Thursday, April 12, 2012

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News10 new results for android
 
Instagram for Android updated with bug fixes
Washington Post
Instagram's still-new Android app, which has already attracted more than 5 million downloads, has been updated with some key bug fixes and support for the HTC One X smartphone. It's been an incredible past few weeks for Instagram.
See all stories on this topic »
Samsung announces new Galaxy lineup for phones and tablets
Fox News
Samsung Samsung on Wednesday announced pricing and availability details for three upcoming Android-powered devices that will soon join the vendor's ever expanding lineup of Galaxy-brand devices. Continuing its efforts to address a variety of price ...
See all stories on this topic »
Samsung's $250 Galaxy Tab 2: The Pros and Cons
PCWorld
By Jared Newman, PCWorld Apr 12, 2012 8:24 AM Samsung is entering the cheap Android tablet fray with the 7-inch Galaxy Tab 2, available April 22 for $250. The new tablet puts Samsung in close competition with Amazon's Kindle Fire and Barnes & Noble's ...
See all stories on this topic »
Sony SmartWatch launches, delivers 'Android power' to wrist
CNET
It retails for $150. by Don Reisinger April 12, 2012 6:26 AM PDT Have you ever wanted a watch that can communicate with your Android phone? Sony sure hopes so. Sony today launched its SmartWatch, a timepiece for the wrist that allows owners to read ...
See all stories on this topic »
Android malware posing as 'Angry Birds Space'
msnbc.com
Android smartphone users and "Angry Birds" fans need to watch out for more than crafty pigs -- there's malware going around that targets Android users by posing as Rovio's hit game "Angry Birds Space," warns SophosLabs. The infected version can be ...
See all stories on this topic »

msnbc.com
Samsung Announces Lower-Cost Android 4.0 Tablets
PCWorld
But of those, only the Galaxy Tab 2 has an infrared port for controlling your TV and entertainment components, and only the Tab 2 has Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich (both Amazon and Barnes & Noble are using their own versions of Android, built on-top ...
See all stories on this topic »
Samsung prices Android 4.0 Galaxy Tab 2 tablets aggressively
Ars Technica
The dual-core tablets running Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich will arrive separately: April 22 for the 7-inch version and May 13 for the 10.1-inch version. The Tab 2 7.0 will have a 1024x600 resolution display and 8GB of storage.
See all stories on this topic »
Dropping Instagram already? Try these Android alternatives
CNET
If Facebook's acquisition of Instagram left a sour taste in your mouth, then check out these three powerful social photo apps available for your Android. by Jaymar Cabebe April 11, 2012 5:24 PM PDT Follow @jaymarcabebe It seems like almost immediately ...
See all stories on this topic »
"No permissions" Android app allows secret data harvesting
ZDNet (blog)
Android's security policy can allow apps that have "no permissions" to harvest data from devices without the owners' knowledge. Paul Brodeur, security researcher with Leviathan Security Group, has created a proof-of-concept app that shows how an ...
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Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 (7.0)
PC Magazine
The 7-inch Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 will be the first tablet from the manufacturer to ship with Google's latest Android 4.0 mobile operating system right out of the box. Despite the progressive moniker, hardware-wise, the Galaxy Tab 2 is actually a minor ...
See all stories on this topic »

