Having announced the availability of the upgrade for the latest version of the Android platform – Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich – for the Samsung GALAXY S II, yesterday, the uptake has since been astounding says Samsung.

“Android 4.0 builds on the things people love most about Android — easy multitasking, rich notifications and customisation – adding a powerful new way of communicating and sharing,” says Craige Fleischer, Director of Mobile Communications for Samsung Electronics SA. “It’s easy to see why our local Samsung GALAXY S II users are eager to get their hands on the ICS platform.”

“Given the high demand, users may struggle to upgrade immediately due to the limited capacity on the FOTA servers, but we urge GALAXY S II users to keep trying. We also encourage users to upgrade via Kies, as not only is it easy and simple, but as it is done via the PC, it has unlimited server capacity and as such, during this initial period of high demand is the preferred download method.”

Want Ice Cream Sandwich on your Galaxy S2? Get Samsung Kies here

The Samsung Galaxy S2 was BandwidthBlog’s favourite phone of 2011, so we highly recommend users to upgrade their software.

Press Release from Samsung regarding Ice Cream Sandwich for the South African Galaxy S2:

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Samsung today showcased its diverse array of new, and specifically tailored to the African market, products at the 2012 Samsung Africa Forum held in Cape Town, South Africa. Embracing its new guiding philosophy of “Built for Africa – Inspire the Future” the company shared its strategy to expand its African market and deliver connectivity and content across multiple devices – from TVs, mobile phones, tablets, Notebook PCs, cameras and  home appliances.

“At our very first Africa Forum, in 2010, I announced the plan to grow our business in Africa to $10 billion by 2015, as measured by the sales of our partners – and today, I am pleased to announce that we are well on track to meet this objective. This year, not only will we continue to maintain growth in key regions, but so too are focused on targeting growth of 100% in West, East and Southern Africa,” says; KK Park, CEO of Samsung Electronics Africa. “Over the next 3 – 4 years this growth will be underpinned by a focus on 3 key premises; Built for Africa research and development; B2B and B2G partnerships supported by key CSR initiatives and of course, growing and strengthening our partner network across Africa to reach our core mission – to inspire the future of Africa!”

Here is Samsung’s Vision for Africa:

1.    Built for Africa research and development:

Samsung believes in investing in developing technology that is specifically relevant to the African market -

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Cape Town is preparing to host the 2012 Samsung Africa Forum, a four-day spectacular where Samsung showcases the latest innovations across all of its product categories including audio visual and home appliances, mobile phones, digital cameras and IT solutions. The strategy behind the Africa Forum is geared to allow consumers, business partners and associates, media and government as well as consumers to experience the brand and appreciate the company’s leadership position both locally and across Africa.

Showcasing Samsung’s Comprehensive Product Portfolio

“As one of the largest and most comprehensive product showcases in Africa, we are certainly very excited to host our 3^rd  annual Samsung Africa Forum and share the company’s strategy to expand the African market and deliver connectivity and content across multiple devices and product portfolios,” said George Ferreira, Vice President and COO of Samsung Electronics Africa. “More than ever, consumers are leading dynamic lifestyles that require technology to enrich their lives and Samsung are looking to achieve this through new product innovations, continued investment in research and development, and by driving corporate and social responsibility programs in the broader African region.”

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Samsung have announced that the GALAXY S II was named “Best Smartphone” and “Device Manufacturer of the Year”, by GSMA, an organisation that represents the interests of the worldwide mobile communications industry and hosts the Mobile World Congress trade show in Barcelona.

Galaxy S II sets the standard

This honour comes in recognition of the device’s powerful performance and overwhelming response from consumers. The GALAXY S II, Samsung’s flagship smartphone, achieved worldwide sales of over 10 million units in only 5 months, quicker than any device in Samsung’s history and surpassed over 20 million sales in 10 months.

GALAXY S II has a thin (8.49mm) and lightweight smartphone backed by a dual-core processor and an Super AMOLED Plus display.  BandwidthBlog was also very impressed by the Samsung Galaxy S II, and also named it our handset of the year.

