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Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. engages in the consumer electronics, information technology and mobile communications, and device solutions businesses worldwide. It offers mobile phones, tablets, wearables, virtual reality, and audio products; TVs, and home theaters; OLED and LCD panels; laptops, computers, chrome books, HDM, memory and system LSI products, monitors, and printers; and home appliances, such as refrigerators, air conditioners, ovens, air purifiers, cooktops and hoods, microwaves, dishwashers, washers, dryers, vacuum cleaners, and heating products, as well as TV and home theater accessories. It also provides security and monitoring, trackers, Wi-Fi routers, hubs, sensors, outlets, and buttons. In addition, the company is involved in the technology and venture capital investment businesses; manufacture of semiconductor equipment and components; and provision of repair services for electronic devices. Further, it provides medical equipment; software development and supply; toll processing of semiconductors and display panels; connected car systems, general logistics agency, financing, marketing, consulting, AI technology research, and cloud services; enterprise automation solutions and connected services; and digital advertising platforms. Additionally, it offers image sensing devices and mobile payment services; and designs and develops software products. The company serves finance, government, healthcare, education, hospitality, transportation, retail, legal, public safety, and manufacturing industries. Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. was founded in 1938 and is based in Suwon, South Korea.

Samsung

samsung

With the launch of the Samsung Galaxy Fit3, Samsung is continuing to redefine the fitness tracker landscape catering to consumers seeking premium features at

The Samsung Galaxy Fit3 is Designed to Help Users Maximise Their Fitness Tracking – Samsung Newsroom South Africa

Priscilla Efe Johnson is a member of Generation17, a partnership between Samsung and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), empowering young people around the world who are contributing to the Global Goals.

Meet the Generation17 Young Leaders: The Story of Priscilla Efe Johnson – Samsung Newsroom South Africa

Samsung to meet with media and industry professionals to share company’s AI-enhanced lineup of Neo QLED 8K, OLED and lifestyle products and discuss latest industry trends

Samsung Showcases Innovative AI TV Technologies at 2024 Southeast Asia Tech Seminar – Samsung Global Newsroom

Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., the world leader in advanced memory technology, today announced that it has begun mass production for its one-terabit (Tb) triple-level cell (TLC) 9th-generation Vertical NAND (V-NAND), solidifying its leadership in the NAND flash market.

Samsung Electronics Begins Industry's First Mass Production of 9th-Gen V-NAND | Samsung Semiconductor Global

Samsung vs. Apple (2016) Court Filing, retrieved on October 11, 2016, is part of . You can jump to any part in this filing here. This is the table of links with all parts. HackerNoon’s Legal PDF Series Case Number: No. 15–777 Plaintiff: Samsung Defendant: Apple (2016) Filing Date: October 11, 2016 Location: Certiorari to the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit TABLE OF CONTENT Part 1—CERTIORARI TO THE UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE FEDERAL CIRCUIT Part 2—ON WRIT OF CERTIORARI TO THE UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE FEDERAL CIRCUIT Opinion of the Court I A B II A B III About HackerNoon Legal PDF Series: We bring you the most important technical and insightful public domain court case filings. This court case No. 15–777 retrieved on September 26, 2023, from is part of the public domain. The court-created documents are works of the federal government, and under copyright law, are automatically placed in the public domain and may be shared without legal restriction. supremecourt.gov

Samsung and Apple Face Off in Court

I had just updated the operating system (OS) in my Samsung device and the majority of my apps. Everything was going smoothly, and I was liking the experience so far. Well, until I was going through my phone recordings, which I use frequently, only for me to notice 10 minutes into the recording my phone stopped recording. Fortunately, I could connect the issue in recent recordings to my phone’s update. I tried all possible means to fix the issue but couldn’t. That was how I learned about Samsung’s Smart Tutor app while chatting with a customer care representative through their website. What is Smart Tutor? Smart Tutor is a Samsung phone’s customer support application to solve any problem regarding the device with a live human technician. In clearer terms, it is a mobile application that gives a Samsung operator an access to operate your phone remotely. Yea. I mean, your phone is in your hand, but someone else would be operating it and you can see all they are doing through your phone. It was really a smart innovation from and it was the first time I was ever going to see anything like that. I had previously used only other Android devices with no such feature. Although in my case, they couldn’t help (at the end of the article, you can find out why my recording or your recording stops some minutes into the recording, even though the app is still active), I considered the support a great deal. Samsung Concerns about the Installation Smart Tutor is a system app. So, it comes preinstalled on your device. If not, as soon as you activate your device and it’s connected to the internet while updating the OS and apps, the smart tutor app is automatically installed. So, no, it is not a bug or some hacked app. If you need help and you do not have the app installed, you can go to Galaxy Store or PlayStore to download Smart Tutor. How Does Smart Tutor Work? Is it Safe? The Smart Tutor app works by connecting a remote human agent to your phone such that they can operate it. So, you’re wondering if they can do that. Is it safe? Well, it is the same question that many people across the globe have asked, and there is no cause to worry because you’re going to know if anyone is connected to your phone, and you are the only one who can grant such access to your device. There will be more on that later. Before you can get to use the app, You need to first speak with or chat with a customer care representative. Using Smart Tutor is the last stage of getting customer support to help you fix an issue on your device. Hence, you cannot just open the app and expect it to automatically connect you to a remote agent. No, that’s not how it works. , you will call a Samsung customer agent centre or chat with them on what the issue is. The contact details vary from one country to another and one region to another. So, be sure you aren’t just picking a number you found on the web or a Google homepage, or knowledge panel. First This is important because the access code you will get is region-specific. Note: In your call with the customer care representative, you will explain the issue, and they will recommend ways to fix whatever issue your phone has. They may also give you directions to run a self-diagnostic test on your device. For that, they will ask for the phone model and year. How to Reach Samsung Customer Service Samsung has , depending on your location and perhaps what gadgets you are looking for. However, no matter what page you intend to reach customer support through chat, input your correct location information (proximity by region or country is best). Website: multiple websites and landing pages Phone call is also an effective way to get through to an assistant on whatever issue may be wrong with your device. Phone call: If the issue with your device is suspected to be a hardware fault, they may recommend getting to a walk-in Samsung store to see a technician. If that is not the case for you, then great. If you have tried all their recommendations and had no positive outcome, then the next stage. Connecting You to a Human Agent During your chat with human support, if they recommend you use the Smart Tutor app, then they will give you a code to connect you with a technician that will operate your phone. If you claim to be in a different country or region from where your phone is being used and you get a code, it is not going to work. That is why picking the right landing page is essential and your claimed location in the chat is vital. Once connected to your phone, the technician can then move on to check your phone. If this is your first time, it will feel surreal. How safe is Smart Tutor? First, if you are worried whether this is a hacked app or a bug because it is automatically installed, that is not the case. So, do not even bother in that direction. If your concern about the app is: "if the company can access my phone remotely, then my device is not safe, and perhaps a staff member can hack my phone", your concern is valid, but that is not how it works. A Samsung technician cannot access your Samsung mobile phone without your permission. Remember, you have to first get an access code, which you need to input only through the Smart Tutor app for it to work. Secondly, the codes are region or country-bound. So, a random person across the US cannot hack your phone in the Philippines through a US-given code. In my experience at the time, the code didn’t work because I had chosen to reach an agent with a VPN set elsewhere from my location. Thirdly, if anyone accesses your phone remotely, you will see it. You will see the activities going on on your phone. Summary of all I know about Samsung’s Smart Tutor App So, how safe is the smart tutor? It is very safe and does not intrude like some other apps. No push notifications. So, unless there is a general system bug, which only requires an app update, there is nothing to worry about. I believe it is the best way to let a company-professional gain access to a phone to diagnose and fix any software issue. It is also great that it is the last course of action to contact customer care support. PS: Why wasn’t my recorder working after a while? In my case, the issue was that the system updates automatically put active apps in sleep/pause mode after a while when the phone was inactive or no motion was detected by its sensors. So, I had to turn it off for specific apps; in this case, it was my recorder app. I did that by going into my phone settings, clicked on my “apps” and looked for the option that disables ‘sleep’ after phone inactivity (when no motion is sensed by the phone). However, following the update I did since then, other updates have never brought such issues again. Did you experience something like this? If you enjoyed my piece and would like to read something similar in the future, comment on what you’d like to read and subscribe to me. In case you missed it, you can find out __. PSS: how to print from an EPSON printer wirelessly

