The Samsung Galaxy S III has a lot of things to like and some specifications that fell short of expectations for the heavily hyped device. One area that the Galaxy S III is likely to meet or exceed expectations is battery, according to unofficial tests performed by GSM Arena.

GSM Arena performed a few tests on the Galaxy S III to gauge performance and it discovered that Samsung’s flagship phone does a solid to good job in some regards. The Galaxy S III ranked 4th in talk time, 14th in web browsing, and 2nd in video playback. The device delivered 10 hours and 20 minutes of 3G talk time, 5 hours and 17 minutes of web browsing, and 10 hours and 1 minute of video playback.

These tests, while encouraging, don’t tell the whole story. These tests were performed on the GSM i9300 GS III that has a 2100 mAh battery and an Exynos quad-core processor. These results could be different depending on network performance in your local area, and a change in settings and conditions that apply to how people use their phones in the real world. It’s also important to note that users in the United States should probably disregard these tests completely because the GS III variants that come to the U.S. are likely to have Qualcomm chipsets in place of Exynos.

The Droid Razr Maxx outpaces all phones in practically every regard, which shouldn’t surprise anyone anymore. However, the GS III held its own in some key gauges. Use this as an indicator of what might be possible, not a definitive prediction of what you’ll experience once you get your hands on the Galaxy S III. Visit GSM Arena to see the full results.

Apparently, the Samsung Galaxy Note is good for more than just blowing people away with how good you can be in Draw Something. The S-Pen-powered, super-sized screen will prove to be an even greater combination when Samsung upgrades the device starting today.

Samsung has begun updating European Galaxy Note users to Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. One user in Germany reported receiving the update on XDA, and it’s since extended to a Galaxy Note owner in the Netherlands and a couple other places. European, unlocked Galaxy Note users can check for updates by going to the Settings > About Phone menu. Availability will vary by market and carrier.

The Galaxy Note update has been highly-anticipated since Samsung uploaded a promotional video that showcases how much more powerful note creating and annotating is in the “Premium Suite” enabled when the Galaxy Note is upgraded to Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. The video was light on showcasing how ICS changes the overall UI and features of the phone, but the YouTube description noted that Android 4.0 staples like Face Unlock, multitasking, and a faster camera are on the way. So too is an exclusive version of Angry Birds Space only available on the Note.

The S-Pen functionality was the star of the video, and will probably do the same for everyday users. Already known for being more flexible for the creative and productive process thanks to the S-Pen, the Galaxy Note gets several new tools for marking and creating. Among the many changes are shape recognition, handwritten “knowledge search” within a note, better notebook management, and PDF annotation (something Adobe has already done). Watch the video below to see more.

During CES 2012, it was announced by AT&T and Samsung that a successor to the Samsung Galaxy S II Skyrocket would launch in the form of the Galaxy S II Skyrocket HD.  Needless to say, that was the first and last time we heard about the Skyrocket HD.  The smartphone wasn’t a huge or significant upgrade over the Skyrocket except for a higher resolution screen.  Since we are now in May with the Samsung Galaxy S III expected to launch in the United States by June, it makes sense the Skyrocket HD was killed by AT&T and Samsung.

A recent conversation took place between Ryan Bidan — a Samsung exec — and TheVerge which confirmed the death of the Skyrocket HD.  The time frame for its launch would coincide with the Galaxy S III and did not make sense for AT&T or Samsung.  Unfortunately, Bidan would not budge on whether AT&T is going to launch the Galaxy S III, but since AT&T is forgoing the Skyrocket HD, I imagine its 4G LTE network will soon be graced with the Galaxy S III.

[TheVerge]

The incredibly successful iPad and iPhone app Flipboard is finally coming to Android. Sadly, you’ll have to own a Samsung Galaxy S III in order to enjoy its debut.

At the Samsung Galaxy S III launch in London today, the Flipboard app was available to show its Android intentions. According to a Samsung rep who spoke with Android Commnity, the app will be available only for the Galaxy S III for a limited window and eventually appear on other devices capable of running it.

