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Samsung announces Galaxy Ace 2 and the Galaxy mini 2

Feb 212012

Samsung today announced two new additions to its Galaxy lineup: the GALAXY Ace 2 and the GALAXY mini 2.

“Launched in 2011, GALAXY Ace and GALAXY mini have been a huge success in the global market. Today, we introduce GALAXY Ace 2 and GALAXY mini 2 with upgraded features and services,” said JK Shin, President of IT & Mobile Communications Division at Samsung Electronics. “Our goal remains the same—to continue to create new and improved mobile experiences that deliver something suitable for everyone. This is the hallmark of Samsung’s GALAXY range and what has made the GALAXY brand such a runaway hit with consumers around the world.”

Samsung Galaxy Ace 2 specifications:

Processor: 800MHz dual-core
Operating system: Google Android 2.3 with Samsung TouchWiz
Cellular connectivity: Quad-band GPRS/EDGE and dual-band HSDPA 14.4Mbps
Other connectivity: GPS, 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi, Wi-Fi Direct, Bluetooth 3.0, Optional NFC
Display: 3.8-inch WVGA (480×800) PLS LCD
Input: Capacitive touchscreen
Memory: 768MB RAM
Storage: 4GB onboard and microSD cards
Rear-facing camera: 5MP AF with flash
Front-facing camera: VGA
Battery: 1,500mAh
Dimensions / weight: 62.2 x 118.3 x 10.5 millimeters, 122 grams

Samsung Galaxy mini 2 specifications:

Processor: 800MHz single-core
Operating system: Google Android 2.3 with Samsung TouchWiz
Cellular connectivity: Quad-band GPRS/EDGE and dual-band HSDPA 7.2Mbps
Other connectivity: A-GPS, 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 3.0, DLNA
Display: 3.27-inch HVGA (320×480) LCD
Input: Capacitive touchscreen
Memory: 512MB RAM
Storage: 4GB onboard and microSD cards
Rear-facing camera: 3MP FF
Front-facing camera: None
Battery: 1,300mAh
Dimensions / weight: 58.6 x 109.4 x 11.9 millimeters / 106.8 grams (NFC) or 58.6 x 109.4 x 11.6 millimeters / 105.3 grams (Non-NFC)

The Samsung GALAXY mini 2 will launch initially in France in March while the Samsung GALAXY Ace 2 will initially be available starting in the UK in April. Both will be rolled out globally but further details were not announced.

Amazon working on colour e-ink reader and 10-inch Kindle Fire?

Posted by Jerome No Responses »

Feb 212012

Amazon According to the Chinese-language Economic Daily News, Amazon could launch a 6-inch colour e-ink reader later this year. Such a device would be the company’s first to use a colour e-ink display.

The report indicates that E Ink Holdings (EIH) has received an order from Amazon to supply it with three million ePaper modules per month starting in March. This suggests that component production may be ramping up with production of the reader itself to take place sometime later.

A separate report indicates that Amazon is also looking at launching a 10-inch Kindle Fire tablet in Q2. Foxconn has apparently received the manufacturing contract according to Digitimes‘ supply chain sources. A previous rumour had suggested that Amazon would first launch an 8.9-inch version of the Kindle Fire in the Q2 timeframe and only later follow up with a larger 10.1-inch version.

MWC 2012: ZTE to unveil two LTE Android 4.0 smartphones

Posted by Jerome No Responses »

Feb 202012

ZTE today announced that it will unveil two LTE Android 4.0 smartphones at next week’s Mobile World Congress.

“These LTE devices are the fore-runners of a wide range of LTE devices ZTE will bring to the market in the coming months, and as more and more LTE networks come on stream,” said Mr. He Shiyou, Executive Vice President and Head of the Terminal Division of ZTE. “They will be feature products – among a very wide range of devices on display at the ZTE stand at Mobile World Congress 2012.”

The ZTE PF200 will sport a 4.3-inch qHD touchscreen display, a rear-facing 8MP camera, a front-facing 1080p camera for video calling. It will support the “main” GSM, UMTS, and LTE spectrum bands as well as A-GPS/GPS, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 2.1, DLNA, mobile high-definition link (MHL), and NFC.

ZTE PF200

The ZTE N910, which appears to be a lower-end model, will come with a WVGA touchscreen (size undisclosed), a rear-facing 5MP AF camera with flash and a front-facing 1080p camera for video calling. It will support CDMA, EVDO and LTE FDD bands ans well as GPS, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and DLNA.

