Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 Revealed at MWC

The Galaxy Note, in 5.3" guise, has just hit the States after decent sales in Europe and Asia; and now we have a new member of the Note line, a 10.1" variant. We mentioned speculation yesterday that the Note 10.1 could have a high-density display and next-generation SoC. Turns out the speculations were most likely wrong on both counts. The Galaxy Note 10.1 brings a 1.4 GHz dual-core SoC, probably Exynos 4210, to a OG Tab 10.1 sized tablet along with the stylus and S Pen interface introduced in the Note. Though the tablet is listed as featuring an HSPA+ radio, telephony is likely not on the cards, so the 'phablet' designation doesn't come into play, thankfully. 

The display is the same 10.1" WXGA (1280x800) PLS panel we've seen on all of Samsung's 10.1" tablets, and runs Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) with the requisite TouchWiz layer in tow. If this is Exynos, this will be the first time we'll have seen that particular SoC in a 10.1" tablet. The hardware, then, is not the big advance, rather Samsung is playing up the improved productivity opportunities that result from applying the original Note's S Pen interface, along with the new S Note software on a larger screen. We haven't spent a lot of time with either Note, so it's hard for us to judge how successful this effort is likely to be. If marketing is to be believed, though, the S Note software should bring the kind of multitasking previously only seen in a 'windowed' interface to the tablet space. 

The announcements keep rolling in, and we'll hopefully have a hands-on with all of the new devices soon. Until then, follow the source for the full press release and peep the gallery and full specs below. As a treat for all our readers, we're going to be working on a series of Pipeline posts that will lay out the full specs (as we know them) for as many products and manufacturers as we can muster. It'll be your one stop to compare a particular manufacturers line-up.

Tablet Specification Comparison Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 (10.1)ASUS Eee Pad Transformer PrimeDimensions256.7 x 175.3 x 8.7mm256.6 x 172.9 x 8.6mm256.6 x 175.3 x 9.7mm263 x 180.8 x 8.3mmDisplay10.1-inch 1280 x 800 PLS10.1-inch 1280 x 800 PLS10.1-inch 1280 x 800 PLS10.1-inch 1280 x 800 Super IPS+Weight583g565g588g586gProcessor1.4GHz Dual-core SoC1GHz NVIDIA Tegra 2 (2 x Cortex A9)1GHz Dual-core SoC1.3GHz NVIDIA Tegra 3 (4 x Cortex A9)Memory1GB1GB1GB1GBStorage16GB/32GB/64GB + microSD slot16GB16GB/32GB + microSD slot32GB/64GB + microSD slotPricing$???$499$???$499/$599

 

Gallery: Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 Revealed at MWC

]]>

Samsung Refreshes Galaxy Tab Again: Dual-Core, No Plus

The original 7" Galaxy Tab was already long in the tooth when it was refreshed in the form of the Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus. That iteration brought Samsung's mighty Exynos SoC to bear on an otherwise meager tablet. Great isn't apparently good enough, though. Samsung's seen fit to produce a true successor, the awkwardly named Galaxy Tab 2 (7.0). 

 

So what's different this time? The Tab Plus already padded out the length and width of the original, while slimming down the depth; the Tab 2 is just a little thicker this time around. The 7" screen remains a PLS panel with a 1024x600 resolution, nothing too astonishing. The SoC is based on a dual-core design clocked at 1 GHz even. We haven't previously seen an Exynos SoC clocked at 1 GHz, though it's not inconceivable. Qualcomm has some dual-core parts clocked the same, as does NVIDIA. 

The only other notable feature of the Tab 2 (7.0) is that it will be the first Samsung-branded device running Ice Cream Sandwich (Android 4.0). Hewing to their old habits, Samsung has seen fit to bring TouchWiz to the ICS experience, and from the looks of things we shouldn't expect anything to groundbreaking. The usual assortment of Hubs will be on order (Music, Media, Social and Game), along with a new app curation tool S Suggest (kind of like an App Hub). They're also including a Motocast competitor called AllShare Play. Like Motorola's entrant, the AllShare Play app allows users to view media stored on their PCs or other Samsung devices from wherever they have an internet connection. 

