A new leak purporting to be an invite to the launch of the long-awaited Samsung Galaxy S 3 has appeared online. And, in our opinion, it seems more than a little bit fishy.

Apparently an invite sent to the press (though we've not heard of any journalist who had received the invite through official channels), it shows a curvy, chrome handset, a May 22nd event date and lists the location as being London, United Kingdom.

While the date is as good a guess as anyone's, pretty much everything else about the invite feels off.

Firstly, the phone itself seems to be completely at odds with what we'd expect to see with its silvery finish and curved design. More importantly, Samsung have a tendency not to reveal a handset before their grand unveiling, so why would they show it off early here?

While the lettering seems to use a Samsung-accurate font (though there are a few too many different ones in play for it to be the work of a top-tier designer) the strap-line seems suspicious too; it's just a re-jigging of the Galaxy S 2's line, turning Vivid, Fast, Slim around to Fast, Vivid, Slim. There's also no mention of Samsung Unpacked, the traditional event launch pad for Samsung's major products.

Lastly, the location. London, United Kingdom? London as the capital of England, yes, but it's inaccurate to put London as the capital of the entire UK. Samsung have whole teams to iron out localisation issues like this; fakers do not.

We're filing this one therefore in the "Fakes" drawer for the S 3, and we expect to see many more before Samsung officially reveal their own.

Former Apple CEO John Sculley has stated that Samsung with their Galaxy Tab tablet range are the only company that stand a chance of toppling the iPad from it's lofty position on top of the slate pile.

Sculley remains a controversial figure in Apple's history, joining the company at Steve Jobs' request after being instrumental in the rise of the Pepsi brand, before making a sharp exit in 1993. Sculley is thought to have pushed Jobs out during the early days of Apple, and licensed Apple's user interface to Microsoft for Windows 1.0, resulting in years of litigation between the two companies

Despite this, Sculely retains a soft-spot for Apple, and sees the only genuine competition coming out of Samsung's stable:

"I predict many good years ahead for Apple," Sculley told the Economic Times.

"The only serious tablet competitor in sight to the iPad at this time is Samsung's Galaxy.

"We know the landscape can change quickly but Apple has an extraordinary executive team.

"Companies like Sony are trying to deal with the challenges of the legacy businesses (like the money losing television unit) while Apple is riding a wave and can focus all its talent on the future."

Via: CNET

We don't have a release date, let alone have we seen the thing, but Samsung's Galaxy S 3 smartphone may have already racked up 10 million pre-order sales.

The rumour has been fuelled by industry insider Eldar Murtazin, who tweeted "10 mln preorders for sgs3".

Murtazin offered no further details as to the source of his figures, or who placed the order that Murtazin is referring to, but such huge numbers suggest the order comes from operators looking to fill their shelves with the much-coveted handset in time for the eventual launch date.

When that launch date will actually be is still anyone's guess; we've heard everything from back at February's Mobile World Congress show right up until June so for. This month or next seem safe bets however.

Either way, coming off the back of the massive success that was the Samsung Galaxy S 2, we're again expecting big things from the S3 as it looks to go head-to-head with the iPhone 5 and Android rivals like the HTC One X.

Samsung have revealed that they have shipped five million of their oversized Galaxy Note handsets after just 5 months of being available to consumers.

Hitting the million mark back in December, the Galaxy Note raised a few eyebrows when it was revealed at IFA last year. Who would want a 5.3-inch phone bulging in their pockets, and isn't the stylus as dead as a doornail? It seems however that many were attracted to the phone's charms.

Current Samsung Galaxy Note owners are now patiently waiting for the handset's update to Ice Cream Sandwich (Android 4.0), and the exclusive "Premium Suite" of stylus apps that will bring with it.

RELATED: Review: Samsung Galaxy Note

We're fully expecting an official announcement from Samsung in the coming days and weeks regarding the Samsung Galaxy S 3 handset, but we may have already been given a hint at the date for the Android superphone's grand unveiling.

Take a trot down London's Oxford Street today and you'll see the main window of the Phones 4u store proudly bearing a massive Samsung promo display, with the cryptic "Coming 30.03.12" message underneath.

