October 19,2021ByDAVID VEGA

Lydia Lavín | Mexico City Resort Collection | 2022

Brands . Featured . social media

A Fusion of Tradition & Modern Elegance Lydia Lavín is a contemporary Mexican fashion brand founded in 2005 by Lydia Lavín, a textile-design scholar with a passion for preserving Indigenous Mexican textile techniques. "Silhouettes were fluid and rich in ruffles; skin was the star of the show, with deep necklines or mini bras. In short, the clothes invited you to escape." - Vogue Magazine Lydia Lavín | Mexico City Resort Collection Runway | 2022 Fashion | Fashion Blogger | Fashionista...

October 2,2021ByDAVID VEGA

Harmonious new nighttime spectacular fireworks show – Epcot’s World Showcase Lagoon at Disney – 2021

Brands . Featured . Jacksonville . social media . Travel

Harmonious is the Brand new nighttime spectacular fireworks show at Epcot's World Showcase Lagoon at Walt Disney World for the #disney50. This new show will be featured in EPCOT's World Showcase Lagoon, and it will be the biggest show ever created for any Disney park anywhere in the world! Harmonious is the largest ever Walt Disney World nighttime spectacular – a fireworks show on steroids and the permanent replacement for IllumiNations. Harmonious celebrates how the music of Disney inspires people the world over. It brings to World Showcase Lagoon massive floating set pieces that house a variety of show effects, including custom-built LED panels, choreographed moving fountains, colorful lights, lasers, pyrotechnics, and more during the 20-minute long show. Harmonious is a beautifully crafted nighttime spectacular presenting a dreamscape of music and imagery from Disney animated films, reimagined by diverse cultural musicians and artists worldwide. Let's work together! | https://www.tridence.com...

October 1,2021ByDAVID VEGA

Enchantment Magic Kingdom Fireworks | Walt Disney World – 2021

Brands . Featured . Jacksonville . social media . Travel

Brand New: Disney Enchantment is Walt Disney World's 50th Anniversary fireworks spectacular for Magic Kingdom. The show is like a child of Happily Ever After and Wishes. It combines impressive pyro with stunning visuals and a moving soundtrack of your favorite Disney songs, as well as a handful of rare classics. Behold an all-new nighttime extravaganza that will take you on a journey beyond the ordinary to a land of magic. Inspiring everyone to believe in magic, Disney Enchantment will feature captivating Disney music, enhanced lighting, stunning fireworks, and—for the first time—immersive projection effects that extend from Cinderella Castle down Main Street, U.S.A. at Magic Kingdom park....

August 25,2021ByDAVID VEGA

Mummified human remains discovered at Pompeii

Brands . Applications . Featured . social media . Spiritual . Travel

Mummified remains, along with the hair and bones of an individual buried in an ancient tomb have been found at the necropolis of Porta Sarno, to the east of the ancient urban centre of Pompeii. The partially mummified remains of a freed Roman slave have been discovered within a tomb at Pompeii, offering archaeologists insights into the burial rituals and cultural climate that characterised the ancient city. The discovery was made during an excavation campaign jointly carried out by the Archaeological Park of Pompeii and the University of Valencia at the Porta Sarno necropolis. The skeletal remains were found in the single cell of a tomb dating to the final decades before the eruption of Mount Vesuvius (AD 79). Traces of paint suggest the tomb’s façade was decorated. Initial osteological analysis indicated the deceased was 60 years old at the time of death, and grave goods recovered from the tomb included two glass unguentaria (or tears vessels) and pieces of fabric. The remains have been transported to the Laboratory of Applied Research at Pompeii for in-depth analysis and conservation. Work has begun to ensure the maintenance of the Porta Sarno necropolis, as part of a wider project seeking to restore the area, with a prospective aim of allowing access to visitors. A great experience for travelling....

