The Galaxy Note 9 Has a Big Problem

If you have a Galaxy Note 9, you might want to check the virtual buttons at the bottom of the handset's screen.
Some Galaxy Note 9 owners are reporting that the recent, home, and back buttons on the bottom of the smartphone's screen have become less responsive in recent days. Those users, who took to Samsung forums and other sites, said that the keys were working just fine when they bought the phone, but started to become less responsive over time.
"They seem to work fine about half the time but randomly become unresponsive," one poster wrote, according to Piunika Web, which earlier reported on the problem. "I may have to tap on them 10 -20 times to get my recent apps to pop up. Usually if I restart the phone they work fine for awhile."
Other users complained of the same problem, saying that the issue becomes a bit better after a restart but crops up again over time.
Soon after the reports surfaced, a Samsung representative took to the forums to explain what's going on. In a post, the person, who goes by the handle SamsungLarry, said that the problem only occurs when you've not set up Samsung Pay on the Galaxy Note 9 and the mobile-payment app updates to version 3.0.00 that Samsung recently released to the Google Play Store.
The representative said that Samsung is working on a fix to the problem that it "hopes to release in the very near future." However, if you're having the problem, SamsungLarry said users should "swipe the Samsung Pay 'hint' image up from the bottom of the screen three times and dismiss it." Apparently, that will address the issue.
"Or, of course, you could also set up Samsung Pay and start enjoying the best digital wallet out there," SamsungLarry said.

Other posters have considered another option: removing Samsung Pay entirely and no longer worrying about the odd bug.
The issue is just the latest in a string of flaws in Samsung's software, including periodically slow camera responsiveness and speaker problems, according to Piunika Web. The site also said that some Galaxy Note 9 pre-orders have yet to be delivered.

Samsung Galaxy Note 9 Catches Fire: Galaxy Note 7 All Over Again?

A Samsung Galaxy Note 9 unit burst into flames inside a woman's purse, bringing back memories of the Galaxy Note 7 exploding battery fiasco that stretched from 2016 to 2017.
It is too early to say that the Galaxy Note 9 is suffering from the same quality issues that plagued the Galaxy Note 7, but it should be very concerning for Samsung to have its latest flagship device linked with the failed smartphone.

Samsung Galaxy Note 9 Bursts Into Flames

Real estate agent Diane Chung from Long Island, New York claimed in a lawsuit against Samsung that she suffered a "traumatic" experience when her Galaxy Note 9 suddenly burst into flames inside her purse.
Chung was riding in an elevator just after midnight last Sept. 3 when she felt her brand new Galaxy Note 9 getting "extremely hot" while using it. She placed it in her purse, but then heard a "whistling and screeching sound," followed by thick smoke. Chung placed her bag on the elevator floor and tried to remove its contents, burning her fingers as she grabbed the smoking Galaxy Note 9.
The woman started to become "extremely panicked," as she was alone in the elevator. She pressed the elevator buttons while the thick smoke was making it hard for her to see. Fortunately, the elevator reached the lobby, where she kicked the Galaxy Note 9 out of the lift. The smartphone kept burning, until a helpful man wrapped it around a piece of cloth and dropped it in water.

Samsung Galaxy Note 7 Exploding Batteries

A Samsung spokesman said that the company has not received any reports of similar incidents involving the Galaxy Note 9, which should be good news for now. The company certainly does not want a repeat of the Galaxy Note 7 debacle, which plagued the company for a year starting in 2016.
Samsung lost billions of dollars due to the Galaxy Note 7 exploding battery issue, with the company's investigation revealing that two different battery manufacturers came with two different flaws. Samsung implemented new safety standards to make sure that the debacle will never happen again, and started working on developing solid-state batteries to replace the problematic lithium-ion batteries.
Record-breaking Galaxy Note 8 preorders revealed that Samsung fans already forgot about the Galaxy Note 7 fiasco after a year. However, apparently, all it takes is one Samsung smartphone catching fire to bring up all these memories.
Hopefully, the Galaxy Note 9 that caught fire was a fluke, and that the situation will not devolve into the smartphone following the flaming footsteps of the Galaxy Note 7.

