Galaxy Note 10 November security update released in the US

November is just starting, but at least one carrier in North America has released the security patch for the month for the Galaxy Note 10 and Galaxy Note 10+. Comcast’s Xfinity Mobile is rolling out an update for the Galaxy Note 10+ that includes the November security patch. The Galaxy Note 10 doesn’t seem to be getting the same update yet, but that is likely to change in the next few hours. The build number accompanying the new update is N97*USQS2ASJ8.

The November security update for the Galaxy Note 10 and Note 10+ was released earlier this week for the Exynos-powered models in some markets, and it doesn’t bring any new features. The November security patch, meanwhile, is a mystery, as it won’t be detailed by Google or Samsung until sometime next week. For Galaxy devices, the November patch may include a fix for a critical Android OS vulnerability that is fixed in Google’s version of the October security patch but did not make it into the October patch released for Galaxy devices, at least if we go by the details for the patch published by Samsung on its security bulletin.

It may be the reason why Samsung has been quick to roll out the November patch for both the Galaxy S10 and the Galaxy Note 10, even going as far as releasing the Galaxy S10’s November update in Switzerland just a day after it released an update with the October patch for the S10 series in the country. The Galaxy Tab S4 also received this month’s security patch a couple of days back, although it remains to be seen if Samsung will maintain the same pace in bringing the November update to other devices in its lineup.

Those on the Xfinity network on the Galaxy Note 10 or Note 10+ can check for the update from the Settings » Software update menu on their device. The firmware for the latest update can also be downloaded from our firmware archive (Note 10 | Note 10+). Got the update on a different carrier variant of either device? Let us know down in the comments section!

Galaxy Note 10

• Model: SM-N970U
• Dimensions: 151.0 x71.8x7.9mm
• Display: 6.3"(160.02mm) Super AMOLED
• CPU: Qualcomm Snapdragon 855
• Camera: 12 MP, CMOS F2.2 Telephoto & 12MP F1.5/F2.4 77° & 16MP F2.2 123° Ultra-wide

More specifications

Galaxy Note10+ (US)

• Model: SM-N975U
• Dimensions: 162.3 x 77,2 x 7.9mm
• Display: 6.8" (172.7mm) Super AMOLED
• CPU: Qualcomm Snapdragon 855
• Camera: 12 Ultra Wide: 16MP F2.2 (123°) & Wide-angle: 12MP 2PD AF F1.5/F2.4 OIS (77°) & Telephoto: 12MP F2.1 OIS (45°) & DepthVision Camera: VGA

More specifications

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Samsung TV Plus adds CBSN to its growing 70+ TV channel portfolio

The Samsung TV Plus service seems to be constantly expanding, which was bound to happen given how the platform is available on virtually any Samsung smart TV released since 2016. That’s not to say that the company isn’t actively trying to improve the service as more people gain access to it. On the contrary. Samsung has just announced that CBSN is joining the existing portfolio of 70+ TV channels currently available on the platform.

CBSN is a free 24/7 live streaming news channel launched by CBS News and CBS Interactive in 2014. ‘As viewership trends continue to shift, we feel it is important to offer consumers a live and linear TV experience that is completely free […]’ said Selek Brodsky, VP of Strategic Partnerships for Samsung Electronics.

CBSN launches on Samsung TV Plus

Samsung revealed at SDC 2019 that the linear and non-linear TV models have become nearly equally popular. But regardless of which method of content distribution we’re looking at, the general trend seems to be that people are abandoning traditional cable subscriptions in favor of Internet-based services such as Samsung TV Plus.

According to a paper by the Convergence Research Group, 34% of households in the United States are expected to abandon traditional cable subscriptions by the end of 2019. These households will transition entirely to Internet-based services for their entertainment.

Every Samsung smart TV that was released since 2016 comes with Samsung TV Plus pre-loaded. The free service offers consumers access to both linear and non-linear entertainment without the need for additional downloads or a credit card. It sounds like a great fit for the free 24/7 news streaming service provided by CBSN. Samsung TV Plus already offers instant access to a variety of channels ranging from news to sports and gaming.

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Mobile Design Competition concludes with these six unique product ideas

Samsung has announced the winners of the Mobile Design Competition at SDC 2019. The competition was first revealed in June and it’s the product of a collaboration between Samsung and design magazine Deezen.

Over the past few months, contestants have had a chance to submit designs to one of two categories labeled Next Mobile Wallpaper Paradigm Graphic Design and Next Mobile+ Product Design. The first category revolves around digital products, specifically wallpapers, while the second category explores mobile accessories. Here are the winners and grand finalists announced at SDC 2019.

Best of Next Mobile+ Product Design: Star Galaxy

The star of the Next Mobile+ Product Design category is, well, the so-called Star Galaxy, created by André Gouveia, Nuno Pires, and João Pereira. It’s a robotic stand featuring a 360-degree articulated arm that can hold and wirelessly-recharge a Galaxy smartphone, tablet, or smartwatch.

The stand wouldn’t have standalone Bixby capabilities. Instead, it would be equipped with a speaker and rely on the mobile device’s Bixby assistant. The tilting and rotating robotic arm would follow users with the help of face and voice recognition, meaning that the attached mobile device would always face towards the user. The Star Galaxy seems like a pretty cool idea for a product that could actually sell if it would be priced right. It’s technically a wireless charging stand that’s been souped-up to integrate Bixby without actually having any of Bixby’s brains on-board.

