The World’s First Wind-Free Technology

Samsung’s AR9500M sets itself apart by producing no direct air drafts, keeping the room temperature comfortable thanks to Wind-Free technology. This unique technology gently spreads cool air through 21,000 micro air holes and creates “still air” moving at speeds slower than 0.15m/s.*

Wind-Free cooling technology introduces a two-step cooling process, reducing temperature in Fast Cooling Mode before switching to Wind-Free Mode, which maintains the desired temperature while minimizing drafts. In Wind-Free Mode, energy consumption is reduced by up to 72 percent** compared to Fast Cooling Mode. Furthermore, using the Samsung Digital Inverter 8-Pole with POWERboost Technology, the AR9500M takes less time to reach its desired speed.

The AR9500M’s unique Triangle Architecture also contributes to its superior cooling performance. The upgraded structure’s wider inlet allows for more air to be drawn in at once, while the optimal width and angle of the outlet, extra v-blades and large fan – which is 22 percent larger than in previous models – ensure that air is cooled and expelled faster, farther and wider to reach every corner of the room.

The Wi-Fi enabled AR9500M allows temperature and product settings to be adjusted remotely via the Samsung Connect application. The application offers users real-time updates on performance and power consumption, and it can identify problems in need of repair.

Cooling Down the Latin Heat

Visitors to the Samsung booth at Febrava 2017 in São Paulo test out Samsung’s AR9500M, the first wall-mounted air conditioner to feature Wind-Free technology.

The AR9500M was introduced to industry professionals at Febrava 2017, alongside the 360 Cassette, the world’s first circular-designed air conditioner, and the Wind-Free 1Way Cassette for residential as well as commercial use. Taking place until September 15 at São Paulo’s Expo Exhibition and Convention Center, the trade fair is the most important event in the HVAC-R chain in Latin America, showcasing over 550 HVAC-R companies and attracting more than 30,000 visitors each year.

Visitors to the Samsung booth can appreciate the comfort and quiet of Wind-Free technology for themselves at the company’s Wind-Free experience zone, which showcases its air conditioning technologies. Also on display are Samsung’s further cutting-edge HVAC-R solutions, including its corrosion resistance technology for long-lasting performance, with special protection optimized for the Latin American market.

Brazil is a significant first step for Samsung towards capturing the Latin American market. The country represents the continent’s core market, with an air conditioner market share of over 25 percent and a high demand for the comfort and efficiency offered by the premium air conditioner.

Brazil’s Latin American neighbors will not be left wanting. Samsung has mapped out a further expansion into the region’s substantial market, equivalent to $2.4 billion dollars, in the latter half of 2017. There will be consecutive launches in new Latin American markets, when countries such as Peru, Argentina and Chile will be able to welcome Wind-Free technology and comfort into their lives.

* ASHRAE (American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning Engineers) defines “still air” as air currents at speeds below 0.15m/s which lacks the presence of cold drafts.

** Tested on AR07M5170HA, based on the accumulated power consumption of Fast Cooling Mode vs. Wind-Free Mode. When compared to Normal Cooling Mode, Wind-Free Cooling Mode consumes 55 percent less energy.

As part of the Samsung Paralympic Blogger program, 30 Paralympians from countries including Brazil, United States of America, Korea, Great Britain, France, Spain, China as well as an athlete from the Independent Paralympic Athletes team received Samsung Galaxy S7 phones and other mobile accessories to capture exclusive, behind-the-scenes 360 blogs that allows them to share their experiences with the world. Through their daily posts, fans will get a firsthand glimpse at Paralympic Games moments that can’t be seen at home, as athletes will share exclusive content captured during training sessions, competition preparation, Opening Ceremony and more.

The Samsung Paralympic Blogger program is an extension of the project which began during the London 2012 Paralympic Games and continued through the Sochi 2014 Paralympic Winter Games, which was the first time that athletes created vlogs from a major sporting event. The program helps establish a heritage of commitment to Paralympians, while challenging the world to focus on athletes’ ability and engage with their personal stories. This program is part of Samsung’s overall Rio 2016 Paralympic Games campaign which celebrates how meaningful progress comes from daring to defy barriers and seeing ability over disability.

