Google has launched an exclusive Play Music feature for the Galaxy S8

If you cast your mind back to April, you may recall that Google announced it had teamed up with Samsung to give Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ customers who use Play Music, which is the default audio player on the handsets, a couple of extra perks to enhance their music-listening experience.

Despite being relatively minor, the perks were actually pretty useful: users could upload 100,000 songs to their virtual locker instead of the usual 50,000, and were eligible for a free three-month trial of Play Music All Access. Now, however, the firm has released an exclusive feature for the devices.

It’s called New Release Radio and — you guessed it — is a personalized mix of the freshest songs — but it’s not really the groundbreaking ‘feature’ we were hoping for. After all, it’s just a radio station that Google could quite easily deliver to every user, and probably will in the future.

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Samsung SDI encourages engineers to become ‘technology meisters’

Samsung SDI, Samsung’s battery manufacturing arm, faced a lot of difficulties after it came under fire for supplying faulty Galaxy Note 7 batteries to Samsung Electronics last year. The company got itself a new leader after it suffered fire at its China factory. Samsung SDI has also planned to invest $128 million this year to improve battery safety. Now, the company is encouraging its engineers to become ‘technology meisters’.

According to a new report from The Korea Herald, Samsung SDI is offering its engineers financial incentives to improve their professional skills. The company said last week that it has added seventeen additional members to its existing group of 36 technology meisters (engineers who hold at least three master certificates), taking the total number to 53. The company had started the Technology Meister program in 2013 at its Gumi plant in North Gyeongsang Province and expanded it to its plants in Ulsan, Cheongju and Cheonan.

It usually takes one year for engineers to complete one master certification, and the company offers them additional compensation and points to their performance evaluation for each new certification. Around 150 engineers in the company are now hoping to become technology meisters. “We should pay more attention to the meister system as it can create an opportunity for employees’ self-improvement and also create an academic atmosphere within the company,” said the company CEO Jun Young-hyun.

Kim Song-hak is one of the engineers at Samsung SDI, and he has worked for the company for 12 years and acquired 10 master certification over the past five years. He said, “the technology meister system helped me to take a step forward. It is necessary to learn theories and functions for more efficient work. If there is no knowledge of production sites, it is hard to respond to troubles of facilities initially.”

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Samsung patents a case that’ll let you charge your Gear S3 using your smartphone

According to Patently Mobile, Samsung’s filed a patent with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) for a wireless charging case that uses Millimeter Wave Technology. But what does that mean? Well, according to the diagram included in the listing, you’ll be able to use the case to wirelessly charge a Gear smartwatch, and presumably a number of other devices, while on the move.

Unlike most patent filings, this one is actually pretty specific, detailing exactly how the case will be configured. Tucked away in the back cover, you’ll find a transmission coil and a USB Type-C connector to attach the case to the smartphone. The front cover, on the other hand, will house a wireless power control processor and a direct current-alternating power converter.

Don’t get too excited, though. This is only a patent filing and there’s a good chance the product will never see the light of day. As we’ve said in the past, Samsung reserves the rights to a lot of designs and names on a monthly basis, and only a small portion of them ever make their way onto the market; however, this one looks pretty promising seeing as Apple is also said to be working on its own wireless charging case.

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Samsung’s in-screen fingerprint reader said to cause uneven display brightness

It was already being reported that Samsung won’t be able to perfect the in-screen fingerprint reader for the Galaxy Note 8, so the upcoming phablet won’t feature it. Now, a new claim from an industry insider points to a specific reason why the South Korean smartphone giant’s plan of a fingerprint reader integrated into the Galaxy Note 8, which is to be unveiled in August, didn’t come to fruition.

It is bring reported that the implementation of optical fingerprint reader that was tested on the Galaxy Note 8′s display was imperfect due to uneven screen brightness; the area containing the fingerprint reader appeared brighter than the rest of the screen. This could be one of the main reasons why the upcoming flagship smartphone could miss out on an in-screen fingerprint reader.

Apple and Samsung were expected to bring the first smartphones with in-screen fingerprint readers to offer consumers a device with a bezel-less display and all the advantages of a front-facing fingerprint reader. However, Vivo could beat the other two brands in this regrad as a recently published video showcased a Vivo smartphone with a working in-screen fingerprint reader.

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Samsung’s artistic Frame TV released in South Korea

After releasing its artistic Frame TV in Norway and Switzerland, Samsung has released it today in South Korea and the US. ‘The Frame’, a TV that won an innovation award at CES 2017 in Las Vegas earlier this year, will be available in South Korea for KRW 3,400,000 (approx. $3,033) for the 55-inch variant and KRW 5,150,000 (approx. $4,594) for the 65-inch variant. The company had announced the TV’s global launch two weeks ago.

Apart from 4K and HDR technologies, The Frame is known for its artistic design. It looks like an art piece that’s hung on the wall or set up on a painting stand. Its bezel and frame can be interchanged to match the styling of a room. Customers also get access to over 100 paintings from 37 world-renowned artists. Users can purchase additional artwork through the company’s Art Store. They can also display their own photos on the TV.

The Frame TV comes with built-in light and motion sensors, so it can turn itself off automatically to save power when there’s no one in the room. It can effortlessly blend into the background, thanks to customizable bezels (available in various colors and materials) and the company’s clear-colored ‘Invisible Connection Cable’. The TV was first unveiled at CES 2017 along with the company’s QLED TVs.

