Today’s TVs are bigger than ever, but they are also incredibly thin and much lighter than CRTs, giving consumers more options on how to display their crystal-clear screens. In Part 3 of the Hot Tips series for buying a TV, we look at wall-mounted TVs versus TV stands, and how consumers can determine the choice that is right for them.

Wall Mounts and Stands, Pros and Cons

Each choice for setting up a TV has good and bad points, and it is up to each person to choose the option that works best for their situation. Stands have the advantage of organization and design. They need to be set down on a flat surface, like a wall unit or a table, making the TV like a piece of furniture, too. Stands are also relatively easier to move, in case you want to place your TV in a different location. Plus, using a stand together with furniture makes it easier to organize all the cables that connect to the TV and related equipment (like a cable TV set-top box or a Blu-ray player), arranging them so they are out of sight and tidy. However, using a stand does mean the TV will take up more space, reversing some of the benefits of that ultra-thin screen.

Wall-mounting a TV, on the other hand, can save a lot of space in a room, making it a good choice for designing an interior that is more open. By being installed on the wall, the TV is still quite visible from the sofa or other favorite location, but it is up and away from the flow of the room. Even curved TVs can be mounted on the wall. In fact, today’s curved TVs made by Samsung Electronics have been designed with their complete appearance in mind, from 360 degrees. The bezel wraps around the TV, appearing straight from the front, but with the sides meeting the rear of the TV seamlessly in a restrained curve. The back of the TV has a clean and simple design made of elegant black metal. No matter where you set it up, a Samsung curved TV should look stylish and sharp from all angles.

But while wall-mounted TVs are popular nowadays, they do have their drawbacks. Not all walls can support a large TV—some are too weak, while other materials, like stone or slate, cannot be easily drilled into. Also, once a TV is mounted on the wall, it is fixed there and can only be swiveled if you want to change viewing direction.

Whatever choice is right for the consumer, it is best to select a professional installation. But the cost of hanging a TV on the wall or setting up a stand can vary a lot by country and by retailer—some do not charge extra for installation, but at other stores it is up to the buyer to arrange and pay for installation.

In addition, you can always change your mind. A TV on a stand can be placed on a wall, or a wall-mounted TV can be taken down and set up on a stand instead—although a consumer should always be careful to get the right make of stand. Just ask at an official retail outlet or support center to be sure you get the proper stand for a particular TV. Of course, here too costs can vary widely, but a consumer should expect to pay roughly $150 to $200 to make the transition.

New Stands for a New TV Age

These days, there are new types of TV stands appearing on the market, giving consumers new choices in design, particularly in the European, CIS and Korean markets. One new type of floor stand growing in popularity is the tripod style. Three slender legs give the TV a real light look, but the stand is surprisingly strong and well-balanced. The tripod stand is good for people who want an open design look to their room, with the TV standing freely on the floor.

One of those tripod stands has another option that is quite unusual—it can also hold a Samsung soundbar. The soundbar can be attached just below the TV, so the entire system works together as an attractive unit. Not only has this stand been developed to provide the ideal fit and best possible support, it perfectly complements the elegant look of the two home entertainment devices.

However, for these new stands, they are limited to TVs that are 55 inches or smaller. Larger than 55 inches, and the TVs become too big and heavy for the tripod stand to support them.

Whether a consumer chooses to put their TV on a stand or mounted on the wall, today’s TVs offer a better viewing experience than ever. By selecting the TV mounting that is right for them, a consumer can make that experience even better.

Read more:

Hot Tips for Buying a Cool TV, Part 3-B: Samsung TV Stands

Hot Tips for Buying a Cool TV, Part 2: Know Your Displays

Hot Tips for Buying a Cool TV, Part 1: Size and Viewing Distance

Playing today’s mobile games can give you the same feeling as if you were playing PC or console games. This is thanks to the rapid growth of mobile device capabilities, allowing gamers to enjoy high-quality games, which were once unimaginable, right in the palms of their hands.

Nevertheless, mobile games do have their own disadvantages. High-quality graphics games tend to drain smartphone batteries fast and very often generate heat. At the same time, if a mobile device is not equipped with the latest HW specifications, gamers may be experiencing a poor gaming experience due to, for example, lagging.

Samsung has developed an application, which can address these problems, and it is currently receiving a good deal of attention. The application is called Game Tuner and just like the name suggests, it is an application that helps users adjust their gaming environment according to their smartphone capabilities and battery performance.

4 Modes for Managing Battery Consumption

The main objective of the Game Tuner is to help users playing games in an optimal environment by controlling specific elements that influence the gaming environment, such as screen resolution and frame rate. Game Tuner offers four preset modes: High, Medium, Low and Extreme Low, allowing the gamers to control their gaming experiences, along with the option of saving power. Games that once were not as enjoyable as they could be because of slow speeds or high battery consumption can now be played in a more pleasant environment thanks to these simple modes.

Samsung conducted an independent survey and confirmed that there was a big savings on battery consumption when Game Tuner was used to control the screen resolution and frame rate. A high-quality graphics game that consumes a lot of power can be enjoyed for a longer period of time and in a more pleasant environment by using Game Tuner.

Custom Mode Raises Enjoyment Levels Even More

For advanced game users wanting to be more in control on how to set the modes, Game Tuner also offers a Custom Mode, which allows them to customize individual settings, screen resolution and frame rate. Additionally, those settings can be specified for each game, so that each game can be played more efficiently.

Here are a couple of tips when using Custom Mode. First, it is best to optimize the screen resolution to fit the game. For instance, in case of WQHD resolution devices (2560×1440), if a game was developed with HD resolution (1280×720) in mind, then the phone’s resolution should be set to Low. For a game with FHD resolution (1920×1080), then Medium is more adequate. Even if the resolution is set higher, the user will not experience much difference. The resolution can be adjusted according to power consumption and the game environment.

A few rules also apply when adjusting frame rate. In general, human eyes perceive screen movement of more than 30 frames per second to be “smooth.” For this reason, when enjoying simple games, such as puzzles or card games, it is recommended that the frame rate to be set at 30 frames per second. For games that emphasize impressive and detailed movements, like action games or fighting competitions, it is better to increase the frame rate.

Providing the Optimal Game Environment for Users

The development of the Game Tuner app began about two years ago. As the number of mobile game users increased and a wide range of games were launched, Samsung Electronics continued to study and research optimization for mobile devices. The Game Tuner app is the outcome of those efforts by Samsung Electronics to improve the experience for mobile game users. The ultimate goal of Game Tuner app is to enable mobile game users to create an optimal environment for the games they play.

With traffic to the Game Tuner server greatly increasing these days, the application is enjoying great popularity, just a month after its launch. The Game Tuner application can be used on Samsung devices such as the Galaxy S6, S6 edge, S6 edge+, S5 Prime, Note5, Note 4 and Tab S2. More devices will be added gradually.

Fonts for Mobile Devices

“As a font designer for smart devices, I ‘draw’ text. My main job is to develop new fonts and optimize existing fonts originally designed for print or web pages by paying attention to the appearance of every single letter,” explained JiEun Kim, Senior Designer of UX Innovation, for Samsung’s IT & Mobile Communications Business.

The term “digital font” refers to the design of text used for electronic devices, such as computers and smartphones. As web design expands, the number of fonts also grows. There are many fonts that are language-specific. Considering that Galaxy devices support more than 90 languages, the number of fonts available for Galaxy users is nearly inconceivable. The default font for Galaxy devices is the result of optimizing the standard typeface used by Android OS, ensuring that it is best-suited for each Galaxy device.

Many people like to change the fonts on their personal devices, testing various styles to find their favorite. Typeface is so important, some users pay to download additional options. For others, font design may go unnoticed as devices and trends change, sticking to familiar fonts that feel comfortable. Just like seasonal fashion, new fonts can be applied for a different look; however, as with many things, simply following the trend is not always the best way to go.

“In my opinion, a good font should be clearly legible, even after long hours of reading. But that does not mean there is a universal font that is best for all devices; depending on differences in display resolution, screen size, aspect ratio and even background colors, the same font can look quite different on different devices,” Kim explained.

For example, the thickness of a white font on a black background can appear to be different than a black font on a white background. Additionally, wearable devices have smaller screens than smartphones. Samsung had to reduce the width of each character of every font to better fit smaller displays.

Creating a Masterpiece

The font design team also takes a creative approach, attempting to create new font styles that are interesting and different. Some people may initially feel slightly uncomfortable with change, but over time it becomes more familiar and eventually the change is preferred. Samsung believes it is very important to find the right balance between meeting the needs of people who like familiarity and pursuing fresh ideas that consumers will come to love.

“We continue to examine our fonts in extreme detail, even if it is barely noticeable to the majority of users. Imagine a sculptor working on his future masterpiece, hammering and sanding the surface for years. In a similar manner, we fine-tune our fonts little by little, getting closer to perfection each time,” Kim added.

Before launching a new device, Kim carefully checks how each font will look, depending on the length and arrangement of text and font size.

Unique to Galaxy

Galaxy users can customize the faces of their smartphones with several pre-loaded fonts such as Choco Cooky, Cool Jazz, Gothic Bold, Rosemary and Samsung’s default font. In the configuration settings menu, fonts can be previewed to see how it will look as a title or description, before applying the changes.

“It’s difficult when a font has really unique characters. People can grow tired of the font in a short period of time, if the characters are too strong. The most widely used fonts around the world are popular for hundreds of years, even while they continue to be refined. Keeping this in mind, we try to make sure every font on Galaxy devices looks neutral, solid and dignified.”

The newest font, Samsung Sans, was designed exclusively for Samsung mobile devices including Galaxy smartphones. Kim joined the design team that carefully developed the tilt, lines and curves of every character, over the past year.

“Samsung Sans is our first exclusive font for Samsung mobile devices. We focused on making Samsung Sans embody the identity of Samsung mobile, delivering a soft, natural typeface that is polished, but not over-styled. Because Samsung mobile devices are favored by hundreds of millions of users around the globe, we tried to design a font that would be easy and comfortable to read in any language,” said Kim.

Another noteworthy difference of font design that users may easily recognize is number font, which is the same for users globally. Due to changes in approaches and design concepts of Samsung’s flagship smartphones, number fonts differ slightly by device. Numbers change the appearance of the lock screen, the weather forecasting widget, dual clock widget and alarm.

The Difference of Typeface

When thinking about the newest smart devices, most people focus on the latest technologies and features. Typeface is recognized subconsciously; however, there are those who always consider the way information is displayed, such as font designers like Kim. They understand typography is a language itself, and think about what fonts are best for every message, location or device.

“As a font designer for smart devices, my goal is to design a smart device-specialized font that feels comfortable, is easy to read and is attractive across many languages. Of course, I want to achieve ultimate optimization for various smart devices, too. You may feel that the fonts currently used on smart devices are good enough, but I don’t think they are 100 percent perfect yet. I believe fonts are similar to facial expressions in a way; the slightest hint of distortion can change the whole impression,” Kim emphasized.

Samsung’s Gear S2, launched in October has been a welcomed surprise in the world of wearable technology. Introducing a circular design with an innovative rotating bezel UX, the Gear S2 makes navigating applications and checking the notifications smooth, easy and intuitive.

This upbeat video emphasizes the Gear S2’s rotating bezel and its circular UX, navigating through the music, S Health and notification features, which are represented by a group of core performers. A mix of choreography, projections and unexpected props makes every scene of this video unique.

The “Human Kaleidoscope” production features a diverse cast of over 150 performers that includes musicians, athletes and dancers who enact a variety of common actions. They are all choreographed together for one epic performance, captured live on camera. This represents Samsung’s playful, fun side, showing the human personification of the Gear S2, put to energetic music.

Shot in large from an aerial perspective, the performers truly encapsulate the power of the circle, a symbol of unity, wholeness and timelessness. By setting up a projector and camera to hover 70 inches above the ground, the full scale of the production could be captured.

The innovative design and functionality of the newest Samsung smartwatch, along with Samsung’s extensive list of partners and apps for the Gear S2, make it perfect for organization and productivity. But the Gear S2 is not just for discreetly checking notifications and responding to messages during meetings. The Gear S2 is perfect for music lovers, fitness enthusiasts, social networkers and anyone with a creative and active lifestyle.

[People observing the immersive images of Samsung’s new SUHD TVs at a launching event in April in New York City, U.S.A.]

Samsung Electronics achieved television sales of more than $1 billion in October in North America, setting a new record for monthly sales in that market.

That sales record demonstrates how much Samsung has grown over the past 11 years. In September 2004, Samsung achieved $100 million in monthly sales for the first time. Then, in October 2007, it reached $500 million.

This growth comes as Samsung is enhancing its interactive experience marketing for customers. This year, Samsung expanded the Samsung Entertainment Experience areas into approximately 600 Best Buy stores, the world’s largest multi-channel consumer electronics retailer. These areas are specially designed to allow consumers to explore Samsung products, including SUHD TVs and Samsung audio systems.

[A Samsung Entertainment Experience area at a Best Buy store in the United States. Consumers can get a hands-on feel for the latest in Samsung TVs and audio systems.]

Samsung also installed a Brand Wall (a wall made of Samsung TV screens) in approximately 2,600 Walmart stores.

In addition, Samsung Electronics received two industry-leading customer satisfaction awards in the annual J.D. Power 2015 High-Definition Television (HDTV) Satisfaction Report. J.D. Power surveyed more than 3,750 consumers who purchased an HDTV in the past 12 months to arrive at these rankings. The study recognized Samsung as the highest-ranking company for customer satisfaction for two consecutive years in the categories of HDTVs 50 inches and above, and smaller than 50 inches.

Samsung’s entire line of SUHD TVs features High Dynamic Range (HDR) technology, which has been called the future of UHD TV. HDR increases the brightness range and improves contrast, so lights and shadows reproduced on the screen look more realistic. SUHD TVs also use Samsung’s revolutionary Nano Crystal Technology to create the most brilliant colors and details in the TV market.

“Samsung Electronics attaining over $1 billion in monthly sales in North America shows that the Samsung has now become the most trusted and representative TV brand,” said Yoon Lee, Senior Vice President of Visual Display Business at Samsung Electronics.

According to the NPD Group, a global information company, Samsung accounted for 35.1 percent of TV sales in the United States and 38.4 percent of sales in Canada, making it the leading TV seller in North America.

For UHD TVs (with a resolution of 3,840 pixels by 2,160 pixels), Samsung accounted for more than half of all sales in the third quarter of 2015—52.1 percent of sales in the United States and 54.4 percent of sales in Canada.

Meet Bela — an inspirational young innovator from the USA

Our world needs more scientists, technology inventors, engineers and mathematicians. That’s why Samsung runs a campaign called the Solve For Tomorrow Contest, an annual competition to engage students in active, hands-on STEM learning. One of these remarkable young students is Isabela, a sophomore at the STEM Academy at Galena High School in Nevada, USA, and one of five national winners of the 2015 Samsung Solve for Tomorrow Contest.

Bela was the project manager for her school’s project, which won Galena High $125,000 worth of Samsung technology. Bela led a team of 90 students on a project that produced 21 prototypes of adaptive equipment designed to help their peers with special needs. Since 2004, Samsung has provided technology worth more than $17 million to more than 1,000 public schools across the United States and has been running the Solve for Tomorrow Contest since 2010.

It’s talented people like Bela who Samsung hopes to empower — by providing the opportunity to become young innovators who can change our world. Bela puts it this way: “I’m an innovator because I truly believe that the smallest improvements and enhancements can lead to the biggest changes.”

However, any company contributing to a better world must take a broad approach and understand all aspects of being a good corporate citizen. That’s especially true for a global business like Samsung. To meet our responsibilities and to deliver on our purpose, we have developed a Corporate Citizenship strategy that focuses on four key areas: Education, Employment, Healthcare and Community.

To find out more, take a look at this video clip and meet our innovators:

Enhancing Education Opportunities

One of our key objectives globally is to help young people get a better education. Samsung contributes by creating opportunities to learn through regionally tailored education programs.
Let me give you just one example: In Poland we have been running the Coding Masters program, which ensures that young people are not just consumers of technology, but have the skills to be digital creators. The program has spread digital literacy and taught computer programming skills at more than 1,200 schools to 3,000 teachers and almost 100,000 pupils.

Supporting the Transition to Employment

Vocational training is another important focus. It’s vital that young people attain the practical skills they need to get jobs in specific industries; vocational training is one of the key ingredients for a better future.

During the past four years, Samsung has given more than 20,000 young people access to smart technology, ICT training and employability programs, to give them the skills they need for this digital century and support their transition from education to employment.

Providing Better Healthcare for All

Technology is also at the heart of global efforts to help people live healthier lives. Samsung’s technology expertise can support here too, by giving people around the world better access to healthcare solutions and services.

Take our Sono School Program, which uses health education and technology to reduce infant mortality. Since 2013, more than 3,000 doctors have been given the most advanced ultrasound equipment and been trained how to use it.

Empowering Local Communities

We are committed to supporting the economic and social development of communities around the world. As part of this commitment, we created Samsung’s Nanum Village initiative. It supports underprivileged communities by building essential infrastructure in remote regions like Gran Chaco, Argentina. With another 10 Nanum Villages across Africa, Vietnam and India, Samsung has built community centers, medical centers and schools. The initiative has improved the living conditions for more than 200,000 people since 2013. And, most importantly of all, by giving them the vital skills and tools they need, these communities are now empowered to help themselves.

Why We Do It

At Samsung, our core purpose is to devote our human resources and technology to create products and services that by themselves contribute to a better world. Our innovation helps people to be better connected and informed, and live easier and more secure lives, which creates positive change for people everywhere.

However, as Bela’s story and many others show: our goal is to empower innovators — through technology and education — to change the world themselves.

A Better World for All

We want to give innovators the tools they need to unlock their true potential and accomplish amazing things. That’s why Samsung is honored to provide tomorrow’s innovators with the technology and support they need, to make a better world for everyone.

To learn more about Samsung’s efforts to empower Tomorrow’s Innovators, here are two additional videos: a short introduction and a more in-depth look.

Samsung Presents: Tomorrow’s Innovators (6 mins)

Samsung Presents: Tomorrow’s Innovators (40 secs)

Before the digital age, business transactions and communication relied heavily on direct personal contact. But as technology has progressed in recent years, there has been a rapid shift in how professionals carry out business. We’ve gone from desktop computers to portable laptops, then to cell phones with primitive Internet capabilities, on to revolutionary smartphones, tablets and now smart watches and other wearables. Today, the ability to connect instantly and carry out tasks easily via electronic devices is making work environments more efficient than ever, and is redefining the very concept of the workplace.

The smartphone in particular, being both more portable and flexible than traditional office equipment, has evolved from a communication device to a mobile office, and has spurred a number of business trends. “BYOD” (Bring Your Own Device) is one that has become widely incorporated in workplaces throughout the world. With the ability to use their personal mobile devices for business activities, employees are able to experience an improved work-life balance and enhanced productivity.

To this end, Samsung remains committed to meeting the needs and demands of business professionals to create products that allow for superior organization, security, productivity, time management and, above all, connection. Its newest products—the Galaxy S6 edge+, the Galaxy Note5, the Galaxy Tab S2 and the Gear S2—come equipped with tools and solutions that reflect this commitment.

The Galaxy S6 edge+ and Note5: BYOD Devices that Work for You

The Galaxy S6 edge+ and the Galaxy Note5 were designed for optimized productivity and performance. Preloaded with a suite of Microsoft Office apps, a Cisco WebEx video conferencing app, free storage on OneDrive (100GB for 2 years) and refined Exchange ActiveSync (EAS)—a communications protocol designed for the synchronization of email, contacts, calendar, tasks and notes—the devices enable a completely portable working experience that ensures continuity, whether in the office or on a business trip across the world.

