Star Wars: A New Trilogy; Will Samsung Sponsor it?

Alright folks, go and grab you Samsung Galaxy Tab (preferably a 10inch model) and go watch the original Star Wars trilogy! Why? Well, unless you’ve been living under a rock you probably know that Disney has bought Lucasfilm and they are working on a new Star Wars movie. This will be episode 7, and it is bound to hit theaters on December 18, 2015. Director J.J. Abrams will be leading the production team and we can all rejoice because he did a great job fixing the Star Trek movie franchise.

Now, this article shall be completely dedicated to analyzing recent news, rumors and leaks from various fan-run Star Wars 7 sites and looking at just how good their sources really are. Obviously, the time is yet too early to talk details regarding this upcoming movie. However, this won’t stop the hype train so let’s not pretend we are not eager to get the latest gossip and hear-say. What he have prepared for you today is a set of rumors regarding the storyline as well as a few leaked images from the set (they have been confirmed to be real

A Fresh New Trilogy

Episode VII will obviously be a sequel to Return of the Jedi (Episode VI) and as such we can safely say that the upcoming trilogy (episodes 7, 8 and 9) can rightfully be labeled as the “sequel trilogy”. Abrams has casted Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher and Mark Hamill for the new movie and as such you can expect to see Han, Leia and Luke rock-it out on the big screens once again. The story of this movie will probably be based around 30 years after the events of the sixth episode in the series.

Lucasfim (or rather, Disney) has made no official statements about the plot, but we’ve had a bit of insight into the actors. In fact, a full Star Wars 7 actors list is available and some of the people who’ve been cast are great, well-established people in the movie industry. Daisy Ridely, is the only underdog in the bunch as she has never done any acting during her career.

Galaxy S4 Mini Specs and Features

 A lot of people didn't like many things associated with the Galaxy S4 and it seems like the Galaxy S4 Mini is a perfect answer to the problems a lot of us had with the main flagship. The main problems of course focus on the size and cost of the original device. However, will this Mini device really stand up to its name? The S3 Mini model was quite a failure when compared to its bigger brother, so let us see if this new device will be any better.

Press photo of the new device. Click to zoom.

 The Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini looks rather good and it is obviously a lot more compact and portable than the bigger flagship. The display is 4.3 inches and in spite of the bad resolution settings the display quality is quite sharp and impressive. So, without further to do, let us just dive right in to the Galaxy S4 Mini's specs!

General Specs and Design of the S4 Mini

• Smartphone dimensions: 124.6 x 61.3 x 8.9 mm (4.91 x 2.41 x 0.35 in).
• The original model had the following body dimensions: 136.6 x 69.8 x 7.9 mm (5.38 x 2.75 x 0.31 in).
• Weight: 107 g (3.77 oz); this 23g lighter than the larger device.
• Display: 540 x 960 pixels, 4.3 inches (~256 ppi pixel density); Super AMOLED capacitive touchscreen.
• 16 million colors and multitouch support.
• Internal memory: 8 GB, but 5 GB is actually user-available.
• RAM: 1.5 GB for the standard 3G model and 2GB for the advanced LTE device.
• Extra storage: Both models have microSD card support with up to 64 GB expansion.
• Operating system: Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean.
• Colors: White Frost and Black Mist (same as the original).

The White Frost model.

Advanced Specs and Hardware details

• Chipset: Qualcomm MSM8930 Snapdragon 400
• CPU: Dual-core 1.7 GHz Krait
• GPU: Adreno 305
• Primary camera: 8 MP
• Max format: 3264 x 2448 pixels; autofocus and LED flash.
• Secondary camera: 1.9 MP
• Video quality: 1080p at 30 frames per second.
• Data connectivity: USB v2.0, WLAN, Bluetooth, Infrared, NFC, EDGE and GPRS.
• Networking: 2G and 3G is available, however for 4G you need the advanced LTE model (LTE - GT-I9195).
• Battery: Li-Ion 1900 mAh battery, but stand-by time has not yet been tested by any reviewer.

Price and Release Date

 The details regarding the price and the release date of the Galaxy S4 Mini have not yet been revealed to the general public although we do have some general idea when it comes to the numbers. The Galaxy S4 Mini release date is expected to come somewhere in the first half of July, while the price is expected to be around $400, although most experts and tech savvy users can't really agree with each other when it comes to this.

 We will keep you updated as more news come so make sure your subscribe to us via RSS or via Twitter.

