Samsung Galaxy S5 News and Reviews

Star Wars: A New Trilogy; Will Samsung Sponsor it?

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 23 Sep 2014 12:22:00 +0000

Alright folks, go and grab you Samsung Galaxy Tab (preferably a 10inch model) and go watch the original Star Wars trilogy! Why? Well, unless you’ve been living under a rock you probably know that Disney has bought Lucasfilm and they are working on a new Star Wars movie. This will be episode 7, and it is bound to hit theaters on December 18, 2015. Director J.J. Abrams will be leading the production team and we can all rejoice because he did a great job fixing the Star Trek movie franchise.

Now, this article shall be completely dedicated to analyzing recent news, rumors and leaks from various fan-run Star Wars 7 sites and looking at just how good their sources really are. Obviously, the time is yet too early to talk details regarding this upcoming movie. However, this won’t stop the hype train so let’s not pretend we are not eager to get the latest gossip and hear-say. What he have prepared for you today is a set of rumors regarding the storyline as well as a few leaked images from the set (they have been confirmed to be real

A Fresh New Trilogy

Episode VII will obviously be a sequel to Return of the Jedi (Episode VI) and as such we can safely say that the upcoming trilogy (episodes 7, 8 and 9) can rightfully be labeled as the “sequel trilogy”. Abrams has casted Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher and Mark Hamill for the new movie and as such you can expect to see Han, Leia and Luke rock-it out on the big screens once again. The story of this movie will probably be based around 30 years after the events of the sixth episode in the series.

Lucasfim (or rather, Disney) has made no official statements about the plot, but we’ve had a bit of insight into the actors. In fact, a full Star Wars 7 actors list is available and some of the people who’ve been cast are great, well-established people in the movie industry. Daisy Ridely, is the only underdog in the bunch as she has never done any acting during her career.

Could the Title be “Star Wars Episode VII: The Ancient Fear”

My guess is that this title won’t be used, just because it was already discussed on the Net. I mean, seriously, it would be a lousy job on their end. However, could the plot that was leaked with this title actually be correct? Are the unknown sources close to Lucasfilm on to something?

The original leak about “The Ancient Fear” came with a part of the script and supposed synopsis. Honestly, I wasn’t very impressed and neither were the core fans because the story sounded so generic and cliché. The basic idea proposed by the leak is that Luke Skywalker has started a new Jedi Order (as expected) and that he is no longer the only Jedi out there. The Order is of course connected with the New Republic and they work hand in hand on maintaining peace.

The real story starts when Luke sets off on a mission to recover a rumored weapon that is hidden within some old ruins. This “artifact” holds great powers which must be kept from falling into the wrong hands. The problem starts to unfold because the artifact is nothing physical but rather a Force Ghost of an ancient Sith warlord who is immortal and one with the Force. He will come back to the Galaxy by taking control of one of Luke’s students – who will also be the child of Han and Leia.

Leaked Photos of the Star Ships

Over the past couple of days a lot of leaked photos have been travelling across the Net and we feel compelled to talk about them as well. The photos are pretty much legit and there’s a lot of evidence pointing to that. So, what was leaked? Admittedly, not much, we just saw a photo of the X-Wing and an under-construction Millennium Falcon. We were already 100% sure that we’ll see these two space ships in the movie to begin with so I don’t personally find it so shocking. Anyway, here are the photos:

Home Security, an Infographic

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 13 Dec 2013 01:55:00 +0000

Everyone loves infographics and we have a very unique one to show you today! Artciles are boring, so let us try and present data in a new and unique way, and thanks to Your Greatest Protection we one interesting study to show you about home security. They have sent a cool-looking poster our way, so we hope you'll find the information presented here rather useful! Here's the infographic:

iPhone-inspired stun gun - Samsung needs to add this to the next Galaxy S5!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 22 Nov 2013 09:35:00 +0000

Hey guys, I found a very interesting device a few days ago. Namely, I cam across a very interesting product which is a stun device (stun gun) by Guard Dog Security that is called the iStun smartphone stun gun. This company has (believe it or not) actually patented this idea and created a device that that looks like an Apple smartphone, but is actually a powerful stun gun meant to be used for self-defens. It comes with an array of features such as LED flashlight, a safety switch and powerful 3.8 million stun pad. So, how about we look at the specs and we'll tell you how you can get it for 10% and with free shipping!

The iStun is a powerful smartphone-like stun gun that was designed to look like popular Apple iPhones which is also suggested by the name itself. It comes with 3.8 million volts of power which will stop any attacker right in their tracks and prevent them from moving in any further. To provide increased utility, this device also comes with a fully functional LED flashlight.

You don't have to worry about batteries as the device can easily be recharged via the included charger and adapter. Generally, you should charge from time to time even if you are not using it. The electricity cost is rather insignificant and this will save you a lot of money since many stun guns still operate on batteries which can get exhausted fairly quickly.

A safety switch is present to prevent any accidental use of the iStun stun gun so you don't have to afraid of the device activating in your pocket or something as silly as that. The device also comes with a premium leather holster which will suit it very nicely as you can see on the photo above.

The product costs less than $50 and includes free shipping to most of the States. If you are interested, have a look at it here.

Bonus tip: This website has a mailing list which will give you a 10% coupon if you sign-up! That's a very good deal indeed!

Galaxy S4 Mini Specs and Features

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 23 Jun 2013 16:41:00 +0000

A lot of people didn't like many things associated with the Galaxy S4 and it seems like the Galaxy S4 Mini is a perfect answer to the problems a lot of us had with the main flagship. The main problems of course focus on the size and cost of the original device. However, will this Mini device really stand up to its name? The S3 Mini model was quite a failure when compared to its bigger brother, so let us see if this new device will be any better.

Press photo of the new device. Click to zoom.

The Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini looks rather good and it is obviously a lot more compact and portable than the bigger flagship. The display is 4.3 inches and in spite of the bad resolution settings the display quality is quite sharp and impressive. So, without further to do, let us just dive right in to the Galaxy S4 Mini's specs!

General Specs and Design of the S4 Mini

Smartphone dimensions: 124.6 x 61.3 x 8.9 mm (4.91 x 2.41 x 0.35 in).

