الأربعاء، 28 سبتمبر 2016

Samsung finally rolls out Marshmallow update for the Galaxy A7 in Europe

With Nougat right around the corner, Samsung has finally started pushing out the long-awaited Marshmallow update for the European variant of the Galaxy A7. The upgrade — XXU2BPH4 — weighs in at a little over 1GB and bundles all of the changes you’d expect to find baked into Android 6.0.1. It also transports a more refined build of TouchWiz, similar to the version on board the Galaxy S7.

If you reside in Europe, own a factory unlocked Galaxy A7 and would like to see if the update is ready for your handset, simply head into the following menus: Settings > About Device > Software Update > Update Now. Alternatively, you could always wait until you receive a push notification prompting you to install the upgrade, but this has proven to take slightly longer than manually scanning for it.

Thanks, Fernando!



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Samsung patents a foldable tablet with built-in keyboard and stand

We’ve seen a lot of rumors, reports and patents concerning Samsung’s foldable smartphone but the one that’s come up today isn’t about a smartphone, it’s about a tablet. Samsung has been awarded a design patent for a foldable tablet which features a built-in keyboard and stand. The illustrations show that this device will have a foldable keyboard as well as an integrated kickstand at the back. The device has three foldable segments which when opened would combine to form a large display area that would be good for both productivity and entertainment.

Since this is a design patent it doesn’t reveal which materials will be used by Samsung to actually create this device and which components will make their way inside the shell. It’s just a visual representation of what Samsung engineers think a foldable tablet should look like. Just because Samsung has patented something doesn’t mean it’s certainly going to bring it to market. We’re still waiting on the company’s foldable smartphone so it might be quite a while before it comes out with a foldable tablet. It might very well have an entire lineup of foldable devices in the future if the idea takes off with consumers.

samsung-foldable-tablet



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Galaxy Note 7 ads start airing again as Samsung expects to wrap up recall soon

We reported yesterday that Galaxy Note 7 customers in South Korea don’t appear to be in a hurry to exchange their faulty Galaxy Note 7 for a new, safe one. Samsung’s replacement program has been running for a few weeks now however the rate of replacement is lower in its home country when compared to markets like the US. Samsung is obviously concerned about this but it also wants to look ahead and resumes sales of the Galaxy Note 7. After having extended the refund deadline and delaying the relaunch of its new flagship in South Korea, Samsung has now started airing Galaxy Note 7 ads on domestic TV channels in the country.

The company has also said today that it expects to have exchanged more than 80 percent of all Galaxy Note 7 smartphones in South Korea by October 1 which is when it’s going to start selling the handset once again. In its statement the company once again calls on customers who have a unit that has been recalled to take part in the replacement program. To entice people to buy this smartphone after the entire debacle Samsung is promising customers who purchase a new Galaxy Note 7 that it will cover 50 percent of any repair costs for the screen should they end up damaging it.



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Samsung now investigating reports of replacement Galaxy Note 7 units overheating

Samsung’s Galaxy Note 7 replacement program has been underway for a couple of weeks now. It’s voluntarily replacing all Galaxy Note 7 units that have been shipped since the handset was released last month. There have been some reports of overheating issues with replacement Galaxy Note 7 units which are supposed to have a battery that doesn’t explode unexpectedly. Samsung has now said that it’s investigating these reports.

Samsung has confirmed to The Wall Street Journal that it’s looking into reports out of South Korea and the United States that new Galaxy Note 7 units are overheating. Some consumers who reported this issue said that the new handset would get too hot to place next to the ear during a phone call. Samsung has already promised to replace one such customer’s handset. “There have been a few reports about the battery charging levels and we would like to reassure everyone that the issue does not pose a safety concern,” the company said in a statement issued to the scribe, adding that in normal conditions “all smartphones may experience temperature fluctuations.”

The company has acknowledged these complaints and said that it’s working to resolve individual cases through its warranty process and customer service. It’s yet to confirm what might be causing this issue and whether it’s something that other Galaxy Note 7 owners need to be concerned about.