Are they talking about the Galaxy S III? We'd thought an April or May launch was most likely until now, but with Phones 4u already having snagged an exclusivity deal on the Galaxy Nexus, maybe they're partnering up for early deals with Samsung once again.

Of course it could be something totally different (a new Samsung tablet or mid-range phone), with the store using the buzz surrounding the Galaxy S III to generate some press.

Either way, we've now got next Friday pencilled into our diaries to see what all the fuss is about.

Via: Eurodroid

Another day, another Samsung Galaxy S III leak. This time Samsung's superphone sequel has turned up on Reddit in yet another leaked picture, showing off a different design and new potential release date.

Design-wise, it looks pretty good, sporting a very thin bezel, almost edge-to-edge screen and a mix of black and white shades on its bezel. It looks quite different to the Galaxy S II, but not in a bad way.

In terms of UI, if the image does prove to be fake, the counterfeiters have made good efforts to stay in keeping with Samsung's current interface choices, popping in five icons in the lower dock as with the Galaxy Note, and the long physical home button embedded in the bezel.

On the screen is the date May 22nd 2012 and the time 6pm on the calendar, detailing a live broadcast of a launch event on that hour. This is the first time the Galaxy S III has been associated with the date, so we'll be waiting for official word from Samsung before giving too much weight to the rumoured launch date.

There's also the "Weber Shandwick" logo in the corner, a PR team that Samsung have worked with in the past. However, with Samsung's public relations currently handled elsewhere, it adds a whiff of fakery to the image.

We're marking this one down as fake for the time being, although we've got to admit we're quite smitten with the two-tone design.

Via: Reddit

Samsung have just revealed the Galaxy Tab 2, an Ice Cream Sandwich packing follow up to their original 7-inch Android tablet.

Despite housing the newest build of Google's mobile OS, it doesn't mark a grand departure from what went into the original tablet, still sporting a 7 inch screen (at 1024 x 600 resolution), now backed by a 1GHz dual-core processor and 1GB of RAM.

A 3MP rear-facing camera, a VGA front facing shooter, Bluetooth capabilities, and HSPA+ connectivity round off the core specs.

"Two years ago, Samsung GALAXY Tab began to offer customers more possibilities on the go. Since then, Samsung has actively enhanced our tablet line-up with several tablets in different sizes," said JK Shin, President of IT & Mobile Communications Division at Samsung Electronics.

"The new GALAXY Tab 2 (7.0) will provide people with delighted multimedia experience and allow efficient communication."

Set to hit the UK first by March, we'll pass on pricing info as we get it.

With Samsung's Galaxy S III handset almost a certain no-show at this year's MWC 2012 trade event, the Korean tech firm are now rumoured to be plugging the gap with a duo of new tablet devices instead.

Samsung are said to have applied for Wi-Fi interoperability certificates for two devices with product codes of GT-P5100 and GT-P3100, just in time for the Barcelona show.

Samsung's product naming conventions see that any device with the letter "P" in its ID will be a tablet, fuelling rumours already bandying about that Samsung are preparing to launch a whopping 11.6 inch tablet, perhaps one of the devices listed above.

It's thought the tablet will sport a Retina Display-trouncing 2560 x 1600 screen, backed by a 2GHz dual-core processor. The Ice Cream Sandwich version of Android is also thought to feature.

The rumours follow news today that the Samsung Galaxy S III smartphone will not appear at MWC 2012, instead being revealed at it's own dedicated event.

Via: Android Authority

Those looking forward to the debut of the Samsung Galaxy S III look away now; you're going to have to wait a little longer to see Samsung's next superphone be revealed.

The Korean tech giants have just released a statement confirming that the Android handset will not be unveiled at the world's largest mobile technology show, but will instead launch at its own dedicated event.

"The successor to the Galaxy S II smartphone will be unveiled at a separate Samsung-hosted event in the first half of the year, closer to commercial availability of the product," reads the statement from Samsung.

That's not to say Sasmung wont have plenty of other goodies on display at the show: "Samsung is looking forward to introducing and demonstrating exciting new mobile products at Mobile World Congress 2012," and is "committed to providing the best possible mobile experiences for customers around the world".

It's coming, and it might be with us sooner than some had thought; the Galaxy S III Android smartphone has seemingly popped up in a listing on an official Samsung website, fuelling speculation that the handset's launch is just over the horizon.

