Great News! Your Next Android Will Have Less Bloatware!

There's something special about getting a new phone. You open it up, take a whiff of that "new phone smell", and then fire it up so you can start playing with all the new apps and features that your old phone only dreamed about having. But then you start to realize that there are a lot of apps pre-loaded on your new phone that you don't necessarily want or need. And the worst part about it is that there's absolutely nothing you can do to get them off (unless you jailbreak your phone, which isn't advisable).

This has been the woe of many a smartphone user, the dreaded bloatware that comes pre-installed on every new device. While there's nothing you can do about the bloatware on your current smartphone, I do have some good news for you! Your next Android phone is going to come with fewer pre-loaded apps! Which means less bloatware!

The first showing of this was the Galaxy Note 5 from Samsung. As you may have heard, the Note 5 comes without Googl+ pre-installed. Some people see this as more proof that Google's social media platform is all but dead though it's really only one of several Google apps that are no longer required to be included by smartphone developers.

What a lot of people don't understand is that Google writes and updates Android itself, giving away the source code to anyone. Consumers are able to get their own copy from the Android Open Source Project (AOSP) repository and Google even offers detailed instructions to assist you in building a fully functioning version of Android.

In addition to that, smartphone developers also have access to the Android source code for free and they are also allowed to modify and change any parts of the code that they like. This is how things like Amazon FireOS come to fruition. It's a positive, trust me. Where things differ is when it comes to installing Google's proprietary apps and services.

If a developer wants to include the Google apps suite, which includes the Play Store and Gmail, they need to adhere to a couple of different rules. Once they have modified Android itself to their liking, it has to be tested for compatibility by Google. Once it is approved, the developer is given a package list of apps that they are required to install on the device.

There have been a ton of apps made by Google that a lot of us would rather not have on our devices. Smartphone developers include them because they are a part of that required list. In addition to that, these apps aren't Open Source and they aren't a part of the AOSP. Basically, if you want Gmail or the Play Store then you have to deal with all the other apps you don't want. In terms of business, this is smart and Google isn't the only company to do it. Apple bundles bloatware that a lot of users don't use or want and so does Microsoft. "You will get all the apps and you will like it!" seems to be their motto.

And now for the good news. Recent changes to the rules that smartphone developers are required to follow to get Google approval for their Android builds are allowing for certain apps to no longer be mandatory. Apps like Google Play Games, Google Play Books, Google+ and Google Newsstand join the likes of Google Earth and Google Keep as apps that are no longer mandatory. You can still get them in the Play Store if you truly want them and they will also receive regular updates, but not having them pre-installed is definitely a huge bonus for Android users.

Having pre-installed apps takes up valuable storage space on your device and the less of that we have the better. Unfortunately, we still have to deal with the bloatware that comes from the phone developers themselves. That means any Samsung app, HTC app, LG app, etc... will still be there, as will apps from carriers, like Verizon and Sprint. But while there doesn't seem to be any chance of us getting rid of things like Verizon Navigator or T-Mobile TV anytime soon, we can at least say a not-so-fond farewell to all those Google apps we care nothing about.

Content originally published here

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The Best from Mobile World Congress 2015

Mobile World Congress took place a couple of months ago, debuting the newest devices from some of the biggest mobile phone manufacturers in the world. This year's conference was a little underwhelming compared to previous years, though there were some major announcements from big companies, specifically HTC and Samsung. Other companies, like Blackberry, Microsoft and Huawei also unveiled new smartphones though they paled in comparison to things like the One M9 and the Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge. So let's check them out.

HTC One M9

When you first lay eyes upon the HTC One M9 you'll probably think to yourself, "Man, that sure does look a lot like the previous model." And that's what a lot of people think at first. However, HTC realizes that the current style of the phone is working and that a full-blown aesthetic revamp wasn't necessary. That doesn't mean, however, that nothing's changed because, actually, a lot of things have changed.

First off the new version is slightly narrower, shorter and fatter and also comes with wider left and right edges. A dual anodization process allows for different finishes and color, making it look really nice. A Snapdragon 810 is included along with 3GB of RAM, which helps keep things running smoothly. A metal lip runs around the edge of the phone, which some users found irritating despite the fact that it's purpose is for you to have a better grip.

The volume button has been split into two buttons and the power button has been moved to sit right under the volume buttons on the phone's right edge. A pop-out microSD slot is located above these buttons. One of the BoomSound speaker grilles on the front of the device has been reduced in size to make room for a slightly larger front-facing UltraPixel camera but other than that there's not really a lot that needed fixed from the M8.

Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge

The last time Samsung was at Mobile World Congress it debuted the Galaxy S5 with that bandage-style back that you either loved or hated. This year the company brought with it the S6 and S6 Edge, smartphones that show you that the company has decided to slim down and push a few buttons.

These two devices are basically exactly the same in every way that matters. Both phones support bodies made of aluminum that is stuck between two layers of Gorilla Glass 4 and come with a 5.1" Quad HD Super AMOLED screens. Both come with Samsung's latest octacore chipset that are paried with a quad-2.1GHz processor with a quad-1.5GHz one and 3GB of RAM. LTE cat. 6 is supported by both phones and both are currently available.

