Celebrate Google Play's second birthday with this goodie bag of great deals! Be their guest and join the storewide party by picking up these limited-time gifts, from movies and music to exclusive offers on apps, games and e-books. Enjoy!

You'll find an assortment of apps, music, books, and movies, but don't expect amazing deals.  Most of the apps are offering discounts on in-app purchases. Although, you can play as a bugdroid in Badlands now, which it worthy of celebration all by itself. Google is also knocking a few bucks off some movies, albums, and books.

Check out the link below for more information

https://play.google.com/store/apps/collection/promotion_2014_play_birthday

Samsung Galaxy S5 leverages a feature usually seen in DLSRs, called Phase Detection Autofocus, to get the Galaxy S5 camera to focus in only 0.3 seconds. That means less lag time between pressing the button and snapping a picture. All the better to get that perfect shot. When you're setting up for the shot, the Galaxy S5 can also offer a live preview of HDR mode. Capturing HDR images should also be much faster.

The sensor will be able to record 4K video at a resolution of 3840×2160. You won't be able to enjoy it in full resolution on the GS5′s 1080p screen, but 4K TVs are starting to come down in price. HDR is available in video mode too. A 4K video in HDR? Yes, please.

Check out the 4K video shot using the Galaxy S5, the 4K recording is set to be the standard in high-end devices this year, and while the image quality when shooting in 4K looks stunning, it does take up a lot of space. A 1-minute 4K video shot at 30 fps uses almost 1 GB of space. No wonder the Galaxy S5 features a microSD card slot that can accommodate a 128 GB SD card.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tCRum_4Ehn4

Samsung launched a new version of TouchWiz with the Galaxy S5, one that features a cleaner layout, flatter icons and an overall modern look, it also provide a new version of Drivemode.

Dutch website Kopengalaxys5 has just leaked the very first image showing off the flat Drive Mode interface. The interface that the Drivemode provides is also a much simpler one to have you distracted from driving as less time as possible. You can also activate voice control by saying "Hi Galaxy". The Samsung Galaxy S5 will become available world wide sometime during April this year.

Link: kopengalaxys5.nl

As you probably already know, the Samsung Galaxy Gear was fairly limited in its feature-set initially, but Samsung has added more and more functionality to the smartwatch over the last few months.

Looks like the Galaxy Gear is getting voice guided navigation through their headphones. We learned, however, that the majority would just visually remember the route to take, immediately close the app to save battery life, and put their smartphone back into their pocket.  From time to time, they would reopen the navigation to check whether they're still on the right route.

With the Android SDK, it was easy for Symphony Teleca to develop TurnByTurn, an app with which you can plan your routes on your Samsung Galaxy and then synchronize them with your Samsung Galaxy Gear.  The smart watch will then take over all the navigation instructions and alert you visually and audibly about upcoming turns.

Samsung would be launching two versions of the Galaxy S5, during the launch last week, the South Korean manufacturer unveiled only the Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 based version of the device.

The SM-G900H featured an Exynos eight-core CPU with clocks of 1.5 GHz, ARM Mali-T628 GPU, 2 GB RAM, 16 GB of internal storage and a full-HD screen. The numbers are identical to the benchmarks seen on GFXBench today, with a few differences. The CPU clock on the GFXBench test is at 1.3 GHz, which is what the four Cortex A7 cores run at.

The four Cortex A15 cores on the Exynos 5422 are clocked at 2.1 GHz. It is likely that the benchmark was run with only the four Cortex A7 core enabled. Or it is possible that Samsung was intentionally throttling the CPU to gauge how it functions at lower frequencies.

We should note however, that smartphones can be fairly easy be manipulated by the manufacturer to run at underclocked CPU speeds, and even to make a display run at below native resolutions, so this might be Samsung testing the phone's behavior in various situation.

Source: gfxbench

Just days after announcing the Galaxy S5, popular review site CNET has taken a closer look at the Galaxy S5 software discovering various other features the company was quiet about.

Following are just few of the hidden features:

Toolbox

• If you explore the Settings menu or the quick access settings in the notifications pulldown, you'll notice a quiet little option called Toolbox. Toggle it on and a white dot appears, inscribed with an ellipsis. Tap this and it will expand to reveal shortcuts to popular tools like the camera, voice recorder, browser, calculator, and the notes app -- but you can swap these for other apps.

New camera settings

• There are a ton of new camera options, from the Selective Focus we heard about to some lesser-known features, such as a special treatment for action shots and the ability to easily secure photos with Samsung Knox.

Quick connect

• Quick Connect is an easy press from the notifications shade, and replaces a bunch of confusing individual apps that connected to your computer and your other devices through a number of channels.

There are rumors today that Apple is going to be switching to Sapphire screen-coating for the next Gen of iPhone (So called iPhone 6).  Sapphire coating has been utilized in high-finish watches for some time because of of scratch-resistance or strong durability.

Sapphire is currently utilized on apple iPhone camera contacts and also the iPhone 5S fingerprint sensor, the rumor also calls iWatch will allegedly be using Sapphire coating.

GT Advanced is company behind Apple's Sapphire coating is looking at $500-$700 Million for the deal, since coating a presentation with GT Advanced costs 3-4 more than coating it with Gorilla Glass that cost around $3 dollars per screen.

Anybody excited about the iPhone 6 because of the Sapphire coating?