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Wallpaper Wednesday: Illustrations

Welcome to the latest edition of Wallpaper Wednesday. This week we’re focusing our attention on six illustration backgrounds. All images are available in a FHD resolution, which is a perfect fit for the Galaxy S7Galaxy S7 edgeGalaxy Note 5 and other flagships, but they can, of course, be used on different smartphones, too.

If any of the following images float your boat and you want to download and set one as your wallpaper, simply tap on a photo to maximise it, then click and hold to save it. Once the picture is stored locally, open up Settings, locate and select Wallpaper, then just tap the newly-saved image to set it as your background.

Alternatively, you can download a ZIP file containing all of this week’s backdrops by hitting the Download button at the very bottom of this post.


Alice in Wonderland

alice-in-wonderland


Big Bear

big-bear


Connection

connection


Rainy Day

rainy-day


Space Monkey

space-monkey


Stairway to Where?

stairway-to-where


Download

Note: We’ve tried our best to identify the creators of all of the wallpapers featured in this week’s column. However, the images appear to lack copyright information, artist signatures or any real trace of origin. If you created a wallpaper we’ve posted and would like credit, or would rather we remove the image, kindly contact us.



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Galaxy Grand Prime (2016) clears the FCC

We first reported two months ago that Samsung was working on another mid-range smartphone and that it might be a refresh of the Galaxy Grand Prime which was first launched two years ago. Last month it surfaced on Geekbench to give us a glimpse at its specifications and just two weeks ago the handset received its Wi-Fi certification, suggesting that a launch isn’t that far off now. Those who have been waiting for it will be happy to know that the Galaxy Grand Prime (2016) has now cleared the FCC as well.

The Federal Communications Commission needs to clear a handset before it can be sold and it has awarded the relevant certification to the Galaxy Grand Prime (2016). The FCC filing shows that there’s going to be a dual-SIM variant of this handset as well. As far as its specifications are concerned, the Galaxy Grand Prime (2016) is expected to feature a 1.4GHz processor with 1.5GB RAM, a 5-inch HD display as well as an 8-megapixel rear and a 5-megapixel selfie camera.

The specs won’t be anything to write home about but that’s what you can expect from Samsung’s mid-range handsets. Samsung is yet to confirm when the Galaxy Grand Prime (2016) is going to be launched and how much it’s going to cost.

galaxy-grand-prime-2016-fcc



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Galaxy A8 is receiving the September security update as well

The September Security Maintenance Release is slowly making its way to handsets like the Galaxy S7 and the Galaxy S7 edge even though it’s almost the end of September. Latest reports reveal that this update is also being sent out to other Samsung handsets. Those who own the Galaxy A8 are now receiving this Security Maintenance Release which brings crucial patches for the OS to ensure that users are protected against any and all threats.

This latest update for the Galaxy A8 weighs in at just under 300MB and it brings some overall improvements as well. Users will notice that the performance of Voice call has been improved and that battery usage has been optimized. They will also notice improved performance with efficient memory management, improved stability and security enhancements courtesy of the September 1 Android security patch level.

Samsung detailed the September patch about three weeks ago, it includes the 66 latest patches from Google and nine from Samsung. As per reports this update is currently being rolled out to the Galaxy A8 model SM-A800F which is the international unlocked model of this handset.

galaxy-a8-september-smr



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Huawei reportedly working with Samsung on a Tizen smartwatch

Huawei has established itself as a major player in the smartwatch market by offering some great wearable devices that are powered by Google’s Android Wear. Samsung is its competitor in this market, the South Korean conglomerate has launched a couple of impressive Tizen-powered smartwatches which provide an alternative to Google’s operating system. A report out of South Korea claims that Huawei is working with Samsung to launch a smartwatch that’s going to be powered by Tizen.

It’s surprising because the company has not previously given any indication that it wants to move away from Android Wear. However, it would make sense for Huawei to adopt Tizen OS given that it was one of the first members of the Tizen Association which included the likes of Intel, Fujitsu, NTT DoCoMo, Panasonic and others. South Korean local daily JoongAng Ilbo quoted a Samsung official as saying that “Huawei was looking for an Operating System (OS) other than Google’s Android as the US firm had not been very collaborative,” adding that both companies are going to collaborate on a Tizen smartwatch.

