Samsung: no Galaxy S III at MWC, separate event to come later

Well that about seals it. Amid rumors that the highly-anticipated refresh of the Galaxy S line would debut with dozens of competing phones at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Samsung confirmed that the Galaxy S III won’t be showing up in the late February event. The current flagship, the Galaxy S II, got its public debut at the same event in 2011. Company representatives gave a canned response to inquiries from TechRadar, saying that the successor to the Galaxy S II will be a no-show, instead getting its own event sometime in the first half of the year.

Here’s the info, straight from the manufacturer’s mouth:

Samsung is looking forward to introducing and demonstrating exciting new mobile products at Mobile World Congress 2012. The successor to the Galaxy S2 smartphone will be unveiled at a separate Samsung-hosted event in the first half of the year, closer to commercial availability of the product.

The popular (and it must be said, unsubstantiated) rumor is that Samsung is holding back on the Galaxy S III unveil to allow it to directly compete with Apple’s iPhone 5, expected in late summer or early fall of this year. If that’s the case, holding their own event would be appropriate – Apple famously doesn’t share the stage with anyone, preferring secretive events at their company headquarters to trade shows and other conferences. (And who cares if thousands of tech journalists have to make separate expensive trips to all these unveilings, says I? A bunch of whining brats, the lot of them.)  Samsung appears to have taken cues from HTC and Motorola, who have also begun to huge press events for single devices in the last six months.
Rumors continue to run wild about the Galaxy S III’s hardware, though there’s been no clear shots of the phone itself thus far. (The photo above is a fan rendering.) A 4.5-inch or larger Super AMOLED screen with 720p resolution is almost assured, but beyond that it’s all guesswork – 2Ghz Exynos processors, insane RAM and megapixel ratings, even lenticular 3D displays have been thrown into the rumor mill. Aside from the fact that the Galaxy S III will showcase Samsung’s best possible hardware and new software, there just isn’t a lot that’s known about it for now. Samsung’s playing this one very close to the vest – another trait they’re picking up from their Cupertino competitors.

Samsung Retro style NX200 shooter announced for Germany

The Samsung Retro style NX200 has been announced for Germany, the same country where we first laid eyes on the NX200 just a few weeks ago at IFA. This device is a brand new outer-shelled version of the original NX200 with a two-toned silver and black design with essentially the same set of specifications as the first release. Look like the fabulous yesteryear shooter with all the goodness of the future under the hood that you’ll be picking up this Spring season?


Or heck, you could head to Germany or order one in and still have it this winter! This device has DSLR-like picture quality without a doubt, it having a 20.3 megapixel APS-C CMOS sensor, full HD video recording support, sensitivity up to 12,800 ISO, and that’s all inside the center. There’s also a 3-inch AMOLED VGA display on the back for your loving tapping, rings around the sides for straps, a sassy looking set of red and silver accents, and just for fun, i-Function lens support!
Have a peek at our hands-on with the original version of this camera and get a taste of what it means to roll with Samsung for your shooter. This device will be available in Germany from March for 849 Euros. There are currently no announcements made for this version hitting the United States or the UK.

Apple loses sales ban attempt against tweaked Galaxy Tab 10.1N

Apple’s attempts to ban Samsung’s redesigned Galaxy Tab 10.1N in Germany, along with the Galaxy Nexus, have failed, with the courts ruling that Apple’s touchscreen patent was likely to be revoked in short order. “Samsung has shown that it is more likely than not that the patent will be revoked because of a technology that was already on the market before the intellectual property had been filed for protection,” Judge Andreas Mueller told the Munich Regional Court today, Bloomberg reports.