The original model had the following body dimensions: 136.6 x 69.8 x 7.9 mm (5.38 x 2.75 x 0.31 in).

Weight: 107 g (3.77 oz); this 23g lighter than the larger device.
Display: 540 x 960 pixels, 4.3 inches (~256 ppi pixel density); Super AMOLED capacitive touchscreen.

16 million colors and multitouch support.

Internal memory: 8 GB, but 5 GB is actually user-available.
RAM: 1.5 GB for the standard 3G model and 2GB for the advanced LTE device.
Extra storage: Both models have microSD card support with up to 64 GB expansion.
Operating system: Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean.
Colors: White Frost and Black Mist (same as the original).

The White Frost model.

Advanced Specs and Hardware details

Chipset: Qualcomm MSM8930 Snapdragon 400
CPU: Dual-core 1.7 GHz Krait
GPU: Adreno 305
Primary camera: 8 MP

Max format: 3264 x 2448 pixels; autofocus and LED flash.

Secondary camera: 1.9 MP
Video quality: 1080p at 30 frames per second.
Data connectivity: USB v2.0, WLAN, Bluetooth, Infrared, NFC, EDGE and GPRS.
Networking: 2G and 3G is available, however for 4G you need the advanced LTE model (LTE - GT-I9195).
Battery: Li-Ion 1900 mAh battery, but stand-by time has not yet been tested by any reviewer.

Price and Release Date

The details regarding the price and the release date of the Galaxy S4 Mini have not yet been revealed to the general public although we do have some general idea when it comes to the numbers. The Galaxy S4 Mini release date is expected to come somewhere in the first half of July, while the price is expected to be around $400, although most experts and tech savvy users can't really agree with each other when it comes to this.

We will keep you updated as more news come so make sure your subscribe to us via RSS or via Twitter.

Galaxy S4 Active Review - Water-resistant and Amazing!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 23 Jun 2013 01:30:00 +0000

It has been a bit more than 2 months since we had a chance to experience what the original Samsung Galaxy S4 has to offer, but not it is time for the main flagship to get a few interesting updated and the Galaxy S4 Active is brilliant example of that. Just like the Galaxy S4 Red Aurora for AT&T the Active is a device exclusive to AT&T that is available for $199.99 on two-year contract. Other payment options include you paying $449.99 (saves you $145) for a one-year contract and paying straight up-front $594.99 for a month-to-month deal. You can see the full prices and order online here.

Dip it in water - nothing bad is gonna happen!

So, how exactly is the Galaxy S4 Active different from the regular model? Well, while this isn't the unique Advanced LTE model that people might have been expecting, the S4 is still quite unique on its own. However, the only real changes are on the outside since the internal hardware is pretty much the same.

The Exterior Changes to the Galaxy S4

Thus, let me point out right now that the most important difference is that the Galaxy S4 Active is water and dust resistant.

But just how water-resistant is it? Some are even saying it is waterproof, but as you know that cannot really be true. Still, for the purpose of this Galaxy S4 Active review we can say that this device does show that we are slowly getting close to a an actual "waterproof" smartphone. According to Mashable, the device can be submerged as up to three feet in water and can stay there for roughly 30 minuets. Apparently, you can even listen to music while swimming, although I am not sure who swims with their smartphone and how they find this practical.

Another major change is that the camera on the Galaxy S4 Active has 8 MP instead of 13. However, to compensate for this, the camera actually has an Aqua mode for underwater photography which looks rather impressive.

The body is actually thicker!

The final important change to the exterior of the phone is that the body is a bit thicker. It is hard to notice it until you actually compare the two. This is actually a welcoming change in my opinion as I always prefer smartphones which are a bit heavier in one's hand. Of course, this is a very niche opinion and depends on your style and needs.

So, do I think that the Galaxy S4 Active is worth it? If I wanted to buy the S4 right now and had access to AT&T then I would certainly opt for the Active. While it has one of the worst names ever, I quite like the water and dust resistant body and the thicker back. I don't plan on putting the phone into the water, but having a device that can work like a charm during the rain is a brilliant feature that is slowly becoming an industry standard on many devices.

Galaxy S4 Production Cut; Galaxy S3 to Retire

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 21 Jun 2013 12:34:00 +0000

Business reports have been suggesting this for quite some time, but nobody was ready to throw in the towel just yet. ZDnet was the first to post about this and their report confirms our suspicions. So, the short story is this: Samsung is going to retire their Galaxy S3 model and cut the production of their latest flagship device. However, that doesn't make any sense right now - so why is Sammy doing this? Well, let us try get down to the bottom of the answer!

The report comes from a Korean publication - ET News - who have insight in the South Korean electronics market. According to them Samsung is going to stat their latest program/plan in order to reduce their inventory and stop the production of older models. From what we knew already, the monthly production levels of the Galaxy S4 were rather high, but it is expected that it will be reduced by 10 - 15 percent! That's a really major production cut and it seems that the S4 wasn't such an amazing success as we first thought.

Next, the report says that it is not just the production that is falling behind, but obviously the demand for the product. This of course makes complete sense, if the demand for the product is low, Samsung will obviously have to cut the production. One could say that they could try and push the device more, but honestly Samsung has already used every single marketing trick ever invented!

There are too many parts in Samsung inventory...

Once there was a shortage of Galaxy S4 device, but these days are now long gone. The July Galaxy S4 order is currently only 6.5 million handsets, which is only half of the S4 units Samsung sold last month. The month before that was even more successful which just illustrated Samsung's slow fall. However, this is nothing overly exciting and it is something that was to be expected. After all, technology advances at a very fast rate and we can't expect a single device to rule over the market for an entire year.

However, JP Morgan cited poor European consumer demand as the reason for lower-than-expected shipment rates. If the market in Europe was more open to Samsung's flagship device then perhaps things would have been much better.

Also, in the report it is stated that the Samsung Galaxy S3 will be pulled off the production line which came much sooner than expected. To combat these events, Samsung will have to think of a new strategy to once again completely dominate the market. We can expect this sooner rather than later as Samsung is preparing three new devices: Galaxy S4 Mini, Galaxy S4 Zoom and the Galaxy Note 3.