Source: forbe

Officially announced yesterday, the Galaxy S5 is now a 5.1-inch unit,  comes with a 16 MP rear camera with LED flash and 4K UHD video recording, a 2.1 MP front camera, a 2.5 GHz quad-core processor (almost certainly the Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 MSM8974AC), 2 GB of RAM, 16 or 32 GB of internal storage, microSD card support, 150 Mbps 4G LTE, Wi-Fi 802.11 ac, Bluetooth 4.0, GPS, NFC, IR remote, fingerprint sensor, heart rate monitor, and a 2,800 mAh battery. It runs Android 4.4 KitKat.

Weighs at145 grams with dimensions at 142×72.5×8.1 mm, and, it's bigger than the Galaxy S4 by every measure, and it's 15 grams heavier too. The Galaxy S5 adheres to the IP67 standard for water and dust resistance, meaning it can withstand being submerged in up to 1 m of water for up to 30 minutes.

Samsung Galaxy S5′s camera mentioned by the Executive as the fastest ever smartphone autofocus time (0.3 seconds), and improved HDR. The fingerprint sensor is embedded into the Home button and works by swiping your finger across it.

There's a Protected Mode which hides images and stuff from prying eyes and can be entered by, you guessed it, using your fingerprint. Mobile payments will also be supported via PayPal, with no need to enter a password.  

Samsung  Galaxy S5 will be available in 150 countries on April 11. Pricing has not been announced yet,  we are guessing $199 with a 2-year contract in the US is expected.

Samsung Galaxy S5 was just unveiled at the Unpacked 5 event. The flagship opens a new chapter in Samsung's design - the back is still leather-like, but with a brand new look.

Samsung's new pride and joy features a 5.1-inch full HD Super AMOLED display, a 16 megapixel camera, a fingerprint scanner and more. Here's the full gamut in case you're wondering;

• 5.1-inch 1080p HD Super AMOLED display
• 2.5GHz quad-core processor
• 2GB of RAM
• 16 megapixel rear camera with 4K video recording
• 2 megapixel front camera
• 16GB / 32GB of internal storage (microSD up to 128GB)
• 2,800mAh battery
• USB 3.0, NFC, Bluetooth 4.0, WiFi AC MiMo, IR Blaster, and Fingerprint Scanner
• Android 4.4 KitKat

Samsung Galaxy S5 new features: 

• Phase Detection Auto Focus: Advanced auto focus speeds for capturing a shot quickly - first smartphone with phase detection auto focus, a feature usually found in DSLR cameras

• Real-Time HDR: High Dynamic Range (HDR) preview mode makes it easier to choose when to use HDR - like trying to photograph a beautiful sunset. It also enables users to capture HDR photos or videos with no shutter lag or post-processing.

• Selective Focus Mode: Blur images near or far for a creative, one-of-a-kind shot

• Shot and More Mode: The camera chooses and recommends Drama Shot, Best Photo, Best Face or Eraser shot after the picture is taken to create the best photo

• Studio: Add effects to photos and edit movies with a complete suite of editing tools within the Gallery

The picture above is the Samsung Galaxy S5, claimed by Hardwarezone forum.

Samsung will officially announce the Galaxy S5 later today but Pocket Lint has managed to get their hands on Samsung's upcoming device (pictured above).

While we don't have the complete specifications, Pocket Line does confirm a fingerprint sensor embedded on the home screen. A swipe on the home button will unlock the device and can be used even for PayPal payments.

There will be an improved version of S Health 3.0 and this time, it will even monitor user's heart rate with the help of the sensor located at the back of the device.

Furthermore, Galaxy S5 is said to have a 5-inch Full HD AMOLED display, Android 4.4 KitKat, 16MP camera that supports up to 4K video recording, My Magazine app, etc.

Are you impressed with the look of the Galaxy S5 (above picture)?

Source: ndtv

There are leaks going around right now by the super leaker @evleaks that Samsung is expected to unveil two smartwatches at the Unpacked event. Interestingly, @evleaks says that these watches lose the Galaxy branding, which suggests that these could be powered by Tizen and adds some weight to the previous report.  

Check the images above, the watch on the left is supposed to supersede the original Galaxy Gear with a compact design and better placement of a camera while the one on the right seems to be the health-centric device.

There were rumors that Samsung might make the Galaxy S5 waterproof. Samsung has previously made versions of the Galaxy S waterproof, but only on the Active line, not the primary S smartphone.

A new trailer for the upcoming Samsung Unpacked event appears to confirm those suspicions that the Galaxy S5 will be able to withstand water.

Take a look at the video below and see what other activities Samsung plans to make Galaxy friendly.  Find out more on Monday 24 February at the Samsung UNPACKED event in Barcelona.

Have you ever typed something and then accidentally erased it? Written down something important and couldn't find it again? App crashed and lost everything you wrote? With your own Type Machine, that's no problem. Type Machine saves everything you type in every app. Open it at any time to find old entries. Filter them by app. Drag the history slider to see what you typed letter by letter. Tap to copy. Never lose a piece of text again!

• ✔ Completely automatic and seamless. Logs everything from every native Android app.

• ✔ Stays out of the way until you need it. Simple to use when you do. Brings global undo to Android.

• ✔ Safe and private. No unnecessary permissions. Allows you to set a PIN lock on the history list. Automatic deletion of old entries.

