Samsung is expanding its Tab 3 line with the Galaxy Tab 3 Lite 7-inch
When we first heard about the Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 line-up, it appeared to be a little underpowered, a fact not lost on Android purists. Fortunately for Samsung, it’s not up to just those people to sell these tablets as it appears that the Tab 3 line is coming into its own as a sales giant, in particular the Tab 3 7-inch version which appears to be readily available anywhere and everywhere now. So popular the 7-inch variant is that Samsung has decided to announce a ‘Lite’ version of the device, or Galaxy Tab 3 Lite 7-inch, which will be available globally.
There are not a terrible lot of differences between the original Tab 3 and the Tab 3 Lite: you get the same dual-core 1.2GHz processor, 1 GB RAM and a 7-inch 1024×600 display. However the differences that I have spotted are:
- Original screen: TFT, Lite: WSVGA
- Original rear camera: 3.15 megapixel, Lite: 2 megapixel
- Original Android software: 4.1, Lite: 4.2
- Original battery: 4,000mAh, Lite: 3,600 mAh
- Original video playback: 720p@30fps, Lite: 1080p@30fps
That might not seem like much, but for the highly competitive budget tablet market, these changes could make the Galaxy Tab 3 Lite that little bit cheaper and that little bit more attractive than its competitors; 1080p playback is definitely a nice improvement, I think. The Tab 3 Lite will be coming in white and black versions, as pictured, though pricing for the device has yet to be confirmed. But guessing by how much the original Tab 3 7-inch is going for now, the Tab 3 Lite 7-inch should be going for a hair under even that price.
Who’s interested in getting a Galaxy Tab 3 Lite 7-inch? Let us know if you are convinced in the comments.
Source: Samsung Tomorrow
Apple Widens Lead Over Samsung in U.S. Smartphone Race in 2013
Research firm NPD today announced the results of its latest Connected Home Report, showing that Apple increased its share of the U.S. smartphone installed user base by seven percentage points, from 35 percent in the fourth quarter of 2012 to 42 percent in the same quarter of 2013. Second-place Samsung increased its share of the market by a smaller margin from 22 percent to 26 percent, while other major manufacturers saw their shares drop.
NPD’s data, which is based on a survey of roughly 5,000 consumers, is in close alignment with recent data from comScore that showed Apple with 41.2 percent of the market and Samsung at 26.0 percent in the September-November period.
Both firms track installed user base rather than sales, offering a more realistic picture of real-world usage but which is slower to react to shifting market trends given typical handset lifespans. Apple has shown steady increases under these studies over the past several years, even as Android has experienced significant growth. One recent study of trends by Asymco’s Horace Dediu has predicted that Apple’s share of installed user base in the U.S. will peak at 68 percent in 2017 when the smartphone market hits a saturation point at 90 percent of the country’s population.
While Apple’s performance remains strong in the U.S. and several other countries, Android has had more success attracting customers in many other markets around the world. Data from Kantar Worldpanel for the August-October period pegged Apple’s share of the market in many European countries and China in the 15-20 percent range, with iOS barely registering in some countries such as Spain.
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Samsung unveils Galaxy Tab3 Lite (7”)
Samsung, for reasons unclear, has introduced its latest Android tablet less than one week after CES wrapped. Nevertheless, we’ve got a new 7-inch experience to look forward to in the Galaxy Tab3 Lite (7”).
Offered globally in black or white, the tablet features a 7-inch (1024×600) display, a 1.2GHz dual-core processor, 1GB RAM, and 8GB internal storage. The tablet runs Android 4.2 Jelly Bean with Samsung’s TouchWiz and also provides a 2-megapixel rear camera, microSD expansion, and 3600mAh battery. In terms of software, the Tab3 Lite features Samsung Apps, Samsung Link, Smile Shot, Shoot & Share, and Panorama Shot.
There’s no word on what pricing will be for the Tab3 Lite but we’re hoping for something that falls between $150-$200. Look for launch details in the coming weeks.
The post Samsung unveils Galaxy Tab3 Lite (7”) appeared first on AndroidGuys.
Samsung’s Galaxy Tab 3 Lite doesn’t bring much to the crowded budget tablet market
Samsung’s regional Polish site inadvertently jumped the gun a few days ago, publishing a user manual for an unannounced Galaxy Tab 3 Lite to its support pages. Today, the Korean company’s press blog has finally caught up and formally introduced its new low-end, 7-inch slate. The standard 7-inch Galaxy Tab 3 doesn’t exactly boast market-leading specs, but this Lite variant is diminished is several areas nonetheless, making some cheap tablets look like flagships. We’re looking at a 1,024 x 600 resolution panel, 1.2GHz dual-core CPU, 1GB of RAM, 8 gigs of expandable storage, 3,600mAh battery and a lone 2-megapixel camera. It appears both WiFi-only and 3G editions of the black or white tablet, which runs Android 4.2, will be available come launch, whenever that may be. We’re no clearer on pricing, either, but if Samsung hopes to sell these things en masse, anything but seriously cheap is going to put a stop to those plans.
