Could This Be The REAL Samsung Galaxy S IV?

GALAXY S IV RUMOR MILL HEATS UP! IS THIS THE REAL MCCOY?

Okay people, the rumor mill has my full attention and I'm starting to get really excited. Could this be the real deal?

We getting close to the next release of the Samsung Galaxy line, the Galaxy S IV, so this is high time for rumors and alleged leaks.

The image of the Galaxy S IV which is displayed came from the Boy Genius Report (BGR.com) blog site. I'm not saying they are the authority on leaked images, but I would agree that this could possibly be the real deal.

The first leaked images had depicted a Galaxy S IV without qa physical home button. I had a hard time believing that it had any validity. Why would Samsung go backwards after release the Note II and the Galaxy S III with physical home buttons?

The rumored Galaxy S IV is supposed to have hardware specs such as:

• 1.8GHz 8-core Exynos cpu
• 4.99" 1080p full HD display
• 13Mp rear facing camera
• 2Gb of RAM
• Wireless charging capability

I'll tell you right off the bat that I don't believe it will have an 8-core processor. A quadcore CPU is more believable. But if they do roll out with an 8-core CPU, I will be hideously happy.

So what we are seeing is that the Galaxy S IV could be bigger than the current Galaxy S III, but smaller than the Galaxy Note II. That's a sweet spot for me.

But if you throw an S Pen into the mix, I'm locked and loaded. This WILL be my next smartphone if they make my wish come true.

I have been anxiously awaiting my upgrade date, which comes in May of 2013. I can't wait to get my hands on the next level of technology. But at the same time, I'm sort of paitent, because we don't have LTE coverage in Central Missouri with AT&T. I would like to enjoy my next upgrade with full LTE speeds.

What are your thoughts about the rumored Samsung Galaxy S IV? Do you think it will have a home button? Better yet, do you think it will include an S Pen? Sound off and voice your predictions!

Carlton Flowers
Galaxy Gazer

Samsung Galaxy Note II Is Dead - Enter Note III, Fonblet, S IV

NEW SAMSUNG DEVICES COULD MOTHBALL THE NOTE II

Just a couple of months ago, I told you all that my next upgrade would definitely be the Samsung Galaxy Note II. This was my firm decision after a wonderful 2-week test period of this device from AT&T. Scrap that. Everything has changed.

We all know that in the world of Android and Samsung, devices remain "cutting edge" for about a month before they are kicked to the side and shown up by new devices. It appears that this will be the story with the Samsung Galaxy Note II. It's already old hat.

My upgrade is not due until May of 2013. By then, I seriously doubt I'll be purchasing a Samsung Galaxy Note II on contract. I'll either be getting a Galaxy S IV or some new yet-to-be-revealed device.

The decision will be rather easy if Samsung includes an S Pen with the Galaxy S IV, plus at least a 4.9" display. I would love to have a jumbo phone that is slightly smaller than the "phablet" Galaxy Note II. So this would do the trick.

The Galaxy S IV will also be packing some serious power, and could sport the new unbreakable AMOLED display. If that happens, it's an easy call. But if we don't get an S Pen with it, I will fall back to the Galaxy Note II.

But that decision won't be easy either, thanks to the fresh new rumors of a Galaxy Note III, and the supposed "Samsung Fonblet". The Note III is rumored to have a larger display than the current Note II, and the "Fonblet" is also rumored to be a jumbo device. Both have been said to have sizes ranging from 5.5" all the way to 6.3".

The engine inside the Note III and the Fonblet could be anywhere from quad core to eight core. I tend not to believe the latter. Whatever the cpu ends up being, we probably won't get to see such a device until the fall of 2013.

So as it stands, it is looking like I could be landing a Samsung Galaxy S IV this May with quad core power and a possible 5" display and S Pen. But your guess is as good as mine as to what we will really see. All I know is that I won't be able to wait much longer than May to pull the trigger on something.

Stay with me. And chime in with your thoughts.

