Galaxy Z Flip durability test calls Samsung’s Ultra Thin ‘Glass’ into question - The Verge

Samsung’s claim that the new Galaxy Z Flip uses “Ultra Thin Glass” sounded like a true breakthrough when the foldable phone was announced last week. Until now, foldable screens have used plastic displays, which can be easily scratched with even a fingernail. The Z Flip making the switch to glass, however thin it might be, had us hopeful that it would hold up better to long-term use.

But it seems that might not be the case.

Zack Nelson has gotten his hands on Samsung’s second attempt at a foldable phone, and the results of his JerryRigEverything durability test do not inspire confidence.

The Z Flip’s display starts showing permanent marks and scratches far earlier than actual glass would. Part of the tried and true JerryRigEverything test is putting phones through a gauntlet of Mohs hardness picks to test when the display glass starts showing damage. If you’ve watched Zack’s videos before, you’ve likely heard that modern smartphones have “scratches starting at a level 6, with deeper grooves at a level 7.”

The Z Flip starts picking up damage at level 2 and more significantly at 3, which is on par with the plastic screens of the Galaxy Fold and more recent Motorola Razr. “This screen is in no way scratch resistant whatsoever,” Nelson says near the end of the video.

At the unveiling of the Galaxy Z Flip, Samsung was categorical that it was glass. My colleague Dieter Bohn pressed Samsung representatives for more information on who Samsung’s partner is for manufacturing it, how it was made to bend, and what processes were applied to the glass. At the time, Samsung declined to comment on all those questions. But the company offered a response when we asked for comment on this story.

Galaxy Z Flip features an Infinity Flex Display with Samsung’s Ultra Thin Glass (UTG) to deliver a sleek, premium look and offer an immersive viewing experience,” a spokesperson said by email. “Samsung’s first-of-its-kind UTG technology is different from other Galaxy flagship devices. While the display does bend, it should be handled with care. Also, Galaxy Z Flip has a protective layer on top of the UTG similar to Galaxy Fold.

Is Samsung trying to say that we’re only seeing scratches on the outer protective layer? Those look pretty deep and permanent, but it’s possible. This is the layer Samsung is talking about:

We asked Samsung if it planned to offer a screen replacement service for the Z Flip as it did with the Galaxy Fold. It will. Z Flip buyers can get a one-time screen replacement for $119, Samsung says. In addition, you can also get a specialized screen protector designed for the Z Flip for free one time. Here’s the company’s statement on that:

As part of Premier Service, we will offer a one-time free application of a screen protector for the Z Flip at select UBIF [U Break I Fix], Samsung branded locations or by sending it to Samsung Premier Service via mail,” the company added. “The screen protector will be applied by a specialist with the proper equipment to align and apply it. The program is rolling out soon.

Nelson thinks Samsung could be using a hybrid plastic polymer (with microscopic bits of glass mixed in) so it can advertise this display as “glass.” But if it really can be scratched this easily, what seemed like a significant selling point for the $1,380 Galaxy Z Flip is starting to look like overblown marketing.

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2020-02-16 17:15:41Z
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WhatsApp dark mode is nearly here, but what else is coming to the messaging app? - TechRadar

After a long, long wait, WhatsApp dark mode is now available to beta testers on Android and iOS, and hopefully a full global launch won't be far behind. Soon, everyone will be able to catch up with the group chat in comfort when the lights are low, and maybe even save a little battery power in the process.

It's a big step for the messaging app, which now has over two billion active users, but there are lots more changes on the horizon. Here are some of the changes and new features we're expecting to see in the coming months.

Some of these are almost certainly on the way, based on hints found in the app's install files, whereas others are speculation based on comments made by WhatsApp staff at conferences and trade shows. However many of them actually arrive on handsets, it's set to be an interesting few months.

Ads (a few, at least)

Originally, WhatsApp's owner Facebook had intended to start slipping ads into your chats in 2020, but just a few weeks ago it emerged that the team tasked with this job had been disbanded.

In January, The Wall Street Journal reported that Facebook had broken up a team responsible for finding ways to work advertisements into conversations – a move that would have been met with widespread annoyance.

That doesn't mean WhatsApp will remain entirely ad-free, thoughl Facebook is still planning to plug ads into the app's Status feature. This works much like Instagram Stories, with posts that are only visible for a short time, but occupy your whole screen. 

(Image credit: Shutterstock)

If Facebook can't advertise through WhatsApp, it can always earn a crust by taking a cut of goods sold by third-party retailers. In November 2019, the app gained a virtual catalog feature, which lets small retailers display their wares for potential customers to browse. Shoppers can choose what they'd like to buy, then contact the merchant to complete the purchase.

This is a handy feature that can help put small retailers in contact with millions of potential customers, but it's still necessary for them to leave the app to actually hand over their money.

