Samsung’s response to the iPad pro: The massive 18.4-inch Galaxy View tablet!

Not to be outdone by Apple’s $799 iPad Pro, which has an ultra high-resolution screen measuring 12.9 inches diagonally and goes on sale next month, rival Samsung is gearing up to launch a brand new tablet with a huge 18.4-inch screen, the Galaxy View.

Although the View is yet to officially launch, some online retailers are now taking pre-orders for the $599 Android device, 9to5Google reported Monday.

Available for pre-order over at Adorama for $599 for an entry-level model with thirty-two gigabytes of built-in flash storage, the Galaxy View is powered by Samsung’s own 1.6 GHz Exynos 7580 octa-core chip with 2GB of RAM, code-named ‘Carmen2’.

On the connectivity front, the device includes Bluetooth 4.1 Low Energy, 802.11 ac Wi-Fi networking and Cat. 6 CA LTE cellular. Built-in storage is expandable up to 128 gigabytes via a micro-SD card.

The front camera is a paltry 2.1-megapixel module with 1080p video capture at thirty frames per second. There’s no LED flash on the front camera and there’s no second camera on the back.

Driven by Android Lollipop, the View’s gigantic 18.4-inch TFT screen has a full HD 1,920-by-1,080 pixel resolution. Samsung claims the View’s 5,700 mAh battery provides 8.5 hours of video playback time.

If the promotional images and the device’s moniker are an indication, Samsung is positioning the View as an inexpensive tablet with a massive screen, mostly dedicated to watching video and enjoying media.

Source

Here’s the Samsung Galaxy Note 5, coming on August 12 with an Auto-Eject S Pen?

Today a Galaxy Note 5 case from Ringke has caught our eye which raises a very important question about the S Pen. Note that  Samsung is going to announce the Galaxy Note 5 on August 12 instead of waiting till IFA 2015 in September.

The S Pen has always been a staple on the Galaxy Note lineup and Samsung is sticking with it this time around as well however it appears to have changed the way it’s ejected. Previously you would just push it out using your nail but in all renders of the device we have seen so far the S Pen appears to sit flushed with the frame thus making it impossible to eject it using that method.

Is Samsung going with a push-to-release mechanism for the Galaxy Note 5 or will the S Pen be able to auto-eject? Lets not forget that Samsung does have a patent on auto-eject technology for the S Pen which would not only make things easier but would look certainly look cool.

Source

Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 8.0 and Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 9.7 Officially Announced

Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., today announced the global launch of the Galaxy Tab S2, the most immersive Samsung tablet to-date. Samsung’s newest Galaxy tablet continuously delivers a stunning Super AMOLED display perfectly optimized for reading and viewing any type of digital content. The Galaxy Tab S2 is stylishly designed with the thinnest and lightest metal frame of its size on the market and packs powerful performance features to offer enhanced usability, empowering users with new and improved choices in productivity and multitasking.

“The Galaxy Tab S2 is not only our thinnest and lightest tablet of its size ever, it also gives users quick, easy access to a wealth of superior viewing and productivity features,” said JK Shin, CEO and President of IT & Mobile Division at Samsung Electronics. “We believe the Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 is the most complete personal visual device designed for consumers to carry and use anywhere.”

Newly Optimized Super AMOLED Display for the Best Content Viewing

At just 5.6mm thin and only 389g (9.7 -inch) and 265g (8.0 -inch) weight*, the Galaxy Tab S2 is perfectly designed for reading and consuming content due to its stunning Super AMOLED Display. By recreating the same viewing experience of browsing through traditional print media, the Galaxy Tab S2 also makes it comfortable to read digital content, including e-books, magazines, webpages and newsfeeds. This reading-optimized ratio allows the user to enjoy a seamless reading experience without unnecessary scrolling.
The tablet also presents deeper contrast and more precise detail to provide a best-in-class reading experience with the Super AMOLED display delivering 94% of natural tones to show true-to-life colors (Adobe RGB color standard). Users can now enjoy galleries of vividly detailed photos and effortlessly shop online while viewing the most accurate images on the Galaxy Tab S2.

In addition, the Galaxy Tab S2 continually offers its advanced screen technology to display bright and natural content for a more comfortable visual experience. Adaptive Displayintelligently adjusts gamma, saturation, and sharpness based on the application, the color temperature of the viewing environment and ambient lighting. Also, Reading Mode modifies the screen’s brightness level to help users to read content for longer periods of time without straining their eyes.

Packaged within the world thinnest and lightest metal tablet frame of its size, the Galaxy Tab S2 is portable enough to easily carry around all day. Also, the fashionable and stylish design is suitable for any purpose or setting, so user can enjoy the best viewing experience anywhere, anytime.

Source

Apple iPad Pro to come with USB, Keyboard & Mouse Support?

More details about the oft-rumored 12.9 inch iPad Pro are beginning to surface, and they include things like USB 3.0, mouse and keyboard connectivity, and faster charging technology, according to a report by the Wall Street Journal late Wednesday evening. This report, along with an earlier one from Bloomberg, attempts to add definition to the mysterious project.

