Samsung Galaxy S5 5.25 inch QHD enters production

With the release of the Samsung Galaxy S5 date time aired for only a matter of weeks away, more recent reports have suggested from 5.25-inch QHD screen of the phone has already entered production.

A leap forward in quality and size over the 5-inch Full HD Display on Samsung Galaxy S4, says the Samsung Galaxy S5 Korean media reported to have entered production as the producer prepares for a showpiece of Q1 phone unveiling.

While the S4 had a resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels, now the standard for high-end flagship phones, the Samsung Galaxy S5 reportedly will be hosting a QHD Panel with a resolution of 2560 x 1440 pixels, this monitor by offering a density of pixels per inch 560 image, a move that would make it a leader in the smartphone arena.

Contrary to recent reports that the Samsung S5 Galaxy would see the Korean manufacturer move cheaper LCD panels offer 5.25 inch QHD is said to be an AMOLED that offers.

In addition, claims that Samsung Galaxy S5 5.25 inch QHD entered production Panel confirms reports earlier this week that the S5 does not host a curved display as the offer Samsung Galaxy round recently.

One of the many items to Samsung Galaxy S5 to do the rounds in recent weeks, the S5-specific sheet will reportedly match high-end display with a new 64-bit processor, 3 GB of RAM and a 16-megapixel rear camera.

Elsewhere, the S5 has been tipped to run on Google's Android OS last 4.4 KitKat alongside a new metal form factor that will see the handset compete better with the iPhone 5S of market leader.

Read more: iPhone 6 voices

Via: SamMobile

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Samsung Galaxy S5 to forgo flexible form factor

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Contrariamente alle recenti indiscrezioni, il Samsung Galaxy S5 non caratterizzerà un fattore di forma flessibile o curvo, rapporti più recenti hanno suggerito.

Secondo senza nome "fonti del settore" parlando con prese di notizie in Corea nativo di Samsung, Samsung è "altamente improbabile" conferire l'ammiraglia Samsung Galaxy S5 con un display curvo e simile a quella del Samsung Galaxy rotondo di LG G Flex a causa di tassi di rendimento basso e aumento dei costi.

Anche se si era ipotizzato che ampiamente atteso Samsung Galaxy S5 potrebbero trarre beneficio da un pannello curvo, ora si ritiene che le nuove tecnologie di visualizzazione sono ancora troppo in precedenza, nel loro sviluppo a disposizione per un portatile che si prevede di vendere decine di milioni di unità.

"La capacità di corrente per pannelli flessibili non è abbastanza alta per la galassia S5, che sarà esteso all'inizio del prossimo anno," Kim Jong-hyun, analista presso la base di Seoul Eugene & titoli di investimento detto l'araldo coreano.

"Quelle curve sarà svelato alla fine dell'anno prossimo come una variante del Galaxy, piuttosto che come un modello di punta".

Anche se il Samsung Galaxy S5 sembra destinata a perdere su un display curvo, la volontà di telefono attualmente non confermate secondo come riferito essere conferito con ogni sorta di componenti high-end.

Secondo le recenti voci di Samsung Galaxy S5, S4 proseguimento ospiterà un processore a 64 bit a fianco di 3 GB di RAM, una fotocamera da 16 megapixel e più recenti Android 4.4 KitKat mobile sistema operativo di Google.

In cima a questo, il design di Samsung Galaxy S5 è stato capovolto per vedere l'azienda adotta un nuovo fattore di forma metallica tutti. Il telefono dovrebbe essere presentato durante la Q1 2014.

Per saperne di più: iPhone 6 voci

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Trucchi e consigli di Galaxy nota 3

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The Samsung Galaxy Note 3 is one of the most feature-rich phones ever made. It does more than just about any of its rivals. However, that also means it's far too easy to ignore some of the phone's best bits. They're often hidden in a mound of other featues.

We’ve dug deep into the phone to bring you all the little extras you may have missed. Here are our favourite Galaxy Note 3 tips, tricks and secrets.

Head straight to page two for Note 3 battery life and troubleshooting tips >

66. The best modes to use
There are loads of camera modes in the Note 3 – too many really. The roster of modes pops-up when you tap the ‘mode’ button near the on-screen camera shutter. Some of them are gimmicks – the equivalent of the ice cream maker you’ll never use more than once.  More useful modes we highly recommend checking out include HDR and Panorama.

HDR merges multiple exposures to produce more detail in very dark and very bright parts of a scene. Samsung’s HDR mode particularly effective – check out our Note 3 camera review. Panorama takes a wide-angle view of your surroundings – almost 360 degrees. It’s perfect for those dramatic view shots on holiday.

65. Photography tips
The basic tips for taking good photos don’t really change whether you’re using a ‘proper’ camera or a phone. Top tips include using the horizon to aid your composition – making sure elements aren’t wonky – and keeping your hands still, particularly when shooting in less-than-perfect lighting. As none of Samsung’s most popular Galaxy phones have optical image stabilisation, a steady hand is needed. To aid composition, turn on guidelines within the camera app’s Settings.

64. Getting the best low-light performance
Sticking to Auto mode won’t get you the best low-light performance. However, unlike the Galaxy S4, the Note 3 doesn’t have a dedicated Night mode. Instead, it has a half-hidden feature called Smart Stabilisation. It appears to use slightly longer exposure times for better low-light photo quality without resorting to using the flash – you do need to keep your hands extra-still, though. You’ll find the feature in the top level of the Settings menu of the camera app.

63. Shooting slow motion and fast motion video
Other half-hidden features that are easy to miss, but well worth exploring, are slow-motion and fast motion video. Both are masses of fun. Slow-motion video is captured at 720p and fast motion is captured at 1080p. Slow motion is a little lower-quality because it makes the Note 3 capture more images per second.

62. Shout to control the camera
Stepping into gimmicky territory a little, the Note 3 camera can be operated by talking. Say ‘capture’, ‘shoot’, ‘smile’ or ‘cheese’ and the camera will take a shot. To switch this on, go to Settings>Controls>Voice Control and tick the ‘camera’ check box. It will actually come in handy, too, if you want to take photos remotely while the Note 3 is resting on a rock or… whatever. (not to tourists: do not do this in central London)

61. Changing photo resolution
We recommend shooting photos at full resolution all the time, but if you’re low on memory you can also cut down the megapixel count of your snaps. To do this, hit the menu soft key when in the camera app and select Settings in the pop-up menu. Right at the top you’ll see a ‘Photo size’ option, which does all the way down to 2.4-megapixel widescreen shots. It’s worth noting too that if you’re shooting widescreen pics, you’re not using the full camera resolution. The Note 3 has a 4:3 sensor, so you need to shoot 4:3 pics to get the full 13-megapixel snaps.

60. Use tap-to-shoot for the fastest pics
By default, the Galaxy Note 3 focuses upon tapping the screen and takes a photo when you press the software shutter button. However, there’s an even quicker way to take snaps. You can make the Note 3 focus and take a shot with a single touchscreen press (other phones do this, such as Windows Phone devices). It’s called ‘Tap to take pics’, and is found in the Settings menu of the camera app.

59. Volume rocker controls digital zoom…
In some phones, the volume rocker is used as a physical volume rocker. However, in the Note 3 it is used to control the digital zoom. As you’d probably guess, volume up zooms in and volume down zooms out. The Note 3 zooms in up to x4. 

58. But try to avoid using it
We don’t recommend using the digital zoom unless it’s really necessary – it’s much better to get closer to your subject if at all possible. Unlike some other cameras such as the Nokia Lumia 1020, there are no ‘lossless zoom’ claims here. Zooming-in makes images blurrier.

57. Turning the volume control into a shutter button
If you (sensibly) decide to do away with digital zoom, you can turn the volume rocker into a shutter control instead. To do this, go to the camera app Settings menu (menu soft key>Settings) and press the third ‘Settings’ tab. Press the volume key option and you can choose between zoom, camera shutter or video record control.

56. Use Remote viewfinder to let you take pics using another device
Using NFC and Wi-Fi Direct, other compatible devices (other high(ish) end Galaxy phones) can be used as viewfinders for the Note 3. What’s ‘seen’ by the Note 3 camera is piped over to the other device’s screen, and you can also use the second phone to control the Note’s shutter. It’s great if you want to setup the Note 3 in a particular remote position while shooting snaps from elsewhere.

55. Making thing easier to use one-handed
The Note 3 offers a variety of ways to make its large screen easier to operate. We find the phone easiest to use with two hands, but if you don’t have both mitts free, Samsung offers a bunch of pads and keyboard optimised for one-handed use. There’s a dedicated ‘one-handed operation’ menu that you’ll find in the Controls tab of the Settings menu.

The pads for the keyboard, calculator, and calling number pad are all shrunk down a bit and moved to one side of the screen for easier one-handed use. Each has its own tick box within the Settings>Controls tab>One-handed operation menu.

54. Enabling the ‘phone within a phone’ mode
Another, slightly odd way to make the Note 3 easier to use one-handed is with the ‘small screen’ mode. This created a cut-size simulacra of the phone’s display that can be moved about the screen and resized. You’ll find this option under the ‘use for all screens’ tick-box within the One-handed Operation menu.

To shrink the Note 3’s screen, just quickly swipe onto and off either the left or right edge of the phone’s screen.

53. Zoom in and out of the screen
If that’s still not enough, you can also zoom into and out of the screen – which is very handy if you have poor eyesight. The Magnificiation Gestures option lets you zoom into the screen using a pinch movement after triple-tapping on the screen (to make sure you don’t do it accidentally). You’ll find the magnification gestures option in Settings>Device tab>Accessibility.

