The back pockets, on our pants, are awesome. We know they are vulnerable to pickpockets and have a greater chance of spilling the contents every time we sit, but we can’t resist it. The back pocket is still home to many wallets, keys, phones, etc.
And apparently, our hips are strong – stronger than we give it credit for. Leaving things in your back pocket can lead to, well, bent things. Hence the question: what about my phone? Namely, the Galaxy Note 4.
Samsung makes and sells hundreds of millions of smart devices each year, and it’s very important that each and every one is in line with its strict quality control standards. So, to make sure you can rely on its devices, including Galaxy Note 4, Samsung runs rigorous tests both during and after development and production. Check out the video below for some of the tests that Samsung runs to give you, and your back pocket, peace of mind.
Here at IFA 2014 in Berlin, the Galaxy Alpha is on display front and center at the Samsung booth. As many people seem to agree, it is hard not to notice the shiny Galaxy Alpha, even next to the new Galaxy Note 4. From what we’ve seen, when you see it, you’ve got to check it out.
While I definitely noticed that it was difficult to put the Galaxy Alpha down, I was also reminded that for a while, one of the most frequently asked questions on smartphone-related articles on Samsung Tomorrow was this:
Galaxy-Alpha at IFA
Why not a metal case?
It is a fair question. Considering the range of products Samsung manufactures, Samsung is quite a veteran when it comes to handling the steel. From refrigerators to mobile devices, Samsung has been showcasing products with metal surfaces for quite a while now.
Now, the Galaxy Alpha is out, and with its sleek metallic frame, it is safe to assume that the question has been answered. The question I find myself asking is:
Galaxy-Alpha at IFA
Why metal?
Believe it or not, there are many people around the world who enjoy the polycarbonate case (which is commonly regarded as ‘plastic’). In its defense, polycarbonate is actually an advanced material with many benefits and used in many different fields other than smartphones as well. For example, it is durable enough to be used in safety glasses and police riot gear, while still being light enough to carry comfortably.
As a relatively long-term smartphone user, I have yet to experience an occasion where a polycarbonate case produced a negative experience. There must be many people who share this experience.
Galaxy-Alpha at IFA
So why metal?
The proponents for a metallic body say that the biggest advantage it has is the design and grip. At less than 6.7 mm thick, the sleek Galaxy Alpha features a metal frame that resonates premium high-end design. It also features sophisticated design techniques with one-of-a-kind curved corners on top of the metal frame. Yeah, it really is hard to argue against the design concept of the Galaxy Alpha. Of course, the metal frame provides solid protection in case you drop it as well.
As we can see, the metal body has its advantages and plastic has its own advantages. Nothing is straight out superior to the other in terms of usability; they are equally qualified materials for a smartphone. Basically…
Galaxy-Alpha at IFA
Metal or plastic, strictly a matter of preference.
Everyone is different, and as a result wants or needs different things; there is no right or wrong when it comes to preference. Whether you are a user or a producer, differentiation based on preference is a mutually beneficial thing, and thus important. Samsung, as a producer, recognizes this quality about its users.
From Galaxy Core Advanced and Galaxy K zoom to Galaxy Alpha, each device has distinctive characteristics that meet the need and preference of people with distinctive characteristics. The differentiating point for Galaxy Alpha happened to be its design approach.
As insinuated in the beginning of the article, people have been asking for a metal-cased smartphone by Samsung. The Galaxy Alpha was built and designed based on the specific desires of the consumer market. The fact that Samsung listened to consumer feedback and delivered the product is something that shouldn’t go unnoticed.
There was a lot of emphasis on the design of the Galaxy Alpha here. It should be mentioned that the Galaxy Alpha maintains the high quality performance of the Galaxy series, such as Super AMOLED display, advanced camera, dedicated fitness features with HRM, Ultra Power Saving and a fingerprint scanner. The Galaxy Alpha’s battery features a capacity of 1,860mAh with up to 11 hours of talk time – and with just 10% battery left, battery power can last up to 24 hours using Ultra-Power Saving Mode.
As a fan of smartphones, it is just exciting to see so many different types of smartphones in one place here at IFA 2014. And if you are a fan, the Samsung booth at IFA 2014 would really be like one giant candy shop. The variety of devices at the Samsung booth really shows Samsung’s effort to satisfy as many people as possible, whether you are a metal or plastic case fan.
