Now, Android 4.1.1 Jelly Bean is available for the Samsung Galaxy S3

We mentioned that Jelly Bean had begun rolling out for T-Mobile Galaxy S3 users earlier this morning. And well, it looks like those details have since been confirmed by T-Mobile. The carrier has posted the official support page, noting that;

“Beginning November 14, the Samsung Galaxy S III will have an optional software update to Android version 4.1.1/ Baseband version T999UVLJA via Over The Air (OTA) and Samsung Kies.”

The update is, of course, bringing Jelly Bean which means goodies such as Google Now and Project Butter. This update will bring an updated Settings menu and the new Notifications bar as well as improvements with the keyboard and camera. Additionally, T-Mobile users will also see some improvements for Wi-Fi calling.

Bottom line, this is the update that Galaxy S3 users have been waiting for. We now have seen Sprint and T-Mobile offer the update, we only hope the remaining US carriers will follow sooner rather than later. That being said, T-Mobile users now have a 344MB file download ready and waiting and it seems the only real question that remains is whether you want to grab this update over-the-air or using Kies. Of course, if we had to offer a suggestion, we would go over-the-air.

Galaxy Note 2 Tweeted by Samsung Mobile Arabia, cheered by big-handed folks

As tech geeks move along to the next big thing from Samsung, all bespectacled eyes are now on the upcoming Galaxy Note 2 — the eagerly anticipated sequel to the phone and tablet hybrid that hasn’t even been announced yet by the company, but has already been causing some big waves on the blogging scene.

Fortunately, Samsung Mobile Arabia let loose on its Twitter account and almost confirmed the existence of Galaxy Note 2 in less than 140 characters.

Okay, so there may not be enough information to deduct from the tweet to get really excited about – but it’s as close to an official confirmation as we can get of the Galaxy Note 2 for now from a legitimate source.

Rumors and speculations often come from dubious places on the Internet, but we don’t think Samsung Mobile Arabia is one of them. If you remember a while back, the Gulf region was one of the first to be selling Samsung Galaxy S3 way ahead from the official launch date. So we can assume that the highly-guarded information somehow already traveled west from the bunker where the Samsung Galaxy Note 2 is being secretly developed in South Korea.

In case you missed the rumored specs, the Galaxy Note 2 is expected to come with an unbreakable 5.3-inch display (possibly larger), quad-core processor, bigger battery, Android 4.1 Jellybean, and an October release date.

Bell Galaxy S3 Launch in market of june 27

Just like American carriers, which have delayed their Galaxy S3 launch thanks to an overwhelming response from consumers, Canadian mobile operators have also pushed back the launch date of Samsung phone. But it looks like at least Bell has started to receive Galaxy S3 shipments, which is good news for consumers.

MobileSyrup reports that the phone started to arrive “at Bell locations across Canada – both in Pebble Blue and Marble White.” Therefore, we expect all other Canadian carriers to receive their own Galaxy S3 units, although we have no similar confirmation mentioning other mobile operators in the region.

The Galaxy S3 is supposed to start selling on June 27 in the country, with Bell employees being forbidden to make the phone available to the crowds anytime sooner.

Galaxy S3 buyers should also know that the phone is again available for pre-order from Best Buy Canada, although only in-store pre-orders that require a $50 down payment are taken at this time. The pre-order period expires on June 26, a day ahead of the local Galaxy S3 launch.

Are you buying a Bell Galaxy S3 or will you get the smartphone from a different carrier?

On End of June AT&T’s Galaxy S2 available for just $9.99

Gearing up to buy Sprint’s Samsung Epic 4G Touch, the carrier’s own take on the Galaxy S2, for just $99.99 on June 21? Not so fast, because AT&T has an even better deal for you! And it’s already live and set to run for 48 hours!

AT&T’s Galaxy S2 currently goes for $9.99 with a new two-year carrier agreement, which is basically the lowest price we’ve ever seen the 2011 Android flagship go for. It’s true, the S2 is not the snappiest or most fashionable smartphone around (not anymore, at least). But it still performs decently enough to take on most of today’s mid-rangers and even a couple of high-end devices.

Powered by a 1.2 GHz dual-core Exynos processor, AT&T’s S2 has been stuck for a while with the $99.99 price tag and will probably get back to it after the current offer expires. That’s on June 17, which is only two days away, so if you’re planning to take advantage of this deal, you should do it right away.

The great thing with AT&T’s Galaxy S2 special offer is that there aren’t any mail-in rebates or other “technicalities” that require you to pay for the phone upfront more than it’s advertised. The S2’s price is $9.99 and you are expected to only pay ten bucks and sign a new two-year agreement. You even have free shipping included, so all in all, this is a deal not to be missed!

