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Samsung Galaxy Tab missing voice capabilities in USA !

Friday, September 17, 2010 4:40 AM

Posted by best

With every good news, we always have a bad news too. A few hours ago, we told you that Samsung officially announced the Galaxy Tab for AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile and Sprint, that's the good news, and now the bad news. Bad news is that the U.S Galaxy Tab is missing voice capabilities, means you can't make any phone call. Now this is more than a heart attack for people who are looking forward to the Galaxy Tab. I think then no one will going to buy it from a mobile carrier, because if they can't make a phone call, then what's the value of� a 2-year contract. It's better to get a WiFi only version. Another bad news is that the Sprint Samsung Galaxy Tab is coming out without 4G, which is a very bad news for all Sprint customers.

By the way that hurts , what do you think folks?

via Engadget

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Old School Inspired RPG &#39;Undercroft&#39; Resurfaces on the App Store for Free

1:05 AM

Posted by best

If you've been following App Store gaming for a while, you may remember a retro-inspired RPG named Undercroft from developer Rake in Grass. It was a turn-based RPG that replicated the faux first-person exploring of old-school titles that used scaling of 2D images and sprites to simulate a 3D world. Undercroft was released last October to a largely positive reception in our forums, but strangely the title was pulled from the App Store last month. After some confusion as to why, a representative from Rake in Grass informed our forum members that the Undercroft IP and the game engine that it ran on had been sold to fellow developer Jagex, who many may recognize as the creators of the online MMO Runescape but who also have an assortment of titles available for the iPhone.

Due to being busy with several upcoming games, Rake in Grass didn't feel they would have the time or resources to devote to Undercroft and hence turned the title over to Jagex. The old version was taken down, and a new version published under Jagex was sent to the App Store and released earlier today, surprisingly for free. This is essentially the exact same Undercroft that you would have paid $5 for up until last month, and when questioned in our forums about ulterior motives behind this Jagex responded that there are no plans for in-app purchases and Undercroft will remain free for the foreseeable future. There is an unobtrusive advertisement for Runescape on the title screen, but other than that this is the full game for free.

Jagex will support this current version of Undercroft and most likely is working on expansion packs or a sequel to the game. My guess is that they made this version of Undercroft free so as to build up a large user base that would want to buy into these future endeavors. Regardless of any of that, there's no reason not to take a look at Undercroft now that it's free. It may be old-school at the core, but it offers a compelling gameplay experience that lets you build a team from many different classes, complete quests, fight enemies, explore an interesting world, and more. Undercroft was definitely a solid choice for $5 before and is pretty much a no-brainer now that it has returned for free.



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&#39;Fruit Ninja&#39; Version 1.4 Update Brings Online Multiplayer Through Game Center

Thursday, September 16, 2010 10:21 PM

Posted by best

Today developer Halfbrick Studios unleashed the newest update to its wildly popular fruit slicing game Fruit Ninja [99�]. In version 1.4 a brand new multiplayer mode allows you to square off against players online using Apple's Game Center. Upon starting a game, a new option for multiplayer can be chosen which takes you to the Game Center online lobby. From here you can choose to start a new game which will match you up with a random player or you can pick a friend from your Game Center friend list to send them out a request to join a game. As with other Game Center online multiplayer games, matching up is simple, quick, and basically lag-free.

The Fruit Ninja multiplayer mode is also really simple to understand. A series of fruits are tossed up just like they are in a normal game. All of the fruit either have a red, white, or blue border. The blue fruit are your own, and you will gain points including bonuses for combos by slicing them. The red fruit are your opponent's, and if you accidentally slice them it will deduct points from your score. The white fruit are fair game for either party and if you can slice them before your opponent does you'll earn some bonus points for your score. Multiplayer rounds last for one minute, and whoever has the highest score at the end wins. When the round is over you're taken to a post-game lobby where you can choose to rematch against the same opponent or quit back to the menu.�It really is very simple but also a tremendous amount of fun. Things get hectic with so much fruit flying around and trying to slice your own while avoiding your opponents.

