Samsung faces the bad news: sales of its high-end phones are sliding

<b>Confirming its own estimates from earlier this month, Samsung announced tonight that it accumulated an operating profit of $3.9 billion in Q3.</b><br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQo9PrYrm_3oVBwAu3jhz5qglEaEDci_-8rOrIHwx3-x7g1P99tzgTkMCsmFt4PQ5tuO4N_FdPM7-hu-p-lrMAAFmo1Bnx3rSQBTgdFROFrKgMl9Ny4x8G7FiVGJ6-teaHvjcCVlqpoKp8/s1600/Samsung-tech24h.blogspot.com.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Samsung faces the bad news: sales of its high-end phones are sliding" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQo9PrYrm_3oVBwAu3jhz5qglEaEDci_-8rOrIHwx3-x7g1P99tzgTkMCsmFt4PQ5tuO4N_FdPM7-hu-p-lrMAAFmo1Bnx3rSQBTgdFROFrKgMl9Ny4x8G7FiVGJ6-teaHvjcCVlqpoKp8/s1600/Samsung-tech24h.blogspot.com.jpg" title="Samsung faces the bad news: sales of its high-end phones are sliding" /></a></div> <div> <b><br /></b> <div> That's not a bad haul for most companies in the July to September period, but last year Samsung proudly celebrated a record profit of $9.6 billion and now it's down to less than half that. Now the company is breaking down the reasons behind the drop, and everything starts with the flagship Galaxy S smartphones. Reuters notes that phones drove its growth over the last couple of years, but profits in that area dropped from 6.7 trillion Korean won last year, to 1.75 trillion in the same period this year.<br /> <br /> That drop came as a result of price cuts for older phones and "declined shipments" of high-end models. Even slightly higher sales of midrange smartphones apparently weren't enough to right the ship, and the Galaxy Note 4 hasn't been on sale long enough to contribute. Worse, the phone sales have an effect across the company for its display, memory and CPU businesses. It expects to sell more Ultra HD and curved TVs to close out 2014, but investors will likely be more interested in how it responds to cheaper Chinese phone manufacturers.</div> </div> <div> <br /></div>

Samsung faces the bad news: sales of its high-end phones are sliding

Confirming its own estimates from earlier this month, Samsung announced tonight that it accumulated an operating profit of $3.9 billion in Q...

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Samsung's futuristic Wi-Fi tech is five times faster than today's wireless networks