In addition to upgraded productivity features, the large, 5.7-inch screens of both the Galaxy S6 edge+ and Note5 provide the ideal amount of screen real estate to create presentations, edit documents and utilize business applications easily and comfortably. This is complemented by the devices’ intuitive touch interfaces and convenient input tools, such as the QWERTY Keyboard Cover and the highly precise S Pen (available on the Galaxy Note5), which eliminate the need for bulky, heavy terminals.

But even the most useful and efficient device doesn’t amount to much if it cannot keep up with one’s hectic work schedule. With fast processing and 4GB RAM, the Galaxy S6 edge+ and Note5 ensure swift application launch and multi-tasking while fast charging and power saving features keep the devices powered from early morning meetings through evening presentations. And when those presentations require the utilization of additional devices, SideSync 4.0 seamlessly connects the Galaxy smartphones to a PC or tablet to allow for drag-and-drop file sharing.

KNOX: Security and Privacy

As personal communication devices like the Galaxy S6 edge+ and Note5 continue to become a main component of business culture, more and more pressure is being placed on IT to manage and secure devices and data. As such, the defense-grade security of Samsung KNOX provides multi-layer protection to keep data safe from the moment one’s device is powered on.

Users can even keep work and personal data separate, ensuring that corporate information and resources can only be accessed by authorized personnel. KNOX offers enterprise users management tools, KNOX workspace and utilities which include on-device encryption. Furthermore, the security solution provides a vital competitive edge in a regulated industry, with Mobile Device Management (MDM) integration for easy incorporation with more than 120 MDM partners.

Keeping Tabs on Workplace Mobility

While smartphones are becoming a major component of the on-the-go approach, tablets are playing an increasingly critical role at work, especially for those who travel frequently. Gone are the days of lugging heavy laptops, stacks of paper and large charts to business meetings. Now, tablets make it easier to give presentations and showcase slideshows.

The Galaxy Tab S2, the world’s slimmest and lightest tablet, is setting a new standard in this market with its best-in-class productivity features, scalable memory with micro SD and optimized viewing features. Incorporating a 4:3 screen ratio and a Super AMOLED screen, the tablet enhances document viewing and writing, as well as on-the-go reading. As such, its preloaded Microsoft Office apps allow for a consistent office experience without the need of a PC.

And for those more accustomed to using a keyboard, the Bluetooth-enabled Keyboard Cover is ergonomically designed for faster and easier typing, and can be protected, stored and toted with the tablet inside the stylish Galaxy Tab S2 Book Cover. Moreover, enhanced file management and expandable storage up to 128GB secured by improved KNOX-based fingerprint recognition technology ensures that enterprises and users receive the highest standards of productivity and security.

The Next Level of Mobility

Like smartphones and tablets, wearables enable employees to reduce their dependence on clunky devices, communicate with minimal interference and get around more freely without feeling disconnected.

The Samsung Gear S2 allows users to conveniently access their email, make phone calls, set reminders, glance at their schedule and check notifications right from their wrist via an intuitive interface, rotating bezel and stand-alone connectivity (Wi-Fi or LTE). Also, users can discreetly check and respond to texts and emails with pre-set messages or the touch screen keyboard. Furthermore, wireless charging capabilities and a battery life that typically lasts two to three days ensure that the Gear S2 keeps you connected and on time … all the time.

While the workplace continues to transform into one that is as mobile as employees themselves, Samsung’s range of mobile devices and solutions will make staying productive, connected and protected as easy as the swipe of a screen.

“It is an honor to tangibly demonstrate our gratitude to American service members, veterans, and their families for their sacrifice in defending Korean democracy, as well as the freedom and way of life enjoyed by our American employees, partners and customers,” said Won-Kyong Kim, Executive Vice President, Samsung Electronics, and Head of Samsung’s U.S. Public Affairs office. “Through this investment, Samsung remembers your sacrifice.”

As part of its partnership with Fisher House Foundation, Samsung will provide corporate funding to engage in the role of Principal Construction Donor for four (4) new Fisher Houses being built in 2016 and 2017 in Palo Alto, CA, Ft. Hood, TX, Omaha, NE, and one additional location to be announced. In addition, the overall donation will include refurbishing and outfitting older houses (among 60+ total) with brand new, state-of-the-art Samsung kitchen and washing appliances, televisions, tablets and other personal electronics. Samsung will also help curate a suite of apps for use on the Samsung devices that will equip families to more effectively communicate back home to loved ones, neighbors, employers, and teachers, as well as to assist in the management of medical care, finances, and education.

“Fisher House Foundation is eager and excited to work with Samsung,” said Ken Fisher, Chairman and CEO of Fisher House Foundation. “Our military men and women should know we have their backs. That the nation is there for them. That their sacrifice will never be ignored. Samsung’s efforts go a long way to achieving those goals.”

To further encourage the company-wide investment in this new partnership, Samsung employees will have annual volunteer opportunities to work with Fisher Houses in key U.S. locations where Samsung has a core footprint, including Palo Alto, CA; Washington, DC; Minneapolis, MN; and, Austin and Dallas, TX. Employees will be able to volunteer at specific Fisher House sites, including Samsung’s National Days of Service, cooking dinners at houses, fulfilling a House Wish List on Amazon Smile, donating air miles and hotel points to Fisher House Foundation’s Hero Miles and Hotels for Heroes programs, and participating in Giving Tuesday.

Above and beyond its umbrella $500,000 sponsorship, Samsung is also pleased to contribute $100,000 to Fisher House Foundation that will be specifically dedicated to its affiliated partner, the National Military Family Association, for a special Samsung-funded scholarship fund in support of military spouses. These scholarships will specifically support New Jersey-based spouses who serve alongside service members, providing essential funds needed to continue their higher education goals, including for STEM-focused academic programs.

“Samsung shares our belief that caring for these families is the right thing to do,” said Ken Fisher. “Through their generosity we’ll be able to better care for our veterans, service members, and their beloved families for years to come.”

To launch the partnership and honor public service at large surrounding Veterans Day, Samsung’s U.S. Public Affairs office hosted a celebratory “Chef of Staff” event on November 17th at Constitution 101 in Washington, D.C. The evening featured Samsung celebrity Club des Chefs Daniel Boulud and Christopher Kostow, who led live, culinary demonstrations using Samsung’s Chef Collection home appliance line to share in the joys of cooking. The cooking segments featured participation from Samsung CEO BK Yoon, Chairman Michael T. McCaul (R-TX), Fisher House Foundation Trustee Mary Jo Myers, and Chief of Staff Michael Platt for Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), who each lent their time as sous-chefs for the evening in honor of public service and veterans.

BK Yoon, President and CEO at Samsung Electronics, commented: “As we embark on this two-year partnership with the Fisher House Foundation, we celebrate the opportunity to help unite our military heroes with their loved ones, and bring them together through the power of food. Our products, such as the Chef Collection line, not only bring industry-leading performance and reliability, but ultimately aim to bring families and communities closer together by enabling people to maximize their experiences through technology.”

Preceding the cooking show, Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ), Senator Deb Fischer (R-NE), Chairman Michael T. McCaul (R-TX), and Congresswoman Anna Eshoo (D-CA-18) each provided remarks on how they have, and will continue to engage with Samsung through the company’s cash and in-kind product donations for existing and new Fisher Houses based in their respective states and districts. Additionally, the 200 guests – drawn from the public, private, government and non-profit sector communities – heard special remarks from Mr. Ken Fisher, Chairman and CEO of Fisher House Foundation, Inc., as well as New Jersey-based military spouses who were the first to be matched to Samsung’s higher education scholarship fund coordinated through the National Military Family Association.

Samsung Electronics, with its growing footprint of 17,000 U.S. employees is making the support of veterans and military family initiatives a major part of its social responsibility and citizenship efforts in the United States. Several of its efforts – such as Samsung’s 20 year partnership with the American Legion to provide college scholarships to descendants of American Korean War Veterans, and its support for the Korean War Veterans Memorial Foundation – are rooted in the company’s recognition of the importance of the U.S. military role in South Korea’s history.

About Fisher House Foundation

Fisher House Foundation is best known for a network of comfort homes where military and veterans’ families can stay at no cost while a loved one is receiving treatment. These homes are located at major military and VA medical centers nationwide, and in Europe, close to the medical center or hospital it serves. Fisher Houses have up to 21 suites, with private bedrooms and baths. Families share a common kitchen, laundry facilities, a warm dining room and an inviting living room. Fisher House Foundation ensures that there is never a lodging fee. Since inception, the program has saved military and veterans’ families an estimated $282 million in out of pocket costs for lodging and transportation. Fisher House Foundation also operates the Hero Miles Program, using donated frequent flyer miles to bring family members to the bedside of injured service members as well as the Hotels for Heroes program using donated hotel points to allow family members to stay at hotels near medical centers without charge. The Foundation also manages a grant program that supports other military charities and scholarship funds for military children, spouses and children of fallen and disabled veterans. To learn more about Fisher House Foundation, visit www.fisherhouse.org.

There’s an undeniable sense of festivity in the air that can only mean one thing: the holiday season is officially upon us. From pumpkin spice lattes to holiday songs taking over the airwaves to the fact that just about everyone is full of good cheer, there’s plenty to love about this time of year. The Galaxy S6 edge+ and Note5 are two smartphones that are packed with features and offer apps that will help you enjoy the holiday season even more. Here are some of them.

1. Great Photos, Even in Low Light

As the year comes to an end, the days are getting shorter, but the cameras of the Galaxy S6 edge+ and Note5 ensure that you get great photos, even in low light. Whether taking pictures at a party or a football game, or just snapping photos of your fall/winter OOTD, lighting is no longer an issue.

2. Video Collage

Rather than sending out that boring, run-of-the-mill Christmas card again this year, spice things up a bit and extend holiday greetings to your loved ones with a creative Video Collage, one of the newly added camera modes of Samsung’s latest Galaxy smartphones. Choose between three options—Collage, Series or Slow Motion—and let your creativity run wild.

3. Live Broadcast

It’s not always easy getting the whole family together in the same place at the same time. But now you can share your special holiday moments with all of your loved ones, no matter where they are, with the Live broadcast feature of the Galaxy S6 edge+ and Note5. The feature is built directly into the native camera app and allows users to broadcast a live video stream directly to YouTube. Users have the option of publishing their broadcast publicly, or directly to their friends and family via a private link.

4. Samsung Pay

With all the great deals available on Black Friday, you’ll most certainly be running from store to store to load up on all of the good stuff before it’s gone. Don’t waste a minute messing around with credit cards and checks. Use Samsung Pay to quickly and easily make all your holiday purchases for friends and family (and yourself, of course). Samsung Pay is accepted virtually anywhere you can swipe or tap a credit card.

5. My KNOX

The holidays are for spending time with your loved ones, but sometimes it can be difficult to completely remove oneself from work. For the moments you have to check an important document or send an urgent email, My KNOX ensures that your sensitive work data stays protected, even on your personal devices.

6. Game Tuner

As temperatures continue to drop, there are even more excuses to stay indoors and spend your days gaming. Samsung’s new Game Tuner app for the Galaxy S6 edge+ and Note5 reduces resolution and frames per second (FPS) to ensure a longer battery life so that you can play for as long as your heart desires.

7. Game Recorder+

While you’re at it, save and share your high score as well as the highlights of your most exciting game sessions using Game Recorder+. Capture your game play and face-cam commentary with a single touch of the record button. With this app, gaming enthusiasts will be happier than a kid on Christmas.

8. Smart Manager

There’s nothing worse than losing battery power just before getting the perfect wide-angle shot of the whole family gathered around the dining room table, or getting lost en route to your colleague’s ugly Christmas sweater party, leaving you unable to call for directions. Which is why the Galaxy S6 edge+ and Note5 come equipped with Smart Manager, an app that helps extend battery life by optimizing apps. Users can also free up storage space and scan for malicious software easily and quickly.

9. Soundcamp

One of the best parts of the holiday season is the holiday parties that come along with it. Make yours a holly, jolly good time with Samsung Soundcamp. The app allows all musicians—both amateurs and professionals—to play, compose and mix their own tracks right from the screen of their Galaxy smartphone without any extra equipment. And with features like Looper and Sampler, added especially for the Galaxy S6 edge+ and Note5, DJing your own party is easier than ever.

10. PEN.UP

Artists can be inspired at any time, but the fiery autumn hues, crisp air and holiday cheer are especially inspiring. Whatever awakens your creativity, express yourself with the ultra-precise S Pen of the Galaxy Note5. Then, use the PEN.UP application to curate, tag and share your digital artwork with the world. You can also follow popular artists, communicate with people by giving “Likes” and adding comments. Your holiday art might even land you in the PEN.UP Hall of Fame.

A New Approach to Air

When Samsung engineers decided to revolutionize existing cooling and heating technology, they looked to other industries for possible solutions. In the end, wind turbines—which enhance airflow efficiency by bringing in a sub-airflow through their blades from the outside into the main airflow—proved to be exactly what they were looking for. To adapt this principle to the 360 Cassette, Samsung added a Booster Fan, a mechanism that uses pressure to alter the direction of the airflow.

With the Booster Fan in place, engineers next had to evaluate how to fix some of the more common pain points of conventional 4-way cassette systems, including a way to eliminate direct airflow. So, to ensure a more even airflow, Samsung opted to remove traditional blades altogether from the device. When integrated with an all-new circular shape, a complete contrast to the traditional mounted square, the result was a triumphant one.

The final product—a bladeless, circular mounted cassette equipped with a Booster Fan—ensured three factors that would contribute to a device that would surely set a new standard in heating and cooling. First, there would be no cold drafts, but rather a cool and comfortable airflow resembling that of natural wind. Next, airflow would ensure even, fast cooling and heating. Finally, the natural curves of the design would make it stylishly appropriate for just about any interior.

Design That Comes Full Circle

In the past, some conventional indoor air conditioning systems posed problems to interior design, a component that has a big effect on the way we interact with and perceive our surroundings. As a bladeless, circular system, the 360 Cassette blends in naturally with its surroundings while providing a stunning finishing touch.

The curved design of the 360 Cassette also complements the styles of modern architecture. As interiors increasingly become bolder and more modern, often incorporating curved lines in their designs, the 360 Cassette, which integrates smooth, natural curves, easily melds with the décor of a variety of contemporary spaces.

From a superior modern design to unsurpassed functionality, the 360 Cassette is, simply put, a powerful solution to a market that has needed revolutionizing for quite some time. It is certain that Samsung’s latest appliance will lead the way to bringing about positive change and creating a more harmonious environment in the spaces in which we live and work.

Research published by Samsung, in partnership with Mindlab International, reveals that watching television content on an UHD TV is 38 percent more immersive than watching on Full HD.

The neuropsychological study – ‘Screen Sensation: The Ultra HD Effect’ – examined the physiological affects of watching UHD TV versus Full HD TV, in order to highlight the technological advancements of the Samsung SUHD TV range. Full HD (also known as 1080p), has over five times as much picture information as standard definition TV, and Ultra high definition (UHD) televisions are capable of displaying pictures with four times the detail of Full HD. The participants, aged 18-65, had electrodes attached to their scalps and were monitored via electroencephalography (EEG), electrodermal activity (EDA) and heart rate. The subjects watched footage from leading content streaming service Netflix and a European high profile football match, all in UHD and HD. To ensure impartiality, the brand of TV was concealed during the study.

[Samsung compares the body’s physiological response to watching Netflix (Chef’s Table) on a Samsung SUHD television, in comparison to Full High Definition TV.]

The results proved overwhelmingly that UHD TV was more ‘immersive’ than Full HD TV due to a combination of increased approach motivation (a measure associated with being attracted towards something), visual processing and beta power (a measure associated with active thinking or concentration). Immersion is highly increased during experiences like riding a roller coaster, buying a new product or going out on a good date. The fact that watching Samsung SUHD TV increases immersion suggests that it offers a more positive and rich viewer engagement than watching content on a Full HD screen.

The results will also please armchair football commentators, who will be able to feel more like a referee on the pitch, never missing an offside position again. Participants experienced 62 percent higher levels of visual processing when watching football on UHD TV, meaning that the brain is using more of its capacity to process visual information. In turn this mental function delivers a more detailed and richer representation of what’s really happening on the pitch.

During the study, subjects felt 25 percent more ‘in the moment’ when watching something for the first time on the Samsung SUHD TV. Subjects felt more ready to react to what was on the screen, more focused, attentive and concentrated – perfect for action film fans, who want their viewing experience heightened.

[Subjects watch Netflix (Sense8 and Chef’s Table) while being tested by Mindlab International for Samsung’s ‘Screen Sensation: The Ultra HD Effect’ study to examine the body’s physiological response to watching TV in Ultra HD, compared to Full HD.]

Neuropsychologist Dr. David Lewis, Chairman of Mindlab International says: “Ultra High Definition TV is a quantum leap in terms of viewing experience – this has been proved by the research we carried out for Samsung. It’s incredible how advancements in technology can create these significant physiological responses and is changing the way we experience content and entertainment.”

Other findings include:

• Participants were significantly more drawn towards content on UHD screens compared to Full HD screens (20 percent difference) – creating a positive emotional reaction
• When watching clips for the second or third time, people watching on UHD screens were more drawn to them than those watching them on HD screens (29 percent difference)

Michael Zoeller, Vice President, European Head of Visual Display at Samsung said: “From global sporting events, to highly anticipated TV series, to blockbuster films, people want to experience the huge variety of premium TV content available on bigger, brighter, crystal clear screens. Samsung is at the very forefront of evolving TV technology, offering the most breath-taking viewing experience possible, in the comfort of people’s homes. This research underlines the power of watching premium quality content on a technologically advanced television, like a Samsung SUHD TV.”

Neil Hunt, Chief Product Officer at Netflix said: “Ultra High Definition is challenging people’s expectations on the quality of television and our own programming is reflecting the leaps forward in picture quality, depth, detail and colour. The reality of TV is becoming sharper, making entertainment more immersive and enjoyable.”

Samsung’s revolutionary Curved SUHD TVs offer the finest UHD picture quality, depth and detail a UHD screen can offer. Ground breaking Nano Crystal Technology creates outstandingly precise, rich colours and brightness, and flat images come to life making entertainment more immersive and enjoyable.

So what is the current state of TV? The advances have come so fast and furious in recent years, it is easy to fall behind and miss out on many interesting developments. This is why we have put together this series; to explore the newest in TV technology, features and content, going in-depth to examine all the newest innovations.

To kick things off, let’s take a look at an important part of TV—choosing the right size for your home. While there are many features and functions you should keep in mind when choosing your TV, the viewing distance and the TV’s resolution quality will suggest the best screen size.

The March Continues Toward Larger Screens

We all know that larger TVs are growing more popular, and the market is on the verge of reaching a milestone in the size trend—with the household average surpassing 40 inches for the first time. According to market research firm IHS, the average size of TVs purchased worldwide was 39.4 inches in 2015. Next year, that number should reach 40.8 inches.

In major markets like the U.S. and China, that change is even more pronounced. In the U.S., the average TV size purchased this year was 42.6 inches, and should climb to 44.5 inches in 2016. In China, the average size of TVs purchased was 43.0 inches in 2015, and will be 43.9 next year.

For UHD, this trend is bigger still. In both Korea and Australia, the most popular size for Samsung UHD TV purchases this year is 55 inches.

