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The next big tech industry trade show on our docket is IFA, which takes place in Berlin during the first week of September. While typically not the host to as many big mobile announcements as the likes of CES and Mobile World Congress, the presence of such devices at the convention has been growing. Now comes word that Samsung Mobile will host an Unpacked event on August 30th just prior to the IFA’s kickoff. With the Galaxy S III in the rearview mirror, little is left on our radar for the Korean manufacturer to unveil. Could we see the introduction of the Samsung Galaxy Note 2?
The sequel to last year’s so-called phablet seems like the only logical option, and rumors about the device are starting to ramp up in recent weeks. The Note has fallen in place as a secondary flagship device in Samsung’s line that offers a different sort of functionality than the company’s other premier device, the Galaxy S III. Samsung has introduced tablets at IFA in the past, and a hybrid phone/tablet would certainly feel at home. Of course, we could instead be introduced to a new line of Galaxy Tabs, or perhaps both. Only time will tell, at this point.
[via SammyHub]
I own the first Galaxy Note the biggest issue with it is that you can’t use the S-Pen to select the touch keys. Its really a bothersome when I am using the S-Pen and I have to go back and forth between the S-Pen and my finger to go back and forth between applications.
Samsung please please make the phone full screen like the Galaxy Nexus.
you can exit the applications using the stylus …
Agreed, it can be pretty inconvenient to switch between the S-Pen and your finger. It would be nice to see software buttons on the next Note, although I would miss my home button. I tend to wake up my Note with the home button, more often than the power button.
I don’t use the pen often enough that it bothers me. My fingers aren’t that far from the tip of the pen anyways so tapping them with my finger isn’t really an issue imo.
Lawddddd YES
Verizon, please (icon for begging goes here)
Hey! Just in time to celebrate the release of the old one on Tmo! How nice of them. :P
What’s the specs. Its a winner if it come out with jellybeans!
Headed to Verizon please?
Sprint Please
1st phone to have 1080 hd!
Who cares, it’ll be pentile…
I’d prefer 720p non-pentile, myself.
Eh, 720p already makes the screen looks like “glowing paper”
I wish they’d make that jump, but I don’t think they will with phones yet.
Does the Exynos SoC have the same radio issues that their hummingbird SoC had? Thats the only thing that makes want to get an S4 SoC is because qualcoms SoC chips have awesome radios. But I love the performances of samsungs SoC…
No processors have radios, it’s a common myth perpetuated by many blogs.
They contain modems – in the case of the S4 SoC, a programmable world modem capable of interfacing with any of the radio standards in the world today.
But the phone still needs radio transceivers to work, usually housed on a few separate radio chips.
Well then rplace the word “radio” with the word “modem”. Does the newer samsung exynos SoC have “modem” issues like they had with the Nexus S/Galaxy S? I love my Nexus S but it has terrible reception compared to my GF’s Evo1
The issue you note with the Nexus S/Galaxy S were indeed related to the radios, not the modems. Because the modems are included in the S4 processor, it’s a don’t-care compared to the Exynos.
Radio problems are radio problems, they are independent of the processor because the processor has no radios – only modems.
Those phones had radio problems, not modem problems.
Thanks Mon!
;)
Convenient link to block diagram of S4 and Qualcomm S4 white paper and specs substantiating that it has no radios –
http://androidforums.com/samsung-galaxy-s3/577873-verizon-gs3-signal-reception-thread-8.html#post4643061
Hope this helps! :)
radio, modem, what ever… you still didn’t answer the question.
I tried to help you understand that radio problems are not the Exynos vs S4 issue that you thought before.
Now you know. :)
As far as this phone – we don’t know what radio chips are used, so no idea how to guess at its reception. Many are reporting improvement with the SGS3, some are not – hard to predict what will happen here.
Hummingbird is exynos. They renamed it. So call it by it’s correct name first off
I’m still loving my Galaxy S III
Quadcore Exynos 1.8 GHz :D?
Fine, fine! All
this is well and good, but we had hoped that they would have a better screen,
Full HD, like on the new LG screen, full 1920 x 1080P in an SAMOLED HD +, but
NOT Pentile. And, completely water-proof and drop-proof, as well.
We would also like
to see them make their screen truly superambiphobic (that is: VERY water (hydrophobic)
and oil (oleophobic) repellant, to cut down on smudges and fingerprints).
A superambiphobic
screen is able to keep itself completely clean of smudges, smears, water spots,
oil stains,
fingerprints, etc. Let’s get it on, Samsung! Recently I saw a friend’s phone
after he signed in with gestures. From several feet away I could see the
pattern he used smeared on the screen, even after several minutes of use. That
is NOT secure, we NEED better glass, superambiphobic glass, to be exact. That
on a flexible screen would be PERFECT, as it would be essentially unbreakable.
It should be, naturally, Enterprise Ready, and
certified Samsung Approved for Enterprise (SAFE).
Face Unlock
should be available. Forget Signature unlock, too cumbersome and slow.
And, the whole phone should be UNLOCKED, completely. Bootloader, everything.
It should also try
to be a bit more future-proof. 2GB of RAM and 32GB Internal storage these days is
an absolute MINIMUM! We’d actually like to see 4 and 64, or more, standard, by
the end of the year.
For expanded
storage it should have a microSD card slot able to handle at least 64GB, and a
micro-USB3 port for external access and drives.
The latest
iteration of Bluetooth goes without saying, but so many aren’t paying
attention, so I’ll say it. And for goodness sake, update and simplify pairing.
Gracious what a mess everything seems to be, needlessly.
Further, it should
have Dolby Mobile 3 with support for 5.1 sound via HDMI out.
Then, make sure it
can play full HD for at least 10 or 11 hours, minimum.
Let’s not forget
an updated, more useful Stylus. The stylus should have a finer point, and the
stylus INSIDE a full PEN-sized adapter should fit inside the case of the unit.
It should have less lag. The current stylus is just too small to handle well,
and the point is too broad for good work.
Voice control is a
must, and must be MUCH improved.
Again, don’t forget
wireless charging included in the Note box. It should be able to handle 2 units
at least a foot away from the charger. Five feet would be better.
NFC is a MUST! And
you should include some of your own NFC TecTiles as a sample, too, say 5 or 6
of them. A buck a piece, though, no higher.
Don’t forget, at
LEAST Android 4.1 should be loaded out of the box, with NO bloatware.
Then, of course,
you can make it a Nexus device, to avoid bloatware and speed up updates.
Then, bring it to
all carriers, as you did with the S III.
Last, but
certainly not least, make a nice dark Garnet color available on opening day.
NOW, Samsung, you would
be getting somewhere.