Archive for the ‘Reference’ Category

MWC 2018: Samsung Galaxy S9 & S9+ unveiled @ Samsung Unpacked 2018

Monday, February 26th, 2018

Samsung unveils Samsung Galaxy S9 & S9+ with Super Slow-mo video, dual-aperture low light camera and AR Emoji. Available from 16 March, 2018 in select markets in 4 colour choices – Midnight Black, Titanium Gray, Coral Blue and a new hue, Lilac Purple. Prices & availability below.

Update (11am, 26 February, 2018):

Samsung has released the local pricing and availability in Singapore.

Check out the details here.

Hands on the new Samsung Galaxy S9 and Samsung Galaxy S9+ flagship Android smartphones in Singapore.

The new Samsung Galaxy S9 and Samsung Galaxy S9+ flagship Android smartphones.

The new Samsung Galaxy S9 and Samsung Galaxy S9+ flagship Android smartphones.

For the US, the direct purchase price from Samsung of a SIM-free Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+ will cost US$719.99 and US$839.99 respectively – local pricing for other countries are yet to be revealed.

Key specs of the Samsung Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+. Click on image to enlarge.

Key specs of the Samsung Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+. Click on image to enlarge.

More details from the press release below.

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MWC 2018: Nokia introduces 5 new smartphones

Sunday, February 25th, 2018

HMD Global has announced four new Android smartphones (Nokia 8 Sirocco, Nokia 7 Plus, new Nokia 6, and Nokia 1); and reloaded the iconic Nokia 8110 in 4G. Prices and availability below.

The five new phones introduced by Nokia: Nokia 8 Sirocco, Nokia 7 Plus, new Nokia 6, Nokia 1, reloaded Nokia 8100 with 4G.

The five new phones introduced by Nokia: Nokia 8 Sirocco, Nokia 7 Plus, new Nokia 6, Nokia 1, reloaded Nokia 8100 with 4G.

The reloaded Nokia 8110 will ship with 4G connectivity, apps including Google Assistant, Google Maps, Google Search, Facebook and Twitter, and the return of the slider phone.

Three of the four new Nokia Android smartphones will join the Android One family – the Nokia 8 Sirocco, Nokia 7 Plus and the new Nokia 6.

With a pure Android installation, these phones avoid unnecessary UI changes or hidden processes that eat up battery life or slow them down.

Each of the new phones comes with a limited number of pre-installed apps so that users will get more storage space.

By shipping with Android Oreo out of the box, the phones will have the latest features, including Picture-in-Picture for multitasking, Android Instant Apps to discover and run apps with minimal friction, 60 new emojis and battery-maximising features like limiting background app use.

These phones will be updated over time with the latest AI powered innovations and security patches from Google.

Below are more details from the press release about the five new Nokia phones.

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New arrival: Sony Xperia XA2 Ultra Android smartphone

Saturday, February 24th, 2018

The mid-range “dual selfie” camera smartphone will hit Singapore shelves on 26 February. The S$598 Xperia XA2 Ultra are available in Black, Blue or Gold.

Sony first announced the Xperia XA2 Ultra at the Consumer Electronic Show (CES) 2018.

Sony first announced the Xperia XA2 Ultra at the Consumer Electronic Show (CES) 2018.

Engineered specifically for selfies, the Xperia XA2 Ultra ships with two front cameras: a 16MP camera with Optical Image Stabilisation, and a 8MP 120° super wide-angle camera.

Together with the Smart Selfie Flash, the cameras promises clear shots regardless of lighting or environment and accomodate more friends and and the surrounding into selfies.

An optional accessory for the Sony Xperia XA2 Ultra is the Style Cover Stand that comes in Black or Grey.

An optional accessory for the Sony Xperia XA2 Ultra is the Style Cover Stand that comes in Black or Grey.

The rear camera has 23 megapixels, and a large 1/2.3” Exmor RSTM for mobile sensor that is capable of ISO 12800 sensitivity for better low-light photography.

