Samsung Galaxy Note 4 build issues reported by South Korean buyers

While the Galaxy Note 4 is slated for a launch in over 140 countries starting October, South Korean consumers have had the option to buy Samsung’s new phablet flagship since September 26th. However, it looks like some of the early adopters of the Galaxy Note 4 in Samsung’s home country might not be too happy with their purchase. Reports have surfaced about users complaining about a manufacturing defect in the Note 4, manifesting itself in the form of a gap between the phone’s display and its casing, a gap that can easily fit two sheets of A4 paper or a business card.

As always, it’s possible this defect is limited to only a few units, but it certainly looks like it could be a huge issue that Samsung will need to address as quickly as it can. Samsung is reportedly aware of the issues; it’s likely the company will be offering free replacements to all affected users, though it remains to be seen if the issue is big enough to be an obstacle in the Galaxy Note 4′s worldwide launch next month.

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Clove UK taking pre-orders for Samsung Galaxy Note Edge, priced at £650

UK retailer Clove recently said that the Galaxy Note Edge won’t be coming to the UK in its initial launch and that units of the device would be hard to come by. However, it seems Clove is pretty confident it will be able to get the device from elsewhere, something the retailer said it would try to do, as it is now taking pre-orders for the curved display Galaxy Note. Given its “limited concept device” nature, the Galaxy Note Edge has been priced accordingly high – you will need to shell out a whopping £650 in order to get your hands on one.

Even if you are ready to spend that amount though, Clove hasn’t yet mentioned when it will start shipping or stocking the Galaxy Note Edge. It will likely be a while before the retailer can do that, though hopefully users will have the choice of buying it from other retailers soon enough. For now, hit that source link to pre-order the Galaxy Note Edge from Clove, and read our hands-on experience with the device.

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Samsung Galaxy Tab Active Hands-on

Samsung introduced the Galaxy Tab Active at IFA 2014 in Berlin, Germany. The announcement was rather quite as the device didn’t receive a single mention at the company’s big UNPACKED 2014 Episode 2 event where it launched the Galaxy Note 4, Galaxy Note Edge, Gear S and the Gear VR. However, Samsung did let us play with the device for a few minutes, so read on for hands-on experience

With the Tab Active, Samsung is targeting the enterprise user, and after interviewing 25 Fortune 500 companies, it discovered that companies want a device which is inexpensive, isn’t bulky and heavy, and doesn’t incorporate yesterday’s technologies. And that’s exactly what the Galaxy Tab Active is.

Design-wise, the tablet is very similar to the Galaxy S5 Active - it’s like Samsung simply enlarged the GS5 Active and swapped out the stunning 5.1-inch Full HD (1920×1080) Super AMOLED panel with an 8-inch low-res (1280×800) TFT LCD display. Even though the resolution is pretty low, the display panel itself is not bad at all. As you would expect from a Samsung device, the tablet is constructed out of plastic. Though the design language has taken a huge leap in the right direction with the Galaxy Alpha and the Note 4, the Tab Active is unfortunately still from the old era in this regard.

Samsung’s latest enterprise solution is also built like a tank! It sports IP67 water and dust protection, and the best part is that there is no flap covering the microUSB port, just like on the Galaxy S5 Mini. The device is also MIL-STD 810G compliant and Samsung has already offered it to the U.S. military. Samsung has also developed a new Anti-Shock Cover for the device, which it will be shipping with each unit. The cover provides extra shock protection, and at the same time adds a bit of bulk to the device as well. However, the cover does come with its perks; for example, with the protective cover on, the Galaxy Tab Active is able to withstand a 1.2-metre drop, and the cover also holds Samsung’s robust C-Pen (stylus). Now, just to let everyone know, the C-Pen is no S-Pen, so don’t expect to create any wonders with it. It’s just an ordinary capacitive stylus.

Now let’s talk about the performance. On paper, the Galaxy Tab Active is not a powerhouse, simply because it doesn’t have to be one. So, we weren’t expecting much performance out of the tablet, but we were shocked by the results. The tablet performed very well, the transitions were smooth and there was less to no lag whatsoever. It looks like Samsung has finally started optimising its software properly. However, we weren’t able to conduct extensive tests on the Tab Active, due to the short amount of time we had with the device.

