[Infographic] Comparing the Galaxy Buds Live and Galaxy Buds+

When it comes to picking out the perfect pair of earbuds, we all have our preferences. Whether you prioritize long battery life, a lightweight design, or a high-quality speaker and microphone setup, your choice of earbuds ultimately depends on your own unique tastes and usage patterns.

 

Samsung Electronics has made it its mission to expand consumers’ options for wireless earbuds. In addition to diversifying the types of earbuds that consumers have to choose from, the company is constantly exploring ways to enhance key design elements, including everything from colors to form factors, while raising the bar for audio quality. The Galaxy Buds Live mark an exciting new chapter for the Galaxy lineup as the first ‘open-type’ wireless earbuds to feature active noise cancelling.

 

Check out the infographic below to learn more about how the Galaxy Buds Live compare to the Galaxy Buds+.

 

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Tips from the Expert: Sudhir Shivaram on Mastering Smartphone Photography in the Wild #withGalaxy

Photo: Sudhir Shivaram

 

Today, smartphones are equipped with pro-grade cameras, and owing to that, smartphones have come a long way from being just a camera phone to becoming a preferred choice for professional photography.

 

In our latest Galaxy Masterclass, Sudhir Shivaram, a revered Indian wildlife photographer, an entrepreneur, and a Galaxy Expert, lets us in on the exciting world of wildlife photography and spills the beans on how to make the most of smartphone photography with Galaxy S20 FE pro-grade cameras.

 

Photo: Sudhir Shivaram

 

Packed with fan-favourite features, the Galaxy S20 FE offers the users a flagship experience and the ability to capture content anytime, anywhere. The triple rear camera features powerful 30X Space Zoom that lets you get close to your subject to capture the shot. The Single Take feature allows you to capture up to 14 different formats of photos and videos in a single click. Galaxy S20 FE features large image sensors including AI multi-frame processing.

 

Here’s an opportunity for all the budding photographers. Hone your photography skills with pro tips by the Galaxy Expert Sudhir Shivaram using the new Galaxy S20 FE.

 

Join his LIVE session on November 12, 2020 at 3pm. To register for the Galaxy Masterclass, click here:

 

https://samsungplus.webex.com/samsungplus/onstage/g.php?MTID=e4a3ad535b568da35fae18cf3968bce84

 

Event number: 176 921 2545

Event password: 121120

 

 

 

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Samsung AI Forum 2020: Humanity Takes Center Stage in Discussing the Future of AI

Each year, Samsung Electronics’ AI Forum brings together experts from all over the world to discuss the latest advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) and share ideas on the next directions for the development of these technologies.

 

This November 2 and 3, experts, researchers and interested viewers alike convened virtually to share the latest developments in AI research and discussed some of the most pressing and relevant issues facing AI research today.

 

Making the Best Use of AI in a Rapidly Changing World

AI technologies have developed remarkably in recent years, thanks in no small part to the hard work and diverse research projects being done by academic and corporate researchers alike all around the world. But given the rapid and significant changes brought on by the recent global pandemic, attention has recently been turning to how AI can be used to help solve real-life problems, and what methods might be most effective in order to create such solutions.

 

 

The first day of the forum, organized by the Samsung Advanced Institute of Technology (SAIT), was opened with a keynote speech by Dr. Kinam Kim, Vice Chairman and CEO of Device Solutions at Samsung Electronics, who acknowledged the importance of the discussions set to take place at this year’s AI Forum around the past, present and future of the role of AI. Dr. Kim also affirmed Samsung Electronics’ dedication to working with global researchers in order to develop products and services with meaningful real-world impact.

 

The first day of the Forum then continued with a series of fascinating invited talks given by several global leading academics and professionals. Professor Yoshua Bengio of University of Montreal, Professor Yann LeCun of New York University and Professor Chelsea Finn of Stanford University were the first three to present, following which the Samsung AI Researcher of the Year awards were presented. After this ceremony, SAIT Fellow Professor Donhee Ham of Harvard University, Dr. Tara Sainath of Google Research and Dr. Jennifer Wortman Vaughan of Microsoft Research gave their talks.

 

Taking AI to the Next Phases of its Development

The first day’s invited talks were followed by a virtual live panel discussion, moderated by Young Sang Choi, Vice President of Samsung Electronics, and attended by Professor Bengio, Professor LeCun, Professor Finn, Dr. Sainath, Dr. Wortman Vaughan and Dr. Inyup Kang, President of Samsung Electronics’ System LSI business. “It is my great pleasure to join this Forum,” noted Dr. Kang. “I feel as if I am standing on the shoulders of giants.”

 

 

Questions were given to the panel that invited the experts to discuss the ways in which computational bottlenecks can be overcome in order to take AI systems to the next level and be developed to possess the same intelligibility as the human brain. The panelists weighed the benefits of scaling neural nets as opposed to searching for new algorithms, with Dr. Kang noting that, “We have to try both. Given the scale of human synapses, I doubt that we can achieve the human level of intelligibility using just current technologies. Eventually we will get there, but we definitely need new algorithms, too.”

 

Professor LeCun noted how AI research is not just constrained by current scaling methods. “We are missing some major pieces to being able to reach human-level intelligence, or even just animal-level intelligence,” he said, adding that perhaps, in the near future, we might be able to develop machines that can at least reach the scale of an animal such as a cat. Professor Finn concurred with Professor LeCun. “We still don’t even have the AI capabilities to make a bowl of cereal,” she noted. “Such basic things are still beyond what our current algorithms are capable of.”

 

Building on the topic of his invited talk, Professor Bengio added that, in order for future systems to have intelligence comparable to that of the way humans learn as children, a world model will need to be developed that is based on unsupervised learning. “Our models need to act like human babies in order to go after knowledge in an active way,” he explained.

 

 

The panel discussion then moved on to the ways in which the community can bridge the gaps between current technologies and future, human-intelligence level technologies, with all the experts agreeing that there is still much work to be done in developing systems that mimic the way human synapses work. “A lot of current research directions are trying to address these gaps,” reassured Professor Bengio.

 

Next, the panel shared their thoughts on how to make AI ‘fairer’ given the inherent biases possessed by today’s societies, with the experts debating the balance that needs to be struck between systems development reform, institutional regulation and corporate interest. Dr. Wortman Vaughan made the case for introducing a diversity of viewpoints across all parts of the system building process. “I would like to see regulation around processes for people to follow when designing machine learning systems rather than trying to make everyone meet the same outcomes.”

 

The final question given to the panel asked for their thoughts on which field will be the next successful application area for end-to-end models. “End-to-end models changed the field of speech recognition by reducing latency and removing the need for internet connection,” noted Dr. Sainath. “Thanks to this breakthrough, going forward, you’re going to see applications of end-to-end models for such purposes as long meeting transcriptions. We always speak of having ‘one model to rule them all’, and this is a challenging and interesting research area that has been expanded by the possibilities of end-to-end models as we look to develop a model capable of recognizing all the languages in the world.”

 

Enhancing Human Experience through AI

The second day of the AI Forum 2020 was hosted by Samsung Research, the advanced R&D hub of Samsung Electronics that leads the development of future technologies for the company’s end-product business.

 

 

In his opening keynote speech, Dr. Sebastian Seung, President and Head of Samsung Research, outlined the areas in which Samsung has been accelerating its AI research to the end of providing real-world benefits to their users, including more traditional AI fields (vision and graphics, speech and language, robotics), on-device AI and the health and wellness field.

 

After showcasing a range of Samsung products bolstered with AI technologies, Dr. Seung affirmed that, in order to best extend the capabilities of AI to truly help people in meaningful ways, academic researchers and corporations need to come together to find best-practice solutions.

