Samsung Galaxy A7 - Quick Look

Samsung has made something of a shift in its design ethos with its Alpha and A range of smartphones. Instead of the plastic chassis of the Samsung Galaxy S5, an all-metal unibody design has been used. This design is a major hint at what to expect when the Samsung Galaxy S6 eventually arrives. 

The A range is sleeker and a whole lot more stylish than the S5 - and suits phablets too, as the Samsung Galaxy A7 proves.

For some unknown reason, the Samsung Galaxy A7 wasn't shown off at CES 2015. But TechRadar managed to get hands on with the device at the company's European Forum in Monaco this week.

It will come as no surprise the Samsung Galaxy A7 offers many of the same specs as the Samsung Galaxy A3 and the Samsung Galaxy A5, albeit in a larger frame. But it does improve somewhat on both screen quality and chipset power.

The A7's screen measures 5.5 inches, just shy of the Samsung Galaxy Note 4's 5.7 inches. In contrast the A5's screen measures 5 inches and the A3's 4.5 inches. It's not hard to spot the pattern here.

There's a big reason the Galaxy Alpha A7 has a 5.5 inch screen, and that is the iPhone 6 Plus. This has definitely been released to rival Apple's bigger handset and, hopefully, take a slice of the market share that Apple is currently getting.

Unlike the Samsung Galaxy Alpha, a phone which sparked off Samsung's new all-metal look but came with no expandable memory, you will be pleased to know that the A7 has a microSD card slot. This is situated on the right side of the device, next to the SIM card slot. Both of these can be opened with a special pin.

Samsung has made sure that its A range of smartphones are the skinniest yet - the chassis measures a mere 6.3mm. It's beautifully slim, which means it sits well in the hand - despite the large screen size - and it is Samsung's thinnest handset to date.

Another way the Samsung Galaxy A7 differs from the others in the range is screen quality. While the A5 and A3 were given 720p screens, this one comes with a 1080p Super AMOLED.

The European Forum was ablaze with light when I tried out the A7 but it still managed to look bright, with colours both vivid and crisp. The 401ppi pixel density made sure that I was impressed with the look of the screen. 

To make sure there is sufficient power in the A7, Samsung is using the Snapdragon 615 chipset. This is definitely a marked improvement on the Snapdragon 410 chip that's found in the A5.

Also inside is 2GB of memory and a rather paltry 16GB of built-in storage. Thankfully this can also be expanded by 64GB, courtesy of the SD slot.

In the hand, the phone feels perfectly premium. The metal chassis doesn't extend to the back of the device, though, but I have a feeling that this is something that Samsung is holding back for the Galaxy S6.

Camera-wise, Samsung has decided that 13MP should be the norm for this series but that's not something you can argue with. It means there's plenty of megapixel power to make sure the shots you take on the A7 match that of a compact camera. 

Granted it's not the 20.7MP sensor that is found in the Sony Xperia Z3, but you won't have too much to complain about here.

If you are into the dreaded selfie, then this will also come out crisp and clear as there is a 5MP sensor on the front of the Galaxy A7. To help you with your picture-taking narcissism, there's two selfie-infused features on board: ultra wide shot and auto selfie.

Other camera functions include, touch to focus, face detection and geo tagging. The back camera is one thing that let's the design of the phone down - it does protrude, much like the camera on the Galaxy S5 but it is flanked by the LED flash and the speaker grill.

Early Verdict

The Samsung Galaxy A7 is a great-looking device but I will have to wait until our full review to see if it has the chipset power to help raise it above its mid-range leanings.

If you don't fancy wielding an S Pen, however, and want a big-screen phone then the A7 does fit this category. 

While it doesn't match Samsung's current flagship, the Samsung Galaxy S5, on specs - except for a better front-facing camera - this design will no doubt carry on in the Samsung Galaxy S6. And that is definitely something to get excited about.

Top 5 smartphones of 2014

Author Bio:

Aalia is an enthusiast blogger who shares valuable write-ups on Technology and latest mobile app. Her passion is to share her ideas and knowledge with readers worldwide, and for that she keeps on exploring internet to find as many platforms possible to do so. Visit her blogs to read the posts, as you may find something beneficial.

As the technology is advancing day by day, even the mobile phones are becoming more and more high end. Mobile industry in 2014 has given us some of the greatest hi-tech smartphones ever. Every giant smartphone company launched its finest phones to compete in the market. According to the features, sales and style here we list Top 5 smartphones of 2014.

