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jeudi 14 janvier 2021

These are the best Galaxy S21 Ultra cases you can grab right now!

Samsung finally took the wraps off the Samsung Galaxy S21 series, their latest and greatest flagship lineup for 2021, and all eyes have turned onto the Galaxy S21 Ultra, the biggest and boldest device out of the whole lineup. It follows in the footsteps of other Ultra devices such as the S20 Ultra and the Note20 Ultra: it’s big, it’s full of features, and it’s expensive as all hell. But it’s by far the best thing in Samsung’s lineup at the moment. So if you want the very best, this is probably the phone to get. However, keeping it protected can be a challenge, as the phone is a glass sandwich and it’s heavy. Luckily, we have you covered! Here are our top picks for the best Galaxy S21 Ultra cases available right now.

From thin and light cases to bulky and rugged ones (which will make the phone far more unwieldy than it already is), there is a pick for everyone at every price point, whether you’re looking for official options or you’re looking for third-party ones both in the premium and cheaper spectrums. Some S21 Ultra cases also come with S Pen support, so we’re also making sure to throw in plenty of official options if you’re planning on getting an S Pen with your phone. Without further ado, let’s get on with the list!

    Galaxy S21 Ultra Official Silicone Cover w/ S Pen

    The Note experience

    Feeling Note envy sometimes? You can grab the Silicone cover for the S21 Ultra that also includes an S Pen holder and, of course, the pen itself, so you can get writing on your screen like with a Note smartphone.
    Galaxy S21 Ultra Official Silicone Cover

    A more classic case

    Not really into using a stylus with your smartphone? Well, that's fine. The normal Silicone cover without an S-Pen is also available for you to check out, providing the same protection and color options at a cheaper price.
    Galaxy S21 Ultra Clear Cover

    Show off your colors

    Biting into Samsung's marketing for the S21 Ultra's color options? Then you'll probably find this classic clear case more than alright, as it allows you to show off your phone's design while keeping it protected.
    Galaxy S21 Ultra Rugged Case

    Protect yourself with style

    The Galaxy S21 Ultra's official rugged case doesn't bring support for any kind of S Pen, but it does bring extra protection at the expense of thinness, if that's something you're into. And it also comes with a kickstand.
    Galaxy S21 Ultra Leather Cover

    The stylish choice

    The official leather case might not be as tough as the rugged one, but it features an unique design with extra protection for the big camera bump in the device. It also features a leather finish that is very, very nice to the touch.
    CASEKEY Galaxy S21 Ultra Case

    A cheaper bumper option

    This CASEKEY TPU case for the Galaxy S21 Ultra aims to keep your phone safe from drops and accidents with two layers of plastic and silicone that wrap up to the front of the device with an added lip on the front, so it doesn't break from any drop.
    Restoo Galaxy S21 Ultra Rugged Case

    Budget and heavy-duty protection

    This Restoo rugged case for the Galaxy S21 Ultra is made to look like it can withstand a beating, and it most certainly can, featuring thicker silicone bumper corners as well as a textured back for better grip.
    Caseology Vault Galaxy S21 Ultra Case

    Cheap quality protection

    Caseology is one of the best case manufacturers from our list, and their Vault case is also available in an S21 Ultra flavor, protecting your new phone from drops and external elements while remaining cheaper than official options from Samsung themselves.
    Ringke Air Galaxy S21 Ultra Case

    A clear case on the cheap

    Ringke is also a reknown case manufacturer, and as it turns out, they have a Galaxy S21 Ultra case that focuses on just the essentials, providing a clear and flexible case that, while it won't blow you away, should add an extra layer of peace of mind.

These are our top picks for the best Galaxy S21 Ultra cases currently available in the market. If you want to take advantage of Samsung’s S Pen on your device, then you have no other choice right now but to grab one of Samsung’s cases with an S Pen holder, since unlike the Note lineup, the phone does not have a pen holder, and it’s held by the case as an optional accessory. Otherwise, if you don’t mind the S Pen, there’s a lot of options. Samsung’s classic Silicone case should be able to provide plenty of protection, while Samsung’s rugged case takes it a bit further and adds some extra functionality as well. But these options come at a premium compared to third party cases.

