Hands-on review: Updated: Samsung Galaxy Note Edge

Update: We're currently putting the Galaxy Note Edge through our in-depth review process - but in the mean time, here are some early thoughts and a deeper review of the curved screen:

The Samsung Galaxy Note Edge is a phone that's got me hit under the collar. It's another evolutionary step forward in the way we're going to be using phones, right?

I mean, it has to be. The rounded spine, with the screen curving away and tucking itself under the chassis, is surely the blueprint for the Samsung Galaxy S6 in 2016.

Well, that is, assuming the idea of a curved display on one side isn't a novelty and redundant beyond being a clever marketing gimmick, of course.

And it needs to be more than that. Early prices seem to have the Note Edge at around £50 more than the impressive Samsung Galaxy Note 4, with the curved model costing a huge £650. Is the curved screen worth it?

Of course there's more on offer here that makes the Edge a really promising device: a huge 5.7-inch QHD (1440 x 2560) screen even without the curved spine is really pleasant to look at.

That's also coupled with Samsung's Super AMOLED technology, which again makes the Note range the best phone screen I've seen on the market.

The camera is improved, the S Pen is starting to show glimmers of offering really useful functionality to the average consumer (not just the business warrior hell-bent on dropping the notepad) and the raw power of the Snapdragon 805 chipset (or the octacore Exynos option from Samsung) means this phablet can go on, and on, and on.

And while Samsung unquestionably created the phablet market, it's now got some serious competition to contend with. Apple's new iPhone 6 Plus is some people's idea of 'the only large phone' on the market, and the Google Nexus 6, while not mega-cheap as before, is still a very well specified device without the need for bells and whistles.

Samsung's also facing a profits slide that it's desperate to arrest, and that will only be achieved through going back into its R&D labs, putting on a stylish thinking cap, and coming up with something truly innovative that wows the public.

Last year's Galaxy Round, the brand's first curved display in a phone, was a step towards that but didn't really do much beyond, well, being a bit curved. The Note Edge combines an innovative design with actual real-life usage, which means it could be more of a hit than Samsung's other novelties.

Let's get this out of the way first: you won't like the Note Edge the first time you pick it up. I almost want to applaud Samsung's designers for taking such a bold step, keeping the same high resolution display from the Note 4 but then adding in a few more pixels to bring us this clever spine which can independently show information.

But the problem is the phone gets wider as a result, and you really feel like you need to wedge it into one palm.

It's true that any phablet performs better when held in two hands, but when pulling out the S Pen from the bottom right hand corner (which pleasingly can be pushed in either way, a feature Samsung added in with the Note 3 and has removed tremendous frustration with Samsung's phablet series for me) you still have to hold the phone steady in one hand, which can be a little tricky.

That said, there is an acceptance that the Note Edge is going to be a larger device - after all, that's why you're buying it, right? - and it doesn't take more than a few days to really get used to the idea.

By putting the digital spine on the right hand side of the phone though, Samsung was forced into a big design decision: where does the power button go? Sadly, it didn't make the right call, as the unlock key has been moved to the top of the device where it lived many moons ago.

The unlock key is terribly hard to hit

With a phone that measures 153.5 x 78.6 x 8.5 mm, this is mightily hard to hit and means you have to use two hands to lock the device. Hardly the easiest. It should have either been on the left hand side, or nabbed something from South Korean rivals LG and plopped it on the back.

Failing that, Samsung should have joined the swelling ranks of smartphone manufacturers allowing you to double tap the screen to wake the device. It's not a patented idea, and thankfully it's baked into Android Lollipop (which is arriving in 2015 for this phablet) so could be an option.

The good thing that slightly helps is the home button, which again doubles as a fingerprint scanner, will allow you to unlock the phone and get swiping straight into the action.

In terms of the rest of the design, it's typically Samsung. Anyone that's read any of the other reviews will realise that's not necessarily a good thing, but it's not terrible either in this case.

The metallic rim of the Note 4 and Alpha are missing, presumably to add in the curved spine on the right side, but the overall build quality is good, the frame surrounded by a strong case and there's very little creaking.

I'm not a fan of the leatherette feel of the back cover, but it's removable again and allows you to swap the battery and microSD cards easily, which I'm pleased to see Samsung continuing with.

The infra-red port and headphone jack both reside on the top of the device, making it easy to use the Note Edge as a daily media device, and the speaker (which I'll talk more about in the next section) is placed towards the bottom of the phone on the rear.

The camera on the Note Edge (a 16MP) affair) protrudes quite dramatically from the back of the phone, although not to the point that you'd notice it in the pocket.

It's weird how much other phone brands can get away with the camera unit sticking out the back of the phone when Apple gets castigated for a couple of millimetres, but I'm glad that's the case. I'd rather have a better snapper than an aesthetically more pleasing handset, and the Note Edge does both pretty well.

The lightness of the phone, at 176g, is nothing to get excited about (it's actually one of the heavier on the market), but then again it's not too heavy either. In the palm it's nicely balanced, and pulling out the S Pen is an easy task thanks to the whole thing being so grippable.

That said, I did find myself holding it in a weird way so as not to touch the spine in general use. I never really had an instance where I accidentally did anything with that element, but it didn't stop it being slightly in the way all the time.

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Could the Samsung Galaxy S6 really come with a dual-edged display?

I've got screens, they're multiplying

An analyst has suggested Samsung may use a rather unusual kind of screen in next year's Galaxy S6, one that curves around both sides of the phone.

Analysts come up with some crackpot ideas — the attention they get does an analyst's career no harm. But there is some weight behind IHD Technology analyst Jerry Kang's suggestion that the Galaxy S6 will offer a dual-edge screen.

Kang imagines a phone with a screen somewhat like the extant Samsung Galaxy Note Edge's, but taking the edge display a step, or bend, further.

"The Galaxy S6 to be released next year will feature a 'dual-edged' screen which is curved on the right and left sides," said Kang.

He claims that this was the original plan for the Note Edge, before Samsung dropped the blueprint down to a single edge at the last minute. While not widely available or remotely popular, you can still get hold of a Note Edge for £649.99, or $400 on contract from AT&T in the US.

The dual-edged screen idea is an interesting one, and could align with Samsung's alleged 'Project Zero', for which it will reboot its design philosophy for the S6.

