Samsung patents advanced technology for a retractable smartphone with a rollable display. Enables users to enlarge the screen area by about 30%.
The high-end Samsung Galaxy S21 series was introduced last week. Three models are introduced with a completely new camera design. Luckily more top models from Samsung are expected to arrive this year, including three foldable models. Perhaps the South Korean manufacturer will also present a rollable smartphone. As the counterpart of the LG Rollable smartphone, of which a teaser was shown earlier this month at CES 2021.
Some time ago Korean media reported that Samsung is planning to use a flexible display panel to enlarge a 6” phone into an 8” tablet. Further details about the design are still unknown. Samsung may wants to apply the following technology, as the company has been granted a patent for a “Samsung slide smartphone“.
Samsung slide smartphone with rollable display
In March 2020, Samsung Electronics filed a patent for a “Dual Slidable electronic device”. The documentation was published by the WIPO (World Intellectual Property Office) on January 21, 2021. The apparently normal smartphone is in fact a “dual slidable device”. Both the front and back of the smartphone are provided with flexible material so that you can extend the phone in width.
A large flexible display is used for the front. There are several options available for the rear. The documentation mentions the possible integration of a second flexible display or other flexible material such as metal film, fabric or leather.
To better visualize the patented technology Jermaine Smit, aka Concept Creator, made a set of product images for LetsGoDigital. To create the 3D renders we assumed that Samsung does not provide the rear with a second screen.
Although users will have an even larger screen surface with a second display, you may wonder whether the costs will outweigh the benefits. In addition, a dual display smartphone has the disadvantage that the device is always laying on one of the two displays, which significantly increases the risk of scratches and damage.
Unlike some Chinese manufacturers, Samsung has not yet announced a dual display smartphone, so we consider it more likely that Samsung will provide the back with another type of flexible material. In order to keep the device more affordable and to make it attractive to a larger target group, in the niche market.
Screen area can be enlarged by approx. 30%
The housing has two gears and a gear rail that makes it possible to pull in and out the flexible display. In its most compact form, part of the rollable screen is stored in the housing. A reel element has been fitted for this, around which the screen curls. The same mechanism is also used for the rear, as a flexible material will be used the rear can also be enlarged. In order to make this happen, the frame has also been upgraded, we will come back to this later.
Unfolded, you have a screen surface that is roughly 30% larger – which would be in line with the Korean rumor that the 6 ”screen can be pulled out to 8” size display. In its most compact form you have a relatively small mobile phone at your disposal, if you want to be productive and be able to use several apps at the same time, then the retractable screen offers the solution.
The fingerprint sensor is placed under the screen, as stated in the detailed description. If necessary, more sensors are processed under the screen, such as a gesture sensor, a gyro sensor, a proximity sensor and / or an Infrared sensor.
Solid frame can be pulled out thanks to a chain link system
The frame of this smartphone is also unique. It’s a high-quality design, better than we have seen so far with prototype smartphones with a retractable screen. Samsung has opted to integrate a kind of chain link system at the top and bottom, which can be pulled in and out like a harmonica.
As a result, the sturdy frame remains completely intact even when extended – without creating a notch where the device is pulled apart. This benefits both grip and strength. This will make the device feel much more like one solid whole. The chain link system is covered with a flexible foil / cover material, which prevents dust and dirt from entering the mechanism.
Furthermore, the documentation mentions the integration of a front camera and a rear camera. For the selfie camera, a punch-hole camera will probably be chosen, as Samsung has also used with the Galaxy Z Flip and Z Fold 2 foldable smartphones. Such a camera system is relatively easy to apply with a flexible screen.
The rear camera will be designed vertically and will contain multiple lenses – like the triple camera of the recently introduced Samsung S21, as illustrated in the product renders. Due to the movable frame on top, the camera has only been extended to the side this time. Want to know more about this uniquely designed phone? Visit our Dutch edition for an in-depth coverage about this Samsung Dual Slide smartphone.
It is not the first time that we hear about a retractable Samsung Galaxy phone. Samsung has already shown a prototype to a select group of people at CES 2020. Afterwards, the company also filed multiple patents for slider smartphones.
Samsung is expected to release three foldable smartphones this year. Whether or not Samsung also intends to release a rollable smartphone this year remains unknown for the time being.
Take a look at the documentation of the Samsung dual slide smartphone.
Note to editors:The concept renders presented in this publication are made by Jermaine Smit (aka Concept Creator) and licensed to LetsGoDigital. This product is not officially announced by Samsung. You are allowed to use the high-resolution images for free if you include a clickable source link into your publication. Thank you very much for understanding.
(Pocket-lint) – Samsung’s Galaxy SmartTag is a Bluetooth tracker, looking to extend the reach of SmartThings Find beyond those devices with their own connection, like a phone or a tablet.
It follows very much in the mould of Tile, the company that basically created and has dominated the Bluetooth tracker market up to this point. So does the Galaxy SmartTag impress, or is this a tracker that’s a little lost because it’s locked to Samsung-only phones?
Design & Build
Dimensions: 38 x 38 x 8mm / Weight: 12g
Finishes: Black or Oatmeal
IPX3 water resistance
CR2032 battery
There’s not much to the SmartTag. It’s a squircle, approximately 38mm square, with rounded corners. It’s about 8mm thick at the fattest point, although again it’s rounded towards the edges, so it’s like a smooth pebble.
Coming in two colours, there’s very little to talk about – apart from the important IPX3 water resistance. We left the SmartTag out in the snow over a weekend (accidentally, of course) and found it still to be working come Monday morning, which is exactly what you’d want from it.
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There’s a hole in one corner so you can attach it to things. The idea is that you put it on your keyring, slip it into a bag or attach it to other valuables, and then essentially forget about it.
One side of the SmartTag features a touch area – which is how you access the device’s features – which is not a physical button. Instead the centre of the device, where the Galaxy SmartTag logo sits, depresses with a satisfying click.
There’s a small on-board beeper that will respond to presses and also acts as the alarm so you can “ring” the tag when you’re trying to find it.
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You can prise the SmartTag open and inside you’ll find a CR2032 battery – rated for 280 days of use – meaning you can easily replace it, just as you can in a device like the Tile Pro.
How the Galaxy SmartTag works
Bluetooth Low Energy Connection (BLE)
Requires Galaxy smartphone/device
Controlled via the SmartThings app
Inside the Galaxy SmartTag is the battery and Bluetooth Low Energy chip, which is how you connect to the device. Everything is managed through the SmartThings app. Although SmartThings is available across platforms, only Galaxy devices running Android 8 or higher have support for the SmartTag – if you try to connect anything else to it, it won’t work.
Setup will require you to log into the SmartThings app using your Samsung account, then it’s a quick process of pairing with the SmartTag. That establishes a Bluetooth connection, but it also connects your tag into SmartThings, so you’ll see it appear in other devices running the SmartThings app too. That means that once you’ve connected it to one Samsung device, you’ll be able to find it on all Samsung devices (running Android 8 or later), without the need to connect it to each new phone.
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The SmartTag itself has no intelligence itself; any location that is logged, or location finding, comes from the information gathered by your phone and that’s essentially how it works.
Because it is connected to your phone, your phone will know where it is thanks to its own location tracking. While you’re within Bluetooth range of the SmartTag, you’ll always be able to “ring” it via the SmartThings app to find whatever it is attached to.
But when you’re out of range, your phone will be able to tell you the last location that it was connected to the Tag. That will mean, for example, that if you leave your keys in a café, your phone will know that it was last connected to the SmartTag at that café and show you the location via the SmartThings app.
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That side of things is simple, but Samsung is pushing tracking a little further via the Galaxy Find Network. When you lose your SmartTag, you won’t be able to detect it once you’re out of range – which is about 15 metres in our experience. But other Samsung phones will be able to detect it and report the location back to you.
Like Tile, this happens in the background, anonymously and in encrypted form, so you don’t need to worry about your privacy being compromised, whether you’re detecting someone else’s item or have someone else detect yours.
Once your SmartTag has been detected (either by your own phone or by another Galaxy user), you’ll be sent the location, at which point you can use SmartThings Find to show you the location – including getting directions from the map and a precise postcode.
A Galaxy of millions of users
While finding things in your home is much more straightforward – it will be within Bluetooth range so you can “ring” it and then go and find it – it’s the ou-of-home aspect of the SmartTag that has a lot more value.
The ability for a Samsung Galaxy phone to find your lost SmartTag is governed by the Find My Mobile system, which is tied into the Samsung account. So for someone to contribute to the system, they need to be a Samsung account user, first and foremost, which is optional on Samsung phones.
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It’s within the Find My Mobile settings that you’ll find the option to contribute to “offline finding” which is the part of the system that can anonymously find SmartTags and return information to Samsung’s system to feedback to the original owner.
That makes for millions of potential devices that can locate a SmartTag. The Tile system, on the other hand – while it works with both Apple and Android devices – only works among Tile users. Samsung has the potential to use its massive market presence to deliver a really good system. Unfortunately, you’ll never really know how well that system is working until you lose a tag and have it located by an anonymous Samsung owner.
