Julian Chokkattu/Digital TrendsSamsung — unsurprisingly — wasn’t too enthused when it learned some users were remapping the button dedicated to its not-yet-entirely-functional virtual assistant immediately following the launch of the Galaxy S8. The company responded to that news in the expected way — it released an update that crippled the apps customers had been using, many of which existed long before the device, to remap hardware keys on other Android phones.
However, where there’s a will there’s a way, and every time Samsung has forced developers to take a step back, they’ve usually found a way to take two steps forward. Now, Samsung has released yet another update to keep the button locked to Bixby and only Bixby. Curiously though, this one seems to target T-Mobile users exclusively.
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The news comes from developer Jawomo, creator of bxActions, a Bixby button remapper, who related his findings to Android Police. According to Jawomo, T-Mobile customers using his app have reported that last month’s security update has rendered it useless.
Seemingly, the update hasn’t only broken bxActions, but other remapping apps as well, of which there are many on the Google Play Store. These kinds of widespread reports aren’t coming from Galaxy S8 users on other carriers, meaning the block appears to be confined to T-Mobile at the moment. Of course, that can — and very likely will — change in the future.
Nevertheless, developers will probably find a way around this one as well. If Samsung feels obligated to continue to fend off users’ wishes, it will likely face an uphill battle — at least until it can demonstrate Bixby’s value to customers. With the English version of Bixby voice still unreleased — now almost three months since the launch of the device — all pressing the key does is call up the Google Now-like Hello Bixby page.
Worse yet, it doesn’t seem there’s any quick end in sight for Bixby’s absence. Just last week, we learned that Samsung apparently needs even more data to get Bixby’s machine-learning language model to a point where it can be launched to the public. The company is reportedly expanding beta testing in the meantime, but cracks in the communication line between Samsung’s California-based English development team and home base in South Korea have only furthered hindered progress. Rumors suggest the sluggish development pace has even squandered Samsung’s plan to launch a Bixby-powered smart speaker to take on Amazon’s Echo line, Google Home, and Apple’s upcoming HomePod.
The Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 was one of the best Android tablets at the time it was released and was a decent iPad rival for anyone looking for an Android slab. The tablet received an upgrade this year in the form of the Samsung Galaxy Tab S8. While the display size remains the same, Samsung claims to have made improvements in the newer version -- but is the newer model worth buying? Here's a Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 versus Galaxy Tab S7 comparison to help you decide if the Galaxy Tab S8 is worth upgrading for or whether you can save money by grabbing the older model.
Specs
A famous cartoonist drew me on the Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Plus
The Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Plus is a powerful tablet that is centered around creators. The expansive screen and included S Pen with its lowered latency seems to be a perfect fit for a cartoonist, and I just happen to know one. Art Baltazar is a comic book artist (self-described as a "famous cartoonist"), proprietor of Aww Yeah Comics! and my only friend who has his own Wikipedia page. He's currently working with DC Comics while continuing the stories for his own characters. You probably know him for his work with Tiny Titans, The Cray-Baby Adventures, and Action Cat.
I met up with Art at his comic shop in the Chicagoland area for a Drink and Draw event with a number of local artists, and I handed Art the Samsung Galaxy Tab S8+, and asked him to draw with it for a few hours. I'll share his thoughts with you, but first I'll talk a little about his typical setup.
Samsung excludes chargers from new Galaxy A series phones
The new Galaxy A-series is here, but Samsung has stopped including wall chargers with the devices and rumor has it that the M-series is next. Samsung has flipped back and forth when it comes to including chargers with its phones. The company's higher-priced devices ditched the adapters in 2021 while its budget lines like the A and M series have continued including the wall plugs. Now that the newest models are here, however, it seems as if the company is done providing wall-charging options for free with each device sold.
The Galaxy A13 5G and the Galaxy A03s don't include wall chargers in the box with the rest of the hardware, which is specified on their official technical spec pages on Samsung's press website. In the fine print toward the bottom of the screen, a brief statement reading "25W Super Fast Charging charger sold separately" can be found. Since the company has stopped including wall chargers with its other phones, this move isn't completely surprising, but it frustrates consumers who are trying to keep costs down by sticking with Samsung's budget devices.
A series down, M Series next?
Now that the A-series has omitted wall chargers, eyes have turned to the M-series. So far, there hasn't been any official word on if the newly announced Galaxy M23 or M33 will also not include the adapters. Their spec listings on Samsung's press website don't have any statement explicitly saying that customers will need to purchase a charger separately, so some fans are hopeful that the company will continue to support free adapters with the purchase of an M series phone.
