Samsung Galaxy Note 5 N920i 32GB Gold, International Version

Samsung Galaxy Note 5 N920i 32GB Gold, International Version Review

By FrozenCloud 

For readers, my opinions on this device (ATT 64Gb version) is based off the experiences I had with this device for the passed few days since launch day (Aug 21, 2015). I will continue to update this review in the future. This review should be the similar to GalaxyNote 5 on other carriers such as Verizon, Sprint, and T-Mobile.

Pros:

No more plastics and cheap material. Samsung is finally giving us the hardware that we've long desired. By far, the best designed Galaxy phone to date imo. If you have played with the Galaxy S6, just imagine a larger verson of that with the S-pen.

- 5.7 in, QHD Super AMOLED screen.

- 16MP Camera with Smart OIS and 5MP front camera. This is the same camera as the one in the Galaxy S6. You will not have any buyer remorse when it come to this camera. IMO, it rivals those photos that are taken on the Iphone 6 and the LG G4. Of course, each have their own strengths and weaknesses.

- I notice that the front camera has a wide angle when taking picture. As in comparison to the iPhone 6, i feel that I can capture alot more and fit more ppl into my selfie without the extension of a selfie stick.

- Gorilla Glass 4 panels for front and back. Gorilla Glass are known to be tough and scratch resistance. But get ready for the fingerprint magnet. Being glass, I notice I constantly have to whip the screen (back and front). Not really a big issue, but it's a pain at time.

- Comes in various colors: White, black, gold, blue (US only get the white, black unfortunately). This really annoys me. I was actually looking forward for the gold or blue version. Yet, ATT only carry the white and black...so typical of them.

- Comes in 32, 64 of built-in memory. (I don't know why there are no 128gb version in the US)

- Less of the TouchWiz’s gimmicky features like the eye scroll, eye away from the screen pause. So we will not be experiencing the same slowdown or low storage as we did with earlier versions. If the GS4/5 were all about the features, this phone is all about the design. I do like the camera app and how they add a "close all" into the recent screen.

- There are some plus feature that they add that I absolutely love. How you are able to take notes without turning on your phone and unlocking it like the Surface pro is awesome. Just let you take quick notes and go on with your life. Another feature I love is the extended screenshot. There are time when 1 screenshot does not cover all the content you want, with extended screenshot, you can just screenshot a whole articles for offline view later which is a + for me.

- Rapid charging (this feature is available with wired or wireless but you need the correct product for this to work)

- Wireless charging - So if you have extra money that you want to drop for a wireless charging dock, you will be able to use it with this phone.

More Info Here

Cons (Not necessarily apply to everyone):

- No removable back panel.

- No removable battery. I’m a battery hog, so I’m always draining my battery by 3-4pm. Not being able to just swap out my battery will be a pain. I always felt that the Note line is for hardcore user that can make it through 2 days of usages. Not going to happen with this year iteration.

- Lower battery capacity - 3000mAh compared to the Note 4. With the new processor, battery usage should be more efficient so it should not be a big deal, but end-users would rather the capacity to increase than decrease. In my experience, you wont be able to make the 2nd day without a charge. So keep a charger handy.

- No waterproofing like the GS5, but I never used a smartphone that was waterproofed before, so not a big issue "to me"

- No ability to swap out memory card – Might bother some Galaxy Note fans, but with the higher memory options, I do not think this is a huge problem. I have read that there are international version out there that allow the 2nd SIM tray to be used as an SD slot, I do not know why it's not implemented in the US version.

- Still no on-screen navigation button – Might only be a problem for "pure" Android fan.

- Rear Camera and Flash sticks out a bit and not flush with the back panel.

- Front and back glass is a potential problem as we all experiences with iPhone 4 and Galaxy s6. Glass will break if you drop your phone at the right angle regardless how much stronger it is, so "case up".

- The 1 speaker at the bottom is louder, however when you turn it on max, you will get some distortions in the audio quality. You wont get the audio level of those Dual front facing stereo on the G4.

- I have been experiencing some weird stutters/lags while messing around the phone. The phone seems to have to reload the app when I do app switching. It's only takes a sec for it to reload when you switch app back and forth but with all that RAM, I do not know why they are doing that.