• ✔ Configurable blacklist for apps. Type Machine won't collect what you don't want it to.

• ✔ Tablet-friendly user interface.

Google Play Store Link

It seems the closer we get to Mobile World Congress, the more Samsung Galaxy S5 rumors are been released, hre's another one right before Samsung's Unpacked 5 event at MWC in Barcelona where the company is expected to unveil the Galaxy S5.

Based on what previous rumors have brought us, we're assuming that the high-end S5 sports a Quad HD (1440 x 2560 pixels) display, while the mid-end model should come with a 1080p display - both probably measuring 5.2 inches.

According to the Samsung exec, the Galaxy S5 will be available in retail stores just three weeks after its announcement. Supposing Samsung unveils the Galaxy S5 in Barcelona next week, the Galaxy S5 would be on store shelves in mid-March 2014.

Meanwhile, GSM Arena seemingly got hold of a Vodafone internal document which appears to list a gold-colored variant of the Galaxy S5. So, is gold becoming a must for high-end smartphones now? It looks like it does.

Samsung USA today has decided to make things official and has announced which of its phones and tablets will be getting the KitKat update, and according to SamMobile, here's the full list of devices that will be getting KitKat:

• Galaxy Note 3
• Galaxy Note II
• Galaxy S4
• Galaxy S4 mini
• Galaxy S4 Active
• Galaxy S4 zoom
• Galaxy S III
• Galaxy S III mini
• Galaxy Mega
• Galaxy Light
• Galaxy Note 8.0
• Galaxy Tab 3
• Galaxy Note 10.1
• Galaxy Note 10.1 2014 Edition

Press Release:

Samsung Telecommunications America (Samsung Mobile) announced today that a number of Samsung Galaxy® devices will receive the Android 4.4.2 (KitKat) software update, enriching the Galaxy experience.

The upgrade provides a number of innovative, easy-to-use features that enhance the user experience, including a more intuitive user interface, enhanced messaging capabilities and updated applications:

Location Menu: An integrated location menu enables users to easily activate GPS, Wi-Fi and mobile networks, while simultaneously checking the battery usage of apps running location service capabilities.

Enhanced Messaging: Enables users to choose between Messages or Hangouts as their preferred default messaging application, and select from a larger assortment of updated Emoji icons.

Upgraded Google Mobile Service^TM (GMS) apps: Users can automatically back up photos and video and can open, view, rename and share Google Docs and files.

Samsung Galaxy U.S. devices currently scheduled to receive the KitKat update include select carrier variants of the Galaxy Note® 3, Galaxy Note® II, Galaxy S® 4, Galaxy S® 4 mini^TM, Galaxy S® 4 Active^TM, Galaxy S® 4 zoom^TM, Galaxy S® III, Galaxy S® III mini^TM, Galaxy Mega®, Galaxy Light, Galaxy Note® 8.0, Galaxy Tab® 3, Galaxy Note® 10.1, Galaxy Note® 10.1 2014 Edition.

Availability varies by carrier and product, with updates beginning today and continuing throughout the coming months.

Google Now Launcher (GNL) presents the new  Xposed GEL Settings, which as you can tell from the name, requires the Xposed Framework.

Xposed GEL Settings adds a number of useful features to GNL (remember it used to be known as the Google Experience Launcher). This is still an early release, but here's what it can already do.

Features

• hide Google search bar / automatically show search bar on Google Now
• hide apps from the app drawer
• resize the home screen grid
• resize the all apps grid
• change icon size
• change the size of the icon labels
• hide icon labels on home screen and/or on app drawer
• change the size of hotseat icons
• change the number of hotseat apps (icons above the navigation bar)
• apply settings without rebooting your device
• more to come

Check it out at XDA

According to ZDNet Korea, top executives of Samsung Electronics and Apple met last week in the US for a possible settlement in their ongoing legal battle but failed to reach an agreement.

Apparently Samsung's CEO, JK Shin, met up with Apple's CEO, Tim Cook, in the US just last week where they attempted to discuss the terms of the settlement. However it seems that both companies were not able to come to an agreement, suggesting that the settlement talks were a bust and we would most likely see both companies back in the courts again.

The final verdict for the patent infringement case in the US has been set for the 19th of March and will see Samsung pay Apple close to a billion dollars should they lose. Over in EU, a trial date is expected to begin on the 31st of March. Naturally this cannot be confirmed as neither companies have made an official statement, but according to a Samsung spokesperson, "We can't confirm whether the two CEO met, or if they did, what the results were."

The two technology giants that compete for the top spot in the lucrative smartphone market have been embroiled in multiple lawsuits across the globe since 2011

The Samsung Galaxy Tab 4 8.0 will be equipped with an 8 inch LCD screen with a resolution of 1280 x 800, it will be loaded with a quad-core 1.2GHz processor with 1GB of RAM (1.5GB of RAM on the LTE variant). 16GB of native storage is on board with a 64GB capacity microSD slot available if more storage is required. The back and front cameras weigh in at 3MP and 1.3MP respectively, and a 6800mAh cell will power the slate. Android 4.4 is pre-installed.

the Galaxy Tab 4 7.0 that will come in Wi-Fi and 3G variants. The 7-inch tablet will be very similar the 8-inch sibling but will sport a smaller 8GB internal storage and 4450mAh battery.

