A new leak has revealed full spec details for the LG V20 and it sounds like a true flagship. We'll know for sure soon, as LG has confirmed that the V20 will be revealed on September 6 in San Francisco, which could make it the very first phone to launch with Android Nougat.
The LG G5 is a great phone, but not without its issues, so a second 2016 flagship could be just what the company needs to compete with the biggest and best of its rivals.
That flagship hope is coming in the form of the LG V20, the successor to the LG V10, a phone which launched in 2015 with little fanfare in Asia and the US, but tons of innovation.
Although news and rumors of the V20 are only just starting to emerge there won't be long to wait for the phone at all, with a September launch already confirmed. So to get you up to speed on what to expect here's all the information so far.
Cut to the chase
What is it? The successor to the LG V10
When is it out? September 6
What will it cost? A lot
LG V20 release date
LG has confirmed that the LG V20 will be launching on September 6 in San Francisco, so with the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus arriving too it could be a busy month for phones.
Of course it may not land in shops until weeks later and probably won't until sometime after Google officially launches Android 7 Nougat.
What we're also not clear on is how global a rollout the LG V20 will have. The LG V10 launched in the US and a number of other markets, but the UK and Australia weren't among them.
However, given the acclaim it achieved and the lower than expected sales of the LG G5 there's a good chance the company will give the V20 a wider launch. Given the San Francisco announcement a US launch seems almost guaranteed.
TechRadar's take: September 6 is confirmed for the announcement, but the V20 may not touchdown in stores until late September, allowing Google to officially release Android 7 on the world before LG jumps in with its Nougat-toting V20.
LG V20 design
Hottest leaks:
Similar build to the LG V10
May support modules
A source speaking to phonesspot claims the LG V20 will have a similar build to the LG V10, which had steel sides and a silicone skin back. It wasn't a bad design but it was a bit rugged and divisive.
The source also claims that unlike the LG G5 it won't support modules, though a shaky Google translation of Sedaily.com suggests otherwise. If LG does roll out its modules again hopefully it will widen the available selection.
TechRadar's take: The design may not stray far from the V10's, though modular support would make sense since LG's already invested in them, especially if it can get its existing selection working with the phone.
LG V20 screen
Hottest leaks:
5.5 or 5.7-inch display
Either a 1080p or QHD resolution
Two screens
Oddly the earliest screen rumors for the LG V20 suggest it might actually be a downgrade on the LG V10. According to Sedaily the V20 has a 5.5-inch 1080 x 1920 screen, where the LG V10 had a 5.7-inch 1440 x 2560 one.
But a more recent leak suggests it will actually have a 5.7-inch 1440 x 2560 screen, just like its predecessor.
That leak also mentions that it will have a secondary screen above the main one, which on the LG V10 was a 2.1-inch 160 x 1040 always-on display, used to show notifications and the time, as well as providing quick access to favorite apps.
There's no information on whether it will be changing for the V20, but it was one of the key features of the V10, so it's sure to stay in some form.
Combined with the 5.7-inch main display the LG V10 was actually arguably too big, so a size reduction to 5.5 inches could be for the best, but the drop in resolution is a disappointment if true.
TechRadar's take: A 1080p resolution seems strange, especially for LG, which was one of the first companies to stick a QHD display on a phone, so we'd expect a 5.7-inch QHD screen again here.
LG V20 camera and battery
Hottest leaks:
A 20MP or 21MP rear camera
Dual 8MP front-facing cameras
A huge battery
According to Sedaily the LG V20 will have a 20MP camera on the back and an 8MP one on the front, which would be an upgrade (at least in megapixel numbers) from the 16MP and 5MP pairing on the LG V10.
A leak from phonesspot largely agrees, though states it will actually have a 21MP rear camera and dual 8MP front-facing ones. We're fully expecting dual cameras on the front, as this was one of the LG V10's defining features.
On the V10 this allows you to use both lenses together for wide-angle shots, or just one lens for a standard width one and it would likely work the same way here.
