الثلاثاء، 21 أبريل 2015

Gear Fit smart fitness band now $135 at Amazon

Remember the Gear Fit? It was the first Samsung curved AMOLED display device that received major media attention. While the smartwatch space is growing and taking off in respectable fashion, Samsung’s Gear S is, no doubt, the most attractive fitness band on the market.

Well, Amazon’s back with a deal for us. What is it? The fitness band that is the standard for smart fitness bands today is at a discount, down from its original price of $199 to $135 – a price drop of $64, a little over 32% of the original price. Amazon promises free shipping for this item (it’s clearly over the $35 free shipping requirement), and the new price is $15 below Amazon’s own list price for the Gear Fit ($149.99), and Amazon’s same price fits that of Samsung’s

For your $135, you’re getting a 1.84-inch, curved Super AMOLED display with a 432 x 128p screen resolution, Bluetooth 4.0, a 210mAh battery, running on Samsung’s own proprietary Tizen OS. Samsung says that you can get 2-4 days with typical usage, but you can reach 5 days on a single charge if you’re a low-power user. Amazon doesn’t list the Galaxy Note 4 as a compatible device, but we know a few users out and about with their Gear Fit that pair their smart fitness band with the Note 4 at this point. It will also work with the Galaxy S5, Note 3, S4 Active, S4 Zoom, Mega 5.8, Mega 6.3, and even Samsung tablets such as the Note 10.1 2014 Edition, NotePRO 12.2, and 12.2-inch, 10.1-inch, and 8.4 inch TabPRO models. The legendary Note 2 and revolutionary Galaxy S3 are given some love here, too.

Fitness bands have their place, and so does this sale. We aren’t told how long the sale will last, so do your best to grab a Gear Fit fitness band as soon as you can. The summer’s almost here, and you want to be sure to get fit and look cool doing it.

Gear Fit now $135 at Amazon

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Maxis Malaysia adds Note 4 to trade-up program

Maxis Malaysia has now gone and added the Galaxy Note 4 to its trade-up program, a device that many will, no doubt, enjoy in even greater fashion.

The carrier’s trade-up program provides a list of phones that you can trade in any old smartphone towards. In this case, the new addition of the Note 4 to the trade-up lineup means that you can now trade in your old device and get money toward a Galaxy Note 4. Those old smartphones lying around the house may just net you more than you bargained for!

As always, there are caveats to this deal: first, you must sign a two-year agreement for a postpaid plan – so no prepaid or off-contract deals here. The trade-in program is open to both existing Maxis customers as well as newcomers (newcomers are welcome).

Next, the trade amount for your old smartphone varies. This means that you won’t necessarily get the top amount because you turn in any old smartphone; you’ll need to have a Sony, HTC, Apple, or Samsung smartphone, for example, in order to hope for the maximum amount Maxis will give you for your trouble. The minimum amount you’ll receive is RM200 ($55 USD), but you could earn up to RM950 ($261.50 USD). Currently, Maxis has the price of the iPhone 5s as providing the most money for value in its trade-in, with the iPhone 5s netting you RM950 while a Samsung Galaxy S3 or Galaxy Note 2 will net you RM400, a Galaxy S4 warrants RM500, a Note 3 RM600, and a Galaxy S5 will get you RM800 towards Samsung’s newest phablet. The trade-in device must not have water damage, screen cracks, or damage in any part to be eligible for the trade-in (in good working condition).

The Note 4 currently has Android 5.0 Lollipop in Malaysia, so you’ll get to download Google’s latest right out of the box.

The Samsung Galaxy Note 4 is the latest phablet to continue Samsung’s campaign to stand out from the rest. You’re looking at a 5.7-inch display with a Quad HD (2,560 x 1,440p) screen resolution, a quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 805 processor, 3GB of RAM, 32GB of minimum storage with a 128GB microSD card slot for additional storage expansion, a 3.7MP front camera, 16MP back camera with optical image stabilization (OIS), and a 3,220mAh removable battery. Its camera has won a contest or two.

What’re you waiting for? Hit up the link below to find out what Maxis plan you want, then go for it.

Maxis-Trade-In-Program-Samsung-Galaxy-Note-4

Maxis Malaysia trade-in values

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Samsung’s smart TVs have come a long way since the first came out in 2008

The television is a relatively old invention and for decades it was mainly used to view broadcast content. However TV technology has evolved rapidly over the past few years particularly since smart TVs hit the market. Samsung was among the first few companies to develop a smart TV and today the company has published an infographic which shows just how far its smart TV technology has come ever since the first unit was released back in 2008.