August 25,2021ByDAVID VEGA

Emerald Trail – Jacksonville Florida

Featured . Jacksonville . Travel

Jacksonville, Florida: The Emerald Trail has the potential to be a catalyst for social and economic development in Jacksonville, from encouraging healthy lifestyles and promoting public safety to spurring economic growth and neighborhood revitalization. The 1.3-mile connection between LaVilla and Brooklyn and the S-Line Rail Trail is the first of nine projects that will comprise the trail that encircles downtown Jacksonville. The master trail links to 16 schools, two colleges, and 21 parks, among other destinations like restaurants, retail, and businesses, with 13 different schools and 17 parks located within three blocks. When complete, this signature outdoor destination will encompass approximately 30 miles of trails, greenways, and parks that encircle the urban core and link at least 14 historic neighborhoods to downtown Hogans Creek, McCoys Creek, and the St. Johns River. The PATH Foundation developed the Emerald Trail Master Plan —an organization responsible for building more than 260 miles of trails throughout Georgia, in concert with landscape architect KAIZEN Collaborative. The initial stages of the Emerald Trail project will, in part, be paid for with city capital improvement dollars, including the LaVilla Link section. Later segments will be funded by the increase in the county's gas tax approved by City Council earlier this year. Note: JTA will be the project manager for the Westside, Northside, Northwest, Eastside, and F-Line Connector portions of the Emerald Trail. A welcoming new addition. View-Master Plan below....

August 24,2021ByDAVID VEGA

Apple Server Most Powerful rack optimized server

Featured . iPhone . Tech today

Happy Sunday from Software Expand! In this week's edition of Feedback Loop, we talk about the future of Windows Phone, whether it makes sense to build media centers discuss the preferences for metal vs. plastic on smartphones. All that and more past the break the proof of concept. Just because you can do something, should you? Samsung thinks so. Its second experimentally screened phone taps into its hardware R&D and production clout to offer something not many other companies can make. WHAT DO YOU WANT FROM WINDOWS PHONE? And so, following the Galaxy Round, here's the Galaxy Edge. If you take the basic shape and concept, it's the spitting image of the curved-screen Youm prototype spied at CES a little less than two years ago. Now, though, it's a for-real smartphone you can buy. I've been testing it out in Japan, where it launched instead of the Note 4, although both the Note 4 and the Note Edge will eventually be available in the US. Fortunately. Galaxy Note Edge is how much it resembles the Note 4 The ability to shrink the likes of Chrome and Google Maps to a popup window and layer it on top of other apps is also useful; I'd love to see something similar on the iPhone 6 Plus. Despite the unusual, curved screen, it still packs all of the good things that made the Note 4 such a strong choice. But bragging rights aside, is there enough of an argument for a curved screen? Should you just get the Note 4 anyway? METAL VS. PLASTIC PHONE BODIES? The exploration of space stands as one of humanity's greatest achievements. While history has hailed the men and women who reached the cosmos, and those who helped them get there, much of the infrastructure that sent them skyward lies forgotten and dilapidated. [quote_right]Galaxy Note 4 running Android 4.4 KitKat.