Samsung Galaxy S5

The Galaxy S5 has recently been tipped by a VP of Samsung Mobile for an April release date. The announcement is set for the upcoming Mobile World Congress (MWC) event, beginning on Feb 24.

At this point most GS5 talk centers around a supposed iris scanner that will fulfil a similar function to Apple’s fingerprint scanner. The tech hasn’t been confirmed specifically for the Galaxy S5 by Samsung, but Lee Young Hee, the Samsung VP in question, has said that it’s something they’re working on for future devices.

We’re also expecting a new look for the S5, thanks to the same interview with the Samsung exec. Like the Apple with the iPhone, Samsung has enjoyed two years with the same Galaxy design, and it is time for a refresh.

There is some suggestion that the S5 will come in two versions: a cheaper version made of plastic and a premium one made of metal (AKA the Galaxy F). Based on Samsung’s history this is doubtful, but a metal-plated Galaxy S5 is certainly a possibility. Both Samsung’s top competitors – Apple and HTC – have had success through switching to metal. Alternatively the Galaxy F may exist, but if it does it’ll be a different device to the S5 and not simply a shinier version.

Other rumors include wrap-around screens, a bezel-less display, flexible OLED panel and a higher resolution.

We can certainly see Samsung upping the res for the GS5. It wouldn’t change much visually. 5-inch 1080p screens like the one on the current S4 are already so pixel-heavy that even doubling their pixels per inch (ppi) may hardly be noticeable. Be this as it may, Samsung loves going all-out with its marketing, and boasting a higher resolution than ‘Full-HD’ 1080p would be an easy sell to the average consumer.

Source: http://www.whistleout.com/CellPhones/Guides/best-upcoming-phones

Samsung Unveils First Curved Ultra High Definition (UHD) TVs

Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd., the leader in TV technology for eight years, today unveiled its first commercial Curved Ultra High Definition (UHD) TVs and announced its exciting 2014 curved and UHD TV line-up. The new product portfolio reinforces Samsung’s leadership and sets the pace for innovation, design and content across the industry.

In 2013 Samsung introduced three UHD TVs that sparked consumer demand for the new technology, alongside its first-ever TV featuring a curved design. For 2014, Samsung is demonstrating its commitment to driving new technologies and accelerating their adoption by introducing a range of Samsung UHD TVs including the world’s largest at 110”, as well as the world’s first and largest Curved UHD TV at 105”.

Guy Kinnell, Head of TV and AV, Samsung Electronics UK and Ireland said: “Following last year’s introduction of Samsung UHD TV, in 2014 Samsung will drive industry growth through tremendous innovation in UHD picture quality, breakthrough design and consumer choice. The combination of our curved design and UHD picture quality creates the ultimate immersive entertainment experience for people passionate about entertainment. Samsung is well-positioned to meet UHD demand with our new beautifully designed, feature-packed and future-ready Smart TVs.”

In recognition of its leadership in innovation, design and engineering, Samsung won six CES 2014 Innovation Awards for its TV line. The Samsung 65” H7150 LED Smart TV received a CES Best of Innovation Award, while five TVs – including the 78” U9000 (U8500 in Europe) Curved UHD TV and 110” S9 UHD TV, were named 2014 CES Design and Engineering honourees.

Source: http://www.samsung.com/uk/news/localnews/2014/samsung-unveils-first-curved-ultra-high-definition-uhd-tvs

Intel Edison Quark mini computer

Four months ago, Intel unveiled its Quark SoC at IDF. Today at CES 2014, company CEO Brian Krzanich wants to introduce you to Edison, a miniature computer based on the same technology condensed into the form factor of an SD card. The tiny computer is built on the company's 22nm transistor technology, runs Linux and has built-in WiFi and Bluetooth modules. What's more, the tiny machine can connect to its own app store. Naturally, the device is aimed at developers, Krzanich says, who he hopes will use it to build the next generation of wearable and connected devices. Even so, Intel is leading by example, and showed a small collection of "Nursery 2.0" products using embedded Edison chips: a toy frog that reports an infant's vitals to a parent via an LED coffee cup, for example, and a milk warmer that starts heating when another connected item (the frog, again) hears the baby cry.

Still, even Intel knows that developers need more than a good example to motivate them, and nothing gets the creative juices flowing quite like the promise of an award. To that end, the company has announced the "Make it Wearable" competition, and says it will be offering up to $1.3 million in prizes for developers churning out wearable tech. The full details of the contest weren't revealed at the show, but Krzanich did say that first prize would walk away with a cool $500,000. Oh, and if you're eyeballing Edison for your award-winning idea? It'll be available sometime in mid-2014.

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2014/01/06/intel-edison/

Best Mainstream Laptop: Lenovo IdeaPad U430 Touch

If you're looking for a lightweight, touch-friendly notebook that lasts all day on a charge and won't break the bank, you'll find it in the Lenovo IdeaPad U430 Touch. The 14-inch, 4-pound laptop features a sharp, 1600 x 900-pixel touch screen; a speedy Intel 4th-generation Core i5 processor; and more than 8 hours of battery life.

Starting Price: $628

Source: http://www.laptopmag.com/best-laptops.aspx

Specifications: http://shop.lenovo.com/sa/en/laptops/ideapad/u-series/u430-touch/

Best Gaming Laptop: Alienware 17

Alienware laptops have long been the gold standard for portable gaming, and the current-generation Alienware 17 shows why. In our tests, the laptop's high-end Nvidia GTX 780M graphics and 2.7-GHz Intel 4th Generaiton Core i7 CPU were powerful enough to play "BioShock Infinite " at 106 fps and "World of Warcraft" at 144 fps. Alienware's sci-fi-inspired design and customizable keyboard, grille and touchpad lights make the 17 as exciting to look at as it is to use.

Starting Price: $1,499

Source: http://www.laptopmag.com/best-laptops.aspx

Specifications: http://www.dell.com/ca/p/alienware-17/pd

Best Workstation Laptop: Apple MacBook Pro 15-inch with Retina Display

Apple's refreshed 15-inch MacBook Pro with Retina Display is ideal for graphics professionals or anyone who needs a notebook with equal doses of speed and endurance. This 4.5-pound juggernaut packs Intel's latest quad-core Core i7 processor, blazing PCIe solid state storage and Nvidia GT750M graphics, making quick work of any task-or multiple tasks at once. Plus, you still get an eye-popping 2880 x 1800-pixel display. With the 15-inch MacBook Pro, your high-res videos and photos will look fantastic, and you can edit and transcode in the blink of an eye. Add about 9 hours of battery life and you have the best mobile workstation money can buy.

Starting Price: $1,999

Source: http://www.laptopmag.com/best-laptops.aspx

Specifications: http://www.apple.com/macbook-pro/specs-retina/

Best Multimedia Laptop: ASUS N550JV

Who needs a home theater when you can have the ultimate media laptop? The ASUS N550JV's gorgeous 1080p IPS, 10-point touch display provides bright images and wide viewing angles. It can also bend backward a full 180 degrees. A quad speaker array with a subwoofer and Waves MaxxAudio provides thumping bass at loud volumes, while an Nvidia GeForce GT 750M graphics chip gives the system enough oomph to play taxing games such as "BioShock Infinite."

Starting Price: $999.

Source: http://www.laptopmag.com/best-laptops.aspx

Specifications: https://www.asus.com/Notebooks_Ultrabooks/N550JV/