Powered by Gear VR, a British man is cycling across the UK in virtual reality

The magic of immersive virtual reality experiences is that they make you feel as if you’re in a completely different place even if you can’t find the motivation to get off the couch. Samsung’s Gear VR headset is great for experiencing virtual reality and a British man is using it to do something truly unique. Aaron Puzey is cycling across the United Kingdom in virtual reality. He just might be the first person to cycle a great distance in VR.

Since the Gear VR allows him to feel as if he’s outside even when he’s at home, he’s doing this on a stationary exercise cycle inside his house. He has a Samsung Gear VR strapped to his head as he peddles on in his virtual bike trip. To create this experience he coupled a stock Gear VR headset with a cheap Bluetooth cadence monitor and created an app that pulls Google Streetview data.

“When you use Streetview you’ll notice that when you hover your cursor over the scene it brings up a rectangle that angles correctly to the building you’re hovering over. When I saw this I realised the scene must also store some 3d information. Some quick research revealed a method of extracting this information and building up a 3d scene. It was then a simple matter of moving the camera through space as I pedal,” Puzey explains.

His virtual bike journey across the UK takes him from Land’s End to John O’Groats, two major tourist destinations on the southeast and northern tips of the country. Puzey is regularly uploading videos of this trip on YouTube and also keeping a travel diary which currently locates him in Stockport on his way to Manchester, meaning that he’s almost half-way and he has been at it since May this year. Check out his blog if you’re interested in following Puzey on his virtual bike trip across the United Kingdom.

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Gear Fit 2 fitness tracker already discounted by $30

It has been around two months since Samsung launched its new fitness tracking wearable device called the Gear Fit 2. It was released in a handful of countries initially including but not limited to the United States, Germany, France and Spain. One of Samsung’s major retail partners has decided to cut the price of the Gear Fit 2 by $30 to entice people who might be considering it to take the plunge.

Samsung is selling the Gear Fit 2 for $179.99 but if you head over to Amazon you’ll find that the online retail giant has cut the price by $30 and is now offering it in black, blue and pink colors for $149.00 with free shipping. That’s quite a substantial saving on one of the best wearable fitness trackers that Samsung has ever made. The Gear Fit 2 has an embedded GPS and heart rate monitor and can automatically detect the kind of activity the user is engaging in. It also features a 1.5-inch Super AMOLED curved display and can function as a standalone music player. Unlike the original Gear Fit, the Gear Fit 2 works with any Android handset running version 4.4 or higher with at least 1.5GB RAM.

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Galaxy Note 7 with 6GB RAM and 128GB storage may cost over $900

Prior to the Galaxy Note 7′s official announcement it was rumored that the handset would feature 6GB of RAM. That’s not the case as the handset comes with 4GB of RAM which is more than enough but for some fans more is never enough. We recently found out that Samsung could soon launch a variant of the Galaxy Note 7 that has 6GB RAM as well as 128GB of internal storage but that this variant will be exclusive to China only. New information has surfaced which suggests that the Galaxy Note 7 with 6GB RAM could cost over $900.

This particular variant of the Galaxy Note 7 is reportedly going to be launched in China on August 26th. China is likely going to be the only market in which Samsung offers the 6GB variant with 128GB storage. It appears that local manufacturers in China have forced Samsung’s hand as most of their high-end devices now have 6GB of RAM. Consumers are likely to move away from the Galaxy Note 7 just because its specs don’t line up on paper with that of the rivals. Customers in China who want to pick one up will have to spend 6,088 yuan or just over $900. Samsung will also sell the 4GB variant in China for 5688 yuan or about $850.

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Samsung is now leading the global enterprise SSD market

Following data reported by several analyst firms, Samsung today announced that it’s now leading the global enterprise SSD market and is the number one supplier of enterprise solid state drives used in corporate data centers. IDC’s latest report shows that Samsung rose to this position in the first quarter of this year and that it now accounts for 32.4 percent of the market. This marks a substantial increase for Samsung from Q4 2015 when it had cornered 22 percent of the market.