As a quick refresher, AT&T’s Galaxy S2 sports a Super AMOLED Plus touchscreen with 800 x 480 pixels resolution, runs Android 2.3 Gingerbread (with ICS coming “soon”)   and features 1 GB of RAM, dual 8 MP/2 MP cameras, 16 GB of internal memory and a microSD card slot.

What are you guys waiting for? Go on over to AT&T now and order your own bargain S2! Or will you go for the discounted AT&T Galaxy S3?

HTC Thunderbolt with the Infected ROM Eternity [Video]

With all the recent attention towards models like the Samsung Galaxy S3 or the HTC One X, the HTC Thunderbolt isn’t exactly basking in the spotlight anymore.

That being said, there are millions of Thunderbolts still in use today, and they make for a dang good daily driver. Developers know this, and that is why the InfectedROM team are still providing nightly ROM builds to faithful Thunderbolt users. After scanning the extensive list of features, I gave the InfectedROM Eternity a test drive on my HTC Thunderbolt. I was quite impressed.

InfectedROM Eternity Features

• Ziggy’s Kernel - Overclock up to 2GHZ
• Superuser 3.0
• Titanium Backup and WirelessTether app’s preloaded
• Full Beats Audio software
• HTC Sense 3.5
• SD card speed tweak
• Bloatware removed
• Transparent notification pulldown/app drawe
• 5-in-1 reboot menu
• DSP Manager – audio equalizer
• Many more

 With specs like that, why not give the InfectedROM Eternity a try on your own Thunderbolt today? Check it all out here.

Video

Before you do that, though, watch our video review of the InfectedROM Eternity for HTC Thunderbolt right here:

Rumor: Sprint’s Samsung Epic 4G Touch price to drop to $99.99 on June 21

The Galaxy S3 US launch is finally (almost) upon us. For Android fans in the US, that’s great news, not only because they’ll get to play with one of the best smartphones ever, but also because some older devices will become more accessible than ever.

We’ve suspected for a while that the Samsung’s Galaxy S2, still a more than decent phone, will see discounts in the coming weeks, and now we have a confirmation of sorts from TechnoBuffalo.com. According to a “trusted source” inside Sprint, the Now Network will be dropping the price of the Epic 4G Touch to a winning $99.99 on a two-year contract on June 21, which just happens to be the release date of the S3.

The Epic 4G Touch is Sprint’s exclusive take on the Galaxy S2, and, while it has been the first S2 version to hit the US, it remains one of the best around. Launched way back in September 2011, the Epic 4G Touch has topped Sprint’s best-selling lists for a long time, going for $499.99 outright and $149.99 with a two-year agreement, after a $50 mail-in rebate.

Powered by a 1.2 GHz dual-core Exynos processor and sporting a 4.52-inch Super AMOLED Plus display with 480 x 800 pixels resolution, Sprint’s Epic 4G Touch is clearly overshadowed by the new Galaxy S3, but it can still beat a lot of current mid-range devices and even some high-enders.

That being said, you’ll probably not find a better deal for the Galaxy S2 for the time to come, so keep an eye on Sprint’s website on June 21, when the special offer should go live. The deal will supposedly include the standard $50 mail-in rebate, so you might want to prepare $150 if you plan to get the discounted Epic 4G Touch.

If the old Samsung Galaxy S2 is too modest to satisfy your thirst for technology, you should know that Sprint’s S3 is still currently available for pre-order, in Marble White and Pebble Blue and both the 16 and 32GB versions. The new super-phone is expected to start shipping next Thursday, but Sprint is still claiming it’s doing its best to get it to you before that date, so you might be in for a surprise as soon as Monday or Tuesday.

Will you be looking to get the Epic 4G Touch if today’s rumor proves to be accurate? Is $100 the correct price to ask for last year’s flagship device? Drop us a comment and let us know what you think.

Leaked video of Sprint Galaxy S3 ahead of Launch

The Sprint Galaxy S3 is already available for pre-order and it will be launched in just over a week from now, on June 21. For that matter, in addition to Sprint, Samsung’s 2012 flagship device will hit five more U.S. carriers this summer including Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile, U.S. Cellular and C Spire.

In case you’re particularly interested in purchasing the device from Sprint, then you’ll be happy to hear that no less than 15 Galaxy S3 training videos for Sprint employees have been leaked, each one demoing certain features of the handset.

