Sony’s Xperia Z5 family includes the world’s first 4K smartphone
To say that Sony’s mobile division has had a tough time lately would be an understatement. As the company puts out half-hearted efforts like the Z3 and Z3+, sales have been dropping steadily. We’re now at the point where Sony is losing more than $1 million per day just keeping the division going. Something has to change. Sony has to take smartphones seriously, and this is its attempt to do just that. Meet the Xperia Z5 family, which includes the world’s first 4K phone display, “next-generation” cameras and some tiny, tiny fingerprint scanners. Slideshow-316694
For what seems like the first time in ages, Sony is announcing a trio of flagship phones at the same time. From big to small, we’ve got the Z5 Premium, the Z5 and the Z5 Compact. The trio share many attributes, but thanks to one spec, the Premium is by far the most interesting.
The world’s first 4K phone display
I’m totally besotted with the Premium’s display. It’s got a truly ridiculous, world-beating 5.5-inch 4K (3,840 x 2,160) panel, with rich colors and deep blacks. We’ll need to spend more time than the few hours we’ve had with the new lineup to give a proper verdict, but right now we can say for sure that it looks great. I’m not sure I want a 4K display in my phone, but I am sure that the allure of an 806-ppi display will be enough to win some over. Sony’s thrown down the gauntlet, and at least in pixel density, the Z5 Premium is the phone to beat.
Unfortunately, Sony’s saved all of its new screen tech for the Premium, with the regular Z5 retaining the same 5.2-inch 1080p unit as the Z3 and Z3+, and the Z5 Compact getting a slightly larger — 4.7 inches vs. the Z3 Compact’s 4.6 inches — but still 720p display.
Apart from their displays, the devices are almost identical.
As far as specs go, though, the displays are pretty much the only things distinguishing the Z5 Premium from the Z5 and Z5 Compact. All three have Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 810 processor inside, up to 32GB of internal storage (expandable by microSD), high-res audio chips and “up to two-day battery life.” That’s a cute way Sony found to say “you only need to charge this one once a day.” How they eke out that battery life differs of course, with the Premium having a 3,430mAh battery, the Z5 a 2,900mAh and the Z5 Compact a 2,700mAh. The only other differentiator is RAM: The Z5 Premium and Z5 have 3GB; the Z5 Compact only has 2GB.
The same, but different
The Z5s’ power buttons house fingerprint sensors.
If you’ve seen any Sony phone made in the last couple of years, I’m sure you’ve already noticed the Z5 family is a very familiar one. Sony’s “OmniBalance” design theme has been knocking around since the Xperia Z1, and it’s really difficult to get excited about: They’re rectangular slabs with clean line; they’re waterproof; and they’re uncomplicated. That said, this is probably the tightest iteration on that theme. The Z5 Premium and Z5 both feel very polished, with carefully considered color schemes and materials. The Z5 Compact feels sturdier and a little chunkier, but not necessarily in a bad way.
The Z5 Premium is available in black, gold or chrome, all with a mirrored glass back, while the Z5 has white, black, gold and a subdued green, with a frosted glass back. Sony’s clearly targeting the younglings with the Compact, especially with some of the bright and “fun” colors. It comes in the usual white and black, but also vibrant yellow and coral (pink) — again with frosted glass at the back. Of course they’re all different sizes too; The Z5 Premium has a 5.5-inch display and is 7.8mm thick; the Z5 has a 5.2-inch display and is 7.3mm thick; while the Compact has a 4.7-inch display and is 8.3mm thick.
The Z5 Premium in chrome makes for a very effective mirror.
I think the yellow Z5 Compact is probably my favorite of the bunch; the bright color wrapping around the edge of the black display frames the device really well. The green Z5 is also kinda classy looking, and it’s a nice step away from the staid colors we’re used to from flagships. Also, big shout out to the chrome Z5 Premium, which is essentially a mirror with a phone attached to the back. It’s ostentatious; it’s ridiculous; and it’s impossible to keep clean, but I kinda love it.