The Game Center online multiplayer is pretty much all that is in the Fruit Ninja version 1.4 update, but Halfbrick is planning on bringing even more new features soon. Leaderboards and achievements will be added for Game Center, and according to one of the devs in our forums so will post-game lobby voice chat. Halfbrick also hints that the long-awaited "banana mode" is nearing completion and should be made available in the near future. Another interesting point is that the new Game Center functionality runs in tandem with the existing OpenFeint integration. So upon starting the game you'll get a welcome pop-up from each service, and all of the OpenFeint options are still available from the menu just as they were before. Conceivably, you could disable one or the other and just use a single social service, but the online multiplayer only works with Game Center enabled.

At any rate, this new update to Fruit Ninja is a ton of fun, and I've been pleasantly surprised with how well Game Center multiplayer works and how much it can add to a game. If you own a copy of Fruit Ninja for your iPhone, make sure and grab this latest update and head over to the Game Center username trading thread in our forums to add some friends to your list and partake in some competitive online fruit slicing.



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Official: Samsung Galaxy Tab coming to AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile, and Sprint, also coming to Canda via Rogers and Bell

7:29 PM

Posted by best

SAMSUNG MOBILE EXPANDS GALAXY PRODUCT PORTFOLIO WITH LAUNCH OF SAMSUNG GALAXY TAB™ WITH MULTIPLE U.S. CARRIERS

Designed as a true mobile tablet, Samsung Galaxy Tab™ powered by 7-inch touchscreen, Android 2.2 platform with Flash Player 10.1 and front and rear-facing cameras for video chat support landing soon with AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile and Verizon

DALLAS, September 16, 2010 -Samsung Telecommunications America (Samsung Mobile)1, the No. 1 mobile phone provider in the U.S., today announced the upcoming availability of the Galaxy Tab™ in the U.S with AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile and Verizon Wireless. The first mobile tablet from Samsung shares many of the powerful characteristics of the Galaxy S smart phone lineup that launched this summer. The Galaxy Tab is designed with several enhancements to create a unique mobile experience that other products can't deliver.

The Galaxy Tab features a brilliant 7-inch enhanced TFT display screen, 1GHz Hummingbird Application processor supporting 3D graphics and smooth Web browsing and front and rear-facing cameras for video chat while on-the-go. The Galaxy Tab is powered by Android 2.2™, including full support for Adobe® Flash® Player 10.1. Just like the Galaxy S smart phones, the Galaxy Tab includes Samsung's Social Hub application and the new Media Hub content service, offering a robust collection of premium movies and TV episodes from some of the biggest entertainment companies.

"The addition of Galaxy Tab to the Galaxy product portfolio is a powerful proof point of Samsung's commitment to bring new and innovative mobile experiences to U.S. consumers," said Omar Khan, chief strategy officer for Samsung Mobile. "The 7-inch display and thin, lightweight design, combined with premium content and productivity tools makes the Galaxy Tab a true mobile tablet that is as comfortable to use standing on a crowded train as it is relaxing on the couch at home. The Galaxy Tab is perfect for watching a movie, reading an e-book or catching up with your favorite TV shows or chatting with an old friend. Plus, the Tab's design makes it completely pocketable in your pants or jacket."

Powerful Display, Portable Design
The Galaxy Tab's 7-inch display features enhanced TFT technology, offering brighter colors and clearer pictures, whether watching a movie or reading a book. The display delivers 1024 x 600 WSVGA resolution, offering full support to the Android 2.2 operating system. With support for Flash Player 10.1, the Galaxy Tab delivers an enhanced content experience when compared to other tablets currently available in the U.S. Users can engage with thousands of sites with rich Flash based applications and content including games, animations, rich Internet applications (RIAs), data presentations and visualizations, ecommerce, video, music and more. Samsung's mobile tablet also provides access to the more than 80,000 applications currently available on the Android Market™.

Many of the built-in productivity services and Android applications are scalable to fit the Galaxy Tab's full 7-inch screen. For example, the user's email, calendar and contacts will all rotate from portrait to landscape format through the tablet's accelerometer and then open as a split-screen to create a PC or laptop viewing experience on the Tab. Likewise, many Android Market applications will open in full screen. Non-scalable Android Market applications will be framed and centered on the Galaxy Tab screen.

