Tech

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip release date, news and leaks – TechRadar India

Published

5 years ago

February 1, 2020

It’s becoming increasingly clear that Samsung has not one but two (or more) foldable phones in the works, because as well as a proper successor to the Samsung Galaxy Fold (which for now we’re calling the Galaxy Fold 2), the company is also heavily rumored to be working on the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip.

While it’s possible that this is the Fold 2 in all but name, it sounds very different to the Galaxy Fold, with a likely different, smaller form factor and a lower price. Plus, some sources specifically suggest that both are in the works, so we’re treating it as a different device.

Below then you’ll find all the news and rumors that specifically seem to be talking about the Galaxy Z Flip, along with those which could be talking about either phone. And make sure to check back here regularly, as we’ll update this article whenever we hear anything new.

Cut to the chase

What is it? Samsung’s next foldable phone
When is it out? Possibly February 11
What will it cost? Rumors suggest around $1,400 (roughly £1,075 / AU$2,075)

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip release date and price

The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip will probably be announced on February 11. That’s when Samsung is holding its big smartphone event for the first half of the year and where we’re expecting to see the Samsung Galaxy S20 range, so it’s an obvious candidate.

It’s also something we’ve heard from a leaker, who added that the phone would be available to buy from February 14.

However, that’s not the only possible announcement date. The Galaxy Z Flip could alternatively land at MWC 2020, which takes place at the end of February. That has also been put forward by a source, albeit in an earlier leak.

And yet another source has said to expect a new Samsung foldable in April, but this claim is older still. Further confusing matters is that some of these sources could be talking about the Samsung Galaxy Fold 2, as that will probably also land sometime this year.

With all that in mind, our best guess is February 11, as the most recent leak points to that date, and it’s also the only one to mention the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip by name.

As for what the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip will cost, the same source as the February 11 announcement date said to expect a price of $1,400 (roughly £1,075 / AU$2,075), while earlier leaks (linked above) point to either 1,000,000 Korean Won (around $835 / £640 / AU$1,230), or roughly $1,500 (around £1,165 / AU$2,200).

We’re skeptical of the lowest of those prices, but the other two options sound believable, as well as being similar. Any of those would make it cheaper than the $1,980 / £1,900 / AU$2,900 Samsung Galaxy Fold though, which makes sense, as the Z Flip is rumored to be a bit less of a flagship.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip design and display

Our clearest look yet at the likely design of the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip can be seen below. This leaked image shows a phone that looks a lot like the Samsung Galaxy S10… if the screen of the Samsung Galaxy S10 could be folded in half.

(Image credit: WinFuture)

It’s a design that we’ve also seen in an image supposedly leaked from a Samsung presentation, though notably there the phone was referred to as the Samsung Galaxy Bloom, which is likely its code name.

Elsewhere we’ve heard that the phone will have a clamshell-like design, which would match the images above.

As for the screen, several sources have now said it’s a 6.7-inch one, which would make it smaller than the 7.3-inch Galaxy Fold. The most detailed of these leaks adds that the display has a 1,080 x 2,636 resolution and a 22:9 aspect ratio.

Another leak adds that it will have a Dynamic AMOLED screen and that there will be a fingerprint scanner on the side of the phone.

As with so much about the phone, some of the earlier leaks linked above refer to it as the Samsung Galaxy Fold 2, but we now believe they were talking about the Z Flip, as the leaks line up with recent leaks that mention the Galaxy Z Flip by name.

We’ve also heard multiple times that the Galaxy Z Flip will use ‘Ultra Thin Glass’, sometimes referred to as UTG. This could make the device slimmer, but is likely to have plastic layered over the top to make it more durable.

The phone is said to also have a small screen that’s visible when the main display is folded shut. This is apparently a 1.06-inch 116 x 300 one, so will probably mostly just be used for checking the time and notifications.

But you won’t be limited to just having the main screen open or closed, as you can apparently also lock it at 90 degrees, using the bottom half of the screen like a stand. You can see how this would apparently look in the tweet below.

Basically, it locks into this position and more than just the camera will be supported pic.twitter.com/nmD8sraRx2January 22, 2020

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip specs

The latest significant specs leak points to the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip having a Snapdragon 855 Plus chipset, 8GB of RAM, and 256GB of storage, with no microSD card slot, no 5G, and no 3.5mm headphone port.

The most notable thing there is that chipset, which while being one of the best in any phone at the time of writing, is likely to be superseded by the chipsets in most of the early 2020 flagships, including the Galaxy S20. So including it here marks the Galaxy Z Flip out as a slightly lower end phone, despite the inevitably high price.

That’s not totally unheard of though, as the Motorola Razr takes a similar approach. In fact, that phone’s chipset is positively mid-range. And while big name foldables are always likely to be expensive for now, using a lesser chipset can help keep the cost below astronomical levels.

Elsewhere we’ve heard that the Galaxy Z Flip might even just have a standard Snapdragon 855 chipset, rather than the Plus version. That seems less likely, but could reduce the price even further.

The Galaxy Z Flip is likely to have fewer lenses than the Galaxy Fold, above (Image credit: TechRadar)

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip camera and battery

The only camera leaks that refer specifically to the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip state that it will have a dual-lens 12MP main camera, with both standard and wide-angle lenses, while the front camera might be a 10MP one.

Elsewhere we’ve heard mention of a 108MP sensor paired with a zoom lens, but that’s probably headed for the Samsung Galaxy Fold 2 if anything, since that’s likely to be more of a flagship.

As for the battery, that’s rumored to be 3,300mAh, which would put it on the small side. It apparently supports 15W charging, which is ‘fast’ but nowhere near as fast as some phones.

It’s also said to support wireless charging and reverse wireless charging. Most of this battery information comes from just one source though, so we’d take it with an extra helping of salt.

Let’s block ads! (Why?)

Source link

News

The Internet is Littered in ‘Educated Guesses’ Without the ‘Education’

Published

1 week ago

October 8, 2024

Nick Kossovan

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.

______________________________________________________________

Nick Kossovan, a self-described connoisseur of human psychology, writes about what’s

on his mind from Toronto. You can follow Nick on Twitter and Instagram @NKossovan.

Tech

Tight deadlines on software projects can put safety at risk: survey

Published

1 week ago

October 8, 2024

Anne Joseph

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.

Companies in this story: (TSX:BB)

Source link

Tech

Beware of scams during Amazon’s Prime Big Deal Days sales event: cybersecurity firm

Published

1 week ago

October 8, 2024

Anne Joseph

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.

Source link