Everything you need to know about Android Oreo emoji, fonts, and icons

Android Oreo is about more than big, sweeping changes this year — it’s also about fixing some of Android smaller-but-stickier problems.

Android Oreo is coming out of Developer Previews soon, and with it comes a lot of beautiful, customization-friendly changes for Android users and developers in regards to emoji, fonts, and icons. Emoji are getting a sorely-needed upgrade in more ways than one. Fonts are getting more easy to integrate and implement for developers. App icons are getting another upgrade in yet another stab at app drawer consistency. There’s a lot here to unpack, so let’s unwrap these new toys!

The blobs are dead, long live the blobs

Android emoji have always been divisive, different, and kinda, well, doofish. Google’s emoji have evolved and expanded just as Android has, but for the last few years, Google’s emoji have stood out from the pack. First and foremost, while most face/emotion emoji are circles, Google’s are yellow blobs, or lemon gumdrops. They’re flat, they’re simplistic, they’re cute, and most people hate them. Those people can rejoice, because Google has adopted new emoji in Android Oreo: they’re circular, and they’re shaped and shaded to give more consistent depth, size and expression.

While I and some others have loved Google’s blob emojis, millions of Android users never even saw the blobs, which brings us to another big problem. Google has never mandated the use of their unique emoji, and as a result, Samsung uses Samsung emoji and LG uses LG emoji and HTC uses a mishmash of HTC’s own emoji and Google’s. Since each one of these emoji libraries takes small creative liberties with the emoji’s individual expressions and details, emoji’s meaning can vary widely based on which library you see an emoji through. If you didn’t like the emoji on your phone, tough luck, there aren’t any real ways to replace them without getting into root tinkering.

See this? Yeah, this needed to change.

Even worse, since emoji libraries were a system file, they were only expanded and upgraded through a system update, which are slow to come for most non-Pixel phones. This meant that while the rest of the world goes nuts over a new taco emoji, or zombie emoji, all you’d see on your phone was a plain square or an empty space.

EmojiCompat and custom emoji fonts

Google is looking to fix these issues in Android Oreo. First and foremost, even users who will never see Android Oreo on their current devices can see the latest emoji thanks to the EmojiCompat support library, which when added by developers to an app will allow users from KitKat on to see the latest emoji. So, even if you don’t have the mind-blown emoji on your Lollipop phone, you can still see the mind-blown emoji your brother sent you after the latest Game of Thrones episode. The emoji that EmojiCompat substitute in might not match the non-Google emoji on your non-Pixel phone, but that’s where a second improvement comes into play.

If developers don’t want to leave the emoji displayed in their app up to the unpredictable emoji library that’s included with users’ phones, they now have an option to use a downloadable font with their own emoji instead. This will of course depend on developers to implement EmojiCompat and downloadable fonts in very specific ways, but there’s some very fun stuff possible here.

Downloadable fonts and Fonts in XML

Speaking of downloadable fonts, these are going to have far-reaching implications beyond just emoji fonts. Downloadable fonts will allow developers to take font families out of their APK, making APKs smaller and more attractive to download. Instead of bundling a custom font in the APK, the app can reference and download the fonts it needs after install, meaning that a font can be downloaded once and used for multiple apps, and the app can be easily updated through the server without requiring a big app update to change it.

Fonts in XML is a bit more developer-oriented change, but it allows fonts to be used as a resource and called more easily by developers, meaning that changing fonts in an app, even between different sections of an app should be easier and smoother.

Adaptive Icons: ending the chaos in the app drawer

Android doesn’t have the strenuous rules about icon shape, size, and shading that other platforms do, and so icons on Android devices have always been, well, a mess. There’s a whole industry of icon pack makers out there who make apps to make your app drawers consistent since Android can’t seem to achieve that out of the box. This year, Google is rolling on Adaptive Icons, a new two-layer icon pack standard that should make it easier for app drawers to find consistency while also offering quirky abilities like simple animations. Because all icons are submitted as two square layers and then cut into a custom shape by the device/launcher’s mask, Google hopes to have this year’s attempt at standardization actually take off.

Read more about Adaptive Icons

Android Oreo

• Android Oreo review!
• Everything new in Android Oreo
• How to get Android Oreo on your Pixel or Nexus
• Oreo will make you love notifications again
• Will my phone get Android Oreo?
• Join the Discussion

Get lost in space with an out of this world wallpaper!

“And so you’re back from outer space!”

Space is a place that’s easy to get lost in. It’s a vast void of darkness and light, of choking chill and the fire of a million suns. Space is the final frontier, and we may be a few centuries away from exploring it, that doesn’t mean we can’t look up at the stars and dream what it’d be like to sail betwixt them. Well, I can’t get anyone off this planet, but we can all blast off with an out of this world wallpaper, so Ground Control to Major Tom, commencing countdown, engines on!

Looking up at the night sky for most of us treats us to a few brighter stars, maybe the moon, and a lot of darkness. But imagine if you looked at at night to a scene like this? Granted, some of the stars here are closer than any others will every be to Earth, but look at the color, the vibrancy, the activity. Look at all the stars, all the worlds there are out there! This wallpaper makes me wonder about the life, the wonder, the mysteries that are just waiting up in the sky, waiting to be found.

