Latest news with #AbrarAlHeeti
CNET
2 days ago
- Business
- CNET
Amazon Deals of the Day: Preorder the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Get a $300 Amazon Gift Card
Amazon sells a vast array of products, with new ones arriving daily across many categories, including home essentials, tech gear and furniture. As much as the retail giant loves adding new products, Amazon also loves cutting prices. Deciding which offers are worth grabbing (and which aren't) is a full-time job -- our job, specifically. That's why we scope out the top deals for you. Today, we spotted the brand new Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 phone for $2,000. Plus, Amazon is throwing in a $300 gift card with your purchase. We also found the Garmin Fenix 7 Pro smartwatch at almost half off. And finally for the caffeine addicts, we found a nice $300 discount on the elevated Phillips 320 fully automatic espresso machine. If you're looking for a phone upgrade and you're loyal to the Android ecosystem, you're in luck. Samsung just debuted its latest Galaxy Z foldable phones lineup at the Unpacked event on July 9. They're headed to store shelves on July 25, so they're not available yet. But that doesn't mean you can't preorder one. Our reviewers thought the Galaxy Z Fold 7 is the most advanced Samsung foldable yet. The Galaxy Z Fold 7 features a 12-megapixel ultra-wide and 10-megapixel tele-photo camera. Plus it also has a 10-megapixel selfie camera. It's also the thinnest phone by Samsung yet. The battery lasts all day as well, with a 6-hour window of regular use resulting in just 30% battery use according to expert reviewer Abrar Al-Heeti. And of course, this phone is jam packed with AI features. This phone is listed on Amazon for $2,120 for the 512GB option, but right now, the phone is down to $2,000 -- the same price you'll pay for the 256GB model -- but that's not all. You also get a free $300 Amazon gift card included with your purchase. So you're essentially getting a free storage upgrade and a free $300 Amazon gift card when you preorder the phone now. For the hardcore adventurers, you'll need a smartwatch that can keep up with you. A great option is the Garmin Fenix 7 Pro Sapphire Solar smartwatch. This model operates on solar energy, using it to extend its battery life. In fact, you can expect its battery life to last for weeks when it gets enough sunlight, due to the solar charging. It has a beautiful scratch-resistant display, too. As for health and fitness measures, you can track all the basics as well as HRV and blood oxygen levels. It also has strong activity-based features, perfect for whatever adventure you end up on. This includes the Up Ahead feature. This feature shows you checkpoints and points of interest. Plus, the weather map can show you upcoming weather conditions so you're prepared. This fancy watch normally goes for $900. But if you hurry, you can score one for an insane $400 off bringing the price to $500. This is a record-low price. Sizes and styles are selling out, so add what you need to your cart quick. The Phillips 3200 espresso machine puts all other machines to shame. This LatteGo espresso machine can make coffee in five different ways -- regular coffee, espresso, cappuccino, americano and latte macchiato. The automatic milk frother attachment can froth the milk, unlike most machines with a milk steamer. And the frother is only two parts so there's not a ton of tubes for you to clean. It also has a hot water setting incase you want to make hot chocolate or tea instead of coffee. Plus, it has a built-in AquaClean filter which will last for up to 5,000 cups of coffee. This machine goes for a whopping $800. But right now it's down to it's record low price of $500. Although it's still steep, it's almost a 40% savings, or $300 to be exact. With so many deals on Amazon, deciding which ones are worth your money can be difficult. But CNET's combed through what the world's largest online retailer has to offer and gathered the best deals for you to check out.
