Galaxy S6 Edge+ Impressions (from a Galaxy user)
After what seemed like a never ending stream of leaks, Samsung finally unveiled the Galaxy S6 Edge+ at its London event last week. For the past few months, we’ve expected Samsung to unveil two new devices and while it did so at its New York global event, the London event only saw the launch of the Galaxy S6 Edge+.
As a Galaxy S6 Edge user (who has also used every Galaxy S and Note flagship released in the UK), does Samsung’s latest big-screen device hit the mark?
Design
There’s no doubt that the Galaxy S6 Edge is one of the sexiest smartphones ever released and the S6 Edge+ brings the same sex appeal in a larger body. Despite the larger size, the handset definitely looks as good as the original and if you need a big device, it will definitely appeal.
The biggest issue, however, is that the Galaxy S6 Edge+ is certainly a large device. Compared to the Galaxy Note 4 (which was just manageable), the S6 Edge+ is taller but narrower and a lot thinner and although the slimmer profile is welcome, the handset does feel a tad too tall in the hand. The curved back does make0 the handset a lot easier to use but make no mistake about it, the Galaxy S6 Edge+ is a BIG phone.
The extra mm in height is definitely apparent and despite having big hands, I found the handset just a little too big. Like most devices however, I’m sure it’s something that would be manageable and appreciated given extensive time with the phablet.
Display
The Galaxy S6 Edge+ also stood out for me as the display seems to be better than the S6 Edge, despite the drop in density (from 571 pixels per inch to 518). One potential reason for this could be down to the human eye, which stops being able to discern individual pixels once density exceeds 350ppi. Based on this, the less density in the Galaxy S6 Edge+ appears to be in its favour and even with the lower density, it’s still one of the densest displays on the market.
The curved edges of the Galaxy S6 Edge+ don’t curve as much as they did on the Galaxy Note Edge and are identical to the display on the Galaxy S6 Edge. The curves certainly look impressive but the handset does distort images in the same way, meaning movies and photos are likely to distort as well. Not a major problem and one that you’ll eventually grow to ignore but worth keeping in mind anyway.
Hardware
A lot of the hardware in the Galaxy S6 Edge+ is very similar to the Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge, which again is not exactly a bad decision. Samsung’s Galaxy S flagships were certainly some of the fastest and slickest ever released by Samsung and the Galaxy S6 Edge+ is likely to continue this, especially as Samsung have upped the internal RAM.
The 4GB RAM on the Galaxy S6 Edge+ certainly appeared to make the handset a lot snappier than the Galaxy S6 Edge but performance is something that changes with use and we’ll definitely put it through its paces in our upcoming review. Personally, I can’t see any issues when you’ve got 4GB RAM under the hood and I’d be surprised if performance deteriorated much.
Galaxy S6 Edge battery life review – 28 days later
The other big change in the Galaxy S6 Edge+ is the battery; like the first Edge device, the battery is non-removable but has been upgraded to 3000mAh capacity. As far as Samsung’s flagship phablets go, this battery is definitely on the slimmer side and it remains to be seen whether the battery can actually last a full day.
Software
One change that is definitely apparent when you use the Galaxy S6 Edge+ is that Samsung has updated TouchWiz with new, sharper icons that definitely look more premium. Other than that small change, not much has changed with TouchWiz in general but there have been some additions and a few tweaks.
One of the biggest improvements is the addition of app shortcuts to the Edge Screen. You can now add shortcuts to five favourite apps and according to a Samsung demonstrator at the launch event, this should save you a tap or two. As he put it:
“Imagine being in Facebook and wanting to check something on WhatsApp. Now you can load up the Edge screen and open it, without needing to exit out to the home screen.”
Having used the Galaxy S6 Edge, the addition of apps to the Edge Screen is certainly a welcome improvement but whether it’s enough, remains to be seen. I will say that it is nice to see Samsung improving the features of the Edge and it will be interesting to see how Samsung improves it further going forward.
The Galaxy S6 Edge+ also sees Samsung appeal to music and media lovers alike, with the introduction of a new easy broadcast option letting you share to YouTube directly from the camera and hi-res audio ensuring music has never been clearer. Personally, the former option does appeal and seemed to be very good in the demo and the audio, while not something for me, definitely sounds good and should appeal to many.
