A new update is rolling out to the Galaxy Note8 that brings two interesting features from this year’s flagships to the 2017 flagship. The new update also brings September’s security patch.

The two new features are super slow-motion recording and AR Emojis. The former lets you record videos at 960fps in 720p for 0.2s if you own the Galaxy S9 or 960fps in 720p for 0.4s for the Galaxy Note9. We can’t confirm if the Galaxy Note8 has that of the S9 or the Note9.

AR Emoji lets you create emojis based on an avatar of yourself created by the phone. This is Samsung‘s take on Apple‘s Animoji that launched with the iPhone X last year. The update is a little over 700MB is rolling out gradually. It has started arriving on devices in France but may take a few days before other regions receive it.

READ MORE: Samsung Galaxy S10 to come in three models, one with triple cameras

It is nice to see manufacturers roll-out some of the features from the current flagships to older ones. Huawei has done the same by rolling-out to the Mate 10 Pro features like slow-motion recording at 960fps and long-exposure photography mode which originally launched with the P20 series.

(Via)

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How much do you think it costs to build a Galaxy S9+ (Exynos)?  Someone at TechInsights has made a chart comparing the cost of building Samsung’s latest flagship against other phones like the Galaxy Note8, S8+, iPhone 8+, and iPhone X.

The chart gives a breakdown of every major component that is in the phone and some of the details are surprising. Do note that the price of each material for each phone was taken when the device was initially analysed.

The display for the Galaxy S9+ costs $72.50 but for the S8+ it is $78.50. Both devices use practically the same display with a few minor changes but the display of the S9+ costs $4 less. Even the iPhone X’ notched display costs less than that of the Galaxy S8+.

Of all the devices, the Galaxy S9+ has the highest camera cost at $48. It is understandable for the S8+ and iPhone 8 Plus since they both have single rear cameras.

The Exynos 9810 which has an integrated LTE modem costs $68. It is slightly lesser than the Galaxy Note 8’s $68.50 price and more than the $64.50 price of the iPhone X and iPhone 8 Plus when you combine the price of the Bionic 11 chip ($52) and Qualcomm MDM9655 LTE modem ($12.50).

The Galaxy S9+ comes with a 3500mAh battery and that costs $5.50. The iPhone X’s smaller 2716mAh battery costs $6.50. The iPhone X also costs more in non-electronics – $46 as against the Galaxy S9+’ $29.

In summary, the Galaxy S9+ is Samsung’s most expensive phone yet in terms of components with the total bill of materials coming to $379.50. However, it is still less than Apple’s iPhone X which costs $389.50.

READ MORE: Samsung Galaxy Note 9 Confirmed: Name Trademarked In Colombia

The Galaxy S9+ (Exynos) is €949 (~$1172) in Europe. That is 3x the cost of building the device. However, when you add other costs such as marketing, distribution, and taxes, you’ll realize Samsung isn’t making as much money as you might think. Nevertheless, it sure is smiling to the bank.

(Source)

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OnePlus is sure not planning to put a stop to its controversial adverts. The adverts are surely providing publicity for the brand whichever way you look at it. Come to think of it, how many times does a new phone ad get covered in the news?

The latest ad is a familiar one. Familiar to fans of OnePlus from the start as it involves smashing phones. However, unlike the smash your phone contest for the OnePlus One back in 2014, this phone smashing is without the owner’s consent.

In the 98-second video ad, OnePlus wants to prove that the OnePlus 5T is the fastest in the world. So it gets a couple of Londoners who use an iPhone X, iPhone 8, Samsung S8, and the Galaxy Note8 and asks them to perform certain tasks against the 5T. Think of it as a gun duel but with phones instead of guns.

The OnePlus 5T won all the rounds which involved turning on your flash light, playing a song, or taking a picture. At the end, the losers could have simply walked away but OnePlus took things a step further. They smashed the losing phones on the floor!

READ MORE: OnePlus Tried To Troll Xiaomi But It Backfired

This resulted in the contestants getting angry, cursing, and storming off. But it appears it was just a trick as the smashed phones were replicas. The participants got their original phones back and even a brand new OnePlus 5T.

To be fair, this isn’t the most controversial of their ads but it sure won’t be the last.

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The Galaxy S8, Galaxy S8+, and Galaxy Note8 all come with a pair of  wired AKG earphones. The earphones are tuned by Harman Kardon – an audio company acquired by Samsung in 2016. If you are not into wired earphones, you can get something better.

For a limited time, Samsung will ship any of the three phones with a pair of Gear IconX (2018) earbuds. However, you have to make your purchase (unlocked or select carriers) from the official Samsung US website or Shop Samsung app. It also runs from till March 1.

The Gear IconX (2018) is the second gen version from Samsung. They are completely wireless earbuds with a charging case just like Apple’s Airpods. It serves dual functions – you can use it as regular bluetooth earphones or as standalone earbuds as it has 4GB of built-in memory for songs.

It can also track your exercise and provide a live coach while you work out. It has support for other Samsung phones, Android phones, and even works with iOS devices though not all its features are available on iOS.

The IconX (2018) is priced at $199 in the US and comes in silver, black, and pink. For the promo, Samsung will ship the black variant with your purchase.

READ MORE: Samsung Galaxy S8, S8+ Android 8.0 Oreo Update Abruptly Halted

There is no confirmation as to if the AKG earbuds are still included in the box or if the IconX replaces it. Nevertheless, this is still a good deal.

This is not the first deal of its kind though. Back in January, Samsung shipped a free pair of AKG Bluetooth headphones worth $180 if you purchased any of the three phones including the Galaxy S8 Active.

(Source, Via)

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OnePlus is back with another video ad for its latest smartphone – the OnePlus 5T. Titled “The Cactus Test”, the video isn’t your conventional advert which appears to be a recurring them for OnePlus.

