First firmware of Sprint Galaxy S4 (SPH-L720) is now available

Posted by Unknown on Tuesday, April 30, 2013

Posted by FaryaabS on 30 April 2013 at 18:22

sprint-4g

Samsung has just started to push Sprint Galaxy S4′s (SPH-I720) firmware to the KIES server. Today, we received a huge amount of GT-I9500 and GT-I9505 firmwares and we were wondering when we would see the first U.S. carrier branded firmwares of the Galaxy S4, and as we were wondering around Sprint Galaxy S4′s firmware hit the servers! The firmware is based on Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean with Samsung's Nature UX 2.0 running on top of it.

Firmware Details:
Android Version: 4.2.2 – Build JDQ39
PDA: L720VPUAMDC
CSC: L720SPTAMDC
MODEM: L720VPUAMDC
Build Date: April 10
Changelist: 442222

Sprint Galaxy S4′s (SPH-L720) firmware is available for download from our Firmware Section. Now as the official firmware has been released, it's going to rain custom ROMs and custom kernels for the Sprint Galaxy S4 (SPH-L720).

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Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 7.0 makes an appearance on GLBenchmark, much faster than its predecessor

Posted by Unknown

Posted by FaryaabS on 30 April 2013 at 19:06

TAB73

Yesterday, the Galaxy Tab 3 7.0 was officially announced and today the tab makes an appearance on GLBenchmark. The benchmark reveals that the Galaxy Tab 3 7.0 is equipped with a Marvell PXA986 chipset with a Dual-Core CPU clocked at 1.2GHz and a Vivante GC1000 GPU. The processor isn't the best on the market but should offer a significant speed boost over the one packed in its predecessor.

SM-T211

If we compare the Galaxy Tab 3 7.0′s benchmark result with the benchmark result of its predecessor, the Galaxy Tab 2 7.0, we see a tremendous amount of performance improvement. So, if you are looking to upgrade from your Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 or looking to buy a new low-end small tablet with Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean, then look no further.

SM-T211vsP3110

via: GSMArena

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Samsung’s 20nm 4GB LPDDR3 Mobile DRAM goes into production

Posted by Unknown

Posted by FaryaabS on 30 April 2013 at 13:02

samsung-electronics

Samsung starts production of 20nm 4GB LPDDR3 Mobile DRAM. Just few months ago, Samsung started releasing mobile devices with 2GB of RAM, and now it looks like the Korean giant is planning to take the mobile industry to the next level with its 4GB LPDDR3 Mobile DRAM. Samsung's new 20nm LPDDR3 memory chip is blazing fast, transmits data at up to 2,133 megabits per second (Mbps) per pin, and also has a 20 percent drop in power consumption.

PRESS RELEASE

Samsung Now Producing Four Gigabit LPDDR3 Mobile DRAM, Using 20nm-class* Process Technology

SEOUL, South Korea–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., the world leader in advanced memory technology, today announced the industry's first production of ultra-high-speed four gigabit (Gb) low power double data rate 3 (LPDDR3) mobile DRAM, which is being produced at a 20 nanometer (nm) class* process node.

"Our 20nm-class four gigabit mobile DRAM provides another example of our ability to deliver well-differentiated, high-performance, high-density memory to customers in a timely manner."
The new 4Gb LPDDR3 mobile DRAM enables performance levels comparable to the standard DRAM utilized in personal computers, making it an attractive solution for demanding multimedia-intensive features on next-generation mobile devices such as high-performance smartphones and tablets.

"By providing the most efficient next-generation mobile memory with a very large data capacity, we are now enabling OEMs to introduce even more innovative designs in the marketplace," said Young-Hyun Jun, executive vice president, memory sales & marketing, Samsung Electronics. "Our 20nm-class four gigabit mobile DRAM provides another example of our ability to deliver well-differentiated, high-performance, high-density memory to customers in a timely manner."

The 4Gb LPDDR3 can transmit data at up to 2,133 megabits per second (Mbps) per pin, which is more than double the performance of the preceding memory standard mobile DRAM (LPDDR2) with a data transmission speed of 800Mbps. This makes it possible to transmit three full HD videos, collectively 17 Gigabytes (GBs) in length, in one second over the new Samsung chip embedded in a mobile device.

Samsung's 20nm-class LPDDR3 mobile DRAM enables seamless display of full HD video on smartphones with five inch-or-larger screens. In comparison to a 30nm-class LPDDR3 DRAM, the new device generates more than a 30 percent improvement in performance and 20 percent savings in power consumption.

While mobile gadgets continue to scale down in height, battery packs have been increasing in size. By adopting Samsung's 4Gb LPDDR3 mobile DRAM, OEMs can have a 2GB package that includes four of Samsung's new chips in a single package that meets the memory package height of 0.8 millimeters (mm).

Representing a major growth factor in the DRAM market, Samsung plans to increase production of its advanced 20nm-class mobile DRAM later this year, solidifying its competitiveness as a memory industry leader.