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Travel platform KKday secures Series B funding from H.I.S (US$10.5m)

Friday, February 23rd, 2018

KKday, Asia’s largest online travel-experience ecommerce platform, has raised US$10.5 million in additional funding led by Japanese travel industry leader H.I.S. with participation from existing investor MindWorks Ventures.

* This story first appeared on The Travel Memoir.

Research by Phocuswright projects that the travel tours and activities industry will reach US$183B by 2020 from US$135B in 2016. Photo: Ming Chen, KKday CEO.

Research by Phocuswright projects that the travel tours and activities industry will reach US$183B by 2020 from US$135B in 2016. Photo: Ming Chen, KKday CEO.

The alliance and funding is expected to help KKday expand its regional presence and further improve its variety of affordable product offerings to travelers.

“H.I.S. is not just a financial investor, but is valued as a strategic investor. By utilising H.I.S.’s global resources and integrating it with KKday’s strong marketing and big data programs, we will be able to change the in-destination travel operations model. KKday will be focusing on improving the customer experience and strengthening our relationship with our suppliers. These two strategies are highly related. You can’t improve customer experience without having an amicable relationship with the supplier,” says Ming Chen, KKday CEO.

KKday curates more than 10,000 travel-related experiences from more than 500 cities and 80 countries with over 4 million unique visitors and serves a few hundred thousand travellers each month.

The company applies big data analytics to drive business decisions and to refine current offerings to optimise customer experience.

Headquartered in Tokyo, H.I.S. has offices located in over 130 cities around the world.

As the in-destination travel industry is fragmented, managing supply chain is a major challenge.

This is why KKday focuses on developing a strong Supply Chain Management (SCM) system that allows all types of suppliers, big or small, to communicate with customers and manage orders without any IT investment.

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Huawei demos proof of concept driverless car in 5 weeks

Thursday, February 22nd, 2018

Huawei showcases driverless Porsche Panamera driven by the Mate 10 Pro, leveraging the smartphone’s powerful computer chip and AI (Artificial Intelligence) engine.

Huawei boasts that it is the first mobile device manufacturer in the world to use an AI-powered smartphone to drive a car.

Huawei boasts that it is the first mobile device manufacturer in the world to use an AI-powered smartphone to drive a car.

The aim of the “RoadReader” project is to push the boundaries of Huawei’s object recognition technology and put the learning capabilities, speed and performance of its AI-powered devices to the test.

The AI engine in the Huawei Mate 10 Pro transforms the Porsche Panamera into a driverless vehicle that does not just see, but also understands its surroundings.

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TOMI chatbot from Tokio Marine finds nearest panel clinic

Wednesday, February 21st, 2018

Tokio Marine Life Insurance Singapore Ltd. (TMLS) is introducing a new functionality to their TOMI chatbot – helping users find its nearest panel clinic in three steps.

Users previously had to refer to an online directory that listed all 539 network clinics.

Users previously had to refer to an online directory that listed all 539 network clinics.

The update will enable users to conveniently find suitable TMLS panel clinics within their designated search area.

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New arrival: Dell EMC VxBlock System 1000 converged infrastructure

Tuesday, February 20th, 2018

The new VxBlock System 1000 from Dell EMC makes data centre modernisation simpler, offering flexibility and simplified lifecycle management.

The VxBlock System 1000 expands the converged infrastructure portfolio of Dell EMC.

The VxBlock System 1000 expands the converged infrastructure portfolio of Dell EMC.

The VxBlock System 1000 simplifies data centre operations and offers new options of storage and data protection from Dell EMC and compute and networking from Cisco – in one pre-integrated, turnkey system.

Data centre footprints can be reduced by up to 60% with new architecture that pools and shares resources to maximise utilisation.

Lifecycle assurance is simplified across mixed technologies in a single system, reducing time spent managing upgrades by up to 75%

More details in the press release below.