Galaxy S4 Aurora Red at AT&T

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 23:06:00 +0000

It seems that AT&T is once again the first to score a very unique device, this time it is the Galaxy S4 Aurora Red, a beautiful smartphone that will surely win the hearts of many. The exclusive new device was launched today by Samsung and AT&T and it comes with 16GB of storage. So, how much does the new Galaxy S4 Aurora Red cost exactly? Well, the device is actually fairly priced which is an odd thing to see considering that these special models are usually more expensive. The Aurora Red will cost $639.99 if you decide to purchase it from AT&T off contract or you can choose to pay $199.99 with a new two-year contract.

Do you like the Galaxy S4 Aurora Red. Is it a "girl thing" or is the new design unisex? Click on the product photo to zoom by the way!

This is not the only new color that the S4 will come in, but these will get introduced over time and via different carriers. Samsung pulled a similar "trick" last year with their previous model and it proved to be a success. Experts are saying that Sammy will need every sale that they can get though since the latest flagship isn't doing so well on the charts anymore. While it is still selling well, it is becoming obvious that sale figures are dropping. The Galaxy S4 Aurora Red and similar unique models are just one of the strategies for Samsung to boost sales and get ahead in the game.

Of course, many see this in a different way. Fans will argue that nobody really makes their choice based on the color on the phone. It's not like one would choose a bad two-year contract just to get a phone in a different color than what other carriers are offering. People feel as this is just Samsung telling AT&T: "you guys are special, we love you". Still, one would be surprised how important color can be to some people and how much impact the design leaves on their decision. Devices such as Galaxy S4 Aurora Red are designed with such people in mind of course and this is a very niche device.

If you wish to check this device out in more detail, then feel free to visit the official AT&T website!

Advanced Samsung Galaxy S4 LTE Model In The Works?

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 11:42:00 +0000

It has been a long time since I posted on this blog and I do apologize for this. However, I am back in full glory ready to report about the latest Galaxy S4 and Android trends. The hot news on the wire today are those surrounding the rumored release of the Samsung Galaxy S4 LTE model, an advanced device that could boost the sales of the product. Currently, experts are expecting a major drop in sales for Samsung as it has been quite a while since the S4 was released and many other manufacturers have come-up with a lot of brilliant phones. Even though the Galaxy S4 is a dominant force on the market it is hard to say how long we can expect this to stay so.

As you know, LTE is a very powerful data transfer protocol and in theory this would allow the Galaxy S4 to get data download speeds up to 1Gbps (30 bits per Hz) and 500Mbps uploads (16 bits per Hz). However, 4G is not a wide spread service in the world and the Galaxy S4 LTE would thus be a very niche device in most countries. For example, in the UK only one network (Everything Everywhere) has 4G services while the first 4G network in Russian appeared just last year.

The problem is mostly in the fact that there are very few LTE devices on the market for users to actually invest money in this service and this is why most network provides in Europe have not implemented this service in their package. Thus, we can assume that the advanced Galaxy S4 model will be aimed at the North American market as it makes the most sense for it to succeed.

Regarding the issue the head of the firm’s mobile biz, JK Shin, said to Reuters on Monday that his team is currently in discussion with several overseas carriers (he did not say which). He did not give much details and did not even mention the region, but we can expect that he was referring to the United States and perhaps even Canada.

Win or Fail: Galaxy S4 Gangam Style in India (Samsung Style)

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 11:20:00 +0000

Just yesterday we reported that Samsung India has announced that the Galaxy S4 will soon be manufactured in the Noida facility which means that a lot of S4 devices will be bearing the made in India title just like many of the S3 models that were produced last year in the same factory. Along with this announcement Samsung India proceeded to hold an event dedicated to the arrival of the Galaxy S4 which was quite "shocking" to say the least. The hosts did a parody of Gangam Style which they called Samsung Style which was quite funny, but not a lot of people seem to think so. While I would say this was a mediocre thing at best, many are calling it a major fail. Have look at the video itself:

Here's some of lyrics if you are having trouble understanding things:

Samsung Style, Samsung Style!
If you liked the S3 then this phone is even better
It has a HD screen and is just a lot slimmer
441 ppi is not just a number
Look at this clarity it's brighter!

And after this I lose most of what the guy is saying until the chorus which is easy to understand. I don't really know who thought it would be a good idea to do this with a singer who isn't exactly very talented nor does he talk English very well, but Samsung India did ti anyway. Sammy is known for doing propaganda and marketing campaigns in this way, but I feel that the final product was way off mark this time around.

From what I understand the singer is actually a popular actor in India and the even was organized by a company that works in the entertainment and film industry. Comedic spoofs and parodies are a good way to advertise something, but this is just too much!

I wouldn't call it a fail, but it is certainly no win. Either way the video is becoming viral among tech fans, and no matter what one thinks of the ad, it is successful at spreading the message - the amazing Galaxy S4 is here and it kicks ass!

Like it or not? Do you know the rest of the lyrics? Post it in the comments bellow!

Galaxy S4 Will be Manufactured in India

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 13:44:00 +0000

Over time we have all gotten used to the idea that everything is produced in Asia, and by this we mostly refer to China, Korea and/or Vietnam. However, even though these countries provide a lot of affordable workforce for major companies, this is not the only place one can outsource their production line. India is a country that fits into the profile as well, and it also has a quite a lot of qualified workforce. A report from ZeeNews says that Samsung India has announced that they will be responsible for manufacturing a part of the new flagship devices. The quantity was not disclosed in the announcement.

"We are planning to start manufacturing of S4 soon at our Noida facility," Samsung Mobile and Digital Imaging Country Head Vineet Taneja said.

Noida is actually short for New Okhla Industrial Development Area and the facility in this area produces roughly around 40 million smartphone devices each year. Vineet Taneja did not discus how many Galaxy S4 units the facility will produce nor when the production process will begin.