According to market research firm, Gartner, the DRAM market is forecast to grow by 13 percent year-over-year to reach $29.6 billion (US) in 2013, with mobile DRAM to exceed $10 billion in sales, for 35 percent of the total DRAM market.

via: Engadget

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Samsung Galaxy S4 Korean (SHV-E300S) official firmware is now available

Posted by Unknown on Monday, April 29, 2013

Posted by DannyD on 29 April 2013 at 8:16

S46

Samsung has just started to push Galaxy S4 (SHV-E300S) firmware to the KIES server as the device is soon going to be launched in various countries. Samsung always releases the firmware before the device itself and it's the same case with the Galaxy S4 Korean, as well. The firmware is based on Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean with Samsung's Nature UX 2.0 running on top of it. Currently, Samsung has only released the firmware for China, we hope other countries to follow soon.

Firmware Details:
Android Version: 4.2.2 – Build JDQ39
PDA: E300SKSUAMDK
CSC: E300SSKTAMDK

The Galaxy S4 Korean (SHV-E300S) firmware is available for download from our Firmware Section. Now as the official firmware have been released, it's going to rain custom ROMs and custom kernels for the Galaxy S4 Korean (SHV-E300S).

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Galaxy S4 Design Video: Contradictory Nonsense?

Posted by Unknown

Posted by Dom A on 29 April 2013 at 12:34

S46

Samsung Tomorrow just released this short about the Galaxy S4 design story. It's looks very nice – we are treated some lovely time-lapse videos, some flattering shots of people looking at phones and what might look like an insight into Samsung's product design choices. The only thing is, once you look past all the distracting time-lapses and jargon… it's just a video full of juxtaposed conflicted opinions. The more attention you pay, the more ridiculous it gets!

 
 

The design is "Not a radical difference, but more of an evolution" says product designer Hyoungshin Park in the first five seconds of the video. Immediately afterwards, we are rhetorically told by designer JongBo Jung (another product designer) that the Galaxy S4 is "Like nothing you've ever seen before".


At least for the Galaxy S3 "Inspired by nature" launch they went all out on the nature thing, talking endlessly and tautologically about flowing water, pebbles and blades of grass bending in the wind… I mean, at least they were consistent!

In the Galaxy S4 video, we are told in no uncertain terms by Hyoungshin that, whereas the Galaxy S3 was inspired by nature, the Galaxy S4 "Form factor was designed with a more rational approach" (does that mean that the Galaxy S3 design was irrational?!) and the "CMF [colour, material and finish] was created with more emotional elements in mind". Then JongBo tells us how they were inspired by nature for the "Black Mist" finish – wanting it to look like "countless stars sparkling in the night sky" or "a precious stone glittering in the sky".

Perhaps it also looks like a disco-ball? Or a block of flats at night? Or… I don't know… a black piece of paper with holes in it? How far can you go!?



We have a picture of a device's design which is not simultaneously an evolution of a previous design, whilst simultaneously being something we've never seen before… something which was both inspired, and not inspired by nature and is more of a rational design than the Galaxy S3.

Don't get me wrong – I think the design of the Galaxy S4 is good. Everyone has their own opinion, but it's hard to call the Galaxy S4 an ugly device. I can't help but think, however, that it would be more interesting to see some of Samsung's actual design processes rather than pumped up, quasi-inspirational and elusively contradictory nonsense.


Let us know what you think in the comments below!

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Samsung posts a video explaining Galaxy S4′s design

Posted by Unknown

Posted by FaryaabS on 29 April 2013 at 11:27

S42

Today, Samsung posted a video explaining the inspirations behind the Galaxy S4′s designAfter the unveiling of the Galaxy S4, many people started to say that the design of the Galaxy S4 is more of an evolution than a revolution and Samsung does agree on that. Samsung did a lot of research and development on the Galaxy S3′s design, which made the Galaxy S3 Samsung's biggest selling device with over 50 million units sold worldwide, and Samsung wanted to "perfect" their already well established design for their latest flagship device, the Galaxy S4.

Via: Engadget

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Rumored Note III protoype is ZOPO ZP950, Samsung has 3 protypes of the Note III

Posted by Unknown

Posted by DannyD on 29 April 2013 at 9:17

NoteII

Yesterday we posted a rumor about the Galaxy Note III. Thanks to a comment in our post we found out that the Galaxy Note III picture was actually fake. The picture of the device is the ZOPO ZP950. Some huge phablet, with mid-range specifications… At the same moment SamMobile received a update mail regarding this picture. The insider confirmed for this isn't even a prototype.

According to our insider Samsung does have 3 good protypes of the Galaxy Note III.
One with the design of the Galaxy S4 which isn't good news for us. One with a completly different design, which sounds better. And the final one, a flexible display design of the Galaxy Note III. Sadly Samsung isn't sure to use it cause of flexible display problems.

Let's hope Samsung could solve the problem and use the flexible display design as LG wants to bring their own smartphone at the end of the year with such a display.