*All functionality features, specifications, and other product information provided in this document including, but not limited to, the benefits, design, pricing, components, performance, availability, and capabilities of the product are subject to change without notice or obligation.
**The following is an individual opinion of editor ASyk and does not represent the official views of the company.
Samsung has ‘unpacked’ the latest evolution of the Galaxy Note yesterday at an event in Berlin, Germany.
The Galaxy Note 4 features a bigger screen with multi-screen functionality that offers real benefits to users that want a mobile device that can power them through their working day.
Galaxy Note 4
With the original Galaxy Note, we created the large screen form factor that has now become an industry standard and with the new Note 4, we’re re-defining this category once again.
More flexible and with more intuitive tools, the Note 4 is designed to make working on-the-go easier than ever before. Often, we wait to respond to emails received on-the-go until we have access to a bigger screen, be that a tablet or laptop. With the Note 4, we believe that the habit of moving between different devices for different tasks can be broken with a single phablet that is small enough to move with you but powerful enough to cope with your daily work expectations and needs.
With the Note 4, we’ve re-imagined the humble pen and paper for the digital age.
The larger screen offers the opportunity to multi-task using two open windows at once, while the S Pen allows the user to select, cut, paste and edit with much greater efficiency and ease.
Testing out the Galaxy Note 4
The Note 4 also uses fast charging technology that can recharge around 50% of battery in just half an hour. Even with a faster processor and Quad HD screen, the battery life on the Galaxy Note 4 has actually improved on its predecessor.
Faster, smarter and sharper than ever, the Note 4 is the ultimate tool for your day-to-day work demands.
Unlike, for example, athletic ability, technology is not something that peaks and declines over time; in fact, it is quite the opposite. As technology advances, we have reached a point where the facts and figures of device specifications no longer impress us. Moreover, as we enter the end of the first decade of the era of smart mobile devices, we’ve come to care more about the actual usability of it. That is why Galaxy S5, the fifth generation of the Galaxy S series, focused on ‘refining experience with innovation of essential features for day to day use’ and so far, it has been a smash hit.
Galaxy Note 4 Front
How many people remember 2011?
Looking at the past decade of smart devices, the year 2011 could have been a risky year to introduce the Galaxy Note. The general consensus was that people have already expressed their disinterest for smart devices with larger displays. Therefore, with a 5.3” display, the Galaxy Note may have seemed out of place at a time when most people assumed that mobile devices had to stay small; or there is no need for it to be big.
Simultaneously, Samsung has also introduced the S Pen, a new input device for Samsung’s ‘Note’ series. The reason S Pen was an interesting choice at the time was, because styluses had been considered completely irrelevant ever since the advent of touch screen smartphones. (Remember the PDA phones?)
Moreover, if you think about it, people even created the word, phablet, to describe Galaxy Note. The term summed up what at the time was the skepticism of combining a phone with a tablet.
However, Galaxy Note sold 5 million in 3 months, the Note 2 repeated the feat in 2 months and the Galaxy Note 3 in just one month. The number and the trend make it hard to argue that the Galaxy Note series has established the ground for phablets; in Samsung’s case, it also became one of their most beloved series.
The Matter of What and How
So what happened here? Did people’s preference for larger display suddenly changed after 2011?
Probably not. In fact, people always have been looking for smart devices with larger displays. But what people really wanted was a device that can take advantage of the larger display. One of the main reasons that large display smart devices failed to garner public attention was because many thought it’d lack functionality (and bulky design), therefore, counterintuitive.
Galaxy Note 4 Back
Now when the very first Galaxy Note was launched, it was equipped with a 5.3″ Super AMOLED display. This means that users could get a larger screen plus better colors. Moreover, the Multi-Window functionality, which divides the screen into two to execute different kinds of task simultaneously, provided the people with the opportunity to multitask. And, most importantly, the S Pen. Therefore, the Galaxy Note can maximize the advantage of larger screen with the matching functionality. That was what made Galaxy Note different.
The Matured Market and Consumers…. And Samsung
The identity of ‘phablet’ was not established by its display size, instead by its functionality. Now Samsung not only have a ‘phablet’ as one of the flagship devices, it also has 4 of them. However, the market and consumers have both matured, which is why Samsung has been testing the limit in terms of both size and functionality.
