Galaxy Tab sales soar past 1 million mark

Samsung Galaxy Tab continues to pick up sales momentum.

 

 

In late November, Samsung said it had sold 600,000 Galaxy Tab units worldwide. This week, the company announced it had sold upwards of a million Galaxy Tabs – and again predicted that it would hit the 1.5 million-unit-sold mark by the beginning of next year.  

The Galaxy Tab is currently available on 120 carriers in 64 countries, including France, the UK, and the US.
The device has earned solid marks from reviewers, despite its 7-inch screen, which Apple CEO Steve Jobs once publicly derided as too small for most users. In a positive review of the Galaxy Tab in the New York Times, David Pogue noted that "Samsung sweated the details on this thing. The screen is gorgeous. The touch response is immediate and reliable. The whole thing is superfast and a pleasure to use."
Four carriers in the US offer the Galaxy Tab, including Verizon, T-Mobile, and Sprint. AT&T was the most recent carrier to begin selling the Galaxy Tab; the AT&T edition comes unlocked, and users do not have to sign a service contract. AT&T also offers the cheapest monthly data plan, at $15 for 250MB. By comparison, T-Mobile charges $25 for 200MB of data per month, but sells the Tab for the subsidized price of $400, providing you enter into a contract.
So is a million units sold a big deal for the Galaxy Tab? Absolutely. But Samsung still lags far behind Apple, which has reportedly sold upwards of 7 million iPads since the launch of that device in April. Meanwhile, rumors continue to percolate that Apple is preparing an iPad 2 – complete with a pair of cameras and a USB port – which would do a whole lot to steal the thunder from Samsung and its Galaxy Tab.

iPad still dominates tablets, but alternative devices offer interesting trade-offs

 

It's not quite accurate to say that only two categories of tablet exist: the iPad and Everything That's Not the iPad. But that description isn't far off.
Apple's $499-and-up touch-screen device continues to define this category, more than half a year after its arrival in stores. If you've ever used an iPhone or an iPod Touch, you know how to use this thing. If not, the odds are good that a friend can teach you in a few minutes. The iPad also benefits from an enormous and growing selection of applications written for its 9.7-inch screen.
Of the six iPad configurations, the entry-level, Wi-Fi-only, 16-gigabyte model remains the best choice in most cases. The extra memory of pricier versions won't matter to most users, while the 3G iPad'smobile-broadband access will be almost as irrelevant to users who only take it from their home to a friend's or to a Wi-Fi-equipped coffee shop.
But Apple's tablet misses some marks of its own. Without a camera, it's shut out of FaceTime video calls with iPhone, iPod Touch and Mac users. Its need to be connected to a computer for setup and operating-system updates makes it unusable as somebody's only means of accessing the Web. More than six months after its launch, it can't be too long before a new version arrives. And even $499 can be a lot of money.
If not the iPad, what else?
Samsung's Galaxy Tab, by its specifications and features alone, would be the obvious choice for iPad refuse-niks. But this smaller, lighter Android device doesn't have an equally shrunken price- largely because it's sold only in 3G versions customized for the major wireless carriers. So either you sign up for a two-year wireless-data contract (which only lowers the Tab's price to $399.99 at best) or you pay "unsubsidized" prices of $599.99 or $649.99.
The Galaxy Tab does include front and back video cameras, a browser that can play Adobe Flash content (sometimes after a pause or a stutter), and access to the Android Market (though some apps fail to fill the screen and most aren't customized for that larger space). But its video-calling software comes nowhere near the ease of Apple's FaceTime. And Samsung earns an extra foul for shipping this thing with a proprietary data/power USB connector - who does this company think it is, Apple?
If not the Tab, what else?
Here's where the market gets fragmented.
For now, the most interesting iPad alternative looks to be Barnes & Noble's NookColor. Although the bookstore chain pitches this $249 Wi-Fi tablet as an e-book reader, it also can serve as a good Web-access tool. Its seven-inch color LCD doesn't exhibit the Tab's distracting pauses to redraw text after scrolling or zooming in, and its simplicity means there's less to learn overall.
You read books and magazines on this thing; you browse the Web; you can carry around photos and music and a movie or two on its 8 GB of internal storage; you can run some simple apps. (The NookColor runs a pruned version of Android without access to the Android Market, although B&N plans to offer its own catalogue of simpler programs later on.) That's it.
For half the price of an iPad, it seems a reasonable trade-off - even if you never buy an e-book from B&N's store.
(Unfortunately, the NookColor's USB cable looks like a standard micro-USB connector but is just different enough to render it useless with other devices. Who does this company think it is, Samsung?)
If you step into any electronics store, you'll probably also see a variety of Android tablets from companies you may have never heard of. Tread carefully. Although their prices and features can look appealing, many of these devices run slowly and ship with outdated versions of Android. Some don't include the Android Market, either. If you can't confirm that one of these things offers at least the 2.1 version of Android and the Market, avoid it.
The cheapest tablet computers of all aren't usually thought of as computers: e-book readers such as Amazon's Kindle (still the best of this contingent, although it's due for its own update). Some e-readers advertise Web access, but don't kid yourself - browsing the Web on the sluggish, gray-scale "e-ink"displays of these devices is nowhere near the experience of even the worst no-name Android tablets. You buy these devices to read books, magazines and newspapers - in particular, outdoors, where e-ink screens look far more legible than standard LCDs. Everything else is a pleasant bonus at best.
Remember, though, that most e-book stores sell titles in proprietary formats locked down with "digital rights management" restrictions that make them unreadable on competing devices. Until that changes-Google's upcoming, Web-centric e-book store could give the market a shove - it would be a mistake to invest too much in either e-book hardware or titles.
On that note, if you're still unsure of what to get in a tablet device of any sort, it's not a bad time to wait. Between the uncertain timing of an update to the iPad and the arrival of a tablet-optimized 3.0 version of Android and such upcoming alternatives as Research In Motion's PlayBook and possible tablets running an upgraded version of HP's Palm WebOS software, there are good reasons to wish the gift-giving season could be pushed back six months.