CNET
08-07-2025
- CNET
Galaxy Unpacked: Everything You Need to Know About the Z Fold 7, Flip 7 and Watch 8
The Galaxy Unpacked event is less than 24 hours away and I expect to see Samsung's next generation of foldable phones, the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Z Flip 7, as well as new Galaxy Watches. But the big surprise might be the Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE, a more affordable version of Samsung's popular clamshell. CNET will be on the ground covering the event live from New York. In fact, Samsung confirmed the Galaxy Z Fold and Z Flip's new thinner design in an exclusive with CNET's Abrar Al-Heeti. Samsung was one of the first companies to launch a foldable phone, but over the past few years, competitors including Motorola and Google (as well as Chinese brands such as Honor, Oppo and Xiaomi) have released their own flips and folds that improve or solve many of the shortcomings found on the Galaxy Z Fold 6 like price, size, battery life and camera quality. A great example of this is the Oppo Find N5, which is one of the world's slimmest foldable book-style phones and closer in size and weight when closed to a regular smartphone. "Whether I'm using the cover display or the internal one, I'm not constantly reminded of how gimmicky the concept of a foldable phone can be, because everything feels sleek and comfortable," wrote CNET's Abrar Al-Heeti in her Oppo Find N5 review. "Yes, the Find N5 is remarkably thin and lightweight, but it's also exceptionally practical and enjoyable to use." So how will Samsung respond? The July 9 Galaxy Unpacked event will be a pivotal moment for the South Korean company. In terms of the Galaxy Fold line, many critics want to see Samsung come to parity with Chinese foldable phones or top what they're doing. But there is also growing curiosity about what the company is doing with AI and health and wellness monitoring, specifically in terms of its Galaxy smartwatches. Rumors, leaks and even some teases straight from Samsung show that the company is ready to meet the moment with an exciting array of foldables phones, including a brand-new budget version of its clamshell flip phone as well as updates to its smartwatch line. You can watch the Galaxy Unpacked event on Wednesday, July 9, at 10 a.m. ET/7 a.m. PT. Samsung is also offering deals for up to $1,200 off when you reserve the new foldable phones on its website. Now Playing: Here's Everything We Expect Samsung to Announce at Its Galaxy Unpacked Event 07:09 Galaxy Z Fold 7 Ultra A frame from one of Samsung's press releases that teased the Galaxy Z Fold 7. Samsung Over the preceding weeks, Samsung has sent out provocative press releases trying to drum up the hype about a Galaxy Fold 7 and its new Ultra-like camera. In a press release titled, Meet the Next Chapter of Ultra, a video shows a Galaxy Z Fold in silhouette with the sound of a chorus of singers and swooping sound effects of the phone opening and closing. These teases are vague at best, but could mean that there are multiple Galaxy Z Fold phones. The Ultra variant will have a Snapdragon 8 Elite chip, according to a report on 91mobiles. The main camera could be truly flagship-worthy, if Samsung's tease is true, and similar to the 200-MP camera that's on the Galaxy S25 Edge. There could be a slim version of the Fold that would be the "the thinnest, lightest and most advanced foldable yet." It's unclear if the -- let's call it the Fold 7 Slim -- would have the same Snapdragon processor or an Exynos one. But what if the Fold 7 Ultra and Fold 7 Slim are the same phone? That might be the reality. Get ready for an Ultra-fied Samsung foldable. Samsung Noted leaker and blogger Evan Blass shared photos in his newsletter of the Galaxy Z Fold 7. The images show the unreleased phone in three different colors: blue shadow, silver shadow and jet black. The blue shadow version looks incredible. The photos of the Galaxy Z Fold 7 are at different angles and really make it look thin. The camera bump sticks out quite a bit and gives off heavy Galaxy S25 Edge vibes. One of the images shows the main screen with a camera cutout at top, which could mean that Samsung is moving away from the under-display camera that's been on the Fold for the past few years. There are conflicting reports that the Z Fold 7 will have larger 8-inch main displays. It's hard to tell from Samsung PR teases or Blass' photos if that's the case. Of course, price is the other big factor when it comes to the Galaxy Z Fold. Last year, Samsung raised the price of the Fold 6 to $1,900. But with the threat of tariffs and an uncertain outlook for the economy in general, it's tough to know what US prices will be. Galaxy Z Flip 7 and Z Flip 7 FE This is the hinge on the Galaxy Z Flip 6. James Martin/CNET Motorola came up with a clever way to deal with the high price for foldable phones by offering multiple versions of its Razr, including one that starts at $700. And like Motorola, Samsung could have not