U.S.-based cell carrier Sprint announced last week that a new over-the-air (OTA) update is coming soon to the Galaxy S5. While there’s no official date confirmed for its release, Sprint notes that it will happen “soon.” So, what’s included in this update? This isn’t some minor update that aims to solve a few bugs. Instead, it’s a major update that will introduce the Android 4.4.4 KitKat operating system to Galaxy S5 users on the Sprint network. The update will be sent via Sprint’s 3G/4G network, with compatible Galaxy S5 devices automatically downloading them. Once the download is complete, users will have the option to install them. Of course, it’s recommended that users confirm the installation process, as older versions of Android may be susceptible to malicious attacks, bugs, and various other problems. Surprisingly, Samsung has stood by its decision to use earlier versions of Android, even in the midst of Google releasing Android 4.4.4. This has caused some criticism and backlash among users who are eager to try the latest version of Google’s Android operating system. While HTC, Motorola, and several other big names in the smartphone industry have released Android 4.4.4 KitKat updates, Samsung has lagged behind.  Some analysts…

The California-based startup company Olloclip unveiled its signature 4-in-1 camera lens attachment for the Samsung Galaxy S5 earlier this month. If you’re a Galaxy S5 owner who’s constantly snapping photos left and right, you’ll want to check out this revolutionary new product. Although small in size, the Olloclip is a powerful attachment that opens up a whole new world of possibilities for the Galaxy S5. The Olloclip isn’t a new product by any means. While the company has just recently unveiled its Galaxy S5-compatible product, they’ve been producing similar lens attachment products for the Apple iPhone for several years. Up until recently, though, only iPhone users were given the opportunity to own this nifty device. So, what exactly is the Olloclip? It’s basically a small attachment with four different lenses that’s designed to fit over the phone’s camera. The Galaxy S5 already boasts an impressive 16-megapixel primary camera, but users can improve the quality and dynamics of their photos by utilizing the Olloclip. The Olloclip adds fisheye, wide-angle, a 15X magnification, and 10X magnification lens to the Galaxy S5. With four new lens types added, Galaxy S5 owners can snap some truly amazing and unique photos that are superior to other…

Motorola released a newly updated model model of its flagship smartphone, the Moto X, earlier this month. The new and improved 2014 model features several cosmetic and under-the-hood improvements. So, how does Motorola’s latest device fair against Samsung’s Galaxy S5? Display If you were to compare the two devices side by side, you probably wouldn’t notice much (if any) of a difference in size. The Moto X features a 5.2″ full-HD display screen, whereas the Galaxy S5 is just a hair smaller at 5.1″. Both display screens are Super AMOLED with a high pixel-density resolution. Water Resistance Samsung touts its flagship smartphone as having IP67 dust and water-resistant body. This doesn’t necessarily mean you can drop it in a lake and expect it to work, but light exposure to moisture and dust shouldn’t cause any damage. The Moto X does not have this same IP67 dust and water-resistant body. Instead, it features a light water-resistant coating on the screen, which is better than nothing I suppose. Storage The Galaxy S5 is equipped with 32GB internal storage capacity along with a MicroSD slot for expansion. The Moto X, on the other hand, is available in either a 16 or 32 GB…

The Samsung Galaxy S5 is arguably one of the best — if not the best — smartphone on the market. With high-end specs like a quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon processor, 2GB RAM, 16-megapixel primary camera, and Ip67 dust/water-resistant body, Samsung’s award-winning flagship smartphone continues to surpass our expectations. But one of the complains by some users is a weak WiFi signal. If you are experiencing a weak signal when connected to your home or business’s wireless network, keep reading for some possible solutions. Close Unnecessary Apps and Processes First and foremost, access your Galaxy S5’s apps and processes under Settings to see what exactly is running on your device. Most people don’t realize just how many different apps and processes are running until they view this information in the Settings. Even if you aren’t actively engaged in an app, your device may still be running them. Ideally, you should close out as many apps and processes as possible, allowing just the basic, core processes to run  in the background. Avoid Poor WiFi Connections Samsung implemented a feature in the Galaxy S5 that specifically avoids wireless connections with poor signals. This feature is turned off by default, though, so you’ll need to…

Wouldn’t it be cool if you could connect your Galaxy S5 to your big-screen television? Most users don’t realize that Samsung included a feature in its flagship smartphone specifically for this. Known as Screen Mirroring, it allows users to project their Galaxy S5’s screen on televisions and other devices. So, how to you enable and use this nifty feature? Unfortunately, Samsung provides few details on how to use screen mirroring. Even in the official user manual, there’s very little information on this feature. Nonetheless, it’s relatively easy to use once you learn where the feature is located on the device and how to set it up. Note: your television must be Miracast-certified to use the Galaxy S5’s screen mirroring feature without a cable. Before you attempt to use this feature, check to make sure your television is Miracast-certified. Screen mirroring only works with televisions and devices with this universal certification. When screen mirroring is enabled, your Galaxy S5 will automatically scan the surrounding environment for Miracast-certified televisions and devices. The good news is that most televisions manufactured within the past few years meet this criteria. Some of the older ones, however, may not. If you are unsure whether your television is Miracast-certified, check…