Stars

The universe is a vast, vast place with unspeakable beauty. While we keep sending telescopes and cameras out to capture and catalog that beauty, the truth is that we’ll never see most of it. Thankfully that hasn’t stopped artists from imaging what the farthest reaches of space look like, and this collection of wallpapers shows us galaxies that we may never reach, but that we can at least reach for.

Galaxy Collection from New Revolution

We’re still a few years from Mars, but test flights like this Orion launch get us closer and closer to the red planet. This shot featured on NASA’s website from the test flight of the Orion spacecraft may not be blasting off to distant world quite yet, but we know it’s coming. And while we can’t plaster up a launch that hasn’t happened yet as our wallpaper, this liftoff helps remind us the raw power and science that goes into each and every flight.

Orion Liftoff by NASA

Spacex may not be the only game in town when it comes to the new space race, but they are without a doubt the most visible. Their programs are not only helping us get closer and closer to a new age of space travel, they’re helping re-ignite a focus on science and technology, especially for the millions of kids (and kids at heart) who watch the Spacex livestreams and cheer when they have a successful launch and landing. This wallpaper, like Spacex itself, reaches for the heavens, to slip the surly bonds of Earth and explore the final frontier.

Spacex Launch

If you’re reading this site, you’re probably the person all your family and friends turn to for help with technology. You’re the one they turn to when an app won’t work or their camera won’t save pictures or their computer’s making funny noises and smoking a little bit. Spacex, being run and staffed by smart people who are likely turned to for technological help on and off the clock, have the polite version of the phrase we all want to scream sometimes emblazoned on one of their landing pads. And now you can emblazon it on your screen.

Just Read The Instructions

Okay, so I’m in a bit of a Star Trek withdrawal. Yes, I know we’re finally getting another Star Trek show this fall, and I have every hope that Discovery succeeds. Yes, I know we’ve got hundreds upon hundreds of episodes to rewatch, to say nothing of the movies or the unhealthy amount of Star Trek fanfiction I find myself reading. But I find myself yearning. There’s always going to be something about the Enterprise and her crew that tugs at the heartstrings, especially when portrayed so ethereally, and while I’m not getting any more shenanigans with the original crew anytime soon, I can stare at this wallpaper and imagine the interplanetary drama and danger unfolding…

Also, Noble-6 has an excellent collection of captain posters that work wonderfully as wallpapers if you’re looking for something a little more vintage.

Suicide by Star by Noble–6

Update August 2017: This article was brought up to current formatting standards and expanded.

Take to the skies with the DJI Spark drone for just $468

Our friends at Thrifter are back again, this time with a great deal on DJI’s latest drone!

The Spark is DJI’s latest drone, and it comes with a rather attractive price tag to begin with. Right now, you can pick one up for just $468.49 from B&H Photo and Amazon. We haven’t seen too many discounts on this drone since its release, and it happens to be the only current discount we can find. Other retailers, including DJI’s own store, all have the drone priced at its retail price of $499.

With the Spark, you’ve got a 12MP camera for still photos and a 1080p video camera for capturing stunning aerial photography and videography. Per charge, you’ll get around 16 minutes of flight time, and it can fly at up to 31 mph in Sport Mode. The camera records to a microSD card, so you may want to pick up a few extras to have around for your flights.

Keep in mind that B&H offers free expedited shipping, and if you are outside of NY or NJ you won’t pay sales tax at the time of the purchase.

See at B&H Photo

More from Thrifter:

• How to get the most out of your Amazon Prime membership
• Here are some of the best AmazonBasics products to buy

For more great deals be sure to check out our friends at Thrifter now!

Users are having various Bluetooth issues after upgrading to Oreo

Users are reporting numerous Bluetooth issues after upgrading to Android Oreo.

One of the features I’ve been especially looking forward to with Android 8.0 Oreo was the improved Bluetooth support. One of the first features to be announced was native support for high-quality Bluetooth audio codecs, and later on, we heard some members of the Pixel team describe how Oreo was going to improve Bluetooth errors and iconsistencies.

Android Police reports that Pixel and Nexus users with Oreo installed are still having issues, sometimes even worse than before the upgrade. On both the Pixel and Nexus help forums, users report connection issues, “skipping and clipping sounds” when playing music, Bluetooth phone call support working but media support broken, no media information being displayed on a car head unit, Bluetooth turning off a second after being turned on, and a device freezing up and rebooting when trying to listen to podcasts. There are different types of hardware represented such as car head units that are likely using an older Bluetooth version and headphones and speakers that would likely be on a newer Bluetooth version.

Google has used notoriously bad Bluetooth radios for years now, but with the changes promised in Oreo there was hope that Bluetooth would be more reliable. While a user should not have to do this, one thing I didn’t see mentioned in the Google Product Forums was whether or not a user tried factory resetting their device. Google is collecting feedback from users, including specific Bluetooth devices and what issues are present. Hopefully, the Android and Pixel teams will be able to diagnose what’s going wrong, and things will be better on Android 8.1 or 9.0.

