And that would fly in the face of one of the biggest trends for mobile devices: They are now expected to be full-fledged multimedia powerhouses, delivering the quality and performance once the domain of laptops and desktop computers.

Piece of the Action

Meeting and exceeding these high expectations are Samsung’s two newest mobile devices, the Galaxy S6 edge+ and Galaxy Note5. Both have gone big on displays—5.7 inches to be exact—but it’s the way they can be used that really shines. Samsung has brought new features to both phones that enhance the mobile entertainment experience. It’s moving with the times, really, because when it comes to the cameras on mobile device it’s not just about still pictures and selfies anymore. People now increasingly share self-edited videos on their social networks, and watch videos online through streaming services. Samsung’s answer? Offering better video features than ever.

Ultimately, Samsung wants to help people that want to do more with their smartphones. For video, that means not just easier sharing, but also the ability to shoot film like professionals. Take shake-less video recording, for example. The Galaxy S6 edge+ and Galaxy Note5 both have an improved front camera for selfie videos with video digital image stabilization (VDIS). In other words, the camera will detect your face for a smooth selfie video and keep it in the center of the screen with less shake. The rear camera, meanwhile, can record video that is much more stable and has less motion blur because it can combine the power of both VDIS and OIS (optical image stabilization).

While the combination of VDIS and OIS improves the quality of your recordings, the Video Clip mode in the native camera app allows you to add some creative flair. You now have a wide variety of options to soup up your videos: Collage, Slow Motion and Series. And the best thing is, these features works straight out of the box; you don’t need to install any other apps.

With the Collage mode, you can combine two to four different videos into one video clip, depending on the layout you choose. The Slow Motion mode with the rear camera will automatically produce one video and three slow video clips at different speeds. The Series mode lets you combine multiple short clips into one video without a complex editing process.

The native camera app in the Galaxy S6 edge+ and Galaxy Note5 also has the Live Broadcast mode. Sharing video is always at its best when friends and family can enjoy the experience in real time. This special mode is a quick and easy way of making that happen. When you choose Live Broadcast mode, you can invite people to watch from your contacts. Anyone you invite can watch your broadcast on their own devices (mobile, PC, or TV) via YouTube. However, if you want, you can go public and share the broadcast through e-mail or social networks.

Picture Perfect

With the Galaxy S6 edge+ and Galaxy Note5, you will benefit from Samsung’s advanced camera system, including Quick Launch (double click the home button to launch the camera in less than one second), Auto Real-time High Dynamic Range (HDR), and Smart Optical Image Stabilization (OIS). And the 16MP OIS Rear and 5MP Front cameras take better photos thanks to two major upgrades. One of these is the blur-less photo function, which minimizes the blurring of moving objects under low light conditions. The effects of motion blur and hand shakiness are reduced, as the camera takes two to three photos with a short exposure time to produce one clear image.

The other major upgrade is to the filter controls. You can use them to adjust the strengths of a filter and level of vignette effects to create your own style. You can top up your pre-loaded filters with additional ones from Samsung’s Galaxy Apps store and give your pictures a unique look and feel.

Never Miss a Thing

The Galaxy S6 edge+ and Galaxy Note5 aren’t just about creativity and entertainment, they’ll also make you more productive. When you’re working on your computer, you can now see all the notifications that arrive on your phone directly on your computer monitor, so you’re always up to date. No need to check your phone every time you hear a ping or vibration. Both phones offer SideSync with enhanced features for a seamless connection between your smartphone and your computer or tablet. Manually pair the devices once, and after that the new auto connection feature will pair them every time they are within range.

SideSync includes a call pop-up window, which will notify you of a call even when your phone is on mute. When you receive a text message, you can keep your hands on the keyboard and reply directly on your PC monitor.

New for SideSync is two-way file sharing. You can easily move files between your phone and PC by simply dragging and dropping the files. For phone to PC sharing, you can view the mirrored phone screen by selecting the “Phone Screen Sharing” menu on the dashboard, and move files from your smartphone to the desired folder on a PC. When you drag and drop files from your PC to your phone, the files will be stored in the SideSync folder. Installation is easy and free, and SideSync for PC can be downloaded from www.samsung.com.

The Samsung Galaxy S6 edge+ and Galaxy Note5 are two distinct smartphones, but they have one principle in common: they are both built with digital content at heart. And whether you’re enjoying the latest chart hit or want to share your holiday highlights with family, you will be guaranteed an amazing multimedia experience.

In today’s modern lifestyle, people are busier than ever and they demand more from their smartphones so they can keep up with the frenetic pace of life. Naturally, people want to multi-task to be more productive and use their time more efficiently.

On the long list of intuitive and practical features offered by Galaxy devices, the Multi Window capability is perhaps one of the most under-appreciated. The Multi Window feature has been available on Galaxy devices since the Galaxy Note 2, released in late 2012, however users of the Galaxy S3, also released in 2012, were able to watch videos without interruption through Pop-up Play. And since then, the multi-tasking capabilities have only improved with each edition, and they have become a mainstay on Galaxy S, Galaxy Note and Galaxy Tab devices that followed.

It certainly comes in handy in lots of different situations, like using a map app while exchanging texts when making arrangements to meet a friend. Or, to keep an eye on sports scores while watching a video, or to browse the Internet to find information while also writing an email. With the Galaxy Note 4, you can easily take notes using the S Pen during a video chat by splitting the screen.

With the Galaxy S6 and S6 edge, you can quickly and easily open two apps at the same time. From any screen, simply touch and hold the Recent Apps button (just to the left of the home button). Apps that support Multi Window will be displayed.

Simply select the two you want to use and they will appear in split view, one on top, one on the bottom. You can also launch recently used apps directly into the multi window view. Apps that can be used with multi window will have the multi window icon on the title bar.

The window controls, which appear between the two windows, allow you to adjust the size of each window, minimize or maximize a window, drag and drop content from one window to another, or switch the location of the windows. When you minimize an app, it turns into a circular, movable icon that can be opened by tapping on it. It’s extremely easy and intuitive.

There’s also pop-up view. Simply open an app and then swipe diagonally from either top corner of the screen and the app will appear as a pop-up, which you can move around the home screen. So when you are multitasking but you need to focus on one app, you can keep another app just one touch away.

Tap the button to see the control options or hold and drag to create a pop-up window.

On the Galaxy Tab S, touch the recent apps button and swipe upwards or downwards and tap the Multi Window icon on the recent app window. The selected app will launch in the upper window. You can also launch the split screen by tapping and holding the recent apps button. Much like with the Galaxy S6, you can find additional options by tapping the circle between the app windows. If you are the proud owner of a Galaxy Note Pro or Galaxy Tab Pro device, it is possible to have four windows open simultaneously.

Also, Samsung’s SideSync 3.0 app is a PC-Mobile solution that enables screens, windows and data to be shared between PCs and Galaxy smartphones, or between Galaxy Tabs and Galaxy smartphones. The app allows you to connect to your smartphone and launch the phone as a window on the screen of your Galaxy Tab or PC, which can be adjusted for size. There are a whole host of sharing functions, including keyboard and mouse sharing mode, file and clipboard sharing and lots more.

Finally, with the Galaxy S6 and S6 edge and Galaxy Note 4, if you happen to be using an app, watching a video or playing a game when a call is received, a pop up window appears on the screen. With the pop up window, you can choose to answer, reject or tap expand to view the main call screen. After answering the call, you can exit the call screen during an active call to do something else, like access your contacts list, view an email or locate a picture. To return to the call screen, simply got to the notification panel and tap the call notification. You can also click end call from the notification panel.