So, that edge: why? In the Note model it's used as an info update 'second screen' and for app shortcuts.

With edges curved around both sides in the Galaxy S6, Samsung could feasibly use one for shortcuts and another for notifications, freeing up more of the main display for… well, Samsung's latest phones like the Note 4 have no shortage of screen space, but we're sure the company will come up with something.

Kang made these claims at the HS Display Analyst Conference, so it's no wonder he's keen to talk big about new kinds of screen tech being employed.

We expect to see the Samsung Galaxy S6 announced within the first half of 2015, although Samsung is yet to confirm anything about the phone.

Via G for Games

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Hands-on review: Updated: Samsung Galaxy Note Edge

Now this is interesting. There were a trickle of rumours that Samsung was going to release a unique product into the smartphone market - something that would take advantage of the company's bendable OLED displays. And it has delivered with the Samsung Galaxy Note Edge.

The Note Edge is a beautiful looking device that has a screen that folds over one side of the handset, offering up myriad possibilities with what to do with this extra bit of real estate.

Well, I say extra - this is the same 5.7-inch screen that's seen on the Note but an inch of it drapes over the side, ready to take care of notifications so they don't get in the way of watching full-screen video and the like.

Sadly we now know that it's going to be a 'limited edition' device, but that doesn't mean you won't be able to get your hands on it, just that it will be produced in limited quantities. The Galaxy Note Edge is pegged for a late October release in South Korea, while a Japanese carrier has confirmed it for October 23 there.

Other territories will have a longer wait. Australia is set to get the phablet curio on November 12 and there's no confirmed release date yet for the UK or US, though Sprint, AT&T and T-Mobile have all confirmed that they'll carry the handset once it does launch.

As for pricing it's set to sell for a hefty 49,990 Rubles in Russia (around £755 / $1219 / AU$1385), while prices in China are similar. I'm hopeful that local pricing will be a little cheaper, but UK retailers are currently estimating a £650 price tag, so don't expect it to be cheap.

When I first picked up the Note Edge, I did notice a slight issue. The folded part of the screen was on the wrong side for me, because I am left handed.

This meant that this extra bit of screen was in the way of my palm. But Samsung has remedied this with making the screen completely flippable. So as long as you don't mind the home button being on the top of the screen, then this is a handset for south paws as much as right-handed folk.

The Samsung Galaxy Note Edge is fantastic in the hand. The added screen dimension makes it look and feel a lot more premium than its Note 4 bedfellow. It's definitely a handset that has wow factor, even if the added screen lip may be slightly lacking in uses at the moment.

Samsung has tried its best to make this section of the phone useable, by creating a host of OS strips that you can add to the lip of the screen. These include things like weather, Twitter, and news updates.

One great move Samsung has done is make the lip of the display work independent of the main screen.

So if the main screen is completely off, one swipe of the lip and you can see your notifications and updates. This would be a great thing in a meeting where you don't want to use your full device but want access to small updates,

The new screen design in my hands on simply meant that it was easier for me to access applications. Samsung also informed me that the panel will evolve, once more software partners are on board.

Another test I did to try out the innovative screen was watch a clip of a movie. As all of the controls went to the lip of the screen, the main part was completely free - the movie went completely to the edge and looked great.

The new screen is a great addition to the Note range. By this I mean that everything else bar the screen is identical to the Samsung Galaxy Note 4 in specs.

The screen does mean you get a 16:10 aspect ratio and Samsung did explain that the battery was a tad smaller (at 3,000) but everything else that is on the Note 4 is present and correct with the Samsung Galaxy Note Edge.

Get a better look at the curved display of the Galaxy Note Edge in our hands on video:

While you can read a little more in-depth about the new features in our hands on Samsung Galaxy Note 4 review, here's a number of things that I thought were standout.

The chassis now has a heartrate monitor, that was originally found on the Samsung Galaxy S5. This also acts as a trigger button for the camera when you want to do selfies.

The S Pen has also vastly improved with two extra pen styles: fountain and highlighter. You can do so much more with the S Pen too. One of the most interesting aspects is that you can now use it mouse like to take grabs from websites and set up your own clippings service.

You can also use the pen to shrink applications as you would a widget. This gives you better access to the homescreen and means you don't have to wade through a number of tabs.

Multi-tasking on the Note Edge has also been improved - with a multi window of tabs much easier to access.

The Samsung Galaxy Note edge is stunning-looking device that really tries to do something different. I worry that Samsung will keep the Edge strictly limited edition. I hope not because this is a handset that is great to use and looks fantastic. It really does give the Note line-up the edge over its rivals.

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Updated: Nokia Here maps is out on Galaxy devices, and the Gear S should follow

Nokia Here maps extends its reach

Update: Samsung's only response to our query was to reiterate that the Samsung Gear S will launch this fall on AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile and Verizon.

So maybe we're reading too much into this - or maybe the Gear S will indeed launch soon.

Original story follows…

Samsung and Nokia announced back in August that they were teaming up to bring the Here maps app to Galaxy devices, and now the app is available from Google Play.

Samsung handsets including the Galaxy S5 and Galaxy Note 4, among any other running Android 4.1 with at least 1GB of RAM, should now have access to Here maps.

That's good news for Samsung users looking for a Google Maps alternative for whatever reason, but more importantly this may herald the impending release of the Samsung Gear S smartwatch.

Back in August Samsung said Here maps would hit Galaxy devices by the time the Gear S is out. Like the four horsemen will herald the apocalypse, so Here maps should herald the Gear S.

Now we have our Here maps, but no Gear S. What gives?

The Gear S has been pegged from the beginning with a nebulous "this fall" release date, but surely it should be out soon.

We've asked Samsung to make sure we didn't miss a Gear S press release in our junk folders or something, and we'll update here if we get anything useful in return.

Via Android Community

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Hands-on review: Updated: Samsung Galaxy Note 4

Back in 2011, Samsung decided that bigger was better and launched the Samsung Galaxy Note which came with a 5.3-inch screen. At the time, this screen was a massive talking point: many thought it was too large to be a phone, others thought it was too compact to be a tablet.

Skip three years and that 5.3-inch screen no longer looks out of place in the phone market. Given that the Samsung Galaxy S5 comes with a 5.1-inch screen, it's clear to see the line between what was once classed as a phablet and what is now expected as a phone has well and truly blurred.