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Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 announced

Posted by Unknown

Posted by DannyD on 29 April 2013 at 9:25

TAB73

Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd, a global leader in digital media and digital convergence technologies, today announced the introduction of the GALAXY Tab 3 – 7-inch tablet featuring sleek design and enhanced capabilities that bring capabilities that bring better performance and multimedia experiences to your fingertips.

With the new GALAXY Tab 3, Samsung has evolved its range of innovative tablets, making them smaller and easier to carry, while increasing the user experience overall

• Easy Handgrip and Portability: Its compact, one-hand grip form factor ensures users can hold comfortably for hours as well as store in a pocket or small bag for reading and entertainment on the go. The sleek and stylish design encompasses thinner bezel than the previous GALAXY Tab 2 (7.0).
• Better Multimedia Performance: Powered by a 1.2GHz Dual Core processor, the device allows for faster downloads and sharing, while providing easy access to videos, apps, games, and the web. Offered with either 8/16 of internal storage plus up to 64GB of expandable memory, the device has plenty of space to hold your favorite photos, music, apps, videos and more.
• Enhanced User Experience: The GALAXY Tab 3 7-inch is equipped to better capture life's moments in stunning clarity and resolution with its 3-megapixel camera rear camera and 1.3 -megapixel front camera. Combined with the latest Android 4.1 (Jelly Bean), it allows users to share photos, videos, and life's special moments through a few quick taps and swipes.

The GALAXY Tab 3 7-inch WiFi version will be available globally beginning May and 3G version will follow in June. The product availability varies by market and will be rolled out gradually.

source

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Samsung to bring the Tab DUOS, Tab 8.0 AMOLED, Tab 11 Super PLS TFT and NEXUS 11

Posted by Unknown

Posted by DannyD on 29 April 2013 at 9:01

samsungHQ

This weekend SamMobile received Samsung's tablet plans for 2013. Samsung wants to bring more tablets for every segment. Samsung want to bring a dual-sim tablet and that maybe sound strange but not unreal. Lenovo has made such a tablet before. Inside the list below you wont find the Galaxy Tab 3. Cause this list is only for this years special tablets from Samsung. As you will notice Google And Samsung are busy with the NEXUS 11 and this has to be the first octa-core tablet from Samsung and Google. Samsung is also busy to create an own high-end 11" tablet plus a follow-up on their AMOLED line-up. Samsung delayed or might even cancel the next generation of Galaxy Note 10.1 cause of the weak sales of this tablet. The specifications of the Galaxy Tab 3 are around the same level as the Galaxy Tab DUOS.

Samsung Galaxy Tab DUOS 7.0
- 7.0" PLS LCD 600 x 1024
- 3 Megapixel (back)
- 2 Megapixel (front)
- Dual-core
- DUAL SIM
- Micro SD 32 GB

Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.0
- 8.0" AMOLED 1080p
- 5 Megapixel
- 2 Megapixel
- Quad-core A9 (Exynos 4412)
- Micro SD 64 GB
* Samsung need to solve AMOLED burning problem first.

Samsung Galaxy Tab 11
- 11" Super PLS TFT
- 8 Megapixel
- 2 Megapixel
- Dual-Core A15 (Exynos 5250)
- Micro SD 64 GB

NEXUS 11*
- 11" Super PLS TFT
- 8 Megapixel
- 2 Megapixel
- Octa-Core A15 (Exynos 5410)
- Micro SD 64 GB
* Needs to get approvement from Google (Worlds first Octa-Core tablet)

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Rumor: Note III to have 5.99” display Octa-Core and 3GB of RAM

Posted by Unknown on Sunday, April 28, 2013

Posted by DannyD on 28 April 2013 at 10:22

samsung-logo

Where the Galaxy S4 is on sale since this weekend, the first rumors started about the Galaxy Note III. According to news.mydrivers.com the Galaxy Note III will support a 5.99" Full HD display, Exynos 5410 Octa with the A15 processor clocked at 2.0 GHz and the A7 processor at 1.7 GHz. The next generation Note device by Samsung will support 3 GB of RAM. Where the Galaxy S4 has 2 GB or RAM. The device self will run Android 4.2.2.

Now because this is an rumor take everything with a pinch of salt. Specially the device picture below. The bezel is way to big to be the Note III and the model number is GT-I9500 Where Samsung always used N for their Note line-up

n3

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Review: Samsung Galaxy Grand DUOS (GT-I9082)

Posted by Unknown on Saturday, April 27, 2013

Posted by DannyD on 27 April 2013 at 13:25

GalaxyGrand1

On December 18th, Samsung announced the Galaxy Grand. The Galaxy Grand will be available in two different colors and versions. One of these versions is the Galaxy Grand DUOS, a dual-sim device. The Samsung Galaxy Grand will be available in a blue and a white version. Now that the Galaxy Grand DUOS has been released for a while, we think it's about time to review this device for you! We at SamMobile own the blue version of the Galaxy Grand DUOS device.