To a certain extent you’re dependent on Samsung phone owners also using the Find My Mobile option on their devices – but unlike Tile, they won’t have to be SmartTag users or owners to help build the locator network, which is a postitive.
It’s all about SmartThings Find
Works within the SmartThings app
Gives map location and direction
As we’ve mentioned, the SmartTag sits within the SmartThings app on Samsung devices. While it will be registered to your list of SmartThings devices and appear within the app on non-Samsung phones, it will only say that it exists, but that it’s not supported.
On a Samsung phone, however, you’ll see the SmartTag listed with a nearby reading when it’s close at hand. Clicking through you can access details on the Tag, such as the battery level and the ringtone settings.
You can also opt to have the SmartTag detect your phone. This will mean you can double-press the button and have your phone ring, which is useful for finding your phone if you’ve misplaced it.
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You can also assign other functions to a single- or long-press of that button. This useful feature will let you create routines or actions within SmartThings. For example, you could have it arm the security system when you leave the house, or to open the garage door and turn on the lights when you return home. It’s customisable, so you can get it to do what you want, as long as those actions are within your SmartThings app. It uses a simple ‘If and Then’ system so it’s easy to setup.
Locating the SmartTag is handled by the SmartThings Find side of things. This is the same system that Samsung will let you use to find other Samsung devices you have registered to your Samsung account, including headphones like like Galaxy Buds Pro.
Opening up SmartThings Find will show a map displaying the location, or last connected location of all your devices, including the SmartTag. It’s within the map that you can toggle on the option to be notified when your lost SmartTag is found.
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You can also tap through to navigation instructions to take you to the location on the map. That will mean that if your missing SmartTag is detected in an unexpected location, you flip right over to Google Maps and travel to that location.
To try and help you find something you can use the Scan Nearby function which will try to move you in closer to that item. However, in the case of the SmartTag, once you’re within Bluetooth range, you’ll get a notification on your phone and you’ll be able to use the ring function so you can track down the sound and find whatever you have lost. We located a hidden tracker at night easily enough after recieving a notification of its location and using the ring function to track it down precisely.
One feature that seems to be missing is the “you’re leaving without” option, which Tile has on its Premium offering, alerting you when you’re leaving something behind. This is the system that would alert you to the fact that you’ve left the café without your keys, for example, because that strongly connected device has now lost connection.
Verdict
The Galaxy SmartTag is Samsung getting into a new area, looking to use the scale of its smartphone network to enable locating a lost item on a massive scale. The SmartTag works exactly as you’d expect it to – the alarm is loud enough to hear and we’ve had no problem with connecting to the device or locating it when we’ve delibrately lost it.
It’s likely to be slightly confusing for some people that it’s only supported on the Samsung network and not the wider SmartThings network – the latter which is universal across Apple and Android devices too. That will mean for the most benefit, everyone you want to be able to find a SmartTag will have to have a Samsung phone – while you’ll also have to stick to using a Samsung phone in the future or you’ll lose the ability to use SmartTags. Samsung says it has no plans to support other devices.
To a certain extent, the existing Tile offering is more attractive – there are more options for device types, universal support across Apple and Android devices, and an existing network of users – as you’re not restricted by Samsung’s walled garden. But for a committed Samsung user, the SmartTag will do much the same, without the need to sign-up to another service.
Also consider
Tile Pro
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It’s no surprise that Tile is the alternative, given that it’s the dominant player in this small market. Universal compatibility and a wider range of products to choose from is a natural advantage.
Samsung’s latest flagship, the Galaxy S21 Ultra, is its first phone to feature Samsung Display’s new power-efficient OLED panels. In a press release, Samsung says the new display consumes 16 percent less power thanks to a “just-developed organic material” that means “electrons flow faster and more easily across the display’s organic layer.”
“In other words,” Samsung explains, the technology means its “OLED panels can create brighter light while consuming less power, which improves the battery lifetime.” A smartphone’s display is typically one of its most power-hungry components, so efficiency gains here can have a big impact on the overall battery life of the device. In our review, we remarked that the S21 Ultra has excellent battery life that lasts “beyond a full day.”
Samsung confirmed to The Verge that the S21 Ultra uses an LTPO (aka a Low-Temperature Polycrystalline Oxide) display, but it’s not the first of Samsung’s phones to do so. Last year, The Elec reported that Samsung’s Galaxy Note 20 Ultra also used LTPO display panels, which Samsung brands as HOP (Hybrid Oxide and Polycrystalline silicon). However, this week’s announcement says the S21 Ultra is the “first” to use the more efficient panels, suggesting Samsung Display has further refined the technology compared to the Note 20 Ultra.
Prior to appearing in smartphones, LTPO displays have been used in smart watches. The Elec notes that the Apple Watch Series 4 featured an LTPO display produced by LG, while Samsung’s Galaxy Watch Active 2 used an LTPO display produced by Samsung Display.
If reports are accurate, Apple’s next flagship iPhones could soon benefit from Samsung Display’s power-efficient panel technology. Earlier this year, The Elec reported that the South Korean company is in line to supply LTPO panels for Apple’s 2021 iPhones. According to the report, Apple will use 120Hz LTPO OLED displays in two of its four iPhones in the second half of the year, while the other two will have more traditional OLED panels.
Samsung is expanding its Health Monitor app to 31 new countries, including 28 European countries, and people in those countries will be able to use the app with a Galaxy Watch 3 or Galaxy Active 2 smartwatch to take electrocardiogram (EKG) and blood pressure readings.
Samsung says the app was granted a CE marking in December, which means that it complies with applicable regulations in Europe and can be offered in the European Economic Area.
Here is the full list of countries in Europe that will soon be able to get the app: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the UK. It will also be available in Chile, Indonesia, and the United Arab Emirates soon.
To be able to take an EKG or blood pressure measurement, you’ll need to have the Samsung Health Monitor app installed on your Galaxy smartphone and on a Galaxy Watch 3 or Galaxy Active 2. Samsung says the app update that enables the features will begin rolling out on February 4th, though the company notes that availability “may vary by market and carrier.”
Apple introduced the ability to take an EKG with the Apple Watch Series 4 in 2018, though Apple Watches still can’t natively track blood pressure.
(Pocket-lint) – Tile is the name in Bluetooth trackers, dominating a market that it invented, with few rivals. It’s a clever system which allows you to ‘tag’ your devices with a Tile and then track them, to help avoid loss.
The Tile ecosystem expanded in 2019 and now offers four different models to suit different applications, a clever app that means you can also find your phone in return – and a network that can find lost items via other Tile users, completely securely.
If you’re always losing things, then there’s a good chance that Tile has something that will help.
Tile Mate vs Pro vs Sticker vs Slim: What’s the difference?
With four main products, let’s start by telling you what’s different about all these devices. Essentially, the differences are in the range and the batteries, with slightly different form factors to suit how you want to use the devices.
Note: there have been several versions of the Mate and Pro. Here we’re focusing on the 2019 version (we’ve given details for the older devices in brackets). There are also Tile Sport and Tile Style, but they are no longer sold.
Tile Mate
Tile Mate has a range of 60 metres, features a changeable battery that will give you 1 year of life. (Previous version: range 45 metres.)
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Tile Pro
Tile Pro is slimmer than the Mate, offering a longer range of 122 metres, but also has a changeable battery that will last for 1 year. (Previous version: range 90 metres.)
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Tile Sticker
Tile Sticker is designed to be stuck via the 3M adhesive back, so you can put it onto anything. As such it doesn’t have a changeable battery, but the battery will last for 3 years. It has a range of 45 metres.
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Tile Slim
Tile Slim is a credit card shape and exceptionally thin, so you can slip it into a wallet or luggage tag. Like the Sticker, it’s a single-use Tile so you can’t change the battery, but the internal battery will last you for 3 years. It has a range of 60 metres. (Previous version: range 30m, different shape.)
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Tile set up and the app
Everything Tile revolves around your account and the app that’s running on your phone. Setup is easy. Once you’ve installed the app you’re walked through a simple process to register and connect those Tile devices to your phone.
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The app will register them and you’ll have the opportunity to give them a name, so if you have a Tile Pro attached to your car keys, you can call it ‘car key’, for example. The app shows you all the different Tiles you have – as well as devices registered to the Tile service – and also includes your phone and any other phones with the Tile app.
Each Tile has a button on it as well as a speaker to emit a sound to help you find it. Apart from that and the battery, it has a Bluetooth chip that uses very little power so you’re not constantly changing the battery. These have different ranges – as we outline above – meaning that if you have the Tile Pro, you’ll be able to detect it from further away.
Once set up in the app, that’s it – to find your devices you can open the app and hit what you’re looking for, the alarm on that Tile will sound (if connected to your phone) and you’ll be able to locate that item. Yes, you’ll need to keep Bluetooth on your phone turned on.
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We mentioned that each Tile has a button on it. You not only use this to get started with the setup, but it can, in return, be used to find your phone. Press the button twice and an alarm will sound from your phone – a nice quid pro quo.