1. iPhone 6

Apple's most awaiting launch IPhone 6 is sleek, smart and a power packed phone. The device comes with 4.7 inch HD display and 64 bit A8 Chip along with the M8 motion coprocessor. This phone is just 6.9 mm thin and is curved with seamless design. IPhone 6 is innovated to give more power backup with its 1810 mAh battery even on driving bigger display.

2. Moto X (2014) 2nd Generation

With no doubt Motorola launched this smartphone with even better features than the previous ones. This 4G iconic phone has 5.2 inches Full HD AMOLED display, 2 GB RAM and 2.5 GHz QUALCOMM snapdragon 801 quad core processor, 13 MP primary camera with quick capture and dual LED’s ring flash. This phone is carved in a metal frame and is made customizable with metal, leather and wooden finish. This device gives a pure android experience.

3. Samsung Galaxy Note 4

Note 4 is the latest premium phone of Samsung note series, this big boom device comes with 5.7 inches Super AMOLED Screen and to support this with a bigger battery of 3220 mAh for better backup. This edition has latest features like a fingerprint scanner, heart rate sensors, S-Pen and stylus software. This device is power packed with 3 GB RAM, Quad core 1.3 GHz cortex-A53 and & Quad core 1.9 GHz processor. It has 32GB internal memory and android jelly bean.

4. HTC One M8

This smartphone from HTC offers 5 inches capacitive display and has brushed metal body design crafted with a curve to fit in hand easily. The phone offers 2GB Ram and has 2.5 GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 processor. It has 16GB internal memory and an SD card slot to make it expandable up to 128 GB. The new generation 4-ultra pixel rear camera and 5 MP front camera gives an outstanding photo capture experience.

5. Sony Xperia Z3

The Sony Xperia Z3 is an excellent high-end smartphone by Sony Z series. This phone is the only one smartphone to have IP68 certification. Z3 is made to give an incredible performance with its higher waterproof rating, integration to play games with PS4 remote controller and high battery life. The phone is packed with 5.2 inches Full HD bright display, snapdragon 2.5 GHz quad core processor, 3GB RAM and 16GB internal memory. The phone gives ultimate photography experience with its 20.7 MP rear and 2.2 MP front camera. This phone also features Sony 3D surround sound technology.

The above written are the best premium phones ranked according to their performance, specification, features and demand by the public. There are plenty more Smartphones in the market gives close competition to these.

Mail me for Guest Posts in dilipstechnoblog.com (dilipgeoffrey@gmail.com)

Microsoft HoloLens Release Set this Year? Price Not Exceeding $500

The most ambitious windows device ever to be made: HoloLens; it is a holographic headset that blends real world with the digital world that is expected to launch its developer units later this year within the same time frame as Windows 10  according to Windows tech team. Experts believe it will be sold for less than $500.

Microsoft HoloLens aims to rival, if not exceed the most advanced virtual reality devices out in the market. Its ambition to transform your world with holograms is something definitely promising. It does not only focus in gaming aspects and features, unlike the Oculus Rift, but also offers new ways to teach and learn, collaborate and explore, create and imagine, and visualize your work.

One key feature of the Microsoft HoloLens is that it makes your world into your own canvas. It can intelligently map the room you're in and blend holograms with the environment around you. It also has transparent lens and advanced sensors to allow you to see the real world and confidently move in it. Additionally, it has built-in spatial sound lets you hear holograms wherever they are in the room with pinpoint precision.  Moreover it is Lightweight and adjustable to fit any adult head size to ensure comfortable playing and working. It has no cords, wires, nor tethers as well.  It definitely offers a new way to see your world as their tagline goes: "Change the way you see the world, you can change the world you see"

This is just the beginning, Windows developers said. There are no official release dates yet for the commercial units, but you can expect developer units around July this year. As they have barely scratched the surface of what is possible, they are offering sign-ups for the latest news and updates on the Microsoft HoloLens.

Resident Evil: Revelations 2 Episode 1 Review

The Resident Evil series has evolved over the years, gradually turning away from survival horror towards a more action orientated style of gameplay. The most recent games have come under fire from some fans for veering too far away from its horror roots and becoming more like Gears of War with zombies. On the basis of the first episode, the old school may not quite be jumping for joy with the direction Capcom have taken Revelations 2, but there are at least slight nods to the survival horror tropes of the earlier games.

In a first for Resident Evil, the game will be released over 4 weeks in an episodic format which I’m sure Capcom are hoping will breathe life into the series which is at risk of stagnating. The story takes place between RE5 and RE6 and focusses on two returning characters, Claire Redfield and Barry Burton, who are members of Terra Save, a humanitarian outfit which help people affected by bio-terrorism. From the very first scene, it is clear that this Resident Evil is taking a slightly less serious approach.

