Category: Tech

While many of the major smartphone manufacturers have gotten on board with the latest Android update, Samsung has been rather slow when it comes to rolling out updates for its Galaxy range of smartphones and tablets. That said, the company has now finally announced a list of all the Galaxy devices in the US that will get the new Android 4.4.2 KitKat update. You can find the list below:

• Galaxy Note 3
• Galaxy Note II
• Galaxy S4
• Galaxy S4 mini
• Galaxy S4 Active
• Galaxy S4 zoom
• Galaxy S III
• Galaxy S III mini
• Galaxy Mega
• Galaxy Light
• Galaxy Note 8.0
• Galaxy Tab 3
• Galaxy Note 10.1
• Galaxy Note 10.1 2014 Edition

The latest Android 4.4.2 KitKat update offers several innovative, easy-to-use features that enhance the user experience. These include a more intuitive user interface, better messaging capabilities, and updated applications.

The latest update brings an integrated location menu that enables users to easily summon GPS, WiFi, and mobile networks. The new enhanced messaging feature allows users to choose between Messages or Hangouts as their preferred default application. Additionally, it enables users to choose from a large assortment of updated emoji icons.

The Android KitKat 4.4.2 update for the aforementioned devices has begun starting today and will continue throughout the next few months. That said, the availability of the update will depend on the carrier and the product.

Samsung has officially announced that the Galaxy Note Pro and Tab Pro are now ready for preorder, while shipping begins on February 13. Both devices will be available for purchase via several retailers throughout the US. These include Best Buy, Walmart, Amazon, Tiger Direct, PC Richard and Sons, Fry’s, Newegg, and Samsung’s official website.

The Galaxy Tab Pro will hit store shelves starting February 13, while the Note Pro is expected to arrive sometime in March. Both tablets will be offered in a choice of black and white color options.

The new Galaxy Tab Pro will be available in three sizes — 8.4-inch, 10.1-inch, and 12.2-inch — while the Galaxy Note Pro will only be available in the 12.2-inch size. All four tablets have 2560 x 1600 pixel displays, Android 4.4 KitKat, Wi-Fi and LTE options, and 8-megapixel rear cameras as well as 2-megapixel front cameras.

You can find the official prices of all variants of the tablets below:

• Note Pro 12.2: $749.99 (32 GB), $849.99 (64 GB)
• Tab Pro 12.2: $649.99 (32 GB)
• Tab Pro 10.1: $499.99 (16 GB)
• Tab Pro 8.4: $399.99 (16 GB)

The Galaxy Note Pro is the largest in Samsung’s Pro range of tablets, and the Note Pro supports the S Pen as well. Other key specs include a high-res 12.2-inch display, Exynos Octa processor, 3GB RAM, and Android 4.4 KitKat with Magazine UX on top. It comes in 32/64GB storage variants. There’s also an 8MP primary camera along with a 2MP front-facing shooter. Juicing up the tablet is a 9500mAh battery. The Galaxy Tab Pro also packs the same high-res screen, however, it comes with a less powerful Snapdragon 800 processor and 8GB of RAM.

Samsung announced back in December that the Galaxy Note 3 will get additional color variants. The expanded color options included merlot, rose gold with white accents, and rose gold with black accents. Originally, the smartphone was available in black, white, and pink color variants. Samsung stated that the rose gold variants of the Galaxy Note 3 are created to compliment the rose gold Galaxy Gear smartwatch.

Now, Verizon has officially announced that it will be the exclusive provider of the rose gold version of the Galaxy Note 3. The major difference between the rose gold version of the handset compared to its other versions is the color of the metal accents, which are mated with white. Other than the new exterior color scheme, the new rose gold variant is the same as the originally launched versions.

The Galaxy Note 3 packs a 5.7-inch full HD AMOLED display with a resolution of 1020 x 1080. Under the hood, it gets powered by a 2.3GHz quad-core processor paired with 3GB of RAM. The smartphone comes equipped with 32GB of internal storage which is further expandable via a microSD slot.

On the software front, the Galaxy Note 3 runs Android 4.3 Jelly Bean. As for the battery, the handset gets fueled by a 3200mAh battery.

