SYNAPSE CIRCUIT SAMSUNG GALAXY S8 AND S8 PLUS

SYNAPSE CIRCUIT 

SAMSUNG GALAXY S8 & S8+ THE THRILL IS GONE...

Goodhour, Synapse Circuit Readers! Did you have a good weekend? Have you calmed down over Samsung's great big reveal? Ha ha! Read on!

#Samsung #GalaxyS8 #GalaxyS8+ #Bixby #DEX

POST UNPACKED EVENT SAMSUNG GALAXY S8 & S8+

London, 02 April 2017 The thrill is gone for mobile phone press launches. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed the recent Samsung Unboxing Event in New York on the 29 March 2017. But look: Deja vu?

PREMONITION?

Expectations management, that's the nature of the “leaks”. I get it. I understand. But these “leaks” detract from the impact of such a huge press event. Don't you want to be surprised?

The big reveal turned out to be the big confirmation. That said, I was very, very pleased with what Samsung has delivered. The Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus have gone down in history as the best designed smartphones ever! It's one thing to see the pictures and video of these awesome handsets, it's another to have it in your hands!

It's fairly early in the year but it looks like Samsung have won the Smartphone of the Year Awards already! It looks like the iPhone 8 is going to be pretty much the same.

The only point of disappointment, mild disappointment, is the camera setup. I was hoping for a dual camera or something different… But it remains to be seen what the camera app will bring to the table.

ON DISPLAY

By the looks of it, Samsung played it a little cool, a little safe with the Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus. Nothing overly spectacular in terms of technological advances that ushered in the Galaxy S4. Certainly nothing to tax the battery in the extreme!

The screens are set to 1080p by default and one has to manually switch to 2k. Some people seem to be upset with this default setting. But it makes sense to not have the display set to 2k when it's not needed. No doubt people will have the screen set to 2k all the time as this is what the standards dictate. However, I think it's a great idea to switch to 1080p to save battery consumption. You're not going to notice much of a difference when interacting with social media networks and surfing the web on the 1080p setting. Samsung calls this HD Plus.

I think many Android fans have it in mind that having continuous full on hardware power is best but when that power is doing nothing in the pocket then it's a waste. No doubt switching to 2k will be great for VR and 4k videos.

ALL HANDS ON DeX

If the price is right, I think that DeX will be a winner! Samsung had something similar to DeX in the form of a hub for the Galaxy Note 2 that for discontinued for some reason - possibly it was too advanced for it's time. DeX makes sense in this current era of inexpensive PC 1080p, 2k and 4k monitors.

Samsung have been in partnership with a few developers to take advantage of the version of Android that has been optimised for desktop environment. I would imagine that DeX could speed up the development of Android tablet apps. It's about time!

Should the DeX hub come in at under £200 then I'm sure that consumers will go for it in a big way! Can you believe that right now there are people out there with a Windows XP system that's struggling to be of any use? All such XP folk would need is a decent phone upgrade, the Galaxy S8 or S8 Plus and DeX. Problem solved! Yes, there are a limited range of apps optimized for DeX but that will change over time. I'm going to get DeX as I can envisage hooking it up to my TV setup for an even smarter TV experience.

MY EXPECTATIONS FOR THE GALAXY S8 AND S8 PLUS

It appears that Samsung is aiming the Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus models at the average consumer that appreciates high-tech simplified and with sublime aesthetics to match.

There's enough power under the hood to please the hardcore hardware fanatics as the Snapdragon 835 system on a chip is one of the best there is. Samsung's own Exynos chip is practically the same as the 835!

While I don't think the Snapdragon 835 and the Exynos chips will smoke the iPhone A10 (and forthcoming A11), the respective performances won't have you thinking about the iPhone. I never think about the iPhone when using my Android handsets that includes the Galaxy Note 4 and the Galaxy S6 Edge. Premium Android handsets just do what they're meant to.

As a result, I'm expecting an all-round top performer in terms of camera, responsiveness and usability where apps are concerned.

SCANNERS

I'm not on about the 80’s Sci-Fi Horror Thriller. I'm on about the ways in which you can unlock the Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus models. You've got the fingerprint reader at the back that has been awkwardly placed next to the camera lens; then there's facial recognition that's been a part of Android for a good while now, and, finally, the iris scanner! In a way I'm surprised that Samsung didn't throw in a voice recognition unlock for good measure!

If you ask me, it looks as though Samsung are trying to outdo the forthcoming iPhone 8 as it is reportedly coming with a facial recognition unlock. And Apple may have worked out how to put a fingerprint reader under the screen!

The Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus were rumoured to come with a fingerprint reader under the screen but once you have an iris scanner would you care for a fingerprint​ scanner under the screen?

The facial recognition unlock could work for specific functions such as DeX. But the safest way to secure the Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus models is the iris scanner, followed by the fingerprint reader, and followed by a password.

REASSURANCE

I think that Samsung have played it relatively safe due to the unfortunate issue of the Galaxy Note 7 battery. As I've stated earlier, Samsung has walked a balance between gorgeous futurist aesthetics and superlative technological advancement that can freak out some users. Look, the iPhone is successful because it's simple (and some would argue that it's boring too).