Galaxy S4 Production Cut; Galaxy S3 to Retire

 Business reports have been suggesting this for quite some time, but nobody was ready to throw in the towel just yet. ZDnet was the first to post about this and their report confirms our suspicions. So, the short story is this: Samsung is going to retire their Galaxy S3 model and cut the production of their latest flagship device. However, that doesn't make any sense right now - so why is Sammy doing this? Well, let us try get down to the bottom of the answer!

 The report comes from a Korean publication - ET News - who have insight in the South Korean electronics market. According to them Samsung is going to stat their latest program/plan in order to reduce their inventory and stop the production of older models. From what we knew already, the monthly production levels of the Galaxy S4 were rather high, but it is expected that it will be reduced by 10 - 15 percent! That's a really major production cut and it seems that the S4 wasn't such an amazing success as we first thought.

 Next, the report says that it is not just the production that is falling behind, but obviously the demand for the product. This of course makes complete sense, if the demand for the product is low, Samsung will obviously have to cut the production. One could say that they could try and push the device more, but honestly Samsung has already used every single marketing trick ever invented!

There are too many parts in Samsung inventory...

 Once there was a shortage of Galaxy S4 device, but these days are now long gone. The July Galaxy S4 order is currently only 6.5 million handsets, which is only half of the S4 units Samsung sold last month. The month before that was even more successful which just illustrated Samsung's slow fall. However, this is nothing overly exciting and it is something that was to be expected. After all, technology advances at a very fast rate and we can't expect a single device to rule over the market for an entire year.

 However, JP Morgan cited poor European consumer demand as the reason for lower-than-expected shipment rates. If the market in Europe was more open to Samsung's flagship device then perhaps things would have been much better. 

 Also, in the report it is stated that the Samsung Galaxy S3 will be pulled off the production line which came much sooner than expected. To combat these events, Samsung will have to think of a new strategy to once again completely dominate the market. We can expect this sooner rather than later as Samsung is preparing three new devices: Galaxy S4 Mini, Galaxy S4 Zoom and the Galaxy Note 3.

Galaxy S4 Aurora Red at AT&T

 It seems that AT&T is once again the first to score a very unique device, this time it is the Galaxy S4 Aurora Red, a beautiful smartphone that will surely win the hearts of many. The exclusive new device was launched today by Samsung and AT&T and it comes with 16GB of storage. So, how much does the new Galaxy S4 Aurora Red cost exactly? Well, the device is actually fairly priced which is an odd thing to see considering that these special models are usually more expensive. The Aurora Red will cost $639.99 if you decide to purchase it from AT&T off contract or you can choose to pay $199.99 with a new two-year contract.

Do you like the Galaxy S4 Aurora Red. Is it a "girl thing" or is the new design unisex? Click on the product photo to zoom by the way!

 This is not the only new color that the S4 will come in, but these will get introduced over time and via different carriers. Samsung pulled a similar "trick" last year with their previous model and it proved to be a success. Experts are saying that Sammy will need every sale that they can get though since the latest flagship isn't doing so well on the charts anymore. While it is still selling well, it is becoming obvious that sale figures are dropping. The Galaxy S4 Aurora Red and similar unique models are just one of the strategies for Samsung to boost sales and get ahead in the game.

 Of course, many see this in a different way. Fans will argue that nobody really makes their choice based on the color on the phone. It's not like one would choose a bad two-year contract just to get a phone in a different color than what other carriers are offering. People feel as this is just Samsung telling AT&T: "you guys are special, we love you". Still, one would be surprised how important color can be to some people and how much impact the design leaves on their decision. Devices such as Galaxy S4 Aurora Red are designed with such people in mind of course and this is a very niche device.

 If you wish to check this device out in more detail, then feel free to visit the official AT&T website!

 

Advanced Samsung Galaxy S4 LTE Model In The Works?

 It has been a long time since I posted on this blog and I do apologize for this. However, I am back in full glory ready to report about the latest Galaxy S4 and Android trends. The hot news on the wire today are those surrounding the rumored release of the Samsung Galaxy S4 LTE model, an advanced device that could boost the sales of the product. Currently, experts are expecting a major drop in sales for Samsung as it has been quite a while since the S4 was released and many other manufacturers have come-up with a lot of brilliant phones. Even though the Galaxy S4 is a dominant force on the market it is hard to say how long we can expect this to stay so.

 As you know, LTE is a very powerful data transfer protocol and in theory this would allow the Galaxy S4 to get data download speeds up to 1Gbps (30 bits per Hz) and 500Mbps uploads (16 bits per Hz). However, 4G is not a wide spread service in the world and the Galaxy S4 LTE would thus be a very niche device in most countries. For example, in the UK only one network (Everything Everywhere) has 4G services while the first 4G network in Russian appeared just last year.

