Samsung I9100 Galaxy S II
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Samsung
Samsung I9100 Galaxy S II MORE PICTURES
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Galaxy S II vs. Galaxy S Plus vs. Optimus 2X: Head to head revisited
Samsung I9100 Galaxy S II review: Brightest star
Samsung I9100 Galaxy S II preview: Second encounter
MWC 2011: Samsung overview
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General 2G Network GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900
3G Network HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1900 / 2100
HSDPA 1700 / 2100 / 1900 - for Telus
Announced 2011, February
Status Available. Released 2011, April
Body Dimensions 125.3 x 66.1 x 8.5 mm
Weight 116 g
- Touch-sensitive controls
Display Type Super AMOLED Plus capacitive touchscreen, 16M colors
Size 480 x 800 pixels, 4.3 inches (~217 ppi pixel density)
Multitouch Yes
Protection Corning Gorilla Glass
- TouchWiz UI v4.0
Sound Alert types Vibration; MP3, WAV ringtones
Loudspeaker Yes
3.5mm jack Yes, check quality
Memory Card slot microSD, up to 32GB
Internal 16GB/32GB storage, 1 GB RAM
Data GPRS Class 12 (4+1/3+2/2+3/1+4 slots), 32 - 48 kbps
EDGE Class 12
Speed HSDPA, 21 Mbps; HSUPA, 5.76 Mbps
WLAN Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n, DLNA, Wi-Fi Direct, Wi-Fi hotspot
Bluetooth Yes, v3.0+HS
NFC Optional
USB Yes, v2.0 microUSB (MHL), USB On-the-go
Camera Primary 8 MP, 3264x2448 pixels, autofocus, LED flash, check quality
Features Geo-tagging, touch focus, face and smile detection, image stabilization
Video Yes, 1080p@30fps, check quality
Secondary Yes, 2 MP
Features OS Android OS, v2.3.4 (Gingerbread), upgradable to v4.x
Chipset Exynos
CPU Dual-core 1.2 GHz Cortex-A9
GPU Mali-400MP
Sensors Accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass
Messaging SMS(threaded view), MMS, Email, Push Mail, IM, RSS
Browser HTML, Adobe Flash
Radio Stereo FM radio with RDS
GPS Yes, with A-GPS support
Java Yes, via Java MIDP emulator
Colors Black, White, Pink
- Active noise cancellation with dedicated mic
- TV-out (via MHL 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 editor (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, PDF)
- Google Search, Maps, Gmail,
YouTube, Calendar, Google Talk, Picasa integration
- Voice memo/dial/commands
- Predictive text input (Swype)
Battery Standard battery, Li-Ion 1650 mAh
Stand-by Up to 710 h (2G) / Up to 610 h (3G)
Talk time Up to 18 h 20 min (2G) / Up to 8 h 40 min (3G)
Misc SAR US 0.16 W/kg (head) 0.96 W/kg (body)
SAR EU 0.34 W/kg (head)
Price group [About 370 EUR]
Showing posts with label device. Show all posts
Showing posts with label device. Show all posts
Thursday, March 15, 2012
Monday, March 12, 2012
Samsung Galaxy S2 review
Samsung Galaxy S2 review
Transfer Your Photos, Videos, Music, Documents and more in a flash, by simply plugging in your Beyond USB into your Smartphone or Computer. Very simple and easy for all to use. Get Yours Today! Visit http://www.BeyondUSB.com for details!
Dual-core power, beautiful screen - the Galaxy S II is the kind of sequel we like
Our Score 5
Last reviewed: 2011-04-26April 26th 2011
Mobile phones Review
REVIEW
USER REVIEWS ( 1864)
PHOTOS
FULL SPEC
COMPARE DEALS
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the-definitive-samsung-galaxy-s2-review
The definitive Samsung Galaxy S2 review
The Samsung Galaxy S II is the phone the Korean firm deems the successor to its best smartphone so far. And with a 1.2GHz processor, super-slim chassis and feather-light innards, it's easy to see why.
The dual-core race is set to heat up massively over the next few months, with the LG Optimus 2X already released, and the Motorola Atrix, HTC Sensation and iPhone 5 or iPhone 4S all set to bring the tech to market too.
Coming in at £35 a month and £519.99 SIM-free, the Galaxy S 2 isn't the cheapest phone out there by a long chalk – so let's see if it can match up to that larger price tag.
You can check out our Samsung Galaxy S 2 video:
The Samsung Galaxy S2 is almost impossibly thin when you pick it up – dimensions of 125.3 x 66.1 x 8.5mm mean it's one of the thinnest smartphones on the market at the moment, rivalling the likes of the iPhone 4 and Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc for the title.
Samsung galaxy s2 review
It's crazy-light too – when we show you what tech is rammed under the hood, you'll be amazed that it all goes in a device that weighs only a shade over 100g (116g, to be precise).
Samsung clearly traded the premium feel an all-metal chassis might have brought to keep the grams off the Galaxy S2 – pop the battery cover off and you'll find you're holding a piece of pretty flimsy plastic.
Samsung galaxy s2 review
However, most of the time you won't be removing this and it fits nicely into the contoured chassis – the mesh feel on the rear also helps keep your hand from getting warm during extended holding.
The other thing you'll notice when you first pick up the Galaxy S2 is the screen – at 4.3 inches it's hard to miss, and when you turn it on the Super AMOLED plus technology hits you square in the eyeballs (once it's got through the toughened Gorilla Glass).
Samsung galaxy s2 review
We called the Samsung Galaxy S "the best phone on the market for media" when we reviewed it, thanks to its first-gen Super AMOLED screen. Now the Galaxy S2 has definitely improved on that, with a superbly crisp and vibrant screen.
The only problem is a slightly schizophrenic auto-brightness - if you try and save battery by having the sensor monitor ambient light levels, then the screen decides to bounce about with light levels even in same conditions.
UPDATE: Samsung has released a fix to solve this problem already, so forget about it. Un-read what you just read. We could delete it, but that would be lying to you.
In the hand, the Galaxy S2 sits much better than we'd have expected, given the whopping screen on offer, and that's mostly down to its slim depth.
Samsung galaxy s2 review
The front of the phone is pretty sparse, with the home key the only piece of furniture on offer. This rectangular button flanks two touch-sensitive buttons – Menu and Back – so there's no room for contextual search here.
The volume keys are located on the left-hand side, and the power/lock key is on the opposite flank; both are easy enough to hit without error, and crucially the travel on the power key is softer so that it's much easier to hit when you're juggling it in the palm – compare that to its predecessor, where you could accidentally drop it trying to shut off the screen.
Samsung galaxy s2 review
The 3.5mm headphone jack lives on the top of the phone, bucking the lower placement on other 4.3-inch screen phones, and the microUSB slot (which also doubles as an HDMI out port) lives on the bottom.
The only other element of note is the 8.1MP camera with single LED flash on the rear – it's slightly raised, but not so much that it disrupts the Galaxy S2 when you're placing it on a table, thanks to a rear lip to help you hold the phone.
Samsung galaxy s2 review
We actually (foolishly, in hindsight) unboxed the phone while bouncing about on a powerboat on the Thames - and luckily, there was a camera rolling the whole time. (note - we're well aware of the stupid spec mistakes on the boat. Some were down to information given to us by Samsung that has since changed, and some due to sheer confusion at being thrown ten feet in the air and having our spine crushed.)
Transfer Your Photos, Videos, Music, Documents and more in a flash, by simply plugging in your Beyond USB into your Smartphone or Computer. Very simple and easy for all to use. Get Yours Today! Visit http://www.BeyondUSB.com for details!