Samsung has managed to achieve the best looking handsets in the world that's married to technological advancement wrapped up in the guise of simplicity. That's not an easy thing to do. Again, what makes Samsung's Galaxy series of premium handsets stand out is the Synapse Circuit “All-Round” factor that other handset manufacturers can seem to match. HTC is a prime example, great designs but the camera is truly lacklustre!

FINALLY… ARE THE GALAXY S8 AND S8 PLUS PERFECT?

Above: The price is right at £779!

I suspect that there will be some that'll say the speaker isn't as loud in comparison to other flagships. But we seldom use our handsets at full blast in public. And when you're at home the volume level is fine. Personally, I'd be more inclined to use a Bluetooth speaker to get more mileage out of music and video. At the same time, I would've loved to have seen Samsung place a set of stereo front facing speakers on one of their flagships!

The placement of the fingerprint reader is not the best; I'm sure users will learn to pick up the Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus in a certain way that reduces smudging the camera lens - if they use it.

Is Bixby any good? Think of Bixby as a baby; it relies on people using it on a regular basis for it to learn and, consequently, get better. I'm going to give it a try. I think that the ability to control certain apps and the phone itself via voice commands is a welcome additional functionality. I also think it's a good idea to give it its own hardware button instead of making it activate through a voice command, “Okay, Bixby!” I'm sure that a voice commanded Bixby is in the pipeline. I'm quite sure that a voice activated Bixby could work on the bigger Galaxy Note 8 that features advances in technology to make a voice activated Bixby worthwhile.

I think that the Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus are pretty darned perfection! I'm after the Plus version!

Review coming soon…

Thank you for reaching!

Synapse Circuit/Blue Gene

SAMSUNG SUPERNOVA, SYNAPSE CIRCUIT

Above: The official "What Happened" video from Samsung!

SYNAPSE CIRCUIT 

SAMSUNG SUPERNOVA 

Goodhour, Synapse Circuit Readers! 

Have you lost faith in Samsung?

#Samsung #Galaxy #Note #7 #GalaxyNote7 #Battery #ExplodingBattery#GalaxyS8 #S #GalaxyS #Android #Flagship #Smartphone

NEVER!

UK, January 24, 2017, I never lost faith in Samsung. At the time I took a short break from writing I had to witness what would have been the best phone of 2016, the Samsung Galaxy Note 7, literally crash and burn, in relative silence - this online magazine, Synapse Circuit, is my main voice of The World of Tech! 

OVERREACTING
Sure, it was so very unfortunate for Samsung to have had such a terrible mishap. Did the media overreact? Well, look at it this way: the most desirable phone in the world suddenly became unavailable. Is it any wonder that Technology Lovers would be so disappointed that they reacted in the way that they did? 

I am due an upgrade and the Samsung Galaxy Note 7 was the only phone to upgrade to; I was very disappointed. However, through my disappointment, I realized that this was just a small setback for Samsung. When you push technology Samsung does then something can go wrong from time to time. Batteries catching on fire and exploding is not just a Samsung phenomenon; exploding batteries can and has happened and will happen again to any manufacturer. 

DESIGN FLAW?
I will always maintain that many of today's smartphones have one design flaw... They are too thin! As a result the battery is compromised somewhat. All you have to do is put your handset in your back or front pocket and bend. The handset will bend and it puts a strain on circuit-board and, of course, the battery. You could be one of the unlucky ones to have compromised your phone's battery through placing it in your back pocket; the battery could explode due to the lithium and other chemicals being exposed. Such as explosion could happen without the battery being placed on charge.

Exploding batteries have happened to iPhone users too - as well as other brands. It just so happens that people take more notice if this happens to such a popular brand such as Samsung.

Battery technology is very, very slowly evolving compared to the other components. I do think that manufacturers should make smartphones whereby the battery can be replaced. I would have thought that there would be more money in selling spare batteries.  

GALAXY NOTE 8
Some Tech pundits had the Galaxy Note line dead and buried but I figured that the Galaxy Note line of smartphones is too massive to bury. It's the equivalent of trying to bury the Eiffel Tower in sand using a single teaspoon to either dig a hole large enough or to cover it. The Galaxy Note series is an industry unto itself.

You saw the amount of technology that went into the Galaxy Note 7 that it makes you wonder about the forthcoming Galaxy Note 8! When the Galaxy S8 drops it is going to make yet another impact in the mobile industry. And when the Galaxy Note 8 is ready... WOW! I think it will revolutionize the mobile industry like the first Note did.

THE GALAXY GAUNTLET
Look, since Samsung threw down the Galaxy S & Note gauntlets to manufacturer has beaten Samsung outright. A few have come close but, arguably, no manufacturer has been able to beat the Galaxy & Note from inception. Not even the iPhone plus variant. 

This year, I think it will be another close call between LG, Lenovo-Motorola and Huawei. I think we might just get few surprises from the Chinese based manufacturers. That said, I do see Samsung finishing 2017 as the King of the Smartphone World. 
Above:The Snapdragon 835 SoC is smoking the iPhone A10 but that can change with the A11. But if Samsung manufactures the Apple A chip then surely they ought to know how to make chips that can surpass it, no?


