Front facing flash is the name of the game with the Samsung Galaxy J5 and Galaxy J7
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I’m not huge on selfies, but if I were, I’d probably be pretty annoyed that taking selfies at night with my phone’s front camera is such a chore. Thankfully, there are more an more smartphones being released with front facing flashes, the latest of which are the Samsung Galaxy J5 and Galaxy J7. There’s definitely a Galaxy Note 2 vibe to both devices, though the primary difference between the devices is screen size – the Galaxy J5 has a 5-inch display whereas the Galaxy J7 has a 5.5-inch display.
Obviously, the main event is the front facing flash, so there’s not much else groundbreaking about the device – a Snapdragon 410 and 2,600mAh battery for the Galaxy J5 and a Snapdragon 615 and 3,000mAh battery for the Galaxy J7 puts it squarely in the mid-range bracket and pricing of about $225 USD and $289 USD, respectively, cements it. If you’re wanting the device, Samsung has only announced the devices in China so far, but presumably could bring the devices westward at some point.
Would you be interested in the Samsung Galaxy J5 and Galaxy J7 with a front facing flash? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
Source: Samsung (1), (2) via SamMobile
The post Front facing flash is the name of the game with the Samsung Galaxy J5 and Galaxy J7 appeared first on AndroidSPIN.
Best Android phones for taking gorgeous photos [June 2015]
As much as we tell ourselves that smartphone cameras aren’t suitable for professional photography, manufacturers seem to be adamant on proving that wrong every year. Manufacturers up the ante with their smartphone cameras, bringing professional grade quality to your fingertips.
HTC Desire EYE
This one gets an honorable mention in our list for packing an insanely large 13MP camera on the front. The back is also accompanied by the same sensor, but with some added software customization. If you’re one for selfies, the Desire EYE has to be an instant choice given the kind of hardware on offer. It also has LED flash paired with both the rear and front-facing cameras, so you can take selfies even in a dimly lit room.
Samsung Galaxy Note 4
It’s no secret that the Galaxy Note 4 from Samsung is an excellent multi-featured device as the company has covered all its bases with this 2014 device. There’s a beautiful Quad HD AMOLED display, plenty of storage and the gorgeous 16-megapixel camera sensor on the back which can take incredible pictures and video.
Samsung has used a dedicated optical image stabilization sensor on the smartphone to provide better images even when you’re slightly rushed. Ultimately, the Galaxy Note 4 is an incredible handset and is well worth a look if you want a high-end phone with a camera to rival the best in the market.
Samsung Galaxy S6, Galaxy S6 Edge
Currently rated as the best smartphone(s) camera in the world, the Galaxy S6 and the Galaxy S6 Edge offers the best experience as far as mobile cameras are concerned.
The exposure level and the autofocus speed have been praised by the experts, which are some of the most crucial aspects of a mobile camera as most of the images are taken in a hurry. Low light images on the handset are very capable too.
Video quality of the handset has received significant praise as well, so the cameras on the Galaxy S6 and the Galaxy S6 Edge have scored very good points overall.
LG G4
This might be a bit of a surprise inclusion for many, but from what we’ve seen, the 16-megapixel camera on the LG G4 trumps the competition by a fair margin. In our camera shootout with the Galaxy S6, it was revealed that the sensor on the G4 allows for more manual controls, with the ability to take RAW images by default available as well.
The larger sensor allows for more light to make its way in the images, which is always a good thing, especially in a low light setting. With an aperture size of f/1.8, it is the best mobile camera sensor (at least one paper) to have launched to date.
What do you make of this list? Let us know in the comments.
Come comment on this article: Best Android phones for taking gorgeous photos [June 2015]
Best cheap Android tablets (June 2015)
While high-end devices are generally the stars of the Android world, there is a growing emphasis on quality on a budget, and that’s very visible in the tablet arena.
From companies that are willing to sacrifice profits for the sake of market share, to established players looking to improve their game in the mid-range, several companies have brought to market affordable Android tablets that are actually worth buying. Unfortunately, for every great cheap Android tablet, there are tons of poorly made, clunky, and underpowered slates out there, which can make buying tablets on a budget a pain. We’re here to help.