Next Mobile+ Product Design grand finalists: Fellas and BELT

Fellas is one of the two grand finalists in the product design category. It’s an interactive toy/clock powered by the Galaxy Watch. It can resemble a pig, bear, deer, or crocodile, and it uses the smartwatch’s display as an animated mouth for the characters.

Fellas would be able to tell stories and sing songs for children, all the while recharging the connected smartwatch.

Meanwhile, BELT by Alexander Rehn and Tobias Saller represents a new take on the idea of a silicon bumper. It takes the form of what seems to be an oversized silicon loop/bumper which can be resized and secured in place with a clip. The extra silicon material would form a second loop which doubles as a handle.

It’s a simple and effective design idea for a one-size-fits-all protective bumper, and that is precisely why it is interesting. Then again, it’s difficult to tell if it would work as a real product in today’s day and age because the design seems to leave a lot of room for user error. It would be up to the user to securely fit the BELT using the clip, and there’s a higher DIY element compared to other solutions on the market.

Best of Next Mobile Wallpaper Paradigm Graphic Design: Garden of Galaxy

The winner of the Next Mobile Wallpaper Paradigm Graphic Design category is Kalle Järvenpää and the Garden of Galaxy wallpaper. The wallpaper might look simplistic, if not pleasantly colorful, at first glance, but the idea behind the Garden of Galaxy is far more complex.

Each flower’s appearance would be based on a random combination of generated “genes,” as well as the user’s environment. The flowers would grow bigger with time and users would even have the option to share clips of their virtual gardens.

Wallpaper graphic design grand finalists: Approachability and Blossom

Approachability by Andre Cardoso is a wallpaper designed to change its colors whenever the user’s mobile device is located in the vicinity of other Galaxy devices wearing the same wallpaper. The wallpaper’s colors would blend until they’d form a similar hue across the different Galaxy devices.

Last but not least, Blossom by Guan Hong Yeoh is a wallpaper that claims to be a visual representation of energy in motion. It boasts colorful organic forms that change shape and color based on the time of day and ambient sound.

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As interesting as these designs may be, it’s worth reminding that there’s no guarantee they will ever become real products. Nevertheless, if any of these ideas born from the Mobile Design Competition would be fully realized, which ones do you think would be the most deserving of a commercial release? Share your thoughts below.

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Galaxy A70 headed to the US, could first launch on Verizon

While Samsung has plans for the Galaxy A series mapped out beyond 2020, the company hasn’t been very quick with bringing the 2019 Galaxy A smartphones to the US. That’s not surprising, as the mid-range Galaxy A lineup had stayed away from North American shores until last year. This year, Samsung brought a handful of 2019 A series phones to consumers in the US and Canada. Now, it looks like the Galaxy A70 could soon be sold stateside as well.

In development for Verizon at this time

Earlier this month, the FCC certified the US variant of the Galaxy A70, which sports model number SM-A705U. We can confirm that the device is in development for Verizon, but it’s highly likely that other carriers will also offer it to their customers at some point in the future. It may also land in Canada, although a release date or time frame is hard to pinpoint for either market.

The A70 will join the Galaxy A6, Galaxy A10e, Galaxy A20, and Galaxy A50 on the list of Galaxy A smartphones that are currently available in the United States. And that’s a good thing, if you read our Galaxy A70 review. The phone has plenty of attractive features, most impressive of which is a 4,500 mAh battery that supports 25W super fast charging like the Galaxy Note 10 and Note 10+.

The A70 will be slightly outdated when it debuts in the US

However, it’s unfortunate that Samsung isn’t directly launching the Galaxy A70s (pictured below) in the US. The A70s is the same phone as the A70, but it upgrades the 32MP rear camera on the latter to a 64MP camera. Megapixels aren’t everything, yes, but even without the camera upgrade, it makes little sense for Samsung to launch the Galaxy A70 in the US a couple of months after a slightly better variant is available in other (albeit limited) markets.

Then again, perhaps we should be grateful that Samsung is even bringing some of its Galaxy A series to the country instead of keeping it exclusive to the rest of the world as it has done in years past. Hopefully, starting next year, consumers in the US will start getting these devices at the same time as everyone else, especially considering how good Samsung’s mid-range offerings have become in recent times.

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OneDrive set to replace Samsung Cloud on Galaxy devices

In August this year, Samsung and Microsoft announced an expanded partnership that will see Galaxy devices come preloaded with many of Microsoft’s Android apps and services. At the time of the announcement, Samsung highlighted enhanced Outlook experience, OneDrive integration, and Link to Windows as outcomes of the collaboration.

Link to Windows already made its debut with the Galaxy Note 10 (made its way to a few other Galaxy devices as well), while the Outlook Android app gained S Pen support a few weeks later. Now, OneDrive integration is going live for the Galaxy Note 10/Note 10+ on Android 10 beta, allowing users to sync their photos and videos directly to Microsoft’s OneDrive from the Gallery app.

