GooPhone, a Chinese manufacturer famous for its clones of high-end smartphones and tablets, has today revealed the N2 Lite, its Samsung Galaxy Note II copy. The device comes with a 5.5-inch display, and even has its own S Pen, and at first glance, it almost looks identical to the real thing. Pull away its plastic, however, and and you’ll find it’s very different.
It’s taken a heck of a long time, but Samsung’s original Galaxy Note — the “phablet” that inspired a whole host of super-sized smartphones — is finally getting its much-anticipated Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean upgrade. The software is arriving over-the-air and via Samsung Kies to devices with the GT-N7000 model number, and it’s said to be hitting users in Asia first.
Samsung has set its sights on acquiring some of Nokia’s share in emerging markets with a new handset range called “REX.” Based on the company’s TouchWiz interface, but not actually powered by Android, the devices are being described as “smart featurephones,” and they’re going to be competing with Nokia’s hugely popular Asha range in markets such as India.
While today’s smartphones may boast just as many pixels as your television and a faster processor than your PC, they’re not great at going outdoors. Drop any of them onto hard concrete without a case and you can almost guarantee you’re in for a pricey repair bill. That’s not the case with the new Samsung Xcover 2, however.
Announcing just this morning, the Xcover 2 is “the ideal smartphone for active explorers who are enjoying outdoor lifestyles and seeking a durable mobile device with essential smartphone capabilities.”
The Samsung Galaxy S II’s Jelly Bean upgrade has finally begun its rollout in Spain today, reaching international handsets with the GT-I9100 model number. In addition to new Jelly Bean features like Google Now and Project Butter, the software brings Samsung’s latest “TouchWiz Nature UX,” which has been gracing the Korean company’s latest devices since the Galaxy S III launched in May 2012.
