Samsung’s first monitor with a built-in webcam is here for the work-from-home crowd

Samsung has introduced its first monitor with a built-in webcam. Dubbed Webcam Monitor S4, the new display is specifically designed to satisfy the needs of hybrid workers who are working from their homes during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

The first product in the lineup is the Webcam Monitor S40VA, and it features a 24-inch IPS LCD display with Full HD resolution, 250 nits of peak brightness, a 1000:1 contrast ratio, a 75Hz refresh rate (supports AMD FreeSync), 178° viewing angles, and a 16:9 aspect ratio. The monitor has a built-in 2MP webcam with an IR camera for Windows Hello authentication and a pop-up design (great for privacy). The Webcam Monitor also features inbuilt microphones and 2W sereo speakers that are helpful during video calls and meetings.

The new monitor has a height-adjustable stand that also supports pivot, swivel, and tilt. There’s a VESA wall-mount option (100 x 100), too. In terms of I/O, the Webcam Monitor S40VA has two USB 3.0 Type-A ports, one HDMI port, one DisplayPort, one D-Sub port, one 3.5mm headphone jack, and one 3.5mm audio-in port. Samsung says that its new monitor has been certified by TUV Rheinland for blue light reduction and flicker-free picture quality, which is meant to keep your eyes safe.

The Webcam Monitor S4 will soon be available in Europe, Southeast Asia, South Korea, and the US. It is priced at KRW 380,000 (around $327) in South Korea.

Mark Quiroz, Vice President of Marketing for the Display Division at Samsung, said, “With many adjusting to long-term hybrid work and learning environments, Samsung introduces its first webcam monitor to make life easier for those often on video calls or multitasking. Thanks to the webcam at the top of the screen, users can join a video conference, take an online class or attend a virtual event all from the same monitor, without needing to buy another device or manage more cables.”

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BREAKING: One UI 4.0 beta program now live for Galaxy S21 series!

After a few teaser announcements, the wait for the One UI 4.0 beta program finally came to an end today. Galaxy S21 users in Korea can now participate in the Android 12-based One UI 4.0 beta program and experience new features and a refreshed design. And of course, beta participants are highly encouraged to provide feedback to Samsung’s software engineers and help build the best One UI version possible.

The signup and feedback submission processes can be carried through the Samsung Members app on the Galaxy S21, Galaxy S21+, or Galaxy S21 Ultra. So far, the 2021 flagship series is the only one to have been accepted in the One UI 4.0 beta program, but additional models could join before the end of the year.

Get ready for early access to a refreshed user interface

As to what One UI 4.0 is about, well, in Samsung’s eyes at least, it’s about giving users “the power to tailor their own, optimized mobile experience” in a mobile world where “everyone has unique needs and preferences.”

In addition, Samsung claims that the new version of One UI based on Android 12 was created with input from developers so that it delivers the tools and innovations necessary for creating quality apps and experiences.

Stay tuned as we’ll be taking a closer look at One UI 4.0 and all its features in the coming days and weeks. And if you are a Galaxy S21 user, feel free to let us know if you’ll participate in the beta program. A word of warning, though: beta builds are often unstable, so it’s advised to join the beta program if you have a backup phone just in case things go wrong with the beta software on the Galaxy S21.

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How can you join the One UI 4.0 beta program to test Android 12?

Samsung is finally letting Galaxy S21 owners test Android 12 and the next version of One UI (4.0). The company has launched a One UI 4.0 beta program, which is available in Korea now and will come to more countries later this month, that will allow interested users to provide feedback on bugs and issues and suggestions for new features that Samsung will implement in the stable worldwide release of Android 12 and One UI 4.0 update.

Initially, Samsung is only opening the beta program for the Galaxy S21, S21+, and S21 Ultra, but it will likely bring more devices into the fold in the coming weeks. And in case you’re wondering how you can participate in the beta program, it’s pretty simple!

Join the beta through the Samsung Members app

First off, you will need to make sure you have an unlocked version of the Galaxy S21, S21+, or S21 Ultra (a T-Mobile or Sprint variant will also work if you’re in the US). Then, you simply need to open the Samsung Members app, look for a banner for the One UI beta program in the app’s main screen or in its Notices section, tap it, and then scroll down and tap the enroll button.

That will get you registered in the beta program. Then, to download the first Android 12/One UI 4.0 beta update, you can open the phone’s Settings app, navigate to Software update, and select Download and install. The update may not be immediately available after you enroll for the beta, but if that’s the case, just give it a few minutes and then try downloading again.

It goes without saying that you should backup your phone before installing the beta so you can restore it if something goes wrong or you’re facing issues in the beta software and want to go back to Android 11, which will require a complete reset of your phone. A backup should also be done every time you install newer versions of the Android 12 beta, because there have previously been instances when new beta firmware has caused serious problems, including locking people out of their devices.

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One UI 4.0 on the Galaxy S21: 18 new features and changes!