The presence of Android 4.0 might point us to another likely suspect for SoC: TI. Samsung's involvement in the Galaxy Nexus is no secret, and they have had the most time with the ICS code as any manufacturer. It's plausible that in order to expedite shipping their first ICS tablet, Samsung chose the Nexus' platform, TI's OMAP 44x0. If that's the case, GPU performance could take a hit versus the Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus, particularly when that device gets updated to ICS. 

Pricing and availability Stateside have yet to be announced; though UK availability is pegged for March. In just two short years, Samsung has gone from having no tablets to a stable at least six deep (more if you count the 10.1v and 10.1N). The Galaxy Tab 2 (7.0) may fall short in the hardware department, especially compared to something like the Transformer Prime, but the 7" form factor has long been a fan favorite, and at the right price this could be a great way to experience Ice Cream Sandwich on a tablet. We'll update when we have pricing and availability. 

Gallery: Samsung Refreshes Galaxy Tab Again: Dual-Core, No Plus

]]>

Samsung Announces Galaxy S Advance

Reports about a new Samsung Galaxy series smart phone have been floating around for a few days now, and today Samsung has finally made it official by announcing the new family member: Galaxy S Advance. It's a 4" higher middle-class model, so it's not competing against Galaxy S II or Galaxy Nexus. Below is a comparison table including the new Galaxy S Advance.

Physical Comparison Apple iPhone 4SSamsung Galaxy S IISamsung Galaxy Nexus (CDMA/LTE)Samsung Galaxy S AdvanceHeight115.2 mm (4.5")125.3 mm (4.93")135.5 mm (5.33")123.2 mm (4.85")Width58.6 mm (2.31")66.1 mm (2.60")67.94 mm (2.67)63.0 mm (2.48)Depth9.3 mm ( 0.37")8.49 mm (0.33")9.47 mm (0.37")9.69 mm (0.38")Weight140 g (4.9 oz)115 g (4.06 oz)150 g (5.3 oz)120 g (4.2 oz)CPUApple A5 @ ~800MHz Dual Core Cortex A91.2 GHz Exynos 4210 Dual Core Cortex A91.2 GHz Dual Core Cortex-A9 OMAP 44601.0 GHz Exynos 4210 Dual Core Cortex-A9 (?)GPUPowerVR SGX 543MP2ARM Mali-400PowerVR SGX 540ARM Mali-400 (?)RAM512MB LPDDR2-8001 GB LPDDR21 GB LPDDR2768 MB LPDDR2NAND16GB, 32GB or 64GB integrated16 GB NAND with up to 32 GB microSD32 GB NAND8/16 GB NANDCamera8 MP with LED Flash + Front Facing Camera8 MP AF/LED flash, 2 MP front facing5 MP with AF/LED Flash, 1080p30 video recording, 1.3 MP front facing5 MP with AF/LED Flash, 720p30 video recording, 1.3 MP front facingScreen3.5" 640 x 960 LED backlit LCD4.27" 800 x 480 SAMOLED+4.65" 1280 x 720 SAMOLED HD4.0" 800 x 480 SAMOLEDBatteryInternal 5.3 WhrRemovable 6.11 WhrRemovable 6.85 WhrRemovable 5.55 Whr

First, let's discuss the SoC. Samsung only lists it as 1GHz dual core processor, so we don't have any concrete specs (hence the question mark). The SoC selection of the Galaxy S lineup is fairly fragmented as well. The original Galaxy S uses 1GHz single-core Samsung Hummingbird S5PC110, Galaxy S Plus uses 1.4GHz single-core Qualcomm Snapdragon MSM8255T, and Galaxy S II moved to dual-core with 1.2GHz Samsung Exynos 4210, though there have been reports of TI OMAP 4430 based Galaxy S IIs as well. Then we have T-Mobile version of the S II that uses Qualcomm Snapdragon S3 APQ8060. Galaxy Nexus is another oddball as it uses TI OMAP 4460. Pretty simple, huh? 

