First Galaxy Note 5 ad is all about the design and improved S Pen

Now that Samsung has formally unveiled the Galaxy Note 5 it can get down to the business of actually selling this device to people even though the handset is only being released in a select few markets this year. The company has published the first advertisement for the Galaxy Note 5 on YouTube and unsurprisingly the 30-second clip focuses on two major aspects: the design of this smartphone as well as the new and improved S Pen.

We get a good look at the device’s thin frame and curved back, this gives us an idea of just how comfortable it would be to hold this device in one hand. The new S Pen’s push-to-eject mechanism gets demonstrated as well, this is a major change from the previous method of extracting the stylus from the device. As we’ve already reported the S Pen has learnt some neat new tricks this time around some of which are demonstrated in the ad itself. This is certainly going to be the first of many such ads that Samsung airs to promote its new Note handset, lets wait and see if customers bite.

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Verizon’s new software update for the Galaxy S4 brings Stagefright fix

Verizon is rolling out a new over-the-air software update for the Galaxy S4, this update brings several bug fixes for the device which was facing issues like the alarm clock not starting up, users getting white squares on screen instead of numbers, email notifications not showing up in status bar and more. However the most important fix included in this update is for the Stagefright security vulnerability.

Software version LRX22C.I545VRUGOF1 brings Stagefright vulnerability fix for the Galaxy S4, this gaping security hole in Android can allow hackers to access a device remotely by sending a video infected with malware over MMS. The target doesn’t even have to interact with the MMS since the video is automatically processed by Hangouts and that lets the malware run amok on the device. Fixes have already been released for newer devices like the Galaxy S6, it’s nice to see that older flagships are finally getting some love as well. Samsung has now committed to releasing new security updates for its devices every month to ensure that users are protected against such vulnerabilities in the future.

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Samsung’s new wireless headphones are for the audiophiles

Samsung is more or less a ‘for the masses’ kind of a manufacturer, but every now and then the company does dish out a product that looks after the more niche sections of the audience.

The new Level On Wireless Pro headphones certainly fall in the latter category. The buds are, true to their name, wireless, but yet tout sound quality that exceeds CD-quality. Now, that is quite a tall claim to make for a manufacturer not best known for its audiophile products (but is trying to make a name in there nonetheless), but Samsung’s giving it a shot nonetheless.

The 40mm drivers — that deliver Ultra High Quality Audio (UHQA) according to Samsung — come in a rather sleek looking package. Four mics in the periphery ensure there’s no ambient noise entering your ears; should you feel the need to pay heed to what’s happening around you, there’s ‘Talk-in Mode’ which pulls down the levels of active audio cancellation.

The Level On Wireless Pro headphones have a standard 3.5mm plug which means you can use these with almost any device lying around in your house. Wireless audio is delivered by Bluetooth 4.1, but if your phone does support NFC, the Level On Wireless Pro buds have you covered.

Color variants include Gold for the bling lovers, and Black if you’re more of the subtle kind.

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Galaxy Note 5 and Galaxy S6 edge+ won’t be available with 128GB storage after all

Last week when Samsung officially unveiled the Galaxy Note 5 and the Galaxy S6 edge+ it only mentioned 32GB and 64GB storage options for both handsets which led many to believe that perhaps the company wasn’t going to offer the 128GB storage option with these devices. At least with a device like the Galaxy Note 5 one would expect that the company would offer the 128GB option despite the fact that the new Note handset doesn’t support microSD cards.

A couple of days ago there was a glimmer of hope when Samsung’s US website listed 128GB storage options for the Galaxy Note 5 and the Galaxy S6 edge+ on all four major carriers in the United States. Turns out that it was merely a placeholder and the website has been updated to reflect that only 32GB and 64GB storage options are available with the two new handsets, a spokeswoman for Samsung reiterated the same. Now you know the amount of maximum storage that you can get on these devices and there’s no way to upgrade since they don’t support microSD cards, either you adapt and live within the confines of 32GB and 64GB or you increase your dependence upon cloud storage. There is no other way.

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Samsung’s upcoming SoC with Mongoose CPU cores showcases dominating performance

Earlier this year, we reported that Samsung is working on a new processor that uses the company’s homegrown custom CPU core instead of stock ARM Cortex CPU cores. Now, benchmark scores of this upcoming processor have surfaced on the Internet, and it hints towards a dominating performance.

According to an image leaked out of China, the upcoming SoC has a lot of firepower, thanks to its custom Exynos M1 CPU cores. It scored 2136 points in the Geekbench single-core test and 7497 points in the Geekbench multi-core test. If you have a look at the table below, you can see that it scores higher than the Exynos 7420 even when used in power saving mode.

We’ve consulted our insiders on this matter, and we can say that these scores do look authentic. This chipset will compete with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 820 if it comes out next year, so it is possible that it will be used either in the Galaxy S7 or the Galaxy Note 6.

Chipset	Single-Core	Multi-Core
Samsung Exynos M1 Mongoose	2136	7497
Samsung Exynos M1 (Mongoose) – Power Saving Mode	1698	5263
Samsung Exynos M1 (Mongoose) – Ultra Power Saving Mode	1323	3489
Samsung Exynos 7420	1486	4970

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Exclusive: Samsung Galaxy O series of smartphones is coming

Last year, we exclusively reported about the existence of Galaxy A, Galaxy E, and Galaxy J series of smartphones from Samsung. Now, we have information regarding an new series of smartphones from the South Korean smartphone giant.