Pavv Bordeaux TV 750 was the first smart TV from Samsung, it let people check news, weather, stock prices and view YouTube videos. Users could also connect PCs with LAN cables and view content on the big screen. It even had support for USB flash drives. Over the years not only did the design evolve but so did Samsung’s smart TV software. In 2015 Samsung released the SUHD TV which is powered by its own Tizen platform, it’s capable of running applications, streaming and communication services, streaming content from mobile devices and even becoming the control center of any smart home through Tizen’s ability to work with other connected devices. It just goes to show how the company has improved its smart TV offerings with every new product cycle and we can expect Samsung to continue down this path for the foreseeable future.

samsung-smart-tv-infographic
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Samsung extols the virtues of the Galaxy S6′s camera in new promo

Samsung has been on a marketing blitz for its new flagship handsets, the Galaxy S6 and the Galaxy S6 edge. It is releasing short promos every other day to highlight some of the most impressive features of the new smartphones. Just yesterday it released one that detailed features like fast charging, wireless charging and Ultra Power Saving Mode.

The one we have for you today is all about the Galaxy S6′s camera and it has got the same sassy and catty vibe that we’re seeing in Samsung’s recent promos. “Everyone loves to take pictures,” the promo says while pointing out that this is why you need the Galaxy S6. The f/1.9 lens in both the front and rear cameras allow you to take bright pictures and Auto Real-time HDR shows you vibrant, rich images in real time even before you snap one. Smart Optical Image Stabilization gets mentioned as well, it helps eliminate camera shake so that pictures don’t come out all blurry. The Galaxy S6′s camera also has tracking auto-focus which allows automatic detection of movement for acute focus on moving subjects.

This promo is part of the “smartphone of your dreams” series that Samsung has got going on for the Galaxy S6, do check it out and see whether this is indeed the device you were meant to be with.



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Tab A arrives in Canada, 8-inch and 9.7-inch models available

The Galaxy Tab A is headed to the US on May 1st, but residents north of the country get bragging rights since the Tab A is now in their country.

That’s right: the Tab A has landed in Canada at Samsung Experience stores, as of yesterday. Both the Tab A 8.0 and Tab A 9.7 (8-inch and 9.7-inch models) are available, with the 8-incher priced at $279 CAD (Canadian dollars) and the 9.7-incher priced at $429 CAD – though the 9.7-inch tablet does have stylus support.

Most reports on the Tab A that we’ve heard about point out the “disappointing” 1024 x 768p screen resolution (4:3 aspect ratio), but Samsung is aiming these tablets at the budget-friendly user. Samsung decided to prize build quality over things like screen resolution, seeing that most consumers care little for bright screens and more about build quality. The Korean manufacturer started its build quality revolution in the Galaxy S6 and S6 edge and now wants to continue this line of thought with its affordable tablet lineup. Those who are interested in brighter screen resolutions and gorgeous displays should look forward to what the company will do with its TabPRO and NotePRO lineups later this year.

This is the case, despite the fact that the 9.7-inch Tab A has an S-Pen stylus, 2GB of random access memory (RAM), and a 6,000mAh battery, and the 8-inch Tab A has 1.5GB of RAM, no S-Pen, and a 4,200mAh battery. Both tablets feature 2MP front and 5MP back cameras, along with the usual Wi-Fi and Bluetooth.

Canada residents, have you been to check out the new Tab A models? If so, let us know in the comments below. We’d love to read your first impressions.

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Grameenphone Bangladesh offers 1200 talk minutes, 6GB data package to Tizen Z1 buyers

The Tizen Z1 has been in Bangladesh for a while, but the Grameenphone network just recently got the Samsung Z1 on its own network in the country. And now, with the inauguration of the Z1’s arrival on Grameenphone, the carrier has decided to bring a special deal with it.

Until the middle of May, buyers of the Samsung Z1 will receive 1200 talk minutes and a 6GB 3G data package for free – what Grameenphone calls a “value back” offer. There are some things to keep in mind with this deal, however. Chief among them is the fact that you can only take advantage of this free offer from Grameenphone for 30 days. With that said, don’t wait any longer on this deal than you have to.