Putting the Future of AI into Perspective

Following Dr. Seung’s speech, the second day of the Forum proceeded with a series of invited talks around the theme of ‘Human-Centric AI’ by Professor Christopher Manning of Stanford University, Professor Devi Parikh of the Georgia Institute of Technology, Professor Subbarao Kambhampati of Arizona State University and Executive Vice President of Samsung Research Daniel D. Lee, Head of Samsung’s AI Center in New York and Professor at Cornell Tech.

 

The expert talks were followed by a live panel discussion, moderated by Dr. Seung and joined by Professor Manning, Professor Parikh, Professor Kambhampati and EVP Lee. Dr. Seung kicked off the discussion with a question about a topic raised in Professor Kambhampati’s speech around the potential issues that could lead to the risk of data manipulation as AI develops. “As AI technology continues to develop, it is important that we stay vigilant about the potential for manipulation and work to solve the issues of any AI systems’ inadvertent data manipulations,” explained Professor Kambhampati.

 

Dr. Seung then posed a much-requested viewer question to the panel. Given that one of the most practical concerns in AI research is the obtaining of data, the experts were asked whether they believe that companies or academic researchers need to develop new means of handling and managing data. Acknowledging that academics often struggle to secure data while companies possess alleviated data shortage problems yet elevated restraints around the usage of their data, Professor Parikh made a case for the need of new research methods that can be modeled with insufficient data or with cooperation between academia and industry, including open research methods. “In many areas, there are big public data sets available,” she noted. “Researchers outside of companies are able to access and use these. But further to this, some of the most interesting fields in AI today are the ones where we don’t have much data – these represent some of the most cutting-edge problems and approaches.”

 

 

 

The final question took the panel back to the theme of the AI Forum’s second day, ‘Human-Centered AI’, wherein the panelists were asked whether or not they believe that AI will be capable of equaling human intelligence in the next 70 years, since that is the period of time it has taken us to get to where we are today in the field of AI research. EVP Lee reasoned that AI still has a way to go – but that 70 years is a long time. “I am optimistic,” noted EVP Lee, “but there are lots of hard problems in the way. We need to have academics and companies working on a goal like this together.”

 

“We are currently reaching the limits of the range of problems we can solve using just lots of data,” summarized Professor Manning. “Before we see AI developments like this on a large scale, an area that we should emphasize is the production of AI systems that work for regular people, not just huge corporations,” he concluded.

 

The Samsung AI Forum 2020 ended with a warm thanks to all the esteemed experts who had taken part in the two-day Forum and a shared hope to hold next year’s Forum offline. All the sessions and invited talks from the AI Forum 2020 are available to watch on the official Samsung YouTube channel.

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Samsung Brings First of its Kind Lifestyle TV The Sero, a Rotating TV for the Social Media Generation

 

Samsung, India’s most trusted and largest consumer electronics brand, today expanded its lifestyle TV range with the launch of The Sero, the world’s first mobile optimized TV that champions content viewing by rotating between horizontal and vertical orientations at the flick of a button. The Sero will be exclusively available at Reliance Digital stores at a price of INR 1,24,990.

 

The new TV is a design testament that caters to consumers who want their gadgets to be unique and stylish yet high on functionality. The Sero is a space-saving and stylish addition to any room’s design. Elegantly minimal with a navy blue stand, it has a 360° clean design. The Sero redefines what a TV screen can do.

 

The Sero – named for the Korean word for ‘vertical’ – has the ability to pivot between horizontal and vertical orientations just as a user might handle their smartphone or tablet. Geared toward a younger social media generation with an interest in viewing experiences such as the ones found on their mobile devices, The Sero is optimized for social media content, streaming services and gaming. All this is wrapped up with an eye-catching design and innovative user experience formulated after extensive consumer research.

 

It delivers a mobile-optimized experience while rotating the screen automatically to mirror mobile content. The screen can also be rotated by remote control, voice command and via the SmartThings app.

 

The Sero comes with uniquely designed 4.1ch 60W Front Firing speakers that deliver an exceptional sound experience. Consumers will be able to amp up the sound for a fully immersive entertainment experience, whether streaming music, mirroring content from smartphones and scrolling through their social media feeds, or watching their favourite shows.

 

The innovative design has been paired with powerful features to enhance the viewing experience, including Samsung’s industry leading QLED technology. The Sero is designed to adapt to each consumers’ needs, whether for mirroring phone content which can be done simply by tapping your phone on the TV or for transforming movie nights, as it delivers 100% colour volume with over a billion colours and shades for a truly cinematic experience. The Sero also uses AI to upscale content to 4K resolution, so users can stream their favorite content in spectacular detail, regardless of the source.

 

 

Not only does The Sero let you enjoy 4K entertainment on TV, it stands out even when it’s not in use. Its unique Portrait Mode lets consumers choose from various stylish vertical backgrounds to enhance their home. The Ambient Mode+ on the TV allows users to display useful information or blend the TV into its surroundings, making the big blank screen a thing of the past.

 

The Sero is also equipped with other smart features such as Adaptive Picture, Responsive UI, Tap View technology, Active Voice Amplifier (AVA) etc. for an advanced viewing experience.

 

“With The Sero, we want to tap in to the social media generation. With consumers now using their TVs in different ways than ever before, including scrolling through social media, watching the latest viral videos or binge watching their favorite OTT shows, we wanted to redefine their content viewing experience by moving it to a bigger screen. The Sero has been designed to seamlessly adapt and enhance whatever content the user is watching, bringing in a more optimized experience to consumers,” said Raju Pullan, Senior Vice President, Consumer Electronics Business, Samsung India.

 

Price, Availability, Offers & Warranty

The Sero will be available in 43-inch screen size and features a contemporary navy-blue bezel design. The lifestyle TV is priced at INR 1,24,990 and will be available exclusively at Reliance Digital stores.

 

Additionally, consumers can enjoy a host of other benefits like 5% cash back and EMIs as low as INR 1,190.

 

Reliance Digital is also offering gift vouchers from AJIO and Reliance Trends till November 16, 2020 during the on-going “Festival of Electronics” sale that the retailer is running.

 

The Sero will come with a 10-year no screen burn-in warranty, one-year comprehensive warranty and one-year additional warranty on panel.

Features of The World’s First Mobile-friendly TV, The Sero

With the new addition to its 2020 line-up, Samsung has strengthened its lifestyle TV portfolio that consists of The Frame and The Serif TVs.

 

A First of its Kind Design

Geared towards new age and design conscious consumers, ‘The Sero’ provides a modern design that stands out in any space, even when it is not in use. ‘The Sero’ moves to fit your content, landscape for TV and movies and portrait for all your mobile content and apps. Its stylish All-in-one Stand offers a 360-degree clean look to your living space without the clutter of wires peaking from behind.

 

It provides the same smart TV experience whether you are watching TV in vertical or horizontal mode.

One Tap Content Sharing

Just one tap on the bezel. That’s all it takes to show content from your mobile on The Sero. If you’re listening to music or watching a video on your phone, Tap View will have it playing on the TV in seconds.

 

The Sero shows your content, including apps and social media, with an optimized viewing ratio so you can enjoy it on the full screen.

 

Powerful Sound

The Sero comes with powerful, beautifully designed 4.1ch 60W Front Firing speakers. With a simple Bluetooth connection, one can enjoy powerful sound from their smartphone. With its protruded Front Firing speakers sending powerful sounds to the front and 4.1ch speakers that are embedded with base-enhancing woofers, the TV delivers impressive audio that is particularly good at low-frequencies.

