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Samsung confirmed its next Gear smartwatch has a rotating bezel
If everything we've heard so far is true, Samsung's next Gear smartwatch could be far more interesting than any of its current products. Following news that the wearable comes with a round design, the company has reportedly confirmed it's also going to feature a rotating, functional bezel ring. The Gear A, as the device is said to be called, plans to let people take advantage of this attribute by letting them use it to zoom in and out across the OS, as well as play games. According to SamMobile, the Tizen-powered smartwatch sports an Exynos 3472 dual-core processor with 4GB of onboard storage, a 250mAh battery and a 360 x 360 display that'll rely on the rotating bezel for some features. We'll likely know for sure on August 13th, when Samsung's scheduled to host its Unpacked 2015 event.
Verizon's Galaxy S 4 can now surf more LTE bands after Android 4.3 update
In a particularly punctual effort from Verizon, the carrier has begun feeding its Galaxy S 4 variant with Android 4.3 via an OTA update, after Samsung gave it the nod earlier this month. As the Korean company has been keen to iterate, this update adds Galaxy Gear compatibility to the flagship, as well as support for Sammy's Knox security platform and some other, minor software tweaks. Most importantly for Big Red customers, the software activates Band 4 as previously promised, meaning the handset is now able to cruise LTE over AWS frequencies where that new slice of spectrum is active. Those unburdened airwaves are currently offering some tantalizing speeds, which are now just an update away.
This week on gdgt: Surface Pro 2, Nintendo 2DS, and software updates
Each week, our friends at gdgt go through the latest gadgets and score them to help you decide which ones to buy. Here are some of their most recent picks. Want more? Visit gdgt anytime to catch up on the latest, and subscribe to gdgt's newsletter to get a weekly roundup in your inbox.
Galaxy S4 now lets you talk to Samsung's Gear smartwatch with latest update
As Android updates have gone as of late, there really hasn't been much to get excited about -- not until we break into Kit Kat, anyway. But the rollout of Android 4.3 Jelly Bean to Samsung's former flagship the Galaxy S4, now live according to SamMobile, is notable as it adds compatibility with the newly hatched Galaxy Gear. So while you may not notice the bevy of tweaks Google's made to keep your Android device whirring along and fending off old mobile age, Samsung's made it so that you can early adopt its half-baked fad innovation and talk to your hand, literally. Samsung's also bundled in its own Wallet app, reading mode, updates to the imaging software, as well as a new keyboard and browser. It's not for everyone though -- you will need to have an unlocked model of the GS4 to download the update. We expect over-the-air updates to hit carrier-locked GS4 variants sometime in, well, let's conservatively say next year.
Samsung Galaxy Gear review
When we speak of smartwatches, what do you think of first? If you're the nostalgic type, your mind might drift back to Dick Tracy, or to those times when Michael Knight yelled at KITT to help get him out of impossibly tight spots (which, let's face it, was nearly every single episode). But those types of products, once associated with sci-fi movies and TV shows, are now a dime a dozen -- they're so numerous in 2013, in fact, that an entire industry has been built around them, and big-name companies like Google and Apple are starting to show an intense interest in them. It was only a matter of time (har) before a large manufacturer like Samsung tossed its hat into the wearables arena. Its first attempt, known as the Galaxy Gear, was announced alongside the Galaxy Note 3 and the new Note 10.1 about a month ago. With a 1.6-inch AMOLED screen, upcoming third-party support and even a camera, this promises to be unlike any smartwatch we've played with before. Still, the suggested MSRP of $300 is a pretty high price to pay for the convenience of looking at texts on your wrist, and you may not even see Warren Beatty rocking the thing on the red carpet. But is this first-generation Samsung device executed well enough that you might consider purchasing it along with your new Galaxy Note 3? Let's see.
Samsung Galaxy Note 3 goes up for pre-order September 18th on T-Mobile
Get your giant hands ready, T-Mobile subscribers. The Un-Carrier announced this morning that the latest version of Samsung's phamed phablet will be going up for pre-order September 18th. Pick it up through the Simple Choice Plan, and the 5.7-inch handset'll run you $199 down plus $21 a month for 24 months. As noted earlier, the Note 3 will be hitting T-Mob's stores and site on October 2nd, along with the $299 Galaxy Gear Smartwatch.
This week on gdgt: Sony's RX100 II, HP's Slatebook X2 and keeping your iPhone 5
Each week, our friends at gdgt go through the latest gadgets and score them to help you decide which ones to buy. Here are some of their most recent picks. Want more? Visit gdgt anytime to catch up on the latest, and subscribe to gdgt's newsletter to get a weekly roundup in your inbox.
Snapchat Micro will bring disappearing messages to Samsung's Galaxy Gear
There seems little doubt that much of the Galaxy Gear's success or failure will hinge on the selection of apps that arrive on smartwatch. Samsung is making a strong push for third-party software (even in the face of limited device storage), courting a big cross section of developers at places like Path and eBay for its wearable. Popular messaging app Snapchat will also be hitting the device in the form of Snapchat Micro. As you'd expect, the app harnesses the Gear's 1.9-megapixel camera to send self-destructing images. The company's founder told Techcrunch, "Our team is constantly looking at ways to reduce the time between our experience of a moment and our ability to share it." Walking around with a camera on your wrist is certainly one way to go about it.
Samsung Galaxy Gear winds its way through FCC approval
Granted, the picture we see above us would've been much more intriguing a couple days ago, prior to Samsung Unpacked, but it shows the Samsung SM-V700 (aka Galaxy Gear) getting the official stamp of approval by the FCC, which means it's one step closer to store shelves. The docs don't give us any juicy tidbits that we didn't already know -- essentially, the device has Bluetooth and not much else in the way of wireless connectivity -- but this doesn't come as a surprise for an already-announced gadget. Still, the Galaxy Gear's appearance in the FCC is at least a clear indication that things are going in the right direction, and folks in the US may see it closer to the September 25th launch date than they initially feared.
Samsung Galaxy Gear smartwatch prototype leaked ahead of September 4th launch
Been wondering what Samsung's upcoming smartwatch was going to look like? Take a seat, because VentureBeat sneaked a first look at the upcoming wearable over the weekend. According to the outlet, the prototype device features a three inch display, built-in speakers and a 4-megapixel camera housed in the watch's wrist strap. VentureBeat describes the Samsung Galaxy Gear as lightweight but somewhat dwarfing, with a "clunky" large wristband and quite a bit of bulk. Although VentureBeat wasn't allowed to take pictures of the alleged prototype, it did manage to snag a few screengrabs from an internal promotional video -- showing off the device's camera, screen and touch menu system. The watch also is said to support Samsung S Voice commands as well as an assortment of pre-loaded health apps that include heart-rate and calorie monitors, as well a pedometer. Users can also take pictures of food and categorize it for later review. Although the prototype seems to suggest that Samsung is marketing the device as a health accessory, those aforementioned features also fill the bill for a standard smartphone companion. VentureBeat also noted social media features, a functional call log and independent internet access via WiFi, meaning you should be use the watch without a smartphone if needed. The watch is also reportedly rated to last for more than ten hours on a single charge -- a little shy in longevity if it's your primary timepiece, but perhaps enough for a fitness-focused accessory. We'll find out more when Samsung officially reveals the wearable on Wednesday, but if you're itching for more info, check out the attached source for more images and VentureBeat's own artistic rendition of the prototype.
