Samsung receives a patent for a phone that docks to power a tablet

14 Jul 2013, 02:18, by Alan F.

Based on a patent received by Samsung, it looks like the Korean manufacturer is ready to take on ASUS in the niche market for phones that dock to power a tablet. One difference between the ASUS Padfoneand the device in the Samsung patent filing is in the shape of the product. The ASUS Padfone is a standalone smartphone that connects to a dock on a screen to turn that screen into a tablet. Samsung's device doesn't resemble a smartphone as much as the sides broaden out toward the top of the device to form the letter "T".

With this design, Samsung is able to allow its smartphone to be more easily dockable with the receptacle on the back of its tablet/screen. The design makes it look like the slate is a stand-alone tablet and only the user will know that it is actually being powered by a smartphone.

Originally filled in the first quarter of 2012 in Korea and the following quarter in the U.S., Samsung was awarded patent D685,774 for "Terminal for wireless communication".  Will Samsung challenge ASUS with a smartphone that can dock to a screen to power a tablet? It certainly seems that way. Considering the recent speculation that Samsung, like Apple, has lost its mojo, it could be that Samsung is hoping that something like this will boost sales.

Samsung has received a patent for a dockable smartphone that will power a tablet

source: ZDNetKorea (translated), PatentBolt via SlashGear

Samsung´s own UAPROF confirmes high-range tablet SM-P900

13 Jul 2013, 11:27, by Michael H. of sammobile.com

It looks like there is a new high-end Android tablet from Samsung on the way. Three new User Agent Profiles (UAProfs) have appeared that seem to line up with three different variants of the same tablet. UAProfs aren't the most reliable source of information, but if they are to be believed, it looks like a high-end Galaxy Tab 3 10.1 Plus could be on the horizon.

The three UAProfs are for the SM-P900, SM-P901, and SM-P905 devices from Samsung. They are expected to line-up with the standard tablet variants of 3G (SM-900), WiFi-only (SM-901), and LTE (SM-905). There isn't a lot of info in the UAProfs, but the big info in there is that the tablets have display resolutions of 2560x1600, which puts them on par with the Nexus 10. All of the tablets are listed running Android 4.2 Jelly Bean, as well. 

The assumption is that the tablets are in the Galaxy Tab series because the "P" in a Samsung tablet model number tends to indicate that there is no S-Pen support, which would put these in the Tab series rather than Note. And, given the display resolution, it's likely that they are 10.1" tablets rather than a smaller screen size. 

We'll keep an eye out for more info.

Galaxy Mega 6.3 vs. Ascend Mate: Shadows of giants

GSMArena team, 23 June 2013.

Introduction

Back when phones were just phones, a couple of buttons and an earpiece were enough. Now we try to pump our entire lives through our smartphones and a big screen is a must. With the new 6+ inch phablets happy to oblige, pocket size is bigger than ever before.

   
Samsung Galaxy Mega 6.3 • Huawei Ascend Mate

Two in particular - the Samsung Galaxy Mega 6.3 and the Huawei Ascend Mate - caught our eye as potential competitors, so we thought we'd let them take a few swings at each other and see which one is still standing at the end.

We should note that both of these are clearly midrange devices. They won't challenge the 5" 1080p flagships or premium phablets. The Galaxy Mega 6.3 and Ascend Mate go by the "big screen, passable specs" formula.

Here's a blow-by-blow report of how each phone is better than its competitor:

Samsung Galaxy Mega 6.3 over Ascend Mate

• Larger screen - 6.3" vs. 6.1"
• Optional LTE
• Newer Android out of the box - 4.2 vs. 4. 1
• Thinner (about 2mm)
• NFC
• IR remote
• Air View (the touchscreen detects a hovering finger)
• 8GB/16GB version vs. 8GB only (but both have microSD card slots)
• Wi-Fi 802.11ac connectivity
• Hardware keys leave all of the screen for the UI
• MHL-enabled microUSB port
• Multi-window multitasking

Huawei Ascend Mate over Galaxy Mega 6.3

• Quad-core processor (but Cortex-A9 vs. dual-core Krait 200)
• More RAM - 2GB vs. 1.5GB
• Bigger battery - 4,050mAh vs. 3,200mAh
• Gorilla glass
• Faster HSDPA on base model - 42Mbps vs. 21Mbps
• FM radio
• Office document editor (Kingsoft Office vs. Polaris Office viewer)
• Better video codec support
• Mini apps

Big items like LTE and battery capacity stand out, but there are other differences that might make or break a phablet. Depending on your habits, NFC or an FM radio might swing from irrelevant to must-have.

