Samsung Galaxy Grand 2 launched with an HD display

Samsung continues its legacy with the new Galaxy Grand 2 with an essential 720 HD display and powered by a 1.2 GHz quad core mobile processor.

Last year Samsung tried to tap the spiking trend of affordable large screen smartphones with the Galaxy Grand. This smartphone packed a large screen display, decent mobile processor and battery to deliver top smartphone like performance at an affordable price. Samsung goes ahead with its strategy to launch iterations of the smartphone and introduces the new Galaxy Grand 2.

Samsung Galaxy Grand, which was offered mostly in dual SIM version for India, got quite popular in the first couple of months. Later there were complaints about the phone being slow when it has too many apps due to its limited RAM.



With the Galaxy Grand 2, Samsung has tried to cover all the bases and offer the best the market can give. Galaxy Grand 2 features a 5.25 inch TFT LCD display that features 1280 x 720 pixel resolution. Samsung has powered this smartphone with a quad core 1.2 GHz mobile processor, 1.5 GB RAM, and 8 GB internal memory with a memory card slot. Galaxy Grand 2 runs Android 4.3 Jelly Bean update packed in NatureUX.

Samsung has installed an 8 megapixel camera at the back with auto focus and LED Flash. In the front is a 1.9 megapixel camera for chat and for clicking self portraits. Samsung indeed has had to bumper the display resolution, processor and RAM for this smartphone to match consumer expectations Not only that, Galaxy Grand 2 comes with a 2600 mAh battery for longer run time.
Samsung Galaxy Grand 2 will come pre-loaded with the Samsung specific features Story Album, S Translator, S Travel, Group Play, Samsung Link etc. The price of the smartphone was not announced.

The Galaxy Grand 2 confirms that large screen phablets are here to stay as a separate sub-category that offers decent performance on a fairly large screen but at an affordable price.

More: http://www.themobileindian.com/new-launches/3057_Samsung-Galaxy-Grand-2-launched-with-an-HD-display

Hands-on with the Galaxy Note 3 S-View Flip Cover (gallery)

S-View Flip Cover retail package

The Samsung Galaxy Note 3 is an amazing large display device with excellent S Pen functionality. Samsung likes to enhance the Galaxy experience with accessories and last week I bought the new S-View Flip Cover for my Note 3.

This is a rather expensive $59.99 accessory, but I found a 25 percent off coupon for T-Mobile accessories and was able to apply it to this cover. It arrived in the typical Samsung clear plastic retail package. I ordered the black one, with pink, white, and orange also available.

The S-View Flip Cover does NOT include Qi wireless charging. I found on Samsung sites outside the US that there is another Flip Cover with wireless charging capability that looks to run about $15 to $20 more. This wireless cover does not appear on the Samsung US store.

Samsung does a great job with these covers by replacing the back of the Note 3. The S-View Flip Cover has a leather feel to it, even more so than the default cover. It actually has an edge around the cover that protrudes beyond the border of the phone frame itself.

The front flap wraps around the left edge and rests on top of the display. There is a small square window that is in the top half of the front flap.

I'm not sure where the sensor is for the cover, but when you close it up a special view of your display appears in the window. The time and data appear when you first turn on your Note 3 with the ability to swipe from right to left across the bottom, through the plastic window.

You will then see a screen with icons for the camera, Action Memo, and media controller. Tapping the camera icon launches the camera with a square viewfinder appearing in the plastic window. Pictures captured in this mode appear in a special folder called Cover Camera.

Tapping Action Memo launches a special square memo where you can enter handwriting with the S Pen right through the plastic viewer window. It is a great way to quickly jot down something without opening up the cover.

The media controller lets you control music right from the lock screen window. You can also choose to show the weather and Walking Mate information from S Health.

You can also jump into the settings and choose to have an open cover unlock your Note 3 and choose what color you want the S View window to be. You have 10 color options available on the Note 3 with this Flip Cover.

The S-View Flip Cover is a great accessory that adds very little bulk to the device, yet offers some unique functionality. I would love to have seen Qi wireless charging included on this cover and may look to see if that one eventually launches here. I did see they also have a Qi wireless replacement back cover for the Note 3, but that does not include the flip cover part of the case.

It is quite expensive at $59.99, but look around for deals like I found to see if you can find savings on it too. BTW, the T-Mobile code I used was FALLFUN25 so give that a try.

Astronomers' team in US discovers most distant galaxy ever

A team of astronomers, including an Indian-origin scientist, has discovered the most distant galaxy in the universe ever found which is said to be 13 billion light years away from the Earth.

