Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge adjudged the best camera on a smartphone in the industry
DxOMark, which is a big name in the photography community has just adjudged the Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge (and Galaxy S6) to be the best camera on a smartphone in the market, pipping the Apple iPhone 6 by a fair margin.
DxOMark’s results fetched the Galaxy S6 Edge an overall score of 86 points while the iPhone 6 only managed to score 82 points, which is pretty good for a cameraphone, but clearly the Samsung offering has come out on top here.
The team gave marks for various aspects of the smartphone’s camera including features like exposure, contract, autofocus as well as texture. So if you ever wonder which is the best cameraphone you can get in the market today, the answer is pretty simple, it’s the Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge.
LG is expected to unveil its flagship offering tomorrow as well, with teasers suggesting that the device will have an industry topping camera on board. So will the LG G4 dethrone the Galaxy S6 Edge? We don’t have to wait long to find out.
Source: DxOMark
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Samsung’s Galaxy S6 Edge has the world’s best smartphone camera, according to DxOMark
In our full review, we were extremely impressed with the 16MP rear-facing camera on the Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge, and it turns out the folks at DxOMark seem to think so as well. After extensively testing the rear camera, the Galaxy S6 Edge has become the top-ranked device in popular camera tester DxOMark’s database. In fact, that means Samsung holds the top two spots on the list, with the Galaxy Note 4 coming in second place.
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DxOMark’s scores are based on an extensive list of tests, including noise, exposure, artifacts, color and autofocus for both photo and video modes. And out of a total score of 100, the S6 Edge achieved a combined score of 86. As far as Android devices go, the Note 4 comes in a close second with a score of 83, the Galaxy S5, Sony Xperia Z3 and Z2 in 5th place with a 79, and Google’s Nexus 6 handset holds the 8th place spot with a respectable 78. Apple’s iPhone 6 and 6 Plus currently hold the 3rd and 4th place spots.
The overall score of 86 is a combination between photo and video capabilities, in which the handset achieved an 88 in photography and an 84 in video. On the photo front, the device lost points because there was a noticeable amount of noise in low-light shots, and the mixing of flash and tungsten light resulted in a slightly yellow/green white balance. The device lost points in the video department due to the strong “jello” effect, slight color shading in low-light conditions, and slight flare in bright lighting conditions.
Read more: Samsung Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge camera shootout
When it comes to the positives, the GS6 Edge boasted fast autofocus, good exposure and nice white balance in all conditions. The pros on the video side consisted of good exposure and white balance, and fine detail with little noise when shooting in both bright and low light.
If you’re interested in learning more about the Galaxy S6 Edge’s awesome camera, we urge you to check out the full report on DxOMark’s website. Also, be sure to find out our thoughts in our full Galaxy S6 Edge review.
Samsung Moves Away from ARM Chips in Favor of Custom Exynos M1 Chipsets
Samsung famously (or notoriously) ditched Qualcomm this year when it came to powering the next iteration of its Galaxy S series of phones, the Galaxy S6. Citing overheating and general performance issues, the Korean giant opted against the Snapdragon 810 in favor of a newer iteration of its Exynos in-house chip. The downside to this, however, is a reliance on ARM architecture (which Qualcomm and others, including Apple, do not use),
In what looks to be a bold, but predicted move, Samsung’s next line of in-house cores will likely be powered by an Exynos M1 core, and utilize custom architecture in an effort to avoid being dependent on ARM.
The leak comes via a references to the Exynos M1 that’s been added to the latest development tools for ARM cores.
Chipset makers typically release new technology to developers nine to 12 months away from the start of a new production cycle, which would fall in line with the M1 series being used on the (presumed) Galaxy S7 next spring. Reports say the new Exynos M1 is 45 percent faster than the Exynos 7420 used in the Galaxy S6.
Utilizing custom processors could also open up the new Exynos series’ use for other applications, such as custom GPUs. Samsung has been a regular player in the chip supply business for many years, and there’s no reason to assume it won’t want to diversify and maximize the potential of an all-new custom processor.
