Samsung Conquer 4G - A Sweet Deal for 4G Android Phone

Samsung Conquer 4G is an affordable Android smartphone that offers 4G capabilities, 2.3 Gingerbread operating system, next generation Snapdragon 1GHz processor, mobile hotspot capabilities, front facing camera for video calling, fast 4G speeds, zippy performance, lightweight and small design, solid call quality and great battery life. It provides Sprint users with fast 4G speeds and performance in small package with affordable price tag. The Conquer also offers 3.5 inch HVGA touchscreen display, which is bursting with luminescent color and 3.2-megapixel camera. It is an excellent choice for layovers on business trips. With its high end camera, you can take sharp, clear videos and images of every spontaneous moment for lasting memory.

The Samsung Conquer 4G’s Android 2.3 Gingerbread operating system is one of the most sophisticated mobile operating systems, which allows you to access more than 250,000 Android applications for more productivity. This particular operating system is designed for running all programs and applications with fast, buttery operations. Combine that with 4G high speed network of Sprint and you have one of the Super Fast smartphones, which connects logs and calls on to websites with amazing speed. Sprint claimed that it is the 25th 4G capable device and the first 4G smartphone to be available for less than $100. There are quite a few drawbacks such as lower resolution screen and a single core processor. However, Conquer is still one of the well stocked Android smartphones in the market with incredible value.



As compared to other 4G or Sprint devices, the all new Samsung Conquer 4G features a lightweight and small design measuring 0.46 inch thick, 4.57 inches high and 2.38 inches wide, weighing 4.1 ounces. Its size is a good compromise between bigger touchscreen gadgets and those, which are too small for comfort. The Conquer 4G features a 3.5 inch TFT touchscreen display that boasts 320 x 480 pixel resolution. The pixels are little more visible on its screen, so the photos and text don’t look that smooth, neither the colors are vibrant than other super screens of today. It might feel cramped, while using virtual keyboard and viewing Web pages. It provides the pinch to zoom functionality and built in accelerometer with Swype keyboard, which is quite responsive.

Underneath the Samsung Conquer 4G’s display, there are four physical buttons for search, menu, back and home functions. The camera capture/activation button is located on the right hand side of the device, while the volume rocker button to the left. The 3.2-megapixel camera is at the back of smartphone with flash, while the front facing 1.3 megapixel camera is on the upper right corner of the display for video calling. It comes packaged with AC adapter, reference material, USB cable and 2GB microSD memory card slot.

The Samsung Conquer 4G works on WiMax network of Sprint, which covers 71 markets in 28 states. In those areas, customers can get up to 3Mbps to 6Mbps of download speeds with simultaneous data and voice. Additionally, it can serve as both 3G and 4G mobile hotspot for five different devices. The Conquer comes with built in GPS, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth with voice features such as speakerphone, multimedia and text messaging, conference calling, video calling through Qik and voice dialing. Powering the 4G is an Android 2.3 Gingerbread operating system; it is equipped with couple of other applications. Preloaded services and applications include Sprint Zone, ThinkFree Office and Sprint Mobile Wallet. The built in media player of Conquer supports standard video and music file formats such as MP3, H.264, AAC, H.263, WAV and MPEG-4.



The Samsung Conquer 4G is a consumer oriented smartphone with 3.2 megapixel camera with VGA video capture and flash along with plethora of editing options and tools such as exposure settings and white balance controls. Standard features on Conquer 4G include 2G Network: CDMA 800 / 1900 /850; 3G Network: CDMA2000 1xEV-DO; 3.5 inch TFT touchscreen that boasts 256,000 colors and 320 x 480 pixel resolution; Vibration; MP3, WAV ringtones; Android 2.3, Gingerbread OS; microSD, up to 32GB, 2GB included; Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, WiMAX, Wi-Fi hotspot; 1GHz processor; MP3/WAV/eAAC+ player; MP4/H.264/H.263 player; Document viewer and Organizer.

Also standard on Samsung Conquer 4G are Google Search, Google Maps, Gmail, Calendar, YouTube, Picasa integration and Google Talk; Predictive text input; Voice memo; 3.2-megapixel camera with 3x Digital Zoom, Shot Modes: Multi, NightShot; Auto Focus; Editing Modes; Geo-tagging; Online Image Uploading and Camcorder; Music Player Compatible Music Files: AMR, AAC, M4A, AWB, MP3, MIDI, WAV; OGG, Streaming; Audio, Polyphonic; Ringtones and MP3/Music Tones; Video Player Compatible Video Files: H.264, H.263 and MPEG 4; Downloadable Content; Wallpapers, Animated; Microsoft OfficeCompatible; vCard/vCalendar and Smart Search; Email; Picture Messaging; Corporate Email; Instant Messaging; Text Messaging; Video Messaging; Threaded/ChatStyle; Predictive Text; Swype; Bluetooth Profiles: AVRCP, A2DP, GOEP, GAVDP, HSP, HFP 1.5, OPP, FTP, SDAP; PBAP, Wi-Fi; HTML Browser; WiMAX; Flash; Java; GPS and WAP Browser and Voice Recognition.




