Category: Samsung

Mobile High-Definition Link (MHL)

Posted by – February 15, 2011

New standard first used in the Samsung Galaxy S2 to output HD and charge at the same time through the Micro-USB connector, it also allows for some data to be sent back from HDTVs such as using the TVs standard remote control to also remote control the device. The MHL 1.0 spec for now does not transmit Gigabit Ethernet or USB 3.0 Host functionality.

Samsung Galaxy S WiFi 5.0

Posted by – February 14, 2011

Samsung is doing a 5″ LCD Hummingbird 1Ghz based WiFi-only Android Tablet! Basically, it does look awesome. To be seen what kind of prices Samsung plans to sell this for, my guess is it won’t be cheap, $300-400 maybe. I like this, it’s not Exynos ARM Cortex-A9, but this pocketable 5″ tablet design is cool.

Samsung Galaxy S2

Posted by – February 14, 2011

Awesome. It uses Samsung’s new Exynos Orion ARM Cortex-A9 processor, Multimedia High-definition Link technology, the new 4.3 Samsung Super AMOLED Plus screen with better anti-reflection, better colors, better clarity and more, all of this in a thinner and lighter form factor. To be available around April or so. But Samsung is probably not going to make this cheaper.

Live from the Samsung MWC event!

Posted by – February 14, 2011

Well this is not exactly live, but you get the point. Samsung organized a gigantic event in something that looks like a stadium, huge show, funky music, awesome devices.

Samsung Galaxy S2, Tab2 details, infos, release dates

Posted by – February 13, 2011

I’ll post my videos once I get the bandwidth tomorrow. Here are some infos I grabbed from the awesome Samsung event, I don’t know if those are common knowledge or if those pieces of infos are interesting:

- Samsung Galaxy 10.1 is Nvidia Tegra2 based, to be released next month, design is pretty awesome (except a bit heavy, no HDMI, no kick-stand), Honeycomb is freaking awesome, the first real tablet OS ever made. (iPad OS is not a real tablet OS). Wow Google made awesome work.

- Samsung Galaxy S2 has a MHL (Multimedia High-definition Link) connector, which basically allows the Micro-USB to do much more than just be a Micro-USB connector, it can for example output 1080p with a Micro-USB to HDMI cable, it can do USB host stuff such as USB keyboards, which basically means, if Samsung wants, they can make it do most of the things the Motorola Atrix 4G does. My understanding is Samsung’s Exynos is better than Nvidia Tegra2, has better/faster memory bandwidth, better graphics in ARM Mali-400 (did they say it does 320 Million triangles/polygons per second?). The units on display were hot, but that’s probably just cause of the hot lights and many people fondling them while launching videos and 3D stuff. It may also be I guess because the Exynos are pre-production and being over-clocked for good performance in these pre-production prototypes, but they told me that was not the case. The Linux kernel in S2 Gingerbread supports Dual-core, but I think Samsung and Google have plenty of software optimizations still to do to fully utilize the dual-core ARM Cortex-A9 power. This might be what happens once 2.4 comes out with all the 3.0 tablet features and hardware acceleration but adapted for smartphones.

- I think Samsung should turn the S2 into an Atrix 4G-like all-in-one chameleon of a device, basically just provide the right types of accessories for it, hopefully they’d price those more reasonably than Motorola. Also, Samsung says the MHL standard is going to be a standard for the industry, first introduced with S2, so perhaps any third party accessory makers could make alternative and compatible Laptop Docks, TV Docks, Desktop Docks, Keyboard Attachments and more interesting stuff.

- Samsung Galaxy Family, they are releasing a whole range of cheap Android phones. The Samsung Galaxy Mini is the cheapest of the bunch. Prices are confidential, up to carriers or/and distributors to decide, but I expect the Mini to be available below $150, perhaps towards $100, for unlocked or/and prepaid plans. Those are extremely great capacitive smartphones, 3.something inch screens (some weird Samsung LCD sizes), but most are QVGA, and the middle range Samsung Galaxy Ace goes to 3.5″ HVGA.

