Samsung is rolling out an update to the Galaxy Enhance-X app. It changes the app’s version from 2.0.71 to 2.0.89 and brings three changes: new icons for two editing sections, reorganized editing options, and changes to editing suggestions. Let’s take a look.
Changes to editing suggestions
When you open a picture or a video in the Galaxy Enhance-X app, it scans the content and automatically suggests the editing options that you should use with it. As you can see in the screenshots below, for the same picture, the previous version and the latest version of the app suggested different editing options. So, Samsung seems to have changed what editing suggestions the app offers. This could either be an improvement or otherwise.
New icons and reorganized editing options
With the latest update, Samsung is offering new icons for two editing sections. First is the section that offers editing suggestions and second is the section that offers editing options related to brightness and color adjustments. The refreshed icons convey what options those sections offer to users in a better way than the older ones.
Along with that, Samsung has moved the ‘Fix lens distortion’ option from the section that offers options related to image adjustment/cropping to the section that has options related to editing faces.
To update Galaxy Enhance-X to version 2.0.89, go to Galaxy Store » Menu » Updates. If the update is available for you, Galaxy Store will show it to you. In that case, you can either click the update icon beside the listing of the app or click on the Update all button at the top-right corner of the screen.
The new SoundLink Max Portable Speaker adds a bit of heft and a bunch of powerful sound to the Bose line of SoundLink Bluetooth speakers, the company said Thursday.
“This all-new portable speaker has lasting power, rugged durability, and delivers incredible sound for its size,” Bose noted. “Now you can set the vibe with your favorite playlist no matter where you go.”
Bose SoundLink Max Portable Speaker
We first wrote about the new Bose SoundLink Max Portable Speaker in mid April, when a leak and an FCC filing predicted its imminent release. And the rumors turned out to be true, right down to the somewhat hefty price tag of $399. You can preorder SoundLink Max at Bose.com with shipping after May 16.
Bose said the new speaker takes great advantage of Bose technology and audio know-how:
The system leverages a Bose Articulated Array with three transducers across the front of the speaker to deliver a spacious stereo experience that goes beyond the speaker itself. Two custom-designed passive radiators are responsible for providing a level of bass performance that also defies the speaker size.
Using technology found in Bose soundbars and proprietary digital signal processing that dramatically minimizes distortion, the speaker reproduces full, natural sound regardless of what you’re listening to. The result is a system that allows you to hear every instrument, clear vocals, and the beat of your music, no matter where you’re listening or where the speaker is placed.
Using the Bose app, you can personalize your listening experience through adjustable EQ settings, including bass, mid-range and treble.
Built for durable portability
You can preorder the speaker May 16 in black or dusk blue colors. Photo: Bose
SoundLink Max’s design uses a powder-coated, silicone-wrapped steel enclosure for a premium look. And it’s also tough. Bose said it withstands bumps and drops and resists peeling, flaking and UV-light-related corrosion. An IP67 rating protects against water, dust, rust and shocks. Bose stopped short of saying it’s OK to drop it in the pool, however.
The device is a little bigger than others in its line, like SoundLink Flex, but it’s still compact for portability. It measures 10.42in wide, 4.73in high and 4.13in deep and weighes just under five pounds. Its integrated, removable rope handle makes it easy to carry around. And you can get a rope strap as an option to carry it over your shoulder. In addition, four optional color handle accessories can customize the speaker’s look.
The speaker’s playback time runs up to 20 hours on a full charge, according to Bose. And its USB-C port can charge your iPhone or other mobile devices (like the one transmitting tunes to the speaker via Bluetooth 5.3).
Hi-def and lossless audio
The new speaker supports SBC and AAC codec standards, so it works with most Bluetooth devices, including Apple’s.
However, the highest-quality sound is reserved for devices that support Qualcomm’s aptX Adaptive codec (sorry, iPhone and iPad users):
For high-definition audio, it uses Snapdragon Sound with the latest Qualcomm aptX Adaptive codec, which automatically adapts up to lossless quality. Snapdragon Sound technology allows for more seamless and robust connectivity with premium Android devices. The SoundLink Max also offers Google Fast Pair for added ease-of-use when pairing Android devices.
