A French court ruled in December that Apple wouldn’t have to stop selling its iPhone 4S, calling Samsung’s request “disproportionate” in scope. As Florian Mueller of FOSS Patents notes, this new Italian ruling marks the third time Samsung’s attempts to have Apple products banned in Europe have been rejected. Apple, for its part, has had limited success in securing preliminary injunctions in Germany and the Netherlands. But those could backfire, Mueller notes, should later rulings find in favor of Samsung, in which case Apple could be liable for damages.

Two patents are at issue in the Italian case related to wireless communication tech, but the case represents just one of many ongoing actions between Apple and Samsung worldwide over many more patents, with no apparent end in sight. Recently, I wrote about how a broad cross-licensing agreement might be best for both parties, and given the limited progress both sides seem to be making, that still seems like a worthwhile consideration.

Dead space free for galaxy s 2

And in case you don’t have Samsung Apps preinstalled on your Galaxy S II then worry not, we’ve got you covered. Just grab the Samsung Apps apk from here and you are good to go. So what are waiting for go grab one for yourself right away.

The spare battery is a duplicate of the one that comes with the handset; same 1850 mAh capacity and Near Field Communications support. Overall, I’m happy just to have the second battery, although most days I don’t need it. However, I do wish the stand were more like a dock. Out of the box, you can’t charge both the spare battery and the phone. Instead, an optional adapter is required. And the phone isn’t secure in the stand, especially in portrait mode.

Samsung Galaxy M Style M340S

Samsung has unveiled a Super AMOLED beauty to kickstart its  new year. Samsung has just introduced a  new entry-level smartphone Samsung Galaxy M Styles in Korea. If Samsung’s 2011 flagship is still out of reach then this might just fit your budget.

It has a 4.0 inches Super AMOLED display, a 1 GHz single core CPU, a modest 3.0 megapixel camera with no flash, 4 GB inbuilt storage expandable upto 32 GB, DMB, 1650 mAh battery still keeping the 9.9 mm profile. It runs on Android 2.3 Gingerbread with TouchWiz customization.

Samsung Galaxy M Styles M340s

The phone comes in three colors to choose from; Platinum Silver, Blue Black and Lavender Pink and will cost you around $500 which I think is a little high for an entry level phone knowing that it is only better in the screen department than Samsung Galaxy r I9103. Also it has the single core CPU as on Galaxy S so you may have live with gingerbread all your life. So why not go with the Galaxy R.  The phone is going to debuted in Korea and there is no word on the availability elsewhere. Anyway jump after the break and take a look at the official press release.

PRESS RELEASE

Samsung Releases Affordable Smartphone with 4″ Super AMOLED Display: Galaxy M Style

Samsung Electronics has unveiled a new entry-level smartphone with a 4 inch super AMOLED namely Galaxy M Style in Korea. Galaxy M Style runs on Android 2.3 Gingerbread and features 1 GHz single core processor, 3 million pixel camera, Bluetooth 3.0, 4GB memory internal memory, DMB, 1650 mAh battery. It is just 9.9 mm thin and has a refined metal body with slim design giving you a comfortable grip. Galaxy M Style comes in three colors of Platinum Silver, Blue Black and Lavender Pink with a price of more and less 500 US dollars.

Samsung Galaxy S denied value pack update

Samsung denied an ICS update to the previous flagship by saying that the phone doesn’t have the hardware required to run the software efficiently and promised a value pack update which will bring some of the ICS features to the old champ but now even that is not going to happen as Samsung claims that the hardware is not capable for even that. Well, I don’t what Samsung has in mind but last time I saw Galaxy S had quite capable hardware. But its their decision anyway.

It seems that the Galaxy S owners are going to be stuck with Gingerbread for eternity if you don’t like to go the other way and get it yourself. So let me know how you feel about Samsung’s decision in comments section below.

Galaxy Note early Cyanogen Mod Port

Well looks like those 1 million Galaxy Notes got a reason to rejoice as it is getting an early Cyanogen Mod port. It is just an experimental build and far from perfect. Now you can either wait for the official Samsung release as its just around the corner or get your hands dirty and taste it a little earlier than everyone. Well, probably many of you will wait for a while and have it the official way but there are some who like to be the first.

Sousre: vessk000 (YouTube)

But even after the spec bump you have to live with the age old Gingerbread flavored with TouchWiz atop. So it might make some customers to change their minds. You can consider the Sony Ericsson Xperia neo V with a better screen and a promise to get ICS update.

The Galaxy Ace Plus comes with a faster CPU ticking at 1 GHz and more RAM than its predecessor that is 512 MB which make it considerably faster than Galaxy Ace. It also houses a bigger 3.65 inches LCD screen upfront but alas, with the same HVGA resolution which give it even less pixel density than Ace. It has 3 GB of built i storage which could be expanded upto 32 GB via micro sd. it also sports Bluetooth 3.0 in the connectivity area dual-band 3G with 7.2 Mbps HSDPA, Wi-Fi, GPS, 3.5mm audio jack and a standard microUSB port.  The exteriors of the phone are also redesigned giving it glossy look in contrast to matte finish on its predecessor.

The camera is 5 MP autofocus with single led flash. There is no word on pricing and availability of the phone yet  but I will let you know as soon as it comes out.

The twist is that both of these ROMs will arrive on your phone through Kies, Samsung’s connectivity software. Though it is said that these will be very close to what we will be getting on our un-tinkered devices, they are still a little buggy.

So, what do you think about them? Check out a video after the break and head over to the SamMobile for step by step instructions on how to install them on your device.