The battery could get a boost, with a big 4000mAh juice pack rumored. That's larger than the LG V10 or LG G5's batteries or indeed most other smartphone units. According to Sedaily it will offer up to 320 hours of standby time and will charge via USB-C, with support for fast charging.
There's a good chance it will be removable too, since the batteries in many of LG's handsets are.
TechRadar's take: An increase in megapixels to 20MP or 21MP and 8MP would make sense and we're fully expecting to see dual cameras on the front.
LG V20 OS and power
Hottest leaks:
A Snapdragon 820 processor
3GB or 4GB of RAM
Android Nougat
The LG V20 is said to have a Snapdragon 820 processor and either 3GB or 4GB of RAM. That, like so many other rumors about the phone, comes from Sedaily, with another source now agreeing that it will have a Snapdragon 820 and 4GB of RAM pairing - though no mention of 3GB this time.
Both the LG V10 and the LG G5 have 4GB of RAM, so logically we'd expect at least that much here, but given that the screen might be a downgrade it's possible that the RAM will be too.
A Snapdragon 820 chip would be an improvement on the V10's processor though and a match for the G5's. In fact, it's the 2016 flagship standard, so no surprise that it's rumored for inclusion.
LG itself has confirmed that the V20 will run Android 7.0 Nougat, which given its September launch should make it one of the first phones with the software. In fact it's looking like it will land before the new Nexus handsets, potentially making it the first 'new' phone to land with Nougat.
TechRadar's take: A Snapdragon 820 chip and 4GB of RAM, just like the LG G5, seems likely.
LG V20 other features
Hottest leaks:
Up to 64GB of built-in storage
A microSD card slot
LG is nothing if not innovative, so we wouldn't be surprised if the V20 packs in some fancy extra features, but what they'll be remains a mystery for now.
We have heard, again from Sedaily, that it will supposedly come with either 32GB or 64GB of storage and a microSD card slot, which is no real surprise, since that's broadly in line with other LG flagships.
The LG V20 is also likely to have a fingerprint scanner, given that the V10 and most other high-end handsets do.
TechRadar's take: LG won't ditch its fingerprint scanner and there's almost certainly going to be a microSD card slot. Hopefully we'll get some exciting new features too.
LG V20 rivals
Assuming it maintains the unique dual-screen and dual-front cameras of the LG V10, the LG V20 won't have any direct rivals, as no other handsets can quite offer everything it does, other than the aging and not widely available V10.
But it will face competition from other flagships and especially other phablets. That puts it in the path of the Samsung Galaxy Note 7, which is expected to launch with a 5.7-inch 1440 x 2560 screen, a stylish waterproof build, an iris scanner and a stylus.
It also means the V20 will have to face off against the iPhone 7 Plus, which could have a dual-lens rear camera and bundles of power. The V20 isn't likely to sell in the same numbers as either of those phones, but may offer an attractive alternative for anyone who wants something a bit different.
There's no word on the LG V20's price yet, but the V10 was anything but cheap, coming in at US$700 without a contract. It didn't launch in the UK or Australia, but had it done the price would probably have been around £600/AU$1,100.
It's possible that the LG V20 will be less expensive however, as early rumors suggest the screen might not quite be cutting edge and as LG will want to make up for the lacklustre sales of the LG G5, still, it's definitely not going to be cheap.
Google is partnering with password management service Dashlane to build what they’re calling Open YOLO, a new API that will allow Android apps to securely access your login credentials to sign you in without any fuss. Of course you’re wondering that name is about. Here, YOLO stands for
You Only Login Once. The project is open source, which means anyone can
scrutinize the code used to build it and find bugs, or even contribute
and improve the API.
That also means that it’ll be available for other password management services to implement in their tools. Dashlane
will be the first to integrate it; the company noted in a blog post
that other services are also collaborating on this project and will
likley follow suit soon. It also hopes that Open YOLO will eventually
launch on other operating systems as well. That’s good news for anyone who uses a mobile device. Passwords are a
pain, no matter how you manage them with existing methods. By negating
the need to deal with login screens in the first place, Google’s project
could ease a lot of the stress of keeping your accounts safe, while
boosting security at the same time.
