Samsung Galaxy Note5’s first drop test proves the brittleness of the glass design

Samsung’s latest duo of devices – the Galaxy S6 edge+ and the Galaxy Note5 have been official for a few days now, after the eagerly-anticipated |August 13 release. So, what can you do to celebrate the shiny new Note? Well drop it repeatedly on to a tiles and concrete blocks, of course and wait for its inevitable demise.

A new YouTube video, courtesy of PhoneBuff shows us just how fragile the curved glass design on the Note5 actually is. A drop from around 1 meter, which is usual waist height, instantly cracked the unit’s back, resulting in an extensive and nasty spider web crack. Interestingly enough, the top most layer of the back remained smooth and intact with the damage contained underneath. So, at least, there is no danger of cuts.

To be fair, this was all but expected, considering the Note5 carries over the glass design of the Galaxy S6 edge, down to the curves and is thus likely to be just as brittle. In fact, because the sloping edges are now on the back, instead of the front, the Note seems to be even more affected by a drop on its back. Furthermore, the 5.7-inch phablet is considerably bigger than the edged flagship, which also spells out trouble.

Naturally, in typical YouTube viral fashion, the drop test didn’t stop there and continued on to plunging the Note5 on its side and front. The former experiment actually left almost no mark on the unit’s metal frame. This is one area in which Samsung has definitely cut no corners with its 6013 grade aluminum alloy, as opposed to the inferior 6063 grade, widely used by other OEM’s.

But, having a sturdy frame can only go so far when the rest of the device is so fragile. The face-on drops definitely prove this. The display of the Note got cracked on first impact as well, but touch still remained functional, for which we have to give it credit. However, the final few drops on the concrete did the trick and damaged the Note touch input.

This brutal carnage did yield some results. According to PhoneBuff, the Note5 is plagued by its glass exterior just like the S6 and S6 edge and we can only imagine that the S6 edge+ is in the same boat. It is worth noting that the touchscreen on the Note did arguably put up more of a fight than the S6, but that is more or less subjective and a cracked screen is a cracked screen no matter how you look at it.

The bottom line being that Samsung’s new design language, while undoubtedly aesthetically pleasing, does take its toll on device durability, something you might want to consider if you’re pondering on whether you should get a protective case of…

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Check out these eight new Android Marshmallow wallpapers

Google pushed the latest build of Android 6.0 Marshmallow yesterday and with it came a bunch of wallpapers, ten to be exact. Two of them you’d be familiar with from the previous builds but others are completely new and quite nice.

You can check out the wallpapers in the gallery above but head over to the source link to download full size versions.

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Verizon Nexus 7 getting Android 5.1.1 update with Stagefright fix

The Verizon variant of the second-gen Google Nexus 7 tablet, which was released back in 2013, has started receiving an update that brings Android version 5.1.1 along with a fix for the Stagefright vulnerability.

The update to the Asus-built device includes features such as Material Design, battery saver, a new recent screen, personal unlocking, and security patches among others. It also brings support for multiple users as well as Verizon’s XLTE service.

Carrying software version LMY48L, the update is currently rolling out, so it may take some time before it reaches everyone. Meanwhile, you can also check for it manually by heading to your device’s settings menu.

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T-Mobile to begin selling Galaxy Note5 and S6 edge+ starting today

The T-Mobile variants of the newly-announced Samsung Galaxy Note5 and S6 edge+ smartphones will be available for order on August 18 6am PT. This was announced by the carrier’s CEO John Legere in a tweet.

We’re opening up #Note5 and #GalaxyS6Plus ordering starting Tuesday 6am PT – no pre-order needed. AND we’re going to start shipping ASAP!— John Legere (@JohnLegere) August 17, 2015

What’s worth mentioning here is that the devices will only be available for purchase online and through telesales until August 21, when they’ll also be available in-stores. Also, JUMP! On Demand customers won’t be able to grab these handsets till they are available in-stores.

Other carriers, including Sprint, Verizon, and AT&T, will officially begin selling the smartphones on August 21. You can check out the pricing information here.

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After Facebook Messenger, now Google Hangouts gets a dedicated website

Google has finally given Hangouts a dedicated website: hangouts.google.com. This means that you’ll no longer be required to open your Google+ or Gmail account if you want to access the messaging service.

