Friday 5 September 2014

SYNAPSE CIRCUIT SAMSUNG TALK 7 THE AFTERMATH

SYNAPSE CIRCUIT
SAMSUNG TALK 7:
UNPACKED EPISODE 2 2014:
THE AFTERMATH...


Goodhour, Synapse Circuit Readers. How are you? I hope that all is well in your world! Today we got some awesome news in the form of the fantastic Galaxy Note 4!

Did the Galaxy Note 4 launch make your day?

I for one am very, very happy to know that the Galaxy Note 4 will be my upgrade later on this year! I hope to bring you a review before then!

EDGING OUT: ALPHA  
#Samsung #SamsungGalaxyNote4 #GalaxyNoteEdge #GalaxyAlpha # #SamsungUNPACKED2014Episode2 #Mega2 #GalaxyS6

UNRELENTING
As always, Samsung has come out in 2014 firing on all cylinders! I have never seen so much output from any other manufacturer. ASUS has got to be a close second what with their tablets, handsets, motherboards, etc. But I can’t think of a manufacturer other than Samsung that have put out a dazzling array of strong Android (and Tizen) products that ought to be on anyone’s Christmas shopping list:-

Galaxy S5 / Mini
Gear (range of smartwatches pre Gear S)
Galaxy KZoom
Galaxy Tab 4
Galaxy Tab S
Galaxy Mega 2
Galaxy Alpha
Gear S
Galaxy Note 4
Galaxy Note Edge
Gear VR
Galaxy Tab Active

Gosh! Golly! How about the products released internationally that the UK / European / USA markets don’t see? I could go on listing Samsung products but I won’t!

Samsung has seen firsthand how the mobile device market can change and they have responded to those changes by putting out product after product after product. It seems as though no other manufacturer can conceptualize a device and get it out to the market faster! They are good! In all the time I have known of Samsung there have been some brilliant innovations such as the initial Galaxy Note and the Galaxy Beam! The Galaxy Beam projecting handset was quite impressive and I wish that Samsung would incorporate the projector into, say the Galaxy Note, for example.

I was stunned with the first Galaxy Note and it has gone from strength to strength! Today it is flashing a bit of metal! Ha ha!

UNDERSTANDING THE
GALAXY ALPHA DESIGN

As you know, Samsung has launched the Galaxy Alpha 4.7” handset that features metal frame for that “premium” feel that those other guys keep going on about... What makes me laugh is how some of those other guys can be so dim-witted regarding some of the things I write. For example I stated that the Android (and most other handsets) are around 95% screen and the next thing I know I get the nutjobs counterclaiming my statement with vitriol. Golly!

Some sheeple are so mentally dull that they aren’t able to decipher that the user interfaces 100% through the screen – hence the term “touch screen”. Who interfaces with the back of the phone? iPhone users? No! It’s many Android handset users who are able to swap out a spent battery for a fully charged one! This is why I have gone for Samsung handsets – I can swap out the battery!

So, when I read / listen to the Apple based tech pundits saying that the Galaxy Alpha is a great handset except the polycarbonate battery cover I roll my eyes! If the Galaxy Alpha had a metal battery cover it is very likely that such a thin bit of metal will be prone to being bent out of shape and possibly breaking off where the tabs plug into the main phone.

The polycarbonate battery cover works to give the handset a practical grip and let’s not forget the brilliant Samsung ads that show iphone users being stuck to the wall via the charge cable. Like all Samsung’s handsets you’d just remove the dead battery and put in a charged spare. Simple! Why make things complicated, iPhone users? Think ‘removable battery’! Or don’t think ‘removable battery’! The choice is yours! Ha ha!

The 4.7” HD Super AMOLED (1280 x 720 312 ppi pixel density) screen is sharp enough! It’s not quite “retina” but retina on such a small iPhone screen is mostly a gimmick! The Galaxy Alpha will sit just comfortably with individuals looking for that “premium” feel as Samsung high end handsets have always had a premium experience.

Oh, I do believe that LG G2 has buttons placed on the back of that handset!

UNDERSTANDING THE
GALAXY NOTE EDGE DESIGN

C’mon, stop messing around! You and I knew that a Samsung handset featuring a curved screen was on the cards. We’ve been expecting it ever since we saw the YOUM display prototype at the CES convention. Some of us wanted to see it and some of us wanted to have it in our possession. I belong to the latter! So, why now that it is a reality are the usual (biased) pundits saying that it’s “weird”? Hahahaha! I tell you... ...whenever Samsung comes up with something truly innovative the iPhone biased tech pundits claim “weird” and “typical Samsung excess” in a hope that Samsung will crash and burn! The tech pundits were wrong about the initial Galaxy Note and they are very, very wrong about the Galaxy Note Edge. I predict that the Galaxy Note Edge will be sold out upon its release!