No budget limitations? See The best Android tablets money can buy
If you’re looking for a good budget-friendly gift for a loved one, or just want to treat yourself, check out our list of best affordable Android tablets. Let’s get started!
Update, June 2015: Joining the Nexus 7 (2013) and the Asus MemoPad 8 on our list, are some new devices like the 10-inch Lenovo Tab 2 A10, as well as tablets that have received significant price cut that put them in the range of $200 or below, including the Galaxy Tab Pro 8.4.
Nexus 7 (2013)
Despite being almost two years old, the Nexus 7 (2013) is still one of the best tablets you can buy, and with newer tablets making their way to consumers, the already attractive price tag of the Nexus 7 (2013) is bound to get even better.
The Nexus 7 (2013)’s quad-core Snapdragon S4 Pro processor, clocked at 1.5 GHz, and backed by the Adreno 320 GPU and 2GB of RAM is still more than capable of handling all but the most processor-intensive activities. Its display resolution is still the highest you can get in this size category, and most importantly, you get a great software experience, helped along by the guarantee of timely updates, including Android 5.0 Lollipop. This is why the Nexus 7 (2013) opens our list of best cheap Android tablets.
Specs
- 7-inch LCD IPS display with 1920 x 1200 resolution (323ppi)
- 1.5GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro processor
- Adreno 320 GPU
- 2GB RAM
- 16/32GB storage
- 5 MP rear camera, 1.2 MP front-facing camera
- 200 x 114 x 8.7 mm, 290 grams
- 3,950 mAh
- Android 5.0 Lollipop
Read more
- Nexus 7 (2013) review
- Best Nexus 7 (2013) cases
- Best Nexus 7 (2013) accessories
- Common Nexus 7 (2013) problems and how to fix them
Asus MeMO Pad 8
Asus refreshed the affordable Android tablet it first launched last year, bringing to the new MeMO Pad 8 improved specifications and a better overall performance. The new MeMO Pad 8 combines a 8-inch IPS LCD screen with a quad-core Intel Atom Z3745 processor running at 1.33 GHz and 1GB of RAM. A thin and light design makes this tablet very portable, and a ton of extra goodies worth around $270 makes this a good choice for budget buyers.
Specs
- 8-inch IPS LCD display with 1200 x 800 resolution (189 ppi)
- 1.33 GHz quad-core Intel Atom Z3745 processor
- 1 GB RAM
- 16 GB internal storage, expandable
- 5 MP rear camera, 2 MP front-facing camera
- 211.7 x 124.9 x 8.3 mm, 320 grams
- 3,040 mAh battery
- Android 4.4.2 KitKat
Samsung Galaxy Tab Pro 8.4
While the Galaxy Tab Pro 8.4 is priced slightly above $200, it’s a difficult device to ignore, given all that it offers for only a slightly higher price tag compared to the other devices on this list of cheap Android tablets. With its very high resolution display, making it a fantastic media-consumption companion, and a processing package that powered flagship devices only a short time ago, the Galaxy Tab Pro 8.4 is more than impressive when you consider its price point.
Samsung is known for packing their devices to the hilt with software features, and that is also available here for those that are looking for it. Samsung has refreshed their mid-range tablet portfolio since the release of this device, but the Galaxy Tab Pro 8.4 remains one of the best choices of the lot, and not only because of its comparatively cheaper price point.