The Samsung Conquer 4G is equipped with Speakerphone; Visual Voicemail; Voicemail; Text-to-speech; Speech-to-text; Picture Caller ID; Etiquette/Gesture Mode; Call Restrictions; Multitasking; TTY; Hearing Aid Compatible (HAC) M4, T4; Airline Mode; phonebook: Multiple numbers per contact, Caller groups, Picture ID, Search by both first and last name and Ring ID; Calendar; alarm clock and Profiles: Handsfree (HFP), Headset (HSP), Object Push (OPP), File Transfer (FTP), Serial Port (SPP), Generic Access (GAP), Generic Audio/Video Distribution (GAVDP), Service Discovery Protocol (SDP), Audio/Visual Remote Control Profile (AVRCP), Advanced Audio Distribution (A2DP), Audio/Video Distribution Transport Protocol (AVDTP), Logical Link Control and Adaptation Protocol, Phone Book Access (PBAP) and Audio/Video Control Transport Protocol (AVCTP). The estimated battery life of Conquer 4G is 6 hours in talktime mode. Overall, it is an excellent choice for those who are in the market looking for a budget friendly smartphone with most highly developed screen, camera and processor.

LG Marquee - A Sleek Smartphone

LG Marquee is a re-branded version of the LG Optimus Black that offers ultra-light and svelte design, Android 2.3 Gingerbread operating system, 5-megapixel camera with 2-megapixel front facing camera, fantastic call quality, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, GPS and four-inch NOVA display. The vivid, generous four-inch display automatically adjusts brightness, making it easy to read in direct sunlight. With Adobe Flash and Android operating system, the user experience of Marquee is serious combination of power, brains and beauty offering full online content along with high usability. With two-megapixel rear and five-megapixel front camera, it allows users to not only capture the moment, but also have the option to share with video chat.

With 1GHz processor, the LG Marquee has the ability to perform all kinds of jobs, seamlessly and simply. You can work across the world with access to plenty of Wi-Fi hotspots offering internet access at broadband speeds. With its affordable price tag and fashionable good looks, the Marquee remains a top choice among Android smartphones for Sprint. It is fundamentally a Sprint version of LG Optimus Black, which was introduced in the month of January 2011 with show stopping attractive looks and Nova Display. Its Android 2.3.4 Gingerbread operating system rocks right from get-go and features two-megapixel front facing camera with five-megapixel camera at the rear, built in Wi-Fi, 1GHz processor and corporate email support.

The LG Marquee is available for the price of $99 after two-year contract, making it one of the better Android smartphones of Sprint. Like LG Optimus Black introduced at Consumer Electronics Show 2011, the Marquee is remarkably lightweight and sleek, measuring 4.8 inches tall, 0.36 inch deep, 2.52 inches wide and weighing 3.95 ounces. The slightly contoured back is for superior grip featuring stripped pattern, which is not found on Optimus Black. One of the extensive features found in this model is the four inch Nova display, one of the clearest and brightest screens in the market. It boasts 16 million colors along with WVGA 800 x 480 pixel resolution, providing deep and true black, while graphics and images pop with color.

 colors.

The LG Marquee is available for the price of $99 after two-year contract, making it one of the better Android smartphones of Sprint. Like LG Optimus Black introduced at Consumer Electronics Show 2011, the Marquee is remarkably lightweight and sleek, measuring 4.8 inches tall, 0.36 inch deep, 2.52 inches wide and weighing 3.95 ounces. The slightly contoured back is for superior grip featuring stripped pattern, which is not found on Optimus Black. One of the extensive features found in this model is the four inch Nova display, one of the clearest and brightest screens in the market. It boasts 16 million colors along with WVGA 800 x 480 pixel resolution, providing deep and true black, while graphics and images pop with color.

