From Ars Technica: Report: Samsung Galaxy S III to have 1080p screen, quad-core processor


Samsung has no plans to officially announce the Galaxy S III at Mobile World Congress this year, but information on the handset is trickling out anyway, according to Boy Genius Report. Among the phone’s more interesting features are a quad-core processor, 1080p screen, and a ceramic case.

The successor to the universally beloved Galaxy S and Galaxy S II will have a 1.5GHz quad-core Samsung Exynos processor, the same make as in certain versions of the S II. The phone will have a 4.8-inch 1080p 16:9 screen, 0.15 inches larger than the Samsung Galaxy Nexus. Without a reference for scale in the mockup above, the display’s margins are small enough for it to look like a flat panel TV.

An 8-megapixel camera will adorn the back and a 2-megapixel camera will be embedded in the front of the Galaxy S III. The handset will have a “ceramic case” and will run Android 4, though no details yet on whether Samsung plans to skin the OS with a new version of its TouchWiz. Android 4 has already undergone a skinning job from HTC’s Sense with its new line of Android 4 smartphones.

The Galaxy S III will be 4G LTE-capable, according to BGR, but a carrier has not been specified. Information on the launch date, likewise, remains murky, but we wouldn’t expect it much later than the second quarter, and certainly no later than the third.

 

from Ars Technica

From Ars Technica: Apple, labor group comment on Chinese factories ahead of shareholder meeting


The Fair Labor Association (FLA), which has partnered with Apple in order to perform independent audits of its suppliers in China, says it has so far found “tons of issues” at a Foxconn plant in Shenzen. The comments came during the same week as an ABC News television report on Foxconn, which has prompted Foxconn, Apple, and the FLA to each issue their own response to parts of the report. Meanwhile, it seems likely that Apple CEO Tim Cook will be asked by labor groups to address working conditions at Apple’s suppliers during the company’s shareholder meeting scheduled to take place today.

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from Ars Technica

From Engadget: Renesas MP5232 SoC promises dual-core processing and LTE connectivity for less cash

Renesas' latest MP5232 SoC promises dual-core processing and LTE connectivity for less cash

There’s a trend underfoot to bring high-end smartphone capabilities down to a price that even Joe Sixpack is willing to swill. We saw evidence of this from MediaTek earlier in the week, and now the crew at Renesas is looking to join the race with its MP5232 system on a chip (SoC). This entrant touts a 1.5GHz dual-core CPU, along with HSPA+ and LTE radios on the same chip — much like offerings from competitors Qualcommand ST-Ericsson. Renesas estimates that with its SoC, a smartphone can be delivered to the customer for as little as $150 — mind you, carrier subsidies should be able to swallow the rest. Renesas is also pushing its chip to tablet makers, and expects products with its internals to reach consumers in as little as six to nine months. If you’re an OEM (or just wanna pretend), you’ll find the full PR after the break.

Continue reading Renesas MP5232 SoC promises dual-core processing and LTE connectivity for less cash

 

from Engadget