When the Samsung Galaxy Note first arrived last year, quite a few people didn't really know what to make of it. I mean, it looked a great deal like a smartphone, and operated as such, but the sheer size of the device categorized it as something different. The unofficially dubbed "phablet" device has, despite lacking conformity, been a rousing success, and consumers are now looking forward to its successor, set to be announced later this month at Samsung's IFA conference.
A new release of a mobile operating system is always met with a frenzy, and as well as giving the new firmware the once over, consumers are always anxious to learn whether their device will be getting an update, and when.
There hasn’t been much news coming out of San Jose in the last few days, but that doesn't mean that the Apple vs. Samsung case isn't still bubbling away like a hot cauldron behind those large doors that stand so proudly in front of Judge Lucy Koh's courtroom. Apple has already had their turn in the legal spotlight with their appointed counsel presenting the fundamentals of their case to the judge and overseeing jury, and now it's time for Samsung's legal eagles to step into the limelight, it seems that they are taking a rather bizarre approach to defending themselves.
Just a day after it was reported that Android 4.1 Jelly Bean would be coming to Galaxy S III by the end of the month, a completely legit leaked build has been released by the folks over at SamMobile who were, if you remember, responsible for the numerous Ice Cream Sandwich leaks back in the days of the Galaxy S II. For those of you who are willing to risk the safety of their device for the sake of trying out new features, we’ve prepared a guide for flashing the ROM after the jump.
If you’re without a credit card and need to buy apps from Google Play, you’re pretty much out of luck. The lack of gift cards on Google Play forces many young teenagers to adopt alternative methods of getting their paid apps, if you know what I mean. It’s terrible for developers, especially when people want to pay for apps but just can’t.
Let me get this out of the way first: the Nexus 7 is not a smartphone, nor is it a tablet designed for incoming / outgoing calls like the original Galaxy Tab from Samsung. The Nexus 7 is a very basic tablet that is meant for doing tasks like surfing the web, socializing on Facebook, Twitter, sending / receiving email, play games, video chat via Skype or Google Talk etc. i.e. nothing to do with phone calls.
The battle between iOS and Android will always be the one that is fought between fans of the respective mobile operating systems, but at the end of the day, each platform has its strengths and weaknesses and will ultimately come down to personal choice. As well as the software features and included functionality which Apple and Google roll into their firmware, users will also make their decisions based on the available hardware, and as great as the iPhone is, Samsung also has a fantastic and powerful device with their extremely popular Galaxy S III.
Apple has been dealing Samsung a barrage of complaints in its court case against Samsung, claiming the South Korean company has infringed on many of its iPhone and iPad design patents in creating the Galaxy series. As well as the talk of hardware, Apple has, to a lesser degree, had a question or two to ask of various UI elements, but to head off its defense, Samsung has countered by claiming Apple has infringed on a number of its own software-based patents.
Considering it has been bubbling away and growing in size for the last eighteen months, it is going to be extremely interesting to see how the Apple vs. Samsung patent case progresses and ultimately pans out. It appears that both sides have fairly credible evidence to present to Judge Lucy Koh and the selected jury, but one of the most interesting parts of the case from an outsider’s point of view is the level of information that the companies have been forced to leak into the public domain as part of their own defense.
YouTube is by far and away the most popular viral video site out there, but unfortunately, it's often let down by applications (or lack thereof). Take iOS for example; the native YouTube app is a sluggish affair which has seen little change from the days of iPhone OS, and most now use the vastly superior web-based app to catch up on the latest music videos, drop tests, and amateur comedy sketches.
