Download the Galaxy Note 4 home-screen and lock-screen wallpapers here!

Impatient to get the Samsung Galaxy Note 4? Or perhaps even the odd, but unique Galaxy Note Edge? Hey, it will be a little while before you're able to get your trembling hands on those two Android hot-shots, but the good news is you can already download the ultra-sharp QHD-resolution home-screen and lock-screen wallpapers that come with the phablet. Simply double click the image inside the gallery, then right-click and choose "Save as...". The images are about 1MB each. Enjoy the pretty colors! 

If you don't feel you're up to speed with the Galaxy Note 4, be sure to check out our hands-on articles with it and its edgy brother!

Samsung Galaxy Note 4 QHD wallpapers

1. Lock-screen wallpaper

2. Home-screen wallpaper

Continue Reading...

6 Samsung Galaxy Note 4 features that are nowhere to be found on the Sony Xperia Z3

We already check up on how the Sony Xperia Z3 and Z3 Compact stand up to the Samsung Galaxy Note 4 in terms of unique functionality? But what lies on the other side of the field? Truth be told, a smartphone as feature-rich as the Note 4 has more than just six differentiating features. 

Well, the fact that we're able to spot six of them on a first glance is remarkable enough, and alludes towards a device that's full of work and entertainment potential. Without further ado, here's what the Note 4 does that the Xperia doeZ3n't

6 Samsung Galaxy Note 4 features that are nowhere to be found on the Sony Xperia Z3

1. Extra-sharp QHD Display

Don't worry, this won't turn into a spec comparison. We only note that the Samsung Galaxy Note 4's 5.7-inch display is bigger than the Xperia Z3's 5.2 inch, and its resolution is twice as high. Put simply, if you want to view the clearest possible images and video on your mobile device, a QHD display is what you want to go after.

2. The S Pen & S-Note are the Note 4's bread and butter

There's no device on the market to offer a better stylus experience than the Samsung Galaxy Note 4. The way the S-Pen is perfectly integrated within the smartphone's body; the pen's build quality alone; the excellent software support, starting with S Note for quick scribbling and moving through stylus staples such as Air Command, Action Memo, Screen Write, Image Clip, and Smart Select. The S-Pen is to die for, and the Note 4 has it!

3. Multi-Window multi-tasking

The simple joy of pulling out multiple app windows on a huge display and going about your business is just one of those beautiful things in life that every smartphone user should experience. Xperia Z3 owners sadly won't, at least by official means. But Note 4 owners will have a great time multi-tasking its 5.7-inch display!

4. Camera with optical image stabilisation

As great as the Xperia Z3 and Z3 Compact's software image stabilisation might be, our experience has shown that no digital emulation can compare to the real thing built inside the camera assembly. Expect videos coming from the Galaxy Note 4 to wave a huge goodbye to Mr. Blurrycam and Mr. Shakycam!

5. Heart-rate monitor and fingerprint scanner

Samsung wasn't going to be Samsung if it didn't stick at least one of the Galaxy S5's signature gizmos into the Note 4. And what do you know, it brought both to the phablet. Enjoy taking heart rate measurements and secure payments and unlocking. Xperia Z3 owners won't be treated to this delight, but it will be a while before health consciousness and fingerprint-based security become ubiquitous.

6. Fast Charging and removable battery

The addition of the latest in battery charging technology is a most welcome addition to the Samsung Galaxy Note 4. Thanks to AFC and QC (Qualcomm Charging), the phablet's 3220mAh battery charges from 0 to 50 in just 30 minutes! In addition, the Note 4 has a removable battery, which can be quite comfortable for situations where a battery swap is a better (or only) option than charging!

Continue Reading...

6 Sony Xperia Z3 features you won't find in the Samsung Galaxy Note 4

If there's anything we love more than toying with new smartphones here at PhoneArena, it's comparing their features. The Sony Xperia Z3 and Samsung Galaxy Note 4 are both white-hot devices that just got introduced at IFA 2014, and being flagships, each one has its own bells and whistles to showcase the unique user experience it offers. 

While it is too early to make any kind of final impressions or statements, we've already caught wind of several features the Sony Xperia Z3 has that the extraordinarily feature-rich Samsung Galaxy Note lacks. Are any of them possible deal-makers, or deal-breakers for you? Check them out and leave your comments below!

6 Sony Xperia Z3 features you won't find in the Samsung Galaxy Note 4

1. PS4 Remote play marries smartphone and console

Sony is eager to play every trick it has in its books to succeed, and this one is, literally, well played! Sony has made the Xperia Z3 and Xperia Z3 Compact the only smartphones with PS4 Remote Play support. This means owners of the Sony PlayStation 4 will be able to enjoy their phones as a remote screen to connect to and control their games on the console. Just picture it - the big screen TV in the living room is taken, but you simply connect your Xperia smartphone to your PS4 through your home Wi-Fi and play games on it - using a DUALSHOCK 4 Wireless Controller with the GCM10 Game Control Mount, for example.

