Category: Mobile Tech

Samsung Galaxy S II Announced for AT&T, Sprint, & T-Mobile

After months and months of waiting, Samsung has finally announced that its Galaxy S II Android phone will be coming to North America. AT&T and Sprint will be getting the phone in September, while T-Mobile’s version will be arriving at a later date. All three versions of the phone will be running Android 2.3.4 (Gingerbread) with Samsung TouchWiz, have 16GB of internal memory, have an eight-megapixel rear-camera, and sport a two-megapixel front-facing camera. There are some distinct differences between the three models. Cue the Degeneration X music as I break it down!

AT&T: This model is closest to the international version. It sports a 4.3-inch Super AMOLED Plus screen and a 1.2GHz dual-core Exynos processor, which is currently the most powerful mobile phone processor on the market. It’s using the Samsung Galaxy S II name and will be available in September.

Sprint: Dubbed the Samsung Epic Touch 4G, Sprint’s version of the Galaxy S II features a larger 4.52-inch screen, a larger batter, and a WiMax radio. It will be the first Galaxy S II out of the gate, hitting on September 16, 2011.

T-Mobile: Few details were revealed about the Samsung Galaxy S II for T-Mobile. Most experts believe that it will be hitting later than its counterparts and previous rumors pointed to an October release. There’s also a chance that it will not feature an Exynos processor. The word on the street is that this version will go with a Qualcomm Snapdragon dual-core chip in order to be compatible with a modem that works with T-Mo’s HSPA+ 42 network. If that’s true then it will be interesting to see if consumers will be willing to sacrifice processing power for faster connectivity.

There’s no doubt that all three American Galaxy S II models will be excellent phones that sell well, but are they arriving too late? When the global version of the Galaxy S II went on sale in May 2011, it was unmatched and remained that way for the entire summer. September and October releases have a lot more competition, including the iPhone 5 and the (rumored) Nexus Prime. Hell, as I’m typing this there are a bunch of great phones being unveiled at the IFA 2011 trade show, some of which will be available before the end of the year and outperform the Galaxy S II.

My friend Shacknews Garnett and I were debating about this topic. We both believe that the phone would have killed in America if it were released in the summer. He blamed Samsung for bungling the launch. I believe that the stupid way the U.S. market works is to blame. The carriers want their own special flavor of the Galaxy S II and need time to ensure that their bloatware works on their custom model. Samsung is all about getting its flagship phone on as many carriers as possible, so it had no choice but to wait until the American carriers got their crap together.

Please let me know what you think about the American Galaxy S II line. Any guesses on the T-Mobile holdup? Do you think the phone is arriving in the U.S. too late? Is it Samsung’s fault or is it just playing the game it has to play in order to sell in America?

HTC Sense 3.5 Walkthrough

XDA.cn has posted a video walkthrough of what’s allegedly HTC Sense 3.5. Most people believe that Sense is the best Android skin on the market and this video shows that HTC is committed to staying on top. I’m a huge fan of Sense and I love many of the enhancements it provides. The active lock screen and excellent widgets are some of my favorite features of Sense 3.0. Those features are still intact, but there are a number of nifty additions to be found in this five-minute video. It’s a little slow and could use some music, but there are some moments that will make you say, “That’s pretty slick!”

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Nexus Prime Headed to Verizon as a Timed Exclusive?

A lot of mobile tech enthusiasts were surprised and disappointed to learn that Verizon has passed on getting a Samsung Galaxy S II variant. My initial thoughts were that it was waiting for the LTE version of the Galaxy S II (probably) or it was waiting to get the Nexus Prime (less likely). According to Boy Genius Report, the Samsung “Droid Prime” will be headed to Verizon as a timed exclusive on October 2011.

For those of you not familiar with the Nexus Prime, it will be the third Google Android champion phone, following the Nexus One and Nexus S. It will be the first phone that runs the next version of the Android operating system, dubbed Ice Cream Sandwich. Other rumors indicate that it will have a Super AMOLED HD 720p (1280 x 720) screen and a five megapixel camera that raises the bar on image quality. The sweet hook on being a Verizon exclusive is that it will also use zippy LTE connectivity. Right now, there’s nothing that can touch Verizon LTE in terms of Internet speed.

