Chinese customers can now remove bloatware from their Samsung devices

Samsung has always been criticized with loading up too much bloatware on its devices which negatively affects performance and while the company has changed gears by allowing Galaxy S6 and S6 edge users to disable more pre-installed apps than before it’s penchant for bloatware has made it the target of a lawsuit in China. A committee to protect consumer rights in Shanghai, China sued Samsung for not allowing users to remove pre-installed applications. The committee particularly targeted the Galaxy Note 3 which comes with 44 pre-installed apps in China.

The company has said that it’s going to allow users of Galaxy handsets to delete pre-installed applications and it’s going to provide software patches to set things in motion starting August. Users who want to delete bloatware can download the patches through Samsung’s after-sales centers, the company also said on its website that it will also allow owners of recent devices like the Galaxy S6 to remove bloatware from their units. The committee isn’t going to let Samsung off the hook that easily though, it says that there are no imminent plans to drop the lawsuit and if Samsung fails to follow through on this promise “the legal tussle will be continued and expanded.”

Can we cross our fingers and hope that Samsung provides this option to Galaxy users outside of China? Don’t feel like that would do much good, Samsung has been compelled to do this due to a lawsuit which doesn’t have much influence outside China’s borders.

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Galaxy S5 Neo spotted on Dutch retailer’s website

We reported a couple of months back that Samsung is developing another variant of last year’s flagship smartphone which it will launch as the Galaxy S5 Neo, just a fortnight back the Galaxy S5 Neo (SM-G903F) visited Geekbench and provided us more information about its specifications. The handset has now surfaced on Dutch online retailer Belsimpel cementing the belief that SM-G903F really is the Galaxy S5 Neo.

The Galaxy S5 Neo is powered by a 1.6Ghz octa-core Exynos 7580 processor with 2GB RAM, 16GB internal storage, 16-megapixel rear camera, Android 5.1 Lollipop and a 2800mAh battery. It has the exact same dimensions and weight as the original Galaxy S5 – 142 × 72.5 × 8.1 mm and 145 grams – and features a 5.1-inch Super AMOLED dipslay with 1920×1080 pixel resolution. Only its processor, 5-megapixel front camera and network connectivity options are new as it features LTE-A. Belsimpel’s listing shows that the handset will be available in black, gold and silver colors with plans from three Dutch carriers, it’s priced at 429 euro which is about $460.

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Galaxy Note 5 pictures released in anticipation of Unpacked event

A new set of pictures of the Galaxy Note 5 have appeared online showing the elegance that Samsung wants to bring forth at their Unpacked event which is due on the August 13. We’re pretty sure that this is what the Galaxy Note 5 will look like, but as always we’ll have to wait for confirmation. We’re two weeks away from Samsung’s Unpacked event where the tech company is set to unveil the Galaxy S6 edge+ and the Galaxy Note 5, among other things. The pictures show us a very elegant design with an ergonomic curved back and the iconic S Pen stylus right under the display.

The upcoming Galaxy Note 5 features a 5.7-inch 1440×2560 pixels Super AMOLED display with an Exynos 7422 processor and 4GB of RAM, as well as a 3,220 mAh battery and 4K video recording capabilities thanks to its 16-megapixel primary shooter. The device will feature the same camera sensor as the Galaxy S6 and it’s one of the biggest releases of this year next to the Galaxy S6. Rumor has it that Samsung also plans on releasing a new round smartwatch. In any case, let us know what you think about the latest set of pictures.

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AT&T releases Android 5.1 for the Galaxy Tab 4 10.1 LTE

Samsung Galaxy Tab 4 10.1 LTE owners on AT&T have an update to look forward to today, they’re finally getting a taste of Lollipop even though this update was originally released late last year. The carrier has taken its sweet time in bringing Lollipop to this mid-range tablet but now that it’s finally here I don’t think users will be complaining any longer.

