The Samsung Galaxy Note II is currently one of the best handsets you can get your hands on in the smartphone market. This is not surprising at all given the fact that the components the second generation Samsung phablet has under the hood are at par (and some are even better) with what the Samsung Galaxy S III, the current flagship device of Samsung, has in its internals. Because of this, the Samsung Galaxy Note II is currently dominating the phablet category of the smartphone competition just like its predecessor did the same during its heydays.

However, regardless of how powerful the innards of a certain smartphone is, regardless if it is a flagship device of its manufacturer, no smartphone is ever perfect and it will always be susceptible to bugs and issues that will one way or the other hamper its performance – the Samsung Galaxy Note II included. This seems to be the case with the recent reports that the Exynos chipset of the phablet is susceptible to a security flaw that exploited the kernel used in the chipset itself.

Samsung however was quick to get on top of the situation and confirmed that it is already aware of the issue and is already taking steps to ensure that this security hole gets plugged as soon as possible. In fact, the Korean smartphone and tablet manufacturer has already started rolling out an update designed to get this security flaw taken care of as early as last week and this time around, it is the turn of the Verizon version of the Samsung Galaxy Note II to get a taste of this update.

This software update is expected to crank up the baseband version of the Verizon Samsung Galaxy Note II to I605VRALL4 and its build number to JRO03C.I605VRALL4. According to the support site of Big Red, this software update for the I605VRALL4 consists of an Android Security Patch for additional security on the handset. Due to the nature of this update, it is highly advisable that this be downloaded and installed as soon as it becomes available on your Samsung Galaxy Note II.

As for the Samsung Galaxy Note II, the handset reached official status when it was unveiled back in August of last year but the phablet waited until September before it finally made its debut in the shelves of Big Red. Under the hood, the phablet is running Android 4.1 Jelly Bean for its operating system and this draws power from its Exynos 4412 chipset which comes with a quad-core 1.6 GHz ARM Cortex-A9 processor and a staggering 2GB of RAM. The handset can be had in a 16GB and 32GB model in terms of storage space but this can still be expanded by making use of the Samsung Galaxy Note II’s dedicated microSD card slot. The display of the Samsung Galaxy Note II is still its standout feature and this is a massive 5.5-inch SuperAMOLED HD panel with a resolution of 1280 x 720 pixels while its camera department features a rear 8Mp shooter and a front 1.9MP snapper.

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Neil Shah is a senior analyst at Strategy Analytics, and he stated, “We forecast global LTE smartphone shipments to triple from 90.9 million units in 2012 to 275.0 million in 2013.” What exactly does LTE mean, and why is its predicted growth in the smartphone industry so impressive? LTE stands for Long-Term Evolution, and is generally listed as a wireless connectivity feature as “4G LTE”. It is a standard for wireless communication at high speeds for mobile phones and data terminals, and is based on GSM/EDGE and UMTS/HSPA network technologies.

The increase in capacity and speed over 3G is substantial, and since we live in a “I want it now” society, quicker upload and download speeds and call connections are demanded by today’s smartphone shoppers. And while AT&T and Verizon Wireless in the United States both claim to own the largest 4G LTE network, some research conducted in 2012 by independent wireless reviewer RootMetrics shows a clear-cut winner in both speed and consistency in offering 4G LTE connections.

RootMetrics compiled research from January to June of last year from nearly 500,000 cellular data tests on the four major wireless carriers in the US. Using “off-the-shelf” smartphones, they published their results in September of 2012, and Verizon showed nearly a 3 to 1 advantage in consistently providing 4G LTE speeds over AT&T. T-Mobile came next, and Sprint had only just begun to release their first 4G LTE network at the time these results were posted.

Handsets like the Droid Razr MAXX HD run on the Verizon Wireless 4G LTE system in the United States, and with a speedy dual core 1.5 GHz processor, 1.0 GB of RAM memory and 32 GB of onboard storage, the Android smartphone is perfect for a 4G LTE network like Verizon’s. As of November of last year, Verizon operated 440 LTE markets in the United States, with AT&T claiming 103 markets at that time. Sprint promised 100 markets in the United States with 4G LTE connectivity by the end of 2012, and exact numbers were not available as of this writing.