In addition, one more change is helping TVs grow even larger—smaller bezels. In the past, large screen TVs might have had a frame around the outside that was several inches thick, taking up design space and leaving less TV screen to enjoy. But today’s bezels are very thin, so they seem to melt away. The result is you can now fit a 55 inch TV into the same space that a 46 inch TV once took.

Selecting the Right Size for Your Home

Everyone loves the impressive look and immersive feel of a big screen TV. But going too big for a room can be overwhelming. So what’s the right screen size?

A common industry recommendation for the best-sized Full HD TV for a room is to take the distance from the TV to the sofa in meters and multiply by 25 to get the screen size in inches. For example, a TV that sits two meters from the sofa should be 50 inches. If the TV is three meters from the sofa, then it should be 75 inches.

For UHD, because of its superior image quality and detail, multiply the distance by 39. A TV that is just two meters from the sofa can be as large as 78 inches. And a TV that is three meters from the sofa can be 117 inches.

UHD Lets Your TV Get Bigger

UHD refers to Ultra High Definition (also known as 4K), the new breed of TV that packs a pixel count four times denser than conventional Full HD TVs. Whereas Full HD screens have 1,920 pixels by 1,080 pixels, UHD jumps to 3,840 pixels by 2,160 pixels, for stunningly clear images. Therefore, you can enjoy UHD TVs that are larger than Full HD TVs, from the same distance, without ever noticing the individual pixels or worrying about eye strain.

What’s the best distance to sit from your TV? The international standards organization ITU-R suggests that for a 50 inch Full HD TV, the screen is best viewed from between two meters and just under three meters. Closer than two meters, however, you either need to choose a smaller TV or upgrade to UHD, otherwise you could begin to feel some discomfort. A 50 inch UHD screen can be used comfortably from as close as a meter away. For a big 85 inch UHD TV, the sweet spot is between 1.6 meters and about 3.3 meters.

A Wide Range of TV Options

With 28 curved SUHD TVs, ranging in size from 48 inches all the way up to 105 inches, plus dozens of options in Full HD, Samsung Electronics has a TV that fits with many different lifestyles.

In future stories in this series, we will explore more details about TVs, including types of TV displays (LCD, PDP, OLED), curved versus flat TVs, levels of definition, stands or wall mounts, how long you can expect your TV to last, how to buy a second TV for your home, smart TVs and more.

Read more:

Hot Tips for Buying a Cool TV, Part 2: Know Your Displays

Hot Tips for Buying a Cool TV, Part 3-A: Wall-Mount or Stand

Hot Tips for Buying a Cool TV, Part 3-B: Samsung TV Stands

Samsung Electronics announced that its five newest business monitors – the SE200, SE450, SE650, UE850 and UD970 models – have earned New Generation TCO Certified status from TCO Development, an international third-party sustainability certification provider.

Now in its seventh generation, the TCO Certified program recognizes products that meet a set of criteria for exceptional environmental design and socially responsible manufacturing. Available for eight different categories of consumer and business-facing technologies, TCO Certified ensures that manufacturing, use and recycling processes are carried out with consideration for environmental, social and economic responsibility. TCO Certified offers a structure and third party verification system for suppliers looking to meet growing buyer demand for more sustainable technologies.

“Samsung’s innovative display solutions empower companies to create collaborative and productive work environments while keeping social and environmental responsibility top of mind,” said Seog-gi Kim, Senior Vice President of the Enterprise Business Team, Visual Display Business at Samsung Electronics. “Achieving TCO Certified Displays 7.0 recognition further underscores Samsung’s position as a leader in developing environmentally-friendly displays that feature state-of-the-art technologies, and we look forward to devoting even greater R&D efforts to new solutions that accommodate user demands for eco-efficiency and comfort.”

[Jongjune Seo, Senior Manager at Samsung Electronics Nordic AB (left) and Soren Enholm, CEO of TCO]

Through rigorous testing, TCO Development verified that Samsung’s 2015 business monitor lineup meets all TCO Certified criteria. Each of Samsung’s tested monitors is composed of 30 percent recycled materials, among the highest levels in the industry. Additionally, Samsung’s newest business monitors include PVC-free materials, which do not emit environmental hormones or other hazardous substances. Individually, the SE450 and SE650 models include a built-in ECO Power Off function, which offers 0.00W off-mode power consumption.

As part of its sustainability certification, the TCO Certified program also recognizes technologies that promote more ergonomic and safe work conditions. Samsung’s 2015 business monitors meet these criteria as well, supported by a universal user-friendly design. These features include a height-adjustable stand (HAS) and swivel, tilt and pivot functionalities, which enable users to adjust and rotate screen dimensions to their desired comfort. A separate VESA-supported wall mount further stabilizes each display.

To learn more about TCO Development’s sustainability certification program, visit www.tcodevelopment.com. For more information on Samsung’s 2015 business monitor lineup and entire portfolio of environmentally-friendly display solutions, visit www.samsung.com.

The mobile-first workforce of the modern world means that fast, wireless access to the Internet and connected devices is a growing need of businesses. Wireless technologies are a core part of an enterprise’s network solutions. The Internet of Things (IoT) is making it necessary to guide the effective integration of connected devices that communicate with each other. To accomplish this seamless connection, the right technology must be in place for those devices to communicate effectively and efficiently.

Truly efficient business environments depend on a reliable and fast network to meet the rising demand for bandwidth. In order to support enterprise mobility activities such as user-owned devices, IoT and digital content consumption, Samsung’s WLAN solutions provide improved end-user experiences with faster connectivity, battery life preservation and maximum airtime for devices.

Samsung Electronics is now at the center of enterprise network solutions, launching IoT access points (AP) that support multiple interfaces, including Wi-Fi, ZigBee and Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE), as well as the industry’s smallest Outdoor Mesh AP.

IoT AP Enables WiFi, ZigBee and Bluetooth

Wireless LAN is a local area network, which allows high-speed Internet connection within a certain distance where wireless devices can connect through an access point. Samsung has recently launched two types of wireless LAN products. The first product is an IoT AP which supports both ZigBee and BLE. This is an industry-first product that supports Wi-Fi, ZigBee and BLE technology.

“The product was developed with the most careful consideration of the implementation of the highest level of technology so that problems such as interference did not take place when supporting Wi-Fi, ZigBee and BLE technology. These three technologies use the same frequency range so problems such as data loss could occur when users use the three technologies simultaneously. To prevent such problems, interference control technology among Wi-Fi, ZigBee and Bluetooth 2.4G communication technologies were developed and applied,” said Deahyun Lee, Principle Engineer at Networks Business.

Developing such technology meant success in intelligent control of the ZigBee device using local information received via BLE signals. For instance, the building management system detects the number of people on a certain floor by a BLE signal, which is widely adopted for smartphones, and controls the temperature of the floor by signaling the air conditioning system using a ZigBee signal. With Samsung IoT AP, there is no need to install extra a BLE beacon or ZigBee equipment.

“The IoT AP was originally planned with shopping malls, department stores and hospitals as the primary target market, where the BLE-based location services are required. To do this, after the product development was complete, a detailed analysis on the effect of the product was carried out on-site, by visiting large shopping malls nearby,” noted Julee Lee, Product Planner at Networks Business.

“As the first product in the industry to implement such technology, Samsung will be able to enter the Smart building market with other illumination and air ventilation system industries that require energy saving,” she added.

The IoT AP product integrates all Wi-Fi technology required in an enterprise environment, in addition to integrating convenience, service optimization and strong security. A wireless LAN product optimized for the IoT environment has been created.

Launching the Outdoor Mesh AP

Outdoor Mesh Access Points allow the wireless connection of numerous Aps, instead of using wired network cables. The advantages of an outdoor mesh system include eliminating physical restrictions and reducing the deployment costs.

The Outdoor Mesh AP recently launched by Samsung is the smallest in the industry, but is still technologically advanced. With an environmental protection rating of IP67, the Outdoor Mesh AP is safe from dust and debris and can be submerged in water up to one meter. At only 2.8kg, and only 58mm thick, the product can be easily transported and installed.

“The Outdoor Mesh AP is used in diverse locations in corporations and urban environments. This product can be deployed both indoors and outdoors so multiple environmental elements must be considered. For this reason, Samsung concentrated on implementing technology allowing easy deployment through a small design and easy notification of Wi-Fi status through LED lamp,” Edric Kim, Product Planner, explained.

“Moreover, to protect the product against bad weather conditions, Samsung Outdoor Mesh AP guarantees the IP67 certification, a rating higher than IP65, with its own waterproof and dustproof technology,” he added.

Principal Engineer, Young-Cheol Ham, addressed the test process in real environment. “This is a product developed after tests conducted in several locations within Korea, from boat race courses to embankments, to conduct various investigations on outdoor environment installations. Such experiences helped us check the competence of the product, working more accurately under any environmental conditions.

“The strengths of this product are optimization and recovery functionality among Air Time (own development) based on mesh-protocol based nodes (AP), provision of mesh service regardless of network topology (controller-based or local switching service mode) and utilization of optimal wireless resources when transmitting data between accessing terminal,” he concluded.

Samsung’s Outdoor Mesh APs are already installed in a lake park in Korea, and it allows people to fully enjoy the speed of 1G wireless internet service, even outdoors.

A Long Future of Wireless Technology

Data usage is only going to expand. The emergence of technologies that will make the lives of consumers simpler and more convenient are coming, like IoT. Samsung’s Smart WLAN, equipped with LTE technologies such as Scheduling, Handover and SON, guarantees high speed and seamless Wi-Fi service. Wireless intrusion prevention systems (WIPS) modules provide advanced security protection in the cost effective way.

Samsung has launched a dozen Smart WLAN products, mainly in Korea, Europe and North America. Samsung will launch diverse wireless APs which fits market needs, expanding to Asia, the Middle East and Africa.

Samsung Electronics, a world leader in advanced semiconductor technology, announced the newest member of its Exynos family of application processors, the Exynos 8 Octa 8890. This chip is Samsung’s second premium application processor built on 14nm FinFET process technology. Unlike the previous Exynos 7 Octa 7420, the Exynos 8 Octa is an integrated one-chip solution that features the company’s first custom designed CPU based on 64-bit ARMv8 architecture and the latest LTE Rel.12 Cat.12/13 modem. This brings a new level of performance to Samsung’s Exynos processor premium line-up for mobile applications.

“The Exynos 8 Octa is a leading-edge application processor for next-generation mobile devices that incorporates Samsung’s mobile technology leadership in CPU, ISP, and modem as well as process technology,” said Dr. Kyushik Hong, Vice President of System LSI marketing, Samsung Electronics. “With our custom designed CPU cores and the industry’s most advanced LTE modem, consumers using mobile devices with the Exynos 8 Octa will experience a new level of mobile computing.”

The Exynos 8 Octa is Samsung’s first application processor to include the company’s initial premium custom CPU cores based on 64-bit ARMv8 architecture providing over 30 percent improvement in performance and 10 percent in power efficiency compared to the Exynos 7 Octa. This chip also supports enhanced heterogeneous multi-processing for efficient usage of the eight cores, four custom and four ARM® Cortex®-A53, to deliver the highest performance and power efficiency in its class.

The Exynos 8 Octa is Samsung’s first integrated one-chip solution in its premium line-up that combines the application processor and modem. Samsung has delivered one-chip Exynos solutions for mid to high-end smartphones in recent years. The Exynos 8 Octa integrates the most advanced LTE Rel.12 Cat.12/13 modem that enables maximum download speed of up to 600Mbps (Cat.12) and upload speed of up to 150Mbps (Cat.13) with carrier aggregation. With such a high data transfer rate, the Exynos 8 Octa will contribute to delivering an excellent mobile experience, allowing users to enjoy and share high resolution video content on the go with ease. Also the one-chip solution benefits OEMs with a reduced number of parts needed and overall space required for a device, allowing more flexible design options.

For a graphic-intensive user interface, highly immersive 3D gaming and life-like virtual reality experiences, the Exynos 8 Octa employs ARM®’s latest GPU, Mali-T880.

Samsung plans to begin mass production of the Exynos 8 Octa in late 2015.

For more information about Samsung’s Exynos products, please visit www.samsung.com/exynos.

The IoT platform is currently compatible with more than 200 devices, a number that is continuously increasing thanks to the efforts of the more than 15,000 developers involved in the SmartThings community.

Relying on this growing community to refine and enhance the platform, the SmartThings founders have persistently reached out to and fostered developers to continue to expand the ecosystem. Ben Edwards, cofounder of SmartThings and Vice President of Community and Developer Advocacy, leads this initiative, and works to engage with and advocate for individual partners, developers and developer enthusiasts.

His work recently brought him to Seoul for IoT Week Korea 2015, where he spoke to developers about the SmartThings platform, as well as the company’s aspirations for IoT. During his trip, Edwards sat down with Samsung Tomorrow to discuss the importance of developers, the current state of SmartThings and the unlimited possibilities of a more connected world.

Connected Chairs and Talking Tables: The Near Future of IoT

The developer community, Edwards believes, is essential to the success of the ever-expanding ecosystem, and open IoT platforms like SmartThings make it easy for developers to get involved.

“Everything is going to be connected, even things we wouldn’t necessarily think of. Tables and chairs and couches and buildings, for example,” Edwards explained. “They’re all going to be connected in ways that we can’t even imagine right now.”

Although it might not happen immediately, object manufacturers, such as furniture companies, for example, are understanding that this level of connectivity, though it may seem novel at the moment, won’t be so unconventional a decade from now. Edwards used the example of a smart dining room table to illustrate how this may be possible.

“Imagine, a table display pops up that is unique to what I’m interested in because it knows that I am sitting here. Across the table in another seat, the display might show something different. Or, maybe there’s not a display at all. But the table knows that I have to catch a certain metro train, so it might notify me that it’s time to leave,” he stated, noting that the technology already exists, even though the use cases may not.

As such, Edwards encourages developers to envision what the future trends of IoT may be to better equip evolving platforms. “Developers shouldn’t focus on simple applications or devices but rather service platforms like SmartThings,” he added. Users and developers can easily create functions for the platform, enabling the advancement of the platform itself. These kind of activities will become more common as IoT expands.

Grasping the Opportunities of an Omnipresent IoT

Although there are many ways IoT will offer value to consumers in the near future, home automation still has a way to go. Part of this has to do with technical hurdles, and part of it has to do with the fact that some people who may not be enthusiasts or early adopters of technology might be a bit hesitant about it.

Edwards compares the dawn of IoT to the advent of smartphones, as many consumers were not immediately able to recognize the need for the technology at that time. Over the past couple years, however, smartphones have rapidly become so ingrained in our everyday lives that it has become difficult to function without them. In this way, IoT will rapidly become an essential part of life, as consumers will quickly recognize the convenience of IoT, just as they did with smartphones.

Increasingly, IoT will move beyond spaces like the home, across market verticals, and will eventually be present just about everywhere, Edwards claimed. “When I walk up to a take-out restaurant, the menu might rearrange itself based on my preferences, or the things I generally like. Or make recommendations based on the dishes that I’ve eaten and rated before.”

In due course, Edwards noted, we will no longer live in cities, but smart cities. We will no longer be citizens of countries, but smart countries. These changes, brought on by the growth of IoT, and driven by developers, will provide endless opportunities to other developers seeking to contribute to the ecosystem.

SmartThings remains devoted to developing relentlessly to best prepare for a future that isn’t so far away, and will continue to cultivate its relationships with developers around the world to enable an IoT of unlimited possibilities.

Samsung Electronics, a global leader and award-winning innovator in consumer electronics, semiconductors and telecommunications, today announced that it won 38 prestigious International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2016 Innovation Awards. The Consumer Technology Association (CTA), the producer of CES 2016 – the global gathering place for all who thrive on the business of consumer technologies, who has been recognizing achievements in product design and engineering since 1976, has honored Samsung with one more Best of Innovation Award this year than last year.

Among Samsung’s 38 CES 2016 Innovation Awards are three Best of Innovation Awards. Products entered in the CES Innovation program are judged by a pre-eminent panel of independent industrial designers, engineers and members of the trade media to honor outstanding design and engineering in cutting-edge consumer electronics products across 27 categories.

“Samsung continues to deliver unique experiences for our consumers worldwide through the many products that help people lead more connected lives,” said Gregory Lee, president and CEO of Samsung Electronics North America. “We are honored that CTA and the industry recognizes our ongoing commitment to innovation and excellence in consumer experience as we look forward to demonstrating our latest achievements at the 2016 International Consumer Electronics Show.”

Samsung’s award-winning products span 18 categories including, TV, Monitor, Mobile, Tablet, Digital Imaging, Wearable, Home Appliance and Memory. Many of Samsung’s award-winning products will be on display at CES 2016, which runs January 6-9, 2016, in Samsung booth #11906 in the Central Hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center. Some of the winning products will be showcased at Samsung’s CES press conference, scheduled for 2 p.m. on Tuesday January 5, 2016.

Following are details on some of Samsung’s award-winning products:

Samsung Gear S2 – A completely re-designed smartwatch that centers on an intuitive circular design with a rotating bezel that allows users to easily and precisely navigate the UI with the turn of a dial. The Gear S2 provides at-a-glance notifications to check calendars, e-mails, send texts and more.

Galaxy S6 edge+ – With an immersive, 5.7-inch dual-edge display, the Galaxy S6 edge+ breaks conventional smartphone design and delivers industry leading features, including Samsung’s most advanced camera for high quality photos and videos, fast wireless and wired charging, powerful processor and Samsung Pay.

Samsung Galaxy View – Re-imagining mobile entertainment, the Galaxy View provides a movable, touchable, immersive TV experience. With a unique, video-centric user interface, the Galaxy View makes it easy to access and enjoy streaming content, interactive video games, books and other digital content.

Samsung Gear VR – Powered by Oculus, the Gear VR is compatible the Samsung Galaxy Note5, Galaxy S6 edge+, Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 edge, leveraging each device’s Quad HD Super AMOLED display to provide the color, clarity and performance needed for an amazing virtual reality experience.

ATIV Book 9 Pro – Offering a stunning 4K display, cutting-edge performance from its Intel Core i7® processor, and magnificent quad speakers, this laptop is ideal for professionals and multimedia enthusiasts alike.

Samsung 950 PRO 512GB – This solid state drive (SSD), the first Non-Volatile Memory Express (NVMe) M.2 form factor SSD with vertical NAND (V-NAND) technology, is designed to meet the demands of high-performance consumer and business PCs and laptops. Ideal for projects such as computer-aided design, data analysis and engineering simulation, the 950 PRO provides users with cutting-edge performance, higher bandwidth and lower latency from their workstations, even under intensive workloads.

Samsung 850 PRO 2TB – As the world’s first 2 terabyte consumer SSD, the Samsung 850 PRO 2TB is a high-performance, high-density storage device that delivers rapid data access times and program load times, as well as industry-leading power efficiency. With V-NAND technology at its core, the 850 PRO 2TB yields excellent reliability and superior performance throughout its lifetime.

Samsung SleepSense Sleep Monitor – The Bluetooth and IoT-enabled Samsung SleepSense device uses a complex set of sensors in a smart, innovative, and simple way to track and provide information on your sleep habits and deliver personalized expert tips directly to consumers’ smartphones to help you take control of the most important aspects of health and wellness: how well we sleep.

Samsung 128GB UFS – As the first mobile memory based on the much-anticipated Universal Flash Storage (UFS) 2.0 standard, this ultra-fast package is the highest capacity, highest performing, thinnest and smallest embedded storage memory for mobile devices. It allows for quick access to pictures from 20MP+ cameras and to 4K video files, as well as embracing 5G connectivity and delivering shorter application loading and response times.

