Archive for the ‘Samsung’ Category
Monday, December 22nd, 2008 |
The NC10 netbook from Samsung hasn’t actually been out on the market for long so it’s quite surprising to see the next model details have been bouncing around the web. Then again, that never stopped Asus launching a log jam of netbooks!
This updated version is a bit a of a beast; in both specs and pricing. The NC20 will come with 1.3GHz VIA Nano U225 processor, a 12.1-inch display, 160GB hard drive, 1GB of RAM, Bluetooth 2.0, 802.11b/g WiFi, Ethernet, a 3-in-1 card reader and a 1.3-megapixel camera. The NC20 weighs about 3.3 lbs so it’s definitely not the lightest device on the market. Although the spec is pretty decent for a netbook the price is a bit of a smack in the face - it’s expected to be in the region of $642! And I though netbooks were supposed to be a low cost alternative to draw in the masses of mobile users!
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Monday, November 3rd, 2008 |
Once again, it looks like Samsung have definitely been listening to their users. Notebook Magazine has conducted battery life testing on the NC10 Netbook with some impressive results. Take a look at these stats:
- 12% screen brightness: 7hrs 34mins.
- 50% screen brightness: the duration dropped to 6hrs 30mins.
- 100% screen brightness: 4hrs 38.
Conclusion? Dim your screen to conserver battery life! Admittedly, load testing does have a bearing on the battery life of any portable device but even the latest advances in display technology still leave a lot to be desired.
The stat above show that, when it comes to power consumption, Samsung is moving in the right direction. The Q1 Ultra is another excellent example of how Samsung have listened to the customer and implemented the ‘right stuff’ in terms of requirements. This attention to detail is probably one of the reasons why LaptopMag calls the NC10 the ‘netbook of choice’, for now. Isn’t it time that some of the other OEM’s took a note out of Samsungs book and started giving us more battery life?
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Tuesday, September 9th, 2008 |
There’s an article over at jkkmobile about a soon to be launched netbook from Samsung. From the images on aving, it looks like a very attractive bit of kit - very slim and easy on the eye. It looks like the device will also have WWAN thrown in to keep the masses happy.
Hardware specs look ok as well: 8.9″ or 10″ screen, Intel Atom CPU, webcam, VGA output, 3x USB 2.0, ethernet port and mic in/audio out. Check out the shots and you’ll see all of this.
The Samsung Netbook is due for launch in October (don’t be surprised if there are delays). The netbook market is fast becoming saturated with players trying to wrap the game up - to be fair, it’s going to take a pretty impressive offering from Samsung to make a dent in the sales of Asus.
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Monday, August 4th, 2008 |
Yes, you heard right - Samsung have launched a basic model which will set you back about 385 Euros (that’s a significant saving on the current Q1 Ultra which weighs in at a hefty £750-ish!)
Admittedly the latest version, the Q1 U-C, doesn’t match up to its big brother but what do you expect for the price? This model features and 800 Mhz processor and Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition (nausea rising!) but if you can live with that this could be the one for you.
Apart from the glaringly obvious the Q1 U-C specification isn’t actually too bad. Besides, you could always ‘test’ another OS on the device to see how it runs. Anyhow, here’s the full spec:
- Intel A110 CPU (800 Mhz)
- 7″ WSVGA touchscreen
- 1 Gb memory
- Network 10/100 ethernet and 802.11 b/g
- Windows XP Home Edition
As you can see, it’s not quite a barebones UMPC. The spec is actually pretty good and should be more than capable when it comes to day to day tasks. Personally, the installed OS is pretty useless. I need connectivity to my Windows domain and really don’t want to play around trying to fudge a connection. On the other hand, if you’re looking for a Q1 at a low price that allows you to browse and do ‘Windows things’, then go for it.
We don’t have a UK launch date yet as the Q1 U-C has only just arrived in the Far East. That said, I’m pretty sure we’ll see this UMPC making it’s European debut very soon.
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Tuesday, July 29th, 2008 |
I’ve had a bit of a soft spot for the Q1 Ultra for some time now. I bought one a while back and I’ve been experimeting with running Ubuntu on it - works pretty well apart from a few very minor issues (touchscreen being the real bugbear).