Neither company has officially confirmed such an effort so take this with a grain of salt for now until there’s more information directly from the proverbial horse’s mouth. However, given the market performance of Samsung’s Tizen-powered smartwatches it was only a matter of time before other OEMs decided to give it a shot as well.



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Daily Deal: Grab Samsung’s Level Box wireless speaker for just $62.40

We recently started notifying our awesome readers about deals on Samsung products that we come across every day, and today we are bringing you a brilliant deal on Samsung’s wireless speaker. The black variant of the Level Box Bluetooth speaker is being sold in the US for just $62.4 through Amazon, and it is a discount of 63% over its regular price of $169.99. The white variant is priced even lower at $44.99, which is a discount of a whopping 74% over its regular price.

The Level Box portable Bluetooth speaker from Samsung features aptX audio codec for improved sound quality over a wireless connection. You can pair your smartphone easily using NFC, and the speaker can also be used to take calls, thanks to its inbuilt microphone. It has a metal design and weighs less than 600 grams. There are dedicated buttons for adjusting volume and to play or pause audio playback. Samsung claims that it can last for up to 15 hours on a single charge.

 



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Woman’s view: Samsung Gear S2 Classic 18K Rose Gold

Before I got the Rose Gold Gear S2 Classic , I was not a fan of watches. I bought one a few years ago, wore it a few times, and after a short while I didn’t look at it again. Why wear a watch when I have my phone with me all the time?

When my boyfriend started wearing smartwatches, I laughed at him. He was just like me, unused to wearing watches. And his watch didn’t look like something you see at the jewellers. The watch bands were made of plastic or rubber, and the screen was a square instead of a circle. Some people called it a sporty look, but I just didn’t think it was pretty.

But when he switched to the Gear S2 Classic, I started to see the benefits of a smartwatch. The rounded screen and ribbed bezel looked way better than previous smartwatches. This one looks almost like a normal watch, especially after he bought a metal watch band. At that moment, I was kind of jealous, and when he showed me a picture of the 18K Rose Gold Gear S2, I was sold. I wanted one, and I wanted it right then.

The only thing was, I was using an iPhone, which didn’t work with Samsung’s smartwatches. So I made a decision and after six years, I switched from my iPhone 6 to the Pink Gold Samsung Galaxy S7 edge. A big change, but quite worth it, as I wrote in my review of the device.

Woman’s view: Samsung Gear-S2 Classic 18K Rose Gold

I was over the moon when I received my Gear S2. The watch was just like I expected. It came with a white leather watch band a special charger. But I only had eyes for the shiny rose gold color and the perfect way it fit my wrist. It’s not too big, it’s not small, it’s just perfect.

After wearing it for a few days, the first thing I noticed was that the white watch band had turned black. It wasn’t hard to wash this dirt off, but the watch band didn’t become any prettier after doing so. I was kind of disappointed as the dirty watch band ruined the look of my pretty watch. I had to make a decision: order a metal watch band and spend more money on my week-old watch?

I chose to go to the jeweller where Danny bought his metal watch band and ordered one in rose gold, as it was otherwise kind of a waste purchasing this watch. Fortunately, the moment the new band arrived, all my disappointed faded away. The band gave my watch a totally new, and better, look. I work in a bridal shop and I receive complements about my watch every day. One of my clients actually said it looked just like a Michael Kors watch!

Woman’s view: Samsung Gear-S2 Classic 18K Rose Gold

Besides the pretty look, the watch has more assets for a sales employee in a bridal shop. First, the notifications I receive on my watch. I can’t have my phone with me all day long. Most of the time, it stays in my handbag when I’m at work. So it’s a big plus for me that I can read my messages and dress a bride at the same time. I can’t check my phone all day long if somebody needs me. But I can check my watch and decide if a message is important or if it can wait.