Next, the 1200 talk minutes and 6GB data package will be divided over a three-month period, so don’t expect to talk until your ears fall off or your tongue falls out (whichever comes first). Last but not least, the Samsung Z1 will cost BDT 6,900, but the BDT 3,000 deal (1200 talk minutes, 6GB of data) provides some relief to the price tag.

If this deal sounds like one worth taking up, be sure to check out our Z1 hands-on review first, along with the links below.

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AT&T Galaxy S4 Active gets the Lollipop update

AT&T has finally released the Android 5.0 Lollipop update for the Galaxy S4 Active. The carrier is rolling out the update over-the-air right now but it may take a couple of days for it to go live across all regions of the United States. It brings all of the features and improvements that come as part and parcel of Lollipop.

Android version 5.0.1 build number LRX22C.I537UCUCOC6 is rolling out today for the AT&T Galaxy S4 Active (SGH-i537).  Included in this update are new features like Smart Lock, Priority mode and the revamped user interface with Material Design elements that bring a new feel and fluid animations. A Wi-Fi network is required to download the update which weighs around 1GB. If users don’t immediately get a notification prompting them to download the new update they can always head into the Settings app to manually pull it by going to About device followed by Software update.

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Videos prove that Samsung Galaxy S6 and S6 edge are strong enough to crack open walnuts, literally

During the launch of the Galaxy S6 and the S6 edge, Samsung had mentioned that both the devices are built strong, and that “they will not bend” unlike the iPhone 6 Plus. The company claims that this strength is attained by using a stronger metal when compared to flagship smartphones from other brands, Gorilla Glass 4 protection, and a better frame design. Now, a couple of videos have surfaced on the Internet in which these new devices have been tested for their claimed strength.

In the first video, a person in the video places walnuts on the Galaxy S6 edge, and uses other Galaxy S6 edge’s glass surfaces to crack open the walnuts one by one. At the end of the video, you can see that the devices managed to do the task with ease, and there’s not even a single visible scratch on the screens. In the second video, the metal frame of the Galaxy S6 is used to crack open a couple of walnuts, and the device does that with ease too, without showing any signs of weakness. At the end of the video, you can see that there were no visible dents or scratches on the metal frame.

Via | Source 1, Source 2



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04-21-2015 Firmware Updates: Galaxy S4, Galaxy Grand, Galaxy Note 4, and more

Samsung has a plethora of phones and tablets in its lineup, and regularly releases firmware updates for various devices. These can include major updates, which bring a newer version of the OS to a particular device, or minor ones that improve performance and stability and fix bugs. Software updates for Samsung devices roll out in various regions every day, and you can find out which firmware updates were pushed out by the company over the last 24 hours through our firmware list.

As usual, you can download each of these firmware from our firmware section (simply enter your device’s model number to view all firmware for that device) in order to update to a new firmware manually, or as a means to return to your phone or tablet’s stock software.