Li
Ning smart shoes, jointly launched the movement with xiaomi smart
running shoes, smart chip through the xiaomi sports APP midsole combined
motion recording available on landing approach to monitoring,
statistical data and recommendations are given to help runners improve
participation mileage redemption, buy shoes to give guidance to the
advanced technology to rewrite your running life.
Selection
breathable mesh uppers, and a vent hole in the toe, so that air can
circulate, successfully suppressing the heat generated by friction,
keeping feet dry. Structure according to ergonomic shoes on the bottom
of the trench to make a reasonable structure design, in addition to the
normal bending groove, taking into account the needs of a lot of
entry-level players in training, and in the design of multi-directional
rubber sheet bending groove, so Runners in a comfortable manner effort
to train and run.
Shoes
use FoamEvaLite formula in the end, not only to support the weight
several times more weight, more horizontal dispersion and absorption
foot fall when the force of the impact, to achieve a good shock
absorption and complete protection for entry-level runners, in the heel
increase damping EVA module, strengthen heel cushioning.
Li
Ning smart shoes, jointly launched the movement with xiaomi smart
running shoes, smart chip through the xiaomi sports APP midsole combined
motion recording available on landing approach to monitoring,
statistical data and recommendations are given to help runners improve
participation mileage redemption, buy shoes to give guidance to the
advanced technology to rewrite your running life.
Selection
breathable mesh uppers, and a vent hole in the toe, so that air can
circulate, successfully suppressing the heat generated by friction,
keeping feet dry. Structure according to ergonomic shoes on the bottom
of the trench to make a reasonable structure design, in addition to the
normal bending groove, taking into account the needs of a lot of
entry-level players in training, and in the design of multi-directional
rubber sheet bending groove, so Runners in a comfortable manner effort
to train and run.
Shoes
use FoamEvaLite formula in the end, not only to support the weight
several times more weight, more horizontal dispersion and absorption
foot fall when the force of the impact, to achieve a good shock
absorption and complete protection for entry-level runners, in the heel
increase damping EVA module, strengthen heel cushioning. Shoe midsole
Probarloc reinforcing structure of the foot for easy movement of the
foot sprain increase rigidity and prevent deformation due to prolonged
exercise brings arch, effectively relieve foot fatigue.
Shoes
in the toe and heel ankle bent position, using microfiber synthetic
leather, shoe with good support so that protection. Shoes using hot foil
technology, to give runners bring good package experience. This pair of
shoes single shoe weighs only 239.5g, wearing a light, so you have a
comfortable foot feeling. Followed by a rebound memory foam chronic use
foam, to bring the ankle fit and parcels. Shoes using beautiful colors,
fashion trends, so that you become the focus of shining during exercise.
Li Ning shoe hit the color brand LOGO, exquisite workmanship, highlight
the brand of charm. Large non-slip soles shading road design, with good
grip end performance, we can cope with all kinds of road.
Smart Chip
Li Ning sports and Xiaomi jointly launched smart running shoes, built-in
smart chip that keeps track running distance, calories burned and other
data, with advanced technology to rewrite your running life.
FOAMEVA LITE / lightweight midsole
It is a lightweight EVA foam midsole material, 30% -40% lighter than
ordinary EVA midsole material, and can provide a comfortable foot
feeling, reduce energy consumption.
PROBARLOC / arch support
Is a thermoplastic material is embedded in the midsole, the stabilizing
device before connecting the palm and heel. Make arch walk each step
properly support and protection, improve stability. Reduce foot fatigue.
