A no holds barred review of the Samsung Galaxy S7 edge (Another look)

Three weeks ago I called out many reviewers of the Samsung Galaxy S7 and S7 edge with the intention of making sure you readers didn’t buy into the hype of marketing and drop $800 without considering the long term.

I still believe that many reviewers are irresponsible and shortsighted with their reviews, particularly with the Galaxy S7 and S7 edge. The Galaxy lineup is the best selling smartphone in the world. That means those reviews have more impact on how we spend our money and ultimately that sets the direction for other manufacturers to follow. Manufacturers go where the money is. So if “experts” are saying the S7 edge and S7 are just about “perfect” with one week of usage, they’re possibly missing out on a larger part of the review.

After using the $800 Galaxy S7 edge for almost a month now, I am ready to give my no holds barred in depth review.

The Good

• Superior design to anything available now
• Screen to body ratio is perfection for large phones
• Camera is top notch
• Display is second to none
• Expandable memory
• IP68 rating
• Battery life

Design, build, and display are without a doubt the best you can get on any mobile device right now. The sleek lines and high grade aluminum frame sandwiched in between two layers of curved Corning Gorilla glass is stunning. Beyond the good looks is an unmatched feel and comfort that other 5.5″ display phones only dare to dream about.

I have been a proponent of large 5.5″ display phones since the days of the Note, because the added size adds more functionality and makes viewing much easier. It’s quite similar in going from an 11″ laptop display to a 23″ desktop display – it’s easier to do more and you can make text larger which is great for aging eyes like mine.

The big downside to large display phones is the physical size becomes unwieldy at a certain point. The LG V10 comes to mind as a phone that has great specs, but is just too big and too heavy to want to use as a daily driver. The V10 is so massive it feels like I am carrying a shield in my pocket to protect against gunfire. Where the S7 edge excels is having almost no side bezels, due to the curved display, making it one easy smartphone to hold. The Nexus 6P and iPhone 6S Plus, which I have also used, while having great designs, don’t come anywhere near the S7 edge in terms of actual comfort in hand.

The iPhone 6S plus and LG V10 are massive compared to the similar sized display S7 edge.

Samsung has been leading the way when it comes to displays for a couple of years with its famous Super AMOLED 2k panel. Some may argue that it is slightly over saturated, but the clarity, pixel density, brightness, and contrast ratio make this display one to drool over. Other flagships may use Samsung OLED displays too, but none match up to the greatness of the Galaxy displays. I don’t have a scientific explanation as to why Samsung makes their displays better – it could simply be calibration, or it could be something else. I don’t know the answer but I do know the display on the S7 edge is only matched by its older siblings, the Note5 and s6 edge+.

Camera

• Check out Josh Noriega’s S7 edge shootout with the Nexus 6P here

Yes the camera is fantastic. Three-four weeks into its release and I am almost certain you have seen camera comparisons on AndroidGuys amongst many other websites like Android Central and Android Authority. No matter which way you look at it, no smartphone camera is perfect. Sure the S7 edge is close to the best, but there are very few reviewers who are willing to call it the best. There’s no reason to do another sample shooting when you’ve seen many already.

Andrew Martonik from Android Central stated this comment in his review of the S7 edge camera, ” The Galaxy S7 edge still takes really wonderful pictures and can stick with the best of ’em in low light situations in particular, but to see a camera offering that isn’t a complete upgrade from last year is a tough pill to swallow.”

However, most of us do agree that it is a great camera and should make you extremely happy nonetheless.

Most of us also agree that starting up the camera and snapping pics are extremely fast with the S7 edge and those are great features to have. But calling the camera the best of the best is a stretch that almost no one is saying about this camera, and I fully agree. In some scenarios I would take the Nexus 6P or iPhone 6S Plus camera over the S7 edge, but overall it’s hard to be dissatisfied with any of these cameras. My personal favorite smartphone camera to date is the Note5 from last year.

