Both the Level Box Slim Bluetooth speaker and Image Stamp mobile printer add new levels of convenience and fun to users’ smartphone interactions, making it easier to enjoy a favorite song, moment or memory with those they care about.

Level Box Slim: A New ‘Level’ of Speaker

The latest addition to Samsung’s ‘Level’ Bluetooth speaker line, the Level Box Slim features a compact design that provides powerful audio.

The Level Box Slim was designed from top to bottom to deliver more convenience to users’ listening experience. Its highly portable size (148.4 x 79 x 25.1mm, 236g) allows it to be held comfortably in one hand and makes it equally suitable for use indoors and outside. The handy stand integrated into the speaker’s back allows users to prop it up wherever they please, while IPX7 water resistance means it’s built to stand up to rain, snow and morning showers.

In addition to its 8W speaker, which delivers balanced audio in and outdoors, the Level Box Slim also features a microphone that allows users to field voice and conference calls without reaching for their smartphone. The microphone’s integrated noise-reduction and echo-cancellation technologies facilitate crisp and clear communication anywhere.

Furthermore, the speaker’s 2600mAh battery provides up to 30 hours of music playback and also functions as a portable charger, allowing users to top up their smartphone or tablet while enjoying their favorite tunes. Users may check the status of their speaker’s battery, and easily adjust its volume settings, via the Samsung Level app.

Available in black, blue and red, the Level Box Slim is currently available for purchase in select markets.

Image Stamp: A Printer for Your Pocket

Samsung’s Image Stamp mobile printer prints users’ favorite photos whenever they please, allowing them to instantly capture special moments in their lives, such as vacations, parties with friends and family gatherings.

Printing is easy; users simply select a photo via the Image Stamp app and place their smartphone on top of the device, which instantly prints via NFC and Wi-Fi. The printer’s streamlined controls, elegant, book-recalling design and pocket-friendly proportions make it a likewise seamless addition to users’ daily routines.

Unlike other mobile printers, whose 3:2 print ratio generally requires image cropping, Image Stamp’s 16:9 ratio ensures that photos are printed exactly as they’re presented on a user’s screen to a size of 98x56mm in 336 dpi resolution, preserving the snapshots and the memories within them in their entirety.

Users also have the option to print QR codes with their photos that link those who scan them to relevant information, such as when the photo was taken. In addition to photos, Image Stamp may also be used to print customized bookmarks and business cards. Furthermore, printing with sticker paper allows users to create decorative stickers with their photos.

Image Stamp will be available in select markets beginning in early 2017, and in sky blue and pink variations.

Check out the mobile accessories’ showcase that takes place at Samsung’s CES 2017 booth in the photos below.

Both the Level Box Slim speaker and Image Stamp mobile printer were displayed at Samsung’s mobile accessories booth.

The Level Box Slim delivers powerful, 8W audio in a compact design.

The Image Stamp printer allows users to print photos exactly as they’re depicted on their smartphone’s screen – no cropping required.

Image Stamp also allows users to print QR codes that include the location and time at which a photo was taken.

Visitors examine the mobile accessories’ convenient functions for themselves.

With over ten consecutive years of market leadership in home audio and video technology, and with active investments in R&D, Samsung’s new home audio and video product lineup for 2017 features innovative devices that reflect a total paradigm shift for both the company and the industry. In particular, the new lineup centers around sleek, simplistic designs and enhanced integration across multiple devices.

“Delivering clear, crisp, immersive sound is very important to Samsung, and we always strive to create new products that further complement the user experience,” said Jurak Choi, Senior Vice President of Samsung Electronics. “This year, we focused on the audiophile who wants a single, simple solution that not only fits their lifestyle, but that simultaneously delivers an unparalleled home audio experience.”

Samsung’s Proprietary UHQ 32bit Audio Technology Delivers Ultra-high Quality Sound

Highlighted across Samsung’s new lineup is UHQ (Ultra High Quality) audio – Samsung’s proprietary technology that enables 32bits of rich, detailed sound from any source that provides 8 to 24bit sound.

UHQ audio has the ability to upscale audio sources to a 32bit output, for both wired and wireless connections. 32bit sound creates audio which is much closer in quality to the original recording than existing HD audio, delivering rich sound that brings each note to life with incredible clarity.

Samsung has also developed its own audio algorithms to perfect ultra-high quality sound by leveraging the intelligence of existing proprietary technology, and tapping the expertise of its U.S.-based, state-of-the-art audio lab.

