The Samsung Galaxy S, Samsung Galaxy Tab, is in the news because of its new update, the price drop at T-Mobile, and a suspected high return rate compounded by slow sales.
The Sprint Samsung Galaxy Tab is receiving a maintenance update. The update for the Samsung Galaxy Tab has new LCD drivers, Qik software update to 0.04.77, and Microsoft Exchange fixes. More information is available from Sprint.
The software update version is: Baseband S:P100.08 S.EA24, Build SPH-P100.EA24, and it takes
about 5 minutes to download and install. It will be released in stages, with 100% of devices receiving the update within 4 days.
To update your Samsung Galaxy Tab Over-the-Air (OTA), from the Home screen, tap Menu, select Settings > About My Galaxy Tab > System updates, choose either Update Android or Update Firmware. Your Samsung Galaxy Tab will automatically download and install any available updates. You may need to power it off and back on to complete the software upgrade.
In other Samsung Galaxy Tab news, T-Mobile dropped the price of its Samsung Galaxy Tab to $250 with a contract. A newer model of the Samsung Galaxy Tab is expected to be announced during Mobile World Congress next week. The price for the Samsung Galaxy Tab on Sprint is $299.
eWeek reported that Samsung dismissed reports of a high return rate
for the Samsung Galaxy Tab but did confirm lower than-expected sales. ITG
Investment research reported that the Samsung Galaxy Tab return rate was 16%.
Samsung denied the report and issued a statement that said, "According
to Samsung Electronics Mobile Communications Business, the return rate
is below two percent."
Samsung has shipped about 2 million Samsung Galaxy Tab tablets, in Q4 2010.
"Our sell-in was quite aggressive," said Samsung executive Lee
Young-hee during a conference call. "Even though sell-out wasn't as fast
as we expected, we still believe sell-out was quite OK."
Some blame the poor sales on Android 2.2 Froyo that is not optimized
for tablet and does not fully support touchscreens larger than 4 inches, which
causes apps to not run properly.
So far, the only Samsung Galaxy S phone in the United States to get an update to Android 2.2 Froyo has been the Samsung Vibrant on T-Mobile. Verizon, Sprint and AT&T haven't announced a date yet for updates.
There is no update to fix the hardware problem on Samsung Captivate phones made before 11/06/10 that mysteriously powers-off when in standby mode.
Galaxy S smartphones in the U.S. include the Samsung Epic 4G, Samsung Fascinate, Samsung Captivate, Samsung Continuum and Samsung Vibrant.
Many of the Samsung Galaxy S phones were named in Wireless and Mobile News' Review of Reviews Top Ten Best Android an' Droid Phones Now an' Later, as well as the Top Ten Best Smartphones.
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- Review: Samsung Fascinate (Verizon), Review of Reviews.