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Samsung Galaxy Note 7 Launched, Features Curved Display, Iris Scanner (theverge.com)

Posted by msmash on from the new-shiny-phones dept.

Another day, another new, shiny new smartphone. On Tuesday, Samsung announced the Galaxy Note 7 featuring a handful of new interesting hardware capabilities. The Samsung Galaxy Note 7 sports a 5.7-inch QHD (2560x1440 pixels) display, and is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 SOC, 4GB of RAM. It also supports quick charging and quick wireless charging. On the photography front, there's a 12-megapixel sensor on the back, 64GB of internal storage (with support for more via microSD card), and a 3,500mAh battery. The Verge adds: Since the specs are largely the same between the Note 7 and the S7 series, Samsung is differentiating its larger flagship with features. The Note 7 has a new iris scanner that joins the familiar fingerprint scanner and lets you unlock your phone with your eyes. Samsung says the iris scanner is more secure than a fingerprint scanner. It's similar to the Windows Hello login features seen on Microsoft's Lumia 950 and a number of Windows 10 laptops and relies on an infrared camera that works well in low light, but less so in direct sunlight. The iris scanner can also be used to lock apps, photos, notes, and other content in a secure folder, separate from the rest of the phone's data. And of course, the Note 7 wouldn't be a Note without Samsung's S Pen active stylus. The S Pen has been upgraded this year with water resistance, a finer point, and twice as fine pressure sensitivity (4,096 levels, as opposed to 2,048 on earlier models). There a handful of new software features for the S Pen, including a magnifying loupe, quick text translation tool, and a new tool that makes it easy to create GIFs from any video that's currently playing. Samsung has also updated its software interface for the Note 7, with a cleaner color palette, softer white menus, and an overall nicer-looking aesthetic. It seems that with each new phone, Samsung's software gets better looking, and the Note 7 is no exception. The company says that the new software interface will likely come to older models, such as the S7, but it did not provide a timeline for when that might happen. Out of the box, Samsung Galaxy Note 7 runs Android 6.0. No word on pricing yet, but Samsung says it will be higher than Galaxy S7 Edge's $770 retail tag.Update: 08/02 15:46 GMT by M : The unlocked Galaxy Note 7 will retail on AT&T at a price point of $880. Expect similar price on other networks, and for the standalone unit.

116 comments

  1. Spy Phone by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    This is another spy phone. I still use my 2G flip phone, and will continue to do so until they switch 2G off. Then I'll get a 3G flip phone.

    1. Re:Spy Phone by LichtSpektren · · Score: 1

      That's adorable, you think 2G is a secure method of communication. http://arstechnica.com/gadgets...

    2. Re:Spy Phone by Rik+Sweeney · · Score: 1

      You do know that flip phones are the most vulnerable to spying, don't you? Military satellites watch for people performing the characteristic "flip" motion with their wrist and immediately start recording.

      The NSA were outraged when the Nokia 3310 became popular, because it was impossible for a satellite to tell if someone was using a phone or a pocket calculator, or reading the ingredients on the bar of chocolate they'd just bought.

      --
      Summation 2
    3. Re:Spy Phone by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      That's adorable, you think 2G is a secure method of communication. http://arstechnica.com/gadgets...

      It's adorable that you feel that any communication is truly secure these days.

    4. Re:Spy Phone by LichtSpektren · · Score: 1

      That's adorable, you think 2G is a secure method of communication. http://arstechnica.com/gadgets...

      It's adorable that you feel that any communication is truly secure these days.

      I've not seen any evidence that there's anything insecure about end-to-end encrypted messages/calls using an accredited cipher.

    5. Re:Spy Phone by 110010001000 · · Score: 1

      Must have recorded a lot of footage in San Fransisco and Fire Island!

    6. Re:Spy Phone by dave420 · · Score: 1

      I know! You were very busy! You made your dad proud.

    7. Re:Spy Phone by sexconker · · Score: 1

      Please tell me how you're encrypting voice calls over the cell network on your 2G flip phone.

    8. Re:Spy Phone by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      That's the funniest conspiracy crap I've read all year.

    9. Re:Spy Phone by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      You stupid, god damn sausage-stuffing, jew killing nazi fuck! He wasn't implying that the 2G network was secure. He only mentioned 2G to indicate he's using an old phone that's not sending data back to Google every time he takes a shit. Damn you're stupid. No wonder the Germans lost WW2. It's just a shame we didn't kill them all.

    10. Re:Spy Phone by LichtSpektren · · Score: 1

      Please tell me how you're encrypting voice calls over the cell network on your 2G flip phone.

      Who said I am? I was responding to the person who denied that any communication could be secure. In contrast, 2G cannot be secured (unless the content of it is encrypted).

  2. Well ain't that cute by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Vote with your wallets. Biometric ID is never a good idea.

    1. Re:Well ain't that cute by LichtSpektren · · Score: 1

      It's not mandatory. You can use the phone without it.

    2. Re:Well ain't that cute by harperska · · Score: 1

      That's what they want you to think.

    3. Re:Well ain't that cute by AmiMoJo · · Score: 1

      It depends on the use case. For most people it's a huge win, because the alternative is they would use nothing or a simple unlock pattern that is easy to copy. If you really care about securing your phone you can ignore the biometrics and just use a long password/PIN.

      --
      const int one = 65536; (Silvermoon, Texture.cs)
      SJW, n: "Someone I don't like, and by the way I'm a fuckwit" - AC
    4. Re:Well ain't that cute by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Until you can't.

    5. Re:Well ain't that cute by NotInHere · · Score: 1

      The option to use the phone without it will be turned off as soon as enough people are using it to justify the move with "everybody is using it, so nobody will care if a phone cant be unlocked without biometrics".

    6. Re:Well ain't that cute by LichtSpektren · · Score: 1

      The option to use the phone without it will be turned off as soon as enough people are using it to justify the move with "everybody is using it, so nobody will care if a phone cant be unlocked without biometrics".

      I don't think we'll ever get to that point. At the very least, the military needs devices that stay locked even when the owner's fingerprints or eyeballs are obtained by force. And any politician that proposes making soldiers or our military less secure for "homeland security" will probably go down in flames.