So all these new Xperias are familiar, but changed. The same, but different. Those coming from a previous-generation Z will notice how nicely this latest bunch feels to hold, as well as some neat design additions. There’s now a little “Xperia” wordmark etched into the phones’ metallic sides, and the series’ small circular power button is no more, replaced by an oval-shaped button that somehow squeezes in a tiny fingerprint reader.
Taking care of number one
All three phones share the same camera setup.
Sony’s new sensor is exclusive to Xperias, for now.
Sony’s image sensors are everywhere. Of course you’ll find them in the company’s own smartphones, mirrorless and SLT cameras, but they’re also in high-end Nikon and Fujifilm models. Not to mention flagship smartphones like the Samsung Galaxy S6 and LG G4. Put simply, they’re considered some of the finest in the business, and one of the increasingly few areas that Sony is a market leader in. Not all sensors are created equal, though, and this time, Sony’s keeping the best smartphone sensor for itself. All of the Z5s have a 1/2.3-inch Exmor RS 23-megapixel image sensor. It’s brand-new, and Sony says it’ll be exclusive to Xperias, at least for a while.
Click image for original 7MB file. Shot by Sony at f/2.0, 1/2500s, ISO 40.
This fancy new sensor is backside illuminated and has embedded phase-detection pixels. It’s housed in Sony’s first mobile camera module with a closed-loop actuator, and in front of the sensor is a new six-element 24mm lens with a wide f/2.0 aperture. If you’re unsure what all of this means, I’ll break it down for you:
Sony says that, thanks to the phase-detection pixels, the Z5 family can autofocus in as little as 0.03 second, claiming it’s the “world’s fastest autofocus in a smartphone.” All we can say is it’s very quick. The actuator helps with this by swiftly moving the lens to focus, and because it’s closed-loop, it’ll also offer better image stabilization, especially for video. As you’d expect, all three will shoot movies in 4K, although evidently the Z5 Premium is the only one capable of playing footage back natively on the phone itself. Sony says the new sensor is capable of oversampling images (PureView style) for digital zoom “without loss of image quality.” Take that claim with an ocean’s worth of salt, of course, but the zoomed images definitely seemed good enough for a Facebook or Twitter share.
Click image for original 3MB file. Shot by Sony at f/2.0, 1/30s, ISO 250.
All of this adds up to… well, no one knows yet. What I can say is that Sony’s sensors are the envy of the business; Sony’s “unedited” sample images look fantastic; and, in my brief time with the Z5s, I took some quite pretty images that I’m sadly unable to share with you. But it’s too early to say whether this new camera represents a huge leap forward, or even if it’s at the front of the pack.
A fresh start
Although it’s not quite stock, Sony has all but removed its Android skin.
On the software side, the Z5 family runs Android 5.1.1, and Sony says “stay tuned” about an Android M update. The good news for virtually everyone but the most die-hard of Sony fans, though? The company’s Android skin is no more. Instead, the devices all run a virtually stock Android experience. Sure, there are some differences in iconography, but the general look-and-feel isn’t too far from a Nexus device. That’s a huge step forward from current Xperias, which feel like they’re stuck in the past despite many of them actually being on the latest version of Android.
Google won’t officially bake in fingerprint support to its OS until Android M is released this fall. Like other manufacturers, though, Sony already has things up and running. I wasn’t able to test out the functionality myself, but the placement seems very natural, and I watched Sony staff unlocking their devices with various fingers and thumbs at a 100 percent success rate.
The big questions
A close-up of the Xperia Premium’s etched metal wordmark.
I’m pretty impressed with Sony’s new lineup. But there are still three lingering questions that Sony needs to answer. First, there’s the small matter of price. So far, we’ve got this from Sony: “Pricing will reflect the premium quality of the smartphone.” Make of that what you will, but Sony isn’t exactly known for producing budget devices. In the age of the OnePlus 2 and the Moto X Pure, you can get a lot of smartphone for a few hundred dollars.