Dual-core power, beautiful screen - the Galaxy S II is the kind of sequel we like
Our Score 5
Last reviewed: 2011-04-26April 26th 2011
Mobile phones Review
REVIEW
USER REVIEWS ( 1864)
PHOTOS
FULL SPEC
COMPARE DEALS
ALSO CONSIDER
the-definitive-samsung-galaxy-s2-review
The definitive Samsung Galaxy S2 review
The Samsung Galaxy S II is the phone the Korean firm deems the successor to its best smartphone so far. And with a 1.2GHz processor, super-slim chassis and feather-light innards, it's easy to see why.
The dual-core race is set to heat up massively over the next few months, with the LG Optimus 2X already released, and the Motorola Atrix, HTC Sensation and iPhone 5 or iPhone 4S all set to bring the tech to market too.
Coming in at £35 a month and £519.99 SIM-free, the Galaxy S 2 isn't the cheapest phone out there by a long chalk – so let's see if it can match up to that larger price tag.
You can check out our Samsung Galaxy S 2 video:
The Samsung Galaxy S2 is almost impossibly thin when you pick it up – dimensions of 125.3 x 66.1 x 8.5mm mean it's one of the thinnest smartphones on the market at the moment, rivalling the likes of the iPhone 4 and Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc for the title.
Samsung galaxy s2 review
It's crazy-light too – when we show you what tech is rammed under the hood, you'll be amazed that it all goes in a device that weighs only a shade over 100g (116g, to be precise).
Samsung clearly traded the premium feel an all-metal chassis might have brought to keep the grams off the Galaxy S2 – pop the battery cover off and you'll find you're holding a piece of pretty flimsy plastic.
Samsung galaxy s2 review
However, most of the time you won't be removing this and it fits nicely into the contoured chassis – the mesh feel on the rear also helps keep your hand from getting warm during extended holding.
The other thing you'll notice when you first pick up the Galaxy S2 is the screen – at 4.3 inches it's hard to miss, and when you turn it on the Super AMOLED plus technology hits you square in the eyeballs (once it's got through the toughened Gorilla Glass).
Samsung galaxy s2 review
We called the Samsung Galaxy S "the best phone on the market for media" when we reviewed it, thanks to its first-gen Super AMOLED screen. Now the Galaxy S2 has definitely improved on that, with a superbly crisp and vibrant screen.
The only problem is a slightly schizophrenic auto-brightness - if you try and save battery by having the sensor monitor ambient light levels, then the screen decides to bounce about with light levels even in same conditions.
UPDATE: Samsung has released a fix to solve this problem already, so forget about it. Un-read what you just read. We could delete it, but that would be lying to you.
In the hand, the Galaxy S2 sits much better than we'd have expected, given the whopping screen on offer, and that's mostly down to its slim depth.
Samsung galaxy s2 review
The front of the phone is pretty sparse, with the home key the only piece of furniture on offer. This rectangular button flanks two touch-sensitive buttons – Menu and Back – so there's no room for contextual search here.
The volume keys are located on the left-hand side, and the power/lock key is on the opposite flank; both are easy enough to hit without error, and crucially the travel on the power key is softer so that it's much easier to hit when you're juggling it in the palm – compare that to its predecessor, where you could accidentally drop it trying to shut off the screen.
Samsung galaxy s2 review
The 3.5mm headphone jack lives on the top of the phone, bucking the lower placement on other 4.3-inch screen phones, and the microUSB slot (which also doubles as an HDMI out port) lives on the bottom.
The only other element of note is the 8.1MP camera with single LED flash on the rear – it's slightly raised, but not so much that it disrupts the Galaxy S2 when you're placing it on a table, thanks to a rear lip to help you hold the phone.
Samsung galaxy s2 review
We actually (foolishly, in hindsight) unboxed the phone while bouncing about on a powerboat on the Thames - and luckily, there was a camera rolling the whole time. (note - we're well aware of the stupid spec mistakes on the boat. Some were down to information given to us by Samsung that has since changed, and some due to sheer confusion at being thrown ten feet in the air and having our spine crushed.)
Friday, March 9, 2012
New Samsung Galaxy device US trademarks applied for
New Samsung Galaxy device US trademarks applied for
Under: Mobile Phones, Samsung
Date: March 8th, 2012
Well now it appears that old Samsung might have at least three new devices to add to their Galaxy range at some point in the future, as word is Sammy has been applying for trademarks on three devices in the United States, and all will be new smartphones.
According to the guys over at The Next Web by way of Fusible, back on the 2nd of this month, Samsung submitted trademark applications for the Samsung Galaxy Emerge with a serial number of 85558647 along with the Samsung Galaxy Halo with serial number 85558619, and the Samsung Galaxy Stellar with serial number 85558639.
These three new Sammy devices are obviously Galaxy class smartphones because each of the trio have been categorised as “Mobile Phone: Smartphones,” in the filing that was made with the USPTO.
Obviously there is no word on just what these three Galaxy class smartphones may offer or even if they actually exist at this time, as apparently old Sammy is in the habit of filing handset trademarks with previous trademarks including the Galaxy Awaken, Galaxy Axiom, Galaxy Rite and Galaxy Heir smartphone just before Mobile World Congress.
However, gaining the trademarks does mean that Samsung can use those names for a smartphone at some point in the future if they desire to do so, so perhaps we will see the Emerge, Stellar and Halo surface at some point in the future.
Transfer Your Photos, Videos, Music, Documents and more in a flash, by simply plugging in your Beyond USB into your Smartphone or Computer. Very simple and easy for all to use. Get Yours Today! Visit http://www.BeyondUSB.com for more details.
Under: Mobile Phones, Samsung
Date: March 8th, 2012
Well now it appears that old Samsung might have at least three new devices to add to their Galaxy range at some point in the future, as word is Sammy has been applying for trademarks on three devices in the United States, and all will be new smartphones.
According to the guys over at The Next Web by way of Fusible, back on the 2nd of this month, Samsung submitted trademark applications for the Samsung Galaxy Emerge with a serial number of 85558647 along with the Samsung Galaxy Halo with serial number 85558619, and the Samsung Galaxy Stellar with serial number 85558639.
These three new Sammy devices are obviously Galaxy class smartphones because each of the trio have been categorised as “Mobile Phone: Smartphones,” in the filing that was made with the USPTO.
Obviously there is no word on just what these three Galaxy class smartphones may offer or even if they actually exist at this time, as apparently old Sammy is in the habit of filing handset trademarks with previous trademarks including the Galaxy Awaken, Galaxy Axiom, Galaxy Rite and Galaxy Heir smartphone just before Mobile World Congress.
However, gaining the trademarks does mean that Samsung can use those names for a smartphone at some point in the future if they desire to do so, so perhaps we will see the Emerge, Stellar and Halo surface at some point in the future.
Transfer Your Photos, Videos, Music, Documents and more in a flash, by simply plugging in your Beyond USB into your Smartphone or Computer. Very simple and easy for all to use. Get Yours Today! Visit http://www.BeyondUSB.com for more details.
Thursday, March 8, 2012
Samsung Galaxy S2 Ice Cream Sandwich Update Dated
Samsung Galaxy S2 Ice Cream Sandwich Update Dated
By Andrew Williams
06 March 2012
Transfer Your Photos, Videos, Music, Documents and more in a flash, by simply plugging in your Beyond USB into your Smartphone or Computer. Very simple and easy for all to use. Get Yours Today! Visit http://www.BeyondUSB.com for more details!
The Samsung Galaxy S2, a phone that has sold over 20 million units, will get an update to Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich on 15 March. This info comes from Samsung direct, so hopefully it won't evaporate into hot air.
We don't have full faith in its rock-solid-ness, though. Samsung's official Israeli Facebook page told the world that the ICS update would arrive on 15 March, but the post has since been deleted. As the best-selling Android phone there is, plenty of owners must be pining for the update by now.