The Samsung Galaxy Tab is designed for people who want a premium mobile entertainment experience on the go, but don't want to be weighed down by a bulky device. The Galaxy Tab fits in a pocket or purse, weighs only 13 ounces and is 12 millimeters thin. Those super-light and sleek dimensions, matched with the 7-inch touchscreen display allows the Galaxy Tab to easily fit into a jeans' backpocket or the inside pocket of a jacket. The compact design of Galaxy Tab also makes it easy for the user to type on the virtual keyboard with both thumbs or with one hand using Swype technology to type with one continuous finger motion across the keyboard.

Two Cameras, One-on-One Video Chat
The Galaxy Tab is designed with a rear-facing 3 megapixel camera for taking pictures on-the-go and sharing with family and friends. The Tab is also outfitted with a front-facing 1.3 megapixel camera and camcorder, enabling video chat with other people who have video conferencing capabilities. Users can align the Galaxy Tab with video chat clients including Qik and Fring and seamlessly talk with other people over a WiFi connection.

Google Mobile Services Benefits
Services like Google Maps™ Navigation (Beta) and Google Goggles are available on Google's Android platform. With useful location-based services like Google Maps™, consumers can search in Standard English instead of entering an exact address. A search-by-voice function is just as intuitive, meaning searches can also be completed easily on the go. Google Goggles™ is a powerful, visual search tool that uses the Samsung GALAXY Tab's camera to uncover information � an image of a landmark or artwork is automatically used to perform a search, delivering relevant content like a description or history. In addition, with a camera, users can enjoy various augmented reality services which are downloadable in the application market.

Samsung Social Hub Simplifies
Just like the Samsung Galaxy S smart phone portfolio, the Galaxy Tab keep users connected with Samsung's Social Hub application. Social Hub works with the user's Messaging and Contacts to initiate the sending and receiving of information, whether it is e-mail, instant messaging, social network updates or SMS messages. Additionally, calendar information from portal calendars, such as Google Calendar, and social networking services are displayed together in one calendar with two-way synchronization.

Additional features of the Galaxy Tab include:
� Daily Briefing: Offers instant access to weather, news, stocks, and schedules.
� Impressive Onboard & Expandable Memory: Galaxy Tab can add 32 GB of external memory to store and manage your favorite video content and pictures.
� AllShare DLNA Technology: Take video or pictures shot with Galaxy Tab and send content wirelessly to other DLNA-enabled devices (HDTVs, laptops, PC monitors, etc.)
� Document Viewer & Editor: Open and make changes to any Word, Excel, Powerpoint or PDF document
� 4,000 mAh Battery: Super-sized battery provides ample power to watch movies, share content and surf the Web

Samsung Media Hub � Entertaining the Masses
In addition, the Galaxy Tab will include future access to Media Hub, Samsung's own content service, offering a vast lineup of critically acclaimed films and TV programs for rent or purchase. Samsung is working with the biggest and best names in entertainment, including MTV Networks, NBC, Paramount and Universal Studios Home Entertainment to assemble a full library of movies and TV programming, including new release films, next day TV episodes and even full TV show seasons. Media Hub also allows the user to expand the entertainment experience, allowing content purchased to permanently own to be shared with up to five devices that carry the Media Hub application.

Premium Accessories Portfolio
To enhance the Galaxy Tab user experience even further, a set of accessories designed specifically for the mobile tablet are available for purchase from www.Samsung.com including:

Keyboard Dock � $99.99
� Ergonomic, comfortable full-size keyboard with 7? Galaxy Tab replaceable inserts that doubles as a charger for power and synchronization of media and data
� Dock contains convenient stereo audio output jack for connecting to speakers or home stereo
Desktop Dock � $49.99
� Doubles as a Galaxy Tab charger using the Micro USB wall adapter that comes with the Tab; allows users to view movies, display as a digital picture frame and listen to music
� HDMI output to view HD content on HDTV enabled with 1080p resolution and provides HDTV connection to play content from the Galaxy Tab to a television
Car/GPS Dock � $99.99
� Conveniently positions 7? Galaxy Tab display screen inside car for turn-by-turn GPS navigation instructions and traffic updates
� Attachable to either the windshield or car dashboard and rotates freely between landscape and portrait modes

Upcoming Availability
The Samsung Galaxy Tab portfolio of mobile tablets from AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile and Verizon Wireless will be available in the coming months. For additional information on the Samsung Galaxy Tab portfolio, please visit www.samsung.com/galaxytab.

