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9 million Samsung Galaxy S III smartphones already pre-ordered

May 172012

The Samsung Galaxy S III has yet to hit the street but it may already be a major hit for Samsung. Citing an unidentified Samsung official, the Korea Economic Daily reports that Samsung has already received some 9 million pre-orders for its latest Galaxy S flagship.

The report adds that Samsung’s factory is running at full capacity and will make 5 million units per month.

The Samsung Galaxy S III will launch first in Germany on May 29^th. It is expected to hit Canada and the U.S. later this summer.

First Canadian Samsung Store to Open in Burnaby, British Columbia

Posted by Jerome No Responses »

May 172012

Samsung Samsung earlier this year announced its plan to open its own retail stores in Canada. Today, it announced that construction had begun on its first store. It will be located in Burnaby, British Columbia, in the Metropolis at Metrotown. It promises an “exciting new way” for customers to experience and interact with Samsung’s line up of mobile, personal computing, and consumer electronics products.

“Samsung is excited to bring a new level of retail experience to Canadians,” said James Politeski, President of Samsung Electronics Canada. “Our vision is to provide an immersive space where consumers can interact with our products in totally new ways and enjoy unprecedented service levels.”

Samsung’s first store will feature an in-store education area, Smart Table technology and a tablet-based point-of-sale system.

The Burnaby Samsung store is scheduled to open this summer. Although Samsung is planning other stores, no word was provided as to when and where they would open.

Vidéotron launches Samsung Galaxy Q

Posted by Jerome No Responses »

May 152012

Vidéotron is the latest Canadian carrier to launch the Samsung Galaxy Q, an entry level smartphone with slide-out QWERTY keyboard.

With the Samsung Galaxy Q, users can stay connected with friends and family in the blink of an eye. The 3.2” touchscreen makes for user-friendly navigation and with the Social Hub you can see all your contacts from Facebook, Twitter and MySpace at a glance. Users in a rush can use the convenient sliding keyboard to respond to friends that much faster.

Samsung Galaxy Q specifications:

Operating system: Google Android 2.3
Cellular connectivity: GSM / UMTS AWS
Other connectivity: GPS, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 2.1+EDR
Display: 3.2-inch HVGA (320×480)
Input: Slide out QWERTY keyboard and touchscreen
Storage: 4GB onboard and microSD cards up to 32GB
Rear-facing camera: 3.2MP with LED flash
Front-facing camera: None
Battery: 1,500mAh
Dimensions / weight: 113.9 x 58.7 x 13.9 millimeters / 135 grams

The Samsung Galaxy Q will be available from Vidéotron as of May 16^th for at CA$39.95 with “a 36-month economic inducement.”

Samsung Galaxy S III accessories revealed?

Posted by Jerome No Responses »

May 142012

Along with the Galaxy S III, Samsung will launch a number of accessories. It has already revealed the S Pebble MP3 player and more are coming. Mobile Fun has obtained details on these including pictures. Let’s have a quick look.

First up is the Genuine Samsung Galaxy S III C-Pen, a capacitive stylus pen, that you can use instead of your finger. It looks like a ballpoint pen.

Rumoured Samsung Galaxy S III C-Pen

Samsung announces the Windows Phone Samsung Omnia M

Posted by Jerome No Responses »

May 122012

Only days after the launch of the LTE-enabled Samsung Focus 2 for AT&T, Samsung has announced the Samsung Omnia M (model: GT-I8350), another Windows Phone-powered smartphone. According to JK Shin, President of IT & Mobile Communications Division:

“Mobile consumers increasingly carry and share a large part of their lives through their phones. They are looking for phones that combine individual style with the ability to consume and share all kinds of content across their ever-growing social networks. The Omnia M meets all these demands, with the enhanced performance and social options afforded by Windows Phone and Samsung services.”