Smart Tutor App Review: Samsung's Official Remote View App

Revisión de la aplicación Smart Tutor: aplicación oficial de vista remota de Samsung

Examen de l'application Smart Tutor : l'application officielle de visualisation à distance de Samsung

स्मार्ट ट्यूटर ऐप समीक्षा: सैमसंग का आधिकारिक रिमोट व्यू ऐप

スマート家庭教師アプリのレビュー: Samsung の公式 Remote View アプリ

Revisão do aplicativo Smart Tutor: aplicativo oficial de visualização remota da Samsung

Đánh giá ứng dụng Smart Tutor: Ứng dụng xem từ xa chính thức của Samsung

智能导师应用评测：三星官方远程查看应用

Samsung Electronics Co. plans to continue its investment in its research and development plans and is going to continue ahead with expansion plans for several of its businesses despite a decline in revenue for the fourth quarter of 2022 due to global macro and geopolitical issues. During its quarterly Ben Suh, SVP of Investor Relations, said the company’s declined sequentially by 8.2% to 70.5 trillion South Korean won. earning call revenue The company saw a sequential decline in gross profit of 6.9 trillion won “due to the impact of a significant price decline and an inventory valuation loss in Memory, coupled with weak sales of smartphones,” with gross profit for the period amounting to 21.8 trillion won. Predicting a continuous weak market demand in the first quarter of 2023, Daniel Araujo from the MX Division said: “In Q1, we expect demand across all smartphone segments to decrease Q-on-Q due to the continuing economic slowdown and other lingering factors contributing to macroeconomic instability.” Samsung, despite the current economic downturn, stayed firm on its expansion plans: “[The ] will focus on expanding our domestic and overseas businesses, including North America, and address new opportunities,” said Shu. Network segment Consumer and business demand for tech products fell sharply across the board in the second half of 2022, which led to significant profit declines at semiconductor companies that had seen a boom at the start of the pandemic. Prices for memory chips have fallen dramatically as a result of a huge stockpile imbalance that has harmed businesses' earnings, including Samsung's. To position itself for mid to long-term demand, Samsung declared that it would maintain its capital expenditure plans for 2023 at levels similar to those from the previous year. Operating profit for the October-December quarter fell by 96.9% from the same quarter last year to 270 billion won in Samsung's memory chips-driven semiconductor sector,  the firm reported. The South Korean giant aims to set up its R&D labs employing about 40,000 workers in India. The company has already invested a whopping in manufacturing core semiconductor chips in factories and labs across the nation. 240 billion won India is unarguably becoming “the world’s next factory,” with the tech giants uprooting their business from China and planting in India. The could be attributed to China’s strict “ ,” complex geopolitical relations, and deteriorating business environments. transition Zero COVID Policy Apple plans to move the majority of its production capacity to the southern part of India, aiming at employing 70,000 workers for manufacturing and assembling purposes over the next two years. “This highlights an evolving trend where many companies, not just Apple, are concerned about the environment in China, and not just because of COVID. When we look at theft of intellectual property, that's of technology, cyber-attacks on companies inside China, and the onerous restrictions that apply from the Chinese government to data flows, there are several factors that are making China a much less attractive environment for manufacturers to be,” , director of global innovation policy at the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation (ITIF) in Washington. said Stephen Ezell Samsung Electronics considers the broader expansion economic plan as a harbinger of opportunities and a safety blanket to fall upon. “The chip industry is the safety plate of the Korean economy... Our aggressive investment is a survival strategy in a sense that once we lose our competitiveness, it is almost impossible to make a comeback,” said in a statement. Samsung Electronics With an increase in natural language processing and conversation-style AI systems, EVP Memory Global Sales and Marketing Jaejun Kim highlighted the need for “high-performance HBM that provides data directly to GPUs and AI accelerators as well as the high-density server DRAM, such as the 128 gigabytes and plus that would support the CPUs that process the AI learning data. ” Kim also stated that the company plans to capture the increasing demand for AI services by developing high-performance, high-density memory products that can do large-scale computation. Samsung expects the weakness to continue in the short term but expects demand to start to recover in the second half of the year. The company noted worries about macro uncertainties, inflation, and high-interest rates ruling FY-2023, it aims at increasing the earnings by focusing on strengthening “technological leadership by introducing first- generation 2 nanometer GAA(Gate-All-Around) process,” securing additional demands for large display business, by transitioning to OLED, and long-term investment in infrastructure for its P4 manufacturing facility in multiple R&D capabilities.

Samsung to Continue Expansion Plans, R&D Investments Despite Decline in Demand

চাহিদা হ্রাস সত্ত্বেও স্যামসাং সম্প্রসারণ পরিকল্পনা, R&D বিনিয়োগ চালিয়ে যাবে

Samsung setzt Expansionspläne und Investitionen in Forschung und Entwicklung trotz Nachfragerückgang fort

Samsung continuará con sus planes de expansión e inversiones en I+D a pesar de la disminución de la demanda

Samsung poursuivra ses plans d'expansion et ses investissements en R&D malgré la baisse de la demande

मांग में गिरावट के बावजूद सैमसंग विस्तार योजना, अनुसंधान एवं विकास निवेश जारी रखेगी

需要の減少にもかかわらず、サムスンは拡張計画と研究開発投資を継続する

삼성, 수요 감소에도 불구하고 확장 계획과 R&D 투자 지속

Samsung manterá planos de expansão e investimentos em P&D apesar da queda na demanda

Samsung, Talepteki Düşüşe Rağmen Büyüme Planlarına ve Ar-Ge Yatırımlarına Devam Edecek