Blogs5 new results for android
 
Boeing To Release A Super-Secure Android Smartphone Later This ...
By Chris Velazco
As if producing commercial airliners, helicopters, and satellites didn't keep Boeing busy enough, the company revealed earlier this week that they would soon be branching out into a slightly different market. National Defense Magazine reports ...
TechCrunch
Sony's latest Android SmartWatch available today for $150
By Kevin Krause
Sony has a new Android smart watch hitting shelves across the US today. The aptly names Sony SmartWatch picks up where the LiveView left off, enabling two-way.
Android Phone Fans
Sony's Bluetooth Xperia SmartWatch now ... - Android Community
By Michael Crider
It never rains, but it pours. Just a day after the intriguing Pebble smart watch got almost instantly funded on Kickstarter, Sony is back in the game with its.
Android Community
Android malware poses as Angry Birds Space game | Naked Security
By Graham Cluley
Android malware authors have seized an opportunity to infect unsuspecting smartphone users with the launch of the latest addition to the immensely popular "Angry Birds" series of games.
Naked Security - Sophos
Android devs: if you can't use your app with your eyes closed, open ...
By Sharif Sakr
Google's doing a lot to bolster its Android developers guide at the moment, with fresh design tips we covered yesterday and then a new section on.
Engadget


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Android Authority


Samsung cuts the price of Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 to $250 (Thanks, Kindle Fire!)

Posted: 12 Apr 2012 02:14 AM PDT

The upcoming Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 and 10.1 don't exactly fit the description of high-end tablets in 2012, as they only offer minimal improvement over their predecessors, if any.  The good news is Samsung has decided to cut the price of the smaller device, even before it hits stores.  The Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 will now be priced at $250 with the price of the Galaxy Tab 10.1 to remain at $400.

This is as good as Christmas for penny-pinching tablet buyers that have initially been put off by the rather exorbitant price of the 7-incher. It was only a few days ago that the Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 was listed on QVC's website for about $310, but it seems that report was inaccurate. As for the price of the Galaxy Tab 2 10.1, Samsung’s announcement confirms an earlier leak from Office Depot that pegged it down at $400.

Though the specs of the two Galaxy Tab 2 slates are nothing to writing home about, the fact that they will come with Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich may just lure potential buyers who have been waiting for that elusive ICS update for yesteryear's Samsung tablets.

The Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 will be released on April 22, but you'll have to wait until May 13 to get the Galaxy Tab 2 10.1. Meanwhile, Samsung hasn't forgotten about those who are looking for Android device that'd fit in their pockets.

The recently introduced Samsung Galaxy Player 3.6 and 4.2 are basically two Android phones without the phone function.  The Galaxy Player 3.6, as you'd imagine, comes with a 3.6-inch screen and 480 x 320 resolution, while the Galaxy Player 4.2 has a bigger 4.2-inch screen and 800 x 480 resolution. You can find a 1GHz Cortex A8 processor, 2MP rear camera, VGA front camera, 8GB internal storage, and memory card slot on both devices, and they will both ship with Android 2.3 Gingerbread.

The main selling point of the Galaxy Player 4.2 is its nifty feature that allows you to hook the Player up to any phone, as long as it has Bluetooth connectivity. And presto, you'll be able to make and receive calls on the Galaxy Player 4.2. The Galaxy Player 3.6 is already available for $150, while the Galaxy Player 4.2 will hit stores on May 13 for $200.

Are you more excited now about the $250 Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 7.0? And how about those two Galaxy Players?


This article, Samsung cuts the price of Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 to $250 (Thanks, Kindle Fire!) , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.


ICS on your TV? Lenovo’s new Android 4.0 Smart TV now available for pre-order

Posted: 12 Apr 2012 02:02 AM PDT

When you think Android, your mind probably drifts to mobile phones and tablets. We have seen a few unique applications of the Android platform before, but Google’s OS is slowly becoming a big part of another mainstream device, the television.

Lenovo first teased the K91 55″ LED TV with Android 4.0 built in, the first of its kind, back in January during CES 2012.  Along those lines, Lenovo is now releasing a similar K71 LED TV, with features that read like a latest smartphone, including:

  • 42″ LED screen
  • 1.5 Ghz processor
  • Android 4.0
  • 8GB built-in storage, expandable via SD card
  • 802.11 b/g/n WiFi support
  • HDMI support
  • USB 2.0 support
  • 3D capabilities
  • Gaming Remote Control

The use of Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich will allow the TV to also run mobile applications, basically, from the Play Store and Lenovo’s own app store. Lenovo is further aiming to bridge the gap between mobile devices and TVs using the recently announced Lenovo Cloud Storage System.