If you meet the device requirements, you can go to your Gallery settings and connect your Microsoft OneDrive account to use it as a backup solution. This will also transfer all your existing photos and videos in Samsung Cloud (barring what’s in the cloud Recycle Bin) to OneDrive. Microsoft will maintain your current Samsung Cloud storage quota for free for one year after which you need to pay if you’re using more space than what the free OneDrive plan offers. Microsoft is also offering 15GB bonus data for one year on top of the free 5GB that comes with the OneDrive free tier.

Do remember that once you opt for OneDrive, there appears to be no way to switch back to Samsung Cloud. If you paid for additional Samsung Cloud storage, then the company will refund the same. Also, data other than photos and videos will continue to be on Samsung Cloud even after you make the switch to Microsoft’s cloud solution in the Gallery app.

It’s not clear how long Samsung will continue to operate its cloud solution once the majority of its users shift to OneDrive. The future of Samsung Cloud is facing the same uncertainty as Samsung Flow and Samsung Email after the recent changes. While Microsoft’s offerings are better in some ways, they are not, at least as of now, as deeply integrated as Samsung’s own solutions.

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Galaxy Note 10 outsells the Galaxy Note 9, more foldables promised

It’s hardly surprising to hear that the Galaxy Note 10 series has outsold the Galaxy Note 9, given the reception it got. Samsung officially confirmed this today in its full earnings report for the third quarter of this year.

The mobile division’s earnings were up significantly compared to Q2 2019 due to robust shipments of the Galaxy Note 10. Revenues hit almost $25 billion with operating profit surging 32 percent from Q3 2018 to $2.5 billion. The Korean giant also flexed its technological prowess in the third quarter by releasing more 5G handsets and launching the Galaxy Fold.

More foldable smartphones promised for 2020

This was largely due to the Galaxy Note 10 in addition to a more diverse product range. Samsung released a lot more devices this year than it has over the past few years. It’s increased focus on the entry-level segment has also contributed to the higher profitability.

Samsung mentioned that in the third quarter of this year, the Galaxy Note 10 outsold the Galaxy Note 10. It also posted a double-digit growth in volume, which was to be expected as there are two separate models of the Galaxy Note 10. The completion of the A series lineup transition allowed for cost reduction which led to improved profitability. The company doesn’t break down sales figures for each device so there no information on which entry-level and mid-range phone has done the most business.

It now expects the market to cool down in the fourth quarter of this year. Mobile demand traditionally declines towards the end of this year as flagship models lose their luster and fans hold off on purchases as new high-end models are expected in a few months. However, Samsung does expect its affordable models and the Galaxy A series to maintain solid sales. It does believe that the division’s profitability will decrease as demand for the Galaxy Note 10 slows. Customers who really wanted to buy one have bought one already. Marketing costs will increase towards the end of this year, particularly during the holiday season.

Samsung predicts that demand for 5G smartphones is going to increase in 2020 as 5G networks launch in more countries across the globe. The mobile market will remain highly competitive overall. Samsung’s plan is to offer more 5G devices and foldable smartphones to improve its competitiveness. It has already provided a glimpse of what its next foldable smartphone might look like.

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Daily Deal: 67% off 2-pack Samsung EVO+ 256GB microSD card with adapter

Your smartphone comes with limited storage capacity. Many folks listen to music or watch a TV show while commuting; some also take plenty of photos and don’t want to depend on online services for storing them once they run out of space on their phone’s internal storage. Thankfully, microSD slots are still quite common on smartphones, and that makes storage expansion quite easy. microSD cards also come in handy in other devices, like a DSLR, and currently, there’s a great deal on a pack of two Samsung EVO+ 256GB microSD cards. You can get the pack at a 67% discount, which makes this as good a chance as any to stock up on these cards for all your devices.

Hit the Buy Now button to order now!

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Samsung’s profit falls 56% in Q3 2019 but mobile exceeds expectations

Samsung released its earnings guidance for Q3 2019 and predicted that its operating profit would be down 56 percent compared to the same period last year. The company today released its full earnings for the quarter.

While the profit decline might signal to some that Samsung hasn’t been doing enough to stop the bleeding, it actually shows that the company’s recovery strategy is working. The sharp decline is largely attributed to the slow performance of the memory chip market.

Samsung made $6.71 billion in operating profit this past quarter

Samsung made 62 trillion won $53 billion in revenue this past quarter, download 5 percent from a year ago. The company posted an operating profit of 7.78 trillion won or $6.71 billion, a 56 percent decline compared to Q3 2018. Samsung posted a record operating profit in Q3 2018, raking in over $16 billion on revenues of $58 billion.

The company began to manage expectations for the future after posting the record-breaking profit in Q3 2018. That surge was largely due to the stellar performance of the semiconductor division. The quarter saw a strong demand for both server and mobile memory products. It also highlighted the bumpy road ahead as demand for chips slowed and prices fell. We’ve seen that reflect in the company’s balance over the past few quarters.

Earnings from the semiconductor business were down significantly in Q3 2019. That’s because memory chip prices have continued to fall while demand hasn’t picked up. The division also took a hit from declining prices for mobile processors. So while it made over $12 billion in operating profit for Samsung in Q3 2018, it made less than $3 billion in profit in the quarter ending September 2019.

