Archive for the ‘Phones’ Category

New arrivals: Huawei P8 flagship smartphone and wearables

Tuesday, June 2nd, 2015

Huawei launched its Android flagship smartphone – the P8 – during CommunicAsia2015 and showcased three wearable products – the Huawei TalkBand B2, TalkBand N1 and the Huawei Watch. Prices below.

The Huawei P8 measures 144.9 x 72.1 x 6.4mm and weighs 144g.

The Huawei P8 measures 144.9 x 72.1 x 6.4mm and weighs 144g.

Richard Yu, CEO of the Huawei Consumer Business Group introduced the Huawei P8 smartphone for the Southern Pacific Region at the Marina Bay Sands in Singapore.

For Huawei, the Southern Pacific Region comprises Australia, Indonesia, Malaysia, New Zealand, Philippines and Singapore.

The P8 was first launched globally in London in April this year and is part of the company’s transition from a B2B entity to a consumer centric brand.

The three wearable products – the Huawei TalkBand B2, TalkBand N1 and the Huawei Watch (currently under development) – were all launched at the Mobile World Congress 2015 in March 2015.

Huawei P8

The Huawei P8 has a 5.2-inch FHD screen with 1920 x 1080 pixels (424ppi, 16 million colours) and capable of playing 1080p video.

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TODAY! New arrivals: HTC Desire 626 smartphone in Singapore from 30 May

Saturday, May 30th, 2015

The HTC Desire 626 will be available in Singapore from TODAY at S$358 in White Birch and Blue Lagoon with M1, Singtel, StarHub and major retailers.

HTC's new entry-level Android smartphone, the Desire 626 is now available in Singapore (S$358).

HTC’s new entry-level Android smartphone, the Desire 626 is now available in Singapore (S$358).

The 5-inch HTC Desire 626 is slightly smaller than the pricier 5.5-inch Desire 826 (S$498) that hit the shelves in Singapore last week.

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New arrivals: BlackBerry Leap in Singapore for business users

Sunday, May 24th, 2015

The mid-tier 5-inch all-touch smartphone is now available in Singapore for S$389 from M1, Singtel and StarHub.

The new BlackBerry Leap is an all-touch alternative to the mid-tier BlackBerry Classic.

The new BlackBerry Leap is an all-touch alternative to the mid-tier BlackBerry Classic.

BlackBerry Leap is basically the all-touch version of the Classic – the other BlackBerry mid-tier smartphone – for those who prefer an onscreen keyboard over the traditional QWERTY keyboard in the similarly-priced sibling.

Like the Classic, the new Leap is targeted mainly at the business user whose main priority is to get work done – effectively and efficiently – while on the go.

BlackBerry Leap features the latest BlackBerry 10.3.1 operating system, an edge-to-edge five-inch HD display and more than a full day’s battery power.

First look

I had a quick hands-on with the new BlackBerry Leap last week when John Sims, BlackBerry’s President of of Global Sales was in town last week to brief the deployment of a new automated fare collection system in Southeast Asia that’s based on the company’s QNX Neutrino OS.

Check out the first impressions below that I had from trying out the phone over lunch.

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New arrivals: HTC Desire 826 dual sim in Singapore from 23 May

Saturday, May 23rd, 2015

The HTC Desire 826 dual sim will be available in Singapore from TODAY at S$498 in White Birch and Blue Lagoon with M1, Singtel, StarHub and major retailers.

Update (29 May, 2015):

The smaller entry-level sibling of the 5.5-inch HTC Desire 826 – the 5-inch Desire 626 will be available in Singapore at S$358.

The mid-range HTC Desire 826 dual sim is useful for frequent travels that needs to slot in a second SIM card using the local network of their destination.

The mid-range HTC Desire 826 dual sim is useful for frequent travels that needs to slot in a second SIM card using the local network of their destination.

The HTC Desire 826 dual sim is driven by the new Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ 615 Octa-Core 64-bit processor with 2GB RAM and 16GB storage with microSD expansion up to 128GB.

A range of accessories including the HTC Dot View case will also be available for the HTC Desire 826 dual sim.

A range of accessories including the HTC Dot View case will also be available for the HTC Desire 826 dual sim.

The phone uses Nano SIM cards and is capable of 4G LTE streaming.

It ships with Android 5.0 Lollipop OS with HTC Sense user interface, on a 5.5-inch Full HD 1080p display.

The phone is powered by an embedded 2600mAh Li-polymer battery.

The HTC Desire 826 dual sim promises immersive HTC BoomSound with Dolby Audio surround sound from your phone.