√ uppers: Microfiber synthetic leather + Air mesh
√ Sole: rubber outsole + PHYLON midsole
√ movement with xiaomi jointly launched smart running shoes, smart chip
through the millet and millet sports APP midsole combined motion
recording available on landing approach to monitoring, statistical data
and recommendations are given to help runners improve participation
mileage redemption, buy shoes to give guidance to the advanced
technology to rewrite your running life
√ selection of breathable mesh uppers, and a vent hole in the toe, so
that air can circulate, successfully suppressing the heat generated by
friction, keeping feet dry
√ shoes in the toe and heel ankle bent position, using microfiber synthetic leather, shoe with good support so that protection
√ smart chip
√ FOAMEVA LITE / lightweight midsole
√ PROBARLOC / arch support
Virtual Reality and
Augmented Reality are popular keywords in technology field recently. Do
you actually know what is VR and AR? A very good example of AR is the
recently launched very popular mobile game: Pokemon Go which simulates
artificial objects in the real environment while Virtual Reality creates
an artificial environment to inhabit. Instead of viewing a screen in
front of them, users are immersed and able to interact with 3D worlds
with head-mounted display. Today we a new gadget brought to you by
Xiaomi and it's one of the best toy to be paired and used with our
smartphones.
- Immersive VR experience in lightweight, ultra-comfortable Lycra with secure two-way zip design
- Textured metal button lets you control your smartphone easily
- Anti-reflective, optical-grade aspheric lens provides maximum clarity
- Anti-slip strips keep your smartphone secure and aligned with the lenses, no need to keep fiddling for the best possible view
- Personalize and play. Mi VR Play comes with stylish suits that let you show off your personality
- Accommodates 4.7”-5.7” smartphones
- Mi VR app, an open VR platform for more content in China
- Panoramic 2D and 3D Chinese content library
Mi VR Play offers you a wonderful refreshing experience. Put on our VR, feast your eyes with beautiful and picturesque sceneries from all around the world.
Mi VR Play app
provides wide variety of video resources and contents. Latest film and
videos could be found here ensuring you have a great time by using
Xiaomi VR. Youku, iQiyi, VR hotcasts are few examples of our partner.
They are among the best content providers in China and we strive to
bring more contents in our VR platform.
Discover a world of content with Mi VR. Mi VR app comes with a panoramic, 2D and 3D video library with updates.
Here's the closer look of our Mi
VR Play. Zip is our main design so that other smartphones can be fitted
into our VR easily. We are using Spandex, Lycra known for its
exceptional elasticity. It is stronger and more durable fibre. This
material is smooth and suitable for most of the people
Dual openings at the front VR for you to adjust your smartphone's position. Mi VR Play adapts for most phones too !
Anti-reflective, optical-grade
aspheric lens provides maximum clarity and Textured metal button lets
you control your smartphone easily
Anti-slip strips keep your smartphone secure and aligned with the lenses, no need to keep fiddling for the best possible view
Some of you might prefer a colorful
VR instead of a black and dull appearance. Coloful is much more
attractive isn't it? You can choose your favourite or even a customized
DIY design
Samsung has just lifted the cover off a brand new version of its virtual reality headset: the Samsung Gear VR.
Coming
right along the new Samsung Galaxy Note 7, the new Gear VR is USB-C and
Note 7-compatible, and its most important improvements come in the form
of more padding and longer straps for overall improvements in comfort.
In addition to the USB-C connector for the Note 7, there's also an
adapter that allows you to plug in older Samsung phones with the
microUSB port.
At its core, this new version of
the Samsung Gear VR remains looking practically the same: you insert
your Samsung phone in the front and get immersed in the 360-degree
virtual reality world powered by Occulus.
Aesthetically, it's also just plain cooler: that new
black color makes it stand out and gives it a bit more of a futuristic
look, but - of course - that's all a bit subjective. The full list of
phones compatible with the new Gear VR includes: the Samsung Galaxy Note
7, the Galaxy S7 and S7 edge, the Note 5, Galaxy S6 and S6 edge, and
the S6 edge+.
The list of more minor changes
includes a slightly wider field-of-view of 101 degrees versus the
96-degree on the earlier Gear VR, and then
The new Samsung Gear VR will go up for pre-order tomorrow, on August 3rd, and the official release date is set for August 19th.
Slide any Ara module into any slot and it just works. Powering this simplicity is Greybus, a new bit of software deep in the Android stack. Greybus supports instantaneous connections, power efficiency and data-transfer rates of up to 11.9 Gbps.
