Gear VR just got the best game about disarming bombs you’ll ever play
Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes. It sounds like a threat, but it’s really the title of (and the instructions for) one of the best dang cooperative video games I’ve ever played. It’s a virtual reality thriller: two players must work together to defuse a bomb–one wears a VR headset and handles the explosive, the other rifles through a convoluted manual in search of defusal instructions. Neither player can see what the other sees. It’s intense, hilarious and completely unique in every way–and now it’s available for Gear VR.
The game hits the Gear VR store today for $9.99, but folks who wandered the GDC 2015 showfloor back in March might have seen it at Alt.Ctrl.GDC’s alternative gaming arcade — a unique showcase of games that defy traditional controller and gameplay conventions. Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes embodies the spirit the gallery perfectly: not only does it simulate the absurdity of the b-movie over-the-phone bomb disarming scene (cut the red wire! No! The green wire!), but it also redefines cooperative gameplay and leverages the inherent isolation of virtual reality gaming to create a new type of video game.
Now you can plan it at home — and if you have a Gear VR and a friend (you don’t need a gamepad, while it will work with one, it’s been adjusted to use the Gear VR’s built-in touchpad too), you really should. Check out the game’s official launch announcement at the source link below.
Source: Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes
Samsung Pay trial launches for select Galaxy S6 owners in Korea
Samsung is gearing up to launch its new mobile payment system, Samsung Pay. In preparation for its full worldwide rollout, Samsung has just launched a trial for select Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge owners in Korea.
Samsung announced the mobile payment system alongside its two flagship devices back in February at Mobile World Congress, and the company has since been testing out the service to iron out bugs before the big launch date. Samsung Pay was first slated to make its way to consumers in July, but rumors began circulating that the payment method has been delayed until sometime in September when the next Galaxy Note device(s) launch. Releasing the service to the masses alongside the next Note makes sense, but we might not actually have to wait until September to get our hands on it. Recent rumors have suggested that the Galaxy Note 5 will be unveiled mid-August, so there’s a possibility we could see it then.
Don’t miss: Samsung Galaxy Note 5 rumor roundup
As a refresher, in February Samsung officially acquired mobile payment startup LoopPay, which takes advantage of card readers with magnetic secure transmission (MST). Samsung built LoopPay’s features into Samsung Pay, which allows the payment service to be compatible with both NFC payment terminals and legacy terminals.
As of now, details are scarce as to when we can expect the service to launch. We’ll let you know once we get some more information.
Report: Apple and Samsung in talks to adopt e-SIM technology
The Financial Times reports that Samsung and Apple are both in talks with the GSMA, the mobile telecom telecom industry association, to begin employing electronic SIM cards in their mobile devices. Electronic SIMs (or e-SIMs) differ from their physical predecessors in that they don’t lock users into a specific carrier network and would allow them to switch any device between an network instantly. So, remember how when the iPhone debuted, it was only available on AT&T? That won’t happen with e-SIMs — any phone, tablet or network-enabled gadget will work with any carrier that supports the technology. Apple itself actually tried its own take on e-SIMS with the last generation of iPads, though only T-Mobile and AT&T supported that feature.
But while the association is confident that a “common architecture” will eventually be adopted by the entire industry, we’re still at least a year away from actually seeing a device with these cards. “With the majority of operators on board,” Anne Bouverot, chief executive of the GSMA, told Financial Times. “The plan is to finalise the technical architecture that will be used in the development of an end-to-end remote SIM solution for consumer devices, with delivery anticipated by 2016.”