The videos, posted by Inside Sprint Now, are very short (45 to 80 seconds) but they each show you an interesting Galaxy S3 function including All Share, Dropbox, Group Cast, lock screen, S Beam, S Voice, picture sharing, Smart Gestures, Samsung TecTiles, and camera features.

Of the available videos, we’ll notice two of them, the ones that are detailing Smart Gestures and Samsung TecTiles. With Smart Gestures, users will be able to initiate certain Galaxy S3 actions on the handset by simply taking advantage of the gesture features the device supports. These gestures include Direct Call, Smart Alert, Shake to Update and can be customized in the phone’s settings app, which is also where you can get more details about the available gestures.



Samsung TecTiles is a new NFC-based sticker that Samsung will have in stores alongside other Galaxy S3 accessories. The sticker can be placed in various places (house, car, work) and can be used to automatically trigger certain actions or start certain apps on the Galaxy S3 when the phone is in NFC range.


 

While the videos have not been confirmed by either Sprint or Samsung, they certainly look genuine enough, and should prove to be quite helpful not only to Sprint staff training on the device but also to potential Galaxy S3 buyers, no matter what U.S. carrier they choose.

in 2013 Samsung will be release 20nm dan 14nm Eyxnos chipsets

You don’t get to be in Samsung’s shoes today without putting in some serious investments.

Hence, the Koreans have just announced that they will be spending about $1.9 billion to build a factory that will produce their 20nm and 14nm-based Exynos chips by next year. This marks a significant improvement from the 32nm-based processor of the Exynos Quad 4 processor, which is now powering the international version of Samsung Galaxy S3.

Samsung Electronics’ System LSI Business president Stephen Woo said that the construction of its new System LSI fabrication line is an important step to “responding to the demand of the global IT industry” and to support Samsung’s customers’ requirements.

The mouthwatering prospect of seeing 20nm and 14nm-based SoCs on mobile devices as early as next year will definitely be welcomed by those who long for that perfect mixture of ultra-high performance and power efficiency. We might as well start the rumor mills for Samsung Galaxy S4 now (just kidding).

To the best of our knowledge, none of Samsung’s biggest competitors are releasing anything close to Samsung’s ambitious plans — at least in the context of mobile processors. Qualcomm, for instance, will be focusing on releasing the quad-core S4 Krait processor, which is built on 28nm process, by the end of the year. It’s still unclear what Qualcomm’s plans are for 2013. NVIDIA, meanwhile, is still caught up in its effort to release an updated Tegra 3 processor with built-in LTE in Q3 2012 – and it may only start releasing 28nm-based processor in the following year.

We’re sure that SoC manufacturers will take note of Samsung’s plans and share with the rest of the world their updated roadmaps soon. The mobile chipset market is huge, and according to research firm Garnet, is expected to grow more than 20% between 2011 and 2016 to $59.4 billion.

Dropbox not giving 50GB capacity for Samsung Galaxy S3 on AT&T and Verizon

If one of the many reasons you’ve pre-ordered the Samsung Galaxy S3 on AT&T or Verizon was the free 50GB online storage offer from Dropbox, prepare to be disappointed. According to a moderator on Dropbox’ forum, the two carriers have apparently opted out of the 2-year free cloud storage deal that Samsung announced at the phone’s unveiling last month.

There are many possible motives as to why AT&T and Verizon are depriving future owners of Galaxy S3 of their free cloud storage. Perhaps the two are worried about the repercussions of having millions of customers syncing data simultaneously and how it would affect their networks. Perhaps they are planning to release their own cloud storage solutions. Who knows? Whatever the reason, it’s a done deal and customers once again will get the short end of the stick.

On the plus side, there’s no shortage of options when it comes to cloud storage service. Your Samsung Galaxy S3 also packs a lot of internal storage, with the possibility of adding up to 64GB through microSD card for those multimedia files. So, the loss of Dropbox may not necessarily be a deal breaker.


Any AT&T and Verizon customers who would like to share their thoughts on the matter? Chime in below!

Download upgrades mod on Galaxy S3 for boost video recording to 30 Mbps

Samsung’s Galaxy S3 is impressive in many areas, but the phone’s camera isn’t exactly regarded as groundbreaking. Then again, we’ve seen the shooter performing pretty much at the same level as the ones featured by Apple’s iPhone 4S or HTC’s One X, so we personally don’t have many complaints about it.

If, however, you want to take the 8-megapixel’s video recording to new heights, we have some very good news for you. HyperX, an independent custom ROM developer who’s been handling several cool, functional mods in the past, has come up with an S3 software tweak that takes the phone’s camera and makes it… simply irresistible.