And the speaker isn’t just wireless. An AUX input lets you jack in via cable from sources like turntables and MP3 or CD players. And the speaker’s shortcut button can switch to or from AUX and enable Spotify Tap, Bose said.
The SoundLink Max comes in black or blue dusk colors. You can preorder now for $399 and it will ship after May 16, Bose said.
Samsung has been adding several new features to its Free Ad-Supported TV (FAST) service, Samsung TV Plus, over the past few months. With its new lineup of TVs, Samsung TV Plus gained a new UI design. Now, it is getting a dedicated Kids section on smart TVs, making kids’ content easier to access.
This section is currently available in South Korea and could expand to other markets.
Samsung TV Plus gets a dedicated Kids tab on smart TVs
The South Korean firm has announced the addition of the dedicated Kids tab in Samsung TV Plus. This section includes various family and kids-friendly content and videos. It also features a dedicated Kids Time channel, which broadcasts popular kids programming and a variety of Video On Demand (VOD) content. In addition, it has also brought Cocomelon (with over 170 million subscribers), Linda’s Amazing Journey, Iku, and Galaxy Kids channels to this section. More content will be added soon.
Samsung has collaborated with Studio Acorn, a popular creator of kids’ content, for the Kids Time Channel. It airs globally popular and high-quality K-animation content. In line with its catchphrase “a happy time for children,” Kids Time Channel aims to stream kids-friendly content, including educational content and content that spreads the message of diversity. An ad-free slot called Lullaby airs between 9 PM and 10 PM and helps children sleep.
Yong-Hoon Choi, Vice President of Samsung Electronics’ Visual Display Business Division, said, “To celebrate Children’s Day, we are pleased to provide a new viewing experience that children and families can enjoy together through Samsung TV Plus. We will continue to add quality content by strengthening our strategic partnerships.”
Recently, Samsung TV Plus received additional kids content, including Barbie and Friends, Hot Wheels Action, and Mattel Jr., to the global markets.
Google Calendar is one of the most popular calendar apps in the world. While Samsung ships its phones, tablets, and smartwatches with the Samsung Calendar app, many people still prefer the Google Calendar app, and it is now getting an easier way to browse through the months.
Google Calendar for Android gets improved browsing for months
The new version of Google Calendar has introduced chips for each month just below the month view. This makes it easier to browse through months and make calendar entries far into the future. Each month chip has the month’s name in three-letter terms, and the whole horizontal bar of the months is scrollable.
Manuel Vonau spotted this new UI element, and he posted the screenshot on X. It was found in the Agenda View in the latest version (2024.13.1-624115131-release) of the Google Calendar app for Android. It may be a server-side release, which means not everyone can see this new UI element.
Samsung has released a new version of the MultiStar app (version 7.1.33). It brings three changes; a new feature for foldable devices and tablets running on One UI 6.1, one visual improvement, and one bug fix.
MultiStar now lets you maintain split mode
Let’s start with the new feature, which is stated in the changelog as “[Tablet/Fold Device] Provide ‘Maintain split mode’ (supports One UI 6.1 and above).”
From what we can understand, with this option enabled, when you change the view of the app from the full-screen mode to the split-screen mode, close it, and open it again, the app will open in the split-screen mode. So, if you want an app to open in the split-screen mode every time on your Galaxy Fold, Flip, or Tab device so that you can continue to work on other stuff when the app opens, this option makes that possible for you.
Buttons in the navigation bar now appear clearer
Moving on to the visual improvement, Samsung says that it has “improved visibility of navigation bar area.” In MultiStar, buttons in the navigation bar and the navigation bar have a similar color palette, which makes it hard for you to distinguish buttons from the navigation bar (or find buttons in the navigation bar). Samsung says that it has improved this visual element. So, you should now be able to see the buttons more clearly.