Samsung Galaxy Note 9 Explodes In A Handbag

Samsung Galaxy Note 9 Reportedly Explodes In Women’s Handbag

Aside from the brand new Apple iPhones, the Samsung Galaxy Note 9 is arguably one of the most desired phones currently on the market. With it releasing such a short time ago the early reaction to it has been quite positive. It seems, however, that a few ghosts (thought put to rest) might be rearing their head again for Samsung.
In a report via CNET, a woman owner has reported that her phone literally exploded whilst in her handbag.

What Happened?

The woman from America has issued a lawsuit against Samsung. In it, she claims that she noticed that the phone started to get unusually hot, but clearly didn’t think too much about it and put it in her handbag. Shortly afterwards though she says that she heard a ‘whistling sound’ and eventually smoke began to erupt.
She tipped her handbag onto the floor and the phone wasn’t extinguished until a person placed it in a bucket of water.
This is, however, all very nightmarish for Samsung who, you might remember, had major problems with the batteries in their Note 7 models.

What Has Samsung Said?

In a statement DJ Koh, head of Samsung’s mobile business has said: “The battery in the Galaxy Note 9 is safer than ever. Users do not have to worry about the batteries anymore. Samsung takes customer safety very seriously. And we stand behind the quality of the millions of Galaxy devices in use in the United States. We have not received any reports of similar incidents involving a Galaxy Note 9 device. And we are investigating the matter.”
Given the volatility of lithium-ion batteries, it is possible that this was an isolated incident. It is equally possible that the battery may have been damaged. Dare I say, due to an error on the part of the owner. Hopefully, this will be an isolated incident.
What do you think? – Let us know in the comments!

What to love about the Samsung Galaxy Note 9

FOR creatives who are always on the move, inspiration can strike in a flash and disappear just as fast. They know that the key to reaching their goals is to keep creating and innovating every day. To do this, they need the right companion and tool to grab the inspiration and work toward their dreams.

That’s where the Samsung Galaxy Note 9 comes in. The latest in the esteemed Note series from the Korean tech giant, this powerful device boasts of a number of features that lets one draw from everyday inspiration.

Supercharged S Pen

Touted as the “pen with a soul,” the S Pen is one of the signature features of Note phones. The Note 9 version enjoys a huge upgrade. It now serves as a Bluetooth device that can control the camera shutter and music playback. Whether writing important notes or drawing the next masterpiece, the S Pen gives one a whole new way of communicating.

Intelligent Camera

Capture inspiration as it happens with the Note 9’s upgraded camera. With the dual aperture and auto scene recognition, preserve the beauty of the night with clear, crisp photos. Highlight favorite moments using the super slow-mo feature. Packed with these features, a 12MP dual rear camera and an 8MP front camera, the Note 9 lets one bring stories to life in an instant.

Ultimate Performance 

Build better ideas with the powerful Note 9. With an improved battery life at 4,000mAh, enjoy longer brainstorming sessions or movie marathons. Keep the productivity flowing with the next evolution Samsung Dex, which lets one transform his phone into a desktop anytime, anywhere. Bring the sounds straight from the studio to one’s ears with the Dual AKG Dolby Surround Sound.

Bigger, Better Hardware

Gaming sessions and movie marathons just got bigger with the Note 9’s larger 6.4-inch QHD+ Super AMOLED Infinity Display. Like its predecessors, it’s dust and water-resistant, with IP68 rating. Coupled with its large 128GB memory capacity, this makes the Note 9 the ideal travel gadget for any adventure one has in mind. It also has upgraded security features, such as fingerprint reader located just below the camera setup.

Access to Premium Entertainment

A high-performance gadget combined with a consistent and convenient service provider means heaven to digital-savvy netizens. Make the most out of the Note 9 with Globe’s ThePLAN with a free three-month subscription to Spotify Premium and six-month subscription to DisneyLife.

Best Deal on the Best Phone

Find the best Postpaid plan with Globe. With Globe ThePLAN and ThePLATINUM Plan, one can maximize the potential of the Samsung Galaxy Note 9 and create the life he wants. Globe’s ThePLAN comes with 8GB of data, more than enough to keep one going and sustain his digital lifestyle. 