While this hasn't stopped Samsung pushing out the size boat - the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 came equipped with a 5.7-inch screen - it seems Samsung has finally put on hold the size creep.

The Samsung Galaxy Note 4 comes with the same-sized 5.7-inch screen as the Note 3, with Samsung instead deciding to improve on the quality of the screen rather than its size.

You can now pre-order the Samsung Galaxy Note 4 now, before its delayed release in the UK and some other regions on October 17.

It's not cheap though. If you fancy getting hold of a SIM-free Galaxy Note 4 you'll have to part with over £600 (around $840, AU$960), while on contract in the UK a free handset will see you shell out at least £43 per month for two years.

The screen now boasts Quad HD Super AMOLED (2,560 x 1,440 resolution) technology that stretches to 500 pixels per inch. Couple this with what Samsung is calling an adaptive display - one that changes depending on the light of the place you are viewing the screen - and on paper you have the optimum viewing no matter what situation you are in.

Get a better look of the Samsung Galaxy Note 4 with our hands on video:

To test the quality of the screen I watched a video that was shot in UHD on the device and it was stunning. Colours were vivid and detail popped out with the clarity you would expect from a 500ppi screen. Even zooming in there were no jagged edges and playback was smooth - no judder from the demo I viewed.

But the screen isn't the first thing that hits you when you get the Samsung Galaxy Note 4 in your hands, it's the build quality.

Samsung has definitely listened about its latest line-up feeling plastic-y in the hand and has decided to give the Note 4 more of a premium finish, with a metal rim surrounding the handset, shielding the rest of the chassis like a velvet rope protecting celebs from real people in a club.

I love the way the Galaxy Note 4 feels in the hand and being a regular user of the Note 3, it definitely felt different enough and it's light too, just a touch over the weight of the Note 3 at 176g.

It's obvious but the Samsung Galaxy Note 4 does come equipped with some of the features that we saw on the S5.

The most notable is the heartrate monitor on the back (which also has a neat camera functionality I will explain shortly) and the back has been improved somewhat too, but is still a little too faux leather for my liking.

There is a lot of similarity between the Note 3 and its successor. Size difference between the two chassis is definitely negligible - the Note 4 comes it at 153.5 x 78.6 x 8.5mm, compared to the Note 3's 151.2 x 79.2 x 8.3mm size.

It's clear Samsung hasn't re-invented the Note range but refined it with clever software updates and slight tweaks here and there.

One of the most impressive is to do with the S Pen. It surprised me that the stylus (sorry Samsung, I know you hate that word) made a comeback with the Note range but four devices in and the S Pen finally makes a lot more sense.

For a start there are two new pen options: fountain and caligraphy. Of these, fountain is the most interesting as it shows off how far the S Pen has come in terms of usability. Until now, using the S Pen has felt a lot like gliding a piece of plastic over a glass screen.

The "feel" of writing on paper just hasn't been there. With the Samsung Galaxy Note 4 this has changed.

The fountain pen works best when you sweep the S Pen across the screen as you would ink on paper and because of extra sensitivity (which has doubled) it is now a joy to write on the Note 4's screen. Signatures look like signatures and your handwriting actually really looks like your true handwriting.

I'm left handed and the S Pen was still a joy to use. Considering I have never been able to use a fountain pen in real life, because of smudging, it was great fun.

And the innovations don't end there. Now you can use the S Pen much like you would use a mouse. Click the button on the side of the S Pen and you are in Smart Select mode, where you can highlight whole passages of text from a website, or even clip out sections of a site and put it into your own clippings archive.

Instead of being an added extra, the S Pen finally feels like a necessary part of the Note 4, rather than a "this is fun but I have no use for it" accessory.

Snap mode has also been improved on the Note 4. While you used to just be able to snap two separate services to the top and the bottom of the screen, you can now "resize" an app much like you would a widget.

So, if you are using the camera and want to send an image via text but stay in camera mode, a quick diagonal down swipe from the top right of the screen will shrink the camera function and show the rest of the phone screen for you. It's a nice feature that could replace using the left multi-tab hot key for many.

You can also make use of the new 'floating UI' which offers Facebook Chat Heads style pop ups on the screen for certain apps.

View the original article here

Updated: Samsung confirms Galaxy Note 4 release date

Update: Samsung has now confirmed some Galaxy Note 4 release details for the US.

The phablet will go up for pre-order at AT&T tomorrow, and shipments start heading out to early orders on October 14. The phone won't be available in AT&T stores, however, until an unspecified later date. At Big Blue, the Note 4 price is listed as $299.99 on-contract, $41.30/month or $34.42/month on a Next plan, or $825.99 off-contract.

Verizon will start pre-orders tomorrow though it gave no clue as to when the phone will land in stores. It's retailing for $299.99 and does qualify for the carrier's Edge program.

T-Mobile too is jumping on the bandwagon, though pre-orders for the Galaxy Note 4 won't kick off here until September 24 at 9 a.m. PT. The carrier was the only one to provide a concrete release date - T-Mobile stores and its online portal will start selling the phablet October 17.

At T-Mo, the Note 4 can be yours for $0 down and $31.24 monthly payments over 24 months.

Last but not least, Sprint is taking pre-registrations for the Galaxy Note 4 with the handset actually launching sometime next month. Note (haha) a pre-registration doesn't seem to carry the same weight as a pre-order since you're only signing up to receive information on the phone.

Original story below...

It's unlikely to distract the queues of eager punters heading to the shops tomorrow for Apple's iPhone 6, but Samsung has announced you'll be able to pre-order its newest phablet, the Galaxy Note 4, on the same day.

Samsung stores around the UK will open up pre-orders tomorrow, with retailers such as Three and Carphone Warehouse following suit from Friday, September 26. The handset will go on general sale on October 10.

The Samsung Galaxy Note 4 was revealed at IFA earlier this month. The latest 5.7-inch goliath in the Note range will be a chief rival to Apple's new iPhone 6 Plus.

Behind the 5.7-inch QHD screen is a 2.7GHz quad-core Snapdragon 805 processor and 3GB of RAM. How much are you going to pay for the privilige? Well, Samsung's not saying just yet. But an earlier leak from retailer Clove suggested the handset will weigh in at £575.