Samsung tiếp tục kế hoạch mở rộng, đầu tư R&D bất chấp nhu cầu giảm

尽管需求下降，三星仍将继续扩张计划和研发投资

The current rush to create and test CBDCs has become a trending phenomenon with increasing momentum throughout the globe. Some countries like China have internally developed their entire distributed ledger platforms, while others have relied on startups and niche businesses to pilot test their CBDCs. Samsung’s status as a dominant player in multiple industries within Korea lends itself well to digital won implementation, especially considering the two-tier implementation structure that the Bank of Korea (BOK) seeks to implement. In America, Samsung is predominately thought of as simply a consumer electronics brand, with its mobile devices, appliances, and accessories being the most recognizable consumer-facing products. However, in Korea, Samsung’s dominance in multiple industry verticals has allowed it to single-handedly comprise nearly of Korea’s total GDP. Therefore, while Samsung is certainly one of the world’s leading electronics manufacturers, its status as a premier market force in industries like textiles, insurance, shipbuilding, and real estate make it an extremely powerful organization within Korea and beyond for CBDC implementation. With this in mind, Samsung is one of the best-positioned companies to help the Korean central bank effectively implement the digital won. 20% Developing the digital won In , the Bank of Korea released a request for bids to become the technology provider for CBDC trials, sharing several key details for the testing of a future digital won. Utilizing a two-tier distribution structure to issue currencies to financial institutions for further dissemination to the public, the BOK also distinguished between two phases in its CBDC proposal. In this document, the BOK highlighted the first phase of testing basic use-cases like smartphone apps and bank deposit exchanges. A second phase would follow the successful completion of the first phase, with this second phase testing more technical details like cross-border remittance and regulatory compliance. May 2021 In early , the Bank of Korea confirmed that it had narrowed its potential providers to Naver’s Line Plus, , and conglomerate SK Corporation, with the eventual selection of Ground X as the primary tester for CBDC blockchain simulations in late . While Samsung was not part of the initial bidding process for piloting the digital won, Samsung was able to secure a spot in testing the digital won by usage through its Galaxy smartphones. July 2021 Kakao-subsidiary Ground X July 2021 Samsung’s multiple industries in CBDC implementation Some detractors might point to Samsung’s status as a regional monopoly as a reason to not utilize it for CBDC testing or implementation at any level. However, it is in Samsung’s best interests to help the BOK in its implementation of a digital won. Recent public-private partnerships to develop CBDCs are increasingly commonplace, as evidenced by Bitt's for the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank and Ripple's with Bhutan. Dcash solution CBDC pilot Samsung is in a unique position to leverage the digital won for development as a public social good and to help streamline business processes. After all, Samsung could easily become a significant distributor of the Korean CBDC in addition to being one of the largest customers of the digital won through its various businesses and subsidiaries. Keeping this in mind, three specific subsidiaries that could help effectively implement the digital won are Samsung SDS, 5G, and Samsung’s Internet-of-Things (IoT) ecosystems. Samsung SDS, formerly Samsung Data Systems, is a major provider of information technology (IT) services and research within Korea and beyond. In this respect, this subsidiary of Samsung can help the BOK for critical blockchain use-cases for the digital won. In , Samsung unveiled zero-knowledge proofs to enhance security for its internally-developed Nexledger platform, with Nexledger being used by an 18-bank blockchain consortium in Korea. In Samsung SDS developed a blockchain solution for pharmaceuticals for supply chain traceability. Samsung SDS could utilize Nexledger to provide smart contract solutions for businesses and consumers utilizing the digital won, enabling seamless payment systems along the blockchain. Samsung SDS’ noted leadership within the blockchain space make it a perfect solution to help the BOK in digital won implementation. November 2019 September 2020, Samsung’s emphasis on 5G development is another supporting factor for effective growth of potential digital won usage. The paralleled growth of 5G and blockchain as separate systems has created immediate use-cases that must have improved data security, mobility, and secured automation. For example, Samsung has recently played an integral role in establishing advanced and emergency infrastructure communications services. Integrating a secure payments system with digital won integration to resolve transactions between businesses, consumers, and emergency first responders could ensure the immediate distribution of funds in any type of emergency scenario. Therefore, Samsung’s 5G backbone could provide a communications mechanism in conjunction with digital won implementation within Korea and beyond. Korean American Samsung’s IoT solutions also have significant implications for digital won implementation. In terms of smart devices, Samsung has been a clear leader within the blockchain space. In , Samsung introduced a KlatynPhone version in the form of its Note10 and Note10+ devices, the blockchain platform that Ground X is using for BOK digital won trials. Additionally, in , Samsung announced a partnership with the Stellar Lumens Foundation, introducing the XLM blockchain within the Samsung Blockchain Keystore. even saw the integration of Ledger hardware devices within the Samsung Galaxy Blockchain Wallet, demonstrating Samsung's constant development of IoT devices catered to blockchain and CBDC usage. November 2019 July 2020 May 2021 Samsung's IoT solutions also extend to critical business-to-business (B2B) applications, to include digital signatures and automation solutions, in addition to Samsung’s consumer-facing SmartThings platform. However, on the B2B side, Samsung could integrate its IoT devices effectively with the digital won, utilizing digital signatures from its Galaxy smartphones to facilitate transactions utilizing the digital won. Further implementation of the digital won might come in the form of smart contracts, with the digital won funds being released within a supply chain scenario after specific manufacturing requirements are met. Conclusion The Bank of Korea is currently testing digital won pilots, with its eyes on CBDC implementation within the immediate time horizon. While cooperation with large industry leaders like Naver and Kakao can help implement the digital won in the short and long-term, Samsung is better positioned as an enterprise to help solve many of problems that may arise from digital won usage. From blockchain-based solutions, to 5G implementation speeds, to IoT devices for B2B use-cases, Samsung can help spur CBDC growth and adoption within Korea and throughout the world.

How Samsung's SDS, 5G, & IoT Business Units can Increase Korean Digital Won Implementation

Last week, I finally gave in to the temptation to buy Samsung's latest flagship tablet - the Tab S7. This is the first time I've owned a tablet in years, so I've been very excited to start using it! In this Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 review, I'll talk about how I've found the tablet to use, and my thoughts on some of the decisions Samsung has taken. Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 Release Date The Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 was announced on August 5th, 2020 and . As one of the newest tablets on the market, it offers a lot of value for those looking to buy a tablet sometime soon. released on August 22nd, 2020 Design Review The Tab S7 is a masterpiece in terms of design. It's light, versatile, and very aesthetic. You can hold the tablet in either hand, at any angle, and it always feels just right. If you have the keyboard book cover (which I would definitely recommend), you'll be able to quickly jump from an on-the-go tablet to a desktop workstation. Of course, it's no real rival to a Windows PC/Mac, but it sure looks the part. The S Pen - which comes free with the tablet - magnetically attaches to both of the longer edges of the tablet, and to its wireless charging pad on the back panel. That back panel, by the way, has a cover which flips over the pen so it can't be knocked off whilst charging. Genius. Software (Tablet Mode) Samsung's spin on Android 10 on the Galaxy Tab S7 is absolutely fantastic, with great features exactly where you need them. The settings menu is absolutely full of customisation and personalisation options, and the S Pen interacts brilliantly with the tablet. With a simple flick of the pen, you can launch apps, control media,  and take screenshots. You can even set the tablet to jump into Dex mode (more details below) as soon as you connect the keyboard. Multitasking on the Tab S7 is also great - with split-screen apps, pop-up notifications and even window-style apps you can drag around. Some of the more flashy features do feel slightly gimmicky, but most of them are genuinely useful and help me use the tablet effectively every day. Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 Specs: Hardware Review The Specs on the Tab S7 are very impressive on paper, and even more impressive when you're using it! With 6GB of RAM and the latest Octa-core Snapdragon 865+, you're getting an absolute beast in terms of raw processing power. Add in one of the best graphics units around, the Adreno 650, and you've got a tablet which can run virtually any task (or many) extremely fast. The Tab S7 also comes with a really handy fingerprint scanner on the power button, on the top edge of the tablet. It's seriously quick, accurate and well-placed so it's easily accessibly however you're holding the tablet. Samsung decided to move away from in-display fingerprint scanners and back to physical ones, which is a move I have to say I agree with. My last two phones had physical fingerprint scanners, and my current one has an in-display scanner. There is no competition as to which type is faster, nor more efficient - the physical scanners win both easily. Display/Audio Throughout my review of the Samsung Galaxy Tab S7, I found the display screen nothing short of incredible. With an 11 inch, 2K 120Hz LCD screen, you are getting a crisp and fast display which has so far handled everything I've used brilliantly. YouTube and Netflix both look fantastic, and whilst I'm not a huge gamer, I've noticed that games like Asphalt 9 are seriously impressive on the Tab S7. Battery Life With a massive 8,000mAh battery, this tablet will easily get you through the day without needing another charge. I use mine for several hours a day, often with a bright screen, lots of apps running, and split-screen working. However, I haven't once needed to plug it back in during the day. Shipping with a 15W charger, which I've found to be reasonably fast, you definitely won't struggle with battery on this device. If you do need that extra boost though, the tablet also supports Samsung's 45W charger which will charge it up significantly faster. That's not an investment I've felt the need to make just yet though. Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 Camera Review The 8MP front-facing selfie camera is excellent - always producing a clear picture for video calls and selfies. The one criticism I'd have though is that it's often a little impractical to get your full face in the shot. If you're in portrait mode, the camera is on the side and halfway down, so just totally in the wrong place. If you're in landscape mode, the camera is in the right place but it has a fairly narrow angle, so often doesn't capture as much as I'd like. Perhaps I'm being pedantic. I've never understood the necessity for a great rear camera on tablets. We practically all have a beast of a camera in our pockets, so why would we want to take photos or videos on a much bigger and heavier tablet? Regardless, the dual rear camera on this tablet is pretty good, with a 13MP main lens and a 5MP ultra-wide lens. It'll take clear and colourful pictures but it's not the best camera you'll find on a mobile device - but as I've said, that's not a big deal for me. Dex Mode Dex mode is one of the biggest selling points for the Tab S7. It's a desktop-like mode with draggable windows, a taskbar and full trackpad/mouse support. You can set Dex to launch automatically when you plug in your keyboard - which is a nice little time-saver. However, Dex does come with its problems. When you're in Dex mode, often certain apps will pop up with an on-screen keyboard every time you need to type - even though your physical keyboard is connected - which is not easy to get rid of constantly. Also, when switching between Dex and tablet mode, sometimes media will stop playing and apps will behave a bit weird. I'd definitely recommend only switching after you've closed & saved anything important. Overall, Dex is a really useful feature which makes using the Tablet with the keyboard really efficient, but it's definitely not competition for any laptop or notebook yet. Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 Price: Is it worth it? Currently on offer for £549 in the UK (around $527 USD on Amazon US) at most retailers, the pricing for the Tab S7 is really competitive. To get the iPad Pro (with the Apple pencil), you'd have to fork out £888 - a whopping £269 more than you'd pay for Samsung's Tab S7 with the included S Pen. The tablet has certainly been a brilliant addition to my setup - serving as a great note-taker, video-player and all-round awesome mobile computer. It's great for both work and games, with the tools, software and accessories to do everything you could possibly want from a tablet. If you're looking to buy a tablet - and you can put up with the minor bugs with Dex, the Tab S7 is definitely a fantastic choice at a price far better than you'll find for any other high-end tablet. Looking for more tech reviews? Check out: Top Features of Nokia 8.1 Pocketalk Translator Device Review Best Budget Gaming Laptops Under $500

Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 Review: One Week of Testing

Anyone watched must remember ‘Joi’, the pretty and sophisticated holographic projection of an artificial human. She speaks to you, helps you with house affairs, tells jokes to you, keeps you accompanied, and some more… just like a real human. She even has her own memory with you and developed character over time. Except, ‘she’ is not human. She is just a super complicated ‘modeling’ of a real human that can speak, act and react like one. Yet still, quite some people secretly wish that they could also have their own ‘Joi’. Well, she might not be as far away as you think. Enter , Samsung’s new artificial human. Blade Running 2049 NEON (Source: Joi from Gfycat ) Encounter I was at CES 2020 show last week and walking the floor. There were many new gadgets, new technologies revealed like past years. There were also tons of displays. Small, big, huge, foldable, half-transparent, you name it. Among them, one display grabbed my attention. A life-like human stands within a display looking at me with a warm smile and also talks about something with rich gestures. What is this for? A new remote video service maybe? Intrigued, I came closer and checked. Turns out, none of these very realistic figures are human. They are called NEONs, artificial humans created in a Samsung-backed company called STAR Labs. NEON, our first artificial human is here. NEON is a computationally created virtual being that looks and behaves like a real human, with the ability to show emotions and intelligence. — STAR Labs (Source: NEON.LIFE) The look, expression, gesture are so natural I can’t really tell whether it is pre-recorded video or CGI. Look closer, it is obviously CGI, just very very ‘real’. Real in the sense of ‘human-like’ rather than ‘high-resolution’. I dug in deeper and found out that these are AI-generated CGI footage based on the pre-recorded real human video, a ‘recreation’ from human actor videos. Very much like what first did it in the movie . James Cameron Avatar (Source: lyon.onvasortir.com ) But NEON didn’t stop there, it pushes things even further. These NEONs can go out-of-script and develop its own ‘personality’. It can originally generate new expressions, gestures, and reactions out of its own unique ‘personality’. These ‘personalities’ can also be trained and adapted to outside stimuli. Now, this is deeper than just mimic the facial expression! How did Samsung achieve this and what does this mean? There aren’t too many details revealed at the show. My inner Data Scientists instantly got turned on, let’s try to figure out (guess) how this is achieved and what impact it could have on our society and industry, shall we? Anatomy So how did they do this? Let’s first look at what it can do. To achieve what they claimed, NEON need to do several things: Notes: The below parts are just my ‘educated prediction’, thus bearing no truth on how NEON actually works or created. More details of NEON has yet to be released by Samsung. Physical modeling: Real-human video to CGI, cross the uncanny valley Given some video datasets of one actor, the model needs to learn how to transfer a video into CGI footage, the more similar the better. This technology has been well developed with the rise of Avatar and performance capture. Actors get filmed with some color dots grid on their faces to record their facial expressions and transfer those facial expressions grid movements into CGI character expressions. It’s a rather mature technology. What NEON did is just a bit different. It might not have the grid as a reference but using deep learning, it’s not too hard for the deep neural networks to find the features they need for the task and it can maybe do better than a simpler model like the facial grid. video footages Data Input: facial/body grid movements time series data. Data Output: Expression modeling: Expression/Gesture projection to CGI So from the video footage, we now have a grid movements time series data set, if we can label these data set with different expressions, we should be able to train some kind of autoencoder that can encode the CGI time-series to expression encoding, then re-generate the same CGI time-series data. Then we can look at the encoding and figure out what is smile, cry, surprise, angry, etc. This is also a solved problem. You can find one examples below: CGI Time-series data set Data Input: Expression encoding/embedding layers Data Output: Personality modeling: Emotion to expression So now we can pretty much control the expression of our CGI avatar via expression encoding, the next step would be to map emotion to expression. The expression is the externalizing of emotion, but the mapping isn’t always straightforward. You would think people will laugh when they are happy, but humanity is way more complicated than that. Some outgoing people will laugh out loud while an introvert will probably just smirk subtly. What controls the mapping from emotion to expression is personality. Now how do we model personality? This requires a lot of domain knowledge(this is also what Samsung claims the part they are still working on and I think the most challenging. Cause humanity, you know…). Emotion Labeling (multiple labels since one expression could have multiple emotions behinds it) Data Input: Expression encoding/embeddings representing the emotion for given avatar Data Output: What Samsung Say About NEON is comprised of From the presentation we know that NEON is actually comprised of three parts: Behavioral Neural Network ( ) Expression Model? Evolutionary Generative Intelligence ( ) Personality Model? Computational reality ( ) Physical Model? Are my above assumptions true? We’ll know more in the near future, but please leave some responses if you have different ideas! Theorycrafting So how do these parts fit together and form a NEON? It could work as a pipeline: First using the video footage of one human actor to train a neural network that can generate CGI grid time-series data. This will give the ability to control the CGI avatar to be as human as possible. The neural network will inevitably learn how human gestures and human facial expressions patterns, this lays the ground for further abstraction. With the CGI grid movement time-series data, we can train an autoencoder that can do some kind of dimensional reduction, create some middle layer encoder then regenerate the CGI. Once the regenerated CGI is similar enough to the original time-series data, we’ll get an even more abstract layer (expression encoder) of the video, expressions, and gestures. Once we have the encoder or embedding, we can play around and see which combination of weights could generate certain expressions, e.g. smile, angry, surprised, etc. We can then use these weights ( might need to do some PCA to make it more manageable) to control the expression of our avatar, make it smile, cry, etc. To this point, the avatar’s expression could be largely controlled manually, but it’s not there yet. What’s needed is to have the avatar itself originally ‘generate’ expressions on its own, react to outside stimuli. This is where the personality model comes into play. Using the domain knowledge of phycology, emotional science, many different personality features can be developed their relationship to expression and outside stimuli can be modeled. If we use certain celebrity (say Bruce Lee) as an example, by labeling his behavior (expression) and outside stimulus (sentiment of words, gestures, etc.), we can develop a ‘personality’ model that reflects what the celebrity will react to the different sentiment with different expressions. Then we use this personality model to control the NEON’s reaction expression according to outside sentiment ( output from a sentiment classifier neural network maybe). In the NEON official videos, there is a real-time visualization of NEON’s ‘emotion activation’ status, indicating how NEON react to outside stimulus. Pretty cool. NEON’s emotional map in real-time, the light bulb is where her current state is and the words are different emotional states. Beyond that, NEON can learn domain knowledge and provide more value. Samsung claims that they have another cloud AI platform called Spectra for that and 3rd party developers will be able to develop those ‘skills’ for NEON. Thinking Siri with a pretty face, charming voice, and can teach you Kung Fu. 😜 I have to say, even though the demo they showed on CES 2020 is far from perfect, NEON is groundbreaking. The team is thinking quite big and laid down a good foundation and framework. The computational hunger application at this moment may mean NEON can’t live on the edge, but with the fast development of 5G and better cloud platform, I believe the future potential for NEON is huge. Vision (Which NEON do you want? Yoga tutor? Magician? Business assistant? Personal Photographer?) This is the part of the article where I’m allowed to go wild. Let’s see what a NEON can do: In RPG games, NPCs are usually pretty dumb. Their facial expression and reaction are so fake. NEON can change that and give gamers a very real experience. Perfect NPC in gaming. (Check out the whole series, it’s golden…) If you’ve read about a boy tried to create a chatbot speak exactly like his dad and kept him accompany after the old man passed away, you know what I’m talking about. NEON can go even further on this, not only the chatbot generate texts like his father, it can look like, sounds like, act as his father and even with similar ‘personality’. (maybe a bit creepy but who am I to judge…) Recreate your passed away loved ones or friends. this article Like Yoga tutor, financial planner, or just keep you company with a good personality. All kinds of service assistants. Guidance/Helper for disabled people. Celebrity ‘copy’ for fans to adore Autism therapist The list can go on and on, but you get the idea. With it being an open platform, it could very well be the next big thing in tech. Conclusion Usually, CES is about engineering innovations rather than science breakthrough, but I think NEON is somewhat sit in the middle. The team is still very young and I’m so excited to see what they can do in the near future and learn about their approaches. It is really a hidden gem that I felt compelled to introduce to my readers. What do you think an artificial human can do? Cannot do? Or should never do? For more details on what’s shown on the stage of CES, you can check out this detailed video: Previously published at https://towardsdatascience.com/neon-life-your-real-virtual-assistant-for-real-this-time-6de4a52e66c4

