Samsung Galaxy Note 4 (with Exynos 5433) benchmarks surface: see how it compares with iPhone 6

The Samsung Galaxy Note 4 is expected to enter a fierce competition with the newly launched iPhone 6 Plus, but while it will be a couple more  weeks until the Note 4 arrives on store shelves in the middle of  October, the first benchmarks of the device have already leaked out.

In particular, we’re looking at the first benchmarks for the Exynos 5433
version of the Note 4. Note that this is the version that will be  distributed mostly in Asia, while Western markets and the United States  will get the Snapdragon 805 Note 4 model.

With this in mind, we should say that the Exynos 5433 model has one important advantage - unlike the 32-bit Snapdragon 805, Samsung’s own SoC is ARMv8 compatible
and can run in 64-bit-mode as well, so it will in fact benefit from the full range of improvements coming with Android L and the ART runtime in particular.

Samsung is using an ARM processor license and has equipped the Exynos 5433 with four low-power Cortex A53 cores and four performance-driven Cortex A57 cores in a big.LITTLE setup. Speeds reach up to 1.3GHz on the A53s, and 1.9GHz on the A57s, and the whole SoC is  layed out in the 20nmmanufacturing process. Looking a bit deeper at theperformance A57 core, you’d see that it is in fact a glorified A15 witha 3-issue width and a deep, 15-stage pipeline. In reality, you should expect a 20% to 30% increase in 32-bit performance over Cortex A15s, and even larger gains on 64-bit.

It’s time to put all those claims to the test, and these leaked benchmarks to exactly that. Take a look at
the leaked benchmark results below. We’ve compared the results to our  own preliminary benchmarks of the Note 4, and the results seem realistic to expectations.
From the CPU-centric benchmarks like Sunspider, Browsermark, and Geekbench, you can see a very clear improvement in the double percentage digits. Comparisons with the iPhone 6 are inevitable, so we’ll leave the iPhone 6 benchmark scores for contrast below (the iPhone 6 scores are not in the
images, but we've added them for comparison in the text to the slides):

Additional Samsung Galaxy Note 4 (with Exynos 5433) benchmarks surface

1. Sunspider results

Apple iPhone 6 score: 353.4

View As One Page »

The performance of the Mali T-760 GPU is definitely impressive,
but the demanding Quad HD (1440 x 2560-pixel) resolution takes its toll
when it comes to on-screen results, and you can see how the Note 4
actually trails behind even the Note 3 in those terms. Apple’s
arch-rival benefits most from its comparatively low resolution and
scores nearly double the on-screen benchmark results. It’s a trade-off:
you get a higher-resolution screen (the benefits of which are explained
here), but you lose performance.

GFXBench T-Rex results

9 Nearly Worthless Gadgets You're Hanging Onto for Dear Life

What's This?

Image: Flickr, Jonas Nilson

You can't put a price on childhood memories, which explains why most
of your favorite toys and gadgets from childhood aren't worth squat.


Now, you can still make a nice profit off unopened, exceedingly
well-maintained or rare items from your younger days, but the majority
of your prized possessions are too new to be artifacts and too old to be
useful.

See also: 9 Valuable Things You Didn't Know Are Lying Around Your House

Before you try to sell your childhood dreams away, check out the nine
items that have much more sentimental value than market value. And if
you decide to junk them, think about donating or recycling.

1. Most of your old sports video games

Madden NFL 2000 might be worth a lot sentimentally, but not much monetarily.

Image: Mashable GIF, EA Sports

You might treasure the afternoons you wasted away with your friends playing Madden NFL 2000 and High Heat Baseball, but the games themselves are almost worthless. According to PriceCharting, which records listing prices for video games on eBay, Amazon and Half.com, most sports games for Nintendo 64 and Playstation all start at about $3.

2. Super Soaker

This meant war.

Image: Imgur, bacchus808

Nothing
said summer like pumping this cumbersome canon until it squealed and
subsequently nailing your best friend in the eye. Unfortunately, a used
Super Soaker probably won't get you more than $20 on eBay since they're
still being made today — albeit with a little less power.

