Tag: Galaxy Note 4

Samsung Gear VR Innovator Edition Goes on Sale Tomorrow at Best Buy Retail Stores

Samsung is all set to bring out its Virtual Reality headsets, the Gear VR in the hands of the consumers. The Korean electronics firm along with Oculus is rolling out the Innovator Edition of VR headset to the developers who will be able to purchase it from the 100 Best Buy retail locations. The sale of the VR Headset Innovator Edition will start from tomorrow i.e. March 27, 2015.

For now, the virtual reality headset will be available in the retail stores of the US. One can stroll into a Best Buy store and grab one for $199. The Innovator Edition of VR Gear is compatible with Galaxy Note 4 smartphone. Drop the Note 4 or the Note Edge into the VR headset and the phones display will do all the work. It lets the user indulge into the immersive virtual experience and gives you a tour of an alternate world. The Best Buy has exciting offer in store for those who don’t own a Galaxy Note 4. Willing buyers can buy a combo of the Note 4 and VR Headset at discounted rates.

We got a chance to try out the Gear VR at Samsung’s event in Bangkok and we were quite impressed by the graphics. The device lets you watch movies while sitting in a giant empty theatre. If you don’t like the empty theatre then you can easily shift to the Moon, yes with the Gear VR you can watch your favourite movies on the moon with the Eagle lunar module next too. We loved the brief experience and hope Samsung gets it to our shores soon.

With the launch of its new flagships, Samsung has also unveiled a new version of the VR headset. The new iteration is compatible with the two latest handsets, the Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge. The latest edition is built to fit the smaller screen of the smartphones and is not on sale till yet. It is likely to arrive post the arrival of Galaxy S6 and its edgier counterpart on April 10.

March 26, 2015
Top 10 Tips and Tricks for Samsung Galaxy Note 4

Samsung’s Note franchise is known for its vast amount of features, which are equally useful for business and consumer purposes. The latest addition to this series, Galaxy Note 4, comes with a functionality that is overwhelming and a thoroughly cleaned-up TouchWiz interface that makes getting around the device straightforward and easy. However, there are fairly ample amount of things you’ll never come to know about your new Note 4 until you take a good look inside its menu.

We are listing top 10 essential tips and tricks for Samsung Galaxy Note 4.

1. Use of Motion Gestures

Samsung has added some very convenient hand gesture controls in the new Note 4. The Note 4’s Motions and Gestures setting lets you customise a number of gesture controls. Switch on ‘Direct Call’ and it will let you pick up and hold the phablet to your ear to make a call to a predefined default number. The option of ‘Smart Alert’ will make your device vibrate to indicate new notifications and events when you pick it up. The ‘Mute/Pause’ option lets you mute incoming calls or alarms by turning the device over or placing your palm over it. Finally, ‘Palm Swipe to Capture’ lets you place the side of your hand on the screen and swipe it across to capture a screenshot.

2. Customise your Notification Bar

You can customise the Quick Settings directly from the Settings panel. Also, you can drag the panel down from the top, tap the Quick Settings icon, and then tap the pencil icon to start editing.

3. Use One-handed Operations

Samsung has added loads of features to make one-handed operations more manageable. Under Settings > One-handed operation, you can choose from three different one-handed utilities. First one is the option of reducing the screen size that lets you adjust the screen size and layout by swiping out from the midpoint or either edge of the app. One-handed input compacts the apps down like the Dialer, in-call buttons, and Samsung keyboard. As soon as the on-going app compacts, the Side key panel will pop up Android’s navigation buttons on the screen so that you can access them quickly.

4. Wider Selfies

Catering to the worldwide selfie trend, Samsung has added a Panorama-like selfie feature which lets you take wider selfies. Open your Note 4’s camera, switch to front camera, tap ‘Mode’ and hit the ‘Wide selfie’ option. Put your finger on the heart rate sensor and lift it to take a photo, and say ‘Cheese’. You’ll get a panorama-like outline which you have to fill by tilting the device left and right. When the blue frame has reached each end of the white frame, your spacious selfie is done.

5. Use Alternative Commands to Snap Pictures

Tap anywhere on the screen inside the camera app—just not on the shutter button—and then tap the Settings icon. Tap again for more settings. Tap on the volume key towards the bottom of the screen. From here, you can set the volume, whether it’s to snap a photo or record a video. Also, it acts as a zoom controller. In that same settings menu, you can turn on the voice control to take photos or record videos.