A future update could follow the example of Instagram, letting companies add a 'checkout' option to posts that allows them to make a purchase directly.

(Image credit: Shutterstock)

Self-destructing messages

Self-destructing messages are another feature that's been in the works a long time, and although we originally thought it might appear at the same time as dark mode, there's no evidence of it in beta yet, so we now expect it'll be a little longer.

The idea is that you'll be able to send messages that are deleted automatically after a certain period of time (an hour, a day, a week, a month or a year). This will be a handy privacy feature, allowing you to send potentially sensitive information to your contacts and know that it won't be stored on their phone indefinitely, ready to be discovered if their handset is borrowed or stolen.

(Image credit: Shutterstock)

An in-app browser

Another feature discovered in a WhatsApp beta APK, this is exactly what it sounds like: a web browser that allows you to open links without leaving the messaging app, much like those already used by Twitter and Facebook. It would probably be based on Chrome, and early signs suggest it would warn you if you happen to tap a link to a potentially harmful site.

A handy way to protect you from potential scams shared by malicious parties, or just friends who didn't know better.

Boomerang videos

Another feature that Facebook could copy across from Instagram, boomerang videos would allow you to share short, infinitely looping clips with your contacts. They won't have a profound effect on the way you communicate, but if the reception to Google's recently launched Emoji Kitchen is anything to go by, people love having a new toy that they and their friends can play with.

We'd certainly like to give it a try, and some of Instagram's image-optimizing filters would be a nice addition to WhatsApp as well. Maybe later...

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2020-02-16 16:00:00Z
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Galaxy Z Flip review: 24 hours with Samsung's new foldable phone - USA TODAY

Edward C. Baig USA TODAY

Published 7:13 AM EST Feb 16, 2020

Samsung’s Z Flip smartphone is the first folding phone to flip over. Harsh critics like my wife and teen kids think it’s really cool.

I agree, with reservations.

My son was particularly blown away by one Z Flip stunt: Prop it up on a table at a 90-degree angle, raise your palm, and pose for the hands-free selfie.

And yet you still have to ask yourself if the Z Flip is worth the lofty $1,380 price tag, especially when you weigh it against more traditional handsets occupying the high rent district, including iPhone 11 Pro’s or Samsung’s own new Galaxy S20 Ultra?

It’s a question I’ve been wrestling with over the weekend and not one with an immediate answer.

Snap judging Z Flip

Samsung lent me a Z Flip for all of 24 hours, enough time to develop a mostly positive first impression but way too short for a comprehensive review. You can’t evaluate the battery, much less get any kind of reading on the durability of this thing. 

Speaking of which, Samsung claims you can fold the phone some 200,000 times before reaching a breaking point, same as the $1,980 Galaxy Fold that was Samsung’s first foldable phone, which remains in the lineup. You can’t help recalling the saga of the Fold; how damage uncovered by reviewers sent Samsung back to the drawing board last spring, delaying the launch by months.

The Z Flip sure has a sturdier feel than the plasticky Galaxy Fold – this latest device uses foldable glass. That said, just as with the Fold, Samsung is preaching user caution.

One of the first things you see when you open the box is a card with various warnings: Avoid pressing too hard on the screen or front camera lens, make sure when you fold the phone there’s nothing inside that could damage the screen, and so on. And Samsung reminds you that this new device isn’t water or dust resistant.

Still, the Z Flip makes use of a hideaway hinge and a system that uses nylon fibers to sweep away dust and debris. Samsung appears to have learned from its mistakes.

Samsung's $1,400 smartphones: What's up with the new sky-high pricing?

Samsung Galaxy S20: How the new phones stack up

Z Flip’s purpose?

Whatever you think of the Galaxy Fold, it is a singular device with a dual purpose: As you fold and unfold it, it morphs between smartphone and small tablet.

Z Flip, on the other hand, is all Android smartphone and in many respects a really nice one. You are paying handsomely for the innovative folding glass form factor – a true 2020's version of a flip phone, a market Motorola is also after with its recently hatched  $1,499.99 Moto Razr.

Samsung’s new device folds to roughly half its side into a slightly chunky, tad heavy, wallet-shaped rectangle. It’s still considerably thinner than my George Costanza-sized physical wallet and compact enough to get momentarily lost in a jeans pocket or bag. 

Using the Z Flip when folded

Functionality is limited when the phone is folded. You can make and receive calls or take selfies, using a miniature external viewfinder as your guide; a swipe lets you switch from wide-angle to ultra-wide. This 1.1-inch display is big enough to reveal the time, date, battery status, music controls or a slice from an incoming notification. If you tap the notification on the cover display and unfold the phone, you can resume the conversation through your texting app.

The crease on the Z Flip

You need two hands to unfold Z Flip, which is way more often than not, how you're going to use the phone.

