Hacking has always been a controversial issue. Whether people see it as a vigilante attempt at justice, an attempt to keep authority in check or simply a way to cause mischief and potentially serious harm, it has always had its critics and defenders. None of the continuing controversy sheds light on what hacking actually is however.
“According to industry expectations, the Snapdragon 865 platform will offer both integrated and non-integrated 5G solutions for better cost-effective solutions”
Despite being only a few months into the life cycle of the Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 platform, Qualcomm is at a seemingly advanced stage with its next-generation platform, the Snapdragon 865. Codenamed Snapdragon 8250, the new processing platform from the world’s leading mobile chipset manufacturer will presumably bring with itself a host of new features, upgrades, and improvements. Moreover, given that it will power a major chunk of devices in 2020, 5G will play a big role in deciding what the new processor (and phones that it powers) will bring to the table. Now, according to recent reports, the Snapdragon 865 mobile platform may be officially made available in two variants.
According to Roland Quandt of WinFuture.de reports across the internet, the Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 may be made available in two variants – one with the standard platform and an optional Snapdragon X55 5G modem, and the other with integrated 5G solution. With the new generation connectivity standard set to become mainstream next year, offering an integrating flagship processing platform with the latest connectivity chip and antennae will be crucial, as this would allow smartphone manufacturers to free up the space that an additional modem would take up. In turn, this could be used to fit in any extra feature, such as an audio DAC, a larger battery or any additional module as OEMs deem fit.
However, 5G connectivity is unlikely to be rolled out worldwide even by 2020, and the initial plans would certainly be at steeper pricing than the mobile plans that users are expected to. A mainstream 5G rollout is only expected to happen in a select few nations such as the US and South Korea, which have been early adopters of the technology. As a result, a two-variant strategy makes sense for Qualcomm, since this would allow them to even price their product better.
For instance, in a Korea-centric flagship smartphone, the integrated Snapdragon 865 platform can be used, hence making space for additional modules such as neural processing engines. However, for the India variant of the same device, the OEM may choose the second variant that comes with the optional 5G module, thereby providing some cost-benefit to OEMs, which in turn would allow them to price their products better in a value-sensitive market such as India.
The information comes courtesy of early leaks, so the validation of these reports remain to be proven in the long run. However, it does make a lot of sense commercially, to produce a two-variant commercial availability of the processor. The next-generation Snapdragon 5G platform is expected to present compliance with both sub-6.0GHz and millimeter-wave 5G connectivity, thereby bringing versatility to a smartphone’s connectivity. It may also lay precedent for upcoming processors from other manufacturers to follow suit, all of which shall be revealed in days and months to come.
Microsoft surprised onlookers with a pair of new dual-screen hardware devices it’s planning to release next holiday: The Surface Neo laptop and the Duo smartphone, which runs Google’s Android operating system rather than Microsoft Windows.
The announcements came at the end of Microsoft’s annual hardware event, where it also introduced refreshed versions of its Surface tablets and laptops, and a new Surface that runs a Qualcomm low-powered chip based on a design from ARM — similar to those found in Apple’s iPad and most smartphones — rather than the Intel-based processors that traditionally run Windows PCs. It’s the third time Microsoft has unveiled an ARM-based tablet, but its past efforts failed at the market because they could not efficiently run traditional Windows apps.
“With the Surface we focused on three distinct ambitions,” Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella said. “We wanted to put people at the center of every device experience. We wanted to innovate across form and function, especially with a focus on how we can drive the next level of creation and productivity. That led to the first Surface Pro 2-in-1. Today we will share the next chapter of this journey,” Nadella said. “We believe the next decade will be about creation and amplifying what we can do as humans.”
Microsoft’s event follows a flurry of hardware announcements from rivals like Apple, Amazon, and Samsung. The launches allow the companies to get their products out in front of consumers before the upcoming holiday shopping season.
Here’s a rundown of everything that was announced:
The big surprise: Microsoft Surface Duo phone
The biggest surprise was a small smartphone that can run two apps on two different screens. It’s called the Microsoft Surface Duo and runs Android, and will be available in the 2020 holiday season.
It’s the first return for Microsoft to the mobile space since it abandoned Windows Phone years ago. “Make no mistake, this product is a Surface,” said Microsoft product chief Panos Panay, “because of how productive you can be on it. We know, scientifically, that you will be more productive on two screens.”
