Galaxy S6 Android update: Samsung working on Android 5.1 Lollipop update already

Galaxy S6 Android update: Samsung working on Android 5.1 Lollipop update already

blognet   Wednesday, April 15, 2015   Comment  

No sooner had it been spread that Samsung was not working on the Android 5.1 Lollipop update for any of its devices, including the brand-spanking-new Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge, than it comes out that Sammy is indeed working on the Galaxy S6 Android 5.1 update right now. Here's what we know so far about the Galaxy S6 Android update.

The Galaxy S6 will be the first Samsung device to receive Android 5.1 Lollipop. 

• Funnily enough, the source that previously claimed that Samsung was not working on Android 5.1 for the Galaxy S6 – Sam Mobile – is the same source that is now claiming that it is working on the update for both the S6 and the S6 Edge. So take this news with a grain of salt.

Having said that, there is no reason to believe that Samsung would not have been working on updating its current and recent flagships to the latest version of Android for weeks, especially when the company had updated its previous flagships to Lollipop so quickly.

The Galaxy S6 is already super fast, slick and smooth. Just how much better can it get

Unfortunately there are no time lines for the update rollout, so you'll just have to stay tuned until we hear a little more. Be sure though, that the Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge will be the first devices receiving the update. Although hopefully the patch for the Galaxy S6 camera problem will roll out a little sooner than Android 5.1.

• When did you buy your Galaxy S6? What are your thoughts on the new TouchWiz on the latest Lollipop version?

Samsung admits there's a problem with the Galaxy S6 camera

Samsung admits there's a problem with the Galaxy S6 camera

blognet   Tuesday, April 14, 2015   Comment  

Some of you will have heard the rumors floating around that the LED on the Galaxy S6 camera was having a few issues. Namely that it is always on and can't be turned off. With the Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge now available for purchase, if you're thinking about picking one up you might want to read on first. Even Samsung has admitted there's a problem.

Samsung has acknowledged a problem with the Galaxy S6 camera. 

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Samsung is notorious for remaining silent when it comes to possible issues with its devices or updates . So if Samsung is admitting that there is an issue you know it must be serious. An LED flash that stays on – even when the device is turned off – certainly sounds like a sufficient problem to me.

This will of course have a negative impact on battery life but it will also contribute to shortening the life of the LED itself. The problem with this is that we now know just how difficult it is to repair the Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge – not that you should have to due to a software or hardware problem in a brand-new phone. Fortunately, Samsung is aware of the problem and has confirmed to AndroidPITthat it is indeed working on a solution.

Hopefully the solution is not hardware-related and can be fixed with a patch. 

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With any luck it will simply be a bit of software tweaking and a patch will be be pushed out quickly with no real damage done. However, depending on how deep-seated the issue is, or if it is actually hardware-related, then the solution may take longer and be more serious. The problem seems to be more widespread than just T-Mobile branded devices too – because it was Samsung Germany that acknowledged the problem.

Has your S6 got this problem? Would this issue affect your buying decision?

The 3 best Android phones on the planet each launch today

The 3 best Android phones on the planet each launch today

blognet   Sunday, April 12, 2015   Comment  

Rarer than a royal straight, a four-leaf clover, winning the lottery or even getting struck by lightning twice is an occurrence we like to call “fanpocalypse.” It’s that rare time when hardcore Apple fans and hardcore Android fans alike have brand new product launches to fawn over on the same day.

In the case of Apple fans, the Apple Watch is available to try on in stores and to preorder beginning today. And for Android fans, we have three of the biggest releases of the year all on one day.

DON’T MISS: Samsung Galaxy S6 vs Samsung Galaxy Note 4: which is better?

That’s right boys and girls, the HTC One M9, Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 edge are all on sale online and in stores beginning today, April 10th.

There is absolutely no question that these are the three best Android phones on the planet right now. It’s only April so we can’t say anything conclusively, but it’s even possible that these three smartphones make up the best Android phones that will launch all year.

When we reviewed the HTC One M9, we said that it was a gorgeous smartphone with impressive performance that compliments its sleek look. We also said that the sleek all-aluminum build easily makes it the most premium widely available Android phone on the market.

Of course, HTC finally has some seriously steep competition this year when it comes to flagship phones with a premium look and feel. The Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 edge are amazing smartphones, as we discussed in our Galaxy S6 review. We also have plenty more in store for the Galaxy S6 edge, so stay tuned.

