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Samsung Preparing To Reveal “Newest Galaxy Device” On August 15

Posted: 20 Jul 2012 11:54 AM PDT

samsung headquarters

Here’s a little something to get the ol’ rumor mill churning before the weekend — Samsung has just sent out a save-the-date email for a “major” product announcement on August 15. Samsung goes on to say that the company will unveil its “newest GALAXY device,” though exactly what that’s going to be is left infuriatingly vague.

Of course, that won’t stop me from hazarding a few guesses.

The company’s long-awaited Galaxy Note 10.1 tablet seems like a strong possibility, considering that Samsung has been reportedly tinkering with its design and internals since it first popped up at this year’s Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. Reports from earlier in the year also pointed to a handful of Galaxy S III variants that would hit the market during the latter parts of 2012, but for what it’s worth, I don’t think there have been enough leaks to make that possibility a strong one right now.

And who could forget the possibility of a Galaxy Note 2? Rumors of a new Note handheld with a slightly larger screen have been making the rounds recently, and it’s reportedly being prepped for an August debut. Granted, the device was said to be making its official debut at the IFA trade show in Germany, but it’s possible that Samsung will be holding another event stateside to let we members of the tech press get some hands-on time. Then again, it could be something as simple as an update to their Galaxy Player line of PMPs, but I support we’ll find out soon enough.

UPDATE: 9to5Google points out that the invitation is from Samsung Electronics America and not Samsung Telecommunications America, so a phone announcement is almost certainly out.



Kickstarter: FLASHr Wants To Make The iPhone’s Bezel A Massive Notification Light

Posted: 20 Jul 2012 07:26 AM PDT

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Putting fanboy bias away for a minute, I think we can all agree that the iPhone is an amazing device. But it’s not perfect. Chief among my criticisms is the lack of a true notification light rather than just the LED camera flash. This Kickstarter project aims to fix Apple’s oversight.

The FLASHr is simply an iPhone case that supercharges the LED flash notification. Using a so-called Glow Frame, the LED flash illuminates several sides of the case, making the notification impossible to miss no matter how the phone is oriented. Spouses and dates will no doubt love this case. Owners will never miss a text message, email or call again!

As explained on Kickstarter, the case is essentially made of three layers with an additional small part that reflects the LED flash onto the large glow frame. Each layer is available in five colors, resulting in 125 possible color combinations.

The company is looking for a hefty $75,000 in pre-orders and as of this post’s writing, is currently at $1,500 with 35 days to go. Something this cool needs to be funded. Pledge $35 for one of six color combinations– my money went to the SilverFox. Drop down $50 for a slick special edition that uses a clear outer frame.

The New iPad Launches In China Without Incident

Posted: 20 Jul 2012 06:18 AM PDT

People queue up to buy the new iPad during its China launch at the Apple store in Shanghai

Apple product launches in China traditionally draw big crowds. Thousands of prospective buyers (and scammers) usually amass outside Apple Stores, all hoping for a chance to buy the latest iDevice. This time around Apple turned to a reservation lottery system to curb some of the chaos. It seemed to work. The new iPad launched in mainland China earlier today and there was nary an uproar.

As seen in the video below filed by Reuters‘ Jon Gordon, there was hardly a crowd at Apple’s flagship Beijing location. According to other reports China’s other Apple Stores saw short lines, too. Previous Apple launches drew huge crowds with some buyers waiting 8-12 hours for the devices.

Apple utilized a reservation system for this launch, which required buyers to select a model and input their government ID to be entered into a lottery pool. Winners were then notified that they won a spot in line. This was done not only to keep the crowds to a minimum but also reduce scammers and scalpers from taking advantage of unsuspecting buyers.

China is currently Apple’s second largest market. It remains to be seen if unscrupulous importers and dealers cut into Apple’s bottom line thanks to the new iPad’s delayed launch in China.

For the foreseeable future the new iPad will only be available in mainland China through this reservation system. That said, the new iPad has been available in neighboring Hong Kong since March, which could also be one of the reasons for the low crowds. Since Hong Kong’s launch the new iPad has been readily available through importers — but of course at a price higher than the MSRP.
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