One pain point to take note of is if you are using expandable memory with the camera, and save your photos to your microSD card, you will have to use the Gallery app in order to delete your files. This is a pain point for those of us who use Google Photos as our main photo and video manager, as you will have to use Samsung’s duplicate software just to delete a file. It’s one of the funky quirks in owning a Galaxy device.

IP68 water resistance and dustproof rating

Samsung proved with the S7 edge that all phones should have water resistance and dust proofing built into every smartphone. A few years ago, having an IP67 or IP68 rating may have meant added bulk and ugliness, but with the Galaxy S7 edge you can have the best of both worlds.

Not worrying about spilling water on your $800 device is comfort that we all deserve, and quite frankly, pay for. Stuff happens sometimes. You might drop your phone into a toilet, swimming pool, kitchen sink, and you might surround it with dust on your adventures outside of the home or offive. With the Galaxy S7 edge you’re protected from the elements and that is something all flagships need these days.

It’s especially nice to have when the S7 edge is a fingerprint magnet and you can rinse your phone off under the kitchen sink. Doing so makes your phone look new again and washes off any dirty microbes you may have accumulated throughout the day.

Technically speaking, IP68 means you can leave your S7 edge in 1.5M of water for up to 30 minutes, and it also means it is completely dustproof. You won’t get little specks of dust under your display like some other phones are notorious for getting.

In no way does this mean you should take this phone with you into the pool – it’s not designed for that purpose. The touch display gets confused when you try to use the phone when it is wet. The IP68 rating serves as another layer of protection against daily accidents and should be used with that in mind. Very few flagship smartphones have this added protection, but going forward they need to include it. Samsung proved you can mix beauty with function in terms of design with the Samsung Galaxy S7 edge.

Expandable memory

Expandable memory shouldn’t be listed as a benefit in 2016 considering it has been around for many years now. It’s now listed as a benefit because Samsung opted to leave it out of its flagships in 2015. 32GB of memory is great, but with ~20GB of usable space, many of us need more, especially if we are recording 4k video. Bringing back expandable memory is a win in my book and let’s hope Samsung never does away with it again unless they start giving us 128GB as a new standard.

Battery Life

Samsung opted for a much larger battery this year in the S7 edge increasing it from 3000mAh to 3600mAh. That’s physically more battery than the Nexus 6P, LG V10, iPhone 6S Plus, and even the Galaxy Note5.

While some users have anecdotally claimed 10-11 hours of Screen on Time, I haven’t seen anywhere near that level of performance. Although I do see four to six hours of SoT and that is perfectly fine for me to get through one whole day of standard usage. While I would like more, I have yet to see any other manufacturer give us two days of SoT and asking Samsung to do more is a bit much. With that being said, battery life of one day is standard across the board, and is something I get with the iPhone 6S Plus and Nexus 6P. The LG V10 on the other hand is one of the worst performing phones when it comes to battery life, and since that was my last flagship daily driver, I am happy to get back to a device with a full day of power.

Just don’t expect magic with a larger battery in the S7 edge, and know you will get through a full day of usage.

The Good summary

The S7 edge excels in many areas, and when it does, it is near the top or at the top of the pack in those categories. That’s a good thing, and is appreciated because it makes the competition do better. Just because it does some things really well though, doesn’t mean it does everything well.

The Bad

• Carrier bloat
• Poor software performance
• Micro USB
• 32GB only option
• Price
• Extremely slow software updates

Software performance issues

The Samsung Galaxy S7 edge is no different than one of the Miss Teen USA contestants who fumbled on what seems to be a most basic question.

To some the candidate’s answer might be cute, but for the vast majority of us, all we can say is “WUUUUTTTT?” and then give a good chuckle. (This one question shouldn’t be an indication of who this candidate is as a person – no one is perfect, and being on stage in front of the world is something most of us will never get an opportunity to do, and if we did, I am sure many of us would stumble too.)

While the beauty contestant looks incredibly good, just like the S7 edge, sometimes what’s on the inside is lacking. While the S7 edge does use the Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 in the US variant, and does manage to sit atop benchmark tests, real world performance doesn’t live up to what is on paper.