Talking about cameras, the Galaxy Note 3 features a 13MP rear camera with LED flash, autofocus, and smart stabilization. It can also record videos in full HD resolution. For selfies, the handset gets a 2MP front-facing shooter with flash.

One of the highlights of the handset is the S Pen support, which allows users to write directly on the smartphone’s screen. Connectivity options on the handset include integrated WiFi, GPS/GLONASS, NFC, Bluetooth 4.0, and IR remote control functionality.

Samsung has officially confirmed its plans to launch the Galaxy S4 to the United States in November. The mid-range handset will be available at Verizon, AT&T, Sprint, and US Cellular. That said, there’s no information about pricing so far. However, just like the Galaxy S3 Mini, it’s safe to assume that the S4 Mini will be offered as a less expensive alternative to the original flagship, from which the S4 Mini gets its name.

The Galaxy S4 Mini is a mid-range handset that aims to deliver a Galaxy S4-like user experience, in a compact form factor and distinctively lower-end specs. Talking about specs, the Galaxy S4 Mini gets powered by a 1.7GHz dual-core processor paired with 1.5GB of RAM and a 1900mAh battery. Upfront, there’s a 4.3-inch qHD (540X960p) resolution display.

“Samsung continues to provide a wide range of products to fit consumers’ needs,” said Gregory Lee, president of Samsung Mobile. “The Galaxy S 4 mini continues that commitment by bringing the paramount features of our flagship Galaxy S 4 smartphone to a smaller, more compact form factor.”

The Galaxy S4 mini also comes with several TouchWiz features found in its bigger counterpart, such as Easy Mode, KNOX, Sound&Shot, Panorama Shot, and Story Album photo features, as well its new S Health and S Translator apps. The Galaxy S4 Mini comes in White Frost and Black Mist color variants.

Samsung has officially announced its plans to launch the Galaxy S4 Mini in the United States in November. As the name suggests, the S4 mini is a heavily scaled-down version of the original Galaxy S4, though aims to offer a similar flagship-like experience in a compact form factor.

The Galaxy S4 Mini gets powered by a 1.7GHz dual-core Snapdragon 400 processor paired with 1.5GB of RAM, and 16GB of built-in storage which is expandable via microSD slot. As for the display, the handset features a 4.3-inch Super AMOLED QHD display with a resolution of 960 x 540 pixels.

There’s also an 8MP primary camera with zero shutter lag. The camera also supports several shooting modes such as Beauty Face, Best Photo, Sound and Shot, Panorama, and more. As for OS, the Galaxy S4 Mini ships with Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean and the latest version of Samsung’s TouchWiz UI. Not to mention, Samsung also confirmed that the handset will receive an update that will make it compatible with Galaxy Gear.

“Samsung continues to provide a wide range of products to fit consumers’ needs,” said Gregory Lee, president of Samsung Mobile. “The Galaxy S 4 mini continues that commitment by bringing the paramount features of our flagship Galaxy S 4 smartphone to a smaller, more compact form factor.”

The Galaxy S4 Mini will be offered in Black Mist and White Frost color options. Samsung also confirmed that the smaller version of its flagship will be available AT&T, Sprint, US Cellular, and Verizon in November. That said, the pricing hasn’t been announced by Samsung.

To recall, the Galaxy S4 Mini was announced back in May and since has been available globally except for the US.

Samsung HomeSync will be available for purchase starting October 6. The new device is an Android TV box that transforms your older televisions into Smart TVs. The box also lets you store and share content such as photos and videos in full 1080p resolution from mobile devices, provided these mobile devices are Galaxy products.

Samsung explained that any content any photos and videos captured by Galaxy devices can be sent back to the HomeSync over the web. Now, this allows you to share content with folks at home, who can also view the photos you took while away from home. In the same way, you can view content stored on the HomeSync through a Galaxy device over mobile broadband.

Not to mention, Galaxy smartphones and tablets can also be used as a remote control for the HomeSync. The box also allows you to play YouTube videos, surf the web, and even supports other applications for your television set. The HomeSync runs on Google’s Android Jelly Bean OS and offers a mammoth 1 terabyte of storage. It also supports up to eight individual encrypted and password-protected user accounts. Besides, each user will able to individually sync content from other devices and share them with the other accounts.