The Galaxy Tab 4 10.1 is also rumoured to have Wi-Fi, 3G and LTE variants. Along with a large screen size, the tablet will be powered by the same 1.2GHz quad-core processor, 1.5GB RAM, 16GB internal memory with microSD slot and higher resolution cameras (8 megapixel and 3 megapixel).

All of them will be running Android 4.4 KitKat.

We are all excited about the Galaxy S5 release in about 15 days or so.  Here's are some more information regarding to the specs of the  two Galaxy S5 variants, SM-G900H and SM-G900R4, showed up on Antutu's database with very different specifications, they literally have nothing in common in-terms of specifications except the camera sensors.

The premium variant (SM-G900R4) of the Galaxy S5. According to the benchmark result, the device is equipped with a Quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 (MSM8974AC) SoC with a clock speed of 2.5GHz, Adreno 330 GPU, 3GB RAM, 32GB of internal storage, QHD (2560×1400) resolution display, 16-megapixel main camera sensor, 2.1-megapixel front facing camera and is running Android 4.4.2 KitKat.

However, the standard variant (SM-G900H) of the Galaxy S5. Benchmark reveals an Octa-core Samsung Exynos 5422 SoC with a clock speed of 1.5GHz, ARM Mali-T628 GPU, 2GB RAM, 16GB of internal storage, Full HD (1920×1080) resolution display, 16-megapixel main camera sensor, 2.1-megapixel front facing camera and this unit is also running Android 4.4.2 KitKat.

Link 1 / Link 2

As you probably already know, Samsung has scheduled its "Unpacked" press event on Feb 24th in Barcelona, the day when the event will kick off. And, if you can't recall, Samsung usually launches its flagship devices on the Unpacked events, and this time it could be the highly rumored Samsung Galaxy S5.

As the expected launch date gets closer, we get to see more information about the purported Samsung Galaxy S5. Recently, a device was spotted on AnTuTu benchmarks that is rumored to be the upcoming Samsung Galaxy S5,

Samsung Galaxy S5 posts a score of 35666 on Antutu test, higher than the scores set by other top-end smartphones like Galaxy Note 3, Sony Xperia Z Ultra, LG G2 etc.

The data shows that the Galaxy S5 will have a full HD screen, with no mention of the screen size; earlier reports have said that the handset will feature a 5.25-inch display. It was rumoured that Samsung will introduce its first 2K resolution display panel with the Galaxy S5. Instead, the data shows that it will continue to use the full HD screen in top phones this year as well.

Antutu's data also shows that Galaxy S5 will use the quad-core Snapdragon 800 chipset, clocked at 2.5GHz. The same processor is used in smartphones like Galaxy Note 3, Nexus 5, Sony Xperia Z1 and LG G2. 

Check out the screenshots below

According to news by the Korean media, the Samsung Galaxy S5 will come with a swipe fingerprint sensor, and this new sensor has apparently been developed in house by Samsung.  Unlike Apple's Touch ID scanner, this won't be a touch-and-hold affair but rather a swipe recognition system - which sounds similar to the LG G2 unlock button, but with recognition.

One of the challenges that Apple faced with their iPhone 5S, was supply of the handset when it launched due to the fingerprint sensor, this is something that Samsung could avoid, as they will apparently manufacture the sensor themselves.

The Galaxy S5 is rumored to come with a 5.25 inch display that will have a QHD resolution of 2560 x 1440 pixels, and it looks like Samsung will launch the handset with different processors in different regions.

The Galaxy S5 is also said to come with a 16 megapixel camera, this will apparently be Samsung's ISOCELL camera, and the device will also feature a front facing 3.2 megapixel camera.

Expect to see Samsung unveil the Galaxy S5 on 24 February in Barcelona.

https://www.etnews.com/news/device/device/2911828_1479.html

Samsung has scheduled its Unpacked 5 launch event for February 24, looks like Samsung Galaxy S5 will be unveiled at the Mobile World Congress.

The event starts at 20:00 CET on 24th February 2014 with the doors opening 18:30. Mark the timing in your calendars, as the event can be watched live through Samsung Mobile's YouTube channel.

Two versions of Samsung Galaxy S5 are rumored to be in the works - a 'Prime' model with a 32-bit octa-core Samsung Exynos 5430 processor and a higher resolution display, and a 'Standard' edition powered by a 32-bit quad-core Snapdragon 800 chip.

Are you excited? 

The Samsung Galaxy S4 Black Edition is basically just a GT-i9505 Galaxy S4 (the LTE-capable model) that is actually black and features a faux leather back, looks really hot.

Same as the Samsung Galaxy S4 comes with a 5-inch 1080p Full HD AMOLED touchscreen, a 13 MP rear camera with LED flash, a 2 MP front camera, a 1.9 GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 600 processor, 2 GB of RAM, 16 GB of internal storage, microSD card support, 4G LTE, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS, and a 2,600 mAh battery.

In Russia, Samsung Galaxy S4 Black Edition will be sold for 22,990 rubles, which currently amounts to about $651 dollars.

Samsung announced WatchON an application that lets yor control every Smart TV from Samsung.

Check out some screenshots of Samsung's new WatchON application.  Samsung's new WatchON interface will look like. What struck us the most is its flat appearance like Samsung's new S-Voice and their new Life Times app. Also for the new samsung WatchON app the guidelines of Android 4.4.2 KitKat are clearly seen. We have to say that everything looks better, the functions generally remain the same.

