However, don’t under estimate this low cost Android phone just by looking at the price tag. The specs of the phone is absolutely worth of the cost or even better. Say the 1 GHz processor that’s probably the same with other Samsung Galaxy phones. Other specs include Android 2.x which is most likely Gingerbread, 320 x480 HVGA touch sceen which is the same resolution as the Samsung Replenish, 3.1 megapixel rear-facing camera and VGA front-facing camera. But the most important thing is the WiMAX support and a QWERTY slider keyboard which is probably could become strong selling points.

Well, this phone has yet to be officially unveiled but July 24th seems to be the launch date of the phone.

[via: Electronista]

A survey conducted by Samsung Mobile and Kelton Research recently revealed that 90% of U.S. consumers either already own a tablet or would considering buying one. It indicates how popular and desirable consumer tablets are in the U.S. Among 1000 respondents polled during the survey, 76% said that they use tablets for reading the news or books, 64% for watching TV shows or movies, 61% for listening to music and 56% for updating their social networking profiles.

Interestingly, more than half (53%) of the respondents would prefer to use their mobile tablet to play games instead of on a PC or standalone video game console. This would be a threat and challenge at the same time for game console makers. Moreover, 44% of the respondents would use a tablet to take pictures or film videos, 41% for video chat with loved ones and 34% to stay connected with their co-workers. So, that’s a good reason why tablet supposed to have front camera.

The rest of the survey result is related to Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 which you can read it below.

Power and Portability of Mobile Tablets Push New Popularity in the U.S.

New Samsung Mobile Survey Reveals 90 Percent of U.S. Consumers
Already Own or Are Considering Purchasing a Tablet

DALLAS (June 7, 2011)— Samsung Mobile, the No. 1 mobile phone provider in the U.S. ¹,  today announced the results of an online survey that showed that mobile tablets are becoming the new must-have device for an overwhelming majority of Americans. The survey revealed that 90 percent of U.S. consumers either already own a tablet or would consider buying one.

The survey examined the most common use cases for mobile tablets among Americans who already own or would consider purchasing a mobile tablet, include:

• 76%: reading the news or books
• 64%: watching TV shows or movies
• 61%: listening to music
• 56%: updating their social networking profiles

More than half (53%) of survey respondents would choose to use their mobile tablet to play games instead of on a PC or standalone video game console. In addition, the survey showed Americans would use a tablet to take pictures or film videos (44%), video chat with loved ones (41%) or stay connected with their co-workers (34%).

The survey was conducted as part of Samsung’s upcoming retail launch of the Samsung Galaxy Tab™ 10.1, the world’s thinnest tablet measuring just 8.6 millimeters thin and weighing 1.24 pounds. The Galaxy Tab 10.1 is powered by Android™ 3.1 Honeycomb, offering faster and smoother transitions between different applications, more intuitive navigation to and from home screens and broader support of USB accessories, external keyboards, joysticks and gamepads. The Galaxy Tab 10.1 is designed with an NVIDIA Tegra 1GHz dual core application processor for powerful gaming and multimedia performance. The Tab’s ultra-thin design does not sacrifice battery life, thanks to a 7000 mAh battery providing up to 9 hours of continuous use on a single charge.²

From June 8, the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 WiFi edition will be available exclusively at the Best Buy Union Square location in New York City. It can also be pre-ordered from select retail partners. Starting June 17, the Galaxy Tab 10.1 will be available at Best Buy online and in-store along with Fry’s Electronics, Amazon.com, Micro Center, Tiger Direct and Newegg. These retail outlets will have 16GB version of the Galaxy Tab 10.1 WiFi edition for $499, and the 32GB version of the device will be available for $599. In addition, the WiFi version of the Galaxy Tab 10.1 will be available through Sprint starting mid-summer 2011. Visit www.samsung.com for additional details.

The national survey, commissioned by Samsung Mobile, was conducted by Kelton Research and included 1,000 Americans ages 18 and older.

*All decimals are rounded to the nearest percentage point. This may result in certain numerical totals adding up to slightly more or slightly less than 100%.