Samsung Galaxy S2
Ice Cream Sandwich made its smartphone debut in the Samsung Galaxy Nexus, released in December 2011. Why the delay, when they are both Samsung phones? The Samsung Galaxy S2 uses the custom TouchWiz user interface, which needs a thorough re-tweaking and test any time the underlying Android software changes.
This delay has been the bane of Android enthusiasts ever since the first Android updates of 2008 and 2009. If anything, a 3-month delay isn't actually that bad compared with some past performances from HTC and others.
The main improvements of Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandiwich are its new user interface - which incorporates virtual nav buttons - improved multi-tasking, better data usage tools and a much improved camera app. ICS also sees the smartphone and tablet sides of the Android kingdom get together once more - previously mobiles have used 2.x Gingerbread and (most decent) tablets 3.x Honeycomb.
Samsung's sequel to the Galaxy S2, the Galaxy S3, is expected to launch later this year. A rumoured April release was quashed by Samsung recently, but we expect it will do its best to beat the iPhone 5 to the punch.
By Andrew Williams
06 March 2012
Transfer Your Photos, Videos, Music, Documents and more in a flash, by simply plugging in your Beyond USB into your Smartphone or Computer. Very simple and easy for all to use. Get Yours Today! Visit http://www.BeyondUSB.com for more details!
The Samsung Galaxy S2, a phone that has sold over 20 million units, will get an update to Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich on 15 March. This info comes from Samsung direct, so hopefully it won't evaporate into hot air.
We don't have full faith in its rock-solid-ness, though. Samsung's official Israeli Facebook page told the world that the ICS update would arrive on 15 March, but the post has since been deleted. As the best-selling Android phone there is, plenty of owners must be pining for the update by now.
Samsung Galaxy S2
Ice Cream Sandwich made its smartphone debut in the Samsung Galaxy Nexus, released in December 2011. Why the delay, when they are both Samsung phones? The Samsung Galaxy S2 uses the custom TouchWiz user interface, which needs a thorough re-tweaking and test any time the underlying Android software changes.
This delay has been the bane of Android enthusiasts ever since the first Android updates of 2008 and 2009. If anything, a 3-month delay isn't actually that bad compared with some past performances from HTC and others.
The main improvements of Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandiwich are its new user interface - which incorporates virtual nav buttons - improved multi-tasking, better data usage tools and a much improved camera app. ICS also sees the smartphone and tablet sides of the Android kingdom get together once more - previously mobiles have used 2.x Gingerbread and (most decent) tablets 3.x Honeycomb.
Samsung's sequel to the Galaxy S2, the Galaxy S3, is expected to launch later this year. A rumoured April release was quashed by Samsung recently, but we expect it will do its best to beat the iPhone 5 to the punch.
Wednesday, March 7, 2012
Samsung Galaxy Tab Review
Samsung Galaxy Tab Review by http://samsunggalaxytabreview.net/
Transfer Your Photos, Videos, Music, Documents and more in a flash, by simply plugging in your Beyond USB into your Smartphone or Computer. Very simple and easy for all to use. Get Yours Today! Visit www.BeyondUSB.com for Details!
Welcome to the Samsung Galaxy Tab Review Site. We like to review Samsung Products and tell you which ones are the best to use. Many times people don’t know which product to buy since they’re hesitant. How many times have you read reviews from friends only to be swayed into thinking that your opinions were wrong? At our site we have unbiased reviews showing you the best Samsung Galaxy Tab products to buy and where to buy them. Sometimes Amazon and Walmart is out of stock, but that’s okay, our site will always contain the latest up to date products. If you have been looking for a place to find good reviews on Samsung Galaxy Prices we will help you find good deals. A lot of times it can be confusing with all the information out there. Sometimes the review you read on Amazon are not real and written by Samsung Staff themselves! We will help you find the real ones! The Galaxy tab reviews we have on our site will blow you away. Enjoy them while you are here, and read through all of them. Please pass this site on to your friends so they can learn about the Galaxy Tab.
Samsung Galaxy Tab Price
Samsung Galaxy Tab Price
Many times, people will hestitate when deciding which Samsung Galaxy Tab Price is affordable to them. Usually they will compare the size and see which price point makes it the most effective to purchase. Usually when they compare the price they want to see it against the iPad and other similar tablets to see if it’s worth it to them. We did a comparison of the samsung galaxy tab price and here is the verdict.
Be the first to comment - What do you think?
Posted by Team - March 5, 2012 at 11:31 am
Categories: Tab Price Tags:
Samsung Galaxy S Review
samsung galaxy s review
Our Samsung Galaxy S Review will tell you what’s so good and bad about the Samsung Galaxy S! At first we had no idea that Samsung created another version of the Galaxy Tab. Basically they made it phone form, and they brought it down to size so that people can use it as a cellular device. But hey, the big screen is great for viewing many things as well! Even CNET Asia gave the Galaxy S a score of 8.4 out of 10. This means that everybody is RAVING about it!
Be the first to comment - What do you think?
Posted by Team - March 5, 2012 at 11:16 am
Categories: Galaxy S Review Tags:
Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 Price
samsung galaxy tab 10.1 price
The Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 price is one of the first considerations that people make when deciding whether to buy it or not. Sometimes the price is the most important factor in choosing a product is not just the quality, but the price. There are many factors people consider in addition to the price. What makes the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 price better than the old one? The new Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 has so many more features that makes it better than the old one.
Transfer Your Photos, Videos, Music, Documents and more in a flash, by simply plugging in your Beyond USB into your Smartphone or Computer. Very simple and easy for all to use. Get Yours Today! Visit www.BeyondUSB.com for Details!
Welcome to the Samsung Galaxy Tab Review Site. We like to review Samsung Products and tell you which ones are the best to use. Many times people don’t know which product to buy since they’re hesitant. How many times have you read reviews from friends only to be swayed into thinking that your opinions were wrong? At our site we have unbiased reviews showing you the best Samsung Galaxy Tab products to buy and where to buy them. Sometimes Amazon and Walmart is out of stock, but that’s okay, our site will always contain the latest up to date products. If you have been looking for a place to find good reviews on Samsung Galaxy Prices we will help you find good deals. A lot of times it can be confusing with all the information out there. Sometimes the review you read on Amazon are not real and written by Samsung Staff themselves! We will help you find the real ones! The Galaxy tab reviews we have on our site will blow you away. Enjoy them while you are here, and read through all of them. Please pass this site on to your friends so they can learn about the Galaxy Tab.
Samsung Galaxy Tab Price
Samsung Galaxy Tab Price
Many times, people will hestitate when deciding which Samsung Galaxy Tab Price is affordable to them. Usually they will compare the size and see which price point makes it the most effective to purchase. Usually when they compare the price they want to see it against the iPad and other similar tablets to see if it’s worth it to them. We did a comparison of the samsung galaxy tab price and here is the verdict.
Be the first to comment - What do you think?
Posted by Team - March 5, 2012 at 11:31 am
Categories: Tab Price Tags:
Samsung Galaxy S Review
samsung galaxy s review
Our Samsung Galaxy S Review will tell you what’s so good and bad about the Samsung Galaxy S! At first we had no idea that Samsung created another version of the Galaxy Tab. Basically they made it phone form, and they brought it down to size so that people can use it as a cellular device. But hey, the big screen is great for viewing many things as well! Even CNET Asia gave the Galaxy S a score of 8.4 out of 10. This means that everybody is RAVING about it!
Be the first to comment - What do you think?
Posted by Team - March 5, 2012 at 11:16 am
Categories: Galaxy S Review Tags:
Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 Price
samsung galaxy tab 10.1 price
The Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 price is one of the first considerations that people make when deciding whether to buy it or not. Sometimes the price is the most important factor in choosing a product is not just the quality, but the price. There are many factors people consider in addition to the price. What makes the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 price better than the old one? The new Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 has so many more features that makes it better than the old one.