The patent in question covers scrolling display behaviors, namely the way in which a software list shows that the user has reached the bottom. Apple argued that its implementation, as patented, differs from any previous list systems. Samsung, however, argued that the patent hadn’t exceeded the nine month period during which it could be contested, and that no sales ban should be implemented until that had expired.
The court agreed, and Samsung free to sell the Galaxy Tab 10.1N in the German market. The variant has a tweaked bezel, thicker at the shorter sides than at the longer edges, with forward-facing speakers, and was created to work around Apple’s design patents. Apple complained, but courts decided that the design of the 10.1N was sufficiently different.
However, earlier this week a German judge upheld Apple’s original sales injunction against the Tab 10.1, and Samsung has seen two 3G standards-related cases against its rivals thrown out. Now the Korean company faces EU antitrust investigations over whether it misused the patented wireless technologies

Samsung ‘Galaxy S II Plus’ could premier before Galaxy S III

Do you remember long ago when Apple went ahead and held out from releasing an iPhone 5 – and just went along with the 4S instead? We could see a similar strategy from Samsung concerning the future of their ‘Galaxy’ flagship device. It has recently come to our attention that Samsung won’t be showing off the GSIII at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain – thus makes perfect sense there may be a middle man underway.


A Galaxy S II Plus benchmark has been logged in the An3DBenchXL database, and fits our specifications of what this device could carry. The data shows it running Android 2.3.4 with a 1.5GHz processor, and WVGA display. It could very well be running the same processor as the Note.
To refresh your memory, there was indeed a Samsung Galaxy S Plus, so it makes sense to have a Galaxy S II Plus. The line has been practically flawless, and moved Android’s reputation in a very positive direction – so why change now? Most of our questions will probably be solved at MWC, but until then – we run on leaked data and speculation.

Samsung GALAXY Note unofficial unboxing by Team Evolve

We’ve seen some creative unboxings in our day, and this one is no exception. Team Evolve has created a LEGO stop-motion clip showing the unboxing of a Samsung Galaxy Note. Titled, “A Note To Remember“, a tiny LEGO man aims to show how great a large screen can be.


It really looks professional, and if you didn’t know better it wouldn’t be hard to mistake it for an official video! Though a Galaxy Note won’t double as a flatpanel for us like in this clip, we’ll just have to settle for its 5.3″ Super AMOLED display. It is no doubt the most unique device Samsung has released, and has really taken off to be one of this year’s most hyped up devices.
It has been confirmed that Samsung’s Super Bowl ad will feature the Note, so they are banking on this being the ‘Next Big Thing’ in the US. That is, until the Galaxy S III is announced. So what will you all do? Are you anxiously awaiting the Note, or are you planning on waiting it out until a possible Galaxy S III?

US Cellular launches 4G LTE, Galaxy Tab 10.1 and Galaxy S Aviator get it first

The folks from US Cellular have some big news to announce today for all those in their particular region. This morning they have announced that not only are they rolling out their new and fast 4G LTE networks in four select cities, but they’ve also detailed the first two devices to be powered by those new LTE speeds.


Samsung gets the first nod over on US Cellular and they’ll be offering the dual-core Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 4G LTE with Android 3.2 Honeycomb, and the Samsung Galaxy S Aviator — which is basically the DROID Charge. It might not be the Galaxy Nexus or the Galaxy S II but this is a great start and should really give their users a better and more portable and powerful variety to chose from.
Devices aren’t the entire story, they’ve also announced the first four markets that will get the green light for LTE. Obviously the rollout will be small to start but they have big plans to add more cities and markets soon, possibly before the end of the month. The four launching now are:
— Wisconsin: Milwaukee, Madison and Racine.
— Iowa: Des Moines, Cedar Rapids and Davenport.
— Maine: Portland and Bangor.
— North Carolina: Greenville.
These devices aren’t anything new or cutting edge but will be a great option for US Cellular customers moving forward. Not to mention they now will have the option of 4G LTE speeds. The LTE markets and devices themselves aren’t set to hit the streets and be available until first week of March so stay tuned for more details.

