points ahead of the Exynos variant. Also, Gadget Portal notes that the Exynos variant consumes a larger amount of RAM in idle – around 1.6-1.8 GB, compared to 1.1-1.2 GB taken by the Snapdragon model. However, in actual usage, they note that both devices are "almost same in UI smoothness & speed," though we'll naturally have to get more detailed comparisons to make a final verdict.

In the end, it doesn't exactly matter which model you buy – both will perform great and handle anything you throw at them, though those wanting to put on a stock Android ROM would want to go for the Snapdragon variant, as Qualcomm is better with releasing the necessary sources to make custom ROMs work. The Exynos variant also loses out on the 4k video recording feature, but let's face it, 4k video is not something that's going to be important for at least the next 3-5 years.

Take a look at the comparison video below.

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Samsung Wallet to get global support soon

Posted by Unknown

Posted by Abhijeet M. on 30 September 2013 at 19:50

samsung-wallet

Samsung's Wallet service (and app) is set to go global and break out of its South Korean exclusivity soon. Samsung Wallet, like other wallet services such as Google Wallet, allows users to store and manage tickets, coupons, mobile boarding passes and membership cards in one place, and we have an exclusive screenshot and can confirm that global availability is coming before the end of this year.

Global support will likely roll out after Samsung's developer conferences in October and November, conferences where the company will discuss possibilities for developers to take advantage of Samsung's Wallet service. It should also be just in time for the launch of the first Tizen device, and will no doubt come with full support for the company's upcoming mobile OS.

SamsungWallet-1

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Samsung to manufacture 30-40 percent of Apple’s upcoming A8 chip

Posted by Unknown

Posted by Abhijeet M. on 30 September 2013 at 17:32

Samsung-Logo-with-Galaxy-Tab_Logo

It's been less than a month since Apple announced its latest flagship iPhone and the new A7 chipset that powers it, and the media is already talking about the A8 chip that will supposedly power the iPhone 6. According to a report from a Korean publication, Samsung will handle the manufacturing of around 30 to 40 percent of Apple's A8 chip, unlike the A7 chip, which is supposedly manufactured by Samsung alone.

If what the report says holds true, it would mean that Apple's plans to move away from Samsung for its hardware parts aren't going to be fulfilled for some time to come. The A8 chip will be produced by Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC) for the most part, but thanks to the challenge of manufacturing 20nm chips, Samsung will be included in the process as well. In short, the two companies will continue to work with each other despite all their patent-related legal spats, at least until the latter half of 2014.

None of this is confirmed right now, but just in case your iPhone-toting friends try to act clever and talk down Samsung, well, just tell them that without Samsung, their iPhone probably would be running a not-so-powerful chip from yesteryear.

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Galaxy Note 3 undergoes drop test, here’s the torture on video

Posted by Unknown

Posted by Abhijeet M. on 30 September 2013 at 16:38

note-3-diagonal-feature

All the units of a flagship smartphone that undergo careful construction at a factory probably wonder which of them will be unlucky enough to be chosen for the brutal drop tests that have become commonplace in the mobile industry. Well, one such unlucky Galaxy Note 3 was picked up by the folks over at Android Authority, and now we can all see how well Samsung's latest phablet fares when it's brutally dropped to the ground for the sadistic desires of the human mind.

The device was first dropped on its faux leather back, where it escaped with nothing but a scratch on the camera housing. Next up was a meeting of the bottom of the handset with the concrete below – this time, the cosmetic damage was quite a bit more than when it was dropped on the back, the back cover got dislodged at one spot, but other than that, everything was still fine, with the S Pen still holding in its place quite nicely.

However, it was when the Note 3 was dropped on its face did things go downhill, and while the display continued to work quite well, the glass shattered pretty much across the entire surface. Well, not that we were expecting anything else, but now you have proof that the glass on top of the beautiful Super AMOLED display isn't going to be remain intact if you ever drop your Note 3 on its face.

Well, here's the video, go ahead and enjoy it in all its evil glory (the 1:20, 1:49, and 2:50 marks will take you to the part where each drop is shown off in slow motion).

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Samsung opens registrations for November 18th European Developer Day event in London

Posted by Unknown

Posted by Abhijeet M. on 30 September 2013 at 14:37

european-developer-day

Not attending Samsung's first developer conference in San Francisco next month? Well, maybe you'll be able to make it to London the month after that, as Samsung has announced that it will be holding the European Developer Day conference in England's capital on November 18th, and is now allowing developers to register their interest. The event will provide insight into Samsung's "new tools and services to help developers create exciting, innovative applications across Samsung's smart device range."

Particularly, there's three things Samsung will be focusing on. Samsung's SDKs for mobile, in-app purchases, and their SmartTVs, APIs (both native and web) for their upcoming Tizen OS (which is expected to be officially unveiled at the October 18th event, along with the first Tizen-powered device), and finally, opportunities for working with Samsung and taking advantage of Samsung Hub, Samsung Wallet, enterprise and other such services offered by the Korean manufacturer.

Entry to the event is free, though there'll be limited seats, so be sure to hit up the source link as quickly as possible if you're interested in attending.

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Samsung’s ChatON messaging service reaches 100 million users

Posted by Unknown

Posted by Abhijeet M. on 30 September 2013 at 8:25

chaton-logo

Samsung has announced that its ChatON messaging service now has a global subscriber base of over 100 million users, two years after it was launched, and four months after it hit the 50 million subscriber base. According to Samsung, ChatON has enjoyed steady growth in countries such as India, China, and the US, and is becoming increasingly popular in Europe and the Middle East.

