Samsung’s first 2022 Unpacked event kicks off this week, and it might just be the most exciting one of the year. That’s because we’re expecting new versions of the Korean tech giant’s most popular flagship products, including Galaxy S22 series smartphones and Galaxy Tab S8 tablets. As some of the first flagship mobile products of the new year, these will set an early benchmark against which subsequent releases from other companies will be compared.
Samsung has done a rather poor job of keeping things under wraps, with multiple leaks outing the soon-to-be-revealed product lineups. While we have a good idea of what to expect, there is always a chance for a surprise reveal. Even if we don’t get one, Samsung will show these phones off in the flesh and potentially demo some of their best features on stage.
With that said, here is how you can watch the Unpacked live stream and what you can expect at the event.
How to Watch Samsung’s Galaxy Unpacked Event
Samsung’s Galaxy Unpacked kicks off on Wednesday, Feb. 9 at 7 a.m. PT/10 a.m. ET. The virtual event will be live-streamed on various platforms, including Samsung’s website, YouTube, and even (sorry, but I must say the word) in the metaverse.
Perhaps the most familiar method is to find the live stream on Samsung’s YouTube page. It should go up well before the event so it’s never too early to check for the clip. You can also view the event directly on Samsung’s Unpacked webpage where there is currently a download link to add the event to your calendar.
And finally, I regret to inform you that Samsung is also hosting the event in a virtual world that the company is calling a “metaverse.” Those eager to learn about the company’s upcoming products can watch the event at Samsung 837X, a digital recreation of the company’s flagship New York store located in a browser-based virtual reality world called Decentraland (warning: it’s all very crypto and NFT-heavy).
Now let’s dive into what we expect to see.
Samsung Galaxy S22, S22+, and S22 Ultra
Like clockwork, Samsung debuts its flagship Galaxy S-model smartphones in the first few months of each year—typically in either February or March. This time around is no different. At Unpacked, we will almost certainly see the launch of Galaxy S22 series smartphones, and this year, the lineup is expected to consist of a Galaxy S22, Galaxy S22+, and Galaxy S22 Ultra.
Before we get going, let’s put this upcoming release into context. For one, Samsung is set to finally kill its Galaxy Note “phablet” and fold its features into the S-series phones to create a “one phone fits all” device. At the same time, the company faces renewed competition from Google’s Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro, a pair of commercially and critically acclaimed devices. For these reasons, it feels as if there’s a bit more at stake going into this Unpacked.
Fortunately, leaks and rumors suggest Samsung has some worthy upgrades coming to the Galaxy S22 series. In terms of the design, the biggest change we’re expecting is a flatter shape on the Galaxy S22 Ultra, which will mimic the look of previous Galaxy Note devices. As the spiritual successor to the Note, the S22 Ultra is said to house an S Pen stylus for jotting notes or tapping through web pages. Samsung even left us a clever little hint about the change, teasing the announcement of the “most noteworthy S series ever.” The Ultra is also tipped to use more durable materials, including Gorilla Glass Victus Plus and Samsung’s Armor Aluminum.
The other two phones, the S22 and S22+, will adopt the curvy, rounded design of their predecessors. Leaked images via WinFuture show a flat screen with a hole-punch selfie cam centered at the top. On the rear, these two standard models will have a shallow camera bump housing three lenses while the Galaxy S22 Ultra appears to nix the camera bump altogether and seamlessly integrate multiple cameras on the rear. In terms of colors, since-removed images posted by leaker Evan Blass showed four hues for each phone: black, white, and green on all three along with pink on the S22 and S22+ and purple on the S22 Ultra.
As for specs, these phones will likely be powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chips in North America and Samsung’s Exynos 2200—the first SoC with an AMD-based GPU—in other markets. Rumors point to the S22 and S22+ being equipped with 8GB of RAM and 256GB storage while the S22 Ultra will have multiple configurations: 8GB or 12GB of RAM and 256GB or 512GB of storage.
According to WinFuture, the Galaxy S22 will have a 6.1-inch OLED (2340 x 1080) display while the Galaxy S22+ will measure 6.6 inches (2340 x 1080)—both of which are a 0.1-inch reduction from last year. They will supposedly have a higher peak brightness reaching 1,500 and 1,750 nits, respectively. The Galaxy S22 Ultra is the largest in this trio with a 6.8-inch (3080 x 1440) OLED display. Each display will have a refresh rate of up to 120Hz.