Both phones look amazing but the Edge is the one that's going to draw most of the aesthetic attention. It is easily the best-looking, best-feeling smartphone Samsung has ever made. The screen gently curves away from you on both sides of the phone, leaving just enough room for the power and volume buttons. None of the wraparound apps created with the Note Edge SDK will work on the S6 Edge though you can swipe through notifications and news but there isn't much more to it than that.

Both devices run very smooth and feel nice in your hand. There are also a lot of new features that come with these phones, like the ability to multitask and run multiple apps at the same time, which is very nice. You can also open the camera app from any screen, even the lock screen, by doubletapping the home button.

Conclusion

Mobile World Congress 2015 wasn't the best conference by far but it did give us a look at some really exciting and new phones, especially the HTC One M9 and the Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge. When it comes to Android, these two phones and companies will definitely be the leaders of the market in 2015 and Apple has some serious competition.

Content originally published here

Samsung's Galaxy S6 Has The World's Best Smartphone Camera

Well it seems that the accolades for the soon-to-be-released Samsung Galaxy S6 just keep rolling in. We recently published an article where the Samsung Galaxy S6 was awarded the world's best smartphone display and now it has another "World Best" award to add to its repertoire. According to some reports, the Samsung Galaxy S6 has the World's Best Smartphone Camera.

Photo Credit: Lisa Eadicicco

The other real competitor to the Galaxy S6 is, obviously, the iPhone 6 but a lot of reports are saying that the Galaxy S6 has a slightly better camera, albeit with some nuances and small details. Other smartphones, like the new HTC One M9, don't even compare to the S6 or the iPhone 6, which is good  news for Samsung as the HTC One M9 will probably be the only real competitor on the Android front to the S6.

When it comes to smartphone cameras most people only tend to focus on the megapixels, which refer to the size of the image. However, the megapixels are only a part of the equation that makes up a good smartphone camera. Smartphone cameras typically don't need more than an 8 MP camera. What's more important is how well the cameras take images in different situations, like low light, how well they reproduce color and how much detail they can capture.

Recent photo images show that the Galaxy S6 camera allows you to see a lot more detail and the color reproduction is also a lot better than the iPhone 6. When you take pictures in low light the differences are a little less visible. But even though the two phones are similar in the low light category the S6 does have one other advantage.

If you double tap the home button on the S6 you can automatically launch your camera app. In addition to that, the camera sensor is always on too. This allows you to start shooting right away without having to wait a few seconds for the image to appear on screen. The iPhone 6 camera has to boot up for a second before you can start taking pictures, which could be annoying if you need to capture a picture on the fly.

The Samsung Galaxy S Series is the undoubted leader of the Android smartphone market and is the only (in my opinion) real Android competitor to the iPhone from Apple. With each new version of the Galaxy S Series the smartphones keep getting better and better and the Galaxy S6 is pulling out all the stops in its attempt to be the number one smartphone in the world. Content originally published here

Galaxy S6 Awarded 'World's Best Smartphone Display'

As it stands right now, the Galaxy S6 from Samsung has the best smartphone display in the world, joining the Galaxy Note 4 with a shared accolade. DisplayMate, which extensively tests smartphone screens and provides highly detailed performance analysis based on viewing angles, pixel density, color accuracy, brightness and other features, awarded the S6 with the title.

President of DisplayMate and testing aficionado Raymond Soneira stated that the newest installment in the Galaxy smartphone family "matches or breaks new records in smartphone display performance in several areas including screen resolution, pixels per inch and highest absolute color accuracy."

In addition to that, Soneira was also impressed with the 2560x1440 resolution that offered 557 ppi, an increase over the S5's 432 ppi. Those numbers may not seem like much, but for a single release cycle it's a pretty impressive jump.

The Galaxy S6 isn't alone on the pedestal of worldwide display greatness. The Galaxy Note 4 also shares the award and still has many of the qualities found in the S6. In addition to that, Samsung's ability to maintain the same performance and specs in a smaller screen than the Note is one of the  main reasons the Galaxy S6 was rated so highly, according to Soneira.

When people got hands on with the Galaxy S6 at Mobile World Congress most of them were very impressed. In addition to the world's best smartphone display, the Galaxy S6 also comes with a solid build quality so there is a lot to be excited about.

The Galaxy S series of smartphones is probably the strongest competitor to Apple's iPhone. The Galaxy S series devices have been awarded the best smartphone displays for the past couple of iterations and the phones overall have been extremely solid.

Small Screen Tablets Might Have To Succumb To The Almighty Phablet

Today, when you think about mobile technology, you more than likely think about tablets and smartphones. Gone are the days that you attribute laptops to the term "mobile technology". Tablets have been at the forefront of mobile devices now, for quite some time it feels. The companies that design these tablets have become smarter and done their best to make sure that they deliver products that we want. Because of that, we now have devices that come with all sorts of new features. Our tablets come in different colors, contain different processors, and can be used for just about anything that we need. Then again, our smartphones can do just about the same thing now. Tablets are getting smaller and thinner, and our smartphones are getting smarter and bigger. The line between the two has almost gotten to the point that it's become blurred.