Again, I am very curious about the CPU, SoC (System on a Chip); will it be able to be as fast as the A11 chip in the forthcoming iPhone 8? No, I don't hate Apple or the iPhone. They are simply not for me. But as a Tech Lover, I want to see Android fly on the next flagship from Samsung and any other manufacturer.

IN CLOSING
Yes, I would want a Galaxy S8 & Note 8. I wouldn't hesitate for a second. Samsung has something to prove and that makes them eager to push mobile phone technology further than any other manufacturer. With the battery lesson learned, I don't think we have anything to worry about - if you, like me, are a Samsung user!

Thank you for reading!

Synapse Circuit!

APPLE WATCH A BIT iFFY SYNAPSE CIRCUIT

Above: The long, long overdue Apple Watch. Can it live up to the hype?

SYNAPSE CIRCUIT
APPLE WATCH: A BIT iFFY.

Goodhour, Synapse Circuit Readers! I hope that all is well with you and yours! I also hope that your tech is performing as it should! Nothing worse than glitched out tech! Hey, my Samsung Galaxy S2 is still going strong!

Man, it’s as though Apple can do no wrong even when it is doing wrong! The Apple Watch isn’t commercially available and already it has “won” an award from the iF International Forum Design in Germany! Gosh! Golly! Gee! Wow! Isn’t that amazing? Isn’t that fantastic?

#Apple #AppleWatch #Samsung #GearS #Moto360 #AndroidWear

iFFY
C’mon, can an unproven smart or dumb watch win an award for “design”? If Synapse Circuit were to give an award for aesthetics alone that award would go to Samsung’s Gear S! It scores platinum as it is a great curved screen design and it looks like the future now! Samsung has been on top of the smartwatch game for quite a while now; they’ve been experimenting and working hard on creating the ultimate smartwatch. Whether it runs Tizen or Android Wear is immaterial as it works with Galaxy handsets.


Above: The elegant techno-chic of the Samsung Gear S running Tizen; it can take calls too amongst many functions. It pairs up with a Galaxy Android handset too! 

But this unproven Apple Watch has won an award???? It seems like Apple is taking shortcuts to glory – I hope not for the sake of the Church of Apple parishioners but you’ve only got to look at the lacklustre iPhone 6 & 6 Plus to see that some of it is a mishmash of newish and very gone past the sell by date technology. The fingerprint scanner is fairly new to Apple but was a feature on early Motorola handsets; I think fingerprint technology for unlocking a phone is overrated but great to verify payments. But, hey, Apple has been beaten once again by ZTE and its retina scanner on the Grand S3 handset and I wonder if Apple will somehow use a retina scanner on the iPhone 7. The Retina screen has been buried, dug up and cremated by a number of screens on Android handsets. The only thing worthy of praise on an iPhone is the processor. As for iOS... ...it’s not Android. Sorry if that upsets anyone.



So, if the Apple Watch is following in that iPhone line then I think it’s not going to be good news. I get the impression that Apple is working frantically behind the scenes to get the Apple Watch into shape to stand up to the competition. Well, it’s not exactly a competition is it? I mean, I won’t be getting an Apple Watch as all my gear is Android. Yes, I would love to buy into something different to switch it up and keep it interesting but I honestly don’t see much out there. I think Ubuntu for mobile and Tizen could really deliver something interesting and worth having in the not too distant future.

ANDROID WEAR PREPPING FOR iOS
Google are said to be working on an iPhone app that will provide a bridge to Android Wear devices. Now I wonder why that is? Is it because Google are anticipating the Apple Watch to be something of a disappointment?

Well, I hope not as the Church of Apple followers deserve the best. But they have put up with the iPhone... Another factor is that the Apple Watch will be the first of its kind for Apple whereas other manufacturers – principally Samsung – have had many smartwatches out already. So, I would imagine that there is a lot of pressure on Apple to deliver.


Above: The rather good looking ASUS ZenWatch.

At this point I can understand a little why Cook and co talk it up big as they have to push themselves to live up to the hype. That’s a lot of pressure they put on themselves and it could look very, very bad when they don’t deliver. That “Digital Crown” could turn them into Digital Clowns overnight with the impending release of the Apple Watch come 9 March 2015. So far it looks like Apple is doing a hype job in the fashion industry to make the Apple Watch something of a fashion statement / icon before anyone has a real chance to see what it is all about. It’s kind of clever but if the smartwatch is more of a miss than a hit it would be interesting to see if the fashion industry will disassociate itself from the Apple Watch and how quickly.

What will the Apple Watch do differently from what Android Wear, Tizen and WebOS? We’ll just have to wait and see! Are you planning on getting the Apple Watch?

RIVALRY


Above: Spot the ugly duckling...

That’s right, Apple and Samsung are still locked in a battle of rivalry. There is a reason why Samsung kept it pure Galaxy S6 & S6 Edge – with the exception of the Gear VR S6. Whether you like it or not the iPhone 6 & 6 Plus has been outclassed by the Next Galaxy – twice! Trust me; Apple is feeling the pressure to deliver! Look at the time it has taken from when the Apple Watch was introduced in September 2014 to March 2015. Six months! Apple knows, like we all know, that Samsung is capable of knocking out a device from conception to retail in less than half the time! And with the amount of practice that Samsung has had with the smartwatch they can definitely analyse what the Apple Watch is about and produce something to rival it many times over.