Flipboard has created a sign-up page that users can visit to request a notification when the app finally arrives for general consumption. It’s an official sign that we should be seeing the app soon, though there’s no date on exactly when the Samsung exclusive period ends.

Flipboard on Android appears to carry over the virtues of its iOS version. Flipboard acts as a social news reader that imports articles from the user’s favorite websites/RSS feeds, and links shared by their friends on Twitter or Facebook. If that sounds familiar to what you already get from Google Currents, Pulse, Taptu, and insert app name here, that’s because these are all competitors in the same space. The difference is that Flipboard tends to do it in a way that’s a little more stylish. It’s like a personalized news reader with a few more social chops.

In the meantime, head to Android Community to see how fluid the app works in a very brief hands-on video. Keep an eye out for the widget, too.

via Android Community

Samsung Galaxy S III. Samsung Galaxy S 3. Whatever you want to call it or however you want to write it, the mythical device is finally here and real. No more rumors, leaks, and blurry cam BS. This is the Android phone you’ve been waiting for…maybe.

The Galaxy S III offers many of the mythical specs that we anticipated previously. The phone has a large 4.8-inch HD touchscreen with a 1280×720 resolution. Samsung promises that it will have great clarity thanks to the Super AMOLED+ make-up and high-class vivid display. The Galaxy S III will also have a 1.4 GHz Exynos processor that we covered previously. It’s likely that the North American version of the phone will use a Qualcomm processor in order to work with 4G radios of U.S. and Canadian carriers.

The interesting thing about the Galaxy S III is S Voice. The new ‘S Voice’ recognizes voice commands and search. Someone can tell an alarm “Snooze” and it will give you extra time, or deliver commands to raise volume, send texts, organizes schedules, and open the camera. S-Voice even features eye-tracking software to know where you are still looking at the screen, so it can keep a persistent screen view. You can wake the phone with “Hi, Galaxy” and then launch apps or get information. It’s a high-charged version of the Voice Actions available in the Galaxy S II.

Samsung offers the phone in Pebble Blue and Marble White, and it will offer some interesting features. The device will go on sale May 29 in Europe; the GS III ships to the United States later this summer. Here are the specs:

The share of Android devices running Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich was pretty low last month, despite being six months into availability. Samsung has gotten around to updating some of its Galaxy line Android phones and tablets in Canada.

Samsung Canada has announced the availability of Ice Cream Sandwich to select devices. I tried to do some browsing around the Samsung.ca website to pinpoint exactly which devices are getting the upgrade now but couldn’t figure it out.

However, Samsung did send over a list of which devices are eligible for the upgrade. There’s no breakdown of which phones will be served first, but it at least confirms the group of devices owners who can know definitively that they’ll be getting updates at some point. Those devices are:

• GALAXY S II
• GALAXY S II LTE
• GALAXY S II LTE HD
• GALAXY S II X
• GALAXY Note
• GALAXY Tab 7.0
• GALAXY Tab 7.0 Plus
• GALAXY Tab 8.9
• GALAXY Tab 10.1

Android 4.0 is being rolled out to devices starting today, but the update process is expected to last “throughout the quarter” depending on device and carrier. In other words, one device – hypothetically, let’s say the Galaxy S II – on Rogers may get the update today, while someone else on Bell might get it in a week. Some devices may not see an update prompting them for some time, so the best way to get a definitive answer is to ask your carrier when they expect to update your specific Samsung Galaxy phone or tablet.

Previously on Is this the Samsung Galaxy S III?, our hero asked… “Is this the Samsung Galaxy S III?” Nothing has changed since the last episode, and nothing will change after this one other than a new image to ask about. We’ve seen a lot of those recently and felt fairly confident that none were authentic, but there’s a new claimant that we’ll withhold judgement on.