"Because of its extremely large distance of 13 billion light years, we are seeing this galaxy as it was 13 billion years ago. In other words, we are exploring the universe when it was only 700 million years old -- the current age of the universe is about 13.7 billion years," Dr Vithal Tilvi, who is currently at the Texas A&M University and a co-author of the research paper, said.


"This finding is a great deal in astronomy not only because it is the most distant galaxy ever found but also because it gives us clues about the young universe," Tilvi told PTI.

Born in Goa and having attended Goa University, Tilvi has also worked at the National Institute of Oceanography, Dona Paula, and National Antarctic Research Center, Vasco.

The results of the latest findings have been published in the most prestigious international journal 'the Nature'.

This work was led by Dr Steve Finkelstein at University of Texas with many other astronomers including DrCasey Papovich in the US.

"While we are thrilled about this discovery, we were more surprised to find only a single galaxy at such large distances because we were expecting to find more. This is telling us something that the Universe was fundamentally different when it was young," Tilvi said.

"Another surprise came to us when we discovered that this galaxy is forming stars tremendously, roughly about 300 Sun-like stars every year, compared to only about one Sun-like star produced in our own Milky Way galaxy. It is possible that when the Universe was young, galaxies were more active then they are now," he said.

"We are very fortunate to be born now, because after a few billion years the size of the universe will be so large that the light from such galaxies would never reach us and thus we won't see these galaxies," he pointed out.

"It is really exciting time to be in astronomy as new large telescopes like Giant Magellan Telescope and theThirty Meter Telescope are being built now. India is also a partner in the construction of the Thirty Meter Telescope. When completed, this will be the largest telescope in the world," Tilvi added

More: http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2013-10-28/news/43462673_1_distant-galaxy-young-universe-13-billion-light-years

Samsung to launch Galaxy Golden phone in India: Report

Samsung seems to be planning another big launch in the country for the coming festive season. According to a report on AndroidOS.in website, the company is all set to launch its flip phone Galaxy Golden in India.

As per the news report, "The company has already imported around 1650 units of the phone in the country, which will soon reach the retail stores." An official announcement is expected sometime next week.

Launched in South Korea in August this year, Galaxy Golden has a clamshell design and sports two 3.7" Super AMOLED displays with WVGA resolution. The phone with dual touchscreens also has a alphanumeric keypad.

Galaxy Golden is powered by a dual-core 1.7 GHz processor. On camera front, there's an 8MP rear camera with LED flash and a 1.9MP front camera. The phone runs on Android 4.2 operating system and packs 1820mAh battery.

Though there is no official word on the Galaxy Golden's pricing in India, reports suggest that the phone is likely to be priced above Rs 45,000.
Earlier this month, Samsung fan website SamMobile too reported that the company will soon launch a flip-phone in a few Asian countries, including India.

Samsung Galaxy Golden was launched in South Korea in August this year.

Samsung recently added another flip phone in its portfolio: Galaxy W789. Samsung Galaxy W789 has two 3.3-inch TFT touchscreens with 480x320p resolution. It is powered by Android 4.1 (Jelly Bean) operating system and runs on 1.2GHz quad-core processor. It has a 1,500mAh battery and comes with a 5MP camera. The phone was launched in China earlier this year.

More: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/tech/personal-tech/gadgets-special/Samsung-to-launch-Galaxy-Golden-phone-in-India-Report/articleshow/24750638.cms

Samsung Galaxy Note 3 and Gear Specs, Features and Pric

Galaxy Note 3 is nothing like its predecessors. The beautiful rounded edges, rich and vivid 5.7″ AMOLED Display and leather back were very pleasing to look and feel.

I don’t care about the flak that Touchwiz receives on the net, since I think its always possible to disable S apps, replace launcher with NOVA and install apps of your choice replacing those provided by Touchwiz. Plus you get the options of Memory card, Huge battery life and removable battery as well. All these makes me feel Samsung is really the only Android OEMs which actually knows how to build Android Smartphones.

Galaxy Watch is still not quite there but I am sure it’s very much doing the job. Of Course it’s just a watch if you tend to keep your phone inside your bag pack and forgot to carry your bag pack with you. But nevertheless its very capable of taking quick snaps though very limited in number. It can be a great companion during workouts, Can help me quickly adjust my equalizer for the music I am currently playing. Also it does some seem to be getting new apps like Evernote, Pocket, which makes me think Samsung wants to create an ecosystem of its own inside Android. Which overall is a very positive thing indeed.

So what keeps me away from using these top of line devices? The price.

The current pricing of the Note 3 and Smartwatch are way beyond the reach of many users considering how limited the smartwatch currently is. Did you try Galaxy Gear 3? What are your thoughts on price?

