The Galaxy S21 series is finally official. Although not much of it is a surprise, thanks to a mountain of leaks in the run-up to the launch, the Galaxy S21 Ultra is still shaping up to be a contender for one of the best devices of the year. Granted we’re only two weeks into the new year, but Samsung has definitely laid out a marker with the device that it says is designed for those who want the best-of-the-best experience.
The Galaxy S21 Ultra specs list definitely reads like an enthusiast’s wishlist, with just about every feature you could ask for seemingly included. There’s no doubt that the Galaxy S21 Ultra is the true flagship of the Galaxy S21 lineup, but should you buy it? Here are 5 reasons you should buy the Galaxy S21 Ultra:
A powerhouse of technology
There’s only one way to really describe the Galaxy S21 Ultra: it’s a powerhouse of technology. If you could make a wishlist of everything you want in a phone, it’s pretty likely the Galaxy S21 Ultra ticks most, if not all, of the boxes.
We’ve broken down the key differences between the various Galaxy S21 models already, but the key specs of the Galaxy S21 Ultra include a QHD+ 120Hz display measuring 6.8-inches, a Snapdragon 888 processor with either 12GB or 16GB of RAM, a 5,000 mAh battery, support for the S-Pen (available separately), Ultra Wide Band sharing, WiFi 6E and so much more.
Yes, certain features like the microSD card slot are no longer present, and there’s no charger in the box. But these were inevitable in a way, and while we are sad to see them go, we also need to brace for more and more OEMs to walk along the same track. What makes Samsung unique is that where it does remove things, it adds a few interesting new features, mainly in the camera which also stands out in the Galaxy S21 Ultra, so much so that a few of the new features deserve their own places on this list.
Dual Telephoto Cameras
Much like the Galaxy S20 Ultra, the Galaxy S21 Ultra features a 108MP camera, albeit it uses a newer camera sensor. That’s not surprising, and neither is the 100x Space Zoom which was also present on the Galaxy S20 Ultra. What is surprising is how Samsung has approached the Zoom feature this year, which looks to be the same as the S20 Ultra in the maximum zoom length only.
Last year’s Galaxy S20 Ultra used a telephoto lens with 4x zoom and 10x hybrid zoom to achieve 100x zoom which had some real problems in real-world usage. Mainly, you could zoom at 100x in any scene, but unless you had the steadiest hand in the world or a place to rest the phone (and sometimes the latter didn’t even work), it would be a shaky mess that was virtually unusable.
The Galaxy S21 Ultra looks to change that, as Samsung has changed its approach. For the first time in a Samsung phone, there are two telephoto lenses. Both are 10MP with dual-pixel technology, and one supports 3x optical zoom and the other supports 10x optical zoom. Depending on the range you’re zooming from, the camera automatically switches between the lenses, and at the highest zoom level, it presumably uses both telephoto lenses to achieve better zoom. Adding a 10x optical zoom lens means that the 100X max zoom should be much better than on last year’s Galaxy S20 Ultra.
Both telephoto lenses on the Galaxy S21 Ultra also have Optical Image Stabilization which should also help with one of the biggest issues with very high levels of zoom: stability.
This was one of the biggest complaints with last year’s Galaxy S20 Ultra; at the higher levels of zoom, it was shaky and unusable. With the Galaxy S21 Ultra, Samsung aims to have solved this with the new Zoom Lock feature that uses AI to stabilize video and provide “tripod-like stability”. We’ll reserve final judgment on this until we’ve fully tested the new camera, but given how bad the original zoom stability was, this could result in a marked improvement.
[embedded content]
In our Galaxy S21 Ultra hands-on preview, Ben Sin confirmed that the improvements that Samsung has made make all the difference. As he puts it: “Samsung has managed to improve stabilization at this zoom range in ways I’d never seen before.” In the video above, you can see that he’s holding the Galaxy S21 Ultra in one hand and the image is remarkably stable at 100x zoom, which would have been nigh impossible on the 100x Space Zoom last year on the Galaxy S20 Ultra.
Director’s View, Vlogger View, and 4K60 recording
Every vlogger, videographer, and budding creators will rejoice at this; three new features in the Galaxy S21 Ultra that should make it the best phone for recording video on the go.
First, all five lenses (including the front-facing 40MP camera with autofocus) support 4K 60 frames per second video recording, which – combined with the other features in this section – means you can get very creative without sacrificing quality.
Second, the new Director View feature is, literally, a director’s dream. Essentially, it allows you to see the view from each of the lenses while you’re shooting a video, and then switch between them without stopping the recording. So if you want to go from the ultra-wide to the wide to one of the telephoto lenses while you continue shooting – say as you are recording a soccer game or similar – you can now do so. Getting a live preview means you have a better idea of what to expect when you swap over, and that makes a lot of difference when you are recording.