Market research firm Forward Insights also found that Samsung took the lead in Q1 2016 and now holds a 34 percent share. Its numbers put Samsung at 25 percent in the final quarter of last year. TrendFocus has been the most bullish on Samsung’s enterprise SSD prospects, giving the company a 45 percent share in the global enterprise SSD market in the first quarter of this year. Samsung is now offering more than 18 SSD families with over 100 different variants to enterprise consumers. It says that its rapid growth in this market is complemented by its leadership in consumer SSD sales over the past six years.

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DisplayMate finds that the Galaxy Note 7′s display can go as high as 1048 nits of peak brightness

Samsung somehow manages to surprise us every six months by improving display quality on its smartphones even further just when we start to think that it can’t get any better. Just six months ago, DisplayMate conducted an in-depth test on Galaxy S7 and S7 edge’s displays and found them to be the best in the business. Now, DisplayMate is reporting that the Galaxy Note 7′s screen breaks all previous records set by the Galaxy S7 duo.

According to an in-depth test performed by DisplayMate, the Galaxy Note 7′s curved QHD Super AMOLED display is the new leader in the industry. DisplayMate found that it could reach a peak brightness of whopping 1,048 nits, which the highest in the smartphone industry, and by a wide margin. Earlier, peak brightness record was held by the Galaxy S7 edge whose display could go as bright as 855 nits in auto mode when used under direct sunlight.

The Galaxy Note 7′s display also comes with four colour gamuts and screen modes: Adaptive Display, AMOLED Cinema, AMOLED Photo, and the Basic Screen Mode. Moreover, it is the first smartphone in the world to support playback of HDR videos. Another discovery made by DisplayMate is that the Galaxy Note 7 comes with dual ambient light sensors, one at the front and the other on the back of the device. This makes the adaptive brightness on the smartphone even more reliable.

As we reported earlier, Samsung has included the Blue Light Filter mode in the Galaxy Note 7 that allows users to limit the amount of blue light from the display for better night viewing. DisplayMate also praised Samsung for using the stronger Gorilla Glass 5 panel to protect the Galaxy Note 7′s screen from scratches and drops. The improved Always On Display mode on the smartphone was also praised in the test results.

DisplayMate also praised the Galaxy Note 7 for featuring widest color gamut, the highest contrast ratio in ambient light, lowest screen reflectance, and smallest brightness variation. If you wish to read more about this display test, head over to the source link below. What do you think about the Galaxy Note 7′s curved Super AMOLED display?

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Exclusive: Samsung Z2 specifications confirmed, will be available in these countries

Samsung is planning on launching its third Tizen-powered smartphone in the very near future. There have been a lot of rumors and reports about this handset but now we can exclusively confirm the full specifications of the Samsung Z2. It’s still a low-end handset that has specs comparable to its predecessor so don’t keep your fingers crossed for a Tizen powerhouse.

The Samsung Z2 features a 3.97-inch 800×480 pixel resolution LCD display, it’s powered by a 1.5GHz processor coupled with 1GB RAM and 8GB storage. It also features a 5-megapixel rear and VGA front camera as well as a 1,500mAh battery. This Tizen V2.4-powered handset has support for LTE, features, GPS, Glonass, Bluetooth 4.0, USB 2.0 and Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n. Accessories in the box inlcude a 5V 0.7A charger and headset. The company is going to release the Samsung Z2 in Saudi Arabia, Bangladesh, Nigeria, India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Turkey, South Africa, Indonesia and the United Arab Emirates. It’s expected to be launched on August 11th with a price tag of Rs. 4,499 or roughly $70.

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Samsung rolls out July security patch for the Galaxy J5, Galaxy J5 (2016) and Galaxy S3 Neo

Samsung has started distributing the July security update to all unlocked variants of the Galaxy J5, Galaxy J5 (2016) and Galaxy S3 Neo located in Europe. The upgrade weighs in at 90MB and brings the security level to July 1 and not July 5 like the upgrade Vodafone pushed out for the Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge in Germany last month.

