SYNAPSE CIRCUIT NEWS LG G4

SYNAPSE CIRCUIT
NEWS: LG G4 HAS BEEN ANNOUNCED!

Goodhour, Synapse Circuit Readers! As always I hope that you are in the best of health and that you are getting along just great with your tech! I also hope that the weather is treating you well! Here in London, UK, the Sun shines but it is rather chilly! Gosh!

Hey, if Samsung’s latest offerings, the Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge, didn’t grab you then it is possible that the LG G4 could be your next handset... Read on!

#LG #LGG4 #G4

LEATHERETTE

NEW YORK (April 28th, 2015) — LG has launched the much anticipated G4! Whoohoo! I have to say that it is an interesting offering from LG. I loved last year’s G3 and the successor has me curious on many levels...

How would the leather feel? Will the F1.8 camera make such a great difference and especially in comparison to the Galaxy S6 / S6 Edge camera? Performance? Battery? Yes, there is plenty for me to test!

LG G4 SPEC:-                                                                                               
Also known as LG G4 H815

NETWORK
GSM / HSPA / LTE

LAUNCH                                                                                                                                   Announced 2015, April
Status: Announced 2015, April 29

BODY                                                                                                                                        Dimensions 148.9 x 76.1 x 9.8 mm (5.86 x 3.00 x 0.39 in)
Weight 155 g (5.47 oz)

SIM
Micro-SIM

DISPLAY
Type: IPS LCD capacitive touchscreen, 16M colors
Size: 5.5 inches (~72.5% screen-to-body ratio)
Resolution: 1440 x 2560 pixels (~538 ppi pixel density)
Multitouch: Yes
Protection: Corning Gorilla Glass 3
LG Optimus UX 4.0 UI

PLATFORM OSAndroid OS, v5.1 (Lollipop)

SYSTEM ON A CHIP / GRAPHICS
Chipset Qualcomm MSM8992 Snapdragon 808

CPU
Dual-core 1.8 GHz Cortex-A57 & quad-core 1.44 GHz Cortex-A53

GPU
Adreno 418

MEMORY / STORAGE / RAM
Card slot: microSD, up to 128 GB
Internal: 32 GB, 3 GB RAM

CAMERA                                                                                                                                   Primary 16 MP, 5312 x 2988 pixels, phase detection / laser autofocus, optical image stabilization,
dual-LED (dual tone) flash
Features: 1/2.6'' sensor size, simultaneous video and image recording, geo-tagging, face detection, HDR
Video:  2160p@30fs, 1080p@60fps, optical stabilization, HDR, stereo sound rec.
Secondary 8 MP, 1080p@30fps

SOUND                                                                                                                                     Alert types: Vibration; MP3, WAV ringtones
Loudspeaker: Yes
3.5mm jack: Yes

COMMS
WLAN                                                                                                                                        Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct, DLNA, hotspot
Bluetooth: v4.1, A2DP, LE, apt-X
GPS: Yes, with A-GPS, GLONASS
NFC: Yes
Infrared port: Yes
Radio: Stereo FM radio with RDS
USB: microUSB v2.0 (SlimPort 4K), USB Host

FEATURES
Sensors: Accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer
Messaging: SMS (threaded view), MMS, Email, Push Mail, IM
Browser: HTML5
Java: No

* Optional Wireless Charging (Qi-enabled)

* Fast battery charging: 60% in 30 min (Quick Charge 2.0)

* Active noise cancellation with dedicated mic

* MP4/DviX/XviD/H.264/WMV player

* MP3/WAV/FLAC/eAAC+/WMA player

* Photo/video editor

* Document editor

BATTERY
Li-Ion 3000 mAh battery
Stand-by: Up to 375 h (3G)
Talk time: Up to 10 h (3G)

MISC
Colours: G4’s premium back covers come in metallic gray, ceramic white, gold, and genuine leather. The chic coloured backs are distinguished by a textural hammered-array pattern while the classic leather option is available in a number of distinct colours and features an exquisite threaded stitch.

The battery cover also comes in a plastic variety: Gold, Metallic Gray & Ceramic White.

THE CHALLENGE IS ON
LG has pulled no punches with a removable battery and expandable storage! The camera aperture has been lowered a step further from the Galaxy S6 / S6 Edge F1.9 camera!

I am very much looking forward to reviewing the G4! You know me, I tell it to you straight!

Thank you so much for reading Synapse Circuit!

Expect more reviews, news, opinions, competitions and more from Synapse Circuit! 

REALLUSION GAME CHARACTER ANIMATION CONTEST SYNAPSE CIRCUIT

SYNAPSE CIRCUIT
NEWS: REALLUSION ANNOUNCES GAME CHARACTER ANIMATION CONTEST

TOTAL PRIZE VALUE REACHES OVER $5,000

Goodhour, Synapse Circuit Readers! I hope that you had a great weekend! I also hope that all well in your world and that you’re making the most of your tech!

Here’s some brilliant news if you have been looking for a cost effective way to get into 3D animation and without a media degree!

#Reallusion #iClone6 #3DAnimation

WHAT’S YOUR CHARACTER ABOUT, EH?

SHOW US YOUR GAME CHARACTER ANIMATION AND WIN OVER $5,000 IN COLD HARD CASH!

UK (April 28th, 2015) — Reallusion and Polycount announce the 2015 Game Character Animation Contest providing 3D artists, animators and game developers with a chance to animate and win from over $5,000 in cash, 3D software and 3D content prizes. Sponsored by: PolyCount, Allegorithmic, Indigo, Renderosity and DAZ3D

The contest will run from 25th April 2015 and close on 10th June 2015
                                                                                                                                                 
The contest invites one-and-all to participate with prizes offered for the following categories:

Best Character Animation - Create a 30 second animation sequence

Best One-Minute Movie - animate and render a minimum of one-minute of animation; such as an action sequence, short-narrative or your own original game trailer.

Best Use of iClone - Submissions including the use of iClone will be eligible for a special prize package.  Show how you used iClone in your PolyCount submission thread to qualify.

