Thursday, August 30, 2012

Android Phone Fans

Android Phone Fans

Samsung: US Galaxy Note 2 Due Before End of 2012

Posted: 29 Aug 2012 06:36 PM PDT

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While we anxiously wait around to see which of the Big 4 carriers in the US will be first to announce availability of the Galaxy Note 2, Samsung may have clued us in on when we can expect the phoneblet to arrive here in the states. Will it arrive next month? Will we have to wait until early next year like when Samsung debuted the original Galaxy Note?? A Samsung representative spoke with The Verge today saying we can expect the GN2 in the US:

Samsung Mobile is planning a U.S. version of Galaxy Note II, which will be available later in 2012. Building on the success of the original Galaxy Note, we’re confident that the Galaxy Note II continues to redefine what consumers should expect from their smartphone and delivers a powerful, innovative and unique experience. Exact timing and retail channel availability is not being announced at this time, we will continue to share information as it becomes available.

There you have it. If you planned on picking the phablet, it’s time to plan your next phone purchase around this vague, possibly end-of-the-year date. My body is ready…

Samsung’s Entire IFA 2012 Unpacked Event Is Now Available For Your Viewing Pleasure [Video]

Posted: 29 Aug 2012 06:03 PM PDT

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Some of you might have been working, others sleeping (guilty). No matter the reason, if you found yourself bummed out for missing Samsung’s Unpacked Event from IFA 2012 this morning, you’ll be glad to know it has now been recorded and available for your streaming at your leisure. Sure you got all the pertinent information from our announcement posts, but you’ll miss out on all the magic — no really, the host is packing a magician’s wand — from the event.

Call me immature, but I find it hi-larious when listening to other countries pronounce words like batteries (sounds like “bat-trees”). Heehee. At an hour and 26 minutes, you might wanna get comfortable and grab a snack. Enjoy.

Google Now Updated With Movie Showtimes, Public Alerts, Realtime Sports Updates, and More

Posted: 29 Aug 2012 04:46 PM PDT

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The Google Search app — otherwise known as Google Now for Android 4.1 Jelly Bean devices — has just been updated in the Play Store. The update added Google Now support for movie showtimes with notifications appearing when either physically near a movie theater, or on the days you’re most likely to search for movies (like the weekend).

Google Now will also display various public alerts like storm warnings, earthquake alerts, etc. that are in your area. For sports fanatics, you can now save your favorite sports teams for real time updates via Google Now. Looks like Google Now is just getting better and smarter, it’s a shame only those of us on Jelly Bean get to enjoy it.

[Play Store]

Google Maps for Android adds biking navigation

Posted: 29 Aug 2012 03:50 PM PDT

Bikers seem to get the shaft when it comes to location services more often than not, but Google is changing all that with the latest change to Google Maps today. The updated application will now allow users to navigate biking trails in case they’re getting around on the emissions-friendly vehicle.

Google uses the crowd-sourced Map Maker program to allow you and your rolling peers to lay out safe tracks, pathways, and street lanes for biking to get to a certain place. Hundreds of cities are supported, and with the help of Rails-to-Trails and other nonprofit organizations more will be added over time. Find the updated app in the Play Store here. [Google]

Google releases new Nexus 7 ad [VIDEO]

Posted: 29 Aug 2012 03:07 PM PDT

The Nexus 7 could do with a little “pick-me-up,” and Google’s not going to let potential sales whisk by when this is one of the most aggressively priced, yet powerful tablets on the market. Following a prominent Nexus 7 ad on the home page of Google, the Mountain View giant has released a new one minute video spot for the Nexus 7.

“Playground” is the name of this one, and it shows how educational a Nexus 7 can be to you and your little one while being fun at the same time. It’s a pretty nice ad, and I’d say it’s ripe for TV should Google decide to go that route. Hit the play button above to see if Google can sell you on one of these things for $200.

