Oct 24, 2013


This is a smartphone with a display of 5.7 inches on the diagonal and a HD 1080p resolution, identical to the screen type used on the Galaxy Note 3, except that it is incurved on its vertical axle like the incurved OLED televisions already released by Samsung.

The potential gains from this screen type are still unknown, leaving some specialists perplexed. Samsung is mainly using this as a marketing point, pushing the communication plan on their new feature: the "Round Interaction", I can see this typr of screens benefiting Samsung's latest gadget, The Galaxy Gear. 

The "Round Interaction" is a simple function gained from the different shape of the smartphone and its gyroscope. When the device is placed on a flat surface, the user simply has to rick the phone and it will wake up and display the last notifications that haven’t been viewed (see the video).


Besides the peculiar shape, the Galaxy Round comes with some very interesting technical characteristics. It is only 7.9 mm thick (although it is slightly more in reality due to the additional space the device takes up due to its shape), is 154 grams and comes with a 2800 mAh battery. It comes with a 13 mega pixel camera lens and runs Android 4.3, has 3 GB of RAM and a 2.3 GHz quad core processor.

While no international launch has been announced, Samsung has already presented one piece of bad news: the price for the device will be over a $1000 and international availability is doubtable, The Round is now on sale in Samsung's home country of South Korea, but according to SamMobile it will only be produced in limited numbers. It's a proof-of-concept of the curved screen, which will presumably find its way into future phones.
Samsung GALAXY ROUND Product Specifications  

Network 
LTE 150/50M bps
Processor 
MSM 8974 (Quad Krait 2.3 GHz)
Display
5.7” Full HD Super Flexible AMOLED
Memory
32 GB + microSD (up to 64GB)
3GB RAM
Camera
13 MP AF w/Flash + 2MP

Camera Mode: Drama Shot, Sound & Shot, Animated Photo, Eraser, Best Photo, Best Face, Beauty Face, HDR (High Dynamic Range), Panorama, Sports, Golf, Surround shot, Live effect.
OS
Android 4.3 (Jelly Bean) 
Connectivity
Wi-Fi a/b/g/n/ac, WiFi Direct, BT 4.0 (BLE), USB 3.0, GPS+GLONASS, NFC
Additional Features
Group Play: Share Music, Share Picture, Share Video, Share Document, Play Games
Story Album, S Translator
Samsung Smart Scroll, Samsung Smart Pause, Air Gesture, Air View
Samsung Apps, Samsung Hub, ChatON (Voice/Video Call, Share screen, 3-way calling), Samsung WatchON
S Voice™ Hands Free, S Health
Samsung Adapt Display, Samsung Adapt Sound
Auto adjust touch sensitivity (Glove friendly)
Samsung Link, Screen Mirroring
Safety Assistance, Samsung KNOX
Dimension
151.1ⅹ79.6ⅹ7.9mm, 154g
Battery
2,800mAh


Samsung Galaxy Round Announced [Press Release/Specs]

By: Unknown on: Thursday, October 24, 2013

Oct 20, 2013


LG's G2 is the company's newest flagship and it replaces the former model, the Optimus G, it has the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 and some pretty impressive features as well. So let's take a deeper look at what makes this smartphone stand out.

Design




From the front it's a gorgeous device, the branding is up to it's minimum, it's not really in your face and since there is no hardware buttons on the front, they took advantage of that and used the space to enlarge the screen, The side bezels are almost non-existent, the top and bottom areas are small enough, and you truly feel like you are holding nothing but one giant smartphone panel in your hand without any extra fuss. to the top left corner you'll see the 2.1 MP front facing camera along with the proximity and the brightness sensor then comes the phone speaker in the center.


On the sides you won't see any physical buttons, no volume rockers nor power button, LG has moved them to the back of the device -Which we'll talk about more later on in this review- right under the camera, on the left you'll see the SIM card slot, and from the top you'll see the noise cancellation mic along with the IR blaster, from the bottom you'll see the 3.5 mm headphone jack with the main microphone, Micro USB port and the speaker, From the back you'll see the volume rockers and the power/sleep button which has a secondary notification light raped around it in line to the rear facing 13 MP camera with an LED flash with a plasticy back that I'm not digging very much, There is nothing redeeming about a black slab of shiny plastic that needs to be wiped a minute after using it to clean the mess your figures have caused. If you buy the G2, invest in a case… like, now.


