Review of Samsung Galaxy S25: The Last Remaining Top Tier Android in a Compact Size from Samsung

tHe could be the smallest and cheapest line of Samsung’s new Galaxy S25 line to buy, offering it to lessen top performance and latest AI features, and mini Android is still great It’s proof.

Unlike the previous generation of Samsung’s smaller models sold in the UK and Europe, the regular S25 has the same top-flight chip as the huge and expensive ultra models.

The rest of the S25 has not changed significantly since last year. It still has a great 6.2-inch screen, three cameras on the back, flat aluminum sides, and front and rear glass. This makes it the most compact of high-end Android phones that compete with Apple’s iPhones at a size that others, including Google’s Pixel 9, are steadily growing.




The regular S25 is significantly smaller and lighter than the S25 Ultra’s Superphone siblings. Photo: Samuel Gibbs/The Guardian

Samsung is good for squeezing solids for 37 hours from the S25, but the smaller battery is most modern Android. It was generally used with a mixture of 5G and WiFi, and actively using the screen for more than six hours to charge the phone every other day. The Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite chip makes the S25 one of the fastest mobile phones, perfect for gaming, but also densely packs battery life.

AI Upgrade

All major changes to the S25 are software and AI-based. Runs one UI 7 (Android 15) with the same latest version as the S25 Ultra. This includes a variety of new AI tools that extend the writing, summarization, and drawing tools introduced last year.

Most of the new tools are designed to find the information you need in advance and predict what you want to do to perform multiple complex tasks on your phone via text or voice commands.




Gemini replaces Bixby and Google Assistant on the S25, and is far more capable. Photo: Samuel Gibbs/The Guardian

Google’s Next Generation Gemini Assistant It’s the biggest upgrade, allowing you to interact with information from the mobile phone’s web and apps without having to manually tap on a button. Ask you to date your calendar from the party invitation flyer that you have been texted and it can do so. Find restaurant recommendations and send them to friends as dinner suggestions with simple voice commands. You can also understand what’s on the screen from text, photos, and videos to answer questions, find more information, and take actions.

When it works, it can almost become magical. But you can’t rely on getting things right every time. It can lead to trivial things like spelling different names. It also allows you to confidently hallucinate information that is clearly visible at first glance, but is actually completely wrong. Neither Google nor Samsung have solved these basic issues that plague all AI bots at this time.

Samsung’s New “now” bar at the bottom of the lock screen It’s more successful as a useful place to see timely information widgets, timers, media play controls, and other useful bits. You can swipe through those stacks to see what’s going on and quickly change tracks.

Samsung supports S25 with software and security updates Seven years since releasematches the best from Google and Apple.

specification

  • Main screen: 6.2in ​​FHD+ Dynamic AMOLED 2X 120Hz

  • Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Galaxy Elite

  • Ram: 12GB

  • Storage: 128, 256, or 512GB

  • operating system: 1 UI 7 (Android 15)

  • camera: 50mp + 12mp 0.6x + 10mp 3x; 12MP front

  • Connectivity: 5G, USB-C, WiFi 7, NFC, Bluetooth 5.4, UWB, GNSS

  • water resistance: IP68 (1.5m in 30 minutes)

  • size: 146.9 x 70.5 x 7.2mm

  • Weight: 162g

Sustainability




The S25 has wireless and USB-C charging, reaching 50% full power in 25 minutes for over an hour (power adapter not included). Photo: Samuel Gibbs/The Guardian

Samsung doesn’t provide the battery with the expected lifespan, but it should last more than 500 full charge cycles at least 80% of its original capacity.

The phone is Generally repairable. Screen repair Costs £149 by an authorized service center Includes battery replacement. Samsung also offers a Self-healing program.

Mobile phones contain multiple recycled materials such as aluminum, cobalt, copper, glass, gold, plastic, rare earth elements, and steel. Samsung offers trade-in Recycling scheme For old devices. The company is open to Annual Sustainability Report and affects impact assessments Some individual products.

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camera




Three cameras on the back, including a 3x telephoto camera, will boost Apple and Google’s dual camera rivals to the S25. Photo: Samuel Gibbs/The Guardian

The S25 has a triple camera setup with a 50-megapixel main, 12MP Ultra Wade, and 10MP 3X telephoto. This hasn’t really changed since the 2022 S22 and is the exact same combination as last year’s model.

That is, you generally take very good photos with three cameras. The main is the best and can produce some great shots, but it tends to over-brighten some scenes, and highlights are blown away, such as bright direct light washing people’s shots. Masu. The S24 has improved the zoom by 2x and is slightly more detailed, but the 3x zoom is solid, but out of reach compared to the average 5x camera, a slightly more expensive rival there is. The Ultrawide is equally solid, closing off a great but less groundbreaking package.