The Lenovo K71 is now available for pre-order, but unfortunately only in China, with a price-tag of around $1030. However, Lenovo is known for first launching products in its native Chinese market before announcing worldwide releases, and things shouldn’t be any different this time around. No information on a potential worldwide release date is known for now.

What are your thoughts? Are you looking forward to an ICS TV?


This article, ICS on your TV? Lenovo’s new Android 4.0 Smart TV now available for pre-order , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.


Instagram for Android updated (again), now supporting the HTC One X

Posted: 11 Apr 2012 03:20 PM PDT

instagram android

Only eight days have passed since Instagram for Android has been made available for download on Google Play, but so much has happened over this week. The Android app has already been downloaded more than five million times and two updates have made their way to the Play Store. Oh, and I almost forgot - Facebook will pay one billion dollars to acquire Instagram.

I don't know about you, but I'd call that a pretty darn good week. And even though some might rest on their laurels after such a wild ride, enjoy the success, and pop a different champagne bottle every half an hour, the people behind Instagram’s success are once again showing us they are in this business to get things done.

The third Android update (that's right, three in eight days) has gone live last night, and, apparently, it brings several bug fixes, as well as specific support for HTC's new flagship smartphone, the One X. The 4.7-incher from HTC is yet to be released in the United States, but has already hit several important European markets, being considered by most technology enthusiasts out there the star Android smartphone of the moment.

However, due to the fact that HTC’s device is powered by Nvidia's new quad-core Tegra 3 chip, and for a couple of other technical details that I'm not going to detail right now, the One X couldn't run the Instagram app, which made for a few disgruntled HTC customers.

That should all be solved by now, though, as the 1.0.4 version of Instagram for Android is offering better support for Nvidia Tegra 3 smartphones and tablets in general, as well as specific support for the HTC One X. The latest Instagram update should also fix some bugs reported by users over the last few days, especially on Android Honeycomb tablets. Finally, the photo geotag location (Instagram fanatics surely know what I'm talking about) should now be updated more often on Android.

You can check out the improved app on Google Play right now, especially if you are one of the few lucky early HTC One X adopters, but don't forget to hit us back with a comment and let us know your opinion on this latest update! Oh, right, if by any chance you don’t know what Instagram is all about, check out our review here, where you can find all the details you could need about the app! Enjoy!


This article, Instagram for Android updated (again), now supporting the HTC One X , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.


Four times the strength of regular aluminum. Or not, HTC?

Posted: 11 Apr 2012 02:58 PM PDT

Uh oh, there seems to be some trouble brewing in the HTC paradise, as a good number of unhappy owners of the HTC One S report that the phone's surface isn't as sturdy and durable as HTC has been claiming. So what's wrong with the surface of the HTC One S then?

In spite of the bold claims made by HTC about the micro-arc oxidation (MAO) process used on the One S making the phone almost immune to dents and scratches, reality (as it, too often, tends to do) begs to disagree. A thread on XDA-Developers, started by a user complaining about the chipping that appeared on his freshly bought HTC One S, quickly turned into a cacophony of laments from other users that are suffering from the same problem. So, just what went wrong for the HTC One S?

It's certainly not out of the ordinary for a phone to show signs of wear and tear, but dents and scratches shouldn't just come out of nowhere, after only a week or two of usage. Moreover, in the case of  the One S, HTC even went as far as to claim that a protective case isn't required. Some people are pointing fingers at MAO and how the brittle ceramic shell of the phone can't hold on to the flexible aluminum underneath. But that’s only a hypothesis, and we can’t pinpoint yet the cause of the problem.

It is still unclear whether the problem is a design issue (the chipping are occurring on the sharpish edge of the phone) or merely a manufacturing problem, but HTC has been notified by members of the forum and it acknowledged that it has received numerous similar complaints from disgruntled users. Whilst awaiting for the company to look into the matter, affected customers can send the phone in for repairs.