<b>Those face-meltingly fast new 802.11ac routers might not be king of the wireless networking world for long. On Sunday, Samsung announced it’s developing new 802.11ad Wi-Fi technology that can turbocharge network speeds fivefold, from today’s 866Mbps per-device maximum to a blistering 4.6Gbps. At that rate, Samsung says, a 1GB movie file can transfer from one device to another in under 3 seconds.</b><br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzQ7eEhxqn_HXTJKap3JJ5XMjpRvzK1g7wNlbGuISXXR2GGlcGecHpDd0o5_goSpj3k1tX8ukk2kwZ_CtZDTXyZBhSg9gHJmnno19mg-Hc2oh7GZbvqIQow9HeXUw3vJS1E1LOx9yBmoci/s1600/Samsung-futuristic-tech24h.blogspot.com.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="alt" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzQ7eEhxqn_HXTJKap3JJ5XMjpRvzK1g7wNlbGuISXXR2GGlcGecHpDd0o5_goSpj3k1tX8ukk2kwZ_CtZDTXyZBhSg9gHJmnno19mg-Hc2oh7GZbvqIQow9HeXUw3vJS1E1LOx9yBmoci/s1600/Samsung-futuristic-tech24h.blogspot.com.jpg" title="Samsung's futuristic Wi-Fi tech is five times faster than today's wireless networks" /></a></div> <div> <b><br /></b>The secret sauce: Ditching the crowded 2.4GHz and 5GHz wireless channels used by today’s routers and jumping to the 60GHz frequency band.<br /> <br /> Even though you might not have heard of them, neither the futuristic 802.11ad standardnor the idea of using the 60GHz frequency for ultra-fast Wi-Fi are new. But prior implementations have run into a brick wall, both literally and figuratively: 60GHz signals can’t easily penetrate walls. That’s obviously a big problem for real-world usage. Most of the 60GHz-capable "WiGig" accessories you can find today are designed to operate at very, very short ranges as a result.<br /> <br /> But Kim Chang Yong, head of Samsung’s DMC R&D Center, says the company has “successfully overcome the barriers to the commercialization of 60GHz millimeter-wave band Wi-Fi technology.”<br /> <br /> Samsung’s press release says it overcame those physical and metaphorical barriers with "high-performance modem technologies and by developing wide-coverage beam-forming antenna." The WirelessHD and WiGig standards groups have also been trying to improve 60GHz signal performance using beam-forming, a Wi-Fi technology that detects where client devices (like PCs and tablets) are physically located and then sends a focused signal directly at those devices, rather than mindlessly broadcasting a Wi-Fi signal in all directions as most routers do. (Beam-forming is already becoming a common feature in high-end 802.11ac routers.)</div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKFDk4_bOCzHlgyJme-GaHWmS8x4U_Os3CnZAKgXvfQw9JgV0S6_a5m6FcYwhfZNlZZYci90jZRAwtKtEB0ybWmeDe3rvAlr2towIiueE3u8rsUD5skVQaVdMIez_O1tQz1YR6dxWHwZ8e/s1600/Samsung-futuristic-01-tech24h.blogspot.com.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="alt" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKFDk4_bOCzHlgyJme-GaHWmS8x4U_Os3CnZAKgXvfQw9JgV0S6_a5m6FcYwhfZNlZZYci90jZRAwtKtEB0ybWmeDe3rvAlr2towIiueE3u8rsUD5skVQaVdMIez_O1tQz1YR6dxWHwZ8e/s1600/Samsung-futuristic-01-tech24h.blogspot.com.jpg" title="Samsung's futuristic Wi-Fi tech is five times faster than today's wireless networks" /></a></div> <div> <br /> Don’t start saving your pennies for this particular bit of next-gen networking kit just quite yet, however. While Samsung’s press release states that “commercialization is expected as early as next year,” that’s only talking about industry-wide usage of the 60GHz frequency itself—not necessarily the release of Samsung products packing the company’s new technology. A Samsung spokesperson provided the following statement to John Ribeiro of the IDG News Service:<br /> <br /> "As 60GHz is an unlicensed band spectrum globally, along with 2.4GHz and 5GHz spectrum, industry-level of commercialization is expected as early as next year, but there's nothing we could confirm at this point on when Samsung products supporting 60GHz Wi-Fi will be available in the market."<br /> <br /> It seems 802.11ac routers will have to do for now. Fortunately, there are a slew of compelling options available.<br /> <br /> The story behind the story: The idea of making wireless networks as fast or faster than wired connections holds obvious appeal—the less time you spend waiting for files to transfer, the more stuff you can get done. But while Wi-Fi improvements like Samsung’s new technology should (eventually) turbocharge sharing files, streaming locally stored movies, or playing games across your home network, don’t forget that a fast router won’t magically make your actual Internet connection any faster. Activities like browsing the web or zoning out on the couch and watching Netflix are usually limited by your Internet speed, not your router.</div> <div> <br /></div> <div> <br /></div>

Samsung's futuristic Wi-Fi tech is five times faster than today's wireless networks

Those face-meltingly fast new 802.11ac routers might not be king of the wireless networking world for long. On Sunday, Samsung announced it’...

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Samsung Galaxy Note 4 review: the best big-screen phone you can buy right now

<b>What began in 2011 as a brand-new phone category has flourished into one of the most popular in the world. </b><br /> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody> <tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4UA2I7v6yORFEvAPYEWTUB3fZu5jvi-FtihL4jceJO4cfUpN83LRDoXrx97302RQIx_hxqVNjxgPQg1LrIDbQmHb3D8-PFucu6nG375V90cI8qVnJAARkeZvptFVf1oFZ5cTC1bu3T43S/s1600/Galaxy-Note-4-tech24h.blogspot.com.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="alt" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4UA2I7v6yORFEvAPYEWTUB3fZu5jvi-FtihL4jceJO4cfUpN83LRDoXrx97302RQIx_hxqVNjxgPQg1LrIDbQmHb3D8-PFucu6nG375V90cI8qVnJAARkeZvptFVf1oFZ5cTC1bu3T43S/s1600/Galaxy-Note-4-tech24h.blogspot.com.jpg" title="Samsung Galaxy Note 4" /></a></td></tr> <tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Samsung Galaxy Note 4</td></tr> </tbody></table> <div> <div> Smartphones with big screens (phablets, to some) are now ubiquitous, but it all started with an odd device called the Samsung Galaxy Note. At 5.3 inches, it was a behemoth for its day -- and yet, it sold like hotcakes thanks to its unique S Pen stylus, which provided users with extra functionality, and a copious amount of screen space.<br /> <div> <b><br /></b>Four iterations later, the Note series has continued to grow, mature and dominate the genre. Not only does the latest version, the Galaxy Note 4, come with the snazziest spec sheet on the market, but it also ushers in a fantastic new direction in Samsung's design. It sure sounds like an improvement over last year's model, and it is. Now that Apple's ready to tackle the Note with a large-screen phone of its own, however, is Samsung's baby still the best in its class?</div> </div> </div>

Samsung Galaxy Note 4 review: the best big-screen phone you can buy right now

What began in 2011 as a brand-new phone category has flourished into one of the most popular in the world.  Samsung Galaxy Note 4 Sma...