Specs
- 8.4-inch Super Clear LCD display with 2560 x 1600 resolution (359 ppi)
- 2.3 GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 processor
- Adreno 330 GPU
- 2 GB RAM
- 16/32 GB storage, expandable via microSD up to 64 GB
- 8 MP rear camera, 2 MP front-facing camera
- 219 x 128.5 x 7.2 mm, 331 grams
- 4,800 mAh
- Android 4.4 Kitkat (upgrade to Android 5.0 Lollipop arriving in Q3 2015)
Read more
- Samsung Galaxy Tab PRO 8.4 Review
- Best Samsung Galaxy Tab Pro 8.4 Cases
- Quick look: Samsung Galaxy TabPRO 8.4 vs Nexus 7 (2013)
Dell Venue 8
The already budget-friendly Dell Venue 8 saw a significant price cut following the release of its successor, making this one of the cheapest Android tablets currently available. Powered by an Intel processor that is backed by 1 GB of RAM, the specifications of this tablet may not be as impressive as some of the others on this list, but it is still quite a capable performer, with a display resolution that is great for watching videos or gaming. Of course, it is hard to overlook its unbeatable sub-$130 price point, making it a great choice for those on a budget.
Specs
- 8-inch display with a 1920 x 1200 resolution (283 ppi)
- 2.1 GHz dual-core Intel Z3480 processor
- 1 GB RAM
- 16 GB storage, expandable via microSD by up to 64 GB
- 5 MP rear camera, 1.2 MP front-facing camera
- 130 x 216 x 8.95 mm
- 4,550 mAh battery
- Android 4.4 KitKat
LG G Pad 8 (LGV480)
Following the success of the LG G Pad 8.3, LG added three new devices to their G Pad tablet line last year, featuring three different display sizes. Falling in the middle of the pack was the LG G Pad 8.0, with its 8-inch display big enough to enjoy gaming and video watching, without being too unwieldy. On the specifications front, the device may not feature a display with a particularly high resolution, but the Snapdragon 400 processor has proven itself to be a very reliable processing package.
This is also one of the few budget-friendly tablets to receive an upgrade to Android 5.0 Lollipop, making for a very compelling package overall.
Specs
- 8-inch IPS LCD display with 1280 x 800 resolution (189 ppi)
- 1.2 GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 processor
- Adreno 305 GPU
- 1 GB RAM
- 16 GB storage, expandable via microSD by up to 64 GB
- 5 MP rear camera, 1.3 MP front-facing camera
- 4,200 mAh battery
- 210.8 x 124.2 x 9.9 mm, 342 grams
- Android 5.0 Lollipop
Acer Iconia Tab 8
The Acer Iconia Tab 8 is another great option for those looking for a low-cost tablet that offers solid specifications and performance. The device also comes with a premium design and build quality that goes beyond what its price point suggests, a high resolution display, and dual rear speakers that allow for a good audio experience, along with a large battery and the promise of an impressive battery life. Overall, the Acer Iconia Tab 8 is certainly one of the best options when it comes to cheap Android tablets.
Specs
- 8-inch IPS LCD display with a 1920 x 1200 resolution (283 ppi)
- 1.33 GHz quad-core Intel Atom Z3745 processor (1.86 GHz Turbo)
- Intel Gen 7 (Ivy Bridge) GPU
- 2 GB RAM
- 16/32 GB storage, expandable via microSD up to 64 GB
- 5 MP rear camera, 2 MP front-facing camera
- 4,600 mAh battery
- 215 x 130 x 8.5 mm, 360 grams
- Android 4.4.2 KitKat
Amazon Kindle Fire HDX 7
The Kindle Fire HDX was another fantastic addition to the popular tablet line from Amazon, offering features and specifications that allow for solid performance and a high resolution display and dual Dolby Digital speakers that makes it a great media-consumption companion. While the software iteration is far removed from the traditional Android experience, this take on Android is ideal to take advantage of the Amazon ecosystem and everything it entails, including games, books, movies, and more. If you’re in the market for a low-cost Android tablet, the Kindle Fire HDX is a great choice for you.
