The Samsung Galaxy S3 has arrived, and with it a slew of accessories. If you want to fancy-up your phone, there’s a range of covers, docks and chargers, as well as a C-Pen stylus.
The S3 sports a giant 4.8-inch screen, so Samsung is giving you the option of a stylus for writing, browsing, and playing Draw Something – a bit like the Samsung Galaxy Note.
Other optional extras include a dock with audiophile-style vacuum tubes, a waterproof cover and a streaming hub. Read on for the full line-up.
AllShare Cast Hub
AllShare Cast is a new feature for sharing movies, music and games from your S3 to a big screen. Plug in the AllShare Cast Hub and you can zap stuff from your phone to the big screen.
Flip Cover
The flip cover has a slim back cover that protects your phone, with a front bit that flips open when you want to use the phone. At least we think that’s what it does — the press release appears to have been translated from Korean by someone who doesn’t speak English. Or Korean.
Protective Cover
The protective cover makes your S3 waterproof. It’s just 1.3mm thick, with dinky rubber caps covering the headphone jack and micro-USB port. It comes in four vivid colors and guards against small drops and knocks.
Slim Cover
If you’re not planning to take your new S3 within 10ft of water thank you very much, the 0.5mm slim cover adds a bit of protection without bulking up your phone. It comes with two differently-coloured and patterned cases for a bit of variety.
C Pen
The Samsung Galaxy Note comes with a stylus known as the S Pen, but the S3 gets its own C Pen. It’s a capacitive stylus pen “exclusively optimised” for the S3′s screen, with a 3mm rubber tip and an aluminum body that matches the S3′s design.
Premium Audio Dock
The Premium Audio Dock is a docking speaker with a swanky vacuum tube amplifier. Samsung reckons the combination of analogue and digital technology gives high-quality sound, and 2.1Ch 100W output through a vacuum tube. As if that wasn’t enough, it also charges the S3.
Desktop Dock
The Galaxy S3 Desktop Dock charges the phone and plays music. You can dock your S3 even with a case on, as long as it’s an officially-sanctioned case like the ones mentioned above. Oh, and you can put it anywhere — you don’t even need to own a desk!
Universal Vehicle Dock
The Vehicle Dock mounts most phones on your dashboard, with or without a case. The gear-locking mechanism rotates for both portrait and landscape viewing.
Battery Charger Stand and Wireless Charging kit
The Battery Charger Stand and Wireless Charging Kit do exactly what they say on the tin.
With a price of $249.99 for the Wi-Fi-only model, the Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 is an instant best buy. And when you consider that it is one of the few devices on the market to offer Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich as its operating system, it’s even more of a steal.
Hardware
From a hardware perspective, the Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 looks much like any other recent Samsung tablet. This particular model features a black front with a titanium silver rear cover, and it feels very nice in your hands. There’s a lot to be said for the 7-inch tablet form factor.
The 7-inch TFT display on the Tab 2 7.0 offers users 1024 x 600 pixels of resolution. The colors it generates are very bright, and the display’s viewing angle is surprisingly good for such an inexpensive device.
Dual speakers flank the 30-pin Samsung connector that is found on the bottom of the tablet (when held in portrait mode). The volume and power keys are on the upper right edge of the tablet, and a 3.5mm headphone jack can be found up top. The 3.5mm jack also supports a line-in function.
The Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 measures up at 193mm x 122mm x 10.4mm (7.6in x 4.8in x .41in), which makes it a bit thinner than Amazon’s Kindle Fire, though its tapered design makes it feel even thinner than it really is. It weighs a perfectly fine 345g (12.2oz), making it a device that you can hold for hours on end without fatigue.
Usability
While Android isn’t as user-friendly as, say, webOS or iOS, Samsung has at least added a few things that make the system more usable than stock Android. Users will enjoy, for example, the mini-apps that can be overlayed on the screen at any time. Mini-apps like the calculator and music player are invaluable. Samsung’s updated main menu is also a big bonus, since users can re-arrange apps into any order they like.
While Android 4 shares much with the 3.2 Honeycomb OS that we saw on the first round of Android tablets, there’s a bit more polish to how things work, and the result is a better overall experience. As long as you’re using the included apps, that is. Apart from those, there are few third party apps currently available that are actually designed with tablet form factors in mind.
But still, Samsung’s built-in apps, like the email client and the screen capture feature, feel just fine and make the most of the tablet’s form factor. Contacts can be pulled in from either Gmail or Facebook, but there’s no real social network support on the device otherwise. You’ll have to load your own apps for that. The keyboard offered on the 7.0 is also pretty basic, and you won’t find high-end input systems like Swype pre-loaded.