NEON.LIFE: Meet Your Digital Avatar from Samsung

The (MWC) in Barcelona, that started on the 25th of February, showed some new developments in smartphone manufacturers implementing blockchain features into their devices. While this might seem like a logical step, it actually says a lot about the interest in cryptocurrency. Implementing cryptocurrency wallets and blockchain features give the idea it is something people expect when buying a new device. Smartphone 2.0 devices are preparing the blockchain generation for the future. A world where cash payments are out and cryptocurrencies are widely accepted. Mobile World Congress In this article, I want to highlight companies that introduce smartphones with implemented blockchain features. So let’s start off with one of the leading global smartphone manufacturers. Samsung Galaxy S10 After weeks of rumors, Korean-based smartphone manufacturer, finally confirmed the implementation of a cryptocurrency wallet on its new flagship smartphone called the Samsung Galaxy S10. With previous flagship models in the Galaxy S-series selling between 30 and 50 million devices, the integration of blockchain features will provide cryptocurrency access to a new range of customers. Samsung During the MWC in Barcelona, a Samsung representative gave a speech in which he stated that Samsung will support blockchain based payment options and dApps on the Galaxy S10 range, through . On the big screen, during the event, the support for Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH), (ENJ) and COSMEE (COSM) was shared. After the presentation, the project behind COSMEE, , officially announced their partnership with Samsung. Samsung Knox Enjin CosmoChain Fun fact, another South-Korean blockchain project, Icon, already has a partnership with Samsung, in which they , that was implemented in , and they have also developed the blockchain for CosmoChain. co-created Chain ID Samsung Pass The relationship between Enjin and Samsung is not quite clear yet, but it is expected to be supported as a payment option during the launch. Galaxy S10 specifications: Android 9.0 OS, 6.1-inch QHD screen, Samsung Exynos 9820 Octa chipset, 3400 mAh battery, 12MP rear camera and 10MP front camera. The release date is set at the 8th of March 2019 and the initial retail price will be around 799GBP, 899EUR or 779USD. HTC Exodus 1 Another smartphone that saw a great promotion during MWC Barcelona is the , which is a blockchain enabled smartphone, with an integrated crypto browser. The Exodus 1 offers an all-in-one private vault to securely store your cryptocurrency (BTC, ETH, LTC, ERC20 and ERC721). Cryptotracker Blockfolio is integrated into the smartphone as well as IoT connectivity provider and Taiwanese activity tracker dApp Numbers. HTC Exodus 1 Opera Nodle During the MWC, HTC announced support for both Decentraland and Ethereum-blockchain game . to provide a Decentraland marketplace on the Exodus 1. Etheremon Decentraland is working with HTC HTC Exodus 1 specifications: QUALCOMM Snapdragon 845 CPU, 6-inch screen, 3500 mAh battery, Android 9.0 OS, 12MP+16MP rear camera and 8MP+8MP front camera. The HTC Exodus 1 can be purchased for 750EUR or 699USD. Electroneum M1 The smartphone is introduced at the MWC Barcelona as a Google Mobile Services (GMS) certified smartphone. With the M1, the Electroneum team is focused on selling the device in developing countries. The smartphone can be used to mine Electroneum and is expected to produce $3 worth of ETN every month. Users can then use ETN to pay for mobile top-ups, services or online shopping. Electroneum M1 Specifications: Android 8.1 Go Edition OS, Quad Core 1.3 GHz CPU, 4.5-inch screen, 5MP rear camera and 2MP front camera, 1600 mAh battery and a 1-year warranty. The M1 will be priced at $80. An estimated launch date has not been made available yet. PundiX XPhone PundiX announced its decentralized blockchain smartphone called XPhone last October. During the CES 2019 in January in Las Vegas PundiX showcased the device to the public. XPhone has an ‘X’ button that leads you straight to the blockchain OS of the phone, clicking the X again, leads back to the ‘regular’ OS. Function X, the blockchain OS, allows you to run phone calls, messages and dApps on a decentralized network. This way your data is not controlled by the centralized carrier. Specifications: The phone has a Qualcomm Snapdragon 660 processor, Android 9.0 OS, 5.65-Inch Full HD display, 3500 mAh battery, fingerprint sensor, 48MP rear camera and 16MP front camera. Users can toggle between tradition OS and blockchain-based system. The XPhone will cost $599 retail. The XPhone is projected to be available in late 2019, according to recent sources, which is a 6-month delay based on the roadmap on the PundiX website. Sirin Labs The FINNEY ™ Named after renowned computer scientist and early Bitcoin adopter, Hal Finney, Sirin Labs introduced the FINNEY ™, a blockchain-based, cyber-secure smartphone. The FINNEY ™ was introduced by international soccer star, Lionel Messi, back in 2017. According to the official website, SIRIN OS™ includes an outstanding Security Suite Layer, Embedded Cold Storage Wallet, Token Conversion Center and the best of DApp nation featured on Sirin’s dCENTER. Specifications: Built-in ‘cold storage’ crypto wallet, 12MP rear camera and 8MP front camera, 6-inch screen, QUALCOMM Snapdragon 845, Android 8.1 OS. The FINNEY ™ has a price tag of $999. Concluding remarks As I see it, the adoption of people using smartphones continues to grow year after year. This implementation of blockchain features on new devices, to me, is a sign that the world is starting to get ready for large scale blockchain adoption. I am looking forward to start testing the features after I purchased one of the phones in this article. What is your opinion? Do you think this is a good move from smartphone manufacturers? Disclaimer : This article is not intended as investment advice. I am not being rewarded to write this article. You should always do your own research. I am not being rewarded for writing this article. All the information provided in this article is based on my own personal opinion. If you like my content about blockchain and cryptocurrencies, you can give me a follow. I also have an account on and . You are welcome to follow me there as well. On my page you will find a bit more personal information. You can ask me questions on Telegram: @LindaCrypto. Steemit Twitter LinkedIn I hope you have enjoyed this article, and please comment in the allocated section below if you have any further questions. Thank you! Linda Willemse

Smartphone Manufacturers Like Samsung and HTC are Upping Their Game With Blockchain