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Samsung Galaxy Alpha review: Samsung's most beautiful phone yet

<h2 style="text-align: center;"> <span style="color: blue;">Samsung Galaxy Alpha review: Samsung's most beautiful phone yet</span></h2> <b>When a company names one of their products after the first letter of the Greek alphabet, it means business. Take Samsung's Galaxy Alpha: The name alone exudes confidence. Although the term typically signifies the first in a series, the Alpha obviously isn't Samsung's inaugural Android phone; rather, it ushers in a completely new design direction for the company.</b><br /> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody> <tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJolWsW9elQ8VVeUfl3t919I5UZw01mgw485lsZcIRCwIpt0ZGMJFVrdd4nAfYTg4YJodgzueX9aDmlAArrwpKdq4L7lxyTEekPkm-HuCbwz1ioc_M9BKnhRBfCu0PYK4vCV9iVmLyHR20/s1600/Samsung-Galaxy-Alpha-tech24h.blogspot.com.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="alt" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJolWsW9elQ8VVeUfl3t919I5UZw01mgw485lsZcIRCwIpt0ZGMJFVrdd4nAfYTg4YJodgzueX9aDmlAArrwpKdq4L7lxyTEekPkm-HuCbwz1ioc_M9BKnhRBfCu0PYK4vCV9iVmLyHR20/s1600/Samsung-Galaxy-Alpha-tech24h.blogspot.com.jpg" title="Samsung Galaxy Alpha" /></a></td></tr> <tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Samsung Galaxy Alpha</td></tr> </tbody></table> <div> <div> It's not a top-of-the-line flagship device on the inside, but what matters is that it actually looks like one on the outside, thanks to its premium aesthetics, metal frame and sleek body. Samsung has every reason to be confident in the Alpha's design. As always, however, there's more to a device than meets the eye.<br /> <br /> <b>PROS</b><br /> • Beautiful and elegant<br /> <br /> • Wonderful performance<br /> <br /> • Compact size makes it comfortable, easy to use <br /> <br /> <b>CONS</b><br /> <br /> • Priced too high <br /> <br /> • Lacks several features found in the Galaxy S5<br /> <br /> • Battery life is nothing special <br /> <br /> <b>SUMMARY</b><br /> <br /> The Alpha is Samsung's first phone with a metal frame, and it's the most aesthetically pleasing Galaxy phone we've ever seen. Unfortunately, it's priced at a premium and doesn't have the same set of features that you can get on the Galaxy S5 for the same price. </div> </div>

Samsung Galaxy Alpha review: Samsung's most beautiful phone yet

Samsung Galaxy Alpha review: Samsung's most beautiful phone yet When a company names one of their products after the first letter of t...

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PlayStation Now game streaming reaches PS TV and Vita on October 14th

<h2 style="text-align: center;"> <span style="color: blue;">PlayStation Now game streaming reaches PS TV and Vita on October 14th</span></h2> <b>If you're planning to snag a PlayStation TV with game streaming in mind, you'll be glad to hear that it will be ready to go on day one.</b><br /> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody> <tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglbQWQUtAnXi6veO2qqtzlREQ4H5wF6lX7ZhIfyUihavYDbg5c4KgXWxbIfGukfoZoWSwjWXABOPGWQvoxKMn5pAMM1Ruxi269VyelUh9C6JTRzxyL5R_oE_nJBEiDzcGXgxXFOf5BkrNR/s1600/PlayStation-tech24h.blogspot.com.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="alt" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglbQWQUtAnXi6veO2qqtzlREQ4H5wF6lX7ZhIfyUihavYDbg5c4KgXWxbIfGukfoZoWSwjWXABOPGWQvoxKMn5pAMM1Ruxi269VyelUh9C6JTRzxyL5R_oE_nJBEiDzcGXgxXFOf5BkrNR/s1600/PlayStation-tech24h.blogspot.com.jpg" title="PlayStation Now game streaming reaches PS TV and Vita" /></a></td></tr> <tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">PlayStation Now game streaming reaches PS TV and Vita</td></tr> </tbody></table> <div> <div> Sony has posted an FAQ confirming that the PlayStation Now beta will be available on the PS TV (and the PS VIta) in North America on October 14th, the same day that the mini console hits store shelves. As with the Now tests on bigger PlayStations, you'll have the option of renting 150-plus PS3 games with multiplayer support and cloud-based saves. Whether or not you're bent on using Now from the start, the FAQ is a handy primer for all the less-than-obvious things the PS TV can do -- it's worth a trip to the source link if you're at all curious.</div> </div>

PlayStation Now game streaming reaches PS TV and Vita on October 14th

PlayStation Now game streaming reaches PS TV and Vita on October 14th If you're planning to snag a PlayStation TV with game streaming ...

