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back to article Samsung brandishes quad-core Galaxy S5, hopes nobody wants high specs

Samsung has announced its new Qualcomm-powered Galaxy S5 smartphone, focussing on how fashionable and fitness-friendly the thing is rather than waste time revealing specifications during its glitzy launch. Luckily, we got our hands on the device and a spec sheet so we can tell you how the mobe measures up. In your …

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    1. Peter 48
      Reply Icon

      I agree on the HR monitor

      I agree on the HR monitor built in. This seems to be of more use to hypochondriacs than anyone else, but the using the term "water Resistant" vs "Water-proof" is found on the vast majority of products on the market, especially watches. You will find only a small minority of those are actually water-proof. This means the phone will withstand short periods of complete submersion in water down to 1m. In theory it means you are guaranteed you could strap it to your arm and go for a 30min swim without any issues, however the actual protection will probably last longer.

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      1. Dave 126 Silver badge
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        Re: I agree on the HR monitor

        Casio used to be fairly clear about their definitions... water resist didn't mean waterproof. Most of their watches (the calculator model aside) were at a minimum 30m water-resistant, and the manual said not to use the buttons whilst it was under water. Then come the 50m models - using the buttons underwater us just fine, apparently - then 100m and 200m waterproof G-Shocks. Of the G-Shocks, some were advertised as being specifically mud-proof, which always puzzled me (maybe mud can get stuck behind the buttons and stop them working?).

        There used to be a range of G-Shock phones about ten years ago, but they seemed to for be Japan only.

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  2. Charles 9

    Question. About this heart rate monitor? Is it more or less an infrared sensor that does it much like an app I've seen in the Play store that can use the camera's ability to see infrared to do the same trick?

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  3. VinceH

    "Got to be about the most boring release every - water resistant not water proof so what does that mean - you can perhaps use it if it's raining ever so slightly. People want to know whether it would survive being dropped into the sink / a pint which I suspect is a no."

    Try reading the article next time: 30 minutes under one metre of water. That's a bit more than "raining ever so slightly"* and, indeed, quite a bit more than dropped into the sink.

    In fact, that's probably the one thing about this phone that is a potential selling point to me - but not enough of one, so I'll stick with the S3.

    * Unless you live in Somerset.

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  4. Steve Foster

    Silly Question...

    I still have an S2. It does what I need. Why would/should I upgrade? (this isn't necessarily aimed at the S5 per se, but the latest crop of phones in general)

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    1. Bernard
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      Re: Silly Question...

      Or the latest computers, TVs, cars?

      When features (or much more occasionally entirely new products) come out which capture the public imagination and command a big premium that starts an innovation race where huge sums are poured in and regular iterations are put to the public to provide new features and test the continuing premium the market offers (which is essentially the monetary value of their interest in continuing innovation).

      From smartphone sales figures and the increasing frequency of questions like yours I'd say the innovation race is easing off and sensible firms will be quietly ratcheting down the R and D on mobile specific features while looking for the Next Big Thing (TM) to get ahead in. They'd never say it very loudly to consumers because they still have a pipeline of new features to try and sell you across a couple more iterations of phone, but after that the work on further iterations may well slow considerably unless this fitness angle or something else captures the public imagination.

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    2. Anonymous Coward
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      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Silly Question...

      You should buy one because it will make you cooler, you will be more attractive to ladies, all your friends will worship you and your gentleman's sausage will increase in length and girth.

      Or you could just get one because you want one..... or not bother if you don't.

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    3. Peter 48
      Reply Icon

      Re: Silly Question...

      Readability in direct sunlight is a good option for one. I found my S2 rather poor in that respect. Much better camera is another good reason. Having a much better screen resolution is anther good reason, it makes reading websites a lot easier. Being water and dust resistant is just the cherry on the top.

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  5. 404
    Thumb Up

    The Absolute Best Thing About The Samsung Galaxy S5 is:

    <drumroll>

    It will drive the price of the Samsung Note 3 down, which is what I'm after to begin with.

    ;)

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    1. Dcope
      Reply Icon

      Re: The Absolute Best Thing About The Samsung Galaxy S5 is:

      Same here, looked with interest but will be seeing what deal 3 can come up with for a note 3 , my note 1 is still going strong tho.

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  6. PaulR79

    Uninspired design, barely an upgrade

    I'm struggling to see any real benefit of the S5 over the S4 which itself wasn't a massive leap over the S3 and so on. Incremental upgrades are fine if it's a six month refresh but not for your new flagship. Are Samsung starting to lose their way? The back of the phone reminds me, and others, of the first Nexus 7. I didn't like it on that and tolerated it for the device at the price it was available but this is supposed to be a premium product.

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    1. Anonymous Coward
      Reply Icon
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Uninspired design, barely an upgrade

      "I'm struggling to see any real benefit of the S5 over the S4 which itself wasn't a massive leap over the S3 and so on. Incremental upgrades are fine if it's a six month refresh but not for your new flagship. Are Samsung starting to lose their way? The back of the phone reminds me, and others, of the first Nexus 7. I didn't like it on that and tolerated it for the device at the price it was available but this is supposed to be a premium product."

      Same can definitely be said for iPhone which sees NO incremental benefits from one year to the next. Christ even budget droids have NFC FFS!

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  7. JDX Gold badge

    Confusing name

    So people are expected to choose between a 5S and an S5 now, and both have fingerprint scanners?

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  8. Piers Drake

    ANT+

    Galaxy S5 also has ANT+ capability built-in,as did the Galaxy Note 3 and Galaxy S4 (post 4.3-update).

    Shame this great feature is kept so quiet by Samsung as it allows compatibility with a wide range of heart-rate, cycling cadence/power and other fitness sensors and apps.

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  9. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Apple struggling to find new features = Samsung struggling to find new features to copy.

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  10. Message From A Self-Destructing Turnip

    Oh FFS, what a load of territorial urination.

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  11. roger 8

    Bring out a phone with 2 sim slots and illicit mode. no need for 2 mobiles then

    unlock phone on way and your in normal everyday mode. unlock it with a different code and your in illict mode. you can check the messages and calls you dont want the other half to know about.

    Dual mode the ability to to uses both sims at same time. recieve calls and txt on either sim at same time

    A thicker phone with dual batteries

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  12. alun phillips

    Fingerprint scanner crap

    It was a crap idea when ipaq did it and it still is now, I want a phone with more memory than my S3 and a better battery, seems someone was listening so I'm upgrading to the Xperia Z2 wouldn't touch this S3ss with a ten foot pole.

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  13. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    I would be willing to bet it could take a 128ggb (or even 256gb micro sd card if they exist) however 64s are currently the biggest easily available. My s2 was advertised as only being able to handle a 32gb card but happily takes a 64 gb one

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  14. Frank N. Stein

    So much for all of the rumors and such about the S5. Won't be till the end of the year that we see what the Note 4 will be like. THAT is the one I'm waiting to hear about.

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