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Samsung Unveils its Generative AI-Powered Galaxy Fold 6 and Flip 6 Smartphones

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Samsung unveiled its newest foldable smartphones on Wednesday at its Unpacked presentation in Paris, France. The Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Galaxy Z Flip 6, which run Android and are powered by Google (GOOG, GOOGL), are a major point of differentiation for Samsung in its protracted competition with Apple (AAPL) for supremacy in the global smartphone market.

Similar to Apple, Samsung is positioning its generative AI capabilities as a key differentiator for these two phone models. The Z Flip 6 and Z Fold 6 are priced at $1,099 and $1,899, respectively, which is $100 higher than their predecessors and places them firmly in the premium smartphone segment. In comparison, the starting price of Apple’s bigger Pro Max model is $1,199, while that of the 15 Pro model is $999. The starting prices for Samsung’s S24 and S24+ are $799 and $999, respectively. $1,299 is the price of its top-tier S24 Ultra.

The Flip 6 and Fold 6 from Samsung are being marketed as more than just foldable phones. Its Galaxy AI platform is presenting them as potent, generative AI-capable gadgets. The software offers a variety of generative AI functions, from real-time translation and conversational capabilities to photo editing tools and productivity alternatives. Samsung unveiled it earlier this year alongside its S24 lineup.

The company claims that among Samsung customers, artificial intelligence is becoming increasingly popular. According to the tech giant, 77% of S24 users utilize its AI capabilities once a week. The most used ones are Samsung’s Edit Suggestions and Google’s Circle to Search. With Circle to Search, you may take a picture of an object or text and use it to translate or do an online search. As the name suggests, Edit Recommendations offers generative AI text recommendations for emails and text messages that are being written.

According to Samsung, the distinctive shapes of the Fold 6 and Flip 6 make them particularly useful for utilizing Galaxy AI functions. The Interpreter app now has a new conversation feature that lets you communicate with someone in multiple languages. Your comments are automatically heard and shown on the cover screen and main screen of the phone.

Let’s say you are conversing in English with someone who speaks French exclusively. The Flip 6 can be folded like a makeup compact, or the Fold 6 can be folded so that it rests on the table like a tiny laptop. Then, the conversation feature will show your words on the external screen and your friend’s words on the main screen. The goal is to enable smooth, real-time communication between you. Google’s foldable smartphone, the Pixel Fold, has a feature comparable to this one.

Additionally, Google’s Gemini app, which uses its own AI algorithms, is pre-installed on both phones. Gemini may be accessed by simply saying “Hey, Google” or by swiping on the corner of the screen. Gemini offers a wide range of services, such as assistance with idea generation for tasks such as job assignments, travel schedules, locating locations on Google Maps, and more.

In terms of efficiency, Galaxy AI now offers a new PDF translation feature for the Samsung Notes app, in addition to editing suggestions. This feature, appropriately enough, can translate your PDFs on your phone while maintaining the document’s layout. It’s likely that you’ve attempted to open and translate a PDF in the past, only to have the formatting completely collapse and become unreadable. Translations into PDFs ought to help get rid of that.

With the exception of a few minor adjustments, the Z Fold 6 and Z Flip 6 are essentially the same designs as the Z Flip 5 and Z Fold 5 from the previous year. To feel more like a typical rectangular smartphone when closed, the Z Fold 6 has a slightly larger 6.3-inch cover screen. Even though it’s only a 0.1-inch increase, the greater display real estate should prove to be a nice upgrade, given it was one of my complaints with the phone.

Together with a new ultra-wide-angle camera, the Z Flip receives the same primary camera as the company’s flagship S24. Additionally, Samsung claims that since the phone’s battery is identical to that of the S24, customers will no longer have to forgo overall functionality in favor of the Flip over its mainline flagship.

A 50-megapixel primary camera, a newly developed 12-megapixel ultra-wide-angle camera, and a 12-megapixel telephoto camera with a 3x optical zoom and a maximum 30-x digitally enhanced zoom are all included in the Fold.

The Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 CPU and 12GB of RAM are standard in the Z Flip 6 and Z Fold 6. While the Fold has 256GB, 512GB, and 1TB of storage, the Flip also has 256GB and 512GB.

There are other foldable smartphones available than Samsung’s. Motorola and other Chinese smartphone manufacturers, like Huawei and Xiaomi, also sell foldable smartphones. However, Samsung’s Galaxy AI platform might guarantee that those shopping for foldables continue to think of it first.

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Lenovo’s Most Recent Laptop Features a Rollable OLED Display

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Laptop screens often feel cramped, but Lenovo’s ThinkBook Plus Gen 6 Rollable AI PC is here to change that. This cutting-edge device features a rollable OLED display that expands from a standard 14-inch screen to an elongated 16.7-inch display with the press of a button. The extended screen offers double the vertical space, perfect for stacking applications or viewing long documents. While the unusual aspect ratio may take some getting used to, the added real estate is a game-changer for productivity.

The rolling mechanism is activated either by a palm gesture or a keyboard button—the latter being much quicker. Lenovo has tested the rolling function 30,000 times to ensure durability, though repairing this futuristic feature might be challenging. Weighing just 3.7 pounds and measuring 19.9 mm thick when closed, the laptop is portable, albeit slightly top-heavy when open. Despite these quirks, it’s a sleek alternative to carrying an external monitor.

Launching in the first quarter of 2025, the ThinkBook Plus Gen 6 Rollable AI PC comes with a hefty $3,499 price tag. It’s powered by Intel’s Core Ultra 7 Series 2 processor and offers up to 32 GB of RAM and 1 TB of storage, making it a high-performance machine ideal for demanding users.