Samsung audio has applied ‘Distortion Cancelling’ technology which reduces sound alterations by predicting the movement of internal speaker units in advance, and controlling the units to deliver the perfect sound. This effect works well on a woofer, which tends to output a powerful low-pitched sound with a movement bigger and more unpredictable than other speaker units. The ‘Distortion Cancelling’ algorithm can intelligently predict a woofer’s movement, control it, and play more solid and stable sounds at a low pitch.

Samsung’s new sound profile also includes a ‘Wide-band Tweeter’, which expands and broadens the “sweet spot” in any room, widening the area where optimal sound can be heard. The new profile also includes a ‘Crystal Amplifier’ that removes noise so consumers can enjoy the most accurate and precise sound across the widest range.

H7 Wireless Speaker Delivers UHQ 32bit Audio Technology and Stylish Design

Samsung has also announced new standalone sound technology that reflects the needs of consumers who enjoy listening to hi-fi audio – an advancement that is already gaining recognition and winning accolades from the industry.

Thanks to its stunning sound quality, premium design and intuitive user experience, Samsung’s new H7 Wireless Speaker – which offers 32bit ultra-high quality sound performance – received a 2017 CES Innovation Award. This achievement further reinforces Samsung’s leadership in the category, and is emblematic of the future-forward products the company continues to develop.

This award-winning UHQ 32bit audio technology, combined with a bass response going down to 35Hz, delivers a wide sound range across the human auditory field – from high to low frequencies.

Samsung’s H7 Wireless Speaker also reflects superior innovation in design. With sleek, contemporary metal finishes that appeal to even the most discerning consumers, a compact size and a retro exterior, the H7 Wireless Speaker allows music to be a centerpiece of any room.

The design of the speaker also features a more intuitive user experience supported by wheel control. By turning the wheel, users can not only adjust the volume but also select their favorite playlist from their choice of streaming music services.

New Soundbar Delivers Incredible Sound with Less Room Clutter

The new MS750 Soundbar is Samsung’s first soundbar to embed subwoofer performance directly into the primary unit. This ensures that the bass is equalized and crystal clear, while simultaneously de-cluttering the home. With UHQ 32bit audio, the MS750 delivers powerful home cinema sound on premium TVs, without the need for a separate subwoofer.

Overall, the MS750 Soundbar provides a deeper sense of immersion. This is a result of superior up-firing capabilities and overhead sound that uses vertical tweeters with upmixing technology. When paired with the Samsung Smart Remote Control, the room’s home audio is powered by the same device as the TV unit, further simplifying the experience.

The MS750 Soundbar boasts a small but mighty “one body” design that can be mounted onto your TV with one simple connection, no complicated setup, and no extra space needed. This means that the soundbar and TV can be turned on at the same time, simply by connecting the two units with a designated power cable connection, eliminating the need for two separate power cables, and removing clutter around the TV. The wall-mount solution on Samsung’s newest home audio systems has also been improved, with an optional, user-friendly I-shaped bracket connecting the TV directly to the soundbar. This approach simplifies the mounting experience entirely; because it requires only one connection to install it to the TV and one hole in the wall.

A UHD Blu-ray Player That Completes the Ultimate Home Entertainment Experience

The ultimate content player comes to life with Samsung’s new M9500 UHD Blu-ray Player. With Bluetooth® Wireless Streaming Support and Samsung Smart Remote integration across the UHD Ecosystem, this HDR-optimized device creates the optimal UHD viewing experience. And, with the M9500’s new Private Cinema Mode, TV audio can be transferred to personal Bluetooth headphones, adding flexibility for viewing HDR content at any time, despite what else might be going on around you.

In addition, Samsung’s new UHD Blu-ray player automatically sets the TV screen and audio to the optimal level by analyzing the content source being played at the time, such as HDR, Atmos or DTS-X. This means consumers can now seamlessly enjoy the content they want without changing their TV or audio settings.

Further additions to the UHD Blu-ray player in 2017 include improved mobile integration, giving users the flexibility to enjoy their favorite Blu-ray titles on their mobile device. With a 360-degree feature on their mobile device, users can view the 360-degree photos and videos they’ve captured on any TV, right through their UHD Blu-ray player.

Samsung Electronics, the leader in home entertainment, announced its new portfolio of audio products, including a groundbreaking new Soundbar featuring Dolby Atmos® technology, and enhancements to its Wireless Audio 360 audio series.

The new Samsung audio product roster is designed to deliver spectacular sound for a truly next-generation experience. CES 2016 attendees can hear Samsung’s new audio lineup for themselves, and see many more innovative home entertainment products at the Samsung Booth, #11906 in Central Hall.

