It is well known that it is dangerous to operate a smartphone while driving. However, research shows that two thirds of the Dutch feel pressured to respond immediately to messages – even when behind the wheel – and more than 70% of the people aged between 15 and 24 still call or send messages with their phones while in traffic, a quarter check their social media feed and almost one in five reply to a message while they drive.

In-Traffic Reply detects when you are behind the wheel or on your bike and automatically answers all incoming messages with your pre-determined personalized message while you’re driving. More than 100,000 Dutch people already have In-Traffic Reply on their phone. The focus, this year, is to encourage more people to actively use the solution.

Samsung Electronics, the Dutch government and other partners including ANWB, Veilig Verkeer Nederland and Fietsersbond will continue to support the MONO campaign to raise awareness and promote action against smartphone use while driving.

A recent PanelWizard* study found that approximately one third of Dutch drivers occasionally use hand-held smartphones while driving a car or riding a bike. Many of the respondents claim that their reason for doing so is related to the social pressure to respond to calls and messages quickly.

The In-Traffic Reply app reduces this pressure by sending automated responses to calls and messages while the owner of the phone is on the road. The app will automatically activate when it detects the user is riding a bike or driving a car through the smartphone’s sensors such as its GPS. Users can choose to send the default reply (“I’m driving, so I cannot answer at the moment.”), a fun, animated response, or their own customized pre-set message.

In-Traffic Reply is currently in beta, and has already attracted the attention of hundreds of interested users. The full version of the app will launch in mid May and will be available in the Google Play Store.

*The study was carried out by PanelWizard at the behest of Samsung. There were 1,351 respondents, aged 18 and older, who get around primarily by bike and/or by car. The online study was conducted between March 20 and 23, 2017.

Samsung Electronics, Worldwide Olympic Partner in the Wireless Communications Equipment category, announced that the Rio 2016 Official Application is available to download starting today.

The Rio 2016 app which is created by collaboration with the Rio 2016 Organizing Committee will provide a range of features to help user better enjoy this year’s Olympic Games, including the Olympic Games schedule, venue and event information, results, medal counts, and more real-time updates across all Olympic and Paralympic sport.

The Rio 2016 app gives users access to information about all the competitions at the Games, along with up-to-the-minute updates. You can also check out Olympic and world records, plus specific details about all the sports, athletes, teams and venues at the Games, and the official news from the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

Not only can the Rio 2016 app provide users with all the Olympic Games information that users need, but it is also highly customizable, so users can focus on what matters most to them. User can choose to get results and push-notification alerts based on their favorite countries, sports or athletes, as well as the start time of events, results and medals.

In addition, the app has a “Samsung Zone” that provides information about Samsung’s activities at the Games, as well as the Galaxy X Olympics, customer service and an introduction to the Samsung Members App.

This is the tenth consecutive edition of Olympic Games that Samsung has been an official partner, using its technologies and innovations to help officials, athletes and fans. And Samsung is committed to continuing to share the Olympic spirit to make a better future.

The app is now available in English, Portuguese, Spanish, French, Mandarin Chinese, Japanese and Korean.

You can download the Rio 2016 Official Application at Galaxy Apps (Mobile), Google Play Store, Apple App Store and the Windows App Store.

* This sample form is intended to be used for reference only.

Samsung Electronics announced that the Galaxy S7 edge Olympic Games Limited Edition is available for purchase in selected regions including Brazil, the United States, China, Germany and Korea from today. In order to celebrate Rio 2016, Samsung made exactly 2,016 phones available in each nation.

As a Worldwide Olympic Partner in the Wireless Communications Equipment section, Samsung first introduced a limited Olympic Games edition device back in 1998, to tie in with the Nagano 1998 Olympic Winter Games. The Galaxy S7 edge Olympic Games Limited Edition, however, represents the first time Samsung has released a device with a themed design and even a preloaded Olympic Games-related interface and application.

The Rio 2016-inspired Galaxy S7 edge Olympic Games Limited Edition device incorporates Olympic Games-themed design into the phone’s design.

It features a custom-made colorway pattern that designed in blue, red, green, yellow and black – the five colors of the Olympic Rings. There is a blue theme in the rear camera, sensors and flash, red in the power button, green in the volume button and yellow in the receiver and home key – while the device itself is a distinctive black.

The colors of the Olympic Rings are also featured in the phone’s user interface in both the home and lock screens. These can also be found in the message, dial and contact screens, as well as the notification bar.

Users can also decorate their devices with Olympic motifs, choosing from a selection of pre-loaded Rio 2016-themed wallpapers.

Samsung has also developed the new 3D Flag application ahead of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games. Users can launch the app, which comes pre-loaded on the device, to select their nation of choice. They can then display their country’s flag on the Galaxy S7 edge Olympic Games Limited Edition’s radiant screen – ideal for proud sports fans the world over.

Not only is the limited edition itself unique, the packaging of the Galaxy S7 edge Olympic Games Limited Edition is also worthy of note. Samsung has designed a practical pouch type carrier that can be used for a variety of purposes, and doubles as a memorable souvenir of Rio 2016. What is more, the practical re-usable pouch package is environmentally friendly by cutting down significantly on the kind of waste generated by many other smartphones’ packaging.

Samsung will provide a total of 12,500 Galaxy S7 edge Olympic Games Limited Edition and Gear IconX devices to athletes competing at Rio 2016 through partnership with the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

In celebration of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, Samsung Electronics, Worldwide Olympic Partner in the Wireless Communications Equipment category, today unveiled the Galaxy S7 edge Olympic Games Limited Edition in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Samsung also announced the Rio 2016 app and on-the ground activations throughout Brazil to mark the official launch of Samsung’s global Rio 2016 Olympic Games campaign.

In collaboration with the International Olympic Committee (IOC), Samsung will deliver 12,500 Galaxy S7 edge Olympic Games Limited Edition and Gear IconX to all Rio 2016 Olympians, helping them to enhance their experiences in Rio and communicate with family and friends around the world more conveniently.

For the first time ever, the Rio 2016-inspired device incorporates an Olympic Games design embedded into the phone itself, featuring a custom colorway pattern including the five official colors of the Olympic Rings. The colors of the Olympic Rings will also be prominent in the phone’s user interface in the home and lock screens as well as the message, dial and contact screens and notification bar. Pre-loaded Rio 2016 Olympic Games themed wallpapers will also be available. Athletes will also receive Samsung’s newest smartphone accessory, the Gear IconX cord-free earbuds, which offer a new fitness experience with an in-ear heart rate monitor and standalone music player. When paired with smartphones, they can track fitness updates through the S Health app.

“Sports are all about an individual’s relentless journey of challenging complacency, and the Olympic Games are the ultimate global celebration of the progress and achievement of athletes, countries and their fans coming together to unite the world’,” said Younghee Lee, Executive Vice President of Global Marketing, Mobile Communications Business at Samsung Electronics. “Samsung admires the spirit of Olympians and fans across the globe who continuously push boundaries for the better.”

Samsung is also offering fans and consumers a chance to commemorate the Rio 2016 Olympic Games by creating a limited number of Galaxy S7 edge Olympic Games Limited Edition that will be available beginning July 18^th , 2,016 phones will be available in selected countries including Brazil, the United States, China, Germany and Korea.

“Samsung’s technology has helped to engage with fans and especially young people around the world. The IOC is grateful for their partnership in providing Samsung Galaxy S7 edge Olympic Games Limited Edition to the athletes that will compete in Rio de Janeiro. This will enable the athletes to connect with their friends, family and fans and share their amazing experience at the Olympic Games. With Samsung’s support, we look forward to inspire people everywhere with Olympic Values, the unique experience of the Olympic Games and the power of sport,” said IOC President Thomas Bach.

Samsung will celebrate the spirit of the Olympic Games through a variety of initiatives leading up to and during the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, including:

Samsung Galaxy Studio: Spreading the Olympic Spirit throughout Brazil

In the lead-up to and during the Games, fans are invited to interact with Samsung’s latest technology and connect with the Olympic Games at Samsung Galaxy Studios. The interactive studios will feature a variety of activities, including enhanced virtual reality experiences where fans can feel the exhilaration of various Olympic sports first-hand.  A new and unique 4D VR offering will be available at select Studios where fans can step outside their comfort zones and into specially designed seats to feel the high-speed thrill of kayaking, a ride that has to be felt to be believed.

Studio visitors will also have the opportunity to collect specially-designed Olympic Games pins, including 22 Olympic Games sport-themed pins, as well as eight sets of special pins designed with symbolic elements of Brazil. The Galaxy Studios will also provide opportunities to test out and purchase Samsung’s newest products, participate in games, and more. In addition to three Galaxy Studios in the Olympic Park, Samsung will have several studios throughout Rio, Sao Paulo, and local cities in Brazil.

The Rio 2016 App: Enhancing the Olympic Games through Innovative Technology

The official application of Rio 2016, “The Rio 2016 App”, developed by Samsung in collaboration with the Rio 2016 Organizing Committee, provides athletes, fans and consumers with 24/7 updates on all of the latest Olympic news. The app will be updated in early August to provide the official Olympic Games schedule, venue and event information, results, medal counts, and more real-time updates. Samsung Galaxy phone users can also use the S-translator customized for the Olympic Games. The Rio 2016 Official Application is available for free download through the Samsung Galaxy Apps, Google Play for Android, App Store for iOS, and selected App Store in China as well as the Windows App Store.

