Archive for the ‘smartphones’ Category
Friday, December 30th, 2016
The Mate 9 is Huawei’s flagship phablet boasting the fabulous camera from P9 that was co-developed with Leica and now improved, a fast Kirin 960 processor and Android 7.0 Nougat with EMUI 5.0 user interface. Price in Singapore: S$898.
My take: The Huawei Mate 9 is another winner from Huawei. The Android 7 flagship phablet works swiftly as a smartphone and has a fabulous camera that churns out wonderfully toned black and white snapshots. Fantastic for monochrome shooters that want Leica-like photos without any post-editing.
The 5.9-inch smartphone has dual SIM slots capable of supporting 4G and 3G networks.
The Huawei Mate 9 ships with 4GB RAM and 64GB memory, and you can use the secondary SIM card slot to add up to 256GB from a microSD card.
Have been trying out the Huawei Mate 9 since its launch & availability in Singapore last month. Was curious to see whether the camera performance of the Mate 9 had improved over the P9, which had impressed me when I tried it (see the P9 photos here).
With the demise of Samsung’s Galaxy Note7, the Huawei Mate 9 is a strong candidate to take up the mettle left by the Korean flagship phablet.
The phone sports a Type-C USB socket – an adaptor to convert into a regular mini-USB is included in the box – and has a 4000mAh battery that can be SuperCharged for a day’s usage within 20 minutes.
I brought along the Mate 9 when I went on vacation in Taiwan to put it through the grind of daily usage, and to take some photos with its fabulous camera (see the Mate 9 photos here).
The highlights
- Android 7 Nougat.
- EMUI 5.0 user interface.
- Latest Kirin 960 CPU for faster performance.
- SuperCharge technology (full day’s charge in 20min).
- 2nd gen Leica dual-lens camera with 12MP RGB sensor, and now with 20MP monochrome sensor and Hybrid Zoom, enabling 2x digital zoom.
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Tags:Android, Android 7, cameras, EMUI, flagship, Huawei, Leica, Mate 9, Nougat, phablets, reviews, smartphones, SuperCharge
Posted in Android, audioVisual, Cameras, cameras, Gadgets, gadgets, Huawei, Leica, Photography, Prices, Review, reviews, smartphones, Specifications, travel | No Comments »
Friday, November 18th, 2016
There’s been much excitement surrounding the launch of the entry-level Xiaomi Mi Max phablet some six months ago. Oliver Ong Chor Yew bought one online to review it below.
Editor’s note
Xiaomi’s reputation for selling well-spec’ed phones at super low prices manifests itself in the Mi Max, offering huge value to the consumer.
I tried out the phablet too and found it was indeed slightly unwieldy to use one-handed.
But its huge and bright screen is great for reading ebooks, watching videos and surfing the Web.
And the battery life is the longest I’ve encountered – only the ASUS Zenfone Max is comparable.
You won’t get the same quality and feature set of the Samsung’s unfortunate flagship Galaxy Note7 – but at only a fraction of the price, Xiaomi’s Mi Max presents itself as an extremely value-for-money alternative to grab part of the market share vacated by the Note7.
Hence, I’ve included the Xiaomi Mi Max in the tech4xmas gift list.
Read Oliver Ong Chor Yew’s review below.
The Xiaomi Mi Max fresh out of the box (left), and the home screen (right).
My Mi Max is a 6.44inch large-screen phablet with android 6.0 and MIUI 8.0 interface.
Overall verdict
With the $259 price tag and the huge screen size, the Mi Max is a good budget phone for every use.
The camera image quality is quite good.
Fingerprint sensor is extremely responsive and the device build quality makes this phone worth buying.
It is powered by a 4850mAh non-removable Li-Ion battery which is a standard for mid-range to high end phone nowadays.
The Mi Max has a Qualcomm snapdragon 650 chipset with Hexa-core processor (4 x 1.4GHz Cortex-A53 & 2 x 1.8GHz Cortex-A72) and 3GB RAM.
This model I am reviewing is the 32GB variant which costed me S$259 on Qoo10 at the time of this review was written.
