http://youtu.be/7WcjXVG_dao
What We Did at IFA 2014 for Samsung
Samsung brought us to Berlin to host a discussion after their announcement event for the Note 4. So we played with the Note 4 hands on (and actually got to use it days in advance of the event) and we’ve had some pretty good experience with them. We’ve also used all the previous versions of the Note phone so we’ve seen the evolution.
http://youtu.be/j0lvuDAgvi4
The Note 4 Screen
We did a side by side comparison of our Note 3 and the new Note 4 and the difference was amazing. Like night and day. At least 40% brighter and so much better resolution – the Note 3 has a 1920×1080 screen, but the new Note 4 gives us a screen at 2560 x 1440. Make sure you see this phone in person – seeing it on camera doesn’t do it justice.
The Note 4 Processor
Lots of times you think your processor is just fine and you’re not waiting on apps to open – and then you see something much faster and realize that you were waiting. Performance is very snappy.
The Note 4 Camera
One of the big differentiators on this phone are the cameras. The rear-facing primary camera is 16MP with optical image stabilization. The front-facing camera is 3.7MP. They’re very impressive cameras. You’re not used to such a good camera on the front of the phone.
The Note 4 S Pen
I use the S Pen on my Note 3 a LOT. I use it daily. It’s one of the most important features of the phone for me. But the previous one wasn’t that great for doing real art. The new S Pen is on the level of professional digitizing tablets that artists use.
The Note Edge
We’d seen the material on the Note Edge ahead of actually seeing the phone in person. We knew it looked cool, but nothing can match seeing the phone in action. If you haven’t seen it, the Edge is basically a Note 4 with a curved screen running along the right edge – basically a notification bar where you can read things like incoming text messages while the phone is on your desk.
The Gear VR
VR goggles are getting a lot of buzz with things like the Oculus Rift leading the pack. Samsung is entering the market with the Gear VR which is an accessory specifically for the Note 4. The new phone snaps into the device, connecting with Micro USB so you don’t have to worry about maintaining a Bluetooth connection. The price hasn’t been announced yet, but it’s very reasonable, half what we expected.
The Gear S
Samsung has put out some good early entries in the smartwatch category with the Gear line, and at IFA they added to that with the Gear S. It’s about twice as wide as the Gear Fit, but it has it’s own stand-alone processor so it can work independently of your phone. You’ll still need a supported Samsung phone to set it up and add software, but for daily use, your phone won’t have to be in range.
We Can’t Wait to Use This Stuff!
We love Samsung products and use them every day and that was why Samsung approached us to do this hosting job at IFA. And everyone was so great to work with – it was a real team effort that brought you the launch event. Thanks, Samsung!
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Hey Cali and John! It’s Lea the prompter. Cheers. Serious question: Upon returning to England, I knocked my Google Nexus 4 off the table onto the brick patio, while tuning up my bike (I will not be a silly girl dropping my phone). Regardless of my lack of IRresponsible behaviour, the screen totally terribly shattered. Do you think the Samsung glass is actually more durable? If so, I might try to repair my Nexus myself (with parts ordered from a reputable source), and give it to my son next month in order to get myself a new, more durable screen. He is driving me crazy for a new Ipod or an iphone.
One small step for communication, one giant leap for intelligence, Why should we have to ADD the watch-cum-phone as a device? Why is it not the ONLY phone? I see a future…. Well, not to predict, but to hope. The entirety of the phone function SHOULD be in the wrist-worn device, The device with the 5″-6″ screen should BE A COMPUTER…with a full version of a PC operating system like Windows (not WinPhone but WINDOWS). Or Android or ChromeOS if you want to wimp out. And heck, as the digital assistant of your choice (Cortana, Google Assistant, whatever) gets better, you might not even need the display very often – you can interact with the computer by voice 90% of the time in a true Star Trekian way. Which would mean that tiny PC could be shrunk even more, to maybe a size you could wear around your neck. Smart brooch, anyone? C’mon, Samsung – or Nokia, or Apple, or anyone who’s listening – doesn’t this sound like a kickass future?