Android roundup: Nexus Prime gets a closeup, Galaxy Note hits FCC

You can almost feel it in the air. ‘Tis the season for phone and tablet junkies of all shapes and sizes to get their fixes. Apple fans have already got theirs today, but Android fans have a lot to anticipate too. Samsung’s phone/tablet hybrid, the Galaxy Note, has just passed through the FCC with some additional details. But the bigger story here is that we have the first pictures of the upcoming Samsung Nexus Prime.
Nexus Prime
The Nexus Prime (if that’s what it’s ultimately called, see below) is set to be unveiled at the Samsung Unpacked event on October 11. As you can see in the above screenshot, this baby looks to finally give Android something to rival the iPhone’s “retina” display.
We’re looking at 720p on a gargantuan 4.6″ screen. While the above shot lists 1184×720, that is taking the on-screen buttons into account, and the more likely resolution is 1280×720. That’s roughly 320 pixels per inch, smack dab in the range of the iPhone 4′s density. Having more than an extra (diagonal) inch over Apple’s display, though, will give us a smartphone screen that should be truly something to behold.
The other big revelation from this leaked picture is that the Prime looks to have no physical buttons. As Ice Cream Sandwich will be blending the best of Gingerbread and Honeycomb, the lack of buttons (just like Honeycomb) shouldn’t be too big of a surprise.
For those playing catch-up, the Nexus Prime is set to be the next in line of Google’s flagship Android devices. Of course Google works closely with the manufacturers to provide what they hold to be a “pure” Android experience. Following the Nexus One (which ushered in 2.1 Eclair in 2009) and the Nexus S (which introduced 2.3 Gingerbread last year), the Nexus Prime will be heralding the arrival of Ice Cream Sandwich.
While Nexus Prime has been the most expected name, it has also been speculated that it could be dubbed the Galaxy Nexus or even the Droid Prime.
Galaxy Note cruises the FCC
Not to be forgotten, another mobile gadget from Samsung, the Galaxy Note, got its FCC cred. The biggest news out of this is that the über-phone (or nano-tablet, take your pick) should be sporting “4G” on AT&T. That would be HSPA (pseudo-4G), rather than LTE, which is still in the beginning stages for AT&T.

Additionally, there had been some previous confusion about the amount of juice in the Note’s battery. Conflicting reports had said it would have either a 1200mAh battery (weaksauce), or a solid 2500mAh battery. The FCC visit confirms that it’s the latter.
The confirmation of a strong battery only rounds out a strong set of specs for the Galaxy Note. Its 5.3″ display will sport a 1280×800 resolution. That clocks in at 280ppi, which certainly isn’t anything to sneeze at. By comparison, the similarly-sized Dell Streak held a mere 187 pixels per inch when it launched last year. The Note also packs a dual-core (1.4HGz) processor, 1GB of RAM, an 8 megapixel rear camera (with a 2MP front shooter), and an included stylus. Those numbers can hang with any top-of-the-line mobile devices right now.
So before you Android fans cringe at the worldwide hype surrounding the “other” news that has come out today, we hope these tidbits will give you something tasty to chew on. The Note’s size makes it something of a question, but it offers a nice range of specs that certainly get my attention. The Nexus Prime, meanwhile, is shaping up to give the Galaxy S II, the Sensation, the EVO 3D, and the Droid Bionic a fierce challenge as the beastliest Android phone to be released this year.

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