one but two Z Flip phones this year. There would likely be a Z Flip 7, a follow up to last year's Galaxy Z Flip 6, and a more affordable Z Flip 7 FE -- and if you're not a Samsung stan, FE stands for fan edition. The Z Flip 7 would get a larger 4.1-inch cover screen, according to a post by Weibo user Setsuna Digital, similar to the 4-inch one on the Motorola Razr Ultra. Of course, if that's the case, it's going to be exciting to see how Samsung will take advantage of the extra space. Luckily, Blass also shared leaked photos of the Z Flip 7 in blue shadow, coral red and jet black. The cover screen looks enormous without Samsung's file folder tab cutout. But it's on the inside where things get interesting. A couple of weeks ago Samsung launched its Exynos 2500 processor, and that could be what powers the Galaxy Z Flip 7. There's the possibility for a Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE, which after looking at Blass' leaked photos, seems like a repackaged Galaxy Z Flip 6 complete with a 3.4-inch cover screen. And if the Z Flip 7 FE is supposed to be Samsung's more affordable clamshell phone, I have to imagine that the processor will be a step down, too. Will Samsung price the Z Flip 7 FE at $700, the same as Motorola's baseline Razr? We will find out soon. Galaxy Watch 8 and Galaxy Watch 8 Classic The Galaxy Watch 7 (top) and Ultra (bottom). John Kim/CNET Sometimes Samsung teases and other times it just tell us what to expect. A few weeks back, Dr. Hon Pak, Samsung's senior vice president and head of digital health, talked with CNET's Vanessa Hand Orellana about the company's plans around its wearables, which are geared toward personalized coaching, monitoring signs of aging and a new blood analysis feature you can use right from your wrist, no needle necessary. The update is part of a broader push to help people fend off chronic illness. But Pak didn't give away everything. It's unclear how many watches Samsung will launch. It could just be the Galaxy Watch 8, a follow up to last year's Watch 7. There could be a Galaxy Watch 8 Classic and also a new color for the Galaxy Watch Ultra. The watches are getting larger batteries, according to a report by SammyGuru. Blass shared leaked photos for three watches: the Watch 8 and its squaricle design, the Watch 8 Classic with its rotating bezel (which I am a big fan of) and an updated version of the Galaxy Watch Ultra. There's no word on pricing, but it's great to see Samsung really transform its watches with more of these wellness and health features. Galaxy Unpacked final thoughts Here is last year's Galaxy Z Fold 6. Lisa Eadiccico/CNET Most of what I've talked about here is based on rumors and leaks, and until Samsung actually announces products, none of this is for certain. Also, it'll be curious to see if there are any updates (even if it's just software) announced for the Galaxy Ring or if Samsung will show off its Project Moohan headset. Remember, this is likely Samsung's last big event for the year and we'll be on top of all the announcements.
CNET
29-05-2025
- Business
- CNET
Samsung Surprised Us With the S25 Edge's Camera, Rivaling the Top-Notch Ultra
Cameras lead the list of features people look for when choosing a new smartphone. Every pro-level phone distinguishes itself with more cameras, more resolution and more zoom. But when the goal is to create one of the thinnest phones on the market, bulky cameras are easy targets for chucking aside. And yet the new Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge includes a surprising 200 megapixel (MP) f/1.7 wide camera that shares the same specs as the one in Samsung's Galaxy S25 Ultra. In fact, you could argue that the 200MP camera alone justifies the Edge's $1,100 price, with the latest versions of Android and Gemini as added bonuses in a thin and light body. That same resolution on the S25 Ultra starts at $1,300. So why did Samsung choose to include a top-tier feature in a phone that sits in the middle of the company's S25 lineup? People want a good camera they can take everywhere, and they'll pay for it. Read more: CNET's Abrar Al-Heeti reviews the Galaxy S25 Edge. Watch this: Galaxy S25 Edge Hands-On: Samsung's Super-Thin Phone Is Impressive 03:33 Most phones are cameras with phone features The difference between phones in the same lineup often comes down what each model adds over the others. The Galaxy S25 is a thoroughly capable phone that (to cherry pick specs) runs the latest software on a Snapdragon 8 Elite processor, packs a 4,000 mAh battery, has a 6.2-inch display and features the following array of cameras: 50MP wide-angle, 12MP ultra-wide, 10MP 3x telephoto and 12MP front camera. For 256GB of storage, it costs $860. The 128GB base model starts at $800, but I'm using the 256GB version to keep the storage consistent across all our examples. The Galaxy S25 Plus shares all of those same features in a larger package, with a 6.7-inch screen and -- due to its roomier case -- a larger 4,900 mAh battery. For