Samsung isn’t a manufacturer with the most clear conscience, having taken inspiration in design from its Cupertino competitor a few times in the past. But the Korean company has also seen many of its own phones getting 100 percent clones over in China, with the infamous Goophone often coming out with knock-offs of Galaxy flagships soon after they were announced by Samsung.
Well, the Galaxy Note 5 is the latest target of the photocopiers in the world’s most populous country. Local manufacturer UMi is gearing up to launch a device called ROME, and a picture of the phone published by Phone Arena makes it clear where the design has been lifted from. The ROME even has the same curved sides at the back, and a similar looking camera module. The golden paintjob on the phone is similar too, and it’s one of the nicer Galaxy clones that we’ve seen.
It might have a copied design, but the UMi ROME does seem to have an important weapon to attract consumers: The phone apparently comes with 3GB of RAM at a price of $90. It’s not a high-end phone though, and it will be very interesting to see how this thing looks from the front when UMi launches it next month.
Are you sick of disappointing low light photos taken on your smartphone? Samsung might have a solution for you. At an investor conference in Korea, the telecommunications brand announced a new camera called BRITECELL that excels in darker conditions. The camera manages to achieve brighter, sharper results by getting rid of the traditional Bayer filter layout used in most smartphone cameras. This is a filter that turns pixels green and blocks light from hitting the sensors, making photos darker. Samsung has traded these green pixels for white ones that allow more light to pour through the lens. More light means brighter photos. Simple, right?
You probably don’t need someone to tell you to insert the Galaxy Note 5’s pen the right way, but Samsung isn’t about to take any chances. As evidenced in a recent unboxing, at least some newer Note 5 units come with a wrapper advising you against inserting the S Pen backwards lest it “damage the pen and your phone.” Is this one of those obvious “coffee is hot” warnings meant more to avoid frivolous lawsuits than anything else? You bet. However, we can’t exactly fault Samsung for including it. While most of the people who’ve shoved the pen in backwards knew what the consequences would be, there’s bound to be someone, somewhere who’s genuinely caught off guard.
At the Samsung Electronics 2015 Investors Forum the company talked about some of the new technology that it has come up with which will eventually make its way to consumer devices by next year. There have been conflicting reports recently regarding the Galaxy S7′s camera but about a week back a new trademark application from Samsung was spotted for BRITECELL, and that was believed to be the sensor which would be introduced with the Galaxy S7. While it didn’t confirm that at the Investors Forum, Samsung did reveal BRITECELL.
Head of the Samsung LSI marketing team Kyushik Hong revealed the BRITECELL technology which promises enhanced light sensitivity in low light conditions with less color artifact. The presentation also made it clear that BRITECELL is not the rumored 1/2-inch sensor with large pixels that has been rumored for the Galaxy S7 because it actually has smaller one micron pixels, and Samsung says that this helps reduce module height by 17% while maintaining low light sensitivity at 1.12µm. The sensor is also aided by Samsung’s Smart WDR technology to provide a more detailed image by using multi-exposure for better spatial resolution and Phase Detection Auto Focus or PDAF for faster and more accurate auto focus.
Samsung has not yet confirmed when the BRITECELL technology will be used in its smartphones but it’s safe to assume that the Galaxy S7 could be the first Samsung handset to get it, this would mean that the next flagship’s camera performance will be significantly better than that of its predecessors, particularly when it comes to low light photography where Samsung flagships have often lost out to their LG counterparts. The company is expected to unveil the Galaxy S7 on February 21.
Those who own the Galaxy S6 or the Galaxy S6 edge on T-Mobile are receiving a new software update today but they shouldn’t get too excited because Android 6.0 Marshmallow has still not arrived for Samsung’s current flagship handsets. T-Mobile has sent out an incremental firmware update for both the Galaxy S6 and the Galaxy S6 edge instead which makes several improvements to overall device performance, battery performance and call stability.
Build number G920TUVU3DOJ7 and G925TUVU3DOJ7 is now being rolled out for the Galaxy S6 and the Galaxy S6 edge on T-Mobile. The changelog states that this firmware update brings improvements for the overall device performance, improves security of the device, call stability, battery life and optimizes closing unused applications. The Milk Video application has also been removed in this update, which isn’t surprising since the Milk Video is shutting down this month. It has only been an hour or so since T-Mobile started rolling out this update so it might take some time for this update to go live across all regions.