Specs
- 7-inch IPS LCD display with a 1920 x 1200 resolution (323 ppi)
- 2.2 GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 processor
- Adreno 330 GPU
- 2 GB RAM
- 16/32/64 GB storage
- 1.3 MP front-facing camera
- battery allows for battery life up to 11 hours
- 186 x 128 x 9 mm, 303 grams
- Fire OS 4
Read more
- Amazon Kindle Fire HDX 7 review
- 9 common problems with the Kindle Fire HD and how to fix them
- Amazon’s new Kindle Fire HDX tablets official: specs, features, pricing and availability
Lenovo Tab 2 A10
The Lenovo Tab 2 A10 has a lot going for it when compared to the rest of the devices on this list. For starters, this is the only device to be released in 2015, introduced back at MWC this year, while being the only 10-inch tablet in this roundup as well. This is also the first tablets to feature Dolby ATMOS 3D Cinema audio enhancements, which aims to make your audio experience much clearer, while taking advantage of the beautiful, large Full HD display. Performance is impressively smooth, and while mobile photography isn’t a key feature when it comes to tablets, this device does offer a solid camera experience. If you’re looking for a large-screen tablet experience on a budget, look no further than the Lenovo Tab 2 A10.
Specs
- 10.1-inch IPS LCD display with a 1920 x 1200 resolution (218 ppi)
- 1.7 GHz quad-core MediaTek MT8165 processor
- 2 GB RAM
- 16 GB storage, expandable via microSD up to 64 GB
- 8 MP rear camera, 5 MP front-facing camera
- 7,000 mAh battery
- 247 x 171 x 8.9 mm, 509 grams
- Android 4.4 Kitkat (planned upgrade to Android 5.0 Lollipop at the end of June)
Read more
- Lenovo announces the Tab 2 A10 and Tab 2 A8 tablets at MWC 2015
- Lenovo Tab 2 A10 hands-on and first impressions
And there you have it – our list of the nicest affordable tablets on the market right now! We’ll be keeping this post updated, so be sure to check back. You can’t really go wrong with any of the tablets listed above. Let us know what you think are the best cheap Android tablets!
Samsung Galaxy J5 and J7 are now official, front-facing flashes in tow
Samsung has just quietly launched two new mid-range smartphones, the Galaxy J5 and Galaxy J7, in China. Both handsets are now available for purchase from Samsung’s website and will be aimed at the younger crowd. Other than sporting the familiar Samsung design language, these two devices have another trick up their sleeves – both feature a front-facing 5MP camera along with an LED flash, also on the front of the device. Now that the selfie craze is in full force, this feature will likely bring a lot of younger users on board.
Aside from that, both devices have a 13MP rear-facing camera with an f/1.9 aperture lens, 1.5GB of RAM, 16GB of on-board storage, a MicroSD card slot, LTE and dual SIM capabilities. Both also run Android 5.1 Lollipop and are available in Black, White and Gold color options. As the name suggests, the J7 is a tad more powerful than the J5, offering up an octa-core Snapdragon 615 processor, a 5.5-inch display with a resolution of 1280 x 720, and a big 3000mAh battery.
The J5 on the other hand comes with a 5.0-inch 720p display, a 1.2 GHz quad-core Snapdragon 410 processor, and a smaller 2600mAh battery.
The J7 is now available in China for 1,798 CNY (~$289) and the J5 costs 1,398 CNY (~$225). We’re not sure if either phone will be available in markets outside of China, though we’ll let you know if we hear anything.
Cricket starts its summer sale with hot discounts on the Moto E and more
Cricket Wireless has just started its summer sale. From now until July 19, the telecommunications provider is offering some hot deals on devices like the Moto E, Samsung’s Galaxy Grand Prime, and more.
Motorola’s Moto E (2nd Gen) will run you $79.99, while the Galaxy Grand Prime will cost $129.99. Other devices Cricket is putting up for sale include the HTC Desire 510, the ZTE Grand X Max+, the ZTE Grand X, the ZTE Overture 2, and the ZTE Prelude 2. They cost $29.99, $169.99, $99.99, $49.99, and $0.99, respectively.
If you’re looking to pick up a cheap device for the summer, Cricket is definitely an option to look at, especially with how affordable its data plans are, starting at $40/month.