You can probably find much more real infos on other blogs, but here are some of the things I heard. Overall, the S2 is totally awesome, just beautiful slim nice phone, Tab2 is probably the best Tegra2 tablet I’ve seen. To be seen and retested what Acer and LG does with that.

Look for tons of my videos starting tomorrow. I’m at Mobile World Congress, no sim card in sight, only roaming. I’ll get a Yoigo SIM card tomorrow.

Samsung Galaxy S2, Tab2, new images

Posted by – February 13, 2011

Look for my videos on these as early as later today. My wild guess is Samsung may need their new Super AMOLED factory that may not be ready before June, before they mass release the new Galaxy S2 with the new Samsung Orion processor that starts mass manufacturing next month. Samsung has a press conference on these at 6PM Barcelona time, check back for a lot more.

Source: samsunghub.com

Samsung Orion “Exynos 4210″ ARM Cortex-A9 in production next month

Posted by – February 11, 2011

After the Samsung Hummingbird ARM Cortex-A8 last year, here comes the Samsung Exynos 4210 ARM Cortex-A9 1Ghz Dual-core (previously code-named “Orion“). The Exynos 4210 1GHz ARM Cortex-A9 Dual-core processor is scheduled for production next month.

Production starting next month, it’s got to mean Samsung must be using their new Exynos 4210 as pre-production samples in the prototypes of Galaxy S2 and Galaxy Tab2 that Samsung is likely to be showcasing at Mobile World Congress this Sunday at their press conference and at their MWC booth next week?

Exynos 4210 uses ARM Mali-400 graphics for console like performance in your pocket, it can playback 1080p@60fps or 1080p@30fps@3D, more awesome stuff like that.

Here’s the press release:

SEOUL–(Korea Newswire) February 11, 2011 — Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., a world leader in advanced semiconductor solutions, today announced a new brand name for its application processor family. Exynos will be applied to Samsung’s application processors, which are designed to power mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets.

“Application processors for the mobile market are one of the flagship products in our semiconductor business,” said Seh-Woong Jeong, executive vice president of marketing, System LSI Division, Samsung Electronics. “We are excited to introduce the brand name of Exynos for Samsung’s application processor family. As consumers demand more from their mobile products, Samsung’s Exynos chips will be the power inside enabling the coolest HD multi-media features with even longer battery life.”

Exynos associates Samsung’s “smart and green” strategy adopted by its semiconductor devices and solutions developed specifically to support the stringent performance and power requirements of mobile devices. Smart refers to high-performance aspect and Green represents low power features of Samsung’s application processors. Exynos originates from the Greek words smart (exypnos) and green (prasinos).

The new naming system will be first applied to the dual core processor codenamed Orion, which was announced in September 2010. Carrying the name Exynos 4210, Samsung’s powerful 1GHz dual-core application processor is scheduled for production next month.

Samsung Galaxy S2 and Tab2 may use Samsung Orion ARM Cortex-A9

Posted by – January 20, 2011

A rumor coming from nocutnews.co.kr is that Samsung may have its Dual-Core Samsung Orion ARM Cortex-A9 processor ready to put in their upcoming Galaxy S2 (and likely also Samsung Galaxy Tab2) to be presented February 13th at Mobile World Congress.

Found via: slashgear.com

Other possible specs:
- Android 2.3
- 4.3-inch 800 x 480 Super AMOLED Plus touchscreen
- 1GB RAM
- 9mm thin
- 1080p camcorder
- Mali-400 means 1080p 60fps support, or 1080p 3D playback through HDMI output

Watch my video of the Samsung Orion processor. When I spoke with the Samsung representatives before shooting this video, they hinted that it could be ready earlier than June, thus a February unveiling and demo with mass production a bit later is a possibility.

Liquavista acquired by Samsung

Posted by – January 20, 2011

Does that mean Samsung will not manufacture Pixel Qi LCD screens and feel they need something to compete with those who will?

Watch my video of prototype Liquavista screens filmed outdoors:

Yifang M10, 10.1″ Capacitive Android Tablet

Posted by – January 18, 2011

This one runs a Samsung Hummingbird Cortex-A8 1GHz processor, with 1080p support, HDMI output, 3G option and more.