samsung

Samsung Galaxy S4 rocks the best phone OLED yet, says report

The Samsung Galaxy S4 may have a 5-inch screen with a killer 1080p HD resolution, but that doesn't tell you as much about its display quality as you might think.

That's because, as any display guru (like CNET's David Katzmaier) will tell you, a screen's ultimate rating spans resolution and pixel density, sure, but also color reproduction and accuracy, total brightness, viewing angles, and reflectance.

The screen material technology also plays a huge role; when it comes to smartphones, LCD displays make up the lion's share of manufacturers' choice, with Samsung at the forefront of … Read more

Verizon opens preorders for Galaxy S4 16GB

Verizon Wireless is now allowing Android and Samsung fans, and those fleeing the iPhone, to get in line for the Galaxy S4.

Verizon's preorder page for the 16GB version of the GS4 went live Thursday morning, priced at $199.99 with a new two-year contract.

The actual pricing breakdown is a retail price of $649.99, discounted to $249.99 with the contract, and an additional $50.00 coming in the form of a "Mail-in rebate debit card." So, it looks like customers can expect to initially be charged $249.99 before having some of that money … Read more

Busy fall for Apple, Xbox, and Amazon

CNET Update is out of breath:

Apple fans will have to wait until the fall for new "amazing" products, or so promises CEO Tim Cook.

Samsung fans will also be doing some waiting. The Galaxy S4 was said to hit stores this weekend, but the smartphone is facing supply issues -- and that's causing T-Mobile and Sprint to push back launch dates and only sell online. But you may be able to find one on Saturday in stores at AT&T, and on Tuesday at U.S. Cellular. [Read CNET's review here.]

For shoppers that … Read more

Samsung, Best Buy to operate mini shops for three years

Shoppers hoping to check out the Samsung mini shops in Best Buy stores will have a few years to do so, the companies said Wednesday.

The agreement to operate Samsung Experience shops within all U.S. Best Buy locations will last for the next three years. The companies then will evaluate whether to extend their pact or end it, executives from Samsung and Best Buy said.

So far, the few experience shops already open have received "a lot of positive customer feedback," Best Buy CEO Hubert Joly said Wednesday during a press event in New York.

"Both … Read more

U.S. Cellular preps for weekend Galaxy S4 sales

Amid reports of delays with some carriers, U.S. Cellular is announcing its schedule to sell the Samsung Galaxy S4 online and in its brick-and-mortar stores.

The 16GB version of the marquee device goes on sale Friday online for $199.99 with an instant rebate.

A few days later, on Tuesday, the black or white handsets will show up in retail stores.

Starting on Friday, U.S. Cellular will start shipping the Galaxy S4 to customers who preordered the device, along with a free S View flip cover (video), a $60 value.

Galaxy S4 faces supply issue due to 'overwhelming demand'

The Samsung Galaxy S4 may be a hotter item than its previous hype suggested.

Samsung Electronics' upcoming flagship smartphone may actually be a hard item to find. In a note to CNET, the company warned that initial supply would be limited, blaming "overwhelming global demand."

"We expect to fulfill inventory to meet demands in the coming weeks," a Samsung representative said.

The issues have already affected two U.S. carriers. Sprint Nextel will still offer the phone via its Web site and telesales on April 27, but gave no word on when it would actually have … Read more

Sprint, T-Mobile feel Samsung Galaxy S4 delay woes

Sprint and T-Mobile announced on Wednesday that the launch of the Samsung Galaxy S4 will not go as initially planned.

Citing "inventory challenges" from Samsung, Sprint's Galaxy S4 will still be offered through Sprint's Web site and Telesales on April 27; however, it remains unclear when it will be available in retail stores and other channels.

Sprint said this in a statement regarding the delay:

Sprint is excited to launch the new Samsung Galaxy 4. We had planned to launch this next generation of the award-winning Samsung Galaxy line-up on Saturday, April 27. Unfortunately, due to … Read more

GS4 quad-core or 8-core? Samsung chief says it doesn't matter

U.S. customers won't be getting their hands on a Galaxy S4 powered by an eight-core processor, but the head of Samsung Electronics says it shouldn't matter to buyers.

Some models of Samsung's flagship smartphone, available globally in the coming weeks, will feature a quad-core processor from Qualcomm while others will feature Samsung's Exynos 5 chip with eight cores. The U.S. version will use the 1.9GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 600 series chip.

Some in the tech press have criticized the lack of an eight-core chip in the U.S., but J.K. Shin, co-CEO of … Read more

Is an unlocked Galaxy S4 or HTC One worth the hefty price tag?

For most consumers in the U.S., price is not a factor when buying a new smartphone, since most devices with a two-year commitment cost roughly the same. But when you are in the market for an unlocked smartphone, the dynamic drastically changes.

High-end devices, such as the Samsung Galaxy S4 or the HTC One, are still attractive to just about any consumer. The features are top-of-the-line, and the devices are sleek. But what many consumers don't realize is that a cutting-edge smartphone does not actually cost $200 or $250. In fact, if consumers were to pay the full … Read more

Samsung Galaxy S4 review: At the top of its game

With the Galaxy S4, Samsung clinches its goal of global smartphone domination. The supercharged Android 4.2 Jelly Bean device may look like a toy compared with the stunning HTC One and the dapper iPhone 5. But taken together, its blazing quad-core processor, colorful 5-inch HD screen, sharp-shooting 13-megapixel camera, and mile-high stack of software extras make the Galaxy S4 the most powerful superphone anywhere in the world.

What does the Galaxy S4 have? A better question is: what doesn't it have? There's the 1080p screen, zippy processing speeds that are ideal for gaming, and an IR blaster … Read more