GALAXY S6 EDGE PREVIEW SYNAPSE CIRCUIT

Just before closing...
The Samsung staff were able to catch their breath!

SYNAPSE CIRCUIT
SAMSUNG GALAXY S6 EDGE PREVIEW

Goodhour, Synapse Circuit Readers! Happy Mothering Sunday (UK)! I hope all is well with you and your tech! 

Still thinking about your upgrade? Perhaps this preview of the Galaxy S6 Edge may give you something to think about... Read on!

#Samsung #GalaxyS6Edge #SamsungOxfordStStore

THE EDGE

Saturday, 15 March 2015 - London, Samsung Store, Oxford St. As I made my way to the Samsung store in London's Oxford St I felt a little apprehensive about being able to have the Galaxy S6 Edge in my hands! Would it be what I was expecting? Would it exceed my expectations? 

Looking at both the Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge I was a little taken aback to see how incredibly thin and light they are. Boy, they are super-premium and then some! As you know, I'm very infatuated with the Galaxy S6 Edge and I had a teeny bit of trepidation that the dual edged screen would be more gimmick than functional. But I can happily say that the Galaxy S6 Edge screen is a beautiful marriage of design and functionality. It's simply sublime! It's the future today! 

SPEED DEMON

I was also shocked to see how how fast and smooth it is; I tried to push it as much as I could and there was absolutely no lag whatsoever! Apps arrive at the screen after pressing icons and the camera is launched almost instantaneously upon double clicking the 'Home' button. 

And yes, TouchWiz has been truly pared down - gone are the wonderful Air Gestures (that could've been turned off) and we get:-

Palm Mute - place your palm on the screen and the handset is muted. Ta daa! 

Hand Swipe - swipe the screen with the edge of your hand takes a screenshot. 

Smart Stay - keeps the screen on by tracking eye focus.

How sparse! Still, if people don't appreciate these Air Gestures like I do then they have to go! I would have liked to have seen Samsung's Exynos 7420 processor taking care of what I think of as essential TouchWiz. But the Galaxy S6 Edge and S6 is faster than greased lightning! Gosh, golly, gee!

PICTURE THIS
On the surface the camera looks like a substantial improvement over previous Galaxy S models as you'd expect. It's pretty much point and click; the 'pro' option gives the more experienced smartphone photographer manual control over exposure, white balance, etc. 

As a result Galaxy S6 Edge and S6 users should be taking great photos in the not too distant future! Check out these pictures below:-

CROWD CONTROL
It seemed as though half of London flocked to the Samsung store to see these marvelous handsets; gauging by the responses the Galaxy S6 Edge (and S6) should be flying out of the retail outlets come April 10 2015. From 10:00 to 19:00 people were queuing up to get a feel of their future handset(s)!

I know for sure that the Galaxy S6 Edge will be my next handset for sure! 

Extensive review coming soon! 

Thank you for reading Synapse Circuit. Standby for more news, reviews, competitions, opinions and more!

THE NEXT GALAXY AFTERMATH SYNAPSE CIRCUIT

Above: The sublime and superb Galaxy S6 Edge! My next handset! Youbetcha!

SYNAPSE CIRCUIT
SAMSUNG THE NEXT GALAXY UNPACKED, MOBILE WORLD CONGRESS, BARCELONA 2015

THE AFTERMATH

Goodhour, Synapse Circuit Readers! It is great to see you as always! How are you? Are reeling in delight or a shocked disbelief over the Samsung Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge?

Here’s my thoughts... Read on...

#Samsung #TheNextGalaxy #UnpackedEpisodeOne2015 #GalaxyS6 #GalaxySEdge #GalaxyS6Edge

AN OUTCRY
It seems that some Android fans are outraged at the non-removable battery and no microSD card slot but they must have known that a handset made from “premium” materials will come at a price! Some are saying, “Samsung has made an Android iPhone. Forget it!” If that’s you then what were you expecting? Did you purchase the Galaxy S5?

According to CEO & President of Samsung Electronics, JK Shin, the Galaxy S6 & S6 Edge were based on customer feedback. Many of you didn’t want the Galaxy S5 as there were complaints about the dimpled removable back, the swipe fingerprint sensor, plastic build and the overall design being similar to the predecessor, Galaxy S4. Personally, I can’t understand it... I think the Galaxy S5 is a great handset! I have recently started my keep fit regime to have an S6 (sexy 6) pack (hee hee) for the summer and the water resistant Galaxy S5 is just the ticket when I am out jogging, etc.

Sometimes I don’t understand the Android consumer... I mean, if a removable battery and microSD card was of great importance then why buy into the Google Nexus line? Let me try to guessplain (guess + explain = guessplain) why Samsung has made this move...

TURNING THE TABLES:
BEATING APPLE AT ITS OWN GAME
We have witnessed Apple taking its design cue for the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus from the larger Android screens – notably Samsung. Now should Samsung drag Apple to court over stealing a 5.5” screen display that was first on the original Galaxy Note? Of course not! That’s progress!


