Author: seo

Today, the definition of home life is constantly expanding as we adapt to new ways of working, entertaining and even relaxing inside our own spaces. Individuals and families around the globe are developing new home routines that take advantage of technology advances and changing social norms.

Recently young professionals have been enjoying more OTT content. Married couples have started to spend time together as well as separately to watch content that suits their personal tastes. Large families are now turning to digital voice assistants for information access. To take full advantage of these new flexible lifestyles, Samsung is introducing its latest Smart Monitor designed to help you get the most out of your time at home.

Take a look at the infographic below to learn more about how Samsung’s latest smart monitor M8 can make every day smarter, no matter your lifestyle.

Samsung collaborates with ABB to strengthen its Home IoT solutions in the residential and commercial construction markets. SmartThings and smart home solutions are combined with SmartThings to provide a more efficient, cost-effective and environmentally friendly solution for controlling and monitoring homes and buildings

Samsung Electronics today announced a partnership with global technology company ABB to expand Samsung SmartThings integration into more homes and buildings.

“With Samsung SmartThings Samsung was able to make homes smarter, more efficient, and less expensive. Chanwoo Park is the Head of IoT Business for Samsung Electronics. “We are excited to build on that by partnering with ABB to expand the SmartThings experience to new customers making it easier for consumers to reduce costs and create positive environmental impact.”

A Smart Partnership

With 130 years of expertise and more than 550,000 products manufactured and sold, ABB is one of the leading technology companies in the world. Its ABB-free@home^(r) automation solution controls a host of building equipment including access, detection, communication and climate systems for residential and commercial buildings.

Integrating ABB-free@home^(r) with Samsung SmartThings creates a one-stop-shop for IoT solutions providing easy access to monitor and control building technologies, further solidifying Samsung as a key provider of smart home solutions for real estate developers, builders and management groups.

Samsung and ABB will develop a cloud-to-cloud integration allowing consumers of both ABB- free@home^(r) and SmartThings broader access and control.

Convenience and Energy Efficiency

With Samsung’s SmartThings platform users can remotely monitor and control ABB devices like sensors, cameras and comfort systems. This allows users to have access to their smart home features anywhere in the world using a single app.

Energy-efficient buildings help reduce energy use, greenhouse gas emissions, and cost. Samsung’s and ABB’s integrated energy management system run energy-intensive applications such as refrigerators, dryers or HVAC. with more efficient usage models. Energy and power meters provide users with up-to-date data on energy costs allowing users to strategize appliance usage to reduce overall costs.

And, as buildings are estimated to generate nearly 40 percent of annual global CO₂ emissions,¹ a smart home integrated with renewable energy equipment, like photovoltaic inverters and chargers from ABB’s lineup can fulfill energy consumption needs while reducing CO₂ emissions created from other energy sources.

From the perspective of developers, Samsung and ABB’s partnership offers a scalable, turnkey smart home solution with premium Samsung appliances and ABB devices, which can greatly reduce operational costs through created efficiencies and predictive maintenance services.

For more information about the products and solutions from Samsung Electronics and ABB, please visit Samsung.com and www.abb.com.

¹https://architecture2030.org/why-the-building-sector/

About ABB

ABB (ABBN: SIX Swiss Ex) is a leading global technology company that energizes the transformation of society and industry to achieve a more productive, sustainable future. By connecting software to its electrification, robotics, automation and motion portfolio, ABB pushes the boundaries of technology to drive performance to new levels. With a history of excellence stretching back more than 130 years, ABB’s success is driven by about 105,000 talented employees in over 100 countries. www.abb.com.

Kingdom Hearts fans began picking apart the Kingdom Hearts 4 reveal trailer for clues with a fervor on Sunday, noticing details like the possible inclusion of a Star Wars world and Sora’s new choice of subtle footwear. The real-world apartment where Sora may be living is also located in Tokyo. Quadratum, the “afterworld” of the video game, can effectively recreate the Japanese city.

