Back on August 21, Apple and Samsung lawyers were preparing to make their closing statements in their recent legal showdown that took place in the United States. At that time, we published an article explaining a few reasons why Apple won’t divorce Samsung anytime soon. Arguably the best argument was that no other IC foundry could satisfy Apple’s needs without having to terminate any deals it has with other clients.

Fast forward a little over a week and we now know that Samsung was dealt a major blow, in the form of roughly a billion US dollars, as well as the imminent ban of some of its products. Interestingly enough, Bloomberg recently reported that Apple has unsuccessfully tried to purchase exclusive access to TSMC’s chip production capabilities. The sum revolves around one billion dollars, almost the exact same sum that Samsung has to hand over to Apple. Qualcomm also made a similar bid, and was also turned down by TSMC, the largest IC foundry in the world by revenues.

This falls in well with TSMC’s recent reports mentioning that it’s open towards dedicating one or two factories to a single consumer. At this time, we don’t know if a lack of exclusivity deal is, in fact, a deal breaker for Apple, but we do know that two factories cannot replace the entire chip production deal it currently has with Samsung. On the other hand, a gradual move towards TSMC and other foundries is possible, although it will raise the bill of materials for its upcoming smartphones and tablets. In the spirit of this previous article, all Apple can do is have an affair.

Qualcomm is currently having some problems with the supply of its S4 processor, and it surely wouldn’t hurt the company to increase its production numbers as the S4 Pro SoC becomes commercially available over the following months. From where I’m standing, Qualcomm should be more motivated than Apple to contract any unused TSMC production capacity, but I guess we’ll have to wait a bit more to know for sure.

During tonight’s CES unveiled event, Lenovo gave people a sneak peek into their new smartphone, the Lenovo S2. While it still does not run the latest Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, its specs made up for the unit.

The Gingerbread based phone had rounded curves, a stand-out from the common rectangular shape of similar all black Android units. It has a 3.8-inch display screen with 800x480px resolution that gives an impressive brightness and clarity. It has a clean layout which allows shortcuts from frequently used apps to be pinned on the home screen. On Android Gingerbread, the S2 has a custom-built skin running on it. More details about an Ice Cream Sandwich upgrade to be revealed soon.

But what really made this phone different from the rest aren’t just its rounded curves. According to Lenovo, they have included a unique kernel-level security system on the S2 which is responsible for protecting the user’s data. This system also prevents phishing and traffics SMS messages. Apart from the high level of security, the S2 is also equipped with Lenovo’s automatic cloud-syncing feature for music, photos and other data. .

With regards to its pricing and availability, Lenovo has not made any formal announcements yet. However, they did say that the phone will be sold in China immediately. But with these features on a smartphone, we’re pretty sure Lenovo will come out with more.

Via: Cricket

Simply put, the Samsung Galaxy Tab is one of the sexiest tablets ever made. Having already landed in the US, it’s UK arrival is imminent. Currently the thinnest tablet on the market, this particular svelte Android tablet has received rave reviews – especially for its best-in-class display, where it beat out all its tablet competitors, including the iPad 2.

Here’s the specs if you’re interested – and we bet you are.

Specs: 

Additionally, you can expect progressive updates for the Samsung Galaxy Tab too, as Samsung will be introducing  several nice features that will further enhance the TouchWiz UX interface in the future.

The Touchwiz 4.0 UI adds Live Panels to the homescreen, widgets, and a mini apps tray, among other things. Further updates are planned so that this gem of a tablet will be able to display to a TV using the media dock or through an HDMI adapter.

Video

For an exact timeline of when it will be available in the UK check out the links below. It’s also set to be priced matched with the iPad, with starting prices around £399.

Samsung UK’s Facebook, Samsung UK’s Youtube

Recent polls suggest that people actually prefer touchscreen keyboards, but this writer would beg to differ. Having made the jump from a Blackberry Bold to a Samsung Galaxy S II, I still have to say that I miss the satisfaction that tactile keyboards provide.

With that in mind, enter the LG Optimus Note. Leaked in a recent press shot, the Optimus Note features a very respectable set of specs, and features on of the first beefed up versions of Nvidia’s Tegra 2 SoC, being that it is clocked at 1.2 Ghz, as opposed to the standard 1Ghz speed we have all come to know (and love).

It’s a slider smartphone, measuring 12.3 mm thin, and comes with the following specs below.