Samsung Galaxy S3 and Galaxy Note 10.1 to get Jelly Bean very soon, says Samsung

Posted: 29 Aug 2012 01:48 PM PDT

With all the news surrounding the Samsung Galaxy Note 2 and the Samsung Galaxy Camera today, Samsung wanted to remind us that they haven’t forgotten about some other key flagship devices of theirs.

In the press conference at their Unpacked event in Berlin, Samsung mentioned both the Samsung Galaxy S3 and the Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 would be receiving Android 4.1 Jelly Bean very soon.

We’re not sure what to expect from these updates, but we’d be disappointed to find that the Note 10.1 doesn’t come with the same new S Pen features that the Galaxy Note 2 are set to have.

On the other hand, the Galaxy S3′s changelog might be a bit shorter, but don’t forget that there are still tons more awesome features to come through Jelly Bean alone. We’ll be sure to keep you posted on any further news regarding these updates as time goes on so don’t forget to check back often.

Rooted, flashable JRO03O Jelly Bean build for Verizon Galaxy Nexus now available

Posted: 29 Aug 2012 01:39 PM PDT

Earlier today, we’d learned that test versions of Verizon’s Jelly Bean ROM for the Samsung Galaxy Nexus were leaked online. That build required users who were rooted with custom ROMs to revert to stock IMM76K, update to stock IMM76Q, and update using the stock recovery. Fortunately, all those steps have been negated with a flashable pre-rooted JRO03O build made available by P3Droid.

Alongside that, the new radios for the device have also been made available as a separate download in case you want to use the latest without having to be on this build.Those who are rooted and flash custom ROMs should already know how to flash these things, but in case you need some help we’ve included instructions below. [via Droid-Life]

Download:  update_jro03o.zip

Instructions:

*If you only want the new radios from this Jelly Bean build, you can find them here.

1.  Download the file from above onto your phone's storage.
2.  Reboot into recovery and make a backup.
3.  You should probably wipe data and cache at this point.
4.  Then "install zip from sdcard" and find the file you just downloaded.
5.  Watch it install, reboot, and enjoy.

If you run into any issues, be sure to let us know in the comments. And again, be sure to make a backup first.

TomTom now coming to Android this October

Posted: 29 Aug 2012 01:12 PM PDT

When we originally heard TomTom would be headed to Android we were told we would see it by Summer’s end. Unfortunately, it appears that window has been pushed back. TomTom for Android is being previewed in Berlin today, and one of the representatives mentioned that the navigation app will not be here until October.

That’s not a long wait from now, but  it always sucks when a release window is missed. Regardless, at least it’s still coming to the Google Play Store. The one worry I have is with pricing.

The iOS version of TomTom is $60, and for that you only get maps for the US and Canada. That’s a lot to task for when you’re competing with the comparatively cheaper CoPilot and the free Google Maps.

But TomTom’s value is immediately evident with its feature-set, and since it’s too long to sum up here I’ll direct you to the iTunes store to take a look for yourself. In the meantime, Google Maps and I are getting along just fine. Read on for full press details.

BERLIN–(BUSINESS WIRE)–TomTom previews its new navigation application for Android at IFA today. TomTom navigation, map and traffic technologies will be incorporated into the new app.

"We aim to make TomTom content and services available to as many devices and platforms as we can"

TomTom's on-board maps, IQ Routes and HD Traffic will give Android users the freshest map, the fastest routes and the most accurate arrival times. The application is set for release in October 2012.

"We aim to make TomTom content and services available to as many devices and platforms as we can," says Corinne Vigreux, Managing Director at TomTom. "Bringing TomTom navigation to Android smartphones is, therefore, a significant milestone for us."

This announcement follows the recent release of the TomTom Hands-free Car Kit for Smartphones. The kit allows users to charge their phone and mount it in clear view. An in-built speaker then delivers the highest quality audio for loud and clear navigation instructions and calls.

More details, pricing and availability will be announced closer to the launch date.