The S3 exclusive mod, available for download here, raises video recording quality on Sammy’s new flagship phone from 19 Megabits per second to 24 Mbps in “Fine mode” and an out of this world 30 Mbps in “Superfine mode”.

These new quality modes will apply to 1080p recorded videos, while 720p clips will have, with the help of this ROM, 19 Mbps “Superfine mode” settings, as well as 15 and 10 MBps “Fine mode” options. Audio recording is itself improved in HyperX’s new mod, raising the bar to a very smooth 192 Kbps setting for all video options and modes.

Improving raw video recording performance is not the only goal of this new mod, which also significantly adds to the camera’s functionality. You can take pics while being on a live call, use the volume up/down buttons to shoot photos while video recording, and, most importantly, load and use the camera even if your battery is below the 15-percent autonomy mark. The S3 blocks access to the phone’s shooter by default when reaching that charge level, which might be a bit frustrating for some users.

There aren’t any bugs or glitches reported by people who’ve tried on the new mod for size, while future updates should add 60fps (frames per second) capture for all resolutions. As far as we know, the S3’s camera can only record video clips at 30 fps right now, so that’s another upgrade to look towards with excitement.

As you might suspect, the mod only works with rooted Galaxy S3s, and you’ll have to replace the original SamsungCamera.apk file in system/app/ with the install package of the software.

Enjoy and don’t forget to drop us a comment below and let us know how does the mod work and if you can really feel the quality boost!

U.S. Galaxy S3 sales ban already requested; Apple brings up the same patent it used to block the HTC One X

In early May, soon after Samsung unveiled the Galaxy S3, certain reports claimed that the company’s legal counsel had a hand in the device’s design, a design that was heavily contested at the time by certain tech blogs and even potential buyers. It was suggested that the Galaxy S3 is lawsuit-proof, as its design would not infringe any of the patents Apple could use to attack the handset.

Apple and Samsung have been involved in a huge patent-based legal fight that spanned across four continents, with the two companies suing and counter-suing each other in 10 different markets. There are well over 30 lawsuits between the two at this time, and even though Apple obtained the most favorable (temporary) rulings so far in various countries, the fight is not yet over.

Now, we hear that Apple filed on Tuesday a new motion against Samsung in the U.S., seeking to obtain a preliminary injunction against Galaxy S3 sales in the region, as the device is apparently infringing certain Apple patents.

FOSS Patents reports that Apple asked the U.S. court in its second litigation in California to allow it to “supplement the record regarding Samsung’s Galaxy S3 product.” Apple wants to include the new Galaxy S model in a preliminary injunction motion that was filed back in February against the Galaxy Nexus over four patents.

The iPhone maker is apparently still analyzing the potentially infringing elements of the Galaxy S3 on two of those patents, but the company would like to obtain a sales injunction in the region based on the other two patents, the “the ’604 [unified search, i.e., Siri] and ’647 [data tapping] patents,” that are allegedly infringed by the Galaxy S3.

In case the “data tapping” patent sounds awfully familiar, it’s because we’re looking at the same patent that helped Apple score an import ban of HTC devices with the ITC. That ban caused the launch delay of the HTC EVO 4G LTE and the HTC One X in the U.S., and that patent helped Apple move forward with a new ITC complaint against HTC, that targets 29 new HTC devices, including the two mentioned above.

Apple’s counsel went ahead and contacted Samsung lawyers to discuss the whole matter, and asked Samsung to “confirm that it will not launch the Galaxy S3 in the United States until the Court has ruled on Apple’s preliminary injunction motion.”

As expected, Samsung responded to Apple’s formal request telling the court that “if Apple wishes to seek an injunction against the Galaxy S3, the Court should require Apple to file a new motion and allow the parties to develop a full factual record on all four factors. Accordingly, the Court should reject Apple’s motion to amend its current notice of motion for a preliminary injunction.”

Business Week reported today that Samsung stated that it will “vigorously oppose Apple’s request for a court to ban sales of the Galaxy S3 smartphone and still plans to go ahead with the device’s scheduled release in the U.S. on June 21.”

Samsung will launch the Galaxy S3 in the US with five carriers: Verizon, AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, and U.S. Cellular. We have already given you all the launch-related details for each American mobile operator that’s getting the phone, but we’ll remind you that only Sprint, T-Mobile mentioned actual release dates. Both carriers plan to launch the device on June 21, the date that Samsung referred to in its comments to The Associated Press.

The company said that will “demonstrate to the court that the Galaxy S3 is innovative and distinctive” and we’ll certainly follow this new legal battle between the two giants for you especially since it involves this highly-anticipated Android device.

