Galaxy S 4: What's Happening Now, Event Later This Evening

Source of videos: Engadget.

For those who want to watch Samsung's Galaxy S 4 unveiling live tonight, you can follow it on Samsung's Youtube page.  Honestly, I do hope more folks do their media events this way.  Live blogging is fun but only for the snarky comments from readers.

Here are some supposedly leaked videos of the next Samsung flagship Android device, the Galaxy S 4, in action.  It’s enough to wet our appetites until the official unveiling tonight.  There’s a lot of festivities going on prior to tonight’s main event.

Obviously, we have the leak videos as well as some interesting Samsung videos to promote the S4.  I won’t put them up.  It was unfortunate that I had to sit through it already.  I won’t make you do the same.

Oh, and there are obviously a lot of bloggers across the wide spectrum of fanboyism chiming in on this.  Let’s not forget the pundits, both paid and click-baiting ones.

And of course, let’s not forget Apple’s Phil Schiller’s offensive/defensive (depending on which side of the Android or iOS you come down on) against Android in general with some unprecedented interviews with the Wall Street Journal and Bloomberg.

Already, Samsung’s competitors like LG has some media disruptions planned already with billboards in NY.

And for those of us looking at the dry well from Apple lately, if Apple wanted to draw attention from the Galaxy S 4 unveiling, today would be a good day for them to announcement some kind of forthcoming media even for whatever they might have up their sleeves.

Anyway, we know what Blackberry has in store, HTC with its One, Nokia already has its fleet of Windows 8 devices, Apple with the iPhone 5, and Google with the Nexus 4.  Now, it's Samsung's turn.  And believe it or not, the onus is on Samsung to wow us.

Ad Dollars: Samsung Beating Apple Here, Rest of Market Don't Stand A Chance

Source:  CNET.

The iPhone is still one of the best selling device on the market with the Galaxy S III coming in probably pretty close.  And on the whole, Samsung does out-ship Apple in terms of units while Apple has more than 2X the industry revenue (or was it profit too?).  It's a tug of war.  But in terms of ad dollars spent, Samsung has Apple out-gunned by almost $70 million.

But that's not the issue here.  The issue is the $410 million that Samsung spent and the $333 million that Apple spent to promote their gears.

Seriously, I just don't see this kind of arsenal from Nokia, Blackberry, or HTC.  It's no wonder the mobile race has come down to iPhone versus Android.

Oops...I mean iPhone versus Galaxy.  With the Galaxy S 4 coming, looking for Samsung to promote the heck out of it and Apple to continue to show users what they can do with iPhones.

Baseless Apple Speculations No Longer Just Hurt Imaginary Products, Also Really Ones Too

iWatch again.  I’m really tried of it.  First, Apple needed to release an iWatch or else it’ll be doomed as analysts suggest.  Now, it’s iWatch ain’t gonna do a thing to save Apple.

Seriously, on what freaking planet are these analysts from?  Forget tech pundits.  Pundits and bloggers all have something in the mobile horse race – either as supporters or with axes to grind.  But what about Wall Street analysts?

I’m not going to link to particular post because it’s just insane these days.  More recently, you’ve got an analyst who talked up the iWatch and only to downgrade it because he doesn’t think it’ll do Apple much good.  All of that on a non-existent product!

Oh, then there’s another analyst who year after year said that Apple will release its own HDTV.  And through it all, he upgraded or downgraded the stock based on stuff going on in his nut-job mind, again, based on a product that Apple may never bring to the market.

Here’s the bottom-line, my fellow mobile warriors.  This craziness is exactly why we try not to get into this game.  Sure, we speculate.  It’s fun.  Harmless and I said it each time right at the top.  However, it’s just me and some friends talking.  Nothing more.

If I’m Tim Cook, I’d be like “frak this…let’s tank the Apple stock some more and finance a takeover plan with the cash and take Apple private”.  Issue like a $500 billion bond which is probably more of a sure thing than any sovereign debt these days.

It wouldn’t solve the rumors/pundits issue but it sure would shut the analysts up since they wouldn’t be able to cover Apple anymore.

Note:  I honestly didn't know where this post was going to go but it always come down to people make stuff up based on shady sources to get clicks for ad revenues.

Tablet: Microsoft, Give Up On RT

Source:  Investors.

I genuinely was rooting for Surface RT to take root.  I really thought there was something there.  Maybe there still is.  But right now, I'm not so sure.  The IBD article pointed out something important that Apple and Google seemed to have avoided so far:  With Surface RT and Pro, Microsoft is bungling the message to consumers.

Apple has iOS for the iPhone and iPad.  OS X for Macs.  Message there is clear.  Google has Android for mobile devices while Chrome OS for netbooks.  I'm even fine with Google merging Android and Chrome OS (it'll happen too, mark my word).

However, none of the above mentioned products really compete with one another.  In some cases, they complement each other.  That's not the case with RT and Pro.

Rather, it's RT versus Pro.

Leaked Video of Samsung Galaxy 4

Source:  Appleinsider.

Here's a leaked video of the upcoming Samsung Galaxy S 4.  It's typical Samsung design but for some reason, I think it's better than the S3, which is a very good thing.

It's approaching the size of the Galaxy Note 2, so you'll have to decide if you putting this thing next to your head is something you want to do.  I've already decided any calls I make will be via a headset for devices that are 4.5" and up.

As you can see, it's definitely comfortable to use with one hand for some functions.  I personally never bought into Apple's stance on the iPhone having to be used with one hand.  I get what they're trying to say but you can design a phone and apps for one-handed use especially if you do a lot of scrolling.

Samsung has recognize that phones aren't just phones anymore.  They're mobile devices for a fast evolving society that wants to do more on the go.  They figure bigger screens could be key.  I agree.  There's still a different between these phablets and tablets.  The line is still quite distinct if somewhat fuzzy.

Still, consider this is the size of a moleskin notebook, I'm gonna welcome it as a productivity and media consumption device, but not as a phone.

  

Retina Display Macbook Pro's Battery Life Outlasts Competitors - No Surprise Here

Source:  Which via Macdailynews.

Which is a new site to me but their results on the Macbook Pro with Retina Display's battery life should be no surprise to anyone.  Apple's legendary battery life in Macbooks is well known but it's good to see this fact affirmed once more.


Their result gave the 13" model 388 minutes or 6.5 hours, 30 minutes short of Apple's own numbers.  However, you don't want to read too much into that because testing methods likely vary.  For the most part, my own experience shows that Apple's numbers are conservative but right on target.

iPhone Reliablity: Something To Brag About But Cupertino Probably Won't

Source:  Tamba Bay Times (NYT).

Apple's iPhone's reliability rating is almost 3X that of its closest competitor.  1.5X, okay.  2X would get a wow from me.  However, the iPhone being three times better than Samsung?

Well, it'll be interesting to see how FixYa's rating methodology came to this conclusion.  Regardless, it's pretty safe to conclude the iPhone is very reliable and Apple's legendary quality persists under Tim Cook's reign.

However, I don't think it's something that Apple should brag about.  Nor will they.  First, word of mouth is probably good enough.  Second, there is still a lot of room for improvement.

Battery life.  Yup, that's our main concern.  Come on, Apple.  With iPhone 5S or 6, try for 4X better than anyone.