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Which Samsung Tablet is for You. (Just for Fun)


It’s under 24hrs to the launch of the Samsung Galaxy Tab, a 7 inch Android Tablet that’s getting a huge piece of the pre-IFA coverage and one that went straight to number 1 on our popularity charts. It’s not Samsungs first 7 inch tablet though. It’s actually their 7th. Yes, they’ve been in the 7 inch tablet business for over 4 years now and know a thing or two about tablet design. Their engineering skills are proven and they have access to some amazing electronic components. Screens, CPUs and storage that no other ODM has.

View all Samsung 7 inch tablets side-by-side.

Lets take a quick look at the history and then you can use the ‘Chooser’ to find out which one matches your requirements.

It was Feb 2006 when Samsung joined TabletKiosk, Amtek, ASUS and others to launch the first handheld tablets based on the Origami concept. They used low power laptop components coupled with CCFL-backlit screens and early 1.8 inch hard drives. The operating system was Windows XP Tablet Edition and you were looking at about 2.5hrs battery life for over $1000.

A VIA version appeared at IFA in the same year and introduced 3G and LED-backlighting to save power. The Q1b was a good product and the one I chose for my Solar-ultra mobile PC tour in 2007.

After Intel re-designed their Pentium to make a ‘Stealey’ CPU aimed at ultra mobile PCs, Samsung redesigned the ultra mobile PC to include a split keyboard, 1024×600 high-brightness screen, 4hr battery life, SSD and 3G options. There was even an Intel Core model, the ‘premium‘ which even today can still blow the socks off most UMPCs.

After that, Samsung took a break. They teased about new designs but in the end, the only thing they came up with was a VIA Nano-based device, the Q1EX that was good but not that different from the Ultra.

Tomorrow, we’ll see the next generation of Samsung’s 7 inch tablets. It will be running an ARM-licensed core architecture (Samsung’s own Hummingbird) and Android version 2.2. It’s a complete departure in terms of platform and will angle towards a consumer crowd. We expect great battery life, a very high quality screen and light-weight but we don’t expect a full internet experience. Flash may be included but it won’t be that smooth. The web browser will also have limitations. For the target market those problems won’t be an issue though and like most others, we’re excited to be getting a look at it tomorrow at IFA.

So which one is for you? I been through the main models and rated against various categories. All you have to do is choose your requirements and see what the winner is! Let us know if you get a surprise!

Product Chooser: Choose between a Galaxy Tab, a Q1 Ultra Premium, a Q1 and a Q1EX

Samsung Galaxy Tab Gets Teaser Video, 1st Place.


An official Samsung video for the Samsung Galaxy Tab has surfaced and wow, I didn’t think things could get so exciting for the 7″ space! The Samsung Galaxy Tab has shot to #1 on Carypad so it’s looking like this could be the highlight of IFA for most people. We’ll be on the ground at IFA but not in time for the press release. We expect to get hands on in the evening of the 2nd Sept at the Showstoppers event. We’re excited to see 2.2, and ‘Full Web Browsing.’ Stay with us!

Check out the video and breakdown along with a ton of comments at Engadget.

Samsung Galaxy Tab gets official teaser video — Engadget.

Galaxy Tab – Specifications and News Round-Up.


galaxy tab It’s time to break our silence on the Galaxy Tab. We’ve been watching carefully but just haven’t had enough information to bring you anything solid until now. We’ve used the latest Galaxy Tab news as our cue to round-up the information and drop it into the database. Of course, nothing is confirmed yet but many of the rumors tie together well and point to an IFA launch next month.

We’ve gathered all the specs we can, linked to the main stories and added this information to our product database which has churned out a nice page which includes all the info you need along with comparable products, an RSS feed of news info and a place for you to comment.

We’ll be adding information, videos, news and specifications as they updates so stay tuned to the Samsung Galaxy Tab information page in our database.

Lightweight and Mobile-Focused 3G Netbooks (And Alternatives.)


Long-gone are the days where netbooks were available at the 1KG mark. The Asus 901, Acer A150. Classic 1KG, 8.9 inch netbooks that worked well as mobile-focused PCs for getting things done almost anywhere. The EeePC 901GO was arguably one of the best mobile bargains around at the time, at least in Europe. No hard drive, sub 1KG, 3G and a great price. Oh how things have changed. All we seem to see now are 10-12 inch devices at 1.2KG or more with moving hard drives. The 800gm-1KG mark is now a specialist segment.

If you take a long hard look though and are prepared to relax your requirements a little there are a few gems hidden in there that would work well for ultra-mobile fans so I’ve taken a long look at the netbook segment, spoken to a few people (thanks Avram and Sascha) and come up with a shortlist for you. I’ve also taken a look above and below the netbook segment to give you a few alternative options.

Requirements.

Ultra Mobile devices need to be feature-rich, rugged and connected. They are the Swiss army knives of PCs that need to be ready for anything. Getting the best productivity out of any situation is important. 12 inch devices give great comfortable real-estate. 10 inch devices can be good value. 7 inch devices get right under the 1KG mark. Here are some other important features.