Based on some crowdsourced sleuthing by Tokyo-based Twitch streamer Audrey, aka aitaikimochi, a self-described “Square Enix fangirl,” Sora appears to have a swank pad in the Aoyoma neighborhood of Tokyo. Aoyoma, a fashionable and wealthy area of Tokyo, is where Sora rents. Audrey and her viewers dug up what appears to be the actual apartment used as a model for Sora’s new digs, and it costs just shy of $2,000 a month to rent — about $1 million if Sora wanted to buy.

How did Audrey and her viewers track down Sora’s location? By using landmarks shown in the Kingdom Hearts 4 trailer and Google Maps’ Street View, of course. The real-world apartment building they found is called the Regno Raffine, and it’s your typical condo-style building. Sora likely has a one- or two-bedroom apartment, but the real draw is the balcony and all the natural sunlight pouring into it. Photos of the building’s model unit provide the nicest peek at where Sora’s probably living post-Kingdom Hearts 3.

Residents of the building might not realize how close Square Enix has recreated their home. Kingdom Hearts fans, please don’t make this luxurious apartment building a pilgrimage spot. Sora is not real, and it’s unlike Donald Duck.

At its Unbox & Discover event on March 30, Samsung Electronics unveiled all its latest visual display innovations, including the all-new 2022 Neo QLED 8K, and introduced how its vision for new product development is centered on enhancing user experience.

In his opening speech Jong-Hee Han (JH), Vice Chairman, CEO, and Head of Samsung Electronics Device eXperience Division (DX), stressed that TVs will become more than just something you watch. He also stated that the goal of the Vision of Screens Everywhere: All .”

is to redefine the role of screen in the future.

Vice Chairman Jong-Hee (JH) Han underlines the importance of streamlined technology optimized for users in his opening speech at Unbox & Discover 2022.

For those who couldn’t tune in or are looking to catch up on the most important announcements made at the Unbox & Discover Livestream, the Samsung Newsroom will be sharing the highlights, as well as Samsung’s continued efforts to create a sustainable future and its latest products.

1. Let’s Go Further: Bringing About a Sustainable Future for People and Planet

Chrissie Moncrieffe at Samsung Europe Office shares the company’s efforts to contribute to sustainable everyday lifestyles.

Samsung strives to reduce its environmental footprint throughout the product’s life cycle. For example, the company’s eco-packaging keeps print on packaging to a minimum, reducing the use of ink by 90%. Also, the latest SolarCell Remote is now completely battery-free and can now be charged through 2. 4GHz radio frequency harvesting — drawing power from spare energy emitted by Wi-Fi routers. It is 88% more efficient than the previous 2020 models.

Furthermore, Samsung’s Neo QLED 8Ks have received carbon footprint certifications from the Carbon Trust in recognition of the company’s efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions throughout the product’s entire life cycle.

Since 2014, Samsung has been focusing on accessibility by placing utmost priority on ensuring easier and more seamless accessibility to screens for everyone. To this end, the company introduced an innovative new technology at Unbox & Discover 2022 which automatically analyzes and identifies a better location to display subtitles on-screen to avoid blocking a certain area of the screen. Samsung also created a sign language avatar that guides users through Samsung TV functions and helps them navigate.

2. Let’s Do: A Hub for the Smart Home Ecosystem

Ivan Zakharov, Service Biz Team at Samsung Electronics’ Visual Display Business, introduces Samsung’s new Smart Hub.

With TVs as the heart of smart home ecosystem, consumers can control their entire household using TVs, allowing them to make the most of their televisions. Smart Hub is a new interface that Samsung has unveiled powered by Tizen. Samsung Smart Hub allows you to access all aspects of your smart experience from one screen. The new tab classifies features, settings and content into three categories for a seamless user experience: Media, Gaming Hub and Ambient.

The Media screen integrates a wide array of entertainment services into one, including Samsung TV Plus,¹ featuring over 190 free channels for a user’s enjoyment. When the user is not using their TV’s screen, Ambient screens can display various content including famous works of art as wallpapers, adding to their interior design. Furthermore, the Neo QLED 8Ks provide a one-stop NFT platform to enable users to explore and display digital artworks thanks to close cooperation between Samsung and Nifty Gateway.