Had that been Apple’s innovation the tech pundits – correction: the Apple biased tech pundits – would be all over it hailing it as revolutionary! <Cue the pain of design documentary – if Jony Ive had designed the iPhone Edge> I am telling you now: Samsung have changed the way we interface with the touch screen handset!

I guess it’s because what the iPhone fanatics have to look forward to is, er... ...hmmm... ...larger iPhones. <Cue the pain of making the iPhone larger documentary starring Jony Ive who will go back on the iPhone designed around the thumb> I can’t wait to see how they front it out; it’s going to be fun! Oh, and the iWatch (name yet to be confirmed) should get iPhone fans excited! But we’ve seen a great looking bunch of smartwatches from great manufacturers – including yours truly! The Gear S!

The Galaxy Note Edge changes the way we interface with touch screen and that is true innovation unlike a bigger screen. But hey, if little things make certain sheeple happy... Or should that be “bigger things”? Ha ha!

Again, the battery of the Galaxy Note Edge is removable and the faux leather texture will make the handset easier to grip. Does it need a metal frame? Heck, no!

GALAXY NOTE 4 & EDGE SPEC
The specifications of the Galaxy Note 4 and Edge are hardcore! It would have been so sweet to have the 64-bit CPU cherry on top but they are sweet enough as it is:

GALAXY NOTE 4

NETWORK
2.5G (GSM/ GPRS/ EDGE) : 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 MHz
3G (HSPA
42Mbps): 850 / 900 / 1900 / 2100 MHz
4G (LTE Cat 4 150/50Mbps) or 4G (LTE Cat 6 300/50Mbps)
* May differ by country and carrier

CPU
2.7 GHz Quad-Core Processor
1.9 GHz Octa-Core (1.9GHz Quad + 1.3GHz Quad-Core) Processor
*May differ by country and carrier

DISPLAY
5.7 inch (143.9mm) Quad HD Super AMOLED (2560 x 1440)

OS
Android 4.4 (KitKat)

CAMERA
Rear Facing: 16 Mega pixel Auto Focus camera with Smart OIS
Front Facing: 3.7 Mega pixel camera with f1.9
Rear Facing Camera : HDR (Rich tone), Selective Focus, Rear-cam Selfie, Beauty face, Virtual Tour Shot, Shot & More, Dual Camera
Front Facing Camera: Selfie, Wide Selfie

VIDEO
Codec: H.264, MPEG-4, H.263, VC-1, WMV7, WMV8, Sorenson Spark, MP43, VP8
Recording & Playback: up to UHD

AUDIO
Codec: MP3, AAC/AAC/eAAC, WMA, AMR-NB/WB, Vorbis, FLAC()
(
) Ultra High Quality Audio (~192KHz, 24 bit) support

S PEN OPTIMIZED FEATURES
Air Command (Action Memo, Smart Select, Image Clip, Screen Write)
S Note, Snap Note, Direct Pen Input

ADDITIONAL FEATURES
Multi Window
Ultra Power Saving Mode
Voice Recorder (Normal Mode, Interview Mode, Meeting Mode, Voice Memo)
Download Booster
S Health 3.5
Dynamic Lock Screen
Briefing
Google Mobile Services:
Chrome, Drive, Photos, Gmail, Google, Google+, Google Settings, Hangouts, Maps, Play Books, Play Games, Play Newsstand, Play Movie & TV, Play Music, Play Store, Voice Search, YouTube

CONNECTIVITY
WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac (HT80) MIMO PCIe
GPS / GLONASS / Baidu
NFC, Bluetooth® v 4.1 (BLE,ANT+)
IR LED (Remote Control), USB2.0, MHL 3.0

SENSOR
Gesture, Accelerometer, Geo-magnetic, Gyroscope, RGB, IR-LED
Proximity, Barometer, Hall Sensor, Finger Scanner, UV, Heart Rate Monitoring, SpO2 (Dependent on market)

MEMORY
32 GB Internal memory micro SD slot (up to 64GB)
3GB RAM

DIMENSION
153.5 x 78.6 x 8.5mm, 176g

BATTERY
Standard battery, Li-ion 3,220mAh, Fast Charging (Adaptive Fast Charging & QC2.0)

SAMSUNG GALAXY NOTE EDGE PRODUCT SPECIFICATIONS

NETWORK
2.5G (GSM/ GPRS/ EDGE): 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 MHz
3G (HSPA
42Mbps): 850 / 900 / 1900 / 2100 MHz
4G (LTE Cat 4 150/50Mbps) or 4G(LTE Cat 6 300/50Mbps)
*May differ by country and carrier.

