Feedback Loop: Best Android phone, cameras in tablets, finding good deals and more!
Welcome to Feedback Loop, a weekly roundup of the most interesting discussions happening within the Engadget community. There’s so much technology to talk about and so little time to enjoy it, but you have a lot of great ideas and opinions that need to be shared! Join us every Saturday as we highlight some of the most interesting discussions that happened during the past week.
Happy Saturday! Did you survive April Fools’ Day? We did and are here to bring you another edition of Feedback Loop. This week, we debated the merits of the Samsung Galaxy S5 versus the new HTC One, asked if cameras in tablets are a good idea, talked about how to find the best gadget deals online, sought advice on the best everyday cameras and wondered what’s up with these crazy luxury feature phones. Head on past the break and join the conversation in the Engadget forums.
S5 or M8?
Jaredhc is looking for a new Android phone. Two of the best Android phones out right now (or coming very soon) are the Samsung Galaxy S5 and the new HTC One. There are pros and cons to each one. Which would you choose?
Are cameras in tablets a good idea?
We’ve all seen people take photos with an iPad. Sure, it looks ridiculous, but it’s often practical, right? That’s what GF wants to know. Tell him how you feel about cameras on tablets in the Engadget Forums!
Best time to buy items online?
Brucedude is looking for some good deals and wants to know your tips and tricks for finding the best deals. There are the more well-known tools like camelcamelcamel. Are there other things that come to mind? Head over to the forums and help him out!
Favorite everyday camera?
Engadget Associate Editor Emily Price has her eye on the Fujifilm X100S. Do you have experience with the X100S? Can she throw it in a bag and carry it around all day or are there better options? Tell her your preferred camera for everyday use!
What’s up with luxury feature phones?
John Colucci takes a look at some recently announced luxury feature phones. Starting at $2,000 and offering fairly subpar specs, these devices leave a bit to be desired for your average smartphone user. Worst of all, you can’t even install the Engadget App on them! So, who would buy these devices? If you happen to be a Russian oligarch who reads Engadget (hey, that’s awesome), let us know what appeals to you about these phones.
That’s all this week! Do you want to talk about your favorite gadget or have a burning question about technology? Register for an Engadget account today, visit the Engadget forums and start a new discussion!
Premium Samsung Galaxy S5 rumors surface yet again
Despite Samsung’s insistence that it is not working on a premium Galaxy S5 experience, the rumors of said device aren’t going away. Details found on GFXBench indicate that the SM-G906S could be a variant of the flagship device. The difference, however, is that this model packs in twice the screen pixels and a different (2.5GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 805) processor.
At 5.2-inches, the 2560×1440 pixel screen would be the company’s first 2K display. It’s not a coincidence that this is the same resolution rumored for the premium Galaxy S5 (Project F, Samsung Galaxy F). For what it’s worth, we’ve also heard chatter that this device could employ a curved display.
Other specifications listed in the benchmark website show the phone as running Android 4.4.2 and featuring a 16-megapixel rear camera and front-facing 2-megapixel camera.
The model number very closely resembles that of the Galaxy S5 so we’re inclined to believe this is a twist on the standard model. We don’t see Samsung introducing a new line of products anytime soon.
The post Premium Samsung Galaxy S5 rumors surface yet again appeared first on AndroidGuys.
HTC One M8 False Benchmarks! Galaxy S5 has the Best Display! – ManDroid Quickie
Welcome my Android friends. Time to give you some of that precious Android news in a hurry. At least I hope it is in a hurry. Last week, I started doing this type of video just to relieve some of the burden of my double life as a workforce, 8-5 worker, and balancing the YouTube life. Trying to keep these videos quick, and today I achieve that…somewhat. HTC decided to play the false benchmark score game, which breaks my heart a little. The Galaxy S5 apparently has the best display, which I congratulate them for. Enjoy the show!
