Samsung introduces new naming system with additions to its Galaxy smartphone range

The Galaxy W, Galaxy M Pro, Galaxy Y and Galaxy Y Pro have joined Samsung'

Samsung has ushered in a new naming system for its Galaxy range of smartphones with the release of four new Android 2.3 (Gingerbread) powered devices. Designed to simplify things for consumers, the new naming structure groups its Android-powered smartphones into one of five classes that are identified by a single letter, which can then be broken down further with an additional indicator to provide an indication of more specific functionality.

The five class indicators run the gamut from flagship devices down to entry-level units. As defined by Samsung they are:

• "S" (Super Smart) - Devices at the very pinnacle of Samsung's mobile portfolio. This class will only be used on flagship devices such as the Samsung Galaxy S, the award-winning smartphone that has already sold 10 million units throughout the world.
• "R" (Royal / Refined) - Premium category models, a combination of power, performance and productivity for the individual who wants to be defined by the technology they carry.
• "W" (Wonder) - High quality, strategic models, perfect for those seeking a balance between style and performance.
• "M" (Magical) - High-performance models at an economic price-point.
• "Y" (Young) - These are entry models or strategic models for emerging markets or a younger audience more sensitive to price.

Within the five classes the indicators of more specific functionality are:

• "Pro" - This indicates that the device includes a physical QWERTY keyboard for speedier email typing and increased productivity for professionals
• "Plus" - This indicates that the device is an upgrade from an existing model
• "LTE" - This indicates that the device is designed to utilize LTE (Long-Term Evolution) connectivity standards, a 4G standard to provide increased mobile network capacity and speed

The four new smartphones introduced to mark the new naming structure include the GALAXY W, GALAXY M Pro, GALAXY Y and GALAXY Y Pro.

Giving an idea of what to expect from the mid-level W class, the new GALAXY W features a 1.4 GHz processor, HSDPA 14.4 Mbps connectivity, 3.7-inch, 800 x 480 pixel touch display and includes Samsung's Game, Social and Music Hubs. Other features include a 5-megapixel camera, Bluetooth 3.0, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n and Kies Air, which allows users to track the phone if it is stolen or lost, as well as accessing the phone on a PC when connected via Wi-Fi.

Next step along on the SRWMY scale comes the GALAXY M Pro, which is powered by a 1 GHz processor and features a QWERTY keypad and enterprise support for Exchange Active Sync, Sybase Afaria, CISCO Mobile and CISCO WebEx. There's also an optical touchpad, 5-megapixel rear camera, VGA front-facing camera, 7.2 Mbps HSDPA, Bluetooth 3.0, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, and the inclusion of Samsung's Social Hub.

Aimed at younger consumers is the GALAXY Y, which is powered by an 832 MHz processor and features Samsung's TouchWiz user interface along with SWYPE for faster typing on the device's 3-inch 320 x 240 pixel TFT LCD touch screen. Reflecting its younger target market, the GALAXY Y will come in a variety of colors and also includes Social Hub, along with a 2-megaixel camera, 7.2 Mbps HSDPA, Bluetooth 3.0, and Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n.

The fourth and final new phone is the GALAXY Y Pro, which indicates it is basically the GALAXY Y with a physical QWERTY keypad. The inclusion of Social Hub Premium, which supports email, social network integration and instant messaging, ensures you're always in touch, while ThinkFree mobile office allows for the editing of Word, Powerpoint, Excel and PDF files on the go.

All four new Galaxy smartphones will come running Android 2.3 (Gingerbread) and Samsung will be showcasing them at IFA 2011. Pricing and release dates are yet to be announced.

Samsung Galaxy Xcover: waterproof touchscreen Android smartphone

The IP67-certified Samsung Galaxy Xcover will be one of the world's few rugged Android touchscreen smartphones

Samsung has announced its plans to update the Galaxy lineup with the Galaxy Xcover, one of the world's few rugged Android touchscreen smartphones. It's an IP67-certified dust- and waterproof 3.65-inch device running Android 2.3. It looks like the Motorola DEFY/DEFY+ and the upcoming Sony Ericsson Xperia Active rugged Android smartphones could be getting some "tough" competition.