Facial recognition technology moves forward another step as Samsung patent a revolutionary new software. After relying on iris scanners for unlocking the Galaxy Note 8 and Galaxy S9 line-ups, Samsung is finally tackling the flaws in its current systems by upgrading them to include a highly innovative biometric camera. The newly granted patent will bring Samsung back into the authentication game and could prove to be a serious contender for Apple’s current system. Although 3D remains one of the safest authentication methods, Samsung has yet to adopt it, instead preferring to stick with the original iris scanner. Doing so has been a bit of a sticking point for Samsung fans as 3D-scanning technology is so accessible now that portable devices are becoming a part of the home. facial recognition technology Users have also made it clear that while it is a reliable method of authentication, the Samsung iris scanner has its glitches, complaining that it is not compatible with certain types of glasses and it doesn’t work when lying down, for example. Apple, meanwhile, has had 3D facial recognition software on its iPhone X for some time, with users preferring the ease of unlocking the phone. Revolutionary Camera Although the iPhone has been using 3D technology for a while now, Samsung filed their patent for a 3D-sensing camera back in 2014 before Apple launched their facial recognition software. Such will be a key factor in Samsung’s potential launch of the new technology, as it means they can claim they are not technically copying Apple’s Face ID. Although the new Samsung camera will be similar to Apple’s current Face ID system, it will feature the addition of a highly sensitive biometric camera to be used in conjunction with the existing iris scanner. This camera will include a NIR (near infrared) light source on the mobile to eliminate any changes in ambient light. According to the , the camera will also feature an EDOF (extended depth of field) lens, a bandpass filter and an imaging sensor to enhance its ability to filter out ambient light and convert images into an electronic signal for processing. Of course, this kind of technology will also require a heavy-duty processor to receive and match images so that the user can be authenticated. patent report : Mohi Syed, , . Photo CC0 Samsung moves forward with facial recognition Getting with the Times It is worth noting that the patent also outlines the potential for the camera to carry out functions such as “proximity sensing, a night-vision camera, a 3D time-of-flight sensor, eye position and gaze tracking camera and structured light for 3D sensing.” While this is all speculation at this time, it could mean that the new system can be integrated into other technologies, such as televisions, tablets or PCs. Although there is no information on how Samsung will employ this technology, the granting of this patent could mean that Samsung introduces the next step forward in the facial recognition game. The revolutionary impact of facial recognition technology is already having a significant impact on a diverse range of procedures, from speeding up the queuing process at events to in gaming establishments, so a biometric camera with multifunction use and applications is an excellent way to upgrade current systems. tightening up security It is unlikely, however, that we will see this technology in the Galaxy Note 9 and Galaxy S10 line-ups, so it might be worth holding out until Samsung announces the successor if you want to get a hold of this new technology. Although there are no guarantees that it will even be included at all. Samsung may also decide to discard the patent and work on something else; however, from the information available at this time, it would be a shame to waste it.

Samsung Patent New Facial Recognition Technology

Well known Mining Conglomerates, Bitmain and Canaan Creative, are about to be given a run for their money as Samsung has announced it will join in the mining game. Yesterday Samsung confirmed that it will begin manufacturing ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Chips) chips which will be used in cryptocurrency mining specific equipment. These will be used to run mining nodes on the networks that run block chains behind many of the well known cryptocurrencies.“Samsung’s foundry business is currently engaged in the manufacturing of cryptocurrency mining chips. However, we are unable to disclose further details regarding our customers.” a company spokesperson was quoted.Bitmain and Canaan Creative produce mining equipment and are partnered with TSMC. TSMC will be the direct competition for Samsung. If Samsung decide to manufacture the miners themselves or bring on new partnerships then this could break the stronghold Bitmain has on the miners market.This news has followed reports from Korean media which state that Samsung has collaborated with an unnamed Chinese distribution partner.Samsung has seen a large portion of the graphics cards it already has involvement in being sold primarily for mining purposes. This would show the large demand for ASIC chips, thus explaining this unusual course for the Korean technology giant. Samsung has a majority of sales in the technology involved with its phones and TV’s and has just recently overtaken Intel as the largest chip manufacturer in the world. Should this project prove successful then this could solidify the company’s stake in the silicon valley.In addition this could relieve the stress currently placed on GPUs and lower both their price as well as the price of ASIC miners.Joshua has been investing and trading in fiat currencies for a since 2013. he has recently moved into the crypto world spreading his portfolio over long term coin investments, ICOs and day trading.

Samsung to join the Cryptocurrency Craze

Comparing the reliability of ARM and Qualcomm Android graphics drivers, S8 to S8 The GraphicsFuzz ShaderTest GLES test suite reveals a variety of graphics driver issues on the Samsung Galaxy S8. The Qualcomm GPU model suffers from considerably more rendering issues and crashes than the ARM GPU model. . Skip to our analysis of the results follow-on posts evaluating: See also: NVIDIA shield Google Pixel devices Hugues Evrard, Paul Thomson and I have recently founded a company, , specializing in automated testing of graphics drivers. The company is the fruit of research at Imperial College London that we described last year through . GraphicsFuzz a series of Medium stories Click above to try out our GraphicsFuzz Android benchmark web app. Our initial product is , a large suite of fragment shaders that GPU designers can license in order to thoroughly test the reliability of OpenGL ES drivers. ShaderTest GLES This is the first in a series of stories where we’re going to look at the reliability of Android ES drivers, as judged by running them on a representative sample of the shaders. OpenGL ShaderTest GLES You can also try out a selection of these shaders on your Android devices via the — try out the web app in your browser and let us know what you find! GraphicsFuzz Android benchmark ShaderTest GLES: testing shader compiler quality We’ll start with some background on ShaderTest GLES, but ! if you are impatient you can skip to the results Traditional GPU test suites focus on rendering speed or API feature-completeness. ShaderTest GLES adds another dimension to the story by testing . After all, a fast rendering result may not be particularly useful if it is wrong! shader compiler quality Talking with software engineers in industry, we have heard time and again that GPU driver developers prioritize testing their drivers against high-profile games and apps— e.g. the top 100 games in the Google Play Store. An unfortunate side-effect of this is that developers of less popular apps must work around driver bugs to make their apps work on consumer devices. Coupled with the slow speed at which Android updates are pushed to end users, this creates a self-perpetuating situation where GPU driver bugs are not seen as a serious issue because popular games run fine (possibly using workarounds), and GPU driver bugs are not worth reporting because it is necessary to work around the bugs anyway if you want consumers to be able to use your app. It also discourages developers from writing interesting shaders: until the driver quality situation improves, they are unlikely to work on a range of devices. The ShaderTest GLES approach ( .) See this post for some background on shaders and shader compilers ShaderTest GLES consists of many . Each family contains one that is used to render a single frame, and several hundred designed to render a visually identical frame to the reference, but to exercise the driver in radically different ways in the process. shader families reference shader variant shaders The variant shaders are obtained from the reference shaders by applying transformations to the source code of the reference shader that should not affect rendering results. For instance, wrapping a block of code in the reference shader in a loop of the form: semantics-preserving transformations — for (int i = 0; i < 1; i++) {// original code from reference shader} is a simple example of a semantics-preserving transformation. ShaderTest GLES finds bugs in graphics drivers by identifying rendering mismatches, errors and crashes, across families of equivalent shaders. ShaderTest ES highlights driver bugs and issues when: a variant shader is by the driver’s shader compiler — a ; rejected compile failure a variant shader causes some component of the driver to — a ; crash crash error a variant shader leads to a noticeably different image being rendered compared with the reference shader — a ; rendering issue a variant shader causes the driver to bail out due to time or memory constraints — a . resource issue and always indicate bugs. usually arise due to errors, whereby the shader compiler generates wrong code; they sometimes also manifest due to floating-point sensitivity in the graphics systems — ShaderTest GLES can shed light on both issues. A big win here is that miscompilations that trigger rendering issues are very difficult to detect and thus often evade traditional testing techniques. provide insights into the nonfunctional constraints of the graphics driver. Compile failures crash errors Rendering issues miscompilation Resource issues To the Samsungs! Let’s kick off by comparing the results for some reference and variant shaders with respect to one of the most popular Android devices on the market: the Samsung Galaxy S8 phone. Depending on territory, the S8 ships with either an ARM or Qualcomm GPU, so let’s see how the drivers from these GPU designers fare. . Our GraphicsFuzz site shows a comparison between the ARM and Qualcomm S8 models across 10 shader families A snapshot of , which compares the ARM and Qualcomm S8s head-to-head. our online results table Comparing results between the ARM and Qualcomm GPU drivers — we’ll simply call them “ARM” and “Qualcomm” from now on — the ARM model comes off looking more reliable overall. We find the following issues: Rendering issues Qualcomm suffers from significantly more : show five rendering issues from Qualcomm compared with one from ARM. rendering issues our tables For example, . Crashes aside, ARM universally renders the reference image: check out the results for shader family 001 The reference image for shader family 001 . All variants should render a similar image. while with Qualcomm we get the reference image for most variants, but a couple of erroneous images in the mix too: On Qualcomm, we get the expected image (left) for most variants in , but two erroneous images (middle and right), likely due to shader compiler bugs. shader family 001 The reference shader for shader is not floating-point-sensitive, so these discrepancies very likely correspond to shader compiler bugs. shader family 001 We also observe one ARM rendering issue, for variant 77 of : shader family 007 Reference image for (left) compared with bad image rendered by variant 77 (right) on the ARM S8. shader family 007 Nondeterminism Our testing revealed two issues on Qualcomm where the driver behaves nondeterministically: sometimes the shader compiler crashes during compilation; other times compilation succeeds and an incorrect image is rendered. This occurs for variant 123 of , and variant 51 of . shader family 007 shader family 008 Each pair consists of an expected reference image (left image in pair), and a bad variant image rendered by Qualcomm (right image in pair). However, the Qualcomm driver fluctuates nondeterministically between producing this wrong image vs. crashing during compilation. Crash errors Both drivers exhibit a number of crashes on our sample: 28 for Qualcomm vs. 15 for ARM. All are compile-time segmentation faults — Fatal signal 11 (SIGSEGV). The crash data available on Android doesn’t give anything away related to the cause of these crashes. Interestingly, neither driver can handle variant 34 of without crashing. However, as we’ll see in posts, other graphics drivers can handle this variant. shader family 006 future Compile failures The ARM driver exhibits one compiler failure, which occurs for variant 216 of . The issue appears to relate to mishandling of the ternary operator, (?:). Qualcomm shows more compiler failures —nine in total (combining compiler and linker errors), though several of these errors appear to be due to a single underlying issue related to handling of switch statements. shader family 003 Resource issues Our results don’t highlight any Qualcomm resource issues, but do show a resource issue for ARM on variant 122 of , which gives a GL_OUT_OF_MEMORY during rendering. shader family 003 , and try out the ! Check out the full S8 vs. S8 results table GraphicsFuzz Android benchmark web app Next time… … . we’ll see how the Android drivers for NVIDIA’s Shield TV hold up