There are several factors that have worked in ChatON's favor, despite the presence of more popular messaging platforms like WhatsApp (which has over 300 million active users), according to the Korean manufacturer. Its international availability in a variety of languages – 63 in total, 10 of those from India alone, with 13 more coming by the end of the year – is one of those factors, while the fact that it comes preloaded on almost every Samsung device has also helped it along.

chaton

The subscriber base would have been even larger if people were aware that ChatON is available on most platforms and can be used by non-Samsung devices as well, but Samsung hasn't exactly successful in that endeavor. 100 million users is still an impressive feat, however, though it remains to be seen if it can continue the huge growth in user base in the future.

Any of you use ChatON? Any particular reason why you like it, or don't like it?

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Asian Galaxy Note 3 units free from Samsung’s controversial region lock

Posted by Unknown

Posted by Abhijeet M. on 30 September 2013 at 10:10

note-3-side-with-pen-feature

While Samsung's controversial and much talked-of regional SIM lock on the Galaxy Note 3 isn't that big an issue, it's still something that is an obstacle everyone could have done without. However, it looks like Asian Note 3 units don't have the regional SIM restriction, according to an Australian retailer, who confirmed that they were able to use a Note 3 imported from Hong Kong with an Australian SIM card without any issues.

The retailer also received some units from Singapore, which were also free of any region-lock warnings and worked just fine with an Australian SIM. So, it seems only European and American Note 3 units have the restriction, so those wanting to import a Snapdragon 800-powered Galaxy Note 3 will be the folks most affected, unless they ask someone to activate the device with a local SIM before shipping it over.

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Samsung Galaxy J (SC-02F) passes through FCC, could be Galaxy S4 with Snapdragon 800 for Japan

Posted by Unknown

Posted by Abhijeet M. on 30 September 2013 at 9:21

logo-samsung

A Samsung handset with the model number SC-02F has recently visited the FCC, headed specifically to Japanese carrier NTT DoCoMo. While the FCC filing doesn't mention a name, multiple content partners list the SC-02F as the Galaxy J, and it seems to be a variant of the Galaxy S4 with the Snapdragon 800 for the Japanese market. An official announcement is expected for sometime in October.

Provided it does turn out to be a Galaxy S4 variant, it will likely sport the same specs as the standard Samsung flagship, including a 5-inch 1080p Super AMOLED screen, 2GB of RAM, 13-megapixel camera, Wi-Fi, HSPA, LTE, Bluetooth, and NFC connectivity, IR blaster, a 2,600mAh battery, and Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean (Android 4.3 is possible as well, given its launch will be around or after Samsung updates the Galaxy S4 to the latest version of Android).

sc-02f

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Galaxy Gear firmware now available for download; oddly have Android 4.2.2 base

Posted by Unknown

Posted by Abhijeet M. on 30 September 2013 at 9:05

galaxy-gear-official-1-feature

Samsung has started rolling out firmware for the Galaxy Gear (SM-V700), a few days after releasing kernel sources for the smartwatch, and now those firmware are available for download from our firmware section. Samsung seems to have released firmware for most nations the Gear is available in, though for now there's no saying what the flashing procedure on the Gear is going to be (if I were to hazard a guess, it will be the same old download mode that we find on every Samsung device, with a long press of the volume down and power buttons for gaining access).

An odd thing about all the firmware is that they're all based on Android 4.2.2. Is it possible the Galaxy Gear is running on 4.2.2 instead of 4.3 as is widely believed? It certainly could be the case, and would explain why it is compatible with the Galaxy S4, despite Samsung saying otherwise. Android 4.3 could just be for the sole reason of adding Bluetooth 4.0 LE support, which reduces the power required by the device when using Bluetooth, in turn resulting in longer battery life).

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Leaked roadmap confirms Android 4.3 update schedule for Galaxy S3, S4, and Note II

Posted by Unknown on Saturday, September 28, 2013

Posted by Abhijeet M. on 28 September 2013 at 8:53

android-4.3-easter-screen-feature

Here's some more confirmation of Samsung's plans for updating the Galaxy S4, S3, and the Note to Android 4.3 – French carrier SFR has released a roadmap with information about their devices' upcoming updates, and it states that the Galaxy S4 will receive the update in October, followed by the Galaxy S3 and Note II sometime between November and December.

Samsung had initially said that updates for all three devices will start from October, but it isn't surprising that the Galaxy S4 will be given first preference. As always, carriers in the U.S. will take additional time to roll out the updates, though if Samsung Canada is to be believed, all three devices should be on the latest version of Android (well, latest for now, by then Android 4.4 'KitKat' will likely be out) before this eventful year ends, regardless of region and carrier.

update-plans-4.3

In terms of features, Android 4.3 will add numerous new software features from the Galaxy S4 to the Galaxy S3 and Note II, while enabling compatibility with the Galaxy Gear for all three (though the S4 is already partly compatible).

Via | Source

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Galaxy Note 3 gets “premium” accidental damage warranty in South Africa

Posted by Unknown

Posted by Abhijeet M. on 28 September 2013 at 8:05

samsung-logo-booth_1-360x270

Samsung South Africa has announced that the Galaxy Note 3 will come with ADH Premium, a new version of the company's "accidental damage from handling" warranty, under which Note 3 owners will get two free 'no questions asked' repairs if their device gets damaged within two years of ownership, including screen or liquid damage. Samsung also guarantees a 24 hour turnaround for repair or replacement, and will also offer on-site collection of the handset through a dedicated Galaxy Note 3 call center.

Wait, there's more. If a user doesn't use the ADH guarantee even once in the first 12 months of ownership of the device, the guarantee will be carried over to the next "premium" device they upgrade to (Galaxy S5, anyone?), and will once again be valid for a 24-month period with the new device. ADH was announced with the Galaxy S4 earlier this year, and these new parameters make it even better than before, with the guarantee being extended to Nigeria, Kenya, Ghana, Senegal and Namibia.