CPU
2.7 GHz Quad-Core Processor

DISPLAY
5.6 inch (141.9mm) Quad HD+ Super AMOLED (2560 x 1440 + 160)

OS
Android 4.4 (KitKat)

CAMERA
Rear Facing: 16 Mega pixel Auto Focus camera with Smart OIS
Front Facing: 3.7 Mega pixel camera with f1.9
Rear Facing Camera: HDR (Rich tone), Selective Focus, Rear-cam Selfie, Beauty face, Virtual Tour Shot, Shot & More, Dual Camera
Front Facing Camera: Selfie, Wide Selfie

VIDEO
Codec: H.264, MPEG-4, H.263, VC-1, WMV7, WMV8, Sorenson Spark, MP43, VP8, Recording & Playback: up to UHD

AUDIO
Codec: MP3, AAC/AAC/eAAC, WMA, AMR-NB/WB, Vorbis, FLAC()
(
) Ultra High Quality Audio (~192KHz, 24 bit) support

S PEN OPTIMIZED FEATURES
Air Command: Action Memo, Screen Write, Image Clip, Smart Select,
S Note, Snap Note, Direct Pen Input

ADDITIONAL FEATURES
Multi Window
Ultra Power Saving Mode
Voice Recorder (Normal Mode, Interview Mode, Meeting Mode, Voice Memo)
Download Booster
S Health 3.5
Dynamic Lock Screen
Briefing
Edge screen UX: Revolving Interaction, Immersive apps(Camera, Video, S Note),
Ticker board, Express me, Quick Tools, Night Clock, etc
Google Mobile Services:
Chrome, Drive, Photos, Gmail, Google, Google+, Google Settings, Hangouts, Maps, Play Books, Play Games, Play Newsstand, Play Movie & TV, Play Music, Play Store, Voice Search, YouTube

CONNECTIVITY
WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac (HT80) MIMO PCIe
GPS / GLONASS / Beidou
NFC, Bluetooth® v 4.1 (BLE, ANT+)
IR LED (Remote Control), USB2.0, MHL 3.0

SENSOR
Gesture, Accelerometer, Geo-magnetic, Gyroscope, RGB, IR-LED
Proximity, Barometer, Hall Sensor, Finger Scanner, UV, Heart Rate Monitoring, SpO2 (Dependent on market)

MEMORY
32/ 64 GB Internal memory microSD slot (up to 64GB)
3GB RAM

DIMENSION
151.3 x 82.4 x 8.3mm, 174g

BATTERY
Standard battery, Li-ion 3,000 mAh, Fast Charging (Adaptive Fast Charging & QC2.0)

GEAR VR
Gear VR is a clever virtual reality device that relies on the Galaxy Note 4 to function; it’s very likely that network retail outlets will bundle both devices at a (hopefully) decent rental cost. I am very curious – as a non-gamer and film lover this could be a way for me enjoy HD / 4K movies in the comfort of my home. No more going to a crap cinema with the annoyances around me from inappropriate placement of feet near my head, young hooligans causing minor havoc and the sickly scent of cinema food – YUCK!!!

There’s so much potential here. I will be keeping my eyes peeled on Gear VR!

CAN APPLE RECOVER FROM THESE SAMSUNG BLOWS?
The 9th day of September is 3 days away... It’s a day of reckoning. Can Apple pull ‘em out of the bag? Surely, iPhone fanatics can’t be expecting larger handsets alone? Okay, a faster processor and some refinement in the design – nothing radical. But there has to be more! It’s very likely that the iWatch will make an appearance... There’s probably a reason why we haven’t seen any “leaks” of this iWatch and we’ll find out soon enough.

I can see some new iPad models; I am curious about those. The grapevine has it that we’ll be seeing 13 inch iPad Air model with an anti-glare coating along with the standard sizes.

When Samsung dropped the Galaxy Note 4, Edge, Gear S and VR it was reported that Apple shares fell. Does that indicate weak products come September 9th? Hmmmm... Apple is keeping very, very quiet about the impending launch and this could be for one of two reasons:

The products are just updates to the existing iPhone and iPad; because of the sheer number of smartwatches announced this year the iWatch has lost its surprise appeal! I wonder how many Android fans will be watching the event live out of curiosity.

There will be some unexpected qualities in the devices that will have the wow factor for not only iPhone fans but technology fans period! Throw in a couple of Mac computers for good measure; they’ll most likely be previews of what’s to come around Christmas.

You can never really tell with Apple and they are a technological company that have fallen behind in many ways. It’s a company with its back against the wall and this would be the time to come out with some techno-guns blazing! Cook has said that they are working on “phenomenal stuff” but given that Cook is known for exaggeration I can only envision disappointment. C’mon, iOS 8 boasts functionality that Android users have had for years. And not to mention the larger screens which seems to be a big deal which is odd given that iPhone users seem very comfortable with their small screens! Talking about exaggeration...

SAMSUNG vs. APPLE?
Is the war over? The truth is that these companies will always be competing to bring innovative products to the market. What is hoped for is that there will be no more of that nastiness that has been plaguing the world of tech. I’d like to see good sportsmanship from here on out. If I see Android pie charts come the 9th and hear “those other guys” I’ll be disappointed.

Things to think about...

THANKS FOR READING...

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