According to both reports, the iPad Pro’s production start date has been pushed back beyond what Apple had initially hoped. The Bloomberg report states that Apple is looking towards September for the start of production, while the Journal more vaguely states that production will ramp up in second half of this year.

Although the speculation of delayed production dates are an echo to Wednesday’s earlier rumors, new details about what the iPad Pro may feature, and who it will be geared towards, certainly stir the pot. According the the Wall Street Journal’s sources, people familiar with the iPad Pro’s design state that Apple is working on the following:

• USB 3.0 connectivity for faster transfer speeds and greater peripheral access
• “Ports” for a mouse and keyboard
• Faster charging technology

While the USB ports may be a possibility, the idea of including ports for a mouse/keyboard combination strikes me as a bit odd. Perhaps the source meant a port for a dock that includes a keyboard/trackpad combination, or something of the like. Sort of like what we see Microsoft doing with its Surface line.

The idea of USB connectivity makes sense for enterprise customers, something the report states that this product is being geared towards, and for power users. For example, one could theoretically connect fast external hard drives, audio interfaces, and other unique peripherals that require USB.

Faster charging would be a welcomed addition, as when compared to the iPhone, the iPad is significantly slower when it comes to charging it from 0 to 100%. A device with the Pro’s rumored 12.9 inch form-factor would be more voluminous from a battery perspective, and thus would take even longer to charge than the iPad hardware we have today.

Of course, the report was subjected to the following statement:

Apple, which works with suppliers to test new technology and designs all the time, could opt not to proceed with some of the features when it starts mass producing the device later.

This means that only one, two, or perhaps none of the rumors may actually materialize on the schematics that hit production lines when manufacturing begins. But, if these rumors are true, then the iPad Pro would be the first iOS device to sport a USB port. It would also be the first iOS device to support a mouse.

Source

MWC 2015: Thinner than thin – meet the Sony Xperia Z4 Tablet!

Sony didn’t bring a new Xperia Z4 flagship phone on the MWC, but it sure make up for it with the Sony Xperia Z4 Tablet. It’s the company’s new high-end slate, a successor of the Xperia Z2 Tablet.

Sony Xperia Z4 Tablet

Sony Xperia Z4 Tablet comes with a 10.1″ IPS display of 2560 x 1600 pixels resolution, which results into a nice pixel density of 300ppi. The display is enhanced by Sony’s Triluminos technology and X-Reality Mobile engine.

The slate is powered by the Qualcomm’s latest and greatest Snapdragon 810 chip, which packs an octa-core 64-bit processor with four Cortex-A57 cores clocked at 2.0GHz and four Cortex-A53 working at 1.5GHz. The GPU in charge of graphics is Adreno 430 and there is 3GB of RAM onboard.

The rest of the Xperia Z4 Tablet specs include 32GB expandable memory, a rear 8MP Sony ExmorRS camera and 5MP wide-angle front selfie snapper, stereo speakers and GSM, 3G and 4G LTE connectivity. The slate is powered by a 6,000 mAh battery and Sony says it will last 17 hours on video playback.

Sony Xperia Z4 Tablet is IP68-certified, which translates in to a dust-tight shell and waterproof design with endurance for up to 30 minutes into 1.5m deep fresh water.

The highlights of the Xperia Z4 Tablet include the elegant design with a metal frame, durable glass and amazingly thin 6.1mm profile. Just like with the Xperia M4 Aqua, the Xperia Z4 Tablet comes with a cap-less microUSB port for easier recharging. The tablet weighs about 395 g and will be available in black and white flavors.

Sony Xperia Z4 Tablet runs on Android 5.0 Lollipop OS with the latest tablet-optimized Xperia launcher. It will also offer access to Xperia Lounge Gold service, which provides exclusive content such as movies, TV series, music and apps. The slate supports Hi-Res audio playback and digital noise cancelling.

The LTE and Wi-Fi models of Sony Xperia Z4 Tablet are going to hit the shelves worldwide in June this year, but the pricing is yet to be announced.

Check out our Sony Xperia Z4 Tablet hands-on.

Sony BKB50 Bluetooth Keyboard

Sony has also showcased additional accessories, designed exclusively for the Sony Xperia Z4 Tablet. The first one is the Sony BKB50 Bluetooth Keyboard – it’s an all-in-one detachable accessory with adjustable tilt angle (0-130 degrees), complete with a docking station and a full-blown hardware keyboard with a touchpad. The keyboard dock also comes with projector and printer ports.

Sony SRC32 tablet cover

The second accessory – the Sony SRC32 cover is a flip case that doubles as a stand with two fixed positions. It will be available in both black and white flavors.

Sony BSP60 smart Bluetooth speaker

Finally, you can opt for the wireless Sony BSP60 smart speaker, which supports one-touch connectivity.

All three accessories will be sold separately, starting June this year.

Source