In this review we will discuss the following points:
- Design
- Interface
- Screen
- Camera
- Battery
- Speed
- Conclusion

GalaxyGrand10

Design
As mentioned before, the Galaxy Grand DUOS is available in a blue and a white version. The Galaxy Grand can pretty much be seen as a smaller variant of the Galaxy Note II, or as a bigger variant of the Galaxy SIII depending on your point of view. If you're used to having a Galaxy Note II and you're holding the Galaxy Grand DUOS it feels very comfortable to hold in your hands. Not only the Galaxy Grand is a bit smaller than the Note II, it's also a bit thinner. Pretty much the whole design of the Galaxy Grand has been copied from the Galaxy Note II. The device feels pretty solid to hold. The back texture on the device has been changed to a textured background just like the Galaxy S4 has.

At the front of the device we can see the front camera, level sensors, speakergrill, homebutton and  of course the 5.0" screen. The volume rocker of the device are located on the left side of the device, the powerbutton is located on the right side. On the top of the device there is the 3.5mm headset plug-in hole. Samsung hasn't moved the Micro USB charging point from the bottom of the device since it was introduced there on the Galaxy SII device, so the Galaxy Grand's Micro USB connector is also located on the bottom of the device. On the back of the device there is a LED flashlight, speaker and the 8MP camera sensor. The complete device has been made out of plastic. This doesn't have to be a real problem as Samsung produces very strong plastics, but on the other hand it makes the device lose its premium feeling.
Below we will show you some design photos of the Galaxy Grand. In case you might wonder about the color blue used on the device, it pretty much matches the color of the Galaxy Camera or the back of the Galaxy Note.

Interface
The Samsung Grand DUOS uses Samsung's own Nature UX interface. This interface can also be found on the Galaxy SIII and Galaxy Note II devices for example. But because of Samsung's own system requirements, Samsung had to downgrade it's Nature UX version a bit to make it run smooth on the Galaxy Grand. This means that not all smart functions are available on this device. One of the smart functions the Galaxy Grand DUOS does have is Smart Stay. Smart Stay is able to detect if you're using the device or not by monitoring the front camera. This way the screen can switch quicker between on and off. It also makes sure the screen won't turn off unexpectedly because of the set screen timeout. Another smart feature of the Galaxy Grand DUOS is Multi-Window. The fact that the screen of the device is pretty big combined with the Multi-Window feature makes it able to open two windows on your screen at the same time. This is great if you like multitasking. Multi-Window works pretty well in our opinion. However, not all applications are included with Samsung's device by default.
As stated before, the Galaxy Grand has an 5.0" screen. Samsung's Nature UX interface is pretty easy to use. This works great most of the time, but can sometimes also be annoying to the end user.
The Galaxy Grand has a screen resolution of 480×800 pixels, which can sometimes make the icons look pretty large. This might bother some people, but you will probably get used to it pretty fast. The Nature UX used on the Galaxy Grand contains a homescreen, menu and widgets. This is the same as for the other devices using the Nature UX. The widgets are resizable in both width and height.
Because we're testing the Galaxy Grand DUOS variant in this review, we're also testing it with two sim cards inserted. When changing between the sim cards is done, the background of the device also changes to make it clear that the sim has changed. This feature can also be found in the older Galaxy S DUOS device. Samsung has also made a settings menu to manage the dual-sim settings. This way the end user can choose which sim to use for the internet connection and which sim to use to make phone calls. It is also possible to temporary disable a sim card or enable both of them at the same time.
While navigating through the interface we have noticed that the device can be used very smooth when navigating the menu. However, sometimes we did notice a small delay which might be more firmware than hardware related. This might be gone in the next firmware update. We're pretty sure the device will get updated to Android 4.2.2 in the near future.

As you might have noticed, we did not really go into too much details of the Nature UX interface. This is mostly because the interface is not new to the most people. This interface can now even be found on Samsung's second flagship device from a while ago (2012), the Galaxy SIII. The good thing about the Nature UX is the fact that it is really easy to use. Pretty much all functions do not need any explanation thanks to this interface. Some more hardcore users might find this boring however, it's a matter of personal preference mostly.


Screen

The Galaxy Grand DUOS uses a 5.0" LCD screen with a resolution of 480×800 pixels. Because this resolution is pretty low, the pixels per inch (PPI) are also a bit lower than usual. The PPI of this device is 187 pixels per inch. Compared with the Galaxy S4 (same screen size), which has a PPI of 441, the difference is very clear as it is more than twice as much! But the price of the Galaxy Grand has also a lot lower price than the price of the Galaxy S4, so a bit of a lower-spec screen can be expected as the price is also about half of the Galaxy S4! Nevertheless the screen is pretty good for the price. The colors seem very natural to the end user. The major disadvantage of the LCD screens like these are the black colors of the screen. This is mostly a problem when watching videos (eg Youtube), especially when you're used to AMOLED screens. On AMOLED screens the color black means the screen is actually off, which makes black really look like black. The Samsung Galaxy S series are equipped with AMOLED screens for example. The disadvantage of AMOLED screens on the other hand might be that some users feel like these colors might look a bit over-the-top (not natural) anymore. Our summary is that the screen of the Galaxy Grand is just good. The resolution might have been a bit higher but the overall display is very good considering the price of this device.