“Our 2016 lineup of audio products offers the most immersive sound ever experienced in the home,” said John JY Kim, Vice President of Visual Display Business at Samsung Electronics. “Samsung’s new Soundbar with Dolby Atmos® technology, delivers the ultimate in cinematic home entertainment, especially when paired with Samsung’s new SUHD TVs.”

Samsung & Dolby Atmos®: 3D Moving Audio, with Breathtaking Realism

Samsung’s new HW-K950 Soundbar is the company’s first to feature Dolby Atmos® technology, and the industry’s first soundbar package to include two Dolby Atmos®-enabled wireless rear speakers. The complete HW-K950 package delivers incredible 5.1.4-channel sound. At just 2.1” high, the HW-K950’s slim and sleek design uses three forward-facing and two upwards-facing speakers to produce a rich, full sound that is big enough to fill the room, yet detailed enough to deliver realistic, cinematic sounds, from an arrow shooting across the room to a hummingbird flying overhead. The Soundbar also connects wirelessly to the subwoofer and rear speaker units, for a practical and seamless solution in any living room. This also means that ceiling-fitted speakers are not required for moving, 3D audio.

“Dolby Atmos® has received overwhelming support from major studios and continues to expand into other form factors, including the new Samsung HW-K950 Soundbar, which allows more consumers to bring an unrivaled sound experience into their homes,“ said Doug Darrow, Senior Vice President, Dolby Laboratories. “Consumers can experience sound that comes alive from all directions, including overhead, to fill their home theaters with astonishing clarity, power, detail and depth.”

Colorful Additions to Samsung’s Award Winning Wireless Audio 360 Series

Building on its Wireless Audio 360 series, Samsung showcased a variety of new colors and patterns for the audios, designed to complement the décor of any room and bring audio content throughout the home. With proprietary Ring Radiator technology, the audio can be placed anywhere and still fill the room with vibrant, yet balanced sound.

Samsung also makes it easier than ever for customers to control their music simply and easily with the speakers’ touch-enabled, intuitive tap and swipe interface. Consumers have even greater control with new apps for the Gear S2 and Gear S smartwatches, and an improved Samsung Multiroom App for smartphones and tablets. The Wireless Audio 360 Series also offers new smart home functionality, including audible notifications and home cinema settings.

The R5 model of the Wireless Audio 360 series has also been recognized as an honoree in the CES 2016 Innovation Awards. Samsung will continue to build on its market leadership position and develop more state-of-the-art home audio products at the company’s Audio Innovation Lab in Valencia, California.

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For more information about CES 2016, please visit our exclusive page #SAMSUNGxCES2016

Coming from a family with a long tradition in the arts, Jean-Christophe Naour learned from an early age the importance of precision in design. “We all can come up with the same ideas, but details determine how we craft our ideas,” he said. “Details make design.”

But he also loves chaos, and believes in the importance of leaving your comfort zone. “The brain is really abstract, and inspiration comes from the unexpected. You have to break out of your comfort zone. You need to be prepared to fail.”

Naour has won awards and critical praise over the years for his experimental approach to uniting those competing influences, using computer algorithms to create apps and artworks that produce striking images and patterns. And for the past four years, Naour has applied his unique mix of design ideas at Samsung Electronics in the Visual Display Business, as part of the team that shapes the advanced design and user interface of screens and related devices. “I’m really excited about creating new interactive experiences that connect products to their users through inventive blends of technology and storytelling,” he said.

“You have to break out of your comfort zone. You need to be prepared to fail.”

Pushing Boundaries for Inspiration

For Naour, his fascination with design started early, growing up in Brittany, France. His father’s side of the family has worked in woodworking and furniture for generations, while his mother’s side of the family was involved in fashion. He grew up creating, too, first with Lego and building blocks, then with computers. “I was in love with graphics and the general aesthetics of the whole thing—the colors, the pixels, the fonts,” he said.

He went to Nantes University to study mathematics and computer science, but he thought it was not a good fit for him and after a couple of years transferred into an industrial design program, getting his Master’s Degree at the L’École de Design Nantes Atlantique.

But when the time came to spend a semester abroad (a requirement of his design program), Naour was less interested in the usual choices, like the United States or Great Britain. “I wanted to take a risk, and push my boundaries for inspiration,” he said. So instead he came to Hongik University in Seoul. “I knew nothing about Korea at the time, but it sounded exciting.”

He took advantage of his time in Korea to explore the country all he could, visiting 20 cities over the course of the semester. So after he finished graduate school, he really wanted to return to Korea, and eagerly took a position at a design firm in Seoul. After several years there, Samsung made him an offer, and he began a new career.