3. Let’s Play: A Perfect Ecosystem for Gamers

Adam Burgess, Product Design Group at Samsung Electronics’ Visual Display Business, explains how Samsung delivers vivid gaming experiences.

The 2022 Samsung screens are set to help create the perfect ecosystem for gamers with the introduction of cutting-edge streaming technologies and state-of-the-art hardware. Samsung Gaming Hub offers all of the functions gamers need in order to access the most recent titles via game search platforms and streaming services. The new platform will be available later this year on select 2022 Samsung Smart TV models. ²

Notably, Samsung’s 2022 lineup features four HDMI 2. 1 supporting ports,³ ensuring a simplified connection to even the newest game consoles. The new devices also feature an outstanding refresh rate of 144Hz, an excellent resolution of 4K and a low input lag to ensure quick speed, while the all-new Game Bar enhances visibility. At Unbox & Discover 2022, Samsung stressed that users can be fully immersed in all different types of games thanks to the improved image quality and optimized gaming environment of the 2022 lineup.

4. Let’s Experience: A Culmination of TV Innovations

Lydia Cho at Samsung Electronics America introduces the key elements of 8K picture quality.

At the core of the innovation behind Samsung’s Neo QLED 8K lies its Neural Quantum Processor 8K. Twenty independent neural AI networks analyze each scene and adjust picture quality to deliver the best viewing experiences regardless of content’s original picture quality. Also, Samsung’s 2022 Neo QLED 8K’s Real Depth Enhancer maximizes depth and vividness by improving picture quality and sharpness, making scenes more real.

Nicole Murakami at Samsung Electronics America underscores the excellence of Neo QLED 8K’s design and sound technology.

Samsung’s signature Infinity One Design provides a slimmer and sleeker look, making the TV appear as if it is floating above the ground. The 2022 Samsung Neo QLED 8K is also built with a 90W 6.2. 4 channel audio system with Dolby Atmos support featuring Object Tracking Sound Pro (OTS Pro). ⁴ The slim screen is the perfect match for its new Ultra Slim Soundbar, which supports a Wireless Dolby Atmos system. Furthermore, the soundbar’s subwoofer with 3.1. 2 channels and a passive radiator provides the perfect audio performances.

5. Let’s Make Your own: The Expansion of Experiences Through Cutting-Edge Accessories

At Unbox & Discover 2022, Samsung introduced new accessories to offer optimized screen experiences tailored to each user’s changing lifestyles and trend preferences. The new Slim Fit Wall Mount makes the ultra-thin Neo QLED 8K stand out with a wall-to-wall distance of 7.5mm. Furthermore, the latest Full Motion Slim Wall Mount, almost 50% slimmer than its predecessor, sits just 19. 5mm from the wall to complement the sleek style of the screen. It can be also tilted up, down, left and right to create the ideal angle for the best viewing experience regardless of the location of the viewers. The screen can also be set to auto rotate using the remote control. This allows users to enjoy vertical mobile-style content.

When putting the screen in the middle of the room or placing it without the media console, the Studio Stand ensures a sleek, trendy look. Users can display artworks, photos or NFT artworks in a landscape or portrait orientation even when the TV is turned off so that their TV can also serve as a singular piece of art. The latest three-way MultiView also allows users to display various content such as live broadcasts, YouTube or online reviews, all at once.

At Unbox & Discover 2022, Samsung reiterated how the ever-evolving role of the screen is quickly transforming it into a tool to fulfill all kinds of functions, from ‘game console’ and ‘virtual playground’ to ‘the perfect partner to improve efficiency’ and a ‘Smart Hub to control one’s home’. Stay tuned to see what screen product Samsung will next bring to the market to once again take user experiences to the next level.

¹ Service availability may vary by region.

² Availability of Gaming Hub may vary by region.

³ Specification of ports may vary by product.

⁴ available in the QN900B model.