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Samsung sends commitments in antitrust case to EU Commission

Posted by Unknown on Friday, September 27, 2013

Posted by kunalg on 27 September 2013 at 18:30

samsung-logo-booth_1-360x270

When EU Commission opened an antitrust case against Samsung last year, Samsung was confident of proving they didn't violate any rules. Fast forward to today, EU Competition Commissioner Joaquin Almunia says "Samsung has submitted their commitments to address the concerns." While the recommendations are under wraps for the moment, the Commission confirmed to "soon launch a market test on these proposals".

The commitments, if found acceptable, could save Samsung from paying a heavy antitrust fine that will run in for more than $15 billion.

Here's the full statement.

The company committed to a standards body to license its standard-essential patents to market participants in return for reasonable remuneration.

But later, the company sought injunctions based on those patents although in our view there was a willing licensee.

Last December, we sent Samsung a Statement of Objections which outlined our concern that its conduct was anti-competitive.

After lengthy discussions, Samsung has sent us a set of commitments seeking to address our concerns.

We will formally market test these proposed commitments with other market participants in the coming weeks.

If we then conclude that the commitments address our concerns, we will take a commitment decision which would – I believe – bring clarity on SEPs and injunctions across the industry.

source
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Samsung releases kernel source for Galaxy Note (SM-N900T And SM-N900W8) and Galaxy Gear

Posted by Unknown

Posted by Abhijeet M. on 27 September 2013 at 18:50

samsung-logo-booth_1-360x270

As always, Samsung is being extremely timely about releasing the open source files for new devices. The Korean manufacturer has now posted the kernel source for both the Galaxy Note 3 and the Galaxy Gear, to let developers tinker with it to their heart's content. In case of the Note 3, there's source for two models – the T-Mobile variant, SM-N900T, and for the SM-N900W8, with the latter's source actually released on the same day as the Note 3 was launched. Oh, and there's firmware available for the phablet in our firmware section as well, so if you're a developer, there's nothing stopping you from getting right down to it.

It will be interesting to see what the development community is able to do with the Galaxy Gear. It's not exactly a smartphone, but hey, I'm sure there will be some whizbang developments that make the smartwatch more interesting than it currently is. Download links are below, go grab 'em.

Source: Galaxy Note 3 | Galaxy Gear

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Canadian Galaxy Note II, Galaxy S3 and Galaxy S4 to get Android 4.3 in November

Posted by Unknown

Posted by Abhijeet M. on 27 September 2013 at 19:16

android-4.3-easter-screen-feature

Back at the IFA unveil of the Galaxy Note 3 and Galaxy Gear, Samsung announced that the Galaxy S3, S4, and Note II would be receiving an update to Android 4.3 in October. However, if you're in Canada and own any of these devices, you might have to wait till November before you're rocking the latest version of Android, according to Samsung Canada, who have been working with Google and carriers to "ensure a smooth rollout."

For international users, the rollout will most likely finish in October itself, and it's good to see that there won't be too much of a delay for those in Canada, and hopefully the U.S. as well. Also, if Samsung really hopes to sell more of the Galaxy Gear, pushing out the Android 4.3 on time is doubly important, as it will officially add support for the three devices to pair up with the smartwatch (though it works with the S4 for the most part already).

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Samsung takes second position in Most Innovative Companies list of 2013, replaces Google

Posted by Unknown

Posted by Abhijeet M. on 27 September 2013 at 19:03

samsung_reuters_feature

Samsung has been named the second most innovative company in Boston Consulting Group's list of the most innovative companies for 2013, beating Google, which was at the second spot for the last seven years, and settling cosily just below Apple, which holds first place for the ninth year in a row. Samsung has risen from number 28 in 2008 to number 2 in 2013, making it quite an impressive growth for the Korean manufacturer.

"This reputation has become global in recent years as the company has moved from innovative success to success," said the consultancy's report. "Samsung has vaulted up the ranking in our survey from number 28 in 2008 to second place this year." Things haven't been so great for Samsung's home rival LG, however, as the latter still sits at the 25th position, and it doesn't look it will be catching up anytime soon. 

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Samsung will spend around $13 billion on marketing this year

Posted by Unknown

Posted by Abhijeet M. on 27 September 2013 at 15:22

logo-samsung

More than just making good products, what has really helped Samsung rise to the top in the electronics market (and become the leader in the mobile world) is the budget the Korean manufacturer has spent on marketing. This year, Samsung's marketing spend might reach an all-time high – according to analyst Benedict Evans, Samsung will be spending almost $13 billion in marketing through advertising and other sales promotions.

If you're wonder why that is so special, well, get this: it's more than what Google paid to buy Motorola, and it's a whopping three times HTC's entire market value. In short, it's a lot, and no other company (well, other than Apple) can really compete with Samsung when it comes to marketing their products.

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Here’s how Galaxy Note 3′s SIM locking works, and it’s not as bad as we thought

Posted by Unknown

Posted by Abhijeet M. on 27 September 2013 at 15:45

note-3-diagonal-feature

With all the chaos and anger surrounding Samsung's decision to region-lock the Galaxy Note 3, and with confusing and vague explanations from the company itself, it was only a matter of time before someone actually tested things out to find out just what sort of devilry Samsung had cooked up. Well, the folks over at UK Mobile Review did exactly that, and the results are encouraging.

So, here's the deal. The Galaxy Note 3 (and other Samsung smartphones that are region-locked) is capable of working with SIM cards from every part of the world. However, what's important is the SIM card you first use when you set up the phone – if you turn on the handset for the first time with a SIM from the same region it was bought it, it will be automatically unlocked for use with any SIM in the world.

For example, if you bought your Note 3 in Netherlands, you'll have to activate the phone/turn it on for the first time with a SIM issued by a European operator, after which you can travel anywhere and use a local SIM card without any issues. Similarly, if you buy it in the USA, you'll have to turn it on for the first time with a SIM from any of the US carriers/network operator.