Tile also works with Google Assistant and Alexa, meaning you can ask your Echo to find your keys, for example – and that works nicely.
What happens when your Tile isn’t in range?
This is where things get a little more interesting. Finding something connected via Bluetooth in your home is easy, but what happens when you lose something outside when it’ll likely be outside of range?
Firstly, the last known location of that Tile is shown on a map in the app. Left your keys at work? The app will show you the last place it saw that Tile at your workplace.
Beyond that is where the Tile network comes into play. It’s a network that has many users – there are some 26 million Tiles out there, and 6 million location requests a day (2019 figures). Open up the app on your phone and it will report how many Tile users there are in your immediate vicinity – for us it’s over 2000 users in the immediate area.
When you lose a device you can mark it as “lost”. If another Tile user’s phone detects your “lost” device, you will be alerted with a notification. Because Tile uses Bluetooth LE, those members of the community don’t have to actively hunt for your device – it all happens in the background, reporting the location to you without them even knowing that they’ve located your lost Tile.
You also don’t get to see other Tile users or their devices, so you can’t use this to locate people or their tagged stuff – it’s all securely happening in the background. You just get an email and a notification in your Tile app, telling you were it was found and giving you directions to that place.
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The net result is that if you leave a Tile-tagged device in a bar or restaurant, for example, you’ll be able to get a location on it after you’ve left thanks to other Tile users. Equally, once you’re back in that location, you can connect to that device and ring the alarm so you can locate your device.
Being able to see the last connected location on a map is great because you can return to that location and if your phone then connects to that Tile, you can simply sound the alarm and find what you lost.
Of course, this all depends on someone not finding your device and removing your Tile – and it depends on there being a community of users. If you live somewhere really remote, that might not be the case.
The other thing you need to consider is how the Tile app runs on devices. If the permissions block access in the background – perhaps to save battery – that might mean that Tile never detects anything until the app is actually opened. Some devices are more aggressive with killing background activity, so this is certainly something to watch out for.
What about Tile Premium?
Everything detailed above comes as standard for a Tile user and is included within the cost of the Tile you buy. But there’s also a Premium subscription – priced $2.99 a month, or £2.99 in the UK – that can unlock a range of other features.
One of these alerts you when you leave something behind. You can set this up so that if you leave a location without a device, you can get an alert. At the time of writing it was in beta and we found it to be a little inconsistent. On one occasion we were about 5 minutes from home when we got a notification that we’d left something behind – on another occasion we were a 20 minute drive away, which is less than useful.
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Another option that Tile Premium offers is a 30-day history of your Tile’s location. This essentially gives you a movement map for a device, showing you where it’s been located. That means that if you lose a device, you can see a history of how it moves around the map and places where it’s detected. If you don’t have Premium, you can only see the last location.
There are also free battery replacements, and the ability to share Tiles with contacts (so someone else can locate your keys, for example).
Moving beyond Tile
One of the things that Tile has been doing to expand this beyond its own tags is working to integrate its technology into other things you might lose. It’s starting with wireless headphones and rather than having to integrate a physical Tile, the company is going deeper and working with the major chip manufacturers that produce Bluetooth hardware. You can find more information about this in our main What is Tile? feature.
By integrating Tile technology into something like a set of Bluetooth headphones, you can get the advantage of this finding technology without having to buy the physical Tile. Take the Sennheiser Momentum Wireless for example – these headphones have Find with Tile technology, meaning you can open up the app to locate your headphones if you ever lose them.
While this is a seemingly small step, it’s an important part of the expansion of the Tile universe and if it encourages more people to use Tile, then it’s better for the whole community.
Which Tile is best?
It’s easy to levitate towards the Tile Pro: we’ve found ourselves using the first-gen model for some time because it offers great range and the ease of changing the battery when it runs out – a standard CR 2032. It’s also pretty solid, although we have, on occasion, pressed the button by mistake and found our phone sounding an alarm as it happily alerts you to its location, when it’s where it should be: in your pocket.
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Tile Mate is the most affordable of the options, while still offering decent range and a changeable battery, so if you’re just after a single Tile then it might be the easiest approach to the system.
The Tile Sticker brings a new dimension to things. It’s much more discreet, easily attached to something and then basically forgotten, until you need it. Whether that’s something small at home like the TV remote or something large like your bike, the appeal of the Sticker is its versatility, although once it’s stuck, it’s basically there for the life of the Tile.
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Tile Slim rounds out the package and is great for the wallet, with this new shape now much more useful than the older square version.
Really it’s a case of picking the option that suits what you want to attach it too, as the functionality overall is basically the same.
Verdict
If you’re prone to misplacing things around your home then Tile has immediate appeal – it’s really easy to find things via your phone by sounding an alarm, or using voice via Google or Amazon devices. Beyond that, having a location on a map showing where something was last connected to your phone is really useful. You can retrace your steps and find whatever you left behind.
Beyond that, it really depends on how active the Tile community is for automatically locating things beyond a given Tile’s range. If there are no Tile users in the area that you’ve left something, then if it moves from that spot on the map, so you’ll have no idea where it is.
Rumours that Apple could enter the market could also be a huge disruptor for Tile. If Apple turns every iPhone into a detector it will likely mean that an Apple Tag would never be out of range, giving Apple an advantage when it comes to finding lost items. Samsung has also recently entered this market with the Galaxy SmartTag, again, with the potential to use every Galaxy phone as a locator, not just those who use Samsung’s Bluetooth tracker.
Overall the Tile system works well, offers plenty of choices for Bluetooth tags, and is easy to use. That has immediate appeal, making it easy to find things you misplace around the home while giving you some scope to find things you lose further afield. With more types of Tile device like Sticker, there are now more ways to keep track of your stuff.
Alternatives to consider
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Samsung Galaxy SmartTag
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Samsung’s SmartTag offers the same basic functionality as the Tile Pro, but is limited to Samsung users. The advantage that has is that any Samsung device could potentially find a lost item and report the location back to you. The downside is that you need to use a Samsung phone or your SmartTag won’t be compatible.
(Pocket-lint) – Mario is one of gaming’s true greats, an iconic mascot who’s starred in more masterpieces than we care to count down the years, each of them doing something radical to take platforming games forward.
Top Nintendo Switch games: Best Switch games every gamer must own
There are so many games in his history, though, that it can feel a little overwhelming trying to pick one – so if you fancy some Mario goodness, which should you play right now? We’ve picked the very best that are easily accessible so that you don’t have to go digging through stuff to try to get an old console working.
Our guide to the best Mario games to play today
Nintendo
Super Mario Odyssey
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Odyssey is a once-in-a-generation game, an absolute stone-cold classic that has oodles of content, gorgeously designed worlds and graphics that are the best Mario’s ever enjoyed.
It’s one of the very finest games for the Nintendo Switch, and is a brilliant play whether it’s your first Mario game or the latest in a long line. If you can only play one right now, we’d go for this.
Nintendo
New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe
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If you want something more traditional, Nintendo still makes occasional side-scrolling Mario games, and they’re still just as brilliant. The latest is this huge package, remastered for the Switch after an initial release on the Wii U.
It’s a brilliant game that’s really challenging in places, and sure to get you back in the old-school zone in no time.
Nintendo
Super Mario Bros. 2
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Of course, there might be nothing quite like the original games to please you, in which case our top pick is the second, Super Mario Bros. 2, which iterated on the first game’s superb foundation.
It might just be the best 2D platformer ever made, and you can still play it really easily on the recent NES Mini, making it simple to get it working on a modern TV. It’s a nostalgia trip, but also a gaming great.
Nintendo
Super Mario World
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If you want something classic but a bit more recent, there’s the option of picking up the SNES Mini instead, and getting access to both Super Mario World games (the second being Yoshi’s Island, a masterpiece that we’re calling a Yoshi game).
The first is a stone-cold classic, once more, with amazing new powers to discover but the same insanely tight controls and beautifully-designed worlds to master.
Nintendo
Super Mario 3D All-Stars
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It isn’t hte most detailed restoration ever, but this superb package brings three classic 3D Mario adventures to your Switch – Super Mario 64, Sunshine and Galaxy.
Those are three of the best 3D platformers ever made, so as a package it’s a brilliant way to get your fix of Mario’s jumping fun, and saves you the hassle of trying to hook up an old Nintendo 64, GameCube or Wii.
Nintendo
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
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Of course, Mario doesn’t just star in platformers – he’s also the big name in one of the best racers ever. If you’ve got a Switch, Mario Kart 8 is an absolute must-have for couch racing and online fun.
Its physics are perfectly weighted for enjoyable challenge, its tracks are beautiful, and there’s nothing else that can really hold a candle to it.
Writing by Max Freeman-Mills. Editing by Dan Grabham.
Q Acoustics bravely enters uncharted waters, but out-of-character sonic shortfalls let down an otherwise decent first effort
For
Thoughtfully designed
Vast hub connectivity
Punchy, room-filling sound
Against
Lacks dynamic and rhythmic expression
No dedicated control app
Stands are expensive extras
It’s a simple fact of life that the more there is to do, the more there is to prioritise. For Q Acoustics’ first all-in-one streaming speaker system, the Q Active 200, the British speaker specialist could have focused most of its attention on the streaming side of things – that is the unchartered territory here, after all. While the brand has some degree of experience in powered speaker design, this is its first proper active streaming proposition.