that you'll pay an extra $140 more than the S25 to get the 256GB config at $1,000. Then you jump $300 for the $1,300 Galaxy S25 Ultra, which boasts several specs such as the aforementioned 200MP main camera, a 50MP ultra-wide camera, a second 50MP telephoto camera with 5x optical zoom, a slightly larger 6.9-inch screen and a 5,000 mAh battery. The Galaxy S25 Ultra justifies its higher price with a large array of separate cameras. James Martin/CNET So where does the Galaxy S25 Edge slot into the lineup? For $1,100, it has the same 6.7-inch screen as the S25 Plus with an additional layer of protection (it's covered with Corning's Gorilla Glass Ceramic 2), the same Snapdragon 8 Elite processor, a smaller 3,900 mAh battery (to be expected in a thinner case) -- and that 200MP wide camera. The Galaxy S25 Edge's 200MP camera is an unexpected feature. Samsung/Screenshot by Jeff Carlson/CNET Although the camera shares the same specs as the one in the S25 Ultra, it's not yet clear whether it's the same hardware. In Samsung's event video officially announcing the S25 Edge, the company described how it redesigned the camera housing to fit the 200MP camera. I'm assuming it's the same core hardware, just repackaged to fit a smaller form factor, but a direct photo comparison will be the real test. Samsung redesigned the wide camera assembly to fit into the Galaxy S25 Edge's svelte frame. Samsung/Screenshot by Jeff Carlson/CNET Thin isn't enough on its own By the name alone, the primary appeal of the S25 Edge is its thin design. The company's introductory video is full of schematics and computer-generated animations of all the phone's components slotting together into its svelte body. And thinness does have value -- just look at Apple's obsession with making everything thin and light over the years, including its own rumored iPhone 17 Air. But thinness as a feature isn't additive enough (to make the obvious joke, it's literally reductive). Samsung could have easily included the 50MP wide camera used on the S25 and S25 Plus and focused solely on the phone's design to set it apart. By including the top-end 200MP camera from the series' most expensive and premium phone, though, it hits a sweet spot where a customer thinks, "I'm getting a super thin version of the S25 but with the camera of the $1,300 S25 Ultra." The thin profile of the Galaxy S25 Edge is absolutely appealing. Carly Marsh/CNET Decent zoom is still possible, even without a telephoto camera The other thing that sets the S25 Edge apart is the fact that it does not include a dedicated telephoto camera. Every other S25 model includes at least one telephoto camera to zoom in on distant subjects. That extra reach is usually the dividing line between "consumer" and "pro" models. For example, the Pixel 9 and 9A and iPhone 16 and 16E all include wide-angle and ultra-wide cameras, but no telephoto. People regularly zoom in when taking photos, so Google and Apple pitch higher-quality optical zoom as a premium feature at the higher price levels of the pro models. But by including the 200MP camera on the S25 Edge, Samsung can still claim a 2x "optical quality" zoom. Technically that's a crop into the middle of the sensor, but the high megapixel count means there's still plenty of resolution to get quality images. You can still zoom at farther ranges, but you're leaning heavily on image processing to enhance the digitally-zoomed image. Even at 10x digital zoom, the wide camera in the Galaxy S25 Edge performs well. Abrar Al-Heeti/CNET (An important aside about resolution: Keep in mind you're not always capturing images at 200MP resolution. The default resolution is a pixel-binned 12MP, where the camera groups pixels together on the sensor to act as a larger pixel that gathers more light. So at that resolution, the S25 Edge is likely using AI upscaling to zoom. But at the 50MP and 200MP resolution settings, the 2x zoom is more likely to be a straight crop from what the sensor is recording.) This also reinforces the fact that phone photography is increasingly buttressed by real-time, AI-supported image processing. Shooting at the full 200MP resolution involves considerable processing to enhance details recorded by such a physically small image sensor. Even with pro phones, I regularly see people use pinch-to-zoom instead of switching among the better quality preset optical options. (Android Authority surveyed its readers and found that about 27% of respondents zoom freely versus sticking to preset zoom levels.) Will customers specifically buy the S25 Edge because of its camera features? Not entirely, but touting the 200MP camera prominently along with the new thin design gives them extra incentive to choose it. Be sure to check out Abrar Al-Heeti's photos from her first 24 hours with the Edge. To see more of what the 200MP can do, see CNET Managing Editor Patrick Holland's Galaxy S25 Ultra review, as well as Andrew Lanxon's images pitting the S25 Ultra head-to-head against the iPhone 16 Pro.
