Samsung Romania liking March 20th for Galaxy S Gingerbread update

Remember that Android 2.3 update for Samsung's i9000 version of the Galaxy S that leaked out late last month? Well, it's looking more real -- and more imminent -- than ever thanks to a Facebook post from Samsung Mobile's Romanian team a few days ago. Basically, it's sounding like the Froyo update will be online until the 20th of this month, at which point the Gingerbread update will start rolling out from the 20th until the end of March... which could ironically stand to make the Galaxy S one of the first non-Google devices to get an official Gingerbread update anywhere in the world. No word on how this timeline corresponds to dates for other countries and SKUs, but it's a good sign regardless.

Galaxy Indulge microSDHC card regularly reporting back to MetroPCS (but hey, you get Iron Man 2 for free!)

If you're the kind of person who buys phones based on Hollywood tie-in deals (and for your sake, we hope you're not) you'll be pleased to know that the Samsung Galaxy Indulge comes pre-loaded with Iron Man 2. That's right, a sequel to a movie you only ever saw half of, once, while it was on the TV over the bar at Armand's on Liberty Ave. (assuming that you're a certain Engadget editor, and for your sake we hope you're not) is coming pre-loaded on the world's first Android-packing, LTE smartphone. And if that wasn't enough, the SanDisk microSDHC card that the movie is stored on regularly reports back to MetroPCS with usage statistics:

This intelligent SanDisk mobile memory card provides specific, real-time network data to MetroPCS to measure customer interest in digital content. Details of aggregated, anonymous consumer usage will allow MetroPCS to determine the impact of its movie offering, which in turn allows them to provide customers with more customized content and services in the future.

We're sure everything is on the up-and-up here, but for some reason we don't think most consumers will be comfortable with storage that reports regularly to a carrier -- for any reason. Still, things could be much worse: you could be stuck with the pre-loaded Iron Man app on an LG Ally.

Android 2.3.2 Gingerbread leaking for Samsung Galaxy S

Not every Galaxy S user around the globe even has Froyo yet -- but Samsung's ready to move on, it seems, crafting a ROM based on Android 2.3.2 (in other words, quite recently) for the i9000 model that just leaked across the giant faucet better known as the internet. The darned thing is nearly a quarter gigabyte in size, so Samsung's not playing here, but users haven't fleshed out everything that's changed just yet. Of course, if you're using one of the millions of Galaxy S devices that aren't an i9000, you've got more waiting to do... but we're certain hackers are already well underway tearing this bad boy apart and crafting custom ROMs for various SKUs. Hang tight!

iFixit tearing down Galaxy S 4G, lights a fire for science

iFixit's teardown of the Samsung Galaxy S 4G doesn't exactly contain a ton of surprises -- until the very end, that is. Apparently, there's been some talk that Samsung used magnesium instead of aluminum for some of the components, and the best way iFixit could find to test that was to file some dust off the frame and set it ablaze (magnesium's reaction is noticeably different than aluminum). Spoiler alert: it's magnesium. Hit up the link below for the full blow-by-blow account.

Samsung Galaxy S 4G now is available from T-Mobile

Samsung's Galaxy S 4G might not have the very latest version of Android or too much hardware differentiation from the original T-Mobile Vibrant, but hey, it brings a front-facing camera and HSPA+ connectivity, so of course it costs $200. T-Mobile will have disappointed many with its clarification that the Galaxy S 4G will cost a pair of Benjamins on contract, exactly as much as its Samsung-built predecessor did seven months ago, and not as the carrier had originally indicated, $150. Also similar is the fact that T-Mo is launching this phone with an Android build that's one iteration behind the cutting edge, meaning the Froyo update headaches of last autumn may return in the form of Gingerbread jitters this spring. All the same, if the Magenta team sees fit to chop the Galaxy S 4G's price the same way it'sbeen doing with its other Android handsets, we could be in for a fine bargain in the near future. 