Camera
Samsung is using a 8MP back camera in the Galaxy Grand DUOS and a 2MP front camera as well. The 8MP back camera can take excellent pictures at a maximum resolution of 3264×2448 pixels. The Galaxy Grand DUOS allows Full HD filming as well. Most people barely use the front camera in everyday usage as video calling isn't really a mainstream success (yet). However, the front camera is very useful for smart functions like the Smart Stay function discussed above.
The back camera can take pictures in a lot of modes. One of these modes is the brightness. By adjusting the brightness, you might be able to take even better pictures with the camera. Some different landscape modes are included by Samsung as well. Other modes worth mentioning are the Smile, Burst and Panorama modes. For Panorama photos the maximum angle of the pictures is 180 degrees. We hope the next update will support 360 degrees photos for the Panorama mode.
Below you will find some screenshots of the camera modes of this device and some photos taken with the actual device. A video from the Galaxy Grand DUOS is also included.

Battery
Samsung has used an excellent battery in the Galaxy Grand DUOS device. The capacity of this battery is 2100mAH; enough to cover a full day of intensive use of this device. The standby time of the Galaxy Grand DUOS is very good, however, the standby time of the regular Galaxy Grand is even better as it doesn't have dual sim cards connecting to a mobile network. We did not have any complaints about the battery ourselves. With regular use the battery can last about 1 to 3 days. For intensive use of the device it will last about 1 full day. The standby time of the device is about 2 to 3 weeks.

Speed
As we have mentioned above the speed of the Galaxy Grand DUOS is pretty good but not excellent at some points. Most people probably won't notice this, but we did. However, we must add that the Galaxy Grand is positioned in the market as a Mid-range Android phone and we usually only use High-end Android phones ourselves so this isn't really a fair comparison. The Galaxy Grand features an 1.2 GHz dual-core processor which is fast enough to give the end user an enjoyable experience for daily usage. However, intensive gaming is not meant to be done with this particular device.

GalaxyGrand16

Conclusion
The Galaxy Grand DUOS is a great device for end users with two sim cards. It is comfortable to hold in your hands and is pretty fast. Also the Nature UX interface by Samsung makes it very easy to use. We are a bit disappointed by the screen, especially the screens resolution might have been a bit higher in our opinion. This would make the icons a bit less big and the PPI a bit higher. The camera and the battery on the other hand are pretty good.
We ourselves would only buy this device because of its ability to handle two sim cards at
the same time. For the regular Galaxy Grand the screen resolution is just not good enough for the price in our opinion. However, the device still is a perfect Mid-range Android phone to experience the use of a large screen smartphone at a reasonable price.

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Galaxy S4 goes on sale in the United Kingdom and The Netherlands

Posted by Unknown

Posted by DannyD on 27 April 2013 at 10:10

mobilegroupplay

A month after the unveiling of Samsung's latest flagship device, the Galaxy S4, it finally goes on sale! The Galaxy S4 was the most anticipated device of the year and it was really worth the wait. People are showing a huge amount of interest in Samsung's latest creation and due to the overwhelming global demand, initial supplies of the handset may be limited because of its limited stock of memory components.

Nevertheless, starting from today the Galaxy S4 goes on sale in Unitked Kingdom and The Netherlands. It will be available in rest of the countries starting from tomorrow and the people who pre-ordered their Galaxy S4s should start receiving their devices from today.

The Galaxy S4 features a stunning 5″ Full HD Super AMOLED display panel, an Exynos 5 Octa (8-Core) CPU clocked at 1.6GHz, a Tri-Core PowerVR SGX 544MP3 GPU, (or a Quad-Core Snapdragon 600 CPU clocked at 1.9GHz and Adreno 320 GPU, depending on the market) and 2GB of RAM. The device has a 13MP camera which capable of shooting up to Full HD 1080p videos at 30FPS and a 2.1MP front facing camera which is capable of shooting up to Full HD 1080p videos, as well.

The Galaxy S4 runs on Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean with Samsung's new TouchWiz UX 2.0 out of the box. The device also includes Samsung's Smart Features: Smart Stay, Smart Pause, Smart Scroll and Smart Pause, Air Gestures, S Voice, S Health and S Translator.

The advice price of the Galaxy S4 is Euro 700

We are LIVE in London so make sure you follow us on twitter!

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Samsung Galaxy S4′s (GT-I9505) official firmwares are now available

Posted by Unknown

Posted by FaryaabS on 27 April 2013 at 10:40

S414

Samsung has just started to push Galaxy S4′s (GT-I9505) firmwares to the KIES server as the device is soon going to be launched in various countries. Samsung always releases the firmware before the device itself and it's the same case with the Galaxy S4, as well. The firmware is based on Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean with Samsung's Nature UX 2.0 running on top of it. Currently, Samsung has only released the firmware for Germany, we hope other countries to follow soon.