Above: Do you see how bland the iPhone is? Ive can't design handsets like these... Are you nuts? 

THE ETHICS OF AESTHETICS
Sure, the Galaxy S6 is curvy like the iPhone and places the speaker and headphone socket at the bottom and that’s where the similarities end. Of course there is no way that Jony Ive can ever think of designing an iPhone with a wrap around dual edged screen; even the concept artists / designers work on future iPhones look better that Ive’s work.

The Galaxy S6 Edge is especially a work of pure art!

WHEN THE CHIPS ARE DOWN
Essentially, Samsung has stamped its authority upon the smartphone market. I’ve said it before and I will say it again: it is about time that Samsung uses its own processors in its smartphones as they manufacture a number of processors for other companies such as Apple. Apple thought that they could go elsewhere and now they are coming back for more. I don’t think there was ever any plan to use the Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 as the Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge are nearly ready to go! April 10 2015 and the Galaxy S6 Edge is mine! As Samsung made a considerable loss it just had to jettison Qualcomm in favour of its own Exynos chip!

SHATTERING ILLUSIONS
No matter how practical and durable plastic is people kept going on about metal and now we have metal and glass! iPhone fanatics have stated that they wouldn’t want a plastic Samsung handset because it doesn’t feel premium. And because there is a great rivalry between Samsung and Apple the way forward had to be a combination of metal and glass – Gorilla Glass 4 to be precise. I am going to see if I can shatter it! Now is the perfect opportunity for disgruntled iPhone fans to get a hold of a premium Android handset! I am surprised that Samsung didn’t announce a Galaxy S6 & S6 Edge made from platinum studded with diamonds! Lol!

UNMOVED: THE POWER OF THE GLORY
The thinness of the Galaxy S6 & S6 Edge meant that the battery could not be removed; plus there is wireless charging and that the battery can have up to 4 hours of usage from a 10 minute charge. Let’s look at the implications of that...

In truth I find that my Galaxy S2, S4, Note 2 and Note 4 do not run out of juice with a good amount of usage. For me usage includes: email, social networking, Internet and YouTube viewing. Oh, not to mention a bit of productivity using Google Docs and Blogger when I am doing my ‘Tablets in the Wild’ series of articles spotting how many people are using tablets on the streets!

Anyhoo, with the Galaxy S6 & S6 Edge I can see myself having a wireless charger at home and carrying the default charger in my bag to charge – if I need to – when I am enjoying a cup of herbal tea at a coffee shop. While this is not as convenient as a spare battery I know that it only takes 10 minutes to get about 4 hours worth of usage which is ample enough to get me back home. I have saved a bit of money on a spare battery but then again I would have purchased a wireless charger that can also charge my Nexus 6! I think that’s a win situation.

TOTAL RECALL
Now people are bitching because there is no microSD card slot, “No microSD slot no sale!” Think about it (no pun intended), the iPhone has sold regardless of not being able to expand the storage capacity because of iCloud. It is only natural for Samsung to sell the Galaxy S6 & S6 Edge based on capacity: 32, 64 and 128 GB. Yes, it is going to be more expensive but this is what you wanted, right? You wanted “premium” and you can’t say that you don’t have it. I am quite sure that Samsung would have made the Galaxy S6 & S6 Edge like the Galaxy Note 4 but the disappointing sales figures for the Galaxy S5 put paid to a removable back. And, once again, the thinness meant no room for a microSD card slot. Samsung has simply got to claw back some profit as the loss in 2014 was quite severe by the tech media accounts.

I don’t have too much of an issue with no memory expansion; I can only download so many apps that do more or less the same kind of thing. I try to pare my app usage down to what I see as the best in the category and for my needs. It is great that Samsung has skipped the meagre 16GB default for 32GB!

I can store my pictures and videos on Google Drive, Dropbox and Microsoft OneDrive with a generous 115GB for 2 years – the length of a network contract. I think that a flash drive should work on it too which could be another addition / solution. I don’t see why people are pooping their pants over no memory expansion.

You shoot your 1080p or 4K video, edit it, output and upload to YouTube then store the raw, unedited footage and edit on any one of the cloud storage solutions mentioned above. If you want to keep a hard copy you would simply hook up your Galaxy S6 / S6 Edge to a computer and transfer the files to be burned to a DVD / Bluray disc. Perhaps photo and video recording will be faster as a result of not
going to a microSD card. Speaking of the camera...

PICTURE THIS
The camera, by the looks of it, is worth its weight in gold! Samsung has never let me down with its cameras yet! When Samsung makes a claim or claims about its products I can take it to the bank! The camera on the Galaxy S3 was a milestone for quality and functionality that kept getting better with each year for both the Galaxy S and Note line. So, to see Samsung reference the iPhone 6 Plus camera in comparison to the Galaxy S6 & S6 Edge means that the iPhone camera has been beaten outright! There is no doubt about that. I have come to know Samsung quite well and it doesn’t make claims that aren’t true. As a keen smartphone photographer I know that I am going to use the Galaxy S6 Edge camera a great deal.