The Small Screen Issue
When the iPad first came out, it literally changed everything about how we look at and operate mobile technology. Fast forward a bit to the iPad Mini. This is where things got a bit redundant to some users. "It's just a smaller iPad and a bigger iPod Touch." Oddly enough, many people took to this smaller screen as it made the device more "mobile". On top of that, it helped Apple figure out what people wanted in terms of size and mobility along with their functionality. Naturally many of the competitor companies saw this a chance to jump into the small screen tablet market after seeing the success of the mini. Now fast forward again to today, where the iPad Mini 3 just came out and left a lot of people wanting a bit more. There was no updated processor. The only real update was the camera and the screen resolution. Not only has that hurt the small screen tablets, but the larger smartphones are what's really pushing this category out of the market.

What's a Phablet?
The phablets are here, and it looks like they might be taking over the small screen tablets spot. What even is a phablet though? It's essentially a large screened smartphone that ranges around 5 to 6 inches in screen size. It's like a fun-sized tablet, because again, our smartphones basically do everything that our tablets do. Apple's iPhone 6 has completely overshadowed the release of the new iPad Mini 3. The small screen tablets are being overtaken by the new phablets, and the iPhone 6 isn't the one to start it. Look at the Galaxy Note 3 from Samsung. This too was a phablet and they know that were doing something that was eventually going to change the way that we use our devices. You're performing all of the same features and functions of your tablet on your smartphone, and you have a stylus for extra precision. Many people took to using their phones to perform their mobile technology needs, instead of the tablet.

Is There A Shift Happening?
I, for one, personally feel that we are indeed seeing a shift in what the next big thing in mobile technology will be. Small screen tablets are going to fall too short since phablets are becoming more and more relevant. Now that Apple has stepped into this market, everyone else will start to follow suit if they haven't already. Why? Simple really. Since Apple still remains on top of the the consumer electronics market, they're allowed to make the rules of the game essentially. Should someone else step up and overthrow them, then they'd be able to "make the rules so to speak". That being said, Apple kind of stuck their metaphorical foot into their own mouths with the creation of their phablet, as now their Mini sales have started to dwindle. If this isn't a sign of a shift, I don't know what is.

I love Apple. I love Samsung. I generally love mobile technology. The fact that small screen tablets were even an idea in the first place seem so redundant and unnecessary now that phablets have become a thing. I still feel that large screen tablets such as the Google Nexus series and the iPad Air series will remain going strong. The smaller screen tablets will soon see their downfall though. Remember you read it here first. It was a good run small screen tablets, but it's time to step down.

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Microsoft And Samsung In Lawsuit Over $1 Billion Royalties Agreement

According to a recent court document it appears as if Samsung has been paying Microsoft $1 billion per year in royalties in order to use its technology in Samsung's Android smartphones and tablets. In addition to that, the filing also shows that Microsoft also offered to reduce Samsung's payments if the company developed Widows tablets and phones in addition to Android ones.

This information was recently brought to light during a lawsuit that Microsoft filed against Samsung back in August. The original complaint from Microsoft was partially blacked out in order to hide confidential business information, though the revised filing that was made available is unredacted. Both companies signed an agreement in the latter part of 2011 where Samsung agreed to pay royalties to Microsoft for seven years for the use of its patented technologies.

For years Microsoft has claimed that Android infringes its patents and that many other companies, in addition to Samsung, have signed such agreements. These contracts are usually highly confidential, meaning that it is unusual to get a peek at any of the numbers behind them.

According to the filing, for the second year of the agreement that spanned July 2012 to June 2013, Samsung was required to pay Microsoft a little over $1 billion in royalties. That number is based on the number of Android devices Samsung sold and the prices it charged for them. Microsoft is claiming that Samsung was lagging behind and was late on the payment. Part of the lawsuit was so Microsoft could recover nearly $7 million in interest that it says Samsung still owes it.

An the other half of the argument, Samsung claims that Microsoft invalidated the agreement due to the fact that it bought Nokia's handset business. As a result, Samsung is refusing to make further payments for this year and the years to follow. This would mean billions of dollars in lost revenue for Microsoft.

Microsoft is retorting, stating that its acquisition of Nokia's handset business does not breach the agreement it made with Samsung and says that there are "explicit provisions" that cover the acquisition of other companies. The original deal between Samsung and Microsoft was a cross-license agreement, meaning that Samsung was also agreeing to license technologies to Microsoft. With this deal broken, Samsung is threatening to sue Microsoft for using Nokia's technology.

Google developed Android and is currently the world's most popular smartphone operating system. However, Microsoft believes that the company infringes on a lot of its patents and, in 2010, it started a licensing program in order to collect royalties from Android smartphone makers. Samsung isn't the only company to pay Microsoft royalties. Twenty-four additional companies also pay royalties, including HTC, Acer and Barnes & Noble.

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Huawei Pokes Fun At Samsung And Apple, Promises Big Things For Mobile World Congress 2014

So apparently the cool thing to do in the mobile world these days is to compare yourself to Apple while simultaneously mocking the company and berating its products. Samsung has been doing it for years (with actual success) and, to be completely honest, I have dipped my toe in the Apple mockery pool once or twice so I'm no different. But while it is expected for big name companies like Samsung or little bloggers like myself to mock Apple, it is a little less acceptable for smaller tech companies to take a jab at arguably the biggest tech company in the world.