Written by timetravellersince87

Samsung Galaxy Note 3 Specs

• Full HD super AMOLED Technology
• 16M Colour Depth
• 5.7″ Size
• 1920 x 1080 Resolution
• Quad-core 2.3 GHz Krait 400
• 3,200mAh Standard Battery
• CMOS, 2MP Megapixels Camera Resolution (Front)
• CMOS, 13MP Megapixels Camera Resolution (Rear)
• Power HCRI LED (1EA) Flash
• Auto Focus available

Samsung Galaxy Gear Specs

Connectivity

• Bluetooth® v 4.0

Memory

• 4GB Internal memory + 512MB (RAM)

Physical Specifications

• Dimension: 56.6 x 36.8 x 11.1mm
• Weight: 73.8g
• Audio and Video
• Video Playback Codec : H.264Video Playback Format: MP4
• Video Recording: 720p@30fps
• Audio Playback Codec: AACAudio Playback Format: M4A

Display

• Type: sAMOLED
• Size: 1.63″ (41.4mm)
• Resolution: 320 x 320

Camera

• 1.9MP, BSI Sensor
• Auto Focus, Sound & Shot available

Battery

• Capacity: 315mAh
• Standby Time: Up to 150 Hours
• Typical Usage Time: Up to 25 Hours

Others

• 2 Microphones (Noise Cancellation)
• 1 Speaker

Chipset

• 800MHz Processor

Sensors

• Sensor Hub, Accelerometer, Gyro-sensor

Services and Applications

• Samsung Services: Samsung Apps, ChatON
• Additional Features: Smart Relay, S Voice, Memographer, Voice Memo, Auto Lock, Find My Device, Media Controller, Pedometer, Stopwatch, Timer, Safety Assistance

More: http://societyandreligion.com/samsung-galaxy-note-3-gear-specs-features-price/

Samsung Galaxy Round

Announced earlier this week, the Samsung Galaxy Round isn't your typical Samsung device. While it clearly resembles the other Galaxy-branded handsets, this Android smartphone is the first to sport a horizontally curved display. According to Samsung, the Round uses a flexible full-HD Super AMOLED display which doesn't actually bend, but is instead locked into a gentle curve that is likely to fit more comfortably in your palm.

Upside

The Round's flexible 5.7-inch screen isn't just an aesthetic feature. Samsung has added a few software tweaks that take advantage of the curved surface. For instance, there is the cool Roll Effect feature which turns the screen on to reveal the date, time, missed calls and battery life when one side of the phone is pressed down while it is lying on the table. Bounce UX is another interesting tweak, which lets you control music playback by similarly pressing down on one side to tilt the phone. Tilting the phone toward the left will play the previous track, while tilting the phone on the right will forward to the next song.

Samsung has also incorporated some of the Note 3 features in the Round, including the One-Hand Operation, where you perform a zig-zag motion to shrink the screen to a smaller size so you can operate it with one hand. Multi-tasking is also supported, just like in the Note 3 where you can open two different apps (or the same app twice) in a top-down layout. This allows for content to be easily shared between supported apps.

Like other high-end Galaxy devices, the Round packs the latest hardware. Powered by a snappy quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 processor, the Round also comes loaded with 3GB of RAM and runs Android 4.3. Unfortunately, the 13-megapixel camera doesn't come with the new OIS module recently announced, so it will likely have the same low-light issues we noticed on the Note 3.

Downside

While having a curved screen is an interesting proposition for a phone, it does come with its own unique problems. For one, it will not sit properly on the table (though Samsung has designed around this by adding features that take advantage of this), and will likely create a slight bulge in your pocket due to the curve.

Depending on how you hold the phone when making calls, the Round's curved screen seems rather awkward-shaped and does not look too comfortable on the face. This is unlike the Nexus S and Galaxy Nexus, which featured a vertical curved screen that's angled to fit the contours of the face.

Outlook

Currently available only in South Korea, the Samsung Galaxy Round doesn't seem like a phone that will leave the boundaries of its home country for now. I'm guessing that Samsung is not churning out enough flexible screens to make enough phones, though once the company ramps up production, this could change. My take is Samsung will use the Round to get some market response, before rolling out curved screens to the rest of its upcoming product lineup. In the future, we may even see a phone with display that actually bends, instead of the fixed curved display that the Round has.

Samsung Galaxy Round: Get bent, get buzz -- but get real

Samsung's curved smartphone has generated a lot of buzz but not a lot of reasons to buy it -- other than the novelty effect.