Samsung is always hungry and they intend to claw back its market share. Rumour has it that Samsung are getting ready to announce another smartwatch and I am quite sure that they are waiting to see what the Apple Watch is all about before they make their move. I am anticipating something elegant, futuristic like the Galaxy S6 is and very, very functional. I can see Samsung also aligning itself with the fashion industry because what they have to offer will be something that looks great and can deliver the goods!



I feel the pressure for Apple. Apple relies on others to manifest its ideas whereas Samsung is a manufacturing industry unto itself! And that’s one major difference between Apple and Samsung. There is only so much that hype can do! Apple may garner awards but it’s the functionality that counts. There again Apple has created such as brand that many people want to buy into.

Thank you so much for reading Synapse Circuit!

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

Please check out the Synapse Circuit site here: Synapse Circuit.com

Synapse Circuit for tech news, opinions, articles, reviews and competitions. You will find interactive PDF magazines, videos and links to free legal software! Check it out at Synapse Circuit dot com

SYNAPSE CIRCUIT SAMSUNG GALAXY S6 FOLLOW UP

Above: Galaxy A7 with unibody design.

SYNAPSE CIRCUIT
SAMSUNG GALAXY S6:
THE FOLLOW-UP!

Goodhour, Synapse Circuit Readers! What’s happening in your lives? Are you feeling the need to make some noise? I don’t know about you but I just LOVE that computer music technology allows us to express ourselves using sound!  No matter what level you are on when it comes to music it is a joy to make noise! Y’know? Do your own thing and put some beats together! Here’s some great music making software: Computer MusicSoftware / Mobile Applications

Here’s my follow-up to the Samsung Galaxy S6 speculative article...

#Samsung #GalaxyS6

A-OKAY?
As you know Samsung has released the Galaxy ‘A’ series of handsets that has an aluminium unibody, the A3, A5 & A7! Is this an indication for the direction that the Galaxy S6 is heading in? I don’t think that this is in keeping with the “Project Zero” ethos, right? Nonetheless, the Galaxy A handsets is quite interesting in that they do not show off the metal like HTC does for example! They all have the same camera configuration: 13MP main and 5MP front-facing. The screen sizes are as follows: 4.5”, 5” and 5.5” and they appear to be 720 – that ought to keep the battery going for more than a day! The speaker is now next to the camera lens at the back and I am not too sure if this is an optimal setting for the speaker!

HOW DOES THE GALAXY A SERIES TRANSLATES TO THE GALAXY S6?
I do have my reservations where a unibody, non-removable battery is concerned on a premium daily driver for what should be obvious reasons. I am trying to imagine the double edged Galaxy S6 and how a removable battery can be incorporated in the design; if it is anything like the Galaxy Note Edge I can see how a removable battery would work... There again, I can see Galaxy S6 Dual Edge being a unibody to make life easier and therefore I envisage a huge battery on it! I also envisage a 5.5” qHD display looking like a diamond sitting upon a metal bed! That can work!

And if the standard Galaxy S6 is to also sport a unibody then it makes me wonder as to what Samsung will provide as accessories... Could we be seeing protective covers with an auxiliary battery pack that kicks in when the nonremovable battery expires?

As for the camera; I still have it as 20MP and 13MP front-facing as it is a premium flagship over the mid-range Galaxy A.

Is the positioning of the speaker on the Galaxy A series an indication of things to come on the Galaxy S6? I wouldn’t like to think so because I know that one of the features of a premium Galaxy handset is audio! The Galaxy Note 4 features Ultra High Quality Audio (192KHz, 24 bit) support; however I do think that the speaker could have been better on the Galaxy Note 4 to do the sound more justice. It’s very good but I felt that it could be better still! Again, if the Galaxy S6 is going to feature a unibody design on both standard and dual-edge I feel that the logical place for the speaker is at the front and by the exceptional design standards set by HTC, Motorola and ASUS (apologies if I left any other manufacturer out) I think it is time that Samsung goes stereo front-facing speakers on this one! If not I would like to think that Samsung will make more space for the speaker(s) at the back. This tiny thing on the Galaxy Note 4 is pushing it a bit!

A MASS EXYNOS
Did you see what I did there? Hahaha! Anyway, when I put the Synapse Circuit ideal Galaxy S6 innards I was toying with the idea of stating the Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 as it has apparently been outed! But in any event I just put down the fastest 64-bit CPU that is going into the LG Flex 2 and a few other handsets! Heating problem? Who can tell? Samsung, as far as I am aware, has not made an official statement about Qualcomm’s flagship processor! I have always wondered how it is possible that Samsung has its own chip manufacturing business as it makes chips for Apple and only some international markets get premium Samsung devices with its own Exynos chipset!

I have understood that the Exynos 7420 is touted to be the 64-bit processor in ALL the Galaxy S6 handsets! It makes sense for Samsung to push its own chipset due to the profits taking a dip of late. Sometimes I wonder if the tech media are trying to make something out of nothing and make-up statements such as the Snapdragon 810 “overheating” and that Samsung have more or less turned its back on Qualcomm... Snapdragon is a part of the Galaxy A range! I think this is a good time for Samsung to put its Exynos processor to work internationally!