But at least the dual-core 1GHz processor seems to have more than enough power to provide a smooth experience when using the tablet, and that’s worth a lot. Especially at its bargain price.
Calling / Data
The Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 offers no built-in wireless network support apart from Wi-Fi 802.11b/g/n for connecting to a home or public Wi-Fi access point. The 7.0 does feature a microphone and speaker, as well as a forward-facing camera, which make it ideal for use with VoIP applications like Skype.
The Tab 2 7.0 also features USB connectivity through its proprietary 30-pin Samsung connector, and there’s always Bluetooth 3.0 for using the Tab with devices like wireless stereo headphones and speakers. An infrared port allows the Tab to work as a TV/home entertainment remote control, too.
Users looking for HDMI output will need to use an adapter or a docking station (not included), but the tablet does support DLNA through Samsung’s AllShare application.
Messaging
One thing that the Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 does real well is messaging. Even though its 7-inch screen offers relatively low resolution, it is still more than adequate for a nice split-screen email messaging experience. There is an included dedicated Gmail client for Gmail users, but the Samsung email app can be used for accessing most any type of email account – including corporate Exchange servers.
Samsung’s ChatOn messaging system is also available, and users of Google Talk instant messaging will also find their app in place. Social network users can download free Twitter, Facebook, and other apps from the Google Play Store if the included Google+ client doesn’t cover things.
Camera
There are two cameras included on the Galaxy Tab 2 7.0, but neither is a real threat to your pocket point and shoot camera. Or even the high-end smartphone
that might reside in your pocket. At least the camera app is laid out nicely, and offers user customizable controls, and it can record 720p HD video – even if it’s not the best seen on a tablet today. But we all know that the camera is a third-tier function on a tablet, at best, so this isn’t really a problem, especially when you consider that the Amazon Kindle Fire has no cameras to the Tab’s two.
Battery
The Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 ships with a 4,000mAh battery that can easily power the tablet through a full day of pretty solid use. If you are willing to run the Tab with the display’s brightness set at less than 100 percent, then you can expect to get quite a bit more life out of it from a single charge.
Final Thoughts
Amazon, beware. The big boys are going to show you how to make an affordable Android tablet! This new Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 is an absolute steal for $249.99 – and I say that as a Kindle Fire owner. Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich might not be as simple to use as Amazon’s own user interface, but it also doesn’t restrict you in any way, shape, or form. If you want a do-everything tablet for under $300, the Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 is it.
Like a relentless technological bulldozer, Android continues to steamroll all before it. Google’s mobile operating system has undergone some radical changes during its relatively short lifespan, and the most recent iteration, 4.0 for those of you that like numbers, Ice Cream Sandwich for those who prefer daft codenames, is the most polished yet.The problem is, this latest flavour of Android is currently exclusive to Google’s Galaxy Nexus and Nexus S phones. Samsung has announced that the Galaxy S2 will get Ice Cream Sandwich starting from next week, although it is down to the phone networks to decide exactly when that will happen. For those of you who simply cannot wait, salvation is at hand.
This handy guide will show you how to install Ice Cream Sandwich on your beloved blower, allowing you to reap the benefits of enhanced speed and functionality, before it is made available through the auto-update section on your phone.
Firmware caution
As is always the case when flashing firmware and mucking around with your phone’s operating system, it’s best to exercise some caution, lest your expensive mobile becomes an equally expensive — but rather less functional — brick. Our strong advice is to wait until the update is made available through your mobile phone operator officially.
Installing this update will invalidate your manufacturer warranty, and CNET UK, its employees, their immediate families and even their pets take absolutely no responsibility whatsoever for any damage you may inflict on your phone as a result of following this guide.
Assuming you still have the stomach for the job, let’s get cracking.
Step 1: Grab the relevant files
Before you do anything, make sure you’ve downloaded and installed the official Kies application from Samsung’s site. This contains all of the relevant USB drivers that allow your Galaxy S2 to communicate properly with your computer. You’ll also need Odin, which is the sneaky piece of software that allows you to flash the firmware to your phone. Point your browser here to obtain that.
Another vital thing to remember is that you’ll need to enable USB debugging from within your phone’s settings. Go to Settings > Applications > Development, and tick the box that says ‘Enable USB Debugging’.
Now for the important bit — the ICS firmware itself. This particular file is based on Android 4.0.3, which is the very latest version. The file might take a while to download as it’s over 300MB of data. Once it’s done, extract the ZIP file on your computer.
Step 2: Configure Odin
Open up the Odin app that you downloaded previously. A big screen with lots of scary options should appear, but mop those beads of sweat from your brow and take some deep breaths — we’re here to help you through this, soldier.
