Google Android’s numerous handset manufacturers have made the mobile OS platform incredibly accessible to consumers across the world. The one downside is that each of these vendors goes through its own process to adopt the latest version upgrades. Some handsets are not capable of those major upgrades, like Android 4.0, Ice Cream Sandwich.
Luckily for Sprint Nexus S 4G owners, the wait should not be much longer. An internal testing ROM was seen on Google’s servers that will update the Nexus S 4G to Android v4.0.4 build IMM26. Of course that file was pulled once it was seen, but the more curious of you can get a mirrored copy at xda-developers. But, with the removal from Google servers, it is likely better to wait for the official release.
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The popularity of this device has customers of Verizon wishing it was available as an unlocked handset that could be used with their existing contracts. As LTE 4G becomes more mainstream across North America, the availability of smartphones capable of taking advantage of these speeds will increase. Carriers have been rushing to pair up with manufacturers to augment their product lines. The question of whether customers will be willing to pay the premium cost of these data plans.
The good news is that there is no requirement to utilize the 4G LTE capabilities until the costs are more accessible. In the interim, these customers have the good fortune of not having to purchase a new handset to get the Ice Cream Sandwich update which leaves more funds to invest in the must-have and secretly-covet accessories to make the most of your pocket PC.
As this report indicates, the version had release keys which denote a fast-approaching launch date. So far, the next gen Android platform has had great reviews, so be sure to keep your eyes and ears open for your Nexus S 4G update!
After the shock and awe of the Consumer Electronics Show last month, Samsung is bringing us a more mid-range mobile device that will satisfy those consumers who want more functionality without shelling out the money for a brand-new, top of the line smartphone. So, without further ado we introduce to you the Galaxy S Advance a welcome addition to the Samsung Galaxy cell phone line.
The following is an insightful video review of the Samsung Galaxy S Advance by Mobile Gazette
Customers will experience a zippy interface that is quick to open apps and multi-task on. The specs are solid, if not stellar. 4 inch Super AMOLED display gives a great visual experience and the middle-of-the road RAM and internal storage are pretty standard. There are no current plans to move the mobile OS from Android Gingerbread to Android 4.0, Ice Cream Sandwich.
As Samsung’s President of IT & Mobile Communications Division, JK Shin noted, “The GALAXY S Advance adds to the successful track record of the GALAXY smartphone range with a phone that combines power and style with all the versatility of Samsung’s Hub services.” This particular group of services is what will give users over 11 million music tracks, 2.3 million e-books, 3,500 magazine and 200 newspaper titles which are both excellent reasons to invest in good headphones and speakers.
For gamers, the ever-popular Game Hub puts thousands of catalogued games at users’ fingertips. As these may take up more juice, check the specs and requirements to see if a purchase of additional resources is needed.
And, in a move that will bring a more competitive offering to the new Nokia Windows Phone line, ChatON acts as a kind of people hub to interactively share content, group chat via video and voice and in general make messaging intuitive and easy. The last (and perhaps favorite) feature is Find My Mobile which is a unique lost-phone management system. Securing and encrypting data, ability to wipe the device data via Web or trace the device via Web is uber awesome.
All in all, Samsung looks to bring a best-of-both-worlds kind of phone to market and we look forward to seeing the smartphone in action!
There is no question that Samsung has the Android smartphone mastered at this point. With world-wide popularity and the manufacturer of the de facto line of Galaxy S 2 smartphones that are synonymous with “Android.” This set the bar high for a Samsung tablet. So far these expectations have fallen flat.
Hopefully this trajectory changes following the rumored cancellation of the Samsung Galaxy S III that was scheduled to launch at Mobile World Congress. According to Android And Me, the upcoming Galaxy Tab would be a great replacement with an Exynos 5250 processor with a 10 inch display and the Android 4.0 OS, Ice Cream Sandwich.
What gives this latest gossip credence is the prototype seen at this year’s Consumer Electronics Show. And what will set this slate apart is the fact that it not only will have the Android 4.0 but will also be Samsung’s first mobile processor with ARM’s latest Cortex-A15 CPU core. This translates into double the computing power, augmented memory bandwidth, all-day battery life and a whopping five times the graphics horsepower of existing CPUs.