- The price is a little more expensive than I thought. With myself being on the ATT Next plan, you might have to purchased the phone outright for over $700 after tax. It's a bit to chew on, but Bestbuy is running this promotion that if you trade in a working smartphone, you can get a instant $200 rebate which is what I went with.

Overall, this feels like a this is a solid device. There are some things that Samsung removed from this year iteration like the removable battery and use of SD cards that might be an issue to some users. I do miss the leather back. However for the majority of typical smartphone users, it might not matter. If you can overcome these small issues, I’m confident that you will enjoy this smartphone. My wife love her new phone, especially being able to take notes without unlocking her phone. But I will gradually update this post if I see any other pros/cons.

Please visit your local carrier store to have some hand-on time with the actual phone as what listed here is my own personal opinions.

Samsung Galaxy Tab S 10.5 Tablet Review

Samsung Galaxy Tab S 10.5 Tablet Review

By Mark R Benson 

What is a tablet? A tablet is a slim, lightweight computer, smaller than a laptop but bigger than a smart phone. The key features for a tablet is its portability, user-friendly interface and obviously, its performance.

What can you do with a tablet? Tablets support a large variety of operating systems, from Android, iOS to the latest Windows OS. You can access the app store, install games, music production suites, share photos, watch movies and a lot more. What makes the tablets stand out from their laptop siblings is the touch-screen feature and, if you are accustomed to keyboards, a lot of tablet users make use of the optional docking stations to attach keyboards. Basically, a tablet takes the best from laptops and smartphones and recombines them in a unique, easy to carry device.

Do I need a tablet? That depends on what you need. Do you want a device from which you are going to send emails, make video calls, take pictures, watch TV or simply browse the internet but you don't want to carry a laptop around then the tablet is the best option. If you are convinced you want a tablet, then let's take a look at the Samsung Galaxy Tab S 10.5 Tablet.

Design. Galaxy Tab S 10.5 comes with an ultra-thin design, has a dotted pattern and a soft back that gives a pleasant feel when handled. The case comes into two colours, Dazzling White and Titanium Bronze and both versions have a gold contour around the edge. The tablet feels light, weighting only one pound but, despite the lack of metal it still is robust and resistant. On the right side of the tablet we can find a microSD card slot (for up to 128GB) and a microUSB port. The speakers are one on both sides of the tablet, on the left side we can also find the headphone jack. At the top edge we find the power and volume buttons along with the IR blaster.

Display. The Galaxy Tab S 10.5 comes with a 10.5in wide display and a resolution of 2560 x 1600 pixels with 287 ppi. The backbone for this tablet is the WQXGA Super AMOLED screen that makes the colours more vibrant, the images sharper and over all it sums up to a gorgeous view to watch comparable and even tops the plasma TV image quality. This is the best tablet display that money can buy.

Apart from the exquisite display quality, the viewing angles are very good, outdoor visibility is excellent and, if you turn on the Samsung's Adaptive Display, the tablet will adapt its colours to the ambient lighting. Overall, the Galaxy Tab S 10.5 will deliver a great cinematic experience watching HD movies and no matter the lighting, you will not be disappointed by the image quality. From the display point of view, it may be considered the best tablet on the market.

Performance and Battery Life. Samsung Galaxy Tab S 10.5 features an octa-core Exynos 5420 CPU backed by a 3GB RAM that will be more than enough for multitasking. The processor is comprised of two quad-cores, one goes up to 1.9GHz and the second operates up to 1.3 GHz each depending on the resources needed to run a specific application. A bit on the downside we have the ARM Mali-T628MP6 GPU that is a bit slower than what the competitors offer in the same price range.

Still, when all the cores are used, the Galaxy Tab S 10.5 is the fastest tablet, the problem is not many applications support eight cores. When it comes to browsing, the tablet doesn't let us down. Sites loaded pretty quick, the navigation was very good and even when using MultiWindows mode, we did not experience any performance losses. The gaming performance was also smooth and no delays or lags were experienced when trying to run resource-heavy games. Also the touchscreen response is fast and accurate.