Built to Last
The Ara frame is built with durable latches and connectors to keep modules secured. Ara modules are designed around standards, allowing them to work with new generations of frames and new form factors.
Build With Us
More Space. New Ideas.
The Ara frame contains the CPU, GPU, antennas, sensors, battery and display, freeing up more room for hardware in each module. We are looking to module makers to create technology never before seen on smartphones.
Hardware’s API
The Ara baseplate provides an instant connection to the Ara frame and its core technologies. That means less time fiddling and more time building.
Open Marketplace
We're hard at work on an open marketplace to connect the next generation of ideas with the broader Ara community. Google is looking for beloved brands and forward-thinking developers to join us.
Microsoft’s Anniversary Update was supposed to take the Windows Hello
biometric authentication system a step further, finally delivering on
the “Passport” promise of the original OS: Your face or fingerprint
would serve as your password for the web as well as your PC. Microsoft
executives tell me Hello will take on this new role once the FIDO 2.0
standard officially rolls out in a few months. For now, Hello is now
used to authenticate you at the Windows Store.
You’ll soon have the option to secure purchases at the Windows Store with your face or fingerprint.
Microsoft’s original Surface tablets used a depth camera to snap a 3D
image of a user’s face, identifying and logging them in. Now, Hello has
become even more accessible, as more hardware makers adopt fingerprint
readers. Both bits of hardware work exceptionally well—and if they
don’t, there’s always a PIN or Microsoft password alternatives.
Now, Microsoft is pushing Hello beyond your login screen, and the
first stop is the Windows Store. The AU code now uses Hello to buy apps,
music, and more. What’s the difference between tapping a button to
approve a stored credit card, versus using your face? Not that much, though the transaction is authenticated via the hardware in your PC, providing an additional assurance that you are you.
I still think replacing passwords via biometrics is the future of
shopping on the web, but restricting it to Store purchases helps ease
users into this new technology. A lot is going to depend on which sites
adopt Hello authentication, especially banking sites.
Cortana: Eager to please, and with a better memory
If you believe that Microsoft is the devil in Redmond, gobbling up
your data to pass along to advertisers (or worse), nothing about
Cortana’s latest features will change that. (But you’ll be happy to know
that the French government agrees with you.)
That said, the Cortana digital assistant has steadily improved since
the initial release of Windows 10. The Anniversary Update presents a
Cortana that’s more aware of you than ever, assuming you allow her access to your life. (In the Anniversary Update, you can't turn Cortana off, though you can periodically wipe out her memory by erasing what she knows and by disabling Windows's 10 personalization features via the Privacy options in Settings.)
You can't turn technically turn off Cortana in the Anniversary
Update, but you can make her deaf, dumb and blind if that's what you
want.
Cortana can now speak several languages, sniff your email for flight
times and other pertinent data, and more. Two key additions make Cortana
especially useful, however: Her hangout on your lock screen, and her
ability to remind you of basically anything.
With the Anniversary Update for Windows 10, you can view a simplified view of your calendar on your PC’s lock screen.
This is a great trick: You can holler across the room—“Hey
Cortana!”—and trigger a few actions on the lock screen, without needing
to log in. Cortana can tell you your upcoming appointments, or even tell
you a joke. One of the product managers responsible for Cortana told me
that she likes to see her calendar on her screen across the room, and
she’s right—that sure is handy.
The other useful addition to Cortana’s repertoire is that you can now
set a “reminder” for a random fact: “Remember that my room number is
1443,” or “remember that my nephew likes Ghostbusters toys.” Later, when you need to, you can then ask “What is my room number?” or “Tell me the toys my nephew likes.”
The best summary of Cortana’s capabilities lies within the Cortana
Notebook, where you’ll find all sorts of little tidbits: Do you want
Cortana to know when you typically eat lunch, and schedule around it? To
connect to your fitness tracker? To make restaurant recommendations? I
fire off reminders to myself all the time, just by yelling at Cortana
while tapping away at something. And you can send texts to Android and
iOS phones, too, if you’ve installed the Cortana app.
