Samsung offering €75 cashback on purchase of Galaxy S6 lineup in the Netherlands
It is not surprising that Samsung is now using “price adjustment” tactics to boost the slumping sales of its Galaxy S6 lineup. In addition to price cuts, the Korean electronic conglomerate is also offering various promotions and deals to make the purchase of Samsung mobiles as lucrative as possible. If you happen to live in the Netherlands, you can pick any current Galaxy flagship and get a whopping €75 cash back.
Just before the launch of the Galaxy S6 Edge+ and the Note 5 in August, Samsung had reported poor Q2 earnings and announced a new pricing strategy to keep the sales momentum going. The cash back offer is available on the Galaxy S6, the Galaxy S6 Edge as well as the Galaxy S6 Edge+. It means that you can buy the newest Galaxy flagship with an internal storage of 32GB for €724 instead of €799 if you apply the cash back offer. The basic model, the Galaxy S6 can be bought for just €430, while the Galaxy S6 Edge will only cost €545.
To avail the offer, you should first buy the device online or from any offline retailer. Then go to Samsung’s promotion and fill our the registration form mentioning your IMEI and EAN numbers, and attach the copy of the receipt. After verification, the discounted cash will be deposited to your bank account. The offer starts today and runs through 1st November, 2015.
Source: Samsung
Come comment on this article: Samsung offering €75 cashback on purchase of Galaxy S6 lineup in the Netherlands
[Deal] Get a Samsung Galaxy Note 5 for $589.99 on eBay
Looking to pick up the newly announced Samsung Galaxy Note 5 but don’t want to pay an arm and a leg for one? Good news, folks! The device is available, unlocked, on eBay for just $589.99.
Samsung announced the new device not that long ago, and there’s been much controversy surrounding it, such as having no microSD support, a non-removable battery, and some design issues with the S Pen. However, despite those flaws, it’s still an impressive device.
It features a 5.7-inch 2560 x 1440 Super AMOLED display, an Exynos 7420 chipset, a quad-core 1.5GHz Cortex-A53 and quad-core 2.1GHz Cortex-A57 processor, a Mali-T760MP8 GPU, 4GB of RAM, 32/64GB storage options, no microSD support, a 16-megapixel rear camera, a 5-megapixel front-facing camera, and it’s sporting the latest version of Samsung’s TouchWiz UI atop of Android 5.1.
Anyone picking one up?
[eBay]
Come comment on this article: [Deal] Get a Samsung Galaxy Note 5 for $589.99 on eBay
A History of the Galaxy Note Smartphone Series
Samsung’s Galaxy Note series is still a mystery to some. “Who would want a device so massive?” is a common statement among onlookers. Many of us prefer the 5-inch form factor, which is why past Nexus devices, Moto X’s, and others have been so popular. Despite a market saturated with devices having a 5-inch form factor, the Galaxy Note series has managed to firmly corner a market wanting much larger options.
That isn’t a bad thing. After all, that’s what Android is all about–a variety of devices to fit different personalities, likes, and dislikes. However, the Galaxy Note series has an interesting history with the original Note launching in October of 2011.
Original Galaxy Note
The original Galaxy Note was, at first, a strange device, not knowing what it really was. It featured specifications that are foreign to flagship devices today. It has a 5.3-inch 1280 x 800 Super AMOLED display, an Exynos chipset, a dual-core 1.4GHz ARM Cortex-A9 CPU, a Mali-400 GPU, 1GB of RAM, 16/32GB storage options, microSD support up to 64GB, an 8MP rear camera, a 2MP front camera, a, 2500mAh battery, and Android 2.3 Gingerbread.
The element that made this device unique was the inclusion of the S Pen, giving users more options and control with their smartphone.
Samsung created the Galaxy Note to be a user’s primary device for on-the-go activities. It would do whatever you needed it do–take notes by recreating the ease of traditional pencil and paper, take good photos for family vacations, be a great multimedia device, and so on. In essence, Samsung wanted to get rid of all the extra devices and accessories you take with you–pen, notepads, point-and-shoot cameras, and replace it with a single device: the Galaxy Note.