It’s not all doom and gloom for the company. Samsung has taken considerable steps over the past year to improve the earnings from its mobile division. The strategy appears to be working as the division exceeded expectations. Revenues of the mobile business came in at 29.25 trillion won or almost $25 billion, a 17 percent increase from last year. It also made 2.92 trillion won or $2.5 billion in profit, a commendable 32 percent increase from Q3 2018. Samsung attributes this to strong sales of the Galaxy Note 10 and the A series in addition to improved margins on its affordable models.

Samsung is optimistic about the rising demand for semiconductor products in 2020 but stops short of providing a detailed forecast due to uncertainties related to macroeconomic issues. The mobile division will likely see a decline in demand in the final quarter of this year due to seasonality, the Galaxy Note 10 will surely not be as hot in November as it was when it came out in August. Samsung also expects 5G and foldable smartphones to contribute more to its bottom line in the coming year.

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No Galaxy A90s is coming to market, even though its battery has been certified

The battery that should have been used on a Samsung device with model number SM-A907F has recently been certified in South Korea. The SM-A907F would be the Galaxy A90s, but we can confirm that the device isn’t actually coming to market. We had exclusively revealed the existence of the SM-A907F around six months ago, but Samsung ended up launching the Galaxy A90 5G instead, and development on the Galaxy A90s ceased soon after the device first popped up on our radar.

The Galaxy A90s is the Galaxy A90 5G

The Galaxy A90 5G is, technically, the Galaxy A90s, but thanks to the support for 5G connectivity, it sports model number SM-A908B. And it also makes sense that the device didn’t come to market as the A90s. There would have to be a Galaxy A90 before Samsung could make an ‘s’ variant, which isn’t the case. What should have been the Galaxy A90 was launched as the Galaxy A80, and the gist here is that Samsung seemingly had a hard time deciding the names for its top-of-the-line 2019 Galaxy A smartphones and that the Galaxy A90s does not exist anymore.

The phone that does exist is the Galaxy A91, featuring model number SM-A915F. We exclusively leaked the entire spec sheet for the A91 recently; it will be a flagship-grade phone like the Galaxy A90 5G, with a Snapdragon 855 under the hood and a 4,500 mAh battery that supports 45W fast charging. It’s unclear when the Galaxy A91 will be released, but considering it’s under testing with Android 10, a launch after the Galaxy S11 is most likely.

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[Poll Results!] Will you participate in Galaxy S10 or Note 10 One UI 2.0 beta program?

There’s been plenty of confusion over the One UI 2.0 beta program for the Galaxy S10 and Galaxy Note 10. Samsung hasn’t been able to stick to schedule and has delayed the release of both the Galaxy S10 Android 10 beta and the Galaxy Note 10 beta. Of course, in the company’s defense, it never really said anything concrete about when the Galaxy Note 10 beta program would start. Sure, its customer care representatives did, but as we’ve seen on many occasions, Samsung’s customer care can be woefully uninformed about matters of software updates.

The Galaxy S10 beta program is already live in the US, Germany, and South Korea and will expand to other markets soon, and it won’t be long before the Galaxy Note 10 and Note 10+ are brought into the fold as well. Many of you are no doubt getting impatient waiting for your chance to try out Android 10 and One UI 2.0, while some of you might just be watching from the sidelines and would prefer updating directly to the stable release, whenever that comes out. For others, the beta may not even be an option because it won’t be made available in their country. Which of those camps do you fall in? That’s what we want to know through our latest poll!

Go ahead and vote below, then feel free to expand on your answer in the comments section.

Results: As we had expected, plenty of people are interested in trying out Android 10 ahead of its stable release. Unfortunately, Samsung is missing out on plenty of people who are willing to be beta testers by not launching the beta in their country: 27 percent voters said they’d be interested in the beta if it was available in their country. 53 percent voters said they were waiting for the beta to be released in the country, while 13 percent said they prefer stable software, which is understandable given how the beta can have some serious issues. 7 percent said they already have the beta, although since this poll was published a week earlier, the percentage of people who are running the beta is no doubt much higher now.

Will you participate in Galaxy S10 or Note 10 One UI 2.0 beta?

• Yes, can't wait till it goes live in my country
• I would if it was coming to my country
• Nah, I prefer stable software
• Yep, already have the beta

Results

• Yes, can't wait till it goes live in my country 53%, 904 votes
  904 votes 53%

  904 votes - 53% of all votes
• I would if it was coming to my country 27%, 457 votes
  457 votes 27%

  457 votes - 27% of all votes
• Nah, I prefer stable software 13%, 225 votes
  225 votes 13%

  225 votes - 13% of all votes
• Yep, already have the beta 7%, 125 votes
  125 votes 7%

  125 votes - 7% of all votes

Total Votes: 1711

23 October 2019

×

You or your IP had already vote.

• Yes, can't wait till it goes live in my country
• I would if it was coming to my country
• Nah, I prefer stable software
• Yep, already have the beta

×

You or your IP had already vote.