    7. Re:Well ain't that cute by Mr_Wisenheimer · · Score: 1

      How is that exactly? Biometric ID makes it much more facile to use a secure password on your phone. I can use a 20 digit password and only have to enter it once a day or less. The only real loss of security is if someone manages to get a hold of my phone after the key is entered and, within the timeout period, gets my fingerprint to unlock it.

      That seems like a small risk for the convenience. If it looks like my phone might be compromised, I can simply hold down the power button for a few seconds to power the phone down. At that point, it is as secure as my password and the encryption used by android.

    8. Re:Well ain't that cute by fustakrakich · · Score: 1

      Biometric ID is never a good idea.

      In light of the problem with the police and courts, that is true. Even if you're dead they can get your fingerprints or scan your iris. Getting a password out of memory is a bit more difficult still, but give them time, I suppose.

      --
      “He’s not deformed, he’s just drunk!”
    9. Re: Well ain't that cute by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      No, the problem with biometrics is that you can be forced to unlock your phone with them, which unbelievably in police state America, is not true of passwords/pins. Never secure anything with biometrics unless as part of a two factor auth system where the other factor is something you know and they are used together. Anything else is not safe from the most dangerous threat vector--the police.

    10. Re:Well ain't that cute by NotInHere · · Score: 1

      Yes of course but those devices will be only manufactured by defense contractors and will cost $10,000 each.

    11. Re:Well ain't that cute by execthis · · Score: 1

      One really great thing about an iris scanner is that it doesn't flake out after you've washed your hands!

      Am definitely looking forward to it as I'm presently using a pattern unlock because I'm sick of the stupid fingerprint reader constantly flaking out when my skin condition changes.

    12. Re:Well ain't that cute by jellomizer · · Score: 1

      Compared to what? I think all forms of authentication can be hacked or is extremely inconvenient to use as a daily device.
      Why get a device that suppose to make your life better if you can't connect to it?

      --
      If something is so important that you feel the need to post it on the internet... It probably isn't that important.
    13. Re:Well ain't that cute by LichtSpektren · · Score: 1

      That's odd--right now, they're just using stock iPhone and Galaxy S hardware, with some administrative policies.

  3. QHD 5.7 in by LichtSpektren · · Score: 1

    I know this isn't the first phone that's 5.7 in with 2560x1440 pixels, but isn't that wildly overkill? That's about 515ppi for a screen that you're not going to hold closer than about eight inches from your face. Can even the most attune pair of eyes in all of humanity resolve the display with any pixelation at that point?

    1. Re:QHD 5.7 in by magarity · · Score: 1

      The true area of overkill is the camera pixels. At a very small fraction of a square cm, they long ago passed the point of increasing the count actually meaning anything on such small chips. More important is improving things like the dynamic range, but it's hard to slap a marketing number on that.

    2. Re:QHD 5.7 in by AmiMoJo · · Score: 3, Interesting

      Can even the most attune pair of eyes in all of humanity resolve the display with any pixelation at that point?

      No, and that's the point. Despite what Apple claimed with their low-res "retina" displays, the point at which the display is visually perfect is about 500 PPI. That's why printers target 600 PPI as a good standard for readable text.

      My 5.5" phone is only 400 PPI, with a 1080p screen. It's damn close to perfect, but still not quite in some situations.

      --
      const int one = 65536; (Silvermoon, Texture.cs)
      SJW, n: "Someone I don't like, and by the way I'm a fuckwit" - AC
    3. Re:QHD 5.7 in by LichtSpektren · · Score: 2

      Pixel density by itself is meaningless, you also have to consider how far away from your eyes the screen is. To my knowledge even the very best human eyes can't distinguish more than 30 ppi per inch away from your eyes, which means even 400 ppi is overkill if you have 20/20 vision.

    4. Re:QHD 5.7 in by SuricouRaven · · Score: 1

      They can ramp up the pixel count, but the optics are still going to be awful in a camera that size.

      I'd like to know how nature solved the problem. Hawk eyes have no problem achieving a very impressive acuity in a package not much bigger. Something to do with the use of a lens with varying index of refraction? It's beyond me.

    5. Re:QHD 5.7 in by Zocalo · · Score: 1

      It's overkill for general use, certainly, but it is a good combination for physical screen size and semi-standard display resolutions which is why I suspect so many phones are using it. Compared to similar sized screens at lower resolutions like 1920x1080 and at least in my personal experience you can just about see the difference, especially for things like reading ebooks where fonts appear a little bit crisper, which makes it easier on the eyes during longer usage sessions such as on long haul flights. Put it into the compatible version of the Gear VR headset though and it might make a difference as well, as it'll only be a couple of inches in front of your eyes then. Of course, that still leaves the issue of having an app that's worth using a Gear VR for, but that's not really a hardware design issue.

      --
      UNIX? They're not even circumcised! Savages!
    6. Re:QHD 5.7 in by Mr_Wisenheimer · · Score: 1

      Yeah, you have to put your eyeballs so close to the screen to see the pixelation that you cannot focus.

      However, Samsung uses these displays for VR and through their Gear system 1440p is very low resolution. Samsung would actually need something like an 8K display on their phones just to get close to real-life resolution in your primary field of view (not even counting the peripheral vision, which is like 80 million pixels).

    7. Re:QHD 5.7 in by michelcolman · · Score: 1

      Thin lines that are very nearly horizontal or vertical stll get a slightly wobbly effect as they transition between sharp and fuzzy. And a perfectly vertical 2 pixel black line looks different from a 1 pixel black line between two 50% gray lines. This is especially noticeable when nicely aligned interfaces are scaled by the OS.

      But apart from those minor issues, the effect of smaller pixels certainly does start to approach negligibility. You probably won't be able to tell when watching a movie or playing a 3D game.

    8. Re:QHD 5.7 in by orgelspieler · · Score: 1

      When I'm using my kid's iPad Mini, I have to take off my glasses so I can't see the pixels. But then I get eye strain. I find e-ink to be the easiest on the eyes, but that appears to have gone the way of the Zune.