While it has not hit the United States yet, Samsung’s Galaxy Note tabphone has been frolicking around Europe since the fall. Samsung announced last week that sales in Europe have topped 1 million. Sadly, the device still has not seen an official Android 4.0 build from Samsung (as promised), but luckily, developers have worked to fix the dilemma. Maui on the XDA-Developer Forums released an experimental port of Android 4.0 for the Galaxy Note using CyanogenMod 9. Older and more stable versions of CyanogenMod were also used to port Ice Cream Sandwich onto other devices like the Kindle Fire and HP TouchPad.

It is worth noting that this build is unstable. However, if you have a Galaxy Note and are ready to try Ice Cream Sandwich, this might be worth the effort. Current known bugs include the camera not working, unstable BlueTooth, battery usage not working, and MTP mode not working. What does work, however, is Wi-Fi, 3G, touchscreen, and sensors. Go to the XDA-Developer Forums for the full instructions on how to install this port.

Related articles

• Samsung announces 1 million Galaxy Notes shipped to date (9to5google.com)

The N230 model is presented in the usual cardboard packaging that distinguishes all the Samsung netbook. Il modello N230 si presenta nella solita confezione di cartone che contraddistingue tutti i netbook Samsung. The kit does not differ from the ordinary. Anche il corredo non si differenzia dall’ordinario. Inside the box are: All’interno della scatola troviamo:

• 3-cell battery to be 33,000 MWh; Batteria a 3 celle da 33.000 mWh;
• Printed manuals; Manualistica cartacea;
• Power supply with power cord. Alimentatore con cavo di alimentazione.

Obviously, the endowment of the Samsung N230 on sale to the public could be different or richer than that of our test sample. Ovviamente la dotazione dei Samsung N230 in vendita al pubblico potrebbe essere diversa o più ricca di quella del nostro esemplare di prova.

The first contact with this netbook confirms its appeal, the result of a skillful combination of glossy and matte black surfaces, and an attention to detail more than you usually see on netbooks. Il primo contatto con questo netbook conferma il suo appeal, frutto di una sapiente combinazione di superfici nere lucide ed opache, e di una cura dei dettagli maggiore di quanto si veda abitualmente sui netbook. Very elegant chrome hinges oval representing a signal of continuity with previous series of netbook Samsung N230, but that in the model acquire an elongated, almost rectangular. Molto eleganti le cerniere ovali cromate che rappresentano un segnale di continuità rispetto alle precedenti serie di netbook Samsung, ma che nel modello N230 acquistano una forma allungata, quasi rettangolare.

For those who do not stop to aesthetics, Samsung N230 offers some unique features based on the utmost pragmatism: mount a matte screen, which allows easier viewing outdoors or in bright ambient light, and has utility Enhanced Battery Life ( EBL) that promises to improve the energy efficiency for longer audonomia. Per chi non si ferma all’estetica, Samsung N230 offre alcune features improntate alla massima pragmaticità: monta uno schermo opaco , che consente una lettura più agevole all’aperto o in condizioni di forte luminosità ambientale, e dispone dell’utility Enhanced Battery Life (EBL) che promette di migliorare l’efficienza energetica per una più lunga audonomia.

For further details refer to a forthcoming review of the Samsung N230. Per approfondimenti rinviamo ad una prossima recensione del Samsung N230.

However, there are only a finite number of rules or “laws” to follow when it comes to business.

In the terms of the highly incindiary and competitive world of consumer technology, there’s nothing that is sacred- as we all know.

There are 2 such strategies:

(1) Invest and try to develop Brand New technologies or products. Or, (2) invest and develop better ways of copying (template-ing?) already (and most importantly) successful market penetration strategies.  After all, #2 is a “template”, and templates cost Less money to produce.

Samsung has, in this latest saga, decided on strategy #2, with a bit more “obviousness” by developing advertisement with the same talent, in the commercial (known as CF in Korea).

The shame was palpable, for the company had deleted the spot immediately after criticisms rained down on its actions.

There’s no permanent damage to Samsung, of course.  And lets be honest, there are many such business examples from other companies (name the company, and they’ve employed the same strategy as Samsung did- even at Apple) which have done the same thing.

Samsung and Apple make great stuff for us to enjoy, no doubt about that. But gaffes like this makes it fun for all of us sometimes. But isn’t such egg on face situation, just fun to witness? Yes. I agree. (Oh, I can imagine what that post staff agency meeting was like at Samsung).

Well, here’s the Samsung version, for comparison with the Apple version following.

Read even more at:  SlashGear

We pitched in to buy a professional ball. Took it out for a test-drive.

Before I even got my chance at that spanking new white ball, it bounced to the street, ran over by a car, and voila! Memory of shared disappointment.

But Team!

Then we went out and had some lunch. The neighborhood gangs there just walked up and started to punch each of us to the ground. Back then, one of our oldest classmates had a brother in the army. He went home and took out an M-16 to scare away the hoodlums. Team!

Later in life, I have always been a team player: my brother got married, OK.

I would take care of mom, heck with my broadcasting career! Team.

The Boat People died at seas? I stood up and joined two other graduates. Together, we rolled up our sleeves, and spent our summer in hot, crowded and often times, violent (due to cramp living) prison-turned-refugee camps.

Team!

When it was my turn to lead, a joint Chinese and Vietnamese team (historically at war as nations) I made sure we spent a lot of time around food,

sharing meals and sharing deals. Team.

Families broke down because they forgot that Team came first.

Great teams just don’t happen by accident.

It needs everyone to commit to a common goal, and yes, it needs to define clearly who it is competing against (Apple vs IBM, MCI vs ATT or Samsung vs Sony).