Carlton Flowers
Fonblet/Phablet Futurist

CHECK OUT CELL PHONE ACCESSORIES NOW AT AMAZON.COM!

Get everything you need for your smartphone at a super discounted price through Amazon in the Cell Phone Accessories section! Save upwards of 50% over what you pay at retail carrier outlets!

Best Android Phone Deals - Samsung Galaxy S2 Price Drop!

AMAZON WIRELESS DROPS PRICE ON GALAXY S2 PHONE

By now you know that the Samsung Galaxy S2 smartpone is one of my favorite Android devices, and it's one that all of the members of my family own. I purchased my own Galaxy S2 the month it was released, and I also purchased two additional S2's for my college "kids".

My wife has a Samsung Galaxy Skyrocket, which was released only a month after I purchased my Galaxy S2 smartphones. But the SGS2 is still a great deal, especially with the price dropping action going on at Amazon Wireless!

You'll get 16 gigabytes of storage, a gorgeous 4.3" Super AMOLED Plus display, a fantastic 8Mp rear camera, a 1.3Mp front-facing camera, HD video capability, fast HSPA+ 4G download speeds on the AT&T Network, and a whole lot more with this steal of a deal smartphone.

Go check out the Galaxy S2 right now on the Amazon Wireless store if you are in the market for a great smartphone at an extremely low price. I will always keep you posted when great deals break over on Amazon when it comes to the best Android devices on the market. Enjoy!

Carlton Flowers
Android Watchdog

GET THE SAMSUNG GALAXY S2 NOW FOR AS LOW AS $19.99 ON AMAZON!

Best Android Phones of 2012 - The Big Phat Note

LOOKING BACK AT THE PRE-RELEASE OF THE GIANT GALAXY NOTE

So... continuing on my series of writing about the best deals on Android smartphones, I want to reel back and re-post one of the lost blog articles that I wrote before the gigantic Samsung Galaxy Note hit the market.

Let's take a look back at what my thoughts were, and then we'll hit the fast forward and talk more about the Galaxy Note and what has become a surprising success of a device!

Here's the "Blast From The Past" post for your enjoyment!

SAMSUNG GALAXY NOTE SET TO LAUNCH IN FEBRUARY ON AT&T NETWORK

The Samsung Galaxy Note is back in the news! Samsung is set to launch the tremendously-sized tablet/smartphone hybrid on February 19th, 2012 via AT&T. If you have $300 to spare and a hankering for a Texas-sized display, your day is coming!

Bloggers and tech writers are calling devices of this type the "phablet", which is a ridiculous yet catching-sounding nickname for this prototype. The Galaxy Note certainly isn't the first phablet to hit the market, but may very well be the first successful device to enter the high tech mobile market.

In the past, we saw the Dell Streak 5 do a big fat belly flop when it entered the world of smartphones, and it fizzled just as fast as it entered. But Samsung's Galaxy Note has taken a different approach to the phablet concept, and they've added a pile of features that we have not seen in the past.

The Galaxy Note will sport a whopping 5.3" Super AMOLED 1280x800 display and it will be packing a 4G LTE radio. But there's something unique that the Note will include that others have not. The Galaxy Note will attempt bringing back the stylus.

We haven't seen styluses since the days of the Palm Treo. Unlike the stylus-packing "somewhat smart" phones of the past, the Note will have a capacitive screen just like the regular line of Galaxy S devices.

You'll be able to operate the phone with your fat little fingers, and you'll also be able to make much more accurate delineations with the stylus, dubbed the "S Pen".

The S Pen will take you to new levels of functionality. You can make hand written notes on web pages and documents, convert handwriting into standard text, and even take screen shots on the fly. This is something we have never seen in a smartphone, and what I believe to be the biggest missing feature of all the tablets on the market including the iPad.

The Galaxy Note is not packing the latest processing power, however, as it will only feature a dual core 1.0GHz cpu. Honestly, I don't think this is going to cause any lagging or other serious issues with operation, but I sure would have liked to see the 1.5GHz Exynos processor in this device for what they are charging.

