Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8+ hands-on

Introduction

After a month of what seemed like never ending barrage of leaks, Samsung has finally (and officially) announced its Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+. This marks the company's first major smartphone release since the sad demise of the Galaxy Note7 last fall, which prompted the company to implement a new 8-point battery safety check to the S8 and all future devices.

The Samsung Galaxy S8 is Samsung's first major design change since the Samsung Galaxy S6, when Samsung went with premium materials like metal and glass to construct a beautiful device. And beautiful these devices are. Both feature curved edges on both sides so there is no longer an 'edge'-specific model. The S8+ otherwise has the same features and specs at the S8 except for a larger display and battery.

The display is the hallmark of the two phones - tall and narrow, pixel-rich and covering as much of the phones as possible. The aspect ratio is the odd bit here, though we've been prepped by the LG G6's 18:9 already - Samsung's panels are in an even more unorthodox 18.5:9 ratio. Super AMOLEDs, the two, naturally.

Samsung is one of the first, if not the first, to launch with the latest Snapdragon 835 chipset. Rumors suggested there will also be an Exynos version of the devices but so far we haven't seen that one announced.

The camera sensor for the S8 duo appears to come from the S7 and Note7, but with promised tweaks in processing (Pixel-like image stacking) the camera should be even better. And we're digging the bump in front camera resolution - it was high time Samsung decommissioned those 5MP selfie shooters.

Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8+ at a glance

• Body: Polished aluminum frame, Gorilla Glass 5 front and back; IP68 certified for water and dust resistance. Arctic Silver, Orchid Grey, Black Sky, Maple Gold, and Coral Blue color schemes.
• Display: 5.8"/6.2" Super AMOLED, 2,960x1440px resolution, 18.5:9 (2.06:1) aspect ratio, 571/529ppi; HDR 10 compliant (no Dolby Vision).
• Rear camera:12MP, f/1.7 aperture, dual pixel phase detection autofocus, OIS; multi-shot image stacking; 2160p/30fps video recording.
• Front camera: 8MP, f/1.7 aperture, autofocus; 1080p/30fps video recording.
• OS/Software: Android 7.0 Nougat; Samsung Grace UX; Bixby virtual assistant; Smart Connect, Smart Connect Home
• Chipsets: Qualcomm Snapdragon 835: octa-core CPU (4xKryo 280 + 4xCortex-A53), Adreno 540 GPU. Exynos 8895: octa-core CPU (4x2nd-gen Mongoose + 4xCortex-A53), Mali-G71 GPU.
• Memory: 4GB of RAM (6GB option for some markets, probably later down the line); 64GB storage; microSD slot for cards up to 256GB, UFS cards support.
• Battery: 3,000mAh/3,500mAh Li-Po (sealed); Adaptive Fast Charging (same as S7); QuickCharge 2.0 support; WPC&PMA wireless charging.
• Connectivity: Single-SIM, Dual-SIM available in certain markets; LTE-A, 4-Band carrier aggregation, Cat.16/13 (1Gbps/150Mbps); USB Type-C (v3.1); Wi-Fi a/b/g/n/ac; GPS, Beidou, Galileo; NFC; Bluetooth 5.0.
• Misc: Fingerprint reader; iris recognition/face recognition; single speaker on the bottom; 3.5mm jack; bundled AKG headphones.

Samsung is also big on iris recognition, though it could have used a better ambassador for it than the Note 7. It is what is. Let's hope it's good enough for us to stop kvetching about that unconventionally placed fingerprint sensor.

A few other check boxes in the specsheet sure won't leave us complaining - the IP68 rating (should be mandatory on flagships, really), 3.5mm headphone jack (let's not go there again), and USB-C port (USB-C on all the things, already). AKG headphones also sound nice. Having them in the box, that is, we haven't actually heard them play.

We got to spend a few hours in a room with a few Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ near-final units - the perks of the job. What good are those initial impressions if we don't share them with you?

Read More

لعبة Zombie Anarchy متاحة الآن على متجري Google Play و App Store

أعلنت شركة Gameloft الفرنسية عن الإطلاق الكامل للعبة Zombie Anarchy. هذه اللعبة الجديدة تم إطلاقه بشكل محدود على منصتي الأندرويد و iOS منذ فترة، لذلك لم يمكن بإمكان الجميع تحميلها.