Second is battery life and performance. The chip inside all three, the Snapdragon 810, has had some well-reported issues with overheating, and is not known to be very frugal when it comes to battery life. Couple that chip with a 4K display, and it’s easy to question Sony’s claim of “up to two-day” endurance when it comes to the Premium. The company points to its on-display memory (which effectively switches off the processor when the screen isn’t moving), and other battery-saving tech as proof it can hit that target. Many will remain unconvinced until the phone’s been properly tested.
Third, and perhaps most importantly for Sony’s shot at a global success, is availability. The Z5 and Z5 Compact will be “globally” available in October, with the Z5 Premium following in November. But Sony has really struggled to persuade carriers to push its devices. That’s especially true in the US, where sometimes it feels like Sony doesn’t exist.
If a 4K display doesn’t pique the US carriers’ attention, nothing will.
You could argue that this is Sony’s fault. Several generations of Xperias have come and gone, all of which looked pretty much the same, and none of which blew the competition out of the water. They’ve been solid phones, but plenty of companies make solid phones. Why should carriers put their weight behind Sony when Samsung et al. offer the same basic package? With iPhone season fast approaching, there’s a real chance Sony could be left by the wayside again. At least with the Z5 Premium, Sony has clearly put everything it can into a single device, short of a new design. If the world’s first 4K smartphone doesn’t get the attention of AT&T, Verizon, Sprint and T-Mobile, nothing will.
Check out all the news from Berlin at our IFA 2015 hub.
Filed under:
Cellphones, Mobile, Sony
Tags: 4k, exmor, hands-on, ifa, ifa2015, mobilepostcross, sony, xperia, xperiaz5, z5
Mac keychain flaw can send your passwords to hackers via text
Antoine Vincent Jebara and Raja Rahbani have discovered a Mac Keychain vulnerability that hackers can easily exploit to steal passwords, certificates, etc. with very little user interaction needed. The duo stumbled upon the flaw while working on the Keychain for their identity management software Myki. They found out that attackers can craft commands that can make Mac’s password management system prompt users to click an “Allow button” instead of asking them to type in their passwords. Once a user clicks that button, the malicious code can forward Keychain’s contents via text, though the info could also be saved somewhere for download later on.
The malware required to trigger that process can be introduced into the victim’s computer via innocuous files such as images, documents and spreadsheets. In fact, the proof of concept Rahbani and Jebara developed to test out what they discovered launches the malware-wrapped image in Preview after you click Allow. They designed it that way to show how that method can be used to allay any suspicion brewing in the back of the victim’s mind.
In Jebara’s email to Engadget, he said they already notified Apple of the vulnerability and are waiting to hear back. He explained that they decided to come out with this information, because it could be extremely harmful to users if exploited. By knowing the flaw’s nature, you can at least protect yourself by not click strange buttons that pop up in Keychain.
We disclosed because we feel that it is the right thing to do knowing that a vulnerability of this magnitude would have disastrous consequences (you wouldn’t be able to open any third-party file on your computer without the risk of losing all of your sensitive information until Apple issues a patch)…
The vulnerability is extremely critical as it allows anyone to steal all of your passwords remotely by simply downloading a file that doesn’t look malicious at all and that can’t be detected by malware detectors because it doesn’t behave the way malware usually does.
