Samsung Electronics, the world leader in advanced memory technology, announced that it is now mass producing the industry’s first 256-gigabyte (GB) embedded memory based on the Universal Flash Storage (UFS) 2.0 standard, for next-generation high-end mobile devices. The newly introduced embedded memory features outstanding performance for mobile devices that exceeds that of a typical SATA-based SSD for PCs.

“By providing high-density UFS memory that is nearly twice as fast as a SATA SSD for PCs, we will contribute to a paradigm shift within the mobile data storage market,” said Joo Sun Choi, Executive Vice President, Memory Sales and Marketing, Samsung Electronics. “We are determined to push the competitive edge in premium storage line-ups – OEM NVMe SSDs, external SSDs, and UFS – by moving aggressively to enhance performance and capacity in all three markets.”

The new Samsung UFS memory satisfies needs for ultra-fast speed, large data capacity and compact chip size in high-end smartphones. It is based on the company’s most advanced V-NAND flash memory chips and a specially-designed high-performance controller. The UFS memory handles up to 45,000 and 40,000 input/output operations per second (IOPS) for random reading and writing respectively, over two times faster than the 19,000 and 14,000 IOPS of the previous generation of UFS memory.

For sequential reading, the 256GB UFS takes advantage of two lanes of data transfer to move data at up to 850MB/s, which is nearly twice as fast as a typical SATA-based SSD used in PCs. In terms of sequential writing, it supports up to 260MB/s, which is approximately three times faster than high-performance external micro SD cards.

As a result, the new 256GB UFS memory is capable of supporting seamless Ultra HD video playback and multitasking functionality on large-screen mobile devices, such as watching 4K Ultra HD movies on a split screen, while searching image files or downloading video clips. Its 256GB capacity also allows an unmatched amount of data storage on the mobile device itself. For example, one 256GB UFS chip can store about 47 full HD movies, therefore enabling much greater flexibility in handheld consumer electronics.

In addition, with the advent of next-generation smartphones that support the USB 3.0 interface, users will be able to transfer data much faster between mobile devices. The USB 3.0 interface will allow sending a 5GB-equivalent Full-HD video clip (average 90-min. movie size) in 12 seconds. Within this new storage environment, mobile users will get to take full advantage of the performance benefits of Samsung’s latest UFS memory.

Using Samsung’s advanced memory technology, the new UFS memory chips are extremely compact, even smaller than an external micro SD card, giving greater flexibility to smartphone designers.

Samsung announced availability of its 128GB UFS memory in February of last year. In only a year, it has doubled the capacity and speed of UFS memory, which should spur further growth of the mobile marketplace. Samsung will extend its premium storage line-ups that are based on its advanced V-NAND flash memory including the new 256GB UFS, and increase their production volume in line with increases in global demand.

Samsung Electronics announced it has won the ‘2016 Monochrome Printer / Multifunctional Printer (MFP) Line of the Year’ Award from Buyers Laboratory Inc. (BLI) for the fourth time since 2012. BLI, the world’s leading independent evaluator of document imaging devices and solutions, credited Samsung’s monochrome printer and MFP series for their reliability, robust design, strong performance, cost and energy efficiency, environmentally friendly features, and ease of use.

“It’s a great honor to be recognized as the leading provider of printing solutions that help create a more productive and efficient work environment,” said Sungwon Song, Senior Vice President of Printing Solutions Business at Samsung Electronics. “Samsung is totally focused on offering printing solutions which are optimized for the smart office environment. It is hugely rewarding to see the key strengths of our monochrome printers and MFP lines once again independently confirmed by BLI.”

“Samsung Electronics understands what customers need most from their printing products: reliability, productivity and efficiency,” said Marlene Orr, BLI Director of Office Equipment Product Analysis. “Samsung offers products that deliver strong performance and reasonable costs, maintaining its position as the leading printing solution provider in the industry.”

Two More BLI 2016 Winter Pick Awards for Samsung

Samsung also won two more BLI 2016 Pick Awards, which are announced twice annually – in winter and summer.

Samsung’s ProXpress M3825DW received the ‘Outstanding A4 Printer for Small Workgroups’ Winter Pick Award, with the ProXpress series capable of printing 40 pages per minute, and offering a range of features ideal for SMEs. For example, the eXtensible Open Architecture (XOA) web platform enables fast implementation of third-party software, as well as mobile printing through Google Cloud Print.

The ‘Outstanding A4 Printer for Large Workgroups’ Winter Pick Award was won by Samsung’s ProXpress M4530 Series, which is capable of printing up to 47 pages per minute. The M4530’s 1GHz dual-core CPU provides the power and capacity needed to accomplish print and copy jobs of all sizes and complexity, swiftly and easily. It also enables companies to reduce their operating costs and save time due to the long-life drum and extra high yield toner.

The Most Rigorous Evaluation on the Market

BLI’s Line of the Year Awards honor the manufacturers whose product line is determined to be the best overall in its category based on the cumulative test results of all models tested in BLI’s rigorous two-month laboratory evaluation. The selections are made by BLI’s highly experienced staff of technicians and analysts after subjecting scores of devices from every major OEM to BLI’s exhaustive, comprehensive lab tests.

The BLI Winter and Summer Pick Awards acknowledge the products that gave the best performances in BLI’s extensive suite of lab tests in the previous six months.

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.