6. S-Pen’s Improved Functionalities

One of the primary distinguishing features of Galaxy Note 4 is the integrated S Pen functionality. The S Pen has been around since the original Samsung Galaxy Note and has got better with every new release. The Air Command pop-up menu launched with the Note 3 and it has refined largely for the S Pen and large display of the Note line. One improvement that is tough to demonstrate is the increased pressure sensitivity from 1,000+ to over 2,000+ level. The most convenient feature is the ability of the S Pen to select multiple images by dragging it around the screen, more like you do it with your mouse on your desktop.

7. Use your Note 4 with Gloves

Because, why not? It’s going to be winter soon and you’re probably going to be sporting gloves until next April. It’s hard to use a phone with gloves on. Fortunately, you can increase the Note 4 display’s touch sensitivity from the settings menu, so you don’t have to take those gloves off just to send a text message. And also, you won’t have to look forward to frost-bitten fingers anytime soon.

8. Play with Depth of Field

Samsung followed suite of HTC by bringing in the Selective Focus feature. To enable it, open Camera, tap Mode, Selective Focus, and take a photo as usual. There are ‘Near focus’, ‘Far focus’, and ‘Pan focus’. The first makes the object of your photo stand out against a blurred background, the second does the opposite, and the last one makes both the subject and the background noticable.

9. Get Notified when a Doorbell Rings or your Baby Cries:

There is built-in doorbell detector and baby crying detector in the new Note 4. When your phone detects these respective sounds, it makes the smartphone vibrate. You can find both these options in the Settings, Accessibility, Hearing, Sound detectors menu.

10. The Music Square

Samsung has added an interesting feature in Note 4’s built-in Media player, called Music Square. You can find it inside the app’s three-square menu. The square has an algorithm which analyses your songs and matches them to four-mood categories. You can also create a mood-based playlist.

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November 8, 2014

Samsung Galaxy Note 4 vs Major Flagship Phablets of 2014

Samsung launched its flagship, the Galaxy Note 4 in India today. Along with a sleeker design and an updated metal frame, the Note 4 features a Quad HD display.

With the likes of Sony, Apple, Xiaomi, LG and HTC setting their own benchmarks in the flagship race, lets see how much mettle the latest Galaxy Note 4 has in this never ending battle for supremacy. We’ve decided to put all flagships for a quick comparison, at least in terms of figures.

So without further adieu, here’s a comparison between the Galaxy Note 4, iPhone 6 Plus, LG G3 and the Galaxy S5.

Specs	Samsung Note 4	Sony Xperia Z3	iPhone 6 Plus	LG G3	Galaxy S5
Display	5.7 inch QHD	5.2 inch Full HD	5.5 inch Full HD	5.5 inch QHD	5.1 inch Full HD
Processor	2.7GHz Quad-core Snapdragon 805	2.5 GHz Quad-core Snapdragon 801	1.4 GHz Dual-core A8 chipset	2.26 GHz Quad-core Snapdragon 801	2.5 GHz Quad-core Snapdragon 801
RAM	3 GB	3 GB RAM	1 GB	3 GB	2 GB
Storage	32 GB	16/32 GB	16/64/128 GB	16/32GB	16/32GB
Expandable Upto	64 GB	128 GB	–	128 GB	64 GB
Main Camera	16 MP	20.7 MP	8 MP	13 MP sensor	16MP sensor
Front Camera	3.7 MP	2.2	1.2 MP	2.2MP sensor	2 MP
Battery	Removable 3220 mAh	Non-removable 3100 mAh	Non-removable 2600mAh	3,000mAh	2,800mAh
Operating System	Android 4.4.4	Android 4.4.4	iOS 8	Android 4.4.2	Android 4.4.4
Price	Rs.61,500	Rs 51,990	Rs. 62,500 for 16 GB variant	Rs.44,100	Rs.37,000

From the table, its quite evident that the latest Galaxy Note 4 is one beast when it comes to specs. Powerful internals, QHD display, better design, an S-Pen and future proof connectivity, it has all the ingredients of a superior device. There are also reports of a superior blend of Samsung’s Touch Wiz UI with Android has been achieved to perfection.