Reallusion is providing a free 45 days of iClone Animation Pipeline PRO for all contest entrants new to Reallusion and interested in exploring the capabilities of iClone. 



The iClone Animation Pipeline can import and export 3D models and animations for Maya, Max, Unity, Unreal, C4D, Blender and more.  iClone is a cinematic editing environment that allows scenes to come together with characters, lighting, cameras, effects and more for a streamlined animation experience to previz and produce every shot.  iClone Animation Pipeline  imports FBX, 3DS and OBJ and provides a complete character animation toolset based on HumanIK for body motion, along with full facial animation puppeteering and lip-synch tools. 

Entry Information:
In order to enter the competition, please visit the Reallusion main contest page for complete details, official rules and additional information:

http://www.reallusion.com/to/2015-contest/uk.asp

Pricing & Availability:
iClone6 is now available at Reallusion Online Store in 2 versions for Windows PC.

iClone6 Standard list price: £79.99

iClone6 PRO list price: £159.99

Great value bundle deals: starts from £119 

About Reallusion Inc
Headquartered in Silicon Valley, Reallusion is a leading-edge software developer providing cinematic animation tools for PC, Mac and mobile platforms. Reallusion’s pioneering storytelling technology excelling at character animation, facial morphing and voice lip-sync allows fast creation of interactive avatars for 3-D real-time filmmaking and previsualization for professional post-production. Their powerful yet easy-to-use tools make character animation accessible to both Mac and PC users of all skill levels. Reallusion’s development of core technologies and growing base of intellectual property firmly establish the company as power among emerging technology innovators, furthering their graphic and imaging embedded kernels to top-brand device manufacturers worldwide. http://www.reallusion.com/

Thank you so much for reading Synapse Circuit!

Expect more reviews, news, opinions, competitions and more from Synapse Circuit! 

GOOGLE NEXUS IN DECLINE SYNAPSE CIRCUIT

SYNAPSE CIRCUIT

NEXUS DECLINE?

#Google #Nexus #Nexus6 #Nexus9

Goodhour, Synapse Circuit Readers! I hope you had a great weekend. I sure did! I also hope that your tech is functioning as they should!

Have you heard the latest? The Google Nexus concept is in decline. Is it surprising?

THE RIGHT STUFF

It doesn't take a genius to figure out that the latest Nexus products - the Motorola designed 6" mega-monolith handset and HTC manufactured 9" tablet - weren't going to please everybody or should that be the Android fanatic? In any event, these 2014 Nexus devices weren't price friendly for the average user. 

I have the Nexus 6 and I am very, very happy with it because of the wonderful 6" SuperAMOLED screen, stereo front-facing speakers and the pure Android 5, Lollipop experience. Speaking of vanilla Android, I can't say that I've experienced the malfunctions that some claim to experience and that's why they've gone iPhone. Hahahaha! Yeah, right! 

The 6" inch screen - as beautiful as it is - proved to be too much for a lot of people. It looks like 5.5" is the sweet spot for the majority of the smartphone market. 

The Nexus 6 was a very radical departure from the Google Nexus budget ethos. And while I can believe that Google were, at one point, trying to keep up with the demand there was a cut off point that we'll get to in a bit...

The HTC manufactured Nexus 9 suffered from a similar too big, too much syndrome that has affected the Nexus 6. You know how I feel about HTC, right? No? Okay, in a nutshell, HTC are very, very capable of producing great designs when it comes to handsets but its handsets fail to deliver an all-round experience. They haven't had much experience with tablets. Google took a huge chance with HTC to deliver a tablet to rival the iPad in terms of build quality. Well, it seems as though HTC just about managed to pull it off in less than flying colours - what with the build quality coming into question.

Why the considerable jump in sizes and costs?

ANDROID WEAR

I reckon that the latest Nexus devices were meant to compliment the Android Wear smartwatch. The idea being that you'll only use the massive Nexus 6 and 9 to consume media and surf the Internet and receive notifications from the smartwatch thus allowing for a longer battery life on the - use when needed - Nexus devices. It makes sense!

I guess not everyone saw it that way. As much as I love tech - I really do - I wasn't going to be first in line for an Android Wear smartwatch due to one main reason: I want one of those things as seen in Sci-Fi movies! The Samsung Gear S had me almost there but I'm still waiting to be convinced.

Anyway, that's the reason why I think Google super-sized the Nexus handset and tablet last year. On that hypothesis I believe that's why there wasn't any choice for the Android purist purists. There should have been a Nexus 5.5" handset abs an 8" tablet; the 8" tablet duty could've gone to proven manufacturers such as Asus, Lenovo and, last but certainly not least, Samsung! 

THE WINDOW
Then there's the window of opportunity that is operated by a timer: The Next Best Thing and a slew of Android handsets coming in all different sizes and prices! I guess another aspect that has placed a chill on the Nexus 6 is that it didn't come with a 64-bit chip! 

The Motorola Moto G 4G? Is the Moto G truly a replacement for the budget conscious Nexus handset concept? I'm not so sure as the Moto G, as brilliant as it is, isn't the same as “mid-high for the price of a budget handset”. If you look at what's happening now you'll see that there are some serious challenges to the Moto G this year. 13MP appears to be a standard on the latest batch of up and coming budget handsets; it looks like many of them will feature a 64-bit processor too!

If Google are going to continue with the Nexus programme it has its work cut out. 

GOOGLE i / O 2015 NEXUS?
There's already a rumour that Google will announce a 7" Nexus tablet. Who knows? Google has a habit of ruthlessly dispensing with products that turn out to lose money. I hope not as I reckon there's milage in the Nexus brand. 

I think there is scope for Google to contract a Chinese manufacturer to produce a 64-bit 5.5" handset for under $299! It could be Huawei or it could be Lenovo as they are looking to hit the worldwide market in a big way. The Motorola name could be reserved for the Moto X... Hmm... Or Motorola will have to redefine the budget handset once again. 

