Hasta La Gadget!

The latest ComScore results from the last quarter are in, and the US mobile device wars were hotter than ever as 13% more people reported owning a smartphone. Google conquered most users’ territory with Android climbing just over five percent (now totaling 36.4%) and still claiming first for mobile software platforms. Apple’s iOS destroyer took second place (at 26%) partially due to RIM’s S.S. BlackBerry OS sinking about five percent (now 25.7%) to claim third, while Microsoft and HP / Palm rounded out the bunch struggling to stay in the fight with even lower single-digit scores. In the OEM region Samsung claimed first yet again (although slightly dropping to 24.5%), with LG and Motorola landing in second and third respectively, each keeping its place from the prior quarter. In the last two slots, Apple again bested RIM whose devices barely dropped half of a percent, but enough to let the slight growth of iDevices snatch up 4th. The source link below is waiting to be clicked if you want the full battle statistics.

ComScore: Android grows larger than ever among US subscribers, Apple belittles RIM originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 06 Jun 2011 04:29:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Samsung’s sequel to the first 7-inch Galaxy Tab touts a bigger screen and thinner chassis. Photo: Jim Merithew/Wired.com

Samsung announced Thursday morning that its latest Android tablet is slated for release next week, but initially only in Manhattan, and only in one store.

The Galaxy Tab 10.1 hits the shelves in New York City’s Union Square Best Buy on June 8, exclusively available from the store for over a week. The tablet won’t roll out in wider release until 10 days later, on June 17.

Initially available in a Wi-Fi only version, the new Galaxy Tab’s price is on par with Apple’s iPad 2 Wi-Fi version. Each costs $500 for 16 GB of storage, and $600 for the 32-GB model.

Verizon announced there will also be a 4G version of the Galaxy Tab 10.1 on its LTE network, available for pre-order June 8. Though the company hasn’t given a ship date for 4G tablets pre-ordered that day, it’s interesting to think that Samsung will be the first to release a 4G-capable device.

Motorola’s Xoom — the flagship tablet for Android’s tablet-optimized Honeycomb operating system — promised 4G connectivity on Verizon’s network, but didn’t launch with it. Xoom owners are waiting to mail in their devices for a 4G upgrade, though Motorola and Verizon haven’t announced when the process will begin.

4G-enabled versions of the Galaxy Tab 10.1 cost $530 and $630 for the 16- and 32-GB models, respectively.

The Galaxy Tab 10.1 enters the already-clogged tablet market with a list of specs similar to others. It’s powered by Nvidia’s dual-core Tegra 2 processor, has front- and back-facing cameras, and as the name suggests, a 10.1-inch display.

But with a svelte 8.6-mm waist, Samsung’s is currently the thinnest tablet offering from manufacturers, even skinnier than the iPad 2’s 8.8 mm. And unlike a number of other devices we’ve seen, the new tablet will ship with Android version 3.1 (Honeycomb). The Xoom was the first device to run Android 3.1, and up until Asus’ Transformer received an over-the-air update to the software version this week, Motorola’s tablet was the only tablet with the latest software version.

WiFi not good enough for you? Verizon’s here to give you a bit more range. Customers will be able to pre-order an LTE-enabled version of the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 starting on June 8th, but the company’s playing coy about when exactly it will ship. The “coming weeks” is the best week can get, though if that wasn’t vague enough for you the press release embedded below also says “this summer.” Those willing to sign on to a new two-year agreement are looking at $530 for the 16GB model and $630 for the 32GB. That’s a $30 premium over the WiFi edition — not counting the next two years worth of monthly data charges, of course.

[Thanks, Bedan]

Continue reading LTE Galaxy Tab 10.1 gets official on Verizon, orders start June 8

LTE Galaxy Tab 10.1 gets official on Verizon, orders start June 8 originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 02 Jun 2011 10:51:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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We can’t say we expected Gilt to be the first place to offer Samsung’s new Chromebook but, well, here we are. Google’s now sending out emails like the one above to at least some folks that signed up to be a part of the Cr-48 pilot program, telling them that they can join a “limited time” sale on the high-end discount site starting today, June 1st. In true Gilt fashion, the Chromebook (otherwise known as the Samsung Series 5) will also come paired with a “limited edition” sleeve designed by Rickshaw. Unfortunately, “limited” seems to be the keyword here — the sale is only open to those that have received the email, and it’s not clear how many Chromebooks are actually available.

Update: And they’re all gone, but there is a wait list if you want to hang onto some hope of getting one before the official launch on June 15th.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Samsung Chromebook goes on sale early at Gilt (update: sold out) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 01 Jun 2011 14:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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AMOLED displays may be in relatively short supply nowadays, but Samsung is doing its best to bridge the gap. Today, the company’s Mobile Display unit announced that its 5.5th-generation AMOLED production line is now open, some two months ahead of schedule. The line uses glass substrates that are substantially larger than those found in its existing factories, allowing Samsung to increase output, while lowering costs. This increase in production comes in response to growing demand for the Galaxy S II and an AMOLED market that, according to DisplaySearch, should triple in value this year to $4.26 billion. For now, the production line is focusing on smartphone displays, since that’s where demand is growing fastest, but will eventually turn its attention to tablet PC displays, as well. The new factory assembling the displays can currently churn out about three million screens per month, but is capable of ramping that up to 30 million, at full capacity. No word yet on when it will achieve this rate, but if SMD continues to boost its output, we may even see that market surplus we’ve been hearing about.

Samsung’s new AMOLED production line should help ease smartphone display shortages originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 31 May 2011 07:10:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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