When you talk of curved convex displays, LG immediately pops up in your mind. Why wouldn’t it, LG was the first company to come with a curved display on a smartphone (LG G-Flex.) It has proactively marketed itself as the curved screen master. But its compatriot and global electronics giant; Samsung is not going to let LG have a free run. The company has introduced consumer level curved displays for just around $450.
Samsung had recently wowed the audience at IFA Berlin with a massive 105 inch screen that can bend at a press of a remote. In July, it had also released a curved 105-inch 4K TV which cost a king’s ransom of $129,000 which converts to around Rs. 78,48,360. I’d rather buy a Tesla Model S which comes at almost half the price, well if you want to dream, dream good, right?
Samsung claims the 27-inch curved display provides a wider field of view and a greater sense of depth
Coming back to the display at hand. The new curved monitors have 27-inch display. They have a contrast ratio of 3000:1. It would be great for a desktop monitor or for a gaming system.
Samsung UK’s Phil Gaut claimed that the S27D590C offers “a truly immersive and unforgettable experience. It takes movie watching and gaming to new heights, from the monitor’s unique curved screen and comprehensive entertainment features to the incredible picture quality and the impressive sleek design.”
Samsung has included a feature called the Game mode. This feature, the company claims, intelligently detects on-screen changes and corrects blurry images. It also enhances colors and alters contrast for improved visibility of in-game action. According to the company, the curve of the screen also provides a wider field of view and a greater sense of depth.
The monitor definitely looks impressive and is the cheapest curved screen option out there. The price is great for what it offers. We hope it comes to India soon so we can get our hands on it and know for sure of its “immersive and unforgettable experiences” capabilities. Come on Samsung, we have given you a lot of business; we deserve this treat.
Samsung has already announced that the US release of the eagerly-anticipated Galaxy Note 4 will be on October 17th. Now, it seems it will release in India ahead of the US sometime during the first week of October. Samsung, the Korean electronic major, is said to be the pioneer of the phablet trend, blending tablet and smartphone features in one device. The pre-orders in the US already started on last Friday.
“Samsung created the large screen smartphone category with the Galaxy Note and we are on our fourth generation, a category others are just entering,” the company said in a statement. “The Galaxy Note 4 delivers a refined Note experience, and the latest technology that consumers want in their smartphone.”
The Note 4 boasts a 5.7-inch high definition screen, improved front and rear cameras, speedy charging, and an “S Pen” to write, draw or edit on the touch screen more naturally. The Galaxy Note 4 comes with a 16 MP camera on the back with Optical Image Stabilization (OIS.) With the OIS, Samsung claims, you’ll get professional quality HD videos with minimum jitters.
The company has gone out of its way to bring a superior selfie experience, and it was truly innovative of them. The 3.7 MP front camera has a wide f/1.9 iris which will ensure brightness of the image. The device gets its juice from a 3220 mAh battery which is a slight increase over the predecessor. Samsung claims that with advanced optimization of their product, the battery will last longer than before. The Samsung Galaxy Note 4 also comes with 50 GB of Dropbox storage for two years.
It has also been said that the new Galaxy Note 4 will only be available on offline stores and not through any online e-commerce websites. It is a result of recent boycott by Indian retailers over the pricing issue. The dealers said that they would stop stocking Samsung phones unless the South Korean tech giant takes steps to narrow the wide gap in pricing between its phones sold at various offline outlets and on e-commerce sites.
Selfies are big right now, and seems like their popularity is only going to grow. It became a major fad after the big Oscar push from Ellen Degeneres. That selfie was the single most viewed picture around the world and was taken from a Samsung phone. Now Samsung is getting ready to bring a selfie friendly phone.
Seems like the company worked hard on perfecting the selfie. The recently released Note 4 has some amazing features for clicking self-portraits. The phone has a wide 90-degree shooting angle and can take even wider 120-degree snaps. The new phone Samsung plans to unveil will be probably called Galaxy Grand Prime (quite a mouthful.)