On a better note, only the black variant of the HTC One S is suffering from the chipping problems. The blue/grey variant, which will be making its way to T-Mobile USA soon, doesn’t undergo the MAO treatment. While this rather embarrassing issue may slightly tarnish HTC's comeback attempt, we have full faith in HTC to come with an explanation and a solution to the problem.


This article, Four times the strength of regular aluminum. Or not, HTC? , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.


Asus Transformer Pad 300 spotted in retailer pre-order listings, might start at $379

Posted: 11 Apr 2012 02:40 PM PDT

If you like the Asus Eee Pad Transformer Prime tablet, but the gadget is just a bit over your budget, you are probably eagerly awaiting for the Transformer Pad 300. Looking almost identical with Asus' current number-one slate, the Transformer Pad 300 is rumored to come with the same winning hardware under the hood and Android Ice Cream Sandwich out of the box, but with a plastic exterior rather than the aluminum body of the Prime.

We suspected for a while that the cheaper build materials will take about 100 bucks off the tablet’s price, and today we have the first (sort of) official confirmation. The Transformer Pad 300 has gone up for pre-order in France and has also been spotted listed at US retailer J&R. Neither of the two mentions should be taken too seriously right now, though, because we know from experience that retailers sometimes let certain gadgets "slip", even though they are still some time away from actually shipping.

However, if these unconfirmed price tags stick, the Transformer Pad 300 should start selling at around $379 in the United States (the 16 GB model). In France, Tablette Store doesn't have the 16 GB version on pre-order, but only the 32 GB model, supposedly going for 499 Euro, or around 650 bucks.

Of course, that 32 GB variant of the Transformer Pad 300 will probably not cost $650  in the US, being expected to actually go for about $480 or $500.

The guys at The Verge have done some digging after picking up the two online mentions of the Transformer Pad 300 and have supposedly gotten confirmation of the device's pricing from J&R officials. Moreover, according to a firm's sales representative, both the 16 and the 32 GB versions of the gadget should be in stock "in about a week".

While I'm still not fully convinced of the story's credibility, it's starting to seem very likely that we will be seeing the Asus Transformer Pad 300 selling in the US and Europe before the end of spring, which is earlier than we expected a while back.

That's good news, though, because the 10-incher is set to be powered by a quad-core Nvidia Tegra 3 processor and to feature a 1280 x 800 pixels resolution IPS display, as well as 1 GB of RAM, and an 8-megapixel rear-facing shooter. All that might be available for less than $400, which, at least in my view, should be a pretty great deal.

There should also be an optional keyboard dock released at the same time with the actual tablet and designed to make the 10-incher behave like a netbook. That could cost $149, according to another J&R listing, but, once again, this is not official.

If you are the least a bit intrigued about the Asus Transformer Pad 300, make sure to keep in touch over the coming few weeks, because we should find out more details about the device’s pricing and availability soon enough!


This article, Asus Transformer Pad 300 spotted in retailer pre-order listings, might start at $379 , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.


A phone that can scream for help? Only from T-Mobile and Lookout Mobile Security

Posted: 11 Apr 2012 02:27 PM PDT

If one of the longest relationships you've had in your life was with your smartphone, you surely know how heartbreaking it can be to lose a phone. Yes, it's better to have loved and lost a phone, rather than to never have had one at all. But losing the important documents and private pictures  we all keep on our phones still sucks big time.

Nevertheless, losing your precious device might be something you won't have to go through if your mobile device runs the Lookout Mobile Security app, for it will “scream” for help once you remotely activate the alarm.