52. You can change fonts and font sizes
If you find the menu text in your Note 3 a bit too small, you can change it. The phone lets you pick both a font size and a font style. The Font option sits in the Device tab of the main Settings menu. However, it only affects the lettering in the menu, not the home screens.

51. Accessing universal search S-Finder
The quickest way to find something on your phone is with the universal search function S Finder. You can search the web, on the phone, and even through your handwritten notes. To get to this search quickly, just hold down on the Menu soft key (the left one).

50. Using the IR transmitter to control your TV
One of the best little-discussed features of the Note 3 is its IR transmitter. This is the same sort of transmitter used in traditional TV remote controls, and the Note 3 can replace the lot. You do so with the WatchON app, which acts as both a TV schedule and a universal remote control. Setting the thing up does take a while  (you have to test each function of each device you want to control) but it is a very handy way to de-clutter your lounge or to annoy people at the pub.

49. Using motion control, and what you can do
The Galaxy Note 3 is packed with sensors – including an accelerometer and gyroscope. These let the phone know when it is being moved, and how. Things you can do with them include making the Note 3 answer calls when you pick up the phone, zoom in and out of photos when you tilt the handset and mute the phone when it’s turned over.

You can turn each of these on and off within the Motions menu under the Controls tab within Settings. We recommend… turning most of them off, although the flip-to-mute function is handy.

48. Air Gestures – how to use, ones to avoid
Much more problematic than motion sensors are air gestures. These react to a finger being placed just above the screen. You don’t even need to touch the phone. And they can cause all sorts of problems when they’re accidentally triggered.

There are two types – Air gestures and Air View gestures. Air View gestures show you information about things when your finger is hovering above them – for example it will zoom into folders of photos. Air Gestures let you flick between things – web pages, music tracks, photos – by waving your hand over a sensor up above the screen.

We find that both types are fairly problematic when used with a finger. Our top tip is to enable Air View features when used with a stylus, and turn off Air Gestures. You’ll find the Air View and Air Gestures menus under the Controls tab of Settings.

47. Using eye detection tech – dos and don’ts
The Samsung Galaxy Note 3 uses its front camera in a bunch of odd ways. One of them is quite useful. Smart Stay keeps the backlight on when the front camera senses your eyes in front of the phone. The rest of the eye-sensing features should be promptly switched off if you ask us. They can pause video when you look away from the screen, or let you scroll through articles by tilting your head up and down. You’ll find these switches in Settings> Control tab> Smart Screen.

46. Enabling ‘with gloves’ operation
Normal capacitive touchscreens don’t fare too well with gloves, however they can be ‘overdriven’ – made especially sensitive so that they can sense your fingers through glove material. This sensitivity check box is found in the Controls tab of the Settings menu, right down the bottom. The downside of using this is that it’s far more likely to be accidentally operated in your pocket.

45. Use the super pocket ring if you miss phone calls
If you find that you tend to miss phone calls that go off in your pocket because the ring simply isn’t loud enough, you can turn on a ‘super ring’ mode that ups the volume when the phone senses it’s in your pocket. This option doesn’t live in the Sound section of Settings, but the Call Settings sub menu. It’s in Settings> Device tab> Call. It’s called ‘increase volume in pocket’.

44. Saving money using internet calls
Although this isn’t a feature the Note 3 advertises too readily, you can choose to use internet calling within the dialler rather than ‘standard’ phone calls. The problem is you’ll need to manually input your SIP account details (you can find these in Skype settings), rather than being able to do something as simple as log into Skype. There are ways to find out these details, though. You input these details in Settings >Device tab> Call. The Accounts option is right down the bottom.

43. How to reject certain numbers automatically
The Note 3’s call rejection mode lets you maintain a list of people who can’t get through to you – your enemies, or those best friends you simply can’t be bothered to talk to. The list can be up to 100 people long. Or alternatively you can choose to reject all calls. To add to your auto-reject list, go to Settings > Device tab> Call> Call rejection. Within this menu you’ll find a manage list option with access to your Contacts book.

42. How to customise ringtones
A feature most of us have forgotten about, but used to love, is the ability to assign different ringtones to different people. The Note 3 lets you assign not just ringtones either – you can use music tracks if you like. It’s dead simple to do. Head to the Contacts book, pick your contact, tap it and scroll down its listing a bit. There’s a ringtone sub-head. This brings up the standard list of ringtones, but there’s also an ‘Add’ button down the bottom that lets you pick tracks from your music library.

41. How to ‘auto-fill’ your address book
Once you’ve fired up your Note 3, one of the best ways to fill your address book is to sign into social networks Facebook and Twitter (assuming you have accounts with these services). The info stored in your account can be used to find new contacts, or to add more information to existing ones – it’s especially useful for adding pictures to your contact entries. You’ll be prompted as to whether to do this when you first fire-up the networks’ respective apps.

40. Create custom vibrate patterns for your friends
Is a custom ringtone not enough?  You can also compose your own vibrate patterns for different people’s calls. You’ll find this option just below the ringtone option – that’s right down at the bottom of the entry for one of your contacts. Tapping the Vibration Pattern entry will bring up the preset vibration patterns, or there’s a ‘create’ button that lets you tap out your own.

39. Use the power toggles for better battery life
Getting better battery life isn’t magic. The most effective way to do it is to turn off features you’re not using, and the TouchWiz UI gives you plenty of chances to do this. In the pull-down notifications menu, you’ll notice five different toggles for key features. Tapping them turns them on and off.

38. Customise the power toggles to make notifications better
The Note 3’s selection of Nofication bar power toggles is pretty sensible, but you can also choose exactly what goes into this bar too. Right up at the top-right of the screen when the notification bar is pulled down is a button that lets you select exactly what gets in. For the best battery life, we recommend keeping Wi-Fi, mobile data, Flight mode and Bluetooth in there.

37. Taking a screenshot
There are two ways to take a pure screenshot on the Note 3. You can press the power and select buttons simultaneously, or use a gesture built into the phone – swipe the side of your palm across the screen to capture what’s on screen. This feature needs to be enabled for this to work, though. You’ll find it in Settings> Controls tab> Palm motion. It’s called Capture Screen.

36. Improve image quality with Display Settings
After people complained that Samsung’s Super AMOLED phones looked a bit oversaturated, the company started to introduce manual image quality tweaking in its phones. You can choose how vivid you want the Note 3’s colours to be, and we recommend going for one of the two less saturated settings if you want more faithful image quality. You’ll find the list of modes in Settings >Device tab> Display> Screen mode. Our favourites are ‘Professional Photo’ and ‘Movie’.

35. Easy mode
If you’re giving your Note 3 to someone who’s a bit of a technophobe, you might want to suggest them starting off with Easy Mode. It’s a super-simple mode that fits fewer items on-screen and tries to make everything as clear as possible. If someone was to make a super-giant Android phone for your gran, it might look like this.

34. Colour blindness screen optimisation
If you’re colour blind, the Galaxy Note 3 has a special mode to make using the phone a whole lot easier. You simply arrange an array of colours by their tonal similarity and the phone judges the shades you have trouble seeing. The Note 3 then adjusts the display so that you can still see what’s going on clearly. We have at times criticised Samsung for packing-in unnecessary features, but this one is pretty cool.

33. Sharing your mobile internet connection
With a Galaxy Note 3 you can turn your phone into a little Wi-Fi hotspot. This is a pretty common feature in phones these days, and it’s built into Android itself. However, the Note 3 offers three different ways to connect with other devices. There’s USB tethering, where the connection is shared over a cable, Bluetooth tethering and ‘standard’ Wi-Fi tethering. You’ll find these in Settings>Connections tab>Tethering and portable hotspot.

32. Monitoring your mobile data use
Both Android and the TouchWiz interface offer their own data monitoring utilities. It shows you how much data you’ve used over the past month (or a custom period), and which parts of the phone – which apps – have used all the data. The Data Usage monitor is found in Settings> Connections tab>Data Usage.

31. How to get 4G
All the Note 3s sold in the UK are 4G-ready. However, you’ll only be able to use the phone’s 4G connection if you sign up to a 4G contract. EE was the first network to launch 4G in the UK, and it claims to cover more than 60 per cent of the population (if not 60 per cent of the area of the UK). Vodafone offers 4G in London, Birmingham, Leicester, Coventry, Sheffield and Nottingham – will more cities planned.

30. What is NFC and how do I use it?
The Galaxy Note 3, like most Samsung phone phones these days, has NFC. This stands for Near-Field Communication, and is something you can switch on and off within the Connections tab of Settings, or from within the drop-down notifications menu’s power toggle bar. But what is NFC good for?

Although you can use it to make purchases on the high street from a small number of shops, it’s really more useful to connect to audio gadgets. Headphones and speaker docks are starting to use it as part of the sync process, and most Wi-Fi Direct transfer methods, including S Beam, use it to help transfer files.

29. Using S Beam
S Beam is a Samsung-made bit of software that lets you transfer files between Samsung phones using Wi-Fi (to make the transfer) and NFC (to make the connection). To use S Beam, you first need to make sure both NFC and S Beam are turned on. They have separate flick switches in the Connections tab of the Settings menu. To transfer files, you just need to hold the two phones/devices together than tap the item you want to transfer (with Gallery, for example).