The device will be available for pre-orders in India soon after its unveiling today and goes on sale from October 17th. However, We’d advise you to wait for our in-depth review of this beast of a machine.

October 14, 2014

Samsung Galaxy Note 4 Arrives in India at Rs. 61,500

As expected, Samsung has unveiled its latest phablet Galaxy Note 4 in India at the price of Rs.61,500. The new addition to Note series, which was unveiled at this year’s IFA Berlin, will go on sale at midnight on October 17th. Along with that, the company announced the partnership with Vodafone to give 2GB Data free for the users for 2 months.

Galaxy Note 4 is now the company’s flagship phablet, which comes with a 5.7 inch QHD display. Samsung claims that despite the higher resolution, the Galaxy Note 4 will deliver 7.5% more battery life; it features a 3220 mAh battery with fast charging technology. Meanwhile, under the hood, the Galaxy Note 4 is powered by Snapdragon 805 chipset which is clocked at 2.7 gHz quadcore, coupled with 3GB RAM. It offers 32GB internal memory with support for expandable memory of upto 64GB.

It will have a 16MP rear camera with OIS, along with a 3.7MP front snapper allowing users to take wide-angle selfies. The company has added a fingerprint scanner feature along with a heart rate monitor on the back. The Korean manufacturer has also included a barometer and a hall sensor in the phablet.

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. Samsung Galaxy Note 4 offers you the option of choosing between full-length, split or pop-up screens, thus enabling you to change the size and positioning of apps on the screen.? It also offers an improved ‘Fingerprint scanner’ with UV sensor for personal data security.

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. 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 similar to Dot case by HTC. Apart from the the Note 4 company also launched Gear S smartwatch for Rs. 29,500 and also announced that they roll out UltraPower saving mode for mid-segment devices soon.

SPECS	SAMSUNG NOTE 4
Display	5.7 inch QHD
Processor	Snapdragon 805 2.7 quadcore (not exynos)
RAM	3 GB
Storage	32 GB
Expandable Upto	64 GB
Main Camera	16 MP
Front Camera	3.7 MP
Battery	Removable 3220 mAh
Operating System	Android 4.4.4
Miscellaneous	S-Pen

October 14, 2014

Galaxy Note 4 to go on Sale in India on 17th October

We can expect the Samsung Galaxy Note 4 to go on sale from October 17, co-incidentally the same day when Apple plans to officially launch their flagship iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus in the Indian market.

However, there is no official announcement regarding the price of the Galaxy Note 4, but we can expect it be around the Rs.50,000 mark. Its main competitor would be the iPhone 6 Plus, which is priced at Rs. 62,500 (16GB), Rs 71,500 (64GB) and Rs 80,500 (128GB).

The report came via a tweet from an Indian tipster, who also happens to be a Mumbai based mobile retailer named Mahesh Telecom. The tweet which reads “Pre Book Now”, clearly indicates that the phone will be up for pre-order soon after its unveiling tomorrow.

#Samsung #GalaxyNote4 In stores from Oct 17th. Pre -Book now.. pic.twitter.com/ChulDU64qs

— Manish Khatri (@MAHESHTELECOM) October 13, 2014

Galaxy Note 4 is now the company’s flagship tablet, which comes with a 5.7 inch QHD display. Samsung claims that despite the higher resolution, the Galaxy Note 4 will deliver 7.5% more battery life; it features a 3220 mAh battery with fast charging technology. Meanwhile, under the hood, the Galaxy Note 4 will be powered by an octa-core processor (1.9GHz quad-core + 1.3GHz quad-core) coupled with 3GB RAM. It offers 32GB internal memory with support for expandable memory of upto 64GB.

It will have a 16MP rear camera with OIS, along with a 3.7MP front snapper allowing users to take wide-angle selfies. They’ve added a fingerprint scanner feature along with a heart rate monitor on the back. The Korean manufacturer has also included a barometer and a hall sensor in the phablet.

The Galaxy Note 4 will be available in four colour variants, namely Charcoal Black, Frost White, Bronze Gold, and Blossom Pink.

October 13, 2014
Samsung Galaxy Note 4 to Arrive in India on 14th October

Earlier we reported that Samsung Galaxy Note 4 would arrive in India on 10th October, however there seems to be a slight delay. Samsung has sent out invites for an event scheduled for 14th October where we can expect to see the highly anticipated Galaxy Note 4, the company’s new flagship phablet.