It’s interesting that BGR is using the brand Droid Prime and not Nexus Prime. The Droid is a brand specific to Verizon and it seems odd that Google would dump the Nexus brand in favor of a carrier-specific one. That’s the only part of the rumor that seems suspect. Perhaps the Droid Prime isn’t a Nexus phone at all.

Are you excited about the possibility of a Google champion phone running on Verizon’s LTE network? Would you rather have this or an iPhone 5?

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Coffee Talk #391: Powerful Brands That are Dead or Dying

My tech writer friends and I were talking about brands that were powerful 10 years ago, but are dead or dying in 2011. Names like Dell, Nokia, and RIM came up. It wasn’t that long ago when Michael Dell advised Apple to…

Welcome to Coffee Talk! Let’s start off the day by discussing whatever is on your (nerd chic) mind. Every morning I’ll kick off a discussion and I’m counting on you to participate in it. If you’re not feelin’ my topic, feel free to start a chat with your fellow readers and see where it takes you. Whether you’re talking about videogames, gratuitous use of chyrons, the scariest insect, or why my coffee beans are late, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.

My tech writer friends and I were talking about brands that were powerful 10 years ago, but are dead or dying in 2011. Names like Dell, Nokia, and RIM came up. It wasn’t that long ago when Michael Dell advised Apple to shut down the company, Nokia was the leading high-end smartphone manufacturer in the world, and RIM’s BlackBerry platform was considered cutting edge. It’s crazy how much can change in a decade. These days Apple makes Dell look like a joke, Nokia is no longer a player in the high-end market, and RIM’s BlackBerry OS is considered an archaic piece of crap.

Other companies like Excite, Palm, and Yahoo! were discussed. I wanted to talk about gaming brands, but most of these guys don’t know anything about that world. That’s where you come in! Remember when the “big three” of gaming was Nintendo, Sony, and Sega?!? It’s crazy how Sega went from one of the biggest players in console gaming to a middling publisher.

What brands do you remember being juggernauts in 2001 that are dead or dying in 2011? Leave a comment and let me know (please)!

Samsung Expands Galaxy Line with M, R, W, and Y Models

With the immense success of its Galaxy S and Galaxy S II phones, Samsung has decided to expand the line (expand the galaxy?). Get ready for the Galaxy M, Galaxy R, Galaxy W, and Galaxy Y phones! Confused by the naming strategy? Don’t be. The IT Times has a breakdown of what each model means:

  • “S” (Super Smart) – Devices at the very pinnacle of Samsung’s mobile portfolio. This class will only be used on flagship devices such as the Samsung Galaxy S, the award-winning smartphone that has already sold 10 million units throughout the world.
  • “R” (Royal / Refined) – Premium category models, a combination of power, performance and productivity for the individual who wants to be defined by the technology they carry.
  • “W” (Wonder) – High quality, strategic models, perfect for those seeking a balance between style and performance.
  • “M” (Magical) -High-performance models at an economic price-point.
  • “Y” (Young) – These are entry models or strategic models for emerging markets or a younger audience more sensitive to price.

On second thought, this is a bit confusing. Certain models will also have additional designations, including:

  • “Pro” – This indicates that the device includes a QWERTY keyboard for speedier email typing and increased productivity for professionals.
  • “Plus” – This indicates that the device is an upgrade from an existing model.
  • “LTE” – This indicates that the device is designed to utilize LTE (Long-Term Evolution) connectivity standards, a 4G standard to provide increased mobile network capacity and speed.

Yeah, I’m going to need a cheat sheet to tell these models apart. Though I suppose having names that are clearly defined for specific market segments is much better than having nebulous (meaningless?) monikers like Infuse, Amaze, Sensation, Incredible, etc.

What do you think of Samsung’s additions to the Galaxy line of phones?

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Coffee Talk #389: Are We Living in a Post-PC World?

