We saw a few new Samsung phones revealed during AT&T’s press conference Monday morning. Coming soon to AT&T’s smartphone lineup are the Galaxy Note and the Galaxy S II Skyrocket HD, but the South Korea-based vendor has much more in store for us at this year’s Consumer Electronics Show. Smartphones, tablets, computers, HDTVs and more will debut from Samsung this week at CES, and Monday’s press conference is where we’ll get our first live taste of what’s in store. The event is scheduled to kick off at 5:00 p.m. Eastern / 2:00 p.m. Pacific, so hit the break for all the action as it unfolds.
5:49PM:That’s it guys, thanks for tuning in!
5:48PM:Tim Baxter is coming back on stage now to wrap things up. Content, services and connectivity are the keys to SAmsung’s strategy this year.
5:47PM:Samsung also has two new ultrabooks to unveil that fall into its Series 5 category, and a new line of monitors that fall under the Series 9 class.
5:45PM:It boots in 9.8 seconds and the battery lasts up to 10 hours on a single charge. Wow.
5:45PM:The series 9 weighs just 2.5 lbs and it’s 0.5 inches thick. It’s the result of over 30,000 hours of development and design, Samsung says. It features a single-shell aluminum body and fingerprint resistance. It also sports a backlit keyboard.
5:43PM:Samsung’s Series 9 notebook PC is up next. It’s very sleek, and very familiar.
5:42PM:In short, it’s a Tab 7.7 with LTE.
5:41PM:Next up, the Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.7 LTE for Verizon Wireless, which includes 4G LTE support, of course.
5:40PM:One cool feature of the S Pen: it reads pressure, so the harder you press on the screen, the thicker the line it will draw.
5:39PM:The phone features a 5.3-inch Super AMOLED HD display, and of course, Samsung’s new stylus technology “S Pen.”
5:38PM:Now we’re on to telecommunications. The Galaxy Note is the first device being shown. As announced this morning, the Note will feature LTE and will launch soon from AT&T.
5:37PM:The machine will use AllShare Play to do things like sending alerts when a load is done.
5:36PM:Next up… A connected washing machine. Really.
5:36PM:Samsung’s cameras will also be able to email photos right from the device — no need for a PC or even a phone.
5:35PM:Samsung will also use Wi-Fi for more than just sharing. An app on a Samsung phone can be used to control a camera remotely, for example.
5:34PM:In 2012, Samsung will deliver a full line of connected cameras and camcorders, from entry-level on up, that feature integrated Wi-Fi and sharing features.
5:33PM:Wireless sharing is also built into Samsung’s smart cameras and camcorders this year.
5:33PM:Samsung is introducing a new feature called AllShare Play this year as well. It allows users to wirelessly share content between devices on the same network or over the internet.
5:30PM:And despite being ridiculously thin, it doesn’t skimp on features at all. A dual-core process and 3D are packed within this gorgeous set, and it also includes an integrated webcam.
5:29PM:The TV is out on stage right now and even from the back of the room, we can see how gorgeous the display is. The colors are absolutely remarkable. And since it’s OLED, there’s no need for color filters. It also eliminates blur, is nearly borderless and is remarkably slim.
5:28PM:And now, another new TV. The Samsung 55-inch “Super OLED” TV. It. Is. Gorgeous.
5:27PM:A new “Smart Evolution” feature in Samsung’s 2012 TVB lineup will include open slots in the back of the unit that will allow users to install “kits” in the future to add new features.
5:26PM:Users can say things like “channel 2” or “play Black Eyed Peas” and the TV obeys. The TVs will also recognize users by their faces, and display each user’s home page and apps automatically.
5:25PM:Smart Interaction allows users to interact with Samsung’s smart TVs using their voices, gestures and even their face.
5:24PM:Samsung is introducing new signature services for 2012. The first one, Family Story, allows users to upload images and more from a Samsung device and add it to a stream on a TV. Another service provides enhanced parental controls.
5:23PM:Joe Stinziano, Samsung’s SVP, is on stage now. Samsung held a competition recently for developers to bring apps that provide interaction between TVs and smartphones. The winner, a dev who build an app called Party Shots (drink with friends, snap pics, share on a social network) just won $100,000!
5:21PM:Samsung is even adding a channel dedicated to animated Angry Birds content. Seriously.
5:20PM:Angry Birds just invaded the press conference. They’re hoping around the screen and, obviously, the app will be coming to Samsung’s TVs this year.
5:19PM:This year, Samsung is focusing on bringing much more 3D content to its TVs. One example is NBCUniversal’s Battlestar Galactica, which will be coming to Samsung’s TVs in 3D this year.
5:18PM:
5:18PM:Since 2010, Samsung has sold more than 12 million 3D TVs. In 2012, half of Samsung’s TV lineup will be 3D.
5:17PM:Samsung will be putting Media Hub on its TVs this year as well. Buy content on one device, watch on all devices.
5:16PM:25,000 companies are now building apps for Samsung’s smart TVs.
5:14PM:The ES8000 also features an integrated camera for web conferencing and more.
5:14PM:The bezel around the screen is very, very thin, and it’s available in sizes up to 75 inches. Yes, 75 inches.
5:13PM:Users can jump from app to app just like they can on a tablet, and the app’s state will be saved.
5:13PM:It is absolutely gorgeous. “You won’t find a more powerful TV.” It packs a dual-core processor and it supports multitasking.
5:12PM:Samsung’s ES8000 LED TV is the company’s flagship model for 2012.
5:11PM:Tim Baxter, president of Samsung Electronics in the U.S. is on stage now. Samsung’s new lineup is all about content, services and technology. Connectivity to other devices and to the cloud are obviously a big deal as well.
5:10PM:“We’re now watching a demo video. Samsung’s new TVs can be controlled by voice or using tons of different gestures. Not quite Minority Report, but very cool none the less. Users can drag menu items around and make selections just by waving and poking.
5:08PM:Samsung also wants to make sure that its new TVs are smart enough to keep evolving and “getting smarter every year.”
5:07PM:Sharing from TVs to other personal devices is also a huge focus for Samsung’s new lineup. And, of course, 3D is still a big focus. There will be a lot of new 3D content as well.
5:06PM:Samsung is updating its TV lineup and Smart TVs are the focus. Samsung’s smart TVs can “listen, see, and do what it wants” and you never have to touch a control.
5:05PM:Samsung wants users to enjoy and share content across multiple devices any time, anywhere. TVs, tablets, phones and so on.
5:04PM:“We must break down the walls that exist between devices.” Just like we all could have guessed, Samsung is all about connected devices this year.
5:04PM:For the third straight year, Samsung was also the world’s top refrigerator brand. “That was our past, but were here to see the future of electronics products.”
5:03PM:Samsung is the world’s No.1 TV brand for the sixth consecutive year. It sold 2 TVs per second last year. Samsung also sold more than 300 million mobile phones last year.
5:02PM:“Pushing Boundaries” is the name of the event, and samsung’s Boo-Keun Yoon is on stage.
5:01PM:Wow, looks like we’re starting on time! Light are down, music is loud… Here we go.
4:57PM:According to an announcement that just came over the PA, we’ll be starting on time in about 4 minutes. We’re not buying it.
4:55PM:Ok guys, we’re inside and seated and the show should start in the next few minutes. The room is absolutely packed — and when we say packed, we mean there are probably 1,000 people in a room that holds 600.