Intelligent Noise Detection to Enhance Voice Clarity

When that crucial scene in the show you are watching is overwhelmed by a loud noise around you, the Active Voice Amplifier (AVA) feature is automatically activated. It increases the volume of voices in content accordingly if surrounding conditions become too loud.

Display Brilliance for Enhanced Content Consumption

The Sero combines the cutting-edge technology of Samsung’s revolutionary QLED technology and innovative design, providing a new approach to home entertainment with seamless connectivity that meets the needs and habits of the growing mobile viewing audience. The QLED technology enables beautiful colors, exceptional contrasts and impeccable details with 100% color volume.

 

Its Adaptive Picture+ feature controls the light and analyzes the video and surroundings to deliver the best picture quality under any circumstances. Also, its AI Upscaling feature enhances low-resolution content in to 4K quality.

Innovation to Blend Just as Perfectly

Equipped with Ambient Mode+, The Sero would surprise you with its transformation, blending with the background of your room. It analyses the texture and colour of the wall and adjusts its screen to match the surroundings. The TV also displays everyday information like date or weather.

 

With its vertical design and trendy Portrait Mode, The Sero becomes a complete interior masterpiece. With its Always On Display mode, you can choose from different backgrounds as per your choice and style.

 

 

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Samsung Innovation Award Recognizes Cutting-Edge Innovations from Students at IIT-ISM Dhanbad

Samsung India conducted the 10th edition of the Samsung Innovation Award at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) ISM Dhanbad to recognize and reward innovations by student-faculty teams that have the potential to revolutionize everyday living. Unlike previous years, the feel of event was more technocratic this year as students demonstrated their projects in a complete virtual set up. The theme for this year’s programme was Intelligence ‘Spawning’ on Devices, and students presented projects on multimedia, vision, IOT, agriculture and medicine.

 

The awards were presented by Dr. Aloknath De, Senior Vice President and Chief Technology Officer, Samsung R&D Institute – Bengaluru (SRI-B). Prizes worth INR 2.3 lakhs were awarded to the top three winners, while other finalists received certificate of merit from Samsung.

 

The jury panel for the award function included Prof. Tarachand Amgoth, Department of Computer Science and Engineering and Prof. Ajit Kumar, Department of Mining Machinery Engineering from IIT (ISM). The opening speech at the inauguration was addressed by Prof. Dheeraj Kumar, Dean (International Relations and Alumni Affairs) at IIT (ISM) while Prof. Pankaj Mishra, Associate Dean (Innovation) at IIT (ISM) ensured a smooth conduct of the event.

 

 

 

The first prize went to Ayush Somani, Gaurav Kumar and Gyanendra Das for their project ‘Invo-AI’, an innovative E-invoicing solution. The second Prize was grabbed by Sai Bhargav Reddy Vootkuru, Kotapati Siddarth Choudary and Rahul Kedia for their project, ‘Biomass LogicS’, while the project ‘Try First’ by Ankita Jaiswal, Somya Jain and Prakrit Raj won the third place. Merit were also given to seven other teams who had made it to the final round.

 

“Year-after-year, we have been delighted to see young bright minds come up with innovative, futuristic ideas. What impresses us is how they infuse novelty, apply deep tech and build prototypes. In this tenth edition of Samsung Innovation Award, the students of IIT (ISM) Dhanbad have demonstrated the same spirit on the theme ‘Intelligence ‘Spawning’ on Devices’,” said Dr. Aloknath De, Senior Vice President and Chief Technology Officer, Samsung R&D Institute – Bengaluru (SRI B).

 

“IIT (ISM) Dhanbad takes pleasure in hosting the 10th edition of Samsung Innovation Award. The Samsung Innovation Award 2020 will further tap the hidden potential of budding innovative IITtians in the areas of AI, Digital Health, IoT, Autonomous Vehicle, Security among others,” said Dheeraj Kumar, Dean (International Relations and Alumni Affairs), IIT (ISM).

 

Over the years, the programme saw Samsung R&D Institute Bangalore (SRI-B) collaborating with student bodies across several units of Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), including IIT Delhi, Roorkee, Kanpur, Indore and Mumbai, helping them discover their passion, and playing a significant role in influencing their professional journeys and choices. Initiated and conceptualized in 2011, Samsung Innovation Award aim to encourage innovation and entrepreneurship amongst students. The Award aim to support talent who showcase an inventive approach and develop products, solutions that solve real time problems of the society.

 

SRI-B has also launched a unique industry- academia program this year- Samsung PRISM (Preparing and Inspiring Student Minds) to stimulate the Indian innovation ecosystem with advance development and build capabilities amongst students to meet industry needs.

 

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[What’s Cooking] Tingle Your Taste Buds with the Tangy Chicken Jalfrezi this Weekend

 

The weekend is here again and its time to cook up a storm in your kitchen with a little help from your Samsung Smart Oven. This Friday, we share the recipe of an eastern India dish, Chicken Jalfrezi, that was originally invented by chefs to use leftover vegetables. Over the years, this dish has become one of the most popular Indian dishes in the United Kingdom.

So chop off some vegetables and enjoy the tangy taste of this eastern classic dish with your family and friends.

 

Check out the recipe

Cooking Time: 18 minutes | Serving: 500 grams- 600 grams

Ingredients

Chicken: 500 grams (medium size pieces)
Onion: 1 chopped
Garlic: 4-5 flakes
Tomato puree: 4
Grated ginger: 1 teaspoon
Garam Masala: 1 teaspoon
Cumin Powder: 1 teaspoon
Red chilli powder: 1 teaspoon
Lemon juice: ½ teaspoon
Turmeric powder: 1 teaspoon
Oil: 3 tablespoon
Capsicum: 1
Cream: 1 cup

Cooking Method

1. In a microwave safe glass bowl, add onion, oil, ginger, garlic, haldi, chicken and press START button
2. When the microwave beeps add capsicum, tomato puree, garam masala, cumin powder, red chilli powder, lemon juice and mix well.
3. Now press START/+30s and let everything cook well
4. After the microwave beeps, add cream to the curry
5. Mix well and serve hot

 

[To explore a world of delectable recipes, download Samsung My Recipes app on your smartphone]

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How Samsung Delivers the Best Camera Experiences to Galaxy Users

With more than a trillion photos taken each year on mobile devices, according to a report by Mylio, Samsung cameras help people to not just document a moment in time but rather to truly capture it in near lifelike form.

 

As smartphone cameras became the primary go-to camera for many, the technology powering them has become an integral part of the way we share our lives with each other. Samsung has been at the forefront of this change, building a strong heritage of camera technology that has evolved the way people use the camera — from clear night photography, to professional-grade portraits, smooth video stabilization, and selfies.

 

Samsung Newsroom talked with Joshua Sungdae Cho, VP and Head of Visual SW R&D at Samsung Mobile, to discuss Samsung’s camera philosophy and legacy of imaging technology.

 

Joshua Sungdae Cho, VP and Head of Visual SW R&D at Samsung Electronics

What is the driving philosophy behind the features and specs for cameras on Galaxy devices?

 

Our goal is to satisfy two very different needs. First, we help general users by democratizing the experience of professional photography, making it easy for them to create high-quality photos and videos with nothing but their smartphone. Secondly, we aim to bring a more customized shooting experience for pros who want to use their Galaxy smartphone as a professional tool. To do that, we focus on three key areas: the best shooting and viewing experience, ease of use, and controllability.