No more re-installing MultiStar to reset it
Coming to the bug fix, the company says that it has “Fixed phenomenon that does not reset when deleting app data.” MultiStar has an issue where options in it don’t go back to their default setting when you clear the app’s data. To reset the app, you have to uninstall it and then install it again. Well, not anymore. Samsung says that it has fixed the issue. So, you should now be able to reset MultiStar just by deleting the app’s data.
Samsung is rolling out a new update to the QuickStar app, a module for the company’s Good Lock app that provides you with additional options to customize the Quick Panel (also known as Quick Settings) and status bar. The update changes the app’s version to 7.2.06.35 and brings a total of three changes.
First, the new version of QuickStar gives you the option to change the format of the date that is displayed on the indicator clock. According to Samsung, the new feature works only in One UI 6.1. Unfortunately, we were not able to find this option on our Galaxy S23. It looks like there’s a bug in the app due to which it isn’t showing the new feature.
Second, the update changes “the way to connect” with Theme Park, which seems like an under-the-hood change for better performance. This change is available on devices running One UI 6.0 and higher, and for it to work, you will have to use version 1.1.00.8 of Theme Park, which Samsung released yesterday, or a newer version of the app.
Third, Samsung has made changes to QuickStar to “stabilize” the app’s ‘Quick settings instant access’ option. However, Samsung hasn’t mentioned what improvements will users be able to see with it. That being said, expect it to perform more stably than before. To update QuickStar to the latest version, go to Galaxy Store » Menu » Updates.
One of the downsides of electric vehicles is that they, too, need refueling, but drivers can’t just dump a bunch of fuel in the tank at a gas station and be on their way in a couple of minutes. It takes time for an EV to recharge its batteries. And even though EV manufacturers have developed clever software management solutions to minimize downtimes, EV drivers still have to face the reality that electric cars are relatively slow to charge. And this exponentially becomes a bigger issue the longer the trip you have to make in your EV.
One way to make the EV recharging process not shorter but more pleasurable is through charging lounges — places where EV drivers can relax and take a break as they wait for their cars to recharge. Samsung has gained an interest in this concept and teamed up with charging lounge specialist bk World in Germany.
Bk World charging lounges along the highways of Germany offer comfortable seating, delicious snacks, fresh and sustainable food and drinks, children’s play areas, office areas, and modern sanitary facilities. Now, they’re also equipped with Samsung TVs.
Watch TV and play video games on Samsung gear
Samsung announced it is now equipping bk World charging lounges in Germany with quality entertainment solutions, including 8K Neo QLED TVs connected to a games console. EV car drivers waiting to recharge their vehicles will also be able to explore thousands of games through Gaming Hub.
In addition to this gaming-oriented Neo QLED TV setup, Samsung is also equipping bk World charging lounges with The Frame lifestyle TV, which will display artwork, information, and advertising.
Last but not least, Samsung says The Freestyle 2nd Gen. will also be on display at one of bk World’s locations, offering another option for entertainment.
Through this collaboration with bk World, Samsung hopes to make it more pleasurable for EV drivers to recharge their cars. But it is also a way for the company to promote its latest consumer electronics products.
Samsung recently released its 2024 The Frame and Neo QLED TVs, which now boast clever AI capabilities for improved image quality.
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When Samsung first announced the budget Galaxy F15 in India last month, it introduced the phone in two memory configurations featuring 128GB of storage and 4GB or 6GB of RAM. A third memory option has now popped up online.
A promotional render (via GizmoChina) showing an “all-new 8GB variant” of the Galaxy F15 has emerged. As of this writing, this variant does not yet seem to be available for purchase at Samsung India or via Flipkart, but it probably will soon.
Slightly more money for 2GB extra RAM
According to this promotional poster, the Galaxy F15 with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage will be available for INR 14,999. But that’s a bit misleading. The fine print confirms that the phone costs INR 15,999 ($191) outright, and buyers can benefit from INR 1,000 bank cashback.
For reference, the Galaxy F15 5G with 6GB of RAM costs INR 14,499 ($173), which means the new 8GB model is marginally more expensive for the extra 2GB.
Is the 8GB model worth the extra ~$20? It could be if you really multitask and find that 4GB or 6GB of RAM doesn’t keep enough recent apps in memory.