The only thing I can’t say that I appreciate about the camera is the lens; the lens protrudes a lot and I do worry a little about scratching the lens. On the other hand I do intend to get a protective case for the Galaxy S6 Edge that should give some protection to the camera lens.

I can almost guarantee that the camera on the Galaxy S6 & S6 Edge will not be beaten by any other manufacturer this year! It is very possible that the ASUS ZenFone 2 & ZenFone Zoom might have something special about them but I can almost guarantee that the camera on the HTC One M9 is going to be a disappointment. I don’t know why HTC can’t put a decent camera into its flagship!

Anyway, the camera is one of the reasons why Samsung handsets have been my main driver over the years and it looks like it is going to stay that way. Again, I am a little flummoxed when people can’t see just how brilliant the Galaxy S6 & S6 cameras are. Even if I wanted to try something else I am unable for the camera alone!

These are the main factors why Samsung has beaten Apple at its own game! I also think that Samsung Pay has already won the “war” as it working with what is there already. Apple Pay, if I am correct, seems to want to coerce bank and payment systems to work exclusively with its technology. Whereas Samsung Pay works with systems already in place!

I can see Apple losing more of the market share due to the Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge as they are clearly better handsets! The screen on them just blows the “Retina” screen away!

ODDLY
From what I have seen of the tech media reaction to the Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge, Android tech media in particular, they seem surprised that Samsung have kept things like Air Gestures, Smart Pause, etc are still within TouchWiz. That’s crazy! These features are outstanding and the Galaxy Note 4 utilizes some of these gestures with the S Pen. This reaction to these features by the Android tech media makes me wonder if they know how to use TouchWiz to the fullness. Very odd!


Above: The pebble inspired Galaxy S3. A great design for its time that has gotten better over the years. The Galaxy S6 & S6 Edge are the best ever! 


These Air Gestures and eye tracking features need good lighting to be able to function properly. If the front-facing camera aperture is F1.9 and makes for better low light photography these Air Gestures, etc could perform much better than on the Galaxy S4. I will give you a full review in due course!

Let’s not forget that the iPhone does not have such beautiful Air Gestures, eye tracking and S Pen – if we’re making a comparison to the 6 Plus and Note 4.

Once again, the iPhone is closed off environment to the Android open one. And this is one of the many reasons why the iPhone doesn’t appeal to me. Even if someone one gave me an iPhone for free I wouldn’t use it. So, I don’t really understand why some people think that the iPhone is so wonderful. Samsung and Android all the way, Baby! Samsung remains the King of Android!

SPECS:-
GALAXY S6

NETWORK  
GSM / HSPA / LTE

LAUNCH      
Announced 2015, March
Status: Coming soon. Exp. release 2015, April 10

BODY           
Dimensions: 143.4 x 70.5 x 6.8 mm (5.65 x 2.78 x 0.27 in)
Galaxy S6 Edge Dimensions: 142.1 x 70.1 x 7 mm (5.59 x 2.76 x 0.28 in)
Weight: 138 g (4.87 oz)
Galaxy S6 Edge Weight 132 g (4.66 oz)
Build: Corning Gorilla Glass 4 back panel

SIM    
Nano-SIM

FINGERPRINT SENSOR
Fingerprint sensor (PayPal certified)
Samsung Pay (Visa, MasterCard certified)

DISPLAY      
Super AMOLED capacitive touchscreen, 16M colors
Size: 5.1 inches (70.7% screen-to-body ratio)
Galaxy S6 Edge screen size: 5.1 inches (72.0% screen-to-body ratio)
Resolution: 1440 x 2560 pixels (577 ppi pixel density)
Multitouch
Protection: Corning Gorilla Glass 4
TouchWiz UI

PLATFORM 
OS: Android OS, v5.0.2 (Lollipop)
Chipset: Exynos 7420
CPU: Quad-core 1.5 GHz Cortex-A53 & Quad-core 2.1 GHz Cortex-A57
GPU: Mali-T760

MEMORY     
No microSD card slot
Internal: 32 / 64 / 128 GB
3 GB RAM

CAMERA      
Primary: 16 MP, 3456 x 4608 pixels, optical image stabilization, autofocus, LED flash
Features: Geo-tagging, touch focus, face detection, Auto HDR, panorama
Video: 2160p@30fps, 1080p@60fps, 720p@120fps, HDR, dual-video rec.
Secondary: 5 MP, 1080p@30fps, dual video call, Auto HDR

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

COMMS        
WLAN           
Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct, hotspot
Bluetooth v4.1, A2DP, LE, apt-X
GPS with A-GPS, GLONASS, Beidou
NFC
Infrared port

USB  
microUSB v2.0 (MHL 3 TV-out), USB Host

FEATURES 
Sensors: Accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer, gesture, heart rate
Messaging: SMS (threaded view), MMS, Email, Push Mail, IM
Browser: HTML5
Java: Java MIDP emulator
 - Wireless charging (Qi/PMA/WPC) - market dependent
- ANT+ support
- S-Voice natural language commands and dictation
- Smart stay, Smart pause, Smart scroll
- Air gestures
- OneDrive (115 GB cloud storage)
- Active noise cancellation with dedicated mic
- MP4/DivX/XviD/WMV/H.264 player
- MP3/WAV/WMA/eAAC+/FLAC player
- Photo/video editor
- Document editor

