Samsung’s Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra is big, bold and one epic Android tablet.

Built, designed to be a powerhouse of multitasking, entertainment, creativity and even gaming.

Last year I put my laptop aside and took on the challenge of using the Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra as my daily driver for a time. Now I’m doing the same with the Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra.

Everything from this feature that I am writing up on STG, through to image and video editing, spreadsheeting and more the Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra can handle it all.

Given the specs of the tablet with its 14.6 inch AMOLED screen, 12GB RAM and a Snapdragon Gen 2 processor it’s got the grunt to handle whatever you throw at it, including console quality gaming.

The Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra, although given it’s mega size, is no different to taking a laptop out with you, except, it’s thinner and lighter. I do recommend having the keyboard case, as I do for this write up. It makes your digital tablet’ing life a lot easier.

The official keyboard case for the Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra is missing the trackpad though, so you’ll need to still use the tablets touchscreen, or the S Pen to open apps and navigate around.

I’m not too sure what the motive was for removing it and it’s something I’m hoping comes back with the next Galaxy tablet keyboard case.

The Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra that I was loaned from Samsung has 256B storage. This is their entry level Tab S9 Ultra. The 256GB was more than enough – this said, you can add a microSD to expand that storage. I also tried this with a 1.5TB memory card.

The Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra is also Samsung’s first water resistant top shelf tablet. If you’re out and about and get caught in a downpour you’ll be fine.

Samsung generously include a S Pen with their Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra.

If you’re a creative, or someone who needs to take a lot of notes, this is a must have. As with the tablet itself, the S Pen is also water resistant and it is so fluid to use – to the likes of  a real pen. Translating your handwriting in to text, which is mostly accurate.

Using the Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra for video calls with family and friends is also perfect. I did take a few video calls during my time on the tablet as a laptop replacement, the dual 12MP front cameras are picture perfect, super clear. There is also a 13MP wide and 8MP ultra-wide set of lenses at the rear.

Using the Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra as a laptop replacement was an almost seamless transition. The only break from the norm was the absence of the trackpad.

However, it is super fast, the ability to multi-window on the one screen and having that S Pen ended up being a much needed accessory.

If you’re looking to change out your laptop for something a bit lighter to move around with, but gives you the same core functionality, the Galaxy Tab S9 tends to be more reliable, a long battery life (up to 9 hours via its 11200 mAh battery) and full circle functionality with killer sounding built-in speakers.

A beast of a tablet, the Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra is more than a tablet, it is a full production suite that’s ready to go when you are.

The post Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra as a Laptop Replacement appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

Samsung’s Galaxy Tab S9FE (Fan Edition) tablet is now… but wait, hasn’t the S9 Ultra just released?

Well yes… however this new slimmed down Galaxy S9FE Android tablet is a more conservative model, coming in at 10.9 inches.

Now my love for the Tab S9 Ultra has no end after reviewing it a couple of months back. Samsung absolutely did an ‘Ultra’ right this year.

To say that the Fan Edition of the S9 series is a slimmed and somewhat watered down model would be fair. There was no S Pen included with the review model, but an S Pen (tablet version) should work for some functions. And it is cheaper than its predecessors, of course. A lot cheaper.

The near-to all-screen, super slim Galaxy Tab S9FE has a crisp and vivid LCD display with a not-so-bad 90Hz refresh.

Under the hood we get a low 128GB storage (well, low for some) and 8GB RAM, while powered by an Octa-core Cortex-A78 processor.

You can add an external microSD memory card to give you more storage space.

So no, it is nor as powerful as its predecessors, but it can handle a bit.

Multi-tasking seems to have no end on the Galaxy Tab S9FE. Having apps running in split screen it chugs along nicely.

Gaming, it also handled well here too.

The usual suspects fared real well; Diablo Immortal, Fortnite, Pascal’s Wager (a fav of mine), Asphalt Racing, with Call of Duty Mobile really pushing the S9FE to its limits and causing a bit of heat at the back.

