By the numbers: Samsung’s Note 8 revealed

It was a big day for Samsung and its recently maligned Note line of phones (becoming an explosive punchline will do that to a brand). The company revealed on Wednesday the Note 8, a 6.3-inch pocket computer sporting an improved stylus, dual rear cameras, 256GB of removable MicroSD storage, and a whole bunch of new tricks and treats for its users. Numbers, because how else would you count the incoming hot takes?

Follow all the latest news from Samsung’s Galaxy Note 8 event here!

One week with Samsung Bixby

Nobody wants an assistant they can’t trust. And no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t put my faith in Samsung’s Bixby. It’s the newest entry in the crowded field of virtual assistants, and its youthful inexperience shows. After living with Bixby on the Galaxy S8 for a week, I couldn’t wait to kick it to the curb. To its credit, Bixby has some intriguing features that make it potentially more functional than the competition. But it’s simply too early for it to compete with more established assistants like Siri and Alexa.

Let’s start with what I liked: It’s nice having a single button dedicated to Bixby on the Galaxy S8 and S8+. It was particularly useful in noisy areas, where the “Hey, Bixby” voice command couldn’t easily be heard. But I also found it more useful than just holding down the home button, as you do to access Siri on iOS devices. Because Bixby has its own button, you don’t have to worry about your phone doing something you don’t want — like heading back to your home screen — when you just want to ask about the weather.

So why couldn’t I trust Bixby? For one, it’s incredibly unreliable. Sometimes Bixby would have no problem hearing my requests. Other times, even in near-silent rooms, it would take a few extra seconds to start listening to me. Saying, “Hey, Bixby, what’s the weather?” would occasionally only register the word “weather.” I wasn’t speaking quickly, to be clear; instead, it seemed as if Bixby was just taking its sweet time before it actually started paying attention.

Even when it was actually listening, Bixby would often garble my requests. It was particularly baffling when I was repeating the same command; “What’s on my schedule?” would often be interpreted in completely different ways. Bixby was so unreliable that I pretty much gave up on using it outdoors or anywhere with even slight ambient noise. And before you ask, yes, I did my best to train Bixby properly. Toward the end of my testing, after the assistant had probably listened to hundreds of my commands, it started to get a bit more accurate. But even then, it would still have the occasional brain fart that made me want to throw my phone out a window.

If Bixby can’t listen or accurately interpret what I’m saying, it’s pretty much doomed as an assistant of any kind. Still, I give Samsung credit for trying to innovate a bit with BIxby’s ability to control different apps. You could, for example, tell it to open Google Play and install Spotify, and Bixby will do all the work for you. Samsung baked this sort of direct control into its core apps, like Phone and Gallery, but it also supports plenty of popular third-party apps, like Google Maps, Uber and Twitter. It’s especially helpful for apps with complex interfaces; for example, telling Bixby to open Yelp and search for nearby burger joints is much simpler than tapping through the app as you normally would.

Samsung’s attempt to “gamify” Bixby is another good idea that isn’t executed well. Basically, it rewards you for using the assistant with experience points and levels. It’s a clever way to encourage people to actually use Bixby, which, over time, will also make it a smarter assistant. Raising your level also unlocks rewards, like a new background for your phone. Still, it wasn’t too long before I got annoyed with the Bixby rewards pop-ups. They cover a significant chunk of the bottom of my phone’s screen, and would inevitably get in the way. Being forced to tap through unnecessary notifications just to see the information I’m requesting from my AI assistant isn’t a step forward.

When all of Bixby’s features click — when it listens and interprets what I’m saying properly and then translates that into a specific function — it can feel like magic. But that’s easily outweighed by the frustration I had getting it to work properly. And, after all, what’s the point of a futuristic AI assistant if it’s actually harder and more irritating to use than what we’ve already got? Bixby has potential, but Samsung has a long way to go before it’s something you’d want to use.

The bigger problem with Bixby: It just feels unnecessary because the Google Assistant is also installed on the Galaxy S8 and S8+. While Google’s AI helper is only a few months older than Bixby, after launching in March, it had a confident debut. Its voice recognition is significantly more accurate, and it supports threaded conversations, so you can actually ask follow-up questions after making a query. Meanwhile, Bixby can’t reliably answer one question, let alone handle an entire conversation.