1 Number one mobile phone provider in the U.S claim for Samsung Mobile based upon reported shipment data, according to Strategy Analytics, Q1 2011 U.S. Market Share Handset Shipments Reports.

2 Battery power consumption depends on factors such as network configuration, signal strength, operating temperature, features selected, vibrate mode, backlight settings, browser use, and frequency of data and other application usage patterns.

Tablet lately became so popular and slow but sure will be part of must have item among computing devices users. With the entrants like Samsung Galaxy and Motorola Xoom to join the Apple iPad as the market leader in US, users now have more options. In certain cases, people even prefer to use tablet instead of PC/Laptop. A research conducted by Nielsen in Spring 2011 listed top 9 reasons to use tablet instead of PC/Laptop.

Easy to carry/take with you – this is the main reason for people to use tablets instead of PC/Laptop. This reason is choosed by 31% of tablet users which is make sense looking at the physical design of most tablets which are simple.

Easy of Interface/OS – doesn’t like PC/Laptop, most of tablet OS’s came with simple and easy to use interface with you can navigate just by touching it. Besides, it’s also easy to install and remove apps

Fast Start Up/Off – one of the obvious thing that distinguish tablets and PC/Laptop is the way of them to switch between on/off state. Instead of power-on/shutdown process which takes long time on PC/Laptop, you can easily on/off the tablets.

Convenience – the physical design, easy interface, great features, huge number of apps to choose really make tablet become very convenient to use.

Size – most of tablets come with relatively smaller size compared to PC/Laptop which make it just like one piece of book.

Can use in multiple locations – with the convenient style of the tablet you can easily bring and use it anywhere.

Fast Speed – new tablets released started to use faster processor and system which is now equal or even better than some PC/Laptop can offer.

Like Device Features (Calendar, apps, etc) – tablets features and apps are easy and interesting to use. And currently there are many App store options available at the moment hosted huge number of apps ranged from free to affordable price apps.

Lightweight - compared to PC/Laptop and even the smallest laptop, tablet is completely lightweight.

You can also see the impact of tablets usage on other devices below.

[via: Nielsen]

Samsung Galaxy Prevail

Announced on April 4th, 2011 and scheduled to be available from Boost Mobile from April 29, 2011. The Samsung Galaxy Prevail is an Android 2.2 smartphone with 3.2-inch display. It has 2MP camera, GPS, Bluetooth, E-mail access and supports up to 32GB microSD memory cards.

HTC Sensation 4G

Announced on April 12th, 2011 and scheduled to be available from T-Mobile on Summer 2011. HTC Sensation 4G comes with Android 2.3 Gingerbread with HTC Sense UI version 3.0. It has a 1.2GHz Qualcomm dual-core processor with support for the nice 3D-like transitions in the menu like the one on HTC Flyer tablet. This phone is the first with a contoured glass 4.3-inch display which means that your Super LCD screen is set back slightly to avoid scratches. The display has a qHD (540×960) resolution with an aspect ratio of 16:9. Other specs include 8MP rear camera with dual-LED flash and 30fps full HD (1080p) resolution video recording.

Nokia E6

Announced on April 12th, 2011 and scheduled for Q2 2011. The Nokia E6 is another phone in Nokia E Series intended for business. The phone comes with the updated version of Symbian^3 called Symbian Anna powered by ARM11 processor at 680MHz speed. It has a 2.46-inches LCD capacitive touchscreen, made of Gorilla Glass to protect it from scratches. Other specs include 8MP camera with dual-LED flash capable for 720p HD video recording, GPS, Wi-Fi, FM radio, and Bluetooth.

Nokia X7

Announced at the same day with the Nokia E6 and scheduled for Q2 2011. AT&T will be one of the US carrier that will offer this phone. Together with the Nokia E6, the Nokia X7 is one of the phone that will come with Symbian Anna. The phone is equipped with a 4-inche AMOLED touchscreen with a 360×640 resolution and 8MP fixed focus camera capable for 720p HD video recording. These are powered with ARM11 processor at 680MHz.