[/quote_right] And how does Apple's biggest phone compare to the Note Edge? Well, both remain unwieldy to grip, and the Note Edge is wider. However, the edged screen nuzzles into my hand better and those software tweaks mentioned above give it the advantage. However, just like the stylus, there's a while before you get the knack of all the little provisions Samsung's made to ease users into this screen size. Roland Miller has spent nearly half his life chronicling these landmarks before they are lost forever long been obsessed with space as a child, he dreamed of being an astronaut. HARDWARE Its curves are subjective and divisive; my friends and colleagues have offered up reactions ranging from outright bemusement to adoration. The screen looks great, with the punchy contrast and sharpness that's been a Samsung flagship mainstay for years. We'll get back to that edge, but it's the headline part of a 5.6-inch Quad-HD+ display. This means a little chunk of extra screen makes the phone just less than 4mm wider, and around 2mm shorter, than the Note 4. ONE-HANDED USE Both come with software tricks like shrinkable keyboards as well as a new, tiny floating menu that can be stuck to the outer edge of the screen. This duplicates the capacitive button row, which could be a solution of sorts for lefties. I can even make this secondary menu transparent, allowing me to maintain all that screen space. The ability to shrink the likes of Chrome and Google Maps to a popup window and layer it on top of other apps is also useful I'd love to see something similar on the iPhone 6 Plus. SOFTWARE If you're looking to learn more about the stylus' uses, I'd advise a quick read of Brad's Galaxy Note 4 review, because the setup is identical here. Yes, there are TouchWiz bits running on Android 4.4 KitKat, but Samsung continues to clear away unnecessary bloat and options. It's still a work in progress, though, and I feel the settings menus are particularly obtuse compared to other Android phones -- and especially iOS. It takes some getting used to. But let's focus on what's different here: that edge. There are two display modes you can flit between: a slender, unassuming bar that can display a customized message and a more substantial column that attempts to offer extra functionality, notifications or context-dependent menus for certain apps, like the camera. The front-facing camera is also a top-end sensor compared to the competition, 3.7 megapixels with an f/1.9 lens. While I'm not a huge selfie taker, you'll have to ask our Senior Selfie Editor, but I do take a whole lot of photos with my smartphone, so I was interested to see how Samsung's newest smartphone camera handled. When it's expanded, the UI is a basic row of icons, which you can navigate with a little swipe. This may look a little unusual, but swishing through the various mini-screens is immensely satisfying. And how does Apple's biggest phone compare to the Note Edge? Well, both remain unwieldy to grip, and the Note Edge is wider. However, the edged screen nuzzles into my hand better and those software tweaks mentioned above give it the advantage. However, just like the stylus, there's a while before you get the knack of all the little provisions Samsung's made to ease users into this screen size. The screen is marginally smaller than the Note 4, despite the cranked-up pixel count. Like the Note 4, text pops a little more, and pictures you take with the 16MP camera are obviously better replicated on the Note Edge's screen. All told, it's an excellent camera. The image stabilizing works well on all the neon lights that pepper Tokyo, while even people were neatly captured. There's some noise, but it compares favorably against older Galaxy phones. Daylight meant effortless captures and some really nice shots, if I say so myself. Focus was swift, and auto white balance seemed to gauge scenes perfectly. If you have a proclivity for HDR, rest assured the Edge does an excellent job there. The shades are still a little...