For example, the device started with its 5.3-inch Super AMOLED display, followed by larger 5.5- and 5.7-inch displays for the Note II and Note 3, respectively. Now, the Galaxy Note 4 features 5.7″ Quad HD (2560×1440) Super AMOLED display.
Galaxy Note 4 also features ‘Fast Charging’, which charges the battery about 30% faster! Galaxy Note utilizes state of the art technology to maximize its functionality.
Of course, Galaxy Note 4 has only been out for a couple of hours, so it is too early to say whether it is exactly or much more than what people expected. But looking at the history of the Galaxy Note series and the philosophical trend of Samsung mobile devices, as well as the features of the Galaxy Note 4, we are very excited to see the future of it.
*All functionality features, specifications, and other product information provided in this document including, but not limited to, the benefits, design, pricing, components, performance, availability, and capabilities of the product are subject to change without notice or obligation.
Samsung has a total of 8 wearable devices and 6 of them are worn on the wrist. As you know, Samsung is showcasing its latest wearable device on the wrist, Gear S, at IFA 2014. As we celebrate Gear S and the anniversary of the Gear Series, we would like to present you this…
The long-awaited event Samsung Unpacked 2014 Episode 2 was just held in Berlin, Beijing and New York, simultaneously and we at Samsung Tomorrow were at Berlin to check it out. It was definitely one of the most anticipated Samsung events of the year, with countless speculations about the event right up to the kickoff. Now that the next big things have been unpacked, what do you think?
Samsung Introduces the Latest in its Iconic Note Series – The Galaxy Note 4, and Showcases Next Generation Display with Galaxy Note Edge
Offering a new dimension to Samsung’s unique Note culture, the Galaxy Note 4
and Note Edge strengthen Samsung’s category leadership with
the most progressive mobile devices on the market
Samsung Electronics announced the expansion of its flagship Galaxy Note series with the new Galaxy Note 4 and Galaxy Note Edge. Blending an evolved S Pen with a superior viewing experience, the Galaxy Note 4 provides users with the most unique and powerful mobile experience on the market.
“The Galaxy Note series signaled extraordinary innovation within the technology industry. Its larger screen size and iconic S Pen technology launched a new standard in smartphone culture,” said JK Shin, CEO and Head of IT & Mobile Communication at Samsung Electronics. “With the introduction of the Galaxy Note series, we brought the age-old culture of the pen and notepad into the digital world. The new Galaxy Note 4 introduces the most refined Note experience to-date by combining all the latest technology that users expect from the Galaxy series.”
Powerful Performance that Matters the Most to You
The Galaxy Note 4 embraces Samsung’s heritage of an unrivaled Galaxy mobile experience. Its extraordinary 5.7-inch Quad HD (2560×1440) Super AMOLED display reproduces clearer and more vivid images with deep contrast, better viewing angles, and response times as fast as a millionth of a second, providing a tremendous viewing experience.
Due to its large screen, the refined Multi Window feature is able to maximize the user’s experience providing them with the key to easier multi-tasking. Users can choose how they access their applications with full, split or pop-up screens, and easily change the size and positioning of apps on the screen with one intuitive swipe.
The Galaxy Note 4 also sports an advanced camera system that is able to reproduce brighter and clearer images. The device is equipped with a 16 megapixel rear-facing camera featuring a Smart Optical Image Stabilizer that counter-balances camera shake and automatically extends exposure time in dark settings. In addition, a 3.7 megapixel front-facing camera with f1.9 offers a default 90 degree shooting angle and up to 120 degree wide angle so users can take the best group shots with friends.
The Galaxy Note 4‘s wide selection of enhanced essential features enable users to get even more from their mobile device. With the Fast Charging feature and Ultra Power Saving Mode, the Galaxy Note 4 charges faster and ensures that users don’t run out of power when they need it most. The Galaxy Note 4 comes equipped with multiple microphones and an improved speaker phone for better noise cancellation when speaking in loud environments. A built-in Voice Recorder offers eight different directional voice tagging and a selective playback capability that allows users to isolate and listen to specific voices in a group conversation.
The Galaxy Note 4 also offers an improved Fingerprint Scanner, to secure personal data and the world’s first UV sensor in a mobile device.