Now, what happens if you activate the phone for the first time with a foreign SIM inside? In that case, the phone will be SIM locked, and you'll have to purchase an unlock code to unlock it. Samsung has an ID for each country (for the Netherlands, it is 204), and it matches this ID with the ID on the SIM – if they match on first boot, the device is yours to use as you see fit; if not, it will be locked. Once you unlock it with the unlock code, you'll be able to use any SIM of your choosing. Another option to use a new Galaxy Note 3 in a foreign country is to get the device unlocked from a Samsung service center for free, though it remains to be seen if Samsung will be officially supporting this.

But if you've been going mad for the whole matter, you can now breathe a sigh of relief – the Galaxy Note 3 is still capable of roaming and making use of every mobile network there is on the globe, it just doesn't want you to activate it for the first time with a SIM that was bought from foreign shores, so that Samsung can crack a whip on grey imports and money-hungry sellers. Not too bad, right?

Hit up the source link for full details on how the SIM locking mechanism works on the Galaxy Note 3.

P.S: If you're planning to use the Note 3 without any SIM card inside, perhaps for use as a secondary device over a Wi-Fi connection (not sure why you'd do that, but still), there is no rule or requirement. Just buy the handset, turn it on without any SIM inside, and you're good to go.

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Samsung sold over 40 million Notes, 30 million of which were Note II sales

Posted by Unknown

Posted by Abhijeet M. on 27 September 2013 at 11:25

feature-note-event

Naysayers wrote off the first Galaxy Note when it was announced by Samsung, only to find later that Samsung's large-screen smartphone experiment was on its way to becoming a runaway success. Then, Samsung came out with the hugely improved Galaxy Note II, and it was clear that the phablet – now a word in the Oxford dictionary – was here to stay, and that Samsung was the unchallenged king of the phablet market.

Well, if you've been wondering how many Galaxy Note devices Samsung has sold since the first one was announced, then the answer is that sales have now crossed over 40 million, according to a Samsung official. Of those, 30 million were of the Note II, while the Note sold around 10 million. Samsung had earlier announced that sales had crossed 38 million, but it is only now that we're getting a proper figure on each Note, and the three times higher sales figure of the Note II shows how people have continually warmed up to the idea of a phablet, and that phablets will continue to be sold in droves for the foreseeable future.

Will the Galaxy Note 3 end up breaking any records? With a high asking price and limitations such as regional SIM locks, your guess is as good as mine, but it should be able to beat the Galaxy Note II quite easily.

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Update that adds HD Voice capability rolling out to Vodafone-branded Galaxy Note II in Australia

Posted by Unknown

Posted by Abhijeet M. on 27 September 2013 at 8:44

note2_feature

Vodafone customers rocking a Galaxy Note II in Australia will now have access to high-definition voice quality in telephone calls, as a new update is rolling out for the device that adds HD Voice capability. Some customers have been able to use Vodafone's HD voice feature before through a simple hack, but now with the official update everyone will be able to make calls that make you feel like you're standing right next to the person you're talking to.

The update (N7105TDVDMB2) is a whopping 1.86GB in size, and hence isn't available over-the-air, leaving Samsung's Kies PC Suite as the only option for updating. A word of warning though – Vodafone's official blog post mentions that the update will restore your Galaxy Note II to factory defaults , so it would be a good idea to backup everything (including the content on your internal storage, such as photos), either via Kies or by using backup apps from the Play Store.

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Samsung’s Regional SIM-Lock: The Stupidest Thing Ever?

Posted by Unknown on Thursday, September 26, 2013

Posted by Dom A on 27 September 2013 at 1:14

feature-Samsung-Galaxy-Note-31

Recently, some very bad news broke from Clove.co.uk which purported that the European Galaxy Note 3 will not work with non-European SIM cards. Since then we've heard from a statement issued to AllAboutSamsung.de that this regional lock will effect almost all newly manufactured modern Samsung devices: Samsung GALAXY S III, II, GALAXY Note, GALAXY S4, S4 GALAXY mini and the GALAXY Note 3.

Galaxy Note 3 Regional SIM Lock

I don't think I'm alone in thinking that this is not only ridiculous, but potentially suicidal for Samsung. The Galaxy Note 3 is set up to work perfectly well with the whole spectrum of modern mobile frequencies so what on earth can Samsung hope to gain by doing this?

Do they expect people who enjoy travel, or who have to travel for business (one of Samsung's key audiences when launching the Note range) to purchase a new phone for every area they travel to? Are Samsung really so skint that they have to bow to the will of network providers who want to make extra money from roaming charges? I fail to see how Samsung would benefit from that at all, apart perhaps from with their own "AnyCall" network in South Korea. Last time I checked, however, they were doing pretty damned well on the money side of things so surely, this can't be the reason?

Well, fortunately this doesn't seem to be the case. A small glimmer of hope shines on the horizon from Samsung Switzerland. They made a statement on their Facebook page that you only need to activate the device with a regional SIM card, and then you can use it anywhere else in the world. However, they since backtracked somewhat and given a more vague answer… we'll update as soon as we know more.

SamsungSwitzerland

"When you purchase the GALAXY Note 3 you must initially use a Swiss SIM card. After that, SIM cards from other operators from Europe and outside of Europe can be used."

It also transpires, from an official statement from Samsung Germany, that you can activate your Galaxy device at a Samsung partner even if you are using it outside the specified region. For free.