      One of the things I haven't seen addressed in these specs is the gap between the pixels. My old hp laptop had lower resolution, but I liked it better than my Dell because I could see teeny tiny little black lines between the pixels. Everybody else thinks I'm crazy. But I took a macro photo of the two screens, and there is definitely a difference.

    9. Re:QHD 5.7 in by Solandri · · Score: 5, Interesting
      There are two ways to go about this. 20/20 vision is defined as the ability to distinguish a line pair with one arc-minute of separation.
      • Some people interpret this to mean each pixel should be one arc-minute or smaller. If that's your standard, then the pixel size has to be 1 / tan (1 arc-minute) = 3438 smaller than the viewing distance. If you're holding your phone 12 inches from your eye, that corresponds to 286 PPI being all that's needed. That's what the Retina displays target - 326 PPI before the iPhone 6+.
      • Other people interpret this to mean you need two pixels per arc-minute. After all, to form a line pair with a separation, you need a row of white pixels with a row of black pixels in between. So then the pixel size becomes 1 / (0.5 arc-minutes) = 6875.5 smaller than the viewing distance. If you're holding your phone 12 inches from your eye, that corresponds to 573 PPI.

      It should be noted though that this is for luminosity resolution - your ability to resolve details of any color. This is why printers target 600 PPI - because they print in black and white. Within a specific color, your eye's resolution is substantially worse. Especially for blue, and somewhat for red (the density of your red and blue cones is lower than for green cones and rods). This is the basis behind Pentile displays, which cuts the blue and red resolution in half.* All the bad press coverage they've gotten is by ignorant reporters who compare magnified photos of it completely oblivious that magnifying it defeats the whole purpose. This strategy of reducing red and blue resolution has been used since NTSC video transmissions, and is still used today in JPEG and MPEG encoding. You've been seeing pictures on the web and digital videos all this time with reduced red and blue resolution. If you've never notice this before, then you've basically affirmed that Pentile works.

      Anyway, it's a moot point on the Samsung displays because they design them to be used in the Gear VR headsets. Those provide a 96 degree wide angle of view, which to fool 20/20 vision would require 5760 pixels for each eye. Which which correspond to a 11520x6480 resolution display on a 5.7 screen, or 2319 PPI. Any lower than that and you can "see this pixels." This is why the 3D graphics and display screen industries still have a lot of room left to grow, even though CPUs have pretty much hit the point where a low-end CPU is "good enough" for most people's needs.

      * The more clever displays take further advantage of this difference between color resolution and luminosity resolution, and use something called subpixel rendering. For an RGB stripe, this corresponds to shifting the "pixel" by 1/3 pixel increments. So if you're trying to display a white dot using two pixels, you actually have 4 possible locations. RGB rgb, rGB Rgb, rgB RGb, and rgb RGB. The problem (for displays you can rotate) is that this extra resolution is only along one axis - usually the horizontal. Windows subpixel rendering for fonts (ClearType) basically turns your 1920x1080 display into a 5760x1080 display for fonts. Pentile overcomes this by using a subpixel layout which is symmetric in both the horizontal and vertical axes. So you can use the same subpixel rendering algorithm regardless of whether the display is in landscape or portrait mode. It really is a superior subpixel layout, which has gotten a bad rap because early implementations had too low a PPI and thus the pixels were visible and lines and fonts were "fuzzy".

      This is also why these super-high resolution screens aren't as important for Windows as they are for Macs. Subpixel rendering like ClearType shifts the location of letters by up to 1/3 pixel to make them line up with the subpixel grid. Apple knew their computers were used by most page layout professionals which would find this unacceptable. So their font rendering engine (based o

    10. Re:QHD 5.7 in by Stormwatch · · Score: 1

      Can even the most attune pair of eyes in all of humanity resolve the display with any pixelation at that point?

      In theory, yes. In practice, it's not worth it because there's a cost in processing power (thus precious battery). I'd say about 300ppi is as good as a normal user will even notice. Still, there is one big point for higher ppi: using the phone as the display of a virtual reality headset (such as Samsung's own Gear VR). I tried my old Note II (265ppi) with a generic "Cardboard" headset, and it was rather pixelated.

      --
      Circumcision is child abuse.
    11. Re:QHD 5.7 in by sexconker · · Score: 1

      First it's your secure 2G flip phone with encrypted voice calls, now it's you failing at math.

      even the very best human eyes can't distinguish more than 30 ppi per inch away from your eyes

      Even the very best human eyes can't distinguish more than 3000 ppi at 100 inches away.
      Even the very best human eyes can't distinguish more than 300 ppi at 10 inches away?
      Even the very best human eyes can't distinguish more than 30 ppi at 1 inch away?!

      Damn those rules with 1/32" markers! They're just a blur!!

    12. Re:QHD 5.7 in by Gojira+Shipi-Taro · · Score: 1

      Actually, this phone is meant to be able to go into the Gear VR 2, so the high DPS would be useful in that application certainly.

      --
      "Oh my God. This is terrible. This is the end of my Presidency. I'm fucked."; ~ Donald J. Trump
    13. Re:QHD 5.7 in by tlhIngan · · Score: 1

      I'd like to know how nature solved the problem. Hawk eyes have no problem achieving a very impressive acuity in a package not much bigger. Something to do with the use of a lens with varying index of refraction? It's beyond me.

      Probably very powerful wetware. Eyes suck. Human eyes typically are around 2Mpixels, but they're not evenly distributed - about 1Mpixels are concentrated through a very narrow part of your vision (your central vision), while the rest of it is peripheral. You can easily demonstrate this lack of resolution by having people stand a few meters apart, looking at one of them directly, then trying to identify the other one - even something as simple as identifying if they are male or female. It's virtually impossible to do so using peripheral vision.

      To increase the usable vision in humans, the brain moves the eyes around slightly, allowing for the central vision to have a wider field of view, while simultaneously engaging the wetware to composite the views into a higher resolution image than what was achievable by hardware.

      To aid us, peripheral vision has a motion detection capability - if ti detects motion, it alerts the brain to check it out. Central vision is quite poor at this motion detection so off-axis viewing is often preferred when trying to detect moving objects at night.