BATTERY              
Non-removable Li-Ion 2550 mAh battery
Galaxy S6 Edge 2,600mAh battery

MISC 
Colors: White Pearl, Black Sapphire, Gold Platinum, Blue Topaz

SAY IT LOUD, I AM SAMSUNG AND PROUD!
Without a doubt the Galaxy S6 Edge is going to be my next handset! And the good news is that it is coming to a wide range of UK networks come April 10! I am sure that there is going to be either a fairly substantial an upfront cost and / or monthly fee! But this is the price we pay for “premium”.

Speaking of “loud” I am looking forward to finding out about the audio features! I want to know if Soundcamp is one of the default apps or available to download from the Galaxy App Store.

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

SAMSUNG THE NEXT GALAXY UNPACKED SYNAPSE CIRCUIT

 SYNAPSE CIRCUIT

SAMSUNG THE NEXT GALAXY UNPACKED, MOBILE WORLD CONGRESS, BARCELONA 2015

Above: Executive Vice President, Younghee Lee of Samsung hosting.

Goodhour, Synapse Circuit Readers! How are you today? Me? I am feeling wonderful! I am excited about the Samsung ‘The Next Galaxy’ Unpacking event at the Mobile World Congress, Barcelona!
Above: President & CEO of Samsung Electronics.

This is the moment we have all been waiting for! Here’s my reaction... Read on...

#Samsung #TheNextGalaxy #UnpackedEpisodeOne2015 #GalaxyS6 #GalaxySEdge #GalaxyS6Edge

WOW
That’s my first impressions on the Samsung Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge. Despite the multiple “leaks” it is always something else to see the actual handsets themselves.

The design is great; I will agree with Samsung that it is “Ground Zero”. I have made no secret what I feel about the iPhone design – it’s bland. Samsung have done a fantastic job on the aesthetics; the “leaks” pointed to a metal and glass unibody and to see it is awesome! Gorilla Glass 4 is the toughest glass material thus so far and promises not to be as delicate as the competition.

The Galaxy S6 & S6 comes in 4 different colours: White Pearl, Black Sapphire, Gold Platinum, Blue Topaz. From different angles you will see some slight colour changes i.e. on the Gold Platinum handset it appears to have more gold from one angle and from another it appears more platinum. I can only hope that all the colours will be available at the same time and that we don’t have to wait further on down the line for more of the colours. Where are my Electric Blue and Neon Pink? Bah!

What I like about the Galaxy S6 Edge is that it manages to be markedly different from the Galaxy Note Edge. I like that you can keep a list of favourite contacts at the edges and colour code them so that you know who’s calling as the screen illuminates in the colour of that person.

CAMERA
I had a feeling that Samsung would go 16MP instead of the much rumoured 20MP but the features are outstanding! Samsung uncharacteristically placed the camera of the iPhone 6 Plus next to the Galaxy S6 and it blew it out of the water and evaporated it! The Galaxy S6 & S6 Edge cameras are a gift to the smartphone photographer! I can see myself taking loads of pictures with the Galaxy S6 Edge this year – all year round! I love the low light F1.9 aperture lens on both the front (5MP) and main camera will mean fantastic night / indoor photography. The quality of the video recording looks simply amazing! Oddly, Samsung didn’t go into details regarding 4K. Hmmm... Could it be once again limited to 5 minutes?

Anyway, like the Galaxy Note 4 the camera on the Galaxy S6 & S6 Edge has OIS (optical image stabilization).

BATTERY
From the “leaks” we knew about wireless charging and that is a great feature. While some people were panicking a little about a non-removable battery I got the feeling that Samsung wouldn’t do this unless the battery usage was going to be optimized. You can get 4 hours of use from a 10 minute charge! Again, it boils down to what you are doing on the handset that impacts on the battery. Many, many manufacturers make great claims on the battery but it is mostly a different story in reality. However, I must say that Samsung batteries have the most longevity.

SPECS:-
GALAXY S6

NETWORK  
GSM / HSPA / LTE

LAUNCH      
Announced 2015, March
Status: Coming soon. Exp. release 2015, April 10

BODY           
Dimensions: 143.4 x 70.5 x 6.8 mm (5.65 x 2.78 x 0.27 in)
Galaxy S6 Edge Dimensions: 142.1 x 70.1 x 7 mm (5.59 x 2.76 x 0.28 in)
Weight: 138 g (4.87 oz)
Galaxy S6 Edge Weight 132 g (4.66 oz)
Build: Corning Gorilla Glass 4 back panel

SIM    
Nano-SIM

FINGERPRINT SENSOR
Fingerprint sensor (PayPal certified)
Samsung Pay (Visa, MasterCard certified)