Samsung ‘Galaxy S II Plus’ may be on the way

Samsung might be taking a page out of the Apple playbook and preparing to launch a smartphone that falls in between the Galaxy S II and the Galaxy S III. What will potentially be called the “Galaxy S II Plus” has appeared in a benchmark database, An3DBenchXL. This could be the reason why the manufacturer revealed it would not be displaying the SIII at this month’s Mobile World Congress.



The benchmark data show the Galaxy S 2+ with Android 2.3.4 installed, a WVGA display and a 1.5 GHz processor. This would place it ahead of the Galaxy S II’s 1.2 GHz CPU. This naming convention is becoming increasingly commonplace. Samsung did it with the last generation of Galaxy S phones, and who can forget the iPhone 3GS and the iPhone 4S? After all, there are only so many numbers you can climb before it just looks ridiculous, and if you churn them out on an annual basis those numbers run up quickly.
As for Mobile World Congress, even though the S3 will be a no-show, we do know that a refreshed Galaxy Tab tablet will be on display as well as other “exciting new mobile products.” The S3 has been confirmed to be revealed some time before the end of June, at an exclusive Samsung event. Stay tuned.

Samsung: No Galaxy S II successor at Mobile World Congress

Galaxy S III unveiling due at Samsung event in first half of year

We've heard the rumors, and gone over the possibility in an editorial, but now we have it straight from the horse's mouth -- the Samsung Galaxy S III will not be making its debut at Mobile World Congress. In a statement released today, the Korean manufacturer clarified its plans for next month's show, saying --

"Samsung is looking forward to introducing and demonstrating exciting new mobile products at Mobile World Congress 2012.

"The successor to the Galaxy S2 smartphone will be unveiled at a separate Samsung-hosted event in the first half of the year, closer to commercial availability of the product.
"Samsung stays committed to providing the best possible mobile experiences for customers around the world."

So that's that -- no Galaxy S III at MWC.That doesn't change the fact that there'll still be a ton of new Android devices on the show floor, though. HTC, LG and Sony Ericsson will surely be out in force at MWC, and we'll also have those "exciting new mobile products" from Samsung to look forward to. As for the Galaxy S III, it's now on track to appear by end of June, and we're just fine with that.

Samsung Infuse 4G finally gets its official Gingerbread update

The AT&T Samsung Infuse 4G is finally -- finally!!! -- getting its update to Android 2.3.6 Gingerbread. (A point release higher than a recent leak.) The official rollout begins today, AT&T says.

Here's the full changelog:

• Improved Copy and Paste functionality
• Redesigned Multi Touch Software Keyboard
• Download manager for long running HTTP downloads
• Improved power management and application control
• Notification Shade: “Flight Mode” added (“Silent” removed)
• New Fonts options added include Choco Cooky, Cool Jazz, Rosemary
• Keyboard Changes: Android Keyboard with Wider Spaced keys and Quick Keys at the top
• New Widgets: The name of the content provider will be listed on the widget list along with the widget name. Previously only the widget name was provided.
• New Widget: Traffic (Android) added to list of available widgets
• Menu Changes/New Apps: Downloads and Google Books added new, Promotional pre-load of Angry Birds removed.

Note that because the preload of Angry Birds is being removed, you'll have to re-download and start from scratch again.

But the Infuse 4G is finally getting Gingerbread. That's the good news. The bad news is that the download link AT&T's providing is dead at the moment, and the update won't be made available over the air, nor can you use a Mac to install. Stay tuned, folks.

Galaxy Nexus set to blow in on WIND Mobile on Feb. 3

WIND Mobile, one of Canada's youngest wireless carriers, will begin selling the Samsung Galaxy Nexus this Friday, February 3,  for $599 without a contract. The flagship device, the first to run Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich will cost customers with a WINDtab+ a reduced price of $249.
WIND Mobile launched in 2009 as an alternative to Canada's big two, Bell Mobility and Rogers. WIND has earned a name for itself for its no-contract options and low monthly rates, including a new  unlimited voice, text, and data package for $40. WIND's WINDtab+ system subsidizes the cost of a phone by allowing customers to pay for the device over a three-year period using an allocation from the existing monthly payments.
The Galaxy Nexus is just the latest high-end Android device to make it to the low-cost carrier; it joins a respectable line up that includes the Nexus S, the HTC Amaze 4G, and the LG Optimus 2X. WIND's full presser can be found after the jump.