So far, Samsung has been quite pleased with the success of Noida and they currently already have 12 smartphones in production in this facility. The most famous out of which is no doubt their Samsung Galaxy S3. The newest flagship will soon join the production line and Samsung is hoping to sell more of their high-end devices in India this year. Currently, India makes for 10% of Samsung's income so isn't a bad idea at all to focus on this market.

Galaxy S4 Surpasses iPhone 5 Retina Display

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 28 Apr 2013 21:41:00 +0000

For a long time many companies including Samsung have played catch-up with Apple. When the first Android phones were presented I though that they would never even get close to taking a bite of the big market share that Apple had, especially on American soil. But here we are today - Samsung is no longer playing catch-up in any regard. Many critics, tech enthusiasts and respected reviewers are saying that the Galaxy S4 full HD display is much better than the retina display of the iPhone 5. What I am wondering however is, does an average consumer notice and/or care about this?

Forbes recently published an article on their website which tried to stay as objective as possible without offending either of the parties. However, in spite of the article title being "Samsung's Galaxy S4 Display Catches Up With iPhone Retina" the author was clearly trying to say - it didn't just catch up, it is better by a mile.

Of course, the average consumer will not notice this. In fact, I am quite sure I wouldn't really notice either. I wouldn't really even like to discus this over as it is a bit useless. Who wants to read an article explaining which device has a better representation of the shades of green? Well, if you do want to read on that, go to Forbes and see their opinion.

What I would like to talk about, however, is innovation. Lately, Apple hasn't been doing much of it and on this you all have to agree. It is not like Samsung is pushing things beyond our expectations but they are working a lot harder than the folks at Apple. You see, unlike Samsung, Apple contracts other companies to create their parts for them. Thus, Apple's innovation is limited to the combined innovation of their suppliers, which hasn't been very impressive in the past several years.

A Sammy/ Galaxy S4 fan might be happy to hear this, but honestly this is not something to be overjoyed by as this affects us all. Until Apple starts doing things the right way, the competition will not be as difficult as it should be in terms of innovation and we will take a lot of time to move forward.

Or is a slow pacing something that you all prefer? Leave us a comment down bellow!

Galaxy S4 VS iPhone 5 Drop Test

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 27 Apr 2013 12:34:00 +0000

Now that the Samsung Galaxy S4 is available a lot of tech enthusiasts have gotten their model already. While the rest of us will have to wait for the Galaxy S4 shortage to get resolved before we can buy our own model, tech nerds and geeks are already hard at work doing various tests on the new device. We already posted a good Galaxy S4 VS iPhone 5 review but we never covered their build quality. I already mentioned that this was because we were waiting to see someone do a drop test, and you can be sure that the good folk at Android Authority have already gone and done that for us! Let us see the results, shall we?

Which do you think did better on the drop test?

So let us not spoil things for you, but let me just say that I wasn't surprised much by the results of the test. The method of testing itself is quite random and not really "scientific". Android Authority is known for not being any from of authority when it comes to this stuff as they prefer to goof around and entertain their readers rather than educate them. But nonetheless, they did provide us with a nice video and I invite you to have a look at it right now:

So, did you watch yet?

I suppose you have, so let us continue with the analysis of the test.

It seemed to me that Darcy was rather fair in the way he performed the test and that neither of the phones got any advantage in any of the tests. The iPhone 5 did better as expected due to the fact that it has a metal body which will beat the Galaxy S4 plastic build any day. This doesn't mean that plastic is bad or easy to break, but it fails to provide good protection around the corners as we had a chance to see in this video.

Once a phone suffers impact on the corners, the force spreads across the entire display and depending on the impact itself, the glass will shatter up to a certain point. However, the internal mechanism and hardware isn't harmed and it would take a lot of force to damage those parts. In the end, it is far cheaper to repair the display then the internal hardware.

Also, tests have shown that the Galaxy S4 is very easy to tear-apart by professionals which makes repairs very easy. It fact, it is much easier to repair it than any Apple device out there, which counts a lot if your S4 ever does take any damage.

Finally, one should note that, if you are going to spend between $600-800 on a smartphone, you might as well invest between $25-100 into a good case for it! Finally, I invite you to have a look at the Galaxy S4 scratch test as well!

Galaxy S4 Release Ruined by Device Shortage

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 18:11:00 +0000

The global release of the Samsung Galaxy S4 can be considered both a great success and a horrible failure. While the number of pre-orders is overwhelming and means amazing profit for Samsung right from the start, the shortage of actual devices means that a lot of consumers will be disappointing. Those who don't mind waiting a few weeks won't really feel that this shortage has done anyone any harm, but some people might take offense and opt-in for the new HTC One or some other device if they are really in a hurry to get a new smartphone.

So far there is no doubt that just about all Carphone Warehouse and Phones4U stores will not have the Galaxy S4 in stock during the weekend. As expected Samsung has immediately come with a statement concerned the issue.

"Due to overwhelming global demand for Galaxy S4, the initial supply may be limited. We expect to fulfill inventory to meet demands in the coming weeks," a Samsung spokesmen said.

While many fans and tech enthusiasts think that this means that the world has finally recognized true quality, a slow start is never a good idea. If anything this can only harm sales and make consumers distrust Samsung, especially in the USA and the UK. These regions will suffer the most and this is very unfortunate since Samsung is trying so hard to overtake Apple's impressive market share in these regions.

Carriers in the USA will have their fair share of problems as this supply shortage will hurt them the most. Verizon Wireless will start selling the device on 30 May, while T Mobile will start taking pre-orders on April 29th. Sprint will also start taking pre-orders during this weekend, but they cannot say when they will start shipping the devices to those who ordered first.

Do you plan on getting the new Samsung Galaxy S4? Tell us in the comments bellow!

Galaxy S4 VS Note 2

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 19:09:00 +0000

These two devices are currently the best that Samsung has to offer and I hope you are anxious to see the results of this Galaxy S4 vs Note 2 review! Now, it is true that the Note 2 is an older devices, but none the less if the Galaxy S4 cannot outmatch it then things aren't looking so bright for Samsung's latest smartphone. We will do this comparison as objectively as possible and once the new Galaxy Note 3 comes out we will pit it against the two as well.

