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Posts tagged ‘Samsung’

4
May

Lost luggage might be a thing of the past thanks to Samsung and Samsonite


Samsung_Samsonite_Smart_Luggage

Unless you have never traveled in your life, you have experienced what it feels like getting off a long flight only to find out that your luggage decided to travel to a different spot. We have smartphones, smartwatches, smart TVs, and now it’s time for smart luggage.

Samsung and Samsonite are partnering to do just that. They are fitting suitcases with microchips that can not only be located via the airlines, but also with your smartphone. Usually when you realize your bag is lost, you immediate report it, but the agent rarely knows where it is at the time. They end up putting a trace on it, and eventually it makes it way to your destination.

With this new technology, the rep will know exactly where it is. Moving beyond that, smart luggage has other perks. Since it communicates with your smartphone, you will be alerted if you ever stray too far away from any of your carry on bags. Then there is the dreaded wait at the luggage carousel. Everyone waits and stares at the same bags as they wonder when theirs will come out. You will now know exactly when yours will hit the belt. You will even know when it has exited the aircraft. So if it is lost, you will know right away.

There is one hitch to all of this and that is that if you are connecting with a different airline that does not use the service, you might not be able to benefit from all the features. Right now Samsonite is working with Emirates, Lufthansa and KLM Air France. One of the benefits of airline participation is a streamlined check-in process. Your bag will already be programmed on where it needs to go by the time you drive up to the curb.

Now if location tracking isn’t enough, how about if you never have to carry or pull your bags? They are testing a motor that would move with you around the airport. However size is an issue since the current prototypes have motors that take up one third of the space of the bag. You don’t want to have to leave your underwear at home so it might be worth waiting a couple of years until the technology is tweaked a little.

source: Daily Mail
via: Engadget

Come comment on this article: Lost luggage might be a thing of the past thanks to Samsung and Samsonite

4
May

Looks like Lollipop for the Note 2 isn’t happening


Samsung_Galaxy_Note_02_TA

Chalk this up as sad news this morning but it looks like the Note 2 won’t be getting Lollipop. Despite news that the Note 2 made the official list for the update in Finland in December of last year, it looks like we won’t be seeing an official update for the second-generation Note phablet.

Note2Tweet

If the Samsung Gulf Facebook page has anything to say about the global availability of the update, it’s not happening. As such, the Note 2 phablet will officially remain on Android 4.4.2. It could very well be that the update will be quite region dependent, if it’s available at all, but given that Samsung has only just begun to put together Android 5.1, it could be Samsung is only focusing on the most current of devices. Even so, it could very well be that Note 2 users dodged a bullet here given the buggy nature of Lollipop 5.0.X.

That said, if you’re wanting to get a taste of Lollipop on your second-gen Note phablet, it looks like you’re going to have to do so in an unofficial capacity.

source: GSM Arena

Come comment on this article: Looks like Lollipop for the Note 2 isn’t happening

4
May

Comments by Samsung Gulf suggest Samsung Galaxy Note 2 won’t be getting Android Lollipop




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There have been rumours that have suggested that the Samsung Galaxy Note 2, by now a two-and-a-half year old device, would be getting Android Lollipop. Maybe it was blind faith or just hope, but we were hoping that this time this rumour would be true. Unfortunately, some comments made by Samsung Gulf, one of Samsung‘s regional offices, have suggested that the Samsung Galaxy Note 2 won’t be getting Android Lollipop, which means the dream might be over for an official update.

Samsung Galaxy Note 2 won't be getting Android LollipopSomehow it’s not particularly surprising seeing as Samsung has previously said that 18 months from launch is the window that it would be working off for future updates to devices, and the Galaxy Note 2 is way past its prime. If you’re disappointed, all is not lost, as is always the way with Android – plenty of great developers have been working on custom ROMs for some time now that will give you that Lollipop experience if you are adamant you want to have it on your Galaxy Note 2. If that interests you, hop on over to the XDA Forums where you’ll find your Lollipop fix.


What do you think about the rumour that the Samsung Galaxy Note 2 won’t be getting Android Lollipop? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

Source: SamMobile

The post Comments by Samsung Gulf suggest Samsung Galaxy Note 2 won’t be getting Android Lollipop appeared first on AndroidSPIN.

4
May

The Fourth is with Samsung too: Samsung is fourth largest smartphone manufacturer in China




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When a report comes out detailing the performance of the top 3 manufacturers in China and Samsung isn’t one of them, you really take notice. In Strategy Analytics’ latest report about China’s smartphone market in Q1 2015, Xiaomi topped the board with 14 million smartphones shipped, Apple came in second with 13.5 million and Huawei came in third with 11.2 million units moved. Samsung isn’t even mentioned in the report but we’re willing to bet Samsung is just slightly behind in fourth place.

While it doesn’t seem like much, this is a big change for the Korean manufacturer who once had a huge stake in the Chinese market. No doubt these numbers and rankings do not yet take into account the start of Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge sales last month, however Samsung has a lot of ground to make up if it intends to move up in the world’s biggest market for smartphones.


What do you think of Samsung’s plight in the Chinese smartphone market? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

Source: Strategy Analytics via SamMobile

The post The Fourth is with Samsung too: Samsung is fourth largest smartphone manufacturer in China appeared first on AndroidSPIN.

4
May

Samsung and Samsonite are working on smart luggage


Waiting for luggage at SFO

There have been more than a few efforts at smart luggage, but this is one you’re likely going to notice. Samsung and Samsonite (appropriately enough) are teaming up to develop smart bags that will likely be easier to buy and more accessible. They should include include loads of location and mobile notification features, such as GPS tracking, anti-tampering alerts and warnings when you wander away. However, that’s just the start. Samsonite is working with airlines on baggage that checks itself in — drop them off and they’d tell the airport about your airline, the weight and your destination. Also, Samsung is experimenting with self-propelled luggage that follows you around the airport. That last technology is still too cumbersome to be practical (the engine takes up a third of the size), but the days of having to lug (and worry about) your belongings across the airport may soon be over.

Filed under: Misc, GPS, Peripherals, Samsung

Comments

Source: Daily Mail

3
May

Samsung Galaxy S6 Tips & Tricks


galaxy-s6-time-date

Got your Samsung Galaxy S6 today or planning to receive it in the very near future? We know you’ll want nothing more than to rip all the plastic off of it and go to town, and once you dive in you’ll find that there’s so much to see, do and customize that you’ll probably want to put it down for a couple of minutes.

But there’s no need to spend hours digging for the coolest features and options if you’re in a rush — we’ve already done that for you, and we’ve laid out more than 50 of the best tips and tricks for the Samsung Galaxy S6 right here.