Source: SamMobile
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T-Mobile starts rolling out Lollipop update for the Note 4
As T-Mobile promised last week, it has now begun pushing out the long-awaited Android 5.0.1 update to all carrier-banded variants of the Galaxy Note 4 located in the United States. In terms of added functionality, this upgrade transports the latest build of Lollipop to the handset, in addition to a ton of bug fixes and stability improvements.
Hit the break for the full changelog.
- Material Design: You will quickly notice a whole new colorful look and feel to your device – from fluid animations to new application and system themes, colors and widgets.
- Notifications UI & Priorities: In order to alert you to the mosttimely and relevant information, the format and behavior of notifications have evolved:
- notifications will appear on the lock screen and are intelligently ranked by type and who sent them.
- you double-tap to open one, swipe left or right to clear one, or clear all notifications from the bottom of the list.
- you can set the priority and privacy of notifications for each application.
- very high priority notifications will pop up briefly over other applications so that you can take action.
- when you dismiss a notification on one device it will be dismissed on your other Android devices, if they are connected to the Internet.
- you can further tailor how notifications behave with the new Downtime and Ambient Display settings (see below).
- New Interruptions & Downtime Settings: You can tailor how interruptions behave, choosing to allow all, none, or only priority interruptions. You can personalize what counts as a priority interruption (reminders, events, calls, messages) and even tailor them to be from only contacts you specify. The Downtime setting will allow only priority interruptions during the times and days that you specify. e.g. allow only priority interruptions on the weekend.
- Recent Apps (Multi-tasking): The redesigned Overview space (formerly called Recents) will include both applications and separate activities within those applications. For instance, each open tab in Chrome will also appear here along with recent applications; both your Gmail Inbox and a draft email message will appear as separate cards. This provides a consistent way to switch amongst tasks.
- Flashlight: Lollipop includes a new flashlight option as part of Quick settings (swipe down with two fingers from the status bar to see it).
- Pin a view/app: Screen pinning allows you to keep a specific app or screen in view. For example, you can ‘pin’ a game and your child will not be able to navigate anywhere else on your phone.
- Battery: The Battery settings panel now shows an estimated projection for how much time you have left while discharging or charging. You can also enable a new battery saver mode that will save power by reducing performance and most background data operations to extend your battery life.
- Smarter Internet Connections: With Android Lollipop, your phone will not connect to a Wi-Fi access point unless there is a verified Internet connection. This feature improves hand-offs between Wi-Fi and cellular connections, helping to maintain your video chat or voice-over-IP (VoIP) call as you switch.
- Performance: Your phone now uses the new Android Runtime to help optimize application performance. After upgrading to Lollipop, your applications will undergo a one-time optimization process. Note that the optimization for ART requires more space.
- Security: Encryption can now use a stronger 256-bit key to help protect your data. Note that the stronger key willonly be used after you perform a factory reset on Android Lollipop. Otherwise encryption will continue to use 128-bit key. You can turn on encryption in the Security settings menu.
As is customary with all manufacturer updates, 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, you can search for the update manually. To do so simply follow the four steps below:
- Open the Settings app
- Scroll to the bottom and tap on “About Device”
- Hit “System Updates”
Come comment on this article: T-Mobile starts rolling out Lollipop update for the Note 4
Samsung gets its edge back with opening of new production line
From the initial announcement, Samsung has been receiving a lot of good buzz about the Samsung Galaxy S6 edge smartphone, the companion to their Galaxy S6. The company may have thought the curved edges of the device would be seen more as a novelty for buyers who wanted to be early adopters or who were looking for a little “edge” over their friends’ devices. However, the device has proven to be extremely popular with the general buying public, putting Samsung in the situation of scrambling to meet demand. To do so, the Korean manufacturer has opened a third production line to handle demand for the curved screens on the device.
According to Samsung, the third production line is opening about two months earlier than planned to be able to meet demand for the the Galaxy S6 edge. Capacity will increase to 5 million screens per month versus the current cap of 2 million screens per month.
