http://www.fonearena.com/blog The Mobile Blog Thu, 09 Feb 2012 13:36:21 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 http://www.fonearena.com/blog/45522/samsung-not-hosting-press-conference-at-mwc-2012.html http://www.fonearena.com/blog/45522/samsung-not-hosting-press-conference-at-mwc-2012.html#comments Wed, 08 Feb 2012 18:32:24 +0000 Varun Krish http://www.fonearena.com/blog/?p=45522 Samsung which is known for it's grand press conferences at MWC or Mobile World Congress is not hosting any such event this year , not sure why. Sascha Segan from PCMag has learnt from Samsung that they are not hosting any press conference this year during MWC.Samsung is not pulling out of the event. They have a presence at AppPlanet and a hopefully a booth with those shiny devices and pretty girls. Samsung launched the Wave with the stunning SuperAMOLED display at MWC 2010 and launched the Galaxy S2 and Galaxy Tab 10.1 at MWC 2011. While we won't see the Galaxy S3 at MWC 2012 we might surely see a successor to the Note or a few tablets according to rumours floating around. Check out the FoneArena MWC 2012 Event Calendar ]]> http://www.fonearena.com/blog/45522/samsung-not-hosting-press-conference-at-mwc-2012.html/feed 0 http://www.fonearena.com/blog/45507/valentine%e2%80%99s-day-apps-for-samsung-bada-and-android-phones.html http://www.fonearena.com/blog/45507/valentine%e2%80%99s-day-apps-for-samsung-bada-and-android-phones.html#comments Wed, 08 Feb 2012 10:48:35 +0000 Srivatsan http://www.fonearena.com/blog/?p=45507 Here are some apps for your Samsung bada and Android phones for this Valentine's Day. Some of these apps are also available for Samsung Galaxy Tab. Samsung is also offering free apps for Valentine's Day on their Samsung Apps store. List of Valentine’s Day apps for Samsung bada and Android devices Love Meter (Samsung wave phones, Galaxy Pro, Ace, Galaxy Tab and Note) - This is a Love Calculator that tells how much you love your valentine based on Astrology. Desserts (Samsung wave phones) - This app offers you to discover several easy recipes of famous deserts to cook Love Lines (Samsung wave phones, Galaxy S series phones, Galaxy Pro & Y Pro, Ace, Galaxy Tab and Note) - Choose from personalized message to famous romantic lines. Deepen your bond and express how you feel this Valentine's Day. Partner Search - Instant Partner Search On Mobile [IPSOM] (Samsung wave phones, Wave Y and M) - Alone on valentine's day? This app that lets you search for a prospective partner through you mobile. Just put in your details and start the search and quickly connect with someone in your city café, or nearby area. All these apps are free. They also offer package of paid apps for ...]]> http://www.fonearena.com/blog/45507/valentine%e2%80%99s-day-apps-for-samsung-bada-and-android-phones.html/feed 0 http://www.fonearena.com/blog/45450/idc-smartphone-market-hits-all-time-high-in-q4-2011-apple-and-samsung-top-vendors-by-shipments.html http://www.fonearena.com/blog/45450/idc-smartphone-market-hits-all-time-high-in-q4-2011-apple-and-samsung-top-vendors-by-shipments.html#comments Tue, 07 Feb 2012 05:49:52 +0000 Srivatsan http://www.fonearena.com/blog/?p=45450 Apple and Samsung are the top Smartphone vendors by shipments  in Q4 2011 according to a report by Research Firm IDC (International Data Corporation).  The worldwide smartphone market grew 54.7% year over year in Q4 2011. Shipment volumes reached 491.4 million units in 2011 that is up by 61.3% compared to 304.7 million units in 2010. Apple climbed to top spot in Q4 2011 with the launch of its iPhone 4S worldwide. It recorded best ever shipment record for a single quarter with 37 million smartphone shipments. Samsung is right behind Apple with 36 million shipments and it also broke the 30 million market in a single quarter for the first time. Nokia still holds the 3rd spot for the past 3 quarters with 19 million shipments in Q4 2011 that down 30.6% year over year. While looking at the smartphone shipments for the whole 2011, Samsung is the overall smartphone market leader with 94 million in shipments that is 310.5% more than 2010. Apple has also seen tremendous growth with 93.2 million shipments in 2011 compared to 47.5 million in 2010. Nokia moves to 3rd spot with 77.3 million shipments that is 22.8% less than 2010. RIM holds the 4th spot that has seen 4.7% increase in shipments compared to 2010, while HTC has seen 100.5% increase in shipments holding ...]]