Cortana does ask for information from a variety of connected
accounts, though they’re off by default. In part, that’s to help you
plan out getting to and from meetings, say, via Uber.
Edge: extensions make the difference
Edge, Microsoft’s integrated browser, was a glaring flaw in the
original Windows 10 release: too spare, too slow. Even now, as Windows
10 boasts a decent 19.1 percent
market share, Edge’s share sits at just 5.1 percent. It still deserves
mention here, though, because it’s steadily and surprisingly improved
over time (although no specific improvements are really recent enough to
be part of the Anniversary Update). Edge now syncs data with the cloud,
adds extensions, and even offers integration with Cortana.
As long as you confirm your identity, Edge Favorites and passwords
should now be exchanged among Windows 10 devices you have keyed to your
account.
When Windows 10 debuted, neither Edge’s Favorites nor
its stored passwords easily synced with the cloud, which is especially
frustrating when moving to a new PC. There were workarounds—I could
store favorites in Chrome, install the browser, load the favorites, then
export them to Edge—but that was a pain. Now, as long as you sync
everything to your Microsoft account, all of that data should roam
between devices. Just make sure to visit Settings > Accounts > Sync your settings and verify your identity.
More than a dozen extensions add some long-awaited, and much-needed, extensibility to Microsoft’s Edge browser.
The Anniversary Update code now contains support for extensions, a
feature the original version of Edge notably lacked. At press time, 13
Edge extensions are available via the Microsoft Store, none of them
fluff: AdBlock and AdBlock Plus, the LastPass free password manager, an
Evernote Web clipper, and more. They’re easy as pie to install: Simply
go to the ellipsis menu at the upper right, scroll down to Extensions,
and install them like any other app. (For more detail, check out PCWorld’s guide to effectively using Microsoft Edge).
Whether you like the new Edge depends on whether you have an ad
blocker installed. Without it, web browsing still remains choppy. With
it turned on, though, Edge now is in the same league as other browsers,
rendering webpages about a second slower than the competition. I still
found Edge somewhat unstable, though, crashing on media-rich pages at
such sites as CNN.com and SFGate.com even with ad blocking on.
Fortunately, such crashes rebooted the tab, with no apparent ill effects
to the other tabs. I just hope that the crashes can be chalked up to a
bad ad, rather than an issue with the Edge code.
The new Edge extensions sit in the upper right, and can be accessed
via the ellipsis menu. Note that you can turn them on or off as you
wish.
We all shop online, and Edge has added a few handy features. Edge is integrated with Cortana,
so the digital assistant will return results using Bing and Edge, that
she can’t find herself. Better still, when you visit a shopping site
like BestBuy.com, she’ll offer you a coupon. (Check out the MacBook Air
discount!)
Visit a site like Target.com or BestBuy.com, and Cortana will offer a coupon to help you shop.
Right-click an image (of a dress, lawn mower, or whatever) and
Cortana will pull up a sidebar with price and availability at various
online locations. I’m not ready to call Edge a great browser, but it’s
risen to the level of acceptable.
Microsoft Edge allows you to right-click an image and “ask Cortana”
to find places where you might be able to buy the object in question.
the Galaxy Note 7 is the best smartphone Samsung has made in 2016 . It combines the screen size and S Pen of the Note series with the slim body and Edge panel of the Galaxy S7 Edge into one helluva great phone. It really is the best of both worlds. Here are our hands-on impressions.