Firmware Details:
Android Version: 4.2.2 – Build JDQ39
PDA: I9505XXUAMDM
CSC: I9505OXAAMDM

All the Galaxy S4 (GT-I9505) firmwares are available for download from our Firmware Section. Now as the official firmwares have been released, it's going to rain custom ROMs and custom kernels for the Galaxy S4 (GT-I9505).

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Review: Samsung Chromebook (XE303C12-A01)

Posted by Unknown

Posted by MichaelR on 27 April 2013 at 9:54

7

7

Intro
Last year at the end of November Samsung and Google announced a new Chromebook, a 11.6 inch thin and lightweight laptop running on Samsung's latest Exynos 5 Dual-core processor. This is infact the first Chromebook that is running on a ARM based processor instead of a x86 based processor like all the previous Samsung Chromebooks. Samsung and Google have positioned the new Chromebook as a Chromebook for everyone with a relatively bargain price tag.

In this review we are going to take a look if the new Chromebook is worth the money and if its capable to use it for your daily tasks!

Specs

Modelname:

Chromebook XE303C12-A01

Processor:

1.7 Ghz Exynos 5 Dual-core

RAM

2 Gigabyte

Storage

16 GB Flash + 100 GB Google Drive

Screensize:

11.6

Screen Resolution:

1366 x 768 pixels (135 pixels per inch)

WiFi:

802.11 a/b/g/n

Bluetooth

3.0

USB

1 USB 2.0 port + 1 USB 3.0 port

Dimensions

17,5 x 289,5 x 205.5 mm

Weight

1.13 KG (incl. battery)

Color

Silver

32

Design:
Looking at the new Chromebook you'll immediately notice that Samsung and Google has taken the safe side with designing the product, since it doesn't stand out from other laptops. This is not directly a problem, infact we can understand Samsung and Google's decision because they positioned it more as a mainstream product and to be honest we really liked the thin and lightweight design and also the smooth and curved edges are quite nice. Its also has good ergonomics and its easy to carry around, just like you would expect from an ultra portable product.

We are also pleased with the built quality especially for its price its sturdy and well made, even when it is made entirely out of plastic.

The only thing which we didn't like is the kind of odd placement of the 2 x USB ports and the HDMI port on the back. If you want to plug in an USB device you have to turn the Chromebook before you can insert it.

654

Operating System and Apps:
The Chromebook is running on Google's Chrome OS (latest version). In 2009 Google announced their new Chrome OS which has a different approach than Mac OSX or Windows for computers. Chrome OS is running the Google Chrome browser on top of a Linux kernel and the idea behind this philosophy is cloud computing and simplicity for the end users, because the user doesn't have to worried about saving his data since this will all be done automatically in the cloud. The whole idea of Chrome OS is also based on web applications, since its not possible to use native apps. In the Chrome Web Store you can 'download' your webapps which are basically just shortcuts in your app drawer.

Home Screen Apps trayChrome Webstore Browser SamMobile

Updating and protecting your Chromebook against virussen is also not needed since updating is managed by the OS itself, it will always check for the latest available version and it has built-in security to make sure that the users can safely use their Chromebook. Google claimed that Chrome OS would be the most secure consumer operating system.

Since its basically it is just a web browser you'll also notice that the booting times are in some way extremely fast, comparing with Mac or Windows computers and thanks to Samsung's fast booting technology you are able to use your Chromebook in just 10 seconds after a cold boot.

On the Chromebook you won't find any Samsung software, the only software features you will find are all coming from Google. Google has 'preloaded' the Chromebook with several own services like Maps, Gmail, YouTube, Drive, Music (depends in which country you are) and of course Chrome. All of these services have the same interface which most of you already know when you are using these services on your pc. We hoped that Google would use a more modern user interface for some of their services especially in Maps and Gmail. The standard interface gets the job done but since this is Google's way to use a pc we hoped for something more. We still have to say that we like the user interface of Chrome OS, which is clean and have some nifty UI elements.

YouTubeGoogle Maps

All multimedia apps like photo viewer, video player and music player are really basic, this means that you don't have any settings, so no repeat option or subtitle support.

The photo viewer is not the fastest when loading photo's but it gets the job done. Unfortunately Google didn't implemented any multi-touch gestures so you can't use pinch-to-zoom and you can't flick fast through your photo's but instead you'll have to use the standard zooming controls and scrolling option.

The video player plays MP4 and AVI files, but we noticed lots of dropping frames when watching an AVI file even in non-hd. With MP4 files it handles it much better but still we noticed some frame drops. We have to say that the Chromebook is handling 1080p YouTube videos just fine the most of the time.

The music player plays MP3 and M4A files fine without any issues, its shows a small album and some music controls options but thats all.

Overall we hope that Google will improve the interfaces of these apps and that they also will extended the features in the near future.

Video PlayerPhoto GalleryMusic Player

Chrome OS also has a file browser which has a clean and simple interface, you only have access to 3 sections like: Downloads (where downloads are stored on the 16 GB onboard storage), Drive and an optional SD card. You have the option to view your files in a listview or a thumbnail view. Scrolling through your files is not fast in fact its quite slow, if you want to search through your files then we suggest you to use the search box.

