android mwb

The Patent trials between Apple and Samsung reached a new climax in the US on Monday. The trial could decide the future of the smartphone and tablet industry as Apple has accused Samsung of slavishly copying the design of its prized iPad and iPhone.
Here’s a look at what each side is accusing the other of:

Apple’s arguments

Apple claims that Samsung has violated three of its patents: actionable linking, slide-to-unlock, and touch screen word suggestion. If found guilty, Samsung would be forced to remove these features from its devices.
Apple also claims that Samsung ripped the ‘feel’ of the iPhone, meaning the rectangular shape with rounded corners. The Cupertino giant wants more than $2.5 billion in damages from Samsung for these alleged violations.

Samsung’s Argument

The South Korean tech giant is not going to give up without a fight. Samsung has claimed that Apple copying the design for the iPhone from Sony.

Samsung also show the evidence to Jurors, claim that in the end of 2006, before Apple released iPhone in January 2007, Samsung had developed a next-generation handsets which called the F700, this new generation of mobile phone is simple, have rounded rectangular body and the screen almost fills the entire body, the whole front is a single button.

The experts said that although Apple demands the huge compensation, but the real purpose is to delay the Samsung footsteps to fight for more time for the iPhone5 release in October. According to Bloomberg, the U.S. District Court Judge, Jury selection was set to make a ruling about Apple and Samsung, which accuse each other of copying patents for smartphones and tablets.

Lamely, The law professor of Stanford University School, said, "All parties involved in the smart phone wars will eventually reconciliation." However Michael Yoshikami, the Destination Wealth Management chief executive, said : "Apple fight the lawsuit to delay the Samsung, to gain time until the iPhone5 release in October".
In fact, as the official phone of the 2012 Olympics at London, Samsung Galaxy S III Sales Hit 10 Million in two months. There is no doubt that it has become the hottest smartphone in the world. So Apple has a lot of work cut out if it wants the sixth generation iPhone to beat Galaxy S3. Maybe this is a way to achieve the objective.

FORTUNE -- The image above, taken from the pretrial brief Apple (AAPL) filed on Tuesday, represents the story the company wants the jury to hear: That Samsung's idea of what a mobile phone should look like underwent a sudden and permanent transformation in January 2007, when Steve Jobs unveiled the first iPhone.

The image below, from Samsung's brief, tells a very different story. It shows 10 different touchscreen phones under internal development in the summer of 2006, one of which -- the F700 -- was, according to Samsung, the subject of a Korean design registration application in Dec. 2006, a month before the iPhone's debut.
We can't know ahead of time which story the jury will find most persuasive. But billions dollars -- and Samsung's right to sell Android devices in the U.S. market -- could be at stake.


From: money.cnn

In an effort to avoid widening its patent battle with Apple, Samsung released a software update for the Galaxy S III that removes local search functionality.

Prior to today's update, the pre-loaded Google Search app on the Galaxy S III would also search files on the phone - like contacts and apps - when users conducted a Web search. But as Android Central first noted, a recent update stripped that functionality from the phone.

A Samsung spokesman confirmed that the update affects Galaxy S III devices in the U.S.

"Samsung has updated the software for the Galaxy S III as a precautionary measure to ensure that U.S. consumers may enjoy using our innovative products without interruption," he said.

Android Central said the update is also rolling out to the unlocked international model, but Samsung could not confirm that.

The over-the-air update is being pushed out as a "stability update." A T-Mobile version of the Galaxy S III checked by PCMag around noon Eastern had not yet received the update; local search was still intact.

The same feature was removed from the Galaxy Nexus recently after a California judge found that the device infringed on an Apple patent for unified search. Initially, the Galaxy Nexus was banned in the U.S., but an update to Android 4.1 Jelly Bean, with local search removed, rectified the problem, Samsung said.

Apple has already gone after the Galaxy S III for patent infringement, but a recent bid to stop the U.S. launch of the smartphone was thwarted thanks to scheduling issues. Apple will still pursue its patent fight against the Galaxy S III but on a less-expedited basis than it might have wanted. Samsung apparently hopes removing unified search from the Galaxy S III will help keep it on store shelves in the U.S.

Frpm: pcmag

Finally, an unlocked smartphone we can get excited about. The Samsung Galaxy Nexus ($349 direct from Google) is tempting to begin with, since you can use any AT&T or T-Mobile SIM card, even prepaid or monthly ones, plus it will work overseas. And the price is very low for an unlocked phone, which typically costs $500 to $600, leading us to believe Google is subsidizing it somehow. But the Galaxy Nexus is also in the unique position of being the only phone running Android 4.1 "Jelly Bean" (Free, 4.5 stars) right now, and it's the only phone you can buy that's guaranteed to get quick Android OS updates. As such, even though some other phones now beat it on pure hardware specs, the unlocked Galaxy Nexus is our Editors' Choice for unlocked smartphones.