Anyone picking up a device from Cricket? Sound off in the comments.
source: Cricket Wireless
Come comment on this article: Cricket starts its summer sale with hot discounts on the Moto E and more
Samsung’s Galaxy J5 and J7 with front-facing LED now official
Samsung has officially revealed its new line-up of the Galaxy smartphones in China, with, for the first time, a front-facing LED flash to brighten up those selfies in low-light conditions. The smartphones’ specs were previously leaked through the Chinese certification authority TENNA and their UI was revealed through Samsung’s user manuals. The two devices will be available starting this week in China, however no information was provided about their international launch.
The J5 and J7 feature a 5MP wide-angle front-facing camera with a single front-facing LED flash. The back camera has a 13MP sensor with an aperture of f/1.9. Other specs that the two smartphones have in common include 1.5GB of RAM, 16GB of internal storage, a microSD card slot, dual-SIM card slot, and LTE connectivity. Both the J5 and J7 run Android 5.1 Lollipop out of the box with a similar UI as the one found on the Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge. The devices are a direct response to HTC’s Desire EYE, Sony Xperia C4, and the Asus ZenFone Selfie which all have high res front-facing camera with front-facing flash.
The J5 features a 5-inch HD display, a 64-bit quad-core Snapdragon 410 processor, a 2600 mAh battery, and is priced at 1,398 CNY (~$225).
The J7 features a slightly spacious 5.5-inch HD display, with a snapper 64-bit octa-core Snapdragon 615 processor, and a larger 3000 mAh battery, priced at 1,798 CNY (~$289).
The J5 and J7 are mid-range smartphones aimed at younger customers (“selfie generation”) , looking to take high quality selfies no matter the lighting conditions.
Via: SamMobile
Come comment on this article: Samsung’s Galaxy J5 and J7 with front-facing LED now official
Galaxy J5 and Galaxy J7 now official
After witnessing a lot of leaks in the past few weeks, the Samsung Galaxy J5 and Samsung Galaxy J7 have been officially announced for China. Samsung aims to market these handsets to younger users.
The main factor about Galaxy J5 and Galaxy J7 is that it’s the first phone from Samsung to include a front-facing camera with an LED flash. Dubbed as the selfie phones, both of them possess a 5MP front-facing wide angle cameras. The common features include 1.5GB RAM, 16GB on-board storage with microSD support, 13 MP rear camera with f/1.9 aperture and dual SIM capabilities with LTE.
The Galaxy J5 is powered by a Snapdragon 410 1.2 GHz quad-core processor, offering a 5-inch 720p HD display and fueled by a 2600 mAh battery. The Galaxy J7 being more powerful, sports a Snapdragon 615 octa-core processor and a bigger 5.5-inch 720p HD display. It also features a larger 3000 mAh battery.
The Galaxy J5 and Galaxy J7 both run on Android 5.1 Lollipop and will be available in three colors (white, gold and black) when it goes on sale in China this week. The Galaxy J5 will retail for 1,398 CNY (around $225) while the J7 will be sold for 1,798 CNY (around $289).
Currently, there is no news about the release of these handsets in other markets. Let us know if the Galaxy J5 and the Galaxy J7 appeal to you, down in the comments section.
The post Galaxy J5 and Galaxy J7 now official appeared first on AndroidGuys.
VR stock photos are coming to Oculus Rift
If virtual reality takes off like its backers hope, it’ll create a whole new market for panoramic content — 2D photos and video aren’t going to cut it. That’s why Getty has just launched 360° View for the Oculus Platform to offer an “engaging virtual reality experience of enchanting creative stills.” Rather than smiling people doing ridiculous things, Getty said it’s new library is about “transporting viewers to… the world’s glitziest events, sports’ major games and exotic locations around the world.” Images now available in the Oculus Store include scenes from the Cannes Film Festival and 2014 World Cup.
Once you load up the scenes, you’ll be able to pan and scan them in any direction. Getty didn’t specify exactly which tech it’s using to create the 360 degree images, but said it’s been doing it since 2012. Judging by the photo above, it looks like it’s projecting spherical scenes made up from multiple photos onto a single flat image. When the image is loaded into special VR software on a headset like the Rift, the user can view the scene from any angle and even zoom in.