Lastly, the Vlogger View feature is one that’ll allow you to capture those memorable moments. It allows you to capture what’s happening in front of you using any of the lenses, while also capturing your reactions using the front selfie camera. We’ve seen this before on several phones so it’s not new, but combined with the camera hardware of the Galaxy S21 Ultra and 4k60 video recording, you may be able to capture some incredible videos.
Finally, a Galaxy S with S-Pen support
Yes, you read it right: the Galaxy S21 Ultra supports the S-Pen that was, until now, ubiquitous with Samsung’s Galaxy Note range. Unlike the Note, it doesn’t come with a place to dock it in the phone itself and the S-Pen has been redesigned a little to support being an external device vs one that’s slim enough to dock in the phone.
Exclusive to just the S21 Ultra – and not the rest of the Galaxy S21 range – the S-Pen for Galaxy S21 is available as a standalone purchase, with a case or you can use an S-Pen from a previous Galaxy Note range. There are a few S-Pen features on the Galaxy S21 Ultra that are different from the Note experience so check out this guide for more info, but it’s still great to see. You can also use any Wacom compatible stylus, giving you a range of styluses to pick from! We’ve rounded up some of the best Galaxy S21 styluses for you to choose from.
There you have it – 5 key reasons you should buy the Galaxy S21 Ultra over the other Galaxy S21 devices, as well as most other smartphones available now.
If you want a device that does absolutely everything and/or you’re a power user, look no further than the Galaxy S21 Ultra. This is the phone that has it all, does it all, and will keep you going for years to come. If you need the best of the best, the Galaxy S21 Ultra is the phone for you.
The federal government is ordering the dissolution of TikTok’s Canadian business after a national security review of the Chinese company behind the social media platform, but stopped short of ordering people to stay off the app.
Industry Minister François-Philippe Champagne announced the government’s “wind up” demand Wednesday, saying it is meant to address “risks” related to ByteDance Ltd.’s establishment of TikTok Technology Canada Inc.
“The decision was based on the information and evidence collected over the course of the review and on the advice of Canada’s security and intelligence community and other government partners,” he said in a statement.
The announcement added that the government is not blocking Canadians’ access to the TikTok application or their ability to create content.
However, it urged people to “adopt good cybersecurity practices and assess the possible risks of using social media platforms and applications, including how their information is likely to be protected, managed, used and shared by foreign actors, as well as to be aware of which country’s laws apply.”
Champagne’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment seeking details about what evidence led to the government’s dissolution demand, how long ByteDance has to comply and why the app is not being banned.
A TikTok spokesperson said in a statement that the shutdown of its Canadian offices will mean the loss of hundreds of well-paying local jobs.
“We will challenge this order in court,” the spokesperson said.
“The TikTok platform will remain available for creators to find an audience, explore new interests and for businesses to thrive.”
The federal Liberals ordered a national security review of TikTok in September 2023, but it was not public knowledge until The Canadian Press reported in March that it was investigating the company.
At the time, it said the review was based on the expansion of a business, which it said constituted the establishment of a new Canadian entity. It declined to provide any further details about what expansion it was reviewing.
A government database showed a notification of new business from TikTok in June 2023. It said Network Sense Ventures Ltd. in Toronto and Vancouver would engage in “marketing, advertising, and content/creator development activities in relation to the use of the TikTok app in Canada.”
Even before the review, ByteDance and TikTok were lightning rod for privacy and safety concerns because Chinese national security laws compel organizations in the country to assist with intelligence gathering.
Such concerns led the U.S. House of Representatives to pass a bill in March designed to ban TikTok unless its China-based owner sells its stake in the business.
Champagne’s office has maintained Canada’s review was not related to the U.S. bill, which has yet to pass.
Canada’s review was carried out through the Investment Canada Act, which allows the government to investigate any foreign investment with potential to might harm national security.
While cabinet can make investors sell parts of the business or shares, Champagne has said the act doesn’t allow him to disclose details of the review.
Wednesday’s dissolution order was made in accordance with the act.
The federal government banned TikTok from its mobile devices in February 2023 following the launch of an investigation into the company by federal and provincial privacy commissioners.
— With files from Anja Karadeglija in Ottawa
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 6, 2024.
LONDON (AP) — Most people have accumulated a pile of data — selfies, emails, videos and more — on their social media and digital accounts over their lifetimes. What happens to it when we die?
It’s wise to draft a will spelling out who inherits your physical assets after you’re gone, but don’t forget to take care of your digital estate too. Friends and family might treasure files and posts you’ve left behind, but they could get lost in digital purgatory after you pass away unless you take some simple steps.
