And That's Official: Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 (7") Student Edition Launched

We’ve been hearing rumours about a student edition of the Galaxy Tab 2 7.0, complete with a keyboard dock and USB adapter at no extra cost. While Samsung did make it official today, they noted that the deal is only available for a limited time. The student edition will hit shelves on Sunday, and you’ll only have two weeks to grab one. The keyboard dock and USB adapter make the bundle worth around $350, but Samsung is still selling it for $249. There’s no word on if the student edition will be available exclusively to students, but we imagine that it’ll be open to everyone. That's good, isn't it?

The full press release can be found below, and be sure to stay tuned to AbSamsung | Blogspot for all the latest on the Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 Student Edition.

So, is anyone planning on grabbing one of these bundles? Do you think the included accessories make it better than something like a Nexus 7? Sound off in the comments!

Next Galaxy Player Is Coming

iPod, your time's over.

At the 2012 IFA event we are expecting to get, among other things, an announcement for a new Samsung Galaxy Player.  You can see from the image aside that the design for the next model closely resembles  Samsung’s current flagship, the Galaxy S III, which has sold 10 million units, IN JUST 2 MONTHS OF ITS LAUNCH. !ncredible.

This Galaxy Player is shown as having a very big 5.8-inch display, a dual-core 1GHz CPU, 1GB RAM, and other bells and whistles designed to offer top-notch media performance.  The unnamed device will come with Android 4.0.4 Ice Cream Sandwich as well as Samsung’s TouchWiz Motion UX.  Look for these to arrive in either black or white at a retailer near you.

So what do you think about this exciting new media player? Is it gonna throw the iPod out the window or just be yet another Samsung Media Player? Let us know in the comments below!

Black Galaxy S III 64GB Coming To UK This October

Black Beast!

Samsung Galaxy S III : SIMPLY EXCELLENT

Not only did the rumors that Samsung cancelled the 64GB version of the Samsung Galaxy S III turn out to be false, but now we actually have a rough launch target. Clove UK blogged that the upcoming black version of the phone will be packing 64GB of storage.

They don't have pricing info yet, but the phone should be available in early October. The black Galaxy S III will also be available with 16GB of storage - MobileFun already has it on preorder (£500) and so does Expansys (same price). There's no availability date info on their sites though.

In case you want the 64GB of built-in storage but prefer the standard Pebble White and Marble Blue colors - Expansys is expecting those too.

Those are all UK retailers, but the black Samsung Galaxy S III will be available across the pond too, as it showed up on T-Mobile USA's web site. It wasn’t clear how much storage that one will have.

There's one more color version of the S III - Garnet Red, which is currently exclusive to AT&T. We don't know if and when we might see this one go international and there's still no clear info which regions will get the 64GB version of the Samsung flagship.

Samsung Galaxy R Gets The Ice-Cream Sandwich!

Back in May, Samsung India had confirmed on their Facebook page that the Samsung Galaxy R will be getting the Android 4.0 update "very soon".

Well, it's been three months since but it seems now that the update is finally ready to roll out. One lucky user in Sweden managed to get his phone updated to a not so latest version of Android after he received it from the service station.

The fact that the service station people are installing the update on devices means that it is in the final stage and will hopefully will start rolling to other handsets shortly. 

As before, this is the TouchWiz'zed' version of Android Ice Cream Sandwich, which means unless told you won't even know the difference from the current Gingerbread ROM based on the UI alone. Still, it does bring with it significant performance update, which should be apparent to anyone who is used to Gingerbread.

A Glimpse Into What Samsung Means To The Society. Sustainability Report.

You thought Samsung is ONLY an Electronics Giant? Then you gotta read the whole story to unfold more facts for yourself!

Sustainability management is a concept that is becoming increasingly important for a business to thrive in harmony with people, society and environment. From corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities to development of environment-friendly products, companies are engaged in sustainable management in various ways. And Samsung is one of those beautiful companies. 

And they are not simple "extra" good-faith activities independent from business operations. They define what a company brings to our society, what it does to make the community better and eventually how it co-exists with the world. Sustainability management is, therefore, a must for a company's survival and should be incorporated in all aspects of a business.

Today we'd like to walk you through the annual Samsung Electronics Sustainability Report published most recently, sharing with you how sustainable management is practiced in Samsung.