First up, click the button that says PDA. Find the ICS firmware that you extracted and locate the file that ends in .md5. Select it and Odin will prep it for installation.
Step 3: Put your Galaxy S2 into download mode
Make sure your Galaxy S2 is completely switched off, and then press the power, volume down and home buttons simultaneously. You’ll see a dire warning displayed on the screen about voiding your warranty — essentially the final warning before you proceed — but simply press the volume up button to skip it (assuming you still have the courage, that is).
Take your trusty USB cable and connect your phone to your PC. Odin should detect and recognise the handset, and you’ll see a filled-in yellow box where it says COM. If nothing happens, it’s probably because you didn’t listen to us at the beginning and failed to install Kies. Doh.
Step 4: Flash the ICS firmware
Once all the stars are aligned and you’ve finished sacrificing your livestock to appease the Korean deity Samsung, you can tap the button that says ‘Start’.
If the gods favour you, Odin will flash the Android 4.0.3 firmware to your Galaxy S2.
So there you have it. Ice Cream Sandwich on your Galaxy S2. To be honest, it doesn’t look massively different from 2.3 on the Galaxy S2, as Samsung has covered the OS with its usual TouchWiz UI.
But you’ll find a raft of improvements as well as cool things like a fully functioning data monitor and a new multi-tasking menu.
The New Apple iPad comes with a 9,7-inch Retina Display with 2048x1536p resolution, 264ppi, an A5X dual-core processor with quad-core graphics, a 5-megapixel backside illuminated sensor with five-element lens,infra-red filter, 1080p video recording capability, 4G LTE capability with speeds of 3.1Mbps on EV-DO, 7.2 on HSPA. It lasts up to 10 hours on GSM operation and 9 hours on 4G LTE. The new Apple iPad is 9.4 mm thick and weighs 652 g (Wi-Fi-only) / 662 grams (Wi-Fi+4G). Apple claims that graphics are 4 times faster than what’s inside an Nvidia Tegra 3. The new iPad has also got iPhoto for iOS and updated iMovie app as well as new versions of Infinity Blade – Dungeons and Sketchbook Ink.
The Acer Iconia Tab A700 runs Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich OS with Acer Ring UI on top of it, sporting a 10.1-inch 1080p IPS panel with 1920 X 1200 pixels of resolution, powered by an Nvidia Tegra 3 quad-core processor, 1GB of RAM, a 5MP rear-facing camera, HDMI capabilities, 16GB/32GB/64GB internal memory storage, microSD card slot for memory expansion up to 32GB, access to Google Play, 9800mAh battery to power everything.
Apple has announced the release details of the new iOS 5.1 for the Apple iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, iPhone 4S, iPod touch (3rd generation) and later, Apple iPad, and iPad 2 devices. The new iOS 5.1 bring the Japanese language support to Siri, iCloud has also been updated to support movies, which can be purchased once and then re-downloaded from iCloud in full 1080p HD resolution.
Here is the full changelog of the iOS 5.1:
# Japanese language support for Siri (iPhone 4S only)
# the ability to delete photos from Photo Stream
# New camera shortcut always visible on the lockscreen, which can be dragged for unlocking your
# Device directly into the camera app (iPhones only)
# The camera’s Face Detection now highlights all detected faces
# The Camera app for the iPad has been redesigned
# Genius mixes and Genius playlists are now available for iTunes Match subscribers
# Audio for TV shows and movies on iPad is now louder and clearer
# Podcast controls for playback speed and a 30 second rewind added back for the iPad
# AT&T network indicator now shows 4G when in an HSPA+ area
# Battery life issues should have been fixed (again)
# An issue that occasionally caused dropped audio for outgoing calls is now also fixed. Download
You can customize the iPhone in various ways. For instance, you can customize the iPhone’s wallpaper and lock-screen image. You can also customize your iPhone’s ringtone by selecting a new sound to play when the device receives a call. These customizations can help you distinguish your iPhone from another.
Difficulty:
Moderately Easy
Instructions
Wallpaper
1
Tap the "Settings" icon.
2
Touch the "Wallpaper" option on the Settings screen.
3
Open the Wallpaper Library, the Camera Roll or any other image folder.
4
Tap the image you’d like to use as your wallpaper, then touch the "Set Wallpaper" button.
Ringtone
1
Tap "Settings," then touch "Sounds."
2
Touch "Ringtone" to open a list of available ringtones.
3
Tap on the ringtone you’d like to set. This will place a check next to the tone and set it as the default ringtone.