Android 5.1 includes all the bells and whistles of Android 5.0 Lollipop such as the improved user interface, better notification experience, a handful of new features as well as updated security software and improved memory management. The update also includes updated quick settings for better Wi-Fi and Bluetooth management and additional animations. It removes the WatchON, Beats Music and Famigo apps that were preloaded on the tablet. The LMY47X.T537AUCU1BOG5 update for the Samsung Galaxy Tab 4 10.1 LTE is now being rolled out by AT&T and should go live for all users soon.

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GFXBench lists upcoming Galaxy J2 SM-J200

A new J-series device is coming from Samsung soon according to a new GFXBench leak just like it was speculated and it’s looking pretty good. Just like every other J-series device, the Galaxy J2 is only going to be available in Asia and Eastern Europe. GFXBench reveals that SM-J200 will have a 4.7-inch display with a resolution of 960×540 pixels and it also has the Exynos 3475 quad-core processor with four ARM Cortex A7 cores capped at 1.3 GHz. Other tech specs include 1GB of RAM and a 4.7-megapixel primary shooter with autofocus, face detection, HDR and touch focus.

Additionally, the Galaxy J2 will also come with Android 5.1.1 out of the box, and it will also have the latest version of TouchWiz. This is a very interesting device, especially for those who can’t afford a version of the Samsung’s flagship. Let us know what you think about the leaked Galaxy J2 by leaving a comment.

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Signature Unlock for the Galaxy Note 3

Biometric security is a hot tech field in the smartphone market, currently, with many smartphones emerging with fingerprint scanners: the iPhone 5s, iPhone 6, Samsung Galaxy S5, Galaxy S6, and the Galaxy S6 edge are leading the way in this regard. Google’s latest Android M update, set to arrive this fall, brings along with it native fingerprint security support – so more Android smartphones, including the upcoming Huawei Nexus, will showcase biometrics.

The Galaxy Note 3, from 2013, however, doesn’t have a fingerprint scanner. So, in the case of a Note 3 user, what can you do to secure your device? Well, you can take the route of using an unlock pattern, the usual, non-secure swipe motion, or a passcode. Each of these come with their own advantages and disadvantages. Did you know that there’s one new security feature that you may have never tried on the Galaxy Note 3?

The feature is called Signature Unlock, and the steps below will show you how to activate it on your Galaxy Note 3.

How to enable Signature Unlock on your Galaxy Note 3

To enable Signature Unlock, tap the “wheel” icon from the drop-down notification window. Once on the Settings page, scroll down to the “Personal” section and select “Lock screen.”

Once in the lock screen settings, you’ll see five types of lock screen settings (Swipe, Signature, Pattern, PIN, and Password). Select “Signature.”

At this point, you’ll be required to register your signature with the S Pen three times in order to complete the Signature Unlock. Select a name (even a nickname) that you’re sure to remember using your S Pen stylus.

After writing it each time, press “confirm” at the bottom right. You’ll have to write your signature and press “confirm” three times. After the last time, you’ll see the number “3” at the top of the page. Press “Confirm” to complete the Signature Unlock.

After setting up your signature, you’ll have to create a backup pin in the event that you forget your nickname, or the style in which you wrote your signature. You’ll have to enter your PIN twice. After the second time, press “OK.”

Now, you’re all set. When you lock your phone screen, you’ll have to enter your designated signature.

While Signature Unlock may mandate you use your PIN code at some point in the near future, we find it to be a bit easier to remember than a PIN code (seeing that you can’t forget your actual name; a nickname may complicate things).

Do you have any questions about Signature Unlock? If so, do your thing in the comments.

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Galaxy S6 edge+ price confirmed

As you all know by now Samsung has announced that its next Unpacked event is going to take place on August 13 in New York City and it’s going to unveil the Galaxy Note 5 at this event. Alongside the new Note handset Samsung will also be launching a new variant of the Galaxy S6 edge which is called the Galaxy S6 edge+. It features more or less the same specifications save for the larger display and a higher price tag.