You’ve likely played a few dozen hours of Elden Ring by this point, but do you have any idea what it’s actually about? YouTube creator VaatiVidya’s newest video dives deep into the game’s lore, and at half-an-hour it’s pretty damn efficient at explaining the inner machinations of George R.R. Martin’s side hustle.

The video is also segmented neatly into multiple parts, so you can skip around if you’re specifically looking for information about the House of the Moon or the Night of the Black Knives. It’s great if you want a quick primer on the who, what, and where. Vaati shared an extensive flowchart on Twitter of his lore.

VaatiVidya’s channel is full of deep dives into other FromSoftware games like Dark Souls, Sekiro, and Bloodborne.

Elden Ring was released in late February. This fantasy action-RPG allows players to play at their own pace, and finish the game as they wish. The game features a Turtle Pope, as well as fearsome bosses or cool summons.

2022 products offer new cutting-edge technologies, features and designs for a re-defined experience across multiple devices

Samsung Electronics today showcased its 2022 lineup of Neo QLED 8K, soundbars, accessories and sustainability initiatives at its virtual Unbox & Discover event. With this new lineup, Samsung aims to redefine the role of television by creating beautifully designed, cutting-edge screens that offer more than just entertainment. This year’s products and features take the screen to new heights by providing one central hub to play, connect, work and more.

“We are focused on creating a seamless experience across all of our products, which allows consumers to effortlessly enjoy all their benefits. The 2022 Neo QLED 8K is designed to fulfill the needs and empower the passion of our consumers, and the innovations are sparked by their experiences,” said Jong-Hee (JH) Han, Vice Chairman, CEO and Head of Samsung Electronics’ DX (Device eXperience) Division. “Neo QLED 8K also has the power to unlock new experiences as the most important device at the center of the home.”

Samsung’s 2022 portfolio was developed from the vision of ‘Screens Everywhere, Screens for All,’ with TVs at the center of users’ home and daily lives. In line with this vision, Samsung created devices that seamlessly connect to provide deep personalization and connectivity ensuring there is a screen fit for every occasion and lifestyle. Historically, TVs and screens have been mainly associated with the act of “watching,” but Neo QLED 8K aims to change this by expanding the user experience.

Neo QLED 8K: The Best Gets Better

The 2022 Neo QLED 8K has been upgraded to bring the large screen experience to another level. At the heart is the Neural Quantum Processor 8K. The latest processor has 20 independent neural AI networks, each analyzing the content’s characteristics and picture quality for optimal viewing, regardless of the source.

The Neural Quantum Processor 8K also powers a new technological innovation — Real Depth Enhancer. This scans the screen, and maximizes contrast with the background by enhancing the object while keeping the background unprocessed. It works similarly to the way human eyes perceive images in real life so the object on screen stands out against the background.

In fact, Samsung’s all new 2022 QLED received the world’s first ‘Pantone Validated’ certification in display from Pantone, the global authority on color and creator of the Pantone Matching System (PMS) — meaning the models authentically reproduce more than 2,000 colors as well as the newly added 110 skin tone shades found in Pantone’s guidelines. Additionally, these brilliant colors are comfortable to watch with the new EyeComfort Mode. The feature uses AI technology to automatically adjust the brightness and color temperature of the screen based on how light or dark the room is combined with the sunset/sunrise information to optimize the most comfortable viewing experience.

Immersive Dolby Atmos Sound With Smart Features

For true immersion, TVs and screens need powerful and nuanced sound to match the rich colors and sharp details. The Neural Quantum Processor 8K’s AI analyzes what is on screen in real-time so that the Adaptive Sound features can track and move between speakers to precisely match the movement on screen.

In QN900B, a flagship Neo QLED 8K model, all the sounds come from a 90W 6.2.4 channel audio system, featuring new top channel speakers and Dolby Atmos with Object Tracking Sound Pro. This technology has also been applied to voice recognition with Voice Tracking Sound, so that sound effects and voices truly follow the movement across the screen.

Samsung is also introducing Wireless Dolby Atmos to its Neo QLED 4K and 8K TVs — this means pristine audio quality without the clutter of HDMI cables. Wireless Dolby Atmos will also be applied to Samsung’s new 2022 Ultra Slim Soundbar, designed for an immersive audio experience from a more aesthetically at a minimal setup.