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Android 1.1 was the next significant upgrade, and still delivered none of the neat candy and pastry monikers we currently enjoy. Android 1.1 rolled out on February 9, 2009, initially as an update for the HTC Dream only. The OS unofficially delivered the backroom nickname of “Petit Four”, though this was not officially adopted. It was Android 1.5 which officially began offering us an improved Android operating system named as a tasty treat or desert.

Android 1.5 was named Cupcake, and was followed only months later in September of 2009 by Android 1.6 Donut. Released in alphabetical order and causing Pavlovian salivation ever since, Android 2.0 Eclair was the next significant operating system update, and the 4th of 2009. In May of 2010 Android’s 2.2 Froyo (short for frozen yogurt) was released, and the Android 2.3 Gingerbread operating system arrived at the end of that year.

The upgrade to the Android 3.0 Honeycomb OS announced a significant change in direction for Google and the Open Handset Alliance, as this was the first tablet-only Android update. The first device to deliver the Honeycomb 3.0 OS was of course the Motorola Xoom tablet, winning Best of CES 2011 and launching on February 24 of that year. Motorola immediately overpriced the tablet, fouled up its release, and experienced supply chain issues, virtually ensuring its lack of success and adoption.

Android’s 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich operating system was created to “end fracturing across multiple Android platforms and devices”, and arrived in smartphone form for the first time in the United States on the Samsung Galaxy Nexus 4G. At the time of that handset’s release in the United States in late 2011, the Galaxy Nexus 4G delivered one of the largest and highest resolution displays of any smartphone, and was an instant bestseller with the Ice Cream Sandwich OS. Jelly Bean 4.1 arrived in late 2012 on a handful of smartphones, and coupled with the brand-new Sprint 4G LTE system, gave the Galaxy Nexus 4G a rebirth of sorts.

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Yes, smartphone manufacturers will probably still release flat, dark, plastic slabs as a norm. But pretty much every smartphone display can be placed into one of two different display sizes. The mobile computer you use to surf the web, send text messages, video chat and place telephone calls that currently resides in your purse or pocket is either a phone or a phablet. Of course new technology will arise in 2013, and some Tablet PCs are capable of placing phone calls, but you don’t see too many people walking around talking into a 10 inch tablet that is plastered to the side of their head.

Handsets like the Motorola Droid Razr MAXX which delivers all day battery performance are considered a high-end, savvy smartphone. The 4.30 inch display is larger than smaller touchscreen displays found on phones like the Apple iPhone 5, but this is still considered a smartphone display. And at a size that is just barely smaller than 7 inch tablets, we have the Galaxy Note II phablet. The large 5.55 inch display is the largest found in the entire smartphone marketplace, and the Galaxy Note II phablet also delivers the latest Android operating system Jelly Bean 4.1, a powerful quad core processor and high-resolution screen.

The term phablet is obviously the mutation of the words smartphone and tablet, and is pretty much self-explanatory as regarding screen size. So a smartphone will always be considered smaller than a phablet, even though today smartphones, regardless of their screen size, possess computers that are as powerful as their laptops of only 3 to 5 years ago. And while many large phablets have had a hard time providing battery life while keeping a slim profile, the Samsung Galaxy Note II is a 4G capable smartphone/tablet with ultra-skinny profile that still offers a full 15.0 hours of talk time from a single charge.

Phablet or smartphone, our mobile handsets both this year and in the future are irrevocably going to deliver features and technology that we previously thought impossible to access from a handheld mobile PC. So just remember when mobile handset shopping, if you are considering a handset called a smartphone, you’re probably looking at a device with a 4.0 inch to 4.3 inch screen. And phablets will most likely deliver screens that are larger than 4.3 inches, but smaller than the 7 inch displays found on smaller tablets. Whichever you choose, regardless of the display size, devices like the Samsung Galaxy Note II provide powerful hardware and software previously only found on a much larger and bulkier laptop or tablet.