WIND MOBILE SHARES THE LOVE IN FEBRUARY WITH A SUITE OF NEW SMARTPHONES AND THE BEST PLANS TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THEIR FEATURES

Highly-anticipated Galaxy Nexus by Samsung, BlackBerry Bold 9790, and BlackBerry Curve 9360 in white come to WIND

TORONTO, ON – February 1, 2012 – On Friday, February 3rd, three of the most highly-coveted smartphones will be available at WIND Mobile: the Galaxy Nexus, the world’s first smartphone powered by Android 4.0, Ice Cream Sandwich; the BlackBerry Bold 9790, the lightweight, touchscreen + QWERTY addition to the BlackBerry 7 lineup; and the BlackBerry Curve 9360, now available in white as well as in black.

“Our customers are always on the lookout for the newest technology and we’re proud to add these state-of-the-art smartphones to our offering and pair them with plans that allow customers to make the most of all their features,” said Anthony Lacavera, Chairman and CEO of WIND Mobile.

As the first smartphone to feature a 4.65’’ display with a market-leading resolution of 720p, the Galaxy Nexus ensures superior clarity for entertainment capabilities, fast web browsing, and high-definition gaming and video streaming with its 1.2GHz dual core processor.  The Ice Cream Sandwich operating system introduces innovations such as Face Unlock which uses facial recognition to unlock the device. Other innovations include NFC technology with Android Beam which allows for the rapid sharing of web pages, apps, and online videos by simply tapping two devices together.

With a super-slim form factor and superior battery life, the BlackBerry Bold 9790 delivers non-stop BlackBerry 7 OS power in a barely-there design. Featuring a 1 GHz processor, 768 MB RAM and 8 GB of onboard memory, this new BlackBerry lets users take care of business faster than ever before.

WIND customers can take full advantage of everything the Galaxy Nexus and the Bold 9790 have to offer with a new Leap Plan featuring unlimited Canada-wide talk, text and data for $40 per month. The Galaxy Nexus will be available for $249 with WINDtab+ or $599 outright while the BlackBerry Bold 9790 is available for $49 with WINDtab+ or $399 outright.

Alongside the introduction of the BlackBerry Curve 9360 in white, WIND will be offering a special Share The Love Combo in February. Lovers can get two BlackBerry Curve 9360 smartphones for $0 with WINDtab and two plans with unlimited talk, text, and data for $65 per month.

About WIND Mobile and Globalive Holdings  

WIND Mobile provides voice, text and data services to Canadians on a next-generation wireless network and is committed to offering a level of wireless service presently not available in Canada. WIND is built on actual conversations that are happening with Canadians who are passionate about wireless and creating a better mobile offering nationally. For more information about WIND Mobile, please visit WINDmobile.ca.

Globalive Holdings is a leading provider of telecommunications solutions in Canada and internationally to the consumer, business and hospitality markets. The Globalive companies include: WIND Mobile, Yak Communications, One Connect, Canopco and Globalive Carrier Services. For more information, visit Globalive.com.

US Cellular taps Samsung for first LTE devices, will hit in March

US Cellular this morning announced that the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 and Samsung Galaxy S Aviator  will be the first tablet and smartphone, respectively, on its new LTE network.
As previously announced, the regional carrier's 4G network will be available in select citites:

• Wisconsin: Milwaukee, Madison and Racine.
• Iowa: Des Moines, Cedar Rapids and Davenport.
• Maine: Portland and Bangor.
• North Carolina: Greenville.

The Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 is, well, it's the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 with Honeycomb, which we've enjoyed for the better part of a year now, and it'll be available on USCC in March. The 4.3-inch Samsung Galaxy S Aviator should be familiar as well, along with its preloaded Android 2.3.6 Gingerbread. The Aviator will arrive in April.
US Cellular says more LTE markets will be announed later this month. We've got the full press release after the break.
U.S. CELLULAR ANNOUNCES LAUNCH OF 4G LTE NETWORK NEXT MONTH ALONG WITH UPCOMING DEVICES
Brings up to 10 times faster download speeds and better web browsing experience
CHICAGO (Feb. 1, 2012) – U.S. Cellular (NYSE: USM), in conjunction with its partner, King Street Wireless, is launching a 4G LTE network next month that will enhance the wireless experience with countless entertainment possibilities and help customers simplify and organize their lives. The 4G LTE network will cover 25 percent of U.S. Cellular’s customers and will coincide with the launch of the Android-powered Samsung Galaxy Tab™ 10.1 4G LTE mobile tablet followed shortly by the Samsung Galaxy S® Aviator™ 4G LTE smartphone.
4G LTE speeds allow customers to begin watching a movie in seconds and enjoy smoother video streaming with little to no buffering, and video chatting with family or business colleagues is seamless.
With the Samsung Galaxy S® Aviator™, customers have the ability to talk and access the Internet at the same time. They can talk to their family about dinner plans while downloading an app to find nearby restaurants and simultaneously check out reviews online.
The March rollout of 4G LTE includes select cities in Iowa, Wisconsin, Maine, North Carolina, Texas and Oklahoma, including some of U.S. Cellular’s leading markets such as Milwaukee, Madison and Racine, Wis.; Des Moines, Cedar Rapids and Davenport, Iowa; Portland and Bangor, Maine; and Greenville, N.C. U.S. Cellular is the first wireless carrier to offer 4G LTE in several of these markets. The next wave of market launches will be announced later this month.
“With 4G LTE speeds, you can quickly get what you want when you need it,” said Mary N. Dillon, president and CEO of U.S. Cellular. “This 4G LTE network builds upon our industry-leading network satisfaction and is the only one that comes with a valuable rewards program and other unique benefits like Overage Protection and Battery Swap that make our customers the happiest in wireless.”
The Samsung Galaxy Tab™ 10.1 is powered by Android 3.2 (Honeycomb) and has a 10.1-inch WXGA TFT touchscreen. It features superior multi-tasking capabilities, a video watching experience similar to TV and smooth graphics and responsive controls for faster gaming. Apps are downloaded faster on the sleek Samsung Galaxy S® Aviator™ smartphone that comes with Android 2.3.6 (Gingerbread). It has a 4.3-inch WVGA s-AMOLED plus touchscreen, 8 megapixel rear camera and front-facing camera for easy video chatting. Both devices will provide download and browser speeds that are up to 10 times faster than 3G and be similar to a cable Internet connection.
The 4G LTE network builds on the 3G data services that U.S. Cellular customers already enjoy on the carrier’s high-quality nationwide network. U.S. Cellular has the highest call quality and network satisfaction of any national carrier. For more information about the 4G LTE experience, visit uscellular.com/4G.

Samsung Galaxy S Advance available in the UK from Feb. 6, priced at £350

We heard last week that the Galaxy S Advance would be coming to Russia later this month, and now it's been confirmed that Samsung's latest mid-range smartphone will be hitting the UK around the same time. Independent retailer MobileFun has the device up for pre-order, with stock expected next Monday, Feb. 6. What's more, the Galaxy S Advance comes in at a relatively wallet-friendly £349.99 off-contract.

For your money, you'll get a 4-inch phone running Adnroid 2.3 Gingerbread and Samsung's TouchWiz 4 UI. There's also a 1GHz dual-core chip inside, and WVGA (480x800) Super AMOLED display on the front -- so not quite bleeding edge, but a powerful device nonetheless.