The phone is seen running the latest TouchWiz UI
The phone is expected to get a 5 MP front camera, which is a decent offering. The Grand Prime also offers an 8 MP camera on the back. The spec table for the Grand Prime is probably better than previous Samsung offerings. The phone has a 1.2 GHz quad-core Snapdragon 400 SoC with 1 GB of RAM. It comes with 8 GB of internal storage and is expandable up to 64 GB, which is welcome. It is powered by a 2600 mAh battery which will give it a good battery life. The device is expected to be priced at $236 which converts to approximately Rs. 14,400. It is expected to come out in October.
Samsung is also expected to be bring out a metal clad phone called SM-A500 that seems to be its new design model. The company received a lot of flak for its plastic bodies. After bringing the Galaxy Alpha and the metal casing on Note 4, the SM-A500 will be the next in line to get the metal on.
The SM-A500 might come with 13 MP back camera and a 5 MP front camera. It is expected to get a 5-inch (1280×720) Super AMOLED screen. It will be powered by a quad-core Snapdragon 400 processor and will get its juice from a 2330 mAh battery. The phone seems to be running the latest Touchwiz UI. Some have called the device a mini Galaxy Alpha. The SM-A500 also has fingerprint and heart rate sensors and might include the ultra power saving mode from the Galaxy S5 and Note 4.
There are already many selfie focused phones in the market. Lava recently brought out the X5 that came with a front flash. Samsung has to provide something better to make its mark back in the mid segment. It seems they have finally stopped being thrifty with the spec sheets and decided to take on its competition. We can just wait till the phone comes out to see where it stands in the selfie business.
Apple has for long been the king of attack ads. The famous Mac ads starring Justin Long, which went viral before people knew what viral videos were. The company took jabs at Microsoft’s Vista operating system. But it seems Apple has met its match in Samsung, its top competitor in and out of court.
Samsung has recently started baiting Apple. The company had recently brought a campaign calling iPhone user’s “Wall huggers” targeting the phones low battery life. Apple released its new iPhone this week, and Samsung was ready with a barrage of new ads.
This time Samsung went on a serious offensive and brought out six ads taking on Apple. The Ads are titled, “It doesn’t take a genius” and are set in a replica of Apple’s genius bar. The satirical ads are meant for Samsung’s latest Flagship, the Galaxy Note 4. They target every aspect of the new iPhone, from the botched Livestream of the launch event to the lack of S-Pen for the iPhone.
The attack ads also take on the new Apple watch. The tagline in the end says ‘The next big thing is already here” a reference to their Samsung Note 4 and the new Gear S.
The ads are fun to watch and hopefully Apple will buck up and get back into the game of attack ads. If there’s one thing viewers love is a good old battle of wits. So the balls in your court Apple, show us what you got!
Samsung has brought out a slew of devices at IFA Berlin this year. The major ones of course were the Galaxy Note 4, the Note Edge, Gear S and the Gear VR, but apart from these there are also some other innovative products brought by the company. One of them is an Android powered printer.
Printers have come a long way, but they still have the usual connectivity issues. In the age of mobility and instant access we don’t want to deal with the whole PC to printer connectivity scenario. This is where Samsung’s Smart MultiXpress printers come in handy.
Samsung has released 10 Smart MultiXpress models, and these are designed to work without being setup through a PC. They have a 10.1 inch touchscreen to help you navigate through the printer. You can search and print documents from web browsers, emails, maps, images and other types of content.
The 10.1 inch display will let your print documents from the web.
These printers are compatible with Samsung Cloud Print and Samsung’s XOA printing platform. To add even more convenience, the printers are also NFC available. You can easily print your documents remotely.
According to Samsung, the printers are will make business’s more efficient and productive. These devices have faster processors to speed up the printing process. Samsung claims they also offer longer lasting toner and drum technologies thereby bringing down the maintenance costs of running them.
So if you are working in one of those offices which have regular printer issues, Samsung’s Smart MultiXpress Series MFP printers might be the solution you were looking for.
It has been raining smartphones at the IFA Berlin 2014, not that we’re complaining. Amidst the madness, Samsung has surprisingly launched a new tablet called Galaxy Tab Active. It is a rugged version of its predecessor and comes with IP67 certification for water resistance and an anti-shock covering that can withstand a 1.2-meter drop.
The Tab Active is the company’s very first dust and water-resistant tablet. However, unlike other water-resistant gadgets in the market, the new Samsung slate isn’t really made for adventure sports, but for businesses.