Under the hood, the HomeSync gets powered by a 1.7GHz dual-core CPU paired with 1GB of RAM, 8GB of flash memory, a 1TB HDD, Bluetooth 4.0, 802.11n 2.4 & 5GHz, Gigabit Ethernet, plus optical audio and HDMI 1.4 outputs.

The latest version of the Galaxy Note 10.1 tablet will finally hit store shelves starting October 10, with pre-orders set to begin tomorrow via a handful of retailers. Dubbed as the ‘2014 Edition’, the new Galaxy 10.1 will be available for purchase in the US next month in black and white color variants. As for pricing, the 16GB version gets a price tag of $550, while the 32GB variant will set you back by $600. The tablet will go on sale globally starting from Q3 2013.

The Galaxy Note 10.1 1024 Editon will be offered in three connectivity options: WiFi Only, WiFi and 3G, WiFi and LTE available in 16/32/64GB + Micro SD. Besides, it will come in two color options: Classic White and Jet Black.

Samsung has also announced free goodies for buyers of the latest Galaxy Note 10.1. These include three months of Hulu Plus, 50GB of extra Dropbox storage, a one-year subscription to Boingo hotspots, a 12-week subscription to the New York Times, along with a 12-month subscription to Bloomberg Businessweek. Besides, Samsung is also upping the ante on the hundreds of dollars of free digital content that customers will get when they buy the tablet.

The Galaxy Note 10.1 2014 Edition was officially unveiled during Samsung’s September event during IFA 2013. The tablet features a high resolution 2560 x 1600 display, a significant upgrade from the 1280 x 800-pixel display of its predecessor. Under the hood, it gets powered by Samsung’s Exynos 5420 quad-core processor bundled with 3GB of RAM. The tablet also comes with a MicroSD slot for storage expansion. It also rocks an 8MP primary camera with auto-focus and LED flash and a 2MP front-facing shooter.

The tablet also comes with the S Pen, giving users an entirely new way to interact with the tablet. Some of the new S Pen features include Screen Write, Action Memo, Scrapbook, and S Finder.

Samsung has officially unveiled the Galaxy Gear, the company’s much anticipated new smartwatch. The smartwatch will be available in the US early October and will retail for $299. Meanwhile, Samsung plans to globally launch the Galaxy Gear on September 25 in more than 149 countries.

The Galaxy Gear features a 1.63-inch Super AMOLED display with a resolution of 320 x 320 pixels. Under the hood, it gets powered by a single-core 800MHz processor and offers 4GB of built-in storage. There’s a 315mAh battery which is said to offer 25 hours of battery life. The Galaxy Gear also has two in built mics with Noise cancellation support. Not to mention, the smartwatch also has a built-in camera.

The Galaxy Gear works much like the Pebble smartwatch. The smartwatch functions more like an accessory to other Samsung devices using Bluetooth. For instance, it can show smartphone notifications, lets you answer calls, and gives users access to a wide array of apps. Samsung claims that the new smartwatch will be compatible with over 70 apps initially, such as Evernote, Path, and Glympse.

For now, the Galaxy Gear only works with the newly launched Galaxy Note 3 and the latest Galaxy Note 10.1. That said, Samsung reportedly plans to integrate Gear with more devices such as the Galaxy S4 and S3 smartphones, as well as Note 2.

Two more major carriers are bringing the new Samsung Galaxy S4 flagship in the United States next week.

T-Mobile has announced that customers will be able to get their hands on the Galaxy S4 on April 24. Customers will have to pay $150 down on the price of the handset, however, T-Mobile is yet to reveal a figure for subsequent monthly payments for the handset.

Sprint also confirmed on Tuesday that its customers will be able to get their hands on the Galaxy S4 on April 27, for $299 on a two-year contract. Customers who change their service to Sprint will get a $100 rebate on the phone.

Meanwhile, AT&T started taking pre-orders for the Galaxy S4 on Monday, at a starting price of $199.99. Besides, the carrier also confirmed its plans to start shipping the handset on April 30.

In terms of specs, Samsung Galaxy S4 features a 5-inch full-HD screen with a resolution of 1080×1920 pixels with a pixel density of 441ppi. It gets powered by a 1.6GHz Exynos octa-core processor paired with 2GB of RAM and a PowerVR SGX544MP3 triple-core GPU.