The most interesting aspect of the device is that the media wasn’t sure just how well the original Galaxy Note would fit in with its 5.3-inch display. At the time, that was a massive display and was considered extremely large for a phone, and almost unnecessary. However, it was still met with success, selling over 10 million units in a year.
This isn’t where the Note’s success stopped, though.
Galaxy Note II
Samsung’s Galaxy Note II was a big upgrade from the original Galaxy Note on the hardware and software side of things. It has a bigger, 5.5-inch 1280 x 720 Super AMOLED display, an Exynos 4412 chipset, a quad-core 1.6GHz Cortex-A9 CPU, a Mali-400MP4 GPU, 2GB of RAM, 16/32/64GB storage options, microSD support up to 64GB, 8MP rear camera, a 2MP front camera, a 3100mAh battery, and it’s running Android 4.1 Jelly Bean, upgradeable to KitKat.
Another modification was a revised S Pen, along with many added S Pen features. Added to the Galaxy Note II was pen gestures, split-screen multitasking, and Air View, a feature that lets users preview content by hovering the pen over the screen. There were some other new TouchWiz features included that was introduced with the Galaxy S III.
The original Galaxy Note’s success pales in comparison to what the Note II saw, selling well over 30 million units worldwide. Samsung certainly saw their was a market for large devices like this, and has seen a lot of success as result. However, after the Galaxy Note II, many other manufacturers began developing devices of a similar size to take advantage of this popularity.
Many still thought 5.5 inches was massive for a display at the time, but it would quickly become the norm in future editions.
Galaxy Note 3
The Samsung Galaxy Note 3 launched in September 2013, succeeding the Galaxy Note II. It was an extreme upgrade in hardware and offered more productivity options than the Galaxy Note series had seen in the past. The Galaxy Note 3 also ushered in a less blocky design, focusing on a much more premium offering.
It has a massive 5.7-inch 1920 x 1080 Super AMOLED display, a Snapdragon 800/Exynos 5 Octa 5420 chipset (varies by market), a quad-core 2.3GHz Krait 400/quad-core 1.9GHz Cortex-A15 and quad-core 1.3GHz Cortex-A7 CPU (varies by market), 3GB of RAM, 16/32/64GB storage options, microSD support up to 64GB, a 13MP rear camera, a 2MP front-facing camera, a 3200mAh battery, and the device is running Android 4.3 Jelly Bean, which is upgradeable to Android 5.0 Lollipop.
What was unique about the Galaxy Note 3 is that it introduced a plastic leather back as opposed to the silicone seen in the past. The faux leather gave the device a premium feel, though some didn’t like the new design at all. This new Galaxy Note 3 brought with it expanded S Pen functionality, such as Air Command, Action Memos, handwriting recognition, and much more.
Click here to view the embedded video.
The Galaxy Note 3 was met with yet more wild success, selling 10 million units in its first two months. Interestingly just a few months later, Samsung decided to offer a downgraded version of the device, the Galaxy Note 3 Neo.
Galaxy Note 3 Neo
The Galaxy Note 3, announced by Samsung Poland in January 2014, was intended to be a less pricier version of the Galaxy Note 3. The Galaxy Note 3 Neo’s specs were all downgraded, but nothing too bad. The only major change was that the display was reverted to a 5.5-inch 720p panel and the camera was reduced down from 13MP to 8MP.
Software and S Pen functionality remained the same. However, it turned out to be a big disappointment in that it was essentially a Galaxy Note 2 with an artificial leather back. Its biggest complaint was the extremely drop in screen resolution. After this, Samsung never made a “budget” Galaxy Note again.
Galaxy Note 4
Samsung later in 2014 at IFA in Berlin announced the Galaxy Note 4, which was essentially a Galaxy Note 3 with a few minor changes, although there was a major improvement in resolution with the display.
It has a 5.7-inch 2560 x 1440 Super AMOLED display, a Snapdragon 805/Exynos 5433 chipset (varies by market), a quad-core 2.7GHz Krait 450/a quad-core 1.3GHz Cortex-A53 and quad-core 1.9GHz Cortex-A59 CPU (varies by market), 3GB of RAM, 16/32/64GB of internal storage, microSD support up to 128GB, a 16MP rear camera, a 3.7MP front camera, a 3220mAh battery, and it’s running Android 4.4 KitKat, which is upgradeable to Android 5.0 Lollipop.