[Image credit: mangpages/Flickr]
Tags: apple, keychain, security
Hulu without the ads is here, for $4 more per month
Just as rumored, Hulu has finally decided to offer a version of its subscription without the ad breaks. Ad-free Hulu will cost $12 per month, as opposed to the regular $8 subscription (or the shows it offers for free), and of course it will soon include more movies (that Netflix doesn’t have) thanks to the company’s deal with Epix. One small catch however is revealed by the FAQ, which indicates that due to licensing, a few shows will still have ads before and after (but not during) episodes. Hulu’s ads have always separated it from online streaming competition like Amazon and Netflix, and even though ads are a way of life on cable and broadcast television, its annoying tendency to repeat the same few selections always drove me crazy. Now, with more original content (Seinfeld, The Mindy Project, the just-renewed Difficult People and others), it’s a serious, although slightly more expensive, competitor for our attention.
Developing…
Will all shows and movies be commercial free?
In response to feedback from our viewers, we started offering a commercial-free experience on Hulu. For a small number of shows, however, we have not obtained the rights to stream commercial free and they are not included in our No Commercials plan. You can still easily access these shows with a short commercial before and after each episode with no interruptions during the episode. Specific shows that still have commercials accessible through the No Commercials plan will be noted throughout the signup, switching, and playback experience. While the list of shows may change, these shows are currently: Grey’s Anatomy, Once Upon A Time, Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., Scandal, Grimm, New Girl, and How To Get Away With Murder.
Filed under:
Home Entertainment, Internet, HD
Source:
Hulu
Tags: ads, breaking news, hdpostcross, hulu
Grab Tom Clancy’s best games for a $10 donation to charity
Tom Clancy is gone, but Ubisoft definitely hasn’t forgotten the military-centric author or his legacy of branded video games. Neither have the folks at Humble Bundle for that matter. Pledging at least $1 will get you Rainbow Six, Rainbow Six 3 Gold, Rainbow Six: Vegas, access to the Rainbow Six Siege multiplayer beta, the original Ghost Recon and Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory on PC. Drop more than the average price (currently $7.99) and you’ll pick up Rainbow Six Vegas 2, the first Splinter Cell and the one that changed things up considerably, Splinter Cell: Conviction. But wait, there’s even more: A $10 donation adds the latest Sam Fisher adventure, Splinter Cell: Blacklist, and Ghost Recon: Future Soldier to the mix.
Lastly, $75 nets you a pre-order for Siege, a T-shirt and 66 percent off any three Ubisoft games in Humble’s web store. The outfit says the grand total is $179 in games and you can get all but one of them for $10. Need something to listen to while downloading? Give the song below from the incredible Chaos Theory soundtrack a spin.
Filed under:
Gaming, Home Entertainment, HD
Via:
Ubi Blog
Source:
Humble Bundle
Tags: gaming, ghostrecon, hd, hdpostcross, humble, humblebundle, rainbowsix, rainbowsixsiege, splintercell, tomclancy, ubisoft
Acer’s Predator 8 gaming tablet will officially be available in November for $299
Acer’s anticipated Predator 8 gaming tablet finally has an official release date and pricing, and it’s pretty reasonable for something that’s designed primarily to play games.
The Predator 8 sports an 8-inch 1080p display with an Intel Atom CPU and 2 GB of RAM, plus options for 32 or 64 GB of internal storage and a microSD card slot. The screen is touted as being incredibly precise with a 100% NTSC color gamut rating, too. Acer has included four front-facing speakers on the aluminum frame of the device, plus enhanced tactile feedback for gaming.
The Predator 8 will go on sale on November 6th in the US for $299, with Newegg carrying it exclusively for the first two weeks. Other countries will get a head start on purchasing the device, as it’ll be on sale in Europe and China for €349 and ¥2499, respectively, in October.
Thinking about picking one of these up over an NVIDIA Shield or something else?
Be sure to keep up with the rest of our IFA 2015 coverage.
Acer Introduces its First Dedicated Gaming Tablet with the Powerful Predator 8
- Game play comes to life with Predator Quadio, a combination of four front- facing speakers and virtual surround sound, while tactile feedback is delivered through Predator TacSense
- Exceptionally realistic visuals are delivered on the 8-inch FHD display (1920 x 1200) featuring Predator ColorBlast technology.