 The problem is mostly in the fact that there are very few LTE devices on the market for users to actually invest money in this service and this is why most network provides in Europe have not implemented this service in their package. Thus, we can assume that the advanced Galaxy S4 model will be aimed at the North American market as it makes the most sense for it to succeed.

 Regarding the issue the head of the firm’s mobile biz, JK Shin, said to Reuters on Monday that his team is currently in discussion with several overseas carriers (he did not say which). He did not give much details and did not even mention the region, but we can expect that he was referring to the United States and perhaps even Canada.

Galaxy S4 Will be Manufactured in India

 Over time we have all gotten used to the idea that everything is produced in Asia, and by this we mostly refer to China, Korea and/or Vietnam. However, even though these countries provide a lot of affordable workforce for major companies, this is not the only place one can outsource their production line. India is a country that fits into the profile as well, and it also has a quite a lot of  qualified workforce. A report from ZeeNews says that Samsung India has announced that they will be responsible for manufacturing a part of the new flagship devices. The quantity was not disclosed in the announcement.

 "We are planning to start manufacturing of S4 soon at our Noida facility," Samsung Mobile and Digital Imaging Country Head Vineet Taneja said.

 Noida is actually short for New Okhla Industrial Development Area and the facility in this area produces roughly around 40 million smartphone devices each year. Vineet Taneja did not discus how many Galaxy S4 units the facility will produce nor when the production process will begin.

 So far, Samsung has been quite pleased with the success of Noida and they currently already have 12 smartphones in production in this facility. The most famous out of which is no doubt their Samsung Galaxy S3. The newest flagship will soon join the production line and Samsung is hoping to sell more of their high-end devices in India this year. Currently, India makes for 10% of Samsung's income so isn't a bad idea at all to focus on this market.

Galaxy S4 Release Ruined by Device Shortage

 The global release of the Samsung Galaxy S4 can be considered both a great success and a horrible failure. While the number of pre-orders is overwhelming and means amazing profit for Samsung right from the start, the shortage of actual devices means that a lot of consumers will be disappointing. Those who don't mind waiting a few weeks won't really feel that this shortage has done anyone any harm, but some people might take offense and opt-in for the new HTC One or some other device if they are really in a hurry to get a new smartphone.

 So far there is no doubt that just about all Carphone Warehouse and Phones4U stores will not have the Galaxy S4 in stock during the weekend. As expected Samsung has immediately come with a statement concerned the issue.

"Due to overwhelming global demand for Galaxy S4, the initial supply may be limited. We expect to fulfill inventory to meet demands in the coming weeks," a Samsung spokesmen said.

While many fans and tech enthusiasts think that this means that the world has finally recognized true quality, a slow start is never a good idea. If anything this can only harm sales and make consumers distrust Samsung, especially in the USA and the UK. These regions will suffer the most and this is very unfortunate since Samsung is trying so hard to overtake Apple's impressive market share in these regions.

 Carriers in the USA will have their fair share of problems as this supply shortage will hurt them the most. Verizon Wireless will start selling the device on 30 May, while T Mobile will start taking pre-orders on April 29th. Sprint will also start taking pre-orders during this weekend, but they cannot say when they will start shipping the devices to those who ordered first.

 Do you plan on getting the new Samsung Galaxy S4? Tell us in the comments bellow!

Galaxy S4 Prices and Release Dates US

Following our last report on the rumored Galaxy S4 release dates many of the mobile service providers decided to step forward and reveal their offers regarding the brand new Galaxy S4 smartphone. Although we did have some glimpse of possible offers as well an official announcement from AT&T, most of the information was unknown to the general public. In today's post we will clarify what the carriers or offering, what the prices will be and when you can expect these offers to be available.

 

T-Mobile Galaxy S4

 T-Mobile will be the first carrier to feature the Samsung Galaxy S4. The new pride and joy of the Android world will begin selling the Galaxy S4 on April 24. So, how much will this device set you back? Well, it'll be $149.99 up front as well as $20 per month for 24 months. This is a subtotal of $480 and a total of $629.

AT&T Galaxy S4

 AT&T took their job as the Galaxy S4 carrier quite seriously and they made their offers publicly available right off the bat. You can currently order the device via their website, but you must also sign a new two-year contract. We covered this in a lot of detail here.

Sprint Galaxy S4

 In spite off the nasty rumor that Sprint will release the Galaxy S4 somewhere in June, the official word is that they will start selling the device from April 27. You can get the Galaxy S4 via Sprint for $249.99 with a two-year contract. New customers switching from another carrier can get the phone for $149.99.