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These kinds of next-gen specs could be the turning point in Samsung’s quest to make a significant play in the tablet market. If they add in some innovative, top of the line accessories to the next release they can compete and incentivize customers to add another Samsung device into their homes. Whether those are docking stations, wireless attachments, or just artistic and great protective covers, these kinds of add-ons have the ability to solidify the popularity in this market for Samsung.
There are no details on when this would be made available to the general public, but we will be sure to keep you informed of what Samsung’s offering will be.
Aptly named, Samsung’s event at the Consumer Electronics Show is “Pushing Boundaries.” Based on the successes of Samsung the past few years across the electronics industry, their breakout performance on the Android platform in the smartphone market is really no surprise as they really do continue to push the envelope of development. Enhance your mobility and turn your device into a power tool! Discover select accessories, such as stylus & pens, SD Micro memory cards, batteries, speakers and glider gloves all specifically designed to make your devices functionally efficient and performance rich.
Taking a comprehensive approach, Samsung is looking to truly transform the user’s world with technology that ranges from their SmartTVs to a Smart washing machine. Seriously. The Samsung Galaxy tablets and Samsung Galaxy S II X cell phone will be ever more integrated into home life and interactive with home appliances and televisions.
But as this is the Consumer Electronics Show, what devices are we to be treated with in 2012 that we can hold in our hot little hands? First on the table is the Galaxy Note which is to be initially launched with AT&T and which will likely go toe-to-toe with the Nokia Lumia 900 as the LTE choice. What kind of wait does this means for customers to get unlocked cell phones is unknown, but this Android darling is not one to disappoint.
What will set this smartphone apart is the Super AMOLED HD display and Samsung’s latest stylus technology, the “S Pen”. What is neat about this stylus is that it actually reads pressure. The harder you press on it, the thicker the line will appear. This particular technology has this writer very curious to see what other applications and accessories will dovetail customer needs in the coming months. No doubt this stylus and screen technology will be brought to the Samsung tablet and the Smart TV.
And last on our recap is the Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.7 LTE. With the popularity of the Galaxy family of smartphones, the company’s tablet offerings have been closely watched by Android fans, and this beauty should not disappoint. It will initially be a Verizon Wireless exclusive with 4G LTE support. When considering the plays made with device manufacturers and carriers in the US market, this is a smart move to reach AT&T customers with the LTE Galaxy Note and then Verizon fans with the 4G LTE Galaxy Tab 7.7.
Discover an extensive array of Android wireless devices innovative protective cases and skin accessories designed to deliver modern style, stunning design and smart protection. Make your mobile devices stand out. Customize your look – how cool can you be?
The world’s greatest tech show – CES 2012 – kicked off on Monday, January 9th… and will run until Friday January 13th.
With more than four decades of success, the International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) reaches across global markets, connects the industry and enables CE innovations to grow and thrive. The show is produced by Consumer electronic Association, the preeminent trade association promoting growth in the $186 billion U.S. consumer technology industry. CEA represents more than 2,000 corporate members involved in the design, development, manufacturing, distribution and integration of consumer electronics products. All profits from CES are reinvested into industry services, including technical training and education, industry promotion, engineering standards development, market research and legislative advocacy.
This year’s show is held at the Hilton Casino and Hotel in Las Vegas and will cover more than 1.8 million square feet which is equivalent to 35 American football fields with over 2700 exhibitors and close to 200,000 attendees from across the globe.
Most of the leading smartphone and wireless mobile device (such as tablets) manufacturers and vendors will be unveiling their latest product and technology. In the same breath, these manufacturers will be showcasing their latest in innovative protection solutions… … stylish top brand bags, sleeves and cases specifically designed to protect your devices from scratches and blemishes. Tough on the outside, sweet on the inside these brand name protection accessories combine complete device coverage with sleek artistic expression.
The following capture the most important CES smartphone and wireless mobile device news and product video overview:
A new report from industry luminary ABI Research indicates that more than 50% of all unlocked cell phones will be capable of running on 4G or 3G data networks. Jake Saunders, VP of Forecasting for ABI Research suggests that . “As the festive cheer of the holiday season dies away, the mood among handset vendors remains quietly confident regarding 2012. The outlook will yield growth in the order of 8%, netting 1.67 billion handsets shipped worldwide by the end of 2012. Particularly notable is for the first time, 3G and 4G handset shipments will capture more than 50% of total handsets shipped.” The consumer’s appetite for high end mobile devices will also drive the after sales cell phone and tablet accessories market.