A tale of two Samsungs: ARM vs. Qualcomm in Android graphics

It’s been four days since the release of the much anticipated Samsung Galaxy S8, and the overall response has been fairly positive. With the first-ever Infinity Screen, an all-glass body, and wireless charging, this phone has received pretty high praise since its release on April 21. In fact, many people speculate that the phone has , and for a far cheaper price as well. However, Samsung appears to have been caught red-handed — or red-screened, so to speak — in these last few days with a pretty unique software bug that many new users claim the S8 has. a fighting chance against the IPhone 7 Apparently, you don’t need to put your rose-colored glasses on for this phone, as it already has a red tint to the screen which appears to not be going away anytime soon. Although Samsung claims that there is no software bug in the phones and has issued a brief statement encouraging individuals to head into their , they chose to announce a software patch yesterday as well, which should arrive in the next few weeks and possibly solve the minor issue along with it. settings to change the screen color Although the issue may seem like a pretty big one, the truth is that it only seems to have appeared in certain S8 phones, whereas most users have not experienced any defects in the screen’s color. On top of this, users who have experienced the red tint say it is such as Facebook and, therefore, is a small price to pay for a pretty awesome phone. only visible on white screens So far, countless tech sites have reviewed , and all of them have been extremely positive, giving the phone nearly a full five stars for performance, durability, features, and responsiveness. Despite the Samsung Galaxy Note 7 having fairly negative reviews, and the slight hacking mishap releasing Google account credentials through , it appears the tech giant is back on its feet and ready to produce some pretty amazing technology this year alone. the new Samsung Galaxy phone Samsung smart refrigerators For now, the Galaxy S8 screen’s color is nothing to “get red” about, and the upcoming software patch is said to be the cure to this minor mishap in what is considered to be the company’s best phone yet. After all, if the phone’s newest features aren’t cool enough for you, can we just marvel at that screen a bit longer?

Samsung to Release Software Patch for Galaxy S8 Red Tint Issue

About four months ago, I ordered a new TV directly from Samsung’s . A few days later, I received a tracking link via email. online store http://www.agsystems.com/listhawb.asp?searchtype=hawb&searchvalue=1138977 Reusing Tracking Numbers When I first received the link, it showed an order that wasn’t my own. I assumed there was some sort of clerical error, but I was too busy at the time to contact Samsung about it. When I checked back later in the day, there were now orders showing at the link Samsung sent me — my own, and the other order. two I was a little concerned by the fact that my tracking number showed two orders, so I contacted Samsung to find out what was going on. I received the following reply. I understand you are concerned with your tracking. AGS recycles their tracking numbers every year which is why you see more than one orders under the same tracking number. Your tracking has been updated and is the first listed. We apologize for any inconveniences that may have impacted your experience with Samsung. We at Samsung appreciate your business, and we sincerely hope that this situation doesn’t deter you from continuing to purchase products of the Samsung brand. If you have any other questions or concerns please email me back. This already seemed a bit odd — Samsung is telling me not to worry about this, their shipper just happens to reuse tracking numbers annually. These orders were clearly shipped days apart. Leaking Order Information When I clicked one of the HAWB (House Airway Bill) links, it took me to the tracking details for my own order. There sure is a lot of information about me there… This is indeed my order . A shipping to , POD (Proof Of Delivery) . It even has my order number from the Samsung website ( ). That seems like an awful lot of to expose to an unauthenticated user. 60" SAMSUNG TV Orchard Park, NY Metzger 11109231971 information Wait a minute… weren’t there links on that page? I went back to the page (which Samsung ) and clicked the other HAWB link. Now I’m looking at all of the same order information for someone else’s order. ( ) two sent me a link to I’m a little jealous, they ordered a bigger TV. If Samsung sent me a link to view someone else’s order, then surely that guy can also see my order. Enumerable Tracking IDs This was already rather disappointing. All someone needs is the tracking URL that Samsung sent me, and they can see a lot of my order details (and someone else’s order details). In some cases, applications use secret URLs for sensitive functions (ie. password reset URLs delivered via email.) This is not one of those cases. My tracking URL was surely delivered to someone else with the same ID — it has already lost any notion of secrecy. Even if someone else hadn’t received the same tracking URL, this link still cannot be considered secret. Notice the only special part about the link is a relatively low integer (1138977). That, coupled with the fact that Samsung told me that the shipper “ makes it obvious that these IDs are sequentially assigned. recycles their tracking numbers every year” All it takes is knowledge of tracking URL and you can walk through all of the tracking IDs sequentially. With about five minutes of scripting, someone could scrape the data of every Samsung shipment, yielding: one Orderer’s Last Name Orderer’s City Item Ordered Order Number Exploiting The Data Let’s think about how dangerous it is just to leak these four pieces of information to someone with malicious intent. Since we have a last name and city, a quick internet search would yield possible phone numbers for the orderer. Once we have a list of potential phone numbers, we put on our social engineering hat and call each one. Hello, this is Bob from Samsung. Can I please speak with Mr. regarding his recent order for a . Metzger 60" Samsung TV If they say they didn’t order anything, hang up and move on to the next phone number. If it sounds like like they know what we’re talking about, give a little more information so they know this call is legit. Just to make sure I'm looking at the right order - would you mind confirming that your order number is ? 1138977 We have our and we’ve made it clear that we are legitimately calling from Samsung (surely a scammer wouldn’t know their order number and what they ordered?) foot in the door It’s time to exploit this trust and extract payment details with an offer that can’t be passed up. **-> If they ordered a small tv:**We're sorry for the inconvenience - there has been an accident at our shipper's facility, damaging an entire shipment of . It will be approximately two weeks before we have more of this model in stock. As a consolation, we would like to offer you an upgrade to a 65" TV - which we currently have in stock - for $49. 50" TVs We're sorry for the inconvenience - due to a glitch in our online store, our promotional warranty prices weren't showing for your model when you made your purchase. Your model is eligible for a 3 Year Accidental Damage Plan for only $29. -> If they ordered a large tv: Great! Sorry again about the inconvenience. We'll just need your payment information again - we don't keep records of it when you order because PCI compliance. -> If they took the bait: You get the idea — it’s seriously easy to turn these four pieces of information into a rather convincing social engineering attack. The Leak Gets Bigger After my TV was delivered, I went back to check the tracking status — hoping that this was just a ephemeral leak while the shipment was en route, disappearing after I received the delivery. I found the exact opposite. Not only was the order information still there — but now there was a link to a TIFF file too. Hmm… they added a link to a TIFF file… That TIFF file turned out to be a scanned copy of the waybill for the delivery. signed Oh wow, there’s even more information about me. They were already leaking enough information for a social engineering attack — now they’re leaking even more pieces. My Name Full My Address Full My Signature (well, actually my wife’s) Visibility All of this information was obtained directly from a link that Samsung sent to me— but you don’t to buy something from Samsung to find a link to the tracking system. It turns out Google has already indexed some queries for airway bills. have Note: This method of finding tracking links is much cheaper than buying a TV and waiting for it to ship Even if the shipping company gets these removed from Google, it’s still not too difficult to find these items. They have to search for tracking numbers. a form This convenient The form makes it obvious this should be a seven digit number. Starting with takes us to familiar search results: 0000001 At this point, there is no question about it — information in this system is secret. Links are sent directly to consumers, links are indexed in google, and there is an open form on the website for performing searches. not Samsung’s Response I didn’t like the fact that all of this information was freely available to anyone willing to spend a couple minutes to scrape data, so I responded back to Samsung again. I informed them that my personal information was being shared via their shipper’s website. I included descriptions of each piece of information, with direct links to it. I also informed them that the data was easily enumerable because it uses sequential IDs — and I requested that they loop in their information team. security Two weeks later, I received a response from Samsung: I understand you would like this forward to our security team. Your request will need to be taken up with AGS. You will need to remove your information through AGS. We apologize for any inconveniences that may have impacted your experience with Samsung. We at Samsung appreciate your business, and we sincerely hope that this situation doesn’t deter you from continuing to purchase products of the Samsung brand. That’s it. Samsung says I need to take it up with their shipper. That is not going to happen. I entrusted with my data, and that is who I hold solely responsible for safeguarding it. If Samsung’s business partner is leaking that information, Samsung needs to remedy the situation. Samsung As I was writing this up, I was going to redact some of my information (or at least my wife’s signature) but it wouldn’t make much of a difference. Four months after I disclosed this to Samsung, the information is there for anyone to retrieve. Please don’t try to sell me a warranty for my tv. still