3. Hit Clips

Believe or not, the least efficient way to listen to Sugar Ray won't
fetch you a big price. A brand new, in-the-package player sells for
about $20 on Amazon, and the diminutive clips themselves are worth less
than a dollar. But who knows? Maybe they'll actually be worth something
someday.

4. Sony Walkman cassette players

Better for pumping out the jams then pumping in cash.

Image: Flickr, edvvc

Speaking
of obsolete ways to rock out, don't bother trying to sell your Walkman
cassette player. If anything, digging up that old copy of Backstreet
Boys' "Black & Blue" and finally coming to terms with those
grade-school crushes might be more valuable.


Some from the 1970s and '80s can fetch hundreds of dollars in
near-mint condition, but the one you rocked in the '90s won't get much
more than $25.

5. iMac G3

Pretty, but worthless.

Image: Flickr, cle0patra

Yes,
they're pretty and colorful, and yes, you can actually get about $150
for one if you manage to sell it. However, that's exceedingly difficult
to do on eBay, where listings for the computers get little love with
slashed prices.

6. Tamagotchi

There are 75 million of these things in world, making yours inexpensive.

Image: Flickr, Joi Ito

These virtual pocket pets might have you caused you (and your teachers) a lot of stress back in the day, but that won't amount to much profit. Tamagotchi are still made today — there's even an app now. By 2010 there were roughly 75 million around the world. Not rare = not too valuable.

7. Casio Calculator Watch

It's time to stop trying to sell these.

Image: Flickr, Rik Panganiban

While
the calculator watch had a heyday in the 1980s, it's been rendered
obsolete by modern inventions, like PDAs, cellphones and fashion. Some
modern top-of-the-line models go for a nice price, but the numbers
aren't in your favor if you list a standard version. You'll be lucky to
get more than $15.

8. Palm Pilots and other PDAs

Relics from a land before smartphones.

Image: Flickr, Ben Combee

Another
victim of the proliferation of smartphones, PDAs serve little purpose
or utility now. And since it hasn't been too long since they were used,
there's little nostalgia factor to drive up the price. High-tech models
from the past decade may get you $40, but basic and older PDAs barely
scratch $20.

9. Boomboxes

A TV in a boombox might be the only thing to make it worth something.

Image: Flickr, Eliot Phillips

With all due respect to Radio Raheem,
the boombox's glory days are long gone, and so is any chance you had to
make some money off of it. While the boombox carries unique musical and
cultural value, that won't translate into cash.


Some rare vintage models will go for $50, but the rest fall somewhere between $15 and $25.


Have something to add to this story? Share it in the comments.

BONUS: 8 Modern Gadgets That Look Like They Macarena'd Out of the '90s

'90s-Inspired Modern Gadgets

1. Tamagotchi

The Tamagotchi hath returned. Popular in the '90s, the handheld
digital pet made a millennial comeback with its new line of upgraded
Tamagotchis. The toys now have the capability to "bump" and exchange
information, such as text messages, pictures and gifts.


Price: Approximately $30

Image: Amazon

Show As List

LG Shows Off 'World's Smallest' Wireless Charger

via mashable.com

LG is definitely one of the most active companies at this year's Mobile World Congress, having already shown several new smartphones and announcing it has acquired webOS from HP. It seems LG doesn't plan to stop there, as it just announced the "world's smallest" wireless charging device.

The WCP-300 is a little black pad, just 6.9cm in diameter. It's compatible with a standard 5-pin micro-USB charger, and complies with the Qi standards of the Wireless Power Consortium.

As for the devices that support it, there are two available in the U.S. market: the LG Spectrum and the Nexus 4. The freshly showcased LG Optimus G Pro also supports this technology, but we don't know when it'll become available in the U.S.

Like all companies trying to push wireless charging tech to the market, LG hopes more and more upcoming smartphones will have built-in support for this tech. LG itself plans to introduce smartphones with "more advanced" wireless charging tech in the global market.