I'm envisioning the demand for Samsung 64-bit chips reducing the cost of manufacture as they'll no doubt end up in many, many handsets in the not too distant future via Qualcomm contracting Samsung to manufacture its next line of 64-bit processors. Perhaps the next Nexus handset and tablet will feature such chips - that is if the fate of the Nexus 2015 products haven't already been decided. 

We'll just have to wait and see how it plays out.

Thank you for reading Synapse Circuit

See you on the next article...

GALAXY S6 EDGE THE PENULTIMATE DEFINITIVE REVIEW SYNAPSE CIRCUIT

SYNAPSE CIRCUIT
GALAXY S6 EDGE
THE PENULTIMATE DEFINITIVE REVIEW

Goodhour, Synapse Circuit Readers! It’s great to see you as always! I am so very happy that some of you have benefited greatly from my UPGRADE WITHCONFIDENCE article! I am so very glad that you have gotten some great deals with your handsets! Awesome!

Here is the Synapse Circuit penultimate definitive review of the Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge in one place for you to access! Hey, I am not telling you what to get! I am letting you know what I would get for myself! Are you sitting comfortably? I am about to justify why the Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge will be my next upgrade! Read on!

#Samsung #GalaxyS6Edge #TheNextGalaxy #UnpackedEpisodeOne2015 #GalaxyS6 #GalaxySEdge #GalaxyS6Accessories #GalaxyS6EdgeAccessories #GalaxyS6BatteryPack #GalaxyS6EdgeBatteryPack

PART ONE: THE UNBOXING
This details my first impressions of the Galaxy S6 Edge after I have opened the box! You will find out what I felt about the design and materials.

PART ONE

PART TWO: FEELING
In a nutshell I have gone into what my feelings are after using it for more than a day. I talk about the difference between the Galaxy App and Google Play Store. I also observe what’s happening with regards to a competitor’s products in the wake of the release of the Galaxy S6 Edge and Galaxy S6.

PART TWO

PART THREE: USABILITY
By now I am using the Galaxy S6 Edge as my daily driver. I am making use of the camera. I make calls. I use my favourite applications. I watch YouTube videos and try to run the battery down from using it more than I normally would use a daily driver.

I give the handset based upon my experience.

PART THREE

Thank you so much for reading Synapse Circuit!

Expect more reviews, news, opinions, competitions and more from Synapse Circuit! 

GALAXY S6 EDGE REVIEW PART THREE SYNAPSE CIRCUIT

SYNAPSE CIRCUIT
GALAXY S6 EDGE REVIEW
PART THREE

Goodhour, Synapse Circuit Readers! It’s great to see you as always! I hope that you are well and enjoying the wonderful spring weather! How are your tech projects coming along? Let me know! I am knocking around on G+ and you can let me know what you are doing!

I am going to continue with the Synapse Circuit penultimate definitive Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge review! Synapse Circuit tells it like it is! Get comfortable... Get a hot or cold beverage and a healthy snack... Okay, get an unhealthy one if you like! Lol!

#Samsung #GalaxyS6Edge #TheNextGalaxy #UnpackedEpisodeOne2015 #GalaxyS6 #GalaxySEdge #GalaxyS6Accessories #GalaxyS6EdgeAccessories #GalaxyS6BatteryPack #GalaxyS6EdgeBatteryPack

PART TWO: AFTERTHOUGHT


I am really enjoying the heck out of the Galaxy S6 Edge. I still don’t like that I can’t remove the Flipboard homescreen – the feed is okay but the actual application and the resulting widget is so much better. I still think that the homescreens should scroll infinitely. That said, I can issue a command via the S Voice which stops me from having to scroll. Cool!

The new fingerprint scanner... Hmmmm... You know what? I think I actually prefer the fingerprint scanner on the Galaxy Note 4 which I presume is the same one on the Galaxy S5. Why? Great! I am so glad you asked... ...if you have read my views on the subject of fingerprint scanning you can skip the following...

I feel that a vast majority of reviewers are either lazy or don’t quite have enough brain cells to understand that unlocking a handset should be made difficult as possible for the non-owner to gain access. When I see reviewers saying, “It’s not as instant as the iPhone,” I have to laugh! Look, if you fall asleep, let’s say on public transport, and your iPhone or easy to unlock with your fingerprint phone is on display the chances are that someone could use your finger – if in a deep sleep – to unlock it. One tap and bingo! The thief is in! Hurrah! No!

The reason why I prefer the Galaxy Note 4 fingerprint scanner is that it can take up to 3 swipes before I can unlock it with my fingerprint. If someone tried to swipe my finger whilst asleep the chances are the action would wake me. The Galaxy S6 Edge (and Galaxy S6) is pretty much instantaneous like the iPhone – I have remembered the position of my thumb and it could be that anyone trying to use my thumbprint whilst I am asleep (or in a drunken stupor... hee hee...) won’t be successful. I’ve had to practise getting my thumb in the right position! I think I’ve perfected it!

I appreciate how fast the Galaxy S6 Edge is; it’s just a fraction faster than the Galaxy Note 4 in some instances such as launching the music app Caustic 3 and the default web browser.

I love the screen! The beautiful screen is on full brightness (that’s how it was when I took it out of the box) and it doesn’t seem to have much of an impact on the battery. Whites are pristine and black is space deep! When I place the Galaxy Note 4 next to the Galaxy S6 Edge there is a difference. There’s a slight yellowish tinge or tint to the Galaxy Note 4. It’s no big deal if you happen to own a Galaxy Note 4 or wish to get it instead of the Galaxy S6 Edge / S6.



Despite hoping and wishing for a bigger screen on the Galaxy S6 Edge I am quite happy with it. I love my Nexus 6 (I think it is Google’s finest effort to date) and Galaxy Note 4 (and Galaxy Note 2) but the 5.1” screen on the Galaxy S6 Edge makes it very easy to operate with one hand. Knowing me I would have gotten the Galaxy S6 Edge if it had a bigger screen! I still think that Samsung could do a Galaxy S6 Edge (and Galaxy S6) Max! No, it won’t eat into the Galaxy Note series as the S Pen does make a tremendous difference. Besides, Samsung has put out the Galaxy Mega which boasts a 6” screen!