News Topics
HTC flase benchmarks
HTC and Samsung play same April Fool’s Day joke
Galaxy S5 has the best display according to DisplayMate
Nexus 10 coming soon
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DisplayMate says the Samsung Galaxy S5 has the ‘best performing smartphone display’
If you asked me what smartphone has the best display of them all, I probably wouldn’t be confident in giving you an objective suggestion. DisplayMate, experts in the display analysis business, on the other hand, has put together a very objective report which conclusively says that according to them, the Samsung Galaxy S5 has the ‘best performing smartphone display’ available.
Through all their tests, which saw the Galaxy S5 perform extremely favorably compared to its predecessor, the Galaxy S4, the Galaxy S5 broke records for multiple ‘best display’ categories including “Highest Brightness, Lowest Reflectance, Highest Color Accuracy, Infinite Contrast Ratio, Highest Contrast Rating in Ambient Light, and smallest Brightness Variation with Viewing Angle”. While there are no doubt a few more challengers that are yet to enter the ring, it’s fantastic for prospective Galaxy S5 owners to know that Samsung‘s OLED screen hasn’t missed a beat and has been improved on since the Galaxy S4.
If you want to check out the full and very comprehensive report, be sure to hit the source link below. What do you think about the suggestion that the Samsung Galaxy S5 has the best display out of all the available smartphones on the market now? Let us know what your opinion is in the comments.
Source: DisplayMate via SamMobile
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Samsung Galaxy S5 now available to pre-order in the UK
Do you like in the UK? Do you want the new Samsung Galaxy S5? Then great news, since all the UK carriers have now opened up the pre-ordering process for the new flagship handset.
EE, Three, Vodafone, O2, Phones4u, and Carphone Warehouse are all offering the Galaxy S5 on pre-order ranging from £32.99 per month all the way up to £47.99 per month, depending on the bundled minutes, texts, and data allowances.
The Samsung Galaxy S5 is set to be released on April 11th and will be available in Blue, Gold, Black, and White, although availability on the day of launch will undoubtedly vary depending on the colour model you want.
Will you be ordering your Galaxy S5?
The post Samsung Galaxy S5 now available to pre-order in the UK appeared first on AndroidGuys.
Samsung Galaxy S5 versus HTC One (M8)
The Galaxy S5 is the new crown of one of the leading smartphone brands in the world, Samsung. Samsung is currently shipping millions of units of the Galaxy S5, but it seems they might see a little bump in the sale because the all new HTC One is here. The new HTC One is better than its predecessor in a lot of things, and one of them is the improved design. Anyway, detailed comparison between the HTC One and Samsung Galaxy S5 is given below. Which phone is better for you? Read and decide.
General Hardware
Starting from the display, the screens on both phones are excellent. HTC One features a 5-inch 1080p display, and the S5 also have a 5.1 inch 1080p display. The pixel density on HTC One is higher than that of S5, but the main point is that you wouldn’t be disappointed with either display as they both are great. But now comes a point where Samsung always fail and HTC always win. If you are a person who’s priority is build quality, then the new HTC One is made for you. Its brushed metallic back and aluminum unibody design is something to die for. While on other hand, Samsung S5 gives a plasticy feel, which is in my opinion, a con. About the weight, the S5 is only weighs 145g, whereas the One weighs 160g; also the S5 is 8.1mm thick versus the HTC One M8′s 9.4mm.
Though the S5 seems to win in the battery category, we can’t hand it to it just yet. With HTC’s new “Extreme Battery Saving Mode”, HTC reported that the phone can have as much as two full weeks of standby time. We still need to test that out, but it seems as though HTC takes the cake on this one.
Camera
The camera is where this gets a bit tricky. Based solely off of specifications, the Galaxy S5 is the clear winner in this category with its 16MP rear-facing camera and 2MP front-facing camera. It has Phase Detection Auto-Focus, Real-Time HDR, and Selective Focus Mode. Sounds great, right? It may be, but HTC has something hiding up its sleeve when it comes to cameras. The One has a 4.1 UltraPixel rear-facer, complete with a depth sensor to complete the pair. It also totes a 5MP front-facing camera for exceptional selfies. The 4.1 UltraPixel camera may not jump out at you right away, but the depth sensor is what makes the pair. The second sensor is there to create a certain depth that just isn’t possible with a single lens. It gives you the ability to focus your shot after the photo is taken, and gives the photo a nice bouquet effect.