BGR, PhoneArena, and KnowYourMobile all “exclusively” reported a watermarked image claiming to be the Galaxy S III. All of the bloggers received an anonymous tip that contained the image below;  that’s usually not the way people like to do things. Tipsters tend to give images to their favorite site or one they think can spread the word quickly, but this person chose to carpet bomb the web with a leaked image and hope everyone reported on it.

Let’s suspend our Cynic Radar for a moment and pretend this is indeed the GS III. If it is, we can see that Samsung has basically taken the Galaxy Nexus and added hardware buttons for menu, home, and back. You know what, I’m going to turn the CR back on and say, nah, this isn’t the Galaxy S III either. Count on more of these things popping up until the May 3rd unveiling in London.

In related Galaxy S III news, there’s talk that the phone won’t have the recently announced Exynos processor when it comes to the U.S. This was to be expected considering that all of the major carriers prefer the Qualcomm S4 chipsets that have tested well with their networks. It would actually be news if the Exynos made it stateside, so don’t be surprised if you hear that only the global version will get Samsung’s new quad-core processor.

Samsung has officially introduced the Samsung Exynos 4 Quad, a new ARM-based quad-core processor that will significantly upgrade its predecessor. And it will be available in Samsung’s “next Galaxy” unveiled May 3, 2012.

The Exynos 4 Quad runs at 1.4 GHz and is more than capable of running with the big boys from NVIDIA, TI, and Qualcomm. Even though we put little stock in benchmark tests, early results from one show what is believed to be the Exynos 4 surpassing all rivals. IF real, that woud be possible thanks to Samsung engineering the ARM CORTEXT A9 quad-core based processor to boost the performance of its very solid Exynos Dual, even while using 20 percent less power.

Aside from promising to handle app needs effectively, the new Exynos 4 Quad will work with media. Samsung says the Exynos uses a built-in ISP solution to take photos that can rival a digital camera. It also supports Full 1080p HD video in a variety of formats, and promises “console-like” 3D gaming (it also enables 3D stereoscopic modes as seen in the HTC EVO 3D and LG Optimus 3D).

Samsung added a companion chip to the new Exynos to better regulate power consumption and extend battery life. We’ll soon see how effective the processor is based on comments made in the announcement.

“The application processor is a crucial element in providing our customers with a PC-like experience on mobile devices. Samsung’s next Galaxy device, which will be officially announced soon, offers uncompromised performance and ground breaking multi-tasking features, thanks to Exynos 4 Quad’s powerful performance and efficient energy management technology,”

- Hankil Yoon, Senior Vice President of Product Strategy Team, Samsung’s Mobile Communications Business.

[Samsung]

The Samsung Galaxy S III hype and hysteria has gotten out of control recently, so we’ve avoided writing about most of the fake renders and supposed leaked photos of the device. But since Vietnamese website Tinhte has moving video and is speaking in a language I don’t understand, that’s totally a new wrinkle to the story that should be highlighted.

Pictured below is one of the supposed Galaxy S III devices, only its not really the GSIII. Samsung has reportedly wrapped the phone in a generic body so it could be tested without being snooped or fawned over by greedy bloggers before Samsung has a chance to properly introduce the device in London on May 3. Despite this being a mystery wrapped in an enigma, a tour of the phone on video allows us to discover some Galaxy S III specs.

The supposed GS III has a 4.6-inch screen at 720 x 1184 resolution, a quad-core 1.4 GHz processor, 16 GB of storage and microSD slot, 1 GB RAM, and a 8 megapixel camera. The shell has dual flash LED’s, and we’ll probably see the same in the real GS III. There’s also a 2,050 mAH battery with NFC capabilities. (Note: the video maker mentions AMOLED, but I’m not sure what kind. Previous rumors suggest the phone has a Super AMOLED+ screen.)

Take a look at the video below to see the phone in action. It doesn’t reveal too much other than what I’ve already stated, but it’s a good way to get intrigued and ready for May.