Still, I would imagine that 5.1” is the threshold for former iPhone users crossgrading or ditching the iPhone (in these computer exchange shops) to either this, the Galaxy S6 Edge, or the standard Galaxy S6.

I still find myself marvelling at the way the Galaxy S6 Edge has been put together. I can see that it is going to be one bitch of a handset to repair should I be unfortunate to need a repair.

While I don’t miss a removable battery I still have it in mind that a handset should be thicker rather than thin. I have big hands and it would make handling a lot easier without the protective flip-case. Also thinking of repair in mind... Would the Galaxy S6 Edge (and Galaxy S6) be easier to repair with a removable battery? Again, despite watching those ‘How much punishment can the Galaxy S6 Edge take’ videos up on YouTube I treat it with kid gloves! I am very grateful that the flip-case protects the 16MP camera lens!

Going back to TouchWiz... Another thing I would like to see on it (TouchWiz) is the ability to customize the icons (with a long press) as I reckon it would be pleasing to use some of the Lollipop themes. The next little niggle is just that – a little niggle – is a wish for Samsung to have supplied some Lollipop based wallpapers. If I have time I will make a few and make them available. And while I am at it I would like to have the ability to change the way folders look and to be able to create folders within the application drawer. Yes, I am well aware of the new ability to download themes for the Galaxy S6 Edge / S6 TouchWiz but I can’t say that I have seen anything that appeals to me. If you have seen my screenshots of my handsets you’ll know that I like my screens relatively simple and uncluttered. I’ve customized my Galaxy S4 to suit the SpeakToIt Assistant, for example, and my Galaxy S6 Edge is going to be based on the S Voice. Ah! Yes, I wish I could personalize the S Voice like I can with the Assistant app!

That’s about it for this afterthought!

IN USE


Once the nano-SIM was inserted into the top of the Galaxy S6 Edge it was all systems go! The flip-case really does make a tremendous difference in the handling of the handset; once again my big manly fingers overwhelm this blonde (Gold Platinum) beauty. So, the first thing I would urge you to do is get a protective case of some sort. Yes, the Galaxy S6 Edge and Galaxy S6 is built withstand most of what everyday life can throw at it but the Gorilla Glass 4 covering the back makes these handsets incredibly slippery! Whilst getting ready to insert the nano-SIM I rested the Galaxy S6 Edge on the arm of my couch and it started to slide down like the T1000 of the Terminator movies.

I have now mastered the fingerprint scanner to unlock it in one go! Hurrah! I would imagine that the next Galaxy handset be it the coming Note 5 and / or S7 will feature an eye reader; this is already happening on other handsets. I reckon Samsung will add an iris scan in addition to the fingerprint for extra security! We’ll see... Let’s continue with love affair, shall we?

Making a call was a good experience as the earpiece is quite loud and I was able to hear the person on the other end of the line in a typical noisy street.

The speaker at the bottom of the phone is mighty loud but it’s not like you’re gonna stand on a street corner and become a mobile (a great unintentional pun) soundsystem. By all means plug it into a small rig and become a street entertainer! There are some great music making and DJ apps available on Android of which the Samsung Soundcamp digital audio workstation is amongst them.

LIQUID


That 14 nanometer 64-bit Exynos 7420 system-on-a-chip coupled with the 3GB of LPDDR4 RAM makes interfacing liquid smooth! Oh, I guess that Android 5, Lollipop has something to do with it too! Google has done remarkably well with Android 5; it would have been something if Samsung made it possible to use the wonderfully designed icons that are part of the new “Material” design for the Android operating system. I still think that TouchWiz on the Galaxy S6 Edge and Galaxy S6 is a little too light! I have still stuck with it instead of installing my favourite alternative launcher, Nova. If you don’t know what a launcher is just enter the term “launcher” into the Google Play Store search engine. You may be astounded that you can make your handset look as you want it. Yes, as mentioned previously, Samsung has allowed the Galaxy S6 Edge and Galaxy S6 owner to download themes to change how TouchWiz looks. I personally don’t find it very appealing as I would just want some minor changes to the TouchWiz user interface overlay. I will quickly list them if you have just skipped ahead to this part of the review. You’re so naughty! Lol!

1. The ability to remove the Flipboard homepage completely.

2. Infinite scrolling of the homepages.

3. To add applications from within a folder thus saving me from having to use the application drawer each time.

4. To change the appearance of an icon with a single long press.

5. To be able to change the appearance of the folders as I do like how the folders look on the Galaxy Note 4!

6. A better looking and functioning keyboard.

That’s about all the changes I would like to make for TouchWiz; I reckon it is feasible to achieve in a update.

MULTIMEDIA STAR

Above: HOLLYWOOD, CA - APRIL 13: Fans take a selfie with actor Chris Evans using the new Samsung Galaxy S 6 edge at the release of "Avengers: Age Of Ultron" at Dolby Theatre on April 13, 2015 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Jonathan Leibson/Getty Images for Samsung) Thanks to Samsung for use of pictures. I can't wait to see the new Avengers movie: Age Of Ultron! Gosh!

Consuming media is a joy on the Galaxy S6 Edge as the screen is absolutely gorgeous with rich colours that frankly put all other screens in the shade – even the Galaxy Note 4! On full brightness the whites come out looking better than what a detergent can do for your white articles of clothing! Web surfing was / is awesome! I can read text clearly, zoom in and out with great accuracy and pictures / graphics look great!

Watching video is such a lovely experience too! The dual edge screen does take a bit of getting used to when watching videos – it’s not 3D – nowhere near – but there is a sense of depth there. I like it a lot! Oh, I must say how quickly the Galaxy S6 Edge orients itself to landscape or portrait viewing very, very quickly!

As you may or may not know, I dabble in music composition (Electronic) and using Caustic 3 is a very satisfying experience. The speaker is loud enough and represents the spectrum of tones quite well. Yes, it could be better still had Samsung added another speaker to make it stereo but as it goes I am not going to always use the built-in speaker to compose music.