“The GALAXY S II has set a new standard for smartphones, taking speed, screen and content to a whole new level,” said JK Shin, President of IT & Mobile Communications Division at Samsung Electronics. “Building on the phenomenal success of the original Samsung GALAXY S, we are honoured by this award and proud of how this device has changed the way the market and consumers experience mobile technology.”

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DStv and Samsung Electronics announced the launch of the new SuperSport TV application, specifically designed for Samsung Smart TVs. This application is a smart software widget which resizes internet content for the larger screen experience whilst making it intuitive and easy to control. Samsung Smart TV owners will be able to access the latest digital content for live sporting updates. This includes pictures and a news ticket feed to ensure you don’t miss the action as it happens.

Says Justin Shaw, Business Leader for Visual Display at Samsung Electronics South Africa; “This is an exciting development for our consumers; the application will enhance the SuperSport viewing experience by allowing them to watch live content whilst getting updates via the ticker, as well as access richer content with picture and text capabilities.”

The SuperSport application is available on all Samsung Smart TVs through the Smart Hub as a downloadable application. Samsung Smart TV’s can be connected to the web using wired or wireless connectivity to access this app and many others. The SuperSport application expands on the current sports update sidebar available on SuperSport with increased functionality through an interactive experiential platform.

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As an official sponsor of the Orange Africa Cup of Nations Gabon-Equatorial Guinea 2012, Samsung today announced the availability of the ‘Africa Cup of Nations’ App, on the Samsung South African Apps store.

Says Deon Liebenberg, MD of Samsung South Africa; “As Samsung has been a long-time supporter of African football, we felt it only natural for us to invest in such an application; the application will offer fans an opportunity to keep up to date with the latest information and results around the event, with ease and while on the move.”

The application features competitions, galleries, live scores, downloads and fixtures for the 2012 tournament and is available for all fans to download for free.

“We are committed to our customers and through this app we aim to offer the best possible enjoyment of the tournament. Fans can now follow the tournament passionately and not miss out as we understand that it is not always possible to catch all the live action. We, at Samsung, are again meeting the needs of our consumers – in this case sports fans – and are providing them with content that not only allows for great entertainment, but fuels the spirit of African soccer,” concludes Liebenberg.

Samsung recently introduced the new Notebook Series 5 ULTRA, which combines high performance with a Ultrabook casing.

On the inside the Series 5 ULTRA is powered by a Intel Core i5 processor; combined with ExpressCache system by Diskeeper and a powerful AMD Radeon HD graphics card, with which it delivers high performance packed in a thin and light form factor.

“Based on in-depth market research and consumer surveys, we propose a new type of Ultrabook which will change the perception of Ultrabooks among users. Our findings strongly indicate that consumers demand more than just thin and light devices, hoping for a satisfactory level of daily performance and storage, as digital files become larger. The Samsung Series 5 ULTRA will be the first to answer these needs,” said David Song, Senior Vice President, IT Solutions Business at Samsung Electronics. “The latest Samsung knowhow  has been applied  – our Series 5 ULTRA positions the device for today’s fast changing media environment by adding greater value for consumers through a more balanced product concept.”

“The Series 5 ULTRA is a further step to demonstrate Samsung’s commitment to coming up with ways that continue to meet the day-to-day consumer needs by producing the best products,” adds Suria Pretorius, Product Manager of Notebooks at Samsung Electronics South Africa.

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As 2011 draws to a close we thought it might be a good time to look back and see what products we really enjoyed using in 2011. Some of our choices might be controversial, but hey, horses for courses. Let us know what you think in the comments?

Best Phone: Samsung Galaxy S2

Even the most ardent fans of iPhone have to agree – the Galaxy S2 is a truly great phone. It is very fast, is built well (despite being made of plastic), the screen is beautiful, the camera is excellent – the list goes on. Pricing is also pretty good, and the phone is still great several months later, which you cannot typically say of the Android phone marketplace. You cannot go wrong. Not even Samsung’s bigger and faster Galaxy Note could change our name. Now we just have to get our hands on the Samsung Galaxy Nexus. Close second: Apple iPhone 4S. Expect our review in the new year.

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