> http://www.fonearena.com/blog/45450/idc-smartphone-market-hits-all-time-high-in-q4-2011-apple-and-samsung-top-vendors-by-shipments.html/feed 0 http://www.fonearena.com/blog/45447/samsung-confirms-white-galaxy-nexus-coming-to-uk-on-february-13.html http://www.fonearena.com/blog/45447/samsung-confirms-white-galaxy-nexus-coming-to-uk-on-february-13.html#comments Mon, 06 Feb 2012 13:29:47 +0000 Srivatsan http://www.fonearena.com/blog/?p=45447 Samsung has officially announced the White version of the Galaxy Nexus. Some online retailers in UK started taking pre-orders for the device early last month. This would come with same features of the black version such as 4.65-inch (1280 x 720 pixels) HD Super AMOLED, 5MP rear camera, 1.3MP rear camera, 1.2GHz dual core processor, NFC, 1GB RAM and HSPA+ connectivity. This also comes with 16GB internal memory, Bluetooth 3.0, USB, Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n and 1750 mAh standard battery. The 32GB version of the black Galaxy Nexus is also expected to be available in UK later this month. The White Galaxy Nexus will be available in UK starting February 13. via: Engadget ]]> http://www.fonearena.com/blog/45447/samsung-confirms-white-galaxy-nexus-coming-to-uk-on-february-13.html/feed 0 http://www.fonearena.com/blog/45433/att-galaxy-note-now-available-for-pre-order-at-bestbuy.html http://www.fonearena.com/blog/45433/att-galaxy-note-now-available-for-pre-order-at-bestbuy.html#comments Mon, 06 Feb 2012 08:31:01 +0000 Asad Rafi http://www.fonearena.com/blog/?p=45433 Everyone is familiar with Samsung Galaxy Note, one of Samsung's best devices to date. It's a tablet/smartphone hybrid and it's available in all the major countries, and soon it will be launched in USA via AT&T. They officially announced it almost a month ago, and it seems the device will be hitting shelves soon as BestBuy is now taking pre-orders for the Galaxy Note. However, the device is already available at AT&T for pre-order and they will launch it on 19th February. BestBuy is also offering it for $299.99 with a 2-yr contract, so what's the advantage of buying it from BestBuy? The advantage is that they are offering it with Protective flip cover case which costs $29.99, but BestBuy will give it for free. Talking about the specs of Note, it comes with Dual-core 1.5GHz processor, Android 2.3 Gingerbread, 5.3 inch Super AMOLED HD (1280 x 800) display, LTE connectivity, S Pen technology, 8MP rear camera with 2MP front-facing camera for video chatting, and 16GB of internal memory. So anyone in US planning to get their hands on the Note? Tell us about it. Source: BestBuy ]]> http://www.fonearena.com/blog/45433/att-galaxy-note-now-available-for-pre-order-at-bestbuy.html/feed 0 http://www.fonearena.com/blog/45398/samsung-galaxy-s-ii-plus-leaked.html http://www.fonearena.com/blog/45398/samsung-galaxy-s-ii-plus-leaked.html#comments Thu, 02 Feb 2012 15:46:20 +0000 Sandeep http://www.fonearena.com/blog/?p=45398 The smartphone in the press image above is the Samsung Galaxy S II Plus. The image was uploaded onto Twitter by Eldar Murtazin. The device is said to feature a faster 1.5GHz Dual Core Processor. Not much other information is known about the device but it does look very identical to the Galaxy S II which gives us reason to believe that it could be the Galaxy S II Plus. However for the very same reason, we also think that it could very well be a fake image. The screen seems to look a little odd as well. The home button is now missing and three new Android Ice Cream Sandwich style buttons have been added. So if the photo is indeed real, this could suggest that Samsung is not yet ready to do away with keys completely. The phone also seems to have a slimmer waistline. The top looks tapered and the bottom bump is not very evident. Hence it might have gotten smaller or the bump has been removed altogether. But due to the angle of the image, its very tough to decide. With Samsung officially confirming that the Galaxy S III will not make an appearance at MWC (Mobile World ...]]> http://www.fonearena.com/blog/45398/samsung-galaxy-s-ii-plus-leaked.html/feed 0 http://www.fonearena.com/blog/45395/samsung-and-corning-enter-joint-venture.html http://www.fonearena.com/blog/45395/samsung-and-corning-enter-joint-venture.html#comments Thu, 02 Feb 2012 15:03:07 +0000 Sandeep http://www.fonearena.com/blog/?p=45395 Samsung has just signed a joint venture with Corning to to manufacture a new range of speciality glass substrates for its OLED equipped devices. If the name Corning sounds familiar to you, its probably because you've heard of Gorilla glass. Gorilla glass is one of the strongest materials used for displays in smartphones. The venture will be based in Korea and will combine Samsung's OLED expertise with Corning's Lotus Glass technology. This would enable Samsung to widen the range of smartphones that will use their technology. It will also help it to compete with LG and other makers who provide displays to brands such as Apple. Source   ]]> http://www.fonearena.com/blog/45395/samsung-and-corning-enter-joint-venture.html/feed 0 http://www.fonearena.com/blog/45391/samsung-galaxy-s-advance-up-for-pre-order-in-uk-shipping-late-february.html http://www.fonearena.com/blog/45391/samsung-galaxy-s-advance-up-for-pre-order-in-uk-shipping-late-february.html#comments Thu, 02 Feb 2012 13:07:24 +0000 Srivatsan http://www.fonearena.com/blog/?p=45391 Samsung Galaxy S Advance is now available for pre-order in UK from Clove. Samsung announced the Samsung