The Olympic Athletes’ Hub App

The “Olympic Athletes’ Hub” app, developed by the IOC, will be installed on each Olympian device, where they will find relevant information to make the most of their experience at the Olympic Games Rio 2016. With the app, athletes will be able to reach out directly to the IOC and the IOC Athletes’ Commission and can also learn about all the resources and programmes the IOC is making available to athletes.

For more information about Samsung’s involvement in the Olympic Games, please visit www.samsungmobilepress.com/Olympics/

Samsung brand ambassadors showcasing Samsung Galaxy S7 edge Olympic Games Limited Edition during a Samsung event in Sao Paulo, Brazil to highlight Samsung’s Rio 2016 Olympic Games initiatives.

Senior Manager of the Mobile Division of Samsung Brazil, Renato Citrini, showing unique design and UX of Galaxy S7 edge Olympic Games Limited Edition during a Samsung event in Sao Paulo, Brazil to highlight Samsung’s Rio 2016 Olympic Games initiatives.

Vice President of the Mobile Division of Samsung Brazil, Changhoon Yoon, introducing Galaxy S7 edge Olympic Games Limited Edition with Athens Olympic gold medalist and former volleyball player, Giba, during a Samsung event in Sao Paulo, Brazil to highlight Samsung’s Rio 2016 Olympic Games initiatives.

About Samsung’s Involvement in the Olympic Games

Samsung began its Olympic Games involvement as a local sponsor of the Seoul 1988 Olympic Games. Beginning with the Nagano 1998 Olympic Winter Games, the company extended its commitment to the Olympic Movement as the Worldwide Olympic Partner in the Wireless Communications Equipment category, providing its proprietary wireless communications platform, called Wireless Olympic Works (WOW), and mobile devices. These innovative mobile phone technologies provide the Olympic Family with real-time, user location-based information service, interactive communications, and Samsung Pay. Samsung hosts various Olympic campaigns to share the excitement of the Olympic Games with people around the world and enable everyone to participate in the Games through its innovative mobile technology. Samsung’s commitment as a Worldwide Olympic Partner continues through to Rio 2016, PyeongChang 2018, and Tokyo 2020.

Fitness Gets Fun

To motivate users to be more active, S Health v.4.8 adds an element of competition to your fitness routine with Together.

First of all, the game-like concept of Steps challenges enables you to create a one-on-one match with your friend. Simply select a friend to challenge, select a step target, create a name for your challenge and send the invitation.

Compete to be the first to reach the set steps target, while monitoring your step count and your opponent’s along the way. Falling behind? S Health alerts you as to how many “steps” you need to take the lead. The Steps challenges allow you to gain a more immediate sense of accomplishment, not to mention bragging rights.

Of course, you can monitor the status of all your challenges with your new Gear Fit2 from your wrist.

But the fun doesn’t end there. With the Steps leaderboard function, you can also compare your own step counts with those of your friends, your age group or all S Health users around the world.

Once activated, the comprehensive Steps leaderboard provides data from the previous seven days, such as average step count, distance and calories burned in comparison to other users. Here you can check your rank and your competitors’ step counts.

With the new S Health, you also have access to more comprehensive step count information. In addition to being able to monitor step count and distance walked data from each individual source—like your smartphone or wearable device—you can also estimate your total step count with the All steps option. Should you enable All steps, your total number of steps across all devices and select third-party apps will be displayed in the Steps Tracker and the S Health widget.

Ultimate Organization

The S Health update also features a faster and simpler way to record various activity data. Now, with the Detect Workouts function, the app can automatically detect and log your running, cycling, walking and hiking sessions that occur for at least 10 minutes. Turning on the Auto Pause setting will also improve tracking accuracy, as it will recognize when you stop your exercise session.

Customizing the S Health dashboard has never been easier with the more organized Trackers management list, which is now arranged in two different sections.

Exercises are now listed separately from general health measurements such as weight and caffeine intake. From the Exercises list, you can select from more than 40 types of exercise that you’d like to manage, ranging from Hula-hooping to Push-ups to Yoga. With these added exercise options, you can customize the Trackers on the S Health dashboard based on your fitness preferences, and record individual workouts more accurately.

For a more generalized overview, the updated My page keeps track of your weekly activities by displaying a detailed weekly summary, rewards received, program history and a compilation of personal bests. Using this accumulated data, the app will suggest goals and targets to work towards in the future.

Quick and Accurate Heart Rate Monitoring

You can now also measure your heart rate quickly, wherever, whenever, without having to launch S Health. After activating the Quick Measure** feature, simply place a finger on the heart rate sensor and set the device facedown to complete the reading.

Heart rate information, along with other data such as blood pressure measurements and glucose levels can be exported as HTML, XLS and PDF files with a simple tap.

Not only can you track more types of exercise, and have fun while doing it, but the enhanced layout of the app also makes it easier to personalize and navigate the S Health dashboard. The pinch-zoom function can adjust the screen grid according to your preference, improving the overall user experience.

S Health can be downloaded from the Google Play Store or Samsung Galaxy Apps. The app is compatible with all Samsung smartphones since Galaxy S3, as well as select non-Samsung Android devices.***

* Gear Fit2 pairs with smartphones running on Android OS 4.4 and higher with over 1.5GB RAM.

** Quick Measure operates with Android 6.0 when activated. Not compatible with Galaxy S5 and Alpha.

*** The latest update of S Health is compatible with the Galaxy S6, Note5 and S7.

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.

For Young Jun Lee, 12-year-old middle school student, traveling to the Samsung Developer Conference was a unique chance to be treated like any other app developer. While he was still in elementary school, Young Jun won the 2015 Junior Software Cup in Korea for his app Don’t Forget Me, which helps people to water and take care of their plants.

Because of that impressive achievement, Samsung Electronics invited Young Jun to attend SDC 2016, where he presented his app and met with developers from around the world. Held in San Francisco on April 27-28, the SDC 2016 featured more than 4,000 developers, coming together to discuss the latest technologies and future of innovation.

Samsung Newsroom spoke with Young Jun to talk about his experiences attending SDC as the youngest app developer there, programming and plants, as well as his plans for the future.

Q. What is this Don’t Forget Me app?

So, it’s basically an app that helps you remember when to water your plants. It kind of gives you an alarm when to water your plants, and it has some other features, like drawing the plants and sharing that information. People might think that watering is something boring but I tried to make it fun.

Q. There were about 1,000 teams in the Junior Software Cup. Why do you think you were one of the winners?

The subject of the cup was “family,” so a lot of people made awesome projects about communication and family. But I think I won a grand prize because I used plants as an intermediary subject, which was really new for the judges. Having a new approach I think really helped me. Having a mobile part of the app helped, too. Because my program needed that. You can’t really run to a desktop every time you water a plant.

Q. How did you get interested in programming?

Actually, my dad bought me a book that oddly enough was a book about programming. It was a kind of guide that explained the basics of syntax and a bit about algorithms. He didn’t really expect me to have so much interest in it, but I was really interested in how programs can be used to simulate living things and help them. That first book was about the C programming language, and then I think I used C# and Java.

Because I used to make some personal project with Java, I’m really used to it. I was really interested in living things, so I searched for information about programming about living things. And I made an algorithm to plan a shortest path, a kind of utility program. But it all really interested me.

I also really liked Scratch (Educational programming language). I learned it by myself, then studied it more in an after-school club.

Q. How was the SDC?

I was really excited that I could meet people that I could actually talk to about programming and share opinions. I was extremely excited, although I was a bit nervous for the keynote speech.

I also got to see many projects, with technology I had never heard of. It was really like being in the future or something. Everyone was kind of active and they treated me kindly, so I really learned a lot. Another reason I really liked SDC is that they didn’t look at me as a student, but as a developer. I’d like to meet more people like that.

Q. What was coolest thing to learn about at SDC?

There was the cloud platform called Samsung ARTIK. I was kind of curious about that. I wandered around the booth in the Artik corner and learned more about it. It was kind of like Raspberry Pi-slash-Arduino (open-source educational kits for learning computing and building digital devices), but for IoT. I thought it was pretty awesome.

Q. What would you like to do in the future? Do you want to continue programming?

Actually, one of my goals is to become a biologist. The reason I first got interested in biology was because of insects. I really like to keep insects in my place. Beatles and things. That was kind of the reason I first got an interest in biology. And from then I was also interested in the environment and how these living things are linked.

But I think programming will be applied to every subject in the future, and I’m really looking forward to combining the subject with programming. I actually believe I can make a better world with it.

Such developments include those born at Samsung Electronics’ C-Lab, an innovation program that helps company employees to nurture their own creative business ideas. Representative teams will introduce for the first time their secret project prototypes in hopes of getting constructive feedback from SDC attendees to develop their products further.

The projects include LiCon, an app that controls various smart devices via a smartphone camera; Ahead, a communication device for people who wear helmets; AMe, a wearable lifelogging camera that produces 360-degree VR videos; ItsyWatch, a wearable that helps children form good habits; and Entrim 4D+, a VR accessory that lets users feel the movements of the on-screen action.

The projects will be showcased at the Moscone West Center from April 27 to 28 in San Francisco.