Granny Smith Now Available In The Play Store – High Speed Action, Stunt Skating Fun!

Posted: 29 Aug 2012 12:29 PM PDT

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You may remember earlier this month when we gave you guys an exclusive hands-on with Mediocre Games’ latest title for Android — Granny Smith. I had nothing but good things to say about the title and now… it’s finally available in the Play Store. Here’s just a few things you can look forward to in Granny Smith:

  • Spectacular physics – Granny Smith uses some of the most advanced destruction physics in mobile games. Crash through crates and windows and watch the pieces fly all over!
  • Dazzling visuals – Zoom through dozens of vibrant, whimsical worlds! Each level is like a fanciful, three-dimensional storybook.
  • Intuitive controls – Help Granny pull off crazy moves with simple two-button controls – perfect for both tablets and phones.
  • Vintage replays – Watch your best runs in retro movie style with cool camera angles and slow-motion effects!
  • Power Granny up – Collect coins and equip Granny with a helmet, banana peels and baseballs. If Granny is getting old, you have two alternative characters to play with – Scruffy and Stanley!

Granny Smith is fun for all ages yet challenging enough for more hardcore Android gamers. Mediocre is proving themselves the Pixar of the mobile gaming scene, and has once again, hit one out of the ballpark. You can download Granny Smith for a more than reasonable 99 cents right now in the Google Play. If you missed out on my full hands-on, video has been supplied below (apologize for the audio issues).

[Play Store]

Show of hands: who’s getting today’s newly-unveiled Galaxy Note 2 and Galaxy Camera? [Poll]

Posted: 29 Aug 2012 11:52 AM PDT

Discuss the Galaxy Note 2 at AndroidForums.com | View the Samsung Galaxy Note in the Phone guide

 Discuss the Samsung Galaxy Camera at AndroidForums.com | View the Samsung Galaxy Camera in the Phone Guide

In case you were living under a rock today, Samsung has officially unveiled both the Samsung Galaxy Note 2 and the Samsung Galaxy Camera. Both are poised to be juggernauts in their respective spaces, with the former being a point and shoot camera that straddles the line between powerful consumer camera and superphone (except it doesn’t have any phone radios).

To quickly sum it up, the Galaxy Note 2 will feature a 5.5 inch Super AMOLED HD display, a 1.6GHz quad-core processor, 2GB of RAM, an 8 megapixel HD camera with a 2 megapixel front-facing camera, Samsung’s S Pen technology for use with TouchWiz on top of Android 4.1, and more.

The Galaxy Camera pulls out all the stops with a 16 megapixel BSI CMOS sensor and 21x optical zoom. Its live viewfinder is a huge 4.8 inch touchscreen, and inside is Android 4.1 and some nice features specific to the digital photographer inside you.  Specifically, Pro Mode will give you the tools you need to take a variety of different shots like a pro without needing to be one.

You can read more about the Galaxy Note 2 and the Samsung Galaxy Camera here and here, respectively. But now that you’ve seen what Samsung’s holiday plans are looking like it’s time to pick you guys’ brain: are you buying? Many have held off on the Samsung Galaxy S3 for one reason or another so there are sure to be some still in the market for a smartphone.

And when is the point and shoot consumer camera world ever dead? With some very nice features and the backing power of Samsung this won’t be a bad gift for yourself or loved ones. Vote in the poll below and let us know if you’ll be opening your pocket books for these once they’re made available worldwide.

Samsung Galaxy Camera officially unveiled at IFA Berlin

Posted: 29 Aug 2012 11:19 AM PDT

View the Samsung Galaxy Camera in the Phone Guide

The Samsung Galaxy Camera was officially announced at IFA in Berlin Germany, and this is going to be one point and shoot camera that changes the game. While smart cameras are nothing new, it has yet to be done by a major player like Samsung.