T-Mobile is partnering with Lookout, a mobile security firm based in San Francisco, in bringing the Lookout Security & Antivirus app to its smartphones. With the Lookout app, you can locate your missing smartphone on Google Maps, and, once you get to it (assuming it's still nearby), you can activate the sound alarm to help you with the rescue. The sound can be anything from a T-Mobile jingle, a train whistle, a wolf howl, a Star Trek zooming sound, or a simple siren, and is considerably louder than a regular ringtone.

Apart from the ingenious Find My Phone feature complete with Scream (I mean wolf howling) tones, the security app also comes with a Remote Lock & Wipe feature, and provides protection against viruses, malware, spyware, and Trojans. By the way, you can actually download the Lookout security app for free on Google Play even if you're not on T-Mobile. TMo customers just have it easier since the app will come preloaded on the phone.

Do you ever wonder what are the most common places for people to lose their phones? This list right here is quite interesting, we think. In any case, better safe than sorry, folks!


This article, A phone that can scream for help? Only from T-Mobile and Lookout Mobile Security , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.


Extreme Makeover: Google Plus Edition

Posted: 11 Apr 2012 02:17 PM PDT

google plus update

Google Plus was Google’s answer to Facebook’s utter domination in the social networking arena. Many questioned whether Google Plus would be able to make a dent in Facebook’s sprawling social empire. Regardless of critics, it appears that Google’s social bet is playing out quite well. Since the launch of Google Plus last summer, the social networking has been growing at a significant rate, and now boasts over 170 million users.

If you are a part of the Google Plus community, you must have been surprised to see a massive change to the site’s layout today, or what the team is calling a “simpler, more beautiful Google.”

This makeover is aimed at making the site easier to use and more visually appealing. Some of the many changes include (from the Google Plus blog):

  • Static icons found on the top have been removed and replaced with a “navigation ribbon” found on the left. You are also able to customize this ribbon to suit your own needs by changing the order of the apps by dragging them up or down, show or hide apps by moving them from or to “More”, and hovering over an app reveals a quick action list.
  • More prominence for photos and videos
  • A stream of conversation “cards” making it easier to scan and join discussions
  • An overhaul of Google Hangouts featuring a continuously updating list of Hangout invitations, quick access to all public and On Air hangouts, and the introduction of a rotating billboard of popular hangouts.
  • A new “Explore” page that shows what is interesting and trending across the network
  • A new profile with bigger photos
  • A new  chat list has been added to the right of the page, giving easy access to chat with friends who are online

This redesign is in line with Google’s attempt to provide a more seamless social networking experience. From my experience, I found it far less cluttered, and the new navigation ribbon is very useful for arranging your apps according to your preference. The chat list is also a big improvement.

For many Facebook users, one of the biggest gripe is the continuous design changes, so, hopefully, Google is not heading down the same route. But as a first makeover, it certainly makes the service much attractive to the user.

You can watch a video introduction of the new Google Plus layout here:

For more information on the changes and more photos and videos of the updates, you can visit the Google Blog. You can also learn more about Google Plus here.

What do you think of the new layout of Google Plus? Big improvement or annoying changes? Let us know in the comments section below.


This article, Extreme Makeover: Google Plus Edition , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.


So, what is a custom ROM?

Posted: 11 Apr 2012 01:12 PM PDT

If you own an Android device, or for that matter visit any Android-related news site then you will have heard about ROMs. Though a lot of people catch onto what ROMs are, for some people it’s not such an easy thing to get your head around. If you aren’t quite sure what a ROM is, hopefully I will clear things up for you today.

First I should explain what a ROM is. The term ROM is misused, and a pseudonym. Up until recently, ROM’s were storage chips consisting of Read-Only-Memory. Ever played Gameboy games? They were ROM’s. Sometimes there was a separate area in the cartridge where you would save games to, but the game itself was Read-Only. You couldn’t modify it. The term which is closer to being correct with reference to Android, is Firmware. You can easily replace it all, if you choose to.

