New Samsung Galaxy S III Image Leaked

With so many interested parties digging for early information about the Samsung Galaxy S III, the successor to its immensely popular Galaxy S II Android handset, it's no surprise that multiple sources are claiming to strike gold with leaked images and specs. Netherlands-based mobile blog GSM Helpdesk (in Dutch) is the latest to post an image that it claims is none other than the anticipated smartphone, and an official press shot at that. There's a fair chance this could be the real thing, at least design-wise--the phone's shape in the image is almost identical to one that posted on Reddit earlier this week.

There are a few differences, though. First, this image depicts an interface that looks like it could be Android 2.3 Gingerbread and not the expected Android Ice Cream Sandwich OS (although it isn't clear what that will look like with Samsung's typical TouchWiz skin.) Second, the navigation array may differ in these two photos--a central hardware button on one and three touch-sensitive buttons on the other--but that's also in keeping with various global models of the Samsung Galaxy S II and the Samsung Galaxy Note, for instance.

When can we expect Samsung's official proclamation of the Galaxy S III? Internet chatter points to a May 22 press conference in London. Rumors suggest that the Galaxy S III will pack in a 1.5GHz quad-core Samsung Exynos processor, Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, a 4.8-inch HD AMOLED screen, and support for LTE. It's also expected to have a 12-megapixel rear-facing camera with 1080p HD video capture and playback, a 1.3-megapixel front-facing camera capable of shooting 720p HD video, Bluetooth 4.0, and NFC support.

More Photos of Samsung Galaxy S III Leaked (Plus Jailbreak for The New iPad):

Samsung Galaxy Note Android 4.0 ICS Update Delayed?

When we met with Samsung General Manager Tim Wagner in Miami one of the things we talked about was the Ice Cream Sandwich update for the Samsung Galaxy Note. With Ice Cream Sandwich being a hybrid update of sorts for both phones and tablets, and the Galaxy Note being both a phone and a tablet, we thought that Android 4.0, Ice Cream Sandwich, was a natural fit for the Galaxy Note. Samsung must have agreed with that logic at some point because they originally announced that the Galaxy Note, along with the Samsung Galaxy S II would see Android 4.0, Ice Cream Sandwich, before the end of Q1.

Today, Gottabemobile reported that Samsung Norway has told customers that they won’t see an Android 4.0 upgrade until sometime in the second quarter of 2012. Norway was presumed to be one of the first markets on tap for the upgrade for their customers with the Galaxy Note.

As we know all to well, the U.S. is usually last to see an Android OS update, and most definitely after their international counterparts. This could mean we won’t see the Ice Cream Sandwich man graze the beloved Galaxy Note until late in the second quarter or perhaps even Q3. The Galaxy Note is primed for the upgrade. After switching from a Galaxy Nexus to a Galaxy Note there were intuitive functions of Ice Cream Sandwich that would only feel natural on the 5.3″ phoneblet.

Galaxy Note Android 4.0 ICS :

Samsung Galaxy S III About To Go Into Production?

The Samsung’s Galaxy S III rumor mill has been gathering plenty of momentum lately, and it’s not hard to see why. The hotly-anticipated device is set to feature a 1080p full HD, a 1.5GHz quad-core processor, and if the projected release frames ring true, will go head-to head with the iPhone 5.

The Samsung Galaxy S II is the most successful Android smartphone to date, and only recently won ‘Best Smartphone’ at the MWC 2012. As well as the award and popularity, the device also now supports the Big G’s latest and greatest Ice Cream Sandwich (4.0.3), after the mobile OS began rolling out to devices two days ago.

Reports on a release time have been somewhat conflicting, with some predicting April, while others a little later. The last coverage we gave of an ETA was earlier this month, when ZDNet Korea claimed to have confirmed the release date as indeed next month, in April.

According to Android Spin, the S III is rumored to be in production, which suggests the device will be releasing next month or, at latest, May. The Korean LCD will want to utilize the London Olympics as a marketing hub since it is a big sponsor, and although the Games don’t begin until July, the build-up and advertising is already gathering steam as we speak.

A Samsung spokesman declined to confirm the release bracket, which leaves us to play that familiar guessing game once again. With the iPhone 5 also set to drop in the coming months, though, Samsung will be keen to nab a few Apple loyalists with its next flagship device.