Samsung Omnia M specifications:

Processor: 1GHz single-core
Operating system: Windows Phone 7.5
Cellular connectivity: GSM/HSPA
Other connectivity: A-GPS, 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 2.1
Display: 4.0-inch Super AMOLED
Input: Capacitive touchscreen
Memory: 384MB RAM
Storage: 4GB onboard
Rear-facing camera: 5MP AF with flash
Front-facing camera: VGA
Connectors: micro-USB 2.0
Battery: 1,500mAh
Dimensions / weight: 121.6 x 64.1 x 10.5 millimeters / 119 grams

The Samsung Omnia M will initially launch in Europe. Other regions will follow later. More precise availability and pricing details are not yet available.

WIND Mobile launches Samsung Galaxy Q and Huawei U8651

Posted by Jerome No Responses »

May 112012

WIND Mobile today announced two new devices, the Samsung Galaxy Q and the Huawei U8651. Both are entry-level devices that should be fairly friendly to your wallet.

Samsung Galaxy Q specifications:

Operating system: Google Android 2.3
Cellular connectivity: GSM / UMTS AWS
Other connectivity: GPS, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 2.1+EDR
Display: 3.2-inch HVGA (320×480)
Input: Slide out QWERTY keyboard and touchscreen
Storage: 4GB onboard and microSD cards up to 32GB (2GB card included)
Rear-facing camera: 3.2MP with LED flash
Front-facing camera: None
Battery: 1,500mAh
Dimensions / weight: 113.9 x 58.7 x 13.9 millimeters / 135 grams

Huawei U8651 specifications:

Operating system: Google Android 2.3
Cellular connectivity: GSM / UMTS AWS
Other connectivity: GPS, Wi-Fi
Display: 3.5-inch HVGA (320×480)
Input: Capacitive touchscreen
Storage: 512MB onboard and microSD cards up to 32GB
Rear-facing camera: 3.2MP FF
Front-facing camera: None
Battery: 1,400mAh
Dimensions / weight: 116 x 60.5 x 11.9 millimeters / 118 grams
Other: Two extra covers in red and white

One note of caution: It is unlikely that either of these will be upgraded to Android 4.0.

WIND Mobile is offering the Samsung Galaxy Q for CA$199 with no contract or for free on its WINDtab plans. The Huawei U8651 is available for CA$149 with no contract or free as well on the WINDtab.

Read more: Samsung Galaxy Q and Huawei U8651

Android 4.0 updates begin rolling out for Samsung Galaxy Note

Posted by Jerome No Responses »

May 112012

Samsung Galaxy Note Samsung has begun to roll out the Android 4.0 update for the Galaxy Note. Reports from Europe indicate that users have begun to receive notifications of the over-the-air update (and Samsung’s Kies software in Germany). Build XXLPY will update Android to version 4.0.3.

The update, dubbed a “Premium Suite upgrade” by Samsung will not only include Android 4.0 but also extra multimedia features and a range of new S Pen optimized applications such as the new S Note app and widget.

The staggered rollout should expand to other regions in the near future. In Canada, TELUS expects to deploy the update in early June.

PenTile display to give Samsung Galaxy S III a longer lifespan

Posted by Jerome No Responses »

May 102012

Samsung Galaxy S III Samsung unveiled the Galaxy S III last week and its latest flagship device promises to be quite something. But the announcement was tempered for some by the news that the 4.8-inch HD Super AMOLED display would use PenTile technology. Samsung has now provided an explanation as to why it chose to use a technology that is often accused of affecting image sharpness and colour accuracy.

AMOLED technology typically provides richer and more vibrant colours, deeper blacks, and wider viewing angles than LCD displays. But it has also been shown to deteriorate over time. Samsung’s Philip Berne explained that the blue subpixels degrade faster than the red and green ones. A PenTile display uses a different subpixel arrangement with more green ones and fewer blue and red ones. More longer-lasting green subpixels reduces the overall display deterioration.

As a result, Samsung opted to go with the PenTile technology to ensure that the Galaxy S III’s display will operate at peak performance for a longer period of time. Berne added that high-resolution displays are not as susceptible to PenTile’s limitations as lower-resolution ones. The technology has also improved with smaller gaps in its subpixels matrix than in the past.