This time around the Galaxy Note 4 comes with enhanced S pen features that gives the stylus - a hallmark of the Note range - the mouse-like ability to enter Smart Select mode by clicking the button on the side.

Upgrades have also been made in the form of Fast Charging and Ultra Power Saving Mode which, as you'd expect, let you charge up and eke out as much usage from the 3,220mAh battery as possible.

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Updated: Samsung Galaxy Note 4 release date, news and features

The all-new Samsung Galaxy Note 4 has now been officially unveiled, but what does the successor to the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 actually bring?

Well there's no change to the size of the screen, which still comes in at the whopping 5.7 inches that we have come to know and love, but Samsung has made some significant changes to that killer feature.

That 5.7-incher is now a Quad HD Super AMOLED (2,560 x 1,440 resolution) technology that stretches to 500 pixels per inch.

You can check out our hands on with the Samsung Galaxy Note 4 review for our first impressions of just what has changed in this latest generation.

Cut to the chase
What is it? Samsung's fourth gen phablet
When's it out? September 19 in the UK, September / October elsewhere
What will it cost? A lot, even more than the pricey Galaxy S5

The Galaxy note was announced at IFA 2014 on September 3. Samsung had sent invites for an event advising people to 'Note the date', which was a bit of a give away, and so it proved.

Samsung has confirmed that the Galaxy Note 4 will be available in the UK from September 19. Initially it will just be sold in Samsung Experience stores, but from September 26 select retailers, such as Three and Carphone Warehouse will begin stocking it and the phone will go on general sale from October 10.

We're still waiting to hear an exact release date for the phone in other territories around the world, but a recent Samsung advert claims it will be available sometime in October. If you're in the UK then you can check out our release date guide for more detailed information on availability and pricing as we get it.

Speaking of price, there's been very little said about that yet, but a listing on Indonesian site erafone puts it at IDR 9,499,000 (or roughly £490 / $810 / AU$870) which seems believable, especially since those conversions don't include local taxes. Better start saving.

With the Galaxy Note 4 going on sale imminently we should have some more official prices soon.

First up, screen size. The original Note came with a 5.3-incher, the Note 2 showed up with a 5.5-inch display and the Note 3 pushed things to 5.7 inches.

Going by this logic the Galaxy Note 4 should have come with a 5.9-inch display, which would see it match the HTC One Max and LG G Pro 2, while still falling short of the 6.4-inch Sony Xperia Z Ultra.

But actually Samsung showed admirable restraint, keeping the Note 4 to the 5.7 inches of its predecessor, but throwing a boat-load more quality into its killer feature.

Note 4's impressive screen

The screen now boasts Quad HD Super AMOLED (2,560 x 1,440 resolution) technology that stretches to 500 pixels per inch.

Plus, Samsung is throwing in what it is calling an adaptive display - one that changes depending on the light of the place you are viewing the screen - and on paper you have the optimum viewing no matter what situation you are in.

It even decided to get fancy and launch a variant of the phone called the Samsung Galaxy Note Edge, which has a curved display that folds around the spine of the phone. Sadly this didn't make it to the main device, but it's a good test to see if there's desire for such innovation.

The Galaxy Note 4 brings with it a pretty impressive 2.7GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 805 processor, which certainly won't be struggling to keep things moving despite the screen.

Also worthy of, ahem, note, is the 3GB of RAM that the phone is running - there are still plenty of people with PCs that don't have that kind of memory.

The internal memory of the Galaxy Note 4 is a not insignificant 64GB, which should mean you don't have to choose between your collection of Jean Claude van Damme movies and your lovingly put-together eclectic music.

Of course, there's a microSD slot too, with the ability to add 128GB more if you're thinking of downloading the internet for a day.

The Galaxy Note 4 came in for quite the camera upgrade, but not the 20MP sensor that a report from ET News suggested was due for release in the second half of the year.

Instead, it's gone from 13MP to 16MP but camera-philes will be more impressed with the Smart Optical Image Stabilisation, which helps keep every picture blur free and clear when you're snapping around.

If you hate the word selfie, look away now. The front-facing camera has followed the inexplicable trend and will allow you to take better self portraits, with a 3.7MP sensor with a f/1.9 aperture, allowing in a lot more light and mitigating the lack of flash.

The sensor can now make pictures look a lot more natural thanks to a 90-degree field of view – and the Note 4 has even stolen the panorama mode from the rear-facing camera to allow you to fit more people into your personal snap.

Oh, and you can tap the heart rate sensor on the back of the phone (more on that later) to take your pic to avoid shaking the camera. That's handy.

You can also use the rear camera in unison with the S Pen. A new feature called Snap Note allows you to take a picture of a piece of paper (or whiteboard) and change what's in the picture, which will apparently be excellent for when taking notes in a lecture. We're not sure how, either.

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Groot from 'Guardians of the Galaxy' wants to text you

I am Groot. Video screenshot by Anthony Domanico/CNET

Groot stole our hearts in the epic "Guardians of the Galaxy," and now he has a phone number so you can spend your day chatting away with the dancing tree that can summon fireflies out of thin air.

Twilio developer evangelist Ricky Robinett built an SMS chatbot that sends the message "I am Groot" to anyone who sends a text message to 866-740-4531. Considering "I am Groot" is all Groot can actually say, it's just like having an actual full-fledged conversation with the sentient tree-being. OK, so it won't be the most meaningful conversation you ever have, but it's arguably the deepest interchange you'll ever have with a chatbot.

Groot has been pretty busy responding to texts, as he'd sent out more than 100,000 messages as of Wednesday. Groot has a lot of friends out there in the world.

Arguing about who is, in fact, the real Groot. Anthony Domanico/CNET

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Galaxy Note 4 launch set for Oct. 17; preorders start Friday

Samsung's Galaxy Note 4 CNET

Samsung is getting ready to launch the much-anticipated Galaxy Note 4, the next version of its smartphone-tablet hybrid.

The company said Thursday that preorders on the Galaxy Note 4 will begin Friday -- the the same day Apple is launching its iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus. Samsung's so-called phablet will launch October 17 in the US.

To sweeten the pot, Samsung will offer a "guaranteed total trade-in of $200" on working smartphones that are swapped for a Galaxy Note 4 preorder. This means that even if your old phone isn't deemed worth more than $50, you still get $200 to spend on a Galaxy Note 4. The deal is available between Friday and October 16.