Nonetheless, it's going to be a versatile gadget that will stand out in the crowded Android smartphone market. If I wasn't on month number 3 of my current upgrade, and if I had $300 burning a hole in my pocket, I would probably be the first in line to buy the Note.

It would be perfect for the engineer type that I am. Is the Galaxy Note in your crosshairs? Do you think $300 is a fair price for a monstrous phablet? Sound off and let me know what you think!

Carlton Flowers
Phabulous Phablet Watcher

GET THE GALAXY NOTE NOW AT AMAZON WIRELESS!

Take advantage of the price drop on the Galaxy Note! The price has come down to $189 at the Amazon Wireless store when signing up for a 2-year contract! Get all the details on this fantastic "Phablet" by clicking the link above or the picture to the left, and grab yours while the special is still on!

Best Android Smartphones of 2012 - Pantech Burst 4G LTE Review

PANTECH BURST 4G LTE SMASHES THE TEST!

We're rolling right along with my series on the Best Android Smartphones for 2012 as I hit the rewind button and share a post that I did on the Pantech Burst 4G LTE smartphone offered through AT&T Wireless.

As I have mentioned before, this little smartphone is one of my all-time favorites of all the Android phones that I have tested for AT&T. I was truly not expecting to enjoy this handset as much as I did.

It not only passed my test, it smashed it to smitherines! If you want a smaller smartphone that will fit snugly in your pocket, and one that you can operate one-handed, then the Burst is one to consider.

Check out my review, and then watch the YouTube hands-on video posted at the bottom of this article. Click the pic to the right to jump to Amazon Wireless and get a great deal on this little gem!

Pantech Burst 4G LTE (AT&T) Review

I can tell you right now that the Pantech Burst has already impressed me, right out of the box. It's a 4G LTE smartphone with a 4" Super AMOLED display that packs 800x480 pixels.

I turned it on and was impressed with the bright and vivid display. The capacitive screen was very responsive to my touch, and I had no problems navigating around the interface. Something else that I noticed right off the bat was that the phone feels "solid" in my hands.

Other tech blogs have reported this phone to be "plasticy", but I completely disagree. It feels as heavy as my Samsung Galaxy S2, which is a bigger phone, but seems to be more dense.

When gripping the Pantech Burst 4G, I feel like I have a quality smartphone in my hands. The phone comes with a standard USB charger and AC adapter, but you don't get any headphones. That's not a biggie for me, especially since most headsets that come with phones are not of the best quality. Additionally, my Galaxy S2 did not come with headphones.

The Pantech runs on the latest operating system which is Android 2.3.5 "Gingerbread". Navigation is a snap, and I do like the custom overlay that is included on the phone. You get 7 home screens to jam pack with all of your shortcuts and widgets, and the nice pull-down menu that allows you access to the most used switches (like WiFi, Bluetooth, etc.).

The phone seems to load apps lightening fast. This is probably due to the dual core 1.2GHz Qualcomm Scorpion CPU. I did a little bit of research and found that the Pantech Burst actually beat out the Samsung Galaxy Nexus and the Droid RAZR on benchmark testing. That's pretty impressive for a low-cost entry level smartphone.

The Pantech Burst comes with a 5 megapixel rear camera, and it also features a front-facing camera for video chatting. The rear camera is an entry level camera that gets the job done for a phone, but I wouldn't say that it would replace the need of a high quality digital camera. But again, for the price, I would have no complaints with this dual-camera smartphone.

The Pantech Burst is being offered by AT&T for $59.99, but you can find it on sale at Amazon.com for a penny with a new 2-year contract. For existing contracts, the Amazon price is $59.99. Click the link to check out your eligibility on Amazon, and your purchase will help support the CZ Blog!

Check out the video below for my full hands-on report on the Pantech Burst 4G LTE smartphone and post your thoughts in the comments section! Thanks for watching!

Carlton Flowers
Supreme Android Phone Tester

Best Android Phones - Pantech Burst 4G LTE

HANDS ON WITH THE PANTECH BURST RIGHT OUT OF THE BOX!

