Samsung bezel-free Galaxy B smartphone tipped incoming

Samsung is cooking up a bezel-free smartphone for release by Q3 2012, according to unnamed company execs, tentatively called the Samsung Galaxy B. The smartphone, presumably Android-powered, has a large AMOLED panel with no bezel on the sides of bottom, according to a report in the Korean-language Maeli Business Newspaper, and only a small section at the top for the earpiece and a front-facing camera.


Exactly how Samsung has achieved the bezel-free design is unspecified, though the unnamed company execs claim it has been a work-in-progress since sometime last year. Other specifications are similarly mysterious, beyond the promise of a large screen.
It’s possible that this is the much-anticipated Galaxy S III, though certainly far from confirmed at this stage. That handset, initially expected to be officially revealed at Mobile World Congress next week, will in fact follow on in a separate announcement sometime in the first half of this year. Samsung is yet to hint at specifications, though it’s worth noting that the company did flaunt its new Exynos processor earlier this week and suggest it could show up in a device later this year.
The “Galaxy B” is expected to debut in Q2 or Q3, which would certainly fit with the new Exynos timescale. No word on whether Samsung plans to give us a glimpse in Barcelona next week, but you know we’ll have our eyes peeled.

Samsung GT-N8000 resurfaces for Bluetooth testing

Samsung’s GT-N8000 Mobile Tablet, believed to be a successor or companion device to the Galaxy Note, has resurfaced, with the device passing through the Bluetooth certification this week. Details on the N8000 are still largely unknown, with the device – listed only as a “Samsung Mobile Tablet” – initially spotted having its WiFi certified back in January.


That confirmed the device had dual-band WiFi a/b/g/n support, though described it as a “smartphone” rather than as a tablet as in the Bluetooth SIG’s listing for its v3.0+HS testing. It seems opinions are still split as to whether this new type of hybrid is really a smartphone, or a tablet, or a Dilbert-frustrating “phablet”.
The original Galaxy Note, announced back at IFA 2011 and hitting AT&T on Sunday, is the GT-N7000, leading to assumptions that this N8000 is either a more advanced model or the replacement. A GT-N8013 variant was also listed as receiving WiFi approval, along with the GT-N8010, potentially different international models.
Samsung is also rumored to be preparing a larger, stylus-enabled device – a tablet version of the Note – called the Galaxy Note 10.1 for Mobile World Congress next week.

Bobbi Brown Galaxy S II comes with matching make-up kit

If that pink Galaxy S II was just too pedestrian for you, then good news! You'll soon be able to exchange your hard-earned cash for the exclusive Bobbi Brown version of the phone, which comes in a slightly different color, with a matching make-up kit. So it's pretty clear that Samsung's targeting women with this latest version of its most popular handset.
The only catch is that this version is available in Korea only for the moment. But we're sure you'll be able to find someone willing to import one for you, if you're mad enough to want this kind of thing. A special microsite will be going live later today at the source link, if you're interested in learning more.

ShopAndroid Daily Giveaway #15: Galaxy Nexus Androidified TPU Case, Qmadix Snap-On for Droid Bionic & more!

Happy Friday, folks! Today's the last ShopAndroid.com Daily Giveaway for this week, and we're featuring some cool new accessories including the Cruzerlite Androidified A2 TPU Case for Galaxy Nexus, Qmadix Snap-On Cover for Motorola Droid Bionic, Seidio SURFACE Case for EVO 3D, and the Seidio ACTIVE Case for HTC ThunderBolt.
As always, be sure to leave a comment below letting us know which featured accessory you'd like to win.  Winners from this week's daily giveaway's will be announced in a post on Monday.

Cruzerlite Androidified A2 TPU Case for Galaxy Nexus

The Cruzerlite Androidified A2 TPU cases are made from shock absorbent and scratch resistant thermoplastic polyurethane.  They're slim-fitting, and provide great protection for the Galaxy Nexus from day to day use and accidental bumps and spills.  The sleek, lightweight design of the A2 TPU cases fully wrap around the Galaxy Nexus while also raising the front of the device to protect the screen while face down.  Featured on the cases are custom designed Andy the Android prints.

Qmadix Snap-On Cover w/ Holster for Motorola Droid Bionic

The Qmadix Snap-On Cover is form-fitted to your Motorola Droid Bionic and features a textured rubberized exterior to allow a firm grip on your device.  The case is lightweight, and fairly thin-- keeping your Droid Bionic's slim profile as close as possible.  The Snap-on cover features cutouts for all of the Bionic features, and leaves the screen exposed for full functionality.  The included holster has a felt lining so that your device's screen is always protected while in the holster.  The swivel clip on the Qmadix holster allows you to wear your Droid Bionic vertically or horizontally.

