Tech

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 review: The best foldable yet, but expensive – Business Insider – Business Insider

Published

4 years ago

September 19, 2020

Harry Miller

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Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 2 feels like the most polished foldable device I’ve used yet.
It offers a large, vibrant tablet-sized screen that can now stay propped open halfway, offering more viewing angles than its predecessor.
It’s also said to be more durable than the original Galaxy Fold, which broke for some reviewers after just two days of use.
But, at $1,999.99, the Galaxy Z Fold 2 is still too expensive for the benefits it provides, and it still feels awkward to use in phone mode given its size and thickness.

Samsung may have just launched its first foldable smartphone last September, but it’s already on its fourth model.

The Galaxy Z Fold 2, which launched on September 18 for $1,999.99, represents the culmination of Samsung’s efforts so far. It’s a design that largely maintains the same look as its troubled predecessor, but with some of the flourishes of its more compact Galaxy Z Flip.

At twice the price of a premium smartphone, it’s hard to recommend that anyone actually buy the Galaxy Z Fold 2. But, if you do, you likely won’t be disappointed — and that’s not something I could have said about the original Galaxy Fold or Microsoft’s Surface Duo.

The Galaxy Z Fold 2, as expensive as it is, doesn’t ask you to make too many sacrifices to get the benefits of having a tablet and a smartphone in one device.

But, of course, it’s not perfect. The device’s biggest drawback, other than its price, is that it can still feel awkward as a smartphone replacement.

As I wrote when I reviewed the Microsoft Surface Duo, devices that seek to replace your smartphone and your tablet need to provide an equally good alternative to both. Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 2 does that better than its predecessor and Microsoft’s Surface Duo, but still takes some getting used to.

Here’s a longer look at what it’s been like to use the Galaxy Z Fold 2.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 specifications

Display size and resolution: 7.6 inches with 2,208 x 1,768 resolution (Main screen); 6.2 inches with 2,260 x 816 resolution (Cover screen)
Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 865+
Main cameras: 12-megapixel ultra-wide, 12-megapixel wide-angle camera, 12-megapixel telephoto camera
Front camera: 10-megapixel
Cover camera: 10-megapixel
Battery capacity: 4,500 mAh dual battery
Memory: 12GB of RAM
Storage: 256GB or 512GB
Biometric authentication: Fingerprint sensor and facial recognition

Design and display

The Galaxy Z Fold 2’s design is similar to that of the original Fold, but with many improvements. Among the biggest of those upgrades is its more flexible and reinforced hinge.

Samsung had to delay the original Galaxy Fold’s launch after a small number of reviewers found that their device broke after just two days of use. In some cases, damage was caused by debris entering the hinge, while in other cases users accidentally removed a protective layer from the screen.

Samsung seemingly made improvements on both accounts. The company has implemented a new vacuum-inspired sweeper hinge to keep debris out. Upon unboxing the device, I also noticed that there was a label clearly informing users not to remove the phone’s screen protector film and providing other tips for maintaining the device.

There’s no IP rating on the Galaxy Z Fold 2, however, so be careful not to drop it in the sink.

From the back, the Galaxy Z Fold 2 looks similar to the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra: it comes in the same Mystic Bronze color as the Note 20 Ultra and has a similar-looking triple camera module.

The Galaxy Z Fold 2 feels sleek and light as a tablet; when opened, it measures just 6.9 millimeters thin, making it only slightly thicker than the 6.1-millimeter iPad Air. Its roomy 7.6-inch screen also feels much more immersive now that Samsung has gotten rid of the notch in favor of its hole punch-shaped camera cutout, which has become a staple of its other devices as well.

But, when closed, it feels a bit thick and clunky. The Galaxy Z Fold 2 essentially looks like two smartphones stacked on top of one another when shut. It’s a bit cumbersome, but not unwieldy; it’s still compact enough to use with one hand or take a quick photo. That gives it an advantage over the Surface Duo, which felt too wide to use comfortably in phone mode unless I was gripping it with both hands.

The Galaxy Z Fold also gained another major upgrade compared to its predecessor: its larger cover screen. The front screen on the new Galaxy Z Fold measures 6.2 inches, making it the same size as the Galaxy S20. That’s a big improvement from the original Galaxy Fold’s minuscule 4.6-inch display, which felt too cramped to use for anything other than checking the time.

I often find myself using the Galaxy Z Fold 2’s cover screen when I want to send a quick text message or briefly check my email. While I appreciate the increase in size, the cover screen is still much skinnier than that of your average smartphone, so it still feels a little small to type on.

As to be expected from a device that’s mostly screen, the Galaxy Z Fold 2’s inner display resolution of 2,208 x 1,768 pixels boasts rich colors, sharp detail, and deep contrast. Although the crease is noticeable, it feels much more subtle on the Galaxy Z Fold 2 compared to the original Galaxy Fold.