Getty’s not the only company working on panoramic images, of course. Facebook has promised 360 degree videos for its Oculus platform, and third-party players like NextVR are also creating high-end video content. Samsung has also stocked its own store with 360 degree videos from various sources for the Gear VR headset. In fact, Getty’s 360° View service is now online and working with the Gear VR, and the stock photo outfit said it would also run on the Oculus Rift once it arrives for consumers early next year.
[Image credit: Getty Images]
Filed under: Wearables
Source: Getty Images
Rumour: Samsung to release the Galaxy Note 5 in August to avoid competing with new iPhone?
It’s the season for Galaxy Note 5 rumours, and along with this year’s handset sporting auto-ejecting S Pens, dual edges as well as a bigger display, we have rumours about the launch date of Samsung’s premier phablet. While the Samsung President, Jong-Kyun Shin, denied that the launch of the Note 5 would be brought forward to July, he never mentioned August, did he?
You can probably guess where today’s rumour is going. Basically, a news report out of Asia has said that the Note 5 will be brought forward to August in an attempt by Samsung to get to market before Apple releases its inevitable iPhone 6S/6S Plus smartphones. This has come about because Samsung is apparently in talks with Taiwanese carriers, allegedly to release the Note 5 in Taiwan earlier than usual in order to offset the impact of the iPhone launch.
The previously denied rumour intimated that the Note would be announced in July, this rumour says August. To be honest, it would be a shock if Samsung was to change the tradition of announcing the new edition of its Note range at the IFA in Berlin in September. A fair question would be, does the Note range have anything to fear from the iPhone?
Do you think that the Note 5 will eschew tradition and be announced earlier in August? I’m pretty sure we’ve seen this sort of rumour almost every time a new Samsung flagship is on the horizon, that it must be launched early or the iPhone 109S Super Plus will steal all of its sales. I would take a huge pinch, nay, a bag of salt with this rumour. I believe Samsung will stick with tradition and announce the new Note handset at the same time and place it does every year, the IFA in Berlin in September. But, I wouldn’t complain if it was released earlier than usual, would you?
Come comment on this article: Rumour: Samsung to release the Galaxy Note 5 in August to avoid competing with new iPhone?
Samsung announces a fix for wide-reaching Galaxy keyboard exploit
Samsung is finally responding to a major security bug that affects the keyboards on its Galaxy smartphones and tablets. The security firm NowSecure revealed the exploit earlier this week, which gives hackers the ability to execute code on Samsung’s mobile devices. Today, Samsung announced that it’s issuing a fix to its mobile security policies over the next few days. The company also stressed that it didn’t think the exploit wasn’t much of a threat, since it required a hacker being on an unsecured network with your phone. Also, the company’s Knox security software offers kernel protection to prevent malicious code from running. Still, this isn’t the sort of exploit any company can ignore, especially when a research firm has already detailed exactly how it works.
Samsung says most of its users have Knox enabled by default and will get a prompt to apply a new security policy automatically. The company is also working on issuing an expedited firmware update to protect devices that don’t have Knox enabled already.
You can make sure your phone is ready to receive the security update by following Samsung’s instructions below:
Go to Settings > Lock Screen and Security > Other Security Settings > Security policy updates, and make sure the Automatic Updates option is activated. At the same screen, the user may also click Check for updates to manually retrieve any new security policy updates.
So what happened? NowSecure noted Samsung’s implementation of SwiftKey’s predictive keyboard left a major opening for an exploit. The firm also made it clear the issue doesn’t affect SwiftKey’s standalone apps — it was entirely Samsung’s fault, since it gave SwiftKey’s keyboard privileged user status on all of its devices.
Even worse, TechCrunch notes that Samsung was warned about the exploit months ago by NowSecure. At the time, it told the security firm that a fix was already sent to carriers. But after NowSecure discovered Galaxy S6 phones from Verizon and Sprint were still vulnerable, it decided to announce the vulnerability at a hacker conference, forcing Samsung to respond.
Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, Samsung
Source: Samsung
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