Seidio SURFACE Case w/ Kickstand for HTC EVO 3D

Looking for a low-profile, protective case for your HTC EVO 3D?  The Seidio SURFACE Case w/ Kickstand is a great option, featuring an amazingly thin layer of protection without adding the excessive bulk of other cases. At about 1mm thin, the SURFACE Case is designed from a hard, yet flexible material with a soft-touch coating to allow a better grip on your EVO 3D.  The screen is left exposed for full functionality, and there are cutouts for all ports and controls.  An additional bonus to this great case is the built-in kickstand which allows you to watch media at a comfortable viewing angle.  When you're done, just flip the kickstand right back into the case!

Seidio ACTIVE Case for HTC ThunderBolt

The Seidio ACTIVE Case provides great shock and impact absorption while adding minimal bulk to your HTC ThunderBolt.  This two-layer case features a compact and lightweight rubber polymer with a precisely positioned hard skeleton for added protection.  The arachnid design of the skeleton extends out to protect vulnerable parts of your device, such as the corners and sides.  There's also a precision cutout for the ThunderBolt's kickstand on the back of the case.

Wrap up

That's it for this week's ShopAndroid.com Daily Giveaway's.  After checking out our hands-on videos with today's featured accessories, be sure and leave a comment stating which item you'd like to have for your Android device, and you'll be eligible to win!  Good luck!

Preview: Bell Mobile TV for Android - streaming live and on-demand

One of Canada's big three carriers, Bell, recently shot me a build of their upcoming on-demand streaming TV app for Android and a Samsung Galaxy Note to try it out on. I've already established that I'm a fan of the Note's big screen, and I was eager to make use of it with some high-quality streaming video. That, plus it's a ton of fun taking screencaps of the evening news guy and drawing a moustache on him with the stylus. Nyuk, nyuk.

YouTube link for mobile viewing

Bell Mobile TV offers shows currently playing live, but you can also call up shows on demand. You can browse a program guide to find out what's playing when, and set alerts for shows that you want to catch as they air. As an added bonus, Bell Mobile TV also provides support for Sirius Satellite Radio, though you've got to pay extra for it.
The whole shebang costs $5/month, and includes 5 hours of viewing that doesn't count towards your usual monthly data limit. Beyond that, it's an extra $1/hour. There are also some premium channels, like HBO, that cost an extra $5/month for mobile access. Unfortunately, just like real TV, you still have to sit through commercials, even for the on-demand stuff.

The selection of program selection is decent, but not great. Even if you pay an extra for HBO, you only get The Sopranos and Sex and the City on demand (though you can still tune in live). The only show on Comedy Central that I was really excited to watch on demand was Ugly Americans. As you might expect, CTV has a ton of stuff, like The Colbert Report, The Big Bang Theory, Grey's Anatomy, and lots of others.
Bell's emphasis on TV is particularly important because they actually own CTV, which is one of Canada's biggest networks. Along with Rogers, Bell has come under a fair bit of fire, since such a set-up (usually called "vertical integration") used to allow them to retain programming exclusivity in channels like mobile, but I won't get too mired in the politics of it all. You can read up more on it here.

Bell has recently expanded their LTE network to include Montreal, Vancouver, and my current home, Ottawa, Ontario. While that's really helpful for services like this mobile TV app that demand high-speed data access, coverage is still spotty. I wasn't able to get my LTE service at my home in the west end of town with the Samsung Galaxy Note, but even on HSPA+, all you have to deal with is an extra little bit of buffering time. In all fairness, Rogers LTE is still hit and miss in the area too. The video quality itself is good enough, but the real sacrifice is made in audio. Even with headphones on, don't expect anything incredible.
Since I'm not a big TV-watcher anyway, I'm not sure I would find a lot of use for this kind of service, but if it included the ability to shunt video out to the TV over DLNA or HDMI, then I might consider it. Even if you're already hooked up with Bell TV, they've got a remote PVR app available manage which shows you're recording while far from home. In the long haul, I probably wouldn't be too happy with the 5 hour limit each month for mobile TV, and there seems to be a lot nikel-and-diming to get access to the channels you really want. I'm sure sports fans will love being able to tune in live and pull up game highlights, but since that's not me, I'll be sticking to Netflix. For more information, hit up Bell's Mobile TV minisite.
Oh, and you guys should stick around ... We'll be giving away a Samsung Galaxy Note from Bell soon!