If you're after one of these on contract, then Three UK is your best bet -- the network announced yesterday that it'll be carrying the Galaxy S Advance in the future. For more info on the Advance, check our original announcement post.

German court rejects Apple bid to ban sales of Galaxy Tab 10.1N, Galaxy Nexus

The Munich Regional Court in Germany has rejected Apple's latest attempt to block sales of two Android-powered Samsung devices, namely the Galaxy Tab 10.1N and Galaxy Nexus.
The Galaxy Tab 10.1N is a redesigned version of the original Tab 10.1, which Samsung brought to market to work around an earlier ruling preventing them from selling that model in Germany. If successful, Apple's attempts to block Galaxy Nexus sales would've been a major blow for Android, on account of that device's place as the flagship Google Experience smartphone.
According to Bloomberg Businessweek, today's case related to touchscreen patents for smartphones and tablets. On rejecting the motion to block sales of the Samsung devices, Presiding Judge Andreas Mueller indicated that the patent in question would likely be revoked --

"Samsung has shown that it is more likely than not that the patent will be revoked because of a technology that was already on the market before the intellectual property had been filed for protection."

This is the latest chapter in the on-going patent war between Apple and Samsung, which began in mid-2011 and shows no sign of abating. The two companies remain locked in battle in courtrooms across the world.

New at ShopAndroid.com: Androidified TPU Case for the Samsung Galaxy Nexus

Remember the Androidified TPU Skin Case for the Samsung Galaxy Nexus? (Those are the ones we gave away just a week ago. We've now got them in stock at ShopAndroid.com. They're available in 10 colors -- orange, green, teal, smoke, clear, pink purple, red, blue and black -- and feature the Android "Bugdroid" icon, so you can show your Android pride with just a flick of the wrist. 

Plus, These Cruzerlite gel cases are made from shock absorbent and scratch resistant thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU). They are slim-fitting, and provide great protection for the Samsung Galaxy Nexus or Verizon Galaxy Nexus from day to day use and accidental bumps and spills.
We've got a several of the colors in stock now, and more are on the way each day, so hit the link to see what's available.
Also: Follow @shopandroid on Twitter for all the new accessories as soon as they hit our shelves -- and for exclusive contests

Samsung releases AT&T Galaxy Note kernel source code

The device itself won't be available for another couple of weeks or so, but Samsung has wasted no time in releasing the Linux kernel source (and other open-source bits and pieces) for the AT&T Galaxy Note. The AT&T Note (aka SGH-I717) sports a slightly different hardware setup to its international counterpart, the GT-N7000, hence the difference in behind-the-scenes code. As per the open source rules, the code is freely available for anyone to grab over at the Samsung Open Source site.
Though source code isn't a whole lot of use without the device itself, at least this early code release should jump-start the AT&T Galaxy Note ROM scene once the phone launches. Speaking of which, it's due from Feb. 19, for $299 on contract.

AT&T throttle, Galaxy Nexus screen burn in?

While overall news has been rather slow as head on into Mobile World Congress, there has still been plenty of tidbits popping up here and there to keep things happening. If you missed out on anything from today, get yourself caught up either here on the blogs or in the Android Central forums:

• HTC Rezound Forums - Streaming Netflix - Screen Resolution or Reception?
• HTC Inspire 4G Forums - AT&T throttle after only 2GB's of use
• Galaxy Nexus Forums - Screen ghosting / Burn In
• Nexus S 4G Forums - Android 4.0.4 Nexus S 4G
• Samsung Infuse 4G Forums - Gingerbread available for ATT Customers

If you're not already a member of the Android Central forums, you can register your account today.