These tips and tricks will mostly be applicable from the moment you boot your phone up, but you may need to setup your Samsung account for a few of them. You’ll have taken care of most of that if you’ve followed our first 13 things to do for the Samsung Galaxy S6 (as well as 10 Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge tips and tricks for those of you with the cool Edge variant), so be sure to give that a gander if you haven’t already. Without further ado, let’s go!

Getting Started

Take a screenshot on the Samsung Galaxy S6

One of the most common questions people ask when they get a new phone is “how do I take a screenshot?” There are two ways to do it with the Galaxy S6.

  • Press and hold the Home and Power buttons simultaneously
  • Swipe your palm across the entire display to take a screenshot

Once a screenshot is taken you will see it in your notification bar. From there you can share or edit it to your hearts content.

Buy a wireless charger for your Samsung Galaxy S6

Samsung GalaxY S6 wireless charging DSC08674

The Galaxy S6 is one of a growing number of devices that support wireless charging. You don’t have to worry about plugging in your device or accidentally ripping the cord out of the wall. All you have to do is set it on a charging pad. The Galaxy S6 supports both wireless charging standards, so any wireless charging pad will work with it. Here are a few of our favorites:

  • Samsung Wireless Charging Pad
  • Anker Ultra-Slim Wireless Charging Pad
  • TYLT Vu Wireless Charger
  • Nokia DT-900 Wireless Charging Plate

…or use a wall charger for its awesome Fast Charge feature

samsung-fast-charging

There is a benefit to using the old fashioned charging cable. The Galaxy S6 supports Qualcomm Quick Charge 2.0. This technology allows you to get hours of use from just 10-15 minutes of charging. You don’t have to do anything special for this to work. Just use the the wall charger that came with the phone. You’ll see a notification when Fast Charge is working.

You should also know that any wall charger with Quick Charge 2.0 will work with the Galaxy S6. Amazon is selling a bunch of different versions if you want to grab some extras.

Claim your free 100GB of OneDrive Storage

One of the perks of owning the Galaxy S6 is 100GB of free storage for Microsoft OneDrive. If you’ve never used OneDrive it’s actually a really nice service. When you set up your phone for the first time you will be asked to sign in or create a OneDrive account. If you already did that you should have the free 100GB of storage.

Samsung Galaxy S6 OneDrive promo

If you skipped that step you can open the OneDrive app and take advantage of the deal. All you need to do is sign in or create an account. You can take it a step further and have OneDrive automatically backup your photos and videos. Find out how to do that in our guide for first things to do with the Galaxy S6.

Setup “Do Not Disturb” to silence your phones at certain times

Samsung has renamed the Lollipop priority notification system to “Do Not Disturb.” With these settings you can control when you get notifications. To get started go to Settings >Sounds and notifications.

If you turn on Do not disturb mode there is an option to allow exceptions. If you don’t allow any exceptions the phone will be completely silent (not even alarms will break through). Your best bet is to add exceptions for alarms, certain numbers, and important apps. You can also set up a schedule to automatically enable Do not disturb at a specific time every day.

Reboot your phone without removing the battery

Samsung decided to go with a non-removable battery in the Galaxy S6. Not only does this mean you can’t swap out batteries for extra juice, but you also can’t remove the battery if your phone freezes. You can still reset your phone without having to remove the battery.

A soft reset will restart your phone without erasing any data. Press and hold the Powerand Volume Down buttons for 10 seconds until the device powers off.

Use the new Smart Manager app to run maintenance on your phone

Samsung Galaxy S6 Smart Manager app

The Galaxy S6 comes with a new Samsung app called Smart Manager. With this app you can manage the performance, security, and battery. All of the features in Smart Manager were present on earlier devices, but now they are all in one place. When you open the app there are four sections: Battery, Storage, RAM, and Device security. Let’s look at each one.

Battery

In the Battery section you will see estimated time left for remaining power and the option to turn on one of the power saving modes. There’s also a section that shows which apps are using the most battery so you can disable them.

Storage

In this section you will find information about what things are taking up the most storage. You also have the option to clean the device and get rid of unnecessary data.

RAM

Here you will find out which apps are consuming the most RAM. You can “End All” apps at once free up memory, or kill them individually. We don’t recommend killing all the apps often.

Device security

The last section is all about security. You can see if there are any unauthorized system changes and enable the KNOX app if you want to use your phone for work. There are also some anti-malware features powered by McAfee.

Enable Ultra Power-Saving mode to squeeze even more juice out of your battery

Samsung Galaxy S6 Ultra Power saving mode

Ultra Power Saving Mode can help you get every last drop of battery life. When this mode is enabled it switches the phone to a black and white interface and disables most background activities. You’ll still be able to take calls, send messages, and use a few important apps. Configure it in Settings > Battery > Ultra power saving mode.

There is also the less extreme Power Saver Mode. When this mode is enabled the screen brightness will turn down and the processor will scale back. You can set Battery Saver to automatically turn on at any level between 50-15%. Configure it in Settings > Battery >Power saving mode.

Enter “Easy Mode” if the default experience is too advanced for you

If he default experience is too advanced for you, or if you want to lend your phone to someone not very good with technology, Easy Mode can be a big help. In Easy Mode you’ll see just a couple of big app icons, and an area to add favorite contacts.

  • Open Settings and go to Personalization
  • Select Easy mode
  • You can choose between Standard mode and Easy mode
  • You can also choose which apps you’d like to show up in Easy Mode

Gestures

SmartStay[0]

Enable Smart Stay to keep your display on while you’re looking at it

Smart Stay is one of the more ingenious features Samsung has ever created. With this feature enabled your Galaxy S6 will stay on as long as you are looking at the display. No more annoying screen turn-offs while reading a web page, or Netflix continuing to play after you fall asleep. Smart Stay is turned off by default; here’s how to turn it on.

  • Go to Settings > Display
  • Select Smart Stay and make sure it’s enabled

Note: Smart Stay does not work in the dark.

Use Smart Alert to know if you missed a call or message when picking your phone up

If you have missed calls or new messages the Galaxy S6 can vibrate when you pick it up. This feature is called “Smart Alert,” and it’s enabled by default. If you would like to toggle this feature go to Settings > Motions and gestures.

Move the phone to your ear while messaging someone to call them

Another nifty gesture is “Direct Call.” This feature allows you to directly call someone by bringing the phone up to your ear if you’re on their contact page or a messaging conversation. For example, if you’re texting someone and you want to call them just put the phone to your ear. This can also be toggled at Settings > Motions and gestures.

Set your phone face down while it’s ringing to mute it

To quickly mute the Galaxy S6 when you’re getting a call you can do two gestures. Simply place your hand flat on the display, or turn it over on it’s face. This also works as a way to dismiss alarms. This can also be toggled at Settings > Motions and gestures.