Well, that's exactly what Huawei decided to do, though the Chinese company took it a step farther by throwing Samsung into the mix as well. Huawei recently posted a video to its YouTube channel letting people know that it plans on creating "revelatory excitement" in Barcelona at the upcoming Mobile World Congress.

The video, which can be seen below, features an ambient voice similar to that of Apple's Siri explaining that Huawei will debut a beautiful, slim tablet at the congress. In addition to that, the voice also foretells of a smartphone with an "amazing" front camera and a multimedia tablet that is perfect for entertainment use.

The video is where the jabs at Apple and Samsung can be found. A male voice is asking the Huawei device all these questions about Mobile World Congress and after the voice tells of the new tech, the male voice asks, "What are they? Fruit or Somesong?" Obvious jabs at Apple and Samsung here, but you didn't need me to tell you that. The voice replies to the inquiry saying, "No. They are Huawei. It looks like Huawei is ready to amaze the world again."

While Huawei may have the technology to stand toe-to-toe with Apple and Samsung (emphasis on the may), the bigger question is whether or not the company has the brand following necessary to throw jokes like this around. If there is one thing techies know, it's that a product is only as good as the followers it has. That is why companies can make a totally crap device and people will still buy it, because they are buying the name, not the product.

Huawei is definitely not a well-known brand here in the states, especially not like Apple or Samsung. However, there is a much bigger variety on names in foreign markets, especially in Huawei's native China. While I don't see many US consumers scoffing at Apple and Samsung and jumping on the Huawei train anytime soon (even with the witty commercial), I do believe that the company will find bigger success in foreign markets. I guess we can only wait until Mobile World Congress to truly see what Huawei has to offer.

Samsung Plans To Release Three-Sided Display Smartphone

By Erika Blasko - As Samsung continues to face their first annual decline, new ideas are hard to come by with new smartphone advances. But, as of next year Samsung Electronics plans to release a new smartphone concept that includes a three-sided display screen. Samsung says they plan to have each side of the three screens work independently so that multitasking is a breeze.

The new phone will be using a brand new upgraded technology called 'Youm,' that has already been seen in the Galaxy Round phone. Youm was currently filed for a U.S trademark application by Samsung. The three-sided display may be used in the S or Note Samsung handset series, or may be the first to create a new line of smartphones. Although Samsung and Apple are working to introduce curved screens at the same time, there is no definite sign that this will appeal to consumers when it hits the stores as both companies brace for a downfall in high-tech smartphone sales.

Samsung does not have a set release date as to when their version of the three-sided display screen Galaxy smartphone will be released. Although predictions are unclear, Samsung predicts it is more than likely to launch during the end of next year.

Samsung's New SCH-W999 Dual-Screen Flip Phone

Remember flip phones? You know, the phones everybody had before smartphones, touch screens and all that jazz? Instead of pressing a button to light up a screen, you flipped the phone open to reveal a screen on top and a keypad on the bottom. Those were the good ol' days and, apparently, days many phone enthusiasts have missed because that seems like the most logical reason Samsung would create a flip phone for this generation.

That's right, not too long ago Samsung introduced its second-generation dual-screen Android clamshell phone and it has finally arrived, announced in partnership with China Telecom. This SCH-W999 flip phone comes with two 3.5" 480 x 800 Super AMOLED panels back-to-back, as well as a 1.2GHz dual-core Qualcomm MSM8660 processor. In addition to that, this device comes with Android 2.3 with TouchWiz, HyperSkin back cover (the same one found on the Galaxy Nexus for grip and anti-smear), 5 mp camera, Bluetooth 3.0, WiFi and WAPI, China's rendition of WiFi.

As is the case with most of the phones on China Telecom, the W999 comes with dual SIM slots, as well as dual-mode connectivity in the form of GSM and CDMA2000 with CDMA2000 offering EV-Do 3G, though it does come with support for pentaband radio for those who fancy traveling the world.

If you are looking to get your hands on one, you are looking at a 2012 release date, though there is no word yet on any specific pricing. However, if you want a comparison, the previous model, Samsung's W899, starts at $1,410 so be prepared to spend quite a bit of money if you honestly can't live without it. The phone does look pretty cool and I do have fond memories of my own flip phone from days gone by, but don't expect to see me dropping that kind of cash for nostalgia.

Source: Engadget - Samsung's two-faced SCH-W999 Android plays the dual core, dual SIM game

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Amazon Ships Samsung Galaxy Tab 7 Plus Early, Available Now

It appears as if Amazon has jumped the gun much sooner than Samsung expected it to on the company's new round of tablet PCs. The all new Samsung Galaxy Tab 7 Plus was made official by Samsung in late October with a shipping and availability date of November 13. However, Amazon has been offering pre-orders since the early part of October and appears to be shipping already, with overnight delivery also available.

The Galaxy Tab 7 Plus is the replacement to the original 7" Galaxy Tab, and this device gives us Android 2.3 Honeycomb as opposed to Gingerbread as well as a pumped up dual-core processor and some other nice additions. The Galaxy Tab 7 Plus gives us a 7" 1,024 x 600 resolution display, complete with 3MP camera on the back of the device and a 2MP camera on the front for video chatting. All of this is powered by a 1.2GHz dual-core processor, 1GB of RAM and Android 3.2.

