Four new Galaxy models from Samsung to be announced at IFA next week

Samsung Mobile will announce four new smartphones next week at the IFA trade show. All in the Galaxy series: Galaxy W, Galaxy M Pro, Galaxy Y and Galaxy Y Pro

Samsung is expected to unveil four new smartphones at the the consumer electronics trade show IFA opening in Berlin on September 1st. To better understand new Galaxy smartphone releases, Samsung has introduced a new naming convention. These are interesting enough mostly mid-to high range models.

• Galaxy S - Flagship models such as the Galaxy S II (Superior?)
• Galaxy R Royal - Premium models
• Galaxy W Wonder - High-tier
• Galaxy M Magical - Mid-tier
• Galaxy Y Young - Entry level models

All model names can have additional labels such as Plus which will be upgraded models, Pro adds keyboard and LTE (4G) models has Long Term Evolution network support.
Galaxy W is rumored to have a 3.7 inch touch display running Android 2.3 Gingerbread and powered by a 1.4 GHz processor. It is expected to have a 480 x 800 pixel resolution, HSDPA, 5 megapixel camera, Bluetooth 2.1 Wi-Fi. Reading the specifications We are a little surprised over the 5 megapixel camera. We would expect at least 8 megapixel from a High-tier model.
Galaxy M Pro is a candy-bar model with a full QWERTY keyboard below the display. As all the other models, it is running on Android 2.3 Gingerbread. The display is 2.66 inch large with a 480 x 320 pixel resolution. It has a 1GHz processor, 5 megapixel camera in addition to a second video call camera which can record in VGA (640 x 480) quality. Measuring only 9.7 mm thick the Galaxy M Pro is very thin for being a full QWERTY model. Bluetooth 3.0 support, Wi-Fi b/g/n and 1350 mAh battery are more of the expected features.
Galaxy Y and Galaxy Y Pro are two entry-level phones. At least the Galaxy is powered by a 832MHz processor. It has a 3 inch display with a 240 x 320 pixel resolution, 2 megapixel camera, Bluetooth 3.0, Wi-Fi b/g/n, HSPA and a 1200 mAh battery. Specifications for the Galaxy Y Pro is unknown, but according to the new naming convention it must have a QWERTY keyboard. Except from the screen size, the rest of the specs are probably similar to the Galaxy Y.

Read more »

HTC to showcase Windows Mango phones only at 1st September event

At the HTC event being held on September 1st, Android smarphones might be missing from the show. Rumors has it that this is a Windows Phone event only

HTC are having an event to "see what's next" on September 1st according to their Facebook page. BGR can now report that HTC are planning to announce a couple of Windows Phone 7.5 Mango smartphones at the event. Android phones will not be at this show.
HTC Eternity with a 3.8 inch display and a 4.5 inch HTC Omega is the highlights expected to be unveiled on next Thursday.
HTC Omega rumored specifications:

• Networks: GSM 850/900/1800/1900, UMTS/HSPA 900/2100
• 3.8 inch display, 480 x 800 pixel resolution
• 1.5 GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon processor
• 16 GB storage
• 8 megapixel camera, autofocus, geo tagging, LED light
• 720p HD video capture
• Bluetooth 2.1
• Wi-Fi b/g/n
• aGPS
• Windows Phone 7.5 Mango operating system

Read more »

Samsung Galaxy S II heading for US

The flagship model Galaxy S II from Samsung has been available in Europe and other parts of the world for months now. Now it's ready for the US

Samsung Mobile today released a promo video of the Galaxy S II smartphone which soon will be available in the US.
The promo video shows the Galaxy S II in front of famous places around the world. From Mona Lisa and the Sphinx to the London Eye. The world tour ends in front of the Statue of Liberty in New York.
Samsung Galaxy S II has been a huge success for Samsung. It is the most powerful Samsung model available powered by a 1.2 GHz dual core processor and a 4.3 inch touch screen. The Galaxy S II is also the most expensive Samsung model. But despite the price, Samsung managed to sell over 5 million units in three first months.
Galaxy S II won the EISA award European Mobile Phone of the year.

