World Of SAMSUNG: 24 Dec 2011

Saturday, 24 December 2011

Android Community App of the Week: Android 4.0 web browser

In my tenure here at Android Community, I haven’t been shy about my love for Dolphin Browser HD. It’s one of those apps that I immediately download on every phone and tablet I review, simply because I’ve grown to depend on its features and expandability. But after a week with the Galaxy Nexus and Ice Cream Sandwich, I’ve found to my amazement that I just don’t need it any more. The default browser that comes with Android 4.0 incorporates all of the features that made Dolphin a must-have, and it’s faster and more stable to boot.

There are two primary advantages to Dolphin that kept me coming back: built-in fullscreen support and a quick desktop mode (via the add-on Desktop Toggle). Both of these features can be found within the ICS browser’s settings menu, and unlike Honeycomb, fullscreen browsing doesn’t require the somewhat awkward quick controls. Syncing bookmarks from your desktop Chrome browser is easier than any other implementation, including Dolphin, Firefox and Opera Mobile. Maybe that’s cheating somewhat, since Android is Google’s software through and through, but at the end of the day it’s a very welcome addition.
The browser interface has received a major overhaul as well, shrinking Honeycomb’s features down to smartphone size. Instead of a horizontal bar, tabs are kept in a WebOS-style stack, similar to the app switch button in the virtual navigation bar. Switching is fast and intuitive, and quickly closing multiple apps is simple thanks to the swipe motion. To see a desktop version of any site, simply tap the menu button in the address bar and then tap “request desktop site”. You can even save entire pages for viewing later. Browser performance is noticeably speedier than previous Android versions, both in load times and navigation.

Maybe it isn’t fair to highlight an app that’s included in Android, and won’t be accessible to most users for months. But trust me: the Ice Cream Sandwich browser will be worth the wait. It’s still a little light on expandability, which is where third-party browsers will have it beat with extensions, plugins and themes. But even power users can depend upon the built-in ICS browser for just about everything you’d want from the mobile web, a statement that simply isn’t true for Gingerbread. Hopefully Ice Cream Sandwich will find its way onto more phones soon, and if it doesn’t, it’s worth trying an Android 4.0 ROM if you’ve got the inclination.

Samsung’s dual SIM kick continues with the Galaxy S II Duos

Just yesterday we got our fist look at the Galaxy Y Duos and the Galaxy Y Pro Duos, Samsung’s latest low-cost mobiles designed for users who need an extra SIM card in their phone. Today Sammy Hub reports on the first details of a more up-market version, based on the ever-popular Galaxy S II platform. The I-929 Galaxy S II Duos mirrors the older models in almost every way, though it appears that there’s a little extra junk in the trunk to accommodate dual SIM card slots.

The specs of the Galaxy S II Duos will be familiar to anyone who’s been following GSII variants for the past few months: a 4.5-inch, 800×480 Super AMOLED display, a 1.2GHz dual-core processor and 16GB of on-board storage. Gingerbread is still the order of the day, but Samsung will likely upgrade the new phones to Ice Cream Sandwich shortly after the international version. Unfortunately you won’t be getting your hands on this in the United States any time soon: the phone is bound for China Telecom at the beginning of next year.
It’s a real shame too, since dual SIM phones are perfect for international travel, and for just about anywhere with a spotty signal. T-Mobile users still happy to get cheaper data plans but frustrated with a smaller coverage area could slide in a prepaid AT&T SIM for when their signal goes out. The 1800mAh battery should be able to handle the trip. Perhaps we’ll be seeing this model at import shops soon.

Android Approved’s weekly overview - 12/24/2011

The Holidays is here and we've had quite an exciting week leading in to it. The Galaxy Nexus has been around for two weeks now people are still loving it. Ice Cream Sandwich made the news quite some time this week, from leaks, to custom ROMs, to some bad news. Here are some helpful list below.

Enjoy your Holiday weekend!

[Review] Pocket Informer for Android

Listen up college students, and business men an women. How many of you have tried the countless calendar/task apps available on the Market? How many of you have been less than pleased with some or all of them? If any of you answered yes, then I may just have the right app for you. Pocket Informant is by far the best calender/task app I have found. Continue on past the break for the rest of my review and some screenshots.