Phablets went from niche to mainstream in no time, but even so, a 6+ inch screen clearly isn't everyone's cup of tea. Still, both the Ascend Mate and Galaxy Mega 6.3 are reasonably pocketable while being perfectly able to stand in for a 7" tablet.

   
Huawei Ascend Mate • Samsung Galaxy Mega 6.3

Anyway, we've done plenty of these head-to-head articles before so the plan is clear - check the hardware (with a focus on the screen and the battery), review the software (paying attention to benchmark performance) and round it all off with the camera.

Samsung's Galaxy Prevail II lands on Boost Mobile

12 Jul 2013, 08:15, by Chris P.

No surprises here – the Galaxy Prevail II holds onto tradition as it makes an appearance amidst Boost Mobile's offerings, just like its predecessor last year. What's more, the updated mid-ranger will once again offer its services for the budget-friendly $179.99 off contract.

This time, the refreshed iteration will come preloaded with an Android 4.1 Jelly Bean running on a 4-inch WVGA 480x800 display. Helping run these and the 5-megapixel shooter is a 1.4GHz single-core Snapdragon S2 processor powered by a 1750mAh removable battery. In terms of memory, you get 1GB of RAM and just 4GB of internal memory (this is made better since a 2GB microSD card is included in the box). Nothing fancy on the radio front – don't even think about 4G – you do, however, get Bluetooth 4.0.

With news of the next generation of superphones occupying most of our attention lately, the Prevail II has that run-of-the-mill feel. Nevertheless, it should make for an affordable entry into the world of Android.

source: phonearena.com

Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 7.0 preview: First look

GSMArena team, 9 July 2013.

Introduction

Samsung is in no mood to invest much time and effort in its Galaxy Tab range of tablets. With the Note family getting the premium treatment, the new generation of Tabs would suffice with a mild facelift and a software upgrade.

That's especially true at the bottom of the range, where the seven-inch Galaxy Tab 3 is getting ready to take over from its predecessor with the new S4 styling and Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean. That's right, only the smallest tablet in the lineup didn't get the latest OS version available. This may be partly due to the new Marvell chipset used.

    
Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 7.0 official photos

Anyway, we'll try to squeeze a couple of benchmarks in this preview to see whether the Marvell silicon is actually an upgrade or otherwise. Other than that, Samsung clearly decided to put an emphasis on the exterior, keeping most of the internals unchanged.

The Galaxy Tab 3 7.0 has the same screen resolution as its predecessor, WSVGA (600 x 1024), which is the lowest available on a tablet. OK, we don't think WVGA tablets should count. The rear camera is a 3.15MP unit and the front camera resolution is up from VGA to 1.3MP.

Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 7.0 at a glance

• Form factor: Tablet
• Size: 110.9 x 187.9 x 99mm, 300g
• Display: 16M colors 7" TFT LCD capacitive touchscreen of 1024 x 600 pixels (WSVGA) resolution
• OS: Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean
• CPU: 1.2 GHz Marvell with PowerVR SGX540 graphics accelerator, 1GB of RAM
• Camera: 3 MP Autofocus camera with 720p video recording; 1.3MP front-facing fixed-focus camera
• Memory: 8 GB internal memory, microSD card slot
• Connectivity: quad-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE and tri-band (900/1900/2100 MHz) UMTS with HSDPA 7.2 Mbps and HSUPA 5.76 Mbps support, Wi-Fi b/g/n, Assisted GPS, Bluetooth 3.0, 30-pin connector
• Battery: 4000mAh (Up to 7 hours of video playback)
• Extra features: Gyro sensor, accelerometer sensor for automatic UI rotation, ambient light sensor, Adobe Flash Player 10.1 support

These are by no means exceptional specs but the Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 7.0 is clearly a tablet for the budget-conscious users. Support for voice calls is what sets it apart from the hordes of Android seven-inchers, most of which are obviously better-equipped at or around the same price point.