Country (Product Code) Model Model Name Version PDA
Australia (XSA) GT-N7105T GALAXY Note II LTE 4.3 N7105TDVUEMK2
Austria (T-Mobile) (MAX) GT-I9505 GALAXY S4 LTE 4.4.2 I9505XXUGNG8
Bosnia and Herzegovina (BH TELECOM) (BHT) GT-I9505 GALAXY S4 LTE 4.4.2 I9505XXUGNG8
Brazil (TIM) (ZTM) GT-I9192 GALAXY S4 mini DUOS 4.4.2 I9192UBUCNI2
Canada (EastLink) (Black Edition)(ESK) SGH-M919V GALAXY S4 4.4 M919VVLUFNE1
Canada (Globalive Wind Mobile) (Black Edition)(GLW) SGH-M919V GALAXY S4 4.4 M919VVLUFNE1
Canada (Mobilicity) (Black Edition)(MCT) SGH-M919V GALAXY S4 4.4 M919VVLUFNE1
Canada (Vidéotron) (Black Edition)(VTR) SGH-M919V GALAXY S4 4.4.2 M919VVLUFNH3
Chile (Claro) (GT-I9300MBDCHL) GT-I9300 GALAXY S III I9300UBDLJ2
Chile (Claro) (CHL) GT-I9300 GALAXY S III I9300UBELL6
China (China Mobile) (CHM) SM-G9008V GALAXY S5 4.4.2 G9008VZMU1ANI4
China (China Unicom) (CHU) SM-G7106 GALAXY Grand 2 DUOS 4.3 G7106ZNUANK1
Czech Republic (ETL) GT-I8200N GALAXY S III mini VE 4.2.2 I8200NXXUAOB1
Czech Republic (T-Mobile) (TMZ) SM-N910F GALAXY Note 4 5.0.1 N910FXXU1BOC3
Germany (O2) (VIA) SM-N9005 GALAXY Note 3 LTE 4.4.2 N9005XXUENB4
Greece (EUR) SM-P605 GALAXY Note 10.1 2014 Edition LTE 4.4.2 P605XXUCNF2
Greece (Cosmote) (COS) GT-I9505 GALAXY S4 LTE 5.0.1 I9505XXUHOB8
Hungary (XEH) GT-I8200N GALAXY S III mini VE 4.2.2 I8200NXXUAOB1
Hungary (XEH) SM-T210 GALAXY Tab3 7.0 Wi-Fi 4.4.2 T210XXBNI1
Iran (THR) SM-T311 GALAXY Tab 3 8.0 3G 4.2.2 T311XXUAMG1
Iran (GT-S7562TADTHR) GT-S7562 GALAXY S DUOS S7562XXALHC
Iran (GT-I9300MBDTHR) GT-I9300 GALAXY S III I9300XXELLB
Iran (GT-I9082RWDTHR) GT-I9082 GALAXY Grand DUOS I9082XXAMA9
Iran (THR) GT-I9500 GALAXY S4 4.2.2 I9500XXUBMG9
Iran (THR) GT-I8190 GALAXY S III mini I8190XXAMA4
Iran (THR) GT-I9300 GALAXY S III I9300XXEMA2
Iran (THR) GT-I9190 GALAXY S4 mini 4.2.2 I9190XXUAMF7
Iran (THR) GT-I9200 GALAXY Mega 6.3 4.2.2 I9200XXUAMEA
Iran (GT-I8190TADTHR) GT-I8190 GALAXY S III mini 4.1.1 I8190XXALJL
Iran (THR) GT-I9082 GALAXY Grand DUOS I9082XXAMC7
Kenya (AFR) SM-G7102 GALAXY Grand 2 DUOS 4.3 G7102XXUANE2
Luxembourg (LUX) SM-N910F GALAXY Note 4 5.0.1 N910FXXU1BOC5
Netherlands (PHN) SM-N9005 GALAXY Note 3 LTE 5 N9005XXUGBOB6
Open Austria (ATO) SM-N910F GALAXY Note 4 5.0.1 N910FXXU1BOC5
Portugal (TPH) (TPH) SM-G900F GALAXY S5 4.4.2 G900FXXU1ANJ1
South Korea (SKT) SHV-E250S GALAXY Note II 4.4.2 E250SKSUKNI2
Switzerland (AUT) SM-N910F GALAXY Note 4 5.0.1 N910FXXU1BOC5
Ukraine (Kyivstar) (La Fleur)(SEK) GT-I9190 GALAXY S4 mini 4.4.2 I9190XXUCOB1
United Arab Emirates (XSG) SM-T805 GALAXY Tab S 10.5 LTE 5.0.2 T805XWU1BOD3


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10 things the Galaxy S6 can do but the iPhone 6 can’t

For years, Samsung smartphones have held the crown for the best that Android can offer, often defeating many other competitors in the Android space and going neck-to-neck with the iPhone. However, experts still used to mock Samsung for its decision of sticking to non-metal and utilitarian designs. Now, Samsung is back with a vengeance, and many experts have rated its recently released flagship smartphones, the Galaxy S6 and the Galaxy S6 edge, better than the current-generation iPhones.

In addition to its design, the Galaxy S6 has a lot going for it when it comes to reasons why it is better than Apple’s competing flagship. We decided to round up ten things that iPhone 6 owners are missing out on compared to those rocking the Galaxy S6, so join us after the break!

#1 Amazing selfies with the front-facing camera

Accept it, you want your smartphone’s front-facing camera to take great selfies, and the front-facing camera on the iPhone 6 just isn’t capable enough for that. The resolution of the photos taken by the iPhone’s front-facing camera is lower than even the phone’s display resolution, so when you look at your selfies on your iPhone 6, they’ll will appear jagged (imagine how worse they will be on a laptop or a high-resolution TV.)

On the other hand, the Galaxy S6 features a 5-megapixel front-facing camera with a wide-angle lens and an aperture of F/1.9, letting you fit more people and light inside an image. There are multiple shooting modes (beauty selfie, rear-cam selfie, etc.); not only that, there is also a mode which lets you capture images from both the cameras at once, complete with multiple layouts. The Galaxy S6 can also capture QHD (2560 x 1440 pixels) videos using the front-facing camera, which is higher than what many smartphones can manage with their rear-facing primary cameras.