DOLCE & GABBANA AND CHELSEA FC:

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DOLCE & GABBANA AND CHELSEA FC:
THE ITALIAN STYLE MEETS ENGLISH FOOTBALL LEGENDS

Dolce&Gabbana and Chelsea Football Club announce signing a three-year partnership in which the style of Dolce&Gabbana will once again meet the prestige of an internationally renowned football club.
In addition to providing the formal club suits, the iconic fashion house will create the “Dolce&Gabbana Lounge” in the West Stand at Stamford Bridge as well as redesigning the club’s main office reception.
“We are really happy about this partnership and to be able to link our name to such a prestigious club like Chelsea. We are big football fans, for us it means healthy competition, intense passion and great discipline. Football players are style icons both on and off the pitch and, on top of this, there is our love of England and of London, which have always been a source of inspiration for our work.”
Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana
“We are delighted that Dolce&Gabbana will be our official supplier of formal wear for the next three years. Their designs for this season’s team wear are exceptional, and we’re excited to be partnering with such a world renowned, and innovative design house.
In addition to dressing the team, Dolce&Gabbana’s comprehensive redesign of the club’s directors’ lounge and other key areas of the stadium will also serve to showcase our relationship over the next few seasons.”
Ron Gourlay, CEO Chelsea Football Club.

Picture By Arsalan Jilani 

PlayStation Phone

PlayStation Phone may be Shown on Dec. 9

 

 

 

 

Three days ago, Sony Ericsson CEO Bert Nordberg hinted about making "noise" at the Mobile World Congress 2011 in Barcelona. Yes, the Sony Ericsson PlayStation Phone indeed is in works and would be shown earlier than expected. French website Nowhereelse.fr claims to have received an invitation from Sony Ericsson regarding the 'most anticipated' presentation scheduled on December 9. Apparently, the invite carries icons of PlayStation Buttons along with a phone icon.

