Thoughts on the Galaxy Zoom

The Galaxy Zoom: trailblazer for a new world of connected camera, or
second attempt at a class of device that nobody actually wants?

I'm probably going to be outspoken here, but I really like what Samsung have done with the Galaxy Zoom. I don't particularly mind being outspoken, after all I think I was one of the few people to review the original Galaxy Note who actually got it. To all the naysayers who wrote derogatory comedy posts about the Note rather than real reviews, I will merely point to a now thriving device class with millions of fans and say I told you so. Now I don't think this generation of Galaxy Zoom will be the one to really carve a niche here as the Note did in its category, but I do think the idea is right.

Last year Samsung released the Galaxy Camera, a device that I found wanting from just about every perspective. It wasn't a smartphone, lacking any telephony capabilities; as a camera it wasn't good enough compared to similarly priced standalones either. Sure, it had some smarts, but not enough to make the price premium for the imaging on offer a worthwhile proposition. The size of the device made carrying it around a rather non-trivial issue too. If I want to carry around a relatively non-compact imaging device, then I want to do that in return for a fairly tangible gain in imaging ability, right? I struggled then to see how it belonged anywhere in the market, and I haven't seen anything since that made that any more apparent for me. 

The Galaxy Zoom on the other hand is better pitched. From an imaging standpoint it's more compromised than the Galaxy Camera, but I think that's right. As an imaging device it's positioned more to go head to head with smaller point and shoots, both in terms of likely image quality to judge from the few example stills I've seen, but also in terms of the form factor and the use-case scenarios where that is desirable. In that market segment offering full smartphone capabilities becomes a much more compelling option I think. That said, the difference between success and failure there is likely to be exquisitely price sensitive. 

What premium will people pay to get smartphone capabilities in a device that will certainly be a secondary device to complement a smartphone, even if that one that offers the important but relatively limited use-case scenario of being able to perform duties as a temporary primary device when the situation calls for it? For reference that is exactly the niche my Pureview 808 fills right now, it stands in for a point n shoot most of the time, but sometimes steps up to be my primary smartphone too. In exchange for 10x zoom and an incomparably better OS I could be persuaded to switch to the Zoom to fulfill that role.

Reading those last two paragraphs one could be mistaken for thinking that I am suggesting price point is the only barrier standing in the way of success for the Galaxy Zoom, but it isn't. Or at least is isn't as far as my wants dictate, but I will readily admit I'm an outlier and could stand to be proven comprensively wrong here where the mass market is concerned. While I think compromising on imaging in favour of smarts and telephony is the right idea, for my money the smartphone experience offered by the Zoom is still too limited. Were it to offer a 720p screen, internals worthy of a good 2012 device, and a feature set pitched around the level of the S3 I think it could be close to a homerun - or at least a device with a genuine shot at launching a new device category with some real authority. Perhaps in the next generation?

That criticism aside, all in all I think Samsung have taken the first steps in the right direction here, even if it isn't quite enough to wholly satisfy me at the present time. I can say with certainty that I look forward to trying it out... if the price is right.

The Sony Xperia Z: the mobile camera, reloaded? A brief shootout, Xperia Z Vs Galaxy Note 2 Vs the Nokia Pureview 808

This piece is a heads-up of sorts to let you know that thanks to the good folk at Mobicity, we're fortunate enough to have an Xperia Z in our hot little hands already.

As you might guess a (rapid-) review will be forthcoming, but this time around I'm going to start with something a little different. You see I had some fun yesterday on Twitter trying out the Xperia Z camera, pitting it against the Note 2 camera and the undisputed king of mobile imaging, the Nokia Pureview 808. After looking at the results I thought it was too worthwhile an exercise to leave just to Twitter, and so here it is on the blog too.