The LG Marquee’s capacitive touchscreen feels responsive and nice, on the other hand, the Android 2.3.4 Gingerbread operating system gets Sprint Flavoured user interface. With Sprint ID, you can tailor five home screens with several widgets, preselected applications and other items depending on the type of Sprint ID you select. Beneath the screen, you will find four typical Android shortcut keys, which include Search, Home, Back and Menu. The customizable shortcut key and volume rocker button is located on the left hand side of the device, while the 3.5mm headphone jack, power/screen lock key and micro USB port on the top. Above the display, next to Sprint logo is a 2-megapixel camera with five-megapixel camera and LED flash at the back.

As the LG Marquee gets Android 2.3.4 Gingerbread operating system than earlier smartphones, it gets enhanced user interface, updated virtual keyboard and tighter integration with social networks. It also adds plethora of Google services such as Gmail, Google Talk, Google Maps with Navigation, Google Latitude, YouTube and Google Search with Voice. The Marquee also supports corporate email through

Exchange ActiveSync and IMAP and POP email. The smartphone also features Polaris office, which allows you to edit and write office documents along with SmartShare application that enables you to share media with other DLNA enabled gadgets.

Apart from DLNA, the LG Marquee gets Wi-Fi, GPS and Bluetooth support and can act as mobile Wi-Fi hotspot for five different devices once you sign up for mobile broadband plan of Sprint. Other features include usual speakerphone, multimedia and text messaging, speed dial, conference calling, smart dialing and voice commands. The Marquee features standard Android music player with 2GB microSD memory card slot, which can be expanded to 32GB. The five megapixel camera provides plenty of settings and tools including four focus modes (mixed, auto, macro and infinity), geotagging, seven scene modes, up to 3x zoom, six resolutions, LED flash, three quality settings, five white balance presets and five color effects. The picture quality is good and photos look sharply defined with natural and vibrant colors.


Standard features on LG Marquee include 5.0 Megapixel Rear-Facing Autofocus Camera with 2.0 Megapixel Front-Facing Camera, with Camcorder and Flash; Android 2.3 operating system; Music Player for MP3, WMA, Unprotected AAC & Unprotected AAC+; Virtual QWERTY Keyboard; 4-inch NOVA Display with Auto-Brightness; Speaker Phone; web; 1 GHz Processor; 1.9 GHz CDMA PCS, 800 MHz CDMA; four-inch Capacitive Touchscreen that boasts 16M Color TFT, 480 x 800 pixels screen; Caller groups, Multiple numbers per contact, Search by both first and last name, Picture ID, Ring ID; Calendar; Alarms; Calculator, World Clock; microSD, microSDHC.

The LG Marquee also features Profiles: Handsfree (HFP), Headset (HSP), File Transfer (FTP), Dial-up networking (DUN), Generic Access (GAP), Object Push (OPP), Service Discovery Application (SDAP), Serial Port (SPP), Generic Audio/Video Distribution (GAVDP), Service Discovery Protocol (SDP), Audio/Visual Remote Control Profile (AVRCP), Advanced Audio Distribution (A2DP), Logical Link Control and Adaptation Protocol, Message Access Profile (MAP), Audio/Video Control Transport Protocol (AVCTP), Audio/Video Distribution Transport Protocol (AVDTP) and Phone Book Access (PBAP); OTA synchronization; Computer synchronization; Polyphonic ringtones; Music ringtones; Vibration Alert; Flight mode; Silent mode; Speakers; Speaker Phone; Voice recording and built in Accelerometer. The estimated battery life of Marquee is 5.5 hours in talktime mode. Overall, its light and thin design provides a sleek minimalist appeal, which goes beyond the eye-catching Nova display.

Acer Unveils Its First WP7 Phone – Allegro

Acer has quietly announced a new Windows Phone 7.5 Mango running handset, the Allegro. The Allegro is the first ever Windows Phone handset from the company.

This mid-range handset is powered by a 1GHz Qualcomm MSM8255T single-core processor, and packs 512MB of RAM along with 8GB of internal memory. The front of the handset is dominated by the 3.6-inch LCD with WVGA (480×800) resolution. At the back of the Allegro is a 5MP snapper aided by an LED flash. The phone lacks a front-facing camera though.

All the usual connectivity features like Wi-Fi b/g/n, GPS with A-GPS and HSPA are also on-board. Sensors like Accelerometer, Gyroscope and Ambient Light sensor etc. are also present. The handset will be powered by a measly 1300mAh battery.

The Allegro will hit the shelves in France in mid-November, and will be priced at around €299. The handset will be available in black and white colors.At its current price point, the Allegro is a direct competitor to Nokia’s recently announced Lumia 710. The Lumia is slightly costlier than the Allegro, but offers a bigger screen, faster processor and comes with a microSD card slot as well.

