Samsung Galaxy Note 4 vs. Note 5: a thorough comparison
Samsung is definitely trying something new with the Note 5. I guess they weren’t satisfied with the Note 4 sales, and dramatically overhauled the design, as well as eliminating the device from Europe altogether. I honestly have no idea why Samsung would choose to eliminate the Note line from Europe, and I am sure this is quite disappointing to those who wish to buy the Note 5. Samsung claims they have been listening to the consumers, which means the consumers have been clamoring for a drastic change in the core of the Note line. And I guess consumers in Europe must hate the Note because Samsung doesn’t want to sell it to them anymore.
Anyways, the announcement has come and gone, and now it is time for a comparison.
From the live stream, the VP of Samsung mobile said they focused on making the device easier to hold, and making it easier to fit into people’s pants who wear “skinny jeans”. Man those people with skinny jeans sure have a loud voice because they brought about a design revolution in the Note series.
The most obvious change between the Note 4 and the Note 5 is the design and build. Samsung opted to go for a premium build in the Note 5 be removing all plastic and swapping it for curved glass on the back of the phone. They also improved the strength of the metal frame. Samsung claimed to make the Note 5 smaller than the Note 4, and they did but marginally. They shaved almost 2mm from the width, 1mm for the thickness, and reduced the weight by 5g(Note 4 weighs 176g and the Note 5 weighs 171g). I’m not sure how reducing the width by 2mm, and the thickness by 1mm helps those with skinny jeans, but I wear chubby jeans so I would need help with this analysis.
In terms of design, the Note 5 looks like a blown up version of the S6 with a stylus.
As good as it looks, I am not a fan of a glass back because it is one more piece that can shatter if it is dropped and even worse, glass will attract greasy fingerprints. The soft plastic back on the Note 4 was definitely a positive when it came to durability and eliminating fingerprints.
The Note 5 is a revolution in terms of design for the Note line. I think the Note 5 and the S6 both look great, but the Note 4 was not a bad looking device either.
Storage
Like the Note 4, the Note 5 will come in 32GB and 64GB models. But unlike the Note 4, the Note 5 will NOT have expandable memory. For Note 4 users, having the ability to add 128GB of memory through a microsd card offered a cheaper alternative to paying $100 for the 64GB model. It also allowed Note 4 users to interchange memory cards if needed.
Samsung made the decision to remove expandable memory from the Note 5, bucking the trend of what other manufacturers are offering. I really don’t understand this move and I certainly do not believe they were listening to consumers as all other flagship devices offer expandable memory including the 2015 Moto X.
Stylus
The famous S Pen got a minor upgrade in how it is removed from the phone. Rather than using a fingernail to grasp the ridges at the bottom of the S Pen, like on the Note 4, Samsung added a spring loaded mechanism – now you push on the stylus and it will pop out.
In addition, Samsung continued its tradition of adding great features to the S Pen like writing on the device when the screen is off. This sounds cool, but writing without seeing is something that will be new to almost all of us. They also added “Write on PDF” which allows users to edit and annotate PDF documents using the S Pen. This sounds very useful if you deal with PDF files like I do.
CPU and RAM
No iteration would go without an upgrade to the CPU, and the Note 5 did that by taking the processor from the S6 and putting it in the Note 5. The Note 3 and Note 4 both had better processors than their S counterparts, so this is a recent change for Samsung. Benchmark tests for the Samsung Exynos 7420 show that it is the top performing CPU at the moment, although by Note standards, having the same processor as the S6 is disappointing as Note users typically want more.
Although Samsung did upgrade the RAM to 4GB which should help with some of the additional features brought to the S Pen.
Both the CPU and RAM should provide a quality experience. Although the Note 4 is no slouch and still ranks near the top of benchmark tests.
Display
The Note 4 display is fantastic. Samsung’s Super AMOLED display is the best display on the market. Contrast ratio and spectacular colors are something you just can’t appreciate until you see the display for yourself. The Note 5 maintained the Note 4’s display size of 5.7″, pixel density of 500+, and 2k resolution. Simply put, the display is the same and that is nothing to balk at. Samsung still maintains its lead on displays through the Note 4 AND Note 5.