Customization

How to remove Flipboard Briefing from your homescreen

Samsung Galaxy S6 removing Flipboard screen

On the Galaxy S5 there was a special section of the home screen called “My Magazine.” This section is still present on the Galaxy S6, but it has been renamed to “Briefing.” It basically just aggregates news stories from a number of different sources. The idea sounds cool, but the interface is a little laggy. You should remove it.

  • Long press on the home screen
  • Scroll over to the Briefing panel on the far left
  • Uncheck the checkbox at the top

If you really do like the Briefing feature we recommend downloading the Flipboard app. The Briefing panel is actually powered by Flipboard, so you get a similar interface, but it runs much smoother in its own app.

Add more home screen panels of your own

Samsung Galaxy S6 customize home screen folders

You can have up to 7 different pages (or panels) to hold your apps and widgets on the home screen. Here’s how to customize the order and amount.

  • Tap and hold a blank space on the home screen to add, move, or remove a panel
  • To add a panel, swipe to the left, and then tap [+] icon
  • To move a panel, tap and hold a panel, and then drag it
  • To remove a panel, tap and hold a panel, and then drag it to Remove at the top of the screen
  • To set a panel as the main home screen, tap the Home icon in the screen indicators

Get more icons on your home screen

To make more room for apps and widgets on your home screen you can edit the grid size. By default it’s 4×4, but you can change it up to 5×5.

  • Tap and hold a blank space on the home screen
  • Tap on Screen grid and choose 4×4, 4×5, or 5×5

Use the “edit” button in the notifications pane to customize your Quick Toggles

Samsung Galaxy S6 Quick Settings 1

Samsung includes a ton of Quick Setting toggles in the notification shade by default. You can access these by swiping down from the top of the display. You can edit the order of these toggles, or remove some completely. If you use these toggles a lot (which you should), a quick edit now will make your life easier.

  • Pull down the Quick Settings and tap EDIT in the top right corner
  • From here you can drag the toggles around as you like
  • There must be at least 5 toggles in the Quick Settings

Download and switch between Samsung Galaxy S6 Themes

Samsung Galaxy S6 Themes

The Galaxy S6 comes with the ability to choose themes that can change your wallpaper, icons, and even system apps and UI. They’ve included a bunch of themes that you can try out and use on your device. It’s easy to give your phone a completely new look.

  • Open the Themes Store app
  • Browse the themes and select one you like
  • Tap on Download
  • Now you can select Apply and it will take you to your new home screen

Disable or remove unwanted apps

Samsung used to be notorious for including a lot of bloatware on their devices. There are still a few apps on the Galaxy S6 that can be considered bloat, but it’s a little better.

Samsung Galaxy S6 uninstall delete apps

It was first rumored that it would be possible to uninstall all pre-loaded apps. That wasn’t entirely true. Some system apps can be uninstalled, but others can only be disabled. A disabled app won’t appear in your app drawer and won’t be able to run in the background, but it will still be present on the device.

  • Open the app drawer and tap the edit button
  • Minus icons will appear on any app that can be uninstalled or disable
  • Tap the minus icon on the apps you wish to remove

Some of the apps you might want to uninstall/disable include Hancom Office 2014, Microsoft OneNote, Lookout, Milk Video, Milk Music, and carrier specific apps.

Change your screen mode for a better viewing experience

Samsung has included a few different screen modes to allow you to easily adjust colors and brightness. You can switch the screen mode by going to Settings > Display > Screen mode.

  • Adaptive display: tires to adjust based on what you’re doing with the phone.
  • AMOLED cinema & AMOLED photo: vivid and highly saturated colors.
  • Basic: not overly saturated or bright. Just basic.

Basic is the best setting for most people. It will look dull at first as you transition from the other more vivid settings, but it’s actually the most true-to-life.

Enable swipe input on the Samsung keyboard

By default Samsung does not enable swipe input on the keyboard. Swipe input allows you to drag your finger over letters to type a word. It can be very useful, especially for one-handed use. You should enable it.

  • Go to Settings > Language and input
  • Select Samsung keyboard
  • Tap Keyboard swipe
  • Select Continuous input
  • Now to type a word just drag your fingers across the letters in order.

Multi-tasking

Use two apps at the same time using the Recent Apps menu

Samsung Galaxy S6 Multi-view

Multi-window mode allows you to run two different apps simultaneously on the same screen. Samsung has made multi-window mode much easier in the Galaxy S6. It’s now built right in to the recent apps menu.

  • Tap the physical “Recents” button to the left of the Home button
  • All your recent apps will show up on the screen like a Rolodex
  • Apps that can be used in multi-window will show a twin rectangle icon next to the (X) in the right corner
  • Tap that icon to open the app in the top half of the screen
  • The lower half of the screen will now show only recent apps that can used in multi-window mode
  • Tap one to open it in the lower half
  • You can re-size the apps by dragging the middle line

Get your files faster using Download Booster

Samsung Galaxy S6 Download booster

Are you tired of waiting for large files to download? Samsung has just the thing! A new feature called Download Booster will help you download large files in record time. It works by using a combination of WiFi and LTE to download files.

  • Go to Settings > More connection settings
  • Select Download booster and toggle it on

Use S Finder as a one-stop search for every app, file or contact on your device

Samsung Galaxy S6 S Finder

S Finder is an app that helps you find things on your Samsung phone. It can search for apps, files, photos, music, contacts, and more. Some versions of the Galaxy S6 include a button for S Finder under the brightness slider in the notification shade. If that’s not there on your version you can still launch it from the Quick Settings toggles. Just open it and start typing to see results.

Never forget about another notification with Notification Reminder

If you get a lot of notifications you may forget to respond to some of them. Notification Reminders can remind you to take action on past notifications. Your phone will make a noise after a certain amount of time if there is a notification that really needs your attention.

  • Go to Settings > Accessibility > Notification reminders
  • Here you can set up the reminder intervals for 15 sec, 30 sec, 1 minute, 3 minutes, and 5 minutes.
  • By default every app is included, but you can turn of the ones you don’t want to be reminded about

Save time typing by adding keyboard shortcuts

If you find yourself typing out long words or phrases a lot, such as email addresses, you might want to create a text shortcut. This will allow you to quickly insert a long word or phrase by just typing a few letters. For example, you could make “ilu” automatically correct to “I love you.” Here’s how:

  • Go to Settings > Language and input
  • Select Samsung keyboard
  • Tap on Text shortcuts
  • Tap ADD to create your own shortcut

Send files to other Galaxy users easily with Quick Connect

Samsung Galaxy S6 Quick Connect

There are a plethora of ways to send files to other people, but Samsung devices have a special one called Quick Connect. This feature allows you to quickly find nearby devices and send stuff to them. When the feature is enabled Bluetooth will automatically turn on.