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In an earlier report ABI Research identified the worldwide after-market wireless devices accessories sales increasing to more than $50 Billion by 2015. Key accessory market indicators were identified as:
In the second half of 2011, top tier mobile device vendors unleashed marketing promotions targeting the upward mobile market audience in emerging smartphone and table markets. Samsung, used clever ads downgrading Apple users while extolling the benefits of the Galaxy S II X phones and Galaxy Tablet lines of business to make substantial inroads into these market spaces. Apple is expanding sales channels in emerging markets, with greater success in China than it’s having in India, but is also targeting South American markets such as Brazil. HTC is gaining traction in China, but developed markets such as North America and Europe continue to be the mainstay of its “ship into” markets. RIM, despite its weakness in apps-capable smartphone markets, continues to do well in messaging-centric emerging markets such as Indonesia. Nokia hopes to benefit from Windows Phone 7 Lumia series launches in India (Dec-2011) and China (in 1Q-2012).
Every brand and company has its shtick, its M.O., its press friendly sound bytes. Google is no different when espousing the virtues of its Google Android operating system at each event they are able to use a soapbox and spread their smartphone evangelism. The main gospel is the Android culture of openness and the lack of limitations is to the benefit of the consumer.
This is great PR spin. And this writer truly loves a good euphemism laced with truth. So, while Android is more open that its competitors, it is comparative. When held up to open-source software like Linux, it is actually quite closed. Hence, a Hollywoodesque Benniffer moniker is bound to catch: Clopen.
At the moment, Google makes the Android OS source code available to companies and individuals to customize to their liking. Very open and transparent, non? Flip side of this coin is the Google mobile suite: Gmail, Android Market, Google Maps, and the long list of “Google” stamped functions. These are closed sourced. The double talk is confusing for customers. Especially when end users purchase a no-Market Android device. Not good PR.
Throw in the custom skins and fragmentations used by the varied carriers and manufacturers and there is a varying standard of quality for the smartphones bearing the Android and Google names. This is damaging to a brand. In fact, Marketing Land’s Danny Sullivan wrote that these quality control discrepancies are resulting in customers with outdated devices in their hands. This particular quirk can be addressed with accessories (protective cases, upgraded screen skins etc), but what is under the hood is harder to resolve.
Case in point: the latest Android OS release, Ice Cream Sandwich. Various manufacturers have hedged and speculated about when the update would be available and on what phones and what carriers (at least with an unlocked phone, the customer will have more say in to get the latest Android OS). As of right now, only one physical device has the update on it. The flagship Android phone, Galaxy Nexus. Newer devices like the DROID RAZR, DROID Bionic, and the Rezound should see the update later in 2012, but there are many others like the LG Revolution (launched only 7 months ago) that will never get the ICS upgrade treatment because of the carrier (please see above note about unlocked phones!).
Luckily for customers, the Open Handset Alliance which encompasses major US players (LG, HTC, Motorola, T-Mobile, Verizon, Sprint, and AT&T to name a few) which has pledged with Google to bring an end to fragmentation and bring the latest Android OS to devices if the smartphone release is 18 months old or younger.
As a typical profile… mobile consumers are highly socially engaged, remain continuously connected and rely more and more on their both carrier based or unlocked smartphone’s features and applications on a daily basis.
Smartphone penetration has seen a meteoric rise, spiraling from just 18% in late 2009 to 44% in October 2011. A recent ‘State of the Media: The Mobile Media Report‘ conducted by Nielsen indicates that 64% of 25-34 year olds and 53% of 18-24 year olds own a snmartphone and have led in smartphone penetration compared to every other age group since 2009. The individuals in these generation groups also understand that mobile accessories are designed to protect, personalize and enhance your mobile devices.
Some of the more popular smrtphones include the iPhone4s, Blackberry bold 9900, Samsung Galaxy S II and the Motorola Droid Razr. Apple is the top smartphone manufacturer by operating system with 28.6% of the market followed by Blackberry and HTC at 17% and 158% market share respectively. Android outdistanced every other smartphone platform with an ever-growing 42.8% market share… leading Apple iOS at 28.6%, Blackberry at 17% and Windows at a paltry 5.3% market share
A new report from industry luminary ABI Research indicates that more than 50% of all 