28. How to customise the lock screen
Tired of how your lock screen looks? There are a number of alterations you can make. The most obvious is altering the screen’s wallpaper. To alter the image used, navigate to it in the gallery, press the Menu soft key and then scroll down to ‘Set as’. Here you’ll see a Lock Screen option.

Other customisation options are found within Settings>Device tab>Lock Screen. From here you can choose the items on the lock screen’s shortcut dock, alter the text (if any) shown at the top of the screen and the visual effect swiping across the screen leaves.

27. Using Multi View
Multi View is one of Samsung’s Galaxy-series staple features. It lets you run two apps on-screen at the same time. It’s the multi-tasking we said we always wanted – and some people say it is overkill. To use it, first make sure that the Multi View slider is engaged in the Device tab of Settings.

Next, see if the Multi View tab is visible. This is a little arrow at the left side of the screen. If it’s not there, hold down on the back soft key to make it appear. Tap on the arrow to bring up the Multi View toolbar. This holds all the apps you can use within Multi View. Just tap one to open it, then tap and drag another to open it on the other side of the screen. You can drag a sliding separator that sits between the two to control how much screen space each gets.

26. Accessing recently-used apps
A more commonplace use of multi-tasking than Multi View is the simple display of recently-used apps. To open-up this list, just hold down on the central select button. You can also remove apps from the list (shutting them down) by swiping them to the right of the screen. Also worth a mention, the right ‘X’ button towards the bottom of the screen closes them all down. This is worth a press if you’re having performance issues.

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Price, news, rumors, specs and release date of the Samsung Galaxy S5

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The Samsung Galaxy S5 rumours continue to flow, with latest reports claiming the handset will be slower than the iPhone 5S when it launches in Q1 2014.

With claimed Samsung Galaxy S5 benchmarks having appeared online in recent days, it has been suggested that, despite making a jump to a rival 64 bit processor, the Samsung Galaxy S4 follow-on will in fact be slower than its leading Apple-branded rival.

While reports have suggested that the upcoming Samsung Galaxy S5 clocked a score of 3303.88 in a Rightware Browsermark test, the recording is slower than both the iPhone 5S's score of 3669.91 and even the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 which clocked 3353.07.

This, however, is just one of many Samsung Galaxy S5 rumours currently doing the rounds as Samsung works up to its challenger to the Google Nexus 5 and LG G2. Ensuring you are kept abreast of all the latest Samsung Galaxy S5 news and rumours, including when you can expect the Samsung Galaxy S5 release date, what specs the phone will have and how much it will set you back, bookmark this page as will be updating it regularly leading up to the S5 launch next year.

While the leaked Samsung Galaxy S5 benchmarks have suggested the phone will be less powerful than the iPhone 5S, further reports this week have suggested that in a bid to save money on production costs, Samsung will drop the flagship phone from its usual AMOLED panel to a cheaper LCD offering.

Although blacks will be reduced by the mooted switch to an LCD display, colours should appear more natural. Despite the change in panel, the Samsung Galaxy S5 has been tipped to be the first smartphone to adopt a 2K resolution.

Recently, it has been suggested that the Korean manufacturer will hold a Samsung Galaxy S5 release date in March 2014. Although the S4 was unveiled in March of this year, it did not go on sale until April. What's more, it has been rumoured that the new flagship phone will launch alongside a second-generation Samsung Galaxy Gear smartwatch that will be 30 per cent slipper than the original.

Elsewhere, Samsung recently teased a range of potential Samsung Galaxy S5 features. Speaking at its annual Analyst Day in Seoul, South Korean, the manufacturer has suggested that its 2014 phones (i.e. the Samsung Galaxy S5) will boast impressive 2560 x 1440 pixel displays as well as 16-megapixel ISOCELL camera sensors and as much as 4GB of RAM.

What's more, while recent Samsung Galaxy S5 rumours have pointed to the device trading in its less than impressive plastic build in favour of a new metal option, Samsung itself has stated the phone will support a 64-bit processor. While it might copy the iPhone 5S' CPU, Samsung has stated the S5 will not feature an integrated fingerprint scanner.Ensuring it is not left behind, latest Samsung Galaxy S5 news has once again seen the upcoming handset tipped to run a 64-bit processor, similar to that found in the new iPhone 5S.

While Samsung’s CEO of Mobile Shin Jong-Kyun recently stated that "yes, our next smartphones will have 64-bit processing functionality," reports of production issues had hinted this feature might not drop until later in 2014 aboard the Samsung Galaxy Note 4. Now, however, the Samsung Galaxy S5 looks set to be on the receiving end, of the PC-esque processor.

“According to the latest bits of information coming from Samsung’s homeland, the company is pretty much done with developing its in-house 64-bit CPU,” tech blog GforGames has reported. They added: “From our understanding, Samsung went past the more difficult parts of creating the CPU, and the chip is almost ready for its release.”

Further reports have suggested the Samsung Galaxy S5 release date will see the handset line up with 3GB of RAM in tow. A feature that has also been mooted for the imminent Samsung Galaxy Note 3, the S5's expansive RAM has been hinted at after the company's latest development announcement.

Speaking in recent weeks, Samsung confirmed that it had started mass production of the first 3GB low power DDR3 RAM chips for mobile devices. With the Samsung Galaxy S5 set to be the manufacturer's new flagship phone, it makes sense that it will run the company's latest developments and most advanced components.

A chip that could spell more than increased speeds and improved multitasking capabilities, the Samsung Galaxy S5 RAM improvement could result in a slimmer phone with a bettery battery life. An official spokesperson for the company stated: "Samsung's new ultra-slim memory solutions will enable thinner smartphone designs and allow for additional battery space, while offering a data transfer speed of up to 2,133 megabits per second (Mbps) per pin."

As you would expect, Samsung has yet to give any direct indication as to when the Samsung Galaxy S5 release date will be held. That’s not to say we don’t have some idea on when to expect the next addition to the company’s flagship smartphone brand though.

If Samsung sticks with past tradition – and we can’t see why it wouldn’t – then it is expected that the Samsung Galaxy S5 release date will be held sometime around April/May 2014.

Although still nothing more than speculation, this predicted Samsung Galaxy S5 release date does have a theory behind it. Like its bitter rival Apple, Samsung has become something of a fan of strict annual product cycles for its leading product lines, as such it has become a little bit predictable.

The Samsung Galaxy S4 hit UK retailers on April 26 after a dedicated New York launch event on March 14. The Samsung Galaxy S3 went into stores on May 29 2012 and all the way back in 2011, the Samsung Galaxy S2 launched on May 1. Starting to see the pattern?

Although a late April/early May Samsung Galaxy S5 release date is believed to be on the cards, there are still many rounds of rumours and leaks expected before then.

It might be early, but the Samsung Galaxy S5 rumours are already doing the rounds. The most prominent Samsung Galaxy S5 rumours to date, however, all focus on one area of the currently unconfirmed phone – its design.

With the Samsung Galaxy S4 having been widely criticised for its plastic form factor which failed to match up to the brushed metal highlights of the iPhone 5 or HTC One, Samsung is widely expected to adopt an all new finish for the S5, with new aluminium body repeatedly tipped.

According to unnamed “sources close to the South Korean phone maker,” recent reports have suggested that the Samsung Galaxy S5 will be used to launch a new ‘Design 3.0’ standard within the company.

The sources stated: “While we don’t have the slightest idea what Design 3.0 really means in terms of looks, we can now confirm that Samsung will start to use aluminium for its high-end smartphones, and the Samsung Galaxy S5 will be the first one to receive this treatment.”

Further hinting at a change in design and materials, Samsung recently acquired carbon fibre specialist the SGL Group, announcing in an official statement that it would be using the high-end lightweight materials in future phones and tablets.

"Lightweight materials have become an important factor not only in industrial applications but also the consumer end markets such as digital media," Yoosung Chung, President & CEO of Samsung Petrochemical said. He added: "This partnership will position Samsung as a leading player in the development and application of carbon fibre-based products.”

"The cooperation is expected to provide a stable long-term supply of carbon fibre materials for Samsung and promote its use in various Samsung products and applications such as consumer electronics, medical devices and engineering applications,"

With the Samsung Galaxy S4 having taken smartphone specs to the next level, it is widely expected that the South Korean manufacturer will continue with a similar trend with the next-generation S5. Although few areas of the phone’s features list have yet been rumoured, certain elements have been teased.

Earlier this month a Samsung design patent leaked (above) showing off a new angled-edged phone which has been mooted to the be the upcoming Samsung Galaxy S5.

Based on the outed design filing, the phone will run a version of Google’s Android operating system (no surprises there then) as well as integrated cameras front and back. At present no further S5 specs have leaked.

Other recently emerged Samsung Galaxy S5 rumours have claimed the upcoming handset will make use of a new 16-megapixel smartphone camera sensor, offing high-end snaps that will finally spell the end for the dedicated compact camera.

Recent reports have claimed that the Samsung Galaxy S5 specs sheet could be bolstered by a 16-megapixel rear-mounted camera and 3GB of RAM wrapped within a Samsung Galaxy S4 Active esque waterproof coating. Although currently unconfirmed, the already eagerly awaited Samsung Galaxy S5 is an inevitability of the current trend of annual product cycles and companies’ insatiable need to always be pushing the envelope and raking in the cash.

According to further leaks, the Samsung Galaxy S5 specs sheet will see the new 16-megapixel camera sensor further bolstered by optical image stabilisation features.

The revised camera component is said to be under development in Korea to replace the 13-megapixel snapper found on the existing S4. It is not expected that the improved camera optics will be ready in time for next week’s Samsung Galaxy Note 3 unveiling.