LiCon: An App That Recognizes and Controls IoT Connected Devices Via a Smartphone Camera

The fast-evolving Internet of Things (IoT) has the potential to become a revolution in modern day living. However, since so many gadgets are controlled and operated by their own individual apps, accessing them can be a major inconvenience. Which is exactly what the team behind LiCon hopes to change.

With the LiCon app, the smartphone camera becomes a tool to recognize and control IoT connected devices.

For instance, when a user takes a picture of an IoT connected device such as an air conditioner or robot vacuum cleaner, the smartphone utilizes vision-based recognition to identify the product. Then, within seconds, a controller interface is displayed, which lets users adjust the temperature or turn off the power with just a few taps.

Additionally, users can also quickly launch product-specific applications by taking a photograph of their connected device. As such, users can easily perform tasks or access information in a simple way, without having to swipe through endless screens of icons to locate each individual device application.

As users take pictures of their IoT connected devices, and subsequently add their own images to LiCon’s ever-expanding database through the cloud sever, LiCon, powered by deep-learning technology, grows even smarter and can recognize devices more easily.

Considering how effortless it is to take a picture, LiCon not only saves time, but also makes the Internet of Things accessible to just about anyone.

Ahead: A Communication Tool for Your Helmet

From ski slopes to construction sites to race tracks, helmets are vitally important for maintaining safety in dangerous environments. While essential, they can sometimes make simple tasks, such as making a phone call or listening to music, not only bothersome, but also risky.

Ahead, a communication device born in the C-Lab, could very well change all of this.

Ahead is a small triangular gadget that can be attached to any helmet via its super-strength magnets. It enables users to make and take calls, listen to music and receive voice notifications through Bluetooth.

The Push to Talk (PTT) version of the device enables communication among multiple users at the same time via a two-way radio connection.

The gadget, which is available in a variety of colors, boasts three buttons which are used to control volume, change music tracks and answer calls, and can also be used to make calls with a speed dial function that is configured through the Ahead app.

Unlike headphones or earbuds, Ahead utilizes oscillators to create a surround sound effect without blocking out background noise, thus ensuring a safe environment. Two microphones help to make certain that the same background noise does not disrupt phone calls or communication.

Ahead has numerous potential use cases, from improving coaching on the field, to enhancing communication on construction sites, to making a motorcycle ride along the highway more enjoyable.

AMe: A Necklace-Like Wearable That Captures Candid Moments in 360 Degrees

When lifelogging—or registering daily life with technical tools and services—first emerged, pioneers had to tote around a variety of tools and devices to capture the moments of their lives as data, photos and videos. Yet, with social networks centered on status updates and photo sharing, the practice of recording and tracking life has since gone mainstream.

Now, lifelogging could very well transform yet again with the unveiling of AMe.

AMe (short for “Around Me”) is a wearable device that is worn like a necklace and boasts three small individual cameras that record 360-degree video footage in 4K. Captured video, which presents the user’s surroundings in a first-person perspective, is then stitched together and managed via the AMe app. Users also have the option to geotag or share their videos on social media channels directly from the app.

This no-hands camera rig offers a unique convenience, as it does not need to be mounted, and allows for a more candid filming environment, since it resembles an accessory more than an invasive camera. Along the same vein, the AMe team has made the prototype available in an array of colors, including black, white and rose gold to fit just about anyone’s style.

ItsyWatch: A Gamified Smartwatch App That Helps Kids Form Good Habits

Most wearables for kids on the market today were designed with a focus on safety and contribute more to parents’ peace of mind than anything else. As a result, kids aren’t all that eager to wear them because they aren’t, well, fun.

But, ItsyWatch is bringing something new to the table. This gamified smartwatch app (the prototype utilizes Samsung’s Tizen-powered Gear S2 smartwatch) displays adorable cartoon characters that add fun to everyday activities, such as exercising, eating and brushing one’s teeth.

Engaging in the instructed activity then enables the interactive character to grow. Positive feedback offered by the characters keeps kids interested and motivated to continue participating in the “game.”

To add to the fun value, children can also use the app to send voice messages to their friends and family members.

But kids aren’t the only ones benefiting from the app. Parents can track kids’ activities to analyze their health and well-being.

Besides consulting child education specialists, the ItsyWatch team—all of whom are parents themselves—considered their own children’s needs during the development process. As such, the smartwatch app and its functions are based on real-life people and experiences.

In addition to showcasing their product, the ItsyWatch team will also lead a technical session entitled “Developing Hybrid Gear App and Extensions” at SDC on April 28 to demonstrate potential use cases of the Gear S2 and Tizen platform.

Entrim 4D+: A Device That Lets You Feel VR

In an effort to increase the fun and decrease the motion sickness that come along with virtual reality, the C-Lab created Entrim 4D. Using a combination of algorithms and Galvanic Vestibular Stimulation (GVS), a safe and simple technique that sends specific electric messages to a nerve in the ear, the VR accessory synchronizes your body with changing movements in VR content.

After showcasing the prototype at South by Southwest, the minds behind the device have further developed the product—now called Entrim 4D+—based on feedback they received from event attendees.

Whereas before, the VR accessory allowed users to feel only left and right movements, the device now allows them to feel forward, backward and 3D rotating motions, too, making the VR experience feel more real than ever before.

For users who love getting hands-on when it comes to personalizing their smartphones’ look and interface experience, here is a walkthrough of some of Good Lock’s defining features.

Faster Access and Organize What You Need

Launch apps in an instant from the lockscreen with the App Tray feature and get up-to-date with app information quicker than ever. Just pull the App Tray handle up from the bottom of the screen to reveal an area where you can keep shortcuts to frequently accessed apps. Use the Edit and Add buttons to select or remove apps.

With the Lockscreen Widget, you can see the information of your choice quickly without unlocking the screen. When you drag down the widget area (below the clock on the screen), you can see a list of widgets and set, edit or add to the list.

In addition, you can organize Notifications from the lockscreen: save, categorize and get reminders.

If you see a notification you need, simply long press it to sort it into a category. Save notifications using Keep, allowing you to check app alerts later, or touch the alarm button to set yourself a reminder.

Routine: Interfaces that Adapt to Your Environment

Routine lets you customize your lockscreen layout, your App Tray, Lockscreen Widget, background colors and clock so your Galaxy device looks just the way you want, when you want. This allows you to fill your App Tray with productivity-enabling apps during work hours, but switch to a Routine with entertainment-orientated apps in the evening—and pick color schemes that match your moods.

Other Exciting Features

There are more benefits to using Good Lock. Recents lets you scan through a list of recently used apps, and enjoy faster transition between your applications using the app icon.

Meanwhile, if you feel like giving your lockscreen a facelift, Effects lets you adjust your wallpaper, add or adjust popping colors and highlight parts of the screen you want to make stand out.

Quick Settings also lets you make fast changes to your smartphone setting on the notification panel. If that is not enough, you can also tap on links that will take you to more advanced settings menus.

Samsung is currently providing bi-weekly updates to Good Lock in response to user feedback. Since its first launch, Samsung has already made several improvements including adding options for NFC, Power Saving Mode, Smart View and Privacy Mode to the Quick Settings menu, supporting for more Routine colors and providing list- or card-type Recents.

How to Get Good Lock

Good Lock is currently available as a download from Galaxy Apps in the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, Singapore and Korea. It is compatible with the Galaxy S7, Galaxy S7 edge, Galaxy S6, Galaxy S6 edge, Galaxy S6 edge+, Galaxy S6 Active and Galaxy Note5 (running on Android 6.0 Marshmallow OS).

*All functionality features, specifications and other application information provided in this document are subject to change without notice or obligation.

“At Samsung, we listen to consumers and engineer products that deliver on those needs. From the rotating bezel to the range of apps, we give consumers the ability to personalize their devices and use them in ways that work best for their lifestyle,” said Younghee Lee, Executive Vice President of Global Marketing, Mobile Communications Business at Samsung Electronics.

Popular Gear S2 applications include:

• Unique, Stylish Watch Faces: From artists Jean-Michael, Jeremyville to Burton Morris, new designs announced this year from artists Jean-Michael, Jeremyville and Burton Morris will give users even more options to customize the Gear S2 to fit their style. These new watch faces will join already popular choices like the Snoopy design, available in multiple styles, and the Art Collaborated Watch Face series inspired by the American artist and social activist Keith Haring.

• On-the-Go Convenience: Whether on the ground or in the air, consumers can experience a convenient way to travel, without having to worry about the logistics of transportation. With the Uber app, users can schedule a ride from their location, expect reliable pick-up and pay without reaching for their wallet. With Iberia and KLM, travelers can easily check the flight information, check-in, and access the boarding for a quick scan-and-go.

• Fitness: Dedicated applications on Gear S2 make it easy for users to maintain a healthy lifestyle. With its built-in sensors and voice guide, the S-Health feature helps users achieve health and fitness targets. And for golf fans – from beginner to pro – Golf Navi, free on Gear S2, manages everything from measuring the distance to the hole and keeping score; the app can even locate the nearest golf course.

• Get in the Game: For a fun break any time of day, Bubble Bash is a popular game that takes advantage of the rotating bezel on the Gear S2 letting users burst bubbles and take a gaming break no matter their location.

Samsung Gear S2 and applications reflect Samsung’s commitment to collaborate with developers and partners to broaden the wearable ecosystem to give users more personal and smart wearable experiences.