Key highlights from this week include:

Tatyana McFadden (Athletics, USA) shares Team USA preparations for the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games Opening Ceremony.

“Team USA is leaving for the Opening Ceremony! So exciting”

Gustavo Fernandez (Wheelchair Tennis, Argentina) at the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games Opening Ceremony.

“I have all the family watching me here. After so many years it was so worth it. It’s worth it. It’s very exciting!”

Janet McLachlan (Wheelchair Basketball, Canada) at Team Canada Paralympic Village Welcome Ceremony and Flag Raising Ceremony.

“Today is Canada’s Welcome Ceremony, and it’s something quite especial, especially for those from our team who will be unable to attend the Opening Ceremony”

Teresa Perales (Swimming, Spain) training session with her teammates at the Aquatics Center.

“We have lots and lots of energy and are enjoy the water very much! I hope to see you guys in the next video. We’ll be doing a bit of trouble making. See ya!”

You can watch more videos and follow your favorite athletes by visiting www.youtube.com/Paralympics. For more information about Samsung’s involvement in the Paralympic Games, please visit www.samsungmobilepress.com/Olympics/

The full list of athletes taking part in the Samsung Paralympic Bloggers project includes:

Abdi Jama (Wheelchair basketball, Great Britain)

Alvaro Valera (Table tennis, Spain)

Amalia Perez (Powerlifting, Mexico)

Andre Brasil (Swimming, Brazil)

Arnaud Assoumani (Athletics, France)

Carlos Serrano (Swimming, Colombia)

Chuck Aoki (Wheelchair rugby, USA)

Cuiping Zhang (Shooting, China)

Darwin Castro (Athletics, Ecuador)

David Smith (Boccia, Great Britain)

Fabien Lamirault (Table tennis, France)

Gustavo Fernandez (Wheelchair tennis, Argentina)

Gustavo Sanchez (Swimming, Mexico)

Hannah McFadden (Athletics, USA)

Hwa Sook Lee (Archery, South Korea)

Ibrahim Al-Hussein (Swimming, Independent Paralympic Athletes)

Janet McLachlan (Wheelchair basketball, Canada)

Jinho Park (Shooting, South Korea)

Katie Holloway (Sitting volleyball, USA)

Leinier Savon Pineda (Athletics, Cuba)

Liu Jing (Table tennis, China)

Marie-Amelie Le Fur (Athletics, France)

Michael Jeremiasz (Wheelchair tennis, France)

Natalia Mayara (Wheelchair tennis, Brazil)

Petrucio Ferreira (Athletics, Brazil)

Tatyana McFadden (Athletics, USA)

Teresa Perales (Swimming, Spain)

Terezinha Guilhermina (Athletics, Brazil)

Ye Ruyi (Wheelchair Fencing, China)

Yohansson Nascimento (Athletics, Brazil)

Samsung Electronics, Worldwide Partner of the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) in the Wireless Communications Equipment category, today announced its global Rio 2016 Paralympic Games campaign – a continuation of the brand’s Rio 2016 Olympic Games program – which celebrates how meaningful progress comes from daring to defy barriers. The campaign kicks off with the announcement of several on-the-ground activations including the transformation of Samsung Galaxy Studios in Rio, the Samsung Paralympic Blogger program, official application and the Whang Youn Dai Award.

“The Paralympic Games are a global movement that inspire and celebrate the spirit of progress and the human challenge,” said Younghee Lee, Executive Vice President of Global Marketing, Mobile Communications Business at Samsung Electronics. “Samsung strives to create breakthrough mobile technologies that help make the digital world more accessible for those with disabilities. We hope our Rio 2016 Paralympic Games campaign will help spark a global conversation around seeing ability over disability and enable everyone to participate in the Paralympic movement.”

Accessible Experiences at Samsung Galaxy Studios

In the lead-up to the Paralympic Games, Samsung has revamped its Galaxy Studios in Rio, including its flagship studio in Olympic Park, including several accessibility features, ensuring all consumers, athletes and fans are able to take part in a variety of interactive experiences. Wheelchair accessible ramps and lifts enable visitors to reach the Gear VR 4D Experience Zone, where they will experience exhilarating Olympic Sports, roller coaster rides and kayaking through water rapids via Samsung Gear VR paired with Galaxy mobile devices.