The other big benefit with Google Assistant is that it works across other Android devices as well as the Home smart speaker. It likely won’t be long until Assistant makes its way to desktops. Let’s not forget, Samsung also only launched Bixby recently, so most Galaxy S8 owners are probably already attached to Google’s offering.

Honestly, I would have been surprised if Samsung managed to knock Bixby out of the park at such an early stage. It’s taken Apple years to shape Siri into a usable assistant, and even now it still leaves a lot to be desired. I’ve also learned that AI helpers on phones are significantly limited by their microphones. If you really want a voice assistant you trust, you need a far-field microphone array like you’ll find on Amazon’s Echo speakers, Google Home and Apple’s upcoming HomePod. A decent set of mics is one reason Alexa on Amazon’s Echo took off so quickly; it was better at listening to you than anything that came before it.

“I’m sorry, Bixby, this just isn’t working out,” I’d say if it were a real assistant I was about to fire. “I need someone with more experience.” But before they’d leave, I’d add, “Get back to me in a year or so — you’ve got the potential to be great.”

This week Engadget is examining each of the five major virtual assistants, taking stock of how far they’ve come and how far they still have to go. Find all our coverage here.

Facebook iOS App Now Allows Users to Take 360-Degree Photos

Facebook’s iOS app is today being updated with a new feature that will let users take 360-degree photos using the camera function directly within the Facebook app, reports TechCrunch.

Facebook has supported 360-degree images for some time, but it previously required users to take a panoramic photo with their smartphone or use a separate app.

Now users can open the camera, choose the 360 Photo option, and then follow the on-screen instructions to create a panoramic image in the Facebook app.

360-degree photos can be set as Cover Photos, and support tagging friends and zooming. The new 360-degree photo functionality is rolling out to iOS and Android users starting today.

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Samsung debuts a smarter, more capable S Pen

Tablets and pens have gone hand in hand since the days of cuneiform and the original Galaxy Note. However, as the Notes (as well as Tabs and Notebooks) themselves have advanced in capability over the past few years, their styli generally haven’t kept pace. However at Wednesday’s Galaxy Note 8 announcement, Samsung revealed that the venerable S Pen is about to receive a timely update as well, enabling it to act more like a real pen.

For starters, the newly-improved S Pen features the same fine tip and pressure sensitivity as the Note 7, which tablet-based artists are sure to appreciate. That’s 4,096 levels of pressure sensitivity and a 0.7mm tip for those yearning for the exact numbers. And, when used in conjunction with the new Galaxy Note 8, users will be able to much more than produce better digital artworks. Rather than type out their SMS messages, for example, users will be able to write out their missives by hand. They’ll also have the option to write a note in using Live Message, apply special effects and then share it as an animated Gif on a variety of social media platforms.

The writing system itself is getting faster as well. On older models, if you wanted jot down a quick note, you’d have to pull out the S Pen from its holster and unlock the screen before you could start writing. But with the Screen Off memo feature, you’ll be able to start writing as soon as the pen clears its dock, without compromising your phone’s security, and then pin it (and up to 99 other pages of text to your Always On Display) for quick access and editing. The S Pen will also help the Globetrotter crowd by allowing them to translate entire sentences (and currencies) simply by hovering over the text string.

Update: This post has been updated to clarify the pen tip and pressure sensitivity on the Note 8 S Pen are the same as the stylus that arrived with the Note 7.

Follow all the latest news from Samsung’s Galaxy Note 8 event here!

‘Live Message’ on the Galaxy Note 8 lets you draw all over photos

While Samsung used to be known for loading up its smartphones with all manner of gimmicky software of questionable utility, the company has pulled back on its Android customizations in recent years. But with today’s unveiling of the Galaxy Note 8, Samsung couldn’t resist showing off a new trick to go along with the phone’s impressive camera system. “Live Messages” lets you shoot a photo and draw on it, much like you can do in Snapchat and Instagram. Naturally, the S Pen and the large screen makes this a little easier than it might be on other devices. But you’re not limited to how you can share it — live messages are converted to GIFs that you can send to anyone you want.