S Pen and S Note for Everyday Tasks
Making everyday tasks much faster and easier, the Galaxy Note 4’s S Pen has been specifically evolved to serve as the primary tool that users go to for common, everyday mobile device use. This new S Pen offers a much more authentic pen experience, with a more natural brush effect that perfectly emulates writing on paper with a fountain or calligraphy pen. The S Pen also introduces a more user-friendly Air Command functionality along with other intuitive features such as Action Memo, Screen Write, Image Clip and Smart Select that allows users to create and collect content with ease. A new Smart Select feature enables users to easily piece together content from different origins, and share it with ease.
The Galaxy Note 4 also provides users with a choice of multiple, seamless note-taking methods integrated with Samsung’s S Note application that allows everyday tasks to get done faster and more easily. In addition to typing and writing, the innovative Snap Note feature allows users to take a picture of their notes on a paper or a classroom board, and then quickly and easily convert to an S Note. They can also further unleash their creativity by jotting down their thoughts quickly with Voice Memo.
Premium Yet Functional Design
The Galaxy Note 4 introduces a new sleek and stylish Galaxy design language. The device features a premium metal frame with fluid curvature that seamlessly blends with the device display. The Galaxy Note 4’s 2.5D glass screen, inherited from the Galaxy S3, offers extra protection while perfectly complementing the device’s rich viewing experience. A soft-textured back cover provides incredible comfort that makes it easy to control with one hand. The device not only looks beautiful, but offers a superior grip and enhanced durability.
Introducing Galaxy Note Edge
Samsung’s relentless pursuit of the best in innovation through the optimization of mobile technology and the user experience has led to the debut of the innovative and unique Galaxy Note Edge. Taking the Galaxy Note experience to the next level, the Note Edge provides users with a new way to access information, engage with their mobile device, and express their personality and tastes. The Galaxy Note Edge’s unique curved Edge screen provides quick access to frequently used apps, alerts and device functionality – even when the cover is closed – all with the swipe of a thumb. Users can also receive notifications directly on the Edge Screen while watching videos without disturbing their viewing.
The Galaxy Note 4 will be available in “Charcoal Black,” “Frost White,” “Bronze Gold,” and “Blossom Pink” in global markets starting in October and the Galaxy Note Edge will be available in “Charcoal Black” and “Frost White” in select markets through Samsung’s retail channels, e-commerce and carriers later this year.
As we saw from the Samsung Unpacked 2014 Episode 2, Samsung Galaxy Note Edge is another first-of-its-kind device. Even though the side display is a unique concept, it is stylish yet familiar. But of course, the Galaxy Edge brings a uniquely enhanced usability as well, especially so as it let’s you take full advantage of its Quad-HD Super AMOLED screen. We at Samsung Tomorrow had a chance to take a look at it. And now so do you:
Samsung’s latest Galaxy Note 4 has just been unpacked at the IFA 2014. Assuming that you want to compare with the previous flagships, we at Samsung Tomorrow will compare them exclusively just for you. Here is the Galaxy Note series at a glance!
About a week ago, we presented Robin Thicke – the man who brought us Blurred Lines, the party anthem of the year– and his day with the Galaxy Note 3 & Gear. Let’s just say that his day was as ‘Hollywood’ as we expected. We’ve also told you that the video was the first of three-part video series of Robin’s day of using Galaxy Note 3 and Galaxy Gear. Today, we would like to show you the two other ways how Robin Thicke uses the Galaxy Note 3 and Gear.
1. At a Party (to impress)
He says that you can design your life easily with the Galaxy Note 3. Well, it is convincing, because he shows us how easy it is to impress the guests at a party.
All he had to do was ‘Drop and Drag’ text messages to invite his buddies to host a great surprise party! As we smell everyone’s heart melting from his sweetness, we quickly realize why he says ‘the more, the merrier’. He is the man with the master plan.
2. On a Date (to impress)
On the third episode of Robin Thicke and Galaxy Note 3 & Gear, he shows us how you can design your life magically. Here, he is on a date with a special girl.
No matter who you are, if you’re on a date, there is only one mission, impress the date! He coordinates various magical situations for his date with his Galaxy Gear to take ‘impressing the date’ to another level. As his date is fascinated with the magical atmosphere he designs, he gives us one word of advice for people who want to impress their dates, make it happen!