Samsung also offers unique, hands-on opportunities for visitors to experience how Samsung Accessibility technology features are designed and utilized to help those with disabilities. Galaxy Accessibility Experience Programs will include:

• “Blind Game” – Visitors will learn how voice assistance works by utilizing the feature to play 30-second maze games on Galaxy mobile phones
• “Sound Detector” – Through the “Sound Detector” feature on Galaxy mobile devices, visitors will learn how people with hearing disabilities use the sound detector feature to sense the status of audible surroundings, such as a bell ringing or a baby crying.
• “Color Adjust” – The graphic interface feature will showcase how “Samsung Color Adjust” can help people with color vision deficiency to see vibrant colors. Users will see a series of images on Galaxy mobile devices as someone with color deficiency would see, and will then will be able to compare how a world with colors changes the images as they are then displayed with the adjusted colors
• “Review Your Moment” – The “Review Your Moment” experience is a demonstration of the “Samsung Dexterity Feature.” Visitors will learn how those who have difficulties utilizing mobile touch screens with their hands can operate smartphones with head gestures or third party hardware switches. Fans will use a selfie application feature and collect their printed photo following the experience.

Get Behind the Scenes through the Samsung Paralympic Blogger Program

Samsung will once again partner with the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) to provide 30 Paralympians from countries including Brazil, United States of America, Korea, Great Britain, France, Spain, China as well as an athlete from the Independent Paralympic Athletes team the opportunity to capture and share their Rio 2016 Paralympic Games experiences with the world. As part of the Samsung Paralympic Blogger team, each of the 30 athletes will receive a Samsung Galaxy S7 and other mobile accessories to create exclusive, behind-the-scenes 360 vlogs, which will be uploaded on various digital platforms including the IPC’s YouTube channel, Samsung channels and the athletes’ social media accounts. Content will allow fans to get a firsthand glimpse of how these Paralympians are defying barriers and showcasing their tremendous athletic abilities on the world stage.

Athletes in the Paralympic Village will also be able to experience the Samsung Paralympic Bloggers in 360 by visiting a special station and viewing the content through Gear VR headsets paired with Samsung mobile phones. The stations will also contain other 360 content from key landmarks in Rio, allowing athletes to see the sites without leaving the Paralympic Village.

“We are thrilled to once again work with Samsung to share the excitement and inspiration of the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games with the world through the eyes of the Samsung Paralympic Blogger team,” said IPC President, Sir Philip Craven. “As a longstanding Worldwide Paralympic Partner, Samsung continues to bring meaningful technology to the Paralympic Movement that helps both athletes and fans connect with the Paralympic Games.”

The Rio 2016 App: Enhancing the Paralympic 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 Paralympic news. The app, which received more than 6 million downloads during the Rio 2016 Olympic Games period, has been updated to provide the official Paralympic Games schedule, venue and event information, results, medal counts, more real-time updates and information of Samsung’s marketing activities during the Paralympic 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.

Samsung Supports Athletes Defying Barriers through Whang Youn Dai Award

To further support athletes who are defying barriers, Samsung will once again sponsor the Whang Youn Dai Award, which was established by the IPC to recognize Paralympians who have overcome adversities through sports and inspire and excite the world through the spirit of the Paralympic Games. During the Paralympic Games Closing Ceremony, a Samsung representative will present the award to one male and one female winner as part of a victory medal ceremony.

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

The list of athletes taking part in the Samsung Paralympic Bloggers project includes:

Abdi Jama (Wheelchair basketball, Great Britain)

Alvaro Valera (Table tennis, Spain)

Amalia Perez (Powerlifting, Mexico)

Andre Brasil (Swimming, Brazil)

Arnaud Assoumani (Athletics, France)

Carlos Serrano (Swimming, Colombia)

Chuck Aoki (Wheelchair rugby, USA)

Cuiping Zhang (Shooting, China)

Darwin Castro (Athletics, Ecuador)

David Smith (Boccia, Great Britain)

Fabien Lamirault (Table tennis, France)

Gustavo Fernandez (Wheelchair tennis, Argentina)