Are you having Bluetooth issues after upgrading to Oreo? Let us know down below!

Android Oreo

• Android Oreo review!
• Everything new in Android Oreo
• How to get Android Oreo on your Pixel or Nexus
• Oreo will make you love notifications again
• Will my phone get Android Oreo?
• Join the Discussion

Samsung’s Gear Fit 2 Pro page is already live

The web page for Samsung’s new fitness band is already live, one day early.

Along with the Galaxy Note 8, Samsung is also expected to announce the Gear Fit 2 Pro at today’s festivities. Not wanting anyone to beat them to the punch, Samsung has put up the web page for the Fit 2 Pro a day early.

The web page confirms some of the rumored specs for the device: it will connect to your phone via Bluetooth 4.2, has a 200 mAh battery that is said to be good for 3 to 4 days of use, has about 2 gigabytes of available storage for offline music playback, and features a standalone GPS. Having the GPS on full time will knock the battery life down to 9 hours, but that’s more than enough time to track a long running session. The fitness band will be IP68 dust- and water-resistant, and submersible up to 5 atmospheres of pressure (ATM), or about 130 feet, so it will be just fine at the local pool. As one would expect from any good fitness band these days, there is also a built in heart rate sensor and pedometer.

The product page shows a number of services that the Fit 2 Pro can tie into, including Under Armor, MapMyRun, MyFitnessPal, Endomondo and Samsung’s own Health ecosystem. Samsung also says the fitness band will be subtle enough for everyday wear, and I don’t necessarily disagree with that. I’ve seen professionals in suits rock a Fitbit without causing any stir, and the plain black or black-and-red design of the Fit 2 Pro will work just as well. One item not mentioned was the price. If Samsung sticks with the sub-$200 pricing it had with the Gear Fit 2, I think this new fitness band will be a winner.

Are you interested in the Gear Fit 2 Pro? Let us know down below!

Source: @evleaks

See at Samsung

Samsung Galaxy Note 8 preview: Looking at the future, not the past

Nothing shows the immense market position of Samsung better than rebounding from the Galaxy Note 7.

Aside from rethinking its processes around battery design, manufacturing and testing, which it now implements in all of its phones, Samsung has truly moved on from the Note 7. It hasn’t, however, moved on from the Note brand. There are a very limited number of brands in the consumer electronics space with the same amount of gravity as “Galaxy Note.” One of the few brands more widely known, as it turns out, is also from Samsung — the Galaxy S brand.

Despite common conjecture to the contrary, Samsung wasn’t about to abandon that brand equity, built up from the days when the Note was a punchline rather than an aspirational device. Samsung says surveys it conducted early on in 2017 showed consumer loyalty to the “Samsung Note” name has, quite surprisingly to many, returned to the same level as before the Note 7 was recalled. Those customers, it says, have overwhelmingly been clamoring for another Note since the day they had to return their Note 7.

So Samsung, of course, made the Galaxy Note 8. In a continued convergence of its product lines, the Note 8 is very similar to a Galaxy S8+ — but it hasn’t lost some of the tricks that still make it the most capable, most desirable, and of course biggest, phone that Samsung makes. Here’s what the Galaxy Note 8 is all about.

The quick take

Galaxy Note 8 Hands-on video

For our condensed take on the Galaxy Note 8 that shows the phone in action, be sure to watch our hands-on preview video! When you’re done watching, read through the full preview below to get all of the fine details on the phone.

Consistency is key

Galaxy Note 8 Hardware

Samsung not having to change much in terms of design or hardware shows just how clearly it nailed the Galaxy S8 and S8+. With the exception of the Note 8’s slightly more bulbous corners and generally squared-off frame, this is the same aluminum-and-glass build so many have been holding for the past six months — and it still works. It works damn well. And importantly for Samsung, it just builds its branding as another tall, tiny-bezeled phone that pushes both this phone and the Galaxy S8 series concurrently.

Samsung didn’t change much, but that’s because it nailed the Galaxy S8’s hardware.

The aluminum frame still stands solid as ever, but with how it’s finished in a glossy coating and flowing into the glass on front and back feels more like a continuation of the glass than anything else. That’s particularly apparent when you look at the black Note 8, which is monolithic and featureless at a glance. Samsung’s other colors stand out considerably more with this much material to coat, especially in the Maple Gold color — which isn’t coming to the U.S. — that sports a super-shiny metal finish. Orchid Grey, first introduced on the Galaxy S8 and the only other U.S. color, is here as well — though it’s practically a different color altogether, losing almost all of its purple in favor of a dominant light blue.

Whereas the Note 7 marked a point of really trimming things down and getting its body compact for the screen size, the Note 8 marks a pretty big size jump from last year. It’s nearly a centimeter taller than the Note 7, while being a smidge wider and thicker, and at 195 grams coming in at 15% heavier. Unless you’ve held a Galaxy S8+ or one of the recent Plus-sized iPhones, you won’t have much of a scope of just how big the Note 8 is. Its move to the same 18.5:9 aspect ratio display means you can actually wrap your hand around it, but the sheer height of the screen will make it unwieldy for many.

