Hasta La Gadget!

It would appear that as Apple begins a move away from reliance on Samsung to create the most massive amount of its mobile products’ flash memory, the Korean company is seeking outside help to create enough product for its own Galaxy lineup. Two reports have surfaced today that suggest both Apple and Samsung to be seeking new means and ways of accessing enough product for the innards of their smartphone and tablet lineups. While Apple has bee reported to be teaming up with Taiwan Semiconductor on one hand, Samsung has been tipped to be purchasing memory from Elpida Memory and Toshiba.

The first report comes from EE Times where their “observers of the electronics and computer industries” – aka nameless sources – have said that Apple has “thrown out” their contract with Samsung for microprocessor manufacturing and is teaming up with Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. Ltd. for the immediate future. Apple’s next-generation A7 processor has also been rumored to have been taped out by this company already – that’s a few steps behind actual production!

Meanwhile Digitimes – a group we must remind you has been as reliable as unreliable with their sources in the past, but do have some top-level contacts that end up revealing valuable information rather often – suggest that Samsung is currently unable to fill even their own requirements for memory products. With their Galaxy line of smartphones and tablets pumping out sales like no tomorrow, this report suggests that they’ll be looking for help!

Samsung’s own supply of memory products is already falling short of demand, including that for its Galaxy-series smartphones and tablets, industry sources have claimed.

Also interesting is the added suggestion that Samsung isn’t using these purchased parts for their own Galaxy line of smartphones and tablets. Instead, this source suggests, Samsung is keeping its own production reserved for its own mobile products while the rest is shipped out to non-Samsung devices.

They noted that Samsung reportedly is buying more chips from Japanese firms while continuing to use its in-house produced chips for its Galaxy-series mobile devices. This is reportedly happening when Samsung has actually implemented a strategy to tightly control its chip output, the observers pointed out.

That’s a rather sizable claim to be making, and unless Samsung comes forth to say it’s true, we suggest you down a bit of salt while you think about it. If Samsung was indeed reserving its whole DRAM and NAND flash memory production for its own mobile products, notebooks, PCs, and the like, they’d have to integrate their whole business and depend solely on those mobile products to win. Samsung is simply too massive to do such a thing without some big-time decision-making being made.

Samsung hunts for memory help as Apple tipped to jump ship is written by Chris Burns & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

A survey was conducted by Siegal+Gale which indicates that Samsung Galaxy is perceived to be much easier and simpler to use than Apple’s iPhone. In the survey, data from 400 people was collected about their perception of simplicity and ease of use. While Apple as a brand is thought to be more simpler and refined, at a product level the Galaxy is considered simpler.

The survey touts Samsung’s main advantages to be user-friendliness, clear advertising of the product and its high tech features. Its compatibility with non-proprietary apps and accessories is also greatly appreciated among users. The iPhone earns praise for its intuitiveness and ease of use particularly for new smartphone users. Apple’s infamous customer service earns it much appreciation as a brand and it’s ads are though to embody simplicity. Nevertheless, Galaxy comes out on top. Android smartphones are much more powerful and capable of doing more than the iPhone, that can be agreed with to some extent, but one can argue that the iPhone seems fundamentally simple. Besides, that’s the mantra Apple has embraced for quite some time now. What do you think, which of the two best selling smartphones is the most simple and easy to use?

By Ubergizmo. Related articles: Kyocera Torque Survives Just About Anything But Mount Doom, Mobile Phones Useful For End-Of-Life Instructions,

If you were pumped up about the Samsung GALAXY S 4 revealed earlier this month but found its massive display to be just a bit too much to swallow, you’ll be glad to hear the tip about a “mini” coming on quick. This smaller iteration of the GALAXY S 4 would take on the design aesthetic of the larger, working with many of the same features but with specifications that point to a slightly lower price on the market.