But the Q Acoustics Q Active 200 appear to be a speaker-first design, given the ambitious acoustic engineering on show here. Get the speaker part right, as you’d hope a firm with such plaudits in the field would, and you’re halfway there.
Build
(Image credit: Q Acoustics)
If you were expecting an active set of speakers resembling Q Acoustics’ current range of standmounters, then the Q Active 200’s design may raise a few eyebrows.
The boxes are narrow, deep and in a beautifully finished matte white – so far, so Q Acoustics. But instead of the usual tweeter and mid/bass woofer decorating each façade, there is a rectangular grille in the top corner that hides two round, 58mm BMR (balanced mode radiator) drive units.
Q Acoustics Q Active 200 tech specs
(Image credit: Q Acoustics)
Transmission 24-bit/96kHz
Spotify Connect Yes
AirPlay 2 Yes
UPnP Yes
Bluetooth Yes
Inputs Line-level/phono, optical, HDMI
Drivers 114mm woofer, 2x 58mm BMR
Voice control Google Chromecast, Amazon Alexa
Power 100W per channel
It gives the classy cabinets a unique, neatly minimalist look that might sit well in contemporary designed living spaces – but the design is likely to divide opinion.
Q Acoustics has chosen to use a pair of BMR drivers in each cabinet in preference to conventional cone units. BMRs have two big advantages: they deliver both midrange and treble (and a bit of bass) from their modestly sized forms, so avoiding the need for a separate tweeter and mid/bass combination and the distortion generating crossover that goes along with it. And they also radiate sound uniformly across a 180-degree plane, reducing the usual tendency for speakers to create a listening ‘sweet spot’.
The drivers’ diminutive size, extended frequency response and wide-dispersion talents make it a practical choice for a product such as the Q Active 200.
Their positioning on the speaker – the dual BMR configuration can sit either on the inside top corner or outside top corner, depending on which way round the speakers are placed – brings some benefits too. According to Q Acoustics, the asymmetry in the acoustic path lengths from the BMRs to the baffle edges improves diffraction characteristics. It also offers flexibility in positioning: for far-field listening (further away or to the sides) they should be positioned to the inside, or for near-field listening, on the outside.
Of course, there’s only so much quantity and depth of bass a 58mm driver can dig up, which is why Q Acoustics has integrated a ported 11.4cm woofer into the rear of each cabinet. This brings driver cooperation and crossovers back into the mix, but Q Acoustics has carefully considered that.
The upper BMR (each BMR has its own DSP and amplification channel) operates the full frequency band from the crossover point with the woofer to 20kHz, whereas the lower BMR is designed to only work up to 5kHz. The woofer fires onto a rear baffle, its output guided through vents at the side of the cabinet, with sophisticated DSP keeping the sound from all the drive units time aligned.
Whereas the floorstanders in the Q Active range, the Q Active 400, use the P2P bracing as primarily engineered for the company’s Concept 300, these standmounts adopt a ‘dart bracing’ technique, which fixes the rear-firing woofer directly to the front of the cabinet to provide it with mechanical stability.
Q Acoustics has designed a pair of dedicated stands for the Q Active 200, the Q FS75, more modest evolutions of the innovative stands designed for the Concept 300. For an extra £350 ($499) per pair, they feature a skeletal, highly rigid ‘space’ frame made up of rods in compression, stabilised by cables in tension, and have fixings that enable them to be bolted to the standmounters.
Features
(Image credit: Q Acoustics)
Q Acoustics has taken the decision not to house the streaming architecture and connectivity inside the speakers, but instead in a separate connectivity hub. There are two hub options to choose from, depending on where your voice control loyalties lie. The Google Home box (which we have on test) offers Google Assistant voice control, plus built-in Google Chromecast, while the Amazon Alexa box variant works with Alexa.
It’s a shame one box doesn’t cover both bases – there must be plenty of people who use Alexa, for example, but also stream music via Chromecast. And what if your allegiance changes down the line? Q Acoustics says it’s looking into making each hub individually available, though hasn’t yet confirmed its plans.
Whichever hub you choose, you get the same physical inputs – HDMI (ARC), optical, and an analogue input that is switchable between line level and moving magnet. Essentially, that means everything from a CD player to a TV to a turntable can be connected to the hub and streamed to the speakers. Digital signals from the HDMI and optical inputs are all converted to 24-bit/96kHz, as are analogue signals through the 24-bit analogue to digital converter (ADC).
Rather than the hub streaming these converted signals to a master speaker that passes the other audio channel to the slave speaker, it sends the two channels of audio directly to the speakers over a 5GHz wireless connection, helping ensure accurate syncing between them.
The hub is also a streaming gateway to AirPlay 2 for iOS users, Spotify Connect for Spotify Premium and Family subscribers, and Bluetooth. Support for the Roon music platform is on the way via a future firmware update, too.
If you own a NAS drive with music, UPnP support is onboard for playing networked music files up to 32-bit/192kHz (which subsequently gets down-sampled to 24-bit/96kHz for the transmission to the speakers). Q Acoustics will soon release its dedicated Q Active app for helping owners with registration and set-up, control hub customisation, software updates and basic controls, however it won’t be an all-encompassing music control app from which to browse networked or local music libraries and access streaming services.
That’s a shame, but third-party UPnP control apps aren’t hard to come by, and those using Tidal (via Chromecast) or Spotify (via Connect) may well choose to use the native apps anyway. For accessing our NAS device, we use the free MConnect and BubbleUPnP apps on an Apple iPad and Samsung Galaxy S20 phone during our testing and both work fine.
Alternatively, there’s the compact RF remote control for adjusting volume, pause/play, skipping tracks and changing inputs. A strip of touch buttons across the rear of each speaker’s top panel more or less mirrors remote control, too. They’re nicely responsive – sometimes more so than the UPnP apps we use – although as there’s a short delay in the call and action, we would have liked visual confirmation of the communication from, say, a visible LED. There is an LED by the controls on the top panel that flashes to signify this, but unless you’re standing you won’t be able to see it.
Sound
(Image credit: Q Acoustics)
Q Acoustics has successfully built a reputation for excellent passive speakers in its 15-year history – especially in the budget market. Its products have consistently included class-leading clarity and entertaining punch, and those talents have predictably found their way into the Q Active 200 too.
We play Radical Face’s The Missing Road from Tidal via Chromecast, and the melodic acoustic strums, cello and vocal humming come through with an eager lucidity, the presentation startlingly clear and direct, not to mention room-filling. You shouldn’t necessarily expect Q Acoustics’ typical richness and warmth here, but the active speakers’ leaner, more forward tonal stance gives them a likeable sense of snappiness.
We stream over Bluetooth and, though we expect the usual drop in quality, the Q Active 200 keep things surprisingly tight, losing a bit of solidity and space compared with UPnP and Google Chromecast playback, but largely proving a worthwhile method of playback.
The BMR drivers keep their end up, spreading sound generously and evenly around our test room and ensuring the speakers produce an impressively big presence for their compact footprint. They have the volume and punch to make easy work of John Williams’s climactic compositions, and while that rear-firing woofer is limited in terms of absolute bass depth, it proves taut and terse as the bassline in SBTRKT’s Wildfire (played over UPnP) comes into play. Bass blends in nicely with the rest of the frequencies, too, proving Q Acoustics has done a good job with the crossover between the BMRs and low-frequency driver.
To help optimise positioning, each Q Active 200 has three settings selected by a manual switch at its rear. There is ‘Positioned close to a corner’, ‘Positioned close to a wall’, and our preferred ‘Free-space’, which we find works best not only when the speakers were out in the room, but also near the back wall – possibly because the speakers’ bass output isn’t overbearing and the midrange is a little forward. As always, we’d recommend experimenting to see which setting works best in your listening room.
We switch from Q Acoustics’ dedicated stands to a pair of Custom Design FS104 Signatures and the presentation sheds some clarity – from both a sonic and aesthetic point of view, we’d recommend the custom-built accessory. But, while the Q FS75 extracts more from the speakers, the overall differences aren’t huge. Just note that due to the rubber strips beneath the speaker, secure placement on a third-party pair of stands may be a little fiddly.
(Image credit: Q Acoustics)
There’s a bit of harshness in the upper mids, which remains audible even after a week of use. It’s not the end of the world, but it does mean higher-pitched voices can start to grate after a while. It does nothing for a dense, cymbal-heavy track like Touché Amore’s I’ll Be Your Host either.
But our biggest issue with the Q Active 200 is their combined lack of dynamic and rhythmic expression. With Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds’ Galleon Ship, the piano and vocal pairing comes through clear and solid, yet is bereft of real feel.
Everything seems to ride along one audio plane, lacking forward momentum and dynamic tiers. It doesn’t help that the sound staging isn’t particularly well layered either. Together, these things mean the track isn’t all that interesting or emotionally grabbing.