Conclusion
If it isn’t broken, don’t fix it
The saying that seems to have inspired the Galaxy S6 Edge+ is “if it isn’t broken, don’t fix it” and for the most part, Samsung’s decision to keep the Edge design is unsurprising. As a Galaxy S6 Edge user, the larger device does appeal to me but the dual curves are less ergonomically-friendly compared to the smaller device.
The Galaxy S6 Edge was so unique it had a certain appeal but the S6 Edge+ is no longer new and Samsung’s smartphone is less than an iterative upgrade. It is curved for the big-screen market and designed purely in mind for those who liked the Galaxy S6 Edge but found it too small for their needs.
Should you buy the Galaxy S6 Edge+?
Should you buy the Galaxy S6 Edge+? If you already have the Galaxy S6 Edge, then certainly not unless the extra screen space is absolutely essential and you don’t mind the larger size. However, if you’re looking for a capable smartphone that’s feature-packed and think the Edge Screen will be useful for your needs, the Galaxy S6 Edge+ is certainly one to consider.
Of course, this is just a preliminary look at Samsung’s latest curved phablet and we’ll bring a much more in-depth analysis of it in the full review. What do you think of the Galaxy S6 Edge+? Will you buy it? Let us know your views in the comments below guys!
Android operating system brought to Samsung Gear S thanks to XDA developer and CyanogenMod
Samsung might not have been the very first smartwatch manufacturer, but they definitely have been one of the most adamant companies in pushing the appeal of a wrist-borne computer. Additionally, one could easily argue that they also produce the most beautiful of all the smartwatches: the curved Gear S. Also, arguably, the Gear S has one of the biggest flaws of all the smartwatches out on the market: Tizen.
Until XDA developer biktor_gj stepped up and brought Android to the Gear S via CyanogenMod 12.1. And what was Biktor’s opening comment upon success? “Hey GearS! Welcome to the Android family!”
Biktor went on to say:
Almost nothing works, just boots, touchscreen, battery level as far as I’ve seen. But doesn’t it look spectacular? Oh, and it goes damn fast! I don’t know if it’s because it’s empty, half baked or what but it needed about 4 seconds to do all that “Upgrading apps X of 70″, so this CPU can do A LOT more of what it does with Tizen.
Using CyanogenMod 12.1 and popular custom recovery tool TWRP, Biktor rooted and replaced the Tizen operating system with that of Android 5.1.1 Lollipop. At the moment, Biktor is only able to bring this advancement to GSM smartwatches that have an unlocked bootloader, so if you have yours with AT&T, you’re out of luck for now.
Stay tuned to his developer thread and see what he brings to the table over the coming weeks!
Now remember, if you don’t know what you’re doing when playing around in the guts of your smart devices, don’t do it. Doing stuff like this voids your warranty and you could end up turning your expensive gadget into a glorified paperweight (a.k.a. “bricking”). XDA developers and Talk Android accept no responsibility in such matters.
Source: XDA-Developer forums via Sammobile
Come comment on this article: Android operating system brought to Samsung Gear S thanks to XDA developer and CyanogenMod
Samsung imagines Earth-wide internet through 4,600 satellites
Facebook, Google and SpaceX aren’t the only big names envisioning a world blanketed with satellite-based internet access. Samsung has published research proposing Earth-wide internet through a cloud of roughly 4,600 micro satellites. The vehicles would switch between multiple radio frequency bands to deliver over a terabyte per second each, and a total capacity of 1 zettabyte (1 billion terabytes) per month — enough to handle the world’s estimated mobile data traffic in 2028. The RF technology would be relatively inexpensive, so the concept isn’t too outlandish.
Don’t get your hopes up for getting online in remote jungles any time soon. This is a proposal, not a firm roadmap. It’s not clear that Samsung is even working on these satellites in the first place, let alone that they’ll be ready within the next decade or so. The tech giant would have to overcome its decreasing profits and find room for its satellites in the very crowded space around the planet. Samsung does have an incentive to either get the ball rolling or work with with others on its vision, though. Ubiquitous internet access expands the potential audience for its gadgets — connecting the Earth is a nice side benefit.
[Image credit: Getty]
Filed under:
Networking, Science, Internet, Samsung
Via:
ExtremeTech
Source:
ArXiv.org (PDF)
Tags: internet, samsung, satellite, science, space
Samsung set to release yet another range of Galaxy devices
Samsung are set to release yet another range of Galaxy devices to compliment their Galaxy A, Galaxy S, Galaxy E, and Galaxy J series that already exist on the market.