      I would be highly surprised if raptors did not evolve a more sophisticated version of this - if not ability to detect beyond visual range and into IR. I don't think they have (much) higher resolution eyes or better optics, but wider spectrum eyes, better peripheral vision , etc, plus better vision wetware

    14. Re:QHD 5.7 in by SuricouRaven · · Score: 1

      No birds see in IR. Many birds see into the UV, but raptors are not among them. Even the kestrel, which was previously thought to be UV-sensitive. What they do have over humans is density: A much higher density of receptor cells, a much higher density of ganglion cells to connect them up. Rubbish for night vision, great for spotting tiny rodents from altitude. All of which still makes me wonder why cellphone cameras always give such awful images.

    15. Re:QHD 5.7 in by Sir+Holo · · Score: 1

      I know this isn't the first phone that's 5.7 in with 2560x1440 pixels, but isn't that wildly overkill? That's about 515ppi for a screen that you're not going to hold closer than about eight inches from your face. Can even the most attune pair of eyes in all of humanity resolve the display with any pixelation at that point?

      Oversampling. It actually does make sense, especially for people with superior vision, +2 glasses, or when moving your eye across the display. Some examples:

      Image editing? Best to at least double the size first. Edit in 16-bit mode instead of 8-bit if you can. Down-sample at the end.

      Recording music? Don't edit at 44.1 kHz and 16-bit – that is the bit rate and depth for the final product, a song on a CD*. I haven't checked lately, but last I looked, audio tracks were being recorded at 196 kHz and 48-bit.

      In both examples, errors will not pile up during destructive edits to the image or track.

      * A CD was a physical object that was formerly used for the distribution of musical albums.

      * The Red Book choice of 44.1 kHz was stupid: a 22 kHz sine wave will turn into a triangular wave in the data on the disk. Some CD players "over-sample", which is pointless marketer-speak. It means only that the player smooths the data stream by some simple interpolation algorithm (5-sample spline, semi-sinusoidal interpolation instead of just linear. These are just guesses, but CD over-sampling is and can only be interpolation. Data cannot be 're-invented'.

    16. Re:QHD 5.7 in by Blaskowicz · · Score: 1

      Yes but your triangular wave arguably describes all the data you needed from that 22 kHz sine. So, if your data is "only" 44 KHz and it's all staircase-like and square-looking when drawn and zoomed on, except the DAC does not work like that but makes it sound like the original, it's about perfect.

      Now if you're talking about people who convert their 44.1KHz stuff into 96KHz or higher.. All they're doing is making their stuff sound slightly worse (if the difference can be heard at all)

    17. Re:QHD 5.7 in by im_thatoneguy · · Score: 1

      And it should be pointed out that while you can discern detail at a specific resolution any imaging sensor with discreet sensors will alias. So offering more samples than the imaging system can resolve will reducing imaging artifacts. That's why a 6k RED camera makes for a better 1080p image. Fine detail can theoretically be captured by a 1080p sensor but it will look inferior to a 6k sensor that supersamples. If your eye can resolve a 2k phone display, that means you have to perfectly align the phones grid of pixels with your retina's light sensing cells. Move 1/10000th of a mm and then you will start getting aliasing artifacts between your retina and the discreen grid of the screen. You won't detect it as "Pixels" but your brain will realize it's looking at something not quite perfect even if it can't resolve the actual detail.

  4. Same as S7 Edge by danbob999 · · Score: 1

    But with a display .2" larger and a pen. And the battery is even smaller.

    1. Re:Same as S7 Edge by LichtSpektren · · Score: 1

      The stylus isn't a nonzero factor. Besides, some people hate the curved screens. It results in unintended contact with the touch screen, it's more breakable, and it distorts images on the border of the display.

    2. Re:Same as S7 Edge by ranton · · Score: 1

      The rumors for the Note 7 were very underwhelming, and the true specs even came in a little under the rumors. My wife and I have Note 4s we were planning on upgrading, but both the Note 5 and Note 7 upgrades are not nearly enough of an improvement for another $800+ expenditure. And I'm really not a fan of curved screens either, so not having any other option will keep me on the sidelines as well.

      This is starting to make me think there just isn't anything new these cell phone manufacturers can think of to improve their devices. Although all the Note 7 needed to do was to put a 4000 Mah battery in the Note 7 and they would have two purchases from my wife and I even with my other gripes, so I'll still hold out hope for the Note 8 being a bigger improvement. But this is two Notes in a row which seem lackluster to me, so I'm not too optimistic.

      --
      -- All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing. -- Edmund Burke
    3. Re:Same as S7 Edge by ranton · · Score: 1

      The stylus isn't a nonzero factor. Besides, some people hate the curved screens. It results in unintended contact with the touch screen, it's more breakable, and it distorts images on the border of the display.

      I have had my Note 4 for two years and have used the stylus less than a dozen times. If it is keeping me from better battery life I wish they offered a Note without one.

      --
      -- All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing. -- Edmund Burke
    4. Re:Same as S7 Edge by grumpy-cowboy · · Score: 1

      Exactly! I'm one of those hating curved screens for the reasons you described. I have a Galaxy Note 4 but I'm done with Samsung Note X because of this (curved screen). My next phone will be a Nexus (and I will have OS updates a LOT quicker).

      --
      Will $CURRENT_YEAR be the year of the Linux Desktop?
    5. Re:Same as S7 Edge by LichtSpektren · · Score: 1

      Exactly! I'm one of those hating curved screens for the reasons you described. I have a Galaxy Note 4 but I'm done with Samsung Note X because of this (curved screen). My next phone will be a Nexus (and I will have OS updates a LOT quicker).

      Maybe I'm misreading TFA but I don't think the Note 7 will have a curved display. In the last generation, the Samsung phablet with the curved display was branded "Galaxy S6 Edge+".

    6. Re:Same as S7 Edge by green1 · · Score: 1

      And yet the headline says "curved display"

      I sure hope they're wrong here, I have enough trouble avoiding accidental edge presses on my Note4, on a curved screen I'd never be able to use the thing without the edges being constantly pressed. I've never come up with any possible reason why anyone would want a curved display, but I can come up will lots of reasons to avoid it.