The Galaxy Tab Active boasts 10 hours of power from a detachable, 4,450mAh battery with POGO pin charging, and a UI designed for tough work. It also comes with the variant of S Pen, named as C Pen. The company has added the digital pen for those who have to wear gloves in their field of work can use as an alternative to standard touch input.
Running Android 4.4 KitKat, the Samsung Galaxy Tab Active features an 8-inch TFT display with 800 x 1200 pixels, LTE connectivity, Samsung KNOX for enhanced security, 1.2 MP front-facing camera, and a 3.1 MP rear camera.
Furthermore, the rugged slate comes with a quad-core 1.2 GHz processor, 1.5 GB of RAM, 16 GB of expandable internal memory, and a 4,450 mAh user replaceable battery (for up to 10 hours of usage). The device weighs 393 grams, and measures 213.1 x 126.2 x 9.75 mm.
The Galaxy Tab Active will be available in both Wi-Fi and LTE variants sometime later this year, and will come with the C-Pen and a Protective Cover right in the box. Samsung is only offering the Titanium Green color option. However, pricing hasn’t been revealed, it is expected to be priced same as the Galaxy Note 4.
Samsung had quite an eventful, launches filled day today. After facing immense amount of criticism for lack of innovation, Samsung flexed out its innovation muscle for its critics. The company released varied products that were impressive in their own strengths. One major release is the Gear VR which is a virtual reality headset that uses the Note 4 for displaying content.
Few weeks back we had heard of oculus using the Note 3 screen for its display. Guess there were bigger plans at work and Samsung working in coordination with Oculus brought out this piece of gadgetry.
Apart from the focus control and the trackpad, there aren’t any manual controls/ Image Credit: The Verge
The device looks like Oculus but is untethered and only works with the Note 4. The only control it has is a trackpad on the right and focus adjusting wheel on the top.
The Gear VR does remind you of the Google Cardboard project but much more complete. It also has a safety support for the head so the device stays stable on the head.
The device comes with some preloaded content, and you can use it to play games, watch immersive videos. The coolest aspect of the device would be the Tony Stark labs which let you peer at the world with Tony Starks perspective, We are Sold!
The release date of the device is not mentioned yet, but it hopefully will arrive by this fall. We’ll be vigilantly looking forward to this one.
The season of big ticket releases has been kicked off by Samsung in an optimistic fashion. The company flaunted an assortment of products at its pre-IFA event in Berlin. The company finally unveiled the Galaxy Note 4 which gets quite a few upgrades over its predecessor both on the hardware, as well as the software front.
The presentation was done by three presenters who were well prepared for the show, though it got a bit annoying when they tried to over-reach. Most of the features presented were affirmative of the leaks.
Looks
Image Credit: The Verge
The new generation Note flagship comes with a 5.7 inch Quad HD Super AMOLED screen. It has a thickness of 8.5 mm and weighs 176 gm. The device is LTE category 6 ready.
On the looks front, the device borrows the design language from the Samsung stable while going for an edgier design. The device is built on a metal frame which strengthens the device to minimize damage from dropping of the device. It has a soft textured back cover.
Camera
The cameras on the Note 4 get a lot better. Image Credit: The Verge
The Galaxy Note 4 comes with a 16 MP camera on the back with Optical Image Stabilization (OIS.) With the OIS, Samsung claims, you’ll get professional quality HD videos with minimum jitters.
The company has gone out of its way to bring a superior selfie experience, and it was truly innovative of them. The 3.7 MP front camera has a wide f/1.9 iris which will ensure brightness of the image. To make selfie taking more convenient, the Note 4 utilizes the heart rate sensor on the back as a shutter release. To take a selfie all you need to do is hold the heart rate sensor and release, when you are ready for a click. For taking a wider selfie or a “Weefie” with multiple people, the device offers a wide 90-degree frame. There is also an option for Wide Selfie that lets you take an even wider 120-degree selfie by moving the phone till everyone is in view. The presenters took the photo of the entire auditorium using the feature.
The camera also has an extremely useful feature called the Snap Note through which you can take an image, and the phone will extract the data from it. So when sitting in a classroom you can simply click the photo of the board, and the phone scan the image and will take the information out. You can then add annotations to the information and have an easy learning experience.