 

 

Our aim with the shooting and viewing experience is to ensure that users get crisp, vivid results every time they capture images and videos. This is why we have focused on high-resolution images, best-in-class image sensors, and other features like High Dynamic Range (HDR) and Optical Image Stabilization (OIS). For ease of use, we focus on creating features that make getting the best results as simple as possible. Single Take, for example, makes it easy to take multiple pictures and videos all at the same time, then recommends the best shots of the series. Finally, controllability is emphasized in our Pro Photo and Pro Video modes, giving users more control over their final results. Underpinning all of these features is AI, which ensures users get the most optimal results.

 

(Left) Super steady OFF l (Right) Super steady ON

 

Can you expand on these three pillars? How do you ensure users get the best shooting and viewing experience?

 

We take a lot of things into consideration for delivering the best shooting and viewing experience for both photos and video. First, we consider portraits our top priority. With warm tones, but a natural brightness and color, our cameras capture your emotions and expressions in vivid detail. We are continuing to make this a key focus area with upgrades that improve details such as skin texture and hair. Improving the resolution of the images from our cameras is one way we accomplish this.

 

Higher resolution images contain more pixels, and therefore, more information.  We try to find ways to get more pixels into our sensors, as well as improved optics, so that users produce sharp images and videos even when they crop or zoom. Ensuring users get great results no matter the lighting condition is also a key focus for the shooting experience on Galaxy devices.

 

Our advanced High Dynamic Range (HDR), for example, makes it possible to shoot in mixed lighting and still get great results. This is possible thanks to the AI in our camera, which takes three images at different exposure levels simultaneously and then combines them into one final image. This same approach is used for low-light photography. To deliver more bright, crisp images in low-light conditions, we use nona-binning technology, which uses AI to merge nine pixels into one larger pixel so it absorbs more light and creates clear, vivid images.

 

Last but not least, we also adopt best-in-class hardware to deliver superior viewing and sharing experiences and improve image quality. Samsung’s cutting-edge sensor technology, such as our 108MP sensors and 50x Space Zoom on the Note20 Ultra, make it possible to capture ultra-high-resolution images and even 8K video. We combine this sensor technology with other strengths of Galaxy devices, such as world-class displays to view the results and fast Wi-Fi connectivity and 5G that make sharing large files easy, to create the best all-around smartphone camera experience.

 

 

That sounds like a lot of features to pack into a smartphone camera. How do you make sure they are intuitive and easy to use?

 

Ease of use is particularly important for our camera philosophy. We aim to create an optimal auto-shooting mode that delivers professional looking images and video. The only thing our users need when shooting with a Galaxy device is a good subject and a memorable moment. We also pack our cameras with features that enable greater creativity while still making it easy to get great results.

 

Scene optimizer is a great example of how we make it easy to get professional level results. Users just have to point and shoot, and the camera delivers an image optimized for color and brightness based on the scene. We use AI to help deliver these optimizations, ensuring that every cloud, sunset, and smile is captured just as you remember.

 

Ease of use is also at the heart of features like Single Take. With just a single click, the camera takes multiple pictures and videos with dynamic effects simultaneously, allowing users to capture the moment in a variety of ways and choose their favorite. Features like My Filter also make it easy for users to customize their images. With My Filter, users can create a custom filter, save it, then apply it to all of the photos they shoot.

 

On the opposite end of this ease of use and auto-shooting, you mentioned that customization and control are an important part of the Galaxy camera experience. How do you implement those control features?

 

Both Pro Photo and Pro Video mode offer users more control over their final results. In Pro Photo mode, users can tweak all aspects of the photo including the ISO, shutter speed, white balance, and exposure levels. It also gives them the power to save RAW images, which they can later edit on their own. With the enhanced Pro Video mode on the Galaxy Note20 series, we’ve given users more creative control over the fine details in their videos.

 

In addition to manual adjustment of exposure settings, Pro Video mode introduces features such as Zoom control, allowing users to adjust the speed of their zoom for more dramatic footage. In Pro Video mode, users can also adjust the direction of the microphone to get the best sound. To top it off, we’ve also given users the power to record 8K video at 24fps on the Galaxy Note20 for high-quality results with a cinematic feel.

 

 

Many of these features seem to be powered or enhanced by AI. Why is AI such an important component of Galaxy cameras?

 

AI is one of the core technologies in Samsung’s camera technology because it allows us to do a lot of the heavy lifting for the user. We use AI to improve image resolution, optimize new technology for mobile, and provide better experiences for our customers.

 

Auto Framing on the Galaxy Z Fold2, for example, automatically shifts the view to stay centered and in focus depending on how many people are in view.  When there is only one person, it can follow their motion and keep them centered – ideal for vloggers and creatives that are using their smartphone to create content.

 

In the future we will continue to implement these advancements to learn, adapt, and develop new technology that improves the overall camera experience.

 

In addition to improvements in AI, the trend in smartphone photography has been to add more cameras on flagship devices year over year. Is this a trend you believe will continue?

 

We keep trying to find a balance between the best AI technology and the optimal number of cameras on our devices. Our AI technology is continuously improving thanks to the image training technology we have developed at Samsung. At the same time, we are also working to deliver the best camera hardware for our devices. If we are able to achieve the same results from multiple cameras with just a single AI-powered camera, then we will merge the technologies. Although we are not at that point yet, we are able to deliver stunning results with features like the Ultra-Wide camera that capture landscapes from a whole different perspective, and 50x zoom on the Galaxy Note20 Ultra.

 

The Galaxy Note20 series is a prime example of how our philosophy is reflected in our devices. We know that video usage has been steadily increasing, and has led to greater demand for better video features. So, for the Galaxy Note20 series, we improved on Super Steady, delivered 8K recording, and added increased functionality with Pro Video mode to enhance the user experience.

 

Ultimately, whatever we do is in service of consumer needs, to ensure every feature, experience and design choice offers increased functionality and quality.

 

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[What’s Cooking] Enjoy a Bowl Full of Flavours with Butter Chicken This Weekend

 

The winter chill is here and its time to indulge in something that warms your body, mind and soul in the very first bite. Tangy, buttery and melt-in-your-mouth soft, this famous dish is can now be found in street-side dhabhas as you drive down to northern state of Punjab that has mastered the art of making this recipe.

 

So without any further ado, put your hands together It’s none other than the classic Butter Chicken.

 

Enjoyed best with both steamed rice and flatbreads, this dish is popular across the world and can now be cooked easily in your Samsung Smart Oven.

 

Check out the recipe:

Cooking Time: 21 minutes | Serving: 500-550 grams

Ingredients

 

Boneless chicken: 400 grams

Lemon juice: 1 tablespoon n

Kashmiri red chilli powder: 1 teaspoon

Butter: 4 tablespoon

Ginger garlic paste: 2 tablespoon

Garam Masala: 1 teaspoon

Yogurt: ½ cup

Dried fenugreek leaves: 1 teaspoon

Mustard oil: 2 teaspoon

Fried onion paste: 1 cup

Tomato puree: ½ cup

Chopped coriander: 1 tablespoon

Fresh cream: ½ cup

Orange food color: 1 pinch

Sugar: As per taste

Salt: As per taste

 

Cooking Method

 

1. Marinate chicken with yogurt, oil, lemon juice, ginger garlic paste and place it in th refrigerator for one hour
2. In a microwave safe glass bowl, add butter, onion paste, chicken and cook
3. When the microwave beeps, add all other ingredients, mix it well.
4. Cover it and press START.
5. Once the microwave beeps, transfer it to a bowl
6. Garnish and serve hot

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Samsung Electronics Announces Third Quarter 2020 Results

Samsung Electronics reported today KRW 66.96 trillion in consolidated revenue and KRW 12.35 trillion in operating profit for the third quarter ended September 30, 2020.