Twitter Testing New Timeline Features

After Google, which redesigned most of its services, the next on the list is the micro-blogging site Twitter, which has been quietly testing some new changes to its timeline. The new timeline brings contextual information right into your stream. This allows users to see in-line tweets, expand other tweets in conversation and view embedded media.

Currently, a slider opens on the right when you click on a tweet, which shows conversation (or replies) or photos and videos. However, looks like Twitter wants to eliminate the slider, and is looking forward to load tweets and media in-line.

Patrick Bisch, founder of Pinglio.com, was the first to report about the changes when he was on the micro-blogging site earlier today. In a video, Bisch showed that when hovering over a tweet, a “Open” link appears on the top-right corner of the tweet, which can be used to expand it. The “Open” link is replaced with a “Close” link when the tweet is opened.

Whenever you click on a tweet containing a link to a photo, video or other media, the media will open up within the timeline rather than displaying it on the slider.

Apart from that, Bisch found out that his re-tweet, reply and favourite buttons were moved to the top of his tweets, which currently are at the bottom of the tweet. Also, clicking an individual’s Twitter handle will show their profile along with their latest tweets in a pop up box (in a single frame above your Timeline).

Now, looking at these features, it seems like Twitter wants to remove the slider feature, and integrate something more interactive. The features surely look good enough, however there isn’t any confirmation from Twitter yet, and it is not yet clear whether it plans to roll out the new timeline design to all of its users.

Here’s a video that shows how the new-look version of the timeline works:

HTC Thunderbolt Android 2.3 Gingerbread Update Rolling Out Again!

HTC and Verizon had started rolling out the Android 2.3 Gingerbread update for the first ever 4G LTE phone – the Thunderbolt nearly a month ago. However, due to some issues with the Gingerbread build, the update was pulled back.

Now, Verizon and HTC have started rolling out a new Gingerbread update for the handset. The update comes more than 8 months after Gingerbread was announced, and nearly 6 months after the Thunderbolt was released to the public.

The update also contains a new radio which fixes the 4G data stalling issue faced by most Thunderbolt users. The changes brought by the software update are mostly cosmetic, and include a new launcher app, a Download Manager app and much more.

Nokia Lumia 800 Announced; Run Of the Mill WP7.5 Phone!

The highly anticipated Nokia Event just ended, and the Finnish giant announced a couple of new WP7.5 Mango powered handsets. The WP7.5 range of handsets from Nokia will be released under the Lumia brand.

The Lumia 800 is the high-end WP7.5 running phone announced by Nokia. The handset sports a 3.7-inch AMOLED display with ClearBlack Display and a curved glass having a resolution of WVGA (480×8000). The handset is made of polycarbonate, and will be available in some bold colors like Cyan and Magenta, along with black.

Like all other Windows Phone 7 phone, a single core processor from Qualcomm clocked at 1.4GHz powers the Lumia 800, which is accompanied by an Adreno 205 GPU.

The 800 comes with 512MB of RAM, and 16GB of on-board storage, which cannot be increased because the phone lacks a microSD card slot. Nokia makes up for it though by offering 25GB of free storage space on Microsoft’s cloud based storage – SkyDrive.  Other key features of the handset include Wi-Fi b/g/n, HSDPA (Up to 14.4Mbps), Bluetooth 2.1, micro SIM, dual-microphones and a bunch of sensors.

At the back of the Lumia 800 is an 8MP camera with Carl Zeiss optics. The handset is also capable of recording and playing back 720p HD videos. Sadly, the handset lacks a front-facing camera. The Lumia 800 will also come with Nokia Maps, Music and Store pre-loaded, which will remain an exclusive to Nokia’s Windows Phone powered handsets.

The Nokia Lumia 800 is powered by a 1450mAh battery, and Nokia quotes a battery life of up to 335 hours on standby. The handset will cost around 420 Euros before taxes and shipping. The handset will be available in France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the U.K in November, and will launch later this year in India, Russia, Hong Kong, Singapore and Taiwan.

5 Best Phone Apps When You’re Traveling

Everyone could stand to benefit from a little roadside assistance, whether you’re out on a day trip or traveling on a family getaway. And since none of us have Knight Rider at our fingertips, we’ve come up with a list of iPhone and Android apps that would be beneficial for the lone traveling executive as well as the vacationing family of four.

