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الاثنين، 18 يناير 2021

Galaxy S21 series design flaw leaves a lot of room for user error

Samsung’s new Galaxy S21 series, and especially the Galaxy S21 Ultra, is shaping up to be a great addition to the company’s flagship portfolio but the new trio is not without flaws. You’re all probably well-aware of the fact that Samsung has removed any additional accessories — sans a USB cable — from the retail box, but this has more to do with the packaging and the unboxing experience rather than the phones themselves.

Aside from these shortcomings and the fact that the Galaxy S21 series lacks expandable storage, there’s something else that’s been bothering us about the new flagships, and that’s the new location of the SIM tray, which is now dangerously close to the microphone.

Be careful not to break the mic on your Galaxy S21 when inserting a SIM

Samsung has relocated the SIM card tray with the Galaxy S21 series and this component can now be found at the bottom edge, right next to the microphone. As usual, the SIM tray can be ejected by inserting a SIM ejector tool into a tiny round hole, and it so happens that this orifice is millimeters away from the microphone, with both having roughly the same diameter.

As you can see in the image gallery below, the Galaxy S21 ships with a protective back cover that informs users where the SIM ejector tool should and shouldn’t go, but this is a temporary protection which will be removed upon unboxing the device. Once this protective sheet is removed, these warning labels will be gone with it and the only way to ensure that you’re inserting the SIM ejector tool in the right place is by carefully looking for the orifice that’s embedded in the SIM tray.

Because the functionality of these components remains intact, we wouldn’t go as far as calling this a major problem that’s bound to mar the user experience. However, this is undeniably a design choice, or rather a design flaw if you will, that leaves a lot of room for user error. Perhaps a removable warning label on the back might not be enough.

Customers who don’t usually pay too much attention to these minor details could end up damaging the microphone when attempting to remove the SIM tray. To be frank, even more experience users who might be in a hurry could make this small error for just a fraction of a second and insert the SIM ejector tool into the microphone, risking a repair bill on a brand-new and otherwise perfectly functional flagship phone.

Thankfully, the Galaxy S21 series also boasts eSIM technology, so perhaps the physical SIM tray’s location won’t pose much of a risk for all users.

Galaxy S21

Model: SM-G991B
Dimensions: Bar: 151.7 x 71.2 x 7.9 mm
Display: 6.2 inch / 157.48 mm Dynamic AMOLED 2X
CPU: Exynos 2100
Camera: 12MP

More specifications

Galaxy S21+

Model: SM-G996B
Dimensions: Bar: 161.5 x 75.6 x 7.8 mm
Display: 6.7 inch / 170.18 mm Dynamic AMOLED 2X
CPU: Exynos 2100
Camera: 12MP

More specifications

Galaxy S21 Ultra

Model: SM-G998B
Dimensions: Bar: 165.1 x 75.6 x 8.9 mm
Display: 6.8 inch / 172.72 mm Dynamic AMOLED 2X
CPU: Exynos 2100
Camera: 12MP

More specifications

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Samsung’s so big on big data it made a… movie trailer?

In case you forgot how big of a deal big data is, Samsung just launched a new promotional video that will tell you all about it. All the while being backed by full-fledged orchestral music meant to illustrate how big Samsung is on big data.

To that end, playing into a bunch of Hollywood tropes from the silver screen actually ended up working pretty well for Samsung. At the very least, it manages to get the message across quite efficiently, even before the epic music kicks in and the hype becomes palpable. Well, see for yourself, that is, and let us know if you figure out where the thumbnail went:

Will Samsung manage to complete its transformation into a big data company?

At this point, remarkable production values are probably to be expected even from the most generic of the company’s communications. Not least because the apparently massive concentration of video production talent Samsung amassed in recent years is clearly eager to up its showmanship. You do remember that blockbuster music video with BTS that Samsung casually dropped back in September, right?

Stylistic choices aside, this promo is also perfectly in line with the tech giant’s recent showing at the latest edition of the Consumer Electronics Show. Which was astonishingly dominant, even for Samsung’s standards. Granted, that’s largely on account of the actual tech that was showcased. But a passionate message about a quest to improve everyone’s lives certainly didn’t hurt any impressions.

As for the subject matter at hand, Samsung’s been quite open about striving to become a big data company for a while now. Though the actual road toward that goal has been quite bumpy so far, and the competition isn’t getting any weaker by the day.

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Samsung confirms the Galaxy M02s will be coming to India very, very soon

Samsung has officially confirmed with SamMobile that it’s going to release the Galaxy M02s to India tomorrow, January 19. The device will be available in three color options and the most well-equipped variant is bound to hit the shelves for INR 9,999, which is the rough equivalent of around $136. The entry-level variant will cost even less, and of course, Samsung India has partnered with Amazon to bring the price down for customers who purchase the device using SBI credit cards.

The Galaxy M02s will be sold through Samsung’s online shop, Amazon, and other key retail partners. As part of the Amazon Republic Day Sale, buyers who will be using an SBI credit card for the purchase of the Galaxy M02s will get a 10% instant discount.

Launch prices were revealed before but Samsung India has reconfirmed that it will be selling the cheaper configuration with 3GB of RAM and 32GB of storage for INR 8,999. The pricier INR 9,999 variant has 4GB of RAM and double the on-board storage.

The Galaxy M02s has a 6.5-inch TFT LCD with an HD+ resolution and it’s powered by a Qualcomm-made chipset that matches the specifications of the Snapdragon 450 SoC. Customers in India will have the option of buying the Galaxy M02s in black, blue, or red.