Samsung's decision to start preorders on the iPhone's release day underscores the contentious relationship between the companies. Apple and Samsung have not only battled in court over alleged patent infringement, but Samsung has released a barrage of marketing assaults on the new iPhones, claiming they are outdated and come with features that customers would have found years ago on Samsung phones.

Samsung unveiled the Galaxy Note 4 earlier this month. The device comes with a 2.7GHz quad-core processor and a 5.7-inch display. It runs Android 4.4.4 (KitKat) and features a 16-megapixel rear-facing camera and a 3.7-megapixel front-facing camera. Like the iPhone 6 Plus, it features a near-field communications chip. The Galaxy Note 4 also comes with Samsung's newest S pen stylus that can be used in place of your fingertip to input information.

Samsung's Galaxy Note 4 will be available in black and white on AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, Verizon, and US Cellular networks.

The prices have trickled out via the carriers. T-Mobile's off-contract price is $749.76. The carrier said Thursday it will offer the device for no money down and monthly payments of $31.24 over 24 months.

Sprint, meanwhile, said the Galaxy Note 4 will cost $30 a month for 24 months, for a total of $720. The two-year contract price is $350.

AT&T has several options for paying for the Note 4. It's $300 with a traditional contract, $34.42 under its AT&T Next 18 program, and $41.30 under its AT&T Next 12 program, both of which offer upgrades after their respective periods. The off-contract price is $825.99.

Verizon is selling its Galaxy Note 4 for $300 with a contract, and $700 off contract. It costs $35 a month on its device installment program, Edge.

CNET has contacted Samsung for comment. We will update this story when we have more information.

Updated at 11:33 am PT: To include Verizon, Sprint and AT&T's pricing on the device.

View the original article here

Updated: Samsung Galaxy S6 release date, news and rumors

The Samsung Galaxy Note 4 has arrived and now the path is clear for the Samsung Galaxy S6. In fact with the possible exception of the Nexus 6 this is one of the next big phone releases we're expecting to see, even if it is likely still many months away.

Samsung itself will surely already be hard at work on the phone and the first leaks and rumors are starting to emerge, with more sure to follow soon now that there are no other major Samsung phones in the pipeline.

Not much is known so far, but there are a few whispers floating around and other things which we can take a good guess at from a mix of past history, common sense and the state of the market. So stay glued to this page for all the updates.

What is it? The next flagship smartphone from SamsungWhen is it out? Early 2015, probably March or AprilWhat will it cost? A lot, at least as much as the pricey Galaxy S5

There's no official word on when the Samsung Galaxy S6 might launch, but Samsung has a yearly product cycle which it rarely deviates far from.

In fact from the Samsung Galaxy S2 onwards the company has always announced its phones at or close to MWC, so it's not a stretch to assume that the same will hold true for the Galaxy S6.

2015's MWC is set to take place between March 2 and March 5, so it's likely that we'll see the Samsung Galaxy S6 sometime around then. Possibly not at the show itself but perhaps at a press conference a day or two before it starts, much like Samsung did for the Galaxy Note 4 launch before IFA 2014.

However that's probably not when it will actually go on sale. The Samsung Galaxy S4 and S5 both launched in April, of 2013 and 2014 respectively, so there's a good chance that you'll be able to buy the Samsung Galaxy S6 from April 2015.

There's no real information on what the Samsung Galaxy S6 might cost either, but this is a flagship phone we're talking about, so it's not likely to be any cheaper than the Samsung Galaxy S5, which at launch sold for £579 (around $972 / AU$1048) SIM free.

Given that the specs will presumably be better and that it may even have a premium build for once it's possible that it could be even more expensive, but we'd be surprised if Samsung went much higher than £600 / $1000 / AU$1100.

There's no sign that Samsung is ditching Super AMOLED in its screens, so we expect that to make a return in the Galaxy S6.

The resolution will likely get a boost though, as Samsung has already revealed the 2560 x 1440 Galaxy Note 4 and even among smaller screen sizes there's the equally QHD Galaxy S5 LTE-A in South Korea, so we expect the Galaxy S6 to have a resolution at least that high.

In fact Samsung has previously said that it hopes to have smartphones with 4K 3840 x 2160 displays on the market by 2015. It's possible then that the S6 will leapfrog 2K and go straight to 4K, but with an early 2015 launch expected we'd be surprised. More likely Samsung will save that for the Galaxy Note 5.

Either way, the Samsung Galaxy S6 may have a slightly bigger screen than the Galaxy S5. The company has slowly been increasing the size of the screens on its flagships and we wouldn't be surprised if the Galaxy S6 were to push things up by another 0.1 or 0.2 inches to 5.2 or 5.3 inches.

If Samsung can shrink the bezel then it could probably even achieve that without increasing the phone's footprint. On the other hand the Note 4 is no bigger than the Galaxy Note 3 and Samsung's going to want to keep its two premium brands differentiated, so maybe it will decide that 5.1 inches is the sweet spot.

There's also an outside chance that the Galaxy S6 might have a flexible display. Samsung has been looking at this sort of technology for a while and has even recently revealed the Galaxy Note Edge- a version of the Note 4 where the screen curves down one side, so it's possible.

But we doubt Samsung would equip its flagship with such an untested technology, so we'd expect the S range to stick with a flat screen for at least one more year, though it's possible that Samsung will release a Galaxy S Edge or similar alongside the Galaxy S6.

With Android L arriving shortly and bringing 64-bit support with it we fully expect the Galaxy S6 to have a 64-bit processor.

As for which processor specifically that's still rather up in the air, but traditionally it's been equipped with a Snapdragon chip of some variety and both the Snapdragon 808 and Snapdragon 810 are expected to start appearing in devices during the first half of 2015, so one of them seems likely.

The Snapdragon 808 is a six-core 64-bit processor with support for 2K screens, while the Snapdragon 810 is an octa-core 64-bit chip which can power screens of up to 4K resolution and includes an Adreno 430 GPU, which is said to be 30% faster than the Adreno 420, so either way it should be in for a boost. Though it's always possible that it will stick with the Snapdragon 805 that's found in the Galaxy Note 4.