Although the Samsung Galaxy S5 price is a long way from being confirmed, it has already been suggested that the S5 will cost more than its already pricy predecessor.

According to the same unnamed sources who have claimed a metal bodied design will be bestowed upon the next-gen handset, the Samsung Galaxy S5 price will be bumped up by the new premium building materials.

Stay tuned for more Samsung Galaxy S5 news and rumours as more details on the S4 follow-on continue to appear. While you wait, why not take a look at all the latest iPhone 5S rumours.

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Samsung Galaxy Note 3 Lite reportedly enters production

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The recently rumoured Samsung Galaxy Note 3 Lite handset has reportedly entered production as a cheaper, mid-range phablet offering.

Tipped to be a more accessible and reduced spec sibling to the flagship Samsung Galaxy Note 3, the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 Lite is said to be being pieced together as we type, with an early 2014 unveiling seemingly on the cards.

Although Samsung has yet to officially acknowledge the upcoming arrival, it has been suggested the phone will be one of five new Samsung smartphones to be unveiled during Q1 2014. This claimed launch window hints at either a CES 2014 or MWC 2014 arrival.

According to Korean sources, it has been suggested that the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 Lite will go on to account for roughly 30 per cent of all Samsung Galaxy Note 3 sales by opening up the phablet market to a lower price point and new user base.

Set to go head-to-head with the Nokia Lumia 1320, the cheaper alternative to the Finnish manufacturer’s phablet flagship, the Nokia Lumia 1520, recent Samsung Galaxy Note 3 Lite rumours have suggested that the phone will retain the same 5.7-inch form factor as its sibling, although drop to a 720p HD screen from a 1080p offering.

While little else is currently known about the mooted handset, further reports have hinted that the Note 3 Lite will drop to an 8-megapixel rear-mounted camera in order to keep costs low.

Next, read all the latest Samsung Galaxy S5 news and rumours

Via: SamMobile

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Samsung Galaxy screen S5 to be non-AMOLED LCD offering?

New Samsung Galaxy S5 voices have emerged, with the flagship phone new generation aims to host an LCD screen instead of the usual AMOLED offers society.

With recent flagship phones Samsung having sported AMOLED display, latest reports from the company's native Korea argued that the upcoming Samsung Galaxy S5 sport will hand an LCD Panel to keep costs low.

Although an LCD screen would help lower production costs of Samsung Galaxy S5, a move that would open the possibility of Samsung, the introduction of a new metallic form factor while maintaining profit margins, the Panel does not support deep a black like his counterpart AMOLED.

While AMOLED panels have improved dramatically in recent years, Samsung phones often came under fire for artificially trying slightly colours. It is expected that a move to a LCD issue would help solve this problem.

With Samsung having this year around which its next flagship phones could benefit from Super AMOLED panels with 2 k resolution, these latest rumors of Samsung Galaxy S5 are taken with a huge pinch of salt.

Samsung Galaxy items S5 recent suggested that the laptop much questioned will be formally presented during the first quarter of 2014 with a second generation Samsung Galaxy Gear smartwatch.

Further reports have flipped the iPhone rival 5S to boast a 64 bit processor, 3 GB of RAM and an all new form factor, to bring it in line with the rival to HTC One in metal.

Next, read the latest news 6 and iPhone rumors

Via: SamMobile

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Android update phonebook 4.4 KitKat S4 of Samsung Galaxy Mini

Samsung is preparing an update of Android 4.4 KitKat for a mid-range number Galaxy phones including the Samsung Galaxy S4.

An image containing the list of allowable mid-range handsets for Android update 4.4 KitKat was leaked online.

Apparently the official list titled "update KRT16 under investigation for mid-range devices" lists seven devices that Samsung looking to upgrade.

S4 Galaxy mini is named alongside Samsung Galaxy 3, Ace mini S3 Samsung Galaxy, Samsung Galaxy Ace 2, Samsung Galaxy S, Samsung Galaxy Advance Core and Samsung Galaxy fame in the United Kingdom.

Samsung has already said the flagship S4 Galaxy of S3 Samsung, Samsung Galaxy, Samsung Galaxy Samsung Galaxy 3 and note Note 2 will be getting a taste of KitKat.

Unfortunately, there aren't any dates for these updates download KitKat but we keep abreast of any updates.

One of the features of Android KitKat 4.4 definition is that it is compatible with older smartphones with less memory.

"With KitKat, we slimmed down Android memory footprint to do things like remove unnecessary background services and reducing the memory consumption of features that you use all the time," explained Google at launch.

KitKat 4.4 Android can run on Smartphones with less than 512 MB of RAM, so it makes it easier for producers to update entry-level phones and mid-range.

Samsung must change its TouchWiz UI to be compatible with Android 4.4 lower-specced KitKat of devices before the rollout can begin.

Other features of Android KitKat 4.4 include voice search, improved multitasking capability and priority-based contacts who communicates with most.

Google also controls local businesses for a game when you receive a call from an unknown number on Android 4.4.

Google mail app has been ditched in favor of a new, best app of hangouts. This contains all the messages from a single contact in one place, whether it's an e-mail, text or other type of chat.

Read more: review Google Nexus 5

Via: TheMobileBlog

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Samsung Galaxy Ace 3 Phone Review

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AppId is over the quota
Supports 4GMicroSD card supportClean user interfaceSlightly sluggish performanceAverage cameraDated designThe Samsung Galaxy Ace 3 is a 4-inch mid-range Android smartphone that all of a sudden feels very insignificant next to the Motorola Moto G. Priced at £200 SIM-free, the Ace 3 is more expensive than the Moto G and has a less impressive specs list with exception of its 4G support, one of the few missing features on the Moto G. If you want a 4G phone but don't want to spend big, the Ace 3 is an affordable option. That aside, there's very few reasons to spend more to get a lot less.

Watch our Samsung Galaxy Ace 3 video review:

SEE ALSO: 10 best Android phones you can buy

The Ace 3 apes the design of the Samsung Galaxy S4, S4 Mini and so many other handsets in the Galaxy family with a familiar white glossy plastic body, silver metal band and thin bezel down the sides of the display is in place once again.

The home button is flanked by capacitive buttons below the screen with the chrome speaker up top alongside the microphone and sensors. You can whip the plastic back off by squeezing a fingernail in the groove alongside the headphone jack, where you’ll find room for the removable battery, Micro SIM and Micro SD card slot. Around the back you’ll find the small speaker, main camera and LED flash.

The Ace 3 weighs 120g so it’s lighter than the Moto G (143g), but heavier than the Galaxy S4 Mini (107g). At 9mm thick, it’s slimmer than the Moto handset and matches the S4 Mini in the slenderness department. Despite the slippery feel of the removable plastic back cover, the Ace 3 is comfortable to hold in one hand and slips easily into a jeans pocket. 

The cheap, plastic body feels a little more acceptable for a phone at this price but there’s definitely a feeling that the Samsung Galaxy phone look is in desperate need of a refresh and even handsets like the HTC Desire 500 prove you can make a good-looking cheap phone.

SEE ALSO: 10 best mobile phones of 2013

The Ace 3 has a 480 x 800 resolution screen squeezing in 233 pixels per inch (ppi), which is the same as the similarly priced HTC Desire 500. But both are eclipsed by Moto G hand its 1,280 x 720 pixel resolution, and it definitely falls short of the impressive image sharpness and clarity levels the Moto G offers.

Icons and text look particularly fuzzy around the edges, but it is a vibrant screen and viewing angles are good. Typically, this is another Samsung Galaxy phone that offers great colours and contrast making it a good place to watch movies. Maximum screen brightness would make it easier to use outdoors if the display wasn't so reflective. 

We expected better from the screen in terms of responsiveness. It’s fine when you are swiping through homescreens and trying to launch apps, but a simple copy and paste is often a frustrating task. Ultimately, this is a screen that's not going to blow you away.

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Samsung Galaxy S5 benchmarks leaked, beaten by iPhone 5S

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AppId is over the quota

The Samsung Galaxy S5 may just have been spotted in some leaked benchmarks that see it outpaced by the iPhone 5S.

A benchmark result for a smartphone with the code name Samsung SM-G900F has appeared courtesy of a Rightware Browsermark test.

The Samsung Galaxy S5 benchmark result was 3303.88, which put it behind the Apple iPhone 5S at 3669.91 and surprisingly, the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 as well at 3353.07.

However, Rightware said that the Galaxy S5 is running a slightly older browser, Google Chrome 28, which may affect the results. If it was running Chrome 31, it could have leapfrogged the Galaxy Note 3 and sparred with the iPhone 5S.

The Samsung SM-G900F is slightly different to the model number of the claimed Galaxy S5 that appeared in GFXBench benchmarks last week, but it may just be a variation of the smartphone for a different network provider. We doubt the letter would have any effect on the actual smartphone itself.

The GFXBench benchmarks revealed a preliminary specs sheet for the Samsung Galaxy S5, and suggested it would have a 5.5-inch 2560 x 1440p 2K or Quad HD display.

It should have a quad-core Snapdragon 800 CPU clocked at 2.5GHz and run Android 4.4 KitKat.

The Galaxy S5 is also tipped to have an Adreno 330 GPU and potentially a flexible plastic OLED display.

Of course, both the models listed in the benchmarks could not be the Samsung Galaxy S5 at all. Samsung has already said it has a total of four or five new phones planned for early 2014 already.

The Samsung Galaxy S5 release date has been tipped for March 2014, with an announcement event apparently scheduled for February around MWC 2014 time.

