Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus to Challenge Amazon Kindle Fire

Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) CEO Steve Jobs once remarked, there is unexplored territory between smartphones and tablets computers.
Samsung Electronics appears intent to explore all of that territory, unveiling the Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus, a tablet with a 7-inch, WSVGA (1024 x 600) PLS LCD  display powered by a 1.2GHz dual-core processor and based on Google's (NASDAQ:GOOG) latest Android 3.2 "Honeycomb" operating system.
Speedy Honeycomb tablets have become old hat for Samsung, which launched a Galaxy Tab 10.1 this past summer, the Galaxy Tab 8.9 at IFA in August and the Galaxy Tab 7.7 a few days later at the same show.
No other tablet computer maker is touting slates ranging from 7.7 to 10.1 inches, but with the Galaxy 7.0 Plus, Samsung has just moved down the value chain by emphasizing portability and power.
The Galaxy Plus 7.0 weighs only 12.2 ounces and is only .39 inches thin. Samsung claims this svelte form factor will make it easy to fit into an inside jacket pocket or a handbag without weighing either down.
The diminutive tablet  has a 3 megapixel camera with LED flash and video recording, with recording in 720p HD and playback in 1080p full HD. There is also a 2 megapixel shutter in the front to enable video chat. The tablet has 1GB of RAM and will be available in 16GB and 32GB options, expandable to 64GB with a microSD card.

Samsung is also touting its own TouchWiz user interface, popularized on existing tablets and its Galaxy S II smartphones. TouchWiz includes the Mini Apps feature, which enables 7 applications to be easily managed from a bottom tray on the main screen.
Users can also customize their homescreens using Samsung's Live Panel, another TouchWiz perk. The slate also comes with the full complement of Google Mobile applications, including Search, Gmail, Google Talk, YouTube Google Maps, and the Android Market.
U.S. users interested in this one will have to wait a bit. Samsung is rolling out the Galaxy Tab 7.0 in Indonesia and Austria at the end of October, with a global rollout following to Southeast and Southwest Asia, United States, Europe, CIS, Latin America, Middle East, Africa, Japan and China, on a rolling basis.
Another concern will be pricing. Amazon just unveiled its 7-inch Kindle Fire, a custom Android tablet that will go on sale in the United States Nov. 15 for $199. Samsung might have to price its Galaxy 7.0 at or close to the Kindle Fire price to make inroads against the slate in the 7-inch form factor segment.
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HTC Radar vs ZTE Tania (Rumours)

We pit the HTC Radar up against the mysterious ZTE Tania – both devices are Windows Phone 7 Mango

We see how ZTE’s forthcoming Tania handset compares to HTC’s Radar in a battle of the budget Windows Mango smartphones.

Form:
HTC Radar - 120.5x61.5x10.9mm, 137g
ZTE Tania – Unknown
HTC is extending its signature ‘softly’ shaped handsets to its Windows Phone devices. The Radar looks pretty much like every other HTC handset ever made, which means it isn’t unattractive by any sense of the word, but it is rather generic.
ZTE has a habit of making handsets which look remarkably like HTC phones and the Tania is no exception, though it has to be said it does look a little cleaner and more elegant than HTC’s Radar.
From what we've seen, the Tania definitely seems to have more about it in the 'wow-factor' department. And for a budget handset, this is quite rare.
Winner – ZTE Tania

Display:
HTC’s Radar is fitted with a 3.8-inch S-LCD capacitive touchscreen, the resolution is 480x800 pixels giving a pixel density of 246ppi.
As usual for HTC phones the screen is made from Gorilla Glass so it’s not going to smash easily, and features multi-touch input.
Accelerometer and gyro sensors allow for screen interface rotation.
The Tania uses a larger 4.3-inch capacitive touchscreen at the same resolution as the Radar, giving a pixel density of 217ppi.
The Tania’s larger screen is nice but with the Radar you get the same resolution and a much higher pixel density, meaning it’ll have a much sharper picture.
Winner – HTC Radar

Storage:
ZTE’s Tania comes with 4GB of onboard storage and 512MB of RAM to boost the processor. The HTC has the same 512MB of RAM but doubles the internal storage with 8GB of space.
Windows Phone 7 handsets, for the most part, do not support microSD. This means your limited to internal storage, which is 4GB and 8GB respectively in this case.
Taking things as they are it seems the HTC Radar has more storage space to play with, which makes it the more appealing of the two given the RAM is on par.
If you want expandable storage and Windows Phone 7 Mango, you'll have to wait until Nokia's handsets arrive. They're the only ones that will support it – guess that was part of the deal all along.
Winner – HTC Radar