You open to a 6.7-inch Full HD+ Infinity Flex Display bordered by narrow bezels. In this position, Z Flip is a bit longer than Apple’s largest iPhone the 11 Pro Max and you might mistake it for any other candy-bar shaped Android handset.

That is until, maybe, you notice the "crease" where the phone actually folds. I found it was more visible from certain angles when I shot pictures in broad daylight, but I otherwise didn't see the crease as a major blemish or distraction, even when I watched video. My guess is that most people will get used to it rather quickly.

Z Flip's top and bottom display 

Things get really interesting when you lift up the top of the phone and bend the screen to any angle, locking it in position as with a laptop. Propped up in this free stop pose, the device enters Flex mode, which splits the screen vertically into a top and bottom display. By contrast, the Fold, which opens horizontally, was either open or shut all the way.

On select apps, including the Camera, Gallery, and Google Duo, you can view content on the top display that you’re controlling from the bottom screen. 

I made began a Duo video call with my editor in this mode. Not having to pick up and fidget with the phone made the conversation seem less awkward. Call quality was good.

You can also exploit the two screens to multitask or use two apps at the same time. For example, I watched YouTube on the top display while texting on the bottom. You can choose apps for the respective top and bottom screens by swiping the edge of the phone and choosing them off the tray that appears.

Z Flip camera

I didn’t take a ton of pictures, but for the most part what I shot looked fine.

I certainly appreciated the hands-free selfie feature that wowed my son and ought to please video bloggers who can merely place Z Flip on a flat surface without fretting about the shakes or fussing with a tripod.

(Samsung is trying to make the case this is a prized device for fashionistas and influencers; why else push a limited edition $2,480 Thom Browne Z Flip package in association with the fashion designer.)

You can angle the top half of the phone to get yourself and everyone in the frame and then tap the shutter to take the picture or manually set the timer. 

It was far simpler and more fun, however, to shoot hands-free, either by saying “cheese” out loud, or momentarily raising my palm in front the screen, which in turn launches a timer countdown.

Inside the phone’s settings, you can select whether the camera can automatically switch to wide-angle when two or more people are detected in a frame.

I especially like the Single Take feature that is also coming the new Galaxy S20s. 

When you select this option and tap the shutter, the Z Flip captures two to four videos and up 10 photos during an interval that lasts up to 10 seconds. You’re encouraged to move around and shoot from different perspectives during these 10 seconds. What the camera shot lands in the Gallery app, with Samsung highlighting the best shot. You have the option to keep any or all of the pictures the phone captured, or for that matter, none at all – I shot my share of duds.

As with other premium smartphones, Z Flip offers a night mode option for shooting in low light without a flash as well as the Live Focus feature that is about artistically blurring the background to keep your main subject in focus.

What Z Flip is missing

Z Flip is not a 5G-ready phone as is Samsung's other new phones, the S20s.

Z Flip also lacks the microSD slot that’s on the S20s meaning you cannot bolster the 256GB of internal storage. The phone does come with 8GB of RAM and a robust (but not the latest) Qualcomm processor.

There's only a mono speaker, not stereo. And the Z Flip doesn’t have a standard headphone jack, sadly now the industry norm.

The phone, available in the U.S. in mirror black or mirror purple, can be unlocked via a fingerprint sensor or by recognizing your face – both worked fine.

Out of the gate, you can get it from AT&T or Sprint but not T-Mobile or Verizon, though you can also purchase an unlocked version that should work with those carriers.

Z Flip isn’t a perfect phone, especially for the money. But I admire that Samsung continues to bend the rules of how a smartphone looks and functions. It seems the foldable form factor has a future.

Email: ebaig@usatoday.com; Follow @edbaig on Twitter

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2020-02-16 12:13:36Z
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Strava now syncs workout data from your Apple Watch - Engadget

Strava

If you use Strava to track your workouts on an iPhone, you've probably wondered why you couldn't sync your Apple Health data with it. While there is a Strava app for the Apple Watch, there's not as much of an incentive to get the wearable if it your data stays isolated. That might not be an issue from now on -- Strava has added Apple Health syncing to its iOS app, letting it pull in activity data from the past 30 days. You can pick the workouts you want to share, title them and add photos to boast about your achievements.

It's a two-way connection as well. You can automatically send any Strava activities to Health, so you don't have to worry if you leave your Apple Watch at home.

This won't do much to sway people who are perfectly happy tracking workouts in Apple's Activity app or a rival like Fitbit. It might, however, give you a reason to stick with Strava or use it more frequently than you have before.