Although it's a little bit of a departure, the camera of the Xperia Z is too fundamental a part of its marketing drive to leave to a couple of paragraphs in a rapid-review; it demands more. If you believe Sony's hype surrounding the purported imaging advances offered by its latest and greatest, you'll be expecting a solid improvement over last years shooters, and maybe even a substantial improvement. Sony is betting the bank on the camera being a strong differentiator to favour their 2013 flagship against incumbents like the incoming HTC One and Galaxy S4, so the question of whether its camera can indeed carry the day looms large over the Xperia Zs fate.

Dear HTC, please find enclosed your 2012 report card.

The best phone ever made. EVAR.

HTC.

HTC!

Where do I start? Perhaps I shall start by saying I love you. Seriously, I love you. Sadly, these days I am starting to love you in the way that I love cassette tapes; for what you once were to me, not what you represent now.

If that sounds painful HTC, please remember, the truth only hurts if it ought to.

Perhaps that was a little acerbic for a beginning? Allow me take one step back, and lay down some context.

Dear Samsung, please find enclosed your 2012 report card.

So, Samsung, how did you do?

This is the first part of a series of editorials (or at least I hope the other editors will chip in to make this a series?) where we're going to look at how each manufacturer has done this year, and make some suggestions for what their path forward should look like in 2013. The intention of these isn't to make a fanboys dream list of stupidly powerful hardware specs, but to make a reasoned set of recommendations for how we feel they can improve in 2013.

To kick things off we're going to start with Samsung. In terms of what Samsung did right this year you could be brief and say nearly everything, but since when did we ever keep things brief here at AndroidNZ?

Galaxy Note 2 Smart Dock - exclusive first look video review!

I was lucky enough to get my hands on one of these very cool pieces of kit over the last couple of days, check out the video for a detailed demonstration of what it can do. I have to return it to Samsung very quickly, so if you have questions please ask them at the YouTube channel as quickly as possible.

Samsung Galaxy Note 2: review incoming!

The successor to our first ever review device is in our hands...

Hi everyone!

Quick post to let everyone know that the Note 2 is of course in our hands and undergoing the usual gruelling 'real-user' treatment here at AndroidNZ. If you read our review of last years phablet flagship, then you probably know that while there may be many other reviews of the Note 2, there is really only one that is going to do this epic device justice (ours, if I haven't been obvious enough there!).

If ther Note 2s arrival at AndroidNZ is news to you, then you clearly aren't following us on Twitter - why aren't you following us on Twitter?! Hit up @Android_NZ to put things straight. We're not prolific, so there's no need to worry about us spamming up your timeline, you just get to enjoy the cosy feeling of security that comes with always being up to the minute with happenings here.

Oh, and things are going to unfold slightly differently this time around too, since two editors will be contributing to the review - myself (@NZtechfreak) and Nik (@onslaught86). We're also worth a follow in Twitter, if I do say so myself, particularly if you want to see how we're getting on with the Note 2 as it happens.

Naturally, if you have questions you'd like addressed in the review please feel free to fire away in the comments below, or via social media.

Anyways, catch you again soon with all of our Note 2 content, kicking off soon with the first part of the review, Root guide, top ten apps, connectivity demo video and more...

Serious potential security flaw in Samsung Android handsets [UPDATE: New information, HTC handsets also reported vulnerable]

Quick note to inform Samsung users that there is a potentially very serious vulnerability on all Samsung's non-Nexus handsets that would allow a browser link to invoke a remote wipe via an iFrame USSD trigger. What that jargon means is that you could click on a link in the browser and suddenly find yourself staring at a freshly factory reset phone. Bad news.

To avoid this browse in Chrome, which will not automatically dial numbers like USSD triggers.

More technical users should also be aware that revoking CALL_PHONE permissions would serve to block this attack within any HTML-rendering app (via chrisfu at XDA).

On waking this morning we see there have naturally been further developments overnight in relation to this issue.