Whether trying to grasp the grooves that underpin Thundercat’s Them Changes, or nail the rhythmic logistics integral to the SBTRKT track, the Q Active 200 don’t quite tie the musical strands together with the coordination necessary for them to thoroughly entertain. They conduct themselves in a startlingly clear and upfront manner, but beyond that they fail to captivate.
Offering an entire audio system inside such a compact and convenient concept is no easy task, but those such as the KEF LSX and KEF LS50 Wireless II, which sandwich the Q Acoustics in price, show it can be done. The Q Active 200 ultimately fall well below those standards, delivering a cruder listen than we’d expect at this not-insignificant price.
Verdict
It’s rare, if ever, that we publish sentences featuring both ‘Q Acoustics’ and ‘disappointing’, but here the Q Active 200 cannot hide behind their thoughtfully considered spec sheet and speaker engineering. It’s a shame because the brand has done a lot right – there’s vast connectivity on offer, a whole lot of speaker engineering, and dedicated stands for those who want them. But performance-wise, they simply aren’t entertaining enough to recommend.
It’s often the case that first efforts are followed by better second ones, and we very much hope that turns out to be the case here.
SCORES
Sound 3
Features 4
Build 5
MORE:
Read our guide to the best all-in-one streaming systems
Samsung is trying to prove that this time its proprietary processors dedicated to flagship smartphones will work as well as the alternative from the Qualcomm company. On the SpeedTest G channel, a direct comparison of the operation of the Samsung Galaxy S smartphone 21 Ultra 5G version with the Snapdragon chip 888 and Exynos 2100. It turns out that the solution of the Koreans is doing quite well, and in the first part of the test, which focuses on the performance of the processor itself, it beat Snapdragon 888. Unfortunately, in the case of GPU and mixed tests, it is not so colorful. So you can say with a sneer “Exynos is still in shape”, although the company made a noticeable progress in this matter.
Comparison of the CPU and GPU operation of Qualcomm Snapdragon chips 888 and Exynos 2100 on the example of the Galaxy S smartphone 21 Ultra 5G. We know the winner.
Samsung smartphone test Galaxy S 21 5G with Exynos chip 2100: I did not expect this a successful continuation of the flagship series
Yesterday I published a Samsung Galaxy S smartphone test for you 21 5G and literally in a moment I start the procedure of checking the possibilities of a higher model with the note Ultra in the name. Then I will also have a fuller insight into the real features of these devices. I regret the fact that it is not possible to directly match Exynos 2100 with Snapdragon 888. Nevertheless, we can use the test of smartphones using these two chipsets, which appeared on the SpeedTest G channel. Looking at the results obtained by the title systems, one can come to interesting conclusions. Naturally, Exynos generally loses to Snapdragon, but there is one small “but” here. Samsung may have slight differences due to CPU power.
Qualcomm Snapdragon 888: Full specs and smartphone list
To the point. In the test, the CPU Exynos 2100 slightly beat Snapdragon 888, but it is most likely a matter of higher clock speed. In the mixed test, Samsung did much worse. The Exynosa GPU is inferior to its competitor. It was similar in the mixed test. This is how the Samsung chip lost to the Qualcomm chip. The problem is that the differences are minimal and allow us to say that the Koreans have made remarkable progress in this matter. Remember that the Samsung Galaxy S 21 Ultra is still a young device. Upcoming software updates may contain optimization fixes that will redefine the power distribution.
Unpacking 2021 with a bang, we have the Samsung Galaxy S21 for you today. Samsung has rearranged its yearly release schedule to pull its high-end S-series reveal for January, and could there be a better way to kick off the year?
We did say ‘bang’, but it’s hardly the most thunderous of those – out of the trio of Galaxy S21 phones announced, we’ll now be presenting you the smallest, vanilla one. We also have the Ultra at the office, but you’ll need to wait a bit more for that – no event starts off with the headliner anyway.
For the second year in a row, Samsung unveils three phones as part of the spring flagship roster (even though it’s very much winter this time around, at least where we are). And, much like last time, there’s a very clear divide between the ultimate uncompromising Ultra and the two more restrained and down-to-earth ‘regular’ S phones. If anything, the gap has even widened.
The examples are plenty, some of them more significant than others. Take the displays for example. Unlike last year when all three phones had 1440p resolution panels, now only the Ultra gets the higher resolution, the ‘mainstream’ S21s stand at 1080p. All three screens were curved in 2020, now it’s just the Ultra. All three S20s had the same high-refresh rate implementation, now the Ultra gets a more advanced Adaptive mode than the other two.
How about the cameras? The S20 Ultra had a vastly superior setup than the other two, regardless of issues it might have had with realizing the full potential of all of its impressive hardware. Well, the S21 Ultra builds on top of that and comes with further improved internals in the imaging department. The S21 and S21+, meanwhile, reuse last year’s bits. Hmm.
But there’s more. In the case of the small Galaxy S21 we have here, a final blow hurts the most – it’s got a plastic back. It’s hardly the end of the world, and we’ll go on to rationalize how that’s actually a good thing on the next page. But it goes to emphasize the further differentiation between the one true flagship and the others that stand below it. And then further down below it.
Some genes are shared among all in the family, after all. The chipset is the same on all three (still different from region to region, but that’s a whole other topic), all have the second-gen ultrasonic fingerprint reader from Qualcomm, as well as stereo speakers and IP68 rating for dust and water resistance. And no, none of them has a microSD slot, that one was most surprising.
Here it is, the high-end Galaxies’ new and improved (read ‘smaller’) retail box. Following in the footsteps of Apple, Samsung has chosen to remove the charger and headphones from the retail bundle, resulting in a more compact box.
Yes, yes, you’re supposed to already have chargers at home, so not including one with every phone should help reduce waste, plus the decreased shipping volume will lower the carbon footprint along the logistics chain. It’s a noble concept though somehow saving the environment still doesn’t feel like the key driving factor.
Having said that, at the S21 keynote, Samsung mentioned that adapters will now be sold at a reduced price, and this seems like a step in the right direction.
Anyway, what you are getting in the box is the phone itself and a USB-C-to-C cable. That sort of means you need to have a moderately contemporary USB PowerDelivery charger lying around, or a USB-A-to-C cable if you intend to use an adapter that doesn’t have a Type C out.
As it came to light around the iPhone 12 launch days, local regulations in France specifically mandate that all phones sold in the country come with a headset. So S21s in France will indeed ship with the usual set of AKG-branded earbuds we’ve gotten used to from Galaxies in recent years. Still no charger, though.
Testing Tests overview Smartphone Oppo Reno 4 Pro in the test: Top smartphone for 500 € Motorola Moto G 5G Plus test: A lot of battery for little money Huawei P Smart 2021: Budget model with room for improvement Asus Zenfone 7 Pro: Turbo smartphone with flip camera Samsung Galaxy Xcover Pro in the test: hard but slow Oneplus Nord N 10 5G in the test: galloped in price Oppo Find X2 Pro in the test: performance bargain S martwatch Oppo Watch in the test: Great AMOLED Smartwatch from 240 € Samsung Galaxy Watch 3 in the test: competition for Apple? Huawei Watch GT 2 Pro in the test: Smartwatch with cross-country skiing Battery Apple Watch: Smartwatch with contract from 15 € per month Buy Apple Watch 6: All generations in the price check Skagen Falster 3 in the test: Smartwatch with Wear OS Test Huawei Watch GT 2: Noble fitness tracker in watch form Multiroom Ikea Symfonisk table lamp in the test: Sonos with lamp Ikea Symfonisk in the test: Sonos loudspeakers under 100 Euro Bose Portable Home Speaker in the test: battery, WLAN, Airplay 2 Sonos Move in the test: The robust all-rounder Musiccast: Multiroom from Yamaha in the test Denon Heos in the test: versatile multiroom system Flat soundbar Teufel Sounddeck Streaming in the test Keyfinder Tile Slim (2019): Key finder in credit card format Bluetooth key finder Tile Pro in the test: 122 m range! Key Finder Tile Pro in the test: the range champion Orbit Bluetooth tracker in the test: looking for wallet and keys Nonda iHere 3.0: smart key finder in the test Chipolo Classic and Plus: Bluetooth key finder in the test Musegear finder 2: Key finder without registration obligation Action-Cam DJI Pocket 2 in the test: Zoom and 64 – megapixels -Sensor Actioncam Insta 360 One R: 1-inch image sensor in the test Gopro Hero 8 Black in the test: back to the top Insta 360 One R in the test: The modular action cam Motorola Moto G8 Plus test: Great smartphone, but … Insta 360 Go: Micro-GoPro in the test Motorola One Action Test: Good hardware, bad camera microSD In the test: Kingston UHS-I U3 microSDXC Kit MicroSD card for smartphone: Samsung Evo Plus 2017 Test report: Lexar Professional 1800 x microSDXC Kit Test report: Intenso Premium microSDXC card with 64 GByte Android Sonos Move in the test: The robust all-rounder Honor 20: Inexpensive high-end smartphone in the test Xiaomi Mi 9: Top technology at a bargain price Doogee S 90 in the test: modular outdoor smartphone ZTE Axon 10 Pro in the test: high-end phone at a competitive price Motorola Moto G7 Power in the test: large battery, small price Sony Xperia 10: Smartphone with 20: 9 display in the test Adviser Advisor Overview Purchase advice The right cordless screwdriver for the home workshop Bargain: Which Fire TV Stick from 19 € is the right one? Purchase advice: What good is a leaf blower with a battery for 45 Euro? True -Wireless headphones: How much do you have to invest? Purchase advice water cooling: High-end PCs cool better Adviser: Air conditioning and fan against the heat wave Sony shows the Xperia 1: Is the predecessor XZ3 worth it now? Practice Caution, money away: Kickstarter & Co. are not shops Turn off Android notifications from annoying apps Here’s how: Install the new Android L keyboard now Tip: Use “Ok Google everywhere” in Germany In the test: Will the jailbreak work for iOS 7.1? Goderm a and mobile medicine: The doctor apps are coming! Instructions: Jailbreak for iOS 7 on iPhone 5S, 5, 4S and 4 Technology Importing technology from China, part 2: Customs, taxes and tricks Drones & copters: From toys to FPV Racer What does the end of an ecosystem mean? Smartphones with a flexible display: What’s the point? Overview of smartphone processors: Everything Snapdragon? Evolutionary dead ends: the a Worst mobile phones mpass: Pay with the NFC mobile phone – or the NFC toilet roll Display calculator pixel density, number and Calculate display portion Best list Test winner Price comparison Price comparison overview Smartphones from Android 7.0 Phablets with stylus Fitness tracker with GPS Bluetooth headphones with ANR Drones with GPS Video TechStage Adviser Guide: Tablets for homeschooling and learning portals Beginning What are … PC or tablet? Tablets for … Tablets Tablet with … Stylus Additional accessories Headsets Tablet stand … Keyboards Mice Conclusion Comments from Stefan // 21. 01. 2021 16: 19 Clock
Regardless of whether it is a sofa tutor, the Studienkreis Online-Lernbibliotek or the school minator – learning portals can be a useful alternative to traditional tutoring for school children of all ages. We show the best tablets for it.