Friday, March 2, 2012
Samsung Galaxy S2 Overview
Transfer Your Photos, Videos, Music, Documents and more in a flash, by simply plugging in your Beyond USB into your Smartphone or Computer. Very simple and easy for all to use. Get Yours Today! Visit http://www.BeoyndUSB.com for more information.
Samsung Galaxy S2 Overview
The Galaxy S2 (sometimes known as the Galaxy S II) is the follow up to Samsung's widely successful Galaxy S lineup. This time, the Galaxy S2 raises all the stakes and Samsung has found a way to double almost every spec in a true, one of a kind sequel.
With a 4.3-inch SAMOLED Plus screen (no more Pentile Matrix display), 1.2GHz dual-core Exynos processor, 8MP rear camera/ 2MP front-facing camera, both 1080p recording and playback, NFC capabilities, great battery life and one of the thinnest phones on the globe, the Galaxy S2 is a welcome update to the Galaxy family. Superphones don't get much better than this.
Many have heralded the S II as being the best smartphone to come out yet, with some reviewers saying that even the iPhone 4 can't beat it. It has Samsung's overlay, TouchWiz 4.0, which is said to be leaps and bounds better than 3.0.
Samsung Galaxy S2 Specs
General
Form Factor: Candybar
AKA: Samsung Galaxy S II, Samsung Galaxy S II 4G
Date Released (YYYY/MM/DD): 2011/04/28
Size
Weight: 116g
Dimensions: 125.3 x 66.1 x 8.49mm
Display
Resolution: 480x800
Size: 4.3 inches
Type: Super AMOLED Plus
Camera
Video: 1080p full HD Playback and Recording at 30fps
Flash: LED Flash
Auto-focus: Yes
Megapixels: 8MP (Rear), 2MP (Front)
Connectivity
GPS: A-GPS
USB: MicroUSB 2.0
Bluetooth: Bluetooth 3.0
Wi-Fi: 802.11 a/b/g/n
HDMI: Yes, MHL-enabled microUSB port
Multimedia
Headset Jack: 3.5mm
Radio: FM Radio
Battery
Type: 1650 mAh
Hardware/OS
Operating System: Android 2.3
Internal Memory: 16GB
External Memory: MicroSD (up to 32GB)
RAM: 1GB RAM
Processor: 1.2GHz dual-core Exynos processor XMM6260
Transfer Your Photos, Videos, Music, Documents and more in a flash, by simply plugging in your Beyond USB into your Smartphone or Computer. Very simple and easy for all to use. Get Yours Today! Visit http://www.BeoyndUSB.com for more information.
Samsung Galaxy S2 Overview
The Galaxy S2 (sometimes known as the Galaxy S II) is the follow up to Samsung's widely successful Galaxy S lineup. This time, the Galaxy S2 raises all the stakes and Samsung has found a way to double almost every spec in a true, one of a kind sequel.
With a 4.3-inch SAMOLED Plus screen (no more Pentile Matrix display), 1.2GHz dual-core Exynos processor, 8MP rear camera/ 2MP front-facing camera, both 1080p recording and playback, NFC capabilities, great battery life and one of the thinnest phones on the globe, the Galaxy S2 is a welcome update to the Galaxy family. Superphones don't get much better than this.
Many have heralded the S II as being the best smartphone to come out yet, with some reviewers saying that even the iPhone 4 can't beat it. It has Samsung's overlay, TouchWiz 4.0, which is said to be leaps and bounds better than 3.0.
Samsung Galaxy S2 Specs
General
Form Factor: Candybar
AKA: Samsung Galaxy S II, Samsung Galaxy S II 4G
Date Released (YYYY/MM/DD): 2011/04/28
Size
Weight: 116g
Dimensions: 125.3 x 66.1 x 8.49mm
Display
Resolution: 480x800
Size: 4.3 inches
Type: Super AMOLED Plus
Camera
Video: 1080p full HD Playback and Recording at 30fps
Flash: LED Flash
Auto-focus: Yes
Megapixels: 8MP (Rear), 2MP (Front)
Connectivity
GPS: A-GPS
USB: MicroUSB 2.0
Bluetooth: Bluetooth 3.0
Wi-Fi: 802.11 a/b/g/n
HDMI: Yes, MHL-enabled microUSB port
Multimedia
Headset Jack: 3.5mm
Radio: FM Radio
Battery
Type: 1650 mAh
Hardware/OS
Operating System: Android 2.3
Internal Memory: 16GB
External Memory: MicroSD (up to 32GB)
RAM: 1GB RAM
Processor: 1.2GHz dual-core Exynos processor XMM6260
Transfer Your Photos, Videos, Music, Documents and more in a flash, by simply plugging in your Beyond USB into your Smartphone or Computer. Very simple and easy for all to use. Get Yours Today! Visit http://www.BeoyndUSB.com for more information.
Friday, February 24, 2012
Samsung Galaxy Note Review
Samsung's new Galaxy Note is a unique device in the smartphone market. Straddling the line between a smartphone and a tablet, the Note features a massive 5.3-inch display, which is considerably larger than the screen on any other smartphone available today (just see the image below sitting alongside an iPhone). Because of this, the Note is rather unwieldy in the hand, and nearly impossible to use one handed.
Trying to make the most of the smartphone's larger footprint, Samsung has attempted to add functionality to the Note with its "don't-call-it-a-stylus" S Pen input device. But once again the Note's dominant feature is its 5.3-inch, Super AMOLED display that packs a dense 1280 x 800 pixel resolution. The form factor alone will place many potential buyers at odds, while others might appreciate the hybrid nature of the device. Read on to learn our findings.
Samsung Galaxy Note
Hardware
The Samsung Galaxy Note borrows heavily from the designs Samsung has used for its Galaxy S II line of smartphones. In fact, one would not be faulted for thinking that the Galaxy Note was just a Galaxy S II on steroids. The big display looks fantastic, with great, punchy colors, tremendous viewing angles, and good outdoor visibility. The pixel layout is the much-derided PenTile format, but since there are so many pixels packed onto the screen, you have to really hunt to see any PenTile patterns in images. It really is a great display.
Because of the massive screen, the Note has equally large dimensions - and therein lie the difficulties I had with using it as a phone. The Note measures 147mm (5.78in) tall and 83mm (3.27in) across, which means that it feels absolutely massive when held in the hand. Even compared to the already large Samsung Galaxy S II Skyrocket with its 4.5-inch display, the Note is a enormous beast (and it makes the 3.5-inch iPhone 4S look positively diminutive). I am unable to reach the corners of the screen with my thumb without having to significantly move the Note around in my hand and stretch to my hand's fullest extent, which gives me concern that the Note will slip out of my hand and fall to the ground.
Thus, using the Galaxy Note is a two-handed affair, and there really isn't a way to get around it -- unless you are a pro basketball player, I suppose. However, despite its large dimensions, the Note remains very thin at only 9.7mm (0.38in) thick. As with many thin Samsung smartphones, the thin profile of the Note certainly makes it feel even larger than it actually is.
The rear cover of the Note is made of the familiar, thin plastic material that Samsung has used on many of its prior models, but the Note's back features a classier texture than the others that makes it feel as if it is of higher quality. The textured back helps in handling the device, though I am not sure it will prevent users from eventually dropping it.
Samsung Galaxy Note
Tucked in the lower right corner of the Note's frame is the S Pen input device. The S Pen uses Wacom technology and works with the digitizer in the Note's display to allow users to draw and activate things on the screen with the pen-like tip. The tip has 256 levels of pressure sensitivity, so apps that support the S Pen's capabilities can allow the user to draw thick or thin lines depending on how much pressure they put on the screen.
