IRL is a column about stuff we're using in real life and yes, that sometimes includes neon-green charging cables. It also includes all manner of smartphones, as you know, and this week we've got a short-and-sweet write-up comparing the GS3 and GS4. Is the 4 worth an early upgrade? Not if you ask Jon Fingas, anyway, but that's mostly because he's happy with the camera, performance and LTE radio on last year's model.

Filed under: Misc, Samsung

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A stock GS4 may look virtually indistinguishable from its predecessor, but it looks like Samsung's got a new variant of its flagship phone that'll bring it some much-needed visual flair. The folks at GSM Arena unearthed photos of a GT-I9295 model (allegedly to be called the GS4 Active) sporting a bright red shell with black inserts at the top and bottom and a trio of physical buttons on its chin. If the results returned by the AnTuTu benchmark are to be believed, the phone's equipped with standard GS4 fixins: a quad-core CPU clocked at 1.9Ghz and an Adreno 320 GPU (aka, a Snapdragon 600 SoC) and a 1920 x 1080 display. Naturally, there's no mention of pricing, carrier support or an arrival date to be had, but there are a couple more photos of the handset at the source.

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, Samsung

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Source: GSM Arena

Samsung didn't stray far from its comfort zone when designing the Galaxy S 4, and now a leaked build of Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean for the S III makes it even harder to distinguish the older flagship from the newer one. The folks at SamMobile got their mitts on a test firmware build and, better yet, have combed through it to see what's new. As you may know, the S 4 ships with 4.2.2 under a TouchWiz layer, so it's not surprising to hear most of the features new to this S III build are on the S 4 already: an updated version of S Voice, more lock screen options / unlock effects, new display modes, a redesigned settings interface, voice control, and more. SamMobile has put together a video walkthrough of the build (embedded below), and you'll find an expanded changelog and software screenshots at the source link. Apparently, the firmware "works perfectly," so if you'd rather not wait through the (often lengthy) carrier approval process, you can download it for your S III right now (flashing required, of course).

Filed under: Cellphones, Software, Mobile, Samsung, Google

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Via: Sammy Hub

Source: SamMobile

On top of yesterday's 4K announcement, Samsung has also given us a quick heads-up on one of the prototype displays it's planning to show off at this year's Display Week event. It's a highly gawp-worthy 3,200 x 1,800 ("WQXGA+") panel destined for 13-inch laptops that insist on taking things further than the Retina MacBook Pro (2,560 x 1,600) or Samsung's Series 9 prototype (2,560 x 1,440, shown above). As an added advantage, the panel is promised to deliver "30 percent greater power-savings" compared to existing LCDs thanks to a reduction in the number of driver circuits as well as more efficient backlight units. Display Week starts today, so we should soon have a first-person account of this unheard-of pixel density straight from Samsung's stall.

Filed under: Displays, Laptops, Samsung

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Your smartphone and / or tablet is just begging for an update. From time to time, these mobile devices are blessed with maintenance refreshes, bug fixes, custom ROMs and anything in between, and so many of them are floating around that it's easy for a sizable chunk to get lost in the mix. To make sure they don't escape without notice, we've gathered every possible update, hack, and other miscellaneous tomfoolery we could find during the last week and crammed them into one convenient roundup. If you find something available for your device, please give us a shout at tips at engadget dawt com and let us know. Enjoy!

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile

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When Samsung unveiled its first 4K Ultra HD TV at CES this year, it said other sizes would follow, both larger and smaller than the initial 85-inch version. Now it's apparently ready to fulfill part of that promise, announcing in Korea that 65- and 55-inch models will launch next month. Of course our next question is how these smaller models will compare to the $39,999 MSRP 85S9 UHD TV in price. Hopefully they'll follow the path blazed by Sony, which recently introduced models at that size with pricing well below the $10,000 benchmark, although we expect Seiki's 50-incher will still hold the crown for value pricing. The press release mentions they will feature Samsung's upgradeable Smart TV platform and the "micro dimming ultimate" LED lighting of their larger cousin, but the odd "Timeless Gallery" frame / stand (pictured above on the 85-incher) was not listed.

Filed under: Displays, Home Entertainment, HD, Samsung

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Source: Samsung Korea

What you're looking at above is a demo board carrying a next-gen Wolfson WM5110 audio chip for smartphones. This bit of silicon isn't in any market-ready handsets just yet, hence the DIY setup, but given Wolfson's well-cemented partnership with Samsung there's every chance this'll be the audio hub in the next Galaxy S, as well as potentially in other manufacturers' phones coming out in 2014.