Along with their latest smartphone and last year’s Galaxy Note Edge which was released alongside the Galaxy Note 4, Samsung is adding curved edges to some of their Super Ultra High-Definition televisions and the Gear S smartwatch. Samsung clearly has a hit on their hand with curved edge screens. The challenge now, besides keeping up with the unexpected success, will be in keeping the momentum going with other devices and product lines as Samsung continues to work to turn things around from their 2014 dip.
source: SamMobile
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Samsung app helps Alzheimer’s patients remember their families
If you’ve seen Still Alice, you know how important a smartphone can be for an Alzheimer’s patient — it helps jog memories that might otherwise be lost. Samsung is clearly aware of this, as it just released a dedicated Backup Memory app to stimulate the memories of early-onset patients. The Android tool uses Bluetooth to detect when friends and family running the app are nearby. If they are, it’ll both identify the person and show user-uploaded photos and videos that recall past events. The app is currently very simple (Samsung still wants to add GPS locations, for instance), but it’s reportedly promising enough in early tests that it’s slowing down the effects of Alzheimer’s and making life just a little bit easier.
Filed under: Cellphones, Internet, Mobile, Samsung
Source: Samsung Tomorrow, Google Play
I thought the ‘S’ in ‘Galaxy S’ stood for ‘Samsung’, but it doesn’t
Recent we heard how HTC came up with the “M” naming scheme and why the latest HTC One is the “M9“. Now it’s time to learn about the Samsung Galaxy S. Actually this is nothing new as it was actually reported in a 2011 press release that Phone Arena dug up, but I guess we all forgot about it or we didn’t pay attention to it at the time.
I just assumed the “S” stood for “Samsung”, but it doesn’t. It stands for Super Smart. Actually, if you think about it, it should be the “Galaxy SS” shouldn’t it?
Here’s the text from the August 24, 2011 presser…
– “S” (Super Smart) – Devices at the very pinnacle of Samsung’s mobile portfolio. This class will only be used on flagship devices such as the Samsung Galaxy S, the award-winning smartphone that has already sold 10 million units throughout the world.
Interestingly enough, they also revealed other naming schemes….
– “R” (Royal / Refined) – Premium category models, a combination of power, performance and productivity for the individual who wants to be defined by the technology they carry.
– “W” (Wonder) – High quality, strategic models, perfect for those seeking a balance between style and performance.
– “M” (Magical) –High-performance models at an economic price-point.
– “Y” (Young) – These are entry models or strategic models for emerging markets or a younger audience more sensitive to price.
So your Galaxy S6 is actually the Galaxy Super Smart 6. I dare you to go into your local carrier store and say that you’re interesting in upgrading to the Galaxy Super Smart 6. I would love to see the look on the sales associate.
source: Phone Arena
Here’s the full and original presser below….
Samsung introduces new GALAXY smartphone naming strategy, expands GALAXY smartphone range
SEOUL–(Korea Newswire) August 24, 2011 — Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd., a leading mobile phone provider, today announced a new naming strategy for its GALAXY range of smartphones. The creation of the new naming system is marked by the release of four new GALAXY smartphone, the GALAXY W, GALAXY M Pro, GALAXY Y and GALAXY Y Pro, all of which run on the powerful Android 2.3 Gingerbread operating systems.
Samsung has created a new and simplified system of naming its smartphones, focused on its ever-expanding portfolio of industry-leading Android devices. The naming structure will organize and group all devices into five classes, identified by a single alphabetical letter. Devices will then be further designated by an additional indicator which will identify specific functionality.
“As Samsung continues to innovate, our goal is to provide consumers with an experience uniquely tailored to their needs. We have introduced steps to ensure users can simply identify the device designed to deliver the perfect experience for them,” said JK Shin, President and Head of Samsung’s Mobile Communications Business.