Processor:
Both phones run single core 1GHz processors with graphics processing units (GPU). The Radar uses a Qualcomm Scorpion on the MSM8255 Snapdragon chipset paired with an Adreno 205 GPU.
Each handset should be quite capable of decent performance thanks to the 1GHz clock speed and good optimisation of single core processors on the Windows Phone operating system.
Winner -Draw

Operating System:
These are both Windows Phone Mango powered handsets running the latest build of Microsoft’s operating system for smartphones.
Microsoft has added plenty of changes to the new build, but when running it you actually find it’s all rather subtle and contributes to an overall more slick and intuitive platform without being able to put your finger on precisely why.
Part of it is down to a greater integration of communication and social networking services, along with the system pushing more information out to you at all levels.
Mango’s ‘People’ hub goes to great efforts to aggregate all message and social network information from all your contacts into one easily accessible place, and it lets you respond simultaneously to multiple contacts across multiple mediums including webmail, exchange email, SMS and MMS text, instant messaging, Facebook statuses and Tweeting on Twitter.
Email inboxes can also be merged and pinned to the start menu keeping your emails right where you want them.
Performance has noticeably improved, which is saying something as it was pretty good before. You also get an excellent multi-tasking system this time round which keeps your non-active apps in hibernation, so they only cause minimal battery drain.
One of the really nice things about Windows Phone Mango is, because of Microsoft’s licensing agreements, manufacturers aren’t allowed to load their handsets with interface overlays and bloatware, so you’re getting the same build as the next guy with a different brand phone and it should run quite well all round.
Generally we’re pretty impressed with Windows Phone Mango, it’s easy to use and has a lot to offer most users. Android and iOS should be looking worried right now.
Winner - Draw

Camera:
Both phones are fitted with 5-megapixel cameras at 2560х1920 pixels and with LED flash, the Radar also has a VGA secondary camera. HTC’s device features autofocus, digital zoom, geo-tagging, video calling and 720p HD video capture.
Quite an even match on cameras here, both are adequate offerings without being anything exceptional.
Winner - Draw

Final Thoughts:
These phones are equally matched power-wise with equal processor specs, the camera setup is also very similar on both devices.
However, the HTC Radar comes out ahead on storage and display even if the ZTE Tania is a better looking phone.
As budget handsets they’re not earth-shattering but they’re a cheaper way of getting access to a very appealing operating system and, in fairness, they punch above their weight in terms of performance.

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Verizon aknowledges DROID Bionic bugs, promises patches in November

The DROID Bionic is one heck of a flagship device, but it’s not without its faults. Early adopters have been complaining about a litany of issues large and small, and Verizon has apparently been listening. They’ve detailed all of the bugs and glitches in a massive official list, but the carrier says that customers will have to wait until November for a patch.

Among the bugs are some real doozies, like the promised 8-device mobile hotspot being mysteriously limited to only 5, and an inability to reconnect to the 3G network. Some bugs can be helped by a little user elbow grease (have you tried turning off and on again?) but most are simply going to be there until the patch comes. Some of the more frustrating issues, like the Bionic only charging via official Motorola-brand cables and chargers, are swept away as design decisions. For example, the popular Exchange client Touchdown is marked as “No resolution required, working as designed and approved by Verizon Wireless” – what gives?
Here’s the full list for your perusal.
Issue:  4G/3G Service – Data Connectivity

• Marginal 4G to 3G transition:  Loss of data connectivity – The device may display 3G service indication but no data connections are possible.
• Action: The user will need to power cycle the device or enable/disable Airplane Mode.
• Resolution: A fix for this issue is under review and will be included in the first post launch maintenance release software for this device. The tentative release date is early November 2011.

Issue:  High Pitch Headset Noise:

• A customer may experience high pitched “screetches” while using high end wired headsets.
• Action: There is no known work around.
• Resolution: A fix for this issue is under review and will be included in the first post launch maintenance release software for this device. The tentative release date is early November 2011.

Issue:  Mobile Hotspot User Limitations:

• The Mobile Hotspot only supports 5 users.
• Action: There is no known work around.
• Resolution: This is a limitation of the device hardware and cannot be corrected.

Issue:  Non-branded Chargers:

• The XT875 can only be charged with Motorola or Verizon Wireless branded chargers.
• Action: No work around required.
• Resolution: No resolution required, working as designed and approved by Verizon Wireless.

