Just in case you missed the subtle hint dropped by Samsung in its ‘Note the Date’ press invite, or the confirmation given by one of its execs last week, the OEM is launching a new Android smartphone today called the Galaxy Note 3 .
The handset has a mammoth 5.7-inch Super AMOLED display, backed up by 3GB of RAM and either a 2.3GHz quad-core processor (LTE version) or 1.9 GHz eight-core processor (3G-only version). The larger form factor means Samsung’s also been able to pack in a 3,200mAh battery, a sizeable improvement over the 2600 mAh version found in the Galaxy S4.
The so-called ‘phablet’ will be available with 32GB or 64GB of internal storage, although there’s also a micro SD card slot for up to 64 GB of extra space.
For aspiring photographers, there’s a 13-megapixel rear-facing camera with Smart Stabilization and an LED Flash. It’s capable of spitting out 1080p (full HD) videos at 60 frames per second, and is joined by a 2-megapixel snapper on the front for video calls and those all important ‘selfies’.
The Galaxy Note 3 runs on Android 4.3, the latest version (although ‘Kit Kat’ 4.4 was announced only yesterday ), with Samsung’s Touchwiz skin slapped on top. It also comes with Samsung’s treasure trove of exclusive apps, including S Health, S Voice and S Translator.
The hardware is a marginal upgrade over the Galaxy Note 2; the handset is just a fraction thinner (8.3mm) and lighter (168g) than its predecessor. Aside from the faux-leather back – available initially in classic white, jet black and blush pink – it looks pretty much identical too.
The switchable covers are also in full effect. Nine different colors will be available at launch, including mint blue and oatmeal beige, as well as a new S View Cover for reviewing notifications and handling basic tasks.
From a software standpoint, almost all of the Galaxy Note 3’s new features revolve around its updated S Pen stylus. A quick tap anywhere on the display brings up ‘Air Command’, a small radial menu that offers five quick access tools: Action Memos, Pen Window, S Finder, and Scrapbook.
Action Memos are brief notes which the user can quickly create and take – you guessed it – further actions on their handset. After scribbling a friend’s mobile phone number, Action Memos can be used to immediately call that number or forward it on to a friend over email.
Scrapbook is Samsung’s take on the Evernote Web clipper, storing content found through the browser, YouTube or their personal Gallery. Tapping any of these items will also send users back to the original source, be it a URL or image shot with the on-board camera.
Screen Write captures a full-size image of whatever is currently being shown on the Galaxy Note 3’s display. Unlike the standard screenshot function in Android though, users can also write comments or draw over the top. Simple stuff, really. S Finder is an easy way to search for files and multimedia content buried within numerous folders or a discarded app, while Pen Window triggers a small space for an additional app and true on-screen multitasking.
The Galaxy Note 3 appears to be a small refinement over the Galaxy Note 2. Given how popular that device was, it’s therefore not surprising to see Samsung stick to a proven formula. The hardware looks solid, the specs are competitive and the S Pen features should attract stylus fans.
The handset will begin shipping on September 25 in more than 140 countries around the world, including AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile and Verizon in the US later this year.
➤ Samsung Galaxy Note 3 (press release)
The Fluxmob Bolt: A tiny wall-charger and backup battery that packs a punch
Whoever figures out a way to extend a smartphone’s battery life beyond that of a typical working day (without recharging) will be a rich person. Until then, the manufacturers behind battery-case combos and standalone juice packs will be vying for your hard-earned cash.
Fresh from its successful Kickstarter campaign , where it notched up more than $90,000 in pledges on its original $44,000 goal, Fluxmob has launched its beautiful battery backup and wall-charger combo. So we got our hands on one to see what it’s all about up close.
At 70mm x 34mm x 28mm (2.75″ x 1.33″ x 1.10″), it’s fair to say that the Bolt is a tiny piece of kit. There are smaller juice packs out there, but given the punch this baby packs (more on that below), and this is a wall-charger too, it’s amazing they’ve managed to squeeze so much into such a tiny unit.
On the front is a small button which you press to see how much juice is remaining. Now, this is perhaps where the only real design flaw lies – when you plug a device into the Bolt, you have to press and hold the button for quite a few seconds before it will activate and start charging. Most other portable juice packs will start charging automatically as soon as you plug it in – I reckon some users will assume they have a dysfunctional unit.
On the bottom is a USB port which can be used to charge anything from an MP3 player and e-reader, to an iPad and Android smartphone
Now, where the Bolt really comes into its own is as a wall-charger. This is designed to replace your standard gadget charger – so you use it as normal, and the Bolt retains its charge for whenever you need to take it with you to charge a device on the move.
Unfortunately, the unit only fits US electrical outlets, so you’ll need an adapter for this if using it anywhere else. We are told that there are plans to build these specifically for European countries too, though no solid timescales to report yet on this front.
The Bolt sports a 3000mAh Samsung Li-Ion battery, and promises to hold enough power to give you “up to” two full charges on your smartphone. The “up to” is certainly key here, given that we didn’t manage to get two charges out of this with an iPhone 4 or Samsung Galaxy S4, but that wasn’t too surprising – pretty much every portable battery back I’ve tested always falls just that little bit short on the top-line figure. That said, the Bolt did give me a little over 1.5 charges, which is good enough.
At $59.99 , the Fluxmob Bolt is certainly at the right end of the affordability scale; coupled with its portability and power capabilities, and it does offer a lot of bang for your buck. Its sleek, minimalist design is the icing on the cake, and we can see these selling like hotcakes in the build-up to Christmas. The only down side, as we noted already, is that you will need an adapter to use this outside of the US.
The Bolt comes in three colors – stealth (dark gray), graphite (light gray) and argon (blue), and it’s shipping now .
➤ Fluxmob Bolt
Skype for Xbox One gets full Snap support: Make voice and video calls while playing games and watching TV
Microsoft today updated Skype for Xbox One with full Snap support. In other words, gamers can finally make a Skype voice or video call while using other apps, including playing video games.
Snap is the Xbox One feature that lets you use two apps on your TV at once. Ever since launch, and until now, you could only snap other apps into Skype for Xbox One (although, there was an option to have a Skype audio call in the background). Today’s update means the reverse is now possible, meaning you can finally see and hear your friends while playing games, watching movies, working out with Xbox Fitness, and so on.
In other words, Skype no longer has to be the main app on the screen: in addition to whatever is on the left-hand side, you can be conducting a voice or video call on the right-hand side. When in Snap, you can still control the Skype call: add another friend to the call, turn the camera off or hang up, all without interrupting the main app on the left-hand side.
Last month, Microsoft made Skype group video calling free on all platforms , but today’s update doesn’t include being able to add multiple video participants when in Snap. If you’re watching a movie, a TV show, or a live sports game together though, you’ll probably find it easier to have a group audio call while viewing content:
This Skype update also includes a few other bug fixes, including improved startup time. Unfortunately, Microsoft wouldn’t say how much faster users can expect the app to launch.
Since the launch of Skype for Xbox One , we’ve noted this feature needs to be part of the experience. Six months later, Xbox One owners can finally play games while being on a Skype video call.
See also – Skype for Xbox One can now set profile pictures from Kinect or gamerpics, gets auto zoom enhancements and Skype for Xbox One gets synced chats, push notifications, contact filtering for who is online, and more