PHOTOGRAPHY / VIDEOGRAPHY

Above: Piccadilly Circus at night taken with the Galaxy S6 Edge

Ever since the Galaxy S I was massively impressed with the camera! I have to confess that I get a thrill whenever Samsung announces a new Galaxy S (and Galaxy Note) in anticipation of the camera. Because of the cameras on past and present Galaxy handsets I take great pleasure in taking pictures / video around London (or any other town) to unwind and appreciate my surroundings – to record it. I have nearly always been pleased with the results. In my mind the camera functionality is what made the Galaxy S3 a roaring success and it has gone from strength to strength!

The 16MP main camera on the Galaxy S6 Edge is superb and features an optical image stabilizer to get the best picture in low lighting and general conditions! Again, you can launch it without unlocking the handset by double clicking on the “home” button; the camera is there in an instant! I have always been a point and click photographer (in the lose sense of the word, lol) and I found the camera to be very, very intuitive to use. I launch it, aim and take a still or shoot a video. I found that the ‘auto’ setting was / is enough for me. I was expecting the camera interface to be unhelpful as I have gotten used to the camera on the Galaxy S4 (which has been recently updated) what with the way the camera modes are presented but using the camera on the Galaxy S6 Edge is child’s play. The modes are there and you can download more via the Galaxy App Store. I won’t go through all the modes as they are self-explanatory but there is a ‘Virtual Shot’ that gives you a little 3D walk-around an object and the ‘Selective Focus’ allows you to change the point of focus after the photo has been taken.

There’s a ‘Pro’ mode for those who know a thing or two about photography or not... ...you can change things like the iso value, contrast, colour balance, white light balance and more! It is so easy to navigate the possibilities that it lends itself to experimentation and these experiments could teach you about the fundamentals of photography if you, like me, just rely upon the ‘auto’ settings.

And if that’s not enough you have an onboard picture editor that can really add something artistic to your photos.

I found the quality of the results to be very, very pleasing. There is a great amount of detail in the shots. The one thing that I would wish for is optical zoom as digital zoom loses a lot of detail and there’s so much noise present.

There’s a ‘Tracking Auto Focus’ to keep a moving subject / object in focus for what should be obvious reasons.

I do like that I can activate a shot by saying “Cheese”, “Smile”, “Shoot” or “Capture”.

VIDEO
Video is pretty much the same from the Galaxy S5. 4K video has the same 5 minute limitation which is just as well as 4K video recording eats up a lot of megabytes! 5 minutes is actually quite a long time to record a subject. Hmmmm... I wonder why there is a 5 minute limitation... Not to worry...

The downside of recording UHD 4K 3820 x 2160, QHD 2560 x 1440 and FHD 1920 x 1080 (60 frames per second) is that you can’t use HDR, video effects, video stabilization, taking pictures while recording video and tracking auto focus. These settings come back with FHD 1920 x 1080 (30 fps)! I also observed that the ‘Smooth Video’ option is not present on the Galaxy S6 Edge (and presumably the Galaxy S6) as it is on the Galaxy Note 4.

The voice command for video is “Record video”.

I found the quality of the video be quite outstanding. I did notice a little focusing issues as the ambient light would fluctuate. The focussing issues aren’t as noticeable as with other smartphone cameras that I have used over the years. This is why I avoid HTC handsets as they have yet to put a decent camera in one of their handsets. I am hoping that I can get a hold of the One M9 to see if there is any improvement.

RESULTS

Here are some pictures that I have taken using the Galaxy S6 Edge – I hope youlike them!

Below are links to videos shot with the Galaxy S6 Edge on YouTube! The videos are unedited in any way. I am quite pleased with them and I hope you will be too!


Night video


The video above goes up to 4K


Dusk, the Sun going down...


Street at dusk...

NOTE: I have comment on the Android review sources online that has put the iPhone camera as a standard for the Galaxy S6 Edge and Galaxy S6 to match or surpass. I don’t understand it. For a start the iPhone camera is 8MP and while it delivers good results it’s never going to beat the cameras on the Galaxy S and Galaxy Note models as the current standard is 16MP which makes for a more detailed picture that you can use in professionally printed documents. I felt that I had to clarify that for those who are confused.

MEMORY LOSS
When Samsung made it clear that there was going to be no way of extending the storage capacity through using a microSD card it divided the loyal Samsung user. I have to admit that I was a little stunned! But the handsets do come in the following configurations:

32, 64 and 128 GB. At the moment I don’t know of any retail outlet offering the 128GB version. I received the 64GB version and after the pictures and videos taken I still have over 50GB left. So, the microSD card is not an issue. If you look at the iPhone situation it starts with 16GB as a standard.

Let’s not forget that with Google Drive you have 15GB to store your pictures, video and file formats such as MP3, WAV, PDF and so on. Then there is Dropbox with 2GB! And as default, Microsoft OneDrive offers a whopping 100GB for 2 years! What happens after the 2 years? I don’t know. I assume there will be a charge to keep the 100GB or if you take out another contract after those 2 years with the Galaxy S7 Edge (presumably) the 100GB will roll on... I will cross that bridge when it comes...

I have to say that I wish that it wasn’t Microsoft offering the sumptuous 100GB as I find it (Microsoft) flaky. Yes, I hate how Microsoft operates! I have a genuine copy of Windows 7 Pro and according to Microsoft this isn’t the case. Internet Explorer was horrid and it caused me to wipe the drive and reinstall! It’s true, I should have done a back-up; fortunately the computer was new and I didn’t lose anything valuable other than time to reset it. As a result I don’t trust Microsoft. I envision that one day I go to retrieve my files from OneDrive and receive an error message instead. Did I tell you that I hate Microsoft (sometimes)? There’s never a real person at Microsoft Customer Services to speak to when things go wrong which is just as well as the person on the other end would turn blue. I will give it a try. I don’t like how invasive Microsoft is when signing up for the OneDrive service; your asked for your name and address like it is going to make any difference should you lose your files through its negligence. Microsoft gripes over!