But do keep in mind that the Galaxy F15 offers the RAM Plus software feature. With it, you can convert up to 12GB of storage memory to virtual RAM. It won’t cost you anything except for the converted onboard storage, which will be inaccessible.
Aside from the extra 2GB of RAM, this “all-new” Galaxy F15 variant appears to be the same as the previous two. It sports a Super AMOLED 6.6-inch 90Hz display with a resolution of 2340 x 1080, the MediaTek Dimensity 6100+ chip, a 50MP primary camera, a side-mounted fingerprint sensor, and a 6,000mAh battery with 25W charging capabilities.
One final trick up the Galaxy F15’s sleeve is that it will receive four Android OS upgrades and five years of security patches. Samsung is proving that even the F-series can get better support.
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Samsung has released a new update to Good Lock’s Home Up module. This new version of Home Up brings an additional home screen and app drawer customization feature. It lets you change the size of the icon to match your preferences better.
Home Up update brings the option to change the size of app icons in One UI
The Home Up app’s latest version (15.0.01.19) brings a new feature called App Icon Setting in the Home Screen section. This section has a new slider to adjust the app icon size. It ranges from 80% to 120%, with 100% being the default setting. You can increase or decrease the size of app icons as per your liking, and this affects app icons on both the app drawer and home screen.
The screenshots below show how app icons look when the size is set to 80%, 100%, 110%, and 120%, respectively. Some people like their app icons to appear slightly bigger than the default setting. We found the 110% setting to be a great choice. Some other settings, including displaying the app icon label on the home screen and app tray, have been moved to the App Icon Setting section of the Home Up app.
This new version of the Home Up module is now available on the Galaxy Store. However, it hasn’t been released in all the countries and markets yet, so you may not be able to spot it on the Galaxy Store in your country. Until then, you can download the new version of the app via the Google Drive link here (via @TarunVats33).
It was expected that Intel‘s LGA1851 socket would house the tech giant’s next-gen Arrow Lake chips, but for now it seems the company might have another use for it.
At the recent Embedded World conference, Intel unveiled its Meteor Lake-PS architecture for edge systems, the first Core Ultra processor on an LGA socket.
The new SoC design, which integrates the Intel Arc GPU and a neural processing unit, is aimed at enabling generative AI and handling demanding graphics workloads for sectors such as retail, education, smart cities, and industry.
Ultra low TDP
Intel says its Core Ultra processors offer up to 5.02x superior image classification inference performance compared to the 14th Gen Core desktop processors. Applications for the PS series include GenAI-enabled kiosks and smart point-of-sale systems in physical retail stores, interactive whiteboards for advanced classroom experiences, and AI vision-enhanced industrial devices for manufacturing and roadside units.
The new chips are designed with low-power, always-on usage scenarios in mind. This is evident from the fact that none of these chips have a Thermal Design Power higher than 65W. There’s even a low-power version with a 15W rating (12-28 configurable TDP).
Intel says “Moving away from the conventional setup where Intel Core desktop processors are combined with discrete GPUs, the PS series of Intel Core Ultra processors introduce an innovative integration of GPU and AI Boost functionalities directly within the processors, alongside the flexible LGA socket configuration. Offering four times the number of graphics execution units (EUs) compared to their predecessors in the S or desktop series, these processors deliver a powerful alternative for handling AI and graphics-heavy tasks. This design not only negates the necessity for an additional discrete GPU, thereby lowering costs and simplifying the overall design process, it also positions these processors as the go-to solution for those prioritizing efficiency alongside enhanced performance.”
The desktop LGA1851 socket can support 5600MHz DDR5 memory, two PCIe Gen4 SSDs, and four Thunderbolt 4 devices. There is a notable absence of chipset support for Thunderbolt 5, Wi-Fi 7, and PCIe Gen5, however.
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The new desktop Intel Meteor Lake chips are not expected to be available until the fourth quarter of 2024. This timeline also coincides with the expected launch of Arrow Lake desktop CPUs, according to the latest industry rumors.