Gustavo Sanchez (Swimming, Mexico)

Hannah McFadden (Athletics, USA)

Hwa Sook Lee (Archery, South Korea)

Ibrahim Al-Hussein (Swimming, Independent Paralympic Athletes)

Janet McLachlan (Wheelchair basketball, Canada)

Jinho Park (Shooting, South Korea)

Katie Holloway (Sitting volleyball, USA)

Leinier Savon Pineda (Athletics, Cuba)

Liu Jing (Table tennis, China)

Marie-Amelie Le Fur (Athletics, France)

Michael Jeremiasz (Wheelchair tennis, France)

Natalia Mayara (Wheelchair tennis, Brazil)

Petrucio Ferreira (Athletics, Brazil)

Tatyana McFadden (Athletics, USA)

Teresa Perales (Swimming, Spain)

Terezinha Guilhermina (Athletics, Brazil)

Ye Ruyi (Wheelchair Fencing, China)

Yohansson Nascimento (Athletics, Brazil)

Samsung Electronics, Worldwide Olympic Partner in the Wireless Communications Equipment category, saw connectivity and digital interactions taken to the next level for athletes and fans during Rio 2016 Olympic Games. With Samsung Galaxy Studios spread throughout the Olympic Games footprint and beyond in Brazil, athletes and fans were able to demo the most advanced mobile technologies and stay connected with friends and family back home. Samsung today announced numerous metrics that proved Rio 2016 was one of the most connected Olympic Games in history.

Standing out was Samsung’s #DoWhatYouCant campaign, which achieved more than 1.6 billion social impressions and engaged almost 121 million fans. Based on the philosophy that the Olympic Games has never only been about sports, #DoWhatYouCant celebrates those who defy barriers to do the extraordinary, inside and outside of sports. Through its heralded documentary “A Fighting Chance,” along with advertisements and content like “The Chant” and “The Anthem,” the campaign tells the stories of those who push the limits to overcome obstacles, helping fans across the globe connect with what it means to “Do What You Can’t.”

Samsung reached many other milestones at Rio 2016, helping the brand achieve top marks. By the numbers, Samsung’s milestones included:

• 8,447 calls made from Samsung Galaxy Studio in Olympic Village via Samsung’s free call service for athletes; 42,236 minutes
• 6,035,434 downloads of official “Rio 2016 App”, developed by Samsung in collaboration with the Rio 2016 Organizing Committee
• 58,783 mentions of Samsung’s Rio 2016 #DoWhatYouCant
• 125,359,837 total campaign engagements
• 1,647,594,349 impressions via #DoWhatYouCant
• 330,350 fans who enjoyed VR experience through Samsung Galaxy smartphones at the Galaxy Studios throughout Brazil
• 1,040,860 visitors to 13 Olympic Games-themed Samsung Galaxy Studios throughout Brazil

Samsung’s free call service at its Galaxy Studio in the Olympic Village proved to be a hit for athletes, helping them connect with their families back home as they prepared for competition. VR experiences were also immensely popular for both athletes and fans – with many of Samsung’s 13 Olympic Games-themed Galaxy Studios throughout Brazil offering SporTV’s VR livestream of events for thousands of fans.

To help make this Olympic Games more connected than ever, Samsung – in collaboration with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) – presented 12,500 Galaxy S7 edge Olympic Games Limited Edition mobile phones to athletes competing in the Rio 2016 Olympic Games. The commemorative smartphones were meant to help Olympians enhance their experiences in Rio and communicate with friends and family around the world more conveniently.

And with the help of the Rio 2016 Organizing Committee, Samsung also developed the official application of Rio 2016, “The Rio 2016 App,” that provides athletes, fans and consumers 24/7 updates on all of the latest Olympic Games news. And to have a home base for all of the digital interactions at the Olympic Games, Samsung last week opened its main Samsung Galaxy Studio Olympic Park right in the heart of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, where fans and consumers can demo Samsung’s latest wireless communications products and immersive technologies.