Appearing on the Samsung UAE Global Download Center page (which hosts device manuals, software and drivers for Samsung products), the listing refers to a device with the model number GT-I9300.

If you take a look at the model number trend for the rest of Samsung's Galaxy range, it appears to be a reference to the Galaxy S III.

With the original Galaxy S listed as the GT-I90xx and, Galaxy S II using GT-I91xx and the Galaxy Nexus given GT-I9250, it makes sense for the S III to jump to GT-I9300.

Despite this seemingly official notification, Samsung are still yet to confirm a launch date for the Galaxy S III. However, this latest snippet of information seems to suggest the handset is indeed on course for a MWC 2012 unveiling.

Via: PocketNow

X-Factor fans and wannabe pop-stars alike could be in with a chance of winning a day to make their idols envious thanks to Samsung. They've teamed up with Phones4u to offer a the chance to shoot a music video with N-Dubz and X-Factor judging star Tulisa Contostavlos.

One hundred competition winners will win a spot in the "alternative" video toTulisa's new solo single, shot, naturally, on Samsung Galaxy handsets.

"I'm really excited to be working with Samsung and Phones 4u as I launch the next phase of my career. My fans are massively important to me, so I'm really looking forward to being able to give them the chance to be part of my new work and can't wait to see my fan-made music video," said Tulisa.

Simon Stanford, Managing Director, UK & IRE Telecommunications & Networks Division said: "Samsung is delighted to be working with one of the UK's most well-known music artists. Tulisa has a huge fanbase amongst Phones 4u customers who I am sure will be extremely excited by this exclusive promotion. Our range of premium Galaxy devices all feature our leading mobile technology - including high spec cameras, HD recording and playback and superior screen technology for viewing that content - so we're excited to see the alternative music video that Tulisa's fans will be creating for her."

To be in with a chance of winning the prize, you need to pick up a handset from Samsung's Galaxy range (either the Samsung Galaxy S II, Samsung Galaxy Note or Galaxy Nexus) from Phones 4u between the 27th January and15th March 2012. You'll then be given a raffle ticket, entering you into the competition.

Phones 4U are also offering their customers exclusive Tulisa content including video footage, photographs and wallpapers, while Tulisa is set to make a guest appearance in the best-performing Phone 4U store in the country.

Gasp! Do Tech Digest's eyes deceive? Is this the fabled Samsung Galaxy S III?

Well, to be perfectly honest, we're not sure yet! But we'll run through why we think it just might be so.

Popping up in a video that promoted Samsung's successes during their CES 2012 press conference (posted at the bottom of this post), it's an as-yet unidentified handset from Sammy.

Now, it could just be a mock-up of course, but what with MWC 2012 just around the corner (the world's biggest mobile phone trade show) you'd guess that Samsung would have a sequel ready following the success last year of the Galaxy S II.

However, that screen looks a real whopper, more in line with the Galaxy Note's 5.3 inch screen than the 4.3 inches of Super AMOLED goodness found on the Galaxy S II. But look at the front camera placement - far closer to what you'd find on an S II than on a Note.

But then again, look at that battery indicator! Very un-Android, which would make it unlike the Gingerbread packing S II. So many mysteries! All, thankfully likely to be revealed at next month's Mobile World Congress conference.

To see why we're so excited for the Samsung Galaxy S III, check out our glowing review of the S II model.

Via: Sammobile

Samsung look set to unleash all-white versions of the Samsung Galaxy Tab line, following leaked shots of a pair of new-look devices hit the web over the weekend.

Shot in Vietnam, the pictures show a Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 and a Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus, each with an all-white chassis. While Samsung have previously released Galaxy Tab's with a white back plate, this is the first time they've gone the whole hog and made the front bezel white too.

However, it's only a minor cosmetic change to the tablets, as under the hood all specifications remain unchanged.

So, for the 10.1, you're still getting a 1GHz dual-core Nvidia Tegra 2 processor with 1GB of RAM and a 1280x800 WXGA LCD screen, while the 7.0 packs a 1.2GHz dual-core processor and 1GB of RAM nestled under a 1024x600 display.

