The Galaxy J3 was spotted on GFXBench a few weeks ago, and then Samsung imported it to India last week for testing. Now, the device has passed through FCC certification, so it seems that its launch is imminent. The documents reveal that the smartphone was tested for 2G, 3G, and 4G LTE connectivity. Approval by FCC means that Samsung could soon make the device official.
The Galaxy J3 (SM-J3109) features a Snapdragon 410 processor with a 64-bit quad-core CPU and Adreno 306 GPU, 1GB RAM, and 8GB of internal storage. It will most probably be released with Android 5.1.1 Lollipop, an 8-megapixel primary camera, and a 5-megapixel secondary camera. The Galaxy J2 was released in India in September for INR 8,490 (~ $130), and we believe that the Galaxy J3 will be costlier than that when it gets launched officially.
Aside from carrying their usual slew of weapons which includes a baton, pepper spray and a firearm police in The Netherlands are getting a new weapon that’s not entirely as dangerous but will certainly go a long way in making their lives easier. Some 10,000 cops of the country’s National Police have received the Galaxy S5 which comes with custom software that allows them to tap into the police database to check personal data and also write digital fines. This makes it much easier for them to ascertain whether someone is telling the truth about their identity, they simply need to run a search in the app and find out if the person’s ID is genuine or fake.
Edwin Delwel of the National Police says that cops only have to enter a name and a birthdate in the system which then brings up additional information as well as a photograph within seconds thereby saving a lot of time and eliminating the possibility of being hoodwinked. From 2016 police will also be able to record declaration with the smartphone, for example if it’s a burglary case the agent only needs to sign the ID card of the declarant, enter information about the incident, take photos and then have the declaration signed digitally which is then immediately sent to the victim via email.
Since the system will automatically pull in information from the database it means that the possibility of errors is reduced particularly when filing fines, officers will be able to hand out fines digitally by simply scanning the person’s ID card. The new system is being tested on a relatively small scale for now but by next year it will be expanded to cover some 33,000 police officers.
We exclusively reported earlier this year that Samsung is working on an 18.4-inch Android-powered tablet, a few months back the company teased this tablet that it has named the Galaxy View, and over the past couple of weeks there has been a steady stream of information about this new tablet. Today Samsung has finally unveiled the Galaxy View, the biggest selling point is its huge display and Samsung promises a video-optimized user interface as well a “long-lasting” battery life. There’s no mistaking the fact that this device has been created with content consumption in media and the display size is just perfect for that.
The Galaxy View has an 18.4-inch full HD display, Samsung says that it has been designed with a video-centric interface in mind, there’s a dedicated home screen for videos which showcases all of the different content sources in one place making it much easier for users to discover content they’d want to watch. Weighing in at a chunky 2.65kg the Galaxy View measures 275.8mm x 11.9mm x 451.8 mm, it even has an integrated kickstand which effortlessly props up the device when users want to watch content from a distance. It’s powered by a 1.6Ghz octa-core processor with 2GB RAM and 32/64GB internal storage, runs Android 5.1 Lollipop, has a 2.1-megapixel front camera and supports LTE. There’s support for microSD cards and the 5,700mAh battery promises eight hours of video playback.
Samsung has not yet confirmed when it will actually release the device, and even though a possible price was recently rumored, the company itself is yet to confirm just how much it will ask for the Galaxy View.
The Galaxy View has been fully detailed ahead of its launch thanks to a plethora of leaks, and the 18.4-inch tablet’s user manual has now popped up online on Samsung’s website, suggesting an official announcement could take place soon. The user manual details various features of the Galaxy View, including the detachable arching handle at its back that acts as a dock and also doubles up as a way of carrying the tablet.
The Galaxy View comes with stereo loudspeakers at the back, and it also sports a DC jack. The tablet does have a battery inside but it’s said to be only a 6,700 mAh unit, so Samsung has likely put in a DC jack to enable constant usage when users are at home and can connect the tablet to a power outlet instead of using the inbuilt battery. The manual also confirms a cellular variant, with the tablet to support LTE connectivity as we had exclusively revealed.