File Browser

Performance:
During the time we tested the Chromebook we have to say that it has surprised us how powerful this little machine is, especially if you keep in mind that its just powered by an ARM Exynos 5 Dual Core processor.

With general usage its delivers a quite smooth experience, but we noticed that the performance is not consistent, in some occasions its fast and smooth but sometimes its slow and jerky (depends on the usage of the machine).

We also liked the Camera app where you can use real time layers which works really well without any performance issues, you'll directly noticed the power of the Exynos processor.

Samsung and Google are claiming that you can use the Chromebook for 6.5 hours and normally you have to take these claims with a pinch of salt but we have to say that Samsung and Google were quite right! We did several tests, with browsing the internet, watching offline video and YouTube videos and hours of playing music. Most of the time we got about 6 till 6.15 hours of usage. As with most laptops we also noticed that playing videos (especially offline) is really draining the battery.

We did our tests with keeping the brightness of the screen at a medium level, so you have to get even more out of the Chromebook when you are lowering the brightness level.

The keyboard and trackpad are really a joy to use. The keyboard works fine, all keys are easy to press and you get a nice clicky response when typing. We also liked the Chrome OS specific keys like some controls keys but also a task switching option and a window maximizer option.

The trackpad is made of plastic but has a smooth finished and it works pretty good. It easily recognizes some gestures like click-to-drag and 2 finger scroll. We only noticed that it have some difficulties with recognizing a 2 finger click which should be working as a right click, but we assume Google and Samsung can solve this with a software update.

Conclusion:
We have used the Chromebook for some while now and we have to say we liked using it even knowing its shortcomings! Its slim and lightweight easy to carry around. We're also pleased with the excellent keyboard and the matte screen (so less to no reflections in sunlight).

But can we recommend to buy the Chromebook? Well that is depending on how you are going to use it and what are your expectations. If you want to use it mostly outside keep in mind that you can't use all features of the Chromebook since you just have a few offline apps and you have limited storage built-in. If you are expecting that the Chromebook can replace your desktop as a powerhouse for video editing of photo editing, then we can say directly that you have to consider other options. Since the Chromebook isn't ready for these tasks and is not that powerful enough for heavy editing work. In the webstore you'll find some editing apps but these are just for some lightweight editing work.

We would recommend the Chromebook for users who are looking to buy an extra productivity device. Who can live with the limitations of the Chrome OS. We also believe that the Chromebook can be interesting for people who are considering to buy a tablet. If you want to have the portability of a tablet and want's to use for more, than we can advise you to take a look at the Chromebook especially with the bargain price tag it's an interesting product.

Even that we liked using the Chromebook there is still room for improvements. We didn't like the placements of the ports on the back side. Since you have to turn the Chromebook before you can plug-in any devices.

Software wise we would like to see a more cleaner and modern user interface in some Google services like Maps and Gmail. The current interface is not bad but it looks more outdated.

And last but not least the multimedia functionality and play back is really bad. You don't have any settings and features wise it's lacking some implementations that most operating systems nowadays supports. Offline video playback is nothing to write home about unfortunately. But most of these drawbacks can be fixed by Google with a software update.

This is the first Chromebook of Samsung and Google running on a ARM based processor and we have to say to that most of the time you don't notice it. We are looking forward to see the next generation of Chromebooks running on ARM based processor!

7

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Size Doesn’t Matter: It’s How You Use It

Posted by Unknown on Friday, April 26, 2013

Posted by Dom A on 26 April 2013 at 13:27

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Brace yourself for large smack of innuendo.

It's 2011. Hidden away in a not-so-top secret room in the basement of a hotel somewhere in Barcelona. Myself and a small group of intrepid journos are shown the first glimpses of a Galaxy S2. It looked big.

Think contextually: In 2011 a 4.3'' screen was considered to be pretty enormous. The Galaxy S2 was only matched in size by HTC's behemoth HD2. At the launch event and throughout the week of the Mobile World Congress, people's reactions to the Galaxy S2's size were mixed. Most people said something like "It's just too big", or "Imagine holding it up to your face!", and more than once "It's like a phone from that Dom Joly sketch".

That Dom Joly sketch:

At the end of 2011, Samsung announced the Galaxy Note in Berlin with it's 5.3'' screen. JK Shin announced it as a "New Category" between a smartphone and a tablet. Opinion was divided on this size – I'd say about 50-50. I heard many "industry experts" (apparently every single person who attends these events is an industry expert) reject the size entirely – saying that it was far too large and just a marketing gimmick. Today the Galaxy Note size has been affectionately and readily adopted by consumers as a "phablet"… but already the "standard" smartphone size isn't too far behind…

With the 4.8'' screen of the Galaxy S3 and 5'' screen of the newly launched Galaxy S4: Samsung's latest flagship smartphone range is already catching up with the phablets.