The South Korean electronics giant late Tuesday unveiled the Galaxy Round, a smartphone similar to the Galaxy Note 3 but with a lengthwise dip in the middle. That dip forms a curve sort of like a smile or a hotdog-bun shape, allowing the phone to fit the contours of a person's face or gently rock when placed on a flat surface. Samsung has released slightly curved phones in the past, such as the Galaxy Nexus, but this is the first device on the market to curve a "super flexible AMOLED" display, the company says. That doesn't mean the device can bend; rather, the Galaxy Round's curved display is fixed in place by the phone's rigid body.

Samsung has long followed the strategy of trying as many features and designs as possible to see what takes off. It also will include technology in devices simply for technology's sake, not because consumers really need those features. Samsung's top executives likely don't expect the Galaxy Round to be a huge seller -- hence its release only in Korea at this time -- but in order to attract more customers over the long run, they will have to articulate the benefits of such a design. So far, the only selling point for Samsung's curved smartphone appears to be that curve, not what that design actually allows users to do.

"Other than bragging rights, how does a curved screen change the user experience?" asked Current Analysis analyst Avi Greengart. "This seems to be more about Samsung's engineers being proud of themselves that they were able to do something they've been trying to do for a while. But Samsung hasn't answered the question of why it should be done in the first place."

The Galaxy Round release comes as Samsung faces a slowdown in its core smartphone market. Consumers are still buying mobile devices but not at the rapid clip of past quarters. That means companies like Samsung must find other ways to wow buyers and get them to fork over the money for new devices. Companies are releasing unique designs -- such as curved displays and buttons on the back of the phones (hello, LG G2) -- to differentiate their products from those of rivals, but many of those tweaks are gimmicky at best.

The real test of flexibility
What may really catch consumers' attention -- and their dollars -- is a phone with a flexible device that actually could bend or roll up. It's not clear just what the first flexible devices may eventually be like, but that capability, unlike a slight curve, could really change the mobile device market. Samsung has shown concept devices with truly flexible screens, and it's undoubtedly prepping one for release at some point. But as CNET has predicted, consumers will just have to wait a bit longer. The Galaxy Round is not that sort of device.

The Galaxy Round is sure to attract some buyers who desire a phone with a unique design, but aside from the novelty factor, there aren't many features to tempt customers. It doesn't appear that the Galaxy Round will be any more durable than other Samsung phones, and the new software features for Round, though interesting, probably won't be enough to get buyers to switch to the device. And while the phone may fit the curve of one's face, it may not fit as well in a pocket, and anyway, many people now use headphones to talk on their phones. The Galaxy Round may find a niche market, but it surely won't be a blockbuster or game changer like theGalaxy S and Note lines.

"This is another example of Samsung trying everything and seeing what will work," Ovum analyst Jan Dawson said. "If buyers are looking for something unique that others don't have, there will be a market for it. But it won't be huge."

A curved display itself is not really a benefit to consumers. It doesn't make reading, typing, game playing, or other functions easier. In some cases, those actions could actually be more difficult, though it's hard to tell without actually trying out the phone. A curved phone may fit more nicely in someone's hand, but other phone makers have accomplished that by curving just the back of the phone, as with the HTC One.




The Galaxy Round has a slight curve.(Credit: Samsung)

And Samsung's new software features for the Galaxy Round shouldn't really require a curved phone to operate. One feature, the "roll effect," lets users tilt the phone on its axis to trigger a glance screen with the time, date, missed call, and battery information. Other companies, such as Motorola and Nokia, have enabled quick notifications using regular smartphone displays. Samsung's Galaxy Round software features alone aren't reason for customers to buy the device.

It's also questionable whether the Galaxy Round will be more durable than other devices, as many sites speculated before the phone's announcement. If the display is plastic instead of glass, it's less likely to shatter if dropped, but that's not clear at this time. If the screen is glass, it could actually be less durable than devices like the Galaxy S4 and Note 3. This is another factor that's hard to determine before the device hits the market.

On the plus side, what the Galaxy Round does is help cement Samsung's position as a leader in hardware and components. Even if no one buys the phone, Samsung has still shown what it's capable of creating. The Galaxy Round may also allow Samsung to examine new ways for consumers to interact with their phones, and some of those features could make their way to other flagship devices in the future.

But right now, it's not clear why anyone would buy one -- unless they're looking for a gee-whiz device that no one else has.

Credits: cnet

Samsung Galaxy Round brings curve to smartphones

Smartphone makers are always looking for another way to wow buyers and get them to pay for new devices. Samsung's giving it a go with the seriously curvaceous Round.

Samsung has won the race to be the first phone manufacturer this fall to launch a curved smartphone.