The biggest, most beautiful display you can find today.

The benefit of that size is getting even more screen to work with, which at its core has always been one of the main goals of the Note series. And when it comes to Samsung screens, you’re getting even more of the best smartphone screen available today. Stuff like a QHD resolution and great viewing angles are all par for the course, but Samsung continues to knock it out of the park with its punchy colors and ridiculous brightness. These Super AMOLED panels are still the best when it comes to outdoor visibility, particularly with its sunlight mode that cranks brightness up over 1000 nits in certain situations. The Note 8’s display doesn’t take any sort of hit when integrating the stylus digitizer layer either, and it’s just gorgeous.

The Note 8 includes all of the little features people have found they love to have.

The rest of what Samsung calls the “Galaxy experience” remains fully intact on the Note 8. That starts with the increasingly mundane things: the specs. The latest processor — a Snapdragon 835 in the case of the U.S. and an Exynos elsewhere — as well as 64GB of base storage and a microSD card slot. Samsung has added in a bump to 6GB of RAM as well, which will at the very least give it some room to stay quick and capable longer into the future.

More: Complete Galaxy Note 8 specs

The customer-facing parts of that Galaxy experience are the hardware features Samsung has standardized its high-end phones on: full waterproofing, wireless charging, fast charging, Samsung Pay and the continued inclusion of a headphone jack — the latter of which pairing nicely with in-box AKG earbuds. These are the things that draw so many people to buy Samsung phones, on top of the fact that they don’t come at the cost of any beauty in the hardware. Samsung’s engineers have done a brilliant job of cramming so many features into what’s still a relatively svelte device.

The big new feature

Galaxy Note 8 Cameras

Other than its exclusive S Pen features, the one truly unique story that Samsung can tell with the Galaxy Note 8 is the camera experience. The Note 8 marks the company’s first foray into dual camera sensors, putting a pair of 12MP cameras on the back of the phone — one with a standard lens, and another with a longer telephoto-like lens.

We’ve seen that done plenty of times before, especially as the iPhone 7 Plus popularized the concept, but where the Note 8 differentiates is in adding OIS (optical image stabilization) to the secondary camera to match the primary. That lets the secondary camera, with its roughly doubled focal length of the main camera, continue to shoot clear photos in poor lighting conditions similarly to the main camera. An f/2.4 aperture on that long lens isn’t going to be as bright as the f/1.7 on the main camera, but OIS is going to make a huge difference.

The main camera isn’t as exciting, mainly because it’s the same as what we’ve already been shooting with in the Galaxy S8 and S8+. A great 12MP sensor with “Dual Pixel” auto focus, an f/1.7 lens and OIS that takes consistently awesome shots. Samsung may have made some tweaks to its software processing, but if so they aren’t large enough for it to make any point to say so.

Live Focus is very much a ‘me too’ feature, but OIS on the secondary camera is truly useful.

The real fun comes from combining the two cameras, which happens with a switch to the “Live Focus” mode. Leveraging the pair, Samsung’s software can do the now-popular function of adding artificial DSLR-like background blurring, based on the point you select in the viewfinder. You see the blur simulated in real-time, and importantly you can also adjust the blur intensity after the fact in the Gallery. One better, the Note 8 also saves a standard picture from the main camera, so you don’t have to choose between the two and potentially miss an important shot.

We’ll have to spend much more time with the Galaxy Note 8’s cameras to see just how good its software processing is, as I’m generally skeptical of these artificial blurring systems. While they can sometimes hit, and take a great shot, they typically miss and give you something that looks no better than what a regular f/1.7 lens can already offer you on its own.

Slowly turning ship

Galaxy Note 8 Software

Each year’s Galaxy Note has been a point for software refinement rather than overhaul, following up from bigger changes in the Galaxy S that came before it. Technically, the Note 8 bumps up to “Samsung Experience” (better remembered as TouchWiz) version 8.5, which is … well, 0.4 better than the Samsung Experience 8.1 found on the Galaxy S8.

The core software experience hasn’t changed from the Galaxy S7 or S8, but we didn’t expect it to.

Much of the changes you’ll notice are refreshes of the S Pen software and a few subtle tweaks in the interface and settings, but by and large, this is the exact same experience as you’ll see on any Galaxy S8 or updated Galaxy S7 today. There’s nothing particularly lust-worthy here that Galaxy S8 and S8+ owners should be upset about not having, but we can still expect the Experience 8.5 version to hit those phones in due time.

The one notable feature, if you could call it that, is the addition of a new function in the Apps Edge called “App Pair” that lets you bundle two apps together to launch directly into Multi Window mode when tapped. Samsung says that historically Note users have used Multi Window 40% more than on Galaxy S phones, so it makes sense to debut a nice little feature like this on the Note 8.