Samsung Galaxy Note review (AT&T)

In regards to this AT&T Samsung Galaxy Note review, we, the writers, editors and readers of Android Central, hereby stipulate the following:

• It is a BIG smartphone. Anyone who says differently is just wrong.
• Not everybody's sold on using a stylus; nor will everyone ever be - and that's OK.
• If we never see another Galaxy Note press release, it'll be too soon. (Unless it's the one saying it's being updated to Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich.)
• Anyone who calls the Galaxy Note a "phablet" in an un-ironic manner should be unmercilessly ridiculed even more than they likely already are.

Seriously. It's BIG. We know it. We get it. Nothing we say will change that fact.
So what it is about the Galaxy Note that's made it so popular? Samsung's shipped more than 1 million so far. That's different than "sold," but a million is not a small number. And will that popularity translate over to the North American markets? Will Samsung's aggressive marketing win out? Will it just be too darn BIG for our American sensibilities?
It's a smartphone. A BIG smartphone. With a stylus. Not so hard to wrap your head around. But wrapping your hand around it? That's another matter.

CM9 Nightlies Officially Launched, Available for CDMA Galaxy Nexus, Nexus S and Xoom

For those of you Android owners who are rooted and love a little custom ROM action, I just might have some good news for you. Last night the CyanogenMod team released the first nightly of the CM9 ROM for the Galaxy Nexus, Nexus S and Xoom tablet. I am sure some of you have already been using one of the few CM9 kangs that are floating around, but rest assured this is the real deal. This is as official as it gets.
Before you get all antsy on me and wipe all your data from your device let me fill you in on some of the details. I haven’t had the chance to check it out yet but according to Reditt user thastig, a few of the CM9 functions are not available yet and appear as dead options. Just because the ROM doesn’t have all of its additional features activated yet doesn’t mean your device won’t be fully functional. Everything is working so you don’t need to worry about loosing any of the stock features from your device (and now you can enjoy that cool boot animation!). As far as custom ROMs and developers go, the CM team and their series of ROMs are one of the most stable options available, support and updates are top notch too.
You can’t go wrong with this ROM, but if you are used to running CND or something similar, be aware you will loose some of the additional features you have come accustomed to. That’s not to say this isn’t an absolute treat by any means, I am super excited to see that we have reached the point of nighties. It’s only going to get better from here folks!
Jump past the break for Galaxy Nexus install directions/links and a link to other device builds.
Galaxy Nexus Install Instructions:

1. Download the Google Apps package from Goo-Inside.me (a must! CM9 does not include them)
2. Download the CM9 nightly
3. Reboot into recovery through ROM Manager
4. Create a nandroid backup under “backup and restore”
5. Wipe data/factory reset
6. Wipe “cache”
7. To be safe wipe “dalvik cache” under the “advanced” menu
8. Select “install zip from SD card” then select “choose zip”
9. Select “downloads” folder (if thats where you placed the above downloads)
10. Select the “NIGHTLY-toro-signed.zip” file and flash it
11. Select the “gapps-ics-20120215-zip” package and flash it
12. Select “back” and then “reboot”, profit!

You can find the Nexus S and Xoom builds here.

Samsung Secretly Developing Bezel-Less Device Called Galaxy B?

It looks like a major breakthrough in Android smartphone and tablet design is upon us. Rumor has it that Samsung is secretly working on a bezel-less device, meaning a device featuring an all-screen front may soon be within our grasp. Because Ice Cream Sandwich utilizes virtual buttons, it makes total sense that devices with smaller or no bezels appear on the horizon– which is why Sammy is rumored to be developing the Galaxy B smartphone.
Before you all get excited and go nuts, please note this Galaxy B bezel-less device is based off pure speculation. That means this could all be some sort of sick rumor and bezel-less devices may not be a reality just yet. Let’s hope that Sammy comes through and gives us some sort of leak or hint soon. MWC perhaps?

Samsung unveils quad-core Exynos processors ahead of Mobile World Congress

Yesterday at the International Solid-State Circuits Conference, Samsung showed their new Exynos chip, which can come in dual-core and quad-core configurations. Frequencies range from 200 MHz to 1.5 GHz, and it’s 32nm part, which is down from 45nm with the previous chip. This means better performance and less power consumption.
The new CPU gets a performance boost of 26% over the current Exynos chip. They’re also promising a 50% improvement of battery life. One has to wonder if these comparisons are based on dual-core or quad-core. Either way, I’m sure we will find out more next week at Mobile World Congress so stay tuned.