As you can see from the screenshots above that is my own personal schedule for last semester and next semesters classes. I actually do use this app and am not BS-ing you just to buy an $8 app ($7.99 actually), unless I really believed it was worth it and I was willing to do the same.
It syncs with your Google account as well as Toodledo. It has all the features you could, and do, ask for. I am able to put something into my Google calender, and the next time I open Pocket Informant it is right there synced and ready for me. It offers four different views, day, week, month, and even agenda. The best part is it’s incorporation of tasks, and how they are managed. As a student, I hate having to make a task that I need done an event in my Google calendar. With Pocket Informant, tasks have there own tab, and are then displayed on the calender as tasks not events. This makes it easier to handle homework and projects as I go through the semester.
It is a one touch access for all features within Pocket Informant. You can color code appointments and tasks. As well as track the progress of a task with a completion bar that you set as you complete the task. Within the settings option you have a vast list of options to chose and play with to best suit your needs.
I am always looking for a better calender app that fits my needs for school. The Google calender is fine in a pinch, but I need more from it. Pocket Informant delivers what I need and then some. Click on the link below and decide if Pocket Informant is the right fit for you.
Do you think Pocket Informant is what you’ve been looking for? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.

Samsung denies ICS update to Galaxy S and Galaxy Tab 7.0

Going by Samsung’s previous record, the news of Samsung not releasing Ice Cream Sandwich OS update for Galaxy S and the original Galaxy Tab is not really surprising. Samsung produces one of the best hardware in the industry but struggles when it comes to do the same on software. Samsung has blamed the limited amount of RAM and ROM on both the devices, which apparently is unable to run the OS smoothly due to some Samsung modifications to the UI, widgets, video calls etc.
Incidentally, Galaxy S’ specs are same as Nexus S but the Google phone can run Android 4.0 since it lacks the TouchWiz UI.
Let’s hope given by the consumer’s wrath with the decision Samsung backtracks and releases a stock version of the OS just to win the consumers’ confidence.

Samsung Nexus S i9023 now available at Vodafone Stores for Rs.19999 in India

Planning to buy a Samsung Nexus S, but can’t find it anywhere in the market? The Samsung Nexus S i9023 is now available from the Vodafone Stores across India. The Samsung Nexus S runs on Android 2.3 (Gingerbread) but you can update it to Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) manually. Samsung launched the phone in India this April for Rs.29,950.
The Nexus S comes with 16GB of internal memory and a 4-inch Super Clear Curved LCD display, NFC( Near Field Communication) chip and is powered by 1 GHz processor.
Head to Vodafone India site to get full details about the Samsung Nexus S and also find the Vodafone Stores (Change your location from top to choose your circle) to get one. You can get the Samsung Nexus S i9023 from the Vodafone Stores across India for Rs.19,999.

Galaxy Nexus Users Rejoice With Swype

Swyp e is a very famous app on the Android market and one of the best replacements for the stock Android keyboard. Swype can be used on various devices but the app was not updated to support devices running Android 4.0 but an XDA member - ‘theb1rdm4n’ customized Swype to work on the Galaxy Nexus. All those Galaxy Nexus users (using ICS) now have additional reasons to celebrate apart from the birth of Christ.

The modifications that can be made to personalize our Android devices are why we specifically love it, and users such as ‘theb1rdm4n’ that only make it more remarkable. You can download the application from here, insert it into your SD card and then instal it using Astro file manager.

Galaxy S and Galaxy Tab won’t get ICS – Samsung’s Korean Blog explains WHY?

Bearing in mind as how Samsung just proclaimed its preliminary round of ICS updates, it veritably should not come as a revelation that neither the Galaxy S nor the Galaxy Tab made the ICS cut, adding to the extensive record of Android devices that will not legitimately be modernized to Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich.

Just as we had predicted this, Samsung’s Korean blog “Samsung Tomorrow” has citied two main reasons – older hardware and a veer of customizations, which includes Samsung’s TouchWiz. It is poignant that not every gadget can receive such incredible updates.