EU regulators start investigation with Samsung over antitrust concerns

If being in court every day over patent issues in 10 countries isn’t enough, now EU regulators are investigating whether Samsung Electronics breached antitrust rules by accusing rivals such as Apple of infringing its technology patents.
Last year, Samsung filed for injunctions in several EU countries againt competitors for infringing patents. Back in 1998 Samsung pledged to license its patents to the European Telecommunications Standards Institute on fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory (FRAND) terms.
“The (European) Commission will investigate, in particular, whether in doing so (seeking injunctions on patent infringements in 2011) Samsung has failed to honor its irrevocable commitment given in 1998 to the European Telecommunications Standards,” the EU executive said.
Did Samsung abuse its dominate position with these actions? So far Samsung hasn’t made a comment.
It’s also possible other companies like Motorola could be subject to this same investigation. If the European Commission finds any company in breach of EU competition rules, they could fine them up to 10 percent of their global turnover.

Samsung releases teaser for Galaxy Note Super Bowl commercial

This year’s Super Bowl is going to be a good one, but just in case it’s over by the 4th quarter, we have something else to look forward to, and that’s the first ever Super Bowl commercial from Samsung. It will air during the 4th quarter, and it will be about the upcoming 5.3-inch beast, the AT&T Galaxy Note. They just released a teaser clip, which is 45 seconds long or half of the full 90-second spot. Enjoy!!

It’s Official: No Samsung Galaxy S III at Mobile World Congress

Well the rumors were swirling in the wind last week that the Galaxy S III would be a no show for next month’s Mobile World Congress, and now we can move it from the rumor file to the official file. Techradar was able to get a statement from Samsung regarding the situation:
“Samsung is looking forward to introducing and demonstrating exciting new mobile products at Mobile World Congress 2012. The successor to the Galaxy S2 smartphone will be unveiled at a separate Samsung-hosted event in the first half of the year, closer to commercial availability of the product. Samsung stays committed to providing the best possible mobile experiences for customers around the world.”
Sure this might be a Debbie Downer, but we know it’s coming. Does it matter  whether they announce it next month or in a few months? This sounds like they might be trying to line up the international and U.S. launches. If you remember, last year the Galaxy S II was out for nearly 6 months before it became available in the U.S. It’s also possible they are going to do some more modifications. Remember the Galaxy Tab 10.1? They unveiled it, only to go back to the drawing board after seeing the thinness of the iPad 2. Who knows, after seeing what Motorola was able to do, packing a 33oomAh battery in an 8.9mm body, Samsung might make a few more tweaks before unveiling it. Of course this is all speculation, but one thing’s for sure, it will be worth the wait.

Samsung Galaxy S II Plus Benchmarks Released, Shows Off Impressive Numbers

While rumors that the S III would make its debut at MWC were quickly and officially refuted by Samsung, that hasn’t stopped the Korean manufacturer from showing their hand in regards to the Galaxy S II Plus. Even with the announcement of the Galaxy S Advance, and two new tablets, Samsung is pushing forward with the release of the SII Plus. If the benchmarks are any indication this is a good move as the phone will surely be able to carry its own weight.

While at first it was considered to only be an incremental upgrade to the S II it appears that Samsung has took some time and put in some decent hardware in the device. The device will carry a 1.5GHz (I assume dual-core and possibly the OMAP 4470) processor, a WVGA display, and Android 2.3.4. I am sure that the device’s presence will be made better known at MWC and when it does we will surely update you with the specifics. Stay tuned!

Real-Life Galaxy S Advance Pictures Surface on the Web

It was just a couple days ago that we got official info from Samsung about the upcoming Galaxy S Advance smartphone, and we’re pretty confident that the device will be shown at MWC in a few weeks. If you read our previous article than you have already seen press images of the phone, but recently some real-life images surfaced on the web.

