Samsung Galaxy S II vs LG Optimus 2X: Head to head (Goolge Android Repair: www.drmobiles.co.nz)

Ah, the power of dual-core processors – it lets you do cool stuff like buttery-smooth multitasking, exciting 3D portable gaming or Full HD videos. The latest Samsung I9100 Galaxy S II packs the new Exynos chipset, which pairs a couple of Cortex-A9 cores with a Mali-400MP GPU. Sounds like a potent mix – at least on paper, so we’re eager to pit it against one of the first phones to offer Nvidia’s Tegra 2 platform - the LG Optimus 2X.

Samsung I9100 Galaxy S II official photos

What we have in our hands is a pre-release test unit of the Galaxy S II, successor to one of the best selling Android phones. Ours runs its two CPU cores at 1GHz but Samsung announced that the speed will be bumped up to 1.2GHz.

Once that’s done, the I9100 Galaxy S II would be the most powerful droid – until the competition catches up, which won’t take long judging by our rumor mill. Anyway, we’re going to use the chance to put Samsung’s Exynos chipset head to head with NVIDIA’s Tegra 2. We’ll be using the LG Optimus 2X for the benchmarks, which runs at the same clock speed as our Galaxy S II – 1GHz.

We’re already working on our Galaxy S II preview but until that’s done, we just couldn’t resist testing some of the most interesting new features of Samsung’s latest flagship. Here’s what this comparison will be about.

First off, this is our first encounter with the Super AMOLED Plus technology, which improves on an already excellent screen. We’ll run the new display through several tests to determine how it stacks up against the old one and other leading displays on the market.

Next, we’ll get to the camera department – the Galaxy S II comes with an 8MP still shooter that can capture 1080p FullHD videos. That’s our second encounter with such a beast and we’ll be pitting it against the LG Optimus 2X camera, that’s for sure. A surprising guest star in the camera test is the Sony Ericsson Arc, which we recently reviewed as well.

After that comes the test of what makes the Samsung I9100 Galaxy S II tick – the new dual-core Exynos chipset. Just keep in mind the Galaxy S II retail version will have 20% more clock speed for each of the two CPU cores.

Finally, we’ll wrap things up with a real-life performance test – how does the Galaxy S II stack up in real world tasks (we’ll be testing the user interface, web browser and games) against a phone with a Tegra 2 chipset (which is quite popular among new smartphones and even tablets).

Samsung I9100 Galaxy S II in our office

Super AMOLED Plus up close

The original Galaxy S had an amazing display. But as great as SuperAMOLED tech is, it did have its drawbacks, mainly the PenTile subpixel matrix.

The new generation SuperAMOLED Plus should increase the size of the available panels up to 4.3”, it should improve the performance and it’s comes with a conventional subpixel matrix. We expect nothing but excellence – let’s see if the Samsung I9100 Galaxy S II delivers.

First, a few words on PenTile matrix to give you an idea what you’re looking at. PenTile matrices use only two subpixels per each pixel of the screen, unlike traditional matrixes that use three (LCD displays use this arrangement too). The image below demonstrates the difference though in an exaggerated way.

Even though both the original Galaxy S and the Galaxy S II have screens with equal resolution – WVGA, or 480 x 800 pixels. The use of a conventional matrix has given the SuperAMOLED Plus screen 50% more subpixels, making the display noticeably sharper (especially when it comes to small text).

Here are a few shots we took of the displays of the original Galaxy S, the Galaxy S II and the iPhone 4. You can see that the subpixels look as we expected them to.

The iPhone 4’s Retina display is easily the sharpest of the bunch. There is a very noticeable difference between the two Galaxies in the following extreme close-up shot, but in reality, the difference isn't that strongly pronounced, unless you’re looking at them from really close.

Macro shot of the screens of the Galaxy S II, the original Galaxy S (middle) and iPhone 4 (bottom)

The SuperAMOLED Plus display of the Galaxy S II has exceptional viewing angles but the old screen in the Samsung Galaxy S isn't half bad either. Especially compared to a regular LCD unit, see for yourselves.

For this comparison we’ve put the first and second generation Galaxy S phones next to the LG Optimus 2X. Let’s just say, the screen is not among the strongest features of the LG smartphone.

LG Optimus 2X • Samsung I9100 Galaxy S II • Samsung I9000 Galaxy S

The new Super AMOLED Plus display reportedly has improved brightness and reduced power usage. We’ll leave the battery tests for the review, but we did test the brightness levels. We were surprised to see that the SuperAMOLED Plus screen is no brighter than the previous generation used in the original Galaxy S.

Here are our measurements.

Display test	50% brightness		100% brightness
	Black, cd/m2	White, cd/m2	Black, cd/m2	White, cd/m2
iPhone 3GS	0.84	134	2.51	504
iPhone 4	0.14	189	0.39	483
Sony Ericsson XPERIA Arc	0.03	34	0.33	394
LG Optimus 2X	0.23	228	0.35	347
HTC Incredible S	0.18	162	0.31	275
Samsung I9100 Galaxy S II	0	231	0	362
Samsung Galaxy Ace	0.23	160	0.34	234
Sony Ericsson Xperia Neo	0.05	68	0.10	134

You’ll notice we didn’t measure the contrast ratio of either SuperAMOLED display – that’s due to how OLED works. Contrast is the ratio of how bright a white pixel is compared to a black pixel while both are visible on the screen. Since black pixels in OLED type displays don’t emit any light at all, the contrast works out to infinity (which isn't really a meaningful measurement).