1. GasBuddy (iPhone/Android)
This app helps drivers find the most affordable gas prices in their area. Developed by GasBuddy.com, thesoftware is supported by community of users who submit the latest gas prices to GasBuddy’s database. The developer has created a points system to reward these contributing users and hosts a weekly give-a-way of a $250 gas gift card.

2. Trip Advisor (Android)
This app enables travelers to search for hotels, restaurants and cheap flights, and allows users to browse reviews of featured venues. Trip Advisor is a must-have for anyone planning on leaving town.

3. A Family Matters (iPhone)
Tired of hearing your kids ask, “Are we there yet?” This helpful app provides ideas for activities to keep your children busy, affording you enough time to actually get where you’re going.

4. Around Me (iPhone)
Whether you’re out of town entirely or simply exploring uncharted territory in your city, the Around Me app provides a list of every business in your area. Use this app during the day in order to facilitate your daily errands. Use it again in the evening to turn a routine evening into an adventurous night on the town.

5. Flight Track (iPhone/Android)
Developed by Mobiata, this app allows users to access real time arrival and departure information for all major airline flights around the world. Stay on time for your own trip or track the flight of a loved one simply through Flight Track.

Apple MacBook Pro Line-Up Gets a Minor Refresh!

Rumors were floating around the Internet, that Apple will soon be releasing new upgraded MacBook Pros. Today, the fruit company has quietly rolled out a minor update for its MacBook Pro line of laptops.

Apple has bumped up the processor frequency and the HDD storage space on the 13″ inch MacBook Pros. The base 13″ model now sports a 2.4GHz Core i5 processor, and a 500GB HDD, compared to the older 2.3GHz processor and 320GB HDD.

The high-end 13″ MBP now sports a 2.8GHz Core i7 processor, and a 750GB HDD.

For the 15″ MBPs, the processor speed has been bumped to 2.2GHz and 2.4GHz, respectively for the low-end and the high-end model. The GPU on both the models have also been updated with the lower-end model sporting a AMD HD6750M with 512MB of memory, while the top-end model now comes with a AMD HD6770M with 1GB of memory.

The 17-inch MacBook Pro also received some minor updates. The base 17″ MBP now sports a 2.3GHz Core i7, while the top-end one sports a 2.5GHz Core i7 processor. Both the models now sport a AMD HD6770M with 1GB of memory. The HDD capacity has also been bumped to 750GB in the build-to-order model.

Microsoft Working On Self-Cleaning Touch Screens

Ultra Violet (UV) rays have magical powers. At the right wavelength they can be used to disinfect surfaces. During a startup event in Syracuse, I saw a demo of the concept being used to cleanse door handles. It seemed cool and somehow I forgot about it till I came across a patent application filed by Microsoft.

If you thought finger smudges were the only issue when it came to touch screen computers, there is the cleanliness aspect as well. Knowing people who would spend 20 minutes wiping the keyboard andmouse in my school’s computer lab, I believe there are people who would love to have self-cleaning touch screen devices. Then there are hospitals and public systems like the automated teller machines. Microsoft’s patent application uses UV rays to sterilize the touch screens.

UV rays at a particular frequency can kill germs and the concept is known as Ultraviolet Germicidal Irradiation (UVGI). Quoting parts of the Wikipedia article on the topic:

 UVGI is a highly effective method of destroying microorganisms. It is used in a variety of applications, such as food, air and water purification. UVGI utilises the short wavelength of UV that is harmful to microorganisms. It is effective in destroying the nucleic acids in these organisms so that their DNA is disrupted by the UV radiation. This removes their reproductive capabilities and kills them.

According to the patent application, the concept is fairly simple. In addition to the backlight LEDs, the devices will now have UV LEDs too. The system will make use of proximity sensors to determine if a user is close to the system and deactivate the sterilization process. If not, the UV rays would be activated. The idea is simple and from the demo I saw on the concept, public touch screen based computing systemsshould use it. Image from the patent:

If Microsoft plans to let its OEM partners leverage Microsoft’s IP to make such self-cleaning tablet devices for hospitals, it’d be a great USP over the iPad and get Windows 8 based tablets through the door in enterprise.

Interactive Authentication Methods Get Rid of Annoying Passwords

 hate passwords. To rephrase, I hate remembering passwords. I have often believed that trying to recollect passwords has a lot to do with hair fall. Either naturally or you end up pulling your hair out since you can’t recollect the damn password. Some websites want you to have a 8 character password that’s not your first name or should have a special character . While some websites won’t allow you to enter a special character. The rules make it frustrating to remember passwords. I hate passwords.