One of the WM5110's headline features is the ability to handle high sample rate music tracks at 24-bit and 192KHz, aka "studio master" or "better than CD quality" sound. Such skills are generally reserved for pricey standalone DACs like iRiver's AK100, which allows Wolfson to claim that this is the first implementation for inside a smartphone. We have an ears-on video for you after the break, but it's not much use for judging audio quality -- the event was too noisy even for us to attempt that, so we'll just wait to do another audio round-up in more controlled conditions -- but at least there's some proof of principle. On the other hand, if you're unconvinced as to whether 192KHz is even a worthwhile spec to have in smartphones, then read on to learn about some of the WM5110's other abilities, which have a more practical bent.

Filed under: Cellphones, Portable Audio/Video, Mobile

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Remember Samsung's TecTiles NFC-enabled stickers? Well, much to our dismay, they don't work with the company's flashy new handset, and Galaxy S 4 owners haven't had an alternative to stock up on until today. Samsung's new TecTiles 2, which can perform tasks similar to the smartphone maker's previous-generation product, are now available, priced at $15 for a pack of five. They're compatible with all Samsung NFC-enabled Android smartphones, and offer up a variety of functions, such as muting your device when you tap a tag in the boardroom, or checking you in on Foursquare by touching a TecTile in a restaurant, for example. The small square stickers can now be ordered on Samsung's website -- if you'd prefer to pick them up in store, you'll need to hang tight until June.

Filed under: Cellphones, Peripherals, Wireless, Samsung

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Source: Samsung

According to co-CEO JK Shin, Samsung's Galaxy S 4 will soon hit the 10 million mark in sales, less than a month after its debut. That beats the Galaxy S III's time to that mark by nearly three weeks, making it far and away the company's quickest seller, ever. The model will also get another push thanks to a stock Android 4.2 version that'll be available for $649 at Google Play on June 26th. That's a pretty impressive figure, especially considering its bizarre reveal.

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, Samsung

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Via: Android Beat

Source: Korea Times

When Samsung revealed the third iteration of its Galaxy Tab line, it was met with a somewhat underwhelming reception. But the Korean firm's never held back on trying out different shapes and sizes. This makes this latest leak -- of a reported 8-inch Galaxy Tab 3 -- at least plausible, and definitely not surprising. The reported resolution of 1,280 x 800 and that of the 7-inch Tab 3 (1,024 x 600) certainly match the mystery profiles we saw earlier this year. Think it looks just like the Galaxy Note 8.0? You'd mostly be right, barring a few details like a thinner side bezel and the camera / speaker arrangement. SamMobile claims to have the full specification, which includes an all-around boost over the 7-inch version: a 1.5GHz dual-core processor, 16GB of on-board storage (expandable up to 64GB) plus 5- and 1.3-megapixel cameras, Bluetooth 4.0 and a 4,450mAh battery. WiFi and 3G versions are mentioned, too, so all your bases should be covered if you really don't want that S pen.

Filed under: Tablets, Samsung

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Source: SamMobile

The state of Fitbit wireless syncing is far from ideal for Android users, but the company's latest step is proof that it's slowly getting better. Today, Fitbit updated its Android app to bring wireless syncing to the Galaxy S 4, which follows a previous update for the Galaxy S III and Galaxy Note II. According to Fitbit's blog, its difficulty in supporting more devices stems from software differences on various Android smartphones, which causes trouble regardless of whether the device includes Bluetooth 4.0. On the upside, just yesterday, the Bluetooth SIG announced that Android will gain support for Bluetooth Smart Ready and Bluetooth Smart devices in the coming months, which Fitbit reckons will solve much of the compatibility issues that it and other device manufacturers have faced. So, if you have a Galaxy S 4, take the opportunity to get syncing your fitness data today -- it won't be long before other Android devices get to join in the fun.

Filed under: Misc, Software, Mobile

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Source: Fitbit

Despite being officially unveiled at Google I/O, the stock Android version of the Samsung Galaxy S 4 has remained the unicorn of the show, seldom seen by anyone not closely associated with the company's top brass. We ran into Android VP Hugo Barra at the show, who was happy to give us a few brief moments with the upcoming device. There is still a lot of mystery around the $649 phone ahead of its June 26th launch, but we've been able to glean a few additional details nonetheless.