These projects include Hum On!, an app that transcribes hummed melodies into musical scores; Waffle, a social media platform that enables collaborative content creation; and Entrim 4D, a VR accessory that lets users feel the movements of the on-screen action. As the projects are still in the development stage, they are being showcased to assess their market potential and to gather feedback from attendees at Austin’s annual tech and music festival.

You can get hands-on with all three of these C-Lab projects at South by Southwest from March 13 to March 16, 2016. The projects will be showcased at Stand 1710 in Exhibit Hall 2 of the Austin Convention Center in Austin, Texas.

Hum On!: A Mobile App That Easily Turns Your Hums into Symphonies

Hum On! is an app that allows just about everyone—from industry veterans to the less tonally-aware—to score, arrange and share hummed melodies in mere minutes.

Think of it as a musical translator of sorts. The app records hummed melodies, instantly transcribes them into musical notation, and then plays it back to you using your preferred arrangement style: R&B, classical or rock.

You can then share your own unique songs via social media, or use them as background music in videos without having to worry about copyright infringement.

The app utilizes analysis software to detect the pitch and duration of a user’s voice, and machine learning to create a suitable accompaniment in the same way a musician considers melody and chords. Compared to similar existing programs, Hum On! is incredibly simple and user-friendly—two characteristics that make the app accessible to all.

“For hundreds of years, music has only been created by a select few, but that will no longer be the case,” explains David Choi, Creative Leader of the project. “With Hum On!, we aim to provide a platform where anyone can turn their inspiration into great music.”

The team is currently focused on improving the recognition accuracy of the app, and is even considering collaborating with musicians to provide more diverse, artist-inspired accompaniments in the future.

Waffle: A Social Media Platform That Enables Collaborative Content Creation

At any given moment, thousands upon thousands of people can be found plugged in and online, thumbs scrolling through social media feeds, eyes glued to seemingly unrelated photos and videos posted by their friends.

Yet, despite the diversity of current platforms, many share a common limitation. Namely, they only allow users to individually publish content.

Waffle, a new content-sharing application, hopes to change that. Boasting a user interface that resembles the grids on a waffle (hence the name), the app enables users to create a new feed of expandable content. They can also add to existing related content, as if contributing to a communal graffiti wall.

For example, a travel enthusiast might start a feed with a photograph taken on her latest trip to Tokyo. Then, others might add, say, a digital doodle of a sumo wrestler, a quote about traveling or an image of some beautifully plated sushi. In this way, Waffle offers a new, differentiated service that illustrates multiple points of view to generate a collaborative story.

“Waffle enables users to add their own perspective to someone else’s content, and vice versa,” says Joseph Kim, Creative Leader of the project. “These doodles, images and messages converge into entirely new content.”

Entrim 4D: A Motion Headset That Lets You Feel (and Not Just See) VR

With a virtual reality headset, the possibilities of what you can see are practically infinite. What you can physically feel, on the other hand, is far more limited, meaning experiences can be fairly restricted in terms of immersion.

But what if VR could trick the part of the ear that regulates your balance and motion into making you feel like you are a part of the excitement?

This is the idea behind Entrim 4D. Using a combination of algorithms and Galvanic Vestibular Stimulation (GVS), a safe and simple technique that sends specific electric messages to a nerve in the ear, the VR accessory synchronizes your body with changing movements in video content.

Electrical signals—like the ones used to help restore balance in stroke patients—are delivered via headphones equipped with electrodes that correspond with movement data input by engineers.

Users thus feel as if they are a part of the on-screen action, and can also sense direction and speed of movement. And, when paired with the team’s Drone FPV, which utilizes data from the drone’s motion sensors, they can even feel like they are flying.

In this regard, Entrim 4D aims to create an unrivaled entertainment experience, removing the need for expensive 4D motion chairs.

“Virtual reality shouldn’t be experienced only with the eyes,” says Steve Jung, Creative Leader of the project. “With Entrim 4D, we hope that people can experience VR the way it was meant to be—with their whole bodies.”

To ensure the best possible VR experience, the Entrim 4D team, made up of an eclectic mix of hardware professionals, software engineers and biomedical engineering experts, have conducted experiments on more than 1,500 people and developed 30 different movement patterns.

They are also working on a version that uses additional electrodes to create a sense of rotational motion.

But the team behind Entrim 4D also hopes that the device will help fix one of the major pain points of virtual reality: motion sickness.

Unsurprisingly, the mental discrepancy of seeing yourself riding a roller coaster or zooming around a race track but not actually experiencing the movement can leave you nauseous, dizzy and can even cause headaches. Entrim 4D, though still in a developmental phase, may well be able to present a new and practical solution.

Ahead of MWC, Samsung has launched the official BBC micro:bit app for Android that will connect the micro:bit to smartphones and tablets, allowing young people to code their micro:bit on the go whether they are in the playground, on the school bus or at home with the whole family.

The BBC micro:bit, which will be delivered free to all year 7 or equivalent students this year, is a small programmable hardware device that aims to transform a new generation from passive users of technology to creators and innovators in today’s digital world. Samsung is a key partner in making this free drop of 1 million devices possible in the BBC’s most ambitious education initiative in thirty years.

Samsung will be demonstrating the micro:bit app at MWC. Developed by Samsung’s R&D team as a volunteering project, the app with its unique set of features will allow young people to learn how to code to control their phones and tablets via the BBC micro:bit. For example they can build their own selfie remote controller, launching their phone camera by pressing a button on their micro:bit, or even build their very own security alarm using the micro:bit’s sensors. The possibilities for creative applications are endless as young people can develop useful and fun technology solutions for themselves and their peer group inside and outside of the classroom.

By connecting the BBC micro:bit to smartphones and tablets, which young people are already very comfortable with, the app will introduce them to “connected technology” and the Internet of Things. This is important as coding becomes an integral skill in today’s job market, where code is not only at the heart of technology but also at the heart of products, for example, household appliances in the connected home.

Teachers have already begun to receive their devices which come with teaching resources, off-timetable STEM activity days and hands-on projects that complement the science, maths, design & technology (D&T) and computing curriculums. Samsung has also developed free resources and projects for both teachers and parents to use the app with their children. Samsung BBC micro:bit projects include ‘micro:bit hide and seek’, ‘Get out of my room’, a fun project to build your own security camera, and the ‘hi-tech selfie’. These projects are hosted on http://www.samsung.com/uk/microbit.

The BBC micro:bit is part of the BBC’s wider Make it Digital initiative, and has been made possible by a partnership between the BBC and over 30 partners. The project aims to improve digital literacy in the UK in light of alarming statistics, such as 1.4 million digital professionals will be needed in the next 5 years, and to inspire a new generation of digital pioneers.

Aleyne Johnson, Head of Government Relations and Citizenship, Samsung Electronics UK & Ireland said: “We’re very proud to bring the micro:bit to life in partnership with the BBC and officially launch the app at this year’s MWC. The combination of the micro:bit with the app will be a powerful learning tool for young people, inspiring them not only to use technology but to develop fun applications for themselves and their friends. As digital skills such as coding are increasingly important for all industries, we hope that the micro:bit will give year 7s a head start by putting them in the driving seat as developers.”

Sinead Rocks, Head of BBC Learning said: “We want children to be able to programme the BBC micro:bit from any device they want, wherever they want, whenever a moment of inspiration hits them. Pupils and teachers have told us they’d love to be able to code on the go, and we can’t wait to see the ingenious ways they’ll get creative with the app. It also means they can start controlling their handheld devices directly through the micro:bit, which is a hugely important part of understanding how the technology works.”

The Samsung micro:bit app is free to download from Google Play here: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.samsung.microbit.

Free micro:bit resources for teachers, parents and young people can be found here: http://www.samsung.com/uk/microbit.

While the latest smart phones may be the focus of attention at Mobile World Congress 2016, some of the most interesting tech gadgets that will be unveiled to the world aren’t yet considered to be part of the mainstream.

Take IOFIT, for example. Technically considered a wearable device, this unique smart shoe is in a category of its own. Developed by Salted Venture, a startup supported by Samsung Electronics, IOFIT is a solution that utilizes a combination of pressure sensors and a coaching app to improve a user’s balance and body posture to enhance one’s fitness routine or golf swing.

“There’s so much valuable information coming from our feet, and it’s being wasted,” said Jacob Cho, CEO of Salted Venture. “So, we wanted to make use of this data and utilize it to provide value to people. That was the driving force behind IOFIT.”

Getting Off on the Right Foot

The idea for the smart shoe was born at C-Lab, one of Samsung’s primary Innovation Programs that helps its employees to nurture creative business ideas. Soon thereafter, the team left the firm to establish Salted Venture as an independent company and create new business opportunities.

After realizing the possibilities and potential applications of the information coming from feet—possibilities that range from healthcare initiatives to video games—the minds behind IOFIT realized that they needed to segment their customer group to a more specific target to provide the most value. That’s when their extensive field research began.

While visiting premium fitness centers and professional golf facilities, the team learned how force plates—equipment used for posture rehabilitation and data analysis—proved the value of their idea. “There was an existing solution that was providing value already,” said COO and UX Planner Sehee Lee. “That’s what validated our belief in how this product can provide value for people.” Unlike the static, pricey equipment, however, the IOFIT shoe would need to be portable and cost-effective.