Not only that, but the PlayStation App lets you use your Xperia Z3 or Xperia Z3 Compact as a second screen to remotely watch your friends play, communicate with PSN™ friends, or purchase PS4 games and download them to the console. In short, Sony knows how to make an ecosystem!

2. Wicked sound!

Yes, Samsung endowed the Galaxy Note 4 with 192kHZ high-resolution audio capabilities. Well well, aren't we the little audiophiles!" - sneered Sony, then reached for its famous bag of audio tricks! The Xperia Z3 and Z3 Compact boast Hi-Res Audio, Digital Noise Cancelling support, Clear Audio+, DSEE HX, which ‘upscales’ the fidelity of lossy compressed MP3 and AAC files. Impressed? There's also playlists on Sony’s cloud-based digital music service, Music Unlimited 8, and Sony 3D Surround Sound technology (VPT). Complete overkill? Yep. Fantastic bass? Here's the money!

3. Front-facing stereo speakers

Not just any kind of stereo speakers. These babies have S-Force Front Surround™ technology! Sony only says that they |play everything loud and crystal clear for those moments when you want to set your sounds free". But it's safe to assume that the HTC One (M8) finally has a proper contender for the best sound on mobile! Meanwhile, the Galaxy Note 4 makes do with a single speaker on its back. Pity!

4. Photography prowess

Not that the Galaxy Note 4 is anywhere near lacking in the photography department. It's just that Sony supply most of the industry with photo sensors for a reason! The Xperia phones don't *always* take the best photos, but Sony knows how to work its EXMOR sensors really well. The result is that the Xperia Z3 and Z3 Compact have the latest 1/2.3” ExmorRS™ for mobile sensor, BIONZ™ engine for processing, a new 25mm wide-angle Sony G Lens, and tops it all with the world’s first ISO 12800 sensitivity implementation in a smartphone. Ultra low-light photos should be beastly!

5. Multi-camera lets you film from three angles simultaneously

Ready to unleash your inner *insert favorite Hollywood director name*? Take three compatible* Xperia smartphones with you, and have them film your scene from three different angles simultaneously with the Multi-camera feature!

* We don't know which Xperia devices are compatible.

6. Easy transfer from iOS or Windows Phone

Switching to the Xperia Z3 or Z3 Compact? Sony decided to make it easy for you. Just open up the Xperia Transfer Mobile app and all of your existing data from your old Android, iOS or Windows smartphone should carry over to Xperia phone. And if something doesn't make it and gets lost forever, play some mournful tunes on those S-Force surround speakers and move on!

Continue Reading...

Preliminary Galaxy Note 4 benchmark results

The Galaxy Note 4 barely showed itself on the horizen, but we tech enthusiast don't have time for formalities. Right off the bat, we've run the new phablet through its paces by executing a few performance benchmark apps on it. After all, the Note 4's 5.7" screen comes with that ultra-sharp QHD resolution that is sure to need the full power from the built-in SoC in order to move at a steady pace. Given that, it's especially interesting to see what kind of perforance we can expect from the Samsung Galaxy Note 4.

However, before we get right into it, please keep in mind that the benchmark apps have been run on an early Note 4 unit - one which is likely not having the latest software version - so things might actually look better when the phone launches in October. Plus, we shouldn't really read too much into synthetic benchmarks anyway...

By the looks of it, even though it's armed with a next-gen CPU (Snapdragon 805 / Exynos 5433), the Galaxy Note 4 will be able to deliver a level of performance that's pretty similar to that of today's flagships, such as the Galaxy S5, One (M8) and Xperia Z2. For those of you who are disappointed due to the lack of a boost in performance, well, that's the price one has to pay to support such an enormous resolution like Quad HD (1440 x 2560 pixels). Anyway, let's stay positive and hope that there's still some magic to be done on Samsung's part prior to the device's release!

• BENCHMARK

Vellamo Metal Higher is better	LG G3 1322 Samsung Galaxy Note 3 1214 Samsung Galaxy S5 1186 Sony Xperia Z2 1177 HTC One (M8) 1171 Samsung Galaxy Note 4 1136
Vellamo Browser Higher is better	Samsung Galaxy Note 3 2310 Samsung Galaxy S5 3479 HTC One (M8) 3657 Samsung Galaxy Note 4 3399
GFXBench T-Rex HD on-screen Higher is better	LG G3 20.7 Samsung Galaxy Note 3 26 Samsung Galaxy S5 27.8 Sony Xperia Z2 29.1 HTC One (M8) 28.3 Samsung Galaxy Note 4 26.5
GFXBench Manhattan on-screen Higher is better	LG G3 7.5 Samsung Galaxy Note 3 9.77 Samsung Galaxy S5 11.7 Sony Xperia Z2 12.4 HTC One (M8) 11 Samsung Galaxy Note 4 11.2

Continue Reading...

Samsung Galaxy Note 4 and Note Edge: all the new features

The Samsung Galaxy Note 4 and Note Edge are here! Samsung surprised us with not one, but two new devices at IFA 2014, and the Note Edge is the most shocking one, coming with a display that wraps around one of the edges of the device.