  • No Hard Drive. Ideally you don’t want any moving parts at all in a mobile PC. Hard drives and fans can fail or get damaged and even rotating screen hinges need to be thought about very carefully. If an SSD doesn’t come as standard, I’ve looked at the upgrade possibilities.
  • Bright screen. Matt finish. 10 12 inch for comfortable productivity. 7-10 inch for lighter weight.
  • 3G, Wi-Fi-N and BT 2.x (but not self-upgrade unless the antenna is pre-installed)
  • Long battery life (6+hrs)
  • Lightweight PSU, Car Kit
  • Other useful options GPS, memory upgrades. Case
  • Latest CPU technology.
  • Weight 1KG or less. (I’ve looked at devices up to about 1.2KG here.)

The Netbook Shortlist

Based around the 10 inch form factor, these are the gems that I’ve managed to dig out. Of the 400+ devices that I’ve searched through, these match the requirements the best. Quite amazing that there are really only this many that I would class as truly mobile devices. Note, these devices may not appear in your local market (and there may be others in your local market that I haven’t seen please lets us know if you find one.)

Outlook – Handheld Computing Products August – Sept 2010.


interpad I’ve just posted a two-part article over at UMPCPortal that looks at some recent news, looks forward to some expected products, highlights some events in September and provides a general update of where we are today in the mobile handheld world. Much of it focuses on consumer products that you readers of Carrypad are interested in.

In the article I talk about the Huawei S7, RIMs Blackpad, Samsungs tablet, the Smartbook Surfer, Interpad (new in the database,) Eking, the Huawei E583C hotspot, ICD, Notion Ink and a bunch of devices that are on our ‘watchlist.’ We’re also going to IDF and IFA events in September so you’ll see some information about that too.

Check out Part 1 here.

…and Part 2 here.

Outlook – Handheld Computing Products August – Sept 2010.


interpad I’ve just posted a two-part article over at UMPCPortal that looks at some recent news, looks forward to some expected products, highlights some events in September and provides a general update of where we are today in the mobile handheld world. Much of it focuses on consumer products that you readers of Carrypad are interested in.

In the article I talk about the Huawei S7, RIMs Blackpad, Samsungs tablet, the Smartbook Surfer, Interpad (new in the database,) Eking, the Huawei E583C hotspot, ICD, Notion Ink and a bunch of devices that are on our ‘watchlist.’ We’re also going to IDF and IFA events in September so you’ll see some information about that too.

Check out Part 1 here.

…and Part 2 here.

Summer Breaks, Products Wait. Round-Up and Outlook Q3/Q4 2010. (Pt. 1 of 2)


Don’t panic! As I return from my summer holiday (where I went with my car and returned without it another story) I feel the need to catch up quickly on what’s really been happening during the second-half of July. Again, don’t panic because if you’re on holiday yourself, it’s a quiet period and the marketing and sales teams won’t ramp-up activities until mid August. After sifting through a ton of iPhone 4 antenna stories (which resulted in some of the most boring podcast segments I have ever listened to in my life!) I’ve managed to pull a few interesting tidbits out for you. Lets go over those stories briefly and then start thinking about Q4 and the events and trade-shows that will lead up to it. This Autumn could be the busiest ever for UMPCPortal and Carrypad.

Overall it seems that everything is on hold right now. On the last MeetMobility podcast we talked about a frozen netbook market as the new dual-core and DDR3 netbook platforms filter in. One wonders whether that really means the end of the basic netbook as cpu-core and graphics specifications turn that simple market into a race for cheap, blinged-up notebooks. The same freeze is in progress with the MID, tablet and ultra mobile PC market too. The Dell Streak is going to look rather out-dated in the next round as dual-core ARM CPUs start to filter-in and if Android 3.0 launches and opens the door to new markets, different form factors and productivity applications we’ll finally see some smart and productive products. In the ultra mobile PC space the Oaktrail and Moorestown platforms have made ‘Menlow’ look rather dated. In the X86 operating system world, Android and MeeGo are still months, if not years from being mature and as we look from every angle; from the netbook market, the ultra mobile PC market, the MID market and tablet market we see the product that scares the living daylights out of every OED, the iPad. The momentum there has been simply stunning and there’s no logical way to analyze it. It’s hype, marketing, magic and fan-base that have punched through any amount of negativity to create something that people simply want. Stunning.

Huawei S7 (3) One of the products that I’m quite interested in is the Huawei S7. It’s a modern and possibly winning take on the 7 inch slate space with battery life, applications, social and fun right at its heart. OK it hasn’t got the super-slick look of the iPad but it’s one of the most complete 7 inch Android tablets i’ve seen so far. How disappointing it was to see the availability date slip right out into September. That’s a big slip and one wonders what Huawei are doing there. Did they give exclusivity to a carrier? Are they re-building the OS (Android 2.2 would be nice) or did they decide to swap out the resistive screen for capacitive? That would make sense. Unfortunately I think it’s none of the above and we’re just seeing the realities of launching a complete device into the market.

