Here is a round-up of Sony’s new electronic gadgets for 2013, as released today during the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2013 in Nevada, Las Vegas, USA.
Imagine a Sony Bravia KD-65 LED TV in your living room.
This year’s line-up includes new models to Sony’s Cyber-Shot, Handycam, Walkman, Xperia and BRAVIA range of products, as well as wireless speakers.
The Samsung GALAXY Note 10.1 LTE will hit the shelves in Singapore tomorrow. The tablet will be available at S$998 (without contract), in deep grey.
The Samsung GALAXY Note 10.1 LTE Android tablet will be available in Singapore from tomorrow at S$998 (without contract).
Introduced back in late August last year (in the WiFi and 3G+WiFi configurations), the LTE+WiFi version of the GALAXY Note 10.1 will be available in Singapore from tomorrow.
Sony Mobile will be at SITEX 2012 at Hall 5, Booth 5A01. There will be discounts for their smartphones, including the latest Xperia SL.
The new Xperia SL and Xperia ion are among the Android smartphones that Sony Mobile is retailing at SITEX 2012.
Purchase either the Xperia J (S$398) or Xperia acro S (S$698) and get a pair of Raine Yang concert tickets (worth S$156) free.
| Sony Mobile | SITEX 2012 | Usual | Discount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Xperia SL | SG$498 | SG$598 | SG$100 |
| Xperia neo L | SG$298 | SG$368 | SG$70 |
| Xperia tipo dual | SG$198 | SG$198 | SG$0 |
| Xperia go | SG$368 | SG$468 | SG$100 |
| Xperia ion | SG$598 | SG$798 | SG$200 |
Above are the discounts for other Sony Mobile Android smartphones. Follow the links to read the details for each model.
The LTE-capable ASUS PadFone 2 is an Android 4 smartphone with a 4.7” display, with a 1.5 GHz Snapdragon quad-core processor, along with a 13MP camera. Slot it behind the docking Station and the combo becomes a 10.1” tablet.
Pre-orders begin tomorrow with deliveries on 22 November, either from StarHub or retailers. Prices range from S$848 (32GB phone) to S$1,239 (64GB phone + Station).
Update (11 January, 2013):
The Pearl White model will be available in Singapore from 12 January at the prices listed below.
ASUS will also be rolling out the Android 4.1 Jelly Bean update for PadFone 2 on the same day. The update will be made over the air, with users prompted to receive the Jelly Bean update.
The PadFone 2 has also just won the CES Innovations Award 2013 in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA during CES 2013.
ASUS PadFone 2 – hybrid smartphone/tablet for the best of both form factors.
In line with its tradition of innovation, the ASUS PadFone 2 offers the portability of a smartphone and the larger screen estate of a tablet when the phone is docked in.
| RRP for Open Channels | 32GB | 64GB |
|---|---|---|
| PadFone 2 + PadFone 2 Station | S$1,099 | S$1,239 |
| PadFone 2 | S$848 | S$988 |
| PadFone 2 Station | S$328 | |
The Station only works with the phone docked in and serves to provide a larger screen and additional battery power.
ASUS PadFone 2 Android smartphone will be available in Singapore on 22 November.
The Android 4 Ice Cream Sandwich can be upgraded to Jelly Bean.
Pre-order promotion
To pre-order, register your interest at the ASUS Singapore Facebook page or StarHub website.
Registered customers who purchase the device can receive a 2-in-1 Stylus Pen (worth S$28) and PadFone 2 Station Sleeve (worth S$68) for free.
This promotion is only valid from 16 to 20 November, while stocks last.
It runs on a 1.5 GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro Krait (Cortex-A15 class) quad-core processor with Adreno 320 Graphics.
The PadFone 2 comes with either 32GB or 64GB eMMC Flash, 2GB LPDDR2 RAM, and 2years of 50GB ASUS WebStorage.
Available only in black, the phone accepts a Micro SIM and has a 4.7-inch (1280 x 720 pixels) display at 312 ppi resolution, and 500 nits brightness Super IPS+.
| ASUS PadFone 2 | |
| OS | Android 4.0 (ICS) |
| Screen (phone) | 4.7″ Super IPS+ |
| Resolution (phone) | 1280 x 720 |
| Screen (Station) | 10.1″ IPS |
| Resolution (Station) | 1280 x 800 |
| Battery (phone & Station) | 2,140 & 5000 mAh |
| Processor | 1.5 GHz quad-core |
| Features | LTE, NFC, Micro SIM |
| Camera | Rear: 13 MP |
| Front: 1.2, 1.3MP | |
| Video | 1080p HD |
| Memory | RAM: 2 GB |
| Int: 32 or 64 GB | |
| Ext: Nil | |
| Size /mm (phone) | 137.9 x 68.9 x 9 |
| Weight (phone) | 135 g |
| Size /mm (Station) | 263 x 180.8 x 10.4 |
| Weight (Station) | 514 g |
| Price | see other table |
The docking Station has a 10.1-inch IPS display (1280 x 800 pixels) at 149 ppi resolution.