Both are phablets at their core, though, with around 5.7” displays (5.6” on the Note Edge) with a 1440 x 2560-pixel Quad HD resolution. Also, both are extremely powerful, with the latest Snapdragon 805 system chip on board (these are the first two devices from a known brand to feature the powerful chip). Add to that a nice 16-megapixel camera with OIS and you’ve got some truly alluring gadgets.

But what about their unique new features? Take a look down below to learn more.

Samsung Galaxy Note 4 and Note Edge: all the new features

1. That wrap-around edge on the Note Edge comes with three main features

First, you can save battery life by just looking at your missed notification on the edge of the display, without firing the whole screen; second, you can easily see your social network and other app updates quicker and straight away; and lastly, you have additional level of control over your device with new buttons and other customizable features.

2. All new design: say goodbye to plastic, welcome a premium metal frame

The times when we used to tie Samsung with all-arounds plastic devices are finally over: that’s right, the impossible has happened, and the Note 4 and Note Edge both feature a sturdy metal frame. Not only that, Samsung has improved the feel of the physical keys that no more feel wiggly.

3. Snapdragon 805: a first

We’ve already mentioned that the Note 4 and Note Edge come with the Snapdragon 805 system chip, but did you know that it’s not only a more powerful chip running at clock speeds of as high as 2.7GHz, but also more power efficient? Another fact you might have missed is that the Note 4 and Note Edge will actually have two versions, and the second one of both will feature a different, Samsung in-house Exynos chip. The silicon in question is the 5433, an octa-core chip with four Cortex A7 cores running at the efficient 1.3GHz, and four performance Cortex A15 cores running at up to 1.9GHz.

4. Rapid charging: charge up to 50% in just 30 minutes

Samsung might have dumped the microUSB 3.0 port and exchanged it for the much better looking microUSB 2.0, but that does not mean it has sacrificed charging speeds. Thanks to Qualcomm’s Quick Charge 2.0 technology, Samsung is able to replenish the battery quickly: to 50% in just half an hour.

5. 16-megapixel camera with OIS, and a Sony IMX240 sensor

The Samsung Galaxy S5 featured an impressive 16-megapixel shooter with Samsung’s own sensor, but the Note 4 and Note Edge ditch that sensor for Sony’s IMX240. It’s also a 16-megapixel one, but features optical image stabilization that will help in low light and in videos. The sensor size is actually a bit smaller than that of the S5: 1/2.6” versus 1/2.5”, but still pretty much comparable. Interestingly, Samsung has also changed the optics, picking a wider, more light tunneling f/2.0 lens.

6. Battery life: 7% better despite Quad HD screen

Look, it’s hard to believe that practically identical 3220mAh juicer on the Note 4 can outdo the 3200mAh battery on the Note 3, with the added load of more pixels from the Quad HD display, but Samsung claims it has done this. In fact, it claims that the Note 4 will last 7% longer than its predecessor. We’re looking forward to testing those claims.

7. S Pen: better

The new S Pen has also not been overlooked and catches that refreshing breeze of innovation with better sensitivity, tracking capabilities and improved software. So what can it do? Easier multitasking with copy and pasting between apps and the option to quickly pin brief notes to your homescreen. Neat!

8. Sensor overload: UV to measure sunlight radiation, SpO2 for blood oxygenation

The UV sensor is pretty straightforward: it measures the UV radiation of the sun, and - using the S Health app - shows the UV level in your area: Low, Moderate, High, Very High or Extreme. The same app will also advise you on what to do: get some sun block or run away from the sun. There are some conditions, though: you need to hold your phone for a little while at a 60-degree angle against the sun to get an accurate reading.

Now, the blood oxygenation levels are a bit more scary and may alert you that you need medical attention. Still, the Note 4 is clearly not a medical-grade devices, so we do advise a second reading. Basically, blood oxygenation measure how capable haemoglobin is of carrying oxygen around your body.

9. Plentiful storage and expandable

Yes, the Note 4 and Note Edge both come with 32GB of internal storage even in their most basic models, plus you can expand on that storage allowance via microSD cards of up to 128GB.

10. Samsung Galaxy Note 4 and Note Edge release date

So when is the goodness coming to retail shelves? We expect the Galaxy Note 4 to start arriving next month, in October, while the Note Edge might take a bit longer and come to market in the October to November timeframe. Start saving those pennies now!

Continue Reading...

Galaxy Note 4: all the official images

The Galaxy Note 4 turned out to be a pretty remarkable device, throwing together the latest and best pieces of mobile technology currently available. Its design, however, keeps the same Note tradition we are used to since the line's inception, but with a twist, and a couple of notable differences.

The Note 4, for example, ditches the all-plastic construction, and introduces a classy stainless steel frame all-around, reminiscing of the premium Galaxy Alpha handset before it. The phablet, however, keeps the soft-touch faux leather battery cover from its predecessor, and the fingerprint  and heart rate sensor from the S5, placing the camera and stylus exactly where we remember and expect to find them on a Galaxy Note. Check it out from all angles in the slideshow below with Samsung's official imagery collection.

Galaxy Note 4

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

11.

12.

13.

14.

15.

16.

17.

18.

19.

20.

21.

22.

23.

Continue Reading...