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Samsung fans can’t wait to move on to better devices

There’s a lot that we want to move on from. 2020, which will forever be known as the year of the COVID pandemic, has been a true rollercoaster. Millions of people across the globe have been seriously impacted by the crisis. Even as the pandemic continues to wreak havoc, we do what we must while hoping for better days.

Samsung was quite quick to adapt last year. The pandemic hit its peak not too long after its Galaxy S20 series was released. That likely dented the sales momentum for what were some of Samsung’s most expensive smartphones. It dubbed the uncertain times the “Next Normal” and went about making some significant changes.

The company adapted by unveiling the Galaxy S20 FE a few months later. It was only of the most affordably priced near-flagship smartphones. The Galaxy S20 FE was created mainly to cater to customers at a time when they were being much more careful with how they spent their money.

The pandemic is far from over. It wouldn’t keep Samsung from launching its new Galaxy S series, though. The company understood that it needed to shake things up a bit. A price cut was definitely needed for the new flagships. While some may not agree with ditching chargers and earphones to reduce the price, at least the Galaxy S21 is more attainable than its predecessor.

What we find incredible is that Samsung balanced the necessity of the price cut with the need to reinvigorate the Galaxy S lineup. As I’ve already said before, the Galaxy S21 series beats Apple at the design game, and that’s no easy feat. Nevermind the fact that the Galaxy S21 Ultra is packed to the gills with the best tech.

After literally falling in love with the Galaxy S21 for purely its design, I can’t wait to see what Samsung has in store for us next, particularly in its foldable lineup. The design choices that Samsung makes with new Galaxy S handsets at the start of the year are often shared with other high-end phones later in the year.

The Galaxy Z Fold 2 is already quite a premium device with killer looks. There’s literally no alternative to it. Imagine, though, a new Galaxy Z Fold device with design elements from the Galaxy S21 series. The seamless Contour Cut camera housing, made out of metal no less, would just elevate its design to another level. The same goes for Samsung’s new color options and the matte finish. Just thinking about a foldable device like that brings a big smile to my face!

Samsung is going to launch multiple foldable smartphones this year. There’s going to be a successor to the Galaxy Z Flip which will likely be released in the next few months. The Galaxy Z Fold 3 would probably arrive in the second half of this year. There are also rumors of a more affordable Galaxy Z Fold Lite. There’s still a lot that the company can excite us with.

I believe that if Samsung sticks with its new design language and applies it across most of its high-end devices, the foldables in particular, then it might just see a surge in sales even during these turbulent times.

Never has a flagship Galaxy device looked as premium as the Galaxy S21 series does. As a Samsung fan, I can’t wait for us to move on to even better devices. Something tells me we may not be disappointed.

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Galaxy Tab Active 3 goes live for customers and businesses in Canada

Samsung has remained one of the very few rugged Android tablet manufacturers on the market and the Galaxy Tab Active 3 is the latest such solution from the Korean tech giant. It was officially introduced in September and went on sale in Europe a month later. The same tablet is now available for business and non-business customers in Canada.

As far as the business side of things is concerned, Samsung is bringing the Galaxy Tab Active 3 to Canada as more businesses are moving away from the office and out into the field, reveals Paul Edwards, VP of Enterprise Mobility at Samsung Electronics Canada. Indeed, the Galaxy Tab Active 3 was officially launched as a tablet designed to take on the world’s toughest jobs and as such, it’s wrapped in a MIl-STD-810-grade body while offering an IP68 rating.

Galaxy Tab Active 3 is available in Canada for CAD 779.99

The Galaxy Tab Active 3 is available to business and regular customers via Samsung’s online store, the Samsung Experience Stores, as well as partner distributors and resellers including Bell. The tablet is available in a single memory configuration with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of built-in storage expandable by up to 1TB.

One of the tablet’s biggest strengths, aside from its rugged design, is the user-removable battery. It has a capacity of 5,050mAh and because it’s removable, workers in the field can replace a depleted unit with a fully recharged one — purchased separately, of course — without skipping a beat.

Buy the Galaxy Tab Active 3 at Samsung Canada.
Buy the Galaxy Tab Active 3 for business customers at Samsung Canada.

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Customers in Korea can now rent the Galaxy S21 and get free prizes

Galaxy S21 fans in South Korea can now rent the latest flagship for three days through the Galaxy To Go service, and customers who will decide to purchase the flagship after the trial period ends will get free gifts and an opportunity to win bigger prizes through a lottery system.

Galaxy To Go is not entirely new in Korea but with the arrival of the Galaxy S21 series, Samsung has made the service available at more locations. This time, over 200 Samsung Digital Plazas nationwide offer customers the option of renting the flagship. The number of location used to be three times lower.

The Galaxy S21 handsets that are available for renting come pre-loaded with a few extra apps and ship with the popular mobile game League of Legends: Wild Rift, presumably to showcase the phone’s online gaming capabilities via 5G. Customers will also be able to send feedback and ask questions about the device they’ve rented through a one-on-one live broadcast or direct messaging with a Samsung representative.

Customers get a free wireless charger and a chance to win even bigger

Customers in Korea who will rent the Galaxy S21 through the Galaxy to Go service and decide to purchase the flagship will be gifted one of the many Galaxy S21 accessories, namely the Wireless Charger Duo Pad. The Charger Duo Pad can recharge two devices simultaneously and it normally costs $59.99.

In addition, these customers will be enrolled in a lottery with a chance to win the Galaxy Book Flex 2, the Galaxy Tab S7+, and/or accommodation vouchers at The Shilla Seoul 5-star hotel. The Galaxy to Go service will be available until March 14.