The OnePlus X breaks new ground for the young Chinese company. Making the X, OnePlus eschewed its usual formula of stuffing the best processor in a ridiculously cheap phone. Instead, it has repurposed the internals of its debut OnePlus One into a smaller phone with a lower $249 price tag. But in achieving that admittedly impressive feat, it’s gone against its own mantra.
Samsung recently opened up its S Health app to non-Galaxy smartphones and tablets, and it has now published an update to the app that brings support for Android 6.0 Marshmallow. Android 6.0 is only running on Google’s Nexus phones and the HTC One A9, but it seems Samsung wants to be prepared to support the new version of Android right from the very beginning (or maybe it’s planning to update its devices to Android 6.0 in the very near future, but let’s not get too hopeful.)
The update brings a couple of new features as well, including automated visual tracking of bedtime and wake-up time based on sleep patterns, the ability to search for Bluetooth and ANT+ accessories, and more convenient route guidance when you’re cycling on a selected path. The Play Store doesn’t seem to be showing the update yet, but this should change soon as the newest version of S Health was published on the Galaxy Apps store two days ago.
Grab the update from the Galaxy Apps store if you’re a Samsung device owner, or wait for Samsung to publish it to the Play Store.
SEOUL, Nov. 12, 2015 — The LG Watch Urbane 2nd Edition, the first Android Wear smartwatch to feature cellular connectivity, will begin rolling out to customers worldwide starting this month in the United States and Korea with key markets in Europe, Asia and the Commonwealth of Independent States to follow in the months ahead.
Compatible with both Android and iOS smartphones*, the LG Watch Urbane 2nd Edition allows users to answer calls and check messages without the assistance of a tethered smartphone. So wearers can feel confident knowing that they won’t miss any important information when out for their morning run or on the tennis court.
The LG Watch Urbane 2nd Edition features a classic timepiece design consisting of a hairline-etched stainless steel body and a full-circle 348ppi P-OLED display. The three buttons on the right side provide quick access to shortcut settings, LG Health and apps. Moreover, its high-capacity 570mAH battery and Power Saving Mode enables the smartwatch to last throughout the day with power to spare.
“Keeping people connected to the world is our business and the LG Watch Urbane 2nd Edition was designed specifically to meet the needs of customers who want to communicate anytime, anywhere,” said Juno Cho, president and CEO of LG Electronics Mobile Communications Company. “The wearable category is still in its infancy and we plan to continue introducing exciting devices that appeal to a diverse audience.”
Price and purchase details will be announced locally at the time of availability.
* Cellular enabled features will vary across Android and iOS.
As mobile devices are becoming the center of our personal and business lives, we are moving from having mobile as an option to using only our mobile device as the main way to manage our lives. This means that security and privacy have to be top of mind for everyone, starting with the device manufacturer and ending with you, the user. But any system is only as strong as the weakest link in the technological chain, so it is vital to have protection over the entire infrastructure of a mobile device, from the factory at the hardware level to everyday usage, when consumers and businesses are actually depending on it. It needs to be versatile enough to complement people’s lives, but powerful enough to protect their data.
Samsung KNOX, the security platform of Samsung mobile devices since 2013, provides this total approach to mobile security, ensuring that your device is secure, out-of-the-box. Let’s take a look at what Samsung KNOX is exactly, and how it offers consumers unprecedented privacy protection for their mobile devices.
Defense-Grade Security the Moment You Power On
As soon as you power on a Samsung device, KNOX is immediately activated to ensure the device is in a known good state and is not compromised. This happens because Samsung KNOX takes a multi-layered approach to security, beginning with protection installed at the hardware level, right from the factory. It also implements security checks from the hardware level of the operating system all the way up to the application layer–giving users defense-grade security simply by turning their devices on.
Bottom line: All you need to do is power the device on to get the best Android device protection in the industry.
Even More Assurance for Businesses
When it comes to enterprises–large and small-and governments, Samsung KNOX-enabled devices have even more control to ensure security and privacy, and data leakage protection is superior in every way.
First, our device management partners (MDM) such as SOTI, MobileIron, Airwatch and others, provide businesses with thousands of policies that can be created and applied to compatible mobile devices. These polices are the result of extensive interfaces (APIs) made available to our partners. Everything from locking down the camera to protection against unauthorized applications, work together to allow businesses to maximize device protection.
Additionally, we work with many third parties to offer solutions that add more layers of security and protection for specific purposes. Using KNOX Workspace, the award-winning, secure container adds even more layers of security and protection of your company’s data.