Issue:  USB Cables:

• The XT875 can only be used with Motorola USB cables.
• Action: No work around required.
• Resolution: No resolution required, working as designed and approved by Verizon Wireless.

Issue:  Google Talk Video Calls:

• Google Video Talk sessions can be established faster if you start a text chat session first.
• Action: No work around required.
• Resolution: No resolution required, working as designed and approved by Verizon Wireless.

Issue:  Touchdown Compatibility:

• Nitrodesk’s Touchdown will not function on the XT875.
• Action: No work around required.
• Resolution: No resolution required, working as designed and approved by Verizon Wireless.

Issue:  Lapdock low memory warning:

• With 4 or more windows opened, a user may see low memory warnings.
• Action: The user can terminate browser sessions and/or stop running applications (Tasks application in System Tray).
• Resolution: A fix for this issue is under review and will be included in the second post launch maintenance release software for this device. The tentative release date is under review.

9.  Issue:  Mobile Hotspot Security Modes:

• Mobile Hotspot does not support WEP or WPA Wi-Fi protocols. Only WPA2 is supported .
• Action: No work around required.
• Resolution: No resolution required, working as designed and approved by Verizon Wireless.

Issue:  Home Panel Application Shortcuts:

• Application shortcuts may be removed from the Home Panel without any user interaction.
• Action: The User can go in System Tray and manually add them back in Home Panels. The applications are not deleted from the device.
• Resolution: A fix for this issue is under review and will be included in the second post launch maintenance release software for this device. The tentative release date is under review.

Issue:  MMS Media Message View:

• The user may encounter “Force Close” errors or delays when opening MMS messages with media attachments.
• Action: The user may need to make more than one attempt to view the message.
• Resolution: A fix for this issue is under review and will be included in the first post launch maintenance release software for this device. The tentative release date is early November 2011.

Issue:  Recent Applications Display:

• If a user presses and holds the Home key, recently run applications are displayed. Selecting an application may generate an error message “Application not installed on phone.”
• Action: Access the application from the System Tray.
• Resolution: A fix for this issue is under review and will be included in the first post launch maintenance release software for this device. The tentative release date is early November 2011.

Issue:  3 Way Calling – Ending Last Call:

• In certain infrastructure markets (Motorola and Nortel), pressing the “End last call” button will place the last party on hold and not drop the call.
• Action: User should use the “End call” button to insure all parties are disconnected.
• Resolution: A fix for this issue is under review and will be included in the first post launch maintenance release software for this device. The tentative release date is early November 2011.

Issue:  MEID Displayed:

• Under Settings > About Phone > Status, the 14 digit MEID is displayed rather than the 15 digit IMEI.
• Action: This information is available on the battery cavity label.
• Resolution: A fix for this issue is under review and will be included in the first post launch maintenance release software for this device. The tentative release date is early November 2011.

Issue:  Verizon Wireless Media Store Ringtones:

• Ringtones purchased through online store cannot be saved when received in an MMS message. User will get an “error saving attachment” error.
• Action: The user should use the VCast Tone application to purchase ringtones.
• Resolution: A fix for this issue is under review and will be included in the first post launch maintenance release software for this device. The tentative release date is early November 2011.

Issue:  Post OTA Update – Favorites:

• The Favorites contacts may be deleted after a software update. The user will need to manually add the Favorites back.
• Action: There is no known work around.
• Resolution: A fix for this issue is under review and will be included in the first post launch maintenance release software for this device. The tentative release date is early November 2011.

Issue:  SIM Swapping Blocks OTA Updates:

• In another provisioned SIM is inserted into the XT875 and original SIM is reinserted, the device will not get any OTA updates.
• Action: The user will need to perform a factory reset to get OTA updates.
• Resolution: A fix for this issue is under review and will be included in the first post launch maintenance release software for this device. The tentative release date is early November 2011.

Issue:  Answering incoming calls while in the Lapdock:

• A user may not be able to answer an incoming call while the XT875 is in the Lapdock.
• Action: This issue can be reduced if the call is answered during the first ring cycle.
• Resolution: A fix for this issue is under review and will be included in the second post launch maintenance release software for this device. The tentative release date is under review.

Issue:  Camera use while in Lapdock:

• If the XT875 is in the Lapdock and the user opens the Camera, they may receive a “Camera is unable to initialize” error message.
• Action: There is no known work around.
• Resolution: A fix for this issue is under review and will be included in the second post launch maintenance release software for this device. The tentative release date is under review.