The iPhone’s keyboard is integrated within its touch screen and appears only when you are using an application that allows you to input text, such as the Mail app you use to send email messages. If the keyboard doesn’t appear when you access the Mail app, there are some troubleshooting steps you can take to resume inputting text as normal.
Screen Within Mail App
Although the iPhone’s keyboard works within the Mail app, it doesn’t appear within all screens. Specifically, the keyboard only appears you have access the Compose interface to begin writing a new message to someone or to search your mailbox or contact list. The iPhone keyboard doesn’t appear when you browse messages in the inbox, for example.
Number of Taps on the Screen
When you want the iPhone keyboard to appear, you tap once on the screen within the field where you want to input text. Tapping twice, on the other hand, causes the iPhone keyboard to disappear, then reappear. If the iPhone keyboard suddenly disappears, simply tap the screen one additional time to make the iPhone keyboard reappear.
International Keyboards
Another difficulty that can arise when using the touch-screen keyboard within the Mail app is if the keyboard switches languages. If you have multiple keyboards installed on your iPhone, all it takes is one tap on the "Globe" icon in the lower-left corner of the keyboard to switch. So it can be easy to accidentally begin composing an email message using a different alphabet or script.
Troubleshooting With Other Apps
If you still aren’t able to use the iPhone’s keyboard with Mail, trying using it within other apps, such as Notes or Facebook. If this is successful, a problem exists with the Mail app. In either case, the solution most likely to work is updating the iPhone’s operating system. To update, connect the iPhone to the computer, then click "Yes" when iTunes prompts you to update the operating system.
The iPhone lock feature prevents your device from expending unnecessary battery life, or having an icon accidentally activated while your phone is in a pocket or purse. You can’t turn your iPhone’s lock feature on while you are in the process of calling someone, because the lock puts the device into a sleep-like mode.
Lock Feature
The lock feature on your iPhone is a way to conserve energy when you are not actively using the device. Your phone automatically goes into lock mode when you do not interact with it for more than a minute, and you can also manually put a phone into lock mode by pressing the "On/Off" button at the very top of the phone.
Lock and Phone Calls
Because your iPhone is actively in use when you are engaged in a phone call, it is not possible for the phone to lock. The device needs to be actively communicating with your wireless network during a phone call, so the screen remains unlocked. If you manually lock your iPhone during a call, the call ends.
Call Menu
One of the benefits of the iPhone remaining unlocked during a phone call is that you have access to the call menu. When your phone is up to your ear, the screen dims; as soon as you remove the phone from your ear, the menu shows up. Options in the call menu include "Hold," "Mute" and "Speaker." There is also a "Keypad" button which lets you enter a phone number if prompted by an automated service.
Multitasking
Another reason your iPhone remains unlocked during a phone call is that is allows you the ability to multitask during a call. After you hit the "Speaker" option on the call menu, you can hit the "Home" button and return to the iPhone’s home screen without dropping your call. From the home screen, you can open and use applications, such as the mapping feature, while you are talking to your contact via speaker phone.
The "Messages" app on the Apple iPhone device serves as the hub for all of your SMS, MMS and iMessage messages. If you are out of your service area and you try to send a message, the message will not get sent. Unlike many smartphones, the iPhone does not resend the unsent message when you come into service. This means that, if you want to get rid of an unsent item, you must do so manually.
Locating the Unsent Item
When you have an unsent message in the messages application, a small red exclamation point appears next to the "Messages" application icon. Tap the "Messages" application icon to view your conversations, and the conversation that contains the unsent item will have a small red exclamation point next to it. Tap the conversation to view its messages and the message that was not sent properly will have the same small red exclamation point next to it.
Resending the Unsent Item
In order to get the exclamation mark to disappear, you need to successfully send the item. Once your iPhone has reception, tap the red exclamation point icon next to the unsent message. After you tap the icon, tap the "Resend" button that appears. The iPhone will now attempt to resend the item. If it succeeds, the exclamation point will disappear. If it fails, the exclamation point will remain.
Copying the Unsent Item
If you were not able to successfully resend the unsent message, you may have to do so manually. But, first you need to copy the message so that you can recompose it. To do so, open the Messages conversation that contains the unsent item and tap and hold the unsent message bubble. Tap the "Copy" option from the context menu that appears in order to copy the message.
Deleting and Recomposing the Message
With the unsent item copied, you now need to erase and manually resend the unsent item. Tap the "Edit" button while viewing the conversation that contains the unsent item. Tap the circle to the left of the unsent item to select it and tap the "Delete" button to delete the message. Tap and hold the message composition box and tap the "Paste" option to paste the unsent item’s text in the space. Tap the "Send" button to manually resend the unsent message.