Team needs various personalities to achieve optimal results.

But personality conflicts cause headaches.

Team leaders should embrace diversity of opinion, temperament and  ( emotional and social) intelligence.

Let conflict boil to the surface. Team’s fiber could withstand some strains and be made stronger as a result.

You know your team is fully functional when it moves as a unit: each knows his/her SWOT. Team leaders are not always right. They just know how to draw out the best in each member.

Team has its learning curve and maturity as well.

Even the best team can’t stay together forever. When you get teary at goodbye, you know you had a good team experience.

I would trade a B teammate over a A lone wolf any day.

No wonder Southwest Airlines consistently outperform its nearest competitor.

People who work there seem to and do have fun. They sing to, they smile at and they serve you as if each flight were their last. Because of this, we have yet seen SW last flight since their opening day.

We did not choose our families. But team does pick you as much as you let yourself be changed by it. Nothing worthwhile is accomplished without great teams. And no rewards greater than that of a team bringing home the first prize. Esprit de corps. That’s what it is all about. The high-fives or the tap on your shoulder when you are down and out (World Cup Final).  Come on! Focus! Next play!

Ask my tall classmate whose first handshake ends up lasting a life time.

As I explained at the end of the old “rumor” post, I now am now the owner/operator of a new Samsung Galaxy Nexus Smartphone running Google’s Ice Cream Sandwich 4.0.

Where have you been?  Yes, it is a new Android phone.

Knowing you guys, you have already seen the photos and the videos all over the internet about this phone.

I will add a few pics, videos and equipment links for those who want to check deeper.

And, if you are like me, you got a bit frustrated after just a couple of short delays….

But the phone got released on December 15th and that is the day I ordered mine.

There are bumps along the road for everything–so, what bumps have I experienced with the Galaxy Nexus?

Well, for starters, I still want to call this phone the “Prime”.  In fact I do call it Prime most of the time.  It’s just a better name for a device.

My 10.1 Tablet is my Galaxy and there is already a Nexus or two out there.  I may continue to call it Prime.

Got my box from FedEx, opened it.  Opened it again.  Then searched thru everything.

No SIM card and since the phone is 4G nothing I have would work even if they fit.

Bump #1.

Finally called Verizon and they promised to send one immediately.

Immediate was not very fast and then I got caught up with FedEx holiday deliveries.  It took like a week to get the replacement SIM.

Bump #2

Once FedEx delivered the SIM,  I installed it and put the battery cover back on the device.  At least the battery was 100% charged with the delay.  SIM installed and phone starts the on-line process.  And then it stalls.  I wait and eventually go online with Verizon.  A few dozen complaints in the Galaxy Nexus user forums about the same issue of phones locking up during the registration process.

Bump #3

Two days later I take the phone to the Verizon store.

Took three Verizon employees and one hour but they got it running again and thru the registration process.  Plus they gave me a new back cover.

Bump #4.  I think I will quit counting.

Since then things have worked fine and humming along.  I lost if for a few hours and thought for sure it was gone 4ever.  But it got itself found!  And is back in my clutches.

I like a number of basic things about this phone, such as:

• the screen size.  You have heard it is some 4.65 inches which seems huge.  But that includes the move of the physical buttons to on-screen buttons.  That means it is really not as large as it sounds because what used was overall phone size on my old Droid is now the screen size as the screen really flows nearly edge-to-edge.
• the feel of the backside of the phone.  Almost Kevlar feeling and gives a certain heft to a Samsung phone which tend to feel “plastic-y”.
• 4g LTE speed
• Ice Cream Sandwich 4.0 is much smoother.  Good updated OS

What do I need to get used to?

• the weight.  My Droid had a physical keyboard (which I liked a lot) and of course the Nexus does not so it is light as a feather.  I like that but I worry…

What is included??

• Android 4.0 Ice Cream
• 4.65-inch HD Super AMOLED Screen with 720p resolution
• 1.2GHz dual-core processor
• Redsigned UI in Android 4.0
• Improved multi-tasking, notifications, Wi-Fi hotspot, NF support, full web browsing
• Android 4.0 features Software Navigation buttons – brand new
• People App with Google+ Integration among other features
• Redesigned camera with panorama mode, 1080p video, zero-shutter lag, silly faces and background replacement features
• Face Unlock: Facial recognition to unlock your phone! BOOM that just happened.
• Android Beam uses NFC to easily share content with other Android users with the bump of phones
• PURE GOOGLE EXPERIENCE
• All the Google Apps you love from Android Market and GMail to Movie Studio and redesigned Google+ app
• 8.94mm thick, 4.29mm bezel
• LTE and HSPA+ connectivity
• Available in USA, Europe, and Asia beginning in November and then rolled out globally

This site will connect you with reviews, videos and accessories for your Nexus.  Check em out.

They have videos showing the individual accessories so you can see howmit fits, how it looks and how it works before you buy the accessory.

On-line manual:

The phone comes with a small highlights thingie like comes with the Samsung Galaxy Tab if you have seen that.  For in-depth issues or a desire to learn more, Samsung has a great on-line manual that you can save to your hard-drive as a *.pdf.  Check it out here, assuming your Model # is SCH-1515 (find it under your battery).

Check out the Tips & Tricks from Samsung.

Speed:

The Nexus is hecka fast and connected to Verizon’s 4g LTE (Long Term Evolution, stupid name) it burns the network.  I keep trying the speedtest tricks (using the Ookla testing app) and have seen download speeds of 15,000 kbps and nearly 25000 kbps.  Upload of 5400kbps to over 7000 kbps.

After my original Droid and eventually Verizon’s 3g this thing feels like it will just melt in my hands it is so fast.