In all, if you need the best camera specifications, go with the S5. Though the One has some nice features and is a step up from last years model, we’d still give it to Samsung on this.
Software, user interface and unique features
Starting with the software, both devices are running on Android 4.4 KitKat, but over that, both devices have their own user interfaces. HTC One features the all new HTC Sense 6.0, which will allow you to personalize Blinkfeed and change the theme.
Perhaps the most exciting thing is the Motion Launch gestures. The phone can be switched on by double-tapping the screen, holding the phone in landscape mode or pressing the volume key opens the camera, and the motion controls which automatically detects when you pick up the phone. On the other hand, Samsung has almost always put motion gestures into the software of their Galaxy S line. Not to say they aren’t up to par, but it seems as though HTC put functional gestures into their newest handset, whereas Samsung put just about every gesture feature they could think up, no matter the functionality.
The S5 comes with Samsung’s TouchWiz user interface, and this one is the most recent version. They have slimmed down the interface a bit, getting rid of the cluttered UI that seemed to get so many complaints in the Galaxy S4. The Galaxy S5 has a heart rate monitor, which is great for people who care about fitness and working out. It also has a fingerprint scanner that allows you to unlock the phone, so security-wise, the S5 got the edge.
Each phone has upped their software experience from last years models. If you want feature upon feature, look for the GS5. But if you want a bit more subtle software experience, the One is for you.
Conclusion
Samsung Galaxy S5 is a great handset, with a great battery life and a strong processor under the hood. But we have to say that HTC One is not just yet another smartphone. It is a strong contender, and it will give a hard time to the likes of S5, Xperia Z2, and Nexus 5 owners. As I said above, if you are into design, the HTC One is for you, but if you are looking for something which is better in security, slim, and light in weight, then the Samsung Galaxy S5 is for you.
It’s all about your preference, because there are a lot of things to choose from. Some people like Samsung’s TouchWiz skin, while others are happy with HTC’s Sense UI. But I will say that at the end of the day, if you buy the Samsung Galaxy S5 or the new HTC One, you wouldn’t be disappointed.
The post Samsung Galaxy S5 versus HTC One (M8) appeared first on AndroidGuys.
Optus preorders for the Samsung Galaxy S5 also open at 9am, March 27th; Gear 2, Gear 2 Neo and Gear Fit availability Confirmed
Right after Vodafone announced its presale for Samsung’s new flagship, Optus has announced that Optus preorders for the Samsung Galaxy S5 in Australia will also go live at 9am March 27th. Depending on your preference, you can make your preorder online, in-store or via telesales once the preorder site goes live tomorrow morning. Preorders can be made until April 10th as the Galaxy S5 is expected to make its global launch date on April 11th.
If you get the Galaxy S5 on the Optus 60 MyPlan, you’ll be making an additional $16/month on top of the standard $60/month and includes 1.5GB. Compared to the Vodafone Red plan, the MyPlan does offer less data, however, Optus’ network coverage is definitely more far-reaching than Vodafone’s; I guess it’s a case of picking your poison. If you’re interested in putting your preorder in for a Optus Samsung Galaxy S5, be sure to visit their website at 9am sharp (link below):
Preorder the Optus Samsung Galaxy S5
Optus also says that the Samsung Gear 2, Gear 2 Neo and Gear Fit will also be available from Optus on april 11th; the Gear 2 will be going for $360, whereas the Gear 2 Neo and Gear Fit will be sold for $240.
Are you going to go with Optus to get your Samsung Galaxy S5? Let us know what you think in the comments below.
Press Release
OPTUS PRE-ORDERS LIFT-OFF FOR SAMSUNG GALAXY S5
26 March 2014, 9:00 pm
Optus welcomes the newest smartphone in the galaxy – the highly anticipated Samsung GALAXY S5, with pre-orders available online, in store or via telesales from 9am Thursday 27 March.