Galaxy S Advance, upgraded version of the Samsung Galaxy S earlier this week. It comes with 4.0-inch WVGA(480×800 pixels) Super AMOLED display and runs on 1 GHz Dual-Core Processor. Other features include, 5 Megapixel Auto Focus Camera with LED Flash, 720p video recording and 1.3MP secondary camera, 3.5mm audio Jack, Stereo FM Radio with RDS, 768MB RAM, 8/16GB User memory that is expandable up to 32GB with MicroSD and connectivity features like 3G (HSPA 14.4 Mbps), Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n, Bluetooth v 3.0 and aGPS. It has 1,500mAh battery. The Samsung Galaxy S Advance is available for pre-order from Clove UK for 295GBP (354 GBP inc.VAT). It is expected to ship starting 27th February. Read ]]> http://www.fonearena.com/blog/45391/samsung-galaxy-s-advance-up-for-pre-order-in-uk-shipping-late-february.html/feed 0 http://www.fonearena.com/blog/45389/samsung-champ-deluxe-duos-launched-in-india-for-rs-4790.html http://www.fonearena.com/blog/45389/samsung-champ-deluxe-duos-launched-in-india-for-rs-4790.html#comments Thu, 02 Feb 2012 11:23:56 +0000 Srivatsan http://www.fonearena.com/blog/?p=45389 Samsung has launched new Dual SIM smartphone, Champ Deluxe Duos in India. It has 2.8” touch screen display and has new TouchWiz 2.0 Lite with new graphics and support for 7 home screens. It has 1.3 MP Camera and virtual QWERTY keyboard that also comes with Hindi language input. It is 12.3mm thick and weighs 89.7g. It has Bluetooth 3.0 that offers connectivity at 24MBPs, Dual SIM (GSM + GSM) with Dual Standby, SIM card hot swap option. It has 30MB internal memory and 16GB expandable memory. Other features include, FM radio with RDS and recording and 3.5mm ear jack, Push Mail with Activesync and Opera Mini Browser, ChatON messaging. It also comes with Native apps for sites like Facebook and Twitter along with IM apps for Yahoo, MSN, GTalk, etc. It has 1,000mAh battery. The Samsung Champ Deluxe Duos (C3312) comes at an MRP of Rs. 4, 790 but you could get it from online retailer such as Flipkart much cheaper at Rs. 3,925. ]]> http://www.fonearena.com/blog/45389/samsung-champ-deluxe-duos-launched-in-india-for-rs-4790.html/feed 0 http://www.fonearena.com/blog/45382/idc-mobile-phone-market-q4-2011-nokia-samsung-and-apple-top-mobile-phone-vendors-by-shipments.html http://www.fonearena.com/blog/45382/idc-mobile-phone-market-q4-2011-nokia-samsung-and-apple-top-mobile-phone-vendors-by-shipments.html#comments Thu, 02 Feb 2012 06:29:17 +0000 Srivatsan http://www.fonearena.com/blog/?p=45382 Nokia, Samsung and Apple are the leading Mobile vendors by shipments in Q4 2011 and for the whole 2011, according to a report by Research Firm IDC (International Data Corporation). The worldwide mobile phone market grew 6.1% year over year in the Q4 2011 with shipments of 427.4 million which is 6.1% more compared to 402.8 million units in the Q4 2010. The feature phone market continue to decline in Asia/Pacific regions such as China, India, and Indonesia and the Android Market is dominated by Samsung, HTC and LG in these regions. The table below that indicates the Worldwide Mobile shipments based on the total unit shipments and market share in Q4 2011. Nokia and Samsung holds the top spots, and Apple jumped into the 3rd spot globally from the 5th spot last quarter by pushing LG and ZTE back. They were in 4th spot in Q2 . Both the Nokia and LG has less shipments and the market share has also decreased compared to the 4th quarter of 2010. Apple has 8.7% market share with record-breaking shipments in the quarter. While looking at the shipments for the whole 2011, Nokia, Samsung and Apple are the top vendors by shipments. The Market Share ...]]> http://www.fonearena.com/blog/45382/idc-mobile-phone-market-q4-2011-nokia-samsung-and-apple-top-mobile-phone-vendors-by-shipments.html/feed 0 http://www.fonearena.com/blog/45367/samsung-galaxy-s3-not-launching-at-mwc-2012.html http://www.fonearena.com/blog/45367/samsung-galaxy-s3-not-launching-at-mwc-2012.html#comments Wed, 01 Feb 2012 12:23:46 +0000 Srivatsan http://www.fonearena.com/blog/?p=45367 Samsung said that they will not launch the Galaxy S3 at Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2012 in a statement issued to TechRadar. They said that the Galaxy S2 successor would be unveiled at a separate Samsung-hosted event in the first half of the year, closer to commercial availability of the product. Samsung Galaxy S III one of the most expected smartphone in 2012, according to the rumors it would come with a quad-core processor and larger HD (1280×720 Pixels) display. They unveiled the Galaxy S2 at MWC 2011 but it took time to hit the market. Samsung has still not sent out invites for it's MWC event. We expect to see more Samsung tablets this year at MWC. ]]> http://www.fonearena.com/blog/45367/samsung-galaxy-s3-not-launching-at-mwc-2012.html/feed 0 http://www.fonearena.com/blog/45333/samsung-galaxy-s-advance-announced.html http://www.fonearena.com/blog/45333/samsung-galaxy-s-advance-announced.html#comments