The Samsung Galaxy S6 may be revealed at the Mobile World Congress 2 – 5 March 2015, Barcelona, Spain!

GALAXY ROUND?
In addition to the Galaxy S6, Samsung could be revealing a round Moto 360-like smartwatch that is said to be running the full version of Android! Knowing Samsung I reckon there will be a couple more wearable devices with the Tizen operating system!

Bring it on!

FINALLY...
...can Samsung turn its finances around?

Look, I can’t deny the fact that I am a Samsung person; the Galaxy S and Note series of handsets have given me what I want: power, speed, a great camera and removable battery. I would like to see Samsung cleaning up this year!

What a lot of people don’t realize is that many Samsung handsets sell steadily over time. I think the Galaxy S2 or a variant of it was selling up until the last couple of years here in the UK! I would imagine that the Galaxy S3 Neo, S4 and S5 will still be a choice for upgrades for a while to come – especially the S5 as I am sure that active people would get it due to the water and dust resistance! I can see it becoming a secondary or even third daily driver for those that like to have multiple handsets for different functions! Oh, another rumour is that the Galaxy S6 will not have the water and dust resistance... Even more of a reason to have the GS5 as a driver for when you’re at the gym, jogging, etc!

IS THE iPHONE 6 & 6 PLUS SELLING OVER SAMSUNG?
To be totally honest with you I can’t trust anything with regards to Apple as they are not truthful. iPhone 5C... Ahem... Sssh... I think Apple puts out these press releases to make people think that they are selling by the masses when they are not. If you have been following my articles I have exposed a number of discrepancies with Apple stories! I have also exposed a definite undeniable bias in the tech media! So, I really can’t believe any of it! One of the main reasons why I don’t believe is that the iPhone is behind in terms of technology.

1. Retina display: DEAD.
2. Design: SURPASSED.
3. iOS: SURPASSED.

If anything disgruntled iPhone owners that got fed up for waiting for Apple to deliver a phablet may have come back from going Android. I would imagine it is because it’s like having an iPad which has now been cannibalized. I can’t deny that the iOS platform doesn’t have great apps! Android is catching up and I wish Google would step in and step up! Samsung is very clever by having special apps only available for its own handsets such as Soundcamp (as I keep going on about)! I wish on the Galaxy App Store that Samsung just provides apps of its own making and / or collaborations with other developers; I think wading through the crap on Google Play is enough!

The point I am making is that the iPhone is always going to sell and that Apple fanatics have gotten a phablet at last! However, for Android a 5.5” display is no longer considered to be a phablet. So, Apple is still trailing! When Apple gets around to putting out its smartwatch, Apple Watch, I can see that hardcore Apple fanatics will rush out to get it and the press will lap it up just like they’ve made a big deal about the 6 Plus! I find it very odd that the press aren’t as enthusiastic about the Galaxy Note 4 and Note Edge. But that’s good because these handsets sell themselves! You will find that the sales for the Galaxy S6 will be like that of the iPhone 6 Plus because of the following factors:-

1. 64-bit Exynos processor (and hopefully 4GB RAM). Now that 64-bit on Android has truly arrived I can’t see how Apple can vie for the Android market. I would also imagine that developers would want to create apps that can take advantage of that processing power! Here come some more serious apps at last!

2. Quad-HD screen – hopefully it will be a 5.5” as that worked for LG G3. Also a 5.5” qHD screen may entice disgruntled iPhone 6 Plus users as it was not what they are expecting (I have showed you the crazy amount of iPhone 6 Plus devices dumped in the computer exchange shops already)!

3. Android 5 Lollipop and a super-optimized TouchWiz. ASUS has shown that a UI overlay doesn’t mean lag! Zen UI is pretty decent!

Some people like pure Android and some like what TouchWiz brings to the table! I appreciate them both hence why I have a Nexus 6 and a Galaxy Note 4! I would imagine that with the 64-bit capability and possible access to 4GB RAM that TouchWiz can possibly do even more and without the occasional lag!

Bottom line is: The Galaxy S6 should sell extremely well! It is almost certain that the Galaxy S6 will be my next handset!

And that was the follow-up to the GalaxyS6 Double Edged Sword article!

Thank you so much for reading Synapse Circuit!

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

Please check out the Synapse Circuit site here: Synapse Circuit.com

Synapse Circuit for tech news, opinions, articles, reviews and competitions. You will find interactive PDF magazines, videos and links to free legal software! Check it out at Synapse Circuit dot com

A NEW SYNAPSE CIRCUIT WEBSITE IS ON THE WAY! 

SYNAPSE CIRCUIT APPLE TALK IN THE CLOUDS

The invite: iCloud users wish you could say more too.

False sense of security: Have you removed your compromising pictures yet?

SYNAPSE CIRCUIT
APPLE TALK 5:
UP IN A CLOUD OF SMOKE?
Goodhour, Synapse Circuit Readers! How are you? I hope you had a good day and if your day is still unravelling I hope you will spend that time well! Life is short! Today, I learned that a woman in North London was beheaded by a man that, by all accounts, should have been in a mental health institution. May God rest her soul! And let’s hope this man gets the mental care he needs! Jesus wept!

