Hasta La Gadget!

The first benchmarks of Samsung’s 1.2GHz Galaxy S II — we saw the 1GHz variant tested previously — are rolling in, and it’s fast. Almost suspiciously so. Its speedy dual-core Exynos CPU pulled off a 3,053 in Quadrant and scored double what the similarly specced HTC Sensation did in Smartbench2011. Those scores also represent a more than threefold improvement over the original Galaxy S. Of course, these are purely synthetic benchmarks and may not translate into an equally improved experience in day to day use. We’ll know for sure when we get our hands on one for a proper review in the coming weeks. Full benchmarks are after the break.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Continue reading Galaxy S II benchmarked, makes other phones cry in shame

Galaxy S II benchmarked, makes other phones cry in shame originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 13 Apr 2011 19:18:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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So yesterday we learned that Samsung’s planning to speed up the dual-core Exynos processor inside its Galaxy S II to 1.2GHz, but there was also word that the handset may suffer a setback in terms of release date. Today, the company has tweeted out a two-part notice assuring us that that will not be the case and things are proceeding “as planned.” April will see the first retail appearance of the 8.5mm-thick Android phone, though Samsung does advise that “it will be gradually rolled out in each market according to the local launch timetable.” That sounds to us like whatever April availability we get will be in the highest priority markets and / or limited in quantity, but we’ll take whatever we can get.

[Thanks, Erik]

Continue reading Samsung refutes talk of Galaxy S II delays, promises April launch in at least some places

Samsung refutes talk of Galaxy S II delays, promises April launch in at least some places originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 07 Apr 2011 06:18:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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It’s skinny, it’s fast, and it can do some seriously fun stuff with its gyroscope accelerometer. Yes, we’re talking about the Galaxy S II, Samsung’s upcoming followup to one of Android’s biggest successes to date, the Galaxy S. The new handset will bring with it a revised version of Sammy’s Android skin, TouchWiz 4.0, which will harness the motion sensors inside the phone to allow you to zoom in and out of webpages as well as navigate the UI with the movement of your hands. Basically, instead of the traditional pinch-to-zoom, resting two fingers atop the screen will allow you to zoom in by bringing the S II closer to your face or zoom out by holding it further away — a naturalistic gesture that makes all the sense in the world to us. Moreover, when adding new widgets to your home panels, you’ll be able to move between them by propelling the phone laterally. It’s quirky and appealing stuff, see it on video below.

[Thanks, Lawrence]

Update: We initially thought this was done using the gyroscope inside the Galaxy S II, but as commenter ClioCreslind helpfully points out, it’s far likelier that Samsung’s using the phone’s accelerometer to achieve its new fanciness.

Continue reading Samsung Galaxy S II shows off motion-zoom option in TouchWiz 4.0 (video)

Samsung Galaxy S II shows off motion-zoom option in TouchWiz 4.0 (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 29 Mar 2011 06:05:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Where would we be without prototypes, eh? One such pre-production unit, of Samsung’s dual-core Galaxy S II, has escaped into the Russian Ukrainian wilderness, where it’s been thankfully rescued from the cold by the guys over at gagadget. Apart from squaring it up against the Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 — which we can only surmise was the nearest available Android handset, it surely can’t have been the best — they also dig pretty deeply into the latest TouchWiz UI and dish up a thoroughgoing gallery of sample images from that 8 megapixel autofocus camera on the back. It’s an enlightening read, once you’ve enrolled Google Translate’s help, though the video after the break might not be too informative if English is your only language. Still, it’s a great visual tour of some yummy hardware.

[Thanks, DarkDvr]

Continue reading Samsung Galaxy S II shows up in Ukraine, gets a loving preview (video)

Samsung Galaxy S II shows up in Ukraine, gets a loving preview (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 23 Mar 2011 05:59:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Surely you remember the Samsung GT-i9100, colloquially known as the Galaxy S II? Sammy’s been tight-lipped about which US cellular carriers might offer it, but the Federal Communications Commission might have an idea. You see, the Exynos 4210-toting Super AMOLED Plus smartphone just made its way to the FCC authorization database, 850MHz and 1900MHz GSM frequencies in tow — which just so happen to be the ones required to get a gig at AT&T. Mind you, the handset could also be moonlighting in Canada with those particular bands, but the odds are decent we’ll see it stateside sooner than that. By the by, this particular Galaxy S II is also sporting 2.4GHz and 5GHz frequencies, meaning it’ll almost certainly come with dual-band 802.11 a/b/g/n WiFi.

The Galaxy S II wasn’t the only Samsung to hit the FCC this week, though, as the SGH-i708 also dropped on by — it appears to be a worldphone with 850 / 1900MHz GSM frequencies alongside CDMA, EV-DO, and the standard Bluetooth and 2.4GHz WiFi.

Samsung Galaxy S II hits the FCC, potentially ready for AT&T 3G originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 13 Mar 2011 11:21:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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