Verizon Galaxy S4

 Verizon has not announced pricing or availability for the Galaxy S4 which is not a major surprise. They are known for being the last in line to get the latest tech, but not everyone is in a hurry anyway. The Verizon employees have, however, confirmed that the company will sell the device.

US Cellular Galaxy S4

 U.S. Cellular has often been regarded as the second Verizon and it is no surprise that they have also not announced any details such as the price or release date of the new smartphone. They have, however, confirmed that they will sell the device.

Be Careful What You Buy!

 We hold polls often on this blog and one of our recent polls asked people what they are planning to do once the Galaxy S4 is official on sale. I expected the results to look something like this, although I am not quite happy with what some of readership thinks like. Either way, I am grateful to all who participated and here are the results:

 

 As you can see, the Samsung Galaxy S4 has a rather strong fan-base as the majority of the voters will be buying this flagship device as soon as it comes. Another large group will still wait a bit to see how good the device actually is, and this is something I applaud. Buying the latest tech just because of its reputation and without knowing much about isn't exactly the smartest thing to do, but I will not try to teach you how to handle your own finances as this is none of my business.

 However, I will give you some advice when it comes to buying smartphones: be careful what you buy! Do not allow yourself to be fooled into order phones online via eBay or other auction sites unless the seller is an actual company or an authority figure. Last year there were a lot of scams involving the Galaxy S III and you can be sure some people will try and pull the same tricks again.

 So, remember - be smart! :)

PS: A new poll has been posted and you can vote now! The poll is on the left side.

Galaxy S4 To Ship With Wolfson Audio Chip?

 There are so many of the "little things" that we often do not consider nor talk about when it comes to phone reviews. There a lot of reasons for this, but mostly writers do not include some of the specs or features because the general public either doesn't view them as important or their editors think it makes the article too long. Either way, audio is one of those things when it comes to most smartphones and we never really talked about it on the Galaxy S4. Well, this article will try to right the wrong and introduce you to a company called Wolfson Microelectronics who will apparently be creating the audio chips that the Samsung Galaxy S4 will use.

 According to the report from the Inquisitor Scottish-based company Wolfson Microelectronics has signed a licensing deal with Samsung. It appears that the Korean giant plans to use their audio chips for its popular range of Galaxy smartphones and tablets. Among these devices is the Samsung Galaxy S4, the latest flagship device that Samsung will soon be releasing worldwide.

While this company isn't exactly Dolby Audio, they are not so unknown as people might think. In the past they have provided their chips to many companies, including Apple who used their chips for their iPod series as well as a few of the iPhones. The Samsung Galaxy S also features a chip from this company, and we will soon be seeing a lot more of their technology in Samsung's devices.

 This agreement means that Wolfson is now Samsung's primary audio partner and you can be sure that all of this additional income that they will make will certainly be used to invest into their research department. The Galaxy S4 will not the be the only phone to receive these new chips, but we still do not have sufficient information on which models Wolfson is manufacturing for Samsung at the moment.

 Wolfson CEO Mike Hickey said on the subject, "This is a significant milestone for Wolfson, and we are delighted to be making this announcement. Having worked closely with Samsung over recent years on their Galaxy range of tablets and smartphones, this agreement is a testament to our strong IP portfolio and our growing partnership, and we very much look forward to working closely together to continue to deliver exceptional audio in Samsung's smartphones and tablets."

 It is a shame that there isn't really a major audio benchmark, but those of you who don't know yet, the Galaxy S4 is currently the best smartphone in turns of graphics according to Basemark benchmark statistics.

Galaxy S4 Ad Campaigns Kick Off!

 The Samsung Galaxy S4 will soon be released worldwide and Samsung is slowly beginning it ad campaign. Although the launch event in New York received a lot of attention worldwide this is of course not nowhere near the amount of exposure Samsung is aiming to get to market their new device and raise the awareness of their brand. And with that said, Sammy started their brand new advertising plan and you can be sure that a lot of new ads are on their way to your billboards, local TV, YouTube, newspapers, stores...

 Let us have a look at this 60 second teaser video first.

 Ah, Vivaldi's music is playing in the background and one already feels that this going to be a great ad! Well, it wasn't really all that great and innovative, but I feel that it got its point across. It clearly focused on the phone's design and display quality as well as its unique features and gimmicks, while leaving a lot to the imagination and causing you to make further research about the device. It is a very nice all-around ad. The slogan "Your life companion" is a different twist to most of the lines that Samsung's advertising team usually uses, but I believe that this motto is quite accurate. However, the Galaxy S4 is more of an assistant than an actually companion, but this of course doesn't sound so poetic!