According to a recent report, Samsung is working on two new smartphones called the SM-G550 and the SM-G600, both of which will be released under the Galaxy O series. The SM-G550 will most likely be named the Galaxy O5, with the SM-G600 going by the name Galaxy O7, according to the source. However, any further details past the naming of the devices are unknown.
What is important to discuss is the introduction of yet another series of Samsung phones, and instead of trying to consolidate their devices, the company seem to be trying to use every letter of the alphabet. With 6 series of Samsung smartphones, when is enough enough?
The post Samsung set to release yet another range of Galaxy devices appeared first on AndroidGuys.
M.I.A.: the Galaxy Tab Edge and Samsung Unpacked 2015
Samsung Unpacked was arguably out in the open and exposed weeks ago, given the tidal wave of leaks that had proliferated. One unknown factor however, was the mysterious “third silhouette” that appeared in the company’s main promotional image. The device looked to be curved, and given its proportion in comparison to the other two, it led to the logical conclusion that Samsung would unveil a Galaxy Tab Edge, or even a Galaxy Note Edge tablet.
M.I.A.: What happened to the mysterious “third silhouette” at the bottom?
Samsung has been all about patents in recent months and years, especially those related to foldable displays and products. Still, reports had indicated for months that there would be no follow-up to last year’s Galaxy Note Edge. Given the relatively poor sales performance of the darling device, this makes sense from a financial point of view: the costs, manufacturing, marketing and such all add up to a pretty penny for a doubtable dud.
And yet. There was that Unpacked image, and there was the simple fact that the Galaxy Tab S2, announced roughly a month ago, simply isn’t a flagship product by any means of the word. The tablet brings very little to the table and even manages to get its proverbial clock cleaned by several 2014-era devices, including the Galaxy Note 4 with which it shares the same SoC. The performance issues, coupled with the plastic rear and deliberate removal of several components (rear-LED flash, an IR port, vibration for the Wi-Fi model, even NFC) give rise to the idea that the use of “S” in the product’s moniker is arguably deceptive branding; the finished product is by no means on-par with the halo smartphone series by any means. (For more details, see our initial impressions here).
It’s a reach: the Galaxy Tab S2 uses the “S” branding, and yet…
Naturally, the idea of a Galaxy Tab Edge, or Galaxy Note Edge Tab as it might have been, would have provided all the power needed for a halo tablet. In addition, it would have given Samsung an unrivaled competitive advantage against every other tablet in the market: the Galaxy S6 Edge outperformed its sibling when it came to sales seemingly for no reason other than the “coolness” factor, and by that account there is no reason to suggest a Tab Edge wouldn’t have done the same as well. To put it another way: when deciding between a mid-range type tablet like the Tab S2 and a premium, curved product like a Tab Edge, it’s safe to assume a fair number of shoppers would go with the latter.
Beyond that, the Galaxy Tab Edge could have helped further the SDK research for applications and content specifically designed for the new curved display. Currently developers can only work with the S6 Edge and now S6 Edge+, however a tablet would have allowed for a larger canvas to make use of.
The logic of reality
The idea of the Galaxy Tabe Edge is so appealing because it would be nice to see a truly premium Samsung tablet, something Samsung has arguably never delivered. As far back as the original Galaxy Tab and its $600+ retail, the OEM has always been about charging more for what essentially amounts to less. In considering the Galaxy Tab series as a whole, it has been plagued with criticism in regards to the poor build quality, plastic construction, and low-resolution screens – despite commanding large price tags.
The Galaxy Tab 2: not exactly top-tier.
In more recent times, Samsung has raised the bar a little with the Tab PRO line, which brought a QHD display, but still lacked in other key areas such as design with its use of plastic. And then there’s the Samsung Galaxy Tab S, probably the closest thing to a true premium, flagship-level tablet, though it was largely seen as a top tier product in no small part as a result of the snazzy AMOLED screen and in many ways still failed to push things to the next level.
Bottom-line, the tablet market has seen plenty of more aggressively priced devices push the envelope further, including the Asus ZenPad S with its great specs and even more impressive price tag. If Samsung doesn’t want to lead in pricing, producing a unique Edge tablet would at least give us a premium option worthy of a higher price tag.
