New Galaxy S5 - Top 5 Reason Samsung Engineers Are STUPID

WHY SAMSUNG ENGINEERS GET THE "STUPID SIGN" ON GALAXY S5 FEATURES

Time for another Top 5! This time, we will give you the top five indisputable reasons why Samsung enginerds have about as much common sense as a tree stump when it comes to the latest and greatest flagship smartphone coming from the far East, the Galaxy S5:

1) No Text Reflow - Want to be able to zoom in to see text with ease, but without panning side-to-side? You're not gonna be able to do that with the Galaxy S5 stock browser.

2) Must Use After-Market Browsers To Read - Tired of panning on smartphones when the text is not reformatted to fit the screen? You can download an after-market browser. But that means you don't get to use all the new gadgety cool tricks and features that the stock browser provides like tilt scrolling, eye scrolling, and touchless gestures. Pure stroke of stupid if you ask me.

3) The Text Reflow Is M.I.A. - How do you like pounding your head on the table after trying to read tons of text on your smartphone? You better get a helmet and get used to it if you buy a Galaxy S5 this spring.

4) Lack of Text Reflow - How bright are the Samsung enginerds to throw in everything but the kitchen sink into the stock browser... EXCEPT TEXT REFLOW? Ya got me, partner. If they could only dumb them down to include the most obvious advantageous function of the browser, that would be nice. But I guess they aren't HTC engineers.

5) Text Reflow No-Show - We complained when the Galaxy S2 didn't have it. We passed rumors about it coming with the stock S3 browser before it came out, and were sorely disappointed. Then we groaned and pounded our heads when it was left out AGAIN on the fabulous Galaxy S4. So if you're holding your breath waiting for it to be included on the Galaxy S5, plan on turning blue.

So there you have it folks! If this doesn't prove that the Samsung enginerds are stupid, I don't know what does. I guess you can tell that this text reflow thing really chaps my buns. Hopefully that has been made obvious here.

I've stuck by Samsung thus far, and it is by far the best smartphone on the market... in my opinion. But if someone releases a device that can out perform and function as well as the Galaxy S5 when I'm due for an upgrade, it's bye bye Samsung for me.

Carlton Flowers
Text Reflow Activist

Black Friday Smartphone Report - Samsung Jackpot!

MY BLACK FRIDAY SMARTPHONE SNAGGING SUCCESS STORY

I spent Black Friday 2013 in Eastern Ohio, and was lucky enough to bag the Samsung smartphone special, getting two Galaxy S4 handsets for nothing down. The regular price is $199 with a 2-year contract agreement.

My college "kids" were both due for an upgrade, so this was perfect timing. We didn't hear about the deal until we arrived in Ohio the day before Thanksgiving. I had previously planned on plucking a couple of Galaxy S3 devices for their gadget pleasure, but that idea quickly got nixed when I heard about the deal.

We could have actually gotten the new Galaxy smartphones on Thursday, but we waited until Friday. We figured the masses would go after the first day, and the crowd would be much smaller on the second day. That wasn't the case...

We arrived at Best Buy at twelve o'clock. I made my way to the cell phone area, and there was quite a line. It wasn't like one of those obsene lines that go outside and around the building, but it was bad enough. Activating new smartphones takes some time, so even a short line can take an eternity.

The Best Buy rep told us that we were approximately 3 hours away from being served. We all looked at each other, wondering if this would be worth the trouble, but decided to go for it. My wife and daughter bailed to go shoe shopping while my son and I held our place in the line.

Some people were worried about the Galaxy S4's running out of stock by the time they arrived to the front. But we were told that 90% of the people in line were on Verizon, so we were safe with our need of AT&T handsets. That was a relief.

Originally, I had planned on upgrading my son, daughter, and wife's smartphones. The son and daughter had their Samsung Galaxy S2 handsets, and the wife had a Galaxy S2 Skyrocket with an LTE radio. Sadly, we were told while in line that there was a 2-phone limit per family on the zero-down upgrade deal. 

By the time we made it to the front of the line, we found out that my son and daughter's upgrade date was actually one day away. We were a day early! I didn't think once about checking my upgrade eligibility before getting in line. That wasn't very smart!

But thankfully, after speaking to the representatives over the phone at AT&T, we were relieved and truly thankful when they rolled back the upgrade date by one day. Our 3-hour wait was not made in vain.

It took an additional hour to get our phones activated, because I didn't have my bill current. After paying my monthly bill, we were able to move forward and set up the new phones. Since I had an existing plan that I wanted to keep, it took quite a bit of work for the Best Buy rep and the AT&T phone rep but they finally got everything switched over.