S-Pen
The S-Pen also gets upgrades and added functionalities. The pressure sensitivity has been increased to give a more natural pen-like feel. The pen now also acts as a mouse with features like click and drag which lets you select multiple files at once.
The Smart select feature lets you select text and images from multiple sources and lets you bring them all together. It also lets you easily share them on the internet.
Audio Recorder
The audio recorder on the device has also received some really handy and functional upgrades. The device can now track voices in 8 distinct directions so it great for getting quality sounds in multi-people environment. The interview mode on the device cancels out the unnecessary ambient noise and hence gives a clearer audio output.
Multi-Windows
Using multi-window gets easier with the new device. You can now access the multi-window feature through the recent apps menu. It has become a lot easier to resize, relocate or minimize the screens during multi-window usage.
Note 4 comes in four color options: White Black, Gold and Pink. It also provides customizability with 4 covers. There is the S-View, Flip wallet, S-view Flip wallet and LED cover which reminds of the Dot case by HTC. The device also comes with a back panel encrusted with Swarovski Crystals.
The device is sleeker and edgier than the Note 3. Image Credit: The Verge
Battery
The device gets its juice from a 3220 mAh battery which is a slight increase over the predecessor. Samsung claims that with advanced optimization of their product, the battery will last longer than before. They have also brought the ultra power saving mode from the S5 onto this device.
Mont Blanc
As the phone flaunts its USP of a writeable screen, it was only natural for them to partner with a writing instrument manufacturer sooner or later. So Samsung has partnered with Mont Blanc to bring stylish writing instruments for the Note 4. The pens have multiple usability as they come with interchangeable refills for the paper and the screen. They also offer several nib options for different needs. The pen is connected with the device using a chip that lets the user have a fulfilling writing experience on the device’s massive 5.7 inch screen.
The Samsung Galaxy Note 4 comes with 50 GB of Dropbox storage for two years. The phone will be available in the market in the month of October.
Samsung has done well on its presentation, and this will help calm some of the criticism that it has been facing for a while. The Note 4 is without a doubt a new era for the company. This was a good launch event, and we’ll be updating you when more information surfaces.
Samsung introduced a one-of-a-kind smartphone today. It stands out in the crowd for its unique screen, which extends and runs over onto the right side of the device. And if you’re thinking the curved panel is simply a marketing gimmick, you’re wrong.
The extended side screen is super functional as well – it has 7 scrollable panels which are customisable. When the Galaxy Note Edge is locked, the side-panel can be used to have a quick look at notifications and get faster access to certain features such as time and date display, flashlight, camera, messages and even a ruler. Preferred apps can also be shifted to the side panel, frequent use of which will help users conserve battery life.
The Samsung Galaxy Note Edge comes as a pleasant surprise which was kept well under wraps. It is one of the few devices launched recently which left no virtual trail and had no ‘leakster’ tracking its every more.
Photo Credits: The Verge
So, the new bent display not only gives Samsung’s new smartphone a sleek look, but it actually might help keep the main screen clutter-free. Samsung has also announced that will release the API so that third-party app developers can make use of the new screen and create appropriate apps for the screen.
Specs-wise, the smartphone has a 5.6-inch, Quad HD 2560 x 1440 display and is powered by a 3,000 mAh battery. It comes with Snapdragon 805 or Exynos 5433 chipset, Android 4.4, 16MP OIS camera and S Pen stylus. With this launch, Samsung proved that it still has an eye for innovation.
Samsung has launched yet another smartwatch called Samsung Gear S (not Solo). The new Tizen based smartwatch is going to be shown off at IFA next week and also at Samsung’s IFA press conference on September 3rd. The company is trying to one up the circular smart watches expected in the near future from Motorola and LG, and is also aiming to lure the more traditional watch lovers.
Gear S will be the first smartwatch from Samsung with built-in 3G connectivity, and have ability to connect to 3G and 2G networks on its own, meaning users won’t need to keep it wirelessly connected to a smartphone in order to get notifications or make calls.
The Samsung Gear S has a 2-inch curved AMOLED display. It is topped with dual-core 1GHz CPU inside along with GPS, heart rate and motion sensors. It is powered by a 300mAh battery which Samsung says can last up to two days. It runs Tizen instead of Android Wear, with pedestrian navigation available from from Nokia’s HERE and support for Facebook.