In addition to that, this device comes with either a 16GB or 32GB variation and, according to the picture on Amazon, is available right now, with shipments beginning yesterday. Users should expect their device any time now and overnight delivery is also available for anybody interested. Pricing begins at $399 for the 16GB version and $499 for the 32GB version, though some are thinking this to be a bit high, especially considering the prices of the Transformer and Kindle Fire that are coming out soon.

Regardless, this is still a very portable and very powerful tablet and if you are good with the price, you should probably buy one quickly because Amazon has already started selling and there is no telling when they will sell out. I wonder what Samsung thinks about all this?

Source: Android Community - Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus shipping early from Amazon, get one today

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Android Ice Cream Sandwich to Add Native Stylus Support

Android OS 4.0, adorably nicknamed Ice Cream Sandwich, has just let loose information on another new feature that will be gracing your Android devices when this highly anticipated operating system update hits handhelds in the future. The newest feature to be revealed is native support for smartphones and tablets with a digital stylus, a feature confirmed by Google.

This new feature will include pressure recognition, hover tracking and nib-tilt with a differentiation between pen and finger use. In addition to that, a specific stylus API, which was discovered by Reddit, will be able to differentiate between stylus, finger, mouse and eraser and will even support pens with up to three buttons. Before this, devices like the HTC Flyer and Samsung Galaxy Note required custom pen-control systems to be created in order to handle their digital styli.

Google is expecting big things from this feature including its capability to be used to improve Android phones and tablets in drawing and sketching applications. Google also hopes that it will help in boosting precision for gestures as well. Handwriting and shape recognition are also a few possibilities, even though Android currently lacks a native handwriting recognition engine.

In addition to all of this, Google has added a basic painting app, known as TouchPaint, to its API demo code. This allows developers to become capable with the different elements of the new functionality. However, it is still unknown what HTC and Samsung will do in regards to their own custom APIs. Samsung released the Galaxy Note source code on October 20 as a part of its strategy to get third-party developers to produce apps for the S Pen stylus. The HTCdev team has also stated that it too was prioritizing the Flyer, as well as the Jetstream, pen API in its developer outreach.

Source: SlashGear - Ice Cream Sandwich adds native stylus support to Android

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Most business class projectors will do a good job displaying your PowerPoint presentation. If you have a small presentation group, a 2000 lumen LCD projector will be able to produce a nice and clear picture. For larger audiences you should consider a 5000 lumen LCD projector.

Samsung Announces Galaxy S II LTE and Galaxy Tab 8.9 LTE

Samsung has just announced the LTE editions of the Galaxy S II and Galaxy Tab 8.9, both of which offer high-speed 4G connectivity in addition to increased power, portability and screen technology.

According to President and Head of Samsung's Mobile Communications Business JK Shin, "With the introduction of Galaxy S II LTE and Galaxy Tab 8.9 LTE, we will take the capabilities of these devices to a whole new level. LTE redefines the user experience made possible by these devices and opens entirely new possibilities in terms of content viewing, sharing, quality and connectivity. This is a milestone in our commitment to lead the charge in 4G mobile telephony around the world, both in terms of back-end network solutions for service providers and the development of powerful consumer handsets."

LTE technology, when connected to a 4G network, allows portable devices to download high quality files at speeds of up to 100Mbps. In addition to that, it also allows these devices to upload information at 50Mbps, five times faster than the fastest HSPA+ connection. What this means is that a four minute MP3 song can be downloaded in 0.3 seconds or a full length movie in under two minutes.

The enhanced connectivity that comes with LTE technology broadens the range of possibilities for the user. You can enjoy a plethora of features seamlessly, including social gaming, video conferencing and high-quality media streaming. In addition to that, 4G technology also allows you to seamlessly and instantly share multimedia content with anybody, anywhere, anytime.

Unfortunately, the announcement about these two devices is all there is at the moment. Samsung has yet to release any sort of pricing or availability information though it is rumored that both the Samsung Galaxy S II LTE and Galaxy Tab 8.9 LTE will both debut at IFA.

Source: Engadget - Galaxy S II LTE and Galaxy Tab 8.9 LTE announced, set to debut at IFA

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Samsung's Super Fast 6Gbps SSDs

Samsung Electronics has just announced volume production of SSDs that support the Serial ATA Revision 3.0 interface with data transmissions at 6Gbps. These new high performance PM830 SSDs are also available in up to 512GB volumes.

According to Executive Vice President of Memory Sales & Marketing, Device Solutions for Samsung Wanhoon Hong, "Samsung's new lineup of advanced SSDs will raise the performance bar to the next level for ultra-slim notebooks and tablets and accelerate growth of the market for high-performance SSDs."

These new high-speed SSDs from Samsung are perfect for use in high-performance OEM notebooks and tablets. Sample production of the SATA 6Gbps 512GB SSDs started back in May with volume production initiated earlier this month. The new drives are expected to take over for the SATA 3Gbps-based SSDs by the end of the year.

Hong went on to say, "The industry is expected to quickly embrace SATA 6Gbps-based SSDs, which also will help increase market interest in 256GB and higher densities significantly."