Smooth, symmetric design
Samsung took all the lessons it learned from the Galaxy S7 Edge and put them into play on the Note 7. When you hold the Note 7 next to the Note 5, it looks so much smaller, even though the 5.7-inch screen size is the same. The body of the phone is slimmer, sleeker, and more comfortable to hold. Samsung shaved off a couple of millimeters from the Note 5’s width to make the Note 7 nearly as slim as the S7 Edge. If you thought the S7 Edge was comfortable in your hand, wait until you get your hands on the Note 7. It’s one of the most comfortable phones we’ve ever held. Samsung fused together two identical pieces of curved glass onto the back and front of the device, so that it curves perfectly into your hand – no more sharp edges. The aluminum frame is super slim on either side of the device, so you barely notice that it’s there — all you feel is the cool curve of glass warming against your hand. The perfect symmetry of the Note 7 adds to comfort, grip, and style. It also looks stunning, especially in the new blue color, which I would almost describe as periwinkle (shh, don’t tell all the men who will love this color). Of course, you’ll quickly mar the Note 7’s perfect surface with fingerprints. It is still an all-glass phone, so if oily smears bother you, you’ll need a case. The fragility of glass is another matter, especially now that the metal frame is slimmed down; the glass is even more exposed to danger if you drop your phone. We highly recommend you buy a case to keep your Note 7 safe – even if Gorilla Glass 5 is supposedly super strong. Luckily, though it’s fragile, it is waterproof (“resistant” is the technical term) thanks to the IP68 rating.
Regardless of our quibbles about the glass, the Note 7 is a sight to behold, especially in the silver and blue color options, both of which hide fingerprints a bit better than the black one. Sadly, the gold version is not U.S. bound at the moment, because each market only gets three colors.
Same killer specs as Galaxy S7 Edge
In terms of specs, the Note 7 is a powerhouse just like the Galaxy S7 series. The Note 7 boasts the same dual-edged Super AMOLED screen as the S7 Edge with a Quad HD 2,560 x 1,440 pixel resolution, but it’s size is 0.2-inches bigger at 5.7 inches. The new Note is powered by a top-of-the-line Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 processor and 4GB of RAM, just like the S7 Edge, so it should be equally speedy. Samsung did simplify things in terms of storage. You can only buy the Note 7 with 64GB of storage, but it is expandable with a MicroSD card up to 256GB, so you should be fine. Like most recent Samsung phones, the Note 7 supports Samsung Pay. The same 12-megapixel back camera and 5-megapixel front-facing camera that graced the S7 Edge are present on the Note 7, too. In our S7 Edge review, we found the camera to be just as good if not better than the iPhone 6S Plus’ camera. We have to test the Note 7’s camera to be sure, but since the specs are the same, we expect similarly strong photography from the Note 7. Rounding out the specs is a 3,500mAh battery, which charges up wirelessly or via a USB Type-C port. The Note 7 is the first Samsung phone to sport a USB Type-C port, and the company even made a new Gear VR headset for it that uses either Type-C or a Micro USB port to connect to your phone.
Security and an iris scanner
Security is more important than ever on our phones, so Samsung doubled up on biometrics with the Note 7. It has both a fingerprint sensor and an iris (eye) scanner. You can choose to use either one, both, or neither when you set up the phone. The iris scanner is super fast and we saw it demoed with glasses, so it appears to work around some obstructions. However, we’ll have to test it out to see how well it does in real life. Iris scanners are finicky, after all. Luckily, the fingerprint sensor is a nearly fail-safe backup if the iris scanner fails. Samsung pointed out that you could use the iris scanner when your hands are wet and the fingerprint sensor can’t read your print. The iris scanner is also supposed to be more secure and less easy to dupe than a fingerprint scanner, so Samsung put it to work on a new security-focused feature called Secure Folder, which is protected by Knox. Basically, the idea is that you can put documents, notes, pictures, and even apps into the Secure Folder when you don’t want anyone to see them. The folder uses Knox and encryption to keep your most sensitive data safe. It is locked even when your phone is unlocked, and you have to use the iris scanner or fingerprint sensor to unlock it. It’s easy to remove or add files to the folder.
Samsung’s TouchWiz UI gets a makeover
While most companies that make Android phones have taken pains to tone down or even eliminate the customized user interfaces they put on top of stock Android, Samsung has stuck stubbornly to TouchWiz. Anyone who’s exclusively used a Samsung phone over the past few years has seen a whole lot of TouchWiz and very little Android. There’s nothing wrong with the UI, but it doesn’t look terribly modern and Android purists tend to grimace when they look at it. Not anymore. Samsung revamped TouchWiz to make it look more modern and polished. The changes are subtle and very tasteful. Honestly, we barely even noticed what was different until we opened the Settings menu. Because we’re total nerds, we literally oohed and ahhed when we saw the changes.