T-Mobile bumping myTouch 4G, G2 prices to $250

It started as a leak on TmoNews earlier today, and T-Mobile's now made it official -- the carrier is bumping the prices of both the T-Mobile G2 and MyTouch 4G from $200 to $250 on a two-year contract (with no mail-in rebate). That, of course, follows the T-Mobile's little "mistake" last week with its pricing for the Samsung Galaxy S 4G, which was first listed at $150 before being changed to $200 a few days later. A number of other more inexpensive phones have also seen some minor prices changes -- hit up the link below for the complete rundown on those.

Samsung developing mobile DRAM capable of 12.8GB/sec data transfers, making all other memory jealous

Much like clockwork, Samsung's memory labs are cranking out yet another innovation in the mobile DRAM sector, with the goal being to make the next (next) generation Galaxy Tab -- and any other mobile device relying on Samsung memory -- faster than ever. This go 'round, the crew has developed a 1Gb mobile DRAM module with a wide I/O interface for smartphones and tablets, enabling it to transmit data at 12.8GB/sec. For those keeping count, that's an eightfold increase in bandwidth compared to LPDDR2 DRAM chips, and the company has also managed to trim power consumption by 87 percent all the while. In order to boost the data transfer rate, Samsung's new wide I/O DRAM uses 512 pins for input and output, dwarfing the 32 pins used in the previous generation. Following this, Sammy's hoping to provide 20nm-class 4Gb wide I/O mobile DRAM sometime in 2013, but we're hoping to see this particular development sashay into tablets that hit the market long before then. Sadly, there's no specific word on when, but you know we'll be handing that information over just as soon as we get it.

Samsung Galaxy S 4G will actually cost $200, very unfortunately

Here's a quick heads-up, if you had your heart set on Samsung's Galaxy S 4G: T-Mobile says it'll actually cost $199.99 after a $50 mail-in rebate. That means you're paying $250 out the door for an HSPA+ capable Vibrant, not counting taxes and related fees. T-Mobile says the original $150 price was a mistake on its part, and while you're welcome to bring as many false advertising lawsuits as you'd like, we doubt you'll get very far.

Imagination Technologies unveils Series 6 PowerVR GPUs -- promising desktop caliber graphics in mobile devices

Imagination Technologies may not be a household name, but they created the PowerVR GPUs that are the gold standard in mobile graphics, and are a part of the ARM SoCs you find in mobile devices like theiPhone 4, Galaxy S, and the Droid 2. Not one to rest on its laurels, the company unveiled its new Series 6 PowerVR chips -- affectionately known as 'Rogue' -- that are 20 to 100 times more powerful than its previous handheld offerings. That's right, these GPUs will have the same horsepower as today's desktop computers while needing only a milliwatt of juice to deliver face-melting graphics -- the catch is that this bit of black magic won't be showing up in devices for a few years. Guess we'll just have to settle for the Series 5 chips -- like the quad core beast found in the Sony NGP and the upcoming OMAP 5 platform -- which the company promises will make their way into select smartphones "within three months." Be still, our gaming hearts.

Comparison:Samsung's Galaxy S Wi-Fi 5.0 vs. iPod touch

Although not strictly on the official docket, Samsung's Galaxy S Wi-Fi 5.0 was on the show floor at Mobile World Congress, giving us an opportunity to try it out before details settled in. The device is similar to the Galaxy S phone on the inside but is targeted at an audience that might think the iPod touch is too modest, centering on a very large five-inch screen. We gave it a try at the Barcelona show and already had a sense for how it stacked up to its Apple counterpart.

Despite its appearance, it's not as unpocketable as it appears. Unlike a device such as the Dell Streak, the five-inch screen doesn't have much padding around it; you can fit it in your pocket without much difficulty unless you wear tight jeans. The build quality isn't as elaborate as the iPod's metal and glass, but it's not poorly constructed: it has a solid fit and doesn't feel like it will fall apart. It feels surprisingly good in the hand for something that stretches the definition of mobile.

The display, as you might expect from Samsung, is the centerpiece. It's bright and colorful without seeming oversaturated. The 800x480 resolution doesn't seem coarse despite the larger display, and it looks to be ideal for watching videos on a long flight or reading books on the commute home.