August 24,2021ByDAVID VEGA

Huawei’s just bought an internet-of-things startup

Bluetooth . Featured . Tech today

Happy Sunday from Software Expand! In this week's edition of Feedback Loop, we talk about the future of Windows Phone, whether it makes sense to build media centers discuss the preferences for metal vs. plastic on smartphones. All that and more past the break the proof of concept. Just because you can do something, should you? Samsung thinks so. Its second experimentally screened phone taps into its hardware R&D and production clout to offer something not many other companies can make. WHAT DO YOU WANT FROM WINDOWS PHONE? And so, following the Galaxy Round, here's the Galaxy Edge. If you take the basic shape and concept, it's the spitting image of the curved-screen Youm prototype spied at CES a little less than two years ago. Now, though, it's a for-real smartphone you can buy. I've been testing it out in Japan, where it launched instead of the Note 4, although both the Note 4 and the Note Edge will eventually be available in the US. Fortunately. Galaxy Note Edge is how much it resembles the Note 4 The ability to shrink the likes of Chrome and Google Maps to a popup window and layer it on top of other apps is also useful; I'd love to see something similar on the iPhone 6 Plus. Despite the unusual, curved screen, it still packs all of the good things that made the Note 4 such a strong choice. But bragging rights aside, is there enough of an argument for a curved screen? Should you just get the Note 4 anyway? METAL VS. PLASTIC PHONE BODIES? The exploration of space stands as one of humanity's greatest achievements. While history has hailed the men and women who reached the cosmos, and those who helped them get there, much of the infrastructure that sent them skyward lies forgotten and dilapidated. [quote_right]Galaxy Note 4 running Android 4.4 KitKat.[/quote_right] And how does Apple's biggest phone compare to the Note Edge? Well, both remain unwieldy to grip, and the Note Edge is wider. However, the edged screen nuzzles into my hand better and those software tweaks mentioned above give it the advantage. However, just like the stylus, there's a while before you get the knack of all the little provisions Samsung's made to ease users into this screen size. Roland Miller has spent nearly half his life chronicling these landmarks before they are lost forever long been obsessed with space as a child, he dreamed of being an astronaut. HARDWARE Its curves are subjective and divisive; my friends and colleagues have offered up reactions ranging from outright bemusement to adoration. The screen looks great, with the punchy contrast and sharpness that's been a Samsung flagship mainstay for years. We'll get back to that edge, but it's the headline part of a 5.6-inch Quad-HD+ display. This means a little chunk of extra screen makes the phone just less than 4mm wider, and around 2mm shorter, than the Note 4. ONE-HANDED USE Both come with software tricks like shrinkable keyboards as well as a new, tiny floating menu that can be stuck to the outer edge of the screen. This duplicates the capacitive button row, which could be a solution of sorts for lefties. I can even make this secondary menu transparent, allowing me to maintain all that screen space. The ability to shrink the likes of Chrome and Google Maps to a popup window and layer it on top of other apps is also useful I'd love to see something similar on the iPhone 6 Plus. SOFTWARE If you're looking to learn more about the stylus' uses, I'd advise a quick read of Brad's Galaxy Note 4 review, because the setup is identical here. Yes, there are TouchWiz bits running on Android 4.4 KitKat, but Samsung continues to clear away unnecessary bloat and options. It's still a work in progress, though, and I feel the settings menus are particularly obtuse compared to other Android phones -- and especially iOS. It takes some getting used to. But let's focus on what's different here: that edge. There are two display modes you can flit between: a slender, unassuming bar that can display a customized message and a more substantial column that attempts to offer extra functionality, notifications or context-dependent menus for certain apps, like the camera. The front-facing camera is also a top-end sensor compared to the competition, 3.7 megapixels with an f/1.9 lens. While I'm not a huge selfie taker, you'll have to ask our Senior Selfie Editor, but I do take a whole lot of photos with my smartphone, so I was interested to see how Samsung's newest smartphone camera handled. When it's expanded, the UI is a basic row of icons, which you can navigate with a little swipe. This may look a little unusual, but swishing through the various mini-screens is immensely satisfying. And how does Apple's biggest phone compare to the Note Edge? Well, both remain unwieldy to grip, and the Note Edge is wider. However, the edged screen nuzzles into my hand better and those software tweaks mentioned above give it the advantage. However, just like the stylus, there's a while before you get the knack of all the little provisions Samsung's made to ease users into this screen size. The screen is marginally smaller than the Note 4, despite the cranked-up pixel count. Like the Note 4, text pops a little more, and pictures you take with the 16MP camera are obviously better replicated on the Note Edge's screen. All told, it's an excellent camera. The image stabilizing works well on all the neon lights that pepper Tokyo, while even people were neatly captured. There's some noise, but it compares favorably against older Galaxy phones. Daylight meant effortless captures and some really nice shots, if I say so myself. Focus was swift, and auto white balance seemed to gauge scenes perfectly. If you have a proclivity for HDR, rest assured the Edge does an excellent job there. The shades are still a little...