Global, Caring Organization

  

Samsung Electronics has a total of 196 subsidiaries around the world. WOW. Among more than 2,20,000 employees at Samsung Electronics as of the end of 2011, 54 percent resided outside Korea, marking the first time for the overseas workforce to surpass the domestic workforce in size. Overseas sales accounted for 84 percent of Samsung Electronics’ total 2011 sales of 165 trillion won, making Samsung Electronics a truly global company. This is what Samsung means to the society.

Social Contributions

  

Being a responsible corporate citizen is becoming part of local communities a company operates in, and leading efforts to make the communities more sustainable. Support programs for health and education of children are core part of such an initiative. In the previous year, 2011, Samsung Electronics integrated various social contribution activities conducted in different regions into a single program titled “Samsung Hope for Children.”

Last year 'Samsung Hope for Children' saw various programs for the wellbeing of children and teens took place in 30 different countries including South Africa, Vietnam and Brazil. Samsung Electronics plans to expand the program to a total 55 countries by 2013. 

Samsung Electronics also runs various programs to help children in Korea such as operating learning centers for after-school tutoring. Many of our employees also regularly participate in volunteer activities in making contributions to local communities.

Saving Environment

  

With climate change being one of the biggest environmental challenges our humanity is facing right now, many governments and companies around the world are taking steps to manage greenhouse gas. Samsung Electronics also embraces reduction of greenhouse gas emissions as an important management priority.

Samsung Electronics has taken various measures including the installation of facilities for reducing greenhouse gas emissions from industrial processes and improvement in energy efficiency of production facilities. The efforts resulted in a 40 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions in 2011, compared to 2008.

Samsung Electronics has also implemented steps for effective management of water resources, setting company-wide policies, reduction targets and strategies to secure and maintain sustainable water resources.

Open Innovation and Partnership

  

Big or small, every company is part of one broader ecosystem. Co-prosperity that benefit small suppliers, manufacturers and partners altogether is one of the goals of Samsung Electronics.

To this end, Samsung Electronics expanded its shared growth programs for suppliers, including training, technology and financial support, to help our partners grow their business and become global. The company is also increasing funding and investing more resources to foster "open innovation" under which suppliers and outside partners can develop new technology and look for business opportunities.

Samsung Electronics is also helping our suppliers to improve their working environment and achieve an environment-friendly management by providing guidelines and incentives.

We have shared some of the key highlights from the latest Samsung Electronics Sustainability Report to help you understand efforts we have taken to be a sustainable company.

Remember, Samsung seems to be the only company with so much goals to work on. 

I am a proud Samsung Fan. Are you?

10 Features That Make The Galaxy Note 10.1, a WINNER

The Zeroeth being The "Note" Branding!




Samsung has officially introduced the Galaxy Note 10.1, a device that, for all intents and purposes, can be considered a true counterpart to both Samsung’s own Galaxy Tab 10.1 and Apple’s iPad. As one might expect, given the name, the device comes with a 10.1-inch screen and delivers Wi-Fi connectivity. It’s the successor to the 5.3-inch Galaxy Note, which was a huge SENSATION. 

When the device launched on August 16 for a starting price of $499, one can bet the Samsung name will be enough to entice consumers to at least get a close look at it to see if it’s worth buying. If this tablet is similar to the others Samsung has offered up in recent years, there’s little debating that it’ll be a strong competitor to Apple’s new iPad. You're gone, iPad. 

Still, the Galaxy Note 10.1 is new. And some folks are still trying to figure out if it’s as good as it looks on paper. Simply put, it is. Read on to find out why.

1. It’s Samsung, isn’t it?

Samsung has proven itself as a superb provider of mobile products. The company’s initial Galaxy Tab was a winner and its smartphones continue to impress the market. Samsung followed up with the high-quality Galaxy Note. So it’s easy to see why so many mobile product buyers believe in Samsung’s products. Considering that, why wouldn’t they also look favorably on the Galaxy Note 10.1? 
The name "Samsung" is just enough!

2. The price is spot on

Samsung has decided to start the Galaxy Note 10.1 out at $499. It’s the perfect price tag for the device’s value proposition. For the same price as an entry-level iPad, customers can get a device with a bigger screen, superior features and additional functionality, provided by the stylus. In terms of value, the Galaxy Note 10.1 is spot-on.

3. The design is superb

Looking at the design of the Galaxy Note 10.1, it’s hard not to find it appealing. The device is thin, not too wide and is light enough to stow in a bag and carry without much trouble. Samsung has done a good job at designing a nice-looking tablet.