The device will feature a nice 16 megapixel BSI CMOS sensor, one that features 21x optical zoom to get those long shots without the horrible noise. All of it is fed to the 4.8 inch touchscreen on the back of the camera. This monstrosity is virtually unheard of in a vast majority of the camera world.

Smart Pro Mode will give you a feature-set that will make you feel like a pro. Things like fast shoot for getting action shots, light capture mode to get those cool looking trailing light scenes, and a feature that lets you bring out the color of the sky are all supposed to help you feel like you’re handling a professional DSLR without knowing much about professional photography at all.

The device also features full HD video, and you can capture slow motion video in up to 120 frames per second. Since the camera is based on Android 4.1 you can share all the content with many different apps straight form the camera. Samsung also includes a sharing widget so you can post your content to a bevy of social networkingservices without needing a ton of apps.

An auto cloud backup feature means your photos will be backed up to a remote server for easy, automatic downloading and sharing, and you won’t have to worry about losing your shots should something happen to your camera.

Share Shot will send the content you capture to other people in real-time using WiFi direct, and a remote viewfinder will let you view the image the lens is currently capturing on your smartphone or tablet.

And connectivity will be no issue if you need to share your content on the go. Samsung is promising 3G, 4G, and WiFi support. It’s essentially a camera phone without the phone bits. I can’t say I’m terribly disappointed in that at all. We’ll be updating this post with more information as it comes in so be sure to refresh it for the latest. Read on for full press details.

Samsung presents 'Camera. Reborn.' – the GALAXY Camera

The new device combines leading-edge camera capabilities with Android™ 4.1 Jelly

Bean and wireless network connectivity, letting users shoot, edit and share images easily

anywhere, at any time

BERLIN, Germany – August 29, 2012 – Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd, a global leader in digital media and
digital convergence technologies, has today announced the launch of the GALAXY Camera. Developed to
fit the changing ways we communicate, the GALAXY Camera combines high performance photography with
the latest Android™ 4.1 platform, so called Jelly Bean, and wireless network connectivity, creating a brand
new type of device. Samsung GALAXY Camera fits perfect for those who wish to shoot, edit and share high
quality photographs and video easily and spontaneously from anywhere, at any time.

"The GALAXY Camera opens a new visual communication era and shifts a paradigm in communication. With
the growth of social networks and the prevalence of smartphones and tablets, people today communicate
faster than words. As we increasingly articulate our experiences through pictures and videos the GALAXY
Camera has been created to lead the way in this new era of visual communication. Communication becomes
more vivid and lively with high quality images and instant sharing anywhere, anytime," said JK Shin,
President of IT & Mobile Communications Division at Samsung Electronics.

Andy Rubin, Senior Vice President of Mobile and Digital Content at Google, congratulated the Samsung
team on their launch. "When we first started work on Android, we envisioned building a smart camera that
would take digital photography to the next level. The GALAXY Camera is an innovative product that speaks
to the openness and flexibility of the Android platform."

The GALAXY Camera makes outstanding photography on the go. Users never again have to sacrifice
picture quality if they want to edit and share their photos instantly. It easily outperforms any smartphone
camera. The GALAXY Camera, boasting a 21x optical touch zoom lens and a super-bright 16M BSI CMOS
sensor delivers pictures in brilliant quality. The device also features 'Smart Pro' technology, a series of
modes that make professional-looking photography easy for anyone to achieve. What truly revolutionizes
this photography experience is Android™ 4.1 Jelly Bean and wireless connectivity, which opens up the
device to applications for photo-editing, sharing, and much more. Users will experience all of GALAXY
Camera's great features on a market-leading HD Super Clear LCD. With stunning clarity, incredible ease-of-
use and unparalleled connectivity, the GALAXY Camera is the next step in imaging innovation.