The company announced late Tuesday that the new Galaxy Round incorporates the latest in screen technology, along with other unique features.

The device resembles the Galaxy S3 and S4, but it has slight dip in the middle that causes the phone to curve along a vertical axis. The phone's body itself is rigid, so it doesn't actually flex or bend -- but rather has a stationary curve that is said to fit the contours of a person's face. The company said the curvature lets people controls their apps, music, and photos in a new way.

"As a result of its unique curved design, users can take advantage of round integration experiences like the Roll Effect that enables user to check information such as date, time, missed call and battery easily when home screen is off, and the Gravity Effect for creating visual interaction with the screen by tilting the device," Samsung said in a statement.

"When the Galaxy Round's display is off while the music player is running, a short press to the left of the device will play the previous track while a short press to the right will play the next track. For pictures and videos, the Side Mirror feature enables users to gain access to list of the album content with a left and right tilt."

The Galaxy Round has a 5.7-inch, 1080p screen with an HD Super AMOLED display. The device is 7.9mm thick, weighs 154g, and has a 2800mAh battery. It runs Android 4.3, has 3GB of RAM, and a 2.3GHz quad-core processor. The smartphone also has a 13-megapixel camera.

The product release comes as Samsung faces a slowdown in its core smartphone market. This means the company must find other ways to wow buyers and get them to pay for new devices. A curved display could be one factor that attracts those consumers.Rumors have been floating the last few weeks that Samsung was working on a curved smartphone, and photos of the device evenleaked on the Web earlier Tuesday.

Curved displays, however, are not an entirely new concept. Nokia and Apple have reportedly been working on curved displays for years, and LG apparently plans to launch a curved smartphone dubbed the G Flex within a few weeks.

The Galaxy Round will first launch in South Korea in "luxury brown," and more colors are forthcoming. It's not yet clear when the company plans to launch the smartphone internationally.

Credits: cnet

Rock-a-bye Samsung Galaxy Round has something to prove

The rumors were spot on. On Tuesday, Samsung announced the Samsung Galaxy Round, which it's proclaiming as the world’s first (deeply) curved display smartphone.

What the heck does that mean? I'll tell you. It means that instead of the slight vertical bend seen in the Samsung Galaxy Nexus and Samsung Nexus S, this smartphone features a horizontalcurve much like a half smile. It's different and will arrive in Korea first, in brown, with flashier colors (and in perhaps more markets) coming later down the line.

Samsung has been working on its curved display for some time, showing off Youm (as said curved display is called) at CES 2013, and various other iterations in the years before.

Previously, the curved display technology -- which is a different thing than actual curved glass like Corning's Willow -- has been a project without actual physical form. In other words, the flexible display technology ghost has long existed before the technology had a body.

Design and build
Luckily for Samsung, the Galaxy Round hangs out with the high-end crowd. It has a 5.7-inch, 1080p HD display; runs Android 4.3 (with Samsung's Touch Wiz interface, of course); and has Samsung's big-phone staples such as multi-window (think split-screen) and one-handed operation modes, just like the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 does.

With dimensions similar to the Note 3, the Round is slim, at only 0.3-inches thick and weighing 5.4 ounces. It should feel substantial for its size, without weighing you down.

Additional features
The most eye-catching and unique feature is that huge curve, that eyeful of a smile that's unmistakably laughing at you for ever doubting it in the first place.

Samsung includes two very new features, one called "roll effect," which we know little about, except that if you tilt the phone on its axis, it'll trigger a glance screen with the date, time, missed call and battery information. This works even when the home screen is in sleep mode.

The closest Samsung's gotten to this before? A ticker in the Samsung Galaxy Continuum, which displayed a running digital display below the main screen. This movement instead is a dramatically different gesture that basically kicks the lock screen awake long enough to give you some basic stats without unlocking the phone.

Another new Samsung feature, the "gravity effect," promises to expand the role of gestures by rocking the device with a finger to see a music-focused interface that highlights your tunes.

Seemingly gunning after HTC, the Bounce UX, as it's called, turns on music player shortcuts even while the screen is off. While the player is going, pressing one side of the screen plays the previous track while pressing the other plays the next track, and you can use tilt controls to trigger video playback.

It sounds logical, but it may also a little confusing for people who have to remember to use it in the first place.

A Mona Lisa phone? Nah, it's the rumored Samsung Galaxy Round.

(Credit: Samsung)

Cameras and video
As does the Samsung Galaxy S4 and Galaxy Note 3, the Galaxy Round has a 13-megapixel camera with autofocus and flash , plus a 2-megapixel camera up front. Also look for 1080p HD video capture, which is standard on higher-end Samsung smartphones.