The WCP-300 will become available next week in South Korea for about $60; a global and U.S. rollout is pending.

LG has also demonstrated their wireless Ultra HD Transmission technology, which enables fast delivery of high-resolution multimedia content from smartphones to TVs.

By "Ultra HD" LG means 4K video content, and the entire technology works by using Wi-Fi, but LG would not go into specifics. LG also claims the tech uses "less than half" the power of other similar technologies, and it does that by reducing the strain on the CPU and other hardware resources.

Of course, 4K content is still hard to find, which means this tech is currently merely a reminder of how one day we could all enjoy the wonders of 4K video and stream it around our house to whatever device we like.

The 3 Tech Accessories You'll Want In Your Bag | Tech Update

Whatever your gear-toting vessel of choice--messenger bag, backback, purse--there's a few things that every techie should have on hand. There's your phone, of course, plus maybe a laptop, or a tablet or eReader for some people. But that's not the stuff anyone has to remind you to bring along on your daily adventures. You can be ready for anything, no matter what happens along the way, if you keep these 3 items handy.

At Least One Pair of Earbuds
Even if your listening gear of choice is a sweet pair of Sennheiser cans, you might not carry them everywhere with you. Be ready for YouTube tutorial vids at the library, or an impromptu jam session on the train, by keeping an old and compact pair of earbuds handy.
Try this: iHip's retractable earbuds are compact and inexpensive at around $12.

A Backup Phone Battery
A long day out of the house takes as much energy out of you as it does out of your smartphone. Make sure you stay connect late into the night with a backup battery.
Try this: Mophie makes great backup gear. Try the Juice Pack case for iPhone or the Samsung Galaxy S III. Or the keychain-sized portable battery Juice Pack Reserve for iPhone or other Micro USB smartphones.

An Empty Flash Drive You Can Afford to Lose
You might keep a personal drive to travel with important docs, but you might also want to keep a cheap spare on you. If you ever need to give it away or leave it with someone, you won't panic thinking about losing your gear or your data.
Try this: A 1GB drive will cover you in a jam for less than $1.

(Images: iHip, Amazon.com, Mophie)

via apartmenttherapy.com

The 3 Tech Accessories You'll Want In Your Bag | Tech Update

Whatever your gear-toting vessel of choice--messenger bag, backback, purse--there's a few things that every techie should have on hand. There's your phone, of course, plus maybe a laptop, or a tablet or eReader for some people. But that's not the stuff anyone has to remind you to bring along on your daily adventures. You can be ready for anything, no matter what happens along the way, if you keep these 3 items handy.

At Least One Pair of Earbuds
Even if your listening gear of choice is a sweet pair of Sennheiser cans, you might not carry them everywhere with you. Be ready for YouTube tutorial vids at the library, or an impromptu jam session on the train, by keeping an old and compact pair of earbuds handy.
Try this: iHip's retractable earbuds are compact and inexpensive at around $12.

A Backup Phone Battery
A long day out of the house takes as much energy out of you as it does out of your smartphone. Make sure you stay connect late into the night with a backup battery.
Try this: Mophie makes great backup gear. Try the Juice Pack case for iPhone or the Samsung Galaxy S III. Or the keychain-sized portable battery Juice Pack Reserve for iPhone or other Micro USB smartphones.

An Empty Flash Drive You Can Afford to Lose
You might keep a personal drive to travel with important docs, but you might also want to keep a cheap spare on you. If you ever need to give it away or leave it with someone, you won't panic thinking about losing your gear or your data.
Try this: A 1GB drive will cover you in a jam for less than $1.

(Images: iHip, Amazon.com, Mophie)

via apartmenttherapy.com

The Best Way To Sell or Donate Your Old Gadgets

 

 

Your old gadgets may not be of much value anymore now that you've upgraded to the newest model but that doesn't mean they're worthless. Folks will pay good money (or at least good karma) for your second-hand electronics. Here's how to hawk your legacy hardware online or just give it away responsibly.