Luckily, the frequency gives us some indication of the core SoC. Snapdragon S3 isn't available at 1.0GHz, so we can rule out Qualcomm. That leaves us with Exynos 4210 and OMAP 4430, of which both are available at 1.0GHz. Given the track record of the Galaxy S series, our guess would be Exynos 4210 as Samsung seems to prefer in-house SoCs. Then again, we may see country specific models utilizing TI's OMAP 4430, in which case the GPU changes to PowerVR SGX 540. Either way, we should be looking at lower performance than what the high-end smart phones provide. 

Galaxy S Advance has Android 2.3 (Gingerbread) pre-installed, but unfortunately there is no word on Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwhich) support. According to the press release, Galaxy S Advance won't be available in the US; the release will happen gradually in Russia, Europe, Africa, Middle East, Asia and Latin America, starting in February. No pricing has been released either but we are probably looking at €400-500 (i.e. ~€100 cheaper than the high-end models), although the price will vary depending on taxation and contract. 

Gallery: Samsung Galaxy S Advance

]]>

Samsung Exynos 5250 Begins Sampling – Mass Production in Q2 2012

Back in November, Samsung announced its next generation Exynos 5250 SoC based on ARM’s Cortex-A15 architecture. Samsung confirmed today during its earnings call that the Exynos 5250 has begun sampling and should hit mass production in Q2 2012

Just to recap, the Exynos 5250 is a 32nm dual-core Cortex-A15 SoC running at 2.0 Ghz. Memory bandwidth is a staggering 12.8 GB/s and allows it to drive up to WQXGA (2560x1600) resolution displays. As we reported back in November, compute performance should easily be twice that of the 1.5Ghz dual-core Cortex-A9-based Exynos 4210 and graphics performance is expected to be a four-fold improvement. 

However, not much is known about the GPU at this moment; but if the Exynos 4210 was anything to go by, we could see ARM's Mali T-604 based on their new Midgard architecture handling the pixel pushing duties. The Exynos 4210 packed a Mali-400 MP4 GPU, while its predescessor, Hummingbird, used a PowerVR SGX540 GPU. Samsung does have licenses to other GPU designs from ARM and Imagination Technologies, so at this point, the GPU in the Exynos 5250 could be anybody's guess.

The next generation SoC race is definitely heating up with silicon from major players such as Qualcomm (Snapdragon S4 "Krait") and Texas Instruments (OMAP 5) all expected to ramp up production soon, with devices expected in Q3/Q4 2012. Of course, what Apple could be doing with its A6 chip is entirely another story.

Source: GSMArena

]]>

Apple goes after Samsung Galaxy Nexus

Apple has issued its first legal challenge to the Samsung Galaxy Nexus smartphone as its patent infringement war against Android rumbles on in 2012.

Cupertino lawyers have filed suit in a German court claiming that the Android 4.0 device is guilty of copying the iOS slide to unlock functionality patented by Apple.

Apple's decision to focus on the Galaxy Nexus aims to hit both of its chief hardware and software competitors

The Galaxy Nexus is one of Samsung's flagship devices as well as being the first Android 4.0 phone, meaning there are more of Google's fingerprints on the device than many other Android devices.

Escalation

"Judging by the first three weeks of 2012, Apple's intellectual property assertions against Android continue to escalate," Florian Mueller, a patent analyst told the AllThingsD website.

"Samsung appears to be no less determined to fight. Apple's supplemental infringement contentions targeting the Android 4.0 lead device are an unequivocal signal to Google that Apple doesn't shy away from a frontal assault."

Meanwhile, on Friday, a German court also threw out Samsung's assertions that the iPhone infringes upon one of its 3G patents.

It continues to be advantage Apple in the global patent wars, but things don't show any sign of cooling off, especially with Samsung planning the below for Super Bowl weekend.

YouTube : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y887tQh7nfQ

Apple A5 chip production ramped up by Samsung in US

Apple has decided to bring the making of its A5 chips to the US, with Samsung chosen to create the chips in one of its factories in Texas.

According to Reuters, the two companies have strengthened their flimsy relationship through the medium of processors.

There have been numerous courtroom battles between the Apple and Samsung over similarities between the iPad and iPhone and Samsung's smartphone and tablet line-up.

But, it seems the companies have put their differences aside and Apple is now using Samsung's chip manufacturing plant to create the A5 processor, which can be found in the iPhone 4S and the iPad 2.