Philippine tech site, TechPinas, was able to get their hands on the images you see above and below. According to the tipster who sent these images in, the Galaxy S Advance feels good in the hand and resembles that of a solid construction. Based on these images I would imagine the construction to be very similar to Sammy’s current line of Galaxy handsets, plastic-y yet maintains a quality appeal and heft. TechPinas also mentioned that the device should run 22,990 PHP (Philippine Pesos) which is roughly $536.

If you need a refresher on the basic specs of the device you are looking at at 1GHz dual-core NovaThor ST-Ericsson processor, 4-inch Super AMOLED display, 16GB of memory and 768MB of RAM. To get the full specs run-down check out our previous post. For those of you here in the U.S. I wouldn’t get your hopes up too much, it still looks like the device will launch everywhere else but here.

Stanford Students Demo 5 Cool Tricks Using Your NFC Capable Phone &Television (Video)

I bet you didn’t know Stanford had some cool nerds on their roster did you?  Yep, some of the folks over there decided to tinker around using an NFC enabled Android device along with a remote control also housing an NFC chip.  Check out what these guys have managed to come up with:

• Display photos in a slide show
• Collaborative Whiteboard
• Slide Show Presentation
• Play Online Poker
• Stream Netlix Videos

Check out the quick demo below where you can see all of these in action and don’t forget to let us know what you think in the comments below.   I don’t know about you, but I love when nerds get bored.  They always wind up producing something useful for the rest of us  For more information hit up the source link to check out their blog at Stanford.edu
For video: 
http://www.talkandroid.com/87210-stanford-students-demo-5-cool-tricks-using-your-nfc-capable-phone-television-video/#.TyqVcOTovJE

The best U.S. Android Phones - As of Feb. 1, 2012

Welcome to the best Android Phones as of Feb. 1, 2012. Or you can call them our favorite Android phones. Or the top Android phones. Really, call them whatever you want. Here's what you're getting: Our unabashed, unapologetic and unequivocal list of what we consider to be the best Android smartphones available on the four major U.S. carriers today.
You can't have this sort of list without controversy. We get that. And discussion is good. And so we're just going to anwer the question as simply as we can here: What do we think is the best phone on any given U.S. carrier as of right now? They're all in this post. No metrics, no scores. Just our pics and a tad of explanation, with the goal of helping you find the best phone on a particular carrier at any given time.

The best phone on T-Mobile - Samsung Galaxy S II

It's really a toss-up between the Samsung Galaxy S II and the HTC Amaze 4G. Both are excellent phones, with large screens and fast data and great cameras. But we're giving the edge to the Galaxy S II because its camera software is a bit more mature and easy to use.

Worth a look: HTC Amaze 4G.

The best phone on Verizon - Samsung Galaxy Nexus

Verizon has more Android phones than anyone. (Or at least it sure feels that way.) And while you've got excellent phones in the likes of the Motorola Droid RAZR MAXX and HTC Rezound, none offers as much flexibility and is ensured to have more timely updates than the Verizon Samsung Galaxy Nexus. The Droid RAZR MAXX is close -- but the 720p display on the Galaxy Nexus trumps it. The HTC Rezound matches the display resolution, however, so it's a good alternative.

Worth a look: Droid RAZR MAXX, HTC Rezound.

The best phone on AT&T - HTC Vivid

The HTC Vivid offers up a solid design and gives you that well-built feeling without sacrificing any speed. Its snappy dual-core processor and large display are a joy to use, and it's a great multi-media powerhouse. Add in AT&T's blossoming LTE network and you have what it takes to make a winner.

Worth a look: Samsung Galaxy S II. Coming soon: Samsung Galaxy Note (2/19/12)

The best phone on Sprint - Samsung Galaxy S II Epic 4G Touch

A great phone with a ridiculously long name. The SGSIIE4GT takes everything we've come to know and love from Samsung's 2011 flagship phone and wraps it in a 4.5-inch form factor. Plus it's got Sprint's 4G Wimax data.

Worth a look: HTC Design 4G. Coming soon: Samsung Galaxy Nexus (date unknown)