Samsung Galaxy S3: What to Expect:

Samsung Galaxy S II Lands On US Cellular

If you’re one of the ~6 million customers of United States semi-regional cellular carrier U.S. Cellular, you’re probably used to getting older smartphones (or just not getting them at all) by now. Well good news, thrifty consumer: you can now enjoy one of the best phones from 2011, on the regional/value carrier of your choice. The Samsung Galaxy S II will be available from U.S. Cellular soon, at a rebated price of $229.99. There’s no exact release date for the phone, but it should be available within the next few weeks.

It's been heard that Samsung’s massively popular Galaxy S II smartphone was headed to US Cellular, the handset is now available for $229.99 after a $100 mail in rebate. The Galaxy S II is available when you sign up to a new two year contract with the carrier, and the device recently won the GSMA best smartphone award at this years Mobile World Congress.

Ever US carrier has a slightly different version of the Galaxy S II, and U.S. Cellular is no different. They get the larger 4.52-inch variety (though the AMOLED screen keeps its 800×480 resolution) with a 1.2Ghz dual-core processor. The rest of the specs are standard: 16GB of on-board memory, an 8MP camera, and Samsung’s TouchWiz-enhanced Gingerbread. Like the rest of the American variants, it uses four capacitive navigation buttons instead of the home configuration on the international model. This version has an empty SD card slot and uses 3G data bands, since US Cellular’s LTE market is in its infancy.

The phone runs $229.99 after a mail-in rebate, for new users who sign up for a two-year contract. Existing customers who use the “belief” plan can qualify for the upgrade price. Naturally a data plan is required. Options for pre-paid customers haven’t been unveiled yet, but should be disclosed shortly after the Galaxy S II goes on sale.

We would like to remind something that, the Samsung Galaxy S II features a 4.5 inch Super AMOLED Plus display, and a dual core 1.2GHz processor, plus an 8 megapixel camera and 16GB of built in storage. Make sure you have a look at our Samsung Galaxy S II review to see what we though about Samsung’s most popular Android handset.

Samsung Galaxy S II Unboxing:

White Samsung Galaxy Nexus Now Available In The UK

We just got an email from a couple of online retailers here in the UK to let us know that they now have the SIM free white Samsung Galaxy Nexus available, and apart from the white casing the device comes with the same specifications as the original Galaxy Nexus.

The white Samsung Galaxy Nexus comes with the same specifications as the existing model, which include a 4.65 inch HD Super AMOLED multi-touch touchscreen display, with a resolution of 1280 x 720 pixels, and an advanced 5 megapixel camera. The two retailers are Unlocked Mobiles and Clove, and the White Samsung Galaxy Nexus is available for £495, it should also be available shortly from a number of the various mobile phone provides on contract.

The Samsung Galaxy nexus comes with the latest version of Google’s mobile OS, Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich,have a look at our Samsung Galaxy Nexus review to see what we thought of Google’s flagship Android smartphone.

White Samsung Galaxy Nexus Coming February UK:

Samsung Cancels 32GB GSM Galaxy Nexus?

When Samsung launched the Galaxy Nexus in the UK and Europe, the device came with 16GB of built in storage, and there was also supposed to be a 32GB model on the way.

In the US the Samsung Galaxy Nexus is available with Verizon with 32GB of built in storage, but the GSM version is only available with 16GB of storage, and now it would appear that Samsung may have decided not to release a 32GB GSM version.

The news comes from Expansys who have posted on the XDA developers forum that Samsung has decided to cancel the 32GB version, although Samsung has as yet to confirm this. Another retailer Negri Electronics has also confirmed that they have received the same information from Samsung that they will not be releasing a 32GB GSM galaxy Nexus.

It isn’t clear as yet why Samsung has decided to cancel the 32GB model, as soon as we get some more information we will let you guys know. In the meantime have a look at our Samsung Galaxy Nexus review to see what we thought of this Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich device.

The Samsung Galaxy Nexus FULL Review (32GB/CDMA Version):

Galaxy Note vs Skyrocket HD vs Exhilarate vs Burst vs Xperia ion: specs comparison

A whopping five Android smartphones with 4G LTE support – that is what AT&T unveiled before our eyes mere hours ago. And looking at their specs sheets, there seems to be an offering to suit everyone's needs: from budget-conscious consumers to smartphone aficionados.

Those who aren't sure whether it is a tablet or a smartphone that they need can check out the Samsung Galaxy Note, which is a blend between both worlds. It offers a spacious 5.3-inch display with an impressive resolution of 800 by 1280 pixels, yet perhaps you can fit it in the inside pocket of your coat.