Samsung 12Gb LPDDR4 – The world’s highest density mobile DRAM chip allows for packages of up to 6GB, delivering 34.1GB/s bandwidth – three times as fast as the industry’s previous highest performing mobile DRAM. The chip can accommodate the real-time multitasking scenarios of today’s flagship smartphones and tablets having UHD displays, while providing 50% greater power efficiency and the optimal density for new high-end 64bit-system smartphones.

Samsung Electronics announced that the new Samsung Gear VR powered by Oculus is available for pre-order in the U.S. starting today. The new consumer edition of the Gear VR is compatible with Samsung’s 2015 flagship smartphones, the Galaxy Note 5, Galaxy S6 edge+, Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 edge, leveraging each device’s super AMOLED display to provide the color, clarity and performance needed for an amazing virtual reality experience.

“Samsung is leveraging its leadership in mobile, by giving millions of Samsung Galaxy smartphone owners’ access to amazing virtual reality experiences including immersive games, the ability to explore beautiful photographs and exciting videos in 360 degrees, and much more,” said Nick DiCarlo, Vice President, Immersive Products and Virtual Reality at Samsung Electronics America. “The quality of the VR experience provided by Galaxy smartphones and Oculus software is unparalleled, taking virtual reality out of the early adopter space and into the mainstream with this revolutionary product.”

“This is an incredible moment for virtual reality as we introduce the absolute best VR experience on mobile today,” said Max Cohen, Head of Mobile, Oculus. “People all over the world can now turn their mobile phone into an immersive VR experience with made-for-VR games and thousands of amazing 2D, 3D and 360 degree videos and films.”

The Gear VR is now available for pre-order on Samsung.com, Amazon.com and BestBuy.com, and will begin shipping as early as November 20. Gear VR will retail for $99.99 MSRP. It will be available online at Amazon.com, BestBuy.com, Samsung.com and at retail at BestBuy, as early as November 20. T-Mobile will offer the Gear VR beginning November 27 in stores and online at T-Mobile.com. AT&T will offer the Gear VR and will confirm specific availability.

The Samsung Gear VR is 19 percent lighter than the previous Gear VR Innovator Edition, and includes new foam cushioning to make the device more comfortable to wear. In addition, the Gear VR’s touchpad has been improved, providing greater control and easier navigation while enjoying the wide range of film, gaming, 360 degree video and experiential content available for Gear VR.

Samsung Gear VR users can play dozens of new made-for-VR games that are coming to the Oculus platform this year, including CCP’s “Gunjack” and Ustwo Games’ “Lands End”. People can also enjoy a wide range of content from Samsung Milk VR, a premium virtual reality content service, watch the entire Netflix** catalog of original series, documentaries and films, and explore Oculus Video, where viewers can watch thousands of videos and films from Lionsgate, 20^th Century Fox, Twitch, and Vimeo.

Working closely with the major wireless providers, an update for the Samsung Galaxy S6 edge+ and Note 5 will be available in time for the Gear VR launch to make the phones compatible with the new headset.

For more information and media assets on the Gear VR, please visit www.samsung.com/GearVR.

Samsung Gear VR Product Specifications

*All functionality, features, specifications and other product information provided in this document including, but not limited to, the benefits, design, pricing, components, performance, availability, and capabilities of the product are subject to change without notice or obligation.

**Netflix streaming subscription required.

The Samsung Galaxy View promises to transform people’s lifestyles. With an 18.4-inch screen and a battery capable of eight hours of video playback, it’s a new dimension in entertainment, helping everyone in the family do more, enjoy more choices and find their inspiration.

In Part 1, we looked at how the Galaxy View can improve life for mom and dad, both in the office and at home, making life more fun and fulfilling. Now in Part 2, we will look at their kids—a daughter who is attending university and a son who is in high school— and how the Galaxy View can transform their lives, too, letting them share, be more productive and better express themselves.

Empowering a Daughter with More Options

For their daughter, an aspiring artist studying painting at university, the Galaxy View can be a great aid. Even an emergency visit to the hospital on the day of an important class outing cannot derail her studies; the Full HD screen of the Galaxy View is so incredibly vivid, it provides the details necessary to use as inspiration and reference for her own artwork. Friends can easily email their images from the trip to her, then she can draw from them just like she had actually been there.

Of course, nobody likes having to spend time in the hospital. Lying in bed all day is awfully boring. But mom and dad can bring a Galaxy View for their daughter, giving her plenty of space for storing all her favorite movies, books and magazines. Now it is easy to pass the time with her favorite contents until she has gotten a clean bill of health.

Passing the time during a boring hospital stay is useful, but staying healthy and out of the hospital is even better—and the Galaxy View can help here, too. The daughter tries to keep in shape at home, and with her Galaxy View there is always a convenient space and time to stretch and exercise. The Galaxy View’s big screen makes it easy for her to see all the details of each routine, ensuring her exercises go just right and helping her live healthier.

An important part of anyone’s social life is the great first date. First impressions are always important, but with the Galaxy View, the daughter can find her favorite online makeup tips and create just the right look. Makeup is a subtle craft, getting the colors and blending exact, so she does not want to rely on a small, dim screen. But the big, bright Full HD of the Galaxy View is ideal for getting ready for that dream date. Not only that, but she can also use instant messaging with her friends as she gets ready, for encouragement and more fashion ideas.

Not every night can be a party, though. Sometimes you have to stay home and spend time with family. When it is dad’s birthday, that means a lot of visiting uncles and aunts, but also rambunctious nephews and nieces. The daughter wants to catch up with her family, but the younger kids have the energy to run riot all day long. Once again, it is the Galaxy View to the rescue. The Galaxy View in her room is big enough for all the kids to enjoy together, leaving her free to bond with her dad and the rest of the family.

Helping a Son Stand Out

The family’s son is in high school, so he is concerned with sharing with his friends, learning who he is and trying to meet new people. For instance, at school he has been active in the travel club. Trying to get new students to sign up at the start of the year can be a real grind, but luckily he has a Galaxy View, which gives him a big advantage. On the school’s club day, when the student clubs run booths to sign up new members, he just sets up the Galaxy View, showing off a whole range of beautiful scenery from around the world. Gorgeous Full HD images are better than speeches, showing the sorts of traveling that the club’s members have done in the past, encouraging record-numbers of kids to sign up.

Another big event at school is the talent competition. The son really likes b-boy dancing and wants to wow the school at the competition, but he does not want to embarrass himself. Professional lessons cost too much—but with the Galaxy View, it is a snap to find the best instructional videos on the Internet, and practice all evening long (well, after his homework is done). It takes plenty of sweat and hard work, but the joy that comes from impressing the school makes it all worthwhile.

The Galaxy View is also great for sharing with family members, like with his grandmother and grandfather. After learning that he is going to be in the school newspaper for his dance win, he finds the URL for the story and shares it with his family. Online newspapers may be a bit small for mobile phones, but they look great on the Galaxy View, and his grandparents are happy to see their grandson doing so well.

Another day, when mom invites a friend over for coffee, the friend brings her son, who is also in high school. In the past that might have caused some awkward conversation and uncomfortable silences for the two boys. But not with the Galaxy View. These days, the option is clear—gaming. The son suggests that they square off in the video game arena, using the big screen and sharp graphics of the Galaxy View. The time zips along and before you know it, the two boys have become good friends.

There is one person in particular that the son hopes to impress. A girl. He heard that she noticed his b-boy dance routine at the talent show, but now he is unsure of how to make the next move. So his sister suggests a big romantic gesture. That is a nice idea, but where does a teenage guy learn how to pull off something like that? To the Galaxy View, where he scours famous movies and TV shows, looking for something that is just right. He finds one movie that he really likes—the main character makes a romantic poster to show the girl he loves—so he makes a similar poster and records himself holding it on the Galaxy View’s camera. Then he knocks on the door of the girl’s house, and when she answers, there he is, re-enacting the famous movie scene. A little cheesy? Sure, but that is okay if it melts his crush’s heart.

Not every family is just like the daughter and son and their parents, but everyone can appreciate the convenient and fun advantages that the Galaxy View puts at their fingertips. Whether learning, sharing, playing or impressing others, there is a multitude of great ways that the light, 18.4-inch Galaxy View can help everyone’s life. More than just another device, the Galaxy View is a new dimension in entertainment, one that can transform the lifestyles of the whole family.

To check out Part 1 of our View to a Thrill series, about how the Galaxy View is changing people’s lives, please click here.

*All functionality, features, specifications and other product information provided in this document including, but not limited to, the benefits, design, pricing, components, performance, availability, and capabilities of the product are subject to change without notice or obligation.

Modern display and telecommunications technology has been a huge boon to sports fans. Giant, curved screens in Ultra High Definition can bring sporting events to life, immersing people in the action.

But in Portugal this fall, lucky sports fans have enjoyed two new opportunities that have brought sports entertainment to the next level—completely enveloped in the action, in 360 degree virtual reality, thanks to the Samsung Gear VR. In September, a professional football game was broadcast live in virtual reality, and then at the end of October, surf enthusiasts were able to watch a surfing competition, all using the cutting-edge Gear VR. Yes, it’s been a good year for the Gear VR, and now sports fans, too, are getting the chance to see what the next generation of media is all about.

World’s First Live VR Broadcast Thrills Football Fans

The Portuguese are among the most passionate football fans in Europe, especially in the city of Oporto, whose team FC Porto has won the Primeira Liga 27 times and the prestigious Champions League title twice. On September 20, FC Porto squared off against Lisbon’s SL Benfica, another Portuguese powerhouse with 34 Primeira Liga titles, also two-time Champions League titlists. When these two teams play each other, the stakes are always high, but on this occasion, the match was further magnified by the presence of Samsung’s Gear VR and five 360degree cameras.

Together with the Portuguese cable operator NOS, SPORT TV, broadcasting specialists Mediapro and the Portuguese Professional Football League, Samsung helped people watch the game via the Gear VR, just as if they were at the stadium – except they were actually in the Samsung Experience Store in Almada and the NOS movie theater at the Centro Colombo shopping mall in Lisbon.

With one special, six-lens, 360 degree camera located behind each goal-line, another behind each team’s bench and another in the stands, people watching could choose from five different amazing vantage points to watch every minute of the thrilling contest.

As soon as the game started, the lucky football fans put on the Gear VR headsets and had that “wow” moment. “It really works. I really feel like I’m on the pitch. Look, it’s Casillas (FC Porto goalkeeper) just in front of me!” said one impressed viewer.

Surf’s Up in 360 Degrees

Another place where the Gear VR made a big splash in Portugal was at the Moche Rip Curl Pro on Supertubos Beach on October 24. The World Surf League teamed up with Samsung to broadcast the championship tour event worldwide for all Gear VR customers.

Even people thousands of kilometers away from Portugal (or from any beach) were able to see for themselves what it’s like to ride the waves, introducing new fans to the sport. There’s nothing like virtual reality for really giving people a sense of the emotions of surfing, not to mention the power of the oceans and the athleticism it takes to surf.

“We believe this is the future of entertainment,” said Frederico Paiva, Business Director of Samsung Portugal. “With this breakthrough technology and our most recent activation with the WSL, we are able to expose more people to the wonders of the sport of surfing.”

“The virtual reality content is amazing and regardless of your athletic ability, you can catch a wave like the pros,” said Chris Culbertson of the WSL. “The cameras enabled fans to see what it was like to be part of the crowd on the beach, in the VIP area and even in the athletes’ lounge, so they could hang out with their favorite surfers.”

You can get a sense of what the immersive surfing experience was like on the Portuguese beach even if you don’t own a Gear VR, with this exciting video from the World Surf League.

The Best Is Yet to Come

Samsung has shown how technology can bring sports even closer to the fans in a way nobody has ever before done in Portugal. In 2014, in the run-up to the FIFA World Football Championship, Samsung did the first ever live multi-platform broadcast of a football match in Ultra High Definition (UHD). The fans had the opportunity to watch the game between the national teams of Portugal and Greece with an unprecedented level of detail and impressive color richness.

And now, whether on the pitch or in the ocean, the Gear VR allows people to experience the reality and passion of sports more deeply than ever. And as these recent events in Portugal show, virtual reality isn’t just science fiction any more—it’s already facilitating the beginning of an amazing new era of the sports entertainment experience.

Samsung Electronics and AccorHotels Group, the world’s leading hotel operator, announced a partnership to roll out Samsung’s SMART Hospitality Display technology across AccorHotels’ properties spanning 92 countries.

“We are excited to partner with AccorHotels to transform the hotel experience and provide our innovative hospitality solutions to even more global consumers,” said Seog-gi Kim, Senior Vice President of the Enterprise Business Team, Visual Display Business at Samsung Electronics. “Our hospitality solutions and industry-leading expertise enable recognized global hoteliers to offer world-class in-room entertainment technology to better differentiate and strengthen their hotel brands in a highly competitive industry.”

“AccorHotels is committed to offering all of our guests–whether they stay with us for business or leisure–a hotel experience that meets their expectations and needs, particularly when it comes to technology and connectivity,” said Vivek Badrinath, Deputy CEO for AccorHotels. “Partnering with Samsung Electronics, the leader in the digital display sector, underscores this commitment and helps to differentiate our offering with exceptional technology products and services that our customers can enjoy before, during and after their stay”

As the preferred display provider for AccorHotels, Samsung’s UHD displays will be available in guest rooms and common areas, including lobbies, bars and restaurants. This technology upgrade will provide AccorHotels’ on-site staff with all-in-one tools and extended flexibility to deliver a tailored and visually-compelling guest experience.

This partnership also enables AccorHotels’ properties, including the Sofitel, Pullman, Novotel, Mercure and ibis global brands, among others, to have access to an array of intuitive and premium hotel solutions. Among them is Samsung’s LYNK Hospitality Management technology, which creates a more convenient and pleasurable guest experience through home automation. Through the LYNK Hospitality Management platform, guests and staff receive greater control over different aspects of hotel and in-room environments, ranging from room lighting and energy use to personal services and workflow management. Additionally, the partnership will facilitate the implementation of a cloud-based wireless printing solution as well as digital content including video-on-demand (VOD) and streaming platforms.

The preferred supplier agreement further extends AccorHotels and Samsung’s partnership to introduce modern and technologically-connected hotel concepts across the world. The two companies announced plans to design and build an experimental hotel in Seoul, South Korea, featuring state-of-the-art technology and multi-point connectivity for a more interactive guest experience.

To learn more about Samsung Electronics’ SMART Hospitality display portfolio, please visit www.samsung.com.

About AccorHotels

AccorHotels is a Group united by a shared passion for hospitality and driven by a shared promise to make everyone Feel Welcome. Over 180,000 women and men in almost 3,800 AccorHotels establishments look after thousands of guests every day in 92 countries. AccorHotels is the world’s leading hotel operator and offers its customers, partners and employees:

– Its dual expertise as a hotel operator and franchisor (HotelServices) and a hotel owner and investor (HotelInvest);

– A large portfolio of internationally renowned brands covering the full spectrum, with luxury (Sofitel, Pullman, MGallery, Grand Mercure, The Sebel), midscale (Novotel, Suite Novotel, Mercure, Mama Shelter, Adagio) economy (ibis, ibis Styles, ibis budget, adagio access and hotelF1) establishments;

– A powerful marketplace and loyalty program Le Club AccorHotels

– Almost half a century of commitment to corporate citizenship and solidarity with the PLANET 21 program.

Accor SA shares are listed on the Euronext Paris exchange (ISIN code: FR0000120404) and traded in the USA on the OTC marketplace (Code: ACRFY)

Follow news on AccorHotels:

http://www.twitter.com/accorhotelsgroup

http://www.accorhotels-group.com

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Samsung Electronics Invites European Consumers to Take a “10 Minute Break” with Galaxy Accessories

[Students learning essential skills required in the digital age at one of the Smart Learning Centres in Thailand]

Samsung Electronics was named the Top Community Care Company in Asia at the Asia Corporate Excellence and Sustainability (ACES) Awards 2015. This award is a testament of Samsung’s efforts and commitment in using its global network and innovation to create positive change for people everywhere, helping them to live a better life that is full of possibilities.

“We are honoured to be named the Top Community Care Company in Asia. This award bears testimony to the community work that Samsung is driving in local communities where we operate in. Samsung is committed to create positive change for people everywhere, creating possibilities for them by using our technology to tackle key problems in education, employment and healthcare areas,” said Irene Ng, Vice President, Corporate Marketing, Samsung Electronics Southeast Asia & Oceania.

The Asia Corporate Excellence & Sustainability Awards (ACES) recognizes successful companies and individuals in Asia across two domains including leadership and corporate social responsibility. The Top Community Care Award is presented to companies who have enriched communities through various outreach initiatives. Award recipients epitomize the mission and values of an organization that cares for the community and demonstrates exemplary active citizenship in promoting the well being of society at large.

She continued, “One of the key areas that Samsung focuses on in our Citizenship efforts is education, as we want to help create a better future for disadvantaged youth by providing quality learning environments and access to technology. Using our know-how and technology expertise, we have established over 170 Smart Schools and Libraries, and Tech Institutes across the region. Through these programs, we hope to help close the education and digital gap, and equip youth with the skills they need to find a job in today’s digital economy.”

Samsung’s Community Efforts in Education

Across Southeast Asia and Oceania, Samsung supports a total of 165 Smart Schools and Libraries in nine countries including New Zealand, Australia, Singapore, Malaysia, Taiwan, Thailand, Indonesia Philippines and Vietnam. Working with various government bodies, local non-government organizations (NGOs) and educational institutes, Samsung has established Smart Schools and Libraries that feature interactive and immersive learning environment through the use of technology such as tablets and smart televisions, and tailored educational programs that offer enrichment and infotainment content.

To help provide youth with opportunities for a better future and address the industry shortage of technical talents, Samsung has established the Tech Institute, a vocational training institution where young people can learn fundamental IT and engineering skills. Regionally, Samsung supports a total of 14 Tech Institutes across seven countries Malaysia, Singapore, Laos, Cambodia, Myanmar, Philippines and Indonesia. In Samsung Tech Institutes, youth are given the best-in-class training environment and practical lessons that equip them with both broad and deep skills that prepare them for the workforce.

Other Citizenship Initiatives in Southeast Asia & Oceania

Beyond education, Samsung has also launched healthcare initiatives in Southeast Asia to support communities that lack sufficient medical technologies and trained staff which may lead to problems such as high infant and maternal mortality rates. In Samsung SONO Schools in Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand and Philippines, Samsung works closely with hospitals and medical facilities, to provide equipment such as ultrasound systems, educational devices, electronic boards and large-format displays (LFD). It also partners local medical associations and institutions to design a strong curriculum and operate courses for medical professionals in the area of ultrasound diagnosis, obstetrics and gynaecology.

As Samsung explores new business areas including healthcare, wearable devices, biotechnology, education, the Internet of Things and Smart Home, it continues to be committed to being a responsible global citizen to create positive change in the communities where it operates in.

Since 2003, the ATD has annually awarded the ATD Best Awards to carefully selected organizations for their cultures of talent development, education practices, and the innovativeness and effectiveness of their education programs. Every year, numerous businesses in both the private and public sectors, as well as non-profit organizations apply for these awards. Among the candidates that entered this year, 30 were recognized.

Samsung received one of the ATD Best Awards this year for its commitment to talent development, continuous innovation and the creativity of its training and teaching programs, as well as education strategies for continued globalization.