Well, now it seems like Samsung are keen to expand on the popularity of the Q1 Ultra by launching another two devices.
The latest news suggests that the HSDPA capable model has been announced - but only in the US. I’ve no doubt this will eventually filter through to the UK market so there’s no need to think about flying to America - unless you feel the need to be one of the first owners of the HSDPA Q1. The biggest gripe I have about this latest is the price - about $1450. That’s a lot of cash for an Ultra Mobile device but if it’s as good as my current Q1 I’ll probably bite the bullet and buy one. Alternatively, you could always buy yourself an HSDPA card and fit it in the Q1, as discussed here.
The second model, the Q1 Ultra premium, has been available for a while now running XP. But for some strange reason Samsung have only just decided to announce availability. Is this some cunning plan? Probably not! Just a cock up.
This Q1 Ultra Premium runs Windows XP, allegedly has excellent battery life and supports the upgrading of a home-built SSD drive. Seems almost too good to be true. I’ll let you know once I get my hands on one.
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Wednesday, July 23rd, 2008 |
Just to prove we don’t Apple-shaped domed foreheads -
“Few weeks ago we told you that Samsung i740 Windows Mobile 6.1 GPS enabled 2.5G smartphone is coming soon.Well, it didn’t take long for it to get official. At least in Ukraine.Except for the lack of 3G connectivity, Samsung i740 is a pretty cool smartphone.It comes with 3.2 megapixel camera, big 2.8″ QVGA display, built-in GPS sensor, FM radio, optical joystick and other goodies. Samsung i740 will price will be somewhere around 285 Euro
Full Samsung i740 specs include:
- Tri-band GSM 900/1800/1900 connectivity
- Windows Mobile 6.1 OS
- 3.2 megapixel camera with autofocus
- 2.8″ 320×240 QVGA, 262K color TFT display
- FM Radio
- GPS Navigation
- USB 2. and Bluetooth A2DP
- 150 MB of user memory
- microSD memory card slot
- 1500 mAh battery
- Dimensions: 107×59x13.9 mm” via unwiredview.com
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Friday, July 4th, 2008 |
Rumours abound that Samsung is preparing to launch a new Windows Mobile based handset. “So what?”, I hear you say. Let me tell you. This handset will not feature 3G or WiFi capabilities. Now, to some of you this might seem like a throwback to the Stone Ages but to me it’s actually quite logical. Many users buy a handset based on the looks rather than feature set preferring to leave browsing the web and checking emails to their trusty PC. In theory, this allows Samsung to reduce the price of the handset as the modem and WiFi features can be removed. Well, that’s the theory. I’m sure it will be tested when the new Samsung handset hits the market.
Here’s the specifications:
- Connectivity: Quadband GSM 850/900/1800/1900, with GPRS/EDGE support
- OS: Windows Mobile 6.1
- Screen: 2.8″ QVGA - 320 x 240 touchscreen, with haptic feedback support
- Camera: three megapixels
- Memory: MicroSDHC slot - up to 4GB supported
- Extras: GPS, Bluetooth and USB 2.0 connectivity, FM Radio
- Dimensions: 107×59x13.8mm - via pdasnews.com
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Tuesday, June 24th, 2008 |
I promised we’d do it today, so let’s go.
As I said yesterday, the Samsung i780 looks very much like a Blackberry but does is cut the ice?
For a start, this is definite move by Samsung into the pocket PC market. Previous products such as the i600 were smart phones. The i780 represents a move that could entice users to switch from Blackberry to Samsung.
Design
Simpley put; very Blackberry. The i780 feels very comfortable, not at all bulky considering the size (61.3 x 115.9 x 13.3 millimetres). The Samsung SGH-i780 features a full QWERTY keypad plus Windows ‘Start’ and ‘Ok’ keys. Samsung really are trying to make this device appeal to Microsoft users. Just about all keys are dual function allowing you to invoke a different function or symbol using the Fn key. Along the bottom row are two nice additions: dedicated GPS and Message buttons which simplify the ease of use. In all, the keypad is actually very easy to use one handed when sending texts or composing emails.