The S Pen also has a function button on the side of it to perform various tasks like screen capture. Unlike the Scrybe pen for HTC's Flyer tablet, the S Pen does not require a battery. The housing that the S Pen fits into is snug, and the pen won't fall out unintentionally. Still, the S Pen is very thin and small, and many users will likely lose it at some point during their Galaxy Note ownership (AT&T and Samsung are offering replacement S Pens for $29 a pop).
Transfer Your Photos, Videos, Music, Documents and more in a flash, by simply plugging in your Beyond USB into your Smartphone or Computer. Very simple and easy for all to use. Get Yours Today! Visit http://www.BeyondUSB.com for details!
Trying to make the most of the smartphone's larger footprint, Samsung has attempted to add functionality to the Note with its "don't-call-it-a-stylus" S Pen input device. But once again the Note's dominant feature is its 5.3-inch, Super AMOLED display that packs a dense 1280 x 800 pixel resolution. The form factor alone will place many potential buyers at odds, while others might appreciate the hybrid nature of the device. Read on to learn our findings.
Samsung Galaxy Note
Hardware
The Samsung Galaxy Note borrows heavily from the designs Samsung has used for its Galaxy S II line of smartphones. In fact, one would not be faulted for thinking that the Galaxy Note was just a Galaxy S II on steroids. The big display looks fantastic, with great, punchy colors, tremendous viewing angles, and good outdoor visibility. The pixel layout is the much-derided PenTile format, but since there are so many pixels packed onto the screen, you have to really hunt to see any PenTile patterns in images. It really is a great display.
Because of the massive screen, the Note has equally large dimensions - and therein lie the difficulties I had with using it as a phone. The Note measures 147mm (5.78in) tall and 83mm (3.27in) across, which means that it feels absolutely massive when held in the hand. Even compared to the already large Samsung Galaxy S II Skyrocket with its 4.5-inch display, the Note is a enormous beast (and it makes the 3.5-inch iPhone 4S look positively diminutive). I am unable to reach the corners of the screen with my thumb without having to significantly move the Note around in my hand and stretch to my hand's fullest extent, which gives me concern that the Note will slip out of my hand and fall to the ground.
Thus, using the Galaxy Note is a two-handed affair, and there really isn't a way to get around it -- unless you are a pro basketball player, I suppose. However, despite its large dimensions, the Note remains very thin at only 9.7mm (0.38in) thick. As with many thin Samsung smartphones, the thin profile of the Note certainly makes it feel even larger than it actually is.
The rear cover of the Note is made of the familiar, thin plastic material that Samsung has used on many of its prior models, but the Note's back features a classier texture than the others that makes it feel as if it is of higher quality. The textured back helps in handling the device, though I am not sure it will prevent users from eventually dropping it.
Samsung Galaxy Note
Tucked in the lower right corner of the Note's frame is the S Pen input device. The S Pen uses Wacom technology and works with the digitizer in the Note's display to allow users to draw and activate things on the screen with the pen-like tip. The tip has 256 levels of pressure sensitivity, so apps that support the S Pen's capabilities can allow the user to draw thick or thin lines depending on how much pressure they put on the screen.
The S Pen also has a function button on the side of it to perform various tasks like screen capture. Unlike the Scrybe pen for HTC's Flyer tablet, the S Pen does not require a battery. The housing that the S Pen fits into is snug, and the pen won't fall out unintentionally. Still, the S Pen is very thin and small, and many users will likely lose it at some point during their Galaxy Note ownership (AT&T and Samsung are offering replacement S Pens for $29 a pop).
Transfer Your Photos, Videos, Music, Documents and more in a flash, by simply plugging in your Beyond USB into your Smartphone or Computer. Very simple and easy for all to use. Get Yours Today! Visit http://www.BeyondUSB.com for details!
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
Samsung Galaxy gets the Best Compatible USB OTG Transfer Device.
With the launch of Beyond USB’s new product, Samsung Galaxy Phones can use this device to Transfer, Movies, Videos, Documents and More. The ease of use and storage devices ranging from 8 GB, 16 GB and 32 GB, which will add much more storage for the Samsung Galaxy Phones. When viewing movies on the Samsung Galaxy, they can be viewed directly from the Beyond USB and this will allow you to save your battery life and allow for more clarity. You can also view Photos and documents right on your smartphone instantly as well. You can also move files from your Smart phone onto your Beyond USB and free up storage space on your phone. Movies, Photos, documents and more, can also be stored in separate files for easy viewing and navigation.
There is no point in carrying around cables and other adapters, when this can all be done on one device which has the micro B and USB plugs on each side. Transfer speed is extremely fast and it is a simple copy and paste or drag and drop functionality. The pricing is extremely inexpensive for this product and it is a must see and must use for all Samsung Galaxy Phones.
Visit www.BeyondUSB.com for more details and to watch the instructional video.
There is no point in carrying around cables and other adapters, when this can all be done on one device which has the micro B and USB plugs on each side. Transfer speed is extremely fast and it is a simple copy and paste or drag and drop functionality. The pricing is extremely inexpensive for this product and it is a must see and must use for all Samsung Galaxy Phones.
Visit www.BeyondUSB.com for more details and to watch the instructional video.
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 pricing set for disaster
Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 pricing set for disaster
Chris Burns, Feb 13th 2012
We’re now reviewing some pricing details for the Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 announced earlier today, and if these number stick to release day, we’ve got not doubt that Samsung has a rather larger blunder on their hands. The Galaxy Tab 2 was announced as a low-cost update to the original Galaxy Tab, otherwise known as the first real effort on earth to create an Android tablet. This new tablet has a 7-inch 1024 x 600 PLS LCD display, a 1GHz dual-core processor, and a 3-megapixel camera – perfect for a $240 price point – thats about half the cost we’re seeing here in an apparent Euro price schedule.
What’s being confirmed here by Samsung to Sammy Hub is a set of prices that sit in Sweden, Finland, Norway, and Denmark, along with assurance that the Galaxy Tab 2 will release in the UK first. This tablet is shaping up to be rather similar to the ASUS MeMO tablet we saw at CES 2012, but at half the core power and twice the price. Will the high-powered display be enough to convince customers that this is the winning 7-incher?
Here is the official pricing and availability for the Scandinavian countries. Expected in March, the tablet will sell in both Wi-Fi-only and Wi-Fi + 3G versions.
Sweden:
Wi-Fi: 2,995SEK (450USD)
3G: 3,695 SEK (556USD)
Finland:
Wi-Fi: 349EUR (463USD)
3G: 429EUR (568USD)
Norway:
Wi-Fi: 2,400NOK (420USD)
3G: 2,990NOK (523USD)
Denmark:
Wi-Fi: 2,350DKK (419USD)
3G: 3,995DKK (512USD)
Take a trip down Chris Davies way to get a better understanding of this situation and head back to our last review of a Galaxy Tab to see what Samsung is about to offer. This is the billionth tablet shown off by Samsung in the last year it seems, and there’s no sign of them stopping in 2012. Tablets galore for all!
Transfer Your Photos, Videos, Music, Documents and more in a flash, by simply plugging in your Beyond USB into your Tablet or Computer. Very simple and easy for all to use. Get Yours Today! Visit http://www.BeyondUSB.com for Details!
Chris Burns, Feb 13th 2012
We’re now reviewing some pricing details for the Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 announced earlier today, and if these number stick to release day, we’ve got not doubt that Samsung has a rather larger blunder on their hands. The Galaxy Tab 2 was announced as a low-cost update to the original Galaxy Tab, otherwise known as the first real effort on earth to create an Android tablet. This new tablet has a 7-inch 1024 x 600 PLS LCD display, a 1GHz dual-core processor, and a 3-megapixel camera – perfect for a $240 price point – thats about half the cost we’re seeing here in an apparent Euro price schedule.