Samsung has been stepping up its effort to innovate and reinvent its overall talent development system by unifying education systems among all of its subsidiaries across the globe, strengthening leadership education programs, and developing a dynamic learning system based on MOSAIC, an internal system to promote collective intelligence.

In addition, Samsung established the Samsung Electronics Leadership Center (SELC) in Yongin, Korea last year. SELC serves as an important venue of education for all Samsung employees around the world. Through SELC, Samsung aims to share its corporate values, culture and strategies with employees to foster the next generation of leaders, and to provide necessary education for them to become specialists in their own fields of expertise.

“It is a great honor to win the ATD Best Award, the highest honor in the field of corporate education,” said Patrick Chung, Executive Vice President of Corporate Human Resources Team at Samsung Electronics. “We will continue to develop best practices that allow our employees to grow professionally, which will in turn help our company to grow through their talent and contributions.”

The 2015 ATD Best Awards ceremony took place in the Ronald Reagan Building and the International Trade Center located in Washington DC on October 27.

The ATD isheadquartered in the U.S., and is the world’s largest association for talent development with approximately 36,000 members in 120 countries.

The more and more that smart devices can do, the more important it is to make sure your device is functioning at its best. This means preserving the battery life, but also managing storage and RAM and keeping everything safe from security threats.

In the beginning of the year, Samsung introduced the Smart Manager, which helps users scan and optimize their smartphone, all at once. Available since the launch of the Galaxy S6 and S6 edge, the performance of Smart Manager and the devices that support it has been improving. The Galaxy S6 edge+ and Note5 come preloaded with improved battery usage, including app optimization, and security features.

Opening the Smart Manager app shows its four main components: Battery, Storage, RAM and Security. You can view and optimize your device through closing running apps and uninstalling unnecessary apps. The Security menu scans your phone for malware and other security threats. My Knox is also available to download for even more security. To boost your device’s speed and performance in a single click, use “Clean All.”

Long Live Your Battery

Smartphone users don’t always realize they can remove apps which are infrequently or never used. Sometimes apps are running in the background, consuming battery power. After selecting Battery within the Smart Manager, users can prevent wasting battery power through “App Optimization.”

For each app, users can choose between “Always Optimizing,” “Automatically Optimizing” or “Disable For.” “Always Optimizing” stops the app from using battery power. You can also select how often the apps will be optimized (every 3, 5 or 7 days). If you choose the “Automatically Optimizing” for every 3 days, the app will stop using battery power from the last usage for three days. Once the app is set for “Disable For,” you will stop receiving alerts from the app. If you don’t want to miss notifications from instant messaging apps, it’s best not to select “Disable For.”

The Battery screen also displays the percentage of remaining battery power and how long it is expected to last. By selecting Battery Usage, you can view the processes that have been running since your last full charge. Power Saving Mode and Ultra Power Saving Mode also display expected length of battery life if you need to conserve battery power. To view battery consumption of each application, select Detail.

Clean Up

To free up storage space from temporarily stored files, Smart Manager automatically scans and deletes any unnecessary data. After opening the Smart Manager app, select Storage. You can see how much of your available storage has been used. The Details button at the top of the screen shows more information about your device’s total space, available space, system memory, used space, cache data and miscellaneous files.

You can also manually delete data stored on your device. Users can check the current storage status by selecting “User Data” within the Storage menu. This displays how much space each type of files is using. If you choose the applications, you can find which apps are used more frequently. Viewing by frequency of use makes it easy to disable or uninstall unnecessary applications.

RAM

RAM is where temporary files are stored when your device runs an application. Clearing the RAM on your device will improve your device’s performance, freeing space so your device can run faster.

The RAM screen displays the percentage of used RAM, the active applications and how much RAM they are currently using. You can see how many background apps are currently using RAM space, so it helps you choose which applications to close. You can also select “End All”.

Protect Yourself

It’s possible for users to install apps or viruses unknowingly. This could lead to a breach of personal information or damage of the device. In less extreme cases, the unauthorized apps could slow down the device performance or use too much battery power.

Smart Manager automatically scans for malicious software, apps that use unusually high amounts of battery power, apps that make unusual errors and provide solutions for these issues. Users can ensure comfort and security by removing or closing unwanted apps. Samsung devices with Smart Manager provide anti-malware solutions through a partnership with Intel Security.

Take Control

With Smart Manager, Galaxy smartphone users can feel reassured that their devices are safe and secure, and running optimally. By having access to usage, storage, memory and security data, users can take matters into their own hands to know that they have a safe and comfortable space to work and play. Smart Manager is currently available for the S6, S6 edge, S6 edge+, S5, S4, Note5, Note4 and Note3, and the available devices will be expanded.

*All functionality, features, specifications and other product information provided in this document including, but not limited to, the benefits, design, pricing, components, performance, availability, and capabilities of the product are subject to change without notice or obligation.

Samsung’s newly announced Galaxy View promises to be much more than just another mobile device —it’s a new dimension in entertainment, a fun and convenient device that empowers you to do more and enjoy life more. At 18.4 inches, the Galaxy View is big enough to be a full-fledged media device you can use to watch all your favorite content, but at just 2.65 kilograms and with long-lasting battery life providing up to eight hours of video playback*, it’s incredibly movable, giving you the flexibility to watch what you want, wherever you want.

In this two-part series, we’ll look at the many ways the Galaxy View can transform your family life, regardless of who you are—an on-the-go mom, busy dad, creative daughter or fun-loving son. Part 1 explores how the Galaxy View can make mom’s and dad’s lives more fun and fulfilled, then Part 2 looks at their kids and the Galaxy View’s ability to empower them and share more.

More Fulfilling Times for Mom

Imagine the life of mom who has a job related to design. The Galaxy View is a major windfall. When meeting with clients, rather than wrestling with large files and awkward graphics, she can just take her Galaxy View with her, all set up just the way she likes, ready to impress. She can show off her schematics and virtual mock-ups so the client can get a real, immersive idea of what the project will be like. And if the client is ready to sign right then and there, she can also present the final contracts and close the deal.

After closing the deal, even the most tireless businesswoman needs to relax and unwind. Perhaps scented candles and a long, hot bath while watching her favorite shows? At just 2.65 kilograms, the Galaxy View is easily moved to the bathroom to a convenient spot for viewing there. And, while watching, if she notices a location she really likes—for example, a nice restaurant—she can pause the show, open a web browser and search for information about it.

Shopping, too, is a snap, with the Galaxy View’s large touch-screen. Her mother-in-law might have a birthday coming up, so she checks out her favorite online store, finds a fashionable scarf, orders it and has it shipped directly to her mother-in-law. Easy. She can even call up her mother-in-law by video chat to see how the scarf looks on her and to wish her a happy birthday.

The Galaxy View can also bring a whole new dimension to family entertainment. What if her son wants to watch a movie but her daughter really wants a family camping trip? With the Galaxy View, she can help give them both a fun trip. The Galaxy View has a large, clear screen and loud stereo speakers that are good enough for everyone to enjoy together, but it is still easily movable with a strong battery that provides up to eight hours of video playback*. So she can take her family out to the countryside, where they can enjoy cooking around a fire and relaxing in nature, but then add some exciting entertainment with movies on the Galaxy View.

Finally, the Galaxy View provides mom with a great way to stay in shape, even when the weather is too cold or there’s too much rain outside. She enjoys exercising through yoga, which emphasizes flexibility and core strength. With the Galaxy View, it is easy to fire up her favorite yoga routine with just the tap on the screen. It’s so easy and convenient that it’s a snap to make exercise time a regular part of her schedule with the Galaxy View.

At work, at home or while traveling, the Galaxy View can help mom get more work done, enjoy more time with her family and spend quality time with herself—and that adds up to a more fulfilling lifestyle.

For Dad, the Galaxy View Adds Fun

Business is booming at dad’s office, with sales enjoying a big boost over the past quarter. That’s good news, sure, but unfortunately even good news can mean more work, including late-night videoconferences. In the past, that might have meant staying late, waiting for HQ to hold the big meeting. But with the Galaxy View’s front-facing camera and large, clear screen, it’s easy to participate in videoconferences from home. He just sets up his Galaxy View in his study or other quiet place—that way, he can get his work done, but still spend the evening with his family at home.

Another important part of his business is keeping his golf game sharp, so he can impress clients out on the links. And, once again, the Galaxy View can help here, too. Maybe it’s too cold to go outdoors during the winter, but he can definitely find the time to practice a bit with his favorite golfing app at home. The big screen and long-lasting battery mean there’s plenty of time for him to keep practicing from any spot in the home he finds convenient. By studying videos and working on his form every day, once the next golf season comes around in the spring, he is all ready to play, impressing his colleagues with his improved game.

Dad’s the kind of guy who’s always looking to do those little extras for his family. For instance, when his wife is exhausted from work and needs a pick-me-up, he uses his Galaxy View to find one of her favorite recipes to cook for her. Maybe a favorite chicken soup recipe. With the Galaxy View standing on the counter, he can follow the recipe and use photos for references while he chops, mixes and cooks the best chicken soup ever. It’s one of those small gestures that makes a big difference, reviving his wife’s spirits and brightens everyone’s day.

The next day, there’s a big soccer game playing that he definitely wants to watch, but the house is in desperate need of cleaning, too. Fortunately, the Galaxy View is easy to move around the house with a great battery, so he is able to keep the game close-by even as he moves from room to room, washing, sweeping and tidying up. At 18.4 inches, the HD screen is great for watching sports, without making him squint like a small, mobile display would.

The quality of the Galaxy View screen also means that dad-the-big-sports-fan no longer has to worry about negotiating TV time with the rest of the family. If someone else wants to catch a new movie or TV drama, he just takes the Galaxy View to the home office downstairs, to enjoy the latest game from the comfort of his favorite chair. Fewer arguments mean everyone gets to maximize what they enjoy, and that means a happier family.

As you can see, the Galaxy View is a transformative device that can truly make a difference in the lives of both mom and dad. In Part 2, we’ll take a look at how the Galaxy View can also help the family’s son and daughter get more out of school and their personal lives.

To check out Part 2 of our View to a Thrill series, about how the Galaxy View is changing people’s lives, please click here.

*All functionality, features, specifications and other product information provided in this document including, but not limited to, the benefits, design, pricing, components, performance, availability, and capabilities of the product are subject to change without notice or obligation.

*Battery performance may vary depending on network conditions and device usage.

From the dawn of electronic music right up to the current digital DJing age of today, artists around the world have continuously sought out the best tools and equipment to fine-tune their skills and produce inventive tracks to excite music lovers everywhere. Samsung’s Soundcamp makes achieving these goals not only possible, but easy, too. And with the app’s new features and compatible third party apps, musicians—both amateurs and professionals—can play, compose, mix and “spin” right from the screen of their Samsung smart devices without any additional equipment.

Soundcamp, a mobile DAW and MIDI sequencer application, functions as an easy-to-use studio recording system that gives musicians access to an ensemble of built-in virtual instruments, including keyboards and drums, as well as an audio recorder equipped with sound effects. The app’s plug-in style, open-concept structure also gives users the option to connect to and record with various third-party music apps.

Tracks are then edited from the mobile workstation’s soundboard. Soundcamp’s well-organized and straightforward Multitrack View lets users record up to eight tracks in MIDI or stereo audio. In other words, they can add five additional components, such as Unique’s synth patches, even after recording their tunes on the drums, classic guitar and keyboard, to create a richer sound. For more advanced users, MIDI Editor View allows for PC-level MIDI editing. Likewise, Soundcamp’s Mixer View resembles the mixing consoles used in recording studios, so users can easily combine, route and change the level and dynamics of audio signals from one screen.

New Features for a New Sound

Nowadays, more and more people are opting to create their own music and DJing their own events. As such, Samsung has responded to the growing demand for professional grade music editing tools by adding two new features to Soundcamp, specifically in conjunction with the launch of the Galaxy S6 edge+ and Galaxy Note5, thus making it easier for musicians to achieve the sound they desire.

Looper, the first new feature, lets users create loops, short sections of tracks that have been edited to repeat seamlessly, which are commonly used in a number of genres, including hip hop, trip hop, techno and contemporary dub. Users can select from over 250 free, studio-quality audio loops from Loopmasters, the world’s leading producer of sample libraries; download a number of compatible, paid extension loop kits to create unique tracks in a variety of styles; or incorporate and mix their own sources.

The function utilizes an easy-to-use XY-pad with controllable effects that can be used to enhance live performances, while the Galaxy Gear app, when used in conjunction with the Gear S2, provides gestural control of the effects and loop arrangements. The end result is one that is sure to impress audiences, just as it did at IFA earlier this year, when DJ Raik showcased Looper. Check out his performance below.

Originally developed by experimental musicians, sampling is the act of taking a portion, or sample, of one sound recording and reusing it as an instrument or a sound recording in a different song or piece. The Sampler function allows for sound sample import, record and playback functions, converting any sound—including the human voice—into a custom instrument.

Along with the addition of the Sampler and Looper features, new third-party apps have been made compatible with Soundcamp for the Galaxy S6 edge+ and Note5. Among these are the Unique synthesizer and WOW2 filter by Sugar Bytes, as well as the Phase84 phase synthesizer by Retronyms and iLectric Piano and iGrand Piano by IK Multimedia.

In an age when just about anyone can be a run-of-the-mill digital DJ, Soundcamp offers all the tools an artist needs to unleash their creativity and create unconventional tracks that go above and beyond the expectations of the music world. Soundcamp is now available for the Galaxy S6 edge+, S6 edge, S6, S5, Note5, Note4, Note edge, Tab S2, S and Galaxy View. Download Soundcamp in Galaxy Apps or the Google Play store.

Cheil Industries
All clothing and clothing images used were provided by Cheil Industries and can be found on Cheil Fashion’s online webstore: www.fashionpia.com.
For more information about Cheil Industries, please visit www.cheilind.co.kr.

Halloween is nearly upon us, that spooky fall time for dressing up in crazy costumes, carving pumpkins and celebrating ghosts, witches and all the creepy creatures of the night. One of the most popular activities is trick or treating, what kids go door-to-door collecting tasty treats from their neighbors.

With that tradition in mind, here is a collection of tricks and treats for your Samsung mobile devices that you might find … bewitching.

Galaxy Note5

Trick: A screen that’s on, even when it’s off

From the moment you eject the S Pen from the Galaxy Note5, you know you’re getting a totally different mobile experience. The S Pen is more versatile and useful than ever, with a truly natural writing feel and an array of fun, smart features, like Action Memo, Smart Select and Screen Write. Air View even lets you preview content without touching the screen, just by hovering the S Pen above the display. But one of the most useful new features on the Galaxy Note5 is the ability to write notes on the screen even when the screen has not been turned on. Screen Off Memo fires up automatically whenever you deploy the S Pen and the screen is off, giving you the ability to write directly on the darkened display and then save your message. It’s a ghostly good trick.

Treat: Customize your Air Command

The defining aspect of the Galaxy Note5 is its S Pen, which gives users unprecedented functionality and control over their content. Popping the S Pen out from the phone automatically brings up the Air Command menu, where you can take a memo, select images or write right on the screen. But you can also change up to three of the Air Command slots, choosing the apps that are just right for you. Your favorite web browser, a calculator, navigator or whatever you use the most and want right at your fingertips. It’s a treat that will have you howling at the moon.

Galaxy S6 edge+

Trick: Reduce screen size and one-handed mode

People love the 5.7-inch Super AMOLED screens of the Galaxy S6 edge+ and Galaxy Note5, both of which are bright and big, great for using all sorts of media. But sometimes that much screen space can be too much, which is why they also offer a reduced screen mode. Just tap the Home button three times quickly, and the entire screen shrinks down to a smaller size. You can even choose whether you want that screen to be on the left side or the right side of the phone. It’s a fiendishly useful trick.

Treat: Information stream

Sometimes you need to stay on top of some breaking news or information—the latest headlines, sports scores, or financial information—but you are in a meeting or other event and don’t want to be conspicuous about checking. Fortunately, the Galaxy S6 edge+ has Information stream, which allows you to keep updates along the phone’s signature curved edge, without turning on the main screen. Select different feeds and get instant news, whatever you like, then the edge will light up with your stream, while the main screen stays dark as night.

Gear S2

Trick: Better battery control

The Gear S2 has a powerful battery than can last a couple of days on a single charge (depending on how you use it, of course). But sometimes you can get caught without a charges and with power running low. Which is why the Gear S2 offers a Power saving mode, to help your device last a while longer. Just choose the Settings function and scroll down the Power saving. The Gear S2 will switch to greyscale home screen and disable most special functions. That way, if you use a lot of apps during the day, it won’t come back to haunt you.

Treat: S Health

The Gear S2 is a great looking, stylish wearable, but with health-related apps like S Health, it can also help you take care of yourself. With S Health, the Gear S2 automatically tracks activity—or inactivity. Anytime you’re moving around, the Gear S2 knows it and sends encouraging messages. Or if you are sitting still at your desk for too long, it will suggest maybe it’s time to stand up, stretch your bones and get the blood pumping.

Samsung kicked off the Samsung Open Source Conference (SOSCON), a two-day event to promote an open source ecosystem, on October 27 at the Conrad Seoul Hotel in Korea. The conference, which was established in 2014 and has grown significantly in just one year, aims to not only strengthen relationships with developers to lay the foundations for the creation of new services and devices, but also to foster public interest in open source projects.

Open source refers to programs for which the original source codes are made freely available to the public at no charge, enabling developers across all industries to modify and redistribute them. Openness and collaboration, two of the fundamental principles of this ecosystem, are also essential components of Samsung’s Internet of Things (IoT) as well as its objective to have all of its devices connected to the web by 2020, according to the president and CEO of Samsung Electronics BK Yoon.

As such, Samsung has invested heavily in nurturing the developer community, and has led initiatives to create engagement across various industries, with SOSCON being one of them.
In line with openness, the event was open to developers, and developers-to-be: elementary, middle and high school students with an interest in open source projects.

The State of Open Source

Brian Warner, Senior Open Source Strategist at Samsung Research America, got the event going by welcoming attendees and introducing SOSCON’s keynote speakers. Among them were open source leaders David Nalley, Vice President, Infrastructure at the Apache Software Foundation, and Jeong Kyu Shin, an open source project founder, who discussed the “multi-year journey” of open source, from its beginnings as communal code sharing to the highly structured and widely utilized ecosystem it is today.

Powered by peer-to-peer cooperation and communication, open source focuses on public benefit more so than any other factor. Young Yoon Kim, Vice President of Samsung Electronics Software R&D Center and board member of the Linux Foundation, demonstrated how Samsung is working to contribute to this community in his keynote speech.

Among these, Tizen, an open source, standards-based software platform for multiple device categories, is one of the projects that Samsung participates in developing. Additionally, IoTivity, an open source software framework enabling seamless device-to-device connectivity, is another the company is working hard to expand in coordination with other developers, in hopes of addressing the emerging needs of the IoT.

Collaboration for the Next Generation

Things got even more exciting when concert programmer Andrew Sorensen took the stage and treated the audience to a live coding musical performance, demonstrating that open source projects are influential across all industries. Sorensen performs at “algoraves,” events where people dance to music generated from algorithms programmed in real time. This growing community of tech-artists is often associated with open source software, which is used to circulate ideas throughout the scene.

The final keynote speaker was 10-year-old Hannah Kim. This pint-sized superfan of open source has been creating projects since the age of 3, utilizing circuits and light sensors to assemble her own dolls, toys and robots. In her speech, she credited her knowledge of programming to open source, as well as conferences which enabled her to communicate with other young future developers.