We were all exhausted after this long process, but in the end, I would do it all over again. The special is still on today, a day later, but there's no guarantee that it will go beyond today. 2 years ago, I was able to land the S2's and the Skyrocket on similar Black Friday deals. Both of those models returned to their full prices after Cyber Monday.

Last but not least, my wife's upgrade will be available in two days. I have a big decision to make. I'll either look for another Galaxy S4 deal, or pass down my own Galaxy S4 (after I fix it) and get a Galaxy Note 3 for myself. But we will save that for the next post!

Did you land a great deal on Black Friday that you would like to share? Post it in the Disqus comments section!

Carlton Flowers
Black Friday Gadget Sniper 

CZ Audio Podcast Is Back! Is iPhone 5C Influencing Samsung?

THE AUDIO PODCAST RETURNS! LATEST TALK ON IPHONE RELEASE & MORE

I have finally gotten around to getting back to my audio podcasting. I'd like to know from you, my great CZ Blog gang, whether or not you would like to see more audio podcasts like this posted to the site to fill up all the dead space between my fantastic blog posts.

I tend to write in streaks, and then disappear into the land of being "too busy". But as much of a talker that I am, it's very easy for me to post audio content to the site as opposed to writing the super fabulous techno nerd content that you've enjoyed for so long.

Post your thoughts in the comments section on what you think of more frequent audio podcasts. You can even suggest topics for discussion, ask questions, or even request a song selection for me to sing. I'll leave that up to you.

But in today's podcast, we'll talk about the release of the new iPhone 5S and 5C, and what surprising twist has popped up in terms of sales for Apple. Also, has the iPhone 5C influenced Samsung in some special way? Find out how in the podcast!

Looking forward to hearing back from you, and here's your audio podcast. Just click the podcast image or the link below and it will open up your mobile device media player:

 

Click Here To Listen Now!

Carlton Flowers
Techie Podcast Yapper 

Rant Alert! What Is With All The "Plastic" Samsung Yip Yap?

ARE SAMSUNG PRODUCTS CHEAP PLASTIC LOW QUALITY JUNK?

I must be on an island all by my lonesome... I'm the only blogger on the planet who doesn't constanty berate Samsung for making cheap, flimsy, plastic-like products.

Is it just me, or is it actually appear that every noteworthy blogger and tech junkie reviewer seems to slam and smear Samsung smartphones for having a cheap build? I see this happening almost daily when I search for Samsung stories.

I've noticed a repeating pattern. The prognosticators will predict that the next big Samsung smarphone will come in new bullet-proof heavy metal packaging, parting ways with their previous plastic design. Then the product is released, and said prognosticators pummel Samsung for failing to provide a new "higher quality" build.

But has the thought ever occured to these writers who constantly complain about the plastic casing that Samsung might have an actual reason for sticking with their basic design? Wouldn't it stand to reason that the #1 selling smartphone manufacturer would be doing this on purpose?

Somewhere back in history, someone equated bulk, breakability, and heaviness with "quality". And this opinion has somehow stuck in the minds of the tech world. If a smartphone doesn't pass the basic weight test, the product must be "cheap".

Writers continue to implore Samsung to produce a "higher quality" device, or suffer sagging sales if they continue to keep the same stance. But the sales success has not stopped.

I'm guessing that I am the sole tech blogger who believes lighter, thinner, less breakable smartphones are what people want. After breaking each and every iPhone I've owned, I'm left with no desire invest a dime in a heavy device that can't survive a drop.

All one needs to do in order to be swayed to my line of thinking is to watch videos of drop tests. Drop an iPhone, an HCT device, and a Samsung smartphone from 3' high to a nice unforgiving concrete surface. I don't need to tell you the results that you will plainly see.

So for all of the critics and complainers, you can keep cursing Samsung and pleading with them to ditch their plastic design concept on their next series of smartphones. I for one sincerely hope that Samsung turns a deaf ear to the anti-plastic yip yap, and continue manufacturing durable, less breakable devices.

As far as the up-and-coming Samsung Galaxy Note III is concerned, I say wrap it up in plastic. Stick to your guns, and I'll be the first in line to buy. If you break with tradition and create a heavy, bulky, breakable Galaxy line, I'll say you will have made the dumbest smartphone move possible.

Hopefully someone at Samsung headquarters will see my silly little rant. Maybe it will help them keep on keeping on, making smart smartphone design decisions as they should.

Until then, the critics can keep buying iPhones and the likes, along with their bulky $75 monstrous Otterbox cases... because they have to. Ha.