From the nerdier (and arguably very important) side of things, Samsung specifically mentions that it’s working closer than ever with Google to get monthly security updates out to the Note 8 with better timeliness and consistency. Now, this messaging isn’t much different from what Samsung has been saying about its flagships for about two years now, but calling out the fact that it’s working with Google specifically gives me hope that we can see better consistency in updates. We’ll see about that.

S Pen

The market for people who want a stylus isn’t particularly large, but Samsung just has it locked down — there really is zero competition in this segment.

The S Pen hardware on the Note 8 is the same as the Note 7, which is to say it has 4096 levels of pressure sensitivity and gets that down to the screen with a 0.7 mm stylus point. The software has received a facelift here, but the same core tenets are here: Air Command lets you quickly jump into S Pen-enabled apps at any time, S Note is the one-stop-shop for note taking, and Screen Off Memo remains the easiest way to jot down ideas without unlocking your phone. You can also still use the S Pen to translate text just by highlighting it, a supremely useful feature that now supports 30 languages and complete sentence translation.

Historically, 60% of all notes start with Screen Off Memo — it’s one of the best S Pen features.

The only altogether new feature is what Samsung calls “Live Message,” a way to scribble a quick note and send it in a messaging app as an animated gif that shows exactly how you wrote it. Being a core part of the software Live Message can be used in any app where GIFs are supported, rather than just being restricted to Samsung’s own apps. A neat feature, for sure, but also one that’s likely to wear off quickly for all but the most hardcore S Pen users.

Much like the rest of the software, Samsung’s S Pen-focused software is pretty well baked at this point, and the people who are still drawn to a Note for the S Pen won’t be disappointed by what they get here. Not only is this the only high-end phone with a stylus, but it’s also a really good stylus experience. For those who weren’t lucky enough to have a Note 7 for a brief period and have been using the Note 4 or Note 5 this whole time, the Note 8 will mark a nice improvement in pressure sensitivity, stylus tracking on the screen and software capabilities.

Set up to be a world-beater

Galaxy Note 8 Preview

Given the history of the Note brand in the past year, Samsung was never going to do anything particularly daring with the Galaxy Note 8. Add this to Samsung’s general dominance of the high-end smartphone market, and the steady convergence of the Galaxy S and Galaxy Note lines over time, and the Note 8 was always going to be a “predictable” product.

The Galaxy Note 8 is a fantastic phone, but let’s be honest: it isn’t special anymore.

That isn’t to say, in any way, that the Note 8 isn’t a fantastic phone. It’s hard to point to a single part of the Note 8 and say that Samsung made a bad decision, particularly from the standpoint of a general consumer. The phone has gorgeous iconic Samsung design, integrates all of the latest specs and technology, and reintroduces the S Pen for the die-hard Note fans out there who have been waiting for an upgrade. The only potential criticisms you can find here are the awkward fingerprint sensor placement and the sometimes-overbearing software, both of which clearly haven’t deterred a record number of people from buying the Galaxy S8 and S8+ in the past six months.

It’s reasonable to question why, branding loyalty aside, Samsung would release both the Galaxy S8+ and Note 8, given just how many similarities there are between the two. They’re near-identical in size, have almost the same specs, and are only differentiated by the Galaxy S8+ having a larger battery and the Note 8 having a better camera and S Pen. But Samsung likely doesn’t care — if you’re down to choosing between two different Samsung phones to buy, the company is happy.

With that all being said, 2017 does seem to mark the point at which the Galaxy Note line is no longer special or particularly unique — it’s just a great phone, alongside Samsung’s other two great phones. Aside from the S Pen itself, the feature that makes this a Note, all of the specs, features and hardware that make the Galaxy Note 8 great can be found on the Galaxy S8+ (and much of the competition). There’s nothing new, revelatory or novel about the Galaxy Note anymore — it’s just another great high-end phone, plus a stylus. Losing some of that “special” feeling in the Note 8 isn’t going to hurt sales, but it sure does feel like it marks a changing of the times.

Samsung Galaxy Note 8

• Galaxy Note 8: Everything we know so far
• Rumored Galaxy Note 8 specs
• All Galaxy Note 8 news
• Should you buy the Galaxy S8+ or wait for the Note 8?
• The buttonless future of Samsung phones
• Join our Galaxy Note 8 forums

Samsung Galaxy Note 8 specs: 6GB RAM, dual 12MP cameras, 3300mAh battery

Everything you want is here.

As has been the case year after year, the Galaxy Note 8’s specs expectedly follow the Galaxy S8 and S8+ from earlier this year — plus a couple key changes, of course. The new Note is built on the same general platform as the Galaxy S8+, with the same hardware features, processor options, storage and screen resolution. It’s also only slightly larger than the Galaxy S8+, but with the addition of an S Pen it also has a smaller battery.

Here are all of the specs you need to know and care about in the Galaxy Note 8.

Samsung Galaxy Note 8

• Galaxy Note 8: Everything we know so far
• Rumored Galaxy Note 8 specs
• All Galaxy Note 8 news
• Should you buy the Galaxy S8+ or wait for the Note 8?
• The buttonless future of Samsung phones
• Join our Galaxy Note 8 forums

Galaxy Note 8 in Canada: Everything you need to know!