As for the best Galaxy S21 Ultra cases from third parties (these will be decently cheaper), Caseology’s Vault case and Ringke’s Air case are excellent options that won’t break the bank, since they’re all under $15, and will still manage to protect your smartphone.

    Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra
    The Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra is the ultimate overkill in the new 2021 flagship series, packing in a flagship SoC, a premium build, a great display, and an amazing camera setup, as well as all the extras expected on a premium flagship.

The post These are the best Galaxy S21 Ultra cases you can grab right now! appeared first on xda-developers.



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How does the S-Pen support on the Galaxy S21 series work?

The Samsung Galaxy S21 series has just launched, and we know pretty much everything already that there is to know. With the Samsung Galaxy Note series reportedly axed, many were worried that there would no longer be any flagship Samsung smartphones that support a stylus. Thankfully, the Samsung Galaxy S21 series does support the S-Pen… kind of. The S-Pen is only supported on the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra, and it’s not quite as convenient to use as with the Note series. Keep in mind that you won’t be able to use air gestures or any Bluetooth controls if you purchase the regular S Pen, so you’ll have to wait for the S Pen Pro to release later this or (or use any past Tab or Note-series stylus) to use air gestures with your shiny new S21 Ultra.

Using an S-Pen with the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra

The S-Pen case

The first thing you’ll need to do is either pick up an S-Pen that works for the Samsung Galaxy Note series or pick up the new S-Pen that Samsung has launched specifically for the S21 Ultra. The Galaxy S21 Ultra is backward compatible and will work with an older S-Pen from something like the Galaxy Note 20. If you don’t have a previous Samsung device, then you can either pick up an S-Pen individually or even a third-party one – check out our list of the best Galaxy S21 Ultra styluses if you don’t want to shell out $40 for one. It’s an entirely optional accessory, and it means that you can turn your Galaxy S21 Ultra into what would have been a Galaxy Note 21 Ultra, assuming that the Note series is gone for good.

There’s a problem with that though, as you’ll just have a loose S-Pen that can’t dock inside of your smartphone. If you have to put it in your bag or your pocket, there’s a chance that you might end up losing it or damaging it. That’s why Samsung has also launched an S-Pen and case package.

The Samsung S-Pen case laying down

The case is a special one that can hold onto the stylus so that you don’t need to worry about losing it. In essence, it works pretty much the exact same way as if you had a Galaxy Note series device and wanted to dock your pen. In a future update, Samsung will enable gestures and Bluetooth controls, so that you can use it the exact same way that you would on a Galaxy Note series device. The pen itself is quite similar to the pen that you can purchase for the Samsung Galaxy Tab S7, and you can still click both the top of the pen and a button at the side. If you want to save some money, you can go for the S-Pen on its own, but otherwise, we highly recommend picking up the case as well.

    S-Pen for Galaxy S21 Ultra

    The new S-Pen for the S21 Ultra

    It's very similar in terms of specs and features to the S-Pen found in the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra, but this is a new slightly thicker S-Pen designed for the S21 Ultra and designed to be stored separately, vs slim enough to fit into the phone like with the Note 20 Ultra.
    Samsung Official S-Pen + Case

    Store your S-Pen in style

    The S-Pen for the Galaxy S21 Ultra is great but doesn't attach to the phone so unless you want an S-Pen that roams in your bag, you'll want a case that can store it. The official case from Samsung does just this, and is the best way to keep your S-Pen with your phone.
    S-Pen for Galaxy Note 20 Ultra

    Affordable and colorful

    If you'd rather not buy the new S-Pen and prefer the slimmer design of last year's Galaxy Note 20 Ultra S-Pen, look no further. You can pick up the S-Pen from the last Note flagship starting at just $26 and it's available in four different colors!

The post How does the S-Pen support on the Galaxy S21 series work? appeared first on xda-developers.



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Ring rolls out end-to-end encryption for video doorbells and security cameras

Ring has announced the rollout of end-to-end encryption (E2EE), first revealed in Fall 2020, for a selection of its products, as it tries to bolster confidence in its security credentials. The Amazon-owned smart security brand has raised more than a few eyebrows with its policies in recent years and will be hoping to bridge the gap between privacy and advanced features. Because E2EE will make some of its more advanced features impossible to provision, it will be up to users to opt-in.