Much attention will be paid to the cameras, and it seems like the standard models are getting more of an update than the Ultra. The S22 and S22+ will supposedly have a trio of lenses consisting of an upgraded 50-megapixel main camera, a 10MP telephoto for 3x zoom, and a 12MP ultra-wide lens. The S22 Ultra will stick with a familiar setup, with a 108MP main camera, two 10MP telephoto (3x and 10x), and a 12-megapixel ultrawide.
When it comes to pricing, the S22 will reportedly start at €849, or around $958, while the S22+ raises the price to €1,049 (around $1,183). The Galaxy S22 Ultra could be priced at around $1,400.
Samsung Galaxy Tab S8, S8+, and S8 Ultra
Mirroring these new flagship smartphones are Samsung’s next wave of flagship tablets: the Galaxy Tab S8, Galaxy Tab S8+, and Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra. Those two former models are successors to last year’s devices while the “Ultra” edition would be the first of its kind.
Again, Samsung has done a poor job of preventing leakers from spoiling the surprise. Heck, what is allegedly the official press release (from Blass’s Substack) for these devices was posted online a few days before the event, revealing their features and specs in full.
The highlight, and what is sure to attract headlines, is the “Ultra” model, which will be one of the largest tablets on the market when it debuts. The tablet supposedly has a 14.6-inch (2960 x 1848) display, a screen that would dwarf even the larger iPad Pro. In comparison, the Tab S8 is said to be the smallest of the bunch at 11 inches (2560 x 1600) while the Tab S8+ has a 12.4-inch (2800 x 1752) screen. The S8 Ultra and S8+ flaunt OLED panels while the standard edition is stuck with an LCD screen.
Alleged marketing materials leaked by Evan Blass spill even more details, showing how the Ultra model can be equipped with up to 16GB of RAM and 512GB of storage while the other versions top out at 12GB and 256GB. The processor is vaguely listed as a 4-nanometer chip but we can assume it’s the same one found in the Galaxy S22 devices.
Other interesting tidbits include support for a new S Pen that “uses a prediction algorithm for ultra-low latency,” and renders of the slates show the stylus can be docked on a rear magnet, much like the previous models. Samsung will also offer covers and keyboards for these tablets.
The leaked press release says the tablets will be available for preorder on Feb 9, but doesn’t contain pricing details.
Any Surprises?
I doubt it—unless Samsung somehow has a surprise in store that it miraculously kept secret, something it is clearly incapable of doing. And remember, the products described above are the company’s flagship models, so any other reveal would likely be overshadowed.
If Samsung does pull something out of the hat, my guess would be a pair of earbuds. The Korean tech giant has so many models that it’s hard to keep track of them all. The most likely candidates to get a refresh are the Galaxy Buds Plus, Galaxy Buds Live, or Buds Pro 2. I wouldn’t place any bets on it, but then who knows—it’s not like I predicted the Bengals going to the Super Bowl.
Although no one likes a know-it-all, they dominate the Internet.
The Internet began as a vast repository of information. It quickly became a breeding ground for self-proclaimed experts seeking what most people desire: recognition and money.
Today, anyone with an Internet connection and some typing skills can position themselves, regardless of their education or experience, as a subject matter expert (SME). From relationship advice, career coaching, and health and nutrition tips to citizen journalists practicing pseudo-journalism, the Internet is awash with individuals—Internet talking heads—sharing their “insights,” which are, in large part, essentially educated guesses without the education or experience.
The Internet has become a 24/7/365 sitcom where armchair experts think they’re the star.
Not long ago, years, sometimes decades, of dedicated work and acquiring education in one’s field was once required to be recognized as an expert. The knowledge and opinions of doctors, scientists, historians, et al. were respected due to their education and experience. Today, a social media account and a knack for hyperbole are all it takes to present oneself as an “expert” to achieve Internet fame that can be monetized.
On the Internet, nearly every piece of content is self-serving in some way.
The line between actual expertise and self-professed knowledge has become blurry as an out-of-focus selfie. Inadvertently, social media platforms have created an informal degree program where likes and shares are equivalent to degrees. After reading selective articles, they’ve found via and watching some TikTok videos, a person can post a video claiming they’re an herbal medicine expert. Their new “knowledge,” which their followers will absorb, claims that Panda dung tea—one of the most expensive teas in the world and isn’t what its name implies—cures everything from hypertension to existential crisis. Meanwhile, registered dietitians are shaking their heads, wondering how to compete against all the misinformation their clients are exposed to.