Cost:

I bought immediately and new I would be spending $299.  Amazon had them at $199 for new Verizon customers (I was already on Verizon) and I heard (but did not see) a one day special at $99 for new customers with the 2 year contract.  I’m ok with the price I paid although half that would be cool.

Truth is providers should charge the manufacture cost for their phones hooked to a contract.  They make their money on service not on the device.

You will find a pretty good review at eweek.  Reads like just a normal guy, not one of those tech driven reviews from a technical site.  Even though eweek is just that.  Nice job.

PCWorld has a review here.  It’s more like his initial impressions, not a full review you would expect from this magazine, but definitely a worthwhile read if you are thinking of buying this phone or even considering it.

“…in my hands-on use, I was impressed with the snappy dual-core 1.2GHz TI OMAP 4460 processor. Apps launched promptly, and videos ran perfectly. As I mentioned before, multitasking takes a bit longer than expected. Scrolling through Web pages and menus, too, isn’t as fluid as I would like.

Verizon’s 4G LTE network, of course, plays a huge role in the speediness of the Galaxy Nexus. In my tests using the FCC-approved Ookla Speedtest app, the Galaxy Nexus achieved download speeds ranging from 6.69 to 12.11 megabits per second and upload speeds of 21.18 mbps. In other words, the Galaxy Nexus is blazingly fast.”

The full review from PCWorld is here.

I don’t use the facial unlock feature (yet), but in case you are interested:

“You’ve probably heard a lot of buzz about the ability to unlock your phone with your face. The front-facing camera snaps a picture of you and then uses facial recognition software the next time you unlock your phone. It’s cool, most definitely, but it’s not the most secure way of protecting your phone. As Google warns, somebody who looks similar to you can unlock your phone with their face. Nevertheless, face unlock works well, and it is a pretty neat–although somewhat gimmicky–feature.”

I have been impressed with the browser in ICS and I’m glad to see PCWorld is too.  “The browser in Ice Cream Sandwich is just about as close as you can get to a desktop one. You can now set the browser to request full desktop versions of sites, not the lesser mobile versions. You can also sync your bookmarks from the desktop Chrome browser to the Browser app in Ice Cream Sandwich. Google has added support for tabbed browsing, and you can quickly view which tabs are open, each with a live preview of that page.”

Android Newbies:

Here is Part 1 of the Beginners Guide to the New Android.  The author, from Android Activists, promises more to help everyone understand, work on and customize their various Android devices like phones, tablets, netbooks, toys…

Android non-Newbies:

According to Android Headlines and others today (January 3, 2012) Google’s partners will begin to push Ice Cream Sandwichout to some phones this week as an OS update.

I will have to wait a bit for an update to land on the doorway to my Galaxy Tablet 10.1 but now I am really looking forward to an Android update.

While you are at it—check out the New York Times’ list of the Top 10 Android Apps for 2011.  Long as you have a new or updated OS on your phone, might as well add some good apps!!  And thanks @mjdub for pointing me to the list

Detailed review—the link takes you to Android Centrals review of the Verizon 4g LTE version of this phone, but that review contains a link to their own review of the GSM version of this same phone.  So you get two reviews in one!!

And, since their reviews are better than mine would be, I will forgo writing a review here.  Yes, I know.  I said that I would.  But I won’t.  So there.

Read the reviews at the link, you will appreciate my decision.

Do you root your phone?  Droid of some kind??  Or, do you want to root your phone???

“Here’s rooting in a nutshell: Your Android smartphone is based on Linux. A big, bad, scary computer operating system known only by people with neck beards. (Only, not really. But mostly.) Anyhoo, Android apps need permission to access certain parts of Linux, and not all apps have this special “root” access. That includes a few basic things, like the camera flash, and the ability to take screen shots. There are a bunch of other apps that need root access for other reasons, too, but the basic premise is the same.”

Go here to learn more about “why”.

And go here to learn all of the ”How’s”.  It sounds scary because you are playing in the phone’s guts, but get some good instructions (like these from cnet) and you will be fine.

“In the case of the Verizon Galaxy Nexus, an automated method for unlocking the bootloader as well as rooting is now available. Wug’s Galaxy Nexus root toolkit was released earlier in the week, affording Galaxy Nexus owners the ability to unlock and root their device in a few clicks. Currently, the process is only compatible with the Samsung Galaxy Nexus for Verizon, with GSM compatibility coming soon. “

The Top 10 Reasons to Root:

This link gives you many reasons including APPs you don’t otherwise have access to, updates  and the vnerable “Just Cuz You Can”.

The link also leads you to Rooting instructions for other phones including

• LG Optimus GT
• Motorola Backflip
• Generic Android Phone or Device
• Huawei Ideos X6 U900

Got a phone/Device not shown here?  Check out the generic information or do a searcfh for “How to Root” your phone or device

After you are done, feel free to comment here and let us know where you got instructions, how the process went and what you are enjoying the most about having a Rooted smartphone, tablet etc

So, do you have a Verizon Galaxy Nexus?  Root it!  They have made it extremely easy and nearly fail-proof.  Or check you local Craigslist, you will see lots of peeps with some level of experience just willing to do it for you.

This is the first version of Android that combines an elegent look and feel with a mature and polished behavior of an excellent OS.  Not sure how it behaves on a tablet (I suspect with some Tab specific tweaks it will be just fine) but Android as a “pure Google experience) has become an excellent cellphone Operating System (OS).

It looks polished and certainly behaves well.  It is fast as blazes (4G is a big part of that I’m sure) as you move from screen to screen, opening Apps & Widgets but it is even better when you are working or playing and realize you have not stalled or rebooted unless your big fingers get in the way of something.