Kim also discussed how she created computer games, for which she chose Linux as her preferred operating system because “it can be used by anyone” and expressed her desire to be more like Linus Tovalds, the company’s founder and coordinator. At that, Tovalds himself was brought on stage to answer a few of Kim’s questions, which included why he chose a penguin for Linux’s logo, as well as his reasons for creating GIT, a widely used version control system for software development.

When asked about what the future of the Linux open source system might look like, Tovalds explained, “I don’t think I need to know. The only thing I need to do is ensure the process works and continue to support the people who participate and get interested people involved. I don’t know what it will be like, but I know it will be good.”

An Open, Ongoing Conversation

The remainder of the event consisted of a series of developer sessions that featured lecturers from renowned IT companies. In other sessions, participants were able to share ideas with teams from different open source projects at Samsung such as Tizen, IoTivity, Gear VR, IOT.js and Socializer.

Robust communication and information exchanges among participants were at the center of SOSCON’s community forum, while technology presentations covering over 40 open source topics including big data, cloud services and IoT were also conducted. In addition, there was a tutorial session open to children and teenagers to allow for hands-on experience with open source software development.

SOSCON showcased a number of ways that Samsung is invigorating the open source market, but also proved that anyone can participate in the conversation. Samsung plans to continue to convene SOSCON every year, thereby generating public interest and promoting collaboration and openness among the developers of today, as well as those of the next generation.

Many of the most popular and most advanced digital signs in the world are made by Samsung Electronics. These signs operate on the Samsung Smart Signage Platform (SSSP), an integrated media player system, and use the MagicINFO software to manage the content. SSSP displays can be found around the world in locations where businesses need to communicate quickly and effectively with customers, including sports stadiums, restaurants and retail outlets.. In fact, Samsung has been the global market leader in digital signage for seven years.

Both systems recently have added new upgrades, making them more powerful, versatile and easier to use. Now,  retailers and commercial operators can create impactful, exciting content easily, giving them the tools they need to best engage with their customers.

New SSSP 3.0 expands possibilities

SSSP, the open-source, all-in-one platform for managing display hardware, eliminates the need for an external player with its system-on-chip media player, for a display system that’s intuitive, convenient and low-cost. The content management system is streamlined and easy to control, with content creation tools that are simple to understand and comprehensive.

With the third generation of SSSP, the system is now more useful than ever, thanks to a powerful Quad Core processor and 8GB of storage. The result is enhanced efficiency, higher-resolution content and lowered costs, all using the latest in display technology.

New effects mean better engagement with customers

Signage is only effective if it draws people’s attention, and these days there are more media sources vying to get noticed. This heavy competition makes it more important for signs to stand out and engage customers. The best way to do so is through dynamic, moving content.

The most noticeable change to the MagicINFO 3 platform is the addition of more than 20 dynamic transitions and effects, including 3D, Fade, Zoom, Reveal and Fly-on. These can turn a shop’s signage into a movement-filled, enticing media experience that captures the public’s attention. Thanks to an intuitive and convenient User Experience (UX), these dynamic effects are easy to add.

To highlight information and help content stand out, MagicINFO 3 also has introduced decorative stickers. Stamps and stickers offer a variety of eye-catching labels for advertising sales, highlighting content and maximizing effects. Users can select their desired sticker, then drag and drop it into their content.

An array of new fonts also has been added to MagicINFO 3. Instead of just one font, users can conveniently access six embedded fonts in 23 styles within the Author area. This structure also makes it easy to load more fonts from outside sources, and add them to the authoring tools.

In addition, MagicINFO 3 has added a weather widget that can be dragged and dropped into any sign. Customers frequently turn to signage for weather updates, and this widget allows a user to choose to display hourly, daily or weekly forecasts.

Change your perspective with Pivot PIP

Signs often are installed vertically in “portrait” mode so they can be read like a magazine or newspaper. However, sometimes a store has content that it wants to display horizontally, in “landscape” mode. In the past, this alignment would require users to reinstall the frames and turn them on their side.

With the SSSP’s Pivot PIP (picture-in-picture) functionality, the portrait screen can be divided into three smaller screens, each now in landscape mode. The new screens are still in excellent resolution (up to 1080×720 pixels), and each sub-screen supports videos, slideshows and text.

New DataModule links databases to screens, faster and easier

Even with simple, intuitive UX of MagicINFO 3, signage operators still have to supply a lot of data—images, prices, numbers, times and more. This requires detailed database management.  Fortunately, MagicINFO 3 can help here, too, with the introduction of DataModule.

DataModule is a simpler and free version of the DataLink platform, which used to be the main way to handle data and connect MagicINFO with the display data. It’s an easy-to-use way of converting MySQL data into text and images for a sign—for example, turning a restaurant’s database into a full, colorful menu or adding a “sold out” notice for any good that is out of stock.

Backup Play protects your displays

Backup Play is another useful new feature for networks running a variety of signage. In any network, certain displays take priority and must remain running at all times, whereas others are helpful but not as essential. For example, restaurants will likely say that keeping a menu visible is more important than having a promotional item visible.

With Backup Play, stores no longer have to worry about losing their most important display while less important signs continue to run. The Backup Play feature automatically moves the primary content to the secondary display should the initial screen become unavailable, ensuring key information continues to run without a hitch.

MagicINFO Server becomes more useful than ever

The MagicINFO Server conveniently connects all Samsung Smart Signage so businesses can control and monitor their displays remotely. Outdoor displays, e-Boards, SYNC, small signage and video walls all can be managed simply using a web browser and IP address, giving operators the ability to use it on the go.

A commitment to signage innovation

With all these improvements to SSSP and MagicINFO, Samsung has once again shown how it is differentiating itself from other companies through its focus on advancing the core software of signage. Together, these two signage systems give retailers and other businesses the unprecedented ability to engage dynamically with consumers, using easy-to-understand but powerful software. Samsung Electronics will continue to improve these solutions, adding more cutting-edge technologies and innovations to enrich the communications between consumers and retailers.

Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec have designed a new television for Samsung, which the French designers claim they approached “like a piece of furniture.”

While this is the duo’s first digital appliance design project, the brothers have worked together as joint partners for about twenty years and currently work from their Paris-based studio. Their work ranges from small utilitarian objects to spatial arrangement and architectural projects, and is defined by the brothers’ distinct personalities and shared notion of diligence. In addition to collaborating with leading design companies, Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec have had their work featured in numerous exhibitions around the world.

Called “Serif”, the Bouroullec brothers’ television features a case that flares out into a base at the bottom and a shelf at the top. The culminating effect is a form that resembles a capital “I” in a serif font when viewed from the side, a truly unique aesthetic for any living space—one that can be likened to a decorative furnishing more so than an appliance.

“One of the challenges was to make the design stronger than the technology itself,” Erwan noted of the design process. “The key value is that Serif sits naturally into any environment, in any place.”

One of the ways the brothers accomplished this was through the addition of the Curtain Mode setting to the user interface. The design-centric feature displays a translucent graphic effect which covers the images on the screen. This enables users to temporarily hide the image without having to completely turn off the TV so that the device can more naturally blend and harmonize into its surroundings.

“Of course design interacts with your day, so design is everywhere. Objects are everywhere,” remarked Ronan. “We tried to give to this technological object a charm and qualities that make you happy to live with.”

In doing so, the Bouroullec brothers, along with their Serif TV, have most certainly redefined the role that technological design plays in our lives, sparking a new way household electronics fit into our living spaces altogether.

The Board approved 4.2 trillion won for the first phase of buyback program. It will start on October 30 and last for approximately three months.

As of the day before the Board’s decision, preferred shares traded at approximately 22% discount to the common shares. Therefore, we will increase the percentage of preferred shares to be repurchased to 35% of the total shares to be purchased.  Based on these facts, we will purchase 2,230,000 shares of common stock and 1,240,000 shares of preferred stock during this first phase.

Samsung believes that the current share price and the market value of Samsung Electronics are severely undervalued both in terms of the ability to generate earnings and also in terms of the underlying asset or equity value of the company. Considering this severely undervalued nature of the share price, we feel that a share buyback at these levels is the correct decision.

The second part of our shareholder return initiative is the three years shareholder return policy.

Following a detailed review, Samsung has decided to implement a rolling 3-year shareholder return policy that will have the following components:

• The company will return 30~50% of annual free cash flow to shareholders for the next three years
• The annual shareholder return will consist of dividend and share buyback
• The next three years’ annual shareholder return will focus primarily on dividends with the remaining allocated capital to be utilized for share buybacks
• Any shares that are repurchased will also be cancelled

Samsung will announce 2015 year-end dividend in January, 2016 when the Board makes a decision.  The company hopes that the size and the direction of the shareholder return to be announced will be able to meet the expectations of our shareholders.

Meanwhile, Samsung is currently reviewing the introduction and implementation of quarterly dividend policy in 2016 and has asked for feedback from its shareholders on this matter.

While Samsung has invested more than US$20 billion in capital expenditures and US$12 billion in R&D during the past several years, the company has considered how to use the cash to create long-term value for the company as well as for its shareholders.

Moving forward, Samsung will continue to implement a consistent shareholder return policy to spur business growth and maximize its share value.

Registers net profit of KRW 5.46 trillion on sales of KRW 51.68 trillion

3Q consolidated operating profit reaches KRW 7.39 trillion

Samsung Electronics  announced financial results for the third quarter ended September 30, 2015. Samsung posted KRW 51.68 trillion in consolidated revenue and KRW 7.39 trillion in operating profit for the quarter.

Overall, revenue increased by approximately 6 percent quarter-on-quarter (QoQ), driven mainly by the Semiconductor Business and the Display Panel segment. Operating profits increased by KRW 500 billion QoQ due to a favorable exchange rate brought on by the weak Korean Won against key currencies.

All in all, the impact of the exchange rate for the quarter yielded gains of approximately KRW 800 billion, which was generated mostly from the components business.

In the fourth quarter, the company expects earnings to decline from the earlier quarter, as it does not expect the foreign exchange rate to have a positive effect in the fourth quarter.

While concerns remain over slower seasonality for memory products and weak supply and demand in the LCD market, the company expects the System LSI business to continue solid earnings due to the growth of the 14-nanometer (nm) foundry business and also expects OLED to maintain its solid earnings.

The CE Division will actively expand sales during the year-end peak season, and will strive to maintain solid earnings for the IT& Mobile Communications (IM) Division with the expansion of Galaxy Note5 sales and by improving profitability of flagship smartphones.

In 2016, the company aims to continue growth and achieve strong profitability by enhancing business competitiveness, which will be possible by improving our technological leadership and strengthening our software competency.

The semiconductor business will focus on expanding shipments of high value-added memory products, reinforcing V-NAND technology competitiveness, and diversifying its 14nm customer base. For the display business, the company will concentrate on improving LCD cost efficiency as conditions for the LCD market may worsen due to increasing supply. For OLED, the company will continue to expand its customer bases.

For the IM business, the company will strive to maintain profitability by reinforcing smartphone competitiveness and strengthening service and software capabilities including Samsung Pay, as well as effectively managing costs.

The CE Division expects an increase in demand for TVs YoY due to upcoming global sports events like the Olympics, and plans to increase sales of its premium product line-up.

Meanwhile, capital expenditure for the third quarter was KRW 6 trillion, which includes KRW 3.7 trillion for the Semiconductor Business, KRW 1.4 trillion for the Display Segment. All told, capex from January to September totaled KRW 19.2 trillion.

Capital expenditure in 2015 is projected to amount to KRW 27 trillion, which is a 14-percent increase YoY. The Semiconductor Business will have invested a total of KRW 15 trillion and the Display Segment will have executed KRW 5.5 trillion in capex this year.

The increase in investments will focus on reinforcing leadership in advanced technology like V-NAND and streamlining production lines for LCDs.

Semiconductor Reinforces Market Leadership

The Semiconductor Business posted KRW 12.82 trillion in consolidated revenue and KRW 3.66 trillion in operating profit for the quarter.

This quarter, the memory market saw an increase in demand despite less than expected growth of IT products. In particular, demand increased QoQ driven by an overall increase in capacity in chips and the launch of flagship smartphones and increased demand by data centers which have been expanding their cloud service.

This quarter, the memory demand increased QoQ mainly driven by an increase in memory across applications. In particular, demand was driven by the launch of flagship smartphones and by data centers which have been expanding their clouding service.

Although the memory market in the fourth quarter is expected to see slower seasonality compared with the previous years, there will be steady demand due to the increased adoption of new interface products such as DDR4, LPDDR4, storage increase in smartphones, and higher penetration of SSDs.

For DRAM, Samsung will continue to expand its 20-nm process migration and actively respond to demand for high value-added products. For NAND, the company will continue to expand the 10-nm class migration and increase the supply of SSD with third-generation V-NAND, so as to strengthen its market-leading position.

Memory demand growth in 2016 is expected to be similar to 2015 and the ramp up of 20-nm DRAM and 3D NAND will become an important variable, in terms of supply.

Samsung plans to strengthen its market-leading position by increasing sales of high value-added products including 20-nm DRAM, 10-nanometer-class NAND, and V-NAND.

In the third quarter, revenue for the System LSI business improved QoQ driven by the initial supply of 14nm foundry products and solid demand for LSI products such as CMOS image sensors.

Although the System LSI business expects slower seasonality in the fourth quarter, it expects to    improve revenue with an increase in 14nm foundry supply.

In 2016, the System LSI business will focus on diversifying customer base and product line-ups based on its 14-nm process technology in order to strengthen the basis of stable future growth.

OLED Panels Record Improved Profits

The Display Panel segment posted KRW 7.49 trillion in consolidated revenue and KRW 930 billion in operating profit for the quarter.

For LCDs, despite a slowdown in demand and a decline in the average sales price (ASP), the company registered solid revenues thanks to an increase in shipments due to the trend toward larger size and high resolution TV.

Although the LCD panel market in 2016 is expected to face tough market conditions, Samsung Electronics will continuously focus on improving cost competitiveness and inventory management.

For OLED panels, earnings increased QoQ due to the release of new high-end smartphone panels for major customers, expansion of the customer base, and higher operation ratio and the company will continue to focus on improving cost competitiveness and reinforce mid-low end line up next quarter. Although the smartphone market in 2016 is expected to slow down YoY, the company plans to diversify its product line up and continue to expand its customer base.

Additionally, the Display Panel segment will reinforce the company’s leadership by developing new products to secure new growth engines. To this end, we will seek new applications including transparent and mirror displays, along with head-mounted and automotive display among many others.

New Mobile Products Drive Sales

The IM division posted KRW 26.61 trillion won in consolidated revenue and KRW 2.40 trillion in operating profit for the quarter.

Samsung saw a significant increase in sales of smartphones in the quarter, compared with the second quarter with increased shipments of Galaxy Note5, Galaxy S6 Edge+ and the Galaxy A and J series.

However, due to the price adjustment of Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge, and increased shipments of mid-to-low end smartphones, revenue increased slightly whereas profit decreased QoQ.

Large screen smartphones released in the quarter are receiving positive feedback from markets and they are expected to exceed in shipments reached by their predecessors.

As for tablets, the company expects shipment volume and revenue to be similar to last quarter’s.

Looking ahead, global smartphone and tablets sales in the fourth quarter are expected to improve QoQ driven by higher market demand toward the end of the year, but competition is expected to get stronger.

As for smartphones, the company will focus on maintaining a profit level similar to the previous quarter by expanding product sales for each price segment that were introduced in the third quarter, and by continuously improving efficiency in the expenses.

Meanwhile, tablet shipments will increase QoQ on the back of new orders for the Galaxy Tab S2 and A series.

In 2016, the growth rate for the smartphone market is expected to slow down continuously, compared with previous years. However, the company will reinforce its premium products and streamline the line-up to increase sales and to maintain solid business performance.

In addition, the company seeks to facilitate the global expansion of Samsung Pay, and reinforce the competitiveness of wearable devices to actively respond to market needs.

Growth of Premium Products Sales to Strengthen Market Leadership

The Consumer Electronics Division, encompassing the Visual Display (VD), Digital Appliances (DA), Printing Solutions, and Health and Medical Equipment (HME) businesses posted KRW 11.59 trillion in consolidated revenue and KRW 360 billion in operating profit for the third quarter.

Earnings for Samsung’s VD business improved QoQ led by increased sales of UHD TVs and large-size TVs that are 60 inches and above.

While the market demand in the fourth quarter is expected to significantly increase by entering the year-end peak season, competition among competitors will intensify, and the company will strive for earning improvement by increasing sales of premium products through various promotion activities catered to local markets and different distribution channels in time with the holiday season.

Next year, as the TV market is expected to grow riding on sports events including the Olympic and the Eurocup, Samsung work to shore up profitability by increasing the sales of premium products such as SUHD, large-size and curved TVs.

The DA business posted solid earnings from the previous quarter, due to increased sales of premium products in developed market.

In the ensuing fourth quarter, the company will focus on increasing sales by strengthening seasonal promotions and launching new products including ‘AddWash’ washing machines. For next year, the company will continue to sustain growth and secure profitability by introducing innovative products and expanding the enterprise business.

※ Consolidated Sales and Operating Profit by Segment based on K-IFRS (2014~2015.3Q)

Note 1: Sales for each business include intersegment sales

Note 2: CE (Consumer Electronics), IM (IT & Mobile Communications), DS (Device Solutions), DP (Display Panel)

Note 3: Information on annual earnings is stated according to the business divisions as of 2015.

Samsung Electronics announced the Samsung Galaxy View, which delivers an unprecedented mobile entertainment experience by streaming video and media content on the largest Android mobile device on the market. With its large touchscreen display, video-optimized user interface and long-lasting battery life, the Galaxy View lets consumers seamlessly experience the best in video and media from a range of television and other service providers.

“At Samsung, we are committed to creating new possibilities and bringing our consumers the best mobile experience,” said JK Shin, CEO and Head of Samsung’s IT & Mobile Business. “We are very excited to introduce the new Galaxy View, providing an entirely new way of consuming mobile video and entertainment.”

The Galaxy View’s 18.4” Full HD screen is optimized for media consumption. From the screen size to content, the Galaxy View has been designed with a video-centric interface in mind. The dedicated home screen for videos showcases various content services all in one place, making it incredibly easy and convenient for users to enjoy the latest entertainment.

Sporting a wide selection of entertainment features, the Galaxy View allows users to take advantage of its large display and high quality stereo speakers. Users can enjoy a new level of multimedia experience such as video, music and game as well as richer social communication such as video calls and the Family Square feature, which provides a customized dashboard that can be connected with friends and family members.

The Galaxy View’s long-lasting battery life provides up to 8 hours of video playback*, ensuring that users can enjoy hours of content consumption without worrying about recharging. Additionally, users benefit from the easy-to-use touchscreen interface and versatile 2-way stand.

Full details and product images are available at www.samsungmobilepress.com.

* Battery performance may vary depending on network conditions and device usage.
* Content partners may vary by country and region.

*All functionality, features, specifications and other product information provided in this document including, but not limited to, the benefits, design, pricing, components, performance, availability, and capabilities of the product are subject to change without notice or obligation.

Teams have been built. States have been assigned. The mission – to boost entries for the 2015-2016 Solve for Tomorrow (SFT) Contest – has been accepted. And the SFT Employee Ambassadors are off!

SFT is a national competition designed to boost interest and proficiency in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) among U.S. public school students. SFT challenges students in grades 6-12 to show how STEM can be used to help improve their communities.

For the 2015-2016 program year, 210 Samsung employees from various U.S. offices volunteered to be SFT Employee Ambassadors. Samsung employees love friendly competition, especially when the end result is for the greater good.