Mon, 30 Jan 2012 10:48:16 +0000 Srivatsan http://www.fonearena.com/blog/?p=45333 Samsung has announced Samsung Galaxy S Advance that surfaced in Philippines recently. It comes with 4.0-inch WVGA(480x800) Super AMOLED display and is powered by 1 GHz Dual-Core Processor. It runs on Android 2.3(Gingerbread) with Samsung TouchWiz UI and comes with 5 Megapixel Auto Focus Camera with LED Flash and 1.3MP secondary camera. Specifications of Samsung Galaxy S Advance 4.0-inch WVGA(480x800 pixels) Super AMOLED display Android 2.3(Gingerbread), Samsung TouchWiz UI Dimensions - 123.2 x 63.0 x 9.69 mm and weighs 120g 1 GHz Dual-Core Processor 5 Megapixel Auto Focus Camera with LED Flash, 720p video recording and 1.3MP secondary camera 3.5mm audio Jack, Stereo FM Radio with RDS 768MB RAM, 8/16GB User memory that is expandable up to 32GB with MicroSD 3G (HSPA 14.4 Mbps), Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n, Bluetooth v 3.0 and aGPS 1,500mAh battery It would also comes with ChatON messaging app and Find My Mobile, a unique lost-phone management system that ensures secure phone data encryption in case of phone loss, and that enables users to trace their lost phone directly via the Web or even delete the device’s data remotely. The Samsung Galaxy S Advance would be available in Russia starting from February, and would gradually be rolled out in CIS, Europe, Africa, Middle East, Southeast and Southwest Asia, Latin America and China. ]]> http://www.fonearena.com/blog/45333/samsung-galaxy-s-advance-announced.html/feed 0 http://www.fonearena.com/blog/45324/samsung-galaxy-s-advance-surfaces-with-4-inch-display-and-dual-core-processor.html http://www.fonearena.com/blog/45324/samsung-galaxy-s-advance-surfaces-with-4-inch-display-and-dual-core-processor.html#comments Mon, 30 Jan 2012 08:31:56 +0000 Srivatsan http://www.fonearena.com/blog/?p=45324 Samsung Galaxy S Advance GT-I9070, an upcoming Android phone has surfaced in Philippines. It looks like smaller version of Samsung Galaxy S II with 4-inch (480 x 800 pixels) Super AMOLED display. It has curved design similar to the Samsung Galaxy Nexus but the specs are similar to Galaxy R that was announced last year. It runs on Android 2.3.6 (Gingerbread) with enhanced TouchWiz UI, which should be upgradable to Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich). It uses a dual-core ARMv7 (VFPv3, NEON) CPU and a Mali-400 MP GPU. It has 5MP camera with a single LED flash with 720p HD video recording and a front-facing camera, 3.5mm audio jack and the micro USB port and a 1500mAh battery. It is expected to be showcased at MWC next month and is priced at 22,900 Philippine pesos (US$ 535) in Philippines. Source: hardwarezone.com.ph ]]> http://www.fonearena.com/blog/45324/samsung-galaxy-s-advance-surfaces-with-4-inch-display-and-dual-core-processor.html/feed 0 http://www.fonearena.com/blog/45313/samsung-might-announce-galaxy-tab-with-2-ghz-processor-high-res-display-at-mwc-2012.html http://www.fonearena.com/blog/45313/samsung-might-announce-galaxy-tab-with-2-ghz-processor-high-res-display-at-mwc-2012.html#comments Sat, 28 Jan 2012 08:26:54 +0000 Srivatsan http://www.fonearena.com/blog/?p=45313 Samsung might announce a new Galaxy Tab with 2 GHz Exynos 5250 processor and a display with WXQGA (2560×1600 pixels ) resolution display at Mobile World Congress (MWC) according to androidandme. It would obviously run on the latest Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich). Samsung mentioned in their earnings call that they are sampling the Exynos 5250 SoC and would begin mass production for their devices from Q2 2012. The Exynos 5250 processor A15 chip clocks at 2GHz and would support WQXGA (2560×1600 pixels ) resolution display. Some sites are also reporting that it would come with a larger 11.6-inch display and S-pen support. The Cortex-A15 and Mali-T604 would deliver better speed and graphics with memory bandwidth of 12.8 GB/s and better power consumption. They unveiled the Galaxy S II and the Galaxy Tab 10.1 at MWC 2011 that was available in April 2011. Even if the new tablet is announced at the MWC 2012, we can't expect it till the end of Q2 or Q3 since they would start producing these chips in Q2 2012. Let's wait till the end of February for the MWC to know more. Source: Androidandme ]]> http://www.fonearena.com/blog/45313/samsung-might-announce-galaxy-tab-with-2-ghz-processor-high-res-display-at-mwc-2012.html/feed 0 http://www.fonearena.com/blog/45304/samsungs-official-uae-website-reveals-the-galaxy-s-iii.html http://www.fonearena.com/blog/45304/samsungs-official-uae-website-reveals-the-galaxy-s-iii.html#comments Sat, 28 Jan 2012 08:13:45 +0000 Ajit Pillai http://www.fonearena.com/blog/?p=45304 Samsung Galaxy S III has been on the radar from quite sometime, there were rumors that Samsung is reviewing their launch of the quadcore beast at MWC, meanwhile in UAE Samsung's official page listed GT I9300 (Galaxy S III) under the