“As a continuous contribution to the Olympic Games, Samsung creates immersive programs that unite the world through our mobile technology helping fans across the globe have access and enjoy,” said Younghee Lee, Executive Vice President of Global Marketing, Mobile Communications Business at Samsung Electronics. “Rio 2016 has proven to be a digitally connected Olympic Games. We are delighted to see the great connections of the athletes and fans, which we look forward to continuing into the PyeongChang 2018 Olympic Winter Games.”

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

Secure and easy to use, Samsung Pay can be used to make purchases almost anywhere¹ that debit cards or credit cards are accepted. Samsung Pay allows users to pay with their compatible Samsung smartphones at point of sale terminals, thanks to both MST (Magnetic Secure Transmission) and NFC technologies.

Brazil joins South Korea, the United States, China, Spain, Singapore, Australia and Puerto Rico in the list of priority markets to launch the mobile payment service.

According to research conducted by FEBRABAN (the Federation of Brazilian Banks), mobile banking usage is on the rise in Brazil. In fact, it increased by 138 percent in 2015 with more than 11 billion bank transactions through smartphones, compared to 4.7 billion transactions in 2014.

“Samsung Pay reinforces the company’s focus to bring value to both consumers and partners by bringing innovative services to your smartphones,” said Thomas Ko, Vice President and Global Co-General Manager of Samsung Pay at Samsung Electronics. “We are always exploring creative technologies and use cases to provide consumers with an immersive and holistic mobile wallet experience.”

“We are extremely excited that Samsung Pay is now available in Brazil. As the first market in South America to roll out our mobile payment service, Brazil will pave the way for the region’s adoption of Samsung Pay,” said André Varga, Product Director of Samsung’s Mobile Devices Division in Brazil.

Extensive Partnership Ecosystem

Samsung Pay is strategically expanding its partnership ecosystem to provide greater flexibility, access and choice for customers. Samsung Pay has partnered with major payment networks such as MasterCard and Visa to bring mobile payments to consumers. The service will launch with major issuers including Banco do Brasil, Brasil Pré-Pagos, Caixa, Porto Seguro, and Santander. Additionally, we are working with other bank partners including Banrisul, Bradesco, Nubank and Itaú-Unibanco, to make the service available to more consumers in Brazil. The list of partners eligible to offer this service is available on the website http://www.samsung.com.br/samsungpay.

More Than a Payment

A secure and easy-to-use mobile payment service, Samsung Pay can be used to make purchases almost anywhere that cards are accepted.

• SIMPLE: To make a payment on Samsung Pay, consumers simply need to swipe up on their compatible Samsung smartphone, scan their fingerprint and make a payment. It’s that easy!
• SECURE: Samsung Pay uses three levels of security to enable secure payments – fingerprint authentication, tokenization and Samsung KNOX.
• ALMOST ANYWHERE: Samsung Pay will be compatible with a majority of existing and new payment terminals, allowing users to pay with their compatible Samsung smartphone anywhere that allows payment by swiping or tapping a card with MST and NFC.

Samsung Pay will be available on the Galaxy S7, Galaxy S7 edge, Galaxy A5 (2016), Galaxy A7 (2016), Galaxy Note5, Galaxy S6 edge+, Galaxy S6² and Galaxy S6 edge² beginning on July 19 in Brazil.

About Samsung Pay

Samsung Pay, a mobile payment service from Samsung Electronics, is simple, safe and works almost anywhere³ you can swipe or tap your card. Combining NFC with Samsung’s proprietary MST technologies, Samsung Pay provides consumers a way to pay almost anywhere you can swipe or tap a card at millions of merchant locations. Samsung continues to strategically expand its partnership ecosystem for Samsung Pay to provide greater flexibility, access, and choice for customers while enabling an easy and safe payment experience. Samsung Pay is compatible with select cards and Samsung devices, and leading wireless providers. Please visit www.samsung.com/pay to learn more.

¹Availability almost anywhere is based on compatibility of Samsung Pay on MST and/or NFC payment terminals, with some supported for use only after software upgrades. Samsung Pay is exclusive to selected Samsung Galaxy smartphones only, and available across all participating payment networks, banks, and merchants. Availability may vary, please check for updates.

²Only with NFC ; MST is not supported.

³Some card reader terminals may require software updates to be compatible with Samsung Pay.