“It’s an amazing feeling to be able to give back to the community and see what the future holds for us through the eyes of these brilliant kids,” said Frank Mantz of Samsung Business, who served as an Employee Ambassador at the SFT National Finalist Pitch Event in March. “Some people may think it will take up too much time in their already busy schedule, and it does take a certain amount of dedication, but what you get back in the end makes up for any time lost [by] tenfold.”

Mantz hosted the Northwest Pennsylvania Collegiate Academy from Erie, Pennsylvania during perhaps the most exciting event of the year-long program. Students from the top 15 schools across the country converged at the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum in New York City to present and defend their projects in front of a live panel of judges.

The team’s amazing vertical gardens project, which addressed both the lack of fresh produce and the lack  of horizontal space to grow them in their urban community, earned the school more than $135,000 of technology and other prizes and a Solve for Tomorrow National Winner title.

So far more than 3,000 schools have entered with the same goal in mind. But with just  a few days before the entry period closes, the SFT Employee Ambassadors are doing all they can to make sure more schools have the opportunity to win the technology that is so critical to modern-day STEM curriculum.

“We had more than 3,000 schools enter last year,” said Bill Welker, manager of the Solve for Tomorrow Contest. “We’re aiming to beat that record and need everyone’s help to spread the word.”

Teams like Mantz’s are certainly doing all they can to do just that. After all, his teammates Rose Luppino and Gabriel Hanauer are veteran ambassadors who have had the distinction of being part of the winning team to gather the most entries for the past two years.

“We have to put the investment in our kids to make sure that they have the tools to obtain the knowledge that they need,” said Rose Luppino of Samsung Sales.

For more information on the Solve for Tomorrow Contest, please visit samsung.com/solve.

Samsung Electronics announced that it won a lawsuit against four resellers in Germany for distribution of unlicensed, non-original equipment manufacturer (non-OEM) toner cartridges that were found on first instance to infringe Samsung’s patent*.

The Munich District Court ruled that the four resellers infringed Samsung’s patent for toner cartridge CLP-620**. The resellers sold toner cartridges that were molded to be compatible with Samsung printers.

The court ordered each of the resellers to stop selling all relevant products with the patented features and recall those that have been distributed since July 24, 2013.

“We are pleased with the judgment,” said David SW Song, Senior Vice President of Printing Solutions Business at Samsung Electronics. “The lawsuits are intended to protect our intellectual property rights, the rights and interests of consumers and those of companies that produce and sell legitimately manufactured toner cartridges. We will continue to take action against resellers that sell illegal, unlicensed toners that are compatible with our products.”

Irrespective of the infringement of Samsung’s patents, non-genuine toners may produce low quality prints and can lead to various printer problems, such as excessive noise and hardware failure. Samsung’s warranty does not cover damages for printers that break down due to the effects of non-genuine toner. Thus, Samsung is taking steps to prevent such inconveniences for customers.

Genuine Samsung toners print nearly twice the page output of non-genuine counterparts, according to a 2014 study by Buyers Laboratory. In addition, genuine toners produce longer-lasting prints that do not smudge. Genuine Samsung toner cartridges have also been certified for environmental safety.

Customers can identify a genuine Samsung toner by checking the label on the cartridge box. The label should change colors when seen from different angles, and the embossed characters have a distinguishable texture.

* German part of European Patent EP 1 975 744.

** Docket no. 7 O 18276/14, 7 O 18277/14, 7 O 18278/14 and 7 O 18279/14.

“With these new offerings, our target is to reach annual sales of USD 10 billion by 2020 and lead the future of air solutions business,” said BK Yoon, President and CEO of Consumer Electronics Business, Samsung Electronics. “At Samsung we are passionate about continuously evolving our technology to offer the best products and best user experience possible to our customers.”

With more than 750 global partners and media, the Samsung AC Forum 2015 kicks off in Korea. Starting this month up until the first half of 2016, Samsung AC Forum will continue at 117 cities in 50 markets by inviting more than 9,000 global partners and media to share more about Samsung’s latest products as well as the vision of Samsung System Air Conditioning.

At the first forum, Samsung revealed its plan to collaborate with world renowned experts – architects and professors – on various projects that closely integrate the Internet of Things (IoT) into future living spaces. Russell Brown, a nationally elected member of the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) Council, also shared his thoughts on architecture, the future of designing a space and the value it will bring to people.

Samsung’s New 360 Circular Cassette Design

The innovative design of the 360 Cassette unit transforms air flow. The unique and revolutionary booster fan inside the 360 Cassette guides air to form a complete horizontal flow, generating layers of chilled air. Samsung’s circular air wave consistently controls the temperature of the room by providing an even distribution of air in a full 360 direction. Bladeless flow control ensures fast comfortable cooling without the cold draft by ensuring 100 percent of air volume compared to traditional four-way Cassette units, which can lose up to 25 percent of air volume. The resulting cooling speed is increased by 34 percent.

The 360 Cassette combines revolutionary performance with an elegant design which will blend in and enhance any setting. The unit features a stylish panel and intuitive display that allows users to change the air flow depending on preference. Users can choose from three settings including horizontal, vertical, and separate zone control air flow.

The air conditioner can be fitted within the ceiling or exposed, offering ultimate flexibility to suit the style of any room. In addition, users have the option of a wheel dial remote controller with a dedicated button for comfort cooling. The Samsung Virus Doctor kit can also be added to eliminate dust, airborne contaminants, allergens, bacteria and viruses.

The next generation of high-performance VRF: Samsung DVM S 30HP

Samsung boosts efficiencies and performance capabilities with the new Super DVM – the Digital Variable Multi air conditioner. The DVM S 30HP combines the DVM S with cutting-edge innovation for enhanced performance, efficiency and reliability.

The new Samsung DVM S 30HP features a number of revolutionary features to boost performance, including a new Super Inverter Scroll Compressor with flash injection technology and an optimized bypass valve location to increase heating capacity by 29 percent.

The further addition of a hybrid heat exchanger increases the heat exchange area while an optimized refrigerant control delivers greater efficiency (10 percent) and a new oval-shaped diffuser application improves the airflow path and increases the airflow rate by 17 percent.

The Samsung DVM S 30HP also complies with strict regulation thanks to an innovative leak detection system. When a leak is detected, the system automatically begins an active pump down process to collect the refrigerant and close all valves to isolate it within the unit.

The DVM S Eco 14HP: Samsung’s new side discharge VRF unit

The DVM S Eco 14HP is a new side discharge VRF air conditioner engineered to deliver a single outdoor unit solution for apartment and office buildings

The improved performance of the Samsung DVM S Eco 14HP ensures it meets the growing need for a specialized single outdoor unit to reduce the cost of previous multiple loading and sub-duct installation in multi-room buildings.

The innovative design of the DVM S Eco 14HP features a robust Inverter Scroll Compressor and corrugate fin, which improves heating performance by 20 percent and increases air flow by 10 percent compared to standard side discharge VRF units.

The increased horse power of the DVM S Eco (maximum 14HP) means that only one single outdoor unit is needed to manage the air conditioning for an apartment or office building, in place of multiple costly units. All areas of the building are covered as the new unit also provides an extended piping length of up to 160 meters and an installation height of up to 50 meters. The width of the new DVM S Eco 14HP is less than one meter (940mm), maximizing capacity with a better use of space, while the four-way piping enables convenient installation.

Samsung’s cutting-edge energy efficient DVM Chiller

The new DVM Chiller is a powerful system that combines an air-cooled chiller with Variable Refrigerant Flow (VRF) in a compact unit.

Responding to the growing demand for water-source HVAC following the tightening of EU regulations on F-gas levels, Samsung has engineered an air-cooled chiller that offers greater energy efficiency and ease of use in an innovative compact design.

By reducing the system refrigerant levels significantly more than a conventional chiller, the Samsung DVM Chiller not only complies with current 2015 EU refrigerant quota levels but also adheres to the further upcoming reduction in levels (35 percent in 2018).

In the revolutionary DVM Chiller, Samsung has embedded the world-class BLDC Inverter Scroll Compressor with Flash Injection technology, ensuring over 75 percent of heating capacity at -20°C ambient temperature and greater energy efficiency. The Chiller enables users to reduce annual utility costs by 36 percent to 50 percent compared to conventional chillers.

The Samsung DVM Chiller also delivers powerful heating performance while providing cold water through thermal ice storage with an in-built pressure and temperature sensor, which prevents device breakdown from freeze-bursts.

Samsung Electronics announced Samsung Pay U.S. consumer usage data, new features, and partnerships at Money 20/20 in Las Vegas, adding more momentum to the most accepted mobile payment system.

Just four weeks after its launch in the U.S., Samsung Pay is proving its biggest advantage is broad acceptance enabled by Samsung’s MST (Magnetic Secure Transmission) in combination with NFC. MST is the patented technology built into the Samsung Galaxy S6, Galaxy S6 edge, Galaxy S6 edge+ and Galaxy Note5 that transmits tokenized card data to the magnetic card readers of EMV terminals and magnetic stripe terminals. Of U.S. consumers who have paid with Samsung Pay, there is strong indication of repeat usage with an average of eight transactions per user. Data also show that three out of four Samsung Pay transactions were made via MST, validating that combining MST and NFC makes Samsung Pay the most accepted mobile payment system.

“After one month, the numbers say it all: Consumers who have used Samsung Pay are using it repeatedly because it works almost anywhere you can swipe or tap a card,” said Thomas Ko, Vive President and Global Co-general Manager of Samsung Pay. “We’re thrilled to introduce new partners that will build on our early success, and move us even closer to a world in which your mobile phone is a true mobile wallet.”

Samsung is expanding the partnership ecosystem for Samsung Pay, announcing support in the coming months for cards issued by Chase, PNC Bank, TD Bank, SunTrust, Fifth Third Bank, Key Bank, Silicon Valley Bank, Security Service Federal Credit Union, Navy Federal Credit Union, Virginia Credit Union, Associated Bank, Randolph Brooks Federal Credit Union and People’s United Bank. Starting next year, Samsung Pay will work with Discover.

Samsung Pay is also deepening relationships between consumers and retailers—enabling shoppers to use gift cards on their phones at their favorite stores, through a partnership with Blackhawk Network that includes dozens of top retailers in categories like grocery, fashion, entertainment and dining. By the end of this year, consumers will be able to load and use these gift cards.

Samsung is now working with the four payment networks: American Express, Discover, MasterCard and Visa, major banks including Bank of America, Chase, Citi, U.S. Bank, and key financial partners including Blackhawk Network, First Data, Synchrony Financial, TSYS, and Vantiv to extend Samsung Pay to the U.S.

The overwhelmingly positive initial response to Samsung Pay underscores its revolutionary appeal to consumers.

• SIMPLE: To make a payment on Samsung Pay, users can simply swipe up, scan their fingerprint and pay.

• SAFE: Samsung Pay uses tokenization, Samsung KNOX, and fingerprint authentication to provide secure payments. And, as terminals are upgraded to EMV, that security is leveraged too.

• ALMOST ANYWHERE: Samsung Pay is compatible with most existing and new terminals, including most magnetic stripe, EMV and NFC terminals^*. That means Samsung Pay works at more places than any other mobile payment service.

Samsung Electronics announced “10 Minute Break,” a groundbreaking experiential marketing campaign designed to demonstrate how Samsung’s line of accessories for Galaxy devices can offer a unique break from people’s hectic daily lives. The campaign will provide consumers with an immersive product experience aboard double-decker buses outfitted with Samsung’s flagship accessories in Europe.

“We are thrilled to provide consumers across Europe with a unique mobile experience in an immersive and entertaining setting,” said Younghee Lee, Executive Vice President of Global Marketing, IT & Mobile Communications Business at Samsung Electronics. “Through our ‘10 Minute Break’ campaign, consumers will be able to unlock fun and engaging moments with Samsung’s newest mobile accessories.”

The bus routes include stops at landmarks and city centers across Germany, Poland and the United Kingdom. The campaign begins on October 27 and lasts through December 6.

The double-decker bus has been designed to create a relaxing environment to allow consumers to fully enjoy a break from their busy lives. When consumers arrive at the bus, they can take a “lifestyle quiz” on the Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 to determine their own curated product experience among three lifestyle designations that include “Entrepreneur,” “Style Icon,” and “Pioneer.” Once consumers receive their bus ticket, they will be guided through a hands-on experience at the product showcase area based on their chosen lifestyle. The showcase features the Samsung Fast Charge Wireless Chargers and Battery Packs, LEVEL Audio products, Brand collaboration cases and the Gear S2.

Consumers will also be treated to wireless charging at the Power Bar, and be able to enjoy a refreshing juice. A unique audio and visual experience in the LEVEL Theatre will also allow consumers to further enjoy the high quality sound music using LEVEL headphones.

Consumers can follow the campaign through its duration with the #10minBreak hashtag on Twitter.

Destinations include as below.

And unlike other dieting and fitness apps, S Health is incredibly easy to set up and personalize on your Gear S2. Just follow these tutorials and you’ll be on track to being a healthier you in no time. To begin, open the S Health app from the apps menu on the Gear S2.

How To Track Your Movement

They say variety is the spice of life, and this also rings true when speaking of a fitness regimen. As such, the Gear S2 allows you to manually log fitness activity by type of exercise to allow for more accurate activity tracking.

1. Rotate the bezel until you reach the Exercise screen within the S Health app.
2. Tap the arrow.
3. Select your desired exercise. (For example, tap Walking.)
4. To use location-based services, tap Accept.
5. Touch the target time to adjust it, or rotate the bezel to the right to choose a distance or calorie target—or no target. (For example, rotate the bezel to the right to the distance option.)
6. Tap START.
7. You can review your stats while you exercise. To pause your workout, touch the screen. (Note: Swipe to the right to see Music or Duration, or swipe to the left to see Calories, Speed and Heart Rate.)
8. Tap FINISH.
9. To end the workout, tap the Stop icon.

How To Step to It

Walking may be the easiest way to get exercise into one’s daily routine. Just about anyone can do it. You don’t need lessons or expensive equipment. Though one complementary tool that is particularly useful, not to mention motivational, is a pedometer. Studies have shown that the combination of this step-counting tool and a personal target step goal is particularly effective.

1. In the S Health app, turn the bezel to the Settings menu and tap Settings.
2. Rotate the bezel to the right and tap Step target.
3. Rotate the bezel to set your daily step target.
4. Touch SET.
5. Press the Back button twice, then turn the bezel left to the Steps menu. It will display the number of steps you’ve walked for the day out of your daily target.
6. Tap the number and turn the bezel left to review your steps history.

How To Rock the Beat (Your Heart Beat, That Is)

For overall cardiovascular health in adults, the World Health Organization recommends at least 150 minutes of moderate activity or 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity—exercise that increases your heart rate and breathing—per week. One way to monitor the intensity of your activity is to check your heart rate against the estimated maximum heart rate for your age. The Gear S2’s heart rate monitor lets you quickly check and track yours before, during and after exercise.

1. Turn the bezel to the right until you reach the Heart rate monitor.
2. Tap the monitor icon to start the heart rate monitor. The built-in sensor on the back of the device measures your heart rate.
3. Record your heart rate by selecting a tag that describes your current state. (For example, Resting or After exercise.)
4. To view heart rate history, press the Back button. Then, tap the center of the Heart rate screen. Turn the bezel to navigate recorded history.

How To Stay Hydrated

Proper water consumption is essential to maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Not drinking enough water can lower your physical and mental performance, and lead to dehydration. Likewise, too much caffeine can cause a variety of health issues, from hypertension and dizziness to anxiety and agitation. As such, monitoring your daily intake of both water and caffeine is of the upmost importance and S Health makes the process considerably more convenient.

1. Turn the bezel until you reach the screen with the water glass or coffee mug icons.
2. Tap the plus sign to track the number of glasses of water or cups of caffeinated beverages you consume.
3. To review your water and caffeine intake, tap and hold down the icon. Turn the bezel to the left to review intake history.

How To Keep Track

When the Gear S2 recognizes that you’ve been moving for a particular amount of time, it will automatically track your increased activity as exercise and encourage you to keep it up with motivational messages. Similarly, it will notify you if you’ve been sedentary for too long and will encourage you to keep moving. In addition to this helpful feature, you can also manually track your exercise by type and time and review your activity levels for the past 24 hours.

1. Turn the bezel to the 24 hour activity screen.
2. Tap the center to see your current activity level. Tap again to see how long you’ve been at that activity level.
3. Then, rotate the bezel to the left to review activity levels for the past 24 hours, along with the amount of time you exercised, the type of exercise and your heart rate based on your input measurements.

*S Health is not intended for clinical or medical use, including diagnosis, treatment, monitoring, alleviation, compensation, cure, prevention or mitigation of any disease, ailment, defect, injury or other conditions.

From the Stage to the Screen

One of the most obvious industries that virtual reality has affected this year is entertainment. From next-generation gaming driven by technologies like movement detection, sensors and beacons, to the release of films that give viewers a 360-degree view of all the on-screen action, entertainment has reached a new level of greatness.

No longer simply about memorable characters and good storylines, the industry has become centered on producing holistic and immersive user experiences. This is becoming such a focus, in fact, that this past August saw the launch of the Kaleidoscope VR Film Festival. The traveling showcase was established to highlight independent filmmakers who are pioneering film’s newest medium. Festival-goers throughout North America had the chance to watch more than a dozen short films using Gear VR.

Similarly, there were numerous campaigns initiated to get viewers excited about new movie launches. Among them, Marvel’s Avengers: Age of Ultron garnered a great deal of attention through a two-minute VR experience for the Galaxy S6 and Gear VR in which viewers were placed dead center in the middle of a thrilling battle between the Avengers and Ultron’s robot minions.

The music industry has also been fine-tuned to pave the way for similar new experiences. In September, the Van Beethoven bus tour commenced in Los Angeles, which let passersby don Gear VR headsets to enjoy the LA Philharmonic’s rendition of Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5, performed at Walt Disney Concert Hall. Likewise, across the country at Lollapalooza in Chicago, visitors of both the Samsung Galaxy Experience and Samsung Owner’s Lounge were able to view live performances from the Samsung Galaxy main stage in virtual reality for the first time in music festival history.

Unrestricted Event Access

Although Lollapalooza attendees were able to experience the festival in a unique way on-site, Gear VR also provided the means to get up close and personal with unrestricted, remote access at some of this year’s biggest events. Perhaps the most noteworthy of these was the first Democratic presidential debate of the US 2016 race. CNN made history by hosting the first-ever live stream of a news event in virtual reality, giving viewers a front-row seat to CNN’s 2016 election debates on October 13.

Likewise, Samsung gave consumers a sneak peek of its exhibition at IFA, the world’s leading trade show for consumer electronics and home appliances, in a number of experience zones around Berlin, Germany in September.

Go Virtually Anywhere

While the promise of being able to virtually attend some of the world’s biggest events from the comfort of one’s living room is very exciting, so is the idea of visiting exotic locations and faraway places without having to purchase a plane ticket.

In September, Marriott Hotels launched VRoom Service at New York Marriott Marquis and London Marriott Park Lane, in which hotel guests are offered room-service delivery of a virtual reality loaner kit with Samsung Gear VR. Guests can use the devices to watch “VR Postcards”, Marriott’s virtual travel content platform that features intimate and immersive travel stories. Each follows a traveler on a journey to a unique locale, such as the Andes Mountains in Chile, an ice cream shop in Rwanda or the bustling streets of Beijing.