Landing in Optus stores from 11 April, GALAXY S5 customers can access all of the Optus network, from 3G up to 4G and 4G Plus, and will be able to enjoy more 4G services in the future as Optus 4G rolls out nationally.
From tomorrow until 10 April, customers can enjoy a pre-order offer on the Optus $60 My Plan with $16 monthly handset repayments. Optus’ $60 My Plan now comes with an extra 500MB of data, giving customers a total of 1.5GB mobile internet data, 600 minutes of standard talk and unlimited standard SMS and MMS (Minimum Total Cost is $1824 over 24 months, cost of 1MB included data $0.0130), all for use within Australia.
Samsung GALAXY S5 on Optus My Plan
My Plan Price per month over 24 months Monthly Handset Repayment Minutes Per Month Minimum Total Cost over 24 months Data Per Month Other Benefits $35 My Plan $26 200 mins $1,464 200 MB Unlimited standard national SMS/MMS $50 My Plan $21 450 mins $1,704 500 MB Unlimited standard national SMS/MMS $60 My Plan $16 600 mins $1,824 1.5 GB Unlimited standard national SMS/MMS $80 My Plan $11 800 mins $2,184 2 GB Unlimited standard national SMS/MMS $100 My Plan $7 Unlimited $2,568 3 GB Unlimited standard national SMS/MMS The GALAXY S5 is dust and water resistant*, equipped with a 16MP camera, fast quad core processor, 5.1” Super AMOLED touchscreen display and ultra-power saving battery life. Optus is ranging the charcoal black and shimmery white colours, with electric blue and copper gold coming soon.
Customers eager to get their hands on the GALAXY S5 can visit in store, call telesales, or pre-order online from 9am tomorrow at www.optus.com.au/gs5.
Gear up with the latest wearable tech
Hitting Optus stores from 11 April, Aussies can strap on the Gear Fit, Gear 2 or Gear 2 Neo wearable technology to get even more out of their compatible Samsung GALAXY smartphone.
Samsung’s Gear Fit, Gear 2 and Gear 2 Neo perform as a watch and come with an in-built heart rate monitor so customers can keep track of their fitness while on the go.
Which gear should you drive?
Gear Fit Gear 2 Gear 2 Neo Get notifications of email, text, apps and incoming calls.Light and durable with a curved Super AMOLED display. Make and answer calls, get email, text and alert notifications.Take photos and short videos.Metallic body combined with a 1.63” Super AMOLED screen. Get incoming calls, email, text and alert notifications.Metallic body combined with a 1.63” Super AMOLED screen. Optus customers can purchase the Gear Fit and Gear 2 Neo for $240 outright or for $10 a month when added to their contract, while the Gear 2 is $360 outright or $15 per month on contract.
For more information or to test run the Samsung Gears visit your local Optus store from 11 April. Compatibility and availability of Gears may vary by region.
Optus Mobile Fair Go Policy applies. 4G and 4G Plus coverage is available in selected areas, check coverage at www.optus.com.au/4Gcoverage.
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Vodafone Australia presale for the Samsung Galaxy S5 starts at 9am, March 27th, comes with bonus double Data
If you live in Australia and you’ve been eagerly awaiting more news of when the Samsung Galaxy S5 is going to become available, you’re in luck. Vodafone Australia has today announced that the presale for the Samsung Galaxy S5 is going to begin at 9am on March 27th and can be purchased either online, in a physical retail store or over the phone.
As an added incentive to choose Vodafone as your service provider, Vodafone is extending its Double Data promotion to the Galaxy S5. Getting the Galaxy S5 on Voda’s $60/month plan on a 2 year contract will double the data from the standard 1.5GB to 3GB; this offer also extends to all plans over $60/month. While presales begin tomorrow, this Double Data offer for the Galaxy S5 will run till July 1st, which still gives you plenty of time if you’re on the fence. Of course, as with all Vodafone Red plans, for $5 extra, you can also use your calls, text and data in 46 other countries. If you’re wanting to take advantage of the deal, or want to be ready to jump on the presale, you’ll want to be at the Vodafone page for Galaxy S5 at 9am sharp (link below):
Vodafone page for Samsung Galaxy S5 presale
Vodafone is also going to be carrying all four of the available colours for the Galaxy s5. Not a bad deal to get one of the most hotly anticipated phones this year, and the Double Data bonus is a nice treat. What do you think about the deal; will you be signing with Vodafone to get the Samsung Galaxy S5? Let us know what your opinion is in the comments.