 Anyway, Samsung also tried something different in their ad campaign as well. Usually they make direct references to other brands in some of their commercials in order to make fun of them. They are yet to do that for the Galaxy S4, but they have however taken a shot at Apple's style. These "funny" ads are a silent parody to what Apple often does, but also an attempt at using some humor to advertise only a small gimick that the S4 has in order to make you interested to learn more about the device itself.

 A good example of this is the following ad:

 Now, I honestly can't imagine a football team getting their spirits up with this song, but you get the idea Samsung is trying to spread across these ads. There are a few others like this such as the S Translator ad and while I am not a huge fan of these, I can certainly see them being rather successful.

 Last year Samsung spent more than $300 million on advertising and I am sure that their recent success has given them enough resources to push their products even more so you can be sure to expect even more Galaxy S4 ads in the future.

 Did you find any cool Galaxy S4 ads of your own? Please feel free to leave a link in the comments section just bellow this article!

Galaxy S4 Is Amazing for Gaming says Basemark X 1.0 Benchmark

 We already know that the Galaxy S4 is a pretty amazing device right? It works brilliantly and packs an amazing combination of both hardware and software. However, I never really though about the Galaxy S4 as a gaming device. Most of the people I know don't use phones like this for games that will drain your battery instantly to slow your phone down (they tend to use tablets for that). However, the recent tests that were conducted by an Android app called Basemark X 1.0 suggest that the Galaxy S4 is currently one of the best gaming devices in the mobile industry.

 Well, how does it work? What score did the S4 get? Well, the Galaxy S4 climbed to the top for chart with a pretty impressive score. The benchmark app is constructed with the use of the Unity 4 platform and it provides a tough challenge for any device. It tests the phone via series of complex graphical tasks and then awards points to the device based on its performance.

 The goal is obviously not to measure the quality of the graphics, but the performance of the device and how it handles with such challenges. Among some of the many things that Basemark X 1.0 measures are the lightning effects, particles, shading and shadows and so on. The graphical tests are really tough and are designed to push the devices that are being tested to their very limits.

 Here is how Samsung Galaxy S4 did on the test:

The S4 passes with flying colors!

 As you can see, the Samsung Galaxy S IV did great on this graphical test and really made the series proud. It proved itself much better than the HTC One which is a brand new phone on the market that is trying to take the crown away from the SG S4. So far, however, it has not done such a good job in my opinion!

 If you are interested how well your current phone is doing then have a look at the free Basemark X 1.0 app on the Play Store. The developer has also noted that there will soon be an iOS and a Windows 8 application available as well, in case this is your OS of choice.

 What do you think about these tests results? How does your current phone perform? Post anything you have to say about this in the comments and we will get back to you as soon as possible!

Verizon Galaxy S4 Deal Coming Soon (US Only)

 Verizon is ready to finally clear stock and start on their own Galaxy S4 offers. Earlier this week we reported that AT&T has announced its Galaxy S4 offer. If you decide to sign a contract with them for a period of two years then you can get the 16GB SG S IV for only $199.99, while the 32 GB model will set you back $249.99. Experts are suggesting that this pricing is fair and that we can expect similar offers from other carriers as well. So, what is Verizon up to?

 Well, Verizon is prepping for the new Galaxy S4 release by offering their Verizon Galaxy S III for as low as $99 if you get it via the Verizon Wireless plan. This is a typical move that US carrier pull off when a new flagship model is about to hit their stores. Along with this, Verizon has cut prices on the Galaxy S3 for those who buy it via a contract through their partners. This way, some people have reported that one can get the Galaxy S3 by signing a two-year contract and paying an additional $19.99 through their partners.

 So, when will the Verizon Galaxy S4 finally hit the stores? Well, it is still unknown at this time, but we do know that it has cleared the FCC tests and is about ready to go. Rumor has it that Verizon is planing a major release during this spring, which means the arrival of the SG S4 is just around the corner!

 Experts are worried about Verizon's business model however, since AT&T, for example, has been chewing away on their profit. Verizon was the last carrier in the USA to cash-in on the Galaxy Note 2 and we may see the same thing again. Along with that there is no mention of them including the HTC One or the new BlackBerry 10 device in their catalog which might cause them a lot of damage.