Carton Flowers
Plastics Proponent

Samsung vs HTC - The Slug Fest

SAMSUNG SMARTPHONES OR HTC? WHICH IS SUPERIOR, AND WHY?

Okay all you smartphone geeks. Let's start a fight. In this round, we will pit the Samsung Galaxy S4 against the HTC One. Of course you know, I own a Galaxy S4. But this post is not about me. I want to hear from you.

Samsung smarpthones are said to be cheap, light-weight cheap devices with way too many useless gadgety features that muck up the user experience. But others claim Samsung makes the best device on the planet with far superior features.

HTC smartphones are said to be heavy, clunky, and breakable, with a horrible after-market interface (HTC Sense). But they are also said to be the devices with a high quality build, superior features, and devoid of all the junk packed in to Samsung smartphones.

Do you own a Samsung Galaxy S4? Or do you pack an HTC One in your front pocket? PhoneRocket gives the edge to Samsung. But I want to hear why you believe (or don't believe) that your device is better than the competition.

I won't interject my opinion in this post. But I will respond to your comments and tell you what I think. Make your point strong, and show me why your device can lay the smackdown on the competition.

Ding ding ding! Let the fight begin, and slug it out!

Carlton Flowers
Cheif Smartphone Debate Instigator

Samsung Galaxy S4 Ear Speaker Failure Issue

SOLVED: GALAXY S4 DEAD EAR SPEAKER IS HARDWARE ISSUE

I'm the proud owner of a Samsung Galaxy S4 smartphone via AT&T. I bought the phone on my upgrade in mid May of 2013. About two months in, I noticed that the ear speaker quit working all of the sudden.

During a phone call, I was talking to a friend, but was not hearing anything back. At first, I blamed it on his phone. He kept calling me back after I would tell him to check his phone, but I realized it was on my end after receiving a different call with no sound.

My first thought was that the phone must have been tricked into thinking that the headphones were still connected. I was using the original Samsung earplug headphones with the speaker, and a very nice pair of Sony over-the-ear speakers for listening to music.

But when removing the headphones, I was still getting the notification on the screen that the headphones were in fact unplugged from the device. That eliminated my theory that something was stck in the headphone jack making the device think it was still plugged in, thus turning off the ear speaker.

I did a lot of research online and didn't find much. I only found one instance of a user with the same problem. He was told to try a hard reset to hopefully fix the issue, but that did not work.

I contacted AT&T and Samsung and reported the problem, and was told by both that they had not heard of such an issue from any other users. That pretty much told me that this must have been a random device failure.

I had not ever dropped the phone, and had used it gently over the past two months. I was afraid that the hard reset wouldn't solve the problem, which it didn't. If you experience this problem, it's definitely a hardware failure issue and not something that can be solved by resetting the operating system.

Sadly, I was going to have to order a warranty replacement and have another Galaxy S4 shipped to me. I dreaded the amount of time it would take to complete the process and receive my replacement phone, but I called in on a Monday to at least get it started early in the week.

To my surprise, I got a notification that the replacement device order was processed by the afternoon, and had actually shipped out. The new Galaxy S4 replacement phone was shipped via FedEx and sitting on my doorstep sometime during the day on Wednesday.

I was very pleased with the rapid turnaround time, and was back in business. The customer service given by AT&T and Samsung were both top notch. The AT&T representatives "felt my pain" and were very sympathetic, and that always helps!

Hats off to AT&T and Samsung for making the most out of this situation and taking care of the problem!

Carlton Flowers
Gadget Addict

Samsung Galaxy S IV - Where I'm Buying, Plus Network Choice!

SAMSUNG GALAXY S IV - WHERE TO BUY, BEST NETWORK

I'm up for an upgrade! I couldn't be more excited to replace my current Samsung Gaalxy S II that just can't keep up with Android 4.0.4 and all of the pressure I put on it to multitask and make my life more simple. My choice for an upgrade? I'm sticking with the team and getting a Samsung Galaxy S IV.

There are several reasons why I have chosen the Galaxy S IV to serve as my secondary external brain and memory unit. I would assimilate if I could, but this is the next best thing. But the biggest reasons? Big brilliant display, touchless gesture control, removable battery, light weight, and durable construction.

Sure, the Galaxy S IV has a laundry list of other things that motivate me to get my hands on one, like the 1.9GHz quadcore processor, 2Gb of RAM, 13 Mp camera, super thin and lightweight form factor, and more.

I could bore you all with those details, but I won't. The main point is, it's the most technologically advanced smartphone on the market and comes from a trusted manufacturer that has experienced a ton of success.