I would recommend using a USB-On-The-Go stick for good measure / piece of mind. But so far I have quite a lot of storage on the actual internal storage.

See Galaxy S6 Edge and Galaxy S6Solutions for external storage

BATTERY
As with the exclusion of the external memory slot I was also taken aback with the non-removable 2600 mAh battery! What??? 2600 mAh??? While other handsets have gone towards over 3000 mAh I was very intrigued... Through using the Galaxy Note 4 with its fast charging battery I had a suspicion, shortly before the official announcement, that 64-bit processor and 3GB RAM would mean more efficient use of the battery. I am pleased to say that is the case!

On standby the phone doesn’t need charging for up to 3 days; of course, nobody will leave their phone on standby and not use it. Well, I actually do with the number of handsets I have! I find it interesting to see how battery power can deplete when a handset is just sitting there doing nothing. Trust me! I’ve had handsets that start with a full charge and they are ready to charge again after 4 or 5 hours!

I did push the Galaxy S6 Edge battery some... I did things like watch YouTube videos one after the other, take pictures, record video, used the DAW (digital audio workstation) Caustic 3, surfed the Net and by the end of the day I had enough battery to get home, 27%. That’s about a day of using a daily driver more than I usually would. After a Samsung update the battery when I initially first set-up the Galaxy S6 Edge I did notice that the battery seemed to have improved on what was already a pretty good duration in the first place.

As with all manufacturer claims on the battery there’s no accounting for individual use. I found that using the camera can deplete a battery rapidly and more so than watching videos. I am not a game player but I know that playing CPU and RAM intensive games can deplete a battery rapidly too.

I can honestly say that I am very pleased with the duration of the battery. From a 10 minute charge you do get around 4 hours usage – depending on what you are doing and how often!

The Galaxy S6 Edge can charge wirelessly so you don’t have to worry about cables and whatnot! I am curious about the cost of the official wireless charging mat. And I also envision that coffee shops will have wireless charging as a standard very shortly. In any event it is no effort to carry the mains charger with me to plug into the walls of coffee shops. It’s not unusual to be sitting next to an electrical outlet when enjoying a hot beverage or an alcoholic one in a pub.

However, you can get a mobile charger like the free one that EE is giving away and it’ll cost around the same or slightly over the cost of a spare battery.

The power saving mode is ever present and I doubt that you will need to use it. I haven’t so far!

Check out some battery solutions here:
Battery Solutions for the Galaxy S6 Edge and Galaxy S6

CONCLUSION

I think that Samsung has done incredibly well to come back with not one but two powerful and very stylish premium crème de la crème of handsets! Samsung, in my experience thus so far, is one of very few manufacturers that offer more of a complete package: power, speed, excellent camera and all round functionality. You can still open two windows with containing different apps like YouTube and Gmail for example.

There’s no getting away from the fact that these handsets are a little more expensive than usual but you do get what you pay for! iPhone fanatics have been silenced once and for all! I always placed power, functionality above premium materials but I can’t complain about how the Galaxy S6 Edge (and Galaxy S6) is put together aside from being slippery. From what I’ve been observing in the announcement and wake of the Galaxy S6 & Galaxy S6, iPhone owners are upgrading to these fantastic new Galaxy models. I guess it’s those iPhone users that may not have a Mac sitting at home or even have an iPad who are choosing Samsung this time around. It is not surprising in the least. The Galaxy S6 Edge looks like something out of this world and it is highly functional too! Dare I say that the iPhone trade-ins will continue? See the iPhone 6 & 6 Plus continue to get CEX’D up!

It feels great to have a unique 64-bit handset with 3GB of LPDDR4 RAM while other manufacturers are using the Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 and standard RAM. But I will test such handsets in due course.

I think that the Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge and Galaxy S6 are the ones to beat. The Galaxy S6 Edge is what I would want to own as a consumer.

SCORE


I have to give the Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge a Synapse Circuit Double Platinum for the design, materials and components. I do enjoy using the S Voice as an alternative to Google Now to interface with handset. I will keep TouchWiz for now or until the guys behind the Nova launcher announce that they can incorporate S Voice as they have with Google Now. If I said “Google Now” 9 handsets will go off! Lol!

The camera is superb and that is where the other Synapse Circuit Platinum comes from.

There is also a Smart Manager that takes care of the battery and shows battery usage where you can go into ‘Power Saving’ mode should you need to.

There’s a ‘Device Security’ that gives you a little piece of mind that you haven’t installed a maclious app. I would have liked to specify what application has access to my location and contacts, etc.

Monitor the use of RAM and end applications taking up too much RAM if performance is being affected.

There is also a ‘Storage Monitor’ that allows for the maintenance of the internal storage drive. Unnecessary files can be deleted if you are low on storage – which shouldn’t happen!

The Smart Manager isn’t bad at all. Just remember that files that are cached make applications like the web browser load your favourite pages faster and you don’t have to delete them.

There you have it! I love the Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge! It’s the best phone that Samsung has made and possibly the best phone in the world right now!  It is certainly one of the fastest if not the fastest! What a trail blazer!

FROM THE TOP!
Here are the links to part one and two: One & Two

Thank you so much for reading Synapse Circuit!

Expect more reviews, news, opinions, competitions and more from Synapse Circuit! 

UPGRADING CONFIDENTLY WITH SYNAPSE CIRCUIT

Above: An iPhone user upgrading to the Samsung Galaxy Note 4 and VR Gear.

SYNAPSE CIRCUIT
IT’S THAT UPGRADE TIME!
THE SYNAPSE CIRCUIT GOLDEN RULES

Goodhour, Synapse Circuit Readers! It’s great to see you as always! Yes, indeed! I hope the weather has been treating you well as it has me here in bonnie London, UK!

Yes, it’s that upgrade time of the year... Okay, okay... It’s upgrade season all year round! Anyhoo, if it just so happens that you are due for an upgrade and unsure about where to go next then this is article is for you! Read on!