- Immersive and graphically rich gaming is powered by the Intel® AtomTM x7 processor, Android 5.1, and 2×2 MIMO wireless technology for blazing-fast Internet connections
- Extremely thin and lightweight, the dark grey brushed aluminum design is just 8.7mm thin and 350 grams light
BERLIN, GERMANY (September 2, 2015) Today Acer announced its new Predator 8 GT-810 gaming tablet, one of several new gaming devices in Acer’s high-octane Predator gaming series. The sleek brushed aluminum GT-810 is powered by the Intel® AtomTM x7 processor, Android 5.1 and the latest 2×2 MIMO wireless technology, taking portable gaming to a new level of fun and immersion.
Making games, movies and videos thrilling and immersive, the Predator 8 includes a high- quality FHD display (1920 x 1200) for crystal clear viewing and incredible graphics, while Predator Quadio, four array front-facing speakers with virtual surround sound and red stainless steel mesh, deliver exceptionally realistic stereo audio. In addition, Predator TacSense makes gaming more enjoyable and memorable, enhancing game play with tactile feedback.
Thin and lightweight, the Predator 8 is just 8.7mm thin (11⁄32 inches) and weighs only 350 grams (12.35 ounces), making it highly portable and easy to hold with either one or two hands. In addition, soft texturized panels on the back make it comfortable to hold and carry.
High-Octane Performance Keeps it Real
Gamers will appreciate the raw power found on the Predator 8. The newest generation Intel® AtomTM x7 Processor with Intel HD Graphics (Gen 8 –LP) deliver extraordinary graphics and performance, while 802.11a/b/g/n wireless with 2×2 MIMO supports fast connection speeds, processing data at up to twice the speed2 of traditional 1×1 solutions. Predator TacSense provides tactile feedback which makes the gaming experience more engaging and enjoyable with a real sense of vibration. And with up to 64GB of on-board storage and expansion capabilities via a microSD card of up to 128GB, gamers have room to take their games, videos and music with them wherever they go.
Designed For Gaming
Acer has collaborated with Gameloft since the design stage of the Predator 8 to fine-tune the gaming experience. As a result, Gameloft’s Asphalt 8 racing game works seamlessly with Predator TacSense to bring a realistic and immersive experience for gamers. The Predator 8 GT 810 will be preloaded3 with Asphalt 8 and 320,000 game credits (approximately US$50 value).
Top-Notch Visuals and Audio Engage the Senses
In addition to the tablet’s 8-inch full high-definition display (1920 x 1200), it uses Zero Air Gap and IPS technology to deliver superior color saturation, making details easily seen from all angles, and movies crisp and clear. Taking the visuals up a notch even further, Predator ColorBlast technology brings high-quality color from professional monitors to the tablet, supporting 100% of the NTSC color gamut.
Extraordinarily powerful sound is delivered via Predator Quadio — four front-facing speakers that deliver virtual surround sound and amazingly realistic and dynamic audio and accurate tones that are never distorted. Quadio’s special algorithm distributes sound intelligently between each of the speakers for maximum clarity and volume, resulting in an audio experience that’s perfect for personal enjoyment or can easily fill a room for larger gatherings or social events. In addition, Dolby® AudioTM greatly enhances the overall sound quality by intelligently optimizing the audio for various situations — streaming a movie or playing music, connected to external speakers or listening through headphones, it delivers clear dialogue, clean highs, solid midrange tones and powerful bass.
Lastly, Predator MediaMaster is a unique Acer application that allows the audio and video set up to be customized for standard, album, movie and game use. For example, in game mode the radius of the surround sound, color saturation, and global contrast are increased, while in movie mode the bass is set to median level and the dark levels of the display are enhanced for more detail.