 

Even as the COVID-19 pandemic continues around the world, reopening of key economies led to significant increase in consumer demand. Samsung Electronics was able to respond aggressively through flexible global supply chain management (SCM), reporting its highest-ever quarterly revenue.

 

Quarterly operating profit rose 52 percent from the previous quarter, thanks to a boost in demand for smartphones and consumer electronics as well as efficient cost management. Third-quarter operating profit was also 59 percent higher year-on-year on stronger sales of memory chips and consumer products.

 

The Memory Business posted solid earnings as healthy demand for mobile and PC products led to higher-than-expected shipments, outweighing the impact of lower memory chip prices. The System LSI Business also saw profit rising over demand for mobile phone components, while the Foundry Business benefitted from increased orders for high-performance computing (HPC) chips and other applications.

 

The Display Panel Business reported higher profit quarter-on-quarter led by growing mobile display sales on customers’ new product launches and improved supply-demand environment for large panels.

 

A near 50 percent jump in sales of smartphones including new flagship products, coupled with improved cost management, lifted earnings at the Mobile Communications Business from the previous quarter. The Consumer Electronics Division also witnessed a sharp growth in sales of premium TVs and appliances, supported by flexible management of supply chain and sales channels.

 

Looking ahead, Samsung Electronics expects profit to decline in the fourth quarter amid weakening memory chip demand from server customers and intensifying competition in mobile phones and consumer electronics.

 

Soft prices in server memory due to customers’ inventory adjustments will likely weigh down the Memory Business despite stable demand for mobile and laptop memory. The System LSI Business will begin supplying 5-nm 5G system-on-chips (SoCs) in earnest and the Foundry Business expects increased demand for HPC chips and mobile SoCs. In displays, mobile panel sales are set to rise significantly from the third quarter.

 

The Mobile Communications Business is likely to see smartphone sales decline and marketing costs increase due to competitive market environment. In Consumer Electronics, profitability is expected to weaken on growing competition and rising costs, despite solid demand.

 

For 2021, the Company expects a recovery in overall global demand but uncertainties will remain over the possibility of recurring epidemic waves of COVID-19.

 

Samsung aims to enhance its leadership in memory chips through expansion of next-generation process node, flexible production management to meet immediate demand and timely investment to address demand over the mid- to long-term.

 

The System LSI Business will focus on differentiated 5G SoCs and high-resolution sensors, while the Foundry Business seeks to accelerate growth by diversifying applications to HPC and securing new major customers.

As the Display Panel Business plans to launch new Quantum-Dot (QD) Displays in 2021, it will also focus on improving earnings by enhancing leadership in mobile displays.

 

The Mobile Communications Business plans to expand foldable and 5G model offerings globally, while the Networks Business will strengthen its global positioning on the back of growing commercial 5G services. The Consumer Electronics Division will strengthen its online and B2B presence and expand its premium product lineup.

 

The Company’s capital expenditures in the third quarter stood at KRW 8.4 trillion, including KRW 6.6 trillion spent on semiconductors and KRW 1.5 trillion on displays.

 

Robust Mobile Demand Drives Semiconductor Earnings; Foundry Reports Record Sales

The Semiconductor businesses posted KRW 18.8 trillion in consolidated revenue and KRW 5.54 trillion in operating profit in the third quarter.

 

Overall demand in the Memory Business was better than expected as demand for mobile applications began to recover, even as demand for servers was somewhat weaker than the first half.

 

For DRAM, mobile demand increased due to strong seasonality and higher sales of low- and mid-end smartphones, while it was also positively impacted by the expansion of 5G and inventory buildup from Huawei. Server demand was relatively soft due to inventory adjustment by major customers, while PC demand rose on stronger sales of laptops. In addition, graphic demand also increased with the production of new gaming consoles. The Company achieved a higher bit growth for DRAM in the quarter than its previous guidance.

 

For NAND, mobile demand was strong as major manufacturers launched new models along with orders from Huawei. For servers, demand declined due to inventory adjustment of major customers, while for client SSD, low- and mid-end laptop demand was robust and SSDs for new gaming consoles increased significantly. Overall NAND shipments rose across all applications, helping the Company surpass the market’s bit growth in the quarter.

 

Looking to the fourth quarter for DRAM, mobile demand is expected to increase with new smartphone launches, while server demand is expected to remain weak as inventory adjustments continue. For PC, low- to mid-end laptop demand is likely to remain solid, while for graphic, demand will continue to see growth with the launch of new GPUs and gaming consoles.

 

As for NAND, mobile demand is expected to rise on the back of improving consumer sentiment and demand from Chinese manufacturers. For server SSD, demand is likely to remain weak and prices are expected to decline as customers continue to adjust their inventory and manage their capex conservatively. However, demand for client SSD is expected to be robust as low- to mid-end laptop demand will remain solid.

 

For the outlook next year, while geopolitical issues and the possibility of a prolonged impact from COVID-19 remain, mobile demand is expected to show solid growth until the first half as 5G continues to expand to low- and mid-end models. For servers, it is highly likely that demand will turn around in the first half as inventory levels normalize and investments by customers recover.

 

The Company will continue to maintain product competitiveness by accelerating the conversion to 1z-nm DRAM and 6th-generation V-NAND, as well as developing next-generation products such as EUV-based 1a-nm DRAM and 7th-generation V-NAND.

 

Earnings for the System LSI Business improved on the back of a recovery in mobile components, including CIS and SoCs. Display-related products especially showed significant growth as demand for tablets and laptops increased.

 

In the fourth quarter, Samsung will focus on expanding the mobile SoC business as it begins to supply 5G 1-Chip SoCs, our first products to feature the 5-nm process technology. In 2021, as market demand for mobile components is expected to recover, the Company will focus on expanding shipments of 5G SoCs, high-resolution sensors and DDIs.

 

The Foundry Business achieved record quarterly revenue on the back of a recovery in mobile demand and increased demand for HPC chips. The Company has established a position for future growth by beginning the shipment of 5-nm mobile products and 2.5D packages.

 

In the fourth quarter, the business aims to achieve another record quarterly revenue by expanding mobile SoC and HPC chip shipments to major customers. In 2021, the Company expects growth in the Foundry Business to exceed the industry’s growth significantly. It plans to diversify applications to HPC, consumer and network products, and secure additional major customers.

 

Display Earnings Improve, Expects Higher Demand in Q4

The Display Panel Business posted KRW 7.32 trillion in consolidated revenue and KRW 0.47 trillion in operating profit for the third quarter. Its earnings improved driven by increasing sales of smartphone, TV and monitor panels, despite the impact of COVID-19.

 

Mobile display earnings rose as recovering demand from major customers for smartphone screens lifted utilization rate. Losses from large displays narrowed slightly QoQ on increasing panel prices and higher sales of ultra-large TV and high-performance monitor panels.

 

Looking ahead to the fourth quarter, the Company expects solid demand for mobile displays led by new smartphone launches. It will actively respond to customer demand and enhance product mix to increase sales and profit. For large displays, the Company will continue to address existing LCD customer demand and accelerate the transition to new QD Display technology.

 

While uncertainties will likely continue in 2021 due to COVID-19 and global trade conflicts, the Company expects a gradual recovery in the smartphone market driven by 5G services and will focus on enhancing its leadership in OLED panels.

 

Samsung will also accelerate innovation to deliver new form factors and expand adoptions by new applications. For large displays, the Company plans to launch QD Displays in due time and build the foundation of new premium panel business.

 

Strong Smartphone Sales Drive Mobile Profit; Competition to Intensify in Q4

The IT & Mobile Communications Division posted KRW 30.49 trillion in consolidated revenue and KRW 4.45 trillion in operating profit for the third quarter.

