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Samsung Galaxy S5 review: a solid improvement, but don't rush to upgrade
Now that I've been testing it for a few days, let's see if the Galaxy S5 lives up to all those promises.
Google mandates Android logo on device bootup screens
When we first booted up the new HTC One, we were greeted by a "Powered by Android" logo near the bottom of the screen; Samsung has done the same thing with the Galaxy S5. At first this may not seem like a very big deal, but thanks to some internal documents and verification from sources familiar with the matter, there may actually be a lot more to this simple logo than meets the eye. We've confirmed with sources that Google now requires that manufacturers add the "Powered by Android" logo to their splash screens in order to get certified for its Mobile Services.
T-Mobile to offer the Samsung Galaxy S5 for no money down, pre-orders begin March 24th
Looks like the embargo is officially up on Samsung Galaxy S5 pricing. After AT&T revealed earlier today that it'll sell the new flagship phone for $200 on-contract, T-Mobile chimed in to say it will offer the device for no money down, with pre-orders beginning next week, on March 24th. Of course, anyone who knows anything about T-Mobile's UnCarrier pricing plans knows that doesn't mean "free" -- it means you're committing to 24 subsequent monthly payments. So, if you're already sweet on the GS5's Band-Aid-like stylings, and know you prefer T-Mo, you'll want to sign up first thing on Monday.
Spritz's speed-reading tech shows up to 1,000 words a minute, makes its debut on Samsung devices
Two weeks ago, we were so busy getting hands-on with the new Samsung GS5 and Galaxy Gear 2 smartwatch that an exclusive app for the two devices flew completely under our radar. That "app," as we call it, isn't really an app at all: it's Spritz's speed-reading technology, and if all goes according to plan, it will soon be embedded into loads of websites, apps and wearables devices. For now, though, the tech is making is debut on the GS5 and the Gear 2, with a public SDK set to come out in a few weeks.
AT&T's Galaxy S5 gets FCC approval, just like you knew it would (update: T-Mobile and Verizon too)
Samsung already made it clear that the Galaxy S5 would reach AT&T when it launched globally in April. Still, it's nice to know the flagship is on track for an on-time arrival, right? The 5.1-inch phone just surfaced in a fresh set of FCC documents, which show a GS5 variant with AT&T-friendly LTE bands (2, 4, 5 and 17) and support for ANT+ sensors (handy for wireless heart-rate monitors and the like). Predictably, the phone also includes GSM, GPRS, EDGE and UMTS, for when you can't manage a 4G signal. That still leaves lots of questions -- how much will it cost? How good is this thing? -- but we suppose we'll just have to wait until April 11th to find out. Update: Sure enough, a T-Mobile version of the GS5 has also surfaced at the FCC. Update #2: And here's the Verizon version too. Enjoy. Update #3: A few days later, Samsung has also passed another CDMA model through the FCC; this one's most likely destined for relatively small carriers, such as US Cellular.
Samsung Galaxy S5 preview: simpler in some ways, more 'glam' in others
Once a year, Samsung takes some of its best material and slaps it together into a premium flagship model called the Galaxy S. While 2014's version -- the S5 -- came a bit earlier in the year than some earlier iterations, we're no less excited to see it become the star of the show at Mobile World Congress. The new device will ship in April (on stage, Samsung specifically mentioned that it launches on April 11th in 150 markets), although exact pricing and availability are still unknown. It features a refreshed design language, yet anyone who has used a GS phone recently will immediately recognize it as a Samsung flagship. Despite its familiar design, the GS5 has a few new useful hardware features, including a fingerprint scanner, heart rate sensor, and a toned-down TouchWiz UI on top of Android 4.4 KitKat. Perhaps the biggest surprise of all, however, was that Samsung didn't overload its prized new smartphone with a heaping dose of new S-branded features. This is a marked departure from the company's previous strategy of cramming in every software feature under the sun, which leads us to wonder if this is related to Samsung's recent agreement to dial back the customization it does on Android devices. So what else is new here? Read on for a deeper dive.