GlobalFlights_globe[1]

Could it be that Samsung is trying to discourage different 'versions' of the same device being exported and enjoyed around the world? This must be ever so frustrating from them, right? It's certainly true that some people are making a little bit of money by exporting a superior version of the same device while Samsung distribute watered down versions of the 'same device' everywhere else …hmm…..? Well, I've got a much better solution for you, Samsung: stop making different versions!! Even an attempt to stop the distribution of grey-imports which seek to profit from global price differences seems futile here – as all the exporter has to do is stick a local SIM-card in before shipping the device, or even simply provide a free-SIM card along with it.

All that can be achieved by this is disgruntled, alienated and confused customers. Large companies should not tell people what they can and can't do with a device they've invested a small fortune in, and absolutely *never* force them to have to abide to their rules. I've been impressed Samsung's attempts to push boundaries with their technology and to keep customers wowed and impressed. Sure, I've had my quibbles with the way a few things have been done; but at the end of the day it's hard not to be impressed with the Galaxy range and what it has achieved for both mobile hardware and software. Please Samsung… don't give people reasons not to buy things from you. This move is stupid… it's not doing you or your customers any favours. Nothing positive will be gained from this choice and I'm sure I'm not the only one hoping that this is just a bad dream I am about to wake up from!

 What do you all think? Are you angry about this, happy [shame on you!] or confused? Let us know in the comments below.

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Samsung admits Galaxy Gear ‘lacks something special,’ will support Galaxy S4 starting next month

Posted by Unknown

Posted by Abhijeet M. on 26 September 2013 at 15:37

galaxy-gear-official-2-feature

When you launch a product that is the first of its kind for your company, chances are it won't quite prove to be a hit and will likely need a few more iterations before consumers warm up to it. That seems to be the case for Samsung's Galaxy Gear, which was unveiled at IFA and launched worldwide yesterday with the company admitting that its first smartwatch hasn't lived up to expectations, and that is "lacks something special."

"We've acknowledged that our Gear lacks something special," an unnamed Samsung exec told the Korea Times. "With more investment for user interface and user experience, Samsung devices will be better in terms of customer satisfaction." Samsung hasn't exactly been expecting the Galaxy Gear to be a success, aiming for only 3 sales of the Gear for every 10 Galaxy Note 3 sold (the only device it is currently compatible for, apart from the Galaxy Note 10.1 – 2014 Edition), and is reportedly already working on a second-generation model, but it wasn't until now that the company admitted that the Gear isn't the breakthrough smartwatch they were hoping for.

galaxy-gear-official-1

Samsung also confirmed that the Galaxy Gear will be made compatible with the Galaxy S4 next month, and with the Galaxy S3 and Galaxy Note 2 by the end of December. This means that despite the Android 4.3 update for both the Galaxy S3 and S4 scheduled for October, it won't be until the end of the year that the Gear becomes compatible with all Samsung's yesteryear flagships.

What do you guys think of the Galaxy Gear? Did it live up to your expectations, or do you think it's destined to be a dud?

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Samsung Galaxy S4 tops 2013 Smartphone Repairability Index with 8/10 score

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Posted by Abhijeet M. on 26 September 2013 at 19:52

s4-feature-2

Samsung's use of plastic in their smartphones and tablets may have its fair share of detractors, but it's also something that has given the company's devices notable strengths such as removable batteries, expandable storage, and, according to the folks over at iFixit, easy repairability. As a result, the Galaxy S4 has topped iFixit's Smartphone Repairability Index, with its 8/10 score making it the easiest to repair flagship smartphone released this year.

The Galaxy S4 ties with the BlackBerry Z10 and beats devices such as the iPhone 5s and HTC One (which scored a miserable 1/10), and scores points for an easy to replace battery thanks to its plastic back cover, and easy access to internal components. It loses a couple of points to the fact that its components are glued to the back of the fused assembly display, the Super AMOLED screen that only Samsung manufactures, making it difficult (and expensive) to get the assembly replaced in case something goes wrong while prying out the components.

repairability-s4

In fact, other Samsung smartphones, such as the Galaxy S3 and Note II score an 8 as well, once again owing to the plastic construction on each device. However, if reports of a metallic Galaxy S5 hold true, next year's Smartphone Repairability Index might see Samsung's latest flagship somewhere at the bottom of the charts, though that's something we'll worry about as and when it happens.

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Galaxy Gear already compatible with the Galaxy S4, most basic functions work well

Posted by Unknown

Posted by Abhijeet M. on 26 September 2013 at 16:13

galaxy-gear-official-1-feature

It seems Samsung hasn't been totally forthcoming with us regarding the Galaxy Gear's compatibility with devices other than the Galaxy Note 3 and Galaxy Note 10.1 2014 Edition. The company has stated that compatibility of the Gear with the Galaxy S4 (and other devices) will arrive via a software update next month, but it turns out that the Gear is already compatible with the Galaxy S4.

The folks over at Planete Galaxy decided to do a test, and the Galaxy S4 managed to connect to the Galaxy Gear without a hiccup. Many functions work, such as changing the clock theme, controlling music playing on the phone from the watch, transferring pictures, and even reminder alerts. It was thought that the Gear would be compatible only with devices running on Android 4.3 (as that's the Android version which enables Bluetooth 4.0 LE, used by the Galaxy Gear to connect to devices), but as you can see in the video, that is clearly not the case.

However, at the moment, app support seems to be working only for the Galaxy Note 3, but hey, at least we know that if someone decides to fork out the cash for the Gear without purchasing the Note 3, they'll be able to use all the basic functions until the compatibility update arrives.

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[Deal] 16GB Nexus 10 on eBay Daily Deals for $319, shipping worldwide

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Posted by Abhijeet M. on 26 September 2013 at 16:48

nexus-10

eBay must have a lot of stock of the Nexus 10 to get rid of, as the retailer is once again offering Samsung and Google's Nexus tablet for a discounted price – this time, you can grab the 16GB model for only $319, as opposed to $339 that eBay was asking for in early September. Shipping is free for locations in the U.S., but for an additional $50, eBay is shipping it internationally as well (everywhere excluding Russia), so this is as good a chance as any to grab the Nexus 10, especially if it's unavailable in your country.