August 24,2021ByDAVID VEGA

Robots helped inspire deep learning might become

Featured . Geeks . Tech today

Happy Sunday from Software Expand! In this week's edition of Feedback Loop, we talk about the future of Windows Phone, whether it makes sense to build media centers discuss the preferences for metal vs. plastic on smartphones. All that and more past the break the proof of concept. Just because you can do something, should you? Samsung thinks so. Its second experimentally screened phone taps into its hardware R&D and production clout to offer something not many other companies can make. WHAT DO YOU WANT FROM WINDOWS PHONE? And so, following the Galaxy Round, here's the Galaxy Edge. If you take the basic shape and concept, it's the spitting image of the curved-screen Youm prototype spied at CES a little less than two years ago. Now, though, it's a for-real smartphone you can buy. I've been testing it out in Japan, where it launched instead of the Note 4, although both the Note 4 and the Note Edge will eventually be available in the US. Fortunately. Galaxy Note Edge is how much it resembles the Note 4 The ability to shrink the likes of Chrome and Google Maps to a popup window and layer it on top of other apps is also useful; I'd love to see something similar on the iPhone 6 Plus. Despite the unusual, curved screen, it still packs all of the good things that made the Note 4 such a strong choice. But bragging rights aside, is there enough of an argument for a curved screen? Should you just get the Note 4 anyway? METAL VS. PLASTIC PHONE BODIES? The exploration of space stands as one of humanity's greatest achievements. While history has hailed the men and women who reached the cosmos, and those who helped them get there, much of the infrastructure that sent them skyward lies forgotten and dilapidated. [quote_right]Galaxy Note 4 running Android 4.4 KitKat.[/quote_right] And how does Apple's biggest phone compare to the Note Edge? Well, both remain unwieldy to grip, and the Note Edge is wider. However, the edged screen nuzzles into my hand better and those software tweaks mentioned above give it the advantage. However, just like the stylus, there's a while before you get the knack of all the little provisions Samsung's made to ease users into this screen size. Roland Miller has spent nearly half his life chronicling these landmarks before they are lost forever long been obsessed with space as a child, he dreamed of being an astronaut. HARDWARE Its curves are subjective and divisive; my friends and colleagues have offered up reactions ranging from outright bemusement to adoration. The screen looks great, with the punchy contrast and sharpness that's been a Samsung flagship mainstay for years. We'll get back to that edge, but it's the headline part of a 5.6-inch Quad-HD+ display. This means a little chunk of extra screen makes the phone just less than 4mm wider, and around 2mm shorter, than the Note 4. ONE-HANDED USE Both come with software tricks like shrinkable keyboards as well as a new, tiny floating menu that can be stuck to the outer edge of the screen. This duplicates the capacitive button row, which could be a solution of sorts for lefties. I can even make this secondary menu transparent, allowing me to maintain all that screen space. The ability to shrink the likes of Chrome and Google Maps to a popup window and layer it on top of other apps is also useful I'd love to see something similar on the iPhone 6 Plus. SOFTWARE If you're looking to learn more about the stylus' uses, I'd advise a quick read of Brad's Galaxy Note 4 review, because the setup is identical here. Yes, there are TouchWiz bits running on Android 4.4 KitKat, but Samsung continues to clear away unnecessary bloat and options. It's still a work in progress, though, and I feel the settings menus are particularly obtuse compared to other Android phones -- and especially iOS. It takes some getting used to. But let's focus on what's different here: that edge. There are two display modes you can flit between: a slender, unassuming bar that can display a customized message and a more substantial column that attempts to offer extra functionality, notifications or context-dependent menus for certain apps, like the camera. The front-facing camera is also a top-end sensor compared to the competition, 3.7 megapixels with an f/1.9 lens. While I'm not a huge selfie taker, you'll have to ask our Senior Selfie Editor, but I do take a whole lot of photos with my smartphone, so I was interested to see how Samsung's newest smartphone camera handled. When it's expanded, the UI is a basic row of icons, which you can navigate with a little swipe. This may look a little unusual, but swishing through the various mini-screens is immensely satisfying. And how does Apple's biggest phone compare to the Note Edge? Well, both remain unwieldy to grip, and the Note Edge is wider. However, the edged screen nuzzles into my hand better and those software tweaks mentioned above give it the advantage. However, just like the stylus, there's a while before you get the knack of all the little provisions Samsung's made to ease users into this screen size. The screen is marginally smaller than the Note 4, despite the cranked-up pixel count. Like the Note 4, text pops a little more, and pictures you take with the 16MP camera are obviously better replicated on the Note Edge's screen. All told, it's an excellent camera. The image stabilizing works well on all the neon lights that pepper Tokyo, while even people were neatly captured. There's some noise, but it compares favorably against older Galaxy phones. Daylight meant effortless captures and some really nice shots, if I say so myself. Focus was swift, and auto white balance seemed to gauge scenes perfectly. If you have a proclivity for HDR, rest assured the Edge does an excellent job there. The shades are still a little...