ومع ذلك، إبتداء من اليوم سيكون بإمكان الجميع تحميل هذه اللعبة من أي مكان في العالم. وكما يمكنك أن تتوقع، فهذه اللعبة متاحة للتحميل مجانا على منصات الأندرويد و iOS و Windows Phone، ولكن تضم مجموعة من المشتريات داخلها.

وبغض النظر عن تجربة اللاعب الواحد، فهذه اللعبة توفر أيضا المعارك حيث يمكن للاعبين تشكيل جيوش من النباشين المهرة لمحاربة اللاعبين المنافسين من مختلف أنحاء العالم، وسرقة مواردهم.

في لعبة Zombie Anarchy يجب إيجاد آخر البشر على الأرض وتدريبهم على البقاء على قيد الحياة في عالم مروع يهيمن عليه الأموات الأحياء ( زومبي ). كل الناجين سيمتازون بقدرات قتالية فريدة وخلفية درامية والتي ينبغي عليك إكتشافها.

ولكن من أجل أن يكون لديك فريق قوي ودائم من المقاتلين، سيتوجب عليك بناء مخيم بنفسك والدفاع عنه بشكل جيد للغاية. من الواضح أنك ستحتاج إلى الموارد والتي يصعب الحصول عليها في نهاية العالم. لحسن الحظ، يمكنك إستعادة الموادر والعناصر النادرة لبناء وتطوير المباني الخاصة بك، والناجين أيضًا.

وقبل الختام، نود أن نشير إلى أن لعبة Zombie Anarchy الجديدة متوافقة مع الأجهزة التي تعمل بنظام الأندرويد 4.0 أو إصدار أعلى، أو الأجهزة التي تعمل بنظام iOS 8.0 أو إصدار أعلى.

App Store / Google Play

Read More

60في المئة من أجهزة آبل تعمل الآن بنظام iOS10

قامت شركة آبل اليوم بالكشف عن أحدث الإحصائيات والأرقام ذات الصلة بالحصة السوقية لمختلف إصدارات iOS، وكشفت الشركة بأن نظام iOS 10 الجديد يتواجد الآن على نحو 60 في المئة من كافة أجهزة iOS المتوافقة، وهذا ما يمثل نموًا بنسبة 6 في المئة بالمقارنة مع آخر مرة كشفت لنا فيها شركة آبل عن الحصص السوقية لمختلف إصدارات iOS.

وبغض النظر عن نظام iOS 10، فلا يزال نظام iOS 9 يتواجد حاليا على 32 في المئة من كافة أجهزة iOS بعدما إنخفضت حصته السوقية من 38 في المئة، في حين لا تزال الإصدارات القديمة من نظام iOS تتواجد على 8 في المئة من أجهزة iOS من دون تغيير.

لذلك، من الواضح أن الحصة السوقية لنظام iOS 10 الجديد شهدت نموًا على حساب الحصة السوقية لنظام iOS 9 والذي من المفترض أن يواصل فقدان حصته السوقية لنظام iOS 10 الجديد في الأشهر المقبلة.

المصدر.

Read More

Apple really wants developers to take the Touch Bar seriously

As we are sure most of you already heard, Apple finally brought an arguably overdue refreshto its Mac Pro laptop lineup on Thursday. It consists of a trio of new laptops, two in the 13-inch and on in the 15-inch form factor. All of them are more powerful and significantly thinner then their predecessors, have better screens, improved touchpads and lets call it a "different" approach to the keyboard and I/O, now entirely made of Type-C ports.

However, all that was totally overshadowed by the introduction of the Touch Bar - Apple's new touch-screen strip, that courageously sits above the keyboard (yes, we do think it fits, since the Escape and Function keys are now completely tactile-free) and promises to revolutionize and totally change more than a few familiar workflows.

Regardless of your or our personal opinion on the new tech and the respective willingness to look at the keyboard, rather than the screen in order to take advantage of some of the new Apple magic, we can't straight up deny that the input does open up the possibility for more than a few interesting implementations and concepts. A few such definitely caught our eye during the unveiling.

However, if you are a developer, anxious to get your hands on the new MacBook Pro and start playing around with the API's, be warned that Apple has already stated loud an clear it wants you to play nice and play safe. Cupertino has a design guideline for using Touch Bar in the proper Apple-sanctioned way on its website and its tone is borderline scolding all throughout.