There is a 64GB variant with Qualcomm Snapdragon 652 Octa-Core processor.
First impressions
The device is quite huge and it is quite difficult to use with one hand.
The build quality is quite sturdy and it feels like I am holding a premium device.
Sample shot of the cloudy blue sky, taken using the Xiaomi Mi Max.
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Tags:Android, Asus, Christmas, gift guide, Mi Max, Note7, phablets, reviews, Samsung, smartphones, tablets, tech4xmas, tech4xmas 2016, Xiaomi, Xmas
Posted in Gadgets, gadgets, Phones, reviews, smartphones, tablets, Xiaomi | 1 Comment »
Thursday, November 17th, 2016
Epson showcased its latest smart solutions to show how its new innovations can power the future of businesses.
Update (18 November, 2016):
Giveaway on Epsons Facebook Page: If you’re a Manchester United and Epson fan, here’s how you can stand a chance to WIN an Epson-Manchester United T-Shirt.
Follow this link to Epson’s Facebook Page to learn how!
Contest ends at 2359hrs on 20 November.
“ESTC returns this year to simplify and make intelligent business solutions more accessible to every business,” said Tan May Lin, Epson Singapore’s General Manager (Sales, Marketing & Customer Service Division), at ESTC 2016.
The global technology leader in printing, visual communications and digital imaging demonstrated integrated solutions that addressed the varied needs that businesses had in their work processes.
ESTC 2016 is the second edition of Epson’s bi-yearly convention to engage corporate partners and customers to raise awareness on its range of business products and solutions.
A large format printer for the marketing department, showcased at ESTC 2016 in the Sands Expo and Convention Centre at the Marina Bay in Singapore.
Epson showcased new business products ranging from office scanners to its new ultra-short throw interactive projector, mobile point of sales systems and wearable technology such as the Moverio BT-300 smart glasses and BT-2000 smart headset at the convention.
The convention was held today at Marina Bay Sands Expo & Convention Centre and attended by 153 guests including business partners, end users, media and distributors.
Integrating intelligent solutions for business success
Epson’s showcase offered insights as well as real-life demonstrations on how companies can develop a holistic strategy when investing in technology.
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Tags:Business IT, conventions, customer service, Epson, ESTC 2016, exhibitions, finance, inkjet, innovation, logistics, Marina Bay Sands, marketing, Moverio, printers, projectors, scanners, seminars, technology, training
Posted in audioVisual, Business IT, Epson, Events, events, Exhibition, Gadgets, gadgets, Inkjet, Multi-function printer, Press Release, Printers, Projectors, Scanners, Seminars, smartphones | 1 Comment »
Tuesday, November 1st, 2016
Samsung Electronics Singapore today launched a slew of mobile products: the new Gear S3 flagship smartwatch, Galaxy A9 Pro (2016) phablet, and 4 new mobile audio products in the Level series: Level Active, Level Box Pro, Level In ANC, Level U Pro ANC. Prices below.
From left: Samsung Gear S3 smartwatch, Galaxy A9 Pro (2016) phablet, and Level U Pro ANC wireless earphones.
The new Samsung Gear S3 smartwatch offers Military-grade Protection, IP68 water and dust resistance, mobile payments, and built-in speaker and GPS.
The Gear S3 comes in two designs: the rugged Gear S3 frontier and the elegant Gear S3 classic – both are priced at S$548 and will be available in Singapore in Q4, 2016.
The new Gear S3 smartwatch from Samsung, being launched in Singapore at Elements & Co. I like the red strap.
The Galaxy A9 Pro (2016) phablet sports a 6-inch SUPER AMOLED screen and is a timely launch to attract customers looking for an affordable big-display alternative to the ill-fated 5.7-inch flagship Note7 phablet.