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The Kevlar and aluminum body from the original Droid Razr 4G has returned, as has a layer of Gorilla Glass for scratch resistance. The Verizon 4G LTE network delivers simultaneous voice and data access, and you can check your e-mail or surf the web without having to interrupt a voice call. In December of last year the handset received a promised upgrade to the Jelly Bean 4.1 operating system, which provides a much smoother, faster and less cluttered Android interface. One of the slimmest 4G smartphones available despite the fact that it contains a 3,300 mA oversized battery, the Droid Razr MAXX measures 0.35 inches (8.99 mm) in thickness.

The large 4.30 inch screen delivers a resolution of 540 x 960 pixels, at an above average rate of 256 pixels every inch. That Super AMOLED Advanced screen supports the standard capacitive, multitouch gestures for device navigation, with light and proximity sensors built in. Those sensors help to automatically adjust for the proper display brightness, and automatically dim the display when it is not needed. These two features help improve battery life, allowing for a generous 21.5 hours of talk time from a single battery charge.

Standby battery power runs approximately 15.8 days, and a Texas Instruments OMAP 4430 microchip package powers the handset. The Motorola Droid Razr MAXX 4G contains a dual core 1.2 GHz Cortex A9 central processor, allowing a separate PowerVR SGX540 GPU to handle all graphics processing. The handset delivers 1.0 GB of RAM memory, 16 GB of built-in storage, and a 16 GB removable microSD card ships with the phone.

Popular applications YouTube and Picasa have been pre-installed, and the Motorola Droid Razr MAXX 4G Android smartphone contains an 8.0 megapixel camcorder and1.3 megapixel chat cam in its camera combo. That rear camcorder records video in 1,080P HD resolution, and the front facing chat cam offers video call support.

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Verizon is generally the last wireless carrier to receive Android operating system updates, for whatever reason, and the handset is now happily providing the Jelly Bean 4.1 Android operating system. That OS upgrade provides a faster and smoother user experience, better camera operation and an improved Google Now. Samsung has included their TouchWiz UX UI Android overlay, and the handset supports multitouch, capacitive gestures for device navigation.

Slim and light compared to similar 4G smartphones with the same size display and features, the handset measures 0.34 inches (8.6 mm) in thickness and weighs 4.70 ounces (133 g). The display is large at 4.80 inches, and is protected against everyday use and abuse by a scratch resistant layer of Corning Gorilla Glass 2. Pixel density is high at 306 pixels per inch, and this creates a high-end display resolution of 720 x 1,280 pixels.

That Super AMOLED screen on the Samsung GS3 uses more than 16 million separate colors to render visual displays, and standard light and proximity sensors are on board. Those sensors automatically adjust for the proper brightness considering the amount of ambient light present, also dim the display after long periods of inactivity, and these two actions help preserve battery power. That leads to a full 15.0 hours of talk time from a single battery charge, nearly twice the 4G industry average of 8.0 hours.

Standby battery power runs 8.3 days on a single charge of the 2,100 mA battery on board the handset, and the central processor is a dual core 1.5 GHz Krait CPU. A full 2.0 GB of RAM system memory is on board, and a microSD slot provides storage expansion. The camcorder is an 8.0 megapixel model capable of simultaneous HD video and image capture, and records video in 1,080P HD resolution. Up front facing the Verizon Galaxy S III 4G owner is a 1.9 megapixel chat cam, which can be used for video call support or to snap a portrait snapshot. Popular applications Facebook, YouTube, Picasa and Twitter have been pre-installed.