  • Swipe down the notification shade and find Quick Connect
  • When you tap Quick Connect a list of nearby devices will show up. Tap one
  • Now select the type of file you’d like to send
  • After you select a file you will have to wait for the other device to accept
  • The file will begin to transfer

Camera Tips and Tricks

Quick launch the camera right from anywhere by double tapping the Home button

Self explanatory in the title, there: double tap that home button no matter what you’re doing on your Samsung Galaxy S6, and the camera is ready for you to snap photos or video in 7/10ths of a second. You can enable this by going into the Camera app’s Settings menu and finding the Quick Launch setting.

Use Tracking AF to keep the focus on your subject

Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge camera DSC08457

Samsung added a new autofocus mode called Tracking AF. It’ll allow you to pre-focus on a subject before snapping photo or video, and will attempt to keep that subject in focus if they happen to move. This feature works with not only faces, but ANY object you want to focus on ahead of taking the shot.

To enable it, head into the Camera app’s Settings menu and switch the Tracking AF option to “On.”

Immediately review your photos as soon as you take them

Samsung Galaxy S6 camera settings

It can be annoying to snap a photo and have to click around the interface to see how it came out. Instead of doing all that you can have the phone automatically bring a preview up for you to check out and either keep or delete it before moving on to your next shot. Just go into the Camera app’s Settings menu and enable the “Review Pictures” option.

Capture photos or videos using voice commands

Instead of using awkwardly-placed on-screen buttons to snap a photo, you can use your voice. Not only does it help you keep the camera steady for the perfect shot, but it can be fun to get your subject (or subjects) to join in.

Head into the Camera’s Settings menu and find the option to toggle voice commands onor off. Here are the various voice commands you can use to snap a shot:

  • Smile
  • Cheese
  • Capture
  • Shoot
  • Record Video

Use the volume key to zoom, snap a photo or shoot video

If you do prefer a hands-on approach to shuttering, you can have the camera recognize your volume rocker as a physical shutter button. You can change its behavior in theCamera app’s Settings menu under Volume Key Function, and set the rocker to eitherzoom in or out, snap a photo or begin recording video. You can also turn it off if you want the volume button to retain normal functionality.

Take selfies the easy way using the heart-rate sensor, or by waving your hand

Samsung Galaxy S6 camera selfie mode

All of that is useful for the rear camera, but what about making it easier to take selfies? You have a couple of cool options at your disposal. The first allows you to take a selfie by holding your finger on the heart rate sensor for 2 seconds.

You can also wave your hands in front of the camera to initiate a countdown timer to snap your selfie. This eliminates the need to use your second hand to take a photo, which is often the number one cause for subpar selfies. Yes, there’s a science to this stuff, folks.

Use Pro Mode Presets to adjust ISO, exposure and focus

Samsung prides themselves on great cameras with their smartphones, so including a Pro Mode with the Samsung Galaxy S6 was a must. This mode lets you fine tune your camera’s settings with the ability to change white balance, exposure correction, metering, ISO, and focus modes, all of which can be had by pressing the “Modes” button that you’ll find in the camera user interface.

To go a step further, you can even set presets for a certain configuration that you like, so the next time you need that collection of settings you can simply switch to it with one press of a button. Play around with it to see what works best for you!

Download cool new camera features from the Samsung Apps Store

Samsung Galaxy S6 camera apps

You thought we were done? Samsung’s made their camera app extensible, and you’ll be able to take advantage of that fine software engineering by downloading a number of great camera add-ons from the Samsung Apps Store. Here are some of the add-ons they have available early on:

  • Surround Shot: a Photosphere-like mode that lets you take 360-degree photos
  • Sound & Shot: record the audio of your surroundings at the time the photo was taken for more immersive photos
  • Rear-Cam Selfie: use the rear camera to take a selfie with visual cues to let you know when it’s about to snap the shot
  • Dual Camera: snap a photo or shoot video with both the front and rear cameras simultaneously
  • Animated GIF: create a moving image of a series of photos or videos and save it as an animated GIF
  • Beauty Face: image tweaks to enhance the look of human faces
  • Sports Shot: automatically selects focus and exposure settings for fast moving scenes
  • Food Shot: a macro-focus mode for bringing out the best details in a close-up shot of food (or anything else, really)

Privacy and Security

How to factory reset your Samsung Galaxy S6

There are many different reasons why one would want or need to perform a factory reset on their Samsung Galaxy S6. This action is typically performed when you are getting ready to sell or return a phone, or when you feel like things have gotten so slow to the point where only a full restore will make it feel new again.

It’s always best to explore other alternatives before going this route, but should you ever need to factory reset your Samsung Galaxy S6 here’s how to do it:

  • Go to the Settings app
  • Scroll until you see Backup & Reset, and select it
  • You will be asked to confirm whether you want to go through with the reset. After thinking it over, select your choice.
  • Your phone will do a little dance and make a little noise, and you’re done.

Note that a factory reset will only restore device settings, user accounts, system and app data and downloaded apps to their original state. Personal files such as photo and video will persist through a factory reset, so rest easy knowing those are safe.

Setup Android Device Manager in case you lose it

android-device-manager-ring

Losing your phone or having it stolen is one of the worst feelings in the world, but many tools are available to help you track it down should the unfortunate scenario occur. One of the best tools is the Android Device Manager.

It’s an app that will not only locate your device using its last known GPS location, but also allow you to remotely sound an alarm, lock the device or perform a full factory reset in case you fear it’s fallen into the wrong hands. The feature is included with almost every Android phone, and here’s how you enable it:

  • From your device’s apps menu, open Google Settings .
  • Touch Security.
  • Under “Android Device Manager,” move the switches next to “Remotely locate this device” and “Allow remote lock and factory reset” to the on or off position.

With everything enabled, the next time you need to track your phone down you can simply head to Google’s online Device Manager portal here, or use the Device Manager app from another Android device to find out exactly where your phone is.

Register your fingerprint to unlock your phone with the press of your thumb

Samsung Galaxy S6 fingerprint setup

The Samsung Galaxy S6 now has an awesome fingerprint scanner, and you’re going to want to register your thumbs to use it right away. Here’s how you can get going on that:

  • Navigate to Lock screen and security in the Settings app
  • Next tap on Fingerprint and then +Add fingerprint
  • Follow the instructions until 100% of your fingerprint has been scanned
  • Create a backup password
  • Tap Ok to Enable Fingerprint Lock
  • Now to unlock your phone simply hold your finger on the home button
  • Repeat these steps to add additional fingers

Note that the fingerprint scanner can also be used to gain access to select supported apps, such as Paypal. It will also soon be possible to use it for logging into websites on the phone’s web browser, and paying for purchases with Samsung Pay once those features become available.

Samsung Galaxy S6 Fingerprint sign in DSC08979

Congrats: you’ve set yourself up with a convenient, yet secure way to access your phone and get into apps without having to deal with clunky passwords every time.