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United States v. Apple INC Court Filing, retrieved on March 21, 2024 is part of . You can jump to any part in this filing . This part is 14 of 25. HackerNoon’s Legal PDF Series here B. Smartphone Hardware 151. A smartphone’s hardware includes the frame and screen. Higher performing smartphones are typically constructed from better materials like glass and metal instead of plastic, manufactured to higher standards that make them more durable (e.g., water and dust proof), and have higher quality displays. 152. A smartphone’s hardware also includes the semiconductor chipsets that run the smartphone: central processing of software instructions, graphics, video, display, memory, data storage, and connection to wireless networks. Chipsets that offer superior performance—faster processing and network connections, better graphics, more storage—are costly. As a result, smartphone manufacturers typically include them only in more expensive performance smartphones. 153. Smartphone hardware includes other important components like cameras, and position and motion sensors. Performance smartphones typically have higher quality cameras, better battery life, wireless charging, and advanced biometrics such as face scanning. 154. Smartphones also contain several types of antennas that allow the phone to communicate with other smartphones, accessories, or other devices using standard communication protocols such as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and Near-Field Communications (NFC). a. Wi-Fi is a wireless networking technology that uses radio waves to provide wireless high-speed Internet access through mobile devices, computers, printers, and other equipment. “Wi-Fi,” in particular, refers to IEEE 802.11 standards that define the protocols that enable communications with current Wi-Fi-enabled wireless devices such as wireless routers and access points. b. Bluetooth is a wireless standard that allows smartphones to use shortwave radios to communicate with accessories like headphones and smartwatches. An industrywide Bluetooth standard specifies technological requirements to ensure that all Bluetooth devices can recognize and interact with each other. A typical Bluetooth signal has a range of about 30 feet. c. Near Field Communication (NFC) allows smartphones to interact with NFCenabled devices like a credit card terminal at a coffee shop. NFC relies on shortrange wireless technologies, including radio signals, to communicate and share information. To operate, two NFC-enabled devices must typically be within four centimeters or less of one another. 155. Three device manufacturers, Apple, Samsung, and Google, account for approximately 94 percent of all smartphones by revenue in the United States. Apple and Samsung alone account for approximately 90 percent of all smartphone revenues in the United States. 156. Cloud-based technologies are run using hardware and software in remote computing centers (“the cloud”) rather than by hardware and software on a smartphone. The user experiences the technology on the phone but the complex computing that generates the rich experience and that executes the user’s commands happens in the cloud. Thus, cloud apps can deliver rich experiences on smartphones with less capable hardware than iPhones currently contain. Continue Reading . Here About HackerNoon Legal PDF Series: We bring you the most important technical and insightful public domain court case filings. This court case retrieved on March 21, 2024, from is part of the public domain. The court-created documents are works of the federal government, and under copyright law, are automatically placed in the public domain and may be shared without legal restriction. justice.gov

The Guarded Dominance of Apple, Samsung, and Google in the Smartphone Market

Samsung vs. Apple (2016) Court Filing, retrieved on October 11, 2016, is part of . You can jump to any part in this filing . This part is 8 of 8. HackerNoon’s Legal PDF Series here Opinion of the Court: III The judgment of the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit is therefore reversed, and the case is remanded for further proceedings consistent with this opinion. It is so ordered. About HackerNoon Legal PDF Series: We bring you the most important technical and insightful public domain court case filings. This court case No. 15–777 retrieved on September 26, 2023, from is part of the public domain. The court-created documents are works of the federal government, and under copyright law, are automatically placed in the public domain and may be shared without legal restriction. supremecourt.gov

Court Decision in Samsung vs. Apple

Samsung vs. Apple (2016) Court Filing, retrieved on October 11, 2016, is part of . You can jump to any part in this filing . This part is 4 of 8. HackerNoon’s Legal PDF Series here Opinion of the Court: I-B Apple Inc. released its first-generation iPhone in 2007. The iPhone is a smartphone, a “cell phone with a broad range of other functions based on advanced computing capability, large storage capacity, and Internet connectivity.” Riley v. California, 573 U. S. ___, ___ (2014) (slip op., at 2). Apple secured many design patents in connection with the release. Among those patents were the D618,677 patent, covering a black rectangular front face with rounded corners, the D593,087 patent, covering a rectangular front face with rounded corners and a raised rim, and the D604,305 patent, covering a grid of 16 colorful icons on a black screen. App. 530–578. Samsung Electronics Co., Samsung Electronics America, Inc., and Samsung Telecommunications America, LLC (Samsung), also manufacture smartphones. After Apple released its iPhone, Samsung released a series of smartphones that resembled the iPhone. Id., at 357–358. Apple sued Samsung in 2011, alleging, as relevant here, that various Samsung smartphones infringed Apple’s D593,087, D618,677, and D604,305 design patents. A jury found that several Samsung smartphones did infringe those patents. See id., at 273–276. All told, Apple was awarded $399 million in damages for Samsung’s design patent infringement, the entire profit Samsung made from its sales of the infringing smartphones. See id., at 277– 280, 348–350. The Federal Circuit affirmed the design patent infringement damages award.[1] In doing so, it rejected Samsung’s argument “that the profits awarded should have been limited to the infringing ‘article of manufacture’”— for example, the screen or case of the smartphone—“not the entire infringing product”—the smartphone. 786 F. 3d 983, 1002 (2015). It reasoned that “limit[ing] the damages” award was not required because the “innards of Samsung’s smartphones were not sold separately from their shells as distinct articles of manufacture to ordinary purchasers.” . Ibid We granted certiorari, 577 U. S. ___ (2016), and now reverse and remand. [1] Samsung raised a host of challenges on appeal related to other claims in the litigation between Apple and Samsung. The Federal Circuit affirmed in part—with respect to the design patent infringement finding, the validity of two utility patent claims, and the design and utility patent infringement damages awards—and reversed and remanded in part—with respect to trade dress dilution. Only the design patent infringement award is at issue here. Continue Reading . Here About HackerNoon Legal PDF Series: We bring you the most important technical and insightful public domain court case filings. This court case No. 15–777 retrieved on September 26, 2023, from is part of the public domain. The court-created documents are works of the federal government, and under copyright law, are automatically placed in the public domain and may be shared without legal restriction. supremecourt.gov

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