To do this, data analysis technology like accelerometers and pressure sensors were incorporated into the outsoles of shoes. Together, they are able to measure users’ balance, weight shift, ground contact force and location of COG (Center of Gravity)—specific factors essential to enable a more efficient and injury-free fitness and golf experience. This data, updated in real-time, is displayed on a pressure map on the screen of the IOFIT smartphone app, which pairs to the shoes.

“The technology is not only portable, but also seamless. It’s integrated into something you wear all the time, so you don’t even have to think about it,” noted Marketer Jungsoo Park.

IOFIT: A New Kind of Smart Shoe

As wearable device users, the creators behind IOFIT recognized the limitations of wearables such as smartwatches, fitness trackers and even other smart shoes currently available on the market.

“They’re tracking and throwing around all these data points and suggesting problems, but not providing a solution to the problem,” Cho said. “The few devices that have been able to offer a solution are trying to serve as an alternative to training with a coach, and attempting to build something greater than a human-to-human experience.”

As such, it didn’t take long for IOFIT to become centered specifically on coaching. Instead of simply offering users a compilation of data, the Salted Venture team developed a system that allows for an enhanced person-to-person connection.

What makes this possible is the video playback feature of the IOFIT application, which allows a user to evaluate their form and the respective real-time data all on one screen. Utilizing this core feature, a user can better visualize how they look, and how their stance and posture are affecting their fitness routine or their golf swing.

Another core feature of the application is the customizable coaching and analysis software which can be used to leave feedback or compare saved videos. With this tool, a coach can draw directly on the video or leave voice-over comments to offer precise, straightforward feedback. Furthermore, two videos can be compared side-by-side or stacked to give a clearer picture of what the data should or should not look like, allowing trainers to easily coach no matter their location in the world.

“We want to be a platform and a coaching tool for people to use. It’s an add-on to the interactive experience between people,” stated Lee. “You can’t outweigh the benefits that come from a real human-to-human interactive experience.” In this way, IOFIT remains unique in an ever-growing wearables market.

Going Global

While functionality is indeed an important factor, the footwear industry is also about style, which is why Salted Venture is focusing many of their efforts on the design of IOFIT.

“We don’t want people to just buy our shoes for functionality. We also want them to feel proud when they wear our shoes in public,” said Park.

As such, the startup is actively seeking business opportunities with footwear companies, and has already garnered attention from some of the world’s biggest brands. The group hopes to reach out to other shoe brands that share their vision during Mobile World Congress later this month in Barcelona, where they will be participating as an exhibitor.

Salted Venture is also excited to showcase IOFIT on a global level and get feedback on their product.

“Our goal is to empower people who love fitness and sports to train smarter and coach better,” Cho explained. “We want to see our products being used by inspiring athletes, coaches and individuals all over the world and to make their training and coaching experience the best it can be.”

Be sure to check out IOFIT at MWC from February 22 to February 26, 2016. IOFIT will be showcased at Stand 8.0K5 in Hall 8.0 of Fira Gran Via. To watch IOFIT demonstration, check out the video below.

Before the start of CES 2016, Samsung Electronics is launching a mobile application, called “Samsung CES”, equipped with beacon technology for the attendees of the annual trade show in Las Vegas. Once downloaded, the Samsung CES app will provide location-based information to visitors and offer additional background information on Samsung products seen on the show floor.

The Samsung CES app will send relevant news articles and interactive content directly to users, making it easier for visitors to access CES-related information. The app will alert users to Samsung events and activities at CES – including Samsung’s press conference and keynote – and deliver news and video clips from the Samsung Newsroom following each event.

CES visitors can download the mobile app by searching “Samsung CES” on Google Play and the iTunes Store, starting Jan. 5.

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.

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.

While the possibilities of an Internet of Things (IoT) platform to control the home seem infinite, some may assume the set-up process to be a difficult one. Fortunately, SmartThings proves intelligent living doesn’t have to be complicated. In fact, setting up the system is incredibly easy—so easy, it can be done in five steps.

1. Purchase the SmartThings Hub

The best way to get started with SmartThings is by purchasing the SmartThings Hub, a small box that connects all your smart devices and enables the IoT platform to operate. Once you purchase the Hub, you’re instantly on your way to smarter living. There are no contracts, set-up costs or monthly fees to use the SmartThings platform.

The newest version of the SmartThings Hub is now available in stores in the United States and the United Kingdom, as well as online at Samsung.com, the Smart Things Shop and Amazon.com. Additionally, the Smart Home Starter Kit, which includes a Hub and three devices that allow you to receive important notifications on your smartphone, is also available for purchase.

2. Connect the SmartThings Hub to an Internet router

Set-up is easy, as there is no tricky installation process or hard wiring necessary. All one needs to do is simply connect the Hub to an Internet router with the included Ethernet cable, and a secure connection links it wirelessly to all your smart devices, allowing you to monitor, control and guard your home from anywhere in the world.

3. Add smart devices

Once your SmartThings Hub is up and running, you can now add as many smart devices as you’d like to customize your smart home based on your personal preferences. In addition to the company’s own line of sensors, there are over 200 devices that are compatible with the SmartThings open platform, from smart bulbs to locks to cameras.

As your needs change, you can easily modify SmartThings to work in different ways, or add additional devices to create a smart home that automatically reacts to your unique tastes and patterns.

4. Connect with SmartThings app

Now that all your “things” are connected and communicating with one another, you can use the free SmartThings app to orchestrate them with a tap of a finger, from another room or another city. Via the app, you are also able to receive alerts and notifications so you can keep an eye on your home from just about anywhere.

The app allows you to configure SmartThings to control all your devices based on your routines (waking up or coming home from work, for example), by room or by specific device. Furthermore, you can customize SmartThings as often as your needs change via the easy-to-use control panel within the app. The app is available for download for Android and iOS.

5. Let your home do the work for you

And that’s it! Whether preparing the morning coffee, notifying you that the mail has arrived or creating a comfortable environment for a good night’s sleep, SmartThings is now enabled and ready to make your house smarter, safer and more connected. Sit back and watch your smart home come to life.

Now, with the release of the Gear S2, which is earning widespread praise for its elegant design and innovative rotating bezel UX, Samsung is introducing the Gear S2 Experience app. Available in three languages—English, Chinese and Korean—the Gear S2 Experience app lets anyone, anywhere, check out the wearable device’s unique design and UX. It’s a hands-on feel, even when you cannot get your hands on a Gear S2 in real life.

Here’s a look at the five main features of the Gear S2 Experience app, and how they can help you get to feel for the Gear S2 and its special features.

Aesthetic and Elegant Design

If you’re going to wear a wearable, you need the device to look stylish. Calling up this option brings up a Stylish Smart Gear screen, which provides more details about the Gear S2’s sleek, fashionable design—a durable, stainless steel body that fits your wrist just right. Clicking “Experience” then brings up a Gear S2 that you can check out in 360 degrees. Get an immersive, complete view of the Gear S2 in three style, dark gray and silver for the Gear S2, and the black of the Gear S2 classic. It’s a convenient way of getting to know the Gear S2’s harmonious combination of technology and design.

Intuitive Experience

One of the most defining parts of the Gear S2 is its rotating bezel UX that controls many of the device’s functions. It’s a unique and intuitive way of using a smartwatch, and the Gear S2 Experience app gives you a good taste for what that experience is really like.

Once again, after you select this feature, select “Experience” to bring up the simulator. There, the app guides you in how to rotate the bezel to achieve various effects. First it guides you in moving the bezel to the left and right, followed by rotating to scroll vertically, select options or to control volume.

Healthier Lifestyle

The Gear S2 Experience app also shows how health-related features are integrated into the device. You can try out how the Gear S2’s Auto Tracking detects your movements, exercise and heart rate automatically. Or pretend to go for a run on the treadmill, selecting the jogging feature and then taking several strides in a mini-run.

You can also try out the various Healthy Clock faces, like Activity sparkles (they shine as your move more), Activity bubbles (the circles grow as you exercise), Pixel Heart (a heart shape changes color depending on your heart rate) and Heart Wave (measures maximum, minimum and average heart rates).

Convenience & More

This field lets you explore a wide range of the Gear S2’s other functions, like notifications, Samsung Pay and accessories. Notifications lets you try out checking your messages and sending preset replies, leaving voice messages and more. Samsung Pay lets you try out the tap & pay system that makes Samsung Pay so convenient. And Additional Features gives you a rundown of the Gear S2’s many other functions, like 3G connectivity, wireless charging and compatibility with other Android devices (running 4.4O/S or higher, with at least 1.5GB of RAM).

Try On

Throughout your use of the Gear S2 Experience app, you are given many opportunities to wear a Gear S2 virtually, using Try On. Once again, you begin by pressing “Experience.” Then you choose a watch face (dark gray or silver for the Gear S2 or black for the Gear S2 classic), followed by one of 16 watch faces. Once you’ve picked your combination, you select “Try On”, where you can use your camera to take a picture of your customized Gear S2 on your arm, and share the photo with friends using your choice of email, social media or other apps.

All told, the Gear S2 Experience app is a great way to get a deeper sense of what Samsung’s latest wearable is all about. Nothing compares to the real thing, but the Gear S2 Experience app comes pretty close. You can download the English version of the Gear S2 Experience app at the Galaxy Apps store or Google Play.

