Front camera for samsung galaxy s2 i9100. Compare cameras: Galaxy S2 vs Galaxy S3. Location of elements and their description

Contents of delivery:

• Telephone
• Li-Ion 1650 mAh battery
• Wired stereo headset
• USB cable
• Charger

Attention. Unlike preliminary review, here you read the review of the final sample, as a result, you can evaluate all aspects of the phone without any discounts. Some parts are repeated with the first material, some are greatly supplemented and expanded. This is the final review.

Positioning

Galaxy success S no one undertook to predict, and for such a product, he achieved phenomenal sales. The model is an unconditional bestseller, it set the bar for the Android phone market, but also caused problems within Samsung. No one counted on a resounding success, as a result, no one could predict that the demand for phones would skyrocket. The company was let down by the lack of SuperAMOLED screens, their shortage did not allow to achieve large sales, the demand for the model is high, but it is not available in many markets in sufficient quantities. As one of the measures, Samsung has launched a cheaper variant of the Galaxy S, the i9003, which uses a SuperClear TFT display. It loses to SuperAMOLED in all respects, but at the same time remains one of the best screens on the market. At the same time, the cost of the i9003 with the minimum memory capacity is 100-120 euros less than the original Galaxy S, the price difference will grow even more over time. It's not a bad proposition that will exploit the popularity of the original Galaxy S.

After the announcements at CES, when NVIDIA showed the first solutions based on Tegra2, in particular, LG Optimus 2x, Motorola Atrix 4G, Motorola DROID Bionic, a natural question arose: how can Samsung answer these devices? It seemed that dual-core processors are becoming a necessity in flagship solutions, a good marketing ploy, even if there is no practical need for them yet, since there is no corresponding software, games, and the speed gain in ordinary applications is not so great. But at CES, Samsung did not say a single word about such plans. The reason is that the company wanted to close the gap between the product announcement and its appearance on the market as much as possible. So that potential buyers can get this solution at the same time as competitors.

Is Samsung counting on the success of its updated flagship? Definitely yes, and there are simply no prerequisites to believe that it will not be successful. Building on the sales of the previous device, this model will make the market for itself. It has several unique features that competitors do not yet have. The first is the screen technology race. The new term SuperAMOLED +, an improved version of the previous display, which did not have time to become obsolete, and competitors simply do not have an analogue. Why such a race of technologies is needed, I have no idea, but the screen is becoming a visible advantage of the flagships from Samsung. One of the strengths. I like the quality of the Galaxy S's screen, but it's not as sharp as the iPhone 4, not as crisp, and the fonts are a little blurry. In the new SuperAmoled + variant, the sharpness has been increased, not yet by the iPhone, but already not by the Galaxy S.

The second feature is not yet applicable in practice in most situations, but it provides a huge reserve for the future, it is a dual-core processor. For technology fans, such a processor has an undoubted advantage; its presence gives the phone an extra shine. But for practical people this is not the case. The presence of such a processor does not have an undoubted and quick benefit. Another thing is that over time, more and more programs will appear for such solutions, then this phone will show its capabilities.

In terms of technology, the first Galaxy S set a very high bar, it was not a showcase of technology for its sake, but a demonstration of how to tie everything together. the latest technology into one attractive product. The S II went even further, this is the first phone that supports Wi-Fi Direct, does not need special software to work with any computer and synchronize data, the phone can send files via Wi-Fi, has a number of additional programs that are not familiar to other Android phones, but which will soon become standard. I can list the technologies used for quite a long time (NFC, MHL, and so on), there are an impressive number of them here. Without any discounts, Samsung created a flagship and did it without wasting money. Unfortunately, there is not a single device on the market that is similar in characteristics and overall capabilities. The devices based on NVIDIA Tegra 2 came close to the Galaxy S II, but they, as a rule, have a much worse camera, a larger size, and noticeably worse displays. Surprisingly, Samsung has created a flagship with an excellent price / quality ratio for its segment. A year will pass, and the functionally the device will remain at the level of the best solutions, it will not be greatly overshadowed by other models, although more interesting solutions from different companies. This product is positioned as a flagship for a long time, that is, a model that is bought in order not to change the phone for a long time. The life span of this device will be maximized for most markets and consumers.

It is also worth noting the HTC Sensation model, which is technically very similar to the Galaxy II (dual-core processor, 1.2 GHz, but worse camera, less built-in memory, simpler screen). This model wins by the presence of the Sense 3.0 shell, but at a similar cost, Samsung has a technological advantage. In any case, both models look extremely attractive, and choosing between them will be quite difficult.

The positioning of the phone as a flagship defines the portrait of its consumer, these are primarily those who buy the latest and best solutions... Of course, this device also belongs to them. The second and notable category is tech enthusiasts (geeks). Those who care about how powerful their phone is. For them, this model offers a win-win option, because other phones have nothing comparable in terms of technology. For practical buyers, this is an interesting model, since for a long time you can be sure that it remains relevant and does not require replacement.

Design, dimensions, controls

Here I heard many different opinions. Someone judged by the picture and said that the model looks exactly the same as the previous device, someone from the previous Galaxy owners complained that the device has become wider, and it is not very convenient. Some were just waiting for a different kind. Samsung considered the design of the first Galaxy S to be successful, and sales confirm this. And we decided not to change anything. In some ways, this approach is rational.

At the same time, due to the fact that the area of ​​the device has become larger, it has been made thinner. An impressive 8.5 mm (the press release says it is 8.49 mm, but we will not calculate it with such accuracy?), Make this device one of the thinnest on the market. Sony Ericsson Arc immediately comes to mind, its thickness is 8.7 mm, which also looks thin, due to this the device is perceived quite differently and makes an impression. A forgotten trend that was in phones 4 years ago has been revived again for the smartphone segment. Remember the Ultra line of phones from Samsung, and before that there was a device with a body thickness of 9 mm, and this was perceived as a breakthrough. Everything new is well forgotten old.

Comparison with Sony Ericsson Arc:

By the way, Samsung Galaxy S II somewhat reminded me of Sony Ericsson Arc, and in terms of proportions, it is possible that the size and diagonal of the screen imprint, it is similar in both models. The Arc is 4.2 inches, while the Samsung 4.27 is not a huge difference. But Samsung's screen is orders of magnitude better and more interesting. Galaxy S II uses DNIe + technology (that's where the plus sign in the screen name comes from). This is a processor that processes any graphics, for example, photos, pictures, videos, and makes it better for perception on the phone screen. A similar technology is used in all Samsung TVs. Curiously, something similar under the name BraviaEngine is used in Sony Ericsson Arc. These technologies are not used in the interface, that is, they are not responsible for drawing the menu.

The phone measures 125.3 x 66.1 x 8.5 mm (Galaxy S has 122.4x64.2x9.9 mm) and weighs 116 grams. To my taste, the device is a bit wide, some may think it is a disadvantage. But you adapt to it quickly, there is no discomfort. It's nice that the device is invisible in your pocket, it looks good in a shirt as well.

Comparison with Samsung Galaxy S:

The answer to why the back cover is made of plastic and not metal can be found pretty quickly. With active use of the phone, when you watch videos, download large files, transfer them, it starts to get very hot. If the back cover were metal, then it would be impossible to touch the device, it would burn. The honeycomb structure of plastic was invented for a reason, it is a kind of passive radiator. But even with it, the phone sometimes heats up, does not burn, but you feel the heat. Warmest areas around the camera.

The cover is very thin and when you snap it you need to run your finger around the perimeter to make sure it fits snugly. Sometimes you don't close the lid completely, and this creates certain inconveniences. If the cover falls off, it is knocked out by the battery. My phone flew several times, but the cover did not receive any damage. Despite the thinness of the plastic, it is resistant to both shocks and bends.

The phone has a 2 megapixel front-camera, proximity sensor, and lighting. The central key is mechanical, but the menu and return buttons are touch-sensitive. On the left side there is a paired volume control key, on the right side there is an on / off button. It was not possible to find the camera key, it, as before, is not there, and the camera will have to be called from the menu.

At the top, there is a 3.5 mm headphone jack, the microUSB connector has been moved down. On the back, you can see the lens of an 8-megapixel camera, plus an LED flash, and a speaker at the bottom.