Design and Screen
Measuring 5.33 by 2.67 by 0.35 inches (HWD) and weighing 4.76 ounces, the Galaxy Nexus is constructed of all dark gray plastic with the exception of the glass screen. The textured back panel is pleasantly grippy, although it's also hard plastic and not a soft-touch material. The phone isn't particularly eye-catching, but it's finely crafted nonetheless, and the unlocked version is a shade thinner than the CDMA model, which is welcome. The left side holds a volume rocker switch, while the right side houses the Power button and the three-dot docking connector.

The 4.65-inch Super AMOLED screen offers full 720p (1,280-by-720-pixel) resolution. Fonts look exceedingly sharp and crisp. Colors are vibrant, and you get deep blacks. But solid whites looks like pale gray. And like older AMOLED screens, the lowest brightness setting is still pretty bright, which is an issue when using the phone in a dark room. Used within its limits, though, it's still a beautiful screen, but the state of the art has moved forward a bit. Typing on the screen in both portrait and landscape mode is a pleasure. There's plenty of room to work with, and Jelly Bean's improved predictive text puts it on an even keel with iOS 5.1.

Connectivity and Voice Quality
The unlocked Galaxy Nexus is a quad-band EDGE (850/900/1800/1900 MHz) and quintuple band HSPA+ 21 (850/900/1700/1900/2100 MHz) device with 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi. It supports HSPA+ 21 speeds on both AT&T and T-Mobile networks here and overseas. It works with regular mini-SIMs (not micro); I tested the Nexus with an AT&T SIM, which worked perfectly. Inside there's NFC, a gyroscope and compass, and a barometer in addition to the typical accelerometer and proximity and light sensors.

Unfortunately, you're not going to see the same data speeds with this phone as you would with an LTE or even HSPA+ 42 device—and frankly, we've seen HSPA+ 21 devices that test faster than they do here. In a series of tests, the unlocked Galaxy Nexus with an AT&T SIM averaged just 800Kbps to 1200Kbps down, and roughly 100 to 130Kbps up, with 230ms ping times, thanks to a combination of spotty reception quality and the slower data radio. That's decidedly 3G, even when testing outside in midtown Manhattan. We'll chalk it up to a bad test day for AT&T, but even with clear sailing you'd be hard pressed to top 3Mbps down.

Voice calls sounded great, though. Callers sounded clear in the earpiece, with plenty of volume, and transmissions through the microphone were crisp and detailed. I heard a good amount of street noise through the mic, but my voice always cut through loud and clear above it. Calls sounded fine through a Jawbone Era Bluetooth headset ($129, 4 stars). Voice dialing worked perfectly over Bluetooth using Android's stock voice dialer, which you can also trigger from a headset. The speakerphone is pretty weak, both for calls and alert sounds; I barely heard the alarm when I tested it, and it was set to maximum volume. The 1750mAh battery is slightly smaller than what you get with the CDMA versions; we're testing battery life and will update this review as soon as we have a result.

From: pcmag

Seoul - South Korea's Samsung Electronics, the world's top smartphone maker, has sold more than 10 million units of its newest Galaxy S III model since its launch about two months ago, a report said on Sunday.

The company said earlier this month it expected a record operating profit of 6.7 trillion won ($5.9bn) in the second quarter, boosted by strong sales of its flagship Galaxy smartphones.

The Korean firm, which is battling with Apple's iPhone and iPad for supremacy in the lucrative smartphone and tablet market, has seen heavy demand for its new Galaxy S III phone, which was introduced in Europe in May.

"It appears that it (accumulated sales) has exceeded 10 million units," said JK Shin, head of the Samsung's mobile communications division, according to Yonhap news agency.

Shin said last month he expected the global sales of the new phone - available in more than 140 countries - would surpass 10 million by the end of July, including sales of about a million units at home.

The third version of the firm's Galaxy S series offers face-recognition technology and improved voice-activated controls as well as a more powerful processor.

It also has a 12.2cm screen that is 22% larger than the previous S2 version, while it can detect eye movements and override the automatic shutdown if the user is looking at the screen.

Samsung shipped 44.5 million smartphones in the first quarter, exceeding the 35.1 million of US arch-rival Apple, according to market researcher Strategy Analytics in April.

Samsung, embroiled in a slew of patent suits with Apple in international courts, is pinning its hopes on the S III to further erode its market share before the expected new version of Apple's iPhone 5 this year.

Earlier this month, Samsung won one of those patent battles, with a British judge ruling that Samsung's Galaxy tablet did not infringe Apple's registered design and that consumers were not likely to confuse it with the iPad tablet.

From: news24

Samsung's latest and greatest Android smartphone, the Galaxy S III, was released less than two months ago--and just weeks ago in the United States--but it's already flying off the shelves of wireless carrier stores.

In fact, Samsung's president of its information technology and mobile communication division, Shin Jong-kyun, said last week that the company has already sold more than 10 million devices, an average of roughly 190,000 Galaxy S III devices a day since it was first released. For context, Apple says it sold 3.7 million iPhones in the second quarter of 2012.

That's a whole lot of new Galaxy S III users. I've had my new GSIII device for a month now, and I spent a lot of time tinkering to learn the ins and outs. Here's a list of 10 Samsung Galaxy S III tips and tricks that every GSIII user should know. (Read "Samsung Galaxy S III: 8 Key Features and Facts" for more specifics on the device. And check out these images and video from Samsung's launch for an insider's look at the Galaxy S III New York City event.)