Experiencing Your Screen

To ensure the experience is as seamless as possible, the 2022 lineup is outfitted with new and smarter features and user interface, allowing Samsung TVs and screens to become the central hub to watch content, control devices, play games, work out and more.

• New Smart Hub: This year, Samsung also unveiled Smart Hub, its new user interface, powered by Tizen. The all-new Samsung Smart Hub brings every aspect of the smart experience into one easy-to-navigate home screen. The new tab classifies features, settings and content into three categories for a seamless user experience: Media, Gaming Hub and Ambient.
  
  
  • Media: The Media screen organizes users’ entertainment options — including video on demand, streaming and Samsung TV Plus¹ with 190+ free channels — and learns users’ preferences with machine learning to make smart recommendations across all platforms and services.
  • Gaming Hub: Gaming Hub is a new game streaming discovery platform that bridges hardware and software to provide a seamless player experience. No downloads required, no storage needed. Samsung also announced partnerships with leading game streaming services — NVIDIA GeForce NOW, Stadia™ and Utomik, with more to come — to bring their libraries of games to the Gaming Hub. The new platform will be available later this year on select 2022 Samsung Smart TV models.²
  • Ambient: The Ambient screen enhances the home’s aesthetic, whether that means synchronizing the screen’s display with its surrounding décor or making a bold statement with eye-catching art.
• Gaming Experience: In addition to the all-new Gaming Hub, the 2022 lineup comes with specifications and features that are made for the ultimate gaming experience. They include four HDMI 2.1 supporting ports,³ Motion Xcelerator Turbo Pro 4K 144Hz gaming, Super Ultrawide GameView and Game Bar, making gaming more efficient and accessible for a fast-paced and streamlined experience. With these incredible picture quality and settings improvements, games will be more realistic and thrilling than ever. Samsung is also introducing an exclusive TV lineup for gaming in 43 and 50 inches in the near future.
• Samsung Health: Samsung Health offers not only a wide variety of workout and wellness classes, but also ways to track your progress and routines. Users can easily track their fitness journey and activities on their TV and seamlessly sync with other devices such as Galaxy Watch4 series to track progress in real-time on the screen.

• SmartThings: A critical component of the connected experience is Samsung’s SmartThings. With SmartThings, the screen becomes the central hub to conveniently control other home devices at a single point. This feature, included in Samsung TVs, takes advantage of the large screen to help users discover, view and control devices at-a-glance.
• NFT Platform: Finally, new in 2022 is Samsung’s NFT Platform, partnering with the industry leader, Nifty Gateway. Ambient mode will offer consumers a one-stop NFT platform to explore and display NFT digital arts on 2022 Neo QLED and QLEDs, a new way to collect and present art works.⁴

Sustainability at the Core With ‘Going Green’

Samsung is always thinking about how the manufacturing process and the use of products impact the Earth’s environment, looking for ways to reduce its footprint and build a better future for the planet.

• Eco-Packaging: Samsung is improving its eco-conscious packaging with 90% less ink while also removing the staples during production. Both improvements reduce waste and make it easier for recycling centers to process.
• SolarCell Remote: The SolarCell remote also received an upgrade for 2022. It is 88% more efficient than the previous 2020 models. They are now completely battery-free and can now be charged through 2.4GHz radio frequency harvesting — drawing power from spare energy emitted by Wi-Fi routers.

• Recycled Materials: Samsung’s 2022 TVs, monitors, digital signage and remote controls use recycled resin. Notably, high-resolution monitors use recycled resin from ocean-bound plastic recovered in coastal areas that would otherwise have become marine hazardous waste.
• The Carbon Trust Certification: Samsung’s Neo QLED 8K/4K has achieved the ‘Reducing CO₂’ label from the Carbon Trust, demonstrating that the carbon footprint for the Neo QLED lineup is being reduced year over year.

