As with every phone that's been in the office for a while, however, we are constantly discovering hidden nuggets or extra options that make life with the handset easier, and the S4 has plenty of those.
From scratch-proof Gorilla Glass 3 super-sensitive display through "5G Wi-Fi" and MHL 2.0 support, to the TripAdvisor Samsung Edition and a Safety Assistance emergency contacts option, we are rounding up some of them in the slideshow below, while we keep on exploring the handset.
Samsung Galaxy S4: 10 exclusive or little-known features review
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Super-sensitive touchscreen can be operated with gloves
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If you were cringing each time we tried the super-sensitive touchscreen feature on the Galaxy S4 with a fork or a screw, you shouldn't have - the phone is the first handset with the Gorilla Glass 3 protective layer, which is three times less prone to scratches than Gorilla Glass 2, as found on the Galaxy S III, for example. You can clearly hear the Samsung rep confirm for us in this demo video from the launch event that the S4 sports exclusive Gorilla Glass 3 protection.
First handset with Corning's Gorilla Glass 3
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Forget cutting coupons all Sunday long - Mobeam's light-based communications (LBC) is embedded in the Galaxy S4, meaning that merchants can use existing POS scanners they already have to scan a proximity sensor-generated barcode straight from the phone.
The implications for mobile commerce are potentially huge, as merchants don't have to install any additional equipment like with NFC, or any extra mobile sales solutions on the backend.
The implications for mobile commerce are potentially huge, as merchants don't have to install any additional equipment like with NFC, or any extra mobile sales solutions on the backend.
Mobeam tech: existing barcode scanners work with the Galaxy S4 directly
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While already at least ten or so Android phones and tablets have a barometer inside, since Google started supporting the sensor, the Galaxy S4 is the first to add a thermometer/hygrometer also. Before you dismiss those as gimmicks, bear in mind that the S4 uses all for measuring atmospheric pressure, temperature and humidity around you, and gives you visual reports on the quality of the surrounding environment within the S Health app, as you can see in our video demo.
The barometer is also used for faster and more accurate GPS location readings, and 3rd party apps like pressureNET are starting to take advantage of such sensors. The app is a crowdsourced atmospheric pressure reader - data is pinned as markers on an embedded Google map, and graphed over time "to improve weather forecasting for everyone on Earth by dramatically increasing the availability of live data that describes the atmosphere."
The barometer is also used for faster and more accurate GPS location readings, and 3rd party apps like pressureNET are starting to take advantage of such sensors. The app is a crowdsourced atmospheric pressure reader - data is pinned as markers on an embedded Google map, and graphed over time "to improve weather forecasting for everyone on Earth by dramatically increasing the availability of live data that describes the atmosphere."
Barometer, hygrometer and thermometer sensors open to 3rd party apps
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Support for the so-called 5G Wi-Fi, or the 802.11ac standard, where theoretical 1 Gbit speeds are within reach, comes standard with the Samsung Galaxy S4, while the previous 802.11n generation is two to three times slower.
Not that there is an abundance of 802.11ac routers on sale yet, or places that spread the Internet love around with such speeds, but support for the "5G Wi-Fi" is important for the Wi-Fi Direct, S Beam and Group Play on the Galaxy S4, as it allows much faster swapping of files, music, videos and streaming between compatible devices than with the previous 802.11n standard.
Not that there is an abundance of 802.11ac routers on sale yet, or places that spread the Internet love around with such speeds, but support for the "5G Wi-Fi" is important for the Wi-Fi Direct, S Beam and Group Play on the Galaxy S4, as it allows much faster swapping of files, music, videos and streaming between compatible devices than with the previous 802.11n standard.
Galaxy S4 supports blazing "5G" 802.11ac Wi-Fi
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The Galaxy S4 supports the new MHL 2.0 wired connectivity standard, meaning, besides peppier streams, that the phone will also charge twice faster when connected to a TV or monitor equipped with an MHL port than before, which is pretty important when you are exhausting it with gaming sessions from the couch.
MHL 2.0 support
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A VoodooReport app log sent from the Samsung Galaxy S4 GT-I9500 - the Exynos 5 Octa processor version - confirms that it uses the high-quality Wolfson WM5102 audio chip, which theoretically means better sound output than the DAC embedded in the S4 version with Qualcomm's Snapdragon 600 chipset. In GT-I9500, however, it seems that Android defaults to 48kHz, so the Wolfson audio might not make much difference after all.