Shoot stunning quality images

The GALAXY Camera's 'Smart Pro' feature makes it easy to recreate advanced photographic setups in
just a few simple steps for stunning artistic results. Using the easy-to-navigate menu system, users can
choose from a series of preset scenario options which will automatically adjust the camera's settings in order
to capture the perfect photo. For example, the 'Rich Tone' setting delivers images with greater intensity
– particularly effective for reducing overexposure in bright surroundings, while the 'Light Trace' setting
automatically controls shutter speed for atmospheric night scenes full of light trails.

The GALAXY Camera's 21x optical zoom can be controlled by either button or touchscreen, rendering long-
distance pictures in a quality that users will be proud to share, while OIS ensures that images stay clear and
crisp. The camera's 16 Megapixel 1/2.3" BSI CMOS sensor captures images in brilliant color and resolution,
while the 23mm aperture lens delivers impressive wide-angle shots incomparable to smartphone pictures.

Enjoy your photos and video on a world-leading display

The GALAXY Camera boasts large and vivid enough camera display – a 4.8"(121.2mm) HD Super Clear
LCD screen, which makes it a pleasure to shoot, share and edit images from the palm of the hand. Another
advantage of smartphone technology is the Voice Control option which allows the user to control a number
of functions such as 'Zoom in' and 'Shoot' through voice. All these features are housed in a beautifully
designed, ergonomic body with the GALAXY Camera's minimal, organic design complementing its easy-to-
use professional features.

Edit and perfect images on your device

The GALAXY Camera includes a comprehensive set of 35 powerful photo editing features through
the 'Photo Wizard', allowing users to make professional quality edits on the go. The new features take
advantage of the ultrafast quad-core processor and HD Super Clear LCD, giving access to a feature like
Auto Face Calibration so edits can be made in precise detail and with ease. The 'Movie Wizard' also allows
users to create and edit expert quality videos easily from the touch screen.

The GALAXY Camera also features 'Smart Content Manager', an innovative on-device organization tool
which intelligently creates folders, tags faces, and even suggests which pictures to delete when they don't
come out as desired. Thanks to the combination of wireless connectivity and Android™ 4.1 Jelly Bean OS,
the internet capabilities of the GALAXY Camera are equal to those of the latest smartphone so that users
can get even more enjoyment out of their device. In addition to the pre-installed applications from Samsung,
users can browse the web and enjoy any applications from Google Play or Samsung Apps stores, such as
Instagram. If users are not sure which app to download, a user can use 'S Suggest', to help them discover a
new photo editing app or fun game to download.

Share your images anywhere, anytime

The camera's convenient 'Auto Cloud Backup' feature will automatically save precious photos into the
cloud via Samsung's AllShare the instant they are taken. The GALAXY Camera also allows users to share
photos at the same time as they shoot them with 'Share Shot.' As well as sharing to social networks and
cloud services, users can also connect to a range of GALAXY devices including the GALAXY SIII and
GALAXY Note II for effortless and automatic sharing of pictures across the GALAXY family. The new device
enables connection to 3G or 4G, allowing photo sharing and browsing anywhere. The GALAXY Camera
also functions on Wi-Fi with Dual Band and Channel Bonding for extra speed. Connectivity is supported
by a quad-core processor that enables fast web-browsing and multi-tasking, as well as high speed image
processing without a significant impact on battery life.

The GALAXY Camera comes in two connectivity options: a 3G and Wi-Fi version or a 4G and Wi-Fi version.

Samsung GALAXY Camera will be on display at the Samsung booth #20 at IFA 2012, Aug 31 through Sep
5. For more information on GALAXXY Camera, please visit http://www.samsungmobilepress.com

Full details, video content and product images are available at Samsung's IFA 2012 microsite: http://
samsungifa2012.com or mobile site: m.samsungifa.com

Samsung officially announces the Samsung Galaxy Note 2

Posted: 29 Aug 2012 10:33 AM PDT

Discuss the Galaxy Note 2 at AndroidForums.com | View the Samsung Galaxy Note in the Phone guide

The tech world has converged on Berlin, Germany, and one of the first events up to bat was Samsung’s Unpacked event. Just as it was rumored, they went ahead and announced the Samsung Galaxy Note 2.