If the child is weak at school, there are several alternatives. In addition to personal initiative, this primarily includes follow-up sessions in learning groups such as the study group or individual tutoring, as offered by many older pupils or students. However, especially in times of epidemics, contacts with strangers must be restricted as far as possible, so traditional tutoring is usually ruled out.
What are learning portals? In addition to homeschooling (guide: PCs for homeschooling from 150 Euro) there are also digital solutions for tutoring in the form of learning portals. Depending on the provider, they usually offer help for grades 5 to 10, which is usually available in text and video form for several subjects. Some companies go far beyond this and have offers for all classes and types of school as well as most of the subjects offered at the various types of school.
Sometimes there are also educational games and, in most cases, exercises to check and consolidate what has been learned. In addition, some portals also offer personal support via chat, help with homework or complete individual lessons via video chat.
Providers such as Lernwerk, Schulinator or Studyhelp even offer their services free of charge, most others charge between 5 and 25 Euro. Free test phases or even some videos published on Youtube offer first insights into the type and quality of the offer. Payment is usually made for several months in advance or in an annual subscription, some providers even give a money-back guarantee in the event of a lack of learning success.
PC or tablet? A PC is not always necessary, a much cheaper Android tablet is easily sufficient for learning videos. However, some criteria should be met so that the tutoring is fun on the technical side. This is how we see tablets with a display size below 10 inch (approx. 25 cm) critical and also a display resolution of 1920 × 1080 Pixel should not be undershot for sufficiently sharp display. The devices should have at least a quad-core processor and 2, better 3 GB of RAM so that inputs can be implemented without waiting time and videos can be played smoothly. Internally is a memory size of 25 GByte or Larger is optimal, so that apps and videos can also find space in the memory and can be used without direct Internet access.
WLAN as Internet access should be sufficient in most cases, so parents can safely ignore expensive LTE modules. For young students, it may be worthwhile to use particularly robust, but hardly available, children’s or outdoor variants. Alternatively, there are protective covers or tablets for children. Amazon offers the kids edition of its Fire HD tablets for this purpose. Not only do they last longer, they also allow parents to access and block certain distracting factors such as the app store and in-app purchases. For certain subjects or advanced students, purchasing a tablet with pen control can also be helpful. This enables sketches or handwritten notes to be digitized quickly. The requirements of the individual providers or the school are usually revealed on their homepages.
Tablets for children The kids editions of Samsung and Amazon offer, as mentioned, special protective covers that are supposed to protect the tablet even when used in rough conditions and also offer various parenting functions such as restricting the available apps. Unfortunately, the RAM is a bit tight at 2 GB. They are more aimed at children who are not yet in secondary schools. However, they are sufficient for the use of normal learning portals. The Fire HD 10 in the Kids Edition (test report) we have already tested it.
Tablets For round 150 to 200 Euro get those interested with the current models Odys Space One 10 LTE , Lenovo Tab M 10 Plus and Samsung Galaxy Tab A7 three 10 – Customs tablets that are up-to-date and meet the minimum requirements required by us. The Odys model not only offers a lot of memory (4 / 49 GByte), but also an LTE module. This allows learning sessions – a corresponding LTE contract (Article: Unlimited data volume from 20 Euro) provided – in good weather also in the park or at least in the garden. Android 10 is already available from the factory – this is far from normal with tablets.
That shows something like this Lenovo Tab M 10 Plus , which is currently only Android 9 offers. The remaining specifications are marked with 4 / 64 GByte memory similar, only LTE does not exist. This is also the case with the Samsung Galaxy Tab A7 so, also the memory is with 3 / 32 GByte slightly smaller. There are advantages for the chipset: The other two tablets also offer 8 cores, but Samsung uses a Snapdragon 662 that does not only delivers decent power, but also favors future updates and is less power hungry. Accordingly, auc h this model already has Android 10. With 10, 4 inches, the screen of the Samsung tablet is also the largest, this also applies to the battery with 7040 mAh.
We have other suitable tablets in our purchase advice: How many tablets do you need? sorted by price. The price scale is largely open at the top. If you don’t like Android, you should look around at iOS models, i.e. iPads. The cheapest current models are iPad Mini (test by Mac & i) and iPad (without name affix), they cost from 379 and 449 Euro. The larger and more modern models iPad Air (test by Max & i) and iPad Pro start at 649 and 879 euros. However, we would exclude the iPad Mini as a tablet for homeschooling because of the display size of only 7.9 inches.
Tablet with pen Tablets with additional pen control are available in a handful, current and Currently, the Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite . It not only offers advantages in terms of design and installation depth, but also a stylus with suitable software and more memory.
Stylus A stylus can be helpful to make drawings or handwritten notes directly on the tablet. With some models, such digital pens are already included from We rk, while others are prepared for operation, but the pen must be purchased separately. Such models are about d as Apple iPad ( from 6th generation) , iPad Mini (from 5th generation), iPad Air (from 3rd generation) or the iPad Pro , here the pens cost between 90 and 120 Euro.
Simple capacitive pins without egg Genetic power sources are much cheaper, they b e start at a few cents. They work on any device with a capacitive touchscreen and usually have a thick, soft rubber tip . So that become they recognized as finger replacement on current touchscreens . Special pens with rechargeable batteries or batteries, however, have a thin , mostly exchangeable Tip, which also recognize different pressure levels and often buttons for additional options (such as “erase” when Hold down ) bid. With them the handling is much more similar to a normal pen on paper than with the former Pens. Examples of high-quality tablet pens are Samsung’s S-Pen or Apple’s Pencil. In our guide to pens for the iPad we show cheaper alternatives to the Apple Pencil.
Additional accessories As with the PC, there are also peripheral devices for tablets. They are not absolutely necessary, but make everyday life easier.
Headsets If you want to concentrate on your work or if you have to understand everything in the video call despite the poor sound quality of your conversation partner, you should consider purchasing a headset. Many tablets also offer a 3.5 millimeter jack connection so that the cable headset from the smartphone can also be used in an emergency. Wireless headsets that are connected via Bluetooth are more practical and usually also of higher quality. Headphones with active noise suppression in particular (best list ANC headphones) can even promote concentration as they minimize external distraction.
Due to the design, over-ear headsets are best. They cover the whole ear, are usually still comfortable when worn for a long time and already shield something from the environment. They are also available with and without cables and also with ANC. The advantage of wired headsets: You do not have batteries that are always empty exactly when they are needed. But they are less flexible and the mandatory cable always hangs in the way.
Tablet stand and cover One advantage of tablets is their flexibility by comparatively low weight and size. However, if the children are to follow the learning video and complete test tasks, the device must be stable can be found. That works either with separate stands, Book c overn or equal to a keyboard cover. Stands are self-explanatory: They are external rne constructions that only serve the purpose of placing a tablet more or less straight in front of you on the table. A book cover protects the tablet during transport, thanks to the flexible cover usually also the display. In addition, the device can also be set up in front of you on the table, often there are even different adjustable angles.