The One UI 4.0 beta is finally here for the Galaxy S21 series of phones. One UI 4.0 is based on Android 12, and as you would expect from major OS upgrades, there’s quite a lot of new stuff, changes, and improvements. We had the chance to dig into the first One UI 4.0 beta build ahead of release and found 18 new features and changes.

Like One UI 3.0, One UI 4.0 is all about refinements to the existing user experience. There’s a special focus on improving privacy, with much of the enhancements coming from core Android 12, such as the ability to see which apps are currently using your device’s mic or camera in the notification shade and the option to view permission usage history for apps for the past seven days.

Samsung has introduced a new Labs section in the Advanced features section of the Settings menu that lets you force split screen and pop-up view support for all apps. The overall UI smoothness and performance have also been enhanced, and there are also plenty of minor changes littered throughout the OS.

We discuss all of the stuff we have been able to find in the video below, so be sure to check it out! Since this is only the first beta release, it’s possible Samsung will add new features down the line, and we will be digging into all future beta releases and bringing you all the details. Subscribe to our YouTube channel so you don’t miss out!

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Galaxy S21 One UI 4.0 update will be out of beta by late 2021

Samsung’s been promising the imminent arrival of the Android 12-based One UI 4.0 beta program for over a month now, and the moment of truth has finally arrived. As you probably already heard, the first One UI 4.0 beta build is now live for the Galaxy S21, Galaxy S21+, and Galaxy S21 Ultra in select markets.

Customers can now choose to test the new firmware and provide feedback before the update becomes polished enough for public release. Alternatively, Galaxy S21 users can just ignore the One UI 4.0 beta program and continue using One UI 3.1(.1) for the time being until the first One UI 4.0 public build is ready for the masses.

Samsung is working on launching Android 12 and One UI 4.0 this year

Samsung was unable to offer an exact launch date for the first One UI 4.0 live build — after all, the purpose of testing throughout the beta phase is to determine how ready the firmware is for a widespread release. Without further resting, there’s no way to schedule an exact date for One UI 4.0 to leave the beta stages.

Fortunately, with the release of One UI 4.0 beta, Samsung was able to at least narrow down the release time frame for the first public build. The company confirmed that it is working on “delivering a final, optimized upgrade later this year.” Still not convinced of Samsung’s intentions? Well, the company also added that feedback received from beta participants will be analyzed and “potentially implemented ahead of One UI 4’s official launch date in 2021.”

Of course, it’s too early for these statements to guarantee that One UI 4.0 will go live to the public before the end of 2021, but it’s certainly reassuring to know that Samsung is aiming for a late 2021 launch. Let’s hope that everything goes according to plan.

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One UI 4.0 beta: Here are all the countries where you can try it out

At long last, Samsung has officially opened up the One UI 4.0 beta program for the Galaxy S21 series. In recent years, Samsung has been doing a stellar job of letting its customers try out the next version of Android ahead of time, and this time around, Galaxy S21, S21+, and S21 Ultra owners get to test Android 12 and the newest version of One UI and provide feedback to Samsung.

Right now, the One UI 4.0 beta is being released for the Galaxy S21 series, but going by previous One UI betas, we can assume that it will come to more devices in the near future. Just which devices those will be remains to be seen, but what we do know right now is the list of countries where the One UI 4.0 beta program is being launched.

Samsung isn’t expanding beta access to more countries this year

The One UI 4.0 beta program for the Galaxy S21 series will be open for participation in China, India, Germany, Poland, South Korea, the UK, and the US. Yes, these are the same countries where the One UI 3.0 beta was released last year, so Samsung isn’t changing anything as far as beta availability is concerned.

If you’re in a country that’s not on the list, tough luck. But don’t be too disappointed: Samsung says the stable public version of Android 12 and One UI 4.0 for Galaxy S21 smartphones will be out before the end of the year.

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Google Messages could soon learn to remind you to respond to texts

Google Messages could soon get a Gmail-like ‘Nudges’ feature that can automatically suggest texts the user might want to respond to or follow up on. The new feature was discovered in the code for the latest beta version of the Google Messages app and hasn’t gone live for anyone yet, but that could change soon, provided Google doesn’t decide to scrap it.

Google Messages currently offers the option to manually set a reminder for responding to texts, but the Nudges feature will provide automated suggestions. Gmail already has the same functionality – it can remind you to reply to important emails and follow up on emails you may have already sent but for which you have yet to receive a response. You can turn Nudges off in Gmail, and that will also be possible in Google Messages.

Google Messages can be downloaded off the Play Store on any Samsung Galaxy smartphone. For phones launched in 2021 running One UI 3.1 out of the box, Google Messages comes preloaded and set as the default SMS app as part of Samsung’s enhanced partnership with the internet giant, which also introduced the option to use Google Discover on the home screen instead of the not-so-good Samsung Free/Samsung Daily.

Do you use Google Messages, or do you stick to Samsung’s app on your Galaxy smartphone?

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