Samsung said in a statement that the move was “in the interest of protecting consumer choice.” But it also could have been related to the European Union’s simultaneous investigation into whether Samsung had violated any laws in fairly licensing standard-essential patents. Read more »
It looks like AT&T’s Galaxy Note 2 will be the last to get the unique multi-window feature in the U.S. Sprint and Verizon devices already have it and T-Mobile announced that its version will see it become available starting this week, if all goes to plan. Read more »
Samsung’s Galaxy Camera with Android 4.1 debuts in Verizon’s online store on Dec. 13. If you want a 16 megapixel sensor, 21x optical zoom and integrated LTE radio, this is the camera for you. But beyond the $549 price tag, expect to pay $5 monthly.. Read more »
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The lack of greentech hardware success stories points to a potentially missing piece of the puzzle: a Samsung-style intense focus on manufacturing. Read more »
Snapseed, the hottest photo editing iOS app, arrived on Android this week; the free download is a must-try. Galaxy S III owners are about to get the ability to run two apps on one screen while the Samsung Muse MP3 player has a unique feature. Read more »
Most MP3 players share a common denominator: Unless they have a Wi-Fi radio, you have to connect them to a computer to get your music on them. Not so with the Samsung Muse a $50 pebble-shaped device that syncs music from a smartphone. Read more »
A Thursday courtroom hearing went on for three and a half hours, bogging down with continual disagreements from both sides. Here’s a brief roundup of what happened in the first day of Apple and Samsung’s long appeals process Read more »
Samsung’s best selling Galaxy S III is about to get even better based on what the Premium Suite software suite will bring. The multi-window feature I like on my Galaxy Note 2 is in there as are several other useful functions as shown in this video. Read more »
The mobile-messaging value chain is changing as OTT players upend mobile operators’ SMS business. There will be 27.7 trillion messages by 2016, and most of the growth in traffic will come from IP-based services. Successful carriers will use this new technology to extend reliability and scalability. Read more at GigaOM Pro »
The “always new computer” is new yet again: Google is releasing Chrome OS updates for all Chromebooks and users should see the software hit in the next few days. User interface improvements are in there and some key apps are enabled for offline use by default. Read more »
The photo and video app market is a sizable one undergoing rapid changes right now. With low barriers to entry, this is a market that also consists of a large number of developers and is certainly not limited to a handful of well-financed startups. Read more at GigaOM Pro »
Don’t think that wireless NFC tags are just for mobile payments. You can do practically anything with them if you know how to program them with small bits of data. Some free apps make this easy and I’m already on the NFC bandwagon at home. Read more »
We’ve been talking about connected homes and the internet of things for at least a decade, but why is there so much suddenly happening in the connected device space? Smartphones, access to cheap off-the-shelf technology and open software platforms have sparked the change. Read more »
In the last few days, both companies have added more products to their dispute, which they each claim violate mobile patents they own. Apple has included the flagship Galaxy S III and Galaxy Note II, while Samsung has named the iPad mini as an infringer. Read more »
Most people today wouldn’t think of replacing their PC with a smartphone, but that future may not be far off. Amazing advances in hardware and software show this becoming a real possibility as shown in this fantastic video demonstration with a Samsung Galaxy Note 2. Read more »
Samsung’s newest Galaxy Note 10.1 tablet features an LTE radio inside. That alone isn’t unique — Apple’s iPad offers an LTE option, for example — but this Samsung slate supports VoLTE, or Voice over LTE. Don’t get too excited; this model is launching in Korea for now. Read more »
Bringing the maker ethos to toys is a popular effort among hackers and startups, and with ATOMS Express, a Boulder entrepreneur hopes to make DIY toys a reality for younger children and anyone else without programming skills. A Kickstarter campaign could lead to products by June. Read more »
With many shaped and sized Android phones, it’s often difficult to find third-party accessories that work with multiple devices. Grace Digital’s gdock speaker won’t work with every Android, but it does support audio playback and charging for Samsung’s Galaxy S2, S3, Note and Note 2. Read more »
Samsung has already experienced the worst case scenario in going head-to-head with Apple and has been tagged with a billion-dollar verdict. The company has so little to lose now that it’s not at all surprising Samsung says it has no plans to settle like HTC. Read more »
Apple and Samsung’s businesses are deeply intertwined, and since the epic patent trial win by Apple this summer, things have gotten more tense and negotiations between the two partner competitors continue to play out in public. Read more »
