Samsung Galaxy S7 camera sensors compared: Sony vs. Samsung

Samsung unveiled its own camera with Dual Pixel autofocus, a 12MP unit just like the Sony IMX260. And both of those are used in the Galaxy S7 and S7 edge. But which one did you get? Does it even matter?

You can use AIDA64 to check, under Devices you’ll find a Camera ID field that says either SONY_IMX260 or SLSI_S5K2L1 (this is the Samsung one).

Taskumuro procured phones with both camera sensors and went on a shooting expedition.

The results show that there are indeed some differences, but there’s no clear winner. The Sony sensor has the edge in some shots, the Samsung comes out ahead in others. So, there’s no win or lose here.

Samsung Galaxy S7 camera sample: Samsung sensor • Sony Sensor

Thanks for the excellent work, Juha!

Source (in…

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Sony is seeding an early Marshmallow build to Z3, Z3 Compact and Z2 Xperia Beta participants

Sony is working hard to bring Android Marshmallow to its users. Naturally, the process started with the Xperia Z5 and more recently, the Z5 Compact, with the Z5 Premium is expected to join in any time now. However, the Japanese giant has also made a commitment to bring Android 6 to a slew of other devices across its lineup, going as far back as the Z3, Z3 Compact and even the Z2.

Today, these three models are seeing their first taste of Marshmallow, but there are a few clarifications to be made. Sony is indeed seeding an Android 6.0.1 build for the Z3, Z3 Compact and Z2, but it is an early Beta release and only available for devices participating in the Xperia Beta program.

For those who aren’t in the know, the test was launched a few months back and limited to the following European countries: Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Finland, Iceland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, United Kingdom, Ireland, and Germany.

The build in question bears the number 23.5.A.0.486 and although it is a higher version than the 6.0 ROM currently seeding to the Z5 and Z5 Compact, they actually contain security patches up until December 2015, instead of the current February 2016 ones. This is because, as we already mentioned, the builds are very early and intended as a beta test for future OTAs on these older Xperia models. It is also worth noting that we are talking about a release candidate software of sorts, that should eventually make its way to a full release, as opposed to the conceptual builds from last October, which were more or less and idea playground.

We are happy to report that users will not only be getting the Google-provided new features, like Dozing and runtime app permissions, but also new Xperia software, like the much-needed camera app overhaul, as well as the new Xperia…

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Samsung quietly outs the Galaxy Tab A (2016)

We have been having a pair of Samsung tablets on the radar for quite some time now – the Galaxy Tab A and Galaxy Tab E. Now we learn that the former was quietly announced and is now listed on the company website.

The listing in question can be found across a multitude of Samsung regional websites, but the German one seems to have the most details.

In terms of specs, the device is rather modest and features a 7-inch LCD display with a resolution of 1280×800 pixels. Underneath the hood is a quad-core processor, clocked at 1.3 GHz and 1.5GB of RAM. On-board storage is just 8GB, but thankfully there is a microSD card slot as well.

The camera setup consists of a 5MP main shooter and a 2MP selfie one. The Galaxy Tab A boots Android 5.1 Lollipop, possibly with an all new Kinds Mode by Samsung and is powered by a 4,000 mAh battery.

Available color options seem to include the basic black and white and we didn’t manage to spot a network-enabled version to add on to the natural Wi-Fi connectivity, but maybe it will be made available as well. As for pricing, some early retailer listings suggest €169,00.

Source 1 | Source 2 |…

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Galaxy S7 promotional video features a jetpack guy flying along a river

What would you do if you’re tasked with creating a promotional video for your company’s latest flagship phone? Rope in a guy with jetpack and record him flying along a river? Sounds weird? Well, Samsung did just that to promote the Galaxy S7 – see video below.

The 30-second stunt was pulled off by Guinness World Record holder Nick Macomber, who took the flight along Dublin’s River Liffey before landing on a raft with Samsung Galaxy S7 branding. According to Samsung Ireland, Macomber did what he did to deliver the flagship smartphone, although we aren’t sure to whom.

And he’s off! The JetPack Man just took to the skies in Dublin to deliver a #GalaxyS7 #S7ANewPerspective http://pic.twitter.com/DIJTCOKKvn— Samsung Ireland (@samsungireland) March 9, 2016

In case you missed, the Galaxy S7 and S7 edge officially launched today around the world – in 60 countries to be specific. While the deal was originally associated with pre-orders, those in the US and Germany still get a free Gear VR headset with each purchase of either of the handsets.