 

Overall market demand increased in the third quarter as stimulus measures helped many economies recover following lockdowns during the second quarter. The Company’s smartphone sales rose sharply from the previous quarter, with the launch of new flagship models such as the Galaxy Note20 and Galaxy Z Fold2, as well as stronger sales of mass-market models in key regions including India.

 

Efficient cost management through component standardization and reduction in marketing expenses led to a significant improvement in profitability. Sales increase in tablets and wearables including the Galaxy Tab S7, Galaxy Watch3 and Buds Live also contributed to the profit growth in the third quarter.

 

Looking ahead to the fourth quarter, the overall market demand is expected to increase QoQ due to strong year-end seasonality and continued recovery in the overall demand. However, smartphone sales are expected to decline QoQ due to subsiding effects from new flagship model launches. Higher marketing expenditure to respond to intensifying competition and year-end seasonality is also likely to weigh down profit.

 

In 2021, while mobile market demand is expected to increase YoY backed by continuous economic recovery and accelerating migration towards 5G networks, uncertainties persist over the COVID-19 pandemic. The Mobile Communications Business aims to expand its smartphone sales by strengthening lineup for foldable phones and mass-market 5G models.

 

For the Networks Business, the Company strengthened its foundation for 5G business by signing a large-scale supply contract with Verizon in the U.S. The Company will continue to expand its 5G coverage in South Korea and push to expand the business globally including North America and Japan.

 

Appliances, TV Earnings Improve on Increased Demand

The Consumer Electronics Division, comprised of the Visual Display and Digital Appliances businesses, recorded KRW 14.09 trillion in consolidated quarterly revenue and KRW 1.56 trillion in operating profit.

 

Demand for TVs surged both QoQ and YoY as the “At-home” trend buoyed sales of high-resolution home cinema. The Company responded to the strong demand in time with online marketing and global SCM capabilities, increasing sales in QLED, super large screen TVs and Lifestyle TVs.

 

In the fourth quarter, uncertainties from COVID-19 will linger and rising costs during the year-end peak season remain a risk. The Company plans to continue to expand online sales and online-to-offline (O2O) special promotion to enhance premium lineup such as QLED and Lifestyle TVs.

 

For the outlook next year, the Company expects further changes to the TV market environment from the pandemic. It will continue to introduce premium models such as QLED, Micro LED for home, in order to lead the super large-screen TV segment.

 

The Digital Appliances Business saw growth in the third quarter from recovering sales of premium lineup including Bespoke refrigerator and Grande AI washer/dryer. Increased sales of dryers and Air Dressers (garment refreshers) also helped, as COVID-19 raised consumers’ interest in better hygiene.

 

As a recovery in developed markets is expected to lead demand in the fourth quarter, Samsung will focus on flexible seasonal promotions and strengthen logistics and online marketing to improve profitability.

 

In 2021, gradual recovery is expected in the digital appliance market. The Company will strengthen premium lineup such as Bespoke for sustainable growth, as well as expanding online and B2B business.

 

 

Samsung Electronics’ Third Quarter 2020 Capital Expenditures

In the third quarter, Samsung Electronics’ capital expenditure reached KRW 8.4 trillion, including KRW 6.6 trillion spent on semiconductors and KRW 1.5 trillion on displays. The cumulative total for the January-September period is KRW 25.5 trillion, with KRW 21.3 trillion allocated to semiconductors and KRW 3.1 trillion to displays.

 

The full-year capital expenditure is expected at approximately KRW 35.2 trillion, including KRW 28.9 trillion allocated to semiconductors and KRW 4.3 trillion to displays.

 

This year’s capital expenditures on the Memory Business will exceed last year’s total due to migrations to advanced process nodes and capacity expansion to address future demand. Annual investment in the Foundry Business is also expected to increase as the Company expands production capacity, including the 5-nm EUV facility. Capital expenditures by the Display Panel Business is also set to rise on investment in new Quantum-Dot (QD) Displays and improved processes for mobile panels.

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Unboxing the Galaxy S20 FE, A Smartphone Packed With Fan-Favorite Features

The idea of a product that contains only those features that real users value the best sounds like a product you can only obtain through a custom build, but with the release of the Galaxy S20 Fan Edition (FE), Samsung has made this idea a reality.

 

Packed with fan-favorite features and color options, the Galaxy S20 FE was developed with the incorporation of user feedback collected right in the beginning of the product planning phase from the Samsung Members community all around the world. The Galaxy S20 FE brings the innovative mobile experience characteristic of the Galaxy flagship range to a wider audience. Equipped with a super-smooth display, AI-powered camera, large-capacity battery and possessing a sophisticated, premium design, the Galaxy S20 FE offers users a premium experience from the very first moment of unboxing.

 

Samsung Newsroom took a look inside the box to see what the Galaxy S20 FE has to offer users.

 

 

① First Impressions: Colorful Look, Luxurious Feel

These days, we use smartphones for just about everything that we do, from communication to business to entertainment. They have become an essential part of our modern lifestyles, especially for Millennials and Generation Z, for whom smartphones have long been an accessory to expressing one’s own personality.

 

 

Reborn for the fans, the Galaxy S20 FE comes in a crisp white box. The huge “S20” that cuts across the top matches the color of the phone inside – Cloud Navy for this unboxing – which is a nice detailing touch. Unboxed, you are met with a simple selection of items: just the handset itself, a charging adaptor and its cable – only the very essence of what is necessary.¹

 

 

The entire line-up of Galaxy S20 FE devices has been designed based on the color preferences of fans. Cloud Lavender and Cloud Mint are softer, pastel hues, while Cloud Navy and Cloud White are chic, minimalistic shades. The different color hues provide a wider range of options for users who want their phones to reflect their personalities.

 

 

The rear body of the Galaxy S20 FE has been finished with a Haze technique for a matt and luxurious feel. The Haze-finished body also minimizes fingerprints and smudges and will change shade slightly depending on the angle it is held at in relation to a light source for a subtle allure.

 

 

The steel material applied to the side differs according to which shade of device is chosen. To ensure consistency, both the side of the device and the camera have the same material applied for a premium finish.

 

 

One of the biggest benefits of the Galaxy S20 FE is that it can make you stand out even if you are not wearing a single accessory. Just slide it into your pocket and the device, along with your chosen statement Cloud shade, will enhance your entire look. Samsung Newsroom recommends using a transparent case and being sure to showcase the device’s rear side when taking selfies to make the most of your chosen hue.

 

② The Display: High-Performing and Responsive for Non-Stop Entertainment

 

When it comes to enjoying immersive contents on a smartphone, a high-quality display is key. The Galaxy S20 FE has been equipped with an Infinity-O Super AMOLED flat display, which truly showcases its capabilities when used for entertainment or video chatting thanks to its expansive size.

 

 

The bezel-less design of the Galaxy S20 FE’s full screen is eye-catching, too. For more screen real estate, the diameter of the front-facing camera hole has been reduced to 3.34 mm – the smallest among all current Galaxy models. Additionally, the Galaxy S20 FE’s 120 Hz refresh rate, one of the highest in the industry, provides a seamless and fluid experience when you are surfing the web, browsing social media and streaming videos.

 

③ The Camera: A Powerful Front Camera and Masterful Nighttime Capabilities

 

The Galaxy S20 FE is targeted in particular at those Millennial and Gen Z users who enjoy taking selfies and video chatting. The powerful 32 mega-pixel (MP) front-facing camera features tetra-binning technology, which combines four pixels into one to ensure sharp and vivid selfies anytime, anywhere.