Keyboards Thanks to Bluetooth, a keyboard can be wirelessly connected to any tablet, regardless of whether it is Android, iOS or Windows. You have a wide choice. This ranges from simple, classic keyboards to those that are extremely flat to ultra-compact TKL keyboards with mechanical switches. More on this in our keyboards guide: Mechanical, rubber dome or TKL? or multimedia keyboards for Smart TVs and Media PCs.
The keyboard or keyboard c over added to Bookcover another mechanical full keyboard, which connects to the tablet via Bluetooth. Especially when longer texts are to be written on the device s , is a mechanical keyboard significantly better than the onscreen cords of the T ablets. For home Bluetooth keyboards without a protective function are usually sufficient.
Mice What applies to a laptop is no different for a tablet: touchscreen and / or touchpad Operation is okay, mouse control is often more ergonomic in the long run. Since most tablets lack the large USB-A ports, mice with USB C (or adapter) or Bluetooth mice are required. With a keyboard and mouse, a cheap tablet almost becomes a real office PC, but for the sake of simplicity, users can simply leave the accessories at home for on the go. So you always have the best of both worlds at hand.
Conclusion It doesn’t always have to be a full-fledged PC, even comparatively cheap tablets can help improve school success. In addition to the appropriate learning portal, parents should also keep an eye on the right hardware – if you set too low, you may buy a new one after a short time.
Should it be a new PC for homeschooling? Then we have the right tips and recommendations in this article.
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Earlier this month, Samsung pushed an OTA update to the entire Samsung Galaxy S10 lineup containing Android 11 and the maker’s One UI 3.0. However, the company abruptly stopped the update and is no longer available for the Galaxy S10 phones.
Samsung still hasn’t disclosed the reason for rolling back the update, although clearly these are related to some bugs discovered in the code. Some users say that the update has introduced a couple of annoying bugs like a strange blur in photos and devices heating during normal use.
We suspect that there are more than a few bugs that forced Samsung to make such a drastic decision. We are yet to find out how long it’s going to take for the update seeding to resume.
The product portfolio of the South Korean manufacturer of consumer electronics has expanded to include three new flagship smartphones. Samsung Galaxy S 21 5G is available in Basic, Plus and Ultra options. I had the pleasure to test the S variant 21 5G in the Phantom Violet color, which, in the opinion of me and my friends, is the most attractive. Yes, the model with the note Ultra in the name offers a higher resolution, a larger battery and 108 MP wide-angle photographic unit and 40 MP selfie camera, however S 21 5G absolutely not nothing to be ashamed of. In addition, the basic version of this year’s flagship from the Galaxy S family costs “only” 3899 PLN. Although for many it may seem like a high amount, it is an acceptable amount in relation to other market flagships.
Author: Marcin Karbowiak
Samsung offers two flagship lines of smartphones. The Galaxy Note series, which is distinguished by a more formal character, is addressed to the broadly understood business and creative individuals. The S-Pen stylus support is also important here, as it guarantees access to many useful software solutions in applications. Notes, sketches, and spreadsheet handling with a stylus can convince you. The Galaxy S series is a slightly looser approach. This form can be directed to virtually all customers who expect a complete device that works perfectly and looks the same. Samsung Galaxy S 21 5G, the newest representative of the series, represents it with dignity, as I found out during the tests. Of course, not everything is perfect here, but more on that in a moment.
We tested the latest flagship smartphone Samsung Galaxy S 21 5G. We already know how the Samsung Exynos chip 2100 has proven itself in everyday use and in synthetic tests . Although the set does not include a charger, the manufacturer made sure that we could call the equipment complete.
Samsung Galaxy S smartphone test 20 FE – cheaper, not worse
Samsung Galaxy S 21 5G works under the control of the latest Exynos chip 2100 made in a 5nm technological process. There is also a variant with Snapdragon 888, but it is not available in Europe. The manufacturer ensures that Exynos is equally efficient in terms of efficiency and work on battery and this is largely true. The device is supported by 8 GB RAM and Mali-G graphics 78 MP 14. The “battery” with a relatively low capacity 4000 mAh is responsible for energy efficiency. However, there is no reason to worry – the cell performed great in the tests. Pictures taken with a photo unit of 12 MP wide angle, 12 Ultra Wide Angle MP and 64 Telephoto MP we will write to 128 GB or 256 GB of fast memory UFS 3.1. The second of these variants takes part in the tests.
Samsung Galaxy S series smartphone technical specification 21 5G:
Samsung Galaxy S 21 5G
Samsung Galaxy S 21 + 5G
Samsung Galaxy S 21 Ultra 5G
Display
6.2 inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X 20: 9 2300 x 1080 pix 120 Hz GG Victus
6.7 inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X 20: 9 2300 x 1080 pix 120 Hz GG Victus
6.8 inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X 20 : 9 3200 x 1440 pix 120 Hz GG Victus
12 MP f / 1.8 wide angle 12 MP f / 2.2 ultra wide angle 64 MP f / 2.0 telephoto
12 MP f / 1.8 wide angle 12 MP f / 2.2 ultra wide angle 64 MP f / 2.0 telephoto
108 MP f / 1.8 wide angle 12 MP f / 2.2 ultra wide angle 10 MP f / 4.9 telephoto 10 MP f / 2.4 telephoto
Front camera
10 MP f / 2.2
10 MP f / 2.2
40 MP f / 2.2
Dimensions
151, 7 x 71, 2 x 7.9 mm
161, 5 x 75, 6 x 7.8 mm
165, 1x 75, 6 x 8.9 mm
Weight
172 g
202 g
228 g
Colors
Phantom Gray Phantom White Phantom Violet Phantom Pink
Phantom Gray Phantom White Phantom Violet
Phantom Black Phantom Silver
Price
3899 PLN
4799 PLN
5749
For Samsung Galaxy S smartphone 21 5G version with 128 GB of memory you have to pay 3899 PLN for the data. Option with 256 GB of memory is an expense 4099 PLN. The difference is not huge, but the profitability of the surcharge is a highly debatable matter. The cheaper option will be successful for the lion’s share of users. The title device is basically the direct equivalent of the Apple iPhone 12 in the Android world. The equipment, however, is several hundred zlotys cheaper than the product of the Cupertino giant. However, we can get the Samsung Galaxy Note for a similar amount 20 and ASUS ROG Phone 3, which are in some respects more efficient than the aforementioned device. Galaxy S 21 5G wins in terms of design and photographic possibilities.
The S21 gives here and takes there, but ultimately strengthens the Galaxy reputation
For
Rich, smooth display
Solid battery life
Superb all-round camera
Against
No microSD slot, earbuds or charger
Sony rival sounds better
With flagship smartphones from the likes of Samsung and Apple reliably refreshed every year, it’s perhaps unrealistic to expect every handset to make giant strides in terms of performance or specifications. So, it’s little surprise that the new Samsung Galaxy S21 is more of a refinement of its predecessor than a revamp.
Last year’s Galaxy S20 line-up marked a thorough overhaul, bringing in 5G support and 120Hz refresh rate displays for the first time, plus significant camera upgrades. But for the S21 range, the gains are more marginal – the camera software has been enhanced, the design is arguably better and it packs the company’s most advanced processor yet (the 5nm Exynos 2100).
Of the three-strong, 5G-supporting Galaxy S21 range, you’ll want to consider the two more premium models, the S21+ S21 Ultra, if you’re after a large screen, a top-spec camera (offered by the S21 Ultra), or are particularly excited by the prospect of using your phone to unlock your car (both support the UWB tech that makes this possible).
But for those who are happy with a 6.2in screen and relatively affordable price tag, the ‘standard’ S21 offers the bulk of the S21 features in the smallest, most affordable package of the three.
Pricing
For in-range comparison, the S21+ costs £949 and £999 for the same RAM and storage sizes (for the US or Australia, add $200 or AU$200 onto the cost of each S21 model). The S21 Ultra starts at £1149 ($1200, AU$1849) for the 128GB and goes up to £1329 ($1380, AU$2149) for the 512GB variant.
The Galaxy S21 (alongside the S21+ and S21 Ultra) is available from 29th January – its Galaxy S20 predecessor began shipping at the beginning of March 2020. Those who pre-order the handset before this date will get a free pair of Galaxy Buds Live true wireless earbuds, plus a free Galaxy SmartTag.
The Galaxy S21 has 8GB RAM and is available in 128GB and 256GB storage options, priced £769 ($799, AU$1249) and £819 ($850, AU$1349) respectively. That’s considerably less than the price of the 5G, 12GB RAM version of the S20 at launch last year, and slightly less than the 4G, 8GB version of the S20.
That considered, Samsung has priced the S21 pretty nicely, however, the microSD card slot for expanding the devices’ built-in storage is no more for the S21 and S21+.
Screen
(Image credit: Samsung)
In terms of its screen, the series’ biggest evolution is that the S21 Ultra now offers the 120Hz refresh rate at its maximum resolution (3200×1440). That rate alongside the Galaxy S21’s lower resolution (2400×1080) still works wonders for responsiveness and smooth motion performance.