#Upgrade #Upgrading #Samsung #GalaxyS6Edge #GalaxyS6 #MotoG4G #Nexus6 #HuaweiAscendG7

THE SYNAPSE CIRCUIT HARD & FAST SET OF GOLDEN RULES UPON UPGRADING
Upgrading can be very, very stressful as you want to make the best possible choice for your money. Your friends will tell you this with the greatest of enthusiasm but what is good for your friends may not be necessarily good for your purposes – we’ll come to your purposes in due course... Here’s a set of Synapse Circuit Golden Rules upon upgrading...

1. Always look for the best deals with a network / carrier. The best way to ascertain whether or not you are getting a good deal is to look at the same make and model of any handset that you are interested in and see what all the networks are charging on a 24 month contract basis. Look at the inexpensive handsets on offer right up to the most costly; doing this should make you familiar with the differential factors that affect the price:-

The 64-bit Octocore processor is the highest standard on Android and iPhones these days followed by Quadcore and then dualcore and they are priced accordingly. Not all 64-bit smartphones are the same, so if you see one that costs £199 it may not be as powerful and as fast as one costing £750.

Then there is the camera; if the picture and video quality is of great importance to you then you can expect to pay for it. These days it’s the Android handsets that contain cameras with the largest megapixels (MP); from 13MP to 20MP. At the moment the iPhone has kept the camera at 8MP.

RAM is a very important factor. These days the premium Android handsets have a minimum of 2GB to 4GB of RAM. RAM helps to make interacting with the interface effortless thus avoiding slowdowns and stuttering = “lag”. RAM will also allow you to multitask between several different applications opened at once on your phone i.e. with enough RAM you should be able to go from one memory intensive app to another and another and another without the phone slowing down or stuttering the applications. Again, not all phones are made equally – not even at the top of the range!

Internal Storage is very important for not only the operating system i.e. Android, iOS (iPhone & iPad) and Windows it also stores your downloaded apps from respective app stores, photos, videos, sounds and downloads (pictures, video, PDF, sound and document file from other sources like Facebook, web pages and so on). These days the trend for the high premium end of Android phones is to start with 32GB of internal storage. Many manufacturers still have a 16GB minimum standard. The iPhone and some Android manufacturers have the following options for internal storage: 16, 32, 64 and 128 GB of internal storage. Naturally, the larger the internal storage capacity the higher the cost! Lately Samsung has jettisoned the 16GB standard for 32GB on its flagship premium handsets.

I think that the iPhone is ridiculous for the asking price to have 16GB as standard.

External Storage can be an important factor if you take a lot of pictures and videos. Then there’s storing files that you have downloaded from the Net! External storage options come in the form of a microSD card. Some manufacturers do not provide the option for a microSD card such as Apple and the iPhone and those that do tend to specify a capacity i.e. some allow up to 32, 64 and 128 GB. Usually the more expensive the handset allows for the highest microSD card capacity. Not having access to an external storage microSD card may be a deal breaker for you. But 32GB isn’t bad, plus there is a solution that is known as USB-On-The-Go which is basically a USB stick with a micro USB connector. Most Android phones will make use of USB-On-The-Go.

Screen Sizes & Resolution can also affect the cost of a handset. These days the typical screen for a handset starts out at 4.7 up to a little over 6 inches. 6 inch phones are known as phablets (phone meets tablet). Android phablets does not necessarily mean that you can negate an Android tablet as there are tablet specific applications that you will not get on the 6” handset.

Most Android phones can have a High Definition (HD) resolution from 720 x 1280 to full HD 1080p and Quad HD which is 1440 x 2560 also known as 2K. Another important factor of the screen is the pixel per inch = ppi. Currently, the highest ppi rating on a phone 577 on the Samsung Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge! The higher the pixels per inch the less you’ll be able to make out the little dots (pixels) that make up what you see on a screen. Let’s get it straight right now; the iPhone retina screen is dead!

It’s not as complicated as it may first appear but get to know the individual components of a smartphone to understand what it is you are paying for. Don’t think that that an inexpensive handset is going to be the equivalent of the top of the range if that’s what you are looking for. Otherwise budget handset can be a good thing!

You will find all the important attributes of a smartphone within the “specifications” section if you are looking online.

2. Don’t feel that you have to be loyal to a network you’ve stayed with for ex-amount of years! Get the best deal. If you want to change your network / carrier then don’t let the person at the other end of the phone change your mind. Again, look at the amount of data (Internet usage), calls and texts you are paying for and compare with other networks / carriers and the kind of phone you could have (rule number 1).

3. Make sure that when you cancel a contract you do it over the phone! Do not go into a store and cancel because the sales assistants will seldom tell you that you must cancel with Customer Services over the phone. And be sure to stop the direct debit on the same day that you cancel because the chances are the network you are with will take it regardless! I had that problem with Virgin Mobile. Never again will I take out any form of contact with Virgin Mobile.

4. It’s always a good idea to pop into a store to check out the latest handsets but do not feel under any pressure whatsoever when a sales assistant tries to use sales selling techniques on you. Just laugh at them! Most of the time these sales people are confidence tricksters; the trick, if you don’t know, is for the sales assistants to get the customer to keep saying “yes”. No! Do not fall for it. See what happened when I went with a friendto check out the possibility of a new handset (and to get a free power bar)with the network EE. Remember: There is a reason why the sales assistant is called precisely that and not Customer Assistant. All these tricksters want to do is guide your money into the cash register. It’s sad but true!

5. If you are going to pay more than £40 each month for a top notch phone then you better had get an unlimited something i.e. data (Internet usage), voice and / or texts.

6. Haggle! It’s worth trying to see what a network will offer to keep your custom or to have it. “What are you going to offer me to stay?” “I am thinking of leaving my current network because I am paying too much for such a small Internet data allowance... What can you offer me as a new customer?” If you decide to go with Three or Tesco mobile mention my name, Blue Gene / Synapse Circuit, and see if you can get a discount. “My friend, Blue Gene, says that you could do me a good deal as he has contracts with you...” I can’t guarantee anything but it is worth a try! Three and Tesco can be quite good by the way of offering an incentive. I have found that EE, Virgin and O2 aren’t flexible at all.