Samsung Electronics announced the launch of Samsung pay in the Ibirapuera Auditorium, Sao Paulo, Brazil.

(From left to right) Changhoon Yoon, VP of Samsung Brazil, Brazilian actor Rodrigo Santoro and Jeonghwan Kim President and CEO of Samsung Latin America.

Attandees checks out the Samsung Pay during the launching event in the Ibirapuera Auditorium, Sao Paulo, Brazil.

This month, UNV is launching its new Online Volunteering service from Brazil to the world and in collaboration with Samsung Latin America Office.

Brazil has been selected as the location for the global launch as the country ranks #4 worldwide for the number of UN Online Volunteers and has a high potential for growth in online volunteering activities in general. Brazil has always been very supportive of Volunteerism as well as of South-South cooperation within and between regions, cooperation that UNV’s Online Volunteering service facilitates. Lastly, inclusive multi-stakeholder partnerships have emerged as a necessity to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and the first private sector partner of the Online Volunteering service is based in Brazil (Samsung Electronics Latin American Office).

The adoption of the SDG is a unique opportunity to shift to a development agenda that is more transformative, universal, inclusive and sustainable.  In this regard, UNV wants to leverage its long experience in citizen engagement and technology based solutions to ensure volunteers and volunteerism of all forms are part of the SDGs implementation.

UNV recognizes that online volunteering is a global force for change. The global launch event will be an opportunity to discover how organizations and volunteers can team up online to effectively address challenges to sustainable development– anywhere in the world. At the event, UNV will unveil the new Online Volunteering service website, which provides volunteers and organizations across the globe with an even faster, more inclusive and more appealing way to connect with each other and to join forces for peace and development.

Together with the redesigned website, UNV will launch two additional services.  The 1-click query will allow organizations to reach out to half a million people to provide real-time data for their projects. UNV will also launch its new employee online volunteering solution for global companies, together with Samsung, its first official partner for this service.

“We are very proud to establish this unprecedented partnership with UNV. For us, from Samsung, it represents a great and innovative step in our commitment with volunteering actions, already practiced by the Company for over 20 years”, highlights Francisco Cuesta, vice-president of Human Resources and Corporate Citizenship at Samsung Latin America.

Press Conference (Global Launch in Brasilia)

Date: July, 15^th (Friday)

Time: 2:00 pm

Venue: Brasil 21 Convention Center (foyer and auditorium)

Participants:

• Richard Dictus, UNV Executive Coordinator
• Peter Poschen, United Nations Resident Coordinator, ad interim
• Márcio Correia, Brazilian Agency for Cooperation General Coordinator
• Francisco Cuesta, vice-president of Human Resources and Corporate Citizenship at Samsung Latin America
• Dirk Brengelmann, Germany’s Ambassador to Brazil
• Representative of an organization which has already utilized the Online Volunteering service with great success
• Karol Arámbula, UN Online Volunteer

About United Nations Volunteers

The United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme contributes to peace and development through volunteerism worldwide. Samsung works with partners to integrate qualified, highly motivated and well-supported UN Volunteers into development programming and promote the value and global recognition of volunteerism. UNV is active in around 130 countries every year. With Field Presences in over 80 countries, UNV is represented worldwide. UNV is administered by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and reports to the UNDP Executive Board. UNV was created by the UN General Assembly in 1970 and has operated in Brazil since 1998.

As described in our previous article, the PEN.UP app helps artists everywhere—both professional and aspiring—connect and share their creations with the world. It’s an easy and versatile app that provides a wide range of tools to help curate, tag and share your artworks, and it especially works well with Samsung’s S Pen and large-screen devices like the Galaxy Note5 and Galaxy Tab S2.

Now let’s take a look at PEN.UP in action, seeing how real people around the world have used the artistic app to rich their lives and the lives of those around them.

Finding Friends to Turn Around a Bad Day

For the PEN.UP user who goes by the name “CandikaneBlack,” the sharing part of the app helped get her through a tough time. She was having a sad birthday, so drew a cartoon of how she was feeling, then asked people in her PEN.UP network to add themselves to her picture. The results were overwhelming. Dozens of people from all over the world joined in, adding images of themselves encouraging, playing with and sharing joy with CandikaneBlack, turning a sad day into one of happiness and warmth.