TV broadcasters and programmers must embrace a new set of video-delivery techniques to reach consumers today. Online delivery to so many types of consumer devices means that video programmers must produce multiple internet-streaming formats that use different types of security and different ways of inserting ads. Read more at GigaOM Pro »
Could a smartphone be your primary computing device? With this $99 Samsung Smart Dock for the Galaxy Note 2, it’s possible. The dock supports 3 USB accessories — think keyboard, mouse and storage — and includes HDMI out for 1080p video on a monitor or HDTV. Read more »
Price changes on components in and of themselves aren’t necessarily controversial. There could be plenty of reasons Samsung had to charge Apple more. But in the context of the last few months which saw Apple win a verdict of $1 billion against Samsung, it naturally raises eyebrows. Read more »
Apple and British judges have been in a long-running fight over an order that requires Apple to say that Samsung didn’t copy the iPad. Today, the frustrated judges got the last word in a decision scolding Apple. Read more »
Samsung’s Galaxy S III was the best-selling smartphone model last quarter, says research firm Strategy Analytics. That may or may not be true due to the “shipped vs sold” argument. Truth be told, it doesn’t matter because only Samsung could possibly rival Apple’s iPhone. Here’s why. Read more »
As Windows computers morph into tablets, expect more such devices to be found in network operator stores. Case in point: AT&T will sell Samsung’s Smart PC with mobile broadband radio for $799 without contract. Is the price too high for what you’re getting? Read more »
This week was huge for Android devices. The Nexus 7 gained a 3G model and more storage for less money. LG’s Nexus 4 launched with a low no-contract price of $299 while for $100 more you can get a Nexus 10 tablet with outstanding screen. Read more »
Brand advertising’s focus on cross-platform media measurement has grown dramatically in the past five years. Within the next 36 months cross-platform digital video advertising will standardize, driven by the shift in media dollars to online viewing and the adoption of the Making Measurement Make Sense (3MS) initiative. Read more at GigaOM Pro »
Google’s Android event next week may not hold many surprises. We’ve already heard about the Nexus 4 smartphone from LG coming and now there are reported images and specifications on Samsung-built Nexus 10 tablet: a super high-resolution 10-inch Nexus with Samsung’s fast new chip. Read more »
Samsung may have lost a patent dispute with Apple but it’s looking like a smart investment: The company kept its top-selling smartphone sales status and increased its lead over Apple. Meanwhile, Nokia fell out of the top 5 smartphone sellers for the first time ever. Read more »
AT&T’s version of the 5.5-inch Samsung Galaxy Note 2 arrives in stores on November 8 with pre-orders expected to begin this week. The phone will use Samsung’s 1.6 GHz quad-core chip, promising speedy performance on the device, supplemented with AT&T’s LTE network for fast mobile broadband. Read more »
Google surprised many last week by launching a new $249 Chromebook, which is $200 lower than the prior model. One part of the cost savings is replacing the Intel processor with a new Samsung chip designed for phones and tablets. So how’s the performance? Read more »
Samsung has been the top supplier of LCDs to Apple in the first half of 2012. But according to a new report, Apple has been cutting its reliance on Samsung Display since then. Now Samsung wants to end the display relationship altogether. Read more »
Even with new devices announced, the Galaxy Note 2 continues to impress. This week, I spent more time learning about the useful S-Pen. Meanwhile, Google’s mobile revenues are app; could content for the Nexus 7 be helping? Acer’s new small slate cuts a few corners. Read more »
Google’s newest Chromebook, made by Samsung, only costs $249 and offers the same general performance of ChromeOS is a smaller, lighter package. How’d they do it? This model uses the same chip type that powers smartphones and tablets. Take a look at my hands-on thoughts. Read more »
The third quarter saw many parts of the traditional media business in flux. Other developments included the rollout of new device-based content ecosystems, red flags and red ink for traditional consumer electronics makers, and a resurgence of consumer purchases of movies. Read more at GigaOM Pro »
It’s not often I buy a mobile gadget and get a bonus, but that’s how I feel about the S-Pen in Samsung’s Galaxy Note 2. I never thought I’d use the digital pen, but I’m finding more uses for it every day; here are a few. Read more »
Samsung’s 5.5-inch Galaxy Note 2 smartphone arrives on the Sprint network Oct. 25 for $299 with contract. The phone supports unlimited data on Sprint’s LTE network and will ship with Android 4.1.1 plus Samsung’s own software that takes advantage of the included digital S-Pen. Read more »
This week on the audio podcast, Matt and Kevin share hands impressions of with Apple’s new iPod touch, Jelly Bean on the Galaxy S III and thoughts on prices for the iPad Mini and Windows RT tablets. Plus a recap of other mobile gadget news! Read more »