The SATA 6Gbps SSD shortens system boot times to nearly 10 seconds while the high-performance allows you to download as many as 5 DVD files in under a minute. The 512GB SSD will utilize the most advanced 20 nanometer class 32Gigabit multi-level cell NAND memory chip that Samsung has to offer, which incorporates the toggle DDR interface. In addition to that, a proprietary NAND controller facilitates high-performance levels that take full advantage of the architecture of the toggle DDRas well as the SATA 6Gbps interface.

On top of that, this new SSD doubles the performance of a SATA 3Gbps drive with sequential read speeds of 500Mbps and a sequential write speed of 350Mbps. The drive also features the industry's highest security level, which uses an AES 256-bit encryption algorithm in order to protect all of your data from any and all unauthorized access.

The new 6Gbps SSD will be available in 128GB, 256GB or 512GB volumes and is targeted for use in premium OEM notebooks and tablets.

Source: Engadget - Samsung's speedy 6Gbps SSDs shreds bits, blows minds

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Apple Brings in Great Second Quarter Numbers

According to the International Data Corporation, Apple has more than doubled the number of smartphones it has sold compared to the same quarter last year.

Strategy Analytics said that in the second quarter, Apple shipped 20.3 million iPhones, which is up 8.4 million phones from last year’s second quarter. They continued saying that this means that Apple has 18.5 percent of the global smartphone market, which is up from 13.5 percent last year.

"We had previously reported on Apple becoming the largest smartphone vendor in terms of revenue and profits. Now, just four years after the release of the original iPhone, Apple has become the world’s largest smartphone vendor by volume with an 18 percent market share," according to Strategy Analytics.

Samsung wasn’t far behind Apple. In the second quarter, they shipped 19.2 million smartphones grabbing 17.5 percent of the smartphone market. That was also quite a big bump from their numbers the previous year. Last year, Samsung only shipped 3.1 million smartphones and had a 5 percent share of the market. The success of Samsung and Apple caused Nokia’s numbers to drop however. Last year, they had snatched 38.1 percent of the global smartphone market, but this year their numbers dropped to 15.2 percent.

When it comes to the overall shipment of smartphones and feature phones, Nokia is still the number one phone provider. During the second quarter, Nokia shipped 88.5 million phones globally, down 20 percent. Samsung was number two, shipping 74 million units, a 16 percent boost. LG came in a close third right in front of Apple. They shipped 24.8 million devices, but were down 19 percent. Apple was so close to coming in third place. Strategy Analytics said that this is "the closest Apple has ever been.”

The IDC confirmed the numbers that Strategy Analytics released naming Nokia, Samsung and LG as the very top mobile phone providers. The firm also did say that Apple’s “record” quarter helped to close in on the gap and bring the company much closer to the top.

Apple "easily posted the highest growth rate of the worldwide leaders despite the fact that its flagship iPhone 4 is now more than a year old," IDC said. "The triple-digit shipment volume growth allowed Apple to more than double its share when compared to the same quarter last year."

IDC agreed with Strategy Analytics and reported sales of 20.3 million iPhones in the quarter. It gave Apple a 5.6 percent market share in the global handset market, as well as a 141.8 percent boost from the same time period last year.

"Apple’s ability to bring its smartphone momentum to developing economies, where it’s less successful, will help dictate the company’s smartphone fortunes in future," IDC said.

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Verizon Lands Super Fast 4G Galaxy Tab 10.1

You have probably heard just about everything there is to hear about the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 by now. It seems that every time you turn around there is something new going on with it and today is no different. A new version of the tablet has just arrived, this time packing an LTE radio tuned to the 4G waves of Verizon.

Nothing has really changed with the Verizon version of the Galaxy Tab 10.1 aside from a new brushed, gray plastic back and a rumored Micro SIM slot on the top. This latest version officially went on sale yesterday, so many people are wondering how the 4G LTE capabilities stack up.

While it has been noted that Verizon's LTE network is fast, things seem a little different with the Galaxy Tab 10.1. Not only does this device run the table on most cable modems, it is also competitive with a FiOS connection. The Galaxy Tab 10.1 averages 28.25Mbps down and 7.93Mbps up on speed tests, which is definitively better than the Thunderbolt's 21.77Mbps. Some speed tests have even seen the Galaxy Tab 10.1 get as high as 44.44Mbps down and 9.39Mbps up. Ping times are also very low, averaging just shy of 67ms.

Reports are also coming in that the connection feels just as fast as the speeds suggest. The Galaxy Tab 10.1 is capable of loading full desktop websites, even ones bogged down with Flash, in no time at all and movies from the Android market start playing almost instantly.

While all this is highly impressive, it is raising a few questions. Mainly, why is the Verizon Galaxy Tab 10.1 posting such dramatically faster speeds? It is a possibility that there is some beefed up hardware in the Galaxy Tab that isn't in the LTE smartphones currently available, I mean it is a bigger package. Whatever the reason, the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 from Verizon is definitely an impressive piece of equipment.