Where will I pick up my Samsung Galaxy S IV, you ask? I'll be getting mine on Amazon.com for the lowest offering of any retailer. Right now, they are selling the AT&T version for only $168 with a 2-year contract for all eligible upgrades and new accounts. You can't beat that with a stick.

That actually leads me to my next revelation (that was already revealed), which is my carrier of choice: AT&T. We've got 4G LTE coverage in Central Missouri now, so I will have super fast download and upload speeds on a network that I have had no problems with whatsoever.

You can get your Samsung Galaxy S IV right here on Amazon.com and help to support the Carlton Zone blog site while at the same time, getting it for the best price available. Amazon is one of the most trusted suppliers in the nation, and they will ship the smartphone right to your doorstep. Nothing could be more simple than that!

Carlton Flowers
Galaxy Gadgetologist

GET IT NOW! GALAXY S IV ON AMAZON AT LOWEST PRICING

Grab your Samsung Galaxy S IV right now at Amazon Wireless for the best pricing possible on all major carriers when you sign a valid 2-year agreement! Click the link to jump to Amazon and join the Samsung revolution!

Which Is Easier? Android Or iOS?

ANDROID VS APPLE - SIMILAR DIFFERENCES?

Okay folks, the topic of today's SoundCloud podcast is the following question: "Which is easier to use? Android or iOS?"

This question has come up from time to time, and the answer used to be a resounding iOS. But that's not necessarily true anymore.

"Tune in" to the podcast and hear my reasons why this discussion is a moot topic. You might be surprised to hear what I have to say about this.

I'm an Android fan who has 2 Apple iOS devices on the side. What do you carry in your pocket? Which operating system appeals to you, and why?

Sound off in the comments section and let the world know!

Carlton Flowers
Geek Podcaster Supreme

The "Heavy" Question On Quality - Samsung, HTC, iPhone

REAL TALK ON QUALITY - IS HEAVY BETTER?

There's no super technological insight on this post. This is just a rant based on a question that I'd like to put out there to the smartphone world. Why does "heavy" mean better quality?

Day after day, I read reviews on Samsung smartphone products from all the gadget pundits. 9.9 times out of 10, writers claim that Samsung devices feel "cheap", because they don't have the heavy build of HTC, Apple, and other brand products.

This does not make sense to me. But time after time, the "experts" claim that heavy is better, and a bulky solid build means "quality". While the tech world pushes to make devices thinner and lighter, the complaints seem to go on and on despite the obvious advantage.

Have you ever dropped an iPhone or an HTC smartphone? Unless you like spending your hard earned money on expensive fragile smartphones, I can't for the life of me figure out why so many people complain that lighter weight devices feel "cheap".

The Samsung Galaxy S IV is about to be released this month. For the third time (since the release of the Galaxy S II), the complaints about the apparent cheap build are rolling in strong. They say that the Galaxy smartphones are too plastic-like. Forget the fact that they are made out of durable polycarbonate material. They are just cheap... or so they say.

I drop my phone on a regular basis. It happens daily. I owned an Apple iPhone 3GS, and an iPhone 4. Both were dropped from a height of 2 feet or less, and both were destroyed in one drop. But I have drop-kicked my Galaxy S II trying to catch it with my foot, and I have yet to break it.

To me, a lighter weight smartphone with a stronger material is common sense design. The heavier the phone, the harder the impact it brings when it says "hello" to the concrete. That is why I have had so much better luck with my Galaxy S II.

But just as with comparisons to Apple products, writers claim that the HTC devices have more of a solid "quality feel" too. I don't get it. While the HTC devices can handle impact a little better than iPhones, they still can't survive a drop like a Samsung smartphone.

I don't know how you iPhone and HTC owners feel about this, but I don't want a smartphone that feels like a pack of lead sinkers in my pocket. I don't want to know it's there when it is snugly packed away in my front pocket. But the madness continues with writers claiming that "heavy" equals quality.

When I tested the Samsung Galaxy S III from AT&T, I thought the look and feel was fantastic. Never once did I feel that the S III was "cheap" because of the material used. And the Galaxy S IV will follow with an equally light design, but thinner.

I love the gigantic 5" screen size on the new Galaxy S IV. Bigger is better in my book. And I think it awesome that the S IV will be thinner, built with polycarbonate material, and maintaining it's feather-light weight while increasing the size.

So many people were expecting Samsung to "improve" the quality of the build by creating a heavy, more dense device with a new material. I imagine they wanted to see a composite build similar to the HTC One X or the Nokia Lumia 920. Both of those handsets, in my opinion, are just too heavy.