If you decide to recoup some cash and sell the gadgets, the most direct way is to sell them yourself on sites like Craigslist or eBay. Setting up shop in these digital bazaars is as simple as signing up for an account and then writing the perfect ad. But to ensure that your stuff fetches the highest price, you'll need to do some research first. Search the site that you're listing on for comparable models to get a sense of your gadget's current market value and adjust your asking price accordingly. The condition of your item makes a big difference when selling directly so make sure to factor any damage into your search criteria as well. Also, be sure to wipe any personal information from your devices before you deliver them to the buyer.

If dealing with the weirdos on Craigslist is too much to handle, retailers such as Best Buy, Radio Shack, Amazon, Game Stop, and Verizon offer consignment services. You likely won't get quite as much as you would by selling directly but it is far less of a hassle. Sites like Gazelle which specializes in Apple products, ReCellular, which accepts many older phones that the others don't, and Nextworth, which pays for a host of gadgets including tablets, phones, cameras, calculators, and tablets, will also buy your gear.

Make sure you know how and when you'll be paid by these retailers. Amazon, for example, will make an offer based on your description of the item, then have you send it for inspection before sending Amazon gift cards for the agreed upon value. Best Buy operates this way as well, paying in gift cards, though you can also sell items at its brick and mortar locations as well. Helpful when you don't want to wait 48 hours for Amazon cards. Nextworth will pay you in any number of ways—check, PayPal deposit, or Target gift card—but takes as long as ten business days to initiate payment. Gazelle also offers a variety of payment options—Amazon gift card, PayPal payment, or check—and typically takes about a week.

If, on the other hand, you are feeling generous (or just can't quite get the price you want) many charities will gladly accept donations in the form of electronics—either refurbishing or responsibly recycling them. But which charity should you give your goods to? That's ultimately up to you to decide, however we've included a brief list of major charities. If you know of another worthy cause, let us know in the discussion below.

• Reconnect—a collaboration between Dell and Goodwill.
• The Wireless Foundation—which donates 100 percent of its refurbished phone sales to domestic abuse organizations.
• eBay Giving Works—eBay will donate between 10 and 100 percent of your items final auction price to the charity of your choice.
• World Computer Exchange—this charity uses refurbished electronics to build computer labs in underdeveloped nations.
• Games for Heroes—if you've got some superfluous Xbox games or a PSP you no longer want, Games for Heroes will send them to US servicemen stationed abroad.
• The Make-A-Wish Foundation, which donates refurbished computers, gaming consoles, and MP3 players to hospitalized children.

via gizmodo.com

 

BookBook for iPhone

via coolmaterial.com

Are you very important? Do you have many leatherbound books and an apartment, or a home, that smells of rich mahogany? Do you own an iPhone? Are you Ron Burgundy? If you answered yes to any of these questions, you need a BookBook for your iPhone. The iPhone (cellphones in general really) looks better without a case, this much we know. Unfortunately, we’re also far too familiar with the fact that screens break way too easily and replacements don’t come cheap. You could put your iPhone in whatever case Apple recommends (the one they refuse to give you for free even though it’s practically a necessity), but bumpers are for kid’s bowling parties, not your technological lifeline. Putting that phone into a BookBook not only gives you the convenience of having your wallet and phone together, the fact that it’s leatherbound makes you feel important. $60

The cutting edge HP Pre3 smartphone

Mixing business with pleasure has traditionally been frowned upon. Today’s business world, however, requires professionals to stay connected 24 hours a day, seven days a week. And not just connected to business e-mail, but also to personal e-mail, secure corporate networks, professional social networks, personal social networks and to the Internet. In addition to staying connected, mobile productivity and the ability to multitask are essential to efficiency. But what device can truly support these demands? Introducing a cutting-edge smartphone from the US that meets all of your needs: the HP Pre3.*

True multitasking functionality
The HP Pre3 smartphone is loaded with the HP webOS, putting the “smart” in “smartphone”. The HP webOS works the way you do. For example, begin an e-mail, pause to answer a call, check your calendar, send a text, then switch back to your e-mail without closing anything. Pre3 lets you easily manage multiple open applications and notifications, using natural touch gestures.