The Galaxy Tab S9FE has a dual camera setup at the rear. The front facing camera is ideal for video calls and vloggers.

As for battery life, the Galaxy Tab S9FE was a surprise… for normal use.

Gaming absolutely annihilated the battery from a full charge, whereas, general media streaming (music and media content) didn’t cause too much of an affect and web browsing over a period of days again didn’t see the 8,000mAh battery take much of a hit.

Having the review device for a couple of weeks it did need a full charge up (after general use) a couple of times a week. It seemed as though the Galaxy Tab S9FE managed to chip away at the battery a bit while in standby mode.

In any case, the Galaxy Tab S9FE is a good all-rounder, a worthy edition to the Samsung family of devices and for those that are not after all of the features and need something simple, lightweight and portable, not forgetting, reliable the Galaxy Tab S9FE is ideal.

It does what it does well and is a winner in the mid tier tablets category.

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The post Samsung Galaxy Tab S9FE Tablet Review appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

This year’s Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra brings us a mix of what made the Galaxy S8 Ultra epic fused with the latest chipset.

First off, the Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra is big. A bold 14.6 inches AMOLED screen with a 120Hz refresh rate.

Coming in just under the size of a 15 inch laptop, providing you have a Bluetooth keyboard, the Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra could make an effective laptop replacement for on the go.

Running the latest version of Android 13 with Samsung’s own One UI OS overlayed, there is a fair amount of proprietary apps that do pinch some of the internal storage.

This year, Samsung have bolstered the entry level Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra to a 256GB internal SSD (last year entry level was at 128GB).

Coupled with this is 12GB RAM to see you right for super multi-tasking and game playing and an efficiently powerful Snapdragon 8 Gen 2.

I still love the Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra but my only issue was that lower end storage, so I am pleased to see that this has now been doubled from the go.

There is a microSD card slot, so you can bolster that storage up if you need to .

The Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra comes with it’s own stylus, called the S Pen, in the box.

If you’re a writer, note taker or attend a lot of meetings – the S Pen is your primary tool. It’s fluid with digital ink to screen and feels natural when writing.

For gameplaying the Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra is gold.

Playing console quality titles to the likes of Asphalt 9, Call of Duty, Diablo Immortal and Pascale’s Wager with a control pad turn the massive tablet in to and a supreme on the go Android gaming device.

Samsung haven’t held out on the camera’s, again.

We get a similar array to last year’s, the dual front cameras come in at 12MP wide and 12MP ultra-wide.

Your dual rear camera’s are the generous for a tablet with a 13MP wide and 8MP ultra-wide. You can record natively in 4K / 30fps.

These match what we got in the Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra.

Battery life is fantastic, but charging time (from totally flat) is a killer (although you can fast charge and get a top up to keep you going for around 15 – 20 minutes).

The Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra has a huge 1200 mAh power-cell. Around 3 hours to fully charge, but you’ll likely get a few days to a week (depending on usage) from a full battery.

Samsung’s Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra is the current top tablet out there on specs, flexibility and reliability that I have experienced. Light-weight, super thin and all screen.

It may be too big for some, but if you’re a creative, a note taker, prefers to work on the go or simply just want something larger than live to play Triple AAA Android games on, the Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra is the one.

The post Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra Review appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

Last year’s Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra was the premium Android based tablet to own, work and play on.

Now, as expected, Samsung is releasing their newest model the Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra.

And what a beast it is.

Samsung has not held out on anything as far as specs, features and quality screen time.

And what a screen it is.

The Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra has the same sizing as the Tab S8 Ultra coming in at 14.6 inch. It’s huge.

The screen itself is a super crispy sharp Dynamic AMOLED 2X with a 120Hz refresh, especially great for us gamers out there.

The Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra I reviewed in 2022 had 128GB storage and 12GB RAM.

The 128GB for me actually ended up being painfully too small, but there was the microSD card support which beefed up my digital hoarding space.