1) Galaxy S III Home-Screen Panels and Folders

The Galaxy S III's home-screen panels are completely customizable. You can have as many as seven different home-screen panels or eliminate panels as you see fit. You can also move icons and widgets to wherever you want them and even resize some widgets to fit your screen.

By default, the Galaxy S III has seven home-screen panels, but you might not want that many. To delete panels, click the Menu button (located to the left of the main Home button below the display) and then choose the Edit option. On the next screen, drag and drop a home-screen panel in the trash bin icon at the bottom of the display to delete it or click the plus-sign icon at the bottom right of the display to add a new panel. You can also reorganize your panels by dragging them into the order you want them to appear. And you can set a home panel as your main or central panel by tapping the house icon in the upper-right corner of each panel.

The simplest way to jump between panels is by swiping left or right until you reach the panel you want. But a set of small dots near the bottom of your display, just above your fixed-app tray, can also be used to quickly navigate home-screen panels. Just place a finger over the dots and slowly slide it left or right to rapidly scroll through panels. Or tap the corresponding dot to jump directly to a specific panel. And a quick single-tap of the main home button brings you back to your central home panel.

You can also create folders on each home-screen panel to organize applications and customize your device. To create a new Galaxy S III folder, tap the Menu key again and choose the Create Folder option. An empty, unnamed folder will appear on your home-screen panel. Tap the folder to rename it and drag and drop applications into it to fill the folder.

2) Quickly Launch Galaxy S III Search Function

You can quickly access a built-in search function that not only searches the Web, via Google, but also your device. Simply tap and hold the Galaxy S III's Menu key until a search bar appears, then type in whatever you seek.

3) Customize Your Galaxy S III App Drawer

The Galaxy S III's App Drawer is where all of your mobile apps are stored. You can access the App Drawer at any time by clicking the Apps icon in your fixed-apps tray at the bottom of the device's display. And you can customize your App Drawer by tapping the Menu key when the Drawer is open.

You can set the App Drawer to organize applications in alphabetical-list or alphabetical-grid form. Or you can customize the Drawer yourself and rearrange apps any way you want. To organize or customize your App Drawer, open it up and then tap the Menu button. Next, choose the View Type option and select the setting you want.

You can also hide apps, view all downloaded apps, quickly uninstall multiple apps at one time and share applications by choosing the appropriate options from the App Drawer's Menu.

4) Galaxy S III Power-Saving Mode, Battery Percentage Indicator

The Galaxy S III is a solid smartphone with a ton of unique features and strengths. Unfortunately, battery life is not one of those strengths. So it's important to maximize and effectively manage your GSIII battery life. Two quick

and easy ways to do this are to use the device's built-in power-saving mode and activate the home-screen battery-percentage indicator option, which gives you more insight into your device's battery life.

You can enable power-saving mode by opening up the GSIII Settings, scrolling down to the Device options and turning the Power Saving setting on. You can also set the GSIII to show an actual battery-level percentage on your home screen instead of just an icon, so you can keep closer tabs on battery life. Just open up your Settings, choose the Display option and then check the Display Battery Percentage box.

5) How to Take Screen Shots on the Galaxy S III

The Galaxy S III has ways to capture screen shots. You can simply slide your hand across the device's display at any time to grab a screen shot, which is then saved to your image gallery. Or simultaneously tap and hold the Galaxy S III's Home and Power buttons until the screen flashes and captures a screen shot. (The GSIII power button is on its right side.)

6) Quickly Launch Galaxy S III "S Voice" Features

Samsung built voice-activated features into the Galaxy S III, called "S Voice." And you can quickly access the features to do things like search the Web, get directions and control some mobile apps. To launch S Voice, double tap the GSIII Home button. (Note: To control apps using S Voice, you must enable the feature in the device Settings. Open Setting, choose Language and Input and turn the Voice Cmd for Apps option on.)

7) How to Use the Galaxy S III "Pop Up Player" Video Player

A "Pop Up Player" video feature lets Galaxy S III users watch video clips while performing other tasks. So, for example, you wouldn't need to stop or leave a video screen to check e-mail or surf the Web. Pop Up Player is easy to use, as well; you just tap an associated icon at the bottom of the display to minimize a video clip, then move the video around the screen into the position that works best for you while you check your email, etc.

8) The Galaxy S III App Switch and Task Manager

The Galaxy S III has a valuable App Switcher feature that lets you see all the recent applications you've used and quickly jump back and forth between them. To open the App Switcher, hold down the GSIII Home button for a couple of seconds. You can then scroll up and down to see recent apps and click to open them.

With the App Switcher open, a Task Manager option appears at the bottom of the screen. If you tap the option to open the Task Manager you can get information on device and memory-card storage, RAM usage, the size of downloaded apps, all active apps and more. In the Active Applications section you can force close apps that may be causing device performance issues. And you can clear your device memory in the RAM tab.