Issue:  NFL Mobile – Lapdock Videos:

• NFL Mobile videos will not be displayed while the Bionic is in the Lapdock.
• Action: No work around required.
• Resolution: This is a limitation of DRM protection.

Issue:  Sleep Mode After HD Dock Use:

• If the XT875 is removed from the HD Dock, the device may not go back into screen saver mode.
• Action: Go to Settings > Applications > Development and uncheck “Stay awake” option.
• Resolution: A fix for this issue is under review and will be included in the first post launch maintenance release software for this device. The tentative release date is early November 2011.

Issue:  Resets during Visual Voicemail:

• User may encounter resets while playing back voice messages or replying with voice messages.
• Action: There is no known work around.
• Resolution: A fix for this issue is under review and will be included in the first post launch maintenance release software for this device. The tentative release date is early November 2011.

Issue:  Visual Voicemail Power-up Message:

• When the XT875 is powered up the user may see “Data service N/A. Select to refresh” as a Visual Voicemail activities alert in the Notification Panel.
• Action: This is a false error message. It can be dismissed from the Notification Panel.
• Resolution: A fix for this issue is under review and will be included in the first post launch maintenance release software for this device. The tentative release date is early November 2011.

Issue:  Message Thread Order – Device Rotation:

• If the XT875 is rotated from portrait to landscape then back to portrait mode after a message sent, the message thread jumps from the latest to the oldest message.
• Action: There is no known around.
• Resolution: A fix for this issue is under review and will be included in the first post launch maintenance release software for this device. The tentative release date is early November 2011.

We’ve had a lot of input from Bionic owners on both sides of the fence – some report multiple major problems, while others say their phones work just fine. If you’re having so much difficulty that you can’t use your DROID Bionic effectively, remember that Verizon has a 30-day refund policy (minus a restock fee) that as of now everyone should qualify for.
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Amazon Kindle Fire manufacturing cost: $209.63

Amazon is riding a wave of tech buzz after stunning pundits and consumers with its $199 Kindle Fire tablet. The manufacturing experts at iSupply estimate that the Fire’s hardware costs just over $209 to make, undercutting other estimates by about $40. Amazon is hoping to offset the discrepancy with increased sales of physical and digital goods from Fire users.

As Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos has said, the real aim of the Kindle Fire is to get customers to pay for Amazon’s digital content. Unlike a typical Android tablet, the Fire is optimized for reading Kindle books and magazines, watching Amazon Instant Video movies and TV shows, listening to music from the Amazon MP3 store, purchasing apps from the Amazon App Store, and of course, shopping with the included Amazon catalog. When you consider that the purchase of just one Kindle book could offset Amazon’s losses on the tablet itself, the company’s strategy comes in to focus.

It’s not a new strategy, either. Companies with an integrated hardware/software/media model often sell hardware for less than it’s technically worth, because software (and now media) is practically free to duplicate and monetize. Game consoles in particular sell at a relatively huge loss early in the product cycle. Amazon has applied this model to its cloud-based properties, and if the initial consumer reaction is anything to judge by, it’s a winner.
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Download the VLC media player pre-alpha now

We’ve been waiting almost a year for the Android version of the popular does-all media player VLC after it was unceremoniously booted out of iOS. It looks like that wait is slowly drawing to a close. Thrill-seeking users can download the pre-alpha (is that even a real term?) APK for their phones now.

Don’t fire up that download link just yet, though: you’ll have to do a little preparation before you’re ready to install. VLC uses some pretty advanced hardware acceleration to playback video smoothly, so to satisfy the diverse requirements of various Android devices, two versions of the app are available. The wiz kids at the XDA-Developers forums have a lot of technical jargon posted, but all you really need to do is this:

1. Start your trusty file explorer or terminal app
2. navigate to the /proc/ folder
3. open the file labelled “cpuinfo” in a text editor
Now take a look at the fourth line of text. If you see the word “neon”, you’ve got a phone with a processor that supports NEON extensions, and you should download the VLC version labelled “vlc-neon.apk”. If you don’t see the word “neon” on the fourth line, your phone doesn’t support NEON, so download the version labelled “VLC-noneon.apk”. Simple.
Enjoy a multitude of video formats on your Android phone. And remember, VLC is still in pre-alpha, so don’t be too harsh if it’s slow or buggy at the moment.
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Archos and TigerDirect build cheap, custom tablets for publishers

It was estimated in 2009 that if the New York Times sent every one of its paying subscribers a free Amazon Kindle, they would still save half the cost of physically printing and delivering the newspaper every day. It looks like Archos and TigerDirect are taking that thought experiment into the real world. They’ve begun a program that lets publishers customize and brand an Android tablet to their subscribers’ needs, then subsidize the cost of the tablet for cheap, efficient e-reading.