According to Reuters, the production facility is the size of nine football pitches and was previously being used to create NAND Flash chips.

A5 production

Samsung had begun manufacturing the A5 chip earlier in the year but now the facility is "dedicated to producing Apple chips".

Both Apple and Samsung have decided to not to comment on their chip-based relationship but they have worked together in the past on the A4 chip.

It's unclear, however, if this relationship will continue for the A6. Back in August, it was reported that chip company Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC) had kicked off a trial production run of the A6 processor.

Related Stories

• Gary Marshall: Fab at 40: Intel's super chip

Seagate completes purchase of Samsung HDD business

Seagate has finalised its purchase of Samsung's hard disk drive business –gaining 'select elements' including assets, infrastructure and employees.

American company Seagate has snapped up the HDD business and takes over the likes of Samsung's high capacity 2.5-inch drives along with bringing over some of the key design engineers and senior managers from the Korean company.

"Together, Seagate and Samsung have aligned our current and future product development efforts and roadmaps in order to accelerate time-to-market efficiency for new products and position us to better address the increasing demands for storage," said Steve Luczo, Seagate chairman, president and CEO.

Exciting time

"It is an exciting time in the industry with rapidly evolving opportunities in many markets including mobile computing, cloud computing, and solid state storage."

The deal was announced back in April alongside a strategic partnership that will see Seagate drives used in Samsung laptops and Seagate gaining semi-conductors from Samsung for its solid state drives.

"The companies have also extended and enhanced their existing patent cross-license agreement and have expanded cooperation to co-develop enterprise storage solutions," added Seagate's release.

Samsung 27-inch 9 Series monitor unveiled

Samsung has officially unveiled a second-generation 27-inch Series 9 monitor, with the S27A970 to be shown off at CES 2012 next week.

The stylish monitor is a flagship offering from Samsung taking on the mantle from the Samsung T27A950, and includes the company's proprietary Natural Colour Expert tech and boasts a resolution of 2560x1440.

"Interest in user-generated content and a premium computing experience is growing as consumers are demanding products that allow them to better view, edit and share their photos, videos and entertainment content," said Samsung UK's Neil Sawyer

Answers needs

"The new Series 9 monitor, with Samsung's exclusive Natural Colour Expert technology, answers the need for higher resolution and meticulous detail editing, regardless of the job," he added.

"Its unique minimalist design draws users in for truly immersive computing and delivers Samsung's signature best-in-class viewing experience."

The Natural Colour Expert promises to provide colours 'as they were intended to be seen' and each monitor is apparently hand tuned for colour balance by an engineer.

Also included is Samsung's Plane Line Switching panel tech, that quad high definition resolution, a USB hub in the base, DisplayPort, Dual Link-DVI and HDMI video connections, 7W stereo speakers and a Mobile High Definition Link (MHL) for MHL-enabled smartphones and tablets.

We've not been let in on a UK price yet, but this is a premium offering, so don't expect it to be cheap.

Samsung Announces Series 7 and Series 9 Monitors

T27B750

Samsung has started CES early and has announced two new monitor lineups: Series 7 and Series 9. Series 7 is a premium consumer-grade series whereas Series 9 is mainly aimed toward professionals. Below are the specifcations:

Samsung Series 7 and Series 9 Specifications Series 7Series 9ModelC27B750XT27B750S27A970Screen Size27"27"27"Panel TypeWVA (?)TNPLSBacklightLEDLEDCCFL (?)Resolution1920x10801920x10802560x1440Brightness300cd/m^2300cd/m^2300cd/m^2Contrast Ratio5000:11000:11000:1Viewing Angles178/178170/160178/178Video InputsHDMI2x HDMI, VGAHDMI, dual-link DVI, DisplayPortOther Connectivity2x USB 3.0, USB 2.0, audio out, LAN, Central Station2x USB 3.0, USB 2.0, audio out, WiFi, HDTV tuner2x USB 2.0Speaker2x 5W2x 7W2x 7WMHLYesYesYesPrice$549$599$1199AvailabilityMarch 2012

