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IRL: Olloclip's 4-in-1 photo lens for Galaxy S4 and S5
We first met Olloclip's tiny pop-on camera lens more than three years ago. The iPhone accessory got its start on Kickstarter, in the crowdfunding site's infancy, and became our very first featured Insert Coin project. Today, it's a staple at the Apple Store and a slew of other retailers -- you can even pick one up at those Best Buy vending machines in the airport. Several more iPhone versions have since debuted, but we've never seen an Olloclip for Android smartphones, until today. The first Android versions are compatible with two recent Samsung flagships, the Galaxy S4 and Galaxy S5. Because photo effects are created using a physical lens rather than an app, Olloclips are designed for specific devices. If you don't own a Galaxy S4 or S5 (or an iPhone), don't lose hope -- we may see models for other handsets in the near future.
South Korea may get a Galaxy S 4 Active with LTE-A, processor and camera upgrades
South Korea's SK-Telecom already has a variant of the GS4 to surf its LTE-Advanced waves, and now it appears Samsung will release a version of the Galaxy S4 Active that plays nice with the carrier's next-gen network. A flyer posted on a Korean-language website revealed the handset and detailed its specs, listing a 2.3GHz quad-core Snapdragon 800 processor, a healthy horsepower boost from the original's 1.9GHz quad-core Snapdragon 600. What's more, the smartphone now sports a 13MP camera -- which matches that of the vanilla Galaxy S4 -- and its storage has doubled to 32GB. Besides shaving off a few grams in weight and nabbing a white color option, the device retains the rest of its predecessor's features, all the way down to its 5-inch 1080p display and 2,600mAh battery. It's not clear if a revamped GS4 Active will make its way to other territories sans LTE-A, but adventurous (and clumsy) souls can keep their hopes up for a more powerful incarnation of the ruggedized phone.
Daily Roundup: Lumia 2520 review, Xbox One teardown, day one patch frustrations and more!
You might say the day is never really done in consumer technology news. Your workday, however, hopefully draws to a close at some point. This is the Daily Roundup on Engadget, a quick peek back at the top headlines for the past 24 hours -- all handpicked by the editors here at the site. Click on through the break, and enjoy.
Samsung and HTC phones go head-to-head in an 'uncheatable' benchmark test
Remember the allegation that Samsung cheats at benchmarks? Despite the manufacturer's semi-denials, there's growing evidence to suggest that not only Samsung, but also a number of other Android phone makers engage in some level of chicanery. Usually, it involves programming a device to temporarily ramp up its performance if it detects the launch of a benchmark test, regardless of the consequences for battery life or processor temperature. This results in a higher score on the artificial test, but one that is unrepresentative of what the device could actually achieve if it had to pace itself for a real-world task that lasted for a longer period of time -- such as a 20-minute bout of gaming. So far, so bad. However, a startup called GameBench reckons there's another way. Its founders, who previously worked at chip companies like ARM and MediaTek, claim to have developed an "uncheatable" performance test that can be used to corroborate (or refute) the scores from traditional benchmarking apps, and which can help to rank Android phones and devices according to their true gaming capabilities. Although GameBench's app is still in beta and likely won't be released until the first quarter of next year, it has already collected scores for two devices, the HTC One and the Samsung Galaxy S 4. Ironically, as you're about to see, Samsung may actually have less to fear from this cheat-free test than some of its rivals.
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.
Galaxy S4 Mini leaked in bubble gum colors for AT&T and Sprint (update: Verizon too)
We're not sure what happened to the alleged GS4 Mini for Verizon, which popped up a couple of months ago and still hasn't materialized. Nevertheless, here we go with some freshly leaked images courtesy of @evleaks, this time purporting to show Samsung's shrunken GS4 in various degrees of color saturation for AT&T and Sprint. We have no idea as to when the device will arrive on these networks, or how much it'll cost relative to an imported unit (the GS4 Mini is still $410 at Negri, versus $250 for the GS3 Mini). In fact, we're still not convinced that these low-spec models were worth their salt to begin with -- although, to be fair, they seem to be pretty popular in Europe right now. Update: We can add Verizon to the mix, as @evleaks has also outed a model for that carrier carrying its logo not only on the back, but also on the home button.