There's no word on how much RAM it will have, but a 64-bit processor works well when imbued with north of 4GB, so the sky really is the limit. Having said that the Galaxy S5 only has 2GB of RAM and even the Galaxy Note 4 has stuck with 3GB, so we'd be surprised if the S6 had more than 4GB.

While we don't know what the Galaxy S6 will look like there's every chance that Samsung will mould it on the Samsung Galaxy Alpha, which launched with a metal frame but still kept hold of the polycarbonate rear from the Galaxy S5.

At just 6.7mm the Galaxy Alpha is considerably thinner than the Galaxy S5, and we hope this is a positive sign for the Galaxy S6.

A metal frame would finally make Samsung's flagship look almost as premium as it is and it's hard to imagine that it wouldn't roll something similar or at least similarly high end out for its flagship, especially as the Galaxy Note 4 has now arrived with a metal frame too.

In fact sources in Samsung's supply chain have been talking fast and loose about the Galaxy S6, claiming the Galaxy Alpha and Note 4 will test the waters for Samsung's metal design ahead of an all-metal flagship in the form of the S6.

We wouldn't be surprised if this turned out to be true as Samsung's going to want to do something to make its new flagship stand out and giving it a similar build to its last two major handsets would be a bit of an anti-climax.

While Samsung is cooking up its own Tizen operating system, the Galaxy S6 will almost certainly stick with Android, and probably Android L since it should arrive several months before the S6.

It will also almost certainly run Samsung's TouchWiz UI on top, albeit streamlined once more to make sure it doesn't annoy consumers who are becoming aware of the simplicity of raw Android.

One of very few rumours that specifically refers to the Galaxy S6 notes that it may have a 20MP camera, up from 16MP in the Galaxy S5. Samsung's always about more and bigger so this seems believable.

According to ETNews the Galaxy Note 4 was originally going to have a 20MP sensor but Samsung dropped it to 16MP (the report actually says 12MP, but we now know that's wrong) to keep it thin while still including OIS, however the company will instead use the 20MP sensor on the Galaxy S6 apparently.

What it doesn't say is whether the S6 therefore won't include OIS or won't be all that slim, since reading between the lines one or the other is likely to be the case. In fact at 8.5mm thick the Note 4 is already slightly fatter than the Galaxy S5, so if the Galaxy S6 does get OIS then it's likely to put some weight on too.

There are a few things that we can be pretty confident that the Galaxy S6 will include. Samsung has been putting its fingerprint scanner on a number of phones and tablets so we're sure the S6 will get it too. Likewise it will probably retain the heart rate monitor from the Galaxy S5, since that's also been included on the Galaxy Alpha and the Samsung Galaxy Note 4.

We fully expect a microSD card slot too, since the Galaxy S range has always included one and we'd be very surprised if it wasn't water and dust resistant, since the Galaxy S5 is and removing a useful feature like that seems unlikely. Though neither the Note 4 nor the Galaxy Alpha is, so it's possible that the Galaxy S6 won't be either.

We may also see the Samsung Galaxy S6 inherit some of the new features which have been added to the Galaxy Note 4, such as fast charging, a UV sensor and multi-directional microphones.

Something that is unlikely but has nonetheless been rumored is a retina scanner, as Samsung has claimed to be looking at iris detection. Of course such technology may still be quite a way off yet and we're not all that convinced we'll see one in the Galaxy S6.

Sony probably won't even wait till 2015 to launch the Xperia Z3.

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Samsung Galaxy Note 4 release date: When can I get it?

Samsung's Galaxy Note 4 is bound to sell in huge numbers

The Samsung Galaxy Note 4 is almost here and it looks set to be one of the best and most exciting handsets of the year, with a top-notch screen, powerful innards and a premium design.

Samsung has now announced a release date for the Galaxy Note 4 too. It will be arriving in Samsung Experience stores across the country from Friday September 19, followed by select online and high street retailers including Three and Carphone Warehouse on Friday September 26 and finally it will go on general sale from Friday October 10.

But you won't have to wait till then to get your orders in, as pre-orders will open tomorrow. Official pricing hasn't yet been confirmed but with it hitting stores tomorrow it will be soon.

EE has confirmed that the Samsung Galaxy Note 4 will be available on its 4G network but hasn't yet said when or for how much, claiming that "more details on pricing and availability will be announced in due course." Given Samsung's release date announcement it will presumably be heading to EE on October 10.

Vodafone has confirmed that it will be selling the Galaxy Note 4, but not yet given any specifics on price or exactly when it will be available. Like EE though we assume it will be hitting Vodafone stores from October 10.

Three confirmed to us that the Samsung Galaxy Note 4 will be heading to its network very soon. The network itself hasn't confirmed when but according to Samsung Three will be getting it on Friday September 26.

O2 has also confirmed that it will be selling the Galaxy Note 4 on its airy network, no price or release date details were given but following Samsung's release date announcement it seems likely that O2 will sell the Note 4 from October 10.

While Carphone Warehouse's website states that it is expecting to have stock of the Samsung Galaxy Note 4 from sometime in October, Samsung has revealed that the retailer will actually be selling it from September 26, making it one of the first places to get the phone other than Samsung's own stores.

You can already register your interest to ensure you're contacted once it's available to order. No details on price were given though.

Why not check out our Samsung Galaxy Note 4 hands on video while you wait for it to go on sale:

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Review: Samsung Galaxy Alpha

While Apple is being praised and mocked in unequal measure for launching the "bigger than bigger" iPhone 6 with a 4.7-inch display and the even bigger iPhone 6 Plus - is that a reversing beep I can hear? - Samsung has performed an about-turn of its own with the launch of the Galaxy Alpha.

This is the first Samsung smartphone I can remember using that values attractive design ahead of spec list box-ticking. Whilst it's not the finished article, it marks a welcome departure in an exciting new direction for the company.

It's also arguably the most balanced and comfortable-to-use premium phone Samsung has made since the Samsung Galaxy S2.

Make no mistake though - this is unknown, risky territory for Samsung. Starting from £549.99 SIM-free, the Samsung Galaxy Alpha is priced like a flagship phone, but it's technically out-specced by the Samsung Galaxy S5.

Really, though, this simply reframes the age-old iOS vs Android argument with none of the platform bias - what makes a premium phone premium?

Let's get the obvious comment out of the way early doors. The Samsung Galaxy Alpha looks a lot like an iPhone.

