Budget-friendly Galaxy J2 Pro (2017) breaks cover in unofficial renders

The upcoming Galaxy J2 Pro (2017), which some are referring to as the Galaxy J2 Pro (2018), has broken cover in a batch of unofficial CAD-based renders, released by reliable tipster OnLeaks on December 4. We, however, are unable to confirm the accuracy of the mock-ups—so best take them with a considerable grain of salt.

• Galaxy J2 Pro (2017) — 143.1 x 72.2 x 8.6mm

The handset, according to a recent benchmark test, is equipped with a 5-inch screen, a 1.4GHz Snapdragon 430 quad-core processor and 2GB of RAM. It also ships running Android 7.1.1 Nougat skinned with Samsung’s Experience—formerly known as TouchWiz—user interface, though it should receive the Android 8.0 Oreo update.

Related: Galaxy J2 Pro (2017) surfaces in benchmark listing

Truth be told, the design of the Galaxy J2 Pro (2017) doesn’t appear to be too dissimilar to that of the Galaxy J3 (2017) and Galaxy J5 (2017). It sports a near-identical camera configuration and physical Home button, though Samsung has notably opted for a plastic removable backplate, instead of a fixed glass cover.

It also doesn’t look like the unit touts its predecessor’s much-loved Smart Glow functionality.

Galaxy J2 Pro (2017) was recently certified by the FCC

The Galaxy J2 Pro (2017) was recently certified by the Federal Communications Commission and Wi-Fi Alliance, so it’s safe to assume that it will hit the shelves before the year’s out. We don’t have an exact release date, but judging by the amount of leaks we’ve been seen, it will probably be sooner rather than later.

The post Budget-friendly Galaxy J2 Pro (2017) breaks cover in unofficial renders appeared first on SamMobile.

from SamMobile http://ift.tt/2zKYY1x
via IFTTT

Canadian Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ November security update rolling out

The Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ are being updated with the November security patch over in Canada, with the update rolling out for all major carriers. It’s a bit late, with December already underway, but Canada is now ahead of a lot of countries when it comes to the security of the S8 and S8+. Samsung just hasn’t been quick enough with security updates for its 2017 flagships recently, but availability of the November update has been expanding with every new day.

The November 2017 security patch brings fixes for 61 Android vulnerabilities and six Samsung vulnerabilities. It also patches the KRACK Wi-Fi exploit, which is pretty much the most important part of the update. That’s all you can expect from the latest update, and as for Android 8.0 Oreo, it certainly looks like it will be a couple of months before Samsung’s officially rolling that out.

How do I get the update?

To grab the new update, tap the Download updates manually option in the Software update section of the phone’s settings. We also have the firmware available for download from our database (Galaxy S8 | Galaxy S8+), which you can use for upgrading if the update isn’t available for your device over the air yet.

Firmware Details:

Model	SM-G950W
Model name	Galaxy S8
Country	Select country Belarus (MTB) Canada (XAC) Canada (Bell Mobile) (BMC) Canada (EastLink) (ESK) Canada (Fido Mobile) (FMC) Canada (Globalive Wind Mobile) (GLW) Canada (Koodo Mobile) (KDO) Canada (Rogers) (RWC) Canada (SaskTel) (BWA) Canada (Telus) (TLS) Canada (Vidéotron) (VTR) Canada (Virgin Mobile) (VMC) Unknown (SPC)
Version	Android 7.0
Changelist	12587520
Build date	Tue, 21 Nov 2017 06:16:57 +0000
Security Patch Level	2017-11-01
Product code	BMC
PDA	G950WVLU2AQK7
CSC	G950WOYA2AQK7

 

Model	SM-G955W
Model name	Galaxy S8+
Country	Select country Belarus (MTB) Canada (XAC) Canada (Bell Mobile) (BMC) Canada (EastLink) (ESK) Canada (Fido Mobile) (FMC) Canada (Globalive Wind Mobile) (GLW) Canada (Koodo Mobile) (KDO) Canada (Rogers) (RWC) Canada (SaskTel) (BWA) Canada (Telus) (TLS) Canada (Vidéotron) (VTR) Canada (Virgin Mobile) (VMC) Unknown (SPC)
Version	Android 7.0
Changelist	12587520
Build date	Tue, 21 Nov 2017 06:17:39 +0000
Security Patch Level	2017-11-01
Product code	BMC
PDA	G955WVLU2AQK7
CSC	G955WOYA2AQK7

The post Canadian Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ November security update rolling out appeared first on SamMobile.

from SamMobile http://ift.tt/2A1CayG
via IFTTT

SamMobile Daily Recap: December 4, 2017 — Galaxy J5 Prime (2017), Galaxy Tab S3 and more!

We publish a lot of stories on a daily basis. Unfortunately, the majority of news breaks during our European hours of operation, which makes it difficult for our readers in the US (and other regions) to keep up. However, we think we’ve come up with a fantastic solution — a daily recap.

Here’s what we covered today.