For several weeks my main phone was exactly the Galaxy II, so it went through fire, water, and copper pipes. The body does not wear out anywhere, except for the rear protrusion, a slight abrasion appears here, it will intensify over time. It is clearly visible only in the light and at the correct angle. The second point is the back cover. In my pocket, it rubbed against the lining, unevenly, there were separate rubbed areas. But I will say again, they are visible upon a very careful examination of the phone, in fact it is difficult to find them. In total, everything is expected, the plastic case has both its advantages (weight, practicality) and disadvantages.

To be honest, I don’t share the opinion of many people that the phone case must necessarily be metal, especially if it is a flagship model. It can be made of plastic, glass and other materials. The question is how the material behaves over time, ages or not, wipes off or not. For example, the glass used in the Apple iPhone 4 is relatively fragile; if you drop the device on the asphalt, it can be broken. Does this stop someone from buying a device? I think no. This is one of its features. The model turned out to be very light in weight, but at the same time wide, and this is captivating. Constantly using HTC Incredible S and Galaxy II, I caught myself thinking that Galaxy is more convenient for me. The reason is the weight and thickness of the case.

Display

Those who argue that SuperAMOLED Plus is just a marketing ploy should take a look at how different the picture is compared to regular SuperAMOLED. It is brighter, sharper with the increased diagonal of the screen, but the main thing is that the screen consumes less energy. A power saving option has appeared in the settings, when the power consumption is adjusted depending on the picture that is displayed in this moment(used by DNIe +). This technology is also used in all Samsung TVs, a special processor analyzes the information and then improves the picture, making it more beautiful for us. Side effect the fact that the phone can now analyze how energy is spent. Wallpaper selection also takes into account the fact that AMOLED screens use energy in different ways, depending on the color. A similar technology is used by Sony Ericsson, it is called Bravia Engine, but the gain on TFT screens is not so noticeable, rather there is a technology only for visual improvement of the displayed picture.

Let's go back to screen technology. The first SuperAMOLED matrices used PenTile technology, when one point on the screen is formed from two subpixels. Surprisingly, this caused quite heated discussions in many forums, in which it was argued that the effective resolution of any screen with PenTile technology is lower than the stated one by at least a third. Quite a bold and stupid statement, since the number of dots did not differ in any way from any screen, and if the manufacturer was talking about a matrix of 800x480 dots, then there were exactly that number of them on the screen. No more, no less.

Another thing is that in some aspects, a smaller number of subpixels gave visible distortions on the screen, which, coupled with high definition, annoyed individual users. For example, for the first generation SuperAMOLED, the fonts had a sharply outlined outline with a ladder, in fact, this is the only visible difference from most screens that arises from the use of PenTile technology. It is enough to look at the icon captions in the main screen and see this effect on the same Galaxy S. Comparison with the second Galaxy will show that there is nothing of the kind there.

The explanation lies in the Real RGB Stripe technology used in SuperAMOLED Plus matrices. Now a separate point on the screen is formed not by two, but by three sub-points. The picture from Samsung Displays shows the difference, the increased number of dots makes the picture smoother, including fonts, there are no sharply defined outlines that could be annoying. I honestly admit that until they began to discuss this topic, to procrastinate it, I did not even pay attention to the fonts. But then, of course, I saw this sharpness, although it had no effect on my perception of the previous Galaxy.

In the sun, the screen behaves worse than in the first Galaxy, the explanation is that the size of the matrix has increased, but the resolution remains the same, plus the technology has changed. The picture is readable at right angles or in a not very bright sun. But otherwise everything is exactly the same as on other types of screens, there is no advantage that was in the first SuperAMOLED.

At the moment, SuperAMOLED Plus technology does not allow creating screens with a pixel density of more than 200 ppi, the iPhone has a matrix with more than 300 ppi. Samsung will change the matrix manufacturing technology in order to get more than 300 ppi in 2011.

For my taste, the picture on SuperAMOLED Plus looks smoother, the brightness control is well matched. But the main point is connected with the fact that the user can choose the saturation of the picture (Movie, Standard, Dynamic). In fact, this is a setting that allows you to set the color temperature of the screen, change the saturation of colors. Some people like bright colors - keep the default. Someone likes not so bright colors - choose the Movie mode.

The diagonal of the screen is 4.3 inches (in the previous model it is 4 inches, but the difference is huge, striking), the resolution is 800x480 pixels (displays 16 million colors). In practical terms, the display is extremely convenient, there is an automatic adjustment of the brightness of the image depending on the lighting. Protective glass hardened, coated with a special anti-reflective material. Also, the screen has an oleophobic coating, which in theory means that it does not get dirty with your hands. A similar coating is used in the Apple iPhone. The users of this device know that prints still remain, just a little less of them. The story is exactly the same here. There are greasy marks, but they are not so striking.

Samsung's devices also use VibeZ technology - when you press the keys, the body vibrates, which confirms your action.

The screen fits up to 16 lines of text and up to three service lines. In the mode of reading messages, this can be up to 24 lines, depending on the selected font. For the screen in the settings, you can choose the size and style of the font, but they are not very different. Another thing is that, unlike many models, the screen font is huge here, it can be read without difficulty from any distance. This is a plus of the apparatus.

Comparison of the screen with Galaxy S (maximum brightness, the same pictures).

Comparison of the screen with Sony Ericsson Arc (maximum brightness, the same pictures).

Battery

The phone uses a 1650 mAh Li-Ion battery. According to the manufacturer, the battery is capable of providing up to 6.5 hours of talk time and up to 350 hours of standby time. In the conditions of Moscow networks, the device works on average for about one day. Fully charging the battery takes about 3 hours.

Playback of unconverted video is possible for about 8.5 hours. Music playback - up to 30 hours.

Perhaps, checking the operating time of the device was the most difficult and voluminous test for me. The number of settings related to power consumption is huge, and you can customize the phone for yourself, and besides, save time. For each person, this device will be able to show its results, it is very individual and depends on hundreds of settings (screen brightness, number of programs in memory, and so on). Therefore, I decided to carry out comparative tests with the first Galaxy. SIM-cards of the same operator were installed on two phones, PUSH-mail was set up, the same applications, programs and so on were also used. In fact, I even tried to call from the same places and talk for the same amount of time. The result turned out to be quite unusual - the time Galaxy work II increased from 1.5 to 2 times. In my case, the first Galaxy, starting to work at 9 am, was already completely discharged by lunchtime (yes, I'm not a very ordinary user, for many it works longer), but Galaxy II worked for a long time.

I will briefly tell you about the settings that are present in the phone and can do a good job in saving energy. Firstly, you should go to the Wi-Fi section and in the advanced settings, establish a connection only when the screen is active. This will save a little energy, especially if you do not use any IM-messengers and want to see information the moment you pick up your phone. Secondly, it is worth considering whether you need PUSH in mail, if you receive a dozen letters per hour, this function greatly affects the operating time. You can set the interval to 15, 30 minutes, or even an hour. This gives a noticeable increase in operating time.

In the screen settings, I recommend setting automatic adjustment brightness, but also add an analysis of the picture on the screen (a separate item, not available for all competing products). This item allows the phone to choose the brightness depending on the applications used, everything works quite well. Regardless of whether this item is selected or not, the temperature sensor works in the phone. If you are in the sun and at the same time play some kind of toy, in parallel swing large file, the screen brightness will automatically decrease to prevent overheating of the device. Until this moment, I have not seen such functionality.

The Power Save Mode section allows you to install an assistant that will turn on the power saving mode when the battery is discharged to a certain level. In doing so, you can specify how exactly the phone will save energy. Enough good setting as it flexibly allows you to set your priorities. When the battery reaches 15 percent, the camera stops working. The phone is focused on the fact that you can call until the last moment. It's nice that at 15 percent the device lives for 1.5-2 hours, you can talk for up to 15-20 minutes.

Surprisingly enough, the Galaxy SII lasts longer than the first Galaxy. And this does not affect slightly bigger battery and the technology platform itself, the Exynos processor, turned out to be very economical. In terms of technology, this is an extremely complex phone, in which many settings have been applied, with the help of which real energy savings are possible without deteriorating the user characteristics of the device. I will hint that by studying the phone and its capabilities in detail, you can save up to 50 percent of the operating time, which is just great. Other devices do not provide such tuning possibilities even close. And if you also have straight arms, you know how to dig into the insides of the apparatus, then even more. In short, among the flagships of the latest generation, it is the Samsung Galaxy SII that has one of the longest-lasting batteries.