Use Private Mode to keep your content from prying eyes

As much as we’d all like to believe we lead 100% appropriate lives, more than a few of you probably store pictures and files that you don’t want others to see should they need to use your phone. Samsung’s Private Mode is a great feature that helps keep your skeletons locked into the closet where they belong.

The first thing you need to do before taking advantage of this feature is select which types of files you want to protect. This can be done for Photos, Video, Music, Voice Recorder, My Files and the Web browser:

  • Simply use the app’s multi-select tool to select all the content you want to protect
  • In the upper right corner, tap MORE and select Move to Private

And now your files are designated to be hidden while Private Mode is enabled. So how do you enable Private Mode? Thought you’d never ask. Here’s how you can set it up:

  • Navigate to Settings, then Privacy and safety and locate Private mode
  • Setting Private Mode to “Off” will make it so that the files you specified to be private are hidden from normal viewing, while “On” makes all those files available for normal viewing.
  • Select whether you want Private Mode to turn off whenever the screen turns togglePrivate Mode settings.

And now you can rest easy knowing all those private photos, video and files won’t be seen by anyone who happens to be snooping around.

Setup the SOS function to send quick messages to emergency contacts

Samsung Galaxy S6 Send SOS messages

We hope you’ll never have to use the Samsung Galaxy S6’s great SOS feature, but it’s here if you need it. What this will do is send a preset message to any contacts you want whenever you quickly press the power button 3 consecutive times.

Think of a scenario where you might be getting robbed and you don’t have time to take your phone out, unlock it, find an appropriate contact, type the message and press send — that all takes less than a minute, but every millisecond is precious in an emergency scenario. You’ll want to set this up, and here’s how you do it:

  • Go to Settings and look for Privacy and Safety
  • Select the Send SOS Messages option at the bottom
  • Turn the switch to “On” to enable the feature.
  • At the bottom, specify recipients you want to receive the message, as well as any text, photos and audio recordings you want to attach to the message.

Now, the next time you’re in a pinch where you absolutely can’t call or text someone for help, this feature will at least alert your closest family members and friends that you’re in dire need of help. This should be used as a last resort so as to avoid the “boy who cried wolf” scenario, and because sending a more detailed message will help people find more appropriate help.

Place your phone into emergency mode to save battery

Samsung Galaxy S6 Emergency mode

Power-saving mode not doing it for you? ULTRA power-saving mode still not enough? For those extreme cases where you absolutely can’t shut your phone off and need to squeeze as much juice out of the battery as possible, consider using Samsung’s Emergency Mode.

This feature is an extension of ULTRA Power-Saving mode where Samsung will use a greyscale user interface, scale back processing power and restrict access to a few select apps. The difference here is that background data will be shut off while the screen is turned off, which is key since background data is often the biggest cause of battery drain outside of the display. It will also restrict access to WiFi and Bluetooth.

Here’s how to access Emergency Mode:

  • Long-press the power button
  • Select Emergency Mode at the bottom of the list
  • Press “Turn on” to enable Emergency Mode, or cancel to go back.
  • Perform the same steps to turn Emergency Mode off when you don’t need it.

Other fun stuff

Download Samsung’s All Together app to stay connected to other Galaxy users

One of Samsung’s coolest apps in the Samsung App Store is AllTogether. It allows you to connect to other Samsung Galaxy users over a private WiFi network to chat, share files and more without having to use mobile data. This is great for something like a camping trip where data might be limited but you still want to be connected to those nearby.

You can download AllTogether by heading to the Samsung App Store and searching for it after you’ve setup your Samsung account.

Download the Kids Mode app to keep your young ones protected when using your phone

Long gone are the days where kids want to play with action figures and plush toys: they want your phone. To keep them innocent, you can download Samsung’s Kids Mode app from the Samsung App Store.

Samsung Galaxy S6 Kids Mode

This will lock the phone into a state where kids can only use apps and play games appropriate for them, such as a drawing app, a writing app, and even a kid-centric selfie camera with fun stickers to use.

Your kid won’t be able to exit this mode unless they have the lock code which you setup upon first launch so they won’t be able to find their way into too much trouble. Preventing them from physically damaging the phone is another issue altogether.

Alternatively, use the Pin Window feature to lock your phone to any one app you choose

Similar to Kids Mode, the Samsung Galaxy S6 has a Pin Window feature that’ll allow you to keep the phone locked into one app. Someone say they need to use your web browser? Well, make it so they can only use the web browser and nothing more.

We could also see this being useful for store owners who want to show a specific app on a display unit. Whatever you may need it for, here’s how to pin an app:

  • Open Settings, go into Lock Screen and Security, then tap Other Security Settings
  • Look for the “Pin Windows” option and tap it
  • Make sure the switch is set to “On.”
  • Specify whether you want your secure lock screen to come up if someone tries to press the home button.

Now that you have it setup, all you’ll need to do when you want to pin an app is open yourRecent Apps menu by tapping the Recent Apps key next to the home button, and pressing the push pin icon located in the lower right corner of whichever app it is you want to pin.

Enhance your phone’s sound using Sound Adapt and SoundAlive+

No two humans are the same, so no two set of ears are the same. You can customize the Samsung Galaxy S6’s sound with two great tools Samsung’s included.

Samsung Galaxy S6 Adapt Sound setup

First up, Adapt Sound will help you tune your Samsung Galaxy S6’s sound to make sure you’re hearing everything it has to offer. It does this by playing a series of audible beeps at different frequencies and asking you to note each time you hear a beep. It then uses this data to determine a sound profile appropriate for your ears. You can access this by going to Settings > Sound and Notifications > Adapt Sound.

SoundAlive+ is another great tool to enhance your audio experience. It serves as a device-wide equalizer that you can use to recreate the effect of surround sound (though it obviously won’t be as good as actual surround sound). There’s also an effect that helps you simulate the effect of a tube amplifier. You can find this features under Settings > Sound and Notifications > SoundAlive+ and Settings > Sound and Notifications > Tube Amp.

2
May

[Deal] Best Buy takes $100 off of the Samsung Galaxy Tab A when trading in a working tablet


samsung_galaxy_tab_a_trade_in_deal_050215

Now through May 16, Best Buy will be running a promotion to lower the price of the new Samsung Galaxy Tab A. Simply trade in any working tablet and the electronics retailer will hand over a $50 coupon for the device and a $50 gift card.

This deal means that you can purchase the Galaxy Tab A for $100 less than normal. Pricing without any discount starts at $229 for the 8-inch model and reaches $299 for the 9.7-inch model.

[Samsung Galaxy Tab A – Best Buy]

Come comment on this article: [Deal] Best Buy takes $100 off of the Samsung Galaxy Tab A when trading in a working tablet

2
May

Why is the Galaxy S6 Edge more successful than the Note Edge?


samsung galaxy note edge review aa (23 of 26)

Just why wasn’t the Note Edge anywhere near as successful as the S6 Edge is proving to be?