This year’s Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra that STG has received is a 256GB with microSD card expansion.

Twice the storage makes a world of difference.

Along with the double storage, the Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra has the latest and greatest Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor. Super quick.

This by contrast to last year’s Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra with Gen 1 Snapdragon 8.

Honestly, if you’re an everyday, average user you may not even notice the difference in performance. But if you’re a pro multi-tasker, mobile gamer or use your tablet for video and photo editing then yep you’ll find it to be quicker for sure.

Cameras on a tablet are usually a bit hit and miss. They don’t get the same lens love as smart phones. Makes sense, I mean you’re not likely to pull out a 14 inch tablet to take holiday snaps. Right?

But, given that the larger Galaxy Tabs can be an effective laptop replacement, you’ll need decent camera’s for video calls, video meetings or doing a quick selfie for the Insta upload.

The Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra has the same as last year’s Tab S8 Ultra’s front dual camera array coming in at 12MP + 12MP. And these are more than enough.

Rear cameras on the new Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra have slightly increased their MPs, with a 13MP wide and a 8MP ultra-wide.

Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra has a 13MP combined with a 6MP.

Unlike Apple who make you fork out hundreds for a stylus separately, Samsung include their stylus, called S Pen with their higher end Galaxy Tabs.

The Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra comes with its very own S Pen. And again it’s super smooth to use, fluid on screen like a real pen and enables you to take handwritten notes, that you can have auto-changed to text and more.

The S Pen magnetically attaches itself to the back of the tablet and does not require you to separately charge, as it was with the Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra.

As for power longevity, the Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra has a whopping 11200mAh battery. Likely it needs a giant powercell, as the Galaxy Tab S9 is all screen with small bezels.

Depending on what you use the Tab S9 Ultra for is of course dependent on how much life you get out of it.

For me, a three hour game play of a console quality title made a dent of only 7% from a full charge.

Streaming music and movies for a couple of hours was a bit more of a juice chomper, killing off 30% of a full battery charge.

This was roughly on par with last year’s Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra which has the same size battery.

Recharge time is painful, on both tablets, if you’re flat or near-to.

It can take a few hours to get you back to full charge again.

The Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra has shed some weight, but only slightly and is the same slimness as its predecessor – Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra. And for the first time Samsung have made the Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra both dust and water resistant.

So, would you upgrade and why?

You know, that’s a hard one. The Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra is a beast and still has a lot of life.

Samsung packed a lot of goodness in to last year’s model, so much infact that you’re future proofed for a few years, asides from the low internal storage, if you have the entry model.

This year’s Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra does have a slightly crisper screen and the entry model comes in at 256GB. It’s also a wee bit faster with the latest processor.

So, if you’re someone who needs to have the latest and greatest then of course the Galaxy tab S9 Ultra should be yours.

If you’re rocking a Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra then it’s likely to see you right for a while yet.

The Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra was an effective laptop replacement, which I did earlier this year, putting my main laptop aside for a while and using only the Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra. The Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra will be same – although I was unable to test this as there was no keyboard case received with this year’s review model.

There’s so much flexibility to Android that, say, iOS doesn’t offer and you’re super spec’d up, probably more than most users will ever need.

With the new Galaxy Tab model releasing, it is expected that the prior one will drop in price. And it has, a bit.

So this maybe a deciding factor in which of the two you opt for.

Being able to compare both side by side, the difference were a mix of subtle through to obvious. I can’t deny that the screen on the Galaxy Tab s9 Ultra was crisper. And it’s a huge display.

The Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra is the ultimate in any tablet experience and if you’re about jump in to a tablet and looking for a larger size, something that can be an all-rounder, I fully recommend the Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra.

Super sized and ultra in epic-ness.

The post Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra vs. Tab S8 Ultra appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

Samsung revealed its new Galaxy Tab S9 series, a premium product portfolio that redefines the tablet landscape and sets new standards for immersive viewing and creative freedom. Across all three models, Galaxy Tab S9, S9+ and S9 Ultra.