The Galaxy S4 has a 5'' display inside a chassis the same size as the 4.8'' Galaxy S3. Image from KensTechTips

So, given the initial resistance to larger smartphone sizes, why is it that manufacturers are making bigger and bigger flagship devices? Samsung have recently announced the "Galaxy Mega" which is in the 6'' range, and we expect the Galaxy Note 3 to be up there, too!

The Galaxy Mega is a whopping 6.3''

Well, there are undoubtedly many advantages of a larger device. As long as you can fit it in your pocket, then the bigger the better!

  • Multimedia: You get a much richer multimedia experience. A larger screen size makes it easier for the eyes to pick out details, as there will be more pixels to look at. It's also much easier to type on a larger display, as you don't have to be as accurate with your finger taps.

  • Samsung's larger phones allow for split-screen multitasking, so you can look at an manage two Apps at once.

  • You can fit a larger battery into a larger device. Even though the screen is larger and using more power, you are able to fit considerably larger batteries. The Galaxy Note 2 has a 3100mAh battery, and one of the best battery lives of all smartphones.

The disadvantages are few and far between. Larger devices are somewhat less portable, and perhaps the glass is more likely to break when dropped (as there is more of it), but then again, glass is always likely to break when you drop it!!

So what does the future hold for smartphone size? Samsung is making a bold move by moving their new flagship ranges entirely into the 5''+ category, leaving anything below for the rest for their so-named "Mini" devices (which would be considered large 2 years ago!).

4'' Galaxy S3 Mini (left) compared to 5'' Galaxy S4.

I think it's fair to say that once you've got used to using a larger device, it's hard to go back to a smaller one. Screen technology is certainly evolving quickly… but when do you think that enough is enough? Some people would have it stop at 6'' … but I don't think there's anything wrong with going a little big bigger!

What do you think about phone size – are flagship phones getting too big?! Let us know!

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Samsung extends standard 24-month warranty with accidental damage for some african countries

Posted by Unknown

Posted by MartinR on 26 April 2013 at 13:53

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Samsung is extending the 24-month warranty with een extra of accidental damage in some markets without extra cost.
The accidental damages covers board damages by liquids and broken displays.

African costumers from the following 15 countries will have this extra service with few limitations: South Africa, Nigeria, Kenya, Ghana, Senegal, Sudan, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Namibia, Zambia, Mauritius, Uganda, Cote d'Ivorie, Angola, Botswana, and Mozambique.

This extra service covers two accidental damages to your phone, and it doesn't matter if brake your screen or spill some liquids on your board twice. After that you need to pay for repairing your phone like you would do normally.
If you get your phone repair it will be at ZERO cost, and if you want this extra service you need to register your phone for the e-warranty service.

To quote George Ferreira, VP and COO of Samsung Electronics Africa:  "This warranty is yet another way Samsung is showing its commitment to customer service by introducing it as standard on the Galaxy S4 and will be extended to other Samsung devices in the months to come" .

Source/Via

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Samsung Galaxy S4 DUOS goes on sale in China!

Posted by Unknown

Posted by DannyD on 26 April 2013 at 10:35

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A month after the unveiling of Samsung's latest flagship device, the Galaxy S4 DUOS, it finally goes on sale! The Galaxy S4 DUOS was the most anticipated device of the year and it was really worth the wait. People are showing a huge amount of interest in Samsung's latest creation and due to the overwhelming global demand, initial supplies of the handset may be limited because of its limited stock of memory components.

Nevertheless, starting from today the Galaxy S4 DUOS (GT-I9502) goes on sale in China.

The Galaxy S4 DUOS features a stunning 5″ Full HD Super AMOLED display panel, an Exynos 5 Octa (8-Core) CPU clocked at 1.6GHz, a Tri-Core PowerVR SGX 544MP3 GPU, 2GB of RAM. The device has a 13MP camera which capable of shooting up to Full HD 1080p videos at 30FPS and a 2.1MP front facing camera which is capable of shooting up to Full HD 1080p videos, as well.

The Galaxy S4 DUOS runs on Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean with Samsung's new TouchWiz UX 2.0 out of the box. The device also includes Samsung's Smart Features: Smart Stay, Smart Pause, Smart Scroll and Smart Pause, Air Gestures, S Voice, S Health and S Translator.

via

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Samsung internal test: Galaxy S4: good, but not the best

Posted by Unknown

Posted by DannyD on 26 April 2013 at 8:49

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Samsung made an internal test about the Galaxy S4. Samsung tested all latest high-range Android devices and came to the conclusion. The Galaxy S4 is a great phone but not the best Android device. Since Samsung announced the Galaxy S4 telecom websites blamed Samsung again about using the same design and plastic build quality. Telecom websites compared the device with the Sony Xperia Z and HTC One. The websites came to the conclusion that the HTC One is the best phone as second place the Galaxy S4.

What kind of devices Samsung used to compare with is still a question but read the quotes below.

Galaxy S4: good, but not the best
· Samsung is conquering the smartphone market and leading among manufacturers of Android running devices.
· The test was very impressive, but we do not think that this model can revolutionize the market.

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