I'll be the first writer to say that I am happy that Samsung has decided to continue manufacturing lighter, thinner smartphones with the new form factor of the Galaxy S IV. I can't wait to get my hands on my own Galaxy S IV the minute my upgrade is available in May.

Maybe the rest of the mindless writers can go shopping for Galaxy S IV cases made from a lead alloy so they can get that "quality feeling" that they are looking for. Meanwhile, I'll take it like it is. And I will not be putting a case around my S IV... because it doesn't need one.

Carlton Flowers
Common Sense Gadget Commentator

Samsung Galaxy Gets "Smart" With S4

FEATURE SCREEN LEAK SHOWS OFF SAMSUNG GALAXY S4 "SMARTS"

We are right around the corner from the official announcement for details on the Samsung Galaxy S IV smartphone, and there's reason to be super excited considering the leaked screen shots that showed up on the blogosphere yesterday. It looks like the S4 will be taking a major leap in the "smart" zone, unlike anything else we've seen.

Smartphones aren't really that "smart", in my most humble opinion. But I will have to admit, if the screen shot we see in the photo turns out to be real, this will be the first real smartphone to hit the market according to my standard. This is the kind of stuff I dreamt about ten years ago, and expected to have in a "smartphone".

Let's take a closer look at what we might be getting with the Galaxy S4...

Smart Stay

Have you ever been annoyed by your smartphone screen taking a time out when you're in the middle of reading something? I can't stand that. With the new Smart Stay feature, the Galaxy S IV will not go to time out mode as long as it "sees" you looking directly at the screen. This is a huge breakthrough, but seems like such a simple common-sense feature at the same time.

Smart Rotation

So you're laying in bed trying to read... and the stupid smartphone screen rotates from Portrait to Landscape when you roll over from your back to your side. And you're super annoyed, because you have to toggle the screen rotation on and off if you're reading plus watching YouTube videos. Well apparently that won't be a problem with the Galaxy S4. It "looks" at your face and eyes, and knows which way the screen should be, without all that pesky toggling.

Smart Pause

I'm in bed, yet again, and I'm trying to enjoy a video on YouTube. But the kids yell for me, then come busting in my room and I have to turn my head to see what they want. Thanks to their lovely little disruption of my programming, I miss a small chunk of my video and have to scroll it back. Well, the Galaxy S IV cures that little problem. As soon as you turn your head away from the screen, it pauses the video, waits for your pesky kids to leave, and then resumes once it has your full attention again.

Smart Scroll

I used to hate the lack of text reflow with my iPhone. It's the most maddening thing to an avid reader who likes to use a smartphone to stimulate the brain with fresh reading content on a regular basis. Next to lack of text reflow would be scrolling on a smartphone. Our up-and-coming Galaxy S4 will make scrolling easy peasy. As soon as your eyes get to the bottom of the screen while you're surfing or reading, it will politely scroll down for you. You don't have to worry about finger-buttering the screen with your greasy little paws any more.

I don't know about you, but these are what I call truly "smart" features. I can call this a "smartphone" because it's understanding my needs without me touching the screen. It's like putting my smartphone on operational cruise control.

Let's hope it is all true. If it is, I would go so far as to say that I would accept a Galaxy S IV without an S Pen stylus if we get all these fresh new tricks.

Carlton Flowers
Smart Geek

Samsung Galaxy S VI Announcement Near! New S Pen Prediction

"SAMSUNG UNPACKED" EVENT IS SLATED - WILL WE SEE AN S PEN?

It's officially official! The next "Samsung Unpacked" event is scheduled for March 14th, 2013 for the unveiling of the wildly anticipated Samsung Galaxy S IV smartphone, to be held in New York City. That said, what is the status on inclusion of an S Pen?

By now, you all know that the magical S Pen sits on the forefront of my mind. I am more interested in this feature than any other. Up until now, the prognosticators have been waffling on this issue more than Bill Clinton in the 1992 presidential election.

As much as I want to have slightly-smaller-yet-more-powerful version of the Samsung Galaxy Note II with an equally capable S Pen stylus, I don't think it will come to fruition with the Galaxy S IV. There are two overwhelming reasons why I now believe the "no-S-Pen" predictors are calling this one correctly.

First, the inclusion of an S Pen would make the Galaxy S IV compete directly with the Note II, a phablet device that is still selling strong and not yet willing to be driven into obsolescence. Previously, I wishfully thought that the S Pen would become the new standard for all Galaxy handsets and tablets. But it doesn't appear that this is the direction the company is moving.