I am frequently running into errors, bugs, and glitches that are nowhere to be found on other Android devices. The S7 edge does run Google’s latest iteration of Android in Marshmallow, but it also runs another layer of customization called TouchWiz.

TouchWiz is specific to Samsung phones and is Samsung’s idea of what Android should be. While some things are good from TouchWiz, the bad things outweigh any benefits TouchWiz offers. For example, Samsung’s new Game control center suddenly showed two versions of itself on my S7 edge. Why? I don’t know and when I turned it off, I was still left with one of the Game control centers open on my phone. Ironically I captured the moment in the image below.

In the background you can see the Game tools are set to Off yet there is another Game tools that is open on top of it.

That’s just one example of a TouchWiz error you won’t find on other Android devices. And the edge display functions are pretty useless and are duplicates of what exist. I turned my edge features off and simply used the edge display for what it is primarily designed for – it’s good looks. Other bugs I encountered were the slow or no response when trying to auto rotate my device into landscape mode, Google Photos and Maps erroring and closing in the background, and slow button responses. There were even times when I thought the touch display wasn’t working, because the lag was so extreme, and it still happens on a regular basis.

You can see TWO game centers on the left side of the screen.

Some may argue that a few of the software errors are pervasive throughout Android, but in my experiences with the LG V10, Nexus 6P and Nexus 5X, I simply do not find that to be true. The errors and software bugs I experience on the S7 edge are limited to it only.

Many reviewers are claiming that TouchWiz is more dialed back than ever, but I don’t find that to be the case. Sure it looks better, but it’s still bad.

Just because TouchWiz was extremely bad three years ago, was just kind of bad last year, doesn’t mean a cleaned up version of it is acceptable this year. It is still buggy and is a reason people might hate this phone a year from now after being stuck with these bugs.

Carrier Bloat

Preinstalled apps from AT&T.

 

If you have read any of my criticisms of Samsung from 2015 and on you would know I can’t stand that carrier bloat they allow on its devices. I know Verizon and AT&T are particularly bad, but Samsung has the ability to tell them no bloat. Samsung just chooses not to as part of whatever agreement they have, and at the end of the day, customers like you and I suffer because of it.

DIRECTV bloat on startup

While we do have the option to turn bloat off, we don’t have the outright option to delete it. It’s almost as if AT&T and Verizon would prefer to have its presence known in a negative light rather than none at all. The saying “bad press is still good press” lives on in the bloat that they install, and outside of rooting our devices, we don’t have a choice otherwise. Samsung doesn’t sell the S7 edge unlocked and free of carriers in the US, and subjects us to wasted storage on our premium, $800 smartphones. Bloatware takes up roughly 2-3GB of memory on my smartphone which works out to three full length movies.

I blame Samsung for letting this happen. They’re big enough to tell carriers to not install bloat, like Apple does with the iPhone, and in this case Apple wins handily over Samsung. iPhones don’t come with crapware installed, and even if they did, Apple still gives its customers the option to buy unlocked.

32GB only option for internal memory

Even though Samsung did us a favor by returning with expandable memory, it didn’t make it adoptable storage like Android M now allows for.

Here’s what adoptable storage is according to Google:

“When external storage media is adopted, it’s formatted and encrypted to only work with a single Android device at a time. Because the media is strongly tied to the Android device that adopted it, it can safely store both apps and private data for all users.

When users insert new storage media (such as an SD card) in an adoptable location, Android asks them how they want to use the media. They can choose to adopt the media, which formats and encrypts it, or they can continue using it as-is for simple file storage. If they choose to adopt, the platform offers to migrate the primary shared storage contents (typically mounted at /sdcard) to the newly adopted media, freeing up valuable space on internal storage.

When a user adopts a new storage device, the platform runs a benchmark and compares its performance against internal storage. If the adopted device is significantly slower than internal storage, the platform warns the user about a possibly degraded experience. This benchmark was derived from the actual I/O behavior of popular Android apps. Currently, the AOSP implementation will only warn users beyond a single threshold, but device manufacturers may adapt this further, such as rejecting adoption completely if the card is extremely slow.”