I’m not buying the whole “Post-PC world” rhetoric. I hate that phrase. It’s a clever bit of marketing that reminds me a bit of the term “Retina Display”. Apple, Steve Jobs in particular, has ingrained the terms Post-PC…

Welcome to Coffee Talk! Let’s start off the day by discussing whatever is on your (nerd chic) mind. Every morning I’ll kick off a discussion and I’m counting on you to participate in it. If you’re not feelin’ my topic, feel free to start a chat with your fellow readers and see where it takes you. Whether you’re talking about videogames, why animals freak out before natural disasters, Hustler’s rumored Rihanna sex tape, or paid Android apps that still have advertising (WTF?!?), Coffee Talk is the place to do it.

Like many of you, I spent a lot of time reading a bunch of reactions to Steve Jobs resigning as Apple CEO. One of my favorites was by Peter Pachal of PC Magazine. While I enjoyed the piece, there was a section that bugged me. Check it out:

The reason Jobs picked this time to leave active duty at Apple is apparent. He’s done. He’s finished executing a brilliant strategy of transitioning Apple from a PC-focused company to a company that’s leading the charge into what Jobs calls the “Post-PC world.” Over the past decade, Apple’s legendary success began with the iPod, evolved into the iPhone, and reached new heights with the iPad.

I definitely agree that Jobs changed Apple’s focus and transformed it into a drastically different company than it was in 1997. That said, I’m  not buying the whole “Post-PC world”  rhetoric. I hate that phrase. It’s a clever bit of marketing that reminds me a bit of the term “Retina Display”. Apple, Jobs in particular, has ingrained the terms Post-PC era and Retina Display to the point where a lot of tech writers think that the Post-PC is an actual era (after the Palaeozoic Era?) and Retina Display is an actual technology. It infuriates me. (For the record, I’m not accusing Pachal of either. His article just reminded me of the matter.)

See, I don’t think of products like the iPhone or iPad as post-PC. They’re just different kinds of personal computers. They’re personal devices, right? They compute things, don’t you agree? They just use different input methods, come in different form factors, and offer a different experience. I realize those sound like major differences, but I believe that my laptop, my smartphone, and my iPad are all personal computers. They’re just different kinds of PCs. Put it this way — my laptop is quite different from the Altair 8800, but they’re both considered personal computers.

Do you agree with me? Are smartphones and tablets just new kinds of personal computers? Or are they distinct device types that should not be considered PCs? Are you living in a Post-PC world? Are you a Post-PC girl? (Think Madonna.)

Today’s Poll: Will the iPhone 5 Be on All Major U.S. Carriers?

Following the recent rumor that the iPhone 5 will be available on Sprint in October, MacTrast has posted a story that claims Apple’s next iPhone will be available on T-Mobile as well. If both rumors pan out then the iPhone will be available on all four major American carriers. That’s a potentially huge happening that could shake up the U.S. market.

What do you think? Will it happen? Kindly take today’s poll and discuss!

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Steve Jobs Resigns, Tim Cook Named New Apple CEO

Huge news out of Cuppertino: the legendary Steve Jobs has resigned as Apple CEO and former COO Tim Cook has been named as his replacement. Jobs will still serve Apple as chairman of the board. As many of you know, Jobs has been suffering from numerous health issues over the last few years. Many believed that Cook would be his successor. Despite the inevitability of it all, it still feels a bit shocking. Apple without Steve Jobs steering the ship seems…not right. Before I get to some analysis and explanation, here’s a clip from the press release:

Apple’s Board of Directors today announced that Steve Jobs has resigned as Chief Executive Officer, and the Board has named Tim Cook, previously Apple’s Chief Operating Officer, as the company’s new CEO. Jobs has been elected Chairman of the Board and Cook will join the Board, effective immediately.

For those of you not familiar with Cook, he is one of the biggest reasons that Apple enjoys the profit margins that it does. The man knows how to work supply chains, setting up favorable deals for components needed in Apple products years in advance. For example, Cook set up deals for high-quality LCD displays years before the iPad and iPhone took off. This helped Apple secure relatively cheap prices for these goods. A nifty side effect, particularly on the tablet side, is that Apple’s competitors have had a tough (and comparatively expensive) time getting LCD screens for its products.