More disturbing are individuals obsessed with evangelizing their beliefs or conspiracy theories. These people write in-depth blog posts, such as Elvis Is Alive and the Moon Landings Were Staged, with links to obscure YouTube videos, websites, social media accounts, and blogs. Regardless of your beliefs, someone or a group on the Internet shares them, thus confirming your beliefs.
Misinformation is the Internet’s currency used to get likes, shares, and engagement; thus, it often spreads like a cosmic joke. Consider the prevalence of clickbait headlines:
You Won’t Believe What Taylor Swift Says About Climate Change!
This Bedtime Drink Melts Belly Fat While You Sleep!
In One Week, I Turned $10 Into $1 Million!
Titles that make outrageous claims are how the content creator gets reads and views, which generates revenue via affiliate marketing, product placement, and pay-per-click (PPC) ads. Clickbait headlines are how you end up watching a TikTok video by a purported nutrition expert adamantly asserting you can lose belly fat while you sleep by drinking, for 14 consecutive days, a concoction of raw eggs, cinnamon, and apple cider vinegar 15 minutes before going to bed.
Our constant search for answers that’ll explain our convoluted world and our desire for shortcuts to success is how Internet talking heads achieve influencer status. Because we tend to seek low-hanging fruits, we listen to those with little experience or knowledge of the topics they discuss yet are astute enough to know what most people want to hear.
There’s a trend, more disturbing than spreading misinformation, that needs to be called out: individuals who’ve never achieved significant wealth or traded stocks giving how-to-make-easy-money advice, the appeal of which is undeniable. Several people I know have lost substantial money by following the “advice” of Internet talking heads.
Anyone on social media claiming to have a foolproof money-making strategy is lying. They wouldn’t be peddling their money-making strategy if they could make easy money.
Successful people tend to be secretive.
Social media companies design their respective algorithms to serve their advertisers—their source of revenue—interest; hence, content from Internet talking heads appears most prominent in your feeds. When a video of a self-professed expert goes viral, likely because it pressed an emotional button, the more people see it, the more engagement it receives, such as likes, shares and comments, creating a cycle akin to a tornado.
Imagine scrolling through your TikTok feed and stumbling upon a “scientist” who claims they can predict the weather using only aluminum foil, copper wire, sea salt and baking soda. You chuckle, but you notice his video got over 7,000 likes, has been shared over 600 times and received over 400 comments. You think to yourself, “Maybe this guy is onto something.” What started as a quest to achieve Internet fame evolved into an Internet-wide belief that weather forecasting can be as easy as DIY crafts.
Since anyone can call themselves “an expert,” you must cultivate critical thinking skills to distinguish genuine expertise from self-professed experts’ self-promoting nonsense. While the absurdity of the Internet can be entertaining, misinformation has serious consequences. The next time you read a headline that sounds too good to be true, it’s probably an Internet talking head making an educated guess; without the education seeking Internet fame, they can monetize.
TORONTO – A new survey says a majority of software engineers and developers feel tight project deadlines can put safety at risk.
Seventy-five per cent of the 1,000 global workers who responded to the survey released Tuesday say pressure to deliver projects on time and on budget could be compromising critical aspects like safety.
The concern is even higher among engineers and developers in North America, with 77 per cent of those surveyed on the continent reporting the urgency of projects could be straining safety.
The study was conducted between July and September by research agency Coleman Parkes and commissioned by BlackBerry Ltd.’s QNX division, which builds connected-car technology.
The results reflect a timeless tug of war engineers and developers grapple with as they balance the need to meet project deadlines with regulations and safety checks that can slow down the process.
Finding that balance is an issue that developers of even the simplest appliances face because of advancements in technology, said John Wall, a senior vice-president at BlackBerry and head of QNX.
“The software is getting more complicated and there is more software whether it’s in a vehicle, robotics, a toaster, you name it… so being able to patch vulnerabilities, to prevent bad actors from doing malicious acts is becoming more and more important,” he said.
The medical, industrial and automotive industries have standardized safety measures and anything they produce undergoes rigorous testing, but that work doesn’t happen overnight. It has to be carried out from the start and then at every step of the development process.