Press Release
Vodafone doubles data for new Samsung GALAXY S5
Presale starts tomorrow: 9am 27 March 2014
Vodafone has announced Samsung’s new flagship device, the GALAXY S5, will be available to customers on $60 a month plans with 3GB included data, which is double the usual 1.5GB.
The GALAXY S5 can be ordered online, in Vodafone stores and over the phone from 9am 27 March 2014. The device is available in Vodafone stores fromApril 11, ranging from $0 upfront on a $100 per month Red 12- or 24-month plan to $14 per month on a $60 24-month plan.
Vodafone will range the 16GB Samsung GALAXY S5 to its customers in all four colours: Electric Blue, Copper Gold, Shimmer White and Charcoal Black.
Vodafone’s General Manager of Devices, Katie Turkal, said: “We’ve had an overwhelming response from customers since pre-registration for the GALAXY S5 went live, with thousands of customers signing up.”
“We’re confident customers will be delighted with the generous data inclusions we’re able to offer with our Red plans and a special $60 per month GS5 offer. We’re offering way more data bang for your buck than most of our competitors.”
Ms Turkal said its current Double Data offer, is already proving incredibly popular for heavy data users, available on all GS5 plans $60 and above.
“Feedback from customers on social media is that they simply can’t believe you can get 10GB data per month for just $100. With our Vodafone Red plans you also get the added bonus of being able to take your plan overseas with you for $5 extra a day, and Aussie customer service.”
Katie Turkal says: “We’ve built our mobile plans around the internet because we know our customers will want to let loose playing with all the new features on the GS5, like the larger and brighter full HD super AMOLED screen and faster processor. It’s a beautiful device and we want our customers to be able to fully enjoy all things online.”
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[OP-ED] The 3,686,400 Pixel Question: Is a 2K Display Really Necessary On a Mobile Device in March 2014?
Image courtesy of ExtremeTech
A lot has been made about the ‘new standard’ in mobile technology, the 2K display resolution. Most manufacturers who have announced, or will announce, their new flagships are selling the 2K resolution like it is the next frontier, and maybe it is. But how much difference is there in having a 2K resolution on your mobile device; do you get any tangible benefits from having it? That’s what we’re here to discuss today, and hopefully you’ll be able to make your own decision about it once we’re done.
First of all, some background. The 2K display name comes from the fact that the resolution is over 2000 pixels wide (2560 to be exact). The full resolution, 2560×1440, is also twice the height of ‘conventional’ HD screens; the height of a 2K display is 1440 pixels high whereas HD measures exactly half at 720 pixels. This is why you will occasionally hear a 2K display referred to as ‘Quad HD’ i.e. able to fit four HD screens into one Quad HD screen.
Image courtesy of Cult of Android
The first phones to boast having 2K displays were the <insert phones>. While these phones can be blamed for instigating this whole ordeal, the ‘arms race’ mentality of the smartphone industry is much more deep-seeded. Manufacturers strive to out-do each other, even if the benefits to the consumer are diminishing; who doesn’t love bigger numbers, right?
So in the case of 2K displays, what exactly are the considerations that we need to take into account, and how does it affect the phone itself?
First and foremost, many Android users will place extra importance on performance figures. In the last few months, we’ve had unconfirmed benchmarks of devices that have, or will, come in two variants (Samsung Galaxy S5 and Oppo Find 7). Interesting, in both cases, it was suggested that the ‘lesser’ model, which had a 1080p display, would either perform at, or above, the level of the ‘premium’ model with the 2K display.