Camera
As shown in Josh’s camera comparison test, the S6 camera is special. Samsung realized they hit the nail on the head with this camera and opted to put it in the Note 5. The camera comes as a 16MP shooter with optical image stabilization(OIS), and features a F/ 1.9 aperture which should help it take better low-light shots. The camera is also capable of shooting 4K video at 30fps, and 120fps for slow-motion. Samsung has bridged the gap between mobile devices and DSLR cameras. There really isn’t much need for a standard point-and-shoot camera these days if you can get your hands on the Note 5 camera.
The Note 4 also has a 16MP shooter with OIS, but doesn’t quite match up to the photo quality of the S6 and and Note 5. If Josh can get his hands on both Note devices, I would love to see a head to head comparison of photos between the two devices.
Battery
Sadly, this is one area where all fans will be disappointed. Samsung decided to shrink the Note 4’s 3220mAh battery down to 3000mAh for the Note 5. Samsung claims their new processor is much more energy efficient than the Snapdragon 805, which allowed them to shrink the battery. The Note 5 is rated at 21 hours of talk time whereas the Note 4 is rated at 20 hours. Regardless, Note users can never have enough power so this is a disappointment to see Samsung sacrifice .9mm in thickness for a smaller battery.
The bigger issue for most Note users is with the new design of a fixed back plate. Samsung allowed users to access their battery in the Note 4, which was a favorite for power users as all they needed to do was swap a battery to get back to 100% power.
However, Samsung did add built-in wireless charging into the Note 5, whereas the Note 4 was capable if you changed the back plate to enable wireless charging.
Summary
When I logged into the Androidguys chat group of writers, I noticed a few of them saying how they are excited about the new S6 Plus and the new Note 5. None of them are Samsung loyalists as they all use everything but Samsung, with exception to Josh Noriega who recently switched to the S6 Edge as his first Samsung device. Maybe Samsung is onto something by focusing on design over function. Those of us who have loved Samsung galaxy devices loved them for being different. We clamored over the ability to swap batteries, add SD cards, and things of that sort. Up until the Galaxy S6 Edge and now the Note 5, the writers I work with never really considered a Galaxy device.
The Galaxy Note 5 is nothing to sneeze at and it is one heck of a powerhouse. It comes with the fastest processor available today with 4GB of RAM running on Android 5.1. It is without a doubt a great phone, but not so much so when you compare it to the Note 4.
Even reading through early analysis on popular sites such as Engadget, I see that many people are excited for the Note 5 and S6 Plus, but I can tell you as an actual Samsung fan I am thoroughly disappointed. I feel unheard and unwanted by Samsung. If they can gain better profits and sales through a new customer base, then I applaud them for appeasing their shareholders. I can without a doubt say I care more about functionality over beauty. The sales numbers will speak for themselves and will prove Samsung right or wrong with their drastic changes in the Note line.
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Did Samsung alienate its most loyal fanbase by calling them shallow?
For the record my primary device is fully paid for with my own hard earned money and it is a Samsung Galaxy Note Edge, and my back up device is a Samsung Galaxy Note 4. I love the Note line so much so that I bought my mother a Note 4 to replace her iPhone 5. I have never received a Samsung product for free for review, so please don’t think I am here to kiss up to Samsung just to get a free device. I’m just like you, a normal person with a normal job(AG is my hobby), and I love the Galaxy Note line. And with my most recent posts about Samsung, I doubt I will ever be sent a device to review, but that’s okay because I prefer to be honest than be bought with a free device.
J.K. Shin, (President of Samsung) claimed they “listen to us, the consumer.” Then he went on to talk about the Note line and how they offered us a unique product first, and how its success has created its own category in the smartphone market. He continued on to say how customers love the edge or curve on their Galaxy S6, and how batteries charge faster and last longer. In summary J.K. Shin, claimed they have been listening to “us” and have delivered what we have been asking for.
I really don’t know which of you actual Note fans, not Note reviewers, have been asking to do away with the ability to change the battery, removal of the SD card slot, IR blaster, O2 sensor, UV sensor, and heart rate monitor, but I would love for you to speak up in the comments section. Because Samsung claims they have been listening to you. But it certainly was not me who was asking for that, in exchange to fit my skinny jeans while looking great with a dual sided glass phone.