The smartphone comes with an audiophile-grade headset that is tuned for HTC BoomSound with Dolby Audio, offering a cinematic surround sound experience.

HTC was the first phone maker to put dual front-facing stereo speakers on a smartphone.

HTC was the first phone maker to put dual front-facing stereo speakers on a smartphone.

The HTC Desire 826 dual sim has 13-megapixel cameras on the front and rear, so that selfie lovers can enjoy great image quality for their self-portraits.

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QNX tech powers MSI Global’s automated fare collection system

Thursday, May 21st, 2015

QNX Neutrino OS will be powering the fare collection system deployed in thousands of devices throughout Singapore, the Philippines and Thailand.

On bus terminal powered by the new automated fare collection system. “MSI’s experience with QNX Neutrino has been very favorable and we will continue to leverage the same secure OS for our future projects,” said Silvester Prakasam, fare system business unit head, MSI.

On bus terminal powered by the new automated fare collection system. “MSI’s experience with QNX Neutrino has been very favorable and we will continue to leverage the same secure OS for our future projects,” said Silvester Prakasam, fare system business unit head, MSI.

QNX Software Systems Limited, a subsidiary of BlackBerry Limited, today announced that the QNX® Neutrino® OS is powering a new fare collection system in Southeast Asia.

MRT gates at a Downtown Line station in Singapore using the new system. “Creating a solution that could gain widespread adoption was also a key consideration in our choice of OS, and with QNX Neutrino we were able to create a design that is fast and reliable, yet affordable to customers in cost-sensitive regions.” added Prakasam.

MRT gates at a Downtown Line station in Singapore using the new system. “Creating a solution that could gain widespread adoption was also a key consideration in our choice of OS, and with QNX Neutrino we were able to create a design that is fast and reliable, yet affordable to customers in cost-sensitive regions.” added Prakasam.

The system includes automatic gates, ticketing machines, and onboard bus equipment, throughout the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), including Singapore, the Philippines, and Thailand.

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Review: Lumia 640XL Windows Phone phablet from Microsoft Devices

Tuesday, May 19th, 2015

The 5.7-inch Lumia 640 XL (S$429) comes with Windows Phone 8.1 with Lumia Denim, a 13-megapixel rear camera and 3000mAh removable battery. Wee Wu Neo from The Neo Dimension checks out the affordable phablet from Microsoft Devices.

The Lumia 640 XL will be available in matte cyan, orange, black, and white.

The Lumia 640 XL will be available in matte cyan, orange, black, and white.

The Lumia 640 series features the first Microsoft-branded LTE smartphones since the acquisition of Nokia Mobile.

By the look of its price and hardware specification, the Lumia 640 series exhibits almost identical performance to the Android Motorola MotoG.

The Lumia 640 XL with its 3000mAh removable battery. Photo credit: Wee Wu Neo.

The Lumia 640 XL with its 3000mAh removable battery. Photo credit: Wee Wu Neo.

This review covers the Lumia 640 XL, the Windows Phone phablet in the Lumia 640 series.

Design and Build

The Lumia 640 XL measures 157.9 x 81.5 x 9.0mm and weighs 171g.

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3 smartphone portrait photography tips from Russel Wong

Sunday, May 17th, 2015

Celebrity photographer Russel Wong shared some of his tips on portrait photography using a smartphone in a workshop at the OPPO Concept Store in Suntec City Tower 3. Here are three of the tips attendees found most useful.

Celebrity photographer, Russel Wong sharing his experiences of taking portraiture using a smartphone.

Celebrity photographer, Russel Wong sharing his experiences of taking portraiture using a smartphone.

Russel Wong is one of the most profiled photographers in Singapore and Asia.

Described as a “celebrity photographer who also photographs celebrities”, Wong enjoys the acclaim of being the first Singaporean to break into the notoriously difficult Hollywood movie industry.

Below are 3 smartphone portraiture photography tips that Wong shared during the workshop using the OPPO N3 smartphone that was launched in Singapore back in end October 2014.

1. Hold the camera as vertical as possbile

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Pioneer brings Apple CarPlay to Singapore with AVH-X8750BT

Saturday, May 2nd, 2015

Pioneer’s existing AVH-X8650BT and new AVH-X8750BT in-dash car multimedia receivers can now access Apple CarPlay in Singapore.

Pioneer introduces Apple CarPlay in Singapore with the two aftermarket in-dash car multimedia receivers.