Firmware News

Firmware Update Magazine: December 4, 2017

You can now stream Netflix in HDR on Verizon’s Galaxy Tab S3

Phones

Galaxy J5 Prime (2017) could ship with Exynos 7570 CPU, 3GB of RAM

Galaxy Note 8 gets a ‘Secure Wi-Fi’ VPN feature with the latest update

Galaxy S9 will be accompanied by the DeX Pad

Watches

Samsung launches some of its Gear Sport watchfaces for the Gear S2 and Gear S3

The post SamMobile Daily Recap: December 4, 2017 — Galaxy J5 Prime (2017), Galaxy Tab S3 and more! appeared first on SamMobile.

from SamMobile http://ift.tt/2BK6yei
via IFTTT

Galaxy Note 8 gets a ‘Secure Wi-Fi’ VPN feature with the latest update

Probably in response to the KRACK exploit that has affected almost all modern Wi-Fi-enabled devices, Samsung has introduced a new feature on the Galaxy Note 8 called Secure Wi-Fi with the latest update. Secure Wi-Fi is a VPN service directly from Samsung, and it’s been seen on budget Galaxy J series phones before, so it’s not entirely new. With Secure Wi-Fi enabled, the phone will encrypt all outgoing internet traffic and disable apps and websites from tracking you to let you safely browse the internet on unsecured public Wi-Fi networks.

Samsung is offering 250 MB of free secure internet access using Secure Wi-Fi. For unlimited protection, the company is offering paid plans. We’re not sure what those plans are at this point since our Indian Galaxy Note 8 unit doesn’t seem to have Secure Wi-Fi as a feature, suggesting it might not be available in every country even with the latest update (just like those useful new Live Focus camera tweaks). As Samsung notes, Secure Wi-Fi may also reduce your connection speed, lower the device’s battery life, and not work with some networks that have their own security policy, so you will have to test it out to see just what kind of difference it makes when the feature is enabled.

How do I enable Secure Wi-Fi?

To access Secure Wi-Fi, go to the phone’s settings, tap Connections, tap Wi-Fi, then tap the Advanced button at the top right. Here, find and tap the Secure Wi-Fi option, then follow instructions to set it up. If it’s not available on your Note 8, you can hope Samsung will bring the feature to your device with the next software update. Or, well, you can grab one of the many VPN apps available for Android from Google Play.

The post Galaxy Note 8 gets a ‘Secure Wi-Fi’ VPN feature with the latest update appeared first on SamMobile.

from SamMobile http://ift.tt/2kmkeYt
via IFTTT

Rumor: Galaxy S9 will be accompanied by the DeX Pad

Samsung is working on a newer version of the DeX Station to be launched with the Galaxy S9 next year, and like the company’s original wireless charger, the second-generation DeX dock will be a pad rather than a stand. That’s according to the folks over at GalaxyClub, who say the dock will be called DeX Pad, launch alongside the Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+, and come in black. Their information reiterates a recent report by popular leakster evleaks (a report that also suggested the S9 and S9+ will make a cameo at CES in January).

The “pad” in DeX Pad isn’t without reason

With Android Oreo, the display of the connected phone can be used as a mouse, and the reports about the DeX Pad suggest it will also get the option of being used as a keyboard. That would negate the need for you to carry around a mouse and a keyboard to properly use DeX as is the case right now. We do wonder how one will go about connecting the phone to the dock if it’s lying flat, though. There will probably be a hinge for the USB (Type-C) port that hides away when unused (like the one on the Gear VR), and it will all hopefully be a convenient process.

Could it also be that the DeX Pad will work both as a stand and a pad like Samsung’s convertible wireless charger? Since the phone needs to be connected physically via a USB port, we’re guessing a convertible DeX dock will involve a not-so-intuitive mechanism, but it’s not out of the realm of possibility. That’s just speculation, however, and there’s no telling what the DeX Pad will look like at this point. Here’s hoping Samsung’s has at least managed to fit in a 3.5 mm audio port, the lack of which is a notable point of contention on the first-gen DeX Station.

The post Rumor: Galaxy S9 will be accompanied by the DeX Pad appeared first on SamMobile.

from SamMobile http://ift.tt/2zKzz8a
via IFTTT

Samsung launches some of its Gear Sport watchfaces for the Gear S2 and Gear S3

Samsung has launched a number of new watchfaces, all of which debuted on the fitness-orientated Gear Sport back in September, for the Gear S2 and Gear S3. They won’t show up on the units right away, though. You will, instead, need to head over to the Galaxy Apps Store—or the Gear Manager application—to download them.

Related: Gear Sport Review

Analog Utility, Color Pie, Dual-Dial and Intrepid

From what we can tell, there are a total of four new watchfaces: Analog Utility, Color Pie, Dual-Dial and Intrepid—and they’re fantastic. But we’d be lying if we said they looked great on the Gear S3 classic. These watchfaces, especially the former and latter, were clearly designed for rugged units like the Gear S3 frontier.

Left to right: Analog Utility, Color Pie, Dual-Dial and Intrepid

The post Samsung launches some of its Gear Sport watchfaces for the Gear S2 and Gear S3 appeared first on SamMobile.

from SamMobile http://ift.tt/2BwkiZ9
via IFTTT