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The Samsung Galaxy S III is still the best Android-powered handset you can get your hand on in the market today and the current Samsung flagship device has continued its domination of the smartphone market since it made its debut in the shelves back in the latter parts of May last year. It’s not that no smartphone is good enough to challenge the Samsung Galaxy S III and give it more than just token competition but the handset is sure a great mix of a gorgeous exterior and fire-breathing components under the hood, not to mention the impressive capabilities it brings to the table.

However, there are those who claim that if there is ever a smartphone that could come close to challenging the Samsung Galaxy S III, it would have to be the LG Optimus G from which the LG Nexus 4, the current Google flagship device is based, from. The LG Optimus G is also a flagship device similar to the Samsung Galaxy S III and we all know that flagship handsets usually get the best of everything. In fact, when you take a look at the resume of the LG superphone, you’ll see that it can match the Samsung flagship device spec by spec and the only edge the Samsung Galaxy S III has over the LG Optimus G is the fact that it has a dedicated microSD card slot and a user-replaceable battery in its chassis.

However, this is not to say the LG Optimus G is already a pushover for the Samsung flagship handset. In fact, the handset is now almost at par with the Samsung Galaxy S III because LG has started the rollout of the Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean update to the LG Optimus G which pretty much puts the two handsets on a level playing field. A little caveat though, the rollout is initially happening in LG’s hometown of Korea so if you happen to have an LG Optimus G handset released say for example by Sprint in US shores, you still have to wait a little more before Jelly Bean finally lands on your device.

As for the Sprint version of the LG Optimus G, the handset reached official status when it was announced back in October of last year but is now available off the shelves and is in fact one of the best handsets in the portfolio of the Now Network. The LG Optimus G has its circuitry built around a QualComm APQ8064 SnapDragon S4 chipset which comes with a quad-core 1.5 GHz Krait processor and a staggering 2GB of RAM.

The storage space on board the device comes up to a very generous 32GB but this is all you got because the LG Optimus G doesn’t support memory expansion as mentioned earlier. Display-wise, the handset comes with a 4.7-inch True HD-IPS+ LCD panel with a resolution of 1280 x 768 pixels while its dual-shooter configuration is composed of a main 13MP shooter at its back panel and a front 1.3MP video call and self-portrait snapper.

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2012 was without a doubt the year of the Samsung Galaxy S III. It was the year when the handset came to prominence and became one of the bestselling handsets of all time. Come to think of it, Samsung already managed to sell more than 30 million units of its flagship device since it hit the shelves back in May and that number is expected to further go up until its successor gets launched. This is a testament to the popularity of the Samsung Galaxy S III – a popularity that not even the loss of Samsung to Apple in their high-profile patent trial or the release of the iPhone 5 and other high-end devices could lessen.

This is not surprising at all because after all, the Samsung Galaxy S III is the flagship device of the Korean electronics giant and comes from the royal lineage of Galaxy S handsets. With this status, Samsung made sure that the Samsung Galaxy S III came with a gorgeous exterior matched by very impressive components under the hood. Not only that, the handset also brought a lot of even more impressive capabilities to the table.

The awesome things associated with the Samsung Galaxy S III go on and on. From its fire-breathing components in its internals to that glorious big-ass display and connectivity options, the handset was everything a smartphone-crazed guy could ever ask for. However, these attributes of the Samsung Galaxy S III also was a strain on its battery life. However, the recent upgrade to Android 4.1 Jelly Bean is said to have brought a lot of improvements to the battery life of the handset and today, we take a look at how the juice of the Samsung Galaxy S III performs now after it got a taste of the Jelly Bean refresh.

We put the Samsung Galaxy S III through a couple of real-world tests to see how its battery stands up after the update to Jelly Bean. First off, it was the talk time of the handset that was tested and the Samsung Galaxy S III was able to rack up 10 hours and 15 minutes of 3G talk time on a single charge before it gave out. Next up was web browsing and the handset now managed to stay alive for 6 hours and 27 minutes after getting Jelly Bean compared to 5 hours and 17 minutes it managed when it was still running Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich.