It is almost as if Apple realized a bit too late that it had given developers and tech-savvy users what is essentially a second screen that if used in anything short of an "all-business" serious manner could definitely undermine the whole "Pro" tier essence of the product. To put things into perspective, Apple explicitly states things like:

There are a few other points as well, which you can check out at the source link. However, it seems Cupertino can't decide exactly how it envisions the usefulness and implementation of the Touch Bar, but is already pretty determined that it is no place to have unsanctioned fun.

Since this is a design guideline and definitely not set in stone or enforced by Apple in any way, we are sure more than a few "bad apples" (horrible pun intended) will definitely go out of their way to fit an entire browser or GUI inside the tiny strip, or simply an endless looping Nyan Cat animation from end to end. But, hey, its your Touch Bar and if that's what you want from it, we don't believe anybody should ever stop you.

Source | Via

Read More

Report says Samsung Galaxy Note7 fiasco won't affect Gear S3's launch

Following Samsung's announcement that the Galaxy Note7 has been permanently discontinued, there were reports from Korean media that the Note7 debacle will have a negative impact on the company's future projects, many of which will get delayed.

However, according to a new report, that's not true - at least in the case of the tech giant's Gear S3 smartwatch. Citing "Samsung Insiders," the report says that the Tizen-powered wearable is on schedule for a November launch, although an exact date is yet to be confirmed.

There have been reports that the Gear S3 will be launched in mid-November, and South Korea, the US, and select European countries will get it first. The wearable is also up for pre-order in Canada, with a shipping date of November 18.

Via

Read More

نكسة Galaxy Note 7 لن تؤثر على عملية إطلاق الساعة الذكية Samsung Gear S3

بعدما أعلنت شركة سامسونج عن إيقافها للهاتف Galaxy Note 7 بشكل نهائي، كانت هناك تقارير من وسائل الإعلام الكورية الجنوبية تفيد بأن نكسة Galaxy Note 7 سيكون لها تأثير سلبي على المشاريع المستقبلية للشركة، وكثير منها سوف تتأخر.

ومع ذلك، وفقا لتقرير جديد صدر اليوم، فيبدو أن هذا ليس صحيحا، على الأقل في حالة الهاتف Samsung Gear S3. نقلا عن مصادر مطلعة على خطط شركة سامسونج، فيبدو أن هذه الأخيرة ذاهبة لإصدار ساعتها الذكية الجديدة المدعومة بنظام TizenOS في الموعد المحدد، وهو ما يعني في شهر نوفمبر المقبل، على الرغم من أنه لم يتم تحديد موعد الإطلاق بالضبط.

وكانت هناك تقارير تفيد بأنه سيتم إطلاق الساعة الذكية Samsung Gear S3 في منتصف شهر نوفمبر في كل من كوريا الجنوبية والولايات المتحدة الأمريكية وفي عدد من البلدان الأوروبية. وهذه الساعة الذكية متاحة بالفعل للطلب المسبق في كندا مع إمكانية بدء عملية الشحن في اليوم 18 نوفمبر.

المصدر.

Read More

LG U announced with octa-core CPU, 13MP camera

LG has announced a new smartphone. Dubbed LG U, the device is powered by an octa-core 1.14GHz processor, and sports a 5.2-inch full HD display. RAM is 2GB, while internal memory is 32GB, although expandable.

The handset features a 13MP main camera and an 8MP front shooter. Measuring 147.6 × 73.2 × 7.7mm and weighing in at 135g, it runs Android 6.0 Marshmallow out of the box. A large, 3,000mAh battery is there to keep the lights on.

Color options include white, black, and pink. As for price, the LG U carries a tag of KRW 396,000, which translates into around $345 at current exchange rates. It will go on sale in South Korea by the end of the month.

There's currently no word on if and when it will be available in other markets worldwide.

Source

Read More

الإعلان رسميا عن الهاتف LG U مع شاشة Full HD بحجم 5.2 إنش

قامت شركة LG اليوم بالإعلان رسميا عن هاتف ذكي جديد يدعى LG U، وكما يمكنك أن تتوقع فهو ينتمي إلى الفئة المتوسطة.

