Samsung shows off two new Android devices at its Mobile World Congress shindig--its new Galaxy S II flagship smartphone and its Galaxy Tab 10.1. Here's a look at the event.
Stephen Shankland
Stephen Shankland worked at CNET from 1998 to 2024 and wrote about processors, digital photography, AI, quantum computing, computer science, materials science, supercomputers, drones, browsers, 3D printing, USB, and new computing technology in general. He has a soft spot in his heart for standards groups and I/O interfaces. His first big scoop was about radioactive cat poop.
JK Shin, president of Samsung's mobile communications business, unveils the Galaxy S II smartphone at Mobile World Congress. The phone has a dual-core processor, a quad-core graphics processor, a 4.3 AMOLED screen, and a thickness of 8.49mm.
2 of 19 Stephen Shankland/CNET
Galaxy Tab 10.1
Samsung pioneered the Android tablet market with a 7-inch model that would fit in a jacket pocket. The Galaxy Tab 10.1, though, is closer to the size of Apple's iPad, which dominates the tablet market.
3 of 19 Stephen Shankland/CNET
Samsung Unpacked Dancers
Samsung hired a group of dancers dressed as deliverymen who've been touring Barcelona sights with their packages. They performed for waiting crowds before the Samsung event at Mobile World Congress.
4 of 19 Stephen Shankland/CNET
Throngs of Reporters
Hundreds of members of the news media were on hand to cover Samsung's event, packing the venue to the gills.
5 of 19 Stephen Shankland/CNET
Galaxy Tab Performance
Samsung hired a small orchestra comprised of musicians from the Royal Academy of Music to play a tune that combined stringed instruments with electronic ones controlled by 7-inch Galaxy Tabs.
6 of 19 Stephen Shankland/CNET
JK Shin's vision for mobile
JK Shin, president of Samsung's mobile communications business, sees mobile devices spanning work, home, and the journeys in between.
7 of 19 Stephen Shankland/CNET
JK Shin, president of Samsung's mobile communications business
JK Shin, president of Samsung's mobile communications business, makes his case for the Android-based line of Galaxy products.
8 of 19 Stephen Shankland/CNET
Galaxy S II's NFC support
"Leave your wallet at home," Samsung says by way of touting the Galaxy S II's near-field communication (NFC) processor. NFC lets a phone communicate with payment terminals in stores, public transit systems, tickets for shows, and advertising--at least that's the vision. For now, until there are pay stations in use, you'd better bring your wallet with you.
9 of 19 Stephen Shankland/CNET
Samsung's Reader Hub
Samsung puts four "hubs" on its phone--centers of activity where the company offers software beyond the regular Android collection. One is for reading.
10 of 19 Stephen Shankland/CNET
Flash Player 10.1 support
The Samsung Galaxy S II phone supports Adobe Systems' Flash Player 10.1. Adobe has a major push afoot to spread its software to mobile devices, where it's a rarity, unlike on PCs.
11 of 19 Stephen Shankland/CNET
Thomas Richter touts Samsung's phone
Thomas Richter, manager of Samsung's telecommunications portfolio in Europe, touts the Galaxy S II.
12 of 19 Stephen Shankland/CNET
Samsung lost-phone fixes
If you lose a Galaxy S II, you can use a Web site to make it ring, to put a message on its screen, to track it on a map, to limit and monitor calls, and lock it.
13 of 19 Stephen Shankland/CNET
Andrew Coughlin, head of account for Samsung Europe
Andrew Coughlin, head of account for Samsung Europe, flashed the Galaxy S II.
14 of 19 Stephen Shankland/CNET
Galaxy S II hardware
Samsung's applications processor is one of a host of dual-core models arriving in the Android realm. The phone also has a quad-core graphics processor.
15 of 19 Stephen Shankland/CNET
Galaxy Tab 10.1
A look at the front of the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1. Samsung boasted it will be the best Android tablet.
16 of 19 Stephen Shankland/CNET
Galaxy Tab 10.1
Samsung's Galaxy Tab 10.1 runs Google's Android 3.0, aka Honeycomb. Samsung didn't announce when it plans to ship the tablet or how much it plans to charge.
17 of 19 Stephen Shankland/CNET
Back of Galaxy Tab 10.1
A look at the obverse of the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1.
18 of 19 Stephen Shankland/CNET
JK Shin talks to reporters
After the event, Shin mingled with the crowd.
19 of 19 Stephen Shankland/CNET
Pick up the Tab
Reporters thronged the 15 Galaxy Tab 10.1 tablets on display.