And to think that some people only have nude photos stored on Apple’s iCloud to worry about!

#Apple #iCloudBreach #StolenCelebrityNudePhotos #Samsung #Google #SteveJobs #TimCook #iPhone6 #iPhone6Phablet #iPhone6L #GalaxyNote4 #GalaxyAlpha #GalaxyNoteEdge

DENIAL?
It couldn’t have happened at a worse time that celebrity nude photos have been stolen from Apple’s iCloud storage facility just days before the iPhone 6 launch! As per usual Apple can only admit so much and puts it down to the users not taking enough preventative measures to circumvent hacks! Apple could have a point there! Some people do not take enough precaution and assume that password protection on their accounts is good enough. However, the fact remains that a bunch of celebrities had their nude photos stolen and quite frankly I couldn’t care less! I had hoped that the Internet would have moved on from “leaked” or “stolen” celebrity nude photos what after Kim Kardashian’s and Paris Hilton’s sex tape that did a good job of promotion thus furthering careers in uselessness. And it’s common knowledge that Pamela Anderson and Tommy Lee signed contracts on their “leaked” video! C’mon, who really cares about seeing nude celebrities these days? Okay, it can be sometimes funny to see a wardrobe malfunction such as Britney Spears in her “Southerngate” scandal; if you are going to go commando, insist upon wearing a short dress and exit out of a vehicle in front of paparazzi and the public alike then you might want to consider a strategically placing of the hand over that area or handbag or something. More to the point the celebrity vagina is no different from the non-celebrity one and that’s where the concern lies. Everybody that uses iCloud is in danger of having their privacy breached!

Apple is, in my opinion, crap at PR. They could have used the opportunity to admit that they have found a vulnerability in the iCloud code and are addressing it. But what do they do? Yes, they blame the user. And what does this inspire in the user? Distrust!

It doesn’t help that there’s a movie out staring Cameron Diaz entitled, ‘Sex Tape’ that features the use of Apple products – including cloud storage.

The result is a drop in value of Apple stocks.

Perhaps this will change the nature of the iPhone 6 launch; Cook and co love to launch into an attack on “those other guys” and they will look just stupid if they continued that tradition. I wonder if Apple will bring up the subject of stolen celebrity nude photos from their iCloud...

SAMSUNG: QUADRUPLE EDGE
Wow, Samsung was on top form yesterday! It seems that by adding a real metal edge on the Galaxy Note 4 has pleased those that have been saying that Samsung premium handsets feel “cheap”. Then they delivered the Galaxy Note Edge that looks pretty futuristic and out there thus making it desirable. When I first saw this prototype – I think in 2012 – I wanted it! As a Samsung handset appreciator I feel as though I have been waiting eons for the Galaxy Note Edge! Even though it is a “limited edition” I am sure that will increase the desire all the more! Is the Galaxy Note Edge a gimmick? Uh-uh! I think the Edge Display is very, very useful as a shortcut to the most used apps and I do love the virtual camera shutter button when the camera is launched. Both the Galaxy Note 4 & Edge feature a QHD display that makes it impossible to see any pixels. I couldn’t see any pixels on the Galaxy S4!

If that the Galaxy Note 4 & Edge weren’t enough Samsung showed in more depth the Gear S smartwatch with 3G SIM! Yes, it’s no secret that Samsung have been trying to anticipate the much rumoured iWatch and the Gear S looks very formidable indeed! The only thing it can’t do is make you a cup of coffee in the morning! Lol! It’s tracks your movements in sporting activities, monitors your heart rate, warns you if the UV light becomes a potential danger to the epidermis as well as the usual functions of a watch i.e. telling the time and the setting of alarms. I just love it that we can take calls on it! But I am sure that Samsung isn’t done with the smartwatch yet. I reckon the reason why it uses Tizen as opposed to Android / Android Wear is that Android may be too big for a small device and that Android Wear may not be powerful enough to run other functions. This is just speculation on my part! Anyhoo, I am very curious to see what the iWatch will bring.

iWatch – if it is called that – would probably do the same thing as other smartwatches i.e. monitor health and sports activities; nothing that Android Wear and Samsung Tizen haven’t done already save for maybe a unique Jony Ive design. Obviously, the anticipation is most high amongst the Apple / iPhone fans who have witnessed Apple being piped to the post several times over!

Then Samsung dropped the Videorome looking Gear VR and it looks spectacular! Price depending I think the Gear VR could do very, very well! I am not a game player by any means but I am interested in one!

So, what can Apple bring on the 9 September?

Well, after Samsung’s big day at IFA Berlin Apple shares fell again!

CONCLUSION
Apple falling shares aren’t an indication of the retail marketplace – until a handset or tablet doesn’t sell as anticipated.

Because Apple was first out of the gate with the iPhone and iPad big things are expected of them. I understand the pressure. I understand the feeling of needing to denigrate the competition. Apple could learn a lot from Samsung in that they (Samsung) admitted that they’ve lost ground in the Asian markets; they weren’t happy about the Galaxy S5 sales even though they are respectable and yet they still kept coming with innovation in other areas: Galaxy Tab S, Galaxy Note 4, Galaxy Note Edge, Gear S and Gear VR!

