Samsung finds a way to push VR into bedtime stories for children

Samsung has been working hard to show us that virtual reality can be used for greater things than just gaming or watching movies, like the time it demonstrated how VR can prove to be useful to help people get over their fear of public speaking. It’s now showing us how VR, powered by its smartphones and VR headset obviously, can help parents read bedtimes stories to their kids even if they’re miles away. This short video shows us how a mother who’s away for a few days can tell a bedtime story to her daughter every night by joining her in a virtual environment using the Gear VR headset.

One can’t find fault with the idea because any technology that connects parents with their kids is often well received but would most parents really want their young kids to have a phone strapped to their face right before they’re supposed to sleep? Many studies show that even adults find it hard to sleep if they’ve been staring at the screen before bed so one has to be mindful of how this will impact young kids. Virtual reality experiences can often make users feel dizzy or give them headaches if they have a problem with their vision so it may not always be an unwinding and relaxing experience for the children.

What do you think about this idea? Let us know by sounding off in the comments below.

from SamMobile http://ift.tt/1Y1vIcs
via IFTTT

Unlocked Galaxy S7 available at a discount from eBay

We often bring you some of the best online deals for Samsung devices and we’ve come across another great deal on the company’s latest flagship smartphone. You can pick up an unlocked Galaxy S7 at a discount from eBay, the seller is offering brand new units in unopened packaging for a very enticing price. It’s the international unlocked model of the Galaxy S7, SM-G930F, and works with any GSM network.

It’s not compatible with CDMA networks so customers in the United States can’t use it on Verizon or Sprint. This particular model does have full support for 3G and 4G LTE on GSM networks. This is the Exynos-powered version of the Samsung flagship but that shouldn’t be a concern since many say that the Exynos variant is better anyway. It’s being sold for $559.99 which is about $80 less than what customers would expect to pay at a retailer. The deal is available only via eBay but it’s not limited to buyers in the United States since the seller does offer international shipping for an additional charge.

from SamMobile http://ift.tt/1Z0LaG1
via IFTTT

The Galaxy S6 gets Marshmallow on AT&T soon

Sprint was the first carrier in the United States to release Marshmallow for the Galaxy S6 and Verizon soon followed suit. T-Mobile has already released said update as well so it’s only AT&T that’s left and Samsung has confirmed that Marshmallow will soon be out for the Galaxy S6 on the second largest mobile carrier in the United States.

The support page has been updated to show that software version G920AUCU3CPC2 is rolling out for the AT&T Galaxy S6. AT&T is yet to update its page for the handset or issue a confirmation but Samsung’s support site has made it clear that the update is out now for the Galaxy S6 on AT&T. No word as yet on when Marshmallow will arrive on the Galaxy S6 edge on AT&T but it shouldn’t take too long now. Users can head over to Settings » About device » Software update and check if the update is available in their region.

from SamMobile http://ift.tt/1O7QWA3
via IFTTT

Samsung led the Indian smartphone market during Q1, 2016

Samsung remained the leader in the global smartphone market during the first quarter of 2016. Now, it is being reported that the South Korean smartphone giant led the Indian smartphone market during Q1, 2016.

According to the latest report by Counterpoint Technology Market Research, Samsung was the largest smartphone manufacturer in India during Q1, 2016 with a market share of 28.8 percent driven by the sales of its Galaxy J series of mid-range devices. It also led the overall mobile phone market in the country with a share of 24.9 percent.

The market research firm pointed out that devices with improved design coupled with the Samsung’s stronger marketing push and wider distribution channels helped it in maintaining its leading position. The company also led the LTE smartphone segment during the quarter with its broad portfolio of LTE-capable devices.

Micromax (17%), Intex (10%), Lenovo (8%), and Lyf (7%) followed Samsung in the Indian smartphone market. The company maintained its leadership position despite stiff competition from Chinese smartphone makers Xiaomi and Lenovo.

from SamMobile http://ift.tt/1VGaJOX
via IFTTT

Samsung offering cashbacks and discounts on select smartphones in India

Samsung is offering easy EMIs, cashbacks, and discounts in India on select smartphones as a part of its ‘Make for India Celebrations’ sale. The company is celebrating for being deemed as the country’s most trusted brand in a survey by the Trust Research Advisory.

Samsung is offering its last year’s flagship smartphones, the Galaxy S6 and the Galaxy Note 5 (32GB single-SIM), for INR 33,900 and INR 42,900 as a part of ₹1 offer. After purchasing one of these smartphones for ₹1 through Bajaj Finance or Capital First, buyers can pay the remaining amount in 10 EMIs.

Buyers using credit or debit cards from any of the major Indian banks can get 10 percent cashback. The cashback amount will be credited to buyers’ accounts by August 31, 2016.  The company is also offering discounts on the Galaxy Grand Prime 4G, Galaxy A5 (2016), and Galaxy A7 (2016), which are now priced at INR 8,250, INR 25,900, and INR 29,900, respectively.

Samsung is also offering easy EMIs on UHD flat TVs, curved Full HD TVs, and Full HD flat TVs. Buyers of select models of ACs, microwave ovens, refrigerators, and tablets are eligible for cashback. All these offers are available only when purchase is made through its official online store or certified offline retailers till May 15, 2016.

from SamMobile http://ift.tt/1Z04zqK
via IFTTT

Rumor: Samsung testing Galaxy Note 6 camera with IR autofocus

Samsung has had huge success with its recently released flagship smartphones, the Galaxy S7 and S7 edge. The company sold more than 10 million units within a month, but the company is not resting on its laurels. The South Korean phone maker is actively working on the successor to the Galaxy Note 5.