Below are screenshots of the built-in Android utility that shows runtime and power consumption.

USB, Bluetooth, NFC, communication capabilities

Bluetooth. Bluetooth version 3.0, also called High Speed. When transferring files to other devices that support this technology, Wi-Fi 802.11 n is used, and the theoretical transfer speed is about 24 Mbps. Testing the transfer of a 1 GB file showed a maximum speed of about 12 Mbps within three meters between devices.

The model supports various profiles, in particular, Headset, Handsfree, Serial Port, Dial Up Networking, File Transfer, Object Push, Basic Printing, SIM Access, A2DP. Working with headsets does not raise any questions, everything is commonplace.

USB connection... In the menu, you can select one of three possible operating modes: Media Player, Mass Storage, Samsung Kies. The device is easy to use as a modem by turning on Wi-Fi Hotspot or by activating a similar function for USB.

V USB mode Mass Storage the device is perfectly picked up without additional drivers, you can copy the necessary data. The USB version is 2, the data transfer rate is about 25 Mb / s.

When connected to a PC, the simultaneous operation of USB and Bluetooth is unacceptable, the device requires turning off Bluetooth regardless of the current state (whether there is a connection and transmission or not), this is extremely inconvenient. When connected via USB, the device recharges.

The USB on the Go function is supported, which means that using a special adapter, you can connect any flash drives or external hard drives to the microUSB connector, in this case, you will get the ability to view files, copy them, and so on in the file manager.

The microUSB connector also supports the MHL standard, which means that using a special cable (available from electronics stores), you can connect your phone to a TV (to HDMI output). In fact, the standard describes the ability to connect via microUSB to HDMI. This solution looks preferable to a separate miniHDMI connector on the case.

For GSM networks, EDGE class 12 is provided.

Wi-Fi... The standard 802.11 a / b / g / n is supported, the wizard is similar to that for Bluetooth. You can remember the selected networks, automatically connect to them. It is possible to set up a one-touch connection to the router, for this you need to press a button on the router, and also activate a similar button in the device menu (WPA SecureEasySetup).

Wi-Fi Direct... A new protocol that aims to replace Bluetooth or compete with its third version (it also uses Wi-Fi version n for transmission large files). In the Wi-Fi settings menu, select the Wi-Fi Direct section, the phone starts looking for devices around. We choose desired device, activate the connection on it, and voila. Now, in the file manager, you can view files on another device, as well as transfer them. Another option is to simply find the devices connected to your router and transfer to them required files, this can be done from the gallery or other sections of the phone. The main thing is that the device supports Wi-Fi Direct.

NFC (Near Field Communication)... The phone has a built-in NFC technology, with its help, in some countries, they create payment systems when you can pay for a purchase with your phone in a parking lot or at a kiosk. Such systems will evolve, and Samsung has incorporated these capabilities into the device to make it the most advanced. For some countries, this option will not be available in the menu (Russia is one of them, at the same time, NFC is physically present).

Kies via Wi-Fi... The first company to offer working with a phone without having to download any software to a computer was Motorola. You connected to a PC using Wi-Fi, in the browser you could view individual sections of the phone. Samsung went a little further and gave access to all sections of the phone. Enter in the browser the address that the phone provides you, and you can work with all your data, upload them to your PC. Convenient and simple. No special programs, you can write SMS from your computer, read them, and so on.

Motion control

Individual functions can be controlled using movements. In most cases, these movements are contrived. For example, in the gallery you can touch the picture with two fingers and, by tilting the device, zoom in or out on the image. It is not always possible to adjust the rate of change of the picture; it is easier to zoom it with your hands. The only convenient function is unlocking, touch the screen and shake the phone, the lock is removed. There are good tutorials on the menu showing how to work with movements, but to save energy it is better to turn them off.

Memory, memory cards

The phone has 16 GB of internal memory (a version with 32 GB is planned), initially about 14 GB is available to the user. The memory card is visible separately, it is possible to display all folders (both from the memory card and internal). There is file manager, which allows you to copy files both from the card and to it. Memory cards are not hot swappable. We tested microSD cards up to 32GB, everything works.

Volume random access memory equals 1 GB, after downloading about 800 MB free. This is enough for all applications, the phone is one of the best on the market in terms of RAM.

Performance

This is the first dual-core phone from Samsung, and is used internally by the Orion processor, which was recently renamed the Exynos 4210. Compared to prototypes, the processor has been changed - it is also dual-core, but the maximum frequency is 1.2 GHz.

Is this solution comparable to NVIDIA Tegra2, which I was able to test in Motorola ATRIX 4G, as well as LG Optimus 2x. Both were my primary phones for several weeks. I can only evaluate the performance from the user's point of view, since there are simply no programs that use all the capabilities of such an architecture today. Samsung's solution is as fast as Motorola's or LG's. They are perceived at the same level. My impression is extremely positive, this is one of the most fast telephones on the market. In a number of situations, the Samsung phone even looks faster, it seems that a lot of work has been done on its optimization.

So here are the results in synthetic Quadrant test, the usual Galaxy SII firmware shows about 3000 points, while the competitors are lagging behind by a significant margin. I want to emphasize that these measurements are speculative in nature, they do not affect the real performance of the device, which depends not only on the processor, but also on the memory, as well as on how the programs are optimized and how stable they are in operation.

In Smartbench 2011 (optimized for dual-core processors), the results are just as impressive. At the time of testing, this is the only product that showed the maximum result, as you can see for yourself in the screenshot. Below are the results of the overclocked LG Optimus 2x, but this is not a very honest comparison, since you can raise the frequency on Oxynos to much higher rates (1.8 GHz, to be precise). In the absence of commercial samples of HTC Sensation, it is unfair to compare the performance of these two devices, while Sensation loses in performance in tests. In our Sensation review, we compare the processors and system performance with the Galaxy SII.

Camera

The model received a new 8-megapixel camera module from Samsung, which is one of the best on the market. However, let's compare it with that of Sony Ericsson Arc.

Sony has created the EXMOR matrix, which is used in the company's flagship - Sony Ericsson Arc. Countless advertising, marketing materials show the superiority of this matrix in low light conditions, and marketing has hammered into people's heads that it is perfect solution... Or close to that. Unfortunately, Sony is not the leader in photo solutions for phones, moreover, the products of this company are secondary in relation to what Samsung is doing. This can be seen on simple examples comparative pictures.

So, we look at a photo of chrysanthemums without any lighting. The pictures look the same. Hereinafter, pictures from the Galaxy SII are located on the left.

Let's take off the pencils on the table by the window. Side light, illumination is clearly insufficient. Both cameras coped with the work in about the same way, I would not single out a leader.

The laughing Buddha in my office turned out great on Galaxy, but for some reason Arc raised the ISO to 400 (250 on Galaxy), and at the same time darkened the picture. It also turned out to be not very sharp.

With the flash, the Arc is even worse, the device just shoots as it should. See for yourself. I tried to take pictures several times, but all the time I got this result.

But in this picture (a rare case!) You can even say that Arc shot a little better. Little bit.

In daylight, bright lighting, the cameras parity, although not all Arc scenes work out well. But let me remind you that these are almost ideal conditions, and all cameras work well in them.

Well, a couple more pictures:

Hope this little comparison shows that Sony's EXMOR is pure marketing, nothing more. A regular, untitled camera from Samsung puts EXMOR on both paddles and gives the best quality pictures in all conditions. I think that's enough to stop talking about Sony Ericsson's marketing bullshit about superior camera quality once and for all (and yes, the iPhone will use a Sony solution that won't be available on SE phones due to its high cost).

There's a small but major change to the camera interface on the Galaxy SII. Now the interface can be both horizontal and vertical, it all depends on how you hold the device.

All settings are shown on a translucent background, which is also pleasing. I will briefly list the main settings.