Unfortunately, this release doesn’t bring any new functionality to the handsets. Instead, it transports a flurry of Google’s patches for the Android OS, in addition to a handful of Samsung-specific optimizations, which include a fix for an exploit that resulted in the audio service enabling malicious applications to access values in shared memory.

Like every maintenance release, this one is being rollout out in stages. If you’d like to see if it’s ready for your device, all you have to do is head into Settings » About Device » Software Update » Update Now. Alternatively, you can wait until you receive a push notification prompting you to download the upgrade.

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‘Explorer’ is likely the third variant of the Gear S3 smartwatch

We exclusively reported recently that the Gear S3 smartwatch has a rotary bezel like its predecessor and that it’s going to be unveiled at IFA 2016 next month. Previous reports reveal that there will be a Frontier variant of the Gear S3 and today we told you that the new smartwatch will be available in a Classic variant as well like the Gear S2. It appears that there might be three different variants of this smartwatch, the third being the Gear S3 Explorer.

There isn’t a lot of information available about the Gear S3 Explorer at this point in time but it’s claimed to feature a crown as well as buttons on number 2, 4 and 10. The Gear S3 Explorer is also going to allow users to change the watch bands as and when they feel like it. The Frontier and Explorer monikers suggest that Samsung is gearing its new smartwatch towards those who prefer an active lifestyle, we exclusively reported on some of those features which include an integrated GPS, speedometer and barometer. More information about Samsung’s upcoming smartwatch will continue to trickle in as IFA 2016 approaches, however, so far we’ve not seen any leaked images of the Gear S3.

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Samsung reportedly testing 10nm Exynos 8895 processor with 4GHz peak speed

Samsung has reportedly started testing its next-generation mobile processor and if reports are to be believed, it’s an absolute beast. The Exynos 8895 is said to be built on the 10nm process with a 30 percent increase in performance compared to the Exynos 8890. Test batches of this processor are reportedly hitting staggering peak speeds of 4GHz though it’s likely that the peak will be capped for retail handsets.

Power consumption becomes a concern with faster processors but the 10nm process promises both a boost in speed and power efficiency. The Exynos 8895 is said to have the same power consumption at peak 4GHz as the Snapdragon 830 at 3.6GHz, it may also be sustainable in thermal efficiency meaning that overheating will not be a major concern. Nothing has been officially confirmed by Samsung about its next-generation processor so take all of this information with a grain of salt. What we can predict is that the company’s next high-end chip is likely going to debut with the Galaxy S8 early next year.

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Master Android app development with SamMobile Shop, take 95 percent off the course

Have you ever wanted to get in the business of making Android apps? If you have but lack the technical skills, there’s a way to fix that. We have a course available on the SamMobile Shop which provides you with more than 60 hours of training to enable you to make Android apps, games and more. The course is a $657 value but we’re offering it with a 95 percent discount for just $29.

The Hot Java Android Coding Bundle from SamMobile Shop features over 238 lectures and nearly 37 hours of instruction. It will familiarize you with the Android Studio and Eclipse, the tool main tools required for creating Android apps. As the course goes on you will build more complex apps to further improve your skills. The course is only available at a 95 percent discount for a limited time so if you’ve ever wanted to pivot to a career in Android app development, this is your chance to take the plunge.

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[Poll] Do you think Samsung made a mistake by removing the IR blaster from flagship devices?

Samsung took a lot of flak for removing the IR blaster from the Galaxy Note 5 and it wasn’t surprising when we found out that the IR blaster was not going to be present on the Galaxy S7 and the Galaxy S7 edge as well. The infrared sensor had been present on all of Samsung’s flagship handsets for a few years now so fans felt somewhat betrayed that it was unceremoniously removed from the Galaxy Note 5 and the Galaxy S6 edge+. We found out through one of our polls that it’s a feature that many people use all the time which is why they were upset. The Galaxy Note 7 is out now and it also doesn’t feature an IR blaster. Do you factor that in when making your decision to spend money on the new flagship? Do you think Samsung made a mistake by removing the IR blaster from its flagship handsets? Vote below and share your thoughts in the comments section.