Going Abstract to Understand the User Experience

Naour started with Smart TV, working on the interactive gesture interface, and he has had a hand in many projects since then, with a task force system that rotates designers regularly.

As part of Visual Display design team, he usually works on devices from the early phases, building a road map for how users will experience every aspect. Typically, they are presented with a product early on and then brainstorm for how the interface might work. “At first, nothing is very specific,” he said. “But gradually you build a wireframe and interface concepts, then a skin, and then you sync your ideas with the product developers.”

Usually a product will have dozens of “modules,” or subareas within the UX, that all have to be coordinated and approved, making development very complicated. But one of Naour’s favorite projects was actually one of the most straightforward—all the lineup of Wireless Audio 360, which only had two modules, the speaker and the app. The speakers were developed with U.S. office. But once the hardware was ready, Naour and the Seoul design team had to come up with the guide for how people would use the speaker. They knew the speaker would have a cylindrical shape and an LED interface, but the other details on how the product would function was up to Naour and the Seoul design team.

They responded with a series of workshops over three weeks, looking to define the core interactions and user’s journey, all through a series of swipes and taps. “Our response was to reduce the details.

We wanted something more artistic, where the actions would flow,” Naour said. “something more abstract.”

They responded with a series of workshops over three weeks, looking to define the core interactions and user’s journey, all through a series of swipes and taps. “Our response was to reduce the details. We wanted something more artistic, where the actions would flow,” Naour said. “something more abstract.”

The final result was an elegant interface, where users could control everything about the wireless speaker with just a few simple swipes right on the flat top of the speaker.

Failure Is Crucial for Innovation

Over his career as a designer, Naour has developed many big ideas about how to approach design and creativity. “I don’t like to say ‘I don’t know’,” he said. “I prefer to try doing something myself and learn from my mistakes until I can make it happen.”

It’s an unorthodox approach that Samsung encourages. “In France, we have a low tolerance for uncertainty and ambiguity, so we are reluctant to take risks,” he said. “But failure is crucial in innovation. The faster you find weakness, the faster you can improve what needs fixing.”

Another significant part of his success as a designer is maintaining work-life balance. Getting out of the office to listen to music or play with his 2-year-old daughter is important to keeping his thinking fresh and creative. “Go outside. You need to break your perspective.”

“I don’t like to say ‘I don’t know.’ I prefer trying things myself until I can make it happen.”

Naour says watching his daughter play is also a great way to learn about UX technology. “I’m amazed at how young children love new technology. Even at 1 year old, they can already unlock the phone,” he said. “I think technology is like a language. It’s like they’re learning to live in an augmented reality.”

The Art of the Algorithm

As a self-professed “workaholic,” Naour notes that even when he is not at work, he is always working on design ideas. One of his favorite approaches is using algorithms. “Design is, by definition, iterative,” he said. “With algorithms, you can start off with some basic shapes, give them rules, then the computer can come up tens of thousands of variations, all based on the same concept—always different and unpredictable.”

Over the years, Naour has won much recognition for his own creative algorithms, artworks and apps, appearing in such places as Wired, Gizmodo, The Creator’s Project and IdN Magazine. But Naour says he is most proud of the FWA (Favorite Website Award) he won in 2011 for his app Poly—a program that turn users photos and drawings into geometric arrays of color, reducing images down to their essential polygons.

“FWA is like a symbol in the interactive design industry” he said. “When I was still a student, it was for me the most inspiring place on the web, at the early stages of creative Flash websites. It represented the quality I wanted to produce.”

Designing an Interactive Future

As technology grows ever more refined, fast and complex, increasingly it is the role of the UX designer to define how consumers interact with products, get the most from them and ultimately feel about them. “New technologies are radically expanding the design space,” he said. “Just a few years back, almost any kind of interaction was all about the screen, keyboard and mouse. Now, the degrees of freedom are increasing, and so too are the design choices.”

It has only been a few years since multi-touch has been on the market, and technology interfaces are continuing to grow more sophisticated very quickly. Naour says he loves seeing where all these developments are leading. “Every major milestone in the evolution of UX design has involved an interaction between technology and human beings.” he said. “While we use all our senses in everyday life, we are still limited to one or two at most in our digital life. The next interfaces should take full advantage of our complex bodies, to make communications even more natural.”

“New technologies are radically expanding the design space… Now, the degrees of freedom are increasing, and so too are the design choices.”

And that constant sense of challenge and exploration is what makes designing UX interfaces at Samsung so worthwhile. “It has been an exciting adventure,” Naour said, “and I get to work with some really great people”