While the model in Hugo's hand was a pre-release model and therefore subject to change between now and the official release, the hardware and overall design are identical to what we'd find on AT&T or T-Mobile's model: it sports a Snapdragon 600 chipset, 13MP camera, 16GB of internal storage, a 1080p display and LTE support (a perk for stock fans who were disappointed that the Nexus 4 came without it). Google isn't officially declaring this a Nexus device (not yet, at least), but the GS4 at least exhibits many of the same qualities, including an unlocked bootloader and the promise of prompt system updates.

The firmware is pristine as well: it's Android 4.2.2 in exactly the same form it would take on a run-of-the-mill Nexus. Samsung's onslaught of smart features -- the S-branding, Air Gestures, special camera modes and the like -- are all absent here, leaving the user with an experience completely untouched by the manufacturer. The phone appears to respond a tad faster without the TouchWiz experience, but we'll need to spend more time with it before coming to any solid conclusions. Sound like the perfect phone for you? Make sure you're in the Google Play Store on June 26th so you can grab one for yourself. In the meantime, enjoy our gallery of images below!

Gallery: Samsung Galaxy S 4 running stock Android at Google I/O

Filed under: Cellphones, Wireless, Mobile, Samsung, Google

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After being taken to task by the BBC's consumer rights show, Watchdog, Samsung says it's looking into reducing the memory footprint of its TouchWiz features on its flagship Galaxy S 4. A spokesperson told CNET UK that Samsung, "appreciate(s) this issue being raised," and that it is "reviewing the possibility [of] securing more memory space through further software optimization." The 16GB GS4 offers only 9.5GB of space for users to fill, but at least we know it's a possibility: Google announced yesterday that Samsung's Galaxy S 4 will arrive in an entirely vanilla Android guise this June. We've got the full statement from Samsung after the break.

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, Samsung

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Source: CNET UK

Yes, we all know that Android has the prevailing device market share right now, but which companies in that group are actually making money? According to Strategy Analytics' estimates for Q1, it's Samsung... and virtually no one else. With $5.1 billion of Samsung's $7.9 billion operating profit last quarter believed to have come from Android, the Korean firm reportedly accounted for 94.7 percent of Android's hardware profit engine. The only other company that made enough money to stand out was LG, whose $119 million in mobile profits got it to a much smaller 2.5 percent. HTC, Sony, ZTE and the rest were lumped into the ignominious "other" category, at 2.7 percent. The figures don't mean that all other Android manufacturers are floundering, but they do suggest that Samsung is in a much better position to survive any market turbulence.

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, Samsung, Google, LG

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Source: Strategy Analytics

Google just dropped a pretty big surprise during its opening day I/O keynote. It's taken the wraps off a new edition of Samsung's Galaxy S 4 that runs stock Android Jelly Bean. The device itself is fully unlocked and packing LTE support for AT&T and T-Mobile, along with 16GB of storage and what Google promises will be prompt system updates. Not surprisingly, this won't quite be the budget-friendly off-contract option that the Nexus 4 is -- the phone will run $649 when it hits Google Play on June 26th.

Gallery: Google I/O 2013: Samsung Galaxy S 4 running Jelly Bean

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, Samsung, Google

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See that package above? That phone-and-case combo could find a home in your hand, thanks to Otterbox. The company, which is well known for its durable cases, has an AT&T-branded Samsung Galaxy S 4 to hand out to one of our lucky readers! Additionally, the grand prize winner -- along with a runner-up -- will receive one Defender case (valued at $50) and one Commuter case (valued at $35) specifically designed for the GS4. The phone is locked and doesn't come with service, so those of you who aren't AT&T fans may need to get creative with it. Hit up the Rafflecopter widget below to enter, and good luck!

Note: Because the GS4 is locked to a US carrier, this week's giveaway is unfortunately limited to our US readers. We should have some Canadian and UK giveaways coming up in the near future, however, so stay tuned!

Filed under: Announcements, HD, Mobile, Alt, Samsung

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If you've been following the trends, Gartner's mobile phone market figures for the first quarter of 2013 won't surprise. The research firm estimates that Android was on 74.4 percent of all smartphones sold in the period, with Samsung the key beneficiary of such dominance. While the Korean behemoth doesn't release solid sales figures, Gartner believes its market-flooding strategy has paid off, topping the league with 30.8 percent market share -- Apple has a firm grip on second place, with 18.2 percent, which is well ahead of LG, which has 4.8 percent. Samsung is also king of the mobile phone space, owning 23.6 percent of the market, ahead of Nokia, which has fallen to 14.8 percent share. Gartner's research also found that feature phone sales are slowing, so we guess that it's only a matter of time before the humble candybar goes the way of the netbook.