The logic of rumors
Despite argument for why there should be a Galaxy Tab Edge, it also needs to be addressed why there currently isn’t one. For starters, regardless of what we might feel about the Galaxy Tab S2 and its specs, Samsung did just announce and release a brand new tablet, and to suddenly make light of an even newer one would certainly cannibalize sales of the “old” one.
Additionally, there is also the consideration that the original mysterious image reported on might have been a mistake entirely. As it came from Samsung Philippines, perhaps it was just an unused teaser. Or perhaps Samsung does have the device on the dashboard but simply wanted to save it for a later date.
Regardless of what truth may be out there, it’s important to remember that Samsung itself is not “guilty” of anything. No official product was announced or even shown, and thus any speculation or expectation based on anticipatory judgment needs to be dosed with the same prescription of skepticism administered earlier.
How long must we wait?
Given that there seems to be little hope of a Galaxy Tab Edge releasing this year, the unfortunate question then becomes, when, if at all? The condition is exacerbated by the idea that Samsung has released a sub-par Galaxy Tab S2 which eschews all traces of the Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge, including the glass back. Likewise, the company’s clear new focus on bendable displays (read: the Galaxy S6 Edge+) would logically suggest an expansion into the tablet market, all the more plausible given that no one (save for LG) could even begin to compete with it at the moment.
With the Berlin-based IFA taking place in a matter of weeks, there is a possibility that the Tab Edge might be unveiled then, as Samsung would ideally benefit from the presence of a second device, as opposed to just the Gear S2. What do you think, would you be interested in a premium Edge tablet or not? Let us know in the comments.
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Here are 6 high resolution stock wallpapers from the Samsung Galaxy Note 5
Samsung just recently announced the new Galaxy Note 5, though it’s not quite available to the general public yet. That shouldn’t stop you from adding some Note 5 flair to your current mobile device, though.
Thanks to a certain XDA forum member who managed to get their hands on a Korean unit, you can now download six high resolution stock wallpapers from the Galaxy Note 5. These aren’t the only new wallpapers that will come pre-loaded on the device, but this is certainly a good start. Take a look below to see the wallpapers that are available:
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See also: Download the 26 wallpapers that are pre-loaded on the OnePlus 2
For even more cool wallpapers, head over to the dedicated section on our forums, which includes wallpaper packs from most major devices.
These wallpapers are in typical Samsung fashion, sporting curves, super bright colors and smooth textures that should help breathe some new life into your current mobile device. If you’d like to download all six new wallpapers, feel free to head to the MEGA link attached below to download a .rar file containing all of the wallpapers.
And for more information on the Galaxy Note 5, check out our hands-on and first impressions post, comparisons with the Note 4 and iPhone 6 Plus, and a look at the new device vs the competition.
Samsung Mongoose benchmark leak reveals huge step forward for processor
Although the high-end smartphone market may be cooling a bit around the globe, that does not mean manufacturers of smartphones and their components are slowing down their efforts to produce parts on the leading edge and ahead of the pack. For Samsung’s processor business, this means working on a successor to their Exynos 7420 processor. Reports indicate the codename for the project is Mongoose and a new leak of some benchmark results shows Samsung is ready to unload with this new chip.
The new Geekbench results show the new Mongoose processor will operate in three modes – regular, power-saving and super power-saving. Samsung is working to have the chip step down its speed in an effort to save battery power. At the regular setting, the Mongoose chip is slated to run at 2.4 GHz.
Even though Mongoose is only rumored to be a quad-core chip, the Geekbench results are definitely noteworthy. On the multi-core test, the processor racked up 7,497 points compared to the Exynos 7420’s 4,970 ponits. Even in power-saving mode where the chip scored 5,263 points the Mongoose outperforms the current generation Exynos processor. Only in super power-saving mode, where the Geekbench score dipped to 3,489, does the Mongoose fail to match the Exynos.
The big question is whether Samsung will be able to maintain these performance levels once the chip goes into production, which is expected to take place in the latter half of 2016. Even if Samsung does have to throttle things back some for stability purposes and to make sure it is suitable for a consumer device, the potential looks promising.
What features or uses of a smartphone do you think could benefit from a big jump in processor performance?