      Not sure what my next phone will be, I'll keep the Note4 for now, I love pretty much everything about it, but when it needs replacing I WILL chose a flat screen over the stylus (and I do love my stylus)

    7. Re:Same as S7 Edge by ranton · · Score: 1

      Yes, I also hope the Nexus 7P ends up being a better upgrade than the Note 7, because I am thinking of jumping ship from Samsung as well.

      --
      -- All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing. -- Edmund Burke
    8. Re:Same as S7 Edge by green1 · · Score: 1

      I agree fully, I too am a Note4 user (my third Note in a row!) but I won't be getting another Note series phone as long as they are going this route.

      Curved screens make phones extremely difficult to use, and have absolutely no benefit of any kind.
      irreplaceable batteries limit the lifespan of your phone, and again, have no benefit of any kind.
      Iris scanner? from what I can tell, I wouldn't be able to unlock my phone in bright sunlight, well that's not acceptable in any way, so another useless gimmick.

      Give me something BETTER than my Note4 and I'll consider it.

    9. Re:Same as S7 Edge by fedos · · Score: 1

      I fell in love with the look of the S7 Edge, but I hate the constant unintended contact. "Oh, I want to watch this YouTube video." Turn phone to landscape. Different video starts playing because I accidentally tapped on one of the recommended videos.

    10. Re:Same as S7 Edge by dave420 · · Score: 1

      Those things might not have a benefit to you, but they do to some people. Please stop speaking for the entire world - we don't appreciate it ;)

    11. Re:Same as S7 Edge by ranton · · Score: 1

      Give me something BETTER than my Note4 and I'll consider it.

      I too have been a loyal Samsung customer, and literally haven't even looked at the competition for years. That changed this morning when I started researching the Nexus 6P and rumors about the upcoming 7P. Any phone manufacturer needs to know they can sometimes get away with one lackluster release, but two in a row is going to lose you customers.

      --
      -- All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing. -- Edmund Burke
    12. Re:Same as S7 Edge by Anne+Thwacks · · Score: 2
      You need to be reminded that you are not everyone.

      I use the stylus a lot - on my Note 3, I can draw schematic diagrams and write component values next to them, draw assembly instructions (not writing ASM, but I could do that too if I wanted), document mechanical engineering problems, draw maps, architectural features, etc

      If you did not want the Note's features, why did you buy one?

      I really want is a new Note TABLET- ie bigger than 9", so I can share the drawings with colleagues a bit easier - and yay - waterproof is REALLY important on site - unless perhaps your "site" is a web site (server room) - however, think I remember reading recently, on this very website, about server rooms that were flooded.

      --
      Sent from my ASR33 using ASCII
    13. Re:Same as S7 Edge by green1 · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Ok, please explain the benefit to a curved screen as implemented in the Samsung phones.

      So far we have:
      - Can't hold the phone without touching part of the touch screen
      - videos look weird either curved over the edge, or arbitrarily ending before it
      - parts of everything that appear on the screen are distorted as they go over the edge, or you don't use the whole screen.

      I'm open to some form of game changing use for the "edge" of the screen, but I've never heard of one.

      Also please explain the benefit of the battery not being removeable.
      So far we have:
      - Decreased life span of the phone as you have to replace the whole phone if the battery lifespan gets too short

      Note that you specifically stated that these features were a BENEFIT, not simply neutral, please explain why these 2 features are an IMPROVEMENT over the readily available alternatives.

    14. Re:Same as S7 Edge by green1 · · Score: 1

      Most people replace their phones every 2-3 years, most phones have yearly model releases. As such I'll skip one lackluster release, MAYBE 2, but 3? I'll start looking for another phone.

      Thing is, for some strange reason, nobody else has copied the stylus, the Note is still the only phone on the market with one. That said, as much as I love the stylus, it's not enough to keep me in an otherwise inferior phone.

    15. Re:Same as S7 Edge by ranton · · Score: 1

      You need to be reminded that you are not everyone.

      And you need to be reminded I said "I wish they offered a Note without [an sPen]", not that I wish they removed the sPen from the entire Note line. They offered the S7 with and without a curved screen, so its not unprecedented to be given options.

      If you did not want the Note's features, why did you buy one?

      The Note 4's primary features for me were its size, build quality, and other specs. I also thought I would use the sPen more but never really had a reason. Use cases like yours seem to be the edge cases, especially since I believe no other phablet has a stylus, but I'm glad the option exists in the marketplace. I simply regret that giving that option to some requires everyone else to get worse battery life.

      --
      -- All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing. -- Edmund Burke
    16. Re:Same as S7 Edge by liquiddark · · Score: 2

      I don't think using the S Pen is an edge case. I bought a Note 2 and a Note 4 specifically to have a built-in stylus. I would suggest that given the number of high-quality large phones out there, yours is much closer to the edge case, for exactly the reason you stated - the Note is the only flagship device with a stylus.

    17. Re:Same as S7 Edge by liquiddark · · Score: 1

      Um... http://www.lgnewsroom.com/2016...

    18. Re:Same as S7 Edge by green1 · · Score: 1

      Glad to be corrected... too bad it's a low end phone instead of a flagship.

    19. Re:Same as S7 Edge by unrtst · · Score: 1

      I'm not the GP, and I don't see any benefit to the curved screen edge(s).
      However, IF (HUGE IF) it is a matter of either water resistance or a user replaceable battery, I'll take water resistance. Otherwise, I'd agree... I don't need to shave off half a mm; let me replace the battery easily.

    20. Re:Same as S7 Edge by green1 · · Score: 1

      S5 is water resistant and has a user replaceable battery, so no tradeoff needed there.

    21. Re:Same as S7 Edge by LichtSpektren · · Score: 1

      D'oh. I read TFS but skipped the headline. You're right and I'm wrong.

    22. Re:Same as S7 Edge by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Yup. I went to an S7 Edge from a Note 5 and I've cracked two screens in two months (and I've never broken a screen before), and am constantly triggering things on the edge of the screen with the skin on my palms. It's infuriating. I was eagerly anticipating the next Note to get rid of this stupid curved thing, but now I will have to take a good look at other alternatives.