Enough to get you to swap your penny saving tin for a Galaxy Tab rather than an iPad? Let us know in the comments section below.

Via: GSM Arena

Following yesterday's unveiling of their high-end audio products headed to CES 2012, Samsung have now given a glimpse of their PC peripheral range, showing off both a new 27-inch Series 9 monitor and Series 7 Smart Station.

Featuring the same "paper-curve" design as previous models in the range, the Series 9 monitor will run at 2560 x 1440 (quad-HD) on a Plane Line Switching panel (PLS). An edge-to-edge display using anti-glare glass, it sits on an adjustable aluminium stand that also houses USB, DisplayPort, dual-link DVI, and HDMI connectors.

A 7 watt speaker is also built in, alongside Mobile High-Definition Link (MHL) connectivity for compatible smartphone devices.

"Interest in user-generated content and a premium computing experience is growing as consumers are demanding products that allow them to better view, edit and share their photos, videos and entertainment content," said Samsung UK's Neil Sawyer.

"The new Series 9 monitor, with Samsung's exclusive Natural Colour Expert technology, answers the need for higher resolution and meticulous detail editing, regardless of the job," added Sawyer.

"Its unique minimalist design draws users in for truly immersive computing and delivers Samsung's signature best-in-class viewing experience."

No UK pricing yet, but expect to pay $1,199.99 for the privilege of owning the display when it launches in the US in March.

Moving on to the Series 7 Smart Station, it's of a similar ilk to Samsung's Central Station product line. An all-in-one Wireless USB monitor with hub, it runs at full-HD 1080p resolution with a LED backlighting and a HDMI port.

Integrated speakers are joined in the new HDTV monitor by dual HDMI inputs for video sources like Blu-ray players, as well as a built-in TV tuner, WiDi and VGA port.

The Smart Station and HDTV monitor have prices starting at $549 and $599 respectively, with 27 and 24-inch models to be available. They too will be out in March.

Coming slightly out of left-field here compared to the company's usual offerings, Samsung are to be showcasing a new range of high-end speaker docks at next week's CES show in Las Vegas.

A pair of high-end systems are on the way, with Samsung claiming that they've "raised the bar in sound quality for mainstream audio products."

First up is the DA-E670 Audio Dock. It's capable of outputting 40 watts of power, as well as packing in its own subwoofer. More unusually though is its ability to support both iOS devices (iPod, iPhone and iPad), as well as Samsung's own Galaxy S line of mobiles and PMP devices. We're not sure yet whether this means the device will also be compatible with other Android mobiles, but it'll be music to the ears of the legions that bought the Samsung Galaxy S II, looking to beef up its audio output potential.

Even more exciting is the audiophile-grade DA-E750. It uses Samsung's vacuum tube amplifier technology, and looks to combine the best of digital amps with the warmth you'd find with traditional vacuum tube audio systems. As with the DA-E670, it'll support Samsung's AllShare technology and Apple's Airplay.

Looking very intriguing indeed. No word on pricing or availability on this pair yet, but we'll hopefully get some ears-on time with the kit come next week's big tech show in Vegas.

Samsung have just revealed the new Galaxy M Android smartphone, ahead of next week's massive consumer tech show, CES 2012 in Las Vegas.

The Samsung Galaxy M (where, according to Sammy's naming conventions, the "M" stands for "Magic") is described by the Korean tech giants as part of their range of "High-performance models at an economic price-point".

Specs wise, it's running Android version Gingerbread (Ice Cream Sandwich not "magical" enough it seems), a 1GHz processor, 3MP camera, 4GB of internal storage, Bluetooth 3.0 and a decent 1650mAh battery crammed into its 9.9mm thick "refined metal body".

No word on a UK release yet, but we'd expect a sub-£200 price tag where it ever to reach our shores.

Just yesterday, Samsung revealed the Galaxy Ace Plus, a revamped version of last year's Galaxy Ace handset.

Samsung have updated last years Galaxy Ace handset for a new model called the Samsung Galaxy Ace Plus.

Upping the specs of the first handset, the Galaxy Ace Plus features a 1GHz processor (up 200MHz over the original) and Android Gingerbread pre-installed. The screen size jumps up slightly from 3.5 inches to 3.65 inches, but with the resolution sticking at 320x480, you'll lose a little definition as a result.