 

 

Nowadays, we live in the age of ‘personal media’, where one person can take charge of every part of the media production process, from recording through to editing. One of the great advantages of the Galaxy S20 FE is that its front-facing camera is capable of capturing videos of UHD resolution (3,840 x 2,160). You can also make sure your videos are stylish by monitoring the screen while recording, which is a huge benefit for those who take part in live streaming.

 

Furthermore, the rear triple lens camera features a 12 MP Main camera, 12 MP Ultra Wide camera and an 8 MP Telephoto camera. The Galaxy S20 FE features the largest dual pixel image sensor of all the current Galaxy series devices, helping you take the most colorful pictures possible in low-light environments. In the same way human eyes focus in nighttime lighting conditions, the dual sensor sharpens the focus of the camera to reduce any glare or noise, helping you capture vivid memories even in the dark.

 

 

If you want to capture a distant object as if it is right in front of you on your Galaxy S20 FE, you can use the Space Zoom feature. Space Zoom lets you take photos with up to 3x optical zoom without undermining the picture quality and up to 30x super resolution zoom.

 

④ The Performance: A Phone Capable of Keeping Up With You

The number of things we can do on and with our smartphones these days continues to grow. Be you streaming videos or playing AAA games, the Galaxy S20 FE is able to provide you with a seamless, smooth and powerful experience, thanks in no small part to its 5G connectivity and Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 processor.

 

 

There is nothing worse than a low battery notification from your phone right when you need to use it the most. The Galaxy S20 FE is equipped with a robust 4,500 mAh battery that provides you with powerful device performance throughout the day.

 

 

A product reveals its true value only when it is used. Built in collaboration with the fans, the Galaxy S20 FE presents users with a variety of features that function just as they would on other Galaxy flagship models. Going forward, Samsung will continue to provide a differentiated device line-up that puts fans right at the center of every part of the development process.

 

 

¹ Smartphone Package components vary by country or market.

 

* Availability varies by market or operator. All functionality, features, specifications and other product information provided in this document including, but not limited to, the benefits, design, pricing, components, performance, availability, and capabilities of the product are subject to change without notice.

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[What’s Cooking] Surprise your Loved Ones with this Melt-in-Mouth Nankhatai Recipe

Last Friday, we shared the recipe of super crunchy Almond cookies to commence the festivities. This week too we will share the recipe of yet another super soft and yummylicious shortbread biscuits—Nankhatai.

 

These classic biscuits can now be baked with ease in your own Samsung Smart Oven. Here’s the recipe.

 

Cooking time: 24 minutes | Serving: 400 grams

Ingredients:

Refined flour: 100 grams
Powder sugar: 100 grams
Ghee: 100 grams
Semolina: 100 grams
Nutmeg powder: ½ teaspoon
Cardamom powder: ½ teaspoon
Fresh curd: 1 teaspoon
Soda Bicarbonate:  ¼ teaspoon
Saffron: ¼ teaspoon
Milk: 1 teaspoon

Cooking method

1. Sieve the flour
2. Cream the ghee and sugar very well until light and creamy
3. Add the cardamom and nutmeg powder and mix it again
4. Dissolve the saffron in 1 teaspoon of milk
5. Add the curd, soda bicarbonate and prepared saffron
6. Mix well
7. Add the flour and semolina and knead well
8. Make a small round
9. Select an autocook program and put the crusty plate on the high-rack in the microwave oven
10. Press START/+30s button. Display shows  ‘preheat’ at this step
11. When the microwave beeps, take out the crusty plate
12. Put mixtures on the crusty plate on the low-rack
13. Put them in microwave oven and press START/+30s button
14. Once cooked, cool the biscuits
15. Serve them.

 

[To explore a world of delectable recipes, download Samsung My Recipes app on your smartphone]

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Samsung Readies Retail Stores across 1,000 Cities for Hassle-free Festive Shopping Experience; Announces Exciting Finance Offers

 

Samsung, India’s largest and most trusted consumer electronics brand, has prepared its neighborhood retail stores across 1,000 cities in India for the festive season, providing consumers a safe and hassle-free shopping experience as they venture out to buy Samsung televisions and other digital appliances. To make the festive purchase more convenient, Samsung is also bringing attractive never seen before financing offers to its retail stores.

 

The new consumer financing offers include an industry first easy finance options under My Samsung My Combo scheme that will enable consumers to purchase multiple Samsung products under one single EMI and do away with the hassle of managing multiple EMIs. Consumers availing this finance scheme can purchase products with EMIs starting as low as – INR 1,790 for two products, INR 2,490 for three products and INR 3,390 for four products.

 

To gear up its retail stores for the festive season, the Company has trained over 11,000 of its sales staff across the country on Samsung’s exciting new range of consumer electronics products that have been launched ahead of the festive season as well as the exciting new finance schemes on offer.

 

They have also been trained to ensure the safety of consumers as well as colleagues around them at retail locations, in line with government guidelines such as maintaining social distancing, checking body temperature of employees and customers, hand sanitizers at all touch points and clear demarcation at a minimum distance of one meter.

 

To make it convenient for retail partners, Samsung has set up a helpline for over 1,200 partners in small towns to address any query they have on Samsung product specifications, especially as there is a surge in consumers buying premium Samsung products in smaller towns. This service is available in region specific languages as well.

 

“As consumers start their festive shopping this season, we have tried to make all our retail touch points as safe as possible for our consumers. Our ground staff have been given additional training to follow all safety procedures. We have also designed industry first easy financing schemes to provide consumers with the utmost convenience and tailor their EMIs as per their requirements. We are confident that our unique offers will not only meet their expectations but also enrich their lives and help make their homes ready for the festive season,” said Raju Pullan, Senior Vice President, Consumer Electronics Business, Samsung India.

 

Earlier this month, Samsung launched a slew of festive offers on Samsung televisions and digital appliances. Consumers can get assured gifts with select Samsung QLED 8K & QLED TVs and SpaceMax Family Hub Refrigerators such as Galaxy Fold, Galaxy S20 Ultra, GalaxyNote 10 Lite, Galaxy A31 and Galaxy A21s mobile phones. Exciting product offers, coupled with attractive finance schemes including cashback of up to INR 20,000 and easy EMIs of as low as INR 990, will be valid till November 20, 2020.

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Samsung ‘Home Festive Home’ Campaign to Celebrate the Human Spirit & Bring Cheer to All this Festival

 

Samsung, India’s largest and most trusted consumer electronics brand, has launched the #HomeFestiveHome consumer campaign to celebrate the indomitable human spirit in these challenging times. As a part of the campaign, there are a slew of festive offers on Samsung televisions and digital appliances.

 

A very evocative digital campaign, #HomeFestiveHome is aimed to inspire people to enjoy festivals responsibly this year, by staying at home and bonding with family and friends. It showcases how the festivals this year are set to be celebrated with equal fervor, even when people take precautions and stay home, with homemade sweets and delicacies, lighting up the house together, and elbow bumps to greet instead of hugs and high-fives.

 

The campaign takes viewers on a visual roller coaster ride of celebrating emotions and togetherness. It showcases the little joys of life with a range of Samsung products that makes life at home much more fun, safe and accommodative for all festive cravings.

 

 

“For Samsung, the festive season is a very important time of the year to connect with our consumers nationwide. The theme of #HomeFestiveHome is inspired by current on goings. Living spaces have become more intimate than ever before as has peoples’ desire to upgrade homes into festive hubs and rejoice with loved ones. We know, this Diwali, celebrations are going to be even more special and people across the country will leave no stone unturned to make them truly memorable. The campaign is about bringing out creativity and uniqueness while celebrating festivities indoors,” said Trivikram Thakore, Senior Director, Samsung India.