Samsung Replenish

Announced on April 15, 2011, the Samsung Replenish is scheduled to be available from Sprint starting from May 8, 2011. Samsung Replenish is a Candybar phone with full QWERTY keyboard and a touch screen. It has 2.8-inch QVGA display, 2MP camera, Wi-Fi, GPS and Blueetooth. The phone is equipped with Qualcomm MSM7627-2 processor at 600 MHz running Android 2.2 OS.

Sony Ericsson W8 Walkman

This phone announced on April 21st, 2011 but the availability is still unknown. Sony Ericsson W8 Walkman is the first Sony Ericsson Walkman series to run Android. Physically, the phone carries the design accents of an XPERIA X8 with the addition of fresh colors. It’s powered by 600MHz processor and an Android 2.1 with Timescape. It also has a 3-inch capacitive touch display, 3.2MP camera, Wi-Fi, aGPS, FM radio and Blueetooth.

Well, that’s all we have for April 2011. If you notice there’s something we’ve missed from this list, please do not hesitate to inform us. And also, i just wonder which one of these is your favorite?

Samsung has just posted a teaser image of it’s upcoming Galaxy Tab on it’s Facebook page. The poster simply says, “What’s your Tab life” and put “78910″ as the answer. Knowing that first Samsung Galaxy Tab in the market is at 7-inch and Galaxy Tab 10.1 which was introduced last month is at 10.1-inch, it clearly shows that this next Tab device will likely be measured at 8.9-inch as the only missing numbers on the answer. The poster also  mentioned that this tablet will be unveiled at the CTIA event on March 22nd.

Looking at the image on the poster, the Galaxy Tab 8.9 seems to be so thin. You will notice this by looking at the 3.5mm headphone socket compared to the whole body of the device. We don’t know how thin it is compared to the 10.9mm Galaxy Tab 10.1, but surely will be a serious rival to the 8.8mm Apple iPad 2 which was introduced last week.

As for the specs, we could expect not much different with the Galaxy Tab 10.1 including Android 3.0 Honeycomb and Dual-core processor.

The iPad 2 announcement earlier this week has forced Samsung to reconsider the upcoming Galaxy Tab 10.1 both hardware and pricing. Samsung’s senior official sees the slim design and competitive price of the iPad 2 as it’s biggest obstables and left new challenges for Samsung to produce a thinner device with the same price as it’s predecessor. Moreover, they said there are parts that are inadequate and have to be improved.

The iPad 2 comes with 33% thinner than the original iPad at 8.8-mm compared with Samsung’s latest 10.9-mm tablet announced last month. Although Samsung did not announce the pricing details for the 10.1-inch tablet, but the current model of 7-inch Galaxy Tab priced at nearly $900 without a two-year contract from the carriers. At the same time, the cheapest price for iPad 2 costs $499 and $829 for the highest model. So, that’s absolutely a big difference.

For a comparison, Samsung sold 2 million of Galaxy Tab tablets during the four months since October 2010 while Apple sold 15 million iPads in the period of April-December 2010.

[via: Yonhapnews]

A benchmark testing performed by folks at Anandtech recently shows that the Optimus 3D’s TI OMAP 4 performed better than the Samsung’s Exynos 4210. Moreover, the OMAP 4 even has a better performance compared to the famous NVIDIA Tegra 2.

[via: Anandtech]

In addition to the 10.1-inch WVGA TFT display with crystal clear resolution of 1280×800, the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 also comes with 8 megapixel rear-facing camera with autofocus which is capable for full HD video recording and a 2 megapixel front-facing camera. Other specs include Bluetooth 2.1+EDR, Wi-Fi a/b/g/n and you can choose from the options of 16GB/32GB memory. Moreover, Samsung also claimed that the dual-core processor on this tablet uses low power DDR2 memory and 6860mAh battery which means better power consumption.

Read the Samsung’s Press Release of the Galaxy Tab 10.1 below.

