Samsung Galaxy S II Hands-on [AT&T]

Well folks, today I’ve just received an awesome Android smartphone thanks to Samsung. This being the Galaxy S II for AT&T I’m a little excited that these are finally here in the US. I’ve gone ahead and snapped a few pictures for all you hopeful readers planning to pick one up. What lies below is our quick hands-on video as well as a few lovely photos of the AT&T flavored SGSII. We’ve seen plenty of the Galaxy S II already, but this is the closest to the original (international model) here in the US as the others have a larger display. More details can be seen below.


While I mention most of it during the hands-on video below lets go over the specs just to make sure. This beast is one of the fastest phones around rocking a 1.2 GHz dual-core Samsung Exynos processor, 1GB of RAM, and 16GB internal storage — and then we can’t forget that amazing screen. Running with a 4.3″ AMOLED display just like most Samsung phones it is bright, vivid, and has extremely good colors and contrast. Extremely lightweight and thin was the goal and Samsung delivered. With a slight hump down below on bottom the rest is as plush as it gets. We have an 8MP camera on the rear with flash, and a 2MP shooter around front for video chatting and more. Check out my video!
AT&T Samsung Galaxy S II hands-on and unboxing

What makes the AT&T Galaxy S II different from the others is both the Epic 4G Touch (already released) and the upcoming T-Mobile Hercules versions have a larger 4.52″ display. The AT&T model, like its international cousin, only has a 4.3″ screen although the difference is quite small. Everything else remains just about the same for this beautiful collection of aluminum, plastic, and glass. With four capacitive touch buttons on the bottom and a nice sleek frame this phone both looks and feels nice. You all probably already knew that though right?

This phone has been a long time coming and now it’s finally here I’m not quite sure what to do with it. Totally joking there because we’ll be tossing this bad boy through the trenches that is a guarantee. I’ll be running plenty of benchmarks and speedtests, and comparison tests with something like the 1.2 GHz Sensation 4G for an idea although I’m pretty sure we already know who wins.

Obviously we’ve seen Samsung’s AMOLED dislay before but the Super AMOLED Plus that comes with the Galaxy S II is simply stunning. Between the brilliant display, fast and extremely fluid performance of the dual-core processor, and the overall sleek and thin design I can tell you from my initial hands-on I’m going to love this phone. The Sensation 4G is my daily driver but we’ll see who wins that battle in my full review coming in the next few days. Feel free to drop any suggestions or questions in the comment section below and I’ll be sure to keep them in mind while conducting my full in-depth review.
Now look over the photos below and imagine if you’d like to buy this phone. It will be available from AT&T starting October 2nd, for only $199.
(trust me I was careful)

Archos 80 G9 Hands-on and Unboxing

It’s time to look at another Android tablet here on SlashGear, this one coming correct with the first dual-core processor to exist on an Android tablet that’s not a Tegra 2. This is the ARCHOS 80 G9 tablet, one of two, the larger being the 101, both of them holding basically the same set of specs inside. Will the kickstand on this lovely little mid-sized tablet make it stand up against the competition, or will it down in a sea of tablet-like devices? We shall see!


What’s inside of this and the 101 G9 tablet, you might ask? Why, it’s not the NVIDIA Tegra 2, as you might expect, no, it’s the Texas Instruments OMAP4 dual-core processor running at 1GHz, and it’s pumped up! Take a look at our first brief benchmark as run with CF-Bench below and you’ll see that the only more powerful device in the system is the Galaxy S II, a device we’ve also got storming our door today via AT&T. This tablet has no carrier thus far here in the USA, instead working with Wi-fi only at the moment with an empty shell filling the USB slot on the back of the device.
We’ve got a video here filmed by Vince earlier today showing the director of marketing for ARCHOS with the G9 80 giving you a full rundown of what it means to work with one on a daily basis.
The benchmark, CF-Bench, that we’ve run here shows not only some Java-based marks and your total score in relation to some regular opponents, but the kind of processor this device has as well, product numbers and all. Have a look in the gallery below (images popping up larger so you can see the detail) to witness the glory:

Our first impressions of this tablet are that it’s thin, it seems to be relatively well constructed, and it’s really ready to hit the mid-range tablet market. It’s got a pretty darn powerful processor sitting inside its guts, and the multitude of ports along the left side of the unit are going to be a great selling point. Have a look at the videos above and below and let us know if you’ve got any questions we can answer or tests we can run for the full review, coming up soon!

Lenovo ThinkPad Tablet hands-on

For all the power users and business minded today we have the ultimate tablet for you. This is the Lenovo IdeaPad Tablet. With a similar design and feel to current and past Lenovo laptops, but with that flare we call Android 3.1 Honeycomb. This has it all from a dual-core processor, stylus support and even a full sized USB port for all your connectivity needs. Today we’ll be doing a quick hands-on with the tablet and you can expect a detailed review soon. Head down past the break for the unboxing video and a few quick pictures.


This tablet broke cover way back in April then later in August we saw the first press images of the Lenovo produced tablet. Today I’ve gone ahead and unboxed this powerhouse tablet and we’ll start with the video to get you up to speed.
Lenovo ThinkPad Tablet hands-on

This isn’t the first time we’ve handled these tablets in our own hands and you can see even more coverage here. This Android 3.1 Honeycomb slate is powered along by a rocking NVIDIA Tegra 2 dual-core processor, 1GB of RAM, 32GB of internal storage (16 and 64GB versions available), as well as a 10.1″ IPS display that is both bright and vibrant. Lenovo has provided a wide array of ports for all types of accessories, many specifically for business minded individuals. We have a 5MP camera on the rear and a 2MP up front for the video conference users.