9) The Galaxy S III "Tap-to-Top" Feature

The Galaxy S III has a "tap-to-top" feature that lets you rapidly jump from anywhere in your e-mail inbox, contact list or within an e-mail message to the top of the list or message. The feature can save you time and curb all that scrolling to get to the top of lists. To jump to the top of your e-mail inbox, contact list or the start of a message simply double tap the top of your Galaxy S III device, just above the ear-speaker--tap the top of the device, not the top of the display.

10) Set the Galaxy S III Power Button to Answer/End Phone Calls

You can use your Galaxy S III's Home button to answer and end phone calls so you don't need to swipe the screen or tap any other on-screen buttons. To enable the feature, open up your Settings, choose the Accessibility options and then click to open the Call Answering/Ending settings. On the following page, check both the Answering Key and The Power Key Ends Calls boxes.

From: arnnet

Motorola Droid Razr Maxx has been the one of the best selling smartphones at Verizon Wireless, with just iPhone 4S to beat. The smartphone is well known for its Kevlar design, gorgeous display and monstrous battery. And, after the Android 4.0 ICS update, the Droid Razr Maxx is nothing short of a beast.

However, the recent arrival of Samsung's latest flagship smartphone - the Galaxy S3 - has posed a strong challenge to Droid Razr Maxx sales. Samsung is taking the game to the next level this time. Galaxy S3 has overtaken iPhone 4S in terms of popularity and is targeting the next iPhone, dubbed iPhone 5, which is expect to arrive this fall (possibly in October).

Here is the detailed comparison of the two Android giants - Motorola Droid Raz Maxx and Samsung Galaxy S3

Design and Display

Design-wise, the Droid Razr Maxx is no different from the original Droid Razr. It has the same Kevlar backplate and same arrangement of ports and buttons. The design is at least better than that of Galaxy S3. However, the 4.3-inch PenTile qHD display is a real letdown for the device - not a 2012 flagship smartphone standard. The Galaxy S3 also has a PenTile Matrix display, but it is bounded so finely in AMOLED panels that there is no negative impact on user experience with the HD display. Galaxy S3's display yields better clarity, sharpness and vividness than Droid Razr Maxx's.

Processor and Memory

Motorola Droid Razr Maxx runs on dual-core 1.5 GHz Cortex A9 processor fitted on TI OMAP 4430 chipset, with 1GB of RAM and 8GB of internal storage. For expandable memory options, it supports microSD card up to 32GB, with 16GB memory card included in the package. Samsung Galaxy S3 has a clear win with dual-core 1.5 GHz Snapdragon S4 processor with 2GB of RAM, 16/32GB of build-in storage and microSD card support up to 64GB.

Connectivity

Both - Motorola Droid Razr Maxx and Samsung Galaxy S3 - will benefit from Verizon's super-fast LTE network. Most of the connectivity offerings are same in both these smartphones. The unique connectivity feature in Droid Razr Maxx is dedicated HDMI port; while in Galaxy S3, the unique feature is NFC connectivity for apps like S Beam.

User Interface

Both the smartphones run Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich - Droid Razr Maxx with OTA update and Galaxy S3 out of the box. Motorola' skin has SmartActions software on the top. Webtop app is also there. But still, there is nothing cutting edge in the software. Samsung takes a lead here with a lot of innovative software features like S Voice, S Beam, Smart Stay eye tracking, Direct Call, Pop-up Play, AllShare, etc.

Camera

The two smartphones in action come loaded with 8-megapixel rear camera, accompanied by LED flash, which can do 1080p video recording at 30fps. In case of the Droid Razr Maxx, the camera sensor is identical to its predecessor, while Galaxy S3's camera sensor is a huge liftoff from the Galaxy S2. Razr's camera still struggle in low-light conditions and indoor image are a bit contemptible. Video quality is just above average. On the other hand, Galaxy S3 has one of the best snappers in the market.

Battery Life

Batter life is the section, where the Droid Razr Maxx has a clear win over most of the smartphones, inducing the Galaxy S3. The 3300 mAh unremovable battery lasts quite a long time. For talk time, the handset is rated at 21 hours. Galaxy S3 packs 2100 mAh battery, which is rated at 15 hours of talk time.

Conclusion

Samsung Galaxy S3 is overall a better smartphone in both hardware and software offerings. However, features only cannot decide a winner. Pricing also plays a big role. Unfortunately, pricing is also a big letdown for Motorola. The Droid Razr Maxx is priced at $299 on two-year contract with Verizon Wireless. On the other hand, the Galaxy S3 costs just $199 (for 16GB version) on a similar contract.

Motorola Droid Razr Maxx is one of the best selling smartphones at the Big Red. But, comparing it with the mighty Galaxy S3 seems to be an unfair as Droid Razr Maxx is capable of surviving barely a few rounds. If Motorola wants to defend its position at Verizon Wireless, it needs to slash the prices of Droid Razr Maxx to competitive levels and launch a new smartphone on Verizon, something like the AT&T's Atrix HD, which boasts updated Snapdragon S4 processor, HD display and is priced at just $99.

From: mobilenapps

The eyes of the world will soon be on London for 2012 Olympic Games. One Destin man is getting the chance to be one of 4 US bloggers through the Samsung Global Blogger Program.