What’s being confirmed here by Samsung to Sammy Hub is a set of prices that sit in Sweden, Finland, Norway, and Denmark, along with assurance that the Galaxy Tab 2 will release in the UK first. This tablet is shaping up to be rather similar to the ASUS MeMO tablet we saw at CES 2012, but at half the core power and twice the price. Will the high-powered display be enough to convince customers that this is the winning 7-incher?
Here is the official pricing and availability for the Scandinavian countries. Expected in March, the tablet will sell in both Wi-Fi-only and Wi-Fi + 3G versions.
Sweden:
Wi-Fi: 2,995SEK (450USD)
3G: 3,695 SEK (556USD)
Finland:
Wi-Fi: 349EUR (463USD)
3G: 429EUR (568USD)
Norway:
Wi-Fi: 2,400NOK (420USD)
3G: 2,990NOK (523USD)
Denmark:
Wi-Fi: 2,350DKK (419USD)
3G: 3,995DKK (512USD)
Take a trip down Chris Davies way to get a better understanding of this situation and head back to our last review of a Galaxy Tab to see what Samsung is about to offer. This is the billionth tablet shown off by Samsung in the last year it seems, and there’s no sign of them stopping in 2012. Tablets galore for all!
Transfer Your Photos, Videos, Music, Documents and more in a flash, by simply plugging in your Beyond USB into your Tablet or Computer. Very simple and easy for all to use. Get Yours Today! Visit http://www.BeyondUSB.com for Details!
Monday, February 13, 2012
Samsung Galaxy and Beyond USB OTG make a perfect pair.
Samsung Galaxy and Beyond USB OTG make a perfect pair. by Beyond USB
Beyond USB - OTG USB is changing the way that your Smart Phones and Computers Interact. We understand the frustration of not being able to save and store your Videos, Photos, Documents, Music and more. You can now transfer directly from your computer onto your Beyond USB and also from your Smart Phone onto the Beyond USB, for easy data transfer. You can also store and share data with anyone, however all licensing of software used is still in effect. We offer 8GB, 16GB and 32GB Beyond USB Storage Devices, to fit your personal and business needs. We want to make sure that the frustration of being able to store your data on the run, Beyond USB has devised a system and interface to make things simple. Simple grab your Beyond USB and take it on vacations, business trips, family functions and more, to insure you can save all your memories or documents securely. You will find it easy to transfer data from your Smartphone to USB, Computer to USB, USB to your SmartPhone and USB to your Computer. We are pleased to bring you Beyond USB and hope you enjoy all the benefits that come with the greatest storage device, linking your Smartphone to your computer and more. This will be your number one Smartphone and Computer OTG USB.
Samsung Galaxy and Beyond USB OTG make a perfect pair. by www.BeyondUSB.com
Beyond USB - OTG USB is changing the way that your Smart Phones and Computers Interact. We understand the frustration of not being able to save and store your Videos, Photos, Documents, Music and more. You can now transfer directly from your computer onto your Beyond USB and also from your Smart Phone onto the Beyond USB, for easy data transfer. You can also store and share data with anyone, however all licensing of software used is still in effect. We offer 8GB, 16GB and 32GB Beyond USB Storage Devices, to fit your personal and business needs. We want to make sure that the frustration of being able to store your data on the run, Beyond USB has devised a system and interface to make things simple. Simple grab your Beyond USB and take it on vacations, business trips, family functions and more, to insure you can save all your memories or documents securely. You will find it easy to transfer data from your Smartphone to USB, Computer to USB, USB to your SmartPhone and USB to your Computer. We are pleased to bring you Beyond USB and hope you enjoy all the benefits that come with the greatest storage device, linking your Smartphone to your computer and more. This will be your number one Smartphone and Computer OTG USB.
Samsung Galaxy and Beyond USB OTG make a perfect pair. by www.BeyondUSB.com
Wednesday, February 8, 2012
Beyond USB 2.0 - OTG USB - Samsung Galaxy - Smartphone USB to Computer USB Interface
Beyond USB 2.0 - OTG USB - Smartphone USB to Computer USB Interface
Beyond USB - OTG USB is changing the way that your Smart Phones and Computers Interact. We understand the frustration of not being able to save and store your Videos, Photos, Documents, Music and more. You can now transfer directly from your computer onto your Beyond USB and also from your Smart Phone onto the Beyond USB, for easy data transfer. You can also store and share data with anyone, however all licensing of software used is still in effect. We offer 8GB, 16GB and 32GB Beyond USB Storage Devices, to fit your personal and business needs. We want to make sure that the frustration of being able to store your data on the run, Beyond USB has devised a system and interface to make things simple. Simple grab your Beyond USB and take it on vacations, business trips, family functions and more, to insure you can save all your memories or documents securely. You will find it easy to transfer data from your Smartphone to USB, Computer to USB, USB to your SmartPhone and USB to your Computer. We are pleased to bring you Beyond USB and hope you enjoy all the benefits that come with the greatest storage device, linking your Smartphone to your computer and more. This will be your number one Smartphone and Computer OTG USB.
Visit http://www.BeyondUSB.com for more information and an instructional video on how well the product works!
Beyond USB - OTG USB is changing the way that your Smart Phones and Computers Interact. We understand the frustration of not being able to save and store your Videos, Photos, Documents, Music and more. You can now transfer directly from your computer onto your Beyond USB and also from your Smart Phone onto the Beyond USB, for easy data transfer. You can also store and share data with anyone, however all licensing of software used is still in effect. We offer 8GB, 16GB and 32GB Beyond USB Storage Devices, to fit your personal and business needs. We want to make sure that the frustration of being able to store your data on the run, Beyond USB has devised a system and interface to make things simple. Simple grab your Beyond USB and take it on vacations, business trips, family functions and more, to insure you can save all your memories or documents securely. You will find it easy to transfer data from your Smartphone to USB, Computer to USB, USB to your SmartPhone and USB to your Computer. We are pleased to bring you Beyond USB and hope you enjoy all the benefits that come with the greatest storage device, linking your Smartphone to your computer and more. This will be your number one Smartphone and Computer OTG USB.
Visit http://www.BeyondUSB.com for more information and an instructional video on how well the product works!
Thursday, February 2, 2012
Instructions - Beyond USB 2.0 - OTG USB - Smartphone USB to Computer USB Interface Instructions.
Beyond USB 2.0 - Smartphone USB to Computer USB Interface Instructions.
Hooking up your Compatible Smartphone or Tablet to the Beyond USB;
1. Simply plug the Micro B end of the Beyond USB into your Micro B Port on your cell phone or Tablet. ( This is the same port you plug in your USB Cable or Charger)
2. The Device will be recognized and then go into your Applications and click on file manager.
3. You now can open up your Files and view them right on your Smartphone; Videos, Movies, Documents, Photos, Music and more!
4. You can save files right off of your Smartphone and save them into a new created file, right on your beyond USB, by copying them and saving them in your chosen location.
5. You can also copy any files from your Beyond USB right onto your Compatible Smartphone or Tablet and save them there.
The Beyond USB will save you storage space on your Smartphone or Tablet and allows for much faster viewing on this storage device. This works as a great solution to backup all your files.
Hooking up your Computer to the Beyond USB;
1. Simply plug the USB side of the Beyond USB into any USB Port on your Computer.
2. The computer will recognize the device and give you a choice of how you want to view files.
3. You can click on the file you want to view and your computer will give you the option of how you want to view that file.
4. You can directly view these files from the Beyond USB or Copy and Save the files to a location, where you would like to save those files on your computer.