Pioneer introduces Apple CarPlay in Singapore with the two aftermarket in-dash car multimedia receivers.

Pioneer Electronics AsiaCentre has announced the availability of Apple CarPlay in Singapore.

“Pioneer’s years of expertise integrating smartphone connectivity into the automotive environment has provided us the opportunity to be among the first to offer Apple CarPlay to drivers,” said Isao Nomura, Deputy General Manager for Business Planning and Marketing Division of Pioneer Electronics AsiaCentre.

Accessible in Singapore on two of their aftermarket in-dash car multimedia receivers, the existing AVH-X8650BT and the newly-released AVH-X8750BT, consumers can now enjoy a smarter, safer and more fun way to use their iPhones in the car.

Apple CarPlay uses Siri voice control to enable iPhone users to safely enjoy selected apps on large, in-dash Pioneer LCD displays, while staying focused on the road.

With Apple CarPlay, consumers with the latest version of iOS on their iPhone 5 or later, including iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus can use Siri to make and receive calls, compose and respond to text messages, use Apple Maps for navigation and listen to their music and podcasts.

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New arrivals: LG G4 Android flagship smartphone (S$928/S$998)

Wednesday, April 29th, 2015

LG Electronics has globally unveiled its latest flagship smartphone – the LG G4. The 5.5-inch (2560 x 1440, 538ppi) smartphone ships with Android 5.1 Lollipop and comes with 3GB RAM and 32GB memory.

Available end-May in Singapore from M1, Singtel, StarHub and LG Mobile retailers.

Update (13 May, 2015):

Promotion with M1 and StarHub (while stocks last): Customers who register their purchase interest (15-24 May) with M1 and StarHub (Singtel not included) will get a free 64GB MicroSD card and for purchases of the LG G4 in leather, a free genuine leather Quick Circle Cover.

This is in addition to the free extra battery and charger cradle for purchases from all three telcos.

The LG G4 is available in handcrafted, genuine full grain leather in three beautiful colors (Black, Brown and Red). Other material options for the G4 rear cover include artisan-forged Metallic Gray as well as lustrous, Shiny Gold.

The LG G4 is available in handcrafted, genuine full grain leather in three beautiful colors (Black, Brown and Red). Other material options for the G4 rear cover include artisan-forged Metallic Gray as well as lustrous, Shiny Gold.

The regional launch for the LG G4 was held in the ArtScience Museum in Singapore.

The LG G4 is available in handcrafted, genuine full grain leather in three beautiful colors (Black, Brown and Red).

Other material options for the G4 rear cover include artisan-forged Metallic Gray as well as lustrous, Shiny Gold.

The G4 has a 16-megapixel rear camera with F1.8 aperture and OIS 2.0 – which now incorporates three-axis optical image stabilisation to reduce blur.

The camera also added Manual Mode for photography, allowing users to directly control focus, shutter speed, ISO, exposure compensation and white balance.

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New arrivals: HTC One M9 flagship Android smartphone

Monday, April 27th, 2015

The latest flagship model in the HTC One family debuts in Singapore on 2 May, 2015 and is available from M1, Singtel and StarHub for S$1,008. Tech specs below.

The HTC One M9 will be available in dual-tone silver and rose gold, and single-tone gunmetal grey in Singapore (S$1,008) from 2 May 2015 at M1, Singtel, and StarHub. A single-tone gold and dual-tone gold and pink version may be available later.

The HTC One M9 will be available in dual-tone silver and rose gold, and single-tone gunmetal grey in Singapore (S$1,008) from 2 May 2015 at M1, Singtel, and StarHub. A single-tone gold and dual-tone gold and pink version may be available later.

The HTC One M9 ships with Android 5.0 (Lollipop) with HTC Sense 7 and is driven by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 octa-core CPU with 3GB RAM and 32GB memory.

HTC One M9 in single-tone gunmetal grey, with dual front-facing speakers and new 5.1 channel Dolby Surround sound simulation.

HTC One M9 in single-tone gunmetal grey, with dual front-facing speakers and new 5.1 channel Dolby Surround sound simulation.

Measuring 144.6 x 69.7 x 9.61mm and weighing 157g, the M9 is powered by a 2840mAh battery and has a 5-inch display with Full HD 1080p.

The M9 uses Nano SIM and comes with NFC and micro-USB port.

It has a 20-megapixel rear camera with sapphire lens cover and front camera with f/2.0 lens capable of 1080p video recording.

The main camera is capable of shooting 4K video.

The HTC One M9 was first unveiled in March during the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain.

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