One of those benchmarks was AnTuTu and the team behind the app did some digging and claims that the G900 is the Galaxy S5.  The benchmark detected a 16MP camera (5,312 x 2,988) - not 13MP as the current S4 (and its Snapdragon 800-powered Advance version) or the Galaxy J. That's also the resolution of the leaked photo.

Other info from EXIF reveals that the camera had an f/2.2 aperture and a focal length of 4.6mm. Assuming the camera lens will be 28mm equivalent in 35mm terms equivalent, the sensor size comes in at 1/2.5" - the size of the 20MP in the Nokia Lumia 1520.

There is indeed some speculation that since the photo has 16:9 aspect ratio, the full resolution of the sensor could be 21MP (for a 4:3 sensor).

Anyway, the phone that did the benchmarks was G900F, while this one is G900V. If Samsung keepsits naming convention straight, this would be the Galaxy S5 for Verizon.

Whether that will be the 16MP ISOCELL camera we heard about or a regular shooter, we'll have to wait and see.

Samsung mentioned that they're preparing a smartphone with a QHD AMOLED screen (2560 x 1440 resolution). Some believe that this will be the display on the Samsung Galaxy S5, but it's all speculation at this point. 

Samsung apparently also confirmed that it plans on launching smartphones with UHD (4K) displays with a resolution of 3480 x 2160 in the future, which would result in a pixel density of more than 700 ppi, making it suitable for phablets.

No time frame was offered, but it's likely we won't see these UHD displays make it to phones any time soon. Samsung basically said that UHD displays will come to smartphones somewhere down the line, so it probably won't be before 2015 that UHD phone displays become the next big thing.

In non-cell phone related news, Samsung also announced that they will be releasing AMOLED television sets with UHD SHD resolutions (7680 x 4320).

Samsung introduced the Galaxy Gear smartwatch at IFA last year, and said it would release a second generation of the device along the Galaxy S5 this spring.

This year, Samsung has been rumored to be working on wearable glasses similar to Google Glass, supposedly under the Gear Glass name, and according to a report from The Korea Times, Samsung will unveil Gear Glass this year at IFA in September.

The new smart glass to be introduced by Samsung is a new concept of wearable device that can lead to an exciting culture of communication. The smart glass will present our aim to lead the new market with proven capability. Wearable devices can't generate profits immediately. Steady releases of devices are showing our firm commitment as a leader in new markets.

The report suggests that functionality will be similar to that of the Galaxy Gear, allowing smartphone users to view notifications, take phone calls, shoot pictures and control and listen to music, though hopefully, it will be compatible with more devices out of the box than Samsung's first smartwatch.

'

Viber has released a new update for the Android version of the app. v4.2 brings with it some useful new features, most importantly call blocking.

With Viber, everyone in the world can connect. Freely. More than 200 million Viber users text, call, and send photo and video messages worldwide over Wifi or 3G - for free. Viber Out can be used to make calls to non-Viber mobile and landline numbers at low rates. Viber is available for many smartphones and platforms.

Viber is compatible with and optimized for Android tablets! Use Viber on your tablet and phone simultaneously.

On Viber, your phone number is your ID. The app syncs with your mobile contact list, automatically detecting which of your contacts have Viber.

• Text with your friends
• Make free calls with HD sound quality
• Share photos, videos, voice messages, locations, stickers and emoticons
• Groups with up to 100 participants
• Download stickers from the Sticker Market, making messaging fun!
• Push notifications guarantee that you never miss a message or call, even when Viber is off
• Support for the Viber Desktop application on Windows and Mac

Google Play Store Link

Samsung had been pretty quite this year at CES, but we have a feeling that the company will have more to show during the Mobile World Congress. In fact, Samsung has now started sending out invites for an event that will take place in Barcelona on February 23, at Hotel ARTS. The event is going to be focused solely on the Tizen platform, and Samsung claims that only at this event, the press and enthusiasts will have the chance to get an exclusive sneak preview of the newest Tizen devices.

Please join the Tizen Association Board on Sunday, 23 February 2014 for a welcome reception and kick-off to MWC 2014. During this invite only event, you will get an exclusive sneak preview of the newest Tizen devices as well as an opportunity to learn about the major milestones that the Tizen project has hit since last year's event.

We ask you to reserve time from 3-6 PM CET on 23 February 2014 at Hotel ARTS Barcelona where you will also have the opportunity to hear from and interview Tizen Association Board Members.

While NTT Docomo will most likely not be present at the event, other backers are expected to attend, such as SK Telecom, KT Corporation and LG U+.

In a month from now we'll most likely see whether or not Tizen is worth it. It's rather difficult to lift a new platform from the ground, when Android and iOS are going strong. Ubuntu has also gained grip lately and it looks like it's one step ahead of Tizen, thanks to the collaboration between Canonical and Meizu. Whether or not Samsung's platform will manage to make an impact remains to be seen, but we should remind you that these first Tizen devices will most likely not fit in the high-end range.

Source: zdnet

Samsung has received a couple of patents displayed on the Korean patent information website called KIPRIS. These new patents probably likely to be embeded into new interface for the GALAXY S5.