The HP webOS takes the hard tasks out of everyday work and optimises business functionality by logically organising your workflow. Keep multiple apps open at once and easily switch back and forth between them. Plus, HP webOS lets apps share information with each other, simplifying your life. Additional products that run on HP WebOS include the HP TouchPad tablet and the HP Veer 4G.

One device that brings it all together
With so many accounts to manage – such as Microsoft® Exchange, Google calendars, LinkedIn and Facebook – staying on top of them all can be a real challenge. The HP Synergy feature on the Pre3 brings together messages, contacts and calendars from different sources, accounts and platforms, so everything’s where it should be.[1] The information automatically populates the phone and stays updated, so it’s always at the user’s fingertips. The e-mail inbox can be customised to view all accounts together or separately, and folders that are used most often can be marked as favourites for faster access. Users can separate business and personal e-mail inboxes on the HP Pre3 smartphone if they choose to, but there’s no need to have separate devices for business and personal use. Now, with the HP Pre3, business professionals can send important e-mails, touch base with old friends – and remember their kids’ birthday parties.

Beauty to match its brains
The HP Pre3 is as stylish, comfortable and easy to use as it is functional. The large screen and portrait layout enable optimal readability for e-mail, attachments and Internet browsing, and the vertical slide-out wide keyboard helps ensure quick and comfortable error-free typing. The HP Pre3 offers the best of both worlds with an intuitive combination of vivid touchscreen and large keyboard – and all this in a compact design. It’s ideal for heavy e-mail and messaging needs, Internet browsing, enjoying multimedia and for staying in touch with business and social circles.[1][2]

Designed for the speed of business
In today’s demanding business world, it’s important to have a device that can do it all. The HP Pre3 also includes more business essentials such as video calling, noise-cancelling speakerphone, wireless charging, HD video shooting, access to thousands of apps and Microsoft Word® and Excel® file viewers. Plus, it enables users to have a real Internet experience on a mobile device.

Real web experience
The Internet browser on the HP Pre3 smartphone isn’t a mobile browser that only shows text or watered-down versions of websites. It displays full HTML sites just like on a computer and allows users to perform tasks such as stream video, upload photos and online banking. Experience the web the way it was meant to be. With support from the Adobe Flash® Plugin 10.1, flash-based games, videos and other rich interactive content are all accessible through the browser.

The HP Pre3 smartphones enable for powerful mobile productivity while seamlessly bringing users’ worlds together on a single sleek device, connecting them to those worlds 24/7. A mobile device isn’t solely for business use and multitasking doesn’t only apply to the workplace. The HP Pre3 systematically allows users to mix business with pleasure. And thanks to the latest HP WebOS, the HP Pre3 does more to simplify the busy days in the lives of business professionals and enables them to get more done.

Find out more:

• HP Pre3
• HP webOS

 

Huawei MediaPad Is the First Tablet Running Android 3.2

via gizmodo.com

Out in Singapore, Huawei has just launched their brand new 7-inch MediaPad, putting it in line with such tablets as the HTC Flyer and the Samsung Galaxy Tab. What sets it apart, though, is that it's running the Android 3.2.

Now, Huawei has stated that 3.2 is essentially Honeycomb optimized for 7-inch screens, so you might see a somewhat similar experience to the new Galaxy Tab 10.1. The 10.5mm body is still thicker than the iPad, but under the surface comes a 1.2Ghz Qualcomm dual-core processor, a 217 pixels-per-inch IPS touchscreen, front and rear-facing cameras for those sweet Skype sessions, and 8GB of internal storage. It also supports Bluetooth, 1080p video playback and comes with an HDMI output. While it does support 3G, Huawei has no plans for making a WiFi-only model, which kinda sucks for those who might prefer the option.