It also lets you reply to incoming messages using the onscreen keyboard, or S Voice functionality to complete your tasks. You can also make and receive calls directly from your wrist, or get calls forwarded from your smartphone.
The 2-inch curved AMOLED display is kept at a 360 x 480px resolution, which comes out to a fairly impressive 300 pixels per inch. The smart watch does not sport a camera, and unlike Samsung’s other Tizen-based Gear watches, it has a standalone music player.
Along with Gear S, the company also announced the Gear Circle headset; a ring-style headphone that connects via Bluetooth and features a magnetic lock that clasps around the users’ neck when it’s not being used. It can also vibrate to give the user notifications and let you hear notifications, use voice commands or listen to music through the earbuds.
The company has not revealed any pricing details about either of the products, but Samsung said that the Gear S will go on sale this October.
Since it’s debut on the Galaxy S5, Samsung has included a fingerprint scanner on a number of devices. There is no surprise that the Samsung Galaxy Note 4 will come with one as well, but this time it could be in for better features.
Recently Sammobile, popular leakster, claimed that Samsung will use the Synaptics’ Natural ID solution, just like the Galaxy S5 and the Galaxy Alpha in Galaxy Note 4. Presently the Galaxy S5 and Alpha come with Private Mode authentication, and Samsung and PayPal account verification. However, the Galaxy Note 4 will sport some add on features like a Fingerprint Shortcuts and Web sign-in feature. The new feature will allow users to assign specific application launches and functions to swipes of individual fingers.
Leaked Galaxy Note 4 tutorials have revealed phone’s Fingerprint Shortcuts feature in full detail. “When you unlock the device with the registered fingers, you can make the finger shortcut to any applications or other functions directly from the lock screen,” the instructions read.
Another new feature that’s said to be coming to the Galaxy Note 4 is ‘Web Sign-in’. This feature allows you to sign in to websites that can remember passwords by swiping your finger over the home key, thus saving your time and trouble of typing while being more secure alternative than simply leaving sites signed in.
Since they’re software features, it’s quite possible that Web Sign-In and Fingerprint Shortcuts could make their way to the Galaxy S5 and Galaxy Alpha following the launch of Galaxy Note 4.
The Samsung Galaxy Note 4 is expected to launch at a pre-IFA 2014 event on September 3. Note 4 is stated to have a 5.7 inch QHD display and is expected to be powered by a Snapdragon 805 or an Exynos 5 Octa SoC. The device is also expected to sport a 16 MP camera on the back and a 3.7 MP front selfie shooter.
The Samsung Galaxy Alpha turned a lot of heads when it was announced earlier this month. Thanks to the metal frame, it got a lot of attention. Unlike other Samsung products that have all-plastic bodies, the Galaxy Alpha is a welcomed intervention in Samsung’s design philosophy.
However, recent reports have revealed that Galaxy Alpha is not the only handset which is part of this intervention. According to a new report from SamMobile, the Samsung Galaxy Alpha is only one of the first smartphones in a new line of products from Samsung which may be called ‘A’ series.
Reportedly, Samsung will launch three phones that run Android 4.4 KitKat in this series and feature metal components in their cases. Bearing the model numbers of SM-A300, SM-A500, and SM-A700, the three handsets are said to launch in different price ranges.
In terms of specifications, not much has been leaked. The A300 is reported to offer a qHD (960×540) display while the others could pack HD displays. It’s not clear if these are 720p or 1080p screens. Other than this, the only detail shared by the blog is that the company will offer “better” front-facing cameras.
The Galaxy Alpha is said to be 6.7mm thick and weighs about 115 grams. The display on the phone is a 4.7 inch screen with a 1280X720 resolution. It has an unnamed Octa core processor (Quad 1.8GHz + Quad 1.3GHz), and it is most likely on an Exynos 5 based chipset. The RAM on the device is 2 GB and has internal storage of 32 GB. It has no expandable storage. The Alpha has a dismal 1860 mAh battery which might dissuade a lot of folks from getting the device. The three new “A” series phones will reportedly debut sometime during Q3 2014.