The VP who followed Shin to introduce the Note 5, carried on with Shin’s sentiment saying the large phones are too big for people with “skinny jeans”. My reaction to this was “WHAT!?!”, and then my next thought was “WHAT!?!” He went on to say how the metal is stronger on the Note 5, and how the device is now smaller and easier to use with the same sized screen with a curved back. Personally I don’t think there is anything wrong with making the device more manageable in hand, but not at the expense of all of those other features we love.
In my opinion, I believe Samsung has catered to the naysayers while alienating the most loyal and dedicated fanbase. Then they claimed to listen to us by taking away our most beloved features in exchange for better materials and design. In essence they call us Note users shallow, because we care more about how the phone looks vs. the features it should come with, which simply BLOWS MY MIND.
The Galaxy Note line is the most expensive consumer smartphone, so they are taking a huge risk by dropping the fans that powered the Note into its own category, while going for people who care more about build materials than function.
Samsung, if you can improve sales by alienating us, congrats to you. But if your sale’s numbers hurt, build the phone we want (check this post for what us Note fans are saying) and we will come back. But you only get one year to fix the mistake, otherwise I’m taking my Note 4 and Note Edge business elsewhere. LG, if you’re reading this, you have a chance to steal us Note fans with the G4 Pro as that seems to be a consensus device amongst the commenters. Just make sure the screen is top notch as us Note fans don’t like LCD displays much.
Watch the Unpacked event for yourself. Warning though, there are about 35 minutes of music and animations at the start of the video.
Watch the Galaxy Unpacked 2015 Stream
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New LG Nexus “likely” to have metal body, report says
As great as the Nexus 6 is, it wasn’t quite the device everyone wanted or expected from Google. For most, the 6-inch screen was just too big but according to a new report from @onleaks, the next Nexus device, manufactured by Nexus, could be 5.2-inches and have a metal body.
We’ve seen Samsung make the move away from plastic and budget-looking materials for their flagship devices, and we could see Google make the same leap with the new Nexus.
#LG's New #NEXUS: Likely Metal Body,roughly 146.9×72.9×8/9.8mm,5.2" Screen,Front Facing Speakers,Fingerprint Sensor on the Back,USB Type-C
— OnLeaks (@OnLeaks) August 12, 2015
Not only this, but it could also have front-facing speakers, similar to the Nexus 6, a fingerprint sensor on the back, and also adopt the new USB Type-C connector like the OnePlus 2.
The new Nexus would be longer when compared to the Nexus 5, with a height of 146.9mm, which is probably due to the front-facing speakers on the top and bottom of the device.
As for the bigger Nexus, it’ll have a 5.7-inch display, again according to a report, as well as all the other previously mentioned features found on the smaller model.
#Huawei's #NEXUS: Metal Body,roughly 159.4×78.3×6.6/8.5mm,likely 5.7" Screen,Front Facing Speakers,Fingerprint Sensor on the Back,USB Type-C
— OnLeaks (@OnLeaks) August 12, 2015
Pricing and release date is still unclear.
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Skype for Business coming to Android soon
The mobile version of Skype‘s Business edition that allows video conferencing with up to 250 people is soon coming to Android and iOS devices. Launched by Microsoft two months ago, the service integrates into MS Office Calendar and lets users send group messages and participate in video chats.
The upcoming mobile app will feature a dashboard where you can find your scheduled meetings, search contacts and read recent conversations. To find a contact, you simply have to enter either their first name, last name, email or phone number. You can also keep a tab of your meetings by clicking on the read more option of your calendar.
The app, which will hit the Android devices sometime later this year, is currently open for preview by businesses. Corporate IT administrators can nominate up to eight employees (four Android and four iOS users) to participate in the preview by signing up on http://www.skypepreview.com before August 14th. If they are accepted for the preview, Skype will send them an email notifying them about the same by August 17th.
Source: Microsoft Office Blog
Come comment on this article: Skype for Business coming to Android soon
Get exclusive access to the new eBay v4.0 Beta app
If you’re a big user of the Android eBay app then you’ll probably be interested in their latest version 4.0. The catch is that it’s currently in a closed Beta.
Not the normal Beta that allows testers via the Play Store; nope, this one requires you to fill out a form and have your account specifically activated to access the eBay Beta app. Not even sideloading the APK works as it asks you to login and will kick you out without an authorised account. Not sure what the deal with the secrecy is here, but clearly eBay are taking a different direction with their Beta program.