Since its founding, SmartThings’ mission has been to deliver the easiest way to build a smart home, all the while providing users with true peace of mind anywhere, anytime. The company has continued to evolve its offerings and is now providing a new generation of products aimed at solving specific problems for everyday users via its Internet of Things (IoT) platform.

Samsung SmartThings’ new IoT product line-up, which is now available in the United States, the United Kingdom and online, includes an upgraded Hub and sensors that pair with an intuitive mobile app—everything you need to monitor, control and secure your home from the screen of your smartphone.

So what does each of these valuable devices do to make the IoT system work? Find out below.

SmartThings Hub: The Core of Connectivity

The SmartThings Hub is essentially the nervous system of the platform, as it connects all your home’s smart devices. In fact, it’s compatible with over 200 of them, from light bulbs to locks to cameras.

Once connected, the small, box-like Hub communicates between devices to ensure that the home responds appropriately to the user’s commands. Additionally, it informs the user of potential issues, such as a home intrusion or fire, as soon as—or even before—they happen.

The Hub does this by communicating with various sensors as well as with its video monitoring capability, which gives users access to a livestream of their home at any time. With this feature, SmartThings provides even more access and control against common household issues by delivering real-time text alerts and video clip notifications from cameras to the user or designated contacts via the SmartThings app.

SmartThings Sensors: Connecting Your Life

SmartThings has various sensors and power outlets available, and each offers a different but equally helpful function.

For example, the SmartThings Multipurpose Sensor can detect whether your doors, blinds and windows are left open or closed after you leave your home. If a window suddenly opens, users can signal an alarm to ward off any intruders. Forgot to close the garage door? Shut it with a tap of a button.

It can also monitor temperature, vibration and orientation to let you know if the dog gets into the garbage, your child enters a potentially dangerous area of the house or if a valuable object such as a jewellery box is moved. Simply place it next to the area to be monitored, securing it with the included adhesive strips.

For your family’s safety, the SmartThings Motion Sensor can monitor movement in your home and send you alerts if there’s unanticipated activity. In addition, it can trigger lights, thermostats and other connected devices, to turn on or adjust them when there is movement within a range of 130 feet, so you’re never left in the dark.

Keep track of your loved ones with the SmartThings Arrival Sensor. At under two inches in length, this rugged device is small enough to be placed in a child’s bag, on a keychain or around a pet’s collar and will send you a notification when your family and pets arrive or leave home. It can also be attached to the dashboard of your car so your home can quickly prepare for your arrival by switching on the interior lights when you pull into the driveway.

To prevent fires and save energy, the portable SmartThings Outlet can control and monitor lights, electronics and small appliances. It can be programmed to turn on and off automatically based on a fixed schedule or in response to other activities in your home. Use it to remotely warm up a pot roast before leaving the office or switch on a bedside lamp at the same time your alarm clock goes off in the morning.

The SmartThings Water Leak Sensor functions to detect moisture and send you alerts that could prevent a leak from becoming a flood. By placing this sensor in the basement, under an old pipe or other leak-prone areas throughout the home, you can be immediately notified if water is detected so you can act appropriately to prevent major damage.

SmartThings App: Control with a Tap

When one of these sensors has a message to relay, the SmartThings Hub will receive that message and send it to your phone via the SmartThings app. The app also allows you to send commands back to these devices, and lets the sensors talk to one another (for instance, telling a light to turn on if motion is detected).

In addition to receiving important notifications about what’s happening at home, you can control your smart devices with a simple tap and choreograph your home to react to your own personal preferences. The latest updates to the SmartThings app enable users to control their devices by room, routine or featured device via a simple, easy-to-use control panel.

SmartThings Home Monitoring Kit: An All-in-One Smart Home Solution

Just released in the United States and online, the SmartThings Home Monitoring Kit, which includes the new SmartThings Hub, two Multipurpose Sensors, a Motion Sensor and an Outlet, makes it even easier to transform your home into a smart home. By utilizing the Smart Home Monitor feature in the app, you’ll be able to receive alerts and take action whenever the devices in your Home Monitoring Kit detect unwanted entry, motion or other unexpected activities.

Select retail stores will also be selling the Samsung SmartCam HD Pro alongside the Home Monitoring Kit. By pairing the two together, you’ll have everything you need to not only receive notifications about what’s happening in your home, but to also physically see what’s going on when you’re not around. Unlike other home monitoring solutions, SmartThings only captures video clips when an unexpected event occurs, so you can maintain your privacy while having complete peace of mind.

Head over to SmartThings’ online store to get started and enjoy a new, more intelligent lifestyle both in and out of the home.

September’s IFA brought the unveiling of the Gear S2. Samsung has been emphasizing personalization of devices with collaborations with to offer the best in accessories. For its Gear S2, the accessory lineup includes a wide range of wristbands. In addition to offering ultimate control of watch faces and apps, Samsung has partnered with seven different companies, and is currently preparing a multitude of colorful straps to be released.

The Gear S2 comes full circle with a durable stainless steel body, a watch face protected by Gorilla Glass 3 and watch bands that are so easy to change, users can match any outfit or mood. The leather band of the Gear S2 classic is also compatible with any standard 20mm watch band.

Collaborating to Offer More

Samsung has partnered with seven companies to bring colorful options for watch bands that will show off your personal style, match your outfit or reflect your mood. The seven featured collaborations include Casetify, iTFit, Incipio, CTF, Case Mate, Monowear and SLG Design (also known as TheSom).

With the release of the Gear S2, the Gear S2 classic and all the ways to personalize both devices, Samsung continues to lead the global standard in wearable technology and design. Life gets better with every turn.

So far, our PEN.UP series has discussed how artists can use PEN.UP and its related apps to create and share their work and how PEN.UP has been used by people around the world. But the main focus of the PEN.UP app is how easily it lets people share their creations, tagging them and putting together virtual galleries.

Samsung’s Galaxy Note5, with its powerful and versatile S Pen, is an ideal partner for PEN.UP. Together, people can bring any fantastical idea from their imaginations to life, and then show off those fun images with the world.

In these new videos, take a look at how an artist uses a Galaxy Note5 and S Pen to create two artworks: a stylish “tiger flower” and a cute girl under an umbrella.

Once the final artwork is ready, it is simple to share online using PEN.UP. The artist just clicks the share button, and chooses the PEN.UP app. Simple, fun and flexible—the Galaxy Note5 together with PEN.UP lets users create and share their ideas more easily than ever.

Read more:

PEN.UP Helps Artists Share With the World

PEN.UP Artists Share Their Passion

At Uxbridge High School, Middlesex, Year 11 students were left speechless as their English Literature class was interrupted by a Shakespearean performance like no other from rapper Professor Green and actor and RSC Governor, Meera Syal.

The GCSE students were performing a scene from Much Ado About Nothing when Meera Syal and Professor Green burst into the classroom and put a new twist on the famous dialogue between Benedick and Beatrice – the play’s sparring lovers. The performance was to launch the new RE:Shakespeare app from Samsung and the Royal Shakespeare Company.

Meera Syal made her Shakespearean debut as Beatrice in the Royal Shakespeare Company’s production of Much Ado About Nothing in 2012. Combining her acting prowess and Professor Green’s lyrical genius, the unlikely duo took over the class to show the relevance of Shakespeare today and launch the new RE:Shakespeare app from Samsung and the RSC, which brings Shakespeare to life for students.

Professor Green said: “I left school when I was 13, so my experience of Shakespeare was limited, but since starting this project, I’ve really taken to it. This has really taken me out of my comfort zone – we are all limited by our confidence and I was nervous in front of the students today. I hope that when they see me performing Shakespeare, they will be inspired to get up and do the same themselves.”

Meera Syal said: “There is a reason that Shakespeare’s work has lasted so long – he is the original popular soap writer, rap lyricist, rom com writer. You can even see a Shakespearean influence in Professor Green’s work. Once the students experience the RE:Shakespeare app and see Professor Green performing Much Ado About Nothing, their eyes will be opened to a completely different way of learning.”

Nicola Marsh, Vice Principal, Uxbridge High School, said: “My year 11 class were gobsmacked to see Professor Green and Meera Syal burst into their English lesson. To them, they are celebrities – people they read about – so to watch them both perform Shakespeare in their very own classroom was an incredible experience – in fact, it was much ado about something!”

The RE:Shakespeare app, developed by Samsung and the Royal Shakespeare Company, brings Shakespeare to life for students, inspiring a whole new generation to play, practice and perform the works of Shakespeare. With 64 million students studying Shakespeare’s plays globally, the aim of the app is to help students re-engage with, re-evaluate and re-interpret the Shakespeare texts they are reading, studying and performing.

The app is hosted by RSC alumnus David Tennant and sees interactive games and performance tutorials from artists including rapper Akala, beatboxing champion Shlomo and Shakespearean actor Tamsin Greig. A technology first for the RSC, RE:Shakespeare puts the Royal Shakespeare Company stage into 360 degrees, letting students explore the Stratford stage like never before from the palm of their hand. Another first for the RSC, the final stage of the app gives users the opportunity to put themselves literally into the play and perform alongside RSC actors in two different scenes from Much Ado About Nothing.