Daily Roundup: Sony's Cyber-shot QX100, Kindle Fire HDX 7 hands-on, Valve's Steam Machines, and more!
You might say the day is never really done in consumer technology news. Your workday, however, hopefully draws to a close at some point. This is the Daily Roundup on Engadget, a quick peek back at the top headlines for the past 24 hours -- all handpicked by the editors here at the site. Click on through the break, and enjoy.
Out of nowhere, Samsung hits us with a gold GS4
And just like that, Samsung Gulf has announced the gold-trimmed Galaxy S 4, complemented by either brown or pink plastic for the guys and girls, respectively (dare we say it). We don't know whether these fresh editions will ever come to markets outside the Middle East, but Samsung's timing couldn't have been better. Meanwhile, we're still waiting on that gold HTC One.
Android 4.3 arriving for Galaxy S III and Galaxy S 4 in October
Today's Unpacked event was all about Samsung's new Notes and its Galaxy Gear, but there's good news for folks with older hardware. Turns out, Android 4.3 is coming to the Galaxy S III and Galaxy S 4 in October along with the update that'll add Galaxy Gear functionality to the GS 4. Let's hope none of the Nexus gremlins made their way into Samsung's Galaxy. Follow all of our IFA 2013 coverage by heading to our event hub!
MoDaCo.Switch for Galaxy S 4 now available in beta... to Indiegogo backers
For about a month now, HTC One owners have been able to enjoy MoDaCo's efforts to mix up the Android experience on the Taiwanese company's handset. But, hey, don't go thinking anyone forgot about Samsung's own flagship device, the Galaxy S 4. Available now to those who backed the campaign on Indiegogo, MoDaCo.Switch is giving the GS4 crowd a ROM to sense what it's like to seamlessly switch between the TouchWiz and AOSP versions of Android OS. It's worth noting that this particular ROM is only compatible with GSM models of the Galaxy S 4, and, as ever, creator Paul O'Brien notes it is a beta after all, so some issues may arise. In other words, backers must install at their own risk -- capiche?
Sprint releases purple Galaxy S 4, gives Prince a new 'life companion'
Sprint's eggplant-colored Galaxy S III must have proven a hit, as the carrier is already following up with a version of the Galaxy S 4 in Purple Mirage. Like its ancestor, the purple GS4 is strictly a palette swap; the $200 you pay on contract still gets you a 16GB version of Samsung's familiar 2013 flagship, just in a more vibrant shade. If you're tired of conservative smartphone colors, though, you could do far worse than to buy Sprint's latest royal-hued smartphone... especially if you're a platinum-selling rocker from Minnesota.
Samsung caught boosting benchmark performance numbers on Exynos devices (updated)
Benchmarks often catch the ire of critics because their scores don't necessarily reflect real-world experience, and it appears that some Samsung devices aren't helping that reputation out at all. Our friends at Anandtech started sifting through data for two Exynos octacore variants of the Galaxy S 4, and discovered multiple benchmarks that appear to run those devices at higher CPU and GPU clock speeds than they normally run. Some of the apps included in the report are GLBench 2.5.1, AnTuTu, Quadrant and Linpack. Coincidentally, the site also found code within the GS4 that indicates the existence of a program called "BenchmarkBooster," which is responsible for overclocking the processors when certain apps are running. Is this an evil plot by Samsung to take over the world using rogue benchmarking results? Is this something other manufacturers are doing? It's hard to say, but there is certainly something curious afoot. Check out the source to get all of the skinny on what exactly is going on. Update: Samsung has posted a short response on its official Korean-language blog, proclaiming its innocence, saying that the GS4 is designed to run at a higher clock speed on many full-screen apps, and that benchmarking apps simply fall into that category. On the other hand, it hasn't explained the "BenchmarkBooster" code, so we're still waiting on a more detailed explanation from the manufacturer. 2nd update: We now have an English language response from Samsung, which accepts that benchmark apps may run at higher clock speeds than some games, but again denies that this is a deliberate attempt to distort specific scores: "Under ordinary conditions, the GALAXY S4 has been designed to allow a maximum GPU frequency of 533MHz. However, the maximum GPU frequency is lowered to 480MHz for certain gaming apps that may cause an overload, when they are used for a prolonged period of time in full-screen mode. Meanwhile, a maximum GPU frequency of 533MHz is applicable for running apps that are usually used in full-screen mode, such as the S Browser, Gallery, Camera, Video Player, and certain benchmarking apps, which also demand substantial performance. The maximum GPU frequencies for the GALAXY S4 have been varied to provide optimal user experience for our customers, and were not intended to improve certain benchmark results. Samsung Electronics remains committed to providing our customers with the best possible user experience."