If you watch the video closely, you will notice that the mobile shown at the end of the video has different look than the Galaxy S II available in other countries. The Home, Back, Search and Option keys are visible in the video, while the global Galaxy S II have just one Home key visible.
Galaxy S II has sent out a press invitation to a major product announcement in New York on August 29. This is probably when the Galaxy S II will be presented to the US consumers. The Samsung Galaxy S Facebook page ask followers to check back on August 30th for sweepstakes.

Read more »

RIM announces BlackBerry Curve 9350, 9360 and 9370 QWERTY smartphones

RIM today announced Curve 9350, 9360 and 9370 entry level smartphones with a 2.44 inch touch screen and portrait QWERTY keyboard

RIM today introduced three new QWERTY smartphones in the Curve series. Much can be said about the BlackBerry form factor, but RIM is still faithful to their design roots. We have added the 9350, 9360 and 9370 to the Esato mobile phone directory and in this process, we noticed more similarities than differences. The press images sent out by RIM are commonly used by all three models. The measurements are the same and there are no visual differences between the three.
Like most new phone releases, the Blackberries has integration with the largest social networks. The Social Feeds has been extended to include updates from media, podcasts and favourites such as Facebook and Twitter.
BlackBerry Curve 9350/9360/9370 highlights

• Weight: 99 gram
• Size: 109 x 60 x 11 mm
• Networks
  • Curve 9350: CDMA800/CDMA1900
  • Curve 9360: GSM/EDGE 850/900/1800/1900, UMTS (800/850)/1900/2100 or UMTS 900/1700/2100
  • Curve 9370: CDMA 800/CDMA 1900, GSM/EDGE 850/900/1800/1900
• 2.44 inch touch display with 480 x 360 pixel resolution
• 5 megapixel camera, LED light, Face detection, geo tagging, image stabilization
• VGA (640 x 480) video capture
• Wi-Fi b/g/n
• Bluetooth 2.1
• A-GPS
• QWERTY keyboard
• 3.5 mm audio jack
• 1000 mAh battery
• Talktime: 9350: 5.5 hours, 9360: 5 hours, 9370: 5 hours
• Standby time: 9350: 14.5 days, 9360: 14 days, 9370: 12.5 days
• 800 MHz processor
• BlackBerry OS 7.0

Read more »

Android has more than half the US smartphone market share

According to a recent report, Android has over half the smartphone market share in the US. 

According to a report by NPD Group, Android gained 2% market share up to 52% from 50% last quarter. Apple also increased sales compared to first quarter. iPhone sales are now reported to be as high as 29% of total sales to U.S consumers. An 1% increase from last quarter. BlackBerry is still strong in the US and the OS has a 11% market share. The two previous quarters, Blackberry had a 19% and 14% market share. In other words, they loose ground. Windows Phone, the older Windows Mobile OS and the soon to be retired webOS share the rest of the 8% market share.
Symbian are not mentioned in the report, so Nokias old favourite OS had probably very low sales figures in Q2. Nokia are in the process of making Windows Phone based smartphones so we expect the low Windows Phone market share to rise slightly in the beginning of next year when they first Nokia handsets are available.
Three weeks ago, Canalys reported that Android also are the dominant Smartphone operating system world-wide. 48% is a little lower than the U.S percentage, but Android is still the leading world-wide smartphone OS.
The numbers in these data sets are done by NPD Group, and they are tracking U.S. consumers over 18 year of age who purchased a mobile phone during the quarter. Corporate and enterprise smartphone purchases are not tracked.