Mobile product name. Which not only proves that Galaxy S III exists but also that it might come sooner than we expect. The Samsung Galaxy S II is rumored to run a quadcore processor, totally new design, 2 GB of RAM and more cool stuff like that. We are sure that this is the Galaxy S II because I90xx was the model number of the Galaxy S series, I91xx was reserved for the Galaxy S II series and as Galaxy Nexus got I9250, I am sure the Galaxy SIII will be getting I9300. Now this device does sound really awesome and almost everyone in the tech field, even Apple will be looking for the launch of this phone. Source: Softpedia ]]> http://www.fonearena.com/blog/45304/samsungs-official-uae-website-reveals-the-galaxy-s-iii.html/feed 0 http://www.fonearena.com/blog/45312/samsung-profit-up-17-in-q4-2011.html http://www.fonearena.com/blog/45312/samsung-profit-up-17-in-q4-2011.html#comments Sat, 28 Jan 2012 07:51:10 +0000 Srivatsan http://www.fonearena.com/blog/?p=45312 Samsung has reported 17% increase in net profit due to increase smartphone sales in Q4 2011. They reported a net profit of 4 trillion won ($3.5 billion) in the fourth quarter of 2011 and 47.3 trillion won in revenue for the fourth quarter of 2011. The  operating profit jumped 75.8 percent to 5.3 trillion won in the fourth quarter compared to last year. The Semiconductor sector has seen a revenue of 9.17 trillion won in Q4 2011 with 2.31 trillion won in operating profits that has increased 29% year on year.The mobile sector 17.18 trillion won revenue The telecom sector recorded operating profits of 2.64 trillion won that is up 79% compared to Q4 2010. Overall 2011 operating profits were 7.34 trillion won in the semiconductors and 8.27 trillion won in Telecommunications sector. The overall 2011 revenue for Samsung was at 165 trillion won that is 7% higher that year over year but the net income of 13.7 trillion won is down 15% compared with 2010. ]]> http://www.fonearena.com/blog/45312/samsung-profit-up-17-in-q4-2011.html/feed 0 http://www.fonearena.com/blog/45301/samsung-to-begin-mass-production-of-exynos-5250-soc-from-q2-2012.html http://www.fonearena.com/blog/45301/samsung-to-begin-mass-production-of-exynos-5250-soc-from-q2-2012.html#comments Fri, 27 Jan 2012 19:24:44 +0000 Ajit Pillai http://www.fonearena.com/blog/?p=45301 We all have been hearing about the quadcore Exynos which might feature in the Samsung Galaxy S III, Samsung mentioned in their earnings call today that currently they are sampling the Exynos 5250 SoC and will probably start the mass production for their devices from Q2 2012 on wards if everything goes right. The quadcore SoC from Samsung does sound great but according to me the dual-core Exynos 5250 with two Cortex - A 15 chips clocked at 2 GHz sounds more interesting and powerful. The SoC also supports  WQXGA which is a resolution of around 2560x1600. They are also saying that this beast will have four times superioe graphics compared to the Cortex A9 SoC currently available in the market. Now this really sounds very exciting. Well we clearly have to wait for some time to see these in device, maybe in Q3 we will be seeing some Samsung tablets equipped with this  SoC, they have also mentioned that not only the tablets but also the smartphones will be featuring this powerful SoC. I am sure there will be a head on battle between Samsung and Qualcomm who will be coming up with the Krait based devices. Qualcomm had a really ...]]> http://www.fonearena.com/blog/45301/samsung-to-begin-mass-production-of-exynos-5250-soc-from-q2-2012.html/feed 0 http://www.fonearena.com/blog/45212/samsung-galaxy-nexus-india-launch-postponed-to-march.html http://www.fonearena.com/blog/45212/samsung-galaxy-nexus-india-launch-postponed-to-march.html#comments Mon, 23 Jan 2012 11:03:38 +0000 Varun Krish http://www.fonearena.com/blog/?p=45212 The Samsung Galaxy Nexus is actually a sweet device and currently the only one in the world according to my knowledge to run on Android 4.0 also known as ICS. The Galaxy Nexus is the 3rd member of the Nexus family of devices from Google and it is a c0-branded handset from Google and Samsung which runs on stock Android without any customization. The device was supposed to be launched in November last year and was postponed to December. Now more bad news as Samsung India's official account tweeted that the device will now be tentatively launched in March. Still no definitive date though.  Having used the Galaxy Nexus for around a month now , I actually like the device for a few  things - Ice Cream Sandwich ,  it will be the first device to get Android updates as it is pushed directly by Google. The Camera is also incredibly fast.One thing i dislike about the device is the low quality of build materials used. Each time I open the back cover, I have a feeling it will break. I don't understand what is stopping Samsung from releasing this handset soon in India. Are they afraid of jeopardizing sales ...]]