ووفقا لشركة LG، فالهاتف LG U الجديد يضم مواصفات تقنية تشمل شاشة 5.2 إنش بدرجة وضوح Full HD، معالج ثماني النواة بتردد 1.14GHz، ذاكرة عشوائية بحجم 2GB، ذاكرة داخلية بحجم 32GB قابلة للتوسع عن طريق الذاكرة الخارجية MicroSD، كاميرا أمامية بدقة 8 ميغابكسل وخلفية بدقة 13 ميغابكسل، فضلا عن بطارية بسعة 3000mAh. وعلاوة على ذلك، فهذا الهاتف يدعم مختلف تقنيات الإتصال اللاسلكية التقليدية بما في ذلك WiFi والبلوتوث و GPS فضلا عن شبكات الجيل الثالث وشبكات الجيل الرابع كما أنه يأتي بشكل مسبق مع نظام الأندرويد 6.0 Marshmallow.

وكما هو ملاحظ في الصورة أعلاه، فالهاتف LG U سيكون متاحا بألوان مختلفة تشمل اللون الأبيض والأسود والوردي. أما بالنسبة للسعر، فهو يكلف 396 آلف وون كوري وهو ما يعادل 345 دولار أمريكي إستنادا إلى أسعار الصرف الحالية مع العلم بأنه سيطرح للبيع في كوريا الجنوبية قبل نهاية هذا الشهر. وللآسف، ليست هناك حاليا أية معلومات حول موعد إصدار هذا الهاتف على الصعيد العالمي.

المصدر.

Read More

Skype now lets you send messages using Siri

Microsoft has pushed out a new update to Skype for iOS. The update bumps the version to 6.27.1, and brings along the ability to send messages using Apple's smart assistant, Siri.

"Send Skype messages to your Skype contacts using Siri," the change-log for the update says. In addition to this, with the updated app, you can now view your Skype recent messages and Favourites on the Apple Watch again.

Source

Read More

Samsung to invest record W27tr in chips, displays

 Samsung Electronics said on Oct. 27 it will make a record 27 trillion won (US$24 billion) investment in production facilities for semiconductors and displays this year. 

The company said 13.2 trillion won will be poured to beef up the production of V-NAND flash memory chips that are used for large-scale data centers and business servers and to upgrade other production facilities overall.



Another 10.9 trillion won will be used for the production expansion of flexible organic light-emitting diode displays whose demand is soaring recently as more handset makers, including Apple, are bracing for the adoption for their next high-end models. 

On the day, the company reported its third-quarter operating profit tumbled 29.7 percent to 5.2 trillion won from a year ago, hit hard by the discontinued Galaxy Note 7 for safety concerns. Revenue also fell 7.4 percent to 47.8 trillion won. 

source.

Read More

نسخة 13 إنش الجديدة من MacBook Pro من دون شريط Touch Bar ستحل محل MacBook Air

كما تعلمون على الأرجح، فقد قامت شركة آبل اليوم بإزاحة الستار رسميا عن حواسيب MacBook Pro الجديدة، وهي تأتي بأحجام 15 إنش و 13 إنش كما أنها تضم شريط حساس للمس أعلى لوحة المفاتيح يدعى Touch Bar. وهذا الشريط الجديد يأتي ليحل محل أزرار الوظائف والتي إعتاد عليها الجميع في إصدارات MacBook السابقة. وكما ترون، فشركة آبل لم تكشف عن نسخة 13 إنش جديدة من MacBook Air اليوم.

ومع ذلك، فقد قالت شركة آبل بأن العملاء الذين يتطلعون للحصول على حاسب MacBook Air جديد سيكون من الأفضل بالنسبة لهم الحصول على نسخة 13 إنش من MacBook Pro والتي لا تضم شريط Touch Bar. وهذه النسخة تعد هي الأرخص ضمن سلسلة حواسيب MacBook Pro الجديدة التي أعلنت عنها آبل اليوم بحيث تكلف إبتداء من 1499 دولار أمريكي.

هذه النسخة الرخيصة من MacBook Pro تأتي بنفس تصميم نسخة 13 إنش الراقية من MacBook Pro الجديد بإستثناء أنها لا تضم شريط Touch Bar، فهي تضم أيضا شاشة Retina بحجم 13.3 إنش، الجيل السادس من المعالج intel Core i5، فضلا عن 8GB من الذاكرة العشوائية و 256GB من الذاكرة الداخلية SSD. وهي تضم كذلك إثنين فقط من منافذ Thunderbolt 3، في حين تضم نسخة 13 إنش الراقية من MacBook Pro الجديد أربعة منافذ Thunderbolt 3.