Taken with the Nexus on New Years:

The battery and the rear/battery cover which has a nice texture to it and gives the phone a good “grip”.

January 30th (by 16 minutes):

Wait one effing minute!  I am used to my newest, greatest & baddest technology devices being old, outdated and soon to be replaced about a week after purchase.  Well, a few months anyway because I tend to research and select well, trying to stay a bit ahead of the “new” curve.  I bought this device the day after it was released in the U.S.  Now, a few weeks later, this rumor about an “updated” Galaxy Nexus from Samsung/Google?

Anyway, I’m sure they are working on the Next Gen device because the Nexus has been so popular.  But I am guessing the phone described is something other than the Galaxy Nex.  But maybe I am just wanting my phone to be “new” a little longer.

February 1st:

Can you believe that it is February??

Better yet—can you believe that my Samsung Galaxy Nexus, which I bought mid-December is STILL the best Android phone on Verizon?  In fact, it is the best phone Android, Apple or other.   For almost 2 fucking months!

At the link above you will find a list of the best Android phones on the market as of February 1, 2012.  The list is broken dowwn by provider.

Each phone also has a detailed review and they add some info on soon-to-be upcoming phones (Like the “Note”).

This is a must-read for anyone considering a new phone.

February 3rd:

I am not an expert on smartphones, Linux, Google or many or the other “phone” subjects.  I wish that I were.

This tidbit came via Twitter today.  The article seems to just be telling people that Google is clarifying the support they provide to CDMA devices (such as the Galaxy Nexus with ICS.

Because of paranoia or whatever it was posted on Twitter as if Google was completely dropping support for the Nexus.  From my reading, I don’t think so (??) but I am not sure.  It would not make sense for Google to drop support for their own devices.  The “Nexus” name translates to Google even if it is built by Samsung.

The Open Source Project is here.

February 9th:

Lots of Tweets and posts today saying only Rooted smartphones were subject to peeps breaking into you Google Wallet.  I don’t use it myself because I expect it to be vulnerable.  But it turns out that you don’t have to have a rooted phone to have a hole in your Wallet.

Read here for the latest on this issue.

If you want to continue voting……

So check out the full press release after the break.

   PRESS RELEASE

Samsung Electronics Ships over 1 Million Units of Galaxy Note Globally

Galaxy Note

Samsung’s flagship smart device Galaxy Note has reached 1 million global shipping.

Samsung Electronics said on the 29th that it has shipped more than 1 million units of Galaxy Note globally. The worldwide sales of Galaxy Note are also on the rise in Europe and Asia including France, Germany, Hongkong and Taiwan. The rapid global sales of Galaxy Note are notable since it is creating a new market for something between smartphone and tablet pc. The speed of the global sales is expected to accelerate further next year when it will be available in the US.

Recently, Financial Times reviewed highly of Galaxy Note, commenting it as”a happy medium for consumers who want to carry just one device, rather than both a smartphone and a tablet and whatever other portable gadget they pick up on their way out”.

A Samsung official also said “1 million global shipping of Galaxy Note means it has well positioned itself as a market creator,” also adding “Samsung will continuously strengthen its leadership in the global smartphone market as well as create new markets with innovative devices.”

Samsung announced on Flickr this evening that the company shipped 1 million Galaxy Note units. The Galaxy Note was announced at IFA 2011 and has seen explosion worldwide, despite not landing in the United States yet. In addition, as background, the Galaxy Note rocks a 5.3-inch form-factor that crosses between a phone and tablet. It is worth noting that Samsung is counting devices shipped to stores, as well as customers. The Galaxy Note should be landing in the U.S. sometime in 2012, and we may even hear more at CES. Check out Samsung’s official announcement after the break. (via The Verge)

Release:

Samsung’s flagship smart device Galaxy Note has reached 1 million global shipping.

Samsung Electronics said on the 29th that it has shipped more than 1 million units of Galaxy Note globally. The worldwide sales of Galaxy Note are also on the rise in Europe and Asia including France, Germany, Hongkong and Taiwan. The rapid global sales of Galaxy Note are notable since it is creating a new market for something between smartphone and tablet pc. The speed of the global sales is expected to accelerate further next year when it will be available in the US.

Recently, Financial Times reviewed highly of Galaxy Note, commenting it as“a happy medium for consumers who want to carry just one device, rather than both a smartphone and a tablet and whatever other portable gadget they pick up on their way out”.

A Samsung official also said “1 million global shipping of Galaxy Note means it has well positioned itself as a market creator,” also adding “Samsung will continuously strengthen its leadership in the global smartphone market as well as create new markets with innovative devices.”

A report this evening from DigiTimes said the next iPad will have a monster battery that will more than double the current  6579 mAH to a whopping 14,000mAH.  Apple currently uses battery suppliers Simplo Technology and Dynapack who both denied to comment on the report.

Furthermore, Apple is set to unveil two versions of its next-iPad, “One for the high-end segment and one for the mid-range segment” according to another DigiTimes report.  Strangely, the report said the new iPads will be released at Macworld/iWorld in late January, a show that Apple has no plans to attend right now and bowed out of completely two years ago.

Apple is set to unveil its next-generation iPad – which will come in two versions – at the iWorld scheduled for January 26, 2012, according to sources at its supply chain partners

This is extremely unlikely; however, perhaps, a same-time but separate release could happen.  More details that are interesting were reported, as well….

The 7.85-inch display iPad that DigiTimes had originally rumored is no longer in the plans (or likely never was).