The Galaxy Note 8 is here, and it’s coming to Canada on September 15. Here’s everything you need to know!

The Galaxy Note 8 is real, and the phone is enormous, both in physical size and expectations. The successor to the ill-fated Note 7 is one of iterative improvement over the Galaxy S8, sharing much of its DNA, while preserving many of the features that made the Note series one of Samsung’s best, and most customer-loyal, since 2011.

While the Note 8 resembles the Galaxy S8, it retains the iconic boxiness of the Note line, with a 6.3-inch QHD display and some giant specs, including 6GB of RAM and a minimum of 64GB of internal storage — though other parts of the world get options with 128GB and 256GB —and a dual camera setup, the first for Samsung.

But what’s specific to the Canadian launch? Here’s what you need to know:

How much will it cost?

The obvious question is what the Galaxy Note 8 will cost, and it’s not cheap: the phone will fetch a premium price of $1299 when purchased outright from Samsung or a carrier.

With the typical $500 subsidy, expect to pay roughly $799 for the phone at the time of purchase when signing a two-year contract, which would make it one of the most expensive phones to ever hit the Canadian shores.

Of course, the upfront price will be mitigated somewhat by the proliferation of what carriers refer to as tab — in addition to the subsidy, carriers now offer the option of amortizing a portion of the phone’s price over the two-year life of the contract, which lowers the upfront price by up to $240. In this case, expect the lowest you’ll pay for the Note 8 to be around $500.

Again, not cheap.

What colors will be available?

Here’s something interesting: whereas the U.S. is getting Orchid Grey and Midnight Black, **Canadian audiences will only have the option of Midnight Black and Deep Sea Blue***.

In my opinion, Canadians get the better end of this deal: whereas the Galaxy S8’s version of Orchid Grey is a little purple, and quite desirable, the Note 8 version is muted and more, well, grey. The Blue, however, is beautiful — it’s deep and luscious and extremely attractive in person. I don’t know which beautiful person is responsible for convincing the carriers to pick up this particular hue, but kudos to you, mystery hero.

When’s it available?

The phone is going up for pre-order on August 23 — that’s today if you’re reading this on announcement day — with orders being delivered on September 15. That’s a three-week lead time, but don’t despair, you get some really good extras when you pre-order.

What do you get?!

Glad you asked! If you order between August 23 and September 14, you get a 128GB microSD and a Fast Wireless Charger. That’s basically $200 of stuff for free!

Is the Canadian model the same as the U.S. one?

Yep, pretty much: both the U.S. and Canadian models run the Snapdragon 835 processor, whereas the rest of the world runs the Exynos 8895.

In real-world testing, the results are a wash.

What carriers are getting the Note 8?

All of them! More specifically:

• Bell
• Rogers
• TELUS
• Freedom Mobile
• BellMTS
• SaskTel
• Videotron

So it’s compatible with Freedom Mobile’s Band 66?

Yep! Most phones are these days.

What, you want more?!

Remind me, what’s the price again?

$1299, folks.

Welcome to the new normal.

Samsung Galaxy Note 8

• Galaxy Note 8: Everything we know so far
• Rumored Galaxy Note 8 specs
• All Galaxy Note 8 news
• Should you buy the Galaxy S8+ or wait for the Note 8?
• The buttonless future of Samsung phones
• Join our Galaxy Note 8 forums

Samsung Galaxy Note 8 is official, pre-orders start Aug 24

Samsung’s biggest (literally) phone of the year is here.

With months of preamble behind us, the Galaxy Note 8 is finally official. We’ve seen the renders, the leaks and the speculation … and for the most part, it’s all come to fruition as expected. At its core, the Galaxy Note 8 is a Galaxy S8+ — with the same core specs, tall-and-skinny form factor and hardware features, tweaked for a slightly larger form factor and the addition of an S Pen stylus.

Internally, the Note 8 has the same Snapdragon 835 processor running the show, as well as 64GB of storage with an SD card slot, but augmented by a bumped 6GB of RAM. The battery size has taken a drop to 3300mAh, which is, of course, smaller than the Galaxy S8+ and also the ill-fated Galaxy Note 7. Samsung is understandably being a bit less ambitious with battery capacity this year, and the S Pen also takes up room that would otherwise be allocated to additional battery capacity.

More: Galaxy Note 8 specs

In terms of design, the Note 8 is a true evolution of the Note 7 while also integrating the new platform set by the Galaxy S8+. The Note 8 takes on the Note 7’s more squared-off look with tighter corners, but applies to a tall form factor with its 6.3-inch 18.5:9 aspect ratio display. The display itself is a gorgeous QHD+ AMOLED panel, of course sporting the subtle curves on the sides to help keep the phone narrow.

A great combination of Note 7 design with Galaxy S8+ improvements, and a brand new camera setup.