The 128-bit AES encryption will plug the holes in data transfer beyond that which is already offered, whilst recordings saved to Ring’s cloud are encrypted already. Turning on E2EE will mean that Ring’s systems won’t be able to analyse your uploads, which does mean it won’t be able to offer motion verification, identify human movement in the shot (as opposed to animals or vehicles) or stream your live feeds to Amazon Echo Show or Fire TV devices.

According to a list obtained by TechHive, the following products will be made capable of end-to-end encryption as a Technical Preview: the Video Doorbell Pro, the Video Doorbell Elite, the Floodlight Cam, the Indoor Cam, the Stick Up Cam Plug-in, the Stick Up Cam Elite, the Spotlight Cam Wired, and the Spotlight Cam Mount. All others, unfortunately, don’t qualify.

This actually puts Ring’s security chops above most of the smart camera crowd. Although brands like Nest and Arlo use bank-grade encryption, it’s not end-to-end, meaning there are still weak spots where the most determined of hackers could find their way in. The biggest name exception to this is Apple’s HomeKit Secure Video, which uses a local device, such as an Apple TV or Homepod to do the analysis on-premise, meaning it can offer advanced features without sending unsecured footage to the cloud.

Ring has said will give users the opportunity to feed back on the technical preview through a form in the Ring app.

 

The post Ring rolls out end-to-end encryption for video doorbells and security cameras appeared first on xda-developers.



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Samsung will release an S Pen Pro for the Galaxy S21 Ultra later this year

Samsung on Thursday announced the Galaxy S21 Ultra is launching with S Pen support. Unfortunately, the optional $40 accessory doesn’t have Bluetooth, which means it won’t support features like air gestures. But don’t fret, because Samsung confirmed it will release an S Pen Pro later this year with support for Bluetooth and air gestures.

If you already own an S Pen from other Galaxy Note or Galaxy Tab devices, it will work with the Galaxy S21 Ultra. Meanwhile, the S Pen Pro will work with the Galaxy S21 Ultra and also be compatible with the Galaxy Note 10/20 series and Galaxy Tab S6/S7 series with One UI 3.1 and above installed. Samsung didn’t share pricing for the S Pen Pro.

The S-Pen case

The new S Pen can still do a lot when combined with the Galaxy S21 Ultra. For example, you can jot down notes, edit photos, and sign documents. You can also draw, navigate the phone, and much more. It’s an experience that will feel familiar to Galaxy Note owners. The S Pen also comes equipped with a side button for performing certain actions, so you’re not missing a ton if you don’t wait for the S Pen Pro.

Either way, the Galaxy S21 Ultra doesn’t have a slot to carry the S Pen, so you’ll either have to carry it separately or buy a carrying case (which when purchased with the S Pen, is bundled for $69.99). Considering how diminutive the S Pen is, carrying it separately seems like a tricky proposition, so a carrying case is probably the best way to go.

It’s worth clarifying that only the Galaxy S21 Ultra features S Pen support, so if you opt for the Galaxy S21 or Galaxy S21 Plus, you’re out of luck. It would have been nice to see Samsung’s entire lineup of new devices offer S Pen support, but we’ll take what we can get. Hopefully, there will be enough interest that the feature eventually comes to all Galaxy S series phones released in 2022 and beyond.

The post Samsung will release an S Pen Pro for the Galaxy S21 Ultra later this year appeared first on xda-developers.



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Oculus is bringing multi-user accounts and app sharing to the Quest

Facebook-owned Oculus has announced plans to bring two of its most-requested features to the Oculus Quest VR headset. (Sadly, neither is the ability to log in without a Facebook account). Multi-User accounts, which will allow several accounts to log into the same device, and app sharing, which allows those users to access each other’s apps.

Oculus has outlined how the new functionality will work in a blog post. There will be a Primary account holder who will be able to invite Secondary account holders, with Primary users able to share apps they have bought with the linked accounts. All gameplay functions, including progress, achievements and game saves will remain unique and separate for each user. Additionally, Secondary users can’t share their apps with any other users, including the Primary. Facebook says it is aiming to increase the VR community, whilst simultaneously cutting the likelihood of software piracy. It also adds that multi-use headsets will drive better engagement for developers.