Source: Android authority

Pre Order Now at Bell Canada, Galaxy S3 only the 16 GB model for the time being

Samsung’s Galaxy S3 was made official in Canada exactly one week ago, at which point we found out the phone’s pricing and exact release date. We also expected to see Canadian carriers taking pre-orders for the S3 and, while some (Rogers and Telus) did exactly so, Bell and SaskTel were left out of the mix.

The waiting is fortunately now over for Bell customers, who can finally make sure they have a cozy place in (front of the) line for Samsung’s new flagship phone. That’s the good news of our today’s report, while the bad news (yeah, there’s bad news, too) is that the 32 GB model is not yet up for pre-order.

You can therefore either go for the 16 GB version of the Galaxy S3 right now or wait for the other model, currently listed as “coming soon”, to pop up on Bell’s site. As far as the 16 GB model goes, that’s available both in Marble White and Pebble Blue, so the color choice is all yours.

In terms of pricing, things stand as they did last week. The 16 GB Galaxy S3 is available for $159.95 with a three-year contract, or for $649.95, free of any carrier restrictions. We also know the other model’s future price outright ($699.95) and suspect it to come for $209.95, with a new carrier agreement.

June 20 is still the phone’s planned shipping date, but we’re beginning to worry a bit about the 32 GB version, which might actually start selling a couple of days (or, God forbid, weeks) later.

The S3 on Bell will come packing a 1.5 GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 dual-core processor and feature 4G LTE connectivity. The 4.8-incher will also come with 2 GB of RAM, despite a spelling error on Bell’s website listing it for a few hours as set to feature just 1 gig of memory.

The rest of the device’s features are probably known by heart by most of you, but just to make sure, here’s a quick rundown:

• OS (Shipping): ICS 4.0.4
• Dimensions: 136.6 x 70.6 x 8.6 mm
• Weight: 133g
• MicroSD card slot for expanding the memory
• Display: 4.8 inch HD Super AMOLED 1280×720 (306ppi)
• Connectivity: NFC, Bluetooth 4.0, DLNA, WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n, MHL Video Out
• Camera: 8MP Rear-facing, 1.9MP Front-facing
• Battery: 2100 mAh
• TouchWiz with Motion UX, S Beam
• AllShare Play enhance functionality
• MP3/ACC+/WAV audio player
• DivX/Xvid/MP4/WMV/H.263/ H.264 Video Player

Keep an eye on Bell and our website if you’re still waiting for the 32 GB S3 or go ahead to the carrier’s site and pre-order your own spanking new super-phone with 16 GB of internal memory!

Why Smartphone is better? One X vs Galaxy S3

The recently announced Galaxy S3 has only one worthy Android rival out there, the One X, although from what we’ve seen so far, it’s Samsung’s phone that’s generating more pre-orders and sales than HTC’s handset.

Obviously, HTC isn’t too happy about it. In fact, the Taiwanese Android device maker decided to lower its Q2 outlook after taking into consideration the low European demand and the HTC EVO 4G LTE and One X delays caused by the U.S. Customs across the pond.

To counter the negative effects on sales the Galaxy S3 may have, HTC apparently created some “special packs” for  HTC sales teams, which explain why the HTC One X is better than the Samsung flagship device. The documents, available in the gallery bellow, show how HTC defends some of the “flaws” of the One X as follows:

• While the Galaxy S3 is slimmer, the HTC One X is just 0.3mm bigger, but it’s “lighter, feels slimmer and looks way better.”
• The Galaxy S3 has a removable battery, but the HTC One X’s battery can “easily” last a full day. The HTC One X non-removable battery design “allows implementation of unibody design which is more resistant to dust and water.” Furthermore, the Galaxy S3’s removable battery means that users will need a separate battery charger, “often impractical, especially when traveling.” When changing batteries, the Galaxy S3 would have to be turned off to make the change.
• While the Galaxy S3 has a micro SD card slot that lets users bump their total memory, the One X comes with 32GB internal memory and 25GB of Dropbox cloud storage.
• The Galaxy S3 has a bigger display, but it’s “less bright and blush especially from an angle and is lower density.” Moreover, the PenTile technology used by the Galaxy S3 display is “commonly known as being inferior compare [sic] to true HD LCD display.” HTC goes to great lengths to compare the two display technologies by showing the differences between AMOLED and SLCD2 displays and between PenTile and regular RGB-RGB panels.