Software

The Galaxy Z Fold 2’s tablet-sized display wouldn’t be of much use if apps weren’t optimized to take advantage of it.

Like the original Fold, the Galaxy Z Fold 2 is capable of running up to three apps on screen at a time. Apps can be dragged-and-dropped in place on screen, and you can also pair two apps together so that they launch simultaneously — a feature Microsoft’s Surface Duo also offers.

But, I am often more impressed with the way the Galaxy Z Fold 2 performs when running single apps. The Galaxy Z Fold’s gigantic screen is perfect for times when you simply want a larger screen for watching Netflix, reading an important work email, or catching up on the news.

That’s much more valuable to me than cramming two apps alongside one another, although the ability to do so is certainly a useful perk. The crease in the middle of the display is also far less noticeable than it was on the original Fold, making it even more useful as a tablet.

That’s another benefit that the Galaxy Z Fold 2 offers over the Surface Duo. Microsoft’s foldable phones consist of two separate screens, not one screen that folds, so using it as a tablet can be difficult.

The Galaxy Z Fold 2 also inherits one of the Galaxy Z Flip’s best features: Flex Mode. This enables apps to reorient properly to fit the screen when your phone is propped open halfway. The best use case for this in my experience has been the camera app.

When in Flex mode, the Galaxy Z Fold 2 displays the camera’s viewfinder on the top half of the screen and the camera controls on the bottom. That makes it easy to use your phone as a tripod without requiring any accessories. Flex Mode also works with YouTube, as shown in the image above.

Camera

The Galaxy Z Fold 2 has a triple-camera setup that consists of a 12-megapixel ultra-wide camera, a 12-megapixel standard camera, and a 12-megapixel telephoto camera. There’s also a 10-megapixel selfie camera on the cover display, and another 10-megapixel camera near the top of the screen upon opening the device.

That means the experience of capturing photo and video on the Galaxy Z Fold 2 doesn’t feel much different than snapping pictures on a regular smartphone. The Surface Duo, by comparison, requires that you fold the displays all the way back and physically turn the phone around to snap photos.

The Galaxy Z Fold also has the camera quality you’d expect from a high-end smartphone, unlike the Surface Duo which took images that looked less sharp with poorer lighting by comparison.

The quality of the images taken on the Galaxy Z Fold 2 were on par with those shot on the iPhone 11 Pro, offering crisp detail and rich colors. The iPhone, however, was better at taking photos in low-light environments.

Take a look at some of the photo samples below:

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2

Apple iPhone 11 Pro

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 (Low light)

Apple iPhone 11 Pro (Low light)

Battery life and speakers

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 offers plenty of battery life to get you through a full day. After using it for about 10 hours throughout the work day, the Galaxy Z Fold 2 had 66% of its battery left.

It’s important to remember that battery life will always vary depending on how you use your device. During my time with the Galaxy Z Fold 2, I’ve been primarily using it for checking email, reading the news, streaming Netflix, and listening to music.

One of the unexpected benefits of the Galaxy Z Fold 2’s large size is its booming speakers. The Galaxy Z Fold 2’s speakers are louder than that of any phone I’ve heard in recent memory, and make the iPhone 11 Pro Max’s speakers sound shallow and less crisp in comparison. That’s important for a device like the Galaxy Z Fold 2, which was likely designed with entertainment in mind.

The bottom line

The Galaxy Z Fold 2 is one of the most promising foldable phone’s we’ve seen yet. It improves on the original in important ways, particularly when it comes to durability and the size of its cover display.

But, at $1,999.99, the Galaxy Z Fold 2 is a luxury device. It’s twice as expensive as high-end phones like the $1,000 Galaxy S20 and iPhone 11 Pro. And, the fact that Samsung is on its fourth foldable device in a year should be enough to give anyone a little pause before committing.

The Galaxy Z Fold 2 doesn’t ask you to make any big compromises to get the benefits of a 2-in-1 device, like the Surface Duo does. But, its unconventional size still takes some getting used to when it comes to replacing your phone. It also doesn’t have an IP rating, meaning its not as durable when it comes to water and dust resistance compared to less expensive traditional smartphones.

Regardless, the Galaxy Z Fold 2 convinced me that foldable phones can offer a lot of benefits for those who want a larger screen in a mobile device. But, for now, it’s probably more cost effective and practical to just buy a tablet in addition to your smartphone.

Pros: Vibrant, tablet-sized screen; Good camera; Long battery life; Excellent speakers

Cons: Twice as expensive as regular high-end phones; No IP rating for water and dust resistance; Design can make it feel awkward in phone mode

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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

2 weeks 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)

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

Published

2 weeks 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.

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Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 review: The best foldable yet, but expensive – Business Insider – Business Insider

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