At launch, the new functionality will be available to Oculus Quest 2 owners, who will be able to add up to 3 additional secondary accounts to their device. It will roll out to OG Quest users at a later date. When households with multiple devices become more widespread, the scheme will be expanded to allow Primary user apps to be shared across up to three devices. This will be reviewed over time and could change based on feedback from both users and developers.

Developers will find that from February 13th 2021, their apps will automatically be enrolled in the sharing program. If there are legal or other reasons for not including certain apps, the developer must switch it off in their Org manager page by February 12. From February 13th, all new submissions of apps for Quest or Rift headsets must be ‘shareable’, as part of updated Terms and Conditions which come into effect on that day.

More information and a list of conditions of the new features can be found in the blog post.

 

The post Oculus is bringing multi-user accounts and app sharing to the Quest appeared first on xda-developers.



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The Galaxy S21 Ultra may finally live up to Samsung’s “100x Space Zoom” marketing

Samsung Galaxy S21 series, the finest Samsung smartphones for the first half of 2021, has finally arrived. Over the last decade, Samsung has added new features to every generation of the Galaxy S series to maintain its position as the Android smartphone landscape leader. Likewise, the Galaxy S21 series also brings several new additions. The Galaxy S21 series brings a slew of new camera features, and their inclusion in the latest Galaxy devices is quite likely to push these innovations to the fore. One of these new features is the improved telephoto setup on the Galaxy S21 Ultra, comprising not just one but two different cameras with optical zoom capabilities.

3x telephoto and 10x periscope cameras on Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra

The Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra improves upon the telephoto capabilities of the Galaxy S20 Ultra and the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra, both of which featured a periscope camera with 5x optical zoom. The Galaxy S21 Ultra, on the other hand, features two telephoto cameras, including a regular 10MP telephoto camera with 3x optical zoom along with another 10MP periscopic camera with 10x optical zoom. On top of the 10x optical zoom, the Galaxy S21 Ultra’s improved periscope camera can facilitate up to 10x digital by cropping into the image visible in the viewfinder. The 10x digital zoom and 10x optical zoom effectively create 100x hybrid zoom together, thereby enabling Samsung’s Space Zoom feature.

See the Galaxy S21 Ultra’s 100x Space Zoom technology in action in this hands-on video by our Senior Editor, Ben Sin:

With this improved telephoto setup, the Galaxy S21 Ultra may finally live to the Space Zoom hype. Although Samsung had introduced the Space Zoom feature with the Galaxy S20 Ultra last year, it was construed as a gimmick in most reviews. This perception of the feature as a gimmick forced Samsung to take a step back and limit the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra’s periscope zooming capabilities to just 50x hybrid zoom.

While other brands are engaged in spec wars, Samsung has presumably been focusing on an optimized harmony between hardware and software. This is why we don’t often witness the Korean brand headlining trends as often as it used to some five to ten years ago. It is not the first smartphone company to take advantage of two telephoto cameras instead of just one. Huawei, another noted pioneer in camera technology, launched the Huawei P40 Pro+ with two telephoto cameras in March 2020 and iterated the same on the Huawei Mate 40 Pro+. Although Samsung is behind by almost a year, it claims to master the technology by adding software features that use AI to stabilize and sharpen the image.

“Zoom Lock” for tripod-like stabilization

Like any other periscope camera, Galaxy S21’s 10x zoom camera also comes with optical image stabilization (OIS). In addition to OIS, which comes standard on all smartphones with periscope cameras, what sets the Galaxy S21 apart is the new AI-powered stabilization.

Samsung has loaded the Galaxy S21 Ultra with a feature called Zoom Lock. As evident from its name, the feature facilitates locking the frame when using either the 3x telephoto or the 10x periscope camera on the smartphone. This should enable clearer and sharper images of distant objects, especially while capturing celestial bodies such as the moon or the sun.

In his hands-on video as well as the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra hands-on article, Ben eloquently explains the working of the new 100x Space Zoom. The images turn out to be of excellent quality and remarkable sharpness. While we will continue to investigate this further, here are some of the images from out Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra hands-on:

S21 Ultra ultra-wide zoom S21 Ultra 1x zoom S21 Ultra zooming 30x periscope camera S21 Ultra zooming 100x periscope camera

With Samsung plunging into the arena with a better periscope camera, we expect it to set the standard for other smartphone brands emerging with the future versions of telephoto cameras.

    Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra
    The Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra is the ultimate overkill in the new 2021 flagship series, packing in a flagship SoC, a premium build, a great display, and an amazing camera setup, as well as all the extras expected on a premium flagship.

The post The Galaxy S21 Ultra may finally live up to Samsung’s “100x Space Zoom” marketing appeared first on xda-developers.



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These are the best cases for the Samsung Galaxy S21!

The Samsung Galaxy S21 series has been announced a bit earlier than usual, but oh boy, it sure looks like these are going to be strong candidates for the best phones of the year—and we’re just 14 days into it. It is a massive improvement coming from last year’s S20 series, which had some top-notch technology like a 108MP camera in the case of the S20 Ultra, but had some rough edges.

The S21 series comes with a lot of generational improvements, keeping most of these features while refining those rougher edges I talked about. The regular Galaxy S21 is no exception, featuring a 120Hz panel, a 4,000 mAh battery, and a Snapdragon 888 (and an Exynos 2100 in international markets), all in a relatively small (by today standards) package with a 6.2-inch panel. You probably want a case for your fiery new flagship, though, which is why we’ve compiled a list with some of the best Galaxy S21 cases currently available.

We’ve looked at everything from rugged cases that protect your device at the expense of thickness, to thin and light ones that just add a little bit of extra peace of mind without making it much bulkier, so you can add extra protection to your smartphone for whatever price point you’re most comfortable with. Here’s the cases we recommend for the Galaxy S21!

    Samsung Galaxy S21 Official Silicone Cover

    The official silicone case

    You can't go wrong with Samsung's official cases. They're sold in plenty of color choices to compliment your phone's colorway, and they provide basic protection against drops. (They also make the camera bump flush!)
    Samsung Galaxy S21 Official Clear Cover

    Crystal clear all day

    Samsung's official clear case is the most barebones one out of Samsung's official lineup of accesories, but it provides strong protection while also not adding that much of a bulk in your pocket.
    Samsung Galaxy S21 Official Rugged Case

    Plenty of protection

    Samsung's official rugged case not only comes with protection for all sides and corners of your phone, but you also get two different color options as well as a detachable kickstand. It also manages to look pretty good, even though it's a bit on the bulkier side.
    Samsung Galaxy S21 Leather Cover

    The choice of style

    The Samsung Galaxy S21 official leather cover provides a similar degree of protection to other official cases on our list while also managing to be stylish and feel nice to the touch with a nice leather finish. It's the most expensive one out of our list, but trust us, it's great.
    Caseology Vault S21 Case

    Full body protection on the cheap

    This Samsung Galaxy S21 case by Caseology provides a full-body layer of shockproof TPU to protect your device, and comes at pretty cheap compared to most options.
    Restoo Clear Case for Galaxy S21

    Cheap hard and clear

    Want a hard case and want to show off your phone's colors? Then the Restoo Clear Case has you covered with a clear, rigid design that's perfectly paired with one of the many gorgeous S21 colors!
    Weycolor Silicone Case for Galaxy S21

    Soft silicone option

    The Weycolor Silicone Case is a soft silicone case that provides full coverage for your phone and comes in various color options to help you stand out from the crowd!
    Restoo Rugged Case for Galaxy S21

    Rugged full protection

    Restoo is also providing a rugged option for the Galaxy S21, which manages to be slightly see-through while also serving its purpose as an all-terrain case that provides full protection.
    ESR Clear Case with Kickstand for Galaxy S21

    A cheap, clear case with a kickstand

    This case from ESR adds a kickstand to the classic clear, transparent case design (also available on a translucent black option) and also manages to be pretty cheap compared to other official options that also have a kickstand.

Our round-up consists of a few options for the best Galaxy S21 cases for everyone and every price point. We went from everything from Samsung’s current officially available options to known third-party case makers such as Caseology and Restoo for the best third party options, as well as other cases we found on Amazon. We made sure to include our best picks for every type of case, from thin and light ones, to softer ones, all the way up to rugged cases that provide more-than-average protection. Since the phone has just been released, very few of these case makers have ratings or purchases, so we had to skip using that metric this time around!

The post These are the best cases for the Samsung Galaxy S21! appeared first on xda-developers.



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