Personally I'm not a big fan of the physical buttons placement but it's simply my personal opinion that you might completely disagree with, with that being said, I cannot stand LG’s decision to move buttons from the traditional side placements and place them in the middle of the backplate under the camera. Pressing them often feels completely unnatural and regularly confusing, Thankfully, LG included KnockON, so you don’t necessarily need to press the power button in order to wake or sleep your phone. This is something that almost anyone could more than likely get used to if this phone became theirs for a long period of time. It’s just such a drastic change for someone like me that uses a traditional button setup after traditional button setup, that I couldn't get over it . 



Display


The device rocks a beautiful 5.2 inch True IPS+ LCD screen. At a resolution of 1920×1080 with 423ppi, it's very sharp and it's clarity is unlike almost any other smartphone screens I've seen. Videos look like true 1080p, games are full of amazing detail - of course the Adreno GPU plays a big role here-, The display itself leans slightly to the cooler side of display temperatures, whereas the AMOLED in a device like the Galaxy S4 and Moto X clearly comes off warm. The on-screen buttons does take a small bit of the screen but they're not always there as when you're playing videos or going through pictures but personally I did have some issues with them as I do on all devices with on-screen back, menu and option buttons like the Nexus 4 or the Moto X especially when I'm typing in vertical mode, because the space button is right above the menu button and I often mistaken these two and press menu in the middle of typing. 



Camera


The 13MP Sony IMX135 Exmor sensor in the G2 is pretty good, in face I've rarely had to re-take a photo especially with the 9-point autofocus and OIS ( Optical Image Stabilization ). But to be honest I didn't notice the difference in photos, OIS mainly works with video which you can see clearly when recording a 1080p video. Low light images were outstanding, it competes with other high end devices,Only issue I had with the camera is that it takes quite a while to adjust the 9-point autofocus which sometimes can be annoying and even worse when the flash is needed because it lights up in your face (in case if you were taking a selfi) for about 4~5 seconds which leaves you semi-blind for a moment! with that being said, the end results are pretty awesome, Check out pictures below and to see some camera samples.
(Click to enlarge)
 
 


Connectivity

The G2 supports 4G LTE but I couldn't try that out because in Jordan we're still living with shitty 3G/HSPA, It also has NFC connectivity, Bluetooth 4.0 LE ( Low Energy ) which has became standard in 2013 flagship devices and an IR blaster which can be programmed to duplicate any remote which I found to be an awesome feature! unlike other flagship devices that comes with a pre-programmed set of codes that can only work with a hand-full of brands, the G2's IR blaster can be used to copy any remote control simply by directing the IR blaster of the remote to the IR blaster of the device and pushing a button for two seconds so that the G2 can record the code and re-use it to control other devices. It's not a jaw-dropping feature but I like how LG paid attention to this little detail. 


Performance 



The LG G2 is the first smartphone to launch with the Snapdragon 800 processor -Quad core clocked at 2.26GHz- which is one of the most powerful CPU's out there at the moment, it's extremely power efficient and it's a monster when it comes to gaming, along with the Adreno 330 GPU ( Graphics Processor Unite ) it gives some pretty impressive performance and benchmark results, During my testing period I didn't suffer any kind of lag or software issues, It didn't crash on me not even once, I honestly can't understand why Samsung won't distribute the Snapdraon version of their devices in the middle east - we always get the Exynos version - not that the Exynos version is bad or anything but the Snapdragon is just better when it comes to performance and power management and it never heats up.




Software






The G2 comes with Android 4.2.2 out of the box, LG has put a lot of effort into developing the UI, it's full of beautiful animations, very slick and smooth, you can even play with the icons sizes or replace them with images from your gallery. They have included apps like QuickMemo, QSlide, and Slide Aside that all want you to be able to accomplish multiple tasks at once. With the pulldown of the notification tray, you can jump into a variety of QSlide apps that hover as mini apps over whatever you are doing. You can change their transparency to see through to your background task and even open more than one at a time. With Slide Aside (my least favorite of the three), LG wants you to use a 3-finger swiping gesture while in an app to hide it off to the side. You can stack up to three apps to the side, accessing them again with another 3-finger swipe. It’s unnecessary since Android already has a multi-tasking app that can be accessed with a long-press on Home and shows much more than your last three apps.


 


Battery Life 



Last but not least, let's get to the battery... Now, I've tried a lot of devices and the G2 has the best battery life I have ever seen, Thanks to a 3,000mAh -unremovable- battery the G2 packs, I ran into zero battery scares. On 3G with regular usage, The device lasted for a good 18 hours and still had 20% or so left. When you tuck the device in your pocket, 3% will get you through 5 hours, on light use the G2 can last for 2 days without worrying about charging.



The Verdict



The Good:

  • The processor is lightning fast. 
  • Beautiful transaction animations, very customize-able. 
  • The 5.2 display is gorgeous, awesome for watching videos and browsing internet. 
  • Battery life is simply out standing and will keep you going for a full day of regular use no problem. 

