back to article PHABBA-DABBA-DOO! Samsung Galaxy Note 4, Edge, Gear VR – feast your eyes

So what is a rock band doing on stage at Samsung’s Unpacked 2 mobile event, the prelude to its showing at IFA 2014 in Berlin? As the enormo projections above them show the keyboard solo being played on a Galaxy handset, all becomes clear... sort of. Soundcamp Samsung’s new realtime music solution Soundcamp: Samsung’s new …

  1. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Wide selfie

    This will be nice to prevent the classic Facebook drunken group selfies that inevitably cut off part of at least one person's face.

    1. PaulR79
      Thumb Down

      Re: Wide selfie

      How will the world cope without another drunken photo mess on Facebore?

  2. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    strap-on execution

    Well played, sir.

    As far as the left-handedness goes, was that for the U.K. market, or will righties like me simply not be able to use it well?

  3. Cliff

    Note Edge

    I would! I don't suppose we know release dates yet do we? Contact is close enough to cancellation...

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Note Edge

      I don't suppose we know release dates yet do we?

      Don't let that stop you to queue - you could become world's first Samsung fanboi :)

      1. chr0m4t1c

        Re: Note Edge

        I think Fanboi tends to relate to Apple devotees these days, Fandroid is used for Android fans so can't really be properly deployed for a specific manufacturer.

        I would suggest either Fansung, Samboi or, at a push, Samdroid.

        1. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          Re: Note Edge

          I think Fanboi tends to relate to Apple devotees these days, Fandroid is used for Android fans so can't really be properly deployed for a specific manufacturer.

          I would suggest either Fansung, Samboi or, at a push, Samdroid.

          I stand corrected. That's what happens when I post *before* my first cup of coffee :)

        2. Dr Patrick J R Harkin

          Re: Note Edge

          Wasn't Samdroid Gamgee in Lord of the Ringtones?

  4. Anonymous Coward
    Headmaster

    At the risk of mass downvoting...

    ...may I point out that in this context projection doesn't take a plural. No one in the trade ever says projections just as shepherds don't say sheeps.

    My apologies for pointing this out but it still hurts my eyes and ears after 30+ years.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: At the risk of mass downvoting...

      At the risk of mass downvoting...

      ...may I point out that in this context projection doesn't take a plural. No one in the trade ever says projections just as shepherds don't say sheeps.

      My apologies for pointing this out but it still hurts my eyes and ears after 30+ years.

      Should that be "plurals"?

      /me tiptoeing away with an evil grin

  5. P. Lee

    and on an unrelated note...

    has anyone seen the S5 dual-sim LTE? Unlike previous models they don't appear to have dropped the spec, but can anyone confirm? Work phone, personal phone together at last? Or more likely, cheap personal phone contract + sim from work 3g modem with loadsa data on plan...

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: and on an unrelated note...

      has anyone seen the S5 dual-sim LTE?

      The day a dual SIM gets network approval in a country I will believe we can end all wars in the world. I would *love* a dual SIM phone as someone who travels a lot (actually, I need a 3 SIM one, but let's be sensible :) ). Even when tariffs are adjusted to something like normal, it's still more cost effective to have local SIMs if you spend more than 3 weeks in a country, especially if you're like me and need lots of data.

      Unfortunately, a dual SIM phone gets in the way of those massive revenue streams cell phone companies are used to, so I don't see that ever getting approval. The result is that you only get it in cheapo Chinese knockoffs that have about as much usability as a PC with Microsoft Office (a lot of crap getting in the way of you actually getting anything done).

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: and on an unrelated note...

        "The day a dual SIM gets network approval in a country..."

        Most countries don't require a phone to have "network approval", or were you only actually talking of one country?

        1. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          Re: and on an unrelated note...

          Most countries don't require a phone to have "network approval", or were you only actually talking of one country?

          Let me rephrase that: "the day that a CARRIER approves these phones for use"

          1. dotdavid

            Re: and on an unrelated note...

            The other AC is referring to the fact that dual-SIM phones are indeed available in many many countries, and do not require network/carrier approval as pretty much all phones can work with any network/carrier* in those countries.

