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Samsung patent application showcases AR headset design
When websites like Engadget report on patents, typically all you see accompanying the applications are line diagrams that give a faint idea of what a tech company is working on. Not so with a recently discovered application from Samsung, which includes a 3D render of an augmented reality (AR) headset. According to Galaxy Club, which was the first to spot the patent, the headset features projection screens in each lens. Additionally, one diagram depicts a wire on the right side of the device -- though the purpose of the cable isn't clear.
Samsung won't support Linux on DeX once Android 10 arrives
If you've been using Linux on DeX (aka Linux on Galaxy) to turn your Samsung phone into a PC, you'll need to make a change of plans. Samsung is warning users that it's shutting down the Linux on DeX beta program, and that its Android 10 update won't support using the open source OS as a desktop environment. The company didn't explain why it was shutting things down, but it did note that the Android 10 beta is already going without the Linux option.
Samsung says fix for Galaxy 10 fingerprint flaw is coming 'next week'
Earlier this week Samsung confirmed that an issue regarding screen protectors allowed some of its flagship devices to be bypassed with any fingerprint. Now, the company has said it will fix the problem in a patch which may come as soon as next week.
Samsung will fix bug that lets any fingerprint unlock a Galaxy S10
The Samsung Galaxy S10's fingerprint reader has been balky from day one, with users reporting it could be unlocked with a 3D-printed fingerprint. Worse, a buyer recently discovered that if you install a third-party screen protector, a non-registered user could unlock the phone. Now, Samsung has acknowledged the problem and promised to patch it soon, according to Reuters.
Pixel 4 XL vs. the competition: The six-inch flagships
Every major flagship always has to come in two sizes now, so it's no surprise that we're looking at yet another XL Pixel model. This handset differs from its smaller sibling in size, but has the same camera setup. However, the big phone field gets more intense every year, especially since Apple went all-in with its "Max" models. For the skinny on all the relevant specs, check out the table below. For our final verdict, keep an eye out for Engadget's full review of the Pixel 4 XL later this month.
Pixel 4 vs. the competition: The camera battle intensifies
It's been yet another Pixel phone launch preceded by a ton of leaks, but we're still glad to see the official unveiling of Google's latest flagship. This 5.7-inch device may only have two rear cameras, but the software's been refined even further to include better Night Sight and HDR+. That's to be expected in the wake of more intense competition on the camera front from Samsung and Apple. To see exactly how this specs battle is shaking out, check out the table below, and stay tuned for our full review of the Pixel 4 later this month.
The Samsung Galaxy Fold, again: Hard to love, even harder to hate
The Galaxy Fold lives. I don't just mean in the vague "Samsung bounces back from a fiasco" sense, either. My Galaxy Fold, which I've been tossing around for weeks, opening and closing it like a madman, mostly works the same as it did the day I unboxed it. Had the Fold failed again the way it did earlier this year, it might have been enough to seriously derail Samsung's grand, foldable ambitions. This review would've been totally different, too. I could've gotten on my high horse and said a few things about innovation at the expense of usability, with a dash of pro-consumer indignation to spice things up a bit. It would've been a fun read. But reality can be pretty banal sometimes. Because of that, we instead have to face a more complicated truth about the Galaxy Fold: You shouldn't buy one. Not because it's expensive or because of its long-term potential for failure, although those are valid concerns. No, you shouldn't buy one because it's just not quite as thoroughly thought-out as a $2,000 phone should be. When I wrote our original review, I said that people who did splurge on one were paying for the privilege of being Samsung's guinea pig. Despite the company's thoughtful design fixes, that simply hasn't changed.
HDR10, Dolby Vision, and HLG: How does HDR work?
With 4K now firmly in place as the standard for most new TV's, high dynamic range, or HDR, video is starting to move from being an enthusiast curiosity to the next big thing in home media. HDR content looks vibrant, crisp and can be a bigger upgrade than 4K, but what's done to make those great images? Part of the confusion is that HDR isn't one thing, it's at least 4 different technology standards being unevenly applied by about the same number of competing video formats. These video standards, with opaque names like Rec2020 and SMPTE 2084, build on dozens of previous standards, going back to black-and-white CRT televisions and the dawn of broadcast. In short, it's all kind of a mess.
Samsung's Android 10 beta program is now available on the Galaxy S10
Android 10 was released in September, but so far, it's only been available on Google's own Pixel devices. Usually, it takes other manufacturers some months to catch up, however, as promised, Samsung has released a beta of its Android 10-based One UI 2.0 for Galaxy S10, S10+ and S10e devices. The program is now rolling out in South Korea, Germany, and the US, according to SamMobile.
Samsung's Galaxy Fold Premier Service debuts in the US
Did you buy the updated Galaxy Fold now that it's finally available? You now have the posh support to go with it. Samsung has launched its Galaxy Fold Premiere Service in the US, offering all of the foldable phone's buyers dedicated support through video chat (through the Members app) or conventional voice calls. If you're in the right location, you can also get in-person tutorials.