Results

Galaxy S10

• Model: SM-G973F
• Dimensions: 70.4 x 149.9 x 7.8mm
• Display: 6.1"(157.5mm) Super AMOLED
• CPU: Exynos 9820 Octa
• Camera: 12 MP.CMOS F2.4 45° Telephoto & 12MP F1.5 77° & 16MP F2.2 123° Ultra-wide

More specifications

Galaxy Note 10

• Model: SM-N970F
• Dimensions: 151.0 x71.8x7.9mm
• Display: 6.3"(160.02mm) Super AMOLED
• CPU: Exynos 9825
• Camera: 12 MP, CMOS F2.2 Telephoto & 12MP F1.5/F2.4 77° & 16MP F2.2 123° Ultra-wide

More specifications

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Unknown Samsung phone pop ups, begging for answers: SM-G715F

An unknown Samsung phone has appeared on our radar-of-things-to-come, carrying model number SM-G715F. Straying from any of Samsung’s current numbering schemes, it remains unclear what kind of a device this might be.

What is the Samsung SM-G715F?

It is the time of year when we can slowly start forming an idea of what devices Samsung has in the works for next season. For the first half of 2020, we expect a number of Galaxy S11-type devices, a second Fold, and the next iteration of the popular A series. In recent weeks we also got wind of Samsung’s plans to launch a budget Note, and perhaps a kind of ‘S10 Lite’. Yesterday, we already remarked that there is so much overlap between some of those new devices, we are uncertain how Samsung plans to make sense of them all. And now, things just got even muddier.

The guys at GalaxyClub have confirmed the existence of a device with model number SM-G715F. Details about this phone remain very scarce at the moment, though two different versions appear to exist: the international SM-G715F and the European SM-G715FN. The device is being tested with Android 10, hinting at a release sometime after the launch of the Galaxy S11.

The model number SM-G715 does not fit in any of Samsung’s existing naming schemes, but does show similarity to the upcoming Galaxy A71, a.k.a. SM-A715. This tells us nothing, of course, and short of hoping for some kind of Galaxy S11 Mini, we can not provide any sensible answers to the question of what the SM-G715 is.

The SM-G710 was launched as the Galaxy Grand 2 many years ago, but we’re pretty certain Samsung won’t be digging that old lineup out of its grave. Until more specs or features leak, we are simply going to have to accept the fact that Samsung may be venturing into new territory in 2020, with more devices or device spin-offs that do not stick to the templates used in recent years.

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Galaxy S10’s Note 10 feature update available for US unlocked devices

For a change, Samsung is rolling out an important update for the unlocked Galaxy S10 alongside the carrier-locked variants. The major feature update that brings multiple Galaxy Note 10 features to the Galaxy S10 was released for T-Mobile and other carriers earlier this week and is now available for download on unlocked devices. It comes with software version G97*U1UEU2BSIP and includes the October 2019 security patch.

The Galaxy Note 10 had quite a few software tricks up its sleeve when it was launched in August, but it wasn’t long before Samsung brought all of those to the Galaxy S10 series as well. Once the new update is installed, Galaxy S10 owners can enjoy a slew of new camera features, including AR Doodle, a dedicated Night mode and Hyperlapse mode for the front-facing camera, and Night mode for the telephoto rear camera (S10 and S10+ only).

They can also use their Galaxy S10 with Samsung DeX on a PC and instantly connect to Microsoft’s Your Phone Companion app on Windows by using the dedicated Link to Windows shortcut in the notification shade. That’s not all: The update also introduces the Dynamic Lock screen feature and an enhanced video editor that supports adding subtitles to videos and stitching multiple video clips together.

If you own an unlocked Galaxy S10 in the US, you can download the update over the air from the Software update menu of your phone’s Settings app. The update may take some time to reach all users, but if you don’t want to wait, you can upgrade your device by downloading the latest firmware from our firmware archive.

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Rugged Galaxy Tab Active Pro lands in the US, LTE model coming soon

Samsung has brought the Galaxy Tab Active Pro to SDC 2019 in San Jose, marking the rugged tablet’s official release in the United States. The Wi-Fi-only variant is now available for purchase in the US through Samsung’s partner retail channels, while the LTE model will launch on November 15.

US market gets a new rugged tablet for the workforce

The Galaxy Tab Active Pro was first unveiled a couple of months ago as a purpose-built tablet for work outside the office. Harsh environments are this device’s natural habitat, making it a perfect fit for industries ranging from manufacturing to public safety.

Samsung has treated the Galaxy Tab Active Pro with a rugged anti-shock Protective Cover, which should allow the tablet to survive drops from heights of up to 1.2 meters without a scar. The tablet itself is MIL-STD-810G-certified and comes with IP68 water and dust resistance. The accompanying S Pen benefits from the same level of ingress protection.

Samsung completes the Galaxy Tab Active Pro package with the usual security features like Knox, as well as productivity features including DeX. The tablet also takes advantage of Citrix Workspace, giving businesses a secure way to empower their employees with tools and apps remotely.

Galaxy Tab Active Pro quick spec overview

Back when Samsung originally introduced the Galaxy Tab Active Pro to the world, the company didn’t quite go into detail as to what makes this device tick. Of course, the internal specs are no longer a mystery.

In the United States, the Galaxy Tab Active Pro is powered by the Snapdragon 670 chipset from Qualcomm and 4GB of RAM. It has 64GB of expandable storage, a 13-megapixel main camera, and an 8MP front-facing sensor. All of the components rely on a 7,600mAh battery. The slate benefits from NFC and Bluetooth 5.0 connectivity, while boasting a wide range of sensors including a fingerprint scanner.