Source: Engadget - Galaxy Tab 10.1 for Verizon, hands-on with the new 4G speed king

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Samsung Releases 30-pin to USB Adapter for Galaxy Tab 10.1

When the 3.1 upgrade came to Honeycomb, so did a lot of cool features, one being the ability to allow your tablet to perform as a USB host. This was cool and all, but this usually required a full-sized USB port which is not featured on most Android tablets without an adapter. One such tablet is the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1. While the Galaxy Tab 10.1 was nice, neat and cool, it didn't have a full-sized USB port. However, Samsung recently tweeted about an adapter that just went on sale allowing you to get on with your hosting via your Galaxy Tab 10.1.

USB hosting is a great feature that, unfortunately, has been missing from Android phones due to power restraints. However, tablets have larger batteries so hosting was possible. Google was the first to show off the ability to host accessories like thumb drives, keyboards and gaming controllers to the Android 3.1. The problem was that most of these devices need a full-sized USB port, so you would need to get a micro-to-standard USB adapter in order to do so and you would need to make sure your device even had a micro USB port.

The Galaxy Tab 10.1 is a really amazing tablet with a great battery, dual core power and the fact that it is the thinnest 10.1" tablet on the market. The one downside is that the Galaxy Tab 10.1 lacks a standard USB port, going for a 30-pin connector instead. However, Samsung has heard our cries and designed a 30-pin to USB adapter. This device will run you $19.99 plus shipping and handling but doesn't support power over USB. This isn't outrageous by any means but if you want hosting then you will need this adapter.

Source: Android Community - Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 USB Adapter for All your USB Hosting Needs

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Samsung Infuse 4G

If you thought the Droid X was big, wait until you see the newest thing coming out of Samsung and AT&T. I'm talking, of course, about the Samsung Infuse 4G. This device, which some are calling a superphone, is the biggest device to come out of Samsung to date and measures 4.5 inches. And even though it is rather large, it feels surprisingly light when you pick it up. That could be a result of the impressive 8.99mm profile with subtly textured backside, however.

The Samsung Infuse 4G is said to come with a Super AMOLED Plus display just like the smaller Droid Charge. The Super AMOLED Plus display is said to be much brighter than the traditional Super AMOLED screen as well as easier to view in direct sunlight. Hands-on reports from across the web note that the Super AMOLED Plus display is remarkable and hands down better then the regular Super AMOLED display. The colors are crisp, the blacks are deep and the screen is just all around nice to look at.

Samsung loaded the Infuse 4G with Android 2.2 and made its TouchWiz UI a little less intrusive when you first start to play around with your device. The Infuse 4G comes with a single-core 1.2GHz processor but that doesn't really matter unless you just absolutely love benchmarking things. Apps load up quickly and the touchscreen is responsive and precise.

You can swipe through seven home pages as well as three pages of applications right out of the box, until you customize it of course. This is also AT&T's first device that promises max speeds of 21 Mbps, which is quite a statement. In addition to that, the Infuse 4G, unlike other phones like the Inspire 4G, Captivate or Aria, allows app sideloading and also features the "Unknown Sources" menu item in the settings.

The good news is that this phone will be available May 15th through AT&T or Samsung for $200.

Source: Engadget - Samsung Infuse 4G hands-on (updated)

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Samsung's 4G LTE Droid Charge Hitting Verizon on April 28th

A new device has just been announced by Verizon Wireless and Samsung. The newly announced Droid Charge by Samsung will become available on April 28th in your local Verizon store or on Verizon's website.

The Droid Charge is yet another installment in the Droid family, this time coming with a 4.3-inch Super AMOLED Plus display. According to Samsung, this display should set a new standard for brightness, clarity and outdoor visibility, but don't they all say that? The Droid Charge also comes with a rear facing, 8-megapixel camera with LED flash as well as a 1.3-megapixel front facing camera. The Droid Charge also has a 1 GHz application processor and HTML 5 Web browser which maximizes high-speed 4G LTE connectivity.

Some additional features of the Droid Charge include 4G LTE, Android 2.2, which also supports Google Mobile Services like Gmail, YouTube, Google Talk, Google Search and Google Maps, Adobe Flash Player, Mobile Hotspot capability, Samsung Media Hub, virtual QWERTY keyboard with Swype and tons more.

As I mentioned earlier, the Droid Charge will be available on April 28th with a $299.99 price tag, as long as you sign a new two year agreement. You can also get unlimited 4G LTE data plans from Verizon for $29.99 a month and for a limited time you can get Mobile Hotspot for no additional charge.

If you don't want to buy one, you can always take part in this new program from Samsung. Starting today, April 21st, anyone over the age of 18 is able to participate in an exclusive Droid Charge Scavenger Hunt. All you have to do is follow the online clues to find hidden locations in 16 different cities in order to win a free Droid Charge from Samsung. Head on over to http://twitter.com/droidlanding to get all the details.

Source: Engadget - Samsung's LTE-enabled Droid Charge coming to Verizon on April 28th for $300 on contract

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Problems Arrive with the First Windows Phone 7 Update

The very first Windows Phone software update is circulating the airwaves right now, and everybody is eagerly awaiting all the details on what it offers, how it works, how smooth it is or if it is a big waste of time. While this update has been highly anticipated since it was first mentioned, it has not, unfortunately, gone smoothly for everybody.