The IP67 certificate means that the Galaxy Xcover is completely protected against dust and dirt, and can be immersed in water to a depth of one meter (3.28 feet) for 30 minutes, which should be more than enough to resist accidental splashes. Running Android 2.3 (Gingerbread), the new arrival in the Galaxy family comes with a 3.65-inch HVGA (480 × 320) LCD touchscreen which is made of scratch-resistant, tempered glass "four to five times tougher than regular glass," while its 3-megapixel autofocus rear camera is LED flash-equipped, and doubles as a torch.

The phone's specs include:

• HSDPA 7.2Mbps / HSUPA 5.76Mbps support
• 800MHz CPU
• 3.65" HVGA TFT LCD
• Android 2.3 OS (Gingerbread); (Samsung Social Hub app on board)
• 3-megapixel LED flash-equipped camera with 30fps VGA video recording
• 150MB of built-in storage, micro SD card reader (up to 32GB)
• 3.5 mm jack, FM Radio with RDS
• Bluetooth 3.0 +HS, USB 2.0, WiFi 802.11 b/g/n
• Battery: 1500 mAh
• Dimensions: 121.5 x 65.9 x 11.95 mm (4.78 x 2.59 x 0.47 in); weight: 135 grams (4.76 oz)

The rugged Samsung Galaxy Xcover will be available in Germany starting from October and in the UK "later on this year." It is also rumored to be available in Sweden and Finland in November, priced at SEK2,800 (US$437) and EUR299 (US$430) respectively.

Fusion Garage returns with Grid10 tablet, Grid4 smartphone and custom OS

The Grid10 tablet features a 10.1-inch touchscreen running at 1366 x 768 pixels resolution

Fusion Garage's JooJoo tablet may not have set the world ablaze when it launched in 2009, but that hasn't stopped the Singapore-based company from making a fresh foray into the Apple dominated space. Fusion Garage has unveiled Grid10, a new 10.1-inch tablet running an Android kernel-based OS known as GridOS. The company has also announced a 4-inch smartphone - Grid4 - which runs on the same customized OS.

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The JooJoo tablet was initially referred to as the CrunchPad and it was actually an initiative by Techcrunch's Michael Arrington, who eventually did not participate in the 2009 release of a Linux-based 12.1-inch tablet PC. The JooJoo tablet failed to succeed and Fusion Garage's founder Chandrasekar Rathakrishnan announced its "end of life" back in November 2010, while ensuring that the company will return with new products.

After a bit of a cryptic build-up (Fusion Garage is the company behind the "mystery" TabCo teaser marketing campaign that's been grabbing some YouTube attention in recent times), that return now has a name - the Grid10 and Grid4.

Grid10 tablet

The Grid10 tablet features a 10.1-inch touchscreen (with muti-touch) running at 1366 x 768 pixels resolution and it's powered via Nvidia Tegra 2 platform with a 1.2Ghz CPU and 512MB RAM. It also comes with 16GB storage expandable through micro SD card reader, WiFi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 2.1 +EDR, 1.3-megapixel front-facing camera, HDMI output, GPS, accelerometer, optional HSDPA support, while it's battery comes with 5,800 mAh capacity.

Based on Android kernel, the GridOS comes with a gesture- and wheel-based UI, where a tap on the screen brings a wheel with a selection of options to choose from. It also offers some smooth 3D animations. Fusion Garage has implemented Bing search engine and there's also a Grid Shop service with apps to download, although Android Market apps are also supported. According to the product website, Grid10 tablet sells with a selection of basic apps to provide multimedia playback, maps, calendar, internet browsing, contacts and the like.

Grid10 measures 274.2 x 173.5 x 13.9mm (10.8 x 6.83 x 0.55 in) and it weighs 690 g (1.52lbs). The tablet is available for pre-order via Amazon, priced at US$599 for WiFi and 3G version or US$499 for the WiFi only version. Shipping begins on September 15.

Grid4 smartphone

Along with the Grid10 tablet, Fusion Garage unveiled its 4-inch smartphone also running GridOS. Measuring just 9.9 mm (0.39 in) thick, Grid4 features a 4-inch, 800 x 480 touchscreen and a 5-megapixel rear camera with LED flash and 720p video recording, while its front facing camera is 0.3-megapixel. The smartphone is powered via Qualcomm Snapdragon MSM8255 and 512MB RAM, and comes with 16GB of built-in storage.

Grid4 features the same UI as the tablet and comes pre-loaded with nearly the same lineup of apps. Grid4 is expected to be available in Q4 201 at a price of US$399.