Making It Personal With Accessories

Each consumer has their unique taste and needs when it comes to TVs, which is why Samsung created new accessories for its 2022 TVs that facilitate entirely new TV experiences.

• Slim Fit Wall Mount: For those who want to wall mount their screen, the Slim Fit Wall Mount allows the TV to lie flush against the wall while offering swivel up, down and sideways for the perfect angle no matter where the viewer is seated.
• Studio Stand: In case the TV stand is preferred, the Studio Stand offers a unique and elegant way to display the Neo QLED 8K in an artistic fashion.
• Auto Rotation: The new accessory extends the rotating capabilities of The Sero to the Neo QLED 8K. Auto Rotation brings mobile experiences to the big screen, portrait art to the full screen, and MultiView experiences to new layouts. It can be used as a stand or wall mount so that whatever is on, the whole screen is filled to optimize the viewing experience.

To pre-order or for more information on Samsung’s TV products, please visit www.samsung.com.

¹ Service availability may vary by region.

² Availability of Gaming Hub may vary by region.

³ Specification of ports may vary by product.

⁴ Detailed features or user interface may vary by model and region.

Big swords have long played the role of iconic weapons in RPGs and anime series. Swordcery, an action game from Temple Door Games, dares to ask the question: What if we made big RPG swords even bigger?

We have big-ass swords and more in Cool WIP, Polygon’s weekly roundup of eye-catching clips and screenshots of works in progress. Each week, the Polygon staff scours the internet for the most interesting games still under construction, to give you a sampler of the coolest up-and-coming projects.

This week we’re featuring a game that redefines “run and gun,” a colorful toy box of a first-person shooter, an alligator cowboy (yeehaw), and a fever dream of a monster.

What if Cloud Strife’s sword, but bigger?

Swordcery is a rogue-like action game in which you collect spell-infused swords to fight off swarms of baddies. It’s a simple concept, but the swords are enough to make Cloud Strife jealous. In a clip posted by the studio, we can see one of the game’s characters wielding a comically large sword that is several times bigger than the character themselves, and even larger than some of the trees in the forest. There’s no release date on the the game yet, but you can check out weekly updates on the developer’s Discord.

This slow-motion action is right out of Neo’s playbook

Described by its developer Rootpilot as a “zoomer shooter,” this game looks like it combines the action of your typical endless runner game with slow-motion action sequences. The developer posted a clip showing one of its characters dashing along, only to do a full flip and blow the head off an enemy with a shotgun in mid-air. The action scene is the stuff of The Matrix, and it looks sick. Rootpilot posts regularly about the game, so you can see other clips of development on Twitter.

First-person shooter gets a toy-like look

Seven Leaf Clover’s Payloaders Strike! looks like it takes the action from a first-person shooter like Overwatch or Valorant and puts it into a toy-like world. The game has a playful, colorful theme paired with a cartoony style where you play as a robot rising up against the powers that be. According to its description, you’ll play through challenges to “put an end to the corporate tyranny.” You can download a demo and check out more information on the game’s Itch.io page here

The little cowboy is ready for adventure (the cowboy’s an alligator)

We’ve covered Lil Gator Game before, but I couldn’t resist revisiting it, now that we get to see the gator as a rootin’ tootin’ cowboy. A new clip from developer Playtonic showed off not just a fun cowboy hat but some gameplay in the world. It looks like there’s a lot to do, and in this clip, we can watch the gator sliding down a mountain and smashing various signs to pieces. There’s no release date yet, but the Steam page says it’ll come out sometime later this year.

All the work it takes to make one wobbly guy

FeverDevJohnny is a developer working on whimsical and strange video games. The developer maintains a Patreon that supports a variety of projects, and recently Johnny posted a clip of a pointy-teethed character’s face from one game. In the clip, the cursor drags the face around, and the eyes, nose, and teeth wobble and bounce. According to a tweet from the developer, it took “100 lines of code” to make the face wobble like that. It’s a cool concept, and it’s also just a fun way to reveal some of the work it takes to create a game element like that. For more strange creations, you can check out FeverDecJohnny’s Twitter account.