Below the screen is an optical mouse. This is a marked difference from Blackberrys trackball which can easily clog up with dirt and become unresponsive. No such problems with the i780. The optical mouse was a breeze to use although we did find that dirt left on the pad made it a little jerky. That said, the Samsung mouse is considerabley easier to clean than Blackberrys trackball.
The i780 320 x 320 touchscreen display is more than adequate for a device of this size. The are two issues here:
- the screens reflective finish made the screen difficult to see in bright sunlight
- touchscreen sometimes took a fair amount of pressure, or even double taps, to register an action
On the left side of the SGH-i780 is a volume rocker and on the right a flap under which you’ll a socket for the USB cable of headphone jack. A microphone socket is located on the bottom of the device. All fairly standard.
On the back of the i780 is a 2 Megapixels camera. “Only 2 Megapixels?” Yes, that’s right but we’re not talking poor images here. Pictures taken using this camera are clear and crisp. Note to other manufacturers: Why can’t you do this?
The Windows Mobile 6 Professional is as you’d expect. A full productivity suite from Microsoft which is aimed squarely at the business sector. There are some nice extras such as a mini player which allows you to play media without invoking the screen hogging Windows Media Player. Also, you get the Opera browser. I’m biased here. I like Opera and I’m really pleased to see it being shipped with the i780.
The GPS device is a really nice touch. And it’s fast. This is, in part, due to the Assissted GPS (AGPS) feature. Data can be downloaded even if you don’t have a data card. The device can even use ActiveSynch for downloads. Very nice.
Battery life is good. Samsung claim 7 hours of talk time on a full charge. We got pretty close to this; 6hrs 50 mins maximum. No complaints there.
Conclusion
I like the Samsung SGH-i780. There were some minor niggles but these wouldn’t stop me from buying an i780 even at a rough price of around £300 - it’s definitely cheaper than some of the options out there and better by far.
Specifications
Microsoft Windows Mobile 6 Professional
624 MHz Marvell CPU
256 MB ROM / 128MB RAM
2.5 ” 320×320 TFT Touchscreen
GSM900, GSM1800, GSM1900, UMTS2100
CSD, GPRS, EDGE, UMTS, HSDPA
Built-in QWERTY-type keyboard, 37 keys
microSD card slot
Bluetooth 2.0
WiFi: 802.11b/g
Built in NMEA 0183 GPS
2.0mp camera
Downside
I have to be fair, there was nothing that would stop me buying this device. True, there are some things that could be improved such as: the keypad has a slightly cramped feel and the reflective display is difficult to see in bright daylight. The most annoying feature is Samsungs use of proprietary connecctors - lost cable replacement isn’t cheap.
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Monday, June 23rd, 2008 |
I’ve just been playing with the Samsung i780 courtesy of a friend. I’ll do a full review tomorrow.
The i780 is another attempt to muscle in on the Blackberry market. In fact, when I first saw the SGH-i780 from a distance I thought it was a Blackberry. Just goes to show how familiar the Blackberry layout has become.
Here’s a brief listing of the specifications:
- Windows Mobile 6.0 Professional
- MS Office Mobile
- QWERTY keyboard
- 2 megapixels camera
- 3G HSDPA 73.6Mbps
- Wi-Fi b/g
- 7 hours talk time
I’ll be back tomorrow with a full review.
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Thursday, June 19th, 2008 |
Recently, Samsung announced that they would have a Mobile Interent Device on the market by mid-June. As yet, the device has not launched but there’s still time.
The specifications quoted make the Samsung MID look very impressive. Of particular interest is the processor - 1Ghz ARMv7. For those of you haven’t heard of the processor before let me just say that it’s fast, really fast. In fact, the v7 is said to be four times faster than current ARM architectures running at the same clockrate.
The platform that will be used for this MID is Snapdragon; a device that already incorporate the ARM v7.
Here’s some specs for the Samsung Mobile Internet Device:
- Universal modem - 2G and 3G
- 12 megapixel camera
- GPS
- HD video playback
- WiFi and Bluetooth
- all day battery life
- digital broadcast television (MediaFLO, DVB-H, and/or USDB-T) and dual-mode EV-DO Rev.
Now that does look impressive.
More info here.
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