The most likely explanation for this phenomenon is likely the increased power consumption and CPU usage required to run the bigger screen resolution. You may argue tooth and nail that these results are unconfirmed or from prototype testing and therefore not final, however the logic of this hypothesis is sound, as well as the fact a similar occurred when screen resolutions jumped from 720p to 1080p about a year ago. This isn’t to say that 2K displays cause bad performance; it is more the fact that we do not have processors which give us enough of a processing advantage to offset the additional load that a 2K display brings with it.
A flow-on effect of the increased power consumption due to the 2K display is of course decreased battery life; even disregarding high performance scenarios, the 2K display is going to demand more power than a 1080p display simply by virtue of the increased number of pixels to be output. This will occur even in everyday use; many of you will know that Android device displays are far and away the biggest consumer of battery power.
Moving away from objective facts for a bit, we can also consider the actual perceivable detail ‘improvement’ in having a 2K display. For a reference comparison, TVs we saw at CES 2014 have only just made 4K resolution mainstream. While the resolution comparison between mobile and TV isn’t perfect, it’s pretty obvious that TVs are far larger than mobile devices, yet why do we need such a huge number of pixels (3,686,400 to be exact) in the same area as our palm?
For a more scientific comparison, a 65-inch 4K TV will have 68 pixels-per-inch (ppi), the most common measurement of detail. Furthermore, Apple refers to its Retina display as a device that has around 326ppi, hotly contested as the most detail an eye can perceive. The new Oppo Find 7 variant which has a 2K display, will have 538ppi on its 5.5-inch screen, and even the Find 7a is going to have pretty impressive 441ppi.
With this in mind, nobody is going to say that a 4K TV is a bit blurry, and (Apple prejudice aside) nobody is going to disagree that the iPhone screen is one of the best on the smartphone market right now. Sure, a 2K display is going to look desperately good, but is it going to look that much better than a 1080p display? And even if this were true, can we really legitimize the additional pixel real estate if the only other tangible effects are going to be increases in power and battery consumption?
The case for tablets is a bit better than that for mobile devices; tablets are designed with large enough batteries to support larger display resolutions, and while battery life would still take a hit due to a possible 2K display, the effect wouldn’t be as profound as on a mobile device. Indeed, the Samsung Galaxy Note Pro carries a 12.2-inch 2560×1600 resolution display, which is basically the gold standard for tablet resolutions, big and small, and it doesn’t look like anybody is going to venture much further than that any time soon. So why are manufacturers insisting on pushing mobile device displays to 2K resolution?
We’ve covered quite a few arguments here, but probably the biggest take home message here is this: this is only the situation for 2K displays in March 2014 (and possibly the very near future). 2K displays are only just become available, so it’s natural that pairing them with yesteryear’s technology is going to result in some teething issues. Even with slightly upgraded processors and slightly bigger batteries, we’re only going to be seeing minute improvements in the areas that matter to us, if that.
As such, it’s very difficult to recommend a mobile device with a 2K display right now; despite it’s obvious marketing and technical brilliance, it really has no tangible advantages for you and me as consumers, and arguably never will.
What do you think about 2K displays? Do you have any additional considerations to add to the discussion? Feel free to add to the discussion by commenting below.
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[Download] Get all the Samsung Galaxy S5 wallpapers here Now
With the global release of the Samsung Galaxy S5 still a few weeks ago, it appears that a full system dump of the S5′s software has been made available online, allowing clever boffins everywhere to dismantle it and harvest all the best apps and things of interest. One of the things that has draw a lot of attention since its announcement are the Samsung Galaxy S5 wallpapers (of which we featured two here and here). Well, thanks to the system dump, we now have access to eight of the wallpapers to be included on the device. Check them out below:
While you can never judge a book by its cover, these wallpapers are very nice looking and no doubt will make any device feel a little spiffier. That is, unless you’re actually going to get the S5. The S5 is expected to launch on April 11, though we have been hearing various rumours that preparations for its global launch have been hampered by its complex camera assembly and a huge fire that hit one of its contracted factories. Whether the S5 actually launches globally in April, at least you’ll have these wallpapers to keep you company.
What do you think of these wallpapers? Love them, or hate them? Let us know what you think in the comments.
Source: Google+
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AIVAnet 