Both displays use scratch-resistant Corning Fit Glass with anti-fingerprint coating.
Imaging-wise, both share the massive 13-megapixel rear camera on the phone, while the phone and the Station has 1.2MP and 1MP front cameras respectively.
The f/2.4 aperture rear camera can shoot up to 100 shots at 6 fps in burst mode, while simultaneously recording 1080p HD video.
The phone and the Station has 2140mAh and 5000mAh batteries respectively.
At just 649g, the combined weight of both PadFone 2 and PadFone 2 Station is lighter than most tablets in the market.
StarHub is the only Telco offering the PadFone 2, as was the case with the original PadFone.
Authorised retailers will also begin selling the devices (without line) at the time as StarHub, on 22 November.
This will allow existing subscribers of other Telcos to purchase the PadFone 2 at the same time as StarHub subscribers.
Both StarHub and ASUS are accepting pre-orders from tomorrow.
Here’s a selection of interesting tech events happening this week (11-17 November 2012). It is not an exhaustive list and represents only a sampling of events that gives a taste of the tech pulse in Singapore.
What are some of the more interesting tech events happening in Singapore this week?
This is a really quiet week in the region, partly due to a public holiday (Deepavali) in Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia.
Event listing on tech4tea.com
You can see this selection of events in the right sidebar on every page.
Event organisers can submit your events for listing to johntan@tech4tea.com – but there are no promises that your event will be featured.
ASUS is launching the PadFone 2 smartphone with tablet dock 2-in-1 device, while Sennheiser is partying in Zouk come end of the week.
Otherwise all’s quiet, before the madness of SITEX 2012 rolls into town next week.
Below is the event listing for the week.
Samsung has launched the GALAXY Note II LTE in Singapore. The 5.5-inch smartphone/tablet hybrid will be available from end of this week at S$998 (without contract) in Ceramic White or Titan Gray. It will also be available from the three Telcos.
Update (28 March, 2013):
The Amber Brown version of the Samsung GALAXY Note II LTE will be available on 30 March 2013 (Saturday).
The Recommended Retail Price (without line contract) is S$968.
The Samsung GALAXY SIV was launched two weeks ago on 14 March in New York City.
However, that may only hit the shelves in April/May 2013.
Update (14 March, 2013):
Samsung today announced the launch of the Samsung GALAXY Note II LTE in Martian Pink.
It will be available from 16 March 2013 (Saturday) at S$968, without line contract.
And at 7pm today (in Singapore, that will be 7pm tomorrow morning), Samsung will be launching the successor to the GALAXY S III in New York City.
The widely-anticipated Samsung GALAXY S IV will be the first GALAXY smartphone to be launched within the US.
Samsung hopes it will help the company wrest the number one position in the US from Apple’s iPhone, something it has already accomplished outside of the US.
The launch will be live-streamed worldwide.
Samsung GALAXY Note II LTE, complete with S Pen, comes in Ceramic White or Titan Gray.
The Samsung GALAXY Note II LTE has a thinner but bigger body than its predecessor, with a 16:9 screen ratio. It is the latest in Samsung’s GALAXY Note series after the launch of the GALAXY Note 10.1 in August.
Samsung GALAXY Camera combines the image quality of dedicated compact cameras with the connectivity and apps of the smartphones.
Available in November, price TBA.
The Samsung GALAXY Camera is a camera that has the connectivities and funtionalities of a smartphone (minus voice calls).