The zoom is digital, 4x, you just need to swipe the screen with two fingers to activate it. Very convenient implementation (pinch to zoom). The quality of the zoom can be estimated from the following photos, it is not impressive.

Flash mode - automatic, always on, off.

Shooting mode - One shot (default), Beauty (filter that hides blemishes), Smile Shot (find and respond to a smile), Panorama, Action Shot (pictures of moving people or objects), Cartoon (filter that turns a picture into something similar to the sketch).

Scene Mode - Portrait, Landscape, Night, Sports, Party / Indoor, Beach / Snow, Sunset, Dawn, Fall color, Firework, Text, Candelight, Backlight.

The shutter speed is adjustable from -2 to +2.

Focusing - autofocus, face, macro.

Timer for 2, 5 and 10 seconds.

Effects - negative, black and white, sepia.

Resolution - 8M (3264x2448), 6.5W (3264x1968), 7M (3072x2304), 5.7W (3072x1856) and lower resolutions.

White Balance - Day, Cloudy, Incandescent, Fluorescent.

ISO - auto, 100, 200, 400, 800.

It is also worth noting metering by point or matrix, automatic contrast, image stabilization, the ability to set a GPS tag.

Examples of photos can be found below:

Video... To the already used resolution of 1280x720, 1920x1080 pixels (1080p) have been added. At the same time, the file properties indicate up to 30 frames per second, but the picture looks a little jerky if you walk or drive. Constant autofocus is supported, while in difficult conditions the camera is not always able to quickly focus on the subject or subject (for example, with cocktails). But in general, the quality of shooting is quite at the level of other solutions and even better. See for yourself.

With the Galaxy S3 on sale, many are wondering about the technical stuffing of Samsung's new flagship. In particular, after some of our reviews, users have doubts about the capabilities of the camera sensor when compared to the camera in the Galaxy S2.

Therefore, it is quite reasonable to make a small test comparison of Galaxy S2 and Galaxy S3, namely, their photo capabilities. Recall that both smartphones have cameras with a resolution of 8 megapixels. Below we will just compare the results of photographing in different conditions.

Do not forget that the photo sensor in the Galaxy S3 is the same as in iPhone smartphone 4S. That is why we can say that the quality of photos does not always depend on the number of pixels. Further, we will compare other characteristics.

By the way, different generations of Galaxy also differ in aperture - in the Galaxy S2 it is f / 2.65, and in the Galaxy S3 it is already f / 2.6. This parameter directly indicates the amount of light transmitted. Thus, the higher this number, the larger the hole and the more light enters the matrix.

Therefore, it is quite good to have a wider aperture in strong light, which will give your photography a greater depth of field. This will help to avoid the "Whiteout" effect that often occurs when photographing in a brightly lit room or in the sun.

There are also changes between the second and third generation Galaxy in the focal length - it has increased from 3.7 to 3.97. Considering that smartphones do not have optical zoom, this is quite a significant indicator.

The focal length corresponds to the distance between the optical center of the lens and the light sensor. Thus, by increasing the focal length, the visible field narrows, which means that the capture of the area in photographs will be less. But in the case of comparing our smartphones, this difference is so small that it is quite difficult to see the difference in the photo.

Now that we have figured out the technical difference between smartphones, we can proceed to something more interesting - to compare the obtained photos. The first to take a photo in fairly low light:

In this case, a slight improvement is noticeable on the part of the photos taken with the Galaxy S2 camera - they turned out to be more saturated colors. Although the photos from the Galaxy S3 show a sharper look at details and the colors themselves are reproduced realistically.

Now photos taken in very strong sunlight:

To check the results again, we took another photo session from the same place in the evening:

Now the picture is somewhat different. The Galaxy S3 produced a photo with darker colors, better contrast and detail, more pronounced. For proof, you can look at the tree branch that was filmed in the upper right corner.

Although we take pictures with smartphones, you can still use the zoom option if you want. The built-in zoom allows you to enlarge the picture up to 4x, in both the Galaxy S3 and Galaxy S2. It is quite reasonable to see the results of comparing photos when zooming:

In both cases, the image turned out to be too noisy, as the digital zoom cannot stabilize the image and produce sufficient sharpness in the image. Still, the Galaxy S3's photo sensor fared slightly better than the Galaxy S2.

It is quite obvious that smartphones can replace a simple camera in everyday photography. Now let's check the versatility of the cameras and shoot in extremely low light conditions using a flash:

Once again, the Galaxy S3's camera wins. The image is clear, details are more distinguishable. This is affected by the reduced focal length, which becomes a small advantage.

Well, how can you resist not taking a couple of photos in macro mode?

With objects at a distance of 20 centimeters, both smartphones coped quite well. Nevertheless, it's better to take close-ups, because smartphones and their cameras show themselves more worthy that most users need.

Again, the Galaxy S3 stands out thanks to its sharper images, with more realistic colors, albeit less saturated, but with crisp details.

In conclusion, the Galaxy S3 captures better photos even in low light conditions. Alas, Galaxy S2 loses, albeit only slightly. The colors are richer, the noise is weaker, the detail is also at the level.

Only one thing is bad - in strong light Galaxy cameras S3 works too poorly and light artifacts are often visible in photographs. If you often have to take photos under such conditions, then there are several tips for changing the parameters.

It is already quite clear and logical that with a decrease in the flow of light to the sensor, light artifacts should disappear. But these are just cameras on a smartphone, which means that the settings are very limited. Thankfully Samsung has come up with an intelligent camera setup.

In the camera settings, you can go to the "White balance" tab. It can be set to Daylight, which will slightly reduce problems when photographing in bright light.

As you must have figured out, you don't need a smartphone to take high quality photos. It won't be a perfect device. Although as an ideal companion, the Galaxy S3 can stand out and preserve memories with better quality.

They asked me to change the camera on the Samsung Galaxy SII (GT-I9100) smartphone, since my own one stopped working after the impact. Since the phone is not the newest, it is not so difficult to understand it. In principle, even a non-professional can cope with this task with the right tools. For work we need:

• small Phillips screwdriver
• dental spatula

Let's start disassembling:

Step 1.

• Remove the battery cover by prying it off in the area of ​​the notch (pictured below)

Step 2.

• We remove the battery, SIM card, memory card.
• A small clarification - in the phone that came into my hands only the battery was installed, so in the photo below I showed only the removal of the battery. On the other hand, removing the SIM card and memory card is not such a difficult task as to take a photo for each action.

Step 3.

• Unscrew the 7 Phillips head screws (marked in red in the photo below).

Step 4.

• Half the body with a dental spatula (remove the back half of the body).

Step 5.

• Using a flat blade, we disconnect the antenna cable from the central board (the process itself is not shown in the photo below, only the disconnected cable is visible).

Step 7.

• Disconnect the loop shown in the photo below.
• Note: remove the connector from the socket using a plastic spatula. It is highly discouraged to touch the connector pins - grease from your fingers can cause poor contact and incorrect work smartphone.

Step 8.

• Disconnect the display cable.
• I will repeat, just in case, once again: do not look at the photo, do not touch the contacts with your fingers!

Step 9.

• Using a plastic spatula, remove the front camera connector from the connector (in the photo below, the camera is already disconnected).

Step 10.

• Using a plastic spatula, remove the additional board connector from the connector.

Step 11.

• Disconnect the next connector.

Step 12.

• We carefully remove the central board from the case. Unfortunately, I have not preserved a photo of the process, so this step will be without a photo.
• Try to move the connectors of all the cables that we disconnected in the previous steps to the sides so that they do not catch on the central board when removing it and do not break. All flat loops break easily, you do not need to apply much force, so be careful!

Step 13. Camera.

• First of all, inspect the central board: everything that is circled in red in the photo below is all the camera with its own cable!
• Using the sharp end of a plastic spatula, lift the lock of the camera cable connector (in the photo below, the spatula just rests against the lock)
• Gently pry the image processing board located on the camera cable with a spatula (circled in green in the photo)
• Now you can safely change the camera

Samsung has taken on a project to conquer gadget lovers around the world. Last year we saw a beautiful and controversial masterpiece at the same time - the Galaxy S i9000 model. Beautiful, because hardly anyone remained indifferent after getting to know this smartphone. Its thinness, chic performance and the most colorful display left a lasting impression. And the controversial model was due to the plastic glossy body, which at this price did not look quite presentable, as well as some similarity with the competitor “X”.