“In addition to this new naming strategy at IFA this year we unveiling the GALAXY W, GALAXY M Pro, GALAXY Y and GALAXY Y Pro – designed with the professional and social consumer in mind. These products further build on the phenomenal success we have enjoyed with the GALAXY range.”
New ways to identify your GALAXY Smartphones
According to the new naming structure, new class designators refer to the specific category that the smartphone product fits into, for example a premium device, or an entry-level device. All classes will be used within the higher branding of the ‘GALAXY’ smartphones.
– “S” (Super Smart) – Devices at the very pinnacle of Samsung’s mobile portfolio. This class will only be used on flagship devices such as the Samsung Galaxy S, the award-winning smartphone that has already sold 10 million units throughout the world.
· “R” (Royal / Refined) – Premium category models, a combination of power, performance and productivity for the individual who wants to be defined by the technology they carry.
· “W” (Wonder) – High quality, strategic models, perfect for those seeking a balance between style and performance.
· “M” (Magical) –High-performance models at an economic price-point.
· “Y” (Young) – These are entry models or strategic models for emerging markets or a younger audience more sensitive to price.
Class indicators allow a more specific description of the key selling points of a device:
– “Pro” – This indicates that the device includes a QWERTY keyboard for speedier email typing and increased productivity for professionals.
– “Plus” – This indicates that the device is an upgrade from an existing model.
– “LTE” – This indicates that the device is designed to utilize LTE (Long-Term Evolution) connectivity standards, a 4G standard to provide increased mobile network capacity and speed.
Introducing the Samsung GALAXY W
Equipped with high-spec technology including a 1.4GHz Processor, HSDPA 14.4 Mbps connectivity and a large 3.7″ touch screen, the GALAXY W is the ideal solution for those who need to Live Fast and Live Smart. This powerful performance is enhanced with the inclusion of Samsung’s Game, Social and Music Hubs, providing one-stop solutions for a consumer’s gaming, socializing and listening needs. Kies Air enables additional control, allowing users who have misplaced their phone to track it, meaning complete peace of mind.
GALAXY M Pro
Providing a strong performance for high value, the GALAXY M Pro is the ideal solution for young and sociable professionals. A QWERTY keyboard provides swift, accurate typing on the go – enhancing productivity when drafting memos, documents and messages. The keyboard also simplifies communication with Social Hub allowing users to talk to whoever they want, however they want, all from their contact list. Communication history, instant messaging and updates from social networking sites are all readily available.
An optical track pad and touch screen ensures the interface is easy and simple to use. This productivity and functionality is packed into a sleek 9.97m body. Designed with professionals in mind, the GALAXY M Pro offers extensive productivity through a variety of enterprise solutions, including Exchange Active Sync, Sybase Afaria, CISCO Mobile and CISCO WebEx.
GALAXY Y
Compact but with a full range of features and allowing the ability to stay social on-the-go, the GALAXY Y is an ideal device for younger consumers. Seamless multitasking is enabled thanks to the device’s powerful 832MHz processor. The GALAXY Y includes Samsung’s Social Hub, allowing users to stay connected with their online social circles. Equipped with Samsung’s TouchWiz User Interface, the GALAXY Y delivers a simple and intuitive experience. Additionally, the inclusion of SWYPE facilitates speedy typing. The GALAXY Y is available in a variety of colors ensuring it can fit with anyone’s style.
GALAXY Y Pro
Equipped with a QWERTY keyboard as well as enhanced social and professional features, the GALAXY Y Pro Smartphone is optimized for young professionals looking to manage both their work and home lives with ease. Users can stay constantly connected with Social Hub Premium, which supports email, social network integration and instant messaging.
An optimized, intuitive touch screen interface allows an accessible and intelligent experience, while users are able to work on the go thanks to ThinkFree mobile office, enabling a variety of Office documents (Word, PPT, Excel and PDF) to be edited from the handset. Productivity is enhanced thanks to the combined power of touch screen and QWERTY keyboard inputs, enabling smooth navigation with efficient and professional input. WiFi Direct also allows faster transfer rates, allowing content to be shared quickly.