Want to get in on the closed Beta for version 4.0 of eBay? Fill out the form here.
What’s new in version 4.0? Guess you’ll have to sign up and find out!
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Nextbit teases “frigging awesome” phone launching Sept 1
When a startup company teases a “friggin awesome” product, chances are you’ll automatically dismiss them but in the case of Nextbit, you might be wise to sit up and take notice. The company has teased that it will unveil its first smartphone on September 1st and promises it to be in the new “premium tier” of Android smartphones costing between $300 and $400.
Nextbit phone will “easily stand out” and be priced affordably
The startup has already revealed plans to switch from software to hardware and with backing from Google Ventures and an employee list that includes Android veterans Tom Moss and Mike Chan along with former HTC design chief Scott Croyle, its new smartphone may yet be “frigging awesome”. In an era where no one but Apple seems to be able to make a profit from Android devices, the startup is hoping that its HTC design roots and intimate knowledge of Android can help it buck the trend.
Moss, the chief executive of Nextbit, said:
It’s going to be friggin’ awesome. Phone fatigue is a real thing. That’s why we’re doing something different.
The other big claim about the Nextbit phone is that it apparently gets better over time; with its in-depth knowledge of the Android OS, the company claims to be able to progressively enhance the operating system making it better over time, which is in stark contrast to current devices which are rendered obsolete within weeks of launch. Nextbit will also aim to end the current woes of storage limits by leveraging cloud storage so you can use stores as many apps and media as you like.
Your phone will perform better over time and function at a higher level because of this software enhancement. We’re focusing on a device that can adapt to you.
Metal phones in video:
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One of the biggest benefits that Apple has received from owning its software and hardware is the ability to optimise the platform to work on various types of hardware and Moss claims that Nextbit are aiming to do the same. Both Moss and Chan were early members of the Android team and Moss says this in-depth knowledge means they are best placed to achieve the same gains that Apple has done and “supercharge” the experience.
Standing out in a crowd can be difficult but Moss says that Croyle’s experience as one of the key designers behind HTC’s gorgeous One range gives them the knowledge to make a difference. Croyle is widely regarded as one of the designers who helped drive the current trend of metal bodied devices and Moss says that making a phone was always on the cards, as evidenced by the hiring of Croyle last year.
Hardware is not an all-of-a-sudden thing It’s been in the plans for some time. There’s a lot of you do to have a provocative design.
Naturally the company isn’t revealing specifics about the phone just yet but Moss did add that they are trying to “push the boundaries”. Do you think a startup with the pedigree that Nextbit has, can challenge the current incumbents in the market place? Let us know your views in the comments below!
Alphabet: What you need to know about Google’s new parent company
In the modern world of leaks and rumours well before most official announcements, it’s rare that a company truly shocks the industry. Google, being Google, managed to do just this yesterday. After what could be years of planning, Google yesterday announced Alphabet, its new parent company that encompasses all of its brands, including Google.
Google founders name Sundar Pichai as Google CEO, create new parent company called Alphabet
What is Alphabet and what does it mean for Google as we know it? Let’s find out.
What is Alphabet?
To quote Alphabet CEO (and Google Co-Founder) Larry Page:
What is Alphabet? Alphabet is mostly a collection of companies. The largest of which, of course, is Google. This newer Google is a bit slimmed down, with the companies that are pretty far afield of our main internet products contained in Alphabet instead.
Essentially, this means that Google as we know it will be split off from the other divisions such as Life Sciences, Calico and its investment arms, Google Capital and Ventures, which will become part of Alphabet.
Why the change to Alphabet? Simply put, Google was too big for its own good and as each of its subsidiaries grew, the company would find itself stretched. Under the old structure, the company would need to plan strategically as a search giant/thermostat maker/operating system developer/internet provider but now, the slimmer Google can just focus on its core aims of providing Internet products and services to consumers, like you or me.
Page continued:
“Sergey and I are seriously in the business of starting new things. We’ve long believed that over time companies tend to get comfortable doing the same thing, just making incremental changes. But in the technology industry, where revolutionary ideas drive the next big growth areas, you need to be a bit uncomfortable to stay relevant.”