Dynamic AMOLED 2X displays ensure epic viewing and entertainment experiences with the power of Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy. An in-box, IP68-rated S Pen helps users bring their ideas to life. And as the first Galaxy Tab S series to earn an IP68 rating, Galaxy Tab S9 series enables users to follow their inspiration, both indoors and out.

“There are no devices like the Galaxy Tab S9 on the market today. A true disrupter in its category, it is the first of its kind to deliver experiences that users love most about tablets in one complete premium design,” said TM Roh, President and Head of Mobile eXperience Business at Samsung Electronics. “The Galaxy Tab S9 series empowers users to take their big ideas and bring them to life, completely effortlessly.”

Whether playing games or watching videos, Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra’s 14.6-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X display delivers an entertainment experience that is immersive and portable. Galaxy Tab S9 series’ HDR10+ ensures scene-by-scene, frame-by-frame tone optimisation with a wide range of colours and brightness. The dynamic refresh rate of the Galaxy Tab S9 series automatically calibrates from 60 to 120Hz to balance smooth responsiveness with optimised battery efficiency. Eye Comfort also reduces eye strain with low blue light, reduced by more than 70 percent. It brings sharp details to life, making photography, blueprints, animations and more look crisp and clear. Plus, the 16:10 aspect ratio presents TV and movies as they are meant to be viewed.

Entertainment on the Galaxy Tab S9 series’ is enhanced by spacious audio delivered through 20% larger quad speakers with sound by AKG speaker system and Dolby Atmos immersive sound. To ensure a cinematic sound experience, Galaxy Tab S9 users can also choose from customised sound settings for gaming, listening to music, taking video calls and more. For those who want to take their entertainment outdoors, innovative Vision Booster technology is now on Galaxy Tab S9 series. It automatically detects bright lighting conditions and adapts to keep the screen vivid. And with the Smart Book Cover that stands all on its own, adjust the device to either portrait or landscape orientation for hands-free viewing.

The Galaxy Tab S9 series is sleeker than ever, but it packs a punch. Every device is equipped with the flagship Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 Mobile Platform for Galaxy, the same lightning-fast mobile processor in Samsung’s latest smartphones. For the first time on a Galaxy tablet, advanced vapour chamber technology helps power streaming, gaming or video editing marathons. Following close collaboration with industry-leading gaming partners, Galaxy Tab S9 users will benefit from optimised large-screen gaming experiences. Galaxy Tab S9 series is also the most heat-efficient Galaxy Tab lineup ever with an internal vapor chamber custom engineered for the high-intensity demands of a tablet. New two-way heat dissipation helps enable and sustain better performance over a longer usage period.

Every premium Galaxy Tab S9 device comes with the one tool tablet users love and want most: the Galaxy S Pen. Offering a pen-on-paper-like experience, Galaxy Tab S9 series and S Pen are now both IP68 rated for water and dust resistance, opening up more possibilities for where users can capture and express their ideas.

The S Pen can also write in search bars, browsers and app stores, and new bidirectional charging ensures it gets power no matter which way it faces when in its cradle. Users can upgrade to the S Pen Creator Edition for an even more premium experience. The S Pen Creator Edition is designed with textured material for a comfortable grip and a wider tilt angle that makes creating more intuitive. Two types of pen-tips are also available, a hard type for natural drawing experiences and a soft type for paper-like writing experiences.

The immersive displays of the Galaxy Tab S9 series are the ideal backdrop for any project. With Multi Window, up to three apps can display as an organised grid of easily adjustable windows. Do research in a browser, reference an image from Samsung Gallery and sketch out ideas in Samsung Notes, all simultaneously in one view. Or with Pop-Up View, apps can be viewed as floating windows while still showing the full home screen.