من خلال هذا، يتضح لنا أن شركة آبل تخطط للتخلي نهائيا عن سلسلة حواسيب MacBook Air خصوصا إذا علمنا أننا لم نرى شركة آبل تقوم بترقية رئيسية لهذه السلسلة منذ عامين تقريبًا.

عموما، نسخة 13 إنش من MacBook Pro الجديد من دون شريط Touch Bar ستكون متاحة للشراء إبتداء من اليوم بسعر 1499 دولار أمريكي مع العلم بأن عملية الشحن ستبدأ اليوم أيضًا.

Read More

Apple unveils three new MacBook Pro models starting at $1,499

As expected, Apple finally announced some new MacBooks at its special event today. The MacBook Pro line has received a much needed refresh. The new MacBook Pro laptops still come in 13" and 15" sizes, though this time you can choose between silver and gray as colors. They're made from aluminum, even more this time around than in the previous design.

There are two 13-inch models. The entry level option is aimed at fans of the MacBook Air. It's 14.9mm thin, comes with two Thunderbolt 3 ports, and weighs 3 pounds. It's powered by a sixth-gen 2 GHz dual-core Intel Core i5, with Iris Graphics 540, 8GB of RAM, and a 256GB SSD. It is priced from $1,499 and is available today.

The high-end 13-inch model is also 14.9mm thin, and weighs 3 pounds too. The sole 15-inch iteration is 15.5mm thin, and it weighs 4 pounds. Both are thinner and lighter than their predecessors, unsurprisingly. And they both have touchpads that are two times bigger than what their predecessors had, as well as a new keyboard with the company's Butterfly mechanism that debuted in the 12-inch MacBook (though with more key travel in this case, thankfully).

Touch ID fingerprint recognition is built into the power button, as previously rumored. Multiple people can set up their fingerprints, and macOS will switch accounts based on the person who authenticates.

The biggest new feature for the high-end MacBook Pros is the oft-rumored OLED touch stripthat sits above the keyboard and replaces the row of function keys. This is called Touch Bar. It shows you different things based on what you're doing with the Mac. So for example when you're typing some text you'll get iOS-like word suggestions, or even a full assortment of emoji. When you're in another app some quick options for that will be shown - in Safari, these are your most visited websites. Oh, and you can still get the row of function keys to show up, if you hold down the function key. Siri has a dedicated key in the Touch Bar, so you can invoke her as often as you want.

The new MacBook Pros have screens that are 67% brighter and with a 67% improved contrast ratio compared to the last-gen 15" model. You also get 25% more colors thanks to a wider gamut. The new 15" MBP is powered by Intel's Skylake quad-core i7 processor, paired with 2,133MHz DDR4 RAM. The laptop features Radeon Pro graphics, based on the Polaris architecture, with up to 4GB of VRAM. The SSD is up to 50% faster, with read speeds hitting 3.1GB/s. Storage capacity options will go up to 2TB.

In the high-end 13-inch model you'll see Intel's Skylake Core i5 or i7, with Iris graphics and the same superfast SSD as in its bigger sibling. Both laptops have four Thunderbolt 3 ports, supporting USB Type-C 3.1 Gen.2, as well as DisplayPort 1.2. Any of the ports can be used for charging. Last, but definitely not least, both laptops have a 3.5mm headset jack. They run macOS Sierra and get up to 10 hours of battery life.

The high-end 13-inch model will retail starting at $1,799, while the one 15-inch version starts at $2,399. The more expensive options start shipping in 2-3 weeks. All three laptops can be ordered today from Apple.

Source 1 • Source 2

Read More

Samsung lunches Galaxy Note 7 in China with only 4GB of RAM

Today Samsung unveiled the Galaxy Note7 in China, at a special event. Despite many past rumors claiming we'll see a version with 6GB of RAM and 128GB of storage in China, this was not mentioned at all in the official presentation. So the Note7 makes its debut in China with 'just' 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage, the same values it sports in every other market.

The Chinese model is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 chipset, just like the USA-bound Note7, interestingly (and not Samsung's Exynos solution used everywhere else throughout the world).