It has a 360-degree hinge, two 5.6-inch displays and can completely fold up when you’re not using it.
“We’re partnering with Google to bring the absolute best of Android into one product,” Panay said, noting it will support all Android apps. Unlike the Samsung Galaxy Fold, which also folds, a hinge runs down the middle, which should prevent damage, since there’s not a single screen across the entire inside.
Once upon a time, the Galaxy S3 was the epitome of smartphone tech. It had masterful specs, a brilliant screen, and features up the wazoo. Though 2012 seems like just yesterday, time has not been kind to the pebble-shaped product. Samsung has sullied the S3’s place in the annals of Android history with a surprising amount of update chaos. The standard Galaxy S3 (GT-I9300) model was not to be given a KitKat update, and even the LTE variant would wait for ages to receive it. The culprit? Samsung blamed things on the hardware: the 3G models had 1GB of RAM (with LTE models having 2GB). Given that Android 4.4’s less-taxing requirements supported even 512MB, it was clearly an issue of sheer laziness, or else problems originating from TouchWiz’s bloat.
Regardless of whatever official Android version your S3 is currently running on, one thing is decidedly clear: it will absolutely not be receiving Android 5.0 Lollipop. Officially that is.
But, there is hope for all those willing to do a little leg-work: thanks to the brilliant minds at XDA Developers, Android 5 AOSP is coming to the GT-I9300! User arter97 (Park Ju Hyung) has created a working build of the major OS revision. Note that AOSP is based on the original Android source code and thus does not contain Samsung’s TouchWiz skin overlay.
Installing this will require root status, and a great deal of familiarity with flashing ROMs. Additionally, as this is an Alpha release, many features are currently not working, including the camera, sensors, internal and external storage, WiFi, GPS, and even screen-off functionality. Granted this sounds like a lot of “not yets” but with patience (and arter97’s dedication) hopefully everything will be running smoothly in a matter of weeks. And at the end of the day, something is always better than nothing.
We still don’t know if Androids dream of electric sheep (dessert yes), but it’s safe to say we do know what keeps Samsung up at night. Between increasingly tough competition, growing consumer unrest, and a disastrous 3rd Quarter earnings report, Samsung is definitely aware of its bedroom boogeyman.
Steps have already been taken, hence the Galaxy Alpha, Galaxy Note 4, Galaxy Note Edgeall have metal frames, almost as if the Korean giant finally acknowledged consumer demand for premium materials to go with the premium specs and premium pricing. Taking a step even further last week, it announced the Galaxy A3 and Galaxy A5, two mid-range devices made of all metal.
In just a few short weeks, 2015 will be upon us, and with it, the build-up for the Galaxy S6. The S5 failed to deliver in many ways: no QHD screen (outside of Korea at least), no metal, no major design revision, no OIS. Now that the Note 4 is out of the way, techies are looking to the future. To say that the S6 is going to be the zero hour for Samsung’s future is an understatement. It had better be…Amazing. And yet, if early rumors are anything to go on, it definitely will be.
Will the Galaxy S6 finally give us that ‘big redesign’ the GS5 didn’t?
Sammobile, one of the web’s most astute Samsung fan-sites, has uncovered a venerable trove of information related to the Galaxy S6, referred internally as Project Zero.Yesterday its sources indicated the product is being designed from the ground up with a brand new vision, and today more details have emerged. Here are some of the highlights, though please take them with a few dashes of iodized NaCl as nothing has been confirmed:
Screen: Quad HD, 2560X1440 display, though nothing has been offered about screen size. 5.3-5.5 inches might be logical given the LG G3’s size.
Camera: IMX240 sensor; (same as the Note 4), with Samsung toying between 16 and 20 megapixels, possibly the 16 with OIS. The front camera will be 5mp.
Storage: 32, 64, 128GB variants. Yes 16GB has purportedly been eliminated, something not even Apple has done.
CPU Variant 1: Exynos 7420 Octa-Core 64-Bit with possible internally developed LTE modem. Presumably for Korea and select markets.
CPU Variant 2: Snapdragon 810 64-Bit. Presumably for most markets including North America, Europe, and most of Asia.
Additional: Broadcom BCM4773 chip that will integrate various sensors including GPS together on one chip to reduce battery drain.