“What makes safety and security difficult is it’s an ongoing thing,” Wall said. “It’s not something where you’ve done it, and you are finished.”
The Waterloo, Ont.-based business found 90 per cent of its survey respondents reported that organizations are prioritizing safety.
However, when asked about why safety may not be a priority for their organization, 46 per cent of those surveyed answered cost pressures and 35 per cent said a lack of resources.
That doesn’t surprise Wall. Delays have become rampant in the development of tech, and in some cases, stand to push back the launch of vehicle lines by two years, he said.
“We have to make sure that people don’t compromise on safety and security to be able to get products out quicker,” he said.
“What we don’t want to see is people cutting corners and creating unsafe situations.”
The survey also took a peek at security breaches, which have hit major companies like London Drugs, Indigo Books & Music, Giant Tiger and Ticketmaster in recent years.
About 40 per cent of the survey’s respondents said they have encountered a security breach in their employer’s operating system. Those breaches resulted in major impacts for 27 per cent of respondents, moderate impacts for 42 per cent and minor impacts for 27 per cent.
“There are vulnerabilities all the time and this is what makes the job very difficult because when you ship the software, presumably the software has no security vulnerabilities, but things get discovered after the fact,” Wall said.
Security issues, he added, have really come to the forefront of the problems developers face, so “really without security, you have no safety.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 8, 2024.
As online shoppers hunt for bargains offered by Amazon during its annual fall sale this week, cybersecurity researchers are warning Canadians to beware of an influx of scammers posing as the tech giant.
In the 30 days leading up to Amazon’s Prime Big Deal Days, taking place Tuesday and Wednesday, there were more than 1,000 newly registered Amazon-related web domains, according to Check Point Software Technologies, a company that offers cybersecurity solutions.
The company said it deemed 88 per cent of those domains malicious or suspicious, suggesting they could have been set up by scammers to prey on vulnerable consumers. One in every 54 newly created Amazon-related domain included the phrase “Amazon Prime.”
“They’re almost indiscernible from the real Amazon domain,” said Robert Falzon, head of engineering at Check Point in Canada.
“With all these domains registered that look so similar, it’s tricking a lot of people. And that’s the whole intent here.”
Falzon said Check Point Research sees an uptick in attempted scams around big online shopping days throughout the year, including Prime Days.
Scams often come in the form of phishing emails, which are deceptive messages that appear to be from a reputable source in attempt to steal sensitive information.
In this case, he said scammers posing as Amazon commonly offer “outrageous” deals that appear to be associated with Prime Days, in order to trick recipients into clicking on a malicious link.
The cybersecurity firm said it has identified and blocked 100 unique Amazon Prime-themed scam emails targeting organizations and consumers over the past two weeks.
Scammers also target Prime members with unsolicited calls, claiming urgent account issues and requesting payment information.
“It’s like Christmas for them,” said Falzon.
“People expect there to be significant savings on Prime Day, so they’re not shocked that they see something of significant value. Usually, the old adage applies: If it seems too good to be true, it probably is.”
Amazon’s website lists a number of red flags that it recommends customers watch for to identify a potential impersonation scam.
Those include false urgency, requests for personal information, or indications that the sender prefers to complete the purchase outside of the Amazon website or mobile app.
Scammers may also request that customers exclusively pay with gift cards, a claim code or PIN. Any notifications about an order or delivery for an unexpected item should also raise alarm bells, the company says.
“During busy shopping moments, we tend to see a rise in impersonation scams reported by customers,” said Amazon spokeswoman Octavia Roufogalis in a statement.
“We will continue to invest in protecting consumers and educating the public on scam avoidance. We encourage consumers to report suspected scams to us so that we can protect their accounts and refer bad actors to law enforcement to help keep consumers safe.”
Falzon added that these scams are more successful than people might think.
As of June 30, the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre said there had been $284 million lost to fraud so far this year, affecting 15,941 victims.
But Falzon said many incidents go unreported, as some Canadians who are targeted do not know how or where to flag a scam, or may choose not to out of embarrassment.
Check Point recommends Amazon customers take precautions while shopping on Prime Days, including by checking URLs carefully, creating strong passwords on their accounts, and avoiding personal information being shared such as their birthday or social security number.
The cybersecurity company said consumers should also look for “https” at the beginning of a website URL, which indicates a secure connection, and use credit cards rather than debit cards for online shopping, which offer better protection and less liability if stolen.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 8, 2024.