      I've been through many generations of Samsung phones since the Galaxy S2 but I am seriously considering a change.

  5. And the screws continue to tighten by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    If you think privacy's in a sorry state now, give it 5 years for this to get cheap and ubiquitous. You'll be required to scan your iris in order to make a phone call, send a text, login to Gmail or Outlook, or play Angry Pokemon With Friends. All the while, the NSA will be slurping up everyone's iris scans to augment facial recognition technology.

    Fight the control and stop buying these tracking devices.

    1. Re:And the screws continue to tighten by fedos · · Score: 1

      Iris scans have nothing to do with facial recognition. If you're truly worried about a government-owned facial recognition database, don't get a driver's license.

  6. rootable? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Yes, but is it rootable?
    Not being able to root and install a clean OS without adware = no buy.
    I wonder how even a clean android OS is even trust-able since it's "owned" by google.

    1. Re:rootable? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      It needs to have an unlockable bootloader. It is pretty obvious that no way to install an alternative ROM + limited updates is an obvious way to limit a device's useful life.

  7. If only they provided updates.... by Mitsoid · · Score: 1

    Really disappointment seeing Android going places, but my phone still stuck with essentially the factory OS version installed..

    Going to wait for the next great Nexus phone.... My (relatively) ancient nexus tablet and phone both got marshmellow... Samsung Note 4? Nope. No OS updates beyond security patches.

    1. Re:If only they provided updates.... by LichtSpektren · · Score: 1

      Wikipedia says the Note 4 should've gotten Marshmallow. I presume then your carrier is blocking the update in order to quicken its obsolesence. The solution to that is to not buy SIM-locked smartphones, so you can switch carriers when one of them goes rotten.

    2. Re:If only they provided updates.... by fedos · · Score: 1

      One of the reasons I left Verizon was their OS update policies. I had waited forever for my Storm and later my Droid 2 to get updated, so when I next bought a new phone I went with a Nexus, which the sales guy assured me would get OS updates early without having to wait for Verizon's lengthy OS review process (with the Storm it was so bad that new updates were being released by Blackberry before Verizon was done reviewing earlier ones, with them responding by ditching the earlier update they were reviewing and moving on to review the new one). So Google announced Jelly Bean and was still waiting for the update. I made multiple calls to Verizon asking when I would see Jelly Bean on my Nexus, each call resulted in a different answer, all of them handwaving.

      Finally I complain that I only bought the Nexus because I was assured that I wouldn't have to wait for the Verizon review process.

      "Oh no, sir, you still have to wait. It's just that Nexus users will get the update first."

      "First? What do you mean first? If everyone still has to wait for the review process regardless of what phone they have then everyone will get the update at the same time".

      "No. Nexus users will get the update right after the OS update is certified, then after two weeks we'll release it to other phones."

      That's just wrong,

  8. Does it make phone calls? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    can it make phone calls?

    Also, why do I want a $900 trinket in my pocket where it can get lost/stolen/broken?

    1. Re:Does it make phone calls? by ranton · · Score: 1

      Also, why do I want a $900 trinket in my pocket where it can get lost/stolen/broken?

      Because replacing a $900 device is not that big of a deal to everyone. Neither is the $10 per month for the insurance plan. I would certainly agree that anyone who needs to save money to purchase a $1k device should probably have a cheaper phone.

      --
      -- All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing. -- Edmund Burke
    2. Re:Does it make phone calls? by LichtSpektren · · Score: 1

      Because it's not just a phone, it's a portable computer. Which people use for emails, text messages, web browsing, playing videos and music, reading, games, time and currency conversions, and as a camera, calculator, calendar, pager, etc.

      Granted, $800 is way beyond what I would pay for a smartphone, but if I was a much wealthier man I would certainly buy these top-of-the-line devices.

    3. Re:Does it make phone calls? by HornWumpus · · Score: 1

      You don't even want to know what some people pay for blue jeans. People, in general, are stupid, some are just really well trained consumers. They don't understand how the rest of us can stand to drive cars more than a year old...we must just be bad people.

      --
      John McAfee 'It was like that time I hired that Bangkok prostitute; to do my taxes, while I fucked my accountant'
    4. Re:Does it make phone calls? by ranton · · Score: 1

      Seriously, who the fuck is spending $1k on a phone, whether you can afford it or not. It's a fucking phone. I do not understand this and I'm not some old timer. I just don't get it. Our society is so fucked up sometimes.

      What do you not understand? These are mini-computers you can fit in your pocket. Some people buy bargain computers from Walmart and some people buy gaming rigs to max out Crysis. The concept is the same with phones. There are people spending $80k on their car too but it doesn't mean everyone can or should.

      My Note was the first phone which made me give up my tablet because I didn't "need" both anymore. Now I get by with a Note 4 and Surface Pro 4 instead of a phone, tablet, and laptop. I may spend a few hundred more on my phone than I did 4 years ago, but I save $1k on not getting another iPad.

      I would love a 6" phone even more, but understand these phones need more mainstream appeal and not everyone has big hands.

      --
      -- All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing. -- Edmund Burke
    5. Re:Does it make phone calls? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Seriously, who the fuck is spending $1k on a phone, whether you can afford it or not. It's a fucking phone.

      A fucking phone? A phone that fucks should get people lining up around the block for one, even at 2 grand.

  9. Fuck you samsung by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Overpriced distracting privacy invading piece of shit

  10. Just wait for it by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Let's see how many bash the phone only to praise its features once Apple copies them.

  11. Does it have by rossdee · · Score: 1

    microSD expansion?
    I don't think I need anIris scanner, Iris is my mother-in-law

    1. Re:Does it have by fedos · · Score: 1
      RTFS:

      64GB of internal storage (with support for more via microSD card)

    2. Re:Does it have by sexconker · · Score: 1

      Yes, it supports micro SDHC (and likely SDXC). They even give you a "free" 256 GB card when you drop $880 on the phone. Or you can choose their Gear Fit v2 smart watch/band thing.