Merry Christmas From Samsung Brands

Merry Christmas to all our readers from the Geeky Gadgets team, we hope you all have a great Christmas.

Ashley Madison for Android: A bad app for doing bad things

It's tough to listen to satellite radio these days without hearing an advertisement for Ashley Madison, an online community that boasts having more than 12 million anonymous members looking for some degree of companionship. The difference between Ashley Madison and other dating sites is it openly caters to people looking to have discreet affairs.

I'm happily married, and having an affair with someone online isn't exactly on my agenda anytime soon, much to the relief of my wife and kids. But I also can't escape those damn commercials. And since Ashley Madison has an Android application, I figured it was in my professional duty to check it out. A few thoughts, after the break.

So a few thoughts on the Ashley Madison app, in no apparent order:
Damn, it must be lonely out there. I was never good at dating. Not sure things is going to make things easier on anyone.

Signing up was easy. Just give a little basic biographical info. Why, yes, I'm 6-foot-4, 250, and work out like there's no tomorrow. OK, I'm not. And, no, you don't get a picture. What kind of a boy do you think I am? Please respect my discretionary requirements. OR whatever.

Sure. I'd like to see women who live nearby. Wow. That's a lot for this town. Do I know any of them? Don't think so. That's a good sign. Let's see one up close.

Dunno about you, but I hope I look half that good when I'm 46. I'm sure the other specs are legit though. Who'd fudge those?

Ah. I can search for women age 66 and up. Good to know.

Ahhhhhh. So there's the rub, so to speak. Up until now, everything's been free. But you can buy "credits" so that you can actually contact people on the Ashley Madison service. Until now, it's been look, don't talk. $50 for 100 credits, or up to 1000 credits for $250.

But here's the real kicker: Say you want to delete your account: That'll be $19.99, please and thank you. That's right. Ashley Madison will "hide" your profile for free. But to actually delete the thing? That's going to cost you money. Ridiculous.

Anyhoo, there's a married guy's brief look at the Ashley Madison Android app. If it exists, we'll review it. That's our motto. At least in this case. Now to figure out how to file an expense report for that $19.99.

(How to use this QR code)
Android Market web link

This is not the Samsung Galaxy S III

Now you know how I hate to burst anyone's bubble, especially this close to Christmas. But -- oh, who am I kidding. I love to do that. Especially this close to Christmas.

This is not the Samsung Galaxy S III. It's not a leaked render. It is, however, a nicely done concept render, and it managed to fool a few people today, judging from the amount of tips in our inbox. But, no, folks, it's not the Samsung Galaxy S III, which has not been announced, has not been leaked, and is not seen in the picture above.

Repeat: That is not the Samsung Galaxy S III.

We all straight now? It's a fan render that was posted to some Russian "Samsung Phone Owners' Club" group, then reposted on a couple other sites and picked up before Concept-Phones published an update. Whoopsie. Again, not real. Move on.

Dress up your Android for Christmas

One of the best things about toting around an Android phone is the way you can make it yours. Wallpapers, widgets, icon sets, even system apps can all be customized just about any darn way you please, and Christmas is a great time to do it! We dug around and found a few things you could use to get your Android phone into the Christmas spirit, check 'em out after the break.

Wallpapers

Did you notice we've set up a wallpaper gallery where you can share as well as download wallpapers built for your Android device? It's filling up with some great stuff, including some awesome holiday wallpapers. Whether you want something sparkly, subtle, fun, or observant, you're covered. And you can download them straight to your device via e-mail. Getting into the Christmas spirit was never so easy.

Live wallpapers

Live wallpapers are pretty unique to Android, and there's a slew of them available with a Christmas theme. 20 pages full to be exact! You're bound to find something there that tickles your holiday fancy, and all tastes are pretty well covered. My two favorites are Snowflakes Live Wallpaper by Chris Cooper ($1.49), and Christmas Girls Live Wallpaper ed. 2 by ATPUA (free). You'll find hundreds of others to choose from if naughty Santa girls or falling snow isn't for you.