This board has a few ROM chips, one of which tells the device how to boot the Android software (Firmware)

When people talk about installing ROM’s on their devices, they are referring to erasing/overwriting old Android software/system files, and replacing them with new ones to alter the behaviour of Android and the device. If you’ve ever reinstalled your computers operating system (Windows 7, OSX, Linux), this is pretty much the same procedure. Wipe the disk or ‘memory’, then give the computer some new software for it to boot into.

Custom ROMs

JBThemes

Carbon Glass Theme for ICS

A custom ROM is one that has undergone any modification from being a pure distribution of Android. Google make the Android source code available for anyone to play around with, and people take this code and alter it for themselves. Whether to add features they come up with, or to redistribute it with fun tweaks and additions. So a custom ROM can range in definition from some custom code modifications to make Android run better on a device, all the way to changing the homescreen, background services, and default software.

Many software experts collaborate together in communities to build the fastest or most feature filled ROM’s. The most popular today are CyanogenMod (which supports over 70 devices!), AOKP (a lightweight ROM with plenty of customisation options), and Android Revolution, a heavyweight ROM which often focusses on looking great. Just because these Android builds are made by ‘ordinary people’ and not highly paid developers at HTC or Samsung doesn’t mean they are full of bugs or risky to use. In most cases the software built by communities is ten times better. Release cycles are much shorter, fun features can be put in, and anyone can contribute an idea to the development.

I like to use AOKP myself, and in the screenshot below is an example of how much they let you customise things. My Navbar, Clock, and battery-charge-level bar are neon-green. Also note that my WiFI Signal is measured by percentage, and as well as the charge meter running along the top of the nav-bar, I have a circular meter in the bottom right too.

Some ROMs!

If you aren’t satisfied with your current software from HTC or Samsung, take a look at these websites. These are three of the most popular ROM’s in existence today.

  • CyanogenMod – They almost certainly have a minimalistic and speedy build for your device.
  • AOKP – A great ROM that is rising enormously in popularity. They don’t support an enormous amount of devices right now, but worth a look to find out.
  • Android Revolution HD – The big daddy in appearances – Scroll down the page to see a list of supported devices, mostly HTC and the Asus Transformer, Galaxy Nexus too.

The advantages of having Custom ROMS on your device

  • Regular Releases – Rather than waiting month after month for a new Android distribution or a set of features from your carrier. Custom ROM developers can turn them out within a few weeks. Keeping you on the very cutting edge of what Android is capable off.
  • Interchange With Ease – Once you have Rooted your phone once to install a ROM, you can easily install any other one afterwards. If you wanted to, you can even revert to the stock build your phone came with, as most manufacturers release the software.
  • You have Root – To install a custom ROM, you need to root your device. This allows you to remove and tinker with anything you like on your phone. It also means that some applications require Root access such as overclockers can work.

We have loads of rooting articles for you to take a look at here, covering the rooting process and ROMs across a range of devices.

What ROM;s have you tried? Any favorites?

No related posts.


This article, So, what is a custom ROM? , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.


Samsung Galaxy Nexus LTE vs Samsung Galaxy S3: Battle of the flagships

Posted: 11 Apr 2012 12:12 PM PDT

Nexus-vs-s3

If there is one issue that Android users will never face, that issue will be the lack of options. But, as the saying goes, too much of a good thing can be a bad thing. While too many Android phone competing for attention isn’t necessarily “bad”, it does create confusion among consumers looking to upgrade their device.

Keeping this in mind, we are putting together comparisons of the latest and greatest smartphones and tablets, aiming to reduce this confusion and make it easier for you to choose. Without further ado, today, we will look at the Samsung Galaxy Nexus LTE and the upcoming Samsung Galaxy S3.

Overview

The highly acclaimed Samsung Galaxy Nexus is Google’s latest flagship device, released in December last year. It was the first phone to feature the Ice Cream Sandwich (Android 4.0) flavor of Android and it’s been a huge success. This device will soon be launched by Sprint with LTE support.