Now, for the battery, the Samsung Galaxy Tab S is equipped with a 7,900 mAh battery that, the manufacturer guarantees up to 9 hours on a single charge. We tested this and the battery lasted for almost two days on medium usage on a single charge. The WiFi connectivity is good, it supports the 802.1 a/b/g/n/ac standards and can transmit in 2.4 or 5GHz networks. This tablet is also available with 4G LTE support, with a LTE radio signal strong enough in terms of maintaining a good connection.

Software. The core OS is Android 4.4 KitKat that, besides the basic features from Android, you can find a lot of Samsung applications, like Samsung's Milk Music service or Multi Window Mode, that help you view two application side-by-side. The TouchWiz interface is bright, easy to use and packed with a lot of customizable apps. Because of the powerful hardware, taps or swipes were registered instantaneously even if another application was running besides the one we were using. Although not as good as iOS 8, the Android 4.4 KitKat OS from Galaxy Tab S 10.5 performed relatively well, we had a decent user-friendly experience and we enjoyed using the tablet's applications.

Camera. Samsung Galaxy Tab S 10.5 has a 8 megapixel rear camera equipped with a LED flash and F2.4 lens that is paired with a 2.1 megapixel camera in the front. Colours are reproduced accurately, the contrast is reasonable but, unless the lighting is very good, you will not be able to take great pictures. The video recording (1080p) were pretty smooth, the audio quality was fair and with no distortions.

Considering all these, the Samsung Galaxy Tab S 10.5 is a great tablet, capable of satisfying even the most demanding users. Equipped with powerful software and the best display for a tablet, the Galaxy Tab S 10.5 is a best buy. For more high quality reviews check out http://www.mbreviews.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Mark_R_Benson

Meizu M1 note India and M2 Note Indonesia: Excellent well-priced smartphone.

Meizu M1 note India and M2 Note Indonesia: Excellent well-priced smartphone. 

By Karan Bajaj

India and Indonesia seems to be the new playground for Chinese smartphone makers. After the likes of Xiaomi, Gionee and Oppo that have managed to capture the imagination of India's booming smartphone population, another Chinese phone maker, Meizu has announced the date of its India entry. According to its official Twitter handle, Meizu will launch its first phone in India, the Meizu M1 Note, on May 18, and M2 Note Indonesia on August6,2015 . Meizu is amongst the top smartphone brands in China and one of the latest to set foot in India and Indonesia.

Specifications: 5.5-inch (1920 x 1080 pixels) IPS display, 1.7Ghz octa core Mediatek processor, 2GB RAM, 16GB storage (non expandable), 13MP rear + 5MP front camera, dual SIM, WiFi, 4G, Bluetooth 4.0, GPS, USB host, 3,140mAh battery, Flyme OS based on Android 4.4, 145 grams. Meizu is amongst the top smartphone brands in China and one of the latest to set foot in India. The company ventured into the smartphone space in 2008 with a focus on providing value for money devices. For India, the company's mid-range dual SIM phablet, the Meizu m1 note, is the kickstarter.

Hardware. Weighing 145 grams, the m1 note looks stylish and elegant with its unibody design. Although the glossy back panel has a stylish design, it is also prone to fingerprints and scratches. It's also quite slippery — we almost dropped on a daily basis. On the right side is the dual SIM tray while the volume keys are on the left and the power button is placed on top. The buttons give good tactical feedback but we would have preferred metal buttons instead of plastic. In side-byside comparison, the m1 note is slimmer by a few mm compared to Asus Zenfone 2 and YU Yureka.

Display. Up front is a gorgeous 5.5-inch display with a resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels protected by Gorilla Glass 3. Untill the Lenovo K3 Note annoucment last week, this was the cheapest smartphone available in the market with a full HD display. We were impressed by the wide viewing angles, rich colours, deep blacks and good sunlight legibility.

Unique feature. One of the unique things about the m1 note is the mixed use of on-screen and hardware sensitive buttons. Under the display is a single touch sensitive home button that also doubles up as a notification light. The back and options buttons are on-screen. The area around the home button is also touch sensitive — you can swipe up from the bezel to the screen to access running apps. If you are switching from an Android device, this combination of on-screen and home button takes a few days to get used to.

Storage. Inside is a 64-bit 1.7Ghz octa-core Mediatek MT6752 processor with 2GB RAM and 16GB storage. You get 13GB of storage and you're stuck with it (no microSD slot). Battery is a massive 3,140mAh unit but its not user replaceable. You also get 4G connectivity, WiFi, Bluetooth 4.0 and USB host.

