Archive for the ‘GALAXY’ Category
Tuesday, January 13th, 2015
Samsung has launched in Singapore its GALAXY A Series of Android smartphones. The mid-range smartphones include the 4.5-inch A3 (S$448), 5-inch A5 (S$598) and the 5.5-inch A7 (S$TBA).
The A3 and A5 will be available in Singapore on 16 January while the A7 will be available this quarter.

The new GALAXY A series comes in three sizes (from left) – the 5.5-inch A7 (S$TBA), 5-inch A5 (S$598) and the 4.5-inch A3 (S$448).
The A3 and A5 were launched in Korea on 31 October, 2014 while the A7 was launched on 12 January, 2015 in Korea.
First impressions
I like the thin metallic body of the A-series.

The GALAXY A3 4G will be available from January 16 in Pearl White and Midnight Black, at $448 without contract. The Platinum Silver, Champagne Gold (24 January), and Soft Pink (February) versions will be available later.
The beauty face feature is really interesting.
This offers three ways of enhancing your selfies – skin retouch, eyes enlargement and face-slimming.
There are sliders to let you control how much of the effect to apply, and you can preview the effect as you drag the slider to the left or right.
The skin retouch effect is nothing new and is basically the run-of-the-mill skin blurring functionality which produces instantly-recognisably fake blurred skin.
So it’s good that you can use a slider to limit how much of the effect to apply to avoid appearing too amateurish.

The GALAXY A7 4G will be available this quarter in Pearl White and Midnight Black.
The eyes enlargement effect is really interesting but you have to try-and-error, as the effect can be either flattering or downright weird.
I was most impressed with the face slimming feature. I can see how it’s going to be flattering for many to see their face slimmed slightly.
All three models come with SUPER AMOLED screen for a vivid and colourful display.
The A-series GALAXY smartphones are priced more affordably than Samsung’s two flagship smartphones – the Note and S series.
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Tags:A3, A5, A7, Android, Galaxy, launch, Samsung, selfies, Singapore, smartphones, wefies
Posted in Android, Events, events, Gadgets, gadgets, GALAXY, Launch, newArrivals, Phones, Prices, Samsung, smartphones, Specifications | Comments Closed
Monday, October 6th, 2014
The Android smartphone is targeted at first-time users looking for essential features and usability. Available in Singapore at S$148 from 11 October, 2014.

The Samsung GALAXY YOUNG 2 weighs 108g and measures 109.8 x 59.9 x 11.8mm. It is available in Iris Charcoal and White.
Powered by a 1GHz Single Core Processor, the GALAXY YOUNG 2 features a long lasting 1,300mAh battery, 3.2-megapixel camera and a 3.5” touch screen HVGA (320 x 480) TFT LCD display with 262K colours..
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Tags:Android, Android 4, availability, budget, Galaxy, KitKat, Samsung, Singapore, smartphones, YOUNG 2
Posted in Android, Availability, Gadgets, gadgets, GALAXY, newArrivals, Phones, Prices, Samsung, smartphones, Specifications | No Comments »
Wednesday, October 1st, 2014
The GALAXY Note 4 (S$1,088), Gear S (S$498) and Gear Circle (S$168) will reach Singapore on 11 October and but you can register your interest for the Note 4 from noon tomorrow (2 October). The GALAXY Note Edge 4G+ will be available in Q4 2014.

The GALAXY Note 4 4G+ will be available in Singapore from 11 October 2014 in Charcoal Black and Frost White. The Note Edge 4G+ will only be available in Q4 2014.
The slew of mobile products were first unveiled during IFA 2014.
I first played with these new gadgets when they were brought to Singapore for a preview 2 weeks ago.
They are indeed exciting additions to Samsung’s line of mobile devices.
Recommended retail prices in Singapore are listed below.
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Tags:availability, Galaxy, Gear, Gear Circle, Gear S, Note, Note 4, Note Edge, phablets, prices, Samsung, Singapore, smartphones
Posted in Accessories, Android, Audio, Availability, earphones, Events, Gadgets, gadgets, GALAXY, Gear, Launch, newArrivals, Note, Phones, Prices, Samsung, smartphones, smartwatches, Specifications, Watches | 2 Comments »
Thursday, September 18th, 2014
Samsung Singapore showcased in Singapore today a few of the devices unveiled during IFA 2014 – namely the Galaxy Note 4, Galaxy Note Edge.
Also available for hands-on were the Gear S smartwatch and Gear Circle Bluetooth wireless earphones.

Samsung Galaxy Note Edge with its innovative curved-edged screen, with Montblanc leather flip covers for the Note 4 in the background.
Both the Galaxy Note 4 and Note Edge now have the same Quad HD (2560 x 1440 pixels) as the LG G3 but on a larger 5.7-inch screen, and the S Pen and S Note have been improved to enhance their functionality and productivity.