Performance
The Galaxy Round features a 2.3 GHz MSM 8974 quad-core processor, 32GB internal storage, 3GB RAM (second to the Note 3), and an up-to-64GB microSD card slot. The 2,800mAh battery should amount for a fair number of running hours, but your battery longevity depends on how frequently you use your phone for heavy-duty tasks.

Pricing and availability
So far, Samsung has announced the Galaxy Round for Korea in the brown shade, with more colors -- and hopefully more markets -- coming "soon."

It isn't clear how much the Round will cost, but with top-tier specs similar to the Galaxy Note 3, look for a high-end price to match, and first adopters to test the Round's first-round try-outs.

Gimmick or something more?
It still isn't entirely clear what the benefits are of a display that's so deeply, horizontally curved like the Round. Maybe it will fit your cheek -- or your pocket. Maybe it's because there's less surface area to shatter if you drop the phone and it lands on its face. Or maybe it's just because Samsung has the cash to experiment.

Either way, CNET is keeping an eye trained on the so-far-unpriced Samsung Galaxy Round and will share some hands-on experiences with the unique device as soon as we humanly can, fun little software addenda and all.

In the meantime, share your own view. Is a deeply curved display wonderful and future-thinking, or frivolous and unimportant? Would you like to try it out? We'd love to hear from you in the comments below.

Samsung's new Galaxy Gear ad shows historic use of smartwatches by sci-fi heroes

In a bid to promote its latest smart watch Galaxy Gear, Samsung has reportedly taken to sci-fi heroes being the pioneer users of smartwatches in its new ad.

Samsung’s new ad goes with the claim that people’s favourite heroes have ‘ALWAYS’ talked to their watches, featuring Dick Tracy, Captain Kirk and even Fred Flintstone.

According to Cnet, Samsung is trying hard to sell its ‘Next Big Thing’ Galaxy Gear smartphone, after consumers found it falling short of expectations.

With Apple next in line for its iWatch release, it is speculated that smartwatches might be able to get more consumer attention after the tech giant’s anticipated launch.

Credits: dnaindia

Samsung Galaxy Note 3 review: In a class of its own

When original Galaxy Note debuted in 2011, no one was sure of how well a device with a 5-inch screen would do in the market. It was considered too big, too unwieldy. And the stylus had gone out of fashion. But Samsung, which repeatedly stated that it made device after taking feedback from consumers, was onto something. Note became a surprise hit.

Since then we have seen Samsung following up with Galaxy Note 2. Other players too have joined the fray with big screen devices.

With Galaxy Note 3, Samsung not only has to offer a meaningful progression over Note 2 but also has to match or surpass the devices from competitors.

It is not an easy task. But in our opinion Samsung succeeds.

Plastic out, faux leather in
One of the complaints we have with Galaxy devices is that they are made of plastic. To address this Samsung has given Galaxy Note 3 a back cover made of faux leather. It is synthetic material and feels like leather but if you take off the cover, you will see it is incredibly cheap looking. It is better than the glossy plastic but hardly an improvement when you consider a device like Xperia Z1, which is made of glass and aluminium.

But leather or no leather, the build quality of Galaxy Note 3 is very good. There are no loose parts and it feels durable. In combination with the faux leather, a plastic frame in faux chrome finish adds to the style of the device. The design is more utilitarian - plastic keeps the weight down - than style-driven. But Galaxy Note 3 is not bad looking.

The highlight of Galaxy Note 3 is its big 5.7-inch screen on the front. Despite packing in a bigger screen, Galaxy Note 3 is slimmer and lighter than Galaxy Note 2! Both devices also have identical size.

So, how is Samsung doing it? The Galaxy Note 3's screen is almost edge-to-edge. There is virtually no bezel on the sides. On the top and bottom, there is some bezel but even that is not much. One downside of this bezel-vanishing trick is that the capacitive touch buttons (back and menu) and the physical home button are small, something which doesn't make for great handling while using the device.

In terms of overall handling, Galaxy Note 3 feels better than Galaxy Note 2, largely because of less weight and slimmer profile. It is a big device and using it with single hand is possible but not ideal. It also feels awkward against the cheek due to its size when you pick it up for calls.

Galaxy Note 3 is powered by top-of-the-line components (see specs). But the killer feature of the device is its SuperAMOLED screen. This screen is a thing of beauty. Expansive and vivid, it is capable of showing rich colours. With a resolution of 1920x1080 pixels, it is also very sharp, and, for the first time for an AMOLED screen, is bright enough to offer good legibility during outdoor use.

