latest
The community behind LineageOS, the successor to the ill-fated CyanogenMod ROM, continues to impress. New devices are constantly being added to the build roster, and we're even seeing new software features crop up, like custom Quick Settings tiles. Now the project has started supporting nine additional devices.
The first-generation Galaxy Tab S hails from a time when Samsung was still using swipe-based fingerprint scanners - yeah, it's that old. Just look at that stock wallpaper; Galaxy S5 flashbacks, anyone? Around three weeks ago, Verizon updated its 10.5" Tab S to Marshmallow, and now AT&T is doing the same. The Death Star is also throwing in support for NumberSync.
Custom ROMs don't always match the stability of the software you get out of the box. Sometimes, though, they manage to surpass it. Either way, CyanogenMod will typically support a device for much longer than the company that made it. It's a great way to breathe life into hardware that shouldn't have to die just because its manufacturer decides to move on.
Samsung's latest and most advanced tablet series is the Galaxy Tab S. That's kind of amazing when you consider the company's previous rate of releasing new tablets, and that the Tab S 8.4 and Tab S 10.5 were released almost a year ago. But I suppose it's nice if you happen to have one, so Samsung is more motivated to release faster updates. Today the Galaxy Tab S 10.5 on US Cellular gets its Android 5.0 update.
AT&T has announced an update for its version of the Galaxy Tab S 10.5 that will deliver the sweetness known as Android Lollipop. For users who have been waiting since last year's Google I/O to receive the goods, this has been quite the wait. It may have felt even longer considering the Wi-Fi version of the tablet received Android 5.0.2 back in March.
Samsung's top-of-the-line Galaxy Tab S series is hard to beat, unless you're a stickler for "clean" software. If the TouchWiz skin and the physical navigation buttons don't bother you, then both the 8.4" tablet and the 10.5" tablet offer top-of-the-line specs and unbeatable AMOLED screens. The larger of the two is on sale on eBay's daily deals portal today. You can pick up the 16GB Wi-Fi base model for just 9.99, an impressive $220 off of the retail price, and $170 cheaper than Amazon.
AT&T's Samsung Galaxy Tab S 10.5 Gets A Bloatware Reshuffling Update
AT&T's Samsung Galaxy Tab S 10.5 bloated a bit thanks to an update.
The AT&T crapware on the carrier's LTE-equipped Samsung Galaxy Tab S 10.5 is playing a game of musical chairs today. An OTA update rolling out to the device moves around some icons and basically just does weird stuff, but leaves it on Android 4.4.2.
Samsung tablets usually don't do much for me - if I'm not discouraged by the software, then the physical navigation buttons are a major turn-off. But I must admit that the Super AMOLED screens on the Tab S series turn my head every time I see them. If you've been hunting for one of your own, the 10.5" Galaxy Tab S is on sale in refurbished form over on eBay. It's going for 4.99, a full $165 off of the retail price.
Update 9/26/14: The price has dropped another to $379.99.
The Galaxy Tab S 10.5 is one of the best tablets available on the market right now. Samsung has released no shortage of slates, but this remains situated among the top of the line. That's why the 10-inch tablet usually still goes for half a grand. Yet if you're interested, here's the scoop. Amazon currently has the Galaxy Tab S 10.5 discounted by $50. Now there are some caveats. We're talking about the 16GB version, and the lower price only applies to the white option. The black one still goes for 0.
The Galaxy Tab S, in either its 8.4 or 10.5 form, is one of the best Android tablets you could buy right now. Heck, we might even be so bold as to call it the best. Many of you will surely pick one up, and among you, more than a couple will want to wipe TouchWiz off to replace it with something less crowded. To do that, you're going to need a custom recovery, and the TeamWin folks have just the tool. Both the 8.4 and the 10.5 versions of the slate now have official TWRP 2.7 support.
SamMobile has gotten its hands on some pictures of the Galaxy Tab S 10.5, which is yet another Samsung tablet for us to keep up with (please don't hurt me if I accidentally type Samsung Galaxy Tab Pro S 7.7 one day - I'm really trying here). What makes this one special is its screen, as it is expected to ship with a 2560×1600 AMOLED display. The device will reportedly come in two sizes, 8.4 and 10.5 inches. As you can see in the photo below, it doesn't look all that different from from the Note and Tab Pro line of tablets.