In the most recent editions, Resident Evil’s storyline which has become more and more convoluted and difficult to follow, but I was pleasantly surprised to find that this game takes a more simplistic approach to storytelling. There is a great sense of mystery surrounding what is occurring and, like most episodic games, there are plenty of twists and turns to keep you hooked until the next episode. Although this is a sequel to Resident Evil: Revelations, the story, at least in the first episode, does not link into the first game.

The general gameplay in Revelations 2 has improved since the first title, most notably in character movement. The ability to dodge attacks has been simplified to pressing the circle button and the direction you want to dodge, which is an improvement on the previous game which required you to wait until the enemy attacked in order to click forward or back to dodge. The new approach is much better and helps the game keep a pace which is more in line with today’s shooters.

Each character has their own chapter and also their own co-op partner to work alongside them. Claire teams up with Moira Burton, the daughter of series legend Barry Burton. Moira is a new recruit of Terra Save and is not used to the situations we have come to expect from the series. Barry gains the assistance of Natalia Korda, a mysterious girl whose story is yet to be revealed. Both partners have similar actions to each other, Moira possesses a torch which can blind enemies and also spot items which Claire cannot and acts as support in combat with the aid of a crowbar. Natalia has the almost supernatural ability to ‘sense’ nearby enemies and can reach places that Barry cannot due to her diminutive stature.

Switching between the secondary characters is as simple as pressing the triangle button and I found myself switching often to make sure I hadn’t missed anything. Co-op gameplay comes in the form of local split screen, with online co-op in the Raid mode unlocking once the final episode releases. The lack of online co-op in the campaign is puzzling to me but the split screen works well enough. My only complaint is that both of the screens are small 16:9 rectangles which can make it hard to focus on what is going on, particularly if there are multiple enemies on screen.

Split screen co-op is also available in Raid mode and it’s a particular highlight given the added competitiveness of seeing who can take down the most enemies and level up their character the quickest. There are unlocks at various levels which give you more slots for weapons and also new and improved perks, which help as you try to overcome the stronger enemies that each subsequent mission throws at you.

The combat is as satisfying as most third person shooters these days, and thankfully there’s no clumsy cover system like there was in RE6 so you can just concentrate on getting well placed shots with the excellent over-the-shoulder aiming. In single player you’ll find you play primarily as Claire or Barry, as although they help when computer controlled, Moira and Natalia are no use for combat purposes at all. There are some early problems whilst switching characters, as I was trying to prise a door open with Moira’s crowbar, Claire was slashing away ineffectively at enemies with her knife. It wasn’t until later that I discovered you have to unlock the skill to enable the computer controlled AI to use their gun. This makes some early encounters a bit trickier than when replaying.

On the subject of skills, there are many different ones to unlock throughout the course of the game and you do this by using points accumulated through the main story. There are gems which can be collected around the prison and forest which will be added to your total, though the bulk of the points come from your performance in the chapter. You get scored on various criteria such as the amount of times you had to retry and also how long the chapter took to complete.

The game runs well on PS4 and, for the most part, at a smooth 60fps. The only problem I ran into was a dip in the framerate in the forest area but this did not affect the gameplay at all or my experience with the game, although it is noticeable when the rest of the game runs so well. The environments don’t have the amount of detail you may have come to expect from more recent current-gen titles, not that they look terrible, this is still a PS4 game after all, but they look a little drab and generic compared to other offerings.

The game has a lot of replay value both in its main campaign and also in the returning Raid mode. In the campaign there are various medals to earn by completing certain tasks and there are also a number of other collectibles scattered around the area to find. The Raid mode in particular is incredibly fun and I can see myself losing a lot of time to it. The mode plays to the strength of the game which is the shooting mechanics, and running through a level, some of which are locations from the story and past RE games, and gunning down all of the enemies is extremely satisfying. There are a wealth of other unlockables, some of which will unlock as each episode releases, and offer various options for customisation.

Unlike its predecessor, the campaign in Resident Evil: Revelations 2 thus far places more emphasis on action rather than slow burn tension, though Claire’s chapter harks back towards the item management and the notable scarcity of ammo of earlier Resident Evils. Either way with its back to basics approach to narrative, and its deeply satisfying gunplay, early signs are that Resident Evil: Revelations 2 will be a worthy addition to the series.

What’s Good: 
Satisfying gunplay.
Simple but engaging story.
Raid mode adds to the replay value
What’s Bad: 
Online co-op not available until the full release.
Uninspired and dreary environments.
Score: 8/10