Samsung expands the Samsung GALAXY Tab range with a 10.1″ Entertainment Powerhouse
Global launch of Samsung’s first Honeycomb-based, Dual Core smart media device

BARCELONA, February 13, 2011 – Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd., a provider of smart media devices and the global leader in Android™ tablets, in partnership with Vodafone Group, today announced the Samsung GALAXY Tab 10.1 (Model: P7100), a powerful Dual-Core Android 3.0 (Honeycomb) Smart Media Device, designed to deliver the ultimate mobile entertainment experience.

“As a leader in the Android-powered tablet market, Samsung is committed to providing a variety of feature-rich, always-on devices” said DJ Lee, Executive Vice President and Head of Sales & Marketing. He continued, “The Samsung GALAXY Tab 10.1 is a valuable addition to our expanding portfolio of smart media devices. Sporting a large 10.1 screen and dual surround-sound speakers, it enables users to enjoy multimedia to the maximum extent without having to compromise mobility.

Patrick Chomet, Vodafone’s Group Director of Terminals, said: “Vodafone customers in over 20 markets around the world will be the first to get the GALAXY Tab 10.1 when it goes on sale this spring. Samsung have produced a stylish, market-leading implementation of the new Android 3.0 platform which will be the first Honeycomb device to arrive in many of those markets. Vodafone’s competitive data tariffs and reliable, high-speed networks make using the GALAXY Tab 10.1 a great experience.”

“Samsung continues to develop innovative products that contribute to the continued growth of the Android ecosystem,” said Andy Rubin, Vice President of Engineering at Google.

As the tablet market experiences unprecedented interest, Samsung and Vodafone have partnered to cater to customer demand and offer them the perfect way to enjoy the huge variety of opportunities the Android platform provides. Whether playing games, reading eBooks or updating your Facebook status, the lightweight, ultra-slim Samsung GALAXY Tab 10.1 is the ultimate entertainer and builds on the industry-wide success of the two million-selling Samsung GALAXY Tab.

The Ultimate Entertainment Experience
A 10.1″ (WXGA TFT LCD) display with crystal clear resolution (1280 x 800) makes the Samsung GALAXY Tab 10.1 an unrivalled device for experiencing the hundreds of thousands of games and applications available from Android Market™. To compliment the amazing visual quality of the device, the GALAXY Tab 10.1 includes dual surround-sound speakers to immerse you even more fully.

The device also includes an 8 megapixel rear-facing camera with Auto Focus and a 2 megapixel front-facing camera which lets users capture experiences with the best-in-market full HD record and play as well as easily share them. With the Android browser and Flash 10.1, the Samsung GALAXY Tab 10.1 is the perfect tool for consuming the world of the internet content wherever you are.

Performance and Speed
Combined with the latest version of Android’s tablet-optimized operating system, Honeycomb, Samsung has created a device that is powerful and lightning fast.

The Samsung GALAXY Tab 10.1 includes a 1GHz Dual Core application processor, giving you the kind of fast and powerful multimedia and web browsing experience. Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1′s Dual Core processor, low power DDR2 memory and 6860mAh battery, make it perfect for task management in an energy efficient way.

Maximized Portability
At just 599g in weight and mere 10.9mm- slimness, the Galaxy Tab 10.1 is lighter, slimmer and more portable, meaning users are free to enjoy its many features while on the move. With the need to remain constantly connected, Samsung has also included super-fast HSPA+ 21Mbps, Bluetooth® 2.1+EDR and Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n connectivity to support rapid mobile download speeds and reduce data transfer times.

With a super thin body at just 0.33 inches (8.49mm) thick, the Samsung Galaxy S II is the thinnest to hit the market so far. But the most interesting part is probably the Super AMOLED Plus with 480 x800 pixels, which has 40% larger subpixel count than what we have on the Samsung Galaxy S Super AMOLED, but uses less power like what Samsung said below.

Using RealStripe screen technology and a greatly increased sub-pixel count, Super AMOLED Plus complements the mechanics of the human eye to recognize images look clearer and more detailed than ever before. With a wider viewing angle and increased visibility in outdoor, the Samsung GALAXY S II provides a more vibrant viewing experience than any other mobile device.