Julio Fernandez says he has a laundry list of people he wants to meet, places to see, and moments he wants to capture; and, to think, it all started with picture, a "tweet", and a dream.

When Fernandez visited the Olympic Stadium in London this past May, he says he never knew he'd be back for the real thing.

He took a chance entering this video displaying his strengths and passions of social media to the Samsung Global Blogger Program just days before the deadline.

"Then in the morning I see a tweet that says "Hey Julio, check your email. You won," said Fernandez

Then began a whirlwind few weeks for Fernandez as he updated his various social media outlets, tested out the best apps to capture the games.

"And I purchased 12 different shirts with USA flags on it so I can wear during the Olympics," said Fernandez.

Samsung is the official wireless communication partner of this year's Olympic Games. With a background in technology and social media research, he feels he's ready for this gold medal challenge.

"I'm a geek, so I have a bunch of different phones, a bunch of different computers, so that's going to be easy for me. But they also wanted to find someone who can create content that search engines can find and that people want to read and share," said Fernandez.

Born and raised in Colombia, Fernandez moved to Florida in the 1980s and earned his US Citizenship soon after. Some might call him a man of the world…a world that's seen great unrest in recent years.

"But I think that we can show that two hundred and five countries are coming together to get along and participate from the opening ceremonies all the way to the closing," said Fernandez.

Though he's aware of the great responsibility of his position, he's also looking forward to the behind the scenes perks.

When News 13 asked him to name the top 5 people he wanted to meet, he responded:

"Everybody from the beach volleyball team. That covers the five."

And just how excited is Fernandez?

"It's a great opportunity, I mean I've never been able to go to the Olympics, so the first time and to get Samsung to cover all of the expenses...pretty cool…it's a dream come true," Fernandez added.

From: wmbb

The hottest Android handset available in stores right now is the Galaxy S3, but Samsung’s flagship handset is not running Google’s latest mobile operating system, Android 4.1 Jelly Bean. The Galaxy S3 was released in late May, a month ahead of the Google I/O event where Jelly Bean was first unveiled, with the OS running only on the Nexus 7 initially.

Google said that Nexus-branded smartphones (Nexus Galaxy and Nexus S) but also the Motorola Xoom tablet, will be the first ones to get Jelly Bean support, but in the mean time we’ve seen plenty of Android 4.1 ports for a variety of devices. Not to mention that the first CyanogenMod 10 preview builds have started to appear, and the Galaxy S3 is supported.

Today we hear that Samsung is already testing Android 4.1 for the Galaxy S3 and Galaxy S2, but we have no release dates for you at this time.

According to an insider that spoke to Sam Mobile “Samsung is almost ready to update” the Galaxy S3 to Jelly Bean, and by almost ready the publication means August or September. We have already wondered how fast the Jelly Bean update for the Galaxy S3 update would arrive a few weeks ago. At the time we read a report that suggested Samsung engineers took extra measures to make sure the device will offer a great Jelly Bean experience, but Samsung has kept quiet on its Android 4.1 upgrade plans.
Moreover, Samsung is also testing Android 4.1 on the Galaxy S2, which is pretty much what we would expect from the company. However, that doesn’t mean we’ll see a timely Jelly Bean release for the Galaxy S2 varieties out there – and we don’t even dare ask about the Galaxy S Jelly Bean build yet.

However, the same blog says “Samsung will update the Galaxy S II if the porting to Android 4.1 on the Galaxy S II goes well.” The Galaxy S2 is already successfully running Ice Cream Sandwich so it should have no problem getting Jelly Bean as well.

We’ll be back with rollout dates for various markets for both the Galaxy S3 and Galaxy S2 in the following weeks and months, so keep us bookmarked!

From: androidauthority

Samsung Electronics, the world's top smartphone maker, has reportedly sold more than 10 million units of its newest Galaxy S III model since its launch about two months ago.

The company said earlier this month it expected a record operating profit of $US5.9 billion in the second quarter, boosted by strong sales of its flagship Galaxy smartphones.

The Korean firm, which is battling with Apple's iPhone and iPad for supremacy in the lucrative smartphone and tablet market, has seen heavy demand for its new Galaxy S III phone, which was introduced in May.

"It appears that it (accumulated sales) has exceeded 10 million units," said J.K. Shin, head of the Samsung's mobile communications division, according to Yonhap news agency.

Shin said last month he expected the global sales of the new phone - available in more than 140 countries - would surpass 10 million by the end of July, including sales of about a million units at home.

The third version of the firm's Galaxy S series offers face-recognition technology and improved voice-activated controls as well as a more powerful processor.

It also has a 4.8-inch (12.2-centimetre) screen that is 22 per cent larger than the previous S2 version, while it can detect eye movements and override the automatic shutdown if the user is looking at the screen.

Samsung shipped 44.5 million smartphones in the first quarter, exceeding the 35.1 million of US arch-rival Apple, according to market researcher Strategy Analytics in April.

Samsung, embroiled in a slew of patent suits with Apple in international courts, is pinning its hopes on the S III to further erode its market share before the expected new version of Apple's iPhone 5 this year.