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These are Samsung’s best four Galaxy Store apps celebrated at SDC 2019

Samsung announced the winners of this year’s Best of Galaxy Store Awards at SDC 2019. Unlike last year when Samsung kicked off the first Galaxy Store Awards ceremony and picked five winners, this year the company has recognized no less than 25 developers. They were all invited to participate in the Best of Galaxy Store Awards Ceremony and receive an award, a banner, and Galaxy Store benefits.

Out of the 25 apps, themes, and watch faces to have won the awards, Samsung named only the four biggest winners in its recent announcement. Each pick belongs to its own category, namely Best Racing Game, Best Social App, Best Themes Brand Collaboration, and Best Watch Designer.

2019’s best four Galaxy Store apps/themes

Asphalt 9: Legends won the Best Racing Game 2019 category. Its popularity is evident not only in the Galaxy Store but also in Google’s Play Store. It’s a fast arcade-like racing game and the gameplay fits the mobile platform quite well. Likewise, the colorful graphics are a treat on Samsung’s Super AMOLED mobile displays.

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TikTok won the Best Social App 2019 award. It may not require an introduction for some readers, but for others, this is a social media app for creating and sharing short clips. They are usually 15 seconds long and they can be shared not only on TikTok but other social media platforms.

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The Best Themes Brand Collaboration 2019 award goes to the Cogul Planet MLB Theme. Cogul Planet is a Korean digital content provider who released the MLB theme back in April to celebrate the winners of the World Series. The themes are complete with ringtones of broadcaster commentaries pulled from the most exciting game moments of the season. Over 100,000 downloads have been registered on the Galaxy Store since April, and the company plans to release more diverse MLB themes in the future.

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Last but certainly not least, the Best Watch Designer 2019 award goes to Matteo Dini. His watchfaces combine digital and analog elements to create an interesting mix between retro and modern design languages.

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Do you agree with Samsung’s picks or do you have other apps in mind? Have you used any of these apps/themes, and if not, are you going to give them a try now that they’re officially the best of 2019? Hit the links above for the Galaxy Store pages of each individual app/theme if you wish to download them. And as always, feel free to share your thoughts in the comment section below.

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Here’s Samsung’s official statement about the Galaxy Home’s release

While Samsung has been pretty quiet on the Galaxy Home ever since it was unveiled more than a year ago, we’ve seen plenty of indications recently that the elusive Bixby-powered smart speaker may finally be on its way to retail shelves. We had been hoping that Samsung would announce release dates for the Galaxy Home at the ongoing developer conference in San Jose, California, but while the company didn’t do that, it did decide to show off the Galaxy Home Mini for the first time.

And when we pressed Samsung on information on the Galaxy Home and Galaxy Home Mini’s retail launch, here’s what we were told:

“The smart speaker plays an integral role in Samsung’s vision to make lives simpler and more convenient through the Internet of Things (IoT). Through a beta test program for Galaxy Home and Galaxy Home Mini, we have listened to valuable feedback from consumers and are now in the process of evaluating the results of the beta test. We will look forward to sharing more details on the product availability soon.”

Unfortunately, the company’s official statement doesn’t put us any closer to finding out a timeframe for when we will be able to purchase either of the two smart speakers. Given how Bixby is still in its infancy compared to established voice assistants like Google Assistant or Amazon’s Alexa, we’re guessing Samsung doesn’t want to say anything concrete about the Galaxy Home’s availability unless it knows the speaker and Bixby are ready to take on its competitors.

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Here is an infographic explaining the evolution of Bixby

Bixby is Samsung’s AI-powered virtual assistant that made its debut on the Galaxy S8/S8+ two years back. Since then, it has gradually become a staple feature in most Galaxy smartphones and even expanded to other product categories such as wearables, tablets, smart TVs, select refrigerators, and more from the company.

Though Bixby is still nowhere as good as the Google Assistant or Amazon’s Alexa, Samsung has made some progress in the last couple of years. It made Bixby available in more regions and languages and brought it to more Samsung devices across product categories. It also introduced the Bixby Developer Studio to allow third-party developers to create Bixby capsules and then launched the Bixby Marketplace for users to download these capsules.

At the ongoing Samsung Developer Conference in San Jose, the Korean company announced new Bixby tools and announcements to attract more developers. This includes the introduction of Bixby Templates to enable developers to create new capsules easily by simply choosing from a variety of templates available in the Bixby Developer Studio rather than creating everything from scratch.

Samsung is making the discovery of capsules easier as well through Natural Language Categories, allowing users to search and access capsules without invoking the exact capsule name. Beginning next year, Bixby Marketplace will expand to devices beyond smartphones. To help developers create capsules with consistent user interface designs across its Bixby-powered devices, the company is introducing a new Bixby Views function to the Bixby Developer Studio.

It’s clear Samsung is putting a lot of efforts to turn Bixby into a successful AI platform. You can check the below infographic to see the evolution of Bixby so far.

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Benchmark confirms some rumored Galaxy S10 Lite specs

Previously rumored specifications of a Samsung device sporting model number SM-G770F are now confirmed by the database of benchmark test Geekbench. Just a few weeks ago, we reported that Samsung is working on a device with model number SM-G770. Matching the Galaxy Note 10 Lite’s model number (SM-N770F), this could be some kind of Galaxy S10 Lite. Regardless of the phone’s final name, the first specs of the device were the subject of early rumors, and some have now been seemingly confirmed.