On the camera, the Samsung Galaxy S II has 8 megapixel which capable for 1080p Full HD video recording at 30fps, better than the NVIDIA Tegra 2 chipset which only records 24fps 1080p. The phone also has 2 megapixel camera on the front for video calls. And in addition to that, Samsung also added “Face Recognition unlock” feature which enable only registered owner to unlock the phone.

With this Galaxy S II, Samsung finally introduces the Samsung Hubs as a new way to integrate application to make it easier and faster for you to get what you want. You can choose from four hubs including the Social Hub, Readers Hub, Game Hub and Music Hub.

The last but not least, the Galaxy S II is likely using Samsung’s own dual-core chip Exynos 4210 which previously known as Orion. So now the new smartphone era with dual-core devices begins where the Motorola ATRIX 4G, the Motorola DROID BIONIC and LG Optimus 2X already join before. Well, let’s hope to see the official press release from Samsung soon. But before that, you probably can watch these two videos below.

Source: Samsung

Update : It’s officially launched, read the full press release below.

Samsung announces the GALAXY S II, World’s thinnest Smartphone that Will Let You Experience More with Less

Global launch of Samsung’s most powerful smartphone delivers unmatched performance with a Dual-Core application processor and best-in-class viewing experience by Super AMOLED Plus display in sleek and lightweight design

BARCELONA, February 13, 2011 – Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd., a leading mobile phone provider, today announced the Samsung GALAXY S II (Model: GT-I9100), a beautifully thin (8.49mm) and lightweight, dual-core smartphone that combines an unmatched viewing experience with incredible performance.

The Samsung GALAXY S II uses Android™ 2.3 Gingerbread, the latest version of the world’s fastest-growing mobile operating system. The next generation smartphone includes access to Samsung’s four new content and entertainment hubs, seamlessly integrated to provide instant access to music, games, e-reading and social networking services.

“In 2011, we will take Samsung’s leadership in Speed, Screen and Content to a whole new level,” said JK Shin, President and Head of Samsung’s Mobile Communications Business. “With the GALAXY S II, Samsung wants to set the new standard of quality viewing on mobile, powerful performance, and slim and modern design.”

“GALAXY S II is a natural and powerful evolution of GALAXY S. Building on the phenomenal success of the original Samsung GALAXY S, we are proud to unveil the ultimate smartphone. Consumers no longer have to contain themselves – the Samsung GALAXY S II allows them to design their own smart lives.”

“We’re pleased to see Samsung bring another Android-powered device to market to help grow the Android ecosystem,” said Andy Rubin, Vice President of Engineering at Google.

Powerful Performance

Incorporating a dual-core application processor and advanced wireless network (HSPA+ 21) connectivity, the Samsung GALAXY S II has the speed and power to provide an unrivalled mobile performance. Dual-core application processor delivers compelling features such as fast web browsing, multi-tasking comparable to a PC-like environment, supreme graphics quality and instantly responsive 3D user interface on the large screen. The GALAXY S II also delivers seamless multitasking, switching between applications instantly. Superior 3D hardware performance makes games and video incredibly fast and smooth.

With super-fast HSPA+ connectivity, the GALAXY S II offers rapid mobile download speeds while BlueTooth® 3.0+HS considerably reduces data transfer times.

The Samsung GALAXY S II has been equipped with an 8MP, high-profile camera and camcorder with 1080p full HD recording and playback. With Samsung’s patented AllShare technology, customers can capture, create and then share their experiences hassle-free.

A Next Level of Viewing Experience

The Samsung GALAXY S II has been equipped with Samsung’s new crystal-clear Super AMOLED Plus screen, the most advanced mobile visual display ever created. Setting the standard of quality viewing on mobile, Super AMOLED Plus introduces the best in quality in color gamut, contrast ratio and edge sharpness. Using RealStripe screen technology and a greatly increased sub-pixel count, Super AMOLED Plus complements the mechanics of the human eye to recognize images look clearer and more detailed than ever before. With a wider viewing angle and increased visibility in outdoor, the Samsung GALAXY S II provides a more vibrant viewing experience than any other mobile devices.