As you can see in the screen-shot above, the web client contains a contact list on the left, and large buttons to make a video or a phone call as well as to send a message towards the center. The background wallpaper is randomly selected, and changes each time you visit the web page.

Google seems to be putting in a lot of effort into this product – just a few months ago, the Mountain View, California-based company gave Hangouts for mobile a major design overhaul that brought along Material Design.

For those who aren’t in the know, Facebook also launched a dedicated website for its Messenger service back in April this year.

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Google delays the Project Ara modular smartphone launch until 2016

Google delayed the launch of the Project Ara modular smartphone until next year. The Android handset with swappable hardware components was initially expected to launch this year in Puerto Rico.

As it turns out, the prototyping phase of the ambitious project has taken longer than initially expected. Google is apparently looking for new locations in the United States to launch the device, thus meaning that Puerto Rico might not be getting the device after all.

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Android M is now officially called 6.0 Marshmallow

Android M is now officially called Android 6.0 Marshmallow. Google’s new mascot is now welcoming photographers near the Android HQ building in California.

Android M was unveiled during Google’s annual I/O conference last May and is expected to become publicly available this fall. The next major Android version will be trying to optimize the performance even further by lowering the RAM usage, improving the standby and overall battery endurance.

Android M will also introduce native support for fingerprint sensors and security authentications. An official app permission manager is coming too, as well as support for USB Type-C connectors and capability for charging other devices.

Android 6.0 Marshmallow new Developer’s Preview is now available on Nexus 5, 6, 9 and the Nexus Player. The preview will be the last one before the RTM version.

The official SDK is live as well. The devs can now upload their Android 6.0 compatible apps to the Play Store.

Marshmallow should make it first on the Nexus devices this fall.

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Samsung outs Level On Wireless Pro headphones, touts sound quality

Samsung’s Level line of headphones keeps on growing. The latest member to join the family is the Level On Wireless Pro. This headset is wireless, as its name clearly states, but Samsung is also stressing its design and its sound quality.

Design-wise, you can see for yourself what the new headphones look like. They come in gold, by the way, presumably in order to be a better fit for your gold phone. If you’re not into that, rest assured that there’s a black version too.

Samsung says these employ something called “Ultra High Quality Audio (UHQA)” which features “sound quality higher than that of a CD”, making for “an almost live” listening experience. The 40mm dual layered diaphragm should provide a balanced sound. Active noise cancellation is in too, with four mics making sure your listening is free of outside noise. On the other hand, “Talk-in Mode” lets you hear music and ambient sound at the same time – something rather useful when you’re walking or running alone, for example.

Bluetooth 4.1 is built-in and pairing can be done via NFC. In addition to UHQA, the Level On Wireless Pro also supports aptX. If you so choose, you can connect the set to your phone with a 3.5mm jack too.

The battery inside should last for up to 10 hours of playback time with noise cancelling turned on, and 20 hours with it off. Standby time is rated at 200 hours. The headphones weigh…

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Sprint lets you keep switching to the newest iPhone for $22 per month

Today Sprint has announced a new “revolution” intended for those who are big iPhone fans. The gist of the new iPhone Forever plan is this: you get the newest iPhone for free, then start paying $22 per month. And when a new iPhone launches, you can get it. Without any additional cost. You do however need to trade in your existing iPhone. That’s it.

Furthermore, for a limited time the $22 monthly fee is cut to just $15. To benefit from this, you need to join the iPhone Forever scheme before December 31 and either be an eligible Sprint customer or switch to the Now Network from any other carrier. You also have to trade in any smartphone when you do. The rate goes back up to $22 after you’ve received your first new iPhone in 2016.

These fees are currently applied if you first get the 16GB iPhone 6, so we assume that when you do upgrade in the future you’ll need to get the base model as well. Hence, if there’s going to be a 16GB iPhone 6s and you opt into Sprint’s iPhone Forever plan, you will get that model after it launches.

Obviously none of these prices include the actual service plan cost. Sprint says iPhone Forever will work in conjunction with its individual unlimited plans and family share pack…

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