The first model of the tablet appears to be a heavily modified version of on one of Archos’ 10-inch tablets. It features a webcam and (I suppose) a wifi connection for reloading regular content. The program, named PubTab, utilizes Archos’ manufacturing expertise and TigerDirect’s customer support infrastructure.

So far only one publisher has jumped on board: Philadelphia Media Network Inc., owner of Philly.com and various local print publications. Their version of the tablet features four apps that automatically fetch the latest daily or weekly version of the print magazine they’re paired with. The concept is and interesting one, and as electronics become more inexpensive and powerful, expect similar ventures to start popping up in all sorts of industries. The New York Times may not be abandoning its paper pages for many years, but when it does, you might just be holding an NYT-branded e-reader.

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AT&T Samsung Galaxy S II lock screen security flaw, and how to fix it

It seems like the shiny new AT&T version of the Samsung Galaxy S II has at least one dull spot. There’s an easy work-around that will let anyone access your phone if you’ve implemented Android’s unique pattern-based or PIN lock screen. Don’t worry, though, an industrious early adopter has already found a way to secure the Galaxy S II while keeping the lock screen in place.

The flaw works like this: a phone with the pattern lock will work normally if simply turned off and then back on again – you have to hit the correct sequence of dots or enter a PIN in order to access anything except a 9111 call. But if you rapidly turn the screen off and on again, eventually you see Samsung’s TouchWiz unlock screen, and you can just swipe the screen up to access anything on the phone. Strangely, the bug doesn’t affect the lock screen immediately after the phone powers on, or users with Microsoft Exchange security in place. Samsung says that’s they’re aware of the issue and are “looking into it.”
Here’s a video example:



In the meantime, there’s a quick workaround found by one user: set the lock screen time to immediate in the “Location and Security” section of the Galaxy S II’s main menu. Annoying, but functional.
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Verizon offers Madden NFL 2012 free to customers this weekend

Do you need something to do while you watch Verizon commercials during the time outs of the Cowboys game this weekend? There’s no reason to break your momentum – download the latest version of Madden for your Android phone, courtesy of Verizon. The network will allow customers to install the game free of charge from October 1-3.

It looks like you won’t be able to install Madden NFL 2012 from the Android Market, where the game is still sitting pretty at $6.99 USD. In order to download, you’ll need to call **MADDEN (**623336) from a Verizon Android phone. You’ll then receive a text message with a link for installing the game. That being the case, you might want to back up that file, since it won’t be stored in your Android Market purchased app list.

Madden NFL 2012 features a full roster of thousands of real NFL players, enhanced high-definition graphics for powerful Android phones, and an enhanced user interface that allows you to slow down time on either side of the ball for evasive scramble moves or punishing tackles. The number and the download won’t activate until tomorrow (it won’t work early, so save yourself a few seconds). While you’re waiting, check out the DROID Bionic in the latest Verizon commercial for the NFL Mobile service.

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Virgin Mobile won’t start throttling customers until 2012

While Virgin Mobile is technically unlimited (and aren’t they proud of it) their parent company had intended to begin throttling its data-hungry users some time in October. Today the company issued a statement saying that while they still intend to slow down the connection of their most active customers, the change won’t happen until an unspecified date in 2012.The information was released as Virgin Mobile confirmed that it’s offering the LG Optimus Slider and HTC Wildfire.

Previously, the company stated that their customers would begin to see intentionally reduced speeds after they used 2.5GB of data. They didn’t say when they would actually put the policy in place, just that they would let customers know. Accrding to Virgin Mobile, that’s less than 3% of their customer base – which is probably small comfort to the people who fall into the category. I suppose they intend to let their customers know that while yes, they’re going to be getting a restricted level of service while paying the same amount, they’re in a very small group of likewise restricted customers. It’s exclusive.

With more and more United States carriers switching to a capped data system, throttling seems to be the method of choice for those situations where unlimited plans are an inconvenient necessity (for the carriers, at least). T-Mobile still offers unlimited plans, but already has a 2GB limit before customers are throttled. Those legacy customers on AT&T who still have unlimited terms in their contracts will be throttled beginning October 1st if they’re in the top 5% of data users, no matter how much data they’re actually using.
So gather ye tethering apps while ye may, Virgin Mobile power users. You’ve been granted a reprieve for another few months at the very least.

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