DISPLAY      
Super AMOLED capacitive touchscreen, 16M colors
Size: 5.1 inches (70.7% screen-to-body ratio)
Galaxy S6 Edge screen size: 5.1 inches (72.0% screen-to-body ratio)
Resolution: 1440 x 2560 pixels (577 ppi pixel density)
Multitouch
Protection: Corning Gorilla Glass 4
TouchWiz UI

PLATFORM 
OS: Android OS, v5.0.2 (Lollipop)
Chipset: Exynos 7420
CPU: Quad-core 1.5 GHz Cortex-A53 & Quad-core 2.1 GHz Cortex-A57
GPU: Mali-T760

MEMORY     
No microSD card slot
Internal: 32 / 64 / 128 GB
3 GB RAM

CAMERA      
Primary: 16 MP, 3456 x 4608 pixels, optical image stabilization, autofocus, LED flash
Features: Geo-tagging, touch focus, face detection, Auto HDR, panorama
Video: 2160p@30fps, 1080p@60fps, 720p@120fps, HDR, dual-video rec.
Secondary: 5 MP, 1080p@30fps, dual video call, Auto HDR

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

COMMS        
WLAN           
Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct, hotspot
Bluetooth v4.1, A2DP, LE, apt-X
GPS with A-GPS, GLONASS, Beidou
NFC
Infrared port

USB  
microUSB v2.0 (MHL 3 TV-out), USB Host

FEATURES 
Sensors: Accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer, gesture, heart rate
Messaging: SMS (threaded view), MMS, Email, Push Mail, IM
Browser: HTML5
Java: Java MIDP emulator
 - Wireless charging (Qi/PMA/WPC) - market dependent
- ANT+ support
- S-Voice natural language commands and dictation
- Smart stay, Smart pause, Smart scroll
- Air gestures
- OneDrive (115 GB cloud storage)
- Active noise cancellation with dedicated mic
- MP4/DivX/XviD/WMV/H.264 player
- MP3/WAV/WMA/eAAC+/FLAC player
- Photo/video editor
- Document editor

BATTERY              
Non-removable Li-Ion 2550 mAh battery
Galaxy S6 Edge 2,600mAh battery (also non-removable)

MISC 
Colors: White Pearl, Black Sapphire, Gold Platinum, Blue Topaz

BEYOND WOW
Now that I have regrouped I can write more objectively...

I can see that Samsung have delivered an experience similar to that of the iPhone only that they’ve done away with the 16GB option to go as follows: 32, 64 and 128 GB. I should imagine that the networks in the UK will have all three available options. Yes, no microSD card slot and I can live with that with the available storage options plus Google Drive, Dropbox and Mircosoft OneDrive! Not having a microSD card is definitely not a disaster (as far as I am concerned). This may upset some Android fans but if hardcore Android fans have bought into the Google Nexus line of handset then I do not see the problem. No doubt that it would have been the cherry upon the icing to have more storage options but, like I’ve said, it is no big deal.

The Galaxy S6 & S6 Edge are unmistakably premium; this should put an end to those that have complained incessantly that the premium Galaxy handsets don’t feel as such. Personally, I don’t mind the durable plastic (as you no doubt know if you have been following my Samsung related articles). Having a non-removable battery is no big deal due to the fast charging times and that the 64-bit Exynos processor and other hardware aspects are more energy efficient. I believe Samsung where the battery is concerned. Will coffee shops feature wireless charging???

It seems as though Samsung have put in place a better payment system than Apple Pay with Samsung Pay that includes credit, debit and NFC. Cool!

SUBDUED
Although I enjoyed the Unpacking a lot I did miss the how Samsung would go into more detail to actually demonstrate the interface and functions. Although some of the features were explained such as the cameras and interface I would have liked to have seen more! We didn’t see how the fingerprint sensor has improved – if at all!

On the plus side Samsung eschewed using an annoying celebrity MC to demonstrate functionality. If you are going to use a celebrity then use one that people like! Lol! Although I haven’t reached celebrity status I would love to have done a demonstration with Samsung. When celebrities deliver their dialogue it nearly always sounds stilted. And it is highly likely that once the Unpacked event is over they’ll go back to using their iPhones and to continue endorsing it at every opportunity on their Apple biased tech shows! Samsung should use someone that uses a Galaxy handset in the future. I reckon I am able to deliver dialogue on the fly without a script as I know the premium Galaxy handsets quite well!

I was quite surprised to see that Samsung didn’t reveal anything else except for a Galaxy VR Innovator Edition for the S6 and S6 Edge – unlike the Gear VR for the Galaxy Note 4 that isn’t compatible with the Galaxy Note Edge.

We didn’t get to find out what the audio features are about. Does it support pro audio like the Galaxy Note 4? Will it have the Soundcamp DAW (digital audio workstation) app? What does it sound like? Can that little speaker at the bottom blast out the sounds?