> http://www.fonearena.com/blog/45212/samsung-galaxy-nexus-india-launch-postponed-to-march.html/feed 0 http://www.fonearena.com/blog/45186/samsung-galaxy-note-gets-maintenance-update.html http://www.fonearena.com/blog/45186/samsung-galaxy-note-gets-maintenance-update.html#comments Fri, 20 Jan 2012 14:39:58 +0000 Ajit Pillai http://www.fonearena.com/blog/?p=45186 It's really surprising to see Samsung pushing an OTA update and that too for a device which has been launched just a few months back. Well it is not a major Android 4.0 update, it is just minor maintenance update which updates the keyboard, lockscreen, browser brightness control, torch app. I think Samsung has finally heard it's fast growing followers by bringing quick updates and also pushing it without a desktop application like KIES. Which is very nice to see. The updates are great too which brings one hand typing, also improving the lockscreen and brightness while browsing. The Galaxy Note has been selling like hot cakes recently and rapid updates means that people will be getting it even more, also soon to be released Android 4.0 update.currently this update is rolling out only for the users in Europe, but users in other countries will be seeing this updates pretty soon. Source: TheUnwired ]]> http://www.fonearena.com/blog/45186/samsung-galaxy-note-gets-maintenance-update.html/feed 0 http://www.fonearena.com/blog/45166/samsung-star-3-and-star-3-duos-announced.html http://www.fonearena.com/blog/45166/samsung-star-3-and-star-3-duos-announced.html#comments Thu, 19 Jan 2012 09:10:26 +0000 Srivatsan http://www.fonearena.com/blog/?p=45166 Samsung has announced 2 new touch screen phones, Star 3 and Star 3 DUOS that is the successor of Samsung Star, Star Duos and Star 2 phones. These phones come with 3-inch (320 x 240 pixels) TFT LCD touch screen and 3.2 Megapixel Fixed Focus camera. These specs of the Samsung Star 3 DUOS is similar but the only different is the Dual SIM capability. Specifications of Samsung Star 3 and Star 3 DUOS 3-inch (320 x 240 pixels) TFT LCD touch screen display Dimensions - 58 x 102 x 11.5 mm and weighs 95 g Dual-SIM ( for Star 3 DUOS only) 3.2 Megapixel Fixed Focus camera Samsung TouchWiz Lite 3.5mm Jack, Stereo FM Radio with RDS Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth v 3.0 20MB User memory that is expandable up to 16GB with microSD 1,000 mAh battery These would also come pre-loaded with Samsung ChatON mobile communication service and Instant Messaging services such as MSN, Yahoo!, and Google Talk and natively integrated Facebook, Twitter support. These devices will be available in Russia in late January and would gradually be rolled out in CIS, Europe, Latin America, Africa, Middle East, and Southeast Asia. The Star 3 DUOS will also be available in Southwest Asia. The price has not been announced yet. ]]> http://www.fonearena.com/blog/45166/samsung-star-3-and-star-3-duos-announced.html/feed 0 http://www.fonearena.com/blog/45124/samsung-galaxy-ace-white-hands-on-pictures.html http://www.fonearena.com/blog/45124/samsung-galaxy-ace-white-hands-on-pictures.html#comments Wed, 18 Jan 2012 12:33:20 +0000 Gaurav http://www.fonearena.com/blog/?p=45124 I recently had opportunity to play with Samsung GALAXY ACE White edition which launched in India recently with Android 2.3.5. Here are some hands-on pictures for all FoneArena readers. Enjoy….   [gallery link="file"]   ACE in white looks quite stunning. Now its preloaded with Android 2.3.5 which provides performance boost to the ACE. It is quite smooth and snappy out of the box compared to Android 2.2 (Froyo). Other that the software it is similar to the black version of the Galaxy Ace The current MOP of ACE White edition is Rs. 14500/- in Mumbai, India. ]]> http://www.fonearena.com/blog/45124/samsung-galaxy-ace-white-hands-on-pictures.html/feed 0 http://www.fonearena.com/blog/45008/samsung-galaxy-s2-wimax-launched-in-japan.html http://www.fonearena.com/blog/45008/samsung-galaxy-s2-wimax-launched-in-japan.html#comments Tue, 17 Jan 2012 06:08:17 +0000 Srivatsan http://www.fonearena.com/blog/?p=45008 Samsung has launched the Galaxy S2 with WiMAX support for KDDI au in Japan. They have already launched the LTE version in Korea and USA. This CDMA phone comes with a 4.7-inch HD (1280 x 720) Super AMOLED Plus display, 1.4GHz dual-core processor and runs on Android 2.3 (Gingerbread). It is about 9.5mm thick and weighs 139g. Other features are same as the LTE version such as 8MP auto focus camera with LED flash, 1080p full HD video recording and a 2MP front facing video calling camera, 16GB memory, expandable up to 32GB with MicroSD, 3G, Bluetooth 3.0, WiFi a/b/g/n, aGPS, NFC (Near Field Communication) and 1850 mAh battery. Samsung Galaxy S2 WiMAX would be available from 20th January in Japan with KDDI and the price has not been announced yet. Source: KDDI | Via: SammyHub ]]> http://www.fonearena.com/blog/45008/samsung-galaxy-s2-wimax-launched-in-japan.html/feed 0 http://www.fonearena.com/blog/44996/samsung-galaxy-s2-running-android-4-0-ice-cream-sandwich.html