Galaxy Note 5 gets an update with battery, other improvements

Despite all its limitations compared to existing devices in the lineup, the Galaxy Note 5 is the best phablet in the market today, and Samsung is now making it even better with a 144.2 MB update that brings improvements to battery, call stability and security. This is the first update to the Galaxy Note 5 since it went on sale, not counting the one that US carrier T-Mobile sent out to the device to enable Samsung Pay.

Improved battery life is the most notable part of the changelog – the Note 5 already has respectable battery life despite the not-so-large battery inside, and this update should make things better. It’s currently rolling out in Singapore with build number N920IDVU2AOJ4, and it shouldn’t be long before we see it making its way to the device in other markets (which is a short list since the phone hasn’t been launched in quite a few major markets around the world.) This doesn’t seem to be the major update that our insiders said the Note 5 and other recent Samsung devices will be getting, but it’s still an important one nonetheless.

If you own a Galaxy Note 5, watch out for the notification that signals the update’s arrival. We have the entire firmware available in our firmware database for a manual upgrade, and you can mash the Update now button in the Settings » About device » Software update menu if you don’t wish to take the manual route.

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T-Mobile is offering the Galaxy S6 and a Samsung tablet for free until October 25

T-Mobile’s latest promotion is a very good one if you’ve been meaning to purchase the Galaxy S6. The carrier is offering the Galaxy S6 and a Samsung tablet for free from October 22 to October 25 with an eligible trade-in. What this means is that you just have to trade in a recent Apple or Samsung smartphone to receive a 32GB Galaxy S6 for $0 down and $0 per month through Magenta’s JUMP! On Demand program. Compatible smartphones include the latest iPhones and the ones from last year, the Galaxy Note 4, the Galaxy Note Edge, the Galaxy S5 and a few other Samsung handsets.

Magenta will also allow subscribers with even older devices like the LG G3, iPhone 5C, HTC One M8 and others to get in on this promotion, they’ll pay $0 down for the Galaxy S6 but will have to pay $15 per month for 18 months to pay off the device. T-Mobile is offering a free Samsung tablet with this Galaxy S6 promotion, under the carrier’s Tablet On Us promo customers can get a free 8-inch Galaxy Tab A for $0 down and $0 per month if they opt for a qualifying data plan. This promotion is available starting today and runs through October 25, 2015.

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Photo Note for the Galaxy Note 3

Samsung introduced two new features with the Galaxy Note 4 last year that made Galaxy Note 3 users jealous: 1) Smart Select and 2) Photo Note. We pointed out that Smart Select came to Galaxy Note 3 users, Verizon users in particular, but it turns out that the other feature also made its way to Note 3 users. That’s right: if you’re a Galaxy Note 3 user, you also have Photo Note and can activate it right away.

Photo Note allows you to take a picture of texts and images together and edit it immediately after the fact. The feature lets students keep track of drawings and notes from their teachers or professors without having to write down everything the instructor places on a chalk board or writing board in front of the class. Screen Write allows students to take notes and make highlights on printed text as though they were reading a printed book, not a digital one. It’s safe to say that business professionals and students will find the Galaxy Note line to be its best tool in the classroom as well as the boardroom.

To activate Photo Note on your Galaxy Note 3, perform the following steps.

• First, select the S Notes app. Since the feature is titled “Photo Note,” it makes sense that you’d find it in Samsung’s Notes app.
• Once inside, you may find that a quick tutorial may pop up on the screen, telling you what to do with the new S Note function. You may not have this if you’ve visited S Note recently. Select the “+” symbol at the top right of the S Notes app. You’ll see a blank page with an array of options at the top. The Photo Note symbol is the the small camera icon at the top of the S Notes page. It will be placed to the right of the “Text” icon (“T”). Select it.
• Selecting the Photo Note camera icon will launch your Note 3 camera. You can take a picture of something new, or use an existing photo from your gallery. You can also use “auto” (A) or “manual” (M) mode at the top right of the launched camera. Once you find an item with written words that you want to use, press the on-screen camera button to take the photo.
• Immediately after taking the picture, you’ll be directed to the photo and given the chance to crop or resize the photo. Resize the photo and then select the “check mark” at the top right.
• Next, you’ll be able to preview your resized photo. If all is well, press the check mark.
• Now that the photo is resized and ready, you’ll need to convert the photo in order to edit. You’ll be presented with four options (properties, convert to edit, crop, and cut). Select the “convert to edit” option in the box group and hit the check mark at the top right.
• Once it converts the image, you’ll see that the text will appear in black, with a white background. Then, you can edit the image and text.