Pantech Burst Is A Great Deal For A Penny At Amazon Wireless

Here's a post and a video that I had previously published on the Pantech Burst 4G LTE smartphone from AT&T. I would say without a shadow of doubt that this is most definitely one of the best Android smartphone buys out on the market.

I absolutely fell in love with this phone, and surprisingly felt that the 4" display was the perfect size for a smartphone. It fit so well in my hand, and I could reach the far corners of the screen with my thumb. For ergonomics and functionality, this was probably the #1 phone I have tested thus far.

The Pantech Burst was my first phone that I got in my hands to test and review for AT&T. I have since tested about 6 other devices and one tablet computer. The Burst still remains one of my all-time favorites. It's a durable well-built little phone that has a snappy operating system, and extremely good funtionality.

Anyhow, check out the video that I shot when I opened the box the day it arrived from AT&T. Then hit the link below and jump to Amazon to check out the Pantech Burst for one penny with a 2-year contract agreement!

BLAST FROM THE PAST - PANTECH BURST ARRIVAL

In today's video, I'm unveiling the Pantech Burst 4G LTE smartphone from AT&T. This is the first phone I'll be officially testing out for AT&T! I'm excited to have the opportunity to test out phones and other devices from my very own cell phone service provider, and this first device gets a "thumbs up" from me right off the bat.

You can check out the details on the Pantech Burst 4G LTE phone on my previous post on this device. Over the next couple of weeks, I'll be putting the Pantech Burst through rigorous testing, and you'll be the first to get the full report.

In the meantime, enjoy the video, and watch for more details! If you like what you see, click the link below for a special sale price on this device from the Amazon Wireless store!  

Carlton Flowers
Gadget Nerd Extreme

PANTECH BURST 4G LTE SMARTPHONE AT&T - ONE PENNY AT AMAZON!

Upgrade Madness - Android Conversion, My Personal Story

BLAST FROM THE PAST - MY SAMSUNG GALAXY S2 D-DAY

Howdy folks! Here's another post from the former blog that got eaten by the ugly blog host provider switch monster. This was a really good story about my most recent upgrade, when I moved from my iPhone to the Samsung Galaxy S2.

What got my blood pressure up was the fact that they released a better phone only 3 or 4 weeks after I made my purchase. I'm still satisfied with what I've got, but this is quite an entertaining story. Enjoy!

Getting Off The Upgrade Merry-Go-Round (October 2011)

Yesterday, BGR ran an exclusive story about AT&T launching the Samsung Galaxy S II Skyrocket and the HTC Vivid for $100 less than the expected release prices.

The Skyrocket was reported to be $150, and the Vivid $99. As soon as I heard the news from my good buddy Tim Largent, I nearly stroked out. My heart rate raced.

I quickly did the math in my mind to figure out if I was still within my 30-day grace period of purchasing my Galaxy S2 smartphone. I figured that I had two weeks left. My first thought? Get this thing back to the AT&T Store and trade it straightway for a Skyrocket.

When I bought my Galaxy S2, the selling price was $199. However, it was being sold on the Amazon site at $149. I’m an Amazon affiliate, and I had planned on purchasing my SGS2 online. But I sold my iPhone 4 so fast, I had to get my SGS2 locally so I could reset the iPhone and get it shipped out in the promised time frame.

I called my local AT&T Store and asked the sales staff if I could possibly purchase my SGS2 for the same price that it was being sold on the Amazon website, and also at Walmart for $50 less, and they agreed. I was ecstatic.

I made the purchase for $149, bought a couple of accessories, and off I went to the post office to ship off my iPhone 4. Life was good, and I was glad to have finally settled in with my new Android phone.

What a relief it was to step off of the smartphone upgrade merry-go-round… or so I thought. A few weeks later, and this bogus story on BGR pops up about the Galaxy Skyrocket.

