US carrier subscribers like Apple and Samsung smartphones best
According to a new survey conducted by J.D. Power among US mobile operator subscribers, Apple and Samsung lead the pack on "overall satisfaction performance". The iPhone maker ranks first for AT&T and Verizon customers while Samsung takes the top spot for Sprint and T-Mobile subscribers.
The J.D. Power survey identifies Apple and Samsung as the sole smartphone vendors to rank above the average value on all four counts -- performance, exterior design, features and ease of use. The findings of the survey are based, according to J.D. Power, on the experiences of 16,421 users who are customers of the aforementioned four-largest local mobile operators and have had their current smartphone for less than a year.
Twitter releases tablet-optimized Android app -- Samsung exclusive
While Google+ is my social network of choice, Twitter is a close second. My favorite thing about the blue-bird-logo social network is that it is platform agnostic. You see, a great experience can be had whether you are on Windows Phone, Android, Windows 8 (including RT), OS X or iOS. Heck, it can even be used on a dumbphone with SMS. However, the Android app, while functional, was never optimized for a tablet experiene.
Today, the company releases a tablet version but it is only available for Samsung variants -- starting with the Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 2014 edition. In other words, Twitter has managed to alienate the majority of Android tablet owners.
Samsung announces first curved screen smartphone -- but only in Korea
After what was possibly the shortest-lived leak in history, Samsung announces the Galaxy Round, a smartphone with a curved screen. Just days after LG announced mass production of the first flexible display, images started to leak online that depicted a curved Samsung device.
This was followed almost immediately by a Samsung announcement, complete with the news that the phone will be available in Korea from 10 October.
Just how much trust can you put in benchmarks? Is Samsung tricking us?
Benchmarks are important. The quoted figures for any piece of hardware are all well and good, but potential buyers need to know how a hard drive, processors, computer, tablet or smartphone really performs. After all, two processors with a clock speed of 3GHz do not necessarily perform equally well, and it is only through testing that it is possible to determine which one comes out on top. Few people have the means to go out and compare two similar pieces of hardware, so this is where benchmarks prove useful.
People use smartphones and tablets for different things. One person might be happy being able to take notes and make phone calls, while someone else might be looking for a 60fps hi-def gaming experience. Here benchmarks matter. It is important to be able to accurately compare devices using reliable figures. If you want to know how quickly phone A shifts pixels around the screen compared to phone B, it is important that the tests are performed in the same way, and are carried out fairly.
Samsung Galaxy Note 3 and Gear ad shows off devices' potential
We are now just days away from the launch of the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 and Galaxy Gear. If you're yet to be caught up in the hype and excitement, Samsung's first commercial for the two devices could help to whip you into a frenzy. There's a slight cinematic quality to the ad which is… well… take a look for yourself. "Different" is perhaps the word.
The advertisement finds us following an artist as she uses the two devices to help her prepare for a dance performance in the evening. We see the star of the ad flick through My Magazine whilst getting ready to leave the house before showing off the Air Command and Action Memo feature when making a note of an interesting event advertised on a poster in town.
Apple and Samsung tablet users just want to have fun
Half of all tablet device screen time is spent on entertainment activities, such as playing games, reading books, watching live TV or listening to music and radio, according to a recent end-user survey by research group Gartner.
The other half is divided between communication (26 percent), such as sending emails and visiting social media sites; production activities (15 percent), such as editing videos and writing blogs; and finding information (9 percent), including checking the news and weather and researching products and services.
Samsung Galaxy Note 3 available for pre-order at AT&T, coming soon to T-Mobile and Verizon
Shortly after South Korean maker Samsung revealed the Galaxy Note 3, US mobile operators AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon have announced important details related to the availability of the new smartphone in their respective portfolios.
The Galaxy Note 3 will first reach AT&T, where the smartphone is now available to pre-order, in Classic White and Jet Black color trims, for $299.99, alongside a two-year contract. The orders are expected to ship starting October 1. Alternatively, subscribers can also get the handset for $35 per month, through the AT&T Next program (it allows folks to switch to a new smartphone every year, instead of waiting the usual 24 months, by trading in the old one).
Watch Out! Samsung announces Galaxy Gear wrist-wear
When I was in elementary school, I thought I was pretty cool. You see, I wore the Nintendo Tetris watch. Sadly, I have not been cool since. I have patiently waited over 20 years for a watch to match the epic-awesomeness of that game watch. The rumor-mill has been churning out a lot of smart-watch news this year, pointing to Apple and Google.
Today, Samsung beats both of those companies to market and announces the Galaxy Gear smart-watch. The company describes this new watch as "a perfect companion device that further integrates the Samsung Galaxy experience into everyday life. Samsung Galaxy Gear combines smart device connectivity, tailored technological features, and stylish design as a single premium accessory".
