Reddit user claims to possess the Galaxy S6 edge, talks about his experiences with it

A thread went up on Reddit’s r/android subreddit today in which a user claimed to have the Galaxy S6 edge. He said that he worked for a company that “develops and/or merchandises” using the product which is why he has a unit well before the official release date. I should mention that the user didn’t post any images of the device so it could have been a ruse. However the user’s account is quite detailed and he did offer to provide proof to the subreddit’s moderators.

When asked about the Galaxy S6 edge’s speaker he said that it seems “about twice as loud” as the one on the Galaxy S5. Responding to a question about the fingerprint sensor the user claimed it works about as good as Apple’s and that the device allows up to four fingers to be set up for this feature. Battery life is said to be as good as the Galaxy S5 with an “absurdly quick” charge time. He also mentioned how improved the software is now that Samsung has reduced bloat. Apparently the camera is “freaking awesome” and the front shooter is better than that on the Galaxy Note 4 and the Galaxy S5.

You should take this information with a grain of salt since the user has provided no concrete proof that he does have a Galaxy S6 edge. It’s interesting information nonetheless. Information that will appease your desire to know more about Samsung’s latest flagship before it’s finally released next month.

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Samsung Brazil hit with R$10 million fine for moral harassment

Samsung has been fined R$10 million ($3.1 million) in Brazil following claims from several senior members of its staff for moral harassment. Employees had complained to the Brazilian Labor Prosecution Office that the company made endless demands to deliver complicated projects under incredibly tight deadlines. They were even forced to drink alcohol at happy hour sessions. Employees’ English skills were mocked. Senior executives would call their subordinates “lazy” and “dumb.” A female employee was apparently fired for being overweight.

The company has now committed to invest R$5 million in corporate marketing to raise awareness about moral harassment or child labor. Campaigns will run on Brazilian TV, radio and print media. Samsung Brazil will donate the remaining R$5 million to several non-profit organizations picked by the Labor Courts.

In a statement issued to the media Samsung Brazil said that this commitment doesn’t “imply a recognition of individual moral harassment to anyone.” The company said it is fully committed to “treating staff with dignity and providing an environment that meets the highest standards of health, safety and wellbeing.”

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Unlocked Galaxy S4 gets Lollipop update in France

Samsung’s been busy these days with not only new phone announcements but also the rollout of Google’s latest OS update, Android 5.0 Lollipop. Android manufacturers compete with one another to see who’ll roll out Google’s latest the fastest, and, in the past, Samsung’s rollout hasn’t satisfied a number of consumers.

Well, Android 5.0 has changed all that. Samsung started releasing Lollipop for its devices just 31 days after Google announced the OS update. Not bad, Samsung. First, the Galaxy S5 received Lollipop, with Poland receiving a few updates before Lollipop made its way to Russia, Spain, Malaysia, and then the UK. Just last month, Verizon became the first carrier in the US to distribute Lollipop to its Galaxy S5 customers on February 2nd.

Despite the UK being the only European country to receive Lollipop, Samsung hasn’t forgotten about Europe’s other countries. France is up next on the list to receive Lollipop.

The latest news in the never-ending Samsung Lollipop rollout comes from tech site TalkAndroid, who says that unlocked Galaxy S4 models (not carrier versions) in France are now receiving their taste of Google’s latest sweet treat. The update, carrying version number 7.18.531.2, will take up 729.59MB of space. This update is far smaller in size than the UK’s 3GB Lollipop update and US carrier Verizon’s 1.7GB Lollipop update for Galaxy S5 customers.

Android 5.0 brings 3D animations, an improved drop-down notification window in “card” layout, lock screen notifications, card-like task manager with all apps appearing in the same place, battery stats that show battery time left rather than running battery time, Google’s new Material Design language, and a “Flappy Bird” easter egg, among others. Go ahead: head on over to your system update settings to get the update that has become a bragging right for Android users.

Have you downloaded the Lollipop update? What cosmetic changes do you see that you like? What changes are made that you dislike? Do your thing in the comments.

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Pebble says that Samsung and Apple “overthink” the smartwatch concept

In techland, you can always tell when companies are in competition with each other. US carriers T-Mobile and AT&T have had their smearing campaigns, and even HTC decided recently to criticize an Android manufacturer while applauding its largest rival. Some would say that statements like these are nothing more than an attempt to throw metaphorical “fists” at the competition. In other words, when you can’t beat a company, you simply criticize it.

Pebble is a smartwatch maker whose smartwatches have made a statement in the new niche sector, with 700,000 smartwatches sold in 2014. Of course, this doesn’t even come close to Samsung’s 1.2 million smartwatches sold last year – which means that Samsung now leads the pack by 500,000 smartwatches. And that doesn’t count the 3 months of 2015.

