Berlin – The recent Samsung Unpacked’ event showed the world the products that will drive sales through the holidays and into 2015. Was it enough to put an end to the three straight quarters of falling returns and regain some mobile technology traction? Here is a quick look at the new Samsung Lineup. Galaxy Note 4 The new Galaxy Note 4 is the big-screen flagship for Samsung. It didn’t grow in size (thankfully), remaining at 5.7 inches, but it retains the plastic faux-leather backing even though it shoots for a classier look by removing the fake stitching mold and by adding the metal frame to a higher-res display. If you haven’t been a fan of previous versions, this is not your next phone. The device has a heart-rate monitor and the S5’s fingerprint scanner integrated into the home button. The back cover is removable, allowing access to the battery and microSD card slot; a downside is its lack of water resistance feature existent in the Galaxy S5. The Galaxy Note 4 presents the Super AMOLED display with a “quad HD” resolution translated into 2,560 x 1,440 pixels; the pixel density reaches new heights through the boost from 1,080p to quad HD resolution. The S Pen became more sensitive, seeking to mimic natural handwriting, and was given some function inspired by the computer mouse: minimizing the app windows and dragging them around for multitasking, copy/paste, and define words that appear on the screen. Interestingly, and somewhat disconcerting, is the fact that the app windows were treated like standard PC windows – the fact that they don’t always scale in size can clutter space pretty fast. The drag-and-drop window design demands some work until you get used to it. The Note 4 has with it the...
Android Wear
Truly Wearable Tech from LG, Motorola and Samsung
Google Glass definitely had its appeal. Wearers looked as though they came to us from the future, equipped with endless knowledge and insight thanks to a little lens hovering near their eyeball. That little lens caused some discomfort that has prevented the technology from reaching a broader fan base: is the wearer looking at me? Recording me? Ignoring me for his or her own little cyber world? Intelligent face wear will take much longer to rouse mass support than an amped-up watch, for example. Intelligent watches offer a less confusing alternative to wearable technology since watches don’t place a visual barrier between the user and others. Stepping back from eyewear, Google has made its Android Wear platform available for a variety of companies including LG, Motorola and Samsung. Now, those companies battle to create the next big thing in wearable technology. LG’s newest venture, the G Watch, will offer a 1.65” screen with a 280×280 pixel resolution, 512MB of RAM and 4GB of storage. Time, weather, calendars, and many of your favorite organizing and entertainment apps will be available in an easy-to-use interface. The G Watch is slated for consumer release this summer. Motorola isn’t far behind with the Moto 360 (left). Though the smartwatch is also planned for release this summer, Motorola hasn’t released much information in terms of specs. The only confirmed info is that the Moto 360 will have excellent battery life with wireless charging capabilities and users can choose from a variety of eye-catching (yet office appropriate) colors. Samsung Gear 2 has earned its hype. It’s one of the only products to officially release its specs. Check out the stunning visuals on its 1.63” display with 321 x 320 pixel resolution. Battery-life ranges from 25-150 hours depending on usage but in any case you won’t need to charge it midday (ahem, Sony). Bluetooth 4.0 technology facilitates compatibility across devices while a stellar quality voice command makes it easy to issue demands and make calls on the go. Enjoy several apps that will make staying on top of business and your social life much easier. The downside to releasing Gear 2’s secrets early is that consumers know Gear 2 will lack a keyboard and may hold off buying it until they know what LG and Motorola will offer. The Gear 2 is set for release later this month. How might a smartwatch make your business operations...