            Of course they're less common in some countries because the networks/carriers are large customers of the handset-producing firms and the manufacturers are therefore keen to not annoy them too much by selling dual SIM phones which will cut network/carrier revenue. This isn't just the US by the way; you can also see the effects in the UK where it is difficult to get a dual SIM phone from mainstream websites and shops (and impossible from the networks/carriers directly).

            * albeit sometimes they need SIM-unlocking

            1. Anonymous Coward
              Anonymous Coward

              Re: and on an unrelated note...

              "...because the networks/carriers are large customers of the handset-producing firms and the manufacturers are therefore keen to not annoy them too much by selling dual SIM phones..."

              I don't know where you get the evidence for this, would love to see the source?

              Doesn't ring true to me, the carriers have almost no say over the handsets that are available and there is no reason for them to worry about Dual SIM phones. If they are used locally then there is an opportunity for carriers to increase their revenue as subscribers will be paying for two tarrifs. If they are used abroad then anyone who wants to use a local SIM will either just use the local SIM and let everyone know their travelling number (or forward their calls) or get a second cheap phone for using abroad.

              The issue is that there is not a big enough market for these phones in the UK to make it worthwhile especially as the carriers have reasonably similar, overlapping coverage. Where they come into their own is where phone plans are cheap and you need to use a couple of carriers to get extensive coverage - e.g. some parts of Asia.

              If there was a big demand in the UK, the manufacturers would make and sell them and the carriers would stock them due to customer demand. There isn't so they don't.

              1. P. Lee

                Re: and on an unrelated note...

                Most dual-sim phones have lower specs - the s5 dual-sim appears to be the same spec - at least as far as kogan.com notes things. I didn't know if anyone could confirm this.

          2. jgarbo

            Dual SIMs

            I don't quite get it. Here in Thailand, lots of folks have dual SIM phones. Cheap as chips, on sale at Tesco. Is this a problem in Western countries?

      2. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: and on an unrelated note...

        Being UK based I picked up a dual SIM Moto G from Hong Kong when travelling. Two different network SIMs co-exist quite happily and no drop in phone spec.

        Allegedly there are even auction places online where you could buy such a device from a reseller in a different country where such models are available...

  6. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Fab phones

    Not enough to entice me to upgrade from my Note 3 which I couldn't be happier with, but I'm sure Note 1 & 2 owners could be seriously tempted. I'll be waiting for the (hopefully) waterproof Note 5. I know they said this wasn't waterproofed because it's more for business etc but I use mine as a motorbike and hiking gps all the time due to it's size.

    1. WereWoof
      Joke

      Re: Fab phones

      Try an iPhone, There`s a waterproofing app for that ! *Evil Grin*

    2. OrsonX

      Re: Fab phones

      Note 1 owner here.

      Nope, not tempted. As per AC's post. They left out the one feature which I do find tempting: waterproofing.

      I use my phone every day on my bike (Strava), so far w/o problems, although I am surprised as my bag/coat are often drenched and the phone not far behind.....

      Although I like my Note I've discovered that I don't need the big screen for anything at all, so my next phone will be considerably smaller.

    3. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Fab phones

      I know it's got a more powerful screen and they've managed a small improvement on battery life (and the super charging thing is great) but this seems like a minor revision,

      No waterproofing is a shame and it is bigger and heavier than the current note 3. I know a lot of that will be down to the battery to power the screen, but still surprised they persist with the Samsung logo on the top bezel.

      Was considering this phone, but I think I'll wait for the Blackberry launch on the 26th. I would like to give a blackberry passport a go before I make my mind up, even if Blackberry will be dead in a couple of years. The passport looks good for a power user though

    4. Lionel Baden

      Re: Fab phones

      As a Xperia Z user I have to say 100% worth the Gimmick !!

      I had to run into a lake to stop my kids drowning, lost my glasses but phone was ok :)

      oh yeah kids were fine too ;)

    5. supreme-overlord

      Re: Fab phones

      "but I use mine as a motorbike and hiking gps all the time due to it's size."

      I know it's massive and everything...but using it as a motorbike?

    6. Vince

      Re: Fab phones

      Note 2 owner here. First phone I had kept for more than a few months. Still see no reason to change. Nothing sufficiently worthwhile outside gimmick land.

      Equally my Blackberry Z10 meets every need as my business communicator so I'll shortly be retaining that without any further upgrade.

