Hasta La Gadget!

Samsung’s Galaxy Gear smartwatch will launch with 70 native apps, and it turns out that there’s quite a few heavy-hitters in that bunch. Path is available to share photos taken from the Gear’s wriststrap; Pocket users, meanwhile, can have Gear read saved articles out loud. And fitness apps will definitely be in vogue — RunKeeper, MyFitnessPal, Phigolf and others have embraced Samsung’s vision. There are too many other apps to list them all, although we’ve noticed big-name titles like Snapchat in the mix. If you’re planning to pick up Samsung’s wristwear in the next few weeks, there won’t be any shortage of things to do with it.

Filed under: Cellphones, Wearables, Mobile, Samsung

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Source: Pocket

In the midst of its numerous Unpacked Episode 2 unveilings, Samsung’s just given us a peek at a new piece of the Galaxy Note 3 puzzle: My Magazine. At a glance, it looks like a mashup between Flipboard’s curated magazine app and HTC’s Blinkfeed-infused homescreen. That’s not surprising given Samsung’s recent collaboration with Flipboard, and there are similarities with that app, like different panels for news feeds and deep social integration. You can access it by swiping up from the bottom, a new twist for Samsung — for a deeper plunge, check our Galaxy Note 3 preview post.

Filed under: Cellphones, Software, Samsung

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Unlike the Galaxy Note, which has received an annual update since it first launched at IFA, the Galaxy Note 10.1 hasn’t been refreshed since its debut over a year ago. Lest you think Samsung forgot about its larger S-Pen device, the company just outed a 2014 edition. A lot can change in two years, so just how does the new Note 10.1 stack up to the original? Follow us past the break to find out.

Filed under: Tablets, Samsung

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Another IFA, another Galaxy Note — that’s how it goes, ever since Samsung launched its first version of the phablet two years ago in Berlin. The company’s latest S-Pen-wielding handset is upon us, with a bevy of hardware and software updates as expected. Does this year’s device bring some game-changing tweaks, or is the Note 3 more of an incremental refresh of its predecessor? Jump past the break for a full spec-by-spec comparison of the two super-phones.%Gallery-slideshow79385%

Filed under: Cellphones, Samsung

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This week’s Galaxy Gear prototype leak didn’t leave much to the imagination. Samsung’s new wearable was expected to debut with a built-in camera, speakers and a relatively clunky design, all of which are indeed present on the device we’re meeting today. But we now have quite a bit more clarity when it comes to functionality and specifications — the rumored 3-inch display size and 4-megapixel camera resolution, for example, were incorrect. The Gear will instead ship with a 1.63-inch Super AMOLED panel with a resolution of 320 x 320. That strap-mounted camera, for its part, is designed to capture low-res shots and 10-second 720p videos, and includes a 1.9-megapixel BSI sensor and an auto-focus lens.

The big surprise here is third-party applications support — there will be a total of 70 partner programs at launch, including sharing apps like Evernote and Path, fitness companions like RunKeeper and MyFitnessPal, and a handful of other offerings, such as TripIt, Line, Vivino and even eBay. We’ll dive into software functionality a bit more in our hands-on, so for now, let’s talk compatibility and specs. We were caught a bit off guard by the wearable’s limited compatibility, though — at launch, it’ll only work with the Note 3 and Note 10.1, though some Galaxy S4 owners may be able to take advantage soon, after that device scores an update to Android 4.3. Assuming your handset is compatible, the Gear will serve as a companion device, enabling access to features like S Voice, Find My Device, a pedometer and third-party additions including those outlined above.

The device is powered by an 800MHz processor and a 315 mAh non-removable cell, which Samsung reps say should provide up to a day of “regular” use. There are two built-in mics (with noise cancellation support), a speaker, Bluetooth 4.0, an accelerometer and gyroscope, 4GB of storage and 512MB of RAM. The Galaxy Gear will eventually ship, along with the Note 3, to more than 140 countries. Pricing and country-specific availability has yet to be confirmed, but some customers should expect to have it in hand (or on hand, rather) beginning September 25th. Sadly, customers in the US and Japan will have to wait until October to pick one up for $299.

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Filed under: Wearables, Samsung

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