Those thinking it'd be packing a slide-out QWERTY are getting their Samsung update names a bit skewed - "Plus" updates always deal with internal tweaks. You're after Samsung's "Pro" upgrades for the QWERTY features.

Elsewhere, it's business as usual for the handset, with a 5MP camera, Samsung's Social and Music Hubs, TouchWiz UI and the ChatON service.

Expect to see the Samsung Galaxy Ace Plus hit Russian stores first later this month, with European, Asian and American roll outs to follow. No pricing has been revealed yet.

Samsung's Galaxy Tab 10.1 is back on sale in Australia, after the South Korean electronics giant had Apple's sales ban on the tablet overruled.

Though the sales ban is still in place until Friday, Federal Court Justice Lindsay Foster has reversed the court order, meaning Samsung's superb Android slate will be back on shelves by the start of the weekend.

That is unless Apple take it another step further by getting the High Court involved, which they most likely will. If Apple push there, it's feasible that the ban could once again be imposed.

However, Samsung see it as a breakthrough moment in their long-running court fiasco with Apple, with the timing perfect in the close run-up to Christmas.

"We believe the ruling clearly affirms that Apple's legal claims lack merit," said a Samsung spokesperson.

Apple and Samsung ahve been battling it out in the courts all year long, with each claiming the other is infringing on patents for copyrighted technology. It's a row that's taken in locations all over the globe, including the UK, US and Japan, as well as Germany, where the Samsung tablet had also been banned following Apple's complaints leading Samsung to develop a modfied version of the slate.

Via: Financial Times

One of Ice Cream Sandwich's major features has been found to have a slight flaw. The face unlock application that requires the user to stand in front of the camera and the phone recognises your face and unlock has been tricked into unlocking with a printed picture.

This is causing a problem but also showing off the feature, all in one go. The video shows the Nexus Galaxy able to recognise the face from a picture on a glossy display, proving the real sensitivity of the camera application which does deserve a round of applause. But, holding your hands for just two seconds, this means that your photo can now unlock your phone, meaning other potential users could quite easily get into your new device.

Obviously there are going to have to be a couple of standards when it comes to using a picture to unlock the phone, in the video the Galaxy Note is used to take the picture. The Note has an 8MP camera, from the looks of things a very good 8MP camera. I doubt that the software would be fooled if it was shown a picture of you in a club with loads of your friends, or a blurry image from a lower spec phone. It would be interesting to see if Google came out with a response to this showing that you need a really good quality picture in order to unlock the device.

However,this update should be a concern for Google on the run up to the big release of the new software and will need to be an area that they will need to look into as a potential security flaw. Perhaps take a leaf out of many films including a secret agency and use both photo and voice recognition? Or go one step further and use finger print and Iris recognition for the ultimate protection for all your text messages and contacts.

Water damage on a phone is a very common problem, where a small amount of moisture will enter the phone, usually through the charging port and causes issues. Alternatively water damaged can be caused by dropping it in the toilet.

A new study by a mobile phone comparison website found some worrying results that a third of phone owners in Britain have broken their phone through water damage. The most popular way was dropping it in the toilet, followed by dropping it in a drink, dropped in the shower or bath, dropped in washing up bowl and finally being put in the washing machine, I'm assuming with clothes.

It seems that people can't grip their phones properly as most of the damage tends to happen through dropping; perhaps a universal design flaw? One that i found particularly interesting was dropping it in the shower or bath. Who takes their phone into the shower? I don't think I have ever had that much of an important text or call come through that I would reply in the shower under a stream of running water.

Some other interesting results show that males are three times more likely to drop their phones in water than females. 86% of the the phones damaged with water were not insured.

Mark Owen founder of the company that ran the survey, GoodMobilePhones.co.uk commented, "I know mobile phone insurance can seem like an expensive addition to a monthly phone bill, but often it can be something really worth thinking about, especially if you are prone to being a bit clumsy! The majority of smart phones can be expensive to replace so it's often worth the additional cost of insurance, but if you have recently broken your phone then there are some great deals to be had."

Have you had a disastrous combination involving your phone or any other gadget and the technology killer that is water? Leave your best (or worst) experiences below in the comments.