Earlier this month, Samsung won one of those patent battles, with a British judge ruling that Samsung's Galaxy tablet did not infringe Apple's registered design and that consumers were not likely to confuse it with the iPad tablet.

From: brisbanetimes

Nokia Corp. says sales of smartphones dropped 39 percent to 10.2 million in the second quarter, but the decline is smaller — at 5 percent to 83.7 million — when counting basic cellphones. Nokia was the world’s leading mobile phone maker for more than a decade but was overtaken by Samsung in the first quarter, according to research firm Gartner.

Here’s a look at how many cellphones each manufacturer sold worldwide and its market share during the first quarter of 2012, according to Gartner. Second-quarter numbers are not yet available for all companies.

Samsung Electronics Co. — 86.6 million units, 20.7 percent share (16.1 percent a year earlier)

Nokia Corp. — 83.2 million units, 19.8 percent share (25.1 percent a year earlier)

Apple Inc. — 33.1 million units, 7.9 percent share (3.9 percent a year earlier)

ZTE Corp. — 17.4 million units, 4.2 percent share (2.5 percent a year earlier)

LG Electronics Inc. — 14.7 million units, 3.5 percent share (5.6 percent a year earlier)

Huawei Technology Co. — 10.8 million units, 2.6 percent share (1.6 percent a year earlier)

Research in Motion Ltd. — 9.9 million units, 2.4 percent share (3.0 percent a year earlier)

Motorola Mobility (now part of Google) — 8.4 million units, 2.0 percent share (2.1 percent a year earlier)

Sony Corp. — 7.9 million units, 1.9 percent share (1.9 percent a year earlier)

HTC Corp. — 7.7 million units, 1.8 percent share (2.2 percent a year earlier)

Others — 139 million units, 33.3 percent share (35.9 percent a year earlier).

From: washingtonpost

Amidst rumors of Samsung killing the 64GB version of the Galaxy S III, the manufacturer confirmed today that the phone model is still alive, and will be available in international markets during the second half of this year.

Earlier this week, U.K.-based retailer Expansys reportedly halted orders for the 64GB smartphone, prompting speculation that Samsung had pulled the plug on the model.

On the contrary, Samsung said today that the device is still in the works.

"The 64GB model of the Galaxy S III will be available during the second half of this year," Teri Daley, vice president of Samsung Mobile U.S. public relations, said in a statement. "The market availability and timing may vary and will be determined at the time of release."

Depending on your location and provider, the Samsung Galaxy S III comes in three models – 16GB, 32GB, and 64GB.

Samsung made it clear, though, that the 64GB version of the phone has not been announced in U.S. markets, where some retailers are slowly rolling out the mid-sized model alongside its smaller counterpart.

The smartphone boasts a 4.8-inch Super AMOLED 1,280-by-720 display, and runs Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. It features an 8-megapixel rear-facing camera and 1.9-megapixel front-facing one. It is available on all four major U.S. wireless carriers, plus U.S. Cellular and C Spire here.

From: pcmag

A U.S. judge on Wednesday approved Apple Inc's request to bar disparaging statements by Steve Jobs about Google's Android operating system from an upcoming patent trial against Samsung Electronics Co Ltd.

Apple and Samsung, the world's largest consumer electronics corporations, are waging legal war in several countries, accusing each other of patent violations as they vie for supremacy in the fast-growing market for mobile devices.

Samsung's phones and tablet run on the Android operating system, developed by Google.

Before he died last year, Apple co-founder Jobs made a number of statements to his biographer about the company's intellectual property, saying he was willing to go "thermonuclear" to "destroy" Google's operating system.

In seeking to introduce Jobs' statements in court, Samsung argued in a filing that the thermonuclear quote "speaks to Apple's bias, improper motives and its lack of belief in its own claims in that they are a means to an end, namely the destruction of Android."

However, Apple argued in a court filing that Jobs' quotes are an inadmissible distraction, and asked that they be barred from trial.

At a hearing in a San Jose, California federal court on Wednesday, U.S. District Judge Lucy Koh said Jobs' statements were not relevant.

"I really don't think this is a trial about Steve Jobs," Koh said.

Apple sued Samsung last year, claiming the South Korean company blatantly copies its designs for the iPhone and iPad. Samsung denies the allegations and has countersued.

The trial is scheduled to begin July 30. Apple has won pretrial injunctions against the Galaxy Tab 10.1 and the Galaxy Nexus phone. Samsung is appealing both injunctions.

In another case in the smartphone wars, Chicago federal judge Richard Posner had said Jobs' quotes would be fair game in a trial between Apple and Google's Motorola Mobility unit. However, Posner eventually dismissed that case before trial, saying neither side could prove damages.

Also on Wednesday, Koh ruled that evidence about Apple's operations in China could be discussed, but could not be cast as human rights problems. Evidence of Samsung's taxes paid in the U.S. could also be discussed, Koh ruled, but Apple would not be able to make any insinuations of tax avoidance.

The case in U.S. District Court, Northern District of California, is Apple Inc v. Samsung Electronics Co Ltd et al, 11-1846.