 We are yet to see how this will all play out however, so make sure you follow us for more news and commentary! Feel free to leave a comment if you have some news or tips! :)

Galaxy S4 India Release on April 25th; Price Under Rs 40,000

 After our release on AT&T Galaxy S4 prices in the USA, here is a report from another side of the world. Namely, this article takes us to India, and our readership from this part of the world will be overjoyed to hear the news of the Galaxy S4 release in this country. Even though the news indicate that the device will be launched on April 25th, it is very likely that the Galaxy S4 will not hit the stores in India until April 27th. The phone will be available for less than 40,000 Rs via contract, while manufacturer recommended price will be around 42,000 Rs.

 We do not have information on whether or not this model will feature the Exynos 5 Octa processor, but it is very likely that consumers in this part of the world will have the same problems as the good folk in Europe, since the Galaxy S4 in these areas will not feature the Exynos 5 Octa. It is a real shame that the octa-core processor isn't yet ready for mass productions since it is a very strong selling point of this device.

 Also, the rumor on the Net is that Samsung is a tad bit worried about the rumored upcoming iPhone 5S which could make sales drop. To counter this, it seems that improved models as well as the Galaxy S4 Mini are on their way. Along with this, the Galaxy Note 3 is going to hit the shelves big soon enough! However, we will talk about these rumors later on!

Galaxy S4 VS iPhone 5: 5 Reasons Why the S4 Is Better

 Now, before I start this Galaxy S4 vs iPhone 5 battle I would like to but a little disclaimer. Namely, I am not a Samsung fanboy and I honestly am not a major fan of the new Galaxy S IV so far. However, my analysis has shown that it is a superior device when compared to Apple's current flagship. As you can also see the title of this blog is "Galaxy S4 News" and thus articles like this are to be expected. However, my honest answer on which one of these two phones I would buy would be "neither!" So, let us see why the S4 is better than the iPhone 5 shall we?

 #1 The Galaxy S4 Is Faster and More Powerful

 No, this isn't one of those articles where I will try to tell you that the Exynos 5 Octa is the best thing out there. It is far from it and more of a marketing trick. Also, many countries such as the USA, the UK, Denmark, Netherlands and so forth will get the Snapdragon quad-core processor instead.

 The point is this - benchmarks! Even older benchmarks have shown that the Galaxy S3 is faster and more powerful than the iPhone 5, and the new Galaxy S4 which comes with updates hardware will perform even better. The S IV's quad-core processor beat the iPhone 5's dual core processor in a test performed by Primate Labs who put the Galaxy S 4 at the top of their charts. According to them the S IV is two times faster, but I honestly doubt the difference is so major!

#2 The Camera is Actually Good

 Aside from the fact that the S4 has a 13 MP camera compared to the 8 MP iPhone 5 camera, the difference in software is also very important. Samsung's package includes a lot of very useful and powerful software such as photo blur which lets you "erase" people or objects from a shot and "Share Shot" which lets you sync with other Galaxy S phones that your friends or family have in order to share photos. There are a lot of other cool filters and effects that make photography on the S IV more fun.

However, the most important thing to me is that the camera actually works, unlike the iPhone 5 which had a lot of trouble with "purple flares". If you do not know what this is about then look at this article from CNET. This photo obviously demonstrates the lack of quality on the iPhone 5's camera which I am referring to:

#3 Display Quality

 A lot of people say that the Galaxy S IV is better since it has a larger screen, but this is something totally irrelevant and subjective and I personally prefer the size of the iPhone 5. However, the Galaxy S4 has a much better display in terms of image quality. Now, the iPhone 5's Retina Display pushes out an astounding 1136x640-pixel resolution at 326 pixels per inch. Really good if you ask me...

 However, Samsung used an HD Super AMOLED screen and beefed up the resolution on the Galaxy S4 to a impressive 1920x1080 at 441 pixels per inch.

#4 More Storage & More Speed

 In terms of internal memory the two device are quite even. But when it comes to  extra memory that you can get via an SD card the iPhone 5 users aren't going to be very happy since they don't have support for an SD Card on their phone. Galaxy S4 users on the other hand will get this awesome features as well as access to cloud storage such as Dropbox and Google Drive. 

 However, it is more important to note that the Galaxy S 4 is packed with 2 GB of RAM while the iPhone  has 1 GB RAM. This is a major difference for a power-hungry user since more RAM will allow you to have a better experience while using multiple apps for example.

#5 Removable battery

  This is a major issue in my opinion. and the Galaxy S4 comes out  as the victor since it does feature a removable battery! A removable battery means that when your phone is running low you don't have to stay tethered to a plug. Samsung even sells an extra battery kit allowing you to get some extra juice in a hurry.

 So, what do you think? Agree or disagree? What would you add on this list? Leave us a comment down bellow!

UK Galaxy S4 Will Not Have the Exynos 5 Octa!