Via: Pocket-lint
Source: Samsung
Samsung tipped to revisit Windows Phone 8 with the 5-inch, 1080p SM-W750V
Much like HTC, Samsung hasn’t expended a huge amount of effort on Windows Phone 8, having crafted just a few handsets running the platform before seemingly losing interest. Various clues are now pointing to a renewed curiosity in Microsoft’s mobile OS from the company, in the form of the high-end SM-W750V. Shipping documents from before the new year indicate a screen size of 5 inches and provide first mention of the model number, which matches a recent North American approval by the Bluetooth SIG. A user agent profile on Samsung’s site is even more fruitful: “Windows Mobile Lab” is named co-conspirator alongside Sammy, Internet Explorer is penned as the default browser, and a couple of specs point to an LTE-capable handset with a screen resolution of 1,920 x 1,080. As these things go, it’s probably just a matter of time before pictures of the handset start surfacing, and there is a large mobile conference a little more than a month away. With Nokia rumored to soon enter unfamiliar territory, perhaps Samsung is preparing a undercover agent of its own.
Filed under: Cellphones, Software, Mobile, Samsung, Microsoft
Via: Windows Phone Central, SammyToday, PhoneArena
Source: Bluetooth SIG, Samsung (UAProf)
Samsung’s low-cost Galaxy Tab 3 Lite confirmed by official user manual
Samsung has just verified that another Galaxy Tab is imminent after it published the user manual for a new Android tablet on its own site. The company’s Polish support page reveals documentation for the SM-T110, which is rumored to be a Wi-Fi variant of Samsung’s low-cost Galaxy Tab 3 Lite. According to a local stockist, the Jelly Bean tablet will feature a 7-inch 1024 x 600 display, dual-core 1.2GHz Marvell processor, 1GB of RAM, 2-megapixel camera, 8GB of internal storage (including microSD support) and a 3,600 mAh battery. The same retailer has opened pre-orders for both the Wi-Fi and 3G variants, pricing them at $165 and $263 respectively, all but confirming their place near the bottom of Samsung’s tablet pecking order. Expect the Galaxy Tab 3 Lite to make its official debut in the coming weeks, before Samsung heads to Mobile World Congress late next month.
Filed under: Tablets, Mobile, Samsung
Via: PhoneArena
Source: Samsung Poland, X-Kom
AT&T begins updating the Galaxy S4 Active with Android 4.3
Nope, it’s not KitKat, but hey, beggars owners of older Android handsets can’t be choosers. If you’ve been using AT&T’s version of the Samsung’s waterproof Galaxy S4 Active, you’re in luck: Android 4.3 is starting to roll out in the form of an over-the-air update. As you’re probably aware by now, the update keeps the phone in Jelly Bean territory, but brings a good deal of improvements, including OpenGL ES 3.0 support, Bluetooth Smart technology, enhanced notifications and 1080p Netflix streaming. Good luck with that 772MB download, and do let us know how it goes.
Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, Samsung, AT&T
Source: Android Central
Moment begins Kickstarter campaign for clip-on smartphone camera lenses
If you’re fed up with the camera on your phone, there’s no shortage of clip-on lenses to enhance the experience: Just take a look at Sony, Olloclip and Photojojo for great examples of this. This doesn’t mean there isn’t room for a new contender, however. Moment, a startup founded by the creator of Contour, has just launched a Kickstarter project for a pair of lenses that clip on to your iPhone, iPad or Samsung Galaxy S 2, 3 or 4. The new products, which consist of your choice of wide-angle or telephoto, can be mounted onto the phones with a thin piece of metal. Each one features a four- or five-element lens, almost no geometric distortion or chromatic aberration, the same professional-quality cinema glass that Moment claims is used for HD film and slightly larger diameters designed to keep image quality the same around the edges as it is in the center. If you choose to back the project, you’ll be able to buy one lens for $50 or two for $100, though there are a couple more expensive options should you be interested in getting something a little more exclusive.
Filed under: Cellphones, Wireless, Mobile, Apple, Samsung
Via: Recode
Source: Kickstarter
Galaxy S5 rumored to have a big ol’ rapid charging battery
With the Samsung Galaxy S5 rumors in full-swing, some more speculation emerges with talk of the battery.
In a few months, we’ll know just how many of these rumors are true. In the mean time, let’s talk about what’s arguably the most important feature of the phone: the battery.
It is rumored that the new Samsung flagship will sport a 2900mAh battery, and will feature some new “rapid-charging technology.” The rumored capacity of the battery isn’t all that absurd… it is a normal jump up from the company’s 2013 flagship, the GS4. It will use a silicon anode instead of graphite, leaving the battery more compact. The rapid-charging technology is something to think about, though. The new technology could charge your phone in around 2 hours, which is huge.
From the “confirmed” specs of the S5 a few days ago, it seemed that the battery was the only thing missing. If these rumors are true, this new technology will begin changing batteries for the better. Let’s hope the rumors prove true in the next few months.
Via: Gigaom
Source: Phonearena
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Samsung debuts its own Winter Olympics app
Samsung is constantly trying to keep users solely in its own ecosystem. First, the Galaxy Gear. Did you really think it would end there? Now, they created a beautiful Sochi Winter Olympics 2014 app, and its only available on Samsung devices.
The app is very well-done. The menu is accessible by pulling from the left side of the screen, just like many other apps we’ve seen. Sports, medals, and countries all have their own page, and you can even keep tabs on your favorite athletes by setting them as your favorites. It’s pretty much exactly what you would want from an Olympics app.
Word is yet to be released on whether you can download the app on non-Samsung devices in the future. With the Olympics officially starting in a few weeks, keep an eye out to see if its possible. But that really isn’t the Samsung thing to do.
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