On the software front, the manual mentions a dedicated TV page and also reveals that the tablet will connect to Samsung Smart TVs from 2015 and beyond via Bluetooth. The manual also talks of a feature called Family Square. This is a way to share content with family members, and while Samsung doesn’t detail how the content will be shared, it’s likely a Bluetooth or a Wi-Fi connection will be used to connect to other Samsung devices.
The Galaxy View seems like an interesting device, and it’s clear that Samsung will be pitching it as something that can slot right in between a tablet and a full-fledged television. Would you be interested in buying the Galaxy View? Let us know in the comments, and check out its user manual by downloading it from the links below.
There has been a lot of buzz around Samsung’s upcoming mobile processor, the Exynos 8890. Starting Q1 2016, it will go head-to-head with the best SoCs in the industry including Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 820 and Apple’s A9X. In the previous weeks, we reported that Samsung is in the process of optimising its chipset for better performance as well as efficiency.
Now, it is being reported by Business Korea that the South Korean electronics chip giant will start mass producing the Exynos 8890 for the Galaxy S7 starting from December 2015 in its Giheung plant. The Exynos 8890 is an important milestone for the company as it will feature a custom CPU core for the first time in its processor lineup. Samsung will launch multiple variants of the Galaxy S7 with some of them featuring Exynos 8890, while others using the Snapdragon 820 chipsets.
With this introduction, Samsung will become the third brand after Qualcomm and Apple to introduce its own custom CPU cores, and that will improve the company’s position in the SoC segment. This is because it takes a lot of effort and experience in all forms of chip design including the manufacturing process. Till now, Samsung used generic ARM CPU cores in the Exynos chipsets, but starting with Exynos 8890, it will use homegrown M1 (a.k.a Mongoose) cores.
Samsung also has plans to introduce its own GPU in Exynos chipsets, but that will come at a later stage. The company is reportedly optimising Snapdragon 820 to fix its heating issues as the chipset will be manufactured by Samsung using its 14nm FinFET process. This is help the company in rising above other SoC players like MediaTek, Spreadtrum, and Huawei. Moreover, the company has reportedly hired AMD’s legendary CPU architect Jim Keller to design its next-generation Exynos chipsets.
Samsung’s Tizen phones come with a Facebook app out of the box, but this app simply loads the web version of the social network. The web version of Facebook is rather limited, so it hasn’t been a good experience for Tizen smartphone users. Well, until now that is, as an update to the Facebook app for Tizen turns it into a proper native app designed for the operating system.
The native app looks and feels similar to the Android version of Facebook, but it seems there is still some work to do as not everything seems to have been implemented. For example, things like our SamMobile page (and pages in general) and the settings menu still open in a browser, though future updates should bring in the necessary changes to make this a truly native app.
Still, a native version of one of the most important smartphone apps is a good step forward for Samsung’s young mobile operating system. Download the update from the Tizen store; the app is available only on the Samsung Z3 for now, but we’re sure the update will also make it to the Z1 in the next few days.
Earlier this week, iOS and Mac users rejoiced at the arrival of the taco emoji, just one of a number of new emoji that were added to the operating systems via a software update. Unfortunately, Android users don’t yet have access to these emoji, something that’s an undeniable bummer. The good news is that the senior VP of Android says more emoji will be coming soon, the bad news is we don’t know when. Last night, Hiroshi Lockheimer tweeted that he’s heard the feedback and that Google is working on it — but when that change might happen is up in the air. Still, it’s good news — every day that goes by without a taco emoji is a day that isn’t lived quite to its fullest.
Samsung and Marvel have a history of working together, most recently the two joined forces to create the exclusive Galaxy S6 Iron Man Edition. Such partnerships have also provided Samsung with screen time in Marvel’s big budget superhero movies, clearly it’s an arrangement that works for both companies. According to a new rumor out of China the two might be collaborating once again, this time on an Ant-Man edition of the Galaxy S6 edge+.