Looking at Google’s new Android M operating system, it’s clear that the move is designed to prevent the businesses from only making iterative advancements as opposed to real innovation and going forward, the slimmer Google should hopefully be able to innovate more easily.
What does Alphabet mean for Google as we know it?
One of the biggest changes in Alphabet is the ability of each business to have its own CEO and this is likely to be one of the biggest reasons behind the new structure; as a division of Alphabet, Google is now able to run independently of the other businesses and focus purely on its end product.
Diving into Android M:
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The newer slimmed down Google will be run by Sundar Pichai, who steps up to become the new CEO of Google. He will control all of Google’s divisions, except for YouTube, which will continue to be a sub-division of Google but will be run by current CEO Susan Wojcicki. By letting Pichai take the reigns at Google, both Page and Alphabet President (and Google Co-Founder) Sergey Brin, can take a step back and focus on the future. Page said:
Sergey and I have been super excited about his progress and dedication to the company. And it is clear to us and our board that it is time for Sundar to be CEO of Google. I feel very fortunate to have someone as talented as he is to run the slightly slimmed down Google and this frees up time for me to continue to scale our aspirations … Google itself is also making all sorts of new products, and I know Sundar will always be focused on innovation—continuing to stretch boundaries.
One thing that’s not immediately apparent is whether Page will continue to lead Google’s product launches (such as Google I/O) or whether Pichai will now be the main man. With Google expected to launch its new Android M OS alongside new Nexus devices later this year, there won’t be long until we find out.
The new structure
What does the new structure mean for the other companies inside the new parent company? It’s simple really; they will have their own CEO and mission and can execute this without worrying about the other businesses. One benefit of the restructuring is that businesses such as Google and Nest Labs are ready for other people to run allowing Page and Brin to take a step back and focus on products for the future.
Look at Calico – the business focused on combating disease and extending human lifespan – and it becomes clear that this is a business with the potential to be as big as Google itself. If there’s anyone who can find a way to defy age, it’s the company that owns the world’s largest search engine and you wouldn’t bet against them taking it to the big pharmaceutical companies.
The other businesses that will also become part of Alphabet with their own leadership teams are:
- Google X houses the most secret of Google’s projects – including Google ATAP – and being spun off into Alphabet allows it to focus on products for the future without worrying about the Google of the present. If you use a Google product now or in the coming years, chances are that it was developed inside the Google X labs.
- Google Ventures and Google Capital are Alphabet’s two investment arms and spinning off from Google itself should make acquisitions a lot simpler as well, with less concern and stigma around data being collected and used by other Google businesses. The spin-off should also make it easy for Alphabet to buy competing businesses and possibly get around competition regulation, although this is yet to be seen.
- Nest Labs has changed the way we automate mundane tasks inside our home and continues to do so. During the acquisition of Nest Labs, Google went to great lengths to confirm that Nest was not related to its search business – over fears that it would use the data in search – but the new structure of Alphabet means this is no longer a concern. Nest Labs continues to revolutionise the way we do things in our home and a focus on the future – led by current CEO Tony Fadell – could see the company deliver an integrated smart home suite.
- Fiber will continue with its aim of delivering 1Gbps internet and TV services at an affordable price in a bid to shake up the market without worrying about the stigma attached to being a Google company handling customer data. Presumably Project Fi will also fall under this division although it is technically related to the core Google business as well.
Alphabet is definitely an interesting change for Google but with the giant arguably becoming too big for its own good and being stretched thin across its various businesses, the change should hopefully streamline the operations of all the companies.
Money, money, money
The restructuring should also mean significant changes for shareholders and the stock market alike. Under its old structure, the wider Google group reported all its figures together with only some declaration of individual performance, but the restructuring should hopefully provide some more transparency.
Top Phones in video:
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As an example – under the old structure, Google’s Venture arm may have invested $500 million in a bold new startup only for it to fail and this would have an impact on the wider Google group financials. As such, shareholders may have questioned whether it would have been better to invest the money in developing the core Google businesses. Under the new structure, the company could report the Google Ventures and Google financials separately and while this may not change shareholder opinions about the money being spent, it should provide greater transparency on the performance of individual units as well as the company as a whole.