I really would like to see Samsung restore that certain flair that no other manufacturer has when showing off new products! I

VERDICT
Well, it looks like the Galaxy S6 Edge will be my new handset when it is released in the UK. I think Samsung has done a sterling job on the design, the camera, hardware-to-battery optimization. From where I’m sitting the Galaxy S6 & S6 Edge are the best high-end premium handsets in the world – thus so far! I never saw the iPhone as the benchmark to beat in terms of the design. The only thing I appreciate about the iPhone is that there is no lag on the interface. However, lag on the apps is another thing... ...several of my iPhone friends complain about apps crashing on a regular basis for no apparent reason.










By the looks of it Samsung has really pared down TouchWiz to eliminate lag and that the look of it is in keeping with Google’s Material design colour coded concept. It works (from what I can see). I can’t wait to give it a full review! I can’t see any other handset touching it this year. We’ll see... The camera UI looks clean and uncluttered; I can't wait to take pictures and video on it!

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 Circuitdot com

THE NEXT GALAXY UNPACKED IS NOT RUINED SYNAPSE CIRCUIT

C'mon, Ive can't design something as beautiful as those great handsets.

Another controlled "leak". We know what they look like... Now what do they do?

SYNAPSE CIRCUIT
SAMSUNG’S “LEAKED” GALAXY S6 & S6 EDGE IS GOOD MARKETING

Goodhour, Synapse Circuit Readers! What’s happening with you? It’s great to see you as always!

Yes, indeed... The Samsung Galaxy S6 & S6 Edge is upon us thanks to a bunch of well timed “leaks”. It always amuses me that the tech media don’t seem to understand how controlled leaks serve to maintain interest from inception to the birth as it were. Or are they just playing along because the tech media itself is responsible for the “leaks” getting into the public domain!?!

Does Samsung have anything left for The Next Galaxy Unpacked event come Sunday 1^st March 2015, Mobile World Congress in Barcelona?

And former Apple CEO John Sculley says that "nobody is talking about Samsung..." Hmph!

#Samsung #GalaxyS6 #GalaxySEdge #GalaxyS6Edge

STAY CALM
The latest “leak” looks like an official Samsung graphic and if you were able to read between the lines in the last The Next Galaxy teaser video you’d have understood that the much anticipated Galaxy S6 Edge is without a bezel, “Borders will be free...” And not only that the American carriers already showed us that the Galaxy S6 Edge is different to that of the Galaxy Note Edge.

Once again, this “leak” is to bring people back down to planet Earth hence the brilliant ‘Is This The Next’ website by Samsung Norway. We’ve seen the blueprint right up to the finished product(s). But we’ve seen the Leak Syndrome before with other products say from those other guys; we knew what was coming in terms of the physical handset and for the most part the much desired bigger screen handset (from those other guys) was a disappointment... There was not even the remotest functionality as found on the Galaxy Note 4! Not one iota! Must I show that picture again? OK! There!



Above: So many iPhone 6 and 6 Plus models traded in for a more pleasing handset... A sure sign of a bad design.

RELAX
We have yet to learn what these beautiful looking handset are all about... Do we know about how the camera works? No. Do we know if there will be a microSD card slot? Hmmm... Some say “No!” But at the end of the day not having a microSD slot isn’t a disaster seeing as I have a Nexus 6! There is Google Drive and there is no telling if Samsung will give prospective Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge owners its own cloud storage solution. I ask again: If unlimited 4K video is a feature then where are we going to store it? It would be something if Samsung gave Galaxy S6 & S6 Edge users a cloud storage solution. No, you can’t use “But that has a potential to use up my data plan...” You’re not going to get the Galaxy S6 or S6 Edge and have a weak data plan are you? Here in the UK many premium handsets come at a high rental cost but you do get the possibility of unlimited data. And you have Wi-Fi too!

And although we’ve understood that TouchWiz is going to be lighter than ever we still don’t know exactly what that will entail. I think there is quite a lot that we don’t yet know so sit back and enjoy the show!



Above: What's there not to love about these great aesthetically pleasing handsets? I'd laugh if I fell prey to a Samsung prank but I reckon this is the real deal. 

PANIC A LITTLE
Yes, I am on about the possible short supply of the Galaxy S6 Edge... In the UK you either had to go with Vodafone or buy the Galaxy Note Edge outright. I can only hope that the S6 Edge will reach more networks (carriers to my US & Canadian buddies).

I have a feeling that the demand for the Galaxy S6 Edge is going to be high! People are going to go nuts for it! I know I want one already!



Above: This early prototype and (possible) official Samsung patent shows the idea for a wrap around screen. I saw it coming but a couple of years too early! You can see that from this design that parts of it made up the Galaxy Alpha to the Galaxy A series and, of course, the Galaxy S6 Edge. The speakers are now placed at the bottom edge - allegedly. 

SURPRISE
Knowing Samsung we just might get more than the Galaxy S6 & S Edge handsets... There could be another smartwatch or smartwatches, tablet preview or something that we’ll appreciate greatly!

Speaking for myself, The Next Galaxy Unpacked event hasn’t been ruined by the controlled “leaks”. If anything it has piqued my interest more. Oh, I am also very pleased with the design / aesthetics. The little speakers at the bottom (if that is accurate) looks like it can belt out the tunes!