As you'd expect, all the other specs are shared with the other Note7 models that have gotten official in other countries so far. As for pricing, the flagship phablet will cost CNY 5,988 in China, which is about $897 or €799 at the current exchange rates.

The phone is currently in the registration-gathering phase, and it's already nabbed a million of those in less than two hours (however, don't forget registrations are not pre-orders). It will become available in China on September 1.

Source

Read More

T-Mobile has posted a list of Samsung and HTC models that will get an Android 7.0 update

Now that Android 7.0 Nougat is officially out, the thing on most enthusiastic user's minds is whether their handset will be enjoying this iteration of Google's mobile OS and if so, when. Sadly, there is never a simple answer to this question, especially when you take into account all the regional and carrier versions of a given phone and their respective support life cycle.

Today, T-Mobile published a list of its own carrier version Samsung devices that will be getting the OTA at some point. It is preliminary and more entries could be added in the future, but currently it includes the following handsets:

• Samsung Galaxy S6
• Samsung Galaxy S6 edge
• Samsung Galaxy S6 edge+
• Samsung Galaxy S7
• Samsung Galaxy S7 edge
• Samsung Galaxy Note 5
• Samsung Galaxy Note 7

Frankly, this fits perfectly with Samsung's track record of typically supporting its flagship models through two major updates or roughly two years. Of course, there have been exceptions in the past and as we already mentioned, the list can be updated in the future. However, owners of said smartphones from T-Mobile can already rest assured that they will be enjoying Nougat in the future. As for timing, well, that is a whole different story.

Given that we haven't heard anything about ongoing testing or any other related leaks, it might be two to three months still, before builds start seeding. Unfortunately, that is simply the way the mobile support chain currently operates, especially for Samsung devices with their heavily-modified Android builds.

Last, but not least, it is also worth mentioning that T-Mobile has the HTC One M9 and HTC 10 on its official waiting list for Nougat as well. They are likely in the same boat time-wise as their Samsung siblings.

Source | Via

Read More

Samsung Galaxy Note7 hits the USA on August 19, pre-orders kick off tomorrow

The hottest flagship of the hottest season is now official and the wait for its release has now begun. The Samsung Galaxy Note7 sure sounds superb with its cool design, an HDR sAMOLED screen, and powerful processor. It's also water-proof and the S-Pen can work underwater.

Now, about that US availability. All major carriers - AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, U.S. Cellular and Verizon Wireless will offer the Galaxy Note7. The pre-orders open tomorrow - August 3, and the phablet will be officially out on August 19.

Each carrier pricing and tariffs will be detailed tomorrow.

Of course, a plethora of retailers will be selling the Galaxy Note7, too. All Samsung Experience Stores, Best Buy stores, Amazon.com, BestBuy.com, Car Toys, Sam’s Club, Target and select Walmart stores are among the retailers to offer the Note7.

The USA market will be getting the Snapdragon 820-powered Note7, and it will be available in three different flavors - Blue Coral, Silver Titanium and Black Onyx. You bet freebies are in order, and while Samsung isn't as generous as it was with the Galaxy S7 series, it's still quite enough.

Read More

Samsung Galaxy Note7 video promos introduce the new phablet king

A barrage of Samsung Galaxy Note7 info just burst onto tech sites and social media. If you're feeling overwhelmed, I have a few short and sweet ways to introduce you to the Note7.



First up, there's the infographic. But if you don't feel like scrolling, you can just watch a 30-second video that shows the best of the new flagship.

If you have another 30 seconds to spare, here's a video that shows the Galaxy Note philosophy: "More everything."

Finally, a deeper look - a whole 3 minutes with the Note7 and its new features.

Of course, if you want to really dive into the Galaxy Note7, our hands-on is the place for you.

Read More

Samsung details the upgrades the Galaxy Note7 brings in an infographic

There are certainly those that will say that the brand new Galaxy Note7 isn't much of an upgrade over the outgoing Note5 and to counter those naysayers from day one Samsung has released an infographic detailing the differences between the two.

Conveniently, the key improvements have been highlighted in (non-coral) blue, and the list starts with the dual-edged display of the just-introduced model. Perhaps Samsung could have pointed out the Cat.9 LTE over the Note5's Cat.6 (450Mbps vs 300Mbps downlink), but hey, they have marketing teams to decide on that.