Model Variations: SM-G920x, SM-G925x (replace x with the regional/carrier letter of your choice). To define x, see Sammobile for the full listing of product codes.
Will the GS6 follow the Note 4’s example with a metal frame? Or perhaps instead go all-metal?
Assuming even one or two of these spec details prove to be true, the phone already sounds amazing, and we can almost guarantee it will be running Lollipop. A blazing fast 64-bit CPU, QHD screen, 128GB of memory, all coupled with a presumed brand new design (hopefully using metal) and it’s quite possible that at this point next year, Samsung will be laughing at everyone for having the foolishness to point out its 2014 fiscal fall. Add this to rumors circulating about a 2015 Galaxy Note 10.1 (will it be metal?!) and next year can’t come soon enough.
Of course it goes without saying that these are early days and so we wouldn’t get our hopes up too much just yet. After all, past Galaxy S handsets have had numerous crazy rumors, and often enough less than half of them come true. What do you think about these purported specs? Decent? Killer? Would you upgrade to the Galaxy S6, providing the majority of this proves true?
Editor’s Note: This first impressions comes from a Japanese edition of the Galaxy Note Edge. It’s likely that many of the issues and specifics mentioned below are unique to the Japanese variant of the Galaxy Note Edge, and will be likely rectified before it reaches European and Western markets. We always desire to deliver relevant, and accurate information, and our full review and coverage of the Galaxy Note Edge with video will come late next week.
Samsung turned more than a few heads last month when it unveiled its futuristic phabletalongside the more traditional Note 4. While the latter of the two has been released in many territories around the world already, the Edge couldn’t be more elusive, and now it’s exclusive (for the moment) to Japan! Read on to find out our first impressions.
In a move that can only be described as mind-boggling, Samsung has released the Edge here in the land of the rising Sun on October 23rd, despite forgoing the country on the Note 4 entirely. Barring the questions of logistics (the alleged one million production run limit by the end of the year comes to mind), the curved phablet is available on two carriers no here, KDDI Au and NTT Docomo, with the former offering a CDMA variant and the latter and larger carrier offering the more global-friendly WCDMA build.
It’s also worth mentioning that only the Docomo variant can be unlocked for international use. Let that be a warning to any potential importers. Also note that only the black model has released, with the white variant hitting stores in mid-November.
The Galaxy Note Edge is, quite frankly, the most ambitious phone Samsung has made to date. Whereas last year’s Galaxy Round had a novel approach with its curved screen, it was essentially a Note 3 minus the stylus and accompanying software. Sure, it had a great SAMOLED HD screen, sure it had 3GB of RAM, and it even had a trivial novelty gimmick with its rolling motion to look at the time without touching the power button. The Edge, on the other hand, feels more like a genuinely unique device. The curved side of the screen allows a great deal of functionality and customization, while at the same time providing a unique user experience unlike anything seen before.
The curved side display is used for quick access to applications and notifications, but via customization options, can be altered and expanded with mini games, tools, customized messages, train information, and potentially countless numbers of features once developers start programming for it. In the few days since the release here, two new (free) options have popped up in the GALAXY Apps store: a pair of panels from competing train schedule companies, joining the previously released Running Apps RAM manager and a hamburger type game.
The Edge panel is, in and of itself, marvellous and at time slightly irritating. It can be customized in many different ways via the Settings menu. The basic bar allows you to choose from the various applications installed on the phone and essentially replaces the home launcher row. Users can add more icons than fit on the screen at one time: to access them one simply needs to scroll down. At the top of the Edge panel is a little tab that, when dropped down, allows the user to access quick tools such as a ruler, stopwatch, timer, flashlight, and voice recorder.
Swiping to the left or right on the panel cycles through the active ones. After a few seconds of inactivity, the tray will disappear, and only the far right edge will be black with the text “Galaxy Note Edge” written in a styled font. This text can be changed or deleted entirely by the user. Upon touching the Edge Display region, the most recent active tray will reappear. Further customization is possible with a stock ticker-esque interface (only compatible with select apps), a night time clock mode that will keep the Edge Display active for a set number of user-defined hours with a clock and calendar, and several different color options, one setting exclusively for use with Samsung’s Flip Wallet.
In terms of design, the Edge differs slightly with its metal frame. The Note 4 is basically an enlarged Galaxy Alpha, both featuring a metal frame with flared accents on the four corners and a sculpted metal volume button. The Note 4 also features a colored stripe that goes between the metal band giving it a sandwiched effect. The Edge forgoes all of this entirely, with only a single, silver band near the screen and the remainder the colored stripe.