When travelling or working on the go, Galaxy Tab S9 series’ Book Cover Keyboard and DeX Mode can simulate a desktop experience with maximum tablet portability. The Book Cover Keyboard’s adjustable angles and backlit keypad feel like a lightweight PC. Meanwhile, DeX Mode has an easy-to-follow cursor, flexible window resizing and positioning, and Second Screen capabilities to mirror or extend the PC screen to tablet. In a Google Meet call, collaborate more easily by sharing the screen and co-editing a live Samsung Notes document at the same time.

Designed to inspire spontaneous productivity as well as enhance creativity, the Galaxy Tab S9 series is a powerhouse for creative portfolios with new and enhanced apps for every personal passion. Fan-favorite GoodNotes offers a new note-taking and journaling experience on Android for the first time, launching exclusively for Galaxy tablet users. Plus, notes created in GoodNotes on all platforms can easily be shared and co-edited simultaneously.

The pro-level LumaFusion video editing app makes work easy when creating sharable content. Images and videos — even large files — taken on your Galaxy smartphone camera can be easily shared to Galaxy Tab S9 series with Quick Share. LumaFusion takes full advantage of Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra’s expansive screen to ensure editing videos is precise.

Clip Studio Paint has been transformed into a streamlined tablet interface for drawing, painting and more. Meanwhile, ArcSite empowers designers and professionals by transforming their creative vision into meticulously crafted 2D CAD blueprints, comprehensive site plans, and accurate estimates. Through close collaboration with Google to optimise large screen experiences, users can benefit from partner apps to easily complete tasks and turn ideas into reality on the Galaxy Tab S9 series.

With its distinctive device experience, The Galaxy Tab S9 series also integrates seamlessly into the Galaxy ecosystem. Using creative tools is simple when Galaxy Tab S9 tablets are connected to other devices. Multi Control makes copying, pasting or dragging text and images directly between tablet and smartphone seamless, allowing users to control their smartphone with a Galaxy Tab S9 touchpad.

To match its premium software experiences, the Galaxy Tab S9 series hardware features iconic Galaxy design characteristics from the flagship Galaxy S series smartphones, such as the same striking camera layout. Measuring as thin as 5.5mm for Tab S9 Ultra, the Galaxy Tab S9 series is lightweight and slim, but also durable with an IP68 rating. For those whose best ideas strike in unexpected places, this is the perfect partner, able to withstand a busy day out. And the new Outdoor Cover offers even more peace of mind for tablet users looking for more protection.

Galaxy Tab S9 series are available for pre-order in select markets from July 26th 2023, with general availability starting August 18th 2023.

The series comes in two colours, Beige and Graphite, and three sizes: 14.6-inch on Tab S9 Ultra, 12.4-inch on Tab S9+, and 11-inch on Tab S9.

The premium experience is protected and supported by four generations of One UI and Android OS upgrades and by five years of security updates.

The post Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 Announced @ Unpacked ’23 appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

Samsung Electronics has been named the best brand in Asia in 2018 for the seventh year in a row, according to results from ‘Asia’s Top 1000 Brands’ annual online survey conducted by Campaign Asia-Pacific in collaboration with Nielsen.

The ranking – which aggregates views from across 17 major product categories including automotive, retail, F&B and consumer electronics – is based on consumer insights and offers a clear measure of the most highly regarded brand names today.

“Samsung is extremely honoured to be receiving this award once again – the award is an indicator of our consumers’ support towards us and the products and services that we offer,” said Steve Lee, President and CEO of Samsung Electronics Southeast Asia & Oceania. “As we continue to grow as a brand, Samsung remains committed to continuously innovating towards creating new possibilities and experiences for our consumers through our products and services.”

The study explores consumer attitudes in 13 markets: Australia, China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam. To ensure an accurate representation through this study, the survey targets age, gender and monthly household income to establish a balanced survey landscape.

The post Samsung Takes Top Spot in Asia for Seven Years Running appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

In 2011 Google released their own PC based operating system; Chrome OS.

