Samsung rumoured to be releasing the Galaxy Note 8 ahead of iPhone 8

The last time Samsung rushed to release a product before Apple released its iPhone, things didn’t go well. In fact, this rumoured device is the predecessor of said disaster. And it seems Samsung wants to one up the upcoming iPhone with a launch around late August, which The Korean Herald points out is “strategically ahead of the debut of the iPhone in September.” It’s been rumoured that Samsung has started work on the Galaxy Note 8 and Galaxy S9 earlier than scheduled to make sure product safety concerns are addressed. The Note 8, The Herald reports, is expected to have a look similar to the Galaxy S8 but with a dual camera setup at the back of the device.  

Right now, these are all just speculation so it’s best to take it all with a grain of salt. As BGR points out, Samsung hasn’t even launched the refurbished Galaxy Note7 devices and it obviously makes more sense that comes out before the next Note device. But we also have to ask, should Samsung carry on using the Note name, even after all it’s been through? 

Samsung aims to compete in the 2-in-1 tablet space with Galaxy Book running Windows 10

On the heels of Microsoft revealing all new Surface Pros and Apple refreshing its iPad Pro line and adding a 10.5-inch model, Samsung's decided now is a good time to throw down in what's quickly becoming a crowded 2-in-1 tablet space.

The Samsung Galaxy Book is a thin and  lightweight two-in-one Windows 10 device built for productivity on-the-go.  It is available in 12-inch and 10.6-inch versions, its versatile form factor easily transforms the device from tablet to notebook and comes with a stylish metal design, fast-charging battery and an advanced S Pen included. The 10.6-inch device will be $899.99 CDN (MSRP) and the 12-inch device will be $1,899.99 CDN (MSRP). Check them out here for more information and specs.

Thoughts on Apple's HomePod

By Gadjo Cardenas Sevilla

San Jose, California - Apple's newest product category since the Apple Watch in 2015 (or, it can be argued, since the EarPods last year) is their HomePod speaker revealed here a few days ago and which is coming to the US in December (with mid-2018 availability in Canada likely).

In typical Apple fashion, the company comes rather late into a market that's already quite mature. Amazon's Echo can be credited for creating the connected speaker/voice assistant space, and it's a huge seller in the US, Amazon's even expanded their product line to smaller Dot speakers as well as licensing Echo across various OEMs, including high-end speaker brands.

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Apple redesigns iTunes website, too

The Apple App Store isn’t the only one that’s gotten a new look. Apple has finally updated the iTunes website to make it look more like Apple Music and the iTunes app on Mac and PC. You see larger images this time and more information about the artists. You can now easily listen to song previews, read editors’ notes and artist bios, preview videos, and the like. It can prompt you to either check out the song or album on iTunes or Apple Music app. The site also now promotes Apple Music by giving you an option to start a free trial of their streaming service. And instead of saying it’s an iTunes Preview, it now shows that it’s an Apple Music Preview.

Source: 9to5Mac