There’s virtually no reason for Samsung to no opt into making external memory internally adoptable. If the microSD card you choose to use isn’t fast enough to keep up with your daily tasks, Android M will warn you and recommend you don’t do it. Instead Samsung opted to leave external memory as its name describes, which means only certain types of files can be backed up to it. That leaves you with a limited amount of internal storage space and with no other options besides the 32GB Samsung gives you. For some users 64GB or 128GB of internal storage is what they want, but Samsung doesn’t offer those options.

Extremely slow Android updates

I recently wrote about how Samsung Galaxy devices are extremely fragmented and get major updates very slowly. Pure Android Nexus devices, as well as iOS devices destroy Samsung Galaxy phones in the area of software updates.

Samsung is so slow when it comes to updates they won’t even give a schedule of which of its premium flagships will get the next iteration of Android. Instead they pay programmers to give you bloat like S-Voice, a duplicate phone dialer, internet and text messaging app, when they should be giving you software updates.

That leaves your phone vulnerable to security issues and it also shortens the life of the phone as those bugs will slow your phone to a crawl over time.

Read more in depth about Galaxy software updates here.

Price

The price of the S7 edge is outrageous at $800. Three years ago this price was acceptable given that the competition was weak. Sure Apple charges the same price for its phones, but just because someone else is doing it doesn’t make it right.

One phone in particular, the Nexus 6P costs $300 less with an MSRP of $500. Sure it doesn’t have a curved display, but it still has a great build, quality camera, gorgeous 2k AMOLED display, and top notch battery life. It also doesn’t have carrier bloat, and will be the first device to get Android updates, keeping your phone running smooth and up to date with security issues.

Samsung may still have the crown when it comes to the number of devices sold, but the biggest thing holding it back right now is the price it charges for its premium devices. Huawei, Lenovo and Xiaomi will be the new global leaders soon if Samsung doesn’t read the writing on the wall.

The good, the bad – at the end of the day the decision is yours

Looks only go so far with me. I’m not looking to wear my S7 edge as arm candy, take it to a movie, or make it my travelling companion on vacation to the Bahamas. Instead, I need my cellphone to help me in my daily routine. It needs to email, text, browse the web, get me places with GPS, take pictures and help me stay productive with work. While I love the looks of the S7 edge, more than any other phone on the planet right now, the looks only get it so far with me. Software bugs these days are not acceptable like they were five years ago. We’ve moved beyond most of them.

The S7 edge is without question a gorgeous device. But the software and price ruin the whole experience for me, and make me frustrated with Samsung because I know they have the ability to do better. Samsung is so close to getting it right, yet it is so far with the things it does wrong. For that reason I cannot recommend the S7 edge until it comes down a few hundred dollars in six months, or until Samsung gives a clear vision on how and when it will provide software updates to all of its premium devices.

At the end of the day, if looks and build are more important to you than anything else, then go ahead and get the S7 edge. You won’t find anything better. Otherwise, stay away if you need your phone to do more than just look good.

Matt Adams also wrote a review of the S7 edge here.

Nick Scwiwy is sticking with the Nexus 6P over the S7 edge.

Naim Mu-so Qb review: An all-round success

When the original Naim Mu-so launched in 2014, it was received with critical acclaim. Although it’s a physically large bit of kit, it impressed us so much that it took the Pocket-lint Awards gong for best speaker in 2015.

Which sets-up the newer, smaller-scale Mu-so Qb in good stead. This condensed version of the original is almost like a “Mu-so mini”. But just because it’s small doesn’t mean it fails to go big on sound. Indeed, after having one setup for a fortnight in the office, we’re already asking ourselves whether this is perhaps the best £600 speaker 2016 will have to offer?