This saw a bevvy of mid to low range notebooks release with Chrome OS installed, called Chrome Books.

Fast-forward to 2017 Samsung release their flagship S8 series of smartphones and a DeX Station.

The DeX of 2017 was designed to house your phone vertically in a cradle like fashion and via it’s HDMI and USB connectors plugged in to a monitor, keyboard and mouse, thus turning your Samsung Galaxy S8 in to a personal Android PC, very similar to the Chrome OS, but with the familiar Samsung GUI overlay.

A bold move which overly paid off for Samsung as S8 owners embraced the function of being able to use their smartphones on a computer screen.

This year, with the release of their Galaxy S9 range a new DeX has also come to retail – the DeX Pad.

Improving on last years version the DeX Pad is not a cradle to place your phone in to, instead your S9 becomes a part of the PC function.

The DeX Pad docks horizontally when connected with the usual connectors going to a screen and keyboard. But this time round, if you opt to not plug in a USB mouse, you do not have to.

When your S9 is connected you will have the option of Screen Mirroring (that is exactly what it sounds) or Touch Pad.

Removing the need for a mouse – the S9 will become a mouse pad as your phone’s OS displays on the screen.

There are huge benefits to having this function with your smartphone. It does away with the need of any laptop or PC in the home, or even while traveling.

If all you need to do is to email, text message, work on Docs and browse the internet, then the phone sized DeX Pad has got you sorted. On the go, you can connect up to any HDMI PC screen and instantly have a working PC at your finger tips.

Most PC LED or LCD monitors have dual HDMI slots. So if you do already have a laptop, notebook or PC, connect up the DeX to the secondary HDMI slot and you have something similar to a dual-boot by flicking between the HDMI connections on the screen. This is what we did in our test of the DeX Pad.

Initially, when I saw the DeX Station last year, I was impressed by it, but thought it was more of a novelty, and perhaps something for those that didn’t want or know how to work a desktop PC.

The DeX Pad is something that until you actually have one – you didn’t realise how productive it is.

If you think about it, we live our lives on our smartphones.

And much like many other people, there’s always messages that we forgot to reply to, or tasks that are on our phones that we had not got round to do by the end of the day. Ramping up your Galaxy S9 on a big screen and working it as you would work a desktop makes end of day catch ups super simple.

Smartphones now are like super computers, some being more powerful than Windows based Notebooks, so there is every reason to make use of a DeX if you want that reliable and instant access to your stuff on your phone, including media and games.

DeX, it’s your phone on a bigger screen, it’s a device that you never knew you needed until you have one for home, office or on the go.

The post Samsung DeX Review appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

Samsung New Zealand has announced availability of the Samsung DeX Pad from May 2018.

Introduced alongside the award-winning Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+, DeX Pad enables a desktop-like experience for the Galaxy smartphone. For those who are always on the go, the DeX Pad enables enhanced document editing, full-screen mobile gaming, PC-style multitasking and more for your Galaxy smartphone.

The Samsung DeX Pad bridges the gap between smartphone and desktop. With its desktop interface, and easy connection to a mouse, monitor, and keyboard, DeX Pad helps you get the most out of your favourite work and entertainment apps. Perfect for hot desking or changing business environments, DeX Pad also works seamlessly with Microsoft Office 365 applications.

“We’ve listened to what our customers need to keep their workforce agile and productive, and the DeX solution paired with a Galaxy S9 or S9 + offers flexibility, powerful performance and the compatibility to enable more productivity. DeX Pad is the accessory that empowers businesses to work securely from anywhere, using their smartphone as their primary device. This echoes our commitment around innovating our devices and services to help consumers and businesses to do more,” said Todd Selwyn, Head of Mobile Product for Samsung New Zealand.