Firstly, it has become clear that for the most part only handsets running TouchWiz are affected. That said, users have replicated it in CM7 based ROMs, and a number of HTC devices also. It does seem quite solid at this point that if you're happily running a more recent version CM/AOSP/AOKP you're unaffected. Furthermore, it seems the vulnerability is tied at least as much to the dialler as it is to the browser, as the optimistic early advice to just use Chrome appears flawed, with users able to replicate the exploit from within Chrome also.  There are also reports that recent Samsung firmwares, such as the DLIB official Jelly Bean build from Poland are unaffected for this, but it seems slightly premature to suggest this is confirmed.  Bottom line is that the full extent of this vulnerability is not presently known.

To put of this in context lets not forget that the Galaxy SII is affected here: this means the exploit has likely been available for over a year now, and there are ZERO affected users. This could just end of being the a typical "Android security scare" non-event. That said, now that the exploit is widely known that may change, and as always it's better to take preventative measures than suffer the potential consequences.

With that in mind, the best information presently to hand suggests installing Dialler One as a workaround, which doesn't automatically open the codes (also, if you do not set the default dialler after installation you will be offered a choice of which dialler to invoke giving you an opportunity to back out of opening the link).

Source: XDA-Developers

Android blitzes iOS in Q2, Samsung rules...

IDC reports that Android has significantly increased its lead in smartphone OS share with a massive 68.1% of the Q2 ’12 market compared to its arch rival, Apple’s iOS, which lost share, posting a 16.9% figure for the second calendar quarter of 2012. In fact, Android was the only smartphone OS besides WinPhone to show any growth over Q1 and Android smartphones are currently outselling iPhones four to one.

Samsung buys Cambridge Silicon Radio

Blowing this week’s pocket money in one place, Samsung has picked up Cambridge Silicon Radio, designer and developer of mobile connectivity semiconductor systems. Besides the acquisition of whatever technologies the company has and is in the process of developing, there will also be the benefit of the patent horde that is undoubtedly part of the deal.

Cambridge Silicon Radio (CSR) provides numerous technologies for multifunction connectivity, audio products and location platforms, supporting Bluetooth, GPS, FM broadcasting, WiFi, audio, near field communications and ARM processors. OEMs using CSR technologies include Samsung, Motorola, HTC, Nokia, Sennheiser and Creative among others. 

Apple's suit against Galaxy Tab bombs in UK

Following the recent loss gainst HTC, a UK court has thrown out Apple’s claim that its iPad design was illegally copied by Galaxy Tab maker, Samsung. The judge found that the design of Samsung’s three Tab devices doesn’t infringe Apple’s “registered” design, and ruled that consumers are unlikely to confuse them with the iPad.

Following the judgement, Samsung released a statement slamming Apple for its anticompetitive tactics, claiming… “Should Apple continue to make excessive legal claims in other countries based on such generic designs, innovation in the industry could be harmed and consumer choice unduly limited”.

[REVIEW] EASECASE - Custom-made Leather case for the Samsung Galaxy I9300

There are so many debates over whether to adorn your precious phone with a protector or a case.
In my view, the only right answer is the one that works for you.

For me I like to have my phone with both a protector and a case. My phone gets carted in a backpack during my daily commutes to work by bike. A backpack offers very little protection against the knocks and bumps made by contact with various bike paraphernalia stored in my backpack.
I’ve always had a case for my phones, well more precisely, a pouch.


That’s the line up. L – R Mark’s SIII, my SIII, my SII and Mark’s S (my hand-me-down). Clearly I’m struggling with letting go of the older model Galaxy phones.

I had been looking for some weeks for an appropriate leather case for the SIII. I hadn’t seen anything that took my fancy. I was waiting for SENA to bring our their case. They were taking too long for me.

One day I was searching through the XDA Accessories page when someone made mention of these custom-made leather cases. That sparked my interest.

So I toddled off to eBay to see what was on offer, and I liked what I saw. Well I liked what I read. You can choose the colour and grain of your liking, the colour of the lining, whether you wanted any embossing, and the type of clip/closure that suited you.