Naim Mu-so Qb review: Design

Available in a variety of colours (black is standard), the Qb’s exterior mesh panel – which is a removable all-in-one piece, to help prevent unsightly seams between the 90-degree corner angles – continues with the same “wave” form as the original Mu-so, which not only ensures the structure doesn’t look like a boring and rigid cube, but has its own natural form aking to soundwaves (if you’re feeling like a deep-thinker, anyway). That’s contrasted with a more industrial metal-edged rear, similar but less severe than the original Mu-so.

READ: Naim Mu-so review: A sonic sensation

And we think it looks rather smashing (American friends: that’s British for wonderful, seems fair given Naim is a British brand). It’s like a mix of old meets new in many respects, with the physical control wheel up top – which has touch-sensitive control buttons – rotating in a buttery smooth fashion to adjust the volume.

Pocket-lint

Despite its “cube” name, the Qb isn’t quite a perfect cube, measuring 21 x 21.8 x 21.1cm. But it’s pretty darn close. And, at 5.6kgs, it’s a lot lighter than the 13kg behemoth that is the original Mu-so. The Qb fits into everyday life far more easily – we could easily see this smaller chap hanging out in the kitchen, bedroom or, well, anywhere around the house.

Like its bigger brother, the Qb isn’t cutting any corners in terms of build. An aluminium casework ensures everything is rigid, while the transparent base with light-up Naim logo (the brightness is adjustable) gives it a distinct yet familiar design. It certainly looks like part of the family.

Naim Mu-so Qb review: Setup & services

To get the most from Qb you’ll want to download the free app (iOS or Android for the time being). This connects directly via Wi-Fi to the Mu-so Qb to ensure the two components are talking to one another, downloads any necessary firmware updates, and, in our setup experience, was all done and dusted with a few minutes without issue – just like with the original Mu-so.

Within the Naim app are iRadio, UPnP for media servers (we’re connected to Plex), USB/iPod, Bluetooth, Spotify, Tidal, Analogue (3.5mm) and Digital (optical in) sources. A press on any one will switch to that source, without needing to touch the Qb’s touch-sensitive rotational top wheel itself. However you can use this wheel for super smooth adjustment; when adjusting volume it’s accompanied by light-up bars to show the level.

Pocket-lint

The Qb doesn’t come with a remote control like the larger Mu-so, but because of the app we don’t see this being a major flaw, plus the original controller was a bit too plasticky anyway.

Interestingly there’s multi-room functionality too. We’ve got both Mu-so original and Mu-so Qb setup as individual rooms, where it’s possible to send different audio sources to separate devices. We’ve been listening to the radio in the bedroom, while pushing some Asking Alexandria to the office via Plex. It works seamlessly, with individual volume control, although the app could perhaps be a bit more fluid in its transition between devices. You can connect up to five Mu-so products, assuming you’ve got very deep pockets of course!

It’s even possible to pair multiple units together through the app (although not as separate channels, they’re all mono, but each can be independently volume adjusted) for added output.

Naim Mu-so Qb review: Sound

With the front mesh removed it’s clearer to visualise how the Mu-so Qb works. The speakers aren’t arranged flat, as is typical of a speaker, in order to deliver a wider soundstage. The two tweeters, for example, cross over (literally) to ensure sound is projected in a pseudo-stereo arrangement.

Pocket-lint

There’s a 14.5 x 7.6cm woofer, paired with two 14.8 x 8.6cm passive radiators, two 6.4cm-diameter mid-range drivers, and those two 2.5cm-diameter tweeters. Considering just how many drivers there are, it’s actually fairly impressive the Qb is as small as it is.

Naim has maintained Mu-so quality levels in the Qb too. It’s smaller than the original Mu-so, but it’s not cut down on any of the quality you’d expect. Every format you can think of is compatible – WAV, FLAC, AIFF, Apple Lossless all work to 24-bit/192kHz (wired only, it’s capped to 48kHz over wireless); MP3, AAC, OGG and WMA all work to 16-bit/48kHz/320kbps – and work a treat. Although there’s every chance you’ll just be listening via Spotify/Tidal anyway.