1 Number one mobile phone provider in the U.S claim for Samsung Mobile based upon reported shipment data, according to Strategy Analytics, Q2 2010 U.S. Market Share Handset Shipments Reports.

About Samsung Telecommunications America
Samsung Telecommunications America, LLC, a Dallas-based subsidiary of Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., researches, develops and markets wireless handsets and telecommunications products throughout North America. For more information, please visit www.samsungwireless.com.

About Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. is a global leader in semiconductor, telecommunication, digital media and digital convergence technologies with 2009 consolidated sales of US$116.8 billion. Employing approximately 188,000 people in 185 offices across 65 countries, the company consists of eight independently operated business units: Visual Display, Mobile Communications, Telecommunication Systems, Digital Appliances, IT Solutions, Digital Imaging, Semiconductor and LCD. Recognized as one of the fastest growing global brands, Samsung Electronics is a leading producer of digital TVs, memory chips, mobile phones and TFT-LCDs. For more information, please visit www.samsung.com.

Verizon Wireless Announces Its First Mobile Tablet, the Samsung Galaxy Tab™

Delivers Premium Mobile Entertainment Experience through 7-Inch Touch Screen Display, Android 2.2 Platform, Front and Rear-Facing Cameras, Entertainment Applications and 1GHz Application Processor

BASKING RIDGE, N.J., and DALLAS, Sept. 16 /PRNewswire/ � Verizon Wireless and Samsung Telecommunications America (Samsung Mobile) today announced that the Samsung Galaxy Tab™ will launch in the coming weeks. Equipped with a brilliant 7-inch touch screen and a 1GHz Cortex A8 Hummingbird Application processor, the Galaxy Tab will provide customers with a robust HTML Web browsing experience.

"The Samsung Galaxy Tab is an exciting addition to the Verizon Wireless Android portfolio," said John Stratton, executive vice president and chief marketing officer for Verizon Wireless. "Coupled with the nation's largest 3G network, the Galaxy Tab is a powerhouse that will be as exciting to use as it is practical for both consumers and business customers."

Verizon Wireless will introduce the Galaxy Tab with a number of exclusive applications such as V CAST Music with Rhapsody®, V CAST Video on Demand, V CAST Song ID, VZ Navigator®, along with games "Let's Golf" and "N.O.V.A."

"As we head into the holiday travel season," Stratton added, "We expect customers will find the Galaxy Tab is the perfect traveling companion � download a book to the Kindle™ eReader, and you won't miss your favorite paperback. Tune in to Slacker Radio, and create your own custom station or choose from over 100 expert, preprogrammed radio stations from every genre. You can even download a movie and take advantage of a screen large enough to enjoy all the action."

The Galaxy Tab refines the mobile multimedia experience by offering full support for Adobe Flash 10.1 for video and mobile gaming and an integrated entertainment, multimedia and social networking experience. An image of the Galaxy Tab is available at: http://news.vzw.com/images/releases/Samsung-Galaxy-Tab.jpg. The Galaxy Tab will be available in the coming weeks in Verizon Wireless Communications Stores and online at www.verizonwireless.com.

Key features:

* Enhanced TFT display with WSVGA resolution � Offers brighter colors and clearer pictures and delivers 1024 x 600 resolution whether watching a movie or reading a book
* Rear-facing, 3MP camera and camcorder � AutoFocus captures DVD quality video
* Front-facing, 1.3-megapixel camera and camcorder � Enables video chat (Wi-Fi® only) with other people who have video conferencing capabilities (applications available in Android Market™).
* Corporate Email � Supports Android 2.2 Exchange ActiveSync e-mail to synchronize corporate e-mail, contacts and calendars from office e-mail accounts
* Wi-Fi® connectivity (802.11 b/g/n) and 3G Mobile Hotspot support
* Built-in 2 GB internal memory with 16 GB pre-installed microSD™ expandable to 32 GB
* 4,000 mAh Battery � Provides ample power to watch movies, share content and surf the Web for hours
* Ultra thin and weighing less than a pound � For users who don't want to be weighed down by adding a mobile tablet to their pocket or purse

Lifestyle features:

* Samsung Social Hub � Built around messaging, contacts and calendar sync, which allows users to send and receive daily activities, whether it is e-mail, social network updates or SMS messages
* Customizable touch screen menu with drag-and-drop widgets



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