The Nexus 10 was the first Samsung tablet to sport a high-resolution screen (a 10.1-inch display of 2560×1600 resolution, to be exact), and features a dual-core Exynos 5250 processor, 2GB of RAM, 5-megapixel rear camera, NFC connectivity, 9000mAh battery, and Android 4.2 Jelly Bean. As it's a Nexus tablet, you'll be able to update to Android 4.3 right away, and then to Android 4.4 KitKat later this year.

Visit the source link to buy the Nexus 10 from eBay.

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Samsung and others aim to simplify mobile benchmarks with MobileBench

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Posted by kunalg on 26 September 2013 at 16:53

mobilebench

Samsung along with other companies like Broadcom, Huawei, OPPO and Spreadtrum have come together to form an industry consortium known as MobileBench. The consortium aims to simplify mobile benchmarks by giving developers better way to diagnose for a speedier solution and giving consumers a tool to evaluate their device with better and accurate results.

The MobileBench Consortium plans to introduce two tools – MobileBench and the MobileBench-UX that will be used for testing system-level applications to know what factors affect the user experience. MobileBench that was showcased at the event will be device based and will monitor system and synthetic workloads that will score user experience and will compare results with other devices.

MobileBench-UX will be a PC based tool that will monitor UX performance when the device will be connected via USB. This tool will be an advanced tool that benchmark UX, multimedia and even multitasking.

The consortium is currently looking for new members and going forward, will also release an app for consumers to evaluate their devices.

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Here’s Samsung’s vague official statement regarding Galaxy Note 3′s regional SIM lock

Posted by Unknown

Posted by Abhijeet M. on 26 September 2013 at 15:52

note-3-side-with-pen-feature

The Galaxy Note 3 might look like a great device on paper, but it was a disappointing revelation yesterday that Samsung's latest phablet won't work with SIM cards from operators outside the continent it was purchased in (for example, a Note 3 bought in Europe won't work with SIM cards in the USA, or anywhere else for that matter). We've been wondering whether this is by hardware design or simply a software lock, and unfortunately, Samsung's official statement doesn't exactly clear things up.

Here's the statement Samsung sent in to AllAboutSamsung.de:

Some current Samsung products are now provided with a local SIM card lock. This means that devices purchased in the European Union, with SIM cards of mobile operators from Germany and from the European Union and the European Economic Area (the "European region") work as usual.

Users of these Samsung devices can continue to use these together with their SIM card of a mobile operator from the European region via roaming service to appropriate roaming charges to their wireless service provider around the world. If purchased in the European Union and not yet been put into use to be activated for the first time abroad, users can unlock their device for the region free from local Samsung service partners.

The regional SIM card lock only affects the following Samsung models that are produced from the end of July 2013, and provided with a corresponding sticker:

Samsung GALAXY S III, II, GALAXY Note, GALAXY S4, S4 GALAXY mini and the GALAXY Note 3

Devices that have been delivered by Samsung and are in camps or even at retail are not affected.

Specifically, there is a functionality of the devices with SIM cards of mobile operators from the following countries:

Countries of the European Economic Area (EEA):
Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands , Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, UK, Switzerland, Croatia

- Non-EU/EEA:
Albania, Andorra, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Macedonia, Moldova, Monaco, Montenegro, San Marino, Serbia, Vatican City

Now, let's look at the statement closely. Here's what it says: "If purchased in the European Union and not yet been put into use to be activated for the first time abroad, users can unlock their device for the region free from local Samsung service partners." Now, that seems to suggest that if the handset is bought in Europe but has not yet been turned on or activated for use with a particular SIM card, we'll be able to get it unlocked from a Samsung service partner.

However, what Samsung means by the word "abroad" is the confusing part – does that mean when someone travels to a country within Europe, or does it mean a nation in a non-European region? It's quite the vague statement, so again, we're no close to knowing whether we'll really be able to buy the Galaxy Note 3 in Europe and then use it with a SIM card in, say, an Asian country.

Furthermore, Samsung mentions that all the Galaxy S II, S3, S4, S4 mini, and the Galaxy Note models produced at the end of July also have the regional SIM lock. Which brings us to the question: have any of you bought one of the aforementioned devices (off-contract and for full price) recently and tried to use it in another continent? Did it work, or did it need an unlock? Let us know in the comments, and pray Samsung comes out with a clearer explanation soon.

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Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 – 2014 Edition arrives in the US on October 10th, pre-orders begin tomorrow

Posted by Unknown

Posted by Abhijeet M. on 26 September 2013 at 14:37

note-10.1-2014-feature

Well, Samsung has finally made an official announcement regarding the Galaxy Note 10.1 – 2014 Edition (yes, there's a hyphen before 2014 there, and it's Samsung's doing, not ours) – the Korean manufacturer's most powerful tablet will be available in the U.S. from October 10th, from retailers including Best Buy, Amazon, PC Richard's, Walmart, and more, and directly from Samsung.com as well.

Pre-orders will start at midnight, September 27th. The 16GB Wi-Fi-only variant is priced at $549.99, while the 32GB model will set you back by $599.99. The tablet will be available in Jet Black and Classic White, and there's no word on the 3G or LTE models just yet. Samsung has included free content worth $600, including three months of Hulu Plus and SiriusXM services, one year of free Boingo Hotspot access, 50GB of Dropbox storage for two years, one-year subscription to Bloomberg Businessweek and a 12-week subscription to The New York Times.

