Gear VR owners can now access paid apps from the Oculus Store
The Oculus Store is now accessible for owners of the Samsung Gear VR. This means that customers can finally look outside Samsung’s limited collection of apps and download some worthy games and applications.
These will cost you money though as they’re games built from the ground up. We’ve seen demos of these games on the Gear VR, so it will be familiar to users of the wearable.
This makes the Gear VR a near consumer product as it was touted to be a developer only offering until now. The device still has the Innovator Edition moniker attached to it, which doesn’t seem to be going away anytime soon.
Here’s the full list of paid apps already available in the Oculus Store:
- Bandit Six (WWII flying game) – US$3
- Darknet (cyber-puzzler, previously free) – $10
- Dreadhalls (first-person horror) – $5
- Esper (puzzler) – $5
- Gunner (space shooter) – $4
- Protocol Zero (first-person stealth) – $5
- Proton Pulse (brick-braking arcade) – $3
- Nighttime Terror (arcade defense) – $4
- Romans from Mars (arcade defense) – $3
Via: Gizmag
Come comment on this article: Gear VR owners can now access paid apps from the Oculus Store
Samsung Galaxy S6 edge gallery
Samsung on Sunday announced the first dual-edge display variant of its flagship Galaxy S6 line of smartphones with the Galaxy S6 edge. Slated to arrive in April, we’re giving you a look at the device from a number of angles and in a handful of color options.
The post Samsung Galaxy S6 edge gallery appeared first on AndroidGuys.
Surprise Surprise, Galaxy Note 5 likely to offer a dual edge display
Samsung is already expecting that the Galaxy S6 Edge will be more popular than the Galaxy Note Edge. Let’s face it, the Note Edge felt half-baked having only one curved edge. The Galaxy S6 Edge already feels like a legitimate product and they think the consumer feels the same even though they haven’t been able to see the phone in person yet.
Now it can’t be a surprise that Samsung will probably launch something similar with the Galaxy Note 5. Samsung product strategy team executive vice president said, “There is a possibility that Samsung will introduce the curved display for the Galaxy Note lineup.” Mobile Chief J.K. Shin also made it clear of their commitment to Edge models.
Whether they are able to pull it off with the standard version of the Note 5 or they will still need to offer an Edge variant is the big question. Production capacity is still the key.
Will these Edge displays eventually be a normal feature of smartphone flagships or will they always be high-priced variants for those that have a little extra cash?
source: Korea Herald
Come comment on this article: Surprise Surprise, Galaxy Note 5 likely to offer a dual edge display
J.K Shin: The Galaxy S6 will take back market share lost from Apple, Snapdragon 810 wasn’t good enough
There is no question that J.K Shin’s job might be riding on the Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge. Samsung lost a considerable amount of market share to rival Apple when they finally released an iPhone with a respectable display size. Now Shin is confident that the Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge will take back that market share and boost Samsung’s stock price.
He said, “I’m confident that the Galaxy S6 Edge is a product that showcases Samsung’s innovation in the smartphone manufacturing industry. The Galaxy S6 and Edge will achieve a considerable market share in the high-end handset segment.”
Investors were already pleased as the stock price went up 4.86% the day after the big unveiling.
Shin also had a few comments regarding the whole Qualcomm debacle. If you remember, Samsung ditched the Snapdragon 810 in favor of their own Exynos processor for the Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge. Shin said, “If Qualcomm chips are good enough, then we will use them.” In other words, the 810 wasn’t good enough and the Exynos chipset was. He also said their partnership with Qualcomm remains strong despite going in a different direction.
Be sure to check out our complete Mobile World Congress 2015 coverage.
source: Korea Times
via: G4Games
Come comment on this article: J.K Shin: The Galaxy S6 will take back market share lost from Apple, Snapdragon 810 wasn’t good enough
First look at the updated Samsung Gear VR
brightcove.createExperiences();
A somewhat unexpected announcement alongside the Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge, Samsung introduced new and updated version of Gear VR at MWC 2015. While on the floor at MWC we had the opportunity to try out the latest version of the Gear VR. With all that said, let’s jump in and take a brief first look at the device.
This VR unit introduced in conjuction with Oculus is another revision in refining the idea that originally released alongside the Galaxy Note 4. The headset is now 15% smaller, all the while being lighter and more comfortable. Given that the experience is untethered, this comes as good news.
There is now a USB on the bottom that acts as a pass through so you can keep the phone going while using the unit. There’s also a silent fan that aims to keep the unit from overheating, and to stop any fogging that may occur in the lens. We have a few minor cosmetic changes too. The touchpad has now been recesssed so it is easy to locate, and the back button is now more tactile than before.
Overall the experience is fantastic for what it is, providing an untethered experience and an inclination of what VR could bring and not just for gaming. The Gear VR presents an ideaology that is only a compliment to the bigger and more powerful Oculus Rift.
However, for owners of the first generation model, there’s really no reason to feel left out as the experience is largely the same, just more refined. It is also important to note that both owners of the original hardware and future owners of the newer model will soon have a number of new paid (and some free) apps and games, thanks to a joint effort launched by Samsung and Oculus.
Once the Oculus store goes live, you’ll find a few VR optimized games in the $2.99 to $4.99 range, though Oculus says that they have been plans to keep pushing out more apps and games in the months to come. What do you think of the Gear VR experience? Do you think mobile VR is the future, or more of a gimmick than anything? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.
Report: Galaxy S6 Edge could start from 64GB in the UK
Despite the fact that the Galaxy S6 Edge doesn’t make quite as efficient use of the curved display as its big brother the Galaxy Note Edge, it has still managed to turn a lot of heads thanks to its sleek, stylish design and dual curved sides. When coupled with the rear/front Gorilla Glass 4 panels and a metal frame, it’s by far the most premium and precious product Samsung has ever produced.
