New Samsung Notebook 9 Pro blends power and style with affordability

Samsung has announced a new notebook at the Consumer Electronics Show 2019 today in Las Vegas. It’s an updated model of the Notebook 9 Pro. Samsung has redesigned it for customers that are looking for a notebook with a premium look and feel without being too expensive.

To that end, the Notebook 9 Pro blends power and style with affordability. It has a metal exterior with fashionable diamond-cut edges. The Notebook 9 Pro has a good internal power package which will prove more than enough for the average laptop user.

Samsung Notebook 9 Pro blends power and affordability

The new Samsung Notebook 9 Pro features an 8th Generation Intel Core i7-8565U processor with 8GB LPDDR3 RAM and 256GB of NVMe storage. There’s also Intel UHD 620 graphics and a 13.3-inch Full HD display. Additional features include an HD camera, Active Pen, fingerprint sensor, backlit keyboard, USB-C and Thunderbolt ports. It runs on Windows 10 Home. The company claims a 14 hour battery life for this device.

Samsung has not confirmed the price for this notebook as yet. It will be available in charcoal color in the United States early this year. The company also mentioned the Notebook Flash at CES 2019 today. It launched this retro-themed notebook in October last year. Samsung will be releasing it in the US early this year as well.

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Samsung’s latest 8K TV series includes a gigantic 98-inch model

8K TVs are all the rage at the ongoing Consumer Electronics Show 2019 in Las Vegas and Samsung isn’t going to sit by and let its rivals hog the spotlight. The company unveiled its new 8K QLED TV series today which will be available in different sizes, including a gigantic 98-inch option.

At 98-inches, this is the largest QLED TV yet from Samsung. The 8K series will also be available in 65-inch, 75-inch, 82-inch and 85-inch models.

Samsung’s latest 8K TV series

The entire lineup features an embedded Quantum Processor 8K chip which can upscale content from any source to “near pristine 8K quality,” according to the company. This is something that the TV will need to rely on for a couple of years because it’s going to be a while before native 8K content becomes the norm.

There’s an improved version of Bixby on this series which provides even more options to control content with just voice commands. An improved Universal Guide relies on artificial intelligence to help users find content to watch. It pulls in recommendations from a user’s subscription services, TV viewing habits and favorite content.

Samsung hasn’t confirmed the pricing and availability information for the new Q900 QLED series but you can bet that it’s going to be expensive, particularly the 98-inch model.

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New Samsung Family Hub fridge pings your phone if you leave the door open

Samsung has unveiled its new Family Hub fridge at the Consumer Electronics Show 2019 in Las Vegas today. This product family has been around for a few years now and the company continues to improve on their functionalities. The new Family Hub 4.0 is a testament to that.

When Family Hub first launched three years ago, it was an app-based experience revolving around food management and entertainment. The latest version of Family Hub brings Bixby with AI capabilities in addition to other new features.

Samsung launches a new Family Hub fridge

The 2019 Family Hub brings a new feature called Family Board. It’s essentially a communal screen which lets family members interact in a personalized way. They will be able to add and customize their activities on the Family Board which is essentially a digital bulletin board. The entire home screen of the fridge has been redesigned for an easier user experience.

The “View Inside” feature present on earlier models can be found on the Family Hub 4.0 as well. Say you head down to the grocery store and don’t remember if you need to pick up the milk. You can view inside the fridge using the companion smartphone app.

Users can get their Morning Brief from Bixby on the Family Hub while they’re having coffee in the kitchen. All of the relevant information is displayed on the fridge’s display. Bixby’s voice ID technology distinguishes the voice of each family member to provide information tailored to them. It also provides access to third-party services like Uber, Expedia and more. The fridge’s AI smarts allow it to ping your smartphone should you leave the door open.

Samsung has not yet confirmed the price and availability information for the new Family Hub fridge.

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Watch Samsung CES 2019 livestream online

Samsung will be taking the stage at the Consumer Electronics Show 2019 in Las Vegas to make some announcements. The company normally launches new appliances and TVs at the event so not much can be expected from the mobile division. However, it may make some announcements related to 5G and the Internet of Things.