Galaxy S has become not only popular, it has become a true religion of android building. Other manufacturers were equal to him, they tried to catch up with him in performance, camera quality, etc. Has anyone done it in the past year? No. May fans of other manufacturers and owners of other flagships of last year forgive me, but SGS was fast, had a lot of memory on board and, as no one boasts, the pictures and videos shot on the Galaxy turned out to be Hollywood. The first one who encroached on the place of the leader of photography and video filming was, but this is already a model of the new year. And the Galaxy S is easy to stretch with it.

Surprisingly, Samsung managed to release more than just good smartphone, but a good long-playing smartphone. While, by the standards of modern smartphone construction, the life span of the Galaxy S should have faded, the second nexus was released - the Nexus S, based on the i9000. After a while, the company is releasing modifications of the Galaxy S with a different display, with a different processor. Surprisingly, even after a year, the smartphone remains relevant almost as much as before. Many of my acquaintances are buying SGS right now, due to the reduced cost and the lack of alternatives for this money. I recommend it myself. If you don't already know, I have both a Nexus S and a Galaxy S in my family.

But if you are content with a successful product for a long time, you can follow the path of the “N” company. And the company "M" after a while will be glad to enter into a partnership with you. It's as if we wrote one successful article, and then didn't write anything for a month. Samsung understands this, so today we will not talk about the i9000, but about the i9100 or Samsung Galaxy S 2.

This is the direct heir to the legendary "galaxy". Since the parent was a concrete revolutionary in the market, the son must be brought up in the best traditions. And it will turn out proportionally better. What happened?

Design and first impressions

Before the first acquaintance with SGS 2, I was ready for the following: it is thin, too wide and not very comfortable to hold in the hand. Objectively, this is true. Subjectively, I have huge paws and are comfortable for me. In the video review, I easily twist it, in one hand, demonstrating appearance... The Galaxy S 2 is truly incredibly thin at just 8.5mm. If to the first SGS I posed the question: "How did it all fit in such a weight?"

The sensations from the materials of the case are not enthusiastic. I admired the case, although these devices are in different price categories. The body is completely plastic, and in some places the plastic seems to be of lower quality than in the first Galaxy S. The phone is assembled well, during use I could not feel the appearance of backlash, I think there will be no problems with this. There is no flex and torsion of the case, which I saw in the SE Xperia arc. Glossy surfaces have become much less, for example, the entire back cover is grooved. Of course, the feeling of an expensive thing, as in the case of the iPhone 4, does not appear, but this is at the level of stereotypes. It is interesting that Samsung really does not pay attention to such "trifles" as metal in the case, but users do not go on strike over this either.

The design clearly shows the features of its predecessor, but the second "galaxy" does not evoke such persistent associations with a competitor. Now this is a unique model, no one will consider you a poor smartphone owner who has not saved up for a competitor. For a complete experience, you need to not only turn the smartphone in your hands, but also turn on the display. Here he just gives the most of the originality of the model.

In general, the impressions are great, but, I will not hide, I expected a little more.

Location of elements and their description

Moving on to the tedious part of the review - considering the elements located on the sides of SGS 2.

In front we see a large 4.27 ″ display with a resolution of 480x800 pixels, made using the technology Super AMOLED Plus. The resolution is the same as on the previous model, but with a larger diagonal, the clarity should be less. But she's bigger! The reason for this is the rejection of the PenTile technology, now at one point there are not two, but three subpixels. It looks like this:

In practice, the 4.27 "picture on the SGS 2 is sharper than the 4" picture on the SGS. The screen continues to amaze with its colors, I think for a smartphone and mobile device in general - Super AMOLED (even without the PLUS prefix) is the right technology. In addition, now you yourself can adjust the temperature of the image by choosing a comfortable gamut of colors for yourself in the settings.

The control key block is similar to that of the original SGS. Above the screen is a front camera, proximity and light sensors, and a speaker.

On the right there is a key for locking the screen and turning on the device, on the left - a volume control key.

The connector for MicroUSB is now on the bottom, and rightly so, in the first model it is not the best location. Rather, only placement on the front side, near the screen, would be more unfortunate. Above, there is only a headphone jack. Above and below there is also a microphone.

The back side is very practical. The gloss remained, but only at the very bottom, on the ledge. By the way, this particular solution may not be the most successful one, because with this protrusion the phone will rest on all surfaces and will surely wind up with time. And the quality of glossy plastic seemed to me worse than in original Galaxy S, but in general, of course, this arrangement of materials is better.

What is very surprising is the camera. In a case of such thickness, they placed not just a camera “for show”, but a full-fledged photo and video camera. Both stills and videos are of excellent quality and without any discounts on thickness. Pictures can be taken with a maximum resolution of 8 MP, and video at 1080p. The manufacturer claims a frame rate of 30 frames / s even at the maximum resolution, but the naked eye can see that the picture is much smoother at 720p.

I can call the Samsung Galaxy S 2 camera, if not the best, then one of the 2-3 best phones on the market in general. With such a size! Ay-yay-yay to all competitors! This is exactly the smartphone that you can safely take on vacation instead of a photo and video camera. This is not a DSLR, but a very high-quality solution for good memory.

Sample photos

Sample Videos

The battery cover is so thin that it is difficult to simply pick it up without bending it. However, plastic is elastic, you are unlikely to break it if you use the phone without fanaticism.

Under the lid we see battery capacity of 1650 mAh. This is practically a record capacity among android smartphones. The battery of the same capacity is installed in the Samsung i9003 Galaxy SL, but the Galaxy S 2 lasts longer on a single charge. This is due to the more economical display technology, even compared to the previous generation Super AMOLED, Plus is more careful about the battery. Also, the processor reduces the frequency when tasks do not require all the performance. SGS2 I easily lived for a day and looked much nicer in terms of autonomy than my Nexus S.

Above the battery, there are slots for a microSD memory card and a SIM card.

Unfortunately, the camera key was not stuck, with such dimensions it is not very convenient to take pictures aiming at the key on the display.

ON

The smartphone is sold with the latest Android version- 2.3 Gingerbread. As you might expect, the fourth edition of TouchWiz was pulled on top of Android. Of the features, I will note the changed function of adding widgets or icons to the desktop, advanced settings for energy saving, and many others system settings... The Samsung Galaxy S 2 features a gyroscope. For example, you can zoom images in the gallery or scale pages in the browser when lung aid tilt the case by placing two fingers on the screen. Pretty cool to tell you and it works clearly.

I am glad that there are photo and video editors right in the stock smartphone. Management in these applications is intuitive, and perhaps they will be useful to you.

Specifications

This strong point devices. Galaxy S 2 is Samsung's first dual-core smartphone, powered by a proprietary Exynos 4210 processor with clock frequency 1.2 GHz. Compared to the Nvidia Tegra 2, the difference is not noticeable. However, there is a nuance, all games developed for dual-core processors are sharpened (read imposed by marketers) for Tegra 2. Of course, Galaxy S 2 easily copes with them, but you can't do without finishing the software.

The smartphone does not just work fast, the interface literally flies out of hand. During the use of "quirks" from the TouchWiz side, I did not notice. 1 GB of RAM take up running applications almost unrealistic.

The main memory of the smartphone is formatted in FAT32, which negates the ability to write large files. The need for such files on the phone is negligible, but the fact itself is not encouraging.

Playing audio on good level... The sound quality should satisfy the non-biased music lover, but it is inferior to the iPhone 4.

Many video formats are played out of the box, DivX / XVid are supported.