Highly Precise Touchscreen plays well with Fingertip, Pencil or Stylus
Providing one of the best touch experiences available, the Predator 8 features Predator Precision Plus technology, which incorporates touch sensors that are smaller and more densely arranged than the industry standard. With a higher density of touch sensors, greater control accuracy can be achieved, which is especially beneficial in FPS games. Also ideal for sketching or writing, the tablet can be used with any 2mm fine tip writing implement such as a graphite pencil or an optional Acer Accurate Stylus.
Accessories
Acer will offer a number of optional accessories for its Predator 8 gaming tablet, including covers, carrying cases, a stylus, travel adapter, SlimPort adapter dongle and gaming headset.
Pricing and Availability
The Acer Predator 8 GT-810 will be available in North America for $299.99 exclusively at Newegg for 2 weeks beginning on Nov. 6. After that it will be available at other retailers nationwide. It will be available in EMEA in October with prices starting at €349, and in China with prices starting at ¥2499. Exact specifications, prices, and availability will vary by region. To find out about availability, product specifications and prices in specific markets, please contact your nearest Acer office or retailer via http://www.acer.com.
The new products were unveiled today at the next@acer press event at IFA Berlin in Germany, where the company announced its latest devices and solutions for gamers and consumers for the holiday season. Visit Acer’s booth at IFA 2015 in Messe Berlin (Hall 12/101) or learn about the new product range on acer.com/predator.
Come comment on this article: Acer’s Predator 8 gaming tablet will officially be available in November for $299
Intel testing power efficient Core M processors in smartphones
Intel’s Core M processors are extremely power efficient processors that currently power several tablets and laptops. Apple’s latest fan-less Macbook, for example, utilizes a Core M processor, as that line is one of the most powerful chips that can still deliver fantastic battery life.
Normally we don’t see desktop/laptop make their way into smartphones, but according to Intel’s General Manager, Kirk Skagen, the company is currently testing the chips in smartphones. There’s no definite timeline for when we can expect to see Core M processors in a flagship phone, we’ll see some big performance improvements when it happens.
source: Engadget
Come comment on this article: Intel testing power efficient Core M processors in smartphones
Acer Chromebook R 11 is new convertible laptop entry
Acer announced a new convertible Chromebook option they are releasing, the Acer Chromebook R 11. Like some other units available from other manufacturers, the Acer Chromebook R 11 makes use of a hinge design that allows the screen to be flipped completely back onto the unit to effectively create a tablet device. Depending on how far one pushes the screen back and how the device is set, tent or display configurations are available as well.
The Acer Chromebook R 11 will come equipped with an 11.6-inch LCD touch screen running at 1366 x 768 resolution. Acer will make this new unit available with an Intel processor and up to 4 GB of RAM and 32GB of storage. Acer brought the size of the unit down to the point where it weighs about 2.75 pounds, which is light for a laptop but may be considered heavy for a tablet.
You can read Acer’s full press release below and then keep checking TalkAndroid for more IFA 2015 coverage.
2015-09-02
Acer’s First Convertible Chromebook Will Bend over Backwards for Work and Play
BERLIN, GERMANY
Come comment on this article: Acer Chromebook R 11 is new convertible laptop entry
Huawei announces the Mate S at IFA 2015
Huawei today at IFA 2015 announced the Mate S, which is the successor to last year’s Ascend Mate 7. While it takes a lot of design hints from the Mate 7, the all-metal handset parades its similarities to the iPhone 6 Plus.
The handset sports an AMOLED 5.5-inch 1080p 2.5D display with Gorilla Glass 4. It has the Kirin 935 chipset with a quad-core 2.2GHz and quad-core 1.5GHz processor, a Mali-T628 MP4 GPU, 3GB of RAM, a 13-megapixel rear camera with Optical Image Stabilization (OIS), a battery rated for a full day of use, and an improved, rear fingerprint scanner.
The device comes in 32/64GB storage options, however, it does have microSD support up to 128GB using the SIM 2 slot. At the bottom of the device surrounding the microUSB port are dual speakers.