Click here to view the embedded video.
The Galaxy Note 4 didn’t see as much success as previous entries in the Note series, only garnering 4.5 million units in its first month. This would also be the last Note device to see the faux leather back.
As with every release, more software features was brought to the device for added S Pen and TouchWiz UI functionality. While many of these aren’t necessary to the goals of the Note series, it reiterates Samsung’s effort to make the Galaxy Note an all-in-one device so that you won’t ever need to bring anything else with you, whether that be a notepad, camera, and so on.
Galaxy Note Edge
The Samsung Galaxy Note Edge can be pictured as Samsung’s “Frankenstein,” an experimental device. We’ve seen many devices with an edge-to-edge display, but nothing like the Galaxy Note Edge where it’s actually a curved display.
The device features a 5.6-inch 2560 x 1600 Super AMOLED display, it has Snapdragon 805 chipset, a quad-core 2.7GHz Krait 450 CPU, 3GB of RAM, 32/64GB of internal storage, microSD support up to 128GB, a 16MP rear camera, a 3.7MP front camera, a 3000mAh battery, and it’s running Android 4.4, which is upgradable to Android 5.1 Lollipop.
Aside from a small bump in resolution and a downgrade in battery, the Galaxy Note Edge’s specifications largely resemble that of the Galaxy Note 4. However, what makes it unique is that it has a curved display of 160px, running into the right side of the smartphone.
There was some additional functionality that worked with the curved display, but besides that, the device remains identical to the Galaxy Note 4. There’s been differing opinions regarding the Note Edge, but overall it seemed to do well, however, we haven’t heard news or rumors of another one in the works.
Galaxy Note 5
And here we arrive to this year’s refresh of the Galaxy Note. The device received a small bump in specifications, but nothing major. After all, Samsung’s focus this year wasn’t hardware, but offering a more premium device than it has in the past through a new design and better software features.
The phone totes a 5.7-inch 2560 x 1440 Super AMOLED display, a Exynos 7420 chipset, a quad-core 1.5GHz Cortex-A53 and a quad-core 2.1GHz Cortex-A57 CPU, 4GB of RAM, 32/64GB storage options, no microSD support, a 16MP rear camera, a 5MP front camera, and a 3000mAh battery, which isn’t field removable. It’s also on the latest version of Lollipop.
There’s been a lot of controversy regarding this device, largely because of closing off microSD access and sealing up the smartphone’s battery. There isn’t much reasoning behind getting rid of microSD support, however, we’re sure Samsung felt like they could seal up the battery by offering fast wireless charging features.
More controversy surrounds this device due to the S Pen. If you put it in its tray backwards, it gets stuck and generally cannot be removed without wrecking the device, though there have been some methods posted online to “unstick” the S Pen.
Click here to view the embedded video.
Overall, it’s a very nice looking device with a gorgeous glass back. There’s been a bevy of improved software features, and this is truly one of Samsung’s best, despite the controversy around it. Personally, the most upsetting aspect of this device is that European users won’t be able to get their hands on it, as Samsung, thus far, hasn’t revealed any plans to bring the device to European markets.
Wrap Up
And that’s quick primer on Samsung’s Galaxy Note series. It truly is an interesting device, and its history is quite intriguing, especially considering that many thought anything above 5-inches was way too large for a smartphone. It still did very well, despite those thoughts, which were largely portrayed by the media.
Do you own a Galaxy Note device? Have you owned one in the past? If so, what do you like or even dislike about the Note series? Be sure to let us know in the comments below.
Come comment on this article: A History of the Galaxy Note Smartphone Series
Slickwraps launches limited edition Superhero line of smartphone cases
Slickwraps has announced a new collaboration with artist Justin Maller to bring some superhero flair to your smartphone with a line of protective cases. The cases feature several heroes and are available for most 2015 flagship devices.