5. To save files from your computer to the Beyond USB, simple click on the file or image and drag it onto the Beyond USB or Copy and save it onto the Beyond USB.
The Beyond USB will save you storage space on your Computer and allows for much faster viewing on this storage device. This works as a great solution to backup all your files.
The transfer speed is remarkable and saves you much time and frustration with any file transfer or viewing options.
Please feel free to contact us for any questions or product assistance.
1(855) USB-6223 or 1(855) 872-6223
1(855) USB-6223 or 1(855) 872-6223
Visit http://www.BeyondUSB.com for Compatible Devices and Pricing On the Beyond USB. Now Available for purchase!!
Thursday, January 26, 2012
The Future of Mobile Social Networking
The Future of Mobile Social Networking
Whrrl combines activity recommendations with real-time location data.
- Monday, June 2, 2008
- By Kate Greene
One rising company that's hoping for a mention during the Steve Jobs Show is Pelago, a startup that recently garnered $15 million from funders, including Kleiner Perkins Caufield and Byers. Pelago will soon offer a version of its software, called Whrrl, for the iPhone. The software enables something Pelago's chief technology officer, Darren Erik Vengroff, calls social discovery: using the iPhone's map and self-location features, as well as information about the prior activities of the user's friends, Whrrl proposes new places to explore or activities to try.
"If you think about your day-to-day life and how you discover things around you and places to go, to a great extent the source of that information is your friends," Vengroff says. With Whrrl, a user can "look through the eyes of friends and see the places they find compelling." The software begins with the user's position on the iPhone's map and indicates a smattering of nearby establishments. If the user's friends have visited and rated these places, the software indicates that as well. The map also shows the positions of nearby friends who have enabled a feature that lets them be seen by others.
Whrrl may turn out to be the leading edge of a wave of new location-based applications. "I think we're going to see a lot of new players showing up in this space," says Kurt Partridge, a research scientist at the Palo Alto Research Center who works on a similar project called Magitti. "Part of the reason," he says, "is the universal availability of GPS or access to location, which hasn't been available to application writers before." The iPhone and Nokia's N95 phone are two examples of phones that provide location data to computer programmers. Google's forthcoming Android mobile operating system may also help push location-based applications onto the market.
For the Latest in Technology when Transferring Your Photos, Videos, Music, Documents and more in a flash, by simply plugging in your Beyond USB into your Smartphone or Computer. Very simple and easy for all to use. Visit http://www.BeyondUSB.com for more Details
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
Huawei Ascend II Written Review by Sydney
Huawei's U.S. offerings have never been particularly impressive. The original Ascend was a severely underpowered, cheap smartphone that barely offered enough performance to scrap by as a modest low-end phone in the market that existed a year ago, when it was released. Back then, a single-core 528 MHz processor and a 3-megapixel camera, though considered weak, were still enough to garner a decent amount of attention in the budget smartphone market. A year later, a 600 MHz processor, 5-megapixel fixed focus camera, and a smaller battery than the original only makes me wonder who Huawei was planning on trying to trick into buying this phone when they created it.
Hey, I appreciate budget phones as much as the next person who lives paycheck to paycheck or someone who doesn't put too much emphasis on technology and just 'wants something that works'. I respect that niche. If you're in that position, there are some excellent options out there. The Huawei Ascend II is not one of them.
Design & Features
Coming in at 4.6-inches tall, 2.4-inches wide, and weighing 4.8 ounces, the Ascend II is a small, lightweight device. It's relatively thin, only .5-inches in depth, and the curved edges and rounded back give it a sleek, comfortable feel. The phone is made entirely out of plastic. The back battery cover has a soft-touch coating. The phone's design is not a sore spot by any means. It's attractive enough for a device in this price range.
The front panel includes the 3.5-inch HVGA (320x480) touchscreen display and four capacitive touch buttons for Home, Menu, Back, and Search, in that order. There's not much to say about the display. It's bright and the touchscreen is responsive. The low resolution means that text is pixelated and graphics appear rough.
The left side of the phone is where you'll find the volume rocker buttons and the right side contains no buttons or ports. The microUSB port is on the bottom spine and the 3.5mm headphone jack and Power/Screen lock button are all on the top spine.
The battery cover easily pops off, though there is no notch for quick removal. Underneath the battery cover is the microSD card slot. The phone ships with a 2GB card and supports up to 32GB of additional memory to supplement its 512MB of internal memory. The phone comes with several apps pre-installed out of the box. These apps cannot be uninstalled.
Usability & Performance
The Ascend II's Qualcomm processor is clocked at 600 MHz, a negligible improvement over the original Ascend's 528MHz processor. The processor scored an 836 on the Quadrant Standard test and a 1,025 on the AnTuTu Benchmark test. Smartbench 2012 kept giving an 'Invalid' error message.Due to the low amount of RAM, 256MB, multi-tasking generally caused the device to slow down and performance became sluggish. (During testing, I had two active widgets running and updating in the background, along with at least three other programs pulling updates.) On occasion, even the keyboard had a hard time keeping up with my typing and would stall for a few seconds before displaying the text I had already typed. Simple tasks were completed with ease and general everyday performance was smooth, but once I used the phone for more than five minutes or began performing more processor-intense tasks such as web browsing, watching videos, playing games, or viewing the Gallery, the slowness began to frustrate me.
The phone ships with Android 2.3.5 along with a custom skin by Huawei. The skin actually acts more like a launcher in that it allows you to download custom themes and icon packs as well as change the animation when sliding through the home screens. The phone comes with an "Android Theme" that offers a more vanilla Android experience than the default Huawei theme, but Huawei's custom notification panel and widgets are still present no matter what theme you're using. Outside of these options, the home screen features a dock with three customizable shortcuts and two unchangeable shortcuts - one for the app drawer and one that allows you to see all of your home screens. Apps like Messaging, Phone, and Contacts have also received a makeover. Huawei's widgets are large and somewhat cartoonish, as is the UI as a whole. Huawei has not included a custom virtual keyboard. Instead, the phone ships with the Android Gingerbread keyboard and the Swype keyboard.
As expected, the 5-megapixel, fixed focus camera delivered poor picture quality. Without autofocus and a flash, virtually all photos were grainy and looked like they were taken in terrible lighting conditions despite some being taken with two bright lights shining on the objects. Outside shots looked much better but still lacked detail. The Ascend II offers VGA video recording but the audio and video quality were terrible.
The Ascend II is a 3G device and uses U.S. Cellular's EV-DO Revision A network for data. While testing the phone in the Dallas area, I pulled about 300-500kbps for downloads with lows of 24kbps and highs of 667kbps. These speeds are on par with other 3G devices I've tested. Web browsing is subject to data speeds as well as processor performance. Given the phone's slow processor, don't expect much from the web browser. Scrolling is somewhat smooth but the phone lacks multi-touch for pinch-to-zoom so you're relegated to the ancient Plus/Minus buttons. It's no big deal, but the process is definitely much slower, like everything else with this phone.
Huawei went with a 1400 mAh battery for the Ascend II. Considering the phone's small, low-resolution display and low-powered processor, I assumed that the battery, though small, would offer decent longevity. However, the results have been disappointing. With light use, I can get through a full day before it dies, but with normal to heavy use, the battery generally only lasts about half of a day. Keep in mind that battery life depends on your usage habits and your results may be different from the results I got.
Conclusion
All in all, the Ascend II is not a phone I would recommend buying. The price is attractive but U.S. Cellular has better options, even for budget-conscious consumers. Check out the HTC Merge or the Samsung Mesmerize. Both will offer much better performance than the Ascend II. With its slow processor, unimpressive display, and terrible camera, the Ascend II is a phone you should definitely pass on.