Samsung Galaxy Note 3: new 5.7-inch monster phone packs a punch
At IFA in Berlin, Samsung takes the lid off its giant screened smartphone -- the Galaxy Note 3. It use to be the case that as technology developed, devices became smaller -- colossal Walkmans were replaced by more svelte models, chunky Discmans by portable players barely bigger than the disc they were playing. There was a time when the fashion for cell phones took a similar route, but the current propensity for larger screens shows that this no longer rings true.
Samsung's Note range has long taken the idea of a large screened smartphone to the extreme, but the third generation pushes things even further. Equipped with a whopping 5.7 inch screen, the third iteration of the phone is thinner than its predecessor at just 8.3 millimeters, and also lighter at a mere 168g. The Super AMOLED display, boasting a resolution of 1920 x 1080 risks being something of a power sucker, but it's backed up by a 3,200mAh battery.
Size matters -- HTC One Mini and Samsung Galaxy Mega heading to the USA
The American consumer is very indecisive when it comes to cell phone size. From the iconic "Zack Morris Phone" to Samsung's diminutive "Juke", the trend in size runs the gamut.
This continues with the smartphone craze as two new Android devices are announced for the USA -- the HTC One Mini and the Samsung Galaxy Mega. Both devices aim to fill a need and are defined by their size.
Apple wins patent case that could lead to a ban on certain Samsung products
The Apple and Samsung battle continues to rumble, and less than a week after a proposed ban on the sale of iPhones and iPads was overturned, another ruling has -- at least for the time being -- gone Apple's way. The US ITC has upheld a previous ruling dating back to 2011 that found Samsung has infringed various Apple patents, potentially leading to a US ban on various devices from the South Korean company.
The ruling found that Samsung had violated two patents relating to Apple's iPhone. The first patent (often referred to as the "Steve Jobs patent") relates to the use of a touchscreen interface as means of interacting with a device using one or more fingers. The second patent relates to the design of an audio socket that can determine the type of microphone or headset that has been plugged into it.
Samsung explains why some Galaxy S4 benchmarks appear 'optimized'
On Tuesday AnandTech published a report that suggested some sort of "trickery" was being used by Samsung to boost device performance when benchmarks are run. The Korean electronics manufacturer responded to the claims today, and while it does not deny that performance is adjusted when benchmarking tools are running, it refutes the suggestion that changes to the frequency of the Galaxy S4's GPU during benchmarking are "intended to improve [these] results".
Investigations started after a post on the Beyond3D forum claimed that the GPU speed was usually limited to 480MHz but increased to 532MHz when certain whitelisted apps were running. Benchmarks using older testing apps gave worse performance results than newer ones for user frogblast.
Samsung dominates smartphone market, squashes Apple and other makers
There is a very good reason as to why some people easily dismiss any report on the state of the smartphone, tablet or phone market. Research companies often get their forecasts wrong, and just as often adjust the numbers to reflect any significant change in shipments or sales. Credibility is gained over a long period of time, through spot-on analysis and research, but is easily lost after a questionable report.
Truth be told, predicting the future is a fool's errand. Those who rely on forecasts in order to make their case are just as likely to withdraw their bold remarks once the quarterly or yearly reports arrive. The credibility issue grows bigger when two research companies, namely IDC and Strategy Analytics, cannot agree on counting smartphone shipments, in a single quarter.
Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 8.0 -- champagne tablet experience at beer price
Last month, I sold my Nexus 7 and declared that I didn’t miss it. At first, the declaration was true. However, as time marched on, I began to long for a tablet. When lying in bed, I tried using my Chromebook but it just wasn’t comfortable. And so, I began to search for a new tablet.
I considered the iPad (full size and mini), Android tablets, and even the Surface RT; I was open to anything. However, as my research continued, I decided to stick with Android. I like iOS and Windows RT but I have too much money invested in the Android ecosystem. I really liked the Samsung Galaxy Note 8.0 but was turned off to the high price tag ($399.99). Luckily, Samsung has released a tablet that is similar to the Note 8.0 but for $100 less -- The Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 8.0.
Samsung Galaxy S4 bests Apple iPhone 5, Nokia Lumia 920 in battery life tests
With an increasing focus towards beefier hardware -- faster processors, more RAM, larger and higher-resolution screens -- it's easy to lose sight of an important part in having an enjoyable smartphone experience -- battery life. The sheer performance has significantly increased over time due to a drastic technological advancement in chip making, but batteries are mostly the same now as they were a couple of years ago (only bigger).
It's no surprise then that smartphones quickly run out of puff after a mere couple of hours of intense use. So what if you want a top-of-the-line handset that is also an excellent battery life performer? Well, according to Which.co.uk, you should get a Samsung Galaxy S4 and look past the Apple iPhone 5 or Nokia Lumia 920.
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