Thursday, November 20, 2014

Review of Samsung Galaxy Note Edge: cool, but why? – Russian Newspaper

Remember the days when phones were so different that they are almost impossible to be confused with each other? Clamshell Motorola Razr c unique design and incredible at the time the thickness of the housing or Motorola Aura with a round screen? Or Nokia N95 with sliding two sides display …

Today, smart phones are almost indistinguishable from each other. One back cover is black, the other bright red. A front is still the same great touch “spade”. In the best case possible to distinguish smartphones on the presence or absence of physical buttons or logo of the manufacturer. Companies such as Sony or HTC, trying to find its own unique design, but these attempts are dissolved in hundreds of identical black glossy panels from other manufacturers.

Samsung with their smartphones, “without design” has long been a legislator anti-fashion smartphone market. Galaxy S3 to distinguish from smaller and cheaper models was very difficult even well versed in the mobile device market man. At the same time Samsung’s long awaited “breakthrough” in the form of non-plastic housings start using.

And there was a “revolution”. First Samsung Galaxy Alpha, then Note 4 and space Note Edge (the hero of this review) with a curved screen to get a nice metal frames. The plastic is still used, but it is pleasant to the touch, similar in tactile sensations to the skin material. Anyone who managed to hold one of the new line of smartphones Samsung, confirmed that these phones do not want to let go. It is strange to write about products like the Korean manufacturer, but the fact remains – Samsung today has changed dramatically. Excellent technical stuffing now cloaked in a pleasant to the touch and type body.

A little “space”

Do fans stand out from the crowd and to hint to others that they do not like everything, there was a gadget that will tell all of them. This smartphone is not none of your friends. And not just because not everyone will give 50 thousand rubles for the unusual device, but also because not everyone is such a phone is comfortable for daily use. Let me explain why.

Anyone who takes the first Samsung Galaxy Note Edge in hand (I will call it Note Edge for simplicity) automatically says “Wow!” or “wow!” Then follows a logical question: “what is this all?” and no less important, “why is it necessary?”

So, in order:

1) “Wow”:

A Note Edge stunning screen: 5.6 inches with a resolution of QHD + Super AMOLED (QHD + means permission 2560h1440 + extra 160 points for the curved part of the screen). In practice, the screen performs well in all conditions. Someone rendition display may seem unnatural, unnatural. This is easy to fix: Samsung offers to choose from the schemes of color – from the rich to the standard AMOLED screen to a pleasant, relaxed and natural usual scheme, more characteristic of IPS-matrix. There is an automatic mode that you will choose for itself the right level of brightness and color correction, depending on the running application (100% correct function only works with the built-in applications from Samsung).

The unique device attached, of course, is rounded to the right display. The extra screen space displays icons to quickly launch applications (the list can be generated independently), notifications, weather, news, latest tweets, information from the built-in fitness S-Health applications and much more. Appearance panel is configured. Personally, I liked the function of the clock display in the “night” mode. Commercials convenient electronic clock: wake up to an alarm clock at night, glanced at his smartphone – and you can go back to sleep until the alarm clock did not ring out.

The rest of the functionality of the rounded screen in question. How often do you need, for example, the function of the line? Or fast start the stopwatch? After all, you can simply make an additional icon on the desktop or to withdraw it a widget that counts down the time, even without launching the application. Sidebar Note Edge to partially replace the usual lower block applications on the home screen, which is usually fixed most popular programs and functions. Side view simultaneously displays shortcuts to 7 (total number of labels on the panel is not limited to – the list to scroll).

And we can not say that the smartphone was designed for right-handers. Left handed use may be less convenient, and sometimes difficult to do.

An alternative view of the curved screen of Vsevolod Bullets:

Product Line Note Samsung’s always give the user a bit more than the usual smart phone or tablet. By Note Edge applicable in full. Sidebar extends the functionality of the device – even if sometimes contrived functions explicitly (such as quick access to the timer and stopwatch), but some things do work with your device handy and sometimes even more logical.

Sidebar allows you to accept or reject an incoming call when the screen is active, read an incoming message (even if the text but not very convenient to read, holding smartphone vertically). A separate panel displays weather forecast and notification of programs (for example, about the readiness of your troops to fight in the game Star Wars Commander).

active Twitter users may have a separate panel for to monitor trends in the social network. Powered integration with the official Twitter-client – tap on one of the trends of the application opens and displays the relevant tweets.

The panel is configured by the user (there is even an animated wallpaper specifically for the panel in standby) . Over time, developers will probably find additional screen should use. And while it is possible to measure the length of a smile, for example, your old smartphone with built-in function range (size Note Edge easily allow it to do).

In addition to the screen (its curvature in the first place) Note Edge hits in size. Even the rather big smartphones with 5.5-inch screens such as LG G3 kids seem beside Phablet Samsung. He is very wide. Before wide that it is not for everyone to be comfortable in your hand. Rounding out the screen in this case prevents convenient “snap” – often will touch panel, causing a particular application when it is not necessary – it does not matter in the left or the right hand holding a smartphone.

2 ) “What is it?”

Note Edge – brother of the Samsung Galaxy Note 4. Dimensions 2 devices are similar, but much broader than the first due to the rounded display, which required an additional 3.8 mm width :

– Note Edge: 151,3 x 82,4 x 8,3 mm

 - Note 4: 153,5 x 78,6 x 8,5 mm

Filling

Technically, both machines are identical – both built on a quad 2.7 GHz processor Qualcomm (in Note 4 have yet to release eight-processor Exynos production Samsung, but we leave it outside the scope of the review). In conjunction with the Adreno 420 graphics chip and 3 gigabytes of RAM, this means impressive performance. In the next year or two, any even the most “difficult” app on your smartphone will “fly”.