Performance. In real world usage, the phone's performance is topnotch. Opening and closing apps as well as navigating the user interface is zippy. We played Shadowgun that runs smoothly while Asphalt 8 shows a tiny bit of stutter. With constant 3G/WiFi connectivity, two email accounts, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and mix use of calls and camera, the m1 note easily goes a day and half on a full charge.

Operating System. Meizu has used their customised user interface called Flyme OS (based on Android 4.4) on the m1 note. The interface is bloatware free and strangely goes the other extreme because it even skips the basic pre-installed Google apps like Gmail, Chrome and YouTube — you have to install all these from the Play store yourself. The interface is fluid and all icons and widgets are placed on the home panels. It comes with a built in security center (cleaning junk, virus removal, permissions, data traffic manager) as well as handy functions like double tap to wake and a built-in call recorder. Overall we liked Flyme for its simplicity, feature set and responsiveness.

Camera. Cameras are another strong point of the Meizu m1 note. You get a 13MP autofocus rear camera with dual tone flash. It is surpringly good for the price. You get nicely detailed shots both in daylight as well as indoors.

The minimal level of noise in the images is a surprise — it was only visible when zoomed in or viewed on a larger display. You get multiple camera modes including a manual mode, barcode scanner mode, HDR, panorama as well as a Light Field mode (adjust focus in the image as per choice in post processing). Even for video there is a standard mode and a slow-motion mode (recording limited to 640 x 480 pixels resolution). The front 5MP camera is also equally impressive for selfies — there's minimal noise and good details.

Verdict. Overall, we feel the Meizu M1 and M2note is an excellent smartphone and is priced very well too. You get a fantastic display, great performance, good cameras and excellent battery life. The only issue is the limited 16GB internal storage. You can get M1 in India for Price: Rs 11,999 or US 200-210 and M2 in Indonesia for Rp1.999.000 or below than US$200.

(Source : http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/magazines/panache/meizu-m1-note-review-excellent-well-priced-smartphone/articleshow/47889)

How to Select the Best Android Tablet

How to Select the Best Android Tablet

By Varun Kumar Saini

In the age of smart phones and tablets, Android powered devices have successfully managed to carve a unique identity for them. All the Android powered devices are famous for their user- friendly interface as well as the cheap apps and games available with them. Though these apps were already a part of many smart phones that came before Android, these were expensive enough that not everyone was able to afford them. With the introduction of Android powered smart phones and tablets in the market, this entire range of high end games as well as apps became more accessible to the common masses.

Android tablets have an advantage over other tablets available in the market. These tablets are powered with one of the most powerful and portable operating systems available today i.e. Android itself. These are highly customizable as well. The reliability as well as powerful features provided by Android is the reason why some of the automobile manufacturers in the world are also interested in it, so that they can find something useful and engaging for their customers.

Specifically speaking of Android tablets, it is a known fact that a whole new range of tablets have exploded in the digital market. Apart from this, the new range of applications and games that accompany these tablets are also commendable. However, all these choices can put people in a huge dilemma. To make it easier for everyone to easily and wisely invest in an Android tablet, below are some factors which should be kept in mind before investing in an Android powered tablet. In order to make a wise decision, scroll down and take a look at some of the points to be kept in mind before buying an Android tablet.

1. Purpose/ Usage of tablet. Interestingly, a wide range of tablets are available under the Android platform. These range from utility tablets for grownups to the user friendly and educative tablets for kids. The Kid's Safe Tablet is especially designed for kids so as to assist them in various educative programs involved in their curriculum. It can be used for the purpose of playing games and solving puzzles as well. Also, there are the usual bigger and smarter tablets meant for grownups. These tablets are as efficient as a full- fledged laptop.

The perks of choosing separate tablets for you and your kids is that it will certainly reduce the wear and tear which kids often leave on their parent's tablets. So, the first step is to determine the purpose for which you are planning to invest in an Android tablet.