• Dimensions: 125.30 x 66.10 x 8.49 mm
• Weight: 116 g
• Operating system: Android 2.3.3 Gingerbread
• CPU: Exynos 4210 1.2 GHz
• Display: capacitive, 4.27 inches, Super AMOLED Plus, 480x800 pixels
• Memory: 16/32 GB flash, microSD slot (up to 32 GB)
• RAM: 1 GB
• Camera: 8 MP, 1080p video, front camera
• Wireless technologies: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 3.0 + EDR (A2DP),
• Interface connectors: microUSB, 3.5mm headphone jack
• Battery: lithium-ion, 1650 mAh

conclusions

Before saying that we have one of the most anticipated new products of the year in our hands, I reviewed several large forums and everywhere the discussion threads of the Samsung Galaxy S 2 have already grown more than the branches of most established models. This is despite the fact that the smartphone is not yet sold everywhere. The receiver of the first SGS was interesting long before the announcement, many tried to guess what it would be like. Have your expectations been met? I can't tell what it is perfect smartphone for some reason, including a proprietary processor, a plastic case and others, but little things. But after all to first Galaxy S had more questions, remember at least all the negative that poured in his direction because of the completely glossy case. Nevertheless, the model became a real hit of sales, even I had to buy it.

It is a little embarrassing that the model has a chance to become a kind of passing link between the Galaxy S and Galaxy S 3, which, according to some rumors, may appear as early as this fall. This is not about the fact that the second generation will immediately lose its relevance, but the question will be why the manufacturer is so quickly bringing to the market a replacement for the flagship. But in my opinion, this should not happen for completely banal reasons - 3-4 months is too short a period for the life of a flagship. In the third quarter, the second Galaxy should only get to the states, so the autumn three will rather remain a rumor.

In my opinion, this is one of the most feature-rich and technically advanced smartphones. I think the Galaxy S 2 is great for advanced bloggers and journalists, when at any time there may be a need to do quality material and place it on the site, while not being at the workplace. You can shoot a “hot” video (in a good way), edit it, describe it and publish it on your blog or on your resource. Isn't it a song?

Video review Samsung Galaxy S 2

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Electronics manufacturer Cooler Master has a range of hardware products such as keyboards, power supplies, headsets, computer (PC) cases, mice and of course coolers. Each of its products has been specially designed based on community feedback. Including keyboards. Cooler Master even had a Kickstarter project - an analog keyboard with pressure-sensitive keys called the ContolPad. With that said, let's take a closer look at what makes the new Cooler Master SK621 keyboard special for the user.

Keyboards News: Cooler Master SK621 Review is a mechanical wireless keyboard with separate wired connectivity option.

The first thing that is noticeable during the review is the ability to conveniently pair the wireless keyboard with three different devices... Connecting a device is as easy as holding the feature button and Z, X or C. This feature makes it very easy to switch from using your phone to your computer. It's easy to turn on the Cooler Master SK621 keyboard too. Or connect it via USB cable Type-C, or on the left side, activate a very simple switch to wireless mode.

You can display a wide variety of colors (shades) to any key, customize lighting modes or customize macros using Cooler Master software.

When using SK621 for the first time, it is recommended to connect to your computer via USB Type-C and install the Cooler master portal. This will allow you to control various lighting effects and wireless keyboard settings. It is possible to create preset profiles, which makes it easy to switch between profiles when using elements. You can also adjust the lighting effects using the controls, but the portal mentioned above is more user-friendly. Setting up your wireless keyboard is very easy to use and has many combinations. There are options - adjusting the speed, direction and brightness of the keyboard backlight effects.

Macros can also be programmed. It is also worth adding that all functions such as RGB lighting, macros and controls are also available when using the SK621 via a Bluetooth connection. Time autonomous work the wireless keyboard is also impressive. It may take a couple of full business days before the indicator turns red, indicating that the battery is low. Charging the SK621 wireless keyboard is easy too. Just plug in your keyboard via USB Type-C. The keyboard can still be used as wired keyboard while the cable charges the keyboard battery.

The keyboard body is crafted from polished aluminum for a lightweight, durable and premium look. There is also a nice sleek accent around the edge of the aluminum that adds a touch of elegance. The keys are made of plastic and don't have any particular texture.

Low-profile Cherry MX keys are quiet enough for office use. The key switches are incredibly responsive and using the Cooler Master SK621 wireless keyboard takes some practice. This is because the keys register the keystroke with millimeter precision or less.

The SK621 keyboard is designed to be compact and quite portable. The velvet bag is a nice addition. It's definitely made for gaming with Cherry MX keys, but it's easy to use for work.

The Cooler Master SK621 does everything it is designed to do. However, the keys are great for gaming, but too sensitive for typing. Plastic keys are also prone to oil stains on the fingers, so eating while playing can be challenging. Perhaps if the keys had some kind of oil resistant coating or more texture, the oil prints would not have been as pronounced.

Features of Cooler Master SK621 Wireless Keyboard:

Brushed aluminum body design;

Flat brushed aluminum keyboard top, floating keycaps and a slim, minimal design.

Colored keyboard backlight (RGB LEDs);

Individual LED key illumination and customizable surrounding LED ring.

Hybrid wired and wireless;

Connect up to three devices via wireless technology Bluetooth 4.0 or wired connection and charge the battery at the same time.

Minimum keyboard layout by 60%;

It can be said that this wireless mini keyboard has a unique design for maximum portability.

Easy to use software.

Low-profile Cherry MX keys

The reduced travel distance and actuation point functions with the same durability and accuracy (as claimed by the wireless keyboard manufacturer).

Available controls;

In real time, you can customize keyboard backlights and macros without the need for software.

Summary of Cooler Master SK621 Wireless Keyboard:

In general, a manufacturer of electrical equipment and Cooler keyboards Master exceeded all expectations. This is especially impressive due to the fact that it can make a really interesting wireless keyboard. Model SK621 has a variety of lighting effects and individual customization, has a compact design and a lot of user-friendly features. Using the SK621 at work and then bringing it home to play games can make the gadget a loved one. wireless keyboard for a price tag of nearly $ 200.

ETH Zurich has released details of "Concrete Choreography", an installation recently opened in Riom, Switzerland. The innovative installation features the first robot-built 3D-printed concrete stage, consisting of columns made without formwork and 3D-printed to full height in 2.5 hours. This process is expected to significantly improve the efficiency of concrete structures while achieving the fabrication of complex material components and construction robots.

In Riom, Switzerland, nine 2.7 meter high columns are installed at the Origen Festival. Each column is 3D printed with concrete. The new columns were custom designed with special software and manufactured using a new automated 3D printing process from concrete developed by the ETH Zurich team with the support of NCCR DFAB.

3D printing from concrete like this

Graduate students in digital manufacturing and architecture explore the unique capabilities of multilayer extrusion printing, demonstrating the potential of computer-aided design and digital fabrication for future concrete construction. Perhaps the construction industry will make this process more sustainable in the future if they develop new eco-friendly concrete for 3D printing.

Video review 3D printing from concrete: Concrete choreography.

Here's how simple and fast concrete 3D printing works.

3D printing of a house, concrete buildings is a perspective for construction.

Hollow concrete structures are printed for strategic use of materials, thus providing a more sustainable approach to specific architecture. In addition, the calculated material structure and surface textures are examples of the versatility and significant aesthetic potential of 3D printing with concrete when used in large-scale structures.

A new review will be about metal printing on a 3D printer.

It is worth noting that there is a technology that would carry out 3D printing with metal. This is also a promising direction for construction, but for this, other materials are used (for example, powder), programs and other types of printers (which, we will talk about soon).

What color is your mobile phone? Is it black, red, white, gold, or blue? Most likely, rear part your phone has some kind of solid color option that you will find in the coloring book for beginners. It has taken too long for most phone manufacturers to realize that phone colors are really important to consumers, and only recently have they begun to give mobile phones not only infrequently used colors, but quirky hues like coral red or canary.

Unsurprisingly, most people don't mind hiding the backs of their phones behind the opaque plastic of the case. In cases, the user can match the color of the phone case to give the mobile a little personality. But China's new Honor 20 Pro and Honor 20 series phones are the world's first smartphones with 3D dynamic holographic design, and their reflective appearance could become the new industry standard.

Color 3D holography for phone case.

In order to achieve a shimmery optical illusion for the phone's body, Honor has designed its Honor 20 with a deep layer containing millions of flickering microscopic prisms, and on top of this is a so-called curved 3D glass layer. The combination of these technologies makes the light "play and dance" on the back of the phone when the user turns it in different directions.

Two colors for the Honor 20 phone can be found under these dynamic layers, they are Midnight Black and Sapphire Blue. Unlike the trendy phrases for some phone colors, Honor Mobile has color gradients for phones that really bring out the effect of a shimmering night sky or a shimmering jewel.