The biggest differentiator for the Note 8 is its camera experience, where Samsung is launching its first dual camera setup. The primary camera remains unchanged from the Galaxy S8+, with a 12MP Dual Pixel sensor, f/1.7 lens and OIS. The second camera is interesting, as it’s also a 12MP sensor, but with a telephoto lens at f/2.4 — and most importantly, also with OIS. Having OIS on that second lens is truly unique, and will enable the Note 8 to take better low-light photos than the competition that isn’t stabilized. Samsung is using that second lens for instant 2X photos, but also artificially blurred photos that can be adjusted and tweaked even after the fact.

More: Galaxy Note 8 hands-on preview

As you could expect, Samsung is launching the Note 8 in every country and carrier possible. The U.S. is getting a model with 64GB of storage in either Midnight Black or Orchid Grey (which is slightly different from the GS8’s), while international markets will also have access to 128GB and even 256GB storage in some cases and two more colors, maple gold and deep sea blue. Pre-orders kick off in the U.S. on August 24, with shipments heading out no later than September 15.

Samsung Galaxy Note 8

• Galaxy Note 8: Everything we know so far
• Rumored Galaxy Note 8 specs
• All Galaxy Note 8 news
• Should you buy the Galaxy S8+ or wait for the Note 8?
• The buttonless future of Samsung phones
• Join our Galaxy Note 8 forums

Press release:

Do Bigger Things with Samsung Galaxy Note8, the Next Level Note

Designed to help you achieve more in work and life with an Infinity Display, enhanced S Pen and Dual Camera with Optical Image Stabilization; U.S. Pre-orders begin August 24

RIDGEFIELD PARK, NJ – Aug. 23, 2017 – Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., introduces the Galaxy Note8, the next level Note for people who want to do bigger things. With Note8, consumers get a bigger Infinity Display that fits comfortably in one hand, the S Pen to communicate in more personal ways and Samsung’s best-ever smartphone camera to capture stunning photos. The new Note8 is designed for the way consumers lead their lives and lean on technology today.

“We appreciate the relentless passion of the Note community. They’ve been a constant inspiration to us, and we designed the new Note for them,” said DJ Koh, president of Mobile Communications Business, Samsung Electronics. “From the Infinity Display to the enhanced S Pen, to the powerful Dual Camera, Note8 lets people do things they never thought were possible.”

Samsung first introduced the Note series in 2011. Since then, a community of enthusiasts emerged through their affinity for Note’s signature expansive screen and S Pen. According to Samsung market research1, 85 percent of Note users say they’re proud to show off their Note and recommend it to friends, and 75 percent say it’s the best phone they’ve ever had.

Enjoy and Do More on the Infinity Display

The Galaxy Note8 has the biggest screen ever on a Note device, yet its narrow body makes it comfortable to hold in one hand. The 6.3-inch Quad HD+ Super AMOLED Infinity Display lets you see more and scroll less. The Note8 gives you more room to watch, read and draw—making it the ultimate multitasking smartphone.

With Note8, Samsung has made multitasking even easier with the new App Pair feature, which lets users create a custom pairing of most apps on the Edge panel that will simultaneously launch two apps in Multi window mode. Watch a video while messaging your friends or dial into a conference call with the number and agenda in front of you2.

A New Way to Communicate with the S Pen

Since its introduction, the S Pen has been one of the Note’s defining features. With the new Note, the enhanced S Pen includes a finer tip and improved pressure sensitivity3, unlocking new ways to write, draw and interact with the phone and communicate with others.

When communicating via text just isn’t enough, Live Messages allows you to reflect your unique personality and creative vision. With Note8, you can now handwrite a message, add special effects and share it as an animated GIF on several popular messaging and social apps. It’s a whole new way to communicate with the S Pen—adding lively and emotional connections that bring your messages to life.

The Always On Display allows you to stay on top of your notifications without unlocking your phone. With the new Note8, it’s even more powerful. Screen off memo allows you to take notes as soon as you take out the S Pen. From there, you can pin a note to the Always On Display, edit them right there and write as many pages as you need—up to 100 pages.

For occasions when you travel abroad or come across a website in a foreign language, the improved Translate feature of the S Pen lets you hover over text to quickly translate not only individual words, but entire sentences, into 71 languages and instantly convert units and foreign currencies.

Take Stunning Pictures with the Galaxy Note8 Best-in-Class Camera

For most smartphone consumers, one of the things they look at in a new device is the camera. Samsung has set the standard for smartphone cameras, and with the Note8 we’re delivering our most powerful camera yet.

The Galaxy Note8 is the first smartphone with two 12MP rear cameras with Optical Image Stabilization (OIS) on both the wide-angle and telephoto lenses. Whether you’re exploring a new city or running around your backyard, OIS lets you capture incredibly sharp images.

For more advanced photo taking, Note8’s Live Focus feature lets you control the depth of field, unlike some other smartphone cameras, by allowing you to adjust the bokeh effect in preview mode and even after you take the photo.

In Dual Capture mode, both rear cameras take two pictures simultaneously—and you can keep both images: One close-up shot from the telephoto lens and one wide-angle shot that shows the entire background.