The (seemingly for forever) “coming soon” Samsung Galaxy S3 is, if rumors are to be believed, is all set to become the most powerful Android device available, potentially way ahead of its competition.

Of course, you may be thinking that there is no point in comparing the “old” Galaxy Nexus with the seemingly superior Galaxy S3. But with the “re-launch” of the Galaxy Nexus with LTE support, it could still be a viable option. Some of the head-to-head comparisons may just surprise you.

Display

Samsung has always led the race when it comes to mobile device displays, with its AMOLED technology slowly becoming the gold standard to which all other technologies are compared. Fact: Samsung also manufactured the much hyped Retina display of the iPad 3. So, it goes without saying that the Korean company will leave no stone unturned to bring the best display technology available to its own devices.

The Samsung Galaxy Nexus features a 4.65″ Super AMOLED HD Pentile display with a 1280×720 resolution and 316 ppi. This display is nothing short of magnificent and is a big step up from any other LCD display out there. The only issue with the Gnex’ display that purists have is the use of the Pentile pixel arrangement matrix. Although the Pentile setup helped deliver HD resolution, many claim that it makes text look fuzzy.

FlatPanelsHD

It seems Samsung has gone about fixing the Pentile matrix issue for the Galaxy S3, if the latest “leak” is to be believed. The Samsung Galaxy S3 will feature a 4.7″ Super AMOLED (true) HD display with a 1280×720 resolution and 316 ppi. While it seems to be very similar to the Galaxy Nexus, using a true HD RGB matrix to produce the first HD AMOLED screen for the Galaxy S3, will provide an even better visual experience.

Processor

In a move away from Samsung’s own Exynos processors, the Samsung Galaxy Nexus features a TI OMAP 4460 dual-core ARM Cortex-A9 processor. There were some rumors that the LTE version will feature a faster 1.5 Ghz processor, which would bring the processor up to speed with its competitors. But that report turned out to be inaccurate, with the phone featuring the original 1.2 Ghz processor and 1GB RAM.

The Samsung Galaxy S3 on the other hand, will most likely feature an Exynos 4412 quad-core ARM Cortex-A9 processor with a supposed clock speed of 1.5/1.8 Ghz. Paired with 2GB RAM (rumored), this will will make the Galaxy S3 the most powerful Android phone ever to be released.

Operating System and UI

The Samsung Galaxy Nexus was the first device to feature stock Android 4.0. The update from Android 2.3 (Gingerbread) on phones to Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich represents the most significant revision to Android yet. The simple, yet elegant user interface, along with its hardware acceleration feature, make the Galaxy Nexus feel much faster than it is, more than making up for the “disappointing” processor.

image-Galaxy-Nexus-ICS2

The Galaxy S3 will also feature the Ice Cream Sandwich OS, with an added layer of Samsung’s TouchWiz UI. Although there have been complaints about the TouchWiz UI slowing down the phone, the latest version is said to be much “lighter”. Considering how powerful we are expecting the Galaxy S3 to be, the added layer should not be a problem at all, and will instead bring the added benefit of Samsung’s hubs for music, reading, games, and apps.

Camera

This is one area where the Galaxy Nexus loses out in comparison to newer devices. The phone features a “modest” 5.0 MP LED flash rear camera, with a 1.3 MP front-facing camera. This is certainly not a bad camera, but, even considering it’s a 2011 release, it does fall short of expectations, with most new Android 4.0 devices featuring at least an 8MP camera.

The Samsung Galaxy S3 is (again, rumored) to boast a 12MP camera with a 2MP front-camera for videocalls and all those self-portraits we love to take. We can’t make any assumptions on whether it will be the best shooter around, with HTC”s ImageSense as a strong contender to the title, but the camera on the S3 will definitely be superior to the one on the Galaxy Nexus.

galaxy nexus camera

Battery

The Samsung Galaxy Nexus LTE version features a slightly larger 1850 mAH battery (compared to 1750 mAH). It’s said to allow upto 7.5 hours of average usage, with 78.6 hours of standby time. Of course, 4G LTE devices are known to be voracious, so the battery will likely not be enough. But do not worry – Samsung is offering free extended-battery packs for the Galaxy Nexus.