[Image Credit: Janitors/Flickr]
Filed under: Cellphones, Tablets, Wireless, Networking, Apple, Samsung
Source: Financial Times
Samsung begins testing Samsung Pay in Korea
Samsung’s Apple Pay competitor is almost ready for primetime — but first, it’s going through a bit of testing. The company announced that it’s begun a Samsung Pay trial for select owners of the Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Plus in Korea. To refresh, Samsung Pay is the company’s spin on mobile payments, and while it packs in NFC, it also takes advantage of Samsung’s acquisition of LoopPay for “magnetic secure transmission.” That allows you to hold your Samsung phone next to any magnetic card stripe reader to make a payment. Apple Pay and other mobile payments offerings rely on NFC, which isn’t as widely supported at most retailers. There’s no word when Samsung Pay will officially launch (Samsung says “it won’t be long”), but rumors point it landing alongside the Galaxy Note 5 in August.
Filed under: Misc, Mobile, Samsung
Source: Samsung
Samsung’s future could rest on a single vote
Samsung Electronics might be one of the world’s largest technology companies and the largest Korean company by market cap but the manufacturer is facing a lot of struggles. Despite revamping its product line with the Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge – and also with the upcoming Note 5 and S6 Edge Plus – the handset maker is still facing a troubled year with poor sales that have many questioning whether its strategy is indeed the best way forward.
As if these challenges weren’t enough, the company is also going through a transition from the Group’s President, Lee Kun-hee, to his son, Lee Jae-yong. The elder Lee was the man who spearheaded Samsung’s rise from a bit-part player in the mobile industry to the world’s top device manufacturer but suffered a heart attack last year, which rendered him unable to fulfil his duties.
The younger Lee seems set to take the reigns at Samsung but his future will depend on the outcome of the shareholder vote being held tomorrow and with just a day to go, the votes are too close to call.
A transitional period
The shareholder vote is on the proposed merger of Cheil Industries and Samsung C&T (Construction and Trading), which is being opposed by US hedge fund Elliott Associates. How does the vote determine the future of Samsung? Well it’s simple (it’s actually not simple as Samsung’s company structure is ridiculously complicated but we’ll do our best to keep it simple):
Samsung Electronics may be the largest and most important company in the Samsung Group family but it is joined by around 80 other companies across a span of industries including finance, construction, semiconductors and life insurance.
The biggest issue is that while the Lee family owns small direct stakes in each of the companies, its real power is derived from the cross-ownership structure of the Group; each company in the Samsung family owns stakes in other Samsung companies meaning Lee’s true power is derived from the ability to use this leverage to influence the strategy and decision-making of the entire Group.
As noted by TechCrunch, Cheil Industries owns 19.3% of Samsung Life insurance and Life owns 7.2% of Samsung Electronics. As a result of the proposed merger of Cheil Industries and Samsung C&T, the Lee family would gain leverage over Samsung Electronics thanks to the newly-combined company’s partial ownership of Samsung Life and thus Samsung Electronics.
Korean Law is a double-edged sword
Korean Law also plays a big part in this rather confusing ownership structure as – unlike other countries – it dictates that a company cannot set the price of its merger and instead it is calculated using the price of its stock and a formula.
This particular securities law plays a big part in the Samsung merger and shareholder vote as Samsung C&T has been trading well below its true value – which would be a lot higher in other markets considering its partial ownership of Samsung Electronics – allowing Cheil to purchase it at a heavily discounted price.
The Korean securities law may have presented the opportunity for Lee Jae-yong to gain additional leverage through the merger but Korean inheritance laws are also a big reason the merger is happening.
While the elder Lee owns large stakes throughout the Samsung Group, the younger Lee faces billions of dollars in inheritance taxes when he does take control of his father’s stake. As a result, his ownership is likely to shrink considerably and he’s aiming to keep his leverage in the Group through this (and possibly other) mergers.
The vote and the future of Samsung
So where does this complex structure leave us? With the Lee family (and affiliates) needing the merger to go through to ensure that, regardless of the shrunken size of the family’s stake after taxes, they still have enough leverage to affect Samsung’s future.
Samsung in video:
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According to analysis from the Wall Street Journal, the Lee family (and associates) hold about 31% of the votes (all in favour of the merger) while around 9.5% of votes are currently against the merger. The rest of the votes are in the hands of ordinary investors and while Korea is called the Republic of Samsung as Koreans have a lot of pride in the success of the business, the manufacturer has faced a lot of criticism in its homeland.