Moving along, we see the Sony Xperia ion, which is the company's first smartphone with a dual-core processor – a Snapdragon chip clocked at 1.5GHz. What occupies its front side is a 4.6-inch display of an HD kind with a resolution of 720 by 1280 pixels. Not to be forgotten is its 12-megapixel camera that can capture 1080p video with ease.

The Samsung Galaxy S II Skyrocket HD is another offering with a high-resolution display. Its Super AMOLED display measures 4.65 inches in diagonal and sports a resolution of 720 by 1280 pixels. Under its hood we find a 1.5GHz dual-core processor and an 8-megapixel camera is located on its back.

Leaving high-end handsets aside, we come across the Pantech Burst, which is a reasonably-priced Android smartphone with some pretty decent specs. For $50 on-contract you get a device with a 4-inch Super AMOLED display, 480 by 800 pixels in resolution, and a dual-core processor clocked at 1.2GHz. Capturing those special moments is its 5-megapixel camera, and the 2-megapixel front-facing shooter is perfect for video chats.

Last on our list is the Samsung Exhilarate – a device that we don't know much about in terms of specs, but we do know that it is built with the environment in mind. It is constructed out of recycled materials and complies with a number of requirements for sustainability. The front side of the Samsung Exhilarate is occupied by a 4-inch Super AMOLED display, and a 5-megapixel camera can be found on its back side.

!!NEW!!! AT&T Samsung Note, Skyrocket HD and Exhilarate:

Samsung Galaxy S Blaze 4G to be another 42Mbps handset for T-Mobile

T-Mobile has confirmed the existence of the Samsung Galaxy S Blaze 4G and pretty much all that we knew about it. Unfortunately, we can't add a release date yet, but we do know that the processor will be clocked at 1.5 GHz, while the display will be a Super AMOLED one.

T-Mobile doesn't really have a clear LTE strategy yet, but its HSPA+ rollout keeps getting faster and faster, even hitting the 42Mbps (theoretical) speeds in some markets. Unfortunately, there aren't too many handsets that can take advantage of those speeds.

A new report has the Samsung Galaxy S Blaze 4G becoming just the 3rd device with a radio rated for 42Mbps. There still isn't a lot of news about the Blaze. We do know that it will be a T-Mobile device (obviously), and word has it that it will also feature a dual-core Snapdragon processor and knowing Samsung, it will likely also have a Super AMOLED screen.

The Samsung Galaxy S Blaze 4G is due out sometime this year. Even though we don't have a lot of info, it's interesting to see a device that would seem to fit in the mid-range for phones coming with 42Mbps support. It's good to see that not just the top tier is getting the speed. More details are expected soon.

Samsung Galaxy S Blaze 4G:

Samsung Galaxy S Advance Hits The UK Later This Month, Up For Pre-order

With Samsung’s Galaxy S III no longer expected at MWC 2012 later this month, we’ll have to make do with the Samsung Galaxy S Advance, officially announced on Monday and already up for pre-order. An variant of the original Galaxy S, the Galaxy S Advance I9070 is scheduled to drop roughly at the same time as the Barcelona mobile show, according to UK retailer Clove, with pre-orders priced at £295 ($467)plus tax.

That means a 4-inch Super AMOLED display running at WVGA resolution, along with a 1GHz dual-core processor paired with 768MB of RAM. There’s also 8GB of internal storage plus a microSD card slot. The 5-megapixel camera is paired with a 1.3-megapixel front-facer, and there’s the usual bevy of sensors and wireless: GPS, WiFi, Bluetooth and an FM radio. OS is Android 2.3 Gingerbread with Samsung’s own TouchWiz mods.

In case that all sounds reasonably familiar, you’re not going mad. Samsung revealed another iteration of the Galaxy S back in March 2011, the Galaxy S Plus, similar in many ways to this “Advance” model. The “Plus”, however, had a 1.4GHz single-core processor and only 512MB of RAM, though the battery is 150 mAh bigger.

If the Galaxy S Advance takes your fancy, shipments are expected in the week commencing February 27 2012. Of course, SlashGear will be at Mobile World Congress that week, bringing back all the juicy details as to what other phones Samsung and its rivals have to impress us with.