Sunday will be here before we know it and so will the Galaxy S6 & S6 Edge!

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! 

SAMSUNG MARKETING POWER vs APPLE SMOKE AND MIRRORS SYNAPSE CIRCUIT

Above: A successful Samsung Genius Bar parody.

SYNAPSE CIRCUIT
SAMSUNG’S MARKETING POWER vs. APPLE’S SMOKE & MIRRORS

Goodhour, Synapse Circuit Readers! How are you? It is so good to see you as always! I hope you are getting maximum joy out of your tech! More reviews are coming! Say, it’s been a while since Synapse Circuit hosted a competition... Wait and see... Wink, wink...

Whether you like or even love Samsung or not you can you honestly say that you haven’t talked about a Samsung device – namely the Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge? Weren’t you impressed by the Galaxy Note 4? And what about the often sublime Samsung adverts – especially when they mock the “Sheeple” or “iSheep”? But, hey, someone begs to differ...

"Everybody talks about Apple. Nobody talks about Samsung, or Microsoft, for that matter," says former Apple CEO John Sculley.

#Samsung #GalaxyS6 #GalaxySEdge #GalaxyS6Edge #Unpacked2015 #MobileWorldCongress2015 #MWC15

TELL A LIE OFTEN ENOUGH AND YOU’LL START TO BELIEVE IT
It’s as though the people at Apple are cyborgs in that what comes from their mouths is a vehement constant denial of the competition, “Apple is fantastic. Apple is amazing. Apple is wonderful...”

Well, it hasn’t always been like that as the massive tech war that amounted to an undue lawsuit to prevent Samsung products from competing around the globe. People were certainly talking about Samsung then (and now)!

I have exposed Apple on many occasions from the destruction of the music industry with iTunes, exaggerated sales figures and how the iPhone 5 tanked as did the 5C. However, despite these, er, hiccups the Apple skin remains shiny and bright. There may be a rotten core below the surface.

Just about everybody who follows tech news knows that 2014 has been hard for Samsung due to the ever changing Android market; the standards have definitely been upped somewhat. What was a high-end handset 2 years ago is now a budget one today. We know about the Chinese manufacturers and how they have cornered the mid to mid-high end market. However – and I keep saying this – I have yet to see a handset from a Chinese manufacturer that can rival the premium Samsung models, Galaxy S and Galaxy Note. There is no doubt that these mid to high-end Chinese handsets are a cost effective alternative to Samsung and other premium staples but I would imagine that a majority of Android fans in the West would prefer a Galaxy Note or Galaxy S over something like the OnePlus One. Well, I know that the Galaxy Note 4 has great audio support for music composition on the fly and I suspect that the Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge will have the same audio features and more besides.

While the Chinese have switched from Samsung and Apple to national manufacturers such as Xiaomi, for example, it is not going to happen globally. Even if Xiaomi or OnePlus entered the US and European markets in a big way I do not think that we’ll switch all of a sudden! Just look at Huawei over here in the UK – they are still struggling to break the stranglehold of Samsung, LG and HTC. The only market that Huawei can tap is the budget one. And it is the same with ZTE (here in the UK); they are now forced to create better handsets with a lower price.

Then you look at other Android competitors such as Acer and Archos, they are forced to create better handset at a lower price entry.

GALAXY S5
Once again, the Galaxy S5 was a pedestrian “back to basics” offering from Samsung; it is what people have been talking about from the initial unpacking until now! So, all eyes are upon The Next Galaxy Unpacked come March 1^st at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona.

But you’d be hard pressed to find someone that will talk about the failure of the iPhone 5 and 5C. Apple won’t talk about it because they behave like those failures never happened. Given the choice of a Galaxy S5 and an iPhone 5 or 5C I wouldn’t have to think about it: Galaxy S5!

The Galaxy S5 is still a great handset that features a great camera amongst other features such as the heart rate monitor.



Did Samsung’s marketing power or lack thereof have an adverse effect on the Galaxy S5 sales? It’s a tough one to call because the general consensus from the UK tech magazines put the LG G3 on top of the UK Android market and no matter how many ads Samsung take out in magazines and television it is hard to dissuade the public from tech magazine (paper and TV) recommendations. The Galaxy S5 simply didn’t capture the imagination of the majority of tech media in the UK. As a Samsung fan myself I wasn’t very impressed with the Galaxy S5 design but beyond the design it was the best handset of 2014 only coming second to the Galaxy Note 4 released in September. And on the streets I see so many people with Galaxy Note 3 handsets – men and women! Y’know, I have yet to see someone with an LG G3 on the streets...

MISSION IMPOSSIBLE:
TAKING ON THE iPHONE
It’s one thing taking on the rest of the Android manufacturers but to take on the iPhone??? Well, actually it is not that big of mountain to climb because Samsung premium handsets are better than the iPhone. Yes, really! Here:-

1. THE DESIGN IS BETTER.
Yes, I do understand the idea of “premium” materials but that’s not necessarily the whole story. We all know that all smartphones suffer from a weak battery. To be able to swap out the battery on the Galaxy S series up to 5 and the Note series to the current fourth incarnation is the hallmark of a great design. Just the other day when I was in a coffee shop in Soho I witnessed a group of Asian patrons with their iPhones plugged into the wall.