Smart move on Samsung’s part or damage control ahead of the release? I have a feeling that the PenTile display debate will rage on for a bit longer…

Mobilicity launches Samsung Galaxy Q

Posted by Jerome No Responses »

May 102012

Mobilicity today launched the Samsung Galaxy Q. An entry-level smartphone, it comes with an increasingly rare feature: a slide-out QWERTY keyboard.

Samsung Galaxy Q specifications:

Operating system: Google Android 2.3
Cellular connectivity: GSM/HSPA
Other connectivity: GPS, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 2.1+EDR
Display: 3.2-inch HVGA (320×480)
Input: Slide out QWERTY keyboard and touchscreen
Storage: 173MB onboard and microSD cards up to 32GB (2GB card included)
Rear-facing camera: 3.2MP with LED flash
Front-facing camera: None
Battery: 1,500mAh
Dimensions / weight: 113.9 x 58.7 x 13.9 millimeters / 135 grams

One caution: The Samsung Galaxy Q does not figure currently in Samsung’s Android 4.0 upgrade plans. Don’t hold your breath for an upgrade.

Mobilicity is offering the Samsung Galaxy Q for CA$199.99 with no contract.

SaskTel launches HTC One V and Samsung Galaxy S II HD LTE

Posted by Jerome No Responses »

May 082012

SaskTel SaskTel today announced via Twitter that both the HTC One V and the Samsung Galaxy HD LTE are now available. Short and sweet:

The Samsung Galaxy SII HD LTE & HTC One V are now available at SaskTel!!! bit.ly/IVsTbr bit.ly/IVsTbv

The former is more of an entry-level device running Android 4.0 while the latter, a higher-end device, is LTE-ready for SaskTel’s LTE network launch and will run on HSPA+ until then.

SaskTel is offering the Samsung Galaxy S II HD LTE for CA$129.99 with a three-year contract, CA$469.99 with a two-year contract, CA$219.99 with a one-year contract or CA$569.99 with no contract. The HTC One V is free with a three-year contract, or CA$169.99 with a two-year contract, CA$519.99 with a one-year contract or CA$269.99 with no contract.

Read more: HTC One V and Samsung Galaxy S II HD LTE

Canadian carriers announce Samsung Galaxy S III availability details

Posted by Jerome No Responses »

May 072012

Samsung Canada had already promised that the Samsung Galaxy S III was coming to Canada sometime this summer. What was missing was a list of carriers that would offer it. That changed today with availability announcement by several carriers. Confirmed so far are the following:

Bell Mobility (registration page)
Mobilicity (press release)
Rogers Wireless (registration page)
TELUS Mobility (press release)
SaskTel (press release)
Vidéotron (press release)
Virgin Mobile Canada (press release)
WIND Mobile (blog post)

Only TELUS has so far confirmed that it will carry the LTE dual-core processor version rather than the international quad-core version.

Specific pricing and availability details were not announced today but are expected “in the coming weeks.”

AT&T announces LTE-enabled Windows Phone Samsung Focus 2

Posted by Jerome No Responses »

May 072012

AT&T today announced the Samsung Focus 2 (SGH-i667). As expected, it is none other than the rumoured Samsung Mandel, an affordable LTE-enabled Windows Phone device. It is the third Windows Phone LTE device to be launched by AT&T after the Nokia Lumia 900 and HTC Titan II.

“AT&T offers our customers the broadest Windows Phone portfolio of any carrier, with three 4G LTE Windows Phones – the only 4G LTE Windows Phones in the U.S. – now at a variety of price points and form factors,” said Jeff Bradley, senior vice president, Devices, AT&T Mobility. “The Samsung Focus 2 brings the people-first Windows Phone interface together with AT&T’s fast 4G LTE network for an unbeatable experience.”

Samsung Focus 2 specifications:

Operating system: Windows Phone 7.5
Cellular connectivity: Quad-band GSM / tri-band UMTS/ dual-band LTE
Other connectivity: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 2.1+EDR
Display: 4-inch WVGA Super AMOLED
Input: Capacitive touchscreen
Storage: 8GB onboard
Rear-facing camera: 5MP AF with 720p HD video capture
Front-facing camera: VGA
Battery: 1,750mAh
Dimensions / weight: 121.7 x 62.7 x 10.9 millimeters / 122 grams

AT&T will offer the Samsung Galaxy Focus 2 for US$49.99 with a two-year contract starting on May 20^th.