DeX Pad empowers the mobile lifestyle by leveraging the power of your Galaxy smartphone. On a monitor, video and presentations instantly become more immersive, and productivity gets amped up when users make the most of DeX optimised apps. DeX now features multi-resolution support, providing a choice of clear and vivid visual experiences from HD+ to WQHD (2K) resolutions so you can now play your videos on various partner applications like MX Player and VLC and view more content at a glance. In addition, phone calls, messages and notifications are all readily accessible on the taskbar and the phone’s Infinity Display can be used as a virtual touch pad.

Samsung DeX is also a powerful business tool, supporting secure virtual desktops and apps from Citrix, VMware and Amazon. In addition, DeX gives enterprise IT admins enhanced customisation and management tools through Knox APIs, including the ability to disable apps, change the loading screen, add / remove shortcuts from the home screen, and set the screen timeout.

The DeX Pad will be available in New Zealand from mid May 2018.

Samsung DeX Pad Specs:

The post DeX Pad Delivers Desktop-Like Experience for Galaxy S9 & S9+ appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

Samsung New Zealand is proud to announce that its latest flagship devices, the Galaxy S9 and S9+ devices are now on-sale nationwide. With pre-order demand outstripping that of the previous Galaxy S8, New Zealanders will be looking forward to getting their hands on the new smartphones from today.

The Samsung Galaxy S9 and S9+ are the latest additions to the Galaxy family and reimagine the way people communicate, share and experience the world.

“The indication from our pre-orders suggests that the Galaxy S9 and S9+ will perform extremely well in New Zealand, with orders surpassing that of the previous year’s flagship launch,” said Todd Selwyn, Head of Mobile Portfolio for Samsung NZ.

“The performance and camera enhancements offered by these devices are attracting a strong early adopter and power-user base, as indicated by the strong sales of larger capacity variants. We pride ourselves on leading the pack in both innovation and design, and these devices are a continuation of what kiwi Galaxy fans expect from us.”

“Users will be able to take amazing images and make everyday moments epic with super slow motion and super lowlight camera functionality. The Super Slow-mo feature captures 960 frames per second, making it easier than ever to capture and share moments you would otherwise miss,” said Selwyn.

With the new Galaxy S9, users are offered an innovative and advanced camera that has been reimagined with them in mind, and equipped with new features such as AR Emoji, a Dual Aperture lens that powers an innovative low light camera and Super Slow-mo, so that users never miss a moment.

Samsung continues to set the gold standard for smartphones with IP68 water and dust resistance and wireless charging going a step beyond with the Galaxy S9 and S9+. The devices also support expandable memory of up to 400GB with a Micro SD Card and are equipped with 10nm premium application processors that ensure exceptional performance and power efficiency.

For New Zealand Samsung customers, a trade in promotion will be offered between the 16th of March through to the 30th of April 2018. Eligible customers purchasing a Galaxy S9 or S9 + can trade in their current handset for a cash reimbursement. You can find out more HERE.

The Galaxy S9 (starting from RRP $1,399 NZD) and S9+ (starting from RRP $1,599 NZD) are now available on the Vodafone, 2Degrees and Spark networks in New Zealand. Both devices will be offered in Midnight Black, Coral Blue and Lilac Purple.

The post Samsung Galaxy S9 and S9+ Arrives appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

Auckland City, New Zealand’s waterfront was host to glitz and glamour as the who’s who assembled to celebrate the launch of Samsung’s next generation flagship phone, the Galaxy S9.

Promoting the phone’s slow motion recording feature, the S9 launch was a 5 second affair, recorded and played back, showing the new handsets signature recording mode.

Having been supplied an S9 a week before launch, I was able to give it a good run through.

As we have seen with the last couple of generations of the Galaxy S Series, the S9 comes in two varieties; S9 and S9+. And there is a big difference between the two devices.

The Android 8.0 device with the Samsung Experience 9.0 GUI overlay is not only aesthetically pleasing but also super user friendly.

Those that have the S8 or S8+ will be in familiar territory.

The S9 and S9+ both have the same 64BIT Octa-Core processor but the S9+ boasts another 2GB of onboard RAM.