Let us start by looking at the general features, the body and design. The image bellow shows the body dimensions of the two devices. As you are aware of the Galaxy S4 is smaller, thinner and much lighter. It weighs around 130 grams, while the Note 2 weighs just around 180 grams. Both devices are built from plastic.

The Galaxy Note 2 is as you know built to be this large on purpose. It is a mix between a phone and a tablet that fans like to call a "phablet". This makes comparing the two devices a bit harder, but nonetheless their performance and features can be compared regardless of this fact.

Galaxy S4 vs Note 2: The Display

In spite of the larger size of the Note 2, it no longer outmatches the Galaxy S series when it comes to the size of the display. The S4 has a 4,99 inch display while the Note 2 has a 5.55 inch display. Is 0.55 inches really worth it? After all, the Note 2 is quite bulky and not very practical and mobile and it no longer has a major advantage over Samsung's smartphone. If you are, however, looking for a mobile phone with an even larger screen, then stick around for the Note 3, which will have a 6.3 inch display.

Aside from this the Galaxy S4 provides superior display quality. The display is much better, although if you are keeping the Note 2 at a reasonable distance away from your eyes you would probably not notice that the difference in pixel density is so large. Nonetheless I believe that it same to say that the Samsung Galaxy S4 is in the lead so far.

Performance and Specs

The Samsung Galaxy S4 comes in two variation as far as the processor is concerned. The more common version features a quad-core Qualcomm processor, while the other has the famous Exynos 5 Octa-core processor. Benchmarks show that both models are superior in performance to the Galaxy Note 2.

As far as random access memory goes, both devices have 2GB RAM which makes them even. Storage is also the same as both devices come with 16/32/64 GB and can support an micro SD card.

And when talking about their performance, it is a wise decision to pit the two devices against each other via the Basemark X 1.0 app which was initially made for gamers. It puts the devices to major graphical tests and as you can see bellow the Samsung Galaxy S4 wipes the floor with all the other contestants.

In terms of software both devices use Android and the Galaxy S4 comes with a newer version out of the box. However, an official update for the Note 2 will soon be available so this doesn't really matter all that much.

As far as the camera goes, you can compare samples via GSM Arena which is quite handy. The Note 2 has 8 MP, while the Galaxy S4 has a 13 MP camera. However, the difference in quality isn't anything ground-breaking and these numbers don't even matter as much. However, the Samsung Galaxy S4 comes with an array of amazing new features and options when it comes to shooting photographs and I have to say that they looks both amazing and like tons of fun!

In conclusion, which of these wins the Galaxy S4 vs Note 2 battle? In my eyes the Galaxy S4 is worth successor to the series and much better than the Note 2 having outclassed it in every aspect. The price is, however, still a major factor and since the Note 2 is pretty good on its own and it will also get a price cut once the Galaxy Note 3 is out, you can hold on to your money for a bit longer and wait to see what is the best option.

Do you disagree with the final opinion? Leave a comment down bellow and tell us what said wrong!

Best Buy Verizon Galaxy S4 Pre-order Start Today!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 19:08:00 +0000

We already posted an article that covered all major Galaxy S4 US carriers and at that time there was very little information concerning Verizon. Unlike other major carriers who already announced the dates and prices of the device, Verizon hasn't even bothered to give the general public a specific date. However, the did come forward recently stating that they will have the Galaxy S4 in stock sometime in May.

Since there is no official date concerning the Verizon offer, Best Buy has not given out too many information either. However, pre-orders are available and you have to go to either a Best Buy Mobile standalone store or a Best Buy Mobile shop at a larger Best Buy store. While other companies are still putting out landing pages to get your email in order to notify you of the release, Best Buy is stepping forward with their offer quite a bit.

For $50 you can secure your pre-order, although this is a bit unwise as the actual pricing of the product is not yet known. It is expected that you will, in total, have to pay $200 or $250 if you plan to use a two-year contract. Off contract the device should cost $800 which isn't the most affordable deal out there, but it is a very standard offer.

So if you like Verizon's services and really want the new Samsung Galaxy S4 then the price with contract looks quite nice. I do, however, encourage you to have a look at what other carriers are offering. If you wanted to buy the standalone device from Verizon then I suggest you get it somewhere else. After all, who wants to pay $800 for that ugly branding that they place on the back case of every device. Yes, I do find that very, very annoying as you may have noticed through other blog posts here!

Galaxy S4 Scratch Test

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 23:59:00 +0000

These types of review are the latest rend in the mobile tech industry. Some good folk gets his hands on a device early and then finds all sorts of ways to destroy it on camera, and naturally, the video becomes viral. The Samsung Galaxy S4 scratch test is one such example and the video does provide some useful content if you are considering to buy this device. During our Xperia Z VS Galaxy S4 review we did mention that the new Gorilla Glass III is a very good feature, but let us see if it will do the phone any good.

The scratch test features all sorts of sharp pointy objects such as pens and knives. I personally found the test with the pennies the most realistic as they have in the past caused several scratches on some of my phones when I wasn't very careful where and how I was putting them. The Galaxy S4, however, took the punishment quite well, although this is honestly nowhere near as impressive as the Xperia Z.

However, we don't need to place the Galaxy S4 underwater or scrub it with sandpaper just to see if it will work. This isn't such a realistic test as I don't see how one could even get into a situation to ruin their phone this way. However, I am really looking forward to seeing the Galaxy S4 take place in a drop test. The previous model wasn't very resilient as people had hopped and I am really wondering if Samsung has addressed this issue.

If you have similar videos to share with us, leave them in the comments! :)

Galaxy S4 Prices and Release Dates US

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 17 Apr 2013 21:50:00 +0000

Following our last report on the rumored Galaxy S4 release dates many of the mobile service providers decided to step forward and reveal their offers regarding the brand new Galaxy S4 smartphone. Although we did have some glimpse of possible offers as well an official announcement from AT&T, most of the information was unknown to the general public. In today's post we will clarify what the carriers or offering, what the prices will be and when you can expect these offers to be available.