Jeffrey Van Camp/Digital Trends
In the new version of TouchWiz, all your settings are tastefully organized on a white background with great pops of color here and there. It’s so beautiful to look at and easy to navigate. After we discovered the new Settings menu, we started poking around the device for more changes. Beyond a few new apps and Samsung app updates, the biggest visual changes can be seen in the Samsung app icons. Gone are the cartoonish app icons of the past, and in their place are colorful, flat, simple, and attractive icons. They almost look like the kinds of icons you see on iOS, which is to say, they’re works of art in their own regard. Related: Whip out that S Pen! 6 apps to use with the Galaxy Note 5 The changes to TouchWiz are very welcome, and for once, we’re almost glad Samsung isn’t a fan of Google’s stock version of Android. Since the Note 7 is technically an Edge phone, too, it has all the same Edge panels as the S7 Edge. You can download new ones from the Samsung app store or just use the app shortcuts, contacts, and other edges Samsung has pre-loaded on the device. The Edge is much more useful than it used to be and we’re glad to see it on the Note 7. It’s a stronger device with both the Edge panels and the S Pen.
Amazing new S Pen
Samsung made the stylus cool again with the first S Pen, and the latest one is better than ever. The Galaxy Note 7’s stylus supports 4,096 points of pressure, which is double the amount that most styli offer. That means more pressure sensitivity, so the S Pen will know whether to make a sketchy fine line or a bold strike. Extra accuracy will certainly appeal to artists, but it’s also beneficial to note takers. The pen tip is closer to ballpoint size, too, at 0.7mm. It doesn’t drag, either, so the S Pen slides smoothly across the surface when you’re writing or drawing. Samsung also made the S Pen water resistant with an IP68 rating, so you can write underwater. Of course, Samsung fully understands that you won’t go scuba diving with your Note 7 to sketch some coral, but you may need to use the S Pen when it’s raining or your fingers are damp.
The S Pen has always been my favorite Note feature, but now it’s better than ever.
Other new features include the ability to pin notes to the Always-on display for quick access, create scrollable notes, make and share GIFs with Smart Select, translate text into 38 languages with Air Command, open a magnifying glass to increase text size up to 300 percent, and click a single button to erase. All of these features take the S Pen to the next level. Finally, there’s an improved S Notes app, which houses all you S Pen creations in a searchable, simple app. You can create new notes right in the app instead of having to pop your S Pen in and out to conjure the Notes app. When you create a new note, you get several options, including one for artists, which now supports color blending, so that your paintings look more like real oil paintings. You can even share your creations in the Pen Up social community for S pen artists. Apparently, PenUp has been around for a while, but Samsung is actually highlighting it now with a cool new app icon on your home screen. The S Pen has always been my favorite Note feature, but now it’s better than ever.
Conclusion
The Galaxy Note 7 looks like a very promising device. It is as beautiful as the S7 Edge, but it’s as functional as every other Note before it. The Note series is one of our personal favorites and we’re glad that Samsung is folding the Edge into the Note. It makes for a truly unique and well-rounded device. Obviously, we can’t pass much judgment on the Note 7 yet, so stay tuned for our full review. Samsung hasn’t divulged pricing info at the time of writing, but here is the info on how to get your hands on the latest Note. In America, the Galaxy Note 7 will be available in Blue Coral, Silver Titanium, and Black Onyx. You’ll be able to pre-order one at AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, U.S. Cellular, and Verizon Wireless stores on August 3, but the Note 7 won’t hit stores until August 19. It’ll also be available at Best Buy, Amazon.com, BestBuy.com, Car Toys, Sam’s Club, Target, and some Walmart stores. Samsung also has a new deal for those who buy a Galaxy Note7 or Galaxy S7 Edge. You can get a free Gear Fit 2 or a Samsung 256GB memory card. We personally recommend the Gear Fit 2, which we considered better than a Fitbit in our review.