When it comes to certain specs and features the One X is better than the Galaxy S3, the documentation suggests. It has a:

• Better speed/faster – Quad-core 1.5GHz vs Quad-core 1.4
• Better camera – 70% better quality with f2.0, Faster: 4fps/99 shot, Faster startup: 0.7s vs Poor low light with f2.6, Slower: 3fps/20shots, Slower startup: 0.99sec.
• Better sound – Beats Audio vs “none”
• Better screen – Brighter & cleaner, higher density vs “Dull Bluish,” lower density
• Better durability – Polycarbonate vs Plastic
• Better design – “World acclaimed” vs “Disappointing”

Some of HTC’s claims are rather silly, and can be easily debunked but you can’t blame HTC for trying. At the same time, some of the “flaws” it tries to defend aren’t necessarily flaws. Nevertheless, the One X is definitely a great handset, and alongside the Galaxy S3, they are the best Android smartphones made to date. But as it often is the case in the Android mobile ecosystem, a better high-end smartphone is almost certainly down the road.

  
  

At the end of the day, it’s up to buyers to choose between the Galaxy S3 and the One X, and if they end up buying the first one, it’s not necessarily because the Samsung phone is the better choice. There are other factors that could influence that decision. The Galaxy S3’s late announcement, the almost simultaneous launch in several markets including the U.S., Samsung’s marketing efforts and the increased hype around the third device in a family of illustrious predecessors, are all factors that will eventually help the Galaxy S3 beat the One X when it comes to overall sales.

What HTC seems to lack is a strong smartphone brand name – Samsung has a strong “Galaxy S” family of high-end smartphones – although the company has corrected that this year, by launching its “One” line. Hopefully in time, the “One” line would become equally popular.

What smartphone are you buying between the two? We have a Galaxy S3 vs One X video review to help you decide.

Samsung Galaxy S3 can be sold for a full retail price of $599 and $649 in Verizon

You’ve already got the lowdown on Verizon’s Samsung Galaxy S3 yesterday. As reported, the carrier will be selling the 16GB model of the flagship phone for $199, while the 32GB one will go for $249 — both on a 2-year contract. The launch date isn’t the only thing that’s missing for now, as customers of the Big red may also be wondering what the full retail price of the Samsung Galaxy S3 is going to be.

Knowing the retail price of the phone is important for them, because it might be the only way to maintain their unlimited data plan with Verizon. In case you missed the announcement, here’s what Verizon said a month ago, and the reasons why customers are also waiting anxiously to see when the carrier will announce the end of grandfathered unlimited share data plan.

• Customers will not be automatically moved to new shared data plans. If a 3G or 4G smartphone customer is on an unlimited plan now and they do not want to change their plan, they will not have to do so.
• When we introduce our new shared data plans, Unlimited Data will no longer be available to customers when purchasing handsets at discounted pricing.
• Customers who purchase phones at full retail price and are on an unlimited smartphone data plan will be able to keep that plan.

While there’s still hope that the Samsung Galaxy S3 will land before the unlimited data party ends, it’d be handy to know how much the phones will cost without a contract. According to sources quoted by Droid-Life, the non-contract price of the 16GB Samsung Galaxy S3 will be set at $599, while the 32GB model can be had for $649. They may look steep, but just remember that in some parts of the world the 16GB model is going for $750.

Coming soon Galaxy Nexus from Amazon Wireless with Hot Deal: $0.01

So what if the Samsung Galaxy S3 and the HTC One X are the hottest Android handsets in town? Some potential Android handset buyers may not be interested in paying even the subsidized sticker price for any of these two devices, but they’d still love to purchase a new, discounted, high-end smartphone. In case you are one of them, then you should definitely check out Amazon Wireless’ upcoming Galaxy Nexus deal, which should be available at some point later today or in the very near future.

The phone, currently priced at $49.99 for buyers who get a new individual or family contract or who add a new line to their family account, is going to cost just 1 penny soon, according to PhoneDog.

The Galaxy Nexus is Google’s third Nexus-branded smartphone and it was launched in the U.S. in mid-December 2011 as a Verizon (temporary) exclusive. Since then, the first Ice Cream Sandwich handset in the world has been also announced by Sprint, although it appears that Amazon’s 1 cent offer will only apply to the Verizon version of the handset.

The Galaxy Nexus may seem like a yesterday’s phone, which happens often in the Android ecosystem as device makers are constantly launching better and better devices, but it still packs quite a punch. The Galaxy Nexus sports a 4.65-inch HD Super AMOLED display with 1280 x 720 resolution, 1.2GHz dual-core TI OMAP 4450 processor, 1GB of RAM, 16/32GB of storage, 5-megapixel camera with zero shutter lag and 1080p HD video recording, 1.3-megapixel front-facing camera with 720p HD video recording, 4G LTE support, Bluetooth, GPS, NFC and Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich.