The mystery at hand is clearly one of demand: Samsung’s Galaxy S6 Edge is proving so popular that the company has just announced a third factory will be opened to manufacture the dual curved display that graces the premium product. Such news meshes well against the background of a sales ratio favoring the Edge over the standard S6 variant. The question is, why?

Just half-a-year ago, Samsung released the Galaxy Note Edge, the first product to use the new form factor. The product was said to be manufactured in limited numbers, would be released in select markets only, and came at a truly premium price point. The general public’s reaction was not exactly favorable, and indeed when the sales numbers came they weren’t impressive: less than 700,000 units had been sold as of this February.

This situation is definitely a curious one indeed. The Note Edge, which has exclusive features that made use of the unique form factor, has been largely forgotten even if some thought it was superior to the standard Note 4. On the other hand, the S6 Edge has so few legitimate features that some of us felt it wasn’t worth purchasing, yet seemingly everyone is.

Let’s examine the unexpected trend and see if we can’t arrive at some sort of conclusion; surely something big caused this dramatic change in consumer spending habits.

A device’s destiny

samsung galaxy s6 vs s6 edge aa (37 of 39)

Perhaps the best place to begin is with the device itself. Galaxy S products are designed to be mainstream flagship phones that appeal to the broadest possible number of customers. Indeed this line started well before the Note series ever made news for its then “gigantic” display.

The Note is aimed at a fundamentally different crowd than the S. It’s obviously much larger, both in terms of the screen and the footprint. It comes with a stylus (the S Pen) and a productivity suite custom made to take advantage of the accessory. It has historically also been the device Samsung bequeaths the best specs to: of the two product lines, the Note received RAM bumps first, received a (mainstream) implementation of QHD first, received a metal frame first, etc. In short, if the Galaxy S is the phone for everyone, the Galaxy Note is the phone packed with purpose. It’s also seen as the more premium of the two product lines as a result.

It’s quite possible that the Galaxy Note Edge fared poorly simply because it was too new of a concept, geared to too limited a market. People want the Note for productivity, not for gimmicks. While the Edge Display certainly proved useful to those who bought it, most just shrugged their shoulders and moved on.

Funny thing about features

samsung galaxy note edge unboxing (5 of 19)

Note the app launcher on the right side of the Edge: this is just one feature totally absent from the S6 Edge.

The Galaxy S6 Edge doesn’t have any real features except for the novelty of its design. None of the intuitive features made for the Note Edge are compatible.

How is it then, that the S6 Edge could be enjoying such success? Is the novelty of the screen shape really that much of a draw to customers? Could it be that the Galaxy Note Edge was off-putting for its somewhat “different” approach to Android and its features?

Peculiar pricing problem?

samsung galaxy s6 edge unboxing aa (18 of 20)

Even though the S6 Edge is pretty pricey, its still less than its big Note brother.

One aspect that is a bit confusing is the price difference between the Note Edge and the S6 Edge. Namely there really isn’t one to speak of. Both devices, when purchased unlocked/off contract, retail for around $900-1000. Granted the Note Edge is a bit more, but when you’re already almost a grand, does the extra bit actually matter? Especially if the Note Edge has a larger display, removable battery, and microSD expansion.

With a 2-year contract on the other hand, the price is a bit different. The S6 Edge is around $299.99 whereas the Note Edge is about $100+ extra. For many customers, that extra money could indeed be a deal-breaker, and thus the idea of buying a similar themed product but at a cheaper price point is simply the more logical option.

Still, the standard S6 is $100-or-so cheaper than the Edge is, and thus if price was truly the sole factor involved, it would make more sense to spend only $199 rather than an extra Benjamin.

Totally about Timing?

htc one m9 review aa (10 of 34)

Seen it all: perhaps the S6 Edge’s stunning success is a result of the competition’s lack of originality with some 2015 flagships.

Perhaps the issue here is simply one of timing, or momentum. While Samsung announced the Galaxy Note Edge at the same time as the Note 4, the former released much later than the latter: almost two months in some countries and more in others. It’s conceivable that many of the customers who would have bought the Note Edge simply didn’t because they didn’t want to wait, and because the Note 4 was largely the same exact phone minus the curved display.

On the other hand, the Galaxy S6 Edge was announced and released simultaneously with the standard S6, and thus consumers had a clear choice from the very beginning. Perhaps, had Samsung at least provided working samples of the Note Edge when the Note 4 released, customers could have seen what was waiting down the line and made a conscious decision to wait.

Samsung Galaxy S5 Mini -30

The Galaxy S5 has a lot of good ideas, but when it came to sales, the former flagship was tepid at best.

It also should be added that 2014 was definitely not a good year for Samsung with financial woes aplenty and the relative flop of the Galaxy S5. Perhaps customers simply didn’t want to buy Samsung products for lack of momentum, or else their interest in other competing devices like the Nexus 6.

One big question sticks out like a sore thumb: if the Galaxy S6 Edge were to have released a month-or-more after the S6, would it be enjoying such brisk sales?

Made out of materials?

samsung galaxy s6 edge logo mwc 2015 c 3

There’s no denying it: the S6 Edge is positively premium when compared to any Samsung phone that came before it.

Yet another tangent to tackle is that of materials. While there are definitely a fair share of people irked by the unibody, sealed design employed in the Galaxy S6 Edge, it’s arguably a minority. Assuming such is the case, it would follow that the design of the Galaxy Note Edge, while nice with the metal frame, was still just “too Samsung”. It featured a cheap plastic removable back (along with removable battery and microSD support) and generally wasn’t viewed as a truly premium phone despite the semi-metal make. Add to this equation the inclusion of 2014-era TouchWiz and it becomes quite heavy-handed.

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On the other hand, the S6 Edge is a totally redesigned phone in every sense of the word. The glass and metal make has eliminated any trace of plastic. The design is inspired by those that came before it, yet still feels fresh. Even TouchWiz itself has been refined and toned down to be a much lighter and brighter experience. Perhaps a great deal of mainstream consumers were just truly impressed by the S6 Edge and its craftsmanship.

Nothing normal for me

lg g flex 2 camera shootout aa (47 of 92)

The LG G Flex 2 was curved, but the banana shape coupled with the relatively low sales of LG devices (when compared to Samsung) certainly didn’t help it.

Could the success of the Galaxy S6 Edge be an indication that mainstream customers simply are tired of traditional devices and are therefore seeking out those which stray from the pack? Granted the LG G Flex 2 lost steam pretty fast, but the device is much more of a niche product and historically LG has never had smartphone sales that can compare with Samsung. What if the Galaxy S6 isn’t selling as many units simply because it’s just too similar to other smartphones?