As well as smartphone and tablet news we like to keep readers informed with mobile business and sales and today we can tell you that Samsung has possibly broken sales records of smartphones and could have beaten Apple by 20 million units. The battle between these two giants of the mobile worlds is being won by Samsung, at least in Q2, so it will be interesting to see what happens for the rest of the year.

Estimates from a poll of 41 analysts from companies such as JP Morgan, Citi and Bank of America, put Samsung smartphone sales over the last quarter at 50 million, almost 20 million more than expected Apple iPhone sales of 30.5 million. This comes after several quarters when sales between the two have been very much closer. Other significant figures reveal that Nokia’s misfortunes have been Samsung’s gains. In the first quarter the gap between Samsung and Nokia sales was only 3.4 million units but in the second quarter that gap is expected to be as much as 15.7 million.

This news comes to us from Phone Arena, sourced from Reuters, and one analyst, IDC’s Francisco Jeronimo, described Samsung as the “smartphone hero” for the second quarter, with sales driven by the Samsung Galaxy S2 and Galaxy S3. Regular readers may recall that a few weeks ago we told how the Galaxy S3 and iPhone 5 will lead iOS and Android sales patterns. We noted that Android sales were likely to be stronger over Q2 and Q3 and that Apple’s iPhone sales should be strongest in Q4 and Q1, so this latest news very much follows that sales pattern and is what we would expect.

In further sales news it seems that those gaining ground in a major way are Chinese manufacturers ZTE and Huawei and all will be revealed when the official figures are published in the coming days. We’d like to know what you think about the increasing dominance of Samsung and Apple in the mobile market? If Apple sales lead again when the iPhone 5 appears, who will eventually win on sales over a longer period of time? Send your comments to us about this.

From: phonesreview

The Samsung Galaxy S3 is out and flying off the the shelves, but has the proposed premium 64GB model been axed? If reports emanating from one UK retailer are to be believed, yes it has.

We called the Samsung Galaxy S3 "A technological tour de force" in our review, and you'd better believe we meant it. It's packed full of class-leading components, including a stunning 4.8-inch Super AMOLED HD display and a blisteringly quick quad-core processor.

It's also pretty well sorted for storage, with both the 16 and 32GB models backed by a microSD slot. There was even a 64GB model promised for a later date, but now it seems that Samsung's plans may have changed - in the UK at least.

According to GSMArena (or one of its readers at least), established UK retailer Expansys has stopped processing orders for the 64GB model. The reason given is that Samsung "has decided not to release the unit."

Whether this is accurate - and if so, whether it applies just to the UK or the wider world - we're not sure at present. However, low demand for this top-of-the-range unit is perfectly plausible.

In addition to the aforementioned microSD slot - which allows for an extra 64GB of storage to be added at a relatively low cost - the Samsung Galaxy S3 comes packed to the gills with cloud storage options. This includes 50GB of free Dropbox storage, as well as the standard 5GB of capacity offered by Google Drive.

So, has the 64GB Samsung Galaxy S3 been canned? Has it been made obsolete by its own spec sheet? And more importantly, would you even care if this proved to be the case?

From: trustedreviews

JULY 17, 2012, 11:39 A.M. New York local time — Samsung’s Verizon Galaxy S3 model for developer gets its own landing page, while Android Jelly Bean ported to the Samsung Galaxy S3 courtesy of CyanogenMod.

The Samsung Galaxy S3 is the most popular Android smartphone right now according to analysts, and unsurprisingly, it is also the favorite of developers thanks to its quad-core Exynos 4 system on a chip.

Ahead of the widely anticipated Android Jelly Bean update for the popular Android-based device, CyanogenMod himself has unleashed the JB preview build for the Samsung Galaxy S3 with the CyanogenMOD 10 code. As reported by Mobile Syrup, it is an “early build” so expect to see some weird things in your phone. Also, be sure to read the instructions at the XDA site to avoid bricking (or destroying) your “designed for rich humans” phone.

If you’re not an “advanced” user, well, you may need to wait until the end of this year or early next year for the official Android Jelly Bean update of the Samsung Galaxy S3. According to Samsung, it will “soon announce which additional devices are eligible for the Jelly Bean update,” apparently, with no mention of the Samsung Galaxy S3.

Speaking of developers, Samsung’s official website finally unveils the Samsung Galaxy S3 Verizon model with the unlocked bootloader. The new page confirms that the device will ship with 32GB on-board storage.

Reports say Samsung will start shipping the Verizon Wireless-compatible smartphone before the end of this month sporting the tag price of $599 to $649.99, and of course, the price may change. We’ll update this post if Samsung will issue a statement related to the new Verizon S3 for devs variant.

From: popherald

Samsung has bought the mobile-phone technology division of CSR - the British firm formerly known as Cambridge Silicon Radio.

The $310m (£198m) deal includes patents to the firm's bluetooth, wi-fi and GPRS location innovations.

Samsung said the move would allow its semiconductor unit to "strengthen" its line-up of mobile-device processors.    

The firm's chips are already used in its best-selling Galaxy handsets as well as Apple's iPhones and iPads.

Samsung competes for business from other handset makers against the chip-makers Qualcomm, Texas Instruments and Intel.