I am hoping that Apple has eaten some humble pie and has concentrated on innovations in technology rather than innovations in insulting the competition. With the iCloud Nude Stolen Celebrity scandal Apple have had its ass served to itself!

Roll on 9/9/14! Show us what you’ve got!

That’s something to think about!

THANKS FOR READING...

Please check out the Synapse Circuit site here: Synapse Circuit.com

REVIEWS & COMPETITIONS ARE COMING SOON!!! PLEASE STANDBY!!!

Yes, I am well aware that the site is due an update soon! It’s coming...

Synapse Circuit for tech news, opinions, articles, reviews and competitions. You will find interactive PDF magazines, videos and links to free legal software! Check it out at Synapse Circuit dot com

SYNAPSE CIRCUIT APPLE TALK 2 WINNING?

SYNAPSE CIRCUIT
APPLE TALK 2
Good evening, Synapse Circuit Readers. I hope that you are chilling out and having a wonderful evening!

Yes, I have been and am still getting feedback on my first Apple Talk article: APPLE TALK

There is one guy in particular who constantly tries to debunk an article of speculations and observations to no avail and now he has sent me a link to a Business Insider article entitled: It's Pretty Clear That Apple Is Winning The War With Samsung

Hmmmm... Let’s see...

#Apple #Samsung #Google #SteveJobs #TimCook #iPhone6 #iPhone6Phablet #GalaxyNote4 #GalaxyAlpha

APPLE WINNING THE WAR WITH SAMSUNG? REALLY?
Well, the article does seem biased in a negative way. What do I mean by that? What I mean is that a journalist should make an effort to look into his or her viewpoint. Is it honest? And most importantly, does it make sense to the reader? Most journalists these days seem to be writing for reasons other than informing the reader / consumer with balanced information. Journalists – if you can call them that – seem to be writing for their own vanity and for purposely misrepresenting the truth for the purpose of the parties they represent. I have written for magazines in my time and I can tell you that what I experienced made me want to write on my own. I try to be as balanced as I possibly can. I am also a consumer and I will be biased based on my consumption choices and not what advertisers tell me to say! You better believe it!

Let’s look at some of the article content...

The article states that Apple was right in its strategy with keeping its handset(s) expensive. Well, this doesn’t make real sense simply because at the time the iPhone was riding high! It was first out of the gate and it, rightfully, took the world by storm! However, as a technology enthusiast I didn’t go for the iPhone when first came out. As I have said before, I did not like that Adobe Flash was banned from Apple devices. I worked with Flash and was able to develop multimedia presentations that could run on an Android handset. I do not want to get into arguments about Flash being problematic for Apple as it worked fine on my PCs and Android handsets. If you want to read my opinions on Steve Jobs, his arguments about Flash, etc you ought to check out this iPDF: The Legacy of Steve Jobs

But back to the article...

I don’t think that Apple was right in keeping the iPhone expensive as they have a limited market; they – according to reports – have sold 150 million iPhone units in 2013. Again, we do not know if this is the iPhone 5S alone or a combination of 5S and 5C.

Now if you want to believe what the analysts say it may interest you to know that over 1 billion Android handsets have been sold in 2013. So, if the iPhone is so great why has it only sold just 150 million units? If Apple had created a different type of handset and put a competitive price on it then who knows how many more iPhone units would be sold? The article continues to state,

“While there were many (including people who work at Business Insider) shrieking that Apple was going to get knocked flat by Samsung and Android, it's looking increasingly like that's not going to happen...”

Er, hello? Anyone home?? 150 million vs. over 1 billion???

Obviously, the article is aimed at Samsung...

SAMSUNG HAS WON
OK, right... I am going to tell you why Samsung has won and will continue to win... Samsung have, as I have stated in another article, paved the way for Android almost singlehandedly and from the friction between Apple they have created the awesome Galaxy S range and the Galaxy Note. So, for me and many handset enthusiasts these phones are so much better than the iPhone. What??? Let’s reason...

The iPhone is a boring design and to be fair the Galaxy S design has become a little stale but at least you can see some design going on with Samsung. Let’s look at the Galaxy S2; this was major turning point for Samsung after Apple turned blue because the Galaxy S1 was a better handset than the initial iPhone. The Galaxy S2 showed of a beautiful slick and slim design that has caught the eye of many, many consumers. If you do not want to go by what the analysts say then how about what mobile phone vendors had said about the Galaxy S2? “The Galaxy S2 sells more than the iPhone...” Other vendors tell me, “The iPhone 4S is s**t!” OK! If he says so! This is me going round to the shops as a mystery shopper. These shop owners did and do not know that I write articles on tech! This is what they have said and most likely still say! I have been in shops where someone has come in to get an upgrade and the sales folk recommend a Samsung Galaxy S or Note over the iPhone. That is what I have witnessed and there is nothing that the Apple biased tech press can do about it!

If Apple has won then why are the tech media and iPhone fans alike (well the same thing) foaming at the mouth at the prospect of what they are now calling the iPhone 6L that features a larger screen? Notice that there is no talk / rumour of the iPhone 6C. Why is that? Was it a disaster? Did it cannibalise the 5S?

So, once again, if we are talking about handset design, Samsung has won that fight from the Galaxy S1 onwards.