http://www.fonearena.com/blog/44996/samsung-galaxy-s2-running-android-4-0-ice-cream-sandwich.html#comments Mon, 16 Jan 2012 07:24:20 +0000 Varun Krish http://www.fonearena.com/blog/?p=44996 Here is a video overview of the Samsung Galaxy S2 running Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. You will only minor UI changes in the new update when compared to Gingerbread.Samsung has retained most of the TouchWiz customization. httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=88_wTfKysg4 You can also see all currently running apps by long pressing on the home button and you can swipe to close the apps in ICS fashion.The browser seems a bit faster. We also compare the S2 to the Galaxy Nexus in the above video. This update will be coming soon to Galaxy S2 devices. ]]> http://www.fonearena.com/blog/44996/samsung-galaxy-s2-running-android-4-0-ice-cream-sandwich.html/feed 0 http://www.fonearena.com/blog/44991/samsung-set-to-merge-tizen-and-bada-os.html http://www.fonearena.com/blog/44991/samsung-set-to-merge-tizen-and-bada-os.html#comments Sun, 15 Jan 2012 04:04:41 +0000 Sandeep http://www.fonearena.com/blog/?p=44991 Tae-Jin Kang of Samsung has just revealed at CES about Samsung's plans to merge their own Bada OS into the Tizen project. The decision is mainly because of the similarities between the two OSes. Both are Linux based and the OS resulting out of the merger would also be a Linux based one. Tizen could be considered as the successor to MeeGo. Although MeeGo never really took off since Nokia decided to call it quits and adopt Windows 7 after launching just one MeeGo phone, the Nokia N9. Samsung has also promised backward compatibility with Bada applications and support for applications written using the Bada SDK. According to the source, we will see at least one or two Tizen based smartphones in 2012. They will however mostly be mid-end devices since the high-end segment will be reserved for Android and Windows platforms. source | via ]]> http://www.fonearena.com/blog/44991/samsung-set-to-merge-tizen-and-bada-os.html/feed 0 http://www.fonearena.com/blog/44988/samsung-promises-better-battery-life-in-smartphones.html http://www.fonearena.com/blog/44988/samsung-promises-better-battery-life-in-smartphones.html#comments Sat, 14 Jan 2012 14:48:23 +0000 Sandeep http://www.fonearena.com/blog/?p=44988 In recent years, manufactureres have managed to create phones that can even rival some of the dedicated computers in terms of performance. But the battery life is one aspect that hasnt improved over time. Although the battery capacities have increased, the actual battery life remains the same if not lesser than previous generation mobile phones. Samsung has now acknowledged the problem relating battery life especially in their devices. According to Kevin Packingham, VP at Samsung product innovation, Samsung is trying to build phones whose battery lasts a full day under moderately heavy use. They know that battery life hasn't been the best aspect of their smartphones but they've made progress. They would improve battery life not just by optimising the battery usage but also using larger capacity batteries. But he also stated that power users might always end up facing the problem and that they would have to resort to carrying extra battery or using battery packs at least until solar power becomes popular. He described 2011 as a transitional year due to the implementation of new technologies and promised that 2012 will deliver better quality smartphones. source ]]> http://www.fonearena.com/blog/44988/samsung-promises-better-battery-life-in-smartphones.html/feed 0 http://www.fonearena.com/blog/44963/samsung-omnia-w-unboxing.html http://www.fonearena.com/blog/44963/samsung-omnia-w-unboxing.html#comments Fri, 13 Jan 2012 03:39:06 +0000 Varun Krish http://www.fonearena.com/blog/?p=44963 Here is quick unboxing of the Samsung Omnia W , Samsung's first Windows Phone to be launched in India.We already did a hands on from the India launch event last year. It is powered by a 1.4GHz CPU and sports a 3.7 in Super AMOLED display.It runs on Windows Phone 7.5 Mango operating system and one can download apps from the Windows Marketplace. Take a look at the video below where we unbox the device and also show you a really quick hardware overview of the device. httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Hq1c1G8cYE Make sure you crank up the video quality to 720p for the best viewing experience. You can also take a quick look at how the Omnia W stacks up against the Nokia Lumia 710 ]]> http://www.fonearena.com/blog/44963/samsung-omnia-w-unboxing.html/feed 0 http://www.fonearena.com/blog/44927/samsung-galaxy-tab-620-launched-in-india.html http://www.fonearena.com/blog/44927/samsung-galaxy-tab-620-launched-in-india.html#comments Wed, 11 Jan 2012 12:52:38 +0000 Srivatsan http://www.fonearena.com/blog/?p=44927 Samsung has officially launched the Galaxy Tab 620, their new Android