For the stock market as well, the restructuring could prove to be a blessing in disguise; one of the hardest jobs in the world is predicting the future as you can never be completely accurate. If Alphabet were to report on the individual financials of each division, it would provide the stock market with an indication of the future. Want to know where Google is likely to be in five years (from a financial viewpoint)? Simple – primarily look at the recent performance of Google Ventures and Google Capital (alongside the other businesses of course). Want to know more about Google’s dominance of the search industry? Simple – just look at the performance of the core Google business.
Instead of wading through financial documents, the new reporting may provide more transparency and a clearer indication – at a glance – of where the company currently stands and where it may be in the years to come. For the company itself, the restructuring may also mean they can take advantage of tax breaks but this is yet to be confirmed and we won’t quite know how it are set up until it reports its first set of financial results.
Alphabet Soup
The restructuring of Google to form Alphabet (including a slimmer Google) may seem complex but it’s rather simple; the core Google business (including Search, YouTube, Android etc) becomes a slimmer Google, while its other businesses (Calico, Nest Labs, Venture etc) become part of Alphabet.
If you’re still not sure on the structure, CNNMoney have published this very easy-to-digest infographic showing the changes:
So there you have it – Google is now Alphabet including a slimmer Google. For consumers, you probably won’t notice any changes as Google (at least as we know it) will remain the same.
You’ll still be using a Google Nexus device and Google Search but the wider unrelated businesses will no longer affect the ability of Google to adapt and change to the market. From a mobile perspective, this is definitely a good thing and maybe now, Google will be able to really innovate in everything it does going forward.
‘Faster, sleeker and simpler’ Hangouts arrives on Android
Google released its Hangouts 4.0 for the Android platform on Monday. First and foremost, the app now has been reskinned with material design. It also features a simplified compose button as well as a streamlined contacts list and file attachment function. What’s more, the company has reportedly has even gotten the app to consume less power thanks to improved messaging speeds and “obsessively fixing bugs.” They’re basically the same set of UI and performance tweaks that we saw at the end of June when the iOS version updated to the new material design version.
[Image Credit: Bloomberg via Getty Images]
Filed under:
Internet, Apple, Google
Tags: Apple, google, hangouts, ios, materialdesign
Remix OS now out for Nexus 9 and Nexus 10
Remix OS is a custom version of Android aimed specifically at devices with bigger screens, which aims to give a more desktop-like experience to tablets. There’s a taskbar, multi-window support, and even window size management.
Remix OS has even ported across 15 of the most common keyboard shortcuts and enabled them on Android to make it feel even more like the desktop experience we’re used to.
The best way to get Remix OS on your Nexus 9 or Nexus 10 is to use Fastboot and ADB from your PC over USB. For more detailed instructions, check out the source link as grab the downloads while you’re there.
Let us know what you think of Remix OS in the comments below.
The post Remix OS now out for Nexus 9 and Nexus 10 appeared first on AndroidGuys.
Samsung Smart TVs get a new payment system, card details can be transferred from smartphones
Samsung has created a simplified payment system for its Smart TV devices. This will be great news for millions of customers who purchase content from the no. 1 smart TV manufacturer. The new payment service is said to support “major credit cards, debit cards, PayPal and other mobile billing options”.
What it supports is not the highlight, though. The manufacturer is more excited to showcase how easy it is to use this new payment system. After the initial registration set-up has been completed, it usually takes only 3 steps for the user to complete a transaction. Simply choose the item you want to buy, press the “Pay Now” button and enter your PIN number. You are done!
We know what you are thinking, though. Yes, Samsung’s Smart TVs don’t run Android, they run Tizen – so why are we talking about this? For starters, we know many of our readers still love Samsung televisions. Furthermore, this new payment method also takes advantage of a neat feature many Android users will be able to take advantage of.
Those who use a Samsung mobile device can transfer their Samsung account information and registered payment methods to their Samsung Smart TV units, making it even easier to take get everything set up. It makes the process of buying content and accessing in-app purchases within games (which is also a new addition to the experience) much easier.
In addition, Samsung promises tight security. PayPal users can expect the same level of privacy they have with other devices, and Samsung’s secure on-screen keyboard will keep your passwords and input data safe from falling in the wrong hands.
More details on availability are to come, so Samsung urges us to stay tuned. You know we will be keeping an open eye on the Korean manufacturer, so stick around!
Samsung videos
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