PURCHASING OUTRIGHT
Because the standard of Android handsets are increasingly high it means that what was once considered high-end is now available at a mid-range price. Such handsets are affordable and that means you can take out a SIM only contract that should give you more for your money!


Above: The Motorola super-budget smartphone, Moto G

I would advice to stick to known brands like Motorola and Samsung. I will give you a wholehearted recommendation to purchase outright and that is the Motorola Moto G 4G model. It features a quad-core 1.2 GHz processor, a 5” 720 x 1280 HD screen resolution with a 294 ppi rating, 8MP main camera that can record HD video up to 1280 x 720p, 8GB of internal storage, up to 32GB of microSD storage and the latest Android operating system which is version 5, codenamed Lollipop. Sure, the internal storage isn’t that great at 8GB but that is quite enough for most of – if not all – social networking apps like Facebook, G+, Instagram and so on plus a good amount of those free video / voice calling apps like WhatApp, LINE, Viber, Tango, etc. Besides, how many of those calling apps do you need? I have the 3G version and I can tell you that I’ve got a load of apps on it with 1.96GB to spare!

If you are able to purchase a handset outright for around £150 - £200 it will save you a bit of cash with a SIM only deal. Look for a good deal that offers unlimited Internet data as you can feel free to use those free video, voice, text and multimedia messaging apps without worrying that you have gone past your limit thus incurring extra charges!


Above: The brilliant Huawei (wha way) Ascend G7

The second handset that I will recommend checking out is the Huawei Ascend G7 for £199.95 you get a 5.5” 720 x 1280 pixels with a 267 ppi pixel density rating, quad-core 1.2 GHz, 16GB internal memory, 2GB RAM, 4G, and a potentially good 13MP camera that can record full HD video at 1920 x 1080p!

If I can find some other good bargains I will let you know! I try to review as many different handsets as I can!

TIP: Synapse Circuit Readers UK, watch out for a good deal with TalkTalk. I spoke with a representative on the street who stated that there is a possibility of an unlimited everything SIM only deal for £20! Hopefully this possibility turns out to be a reality!

LAST YEAR’S MODEL
If you are not the type of person that feels the need to get the very latest model then I would recommend that Samsung Galaxy S5 as it comes with a great 16MP camera and the LG G3 which has a 13MP!


Above: The Galaxy S5 launch. The Galaxy S5 is a great handset and very underrated. If someone gave me a free iPhone 6 or 6 Plus I would trade it in for the Galaxy S5. You know I would!

On the Three network you can get the Samsung Galaxy S5 with unlimited Internet data, texts and 600 voice minutes for £37 with an upfront cost of £9!

Sticking with Three you can get everything unlimited for £40 and no upfront cost!

Above: The stunning LG G3

Again, with Three the LG G3 is everything unlimited (Internet, calls and texts) for a brilliant £36! No upfront cost!


Above: The gorgeous Google / Motorola Nexus 6

You can’t really go wrong with those two handset mentioned above. I could also recommend the wonderful Google / Motorola Nexus 6 at £35 per month with Tesco mobile but you get 2GB of Internet data, 3000 minutes of talk time and 5000 texts. Try and haggle for 3GB of data for £35!

iPHONE?
I would advise anyone thinking of upgrading from an older iPhone model to the latest iPhone 6 & 6 Plus to forget it as owners of these models are getting rid of them in computer exchange shops around London! Why? In a nutshell Apple have taken the equivalent of the Robin Reliant, stuffed a V12 (a 64-bit processor) engine in it and given it a new shell. You would be paying good, good hard earned money for what I consider to be a “hacked” job. Apple is not a company of engineers nor is it a manufacturer. The iPhone is comprised of Frankenstein bits from other manufacturers such as Samsung! Apparently, Samsung is going to help Apple develop a decent screen for future iPhones. 200 Samsung employees are said to be tasked with the job of developing a new iPhone screen!

The iOS operating system seems half baked as it is unable to make proper use of full 1080p HD let alone Quad HD at 2560p! As for the apps? The Google Play Store have caught up with quality apps for the Android operating system for both handsets and tablets. The iPhone is out of date in its current state.


Above: More and more iPhone 6 & 6 Plus handsets are being traded in for better Android handsets.

Here’s proof that people are trading in the latest iPhone models (presumably for the latest Android handsets). iPhone6 / 6 Plus gets CEX’D up!

HIGH END
At the moment I can only recommend the following:-



Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge and the standard Galaxy S6 – the cameras should be the same! I have been taking the time to review it of late and I am enjoying it thus so far. I was hoping to bring you the last instalment of the review but I had such a busy day that I will deliver it to you later on today, 23^rd April 2015. Thank you for your patience.

Samsung Galaxy Note 4; I reviewed it last year and it packs an almighty punch! Here’s the review: Synapse Circuit Galaxy Note 4 Review

I hope to bring you more reviews soon! I would like to get a hold of the LG G4, HTC One M9 and the Sony Z4 to name a few! Standby!

CONCLUSION
You should be able to look at what all the networks / carriers are offering to decide what’s the best option for you! I have gone with Three and Tesco Mobile as they had the best deals on the handsets that I were interested into at the time. Also I test many phones – not as many as I would like – so I have a bunch of SIM only contracts should I get the latest handsets to review!

I found Virgin Mobile to be conniving and troublesome. EE prices are way too much for what they are offering. O2 may be in the process of being bought out by Three and I can’t say that I like what it has to offer. And TalkTalk could be offering some good prices on SIM only contracts – especially if you have a broadband service with them!

I hope that you have found this article useful! If you have any questions you should know you can reach me through G+. And some of you know my Facebook profile. Look forward to chatting with you!

Thank you so much for reading Synapse Circuit!

Expect more reviews, news, opinions, competitions and more from Synapse Circuit!