While the body color options sound exciting, the Chinese phone Honor 20 Pro can go a step further. This redesigned model contains the proprietary "Triple 3D Mesh" containing three layers. Instead of just painting back panel the phone itself, this time with a layer of body color, is sandwiched between the outer 3D layer and the inner depth layer. As reported by the phone manufacturer, this makes the color shift effects much more dynamic.

The Honor 20 Pro mobile phone is actively sold in two colors such as Phantom Black and Phantom Blue. While the names of these phone colors are not so metaphorical, you shouldn't think that their backs are less dynamic.

Honor's obsession with choosing the right colors may seem overly dramatic, but in the UK, for example, a survey of hundreds of Britons found that forty-nine percent of them consider color when choosing a phone to buy.

Why is selling a phone with a changing color scheme?

The choice of a mobile phone, as the designer of Honor Jun-Soo Kim put it, is "Extending a person's life." Essentially, Honor is stating that customer identities cannot be captured by a single, unchanging color.

The history of Honor color phones.

The Honor 20 demonstrates the natural evolution of the company's dynamic color experimentation in phone design. The Honor 8 started the trend of 2.5D type multi-layer back wall, which creates a 3D lattice effect. The Honor 9 then morphed into a 3D curved glass phone, echoes of which can be found on the Honor 20. Well, last year the Honor 10 was equipped with an Aurora rear glass that reflected colors from all angles.

What is the screen on an Honor phone?

Honor's design innovations are not limited to the color of the phone case. The location of the Honor 20's camera is worth paying attention to. Instead of cropping the screen to make room for a selfie camera. The phone manufacturer cut a 4.5mm hole in the upper left corner of the screen, thus leaving more screen space for the user's needs.

Artificial intelligence camera or AI camera in the phone.

As for the description of the phone, it is worth noting that on the back of the device, the Honor 20 AI camera has four lenses and is positioned to leave more room for a battery with more memory. Most importantly, the result is a 48MP camera that uses the Kirin 980 AI microchip to capture DSLR-level photos and enhance photos.

Honor phone color summary.

In summary, phone descriptions, technical interoperability, and cutting-edge hardware innovations are what usually draws attention to Chinese phones Honor. But, in this case, the technology is almost overshadowed by the unique color scheme of the case, which may make some users not want to go back to simple two-dimensional phone case colors in the future.

Rumors continue to emerge about the release of the mobile Google phone Pixel 4. The new set of information or predictions comes from a leaked image (3D rendering of color bodies) that is believed to be from the Google Pixel 4. It is not uncommon for users following the topic of new products to overlook such images. In the meantime, for some analysts, the new picture helps make some assumptions beyond the color of the phone.

A new, unofficial image of the Google Pixel 4 gives rise to rumors of color options for the mobile phone case.

While the other image of the phone itself does not seem to show more than what has already been discussed on the internet earlier, the model seen in the background of the photo is surprising due to the color. That cell phone has a shade of purple that the Pixel didn't have before.

As much as true or false about the phone's colors, it's safe to assume that the new Google Pixel 4 will definitely have a complementary color this year. What's even more interesting, in the image, the physical buttons on the sides of the phones contrast with the color of the case. You can see white, blue and yellow buttons which give the phone a funny look.

For some strange reason, all the images and leaks seen so far have only displayed the back panel of the Google Pixel 4 smartphone. As reported in various sources, allegedly Google shared a rendering of the phone, and there was also a part where the square camera protrusion appeared. The dual camera unit was visible.

The discussed photo leaks, including the image with the cases, show the rear panel in different colors and the camera module. What do you think is the best phone color?

About the technical characteristics of the Google Pixel 4:

Obviously, the idea of ​​a fingerprint scanner doesn't leave fans alone. Some want the phone to have either a face ID to unlock the phone, an in-display fingerprint scanner, or both.

Several other aspects and technical specifications, such as phone dimensions and overall thickness, 8.2 millimeters higher compared to 7.9 mm seen in the Google Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL, can be taken as close to reality.

There is speculation that the Google Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL versions of the phone may look more like the "Apple iPhone 11" variant slated for release in a couple of months, in the fall. When, more precisely? Tech company Google has yet to announce an official release date for the Pixel 4, but various sources have hinted at a late October launch of the new phone.

We'll have more details on this soon, so stay tuned for more news on new smartphones from Google.

The robot has set the world record for solving the Rubik's Cube. This robot was developed by the students of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Jared Di Carlo and Ben Katz, in the student laboratory. For comparison, the fastest human record is held by Australian Felix Zemdegs, who collected the Rubik's Cube in just 4.22 seconds in 2018. By the way, the original size Rubik's Cube has 43 quintillion possible combinations for one solution. Watch the video with the record-breaking robot below.

There is a special place in the hearts of many people for the Rubik's Cube. This is a good workout for the intellect. Many people loved or still love to play with this ingenious toy, and over the years there have been many contests, trials and variations for the Rubik's Cube solution.

New record for solving Rubik's Cube 3x3x3.

Engineers and enthusiasts have used robots to assemble Rubik's Cubes for years. In the past 10 seconds was considered a quick build, but by today's digital age standards, this time raises a smile.

The new record was only a matter of time before engineers and robotics began to tackle the challenge of creating a new robot. Back in 2016, the robot set a new Rubik's Cube record in 0.637 seconds. But for some enthusiasts, this time was not fast enough.

More recently, two MIT students, Jared Di Carlo (third-year electrical and computer science student) and Ben Katz (mechanical engineering graduate student), thought they could put together a faster robot that could solve a 3D combination puzzle.

They watched videos of previous robots and noticed that the robot motors weren't the fastest they could use to solve the problem. So we thought they could do better with improved engines and controls.

How the robot collects Rubik's Cube

The students installed an electronically controlled motor that powers each face of the Rubik's Cube. Using a pair of webcams aimed at the cube, special software determines the initial state of each side of the cube (which colors are on which face of the cube at a given time). Then, based on the information received, using the already existing software for assembling the Rubik's Cube, using an algorithm, the robot solves the puzzles.

What is the result of the work? Their robot solved the Rubik's Cube in 0.38 seconds! It is safe to say that not a single person is physically capable of breaking the record of this speed. One more achievement can be added to the list of robots superior to humans.

There is a man who has the fastest world record for hand-assembled, his name is Felix Zemdegs. He was able to solve the Rubik's Cube in 4.22 seconds. The skills and talents that robots are crowding out are vast and varied, to say the least. Not to mention the fact that robots can still amaze. Further video demonstration of the robot.

Video review of the Rubik's Cube assembly in 0.38 seconds:

So, hardware hackers Ben Katz and Jared Di Carlo broke the previous record for robotic Rubik's Cube collection. Their robot solved the puzzle 40 percent faster than the previous record.

Details about the robot record holder

The robotic device is assembled from the engines of the Kollmorgen ServoDisc U9 series, PlayStation Eye cameras (for scanning the cube) and of course the Rubik's Cube was needed. According to the creators of the robot, - "The entire program process takes about 45 milliseconds. Most of the time is spent waiting for the webcam driver and determining the colors on the sides of the Rubik's Cube."

Artificial Intelligence Research Group Facebook Inc. introduced a new platform for robotics called PyRobot. This platform (framework) was developed in collaboration with researchers from Carnegie Mellon University. PyRobot aims to help AI researchers and students integrate deep learning models built using the PyTorch platform (a machine learning library for the Python programming language) with the robots they build. The basic idea is that they can more easily build their robots using artificial intelligence skills like natural language processing.

Facebook said it wants to promote long-term research in robotics to help develop embedded artificial intelligence systems that can learn more effectively by interacting with the physical world.

What is PyRobot today

PyRobot is a lightweight, high-level interface that provides hardware independent APIs for robotic manipulation and navigation. The PyRobot repository also contains a low-level stack for LoCoBot, a low-cost mobile robot hardware platform (toolkit for building robots). Now Artificial Intelligence and machine learning is becoming more accessible to newcomers to robotics.