Samsung Galaxy S21 tech specs
(Image credit: Samsung)
Screen 6.2in
Resolution 2400 x 1080
Cameras x3 (12MP, 12MP, 64MP)
Finishes x4
Dimensions (hwd) 7.1 x 15.2 x .8cm
Weight 171g
The S21 Ultra is the only handset in the series to get the S-Pen, as it debuts in the Galaxy S series. However, don’t rule out the accessory coming to smaller phones in the future, as Samsung president TM Roh hinted that the company plans to expand the S Pen “across additional device categories”.
Samsung has stuck with the screen sizes of its S20 line-up, meaning the S21, like its predecessor, has a 6.2in display. The Dynamic AMOLED 2X Infinity-O screen supports HDR10+ and has a Full HD resolution of 2400×1080, rather than 3040×1440. This results in a slightly lower pixel density, but that shouldn’t put you off.
In our review of the S20, we called its screen ‘richly colourful and impressively detailed’, and thankfully it’s more of the same this time around. In fact, the S21’s display is very similar, in character if not in resolution.
We watch the Kilauea volcano erupt in the BBC’s Perfect Planet documentary and find it a great advert for the S21’s punchy colour palette, the yellow and orange hues of the lava eye-dazzlingly bright and saturated. The picture is crisply sharp, and that’s backed up with decent levels of detail in rubble, sea and smoke.
However, in comparison, both Sony’s similarly priced Xperia 5 II and more expensive flagship Xperia 1 II boast better all-round screens. We prefer the Samsung’s enthusiastic colour palette – we play the second episode of WandaVision on Disney+ and as colour floods the house and washes over the screen, reds, greens, yellows and oranges look more solid – but the Sonys are sharper and deliver better overall contrast, their OLED displays doing a particularly great job of producing deep blacks that don’t sacrifice dark detail.
Sound
(Image credit: Samsung)
Similarly, the two Sonys better the Samsung for sound quality. We plug in our wired Sennheiser Momentum earbuds via the Sony’s 3.5mm headphone jack (the Samsung’s USB-C output also requires a dongle adapter) and play coney island by Taylor Swift and The National. The Sonys serve up more space around the acoustic plucks and drum and greater vocal expression. Their dynamic and rhythmic superiority mean they also keep a better musical handle on the composition underneath the vocals.
While the S21 isn’t quite as sophisticated a sound, it’s perfectly listenable. There’s clarity and detail throughout the presentation, but particularly in its open midrange, and the delivery isn’t bereft of punch and solidity. The Samsung performs well for a smartphone, the Sonys simply perform more like a dedicated music player. Note that Samsung has removed the bundled earbuds (as well as the charger plug) from the box, so you’ll need a pair of your own.
Features
(Image credit: Samsung)
The Samsung manages to outperform the Sonys in terms of its camera performance, as the Galaxy S21 proves one of the best camera phones around. Like the S21+, the S21 pairs a triple-lens rear camera comprising ultra-wide 12MP (capable of a 120-degree field of view), wide-angle 12MP and 64MP telephoto lenses with a 10MP front snapper – but Samsung has taken further strides in the AI processing department to get even more out of it.
The S21‘s luscious colour capture makes the Sonys’ seem washed out in comparison, while the Samsung takes the spoils when it comes to sharpness and clarity too. Compared with the S20, shots are a little brighter – sometimes at the expense of some shadow detail and depth – and slightly sharper. It’s a close call though, which shows how well Samsung did with the S20’s shooter.
Thanks to an improved Night Sight mode, our attempts at night-time photography with the S21 surface more brightness and highlights. The S20 might grasp some of the night hues more accurately, but its successor digs up more detail overall.
Samsung has also tweaked its Portrait Mode, which now lets owners adjust the lighting and add background effects to their selfies, while Single Take, which works to create a portfolio of all the ‘best moments’ you capture in one shot, now includes a slow-mo capture and Highlight Video reel. The 30x Space Zoom now has a ‘lock’ to help steady photo capture at its maximum reach, too.
For video recording, not only is there 8K video recording at 24fps (or 4K shooting at 60fps), an all-new Director’s View lets you see and switch between all four lenses during recording – handy for making short movie clips. Samsung’s new Galaxy Buds Pro wireless earbuds can also enhance the movie-making experience by allowing you to capture both ambient sounds (through the S21’s mic) and your voice (through the Buds Pro’s mic) at the same time.
The rear camera is the most noteworthy design development of the S21, with its all-new contoured bump in the top left-hand corner blending into the metal frame. Our Phantom Violet sample (a new colourway for Samsung) looks sleek, with the rose gold bump and frame an attractive match for the purple matte-finished rear panel. It looks just as good with the alternative Phantom Grey, Phantom Pink and Phantom White colour options.
The plastic casing – one of the sacrifices for the lower pricing – doesn’t make the device feel as premium as the glass-backed S20, but it is lightweight (171g) and easy to hold in the hand. And its IP68 rating, which is standard for Galaxy S devices in recent years, means it should be well protected from water, dirt and dust. Officially, they should be resistant to submersion up to a depth of 1.5m underwater for up to 30 minutes.
Verdict
While not offering any notable AV upgrades over the S20, the Samsung Galaxy S21 shuffles the S series along nicely with camera enhancements, aesthetic improvements and some modest functionality boosts. It sacrifices some screen spec, premium build and accessories in order to hit a lower price tag, but there is still an excellent balance between performance and value.
The S21 is far from an overhaul of its predecessor, and certainly not a reason for S20 owners to upgrade, but Android fans with older handsets looking for an all-new shiny device can’t go far wrong here – especially if camera performance and value are high on their priority list. Either of the Sony Xperias are better bets for those who place greater importance on music listening, so that’s one area we would hope Samsung advances for the next generation of Galaxy S phone. For now, though, the line’s reputation as one of the market’s best all-rounders remains intact.
Caviar is celebrating the Lunar New Year with specially-adorned Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra phones. It’s the year of the Ox, which sets the theme for one design that can’t be contained in two dimensions. The other versions have (in Caviar’s own words) a more “restrained design”.
Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra Ox by Caviar
The Galaxy S21 Ultra Gold Ox has a three dimensional bas-relief of an ox head mounted on the back. A 24 carat gold ring runs through its nose and it can pivot freely (so you can use it as the world’s most expensive phone grip). As if that wasn’t enough, two natural diamonds are embedded in the eyes of the ox (3mm in diameter, 3-3 clarity).
Only 21 units will be made of this version, each of them costing just over $20,000.
As for the more restrained versions, the Golden Line has a gold-plated back with a delicate engraving to create an eye-catching texture.
Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra Golden Line by Caviar
Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra Carbon by Caviar
Alternatively, you can get one with automotive carbon fiber or alligator leather (available in black and white). These three versions cost around $6,000, 99 units will be made of each.
Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra White Alligator by Caviar
Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra Black Alligator by Caviar
And finally, the Golden 21, whose back panel is made out of 18-carat gold. This panel has been engraved with the number 21, celebrating both the year and the Galaxy S21 Ultra itself. Only one such phone will be crafted, so you better sit down before we tell you the price.
No, it’s not $21,000 – it’s actually $77,230.
Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra Golden 21 by Caviar
You can have a look at the Caviar website for more on these gilded S21 Ultras.
LG’s time as a smartphone manufacturer might be up. After years of struggling to catch up with the bigger players in the mobile space, including rivals Samsung, LG CEO Kwon Bong-Seok sent out a statement to staff explaining that it might take drastic action to end this loss-making sector of its enterprise.
“Since the competition in the global market for mobile devices is getting fiercer, it is about time for LG to make a cold judgment and the best choice,” an LG official told the Korea Herald. “The company is considering all possible measures, including sale, withdrawal and downsizing of the smartphone business.”
According to the report, LG has lost as much as $4.5 billion over the last five years on smartphones, turning in 22 consecutive money-losing quarters.
Kwon vowed to turn LG’s fortunes around in the mobile market when he took charge in January 2020 but, one year down the line, it looks as if he may wish to pull the plug instead.
According to an earlier leak reported by TheElec (now deleted), possible options that keep LG in the smartphone space include continuing sales of lower-end mobiles in Latin America and further development on the LG Rollable smartphone shown off at CES 2021.
LG scored big successes with the likes of its Prada and Chocolate handsets in the middle of the noughties but the move to Android-based smartphones never took off in the same way as it did for Samsung and its Galaxy series of devices. In 2017 the company was sued over poor software integration on certain mobiles which caused the Android OS to get caught in a boot loop, with the devices themselves rendered useless.
More recent What Hi-Fi? reviews of the LG G ThinQ range of smartphones had looked promising but these successes were always dwarfed by superior devices elsewhere. Hopefully, the company will continue with its display innovation for mobile. We await to hear Kwon’s choice on the matter.
MORE:
These are the best smartphones for music and movies on the move.
Take a look at the best wireless headphones to go with your portable.
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