Here’s how you can prepare your digital life for your survivors:
Apple
The iPhone maker lets you nominate a “ legacy contact ” who can access your Apple account’s data after you die. The company says it’s a secure way to give trusted people access to photos, files and messages. To set it up you’ll need an Apple device with a fairly recent operating system — iPhones and iPads need iOS or iPadOS 15.2 and MacBooks needs macOS Monterey 12.1.
For iPhones, go to settings, tap Sign-in & Security and then Legacy Contact. You can name one or more people, and they don’t need an Apple ID or device.
You’ll have to share an access key with your contact. It can be a digital version sent electronically, or you can print a copy or save it as a screenshot or PDF.
Take note that there are some types of files you won’t be able to pass on — including digital rights-protected music, movies and passwords stored in Apple’s password manager. Legacy contacts can only access a deceased user’s account for three years before Apple deletes the account.
Google
Google takes a different approach with its Inactive Account Manager, which allows you to share your data with someone if it notices that you’ve stopped using your account.
When setting it up, you need to decide how long Google should wait — from three to 18 months — before considering your account inactive. Once that time is up, Google can notify up to 10 people.
You can write a message informing them you’ve stopped using the account, and, optionally, include a link to download your data. You can choose what types of data they can access — including emails, photos, calendar entries and YouTube videos.
There’s also an option to automatically delete your account after three months of inactivity, so your contacts will have to download any data before that deadline.
Facebook and Instagram
Some social media platforms can preserve accounts for people who have died so that friends and family can honor their memories.
When users of Facebook or Instagram die, parent company Meta says it can memorialize the account if it gets a “valid request” from a friend or family member. Requests can be submitted through an online form.
The social media company strongly recommends Facebook users add a legacy contact to look after their memorial accounts. Legacy contacts can do things like respond to new friend requests and update pinned posts, but they can’t read private messages or remove or alter previous posts. You can only choose one person, who also has to have a Facebook account.
You can also ask Facebook or Instagram to delete a deceased user’s account if you’re a close family member or an executor. You’ll need to send in documents like a death certificate.
TikTok
The video-sharing platform says that if a user has died, people can submit a request to memorialize the account through the settings menu. Go to the Report a Problem section, then Account and profile, then Manage account, where you can report a deceased user.
Once an account has been memorialized, it will be labeled “Remembering.” No one will be able to log into the account, which prevents anyone from editing the profile or using the account to post new content or send messages.
X
It’s not possible to nominate a legacy contact on Elon Musk’s social media site. But family members or an authorized person can submit a request to deactivate a deceased user’s account.
Passwords
Besides the major online services, you’ll probably have dozens if not hundreds of other digital accounts that your survivors might need to access. You could just write all your login credentials down in a notebook and put it somewhere safe. But making a physical copy presents its own vulnerabilities. What if you lose track of it? What if someone finds it?
Instead, consider a password manager that has an emergency access feature. Password managers are digital vaults that you can use to store all your credentials. Some, like Keeper,Bitwarden and NordPass, allow users to nominate one or more trusted contacts who can access their keys in case of an emergency such as a death.
But there are a few catches: Those contacts also need to use the same password manager and you might have to pay for the service.
___
Is there a tech challenge you need help figuring out? Write to us at onetechtip@ap.org with your questions.
LONDON (AP) — Britain’s competition watchdog said Thursday it’s opening a formal investigation into Google’s partnership with artificial intelligence startup Anthropic.
The Competition and Markets Authority said it has “sufficient information” to launch an initial probe after it sought input earlier this year on whether the deal would stifle competition.
The CMA has until Dec. 19 to decide whether to approve the deal or escalate its investigation.
“Google is committed to building the most open and innovative AI ecosystem in the world,” the company said. “Anthropic is free to use multiple cloud providers and does, and we don’t demand exclusive tech rights.”
San Francisco-based Anthropic was founded in 2021 by siblings Dario and Daniela Amodei, who previously worked at ChatGPT maker OpenAI. The company has focused on increasing the safety and reliability of AI models. Google reportedly agreed last year to make a multibillion-dollar investment in Anthropic, which has a popular chatbot named Claude.
Anthropic said it’s cooperating with the regulator and will provide “the complete picture about Google’s investment and our commercial collaboration.”
“We are an independent company and none of our strategic partnerships or investor relationships diminish the independence of our corporate governance or our freedom to partner with others,” it said in a statement.
The U.K. regulator has been scrutinizing a raft of AI deals as investment money floods into the industry to capitalize on the artificial intelligence boom. Last month it cleared Anthropic’s $4 billion deal with Amazon and it has also signed off on Microsoft’s deals with two other AI startups, Inflection and Mistral.