The wide-angle lens has a Dual Pixel sensor with rapid auto-focus, so you can capture sharp and clear shots even in low-light environments. The Note8 is also equipped with an 8MP Smart AutoFocus front-facing camera for sharp selfies and video chats.

A Full Galaxy of Features and Services

The Note8 is built on the Galaxy legacy—a collection of unique features and capabilities that, together, have redefined the mobile experience:

• Water and Dust Resistance: Four years ago, Samsung introduced the first Galaxy device with water resistance. You can take your Note (IP684) almost anywhere you want—including the S Pen.
• Fast Wireless Charging: Two years ago, Samsung introduced the first Galaxy device with wireless charging. The Note8 supports our most advanced wireless charge5 capabilities yet, so you can get a quick, convenient charge without having to mess around with ports or wires.
• Security: Note8 offers the choice of biometric authentication options—including iris and fingerprint scanning. Samsung Knox6 offers defense-grade security at the hardware and software layers, with a secure folder that keeps your personal and professional data separate.
  Powerful Performance: With 6GB RAM, a 10 nm processor, 64GB of storage and expandable memory (up to 256GB7), you have the power you need to browse, stream, play games and multitask.
• Innovative Mobile Experiences: Samsung DeX, sold separately as an optional accessory, enables a desktop-like experience, powered by your phone. You can keep your files on your phone, do your work on the go and use Samsung DeX when you need an even bigger screen. Bixby8 is a smarter way to use your phone; it learns from you, improves over time and helps you get more done.

Mobile Performance, Productivity and Security for all Businesses

The Samsung Galaxy Note8 takes business innovation to the next level with features for performance, productivity and security for a wide range of industries, simplifying how work gets done:

• Enhanced S Pen for Business: The S Pen lets professionals discreetly take notes in Screen off memo or quickly annotate documents and photos.
• Non-Contact Authentication: The Note8 offers iris scanning for professionals—for example, in health care, construction or public safety—who need to unlock their phones without having to swipe or scan a fingerprint.
• Enhanced DeX Capabilities: Note8 powers Samsung DeX9 for those who need to switch between a simple, secure mobile experience and a desktop experience—whether they go between field work and office work, or travel between offices.

Our Continued Commitment to Safety

Samsung continues to uphold its commitment to lead the industry in battery safety. The Note8’s battery has undergone Samsung’s 8-Point Battery Safety Check process, as well as additional testing from a third-party expert, Underwriters Laboratories (UL).

“We have been closely working with Samsung to make meaningful advancements in the science of smartphone quality and safety evaluation. As a result, the Note8 has successfully completed a rigorous series of device and battery safety compatibility test protocols. We look forward to maintaining our strategic relationship with Samsung to help ensure device safety for all consumers,” said Sajeev Jesudas, President, UL International.

U.S. Pre-Order and Availability

In the U.S., the Galaxy Note8 will be offered in Midnight Black and Orchid Gray for carrier and Unlocked by Samsung versions. AT&T, C Spire, Cricket Wireless, Sprint, Straight Talk Wireless, T-Mobile, U.S. Cellular, Verizon Wireless and Xfinity Mobile will carry the Galaxy Note8 in stores beginning September 15, 2017. Pre-orders begin on August 24, 2017. In addition, the Galaxy Note8 will be available at Samsung.com, Best Buy, Target and Walmart.

Consumers who purchase a Galaxy Note8 between August 24, 2017, and September 24, 2017, get their choice of a free Samsung Gear 360 camera ($229.99 retail value) or a free Galaxy Foundation kit with Samsung 128GB EVO+ memory card and Fast Wireless Charging Convertible ($189.98 retail value)11. The promotion will last for a limited time and only while supplies last. Terms and conditions apply. Visit samsung.com/us/promotions for more information.

The Galaxy Note8 will also be compatible with the new Gear VR with Controller12, which will be available for pre-order starting August 24 at Samsung.com, Amazon.com and Best Buy, as well as AT&T, Sprint, Verizon and US Cellular. The new Gear VR with Controller will go on sale starting on September 15 for $129.99 at these retailers, plus T-Mobile and other select national retailers.

For more information about the Galaxy Note8 visit http://www.samsungmobilepress.com, news.samsung.com/galaxy or http://www.samsung.com/galaxy.

Galaxy Note 8 hands-on: MrMobile’s first impressions

Last year’s Galaxy Note 7 was perhaps the most famous Samsung smartphone in history – for all the wrong reasons. The company kicked off its recovery with the excellent Galaxy S8 earlier this year, and now it hopes to complete the comeback with the mobile world’s biggest do-over.

I’m MrMobile, and I spent an afternoon with the new Galaxy Note 8. It’s a squared-off, stylus-packing version of its Galaxy S siblings … and if that sounds familiar, it should: it’s a formula Samsung has employed to great success for many years. Check out my Galaxy Note 8 hands-on for my first impressions, and then hit up Android Central’s Note 8 hands-on for the deep dive!

Stay social, my friends

• YouTube 
• The Web
• Twitter
• Facebook
• Snapchat
• Instagram