The reaction from the stock market has been a completely expected overreaction. According to Wired, Apple shares closed at $376.18, but dipped to $357.10 in after-hours trading. I understand that people are jumpy on someone other than Steve Jobs leading Apple, but there’s no need to panic (yet). Jobs is still around and working for Apple. More importantly, Apple plans things out so far in advance that an immediate stock dip seems a bit stupid to me. I would be shocked if there were drastic changes to how Apple does business over the next five years (at least).

What are your thoughts on Steve Jobs resignation and the future of Apple? Is it a sign of an inevitable fall? Or is it simply due to health issues? At the very least, Tim Cook will do a better job taking over Apple then Steve Ballmer did taking over Microsoft, right? Is going with an “operations” guy instead of a “vision” guy the best thing for Apple’s future?

iPhone 5 Coming to Sprint?

According to The Wall Street Journal, Sprint will be the third American carrier to get Apple’s iPhone. According to the newspaper’s sources, “Sprint Nextel Corp. will begin selling the iPhone 5 in mid-October, people familiar with the matter said, closing a huge hole in the No. 3 U.S. carrier’s lineup and giving Apple Inc. another channel for selling its popular phone.” Another source mentioned that Sprint would be getting the iPhone 4 as well.

This would be tremendous for Sprint, which is a distant number-three in the U.S. market. Verizon is huge. AT&T is huge, especially if the company’s merger with T-Mobile goes through. The gap between the top two carriers and the third is only getting bigger. An iPhone on Sprint would help matters.

One thing to keep in mind is that Sprint’s iPhone will probably not be a “4G” phone. Sprint currently uses WiMax for its 4G network. It’s an uncommon technology and I sincerely doubt Apple would make a specialized model just for Sprint. The rumor right now is that the next iPhone will have both CDMA and GSM radios, allowing Apple to have one model that will work for most of the world’s carriers.

On the plus side, Sprint is the only American carrier offering true unlimited plans. Its competitors are either using data caps or data throttling. If you use a lot of data and can live with relatively slow CDMA data speeds then a Sprint iPhone is worth a look.

Any of you guys and gals interested in an iPhone 5 on Sprint’s network?

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John Carmack Talks Licensing, Mobile, Tools, and More

Gamasutra has a must-read interview with id Software’s John Carmack. The brilliant programmer covers a wide variety of topics in this four-page interview, including Rage, frame rate, the decision to stop licensing id Tech, the benefits of being acquired by ZeniMax, the true power of mobile devices, and more. I highly recommend reading the whole thing. You’ll be a smarter gamer for it. Here are some highlights:

Why the company stopped licensing its id Tech engine:

It’s interesting when you look back at our technology licensing — it was never really a business that I wanted to be in. In the very early days, people would pester us, and we would just throw out some ridiculous terms, and we were surprised that people were taking us up on it.

I didn’t want to be in the process of supporting a lot of outside teams — because we feel beholden to not make radical changes, and pull the rug out from underneath lots of other people. If it’s your own team, you can make the sensible decision of “It’s going to be worth it. It’s going to suck for a while, but we can make our way through it.” But you don’t want to do that to other people.

Why Microsoft gives its Xbox 360 developers expensive tools for free:

Microsoft has got some pretty good static analysis tools, and normally they make you buy, like an $8,000 professional edition of Visual Studio, but they give it for free to all Xbox developers — which I think says an interesting thing about this stuff. Where Microsoft figures that, well, nobody blames them for crappy software on Windows, but they do blame Microsoft a bit for crappy software on 360, so it’s in their best interest to put more static analysis tools available there.

One of the biggest problems with PC game development:

It’s pretty sad, the fact that we have these PCs that are sometimes 10 times as powerful, and we have more trouble holding 60 frames per second on the PCs because of drive and OS unoptimalities. And there are reasons for all of them. I’ve done enough driver work on OpenGL to understand why things wind up the way they are.

And sure, on the PC, you can go ahead and you’re running two megapixels. You can turn on anti-aliasing, and you can have much bigger page tables for the virtual textures, and all this stuff. But still, if you want it to get done in like 16 milliseconds, the graphics drivers are a huge hindrance right there.

As I said before, it’s a fantastic interview. Carmack is awesome. I guarantee you’ll learn at least four things from this story. Now go read it!

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