News

Samsung W2017 is the flip phone of your dreams

Published

November 4, 2016

Marvin Velasco

As cool as it was to see a modern, Android-powered clamshell phone from Samsung last August, the Galaxy Folder 2 didn’t exactly impress outside of its throwback design. Things are a little different now with the launch of the high-end W2017, which is the hottest flippy phone you can probably buy soon.

Emphasis on probably, because you’d have to reside in China or have one shipped to get a hold of the W2017. Yes, it’s currently exclusive to the Chinese market, but that isn’t even the worst part.

Although the exact price hasn’t been confirmed yet, you might have to fork over CNY 20,000, which converts to nearly $3,000. Wowza!

The Samsung W2017 in gold

If that sounds totally outrageous to you, we’d understand, but this isn’t the first out-of-this-world pricing we’ve seen from Samsung. Its predecessor, the aptly named W2016, cost a whopping CNY 9,999 — half as much, but still excessively premium.

So, how does the W2017 justify its price tag? First of all, it has a two 4.2-inch Full HD AMOLED screens — one on each side of the handset’s cover. The outer display has Samsung’s Always On feature, meaning it can constantly stay on to alert you of notifications without significantly draining the battery.

Beneath everything is Qualcomm’s high-powered Snapdragon 820 processor (the same found in Samsung’s flagship Galaxy S7), an ample 4GB of memory, and 64GB of internal storage that you can expand using a microSD card.

For shooting photos and videos, you have a 12-megapixel camera at the back and 5-megapixel shooter on the inside for vanity. The former is more special, as it has a bright f/1.9 aperture for fast shots under poor lighting conditions, as well as 4K resolution video recording.

Gold and black models of the Samsung W2017

The only knock against it is the unremarkable 2300mAh battery, so good luck lasting more than a day with both displays sapping power at the same time. But if the price is something you can manage, ordering a fitting power bank shouldn’t be much trouble.

Luckily, there’s also fast charging to fill up the W2017 in a jiffy, plus a fingerprint scanner that supports Samsung Pay, in case you’re into high-tech payment methods.

While there’s no Galaxy branding to its name, the W2017 does indeed have Android 6.0 Marshmallow as its operating system. We’re guessing the moniker doesn’t matter much to Sammy anymore, since the Galaxy TabPro S convertible has the title sans Android.

And before we forget, it’ll come in two colors: black or gold. Choose wisely!

[irp posts=”4460″ name=”Samsung Galaxy Folder 2 brings back clamshell design”]

Source: SamMobile

News

FIFA World Cup: Lenovo’s Referee View received positively by fans

Unique first-person perspective brings action closer to viewers

Published

July 13, 2026

GadgetMatch

Lenovo has revealed that technological advancements at the FIFA World Cup 2026 has made viewers “feel closer” to the action than ever before.

Surveying fans across Australia, Canada, India, the United Kingdom, and the United States, Lenovo bared that 87% say technology is improving the viewing experience.

Close-to-action camera perspectives have also help 84% of surveyed viewers, making them feel they’re right on the pitch.

Of course, Lenovo AI has introduced Referee View throughout the World Cup. This AI-powered technology gives viewers a first-person POV of the match from a referee’s perspective.

Lenovo Referee View has been featured on an average of three times per match across the tournament in over 220 countries and territories worldwide, according to preliminary FIFA data.

Through a lightweight camera mounted on the match official, the technology gives a first-person POV of the match.

And while raw footage is fast-moving and sometimes unstable, Lenovo’s AI-powered video analytics platform automatically transforms the clips into smooth, broadcast-quality video in real-time.

Other findings from Lenovo’s research include:

76% of viewers have seen or heard about Referee View
91% say the close-to-action Referee View POV is appealing
88% say smooth and stable footage is an important part of viewing sports footage
98% say clear picture quality has been important when watching the FIFA World Cup 2026
91% are interested in seeing more technology that creates immersive or close-to-action sports experiences

Apps

Netflix suddenly resurrects 30-day free trials

It’s available only in some countries.

Published

July 13, 2026

Luigi Leonardo

Over the weekend, a report emerged about Disney+ allegedly considering a new tier offered to users for absolutely free. Apparently, Disney isn’t the only one. Netflix is now resurrecting its free trial program in select countries.

Back in the day, it was easy to get into Netflix. With a 30-day free trial, you can watch the shows you’ve always wanted to catch. If you liked what you saw, you can pay the monthly fee to access the entire library without constraints. Eventually, the platform got rid of this system to favor a cheaper ad-supported tier.

Perhaps not seeing the benefits of ad-supported tiers, Netflix has suddenly resurrected its free trial program. Spotted online (via Android Authority), some countries, including Brazil and India, are experimenting with the program again. New users can get 30 days of free Netflix access.

Because only regular users are spotting this (rather than an official announcement), we don’t have a list of where the free trials are available.

Still, it’s an interesting move. Cable isn’t a thing anymore so “cutting the cable” isn’t a popular phrase anymore, but people are definitely cancelling subscriptions over rising prices. Some even rely on short clips from YouTube to catch up with their shows. Having a free trial opens up more possibilities for users, but it remains to be seen whether it’s enough for users to return to Netflix.

Apps

Disney+ might get a free tier

What would you like to see in a free Disney+ tier?

Published

July 13, 2026

Luigi Leonardo

In a world disappointingly obsessed with increasing prices beyond our means, Disney+ has miraculously remembered the phrase, “free sample.” According to a report, the streaming platform is considering making a free subscription tier.

As of late, it’s been difficult to maintain a healthy collection of streaming services. When you have to pay the equivalent of a full-course meal every month for just a single platform, you start to evaluate which ones really matter.

Perhaps feeling the sting of users leaving the platform over pricing, Disney+ is reportedly experimenting with a tier that comes at no cost to users (via Business Insider). According to two sources, adding such a tier might help the platform reach customers more.

Now, it’s still a mystery how this tier might work. Disney+ already offers an ad-supported tier, so it’s unlikely to be another one like that.

One possibility is a heavily curated feed of content either designed specifically for free users or limited exactly to give users a free sample. For the latter, think of the limited content you get on a plane. Sure, you might get the first three episodes of The Mandalorian, but you’ll have to fork over cash if you want to see the rest of the story.

And for the former, you can imagine short-form content available for free. Going back to Star Wars, you might see a short anthology series like Star Wars: Visions.

Either way, it’s an interesting concept. If the tier does offer full content, it’s a great way to get into franchises you were thinking of trying without the need to spend for a taste.