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Tags:audio, audiovisual, AV, Bluetooth, earphones, Galaxy, Gear, Gear S3, Level Active, Level Box Pro, Level In, Level U Pro, mobile, Samsung, Singapore, smartphones, smartwatches, speakers, wireless
Posted in Accessories, Audio, audioVisual, earphones, Entertainment, Events, events, Gadgets, gadgets, GALAXY, Gear, Launch, newArrivals, Phones, Press Release, Prices, Samsung, smartphones, smartwatches, speakers, Specifications, Watches | No Comments »
Friday, October 21st, 2016
Commtiva Technology has launched two new mid-tier Android smartphones in Singapore: Sharp Z2 (S$399) and Sharp MS1 (S$299).
The SHARP Z2 (S$399, left) comes in two colors – Gold and Silver, while the SHARP MS1 (S$299, right) is available in Hanayome White and Pure Pink.
The SHARP Z2 is Singapore’s first 2.3GHz deca-core smartphone, powered by MediaTek’s Helio X20 flagship processor with Tri-Cluster CPU architecture.
Both the SHARP Z2 (S$399) and SHARP MS1 (S$299) will be available from 29 October 2016 at M1, M1 exclusive distributors, selected Challenger stores, and authorized resellers.
This 5.5-inch Z2 boasts up to 30% less power consumption for users, with fast-charge technology that allows the 3,000mAh battery to be recharged up to 50% in 30 minutes.
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Tags:Android, Commtiva, Foxconn, launch, prices, Sharp, Singapore, smartphones
Posted in Android, Events, events, Gadgets, gadgets, Launch, newArrivals, Phones, Press Release, Prices, Sharp, smartphones, Specifications | No Comments »
Tuesday, October 18th, 2016
More details have been released by Samsung for Galaxy Note7 users in Singapore, covering the refund value for the Note7, trade-in prices to the S7 Edge, as well as refund for original Note7 accessories. This is in addition to earlier information Samsung Singapore had released earlier.
All Galaxy Note7 customers are required to back up their data using Samsung Smart Switch (http://www.samsung.com/sg/support/smartswitch/), delete any data or other personal material stored in the device, and reset their device ahead of the home delivery.
Galaxy Note7 customers who opt to exchange their device for a Galaxy S7 edge, valued at S$1,098, will receive an additional S$250 in cheque.
Those who opt for a refund will receive the full retail value of the Galaxy Note7 at S$1,168 in cheque.
Both options are available to all Galaxy Note7 customers, regardless if they purchased their original device from telecommunication operators, consumer electronics stores, authorised retailers, Samsung Official Store at Lazada.sg or Samsung Experience Stores.
The options also do not affect any pre-existing contract that the Galaxy Note7 owner has with the telecommunication operators.
Details below.
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Tags:accessories, Exchange, Galaxy, Note7, refund, return, s7 edge, Samsung, Singapore, trade-in
Posted in Accessories, Announce, Gadgets, gadgets, GALAXY, Howtos, News, Note, Phones, Press Release, Prices, Samsung, smartphones | 2 Comments »
Friday, October 14th, 2016
Samsung Electronics Singapore has announced details of the exchange and refund options for Galaxy Note7 customers.
Update (18 October, 2016):
More details have been released by Samsung for Galaxy Note7 users in Singapore, covering the refund value for the Note7, trade-in prices to the S7 Edge, as well as refund for original Note7 accessories.
This is in addition to earlier information Samsung Singapore had released earlier.
Update (15 October, 2016):
Following the new order by the U.S. Department of Transportation to ban all Galaxy Note7 devices in carry-on and checked baggage on flights, Samsung Singapore has rolled out plans to help Note7 owners in Singapore who need to board flights out of the country.
Any Galaxy Note7 owner who will be travelling by flight and require a courtesy device can obtain one from the Samsung Customer Service Centre at Westgate or the Samsung Experience Store at Singapore Changi Airport Terminal 3, in both the departure and transit lounges.
Samsung has stopped sales and exchanges of the Galaxy Note7, and has also decided to stop production.
Consumers with either an original Galaxy Note7 or replacement Galaxy Note7 should power down and stop using the device immediately, and take advantage of the exchange and refund options.
This is regardless of whether they had purchased their devices from telecommunication operators, consumer electronics stores, authorised retailers, Samsung Official Store at Lazada.sg or Samsung Experience Stores.