The S6 Edge also has a major “wow” factor going for it that competing flagships like the iPhone 6 and the HTC One M9 simply don’t. If phones are now an extension of the individual who owns them, it seems perfectly logical that people want to be seen as cutting edge, stylish, and ahead of the curve.

Wrap-up

In truth, it’s difficult to reach any one conclusion as to just why the S6 Edge is such a success. It’s quite possible a combination of everything mentioned so-far, or maybe something we haven’t even explored. One thing is for certain, and that’s the the fantastic fortune means its safe to say Samsung will be making more curved products in the coming months and years. Possibilities include a Note Edge 2, a S7 Edge, and even curved tablets, or who knows what?

So why do you think the S6 Edge has been outselling the standard S6? Why has it totally outperformed the Note Edge for that matter? Please leave your comment below and let us know!

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2
May

Deal: Purchase the Samsung Galaxy Tab A at Best Buy, save $100 or more


Samsung Galaxy Tab A - Android Authority

The Samsung Galaxy Tab A is a brand new tablet, especially in North America, where it has only been on sale in the U.S. for a day now. The new Android tablet starts at $229.99 for the 8-inch version, $299.99 for the 9.7-inch device.

If those prices are just a little steep for your tastes, Best Buy has a deal that might work in your favor, if you’ve got an old tablet to trade in. You hand in a working tablet and Best Buy will give you a minimum of $100 towards the purchase of the new Samsung tablet. That $100 comes in form of a $50 coupon toward your Galaxy Tab A purchase, and a $50 Best Buy gift card.

There is a long list of fine print here that you should be aware of. First, the trade-in value and viability of your old tablet will be determined by the individual stores, who are armed with the right to refuse your offering. eReaders do not qualify either. This is an in-store only deal that runs now through May 16th.

Samsung Galaxy Tab A Best Buy deal

This could be a great opportunity to trade up your older device, but may not be such a great deal if you have a newer tablet that actually qualifies for more than the minimum $100. For example, my working condition Nexus 7 (2012 16GB) with a few bumps and bruises on it is valued at just $2.40 for trade-in, making the $100 offering an absolute steal. On the flip side, they’ll only give us one-third of the purchase price of our brand new iPad Air 2, of course, that is still enough to get the Galaxy Tab A for ‘free.’ Check your gear here.

As a reminder, the Samsung Galaxy Tab A comes in two sizes, 8 and 9.7 inches, both with a 4:3 aspect ratio of 1024×768 resolution. The Galaxy Tab A packs a 1.2GHz quad-core processor, 2GB RAM, 16GB of internal memory with microSD card expansion up to 128GB, a 5MP rear-facing camera, a 2MP front-facing camera and a 4,200mAh battery. The 9.7 inch Galaxy Tab A also features two speakers at the bottom, while the 8-inch model only has one. Best of all, they come loaded with the latest major release of Android 5.0 Lollipop.

As mentioned, you’ve got a couple weeks to make your decision on this deal, and a few days after that to actually purchase the Galaxy Tab A after you trade in. For more details, be sure to check out the Best Buy promo page, or head into a store to see how they are handling things.

Are you planning to upgrade to the Samsung Galaxy Tab A?



2
May

Samsung Galaxy S6 vs Galaxy S6 edge!


Samsung required a much needed upheaval of their flagship Galaxy S line to better keep up with current trends in the smartphone world, and that is exactly what the company did. With a dramatic shift in build material and quality, significant changes in hardware, and a far improved software experience, Samsung has finally delivered what many were looking for in the Galaxy S6.

Of course, Samsung is known for pushing its boundaries, and this came in the form of the Galaxy S6 Edge, bringing forward a concept seen last year in the Galaxy Note Edge, and introducing it to the mainstream. With the release of two worthy flagship smartphones from the company, the obvious question that will be on your mind is with regards to which one is better suited to you. That is what we attempt to answer, as we take an in-depth look at the Samsung Galaxy S6 vs Galaxy S6 Edge!

Other awesome smartphones!

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Design

On the design front, there is basically just one differentiating factor between these two devices, namely the curves on either side of the screen in the case of the Galaxy S6 Edge. Both devices do retain the tried and true design language of previous Samsung devices though, complete with the same tactile home button up front and standard placements for the volume rocker and power button.

The similarities continue on the back, as both devices sport a protruding camera module that is accompanied by a heart rate monitor. Both devices also have glass back panels, which eliminates the ability to remove the back cover and additional hardware features that they entailed. The Galaxy S6 is a tad taller and only a few grams heavier that the Edge variant, a difference that is largely negligible.

When it comes to design, what makes the case for the Galaxy S6 Edge is indeed its slopes on the right and left portions of the screen, a significant difference that might have to felt to be believed. The inclusion of two edges started to make sense after holding the device. The fact that they come down to meet the palm allows for a side to side handling experience that is perhaps better than what you would get with the slab form factor of almost every other smartphone out there.

Grip and accidentally turning on the display are mild concerns when it comes to the Edge variant. But when holding on to the phone, a very prominent lip is present in the metal frame that tilts down very slightly, and mainly sticks out from behind the screen. So with a good pinch, there aren’t a lot of problems with keeping the phone in check without triggering the screen accidentally. However, the same cannot be said when holding the phone in the landscape orientation, as I did find it a little tough to hold the device on the edges without some fidgeting.

The width of the devices is pretty much the same, but with the screen coming down on either end, the Galaxy S6 Edge actually feels more narrow, and that makes a lot of difference. Aesthetically as well, the S6 Edge is the one that will definitely turn heads. While the original looks like a mashup of the Galaxy and Xperia lines due to its dual glass panels, the Edge version will be instantly recognizable to the tech-savvy, and given Samsung’s big marketing push, likely to the common consumer soon enough. If handling is a big deal to you, the S6 Edge offers an experience that has to be felt, and its uniqueness is something that will certainly stay with you.

Display

The sentiments on the design side of things hold true when it comes to the display, with the curves of the Galaxy S6 adding to the overall viewing experience as well. First, on the specifications front, both devices offer nothing short of what you would expect from a Samsung flagship, with their 5.1-inch Super AMOLED screens featuring a Quad HD resolution, resulting in the super high pixel density of 577 ppi. Both displays are vivid, colorful, and sharp, and don’t miss a beat in work, play, or media consumption.

What makes the Galaxy S6 Edge so compelling is the fact that its screen is essentially one entity, and doesn’t have a specific area sectioned off for the edge capabilities, as was the case with the Galaxy Note Edge. We will explore the features of the edge in the software section below, but worth a mention is that they only take up one side of the display, and further, only appear when specifically triggered. It does feel like Samsung has finally figured out that the edges aren’t made for supposedly game changing features, but rather to offer literally a new way of looking at a device.