Specs: 

• 1.2 Ghz dual core Tegra 2 SoC
• 4 inch WVGA NOVA display (800×480 resolution)
• Android 2.3+
• 5 megapixel rear camera, with LED flash
• VGA front facing camera
• 8GB of internal memory

While regular visitors of this site and other mobile tech blogs will decry the lack of bleeding edge specs like what’s on board the upcoming HTC Vigor, the Nexus Prime, and more, I happen to think that the more QWERTY’s the better.

Sure, it doesn’t have an 8 megapixel or a qHD display, but I bet it will be good enough. There’s still a market for people that dislike virtual keyboards, right? The last little bit of info worth mentioning is that this particular QWERTY phone will feature a four row keyboard as well.

Any takers?

Specs

• 10.1 inch display (no word yet on whether its IPS, or any of the other leading alternatives)
• 1 GHz TI OMAP4430 dual core processor
• 1280 x 800 pixel display
• Running the latest version of Android 3.2 Honeycomb
• 1GB of RAM
• 16GB of storage.

Sure those specs are nice, but that’s really not what we’re interested in. Beers spillage, gaming at the campfire in the rain, hot tub movie watching, and baby leakage all come to mind as reasons why this tablet will appeal to a larger audience.

Thanks to its design, its built to withstand water, and is even said to be waterproof/water-resistant, but we haven’t heard anything in the way of public confirmation as of this posting. We’ve contacted Fujitsu, and will update you with the official specs as soon as we get a response, if we get one at all.

But seriously, it’s designed to be waterproof, and to be able to withstand the occasional drop or two, thanks to its rugged design. This makes us very happy and worry-free.

Panasonic's Tough Tablet is still nowhere in sight

Fujitsu, much like Panasonic and even Motorola, has been making rugged technology for decades. While for the the most part their business in this domain has targeted niche markets like military, industrial and medical clientele, it appears that they are hoping to bring a consumer oriented tough tablet to market in the near future.

FCC Love

It’s just arrived at the gates of the FCC, where they are performing there usual battery of tests to make sure your head wont explode when you use it. Furthermore, the Arrows Tab has a decent set of dimensions, with a 10.3″ x 7.1″ x 0.5″ form factor that weighs just 1.3 pounds. Not bad, and a small “weight” tax to pay, if you’re as clumsy as this humble writer.

Still, don’t expect it to be cheap. If history is any indication, this particular tablet will be priced somewhere north of $700, but we will still have to wait for official confirmation, or for Amazon to strong arm them into making a lower price for it. When, oh when will manufacturers realize that people are only willing to pay $400 max? Except for the iPad of course.

Will it Come to the US/Canada? Or Europe? 

Fujitsu has only announced that the tablet will go on sale in Japan, but we live in a connected world, people. Guaranteed you’ll be able to get this on Ebay for a hefty premium, and that their will be independent sellers who’ll be keen to get it on sale outside of Japan. What’s more is that any and all products with wireless functionality have to go through the FCC before they go on sale in the US, so it appears likely (but not guaranteed) that it will in fact go on sale Stateside, hopefully sooner rather than later. We’re hearing whispers that it could come sometime before Christmas.

Do you think there is a market for tough-tech? Ever dropped your phone or tablet?

Before the touch screen, before 4G, before dual-core processors–video streaming technology was already available, but not widely used or adopted. For those who wanted gaming on the go, the best option for playing handheld video games was to purchase a gaming device from Sony or Nintendo.  Those were the only two major options–and that was very limited.

Times have changed, though.  Today, Sony and Nintendo are no longer the only major options for console gaming.  These days, if you purchase a new 4G Android phone, you will not only have a wicked system that you can hold in the palm of your hands but also a machine that comes close to rivaling most next-generation consoles such as the PS3 and Xbox360.

And, I’m just talking about the gaming aspect–a 4G Android smartphone is also a phone, Web browser, multimedia entertainment player, personal digital assistant, and much more.

Although modern gaming consoles from Sony or Nintendo have also evolved into ones that are no longer exclusively for gaming, such gaming consoles are still primarily designed for gaming.  Such gaming consoles can be used not only for gameplay, but also for streaming videos, browsing the Web, and connecting to gaming communities.  The LG G2x can, too.  Here are quick comparisons between the LG G2x and gaming consoles:

Gameplay

There is no way to beat the classic experience of handling a game controller and becoming immersed in a game–and Android can do just that. While the titles for most major consoles are still better and more diverse, smartphone technology has improved dramatically.  More and  more developers are being drawn to smartphones and tablets for these devices’ 3D capabilities, dual-core processors, and possibility of streaming games directly to HD televisions. Developers at EA are also excited about developing games that use GPS-based technology in order to make Android games more interactive, too.