Video playback was the last test where the Samsung Galaxy S III managed 9 hours and 27 minutes before it reached 10% charge which was 34 minutes less than when it was still on Ice Cream Sandwich. No confirmation here but it might be Project Butter is to blame here because it eats up more of the GPU power of the handset compared to ICS. The biggest improvement Jelly Bean brought however is to the standby time of the Samsung Galaxy S III. Back when it was still on ICS, the handset only managed 43 hours of standby time but Jelly Bean improved it to 50 hours.

With that in mind, Jelly Bean definitely brought a lot of improvements to the Samsung Galaxy S III and made it a whole lot better than it already was.

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Built on the Jelly Bean Android OS, the prototype that Vizio exhibited is 10 inches and boasts of a 2560×1600 resolution in its display. The coming together of Vizio with Tegra 4 makes much sense, since both names are now highly reckoned in the industry and could benefit from combining their individual fan base.  CES prides itself on being a stage for electronic expression followed by immense criticism and applause, so that the makers can take an informed decision. Therefore, Vizio has stressed on the word “prototype” and it is possible that the tablet may never actually materialize. The same goes for its 7-inch sibling that is also in the pipeline. The 7-inch version will be NFC disabled and will run on an unnamed processor.

On another note, CES attendees were also pleasantly excited by Huawei’s introduction of a 6-inch phone, Ascend Mate – the world’s largest, as per the company. Its Chinese maker, who is directly challenging Samsung, has positioned this phone, or “phablet,” rather aggressively. The “phablet” segment has seen some interest, particularly by Samsung, but it is not yet recognized as a popular category. Huawei is coming forth with a better screen than Samsung and Apple phones, better battery life and better audio quality.  A revolutionizing feature of the phone is the “magic touch,” which is a solution the common woe of being unable to use a touchscreen phone while wearing gloves. Ascend Mate’s screen is sensitive enough to pick up the imprint of a glove-covered finger.

All in all, both companies have heightened the drama at CES, but the end result depends on consumer perception and strategic selling. Huawei has been ineffective in getting carriers on board, and Vizio’s tab is only at the nascent stages of development. The larger industry clout of companies like Samsung and Apple could affect them significantly.

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The handset launched almost a year ago on the Verizon 4G LTE network in the US, and delivers simultaneous voice and data capabilities. You can browse the web or check your e-mail, even download an application while in the middle of a voice call. Just in time for the holiday season last year, the Droid Razr MAXX 4G received an upgrade to the Jelly Bean 4.1 Android operating system. The handset is slim at 0.35 inches (8.99 mm), and supports NFC wireless connectivity out-of-the-box.

The large 4.30 inch display delivers a better than average pixel density for the typical 4G smartphone, at 256 pixels per inch. That gives the screen a 540 x 960 pixel resolution overall, and that Super AMOLED Advanced screen accepts capacitive, multitouch gestures for device navigation. The handset is also versatile, transforming into a 10.1 inch or 14 inch laptop, an in-vehicle hands-free navigation system and high definition multimedia hub when ported into optional Motorola accessories.

Battery performance is excellent, with talk time running 21.5 hours from a single charge of the extended life 3,300 mA battery on board. The Droid Razr MAXX 4G also delivers a full 15.8 days of standby battery power, and the handset is powered by a Texas Instruments OMAP 4430 microchip package. The CPU is a dual core 1.2 GHz Cortex A9 chip, and a separate PowerVR SGX540 GPU handles all graphics processing. Video out is offered by both microHDMI and DLNA connectivity options.

The Motorola Droid Razr MAXX 4G for Verizon offers 1.0 GB of RAM memory and a microSD slot for storage expansion, with 16 GB of data storage built in and a 16 GB microSD card that ships with the handset. A YouTube video player and music player are built into the Droid Razr MAXX 4G, and the handset offers a camera combo consisting of a 1.3 megapixel chat cam and 8.0 megapixel camcorder. That rear facing camcorder provides video capture at 1,080P HD resolution, with the front facing chat cam offering video call support.

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