Thanks to recent reports about the new software update to the phone, there seem to be at least three distinct failure modes with two of them being fairly easy to fix. According to company estimates, about 10% of users attempting to update their software encountered a problem. Of those 10%, however, nearly half failed the update because they had a poor connection to the internet or lacked enough disk space.

Apparently, the update makes a backup of the phone's contents in case something awful happens. Everybody else probably falls under the issue affecting "a small number" of Samsung devices, an issue the company is working furiously to fix. In the meantime, the update has been turned off for those devices.

In lay terms, when you get the prompt to install your update, Microsoft will send you a nice message that recommends that you have the necessary hard drive space on your PC as well as a strong connection to the internet. Around 90% of users were successful in installing the update which is excellent news considering this is the very first update for the device.

Source: Engadget - Microsoft details Windows Phone 7 update problem, 'small number' of Samsungs affected

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AT&T's Much Needed Android Smartphone: The Captivate

AT&T has finally come out with a much-needed Android smartphone. As one of the four major cell phone providers in America, AT&T was the only network truly lacking in the Android smartphone area. They no longer have this problem though thanks to the new Samsung Captivate. The Captivate is part of the Galaxy S series by Samsung and is by far AT&T's most dominant and feature-rich Android device. It has some really exciting features and is a great alternative to the iPhone 4.

The appearance of the Captivate is really nothing special, but the design is clean, simple and it gets the job done. The device is fairly large at 4.18 x 2.5 inches, but it is quite thin. It is only 0.39 inches deep and easily slips into your pocket. The Captivate is a very well constructed phone and feels very solid in your hand, but at the same time, it also feels sleek and modern.

The front of the smartphone is mostly taken up by the extraordinary 4-inch Super AMOLED touch screen. This screen supports 16 million colors and a WVGA resolution of 480 x 800. The Captivate’s touch screen is one of the best-looking touch screens to be seen on a smartphone. It is truly brilliant. The coloring is incredibly vibrant and has a great sharpness that makes texts incredibly easy to read. Samsung’s decision to use the Super AMOLED screen presents several advantages. It has wider viewing angles, improved responsiveness, and also consumes less power. The scrolling experience on the Captivate is very smooth and supports the pinch-to-zoom feature. The display also possesses a six-axis accelerometer, which is quite useful for gaming. It is even quick to change the screen orientation whenever the phone is rotated.

The Captivate has four buttons on the front of the phone located below the screen: menu, home, back, and search. All four buttons are touch-sensitive. On the left side there is a volume adjustment button, and on the right is the power/lock button. Conveniently located on the top of the phone is a 3.5mm headphone jack and a Micro-USB port, and as usual, the camera is found on the back of the device.

As mentioned earlier, the Captivate is part of Samsung’s Galaxy S series and therefore runs Android 2.1 with Samsung's TouchWiz 3.0 interface. Samsung has worked really hard to re-vamp this program. They have enhanced the functionality and given it a more polished look. They also added new widgets including one called Feeds & Updates and another called Buddies Now. The Feeds & Update widget streams updates from Facebook, Twitter, and MySpace. It has the capability to display content from one, two, or all three of the social-networking sites at once. The Buddies Now widget allows you to immediately call or text the contacts from your Facebook, Twitter, or MySpaces pages or comment on any of their updates. There are also a number of other Samsung and Android widgets and other shortcuts available.

The Samsung Captivate also comes equipped with a variety of features including: speakerphone, conference calling, voice dialing, text and multimedia messaging, and a full range of wireless options for Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, 3G, and GPS. It also gives you access to AT&T's Wi-Fi hot spots and a hot-spot locator app. The Captivate is also compatible with Gmail, POP3 and IMAP, Microsoft Exchange, Facebook, MySpace, and Twitter.

This magical little device also provides quite a nice list of available apps including a Write and Go app. The Write and Go app lets you compose a message on a notepad then send it to yourself whether it be by way of SMS, an e-mail, or a status update. Other apps include: Mini Diary app, Mobile Banking, Where, Yellow Pages Mobile, instant-messaging clients for Google Talk, AIM, Windows Live, Yahoo, a calculator, a voice recorder, and a memo pad. There are also several AT&T-specific services, such as AT&T Music and Video, AT&T Radio, AT&T FamilyMap, and AT&T Navigator. There are even more apps that you can obtain through the Android Market.

The camera on the Captivate is 5-megapixels and has an HD video camera. You have the ability to adjust the white balance and even add effects. The camera also offers lots of editing options like ISO settings, antishake, and blink and smile detection. One odd thing about the Captivate’s camera is that it is strangely missing a flash. This causes outdoor and night photos to be fairly poor, and the night setting doesn’t do much to help the situation. Despite the camera being a disappointment, the HD video camera is still very impressive.

The Captivate comes with a 1,500mAh lithium ion battery with a talk time rate of 5 hours and 50 minutes and up to 12.5 days of standby time. The battery should be able to easily get you though a whole day of checking e-mail, playing music, and browsing the Web. It’s well equipped with Samsung's 1GHz Hummingbird Cortex A8 processor. Every once and awhile there may be a very brief delay when exiting out of an app, but as a whole, the smartphone is extremely quick.

The Samsung Captivate is currently available from AT&T as of July 18 for $199.99 with a two-year contract. This is really a good buy with all the features it has to offer!

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