As such, elements of the Android 5.0 Lollipop Material Design are also given an auxiliary benefit, with a roll-in effect of various UI elements that may not always be noticed, but are certainly appreciated every time it is. As an example, watching media in the landscape orientation makes the heads up notifications look even better because of this effect. The edges don’t move any of the frame away from your viewpoint, and once again, are mostly there more for aesthetics and convenience, with a few features that for the most part, stay out of the way.

Performance

Another big change with their latest flagships was Samsung’s decision to give the Snapdragons of the world a skip in favor of its in-house Exynos processor, something that looks to have worked to great effect. Under the hood, both phones pack the octa-core Exynos 7420 processor, backed by the Mali-T760 MP8 GPU and 3 GB of RAM. It is also worth mentioning that the built-in storage benefits from a UFS 2.0 flash memory construction that helps keep things super speedy and optimized, a case that has been made against expandable storage, that just won’t be able to keep with installed memory. It’s also packing LPDDR4 RAM, which represents a huge leap forward in memory performance for mobile devices

Both these devices race through the elements of the dialed-back TouchWiz interface, with virtually every stutter and hiccup from the past now eliminated. The only real stutter that we’ve ever seen involves the Flipboard-powered Briefing screen, which has to refresh every time you swipe to it, slowing down an immediate return to the homescreens as a result.

All other tasks are handled extremely well, even if you’re trying to perform them at the same time using Multi-Window or the S Window capabilities. Almost no problems were seen with gaming as well, though the phone does get quite warm, but not uncomfortably so, while running the more processor intensive applications. The edge screen panels don’t down the Galaxy S6 Edge either, so its speed doesn’t get hindered because of its slightly higher feature set. As such, performance is one aspect where things are very much a tie, and is a non-factor for anyone confused between these two devices.

Hardware

The big story since the announcement of these devices has been the lack of replaceable batteries and expandable storage, that have been otherwise staple features of the Samsung line. These phones do pack more than most when it comes to hardware though, including a better implementation of the fingerprint scanner embedded into the home button, and the now vertical heart rate monitor that, in our testing, worked a little faster than previous editions found on Samsung devices.

Connectivity with the LTE networks has been very steady on either device, and the quality of voice calls are as good as they’ve ever been. The sound coming from the speaker in its new position at the bottom gets adequately loud, no matter which iteration of the phone you get.

Battery life on either device is pretty standard, despite the higher resolution displays. Of course, we come back again to the primary difference between the two smartphones, the edges. There are no real hardware capabilities that put the edge over the top in this regard, though the different form factor does mean different third party accessories.

Camera

As you may have seen, or can check out below, in the Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge camera shootout, it has to be said the camera package Samsung has put out this year is definitely among the best. A rear-facing 16 MP camera with a f/1.9 aperture adds auto-HDR to a laundry list of capabilities, with the front-facing 5 MP unit sporting the same as well.

The camera application comes with a variety of modes, including panorama and slow motion video capture at 120 fps, and can easily be activated by a double tap of the home button, which is one of the best felt enhancements with the latest Galaxy offerings.

Autoplay

When autoplay is enabled videos will start playing automatically, you can turn off autoplay by clicking checkbox.

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Using these cameras in all but the lowest light in indoor situations yields some really great looking photos, and with an auto mode that performs extremely well, most of the guesswork is taken out of the smartphone photography experience. Extra features, and a manual Pro mode, are available to those who want it, but for the general user who just wants to capture memories, both of these devices are great companions to have.

To some extent, smartphone cameras were struggling to get to the point of replacing even typical point and shoot devices, but things are closer than they’ve ever been with the current crop of flagship smartphones, and the possibilities offered by the latest additions to the Galaxy S line are prime examples of that evolution.

Software

As has been mentioned a few times already, the latest iteration of the TouchWiz software experience available with the Galaxy S6 and the Galaxy S6 Edge has been toned down considerably, to the pleasure of many. Not only has a lot of gimmicky aspects been put aside, but those that are still available aren’t very prominent in their presence. Even the pop-up tutorials about how to use the different features are largely absent, and turning off features like S Voice is very easy to do this time around. The user interface still features a pretty colorful aesthetic, but the available theme engine can be used to change the look to anything that better suits your tastes.  

With the software experience also mostly the same between both devices, it’s better to take a look at what makes the Galaxy S6 Edge different, and what features and capabilities the edge panels offer. First, these panels and features don’t show up until triggered, which happens only from a standby position via a few swipes on the side that are pre-determined by the user.

The night clock comes up, and then you can swipe from the bottom portion to see notifications, news tickers, and a number of other edge panels that can be installed from the Settings menu. Despite some usefulness to the news tickers, the scrolling generally focuses on one story at a time, and thus pales in comparison to using even the Briefing screen instead. It can also be a good way of looking at notifications quickly, but waking the phone up and seeing them on the lockscreen is arguably still faster.

Finally, there is the People Edge, which houses five of your favorite contacts with specific colors assigned to them for easy access to calls and messages. While its functionality as a speed dial was great, the main gripe I had with it was the messages required the use of the native messaging app, instead of something else that you may already be comfortable with using, such as Hangouts. While the phone is upside down, the color assigned to the contact will glow on the side to let you know exactly who is calling in a very interesting way. That said, there aren’t a lot of situations where you will have your phone screen placed down on a table, and it honestly does look like the underside of an import tuner car.

Autoplay

When autoplay is enabled videos will start playing automatically, you can turn off autoplay by clicking checkbox.

brightcove.createExperiences();

Overall, the main takeaway from the software side of things is how much better the Samsung TouchWiz UI has gotten, helped by how optimized it is with the company’s own processing packages. The edge features are there for those who specifically need them, but all said and done, there might not be a whole lot of people who do.

Gallery

Pricing and Final Thoughts

When it comes to comparing the price points is when you realize that wanting the sloped edges requires a premium over the already not particularly cheap Galaxy S6. The Galaxy S6 Edge costs about $150 more overall for the unlocked version, and will result in higher monthly payments on various network carriers. For example, The S6 Edge will cost $10 per month on the Simple Choice monthly plan from T-Mobile.

 So there you have it – a closer look at the Samsung Galaxy S6 vs Galaxy S6 Edge! Both of these phones show that Samsung has jumped forward in the flagship game. The Galaxy S6 and the S6 Edge will be the phones to beat this year, with their speed and stellar camera experience setting the bar very high for the competition. When it comes to picking one over the other though, it is really a matter of aesthetics and handling, both of which benefits that are actually felt. All things considered, the question that you have to answer is whether you are willing to pay even more for a phone that basically just looks and feels different, without bringing a whole lot else to the table. The Galaxy S6 Edge will certainly turn heads and revel in its uniqueness, and is personally the one I would pick. The great news is that you do have the option of having largely the same experience at a lower price point with the Galaxy S6.

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