One of Canada’a largest cell carriers, TELUS, is expected to launch the Samsung Galaxy S5 Active in the upcoming weeks. As some of you may already know, the Galaxy S5 Active is currently only available in the U.S. through AT&T. Samsung announced the Active variant of its flagship smartphone earlier this year, confirming an exclusive deal brokered with AT&T. The Galaxy S5 Active remains limited to the U.S., but this may soon change as TELUS prepares to add the device to its lineup of smartphones. So, how do we know that TELUS is planning to launch the Galaxy S5 Active? Several sources, including AndroidHeadlines, report that a “reliable tipster” shared this information. According to the mysterious tipster, TELUS will release the Samsung Galaxy S5 Active sometime next month (no specific date announced yet). This isn’t an official confirmation by any means, but it’s promising news for consumers in Canada who’ve been waiting patiently for Samsung to release the rugged, ultra-durable variant of its flagship smartphone. The Samsung Galaxy S4 Active was an instant success thanks to its water/dust-resistant body. The original Galaxy S4 was not water or dust resistant, and many users ended up damaging or ruining their device by…

Samsung recently launched a new LTE variant of its flagship smartphone in Singapore. Known as the Galaxy S5 4G+, it’s available exclusively through the country’s Singtel cell carrier in half a dozen different service plans. While it may look like an ordinary Galaxy S5, the Galaxy S5 4G+ has some subtle differences that set it apart from the original handset. So before you go scooping up this latest variant, you should take a minute to read the following post. One of the most notable differences between the Samsung Galaxy S5 and the Galaxy S5 4G+ is the processor. Samsung used a high-end quad-core Snapdragon 805 processor in the 4G+ model — the same used in the Korean model. Unlike the Korean model, however, the Samsung Galaxy S5 4G+ does not feature a full QHD display. Instead, Samsung choose to use the same full HD display that’s found in the U.S. and international models. According to AnTuTu’s rankings, the Snapdragon 805 is currently the second best smartphone processor on the market. That’s a pretty bold statement given the countless number of other chipsets available. While the Galaxy S5 4G+ may use a different Snapdragon chip than the Korean model, it’s still…

The India-based online retailer giant Flipkart has acquired exclusive rights to sell the Samsung Galaxy S5 Mini Duos on its website. While the company has yet to announce an official release date for the slimmed down device, reports suggest it will be released in the upcoming weeks. So, how do we know that Flipkart acquired exclusive selling rights for the Galaxy S5 Mini Duos? If you keep up with their Facebook page, you may have noticed a post regarding the device. Flipkart published a promotional image of the Galaxy S5 Mini Duos along with the following caption: “Style goes hand-in-hand with substance. Compact design. Stunning processor. Mini talks big. Coming soon. Exclusive.” Just 20 hours after the post was made, it has already received some 250 comments, some of which are positive and others negative. Jatin Anam wrote: “Now a days flipkart is charging more rates than other online marketing shops. Come on flipkart you are slowly loosing your market share.” Nonetheless, Flipkart remains India’s leading e-commerce website. During a round of investor fundraising earlier this year, the company raised an eye-opening $1 billion plus, surpassing predictions from even the most optimistic market analysts. Of course, this isn’t the first time…

Hundreds of thousands of people have dumped buckets of ice water over their heads to raise money for the nerve cell disease Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. Everyone from Jamie Foxx to former U.S. President George Bush have participated in this “chilling” activity, but there’s a new contender who’s amped and ready to take the challenge: Samsung’s flagship smartphone, the Galaxy S5. Being the marketing genius that it is, Samsung uploaded a video to its YouTube account last week which shows the Galaxy S5 being splashed with ice water (we presume it’s ice water, at least). During the short 15-second video, a computer voice says “I am the Samsung Galaxy S5. This is my ice bucket challenge. Gosh, this is freezing. I nominate the iPhone 5S, HTC One (M8), and Nokia Lumia 930.” Granted, it’s a short video, but it’s sill quite comical and worth checking out, especially if you’re a fan of the Galaxy S5. Note: no Galaxy S5 devices were harmed during the making of this promotional film. The Galaxy S5 features IP67 dust/water-resistant technology; therefore, it’s able to hold up under the stress of the ice bucket challenge. Samsung really went out of…

While most people are busy talking a bout the new Samsung Galaxy Alpha, owners of the launch-edition Galaxy S5 may notice a new firmware being rolled out. Samsung quietly began updating international Galaxy S5 devices (not the U.S. versions) to firmware build G900FXXU1ANG9 earlier this week. The update is still in the early stages, with only a few select European markets receiving it via over-the-air (OTA) transmission. Now for the million dollar question: what exactly does this nw firmware update do? We still don’t know the full details, but early reports suggest it’s a minor update which brings performance improvements, greater stability, and bug fixes to the international version of Samsung’s flagship smartphone. Firmware G900FXXU1ANG9 does not introduce any new features or utilities that we know of. Regardless, it’s the official firmware for the international version of the Samsung Galaxy S5 model SM-G900F, so you should definitely use it on your device. Here’s what we know about the new international Galaxy S5 firmware update: Model: SM-G900F Model name: Samsung Galaxy S5 Country: South east Europe Version: Android 4.4.2 Changelist: 2089850 Build date: 25 July Product code: SEE PDA: G900FXXU1ANG9 CSC: G900FOXX1ANG5 Modem: G900FXXU1ANG8 Like all of Samsung’s firmware updates, G900FXXU1ANG9 will be gradually rolled out…