Even with its unrivaled performance, the innovative Super AMOLED Plus display does not compromise battery performance. A significant reduction in power consumption from Super AMOLED display means it is also more energy-efficient than other comparably-sized devices, allowing Samsung to minimize device weight.

Samsung GALAXY S II Goes to Work

Samsung has introduced a new range of enterprise mobility solutions, expanding the business capabilities of the Samsung GALAXY S II and helping enterprise customers empower a flexible and connected mobile workforce. Samsung has partnered with IT industry leaders to offer the most relevant enterprise solutions to the Samsung GALAXY S II, working seamlessly on the Android Gingerbread platform and paying special attention to securing data and network. These solutions include enhanced conferencing and connectivity services from Cisco, the most comprehensive mobile implementation of Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync and secure remote device management from Sybase.

A New World of Entertainment and Smarter Interaction

Samsung has selected the Samsung GALAXY S II as its premium mobile product with which to launch Samsung Hubs – integrated mobile applications designed to fit every element of your life. With Samsung Hubs, the Samsung GALAXY S II delivers rich catalogues of books and magazines, music, advanced mobile games and control of your online social life, all from a single device.

• Social Hub Premium: The future of communication – talk to whoever you want, however you want, all from one place – your contact’s list. Communication history, IM status, and updates from social networking sites are all readily available. From here, users can access all types of messages (push e-mail, text, VM and SNS) and respond directly without resorting to individual applications. It truly acts as a hub for entire social life.
• Readers Hub: Carry an enormous library of books, magazines and newspapers on-the-go. Through strategic partnerships, Samsung Readers Hub provides over 2.2 million books and novels, 2,000 global and local newspapers in 49 languages and 2,300 popular magazines in 22 languages.
• Game Hub: The easiest way to download and play best-in-class mobile games. Featuring a 3-axis gyroscopic sensor, the Samsung GALAXY S II unleashes a world of gaming possibilities. Try for free and download premium titles from partners like Gameloft, or ‘enjoy Social Network Games (SNG) powered by mobage including ngmoco’s We Rule and We City’.
• Music Hub: Make Samsung GALAXY S II a personal music manager and access over 12 million tracks from 7digital. Discover what’s hot from top charts, search for favorite music, get recommendations on albums, enjoy previews and download them directly to Samsung GALAXY S II.

The Samsung GALAXY S II gives customers more choice in personalizing their smartphone experience. New for the Samsung GALAXY S II, Samsung has introduced Live Panel, a service that aggregates live web and application contents to a single customizable home-screen. Customers can design the lay-out of their own Live Panel, online services and mobile apps to appear on-screen. SNS feeds, information and many more applications can all be embedded and accessed instantly through the magazine-like layout.

With the enhanced voice technology on the Samsung GALAXY S II, customers will be able to do more with less. From opening the app to controlling the messaging, social media, email and calling, Samsung Voice Solution will recognizes voice and convert it to text and vice versa. Customized Voice Translation application makes the Samsung GALAXY S II the perfect travel companion, translating voice or text into – and from – a range of languages: simply speak a word or phrase into the handset and it will instantly translate it, with audio and text output.

For swift and simple device management, Samsung has introduced Kies Air. With Kies air, consumers can manage their smartphone contents from their PC, via local WiFi connections. download photos taken on the built-in camera, listen to music, check missed calls and send messages in the web browser on their PC. For added connectivity, WiFi Direct allows consumers to connect to wireless-enabled PCs and printers without the need for wireless access points. According to market requirement, the GALAXY S II is able to incorporate Near Field Communication (NFC) technology to support emerging mobile payment service and other services with mobile operators.

Another specs of the Samsung Galaxy S2 include a 4.3-inch WVGA Super AMOLED Plus Display, 8 megapixel camera with full HD video recording up to 1080p. Additionally there’s also a two-megapixel front-facing camera, NFC capabilities, HDMI out, HSPA+ and DLNA plus hotspot capabilities.

See the full specs of the Samsung Galaxy S2 below.

[via: PocketNow]