We’ve had a multitude of listening experiences to test this speaker to the max. Despite its square shape, it’s an all-round success. From the initial tests sat on the sofa at the Consumer Electronics Show in January 2016 – where we listened through a variety of streamed tracks, from Roger Waters’ solo work to New Order’s Blue Monday – through to podcasts, DJ mixes, rock, pop and everything inbetween, everything sounds grand.

The Mu-so Qb is far from quiet too, as its 300W output makes clear from the off, filling our large office space without cranking things up.

Pocket-lint

But perhaps most substantial is just how capable bass thunders out, without overdoing things. That’s thanks to a dedicated amplifier for the woofer, ensuring plenty of clean low-end rumble. We’ve been listening to Logistics’ new album, Electric Sun, and the bass flows out wonderfully; not quite as broadly as the original Mu-so, but it’s not far off at all.

Verdict

Sure, we’d not call the Qb a budget speaker by any means, but its £595 price point is about as low as we thought we’d ever see from the Naim, um, name.

If you’re looking for high-quality audio at a smaller size and price compared to the original Mu-so then the Qb certainly makes a strong impression. In terms of aesthetics and design it’s second-to-none, with audio as cutting as those stand-out industrial looks. 

As we alluded to at the beginning of this review the Qb is in with a shout of being the home speaker of 2016. For a speaker so square the Qb is an all-round success.

 

 

NASA gives away the data from an Earth-mapping spacecraft

Want to know a whole lot about the Earth’s surface? NASA and the Japanese government are now giving away all the data from the ASTER (Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer) instrument… for free. Previously, you had to pay if you wanted anything more than basic topographical maps; now, you get over 16 years’ worth of near-infrared elevation and thermal data. This is mostly helpful if you’re a student or a scientist, but it could be worth a peek if you’ve wanted to see how everything from farms to volcanoes can affect the planet’s surface heat.

Source: NASA, USGS

Homebrew self-driving tech gets millions in backing

George “Geohot” Hotz’s attempt to put cheap, self-driving tech into any existing car raised eyebrows (and Tesla’s ire) when it was revealed late last year. Now, one of Silicon Valley’s most prominent venture capital funds is throwing its wallet behind Hotz’s grand idea. Andreessen Horowitz has written a check for $3.1 million to help Hotz hire engineers and turn his jury-rigged system into a working product. He’s joining some illustrious company, since the fund has previously handed cash to outfits like Oculus VR, Zynga, Instagram, Groupon, Jawbone and something called Twitter.

Those with long memories will know Hotz from his days as Geohot, the hacker that cracked the iPhone and PlayStation 3. The engineer has founded a company, Comma, on the principle that cheap sensors and machine learning makes it possible to make a system for a few thousand bucks. It’s a claim that Tesla was quick to trash, saying that while it’s easy to build a system for a “known stretch of road,” a real self-driving car is a much harder proposition. Still, if the folks at Horowitz are opening their bank accounts, even slightly, then they must feel differently.

Source: Chris Dixon

Samsung Lobbies Indian Government to Deny Apple Request to Sell Used iPhones

Early last month we reported that Apple was planning to sell refurbished iPhones in India and had submitted a formal request to the country’s government in order to allow it to begin importing pre-owned iPhones into the country.

This morning, however, news has surfaced that major smartphone makers in the Indian market including Samsung, Karbonn, Micromax and Intex are actively opposing Apple’s move on environmental grounds.

According to Bloomberg, phone manufacturers argue that elevated electronic waste levels could threaten the viability of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Make in India program, which promotes and encourages local manufacturing. Critics argue that destroying the phones produces toxic materials that could harm the country’s precarious ecological balance, which is already struggling to deal with a massive e-waste problem.

The opposition came in a letter sent to the Indian government by a lobbying group recently set up by India’s Consumer Electronics and Appliances Manufacturers Association (CEAMA). In the letter, manufacturers argued that allowing the sale of used iPhones in India would not only negatively impact the environment, but it would also go against the country’s importation policy.