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New arrival: Epson LS-100 3LCD laser home theatre projector

Monday, February 19th, 2018

Epson boasts that the EH-LS100 is the world’s first ultra-short throw 3LCD laser home theatre projector. Available in Singapore now at S$4,688.

Epson’s first ultra-short throw laser projector for homes, the ultra-short throw design of the EH-LS100 allows it to project at extremely close distances to a wall without the need for mounting on the ceiling, enabling easy installation and a seamless integration with the home décor.

Epson’s first ultra-short throw laser projector for homes, the ultra-short throw design of the EH-LS100 allows it to project at extremely close distances to a wall without the need for mounting on the ceiling, enabling easy installation and a seamless integration with the home décor.

Projecting screen sizes ranging from 70 to 130 inches, the EH-LS100 offers WUXGA full HD resolution with brightness levels of 4,000 lumens of both white and colour brightness, delivering image performance in a variety of lighting conditions.

Deep blacks and brilliant colours are projected at a high contrast ratio of up to 2,500,000:1 for an immersive and vivid home theatre experience.

The Epson EH-LS100 has built-in 16-watt speakers so there’s no need to connect to an amplifier or separate speakers.

The Epson EH-LS100 has built-in 16-watt speakers so there’s no need to connect to an amplifier or separate speakers.

With its ultra-short throw capability, EH-LS100 is able to achieve a 100-inch projection with a placement of just 26cm away from the wall, overcoming the constraints of distance and space in home projection environments.

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New arrival: LG MULTI V 5 Variable Refrigerant Flow solution

Wednesday, February 14th, 2018

The new aircon model features Dual Sensing Control and Ultimate Inverter Compressor technology for conference and hospitality installations.

The MULTI V 5 is the latest in LG’s MULTI V line, focussing on optimising energy efficiency and maximising user comfort.

The MULTI V 5 is the latest in LG’s MULTI V line, focussing on optimising energy efficiency and maximising user comfort.

The MULTI V 5 is equipped with Dual Sensing Control that monitors temperature and humidity levels to manage cooling and heating efficiently.

Equipped with LG’s Ultimate Inverter Compressor and boasting a large capacity for outdoor units, the MULTI V 5 is a powerful climate control solution.

5 key features of MULTI V 5

  1. Dual Sensing Control: Helps the air conditioning unit measure both temperature and humidity levels for outdoor and indoor environments.
  2. Ocean Black Fin: Keeps water from accumulating to minimise moisture buildup and lowers maintenance costs, paving the way for improved performance.
  3. Ultimate Inverter Compressor: Improved operational range from 10 Hz to 165 Hz, to increase part load efficiency and enhances the MULTI V 5’s ability to quickly reach the desired temperature.
  4. Large Capacity ODU: Advanced biomimetic fan significantly increases wind capacity.
  5. Installation Flexibility: MULTI V 5’s large capacity outdoor units minimize the space and lighten the total load needed for installation, up to a 23% reduction in space area and 15% reduction in weight.

More details from the press release below.

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New arrival: Audi showcases A8 & RS 5 Coupe @ Singapore Motorshow

Friday, January 12th, 2018

At the Singapore Motorshow 2018, Audi Singapore launched the Audi RS 5 Coupé and gave a preview of its key models for 2018 – including the Audi A8.

The new Audi A8 previewed at Singapore Motorshow 2018.

The German carmaker also presented its “25th Hour” exhibit, showed off its new digital retail concepts, and launched a new premium mobility service – Audi on demand.

Brought in specially for the preview at the Singapore Motorshow, the new Audi A8 is the first production automobile in the world to have been developed for highly automated driving.

Available at Audi Centre Singapore, the Audi RS 5 Coupé is priced at S$394,000 inclusive of COE and VES.

The Audi A8 will be launched in Singapore in H1 2018.

The gran turismo among the RS models, the new Audi RS 5 Coupé combines athletic power with harmonious aesthetics and practical everyday usability.

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