Sony Ericsson's invite in French mentions about SE France CEO Pierre Peron making the most anticipated presentation of the last 10 years. Indeed it's going to be PlayStation Phone with the phone icon along with the other PlayStation brand gaming buttons - Cross, Circle, Triangle and Square. Apparently there's no textual mention of the PlayStation Phone but the icons give a clear indication. According to the recent trends in high-end Android smartphones, PlayStation Phone may have 1GHz CPU, 512MB ROM, 512MB ROM, 8-megapixel camera, Touchpad in slide out panel that has one analog stick with multi-touch pad and 4.0-inch touchscreen that shows Android 2.3 Gingerbread running on it.

Carrying the PlayStation Go form factor, the PlayStation Phone will have directional buttons and game buttons just like the on company's handheld console on the slide out panel. The slide out panel will also have a touch pad in the center. 

Earlier this week, Sony Ericsson France CEO Pierre Peron stated, "With Windows 7 we run the risk of standardising our smartphones. We would be obliged to compete only on design on price, which we want to avoid."

This comment was made in reference to the high growing sales of Android based Sony Ericsson phones. Peron stated that the company prefers Android since it allows more product differentiating in Sony Ericsson handsets. 

At the presentation, the PlayStation Phone might be just shown and then official launch with fanfare might take place at the MWC. Let's not forget that Sony Ericsson Xperia X12 Anzu was leaked earlier this month. This might be a teaser to Xperia X12 with PlayStation Store digital content distribution service. Think of it this way - Sony already has premium content service with all mini games content like PSP Minis.

 

Nordberg had mentioned earlier that the real challenge before launching PlayStation Phone is negotiating the right issues with game publishers. Hence, I suppose, this presentation might be a sneak peak to what the PlayStation Phone is about and a possible PSN service for the phone.

Now we eagerly wait for December 9 for Sony Ericsson to make the presentation of this decade.

Google Will Throw A Tablet With Chrome Before End Of Year

 

 The signature of Mountain View is proving the platform in two teams with name in code " Mario " and " Andretti ".

Google might introduce his operating system Chrome OS before 2010 finishes. The company planned December as its date to throw the Tablet, although much is speculated about if this version will be a beta and not a definitive edition.

The arrival of the SO to the market might happen in a netbook with mark Google that the house would be creating for the occasion, would being provided with a partner manufacturer as it was already doing in other developments of hardware as that of  Nexus One.

At present, the company of the big one G is doing numerous tests with Chrome with two teams with name in key "Mario" and " Andretti " that would be the base of new miniportable this one, who would stand out for speeds of load.

These denominations related to driver of software were started allowing to see in the records of Google in the middle of October and since then its use has been increasing in the testing of bugs.

For the users who before these information ask themselves how Android and Chrome will coexist OS, Eric Schmidt - CEO of Google - has a re-watching response:

" We do not want to say that it does one a thing and other one. But yes it is true that till now Android has turned out to be ideal for a tactile interaction and Chrome OS suitably to give solutions based on the keyboard ".

The analysts, for his part, believe that the fall of selling and penetration of the netbooks will do that the operating system of Google fails noisy.

Grace Dent's TV OD: The Royal Wedding

'The wedding will give rise to some of the most obsequious royal bum-licking ever on TV'

I've witnessed the shape of TV in 2011. It's right royally silly. In the Lorraine Show studio last week, TV chef Ed Baines is mashing up spready cheese and bacon bits before stuffing it in ready-roll vol-au-vent cases. "So, Ed," says Lorraine, cruising in auto-cheery mode, "This could be the kind of nibble the royal couple might have on their big day?!" "Could be!" says Ed. Lorraine points at a pile of chocolate cupcakes so vividly iced Amy Childs wouldn't tolerate them at an Essex Penazzle evening. "Here's a cake we thought Wills and Kate might go for!" Lorraine says. What a spread!

Until then I'd never seen Prince Albert of Monaco as a meat paste bap or cheesy football kind of man, but in this new world of flagrant conjecture, my brain's relaxing into it. On a rival channel, the bloke who taught Kate Middleton grade one piano 17 years ago is concluding, "She prefered sport, really"; meanwhile, a brunette called Louise Lynn is proclaiming herself Britain's foremost Kate Middleton lookalike. The only way Louise will be mistaken for Kate is if she waits in the doorway of Moorfields Eye Hospital, ambushing cataract patients. Expect to see much, much more of these people.