Read more: Samsung Galaxy S4 vs iPhone 5S



Via: Hothardware

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Samsung Galaxy S5 to feature fingerprint scanner after all?

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AppId is over the quota

Despite recent reports to the contrary, it has been suggested that the upcoming Samsung Galaxy S5 handset will play host to an integrated fingerprint scanner.

A move that would see the eagerly awaited Samsung Galaxy S5 echo Apple’s recent smartphone addition aboard the iPhone 5S, biometric sensor specialist Fingerprint Cards has told Reuters that it “expects” Samsung to launch “at least one, probably even two” fingerprint reading phones in 2014.

While it is widely expected that the flagship Samsung Galaxy S5 will become the first of these to host the privacy improving technology, the second looks set to be the stylus hosting Samsung Galaxy Note 4.

Although highlighting Samsung specifically, Johan Carlstrom, CEO of Fingerprint Cards told the news outlet that he expects multiple manufacturers to follow Apple’s suit and add fingerprint readers to their phones during the coming year.

"I think at least seven or eight will launch a phone with a touch sensor in 2014," the industry specialist said.

Having highlighted his beliefs that two new Samsung handset will run fingerprint sensors, he added: "Samsung is well known for having multiple suppliers for most components and our goal is to be selected as one of their sensor suppliers already in 2014."

With Apple the first to make the move to a fingerprint scanner hosting phone, Carlstrom has claimed that the Cupertino company will be followed by a fleet of copycat offerings.

"It was an industry breakthrough and certainly opens the flood gates and starts a new industry,” he said. "We are just at the beginning of the growth phase.”

Back in September, Samsung seemed to rubbish claims that it would bestow its next flagship phone with an integrated fingerprint scanner.

“We are not yet developing the technology,” an official Samsung spokesperson is reported to have told Korean news outlets when questioned on a fingerprint scanner hosting Samsung Galaxy S5.

Read More: iPhone 6 rumours

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Samsung Galaxy S3 Android 4.3 update resumes roll out

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AppId is over the quota

The rollout of the Samsung Galaxy S3 Android 4.3 update has resumed having been pulled last month due to a number of bugs.

With the original introduction of the Samsung Galaxy S3 Android 4.3 update having seen a number of users complain of severe battery depletion and bricking handset, the Korean manufacturer hastily pulled the software patch, with the replacement only now resuming its rollout.

"The fix for the issues with Galaxy S3 Jelly Bean 4.3 upgrade has begun rolling out to selected users in the UK, and will continue to do so,” an official Samsung spokesperson said in a statement issued by the company.

With users of the original Samsung Galaxy S3 Android 4.3 update having also reported freezing screens and Wi-Fi issues, Samsung added: “We are sorry for the inconvenience this has caused."

Available now for unlocked Samsung Galaxy S3 handsets, the Android 4.3 update will be rolled out across network locked devices in the near future.

"Specific upgrade schedules will vary by mobile operators. Please check your phone for the upgrade," Samsung stated.

Bringing a range of new features to the ageing smartphone, the Android 4.3 update sees the Samsung Galaxy S4 predecessor add support for the company’s recently launched smartwatch, the Samsung Galaxy Gear.

Next, read all the latest Samsung Galaxy S5 news and rumours

Via: BBC

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Samsung Galaxy Note 3 shipments top 10m in two months

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AppId is over the quota

Samsung has announced Samsung Galaxy Note 3 shipments have topped 10 million in the two months since launch.

The South Korean electronics giant released an infographic highlighting key mobile phone handsets to make it into its “10 million seller club” since 2002 with the Samsung SGH-T100.

In pride of place for 2013 is the Samsung Galaxy S4 alongside the Samsung Galaxy Note 3, the latest handset to reach the 10 million shipments mark.

The Galaxy Note 3, the latest large screen smartphone, has followed in the footsteps of its predecessors the Samsung Galaxy Note 2 and Samsung Galaxy Note with sales success.

However, we have to remember Samsung doesn’t provide actual sales figures, but only channel sales or shipments.

It is still a very good indicator of the Galaxy Note 3’s popularity though, as the original Note took nine months to reach 10 million channel sales, and the Note 2 took four months.

The Samsung Galaxy Note 3 was released on September 25 in the majority of international markets, which means the 5.7-inch, stylus bearing smartphone took a little over two months to reach the 10 million shipment mark.

Samsung unveiled the Galaxy Note 3 at IFA 2013 in early September alongside the Samsung Galaxy Gear smartwatch, announcing key improvements over the Note 2.

It has a 5.7-inch Full HD 1080 x 1920p Super AMOLED Display and runs on a 2.3GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 processor with 3GB of RAM.

Samsung has also equipped it with a new generation S Pen stylus, which offers better functionality and new features for the Galaxy Note 3.

It has a 13-megapixel camera in the rear, complemented by a 2-megapixel secondary snapper up front.

Powered by a 3,200mAh battery, the Galaxy Note 3 has Bluetooth 4.0 LE, NFC, Infrared, and 4G LTE compatibility.

Read more: Galaxy Note 3 Tips and Tricks

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Samsung Galaxy Grand 2 announced with mid-range specs

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AppId is over the quota

Samsung has announced the Samsung Galaxy Grand 2 with a large 5.25-inch screen and mid-range specs.

Building on the Samsung Galaxy Grand released in January this year, the Samsung Galaxy Grand 2 will be coming to selective markets at some point soon.

Samsung has yet to announce pricing and availability for the 5.25-inch handset, but it will be coming in black, white and pink when it does.

Samsung Galaxy Grand 2 Features
The Samsung Galaxy Grand 2 has a 5.25-inch 1280 x 720p HD display and runs Android 4.3 Jelly Bean.

It has Samsung’s latest TouchWiz UI on top of this, which includes software features like S Translator, S Travel, Sound & Shot and Story Album.

Under the hood is a 1.2GHz quad-core processor with 1.5GB of RAM and 8GB of internal memory. This can be bolstered with microSD cards up to 64GB though.

It has an 8-megpaixel rear camera with autofocus and an LED flash, with a secondary 1.9-megapixel camera in the front.

Running on a 2,600mAh battery, the Samsung Galaxy Grand 2 has slimmed down in comparison to its predecessor. It now has dimensions of 146.8 x 75.3 x 8.9mm and weighs a reasonable 163g. The previous model was 9.6mm thick and weighed in a little lighter at 162g.

Connectivity wise you’re looking at HSPA and a dual-SIM card slot but there’s no 4G LTE. You do get Wi-Fi and GPS.

There’s no word on whether the Samsung Galaxy Grand 2 will come to the UK, but we’ll keep you posted if there’s any news.

Read more: Best smartphones of 2013.

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Samsung Galaxy S4 Android 4.4 update expected in January

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AppId is over the quota

A Samsung Galaxy S4 Android 4.4 update has been teased, with the software refresh set to be introduced in January.

With Android 4.4 KitKat having been introduced earlier this month aboard the Google Nexus 5, the Samsung Galaxy S4 looks set to be one of the first none-Nexus devices to add the latest iteration of Google’s mobile operating system.

According to a leaked internal Samsung document detailing the company’s Android 4.4 update plans, the Samsung Galaxy S4 will make the jump to KitKat in January, alongside the company’s latest stylus-hosting handset, the Samsung Galaxy Note 3.

With the most recent flagship phones set to add Android 4.4 at the start of the year, the leaked document has also revealed that last year’s Samsung Galaxy S3 and Samsung Galaxy Note 2 will add an Android 4.4 update between March and April of 2014.

Earlier this month the Samsung Galaxy S4 was updated to Android 4.3 Jelly Bean, with the software patch adding compatibility with the Samsung Galaxy Gear, the company’s handset-connecting smartwatch device.

With Android 4.4 KitKat bringing a range of new features to compatible handsets, the software refresh sees an all new search incorporating homescreen brought to devices.

Earlier this week, a Google Nexus 4 Android 4.4 update was rolled out. According to Google, the update “adds a number of new features and improves performance.”

Exact updates include “Hangouts, which can now bring all of your SMS and MMS messages alongside your other conversations and video calls.”

Further improvements will see “search for nearby places in the all new phone app, and identify unknown callers with caller ID by Google.”

Next, read all the latest Samsung Galaxy S5 news and rumours

Via: SamMobile

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Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini Android 4.3 update rolled out

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AppId is over the quota

Despite Google releasing Android 4.4 KitKat aboard the Google Nexus 5 earlier this month, many handsets are still yet to receive the now older update of Android 4.3 Jelly Bean.

However, Samsung today announced that this older software would be available to owners of the dainty Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini, with the launch set to begin in Canada, via the Rogers, Telus and Bell networks.

The Android 4.3 Jelly Bean update is a considerable 790 MB in size and includes Samsung’s KNOX services, a security update that allows users to utilise a set of ‘secured’ applications, shielded from harmful malware and viruses.

Further benefits of the 4.3 Jelly Bean update sees the Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini made compatible with the Samsung Galaxy Gear Smartwatch. Bluetooth 4.0 LE smart technology compatibility and OpenGL: ES 3.0 graphics support, are also added enabling a better gaming experience.

With Samsung Galaxy S4 customers reporting cases of substantial battery loss and trouble connecting to Wi-Fi networks since their flagship phones were handed the Android 4.3 update, the Korean manufacturer will be hoping that the 4.3 Jelly Bean update will have a smoother roll out to owners of the Galaxy S4 Mini.