However, the invite does not clearly mention the Note 4, though says that Samsung will showcase ‘the neat galaxy’. The launch is scheduled two weeks before Diwali, one of the most prominent Indian festivals. We can also expect the phablet to go on sale before Diwali.

Galaxy Note 4 is now the company’s flagship tablet, which has a 5.7 inch QHD display. Samsung claims that despite the higher resolution, the Galaxy Note 4 will deliver 7.5% more battery life; it has a 3220 mAh battery which features fast charging technology. Meanwhile, under the hood, the Galaxy Note 4 will be powered by an octa-core processor (1.9GHz quad-core + 1.3GHz quad-core) coupled with 3GB RAM. It offers 32GB internal memory with support for expandable memory of upto 64GB.

It will have a 16MP rear camera with OIS, along with a 3.7MP front snapper allowing users to take wide-angle selfies. They’ve added a fingerprint scanner feature along with a heart rate monitor on the back. The Korean manufacturer has also included a barometer and a hall sensor in the phablet.

The Galaxy Note 4 will be available in four colour variants namely Charcoal Black, Frost White, Bronze Gold, and Blossom Pink.

October 10, 2014
Samsung Galaxy Note 4 to Launch in India on 10th October

With Apple fans waiting for the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus to launch in India later this month, Samsung seems to be attempting to stay ahead of the game. The South Korean giant shared the worldwide roll-out schedule of the Samsung Galaxy Note 4 in a Facebook post. The phone maker prepares to cash in on buyer interest during the apt timing of Diwali.

According to the post, Samsung Galaxy Note 4 will hit the Indian market on 10th October. Though there is no word about the price of the phablet, it is expected to cost more than Rs 50,000. Its predecessor, Samsung Galaxy Note 3, was launched last year at Rs 49,990. According to earlier reports, Samsung is expecting overall sales to rise in the three month period beginning October to December, with new announcements and launches during the quarter.

The Galaxy Note 4’s roll-out thus far has not been ideal for Samsung, with some buyers in South Korea complaining of a manufacturing defect in the handset. Some users even posted images of the new phablet from Samsung showing the defect – a gap between the phone’s screen and the metal casing. However, Samsung was quick enough to respond and rejected the claims. It stressed that the gap was a natural part of design that “does not impact the functionality or quality” of the phone.

The Note 4 has a design similar to that of the Galaxy Alpha, which was launched a few days ago in India. It has a 5.7-inch screen size with QuadHD resolution (2560 x 1440 pixels). The Indian version of the Note 4 is likely to be powered by Exynos 5433, an octa-core processor that has fours Cortex A15 cores clocked at 1.9GHz and the four Cortex A7 cores clocked at 1.3GHz. The global version uses Qualcomm Snapdragon 805 chipset clocked at 2.7GHz.

The Note 4 has 3GB of RAM, 32GB of internal storage and a microSD card slot that supports up to 64GB of storage. It uses Android 4.4 along with Samsung’s TouchWiz user interface. The Samsung Galaxy Note 4 fashions a 16-megapixel autofocus rear camera with Smart OIS, and a 3.7-megapixel front-facing camera with an f/1.9 lens. It comes with 32GB of built-in storage, and expandability via microSD card.

It also comes with additional software optimized to make use of the S Pen stylus. Compared to Note 3, users can multitask better in multi-window mode of Galaxy Note 4, which supports minimizing apps as floating widgets. It also has better text selection and crops selected areas on the screen for later viewing.

October 6, 2014
Exclusive : Samsung Galaxy Note 4 to Arrive in India in the First Week of October

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.

September 19, 2014
Top 5 Smartphones You Could Buy Instead of the iPhone 6

Apple’s latest flagship is finally out and the new iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus will be available in India from the 17th of October. Many of you are probably waiting to get your hands on one. Though it shows marked improvements from its previous iteration, the new iPhone faces stiff competition from its Android rivals. Furthermore, Apple has been criticized to adopt the new technologies and design in a very slow pace. With handful of smartphones already offering the same technology and productivity, Apple’s new iPhone flagship has already been mocked.

We are listing top 5 smartphones which you can buy instead of iPhone 6 or iPhone 6 Plus.