Samsung has equipped the device with a 1.2GHz quad-core processor – exact specifications of the SoC are unknown at the moment – 1.5GB of LPDDR3 RAM and 16GB of internal storage which is user expandable via a microSD card up to 64GB. A 3.1-megapixel camera sensor and an LED flash is present on the back, and there is also a 1.2- megapixel front facing camera for video calls and selfies. The camera quality itself is average, but Samsung says enterprise users won’t be using it for the quality but for productivity (like scanning barcode scanners.)

In terms of connectivity, the Galaxy Tab Active features Wi-Fi 802.11n, hexa-band LTE, NFC, GPS, GLONASS, WiFi Direct, Bluetooth 4.0 BLE / ANT+ and microUSB 2.0 port for syncing and charging the device. Unlike other Samsung devices, the device isn’t packed with a ton of sensors and only comes with an accelerometer and a light sensor.

Out of the box, the device comes with Android 4.4.4 KitKat and Samsung’s latest TouchWiz UX. The Tab Active is Citrix ready, SAP-certified, comes with Samsung KNOX built-in, and the Korean giant has also partnered up with Oracle and ECOM. Samsung’s own features like Smart Tutor and Ultra Power Saving mode are also present on the device.

To power all the technology inside the Galaxy Tab Active, there is a 4,450mAh lithium-ion battery, which is also user replaceable – a first for a Samsung tablet. Dimension-wise, the Tab Active comes in at 126.1 x 212.9 x 9.75 mm and weighs 388 grams, and 393 grams with the Anti-Shock cover on. The tablet will be arriving in Q4 of this year and Samsung will also be offering a 3-year Samsung Mobile Care warranty for the device.

Overall, we like what Samsung has accomplished with the Galaxy Tab Active: it truly is a pure enterprise tablet. We can’t wait to get the device in our offices and bring you our full review of the Galaxy Tab Active.

Exclusive: Samsung’s first low-end Tizen phone will have 3.2MP camera, dual SIM slots, run Tizen 2.3

After months of delays, Samsung officially announced the Samsung Z, the first commercial Tizen-powered smartphone, back in June this year. However, the Samsung Z has still not made it to markets, and rumors have hinted thatSamsung plans to ditch the Z and focus on launching low-end handsets given the explosive growth the budget smartphone segment has seen in recent months. There has also been a rumor that said Samsung is planning to launch a low-cost Tizen phone in India by November, and thanks to our sources, we now have some details on the first low-end Tizen phone that Samsung is planning on bringing to market.

Based on the information we’ve received, the device will be as low-end as it gets. It will have dual SIM slots and an FM radio, two features that are very popular in emerging markets (like India), and a low-resolution (3.2-megapixel) rear camera; as for the software, the device (SM-Z130H) will be running Tizen 2.3, though that can change by the time it becomes available for purchase. For any new OS, the number of popular apps it has available is an important aspect, and we can confirm that both Twitter and Facebook will be making official apps for Tizen and making it available on the upcoming device. Of course, that doesn’t mean we will see a lot of popular apps make its way to Tizen in a short span of time, but having two of the most popular social network apps will certainly help.

As with any new mobile OS, making a mark on a market dominated by Android and iOS is a difficult thing. However, as Windows Phone and devices like the Nokia Lumia 520 have shown, there is enough space for different players in the budget smartphone market, so it’s not at all surprising it’s the market Samsung has decided to focus on. As always, none of this information is fully official and can change in the coming weeks and months, though you can rest assured we will be sharing any new details that we come across.

Samsung SM-A700 (Galaxy A7) to have a 5.5-inch screen, dual SIM slots

More details about Samsung’s A series of devices, the SM-A700 in particular, have made their way online today. The SM-A700 has reached India for testing, and its listing on import tracking site Zauba has revealed that the device will feature a 5.5-inch screen. As we’ve already confirmed exclusively, the display will have an HD resolution, which means the SM-A700 (or the Galaxy A7, as it will probably be called) won’t offer a flagship-level viewing experience, at least not when it comes to display sharpness. The phone will also sport dual SIM slots, a feature that should be present on the SM-A300 and the Galaxy A5 as well.

The Galaxy A7 will be launched in only selected countries, feature LTE connectivity, and cost somewhere between $450 to $500 (that’s the suggested retail price.) Its metallic construction will likely be what sets it apart from other devices in its price range, though given the lack of details available on the highest-end member of Samsung’s upcoming Galaxy A lineup, it remains to be seen just what the Galaxy A7 turns out to be.

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