What surprised us most was performance. Although it's the exact same underpinnings as the Galaxy S phone, apart from the lack of cellular technology, the Wi-Fi 5.0 feels noticeably more responsive and could even give the iPod serious competition. We checked with the design lead and were told that it's the same 1GHz Hummingbird processor and other code. He speculated that the lack of background tasks relating to calling might have helped, but we suspect there was either optimization or that it's a trick of the eye.

The OS is the familiar Android 2.2 of the newer Galaxy S line, although Electronista was told that it could have Android 2.3 by the time it ships. We're not large fans of customized Android since it delays upgrades (more often for Samsung), but here it's more excusable since it's a media player first. TouchWiz is still simple and colorful, if at times almost too iPhone-like. Built-in media player features aren't too advanced but can certainly be backed up by third-party apps.

The Wi-Fi 5.0 has a front camera like its iPod rival. Its integration isn't as polished, but it's ready to use from the start: Samsung bundles Qik Plus for those who don't want to hunt out a third-party app.

As a competitor to Apple, it may face difficulty simply due to exposure: Samsung often has a hard time fighting for retail space next to the iPods. However, it's one of the very few Android media players available, and the quality is such that we're almost ready to recommend it after the brief encounter. iPods still have more advanced media player apps, more refined build quality and that exceptional 960x640 screen, but if you like a more technical device with Android's flexibility or simply a larger canvas, it's already on the short list as an alternative.

Samsung told us the player should be in Korean stores by the end of the month but wasn't ready to commit to a North American release date.

Samsung Nexus S Review and Information - By ShoppingKoo

Samsung Nexus S

Reviewer Rating: 

Review Summary:

Despite some issues with voice quality, the Nexus S is an outstanding smartphone for those looking for a cutting-edge device.

Pros

• Latest version of the Android OS
• Excellent screen
• Responsive device

Cons

• Extremely low voice quality
• No memory car slot
• No zoom on the camera

Description

This Samsung smartphone has much in common with this company's Galaxy S series models, including a tablet shape with a 4-inch, WVGA (800 x 480), Super AM-OLED touchscreen. The latest model, however, has a display that curves to fit against the user's face.

The Nexus S runs Android OS 2.3 (Gingerbread) on a 1 GHz Samsung processor. It has 512 MB of RAM, and 16 GB of internal storage.

The Nexus S includes a front-facing video camera for video conferencing, as well as a 5 megapixel rear-facing camera.

In addition to support for T-Mobile's 3G (HSPA) service, this Samsung device includes Wi-Fi b/g/n, Bluetooth 2.1 and A-GPS.

Quick Specs

Operating System: Google Android OS 2.3
Screen Resolution: 800 x 480 pixels (WVGA) and 96 x 480
Screen Size: 4 inch
Keyboard Type: On-screen
Communications: Bluetooth, GPRS, GSM, EDGE, HSDPA, Wi-Fi, HSUPA
Camera Resolution: 5.0 megapixels
GPS: Yes
Release Date: 12/16/2010

Hot ! Samsung Galaxy S 4G Pricing Revealed

During Samsung's official Galaxy S 4G statement earlier this month, the company released a ton of specs about its new smartphone, but didn't disclose one important detail: price. Radio Shack has taken the liberty of making this announcement.

According to this retailer, customers will be able to purchase this high-end Android OS smartphone for $150 (with the customary two year agreement).

Wal-Mart will offer a very slight discount over Radio Shack, with the retail giant selling the Galaxy S 4G for $148.88.

T-Mobile has yet to announce its official price for this model, but it's almost certainly going to be the same as these two retailers'.

An Overview of the Samsung Galaxy S 4GThe Galaxy S 4G will have exceptionally fast download speeds, achieving speeds of up to 21 Mbps with its connection to T-Mobile's high-speed HSPA+ network.

Users can also look forward to a Qik-powered video-chat application, a 4-inch super AMOLED touchscreen display, and a 1 GHz Cortex A8 Hummingbird processor, all running with Google Android OS 2.2.

In addition, this model will sport a 16 GB microSD card, a 1650 mAh lithium ion battery, and a 5-megapixel, rear-facing camera.

The Samsung Galaxy S 4G will be available on February 23.