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Samsung starts selling unlocked dual-SIM Galaxy S8+ in the UK

Samsung normally releases the dual-SIM variant of its flagship smartphones in only a handful of markets. We’ve seen it stick to this behavior with the Galaxy S8 as well. Customers in the United Kingdom who have been waiting to pick up a dual-SIM variant of the new flagship will be delighted to know that one is finally available for them.

Samsung has started selling the unlocked dual-SIM Galaxy S8+ in the United Kingdom. Customers in the country can head over the company’s online store right now and order one that’s unlocked and capable of supporting two active SIMs simultaneously.

The company isn’t offering the Galaxy S8 in unlocked and dual-SIM flavor, only the Galaxy S8+. It can be ordered right now from Samsung UK’s online store for £779 in both Midnight Black and Orchid Gray colors.

This particular variant of the Galaxy S8+ bears model number SM-G955FZ and only appears to be available via Samsung’s online store in the country. It remains to be seen if Samsung starts selling this variant of its new flagship smartphone through retailers as well.

The handset was previously listed as out of stock in Midnight Black color soon after it was made available on the online store. However, it’s back in stock right now along with Orchid Gray. Those who want to purchase one and would like it in Midnight Black shouldn’t really waste any time in picking one up.

Thanks, Henk!

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Samsung Frame TV price and release date confirmed

Samsung announced the global release of The Frame TV a couple of weeks back. The TV was first released in Switzerland and Norway with the company promising to release it soon in other markets in the United States. Samsung has now confirmed The Frame TV price and release date for customers in the United States.

Samsung designed The Frame TV to resemble a piece of art instead of a conventional television set. It was first unveiled at the Consumer Electronics Show back in January. Samsung is selling the TV in 55-inch and 65-inch sizes.

All standard Samsung smart TV features are supported. The Frame TV features four HDMI ports and three USB ports.

Customers will get UHD picture quality and choices for various frame options that best fit the décor of any room. Walnut, Oak and White frame options are available for customers to choose from.

The TV is also going to provide customers with access to 100 paintings and photographs from 37 artists that it can cycle through when the TV isn’t being used. Additional artwork can be purchased from the Art Store.

The 55-inch and 65-inch versions of Samsung’s The Frame TV have been priced at $1,999 and $2,799 respectively. They are available for purchase starting today from Samsung’s online store.

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T-Mobile offers new buy-one-get-one promo for the Galaxy S8

T-Mobile is commemorating Father’s Day by offering a new buy-one-get-one-free promotion on two of the hottest Android-powered smartphones on the market right now, the Galaxy S8 and the Galaxy S8+. Customers who purchase either one of the handsets from T-Mobile can get another one for free after rebate.

The carrier is offering this promotion to all new and existing T-Mobile customers. To qualify, they just need to purchase their new Galaxy S8 or Galaxy S8+ on T-Mobile’s no-interest Equipment Installment Plan (EIP) and add one voice line with unlimited data.

New customers are required to purchase both handsets on the carrier’s installment plan and activate both phones on T-Mobile One.

Customers don’t need to trade-in their existing devices. Once the purchase is completed, they have to submit their mail-in rebate request online. T-Mobile will refund them the cost of the second device, $790 for the new Galaxy flagship, via a prepaid MasterCard.

T-Mobile is selling the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ in Midnight Black, Orchid Gray, and Arctic Silver for $30 down and $30 per month or $70 down and $30 per month respectively.

This is a limited time offer and the carrier hasn’t specified when it’s going to end. So if you’re interested, don’t waste any time in taking advantage of it.

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AT&T Galaxy Tab S2 Nougat update released

T-Mobile was the first to release the Android 7.0 Nougat update for the Galaxy Tab S2 in the United States. The country’s largest mobile network, Verizon, followed suit just a few days later. Samsung also rolled out said update for the Wi-Fi only variant of the tablet just last week. AT&T has thrown its hat in the ring now as well.

AT&T has started rolling out the much-awaited Android 7.0 Nougat update for the Galaxy Tab S2. Firmware version T817AUCU2CQE3 is now being rolled out over-the-air for this tablet on the second largest mobile carrier in the United States.

The update brings all of the features that make Nougat the latest and greatest Android OS release available right now. If you’re curious about the features included in this update, don’t forget to check out our What’s New with Nougat series.

AT&T has rolled out this firmware update over-the-air and it should have gone live for users across the country by now. The firmware weighs in at 1.1GB and also features the May security patch for the Galaxy Tab S2.

Those who haven’t received an update notification as yet can try manually downloading the firmware by heading to Settings » About Device » Download Updates Manually.

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Galaxy Note 4 June security patch released in Europe

Samsung has been pretty forthcoming with security patches for the Galaxy Note 4 recently. It released the May security patch for this handset just three weeks ago even though there are still a few devices that have yet to receive that patch. The company has now rolled out the Galaxy Note 4 June security patch in Europe.

Samsung is rolling out firmware version N910FXXS1DQF3 for the unbranded Galaxy Note 4 in Europe. The firmware update has been released for the unbranded version in the Netherlands so far. It may only be a matter of time before this firmware update is released in additional markets across the region.

The security patch for the month of June brings fixes for 96 vulnerabilities in Android OS as well as fixes for 23 bugs in Samsung’s software. However, this firmware update brings a bit more than just the security patch as it weighs in at over 343MB.

The changelog that Samsung has provided mentions that this release brings improvements for power efficiency, memory management optimizations, performance and stability improvements.

Galaxy Note 4 owners in the Netherlands should receive an over-the-air update notification soon if they haven’t already. This patch has only been released for the unbranded version of the handset so far but is likely going to land on the branded versions soon as well.

Thanks, Henk!

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