samsung

'Kill switch' sought as answer to phone theft epidemic

NEW YORK -- Megan Boken was on her phone checking in with her family as she got into her car when the line went silent.

The 23-year-old former volleyball star was back at her alma mater, St. Louis University, as part of an alumni-student game. A popular and likeable person, her parents assumed she ran into an old friend and got distracted.

Boken, however, had been shot twice and killed in a robbery. The only item missing: her phone.

Boken's father, Paul, and sister, Annie Palazzolo, shared the details of Megan's death, which occurred in August last year, … Read more

See how Samsung torture-tested the Galaxy S4

Samsung has occasionally been criticized in the past for sticking with lighter, plastic-y, and presumably less tough materials in even its flagship phones like the Galaxy S4. But the Korean monolith is out to prove that it did its best to torture-test at least the S4 before unleashing it on our harsh, unforgiving world filled with countless basins of water, fumbling fingers, and perhaps worst of all -- curious kids.

The below video shows the gauntlet of Samsung's "reliability" testing that the Galaxy S4 was run through. Apparently the phone had to survive being dropped a few feet onto a hard, metal surface hundreds of times, free-fall from a height high enough to shatter a ceramic mug, and a front-facing impact hard enough to crush a walnut shell.… Read more

AT&T grabs rugged Samsung Galaxy S4 Active

AT&T just officially scooped up the rugged Samsung Galaxy S4 Active. Expected to hit store shelves just in time for beach parties, the Galaxy S4 Active offers an 8-megapixel camera, Android 4.2 Jelly Bean, plus is both dustproof and waterproof. … Read more

Galaxy S5 could go the aluminum route, report says

Like rebellious teenagers in bedrooms across the world, it seems Samsung could be about to go through a metal phase. Reports suggest the Samsung Galaxy S5 -- follow-up to the smash hit Galaxy S4 -- could boast the first aluminum body in the Galaxy lineup.

Android Geeks reports the as-yet-unreleased S5 will be encased in an aluminum unibody like the iPhone and HTC One, styled under a new philosophy dubbed "Design 3.0."

Exactly what that involves remains to be seen, but word on the street suggests the S5 will be the first of many high-end Galaxy smartphones … Read more

Samsung readies 'mirrorless' Galaxy Camera for June 20 event

Samsung's Galaxy Camera will be updated at its June 20 event, CEO JK Shin has confirmed.

Speaking to Korea Times in an interview published Wednesday, the chief executive said his company will launch a follow-up to its original Galaxy Camera at a June 20 event in London. As with its predecessor, the Galaxy Camera 2 will run Android and feature a mirrorless design.

Mirrorless point-and-shoot cameras are becoming more popular. They allow users to swap out lenses. Samsung currently sells mirrorless cameras under the NX branding, but those devices aren't running Android.

Samsung's June 20 event is … Read more

Apple looking at 5.7-inch iPhone, claims report

Apple is exploring iPhones as large as 5.7 inches, as it feels the heat from large-screen rivals, according to Reuters.

The company is considering the introduction of "at least two bigger iPhones next year," the report said.

One could sport a 4.7-inch screen and the other a 5.7-incher, Reuters said, citing sources in the Asia supply chain.

"Suppliers have been approached with plans for the larger screens," the report claimed, adding that the move is "still under discussion."

The motive appears to be a growing need to respond to large-screen smartphones … Read more

The five different Galaxy S4s: Which one's for you?

Samsung wasted very little time after sending its Samsung Galaxy S4 into the wild to breed a whole line of variants.

Now, there are no fewer than five Galaxy S4 models vying for your time and attention, and they're rather tough to tell apart.

Take the Galaxy S4 Google Edition, for instance, a model that's almost identical to the GS4 original -- oh, except for its entire experience and price. Then there are the Galaxy S4 Mini, Samsung Galaxy S4 Active, and Galaxy S4 Zoom. What's a Samsung fan to do?

Don't worry, that's what … Read more

Samsung takes wraps off 'Club des Chefs,' Samsung House

NEW YORK -- Samsung on Wednesday said it will partner with Michelin-starred chefs to design new kitchen electronics, boosting its focus on the home appliance market.

The Korean electronics giant took the wraps off the partnership during an event in Manhattan's trendy Soho neighborhood. The company set up a temporary "Samsung House," which is open to the public for a couple days later this week, to demonstrate its various home electronics.

As for its new "Club de Chefs," Samsung will call on a handful of award-winning chefs to "serve as ambassadors and consultants" … Read more

Rumor Has It: What're you going to do now, Microsoft?

This week has been just crazy.

Among all the fun and games: At WWDC, Apple announced a completely revamped iOS 7, iTunes Radio, new MacBook Airs, a new Mac Pro, and a new OS X. At E3, Microsoft announced a price and release date for the Xbox One. And Sony announced the price, release date, and used-games policy for the PlayStation 4. Everyone cheered, and then passed out from exhaustion.

But because of all the hoopla, I think that Microsoft is going to ease up on its restrictions. What do you think?

Also, Samsung could beef up its Galaxy Note lineup, and an analyst predicts you'll be wearing an iWatch by the end of the year. … Read more

AT&T grabs Samsung Galaxy Note 8.0 tablet with LTE

AT&T announced on Wednesday that the LTE-capable Samsung Galaxy Note 8.0 will join the carrier's roster in "the coming weeks" as an AT&T exclusive.

First unveiled at Mobile World Congress, the Note 8.0 runs Android 4.1 Jelly Bean and features a 1.6GHz quad-core processor. Additional details include a 5-megapixel rear-facing camera, a 1.3-megapixel front-facing camera, 16GB of internal memory, and a microSD slot for cards up to 32GB. It's got a 4,600mAh battery inside.

The Galaxy Note 8.0 features an integrated S Pen digital stylus … Read more