Come comment on this article: Samsung Mongoose benchmark leak reveals huge step forward for processor
Samsung shows off how Android M will impact their devices
Samsung seems pretty excited for the release of Android M. As they should be. Android M is adding a slew of new features that will improve just about every flagship device in some way. Samsung has created an info-graphic, which describes exactly what Android M will do for their various devices.
Unsurprisingly, although Android M will bring native microSD support, Samsung has left this little tidbit off of their info-graphic. Although reports and pictures have come through showing off a microSD card slot for the International version of the Galaxy Note 5, it seems that will be the only device with that support. This leaves the rest of Samsung’s arsenal of new devices without any expandable storage, instead, opting for the Apple route of making users pay if they need/want more internal storage.
Regardless of that, it’s pretty nice to see Samsung make something like this to show off how Android M will affect their devices going forward. Would you like to see more manufacturers doing this kind of thing. Sound off in the comments below.
Source: Sam-Mobile
The post Samsung shows off how Android M will impact their devices appeared first on AndroidGuys.
Dual-SIM Galaxy Note 5 up for pre-order, no microSD slot after all
Samsung’s Galaxy Note 5 has -perhaps unsurprisingly- become something of a polarizing product. On the one hand, it has all the hallmarks of the Galaxy S6, though on the other hand it has all the hallmarks of the Galaxy S6. More specifically, the device makes use of the same premium glass-aluminum frame-glass sandwich build, yet forgoes any option to swap the battery or expand the memory with microSD. Perhaps taking things a step further, the Note 5 also has deleted the IR blaster, somewhat of a curious omission given that Samsung has been so eager to include it in past products.
Rumors had been swirling around that the Duos (Dual SIM) version of the Galaxy Note 5 would include support for microSD, and reached somewhat of a fever-pitch this past weekend when a site mistakenly confused the Galaxy A8 with the Note 5 Duos. Unfortunately there is now proof undeniable that no version of the Note 5 will include expandable storage. Take a look:
This picture comes from Taiwanese website ePrice who has obtained (and reviewed) the Duos version. As the above picture clearly shows, the single SIM tray is home to two card slots, neither of which do double duty for microSD. The final nail, so to speak, has now been put in the coffin and hopefully this should put an end to the rumors stating otherwise.
As things stand now, the only “hope” for the missing support would come about if Samsung released a Galaxy Note 5 Neo, though such likely wouldn’t happen until next year. The Neo devices are typically modified versions of the core installments whose name they retain. The Galaxy Note 3 Neo for example, was essentially a Galaxy Note 2 in a Note 3-type design and with minor hardware edits.
The storage issue aside, one source is already reporting that the Galaxy Note 5 Duos is now up for pre-order in the Philippines, where it comes with “free gifts”, likely a wireless charging cradle or free download software, but perhaps something else entirely.
Are any of our readers intending to buy the Dual SIM version of the Galaxy Note 5? Were any of you holding out your hopes for the inclusion of microSD? Let us know your thoughts and reactions in the comment section below!
Samsung’s latest wireless headphones promise better-than-CD quality
Wireless headphones and flawless audio quality don’t usually mix (you’re usually compressing the sound signal to send it over the air), but Samsung thinks it can give this blend a shot. Its newly introduced Level On Wireless Pro headphones include “Ultra High Quality Audio” that supposedly delivers higher-than-CD fidelity whether or not you’re plugged in. That seems promising on the surface, but you may have a hard time hearing the difference unless you’re a music producer or otherwise meet some specific conditions. You’ll need a device that supports UHQA (such as the Galaxy Note 5 or Galaxy S6 Edge+), and you’ll need to shop at a service like Pono’s to get the right source material. These might sound no better than other headphones in typical conditions, even if you listen to lossless music from the likes of Tidal — that’s merely matching CD quality, not exceeding it.
Otherwise, you’re looking at much of the same experience that you’d get with the garden variety Level On Wireless. That means active noise cancelling, touch-sensitive controls and a “prestigious” design with extra-comfortable cushions — the only sacrifice is a dip in battery life from 11 hours to 10 when you’re using both Bluetooth and noise reduction. Samsung hasn’t said when the Pro model ships or how much it’ll cost, but it’s likely to carry a premium over the $250 of the regular cord-free version.
Filed under:
Home Entertainment, Peripherals, HD, Samsung
Source:
Samsung Tomorrow
Tags: audio, hdpostcross, headphones, levelon, levelonwirelesspro, samsung
AIVAnet 