Academic Supervisor Abinav Gupta and Saurabh Gupta as Facebook Researcher explained in their blog that: PyRobot is a lightweight high-level interface on top of a robot operating system. It provides a consistent set of hardware-independent middle-tier APIs (Application Programming Interfaces) to control various robots. PyRobot abstracts away the details of low-level controllers and inter-process communication, so machine learning professionals and others can simply focus on building high-level AI (artificial intelligence) robotics applications.

A Facebook source also says PyRobot has dozens of potential applications, such as helping researchers share data and set benchmarks and build on each other's work. The company has solicited input from the broader AI research community on how to democratize robotics with LoCoBot and PyRobot, which are both a hardware specification and toolkit for building low-cost robots.

PyRobot works by using an API to abstract away the functions that robots are supposed to use. Perform tasks such as kinematics, path planning, position, speed and torque control for joints, and visual simultaneous localization and mapping. PyRobot comes with a number of pre-trained deep learning models that allow robots to navigate, grab objects, and more.

This means that developers can program their robots with just a few lines of Python code, according to Facebook.

Researchers from Facebook also say that: The cost of hardware and the complexity of specialized software are limiting the scope of robotics research. With lower barriers to entry, researchers can, for example, create multiple robots that collect data and learn in parallel. By providing a common platform for different hardware. PyRobot will lead the development of tests in robotics, similar to other areas in AI, and will quantify the pace of progress in AI robotics.

Like Amazon's RoboMaker tool, PyRobot works as an interface on top of a robot operating system (ROS), extending the infrastructure. Tech company Microsoft released a limited preview robotics toolkit in May, and last year integrated the ROS platform into Windows 10.

A renowned analyst and forecasting author for Apple smartphones Ming-Chi Kuo is by far the most trusted source of Apple product leaks and information. And today he released a new research report obtained by Mac Rumors where he mentions the future of the iPhone and when we can expect Apple to finally switch to 5G (fifth generation mobile) smartphones.

When Apple planned to use Intel modems in its iPhones, it was rumored that the iPhone 2020 phone model would be the first to receive 5G connectivity. Since then, however, the Apple company has switched from its modem provider to Qualcomm. For which they had to settle a long patent dispute with an American chipmaker, pay at least $ 4.5 billion and not use Intel modems. Intel may even have closed its 5G development plans after this news.

Ming-Chi Kuo also said that all three iPhone models in 2020 will come in multiple colors and feature an OLED screen, as opposed to the LCD screen (LCD) in the current iPhone XR. This year, however, we'll probably still get the iPhone XR update with LCD, so if the OLED screen in mobile is too much of a concern for you, maybe wait a year.

5G iPhone competitors:

Currently our best competitors on Android are the following 5G phones:

1) Xiaomi Mi Mix 3 5G (128GB storage, 6GB RAM and fast charging battery)

2) OPPO Reno 5G (innovative design, affordable price, powerful camera);

3) LG V50 ThinQ (screen 1440 by 3120 pixels, expandable memory up to 1 TB, battery 4000 mAh);

4) OnePlus 7 Pro 5G (bezel-less AMOLED screen with no notches or holes)

5) ZTE Axon 10 Pro 5G (48MP camera, Snapdragon 855 chip).

Global sales of 5G phones.

Worldwide shipments to mobile stores with 5G technology support (this is a fast mobile connection fifth generation) may turn out to be higher than market analysts' expectations. It is worth noting that some mobile market observers believe that such shipments are likely to reach 150-200 million units, or more than a dozen percent of global 5G phone shipments next year.

After a lot of rumors in the news of the cryptocurrency market. On Tuesday, Facebook's plans for next year were unveiled, including an ambitious release of a new digital currency called Libra (or Libra). It will be run by an association of corporate investors. Payment companies Visa, Mercado Pago, PayPal, Mastercard and Stripe become partners. Tech companies Uber, eBay, Spotify and Lyft are joining the project. European telecommunications companies Vodafone and Iliad are also participating in the new project. Investors Union Square Ventures and Andreessen Horowitz, plus academic, non-profit institutions Womens World Banking and Kiva.

Through their mobile apps, billions of people are expected to be able to make payments with cryptocurrency from social media giant Facebook. The social network Facebook plans to officially launch a new project of the Libra cryptocurrency in 2020. Libra is a new type of digital money that targets billions of people who use mobile applications and a social network.

To create a new digital wallet that will allow users of the Facebook application to store and exchange cryptocurrency. Facebook creates new subsidiary Calibra.

Why is Facebook betting on a cryptocurrency called Libra? Perhaps the lofty goal of the latest development is to go beyond social networks.

Digital wallets for storing, sending and spending Libra cryptocurrency will be connected to messaging platforms.

Initially, the cryptocurrency will be available in Facebook app Messenger / WhatsApp, and of course in separate apps for iOS or Android.

In a press release, Facebook said: "Initially, Calibra will make it easy and instant to send Libra at a low cost to virtually anyone with a smartphone."

It is also reported that: "Over time, they will be offered Additional services for businesses and people. For example, buying a cup of coffee with a scan of the code, paying a bill at the touch of a button, taking public transport without having to take cash with you. "

Facebook cryptocurrency wallet security.

To increase the security of the new cryptocurrency, it will use similar verification and fraud protection features that are already used by credit cards and banks. Facebook cryptocurrency service will have user support. And in case you get access to account the user of someone else is promised a refund for the lost assets.

Cryptocurrency coins will be stored by users in a digital wallet. But, the world of cryptocurrency itself is not always stable! Time will tell if Facebook's own digital money can help people save money by sending and spending it as easily as sending text messages.

The cryptocurrency will be managed by the founding members: Facebook, more than two dozen different organizations and a separate Swiss foundation.

Why Libra?

What does the word Libra mean?

Former PayPal executive David Marcus, who leads the Facebook project, said something like this: "The choice of the name Libra (Libra) was inspired by several reasons, namely the French word for Freedom, the Roman measurement of weight, the astrological sign of justice."

What would you like to know about the Facebook Libra cryptocurrency?

Tech giant Apple will release iPhone 11 this coming September. If all kinds of rumors turn out to be true, then the multimedia phone may have the same design as the last two generations of the phone. With regard to the final design of the iPhone 11, we are ready to accept what the designers at Apple have to offer. But, we can't stop imagining what it would be like if technology allowed for any design on the iPhone 11. And that's exactly what some very talented designers do. This time around, a beautiful iPhone 11 concept is created that ditches all buttons in favor of an immersive curved phone screen.

While it may be a nice looking phone, there is absolutely no chance the concept will become a reality. In addition, it seems impossible to protect such a phone with a case, since by covering the screen space, the case will take away some of its main functions. Imagine if a phone like this accidentally fell to the ground, the cost of repairing a curved screen would be higher for the user than with a classic screen.

Hope that new iPhone 11 will have a bright screen under the sun.

Three models are expected to appear in the 2019 iPhone 11 lineup as of last year. Possibly there will be two OLED phones and one with an LCD screen. IPhone 11 and 11 Max models can have a variety of OLED screens, as well as have screen sizes of 5.8 and 6.5 inches, respectively. Perhaps the iPhone 11R model will be equipped with an LCD display to keep the price to a minimum.

It is also expected that new iPhone versions 11 and 11 Max will have triple camera configuration, while iPhone 11R version is expected to be equipped dual camera... In essence, this means that on all three mobile phones may appear additional camera behind.

The front of the iPhone 11 lineup is supposed to remain the same and there won't be any difference in the size of the notch. However, recent posts claim that there may be improved facial identification that can authenticate a user from some sharp angles.

Video review of the iPhone 11 concept with an innovative curved screen on the side:

According to the creator of this video, the new bezel-less iPhone 11 could have the following specifications:

6.4-inch full-screen display;
- Hidden front 13MP camera;
- Four cameras, 8K @ 120 FPS;
- New operating room Apple system, iOS 13;
- Apple mobile A13 Bionic chip (up to eight 8 times faster than A12 Bionic chip).

WWDC is Apple's massive developer event. During this event, Apple informs developers and interested visitors about new releases. operating systems MacOS and iOS, their latest development tools, their latest native applications, devices. She talks about plans to stimulate further development, about new partnerships with developers and about other details that she is working on. It so happens that attending the Apple WWDC 2019 IT conference is an ideal chance to be the first to know and see what new applications for iOS and MacOS systems and not only.