There are numerous “leaks” on what the battery of the Galaxy S3 will be, so consolidating all the rumors, we estimate that it would most probably be in the 2000mAH – 2650 mAH range.

Release Dates

The Sprint version of the Samsung Galaxy Nexus LTE phone will be released on April 22. Nevertheless, the device will still mostly run on 3G speeds with Sprint’s LTE network set to be functional only in 6 major centres in June.

Sprint-Galaxy-Nexus-LTE

The Samsung Galaxy S3 should (say the rumors) be released on May 22, at a press event in London, and will likely ship starting from June. Of course, as with every other piece of information we have about the device, this is yet another rumor, but the estimated dates seem likely. With the HTC One X already shipping worldwide, regardless of how good this phone may be, delaying any further the release of the S3 would be a huge setback.

Conclusion

It is obvious that the Galaxy S3 is the superior device, unless we are way off on the expected specifications of Samsung’s new flagship. That being said, we still have no official release information for the Galaxy S3. We also have no information on what the LTE alternative for the quad-core Galaxy S3 will be.

With a lot of users looking to renew their contracts, eager to jump on the LTE bandwagon, the Galaxy Nexus is a very impressive  option. However, it’s only reasonable to recommend that, if you can wait for the Samsung Galaxy S3, you should.

So, which device is your favorite? Will the Galaxy S3 trump the Galaxy Nexus by a longshot or will the GNex 4G LTE holds its own against the S3 juggernaut? What do you think?


This article, Samsung Galaxy Nexus LTE vs Samsung Galaxy S3: Battle of the flagships , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.


How Samsung creates the true HD Super AMOLED screen on the Galaxy S3

Posted: 11 Apr 2012 07:53 AM PDT



As the world waits for the impending arrival of the Samsung Galaxy S3, more details trickle out about the flagship phone, making tech pundits pore over every little scrap of information, in a sort of virtual feeding frenzy. Coming from the same source that revealed the physical home button and 5-column layout of the phone, a new report allegedly reveales the process used to produce the true HD Super AMOLED display of the Samsung Galaxy S3.

The display on the Samsung Galaxy S3 will improve upon its predecessor — that much is a foregone conclusion. Moving away from the 4.3-inch screen of the Galaxy S2, the successor will carry a 1280 x 800 resolution, like the Galaxy Note and Galaxy Nexus, on an screen that measures at least 4.7-inch (or 4.65 according to other rumors). Many reports have that the Samsung Galaxy S3's display will boast a 316ppi pixel density, which will be a significant improvement over the 250ppi found on the Galaxy S2.

The fact that the Galaxy Note and Galaxy Nexus come with a PenTile matrix arrangement didn't go down well with those that demand display perfection. But Samsung, it appears, has found ways to produce a normal RGB matrix for the Samsung Galaxy S3 (without the burdening cost), by combining the Fine Metal Mask (FMM) process used in AMOLED screen production with the new Laser-Induced Thermal Imaging (LITI) method. The latter helps Samsung produce pixels as small as 2.5 micrometers. While the FMM is used to produce blue pixels, the LITI is utilized for the red and green pixels.  In short, the Samsung Galaxy S3 is set to have a gorgeous Super AMOLED screen with true HD resolution that will probably satisfy even the most demanding of screen purists.

The mainstream consumer probably doesn't want to know the process that takes place behind the making of those fine gadgets that they're holding in their hands — and that's fine. But knowing the length that manufacturers went through to create them does make you appreciate technology even more. Now, please hurry up and announce the Samsung Galaxy S3 already!


This article, How Samsung creates the true HD Super AMOLED screen on the Galaxy S3 , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.