T-Mobile Galaxy S4

T-Mobile will be the first carrier to feature the Samsung Galaxy S4. The new pride and joy of the Android world will begin selling the Galaxy S4 on April 24. So, how much will this device set you back? Well, it'll be $149.99 up front as well as $20 per month for 24 months. This is a subtotal of $480 and a total of $629.

AT&T Galaxy S4

AT&T took their job as the Galaxy S4 carrier quite seriously and they made their offers publicly available right off the bat. You can currently order the device via their website, but you must also sign a new two-year contract. We covered this in a lot of detail here.

Sprint Galaxy S4

In spite off the nasty rumor that Sprint will release the Galaxy S4 somewhere in June, the official word is that they will start selling the device from April 27. You can get the Galaxy S4 via Sprint for $249.99 with a two-year contract. New customers switching from another carrier can get the phone for $149.99.

Verizon Galaxy S4

Verizon has not announced pricing or availability for the Galaxy S4 which is not a major surprise. They are known for being the last in line to get the latest tech, but not everyone is in a hurry anyway. The Verizon employees have, however, confirmed that the company will sell the device.

US Cellular Galaxy S4

U.S. Cellular has often been regarded as the second Verizon and it is no surprise that they have also not announced any details such as the price or release date of the new smartphone. They have, however, confirmed that they will sell the device.

Galaxy S4 US Release Dates Revealed?

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 16 Apr 2013 08:02:00 +0000

We have recently covered a story about AT&T's pricing as well as a special pre-order offer from Verizon, but neither of these companies have released official information regarding the actual Samsung Galaxy S4 release date. While many have already pre-ordered the new smartphone from the carriers, no official news has yet been revealed. However, there will always be rumors and leaks in the mobile/tech industry and today I shall inform you of one such rumor. Over night it spread across many micro-blogs such as mine since the "big sites" published it so I suppose many feel that "it must be true". This is, as you already know, a mistake on its own. None the less let us see what this photo has to say.

The source of the document is a Staple's employee

So to highlight the important part:

AT&T is releasing the Galaxy S4 on the 26th of April
T-Mobile will offer the Galaxy S4 starting the first of May
Verizon is falling behind and will offer the smartphone on the 30th of May

What nobody understand however, is that above it is stated "tentative" which means that this is just a test date and is probably by no means real. However, I would not be surprised if the truth is anything like this, since Verizon has a history of being late. AT&T Galaxy S4 pricing details have already been announced and pre-orders are starting today via their official website. This, I believe that there is truth to the rumor that they will be the first Galaxy S4 carrier in the USA.

There is little information regarding Sprint and their possible offers, but sources say that the company will eventually get the Galaxy S4 in their offer. The employees however have responded that they do not expect the phone to hit their stores until June.

Which carrier would you most rather choose for your new Galaxy S4? Leave us a comment down bellow!

Galaxy S4 VS Sony Xperia Z Review

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 14 Apr 2013 14:07:00 +0000

A long time ago I did a hypothetical Galaxy S4 vs Sony Xpreia Z review which got a lot of attention. However, this was clearly just a lot of guesswork and hypothetical talk and an early analysis. But, now that a lot of time has passed we can compare the two phones head on against each other. This can safely be called "The battle of the Titans" as both of these phones are their respective company's smartphone flagships for this season. So, without further to do let us get the Galaxy S4 VS the Xperia Z battle going!

The Overall Specs

In this section we will try and see what type of specs both of the devices have. This by no means the most important factor in this comparison, but we will try to see right off the bat what these devices have to offer. We are already familiar with the Galaxy S4 (or else you probably wouldn't be here!) but non the less let us compare the two devices side by side!

The Body and Design


In my opinion the Xperia Z has a superior design

The Sony Xperia Z has the dimensions of 139 x 71 x 7.9 mm (5.47 x 2.80 x 0.31 inches) and weighs roughly around 146 g (5.15 oz). The display diagonal is 5 inches and the overall design of the phone is quite nice. I personally prefer it to the design elements of the Galaxy S4, but I find this a very subjective and irrelevant topic. It is, however, important to note that the device is dust and water resistant. But a word on water resistant - it is resistant up to 1 meter and 30 minutes which is quite a lot honestly. Aside from this the screen is shatter proof and scratch-resistant (to some extent).

On the other hand, the Samsung Galaxy S4 is a bit more compact with the dimensions of 136.6 x 69.8 x 7.9 mm (5.38 x 2.75 x 0.31 inches). It is also quite a bit lighter as it weight 130 g (4.59 oz). This is actually both a difference in size that one can see and a difference in weight that one can feel, although it isn't anything ground-breaking I assure you. The display of the Samsung Galaxy S4 is also 5 inches (4.99 to be exact) and and it is protected with Gorilla Glass III.

I have seen a lot tests done with the Xperia Z - it has been bashed with a hammer, scratches with a knife, thrown underwater and yet it looked fine. This is really a tough smartphone that can go through hell and back and I honestly have to give it first place when it comes to this! However, I also prefer the S4's slimmer and more easy-to-handle body.

The Geeky Stuff

But, here we are - the good stuff! This is one of the more important parts of this Galaxy S4 vs Xperia Z battle as this one of the more important things that I look at when buying a phone.

The Sony Xperia Z boasts 2 GB RAM and 16GB of internal memory. The memory can of course be expanded further with a SD Card (up to 64GB). This smartphone runs with a Quad-core 1.5 GHz Qualcomm Krait processor with Adreno 320 GPU. I will also mention that the tech that the Xperia Z uses is known for its power-saving properties.

On the other hand the Samsung Galaxy S4 also has 2 GB of RAM and comes and, depending on the model, it has 16/32/64 GB of internal memory. This can be further expanding with a SD Card (again, up to another 64GB). As far as the processor goes, there are two models available:

The Exynos 5 Octa (which has two quad-core processor that switch on and off depending on which one is needed).
The Qualcomm Quad-core 1.9 GHz Krait 300 which comes with Adreno 320 GPU.

While there is an ongoing debate on which of these two performs better, there is no dispute that they handle things better than what the Xperia Z has to offer.