Wolfson audio in the S4 version with Exynos 5 Octa processor
https://twitter.com/supercurio/status/315953474363858945
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Samsung has partnered with SwiftKey for the default keyboard on its Galaxy S4 this time, meaning that you will be using what is probably the best Android keyboard free of charge if you get the phone - complete with the Flow finger-tracing functionality, and the top-notch prediction algorithms that have made SwiftKey the most popular Android keyboard.
SwiftKey comes standard
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Another best-in-class service Samsung has partnered with for the Galaxy S4 is TripAdvisor, the most comprehensive travel database for Android, and not only.
TripAdvisor Samsung Edition is what the app is called, and it sports a new interface with scrollable landmark photo strip, and a handy widget that can display activities to try around you, plus you can flip through them without even firing up the application - a feature that is S4 exclusive for now.
TripAdvisor Samsung Edition is what the app is called, and it sports a new interface with scrollable landmark photo strip, and a handy widget that can display activities to try around you, plus you can flip through them without even firing up the application - a feature that is S4 exclusive for now.
TripAdvisor integration
http://www.breakingtravelnews.com/news/article/tripadvisor-powers-travel-tools-on-samsung-galaxy-s4/
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Last but not least, the Samsung Galaxy S4 comes with an emergency option called Safety Assistance that can start shooting photos with both the front and rear cameras when you long-press the volume up or down, and automatically sends them with a preset message to emergency contacts of your choosing at predetermined intervals.
Safety Assistance option
Samsung Galaxy S4: 10 exclusive or little-known features review
The Samsung Galaxy S4 employs a super-sensitive touchscreen tech that lets you operate the phone with gloves, besides the usual objects you can employ on a capacitive touchscreen, like fingernails, even forks, screws, pens and even a bottle of yogurt, as you can see in our quick demo video.
We'd wager to bet it's the same technology found on the Nokia Lumia 920, supplied by Synaptics, and is a very handy feature, especially for the construction site, colder regions, or when you are on the ski lift and get a call or text - you can answer it or unlock the phone to read the message without taking your gloves off in the subzero temps.
We'd wager to bet it's the same technology found on the Nokia Lumia 920, supplied by Synaptics, and is a very handy feature, especially for the construction site, colder regions, or when you are on the ski lift and get a call or text - you can answer it or unlock the phone to read the message without taking your gloves off in the subzero temps.
Samsung Galaxy S4: 10 exclusive or little-known features review
1. Super-sensitive touchscreen can be operated with gloves
The Samsung Galaxy S4 employs a super-sensitive touchscreen tech that lets you operate the phone with gloves, besides the usual objects you can employ on a capacitive touchscreen, like fingernails, even forks, screws, pens and even a bottle of yogurt, as you can see in our quick demo video.
We'd wager to bet it's the same technology found on the Nokia Lumia 920, supplied by Synaptics, and is a very handy feature, especially for the construction site, colder regions, or when you are on the ski lift and get a call or text - you can answer it or unlock the phone to read the message without taking your gloves off in the subzero temps.
We'd wager to bet it's the same technology found on the Nokia Lumia 920, supplied by Synaptics, and is a very handy feature, especially for the construction site, colder regions, or when you are on the ski lift and get a call or text - you can answer it or unlock the phone to read the message without taking your gloves off in the subzero temps.
2. First handset with Corning's Gorilla Glass 3
If you were cringing each time we tried the super-sensitive touchscreen feature on the Galaxy S4 with a fork or a screw, you shouldn't have - the phone is the first handset with the Gorilla Glass 3 protective layer, which is three times less prone to scratches than Gorilla Glass 2, as found on the Galaxy S III, for example. You can clearly hear the Samsung rep confirm for us in this demo video from the launch event that the S4 sports exclusive Gorilla Glass 3 protection.
3. Mobeam tech: existing barcode scanners work with the Galaxy S4 directly
Forget cutting coupons all Sunday long - Mobeam's light-based communications (LBC) is embedded in the Galaxy S4, meaning that merchants can use existing POS scanners they already have to scan a proximity sensor-generated barcode straight from the phone.
The implications for mobile commerce are potentially huge, as merchants don't have to install any additional equipment like with NFC, or any extra mobile sales solutions on the backend.
The implications for mobile commerce are potentially huge, as merchants don't have to install any additional equipment like with NFC, or any extra mobile sales solutions on the backend.