Galaxy S10 Lite (SM-G770F) specs

In the database of Geekbench, the device was caught doing its rounds, leaving several of its technical details behind. Matching rumors, we see the device is equipped with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 855, just like the regular Galaxy S10 series in some markets. Moreover, the phone packs 8GB of RAM, which is more than the base version of the Galaxy S10e.

Last but not least, it is clear that the SM-G770F is being tested running Android 10. Though by itself not surprising, it gives us a clue about Samsung’s release plans. Traditionally, the Korean company always launches its new flagship devices with the latest Android version first. If nothing changes in 2020, the S10 Lite will not be launched until after the Galaxy S11 makes its debut.

All of this can not change the fact there is something off about some of the phones Samsung seems to be working on at the moment. Between the S10 Lite, Note 10 Lite, A90 5G, and the Galaxy A91 that is expected to share its spec sheet (which we exclusively revealed) with the S10 Lite, there is too much overlap, particularly when keeping in mind that all of those devices seem to be targeting the same markets.

Don’t forget we also expect several Galaxy S11 models and a full-blown Galaxy A lineup in 2020, as well as a next-generation Galaxy Fold 2. Even by Samsung’s standards, the waters are getting very muddy very fast in terms of each device’s raison d’être. There is not much else to do but sit back and wait to see what device will make it to the market under which name, perhaps finding some clarification along the way as more details surface.

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Value-for-money Galaxy M30s with monstrous battery launched in Europe

Another Galaxy M series smartphone is making its way to some European markets. Samsung has launched the Galaxy M30s in Germany and Italy with a price tag of €259, with the device to be available for purchase exclusively from Samsung’s online store and Amazon. It will go on sale in Germany on November 22 after a pre-order period that kicks off on November 5; a release date for Italy hasn’t been mentioned. The phone will be available in blue, black, and white in both markets.

The Galaxy M30s, as we said in our review, is Samsung’s current value-for-money champion. Its 6,000 mAh battery (with support for 15W fast charging) is its main attraction, while the rest of its specs mostly match those of the Galaxy A50s. It has a 6.4-inch Full HD+ Super AMOLED Infinity-U display, octa-core Exynos 9611 SoC, 4GB of RAM, 64GB of expandable storage, a triple rear camera setup that includes 48MP primary, 8MP ultra-wide, and 5MP depth sensors, a 16MP front camera, dual SIM slots, and Android Pie with One UI 1.5.

In fact, for €60 and €100 less than the very popular Galaxy A50 in Germany and Italy respectively, the Galaxy M30s is a much better purchase. It misses out on an in-display fingerprint reader and has a physical rear-facing reader instead, but that’s actually better from a user experience standpoint. The optical in-display sensors Samsung employs on its mid-range phones make sense for the cool factor but have far inferior accuracy and speed compared to traditional capacitive sensors.

The Galaxy M30s should also launch in Spain in the future, as Samsung Spain has a support page for the device, and other European markets may also get it at some point.

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Daily Deal: 54% off the Samsung Fast Charge Wireless Charging Stand

Wireless charging is a pretty convenient feature to have. It lets you quickly start charging your phone and grab it equally fast as well. There’s no risk of pulling the phone while it’s connected to a wire, something all of us are guilty of doing at some point in our lives, and it reduces wear and tear of your device’s USB port. If you’re looking to enter the world of wireless charging, there’s an excellent deal on Samsung’s Fast Charge Wireless Charging Stand that you may want to take advantage of.

The Fast Charge Wireless Charging Stand can fast charge your Samsung flagships wirelessly, and it also supports standard wireless charging for any device that supports the Qi charging standard (including your friend’s latest iPhone). It’s not as fast as newer Samsung fast wireless chargers, but with a 54% discount, it’s certainly an attractive option.

Hit the Buy Now button below to get one while it’s still available!

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[APK] Samsung’s Galaxy Labs suite of apps lets you optimize your phone

Samsung has launched a new suite of device optimization apps for Galaxy smartphone and tablet owners called Galaxy Labs. Like Good Lock, which lets you customize various elements of the user interface, Galaxy Labs is a container of sorts that lets you access the actual apps that let you optimize your device from a single location. There are four apps: File Guardian, Battery Tracker, Battery Guardian, and App Booster.

File Guardian is perhaps the most useful utility here, as it lets you restore files permanently deleted from your phone’s internal storage and external storage, just like file recovery apps on PCs let you recover deleted files on a hard disk. Being able to recover deleted files from the internal storage is especially useful, as file recovery from the internal storage on Android devices using a PC is impossible because internal storage is not mounted on Windows or Mac as a standard USB mass storage disk.

Battery Tracker, as the name suggests, lets you track your phone’s battery usage in a more detailed manner compared to what’s possible with the built-in battery menu on Android. You can track battery usage since the last full charge and also view battery usage for the last seven days. This is something Android 10 and One UI 2.0 will have out of the box, but Battery Tracker makes it possible to have similar battery tracking functionality on Android Pie.

Battery Guardian, however, doesn’t do anything new and only checks if you have existing optimization features like Auto optimization and Sleeping apps enabled. App Booster’s purpose, meanwhile, is quite vague. It says it optimizes all apps (including third-party and system apps) on the device to boost their performance and takes a long time to complete the optimization process, but what happens under the hood is unclear, which is why we’d recommend against using it.