With its 5.5 Super AMOLED HD display, S Pen technology, 1.6GHz quad-core processor, 2GB of RAM, 8 megapixel HD camera with a 2 megapixel front camera, 16-64GB of internal storage, Android 4.1 Jelly Bean and more, the Samsung Galaxy Note 2 is a substantial upgrade over the original. The device is promised to last you all day with a very impressive 3,100 mAh, and that’s impressive considering it’s only 9.4mm thin.

While the Galaxy Note 2 will share a lot of the same features the Samsung Galaxy S3 has, the focus on the S Pen technology is what’s going to attract eyes. They’ve introduced a new feature called Air View.

To put it simply, Air View allows you to use the S Pen to preview content from your email, image gallery, S Planner, or video gallery so you won’t have to jump from screen to screen. Hovering the S Pen over something will bring up a preview while keeping you on that same screen.

The Popup Note feature will bring up a small note over whatever you’re using as soon as you take your S Pen out of its holster. For instance, if you’re on a call and someone tells you to write something down you can bring up a quick note pad without having to thumb through a few different apps. You can then add that note to your S Planner and write even more things right onto the calendar.

Also, Quick Command allows you to swipe your S Pen up at any time to do tasks like sending an email or setting an alarm. Writing “@Jim” could automatically begin an email to your friend Jim, for instance.

The Note 2 will also let you record video of the actions you’re performing on your phone with Screen Recorder. This will be useful to do real-time drawing videos or to do tutorials for people who need to know how to do something on their phone without you needing to be there.

More cool features include the ability to write captions on the back of the photos you take. If you want to note that the photo is of your daughter’s 5th birthday you can simply tap the right corner of the photo and write in real penmanship.

Easy Clip lets you cut out any content on the screen using the S Pen, and you can instantly share the clipping to any application that supports photos. Finally, Idea Visualizer lets you bring up illustrations simply by writing what you want to appear. For instance, writing “baby” in S Note will automatically insert an image of a baby. Sweet!

If you like what you’ve heard so far you can get this thing starting in October in Marble White or Titanium Grey, when a worldwide launch will commence to hundreds of countries. Read on for full press details.

Be Creative, Be Expressive with the GALAXY Note II

The most powerful smartphone sparks everyone's creative inspirations

BERLIN, Germany—29 August 2012— At the Samsung Mobile Unpacked event held today at IFA, in
Berlin, Samsung introduced the GALAXY Note II, a whole new level of innovation for the GALAXY Note
category. The new Samsung GALAXY Note II enables unique experiences in personalized and expressive
content creation, making it the ultimate smartphone for on-the-go creativity.

"Last year at IFA, we launched the GALAXY Note, which opened a new category of smart mobile devices.
This year, again at IFA, I am proud to announce the GALAXY Note II, which will encourage users to
‘unleash their inner creativity.' With a perfect viewing experience and unique and differentiated features,
users can discover information and capture their ideas faster, express thoughts freely and manage tasks
more efficiently. For anyone who wants to be creative, expressive and unique, the Samsung GALAXY Note
II will be the ideal device, allowing users to live a life extraordinary," said JK Shin, President of IT & Mobile
Communications Division at Samsung Electronics.

Since the first introduction of the GALAXY Note category, Samsung has continued to enhance and expand
the GALAXY Note product experiences. In May 2012, Samsung introduced 'Premium Suite,' a software
upgrade which provided enhanced user experiences. With the Ice Cream Sandwich OS upgrade, Samsung
offered innovative new features such as Shape Match and Formula Match, providing a new way for
organizing and expressing ideas in their personal and professional life. Also in August, Samsung expanded
the category further with the GALAXY Note 10.1, which has a 10.1-inch large screen, a Multiscreen feature
for the ultimate multitasking, and enhanced features for users' productivity, creativity and learning abilities.
With further enhancements, Samsung GALAXY Note II will help users unleash their inner creativity by letting
them discover information faster, capture ideas, and express them in a more organized and efficient manner.