2. Size of the tablet. After determining the purpose of investing in an Android tablet, the next step is to decide the size of the tablet. Luckily, Android powered tablets are available in a variety of sizes. One of the most interesting as well as advantageous fact about a tablet is that it is compact in size. The sleek design and smart built of a tablet is what makes them easy to carry and look after. While it is impossible to carry a PC around and since laptops are huge in size, tablets are what come to everyone's rescue.

The 7 inch tablets from Android are way cheaper than many other tablets available in the market. But if you are interested in playing games and using apps on your tablet, those 10 inch tablets are simply perfect for you. While smaller tablets are easy to carry around, bigger ones have their share of advantages as well. For instance, watching movies and playing games is something that can be conveniently achieved on a big tablet. Since Android tablets can be highly customised, bigger tablets make the whole experience more enjoyable and mesmerising for the users. So, the second factor to be kept in mind while choosing the right Android powered tablet is the size of the tablet.

3. The right Android operating system. Like iOS, various versions of the Android operating system are also available. All these versions of Android have their own set of features. Starting from the very first version of Android i.e. Android 1.5 (Cup Cake), there are 8 more versions available. The most recently launched version of Android is the Android 4.4 (Kit Kat). It is entirely the buyer's decision that which version of Android he/ she wants in his/ her tablet. Accordingly, their tablet will be performing all the functions which are offered within the scope of that particular version of Android.

Moreover, there are certain applications as well as games which are unique to each version and they may/ may not be upgradable to the higher ones. Hence, every buyer should be cautious while buying a tablet with Android 2.3 or below. The reason behind this is that these versions do not support Flash. It is advised to choose the appropriate version of Android wisely. This can be done based on the user's preferences as well as the reasons behind buying a tablet.

4. The right manufacturer. Looking at the popularity and fan following of Android tablets in the market, there are few very potentially powerful tablet manufacturers in the digital world today. The dilemma arises because each of these tablets is worth putting your hands on. Manufacturers like Sony, Google, Samsung, etc have emerged as equally powerful suppliers of Android powered tablets in the world.

However, it may not be that difficult to choose between these tablets. The reason behind this is that each of these manufacturers has some additional features and may function differently as well. Hence, the only way to zero in on any Android tablet is by being sure about the features and specifications that you expect to be there in your tablet.

5. What's your budget? The cost of an Android tablet depends on the version of the Android operating system installed as well as the features offered by it. The various factors which contribute in the final price of a tablet include the operating system, features, built, design, utility as well as the size. While smaller tablets are definitely cheaper than the bigger ones, it solely depends on the user's requirements and budget.

6. Does your tablet connect to the Android market? Sadly, not every Android powered tablet can be connected to the online Android market. This is because Google does not have much control on Android. Once a new version of Android is released to the masses, there is nothing that Google can do. But Google certainly has the control over the entire Android market. Hence, older versions of Android such as Android 2.2 and below will never connect to the Android market. No doubt some apps will be available to you, but the majority of utility apps and games will be far out of your reach.

You must be wondering about the significance of buying an Android tablet if you cannot have access to all the apps and games in the Android market. Hence, this is another important factor to be kept in mind while buying any Android powered tablet.

7. Tablets may/ may not require a data plan. All Android tablets can be either sold with Wi-Fi connectivity or with 3G/ 4G wireless data access. Often it is seen that these tablets are sold at a discount price because of their collaboration with any cellular service provider. Before investing in any Android tablet, check if you are covered under the 2 years of payment over the price for which you are buying your tablet. Also, check the amount of data that you will be provided under this plan. It is always advised to go for a plan which is expandable in future.

8. Say no to Modified Androids. Similar to the modifications brought in Android user interfaces in different devices by their manufacturers, modifications can be brought in Android tablets as well. Often manufacturers state that it is a wonderful thing, but it also has some disadvantages.

The disadvantage is that these modified versions often act differently from their real versions. This may pose a difficult situation for people using the modified version of Android. Hence, you should always go for the real and original version of Android. Investing in the right Android tablet is surely a difficult decision to make. But once you invest in the right tablet, there will be no looking back for you.

For more articles similar to this, you can visit Android Valley.

As an author, I am constantly exploring the world of Android and can also provide you with lots of information about this amazing operating system. If you are looking for more articles on Android, you can visit my website http://www.androidvalley.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Varun_Kumar_Saini