“Why even consider allowing import of used phones when import of other used goods such as cars are precluded by 300 percent duty levies?” asked Ravinder Zutshi, chairman of the newly formed Mobile and Communications Council, which issued the letter.

Apple’s initial application in 2015 was rejected by the environment ministry. The company’s latest application has gone to “inter-ministerial discussion”, leaving its outcome uncertain, according to the report. If approved, India would be the first territory with used iPhones to be sold directly from Apple.

Earlier in February, Apple was said to be close to opening its own retail locations within India, after having to rely on an “Authorized Mobility Resellers” program due to the country’s strict real estate and zoning laws.

In December of last year, Apple cut the prices of its iPhone 6s and 6s Plus handsets in India by up to 16 percent, following a reported dive in sales. The move quickly followed Apple’s decision to halve the price of iPhone 5s, from 45,500 Rupees ($688) to 24,999 Rupees ($377).

Apple CEO Tim Cook recently praised India’s business environment and stated that the company is putting increasingly more energy into the country, which has the third largest smartphone market in the world, behind China and the U.S.

Apple has less than 2 percent of the market, in which four-fifths of phones cost less than $150. Branded smartphones are available for as little as $35 in India, yet less than one third of the population uses them.

Tag: India
Discuss this article in our forums

LG Home 4.0 is available, and a concession for G5 owners

If you hate the default launcher on the G5 and for some reason don’t want to download another from Google Play, LG has its own option available.

LG’s default user interface on the G5 has been, to say the least, polarizing. Those who know a thing or two about launchers (we’re a small but vocal minority, to be sure) haven’t exactly greeted UX 5.0 — with its lack of a proper app drawer — kindly. Sure, you can get a app drawer back with the oversized “EasyHome” option, but most folks under 65 (sorry, Grandpa) aren’t going to go for this option, with its huge fonts. And we could just download any of our favorite home screen replacements from Google Play, but then folks wouldn’t have anything else to complain about.

LG, in a sort of 11th-hour concession, slipped into a promo video for UX 5.0 the addition of a third option — one with a proper app drawer.

It’s here, it’s called LG Home 4.0, and we’ve taken a look at it.

First things first: You’re going to be downloading this from the LG SmartWorld app — LG’s own app store. It’s probably already loaded on your G5, so all you need to do is fire up the app, and search for “LG Home 4.0.” (Or use this link.)

Hit the download button, sit back and let things install, and you’ve got the new LG Home 4.0 option. (It’s worth noting that it’s named different than what was in the LG promo video a week ago.)

Do that, and this is what you get:

Behold — a more traditional Android launcher. You’ve got a 5-by-5 grid atop the static icons. The app drawer button can be moved from the center location to any of the five bottom slots. Hit it, and you’ll find all your apps, with widgets just a tab away. There’s also a search function, and you’ll find sorting options behind the overflow menu. You also can hide and uninstall apps from here, and this is where you’ll also find the Home 4.0 options.

LG’s Smart Bulletin feature (which isn’t turned on by default in any event) works with the new launcher, too.

A long press on the home screen brings up more viewing options and another way to drag apps and widgets onto the home screen. You also can set your wallpaper from here.

Is any of this better than the default UX 5.0 that comes on the G5? That’s subjective, for sure. But I’ve been using the G5 for a few weeks now and prefer a proper app drawer of some sort over a “Springboard”-type paradigm.

And in any event, way too much ink has been spilled over this. Don’t like a phone’s default launcher? Install a new one. LG’s just given us its own alternative here.

LG Home 4.0 is available for the G5, LG Stylus 2 and the LG K8.

