Samsung’s new Notes

Samsung unveiled its newest iterations of its “Galaxy Note” line last week – the first of the line to not have a physical headphone jack.

Unveiled during an event held at the Barclays Center in New York, two new Note models were introduced during the event: the 6.3-inch “Galaxy Note 10” and the 6.8-inch “Galaxy Note 10 Plus.”

Both variants of the series’ tout advanced features like support for wireless charging, on-screen fingerprint sensors and increased battery capacities. The bigger “Note 10 Plus” comes with a plus feature in a “DepthVision” camera which can be used as a three-dimensional scanner which can render interactive visuals or can be used as the base for 3D printer ‘printouts’.

The models also come with USB-C headphones out of the box for immersive audio listening experiences, and also features an updated variant of the “S Pen” which comes with advanced hardware components like a gyroscope, accelerometer and improved provisions for Bluetooth connectivity.

The upgraded “S Pen” basically allows for automatic handwritten note conversions to documents and support for an “AR Doodle” mode, apart from setting it as an intuitive remote control.

Apart from unveiling the new “Galaxy Note” models, the brand also presented a new laptop during the event dubbed the “Galaxy Book S”. Powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 8cx chips, the rig features a 13.3-inch touchscreen display and comes with support for the “DeX” platform which basically allows a Note device to behave like a computer when it is connected to a PC. More information on the new products is hosted on Samsung’s official online channels.

LG teases ‘triple screen’ phone

A short 20-second trailer of a phone sporting a ‘triple screen’ convention got techies and tech journalists talking over the weekend.

Produced by LG, the teaser is basically the brand’s trailer for its upcoming press event in this year’s Internationale Funkausstellung (IFA) Berlin trade show in September.

It starts with an animated video game being played on a phone that segues to a second screen being attached to it showing a map to the brand’s press event. It ends in revealing a third screen that shows the date and venue details of the event.

Specifics on the phone featured in the teaser have been sparse, but a number of tech media outfits are convinced that it is likely the “V60 ThinQ” – the presumed successor to the “V50 ThinQ” which comes with support for a second screen accessory.

How spot-on they are will be known on September 6, when details on the device will be announced in this year’s IFA.

Apple’s “Apple Card”

While Samsung and LG were making headways in new product unveilings and hinting on the release of a new type of device, Apple made waves last week in the “preview roll out” out a new digital payment system that holds close ties with iOS-driven devices.

Dubbed “Apple Card,” the app-and-service suite’s “preview roll-out” afforded a number of iPhone owners in the US to sign up for the service, key-in their personal details and have a free titanium card that works with the service sent to them by courier.

At its core, the “Apple Card” is a credit card issued by the US-based Goldman Sachs Group, only made distinct as it links with Apple’s “Wallet” and “Apple Pay” services with extra features like intuitive spending tracking and monitoring functions, apart from touting novel rewards features.

It is still unclear if the card will be made available outside the United States, but last week’s “preview roll-out” is noted to be the initial step to have it broadly available in the US by the end of August. More information on “Apple Card” is hosted on Apple’s official online channels.