Very tidy work

Of course so many options didn’t make it that easy to decide on the overall look of the case.
I have to admit that when I first saw a picture of the case I assumed it was a photo from an iPhone case. The sides were square. That didn’t seem to gel to me with the SIII with it’s lovely slim lines and curves.

When the cases arrived, sure enough the sides were square. I really wasn’t sure the phone would fit. I felt the gap was too wide. So to my surprise it was a tight fit. And coaxing the phone out wasn’t as straight forward as you’d think.

You have to turn the case upside down. And use the same sort of motion as trying to get a pack of cards out of their pack. Except with quite a bit more force.

Mark’s case was tighter than mine. In the end he left the I9000 in there, a bit like wearing socks inside a pair of shoes to help stretch them. Okay, that doesn’t make sense to blokes, but for women, wearing a pair of socks inside a pair of ladies dress shoes is a really common way to get the leather to “give” quicker.

After several days Mark tried the case again. I think he over stretched it. His phone was slip right out when the case was held upside down. But a few more days later the case has eased back a little and it’s pretty much perfect now. I still have to give mine a little more ooph to get the phone to ease out to the point I can then use my fingers on the side to slip it all the way out.

Unfortunately Mark’s case has a few little marks on it, you might be able to pick them up from here. It’s about where the microphone is at the top of the phone. I have contacted the seller about this, and mentioned too how Mark’s case was much tighter than my own. I said I’d be in touch if things didn’t come right in a day or two. I’ve not contacted them back, and they’ve made not further comment.

These cases aren’t cheap. They converted to around NZ$62. I felt that the blemish on Mark’s case wasn’t really the sort of thing I would expect to see on a case in this price bracket. Of course part of the cost is due to the total customisation of the case.
So what about the quality? I think the quality of the case is really good. The stitching is even, the lining sits nicely on the inside. The embossing is neat and even.

If it weren’t for that blemish in Mark’s case I’d have given these cases a 10/10. But I feel for the price, there shouldn’t be any defects.

The case itself is really sturdy. I haven’t tried sitting on it or anything. That would just be silly. But you wont be bending these out of shape. I can try squeezing the sides, and while there’s some flex, the case is too strong for the sides to meet.
I actually feel like there’s more protection in this type of case. I’m less concerned about what the phone might come into contact with in my backpack because there’s a little more peace of mind with how these cases are constructed.

Would I recommend this case? Yes. It’s great knowing you’ve got a one-of-a-kind.
What I would suggest, if you’re brave enough to admit to having little or no fashion sense, let someone else give an opinion on what will look smart with the phone. I bit my tongue with Mark’s choice, but it’s definitely not what I’d have put with a Pebble Blue phone.
 

Don't we look fetching together?

Apple ban on HTC rejected by ITC

Earlier this year, Apple was successful in a patent suit that resulted in HTC removing some allegedly infringing functions from its handsets in order to continue selling in the US. The US Customs department subsequently stopped imports at the border for several days while they examined HTC’s One series smartphones for compliance with the court-ordered changes before releasing them into the country. So that’s OK then. Isn’t it?

The world’s most litigious corporation had other ideas. In June, Apple filed a complaint accusing HTC of lying to customs in order to skirt the exclusion order. It was Apple’s contention that HTC had not made the changes specified in the ban order, and was thus in breach of the court’s dictate.

The Galaxy S III "Real-user" Review: Part 2 - Entertainment and media - Music and video playback, gaming, browser

The combination to make you wax lyrical about sound?

Today we’re going to bite off a fairly sizeable chunk of the review, covering a lot of the entertainment aspects of the device – music, video, gaming and the browser. If you haven't read part 1 of the review which covered initial impressions, design/build quality, screen and benchmarks then check it out here.