The vote is just hours away and could play a large part in determining the future of Samsung Electronics while also having a marked effect on the mobile industry in general. As the world’s largest manufacturer and one of the world’s leading technology companies, Samsung’s actions can have a knock on effect on other OEMs and should Lee fail to push through the merger, it’s possible that this may lead to Samsung Electronics being usurped on the global stage.
Samsung Galaxy Note 5 and Galaxy S6 Edge Plus visit the FCC
Bolstering claims that Samsung will release two new top-tier devices in August, variants of the Samsung Galaxy Note 5 and the Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge Plus have both appeared in the FCC database. This is a good sign that the devices are very close to being ready to hit the market and the appearance in July hints that their release will be before Samsung’s traditional September launch date. The latest indications are that Samsung will announce the devices on August 12th and sales will commence on August 21st.
According to the FCC database, the Verizon version of the Galaxy Note 5 gets model number SM-920V while the AT&T version is model number SM-N920A, both coming with support for the carriers’ LTE bands. Two other devices listed as the SM-G928V and SM-G928A are believed to be the Galaxy S6 Edge Plus for Verizon and AT&T respectively.
Versions for Sprint and T-Mobile will likely show up in the very near future.
source: SamMobile
Come comment on this article: Samsung Galaxy Note 5 and Galaxy S6 Edge Plus visit the FCC
Samsung Galaxy Note 5, S6 Edge+ pass through the FCC, Verizon and AT&T variants in-tow
Suggested render of what the Galaxy Note 5 may look like.
As the clock ticks down to the rumored August 12th launch of the Galaxy Note 5 and Galaxy S6 Edge+, a premium pair of phablets to be sure, what was once a tiny trickle of leaks is now a full-blown stream. Today’s offerings come directly from the FCC itself, which has apparently certified both devices for release in the United States in AT&T and Verizon variations.
Verizon: The Galaxy Note 5 (SM-N920V) and Galaxy S6 Edge+ (SM-G928V) are compatible with the carrier’s LTE bands: 13, 4, and 2.
AT&T: The Galaxy Note 5 (SM-N920A) and Galaxy S6 Edge+ (SM-G928A) are compatible with LTE bands 17, 4, and 2. The Note 5 also has support for Band 12 which is going to be added to the carrier’s LTE coverage spectrum this September.
We would expect to see other carrier variants pass through the FCC in the next few days, presumably with support for their respective LTE bands. The fact that the FCC has already tested and certified two of the US variants further supports the August launch scenario as devices typically are being prepped for immediate release, with this procedure being one of the last major steps on the path to the customer’s hands and heart.
Suggested render of what the Galaxy S6 Edge+ might look like.
While the Galaxy S6 Edge+ is expected to be, more or less, a larger version of the Galaxy S6 Edge, it will have some minor hardware differences, such as the inclusion of a Snapdragon 808 SoC instead of the Exynos-variant that powered the standard model. (It is currently unclear as to if the device will formally spell-out the word “Plus” or if it will use the symbol “+” perhaps more in line with Samsung’s recent logo redesign strategy.) The Galaxy Note 5, on the other hand, has been the subject of much discussion as of late following reports it will make use of a glass back thereby forgoing a user-replaceable battery, and sans any microSD support.
The pair of devices, expected to be announced simultaneously (possibly with the Samsung Gear A smartwatch), are said to be launching earlier than in previous years due to Samsung’s intent on avoiding a direct confrontation with Apple’s upcoming smartphones, presumably to be called the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus, with rumors suggesting an iPhone 6C might also be present.
For a look at everything we currently know about the Galaxy Note 5, please check here. For the Galaxy S6 Edge+, please check here instead.