While the Photo Note is placed in the S Note app, keep in mind that the same thing can be done with images. The new Photo Note function reminds me a bit of Samsung’s Paper Artist app that allows you to color images based on different image filters (Cartoon, oil-based, sketch, etc.).

Have you tried Photo Note on your Galaxy Note 3? For those who own both the Galaxy Note 3 and Galaxy Note 4, have you noticed any changes between the Photo Note feature on both devices? Do you use this feature often? Do your thing in the comments.

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The Galaxy S7’s ‘Tidal’ Wave could involve Jay-Z’s sinking music platform

Jay-Z and Samsung seem to be having a rough time in the music business. Jay-Z’s investment in music streaming platform Tidal hasn’t gone as planned, and Samsung’s Milk Music hasn’t achieved the success the Korean manufacturer believed it would when the company launched the music service back in 2014. When you’re on the struggling end, you find solace in teaming up to do something together that you couldn’t do apart.

In walks a potential idea that could very well make the Galaxy S7 better than any Galaxy S smartphone to date, apart from its specs: what if Samsung and Jay-Z’s Tidal music streaming service teamed up? Earlier this week, rumors abounded that Jay-Z’s meeting with Samsung Research America in the same building in which the company’s Milk Music service is also operated could indicate that Jay-Z and Samsung are on the verge of a new “Tidal” wave (pun intended). If Samsung and Jay-Z team up, if the idea is possible and likely, what are the benefits? Who would benefit and how?

First, Jay-Z could benefit. Jay-Z’s own Tidal streaming service hasn’t made much of a scene in the music streaming world to match the likes of Spotify and Pandora, and no superstar wants to invest in a music streaming service to see it go downhill. If Jay-Z’s Tidal service goes to Samsung (and Jay-Z stays on to head up the music service), Jay-Z would gain a customer base and be able to promote all his albums as specials with the new music service. With Samsung’s marketing prowess and billions spent in marketing, Jay-Z’s Tidal music service would have good promotion and, in effect, would help the superstar with what has been a failing music service so far.

But, what’s a deal without joint benefit, right? Samsung would gain, too. With the help of Jay-Z, the Korean manufacturer could break through the music business, gain connections, promote its Milk Music service through Jay-Z and reach his fans, add to its small numbers in Milk Music, and offer premium and exclusive music content. In return, Jay-Z’s success in the industry could likely bring on a team of music superstars who would promote Samsung’s music service better than Samsung ever could. And, having Jay-Z at the forefront of the music service would help Samsung win some approval from diehard music fans in the US in particular, a place where it’s hard to penetrate the music business if you don’t have many or any connections.

Samsung could also have hi-fi audio as the goal in mind here. After all, Samsung has provided high-resolution screens to advance the industry to such an extent that soon, we’ll have higher-resolution screens for not only an in-house professional cinematic movie and TV show viewing experience but also the growth of virtual reality. Perhaps the Tidal acquisition would allow Samsung the ability to create a new frontier in the mobile space where audio becomes just as high-end as video playback and virtual reality are. Audio is part of the cinematic experience, and “surround sound” audio in smartphones is on the way (even if it isn’t here just yet). If Quad HD and 4K resolutions bring us closer to a 4K TV-viewing experience on our smartphones, hi-fi audio could bring us to a place where music playback mimics live music recordings. “In-studio audio” will become a new term for the smartphone audio experience.

If Samsung’s Milk Music service is powered by Tidal in the future (not Slacker), then the Korean manufacturer could revamp Milk Music and Milk Video completely. Milk Video as we know it is going away, but it’s not gone forever. Jay-Z and Tidal could help Samsung revamp Milk Video and Milk Music into something of a Vevo video or YouTube video/music contender. After all, neither Jay-Z nor Samsung have come this far in their financial investments to turn back the clock.

Samsung’s Milk Music app may prove to be the Galaxy S7’s “tidal wave.” Keep your ears to the ground and turn the music up loud.

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Samsung further expands semiconductor manufacturing in China

China is fast becoming a global hub for semiconductor manufacturing, even Intel is setting up its most advanced manufacturing facility outside of the United States in China at a cost of $5.5 billion. Its facility at Dalian, China is going to produce next-generation chips such as the memory chips it will use in Optane SSDs from mid-2016.

Samsung is a major player in the semiconductor industry and it too is increasingly looking towards China for manufacturing. The company has further expanded production of 3D NAND flash memory in Xi’an China. Last year the monthly average wafer output was up to 20,000 but now it’s estimated that the figure has soared to 50,000 in the third quarter this year. By 2016 monthly average wafer output at Samsung’s facility in Xi’an is expected to peak at 100,000.

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