Samsung Galaxy S2 Review
The smartphone market may easily be described as overcrowded right now. Too many manufacturers, too many models that are often almost indistinguishable from each other. Yet, just like 5 years ago, there are phones that stand out, phones that people will remember long after their age has gone and past. Remember the Nokia 6230? Sony Ericsson T610? Motorola RAZR? We love them all, even though they're so obviously outdated. Well, Samsung has created a handset that is likely to join these iconic models in the mobile hall of fame. Meet the Samsung Galaxy S2, a future legend.
First things first, the phone is just plain beautiful. The design is slick and elegant, even if some people claim Samsung copies Apple a lot. The phone is very light, weighing just 116 grams, which is even less than the original Galaxy S. While it could do with some metallic bits in the exterior, the phone is made from high-quality plastics and never feels cheap, plus the plastics keep the weight down. The back panel is made from specially textured plastic that is immune to fingerprints and makes the phone sit firmly in the hand. Galaxy S2 is not only light, but also extremely thin at just 8.5 mm, which can however make it a bit difficult to hold steady when taking pictures.
Android Market Celebrates 10 Billion App Downloads, Offers 10c Premium Apps
Google today celebrates achievement of an important milestone, as the Android Market had its 10 billionth app downloaded. Quite a feat, we must say, and one that calls for a celebration, which is exactly why Google is presenting us a great offer. For the next 10 days, 10 popular apps and games will be made available for just 10 cents! Below is the complete list of the apps:
SoundHound
XPERIA Play Delayed for more UK Retailers
XPERIA Play is set for a April 1st launch all over the UK but finding one could prove to be even more tricky. Sony released a statement stating that they now have a freight issue that could possibly impact some of their retailers. One of the retailers that has confirmed a delay for their devices is Vodafone.
With Vodafone expecting the delay it might be very tough to find an XPERIA on April 1st. The only good news about the delay is that it is expected to only be a few days instead of a few weeks. Orange has confirmed they will receive their line -up of the XPERIA Play so if you are desperately wanting one you will probably want to hang out at this shop or wait.
HTC Pyramid releases more photos
More pictures have been released of the HTC Pyramid and it is already reported the phone will have a dual-core 1.2 GHz processor as well as 768 MB of RAM. The OS powering the device will be a Google Android Gingerbread version 2.3.2. The camera is pretty decent with a nice 8MP that can capture videos in 1080p. On the front of the phone is a VGA camera. Overall the size of the phone is a large 4.3 inches with a 960 x 540 resolution. HTC lovers are already saving their pennies for when this phone is released.
Nokia E6-00 Leaks
Leaks have surfaced for the Nokia E6-00 some of the specs confirmed for the phone include a decent 8 Megapixel Camera with dual LED flash which can produce 720p recording and runs very smoothly. The Symbian^3 OS has been revamped a little to fit 4:3 aspect ratio touchscreens. The 2.6 inch capacitive touchscreen sports a tidy resolution of 640 x 480 pixels. The phone will be available in at least two colours including Black and White and no details of pricing have been released yet.
LG’s G2x to be released in Spring
The G2x from LG is expected to be launched on April 20th and includes such big name features as 4G capabilities, T-Mobile TV, and is expected to have Tegra Zone preloaded. Other notables include Need for Speed Shift HD and Qik. The UI will be custom made which will make many of the Android fans happy. Unfortunately there are no prices available at this time.
Droid X and Droid 2 Will Have Android Gingerbread Version 2.3
The Motorola family line of mobile phones including the Droid 2 and Droid X will get a nice little Android boost with the announcement that the phones will now offer the Gingerbread 2.3 operating system. Neat features include a nice app management shortcut as well as much improved camera app and quicker navigation. There is also a very neat Blue Blur that has been added and a customizable dock. For those who would like to see for themselves here is a video: [youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uMKIgqHAlJc&w=320&h=180]
Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9 Specs released
Samsung has released the Galaxy Tab 8.9 specs - a much anticipated tablet and has been slated for release sometime in the summer though they were being a little vague with the details.
The display measures in at 8.9 inches with a decent 1280x800 pixel resolution. If you are looking for a very thin machine you will be pleased with this .33 inch thick technology powerhouse.
Amazon launches hot new App Store
Amazon has announced it is launching its own Amazon App store and will compete directly with Google's Android App Store. The store is reporting to be rolling out its features throughout the day so you may experience some technical glitches while Amazon works out the kinks. There is already one neat feature discovered so far called the "Test Drive App" where you can launch the app directly on the phone and test it to see if you like it.
Some Apps are reported to not work fully yet. They are mainly the ones that use the accelerometer but should be ready very soon. One feature Amazon offers that will send Android reeling is the App of the day feature. Everyday Amazon will be giving away an App for free to customers. It will be a huge reason for customers to frequently come back to the store. The reason Amazon can provide this feature is because it sets the pricing for the Apps and will still pay developers a minimum 20% if their App is chosen to be sold for free.
AT&T disables unauthorised tethering
AT&T has announced they will start disabling "tethering" which is directly aimed at mobile phone customers who have an iPhone that is "jailbreaked".
They have already started to send push notifications explaining to the customer they need to stop tethering or sign up to their $45/month tethering plan.
