New patent application reveals possible Samsung smartwatch form for a new generation
As the smartwatch market has exploded over the last few months, one of the characteristics of the devices hitting the market is their resemblance to a wristwatch. Whether square-faced or round-faced, the devices share a common inspiration with traditional wristwatches in having a small display held in place by bands. A recently revealed patent application submitted by Samsung back in September 2013 reveals the company may have plans to break out of that mold with a wearable device that is much larger and wraps around the wrist.
The invention described in Samsung’s patent application makes use of a “wide display” sitting on a segmented base. The use of the segmented base means the device could lay flat or it could be curved, like around a wrist or forearm. This ability to support both an “annularly bent state” and a flat state is a key component to Samsung’s application. With even this limited ability to morph into different forms, the Samsung device could function not only as a wearable device providing several communication and information services, it could also function as a multimedia devices for watching images if laid or held flat.
Samsung also made sure their patent application described how a flexible display and flexible touch input layer could be incorporated into the device. This means the display and touch interactions could function properly regardless of whether the display was flat or curved.
The idea of segments being strung together, with a display laid on top, is something we have seen from Samsung before, most recently in a patent application for a flexible phone. This new patent application shows how the same concept could be used for other devices.
source: Patently Mobile
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Galaxy S6 goes through scratching, bending, and flame torture tests, because why not?
With every major phone release, we find many torture tests to see how the device holds up. The Galaxy S6 is no exception in this latest video as attempts are made to scratch and bend it, as well as set it on fire. It’s a BDSM-lover’s dream.
The Galaxy S6 should be a little more delicate than previous S devices since it has glass and aluminum. However, the aluminum is 6013 grade, which is even better than what the iPhone sports (6063). Plus, the glass is Gorilla Glass 4.
The testing shows that the Galaxy S6 didn’t flinch at keys, a screwdriver, or even a razor blade with a pretty good force. Now fire might not be a good “real life” case, but they applied a lighter to both the aluminum frame as well as the display, and again the S6 didn’t budge.
This brings up to the bend test, which has been a controversy for the iPhone 6 Plus, as well as the Galaxy S6 Edge. By applying “human” pressure at full force, the S6 curved slightly during the bending process, but it didn’t actually bend. The tester was able to get a kink out of it by bending hard and twisting at the same time, but I wouldn’t say this would be a normal occurrence for consumers.
Check out the video for yourself below, but I think the Galaxy S6 has proven to be pretty durable.
Click here to view the embedded video.
Thanks Trevor
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Samsung to launch Galaxy S6 themes around April 10
One of the new features on the Galaxy S6 and the Galaxy S6 Edge is the Theme Manager which allows you to customise the entire look and feel of the TouchWiz interface, and we’re now hearing that Samsung is preparing lots of new themes including an AMOLED-friendly dark theme.
According to SamMobile, the new themes will launch around April 10th – the global launch of the Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge – and the dark theme will allow users to save power thanks to the Super AMOLED display on the smartphones. The themes will change the look of the settings screens, stock apps, keyboard, homescreen, wallpaper and the notifications menu and is part of Samsung’s attempt to offer increased customisation to customers.
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Below are some screenshots of the new themes and the dark theme in particular is likely to be a godsend for those who require the absolute maximum out of their battery.
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Themes on Android certainly aren’t a new feature but the Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge are the first time that Samsung has introduced a theme manager on its smartphones. The Korean manufacturer’s TouchWiz interface has generally split opinion – I for one don’t mind the software but others aren’t too fond of it – but allowing customers to change themes should mean the handsets are more popular with customers.
What do you think of the new themes? Let us know your views in the comments down below!
Deal: Refurbished Samsung Galaxy Note 4 for $469.99
When it comes to getting decent deals on refurbished smartphones, Ebay seller Qualitycellz is often one of the best sources to turn to. We’ve covered numerous deals from this seller in the past, and now a refurbished Samsung Galaxy Note 4 is on offer for just $469.99. That’s a hell of a deal, considering a new Note 4 will cost you around $899.99.
While this is the AT&T model of the Note 4, it is unlocked and should play nicely with most GSM-based carriers, though you may want to better research the frequencies involved here if you plan to use it outside of AT&T.
The Note 4 may not be Samsung’s latest flagship, with the Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge taking that distinction, but it is still one of the best devices on the market today. Powered by a 2.7GHz quad-core CPU with 3GB RAM, other specs include a 5.7-inch QHD AMOLED display, a 16MP rear cam, a 3.7MP front cam, 32GB storage, and microSD expansion.
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For even more details, be sure to check out our full review. So how about it, anyone planning on picking this one up?
Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge Tips and Tricks
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Samsung’s new Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge handsets are now making their way into consumers’ hands, even though the both devices don’t officially launch until April 10th. Samsung has added a number of interesting features to the software this time around, especially when it comes to the Galaxy S6 Edge. Whether you’re thinking about picking one up or whether it’s already in the mail, it might be a good idea to see what exactly the phone offers before it gets to your hands.
If you’re more focused on the Galaxy S6, don’t worry – we’ll have a video for you coming up shortly. But for now, let’s take a look at some tips and tricks for the new Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge!
Watch more on the Galaxy S6 Edge
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Tip #1 – Switching the Edge features from the right to left side
Samsung packaged a lot of edge-centric features into this device, and you’ll quickly notice that all of them are on the right side by default. It’s a pretty safe assumption that most people are right-handed, so it’s obvious why Samsung would put the features there. But if you’re left-handed, you’re not out of luck.
To change the Edge features from right to left, simply head to the Settings menu, scroll down and select Edge screen, then scroll to the very bottom where you’ll see Edge screen position. After you select Left side from that menu, you’re all set!
Tip #2 – How to customize Edge Lighting notifications
Anytime you have your device face down and receive a phone call or text from one of your favorite contacts, the edge of the screen lights up to notify which person is trying to contact you. If you don’t want the edge light wasting precious battery, there’s a really easy way to dismiss it.
All you need to do is hold down your finger on the heart rate monitor for a few seconds, and the edge will stop blinking. This will also send your friend a canned response to let them know you’re busy. You can turn off the canned response feature or change it to something a bit more personal than “I can’t answer your call now. I’ll get back to you soon. – Sent from my Galaxy S6 Edge”.
In order to do so, head to the Settings menu, then select Edge screen. Tap on Edge lighting, and then select Quick reply. This is where you can turn the canned response off altogether or change it to something else.
Tip #3 – How to customize and set up People Edge
People Edge goes hand in hand with the Edge Lighting feature, and allows you to have quick access to five of your favorite or most frequently contacted people. You can easily access these contacts by swiping in from the little tab that appears on the side of your display. To set up People Edge, you can do so two different ways. The first way is to access People Edge from any screen (swipe in from the tab on the edge), select the Settings cog, and select My people. You’ll then be able to click on an open contact and select which person you’d like to assign to a particular place. If you’re looking for an easier way, just access People Edge and click on one of the open spaces. Just select which contact you’d like to assign, and you’re all set. You can also reorder contacts on the edge by holding down on a particular contact and dragging it up or down to its desired placement.
If you’d like to change a contact’s color, you can do that too. Access the People Edge, select the Settings cog, then select My people. Click on the color you’d like to change and select the new color you’d like to be associated with that contact.
Tip #4 – How to set up Information Stream
Information Stream gives you little tidbits of information that you can access by swiping across the edge of the display when the screen is turned off. In order to set up and customize this feature, you’ll need to go to Settings, then select Edge screen. Once you select Information stream, you can set up which feeds you’d like the edge screen to show such as Twitter notifications, Yahoo News, sports scores and even your missed calls. If the stock feeds aren’t interesting enough, you can download additional feeds by selecting the Download feeds option in the Manage feeds menu. On the top of each feed in the Manage feeds section, just select whichever ones you’d like to show on your edge screen.
You can even choose the duration for which the edge screen will stay lit, by selecting Edge screen timeout in the Information stream menu.
Tip #5 – How to use the edge as a night clock
Perhaps the most simple and handy feature on this device is the ability to use it as a night clock. To set it up, head to your Settings menu, select Edge screen, then select Night clock. From here, you can choose when the night clock shows up and when you’d like it to turn off. You can only set the Night clock feature to show up for a period of 12 hours, so keep that in mind when you set up this feature.
See also:
- Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge review: the edge is here to stay
- Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge hands-on and first impressions
- Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge vs LG G Flex 2 quick look
- Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge features – quick look
- Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge color comparison
So, there you have it, some useful tips and tricks to help you get the best experience on your new Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge! If there is anything we missed in this video, feel free to let us know in the comment section below!
Android 5.0.1 Lollipop now rolling out to the AT&T Samsung Galaxy S4
Although there have been two new iterations in the Galaxy S lineup since its launch, the Galaxy S4 is still a great device. For those who are on AT&T’s network and still own this device, you should be getting a nice update sometime in the near future. AT&T has just begun pushing out Android 5.0.1 Lollipop to the Samsung Galaxy S4. The update, which is 947MB in size, carries build number LRX22C.1337UCUGOC3.
Multiple other Samsung devices have already gotten the Lollipop update including the Galaxy S5, Galaxy Note 3 and 4, and some variants of the Galaxy Note Edge. The most notable changes you’ll see with Lollipop are some improvements in the UI with Google’s new Material Design guidelines, Priority Mode notifications, Smart Lock security features and much more.