Samsung has received patents for one handed operation on big smartphones. According to the patent Samsung gives everyone the opportunity to choose which corner they want to use this function. Customers are now able to use one hand and select all kinds of functions such as apps, notifications or favorite calls. We have to say that this looks pretty smart to use on big smartphones with huge displays!

Secondly Samsung received patents on probably their new music interface which is deeply integrated with social media. If we will see this application called "Friends Music" back on the GALAXY S5 remains the question.

According to the latest rumours will Samsung introduce the GALAXY S5 on day before MWC 2014.

Thanks SamMobile for this update

Samsung has started offering a Galaxy Note 3 Olympic Games Edition - since the new Note is the official phone of the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics, and it's been gifted to all participating athletes - although it looks like this is available only in the Netherlands for now, with no word on a wider availability.

The device is interestingly, restricted to Netherlands via KPN and will bring the same hardware but with a special Olympic Games-centric packaging and cover and chance to win skating training sessions or trip to Sochi where the Olympic Games will be held.

The Qualcomm Snapdragon-powered Galaxy Note 3 is available for free with a contract.

Product Link

According to Mobile Review's Eldar Murtazin, who correctly predicted Galaxy S4 launch date last year, ensures us Samsung will announce the Galaxy S5 on February 23d, a day before on Mobile World Congress in Barcelona.

For those who are wondering the specs of the Galaxy S5.  Earlier it was rumored as.

• Completely new design
• Plastic chassis, with premium metal version released later
• Qualcomm Snapdragon 805 and new Exynos (could be 64-bit) CPUs
• 3 or 4GB of RAM
• New TouchWiz UI
• 5.2" 2560x1440px display
• 16 megapixel camera
• Fingerprint sensor
• ~3000 mAh battery

The App is still a work-in-progress. Things are not very smooth, and there are no settings or other features available yet. There was noticeable lag zooming in and out in the app. However, actions were happening near-instantly between the PC and my Android phone.

Meet the Chromoting for app for Android. Here is the official CL which explains what the Chromoting app for Android is for:

Add the beginnings of a Chromoting Android app

Currently, this has only the following capabilities:

• + Authenticate using a Google account on the phone
• + Query and display the host list from the Chromoting directory server
• + Connect to and communicate with the host service over XMPP/ICE
• + Establish peer-to-peer channels for communicating with the host service

Here's the instructions  how to install it.

According to Korean news site ETnews,  there are new information suggesting that both the Galaxy S5 and the and the Galaxy Note 4 will offer improved Air View, Air Gesture and Pen Recognition Features.

Synaptics - a key touch chip maker, managed to improve the hovering detection, thus allowing for a greater range, and as a result, features such as Air Gesture and Air View.

Synaptics will supply a touch solution with improved hovering detection and passive pen writing function to Samsung Electronics.

In addition, the stylus pen functionality has been improved as well, and allows the screen to recognize a passive pen point that measures only 2.5pi. This translates into more accurate hand writing.

Synaptics has lowered the manufacturing cost, too. The new product will be lowered of the printing cost as it will be built in a single layer structure not requiring an insulation layer or a bridge. "The new product will provide a variety of additional functions. However, its manufacturing cost will be lowered so as to decrease the burden on customers," said a Synaptics insider. "The device usability and consumer convenience have been enhanced for this product."

Another day, another leak, however, this one seems little more to the reality side, the Galaxy S5 will pack a 5.25in, 2560×1440 AMOLED display, with a 16MP camera around the back and running Android 4.4 KitKat OS.

According to the leak, the Galaxy S5 will pack one of two processors: an eight-core Samsung Exynos 6 or a Qualcomm Snapdragon 805. SamMobile speculates that the split may not be as simple as putting the Snapdragon in the 4G version of the phone, as with the Samsung Galaxy S4, since the Exynos is reportedly capable of handling LTE connectivity.

Metal version of the Galaxy S5 will be a more premium offering, packing in the 64-bit Exynos processor, while the plastic version features the Snapdragon.  So two versions of material is likely to be the case.

The Samsung Galaxy S5 is expected to launch in March, with the handsets hitting shops in April. The Galaxy S5 will reportedly set you back $800 for the metal version and $650 for the plastic version.  That's before subsidizing by the carriers of course.

Samsung is apparently following on Samsung S4's eye monitoring technology with additional features that may be introduced in Galaxy S5, together with a mind movement tracker.

Samsung Galaxy has filed a Europe patent detailing its new innovation that may track mind actions for example nodding.

The patent application filed by Samsung revealed an invention able to controlling a wise phone via mind monitoring utilizing a front-face camera.  However, the patent doesn't indicate regarding when or in which the technology is going to be used, Cnet reported.

Based on reports, the patent application was filed in This summer, right after the organization launched Galaxy S4, showing the innovation could participate an R&D iteration cycle.

The document indicates the innovation will enable customers to function their Samsung wise phones through gestures just like a nod, eye movements, or even a pronounced eyebrow.

Lately, a Samsung executive at CES had pointed out that the organization was focusing on its eye-checking technology but, it wasn't revealed if the technology could be on Galaxy S5.

A week back, a Samsung executive has posted on his twitter accoun that the Samsung Galaxy S 5 will appear to the world in a public announcement at Mobile World Congress 2014. This sort of announcement was commonplace for Samsung a few years ago - back when the Samsung Galaxy S, then the Samsung Galaxy S II, knocked out their own MWC-based announcements. Since then the company has taken to their own unique event releases.  Which in a way, great for the company.