Above: Chief Apple designer, Jony Ive. You'd look miserable too if all your designs were surpassed...

One more time... We interface with the screen and so having a big 5” screen on the Galaxy S5 and 5.7” on the Galaxy Note 4 makes the rest of the handset quite superficial. Show one person that is infatuated with the back of the phone and I’ll show you an elitist ill-informed person that is in love with the Apple logo. The only time I really interface with the back of my Galaxy handsets is to change the battery and check my heart rate. That’s it! With the iPhone the forehead and chin, so to speak, are quite big and unsightly. Jony Ive is simply overrated as a designer. All Ive can do is just criticize and bitch – very boring!

2. MORE FUNCTIONALITY
The functionality of the Galaxy S and Note series are unsurpassed. Because Apple isn’t able to imbue the iPhone with such functionality they call Samsung’s innovations “gimmicks”. Once a person goes from the iPhone to a Galaxy Note, for example, they rarely go back. I have to admit that I find it hard to believe when someone tells me that they have gone from a Galaxy Note to an iPhone 6 Plus as I think they are either lying for effect (to prop up Apple) or they simply didn’t make use of the Galaxy Note. Yes, Apple announced record breaking sales and profits but I do think that it’s the affluent Chinese market that has helped. Android still has over 80% of the market and Samsung is still on top!

The iPhone cannot beat Android and Samsung’s TouchWiz for functionality. Yet, that said, TouchWiz can produce some lag where the fluidity of the interface goes. I can’t say that a little lag here and there has ruined my enjoyment of the Galaxy S and Note handsets. I can’t say that I have noticed any lag or stutters on the Galaxy Note 4 thus so far.

3. PRODUCTIVITY
You’d think that the Apple App Store has a greater edge over Google Play Store the gap that was once there has closed considerably. In addition Samsung is creating apps for its own Galaxy App Store; granted that the Galaxy App Store features many apps that can be found on the Google App Store there are a few apps pertaining to the Galaxy S and Note handsets. 

Once again, the productivity apps can output to file formats for further work on a PC or Mac. This is why serious technology fans go for the Galaxy range of premium handsets over the iPhone.

The iOS operating system is just a front for iTunes.

MARKETING: THE DIFFERENCE
In some ways Apple is very clever; over the years Jobs has cultivated an acute elitism in the personal computing market, “We’re Apple Macs and we are superior to PCs...” Apple had to do something to stem the tide of Microsoft, Windows and inexpensive PCs. Apple jacked up the prices and invested in some revolutionary designs for the time with its Mac computers. It’s like Apple reinvented its brand to appear like a Rolls Royce to the rather bland Ford PCs. But that was a little over 10 years ago. Today we have some brilliant looking PC cases, well designed monitors and interchangeable components such as a graphics card for example. A well made PC can beat a Mac in price and in functionality.

Apple has just repeated the jacked up price formula for the iPhone and iPad; it’s that brand building that captured the minds of the consumer looking to buy into prestige. Add the constant Apple derision of the competition and you have a bunch of people hating the competition for no real reason and this is why many people find it hard to reason with iPhone fans on social networks such as Google Plus.

When you look over at Samsung it is entirely different... What Samsung does is just concentrate on how good its products are. As you know one of the ways Samsung has shown that its products are better is with those wonderful ads that poke fun at the ‘iSheeple’. Apple can never do ads like that. As I have been saying for the longest time that the Apple lawsuit persecution has given Samsung a great deal of publicity! I still chuckle at the iPhone 6 Plus keynote, “Look, it has a landscape mode!” said Peter Schiller. I laughed so hard at the time. The audience, made up of press and Apple personnel, clapped like trained seals. Wow! Isn’t that fantastic?

You’ve only got to look at the build-up for the Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge to see that Samsung are masters of marketing. It will be interesting to see how Samsung markets the Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge post the Unpacked event in Barcelona in a couple of days time.

But a good product or products should speak for themselves. Should Samsung get the Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge right then they’ve done 80% of the marketing already. There’s a bit of panic in that some Android fans are saying that the next Galaxy won’t have an microSD card slot “copying the iPhone” and will not be water or dust resistant. I can just about live with a non-removable battery on a Samsung but with all the pictures and videos I take with my Galaxy handsets I will need a microSD slot! As for water and dust resistance... ...I’ve never really needed such protection.

I think the Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge Unpacked event is the most anticipated ever! It has overshadowed all the other manufacturers attending the Mobile World Congress; the tech media has written an article practically every day based on pure speculation, Samsung’s finances, “leaked” pictures and so on... What I’ve tried to do is to step back a little and try and put the clues together. I didn’t want to join in with the rumour manufacture and photo leaks from unofficial sources. Such tech journalism is lazy in my opinion. I try to put some effort in my journals. Lol!

We’ll just have to wait and see what Samsung reveals this Sunday!

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