That’s unlike Apple’s Live Photos, which capture a little bit of video before and after a photo is shot to add motion to the image. For the most part, they’re only viewable on other iOS devices, though there are plenty of ways to convert them for viewing elsewhere. You also don’t have to use a photo as the basis of a Live Message — you can also just start drawing and capture the animation and send it, sort of like Apple’s digital touch messages that it first introduced with the Apple Watch.

The downside of live messages, at least as we’ve seen in our testing thus far, is that the the GIFs it creates can be very large — between 10 and 20MB. Of course, this is just our first initial tests. When we put the Galaxy Note 8 through a full review, we’ll dig into the new feature and see how much flexibility there is there.

Follow all the latest news from Samsung’s Galaxy Note 8 event here!

Lucha Libre will stream ‘Triplemania XXV’ on Twitch

Triplemania turns 25 this year, and in keeping with its adrenaline-pulsing theatrics you’d expect it to do something pretty special to celebrate, which is why fans will be able to bypass pay-per-view and watch the whole thing live on Twitch. Showcasing what is arguably the match of the decade, between Dr Wagner Jr and Psycho Clown, Triplemania XXV will be broadcast with commentary in English and Spanish, with a “best of” Triplemania marathon leading up to the main event. Viewers can play with wrestling-themed emojis, and the sport’s biggest stars will take to Twitch’s chat function to rile up their fans.

“We have recently seen the Twitch community rally around wrestling content since the sport is also entertainment-driven with engaging personalities and supported by passionate fans,” said Emett Shear, CEO at Twitch. “With AAA Worldwide being among the industry’s biggest wrestling organizations and lucha libre holding a special place in pop culture, our involvement with Triplemania XXV marks a fun and fascinating milestone.” The Triplemania pre-show marathon on Twitch starts on August 24 at 3pm PDT, with the live broadcast of Triplemania XXV starting on August 26 at 5pm PDT.

Samsung details safety measures for the Note 8 battery

Samsung is well aware that its facing an uphill battle with the Note 8. Specifically, with its battery following last year’s fiery Note 7 debacle. As a way of rebuilding public trust, the company has been extremely stringent and rigorous in its safety tests. Watchdog group Underwriters Labs announced that it’s been working with the Korean tech giant to ensure reliability for the Note 8’s power supply.

“We have been closely working with Samsung to make meaningful advancements in the science of smartphone quality and safety evaluation,” UL president Sajeev Jesudas said in a statement. “As a result, the Note 8 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.”

That’s in addition to the battery passing Samsung’s internal eight-point safety testing. The outfit tapped UL early this year to conduct an independent review of the batteries; this relationship isn’t brand new. Samsung is even going so far as to switch battery suppliers, changing from longtime partner ATL for its flagship handsets to those made internally and with the help of Murata, according to The Investor.

Last October it was revealed that Samsung sidestepped third-party testing services for its batteries, and instead tested in-house, exclusively. We all know how that ended, but with this announcement, combined with how the company bounced back with the Galaxy S8 earlier this year, it seems like Samsung’s learned from its mistakes.

Follow all the latest news from Samsung’s Galaxy Note 8 event here!

Source: The Investor

Samsung will unveil its next Gear S smartwatch on August 30th

The Galaxy Note 8 isn’t going to be Samsung’s only big mobile offering this fall. Mobile chief DJ Koh tells CNBC that the next Gear S smartwatch will make its debut at the IFA trade show, where Samsung will have an event on August 30th. The executive isn’t saying much about what this wristwear will entail, of course, but he might have dropped some clues when opining about the struggling wearables market. He believes that smartwatches could become more valuable if they monitor more aspects of your health — don’t be surprised if the Gear S4 (or whatever it’s called) tracks more of your vital stats.

This might not be Samsung’s only wrist-worn device at IFA, either. Leaks have pointed to a Gear Fit 2 Pro in the works, and Samsung itself inadvertently posted a listing for the device (since taken down) before the Note 8 event began. Based on that page, the Gear Fit 2 Pro will revolve around swim tracking, with a 5 ATM water-resistant design and stat tracking through a Speedo app. You’d also get a more traditional watch buckle (to keep the device on your wrist mid-swim) and offline Spotify music playback. There’s no guarantee that the Pro will debut at IFA, but it makes sense as a complement to the Gear S line.