5. HTC One M8/E8

HTC’s flagship is regarded as one of the best Android flagships right now. Sure, it has its flaws, but there’s still a lot to love about it. The HTC One (M8) measures 5-inch, with a chassis of 146.4 x 70.6 x 9.4mm. When compared to the smaller model, it’s clear that the HTC One (M8) is a lot bigger. The HTC One (M8)’s 5in Super LCD3 screen is one of the many reason tech critics love this smartphone.. Throw on top a pixels per inch count of 441 ppi, and the HTC One (M8) boasts a crisp, clear and sharp display protected by super-strong Gorilla Glass 3. The HTC One (M8) is one of the most modern, accomplished smartphones we’ve seen in terms of design. With a fill metal body and elegantly curved edges, it more than matches the iPhone 6.

4. Google Nexus 5

The Nexus 5 has a very competitive display with LG’s “True HD” IPS+ LCD technology which provides some pretty sharp visual quality. It has a 1920 x 1080 pixel full HD resolution on a 4.95-inch panel at 445ppi. Apple’s iPhone 6 launch revealed the company’s new mobile payment system, Apple Pay, which combines Touch ID with NFC to allow you to pay for items at point of sale counters equipped with contactless card readers. However, Nexus 5 gives you great alternative to this with Google Wallet and the built-in NFC and that too at a cheaper price tag.

3. Xiaomi Mi4

Xiaomi Mi4 provides you with better screen resolution density of 441ppi when compared to the iPhone 6/6+ which are at 336ppi and 401ppi respectively. Xiaomi uses Quad-core 2.5 GHz Krait 400 compared to iPhone 6’s Dual-core 1.4 GHz Cyclone. Also you get 1GB of RAM extra in Mi4 and a better cameras too (Mi4 – Rear: 13 MP + Front Facing: 8 MP vs iPhone 6 -Rear: 8 MP + Front Facing: 1.2 MP). And yes, don’t forget with the pricing, you can buy three Mi4 together in the price of one iPhone 6, once they are launched here that is.

2. OnePlus One

The OnePlus One shares the same display size as the iPhone 6 Plus at 5.5-inches. It has powerful video recording and imaging capabilities, strong performance components and much more, all at an extremely low price point. The phone also uses CyangogenMod 11S, which allows for an amazing amount of flexibility and freedom, unlike Apple’s iOS, which has several restrictions. Also, the OnePlus One costs a third of the iPhone 6 Plus and offers most of the same features.

1. Galaxy Note 4

Samsung’s newly launched Note series flagship has been appreciated by reviewers even before it has started shipping. The phone includes all software features of Galaxy S5, in addition to features optimised for the S Pen stylus that Apple can’t even think of touching. Samsung Note 4 has a QHD resolution (2560x1440p) while Apple’s new iPhone 6 has a full-HD display (1920x1080p). The Note 4 also packs in more pixels per inch at 515ppi compared to iPhone 6 Plus (401ppi). This means text and images would look sharper on the Note 4. Also, the Galaxy Note 4 is considered as one of the most powerful Android devices around.

September 12, 2014
Samsung Takes On Apple Again With New Attack Ads

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!

September 12, 2014

Let’s Stack Apple iPhone 6 and 6 Plus vs Note 4, Xperia Z3 and OnePlus One

The wait is over, everyone’s favourite smartphone ( non-Android Lovers’ anyway) has emerged from the mirage of leaks and speculations. The iPhone 6 is out for the worlds to see and this time it comes in two giants.

As expected Apple has launched two new iPhones today, the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus (Previously spectulated to be known as the 6L.)

After the flood of leaks and rumors we finally get to see what Apple had in store for us. The 4.7 inch variant i.e. iPhone 6 is priced at about Rs. 39,500 so it would cost around Rs. 48000 to 49000 for 16 GB. The 5.5 inch bigger sibling, the iPhone 6 Plus will be sold at the price tag of about Rs. 45,500 which would come to around Rs 55000 just like last years iPhone 5s.

As, expected both the device have had a major design change with curved edges and reduced bezel space giving the device very sleek and beautiful look. The iPhone 6 has a 4.7-inch display with 326 ppi pixel resolution while the iPhone 6 Plus has a 5.5 inch 1080p HD screen with 401 ppi density. They are powered by Apple’s own A8 chip.