Come comment on this article: I thought the ‘S’ in ‘Galaxy S’ stood for ‘Samsung’, but it doesn’t
Galaxy S6 Edge demand leads Samsung to open third factory for screen production
Last year, Samsung found its way into a number of bleak articles proclaiming that the company’s mobile division was heading downward and that a big change was needed if the Korean giant wanted to stay on top. This criticism was mostly aimed at the Samsung Galaxy S5, which went on to perform quite modestly compared to initial projections for the device. Thankfully, with the Samsung Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge, Samsung seems to have finally delivered the experience many were waiting for.
The Samsung Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge are garnering a lot of positive attention not only for the redesigned aesthetics, but for the less bloated software that finally helps TouchWiz perform on a similar level to other Android OEM skins. While it’s unclear exactly how well the GS6 and S6 Edge are doing so early into their releases, one thing is clear: the Galaxy S6 Edge seems to be the crowd favorite.
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We have already written before about how the Galaxy S6 Edge is selling much better than Samsung initially predicted, leading to a global shortage, with Samsung doing its best to ramp up production. To further these efforts, Samsung has now begun production for its curved displays at a third factory. According to “people with direct knowledge” of Samsung’s plans, Production line A3 will allow Samsung Display to produce about 5 million screens a month, up from the current 2 million.
Samsung had always planned on using the plant for screen production, but it wasn’t supposed to go live until sometime in June. The demand for the Galaxy S6 Edge sped up those plans, however. So what does this mean for the Edge, long term? Basically it should mean that Samsung will be able to catch up with product demand sooner rather than later, and should go a long ways in helping Samsung achieve its goal of over 70 million sales for the Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge combined.
Read also: Best Samsung Galaxy S6 (and Edge) accessories
What do you think of Samsung’s latest — are you in love with the Edge, or prefer the standard Galaxy S6? Conversely, do you feel that neither phone meets your expectations? Let us know in the comments.
T-Mobile Galaxy Note 4 finally gets Android 5.0.1 Lollipop update
Following behind AT&T and Sprint, T-mobile has now started rolling out an update to Android 5.0.1 Lollipop for owners of the Samsung Galaxy Note 4! We were already aware this update was coming sometime this week, but thanks to numerous tipsters this morning, we can confirm the update is now live for some users.
The latest update packs the firmware number N910TUVU1COD6 and appears to be a 1085.68MB download. In other words, you’ll probably want to be on Wi-Fi, unless you have unlimited data.
As for what’s new here? As with the case of pretty much all Samsung devices that have moved from KitKat to Lollipop, the aesthetic changes here aren’t nearly as big as you’d see with a device running a stock build of Android, as TouchWiz covers up many of the expected Material Design tweaks. That said, there are still plenty of noticeable changes including Lollipop’s Smart Lock security feature, priority notifications, an improved lockscreen, and much more.
Keep in mind that this update is likely rolling out in stages, so don’t be too surprised if it has yet to reach your device. So how about it, have you received Android Lollipop on your T-Mobile Note 4 yet? If so, what do you think?
Thanks to all that sent this tip in! And a special thanks to John and Alfonso for the screenshots used above!
Someone got Android Wear running on Samsung’s Gear 2 watch
Don’t despair if you bought Samsung’s Gear 2 smartwatch, only to realize that you wanted the Android-powered Gear Live instead — there might be a solution in the works. XDA tinkerer biktor_gj has successfully loaded Android Wear on the Gear 2 after four months of work. It’s in a very rough state, as you might imagine. Only touch and rudimentary Bluetooth support are working right now. Android Wear doesn’t have an open source project the way that regular Android does, so any support for audio, the motion sensor and other features will likely be tricky to implement. Biktor is hopeful that he’ll get those working, however, and even this crude port is proof that your smartwatch isn’t necessarily limited to its original software.
Filed under: Wearables, Mobile, Samsung
Via: SamMobile
Source: XDA Developers (1), (2), (3)