Streaming Video

By purchasing a game console, you have access to streaming video services like Netflix and Hulu.  There are apps for 4G Android phones which allows users to access their Netflix account and watch streaming video content on-the-go.  Best of all, such apps work on virtually every Android device. When you are at home, you can connect your phone wirelessly to a screen or you can plug it into your TV’s HDMI port and stream 1080p HD movies and television programs.

Internet Browsing

If you have ever tried using the Web browser on a console, you will know what a horrible experience it is. Using your controller to move the cursor can be a painful task and pages that use rich media content such as YouTube videos are often painfully slow. In contrast, using a phone like the LG G2x makes it is easy and efficient for you to move from the Facebook app to a website to text messages–all while you are making a phone call.

Networks

The Playstation Network and Xbox Live have done a good job of making it easier than ever to purchase games at any time. The only drawback of these networks are their typically slow download speeds and use of bandwidth from your home’s wireless connection. Purchasing games, apps, and content through a network such as the NVIDIA Tegra Zone or Android Market is quick because the file sizes are that much smaller, and are quite quick over a 4G network.

Mobile gaming has come a long way since the Game Boy and other handheld devices. While still gaining acceptance, gaming on Android could pose a major threat to consoles in the near future.

Has any of you ever tried playing games on the big screen off your Android device? What is the experience like?  Let us know in the comments.

Super AMOLED Displays compared to iPhone's SLCD

A new breed of smartphone is soon to coming to market to challenge Apple’s incoming iPhone 5,  and with the arrival of Samsung’s Celox — competition is likely to further intensify against Apple’s darling. After the huge success of the Galaxy S II, Samsung is gearing up for ompetition with Apple in a big way. Most notably, according to the Wall Street Journal, Samsung outperformed Nokia in the second quarter to grab the second spot in total number of smartphone sales after Apple. Now, rumors about Samsung’s Celox suggest that it may pose a great threat to Apple’s iPhone 5. It looks very similar to the Samsung Galaxy S II, and is said to have many upgraded features which will give serious competition to Apple’s iPhone 5, which is expected to hit the market sometime in October of this year.

Most recently, rumors about Samsung’s Celox started circulating from South Korean news outlets, and the reports suggested that it will have a Qualcomm Snapdragon APQ8060 SoC with 4G capabilities. However, while Samsung has not officially announced this particular smartphone in the world market, we have no doubt Apple is feeling the tension building given that Android phones are dominating recent smartphones sales by capturing nearly 50% of global marketshare. Apple’s iPhone 4 was launched a year back and now the things have changed substantially.

Samsung Celox vs. Apple iPhone 4s

This comparison may seem a bit unjustified, but a healthy bit of conjecture always keeps things lively, right? As it stands, there is no official information about both devices but we do have a good idea of what to expect. Read on for more speculative fun.

The Operating Systems

The iPhone 4s will run on an ‘improved’ version of Apple’s latest – iOS 5 – whereas the Samsung Celox will run on the latest Android Gingerbread 2.3.4+, but potentially Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, depending on when it is launched. While there is a great deal known about iOS 5, Ice Cream Sandwich remains shrouded in mystery, that is, until October, with the debut of the highly anticipated Nexus Prime.

The Screen Sizes

Concept design for the iPhone 4s

Apple’s Phone 4s is speculated to have an increased screen size with a smaller bezel. They’ve received some ill-will in the market for maintaining a 3.5 inch display form factor, which many now consider to be a rather small display, while some consider it to still be the perfect size. Either way, Apple must keep the iPhone the same size because their OEM partners, which have sold tens of thousands of peripherals since the iPhone’s launch, and changing the physical size of the phone itself would result in many of these peripherals not functioning properly with the iPhone 4s. Either way, it’s rumored that the iPhone 4s will feature a 4 inch display with 960×540 resolution as opposed to the iPhone 4’s 3.5 inch screen with the same resolution just mentioned. On the other hand, Samsung’s Celox may flaunt an even larger screen at 4.5 inches, with Super AMOLED Plus on board, with a resolution of WVGA 800×480.

The Cameras

The iPhone 4s's camera?