The lineup includes Batman, Hulk, Captain America, Thor, and Iron Man designs, which all look fantastic. They’re available for the LG G4, HTC One M9, Motorola’s Nexus 6, and Samsung’s entire high-end Galaxy family, including the Galaxy S6, Galaxy S6 Edge, Galaxy S6 Edge+, and Galaxy Note 5. There are also skins for other devices including Macbook ands the Playstation 4 and Xbox One, so even if you don’t think you’d like a superhero smartphone case, you can still grab one for some other electronics you might have.
The cases run about $25 and begin shipping on September 16th. Remember, they’re limited edition runs, so if you want one you might want to go ahead and lock an order in.
source: Slickwraps
Come comment on this article: Slickwraps launches limited edition Superhero line of smartphone cases
Samsung sends more jabs Apple’s way in new Galaxy ad
Samsung has released a new 30-second Galaxy ad, making fun of the iPhone in that it doesn’t have Samsung’s fast wireless charging capabilities or any wireless charging at all.
It’s a joint commercial, featuring both the new Galaxy Note 5 and Galaxy S6 Edge+. The ad shows how convenient it is to wireless charge the Galaxy Note 5 and Galaxy S6 Edge+, but when you put an iPhone on it, well…nothing happens.
Apple previously released its own set of ads with the “If it’s not an iPhone, it’s not an iPhone” tagline. Samsung’s response, right off the heels of the iPhone 6S and iPhone 6S Plus unveiling, is “It’s not a phone, it’s a Galaxy.”
Now the only real problem is that Samsung’s wireless charging isn’t actually wireless, requiring the pad to be plugged into a wall outlet by way of a cable.
Here’s the ad:
Click here to view the embedded video.
Come comment on this article: Samsung sends more jabs Apple’s way in new Galaxy ad
T-Mobile updates latest Galaxy lineup to include video calling feature in advanced messaging
T-Mobile is sending out updates for several Samsung Galaxy phones on its network, covering all the major flagship devices Samsung has released this year. This includes the Galaxy S6, Galaxy S6 Edge, Galaxy S6 Edge+, and Galaxy Note 5.
The update is pretty minor, but it does enable the video calling feature in T-Mobile’s advanced messaging. The S6 Edge+ and Note 5 already have video calling, but they’re getting slight interface tweaks in its place.
Not a major update, but expect it to start rolling out to your phone if you have any of these newer Samsung phones on T-Mobile’s network.
Come comment on this article: T-Mobile updates latest Galaxy lineup to include video calling feature in advanced messaging
Possible fix for the Note5 RAM issue?
As we all have got to know, RAM management of your Note 5... stinks. Well, it turns out that if you have root, there is a fix for this issue. It seems it was there all along.
The very same build.prop edit that made the S6 and Note 4 perform better seemingly works for the Note5 as well. But to those who don’t root, or if you get squeamish about digging around in hidden files, DON’T TINKER UNLESS YOU KNOW WHAT YOU ARE DOING!
The fix will have you editing your build.prop’s DHA values. Remember, this is not an end-all fix, and it likely will need a little extra time and work. There still might be unintended consequences, so apply the fix at your own risk. But after reading the forum thread, it does seem to make RAM management better during actual usage. But if the phone is sitting in idle for too long, the most memory intensive applications appear to get kicked out as usual.
Once again I will say this, make sure you understand the fix and what it does. Always make a backup of both your ROM and your build.prop file. Root access is required to edit the build.prop, which you can do with a simple text editor or a dedicated app. I personally use build prop editor by JRummy. In order to apply the fix, replace your DHA properties of your build.prop with the ones found in the thread on XDA provided in the link below.
If you are among the knowledgeable and brave, apply the fix and tell us your results. It doesn’t seem to be risky, but remember that this was not intended for the Note 5, and that it doesn’t seem to entirely fix the problem.
Source: XDA
The post Possible fix for the Note5 RAM issue? appeared first on AndroidGuys.
Samsung discusses positive reaction to Samsung Pay in South Korea
Samsung Pay was originally announced with the Galaxy S6, although it’s been delayed several times since then. It finally went live last month, but only in South Korea, and is slated to kick off in North America later this month.
After a month in South Korea, Samsung has talked a bit about how people are reacting to and using the service, and so far it seems like customers and retailers alike are pretty happy with the experience so far.