The company has already showcased a couple of new products ahead of the main press conference. They include a 75-inch The Wall MicroLED TV and a concept of its TV technology of the future. It has also launched a new Odyssey-branded gaming laptop.

You don’t have to be in Las Vegas yourself to follow the proceedings. Samsung always streams its CES press conferences on YouTube. We have embedded it below so that you can easily watch the Samsung CES 2019 livestream.

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Check out this beautiful Galaxy S10 concept

While Samsung’s foldable phone is the one to look out for this year, the Galaxy S10 will also be an important release. It will mark the tenth anniversary of Samsung’s main flagship line and it will also bring a major design upgrade compared to the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S9, with smaller bezels and a hole in the display for the front camera.

A recent leak reportedly showed off a Galaxy S10 in the flesh, and we’ll have to wait for the complete look at the device until the official launch, or at least closer to the launch till a major leak surfaces, but the DBS Designer Team is showing us a neat little concept that envisions how stunning the Galaxy S10 could be.

As you can see in the video below (and in images on this site), the concept offers a clean design with extremely small bezels, rear cameras that sit flush with the body, and somewhat tacky colors. Like all concepts, this one is a little too imaginative that will not be matched by the actual product, but it’s still an interesting one that you can check out while you wait for Samsung’s official unveiling of its next flagship device.

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Sprint to launch the 5G Samsung phone as well this summer

U.S. wireless carrier Sprint has joined AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile with an announcement for its upcoming Samsung 5G smartphone. Without confirming any specifics of the device itself, the carrier said that it will be launched this summer as its 5G network opens up.

While the device in question doesn’t yet have an official name, all signs point to the 5G Galaxy S10. Samsung is known to be developing a 5G Galaxy S10 for some time now. The model number for the device was spotted last month.

Dual-mode connectivity to Sprint’s LTE and 5G network

Sprint plans to launch its mobile 5G network in the first half of 2019. As part of the rollout, nine U.S. cities – Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Kansas City, Los Angeles, Washington D.C., New York City and Phoenix will initially get the next-gen mobile network. The 5G Samsung smartphone will also be launched simultaneously, though the company hasn’t yet specified the exact time.

Sprint says that the Samsung device will offer “dual-mode” connectivity to both its LTE and 5G networks. The device will support connectivity over 2.5 GHz spectrum, 1.9 GHz spectrum (band 25), 800 MHz spectrum (band 26), and other LTE bands. As for other features, the phone is expected to house a total of six cameras and may come with an ability to wirelessly charge other phones.

5G promises new levels of super-fast and ultra-reliable wireless connectivity and the 5G Galaxy S10 will be well equipped to complement it. The Snapdragon-powered variant of the phone is likely to ship with the Snapdragon X50 5G NR modem, while there also will be an Exynos-powered 5G variant. Samsung is expected to launch the device at the Mobile World Congress in February. The company should start shipping the phone in the US the following month.

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SamMobile Daily Recap, January 7, 2019: Galaxy S10 battery, 75″ MicroLED TV, 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.

Phones

Galaxy S10 edge and Galaxy S10+ battery sizes rumored

Galaxy M series pricing may start at $135 in India

Firmware news

Latest Samsung press release details the ‘innovative’ One UI

PSA: One UI does not waste screen space in Messages and other apps

TV

Latest Samsung smart TVs will work with Alexa and Google Assistant

Samsung’s live scalable MicroLED display concept is amazing

Samsung unveils a more reasonable ‘The Wall’ 75” MicroLED TV

Laptops

2019 Samsung Notebook Odyssey is a gaming powerhouse

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PSA: One UI does not waste screen space in Messages and other apps

One UI, Samsung’s latest custom user interface for Galaxy devices, has been favorably received by many, but it also has its fair share of criticism. That’s to be expected from any major UI upgrade, but there’s one specific aspect of One UI that we feel gets criticized despite not actually being a problem, and that’s the “wasted space” in stock apps such as Messages, Samsung Notes, or Settings. To be precise, many take issue with how the upper half of the screen in these apps has nothing but the name of the app, and we thought we’d clear the air around it.