While this release has not yet been confirmed (nor, according to Engadget, has it been denied), but given the release lineup of the past few Galaxy smartphones, a mini version of this “4″ hero is almost a given. The original suggestion comes from Bloomberg where, in an extended report, say they’re pretty sure the GALAXY S 4 mini will be released rather quickly after the GALAXY S 4 goes on sale.

Inside the GALAXY S 4 mini, the following specifications have been tipped. We’re expecting that the processor will be made by Qualcomm – likely a Snapdragon S4 Pro, similar to the Google Nexus 4.

Samsung GALAXY S 4 mini:

• 4.3-inch display (lower than 1080p)
• Dual-core 1.6Ghz processor
• 8 megapixel back-facing camera
• 2 megapixel front-facing camera
• Plastic body, Gorilla Glass 3 on front
• Removable battery
• microSD card slot capable of using 64GB cards

This machine will follow up on the GALAXY S 4 in markets such as the UK and Japan while the USA will see an off-contract iteration for sure, with carrier possibilities less likely. With the release of the Samsung GALAXY S 4 we’ll once again see a multi-carrier release almost at the same time, while each carrier’s unique release dates are flowing in as we speak. Have a peek at the timeline below for more info!

And don’t forget to check our Samsung GALAXY S 4 hands-on experience for the in-depth action you desire!

Samsung GALAXY S 4 mini tipped on hero’s heels is written by Chris Burns & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

We know there were a number of you who were hoping Samsung would move on from the Galaxy S’ plastic case design to offer something a bit more premium in the Galaxy S4. We’re sure you were bummed to see another plastic case will house such a premium device, but as you would expect, there’s absolutely a reason as to why the company chose a plastic case over another material.

Samsung’s design chief Dennis Miloseski spoke at Engadget’s Expand conference over the weekend, defending the Galaxy S4′s design as well as pointing out the company is focused on experiences it can create with its devices. “Actually, the global design process has been raised,” Miloseski said. “We’re making devices thinner and lighter, screens more beautiful. With Samsung, it’s less about that but more about building a meaningful relationship with technology. As these devices become smarter, letting them sense where you are and adjusting to that, it’s known that design will improve over time. But now, we’re thinking about: how do you create a soul for a device.” (more…)

By Ubergizmo. Related articles: Samsung Smartphones Overtake Nokia In China, ST-Ericsson Calls It A Day,

With the Samsung GALAXY S 4, the company is letting the world know that they’re taking an approach that’s meant to make your life better with four key pillars of excellence, the first being an effort to allow you to get “more Enjoyment out of life.” The camera experience will be the first way in which the Samsung GALAXY S 4 will help you get more enjoyment out of life. As Samsung has mentioned, they’ve created a camera experience that’ll allow you, the user, to take as much emotion away with the device as possible. This camera experience was designed to allow you to get as top-notch a photography and video experience as possible as well.

With Dual Shot you’ll be able to work with both the front and back-facing cameras at once. With Samsung’s experience here, you’ll have an array of templates for placement of these photos together in compositions for sharing with friends and family. You’ll also be able to take videos in this manner with Dual Recording – front and back-facing cameras shooting at once with a final product that’s got both videos in one file.

Sound in Shot allows you to capture up to 9 seconds of audio while a still photo is shown. Drama Shot allows you to combine a series of photos together into one final product. Cinema Photo takes a video of a moment you’d like to capture and allows you to highlight the areas on the screen you want to feature while the rest remains static – the result being one moving .gif file.

Story Album allows you to store all your photos into collections with pre-set templates. With Trip Advisor you’ll be able to pull out GPS location data and apply to these albums with ease. With Samsung’s connection with the company known as Blurb, you’ll also be able to easily print these albums for real-world viewing.

Have a peek at the timeline below for more information on the Samsung GALAXY S 4 with news posts and hands-on experiences galore, including the rest of the four key pillars of this smartphone’s user experience!

Samsung GALAXY S 4 Experience Pillar 1: Enjoyment is written by Chris Burns & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.