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samsung

Samsung shares a Byline with MetroPCS

Just a week after it launched the ZTE C78, MetroPCS added another new phone to its lineup when it unveiled the Samsung Byline. Also called the SCH-r310, the Byline has a minimalist flip phone with clean lines and a shiny red color.

Features are basic but functional. You'll find text and multimedia messaging, Bluetooth, support for the carrier's ChatLink push-to-talk service, a WAP Web browser, voice recognition, an airplane mode, organizer features, and a speakerphone. We don't know a price yet, but we'll pass on when we do.

Report: Samsung readying Android phone

The latest to line up with word of an entry into the Android phone sweepstakes: Samsung Electronics.

Korea IT News reports that the electronics giant plans to offer a phone based on Google's Android operating system in the second quarter of 2009. The device will be released in North America through Sprint Nextel and T-Mobile USA, according to the report.

"To this end," the report says, Samsung "has added 30 experts in Linux and Java to the task force team of its information and communications division."

T-Mobile was the first carrier to offer an Android-based phone, the G1, … Read more

Whither the iPhone killer?

The iPhone has enjoyed a strong run, leapfrogging RIM to claim second place in the smartphone market with 17.3 market share, as reported in Ars Technica. But will Apple be able to hold or grow its iPhone market position in 2009?

I polled a group of 17-year old neighbors yesterday, asking them what gadgets they crave. Most would love an iPhone but, barring that (due to cost or carrier reasons), one phone that got a lot of praise is the Samsung Glyde. While CNET didn't give it much love, these teens loved the slide-out keyboard. (Giving how often … Read more

Boring Netbook with a great battery? Meet the Samsung NC10

At first glance, Samsung's take on the traditional 10-inch Netbook is about as bland as these tiny little systems get. It lacks the big keyboard of HP's Mini 1000 or the ExpressCard slot of the Lenovo S10, and if you stuck it in a lineup with Netbooks from Acer and MSI, you'd be hard-pressed to pick it out.

The NC10 does, however, have one of the best batteries we've seen in a Netbook, second only to the current 9- and 10-inch Eee PC models from Asus. With about five hours from a not-too-bulky 6-cell battery, it'… Read more

Samsung's svelte 14-inch X460 laptop

We recently reviewed the first handful of systems to come out of Samsung's new American arm, and one of the more interesting ones was the thin and stylish X460, a 14-inch laptop that clearly apes the MacBook Air vibe (a 13-inch version is also available). Unfortunately, even with the cool design, it's too expensive for what you get, and comparable (if boxier) 14-inch systems are as much as $600 less.

If you need the thinnest 14-inch possible, or just love the look, the Samsung X460 is an impressive piece of hardware, but others will find better value elsewhere. … Read more

CES 2009 preview: Portable audio

America's annual Consumer Electronics Show typically isn't a launching pad for new MP3 players. With the iPod's continued domination over the world of portable audio, most MP3 player manufacturers save their big announcements until later in the year--after Macworld shakes out and before a new crop of iPods arrive in September. That said, CES is a great place to spot new iPod accessories, such as speaker docks, video goggles, headphones, and boom boxes. One thing I can say for certain: CES 2009 will be littered with products proclaiming their iPhone 3G compatibility.

Companies such as Iriver are … Read more

New solid-state drives still pack sticker shock

The newest solid-state drives are just starting to hit retail. But would you buy one?

Solid-state drives are attractive because they're generally faster than hard-disk drives, particularly at reading data--generally something PC users spend most of their time doing.

But price is still an obstacle, especially to the frugal consumer.

Sunnyvale, Calif.-based OCZ Technology is now offering some of the most competitively priced solid-state drives based the high-speed Serial ATA (SATA) II interface.

OCZ Vertex SSD drives start at $129 for a 30GB SSD. Other capacities include a 120GB drive for $469 and a 250GB SSD for $869. … Read more