Since launch on August 20th, Samsung has seen around 25,000 registrations for Samsung Pay per day, with over KRW 750 million being spent each day using the service. Not only are registration numbers good, but that also means people are actively using it, not just setting it up and forgetting about it. A majority of Galaxy Note 5 users have already used the service, which should be expected for the company’s latest flagship, but it’s positive news nonetheless.
Samsung also discussed competition in the mobile payment space, but they really only consider plastic cards to be their competition, not the likes of Android Pay and Apple Pay. Since Samsung Pay works with traditional credit card machines and doesn’t require merchants to install any additional hardware, it makes it extremely easy to replace a plastic credit or debit card with a smartphone in these situations. And since 80 – 90% of users are using Samsung Pay more than once, it’s pretty clear that people are willing to exclusively use their phone to make payments if it means they can leave the credit cards at home. The only drawback here is that Samsung Pay doesn’t support online transactions just yet, but that’s certainly on the to-do list for the service.
The interview also discusses several other highlights of Samsung Pay, including the security behind it and how eager banks and merchants are to get on board. Samsung also talks about their future plans, including adding location based services and coupons to the app, and whether or not they’ll be charging banks or merchants any fees for using the service.
It’s a pretty interesting interview, so it might be worth glancing over if you’re planning on using the service in the near future.
source: Samsung Tomorrow
Come comment on this article: Samsung discusses positive reaction to Samsung Pay in South Korea
Samsung to cut 10% of office staff from its headquarters, analyst says
Samsung is preparing to cut 10% of its office staff at its headquarters in Seoul, South Korea. While there isn’t official confirmation, this is allegedly because of losing smartphone sales to Apple and other Chinese vendors.
The Korean-based company is reportedly looking at specifically getting rid of human resources staff, public relations, and finance positions, according to the Korea Economic Daily. Samsung will further be looking to recoup costs by cutting expenses for 2016.
Samsung had 98,999 employees at its headquarters on June 30 of this year, according to a census report. In other words, Samsung could be cutting the jobs of around 9900 workers.
The tech giant unfortunately has failed to impress consumers with its high-end Galaxy smartphones for the most part of this year, ushering in a 5-month decline. This decline started in April, costing Samsung $40 billion in market value.
There isn’t much hope for the company to see an increase in profits either.
“Cutting jobs is the easiest way to control costs and Samsung’s spending on mobile business could also be more tightly controlled,” said Chung Chang Won, an analyst at Nomura Holdings in Seoul. “Samsung’s preparing to tighten its belt as it isn’t likely see rapid profit growth in the years to come.”
It’s hoped that recent devices like the Galaxy Note 5 and Galaxy S6 Edge+ will do well, but as more manufactures offer more appealing devices, the market competition will only increase. Aside from a premium look, there isn’t much incentive for consumers to purchase the Galaxy Note 5 and Galaxy S6 Edge+, which could potentially be very bad for the company’s profits this year.
It’s hoped that Samsung’s next flagship, what will allegedly be the Galaxy S7, will help turn things around.
Samsung will no doubt make an official statement when these job cuts officially take place.
source: Bloomberg Business
Come comment on this article: Samsung to cut 10% of office staff from its headquarters, analyst says
Samsung brings the Galaxy Note 5 to India
Europe may not be getting the Samsung Galaxy Note 5 any time soon, but the company have just squashed rumors that only the Galaxy S6 Edge+ would launch in India and confirmed the country will be getting both devices.
The Galaxy Note 5 will be available for purchase from September 20, with the 32GB model priced at ₹53,900 ($842). The 64GB variant will retail for ₹59,900 ($935), with both Note 5 models available in a variety of color options including black, gold and silver. Samsung is also offering an incentive for customers who preorder the Note 5 before September 19th with a free wireless charger.
The Note 5 offers a 5.7-inch QHD display with an octa-core Exynos 7420 SoC and 4GB of RAM, but has received a lot of negative comments for its lack of expandable memory and removable battery. Do you live in India? Do you plan on grabbing the Note 5?
The post Samsung brings the Galaxy Note 5 to India appeared first on AndroidGuys.
AIVAnet 