The Samsung Galaxy Note has been an extremely hot topic here in the US as of late, but overseas its been out for quite some time. However, that doesn’t mean every carrier is offering it. The Note is set to show up on the Three UK cellular network sometime soon. This was just announced by the carrier themselves, and that they’ll be carrying the white version. You all probably know the Note for its amazingly large display, but do you know what the insides consist of? The Note has an 800×1280 pixel resolution, 1.4GHz dual-core Exynos processor, 1GB RAM, and 32GB of built in storage. It comes with a generous 2500mAh battery that should last you 13.5 hours talk time on a single charge; not bad for a device that has to power a 5.3″ display. We have a hands-on up of the recently released AT&T model, and a more in-depth review available as well. It’s a spectacular device, and though it doesn’t fit in the palm of every hand out there, we agree it’s worth taking a look at if your carrier offers it. We have no idea on when Three UK will be releasing it, but it’s great to know it’s on the way.

Hey ladies! Have I got something cool for you to check out today… and yes it’s pink. Samsung recently teamed up with Bobbi Brown ( the makeup manufacturer, not the music artist. I wouldn’t submit you to any of his shenanigans) and released a pink version of the Galaxy S II. Not only do you get the most popular and best selling Android device ever in pink, you also get a small set of Bobbi Brown makeup and key ring to go along with it. By the looks of the pictures, the phone comes packaged in a sexy black box with a mirror on the lid, and you will also get a few eye shadow colors and a pink lip gloss, you know you love lip gloss!

Anyway, Sammy is doing this collaboration in celebration of selling over 5 million Galaxy S II’s in the Korean markets. That being said I must mention that this limited edition model is only available in Korea at this time and there is no word on its availability elsewhere. Sorry if I got your hopes up but if it’s just the pink SGSII you’re after, you can get that in the UK, Sweden and in Taiwan currently. For those who live in Korea and want the Bobbi Brown version, starting today you can get this device at Samsung’s “How To Live Smart” side project through the link below. Anyone getting one, or wish they could get one? Let us know in the comments.

Samsung Galaxy Note to show up on the Three UK network

The Samsung Galaxy Note has been an extremely hot topic here in the US as of late, but overseas its been out for quite some time. However, that doesn’t mean every carrier is offering it. The Note is set to show up on the Three UK cellular network sometime soon. This was just announced by the carrier themselves, and that they’ll be carrying the white version.


You all probably know the Note for its amazingly large display, but do you know what the insides consist of? The Note has an 800×1280 pixel resolution, 1.4GHz dual-core Exynos processor, 1GB RAM, and 32GB of built in storage. It comes with a generous 2500mAh battery that should last you 13.5 hours talk time on a single charge; not bad for a device that has to power a 5.3″ display.
We have a hands-on up of the recently released AT&T model, and a more in-depth review available as well. It’s a spectacular device, and though it doesn’t fit in the palm of every hand out there, we agree it’s worth taking a look at if your carrier offers it. We have no idea on when Three UK will be releasing it, but it’s great to know it’s on the way.

Samsung Galaxy B rumored to have bezel-free AMOLED display

Samsung won’t have the long-awaited Galaxy S III at Mobile World Congress next week, and it appears that none of the hardware it will have on hand is notable enough for a press conference. But if rumors from MK News can be believed, there’ll be at least one interesting thing to see: a smartphone with no bezel, or at least a nearly invisible one. The “Samsung Galaxy B” is reported to have a Super AMOLED display with no bezel (i.e. no space between the edge of the screen and the edge of the phone) on the side or bottom of the screen, with just a sliver on top for a speaker and front-facing camera.

A lack of bezel would make for a stylish-looking phone, certainly – high-end devices have been getting smaller and smaller bezels every year to squeeze larger displays into phones. The Galaxy Nexus and Galaxy S II already have bezels that are downright tiny. That said, having no bezel at all might be a bit of an issue when it comes to usability: too close to the edge ,and gripping the side of your phone could register a press on the capacitive screen. Speaking of capacitive, a phone with zero bezel on the bottom would mean virtual navigation buttons, and following, Ice Cream Sandwich running at launch.
All of this is absolutely, completely and utterly unconfirmed, with no spy photos or specifications to be had. While organic light-emitting diode technology certainly allows for much smaller spaces outside the screen than traditional LCDs, we haven’t seen anyone incorporate an OLED panel into a phone (or any other device) with no bezel at all. Still, that gives us at least one more reason to swing by Samsung’s booth, the first being the unconfirmed Galaxy Tab 11.6. Make sure to keep out Mobile World Congress portal bookmarked for up-to-the-minute coverage from Barcelona, starting on Sunday.