#2 Record videos in 4K, with object-tracking autofocus and OIS

Camera resolution isn’t a way to measure camera quality, but 8-megapixels isn’t going to cut it anymore, especially after the arrival of high-resolution 4K televisions and monitors. Both the iPhone 6 and Galaxy S6 come with phase-detection autofocus, but the iPhone 6 lacks OIS (optical image stabilization), which results in grainy images in low-light conditions.

OIS helps the camera in keeping the shutter open for longer than usual without letting shake creep in, resulting in sharper images under low-light conditions. While recording videos, OIS helps in compensating shakes caused by a user’s hands for smoother videos. The Galaxy S6 makes full use of OIS (it works with both still image and video recording), and Samsung has also baked object tracking autofocus right into its greatest smartphone offering yet, making it easier to capture moving objects, especially subjects like kids and pets. Its camera was recently tested against the best in the industry, and it came out with flying colours.

#3 Measure your heartbeat, SpO2 and stress levels on the go

If you don’t have a heart-rate monitor handy, the Galaxy S6 can help. It can double up as an all-in-one health monitoring and fitness tracking device. It comes equipped with a heart-rate monitor, SpO2 sensor, and Samsung’s S Health app out-of-the-box, letting you measure heart-rate, SpO2, stress levels, steps taken, and even your sleep pattern. You can also track your food intake, and all of this can be done without spending a dime on third-party apps.

#4 Control your TV & other home appliances

The Galaxy S6 comes with an IR Blaster, just like its predecessors, so you can control a TV, DVD player, DVR, Set-Top Box, and even an air conditioner in your home or office. The Peel Smart Remote app, which comes pre-installed on the Galaxy S6, intelligently showcases all the channels and current shows so that you can better know what’s currently being telecasted on your favorite TV channel. It can even control DVD players, Blu-ray players, AV receivers, and streaming media players like Apple TV, Roku, WD TV Live and the likes. Handy, especially when your actual remote goes into hiding inside your sofa.

#5 Customize your device truly to your liking

Unlike the iPhone and other iOS-based devices, Samsung’s TouchWiz comes with the ability to let you make your device truly yours. With the inclusion of themes, Samsung has taken customizability to the next level. In addition to wallpapers and ringtones, themes on the S6 can change icons, fonts, colour accents; furthermore, inbuilt apps like the dialer or messages app change according to the themes as well. Also, you can edit and re-arrange the quick setting toggles according to your liking, something Apple doesn’t allow on iOS.

#6 Change display and sound modes to adapt with surroundings

Super AMOLED displays have always been more colorful and, er, contrast-ier than their LCD counterparts, but they haven’t always been as bright. However, thanks to a change in manufacturing materials, the Quad HD Super AMOLED display on the Galaxy S6 is brighter than many LCD displays, making it the best smartphone display ever. DisplayMate, an expert in display calibration tools, has tested and declared the Galaxy S6 as having the best mobile display on the planet.

Samsung’s Adapt Sound feature helps in finding the best sound level for each user, after a thorough test. Other features include Equaliser with Bass/Treble and Instrument/Vocal settings as well as Play Speed and Music Auto Off.

#7 Hide sensitive files & data

You can hide images in the iPhone, but they’ll still be visible in the albums, which is rather funny and totally destroys the idea of someone wanting to hide their content. On the Galaxy S6, you get Private Mode (also available on other Samsung devices), where you can store crucial as well as private information. This can be activated or deactivated with a quick setting toggle, but since it is guarded by your fingerprint, you can be sure that your sensitive information will always be secured from prying eyes.

#8 Pin apps to the screen

You’ve forgotten to move your sensitive information to the Private Mode, but someone needs quick access to your phone. Now what? You can use the Pin window feature to lock your device to a particular app, and hand it over. They won’t be able get out of the pinned app without pressing a button combo, or even without authenticating on the fingerprint sensor if you choose to use that security measure. It is also useful when you want to hand over your phone to kids so that your data remains safe from being accidentally deleted. This feature is present in all Android 5.0 devices, but compared to the iPhone 6, the Galaxy S6 certainly has an edge when it comes to data privacy and convenience.