 

“As festivals are a unifying force in this country, so, irrespective of demographics and geographies, we are talking to the entire nation in this campaign,” he added.

 

The ‘Home Festive Home’ deals cover a range of QLED and QLED 8K TVs, UHD TVs, Smart TVs, Spacemax Family Hub Refrigerators, Curd Maestro Refrigerators, Side-by-Side and Frost Free Refrigerators, FlexWash Washing Machines, AddWash Washing Machines, Washer Dryer Models, Fully Automatic Front Load and Fully Automatic Top Load Washing Machines, Microwave Ovens and Wind-Free Air Conditioners, among others.

 

Samsung has a tie-up with IPL team ‘Mumbai Indians’ and the ‘Home Festive Home’ campaign showcases the team’s players as part of the main digital film as well as two others on Samsung’s QLED 8K TVs and its Curd Maestro Refrigerators.

 

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The Freedom Not to Listen: The Story Behind Noise Cancelation Technology

In 1978, the U.S. government approached a sound company with a unique proposal. They wanted to develop a specific technology that would allow aircraft pilots and NASA astronauts to communicate clearly with ground crews and other pilots even with the ultra-loud roaring of jet and rocket engines in the background. The resulting technology would later become available for use outside of aeronautic environments; following its use in military headsets in 1986, the technology gradually made its way into mainstream and public usage.

 

Today, this technology is known as noise cancelation technology, and is used around the world in headphones and earbuds to help people focus on the music, podcasts and other audio that they want to hear while blocking out the sounds that they don’t.

 

Putting Sound Waves to Work

 

 

Simply putting on any pair of earphones will block outside noise to some extent. But unless you completely seal off your ear, it is impossible to stop outside noise filtering in and interrupting your audio experience. In order to understand the process of capturing and filtering the noise that leaks in that is key to noise cancelation technologies, it is necessary to first look at how sound waves work and how they are transmitted into your ear.

 

Sound waves are produced by vibrations which then travel long-distance through a surrounding medium to reach your ear. The most common example of this is the air around us. The reason why we can effortlessly carry on a conversation in a café is the same reason we cannot hear sound in space – it is dependent on the presence of air as a medium.

 

Noise cancelation works by harnessing the unique characteristics of these sound waves and their medium. The first method for canceling noise is called Active Noise Canceling (ANC), which works by creating its own noise-like waves that work to offset the unwanted noises entering your ears from outside. The second method is called Passive Noise Canceling (PNC), which blocks outside noise from entering your ear by limiting the mediums through which the sound is delivered.

 

 

It is said that the most effective tool to cut a diamond is with another diamond. Similarly, sound waves can be offset or even canceled by other sound waves. Just like the waves we see in the ocean, sound waves have peaks (the highest point) and troughs (the lowest point). When sound waves with the same distance from peak to trough come from different directions and collide with each other, the respective peaks and troughs clash, leaving the sound wave at a near zero value.

 

ANC uses this principle of destructive interference to cancel out unwanted sounds before they reach your ears. Sounds from outside are collected through an external microphone mounted inside the earphone. The earphone uses its internal circuits to analyze those sounds and then replicates them to produce sound waves that are similar to the unwanted external sound but that move in the opposite direction. Through this process, the earphone cancels out the unwanted sound waves before they can reach your ears.

 

Because ANC uses collected sound and responds based on analysis of this outside noise, noise cancelation takes place regularly and continuously. If the earphone picks up a sound that is similar to a noise it has analyzed previously, a reverse wavelength can be emitted at the exact right time in order to eliminate the unwanted noise. This is why this sound offsetting technology is highly effective in places where the background noise is consistent, for example on an airplane or a busy subway. On the other hand, ANC can be less effective in cases where the external noises are random and more difficult to predict, such as during a conversation between two people or when a sudden noise is emitted unexpectedly.

 

ANC is more effective at mitigating low pitch sounds than it is high pitch sounds. The system requires time to analyze external noises, and that potential time delay can affect how well it offsets external sound and how much external noise the user hears. In other words, unwanted external sounds might come in faster than the ANC can cancel them out. “In the case of bass sounds, which have a relatively long wavelength, the gap between the peak and trough of the waves is wide(more time gap), so a slight lag in the offset timing will not impact the quality of ANC,” noted Kim. “However, high-pitch sounds with short wavelengths have a shorter gap between the peak and trough points, meaning that even a small delay can make it hard for the ANC to match the waveforms up correctly, causing ANC performance degradation.”

 

Passive Noise Canceling: Stopping Sound in Its Tracks

 

 

 

When they hear a sound they don’t like, most people cover their ears – this is because this is by far the easiest way to block out noise. Since sound waves travel the air to reach your ear, the sound cannot properly enter the ear if there are obstacles, such as hands, in the way. This is also why communication underwater is so difficult, given the amount of water in the way between a noise’s source and a person’s ears.

 

This is essentially how PNC works. PNC-enabled earphones are designed to physically block noise out by closing the ear off from its surroundings or using a sponge that absorbs sound. Headphones with over-ear padding covering the entire ear and in-ear earphones that completely block the entrance to the ear are some of the best examples of PNC technology.

 

Unlike ANC, which requires microphones and analytical circuits to offset unwanted noise, PNC earphones are fairly easy to make, making them generally cheaper than ANC earphones. Furthermore, if PNC earphones have been made to fit the shape of your ear perfectly, they can block outside noise almost entirely, making them more practically effective than ANC earphones. However, as PNC headphones fit right into the ear canal, some users can find these kinds of earphones uncomfortable to use.

 

Putting Safety First in Noise Cancelation

In the end, it is not just the noise cancelation technique that matters when it comes to cutting out those unwanted sounds, but also the shape of the earphones themselves. Up until now, most noise-canceling earphones were produced as canal-type earphones since this shape fits right into your ear compared to open-type earphones, which leave more space around the ear and are subsequently less effective at noise cancelation. Open-type earphones have rarely been equipped with noise cancelation technology, but when Samsung unveiled the Galaxy Buds Live on August 5, the company expanded users’ options by applying ANC technology to an open-type wireless earphone.

 

 

While noise cancelation technology can help you fully immerse yourself in your music or better focus on an audiobook, it can also present dangers if you cannot hear exactly what is going on around you. “It is difficult to recognize a dangerous situation when wearing earphones with noise cancelation technology as they block out all surrounding sounds,” noted Professor Kim. The volume inside a pair of earphones can reach up to 70 to 80 dBspl¹ – the same as a car horn – but since the sound from a user’s earphones is much closer to a user and more immersive, it is easy for a user to become insensitive to external noises. On top of this, the activation of ANC technology further reduces external noise by around 30 dB while maintaining the sound in the earphones at 70 to 80 dBspl, making it more difficult for users to detect any auditory signs of danger.

 

When using their noise-canceling headphones, users need to keep their own safety top of mind and have a good understanding of the situations in which they are using their earphones. If you are looking to enjoy your favorite audio indoors, earphones that feature effective noise cancelation are a great choice. However, if you enjoy using your earphones while doing outdoor activities such as jogging, you should be sure to stay mindful of your surroundings at all times and choose earphones that offer a reasonable level of noise cancelation, allowing you to stay aware of the world around you.

 

 

¹ Decibel (dB) is originally a relative unit of measurement, representing the difference between the level of a base measurement and that of comparison. When used in the context of sound, 0 dB is defined as the lowest sound level a person can hear and is used as an absolute measure (dBspl = dB + sound pressure level (‘spl’)). In other words, dB is used both when representing the difference between the sound of people conversing in comparison to that of a car horn and when expressing the sound of the car horn in absolute terms, but the latter simply omits ‘spl’ from dB.

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