Samsung Galaxy R

As expected, the Galaxy R maintains the look and many of the features of the Galaxy S II, but it swaps out some of the components in order to reach a lower price point than its flagship sibling.


From the front, the Galaxy R looks almost identical to the Galaxy S II, though its screen is slightly smaller at 4.2 inches in size, compared to the S II's 4.3-inch display. The Super AMOLED Plus display that we love so much on the S II has been swapped out for a Super Clear LCD, a move that likely saves a bit of money in manufacturing costs. The R is a bit thicker than its paper-thin sibling, as it measures 125.7mm x 66.7mm x 9.55mm (4.95in x 2.63in x 0.38in) and weighs 131g (4.62oz). The fantastic 8 megapixel shooter on the S II has been swapped out for a 5 megapixel unit that only records 720p (1280 x 720 pixel) video - no 1080p HD here. A 1.3 megapixel camera is on the front for video chat duties. 8GB of internal memory is supplied, and the R supports microSD cards up to 32GB in capacity.
Samsung claims the R has a dual-core processor, but it does not specify the clock speed or model of it. Some have speculated that the R features an NVIDIA Tegra 2 processor clocked at 1GHz, as opposed to the Samsung Exynos unit in the S II that runs at 1.2GHz. The R gets its juice from a 1650mAh battery that is said to provide 9.7 hours of talk time or almost 23 days of standby.

Software-wise, the Galaxy R is very similar to the S II, as it runs Android 2.3 Gingerbread and the latest version of Samsung's TouchWiz interface, complete with various "Hubs" for different activities. Samsung says the Galaxy R is due to hit European markets at the end of July, and will eventually make it to various parts of Asia.

Galaxy R Specifications:

Network: HSPA ＋ 21Mbps / HSUPA 5.76Mb EDGE/GPRS Class 12
Processor: Dual Core Application Processor
Display: 4.19” WVGA Super Clear LCD
OS: Android 2.3 (Gingerbread)
Camera: Main(Rear): 5 MP, AF with LED Flash; Front: 1.3MP
Video Codec : MPEG4/H.263/H.264/H263.Sorenson/Divx/Xvid/VC-1
Playback : Full HD 1080p@30fps(Divx, WMV, MP4, H.264 B/P only)
Recording : HD 720p@30fps
Audio Codec : MP3, OGG, AAC, AAC＋, eAAC＋, AMR-NB, AMR-WB, WMA, WAV, MID, AC3, IMY, AAC(Mono)
Music Player with SoundAlive EQ, Music Recognition
3.5mm Ear Jack, Stereo FM Radio with RDS

Value-added Features: Samsung Apps; Samsung Kies 2.0; Samsung Kies air; Samsung TouchWiz; Samsung L!ve Panel UX
Social Hub: Integrated Contacts, Integrated Calendar, Unified Inbox; Basic: POP3/IMAP Email & Google Talk IM
Readers Hub
Music Hub
Game Hub
Voice Solution
Find My Mobile

Connectivity: Bluetooth technology v 3.0 ＋ HS; USB 2.0 HS; Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n; Wi-Fi direct
Sensor: Accelerometer, Digital compass, Proximity, Light, Gyroscope
Memory: 8GB Internal memory ＋ microSD (up to 32GB)
Size: 66.7 x 125.7 x 9.55mm, 131g
Standard battery: Li-Ion 1650 mAh
Talk Time: 580 min(3G)
Standby Time: 550 hours(3G)



Press Release
Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd, a leading mobile phone provider, today announced the launch of the Samsung GALAXY R, its latest Android™ 2.3 (Gingerbread) Smartphone. Featuring a lightweight, slim and sleek metallic design, the GALAXY R Smartphone delivers incredible performance thanks to its Dual Core processor, whilst including a range of features to conveniently manage your social and content experiences.

“The year 2011 is turning out to be a great year for Samsung as the leader in smart mobile devices. I am very pleased that the GALAXY R will boost our leadership and add up to the industry’s most comprehensive Android smartphone portfolio that we already have.” said Hankil Yoon, Vice President of Smartphone Product Planning Group in Samsung’s Mobile Communications Business. He added: “Consumers are looking for stylish, premium devices with high performance as well as long battery life, and the GALAXY R meets these requirements in every way.”

Refined Design meets Lightning Speed

The slim, chic casing is just 9.55mm thick while a sophisticated metallic finish enhances the device’s fashion credentials, making the device an essential fashion accessory. Even though the device is incredibly lightweight (weighing just 131g) and stylishly contoured, it still features a powerful 1650mAh battery with Samsung’s advanced power consumption technology – delivering 580 minutes of talk time and 550 hours of standby time.

Users can take high-quality pictures and film HD video before playing back the images on the device’s large 4.19” Super Clear LCD touch screen. Consuming less power than competing models while offering clarity and a wider viewing angle, the Super Clear LCD screen enables a comfortable mobile viewing experience – complimenting the device’s cool design with stunning visuals.

The Samsung GALAXY R is powered by a fast Dual Core processor, enabling seamless multitasking, faster webpage loading and an ultrafast power up. The high-power processor also delivers smooth HD 720p video capture and Full HD 1080p playback(Divx, WMV, MP4, H.264 B/P) at 30fps(frames per second). 

Lightning-fast downloads are enabled by an HSPA＋ connection, meaning movies, games and music can be downloaded quicker while on the move.

The device’s overall connectivity is enhanced with the inclusion of Bluetooth 3.0 HS and USB 2.0 support, allowing the device to connect to another USB device without using a PC. Dual Channel Wi-Fi is also included as standard, enabling smoother and faster connection speeds, while the inclusion of Kies 2.0 and Kies Air provides better wireless device management.

This performance combined with the device’s compact form factor and long-life battery means that the Samsung GALAXY R is the ideal device for technology enthusiasts who want a stylish, premium, high performing device while on the move.



Intuitive User Experience
 
In addition to using the intuitive Android 2.3 (Gingerbread) platform, Samsung has also included Samsung Hubs with the GALAXY R, enriching the overall user-experience. The Hubs offer content anytime, anywhere and ensure that you’re always in touch with your social world. The Hubs included are:

– A Social Hub which aggregates the user’s contacts, calendar and email along with instant messaging and social networking connections all within one easy-to-use interface, keeping you in control of your social life, wherever you are.

– A Music Hub that gives you access to over 14 million tracks, old and new, turning the Samsung GALAXY R into your own personal jukebox.

– A Readers Hub enabling the user to carry around a vast library wherever they go, with access to over 2.3 million books, 2,000 newspapers and 3,000 magazines across a variety of languages.

– And a built-in Game Hub provides a terrific gaming experience for both casual and hardcore mobile gamers. Furthermore, the in-built 3-axis gyroscopic sensor unlocks a world of gaming possibilities.

Samsung has further improved the device’s usability by including a range of other features such as the Samsung Voice Command, an easy-to-use voice recognition service enabling simple hands-free control of the phone. The voice recognition feature also enables the user to have their text messages read out loud and to reply to them vocally to them orally, while calls, e-books and other features can all be launched with a simple speech command. Samsung has also included L!ve Panel, enabling a fully customizable home screen experience and enhancing visuals with 3D effects.

Samsung’s “Find My Mobile” functionality enables users to track, ring, remotely lock the device or bring up call logs when their smartphone has been misplaced, lost or stolen. This means further peace of mind for users who may otherwise worry about the loss of their phone and any confidential data.

Posted in: News,Samsung