      Meanwhile I doubt there would be a better camera available on a phone than the Lumia 1020 which really does take some fantastic shots.

      ...so I think it's really a case of "peak smartphone". I doubt the bitten fruit co will change that next week. It'll be another minor upgrade mostly based around software you could get if they wanted you to (actually, most of it they do anyhow IIRC). Same with tablets. There's just not much left to offer right now, but everyone is addicted to this rapid replacement way of doing things..

  7. Shrimpling

    Gear VR

    Looks good to me, I was planning to pick up a Note 4 when my contract expires anyway so the Gear VR is a nice bonus as I was also tempted by an Oculus Rift!

    One of the games that comes with it is made by Jeff Minter so I'm doubley pleased.

  8. MrWibble

    "I sense there will some gnashing of teeth among the left brain thinkers out there who buy into the Edge when it arrives though"

    I always thought that lefties were right-brain dominant? "Only left handers are in their right mind".

    1. A Twig

      The point of the article was that the design actually suits lefties, who hold the phone in their right hand (thus still being able to access the right hand controls with their thumb) and operate the pen with their left.

      Right handers will either have to write left handed, or hold the phone in their left hand, making it harder to use the edge based controls.

      1. Malcolm 1

        Or just turn it upside down. Which is fine until you want to make a phone call, but who does that these days?

        1. Caesarius
          Pint

          Re: just turn it upside down @Malcolm 1

          Not only should you turn it upside down, but it should realise what you are doing and adjust the graphics to suit. I'm sure that's been done before somewhere...

  9. Monty Burns

    Gear S

    FFS ... Tizen, give up already!

    Give us access to Googles Wear eco-system.

  10. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Now we know...

    ... why Apple were in such a hurry to file for a patent on side screens since the Galaxy Note Edge will, most probably, be considered to contravene said patent.

    1. OrsonX
      Coat

      Re: Now we know...

      So Apple have a crude drawing and Samsung a working model.

      If there is any justice in the world Apple should be rewarded an injunction against the blasphemous device.

    2. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Now we know...

      The Supremes have now told lower courts to disregard "something that already exists...but on a computer/tablet/phone" patents. A curved edge to a screen and a display are purely production issues, and there have been notebook computers in the past which had auxiliary displays along edges. I don't see this being a major issue, and in any case Samsung should have no trouble selling every one it can make outside the US.

    3. stephajn

      Re: Now we know...

      And just like that the stage is set for the next round of Apple crybaby tactics in court.

      STILL wondering about the fabled iWatch while Samsung has released how many of these things already? I swear...all of my Apple friends look at my Gear 2 watch with envy and gnashing their teeth that nothing from Apple has arrived yet.

  11. Frank N. Stein

    T-Mobile is calling my name, Sprint.

  12. Simon B
    Joke

    Galaxy Note Edge – with its swipeable margin display .... it was only the other week Apple applied for a patent on edge displays. I guess Apple wanted an excuse to sue samsung again saying 'that's our idea!'. And it's a curved edge, Apple owns curves ..

    1. paulc

      it was a logical application...

      of having curved wrapped around touchscreen displays... so therefore should not be patentable...

      the only truly patentable thing here is the methods of manufacture of those wrapped displays and ways to do it cheaper and more reliably and maybe thinner...

  13. Vector

    Low Latency Audio? On Android!?

    Could it finally be?

    :slaver:

  14. Davidjan

    Like it. There is a cool wireless charging dock for Note 4 & S5 -- Ultimus Qi on Kickstarter.

  15. William Higinbotham

    Do Not Sit Too Close to the TV Set

    There is a reason why our parents told us not to sit too close to the TV. We should do the same with cell phones. Why? Go to the National Cancer Institute web site and look up Cell Phones and Cancer Risk and you will see the fact sheet under Best Bets for Cell Phones

    1. Saigua
      Joke

      Re: Do Not Sit Too Close to the TV Set

      Side-eyeing the Oculus Rift from a full meter will be the next skillset anyhow. For users of course, it will be a constant battle of eyegaze-S-Pen apps inducing autism and others lap-reading them back into office (car driving, etc.) relevance.

      That was what it said at The National's guide to caustic UX, right?

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