While it's clearly been released to pre-empt the launch of the iPhone 6, though, the Alpha's design is pure iPhone 4. It's got a very familiar flat-edged aluminium rim with that same nick-inviting chamfered edge. Even the machined speaker grid on the bottom edge is reminiscent of Apple's seminal phone.

In appearance, the Alpha clearly follows the iPhone 4 - but it has subtle distinctions

Of course, the fact that Samsung has borrowed some ideas from Apple is far less noteworthy than the fact that it has finally adopted metal into its design process. Given how well the company has done with its first attempt, I have to ask: what took you so long, Samsung?

This is a lovely phone to hold. It sits in one hand delightfully. As someone with larger-than-average hands, I can just about stretch my thumb to each corner of the 4.7-inch display without needing the shuffle the handset around in my hands.

Decidely middle sized, the Alpha sits nicely in the hand

That's facilitated by a nice thin bezel and the Galaxy Alpha's super-thin body. At 6.7mm, it's not the thinnest phone in the world, but it's up there. It's also 0.2mm thinner than the similarly proportioned iPhone 6.

Not the thinnest on the market, but the Alpha is still strikingly slim

Like Apple's new iPhone, Samsung has positioned the Galaxy Alpha's power button on the top right-hand edge of the phone, so you can reach it easily with thumb or finger. The volume rocker is on the opposite edge, if a little higher up. Both have a satisfying click to them.

The power and volume controls are easily accessible

It's when you look closely at these side buttons that you realise the Galaxy Alpha's metal rim isn't quite as unoriginal as it first seems. There's a subtle outward curve just before you reach the top and bottom edges, which is both nice to look at and offers a useful niche to tuck your little finger into.

You know you're definitely dealing with a Samsung phone when you turn it over - and we're not just talking about the Samsung logo or the centrally-mounted, square-rimmed, slightly protruding camera unit.

The back of the Alpha is soft-touch polycarbonate, and it looks remarkably good

The Galaxy Alpha's dalliance with metal extends only to its outer rim. The rear of the device is the same kind of soft-touch polycarbonate as we've seen before.

It's one of the least objectionable uses for the material yet, though. Perhaps it's the fact that Samsung has done away with that awful faux-stitching effect, or the fact that it's framed by elegant metal rather than ugly shiny plastic. I don't know, but in this case Samsung's use of plastic is as notable and restrained as its use of metal.

The decision not to opt for an all-metal body has led to a number of other benefits. It makes the Alpha easy to grip and handle, it allows for a removable battery, and it makes the phone remarkably light.

Easy access to the battery is a benefit of the detachable back

At 115 grams, it's 14 grams lighter than the iPhone 6. In fact, it's only 3 grams heavier than the 4-inch iPhone 5S. No, it doesn't quite feel as premium as either, but it's nowhere near as far off as Samsung's earlier efforts.

And this introduces one of the most contentious specs of the Samsung Galaxy Alpha - its display. As I've already mentioned, this is a 4.7-inch screen, which kind of bucks the trend for recent high-end Android devices. The HTC One M8, the Google Nexus 5, the Sony Xperia Z2, and yes, the Samsung Galaxy S5, have all busted through the 5-inch barrier.

Indeed, the Alpha feels like a blast from the past, going back to the time of the Nexus 4, the HTC One X, and the Samsung Galaxy S3. More pertinently, and as already discussed, this is the size adopted by Apple for its iPhone 6.

The Alpha's 720p Super AMOLED display is bright and clear at these dimensions

The result is that you'll probably find the Galaxy Alpha either slightly smaller or slightly bigger than you're used to. My view? Like Goldilocks and the middle-sized bed, this one feels just right. It offers a clear view of HD video, games and most web pages without sacrificing portability or one-handed usability.

Perhaps even more contentious is the Samsung Galaxy Alpha's display resolution. It's only ("only") 720p.

Complaints about this lower resolution are valid - particularly given the Galaxy Alpha's premium price - but only up to a point. Yes, other Android phones have hit the considerably sharper 1080p resolution standard in recent times, but the vast majority of these have been larger 5-inch displays.

In fact, if we're talking mainstream phones, only 2013's HTC One M7 really springs to mind as offering a 4.7-inch 1080p display.

In a sub-5-inch screen like this one, 720p feels perfectly adequate. That's not to say that you definitely won't notice the difference in sharpness between the Galaxy Alpha and (for example) the Galaxy S5. But as it is, using the phone in isolation, the Alpha's display is plenty sharp enough.

Indeed, with Samsung's expert - and still relatively unique - use of Super AMOLED technology, the Galaxy Alpha's picture positively pops from the screen. Colours are rich and contrast levels are exemplary, while you won't be experiencing inky blacks of this kind on any LCD panel.

It still lends some icons and images a slightly false, gaudy appearance, but once you're attuned to it (or once you've tuned it to your liking) other displays can look a little drab by comparison.

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Versus: Samsung Galaxy Note 4 vs Galaxy S5

Samsung is often accused of making stacks of slightly different devices to fit every conceivable market niche, but the Galaxy Note isn't one of them. It's designed for a very specific task: to combine smartphones and tablets together to deliver the best of both worlds, giving you a phone that you don't have to squint at when you watch videos and a tablet that doesn't require enormous cargo pants to lug around.

This year's Note, the Galaxy Note 4, improves on its predecessor in several key areas. It has a better screen, a faster, 64-bit processor and more RAM, a better GPU, a better camera and a fingerprint scanner. Some models will even get flexible, curved screens. Even the S Pen has been improved.

That means Samsung has not one, but two mobile flagships: the Galaxy Note 4 phablet and the Galaxy S5 smartphone. They're both impressive devices but there are significant differences between them.

When we reviewed the Galaxy S5 we liked it a lot, but we weren't exactly impressed by its "creaky" design: "it certainly isn't up to the same level as the likes of Apple and HTC". The standard Note 4 is similarly functional, although there will also be a premium version that swaps the plastic chassis for a metal one.

In addition to the standard black and white options there will be two colours: Electric Blue and Copper Gold. Like the Galaxy S5, the Note 4 is dust and water resistant.