Stylus and software tricks
Galaxy Note 3 runs Android 4.3, which is customized by Samsung with TouchWiz users interface. Over the years, TouchWiz has evolved to become something more than a user interface.

Galaxy Note 3 is as much about the software features as it is about the large screen, stylus and powerful hardware.

Overall, the Touchwiz is a mixed bag. It can be very useful. But some features it offers are gimmicks. And irrespective of the app, it is inferior to the stock Android user interface in terms of looks and design.

The standout software features on Galaxy Note 3 are multi-window and stylus-specific functionality. Multi-windows allows a user to work on two apps side by side. It is available on most of the high-end Galaxy phones but on the big screen of Galaxy Note 3 it works really well. For example, you can compose a tweet while watching a YouTube video. Not everyone will use this feature but some may find it indispensable after using it for a while.

The stylus in Galaxy Note 3 can be used to create memos, doodle, sketches as well as to take down notes using apps like S Note and SketchBook and Action Memo. The stylus integrates with the Samsung keyboard so you can select handwriting-to-text option and scribble your tweets or emails instead of typing them.

The handwriting recognition is very accurate unless you have a really bad handwriting. Clicking the stylus button while you are in an app like browser opens a Pen Window. It allows a user to select content, take a screenshot and scribble notes without having to switch apps.

We gave our review unit to senior TOI cartoonist Neelabh Banerjee and asked him to share his thoughts about the stylus. His opinion was that it was very accurate but the Samsung apps like S Note lacked enough flexibility and features to be of good use to professionals like him.

A cartoon Neelabh created using the Note 3. It took him less than 10 minutes to draw. He was using a stylus and a smartphone for the first time to draw a cartoon.

Not everyone will require or use the added functionality that the stylus provides but for those who can utilize it, the stylus and Galaxy Note 3 are a potent combo.

Galaxy Note 3 also comes with various gesture-based features like Air View or Air Gestures, which debuted with Galaxy S4. But they are mostly gimmicks and do not add much to the user experience.

The S Health app, which tracks a user's physical activity, is very useful. But the new native video app is inferior compared to the one bundled with Galaxy S4 or Note 2 as it failed to handle several video formats in our tests. Using a third-party app like MX Player fixes this issue.

Fast, functional and a very capable camera
The octa-core processor in Galaxy Note 3 is very fast and unlike Galaxy S4, Samsung has well optimized the software on the new phablet. There is no user interface lag on the device. Demanding 3D games like Asphalt 8 work very well. Web browsing is smooth and multi-tasking is glitch-free. GPS performance is fantastic.

Samsung doesn't advertise the cameras in its phones as much as Nokia or Apple do. But Galaxy Note 3, just like Galaxy S4, can take very detailed and sharp images that rival the ones shot with a point-and-shoot camera. In low light, however, the performance of the camera is slow even though the images turn out to be quite good with low amount of noise. In terms of software just like other Galaxy devices, Note 3 features arguably the easiest to use camera app in the Android world.

The Galaxy Note 3 sold in India cannot shoot 4K videos like the international version of the device. But it can record very good quality FullHD videos, so you are not missing out much.

Call quality is a strong point for Galaxy Note 3. But the sound output from speakers is on the lower side. Sound with earphones is acceptable but devices like HTC One offer better audio output.

Galaxy Note 3 is one of the first devices to come with USB 3.0. If you have a USB 3.0 port on your computer, you will be able to transfer file between the computer and Galaxy Note 3 significantly faster.

The battery life of the device is one of the best we have seen in a smartphone. Even with heavy use, the device lasts for around 14 to 15 hours on 3G. If you take care of tweaking the device for better battery life, you can use it for almost 20 hours before you will have recharge it again.

Should you buy it
As a smart device, Galaxy Note 3 is excellent. It has one of the best screens we have seen in a smartphone. It is fast and functional. The Galaxy Note 3 camera matches the best shooters out there. Stylus is useful and there are some unique software features. Other than the plastic in the design, we do not find any significant flaw in it. User interface could have been better looking but it is hardly a deal-breaker. Also, the device is too big to be used single-handedly. But that is by design and not a flaw. You know you are buying a big device when you opt for Galaxy Note 3.

All this functionality comes at a cost. Rs 49,990 to be precise. You may get it for a few thousands rupees less in the market but there is no doubt that Galaxy Note 3 is an expensive device.

If you need it for its excellent screen or can use the added functionality it has, this is a fair price to pay. But if you don't need the extra functionality that Galaxy Note 3 offers, Sony Xperia Z1 and LG G2 offer better value for money.