According to the exclusive information that we’ve received recently, the company is currently working on two new smartphones, the SM-G550 and the SM-G600, and they’ll be released under the Galaxy O series. The SM-G550 will most probably be named Galaxy O5, while the SM-G600 will be named Galaxy O7. Currently, we don’t have any further information about these devices, be it regarding their specifications  or the time frame of their possible announcement.

Starting late 2014, Samsung started improving their smartphone nomenclature by grouping all its new launches under new series named after alphabets. We hoped that Samsung would tidy up its smartphone lineup and control the number of smartphones that it releases each year, but it doesn’t appear to be so. After the announcement of the Galaxy O series, Samsung would have 6 series of smartphones, Galaxy J, Galaxy E, Galaxy A, Galaxy O, Galaxy S, and Galaxy Note, which is still too much for consumers to handle.

Let’s hope that the Galaxy O series comes with a new design as it would be easier for consumers to remember and differentiate them from other smartphones made by Samsung.

 

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Developer gets Android Lollipop working on Samsung Gear S

Samsung has been one of the first smartphone brands to try out its hands on smartwatches and fitness trackers. It released Tizen-based as well as Android Wear-based smartwatches, and the Gear S is one of its most feature-packed smartwatch till date. Despite being a smartwatch, its specifications resemble that of an entry-level smartphone, and many dreamt of running Android the Tizen-based Gear S, and looks like their dreams are about to come true.

A developer and senior member on XDA Developers Forum, who goes by the name biktor_gj, has been able to successfully install and boot full-fledged variant of Android Lollipop operating system on the Gear S. The process involved rooting, installing custom recovery (TWRP) as well as custom kernel, and then installing CyanogenMod 12.1 on the device. As you can see in the images below, the device is running Android 5.1.1 Lollipop on that gorgeous curved Super AMOLED display.

If you are thinking of installing it on your Gear S, know that it currently only works on unlocked GSM variants of the Gear S. Apparently, the variant of the Gear S that AT&T sells has a locked bootloader, so that developer hasn’t been able to find a solution to install Android on it. Hit the source link if you want to know more details about the process or development progress.

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Despite a smaller battery, the Galaxy Note5 outperforms the Note 4

Samsung surprised quite a few when it revealed that the new-gen Galaxy Note5 would have only a 3000mAh battery. Not only does the number seem a little below-capacity from what one would expect from a 2015 flagship, but it also is actually second (quantitatively) to the Note 4 which had a 3220mAh battery. This signifies an almost 8% drop in battery capacity, which certainly isn’t the norm.

However, there’s respite. According to battery tests conducted by PhoneArena to compare the Note5 and the Note 4, it’s been learnt that the Note5 actually does better despite having a smaller capacity battery.

The tests also involve some other phones you might care about, including the Sony Xperia Z3, the Galaxy S6 edge+ and more. The plus side of having a smaller capacity battery are lower charging durations, which also reflect in the benchmark tests.

Charging duration test:

 

Battery life test:

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Samsung sets up audio lab in Hollywood in a bid to be the world’s largest audio company

Samsung’s seen it all; the highs, the lows, and everything in between… and thus it would be fair to say that the company does have a clue of how to do things right. For its audio business though, which it seems to want to expand, Samsung sought the help of a veteran – loudspeaker designer Allan Devantier, from Harman International.

Devantier made Samsung set up an audio laboratory in Santa Clarita, California. He did so because he thought Samsung needed to get close to Hollywood if their audio business aspirations were to be taken seriously.

Samsung has a thriving TV business, which is something that could help give it’s new audio ideas a platform to start off with. Financial Review reports that the facility could also be used to re-engineer existing TV speaker modules via software to try and re-equalize the audio output.

“You’re going to see our fingerprint on more and more (Samsung) products over the years. Hopefully that will translate into a good reputation for sound,” Devantier added.

As has been its motto always, Samsung is looking to make products that appeal to one and all. But a cheeky Devantier adds in the end “The route we’re going right now is to make products that benefit everybody. But it wouldn’t break my heart if they told me to make a $US10,000 loudspeaker”.

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Samsung highlights Android M features via an infographic

Samsung seems pretty excited for the next version of Android, as the company has posted an infographic that highlights important changes that Android M will bring. Google has already given us a good look at Android M’s features, and it’s interesting to see the Korean manufacturer taking such an interest, though it’s not entirely unsurprising as we’re sure Samsung is fully aware that Lollipop was one of the most unstable versions of the OS and will be hoping to make sure its successor can help bring things back to normal.

The infographic talks about things like the native fingerprint support, which will allow users to quickly log in to apps like the Google Play Store (at the moment, Samsung devices with fingerprint sensors don’t work with Google apps), and how Android M will give users more control over how apps work. Of course, Samsung isn’t talking about how Android M will also natively support expandable storage, as the Galaxy devices that will likely get Android M first are all bereft of a microSD slot.

Check out the infographic below.

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Samsung keen on globalizing Samsung Pay in order to compete with Apple’s rival service

Samsung may have been a smartphone generation late in launching its own payment service for smartphone users, but looking at the company’s intent it seems like it won’t lag behind the competition.

‘The competition’ mainly refers to Apple Pay. Apple had a head start, but what Samsung is banking on is the fact that its payment service doesn’t require merchants to install additional hardware. Samsung believes now is the time to ramp up the service and make it truly global, which is a stage that Apple Pay will take time to reach simply for the fact that there’s overhead involved.

Korea will get the service 20th August, while folks in the US will be able to use Samsung Pay 28th August if Samsung’s rollout plan goes according to schedule.

It’ll be interesting to see how fast Samsung is able to truly globalize Samsung Pay. At the risk of sounding like a fanboy, I’ll admit that I’m excited to be able to use my phone for hassle-free payments.

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