Poll: is it finally time to think about a foldable?

Poll

Lately there is really a lot of talk about folding smartphones, also thanks to the recent Unpacked event by Samsung which saw the new Galaxy Z Fold3 and Galaxy Z Flip3 as protagonists. Among the new models of the Korean house and the alleged different devices coming from its competitors, we want to ask you a question: do you think it is already the right time to think about a foldable or is it still too early?

We have now reached the third generation of folding devices made by Samsung, with Motorola that in the meantime has brought two generations of Moto Razr to the market, Xiaomi its MIX Fold, Huawei i Mate XS and Mate X2, while several other manufacturers have shown their concept phones such as TCL and Oppo.

The rumors indicate that even Google is now close to the announcement of a smartphone with a folding display, with other brands such as Honor, Oppo and Vivo. Have we finally gotten to the point where these particular technological clashes have gone mainstream and are ready for the general public or is it still too early?

We all know how the story of the first Samsung Galaxy Fold ended, a smartphone that it was perhaps still a little too early to end up in the hands of ordinary users. Even Royole FlexPai, technically the first folding smartphone in the world to enter the market, did not make a good impression, seeming practically little more than an expensive prototype.

Technology, however, does not stop evolving and improving, as it has promptly demonstrated Samsung with Galaxy Z Flip, the first product to use the UTG (Ultra Thin Glass) protective layer for the display, and a few days ago with Galaxy Z flip3 and Galaxy Z Fold3, which have a display that is 80% more resistant scratches and IPX8 certification against water ingress.

The display support structure, the hinges, the use of hidden cameras under the display, the high refresh rate and even higher brightness, companies are quickly learning to solve the problems they face. users had encountered in the first generations of smartphones with flexible displays. Samsung feels so confident that it has even equipped the Galaxy Z Fold3 with stylus support.

This doesn't mean that users are ready for foldables. First of all, it seems that a firm direction has not yet been taken on the software side, with graphic interfaces halfway between tablets and smartphones that too often show the defects of both versions. There are very few apps that integrate with foldable displays and most of them come from Google, Microsoft and Samsung itself.

Many are still wondering, therefore, what this leap into the world of foldable when the classic smartphones have perhaps reached the highest peak ever in terms of quality and capacity. At the same time, however, many are enthusiastic about this new form factor and can't wait to get their hands on one of the smartphones in question.

Here we face a new wall: the price. Even people who would be willing to try and would be interested in using a foldable, are very often not willing to spend the amount required to proceed with the purchase. Although Samsung has once again reduced the prices of its Folds and Flip, they are still too much above what the majority of users are willing to spend.

So the question arises: in your opinion, is it finally the time to think about a foldable or not?

Today we are launching our usual bi-weekly survey which will close next Friday, August 20th. If you are interested in exploring the topic and explaining your opinion in more detail, we invite you to leave us a comment below the article, we will take all the ideas into consideration while we do the final counting of the votes!





Samsung Galaxy A72 has power and a whole new camera, including an IP67 certification. You can buy it here at the lowest price.

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Democrats stick with Kamala Harris despite poll slump and staff turmoil

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Vice President Kamala Harris has experienced highs and lows during her first year as President Joe Biden's understudy, with some voters failing to warm to her.

A year ago this week, Biden tapped the then-junior senator from California and a former 2020 Democratic presidential primary foe to be his running mate. It was not an unexpected choice, but the historic decision to select a minority woman to be his second in command has been overshadowed, at times, by her missteps.

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Democratic strategist Mike Nellis, a senior adviser to Harris during the primary, was adamant Democrats were not suffering from buyers' remorse. He compared the White House's handling of the coronavirus pandemic to that of former President Donald Trump, underscoring vaccine access and a rebounding economy.

'Joe Biden said it himself — Democrats couldn't have asked for a better vice president than Kamala Harris,' Nellis said. 'The Biden-Harris administration is successfully cleaning up the mess Trump created, whether the media or the Republicans want to admit it or not.'

Harris has amassed a cult following called the 'K-Hive' around her Obama-like personal narrative and warm approach to retail politics. She has even inspired public art displayed on the National Mall and in capital restaurants. Her supporters contend that she, like women and minority politicians before her, is being held to a higher standard. She also faces scrutiny because she is vice president under the oldest person to ever serve as president, putting her first in line to succeed him and giving her an edge for the 2024 Democratic nomination if he opted against seeking reelection.

But rightly or wrongly, her poll numbers are flagging, her office is a carousel of staff, and her mistakes defy the No. 1 rule of being a No. 2: Do not become the news story.

Harris is not as popular as Biden with the electorate overall. Her average favorability is roughly 45%, while her unfavorability is 48%, according to RealClearPolitics. In contrast, the president averages 50.8-44.8% favorability-unfavorability.

Fox News pollsters found this week that 51% of respondents had an unfavorable opinion of Harris, with two-fifths 'strongly' sharing that sentiment. Those negative numbers were driven by men and white people, about three-fifths of whom disliked her. She also struggled with people younger than 65, those earning more than $50,000, those without a college degree, those living in rural regions, parents, and independents. And it is that last demographic that she needs to make inroads with if she would like to succeed Biden on her own terms one day.

But Biden is wedded to Harris, for better or worse, as his communications team markets his presidency as the 'Biden-Harris Administration.' Part of her problem is that she is the face of two of Biden's most pressing issues: the root causes of illegal migrants crossing the southern border and the Democratic-led effort to expand voter access. And that framework allows the president to delegate responsibility and apportion blame.

White House press secretary Jen Psaki, for instance, referenced Harris this week when defending Biden from criticism regarding his stalled voting rights agenda.

'His closest adviser and partner is, of course, Vice President Harris. She is leading this effort,' she said.

Outside supporters have convened to discuss how Harris can respond to the narrative surrounding her and her chief of staff, Tina Flournoy. The pair were the focus of unflattering press coverage in June after aides complained about a toxic, insular office, where new ideas are not welcome, decisions are drawn out, and lower-level staffers are scapegoated. One person told Politico the workplace is 'abusive' and described it as 'a place where people feel treated like s***.”

Campaign aides had hinted of similar discord in 2019, derived from Harris's micro-managing and hierarchy confusion caused by her sister, Maya.

Travel staff Karly Satkowiak and Gabrielle DeFranceschi also left in June after Harris's botched trip to Guatemala and Mexico and her viral interview about why her border visit had been so delayed.

'I haven’t been to Europe,' she told NBC. 'I don’t understand the point that you’re making.'

Psaki dismissed the Harris-Flournoy reports at the time for being based on anonymous sources. Instead, she reiterated that the vice president is 'an incredibly important partner to the president of the United States.'

'She has a challenging job, a hard job, and she has a great, supportive team of people around her,' she said.

Harris has been a highly visible vice president, though substance in her appearances has been lacking. But this week, whether a reaction to crisis meetings or not, she was tasked with announcing an extra 2.5 million people had signed up for healthcare insurance coverage through Obamacare before the Aug. 15 special enrollment deadline.

'And let us remember that as we work to lower healthcare costs, it is also the work of saying, 'I see you. I hear you. We are all in this together,'' she said, echoing her stump speech.

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Biden and Harris, like other types of couples, marked their anniversary this week on social media. Biden posted a photo of the duo walking through the White House Rose Garden and thanked Harris 'for all you do' in the caption. Harris responded to the picture, saying it is 'an honor' to serve 'a president with such vision and purpose.'

 

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Tags: News, Biden, Joe Biden, News, White House, Kamala Harris, Campaigns

Original Author: Naomi Lim

Original Location: Democrats stick with Kamala Harris despite poll slump and staff turmoil