Cameras have become an undeniably important feature for smartphones today, as it is often the sole device that people carry with them at all times. It’s rumored that Apple may offer an 8 MP camera with LED flash, while details about the front camera remain scare at best. The Samsung Celox, on the other hand, is rumored to have an 8MP rear camera with LED flash and a 2MP front camera. The iPhone 4 has rightfully earned an excellent reputation as one of the leading cameras in smartphones available today, but with the debut of Samsung’s Galaxy S II, many have called into question whether Apple will be able to maintain dominance in this area, for the Galaxy S II takes better pictures and does 1080p video, too. If the quality of photos and video from the Galaxy S II are any indication of what to expect in the upcoming Celox, than Apple’s upcoming iPhone 5 is likely to face even stiffer competition in this area too. Despite all this though, both will be capable of taking 1080p video and 8MP pictures, which means they are likely to tie in this area as well.

Processing Speed

Apple’s iPhone 4s, with the addition of an A5 chip –which was originally designed for the iPad 2 — is set to offer a whopping speed of 1.5 GHz, while the Samsung Celox will make Apple run for its money with an equally fast Qualcomm Snapdragon APQ8060 processor at 1.5GHz. To make things even more interesting, is the rumor that Apple is likely to under-clock the A5 chip, resulting in slower speeds overall, but likely improved battery life. Either way, it’s too early to call this one, folks.

The Marketing Idea

Apple plans to market the iPhone 4s as a ‘World Phone’ and, according to an online survey by CNN Technology; is the most highly anticipated smartphone in the world. However, Samsung is not going to leave any stone unturned after they tasted success with the original Galaxy S and S II. It is expected that Samsung will market the Celox as the most powerful device in the world, and will likely sell in the millions.

Verdict

According to the above comparisons, it looks like Apple is going to face some real competition. Apple’s iPhone 4 has been dethroned in nearly every virtually respect since its debut, and rightly so; the phone is over a year old. It’s consistently managed to stay atop best seller lists the world over. However, slowly but surely, the Android juggernaut is winning the hearts and minds of millions, and by latest count is activating nearly 600,000 devices per day. Either way, it all boils down to personal choice, and while many have opted for Apple’s iPhone in the past, more people than ever are opting for the Android experience. Samsung’s Celox, as an LTE device, represents the latest and greatest from Samsung, and will likely be a very strong competitor to the iPhone 4s. It is still not known whether Apple’s next will feature 4G connectivity, as their are still conflicting reports from legitimate news sources, but it would certainly be a shame if it did not. Either way, both will undoubtedly be excellent smartphones, and, like any major purchase, will be left up to the consumer to choose which is better for them. Remember folks, competition benefits us all, and the development of better, faster, and more advanced mobile technology is not going to slow down any time soon.

What’s your pick? Celox with Ice Cream Sandwhich or Apple’s latest iPhone?

It’s hard to argue that mobile devices aren’t a necessity these days, for they can do so much. Whether you want to do a reverse phone lookup or browse through apps or find the best deals for a product, you can do it all from the comfort of your hand. Yet, there’s one very crucial element that most people don’t give a lot of thought to–the battery powering all of the mobile tech that’s becoming an increasingly important part of everyone’s lives.

With all of our energy sources, human beings are still one of the best sources of power in nature, and this idea is being echoed in the research article “Nature Communications.” The article explains that the average person, while sprinting, can produce as much as a kilowatt of power. This amount of energy would be more than enough to power the standard mobile device that people currently use.

We use mobile gizmos and typically charge them through our computers or plug them into the wall, but very soon we might be able to totally disconnect from fixed power sources as technologists and researchers are working on ways to harness the power of kinetic movement. Truly, this seems like it’s going to be the next big technological advancement.

All over the world, different companies are currently developing different forms of movement-based power sources. Nanotechnology is one front getting a lot of attention, but practical application is still several years away.

Researchers in the U.S. are currently developing a way for people to power their devices through walking. Users would be able to generate electricity from simple motion. This approach wouldn’t be self-contained within the device that’s being used, but would, instead, be placed in the shoe of the user. The energy-capture device would be able to harness energy from moving micro droplets inside your shoe and then convert the energy into an electrical current. This tech is already being used in some smaller devices like watches and sensors, but this would be a whole new approach.

Similar powering devices already exist, but until now, their practical use hasn’t been available. It’s believed that the implementation of this power-generating device could be seen in the market in the very near future.

It’s likely that as touch-enabled devices take the forefront of development, we’re going to see significant changes as companies aggressively research to find the best way to power our devices of the future. Hopefully this will lead us to a society that can finally become totally unplugged.