The S25 also shoots excellent videos, excellent portraits, and features many modes with one exception. There is no macro photography mode. This is a shame. Overall, the S25 has a great camera system. It’s not a problem with the Pixel 9 Pro or iPhone 16 Pro, but it’s perfect for size and money.

price

Samsung Galaxy S25 Cost £799 (€919/$799.99/$1,399).
Source: www.theguardian.com

Remaining Accountable: Understanding the Extended Range of Plug-in Hybrids

Despite the growing number of electric and hybrid vehicles on the roads, some individuals remain apprehensive about range and access to charging points, particularly if they rely on their vehicles for work. These concerns persist.

Fleet managers and business owners, with myriad responsibilities, may find the transition away from gasoline daunting. Nevertheless, advancements in battery technology and substantial investments in charging infrastructure have made the switch to electric or hybrid more feasible and potentially cost-effective for businesses than ever before. So, what factors should you consider to extend your battery-powered driving range?

Have you thought about a plug-in hybrid?
It’s advisable to explore plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) first. These vehicles feature rechargeable batteries and gasoline engines, with only a few running on diesel. They can be charged at both domestic and public charging points and now offer impressive pure electric ranges.

On the other hand, hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) rely on the car’s movement to generate electricity and use battery power to reduce gasoline consumption and emissions. They cannot be charged by plugging into a power outlet.

Modern plug-in hybrids like the Škoda Superb offer impressive range

The latest plug-in models showcase the significant technological advancements, with fast charging capabilities, remarkable range, and battery capacity. “For instance, the Škoda Superb Estate can travel up to 84 miles on pure electricity,” says Alan Barrowman, Skoda’s national contract employment and leasing manager. He also noted that this mileage qualifies for the 5% benefit-in-kind (BiK) tax for company car drivers.

Changes in charging
Charging networks are crucial for PHEV drivers looking to minimize their petrol (or diesel) usage. Fortunately, the number of public charging points is constantly increasing. In October 2023, approximately 50,000 points were installed at various service stations, with the installation rate continuing to rise. According to Zapmap, a data firm, there were 68,273 electric vehicle charging points across the UK by the end of August this year, representing a 41% year-on-year increase. Additionally, there are an estimated 700,000+ home and workplace charging points.

Charging points supply either alternating current (AC) or direct current (DC) power. Electric car batteries can only store DC power, so connecting to an AC charger involves converting the current, which can be time-consuming. Vehicles that support both AC and DC charging points, such as the all-new Škoda Superb, can charge even faster. The Skoda www.theguardian.com

India’s initial snow leopard study shows that there are only 718 of them remaining

Snow leopard in Ladakh, India

Wim van den Heever/naturepl.com

India’s first snow leopard survey estimates that there are 718 big cats living in six mountainous regions of the country.

They make up about 10 to 15 percent of the world’s population, and conservationists believe they number between 3,000 and 5,400 people.

snow leopard (panthera uncia) inhabit vast areas of remote mountainous regions, making them one of the most difficult predators to study.

The study, led by Wildlife Trust of India, was conducted from 2019 to 2023 and involved setting up 1,971 camera traps covering 120,000 square kilometers of habitat.

This represents over 70 per cent of the snow leopard’s potential habitat across the trans-Himalayan region of Ladakh, Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh. Approximately 34 percent of this area is under legal protection.

While 241 cats were photographed, evidence of leopard feces, fur, and body marks was found in the survey area, which covers approximately 100,000 square kilometers.

Snow leopards live in 12 countries in Asia, but primarily in the rugged Himalayas of China and India. The species was listed as endangered in 1972 and reclassified as endangered in 2017, but is still considered to be in decline.

“Snow leopards are beautiful, mysterious, ghostly animals, but they’re so much more than that,” says biologist George Schaller, who first photographed a snow leopard in Pakistan in 1971. “Snow leopards tend to symbolize the region and people of the time.” We begin to focus on the region as a whole, not just the snow leopard. Protecting it therefore protects the area for the benefit of all wildlife and local communities. ”

India’s goal is to use this baseline for long-term population surveys to improve monitoring, said Bhupender Yadav, India’s Cabinet Secretary for Environment, Forests and Climate Change. This is what the agency did in his 1970s with Project Tiger, creating conservation measures to increase the tiger population.

“These periodic assessments provide valuable insights to identify challenges, address threats, and develop effective conservation strategies,” says Yadav.

But some local figures fear the announcement could backfire. “This is one of the rarest animals, and this number may change the way we look at it,” said wildlife photographer Morap Namgair. snow leopard tour In Ladakh. “People might think 718 is an exaggeration, so it might change the psychology of conservation.”

Namgeir believes local people must take the lead in conservation efforts. “As locals, we share the mountain, so we have a responsibility to keep its numbers at the same level, if not increase,” he says. “They are the world’s most difficult animals to study, and we may never know how many there are. But we are committed to our efforts because protecting them protects us all.” Have to.”

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Source: www.newscientist.com