  12. Boot loader??? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    Locked boot loader means no deal.

    1. Re:Boot loader??? by green1 · · Score: 1

      I have rooted every Android phone I've ever had, I won't buy one where I can't.

    2. Re: Boot loader??? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      I made that mistake. I had a galaxy s with custom firmware, loved it. Then I had a galaxy s 3 custom firmware, loved it. I wanted the same thing with a bigger screen and better battery life so without enough research I got a note 4. It is a good phone but never a great phone because of the locked bootloader. Until I get confirmation of unlocked bootloader I will be buying phones from someone else.

    3. Re: Boot loader??? by green1 · · Score: 1

      I am running a rooted note4 as my daily driver, no locked bootloader here. Do you have some form of a different version?

  13. curvy by A10Mechanic · · Score: 1

    I'm hoping the curved screen matches the curve of my butt, then it will fit in my back pocket without distraction.

    1. Re:curvy by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Maybe if you sit on it edge wise and turn your pants about 20 degrees.

  14. too small by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    The phone is too small.

    By convention, the Note 7, should be 7 inches diagonal, the new perfect size for a phone.

    Remember, tablets are not just good for taking pictures, they can also be used for phone calls.

  15. Exnos means locked to slow QC2? by Overzeetop · · Score: 1

    Since they're going to use Exnos in some markets, I presume that means no QuickCharge 3 for it. Still it's at the top of my list to replace the LG pocket heater I'm currently using (my G4 likes to just get stuck with the CPU on 100% for no reason).

    I would be curious to see how it's radios are - it's a shame nobody ever tests those anymore.

    --
    Is it just my observation, or are there way too many stupid people in the world?
  16. Expensive by JustAnotherOldGuy · · Score: 4, Insightful

    "The unlocked Galaxy Note 7 will retail on AT&T at a price point of $880."

    After tax (roughly 10% in WA state), you're within spitting distance of $1000...maybe it's just me, but that seems like a hell of a lot of money for a phone.

    Yeah, I know it's got a lot of cool features and is undoubtedly a very capable device...but still, almost $1000 for a phone?

    I also understand that most people will get this with a phone plan so they won't just buy it outright, but even so...I guess I'm out of touch with what a new, top-of-the-line phone goes for these days. Personally I couldn't see spending that much on a phone, but that's just me.

    --
    Just cruising through this digital world at 33 1/3 rpm...
    1. Re:Expensive by sexconker · · Score: 1

      I have a Note 2, and have had it for almost 4 years. Other than getting the latest version of Android and Samsung's new S-Pen features, the Note 7 doesn't look like much of an upgrade.

      A curved screen? Fuck that. I'm losing a chunk of resolution and wasting my battery on it. And good luck if you ever want to hold the damned phone without touching that shit. Now on both sides! What's next? A screen that curves on the top and bottom too? Why not make the whole outside surface a screen?

      More storage? I already have a slot for a micro SD card I'm not even using. Maybe if I kept tons and tons of apps installed I'd need more storage (since Android is ass with external storage support).

      More speed? I can play Pokemon GO and browse the web. Maybe if I kept tons and tons of apps installed I'd need more speed (since Android is ass with letting everything in the world run in the background whenever it wants).

      A larger battery? The lower resolution and smaller screen means that my 3100 mAh battery is probably just as good as or better than then 3500 mAh battery. Between submersing the thing in water a few months back and the release of Pokemon GO, I could stand to replace the battery, but I can still go a full day as it is. If I end up skipping this year's Nexus phone I likely will replace the battery to make the next 11-13 months of catching Pokemon more convenient. With the Note 7 I can't replace the battery.

    2. Re:Expensive by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I agree with you completely here. It's very underwhelming considering I just got the Note 5 a few months ago. The whole phone market is moving in such a way that it's becoming an unnecessary luxury with only a few companies that are geared towards making affordable high-end phones. I'm half considering trading in my Note 5 and going with the One Plus 3 considering it's half the price with nearly on-par specs.

    3. Re:Expensive by JustAnotherOldGuy · · Score: 1

      A curved screen? Fuck that. I'm losing a chunk of resolution and wasting my battery on it. And good luck if you ever want to hold the damned phone without touching that shit. Now on both sides!

      This has always puzzled me...how DO you hold a phone that has potentially active edges?

      This seems to me to be something that's going to generate a lot of frustration, especially if it can't be turned off. Can the edges be set to be touch-insensitive?

      --
      Just cruising through this digital world at 33 1/3 rpm...
    4. Re:Expensive by Win0ver · · Score: 1

      Oh please. We've had this discussion everytime a new high end phone comes out since the iPhone 3G. Phones aren't just phones anymore. They're really small computers that fit into your pocket, and for most people, do more than a 5000$ PC did 15 years ago.

    5. Re:Expensive by h4ck7h3p14n37 · · Score: 1

      Republic Wireless has some new phones and I thought the same thing while browsing the selection. $800 for a Galaxy S7 Edge is pretty damn expensive!

      Fortunately there are a lot of phones available at a variety of price points these days. The Galaxy J3 is only $179.

    6. Re:Expensive by JustAnotherOldGuy · · Score: 1

      Oh please. We've had this discussion everytime a new high end phone comes out since the iPhone 3G.

      Relax, bud. I never said people shouldn't buy one, I just said it seemed like a lot to spend on a phone.

      If you want one, by all means go get one, and I hope it's a great phone.

      --
      Just cruising through this digital world at 33 1/3 rpm...
    7. Re:Expensive by JustAnotherOldGuy · · Score: 1

      Fortunately there are a lot of phones available at a variety of price points these days. The Galaxy J3 is only $179.

      The J3 looks nice. I see them on Amazon and eBay for ~$130 and up, which seems like a damn good phone at a bargain price.

      I use a plain-jane Samsung Rugby Pro ($99) and for what I need it's perfect. More than I need, actually. If I was to upgrade, though, the J3 would probably be at the top of the list.

      --
      Just cruising through this digital world at 33 1/3 rpm...
  17. Wading thru TFS by ThatsNotPudding · · Score: 1

    (as in The Freaking Slashvertisement), I see squat about any commitment to rolling out Google patches in a timely fashion nor more than just for a few months before they start planning for the Note 8. Shocking.