Our insiders have confirmed to us that the Galaxy S6 edge+ price starts from 799,99 euro for the 32GB model, that’s close to $880 as per the prevailing rate. Since its launch the Galaxy S6 edge’s retail price has been 849,99 euro and Samsung is not going to be sell it for more than what it’s asking for the new variant which is why the price will be cut. Samsung has already confirmed today that it’s going to reduce prices of both the Galaxy S6 and S6 edge to maintain sales momentum. It’s possible that the Galaxy S6 edge might be discounted by 100 euro in order to make space for the Galaxy S6 edge+. The handset will go on sale starting August 21.

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Samsung announces a couple of Tizen 3.0 features

At the Tizen Developer Summit 2015, Samsung has been talking about a lot of aspects of its open-source operating system, and the company also revealed a few details about the upcoming Tizen 3.0. Set to launch sometime in late 2015 or earlier next year, Tizen 3.0 will be about architectural changes that improve the overall experience for end users.

Tizen 3.0 will bring support for multiple users on a single device and 64-bit processing, and introduce an IoT (Internet of Things) framework. Performance will be enhanced thanks to under-the-hood changes, with reduced app launch times singled out by Samsung. Security will be getting a boost – Samsung didn’t go into too many details, but it says security will be enhanced but will also be simplified.

Tizen 3.0 will also carry over a few features from the next version of Tizen 2.4, including native support for navigation features like geofencing, routing and point-of-interests, meaning these will be usable no matter what mapping app you might be using on your Tizen device. There are a couple of more sessions left at the event, and we’ll be sure to tell you everything we learn later in the day.

Be sure to follow our live page and our Twitter feed for real-time updates.

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Samsung confirms rotating bezel ring for the Gear A smartwatch

It has been a long time since Samsung has launched a smartwatch and many expect that the company will finally unveil the Gear A a.k.a Orbis at its event next month. While that remains to be seen the company did confirm today that its next smartwatch is going to have a rotating bezel ring, something which we have already told you about quite a long time back. The confirmation comes from Samsung’s Tizen Developer Summit 2015 in Bangalore, India, SamMobile is on the ground and tweeting live from the event.

Earlier this month we exclusively reported on the Gear A’s specifications which include an Exynos 3472 dual-core processor with 768MB RAM, 4GB internal storage and a 250mAh battery. Bluetooth 4.1, Wi-Fi (802.11 b/g/n), gyro, GPS, barometer and heart rate sensors will be present as well. The smartwatch’s display will have a 360×360 pixel resolution adorned with a rotating bezel ring to help with the navigation. Samsung has an event scheduled for August 13 and it’s likely that the company might announce the Orbis, we’ll just have to wait and see if that happens.

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Samsung’s Q2 2015 financial results show a slight improvement, Galaxy with ‘larger screen’ confirmed

Samsung Electronics today announced financial results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2015 with the company reporting 48.54 trillion won ($41.7 billion) in revenue. Its operating profit for the quarter was 6.9 trillion won ($5.93 billion), both figures are a slight improvement over the previous quarter and happen to be in line with Samsung’s estimated second quarter consolidated revenues disclosed on July 7, 2015.

Due to increased shipments of the Galaxy S6 and S6 edge overall revenue for Samsung’s mobile business improved slightly quarter-over-quarter even though overall smartphone shipments dropped due to lacklustre performance of mid-range and low-end handsets. Profits only increased marginally due to supply difficulties arising from higher than expected demand for the Galaxy S6 edge and increased marketing expenditures that are typically part of a flagship product launch. Overall the mobile device business brought in 26.06 trillion ($22.4 billion) in consolidated revenue and 2.76 trillion won ($2.37 billion) in operating profit for the quarter.

In the grander scheme of things the company attributes this slight quarter-over-quarter improvement in revenue and operating profit largely to the stellar performance of its semiconductor business which particularly saw mobile application processors and memory products stand out. The Consumer Electronics division played its part as well aided by Samsung’s new TV models.  Samsung says that in the second half of this year it will try to improve earnings, strong TV sales due to upcoming shopping seasons may help and it also expects to see sales growth for its 14-nanometer foundry business. Samsung will maintain sales momentum for its high-end mobile products by adjusting the price of the Galaxy S6 and the Galaxy S6 edge while also launching a new model with a “larger screen,” it has essentially confirmed the Galaxy S6 edge+.

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