Instead of the previously-rumored 7.85-inch, the upcoming iPad models will still feature 9.7-inch screens but come with QXGA resolution (1,536×2,048 pixels), the sources indicated. Dual-LED light bars are designed for the new iPads to strengthen the brightness of the panels, the sources added.

We had heard about the dual LED light bars earlier that may be the cause of the bigger battery and contribute to the thicker iPad.  Additionally, a report from what became the Verge said an iPad HD was in the works that would run a new Touch version of Final Cut Pro.

Sharp will be the major display provider with Samsung and LG also providing displays, as well.  Samsung will manufacture the new A6 processor in Texas that will at least power the high-end version. Additionally, the report said serious cameras are on deck for the new iPads that would boast 5-to 8-megapixel cameras from Samsung and Sony.

Samsung is also among the CMOS image sensor (CIS) suppliers for one of the versions of the new iPad that comes with a 5-megapixel lens, marking the Korea-based vendor’s first time to grab CIS orders from Apple, the sources noted. Sony is the other CIS supplier for the other model with a higher 8-megapixel lens, the sources added.

We have heard earlier reports that the next iPad would be significantly thicker and this might be a reason.  We have had additional parts, including assembly and buttons, that seem to indicate iPads are currently in production.

In a third report, Digitimes says that Apple has already begun phasing out iPad 2.

Apple’s orders for iPad 2 are dropping gradually, while orders for the new devices remain steady.

Update: As you might expect, Jim Darlymple doesn’t see iPad 3 or an AppleTV coming at iWorld or CES for that matter.

Related articles

• Citi: Next-gen iPad to launch in February with Retina display (9to5mac.com)
• DigiTimes: Samsung, Sharp already shipping iPad 3 panels (9to5mac.com)
• Digitimes: Apple to begin producing 7.85-inch iPads in Q2 2012 (9to5mac.com)

Tuesday’s report suggested that Samsung would be responsible for the chip running the iTV, which would likely be another in Apple’s A-series of in-house-designed processors based on licensed ARM (s armh) designs. On Wednesday DigiTimes’ source said that Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC), Advanced Semiconductor Engineering (ASE) and Siliconware Precision Industries (SPIL) are also in the running for Apple TV component orders. TSMC has previously been reported as a possible replacement for Samsung for the production of its next-generation A6 processor, although that report was later contradicted.

Another new element reported on Wednesday in the Apple iTV story is that it will be assembled by Foxconn, according to industry sources. That’s not surprising, given that Foxconn handles a huge chunk of Apple’s manufacturing requirements. The production standards for the TV set are expected to be finalized by the end of the second quarter of 2012, with shipping beginning at the end of the year, according to the new sources. That’s in line with Tuesday’s report, which suggested we would see the iTV hit the market sometime in the last half of 2012.

Apple television set rumors have been around for a while, mostly sparked by analyst claims that such a device was in the works. Comments made by Steve Jobs in his recently released biography lent more weight to the claims, and now supply-chain reports seem to be streaming in steadily. Roughly the same thing happened with the iPad, with rumors of an Apple tablet in development circulating for years before the actual device’s launch. We now know, of course, that the iPad was actually in development prior to the iPhone, thanks again to details revealed in Steve Jobs’ biography.

I like to review these predictions because they help keep me honest with readers, but also because the exercise reminds me to be humble in my writing for the upcoming year: Mobile technology is moving so quickly I’ll never bat a thousand. Here’s a look back at what I wrote nearly one year ago to the day, along with evaluation of the effort.

iOS and Android

• “I do believe (and have since earlier this year) that a Verizon (s vz)(s vod) iPhone (s aapl) will at the very least, be announced in January. And it’s an even money bet that the iPad will gain the rumored cameras required for FaceTime, too.” — These weren’t too difficult to see coming, but I called them correctly.
• “ iOS will likely see improved notifications in iOS version 5.” — Another winner here, and one of the reasons I actually bought an iPhone in 2011 after abandoning my old iPhone 3GS for Android (s goog) devices. I’ve always preferred the Android notification method, and Apple improved upon it. Android 4.0 brings back parity in this area.
• “Thanks to more robust mobile broadband options, I expect Apple to offer iTunes music streaming in 2011.” — I was close, but not quite right. Apple did move iTunes libraries to the cloud, but mainly to store music files, not to stream your library in the traditional sense.
• “Android phones will come closer to rivaling the user experience of Apple iOS devices, but they’ll still fall short. It won’t matter in terms of platform market share, and more developers will code for both iOS and Android, with a greater emphasis on Google’s platform if pressed to choose just one.” — I’ll call this one partly right, as Android 4.0 does rival iOS, depending on who you ask and their personal preferences. Developers are mainly focusing on iOS and Google, but more are attracted to the better monetization offered by iOS, even though Google is ahead in market share.
• “Google will design one stock Android handset for Verizon’s LTE network.” — This was perhaps my most spot-on prediction: The Samsung Galaxy Nexus for Verizon is a flagship LTE phone that’s exclusive to the carrier in the U.S. But I’m still happier that I went with an unlocked GSM Galaxy Nexus from overseas: It removes the carrier control from my handset and gives it to me instead.
• “Motorola Mobility (s mmi) will have a solid first year due to Android phones and tablets, but won’t see huge growth until it can gain additional large carrier partners and the backing they provide.” — Motorola didn’t gain a large carrier partner, but it did win serious backing when Google announced intent to purchase the company. Still, I was wrong on this one and didn’t see the Google purchase as a possibility.
• “The iPad will continue to sell in record numbers next year, but the combined sales of Android tablets will be close behind at the end of 2011. Consumers will still pass up Microsoft (s msft) Windows 7 tablets.” — The iPad still dominates tablet sales, and by most measures, Android isn’t close behind yet. That could change with Android 4.0 tablets, but I thought we’d see them by now. Microsoft Windows 7 tablets are selling as well as prior Windows tablets — as in not very.