Compared to the Galaxy S2, the Satellite has a 1.5GHz Qualcomm dual core processor (which is slower than the Exynos 1.2GHz CPU), plus the bigger 4.52” display that would suit me well. Plus, it is equipped with an AT&T LTE radio.

I have been perfectly happy and content with my Galaxy S2, and I actually like the 4.3” size a little better than the bigger 4.52” display. But for the same exact price, LTE capability, and a faster CPU, I figured this was well worth the $35 restocking fee for a straight trade.

It took 4 attempts before I finally got through to a sales rep at the local store. But during the time that passed before I got to a live person, I started to doubt whether or not I really needed to be doing the trade in the first place.

The big worry I had was the larger display. Problem is, I can barely text with one hand using the 4.3” display. That extra little 1/8 of an inch would probably stretch my ability to use the phone one-handed.

Plus, I use my smartphone to track my running exercise. I do 5 mile+ runs three times per week, and I use the Runtastic app to track my time and distance. 4.3” is the biggest size phone I can comfortably grip when running for an hour.

Another thing that went through my mind was the fact that we may not even see LTE coverage in Jefferson City for another year or two. AT&T isn’t really slated to have nationwide LTE coverage until the year 2013.

So that meant the only advantage would be the slightly faster processor.

Well, I finally got through to a salesperson and asked whether or not I could do a trade. The sales clerk said yes, as long as I paid the $35 fee. I told her that I had heard the Samsung Galaxy S2 Satellite was being sold for less than the original price of the regular Galaxy S2,which was $149.

She placed me on hold to check and verify the price. She came back and told me that there was no such sale going on. The Galaxy Satellite was still $249, and the HTC Vivid was still $199. She had no idea where that pricing information had come from, and I told her that it was reported on a major tech blog site.

I thanked her for helping me, and hung up the phone relieved that I wouldn’t have to go through the trouble to switch, or put up with the 4.52” display. I decided to go back to the BGR blog post to see if I could find an explanation for such a glaring error.

Where did they get their information, I wondered?

To my surprise, they added an update to the post which explained that the sale pricing was apparently being offered only in certain regions.

I would like to thank BGR for sending me on a wild goose chase and getting my blood pressure up over nothing. I should have trusted my gut feeling and not even let this phase me or tempt me.

But this is what happens when technology moves so fast that you can’t guarantee your phone won’t be obsolete during your 30-day return period.

After being tempted by having LTE phone, I decided to take a look at the AT&T coverage map. Of course we won’t have LTE any time soon, but I wanted to at least check to see how the HSPA+ “fake 4g” coverage was in our area.

Come to find out, in Central Missouri, we don’t even have HSPA+ coverage yet. So why all the fuss anyway? I think I can turn a deaf ear to all of the new gadgets coming out and end my upgrade envy now.

And hey, I’ll be satisfied when the day comes that I can at least get the fake 4G download speeds on my Samsung Galaxy S2.

Do you have any crazy stories about upgrading, waiting to upgrade, or getting off of the upgrade vicious circle? Spout off in the comments below and tell me how you really feel about it!

Carlton Flowers
Gadget Man

Click the link below to see the deals!

SAMSUNG GALAXY S2 ON AMAZON WIRELESS AS LOW AS $9.99 WITH 2-YEAR CONTRACT

Grab your Samsung Galaxy S2 right now and you will enjoy a super capable smartphone with a 4.3" Super AMOLED Display, 1.2GHz dual core cpu, 16Gb of storage, 1Gb of RAM, 8Mp rear camera with flash, 1.3Mp front facing camera for video chat, blazing fast HSPA+ 4G download speeds on the AT&T network, and more! Grab one at a great price while the deal lasts. Only $9.99 for family plan upgrades, and $39.99 for single phone plan upgrades!

The Best Android Phones of 2012 - CZ Series Begins!

BEST ANDROID PHONES OF 2012 REVIEWED

Samsung Galaxy S2 Price Drop Makes Great Buy

As the friendly neighborhood tech geek, I get a lot of questions from friends & family on what the best Android phone is on the market for 2012. Since there is so much to report on this topic, I've decided to launch a series!