See what the Samsung Galaxy Note 5 will look like next to the Galaxy S6 Edge Plus and Galaxy S6
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If you’ve ever wondered what the Samsung Galaxy Note 5 will look like next to the Galaxy S6 Edge Plus and Galaxy S6, this is probably going to be your best look before the devices are actually released. Thanks to the 3D renders that have been trickling out, it looks like someone has been hard at work getting Samsung‘s latest devices in the same frame to compare their sizes and designs. Based on what we know, the Galaxy Note 5 and Galaxy S6 Edge Plus should be around the same size i.e. phablet size, which is exactly what these renders show us – check them out below:
As you can see, the Galaxy S6 Edge Plus looks exactly like a bigger Galaxy S6 Edge with almost no changes to the design at all. The Galaxy Note 5 on the other hand almost looks like the Edge Plus back to front with dual curves on the back of the device which should no doubt help the feel of the device in your hands. With this in mind, you can probably consider the Galaxy S6 Edge a loose Galaxy Note Edge successor – the only obvious omission is the S-Pen which only the Galaxy Note 5 will be touting this year.
What do you think about how the devices look next to each other? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
Source: NWE via Phone Arena
The post See what the Samsung Galaxy Note 5 will look like next to the Galaxy S6 Edge Plus and Galaxy S6 appeared first on AndroidSPIN.
Samsung rolls out Lollipop OTA for the Galaxy S6 Edge in Iran, Ireland, Indonesia, Morocco, Saudi Arabia and Thailand
Samsung is now rolling out the long-awaited Lollipop update to all factory unlocked variants of the Galaxy S6 Edge located in Iran, Ireland, Indonesia, Morocco, Saudi Arabia and Thailand. As far as added functionality goes, this upgrade transports the latest build of the Android operating system to the handset, in addition to a truckload of bug fixes and stability improvements.
Hit the break for the full changelog.
- OS Upgrade – Lollipop 5.1.1
- Security Enhancements
- Improved User Interface
- Stability Improvements
- Further Improvements to Performance
- Enhanced Features
As usual, the upgrade is being rolled out in stages, but if you don’t feel like waiting for a notification confirming that it’s ready for your device to hit your unit, you could always search for the update manually.
To do so follow the steps below:
- Open the “Settings” app
- Tap on “About Device”
- Hit “System Updates”
- Select “Check for updates”
Come comment on this article: Samsung rolls out Lollipop OTA for the Galaxy S6 Edge in Iran, Ireland, Indonesia, Morocco, Saudi Arabia and Thailand
Samsung Galaxy J5 and J7 heading to India for Rs. 11,999 and Rs. 14,999
Last month, Samsung launched its new mid-range, camera focused Galaxy J5 and Galaxy J7 in China and the smartphones are now on their way to India too.
The smartphones are built from Samsung’s familiar design language, but the new selling feature is a 5MP front facing camera with an LED flash and 120-degree wide-angle lens, designed especially for the selfie lovers. While that might not sound overly impressive on its own, the price tags of just Rs. 11,999 ($290) and Rs. 14,999 ($255) make the two quite competitive.
The Galaxy J5 is the cheaper of the two and it comes with a 5-inch HD (720p) display, 1.2GHz quad-core Snapdragon 410 processor, 1.5GB of RAM, 16GB on internal memory, microSD card slot and a 13 megapixel rear camera. There’s also 4G LTE Dual SIM support, a 2,600mAh battery and Android 5.1 Lollipop on board.
The J7 features the majority of the same specifications, but comes with a larger 5.5-inch display with the same 720p resolution, an upgraded octa-core Snapdragon 615 processor, and a bigger 3,000mAh battery.
If the low price tag isn’t compelling enough, the two phones also come with Rs. 3200 worth of in-app purchase credit from Gameloft, Double data for Airtel customers on 4G for 6 months and offers on Airtel’s Wynk music for Rs. 594.
Flipkart will be selling the handsets exclusively come July 23rd, but pre-booking starts at 4PM today. The Galaxy J5 and Galaxy J7 are available in Black, White and Gold color options.
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