According to a new report from AndroidGeeks, the Galaxy Note 6 will feature the same 12-megapixel camera with dual-pixel phase-detection autofocus and ƒ/1.7 aperture as the Galaxy S7. However, Samsung is rumored to be internally testing some Galaxy Note 6 prototype units with infrared autofocus modules.

The Galaxy S7 duo are already the fastest smartphone cameras regarding autofocus speed, and if Samsung launches the Galaxy Note 6 with IR autofocus, it would further enhance the autofocus performance of the device. The recently launched HTC 10 features a 12-megapixel camera with IR autofocus, and so do the Nexus 6P and the Nexus 5X.

The Galaxy Note 6 is rumored to come equipped with a 5.8-inch QHD Slim RGB Super AMOLED display, a Snapdragon 823 processor, 6GB RAM, IP68 certification for water and dust resistance, an iris scanner, and a 4,000 mAh battery. It could also end up being the first smartphone from Samsung to come preloaded with Android N.

These reports should be taken with a pinch of salt as Samsung is yet to reveal any information regarding the Galaxy Note 6. The device could be launched sometime before the holiday season later this year.

from SamMobile http://ift.tt/1QK00L8
via IFTTT

Samsung’s new app aims to help premature babies hear their mothers

Samsung is putting a lot of effort in healthcare. It recently released a new ultrasound examination machine that applies big data to help early detection of breast tumors. Now, the company is working on a new app that helps premature babies in hearing their mothers.

Voices of Life, a new app that is being developed by Samsung, lets a mom record her voice, heartbeat, or lullabies on her phone. The app then “wombifies” (removes high-frequency sounds) the voice before playing it back on a speaker at the baby’s side. The app records a mother’s heartbeat using the heart rate monitor on Samsung’s smartphones.

Premature babies have a higher risk of developing language and attention deficits. The pleasing voice of a mother comforts a premature baby in neonatal care. The app also helps parents connect with their child in those early crucial first weeks even when they’re not present with their child physically.

The company hasn’t released any information about how close they are in the completion of the app or the hospitals who would be using this technology in the future. When this app releases, it could help at least some of those 15 million children who are born prematurely every year.

from SamMobile http://ift.tt/1rK0s8e
via IFTTT

Samsung rumored to release a foldable smartphone next year

We first reported about Project Valley, the codename for Samsung’s first dual-screen (and possibly, a foldable) smartphone, almost a year ago. Hot on the heels of its success with the Galaxy S7 edge, the South Korean smartphone giant might release its first foldable smartphone early next year.

According to a new report from ETNews, Samsung has been working on a foldable smartphone since three years. It is being reported that it could transform into a 5-inch smartphone when folded or a 7-inch tablet when opened. The company has partnered with local as well as foreign firms and acquired most of the technologies that are required to make such a product.

The foldable smartphone is said to feature an OLED display that could be folded in half like a wallet, so it would be easier to carry the device in a pocket. Samsung Display, which is in charge of developing the foldable OLED display, is said to have already finished with the development of a prototype.

Samsung Display director Lee Chang-hoon said, “the development of foldable OLED is taking place according to our plan. We are planning on mass-production and release of this product by discussing with our partners.”

Apart from the display, the company has a few other pending tasks to complete before it could start mass manufacturing the device. As we reported last year, the actual release of the product might take place in January 2016, and it could bear a model number SM-G929F.

Also read: The True Phablet: Samsung’s Project Valley foldable smartphone will make the phablet complete

Samsung has filed patent applications for various technologies that point towards its upcoming foldable smartphone. Experts believe that foldable smartphones could bring a momentum in the otherwise slowing smartphone market. On the other hand, LG is moving towards the concept of modular smartphones starting with this year’s LG G5.

 

from SamMobile http://ift.tt/1Wzx6o1
via IFTTT

Samsung Galaxy S7 edge Ghostek Cloak Tough case review

We’re back with another case review for the Galaxy S7 edge. This time, we’re looking at the Ghostek Cloak Tough, a dual-layer armor case that mixes a regular crystal TPU case with an aluminium frame. As befits the name, the Ghostek Cloak Tough case feels extremely, well, tough, thanks to the aluminium frame around the sides.

In terms of protection against scratches and damage from drops, the Ghostek Cloak Tough case does a good job. It’s thick from every side, so you can rest assured that should the phone drop to the concrete below, the case will absorb the impact. The screen doesn’t touch the surface if the phone is kept upside down. This protection does come at a cost, however. Access to the ports at the bottom becomes a problem for third-party cables – there’s too much distance between the ports and the outer rim of the case, making the insertion of thick cables a problem. My Bandridge microUSB cable never managed to go fully in, no matter how much I pressed the cable against the bottom of the phone.

The Ghostek Tough Case looks pretty nice. It’s transparent, so you can always see your device’s back, unlike other cases that hide the phone from all but the front side. The power and volume buttons are built into the TPU part of the case; they’re thin and very tactile. They are also quite sturdy, so you won’t see them jiggling around like the buttons on other cases. In fact, the overall fit and quality of this thing is what makes it such a nice case. For those wondering, wireless charging works just fine with the case on, something that is true of any case that you might find on the market.

The Ghostek Tough Case package includes a screen protector, though it’s the regular kind and not tempered. For $24.49, this case gets our recommendation for offering great device protection and an attractive design that doesn’t hide the beauty of the Galaxy S7 edge itself. If you like armor cases, the Spigen Neo Hybrid case is also a great option; for those with an affinity to minimalist cases, the Spigen Thin Fit case is a good, um, fit.

Buy from Mobile Fun

Disclaimer: Mobile Fun is our exclusive accessory partner for Samsung devices and supplied us with a review unit. The partnership with the retailer in no way affects our thoughts on the product reviewed above; our opinions are completely our own.

from SamMobile http://ift.tt/1W0hf3u
via IFTTT