There aren’t a lot of details available as yet about the Galaxy S6 edge+ × Ant-Man, but the rumor out of China claims that it’s going to happen, apparently it’s going to have Ant-Man’s helmet on the back of the Galaxy S6 edge+ and a unique color scheme to go along with it. If it does see the light of day it’s most likely going to be a limited run device like the Galaxy S6 Iron Man Edition, expect it to cost a bit more than what you’d normally pay for this handset. There’s no confirmation as yet from either Samsung or Marvel that they’re working on an Ant-Man edition of the Galaxy S6 edge+ so all fans can do at this point is keep their fingers crossed.
Samsung Z3, the company’s second Tizen-based smartphone was officially announced last week in India, and the device is now available for purchase in the country for INR 8,399 (~ $130) exclusively from Snapdeal. Now, the South Korean smartphone giant has released a promotional video that touches all the important features of the Z3.
The promotional video showcases the Z3′s sleek design with curved back panel with matte finish and metallic-finised sides, a 5-inch HD Super AMOLED display, Tizen UI, My Galaxy and MixRadio apps, Ultra Data Saving mode, an 8-megapixel primary camera, and a 5-megapixel secondary camera. Go ahead and check out the video that’s embedded below.
Samsung Electronics announced the Samsung Z3, an advanced Tizen-based smartphone that offers powerful performance and easy customization via exclusive, localized features including “My Galaxy” for easy access to nearby rewards and benefits.
Built with a crisp 5-inch HD resolution display, the Samsung Z3 delivers the ultimate viewing experience with its Super AMOLED technology for clearer and deeper images, along with an advanced 8 megapixel Bright Lens camera to capture more detailed and higher quality images. In addition, the Samsung Z3 features an ‘Ultra Data Saving Mode’ that minimizes mobile data usage as well as ‘Ultra Power Saving Mode’ for continuous performance with low battery life.
“As a pioneer of Tizen platform, we have continuously introduced Tizen-based mobile devices, including Samsung Z1 and Samsung Gear S2, in our commitment to develop the Tizen ecosystem”, said JK Shin, CEO and Head of IT & Mobile Business at Samsung Electronics. “We developed the Samsung Z3 to provide the features that will help consumers capitalize on the growing Tizen ecosystem and make the most out of their personal mobile experience.”
Advanced Viewing and Camera Capabilities
The Samsung Z3 features a superior 5-inch HD screen, made with Samsung’s advanced Super AMOLED technology that delivers clear images and excellent contrast ratio for true-to-life colors. The device is also equipped with an 8 megapixel Bright Lens F2.2 rear-facing camera that captures more light for visibly clearer and more detailed images, as well as a 5 megapixel front-facing camera for advanced selfie capabilities. The Samsung Z3 camera offers ‘Automatic Selfie’ for seamless selfies with facial recognition, ‘Beauty Face Mode’ that automatically retouches images for flawless skin and ‘Wide Selfie’ to capture up to 120 degrees of the users’ surroundings for the perfect group selfie shot.
Long Battery Life and Optimized Data Usage for Indian Consumers
The Samsung Z3 supports a long-lasting 2,600mAh battery complemented by ‘Ultra Power Saving Mode,’ which allows users to operate on standby for up to 33 hours with less than 10 percent of battery life. The device also features ‘Ultra Data Saving Mode,’ providing data compression and management capabilities for up to 40 percent less mobile data usage.
Designed specifically for the Indian market, Samsung Z3 comes preloaded with ‘My Galaxy’ app that offer consumers various exclusive services, local deals, entertainment content, continuous value on extensively used categories like recharge, travel, movies, fashion etc and post purchase assistance. The Samsung Z3 additionally features the ‘Mix Radio’ app, available exclusively for Samsung consumers. Mix Radio is the world’s most personalized free music streaming service with over 35 million songs to choose from, including extensive local catalogue of over 10 genres of Indian music.
The Samsung Z3 is priced at INR 8490 and will be available in India from October in Gold, Black and Silver.
WiFi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth® 4.0 BLE, USB 2.0, GPS, GLONASS
Sensor
Accelerometer, Proximity Sensor
Memory
1GB(RAM) + 8GB
microSD slot (up to 128GB)
Dimension
70 x 141.6 x 7.9mm, 137g
Battery
2,600 mAh
*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..