#9 Fully charge the battery within 80 minutes

Some die-hard Samsung fans were furious about the exclusion of a removable battery and SD card slot from the Galaxy S6, but it was something Samsung had to do to come up with an eye-catching design. Even though it is no longer possible to hot-swap batteries, Samsung has at least made it easier for users to quickly charge their device when compared to the competition. Quite a few smartphones out there come with quick charging support, but the Galaxy S6 goes from zero to full in just 80 minutes, making it one of the fastest charging smartphones of recent times.

#10 Wireless charging

Wireless charging is effortless, and it’s hep. You can find some really attractive wireless chargers in the market right now, and Ikea will start selling furniture with inbuilt wireless charging abilities later this month. Even in such a thin profile (thinner than the iPhone 6), Samsung has managed to fit in wireless charging functionality. The Galaxy S6 supports both major wireless charging technologies – PMA and WPC, saving you from the confusion of which wireless charger you need to buy.


It’s not like most users will use all of the features listed above, but it’s pretty clear that there are quite a few areas in which the iPhone 6 falls behind the Galaxy S6 (and the Galaxy S6 edge.) Add to that the fact that Samsung has finally fixed things that its phones have traditionally been weak at compared to the iPhone, like software optimization and design, and it becomes a no-brainer that the Galaxy S6 should be at the top of your list if you’re out in the market for a flagship smartphone.



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Thinking of rooting your Galaxy S6 or S6 edge? Don’t, or you’ll lose this important feature

Samsung just released two great smartphones earlier this month, the Galaxy S6 and the S6 edge, which have been selling like hot cakes. Even though Samsung has cut down on a bunch of bloatware in the newer version of TouchWiz, some people are still rooting their new devices in order to disable apps that can’t be normally turned off. However, we advise you to refrain from rooting your device, as it will disable Samsung Pay, just like KNOX. When you root your device, the integrity gets breached, which is necessary for important and sensitive features like mobile payments.

If you think that Samsung Pay is of no use to you, think again. Samsung Pay debuted with the Galaxy S6, and makes use of your fingerprint to authorize payments through your smartphone at payment gateways. Just like Apple Pay you would think, but that is not the case. Samsung Pay is better than its competitors – Apple Pay and Android Pay – as it is compatible with MST (Magnetic Secure Transmission) as well as NFC based payment systems.

MST is a technology that allows you to pay from your smartphone on almost any magnetic stripe payment gateway – that little payment terminal where you swipe your regular credit or debit card. When you tap an MST capable device on the side of the payment terminal, the magnetic stripe code of your debit or credit card is transferred to the gateway, and the register inside the terminal thinks that you’ve swiped your card.

Samsung acquired LoopPay in February, in order to use MST in the Galaxy S6 and the S6 edge, and in the future, we’ll see more Samsung devices making use of Samsung Pay. Even though LoopPay’s idea was better, they initially failed because they were trying to sell cases for iPhones which were embedded with MST, and they didn’t look great. However, now that Samsung’s devices are embedded with that technology, the adoption would be much better.

Samsung Pay will make its debut in the US and Korea this year, and will expand to other countries soon. Samsung has tied up with MasterCard, VISA, American Express, Bank of America, Citi, JPMorgan Chase, and U.S. Bank to work with Samsung Pay. The South Korean smartphone giant is even working to tie up with CITIC, which is the largest financial institution in China and Hong Kong, for Samsung Pay.

Right now, it is estimated that less than 300,000 merchants in the US who accept NFC-based payments, and this number is quite small. While Apple is trying hard to make retailers and merchants upgrade their payment gateways, it will still take a few more years when every major merchant does that, and this is just about the US. Think about other developing regions in the world. At this point of time, Samsung Pay is a much better payment system if you want to use your smartphone for making payments.

 



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Samsung joins Fast Identity Online Alliance for developing biometric authentication tech

The Galaxy S5 was Samsung’s first attempt to offer biometric security on its smartphones, and the Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 edge bring the company’s efforts further into the fore with fingerprint sensors that work much better than what was featured on the Galaxy S5. Now, it looks like Samsung is ready to take things a step further by joining the Fast Identity Online Alliance (FIDO), a global consortium of tech companies that are working on developing various biometric authentication systems.

Samsung SDS (part of the Samsung Group) is joining firms like Google, Microsoft, VISA and PayPal with its association with FIDO, and will lend a hand in developing standardized specifications for authentication technologies, including fingerprint scanners, NFC, and iris and voice recognition. Various patent applications and rumors have hinted at Samsung working on an iris recognition system for smartphones and tablets, and the alliance with FIDO is a good indication of the company’s plans to go all-in in the attempt to make things more secure for end-users.