The Bad:

  • No SD card slot, the device comes with two options of storage either 16 or 32 GB. 
  • The backplate materials feel very cheep and it's a figure print magnate (Solved by purchasing a back case). 
  • Physical buttons placement needs some getting used to. 
  • Multi-Tasking limitations, You can't run more than 2 apps in minimized mode and you can only save up to 3 apps in Slide a Side feature. 

Bottom line

LG tried to create the ultimate powerhouse with the G2 and succeeded. To power it all, you have the latest quad-core Snapdragon 800 processor from Qualcomm clocked at 2.26GHz with an upgraded Adreno 330 GPU. Then you add on the 5.2″ True IPS+ display, 2GB RAM, 13MP camera with OIS (optical image stabilization), 4G LTE, 32GB of storage, and 3,000mAh battery all tucked into a frame that is only 8.9mm thick, the LG G2 may last three or four years before it shows signs of aging. The screen is as good as it gets, the processor is the most powerful on the planet, and the camera includes the next movement in mobile photography. 

Well done, LG.

Gallery







Video Review [Arabic]


Unboxing Video [Arabic]

LG G2: The Best Smartphone LG Has Ever Made [Review]

By: Unknown on: Sunday, October 20, 2013

Oct 15, 2013




Yesterday HTC made the HTC One Max official, weirdly the device didn't come with the latest specs, it's just pretty much the screen and used the extra space to fit in a fingerprint scanner, HTC aims for the HTC One Max to compete against the Samsung Galaxy Note 3... But Personally I don't see it, In this post I've listed 6 reasons why the Galaxy Note 3 is still a better device.


1. IT'S BIG!

The HTC One Max comes with a 5.9 inch screen which is bigger than the one on the Galaxy Note 3 -5.7 inche- but HTC didn't implement what companies like LG did with the G2 for example, which is enlarging the screen but making the device bezel-less (the screen is almost 95% of the front panel), so keeping the dual speakers in the front and fitting hardware buttons makes the device a pretty massive phablet at at 164.5 x 82.5 x 10.29 mm and 217g, versus 151.2 x 79.2 x 8.3 mm and 168g for the Galaxy Note 3, Big is good, but I think there's a limit of some sort, Samsung could've easily made the Galaxy Mega a device with high specs but didn't and there's a reason for that.

2. Power

The HTC One Max comes with a Snapdragon 600 processor instead of the Snapdragon 600 processor found in the 4G version of the Note 3 and also 2 GB of RAM instead of 3 GB on the Galaxy Note 3, they pretty much kept the same insides of the original HTC One and made the screen bigger.


3. The Stylus

Part of the Note 3's charm is Samsung's stylus, the S-Pen; The HTC One Max doesn't have a dedicated pen but you can purchase a stylus that doesn't have any special features. The Note 3 is a literally a note-taking machine, it's designed for you to take advantage of the big screen and digitalize your note-taking habits seamlessly with a great user experience, The HTC One Max lacks all of that, It leans into making the device an entertainment hub for watching movies and playing games but there's an other category of devices for that called TABLETS.

4 . Software

Both the HTC One Max and the Note 3 come with Android 4.3 out of the box but the sense 5.5 HTC have included with the One Max sucks! Yes this is pretty much my personal preference that you might completely disagree with me about but I'm a life long fan of Samsung's TouchWiz and even with LG's new launcher which is incredibly similar to Samsung's TouchWiz


 5. Materials

For some weird reason, HTC decided to drop the stainless steal frame from the original HTC One and go with a plasticy frame which makes the device feel cheep, If HTC is known for anything, it's quality and somehow their latest flagship device lacks that unlike the upgrade the Note 3 got, Yes it's still basically leather over plastic but it feels quite fancy.

6. Battery life

With a 5.9 inch screen and a power hungry processor, I expected HTC to go crazy fitting something like a 4000 mAh battery to the One Max but they went with a slightly bigger 3300 mAh battery which I found disappointing, also they've made it non-removable even though that the back can be opened to insert a SIM card and an SD card, so why not make it removable? I can only picture one of the exec's at HTC saying "Let's do something no one else did" and a removable back with a non-removable battery is the only thing he/she ( I'm not sexist ) could come up with.

Bottom line
The One Max might have a slightly better camera, a slightly larger screen and a slightly bigger battery, but It's not enough to match the Galaxy Note 3, Don't get me wrong, It's in my top 10 best Android devices but the Note 3 is the superior phablet here. Do you disagree with me? Make your case in the comments section below.


Photo Credits: Android Community

Why the Galaxy Note 3 is still better than the HTC One Max?