Drawing Around the World

PEN.UP has been attending various events by Urban Sketchers, a nonprofit dedicated to encouraging people everywhere to draw the world around them. As a sponsor, PEN.UP has joined in Urban Sketcher events in Paraty, Brazil, and Singapore, showing how aspiring artists can use the S Pen and Samsung devices to capture the landscape with drawings, and then share their art with everyone.

PEN.UP also attends book and events, offering lectures and lessons on how artists, publishers and others can use PEN.UP to open new opportunities professionally. Here, PEN.UP comes to the Bologna Children’s Book Fair, in Bologna, Italy, and the Mobile Digital Art Summit in Palo Alto, California.

You’re Never Too Old to Learn New Things

In Korea, 70-year-old Ik-soo Son had never studied art, but after he taught himself how to draw using his smart phone, he became a minor celebrity, inspiring many with his story. These days, Mr. Son enjoys showing others how to make art using tablets and smartphones, just as he has done.

And You’re Never Too Young

The popular Korean artist Min-soo Kim (commonly known as miyune) also likes to show people how to make art using their tablets and other devices. PEN.UP and compatible apps are so intuitive using the S Pen to make art, even children can enjoy these apps quickly and easily. In this video, Kim teaches schoolchildren how to make robots, monsters and other cool creatures using the Sketchbook Pro app. After just a short introduction, soon these kids are making weird and wonderful cartoons, anything their imaginations can think of.

Whether using a Galaxy Note5 or a Tab S2, PEN.UP is a great way for people all over the world to use the S Pen to share their creativity. After all, what’s an artwork without a gallery? Thanks to PEN.UP, everyone now has access to an international gallery, all day, every day. This is just one more example of the customer-centered approach Samsung Electronics always focuses on, empowering users to connect and express themselves in the way that’s just right for them.

The 43rd WorldSkills Competition (WSC) took place August 11-16, 2015 in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Started in 1950, the WorldSkills Competition has been held biennially since 1973 to promote skills excellence and to foster relationships among young professionals around the world. Samsung participated as an Overall Event Presenter of the WorldSkills Competition for the second consecutive year.

The event was created to serve as a global contest where young professionals with top tier talent compete together. The WSC also hopes to motivate and encourage the future talent of skilled professionals. In addition, the event raises global awareness of the importance of skills training and job creation by promoting international cooperation between governments and businesses.

Samsung Electronics has been training competitors to compete since WorldSkills Linz 1983, in Austria. This year, Samsung sent nine competitors, who competed in seven skills categories, winning five gold medals in Mechatronics, Mobile Robotics, Plastic Die Engineering, CNC Milling and IT Network Systems Administration, as well as a silver medal in IT Software Solutions for Business.

Three of Samsung’s Worldskills medalists, Seongje Park (Mechatronics), Sanghoon Yoo (IT Software Solutions for Business) and Minwoo Choi (IT Network Systems Administration), spoke to Samsung Tomorrow to share their thoughts on their achievements at WorldSkills Sao Paulo 2015.

Achieving Life Goals

Since they were young, Minwoo Choi, Sanghoon Yoo and Seongje Park all had a keen interest in their respective fields. After joining skills training clubs in high school, they started their journeys to prepare for the National Skills Competition, their careers as technicians and the challenges of competing at the WorldSkills Competition.

To participate in the WSC, they not only had to prove themselves in the National Skills Competition, but also had to pass the selection process to join Team Korea. Their determination and hard work paid off; each scored medals in the national event, winning their tickets to the WSC. In addition, they were offered jobs at Samsung, which gave them the opportunity to prepare for the competition.

All three agreed that Samsung spared no effort to provide equipment and facilities for the WorldSkills competitors, which was invaluable. “I was even more pleased to get practical advice from our seniors who have professional experience,” said Yoo.

Though overwhelmed by the sheer scale of the venue at the WSC site in Brazil, the whole Samsung Team supported each other and cheered for the others to boost morale and confidence as competitors.