Many rumors suggest that the next Samsung Galaxy line phone will appear at MWC with code-name "Galaxy S5".  We've also seen some rather wild-looking visions of what this device could be delivered as in pre-production drawings from Samsung itself earlier this week. What it would appear to be bringing is a device not all that different in size from the Samsung Galaxy S 4, but with a bit of curved glass up front and along the back.

It's likely the Samsung Galaxy S 5, whatever package it arrives in, will not be working with a curved display - only curved glass, if any curves are to be included at all.

We will just have to wait and see. 

Source: Samsung News

We discovered that Samsung is focusing on a 12.2-inch form of the Galaxy Note 10.1 2014 Edition it released with the Galaxy Note 3 in September. This bigger tablet, known as Galaxy Note Pro, could keep the majority of its more compact sibling's specs, and it is standout feature will clearly be that vast screen.

It's designed to launch worldwide at the begining of Feb, and today we're getting word that it'll reach the united states too. AT&T is the very first company to invest in selling the Galaxy Note Pro, based on the usually reliable person @evleaks.

It is also unclear just when the Galaxy Note Pro is going to be on AT&T store shelves, but we're presuming it will not be lengthy following the same tablet will get its worldwide unveil. Stay updated and we'll help you stay published though.

Galaxy Note Pro is rumored to sport a 12.2-inch 2,560×1,600 touch screen, 3 GB of RAM, 32 GB of internal space for storage, along with a 9,500 mAh battery. It will run Android 4.4 KitKat from the first day.

Samsung's Head of Design Team for their IT & Mobile Communications division today confirmed to Korean web site inews24 that Samsung will unveil its flagship phone Galaxy S5 release date is taking place at the Mobile World Congress next month.

Mr Chang also commented on some of the rumoured Galaxy S5 features, including flexible display technology. He said that the said feature is "currently under review" and he did not confirm whether the feature will make it to the Samsung Galaxy S5 release date. Previous reports stated that Samsung and LG may not be able to release a smartphone with flexible display early this year as the technology is still being developed. However, companies may release a version packed curved flexible display later this year.

MWC 2014 debuts on February 24 in lovely Barcelona, so we're not that far away from finding out if the Galaxy S5 will be announced there. Of course, 'till then, CES 2014 kicks off next week, albeit Samsung will probably not reveal any new smartphones at this show, except the Galaxy Gear 2.

Samsung prepping two new 64-bit Exynos processors for CES 2014,  Samsung is going to hold an Exynos-related press conference at CES on January 7 in Las Vegas, and it's expected to unveil two new processors, both of these will be octa-core, and both will be 64-bit, a move that sees Samsung once again closely follow tech trends imposed by Apple's first 64-bit smartphone few months ago.

Thehttps://news.mydrivers.com/1/287/287960.htm Exynos 6 chipset will be based on ARM's Cortex-A50 architecture. It'll have four Cortex-A57 performance-focused cores, and 4 Cortex-A53 battery-friendly cores. Clearly, these should energy up and lower (and increase and lower) when needed, with respect to the current workload.

The Exynos S chipset uses Samsung's own core designs, and also the only thing we all know about this yet is it too is going to be 64-bit. It might be octa-core too, however that info hasn't been leaked yet.

The interesting part is the fact that based on MyDrivers, the Exynos 6 will outshine the Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 with a factor of just one.53x. The Exynos S is a little behind, however it too will have the ability to be 1.43x faster than Qualcomm's best.

Source: https://news.mydrivers.com/1/287/287960.htm

Samsung Display published a video on their own website showing of the future in display technology.  It's actually pretty cool to imagine, but how much of it is reality would be the question.

In this video that was shown at the analyst day by Samsung (November 2013) shows how the future with Samsung OLED displays will change. The products are flexible, bendable, indestructible, rollable, transparent .

• - Flexible & Sensor integrated Display
• - Wall display
• - Foldable Display Alarm clock
• - Bended Display for kitchen
• - Automotive Window Display
• - Blackboard Display
• - Unbreakable Display for school
• - Edu-Desk system
• - Transparent Elevator
• - 3-Foldable Display
• - Wearable Display
• - Smart Window
• - Foldable & Sensor Integrated Display
• - Transparent Large Format Display

Great news for Verizon Galaxy S3 customers, the long-awaited Android 4.3 update for the Galaxy S III is now rolling out.  It's finally here build number I535VRUCML1, complete with the last Jelly Bean release and Galaxy Gear compatibility.

Here's the full Android 4.3 changelog:

• - GALAXY GEAR Support
• - TRIM Support (Makes the device much faster)
• - Core UI elements updated to the ones on the Galaxy S4 (Galaxy S4′s theme all over)
• - New Samsung Keyboard
• - GPU drivers have been updated (Higher GPU benchmark scores)
• - New Lockscreen: Multiple Widgets, improved ripple effect than Android 4.1.2, ability to change clock size and set a personal message
• - New Screen modes (From S4): Adapt Display and Professional Photo
• - Daydream
• - KNOX included
• - Driving mode
• - Actionable notifications
• - Move-to-SD-card feature
• - New Camera mode : Sound and Shot
• - New Additions in Notification Centre
• - Completely revamped Settings UI (Tabbed interface - Exactly like the Galaxy S4)
• - Implementation of Voice controls (Let's you control various parts of the phone using voice commands - Galaxy S4 feature)
• - New Samsung Apps: Calculator, Clock, Contacts, Gallery, Music
• - Full screen Samsung apps
• - New S-Voice (from Galaxy S4)

Source: Verizon Galaxy S3 Android 4.3

Samsung has begun mass producing 5.25-inch AMOLED displays for the Galaxy S5, end of this month to be exact.