  18. Stylus & multi-task by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Stylus was basically one of the major reasons I got a Samdung tablet over others, along with the multi-window manager.
    I have my elbow on it right now, bought basically from launch.

    The multi-tasking alone is a god-send. I don't play silly little shiny reskinned games, I actually make things.
    Being able to have a browser, editor and sketch pad open at once is really useful. (I just wish the tiled window system allowed you more than 2 windows, I use cascade because of this one minor gripe)
    The stylus makes drawing all that bit better, touch-interaction blows ass for Actually Doing Something. No matter how good the tablet, just like how things like Kinect and Wii remote and are not useful for doing anything of worth when it comes to precision and speed, games especially. (even Nintendos own games progressively stopped using the swinging stuff for majority of the games)

    The current attempt at multi-tasking in Android stock is hilariously bad.
    Google, why didn't you just fucking buy Shamsungs? In fact, I am sure they were fine with it being pushed in to the base code for free.

    I'd still rather see a nice big tablet with some of these features. Not wasting money buying crappy smartphones.
    Never had one, and still don't want one. Dumbphones FTW.

  19. Any decent Android phones left on the market? by white+russian · · Score: 1

    I am an iphone user with hardware issues looking to switch to Android. Most people I've spoken to also have hardware issues with their iPhones and I don't trust their quality anymore. I'll admit that I was still under impression until about a week ago that Android phones are cheaper than iPhones, easy to reflash / upgrade with a stock google rom without bloatware and come with removable battery and expandable storage. From the options I've looked at, most Android phones do not meet the above criteria. All of the above are hard requirements (the phone has to meet all of them) - what Android phones still meet these requirements?

  20. mod parent up +5000 informative by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    mod parent up +5000 informative

  21. VR needs more pixels by BrookHarty · · Score: 1

    I have a note 4 with 1440 x 2560 pixels (~518 ppi pixel density) and I see the pixels when using my VR headset when watching movies. 1280×1440 per eye sounds better than current stand alone VR headsets, but you can still see pixels.

  22. 1000 dollars for a piece of hardware.... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    You don't even control, and somebody else pwnz.

    Is this really the future of the 'free world'?

    Go look at sales of this model then get back to me :(

  23. Iris scanners are dangerous for the nervous system by elcor · · Score: 1

    Of some people, be advised before jumping on this new biometrics.

  24. Looks like money money is going to LG by nightfire-unique · · Score: 1

    Sorry Samsung. No removable battery? No sale.

    --
    A government is a body of people notably ungoverned - AC
    1. Re:Looks like money money is going to LG by Bratch · · Score: 1

      My same thought, I change the battery in my Note 4 all the time, and when I replace it I will still want that capability. I don't use the S-Pen very much, so I won't miss it if I change manufacturers. It may sound useless to many people, but I still miss having a working FM radio, like in the HTC One series. Although it may be my carrier, Verizon, because I heard the radio does work on the Note 4 on Sprint.

      --
      Beware of the Redittor who loans you a Sharpie.
  25. Lots of great Android handsets by Overzeetop · · Score: 1

    You are sorely misinformed on the "wipe and flash" for any Android. Yes, many android handsets can be rooted and flashed, but Android handset manufacturers are just as protective of their hardware and custom skin software as Apple is. Android phones are all of the things you mentioned, but they're not all of those things IN ONE PHONE. You can get removable batteries. You can get expandable storage. You can get waterproof. You can get flashable. You can get none of those in an iPhone. You can get at least one of those in most Android handsets. In several you can get two of them. You cannot get all those things at the same time - you have to choose which advantages you want most. The good news is that, with one exception of the Note 7, which you can't yet buy - pretty much all Android handsets are priced less than the equivalent iPhone at a given screen size and internal memory size. And the Note 7, which will cost $30 more than the (slightly smaller) iPhone 6s+, comes with expandable memory, waterproof features, and an active digitizer and stylus. And the camera is better. And by betterm I mean objectively better. Some people like iPhone cameras better due to subjective considerations such as software applied sharpening, color casts, and the like. It's like choosing a set of Bose speakers over B&W or MK. The latter two are markedly superior at sound reproduction, but some people still like the "warmth" of the altered sound Bose produces. But I digress...

    Anyway...If wiping and flashing is your thing, you want one of the Nexus handsets from Google. They're affordable, always get the first updates and you can do pretty much whatever you like with them. https://store.google.com/categ... They are $350 or $400-550 - less than 2/3 the cost of the iPhone 6s and 6s+ (the direct analogs in the Apple world).

    If you want to do a bit more work and force-root the phone, you'll have a wide array of options. Just check at XDA developers and see which phones are easy to root.

    --
    Is it just my observation, or are there way too many stupid people in the world?
  26. Re:Iris scanners are dangerous for the stupid by Overzeetop · · Score: 1

    You mean like people who are allergic to IR radiation; the kind you will find everywhere there is natural or incandescent light?

    --
    Is it just my observation, or are there way too many stupid people in the world?
  27. This investment is going to be short-lived by Shompol · · Score: 1

    I own a 3 year old Tmobile-branded Samsung Galaxy note 3. My experience: 1. Loaded with uninstallable bloatware. 2. Some hard keys (long press) are hijacked to invoke said bloatware by accident. 3. Did not root because no time and afraid to brick $1000 device. 4. No software updates in 3 years. 5. This year there was an OS update that broke GPS.
    I don't want to upgrade but need GPS daily. So far it seems that Nexus is the only way to go.

  28. Re:Iris scanners are dangerous for the nervous sys by Sir+Holo · · Score: 1

    Of some people, be advised before jumping on this new biometrics.

    Please explain. Use actual facts and logic.

  29. Why the curved display edges? REPAIRS! by Sir+Holo · · Score: 1

    With the display curving around the sides, you won't be able to put a bumper on the thing.

    No bumper = More screen breakage = More repairs.

  30. Re:Iris scanners are dangerous for the nervous sys by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    If you hold the phone too close to your face you may poke yourself in the eye. This is a little less of an issue with curved corners, but curves can still be dangerous!