Samsung KNOX has earned one of the largest numbers of certifications and authorizations by governments, militaries and enterprises of Android manufacturers. All of these things combined make a Samsung device with KNOX the most secure Android device available.
Security Best Practices and Samsung KNOX
Samsung KNOX, our MDM and security partners all come together to provide maximum security and privacy protection but, as mentioned, all of this is only as effective as the weakest link in the process.
That means that following simple, but important best practices ensure you aren’t the weakest link! Some examples:
Never click on links from unknown sources.
Set your device to accept updates automatically and apply them when notified. This will ensure your device is current with the latest security patches.
Don’t open SMS messages from unknown or unrecognized numbers. Instead, call the number and verify the sender.
Verify all your social media contacts within KakaoTalk, Twitter and others to confirm you know who is sending you what. If it looks suspicious, ask your friend first before clicking on something.
In August, Samsung announced an industry-wide, first-of-its-kind monthly security update to offer continuous protection from vulnerabilities.
Working with our many global carrier partners around the world to implement this process as a timely security update practice, we were able to roll out our inaugural Security Update in October so users can be assured that updates will be sent regularly, in addition to the defense-grade security that KNOX already provides.
We believe your personal privacy and security is of paramount importance, so we released My KNOX, which lets you control your own level of security. You can download the My KNOX app from my.samsungknox.com or Google Play, at no charge. Like enterprises, you can protect your data with the same level of security and privacy. You are in charge of your security settings, so that you have the ability to ensure that your private data stays private and protected.
KNOX Keeps Samsung Pay Safe, Too
Today, Samsung Pay is the most widely accepted mobile payment system in the world. Because it doesn’t require stores to install new software or devices, Samsung Pay can be used on almost any card reading device, just by holding it next to the magnetic reader.
KNOX protects your device on multiple levels to guard your data. With Samsung Pay, KNOX brings its hardware-backed security to the features of Samsung Pay to protect your transactions and personal information. In line with its industry-leading mobile security features, KNOX constantly monitors for malicious activity. KNOX puts to work a series of security features to protect the device, the payment information and the Samsung Pay application, so that customers can focus on shopping.
In addition to KNOX protection, all payment transactions also have three additional layers of security. The first layer is biometric authentication to prevent card fraud when phones are lost or stolen. Since payments are authorized with your fingerprint, your phone only allows payments with your consent. The second layer protecting Samsung Pay is KNOX, which constantly monitors for malware and suspicious activities on Samsung devices equipped with Samsung Pay. The third layer is tokenization of card payment data, which means each transaction uses a digital token instead of the card number.
In addition, if a smartphone is lost, the data in the device can be deleted remotely or the Samsung Pay function can be suspended through the “Find My Mobile” service.
Significant Progress in Mobile Security with Samsung KNOX
When we first introduced KNOX in 2013, it was a solid start to protecting devices and data contained on them. From day one, it has always been about protecting devices, starting from the hardware up.
Through a lot of hard work by my teammates around the globe, we delivered devices that proudly gained certification from the U.S. Department of Defense.
Since then, KNOX has evolved to be the industry leader in mobile security. It is known for delivering user-centric benefits that provide security and protection for both individuals and businesses.
The recognition we’ve received in the market since first launching KNOX has surpassed all others in the mobile security space, giving KNOX third-party validation. KNOX has received certifications from government agencies around the globe, including the U.S., the U.K., Korea, Australia and Finland. Additionally, in early 2015 at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, KNOX Workplace won a Best Security Product award, with judges hailing that “the technology behind this product is a genuine and significant step forward in providing verifiable security on mobile devices.”
The goal is safeguarding all of our customers, from the largest organizations to each individual. We consider this to be one of our greatest investments, and it’s an area in which we will continue to build and expand.
Google’s latest version of Android, Marshmallow, only started rolling out last month. As such, it shouldn’t come as surprise to see that the current adoption numbers for it are extremely low. According to Android’s Platform Distribution rates for the month of November, Marshmallow is running on a mere 0.3 percent of “active” devices. The data is collected from signals sent to the Play Store, which helps identify what Android version is on handsets or tablets. Lollipop (5.0 and 5.1), on the other hand, accounts for nearly 26 percent, while Kit Kat (4.4) is the most popular version with about 38 percent of the total. The slow adoption rates for Marshmallow are by no means Google’s fault, however, since it is often carriers and manufacturers which fail to keep their phones up to date.