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.

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Upcoming Gear S3 watch will come in a Classic variant like the Gear S2

It’s no secret Samsung is preparing the launch of its next, round smartwatch, unsurprisingly called the Gear S3. Now, a trademark application confirms the device, like it predecessor, will come in a Classic variant as well.

Last year, Samsung launched the much-praised Gear S2, which is sold in a regular as well as a classic version with the latter definitely being the nicer looking device. This year, Samsung is set to mimic this scheme, at least to some extent, by launching a Gear S3 Classic, possibly alongside a previously spotted Gear S3 Frontier variant.

The necessary paperwork for protection of the accompanying trademark was filed with the South Korean intellectual property authorities only a few days ago, leaving little room for doubt in this matter.

Recently, we exclusively confirmed the Gear S3 will come with a rotary bezel, and an extensive array of sensors measuring, amongst other things, atmospheric pressure and altitude, as well as a speedometer. We expect its official launch at the IFA trade show in Berlin, which starts September 2.

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Galaxy S7 Active owners are getting the short end of the stick

Multiple reports last month revealed that the Galaxy S7 Active’s waterproofing claims did not hold up. Samsung initially said that it “stands behind” the waterproofing certification of the Galaxy S7 Active but later conceded that it had found an issue on a production line that exclusively manufactures this handset and that the issue had been resolved. It also promised to replace Galaxy S7 Active units with water damage as long as they are within the standard one-year warranty but the company will not provide a lifetime warranty for faulty units.

This is a problem as both Samsung and AT&T, the carrier that exclusively sells this handset, don’t appear to be willing to replace a faulty Galaxy S7 Active if the one-year warranty is up. It’s a problem because they have not revealed any identifying information like serial numbers which could help customers find out if they have a faulty unit. The only way for customers to find out if they have a faulty unit is to dunk it in up to 5 feet of water for up to 30 minutes and see if it survives. If they do have one and it takes on water damage after the warranty is up they won’t be able to get anything from AT&T or Samsung. Both companies are also yet to provide assurances about whether all of the units in their inventory now are those that were manufactured after the production line issue was fixed.

There has been no comment on this yet by Samsung, it has reiterated its position that “At this point all we have to say is that the production issue has been resolved and we have received very few customer inquiries. Any owner with water damage will receive a replacement under the standard limited warranty.”

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Samsung enlists the help of Danny Glover to showcase the Galaxy S7 edge’s impressive battery life

Samsung has taken to its YouTube channel to share a short commercial featuring Lethal Weapon star Danny Glover that’s set to start airing on TV sometime over the course of the next couple of weeks. The 30-second clip has been designed to cleverly showcase the Galaxy S7 edge’s impressive battery life.

In the advert, Glover can be seen resting in an air vent with a bomb next to him. He has twelve hours to diffuse it, but doesn’t choose to do so until there are three seconds left on the clock. Instead, he spends the time playing games and watching movies; showing that the Galaxy S7 edge can easily last for half a day of continuous use.

Check it out below:

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Samsung now lets you choose an app as default or use it “just once”

One of the reasons we all love Android is because it lets us choose an app as default for particular actions or file types, just like desktop operating systems. Starting with the Galaxy Note 4, Samsung modified this behavior by automatically setting an app as default after the first selection. However, the company has reverted back on its decision.

After some recent update, a new option has emerged under Settings > Applications > Default Applications > Default app selection. Users can now select the ‘Ask before setting default apps’ option if they want their Galaxy device not to set an app by default automatically. After setting this option, the device will ask the user whether they want to use an app “just once” for an action or use it as default “always.”

 

 

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