Specs of the new Note 10.1 include a 10.1-inch display of 2560×1600-pixel resolution, octa-core Exynos 5420 processor with 3GB of RAM, 8-megapixel rear camera, and Android 4.3 Jelly Bean with the latest TouchWiz UI. An improved S Pen stylus is included, with related features such as Air Command. Our hands-on can be found here.

Here's the press release.

Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 – 2014 Edition Available in the U.S. Oct. 10

With enhanced S Pen, superior display, Multi-Window and sleek redesign, the Galaxy Note 10.1 – 2014 Edition delivers an unrivaled tablet experience

RIDGEFIELD PARK, N.J. – September 26, 2013 – Samsung Electronics America, Inc. today announced the Galaxy Note® 10.1 – 2014 Edition will be available in the U.S. beginning Oct. 10, with pre-orders starting at midnight ET tomorrow, Sept. 27. The Galaxy Note 10.1 – 2014 Edition is equipped with industry-leading specifications packed in a thin and lightweight form factor.

"Last year's launch of the Galaxy Note 10.1 introduced the integration of S Pen™ capabilities to the tablet category and created a new experience for consumers," said Travis Merrill, vice president of tablet marketing at Samsung Electronics America. "We continue to evolve the Galaxy Note experience with the new Note 10.1 – 2014 Edition. With premium software features and a sophisticated design, we're delivering an exceptional and even more engaging tablet experience."

With improved S Pen capabilities, vibrant display and updated Multi-Window functionality, the new Galaxy Note 10.1 – 2014 Edition delivers an intelligent tablet experience packaged in a sleek, polished design. The Galaxy Note 10.1 – 2014 Edition has been refined with a textured and stitched back cover that is both stylish and comfortable to hold. With an overall smaller size and lighter weight, the new Galaxy Note tablet has smaller bezels and a thinner profile, without sacrificing screen size.

"The Galaxy Note 10.1 – 2014 Edition builds on Samsung's innovative tablet foundation," said Nanda Ramachandran, vice president of emerging business at Samsung Telecommunications America. "With its advanced functionality and expanded features, the Galaxy Note 10.1 – 2014 Edition offers a best- in-class tablet experience that enables new conveniences to empower users to excel in everyday tasks."

Unparalleled Display Quality and Multitasking

Samsung's Galaxy Note 10.1 – 2014 Edition features a large Super Clear LCD display that offers brighter colors and more lifelike graphics. The 2,560 x 1,600 pixel WQXGA display contains over 4 million pixels, offering users a dynamic viewing experience.

To complement the high-resolution display, Samsung introduces a new magazine-style user interface called My Magazine. By allowing users to organize the latest news, social feeds and localized content in an easy-to-use, personalized dashboard on a Super Clear LCD, the Galaxy Note 10.1 – 2014 Edition reinvents how consumers interact with their tablets.

The new Galaxy Note 10.1 is powered by an Exynos® 5420 quad-core processor and 3GB RAM for faster web browsing and multitasking, with rich HD graphics for the best gaming experience. Enhanced multitasking allows users to seamlessly use two different applications side-by-side and easily drag and drop content from one window to another. What's more, certain apps, such as YouTube and Internet, can now be activated simultaneously in both windows.

Enhanced Suite of S Pen Features

The Galaxy Note 10.1 – 2014 Edition comes equipped with an updated S Pen that provides a more responsive, productive and overall efficient tablet experience. The enhanced S Pen also introduces several shortcuts and productivity tools at consumers' fingertips, including:

  • Air Command provides instant access to S Pen features, including Action Memo, Scrapbooker, Screen Write, S Finder and Pen Window all in a convenient hover and click of the button on the S Pen from any point on the screen.
  • Action Memo gives users a quick way to take a note and link that note to a direct action, instantly perform a task, such as searching the Internet or emailing a contact.
  • Scrapbooker capabilities let users organize interesting content with the S Pen and place it into individualized scrapbooks. This feature affords users an easy and functional way to use the S Pen to grab and store videos, photos and clips from Web pages that are linkable back to the original online source. With Scrapbooker, users keep all boards private and then easily choose which content to share.
  • Screen Write lets users easily take a screen capture and edit the shot.
  • S Finder allows users to search the entire device, including handwritten notes and settings, connected accounts and the web through key words or handwritten symbols.
  • Pen Window effortlessly enhances productivity with a stroke of the S Pen. The feature lets users draw a window on screen using the S Pen, which opens a selection of applications, and then minimize it to hover on any screen as the user interface is navigated; perfect for opening a calculator on top of a spreadsheet or quickly setting an alarm.
  • S Note enhancements include a more intuitive and easy-to-use interface. Users still have the ability to use the S Pen to take handwritten notes, or use handwriting-to-text, with access to both note files and notepads. With Easy Chart, hand-drawn data can be instantly transformed into more formal charts and graphs.
  • Content and Services for an Immersive Galaxy Experience

Samsung is partnering with leading news, productivity and entertainment sources to provide over $600 in bundled content for the Galaxy Note 10.1 – 2014 Edition. With Galaxy Perks, consumers have access to popular applications and services, including three months free of Hulu Plus and SiriusXM, and one year of free Boingo Hotspot access. The Galaxy Note 10.1 – 2014 Edition also comes pre-loaded with 50GB of Dropbox free for two years, one year subscription to Bloomberg Businessweek and a 12 week subscription to The New York Times. For more information on Galaxy Perks, please visitwww.samsung.com/us/galaxyperks.

A redesigned Twitter application, with limited exclusivity to the Galaxy Note 10.1 – 2014 Edition, features S-Pen integration and Multi-Window capabilities for a unique Twitter tablet experience.

In addition, the Galaxy Note 10.1 – 2014 Edition will include a Samsung Apps widget, which offers users additional content, optimized for the new 10.1-inch tablet and other Samsung devices. The new tablet is also equipped with Samsung's innovative IR remote capability and WatchON, a search and recommendation service which makes finding TV shows and on-demand video content faster, easier and more personalized, as the hub of the living room.