Samsung Gear Circle, with the ear buds “stuck” together magnetically, can be worn around the neck like a necklace when not in use.
The rear camera now has 16 megapixels and the front has 3.7 megapixels with an f1.9 lens.
By the way, the processor that’s going to ship to Singapore is the Snapdragon with 3GB RAM.
The Note Edge really does look novel with the sharp display on the curved screen that wraps around the thin right edge of the phablet.
The Gear S smartphone runs on the Tizen OS and has its own nano-SIM slot so you can place and receive calls independently of a smartphone.
It can also store and play music directly and be paired with the Gear Circle.
First Impressions:
Having used the Galaxy S4, Note 3 and now using the S5, I find the Note 4 and Note Edge exciting new additions to the Galaxy flagship devices.
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Tags:Android, Berlin, earphones, Galaxy, Gear, Gear Circle, Gear S, headsets, IFA, Note, Note 4, Note Edge, phablets, Samsung, smartphones, unpacked
Posted in Accessories, Android, Audio, Brief, earphones, Events, events, Gadgets, gadgets, GALAXY, Note, Phones, Prices, Samsung, smartphones, smartwatches, Specifications, Watches | 1 Comment »
Wednesday, September 10th, 2014
Samsung’s latest addition to the GALAXY series promises superior connectivity with up to 300 Mbps 4G+ LTE-Advanced networks. Available in Singapore at S$948 from 13 September.

The GALAXY ALPHA 4G+ will be available in Singapore in Charcoal Black and Dazzling White from 13 September and in Frosted Gold from end September.
The GALAXY ALPHA 4G+ features a compact body with a metal frame and finish, with curved corners and a tactile soft back cover.
At 6.7mm thick, the GALAXY ALPHA 4G+ is one of the slimmest GALAXY devices.
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Tags:4G, Alpha, Galaxy, LTE, Samsung, Singapore, smartphones
Posted in Android, Announce, Availability, Gadgets, gadgets, GALAXY, Launch, newArrivals, Phones, Prices, Samsung, smartphones, Specifications | No Comments »
Wednesday, September 3rd, 2014
Samsung has announced the new Galaxy Note 4 and Note Edge smartphone, the Gear VR mobile VR headset, as well as the Gear S smartwatch and Gear Circle earphones at the Unpacked Episode 2 press conference in Berlin, Germany.
Update (18 September, 2014):
Samsung showcased in Singapore today most of the new devices it unveiled during IFA 2014 in a media preview.
It also displayed accessories that Montblanc has specially designed for the Samsung Galaxy Note 4.

The Galaxy Note 4 will be available in “Charcoal Black,” “Frost White,” “Bronze Gold,” and “Blossom Pink” in global markets starting in October.
The Galaxy Note 4 and Note Edge are the latest additions to the Galaxy Note family.
Galaxy Note 4 and Note Edge Android smartphones
The Galaxy Note 4 has a 5.7-inch Quad HD (2560×1440) Super AMOLED display and sports the Multi Window feature for multi-tasking.

Samsung Galaxy Note Edge
It ships with a 16-megapixel rear camera with Smart Optical Image Stabilizer, and a 3.7-megapixel front camera with f1.9 lens with 120 degrees wide angle.
The Note 4 also has a Fingerprint Scanner and a UV sensor.
The Galaxy Note Edge has a 5.6-inch screen that wraps around the right side of the device.
The Galaxy Note Edge will be available in “Charcoal Black” and “Frost White” in select markets through Samsung’s retail channels, e-commerce and carriers later this year.
Gear VR mobile headset
Samsung and Oculus has collaborated to create the mobile VR headset optimised for the Galaxy Note 4.
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Tags:Android, Berlin, earphones, Galaxy, Gear, Gear Circle, Gear S, Gear VR, headsets, IFA, Note, Note 4, Note Edge, phablets, Samsung, smartphones, unpacked, VR
Posted in 3D, Accessories, Android, Announce, Audio, audioVisual, earphones, fitness watches, Gadgets, gadgets, GALAXY, headsets, newArrivals, Note, Phones, Samsung, Seminars, smartphones, smartwatches, Specifications, Tech news, Tickers, Watches | 9 Comments »
Sunday, July 13th, 2014
Did you know that there is an actual town in Austria which is called “Fucking”? And less than two hours’ drive to the east from Salzburg, you’ll hit the mountain named “Loser” which is also a popular ski resort.

Pit stop at Fucking, Austria. Photo taken with a Sony A7 with Vario-Tessar T* FE 24-70mm F4 ZA OSS full-frame E-mount zoom lens. Photo credit: John Tan.
Fucking is a tiny miniscule hamlet about 40km to the north of Salzburg. This Austrian town is about 40 minutes’ drive from Salzburg.
Located close to the border between Germany and Austria, the town comprises a cluster of houses on either side of the road.