Galaxy Note7 customers can choose to either exchange their device for a Galaxy S7 edge, and receive cash and other benefits which will be confirmed shortly, or to receive a refund.
Details below.
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Tags:Exchange, Galaxy, Note7, refund, return, Samsung, Singapore
Posted in Announce, Gadgets, gadgets, GALAXY, News, Note, Phones, Press Release, Samsung, smartphones, Tech news, Tickers | 2 Comments »
Wednesday, October 12th, 2016
LG has launched the V20 in Singapore, boasting strong multimedia performance for audiophiles and photographers. Available in Singapore (S$998) from 5 November.
The LG V20 uses lightweight aluminum, together with a new silicon-based material – AL6013 metal – which is found in aircraft, sailboats and mountain bikes.
The new LG V20 sports Hi-Fi Quad DAC, Steady Record 2.0, front and rear wide angle cameras.
LG also boasts that It is the world’s first smartphone to come preloaded with Android 7.0 Nougat OS, featuring the new Google In Apps phone search function.
The LG V20 has a 5.7-inch main IPS Quantum Display and emphasises on multimedia performances. It was launched in Singapore at Bar on 5 in the Orchard Mandarin Hotel.
The LG V series is a premium flagship smartphone line designed to provide users with the best video and audio experience.
Key specifications of the LG V20 below.
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Tags:Android, audiophiles, AV, flagship, LG, Nougat, phablets, Singapore, smartphones, V20
Posted in Android, Audio, audioVisual, earphones, Entertainment, Events, events, Gadgets, gadgets, Launch, LG, Music, newArrivals, Phones, Press Release, Prices, smartphones, Specifications | No Comments »
Monday, October 10th, 2016
Singapore customers will be able to exchange their Galaxy Note7 for another device, with a refund of the price difference between devices. Alternatively, they may return their Galaxy Note7 for a refund.
Update (18 October, 2016):
More details have been released by Samsung for Galaxy Note7 users in Singapore, covering the refund value for the Note7, trade-in prices to the S7 Edge, as well as refund for original Note7 accessories.
This is in addition to earlier information Samsung Singapore had released earlier.
Here’s what you can do if you own a Samsung Galaxy Note7 smartphone in Singapore.
These remedy options for Galaxy Note7 customers in Singapore, follows the earlier advisory from Samsung Electronics Singapore for Galaxy Note7 customers to power down and stop using the device.
Consumers can call 1800-SAMSUNG (7267864) for further assistance.
The company is in close discussions with its telecommunication operator and retail partners, and details on how Galaxy Note7 customers can go about the exchange or refund will be provided soon.
(more…)
Tags:Exchange, Galaxy, Note7, refund, return, Samsung, Singapore
Posted in Android, Announce, Gadgets, GALAXY, News, Note, Phones, Samsung, smartphones, Tech news, Tickers | 2 Comments »
Friday, September 30th, 2016
The new store is the second store along Orchard Road in Singapore, and is located on the 3rd floor (#03-01/01A) of the popular mall Wisma Atria.
Sony Store Wisma Atria is the brand’s sixth retail outlet in Singapore.
The new store will showcase the latest consumer electronics from the Japanese company.
Sony Store Wisma Atria will be opened to the public from 1 October 2016, from 10:30am to 9:30pm daily.
These include the recently announced top-of-the-line Z9D series of BRAVIA 4K TVs, as well as the new flagship range of Signature Series High-Resolution Audio (HRA) products.
(more…)
Tags:accessories, audio, audiovisual, AV, cameras, electronics, opening, Singapore, Sony, stores, TVs, video, Wisma Atria
Posted in A7, Alpha, Audio, audioVisual, Bravia, Cameras, cameras, Compact camera, Cyber-shot, DSLR, earphones, Events, events, Gadgets, gadgets, Gaming, headphones, Launch, MIL, newArrivals, Phones, PlayStation, Press Release, Shopping, smartphones, Sony, Sony Mobile, Tablets, tablets, TV, Videocams, Walkman, Xperia | No Comments »