OEMs started using finger print scanners for authentication but the accuracy is enough to make you want to chop your finger and tape it to the scanner. Or disable the password - not recommended though. Mobile phones can’t have finger print scanners and until recently, 4 digit number combinations are the standard security feature. These touch devices, however, are capable of more. In Android, Google introduced a feature called Patterns. Instead of entering number combinations, you draw a pattern on the screen to unlock the device. I have tried on my friend’s phone and find it quite intuitive. However, fellow Techie Buzz writer, Rajesh Pandey points out that figuring out a Pattern password is very easy. The finger smudges on the screen after repeatedly drawing the pattern makes it convenient to figure out the combination. Screenshot courtesy Keith Dsouza:

In Android ICS, Google has introduced facial recognition. Another interesting security implementation that uses the front facing camera to unlock the phone. I haven’t tried how consistent the feature under the varying lighting conditions but Google’s demo at the Android ICS event failed. Having said that, Xbox Kinect uses Kinect ID to recognize you and log you into the system. Convenient and secure enough. Screenshot courtesy Google:

In Windows 8, Microsoft showed something similar to Patterns. Called Picture Passwords, users can log into the system by touching specific points on the lock screen image. These points are set by the user and are way more convenient and intuitive compared to entering passwords on the tablet. I wouldn’t be surprised if the next major release of Windows Phone introduced picture passwords, in fact it should. Screenshot courtesy me:

While security continues to be a threat as seen by the recent troubles Sony faced, there need to be more intuitive ways to authorize users. Google and Microsoft seems to be working on them with some practical solutions.

Samsung Galaxy Nexus vs Apple iPhone 4S

Apple launched the new iPhone 4S earlier this month, while Samsung and Google launched their new flagship smartphone, the Samsung Galaxy Nexus, just today. The iPhone 4S had a slow start, but it has been showing some great sales numbers, with over 4 million sold in the launch weekend.

While the iPhone 4S is a significant improvement over the iPhone 4 internally, I have a few gripes with the display size, the low amount of RAM and the lack of a new design.

Google’s new Galaxy Nexus comes packed the new Android Ice Cream Sandwich, which is supposed to unify Android on tablets and smartphones.

In this post, I will try to compare the Samsung Galaxy Nexus with the Apple iPhone 4S based on the information we have available right now. It may not be a very accurate guide, but it should give you a good idea about which phone you should buy.

Design

The Samsung Galaxy Nexus sports a new design and is slimmer than most new smartphones, including the iPhone 4S. It has dimensions of 135.5 x 67.9 x 8.9 mm and weighs 135 gms. In comparison, the iPhone 4S has dimensions of 115.2 x 58.6 x 9.3 mm. It weighs 140 gms. Despite being much bigger than the iPhone 4S, it is a tad slimmer.

I, for one, prefer the Samsung Galaxy Nexus to the Apple iPhone 4S, at least when it comes to design. Judging from the initial reviews, the Samsung Galaxy Nexus seems to have great build quality as well.

When it comes to design, I would definitely go with the Galaxy Nexus.

Display

The display is one of the strongest features in favor of the Galaxy Nexus. It comes with a 4.65 inch Super AMOLED display with a resolution of 1280 x 720 pixels. This is one of the highest resolution displays seen in smartphones.

On the other hand, the Apple iPhone 4S comes with a 3.5 inch IPS LCD retina display with a resolution of 960 x 640 pixels, the same as the iPhone 4.

When it comes to the display, the Galaxy Nexus beats the iPhone 4S in terms of every parameter – size, resolution and display quality.

The Galaxy Nexus is the clear winner here.

OS

The Apple iPhone 4S runs the latest version of iOS – iOS 5. The Samsung Galaxy Nexus runs the latest version of Android – Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich.

Both of these are excellent operating systems and come with tons of new features. There isn’t much you would miss with either one. This one is completely subjective. Just for the record, I prefer Android.

Just for the record, Apple has a much better selection of apps and games, but I have been able to find whatever apps I most need in Android as well.

The iPhone 4S may have a slight edge here.

Hardware

It’s a bit complicated when it comes to the hardware. The iPhone 4S comes with the new Apple A5 processor clocked at 800 MHz (same as the iPad 2) and a PowerVR SGX543MP2 GPU. The Galaxy Nexus comes with a 1.2 GHz TI OMAP 4460 processor and a PowerVR SGX540. The iPhone 4S has only 512 MB of RAM, while the Galaxy Nexus comes with 1 GB of RAM.