Perfect viewing experience

The GALAXY Note II features a 5.5" (140.9mm) HD Super AMOLED screen, providing breathtaking visuals
and crystal clear detail. Its 16:9 screen ratio ensures an immersive and enriched cinema-like video viewing
experience, perfect for watching HD videos on-the-go. Its larger screen allows users to see content clearly
and vividly, with much enhanced readability. In addition to the stunning content consumption experiences on
a larger screen, users will also be able to accomplish more tasks efficiently and create content freely on-the-
go, as the GALAXY Note II comes with a thinner and portable body.

Easy multitasking

Air View allows users to hover with the S Pen over an email, S Planner, image gallery, or video to preview
the content without having to open it. This feature enables users to quickly search and see more information
in one view without screen transitions.

Thanks to the breadth of the GALAXY Note II's amazing viewing experience, a feature called Popup Note
extends the concept of Popup Play, which lets users open an S Note instantly as a pop-up window anywhere
on the screen. For example, when a user pulls out the S Pen during a phone call, the S Note application
automatically pops up on the screen, allowing users to jot down a quick note.

In addition, the device's new gesture pad feature, called Quick Command, lets users quickly activate
frequently used apps with the S Pen. The command pad appears when a user just swipes upward on the
screen with the S Pen button pressed. Users can quickly send an email, make a call, or search a location as
they draw pre-registered marks on the command pad or register a unique mark to allow for quick and easy
access.

Furthermore, users will be able to share their experiences with others quickly and easily using Screen
Recorder. It allows users to record a whole sequence of actions taken on their screen — a demonstration of
how to use an application, for example — and then share it with friends for comment, or just for fun.

Amazing expression tools – Advanced S Pen & S Note

The new S Pen is longer, thicker and ergonomically designed for the perfect grip. Therefore, it provides a
more precise, comfortable, and natural writing and drawing experience.

The S Pen's advanced features also provide enhanced capabilities to capture ideas and inspirations
instantly, and to combine handwriting with any digital content directly on the screen. By simply pressing the
dedicated S Pen button, the S Pen magically recognizes that users want to clip or edit the selected content
on the screen. The Easy Clip feature allows users to instantly outline and crop any content on the screen in
any shape to save, share or paste. Once done cropping the image, users can freely edit the cropped content
through coloring, shading, or their own personal handwriting. It is quick and easy.

Another amazing expression feature called Idea Visualizer allows users to easily add illustrations by
handwriting keywords on the S Note. It provides illustration images that match the handwritten keywords.
It's a fancy illustration match function that will allow users to express, organize and visualize ideas in a more
innovative and creative way. Users can even customize and add in their own illustrations library.

Powerful Performance

Powering content creation, sharing and multitasking capabilities, the GALAXY Note II comes with the latest
hardware technologies. A mighty 1.6GHz Quad-Core processor and HSPA Plus or 4G LTE connectivity
delivers easy multitasking, lightning-fast screen transitions, powerful browser performance, and minimal app
load time. The GALAXY Note II is powered by Android™ 4.1, Jelly Bean. This brings stunning graphical
capabilities and an upgraded Google Now service, including new features such as contextual search, to the
GALAXY Note II. The memory options are 16 GB, 32 GB, and 64 GB with an expandable micro SD memory
slot. Thanks to a 3,100mAh battery, users can enjoy multimedia content, always be productive on the go,
and capture ideas whenever, wherever without suffering from power limitation.