Source: Strava (1), (2)

In this article: app, apple health, apple watch, fitness, gear, health, ios, iphone, mobile, strava, wearables, workout

All products recommended by Engadget are selected by our editorial team, independent of our parent company. Some of our stories include affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

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2020-02-16 04:50:13Z
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Strava now syncs workout data from your Apple Watch - Engadget

Strava

If you use Strava to track your workouts on an iPhone, you've probably wondered why you couldn't sync your Apple Health data with it. While there is a Strava app for the Apple Watch, there's not as much of an incentive to get the wearable if it your data stays isolated. That might not be an issue from now on -- Strava has added Apple Health syncing to its iOS app, letting it pull in activity data from the past 30 days. You can pick the workouts you want to share, title them and add photos to boast about your achievements.

It's a two-way connection as well. You can automatically send any Strava activities to Health, so you don't have to worry if you leave your Apple Watch at home.

This won't do much to sway people who are perfectly happy tracking workouts in Apple's Activity app or a rival like Fitbit. It might, however, give you a reason to stick with Strava or use it more frequently than you have before.

Source: Strava (1), (2)

In this article: app, apple health, apple watch, fitness, gear, health, ios, iphone, mobile, strava, wearables, workout

All products recommended by Engadget are selected by our editorial team, independent of our parent company. Some of our stories include affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

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2020-02-16 04:22:02Z
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Nvidia: GeForce Now lost Activision games over ‘misunderstanding’ - Polygon

Nvidia says its GeForce Now service lost its library of 20 Activision and Blizzard games because of a “misunderstanding” over permission to continue offering them once the cloud gaming service left its beta period.

Nvidia didn’t describe exactly what the misunderstanding was in a statement yesterday, but did say it hoped to bring back Activision Blizzard games in the future. The full statement:

Activision Blizzard has been a fantastic partner during the GeForce Now beta, which we took to include the free trial period for our founders’ membership. Recognizing the misunderstanding, we removed their games from our service, with hope we can work with them to re-enable these, and more, in the future.”

Bloomberg reported that Activision Blizzard wanted to negotiate a new commercial agreement for its games when GeForce came out of its beta period. Nvidia, according to Bloomberg, doesn’t want that kind of arrangement for GeForce Now. Its players may only stream games they already own from marketplaces like Steam, uPlay, Epic Games Store, and Battle.net.

GeForce Now had also removed games from publishers such as Rockstar Games, Square Enix and Capcom before the service went to premium pricing. The Verge noted Friday night that GeForce Now’s boss said publishers “are taking a while to make up their minds” about participating according to Nvidia’s no-commercial-agreements model, which doesn’t give them any extra money.

Furthermore, the disappearance of Activision Blizzard games from GeForce Now does not have anything to do with the exclusive streaming agreement the publisher and Google signed in January. In its quarterly conference call with investors on Feb. 6, the publisher said Stadia is not a part of that arrangement. That pact dedicates the publisher’s esports events to YouTube and specifies Google Cloud as the “preferred provider” of network infrastructure.

What this really means to a PC gamer considering GeForce Now is that they’re paying a premium for streaming access to games they already own — and yet they may lose that access at any time. GeForce Now offers free one-hour trial sessions to anyone, and a “Founders” membership that is free for the first 90 days, then $4.99 a month for the following nine months.

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2020-02-15 15:50:11Z
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Presidents’ Day deals: Amazon Echo Buds, PS4 Pro, and more - The Verge

Presidents’ Day is a US holiday that takes place on Monday, February 17th, this year. And like most US holidays, it has been co-opted by retailers as a shopping holiday. We’ve been tallying up the best deals on a variety of tech products in the lead-up to Presidents’ Day; you’ll find them below. Most will last through the holiday, and in some cases, will extend past Monday.

Compared to the lead-up to the Super Bowl in late January, there isn’t an abundance of deals happening on 4K HDR TVs. Also, there aren’t many price cuts on smart speakers or streaming devices. Still, I think the deals below make up for their absence.

Let’s start with headphones

The best headphone deals over Presidents’ Day weekend range from truly wireless earphones from Amazon to over-ear noise-canceling headphones from Beats and Bose. Each is going for the lowest price that they’ve sold for.

Laptops and tablets

We’ve found deals on a mix of laptops with the latest 10th Gen Intel Core i-series processors, and deals on Microsoft’s Surface tablet that include a free Type Cover with purchase.

Keyboards

Whether you’re looking for a keyboard that turns your iPad into a laptop replacement, or you’ve been waiting for a deal on a clicky mechanical keyboard, there’s something for you below.

Gaming

Right now, you can pick up the latest gaming consoles for the lowest prices that we’ve seen yet. If you’ve been waiting for the moment to pick up a PS4 to catch up on the exclusives, or an Xbox One to load up on digital games via Game Pass, now is a good time to do that.

Smart home

Technology can make an older house feel modern. Video doorbells help you see who’s waiting outside whether you’re home or not, while smart home security systems can give you peace of mind without costing an arm and a leg. Here are a few great Presidents’ Day deals.

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2020-02-15 15:00:00Z
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