The video has two stupid men dressed in their underpants with bulls eye marks drawn over their bodies. One man is given a OnePlus 5T while the other gets a Samsung Galaxy Note8. Two other men are in charge of hurling cacti at the men. Whoever gets to open “20 everyday apps” first wins.

READ MORE: OnePlus Opens First Offline Store in Mumbai, Offers Bullet V2 Earphones for Free

So this is basically a speed test between both flagships but an unconventional speed test. It doesn’t come as a surprise that the OnePlus 5T wins the test because who else makes a video advert where the product fails? Hmmmmn! Unless you are HTC!

The video is practically silly but you shouldn’t try this at home as OnePlus warns at the beginning of the advert.

(Via)

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Samsung is not new to launching special edition variants of its phones. Its latest iteration is the Galaxy Note8 X 99AVANT. Just like the name hints, this version is limited to only 99 units.

Priced at KRW 1,991,000 (~$1,830/€1550), the Galaxy Note8 X 99AVANT Limited Edition is actually the 256GB Midnight Black Galaxy Note8 but with a specially designed case that has artist Han Sueng-Woo’s signature on the inside.

You also get a 69 x 45cm print of the tiger artwork that can be hanged in your home in addition to custom wallpapers and icons designed by the artist.

Is $1800 too much for this special edition Galaxy Note8? Not really but you are actually paying for the artwork.

The phone is not only limited to 99 units but is also limited to South Korea. If you are interested in getting a unit, head to the source link below and purchase a unit.

READ MORE: LG V30 Signature Edition Launched in Korea, Costs Nearly $2000

If you do not have $1800, you can enter to win one as Samsung is doing a giveaway. The competition runs from 15th to 31st of December, 2017. Winners will be announced on 5th of January, 2018.

(Source, Via)

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ZeroLemon is best known for its battery cases which can be slapped on to phones to serve as an additional battery backup. If you feel the 3300mAh battery capacity of the Galaxy Note8 is not enough, ZeroLemon has a battery case that provides over 100% of extra battery life.

The battery case for the Galaxy Note8 actually provides an extra 5500mAh for users. For a phone with a Quad HD+ display, this does come in handy. The advantages of a battery case are more than just providing extra power. It’s a case too, so it protects the phone. It also saves you the stress of carrying a power bank and cable around.

The only disadvantages are the additional thickness and increase in weight. The battery case weighs 5.26 ounces (~149g), add that to the 195g of the Note8 and your phone weighs 344g.

The ZeroLemon Galaxy Note 8 case has a four-color LED embedded in the power button that indicates the amount of charge left. When it is white, battery capacity is between 75% and 100; green means its between 50% and 75%; blue indicates that you have 25% – 50% left; and red is for below 25%. It supports 5V/1.8A input and output maximum charge.

READ MORE: Hi-Res Images of Samsung’s Mixed Reality Headset Leaks

The ZeroLemon 5500mAh Battery Case for the Galaxy Note 8 will sell for $79.99 when it goes on sale on October 5 but if you order it now, you can get it for just $39.99 on Amazon. The company also has a 10,000mAh battery case for the Note 8 coming soon.

(Source, via)

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The Samsung Galaxy Note8 was announced in four colors – Orchid Gray, Midnight Black, Deep Sea Blue and Maple Gold. So far only three colors seem to be available for now.

In the US, there is Orchid Gray and Midnight Black. In Korea, KT Olleh’s Galaxy Note8 pre-order page lists the phone in Midnight Black and Deep Sea Blue. So it seems the Maple Gold variant is missing in action.

Move over to Taiwan and it is a different case entirely. The Samsung Taiwan website shows the Galaxy Note8 in Orchid Gray and Maple Gold. Not only does it get the Maple Gold, Samsung also unveiled a new Star Pink color variant. That makes it two new colors that are not available elsewhere for now. Taiwan also gets the Galaxy S8+ in Rose Pink.

Sources say the reason for releasing a pink variant is because the color is very popular among consumers, even accounting for up to 30% of all smartphones sold.

READ MORE: Samsung Galaxy J7+ With Dual Cameras Specs & Photos Leak

The Star Pink Galaxy Note8 is coated in the flashy color in all areas save for the bezels in front and the camera area at the back. Even the S Pen gets a coat of pink.

The specs are the same except for the chip which is the Exynos 8895. RAM is 6GB and storage is 64GB. It will sell for TW$ 34,200 ($1134).

(Source, via)

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Samsung unveiled the Galaxy Note8 last week at an event in New York. The US variant comes with 6GB of RAM and 64GB of built-in storage but other markets will get either the 128GB or 256GB variants as well. Samsung’s home country belongs to the category getting the 256GB model.

KT Olleh is a Korean carrier and its pre-order page for the Galaxy Note8 is already live. The section that talks about the pre-order gifts is the first place you see them mention a 256GB variant. You will also see the variant mentioned in the specs at the bottom of the page.

Those who pre-order the 256GB model will get an AKG Bluetooth speaker or a Nemonic Printer while those who go for the 64GB version will get a KW 100,000 (∼$89) coupon off original Samsung accessories purchased. Both versions will be available in Deep Sea Blue and Midnight Black.

The page doesn’t mention the retail price of any of the variants though. However, you can sign up for a SMS notification alert when the pre-order begins on September 9. It will run through till 14th, so if you live in South Korea and want any of the cool pre-order gifts, hurry and sign up.

READ MORE: Samsung Galaxt J7+ With Dual Cameras Specs & Photos Leak

The Galaxy Note 8 is Samsung’s first dual camera smartphone. The cameras and the S-Pen are the key differences between this and the Galaxy S8+. But if you don’t own the latter, then buying the Galaxy Note8 is a good choice.

(Source, via)

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