Pricing has yet to be set in stone with respect to either the S6 or S6 Edge, however given the fact that the Note Edge retails for around $800-900 (off-contract) and is made with lesser materials and older hardware components, it’s best to brace yourself for a similar figure. One thing that will definitely come into play however, is the storage option: as the new devices lack a removable back cover and microSD card slot, what you buy is what you get. The phones are available in 32GB, 64GB, and 128GB variants…or are they? Take a look at this screen capture:
Assuming that nothing changes, this would indicate the Galaxy S6 Edge will lack a 32GB base model. This will, in turn, obviously drive up the price considerably.
Samsung is probably wanting to create the most premium image possible for the product. Though this screen capture allegedly comes from a UK-based Samsung page, we wouldn’t be surprised to see the same storage standard used in other markets.
Suffice to say, it’s best to start saving up your money now if you intend to get an S6 Edge in the UK.
Samsung is confident Galaxy S6 will be a sales hit
Financially speaking, 2014 was a rough year for Samsung Mobile given its poor sales performance and the subsequent aftermath that included everything from internal staff changes to terminating services to a supposed “fresh start” with the Galaxy S6. Given what we have seen at MWC 2015 so far, it looks like the company took some major initiative in seeking to fix what ails it: the S6 (and S6 Edge) has no plastic on its body, has a cleaner, leaner TouchWiz, and will even come in a 128GB variant.
It’s so good that Andy Tu, General Manager of Mobile Communication at Samsung Taiwan, has gone on record to state that he expects the S6 to surpass all of its previous incarnations. Specifically, the Galaxy S4 is the phone to beat as last year’s Galaxy S5 was found to have sold 40% less than expected.
While this is a very big claim indeed, the company’s revised game plan will aid it well given that Mr. Tu indicated Samsung will focus on the S6 and Note 4 during Q2 2015, with supporting focus on the lower-end Galaxy A and Galaxy E products. Of interest is the fact that neither the Note Edge nor the S6 Edge were mentioned, perhaps a given when considering the higher price points and more niche-oriented appeal the pair of devices have.
brightcove.createExperiences();
Take a quick look at our hands on impressions here, and be sure to check out all of our coverage on the Galaxy S6 to see just what everyone is so hyped up.
Samsung Galaxy S6 vs. LG G3
Examining the specs, it can definitely be said that LG did a great job in future proofing its G3. Many details are near identical despite the fact that the G3 is eight to nine months old.
Sure, the Samsung Galaxy S6 has a better processor, graphics, and cameras. However, the G3 has a larger battery, a larger display, a microSD card slot, and a cheaper price point.Of course, this is all just on paper. The S6 could be a device noticeably more optimized for performance, especially since it is brand new.
In my opinion, there is no wrong option here. The lack of expandable storage could be a deal breaker for some. For those people who need their device to act as a player for their media collection, they should consider the G3 more so. If that’s not an issue, then choose which experience you prefer. Touchwiz and Optimus UI both are featured packed user interfaces, but should you desire a fingerprint scanner or the quicker charging capability of the two devices for example, consider the S6 more so. The S6 will get four hours of battery use from just 10 minutes of charging. It should also be noted that neither device is waterproof or dustproof.
Source of specs: GSMArena 1, 2
The post Samsung Galaxy S6 vs. LG G3 appeared first on AndroidGuys.
Samsung may be delaying any more smartwatches until the Apple Watch
If there’s one thing Samsung is good at, it’s flooding a potential market with tons and tons of devices. The smartwatch market has been no exception, and the company has deluged consumers with multiple options to pair with their Galaxy devices. Remember, the Galaxy Gear launched at the end of 2013 with the Galaxy Note 3, and since then we’ve had the Gear 2, Gear 2 Neo, Gear Fit, Gear S, and Gear Live. For those of you keeping count at home, that’s about 6 devices in 18 months, which means they’re releasing a new watch roughly every quarter.
It would’ve made sense to see a new watch alongside the Galaxy S 6, but Samsung only announced an updated Gear VR for use with the newer devices. There could be many explanations for that, but some analysts seem to think it has everything to do with Apple’s upcoming smartwatch.
While Apple’s watch is slated for release next month, Samsung’s Young-hee Lee said that the company isn’t done making smartwatches, but they are instead taking a pause, considering they’ve released so many more products than any of their competitors. She says they want to developer a more “perfect product,” which likely just means Samsung wants to see what consumers do and don’t like about the Apple watch. It’s been a successful strategy for their smartphones and tablets, so it’s a sensible option for smartwatches, too.
For right now, you’ll have to settle with Samsung’s “older” models like the Gear S or Gear Live, but in a few months, it’s a safe bet we’ll see a handful of new Samsung wrist-computers hit the market.
source: Wall Street Journal
Come comment on this article: Samsung may be delaying any more smartwatches until the Apple Watch
When and where to buy: Samsung Galaxy S6
Samsung’s latest flagship smartphone, the Galaxy S6, was announced at Mobile World Congress on March 1. According to the hardware maker, the handset will roll out to some 20+ countries on April 10.
We’ve gathered up links and details for the various U.S. wireless providers; these will help if you’re interested in signing up for additional information or want to pre-register for your own device.
Pricing has yet to be announced by any party however we’ll update this page over time. Note that all parties listed below have been confirmed by Samsung.
Carriers
- Verizon
- AT&T
- Sprint
- T-Mobile
- U.S. Cellular
- Boost Mobile
- Cricket Wireless
- MetroPCS
Retailers
- Best Buy
- Amazon
- Costco
- Sam’s Club
- Target
- Walmart
The post When and where to buy: Samsung Galaxy S6 appeared first on AndroidGuys.
AIVAnet 