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AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon can't agree on how much Samsung's Galaxy Note 4 actually costs

<h2 style="text-align: center;"> <span style="color: blue;">AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon can't agree on how much Samsung's Galaxy Note 4 actually costs</span></h2> <b>The iPhone 6 Plus is giving iOS users plenty to clamor about, but over here in Android Land we're still waiting on the official launch of Samsung's next-generation phablet. The Galaxy Note 4 is slated to launch next month, and while you can pre-order it with several carriers, each is offering the phone at a different price.</b><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody> <tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-1s0k7tgoTj_QzoYWMdNkfAhZ_igwW0EeciHb37NOCZr5h2BPm_5ee1pOAEi2T0xKgai05wFwqk-YqYYwXwIrSnlewBhWA7YuDoKc0h0aIfRC7wCxL04OnPzKh0YIjpjXfEZstrFtTtN9/s1600/Samsung-galaxy-note-4-01-tech24h.blogspot.com.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="alt" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-1s0k7tgoTj_QzoYWMdNkfAhZ_igwW0EeciHb37NOCZr5h2BPm_5ee1pOAEi2T0xKgai05wFwqk-YqYYwXwIrSnlewBhWA7YuDoKc0h0aIfRC7wCxL04OnPzKh0YIjpjXfEZstrFtTtN9/s1600/Samsung-galaxy-note-4-01-tech24h.blogspot.com.jpg" title="" /></a></td></tr> <tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Verizon offers the best dea</td></tr> </tbody></table> <div> The impact on you at home: Obviously, if you're already loyal to a specific carrier, you may have buyer's remorse if you see a competitor selling the Galaxy Note 4 for less. It's just another example of how the Android universe is fragmented. It's not like the iPhone 6 Plus is offered at three different prices—all three of these carriers are offering it for $750.</div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp4ErVNEKWcMr7k6hBjCMErMMFlxr9VpoPVtUhB4MBDMFAwWh2Qtr8LwCyOHngCfZQ1UQFW71bBY1ixcTYKSPNd9mDxLhy9Sp25MyalD4i2ka1I5GrZVpFqA86eQ4RuBjnAG4TbBm6hBhJ/s1600/Samsung-galaxy-note-4-03-tech24h.blogspot.com.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="alt" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp4ErVNEKWcMr7k6hBjCMErMMFlxr9VpoPVtUhB4MBDMFAwWh2Qtr8LwCyOHngCfZQ1UQFW71bBY1ixcTYKSPNd9mDxLhy9Sp25MyalD4i2ka1I5GrZVpFqA86eQ4RuBjnAG4TbBm6hBhJ/s1600/Samsung-galaxy-note-4-03-tech24h.blogspot.com.jpg" title="" /></a></div> <div> <br />T-Mobile users can pre-order the 5.7-inch Galaxy Note 4 today for about $750, or $31 a month for two years. You can choose between black or white and the device will start to ship October 17.</div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRN7zTibu6TLqHscLg5RZHqU_XdLmyzLtmoeHBwo5WQqAegN2ff2RMy_o8j3Skyj0NoNtQWpCf0iccutuRE1aSEt5vmJHYPgZqg30Twol8dmsB1BzJ5YTg_zAYIZvb5QWS5LUQ0_AVgkT3/s1600/Samsung-galaxy-note-4-tech24h.blogspot.com.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="alt" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRN7zTibu6TLqHscLg5RZHqU_XdLmyzLtmoeHBwo5WQqAegN2ff2RMy_o8j3Skyj0NoNtQWpCf0iccutuRE1aSEt5vmJHYPgZqg30Twol8dmsB1BzJ5YTg_zAYIZvb5QWS5LUQ0_AVgkT3/s1600/Samsung-galaxy-note-4-tech24h.blogspot.com.jpg" title="" /></a></div> <div> <br />AT&T is also taking pre-orders for the Note 4, but for significantly more than what T-Mobile is offering. The phone will cost $825 for those off contract, though there are varying tiers for those on AT&T Next plans. The same device with 32GB of onboard storage can be pre-ordered over at Verizon for $700, or $35 a month with Verizon Edge.<br /></div>

AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon can't agree on how much Samsung's Galaxy Note 4 actually costs

AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon can't agree on how much Samsung's Galaxy Note 4 actually costs The iPhone 6 Plus is giving iOS use...

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