OK, so to start things off, here is my “I’m no audiophile” disclaimer (italicized since AndroidNZ readers will have seen it before):

Like I seem to do quite often, I have to start here with a disclaimer of sorts - this time in terms of my own listening prowess. You see, in terms of evaluating the audio quality of the phone I have to set the appropriate context - that context being my own limitations as a listener. I think my ear is above average, nearly twenty years of playing guitar certainly helps there, but I am definitely no audiophile. While I’m in complete disclosure mode: I have some high frequency hearing loss from guitar and concert attendances over the years, and I don’t own a set of audiophile headphones. What does all that mean? Well, basically, audiophiles should move right along, my ear isn’t up to advising you about whether you’ll be happy with this phone. Most everyone who isn’t an audiophile will be happy enough with the Note's audio quality, and those same readers will likely find my take on the sound quality is pitched at the right level.

I purchased a few things audio-related since the Note review.

Having said of all that I must say that it’s no longer ringing entirely true. While I still wouldn’t label myself an audiophile, I have been on rather an audio voyage of discovery since I wrote that disclaimer and should probably adjust it accordingly.

You see, since the Note review I’ve purchased the ASUS Xonar Essence One USB DAC for my desktop, an E17 USB DAC for portable use, and several sets of headphones (the Grado GS1000i, Audeze LCD-2, Sennheiser HD-251 II, and ACS-T15, for those who like to know that sort of thing). That’s a reasonably serious outlay on audio equipment, so it’s a little disingenuous to completely downplay my ability to adjudicate sound quality. Readers should realize though that I’m still in my audio lovers infancy. I might be able to discern more than some people, simply on account of having better listening equipment, but I’m hardly a paragon of audio quality assessment and astute listeners will still need to seek their own S III audition from which to form their own opinion.

So, preamble over, what is my assessment of the S III’s audio playback chops?

Apple succeeds in getting Google Nexus banned [u]

Following a Friday hearing before Judge Lucy Koh at the Californial District Court in San Jose, Samsung’s Google Nexus smartphone has been temporarily banned in the US. Apple was successful in convincing the Judge that its claims of patent infringement were likely to succeed based primarily on the validity of the so-called “Siri” patent. Although there are four patents at issue, the Judge has issued the temporary injunction based on the one she believes may be costing Apple sales of its flagship iPhone 4S.

While the Galaxy nexus is not Samsung’s biggest seller, the fact that it’s the latest “vanilla” development device, designed and built with input from Google, gives it an importance that exceeds its mere sales numbers. Judge Koh, in her ruling on the injunction, stated… "Apple has clearly shown that it is likely to suffer irreparable harm in the absence of preliminary injunctive relief”.

However, she also acknowledged that Samsung was definitely going to suffer irreparable harm as a result of her agreeing to the injunction, and ordered Apple to post bond to the tune of US$96 million as compensation for lost sales should the forthcoming patent trial find Samsung was not infringing Apple’s patents.

Apple wins temporary ban on Tab 10.1 in the US

Judge Lucy Koh has ruled in advance of the scheduled hearing over Apple’s request for a ban on Samsung’s Galaxy Tab 10.1. 

Her decision, released in the last hour, has followed the appeals court determination that she revisit her previous finding that a temporary injunction was unjustified on the basis that the patent allegedly infringed upon was likely to be found valid, contradicting Judge Koh’s view of that same patent.

The patent in question is the “design” one that's commonly known as “black rectangle with rounded corners” in the blogosphere. Assuming that the patent’s validity would be upheld, the appeals court found that the District Court Judge, having acknowledged Samsung to have infringed it by marketing a device “virtually indistinguishable” from Apple’s iPad, should reconsider the case for injunctive relief.

Apple's attempt to ban US Galaxy S III launch fails

In an admission that it fears for its iPhone’s continued success in the marketplace, Apple pleaded with a Californian court to prevent the Samsung Galaxy S III launching in the US. Citing the well publicized nine million plus pre-orders for Samsung’s latest, Apple’s legal team requested leave to apply for TRO injunctive relief, a ban order that they hoped would be in place prior to the Galaxy S III’s simultaneous launch across virtually all the US carriers.