Andy Griffiths, President of Samsung Electronics UK & Ireland, said: “As we saw with the pupils at Uxbridge High School, we are excited to surprise every student who studies Shakespeare by bringing the greatest British playwright to life in a way that they have never seen before. It was brilliant to work with the Royal Shakespeare Company on the RE:Shakespeare app to provide an interactive tool for students and teachers alike, complementing the fantastic teaching in schools and making Shakespeare’s work even more relevant in today’s digital world.”

Catherine Mallyon, RSC Executive Director, said “Our work reaches over 530,000 students a year, transforming their experiences of Shakespeare in the classroom, in performance and online. We know that getting young people speaking Shakespeare’s words, bringing his work to life in the way that Meera and Professor Green do in the classroom, is the key to unlocking understanding and enjoyment. We hope young people everywhere are tempted to give the Re:Shakespeare app a go and put themselves in the centre of the action.”

RE:Shakespeare is free to download on Google Play. Download here.

With mobile devices such a central part of people’s lives these days, messaging applications have become hugely important for communications and staying in touch. Instant messaging programs can be used to share pictures and videos, and the option to add stickers and emoticons has really enriched communication when chatting.

Now, however, there’s a new messaging app on the scene, taking mobile communications to the next level through its enhanced features and content—Samsung’s Socializer Messenger App. Let’s take a look at what makes this new app so innovative and useful.

Built on an Innovative Platform

Social Web App Platform (SWAP) was designed by developers at the Software R&D Center of Samsung Electronics. Socializer Messenger App is based on the open source project “Telegram for Android”, which allows web apps to be shared in a chatroom without additional downloads or installation, and runs on the Social Web App Platform (SWAP), a platform for developing, distributing and sharing social mobile web apps.

“SWAP connects the dots among web app stores, web apps, and the messenger,” said Kyung-Eun Park, a senior engineer at the Software R&D Center who participated in the project. “This feature allowed us to satisfy content providers, web app developers, and messenger users at the same time.”

Socializer Messenger App is easy to find and install using Google Play. Just search for “Socializer Messenger.”

Major Features

– Diverse Web Apps and Easy Searching

With an intuitive search bar, it is easy to search for new and different apps for you and your friends to use. You can also sort the apps by recently used, most popular, and newest, to make searching even more convenient.

– No Additional Setup

Say goodbye to troublesome and complicated app installations. Apps designed for Socializer Messenger, built on the SWAP, just work. You can start them up from the chatroom, without any additional installing.

– A Unified App for Chatting and Games

With Socializer Messenger App, you no longer have to stop a game when someone wants to talk to you. Instead, just tap the Minimize/Maximize button to switch over to your chat, then tap again to switch back to your game. You can even move the Minimize/Maximize button around the screen to wherever you feel most comfortable.

The Right Platform for Every User, Developer, and Provider

① For Messenger Users – Quick and Easy!

Existing instant messaging software has limited features—usually just the basics, like chatting and content sharing—and if users want to run games or utilities within the messenger, they need to install additional apps and sync them.

Socializer Messenger App, however, is much simpler. With it, people can enjoy games and utilities in a chatroom without any additional setup. Currently, eleven basic apps, including games and utilities, are available and can be shared quickly and easily. Another convenient function is the dual-screen mode, so people can play a game, chat, and share the results of the game at the same time.

Click to Access Web Pages for Socializer Messenger Users

② For Web App Developers – A Chance to Strengthen Their Skills

Anyone can develop, register, and manage apps in Socializer Messenger. It also provides developers with a guide and a tutorial on how to build web apps and how to choose the best JavaScript API (Application Program Interface).

In addition, SWAP offers its JavaScript API so that developers can harness social-related information and focus on developing their projects.

Click to Access to Web Pages for Web App Developers

③ Content Providers – Seamless Revenue Model, Maintenance, and After-Sales Service

Socializer Messenger can be ideal for content providers as it lets them construct their own app store and create a revenue model by encouraging in-app purchases or by displaying advertisements. With SWAP, providing content can be a separate service from the platform or messenger. It also ensures easy maintenance and after-sales service.
Each mobile platform currently has an app store that dominates the market; however, being able to construct new app stores individually can be a game changer. Socializer Messenger App developers have also mentioned plans to form a new market using a web app-based search engine for those stores.

Socializer Messenger App Waits for You

Socializer Messenger App bucks the usual approach to instant messengers for mobile devices and is expanding the market through its new approach. It’s an innovation that resulted from asking “What if?” “What if we could easily share interactive content in a chatroom, instead of just static ones?” “What if we could use web apps without having to download and install them?”

It’s the hard work and enthusiasm of these humble developers that led to the creation of Socializer, an attempt to make a better messenger for users, developers, and content providers. They say that going forward, their goal is to bring the web app sharing feature to other messaging software, and hope that bringing in more talented programmers will lead to ever more apps. Why not check out Socializer Messenger App for yourself and see what all the excitement is about?

*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.

Technology leader Samsung Electronics and global health service company Cigna announced a new version of the Coach by Cigna mobile application, which uses simple questions to identify users’ personality type, understand their wants, needs and preferences, and provide the appropriate programs to help with diet, exercise, sleep, stress and weight.

“Samsung is committed to providing our users with mobile health solutions that go above and beyond what is currently available in the market,” said Yong Jin Lee, head of Health R&D Group at Samsung Electronics. “By partnering with Cigna, we can put advanced health technology into the hands of our users, making our applications an informative and integral part of their everyday lives.”

Coach by Cigna identifies personality types such as “Planner,” “Day Dreamer” or “Explorer” and determines aptitude levels (for example, whether a person is disciplined or needs an extra push), to help prioritize their health and understanding of health issues.

The application also puts health, diet and fitness programs in the hands of Galaxy users, providing instructional videos and support from health coaches to help users focus on improvements in five categories: nutrition, exercise, sleep, stress and weight management.

“Cigna aims to find effective ways to help people achieve healthier, more secure lives,” said Heather Valteris, Cigna Global Head of Channel and Partnership Marketing. “We tested, we learned and now we’re putting our expertise into our next generation of Coach by Cigna. With several simple questions, we can get to know you and your preferences, and the best ways to help get you to where you want to be.”

Users can personalize their health goals and select recommended programs with Coach by Cigna, which supports them with motivational messaging. It also provides quantifiable health activities and achievement badges, ensuring users can record their successes.

Coach by Cigna’s programs complement Samsung’s S Health application. S Health is an all-in-one companion for people who want to maintain a healthy lifestyle. With the new S Health, users can track their everyday activities, receive coaching to reach their daily goals, and improve their fitness with various training programs. Users can also measure and understand their health progress with built-in-sensors for heart rate and SpO2 (oxygen saturation) on Samsung Galaxy and Gear devices.

For more details of S Health:

http://global.samsungtomorrow.com/track-manage-improve-better-health-with-s-health-app/

Coach by Cigna is available at no charge in the Google Play store for Samsung Galaxy S6, S6 edge, Galaxy S5, Galaxy Note 4 and Note Edge mobile devices that have been updated to the Android 5.0 Lollipop operating system.

The Coach by Cigna application is for educational purposes only and intended to promote consumer health. It does not constitute medical advice and is not intended to be a substitute for proper medical care provided by a physician. Always consult with your doctor or other health care professional for appropriate medical treatment and health care recommendations.

Two years ago, Joris Verhoeff was working in the Customer Service Department at Samsung Electronics Benelux (SEBN), where he was constantly receiving phone calls from elderly customers who were asking for help in getting online and using various online services.

“Many of the seniors wanted to make video calls to their children and grandchildren. Some of them wanted to do online banking,” said Joris, who is now a sales manager at SEBN. “There are many things technology can do to simplify their lives, but it seemed like the seniors were being left behind.”

A recent study by Statistics Netherlands (CBS), a Dutch government agency, found approximately 75% of Dutch seniors aged 65 and over have never used social media, while Belgium’s Ministry of Economic Affairs found approximately 48% of Belgians of the same age group have never used any digital devices or apps.

So, Verhoeff approached his director about starting a volunteer training program, called Senior Training Days, to help seniors go online and integrate the likes of Facebook, Google and Skype into their daily lives.

Having initially begun in October 2013 with 10 SEBN volunteers and 20 seniors, the Senior Training Days have since gained significant traction and popularity. So far, more than 400 SEBN volunteers have traveled to 17 cities across the Netherlands and Belgium to train over 1,000 seniors. In 2014 alone, 75% of SEBN employees participated, logging over 1,600 training hours. The numbers continue to grow.

Most recently, SEBN celebrated Belgium’s 10th annual National Digital Week, the Belgian equivalent of the European Get Online Week, by organizing Senior Training Days in Ghent, Brussels-Diegem and Antwerp between April 20-30.

“The Belgian government wants to diminish the digital skills gap of senior citizens,” said Belgian Federal Vice Prime Minister Alexander de Croo, when he met with SEBN officials in Belgium. “It is important for senior citizens to get connected and stay connected. I would like to thank Samsung for this initiative, and I hope other companies will soon follow suit.”

During the training sessions, the 270 or so seniors were divided into groups of three according to their existing knowhow, and each group was led by one SEBN volunteer. The 3:1 student-to-teacher ratio allowed the volunteers to give personal attention to each senior, assessing the exact needs of each senior and accordingly tailoring the day’s lessons.