The Apple Watch has produced a lot of responses around the Web since Apple unveiled its latest gadget earlier this week. Pebble, as is typical of rival manufacturers, decided to do a little mudslinging. “I think they [Apple and Samsung] overthink what people are going to do with them. We don’t lose sight that it’s a watch. It’s not a phone. It’s not a gadget. It’s a watch and time is what matters to people,” said Pebble spokesperson Monica Isla.

Isla seems sold on the watch concept, but watches and smartwatches are not the same. For those who want a watch that tells time only, there are numerous watches out there (some less than $100) that provide this basic function. Pebble seems to forget that it has entered the category of smart watches. Smart watches are distinct from regular watches because of the “smart” designation.

This is no different than the distinction made between flip phones (or “dumbphones,” as they’re comically called) and “smart” phones. While “dumbphones” do basic things like make calls and send texts, smartphones feature web browsers, cameras, camera modes, and allow you to download apps that only increase the functionality of your device. There are some flip phones that provide web browsers and touchscreens (such as the water-resistant Motorola Quantico), but apps on feature phones are extremely limited as compared to the Google Play experience on an Android smartphone.

The designation “smart” places smartwatches in a different category than a regular watch, and some consumers want added functionality to go along with the price tag. With Isla’s attack of Samsung and Apple smartwatches, Pebble is sending the message that they want to provide a basic timepiece experience. In reality, though, this contradicts Pebble’s own software updates that have now added functionality that goes far beyond that of a basic watch: mobile notifications, language settings, Paypal payment compatibility, the ability to end in-progress phone calls, as well as fitness and sleep health tracking. Basic timepieces are devoid of these features.

With Samsung’s numbers leading the way for now, it seems as though Samsung’s “overthinking” is in high demand.

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Galaxy S6 arrives at Samsung Experience Shops in the UK this Saturday

Samsung has announced its new flagship smartphones and you might have already seen hands-on videos of the devices. You will have to wait until April 10th to buy these devices. If gawking at them through a screen is not doing enough for you then head down to your local Samsung Experience Shop if you’re in the UK. All Samsung Experience Shops in the UK will have the Galaxy S6 and the Galaxy S6 edge available for you to play around with starting this Saturday, March 14th.

No hands-on video or high-resolution image is going to give you the same feeling that holding the devices will. The only downside here is that you have to be in the United Kingdom. The possibility exists though that Samsung might allow people to experience the device through similar channels in other countries as well. Samsung is going to release the Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 edge in 20 countries on April 20th.

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Galaxy S6 production increases, estimates at 46 million for 2015

If you ever wondered whether or not Samsung could climb out of the rut it faced in 2014, wonder no more. A new report from site G for Games says that Samsung’s Galaxy S6 and S6 edge production will increase between March and April from 12 million (the original estimate) to 13 million. An increase in production can be seen as an increase in demand from original estimates, though production numbers can either underestimate or overestimate actual sales figures.

Along with the increase in demand, Citibank changed its predicted sales numbers for Samsung’s Galaxy S6 models from 38 million to 46 million, and Samsung’s price target has increased from 1.7 million won (Korean currency) to 1.8 million won. The Korean manufacturer of TVs, smartphones, tablets, smartwatches, washers, dryers, and other consumer goods has seen an 8% increase in shares since its Galaxy S6 and S6 edge announcement at MWC earlier this month.

A large reason behind Samsung’s success with the Galaxy S6 pertains to how well the company has listened to its customers. For years, Samsung has been accused (somewhat arguably) with creating plastic devices that have a flimsy feel, not to mention stuffing what many a tech critic has called “gimmicks” into the company’s own TouchWiz UI on its devices. For some, this has resulted in a “laggy” user experience that other comparable handsets, such as HTC’s One M7/M8 as well as LG’s G3, don’t have. Samsung listened to consumers this year, building a glass and metal beauty that combines the most durable glass on the market (Gorilla Glass 4) with the most durable metal on the market.

If the company’s expectations are matched by record sales, Samsung may indeed throw off its 2014 misfortune. 2015 may turn out to be an impressive year for the second most valuable brand in the world.

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This is the coolest use of the S6 edge’s curved screen I’ve seen yet

Apart from the plethora of things that the curved part of the screen on the Galaxy S6 edge is capable of doing, one of the coolest effect it pulls off is the notification reminder when you receive a call. But, what if the curved screen could double up as an audio visualizer by syncing with the music being played? Well, that’s what someone just thought of, and we have to admit, it looks pretty cool!

Take a look at the concept below, which could certainly be made possible by third party developers on the community, if not Samsung itself. Don’t you think? Let us know in the comments section below!

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