All three phones are available from all major U.S. wireless carriers beginning today

Fine, I’ll explain why the Galaxy S6 edge exists

Fine, I’ll explain why the Galaxy S6 edge exists

blognet   Sunday, April 12, 2015   Comment  

So fine, I’ll explain why the Galaxy S6 edge exists.

TL;DR: “Other designs are possible.”

Now, the long version…

This is a phone:

And this is a phone:

This is also a phone:

This, too, is a phone:

I’m sure you can see where I’m going with this.

Right now, in a broad design sense, phones are phones are phones. Some people who consider themselves big-time gadget fans probably can’t name all four of the phone models pictured above. And typical consumers absolutely can’t name them all.

What’s ironic is that a few of the same people who have complained of this issue in the past are now whining at Samsung because it introduced a new phone with fresh new design elements, simply because they aren’t “functional.”

Seriously? Since when does design always have to be functional?

Are each and every curve on an Italian sports car functional? Are the patterns on all of your clothes functional? Are the complications on a fine Swiss watch functional?

Where would Switzerland be right now if every watch looked like this?

So there you have it. You can stop asking now. This is why the Galaxy S6 edge exits. “Other designs are possible,” and there are finally a few companies toying with those “other designs.”

Among them, the Galaxy S6 edge absolutely shines the brightest. The Galaxy S6 edge’s design is something new. Something different. For my money, it’s also something great.

And hey, it might even help give Samsung’s margins and handset ASPs a boost.

The look and feel of the phone are fantastic; it will definitely appeal to some people who value design. And since supply will be so limited at launch, S6 edge owners might not come across another S6 edge user for quite some time. There’s certainly something to be said for carrying a unique phone that isn’t also being carried by three out of every people in your immediately vicinity at any given time.

Samsung’s Galaxy S6 edge design will not be for everyone, just as the jarring designs of high-end Swiss watches aren’t for everyone. But some people are happy to pay a premium for design, and now they finally have that option with their next smartphone.

How to root the Samsung Galaxy S6

How to root the Samsung Galaxy S6

blognet   Sunday, April 12, 2015   Comment  

So you just got your brand new Samsung Galaxy S6? Why not root it? Some apps that exist on the Google Play Store still require root privileges given how Android is designed, and as such sometimes it’s necessary to get root on your device in order to run such applications. The package that is used to obtain these escalated permissions comes courtesy of Chainfire which is a small package that is loaded into Odin and sent to your device to obtain root.

Using this root increases your flash counter and does trip the KNOX flag to void the warranty, so use at your own risk.

First, if you haven’t already got the USB PC drivers for your Samsung device, then head to this link to download them.

SuperSu download links

The package you’ll need to root your device will depend on the country you reside in – the different packages are listed below:

samsung	SM-G920F	zerofltexx	zeroflte			LRX22G.G920FXXU1AOD9			Download	aebe357f959d31e3bdb2265fd467683f
samsung	SM-G920I	zerofltedv	zeroflte			LRX22G.G920IDVU1AOC6			Download	9bced748aab01e7fc5b7712edf9871d4
samsung	SM-G920T	zerofltetmo	zerofltetmo			LRX22G.G920TUVU1AOC9			Download	c2f3d984f7e10545f9dfaa5ed679e0de

Once that’s downloaded, head on to the instructions below to Root your Galaxy S6.

Instructions to Root the Galaxy S6

– Download and unzip the CF-Auto-Root-….zip file
– If you end up with a recovery.img and cache.img file, you’ve extracted twice. You need to end up with a .tar.md5 file – don’t extract that one
– (USB) Disconnect your phone from your computer
– Start Odin3-vX.X.exe
– Click the PDA button, and select the tar.md5 file
– Put your phone in download mode (turn off phone, then hold VolDown+Home+Power to boot – if it asks you to press a button to continue, press the listed button).
– (USB) Connect the phone to your computer
– Make sure Repartition is NOT checked
– Click the Start button
– Wait for Android to boot
– Done

You should now see SuperSU installed in your app launcher and able to grant any apps that require root the appropriate permissions. For the root to work, the device must reboot into recovery. Most devices will do this automatically after flashing these files, but in case that does not happen, please boot into recovery manually.

Samsung Galaxy S6 vs Sony Xperia Z3

Android Galaxy S6 Samsung Slider Videos

Samsung Galaxy S6 vs Sony Xperia Z3

blognet   Saturday, April 11, 2015   Comment  

Samsung Galaxy S6 vs Sony Xperia Z3