By: Unknown on: Tuesday, October 15, 2013

Oct 1, 2013


Samsung Electronics was recently ranked No. 8 in Interbrand’s ‘Best Global Brands 2013’ report, recognized for its outstanding business management, global growth in brand value through marketing initiatives, and continued market leadership thanks to the release of innovative products such as smartphones and televisions.

Rising in rank from its No. 9 position in 2012, this year Samsung recorded a brand value of $39.6 billion (approximately 42.6 trillion KRW), a 20.4% increase compared to last year’s $32.9 billion. Of the Top 100 brands included in the report, Samsung greatly exceeded the average brand’s increase rate of 8%, as well as the average technology business rate of 15%.

Samsung Electronics strengthened its No. 1 position in the mobile category by releasing the Galaxy S4 and Galaxy Note 3, as well as by creating a new market with the launch of Galaxy Gear, an innovative and fashionable wearable device.

In addition, Samsung ranks No. 1 in the TV sector for the 7th consecutive year, introducing new products such as the world’s first curved UHD TV. The company is also leading the market with the continuous launch of premium household appliances. 

Meanwhile, Samsung is actively engaged in omnidirectional marketing activities, reflecting the ‘Brand Ideal,’ which is to ‘provide opportunities of new life to everyone through endless innovation and discovery (Accelerating discoveries and possibilities).’ 

An example of this marketing initiative is ‘Launching People,’ a campaign that launched this year and focuses on discovering and sharing consumers’ stories and how they are realizing new opportunities with Samsung products. The campaign was well received around the world. In France, for instance, the campaign approximately reached 60 million people within a 5-week period, creating around 2,000 stories. 


Additionally, Samsung Electronics created an internal slogan to communicate the Brand Ideal to employees. 

“We newly established our brand vision last year to become a brand desired by consumers, not simply enhancing the level of brand awareness and preference,” said Sue Shim, vice president of global marketing at Samsung Electronics. “We are engaged in activities reflecting this vision in all customer touch points.” Samsung entered the top 20 in Interbrand’s global brand list for the first time in 2009, and entered the top 10 last year—in just three years time. 
  

Samsung was also selected as No. 2 in ‘The Most Innovative Companies 2013’ report, which is released each year by global strategic consulting firm Boston Consulting Group (BCG). 

Refreshed Brand Vision

As part of its goal to become a Top 5 global brand by 2020,Samsung Electronics refreshed its brand vision: ‘Provide opportunities of new life to everyone through endless innovation and discovery (Accelerating discoveries and possibilities).

The company is proactively conducting omnidirectional marketing activities that reflect the Brand Ideal across all customer touch points. These activities are rooted in the philosophy that a genuine global brand requires the establishment of a clear brand vision that is current and meets consumer demand. 

“Launching People” – A Consumer Campaign Realizing Brand Ideal 

Samsung Electronics developed a consumer participating program, ‘Launching People,’ to actively convey the newly established Brand Ideal to consumers and is expanding this campaign across the world. 

‘Launching People’ is a campaign to discover, share and support stories where consumers realize new opportunities thanks to Samsung products. 

Samsung Electronics planned this campaign based on the belief that various opportunities can be discovered and realized when new products and technology meet consumer’s potential. In France, the campaign is gaining tremendous popularity by reaching roughly 60 million people in 5 weeks and discovering 2,000 stories. The campaign has made a significant impact on Samsung’s brand, with an increase of 10 percent point in brand attributes, such as ‘friendly,’ ‘for me,’ and ‘differentiated,’ compared to before the campaign was released. 

With this great success, Samsung Electronics plans to expand the ‘Launching People’ campaign to 10 additional countries in 2013, and to 25 countries in 2014. 

Employee Communication to Promote Brand Ideal

Samsung Electronics is actively engaged in a full-fledge internal communications campaign. The company considers its employees as a crucial starting point to realize its Brand Ideal as their lives closely revolve around the brand. As such, the company created an internal slogan of ‘Discovery Starts Here,’ which launched in 2012 on Foundation Day (November 1st).   

Additionally, an employee event kicked off in November 2012 in order to promote Samsung’s Brand Ideal to corporate offices in 70 countries across the world. A brand ambassador program was also developed to strengthen employee communication, with more than 120 global brand ambassadors assigned domestically and globally. 


Finally, online and in-person trainings on Samsung’s Brand Ideal are being conducted more than 200 times annually; there are also ongoing activities to make the brand a way of life, such as customizing office space designs to reflect the new brand attributes and regional characteristics.

Samsung Rises to No. 8 Position in Interbrand’s ‘Best Global Brands 2013' Report

By: Unknown on: Tuesday, October 01, 2013
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