Each day, the seniors were trained in three overarching topics: how to use mobile devices (e.g. smartphones, tablets), how to use the internet (e.g. social media, e-mail, web browsing, VoIP, online banking) and security/privacy issues they should be aware of when going online. Prior to participating in the Senior Training Days, each SEBN volunteer is given training on how to teach these topics using a training manual.

“I’ve always wanted to Skype with my son who lives abroad, but I never knew how that worked,” said Daniel, 78, from Ghent. “Now, I finally know how it’s done and luckily it’s very easy. When I go home tonight, I’m going to try it out on my tablet.”

The day-long program has been complemented by the Big Senior Training Days, which are more comprehensive four-day sessions held annually in both countries. The first annual event took place in the Netherlands in November 2014, which involved around 400 seniors and 200 SEBN volunteers.

The Senior Training Days have been jointly organized with leading national senior citizen groups, namely ANBO in the Netherlands and Vlaamse Actieve Senioren (VLAS) in Belgium, which have over 100,000 and 30,000 members, respectively.

“We are very happy to organize Senior Training Days together with Samsung,” said Liane den Haan, the CEO of ANBO. “It is important to get seniors digitally connected with their children and grandchildren. Also, their improved digital skills can enable them to live more independently and hopefully prepare them to make use of digital health solutions in the near future.”

American radio and television personality Dick Clark once said, “Music is the soundtrack of our lives.”

And he was right, for a number of reasons. Music has the ability to affect our emotions, evoke powerful memories and is the language that connects the world in a way that no other tool can. Music is what makes humans human, and it has done so since the beginning of time.

Unsurprisingly, the ever-advancing technologies of today allow us to effortlessly integrate music into our daily lives, enhancing the way we experience it like never before. From platforms that connect us to our favorite artists to apps that let us be the artist, music continues to evolve, taking cues from the ever-changing world around us.

Recognizing this, Samsung has developed a number of devices and services so that music lovers from all corners of the globe can spice up their lives with a bit of background music, set to their own personalized playlists. Let’s take a look at a few of them.

Samsung’s Milk Music: It Does a Smartphone Good

Source : samsung.com/us

Milk Music is a streaming radio service created by Samsung which offers consumers with compatible Samsung devices access to over 200 curated stations, with a library of 13 million songs. Milk Music allows music fans to browse the collection via a well-developed interactive tuner with the simple swipe of a finger.

The outer aspect of this dual wheel control lets users jump between pre-set genre categories while the fine-tuned inner wheel scans stations within the selected genre. The sophisticated customization features allow users to personalize their Milk experience, and even create their own unique channels.

Unlike most radio apps, Samsung’s Milk Music permits listeners to skip up to six songs per hour on each station, and there are no annoying registration processes or sign-in prompts. Simply download, open, tap and listen.

A Studio on Your Smartphone

Musical instruments are some of the oldest man-made objects ever found. It’s doubtful, however, that our Palaeolithic ancestors would believe their eyes if they had the chance to see today’s modern instruments and music tools, many of which are accessible right from the screens of our smartphones.

Samsung Soundcamp leverages this modern-day accessibility to make it possible for just about everyone — from the amateur beatboxer to the veteran pianist — to unlock their creativity and produce a musical masterpiece or two.

This easy-to-use studio recording system application allows artists to access an ensemble of virtual instruments, including a keyboard, drums and a guitar, to create a song. The app’s plug-in style, open-concept structure also gives users the option to connect and record using real instruments. From the mobile workstation’s soundboard, artists can compose, edit and mix shareable audio files.

Soundcamp is available for free in the Samsung GALAXY Apps store under GALAXY Essentials, and the Google Play store. At the moment, users of Galaxy S6 and S6 edge, Note 4, Note edge and S5 powered by Android 5.0 Lollipop can enjoy the Soundcamp app.

Discover more at Soundcamp App.

Music to Your Ears

While such mobile services and apps have made music more accessible, anytime, anywhere, smartphone speaker quality, in general, leaves much to be desired. Which is why Samsung’s Level series of smart Bluetooth audio products are the perfect devices to amplify the musical moments of your life, without getting tied up in wires.

Offering excellent audio quality and a suite of features, there’s a Level device for just about everyone. The Level Box Mini, for example, is perfect for those who love being the life of the party. The compact wireless speaker packs a big sound and fits conveniently in a purse or backpack, perfect for picnics, parties and poolside gatherings.

The two newest additions to the Level series are the Samsung Level On Wireless headphones and the Samsung Level Link audio adapter, both of which promise the consumer organic sound quality, superior comfort and portability.

The stylish Level On Wireless headphones are available in an array of colors and are equipped with six built-in microphones, an Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) mode and a dual-layered diaphragm system which helps suppress vibration to provide an incomparable audio experience. Change tracks, adjust volume and even answer phone calls with the simple swipe of a finger on the easy-to-use touchpad. And with a battery life of 23 hours per charge, music fanatics can jam out all day and night without having to recharge.

Need a tip on how to use a smartphone or on how to use new functions on your latest upgrade? Then here’s the Vitamins app to help you out.

From basic functions to hidden tips: Everything is on Vitamins.

What’s included in the Vitamins app?

– Customer Care / Tips & News

The Vitamins app contains basic how-to guides, useful tips and news

– Simulator & Video

The Vitamins app has video tutorials that will guide you through your new model and its features

– Recommended apps

The Vitamins app introduces and recommends other useful apps for an enhanced user experience

Check the status of your smartphone

With the Vitamins app, users can get help when their smartphone is running slower than normal, or help with optimizing battery efficiency when the power is low.

Simple hardware tests on touch, sensor, or connection terminals also allow users to check if the device has problems with its hardware or software, such as downloaded apps.

▲ Status of wi-fi, data network, battery/ Optimization of memory and apps

▲ How to check your headset connection

Tell you how to find Samsung stores and home page.

The Vitamins app allows users to locate their nearest Samsung store. The app also provides a direct link to Samsung.com to help users stay up to date with the latest Samsung products.

▲ Find the nearest Samsung store and direct link to Samsung.com

Share content with your friends via Push notification

The Vitamins app’s Push notification alerts users when new contents have been uploaded. Users can share new content and connect with their friends daily.

▲ Push notification

Q&A

Q : How can I download the app?

A : The Vitamins app is available to download from Galaxy Apps and Google Play store. Just enter ‘Vitamins’ into the search box.

Q : In which countries is the app available?

A : It is available in 71 different countries in 25 different languages.

※ Contents are not available in all countries, or will be provided in English, but not in local language. This will be improved soon as new contents development and translation in various languages are in progress.

※  The app is distributed as ‘User’s Digest’ in the following countries:

Republic of Korea, Russia, India, Turkey, Colombia, Malaysia, Mexico, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Chile, Yemen, Azerbaijan and Jordan

Samsung recently launched the ATIV Help app to answer questions you have about your PC quickly and correctly. This helpful app will enable you to get familiar with the features didn’t know about before. It also notifies you of important and relevant issues, which you can share instantly with your ATIV-using friends. So, how can you use this app efficiently?

How to Install

Installing the ATIV Help app is the same as installing any Samsung app on your Samsung smartphone. First, run GALAXY Apps or Google Play Store. Then type in “ATIV Help” on the search bar and tap the search icon. Once you have found ATIV Help from the search results, tap on install button. And you are set to go!

How to Register Your ATIV PC

Once you activate the app, a box will appear where you will type in the product model number of your ATIV PC. If you are not sure of the model number, tap the question mark icon and a list of model numbers will show up. After you have registered your product, you will be granted access to the information related to your product via the different “features” available. You don’t even have to register right away, but you can take care of this later by tapping the Register icon.

How to Use the Features Effectively

The ATIV Help App includes various features such as Help Video, ATIV FAQ, Simulator, Online Support, and more.

Help Video

Well, a video is worth a thousand words, isn’t it? Samsung provided 60 helpful videos that will guide you through using tons of ATIV features you didn’t even know about.  The content is easy to follow along with, and you can check them out anytime anywhere on your smartphone!

ATIV FAQ

You may have concerns that other Samsung ATIV PC users have asked before, and the ATIV FAQ is where all that info is stored. From the basic questions to advanced questions on using Windows 8 and 8.1 versions, you will be able to satisfy your curiosity with detailed answers. Many answers also provide “cautions” so that you solve your problem without causing a bigger one!

Smart Simulator

The Smart Simulator allows us to virtually experience various ATIV features easily. You can search for a certain feature and simulate it on your smartphone. Even first-time ATIV PC users will be able to do simulations from booting to restoring data. Isn’t that awesome?

Update News

Want to be the first to know when you can update the software of your ATIV PC? Well, you can, thanks to the ATIV Help App. This app provides detailed information on the latest updates of the software, graphic driver, BIOS (Basic Input Output System), and more periodically. If you don’t know which system or software to update, you can check out the list of updates. You can also bookmark the updates you want to keep for reference.

Others (Notice, Settings, Online Support)

Besides the features mentioned above, you can get notifications on important issues such as latest updates and Windows policy, set the alarm for notifications, and ask for support online via online chatting and remote service.

The ATIV Help App is a bit like waiving our fairy wands and solving all your ATIV problems and questions! If you’ve had a chance to use the ATIV Help App and have any comments, please feel free to join the conversation below.

* 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.