The new display has a diamond pixel arrangement like the S4 and Note 3′s display - green pixels interleaved with alternating red and blue pixels, but with each red and blue pixel shaped like a diamond for increased sharpness and pixel density.

The resolution of the screen will be 2,560×1,440 pixels, equating to a pixel density of 560 ppi, and rumors suggest an LCD variant of the S5 might exist as well.

The 5.25″ size itself makes sense if you consider that LG's current flagship, the G2, features a 5.2″ panel. And the competition between Samsung and LG on all fronts is well known, so we assume that Samsung didn't want its device to feel inferior in any way to LG's.

2014 is indeed shaping up to be the year of 2,560×1,440 resolution in ultra high-end handsets. One wonders where we'll be at in a couple of years' time.

Samsung Germany has announced Galaxy S4 mini La Fleur edition, itl sports floral patterns on the front and back, will be available in an exclusive red color from January, at a price of around 417 Euros.

The device comes in an exclusive red colour with floral patterns on the front and the back of the phone. Rest of the features include the same 4.3-inch Super AMOLED display, 1.7GHz dual-core processor, 8MP camera.

Yes, it's finanlly here, the official Android 4.3 update from Verizon Wireless, the update is now available through Verizon Wireless  computer-based Upgrade Assistant as build VRUEMJ9. 

Please note: the update is large and it's going to take time to download and install on slow connections so users will want to set aside some time to upgrade. Those who are patient can simply wait for the OTA which should push out in the near future.

The update contains a host of new features and functionality and many of the features can be seen in the change log below. It's a sizable update and one that Galaxy Note 2 owners are going to want to consider going forward.

The Galaxy 11 is Samsung's big budget marketing campaign for the next year that will enable the company to showcase their Galaxy devices and even offer an engagement opportunity to all the Samsung fans.

This is the challenge Samsung have set themselves with their latest promotional campaign, and while it's not the most plausible of concepts (how good can the opposition be if they're playing in robes?) we're prepared to go with it on the basis that this may be the only criteria imaginable that would put Wayne Rooney front and centre of an Armageddon-esque global destruction averting task force.

The Galaxy 11 squad includes:

• • Manager - Franz Beckenbauser (Germany)
• • Team Members -
• o Lionel Messi (Argentina; Captain)
• o Mario Gotze (Germany)
• o Oscar dos Santos (Brazil)
• o Wu Lei (China)
• o Stephan El Shaarawy (Italy)
• o Victor Moses (Nigeria)
• o Radamel Falcao (Colombia)
• o Lee Chung-Yong (South Korea)
• o Iker Casillas (Spain)
• o Wayne Rooney (England)
• o Landon Donovan (United States)
• o Aleksandr Kerzhakov (Russia)
• o Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal)

Two new firmwares for the Galaxy S III (GT-I9300) and Galaxy Note II (GT-N7100) were leaked - I9300XXUGMK6 and N7100XXUEMK9.

We advice that you wait until Samsung officially releases the firmware and update your device via OTA or via Samsung KIES. However if you cannot wait, then you can manually update through the firmware download from SamMobile.

CHANGES AND IMPROVEMENTS IN ANDROID 4.3 UPDATE

• - GALAXY GEAR Support
• - TRIM Support (Makes the device much faster)
• - Samsung KNOX [Only in Galaxy Note II]
• - Samsung Wallet (Pre-loaded) [Only in Galaxy Note II]
• - Better RAM management
• - Core UI elements updated to the ones on the Galaxy S4 (Galaxy S4′s theme all over)
• - New Samsung Keyboard
• - GPU drivers have been updated (Higher GPU benchmark scores)
• - New Lockscreen: Multiple Widgets, improved ripple effect than Android 4.1.2, ability to change clock size and set a personal message
• - New screen modes (From S4): Adapt Display and Professional Photo
• - Daydream
• - Driving mode
• - Actionable notifications
• - Move-to-SD-card feature
• - New Camera mode : Sound and Shot
• - New Additions in Notification Centre
• - Completely revamped Settings UI (Tabbed interface - Exactly like the Galaxy S4)
• - Implementation of Voice controls (Let's you control various parts of the phone using voice commands - Galaxy S4 feature)
• - New Samsung Apps: Calculator, Clock, Contacts, Gallery, Music
• - Full screen Samsung apps
• - New S-Voice (from Galaxy S4)

Full instructions are on SamMobile

Google pushed an update to Gmail for Android which brought several welcome new features to the table. They include vacation auto responders, enhanced attachment functionality, as well as the ability to print straight from your device's email client.

 In addition to photos and videos, you can send attachments-documents, PDFs, zip files-of any type. You can also print hard copies of your emails if you're using Android 4.4 KitKat. And finally, you'll notice enhanced performance of the app on low memory devices as part of Project Svelte.

Check it out and let me know what you think about these new features.

Source: google