August 24,2021ByDAVID VEGA

Canon XC10 4K Digital Camcorder Is Out: Versatile And For Only $2,500

Apple . Brands . Featured

Happy Sunday from Software Expand! In this week's edition of Feedback Loop, we talk about the future of Windows Phone, whether it makes sense to build media centers discuss the preferences for metal vs. plastic on smartphones. All that and more past the break the proof of concept. Just because you can do something, should you? Samsung thinks so. Its second experimentally screened phone taps into its hardware R&D and production clout to offer something not many other companies can make. WHAT DO YOU WANT FROM WINDOWS PHONE? And so, following the Galaxy Round, here's the Galaxy Edge. If you take the basic shape and concept, it's the spitting image of the curved-screen Youm prototype spied at CES a little less than two years ago. Now, though, it's a for-real smartphone you can buy. I've been testing it out in Japan, where it launched instead of the Note 4, although both the Note 4 and the Note Edge will eventually be available in the US. Fortunately. Galaxy Note Edge is how much it resembles the Note 4 The ability to shrink the likes of Chrome and Google Maps to a popup window and layer it on top of other apps is also useful; I'd love to see something similar on the iPhone 6 Plus. Despite the unusual, curved screen, it still packs all of the good things that made the Note 4 such a strong choice. But bragging rights aside, is there enough of an argument for a curved screen? Should you just get the Note 4 anyway? METAL VS. PLASTIC PHONE BODIES? The exploration of space stands as one of humanity's greatest achievements. While history has hailed the men and women who reached the cosmos, and those who helped them get there, much of the infrastructure that sent them skyward lies forgotten and dilapidated. [quote_right]Galaxy Note 4 running Android 4.4 KitKat.[/quote_right] And how does Apple's biggest phone compare to the Note Edge? Well, both remain unwieldy to grip, and the Note Edge is wider. However, the edged screen nuzzles into my hand better and those software tweaks mentioned above give it the advantage. However, just like the stylus, there's a while before you get the knack of all the little provisions Samsung's made to ease users into this screen size. Roland Miller has spent nearly half his life chronicling these landmarks before they are lost forever long been obsessed with space as a child, he dreamed of being an astronaut. HARDWARE Its curves are subjective and divisive; my friends and colleagues have offered up reactions ranging from outright bemusement to adoration. The screen looks great, with the punchy contrast and sharpness that's been a Samsung flagship mainstay for years. We'll get back to that edge, but it's the headline part of a 5.6-inch Quad-HD+ display. This means a little chunk of extra screen makes the phone just less than 4mm wider, and around 2mm shorter, than the Note 4. ONE-HANDED USE Both come with software tricks like shrinkable keyboards as well as a new, tiny floating menu that can be stuck to the outer edge of the screen. This duplicates the capacitive button row, which could be a solution of sorts for lefties. I can even make this secondary menu transparent, allowing me to maintain all that screen space. The ability to shrink the likes of Chrome and Google Maps to a popup window and layer it on top of other apps is also useful I'd love to see something similar on the iPhone 6 Plus. SOFTWARE If you're looking to learn more about the stylus' uses, I'd advise a quick read of Brad's Galaxy Note 4 review, because the setup is identical here. Yes, there are TouchWiz bits running on Android 4.4 KitKat, but Samsung continues to clear away unnecessary bloat and options. It's still a work in progress, though, and I feel the settings menus are particularly obtuse compared to other Android phones -- and especially iOS. It takes some getting used to. But let's focus on what's different here: that edge. There are two display modes you can flit between: a slender, unassuming bar that can display a customized message and a more substantial column that attempts to offer extra functionality, notifications or context-dependent menus for certain apps, like the camera. The front-facing camera is also a top-end sensor compared to the competition, 3.7 megapixels with an f/1.9 lens. While I'm not a huge selfie taker, you'll have to ask our Senior Selfie Editor, but I do take a whole lot of photos with my smartphone, so I was interested to see how Samsung's newest smartphone camera handled. When it's expanded, the UI is a basic row of icons, which you can navigate with a little swipe. This may look a little unusual, but swishing through the various mini-screens is immensely satisfying. And how does Apple's biggest phone compare to the Note Edge? Well, both remain unwieldy to grip, and the Note Edge is wider. However, the edged screen nuzzles into my hand better and those software tweaks mentioned above give it the advantage. However, just like the stylus, there's a while before you get the knack of all the little provisions Samsung's made to ease users into this screen size. The screen is marginally smaller than the Note 4, despite the cranked-up pixel count. Like the Note 4, text pops a little more, and pictures you take with the 16MP camera are obviously better replicated on the Note Edge's screen. All told, it's an excellent camera. The image stabilizing works well on all the neon lights that pepper Tokyo, while even people were neatly captured. There's some noise, but it compares favorably against older Galaxy phones. Daylight meant effortless captures and some really nice shots, if I say so myself. Focus was swift, and auto white balance seemed to gauge scenes perfectly. If you have a proclivity for HDR, rest assured the Edge does an excellent job there. The shades are still a little...

August 24,2021ByDAVID VEGA

Apple sells 10 million iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Pluses