Source |…

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Samsung Galaxy S7 and S7 edge now on sale

No more pre-orders – the Samsung Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge are now on sale. This also means some of you missed your chance to score a free Gear VR.

Not US buyers, though, there you get a free Gear VR and a 6-game bundle (an estimated value of $150).

Vodafone Germany will also throw in a Gear VR if you buy a Galaxy S7 or S7 edge. O2 Germany is giving you a free 32GB card instead.

In the UK, O2 offers a half deal – the Gear VR is half price when you buy an S7 (before April 21). EE is throwing in a 32GB microSD, a Juice Wireless charger and a screen…

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Nexus 5X discounted on the Google Store till March 27 in India

While India gets ready to celebrate Holi, Google decided to join the festivities with a sizable discount on the Nexus 5X.

If you buy the Nexus 5X from the Google Store, you can get an INR 4,000 ($60) discount on the MRP. Currently, the phone is priced at INR 27,900 ($415) for the 16GB model and INR 31,900 ($475) for the 32GB model without the discount.

Of course, some of the other retailers like Amazon and Flipkart have been offering the Nexus 5X at even lower prices for a while now but this discount does close the gap a bit.

The discount is valid until March 27. Unfortunately, it is limited to the Nexus 5X and not available on the Nexus…

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Plants vs. Zombies Heroes gets a soft launch in select countries

EA has launched the next game in the Plants vs. Zombies series. Called Heroes, the ew game is a bit of a departure from the previous two mobile games in the series.

While the first two games were essentially tower defense, the new game combines a bit of that with a whole lot of card play. The game has a whole bunch of new characters, which are introduced in the game through cards, similar to games like Hearthstone. You can choose from the new primary characters and then form a team of secondary characters that will be be deployed during the battle.

Like the new Clash Royale, Heroes also includes online multiplayer. You can play as either the plants or the zombies.

The game is now available on iOS and Android in select regions.

Android •…

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Huawei P9 leaks in more live photos

The Huawei P9 hasn’t exactly been keeping a low profile despite the fact that it is yet to be announced. The smartphone has been featured extensively in various leaks over the past few months, which is generally a good thing, but once overdone is now causing more confusion than anything else.

We’ve seen a couple of different renders of the P9 with rather contrasting design features, but a newly leaked set of live photos seems to coincide quite closely with the most recent batch of renders, finally providing some proof of the alleged final design.

The Huawei P9 will have a thin metal body, with a plastic insert on the back, quite reminiscent of the Huawei P8 or the P8lite. The dual rear camera setup also seems to be confirmed, although we are yet to learn any definite specifics about the shooters. There have been rumors stating that in light of the recent partnership with Leica, the P9 could be the first mobile device to feature camera tech and possibly even software by the photography legend.

As for the rest of the specs on the Huawei P9, the rumors are abundant but also somewhat confusing. There might be as many as four variants of the handset, but we have come to expect something along the lines of a 5.2-inch display, the company’s latest Kirin 950 SoC and 4GB of RAM, perhaps even a whopping 6GB in the top-tier model.

Huawei recently announced an unveiling event for April 6 this year where the P9 will be the star attraction.

Source (in Chinese) |…

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Pants vs. Zombies Heroes gets a soft launch in select countries

EA has launched the next game in the Plants vs. Zombies series. Called Heroes, the ew game is a bit of a departure from the previous two mobile games in the series.

While the first two games were essentially tower defense, the new game combines a bit of that with a whole lot of card play. The game has a whole bunch of new characters, which are introduced in the game through cards, similar to games like Hearthstone. You can choose from the new primary characters and then form a team of secondary characters that will be be deployed during the battle.

Like the new Clash Royale, Heroes also includes online multiplayer. You can play as either the plants or the zombies.

The game is now available on iOS and Android in select regions.

iOS •…

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Microsoft Surface Pro 3 gets 20% price cut in India

Launched in India just a couple of months ago, the Surface Pro 3 has received a solid price cut in the country. The 2-in-1 detachable is now listed on Amazon India for INR 58,990 (around $880), down from its launch price of INR 73,990 (around $1,100).

For those who aren’t aware, the Surface Pro 3 landed in India in January this year, although only in a single variant that comes with Core i3, 4GB RAM, and 128GB storage. The 12-inch device runs Windows 10 Pro out-of-the-box.

A quick look at the Microsoft US store reveals that the same variant is currently available there for $599, down from its usual price of $899.

Source (Amazon India) | Microsoft Store…

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