Tinhte via Engadget

Sprint has confirmed that it will launch the Samsung Galaxy Nexus on its upstart 4G network beginning April 22. The phone will be available in stores and online this upcoming Sunday, but customers who pre-order now may receive the phone by Friday, April 20.

The Galaxy Nexus costs $199.99 on a two-year agreement. Similar to the Verizon-tied version of the phone, the Galaxy Nexus has a 4.65-inch HD Super AMOLED screen, 1.2 GHz dual-core processor, stock Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, and a 5 megapixel camera capable of 1080p video recording. Unlike the Verizon version, this phone supports Google Wallet out of the box, without any silly workarounds required. Sprint’s even throwing in a $10 instant credit and an additional $40 credit within three weeks of activation.

The unlike also extends to the 4G LTE aspect, the difference being that Verizon actually has a 4G LTE network and Sprint doesn’t. The Now Network says that it will have LTE support in select markets by mid-year, while Verizon has already blanketed most of the continental United States. (Get more info on Sprint’s LTE roll-out here.) But when LTE finally arrives, Sprint users will have the advantage of not having unlimited data, where Verizon forces customers to pay for tiered service. Win some, lose some.

Productivity

• Android 4.0, Ice Cream Sandwich
• 4.65-inch HD Super AMOLED touchscreen display with 1280×720 resolution
• 1.2GHz dual-core processor (TI OMAP 4460)
• Google Play™: With more than 500,000 apps, millions of songs and books and thousands of movies, Google Play has something for everyone
• Google Voice™ makes people’s lives easier by providing one phone number to use for the rest of their life. Easily manage up to six devices with one Sprint phone number, use intelligent call routing and advanced call controls like call screening, blocking and recording and online management of SMS, voicemail and call logs atwww.google.com/voice
• Google+™ Hangouts: video chat with a group of up to 10 friends using the 1.3-megapixel front-facing camera, all on the go
• Near Field Communication (NFC) technology allows the device to read information from everyday objects, like stickers and posters embedded with NFC chips
• Google Wallet™: Turn the smartphone into a wallet using NFC to make safe, secure purchases at more than 100,000 participating retailers
• Android Beam™: Share contacts, web pages, YouTube videos, directions and apps – just by touching two NFC-enabled Android phones back to back – tap to beam what’s on the phone to a friend.\
• Google Mobile™ wireless services such as Google Search™, Gmail™, Google Maps™ for Android, Google Calendar™, Voice Actions and YouTube™
• Personal and business email and text messaging, as well as IM through Google Talk™
• 3G/4G Mobile Hotspot capability supporting up to 10 Wi-Fi enabled devices simultaneously
• Wi-Fi® – 802.11 a/b/g/n
• Integrated GPS

Entertainment

• 3.5mm headset jack
• Stereo Bluetooth® 3.0
• Dual cameras – Rear-facing, zero-shutter lag 5-megapixel camera with 1080p video capture, digital zoom and LED flash; front-facing 1.3-megapixel for video chat with Google+ Hangouts
• Single-motion panoramic picture capabilities that allow the user to take beautiful panorama pictures by pointing and touching the shutter, then panning the phone from one side to another
• Full-featured photo editor with one-touch sharing and live effects, which lets the user give friends big eyes, squeezed heads and large noses while recording video
• Face Unlock: Galaxy Nexus introduces a new, fun way to unlock the phone – with a smile. State-of-the-art facial recognition technology lets the user switch on the phone and look at it to get past the lock screen – no passwords to remember, nothing to type or swipe

Specifications

• Dimensions: 2.67 x 5.33 x 0.37 inches (67.94mm x 135.5mm x 9.47mm)
• Weight: 5.1 ounces (144 grams)
• Display: 4.65-inch HD Super AMOLED contour touchscreen display with 1280×720 resolution
• Battery: 1850mAh Lithium-ion battery
• Talk Time: 7.5 hours
• Memory: 32GB internal memory (ROM); 1GB RAM