The GALAXY Note II comes with an 8 megapixel rear-facing and 1.9 megapixel front-facing camera with HD
video recording. The camera has great features like Buddy Photo Share, Burst Shot and Best Photo, which
were introduced on the GALAXY S III earlier in the year. In addition to that, the GALAXY Note II features a
unique camera function called Best Faces. Best Faces allows users to choose the most preferred face or
pose of each person from group portrait photos. Users can also personalize photos by leaving handwritten
notes on the backside of a photo using the S Pen. Handwritten Photo Notes can be shared with others in jpg
format.

Available in Marble White or Titanium Gray color options, the Samsung GALAXY Note II is set to launch in
October starting in major European, Asian, and Middle East markets.

The Samsung GALAXY Note II will be on display at the Samsung booth # 20 at IFA 2012 from Aug 31
through Sep 5. For more information on GALAXY Note II, please visit www.samsungmobilepress.com.

Full details, video content and product images are available at Samsung's IFA 2012 microsite: http://
samsungifa2012.com or mobile site: m.samsungifa.com as well.

Beats building an Android smartphone?

Posted: 29 Aug 2012 09:35 AM PDT

HTC and Beats might not be parting ways anytime soon (despite a distancing of the two companies in recent weeks), but there will definitely be a change in strategy, according to a report out of BGR. Their sources claim that Beats will soon launch an Android handset of their own, one that would launch under the audio brands banner and make no mention of any connection to HTC. HTC, of course, will still manufacture the handset.

While any specs are unknown, it’s safe to assume music playback will feature heavily into a unique user interface that will be separate from HTC’s current Sense. In reality, we will probably be greeted with yet another Beats-enabled HTC handset, albeit one with a much stronger marketing tilt towards the headphone maker. Consider it the Beats equivalent of a Nexus phone.

The phone is rumored to be only part of an expanding product lineup that will feature a Beats TV set manufactured by Samsung as well as an iTunes challenger referred to as Daisy. Take it all as rumor for now and enjoy BGR‘s mockup of the rumored devices above.

[via BGR]

Samsung Galaxy Note 2 promotional renders leak hours short of IFA announcement

Posted: 29 Aug 2012 08:49 AM PDT

The Samsung Galaxy Note 2 almost managed to make it to its official unveiling without revealing itself through the normal course of leaks that usually lead up to a high-profile smartphone launch. We’ve caught glimpses and heard rumored specs, but now with Samsung’s IFA Unpacked event just moments away, official promo renders of the Note 2 have hit the web. Uncovered by PocektNow, they show the phablet in both a white and grey/black color scheme and come with a reiteration of the device’s reported specs: 1.6GHz quad-core CPU, 5.5-inch Super AMOLED display at 720p resolution, and a 3,100mAh battery. The handset is also said to launch with Android 4.1 Jelly Bean.

The Note 2 ends up looking like a larger Galaxy S3, which is exactly what we figured. Samsung will be taking the wraps off this one officially in an hour or so, so stay tuned for all the info to follow.

[via PocketNow]

Judgement is in, but Samsung won’t have to face the music until December 6 in Apple patent trial

Posted: 29 Aug 2012 08:00 AM PDT

Samsung is catching a bit of a break due to Judge Lucy Koh’s busy schedule and the number of post-trial motions being filed on both sides of the court when it comes to the Korean company’s legal battles with Apple. While Apple hoped to take advantage of a jury’s decision in their favor sooner rather than later, there won’t be any ruling on potential sales injunctions in September as originally scheduled. Instead, the next phase of the trial has been pushed back to December 6th at the earliest.

The delay gives Samsung plenty of time to implement the necessary software changes to avoid bans on their products in the US, but as we mentioned before, it will do little to get them past any hardware design related patents. On the bright side, the eight infringing devices will be all the older and a few months closer to being phased out of the marketplace regardless of any court order.

Samsung currently awaits a late September trial date to discuss the injunction on their Galaxy Tab 10.1, a hearing that seems likely to slide in their favor after the jury in the Apple trial found the tablet to not infringe on any patents.

[via DroidDog]
Posted by at 7:51 AM

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