Samsung has brought out teasers for the upcoming Note 4. The phone has been prone to several leaks recently. First the specs were leaked through benchmarks app, AnTuTu and soon after that the camera specs were released online. Now Samsung has brought out teasers for the upcoming Phablet. The teasers are tagged “Ready to Note” along with the release date of Note 4 which is 3rd September 2014.
Note 4 is stated to have a 5.7 inch QHD display and is expected to be powered by a Snapdragon 805 or an Exynos 5 Octa SoC. The device is expected to sport a 16 MP camera on the back and a 3.7 MP front selfie shooter.
The First ad focuses on the handwriting capabilities of the Note 4 while the second ad focuses on the S-Pen and its capabilities. The teaser shows the air menu so it seems the air menu will continue on the Note 4.
The date is just a week away and we can’t wait for September to show up with all the amazing gadgetry like the Moto 360, the LG G Watch 2 and of course the iPhone 6.
After a slew of celebrities, looks like its now time for the smartphone brigade to join in. There is no denying the fact that ALS Ice Bucket Challenge has taken over our social media feeds. If there is anyone still wondering why everyone is dousing themselves in iced bucket water, it’s to spread awareness about the Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) disease.
The challenge is simple. If you’re nominated, you need to drench yourself in ice cold water and nominate three others to do the same within 24 hours. If you decide against taking it up, you have the option of donating $100 to the ALS Association. Since it started on 29th July, the organisation has already raised a whopping $53 million. A viral social media trend with a cause; we definitely need more of those.
The Samsung Galaxy S5 took the challenge. In the video, after completing the task, Samsung’s voice assistant nominated iPhone 5S, HTC One(M8) and Nokia Lumia 930 and gave them 24 hours to finish the challenge. A clear jab at their inability to withstand water.
By taking on the Ice Bucket Challenge, Samsung managed to do two things – spread awareness and raise funds for the Motor Neurone Disease Association and more obviously, it showed off its water-proof abilities.
Just a few days ago, Samsung had it hard when the AnTuTu benchmark screenshot of Galaxy Note 4 was leaked online, just weeks before the release. Now, SamMobile has uncovered details about the camera for the Galaxy Note 4.
SamMobile reports that the Galaxy Note 4 will apparently feature a 16-megapixel Sony IMX240 camera sensor with optical image stabilization and UHD video recording, and a 3.7-megapixel front-facing camera with WQHD video recording. These details seem consistent with the earlier report.
A sensor built into the bottom right side of the handset called Side Touch will also be added in the Galaxy Note 4. The sensor is supposed to replace a dedicated camera button, allowing users to simply tap on the side of the handset to take a picture.
The Slide touch sensor is supposed to replace a dedicated camera button, allowing users to simply tap on the side of the handset to take a picture.
The device’s front-facing camera will be a 3.7MP unit, capable of capturing images and video in WQHD resolution (2560 x 1440 pixels). It represents a noticeable bump in resolution and capabilities.
The Galaxy Note 4 camera app is expected to have a gesture-based shortcut; users would be able to access the app while the handset is off by tapping the screen with two fingers and swiping them apart. Gesture-based functions are becoming increasingly popular on smartphones – we seen the Galaxy S5 include a feature called Air Wake up, which allows users to wave their hand over the screen take it off standby.
The Device is also expected to take a departure from the faux leather back panel.
However, the biggest highlight of the Galaxy Note camera will four new camera modes, three of which are dedicated to the art of the selfie: “Selfie” mode, “Wide Selfie,” “Selfie Alarm,” and “Create A GIF File.” Most intriguing of those is Selfie Alarm, which allegedly makes it easier to take selfies with the phone’s superior rear-mounted camera by allowing it to automatically detect your face and snap the photo.
On the hardware side, the Samsung Galaxy Note 4 is rumored to include a Qualcomm Snapdragon 805 or Samsung Exynos 5433 chipset, 3GB of RAM and 32GB of internal storage. The device may be water and dust resistant, and may also include a fingerprint scanner like the Samsung Galaxy S5. Other features rumored for the Galaxy Note 4 include an iris scanner, an ultraviolet (UV) sensor and the virtual reality (VR) headset called Samsung Gear VR, which would pair with the Galaxy Note 4.
