Samsung today announced the Galaxy S5 , the successor to the Galaxy S4, during its Unpacked5 event at Mobile World Conference 2014 in Barcelona. After all the rumors and leaks, Samsung has finally unveiled its fifth flagship smartphone to take on Apple and Microsoft, as well as the many other Android OEMs.
Before you run out and buy the latest and greatest from the South Korean company, assuming you’re not interested in iOS or Windows Phone, you might want to check what exactly you’re getting for your hard-earned cash. We’ve put together the following table to show you what exactly Samsung has changed between the S4 and the S5.
| Galaxy S4 | Galaxy S5 | |
|---|---|---|
| Storage | 16GB, 32GB, 64GB | 16GB, 32GB |
| Display | 5-inch, 1920×1080, 441 ppi | 5.1-inch, 1920×1080, 432 ppi |
| Processor | 1.9 GHz Quad-Core / 1.6 GHz Octa-Core | 2.5GHz Quad-Core |
| Memory | 2GB RAM | 2GB RAM |
| Rear Camera | 13MP | 16MP |
| Front Camera | 2MP | 2.1MP |
| Battery | 2,600 mAh | 2,800 mAh |
| Network | 4G LTE Cat 3 100/50Mbps | 4G LTE Cat.4 150/50Mbps |
| Connectivity | USB 2.0, Bluetooth 4.0, NFC | USB 3.0, Bluetooth 4.0, NFC |
| Height | 5.38 inches (136.6 mm) | 5.59 inches (142.0 mm) |
| Width | 2.75 inches (69.8 mm) | 2.85 inches (72.5 mm) |
| Depth | 0.31 inches (7.9 mm) | 0.32 inches (8.1 mm) |
| Weight | 4.59 ounces (130 g) | 5.11 ounces (145 g) |
| Colors | White/Black/Blue/Brown/Purple/Red/Pink | White/Black/Blue/Gold |
| OS | Android 4.2 (Jelly Bean) | Android 4.4 (KitKat) |
Given that the Samsung Galaxy S5 is expected to be priced similarly to the Samsung Galaxy S4, you’re essentially paying for a heavier, bigger, and more powerful device. The Galaxy S5 will arrive via Samsung’s retail channels and at carriers in April. Will you be getting one?
Top Image Credit: Samsung
China’s Xiaomi expects to ship 40 million smartphones in 2014, more than double that of 2013
Popular Chinese smartphone manufacturer Xiaomi has had a great run in 2013 — but it looks set to scale even greater heights in 2014.
Xiaomi CEO Lei Jun has just announced that the company will ship 40 million smartphones in 2014 — more than double the figure it is expected to round out 2013 with.
Xiaomi’s revenue for the first half of 2013 reached $2.15 billion after it sold 7.03 million devices — just shy of the 7.19 million units it sold during the whole of 2012 — and it has likely already hit its target of selling 15 million devices for the whole of this year.
Thumbnail image via Hugo Barra / Google+
Review: Aerix’s Vidius HD packs a lot of fun into a tiny drone
Call it a weakness, but I can’t say no to a good drone pitch.
These days I find myself playing with the most expensive drones on the market with some regularity, but a sub-$100 mini-drone from Aerix is easily the most fun I’ve had with a quadcopter that didn’t require me to leave the house.
What is it?
The Aerix Vidius HD is small; I mean really small. The palm-sized quadcopter offers ample opportunity to maneuver around even the smallest rooms due to its diminutive size. It’s durable too. Bumpers covering the propellers make the occasional wall hit — which is inevitable — something you can easily shrug off. Simply right the drone if it’s upside down, and launch it back into the sky for more aerial fun.
And fun is a key word here, this thing offers a ton of it. The small size, emergency blade stop, and soft-ish propellers (fully covered) offer ample opportunity to run into things. In my time with it, I’ve hit everything from televisions to people, and we’ve zero injuries (to living or inanimate things) to report.
The Vidius HD really is the perfect indoor drone.
Fork over an extra $20 and Aerix will throw in a VR viewer similar to Gear VR-type headsets. Pop your phone in there, and you can utilize the onboard 720p camera to do some first-person piloting — something that’s pretty much unheard of in drones this size.
Specs and key features
4.3cm x 4.3cm x 2.5cm size
720p HD camera built-in
5-7 minute flight time on a 20 minute charge
Pre-programmed flight speeds for pilots of any experience level
6-axis gyro stabilization
Altitude assistance module that keeps a near-constant altitude
“Trick mode” for performing aerial rolls and flips
Should you buy it?
At under $100, the Aerix Vidius HD is a no-brainer. Aside from the relatively short flight time — which is really unavoidable in a drone this size — I don’t have a single gripe. The Vidius HD is small, safe for indoor flying, and a lot of fun. When paired with the first-person view, it’s an experience that’s typically reserved for drones double or triple the price — and size.
I have no problem recommending this one to drone enthusiasts and beginners alike.
Grab yours for $95 ($115 with the headset) at the Aerix website , or on Amazon.