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, Apple, Samsung, Nokia, LG

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Via: TechCrunch

Source: Gartner

Disappoined that Verizon wasn't going to offer its variant of the Galaxy S 4 until May 30th? You're in for an unexpected treat: Big Red has just moved up the launch by a full week, to May 23rd. The $200 contract price remains the same, but we won't complain much when Samsung's quad-core flagship should now arrive ahead of the long weekend. It looks like those supply issues weren't quite so bad as some thought.

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, Samsung, Verizon

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Source: Verizon

Proving rumors correct, Amazon just purchased Liquavista, the touchscreen company previously owned by Samsung. This news comes from The Digital Reader, which discovered the acquisition via new filings from the Netherlands Chamber of Commerce (Amazon also confirmed the news). That's about it as far as details go, but it's safe to assume that Amazon will employ Liquavista's low-power color e-paper technology for its Kindle lineup.

Filed under: Samsung, Amazon

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Via: Business Insider

Source: The Digital Reader

Samsung's Galaxy S 4 Active -- a dust and waterproof version of the company's flagship -- is currently just a rumor, but documentation has started popping up online to lend some corroboration. A handset going by the handle GT-I9295, which SamMobile has linked to the S 4 Active, has shown up in a Bluetooth SIG filing. Furthermore, a user agent profile for the same model lists the display resolution as 1080p, matching that of the standard GS4. With all these small clues pointing in the same direction, the existence of an S 4 for outdoorsy types is starting to look more like a dead cert.

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, Samsung

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Via: TechTastic, Mobileaks

Source: Bluetooth Special Interest Group

Samsung can add "mist" and "frost" to its color names, but deep down we know the Galaxy S 4 only comes in black or white. That is, unless you're one of NTT DoCoMo's customers, who can expect the Korean flagship to arrive in blue arctic as well. A leaked pamphlet reveals that the third shade will be announced when the quad-core handset is announced on May 15th -- confirming once and for all that Japanese mobile users get all the fun.

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, Samsung

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Via: All About Samsung, SammyHub

Source: RBMen (Translated)

Your smartphone and / or tablet is just begging for an update. From time to time, these mobile devices are blessed with maintenance refreshes, bug fixes, custom ROMs and anything in between, and so many of them are floating around that it's easy for a sizable chunk to get lost in the mix. To make sure they don't escape without notice, we've gathered every possible update, hack, and other miscellaneous tomfoolery we could find during the last week and crammed them into one convenient roundup. If you find something available for your device, please give us a shout at tips at engadget dawt com and let us know. Enjoy!

Filed under: Cellphones, Tablets, Software, Mobile

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You might say the week is never really done in consumer technology news. Your workweek, however, hopefully draws to a close at some point. This is the Weekly Roundup on Engadget, a quick peek back at the top headlines for the past seven days -- all handpicked by the editors here at the site. Click on through the break, and enjoy.

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Mum may still be the word at Samsung, but between user agent profiles, leaked details and the word of the Wall Street Journal, the arrival of the Galaxy S 4 mini seems imminent. Still, there's nothing like a leaked gallery of snapshots to stoke the fire, and Weibo user PunkPanda -- who seems to have a track record of spying Samsung devices early -- is happy to provide. A series of new images shows the diminutive Galaxy sizing up to its full sized sibling and a stray cigarette. Rumor has it the handset will debut later this summer with a 4.3-inch display, a dual-core 1.6GHz processor and an 8MP camera. No word on pricing, availability or market just yet, but check out the attached gallery for an early eyeful.

Gallery: Galaxy S 4 Mini (Weibo)

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, Samsung

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Source: PunkPanda (Weibo)

LTE might be all the rage right now, but next generation mobile technology is already in the works. According to Korea's Yonhap News Agency, Samsung has successfully tested its 5G platform, pulling down data at 1Gbps in recent tests. The company apparently needed 64 antenna elements to pull the trick off, but says the technology will be available to customers by 2020 -- matching the European Commission's goal quite nicely. It may not be the fastest 5G test we've seen in recent months, but we're not going to scoff at progress.

Filed under: Internet, Mobile, Samsung

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Via: @Evleaks (Twitter), VR-Zone

Source: Yonhap News, Samsung Tomorrow