With almost no meaningful additions to the hardware, the Galaxy Tab 3 7.0 will find it hard to convince Galaxy Tab 2 owners to consider upgrading. At least one thing it does right though - the newer model is obviously more compact and lightweight than the predecessor. The quality build and comfortable handling also help the Galaxy Tab start off on the right foot in the budget tablet range.

 
Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 7.0 live photos

Hardware is, as usual, our next stop in this quick preview. You're welcome to follow us on the next page and get a better feel of Samsung's latest compact tablet.

To be continued...

Samsung I9295 Galaxy S4 Active

Source: gsmarena.com

GENERAL	2G Network	GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900
	3G Network	HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1900 / 2100
		HSDPA 850 / 1900 / 2100
	4G Network	LTE 800 / 850 / 900 / 1800 / 2100 / 2600
		LTE 700 / 850 / 1700 / 1900 / 2100 / 2600 - SGH-I537
	SIM	Micro-SIM
	Announced	2013, June
	Status	Available. Released 2013, June

BODY	Dimensions	139.7 x 71.3 x 9.1 mm (5.5 x 2.81 x 0.36 in)
	Weight	153 g (5.40 oz)
		- IP67 certified - dust and water resistant - Water resistant up to 1 meter and 30 minutes

DISPLAY	Type	TFT capacitive touchscreen, 16M colors
	Size	1080 x 1920 pixels, 5.0 inches (~441 ppi pixel density)
	Multitouch	Yes
	Protection	Corning Gorilla Glass 2
		- TouchWiz UI

SOUND	Alert types	Vibration; MP3, WAV ringtones
	Loudspeaker	Yes
	3.5mm jack	Yes

MEMORY	Card slot	microSD, up to 64 GB
	Internal	16 GB (11.2 GB user available), 2 GB RAM

DATA	GPRS	Class 33
	EDGE	Class 33
	Speed	HSDPA, 42 Mbps; HSUPA, 5.76 Mbps; LTE, Cat3, 50 Mbps UL, 100 Mbps DL
	WLAN	Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct, DLNA, Wi-Fi hotspot
	Bluetooth	Yes, v4.0 with A2DP, EDR, LE
	NFC	Yes
	Infrared port	Yes
	USB	Yes, microUSB v2.0 (MHL 2), USB On-the-go, USB Host

CAMERA	Primary	8 MP, 3264 x 2448 pixels, autofocus, LED flash, check quality
	Features	Simultaneous HD video and image recording, geo-tagging, touch focus, face and smile detection, image stabilization, HDR, Aqua mode
	Video	Yes, 1080p@30fps, check quality
	Secondary	Yes, 2 MP,1080p@30fps

FEATURES	OS	Android OS, v4.2.2 (Jelly Bean)
	Chipset	Qualcomm APQ8064T Snapdragon 600
	CPU	Quad-core 1.9 GHz Krait 300
	GPU	Adreno 320
	Sensors	Accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer, gesture
	Messaging	SMS(threaded view), MMS, Email, Push Mail, IM, RSS
	Browser	HTML5
	Radio	No
	GPS	Yes, with A-GPS support and GLONASS
	Java	Yes, via Java MIDP emulator
	Colors	Urban Grey, Dive Blue, Orange Flare
		- S-Voice natural language commands and dictation - Smart stay, Smart pause, Smart scroll - Air gestures - Dropbox (50 GB storage) - Active noise cancellation with dedicated mic - TV-out (via MHL 2 A/V link) - SNS integration - MP4/DivX/XviD/WMV/H.264/H.263 player - MP3/WAV/eAAC+/AC3/FLAC player - Organizer - Image/video editor - Document viewer (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, PDF) - Google Search, Maps, Gmail, YouTube, Calendar, Google Talk, Picasa - Voice memo/dial/commands - Predictive text input (Swype)

BATTERY		Li-Ion 2600 mAh battery
	Stand-by	Up to 312 h
	Talk time	Up to 17 h

MISC	SAR US	0.55 W/kg (head)     0.75 W/kg (body)
	SAR EU	0.26 W/kg (head)     0.36 W/kg (body)
	Price group	N/A