Like aristo Ben from Big Brother 11, for example, the one with the Lady Di bouffant; prepare for lots more of him. Ben went to St Andrews with Kate and Will and is willing, for a small fee, to recall the couple walking "to" lectures, walking "back" from lectures and sometimes even shopping in a supermarket. Ben hasn't revealed what they bought, but I'm guessing Jus-Rol vol-au-vent pastry, Primula cheese, bacon bits and conditioner for Kate's lovely hair, which uni friends now remember as the loveliest, most fragrant hair ever grown out of a head in the whole of Christendom.

Be sure this wedding next April will give rise to some of the most obsequious and gag reflex-testing royal bum-licking by sources close to the couple, all jockeying for power, ever permitted on TV since New Labour. Because Kate wasn't just a pretty girl at college, as Jules Knight from Blake will be recalling on ITV2 every week from now until next summer – she was the prettiest girl in the whole of St Andrews. Cue stock shots of Kate at a fashion show in a see-though net frock, showing her pants, with a voiceover by Jules, Ben or close friend Jessica Kay remembering this night with the breathless wonder one reserves for a child's first steps. Cue the sounds of TV runners poking awake Princess Di's designers David and Elizabeth Emanuel, who've been in cryogenic sleep for 20 years but are now back in demand to create TV content about Kate's potential dress, which they could be asked to design but won't, because the last time they did they invented something so vast it could have been chucked over the Albert Hall as winter insulation.

Whatever Kate wears now will be watched carefully by Hollywood star Anne Hathaway, already Saturday Night Live's go-to girl for a prim Middleton impression. SNL's first skit appeared to portray our beloved Prince Philip (played by Bill Hader) as a crass, sweary social liability. "When it comes to stuff at the palace," the Queen tells Kate, "don't be asking questions like, 'Where did you get this vase? Or, 'Where's that throne from?' Cos chances are we nicked it."

Back in the UK, in the absence of cutting satire, we have instead ITV's Tom Bradby, the hottest name in British royal reporting, giving us a glimpse of the real royals. Tom won the exclusive interview with Will and Kate post-engagement. The one where they stood side-by-side showing the very same ring Di and Charles showed in 1981, saying the same types of things about love the nation accepted as fact once before. Tom's wife Claudia used to work designing jewellery with Kate at Jigsaw, in the little job Kate held down four days a week, before it all became too much for her. But now Kate's going to be Queen, and Tom's going to be a star, and I'm going to sit on my arse writing about it. So, to be honest, it's worked out rather well for all of us …

Build Stronger Bones

Instructions

1. Eat a diet high in calcium and vitamin D. Some good foods are dark green leafy vegetables, broccoli, sardines, salmon, kelp, oysters and dairy products.
   
   
2. Try not to eat whole grains and calcium-rich foods at the same time. Whole grains contain a substance that binds with calcium and prevents proper absorption.
   
   
3. Enjoy foods that contain sulfur. Good ones are garlic and onions.
   
   
4. Pass on phosphate-containing foods such as soft drinks. Phosphorus causes the body to excrete calcium.
   
   
5. Limit or avoid high-protein animal foods. A diet high in protein causes calcium to be excreted from your body.
   
   
6. Decrease caffeine consumption.
   
   
7. Exercise daily if possible. Weight-bearing exercise, such as running, weight lifting or dancing, is best for bone health.
   
   
8. Add supplements of calcium, magnesium and vitamin D if you aren't sure that you are getting enough in your diet.
   
   
9. Supplement your diet with silica; it helps your body absorb calcium.
   
   
10. Add bone-building herbs to your diet. Alfalfa, barley grass, dandelion root, nettle, parsley and rose hips are a few good ones. Take as a tea, tincture or tablets.
    

Tips & Warnings

• Any age is a good time to build healthy bones, but the younger you are when you start, the better your chances of avoiding osteoporosis.
• It is always appropriate to consult with your doctor before adding supplements or herbs to your diet.
• Studies have shown that walking and running are better for building strong bones than other activities, including working out on step-climbing machines or stationary bikes.