Even though Samsung likes to whip out updated devices faster than you can blink your eyes, they aren't going to kill the insanely popular Galaxy Note II this far ahead of the future third generation edition of the Note. We don't even have any fresh or credible rumors on the follow-up at this point. That makes me tend to believe that they are still going to ride out the popularity of the Note II and maximize their return on investment before killing it dead.

Second, I hate to admit it, but the addition of an S Pen stylus to the Galaxy S IV smartphone will add unnecessary extra thickness to a device that they might be trying to "thin out". If an S Pen was included similar to what we have with the Note II, the device would have to be about 9.1mm in thickness to house it inside of the case.

Everyone knows that the race is on to make the most paper-thin smartphone on the market. In my opinion, this is not practical, and it provides no advantage. How slim do we need a smartphone to be before we stop the maddening race-to-paper-thinness? I think it has gone too far. But the smarphone manufacturers don't seem to agree with me.

Therefore, with thinness being the call of the day, I seriously don't see Samsung switching from selling a super slim sliver of a smartphone to make a fatter S Pen-packing phablet just for the stylus nerds like myself. Sad as it seems, this is the reality of the situation. My Galaxy IV S Pen dreams will likely be dashed on March 14th, 2013.

That begs the question... will I still desire a stylus-less Galaxy S4 device? Possibly. Here's why.

If they diss the stylus nerds and leave out the S Pen on the S4, they will more than likely include touchless gestures for scrolling and selecting. This would liberate the user from gunking up the screen while manipulating the device. It is an exciting and welcomed feature. Not exactly a replacement for a stylus, but a nice concession.

If Samsung figures out a way to bring the multitasking, window-floating, and video preview features without the aid of an S Pen, it might be just as good of an experience as with the Galaxy Note II. And the obvious benefit would be that you could have the same powerful features without a stylus to misplace.

I would say that a Galaxy S IV without an S Pen would probably be used more like a smartphone and less like a phablet. Maybe this would be Samsung's slick way to force me into considering the Galaxy Note 8... and spend more of the money I already don't have.

Oh well.

Carlton Flowers
S Pen Enthusiast

Samsung Galaxy Update - S4 Release Rumors Heat Up

SAMSUNG GALAXY S IV MARCH RELEASE?

It's time for the Samsung Galaxy Update! The up-and-coming Galaxy S IV is said to be released on March 14th, according to several reputable tech blog sites. Could this be the moment we've all been waiting for?

Previous rumors held that the device would be first released in Europe this spring, with the US to follow in May or June of 2013. I tend to believe the old rumors, but the buzz seems to be pointing toward a March release here in the states.

I for one would love to see an early release, because the earliest that I can get my grubby hands on the cutting edge Samsung Galaxy S IV would be May of 2013. This is according to the new "early upgrade" rule that allows the primary contract holder to upgrade their phone after 18 months. The old rule allowed an early upgrade after 12 months.

New rumors claim that the Galaxy S4 will have the ability to allow hand gestures for scrolling and selecting, thus allowing users to maneuver through the operating system without greasing up the display. This is something I would love to see. It might cut down on my obsessive-compulsive screen cleaning.

Something else that I would almost call far-fetched is the rumor that the Galaxy S4 will include the capability to perform "eye scroll", and "eye pause". That sounds exciting, but I don't know how reliable that could be for someone with poor eyesight like myself. My jittery eyes might cause the device to have a complete meltdown.

Other rumors are ebbing and flowing. The original story was that the Galaxy S4 would include a quad core CPU. About 2 months ago, we started hearing reports of an eight core processor.

I called shenanigans on that one, simply because there would be no use for an eight core processor at this time. Current programming cannot tap into such power. But now the tech prognosticators are returning to the older quad core prediction.

The device size still seems to be 4.99" according to the experts, and I don't see this changing. But a new rumor suggests that the design cues will come from the yet-to-be-released Galaxy Note 8.0. I don't think anyone has a firm handle on what the Note 8.0 will look like. So this one I call bunk. Look for the Galaxy S4 to take its design cues from the Galaxy Note II.

We will keep a close eye out for the next month. But I don't see the possibility of anyone nailing the final design before it is officially released. It didn't happen with the Galaxy S III, and I don't think it will happen with the S IV.

One thing that will happen, however, is that the Galaxy S IV will be a ground-breaking device. Again. Not like the boring incremental updates of the rival iPhone, even with it's new 6th generation device that is now on the market.

I'll be excited to see some significant feature upgrades, and a powerful smartphone that will have the power of a small laptop. Until then, we'll separate the good rumors from the garbage and see how close we get to the final release!

Carlton Flowers
Samsung Galaxy Update Specialist

Samsung Galaxy S IV Rumor Update - The Outrageous

FAR-OUT GALAXY S IV RUMOR ADDITIONS - FACT OR FICTION?