ZTE N910

The press release indicates that these will be powered by “1.2GHz and 1.5GHz chipsets” but does not reveal which device will have which.

More on these during our MWC 2012 coverage.

ASUS Transformer TF300T specifications revealed?

Posted by Jerome No Responses »

Feb 172012

A leak earlier this month revealed another ASUS Transformer Prime tablet, the TF300T. Unfortunately, there were few details to go with the images. Polish site has now obtained a screenshot that sheds light on the specifications of this tablet:

Processor: 1.2GHz quad-core NVIDIA Tegra 3
Operating system: Google Android 4.0
Cellular connectivity: None
Other connectivity: 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 2.1
Display: 10.1-inch 1200×800-pixel IPS
Input: Docking keyboard
Memory: 1GB RAM
Storage: 16GB onboard and microSD cards
Rear-facing camera: 8MP
Front-facing camera: 1.2MP
Connectors: micro-HDMI
Dimensions / weight: 180.8 x 263 x 9.9 millimeters / 640 grams

The document also reveals that the upcoming TF700T could come with a 1.5GHz dual-core processor rather than an Nvidia Tegra 3 one.

It remains to be seen if ASUS will announce its latest Transformer tablet at the upcoming Mobile World Congress.

Swype updated for Android 4.0

Posted by Jerome No Responses »

Feb 172012

There is good news for Swype users who were missing their favourite software keyboard on their Android 4.0 devices. The latest beta version (v3.26.92.38303) brings with it Ice Cream Sandwich support.

Ice Cream Sandwich users rejoice! Swype now officially supports ICS! This initial release for ICS may still contain a few, hard-to-find bugs, but we know how much you’ve been asking for it, so we figured it was time to let the beast out of its cage. Enjoy the best touchscreen keyboard on the best version of Android, with all of the latest features, such as language downloads and advanced language modeling!

Nuance recommends that Android 4.0 users disable the ICS built-in spell-checker as Swype uses a different dictionary and having the former enabled could lead to “misspellings” still showing up as the ICS dictionary takes precedence over Swype’s.

Other new features include improved prediction accuracy in a number of languages, a re-enabled EMOTICON key in SMS apps, bug fixes and more. U.S. users will also see Dragon GO! integration.

The Swype beta is not available through the Android Market. If you are participating in the beta program, it will be pushed out automatically to you. If not registered yet, you can sign up and download it.

New details and name for upcoming HTC Endeavor?

Posted by Jerome No Responses »

Feb 172012

The HTC Endeavor was formerly known as the HTC Edge and it now appears to be headed for another name change. PocketNow has learned that it could be launched (likely at Mobile World Congress) as the HTC One X or HTC One^X.

Meanwhile, a second report supports earlier rumours about the HTC Endeavor’s specifications. MoDaCo‘s source confirms that details leaked earlier are correct and adds a few more to complete the picture:

Processor: 1.5GHz quad-core Nvidia AP33 Tegra 3
Operating system: Google Android 4.0 with HTC Sense 4.0
Cellular connectivity: 21Mbps HSDPA
Other connectivity: A-GPS, 802.11 a/b/g/n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0, NFC
Display: 4.7-inch HD (720 x 1280) S-LCD 2
Input: Capacitive touchscreen
Memory: 1GB RAM
Storage: 32GB internal / No microSD card slot
Rear-facing camera: 8MP with f/2.2 lens, backlit sensor and 1080p video capture
Front-facing camera: 1.3MP capable of 720p video capture
Battery: 1,800mAh
Dimensions: 8.8 millimeters thick with unibody design
Other: Beats Audio, microSIM card, FM radio

MoDaCo adds that the buttons seen on leaked images have been replaced by capacitive ones typical of an Android 4.0 device. The only physical buttons will be the power button and volume rocker. It will also have a dual-colour (green and amber) LED notification rather than a multi-colour one like on the Galaxy Nexus.

The dual-core HTC Ville looks set to be launched as the One S alongside the HTC One X/Endeavor/Edge.

Android 4.0 update delayed for ASUS Eee Pad Transformer

Posted by Jerome No Responses »

Feb 172012

ASUS Eee Pad Transformer The Android 4.0 update for the original ASUS Eee Pad appears to have slipped further out. The last update suggested mid-February but a Facebook post by ASUS Singapore suggests it will now be later than that:

Dear fellow Asus members, we would like to say that we appreciate all the support we see in our Asus Facebook page every day. It makes our contributions worthwhile and fulfilling.