S9 has 4GB and S9+ has 6GB, the same as last years Note8 and S8+. I found that the S9 coped real well on just 4GB RAM, but there were a couple of occasions where it got a bit laggy due to too many Apps open. Although I can’t multitask in real life very well, on a phone I’m a multi-tasking fiend.

Naturally the S9+ is also larger. The S9’s all curved, all AMOLED screen is 5.8 inch and the S9+ being just slightly larger at 6.2 inch.

Th slim smooth plastic coated body feels smooth in it’s matte coloured finish. Some say the S9 feels slippery, but personally I found that the coloured coating felt more natural in the hand and being a matte finish on the back also meant the S9 was not a fingerprint magnet and retained it’s sheen.

Both handsets are dust and water resistant.

Now, the biggest leap forward is the aforementioned camera.

Single lens on the S9, dual on the S9+, both at 12MP for the rear – the S9+ bolstering this with an additional 12MP telephoto lens. Both models are 8MP for the front selfie cam.

They are also equipped with AR (Augmented Reality) and the Super Slow-Mo motion recording, which will record 4K video with an adjustable timeline to catch the perfect slow motion moment.

Static photo’s are crisp and sharp and high on detail for both front and back lens with the added Selective Focus introduced on the Note8.

The inbuilt AR allows you to take your own virtual emoji’s.

AR Emoji – taken on Samsung Galaxy S9

Super fast, the S9 or S9+ will scan your face and turn that in to a virtual you.

You can then dress your virtual self up with all manner of supplied costumes and accessories, have your mini-me in various cartoon-like environments and save these either as an animated GIF or an image to share where and with whoever you like.

Sure, I see that this is a mere novelty… and novelties wear off real quick. But, the AR emoji function actually didn’t and I found myself playing around with it ALOT and at the time of writing this, still am.

I don’t think I’ve ever taken so many selfies in my life as I have with the AR emoji on the S9.

The Bixby button makes a return. Whether you like it or hate it, Bixby is most definitely here to stay. The side buttons have gotten less obtrusive but are still positioned the same as they are on the S8 and Note8.

So that means that I still find myself accidentally bumping the Bixby button and waking the phone up.

The evolution of Bixby is still growing. I still have trouble trying to get Bixby to dictate an email or a text message, or even a Google search on the Note8. The same is said for the S9. However, as a personal assistant and reminder Bixby is perfect.

Pleasingly the fingerprint sensor has moved. The sensor is no longer jammed up against the camera lenses. Infact the lenses (on S9+)have dropped in a vertical array and the fingerprint sensor is just below the lens.

Storage is mandatory 64GB on either the S9 or S9+ and the option to add expanded storage via microSD is still included. Thankfully.

So how does the phone actually function with every day usage?

Well, I’m a busy fella and make and receive a lot of calls everyday and usually I’m out and about around the city so need to use data to email and so forth consistently.

The Note8 which I currently use and love just makes it through a day. My day’s to be fair are around 12 to 14 hours.

The S9 is a trooper. Keeping up with me it has managed to last around 36 hours on a single full charge. This makes the S9 my new best friend.

Personal audio has again improved remarkably. An AKG and Dolby Atmos audio enhancer is at the ready and the S9 or S9+ even comes with a set of high end AKG earplugs.

AKG are one of the top reputable audio brands, Globally.

While most will upgrade to the S9+ (and I do recommend if you are wanting that larger screen, extra kick in RAM and the Telephoto lens) the S9’s size was actually easier to operate with one hand, something I’m not used to having had larger phones over the years. I found it perfectly pocketable.

If you are still on the S8 or S8+ the leaps and bounds that the S9 or S9+ will offer you are predominantly camera orientated.

If you stayed on the S7 then an upgrade is most definitely recommended.

The Galaxy S9 / S9+ is another astounding leap forward for Samsung and in what we can get from a flagship phone.

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