Fans of virtual “puzomerok” also have something to please. For example in Antutu benchmark smartphones are gaining more 45 thousand points, leaving behind such productive gadgets like HTC One M8 or Sony Xperia Z3. The stability of the system is not satisfactory. Total test time (just over a week), the system hangs once – the phone, apparently, is not completely out of standby mode and as a result began to slow down noticeably. Cure “brakes” failed rebooting.

Hours

In addition to impressive performance, relationship with Note 4 Note Edge gave another advantage – the battery life. With every desire to fully discharge the battery by the evening, removing the phone from charging at 9 am, I could not. And I tried – constantly included Wi-Fi, GPS, NFC and Bluetooth, for about an hour in the Internet Google Chrome, setting smartphone itself – load all applications through Google Play, calls, chat in Facebook Messenger and WhatsApp, then about half the game in Real Racing 3, a constant check Instagram and Facebook – as a result of the 12 hours of the night put the phone on charge with 17% charge. And this is without the use of power-saving features. With such active use of my personal Nexus 5 would ask to an outlet near 3-4 pm.

On energy saving should talk separately. In total there are two built-in battery saving mode. First off the number of functions, the most active power consumption, allows the switch to black and white mode for even more savings. Second, the “ultra” -Mode turns your smartphone into a “dialer” with the possibility of sending messages and access the Internet. In this smartphone will be similar to the “reader” – minimum brightness, the interface of large icons available functionality is minimal. But in this mode, the phone can survive for very long. When 20% of the charge system promises to remain active for 2.5 days (assuming, of course, that most of the time the smartphone will be in standby mode). This function is useful when the hand is not expected for a long time charging. If Friday night after work, 10% remaining charge, and will hike with friends in the club – it does not matter. Saturday morning you’ll be in touch.

Pen

The word “Note” in the model name appears on purpose. In Note Edge fully supports corporate stylus S-Pen, familiar from other models with the prefix “Note” from Samsung. Stylus devices greatly expands the functionality and allows for the full program to take advantage of the large screen smartphone. You can write notes, draw over screenshots (by the way, you can make a screenshot, swipe hand – handy). Many have learned with the help of family devices Note stunning draw (Samsung is encouraging creativity on their devices, even arranging an exhibition of the best works made on gadgets Note).

I, unfortunately, is not given to paint beautiful, so full appreciate the broad creative capabilities of the device failed. Although the notes by hand all the time, wrote with pleasure – to make it really easy and fun.

Camera

Here’s what’s really nice to do on Note Edge, so it photograph. Seldom confronted with the smartphone, which delivers excellent images both day and in the evening (and here there is no ultra-pixels, as in HTC One M8 – so that in the daytime get great shots with a high level of detail). Note Edge In the same 16-megapixel camera module, as in Note 4. camera works very quickly (the photos in HDR processed instantly), the focus is working properly in almost any situation. In general, the camera in the smartphone is one of the best at the moment.

When viewing photos smartphone sometimes thinks, showing the image in a low offer true, but then the picture clarity is restored – this effect is visible only when the “cold” start and galleries with rapid scrolling through the photos. Presumably, the high resolution screen – the smartphone takes time to optimize images for high resolution. But with the quality of photos, which makes the smartphone, a sin to find fault with such trifles. The main thing – the result, but it will satisfy the vast majority of buyers.

3) Why do it?

You can argue long for someone Samsung released the Note Edge. In my opinion, his release – a technology demonstration of the company. Their vision of the future. Note Edge makes me association with concept cars automakers. But, unlike the concept cars, Note Edge went on sale at a price of 49,990 rubles. The difference with the identical by stuffing Note 4 of 13 thousand rubles tangible. This is almost enough to retrofit your smart Note 4 hours Gear S.

overpay buyer in the case of the Note Edge exclusively wow component rounded screen functionality which for me is questionable. Over time, there will be certain applications that extend the functionality of the additional section of the screen of the smartphone from Samsung, but it is unlikely there will be many such applications if Samsung will not actively sponsor developers, because the sale of the device (considering the price) is unlikely to be high (this is not only about Russia – even in the US Note Edge will cost significantly more expensive counterpart Note 4). And the ability and desire to refine the application for a specific niche device is not at all the developers.

On Note Edge I made a good impression. Excellent materials, gorgeous screen, extended functionality compared to other smartphones due to S-Pen. But the smartphone uncomfortable to hold in your hand – it’s too wide even for my rather big hands. On the third day of using this flaw outweighed dignity apparatus, and basic phone for me again became my good old Nexus 5, which, incidentally, is already “flew” an official update to Android 5.0 Lollipop. Samsung is sure to release an update to the latest version of Android for Note Edge. But when exactly this happens is unknown.

Ironically, the main shortage Note Edge has a significant plus for me personally. Having a smartphone for a test, I could not resist to not compare it to Note 4 live, which turned out to be deprived of the main disadvantage of the “older” brother – Note 4 perfectly fits in your hand. More narrow body due to the absence of the rounded portion of the screen, a convenient location the power button of the screen (on the right side) – all made to think seriously about buying.

Experiments – it is definitely good. But even better when the manufacturer reserves the right to choose between the buyer the usual thing and precarious thing, as did Samsung with the market launch of Note 4 and Note Edge. Note Edge – wonderful product to promote another, more significant in terms of sales volume devaysa – Galaxy Note 4. There is no such wow effeta as from Edge, but there are all the other positive features.

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