According to the AT&T update page, this is what you’ll get with the new update:
- Songs, photos, apps, and even recent searches from one Android device can be immediately enjoyed across all of your Android devices.
- New User Interface look and feel, more fluid motions
- Priority mode to only allow certain notifications to get through
- Battery saving features and remaining time left to charge or deplete indicators
- Smart Lock to secure phone or tablet by pairing it with a trusted device like a wearable or car
- Most frequently used settings available with just two swipes down from the top screen
- Removal of Code Scanner, Browser Bar and Softcard apps
Since the update is so large in size, AT&T requires that you download it over Wi-Fi. If you have yet to receive the OTA, you may have to wait a day or two before it comes to your device.
S4 owners, how are you liking the new update?
Samsung working on multiple themes for the Galaxy S6 theme store
With the Galaxy S6 global release just a few days away, Samsung is preparing their theme store for the phone so users will have a few different options to spice up their phones on launch day.
The S6 offers a handful of themes already, but the theme should be populated with a few more on April 10th. There’s plenty of diversity in what Samsung is offering, including some darker themes to take advantage of the AMOLED display of the S6 and S6 Edge, but there are also a few more colorful, flashy themes, if that’s your thing.
There’s still no word on exactly when third-party developers will be able to publish themes to Samsung’s theme store, but it’ll happen sooner or later. If you just can’t wait, though, there are plenty of third-party launchers on the Play Store to satisfy your customization needs in the meantime.
source: SamMobile
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Samsung Galaxy Tab A coming to Europe in May
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Samsung’s newest tablet is finally making its debut in Europe and is set for release in May, according to the German Samsung site.
The Galaxy Tab A (wi-fi only) is set at €299 with the LTE version increases the cost to €349.
The tablet features a 9.7-inch display with a 768 x 1024 resolution and a 4:3 aspect ratio, running Android 5.0 Lollipop, with a 1.2GHz processor and 1.5GB of RAM. The Galaxy Tab A, as you can tell from the specs, isn’t aimed at the power-user, but is instead intended for the casual web browsing session and email check.
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Samsung’s upcoming round smartwatch will be be called the Gear A, can make phone calls
We have been hearing a lot about the upcoming Samsung smartwatch. We know it’s round, and we thought it might be called the Orbis, but it appears that’s the code name.
It looks like it will be called the Gear A. Samsung will offer two versions, one with basic Bluetooth connectivity, and the other with 3G support. Both will have Wi-Fi as well, and the 3G version will also be able to make phone calls.
SamMobile was also able to obtain all the model numbers, which include…
- SM-R720 (non 3G)
- SM-R730 (3G)
- SM-R730A (AT&T)
- SM-R730P (Sprint)
- SM-R730V (Verizon)
- SM-R730T (T-Mobile)
- SM-R730S
- SM-R732S (SKT)
- SM-R732K (KT)
- SM-R732L (LG U+)
With Android Wear gaining steam and the Apple Watch launching very soon, can Samsung be successful doing their own thing?
source: SamMobile
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Be careful with Samsung Galaxy S6 edge as iFixit teardown shows repairs will not be easy
With Samsung switching to a glass and metal design for their new flagship devices, and a challenging curved screen thrown into the mix on the Samsung Galaxy S6 edge, iFixit has taken on the challenge of figuring out how these new features may impact the repairability of the Galaxy S6 edge. The results are not pretty with the smartphone only getting a score of 3 out of 10, with 10 being the easiest, on iFixit’s repairability scale. The only saving grace is the modular nature of the components, but getting to them is a challenge.
The Galaxy S6 edge is now a “sealed” unit similar to some other devices on the market. This means the first step to getting access to the inside of the device involves a lot of prying to separate the back cover from the mid-frame. iFixit says the glue is quite strong and the fit of the back cover is very tight, making it a challenge to get any kind of adequate leverage in place, so be prepared to take your time on this step.
Once the back cover is off, users will find they still cannot easily access the battery as they will have to remove the mid-frame and the motherboard to get access to it. Once you dig down to it though, the battery has its own strong glue treatment applied to hold it in place. So once again, do-it-yourself repair attempts will need to come with some patience while the glue strips are slowly pried loose.
Moving to the front of the device, iFixit’s attempts to explore the Galaxy S6 edge reveal that the use of Gorilla Glass 4 may be a big benefit if it keeps screens from cracking. Removing the curved glass could easily result in the display getting damaged by the process.
The Galaxy S6 edge represents a major departure in Samsung’s device design philosophy and incorporates some cutting edge technology like the dual curved edges. These advances appear to come at a cost though if the device needs to be repaired in some manner as it will be a lot tougher to get apart.
source: iFixit
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