This post is sponsored by:
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Takapuna, North Shore 0622
Tel: (09) 551-5344
Mob: (021) 264-0000
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The Android Market will overtake Apple's App Store by August 2011 (www.drmobiles.co.nz)

It's been a strong possibility for some time now but the Android Market looks like it'll finally overtake Apple's mighty App Store by August 2011.
The culmination of the decelerating growth on Apple's App Store paired with the Android Market's growth still tenaciously accelerating, have meant that analysts have been able to predict this monumental shift.

App store analytics company Distimo were one of the first groups to predict the Android Market's overtake with another organisation, Germany-based research2guidance having information that complemented the original research stating that Android Market will overtake the App Store by August 2011, assuming it hits its target of 425,000 new apps by the start of the month. In April 2011, Android Market added 28,000 new applications to its ranks, whereas Apple's App Store only managed a comparatively small 11,000.
This is good news for Google in terms of offering a greater choice, but in the grand scheme of things, just how much does this affect anything? The majority of the apps on both stores go unnoticed with the 'cream usually rising to the top', quickly. And having the store with the most available apps does not mean the majority revenue, especially for developers. The research conducted by research2guidance actually discounts this and sways towards the opposite, the idea that; "success of an app store is negatively correlated to the success of an average developer. All analysis on the early months of an app store including the Android Market shows that average download numbers decrease dramatically after the first months or even weeks after the launch of the store. The long tail gets longer and longer while the top 5% gets richer and richer."
Also, one might argue that the majority of apps between both stores are geared toward different users. iOS and its apps, aimed at a premium market and as such, charge a premium for their services with Android going for a more mass-market approach.


This post is sponsored by:
Dr Mobiles Limited
1 Huron Street
Takapuna, North Shore 0622
Tel: (09) 551-5344
Mob: (021) 264-0000
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Mobile phone usage report 2011: The things you do...(Mobile Phone Repair" by Dr Mobiles Limited, Auckland)

Read this post and forward to all your friends who needs help on faulty Apple iPhones, BlackBerry PDA or any mobile phones.  Dr Mobiles Limited (www.drmobiles.co.nz) provide FREE full technical inspection for damage phones!

*** WE DO NOT CHARGE INSPECTION FEE ***
Why pay $45 or $85 to the amatures to check your phone?  Dr Mobiles Limited will provide you FREE full technicla inspection.  The reason is to weed out the semi-pro in the market so that consumers will not have to pay expensive "inspection fee".

If you need to claim your damaged iPhone 4 or expensive Adroid Phones with House Contents Insurance, we can help you out.  Bring your phone or courier it to us and we will inspect it and email you a damage assessment which you can forward to your insurance for claiming consideration.

A few weeks back we asked some questions to find out how you, our readers, are using your mobile phones. Now we are back with the answers and they have some interesting stories to tell.

Did you ever wonder what kind of phone usage is normal? We seem to have a pretty good idea. Are cell phones still mostly used for making calls or has web browsing already taken over? The answer is right here.

In some places, more people use their phone as a wakeup alarm than they do to make calls. More people use music recognition in North America than in any other place on Earth. You told us what features are used daily and what are only needed once in a while. We also know which are the most wanted but, for various reasons, still not widely used.

Before we go on though, we’d like to thank you for taking part in our survey so actively. More than 15,000 people responded, 10,000 of which clocked in the first 24 hours alone. As you could imagine, the results should be representative enough given the number of respondents representing various age groups, both genders and different continents.
And while the results can most probably apply to mobile phone enthusiasts all over the world they are hardly accurate as far as the whole world population is concerned. The thing is you, our faithful audience, are not exactly the average phone users. Being so informed and passionate about cell phones (why would you else be here reading all those long reviews) you tend to spend more time with your phone and use most of the features.
Here are some numbers that prove this further: 96% of all respondents browse the web on their mobile phone and more than 88% have a Wi-Fi enabled handset. You won’t be able to bring those numbers to the next class reunion, but you might just learn what your fellow commenters do on their handsets.
One final note before we begin: about 30% of the voters chose not to provide personal information but we still have plenty of feedback to be able to tell how the results vary across the different gender/age/location groups.
Now let’s check out those numbers, shall we? We will be starting with an infographic summing up some of our most exciting findings right after the break.
This post is sponsored by:
Dr Mobiles Limited
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Takapuna, North Shore 0622
Tel: (09) 551-5344
Mob: (021) 264-0000
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Sony Ericsson WT18i surfaces, is a budget Walkman for China - www.drmobiles.co.nz