Lenovo’s Legion Go S: SteamOS Gaming on the Go

As handheld gaming gains popularity, Lenovo has entered the arena with the Legion Go S, the first SteamOS handheld gaming console from a licensed manufacturer. Available in both SteamOS and Windows versions, the Legion Go S bridges the gap between desktop gaming and portability. Unlike other consoles, this device lacks dual-boot functionality, so users must choose their preferred operating system at checkout.

SteamOS offers seamless integration with cloud saves and game streaming from your PC, while the Windows version provides broader compatibility. Both variants share the same hardware: an 8-inch LCD display with a 1,920 x 1,200 resolution and 120 Hz variable refresh rate, powered by AMD’s Ryzen Z2 Go or Ryzen Z1 Extreme processors. While the screen is smaller than the original Legion Go, the compact size and a 55.5 watt-hour battery significantly improve battery life.

Priced at $730 for the Windows version and $500 for the SteamOS model, the Legion Go S launches this month, with additional configurations arriving in May starting at $600.

ThinkCentre M90a Pro Gen 6: Private Audio with AI Precision

Lenovo’s ThinkCentre M90a Pro Gen 6 is an all-in-one computer with a twist: its innovative “Lenovo Focus Sound” technology. Using a machine-learning algorithm and the built-in camera, this feature directs audio exclusively to the user sitting in front of the screen. This means coworkers nearby won’t hear a thing—even if you’re secretly streaming a show.

In practice, the effect is almost eerie, as if someone is whispering directly to you. The sound disappears entirely if you move away from the screen. While headphones are a practical alternative, this technology could redefine office audio privacy. The ThinkCentre M90a Pro Gen 6 is set to launch this quarter with a starting price of $2,539.

From rollable screens to private audio and handheld gaming innovations, Lenovo’s CES 2025 lineup demonstrates the company’s dedication to pushing technological boundaries. Whether you’re a multitasker, a gamer, or a privacy-conscious professional, there’s something for everyone in this bold new lineup.

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Threads uses a more sophisticated search to compete with Bluesky

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Instagram Threads, a rival to Meta’s X, will have an enhanced search experience, the firm said Monday. The app, which is based on Instagram’s social graph and provides a Meta-run substitute for Elon Musk’s X, is introducing a new feature that lets users search for certain posts by date ranges and user profiles.

Compared to X’s advanced search, which now allows users to refine queries by language, keywords, exact phrases, excluded terms, hashtags, and more, this is less thorough. However, it does make it simpler for users of Threads to find particular messages. Additionally, it will make Threads’ search more comparable to Bluesky’s, which also lets users use sophisticated queries to restrict searches by user profiles, date ranges, and other criteria. However, not all of the filtering options are yet visible in the Bluesky app’s user interface.

In order to counter the danger posed by social networking startup Bluesky, which has quickly gained traction as another X competitor, Meta has started launching new features in quick succession in recent days. Bluesky had more than 9 million users in September, but in the weeks after the U.S. elections, users left X due to Elon Musk’s political views and other policy changes, including plans to alter the way blocks operate and let AI companies train on X user data. According to Bluesky, there are currently around 24 million users.

Meta’s Threads introduced new features to counter Bluesky’s potential, such as an improved algorithm, a design modification that makes switching between feeds easier, and the option for users to select their own default feed. Additionally, it was observed creating Starter Packs, its own version of Bluesky’s user-curated recommendation lists.

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Apple’s own 5G modem-equipped iPhone SE 4 is “confirmed” to launch in March

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Tom O’Malley, an analyst at Barclays, recently visited Asia with his colleagues to speak with suppliers and makers of electronics. The analysts said they had “confirmed” that a fourth-generation iPhone SE with an Apple-designed 5G modem is scheduled to launch near the end of the first quarter next year in a research note they released this week that outlines the main conclusions from the trip. That timeline implies that the next iPhone SE will be unveiled in March, similar to when the present model was unveiled in 2022, in keeping with earlier rumors.

The rumored features of the fourth-generation iPhone SE include a 6.1-inch OLED display, Face ID, a newer A-series chip, a USB-C port, a single 48-megapixel rear camera, 8GB of RAM to enable Apple Intelligence support, and the previously mentioned Apple-designed 5G modem. The SE is anticipated to have a similar design to the base iPhone 14.

Since 2018, Apple is said to have been developing its own 5G modem for iPhones, a move that will let it lessen and eventually do away with its reliance on Qualcomm. With Qualcomm’s 5G modem supply arrangement for iPhone launches extended through 2026 earlier this year, Apple still has plenty of time to finish switching to its own modem. In addition to the fourth-generation iPhone SE, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo earlier stated that the so-called “iPhone 17 Air” would come with a 5G modem that was created by Apple.

Whether Apple’s initial 5G modem would offer any advantages to consumers over Qualcomm’s modems, such quicker speeds, is uncertain.

Qualcomm was sued by Apple in 2017 for anticompetitive behavior and $1 billion in unpaid royalties. In 2019, Apple purchased the majority of Intel’s smartphone modem business after the two firms reached a settlement in the dispute. Apple was able to support its development by acquiring a portfolio of patents relating to cellular technology. It appears that we will eventually be able to enjoy the results of our effort in four more months.

On March 8, 2022, Apple made the announcement of the third-generation iPhone SE online. With antiquated features like a Touch ID button, a Lightning port, and large bezels surrounding the screen, the handset resembles the iPhone 8. The iPhone SE presently retails for $429 in the United States, but the new model may see a price increase of at least a little.

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