Samsung will be partnering with KG Mobilians and KG Inicis, a mobile transaction and credit card payment firm respectively, to launch a basic payment service using fingerprint authentication in April. Samsung’s in-house biometric solution is the second in the world to be certified by FIDO, though it remains to be seen if this service is the same as Samsung Pay or something different.

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Launch of Samsung Galaxy S6 affects Apple iPhone 6 sales

Samsung’s Galaxy S series and Apple’s iPhone are one of the best-selling high-end smartphones each year, conquering a majority marketshare in the high-end category. The recently released Galaxy S6 and the Galaxy S6 edge compete directly with the Apple iPhone 6 and the Apple iPhone 6 Plus respectively. According to a report from ATLAS Research & Consulting, which came out on April 20, the launch of Galaxy S6 has had a negative effect on the sales of iPhone 6.

According to the report, the sales of iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus in the second week of April were 35,000 units, which is a drop of 1,700 units from the week before. About 79,586 units of Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 edge were sold in the first six days of their launch, which happened on April 10. This number only includes offline sales, and if we add sales through online channels, the number would increase by quite a margin.

The first week sales of the Galaxy S6 and the S6 edge are four times higher when compared to the first week sales of the Galaxy S5, which was around the 20,000 mark. The sales of iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus have been declining steadily since the end of March, but it is a natural phenomenon as it has been six months since the release of the iPhone 6 series. Jang, Joong-hyeok, vice chairman of ATLAS Research, said “It is very natural for iPhone 6 sales to decline, as six months have passed since its release.

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Samsung’s What If I Can app wants everyone to run for the greater good

Bringing a positive change to a world full of various problems isn’t something that most people think of in their daily lives, but it’s certainly a noble task that more of us can take up to make a difference. But if you’re not sure how you can do that, then Samsung is offering you an easy, healthier way to do so – by going out and walking/running more than you usually do using Samsung’s What If I Can app and leaving it up to the company to tackle two important issues.

These issues are poverty and a lack of access to education, but if you are looking for an explanation on exactly how Samsung intends to go about doing something about them, then you might not find one. According to the app and its description, Samsung will simply count the steps taken by all of the app’s users around the world – indeed, the app shows you the steps taken by the world in addition to those taken by you – and use them as an inspiration to do more to “power change.”

If we were to hazard a guess, Samsung will simply spend more on its humanitarian efforts depending on the number of steps taken by the app’s users, though maybe that could have been achieved by simply taking data from the S Health app that comes preloaded on the company’s devices (and is now available from the Play Store as well)? For an app that’s supposed to help you bring change to the world, What If I can has a rather poor interface, and it’s not even optimized for a Quad HD display and looks all hazy on the Galaxy S6 edge.

But hey, when it’s about the greater good, these issues don’t really matter. Give the app a go by downloading it from the Play Store, and if you can figure what its real purpose it, do let us know in the comments section below!

what-if-i-can-screenshot



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Download Samsung Smart Switch for transferring data to/from Galaxy S6 and S6 edge [APK]

Transferring content from an old smartphone to a new one is never an enjoyable task, but it certainly is necessary for people switching to a new device. When I bought the Galaxy S6 edge and fired it up, the phone suggested me to use Samsung’s Smart Switch app to transfer my data from another device. That prompted me to pick up my Nexus 6 and search for the Smart Switch app on the Play Store, but as it turns out, it didn’t show up in the search results.

The app does show up on my Note 4 – which is running a stock Android 5.1 ROM instead of Samsung’s default software – so it seems that device compatibility is the reason why Smart Switch failed to show up on my Nexus 6. Thankfully, the app did work after I manually installed it on the Nexus 6 using the APK file, but I’m sure there are many users out there that are switching over from a non-Samsung device and probably facing the same issue as I did.

The lack of expandable storage on the Galaxy S6 and S6 edge further accentuates the problem, so if you’re among those that cannot find Smart Switch on their existing device, you can download the app’s APK file and install it manually. It works without any issues and is safe to install, so go ahead and hit the link below to grab Smart Switch and truly make the switch to your shiny new Galaxy S6 device.

Download Smart Switch APK



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جميع الحقوق محفوظة لمدونة الغريب 2013