Let's move the rumor mill along with the up-and-coming Samsung Galaxy S IV that is due out in April or May. I have some fresh stuff that I dug up, and I'm going to give you my opinion on each one of these amazing "features" that we are possibly going to see with the GS IV.

Let's take a quick look at each one. When you finish, I want your opinion on whether or not you agree with me on my take for each rumor!

Eye Tracking Technology

This radical new feature is supposed to give you the ability to scroll apps or documents with your eyes. Sounds pretty futuristic! On the one hand, we already have the power saving function with the Galaxy Note II that dims the screen when your gaze isn't directly on it. But eye scrolling? I think this one is fiction for the Galaxy S IV, but it could happen in the very near future.

Wireless Charging

The Galaxy S IV is said to have the capability of wireless charging when you opt for the separate dock & back cover option. This technology is already available. But will Samsung include it on the next flagship Galaxy model? I say fiction. Sure, some 3rd party vendors might provide such an accessory. But I don't think you'll get this out of the box.

1.8GHz 8-Core Processor

The Galaxy Note II is already packing a quad core processor. So the next logical step is an 8-core processor at blazing fast 1.8GHz speed. Right? Wrong. I say complete fiction. There's no way an 8-core cpu could be ready for production already, so this one goes into the fiction column. I think the Galaxy S IV will have a quad core cpu. As far as the speed, 1.8GHz is completely possible.

16/32/64Gb of Memory Storage, Maybe 128

Flash memory has been stagnant for years on end. When the iPhone first came out, the total storage was doubling with each new model. They started with 8Gb, then 16Gb, 32Gb, and finally a 64Gb top version was made available. But this has not increased. The Galaxy S IV will likely have the 16/32/64Gb models, but 128Gb is entirely fiction, in my opinion.

13Mp/2Mp Cameras

An improved 13Mp rear facing camera with a 2Mp front facing cam seems to be the next step in improvements that isn't too far of a stretch. The Galaxy S III has a respectable 8Mp camera that could use a little tweaking. But I do believe they will push the limit on the camera and bring us 13Mp for our picture taking enjoyment. Let's call it a fact!

Flexible OLED "Youm" Display

At CES in January of 2013, we saw the actual Samsung flexible OLED display code named "Youm". People are buzzing about this being the display for the Galaxy S IV. First of all, I think that's a little close to production time to think it will be included. Why would they show off the Youm now, versus suprising everyone when the Galaxy S IV rolls out? Secondly, I don't see a single credible source touting this one, so I'm calling it fiction. The 4.99 HD Super AMOLED display that will be included on the GS IV will be plenty good enough to please the masses, without being flexible.

Well that's all for now, folks. We'll see how close I was, if at all, when the actual phone gets stocked on the shelves at my local AT&T store. Until then, chime in and agree, disagree, or go completly stark raving nuts in the Disqus comments section below!

Carlton Flowers
Phone Phact Or Phictionist

Samsung Galaxy S IV Rumor Roundup

FRESH GALAXY S IV GOSSIP - S PEN SUPPORT OR NOT?

The rumor mill is cranking out some fresh new chatter about the upcoming Samsung Galaxy S IV. The tidbit of info that has my ears perked the most? Whether or not it will have an S Pen.

The initial rumors were holding out that the S Pen would be a part of the Samsung Galaxy S IV. Then as time went on, a lot of the prognosticators were saying that they would not allow an S Pen on the S IV because it would compete directly with the Galaxy Note II.

But now we've come back to the initial theory that the Galaxy S IV would in fact come with the extra digitizer layer that is needed to read the special tip in the S Pen stylus. But how will they do this without killing the Note II?

First of all, in Android years (very similar to Dog years), the Galaxy Note II has reached full maturity. It will be in its geriatric stages by the time the Galaxy S IV has been released. So maybe Samsung and the carriers aren't concerned with whether or not the Galaxy S IV will stick the final nail in the coffin of the Note II.

Second of all, there are some hideous rumors floating around about the Galaxy Note III. If they are even remotely true, I don't think the Galaxy S IV will be considered an overlapping device because of its inclusion of the S Pen.

As the story is now being told, the Samsung Galaxy Note III might have a display that is 6" or greater in diagonal measure, and it will have an 8-core CPU. That definitely takes the Note out of its current class as a ginormous smartphone, and puts it into a new category of "tablet-with-on-board-phone".

In my opinion, calling such an absurdity a "smartphone" would be ridiculous. But it makes sense. This would be similar to an iPad Mini with a 4G LTE radio on board, just smaller and more portable. Plus, it would allow the Galaxy S IV pick up right where they left off in the "phablet" niche.