We are informed that the ICS upgrade for TF101 will be ready within the Feb/March 2012 period. You will be able to receive the upgrade notification via FOTA once we have a confirmation date.

We thank you for your patience and understanding in this matter

ASUS had originally indicated that the update would come “a.s.a.p.” after the release of the one for the Transformer Prime. ASUS has since then pushed it out a number of times. No reason has yet to be given for these delays.

Google Android 5.0 (Jelly Bean) coming in Q2?

Posted by Jerome No Responses »

Feb 162012

Google Android 4.0 has barely made it onto about 1% of all Android devices that Google may be gearing up to launch the next major version of the mobile OS. Digitimes is reporting that Google could launch Jelly Bean (Android 5.0) sometime in the second quarter (perhaps at Google I/O 2012?). The move could be tied to Microsoft’s upcoming Windows 8 release and the claim that “Android 4.0 has fallen short of original expectations.”

The report adds that Android 5.0 will feature further optimization for tablet devices. The new version could also make it easier for tablets to support both Android 5.0 and Windows 8 and allow customers to switch between the two without rebooting. Could Google be about to once again split Android into smartphone and tablet versions (as it did with Android 3.0 before reunifying them in Android 4.0)?

Given that most people are still waiting for Android 4.0, a new version (especially with the capabilities listed here), such a launch seems premature. It could end up harming the Android ecosystem more than help it.

This one will stay in the wild rumours category until more information comes to light…

Samsung Galaxy Note now available in Canada

Posted by Jerome No Responses »

Feb 142012

The much anticipated Samsung Galaxy Note is now available in Canada from Bell Mobility, Rogers Wireless and TELUS Mobility.

Samsung Galaxy Note specifications:

Processor: 1.4GHz dual-core
Operating system: Google Android 2.3 (upgradeable to Android 4.0)
Cellular connectivity: LTE/HSPA/GSM/GPRS/EDGE
Other connectivity: 802.11 a/b/g/n Wi-Fi Direct, Bluetooth 3.0
Display: 5.3-inch WXGA (1280×800) Super AMOLED with Gorilla Glass
Input: Capacitive touchscreen, S Pen digital pen
Memory: 512MB RAM
Storage: 16GB onboard and micro SD cards up to 32GB
Rear-facing camera: 8MP with LED flash
Front-facing camera: 2MP
Battery: 2500mAh
Dimensions / weight: 146.85 x 82.95 x 9.65 millimeters / 178 grams

Prices start at CA$199.99 with a three-year contract at all three carriers. Bell is also offering it for CA$729.95 with no contract. Rogers is also offering it for CA$599.99 with a two-year contract, CA$649.99 with a one-year contract, or CA$699.99 with no contract. TELUS is also offering it for CA$679.99 with a two-year contract, CA$729.99 with a one-year contract, or CA$779.99 with no contract.

Samsung announces GALAXY Tab 2 (7.0) tablet

Posted by Jerome No Responses »

Feb 132012

Samsung today announced its first new tablet for 2012. It is fitting that the Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 (7.0) is the successor to its very first Android tablet, the Samsung Galaxy Tab.

“Two years ago, Samsung GALAXY Tab began to offer customers more possibilities on the go. Since then, Samsung has actively enhanced our tablet line-up with several tablets in different sizes,” said JK Shin, President of IT & Mobile Communications Division at Samsung Electronics. “The new GALAXY Tab 2 (7.0) will provide people with delighted multimedia experience and allow efficient communication.”

Samsung Galaxy Tab 2. (7.0) specifications:

Processor: 1GHz dual-core
Operating system: Google Android 4.0 with Samsung TouchWiz
Cellular connectivity: Quad-band HSPA+ 21Mbps on 3G model
Other connectivity: A-GPS (on 3G model only), 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi, Wi-Fi Direct, Bluetooth 3.0,
Display: 7-inch WSVGA (1024×600) PLS
Input: Capacitive touchscreen
Memory: 1GB RAM
Storage: 8/16/32GB onboard options and microSD cards up to 32GB
Rear-facing camera: 3MP FF
Front-facing camera: VGA
Battery: 4,000mAh
Dimensions / weight: 193.7 x 122.4 x 10.5 millimeters, 344g

Offered in both in 3G and Wi-Fi versions, the Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 (7.0) will launch first in the UK in March. It will be available in other global markets later. Pricing information was not provided.