Samsung announced that the Galaxy S3 coming to 5 US carriers in the following weeks – Snapdragon S4, 2GB RAM, starting from $199

The much awaited Galaxy S3 will not disappoint Americans, like it happened last year with the delays that marred the release of the Galaxy S2. According to a Samsung official statement, the Galaxy S3 will arrive in the US in a few weeks, with details to be revealed in the coming days. As we suspected, the device will launch on five carriers: Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile, Sprint, and US Cellular.

This is a big improvement over last year, when US customers had to wait not only for the Galaxy S2 to arrive in US, but also had to wait many weeks for the device to hit their carrier. Samsung has clearly learned from the past, and now that they’ve become the world’s phone king and smartphone king, they’re taking their position very seriously. The Koreans seem to be strengthening their relationships with carriers all around the world and, this time, they have more negotiation power against the powerful US carriers.

I believe there will be several versions of the Galaxy S3 in the US (that is, if carriers decide to have their own design and such, like with the One X). However, all the carriers will get a Galaxy S3 with the Qualcomm S4 processor, with its integrated LTE radio. Although it would have been possible for them to adopt the Exynos 4 Quad SoC and combine it with a separate baseband chip, that would have taken a lot of time to implement.

That is why we’re seeing everyone adopting Qualcomm’s S4 chip. Using Qualcomm’s solution dramatically reduces time to market, thanks to the integration of LTE in the SoC. Samsung official press release only mentions the Snapdragon chip, which contradicts some pundits that speculated that T-Mobile and other non-LTE carriers might get the quad-core Exynos chip found in the international version.

The American Galaxy S3 will come with 2GB of RAM, just like the Canadian and the Japanese version, which should appease some of the worries of spec geeks. Besides the proc and the RAM amount, the other specs and, at least in TMo’s case, the appearance of the Galaxy S3 will remain the same as those of the international version.

Samsung revealed that the Galaxy S3 will go from $199, although it did not provide more details on specs and availability  - “Exact pricing and retail availability will be announced by each of the five carriers in the coming weeks.” The press release does reveal that Samsung device will hit the markets “almost simultaneously”, so a synced launch across all carriers is excluded. As far as we can tell, the presumptive launch date of June 20 still stands, and fits nicely with Samsung’s statements.

Even though the Galaxy S3 is a highly controversial device (not unlike the iPhone 4S), because of its “non-iconic” design, plastic build materials, and Pentile screen, I still think it will easily break the sales records of the Galaxy S2. The smartphone should sell up to 20 million units by the end of the year, and from 30 to 40 million by the time the next Galaxy flagship arrives.

What do you guys make of Samsung’s announcement? Full press release is below.

Dropping Test!, Samsung Galaxy S3 vs iPhone 4S

Yesterday we did a terrible thing. We took a brand new Samsung Galaxy S3 and purposefully dropped it multiple times for you. It was awful to watch, but we know that our viewers get a strange enjoyment from cell phone obliteration. We also dropped a brand new iPhone 4S and filmed that too!

This video is mostly for your amusement but it does have a slight undertone of consumer advice. Some people – no matter how much they love their smartphones – can be very clumsy. We have all had the horrific experience of watching our device slip out of our grasp, only to see it descend towards the unforgiving floor. It’s these sorts of accidents that show which device comes out on top.

Each phone was dropped in three different orientations and in this order: rear, side, and front. After each drop we filmed a brief evaluation of the damage, and we also tried to asses the amount of damage after all three drops. Once we were done with both phones, we did a side by side comparison. You may be a little surprised by the results!

We hope you enjoy!

Review Video how strong Corning’s Gorilla Glass 2

We all know gorillas are tough. That’s why they use the term 800-pound gorilla to call someone who’s the biggest and baddest in a certain area.

Well, the 800-pound gorilla in glass making is Corning, the maker of the thin sheets of glass that protect the displays of our oh-so-precious devices from nicks and scratches.

Corning’s Gorilla Glass is used in hundreds of devices and has become synonymous with durability. Heck, you can even hammer nails with it.

Yet, there’s something better – Corning’s Gorilla Glass 2, which is used, amongst others, in Samsung’s record-breaking Galaxy S3. Gorilla 2 is even stronger than the first generation of scratch-resistant glass from Corning. Actually, manufacturers can get the same protection for their devices by using a sheet that is 20% thinner. This in turns makes possible the ever-thinner devices that we got used to lately.