Both phones have 8 MP camera on the back with the iPhone 6 Plus getting a Optical image.The front camera is a 1.2 MP selfie shooter. The camera’s have some unique features like time lapse shooting and slow motion shooting at 240 fps. But lets check out how Apple’s latest holds up in comparison with its competitors.

Specs	iPhone 6	iPhone 6 Plus	Samsung Note 4	Sony Xperia Z3	OnePlus One
Display	4.7 inch, 1334X750, 326 ppi	5.5 inch, 1080p HD, 401 ppi	5.7 inch QHD	5.2 inch HD	5.5 inch HD
Processor	A8	A8	Exynos Octa-core 5433/ 2.7GHz Quad-core Snapdragon 805	2.5 GHz Quad-core	2.5 Quad-core
RAM	Unknown		3 GB	3 GB RAM	3 GB
Storage	16/64/128 GB	16/64/128 GB	32 GB	16/32 GB	16/64 GB
Expandable Upto	–	–	64 GB	128 GB	–
Main Camera	8 MP	8 MP with OIS	16 MP	20.7 MP	13 MP
Front Camera	1.2 MP	1.2	3.7 MP	2.2	5 MP
Battery	Unknown	Unknown	Removable 3220 mAh	Non-removable 3100 mAh	Non-removable 3100 mAh
Operating System	iOS 8	iOS 8	Android 4.4.4	Android 4.4.4	Android 4.4.2 upgradable to v4.4.4
Miscellaneous	Apple Pay	Seamless connectivity with Handoff	S-Pen	High Res Audio, Water proof	Cynogen

Overall Apple’s new devices are innovative in their own rights and their long touted seamless connectivity is impressive. This was a good show by Apple and the increased size will be appreciated by the multimedia enthusiasts. The absence of expandable storage will sting some folks but the 64GB and 128GB versions will provide ample space for all your multimedia needs. The superior connectivity features will definitely be appreciated by folks who have other Apple

September 10, 2014

Samsung Galaxy Note 4 to Get New Fingerprint Features

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.

August 27, 2014
Ready to Note: Samsung Releases Note 4 Teaser

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.

August 25, 2014
Samsung Galaxy Note 4 Camera Specs Leaked

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.

August 22, 2014
Samsung Sends Out Press Invites For Galaxy Note 4 Unpacked Event

It’s that time of the year again. September is fast approaching, and it is bringing with it Samsung’s latest flagship phablet. Yes, Samsung is once again ready to release the next-generation Galaxy Note, and they have sent out invites for the launch event scheduled to take place on the 3rd of September.

Although Samsung hasn’t officially mentioned that the event will feature the launch of the Galaxy Note 4, it’s a pretty safe bet, considering how it’s been Samsung’s tradition to release their latest Note flagship at IFA in Berlin every September.

The Galaxy Alpha, Samsung’s supposed ‘premium built’ phone, may also feature in the event seeing that it’s been making rounds at the rumour mill since a long time. Along with the above two phones, it is also possible that Samsung may also announce some smartwatches which have also had their fair share of rumours and leaks. Another wearable that may be announced is a Samsung virtual reality headset, which will be very similar to the uber-cool Oculus Rift.

Samsung will have to catch up to competition with the next edition of the Note phablet

However, it is very likely that none of these devices are announced at that event, as Samsung would want to keep the spotlight towards the Galaxy Note 4 and nothing else.

If you haven’t heard the rumours, the Note 4 is believed to revolve around the following specs – a 5.7” Quad HD (2560×1440) display, a Snapdragon 805 (Exynos 5433 for some markets, including India) chipset, 3GB of RAM, a 16-megapixel camera with Optical Image Stabilization, a so-called ‘ultraviolet’ sensor, and Android 4.4 KitKat. The remaining specs should be similar to the Note’s smaller sized sibling, the Galaxy S5. The phone might also come with a biometric sensor in the form of an eye sensor

The event will take place on September 3 at 2 p.m. Berlin time. That’s almost a month away, and we should see many more rumours and leaks confirming those specifications. As has been with every flagship these days, we’ll probably know each and every detail about the phablet before the announcement actually takes place. Boy, August is going to be an exciting month.

By Pranav Arora

August 5, 2014