The Weekly Roundup for 07.08.2013
You might say the week is never really done in consumer technology news. Your workweek, however, hopefully draws to a close at some point. This is the Weekly Roundup on Engadget, a quick peek back at the top headlines for the past seven days -- all handpicked by the editors here at the site. Click on through the break, and enjoy.
The Daily Roundup for 07.12.2013
You might say the day is never really done in consumer technology news. Your workday, however, hopefully draws to a close at some point. This is the Daily Roundup on Engadget, a quick peek back at the top headlines for the past 24 hours -- all handpicked by the editors here at the site. Click on through the break, and enjoy.
MetroPCS brings Galaxy S 4 to eight areas for $549 plus tax, wider availability coming 'soon'
Well, we can't say we didn't see this one coming. Shortly after making a stop by the FCC and being teased on Twitter, MetroPCS has made the Galaxy S 4 official with a $549 plus tax sticker price (and no contracts attached, of course). Samsung's latest flagship is only available across eight covered areas initially (list in source link), however the plan is to set in motion a "full market rollout in the near future." The GS4 is up for grabs in stores starting today, and MetroPCS says extra locations and online availability will "be announced soon."
The Weekly Roundup for 07.01.2013
You might say the week is never really done in consumer technology news. Your workweek, however, hopefully draws to a close at some point. This is the Weekly Roundup on Engadget, a quick peek back at the top headlines for the past seven days -- all handpicked by the editors here at the site. Click on through the break, and enjoy.
The Daily Roundup for 07.03.2013
You might say the day is never really done in consumer technology news. Your workday, however, hopefully draws to a close at some point. This is the Daily Roundup on Engadget, a quick peek back at the top headlines for the past 24 hours -- all handpicked by the editors here at the site. Click on through the break, and enjoy.
The Daily Roundup for 06.26.2013
You might say the day is never really done in consumer technology news. Your workday, however, hopefully draws to a close at some point. This is the Daily Roundup on Engadget, a quick peek back at the top headlines for the past 24 hours -- all handpicked by the editors here at the site. Click on through the break, and enjoy.
Stock Android edition Samsung GS4 and HTC One hit Google Play Store
Look, you said you wanted pure Android. You said custom skins were always second best. Well, today's the day to show Samsung and HTC that you're not just all talk. The two best Google-powered phones on the market, Samsung's Galaxy S 4 and HTC's One, are now available directly from the Play Store running an unadulterated version of the OS. The One will set you back $599 and it comes with 32GB of non-expandable storage. Samsung's GS 4 is a bit more expensive at $649, and you get only 16GB of space, but you'll be able to augment that with a microSD card. Both devices support AT&T's and T-Mobile's respective 4G LTE networks and are fully unlocked. Unfortunately, you can't buy either of these if you live outside the US, at least not yet. We have a hands-on with these two mythical creatures up now.
Samsung Galaxy S 4 Developer Edition for Verizon now shipping for $650
Samsung's online listing for the Galaxy S 4 Developer Edition is back, and now you can actually follow through on a purchase. The device, currently available for Verizon customers, can be yours for the princely sum of $649.99. This isn't the Google Edition running stock Android that we first heard about at I/O; instead, the Developer Edition includes the TouchWiz UI and Android 4.2.2, but ships with an unlocked bootloader, letting you play around with custom ROMs and the like. Add it to your cart at the source link below.