The Android update for the Galaxy S4 Mini is build version 1257MVLUAMK5 and requires a stable Wi-Fi connection and at least 75 per cent charge to install.

Next, read all the latest Samsung Galaxy S5 news and rumours

Via: MobileSyrup

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Samsung Galaxy Ring (Virgin Mobile)

If you are looking for a prepaid Android budget smartphone, you can do better than Samsung Galaxy ring Virgin Mobile. Although the fine entry-level phone sound specifications on paper - a 4-inch touch screen, dual-core processor and 5 megapixel camera - in the real world, the ring below expectations of $149.99.

We saw the high performance of smartphones from Samsung before, such as 99 cents contractual Galaxy S3 Mini, AT & T; This makes it very disappointing that the ring drops below several levels.

Do yourself a favor and opt instead for the LG Optimus F3, another smartphone $ 150 with comparable features, which also supports the 4 G LTE.

Design and construction
Visually, the ring is cut from the same cloth that many other phones in the lower end of Samsung catalog. Unless you know where to look, you sometime difficult to distinguish from the axiom of Galaxy (US Cellular), Galaxy admire 2 (Cricket) and Galaxy S3 Mini (AT & T).

It has the same bubbly corners, rounded and smooth, smooth, shiny surfaces. In fact, I have more than once grabbed the wrong phone thinking it was the ring. The device is blue-gray, with a strange black border around the screen and the front camera, almost like a filter. It intervenes in regard the same dimensions as his cohort, but thicker: 4.8 inches tall by 2.5 inches wide by 0.47 inches deep and weighing 3.4 ounces.

The phone is comfortable on the ear and the hand, but it feels a little thick in the pockets.

Do not forget that the filter on the screen I mentioned it a minute ago? This is not a good thing. When the 4 inch screen is at rest, it seems grey opaque and wispy, almost like the e - ink, or the surface of an old television. Samsung screens often are a reflection, but mirror of the ring surface bounces more, more even than the Galaxy admire 2 and Mini S3 that look so.

At least the colors are vivid and rich with the resolution of 800 x 480 pixels (233ppi), but good luck trying to read anything in the Sun. My suggestion: try to find yourself a job shadow.

Samsung Galaxy ring has an incredibly shiny finish and a small image.

(Credit: Josh Miller/CNET)

Typing on the virtual keyboard of the screen, is a little cramped, especially if you have handled more big-screen phones. Samsung trace-based software can help take the sting out of tapping if you are tired of accidentally write the wrong thing.

Navigation is standard Samsung with a physical home button that also pulls up these recent apps (this model does not seem to have voice loaded by default S). Press and hold the Menu button to get instant Google.

A Micro USB charger is at the bottom and is joined by a (up to 64 GB) microSD card slot and rocking the volume on the left spine. In a usual good Samsung change, the power/lock button is at the top, which must befall accidental bootups and there is a physical camera on the right shutter button.

This 5 megapixel camera with LED flash is on the back. The other half of the equation of the camera, a 1.3 megapixel camera, is sitting in the front. You need to pop off the hull back if you want to remove the battery 750mAh 1.

OS and features
Running Android 4.1 Jelly Bean, topped with a layer of Samsung's TouchWiz, the ring is reasonably up-to-date. I would hold my breath for any upgrade sponsored for Android 4.2.2 4.3 or higher, but you don't really miss not too when it comes to major functionality changes and interface.

Ring offers the standard package of Google's titles, like Navigation, browser Chrome, YouTube and many doors in the store's set of Google apps and content entertaining. More essential tools of Android mobile - a music player, a calendar, a calculator, a system clock - come with all devices.

The dedicated camera key is a nice touch, or would be, if it launched a little faster.

(Credit: Josh Miller/CNET)

Samsung star and Virgin Mobile, too, pepper ring with preload, as a manager account, apps, and an RSS feed. Packs of ID Mobile load apps and wallpaper on a certain theme - say, sport - in a predefined profile.

If Android seems a bit overloaded for your tastes, the now-standard easy Mode is stab from Samsung to training wheels. It's a nice touch that you will see in various forms from several manufacturers.

With regard to connections and communications base, the ring has Wi - Fi, GPS and Bluetooth 4.0 cutlery, but there is no support NFC, then you will not be able to use S-Beam beam Android adaptation or Samsung.

Cameras and video
Camera 5 megapixel usual Samsung can take some eye-catching photos with rich, deep colors and sharp edges. The ring of the Galaxy, unfortunately, was not invited to the feast of the photo. Focus Auto is still a bargain and worked here. Photos, however, are released faded, dull colors with indistinct contours. There is a LED flash, but as a general rule, the more natural light, you can submit, the better.

The same mediocrity that afflicts the main camera is also photos taken with the front 1.3 megapixel, dull and blurry camera for most, but still usable if your standards are not high.

This 5 megapixel camera photographed surprisingly low.

(Credit: Josh Miller/CNET)

If you want to fiddle around with the camera settings, you will be able to adjust the size and resolution of the white balance and choose some filters and modes, such as night and the landscape. There is a panorama, which is always a nice option to have, but not designated macro mode. Instead, wait to lean in for close-ups.

I am sad to say that HD video 720 p of the ring has let me down. Image capture has been fairly good, but the camera pumped once more the colors dull, flat and flexible instead of sharp lines, defined edges. Videos shot outdoors in natural lighting will look the best, but you can forget to preserve the conversational gems.

The low microphone has not been able to pick up the individual voice amidst the din of the traffic outside and inside, a hilarious conversation between two colleagues and me has almost entirely mute since about 5 or 6 feet below, only pick their audio when I arrived within 2 feet. Even in this case, my own audio sounded calm when played at maximum volume on the speakers of the ring. Video sounded stronger thanks to my high quality headphones.

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Samsung Galaxy Note 3

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The new $299.99 Galaxy Note 3 is a tour de force in juggernaut handset design. Not only is it big, bold, and blazingly fast, the imposing device has an incredibly sharp 5.7-inch display, and battery life to go the distance. More importantly, the Note 3 features a sleeker design than its predecessor, the Note 2, a streamlined S Pen interface, plus the same superb camera you’ll find on the Galaxy S4.

The third generation of the Note, however, is the most significant upgrade yet and the first Note device, thanks to a more thoughtful S Pen interface, that mainstream customers will actually want to buy. Frankly it has the power to school any flagship device on the market, and the only device since the old Palm Treos to get me seriously thinking about using a phone with a stylus.

Pricing and availability
Shipping now and hitting US carriers in force in October 2013, the Note 3 costs $299.99 on Verizon (in stores 10/10), AT&T (in stores 10/4) and Sprint (in stores 10/4). T-Mobile (available now) sells the device for a lower $199.99 up front, but you’re on the hook for 24 monthly payments of $21. U.S. Cellular have also said it expects to scoop up the Note 3 soon.

What’s new in the Note 3
The Note 3 represents a massive upgrade over its previous Note counterparts. In a nutshell, the Note 3 has a bigger 5.7-inch full HD screen; revamped S Pen features and S Note app; a thinner, lighter chassis; huge processor speed bump; and a built-in news app powered by Flipboard technology.

Design and build
Samsung’s overarching theme of refinement is clear in the Note 3’s physical appearance. In my view, it's much more elegant and sophisticated than both Notes that came before it. Measuring 6 inches long by 3.1 inches wide and a mere 0.33 inch thick, the Note 3 is only a hair taller and wider than its predecessor. Even so, this new Note is thinner despite boasting a larger screen (5.7 inches compared with 5.5 inches).

Along with shaving off a few fractions of an inch, Samsung has also lightened the device by five-tenths of an ounce, which puts the Note 3 at 5.9 ounces. But even as the sleekest Note yet, it still dwarfs flagship phones like the HTC One, Galaxy S4, and Motorola Droid Maxx, all of which were big boys in their own right. On the other hand, the Samsung Galaxy Mega with its gargantuan 6.3-inch screen makes even the Note 3 seem a reasonable size.

The Note 3 is very thin despite its large footprint.

(Credit: Sarah Tew/CNET)

Designwise the Note 3 also takes huge departures from the smooth, plastic, and oval frame of the Galaxy S4 and Galaxy Notes before it. The Note 3 has a rectangular chassis ringed with flashy faux-chrome edges that are ridged, and the handset's patterned backing is designed to imitate the feel of leather. This leatherette back along with the Note 3's silver highlights evoke images of Samsonite briefcases from the 1960s. Further channeling this retro fashion accessory vibe are fake stitches that run along the back edge of the handset.

Though the Note 3's back is crafted from plastic, Samsung does its best to convince you it's leather.

(Credit: Sarah Tew/CNET)

These design modifications aren't just for show, either. The Note’s textured rear surface handily resists fingerprints and offers a sure grip. Now I’m sure many people out there will find this new look for the Note 3 a tad over the top, even chintzy -- the phone’s back is plastic, after all, and only patterned to imitate leather. Still, all this gives the Note 3 a very handsome and distinctive look, especially compared with the slippery and truly cheap-feeling plastic chassis of the Note 2 and original Note.

There's no getting around the Note 3's large size.

(Credit: Sarah Tew/CNET)

Also on back is the Note 3’s 13-megapixel camera lens and LED flash. Removing the back cover reveals other welcome touches, specifically a high-capacity (and removable) 3,200mAh battery plus a microSD card slot. Interestingly, and no doubt to save space, the device’s SD card slot sits directly on top of its micro-SIM bay. That means you’ll have to remove the battery to add more storage.

The S Pen is tucked away in the bottom edge.