Another "geeky" thing to note is that the Samsung Galaxy S4 has recently proven itself to be a very powerful device when it comes to handling complex graphics. The recent benchmark app for graphics called Basemark X 1.0 has placed the phone at first place according to its tests. The Sony Xperia Z was ranked third just for comparison.

The Display Quality

Both of these devices are great in this department and I doubt this section will influence the outcome of this Galaxy S4 vs Xperia Z battle. Here is what you should note about the S4:

Super AMOLED capacitive touchscreen
16 million colors
Resolution of 1080 x 1920 pixels (~441 pixels per inch pixel density)

And about the Xperia Z:

TFT capacitive touchscreen
16 million colors
Resolution of 1080 x 1920 pixels (~441 pixels per inch pixel density)

Not exactly ground-breaking differences are they?

The Camera Quality

Many of you were probably waiting for this section, after all, you have probably seen the latest S4 commercials that focus on its camera features. Well, it is true, right off the bat we can safely say that the S4 has superior features and software which makes the camera awesome and pretty cool. But is it really a better quality camera?

Both devices have a 13 MP camera with the same resolution so let us look at some tests before we judge which one is better.

Sample 1

Sample 2

In my opinion, the Galaxy S4 wins this comparison, especially when you take the cool software into account!

Battery Life

This is another important aspect that I often consider when comparing two smartphones. All the awesome features aren't worth much if you are going to spend more time recharging the phone than using it!

Here are the Xperia Z battery specs:

Non-removable Li-Ion 2330 mAh battery
Stand-by: Up to 550 h (2G) / Up to 530 h (3G)
Talk time: Up to 11 h (2G) / Up to 14 h (3G)
Music play: Up to 40 h

The Galaxy S4 has a Li-Ion 2600 mAh battery, but I couldn't find information on its stand-by time and other tests since nobody has had the chance to do such tests yet. It does features a removable battery however, which is always a good thing of course.

Galaxy S4 VS Xperia Z: The Winner Is...

And here we are, at the end of this Galaxy S4 vs Sony Xperia Z battle, so who won? Well, were you expecting for more to crown the winner? Well, I am afraid I am not such an important authority figure to give out such an opinion. I would honestly say that the Galaxy S4 is a much better device, but if I can get the Sony Xperia Z for a much better price, then I would not hesitate believe me!

But what do you guys and girls think? Which is the winner of the Galaxy S4 vs Xperia Z battle in your opinion? Leave us a comment down bellow and tell us what you think!

Be Careful What You Buy!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 13 Apr 2013 13:57:00 +0000

We hold polls often on this blog and one of our recent polls asked people what they are planning to do once the Galaxy S4 is official on sale. I expected the results to look something like this, although I am not quite happy with what some of readership thinks like. Either way, I am grateful to all who participated and here are the results:

As you can see, the Samsung Galaxy S4 has a rather strong fan-base as the majority of the voters will be buying this flagship device as soon as it comes. Another large group will still wait a bit to see how good the device actually is, and this is something I applaud. Buying the latest tech just because of its reputation and without knowing much about isn't exactly the smartest thing to do, but I will not try to teach you how to handle your own finances as this is none of my business.

However, I will give you some advice when it comes to buying smartphones: be careful what you buy! Do not allow yourself to be fooled into order phones online via eBay or other auction sites unless the seller is an actual company or an authority figure. Last year there were a lot of scams involving the Galaxy S III and you can be sure some people will try and pull the same tricks again.

So, remember - be smart! :)

PS: A new poll has been posted and you can vote now! The poll is on the left side.

Galaxy S4 To Ship With Wolfson Audio Chip?

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 12 Apr 2013 12:34:00 +0000

There are so many of the "little things" that we often do not consider nor talk about when it comes to phone reviews. There a lot of reasons for this, but mostly writers do not include some of the specs or features because the general public either doesn't view them as important or their editors think it makes the article too long. Either way, audio is one of those things when it comes to most smartphones and we never really talked about it on the Galaxy S4. Well, this article will try to right the wrong and introduce you to a company called Wolfson Microelectronics who will apparently be creating the audio chips that the Samsung Galaxy S4 will use.

According to the report from the Inquisitor Scottish-based company Wolfson Microelectronics has signed a licensing deal with Samsung. It appears that the Korean giant plans to use their audio chips for its popular range of Galaxy smartphones and tablets. Among these devices is the Samsung Galaxy S4, the latest flagship device that Samsung will soon be releasing worldwide.

While this company isn't exactly Dolby Audio, they are not so unknown as people might think. In the past they have provided their chips to many companies, including Apple who used their chips for their iPod series as well as a few of the iPhones. The Samsung Galaxy S also features a chip from this company, and we will soon be seeing a lot more of their technology in Samsung's devices.

This agreement means that Wolfson is now Samsung's primary audio partner and you can be sure that all of this additional income that they will make will certainly be used to invest into their research department. The Galaxy S4 will not the be the only phone to receive these new chips, but we still do not have sufficient information on which models Wolfson is manufacturing for Samsung at the moment.

Wolfson CEO Mike Hickey said on the subject, "This is a significant milestone for Wolfson, and we are delighted to be making this announcement. Having worked closely with Samsung over recent years on their Galaxy range of tablets and smartphones, this agreement is a testament to our strong IP portfolio and our growing partnership, and we very much look forward to working closely together to continue to deliver exceptional audio in Samsung's smartphones and tablets."

It is a shame that there isn't really a major audio benchmark, but those of you who don't know yet, the Galaxy S4 is currently the best smartphone in turns of graphics according to Basemark benchmark statistics.

Galaxy S4 Ad Campaigns Kick Off!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 11 Apr 2013 18:19:00 +0000

The Samsung Galaxy S4 will soon be released worldwide and Samsung is slowly beginning it ad campaign. Although the launch event in New York received a lot of attention worldwide this is of course not nowhere near the amount of exposure Samsung is aiming to get to market their new device and raise the awareness of their brand. And with that said, Sammy started their brand new advertising plan and you can be sure that a lot of new ads are on their way to your billboards, local TV, YouTube, newspapers, stores...

Let us have a look at this 60 second teaser video first.

