Let’s flash back to 2007, when every hotshot businessperson on the go click-click-clicked away on their Blackberry. Maybe they even had one with a really nice color screen and a scrollwheel that didn’t break after a few months. Fast-forward to now, when anyone still carrying a Blackberry gets pelted with spoiled meats and exiled to a rocky island in the Delaware River where they watch VHS tapes and dial into AOL. And yet, Samsung is reportedly thinking about paying billions of dollars to buy Blackberry. [More]
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Separating Gimmicks From Good Ideas In New Household Appliances
By 1.9.15
International CES often serves as a showcase for companies to unveil their latest hi-tech consumer appliances. That was certainly the case for LG and Samsung, which both exhibited a number of products — including mini washers that replace your pedestal, washers with built-in sinks, door-in-door fridges, stoves with lights that mimic gas flames, and robot vacuums. But with all of these connected, cutting-edge advancements, we’d be remiss not to ask, are these appliances really going to benefit the everyday consumer or are they just another gimmick to increase sales? [More]
From Samsung To Razer To Oculus, Our Experience With The Latest In Virtual Reality
By 1.6.15
Virtual reality has been a holy grail of sorts for tech developers for several decades, but previous generations’ attempts were too clunky, heavy, and unconvincing. The dream hasn’t died, and judging by what we saw at International CES this week, the field is ready to explode (in a good way). [More]
Are Any Of The New 4K TVs Worth Blowing Your Paycheck On?
By 1.6.15
Make no bones about it — 4K TVs are going to become the standard for new televisions very quickly. But is there enough content to justify making the leap now? [More]
Samsung CES 2015 Keynote: The Internet Of Things Is Here And There’s Pretty Much Nothing That Can Stop It
By 1.5.15
Here are the things we learned from Samsung’s CES 2015 Keynote address Monday evening: CEO and president BK Yoon has a lot of executive friends, the Internet of Things is already here, soon our entire lives will be “connected” and Back To The Future II references are getting old. [More]
Samsung Shows Off Fancier Fancy TV, Washing Machine With Sink
By 1.5.15
Everyone here at International CES — including the hot dog vendors on the Vegas Strip — is showing a new 4K (or Ultra HD, or UHD) TV set. Samsung tried to one-up the competition by making a brighter, flashier version and slapping an “S” on it. [More]
LG, Samsung Want Curved, Ultra-Wide Monitors To Be The It Thing For 2015
By 12.31.14
Shoppers who got a shiny new ultra-HD 4K TV this year may feel like they’re on top of the tech trends, but that’s so 2014. There is, of course, something new on the horizon. 2015 looks primed to be the year of curves: not just for your home-theater TV, but for your PC. [More]
Sony’s PlayStation Now Coming To Samsung Smart TVs
By 12.24.14
Nearly a year ago at CES 2014, Sony CEO Kaz Hirai announced PlayStation Now, a cloud-based gaming service that would lets users access PlayStation 3 games without requiring a PS3. The service has thus far been available only on Sony devices, but the company confirmed today that it will bring PS Now to Samsung Smart TVs at some point in 2015. [More]
Groupon Provides Refund For “Secretly Mexican” Samsung TV
By 10.9.14
You may remember reader Rob, whose story we featured here a few weeks ago. Rob bought a smart TV from Groupon Goods. and then ended up plunged in a bizarre chain of events involving an imaginary warranty, four different countries, and some very odd claims about how Samsung products have no warranty when they’re sold online. We have good news to report: He’s been issued a refund. By Groupon. [More]
Samsung Insists Galaxy Note 4 Gap Is A Feature, Not A Flaw
By 10.2.14
A phablet is a super-sized mobile phone that is more like a tablet. This fall, Samsung has released the fourth version of their Galaxy Note phablet, a much-anticipated device all over the world. As the first devices hit stores, some people noticed something odd: the phone has a gap between its screen and frame just wide enough to fit a piece of cardstock. [More]
Samsung Says My New TV From Groupon Is Secretly Mexican
By 9.19.14
Rob bought a TV from Groupon Goods, and found himself in a weird dilemma where Groupon promised that his new TV would have a manufacturer’s warranty. He had no reason not to believe them until something actually went wrong with the TV. Samsung told him a few different things: that they don’t warranty items bought online, or that his television came from Mexico or Canada. What? [More]
Samsung Suspends Work At Supplier Over Child Labor Concerns
By 7.14.14
Last week, a group called out a Samsung supplier for alleged exploitation of child labor in a Chinese factory. This morning, Samsung announced that it has suspended its business with this contractor after its own investigation turned up some sketchy hiring practices. [More]
Group Of 20 Thieves Hit Samsung Factory, Grab Millions Worth Of Electronics
By 7.8.14
Like one of those heist movies starring a well-dressed, smirking George Clooney and his BFF Brad Pitt, a group of about 20 thieves overpowered workers at a Samsung factory in Brazil and managed to make off with about 40,000 phones, tablets, computers and other electronics. [More]
Samsung Gear Fit Wristband Causes Rash, Must Be Returned With All Accessories
By 6.19.14
There are currently a lot of wearable fitness trackers on the market, locked in a battle for wrist domination. Reader Rob bought Samsung’s cool-looking Gear Fit a few months ago, and really likes it. Except for how some of the coating wore off the wristband clasp and he’s developed a mysterious rash on his wrist. [More]
Heathrow Airport’s Terminal 5 Turning Into Giant Two-Week Ad For Samsung
By 5.16.14
UPDATE: A rep for Heathrow provided the following statement to Consumerist:
“Heathrow Terminal 5’s signage and passenger wayfinding has not changed. Samsung have rented advertising space in Terminal 5 with a tongue-in-cheek campaign using the line: ‘Terminal Samsung Galaxy 5S.'” [More]
Best Buy Continues Transformation Into Gadget Food Court With Mini Sony Stores
By 5.2.14
Best Buy wants to stage a comeback, coaxing customers back into its stores with price-matching and promises of top-notch service. Maybe the most appealing idea that the chain has had is to transform itself into an electronics food court, featuring mini-stores from individual manufacturers. Last year, this plan started with Samsung and Microsoft, and next up are mini home theater stores from Sony. [More]
Samsung: “Limited Number” Of Galaxy S5 Phones Have Faulty Cameras
By 4.25.14
If you just bought a Samsung Galaxy S5 phone and are upset to find you can’t take photos with the darn thing? You’re not alone — Samsung says a “limited number” of the phones have a fatal flaw that renders the 16-megapixel camera useless. [More]
AT&T, Verizon, Sprint Disabling Samsung Galaxy S5’s “Download Booster” Feature
By 4.11.14
Isn’t it awesome when a smartphone manufacturer comes up with a really interesting feature, only to have it crippled by your wireless provider? That’s what has happened to the Samsung Galaxy S5’s “download booster” functionality that simultaneously pairs available WiFi and LTE service for more rapid downloads. It’s an interesting feature, but one to which AT&T, Verizon and Sprint customers won’t have access, at least at launch. [More]