Google announces Chrome for Android

Posted by Jerome No Responses »

Feb 092012

Google yesterday introduced Chrome for Android. Currently in beta, it brings Google’s browser to to Android 4.0 phones and tablets.

Like the desktop version, Chrome for Android Beta is focused on speed and simplicity, but it also features seamless sign-in and sync so you can take your personalized web browsing experience with you wherever you go, across devices.

Chrome for Android is very similar to its PC cousin but features a few differences as well. For example, tabs are implemented slightly differently to make them more suitable to smaller screens. Switching between tabs is done by swiping or flipping as you would with a deck of cards. Selecting links is also easier with Link Preview which zooms in on links to make them easier to select.

Signing into Chrome and Chrome for Android allows you access open tabs, sync bookmarks and share autocomplete suggestions.

Chrome for Android is now available as a beta release from the Android Market. It requires a phone or tablet running Android 4.0.

Samsung to unveil Galaxy S III on March 22nd?

Posted by Jerome No Responses »

Feb 062012

Samsung could unveil the Samsung Galaxy S III on March 22^nd. French site FrAndroid is reporting that the manufacturer will hold a press event in France on this date. It remains to be seen if this will be a local event or part of a larger one. If the former, it’s unlikely that it would be the Galaxy S III announcement though. Unfortunately, the invitation reveals little.

Samsung March 2012 press event

Past rumours suggest that the Samsung Galaxy S III will be powered by a quad-core Exynos processor and Google Android 4.0 with the TouchWiz UI. It will also come with LTE connectivity, a Super AMOLED Plus 720p display and 2GB RAM. It could be as thin as 7 millimeters.

Read more: FrAndroid (in French) [Google translation] (Source: The Verge)

7mm-thick quad-core Samsung Galaxy S III to launch in May?

Posted by Jerome 1 Response »

Feb 062012

Samsung A report by Korean Electronic Times News sheds new light on the upcoming Samsung Galaxy S III. Citing unnamed sources, it provides not only a possible launch date but new details about the device itself.

The report begins by indicating that the Samsung Galaxy S III will launch in May (a bit later than earlier rumours suggested). It does not indicate where the launch will take place although Samsung’s home country of South Korea is likely with other markets to follow.

The report adds that the Samsung Galaxy S III will be among the thinnest smartphones. It could be as thin as 7 millimeters (a sizeable reduction over the Galaxy S II’s 8.5 millimeters) although there may be bump around the camera module as it will be the same as the Galaxy S II’s. Supporting other reports, it also has it coming with Android 4.0, a quad-core processor, a Super AMOLED Plus display, an 8MP rear-facing camera, and a front-facing 2MP camera.

The Google translation is difficult to follow but Samsung could, as it has done with the Galaxy S II, release different variants, including ones supporting improved cameras, 3D (something we already heard) and pen-technology.

For its part, Samsung has only confirmed that the Samsung Galaxy S III will not be unveiled at Mobile World Congress but will get its own event later.

Read more: ETNews (in Korean) [Google translation] (Source: BGR)

Thing Called Love: Samsung’s Galaxy Note Super Bowl ad

Posted by Jerome No Responses »

Feb 062012

Samsung aired its latest ad featuring fans of a competing product during last night’s Super Bowl. It featured the upcoming Galaxy Note rather than the Galaxy S II, The Darkness and a wild street party.

The Samsung Galaxy Note will be available in Canada starting on February 14^th from Bell, Rogers and TELUS. It should follow in the U.S. shortly after.

Galaxy Nexus now available from WIND Mobile and TBayTel

Posted by Jerome No Responses »

Feb 032012

The Galaxy Nexus is now available from two more carriers: WIND Mobile and northern Ontario carrier TBayTel.

With Galaxy Nexus, cutting edge hardware complete with amazing Samsung features like an ultra-wide HD Super AMOLED screen, curved design, and thin form factor, meets the latest platform from Android, Ice Cream Sandwich.

WIND Mobile is offering the Galaxy Nexus starting at CA$249 on the WINDTab+ and up to CA$599 with no tab. TBayTel is offering the Galaxy Nexus for CA$99.99 with a three-year contract.

Vidéotron has also revealed that it will launch the Galaxy Nexus on February 8^th.

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