Intel, HP, Nokia and Microsoft

• “Intel will finally deliver on its Atom effort and get the chip in a few phones, but none will be blockbuster successes. While Android can be ported to Intel’s x86 chip architecture, few will tackle the effort because of investments in ARM technology.” — It was another year of missed opportunity for Intel(s intc), as I was wrong on timing this one. In 2012, Intel expects to enter the smartphone game with new silicon.
• “Intel’s best showing will be in Nokia (s nok) MeeGo devices (more on that below). Even with a few available products, the gap between Intel- and ARM-powered handsets and tablets will continue to widen.” — When you don’t have much showing, there really can’t be a “best” showing for Intel. And ARM(s armh) continues to rule the roost when it comes to mobile chip architecture in successful products.
• “HP (s hpq) will debut a half-dozen new webOS products: mostly phones, but at least one tablet too. Even though I expect a compelling interface and feature set, webOS still won’t see a market share higher than 6 percent in 2011 as developer mindshare is focused on Android and iOS.” — The biggest fail on my list as webOS is effectively dead and gone, having been handed down to the open-source community: a damn shame.
• “Microsoft’s Kinect product will keep the Xbox a leading platform and the device will continue to be used for various interface hacks” — The Xbox 360 continued to be the top-selling console month after month this year. And there has been no lack of Kinect-powered interface hacks demonstrated, including robots that use the Kinect for vision.
• “Microsoft will officially support the device in an update to Windows 7, and my son will still not be able to beat me in a Kinect game.” — Microsoft added Windows 7 support for Kinect in June. and my son has yet to beat me in a Kinect game. I’m getting older by the minute though, so I may not be able to replicate this feat in 2012.
• “Nokia’s smartphone market share will stabilize, but not grow beyond 40 percent as cheaper Android phones will flood the market by the second half of the year. The company will continue to tout MeeGo, which will become available in the form of six devices in 2011.” — Even with my own lowered expectations for Nokia, the company — and its smartphone market share — crumbled in 2011, in hopes of rebuilding its future. MeeGo has been abandoned as a strategy, so I blew this one big time.
• “There will be talk of Microsoft buying Nokia, but it won’t happen. Windows Phone 7 on a Nokia device might, however, as a short-term trial strategy for both parties.” — Microsoft hasn’t officially bought Nokia, but it did pay the company more a billion dollars to use Windows Phone going forward.
• “Microsoft will demonstrate a lighter, touch-optimized platform for tablets by mid-2011 and follow up with products near the end of the year. Research In Motion’s (s RIMM) PlayBook will gain enterprise customers in 2011, but businesses will adopt the iPad, and possibly even Android tablets, far more heavily.” — Microsoft has demonstrated a Metro interface that will be used tablets, but products aren’t yet available. Businesses are favoring iOS and Android tablets over the PlayBook.

Samsung

• “Samsung will continue to leverage the Galaxy brand and approach with fewer new smartphone models in 2011. Instead, the company will take the lesson learned from 2010: Design one base handset and tweak slightly for carrier customization. The company will sell 17 million or more such handsets as a result. — The Galaxy S II is that phone, and as of September, sold 10 million units. That was prior to the handset arriving on three of the big four U.S. carriers, so I think I did well on the prediction.
• “I expect 5 million Samsung tablets to sell next year, both in 7-inch and 10-inch sizes. And while Apple will continue its digital audio player dominance, Samsung will grab a 5-percent chunk of the market currently held by Apple’s iPod, even more if Google Music is available in dozens of countries.” — Again, it’s difficult to find tablet sales data by manufacturer, but IDC suggests Samsung sold 1 million tablets in the third quarter, so I suspect my figure of 5 million for the year is high, pending holiday sales. Samsung was late to market with its Android-based iPod touch competitors, so I’m considering my 5 percent prediction to be wrong.

Chips, carriers and other tech topics

• “Although phones with dual-core processors will debut in early 2011, more than 25 percent of smartphones sold by the end of the year will use dual-core chips.” — I haven’t seen data specific to smartphone sales by the number of processing cores, but I suspect I got this right. Perhaps I even underestimated the number of dual-core smartphone sales when you look at the models that use them: Apple’s iPhone 4S, Samsung’s Galaxy S II, Motorola’s Razr and many other popular handsets.
• “Smart homes with web-connected automation will slip into mainstream conversation, but near-field communication will still be confusing due to a lack of mobile payment standards.” — Smart home products are gaining momentum but aren’t part of everyday conversation just yet. NFC for mobile payments is still a moving target for the reason I predicted, which is why I took matters into my own hands with Google Wallet.
• “Although U.S. carriers will continue to rely on network offload solutions such as femtocells and more public Wi-Fi zones, at least one carrier will supplement current data plans with a truly metered trial option.” — This prediction was mostly correct until the last phrase, as no U.S. carrier has offered a pay-for-what-you-use data plan.

Overall, I think I fared well, but I’m raising the bar for 2012 because I’d like to have even more accuracy in what to expect. Some of my 2011 predictions may carry over to 2012 because I was off on timing, but I’ll be spending the next day or two focused on my Magic 8 Ball to see what 2012 will bring!

The joint venture company, leveraging the six investing companies’ strong backgrounds in cellular communication technology and vast experience in application specific integrated circuits (ASIC) design and foundry manufacturing, will develop feature-rich, small-size, low-power-consumption semiconductor products equipped with modem functionality. The joint venture company will focus on developing products for LTE and LTE-Advanced mobile communication standards. The products will be sold in markets globally.