Samsung Galaxy S Advance:

Samsung Ships 700,000 Galaxy Notes In South Korea

Samsung will be making a big push on the new Galaxy Note in the US this weekend, as the company is showing off a special Galaxy Note advert during this Sunday’s Super Bowl. Samsung recently announced that they had sold over 1 million Galaxy Note devices around the world, and now the company has announced that they have sold over 1 million Galaxy Note smartphones in their home country of South Korea.

Samsung are obviously hoping that the US launch of the Galaxy note will increase their number significantly, and we suspect that this hybrid smartphone and tablet device will be popular in the US. As a reminder the Samsung Galaxy Note comes with a a 5.3 inch Super AMOLED touchscreen display with a resolution of 1280 x 800 pixels, processing is provided by a dual core 1.4GHz processor and it comes with Android Gingerbread 2.3, plus dual cameras, on the back there is an 8 megapixel camera with an LED flash, on the front there is a 2 megapixel camera for video chat.

NEW White Samsung Galaxy Note - Korea ONLY:

Samsung Galaxy Note vs Nokia Lumia 800

Nokia's first Windows Phone device has been under a lot of scrutiny since its inception and now it's finally here we have a chance to fairly judge the Lumia 800, rather than speculating, moaning and generally being doomsayers.

Software
Nokia announced that it would be joining forces with Microsoft earlier in the year and the Lumia 800 is the first device to come to fruition from that union.
The Lumia 800 runs on Windows Phone 7.5 Mango and, as you'd expect, performs very well thanks to the rapidly maturing mobile platform.
You get plenty of upgrades over the launch version of Windows Phone in Mango, including support for (select third party) multi-tasking, social networking support, Internet Explorer 9 (which now supports HTML 5, which is a very important addition in light of Adobe's recent abandonment of Flash mobile).
Windows Phone 7.5 is a great choice for Nokia and makes the Lumia 800 a viable choice for any mobile fan.
Samsung's Galaxy Note runs on version 2.3 of Android and the Google software is a delight to use.
There's apps aplenty available via the Android Market, loads of customisation potential and, most importantly, the platform runs fast, safe and smooth.


Display
Nokia has chosen to imbue the Lumia 800 with a 3.7-inch AMOLED screen that operates at a resolution of 480x800 and has a pixel density of 252PPI.
Choosing AMOLED was a great choice by Nokia and the Lumia 800 thoroughly lives up to its name thanks to the delightfully bright, vivid screen.

The Galaxy Note features AMOLED technology though too. But seeing as AMOLED is Samsung's baby the device gets a Super AMOLED screen, which operates at a resolution of 800x1280, features a pixel density of 285PPI and measures a whopping 5.3-inches!
The Galaxy Note's display is a great performer and the size adds so much to the device. If you're viewing photos or exploring the wonders of the World Wide Web then it's a fantasic device to choose.

Power
Nokia hasn't scrimped on the power for the Lumia 800. It runs on a single-core CPU clocked at 1.4GHz and also features an Adreno 205 GPU, giving the device plenty of grunt and the inclusion of 512MB RAM will help the device chew through even the most testing apps, games or other tasks.
Samsung's Galaxy Note offers more though, in the form of a 1.4Ghz dual-core ARM Cortex-A9 processor, Mali-400MP GPU and 1GB RAM, which drives the device to perform with blistering pace.
Form & Build
Samsung Galaxy Note - 146.9 x 83 x 9.7 mm, 178g
Nokia Lumia 800 - 116.5 x 61.2 x 12.1 mm, 142g
Samsung has stuck firmly to its tried and tested 'plastic über alles' approach for the Galaxy Note. The device is light, thin and doesn't really feel as if it should cost a fortune.
Sure, there are no creaks and the device is fairly robust, but the general feel and aesthetic isn't something we recommend.
The display benefits from a Gorilla Glass coating though and we can't fault the device for comfort (considering it's such a big-screened smartphone) so we'll take our minor gripes and stow them.
The Lumia 800 feels fantastic in the hand and exudes class. It's polycarbonate chassis feels strong and looks great and the device is thin enough to not feel like a brick in your pocket.
Camera
Nokia's relationship with Carl Zeiss has produced some great camera-phones over the years and while the Lumia 800 is a good device, it's by no means great.
The 8-megapixel camera, which benefits from autofocus, dual-LED flash,  geo-tagging and 720P movie capture, is a nice performer but doesn't live up to the standards we've come to expect from a company with Nokia's nous.
If you're willing to invest time in taking a picture with the device you'll be fine as it's fully capable of producing stunning results. Nonetheless, the device does struggle to focus and can seem laboured to start from cold, which is never a winner when you're trying to snap an impromptu photo
These minor gripes can be ironed-out with a software update though, so don't let this put you off the device entirely.
Samsung's Galaxy Note features an 8-megapixel camera too, which comes with an LED flash, autofocus, image stabilisation, geo-tagging, touch focus, face & smile detection and 1080P video capture!