Christmas themed widgets

Just like the live wallpapers, there's a ton of Christmas themed widgets available for Android. Countdowns, advent calendars, clocks, stickers, even a battery meter or two. A couple of my favorites are Christmas Snow Clock by 7art Studio (free) and Christmas Battery Widget by Mr. Fixit (free). Widgets are a great way to see information at a glance, and when they get you in the Christmas mood they're even better. Go grab a few!

Icons and themes for third party launchers

Android users know that you're not stuck using the home screen launcher and application drawer that the folks who made you phone decided on. There's plenty of other choices out there, like ADWLauncher EX (an office favorite) or Go Launcher EX (winner of the popular vote), and they can be customized in ways you've never thought of. From changing icons, to reskinning the whole launcher, you'll find something to fit any taste in the Android Market. The best part is that you can try any of them out, and if you find it's just not for you, uninstall it with a click. No permanent changes are made to the factory settings and you're right back where you started. Every Android user needs to check out a few custom system apps, it's half the fun of owning one!

Android Central staff #FollowFriday holiday edition

One of the few times throughout the year when there won't be a mountain of Android news is coming up. We're talking about Christmas, of course, when the western world takes a few days off and we eat too much, drink too much, and spend time with our loved ones. Everyone here at AC is stoked at the thought of all the Android phones and tablets that will be unwrapped come Christmas morning, and we'll be sure to be watching our friends and followers on Google+ and Twitter to see how their holidays are going. Join in the fun, and give us a shout to let us know how you're enjoying your holidays, or just to say hey. Without you guys we wouldn't have near as much fun doing what we do here, and we appreciate each and every one of you.

Galaxy S III press shots leak, details attached

There’s a couple of press shots out there today with the name Galaxy S III attached to them, and although we do suggest a bit of caution in believing these details as Bible truth, the possibility that this “leak” is accurate still does exist. The Samsung line of Galaxy S devices is the best selling series in the history of Android, and continues to impress the whole Android community with each iteration: your humble narrator uses the AT&T Galaxy S II as one of his daily drivers, in fact – so this is no small news to us, I can assure you. And with such strange details included here, such as this device dual-booting Android and Samsung’s own Bada operating system, we’re crossing our fingers for an odd future reality.

There are two full renders, the one above and the one below, each of them showing off how this device may well be the next step in the Galaxy line what with its smooth back like the Galaxy Player and the Galaxy Note and its camera setup not unlike the Galaxy S II. This leak comes from the blog of wonderful concept renders by the name of Concept Phones and includes all the details you see in this post. This device they say will be called the Samsung GT-I9500 Universal, it’s got a 5-inch HD Super AMOLED 1280 x 720 pixel resolution display, and behind its 9mm body you’ll find that camera setup which includes LED flash, Xenon flash, and a 12 megapixel camera.
This device will come with either 32 of 64 GB of internal memory as well as a slot able to work with microSDCX cards for memory expansion, and USB 3.0 will keep your transfers quick. There’ll be a pen tool like the Galaxy Note but it doesn’t appear to have an onboard carrying slot like its cousin, and inside there’s also a quad-core Samsung Exynos 4412 1.5GHz processor. The version of Android inside will undoubtedly be Ice Cream Sandwich, and TouchWiz 5.0 runs right out of the box.
And then there’s Bada. How on earth it would make sense to run Android and Bada on the same device, I do not know, but apparently that’s what we’re seeing here. This display also obviously shows no need for a bezel, and 4G LTE connectivity will be working on this first configuration.
What this device may well end up being is not the Galaxy S III but the second generation (or the USA release) of the Galaxy Note. We’ll see soon!
UPDATE: Per Concept Phones:

“Samsung Russia just contacted us and said this is not a real phone. Here’s what they said: “The mock-ups, published in the article on Concept-Phones.com, were posted in the “Imagined Phones” section of “Samsung Phones Owners’ Club” group on VKontakte.ru. This section contains unofficial artworks and designs, created by group members, and are products of pure imagination, sometime even a joke”.” – Concept Phones

To see the rest of the concepts, check out the gallery they speak of at VKONTAKTE.RU, and believe what you wish!