There is no word yet on whether it will also be available in Canada.

Samsung Galaxy S II HD LTE coming soon to SaskTel

Posted by Jerome No Responses »

May 062012

The Samsung Galaxy S II HD LTE is headed to SaskTel ahead of the regional carrier’s LTE network launch. Now listed on its website as “coming soon,” it is listed as “LTE Ready” and promises to deliver “even faster speeds* with LTE” once SaskTel flips the switch sometime this coming fall. Until then, users will fall back to the carrier’s HSPA+ network.

Samsung Galaxy S II HD LTE specifications:

Processor: 1.5 GHz dual-core
Operating system: Google Android 2.3
Cellular connectivity: 4G LTE, HSPA+, GPRS/EDGE
Other connectivity: GPS, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 3.0, DLNA
Display: 4.65-inch HD (1280×720) Super AMOLED
Input: Capacitive touchscreen
Memory: 1GB RAM
Storage: 16GB onboard and microSD cards up to 32GB
Rear-facing camera: 8MP with LED flash and 1080p video capture
Front-facing camera: 2MP
Connectors: Micro-USB, HDMI via MHL
Battery: 1,850mAh
Dimensions / weight: 131 x 68.4 x 9.27 millimeters / 133.3 grams

SaskTel will offer the Samsung Galaxy S II HD LTE for CA$129.99 with a three-year contract, CA$469.99 with a two-year contract, CA$519.99 with a one-year contract or CA$569.99 with no contract.

It remains to be seen what other LTE devices SaskTel will offer before and at the launch of its LTE network.

Samsung planning mobile company acquisitions

Posted by Jerome No Responses »

May 062012

Samsung Unseating Samsung as the world’s largest smartphone manufacturer will not be an easy task. And the company is moving to make it even more difficult. In an interview with The Wall Street Journal, J.K. Shin, the company’s President and Head of IT & Mobile Communications Division, revealed some new directions to keep it at the top.

Samsung has recognized the growing importance of software. The just announced Samsung Galaxy S III is a good example of this new emphasis on software. Running on Android, it added a number of features, such as SmartStay which prevents the screen from shutting off while the user is looking at, it to differentiate it from competing products with similar hardware specifications.

Samsung has begun to aggressively hire foreign software engineers in a bid to keep pace with Apple, its closest competitor. The company is also looking at a number of acquisitions. “The technology industry is growing very quickly and it is too much of a burden to try to do everything in-house,” said J.K. Shin, adding that “There are small companies that we can acquire that have good research and development capabilities.” He even revealed that one such deal is “in the works right now” without giving any details.

Shin also reiterated that Samsung is not interested in buying Research In Motion.

LTE Windows Phone Samsung Mandel caught on camera?

Posted by Jerome No Responses »

May 042012

While Samsung has confirmed that it is working on Windows Phone 8 devices, the status of one of its rumoured Windows Phone 7.5 devices appears to be in limbo. The LTE-enabled Samsung Mandel (model number SGH-i667) was first thought be one of three new Windows Phone 7.5 devices that AT&T would introduce at CES 2012. While the carrier did announce the Nokia Lumia 900 and the HTC Titan 2, the Mandel was a no-show. Rumours as recent as early April still suggested that it would get launched.

In the meantime, a couple of images (courtesy of Chinese site WPXAP) have given us a glimpse at the Mandel and suggest again that it is a real device. The AT&T branding shows up on an image showing us the desktop sync.

Rumoured Samsung SGH-i667 Mandel

Little new information is revealed but it does appear that the Mandel would come with 8GB of internal memory (of which 5.61GB would be available).

Samsung (or AT&T for that matter) may have decided to pass on the Mandel as they gear up for Windows Phone 8. Then again, maybe it will appear as a entry-level LTE device this summer.