Featured . Tech today . Windows Phone

Happy Sunday from Software Expand! In this week's edition of Feedback Loop, we talk about the future of Windows Phone, whether it makes sense to build media centers discuss the preferences for metal vs. plastic on smartphones. All that and more past the break the proof of concept. Just because you can do something, should you? Samsung thinks so. Its second experimentally screened phone taps into its hardware R&D and production clout to offer something not many other companies can make. WHAT DO YOU WANT FROM WINDOWS PHONE? And so, following the Galaxy Round, here's the Galaxy Edge. If you take the basic shape and concept, it's the spitting image of the curved-screen Youm prototype spied at CES a little less than two years ago. Now, though, it's a for-real smartphone you can buy. I've been testing it out in Japan, where it launched instead of the Note 4, although both the Note 4 and the Note Edge will eventually be available in the US. Fortunately. Galaxy Note Edge is how much it resembles the Note 4 The ability to shrink the likes of Chrome and Google Maps to a popup window and layer it on top of other apps is also useful; I'd love to see something similar on the iPhone 6 Plus. Despite the unusual, curved screen, it still packs all of the good things that made the Note 4 such a strong choice. But bragging rights aside, is there enough of an argument for a curved screen? Should you just get the Note 4 anyway? METAL VS. PLASTIC PHONE BODIES? The exploration of space stands as one of humanity's greatest achievements. While history has hailed the men and women who reached the cosmos, and those who helped them get there, much of the infrastructure that sent them skyward lies forgotten and dilapidated. [quote_right]Galaxy Note 4 running Android 4.4 KitKat.[/quote_right] And how does Apple's biggest phone compare to the Note Edge? Well, both remain unwieldy to grip, and the Note Edge is wider. However, the edged screen nuzzles into my hand better and those software tweaks mentioned above give it the advantage. However, just like the stylus, there's a while before you get the knack of all the little provisions Samsung's made to ease users into this screen size. Roland Miller has spent nearly half his life chronicling these landmarks before they are lost forever long been obsessed with space as a child, he dreamed of being an astronaut. HARDWARE Its curves are subjective and divisive; my friends and colleagues have offered up reactions ranging from outright bemusement to adoration. The screen looks great, with the punchy contrast and sharpness that's been a Samsung flagship mainstay for years. We'll get back to that edge, but it's the headline part of a 5.6-inch Quad-HD+ display. This means a little chunk of extra screen makes the phone just less than 4mm wider, and around 2mm shorter, than the Note 4. ONE-HANDED USE Both come with software tricks like shrinkable keyboards as well as a new, tiny floating menu that can be stuck to the outer edge of the screen. This duplicates the capacitive button row, which could be a solution of sorts for lefties. I can even make this secondary menu transparent, allowing me to maintain all that screen space. The ability to shrink the likes of Chrome and Google Maps to a popup window and layer it on top of other apps is also useful I'd love to see something similar on the iPhone 6 Plus. SOFTWARE If you're looking to learn more about the stylus' uses, I'd advise a quick read of Brad's Galaxy Note 4 review, because the setup is identical here. Yes, there are TouchWiz bits running on Android 4.4 KitKat, but Samsung continues to clear away unnecessary bloat and options. It's still a work in progress, though, and I feel the settings menus are particularly obtuse compared to other Android phones -- and especially iOS. It takes some getting used to. But let's focus on what's different here: that edge. There are two display modes you can flit between: a slender, unassuming bar that can display a customized message and a more substantial column that attempts to offer extra functionality, notifications or context-dependent menus for certain apps, like the camera. The front-facing camera is also a top-end sensor compared to the competition, 3.7 megapixels with an f/1.9 lens. While I'm not a huge selfie taker, you'll have to ask our Senior Selfie Editor, but I do take a whole lot of photos with my smartphone, so I was interested to see how Samsung's newest smartphone camera handled. When it's expanded, the UI is a basic row of icons, which you can navigate with a little swipe. This may look a little unusual, but swishing through the various mini-screens is immensely satisfying. And how does Apple's biggest phone compare to the Note Edge? Well, both remain unwieldy to grip, and the Note Edge is wider. However, the edged screen nuzzles into my hand better and those software tweaks mentioned above give it the advantage. However, just like the stylus, there's a while before you get the knack of all the little provisions Samsung's made to ease users into this screen size. The screen is marginally smaller than the Note 4, despite the cranked-up pixel count. Like the Note 4, text pops a little more, and pictures you take with the 16MP camera are obviously better replicated on the Note Edge's screen. All told, it's an excellent camera. The image stabilizing works well on all the neon lights that pepper Tokyo, while even people were neatly captured. There's some noise, but it compares favorably against older Galaxy phones. Daylight meant effortless captures and some really nice shots, if I say so myself. Focus was swift, and auto white balance seemed to gauge scenes perfectly. If you have a proclivity for HDR, rest assured the Edge does an excellent job there. The shades are still a little...