We're going to start with my top choices and go straight down the line, showcasing the best Android smartphones that AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile & Sprint have to offer. We'll even talk about high speed cellular service from the big 4 carriers.

To kick off the series, I can think of no better place to start than the Samsung Galaxy S2 by AT&T. Why? Because I thought enough of this smartphone to buy three of them for my family, including one for myself.

The Galaxy S2 was my transitional phone for leaving the Apple iOS community. I had formerly owned an iPhone 3GS, and an iPhone 4. By October of 2011, I was ready to depart from the strange world of Steve Jobs, and enter the free and creative world of Android.

But back to the phone... the Samsung Galaxy S2 is a top-notch smartphone that is chock-full of first rate components and features. You have plenty of room to store apps, music, photos, and video with its built-in 16Gb storage space. Plus, you can ad another 16Gb via the SD flash card port.

Processor-wise, it has a capable 1.2GHz dual core Samsung Exynos CPU that will allow you to run several applications at the same time without a problem. I haven't had much trouble out of mine, with only an occaisional crash. Nothing like I had with my iPhone.

The cameras on this phone are superb. The rear cam (8Mp) takes excellent pictures and video in high def and has replaced my need for a digital camera. The front cam (2Mp) is also great for pictures and video, and using on video chatting programs like Skype.

I'm still enjoying the gorgeous Super AMOLED Plus display on my Galaxy S2 as much as I was the first day. There was an immediate noticeable difference in the intensity, vividness, and color quality of this phone compared to my iPhone 4. Watching movies, videos, and YouTube is superb.

Running the Android 2.3 Gingerbread operating system with Samsung's TouchWiz 4.0 overlay is smooth as butter, and I haven't been able to find a single serious glitch or issue. Plus, I've been able to load the majority of the apps that I had with my iPhone devices. That made the transition a lot easier.

One of the biggest things I have told people that I like about this phone is the durability. I'm hard on smartphones. They usually don't last long with me. But I have had this Galaxy S2 for 6 months now, and it's still functional! Some people say it is "too light", but I think that's a blessing in disguise. The lighter the phone, the less of a chance it will shatter if you drop it.

For surfing the internet, I would say that the stock Android browser is leagues better than the iPhone's Safari browser. It doesn't block Flash content. Sure, some Flash sites will run slow. But I'd rather have the ability to at least see what's there. With an iPhone, you don't even get a choice.

Surfing the net with the Samsung Galaxy S2 is great. It's an HSPA+ 4G phone that can download at speeds upwards of 10Mbps. That's faster than a lot of DSL services for home computers. This model does not have 4G LTE capability, but most areas still don't have that available so it's not an issue.

Lastly, it's just about the right size for ergonomic considerations and functionality. 4.3" is a sweet spot with smartphones. It fits well in your hands, but the screen is not so small like an iPhone that you have to squint to be able to read small type. That's truly nice.

My best reason for telling you that the Samsung Galaxy S2 is one of the best Android smartphone deals for 2012? The recent price drop on Amazon.com. Current AT&T customers can get this smartphone for only $39.99 as an upgrade, or $9.99 when you have a family plan. That's a killer deal!

Hit the link below and you will jump to Amazon Wireless where you can grab one now!

Carlton Flowers
Smartphone Advisor

Click the link below to see the deals!

SAMSUNG GALAXY S2 ON AMAZON WIRELESS AS LOW AS $9.99 WITH 2-YEAR CONTRACT

Grab your Samsung Galaxy S2 right now and you will enjoy a super capable smartphone with a 4.3" Super AMOLED Display, 1.2GHz dual core cpu, 16Gb of storage, 1Gb of RAM, 8Mp rear camera with flash, 1.3Mp front facing camera for video chat, blazing fast HSPA+ 4G download speeds on the AT&T network, and more! Grab one at a great price while the deal lasts. Only $9.99 for family plan upgrades, and $39.99 for single phone plan upgrades!