Wrap-Up
What's Good: Price; nice customization options with Huawei's UI/launcher; good 3G speeds.What's Bad: Sluggish processor performance; doesn't handle multi-tasking well; terrible camera quality; no multi-touch; poor battery life.
The Verdict: All things being considered, the Ascend II is not worth your time. I understand it may seem hard to berate a free phone, but the fact is that U.S. Cellular has better options in this price range.
Visit http://www.BeyondUSB.com for more information on Transfering Your Photos, Videos, Music, Documents and more in a flash, by simply plugging in your Beyond USB into your Smartphone or Computer. Very simple and easy for all to use. Get Yours Today!
Monday, January 23, 2012
CES 2012 Smartphones: 7 New Devices That Stole The Show (PHOTOS)
CES 2012 Smartphones: 7 New Devices That Stole The Show (PHOTOS)
The Huffington Post Jason Gilbert
LAS VEGAS -- At a Consumer Electronics Show dominated in hype by a new laptop category called Ultrabooks, it might have been easy to miss just how significant all of the smartphones introduced at this year's CES really were.
Perhaps lost in the glitz of this Year Of The Ultrabook convention were smartphones that could have huge implications for their companies in 2012, beginning with the Nokia Lumia 900. Introduced at an intimate press conference here on Monday, the Nokia Lumia 900 is the handset-maker's first smartphone designed specifically for the Windows Phone operating system, Microsoft's critically acclaimed mobile software that has yet to catch on with consumers. Handset makers like HTC and Samsung are both manufacturing Windows Phones already, but sales have been slow; Microsoft and Nokia are both banking on the Lumia series of phones in 2012, and the rollout has officially begun, as the intro-level, $50 Lumia 710 went on sale at T-Mobile on Wednesday. It is the 900, however, that is the major mobile story that emerged from CES, however. At the risk of hyperbole, the Lumia 900 could determine the fate of both Nokia as a mobile presence in the United States and Windows Phone as a viable mobile operating system, as each tech giant has placed a lot of faith (and a lot of money) in this top-of-the-line Nokia Windows Phone.
Other smartphones introduced here don't carry such existential weight but are significant nonetheless: Motorola's beautiful DROID Razr had a big battery problem that Motorola claims to have fixed with the DROID Razr Maxx; Samsung pushed the limits of screen size with the Galaxy Note, a mammoth 5.3-inch device that comes with a stylus and will be promoted as a primary phone; and Chinese giant Huawei introduced the phone that it hopes will earn it a foothold in America: the Ascend PS1, which Huawei is calling "the thinnest smartphone" on the planet.
Below, we've compiled the 7 major smartphone introductions at this year's CES, all of which happen to be gorgeous pieces of technology, too. Scroll through and check out some new options for what could be your next cell phone.
For more from CES 2012, check out our roundup 9 wild and wacky gadgets for music lovers, as well as 7 Ultrabooks that could take on the MacBook Air. You can also visit our CES 2012 Big New page to see all our coverage from the week.
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Thursday, December 22, 2011
5 Ways The Smartphone Market Evolved In 2011
5 Ways The Smartphone Market Evolved In 2011
The smartphone market is one of the most dynamic in the world. Here are the five biggest smartphone trends that took place during 2011.
Buy a smartphone today, and it will be out-of-date by tomorrow. That's how fast the smartphone market is changing. New models are being announced at a stunning rate and the Consumer Electronics Show is right around the corner, ready to kick off another cycle of advancements and new devices.
Before we tackle 2012, let's look at what happened in smartphones throughout 2011. We saw the move from single-core devices to dual-core, the acceptance of displays as large as 4.7 inches, the rise of HD screens, and the increase in number of 4G-capable handsets. We also saw the (near) death of the feature phone and an app explosion. Here are the five most important ways the smartphone market changed. More Mobility Insights
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One of the first smartphones to ship with two cores was the Motorola Atrix. It was announced during CES last January. Now, most high-end smartphones ship with two cores. The quick jump from single-core 1-GHz processors to dual-core 1-GHz processors and even 1.5-GHz dual-core processors has been swift. These processors, supplied by the likes of AMD, Broadcom, Nvidia, Qualcomm, and Texas Instruments, have led to dramatic improvements in performance metrics across the board and enable the features that we now take for granted.
Dual-core chips are the reason we have massive 4.7-inch HD displays on our smartphones, which can run 3-D games and capture 3-D video in high definition, while also sipping energy slowly enough that our devices magically still last an entire day. As more platforms and applications become dual-core-aware, the capabilities of our smartphones and apps will only become more powerful.
Massive HD Screens
When Apple introduced the original iPhone back in 2007, people were shocked by the size of the 3.5-inch display. It was huge and beat every other smartphone hands-down. Five years later and Apple hasn't increased the size of its smartphone display--but the rest of the industry has.
[ Want to learn more? Read 5 Biggest Mobile Stories Of 2011. ]
Though plenty of smartphones shipped in 2010 with screens larger than four inches, it didn't become the norm until 2011. Now, most mid-range and high-end smartphones ship with displays ranging from 4.0 to 4.7 inches. Only the cheapest models have screens smaller than four inches.
In addition to the size, screens have jumped to HD. Though the iPhone 4 launched the push to higher-resolution screens, Android smartphone makers have made if their life's mission to one-up each other. We saw a flotilla of qHD (540 x 960 pixel) smartphones announced at CES in January. This year, expect most of them to include full 1280 x 720p high-definition displays. Will they continue to grow in size? Hard to say, but I see a sub-category called phablets on the horizon.
Another "G" Please
Sprint and T-Mobile have been selling "4G" devices since mid-2010. Sprint's 4G comes in the form of WiMax and T-Mobile's 4G comes in the form of throttled up HSPA+. Sprint debuted several new 4G models in 2011, but not too many. T-Mobile shipped probably a dozen 4G models, with some capable of reaching speeds as (theoretically) high as 42 Mbps.
The bigger 4G story, however, comes from AT&T and Verizon Wireless. AT&T's LTE network may be nascent (15 markets, 70 million POPs), but Verizon's is absolutely domineering (190 markets, 200 million POPs). AT&T has three LTE-capable smartphones and a number of other LTE products. Verizon Wireless has at least eight LTE-capable smartphones, in addition to tablets, hotspots, and so on. All four major carriers have made it their mission in 2011 to advance their networks and get faster devices to the market. Now that 4G has finally arrived, 2012 ought to be satisfying as the technology matures.
Millions (and Billions) of Apps
Apple kicked off the app craze in 2008 when it launched the iPhone App Store. Fast forward to 2011 and there are one million active applications for smartphones between the iPhone App Store and Android Market together. The balance is tipped a bit in Apple's favor at the moment in terms of app volume, download volume, and revenue volume, but it is sure to even out eventually.
Google announced in December that Android device users have downloaded 10 billion apps. Apple announced in July that iOS device users have downloaded 15 billion apps. Apple and Google are firmly in the app lead, with hundreds of thousands more apps than their closest competitors--and that's unlikely to change. Apps played a huge role in 2011 and will continue to do so as long as there is money to be made in creating them.
Platform Consolidation
At the start of 2011, there were six major smartphone platforms active in the market, including Android, BlackBerry OS, iOS, Symbian, webOS, and Windows Phone. webOS didn't make it. HP killed off its webOS-based smartphones and tablets, and recently open-sourced the platform. Sure, it will live on in some developer's basement, but it is effectively no longer a viable platform. Symbian, too, more or less bit the dust. While the platform is still being supported by Nokia and receiving periodic updates, Nokia has shifted from Symbian to Windows Phone.
Entering 2012, there are four major players left. BlackBerry is on the ropes, though, as the company scrambles to release a next-generation platform capable of competing with Android, iOS, and Windows Phone. Will 2012 see further consolidation?
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