Key specs:
Display: 5.7-inch SuperAMOLED touchscreen (1920x1080 pixels resolution);
Operating system: Android 4.3 (Jelly Bean);
Chipset: Exynos 5420 processor (4 cores run at 1.9GHz + four cores run at 1.3GHz), Mali T628 graphics chip;
RAM: 3GB;
Storage: 32GB internal storage with support for up to 64GB microSD card;
Camera: 13MP with 1080P video recording, 2MP front-facing camera;
Connectivity: 2G, 3G, Wi-Fi, USB 3.0, Bluetooth, GPS; and
Battery: 3200mAh

Credits: timesofindia

Samsung wants to connect Galaxy Gear smartwatch to TVs

Samsung's upcoming Galaxy Gear smartwatch is seen as an extension of the smartphone, but research is under way to see how the wearable device could work with electronics such as TVs.

Galaxy Gear smartwatch

The smartwatch, which was introduced earlier this month, has a 1.6-inch screen and can show email, text or call notifications from a Galaxy smartphone. The watch is not able to connect to the Internet on its own, but works with a Galaxy smartphone so users can also view Web content, complete eBay transactions, map out locations or even receive weather information.The watch will initially connect with Galaxy devices such as the Galaxy Note 3, but Samsung is looking into how the smartwatch could be used with its Smart TVs and other networked devices, said Ryan Bidan, director of product marketing at Samsung.

Samsung has wirelessly linked up its smartphones, TVs and tablets so content can be easily shared across devices. But the smartwatch works best with smartphones for now, and there are fewer reasons to link it to tablets and even fewer for its Smart TVs, which are not portable and have no cellular connectivity.

The company is relying on developers to find specific ways to use the watch with TV sets, Bidan said. Samsung is hosting its annual developer conference toward the end of October in San Francisco, and Bidan said some solutions could emerge there.

The emerging wearable device market is gaining momentum and companies are investigating possibilities of products like smartwatches and glasses.

The Gear will run a variety of apps, including some with augmented reality.

One application being explored by Samsung for smartwatches is health, where TVs could be applicable. Information from a diet-tracker, fitness tracker or pedometer on the Gear can be transferred for use on a TV. Samsung already offers the S-Health app for Galaxy smartphones and tablets, and developers could create a health app for Samsung's Smart TVs.

One obvious use of the smartwatch is as a no-frills TV controller, said Roger Kay, president and principal analyst at Endpoint Technologies Associates.

For example, users could change channels or volume. It could also be used to receive alerts from TVs or digital video recorders, but Kay had some reservations about those uses.

"Even though that could be done, it seems inelegant," Kay said. "The user experience could be wobbly."

The smartwatch won't make a good content player or storage device, Kay said. But it could be used to receive notifications or to change temperature on ovens, Kay said.

"The idea of using it as a control point for [electronics] would be an obvious thing," Kay said.

The Gear will be compatible with Galaxy Note 3 on release, but support will be extended to more Galaxy smartphones and tablets this holiday season, Samsung executives said.

Most Crowded Galaxy Discovered, Only 54 Million Light Years Away

Astronomers have discovered the densest galaxy ever seen, and at 54 million light years away, it’s in our galactic neighborhood.

Using the combined imaging capabilities of ground-based observatories with the high-flying Hubble Space Telescope and its cousin, the Chandra X-Ray Observatory, the ultra-compact dwarf galaxy known as M60-UCD1 turns out to be 15,000 times denser than what is found in our own galaxy, the Milky Way.

“Traveling from one star to another would be a lot easier in M60-UCD1 than it is in our galaxy, but it would still take hundreds of years using present technology,” said lead author of the new study, astronomer Michigan State University’s Jay Strader, in  a press release.

What’s even more remarkable about M60-USD1 is that the galaxy’s most crowded part–its core, where half its 200 million solar masses resides–spans a radius of only 80 light years. That means the stars in this little galaxy are about 25 times  closer to each other than those we find around the Sun’s galactic neighborhood.

Chandra observations have revealed that the galaxy’s tiny core harbors a strong x-ray source, which belongs to a giant black hole that weighs 10 million times the mass of our sun. That makes it about twice the size of the black hole in our own galaxy.

Astronomers theorize that a close encounter with a neighboring galaxy billions of years ago may have ripped away stars from M60-USD1 and may have led to the supermassive black hole pulling in the surviving stars close together.

“We think nearly all of the stars have been pulled away from the exterior of what once was a much bigger galaxy,” said co-author Duncan Forbes of Swinburne University in Australia in the press release.

“This leaves behind just the very dense nucleus of the former galaxy, and an overly massive black hole.”