This means these companies are confident they can build a better chip than industry giants such as Qualcomm (s qcom), but it’s also an admission they must work together if they don’t want to miss the wireless opportunity. That’s an opportunity chip firms can’t afford to ignore.

These companies will establish the joint venture by the end of March 2012. It looks like they will integrate the application processors with the modem and other silicon on a system on a chip. Qualcomm is well-known for its mobile chip integration capabilities. Beyond Qualcomm, the announcement is a reminder of how mobile is redefining everything, including the staid world of chips, where former mortal enemies are now part of a joint venture.

The consortium is also a tactical admission by the Japanese that they alone don’t have the technical wherewithal to face the mobile onslaught being unleashed by U.S.-based companies such as Broadcom, (s brcm) Nvidia, (s nvda) Qualcomm, Google (s goog) and Apple.(s aapl) Japanese handset makers are increasingly marginalized in the global market because of their own unique mobile ecosystem, which prevents them from achieving large economies of scale.

Mobile is not PC

Intel's mobile phone reference design.

When PCs and servers ruled the roost, Intel (s intc) has a lock on the market thanks to its x86 architecture. It let AMD (s amd) follow, but never let it lead, creating a dynamic for the industry that has led to a lack of innovation in hardware beyond the needs of the mass market. AMD (S amd) pushed the envelope with innovations such as HyperTransport, and being the first to build 64-bit chips, but it was never able to outspend or out-compete Intel.

The mobile world is different. Chip firms start with the same basic ARM (s armh) instruction set licensed by the British company of the same name, and then innovate from there. There are hundreds of ARM licensees in various segments of the market. Some companies integrate their application processors (the brains) with the radio (the voice) of the phone, while others use separate chips. Qualcomm, for example, is famous for integrating its Snapdragon processor with its radios, and does it well enough that it has become the top baseband chip vendor in the world. But this is a game anyone can play, because no one has locked down the license for the architecture like Intel had with x86.

Even Intel is seeking a baseband advantage, buying up Infineon’s wireless business in January so it had the radio component to sit next to its Atom chips. The jury is out on Intel making it in this competitive mobile world, but it can’t afford not to try. Meanwhile, formerly huge players, such as Texas Instruments, (s txn) which exited the baseband business in 2008, seems to be losing the marketing battle with its OMAP line of chips. And players such as Nvidia (which bought its own mobile radio company) and Broadcom are seeking their entrée into the market as they realize the mobile device is going to be bigger than the PC ever was.

Back to DoCoMo & Co.

Apple's A5, manufactured by Samsung.

The news that NTT DoCoMo is eager to get in on the mobile game with some kind of joint venture is odd only in that an operator is leading the pack. However, Apple’s success with its A4 and A5 processors shows how deep vertical integration (owning everything from the chip to the app store) can profit a company, and Apple may also indicate why NTT DoCoMo is involved. Currently, Apple’s A5 chips are manufactured by Samsung, although Samsung’s rising prominence in the Android ecosystem has frayed the relationship. Perhaps NTT DoCoMo helps shield Samsung from the wrath of Apple as their co-opetition becomes more fierce.

And Samsung has long worked on radio chips to help it decrease its reliance on Qualcomm, so the idea that it’s part of this venture isn’t all that crazy. The new joint venture isn’t fully baked yet, but NTT DoCoMo said it will invest 450 million Japanese yen ($5.8 million USD) to establish a wholly owned subsidiary, called Communication Platform Planning Co., Ltd. headed by CEO Mitsunobu Komori. Komori is the EVP and CTO of DOCOMO. As the head of a chip platform and with the experience from being at mobile operator responsible for delivering some of the world’s most advanced handsets, he knows what consumers want, and clearly this joint venture is hoping it will deliver it.

The reason Samsung offered for last week’s pronouncement had little do with Android 4.0 or the devices in question. Rather, the company’s own TouchWiz software, a customized user interface for Android, wouldn’t be able to fit alongside ICS on the smartphone or tablet. When the news hit, I offered a potential solution:

My suggestion would be a compromise of sorts: Offer a stock version of Android 4.0 for these devices with the customer understanding and accepting the fact that the TouchWiz interface will no longer be available after the upgrade. Unless there’s a real technical reason for the lack of an Android 4.0 upgrade — something Samsung should make clear — this might be the best answer. It wouldn’t cost nearly as much for Samsung to develop and test, while consumers thinking Samsung has let them down might be more accepting of the situation.

I don’t expect Samsung to take this route if it does deliver the software upgrade. Instead, it’s more likely the company removes a few apps or features from the software update and instead offers them as installable downloads to free up the needed space for Android 4.0 and TouchWiz.

After using Android 4.0 on an unlocked GSM Galaxy Nexus for the past four weeks, however, I’m not sure there’s much of a need for Samsung’s TouchWiz interface. Google has vastly improved the Android experience; enough so that average consumers can get by without a custom interface. I like TouchWiz; I’ve used it for a year on my own Galaxy Tab, and it helps Samsung differentiate its mobile devices from competitors. But it’s not so good that it should hold up Android 4.0 on devices that are capable of running Google’s stock software.

Regardless of what Samsung decides, there’s still another aspect of the situation that’s unknown: network operators. It’s very possible — indeed, likely, given mobile phone history — that Samsung solves this problem only to have some carriers not support it. Of course, at that point, Samsung can simply point the finger at those carriers, who are really the organizations that own the end-user customer relationship for mobile device users on contract.