As I have said in another article, Samsung, Apple and other well established manufacturers are facing the emerging Chinese manufacturers such as Xiaomi, Huawei, Oppo, OnePlus and ZTE to name a few! It could very well be that older iPhone models are sold to low-end of the market as stated in the article but I do not see it. Seriously, who would waste money on an old iPhone when you can pick up a first class Android handset for the same price or less?

Yes, Samsung has to fight more than two battles as stated in the article... Samsung has to continue to fight for the top spot with their Galaxy S and Note line of premium handsets. They also have to fight for the mid-range market while it is still there! I predict that there will be a blur between mid and lower ranges simply because Android is virulent! This year alone has seen so many Android handsets hitting the market that it is bewildering! Samsung has to reposition itself in this Android hurricane! I think Samsung may have been caught with its pants down! And there is no shame in that! The Android market can be likened to rapidly mutating organism that can’t be too easily pinned down. Samsung, HTC, LG and Apple have to anticipate and / or be the part of the next stage in the evolution and in that sense Apple is still behind in the game. I told you: Consumers want the future yesterday when it comes to the smarptphone or indeed any technology! But look at how fast Samsung gets a product to the marketplace; the Galaxy Alpha was released into the marketplace with no fanfare... BOOM! THERE IT IS! If Samsung is experiencing a setback it is temporary! The Galaxy Note 4 will be announced very, very soon and it could be massive! I think this is what the smartphone consumer is waiting for...

See Samsung Talk:-

UNPACKED EPISODE 2

METAL GURU

It is reported in other tech media that Samsung is selling more than any other manufacturer including Apple, so what source do you believe? I personally take reports with a pinch of salt.

A NO BRAINER?
The same Business Insider article states that “...iOS, the best mobile operating system in the world...” Oh my goodness!!! If that was true wouldn’t it be the dominant mobile phone operating system in the world? There again just because Android takes 85% of the world smartphone sales it does not mean to say that it is the best. However, I have used iOS and while I can see that it is very responsive I prefer Android. I have already stated why I think Android is better and if you haven’t read those articles let me quickly fill you in:

1. Sharing media is so easy. I select a picture, for example, and I can share it one or two steps. I can copy web pages and share in the same easy fashion. I could not do that with iOS 7.

2. There is not much difference between Ice Cream Sandwich and Jelly Bean and if, let’s say, I have a handset whereby I cannot upgrade to the latest version of Android I am able to use apps to give me a similar experience of the latest version. Or I can root it and install a purer custom Android ROM. Old iPhone handsets may not be able to receive upgrades and I believe that Siri is an impossibility on some older models.

3. I can customize Android to suit my taste / user experience.

What is so funny about the Business Insider statement is that iOS takes so much from Android that it’s not looking like the original iOS anymore.

THE CAT
The cat is out of the bag and amongst the pigeons! I think this is great time for Samsung, Apple and other manufacturers to be more inventive with the awakening of hungry manufacturers in China. Google’s Hugo Barra didn’t go to China just because of the food! Lol! Uh-uh! When I learned that Hugo Barra was going to work with Xiaomi I knew that it was part of the Android domination plan and it is obviously working!

Watch out for Lenovo / Motorola! Watch out for the Nexus 6! Watch out for Android Lollipop Lime Lemondrop as it will present other mobile operating systems with a bigger challenge than ever before! Also, watch out for the 64-bit processor for Android as I am sure this will create new handsets and lower the price even more for non-64-bit handsets!

We will see how Apple fares come 2015!

TABLETS:
THE ANDROID EFFECT
I don’t think Apple will be prepared for the sales of the iPad to drop even further come Christmas 2014! There is speculation over new iPad models this year and they do look quite interesting – especially the non-reflective coating! As always, iPad sales will come from the well off in the pocket! But this Christmas it will be Android tablets flying off the shelves!

What is happening in today’s Android tablet is the following:-

1. New tablets are coming out with mobile broadband (3G / 4G) built into them and they are coming in at a cheaper cost to the consumer which means...

2. Yesteryear’s tablets are going to come down greatly in price as retail outlets need to restock with the latest tablets.

3. The Android applications for tablets are constantly improving. Like I have said before: How many of the same kind of app do you need at any one time? Yes, the iPad has many of the same type of app for let’s say music, how many music creation apps do you need at any one time? I think that Android has some of the best music creation apps going. You only need one or two at the most!

And what makes the Android tablet an attractive proposition is that there are many to suit your requirements from professional productivity i.e. Samsung Galaxy Tab S and ASUS Transformer Pad. Then you have tablets aimed at the games market. And from there one can get a generic tablet that can still perform many of the above tasks such as productivity, games and so on for under £100! Apple just can’t beat it! All Apple can do is to continue to make the iPad something of a niche; a niche that could decrease dramatically this year. Who really knows? There are enough Apple fan boys and girls to keep Apple a lucrative business, surely?

That’s something to think about!

THANKS FOR READING...
Please check out the Synapse Circuit site here: Synapse Circuit.com

Yes, I am well aware that the site is due an update soon! It’s coming...

Synapse Circuit for tech news, opinions, articles, reviews and competitions. You will find interactive PDF magazines, videos and links to free legal software! Check it out at Synapse Circuit dot com