Qantas Airways, another big player in the travel industry, provided a similar experience to customers in Sydney and Melbourne International First Lounges as well as in the First Class cabins on select A380 services. By providing Gear VR, Qantas let passengers explore the sights and delights of network destinations, new Qantas products and the latest blockbuster movies from 40,000 feet above the ground, thus setting a new standard in premium inflight entertainment.

Trials and Test-Drives

In the same way that travelers can virtually experience tourist destinations before they even set foot on a plane, consumers are now able to try out new products, and even test-drive the latest and greatest cars.

To promote Audi’s launch of the TT S Coupé, the car company gave consumers a chance to test-drive the automobile using virtual reality technology with Gear VR. The ground-breaking initiative added a touch of theater to automotive retail, allowing Audi customers to experience the thrill of the third-generation TTS in all its glory.

Enhanced Experiences

Finally, some of the greatest Gear VR moments this year were those in which simple experiences created tremendous value—both emotional and educational—for those that partook in them.

The Natural History Museum in London, for example, offered visitors a great deal of educational value through David Attenborough’s First Life, a virtual reality experience that combines the museum’s ground-breaking research with Gear VR, vividly bringing to life ancient sea creatures that roamed Earth’s oceans more than 500 million years ago.

LifeLIVE was one of the more heart-warming moments that allowed a father 2,500 miles away from his family to witness his son’s birth—the first birth ever live-streamed using virtual reality—via the Gear VR. The project illustrated how life’s profound moments may soon be shared in a completely new way.

Gear VR has also helped to raise the spirits of hospitalized children through Samsung Italia’s eMotion Project, which virtually transported young patients from the Santa Maria Goretti Hospital in Latina, Italy, to the Movieland amusement park. The experience provided emotional support for the children, helping to improve their moods and mindsets during their hospital stay.

Combining storytelling with technology in an unprecedented way, the Gear VR has most certainly changed the way we travel, shop, connect with others and are entertained in just one short year. It has proved how it can provide unrivaled value across a variety of industries, while its uses are nearly limitless. Only time will tell what kind of virtual reality innovations the next twelve months will bring, but it’s certain they will be “unreal.”

After much anticipation, the Samsung Gear S2 has finally hit shelves across the world and has already garnered a great deal of attention, thanks to its innovative rotating bezel, convenient connectivity features and stylish appearance. But how does one get the most out of their brand new Gear S2? Check out these tutorials to find out.

How to Set Up

Now that you’ve got your hands on the Gear S2, you first need to pair it with your smartphone to take advantage of all its fun and useful features.

1. Download the Samsung Gear app from the Galaxy Apps store if you’re using a Samsung device, or from Google Play if you’re using a non-Samsung Android phone.
2. Access the Samsung Gear app on your mobile device.
3. Tap Connect to Gear.
4. Select Gear S2 from the Select your Gear
5. Confirm your passkey on the Bluetooth pairing request alert by tapping OK.
6. Agree to all terms and conditions by ticking the boxes and tap Done.
7. In the Manage notifications menu, choose the notifications that you want to appear on the Gear S2.

How to Get in Touch

Your Gear S2 is set up and ready to go. Easy, right? You can now receive, access and send messages quickly and conveniently, right from your wrist.

1. From the home screen on your Gear S2, turn the bezel one notch to the left to access notifications.
2. Tap the number of notifications received.
3. Turn the bezel to the right to browse received messages.
4. Tap a message to read it in its entirety, and turn the bezel to scroll.
5. To send a quick reply, tap Reply.

a. To send a pre-set message, turn the bezel to browse and tap to select your preferred message.
b. To reply with a voice note, tap the microphone icon, record your voice note and send.
c. To send an emoji, tap the smile icon and turn the bezel to browse emojis. Tap to select and send.
d. To reply with a text message, tap the keyboard icon, type your message and tap the send icon.

How to Customize

Whether you want your Gear S2 to match your #OOTD every day, or you prefer to stick with the same ol’ look for weeks, the watch face of the Gear S2 can be customized as often or as little as you’d like, straight from the device.

How to Get a New Look

The Gear S2 comes with two sizes of wrist straps, large and small, which can also be mixed and matched to customize the length. Samsung has also partnered up with a number of designers and brands to offer an eclectic selection of wrist bands, with a style for just about everyone.
(For video tutorial on how to replace bands for the Gear S2 Classic, click here.)

Now that you’re acquainted with the Gear S2, take some time to explore the settings and features that make it uniquely Samsung, and stay tuned for more tutorials to come!

1. To remove bands from the Gear S2, press the latches where the bands meet the case body and slide down to release.
2. Replace the new bands by sliding upward until they snap into place.
3. Tap and hold the home screen.
4. Turn the bezel to browse watch faces. Tap to select.
5. To customize your preferred watch face (when available), tap Stylize.
6. Navigate customization options using the bezel and by swiping left to change the dial, hands and/or shortcuts. Then, tap OK.

Whether sharing exciting personal events, such as graduation ceremonies or weddings, with loved ones who can’t be present, or advertising a new product to a worldwide audience, the possibilities of live streaming are endless. Furthermore, improvements in streaming technologies and increased Internet speeds have made it even easier to stream live content across a variety of digital platforms.

Such is the case with Samsung’s most recently released smartphones: the Galaxy S6 edge+ and Note5. These devices are equipped with Live Broadcast, a feature built directly into the native camera app that allows users to broadcast a live video stream directly to YouTube without additional logins or accounts, other than one’s YouTube account. Users have the option of publishing their broadcast publicly, or directly to their personal contacts via a private link. Considering that both also boast a 5MP front and 16MP rear camera—the latter of which utilizes Video Digital Image Stabilization—steady, smooth footage is guaranteed, no matter who or what is being filming.

So what makes a good live stream? Mostly continuous practice and troubleshooting, like many things in life. But, for starters, these 10 tips can give you a good foundation to build on.

1. Plan ahead and stay organized.

The best way to make your live broadcast a success is by being well organized and planning ahead. Begin your planning by creating an outline of the broadcast segments, as well as a draft of a script, if there is to be dialogue. Also, compile a list of materials, such as equipment and props, which might be used during the filming process.

2. Keep it long.

Unlike web video and blogging content, which is said to be most effective when kept under five minutes, live streams are most successful when they are longer in length. Just remember when planning your content, however, that in order to be engaging, video material should be useful, compelling, informative and entertaining to keep viewers coming back for more.

3. Promote your live stream.

After your live stream is planned, be sure let viewers know at least 48 hours in advance when the broadcast will go live by promoting it across a variety of platforms, such as your social media accounts. Don’t forget to include a link where viewers can access the stream. This can also be done in the “Events” section of your YouTube channel, where you can create a custom post for your subscribers and social media sites. The message will post, including the event link, when the public event goes live.

4. Test frequently.

To ensure that your stream is broadcasted without a hitch, run an end-to-end test to scout out any potential problem areas. Conduct the test on-site with your actual bandwidth and source signal, and check for any firewalls that might block streaming. Watch the test on a variety of end user devices, such as PCs, smartphones and tablets, to determine the quality of the stream and alter if necessary.

5. Lighting is everything.

Fortunately, the cameras of both the Galaxy S6 edge+ and Note 5 utilize a wide aperture lens of f1.9 to let in lots of light, which ultimately leads to better photos, specifically low-light images. Nevertheless, if lighting is inadequate, the camera will introduce noise into the video picture, which can be amplified by the video encoding process. Keep your subject well-lit (natural light works best) and double check the lighting in your pre-test.

6. Audio is also key.

Even if your audience is unable to see your feed, they can still gain value by hearing it. This rings true for events such as concerts, presentations or general Q&A sessions. Be sure to film your broadcast in a quiet place with minimal background noise. If this is not possible, and your filming site’s acoustics are not ideal, consider connecting an external microphone to your device.

7. Go live early.

In order to ensure that everything is working as it should be, begin your stream at least 15 minutes before it is scheduled to start. This will also notify viewers that the stream is in fact live.

 8. Welcome new arrivals and returning viewers.

To grow your audience, it’s necessary to engage new readers to create a meaningful connection. Likewise, it doesn’t take a lot of effort to show returning viewers that you recognize them when they view your feed. The action will ultimately help build a sense of community among your followers.

 9. Get interactive.

Unlike television, live Internet broadcasts give the feed host the unique opportunity to both engage and interact with viewers. There are a number of ways to do so, including live question and answer sessions via Twitter, interactive chats and behind-the-scenes tours. Be sure to mention how viewers can connect with you by providing your social media handles both in the feed description and throughout the live event.

 10. Re-stream.

After you have successfully streamed—and impressed your audience with your engaging and entertaining content—you should re-stream your event for viewers who may have missed the first broadcast. Additionally, you should make the recording available as video-on-demand as soon as possible, ideally immediately after the live stream ends, via the same URL as the original stream.

The S.hub, as the new space will be known within the National Library, comes equipped with Samsung devices such as PCs, tablets, TVs and LFDs, offering a balance between technological and social developments for adolescents. There is also an online sharing space – www.s-hub.vn – to interact and update information, along with a small auditorium that has a smart interactive whiteboard.

Following the success of Samsung’s Smart Library 1.0 project, which began in 2011 with the goal of renovating 50 school libraries across the region and provided more than 200,000 new books and 300 PCs, the Smart Library 2.0 initiative will continue this journey to create a modern space for exchanging knowledge.

Bui Xuan Duc, Director General of the National Library, believes that S.hub is an encouraging and enriching scheme, and says that the launch highlights “a strong commitment from the National Library and Samsung to a bright future for the younger generation in Vietnam.”

Kim Cheol Gi, Vice President of Samsung Electronics in Vietnam, echoed this sentiment: “S.hub is not only a place with advanced technology and devices, but also a modern, open space that brings young people together for many different activities. I hope S.hub will be a popular place for Ho Chi Minh City’s youngsters, and that it will benefit them greatly.”

National Library of Ho Chi Minh City:

The National Library of Ho Chi Minh City is a public library, whereby every community member can access the collections without charge. It also has access to ancient materials for the public to view. In 2014, the library served more than 1,533,000 readers.

From smartphones to tablets to wearables, Samsung and Oracle are driving enterprise mobility and enabling professionals to be more productive. The new Cordova plug-in for Samsung developers, also on display at Oracle OpenWorld, makes enterprise app development easier through the packaging of key APIs for one of the best Android business experience on the market. The Cordova plug-in integrates into Oracle’s developer tools, while granting access to Samsung’s unique hardware features such as multi-window and S Pen.

“As two of the world’s leading drivers of enterprise mobility, Samsung and Oracle are positioned to deliver an ideal user experience that pushes the boundaries of productivity in the workplace,” said Rick Segal, Vice President of Enterprise Business Team, IT & Mobile Communications Business at Samsung Electronics. “Our alliance with Oracle is not only powering professionals and businesses through mobility, but also enabling developers and systems integrators to produce unique enterprise solutions that help organizations reach new levels of growth and success.”

All enterprise solutions presented by Samsung at Oracle OpenWorld are immediately available for incorporation into the daily professional environment. Examples include solutions from systems integrators such as HCL and AuraPlayer, which will be displayed on a range of devices including the Galaxy S6 edge and Galaxy Tab A. HCL’s predictive maintenance solution allows the management of machinery and heavy equipment that typically created a backlog of paper files. AuraPlayer’s collision reporting system enables rapid entry of critical incidents so that transportation authorities can take immediate action.

Wearables are the next generation of innovation in business, and Samsung will highlight several use cases of wearables at Oracle OpenWorld. Australian business solutions provider Rinami built a field asset management tool specifically designed to work with wearables, which will be demoed on the Samsung Gear S2. Australian Agricultural Company, one of the largest producers of wagyu beef, worked with Rinami to create a wearable app that improved livestock management. Instead of carrying cumbersome laptops and field notebooks, ranchers are able to collect data, interpret in the field and make actionable decisions through their mobile device app for dramatic increases in production.

Also, visitors to Oracle OpenWorld can learn about the Samsung Enterprise Alliance Program (SEAP). SEAP is the program highlighting a wide range of global enterprise partners and developers to provide business customers with differentiated solutions built on Samsung mobile devices.

Collaboration with Oracle is a part of Samsung’s continued efforts to expedite key mobile application development for enterprises such as the recent Samsung Business Services’ work in the U.S. in the areas of workforce management and business tasks.

Oracle OpenWorld takes place at the Moscone Center in San Francisco, CA from October 26 to 29. Samsung will be providing live demos and guided tours at Booth 1221 and the Mobile Showcase in Moscone South.

About Oracle OpenWorld

Oracle OpenWorld 2015 delivers the ultimate cloud experience. The industry’s most important business conference includes thousands of educational sessions and features demos and exhibitions from hundreds of partners and customers from around the world showcasing Oracle’s comprehensive cloud offerings, including an integrated stack of applications, platform and infrastructure services, as well as converged systems and industry solutions. Tens of thousands of in-person attendees and millions online gain valuable product and industry-specific insight to help them transform their businesses with Oracle. Oracle OpenWorld 2015 is being held October 25 through October 29 at the Moscone Center in San Francisco. For more information; to register; or to watch Oracle OpenWorld keynotes, sessions, and more, visit Oracle OpenWorld 2015. Join the Oracle OpenWorld discussion on Twitter #oow15, Facebook, and the Oracle OpenWorld blog.

“It puts things into perspective… when you see how much fun and how much joy that a day like this brings to these special needs kids,” said Samsung employee Gregory Maugeri. Gregory, along with other Samsung colleagues, helped put on a play with Only Make Believe, a non-profit organization that aims to give joy and inspiration to sick children through interactive theater in hospitals and care facilities.

That joy was the resounding theme throughout Samsung’s third Day of Service. A total of 4,200 employees contributed nearly 17,000 hours of community service through events designed to uplift and enrich the communities where employees live and work. Samsung employees have also donated countless hours of community service through its Hope for Children initiatives. In addition, the company has donated more than $46 million over the years—underscoring its commitment to making the world a better place for future generations.

Samsung colleagues in Canada also went out into their local communities to lend a helping hand to those in need.

“We really appreciate the investment Samsung has given,” said Justin Cheung who helped Youth without Shelter in Ontario to renovate its multi-purpose room.

Investing in underserved communities and communities where Samsung does business is a core company value that Gregory Lee, President and CEO of Samsung Electronics North America, lives. He has participated in all three Days of Service over which the company has contributed nearly 45,000 service hours since October 2014.

“One thing is how much we give in terms of quantity,” said Lee, “but also it’s the quality of our giving and how deeply we’re engaged, how much we care. Those things make a big difference.”

Some of the differences Samsung makes on this day and throughout the year can be seen in the photos below. For video snapshots from the day, please click here.

President and CEO of Samsung Electronics North America Gregory Lee and other Samsung employees help bring joy and inspiration to sick children with Only Make Believe at A. Harry Moore High School in New Jersey during Samsung’s Day of Service on October 16.

Left: Samsung employees help to build the frame of the newest house on the Habitat for
Humanity block in Plano, Texas.; Right: Meanwhile, in San Jose, California, employees build and paint fences during
Samsung’s Day of Service on October 16.

Samsung employees help Stop Hunger Now deliver food and life-saving aid to the world’s most vulnerable people during Samsung’s Day of Service on October 16.

President and CEO of Samsung Electronics North America Gregory Lee and other Samsung employees help members of the Boys & Girls Club of Newark celebrate after Samsung revealed plans for a tech center makeover at the Club during Samsung’s Day of Service on October 16.

Samsung employees in New York City helped the Ronald McDonald House conduct a sidewalk sale to raise funds and clean its kitchens. They also helped Grow NYC with garden maintenance during Samsung’s Day of Service on October 16.

These unique birds, nearly hunted to extinction at the turn of the 20^th century, are the only known breeding colony of its kind in the entire Mid-Atlantic region, making their migration truly remarkable.

Following the breeding season, however, their whereabouts have largely remained a mystery, making it difficult to protect them. The Smithsonian’s National Zoo, along with its Migratory Bird Center, has taken this challenge as an opportunity for new research, conservation and public education at large. They’ve made exciting strides in tracking the herons’ migration patterns, and now Samsung is providing technology to help engage people in the migration experience in a more meaningful way.

The migration patterns of the black-crowned night herons tagged with satellite transmitters in August 2013 [Map Credit: Amy Scarpignato]

A few years ago, Zoo ornithology experts began identifying innovative technologies that could help improve the tracking accuracy of these bird migrations. In particular, the Zoo experimented with satellite transmitters light enough for the herons to carry without disrupting their movements. This enabled satellites to pick up the transmitter signals and pinpoint their locations on an almost daily basis. Thanks to this technology, the Zoo has been able to collect data that reveals the majority of tagged herons fly to Florida for the winter, even as far as The Everglades — nearly 1,100 miles from Washington, D.C.!

Building upon the Zoo’s initiative to use new technologies that help build their body of knowledge and improve public engagement and wildlife preservation, Samsung was honored to be formally recognized as a Technology Advisor to the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute this summer. Through Samsung’s donation of cameras and display monitors, as well as software design expertise, the Zoo will be able to offer a more immersive way for the public to learn and engage with the bird experience, including the remarkable migration journey that the herons make each year.

To celebrate the launch of this partnership, Samsung Electronics hosted an event at the National Zoo’s Bird House to showcase the initiative and next step of the heron project: the Black-Crowned Night Heron 360° Camera. A video compilation of this year’s flock at the National Zoo is now available on their website.

You can also watch this recorded content on Samsung Gear VR. Simply download the Samsung Milk VR app from the Gear VR store and go to the Gear Indie channel in Samsung Milk VR.

Online visitors to the Smithsonian’s National Zoo website can access a panoramic view of nesting herons at the Zoo in Washington, D.C. by placing a cursor and literally turning the view 360 degrees.

Beyond the 360° heron camera, Samsung is also working closely with the Zoo to provide expertise, technology solutions and support on select projects such as the renovation plan to transform the Zoo’s 1928 Bird House and surrounding plateau into an Experience Migration Exhibit – an interactive, educational facility scheduled to open in 2019. As a member of the design team, Samsung is exploring cutting-edge technologies that will make the Experience Migration exhibit the first-of-its-kind where visitors can immerse themselves into the incredible journeys of various birds via a walk-through migration tour that will feature digital education tools.

As Samsung continues to expand its partnership with the National Zoo in the months ahead, we hope you will visit the Zoo in Washington, D.C., to experience the migration for yourself. In the meantime, please click here to learn more about the Night Heron Bird Migration Project and the black-crowned night herons.

Samsung Electronics has expanded Samsung Pay’s commercial availability to consumers on all major U.S. wireless networks, including AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, U.S. Cellular and now Verizon.  Starting today, October 21, Galaxy S6, Galaxy S6 edge, Galaxy S6 edge+ and Galaxy Note5 users on the major U.S. wireless networks will be able to download and install the Samsung Pay application directly from Google Play, providing them with the secure, simple, and easy-to-use mobile payment option that works almost anywhere you can swipe or tap a card.

Users just have to download the Samsung Pay app from Google Play and follow the straightforward instructions to install the application. If you are a Verizon user and your phone needs to be updated to work with Samsung Pay, you’ll be prompted to download the necessary updates during the application installation process. Once installed, you can open Samsung Pay, input your necessary information and instantly start paying directly from your qualified Samsung smartphone .

Launched in the United States on September 28^th, Samsung Pay is compatible with most existing and new terminals, including most magnetic stripe, EMV and NFC terminals. That means Samsung Pay works at more places than any other mobile payment service. And it means your daily shopping experience just got a whole lot easier. At Samsung, we’re all about moving mobile payments from every-once-in-a-while to everywhere.