4. Barometer, hygrometer and thermometer sensors open to 3rd party apps
While already at least ten or so Android phones and tablets have a barometer inside, since Google started supporting the sensor, the Galaxy S4 is the first to add a thermometer/hygrometer also. Before you dismiss those as gimmicks, bear in mind that the S4 uses all for measuring atmospheric pressure, temperature and humidity around you, and gives you visual reports on the quality of the surrounding environment within the S Health app, as you can see in our video demo.
The barometer is also used for faster and more accurate GPS location readings, and 3rd party apps like pressureNET are starting to take advantage of such sensors. The app is a crowdsourced atmospheric pressure reader - data is pinned as markers on an embedded Google map, and graphed over time "to improve weather forecasting for everyone on Earth by dramatically increasing the availability of live data that describes the atmosphere."
The barometer is also used for faster and more accurate GPS location readings, and 3rd party apps like pressureNET are starting to take advantage of such sensors. The app is a crowdsourced atmospheric pressure reader - data is pinned as markers on an embedded Google map, and graphed over time "to improve weather forecasting for everyone on Earth by dramatically increasing the availability of live data that describes the atmosphere."
5. Galaxy S4 supports blazing "5G" 802.11ac Wi-Fi
Support for the so-called 5G Wi-Fi, or the 802.11ac standard, where theoretical 1 Gbit speeds are within reach, comes standard with the Samsung Galaxy S4, while the previous 802.11n generation is two to three times slower.
Not that there is an abundance of 802.11ac routers on sale yet, or places that spread the Internet love around with such speeds, but support for the "5G Wi-Fi" is important for the Wi-Fi Direct, S Beam and Group Play on the Galaxy S4, as it allows much faster swapping of files, music, videos and streaming between compatible devices than with the previous 802.11n standard.
Not that there is an abundance of 802.11ac routers on sale yet, or places that spread the Internet love around with such speeds, but support for the "5G Wi-Fi" is important for the Wi-Fi Direct, S Beam and Group Play on the Galaxy S4, as it allows much faster swapping of files, music, videos and streaming between compatible devices than with the previous 802.11n standard.
6. MHL 2.0 support
The Galaxy S4 supports the new MHL 2.0 wired connectivity standard, meaning, besides peppier streams, that the phone will also charge twice faster when connected to a TV or monitor equipped with an MHL port than before, which is pretty important when you are exhausting it with gaming sessions from the couch.
7. Wolfson audio in the S4 version with Exynos 5 Octa processor
A VoodooReport app log sent from the Samsung Galaxy S4 GT-I9500 - the Exynos 5 Octa processor version - confirms that it uses the high-quality Wolfson WM5102 audio chip, which theoretically means better sound output than the DAC embedded in the S4 version with Qualcomm's Snapdragon 600 chipset. In GT-I9500, however, it seems that Android defaults to 48kHz, so the Wolfson audio might not make much difference after all.
8. SwiftKey comes standard
Samsung has partnered with SwiftKey for the default keyboard on its Galaxy S4 this time, meaning that you will be using what is probably the best Android keyboard free of charge if you get the phone - complete with the Flow finger-tracing functionality, and the top-notch prediction algorithms that have made SwiftKey the most popular Android keyboard.
9. TripAdvisor integration
Another best-in-class service Samsung has partnered with for the Galaxy S4 is TripAdvisor, the most comprehensive travel database for Android, and not only.
TripAdvisor Samsung Edition is what the app is called, and it sports a new interface with scrollable landmark photo strip, and a handy widget that can display activities to try around you, plus you can flip through them without even firing up the application - a feature that is S4 exclusive for now.
TripAdvisor Samsung Edition is what the app is called, and it sports a new interface with scrollable landmark photo strip, and a handy widget that can display activities to try around you, plus you can flip through them without even firing up the application - a feature that is S4 exclusive for now.
10. Safety Assistance option
Last but not least, the Samsung Galaxy S4 comes with an emergency option called Safety Assistance that can start shooting photos with both the front and rear cameras when you long-press the volume up or down, and automatically sends them with a preset message to emergency contacts of your choosing at predetermined intervals.
We'd wager to bet it's the same technology found on the Nokia Lumia 920, supplied by Synaptics, and is a very handy feature, especially for the construction site, colder regions, or when you are on the ski lift and get a call or text - you can answer it or unlock the phone to read the message without taking your gloves off in the subzero temps.