I wonder what else is not allowed in this idyllic town. But seriously, that’s just a sign to tell you that you’re leaving Fucking behind you. Photo taken with a Sony A7 with Vario-Tessar T* FE 24-70mm F4 ZA OSS full-frame E-mount zoom lens. Photo credit: John Tan.
It is so tiny that less than 200m after passing the signboard that marks your entry into the town, you see the signboard that marks your exit from the town.
I’ve driven around Europe a fair bit and passed through many one-street towns – but Fucking is one of the tiniest we have driven through.
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Tags:A7, Apple, Austria 2014, Burghausen, Carl Zeiss, Franking, Fucking, full-frame, Galaxy, Germany, GO 2020, GPS, hell, iPhone, navigation, photography, photos, PND, potd, Samsung, Sony, TomTom
Posted in A7, Apple, Austria 2014, Cameras, Events, Gadgets, GALAXY, GPS, Holiday, MIL, Photography, Photos, POTD, POTD, S5, Samsung, Sony, TomTom, Travel, travel | No Comments »
Wednesday, July 2nd, 2014
Photo of the Day: We chanced upon this charming town while driving en route from Munich to Salzburg. The castle sitting on top of the hill looked majestic while the houses along the river looked so colourful and quaint.

Burghausen Castle, which has a length of over 1,000 metres, is one of the longest castle complexes in the world, sitting along a narrow ridge above the town. Photo taken with a Sony A7 with Vario-Tessar T* FE 24-70mm F4 ZA OSS full-frame E-mount zoom lens. Photo credit: John Tan.
We were driving from Munich to Salzburg when we chanced upon the quaint little town right beside the fast flowing Salzach River, which marks the border between Germany and Austria in these parts.
This photo was one of the first few shots that took with the Sony A7 that I had brought along for the trip.
The compact full-frame mirrorless interchangeable lens camera did not disappoint and impressed with fast focusing, strong low-light performance and good detail throughout the rest of the vacation.
This photo was taken using the Vario-Tessar T* FE 24-70mm F4 ZA OSS full-frame E-mount zoom lens, which was really versatile for both street photography, portraiture and landscape shots.
If you’re looking for a compact travel camera but still desire good image quality, do check out the Sony A7.
The route that we were driving was a bit off the beaten track and we hadn’t expected to come across any touristy places along the way.
So imagine our surprise when we drove into this charming little town that was obviously a tourist destination.
After driving across the bridge straddling the Salzach, we stopped by the river bank and snapped some photos of Burghausen and its castle from across the river.
We didn’t realise at that time that by crossing the bridge, we had crossed from Germany into Austria, and that we were snapping photos of the German town from the Austrian bank.
The Austrian village on the other side of the river is called Ach and is so tiny you won’t find it if you do a search for it on Google Maps, although it’s actually marked on the map.

View of Burghausen Town across the Salzach River. By driving across the bridge, one crosses from Germany into Austria. Photo taken with a Sony A7 with Vario-Tessar T* FE 24-70mm F4 ZA OSS full-frame E-mount zoom lens. Photo credit: John Tan.
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Tags:A7, Austria 2014, Burghausen, Carl Zeiss, castles, full-frame, Germany, photography, photos, potd, Sony
Posted in A7, Austria 2014, Cameras, Events, Gadgets, GALAXY, Holiday, MIL, Photography, Photos, POTD, POTD, S5, Samsung, Sony, Travel, travel | No Comments »
Tuesday, April 29th, 2014
The new Samsung Galaxy K zoom packs in the image quality of compact cameras with the smartphone features of the Galaxy line of Android smartphones. Price & availability TBA.

The Samsung Galaxy K zoom will be available in three colours: Charcoal Black, Shimmery White and Electric Blue.
Samsung Electronics has announced its new “camera-specialised smartphone” – the Samsung Galaxy K zoom.

Side view showing the lens retracted and deployed.
The Galaxy K zoom is a smartphone that blends advanced digital camera technology with Samsung’s Galaxy mobile phone experience.
As a camera-specialised smartphone, the Galaxy K zoom offers an advanced technical camera system designed to offer the control and functionality of a dedicated camera, ensuring that the important moments are captured with good clarity.
The Galaxy K zoom is equipped with new retracting lens technology that provides 10x optical zoom in a slim and chic body.
(more…)
Tags:cameras, Galaxy, K zoom, Samsung, smartphones
Posted in Android, Cameras, cameras, Compact camera, Events, Gadgets, gadgets, GALAXY, Launch, Phones, Photography, Samsung, smartphones, Specifications | No Comments »
Saturday, April 19th, 2014
Good Friday is observed primarily by Christians to commemorate the crucifixion of Jesus Christ and his death at Cavalry.

For Christians, Good Friday is a time for reflection. Photo taken with a Samsung GALAXY Note 3 smartphone at Pasir Ris Beach, Singapore. Photo credit: John Tan.
The year of the crucifixion is estimated to have occurred in AD 33.
A Christian friend of mine says that Good Friday is a time of reflection on what his saviour had done for him.
Good Friday is a public holiday in many countries, including Singapore.
Tags:beach, Christians, photography, photos, potd, seaside
Posted in Events, GALAXY, Holiday, Note, Phones, Photography, Photos, POTD, POTD, Samsung | No Comments »