Read more »

Sony Ericsson announce Live Walkman Android smartphone

Sony Ericsson today announced another model in the Walkman series. The Live Walkman is an Android 2.3 Gingerbread model with a 3.2 inch touch display and 1GHz processor

Sony Ericsson Live Walkman is the second Walkman model running on the Android OS. It is a mid-range model with a 5 megapixel camera, 3.2 inch display and 320 x 480 pixel resolution with with Wi-Fi, aGPS, DLNA and HSPA network support. So why does it deserve the Walkman brand name? It has a collection of music services which do not exist in other Sony Ericsson models.

• Infinite button - Click to enable instant access to content about the favourite artist, such as music videos, artist information and lyrics search
• Qriocity music and video content service from Sony - Where consumers can access songs from all major labels and watch thousands of movies from a major studios. Only Sony Ericsson Android smartphones provide consumers with unique access to the entertainment services from Sony.
• Sony xLOUD technology - Enhanced audio output of the built in speakers at high levels
• TrackID - Music identification service

All Sony Ericsson Walkman phones have a Walkman player application. We are not sure if the Walkman app found in the Live Walkman model is something beyond the generic Android but with a tiny Sony Ericsson twist such as Equalizer and Walkman brand.
Live Walkman has a deep Facebook integration like many other new Sony Ericsson smartphones. Most media content such as picture gallery, music, contact and calendar details can be shared and synced with Facebook.
The Sony Ericsson Xperia adds the four-corner Home screen navigation for easy navigation to commonly used tasks.

Sony Ericsson Live Walkman highlights

• Size: 106 x 56.5 x 14.2 mm
• 115 gram
• Networks:
  • GSM/EDGE 850/900/1800/1900, UMTS/HSPA 850/1900/2100
  • GSM/EDGE 850/900/1800/1900, UMTS/HSPA 900/2100
• 3.2 inch touch display, 320 x 480 pixel resolution, 16.7 million colours, scratch-resistant, capacitive multi-touch
• 5 megapixel camera, 8 digital zoom, auto focus, face detection, secondary front facing VGA 640x480 pixel resolution camera. LED light, geo tagging
• 720p HD video capture with image stabilizer
• Wi-Fi with DLNA
• Bluetooth
• aGPS
• FM Radio
• 3.5 mm audio jack
• Micro USB support and USB tethering
• Talktime: 14 hours 15 minutes
• Standby time: 600 hours
• Music listening time: 17 hours 30 minutes
• Battery: 1200 mAh

Read more »

Official LG Optimus Sol images emerges

Some images of the unannounced LG Optimus Sol Android smartphone has emerged. The mid-range LG model has a single core processor and 3.8 inch AMOLED display

 
We have earlier heard rumors of a LG Optimus Sol E730 Android 2.3 Gingerbread smartphone which supposedly are having a 1GHz processor and a 3.8 inch AMOLED touch display with a 480 x 800 pixel resolution. This is rumors, but it has been strengthened by a new video and some leaked press photos. The LG Optimus Sol has 5 megapixel camera in addition to a front facing camera. There is nothing revolutionary about this model so to expect volume sales, LG will have to set the price right.

A LG road-map has leaked ant it tells us that LG has 6 new touchscreen models coming out later this year where the Optimus Sol is one of them. The model sketches in the image below is just that. No confirmed information, and no confirmed design. Observant readers might notice the different number of touch keys on the Optimus Sol sketch and the product image.
Starting from the top left

• LG Fantasy is a Windows Phone 7 model. Seems to have a very large display. 4.5++ inch?
• LG Univa / Optimus Two has a 800MHz processor, 3.5 inch display with a 320 x 480 resolution, Android 2.3 Gingerbread and Wi-Fi with DLNA support.
• LG Prada K2 has a dual core processor and a 4.3 inch NOVA display. 8 megapixel camera and a 1.3 megapixel front camera. 16 GB storage. HSPA+ network support.
• LG Gelato = confirmed to be LG Optimus Net
• LG E2. We don't have any rumored specs for this is a small Android powered device, but it seems to be a very small one. 2.6 inch display maybe?
• LG Optimus Sol

Read more »