Its power is immense, its screen is delightful and it feels like you're using a sheet of cardboard to surf the Web. What's not to like about that?!
Nokia's Lumia 800 is a great stride forward for the company though. The device is solid as rock and performs well thanks to Microsoft's excellent operating system.

iPhone 4 vs Samsung Galaxy S

We thought it might be fun to see just how competitive high-end Android devices have become by pitting one of the best, the Samsung Galaxy S, against Apple's perennial favourite.

Display
We thought we'd launch out of the blocks with the hardest criteria to judge, that of screen quality. Apple's iPhone 4 boasts a hugely impressive 3.5-inch screen dubbed the Retina Display, which features a groundbreaking 326ppi (pixels per inch), making what you see on the screen as near to true life as you're going to get.

The Galaxy S may not be able to rival the iPhone for pixel density but it can certainly hold its own, with a sharp 4-inch Super-AMOLED screen capable of the deepest blacks and the most vivid colours .

Drive Train
Internally both of these devices are cutting edge. Samsung's Galaxy S is driven by a powerful 1GHz Hummingbird chipset which includes a PowerVR GPU as well as 512MB RAM, allowing the device to run multiple apps without any discernible lag. The iPhone is similarly spec'd, with a 1GHz Apple A4 CPU and 512MB RAM taking care of the donkey work, allowing the iPhone's slick UI and apps to run unhindered.

With similar hardware it's tough to separate the two devices, though they both use what they're given very differently.

Optics
Samsung Galaxy S  5-megapixel camera is capable of producing impressive shots and the support for 720P video capture only adds to the Galaxy's charm. As charming as the Galaxy S is, it can't measure up against the iPhone's 5-megapixel snapper though, which features LED flash, autofocus and also captures 720P movies. While both devices offer cameras that are similar on paper, the iPhone's faster shutter speed and slicker user interface shine through, giving Apple's baby its first win of the contest.





Operating System
Apple's iOS has been the benchmark that other operating systems measure themselves by for some time and it's so easy to see why. With sharp, good-looking graphics and intuitive controls, iOS is everything you want from a mobile OS. It allows you to get things done with minimum of fuss, supports tons of apps and doesn't scrimp on the eye-candy.

The Samsung Galaxy S runs version 2.2 (Froyo) of Google's Android OS and it's a masterpiece of complexity distilled into something amazingly usable. Android affords you all the usability of Apple's masterful iOS but with the added bonus of being based on open source ideals, meaning that you are able to examine and change the very core tenets of the operating system to your own specification, if you're so inclined


Future Proofing
Apple has the future covered. The iPhone 4 receives updates from the boffins at Cupertino fairly regularly, patching flaws and adding features, and you can expect to receive the newest version of iOS as and when it rolls off the production line.

Samsung's Galaxy S runs a custom UI over the top of Google's Android platform and although this augment's the user experience for the better it somewhat hinders the device receiving updates. The device shipped with version 2.1 of Android, that was recently upgraded to version 2.2 and users can expect to receive version 2.3 but the job of tailoring the custom TouchWiz UI means that it won't be as brisk as the iPhone 4, or indeed some of its purer competitors.

Samsung's contender has really taken it to Apple, but the iPhone 4 just snagged it with its Retina Display – something the Galaxy S simply cannot compete with.

Is Samsung delaying the launch of Galaxy S III until after MWC?

It is needless to say that the upcoming Samsung Galaxy S III is one of the most anticipated Android devices, which are going to break cover this year - one of the brightest stars of the MWC which is set to kick off next month in Barcelona.

Or not? According to a fresh new rumor, the yet to be revealed Korean flagship might break cover after MWC, but before the summer. The reason for this shocker is the company's consideration for the U.S. market - one of its most important ones. Apparently, Samsung wants to avoid a huge gap of availability as in the case of the Galaxy S II last year.

Reportedly, Samsung will try to fill the giant void by focusing on tablets, as well as Windows Phone sporting devices.

Since we're talking rumors here, don't forget the usual pinch of salt. As always, we'll keep you posted, should we find out more on the subject.