Honeycomb tablet in India. It appeared on online retail sites last week. It has 7-inch WSVGA(1024X600) PLS LCD display and is powered by 1.2 GHz Dual Core Processor. It runs on Android 3.2 (Honeycomb) and is 9.96mm thin, and weighs 345g. It has 3 MP Auto focus camera with LED Flash with 720p HD video recording @ 30 fps and a 2 MP front video calling camera, 1GB RAM, 16 GB Internal memory that is expandable up to 64GB with MicroSD. It has 3G with HSPA+ support that offers data speeds of 21Mbps. The Wi-Fi Channel Bonding lets you share data with others over Wi-Fi faster. Other connectivity features include, 3G HSPA＋, Bluetooth 3.0, Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n and it comes with a 4,000 mAh Li-on battery. The GalaxyTab 620 is priced at an MRP of Rs. 30,250 but you could get the tablet for Rs. 26,499 for online retailers like Flipkart and cheaper at Rs. 25,900 from Letsbuy. ]]> http://www.fonearena.com/blog/44927/samsung-galaxy-tab-620-launched-in-india.html/feed 0 http://www.fonearena.com/blog/44696/samsung-galaxy-note-review.html http://www.fonearena.com/blog/44696/samsung-galaxy-note-review.html#comments Wed, 11 Jan 2012 07:54:37 +0000 Dhruv Bhutani http://www.fonearena.com/blog/?p=44696 Phone or Tablet ? Samsung themselves have been unable to decide how to promote the Galaxy Note. With a massive 5.3" screen , active digitizer, the Galaxy Note is also the perfect note taking device. How does it cope up as a phone ? Read the FoneArena Galaxy Note review to find out. For starters lets give you an  idea about the size of the Note, thats the device next to the iPhone 4S. And here is  Note next to the Galaxy Nexus and the Galaxy S2 Hardware One look at the Galaxy Note and all you can notice is the screen. Massive , bright , gorgeous. The screen is the highlight of the device which is essentially a giant sized Galaxy S2. Much heavier than the S2 , the Note weighs in at 173gms compared to the light 116gms of the S2. The build quality is above average and the patterned back actually feels quite nice in hand. The Note is definitely one of the most powerful devices in the market at the moment and comes equipped with a giant list of features which includes : 146.9 x 83 x 9.7 mm, 178g Phone-Tablet hybrid formfactor 5.3 Inch 16 Million colors Super AMOLED capacitive touchscreen at WXGA ...]]> http://www.fonearena.com/blog/44696/samsung-galaxy-note-review.html/feed 0 http://www.fonearena.com/blog/44901/t-mobile-unveils-samsung-galaxy-s-blaze-4g-galaxy-attain-4g-coming-to-metropcs-for-199.html http://www.fonearena.com/blog/44901/t-mobile-unveils-samsung-galaxy-s-blaze-4g-galaxy-attain-4g-coming-to-metropcs-for-199.html#comments Wed, 11 Jan 2012 06:33:38 +0000 Srivatsan http://www.fonearena.com/blog/?p=44901 Samsung and T-Mobile has unveiled the Galaxy S Blaze 4G that would offer upto 42 Mbps data speeds on HSPA+. It would come with Qualcomm Snapdragon S3 processor with 1.5 GHz dual core CPU,  Super AMOLED touch screen display and pre-loaded entertainment apps. Samsung Galaxy Attain 4G is a mid range phone that would be available for MetroPCS. It features a 3.5-inch display, 1GHz processor and runs Android 2.3 (Gingerbread). It would also come with  3MP rear camera with LED flash, a 1.3MP front-facing camera . It also has MetroSTUDIO with multimedia content, including Video On Demand, providing instant access to the latest TV shows, news, sports and entertainment for $60 plan. They have also added Disney/ABC Television Group and ESPN to MetroSTUDIO. The Samsung Galaxy S Blaze 4G is expected to be available later this year on T-Mobile. The Galaxy Attain 4G will be available for $199 plus tax, after a $50 mail-in rebate from local MetroPCS store and online for a limited time. ]]> http://www.fonearena.com/blog/44901/t-mobile-unveils-samsung-galaxy-s-blaze-4g-galaxy-attain-4g-coming-to-metropcs-for-199.html/feed 0 http://www.fonearena.com/blog/44878/soon-you-can-control-your-washing-machine-from-your-mobile-phone.html http://www.fonearena.com/blog/44878/soon-you-can-control-your-washing-machine-from-your-mobile-phone.html#comments Tue, 10 Jan 2012 17:07:37 +0000 Varun Krish http://www.fonearena.com/blog/?p=44878 Have you ever dreamt about controlling your washing machine using your mobile phone ?  The new WF457 Samsung Washing Machine supports WiFi and if your mobile phone (We guess only Samsung phones might be supported) is also on the same WiFi network. Using a smart phone application users can monitor cycle selections, remaining time and finishing alerts, as well as remotely start or pause the washing machine ! The Washing Machine also has a 8 inch color touchscreen. You might have head about Allshare in TVs and phones but now its on Washing machines too ! Samsung is saying that this feature will be a huge benefit to busy moms who spend time running back and forth from the laundry room. ]]> http://www.fonearena.com/blog/44878/soon-you-can-control-your-washing-machine-from-your-mobile-phone.html/feed 0