The Galaxy Note 10.1 – 2014 Edition is Wi-Fi-enabled and available in 16 and 32GB variations with an additional 64GB of storage available via microSD card expansion. The device comes in two color options, Jet Black and Classic White. The Galaxy Note 10.1 – 2014 Edition will retail for $ 549.99 and $599.99 for the 16 and 32GB versions, respectively. It will be available for purchase at Samsung Experience Shops at Best Buy, Best Buy Mobile specialty stores, BestBuy.com, Amazon, PC Richards, Fry's, Tiger Direct, Walmart and Samsung.com, with pre-orders beginning at select retailers on Sept. 27.

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Samsung granted patent for folding wireless keyboard for tablets

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Posted by Abhijeet M. on 26 September 2013 at 10:28

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Samsung could be preparing to launch a new wireless keyboard for tablets, complete with a dock and kickstand to go along with it, as it has recently been granted patents for a wireless keyboard that can act as a kickstand as well. Furthermore, this keyboard will be foldable as well in order to save space, which means it will be a couple of notches more advanced than Samsung's current tablet keyboard offerings.

Of course, granted patents don't necessarily mean we'll see the product actually see the light of day, but it's possible Samsung could be prepping the wireless keyboard as a companion accessory for its upcoming 12.2-inch Galaxy Note, or perhaps for a Windows 8 tablet (that also runs on Android, like the ATIV Q). Be sure to check out the source link for more images that show off the patented designs in detail.

patent-keyboard-1

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Samsung unveils dual SIM Galaxy Trend 3 in China

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Posted by Abhijeet M. on 26 September 2013 at 11:06

trend-3-1-feature

Samsung has officially unveiled the Galaxy Trend 3 in China, a low-end handset that sports dual SIM slots. The device looks similar to the Galaxy Trend DUOS that was launched in India recently, but seems to run on Android 4.2 out of the box instead of 4.1, which is odd since the firmware Samsung rolled out for the Trend 3 the other day was based on 4.1 as well. Even the screen and battery are bigger than the Trend DUOS, so it's likely a case of different variants of misinformation on Samsung's part.

The Galaxy Trend 3 is powered by a 1.2GHz dual-core processor, and includes a microSD slot, and Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and GPS connectivity. Those are the only details mentioned on Samsung's website, but you can expect other specs to be similarly budget-minded. There will be three models: an unlocked SM-G3502U, an SM-G3502 for China Unicom, SM-3508 for China Mobile, and SM-3509 for China Telecom, with each available in powder pink, black, and white color options.

trend-3

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Here’s the Galaxy Note 3′s Consumer Consultant guide, with three times the info in the user manual

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Posted by Abhijeet M. on 26 September 2013 at 9:43

note-3-diagonal-feature

Looking forward to buying a Galaxy Note 3 but afraid you'll be lost in the sea of software features that Samsung's latest phablet will offer? Well, why not download its consumer consultant guide in that case, which explains every single feature of the device in detail? From the new S Pen features, such as Air Command, to basic features such as creating folders on the homescreen, the consultant guide has it all, and will help you learn the ropes of every single feature that Samsung has crammed into its latest iteration of TouchWiz.

Find the download link for the consumer consultant guide just past the break.

consumer-consultant-note

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Samsung Galaxy Note 3 firmware now available for download

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Posted by Abhijeet M. on 26 September 2013 at 7:50

feature-Samsung-Galaxy-Note-31

It was only yesterday that the Galaxy Note 3 went up for sale in more than 140 countries around the world, and now we have the first full firmware for the device available for download. For now, the firmware are for South Korea (the octa-core Exynos model) and are based on Android 4.3, the latest version of Android that runs on the Galaxy Note 3 out of the box.

We'll be uploading firmware for more regions as and when we get our hands on them, which you'll be able to download from our firmware section. The direct links for the South Korean firmware are below, and interested developers can also grab the kernel source from Samsung's Open Source Release Center.

Download: N900SKSUBMI9 | N900SKSUBMI8

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Bell and Virgin confirmed to launch the Galaxy S4 mini in Canada

Posted by Unknown on Wednesday, September 25, 2013

Posted by Abhijeet M. on 25 September 2013 at 11:35

galaxy-s4-mini-feature

Samsung recently announced that the Galaxy S4 mini would be coming to Canada in early October (along with three other devices, including the Note 3), but until now, only carrier TELUS had confirmed it would be making the device available to its customers. Now, both Bell and Virgin Mobile have also been confirmed to be launching the S4 mini, thanks to leaked internal documents obtained by Mobile Syrup.

Virgin will also be stocking the standard Samsung accessories for the handset, but there's no word on pricing and availability for either carrier.

bellmini

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Samsung SM-N601 and SM-N605 10-inch tablets spotted in shipping manifest

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Posted by Abhijeet M. on 25 September 2013 at 18:11

Samsung-Logo_3-small

It seems Samsung is prepping up a new 10-inch tablet as a successor to the Galaxy Tab 3 line of tablets – two variants of an unnamed tablet, carrying model numbers SM-N601 and SM-N605, were recently shipped to India for testing. The value of each device is listed as Rs. 25,008 (around $400), putting the tablet in the mid-range segment of the market, lower than the Galaxy Note 10.1 2014 Edition (SM-P600) and the upcoming 12.2-inch Note (SM-P900) that Samsung is reportedly working on.

We'll have to wait for details on the tablet's specs, but don't be surprised if there are only minor upgrades over the Galaxy Tab 3 10.1, such as the Android version and camera. Between this and all the unknown phones that have been spotted recently, Samsung could break its own record of the number of devices it has in the market at any given time and offer more choices than it has in the past.

SM-N605-and-SM-N601

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