4. The 1.4GHz quad-core processor is trouble for Apple

When customers consider the Galaxy Note 10.1, they will inevitably compare it to Apple’s latest iPad. Upon doing so, they’ll find that the Galaxy Note 10.1 is actually more powerful than Apple’s option, boasting a 1.4GHz quad-core processor. Apple’s tablet comes with a dual-core processor. That should appeal to tablet buyers.

5. It’s all about the stylus

It’s odd that tablets have been available for so long, but Samsung is really the first company to find a way to turn them into digital notebooks. To do that, Samsung is delivering a stylus–the so-called S Pen–with the Galaxy Note 10.1 With help from the stylus, the tablet becomes a full-fledged slate and digital notebook.

6. An enterprise favorite?

It’s entirely possible that the enterprise might warm to the idea of adopting the Galaxy Note 10.1. With its stylus integration, it would seem that the Galaxy Note 10.1 would be ideal for folks who often take notes or want to sketch out some ideas in the office.

7. Multi-screen viewing

Samsung’s Galaxy Note 10.1 comes with multi-screen functionality. In other words, the device’s display allows users to view one screen on half the display, and another on the second half. It’s a neat implementation that can’t be overlooked when evaluating its software.

8. Unique additions like Smart Stay

Power handling is always a big concern with tablets. With that in mind, Samsung has built a valuable new feature into the slate that tracks the user’s eyes. If the person is looking at the screen, it’ll stay on. If they’re not, it’ll turn off. It might prove to be annoying to some users. But others should find that it’s a neat way to save power.

9. It builds on the first Galaxy Note

The first Galaxy Note was somewhat confusing to customers at first. The device wasn’t quite a tablet, but it also wasn’t a smartphone. Still, it was successful. The Galaxy Note 10.1 builds upon that and makes it a bit clearer to customers what it is–a tablet. That’s an important consideration as one considers the Galaxy Note 10.1’s broader market appeal.

10. It’s arriving comfortably between iPad releases

One of the big issues affecting any tablet nowadays is its launch’s proximity to the iPad’s first day of availability. Tablets that are shipped close a new iPad’s release date tend to get burned. But the Galaxy Note 10.1 is coming out months after the new iPad launched, and months before the next one will launch. It’s the perfect launch window. That should only help the device succeed.

Galaxy Note 10.1 Starts To Sell In The US

iPad's gone.

Technology master, Samsung Electronics is taking another shot at the dominance of Apple's (AAPL) iPad with a tablet equipped with a digital pen and a faster processor at the same price tag. Samsung has already ripped Apple of the 'Smartphone King' title, and now, it's going to do the same with it's iShit-iPad.

The Wi-Fi only version of the Galaxy Note 10.1 will go on sale in the U.S. on Thursday. The price starts at $499 for the basic model with 16 GB of storage and $549 for the 32GB model, expandable with an external memory card.

Apple's latest iPad starts at the same price but the Note 10.1 offers some features that the iPad doesn't have, while its screen resolution is lower than the iPad's. It is Samsung's first Android tablet equipped with a digital pen and can run two applications side-by-side on a screen divided in half.

The split screen, made possible by the quad-core processor and 2 GB of RAM, can be useful when taking notes while watching a video or surfing the Internet.

Analysts said this capability of the Note tablet is intended to attract business and education customers, a strategy that could be more effective than going all out against the iPad, which already dominates nearly 70 percent of the worldwide tablet market.

Samsung released about a half dozen Android tablets in the last two years under the Galaxy Tab series but none of them has been as popular as the iPad. Analysts say Android tablets are less successful because of a dearth of applications and higher prices.

But with the Note 10.1, the South Korean company believes it has a product that will find favor with corporations and schools despite the iPad's rich pool of applications and sharper screen.

While Apple makes one new model for the iPhone and iPad every year to meet demand from all around the world, Samsung releases multiple mobile products with variations in prices, screen sizes, hardware and operating systems.

This strategy helped Samsung edge pass Apple in smartphone sales but hasn't paid off in the tablet area, probably because Samsung's previous tablets were not differentiated enough from the iPad. Samsung's second-quarter market share in the global tablet market fell to 9 percent, while nearly seven out of 10 tablets in the market were emblazoned with Apple logo, according to IHS iSuppli.