A product the might look similar to the S7 but could bring a productivity slant  is the RIM Blackpad. This is RIMs rumored 9.7 inch Blackberry companion tablet. The rumor sources say it will be launched in November but I’d ignore an iPad-like or iPad-killer references. This is likely to build on RIMs core competence of secure delivery of email and messaging and I’d expect to see it with some form of keyboard to tie in with the productivity theme.

The third piece of tablet hardware news I want to mention is something we haven’t really covered much on the sites. It’s Samsungs tablet which now looks like it will be consumer focused, running Android and will be built around a 7 inch screen. Samsung are the source of the news and they’re also talking about Q3, which is now! Samsung have made some great mobile computing products in the past and I highly rate their electronic engineering skills. They have the ability to build around their own ARM-based CPU too so everything is likely to be very efficient and small. Maybe I’ll drop my Huawei order in favor of this one. It will be fun to compare it to their 2006, 7 inch UMPC, the Q1. I’m expecting it to launch at IFA in September in Berlin. I’ll be there!

Android is turning out to be the easy option when it comes to tablet operating systems now. In fact, you could almost call it the de-facto solution for anyone that doesn’t own their own mobile OS. Despite Windows 7 being a superb, stable, feature-rich and productivity-focused OS, it just doesn’t work for the consumer handheld market. The UI is plain boring and I’m sure there are plenty of people like myself that now do as much as they can on their mobile phone to avoid having to go to the desk and wake the Windows beast. Of course, a desktop-style OS is still needed for productivity but there has to be a way to combine the two for a more enjoyable working experience. As a minimum, a user interface tidy-up is badly needed to enable Windows 7 to appeal to a more consumer, social and entertainment focused customer base but unless it’s done properly, it could make things worse. Witness early Windows Mobile overlay software that leaked the original user interface once you’d got past the home screen. The same was true of Origami Experience;  the software that tried to tidy-up Windows XP for tablet users.  I wonder if UI Centric can do any better with their Macallan product? There’s little that can be gleened from the short video and press release they sent out describing a purpose-built tablet UI. The problem is, the look and feel might be nice but if the included applications fall short on capability, you’ll end up starting your favorite applications just as you did before and you’ll have the same old problem of tiny windows control elements and scroll-bar, double-tap and press-and-hold controls. My feeling is that no-one will be able to hide Windows 7 until the apps are re-written. (Which means never!)

In part 2 (available here) I talk about why I can legally call a device a Smartbook product when I live just 20km from the Smartbook HQ that has exclusive rights to the name in Germany, a few Mifi competitors and even more tablets. I’ll also highlight the very exciting month of September. IFA, IDF and other events will prepare us for everything that’s going to happen in Q4.

All the stories highlighted in this article appear in the center column on UMPCPortal and in our weekly update article.

New FULL RSS FEED! I’ve found a way to give you a full RSS feed. Donate to UMPCPortal and you receive a private URL which gives you access to a full, no advertising RSS feed from UMPCPortal. You’ll also get an (optional) link on the front page and a free copy of the soon-to-be-released Mobile Computing ebook written by Chippy. To donate and receive your full RSS feed, visit this page.

Forums are getting busy. Join-up and meet a great bunch of people who are also interested in mobile computing products. UMPCPortal Forums.

MeetMobility Podcast will resume in about 2 weeks time when we’re all back from summer vacation. Expect a live round-table event with JKK, Sascha and a few special guests. Stay tuned to @meetmobility on Twitter for latest announcements.

Samsung Galaxy S Series and Captivate Unboxing


galaxy s Samsung has four new Android phones that they are preparing to release for the four major US carriers. The list is as follows:

  • Captivate AT&T (launches 7/18)
  • Vibrant T-Mobile (launches 7/15)
  • Epic 4G Sprint
  • Fascinate Verizon

Each phone has it’s own styling but the Epic 4G stands out the most as it is the only one featuring a sliding QWERTY keyboard and 4G connectivity. The Captivate and Vibrant have HSDPA (7.2 Mbps) and HSUPA (5.76 Mbps), and the Fascinate will likely have EVDO Rev. A, and all three lack a hardware keyboard:

epic 4g captivate vibrantfascinate

All four of these devices have a 1GHz Samsung Hummingbird CPU, 512MB of RAM, 8/16GB of internal storage, and a microSD slot for expansion of up to an additional 32GB. All four also run Android 2.1 with Samsung’s custom TouchWiz UI, and are capable of 720p HD recording with their 5MP autofocus cameras. Included in the UI is a Swype keyboard, which our very own Guy demoed for you earlier this week.

super amoled Samsung is really pushing the displays on these phones which are 4 inch @ 800×480 and using Samsung’s own Super AMOLED displays which they claim to have better and brighter colors than any other phone on the market, as well as a full 180 degree viewing angle something that we’ve seen with the iPhone 4’s IPS display.

Tnkgrl has an fresh unboxing of the Samsung Captivate, shown below. Also be sure to head to her site for the Captivate’s first power on video.

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