Samsung Electronics announced on Aug. 7 the release of the Galaxy Note 10.1 in Germany, the United Arab Emirates, and other European and Middle Eastern countries. This is the latest version of the Galaxy Note, a new concept combining smartphone and tablet, which has created a sensation with its superb mobile gadgets and S-Pen stylus support since its global debut last September.
The Galaxy Note 10.1, running on Google’s Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich OS, retains the emotional analog experiences of the original Galaxy Note, but provides new multimedia experiences on a 10.1-inch screen. In particular, diverse functions such as the S-Pen, application processor, and camera have been upgraded dramatically.
The eye-catching change is that the multi-screen function divides the whole screen, allowing its user to surf cyberspace on a smaller screen and to write down memos or make sketches on another screen using the S-Pen stylus. The S-Pen stylus function has been improved considerably: it measures 6.5 mm in thickness, allows detailed expressions with 1,024-stage writing pressure steps. It offers eight types of templates, including a recipe, a meeting note, and a diary, while handwriting can be easily inserted along with complex formulae, signs, and so on.
The latest Galaxy Note offers multimedia educational contents through the Galaxy series’ exclusive educational portal, “Learning Hub.” The Learning Hub is now available in eight countries, including Korea, the United Kingdom, France, and China.
It is fitted with a 5 megapixel rear camera, a 1.9 megapixel front camera for recording high-definition moving videos, Quad core application process, and 2GB of RAM.
Shin Jong-kyun, president of Samsung Electronics’ information technology and mobile communications division, said, “Note writing, recording of ideas and sketches are the most natural, creative methods for human beings in a historical perspective, and diverse Galaxy Note products will take the lead in an environment of smart gadgets that can create individuals’ creations and ideas.”
SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS’ RECORD QUARTERLY PROFITS
Samsung Electronics announced on July 27 that the Korean electronics maker chalked up 47.6 trillion won in sales, 6.72 trillion won in operating profit, and 5.19 trillion won in net profit in the second quarter of 2012 on a consolidated basis.
Despite market uncertainties, caused by the euro fiscal debt crisis and global economic worries, Samsung Electronics posted record quarterly performances by cashing in on differentiated products and technological competitiveness.
Compared to the same quarter of the previous year, Samsung Electronics saw sales surge 21 percent and operating profit jump 79 percent thanks to an improvement in performances in all business divisions, except the semiconductor sector, which suffered a setback due to a plunge in chip prices. The tech giant said its sales rose 21 percent over a year ago to of an all-time high of 47.6 trillion won while its operating profit surged to 6.72 trillion won in the second quarter of the year, representing a 79 percent jump over the second quarter of 2011.
In particular, the information technology and mobile communications division saw its sales and operating profits surge on the back of rising high-end smartphone sales, while the display panel business also saw its performance improve considerably due to a rise in the yield rate in the wake of stabilized processes and the expansion of value-added products.
Its mainstay business divisions saw its sales and operating profits rise 5 percent and 15 percent, respectively, thanks to their overall improvement in profitability compared to the previous quarter.
The semiconductor sector saw its sales and profits rise due to price hikes of DRAMs for PCs and the expansion of value-added products. Display panel sales dropped slightly, offset by the growth of OLED sales and an improvement in the LCD sector.