Follow all the latest news from Samsung’s Galaxy Note 8 event here!

Source: CNBC

The Galaxy Note 8 vs. the Note 7: What’s changed?

Last year the Galaxy Note 7 was actually one of our favorite phones until it started exploding, so we’re happy to see Samsung’s line of large-screen-with-stylus handsets make its return today with the Note 8. While it would have been easy enough to simply change out the battery and call it a new model, there are a few other changes worth noting. That includes the dual camera, which we’ve never seen in a Samsung phone before, and the Note now comes packed with AI assistant Bixby. While we certainly hope you turned in your Note 7 during the recall, check out our chart below to see what upgrades await if you pick up a Note 8 when it comes out, as well as if this new phone has the potential to become one of our faves of 2017.

Galaxy Note 8
Galaxy Note 7
Pricing
Varies by carrier, starts at $930
Varies by carrier, starts at $850 (off-contract)
Known dimensions
162.5 x 74.8 x 8.6mm (6.40 x 2.94 x 0.34 inches)
153.5 x 73.9 x 7.9mm (6.04 x 2.91 x 0.31 inches)
Weight
195g (6.9 ounces)
169g (5.96 ounces)
Screen size
6.3 inches (160.02mm)
5.7 inches (144.78mm)
Screen resolution
2,960 x 1,440 (521ppi)
2,560 x 1,440 (515ppi)
Screen type
Quad HD Super AMOLED
Quad HD Super AMOLED
Battery
3,300mAh
3,500mAh
Internal storage
64/128/256GB
64GB
External storage
microSD
microSD
Rear camera
Dual cameras:
12MP, f/1.7 (wide angle)
12MP, f/2.4 (telephoto)
12MP, f/1.7, 1.4µm pixel size
Front-facing camera
8MP, f/1.7
5MP, f/1.7
Video capture
4K
4K
NFC
Yes
Yes
Bluetooth
v5.0
v4.2
SoC
Qualcomm Snapdragon 835
Qualcomm Snapdragon 820
CPU
2.35GHz quad-core
2.15GHz quad-core
GPU
Adreno 540
Adreno 530
RAM
6GB
4GB
WiFi
Dual band, 802.11ac
Dual band, 802.11ac
Operating system
Android 7.1.1
Android 6.0
Notable features
Iris scanner, fingerprint sensor, IP68 certified, USB Type-C
Iris scanner, fingerprint sensor, IP68 certified, USB Type-C

Samsung’s Note 8 has a 6.3-inch screen and an £869 price tag

Samsung totally botched the refresh of its big-screened Galaxy Note line last year, but thankfully, an exploding battery doesn’t seem to be among the new Note 8’s feature set. As you’d expect from a 2017 flagship phablet, the Note 8 has bags of power with its octa-core Snapdragon 835 chipset and 6GB of RAM. The star of the show is obviously the sprawling, curved 6.3-inch Super AMOLED Infinity display and its Quad HD+ resolution — oh, and the S Pen stylus to go with it. The dual-camera-wielding smartphone is available to pre-order in the UK starting today, either on contract or SIM-free for the cringe-inducing price of £869.

If your pockets are deep enough, you can reserve a Galaxy Note 8 right now on Samsung’s site or at Carphone Warehouse, ahead of the retail launch on Sept. 15th. No doubt a few other retailers will have their own pre-order pages up within the next 24 hours or so.

Naturally, Carphone Warehouse will also be happy to flog you a Note 8 on contract for an up-front payment as low as £10. EE has a handful of contracts on offer with dowries ranging from £30 to £90, while O2 wants at least £50 on the door. Three is opening up pre-orders for the device tomorrow, and at the time of this writing, online pre-orders at Vodafone have yet to go live.

MVNOs Sky Mobile and Virgin Mobile are accepting pre-orders from today, too, and we’d expect probably giffgaff and Tesco Mobile, at least, to join them soon. Every pre-order, regardless of retailer or network provider, includes the bonus prize of a free Samsung DeX dock that lets you to turn the Note 8 into something of a desktop. Yay for productivity! And happy hunting.

Follow all the latest news from Samsung’s Galaxy Note 8 event here!