Going by the specs, it may seem that the Galaxy Nexus has a slight edge here. The iPhone 4S has better graphics, while the Galaxy Nexus seems to have a faster processor and more RAM. However, the overall processor-graphics-RAM combo in the iPhone 4S is more powerful than in the Galaxy Nexus.

Apple has completely optimized the iPhone 4S to run iOS 5, and it will presumably be much faster and responsive than the Galaxy Nexus running Android, despite it having more RAM and a bulkier processor.

The jury is still out on this one, but I would go with the iPhone 4S on this one.

Camera

Samsung Galaxy Nexus – 5 MP camera with autofocus and flash.

Apple iPhone 4S – 8 MP camera with autofocus and flash.

I don’t know why Google and Samsung skimped on this one. This is one area where the iPhone 4S clearly beats the Samsung Galaxy Nexus. The iPhone 4S has possibly the best smartphone camera right now. All camera samples of the iPhone 4S suggest so. In the meanwhile, the Galaxy Nexus can hardly compete with the Galaxy S II, let alone the iPhone 4S.

The iPhone 4S wins this round!

Other Stuff

The Galaxy Nexus will come with LTE connectivity. The iPhone 4S tops out at HSPA. I wouldn’t lend much weight to this point though.

The battery life in the iPhone 4S will presumably be much better than the battery life in the Galaxy Nexus, thanks to the more optimized software, lack of LTE, smaller display and other factors.

Verdict

Both the iPhone 4S and the Galaxy Nexus are excellent phones. They are the best smartphones on the planet right now. This is not the most accurate comparison of the two, but it should give you a pretty good idea of which one you want to buy.

I would go with a Samsung Galaxy Nexus mainly due to the excellent display (I watch a lot of movies and read a lot on my device). If you want a better camera, more apps and a better gaming experience, go with the iPhone 4S.

Again, it’s subjective. You can’t go wrong with either one.

Nokia N8, E7 and other Symbian^3 Devices Get A Firmware Update

Nokia has started rolling out a new firmware update for its current range of Symbian^3 handsets. Symbian^3 owners should not get too excited because it’s not the Belle update they are hoping for.

The new firmware update (v25) does not bring any noticeable changes, except for the bump in the firmware version. Some users did report that the web browser seemed to open faster, and was much smoother in general use as well. This might as well be a placebo effect though.

The new v25 firmware update is being rolled out for all Symbian^3 powered handsets including the N8, E7, C7, and the C6-01. Users can either update the firmware via OTA (Over-The-Air) by keying in *#0000# or by simply using Nokia Software Updater/Nokia Suite.

Sadly, the firmware does not fix any of the serious issues with Symbian^3 including the Mail-for-exchange and Wi-Fi stability bug on the E7. In all possibility, this firmware update prepares the Symbian^3 handset for the upcoming Symbian Belle update.

Nokia has already started shipping Symbian Belle handsets and its current crop of Symbian^3 handsets are stated to get the Belle update sometime in Q4. Nokia will also announce its next-gen handsets at its upcoming Nokia World 2011 beginning from October 27th.

Samsung Galaxy S and Galaxy S II Sell 30 Million Units Worldwide

Today, in a press release Samsung announced that two of its most popular handsets, the Galaxy S and its successor – the Galaxy S II, have collectively managed to sell 30 million units worldwide.

Launched last year in April-May, the Samsung Galaxy S marked the beginning of the popular Galaxy S series of phone from Sammy. Now, nearly 1.5 years after its launch the handset alone has managed to sell more than 20 million units. This makes the Galaxy S the highest selling phone in Samsung’s portfolio.

“Since its launch only five months ago, GALAXY SII has seen tremendous sales success and garnered enthusiastic reviews from consumers and mobile industry watchers across the globe. This is in addition to the continued sales momentum behind GALAXY S, which we launched at Mobile World Congress 2010 as continues to be a run-away success with consumers,” said JK Shin, President and Head of Samsung’s Mobile Communications Business.

“The phenomenal success of these smartphones once again demonstrates how the GALAXY S smartphones is setting the standard for smart mobile technology around the world.”

Apple Releases Find My Friends, Airport Utility Apps for iOS 5

Earlier today, Apple released iOS 5 for the iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch and Mac OS X 10.7.2 with iCloud support. Apple has also released “Find My Friends” and “AirPort Utility” for iOS 5.

Find My Friends is an app that allows you to  easily locate your friends and family from your iPhone, iPad or iPod touch, according to the description. It requires iOS 5 and an iCloud account, which can be created free on an iPhone, iPad or iPod touch. Users can choose to share their location for a limited period of time with a group of friends. It is a free download available via the App Store, and is 10.4 MB.