(Credit: Sarah Tew/CNET)

The Note's S Pen stylus lives in a receptacle on the phone’s bottom lip. The device sports just three physical buttons, though: a tiny power key on the right edge, a thin volume bar placed on the left side, and a large oval home button below the screen. Flanking either side of this are two capacitive keys for Menu and Back.

Above the display you’ll find a 2-megapixel front-facing camera for self portraits, video chat, or simply to amuse the kids. The Note 3’s top edge houses its 3.5mm headphone jack for wired audio.

Also living on the Note 3’s bottom edge is what at first I thought was a proprietary port. Instead it’s a combination Micro-USB connector along with one of the new USB 3.0 jacks. USB 3.0 offers faster charging times and data transfer rates (up to 10 times quicker) over the older USB 2.0 standard, but you’ll have to own a compatible PC.

The bottom edge sports one of the new USB 3.0 ports.

(Credit: Sarah Tew/CNET)

A screen that’s stunning
Trust me when I say that the Samsung Galaxy Note 3’s screen is simply gorgeous. Measuring a vast 5.7 inches across, the AMOLED display has an ultracrisp full HD resolution (1,920x1,080 pixels) which translates into an amazingly sharp 385ppi. That’s a level of detail that puts the smaller screens of the iPhone 5S (4-inch, 326ppi) and Samsung’s own Galaxy S4 (5-inch, 441ppi) to shame.

The massive 5.7-inch AMOLED screen renders images sharply and in vibrant colors.

(Credit: Sarah Tew/CNET)

It certainly outdoes the Note 2’s (5.5-inch, 267ppi, 1,280x720 pixels) viewing experience. The Note 2 produces text that's noticeably less crisp than on the Note 3. Also, while the HTC One (4.7-inch, 468ppi) technically has a sharper screen, its viewing area is minuscule when saddled up against the Note 3.

The latest Note's high-contrast display produces well-saturated colors as well, with deep blacks and very wide viewing angles. As with the Note 2, you have five screen modes to choose from (Adapt Display, Dynamic, Standard, Professional Photo, and Movie), which offer specially tweaked color settings. I prefer the Movie mode, since its colors are the most lifelike. Samsung apparently honed this mode further because its colors look even more natural than the same selection on the Note 2.

And because its screen is brighter and sharper than its predecessor, watching all sorts of visual content on the Note 3 is extremely captivating. Characters in movie trailers practically leap off of the screen and into your lap, and detail in photos and video is incredibly crisp. Viewing desktop versions of Web sites, an activity I don’t recommend on devices with cramped displays, was also pleasurably not eye-straining.

It’s all about the S Pen
I doubt even the most avid Galaxy Note adherents use their S Pens often, at least those who don’t primarily communicate in complex character-based or pictographic languages. Samsung hopes this third iteration of the Note franchise, though, will convert more users into being S Pen faithful. To this end, the company says it has revamped the S Pen experience on the Note 3 (and new Note 10.1 tablet) to provide a refinement of existing features, not overwhelm them with a confusing laundry list of capabilities and tools.

I think Samsung has made large strides toward its goal since this is the first implementation of the S Pen I’ve actually been tempted to use. Here’s how it works.

Removing the S Pen launches the new Air Command menu.

(Credit: Sarah Tew/CNET)

When you pull the S Pen out of its sheath, a little fan-shaped graphic called the Air Command appears. You can also activate it from any screen or app by holding the pen close to the display and pressing the S Pen’s button. This single change alone, the addition of Air Command, does the most to make the S Pen a compelling tool for ordinary people than ever before.

Unlike with older Notes, which diluted the S Pen's abilities across the entire OS (where they would become lost or forgotten), Air Command places them all in one spot. Plus everything is boiled down into five main options: Action Memo, Scrap Booker, Screen Write, S Finder, and Pen Window. Just tap a selection to launch the feature.

Action Memo lets you e-mail, text, or convert handwritten scribbles into to-do lists.

(Credit: Sarah Tew/CNET)

Action Memo lets you create a handwritten note, then provides a handful of options to manipulate the info you’ve just jotted down. For example you can scribble a name, number, and other details, then have the choice to either mail the data, save it to your contacts, use it in a text, or look it up on a map. You can also convert notes into to-do lists and even port them over to Evernote for safe keeping.

Of course the practice doesn't work perfectly. The phone had problems accurately transcribing my admittedly terrible handwriting into text. I often had to scribble words multiple times for it to correctly register what I wanted to jot down.

The Scrap Booker lassos images and content you see, whether that be a Web site, photos, or YouTube videos, to save in a virtual scrapbook. You can create and name as many volumes as you'd like, then access them through the scrapbook application.

In practice the feature worked well enough and I was able to grab images and other content then save directly to a personal scrapbook. Personally, however, I'm not someone who scrapbooks in real life or even does so virtually using sites like Pinterest. That said, if you're researching projects that require sifting through lots of visual info (home improvements, shopping for a new wardrobe, etc.) then I can see it being handy.

Think of S Finder as universal search. The function will sift through the phone’s memory for keywords, including your handwritten notes, and present a list of documents containing relevant information.

Hitting Pen Window allows you to draw a box on the screen, then select an application that will fill that space. So for instance you can have your e-mail or Web browser open then pull up a little window for the calculator, phone, or contacts, which will float above everything. It’s an interesting idea, and I can see it being useful in certain situations.

For example, imagine reading e-mail, then punching out people’s phone numbers, making calls to follow up, all while digging through messages for Web links and office memos. Of course it takes about three steps to create an application windows vs. just switching between apps.

View two apps at once with Advanced Multi Window.

(Credit: Sarah Tew/CNET)

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Best Samsung Galaxy phone

Trying to find the best Samsung Galaxy phone to buy? We compare and choose the best spin off Samsung Galaxy S4 to find you the Samsung Android phone-perfect product.

Since the launch of the first smartphone Galaxy back in 2009, was the Samsung occupied the building back on the phone-do of swelling the ranks of the Galaxy family-proportions as Jackson.

You can now get an Android and TouchWiz running laptop in many different forms in fact we lost count. If you yearn for compact camera image quality or want to take your underwater smartphone, Samsung has tried to offer a solution for every need.

Inevitably, some do work better than others. Probably wouldn't recommend the Samsung Galaxy Mega 6.3 or the fame more wallet-friendly Samsung Galaxy for example. If you are sold on what Samsung has to offer but struggling to make your way through the ever-expanding universe Galaxy, we have chosen the best smartphone Samsung Galaxy to look out.

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iPhone 5S vs Galaxy S4

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The iPhone 5S is Apple's new flagship version of its incredibly popular phone. It looks a lot like the iPhone 5, but there's a lot of new stuff going on under the shell. It's not just that phone it needs to beat, though.

It also needs to beat the Samsung Galaxy S4 if it wants to have a chance of becoming the best phone of the year. We've compared the two mobiles to see if the iPhone 5S really is the new smartphone king.

iPhone 5S - 20 September UK release, starts at £549.99 SIM-free
Galaxy S4 - April 2013 UK release, now starts at around £420 SIM-free

The Galaxy S4 arrived quite a long time before the iPhone 5S - almost six months earlier. That's a long time in the tech world.

It has given the iPhone series a bit of time to catch up with Samsung's Android-powered Galaxy range, but has also let the Galaxy S4's price slip down to a far more attractive level than it was at release. Back in the day, the Galaxy S4 cost around £600 SIM-free. Nowadays, you can get one for around £420.

The iPhone 5S costs £549.99 SIM-free, and you can bet that figure will barely drop until the next iPhone release next year. Although they'll be thought of as heated rivals, the Samsung phone it a good deal cheaper outside of a contract.

iPhone 5S – Aluminium frame, glass inlays,
Galaxy S4 – Plastic rear (removable)

Apple hasn't changed the design of the iPhone much in the 2013 iPhone 5S. It's a light, largely metal-bodied phone that feels almost unnervingly light. And put next to the plastic Galaxy S4, it appears almost comically small.

If you have tiny hands or teeny pockets, the iPhone 5S is going to pose far fewer problems, size-wise. The Galaxy S4 is 70mm wide, where the iPhone 5S is 59mm wide. If you're used to the larger phones that have started appearing over the last year, you shouldn't have any problems. But it is certainly a handful.

However, the Galaxy S4 is the curvier, smoother phone. The iPhone 5S has relatively severe edges, giving it a more angular feel in-hand.

The iPhone 5S feels like the more carefully engineered phone in person, but there are advantages to the plastic design of the Galaxy S4. Its rear is removable, giving you easy access to the battery. Few people take around spare batteries with them, but it also makes replacing the battery much easier, should it fail.

You also get a microSD memory card slot, missing from the iPhone 5S.

The iPhone 5S has a feature we've not seen in a phone before. The Home button also acts as a fingerprint sensor that scans a digit as a means of identification. It'll unlock the phone and let you avoid having to type in your iTunes password. Handy. The closest thing the Galaxy S4 has to this is face detection. But it's pretty rubbish.

But how does the Touch ID sensor work? It's quite different to what you might expect.

Rather than scanning a visual map of you thumb, the iPhone 5S's Touch ID sensor scans the conductive properties of your thumb or finger. It's the same sort of sensory tech that lets an iPhone's touchscreen sense the presence of your finger.

The sensor is just 170 microns thick and scans your finger at a resolution of 500dpi. In our experience, it's fantastic. It's sensitive enough to reliably differentiate between people accurately, and is super-quick. It'll unlock your phone in a flash. It's probably the most innovative part of the phone too - at least given how much it alters the way the phone is used.