Secondly, I think the pedometer is a big plus. Because of my work, I stand all day long and walk a lot. It’s always fun to see how many kilometers you walk during a working day. The pedometer is a part of S Health and you can also add more functions of the app to your watch. For example, the water and caffeine intake options. I don’t use them, but it’s definitely a good thing to be able to manage how many glasses of water you drink over the course of a day.

The last big plus is the quality of the metal and glass. I often scrape the watch against walls or doors at work (accidentally, of course); at the moment of writing this article, I have been wearing my Gear S2 every day for more than two months, but there are no scratches or damage to see on the watch. It means the quality of the watch is really solid.

Woman’s view: Samsung Gear-S2 Classic 18K Rose Gold

While I’m a big fan of my Gear S2, there are also a few downsides. In my opinion, the battery life isn’t very good. When I’m working, it has to be fully charged otherwise it can often be dead by 4 o’clock. And that’s when I set the brightness of the screen to 4 (it goes up to 10). I can set the watch on airplane or power saving mode, but then I can’t use the watch like I normally do. I don’t know why the battery drains so quickly, but it seems it has nothing to do with the color of my watch face. Hopefully, a software update will help, or my particular Gear S2 has a hardware issue.

Talking about watch faces, I think it’s a pity there are so few watch faces that match the Rose Gold hue of my Gear S2. In the beginning, there were a maximum of five matching watch faces. There are a few more nowadays, but still not enough when you compare it to other colors of the Gear S2. Again, it’s a pity, especially for someone like me who loves changing watch faces all the time.

Overall, I think my Gear S2 is great. Okay, so I was disappointed that I had to spend more money on the watch band, but the watch did look better because of the same. The benefits truly do outweigh the disadvantages, and after two months, I can’t imagine a working day without my smartwatch. I miss it when I don’t have it on my wrist, and I have to say Samsung has done a marvellous job.



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Samsung has replaced more than 60 percent of faulty Galaxy Note 7′s in the US

Samsung has revealed that it has now exchanged more than 60 percent of Galaxy Note 7′s that were believed to sport a faulty battery in the United States. This news comes just two weeks after the US Consumer Product Safety Commission issued an official recall of over one million handsets in the region amid a little more than 90 reports surfacing from customers claiming that their handset had spontaneously bursting into flames while on charge.

The firm released this latest statistic six days after ‘safe’ Galaxy Note 7‘s started being distributed in the region. Within the first day, the company announced that it had exchanged 130,000 of the one million affected devices. Now, however, it has reportedly removed more than 600,000 faulty handsets from circulation. Although, reports have started to emerge claiming that the replacement models are just as dangerous as their predecessors.



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Galaxy Note 7 users in South Korea don’t appear to be in a hurry to exchange their phones

After confirming the battery cell defect earlier this month Samsung announced that it will voluntarily replace all Galaxy Note 7 phones shipped since the handset was released. The global replacement program is underway and yet it appears to not be performing as well as it should be in Samsung’s own backyard. Local news reports suggest that Galaxy Note 7 users in South Korea don’t appear to be in a hurry to replace their units which pose a potential fire hazard, many of them are actually planning to exchange them next year.

This is obviously making Samsung uncomfortable. The longer these faulty units stay out there the more chance there is of additional battery-related incidents taking place. It was the company’s aim to quickly get done with the replacement program and resume sales of the Galaxy Note 7 once again. Samsung has already had to extend the refund deadline in South Korea and even delay the resumption of sales in is home country because people just don’t seem to be in a hurry to take part in the replacement program.

According to estimates, almost 70 percent of all Galaxy Note 7 owners have exchanged their handsets in South Korea even though the replacement program was launched nearly three weeks ago. In other markets like the United States more than 50 percent of Note 7 owners exchanged their handsets within the first few days. Samsung will be resuming sales of the Galaxy Note 7 in South Korea starting October 1. In the meantime it’s making phone calls to remaining users in South Korea to urge them to participate in the replacement program.



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جميع الحقوق محفوظة لمدونة الغريب 2013