Integrated tech
CSR's chief executive said his firm offered "extremely important" technologies, but was aware of a trend in which larger firms were acting to integrate many functions into a single chip-set reducing demand for specialist parts.

"I believe under Samsung's ownership the handset operations will be in a better place to prosper in the global handset market," said Joep van Buerden.

"I would like to thank all our colleagues who will be transferring to Samsung for their outstanding service."

About 310 members of CSR's technology and handset team will now switch over to the South Korean firm.

Samsung's buying spree
CSR had posted a $16.6m loss for the first three months of the year as a result of costs involved with its 2011 takeover of US rival Zoran.

It had also been knocked by falling demand for Nokia and Blackberry-branded handsets that used its technology.

The acquisition follows Samsung's takeover of Nanoradio, a Swedish company specialising in energy efficient wi-fi chips, six weeks earlier.

"If integration is the way forward for mobile chips then this move should allow Samsung to target the mass market with cheaper integrated processors," David McQueen, principal analyst at the telecoms consultancy Informa, told the BBC.

"The patents may also give Samsung an extra means of fighting back in intellectual property cases involving its Android devices, bearing in mind it is involved in disputes with Apple and others."

Samsung has also taken a 4.9% stake in the remaining part of CSR.

It develops audio technology that has been used in headphones made by Sennheiser and HTC's "Beats by Dr Dre" range as well as TV soundbars and speaker docking stations for MP3 players.

From: bbc

Samsung Electronics Levant, the global leader in consumer electronics and an official partner of the London 2012 Olympic Torch Relay, with its dealers and representatives in the Levant Region (Jordan, Palestine Lebanon, Syria and Iraq), celebrated the launch of London 2012 Olympic Games campaign.

Samsung Electronics Levant selected Mr. Sa'eed Bernesi, representative of BCI Holding Jordan and Palestine, Anotine Cherfan & Eddy Cherfan from CTC Lebanon and ASTRUM Syria, Mr. Wasfi Barazanji from Jibal Iraq and Mr. Bayad from Bayad Co – Iraq to join this celebration. The selected dealers represented the Levant markets with the unique performance in displaying the Samsung brand, in addition to their role in Corporate Social Rresponsibility programs in their respective countries.

Samsung distributors and Samsung Electronics representatives from various Levant countries took part in the three day activity which included carrying the official torch upon launching London Olympics 2012 in York, in addition to sightseeing tours, chocolate show and an official dinner held by Samsung for this special occasion.

Commenting on his participation, Mr. Sangsuk Roh, President of Samsung Electronics Levant, said "I am very pleased that our dealers and distributors are here with us to participate in this celebration, and get the opportunity to join a crowd of inspiring people from around the world. We are proud with our partnerships in the Levant region and their efforts in representing the Samsung Electronics brand".

During 2011, Samsung launched a six-month global search for torchbearers who had demonstrated ongoing efforts to improve the lives of others. Nominations were received from 58 countries around the world, and every torch bearer has been carefully selected for their unique contribution to local communities and their demonstration of the Olympic spirit.

Samsung has selected a number of globally recognized torch bearers who are known for their continuous inspiration to others and will carry the Olympic Flame around the UK during its 70-day relay.The array of celebrity torchbearers includes the nine-time Grammy Award-winning artist John Legend, British TV star Jamie Oliver, Ivory Coast and Chelsea FC footballer Didier Drogba, Vladimir Tolstoy and David Beckham the global brand ambassador of Samsung Electronics.

Samsung will bring the excitement in towns and villages across the UK throughout Samsung Caravan along with 20-minutes of stage performance during evening celebrations, offering inspiring opportunities for everyone to experience and take part in the London 2012 Olympic Games.

The interactive and specially designed caravan has a built in LED screen built on the side to feature the Olympic Torch Relay as well as the avatars of the participants for Samsung Hope Relay, a virtual Olympic Torch Relay that allows everyone to take part.

From: menafn

T-Mobile today confirmed that it will be offering the Samsung Galaxy Note.

"We are excited to confirm the Samsung Galaxy Note will be coming to T-Mobile! More info to come," T-Mobile USA tweeted today.

The carrier did not release details about when the smartphone would be released, advising buyers to watch the T-Mobile newsroom for more.

Samsung introduced the 5.3-inch Galaxy Note in Sept. 2011, and it made its debut on AT&T in February. The huge touch screen earned the Galaxy Note the "phablet" moniker - part smartphone, part tablet. Many - including PCMag - were skeptical that consumers would want such a large phone, but Samsung has had some success with the oversized device.

The Galaxy Note boasts 280-by-800 Super AMOLED screen "showing colors so deep you can fall into them," according to PCMag's Sascha Segan. There's an 8-megapixel camera on the back and a 2-megapixel unit on the front, as well as standard MicroUSB and 3.5-mm headset jacks. A memory card slips into a slot under the back panel.

The phone was recently updated from Android Gingerbread to Android Ice Cream Sandwich. For more, check out our hands on.

Last month, Samsung insiders confirmed to GSMArena that the Galaxy Note II will feature a 5.5-inch Super AMOLED screen, as well as a design inspired by the company's crown jewel Galaxy S III smartphone.

From: pcmag