How do I get Galaxy Labs and all its apps?

Galaxy Labs and its related apps are available on the Galaxy Store, but right now, they seem to be available only in the Netherlands. However, you can still install the apps on your device by downloading the APK files. You will first have to download and install Galaxy Labs and Galaxy Labs Agent, and then, you can install all four utilities or just the ones you like.

Below are the links to the APK files that you can get from our APK archive.

Download: Galaxy Labs | Galaxy Labs Agent | Battery Guardian | Battery Tracker | File Guardian | App Booster

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Samsung Daily to replace Bixby Home as the content discovery platform

We reported three weeks ago that Samsung had applied for a trademark on “Samsung Daily.” The filing was a little light on details but it seemed that this would likely be for a newsfeed app for the company’s mobile devices.

That’s exactly what it is. Samsung officially unveiled Samsung Daily at its annual developer conference in San Jose, California today. It also confirmed that Samsung Daily will be replacing Bixby Home as the primary content discovery platform on its devices.

Samsung Daily set to replace Bixby Home

For those who are unaware, Bixby Home is a card-based contextual information hub. It pulls in a whole host of information from supported apps and displays all of it in a card-based interface. You can have cards for the weather, your calendar, Samsung Health, email, news, etc.

The company has decided to replace it with Samsung Daily. The core functionality remains the same. It will pull in information which will be displayed as cards that you can interact with. You’ll get cards for news, sports, video, games, music and recipes in Samsung Daily. Some improvements have been made to the interface as well so that it’s more easier for users to digest all of the information that’s presented to them.

Samsung is also making it easier for developers and content creators to bring their content to the app. They will even be able to take advantage of interactive templates that allow them to best showcase their content. This will result in a wide choice of sources for users who wish to rely on Samsung Daily.

Since Bixby Home exists as a separate app, Samsung doesn’t really need to wait for the One UI 2.0 update to release Samsung Daily. We were told that Samsung Daily may start rolling out in November.

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Hands-on with the Galaxy Book Flex and Ion: A return to form

Samsung shook up its notebook lineup today with the Galaxy Book Flex and the Galaxy Book Ion. The new models are meant as replacements for the Samsung Notebook 9 Pen and Notebook 9. Samsung has made some significant changes to these models. The internal shake up was to be expected. What truly shows that this new lineup is a return to form for Samsung is the design.

We got to play with both of the new laptops for a while at the Samsung Developer Conference 2019 in San Jose today. They’re impressive products, that’s for sure. Samsung also highlights that they’re the world’s first laptops with QLED displays. That’s the same display tech you find in the company’s televisions. Samsung says that the display panels are up to 400 nitts bright in regular conditions and can achieve a maximum brightness of 600 nitts when running in the Outdoor Mode.

The Galaxy Book Flex

The Galaxy Book Flex is clearly the star of the show here. It’s a 2-in-1 so it can be used as both a notebook and a laptop courtesy of its versatile hinge. While both the Flex and Ion come with 10th Gen Intel chips, the Flex gets Ice Lake chips based on the newer 10nm architecture.

We like how truly premium it feels with its aluminum build and that Royal Blue color is simply gorgeous. The bezels around the display are far smaller than they used to be on Samsung laptops so this is a welcome improvement as well.

Samsung has made a habit of releasing a laptop every year with S Pen support. The Galaxy Book Flex comes with an integrated S Pen which has many of the same tricks as the Galaxy Note 10’s S Pen. You can control various functions with Air Action gestures on the notebook. It works the exact same way as it does on the Galaxy Note 10.

Galaxy Book Ion

The Galaxy Book Ion doesn’t have S Pen support and doesn’t feature a touchscreen display. However, it gets the same QLED panel which is of FHD resolution on both laptops. We do appreciate its presence but the resolution is likely going to put some customers off. It’s also similarly designed for ultimate portability and its magnesium build really does make it seem like a nice and light machine.

We particularly like the cool blue accent that Samsung has added on the back. It gives the notebook a uniquely Samsung feel. This notebook will ship with 14nm Comet Lake processors but will be available in both 13-inch and 15-inch display sizes like the Galaxy Book Flex. It shares many of its specifications with the other model.

The Galaxy Book Flex and the Galaxy Book Ion both feature Wireless PowerShare. It’s a reverse wireless charging feature that Samsung introduced with the Galaxy S10 this year. You can change a Qi-compatible wireless charging device using the laptop’s own battery. To do that, simply place a compatible device on the trackpad.

It had to be the trackpad because it’s the only part other than the display that’s made out of glass. Everything else is metal. You press a function key to enable Wireless PowerShare and once it’s on, the trackpad can’t be used so you must have an external mouse connected to the notebook. This is one of the features that not many will use frequently but doesn’t hurt to have it just in case. We appreciate that Samsung has brought Wireless PowerShare to its notebooks.

Since they’re both part of Intel’s Project Athena program, they should be able to provide up to nine hours of battery life in real-world usage scenarios. Samsung will be confirming the exact configurations for the notebooks at a later date. It says that shipments will begin in December starting with a select few markets. The United States will get them in early 2020. Pricing has not yet been confirmed.

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