Features of the application, as listed by Apple, include:

• Easily locate friends and family
• Temporary sharing option
• Simple privacy controls
• Parental restrictions
• Free for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch

In addition, Apple also has released AirPort Utility for iOS 5 devices. AirPort Utility lets users make changes to an AirPort Express, AirPort Extreme and Time Capsule directly from an iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch. The application allows users to manage their Wi-Fi network and AirPort base stations and is available for free via the App Store.

Features of the application, as listed by Apple, include:

• See a graphical overview of your Wi-Fi network
• Get information about your connected Wi-Fi devices
• view and change network and Wi-Fi settings
• restart or restore a base station, or update the firmware on a base station when available
• View or update passwords for your network, base stations or disks
• Easily access network information such as IP address, DNS servers, and router addresses
• Manage DHCP reservations and port mappings
• View status or error messages for your base stations

Apple TV Gets AirPlay Mirroring, Photo Stream, NHL and WSJ Live

Oh boy! What a day it has been for Apple. Earlier today, Apple released iOS 5 for the iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch and Mac OS X 10.7.2 with iCloud support. Apple also released “Find My Friends” and “AirPort Utility” for iOS 5, but wait! There’s more. The company also released a software update for its second-generation Apple TV.

Version 4.4 for Apple TV’s software brings a numerous number of features. The new software updates enables AirPlay mirroring; it means that you can can wirelessly stream whatever’s on your iPad 2 or iPhone 4S to your HDTV via Apple TV. Also, the update enables Photo Stream, an iCloud feature that uploads images to the cloud and pushes them to WiFi-connected Apple devices.

Apple’s iPhone 4S Includes 512 MB of RAM

“It’s in Apple’s DNA that technology alone is not enough. That it’s technology married with liberal arts, married with the humanities, that yields us the result that makes our hearts sing.” – Steve Jobs

In March 2011, Steve Jobs at the iPad 2 event explained how technology just isn’t enough to create a quality product. It is a combination of hardware + software that makes a great product, and that held true for the iPad 2. Once again, it has held true for the iPhone 4S. While Android phones have 1GB or more of RAM to power the crappy OS, the iPhone 4S just has 512MB RAM to power the world’s best OS and its features. The iPhone 4S features the new A5 processor, a redesigned antenna, an 8-megapixel camera that can shoot 1080p high-definition video, and supports AirPlay mirroring. For a phone that only has 512MB RAM and is still able to power so much is mind blowing.

Recently, Donald Mustard, creative director for Epic Games, recently said in an interview detailing Infinity Blade 2 that the iPhone 4S will offer just 512 MB of RAM.

“I’m still shocked that, with the iPhone 4S, I’m literally running around with a 1080p video camera in my pocket, with an eight megapixel camera, 64GB of hard drive space and an A5 chip with 512MB of memory. This is a really powerful computer, right?”

Apple Sells out of iPhone 4S for Oct 14th Delivery, Now Quoting 1-2 Weeks

Earlier this week, Apple announced a brand new version of its iPhone “iPhone 4S”.  The iPhone 4S features the new A5 processor, a redesigned antenna, an 8-megapixel camera that can shoot 1080phigh-definition video, and supports AirPlay mirroring. People were expecting it to be the “iPhone 5″ and folks weren’t expecting it to sell well.

Yesterday, Reuters reported that AT&T is seeing an ”extraordinary demand” for the new iPhone 4S, which became available for preorder at 12:01 am Pacific time on Friday, October 7th. AT&T revealed that they have seen over 200,000 preorders for the iPhone 4S in the first 12 hours of sale.

Just 24 hours after pre-orders started for the iPhone 4S, Apple pushed back expected shipping times for the device from expected delivery on October 14th to an estimate of 1-2 weeks. The Apple Online Store changed its pre-order availability for all models of the iPhone 4S early Saturday. When pre-orders started around 12:01 PST on Friday, server issues delayed sales for Apple and AT&T.

However, Apple’s other two wireless carrier partners in the U.S., Verizon and Sprint, were able to begin pre-orders on time.  Last year, Apple announced that they saw a record-breaking 600,000 iPhone 4 pre-orders in the first day across all carriers in the US, France, Germany, Japan and the UK. Last year’s 600,000 number included all of Apple’s launch carriers, while yesterday’s did not.  In addition, Sprint’s website shows that the 16GB iPhone 4S is sold out. Clearly, nobody wanted to purchase an iPhone 4S.