One UI is designed to put interactive elements in apps within easy reach of the user on big-screen phones, which is why it’s only the bottom half of the Messages, Samsung Notes, or Settings app that shows your messages, notes, or various settings menus when you first open the app. However, once you start scrolling up, the app interface becomes just like the interface on Oreo, as you can see in the GIF image below (if the GIF doesn’t play, click/tap on it).

We hope that clears the confusion. If not, you’ll just have to wait for the Android Pie update on your Galaxy device to try it for yourself and form an opinion. We are also working on an official One UI review that we will publish in the coming days. In the meantime, don’t forget to check out all the new features in Android Pie and also see how it compares visually to Android Oreo. If you own a Galaxy S9 or S9+, you can see if Android Pie has been released for your country in this constantly updated list.

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Galaxy M series pricing may start at $135 in India

There has been a barrage of reports in the last week revealing almost everything about the yet to be launched Galaxy M series. Design, purported specifications, live image, and more of the Galaxy M series have already surfaced online, but the pricing information has mostly remained a secret so far. A new report from India is now throwing some light on that as well.

According to an IANS report, the Galaxy M10 pricing will reportedly start at ₹ 9,500 ($134), while the Galaxy M20 will be priced around ₹ 15,000 ($215). No pricing is suggested for the Galaxy M30, but it is safe to assume the rumored triple-camera setup will push it closer to the Galaxy A series pricing. Given that Samsung is packing the Galaxy M series with some of its latest tech, the suggested pricing sounds extremely competitive and might pose a significant threat to many other brands in the market.

More pressure on profits?

With a reasonably capable processor, modern design, large batteries, ample storage and RAM, the Galaxy M models will be some of the most affordable and capable options in the market at these reported prices.

Previous reports have said that Samsung is preparing to debut the Galaxy M10, M20, and M30 later this month in India. However, the latest report says the company is planning to launch the Galaxy M30 next month. Given all the contradictory reports, there is no guarantee the pricing information is accurate either.

Interestingly, a recent report based on regulatory filings found that Samsung India’s mobile profit declined last year despite a growth in revenue, indicating the disappearing margins in the company’s budget lineup. So, it will be surprising, to say the least, if the company adopts an even more aggressive pricing model for the new series.

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Latest Samsung press release details the ‘innovative’ One UI

Samsung recently published an infographic that showed us how the company’s user interface for Android smartphones has evolved over the years, with One UI being the latest iteration, and the company has now published a post that details the key aspects of the new user interface. It’s Samsung’s attempt to whet our appetite as we move closer to the worldwide Android Pie release for the Galaxy S9 and Galaxy Note 9 and can be considered a text version of Samsung’s One UI introduction video.

Does the post offer any new details? Well, not exactly, but it’s still a nice read, especially for those who haven’t had the privilege to take part in the Galaxy S9 or Note 9 One UI beta programs. One UI’s primary goal is to make interacting with big-screen phones easier by moving interactive elements to the bottom half of the screen while keeping viewable content in the top half. It also brings what Samsung calls ‘focus blocks’ into the mix, which is a fancier way to say you now have a card-based UI that makes it easy to spot “content that matters”.

The image comparing Bixby Home on Oreo and Bixby Home on Pie is a good example of the card-based UI, and you can also look at how various other parts of the interface compare s. Samsung’s post also talks about Night mode, which makes for comfortable viewing at night. Of course, most of us will use it simply because it looks so beautiful, and it’s one of the best features that Android Pie will bring to Galaxy devices.

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Samsung unveils a more reasonable ‘The Wall’ 75” MicroLED TV

Samsung unveiled its first “The Wall” MicroLED TV at CES last year. It was massive, measuring in at 146-inch, with self-emitting MicroLEDs that are smaller than existing LEDs. It’s a modular setup so users can customize the TV’s shape and size as per their preferences.