It looks like the Sony Ericsson Walkman line of phones is coming back to life. A new popped up out shortly after the official announcement of Sony Ericsson W8. This time, it is labeled (at least for the time being) WT18i.
Much like the W8, the specs of the device suggest that it will be a youth-oriented, budget priced handset. The processor of the device is Marvell PXA 920, clocked at 806 MHz and the HVGA screen measures 3.2". The device will have 150MB of internal memory and a microSD card slot (up to 32GB cards will be supported.
A 3 MP camera with 480p video recording will have to do for the user's photography needs, while the front-facing camera enables video-calls. This functionality will come in a compact package weighing only 110 grams.
Interestingly enough, the OS is listed as "OMS 2.5", which should be based on Android 2.2 Froyo. The OS of choice and the TD-SCDMA network support show that this particular version is China bound, but a worldwide version might appear too.
There is no info on a release date or pricing yet. The homescreen on the phone in the picture shows 09-24-2011, which might be a hint by the company.

This post is sponsored by:
Dr Mobiles Limited
1 Huron Street
Takapuna, North Shore 0622
Tel: (09) 551-5344
Mob: (021) 264-0000
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LG Optimus Black display shootout: NOVA (LG Optimus Repair by www.drmobiles.co.nz)

There’s a new kid on the mobile display block, LG’s NOVA LCD display. It promises to be the dream screen – it’s super bright, energy efficient, with great colors, viewing angles and outdoor visibility. We’ll be running our usual battery of tests on the new guy to see if it can deliver on those promises.
LG isn't just throwing superlatives around – they’ve have hard numbers to back up their claims. They bill the NOVA display as the brightest smartphone screen around – 700 nits of brightness. Also, keep in mind that bigger screens are harder to light up, so at 4” big the NOVA display of the LG Optimus Black P970 will be well ahead of the competition if it can pull it off, as other 4-inchers don’t even come close to 700 nits.

NOVA uses In-Plane Switching technology, which greatly reduces color distortion and contrast loss when viewed at an angle. This is vital on mobile devices as you rarely hold the phone so that you view the display head on.
But LG has done more to enhance the viewing experience – they’ve worked harder on reaching what they call “pure white tones”. LCD and AMOLED screens usually have a slight tint to them, so greys are not quite neutral and even the white is not perfectly white. Your eyes get used to it pretty quick, but it’s always there – unless your phone has a NOVA display that is.
What else? Ah, “clearest” and “most readable” are being thrown around in relation to the NOVA display too – but how is a 4” WVGA screen better in sharpness and resolution than another 4” WVGA screen? It could be possible, not all pixels are created equal. But we’ll need to get pretty close and personal with the Optimus Black to find that out. We’ll pit it against some of the best in the business – the Samsung Galaxy S and S II, the Apple iPhone 4 and LG‘s own Optimus 2X (for good measure) to find out which one is the best.
Energy efficiency is also on the menu – LG claims 50% less energy used to display a pure white screen than AMOLED displays and also 50% less energy during general usage than regular LCD displays.
So welcome to the display lab! Put your safety goggles on and hit the next page for the LG NOVA display test.
This post is sponsored by:
Dr Mobiles Limited
1 Huron Street
Takapuna, North Shore 0622
Tel: (09) 551-5344
Mob: (021) 264-0000
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LG Optimus 2X scores a Guinness record as the first dual-core phone (www.drmobiles..co.nz)

LG Optimus 2X indeed is the world’s first dual-core smartphone (both announced and released). This achievement was acknowledged by the Guinness World Records – the Optimus 2X is the first dual-core phone available to the public.

The Optimus 2X phones (international and the Korea-only ones) were announced in December 2010. The Optimus 2X SU660 was released in Korea on 25 January this year so it’s the one that won LG the record.

It’s always a great honor to make it to the Guinness World Records especially with something that important. We give LG credit for that. But we have to admit the phone was rushed a bit and was released with Android 2.2 Froyo.

Surely the early adopters found it awesome, but when the other dual-cores hit the market (running on Gingerbread), the Optimus 2X started looking somewhat unfinished and incomplete. Various bugs, and excessive battery drainage and the lack of Android 2.3 Gingerbread are somewhat of deal breakers.

The Gingerbread update for Optimus 2X is expected this summer, but until then many customers will surely own a phone by the competition. We guess that’s the price you pay of being first.

This post is sponsored by:
Dr Mobiles Limited
1 Huron Street
Takapuna, North Shore 0622
Tel: (09) 551-5344
Mob: (021) 117-2222
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Wairau Park, Glenfield: Apple iPhone Home Button Repair and Replacement (Dr Mobiles Limited)

The owner of this Apple iPhone 4 is having problem with the home button for the past few days.  Dr Mobile Limited had replaced an original home button module.

Dr Mobiles Limited (Google Map)
1 Huron Street
Takapuna, North Shore 0622
Tel: (09) 551-5344
Mob: (021) 117-2222
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Dr Mobiles Limited (Branch)
Westfiled Mall, Kiosk (6) Level 3
Cnr Glenfield Road & Downing Street
Glenfield, North Shore
Tel: (09) 444-4952 and  Mob: (021) 620-941