The only issue is that it can't do much. Apple has said the Touch ID sensor will never be available to third-party apps, limiting it to system-level things like unlocking your phone. In the future we expect it to be able to route you through to different user profiles. But at present it just unlocks the phone.

Let's take a look at the Galaxy S4's closest alternative - Face Unlock.

It's simpler, it's less clever and it's much less secure. It scans for faces using the front camera. The Galaxy S4 has a fairly good front camera, meaning it can find faces fairly reliably, but the phone can easily be unlocked using a photo of the owner, or by someone that looks similar.

Face Unlock judges who a person is based on their facial geometry - primarily the positioning of their eyes and mouth. It's by no means secure, and it also feels much wonkier in use than the Touch ID sensor.

It's a pretty good indication of Apple's and Samsung's approach to tech. Where the iPhone 5S's Touch ID is virtually 'invisible' - you can forget the tech processes going on behind the scenes - the Galaxy S4's Face Unlock makes what's going on very obvious. You even have to correctly position your face for it to work.

iPhone 5S – 4-inch 1136 x 640 pixel IPS
Galaxy S4 – 5-inch 1080p Super AMOLED

As with the bodywork, Apple hasn't messed with the core screen specs too much in the iPhone 5S. It uses a 4-inch 1,136 x 640 pixel screen – the same 'Retina' pixel density that caused this term to first be used back when the iPhone 4 was released in 2010. It's a very similar panel to the one used in the iPhone 5.

The Samsung Galaxy S4 actually has higher pixel density despite using a much larger display. It has a 5-inch 1080p-resolution screen. It's big, it's sharp, it's very impressive.

In actual use, we find the larger screen of the Galaxy S4 much better for watching movies and TV episodes on than an iPhone 5S-size screen. And it's also superior for playing games, giving your thumbs extra room to work with.

The screen technologies these phones use are completely differnet. The iPhone 5S has an IPS display, the Galaxy S4 a Super AMOLED screen.

They're excellent examples of both screen types, but they still suffer from some characteristics associated with these kinds of panels. Top brightness is a bit better in the iPhone 5S, but contrast and black depth are better in the Galaxy S4.

Unlike some AMOLED screens, top brightness is commendable though. It has a much brighter screen than the relatively dim Galaxy S3. 

Both of these are high-quality displays that are hard to fault technically – AMOLEDs tend to oversaturate colours, but the Galaxy S4 packs in colour temperature customisation options to help you fix this.

As these are such fantastic performers all-round, the main thing to consider is whether you really want a giant screen, or would prefer a smaller, more pocket-friendly mobile. But for the sake of this comparison, we'll hand the win to Samsung.

iPhone 5S – 16/32/64GB non-expandable
Galaxy S4 – 16/32GB, microSD (64GB in some countries)

The Samsung and Apple appropaches to storage are pretty different. Samsung always tries to make it easy to let you add extra storage, by including a memory card slot.

The Samsung Galaxy S4's microSD slot lives under the phone's removable plastic battery cover. Samsung makes 16GB, 32GB and 64GB versions of the S4, but you'll only find the 16GB and 32GB editions in the UK. The 16GB edition is by far the most common.

It's easy to get your hands on each of the three storage iterations of the iPhone 5S (aside from intermittent stock shortages) - 16GB, 32GB and 64GB. It's partly because you can get them directly from Apple, and partly because the lack of a memory card slot necessitates higher-capacity options. We had hoped to see Apple introduce a 128GB iPhone, but there is no 128GB iPhone 5S. Yet.

Apple has never included ways to increase storage in its mobile devices with a memory card slot. And that's not going to change any time soon.

iPhone 5S – iOS 7
Galaxy S4 – Android 4.2 with TouchWiz interface

The iPhone 5S was the first device to launch with iOS 7, arguably the biggest change in the iOS platform since the system was launched in 2007.

It's a visual and functional reworking of the software. Jonny Ive was the man behind the re-vamp – he was part of the team that designed the iPod, the iMac, the iPhone and more.

At the other end of the ring, the Galaxy S4 uses Android 4.2 Jelly Bean with the TouchWiz interface plastered on top.

Their visual styles are quite different. Where iOS 7 tries its best to look sharp and stylish, TouchWiz makes do with 'happy' and 'colourful'. It's not the coolest Android interface we've seen. It cares much more about adding features.

TouchWiz adds a crazy amount of features to Android – some of which have encouraged Google to add features to Android itself in the past.

Good additions include gesture typing, a power management mode, enhanced notifications bar and sine decent custom widgets. There are loads of slightly wonky and superfluous extras too, though. Like Air Gesture and Air View.

For more read our top 10 new TouchWiz features article

Although it has traditionally kept things very simple, iOS adds some extra features bulk with iOS 7.  It has power management options in its drop-down notifications bar, the camera app has gotten a lot richer. It also offers new productivity apps including Keynote.

For more, head to our iOS 7 tips and tricks guide.

iPhone 5S – Apple A7 dual-core 64-bit chip, 1GB RAM
Galaxy S4 – Snapdragon 600 1.9GHz Quad-core, 2GB RAM, Adreno 320 GPU

Released almost six months after the Galaxy S4, you'd hope that the iPhone 5S would be clearly more powerful than the Samsung phone. And it is. However, it doesn't sound that way from the numbers alone.

The Samsung Galaxy S4 has a Snapdragon 600 1.9GHz quad-core processor, the iPhone 5S a dual-core A7 chip. The S4 also has more RAM – 2GB against 1GB.

The Galaxy S4 sounds more powerful, but it is not. Benchmarks show that the iPhone 5S is a significantly more powerful phone, and it's also the first 64-bit phone produced.

Here's a run-down of how they perform in benchmarks, relatively.

Galaxy S4 - 1100ms
iPhone 5S - 410ms
Galaxy S4 - 450
iPhone 5S - 1732

Galaxy S4 - 1620
iPhone 5S - 2553

Galaxy S4 - 10379
iPhone 5S - 13995

The iPhone 5S's Apple A7 processor is fantastic, especially given it's 'just' a dual-core chip. However, it will take a while to see the benefits of its 64-bit architecture.

The iPhone 5S also has a separate motion sensor chip, which monitors the gyroscope, compass and accelerometer. It's called the M7, and we imagine it's there to increase battery efficiency for fitness apps that need the read-outs from these sensors. 

The iPhone 5S will also triumph in terms of the software that will actually make use of that power. Although it'll take devs a little time to get their heads around the hardware (think weeks, not months), the iPhone 5S will have many more impressive games.

iPhone 5S – 8-megapixel cameras with LED flash
Galaxy S4 – 13-megapixel camera with LED flash

In a surprise move, Apple has not changed the camera resolution of the iPhone series with the 5S. Like the iPhone 4S and iPhone 5, it has an 8-megapixel sensor.

However, it's a good deal better. It's 15 per cent larger, resulting in larger sensor pixel size. Larger sensor pixels means better low light performance and - generally - better image quality.

The iPhone 5S has pixels of 1.5 microns, where the higher-resolution Galaxy S4 has smaller 1.1 micron pixels. Judging by our previous photo comparison of the iPhone 5 and Galaxy S4, in 100 per cent optimal conditions the Samsung phone should be able to capture more detail. Let's see if it actually does.

The iPhone 5S's photo is more lively a bright than the Galaxy S4's. There are some areas of overexposure, though - where details in brighter/whiter are blown out because of over-keen exposure compensation.

Fine detail capture is superior in the Galaxy S4 - check out how much clearer the lines between the windows are, in the building in fron of the Gherkin. The files are also simply bigger - the comparison crop-out shows the actual pixels of the photos.

Low-light performance is marginally better in the iPhone 5S. Our standard low-light test shows that both phones are pretty rubbish when lighting conditions are very poor. The iPhone 5S's shot is a little less noisy, although colour accuracy is better in the Galaxy S4.

The camera apps of the Galaxy S4 and iPhone 5S are quite different in their approaches.

iOS 7 adds a bunch of features to the iPhone 5S camera, but it's still very simple to use. You just choose your aspect ratio, whether to use HDR and whether to use an arty filter or not. There are no scene modes to worry about - the app does all that for you.

The Galaxy S4 is way more feature-packed. There are more than 10 modes, most of which use pretty invasive photo effects, including those that merge multiple exposures.

You can do a whole lot more with the Galaxy S4, but we tend to find the iPhone 5S a more satisfying everyday shooter. It's a slightly faster photographic performer, and with the Galaxy S4 you need to manually switch to Night mode to get the best results in poor lighting.

HDR
One of the most useful extra modes common in smartphones is HDR. this merged multiple exposures to improve photo performance in tricky lighting conditions. It's a great way to mitigate the technical limitations of a phone camera. Here's the Galaxy S4 and iPhone 5S modes in action.

As we saw in the landscape shot, the iPhone 5S's shot is brighter, but the exposure is actually better. The effectiveness HDR mode is also better in the Samsung phone. Check out the tiny crane in the far background. It's clearer in the Galaxy S4 pic thanks to the lesser-exposed sky, and the undulation of the clouds is much clearer too. Nice work, Samsung.

In terms of pure specs, the iPhone 5S doesn't appear to have a huge upper hand over the Samsung Galaxy S4. However, look very close indeed and you'll see where those extra months of progress have gone. The various tech tweaks and the more efficient CPU make the 5S the most technologically impressive phone.

Next, read our comparison iPhone 5 vs Galaxy S4

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