A Temporary Restraining Order seems to be an emergency procedure, able to be invoked where a formal injunction has already been sought and the object of that injunction is likely to go on sale despite the legal process in train. The Judge would then rule on whether it was reasonable for the party requesting the injunction to expect their action to succeed.

Apple fails to get US injunction against the Galaxy Tab 10.1

Having previously failed in a California district court to have Samsung’s Galaxy Tab 10.1 banned for alleged patent infringement, Apple applied to the US Court of Appeals in Washington to overturn the decision and thus obtain a permanent ban of the iPad competitor. The appeals court found that a single element of Apple’s case, that of patent “D889”, might warrant reconsideration and directed Judge Lucy Koh to do so.

The Samsung Galaxy S III, at AndroidNZ

Quick heads-up: several of the AndroidNZ editors now have their very own shiny Galaxy S IIIs (in fact yours truly was the first in New Zealand to get one after queuing for seven hours at the Vodafone midnight release sale).

Needless to say we're getting to grips with the device at a rate of knots and we'll have lots of content coming to you very soon - including the first part of our usual mammoth review later today. If you can't wait until then to learn some more about the S III, I've been giving my usual up-to-the-minute impressions and experiences on Twitter @NZtechfreak, and we've also written several pieces about it covering things that have been throughly neglected in the wider tech press.

Our S III content timeline to date has unfolded as follows:

• My thoughts about the S III announcement shortly before it dropped
• Our whole teams reaction to the announcement
• Our discovery of a few S III secrets - you heard them here first
• Further discoveries of hitherto unknown aspects of the S III
• Pre-release confirmation of the exFAT support we exposed by an actual user, to calm the nerves of folks who were unsettled by the manual saying only Fat32 was supported
• News that Root was available for the S III before it's release, courtesy of the ever-amazing Chainfire
• We were then lucky enough to actually secure some hands-on time of our own with one of the mythical Pebble Blue units a couple of weeks prior to retail, exclusively covering a lot of things not seen elsewhere and verifying our Secrets Revealed pieces
• Finally, we were the first to break the news that the aforementioned Pebble Blue handsets were going to be globally delayed

So, stay tuned for more, and don't forget that your questions are always welcome here at AndroidNZ - feel free to drop them in the comments here or hit us on Twitter.

The Samsung Galaxy S III: AndroidNZ goes hands-on, brings you our thoughts and exclusive details

One can almost sense the near-palpable nervousness of the
One X capturing this shot... I think it came over all Mr Blurrycam
because it was shaking with fear (or maybe that was my excitement)

Something great happened to me today; I got the rather unexpected joy of being able to play with the Samsung Galaxy S III. The pieces fell together quite unexpectedly yesterday, when a nameless benefactor temporarily came into possession of an S3, and was kind enough to give it up for a couple of hours today (I don't think I could have been so generous, I would have been more in the "from my cold dead hands" camp I think).

Anyways, what follows is an account of my brief two hour experience with the S3, and some of my thoughts and early impressions. I unearthed a few things that nobody else has covered in relation to the S3, so I hope you'll enjoy it (you didn't think exFAT support was all I had for you, did ya?).

Catch you after the break.

Galaxy S3: Rooted!

In keeping with the fine tradition of Samsung handsets being Rooted before release we are happy today to report that the Galaxy S3 has been Rooted, courtesy of none other than Chainfire. This Root is currently working on a pre-release firmware, so its worth bearing in mind that Samsung may yet make changes in the release firmware that prevent this exploit from working.

Full details are available here.

Before we sign off, here's a quote we very much enjoyed from Chainfire himself, which sums up our feelings about other companies bootloader policies rather nicely:

Now, everybody say thanks to Samsung! I don't always agree with them, but so far they have been the first and IMHO still are the only high-end Android OEM who aren't complete douchebags in the unlock department!