Both the Galaxy S5 and the Note 4 boast Samsung's superbly bright and readable Super AMOLED displays, but where the S5 has a 5.1-inch, full HD display the Note 4 has a 5.7-inch quad HD (QHD, aka 2K) screen - not the 5.9-inch screen many rumours predicted. That delivers a resolution of 2560 x 1440 compared to the S5's 1080x1920. QHD screens don't make a lot of sense in smaller devices, but once you start getting into the high five inches and above they make a big difference to video and photos.

Samsung is also reportedly working on a Note equivalent of the Samsung Galaxy Round, which would have a three-sided display using a curved AMOLED screen that wraps around the side of the device, removing the bezel and enabling additional swipes to control the device.

The Galaxy S5's camera is a speedy 16MP model, and the Note packs the same number of megapixels while adding optical image stabilisation and a 3.7MP front-facing snapper for selfies. That's a big improvement over the Galaxy S5's 2.1MP front-facing camera. Samsung reportedly considered an even bigger 20MP sensor for the rear camera, but couldn't slim it down enough to work with the super-skinny chassis design.

The Samsung Galaxy S5's battery life is excellent thanks to the combination of battery saving technology and a 2800mAh battery pack. The Note 4's battery is bigger still at a whopping 3600mAh, although of course its bigger screen draws more power than the one in the Galaxy S5.

Where the Galaxy S5 has a snappy Snapdragon 801 processor and Adreno 330 GPU, the Note 4 gets a 2.5GHz Snapdragon 805 paired with an Adreno 420 GPU (in the US and Asia) or an Exynos 5433 with quad-core Cortex A-53 and A-57 (everywhere else). The Exyonos model of the Galaxy Note 4 is 64-bit.

With 3GB of RAM, the Note 4 has 1GB more memory than the Galaxy S5.

The Note 4 comes in 16, 32 and 64GB varieties and its microSD card slot supports cards of up to 128GB. The Galaxy S5 can also handle 128GB microSD cards, but its internal storage options are limited to 16GB and 32GB only.

The Galaxy Note 4 runs Android KitKat (Android L will follow when it's officially released by Google) and features the familiar S Pen, but there's a new addition: the fingerprint scanner and heart rate sensor we've already seen in the Galaxy S5.

The heart rate sensor is part of the growing S Health system, and on the Note 4 S Health also gets UV sensing to warn you if you're spending too much time in the sun. The sensor works by holding the phone to the sun at a 60-degree angle and tells you just how dangerous the rays currently are. A reading of 0-2 means there's minimal risk of skin damage while a rating of 11+ means you're probably on fire.

While the fingerprint sensor is familiar, the Galaxy Note 4 has two new uses for it: Fingerprint Shortcuts turn individual fingers into app launchers, so for example a flick of your index finger might launch one app and your ring finger another, while Web Sign-In will use the fingerprint scanner as a way to login to websites without having to enter user IDs and passwords.

The Galaxy S5 currently costs around £550 SIM-free (US$650, AU$900), and while Samsung hasn't announced prices for the Note 4 yet a listing on Indonesian site Erafone predicts roughly £490 (US$810, AU$870). That sounds about right, as it doesn't take local taxes such as VAT (currently 20% in the UK) or sales taxes into account.

The Samsung Galaxy S5 is widely available, but while the Galaxy Note 4 was released on the 3rd of September it hasn't reached shop shelves yet. Expect to see it in late September.

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Hands-on review: Samsung Galaxy Note Edge

Now this is interesting. There were a trickle of rumours that Samsung was going to release a unique product into the smartphone market - something that would take advantage of the company's bendable OLED displays. And it has delivered with the Samsung Galaxy Note Edge.

The Note Edge is a beautiful looking device that has a screen that folds over one side of the handset, offering up myriad possibilities with what to do with this extra bit or real estate.

Well, I say extra - this is the same 5.7-inch screen that's seen on the Note but an inch of it drapes over the side, ready to take care of notifications so they don't get in the way of watching full-screen video and the like.

When I first picked up the Note Edge, I did notice a slight issue. The folded part of the screen was on the wrong side for me, because I am left handed.

This meant that this extra bit of screen was in the way of my palm. But Samsung has remedied this with making the screen completely flippable. So as long as you don't mind the home button being on the top of the screen, then this is a handset for south paws as much as right-handed folk.

The Samsung Galaxy Note Edge is fantastic in the hand. The added screen dimension makes it look and feel a lot more premium than its Note 4 bedfellow. It's definitely a handset that has wow factor, even if the added screen lip may be slightly lacking in uses at the moment.

Samsung has tried its best to make this section of the phone useable, by creating a host of OS strips that you can add to the lip of the screen. These include things like weather, Twitter, and news updates.

One great move Samsung has done is make the lip of the display work independent of the main screen.

So if the main screen is completely off, one swipe of the lip and you can see your notifications and updates. This would be a great thing in a meeting where you don't want to use your full device but want access to small updates,

The new screen design in my hands on simply meant that it was easier for me to access applications. Samsung also informed me that the panel will evolve, once more software partners are on board.

Another test I did to try out the innovative screen was watch a clip of a movie. As all of the controls went to the lip of the screen, the main part was completely free - the movie went completely to the edge and looked great.

The new screen is a great addition to the Note range. By this I mean that everything else bar the screen is identical to the Samsung Galaxy Note 4 in specs.

The screen does mean you get a 16:10 aspect ratio and Samsung did explain that the battery was a tad smaller (at 3,000) but everything else that is on the Note 4 is present and correct with the Samsung Galaxy Note Edge.

While you can read a little more in-depth about the new features in our hands on Samsung Galaxy S4 review, here's a number of things that I thought were standout.

The chassis now has a heartrate monitor, that was originally found on the Samsung Galaxy S5. This also acts as a trigger button for the camera when you want to do selfies.

The S Pen has also vastly improved with two extra pen styles: fountain and highlighter. You can do so much more with the S Pen too. One of the most interesting aspects is that you can now use it mouse like to take grabs from websites and set up your own clippings service.

You can also use the pen to shrink applications as you would a widget. This gives you better access to the homescreen and means you don't have to wade through a number of tabs.

Multi-tasking on the Note Edge has also been improved - with a multi window of tabs much easier to access.

The Samsung Galaxy Note edge is stunning-looking device that really tries to do something different. I worry that Samsung will keep the Edge strictly limited edition. I hope not because this is a handset that is great to use and looks fantastic. It really does give the Note line-up the edge over its rivals.

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