Nicely featuring some dedicated Android buttons this is unlike most Honeycomb tablets to date as the OS is all touch friendly and doesn’t require the buttons. Like we mentioned, for power users we have a mini HDMI port, micro-USB, a 30 pin port for docks, keyboard accessories and more. Not only that but Lenovo went a step further and outfitted this tab with a SIM slot for 3G connectivity and then a full-sized SD slot for full storage options.
We wont get into the details too much here as that will come along shortly in our full detailed review next week. Before we let you wonder I do want to mention it has a great feel with the same soft coat matte style many Lenovo laptops have graced us with over the years. Then seen in the images below you’ll be happy to know a full sized USB port will allow users to connect a keyboard or mouse, and many other things should they find the need. It does happen to also come with a stylus for that added control and accuracy as well as for taking notes and things of that nature.
Feel free to look over a few quick photos below in the gallery and check back often as we’ll have the full review for you shortly

HTC Radar visits FCC on the way to T-Mobile

One of the very first Windows Phone 7.5 Mango devices from HTC, called the Radar, has just passed through the FCC. This is always a good sign that the device is gearing up for launch but when exactly that will be is still uncertain. The handset was first officially unveiled at the beginning of this month during IFA 2011.


The device will be heading to T-Mobile as the HTC Radar 4G with support for the carrier’s HSPA+ network. The FCC filings have it listed under model number PI06110, packing support for GSM/EDGE/WCDMA bands as well as the 1700MHz band used by T-Mobile. The device sports a 3.8-inch WVGA display, 1GHz processor, and 8GB internal storage. It also offers a 5-megapixel rear-facing camera with a single LED flash and f/2.2 aperture as well as a VGA resolution front-facing camera for video calls.
Although a release date hasn’t been announced yet, Microsoft has already confirmed that the Windows Phone 7.5 Mango update will be rolled out to existing Windows Phone handsets within the next two weeks. It’s possible that some of the very first Windows Phone 7.5 Mango handsets will be launched around the same time. For more details on the HTC Radar, make sure to check out our hands-on video.

ToughTech Duo QR Review

The ToughTech Duo QR portable storage system from CRU-Dataport features a two-drive RAID array that packs large capacity and high performance into a tiny yet rugged package that’s easy to setup and use. The device is designed for professional photographers and digital media artists who need to carry and protect their digital assets while out on the field or in the studio.

Hardware

The ToughTech Duo QR model that we got to test sports dual 750GB hard drives for a total capacity of 1.5TB if configured as RAID 0. The hard drives are speedy at 7200RPM and compact at 2.5-inches in size. They are also easily swappable from the front-loading trays without the need for screws, although the drives can be screwed down to the trays for environments where extra stability is required. To remove a tray, you simply slide the black latch to unlock, which will reveal a red circle, and then you press in on the lid of the tray to pop it out.

The compact aluminum chassis measures only 6.3-inches by 3.5-inches by 1.3-inches and weighs roughly 1.75lbs. It’s built tough to withstand vibration and shock and also uses a passive thermal design for optimal heat dissipation without an internal fan. The large LCD display on the side of the device offers temperature status, monitors drive health, and allows you to configure RAID mode. On one side of the LCD is a black rubberized circular navigation control with four buttons, while the other side has three LED indicators for Power, System, and RAID.

Ports are located on the back side of the ToughTech Duo QR and include two FireWire 800 ports with FireWire 400 backwards compatibility, one eSATA/USB 2.0 combo port, and a power jack just below the power on/off switch. There’s also a small slot designed to work with a Kensington security cable lock.

The device pretty much comes with all the cables and power adapters that you’ll need. Included in the box are two FireWire 800 cables, one USB 2.0 cable, one eSATA cable, and an AC adapter with swappable prongs for outlet compatibility all around the world, accepting 100-240VAC. There’s also an aluminum stand with rubberized grips that you can use to hold the ToughTech Duo in an upright orientation. The device can also just lie flat on its side, if you opt not to use the stand.

Performance

The ToughTech Duo performed well with fast read speeds thanks to the 7200RPM hard drives and a fast Oxford 936 chipset. We first tested the device with a USB 2.0 connection and a RAID 1 configuration, meaning that the device would be writing the same information to both drives in real-time. With this setup we were able to transfer a file that was 2.28GB in 1 minute and 10 seconds, which translates to about 32MBps. Transfetring the same file back to our computer took slightly less time.
Performance results were very similar in a RAID 0 configuration. With the FireWire 800 connection, speeds for the same 2.28GB file transferred in about 43 seconds, which translates to about 53MBps. The nice thing about the FireWire 800 is that the device can be bus-powered by this connection, but not so via USB 2.0 or eSATA connections. Hence, for either of those two setups, you will need to also hook up the AC power adapter.

Wrap-Up

The ToughTech Duo QR is a great high capacity portable external hard drive that’s rugged, compact, and offers a simple to use RAID 1 solution along with easy-to-swap hard drive trays. Its tough chassis and small size makes it very convenient for traveling, while its small footprint and sleek design make it a welcome and unobtrusive addition to the studio as well. It also comes with a slew of connector cables, power adapter heads, and optional small screws for clamping down the drives to the trays when extra stability is needed.
The only complaints might be its lack of a USB 3.0 port and USB bus-power support. The device is also a bit costly with prices starting at $499, although a look around shows that our model with the two 750GB drives lists for about $763. Although costly, the device can be a good choice for a media professional that demands portability, ruggedness, large capacity, and easy-to-use reliable data protection and redundancy.