Friday Fun: How to Properly Make a Right Hand Turn in Los Angeles

For this VLOG we’re backtracking to test the front facing camera on the Galaxy S4, and helping you folks out with a diving tutorial.

If you’re thinking about visiting or moving to Los Angeles, here’s a handy driving tip for you to better blend in with the natives!

AT&T Offers Up Samsung Galaxy S5 Active Rugged Phone for $199

samsung galaxy s5 active ATTAT&T has finally taken the wraps off of their next rugged Galaxy Smartphone. Following in the footsteps of the Rugby and the Galaxy S4 Active, the Galaxy S5 Active improves upon the line by offering up a more ruggedized experience with none of the previous compromises made by other “tough” phones.

The S4 Active was similar to the regular S4, but had an LCD screen instead of Samsung’s juicy AMOLED display, and the camera was an 8MP shooter instead of the normal S4’s 13MP shooter.

samsung galaxy s5 active ATT frontThe normal Galaxy S5 is already water resistant, capable of surviving being completely submerged for short periods of time. This means very little re-engineering needed to happen to toughen up the S5 Active. It’s the same terrific AMOLED display with the incredible new 16MP camera sensor capable of shooting 4 video. This new Active is the same hardware, but bulked up in a more rugged shell. A little thicker, a little wider, but capable of taking more abuse.

The hardware navigation buttons also make a return. These have proven to be terrifically handy, allowing you to partially operate the phone when water or muck is on the screen, or when the phone is fully submerged. Capacitive touchscreens don’t work well with water, especially when they’re under water.

If the S5 is Bruce Banner, the S5 Active is the Hulk. It’s available now as an AT&T exclusive for $199 on contract, and customers can receive a $50 credit if they buy one with a Gear Fit smartwatch.

Related:
Galaxy S4 Active Review
Galaxy S5 Review

Samsung Galaxy S5 Camera Tip: Should You Leave Picture Stabilization on for Low Light Photos?

Samsung is doing something a little different with the electronic image stabilization on the Galaxy S5 Camera. Does it really result in better pics with less noise?

Let’s take a look!

Galaxy S5 Pro Tip: How to enable developer options and speed up system animations!

galaxy s5 developer optionsQuick pro tip for you fine folks rocking the Galaxy S5. Even though it’s one of the most powerful phones on the market, doesn’t mean we can’t tweak it!

Here’s a handy trick to tighten up the animations so transitions will feel a little faster. All we have to do first is turn on the developer options in settings…

Continue reading “Galaxy S5 Pro Tip: How to enable developer options and speed up system animations!”

4K Video Test: Samples from the Samsung Galaxy S5 on AT&T!

Time to run the Galaxy S5 through the most comprehensive real world camera test available online!

We’ve already seen how improved the GS5 camera is when shooting 1080p, but how does the camera handle 4K? Watch on!

4K Video Test: The LG G Flex.
Shop for the Galaxy S5 on Amazon.

Continue reading “4K Video Test: Samples from the Samsung Galaxy S5 on AT&T!”

Samsung Gear Fit: First Impressions, Feature Walk Through, and Smartwatch Comparison

Samsung isn’t know for doing “simple”, so it’s an interesting experiment watching them try to streamline the Gear experience for the Gear Fit. Let’s take a look at the build, setup, and features of Samsung’s newest fitness accessory!

Shop the Gear Fit on Amazon.

gear fit in box

Samsung, Apple, Lawsuits, and Consumer Fatigue

samsung appleBy now you’ve probably seen that a Californian Jury has handed down their decision in the most recent legal saga between Samsung and Apple. Who was the big winner?

Nobody.

Neither side really came out ahead. Sure Apple was awarded more money, but both sides walk away with a mere fraction of what they wanted. Apple claimed Samsung infringed on five patents covering covering functions such as slide-to-lock, universal searching, quick linking, automatic word correction and background syncing. They were asking for $2.2 Billion, and the jury awarded them $120 Million. Samsung claimed Apple had infringed two of its camera patents, one related to video compression and transmission, and asked for $6 Million. It was awarded $150,000. Continue reading “Samsung, Apple, Lawsuits, and Consumer Fatigue”

Galaxy S5 vs One M8 Camera Showdown Part 2: Real World Video Tests!

In our first part, comparing still photos, the Galaxy S5’s larger sensor showed a clear advantage in offering up a shallower depth of field for more photographic output.

Now we’re going to compare video performance in a series of real world tests. Brightly lit outdoor scenes, low light, tracking movement, and image stabilization. Will the M8 be able to eke out a victory here?

Galaxy S5 Video Tests

HTC One M8 Video Tests