Readers have spoken, and apparently people really like the Galaxy S10+
Samsung released its most recent flagship, the Galaxy S10+, after a decade of refining and perfecting the Galaxy lineup. With improvements to the screen, battery life and software, the $1,000 S10+ once again showed the company knows how to build a hit Android smartphone. Engadget reviews editor Cherlynn Low was impressed with the smooth UI, fast performance and useful features like Wireless Powershare which enables the phone to charge other devices. With all that in mind, she ultimately awarded the S10+ a score of 91. Our readers, who always tend to score a bit more harshly, gave it a more muted (but still good) rating of 84.
Samsung will gladly help you check if your OLED TV has burn-in
Samsung might be all about OLED in smartphone displays, but it's steered away from using those types of screens for its TVs, instead harnessing LCD and QLED tech. As part of its efforts to remind people that OLED can be susceptible to burn-in, it has released a super-helpful (and not at all borne out of self-interest) way to check your screen for the problem.
Under Armour edition of Samsung's Galaxy Watch Active 2 arrives today
It's been a couple of months since we found out about Under Armour's spin on Samsung's Galaxy Watch Active 2. And all we heard back at IFA 2019 was that the wearable, which is geared toward runners, would be launching this fall. But, if you've had your eyes on it since its reveal in August, you'll be happy to hear that the Galaxy Watch Active 2 Under Armour Edition (say that ten times fast) can be yours starting today. As you've come to expect from most smartwatches, the UA Watch Active 2 features a heart-rate monitor and can show you stats like calories burned and distance covered. That said, where Samsung and Under Armour really want to make it shine is with its fitness coaching and training plans, which are customized for you using data from the watch during your runs. It can tell you how to improve your form in real time, for instance.
Samsung's Android 10 beta for Galaxy S10 phones starts soon
Samsung will soon give Galaxy S10 owners the chance to try Android 10 before the new mobile platform heads to the tech giant's other models. Google rolled out Android 10 in September, but only a few devices can download and install it at the moment -- its availability, as always, depends on phonemakers. In Samsung's case, it says the beta versions of the platform and the company's One UI 2 are "coming soon" to the Galaxy S10, S10+ and their smallest sibling, the S10e, in the US.
Sling adds a 'Micro Guide' and simpler search to Xbox and smart TVs
Sling is giving its living room interface some decidedly useful tune-ups, including one designed to stay out of your way. Its app for LG TVs, Samsung TVs and the Xbox One now includes a "Micro Guide" that won't obscure as much of what you're watching while you're trying to find out what's next. There are channel filters at the top to help you quickly pick a movie or otherwise shift categories.
Samsung could be heading for a 50 percent profit drop
Samsung's earnings guidance for the third quarter of 2019 shows that things haven't significantly improved for the tech giant over the past months. The Korean conglomerate expects another profit slump for the three-month period that ended in September: in particular, it believes it will post an operating profit of around 7.7 trillion Korean won (US$6.44 billion). That's higher than the 6.6 trillion won (US$5.5 billion) profit Samsung made in the second quarter, but it's also down 56 percent from the same period in 2018 when the company made 17.57 trillion won (US$14.7 billion) in profit.
iFixit tears down Samsung's 'improved' Galaxy Fold
iFixit pulled its first Galaxy Fold teardown after Samsung scrapped the phone's April launch to improve its durability. Now that the foldable has finally reached stores, though, it's ready for take two. The DIY repair site has posted a teardown for the revised Galaxy Fold that reveals both the known innards and, crucially, the additional protections for that folding screen.
Samsung launches Chromebook 4 and 4+ with prices starting at $230
Samsung has released not one, but two follow-up devices to the Chromebook 3, and they're both just as affordable as their predecessor. The Chromebook 4 has an 11.6-inch HD (1,366 x 768 pixel) display and weighs 2.6 pounds like its predecessor, while the larger Chromebook 4+ has a 15.6-inch FHD (1,920 x 1,080) display and weighs in a bit more at 3.75 pounds. Both devices are powered by a Celeron N4000 processor and can have up to 64GB of storage and up to 6GB of RAM. They also have Gigabit Wi-Fi capabilities, as well as built-in access to Google Assistant and the Play Store.
After Math: When your goose cooks
While many of us were channeling our inner jerks through a troublemaking goose avatar, companies throughout the tech industry were conducting dastardly shenanigans of their own. Here are a few of the week's highlights.
Watch Samsung's Galaxy Fold fall woefully short of 200,000 folds
After a lot of hype and some notable delays, Samsung's Galaxy Fold is now available in the US. Even after upgrades to make the phone more durable, Samsung has cautioned users to be extra careful. So this week, CNET decided to put the phone to the test.