Legacies aren’t built overnight. It takes time, effort and the ability to take a step back to really see what’s working or what isn’t. You can see this in all great legacies in life.
In the smartphone world, however, few demonstrate this better than Samsung’s Galaxy S line. We take a look at what Samsung has done over the past 7 years to build this incredible legacy for themselves.
UPDATE: To ensure you get the security policy update, follow the steps after the break.
Yesterday we reported that Samsung’s pre-installed keyboard had an exploit that could completely compromise your phone. Samsung has now announced that it is taking care of the problem using their own KNOX security feature. While the keyboard looks nothing like SwiftKey, its the SDK that Samsung uses for their word predictive feature that makes it vulnerable.
UPDATE: Samsung addresses the keyboard vulnerability issue using KNOX.
If you happen to own a Samsung Galaxy S4, Galaxy S4 Mini, Note 3, Galaxy S5 or the more recent Galaxy Note 4 and Galaxy S6, we have a bit of bad news for you. Samsung’s built-in stock keyboard apparently has an exploit that might potentially allow people to execute code remotely on your phone no thanks to a flaw in the SwiftKey software.
UPDATE: The update is also available for the Samsung Galaxy S4 4G LTE (GT-i9505) version.
The Galaxy S4 is more than 2 years old but Samsung is still pushing the latest Android 5.0 Lollipop update onto the old flagship. In Malaysia, users using the 3G version (GT-i9500) can start downloading the software update which is about 1.1GB in size. This carries the Android version number 5.0.1.
It is advisable to update your device via WiFi and to perform a backup of your files before proceeding with the update. If you haven’t received any notifications yet, you can check under Settings > More (Tab) > About Device > Software Update. With the new Android version, you’ll get an updated flat Material Design interface and a slight improvement of performance as it runs on ART (Android Run Time) instead of Dalvik.
Samsung’s Galaxy S series has been having amazing success since the launch of the Samsung Galaxy S in 2010. Now, five years later we have its 6th iteration, coming a long way from the original 4-inch smartphone when it was originally made as a direct competitor against the iPhone.
The rest they say, is history.
The Galaxy Note II is more than 2 years old but it isn’t forgotten by Samsung when it comes to software updates. Based on Samsung Finland’s website, it appears that both the Galaxy Note II and last year’s Galaxy S4 will be updated to Android 5.0 Lollipop.
Other models receiving the new OS update also include Galaxy Alpha, Galaxy S5 mini, Galaxy Note II (4G version), Galaxy Note 3 and Galaxy Note 4. Surprisingly the Galaxy S5 isn’t listed with Android 5.0 coming soon considering it has started rolling out in Poland. Like any software update, the roll out times will vary depending on region and hopefully Malaysian users should be getting in within the first quarter of 2015.
The Android 5.0 Lollipop update delivers new features along with a fresh Material Design approach. Apart from that, performance is expected to be improved as Lollipop uses Android RunTime (ART) instead of the usual Dalvik runtime.
Check out the walk through of the Android 5.0 Lollipop interface on the Galaxy S5 after the break.
After showing the Galaxy Note 3 with Lollipop, the folks at Sammobile is giving another preview of an updated Android 5.0 Lollipop build for the Galaxy S4. The UI is similar with the Galaxy S5 version which we saw earlier.
With the latest build, we get to see the revised settings and the native camera app is reported to be more responsive than before. The Galaxy S4 shown is the Non-4G model (GT-i9500) that runs on Exynos. Check out the hands-on video including the first preview after the break.
The Samsung Galaxy S5 still comes with a plastic body but it is better to touch and hold thanks to its perforated back cover. So is it better protected than the previous Galaxy S4? The folks at TechSmartt had put both devices to the test with a series of drop test.
Surprisingly the Galaxy S5 seems to be tougher than its predecessor. While minor scuffs are expected around the edges, the display still manages to hold up despite being dropped at various heights. If that’s not enough, they even ran over the phone with an SUV and left with a small component damage. You can watch the Galaxy S5 vs Galaxy S4 drop test video after the break.
The Samsung Galaxy S5 features a new 16MP camera that uses its new ISOCELL sensor. On paper, this should give the Galaxy S5 camera a better low light performance with reduced noise. For video, it is also capable of shooting at 4K resolution.
In our hands-on with the Galaxy S5, we find the camera to be rather snappy with a claimed focus speed of 0.3 seconds. So how does it perform in terms of picture and video quality? We’ve taken some samples and compared them with the Galaxy S4, Galaxy Note 3, Lumia 1520 and the Xperia Z1.
Check out the sample photos and videos after the break.
The Rubik’s Cube solving record has been smashed at an impressive 3.253 seconds with a CubeStormer 3 Robot. As comparison, the fastest Rubik’s Cube solved by man was 5.55 seconds. The CubeStormer 3 consist of Lego Mindstorm bricks and components while a Galaxy S4 Octa-Core smart phone was used as the brains of mechanical solving marvel.
It is amazing how much the CubeStormer has improved over the years, which is a clear indication that smart phones are evolving at a rapid pace. The first attempt in 2010 with a Motorola Droid had managed 24.02 seconds and a year later, the CubeMaster 2 with a Galaxy S II had managed to solve it quicker at 5.35 seconds.
Check out both CubeStormer 3 and the fastest human Rubik’s Cube solver after the break.
The Android 4.4.2 KitKat update for the Samsung Galaxy S4 is now available in Malaysia. It brings the latest Android enhancements with refreshed interface and stability fixes as well.
Weighing about 370MB in file size, we recommend that you perform a full back up and to download using a fixed WiFi connection. If you haven’t received any notifications on your Galaxy S4, you can update manually through Settings > More > About Device > Software update.
If you’re facing some issues after the update, we would recommend a clean factory reset. Feel free to share your feedback on the KitKat update after the break.
UPDATE: Samsung Galaxy S5 is launching in Malaysia on 27th March.
The Samsung Galaxy S5 which was just announced is expected to come to Malaysia as well as other markets on 11th April. For those who are thinking whether the Galaxy S5 is worth an upgrade, we’ve compared it with its 5.7″ Galaxy Note 3 phablet and the 5″ Galaxy S4.
Although the Galaxy S5 is only 0.1″ bigger in display, it is overall a little bit thicker, wider, taller and heavier than the outgoing model. It is slightly thicker at 8.1mm (Galaxy S4: 7.9mm), and tips the scale slightly higher at 145 grams (Galaxy S4: 130 grams). While its processor gets beefed up with a 2.5GHz Quad-Core processor, it is still mated with just 2GB of RAM. You’ll also get a longer battery life with an expanded 2,800mAh capacity which is 200mAh more than the Galaxy S4 but 400mAh less than the Galaxy Note 3.
The obvious new advantage for the Galaxy S5 would be its new integrated finger print scanner on the home button and a heart rate sensor at the back. Design wise, we are liking the back of the Galaxy S5. Although it is obviously a removable plastic cover, the textured back which is similar to the Nexus 7 gives it a more upmarket feel. Much better we say, than the Galaxy Note 3 faux leather back cover. We’ve taken a couple of pictures comparing the Galaxy S5, Galaxy S4 and Galaxy Note 3 by hand.
Head after the break for the full comparison including hardware specs and photos of devices taken side by side.