Additionally, Huawei CEO Richard Yu says the Mate S has fast charging, getting a full charge “2x faster” than the iPhone 6 Plus. There’s also been some gesture improvements with the fingerprint scanner, force touch, and even Huawei’s “knuckle sense 2.0″ features.
One of the major features of the Huawei Mate S is how well it manages data. The handset has two SIM slots, allowing the device to seamlessly transition between LTE connections. It supports up to 13 major LTE bands in the United States, Europe, and Asia.
Pre-orders begin on September 15 and will cost consumers €649 for the 32GB model or €699 for the 64GB handset. There will also be a force-touch enabled 128GB model, but similar to Samsung’s tendencies, it will be announced at a later date.
Come comment on this article: Huawei announces the Mate S at IFA 2015
New Apple TV to Start at $149, Feature Universal Search With Siri
Apple is set to introduce the next iteration of its Apple TV lineup at next week’s September 9 media event, alongside the expected announcement of new iPhones, and a previously rumored feature is gaining additional traction today with a report from BuzzFeed claiming the new Apple TV will have universal search functionality, letting users search once and get hits from multiple sources, not just iTunes.
Universal search feature will reportedly be a “cornerstone” of the new Apple TV, allowing users to, for example, search for one movie across services like Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and iTunes, among others. The ability to search for actors and directors will also be included in the search options, and won’t limit users to just movie or television show titles.
Sources familiar with Apple’s plans say that a cornerstone of the the company’s new set-top box is a universal search feature that will enable searches across multiple streaming video services as well as Apple’s iTunes Store. Instead of searching the catalogs of multiple video services one-at-a-time for a particular movie, you’ll now be able to search all — or most of them — at once and then choose the service on which you’d like to watch it. You’ll also be able to search for actors and directors, and run other more targeted searches as well — all with Siri.
The report also claims that the new Apple TV will “start” at a price point of $149, hinting that there could be more expensive models with perhaps the possibility of expanded storage capacities. The $149 retail price does line up with previous rumors that pegged the Apple TV of launching with either a $149 or $199 price tag. The company has been said to be keeping the third-generation Apple TV, currently priced at $69, as an entry-level option.
Along with Siri integration, the next-generation Apple TV is rumored to feature an A8 processor, a touch-pad remote, and an App Store with an SDK available for developers to create apps. The new box will be aimed at more than just video consumption, with recent rumors hinting that the newly designed remote control will include motion sensors to support “casual” gaming experiences.
Report: Samsung’s Galaxy Note 5 will launch in India on September 7th
It would seem that all the fervor over last week’s discovery of an Indian-based test ROM was not a flash in the pan. According to SamMobile, the Samsung Galaxy Note 5 will be launching in India on September 7th. Precise details are currently unknown as far as price and availability goes, but the report claims that a launch event will be held in New Delhi.
Samsung’s decision to release the Note 5 in another market is both a surprise, and perhaps a preface for what (might) come to pass: Many had assumed that the latest in the S-Pen equipped phablet line would see a very limited release for 2015, a sad fact that includes the denial of sale to all of Europe, at least officially: customers can import the international device at a higher cost.
While it’s unlikely Samsung will have a sudden change of heart and sell the Note 5 in Europe this year, the addition of another territory for sale is definitely a step in the right direction.
The Galaxy Note 5 is the latest installment in the venerable Note series, that which essentially created the entire phablet genre. It packs a 5.7-inch sAMOLED QHD (2560×1440) display, an Exynos 7420 SoC (4x 2.1GHz Cortex-A57, 4x 1.5GHz Cortex-A53), Mali-T760 MP8 for graphics, 4GB of RAM, and storage options of either 32GB or 64GB. Also included is a 16MP rear, 5MP front camera assortment, 3000mAh battery, Category 6 LTE support, a fingerprint sensor and both Qi & PMA wireless charging support.
AIVAnet 