 After the glorious reveal of the Galaxy S4 in New York last week, we the world was left to wait and watch in awe as we expect the new Samsung Galaxy S4 to hit the stores. People were in particular interested in its great Exynos 5 Octa processor, but it seems that a lot of these people will be disappointed and might not even buy the phone at all! 

 Why the hell would they be upset? What has Samsung done? Well, it seems that the new flagship will not feature the Exynos 5 Octa in many area of the world. It all started with the USA, Denmark and Sweden, and now UK has joined this list. All of these countries will have the Galaxy S4 with the Snapdragon 600 chipset from Qualcomm. 

A lot of people in the UK will be disappointed...

 So, the USA, the UK and half of Europe will not be getting the Exynos 5 Octa which is being advertised as one of the amazing features. What gives? If you remember last year's incident, everyone got the Exynoss unit except for the USA which was stuck with Qualcomm's tech. However, this year things are even worse. Now, personally I stated that I care little for these two units as I find it that both of them are amazing and will get the job done for you very well. However, it seems to me that Samsung is being a bit irresponsible and getting a just a little bit too cocky!

 Of course, there is also a valid explanation behind this as well. One idea is that the Exynos 5 Octa still isn't in high production, but this is more of an excuse than a valid reason. However, if this is true, then we just ought to wait a bit longer and the Exynos 5 Octa model will be available as well. I personally don't think that would happen, but hey, who am I to play the judge all mighty?

 In some places the venders will try to ease your pain though, like the good folk in the Netherlands who are giving some extra gadgets such as 64 GB SD card to everyone who does by the Galaxy S IV in spite of the fact that it lacks the Exynos 5 Octa under the hood. Remember, no mater which processor it is carrying, this is still an amazing phone!

 

Galaxy S4 Presented in New York

 As you have already heard dear readership from other news sources and blogs, the Samsung Galaxy S4 has been presented at the Samsung Unpacked in New York yesterday! Of course, the device is not yet ready to hit the stores and we can expect it to begin shipping by the end of April. It is very possible that retailers will begin accepting preorders soon and local carriers are already arranging everything. But what about the phone itself? 

 What are people who were at the event saying about Samsung's latest flagship? Well, it seems that opinions are split - some are loving the new phone, while others say that it wasn't such a huge step from the S3.

 The official specs:

Design and Body:

• Dimensions: 136.6 x 69.8 x 7.9 mm (5.38 x 2.75 x 0.31 in)
• Weight:  130 g (4.59 oz)

 Display:

• Type: Super AMOLED capacitive touchscreen, 16M colors
• Size: 1080 x 1920 pixels, 5.0 inches (~441 ppi pixel density)
• Multitouch: Yes
• Protection:  Corning Gorilla Glass 
• User Interface: TouchWiz UI

Galaxy S4 Is Almost Here! New Teasers and Photos Presented Online!

 There isn't a single doubt in my mind that all of you guys and girls have heard about the Samsung Galaxy S4 presentation date which is due in two days. On March 14 Samsung will hold its Unpacked event in New York to present the new flagship device. Times Square is already filled with Galaxy S4 ads and billboards which clearly state that this no hoax. The catchy phrase "Are you ready 4 the show?" clearly suggests that the fourth generation of the Galaxy S series is ready to be presented to the world. Samsung has even posted part 2 of its official "teaser" trailer.

 

 The little boy seems to be amazed by the content of that mysterious box and the suspense is probably killing all of you fans out there! I personally wouldn't be surprised if this kid brings that box to the stage during the Unpacked show in NYC in two days. If that does happen I would be rather happy with myself for having have predicted Samsung's marketing idea. Nonetheless, we will just have to wait a bit more until the device is official released before we jump to any conclusions.
 

Galaxy S4 With a 3D Camera?

 

 In the past we talked quite a bit about the Galaxy S4's camera features and specs. The Android community agrees that we can expect a 13 MP camera from Samsung along with a wide array of useful software that will improve our overall experience when using the Galaxy S4's camera. Aside from different filters, settings and options, this will also include a panorama option and other great perks. However, CNET is also suggesting that we might see some 3D options on the S IV's camera or at least on some of the future Samsung devices. I will explain why in just a moment, in the meantime have a loot at another teaser photograph of the Galaxy S IV.

 You see, CNET is suggesting that the Galaxy S IV (or future devices) might feature a 3D camera due to the fact that Samsung has filed for a trademark on several patents which all have something to do with this technology. They also filled for a patent that included panoramic software and a panorama lens.

 So what do you think dear readership? Are you looking forward to the new Galaxy S4?