Of course, the IP68 certification for protection against the elements gets its dedicated section, and rightfully so. The list of highlights goes on with the Dual Pixel primary camera, microSD slot and USB Type-C port for wired connectivity. The Iris Scanner is duly mentioned too. You won't find an IR emitter though, not in the phone and not in the infographic.

Read More

Samsung Galaxy Note 7 unveiled with a 5.7" curved screen, IP68 rating

Riding on a wave of rumors and hype, the Samsung Galaxy Note7 has landed. The new flagship will help Samsung venture deeper into several market segments.

The Note7 is tough. It's the first Note to be waterproofed - IP68 rating certifies it for depths beyond 1m. The phone's metal frame is sandwiched between two symmetrically curved sheets of Gorilla Glass 5. The new Blue Coral option paints the metal and accents in gold, the rest in blue.

The Note7 has an amazing screen. Samsung kept to the 5.7" Super AMOLED formula but curved it on both sides like an edge phone. It has QHD resolution, naturally, but is among the first mobile displays to feature HDR support - a feature borrowed from 4K TVs that allows the screen to show more colors and scenes with very high contrast.

The S Pen promises a ballpoint pen-like experience. The stylus can leave notes on the Always on screen. And it can write underwater! Other new features include a text magnifying glass, a translate tool, even a GIF creator.

The Note7 is secure. It adds an iris scanner to its arsenal of biometric sensors. Soon, it will be able to replace the fingerprint reader as the way to secure Samsung Pay, Knox and your personal files (hidden in the Secure folder). You can still use the fingerprint reader, of course. Both will be available to third-party apps through Samsung Pass.

The Note7 is Samsung's first with USB Type-C. The port supports On The Go and quick charging. There's wireless quick charging too, to fill the 3,500mAh battery in a hurry (yes, it's 100mAh smaller than the S7 edge battery).

The 12MP dual-pixel camera from the Galaxy S7 is back. It features a bright f/1.7 aperture and OIS and can record 2160p video. On the front is a 5MP selfie camera, again borrowed from the S7.

The Note7 is powerful. It's powered by a Snapdragon 820 chipset or an Exynos 8890 (depends on region), has 4GB of RAM (the 6GB rumor fizzled out) and 64GB storage. You get a microSD slot, but UFS cards are not supported. There's no word on a 128GB version yet.

Read More

Official Apple lightning EarPods allegedly caught on video

If you have been following the various rumors and developments regarding Apple's next iPhone lineup even loosely, then you surely know about the still ongoing 3.5mm jack debate. As sources pile up over time, we have to say that things are definitely gravitating towards a new iPhone without probably the most standard of standard jacks out there (seriously, go show your grandparents one, alongside a fancy USB Type-C connector, see which one they recognize).



Of course what this logically leads up to is the necessity for a whole new wave of lightning-based audio peripherals or at least a buildup of the already existing base, as probably even Apple wouldn't be daring enough to leave us with wireless audio alone. Continuing the same logical chain, Apple does still need to provide a standard way for users to consume audio from the sole digital output left available. That can be done in one of two ways - an active adapter from lightning to a 3.5mm jack, like the one we saw a couple of moths back or an active pair oh headphones, which we allegedly caught a glimpse of recently as well.

While both approaches are really nothing technologically new or challenging, the real question is which one of these solutions will Apple decide to officially bundle with the iPhone. A newly uncovered YouTube video might just tip the scale towards a full set of EarPods, as it does appear to show an official-looking pair already working with the iPhone 6s, media controls and everything. You can check the video out for yourself.

And just to gravitate back to the technological side of things, as misconceptions and outlandish ideas really seem inevitable given the current situation - digital audio is not something new, despite what any early USB Type-C tech adopters or Apple will eventually start suggesting. Lightning ports can already output digital audio, in fact that is how iPod docks work and the same goes for most mobile USB connectors, Type-C and older micro USB alike (some conditions do have to be met though). All this new transition boils down to is a fight over where your audio gets to be converted from digital to analog and then relayed to your years, as the latter don't really know how to turn one's and zeroes into sound waves.

There is a lot to be said about each approach to what is essentially the age-old task of digital to analog conversion. This is an important point to make and one that we have tried to lay out in detail in a recent editorial.Giving it a quick read-through definitely couldn't hurt before Apple likely unleashes a whole new wave of misunderstood and overpriced tech come September's iPhone announcements.

Source

Read More