People complained in the past that the Galaxy Note I was way too big. The Note II was tweaked, making it thinner width-wise, and a tad taller. But still, many claim it's too big to be taken seriously as a smartphone. I don't think it would be too big. However, I certainly think scaling it back to 5" would be a master stroke.

Stay with me and we'll keep tracking the latest tidbits on the smartphone/phablet of the future that looks to be packing a quad-core CPU and all the fixings. It's gonna get really exciting as we go!

Carlton Flowers
Mi Amore Galaxy Galore

Could This Be The REAL Samsung Galaxy S IV?

GALAXY S IV RUMOR MILL HEATS UP! IS THIS THE REAL MCCOY?

Okay people, the rumor mill has my full attention and I'm starting to get really excited. Could this be the real deal?

We getting close to the next release of the Samsung Galaxy line, the Galaxy S IV, so this is high time for rumors and alleged leaks.

The image of the Galaxy S IV which is displayed came from the Boy Genius Report (BGR.com) blog site. I'm not saying they are the authority on leaked images, but I would agree that this could possibly be the real deal.

The first leaked images had depicted a Galaxy S IV without qa physical home button. I had a hard time believing that it had any validity. Why would Samsung go backwards after release the Note II and the Galaxy S III with physical home buttons?

The rumored Galaxy S IV is supposed to have hardware specs such as:

• 1.8GHz 8-core Exynos cpu
• 4.99" 1080p full HD display
• 13Mp rear facing camera
• 2Gb of RAM
• Wireless charging capability

I'll tell you right off the bat that I don't believe it will have an 8-core processor. A quadcore CPU is more believable. But if they do roll out with an 8-core CPU, I will be hideously happy.

So what we are seeing is that the Galaxy S IV could be bigger than the current Galaxy S III, but smaller than the Galaxy Note II. That's a sweet spot for me.

But if you throw an S Pen into the mix, I'm locked and loaded. This WILL be my next smartphone if they make my wish come true.

I have been anxiously awaiting my upgrade date, which comes in May of 2013. I can't wait to get my hands on the next level of technology. But at the same time, I'm sort of paitent, because we don't have LTE coverage in Central Missouri with AT&T. I would like to enjoy my next upgrade with full LTE speeds.

What are your thoughts about the rumored Samsung Galaxy S IV? Do you think it will have a home button? Better yet, do you think it will include an S Pen? Sound off and voice your predictions!

Carlton Flowers
Galaxy Gazer

Samsung Galaxy Note II Is Dead - Enter Note III, Fonblet, S IV

NEW SAMSUNG DEVICES COULD MOTHBALL THE NOTE II

Just a couple of months ago, I told you all that my next upgrade would definitely be the Samsung Galaxy Note II. This was my firm decision after a wonderful 2-week test period of this device from AT&T. Scrap that. Everything has changed.

We all know that in the world of Android and Samsung, devices remain "cutting edge" for about a month before they are kicked to the side and shown up by new devices. It appears that this will be the story with the Samsung Galaxy Note II. It's already old hat.

My upgrade is not due until May of 2013. By then, I seriously doubt I'll be purchasing a Samsung Galaxy Note II on contract. I'll either be getting a Galaxy S IV or some new yet-to-be-revealed device.

The decision will be rather easy if Samsung includes an S Pen with the Galaxy S IV, plus at least a 4.9" display. I would love to have a jumbo phone that is slightly smaller than the "phablet" Galaxy Note II. So this would do the trick.

The Galaxy S IV will also be packing some serious power, and could sport the new unbreakable AMOLED display. If that happens, it's an easy call. But if we don't get an S Pen with it, I will fall back to the Galaxy Note II.

But that decision won't be easy either, thanks to the fresh new rumors of a Galaxy Note III, and the supposed "Samsung Fonblet". The Note III is rumored to have a larger display than the current Note II, and the "Fonblet" is also rumored to be a jumbo device. Both have been said to have sizes ranging from 5.5" all the way to 6.3".

The engine inside the Note III and the Fonblet could be anywhere from quad core to eight core. I tend not to believe the latter. Whatever the cpu ends up being, we probably won't get to see such a device until the fall of 2013.

So as it stands, it is looking like I could be landing a Samsung Galaxy S IV this May with quad core power and a possible 5" display and S Pen. But your guess is as good as mine as to what we will really see. All I know is that I won't be able to wait much longer than May to pull the trigger on something.

Stay with me. And chime in with your thoughts.

Carlton Flowers
Fonblet/Phablet Futurist

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