Galaxy S4 + Visa = Pay With Your Phone!

 Today's rumor isn't directly related to just the Galaxy S4 smartphone directly, but it does certainly involve Samsung's future flagship. You see, it seems that Samsung and Visa have struck a great deal which will allow users to make credit card payments via near field communication (NFC). This will be a feature that will work on all future, next-generation Samsung devices that have NFC chips. Neither Visa nor Samsung mention what will be considered a "next generation" device, but it is safe to assume that devices such as the Galaxy S IV and the Galaxy Note III fall into this category.

Making things simple!

The agreement between the two company's gives Samsung access to Visa's PayWave system. This is a system that is very similar to Google Wallet. The basic concept is that you can input your credit card information on your phone and then just pay for stuff by tapping your phone on a special pad at the store. Quite a handy feature isn't it? Honestly, I dream of seeing the end of physical currency and somehow I vision a day when mankind will have a common currency and be able to pay for everything virtually. I see this as a good step in that direction!

Get ready folks!

 But enough about my silly ideas, let us focus on what this agreement means for Samsung's Galaxy S4. As you can already imagine, this is good marketing potential and it clearly gives the consumer the knowledge that this a premium device. However, it is unclear whether or not all the Galaxy S4 models in the USA will have this feature. The main problem is that AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile have their own payment system called ISIS which works in a similar way, and their devices block other apps that try to do the same thing. A good example of this is the Google Wallet app.

 So, what do I think about the whole Galaxy S4 Visa PayWave idea? I find it brilliant as you can tell, but I would not call it the pride and joy of the device. However, this feature will, along with many other software and hardware innovations that Samsung is expected to release, certainly make the smartphone look much more attractive and, in the end, it is always the little things that get us! After all, people are already going crazy over the Galaxy S IV eye-tracking concept!

 So, what do you guys and girls think?

Galaxy S4 Gets Quite an Ad Campaign in NYC

 Well, Samsung has already invested so much money into their flagship smartphone and there is certainly no more going back! It is all or nothing folks! This is exactly why Samsung is ready to invest even more money into their marketing plan for the Galaxy S4. If you are from New York City and have been to Times Square recently then you already know what I am talking about. Those of you who aren't in touch with the recent story, then perhaps a photograph will speak a thousand words.

Times Square, NYC

  So, Samsung is reminding the world that the Samsung Unpacked event will be held on March 14 in New York City. This is certainly a good move on their part and they will certainly intrigue a lot of people not to mention make the brand more popular. It is hard to say that there is anything wrong with this move to be honest and it is something that ought to have been expected. However, I really hope Samsung has calculated what would happen if their Galaxy S IV doesn't sell so good. Honestly, I hope that they will be able to get all of those investments back somehow, without having to resort to desperate measures.

 Let us remember that Samsung needs to be careful, or else they might end up like HTC. This company had quite a few great smartphones (and they still do!), but a lot of factors have led to this company losing a lot of money! In fact, recent reports show that HTC has earned less money in the past quarter than any other one during the past two years! So, Sammy, here is a bit of advice from an amateur blogger - don't let your ego get you! This means: listen to the users, continue to innovate, make your products as affordable as possible and do not piss people off! Oh, and speaking of HTC, don't forget to have a look at our early Galaxy S4 vs HTC One review (opens in a new window)!

Ready 4 the Show?

 So, are you "ready 4 the show" dear readership? March 14 is close by and we have already written about the event in a previous blog post - Galaxy S4 Release Date Coming Near! Unfortunately the authors of this blog don't live near the NYC region so we will not be attending the event, but in the coming days we will post a few places where you can watch the live streaming of the Galaxy S IV announcement event.

Media kit invitation for the event

 So, what should you know about the Galaxy S4 before heading over to the event or watching the live stream? Well, here a few reading suggestions that we would like to give you girls and guys:

• Galaxy S4 Benchmark and Rumors - this article showcases some interesting rumors about the phones specs and features that are very likely to be true. The article also has a few interesting unofficial benchmark reports which will show you how the phone compares to other devices on the market.
• Why the Exynos 5 Octa is just a marketing trick - in case the Samsung Galaxy S IV does feature the so called octa-core processor you should learn more about it via this article. This is so that you don't get tricked by this branding/marketing trick which suggests that this a new, powerful processor, which isn't really the case.
• Galaxy S IV Photos - not exactly a lot of text in here, but you can view all these amazing renders and graphic interpretations that people have created. We wonder if any of these will be anything like the real Galaxy S4?

 Anything else that you would like to add? Just leave us a comment down bellow and we will reply as soon as possible!