The Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra is expected to be the top model in Samsung’s upcoming Tab S8 range, and it’s already leaked extensively, but now we’ve also seen high-quality, official-looking renders that show it from all sides.
These come from Evan Blass (a leaker with a great track record), though at the time of writing they’re not visible on his Twitter feed – presumably due to a complaint from Samsung, which has also seen some of his other leaked material removed.
You can however still see some of the images on Phone Arena , where the Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra is pictured in a grey shade, with an S Pen stylus beside it.
There’s not really anything that we haven’t seen before here, but these images do include a close look at the rumored notch that the Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra looks destined to launch with.
Relative to the overall size of the slate this is quite small, but it’s an interesting design choice now that the world has largely moved on to punch-holes, Apple aside.
Still, it’s perhaps justified as it appears to house two cameras, which have previously been rumored to include an 8MP main one and a 5MP ultra-wide.
The images also show a silo for the S Pen on the back, next to a dual-lens rear camera. The bezels also appear very slim, thus further justifying the notch.
We’d take these images with a pinch of salt as usual, but they match up with earlier leaks and come from a reputable source, so we’d think they’re probably accurate. We should know soon, as the Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra is expected to land alongside the Tab S8 and Tab S8 Plus on February 9.
Analysis: getting a head start on Apple
We might see a number of iPads this year, including a new iPad (2022) , an iPad Air 5 , and an iPad Pro (2022) in two sizes, but none of them are likely to land until after the Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 range, so Samsung's tablet trio could tempt some buyers before Apple’s next slates even hit the market.
It’s clear that the Tab S8 range is positioned as iPad alternatives too. Based on leaks and their predecessors, these will be high-end slates, with stylus support (much like Apple’s tablets largely work with the Apple Pencil).
In the case of the Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra, Samsung might even have the iPad Pro range beat, as this upcoming slate reportedly has an even larger 14.6-inch screen.
Gran Turismo 7 will take center stage at Sony's State of Play
Sony has announced that its next State of Play , and the first of 2022, will take place on February 2, with the event set to focus on the upcoming Gran Turismo 7 .
Announced in a post on the PlayStation Blog, the special Gran Turismo 7 edition of State of Play will showcase "just over 30 minutes" of new PS5 footage, and gameplay details for the next entry in Polyphony Digital's racing series, with Sony promising an in-depth look at the game's modes and features.
The Gran Turismo 7 State of Play event will take place on February 2 at 2pm PT / 5pm ET / 10pm GMT (February 3 at 5am AEDT).
Analysis: what could we see
Due to release on March 4, Gran Turismo 7 is on track to be the most realistic entry in the series yet thanks to the PS5's technical capabilities – although that may come at a cost to your PlayStation 5's storage .
While we've already seen some footage of the game (which certainly supports those realism claims), we're hoping that State of Play will confirm reports that the next entry in the long-running series will feature 420 cars and a whopping 90 circuits , while giving us an in-depth look at the game's modes and campaign.
It sounds like we'll get a bunch of juicy details during the stream, but we're hoping that Sony will also reveal footage of the PS4 version of the game. Until now, the primary focus has been on how Gran Turismo 7 will perform and look on PS5 but, with the game also coming to PS4, players on Sony's last-gen hardware will want to know how the new Gran Turismo will run on their consoles – even if they'll be able to upgrade to the PS5 version for $10 at a later date.
With the next State of Play set to focus on Gran Turismo 7, we imagine that we won't get any reveals or announcements about other PS5 games in the pipeline. But Sony typically holds its State of Play events every month or two, so expect (at least) a few more to take place this year, alongside a chunkier showcase sometime between June and August.
The Tinder Swindler trailer will make you think twice about using dating apps
The Tinder Swindler, Netflix's upcoming crime thriller documentary, has received its first trailer – and it'll make you think twice about using any dating app to find love.
Posted on Netflix 's YouTube and social media channels on January 11, The Tinder Swindler's first teaser sets up the remarkable real-life story of an alleged billionaire playboy seducing and stealing millions of dollars from numerous women across the globe. Suffice to say, this one looks like it'll be making its way onto our best Netflix documentaries list very soon.
Check out the trailer for The Tinder Swindler below:
Including interviews with the Tinder Swindler's victims, Netflix's next potentially big docufilm will follow the events surrounding the jaw-dropping crime, which culminated in the conviction of Simon Leviev, a dual Russian-Israeli citizen, for theft and fraud following his arrest in June 2019.
The Tinder Swindler is based on the months-long investigation by Norwegian newspaper Verdens Gang . The outlet's in-depth report covers Leviev and his victims' stories in fascinating-yet-harrowing detail, and is well worth a read if you need a crash course on The Tinder Swindler ahead of the show's release.
Felicity Morris, who produced the acclaimed Netflix documentary Don't F**k With Cats: Hunting an Internet Killer, led production on The Tinder Swindler. Executively produced by Sam Starbuck (The Nielsen Tapes, America in Color) and Bart Layton (The Puppet Master: Hunting the Ultimate Conman), The Tinder Swindler launches exclusively on Netflix on Wednesday, February 2.
Analysis: The Tinder Swindler shows the perils of online dating
Given the events surrounding The Tinder Swindler, it's unsurprising why people are often cautious about what to include in their dating profiles and messages – or even using the apps at all.
Off the back of similar stories, though, dating app companies have taken steps to improve online safety in the past couple of years. Now, the likes of Tinder and Bumble allow users to verify their profile, which allows potential matches to see that they're really who they say they are.
Users are also given the option to only match with other profiles that have been verified, ensuring that both parties are speaking to real-life individuals and not pranksters or so-called catfishes. And, on Tinder at least, users are now warned before they send potentially offensive messages to those they match with.
The duo's security isn't entirely foolproof, however, with Tinder and Bumble users being targeted by cryptocurrency scams on iOS devices late last year. And dating app users still run the risk of meeting and chatting to people who aren't who they claim to be. There are plenty of unsettling dating app stories on the internet – it just happens that the story of The Tinder Swindler is so famous that Netflix has made a documentary about it.
As much as The Tinder Swindler may shock viewers with the events and crimes that it depicts, it does serve as a reminder to all dating app users to stay safe while using them. If even one person (though we certainly hope it's many more than that) takes heed of the cautionary tale that The Tinder Swindler presents, it'll have done its job in educating users on the perils of online dating.