During the four-day long event, each competitor must finish four to six tasks within a given time limit. Park faced additional challenges during the contest; the interface system for his stations and software device did not function properly. Realizing that his equipment was faulty, he made a request to the expert, but it was not accepted. Instead of giving up, he skipped lunch with his partner to find the faulty part, finally fixing the problem.

Choi credits his success to hard-earned expertise through diverse training programs, provided by Samsung. Though Yoo initially found it difficult to adjust to his new environment on his first day, he soon overcame this challenge and was able to focus on the competition.

Because of age requirements and a one-time entry into the competition, winning a medal at the WSC is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Each could feel the special triumph that was “truly beyond descriptions” at the moment of victory.

Victory Comes from Hard Work and Passion

When asked the secret behind Team Samsung’s success, all three agreed it was due to “hard work and passion.”

“Some of my training coaches are champions of WSC, and their tips and know-how helped me a lot,” said Yoo. The three medalists also expressed their belief that Samsung’s dedicated support served as a driving force of the team’s success.

The young men were also eager to express their thanks to the support staff. “The entire staff, including experts, training coaches and volunteer translators, really assisted us in many ways, enabling us to concentrate solely on the competition. Throughout the event, we were really grateful to have such great people supporting us,” said Yoo, on behalf of his teammates.

With world-class expertise, good manners and attitudes, these young men truly deserve to be called among the world’s best.

What’s Next?

Having achieved their goals, Samsung Tomorrow asked the young men about what’s next. “I’ve concentrated on the practice so far, so I plan to study the theories more to be a truly skilled technician. My motto is ‘review the old to learn the new’. I will continue to study IT technologies to join the leaders of IT security,” said Choi.

Expressing his hope for the future, Yoo said “Going forward, my wish is that more people will give their attention to skills competitions and support young professionals.”

“My ambition is to be the first master engineer in mechatronics in Korea,” said Park. “I was thrilled to experience the cutting-edge automated facilities at Samsung with my own eyes. In the future, I want to design an automated production line of my own.”

Advice for the Future

The three young medalists shared their advice for young people with Samsung Tomorrow. “Don’t get distracted by what others say, but go all the way and do your best to achieve your goals,” said Yoo. “Always be positive and grateful,” added Choi.

Park’s last message reflects the spirit of the WSC. “Be proud of your own expertise, and never give up anything before you really try it.”

Samsung Electronics announced that Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 edge received eco-friendly certificates from four major markets, the US, the UK, Russia and Brazil, respectively. Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 edge have been recognized not just for the performance based on the state-of-the-art technology, but also for the aspects that care environment.

The two flagship smartphones received Sustainability Product Certification (SPC) from the US-based safety testing and certification organization, UL (Underwriters Laboratories). In the UK, world-renowned Carbon Trust honored the two smartphones with CO2 Measured Label.

In particular, Samsung gained Platinum certification, the highest grade, from UL by meeting a series of rigorous criteria -on toxic material, energy efficiency, recyclability of product and packaging, as well as the manufacturer’s social responsibility practices.

Galaxy S6 and S6 edge have also been awarded Vitality Leaf certification from the Ecological Union, Russia’s leading environmental certification organization, and COLIBRI, a Brazilian environmental quality label, from Associação Brasileira de Normas Técnicas (ABNT).

Packages of the two smartphones are made with 100 percent recycled paper as well as they satisfy criteria on toxic material. In addition, at the very early stage of the product development, Samsung considered environmental impacts. For example, 20 percent of the plastic in battery charger is made from recycled plastic, and soy ink is used to print the letters on the packages and manuals, instead of using petroleum solvents.

Samsung also continuously strives to create an eco-friendly system by applying advanced technology for energy efficiency, including fast charging and Ultra Power Saving mode.

Samsung has set up “Eco-Design process” since 2004 and requires environmental validation at the product development stage. Every product developed in Samsung has to be validated and named eco-grade.

As a result, as of March this year, 3,131 of Samsung products obtained environmental labels from environmental organizations in 14 countries, being recognized as a world’s leading eco-friendly manufacturer.

“Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 edge show excellent performance and fabulous design, as well as Samsung’s commitment for the environment” said Samsung official, and “Samsung will continue its efforts for developing environmentally friendly products, and also plan to expand the share of the recognized eco-products.”