Ah, Vivaldi's music is playing in the background and one already feels that this going to be a great ad! Well, it wasn't really all that great and innovative, but I feel that it got its point across. It clearly focused on the phone's design and display quality as well as its unique features and gimmicks, while leaving a lot to the imagination and causing you to make further research about the device. It is a very nice all-around ad. The slogan "Your life companion" is a different twist to most of the lines that Samsung's advertising team usually uses, but I believe that this motto is quite accurate. However, the Galaxy S4 is more of an assistant than an actually companion, but this of course doesn't sound so poetic!

Anyway, Samsung also tried something different in their ad campaign as well. Usually they make direct references to other brands in some of their commercials in order to make fun of them. They are yet to do that for the Galaxy S4, but they have however taken a shot at Apple's style. These "funny" ads are a silent parody to what Apple often does, but also an attempt at using some humor to advertise only a small gimick that the S4 has in order to make you interested to learn more about the device itself.

A good example of this is the following ad:

Now, I honestly can't imagine a football team getting their spirits up with this song, but you get the idea Samsung is trying to spread across these ads. There are a few others like this such as the S Translator ad and while I am not a huge fan of these, I can certainly see them being rather successful.

Last year Samsung spent more than $300 million on advertising and I am sure that their recent success has given them enough resources to push their products even more so you can be sure to expect even more Galaxy S4 ads in the future.

Did you find any cool Galaxy S4 ads of your own? Please feel free to leave a link in the comments section just bellow this article!

Galaxy S4 Is Amazing for Gaming says Basemark X 1.0 Benchmark

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 10 Apr 2013 13:10:00 +0000

We already know that the Galaxy S4 is a pretty amazing device right? It works brilliantly and packs an amazing combination of both hardware and software. However, I never really though about the Galaxy S4 as a gaming device. Most of the people I know don't use phones like this for games that will drain your battery instantly to slow your phone down (they tend to use tablets for that). However, the recent tests that were conducted by an Android app called Basemark X 1.0 suggest that the Galaxy S4 is currently one of the best gaming devices in the mobile industry.

Well, how does it work? What score did the S4 get? Well, the Galaxy S4 climbed to the top for chart with a pretty impressive score. The benchmark app is constructed with the use of the Unity 4 platform and it provides a tough challenge for any device. It tests the phone via series of complex graphical tasks and then awards points to the device based on its performance.

The goal is obviously not to measure the quality of the graphics, but the performance of the device and how it handles with such challenges. Among some of the many things that Basemark X 1.0 measures are the lightning effects, particles, shading and shadows and so on. The graphical tests are really tough and are designed to push the devices that are being tested to their very limits.

Here is how Samsung Galaxy S4 did on the test:

The S4 passes with flying colors!

As you can see, the Samsung Galaxy S IV did great on this graphical test and really made the series proud. It proved itself much better than the HTC One which is a brand new phone on the market that is trying to take the crown away from the SG S4. So far, however, it has not done such a good job in my opinion!

If you are interested how well your current phone is doing then have a look at the free Basemark X 1.0 app on the Play Store. The developer has also noted that there will soon be an iOS and a Windows 8 application available as well, in case this is your OS of choice.

What do you think about these tests results? How does your current phone perform? Post anything you have to say about this in the comments and we will get back to you as soon as possible!

Verizon Galaxy S4 Deal Coming Soon (US Only)

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 09 Apr 2013 21:52:00 +0000

Verizon is ready to finally clear stock and start on their own Galaxy S4 offers. Earlier this week we reported that AT&T has announced its Galaxy S4 offer. If you decide to sign a contract with them for a period of two years then you can get the 16GB SG S IV for only $199.99, while the 32 GB model will set you back $249.99. Experts are suggesting that this pricing is fair and that we can expect similar offers from other carriers as well. So, what is Verizon up to?

Well, Verizon is prepping for the new Galaxy S4 release by offering their Verizon Galaxy S III for as low as $99 if you get it via the Verizon Wireless plan. This is a typical move that US carrier pull off when a new flagship model is about to hit their stores. Along with this, Verizon has cut prices on the Galaxy S3 for those who buy it via a contract through their partners. This way, some people have reported that one can get the Galaxy S3 by signing a two-year contract and paying an additional $19.99 through their partners.

So, when will the Verizon Galaxy S4 finally hit the stores? Well, it is still unknown at this time, but we do know that it has cleared the FCC tests and is about ready to go. Rumor has it that Verizon is planing a major release during this spring, which means the arrival of the SG S4 is just around the corner!

Experts are worried about Verizon's business model however, since AT&T, for example, has been chewing away on their profit. Verizon was the last carrier in the USA to cash-in on the Galaxy Note 2 and we may see the same thing again. Along with that there is no mention of them including the HTC One or the new BlackBerry 10 device in their catalog which might cause them a lot of damage.

We are yet to see how this will all play out however, so make sure you follow us for more news and commentary! Feel free to leave a comment if you have some news or tips! :)

Galaxy S4 India Release on April 25th; Price Under Rs 40,000

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 09 Apr 2013 15:06:00 +0000

After our release on AT&T Galaxy S4 prices in the USA, here is a report from another side of the world. Namely, this article takes us to India, and our readership from this part of the world will be overjoyed to hear the news of the Galaxy S4 release in this country. Even though the news indicate that the device will be launched on April 25th, it is very likely that the Galaxy S4 will not hit the stores in India until April 27th. The phone will be available for less than 40,000 Rs via contract, while manufacturer recommended price will be around 42,000 Rs.

We do not have information on whether or not this model will feature the Exynos 5 Octa processor, but it is very likely that consumers in this part of the world will have the same problems as the good folk in Europe, since the Galaxy S4 in these areas will not feature the Exynos 5 Octa. It is a real shame that the octa-core processor isn't yet ready for mass productions since it is a very strong selling point of this device.

Also, the rumor on the Net is that Samsung is a tad bit worried about the rumored upcoming iPhone 5S which could make sales drop. To counter this, it seems that improved models as well as the Galaxy S4 Mini are on their way. Along with this, the Galaxy Note 3 is going to hit the shelves big soon enough! However, we will talk about these rumors later on!