The glass specialist has released a nifty video that shows precisely how strong its latest creation is. Check it out yourself and think about how cool it would be if all glass would be Gorilla glass.

Samsung Galaxy S3 teardown reveals iPad 2-like CPU, iPhone 4S-like Sony camera

As expected, the recently launched Galaxy S3 has been torn apart by the guys over at Chipworks in collaboration with iFixit, and the teardown revealed a few interesting details about the company’s 2012 flagship smartphone.

The phone sacrificed in this joint venture was an international GSM Galaxy S3 version, with the LTE model that will ship to U.S. carriers to be cracked open on a future date.

Among the internal components found inside the Galaxy S III, Chipworks noticed the application processor, a Samsung Exynos 4412 32nm CMOS 1.4GHz quad-core ARM processor that’s apparently the same generation as the “Apple A5 rev 2, APL2498, also fabricated by Samsung,” which is found inside the 2012 iPad 2 and Apple TV models. Furthermore, the 8-megapixel camera backside-illuminated sensor is produced by Sony, and it’s similar to the one found inside the iPhone 4S, but newer.

What’s also worth mentioning is the fact that the display of the smartphone is a very expensive part to replace in case you end up breaking it. The glass is apparently “fused to the display and the display to the Galaxy S3’s frame,” which means you’ll have to shell out more cash for these components in case of accident.

As for the handset’s battery, you’ll be happy to hear that the Galaxy S3 has a “serviceable battery,” which means you’ll probably be able to replace it yourself in case you’ll need more than one unit to get you through the day, especially when if you end up buying the LTE version.

iFixit did not provide a repairability score for the Galaxy S3 at this time, not that we’d encourage you to fix the handset yourself in case of breakage.

Home button still in the picture, T-Mobile Galaxy S3 photo Leaked

While the Samsung Galaxy S3 is already available in various international markets, US Android fans interested in purchasing the company’s 2012 flagship smartphone will have to wait at least a few more weeks to get it, if recent rumors are correct.

The phone is expected to land in U.S. stores on June 20, at which point you’ll be able to get your Galaxy S3 flavor from one of the four major mobile operators – Verizon, AT&T, Sprint and T-Mobile are already confirmed to carry the Galaxy S3 – or from one of the regional carriers that will surely pick up the phone.

Meanwhile, the first press photo of a U.S. Galaxy S3 version has been leaked and the image is quite revealing. The Verge got its hands on pics of T-Mobile’s Galaxy S3 versions, both in white and blue. From the looks of it, it appears that U.S. carriers are finally ready to launch the same Galaxy S3 version that’s available in Europe and other markets. The images reveal that the Home button is here to stay for a change, at least in T-Mobile’s Galaxy S3 version.

Historically, US carriers pressured Samsung to create custom Galaxy S and Galaxy S2 versions for their customers, and even went ahead and used different names for those devices. One of the most notable differences between US and international Galaxy S / Galaxy S II versions was the absence of the Home button, in both cases. American Galaxy S and Galaxy S2 models feature the standard 4-button layout found by default on most Android devices, while their international counterparts have a larger Home button flanked by two capacitive buttons.

In 2010, the Galaxy S was referred to in the USA as the Verizon Fascinate, the AT&T Captivate, the Sprint Epic 4G, the T-Mobile Vibrant, or the U.S. Cellular Mesmerizing. In addition to different names, these devices sported a custom design for each carrier. However, all these handsets offered similar functionality, with only the Epic 4G standing out from the crowd thanks to its 4G WiMAX connectivity and slide-out QWERTY keyboard.

In 2011, the Galaxy S2 was sold as the AT&T Galaxy S2, the T-Mobile Galaxy S2, the Sprint Epic 4G Touch and the U.S. Cellular Galaxy S2. While most carriers kept the original name of the product, only AT&T decided to stick with the default 4.3-inch screen size, while the other carriers opted for a larger 4.5-inch display. Furthermore, Sprint went ahead and asked for 4G WiMAX support to be added to the Epic 4G Touch, while Verizon chose not to launch a Galaxy S2 version, but wait for the Galaxy Nexus to arrive and enjoy a brief exclusivity of Google’s third-generation Nexus smartphone.

We already know that this year’s Galaxy S3 U.S. versions will have built-in 4G LTE support, but if the images we saw today are to be believed, then we expect little changes for these devices.

American buyers interested in getting the original GSM Galaxy S2 model – sans LTE support that is – can purchase the device from third-party retailers, such as Amazon.