And lest you forget what’s being replaced, here it is — the default launcher on the LG G5:

LG G5

• LG G5 hands-on
• LG G5 complete specs
• LG G5 CAM Plus module
• LG G5 B&O Hi-Fi audio module
• Join the LG G5 discussion

AT&T Unlocked Sprint T-Mobile

ASUS ZenFone 3 and ZenFone 3 Deluxe renders reveal curved design and USB Type-C

ASUS is slated to unveil the ZenFone 3 and the ZenFone 3 Deluxe later this year at Computex, and thanks to product listings on design site Red Dot 21, we have an idea as to what the phones will look like. The listing showcases renders of the ZenFone 3, revealing 2.5D curved glass at the front and back, as well as USB Type-C connectivity, fingerprint sensor, front LED flash, and laser autofocus at the back. The render also highlights the power button at the back, which will likely house the fingerprint sensor.

As for the ZenFone 3 Deluxe, it looks like the device will feature a full metal design with a physical home button at the front. Not much is mentioned about the device, but it looks like it will forego traditional plastic antenna lines, suggesting ASUS will take a similar approach as Gionee has with the S8.

We’ll get more details on ASUS’ upcoming phones over the coming months. What do you guys think of the design of the ZenFone 3 based on the renders above?

Walmart is discounting the Galaxy S7 by $150

If you’re holding out for a deal on the Galaxy S7, look no further. Walmart is offering a $150 discount on Samsung’s latest flagship device.

The promotion is valid on all in-store purchases bought on monthly installment plans from AT&T, Verizon, or Sprint. If you’re looking to get the device with T-Mobile, you’ll have to look elsewhere. The $150 discount will be reflected as credit on your monthly invoice, according to CNN Money. The promotion itself will be available until the end of June. The retailer is also offering the same discount on last year’s Galaxy S6.

Who’s interested in taking Walmart up on its offer?

Samsung Galaxy S7 and S7 edge

• Galaxy S7 review
• Galaxy S7 edge review
• Galaxy S7 edge with Exynos: A Canadian perspective
• Here are all four Galaxy S7 colors
• Details on the Galaxy S7’s camera
• The SD card is back on the GS7
• Join our Galaxy S7 forums

AT&T Sprint T-Mobile Verizon

Scientists identify neurons that help you process emotions

Scientists just got one step closer to understanding the nuts and bolts of how your mind handles emotions. An MIT team has identified two neural connections in the brain’s amygdala regions that process positive and negative emotional events. By tagging neuron groups with a light-sensitive protein, they discovered that the neurons form parallel but complex channels that respond differently to given situations. Some neurons within one of those connection will be excited by a feeling, while others will be inhibited — the combination of those reactions in a given channel may determine the emotion you experience.

It’s still early days. The researchers need to explore specific neuron populations in-depth to see how they’re connected, and they have to clearly define the larger neural circuits. If they succeed, though, they might help explain how mental health issues operate. Anxiety and depression might not fire the neurons that normally go off when you’re happy, for instance. The discoveries could lead to more effective treatments that restore your natural reactions.

Source: MIT News

Huge data leak reveals the hidden wealth of the rich and famous

In one of the biggest data leaks ever (even larger than the NSA wires leak in 2013), Panama-based legal firm Mossack Fonseca has seen 2.6 terabytes of its private data leaked to journalists. Shared with German newspaper Suddeutsche Zeitung, it was then spread to a wider network of journalists globally — 370 reporters from 100 media organizations have looked into the leak for a year. The research has already unearthed that 12 national leaders, including monarchs, presidents and prime ministers, have been using offshore tax havens, including a $2 billion paper trail that leads to Russia’s Vladimir Putin. Meanwhile, FIFA’s attempts to clean itself up faces fresh criticism after the leak appears to connect executives being investigated to members of the ethics committee itself.

The sheer volume of data means that files are still being pored over, although you can attempt to follow along with this Reddit thread. It sheds light on the huge, lucrative, complex world of offshore finance and special tax laws. Mossack Fonseca is the world’s fourth biggest offshore law firm, meaning that the leak has plenty of new information and insight globally, from Russia’s rich to property developers in Hong Kong, Lionel Messi and politicians across the world. There’s a big focus on the UK too: more than half of the companies are either registered there or in British-administered tax havens. The company denies any accusations of wrongdoing.

Source: The Guardian, Reddit