120 hours with Samsung Galaxy Note 9: here are five note-worthy features

Five days of using a smartphone is a good period of time to get to know the nuances and different features it offers alongside how powerful it is and how long the battery can last, but you have to wait until tomorrow to read our full Samsung Galaxy Note 9 review.
We just have some finishing touches to complete to our full review before we can give our final verdict (like one more day of battery testing), but we wanted to share some of the details we've noticed from five days with the latest Samsung phone.
You may have caught Matt Swider’s 72 hours with the phone article earlier this week, and we want to offer a few more insights ahead of our final verdict. Be sure to read on to learn about the five of the most interesting things we’ve learnt about the device.

That Bluetooth S Pen isn’t groundbreaking… but it’s fun

We’re loving the contrasting yellow S Pen that you get with the Ocean Blue Galaxy Note 9 color, as it looks so different to the stylus you've had on previous versions of the Note line up. The main upgrade here isn’t the color though, it’s the fact it’s now connected via Bluetooth.
On previous Galaxy Note phones the nib has worked like a stylus, but it hasn’t been able to do anything when not touching the phone. Now, with the Note 9, you can press the button on the side of the pen to remotely control features on the phone.
It means you can take photos without having to hold the phone. You can prop your phone up and take selfies using it as a remote control, and that’s fantastically fun feature that allows you to better photograph groups of people and take some inventive shots.
It’s not a groundbreaking idea, but the remote functionality also allows you to change some features on your phone such as controlling the music on your handset or cycle through your photo gallery. It’s a cool idea, but don’t upgrade purely for this.

Battery life seems better... much better

We’ve been using last year's Samsung Galaxy Note 8 a lot recently in preparation for this launch, and the battery life on that phone just isn’t good enough for power users. We’ve been testing it lots over the last year, so it’s sure the battery life would be shorter now than it was at launch, but we don’t remember the last time it lasted for a whole day.
The positive side is the Samsung Galaxy Note 9 seems to have solved that and offers all-day battery life – power users included. We’ve found the Note 9 regularly got us through a whole day. In fact, in our first five days of using the phone we've yet to run it completely down to 0%.
You probably won’t be able to get this phone to last much longer than a day with a high level of screen-on time, but we've found this better battery life makes it a lot easier to recommend.
You may get different results considering how you use the phone, but we'd be impressed if you'll be using it more than we are throughout a working day. For our full verdict of the battery, you’ll have to wait until our full review of the Galaxy Note 9.

Bixby isn’t the worst

The Bixby button is the worst, and that hasn’t changed on the Galaxy Note 9.
We’ve hit it regularly by accident when trying to unlock the phone, and sometimes it has even paused the music we've been listening to. While we’re frustrated by that, we’re coming to terms with the fact Bixby is developing quickly and it's nearly at the the point where it can compete with Google Assistant.
For example, we asked Bixby to download Uber and it executed the command directly. Google Assistant won't do that, which is strange considering Bixby directs you to the Google Play Store.
Many people will probably turn off the Bixby button when immediately getting the phone, but we'd recommend keeping the voice assistant on so you can use it throughout your daily use.

We don't need a whole 1TB of storage

This is obviously different for some people, but we don't feel like 1TB is necessary for the vast majority of Android users. We've only been using the device for a short amount of time but we've filled it with apps, downloads, games and much more, but we've only used 35GB so far.
That's including the software onboard the phone as well, so you'd really struggle to be able to fill a whole 512GB of space plus the extra 512GB you can get from a microSD.
It's a bit of a shame Samsung didn't opt for offering a 256GB option as well to cover off anyone who's looking for that middle ground between 128GB and 512GB. Our advice is seriously consider how much space you need before you spend big on the larger variant.

The UK variant seems to be stronger

We don't always rely on benchmarking scores for our phone reviews - it's more about how each phone handles daily tasks such as playing games or handling lots of apps open at the same time - but you may find it interesting to know the Note 9 does seem to be stronger in the UK than it is in the US.
In the UK (and some European countries), it's running the Exynos 9810 chipset directly from Samsung that we found to have an average multi-core score of 9,051 and single-core score of 3,698.
The Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 variant that's available in the US is currently scoring around 8,875 for the multi-core and 2,378 for the single-core. Both versions of the phone are the 6GB variants, not the 8GB. That's quite a big difference on paper.
So far we've yet to notice any struggling, stuttering, or slowdown in either of the versions of the phone though, so it's unlikely you'll notice this difference in everyday usage. It's an interesting quirk nonetheless.