C27B750X seems the be the successor of C27A750X, which was the first monitor to feature Central Station technology. We analyzed Central Station in last June and to summarize it briefly, it's basically a wireless laptop docking station. You connect a USB stick to your laptop and when you come within ~5 feet of the display, it automatically connects to the display. It acts as an external monitor but you can also use the USB devices connected to the monitor. Unfortunately, the display is still 1080p but the panel type has changed. Samsung lists the type as Wide Viewing Angle LED but as far as I know, there is no such panel type. It's definitely not TN as the viewing angles are much better. It's possible that it's a new panel type developed by Samsung or simply a fancy name for e.g. S-PVA or PLS. The price is down by $50 when compared to its predecessor, which is certainly a welcome action.

C27B750X

Samsung markets the T27B750 as a monitor but due to its HDTV tuner, it's more like an HDTV. However, it does feature a few USB ports and 27" is suitable for desktop use as well. Unfortunately, the panel type is TN so quality wise T27B750 is the worst of the three displays being launched. $599 makes it fairly expensive but its unique design (see photo at the top of this article) may be something people are willing to pay extra to get. 

As for the S27A970, it's currently the only member of the Series 9. It's 27" just like the Series 7 monitors but features 2560x1440 resolution instead of the more common 1920x1080. It uses a PLS panel which is similar to IPS, but according to Samsung provides better viewing angles and image quality. $1199 is a high price for a monitor but Series 9 has been designed for professional use, hence the price can be justified. However, it's still more expensive than e.g. Dell's U2711 or the Apple Thunderbolt Display, although the Samsung may feature a better panel (Dell and Apple both use an LG panel, while the Samsung ones seems to be in-house). 

Also, all monitors include MHL, Mobile High-definition Link. It's an interface found in some newer smartphones, such as the Samsung Galaxy S II, Galaxy Nexus, and HTC Evo 3D. The interface is capable of carrying 1080p uncompressed video and 8-channel audio. MHL doesn't use a specific port and it can be tied to micro-USB and HDMI, both which are fairly common in higher end smartphones. While the availability isn't until March 2012, Samsung will have all three monitors on display at CES 2012.

Source: Samsung (1), (2)

]]>

Samsung mocks iPhone 4S buyers in new commercial

Samsung's latest Galaxy S2 commercial has mercilessly mocked the loyal Apple iPhone fans who recently waited in line for the new 4S smartphone.

The ad, which will air in the US on Thanksgiving Thursday, features a host of caricatured iPhone enthusiasts lining-up outside Apple Stores lookalikes, nine hours before it goes on sale.

The cutting commercial, which you can watch in the YouTube clip below, portrays the Apple fanboys' excitedly speculating on the new features, before their attention is drawn to an S2 user.

"I'm creative"

Initially they're impressed by the device's screen screen, but as soon as one of the fanboys discovers that it is a Samsung phone, he sneers: "I could never get a Samsung, I'm creative."

His pal, also waiting in line, quips back with "Dude, you're a barista," while the commercial also baits Apple for the lack of 4G mobile broadband and a supposedly inferior and smaller screen.

The ad ends by saying: "The next big thing is already here."

Apple and Samsung are already embroiled in a smartphone turf war with Apple claiming the range of Galaxy phones and tablets 'blatantly copied' the iPhone and iPad.

Commercials portraying Apple enthusiasts as blind lemmings, blinded by Apple's marketing tomfoolery isn't likely to see Apple call of its legal dogs in the near future.

The commercial doesn't specifically mention Apple by name, but check out the video below and try not to smirk just a little bit.

YouTube : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6h5JSojJN3Y

Related Stories

• iPhone 4 spontaneously combusts on flight

Related Stories

• iPhone 4 spontaneously combusts on flight

Related Stories

• iPhone 4 spontaneously combusts on flight

Related Stories

• iPhone 4 spontaneously combusts on flight
• Apple iPad 3 and iPhone 5 set for 4G data

Related Stories

• iPhone 4 spontaneously combusts on flight
• Apple iPad 3 and iPhone 5 set for 4G data

Related Stories

• iPhone 4 spontaneously combusts on flight
• Apple iPad 3 and iPhone 5 set for 4G data