Said band is also completely devoid of the accents seen on the aforementioned models, as they are on the volume rocker. As many have noticed, the power button has been re-positioned to the top of the unit as it’s traditional place on the right side is impossible with the flattened body curve. Ironically the more plain look the Edge has actually makes it look better than the Note 4. It’s far more simple and solid looking, with the side display, almost as if to say “I’m deceptively simple yet beyond your wildest dreams”.
Software and feature-wise, aside from the Edge display this is the exact same phone as the Note 4: It’s running Samsung’s TouchWiz UI running over Android 4.4.4, features a 16 megapixel OIS-equipped rear camera and 3.7 megapixel front camera, Dual Band WiFi a/b/g/n/ac, the S-Pen and it’s accompanying software and tricks, etc. The screen is absolutely wonderful with its 1600 X 2560 QHD display (524ppi) and includes the same re-calibrated color modes Samsung has been using for the past few top tier devices released this year but still produce absolutely incredibly brilliant images.
Borrowing a page from the Korean version of the S5 “Prime”, the Japanese Edge comes with the Festival Effect setting, a cute little feature that-when activated-displays various animations and backgrounds on certain days of the year. As to if this novelty will reach the overseas versions remains to be seen.
The Japanese variants feature the Snapdragon 805 processor which in theory should blow everything out of the water, yet, as far as benchmarks go, it’s not possible to get proper results. Antutu is currently detecting the phone as the Galaxy Note 4, and with benchmark results that can’t even match last year’s Note 3. Quadrant yielded results on par with the Exynos Galaxy Alpha. Rest assured that the full review will have a complete breakdown of specs and scores, with the latter hopefully fixed by then.
Battery life has been slightly better than average. As of 9:30pm the phone was down to 24%, and that’s solely based on sending emails and light Web browsing throughout the day. It remains to be seen what kind of performance and results will result in more aggressive testing, such as video or gaming. This could be a result of the Edge’s 3000mAh battery, down from the 3220mAh power cell the Note 4 comes with.
In using the Edge so far, three points have struck out as possible annoyances.
While inactive (i.e. in applications) the Edge screen will deactivate and appear black. When a notification appears, it will overlap whatever you’re doing, and thus obscure the far right portion of the screen. This is particularly annoying when you are trying to type something or access a menu or button hidden underneath as doing so will immediately launch the source of the notification. You must wait for the notification to re-position itself to the Notification Shade (located via the standard pull-down menu as per usual) before normal use can resume. This is equally problematic if the Edge area is touched, which will activate the panel.
There are some performance issues (lag) that was simply not present in the Note 4. This may be due to software that has yet to be properly optimized, or it may be a result of the Edge display. Suffice to say, however, that in running Hangouts and Line simultaneously, switching between the two was met with significant periods of inactivity, such that Swiftkey didn’t even load for a good 4 seconds. It’s possible that 3GB of RAM is simply not enough to combat all the software bloat and TouchWiz layers, or it’s likely that Samsung’s software is new, and that apps themselves haven’t been updated to take into consideration the additional screen real estate.
There doesn’t seem to be a “hands off” way to activate the Edge panel. Whereas the Galaxy Round allowed users to roll it on a flat surface to glance at notifications, there is no way to turn on the Edge Display without activating the power button or Home Button. This is one instance when LG’s Knock On feature would work wonders; if the screen could be turned on by double tapping it.
On a final note, it’s also worth mentioning that Samsung’s Flip Cover works very well with this device. It’s made of the same thick material that the Galaxy S5 cover had, and protects the camera from touching whatever surface the Edge is laid down on. Furthermore its asymmetrical design allows the Edge Screen to remain visible. In Japan it retails for roughly $60US, but amazingly in light of a promotion Samsung was offering, was give away free to those who pre-ordered.
All in all, the Galaxy Note Edge feels like a healthy breath of fresh air in a market that has been centered around spec upgrades over form and functionality. Make sure to check back next week for more impressions, unboxing and comparison videos and more when the review unit arrives!
Regardless of whatever official Android version your S3 is currently running on, one thing is decidedly clear: it will absolutely not be receiving Android 5.0 Lollipop. Officially that is.