That size wasn’t really meant for the home, though, so Samsung only sold it to businesses last year. It did say that a consumer version of The Wall will be launched in 2019. It has shown off a much more reasonable 75-inch The Wall TV ahead of CES 2019 in Las Vegas.

75″ The Wall display is more consumer-friendly

Technical advancements have enabled Samsung to create this modular 4K MicroLED display in a smaller and more consumer-friendly 75-inch size. The TV basically has individual modules of self-emissive MicroLEDs so users can even create irregular 9×3, 1×7 or 5×1 screen sizes if they so desire.

These displays can also optimize the content regardless of the size and shape of the screen. They can scale to increase resolution while keeping the pixel density constant. So they don’t break a sweat while supporting standard 16:9 to 21:9 aspect ratios and unconventional aspect ratios like 32:9 and 1:1 without any compromise in picture quality.

Since there are no bezels between the modules, The Wall displays are completely bezel-free. This provides for an impressive, infinity pool effect which enables the display to blend into any living environment.

Samsung has even shown off a 219-inch form factor today which would obviously be better suited for businesses. The company hasn’t said when the consumer version will go on sale and how much it will cost. You can bet it will cost a pretty penny.

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Samsung’s live scalable MicroLED display concept is amazing

MicroLED TVs are the future according to Samsung, and the company is showing off an amazing live concept at CES this year to prove that point. MicroLED panels are designed to be modular, in that you can connect two MicroLED panels to theoretically get a TV of any size, and Samsung’s demo of the possibilities is a treat to watch.

The lack of any boundary or bezel around these panels is the primary reason why the scalability is more than just a gimmick. With MicroLED technology, Samsung says these TVs could offer as high as 10K resolution, as the resolution scales alongside the overall screen estate. We saw a 146-inch MicroLED display last year, and Samsung has taken things a step further by putting up a 219-inch display at this year’s CES.

Of course, the general public isn’t going to be able to get their hands on MicroLED TVs that big just yet, with Samsung aiming for a 2020 release even for the 75-inch model. It’s also going to be a costly affair for the foreseeable future, but as far as innovation is concerned, it’s easy to see why the company is betting big (no pun intended) on MicroLED technology.

Check out the scalable MicroLED display concept in the video above and let us know what you think!

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Latest Samsung smart TVs will work with Alexa and Google Assistant

You’d think Samsung smart TVs will only have support for the company’s own Bixby assistant. The fact remains that Bixby doesn’t quite have the reach offered by Alexa and the Google Assistant. It was reported back in December that the company’s upcoming TV lineup may come with Google Assistant.

Samsung seems to agree now which is why it has announced that its 2019 smart TVs will work with both of them. There’s one major catch, though. It’s because the rival assistants won’t actually be running on its TVs. The 2019 smart TV lineup from Samsung will only be able to recognize and execute commands from Alexa and Google Assistant devices.

2019 Samsung smart TVs work with Alexa and Google Assistant

You’ll need to have your own smart speaker for the aforementioned assistants. So it could be an Echo device for Alexa, Google Home for the Assistant or any other smart speaker. Since neither Alexa nor Assistant would be running on the TVs, the commands will be routed only through the smart speakers. Bixby is thus the only assistant that runs natively on these TVs and can receive direct voice commands.

The capability with these assistants will be limited as well. Bixby will have a leg up on them as it’s deeply integrated into Samsung’s smart TV platform. It also lets users give voice commands through the TV’s remote. That can’t be done for either of those assistants. Alexa and Google Assistant can be used to turn the TV on or off, switch inputs, control volume or launch apps.

Samsung may have decided to support these assistants since its rivals like Sony and LG already do. It can also be viewed as an acknowledgment on the company’s part that these assistants can’t simply be ignored. The concession it’s making here will make life easier for those who pick up a new Samsung TV this year and already have an Assistant or Alexa-based smart home ecosystem. Samsung hasn’t said if Assistant and Alexa will be supported on older models as well.

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