The GALAXY Camera made its appearance in Singapore during Samsung’s “Be Creative” gala event at the Ritz-Carlton, which also saw the debut of the GALAXY Note II LTE in Singapore.
| Samsung GALAXY Camera | |
| Megapixels | 16 MP |
| Optical Zoom | 21 x |
| Wide angle | 23mm, F2.8 |
| Max zoom | 483mm |
| ISO | ISO 100 – 3,200 |
| LCD | 4.77″, 308ppi, 921.6k dots, 1280×720 pixels, HD Super Clear Touch |
| Movie | 1920 x 1080 px |
| OS | Android 4.1, Jelly Bean |
| Processor | 1.4GHz Quad-core |
| Connectivity | 3G, Wi-Fi |
| Memory | 8GB int + mem slot |
| Slow motion video | 758 x 512 (120fps), 320×240 (30fps) |
| Vido output | HDMI 1.4 |
| Flash | Built-in |
| RAW | No |
| Image stabilisation | Optical Image Stabilisation |
| Size /mm | 128.7 x 70.8 x 19.1 |
| Weight | 300 g |
| Battery | 1,650 mAh |
| Price | TBA |
Enjoy 21x long optical zoom and 16 megapixels, as well as WiFi/3G and the latest Android 4.1.1 Jelly Bean operating system and apps.
The GALAXY Camera has a 16-megapixel 1/2.33-inch CMOS sensor with 23mm lens for wide-angle shots.
It boasts a large and vivid camera display – a 4.8” (1280 x 720 pixels, 308 ppi) HD SUPER CLEAR LCD screen.
Smartphone technology, powered by a 1.4 GHz quad-core processor, provides the Voice Control for users to manipulate functions such as ‘Zoom in’ and ‘Shoot’ through voice.
The GALAXY Camera includes a comprehensive set of 35 powerful photo editing features within the ‘Photo Wizard’ – such as the “Auto Face Calibration” feature – allowing users to edit their photos on the go.
The “Movie Wizard” allows users to create and edit expert-quality videos easily using the touch screen.
The GALAXY Camera also features ‘Smart Content Manager’, which intelligently creates folders, tags faces, and even suggests which pictures to delete when they do not come out as desired.
Internet connectivity enables users to share their photos easily on the Web.
Users can share photos simultaneously as they shoot when they use the ‘Share Shot’ feature.
The Samsung GALAXY Camera has 3G and Wi-Fi connectivity on to the Internet, as well as apps running off the latest Android 4.1.1 Jelly Bean.
The camera’s convenient ‘Auto Cloud Backup’ feature will automatically save photos into the cloud via Samsung’s AllShare the instant they are taken.
Infographic showing features of the Samsung GALAXY Camera.
In addition to sharing photos on social networks and cloud services, users can also connect to a range of GALAXY devices including the GALAXY S III and GALAXY Note II.
In addition to the pre-installed applications from Samsung, users can browse the web and enjoy any application from Google Play or Samsung Apps stores.
‘S Suggest’ will also be able to recommend a new photo editing app or fun game to download if users are spoilt for choice.
The GALAXY Camera enables connection to 3G networks (HSPA+ 21Mbps on 850/900/1900/2100 MHz) via a micro-SIM, allowing photo sharing and browsing anywhere.
The GALAXY Camera also functions on Wi-Fi with Dual Band and Channel Bonding for extra speed.
Connectivity is supported by a 1.4GHz Cortex-A9 quad-core processor that enables fast web-browsing and multitasking, as well as high-speed image processing without significant impact on battery life (1,650 mAh).
The camera comes with 8GB internal memory, with a memory slot for additional external memory (SD card, micro SDHC, micro SDXC).
Cameras crossing into smartphone territory
Nikon launched its COOLPIX S800c back in August – with Android 2.3 and Wi-Fi connectivity.
It had 16 megapixels and 12x optical zoom.
I had mused about when a camera would get 3G connectivity as well.
So it is opportune that Samsung is going to deliver that in the form of GALAXY Camera in November.
The Nikon COOLPIX S800c runs Android 2.3 and has Wi-Fi connectivity.
The 3G-capable GALAXY Camera will have the same 16 megapixels but will come with 21x optical zoom and Android 4.1.1 Jelly Bean.
What’s next?
A camera that you can press to your cheeks to call someone?
For those in Singapore interested in getting the Samsung GALAXY Note II LTE, registration of interest has started today. Here are the links to register with a Telco or without contract.
Registration of interest for Samsung GALAXY Note II LTE in Singapore.
Buyers stand a chance to win a pair of “SMTOWN Live World Tour III in Singapore” concert tickets (worth S$336).
Here are the links to register with your service provider of choice:
M1
www.m1.com.sg/galaxynote2
SingTel
www.singtelshop.com/galaxynote2
StarHub
www.starhub.com/galaxynote2
Early birds get a FREE Limited Edition Accessory Pack (worth S$202) with your purchase.
The accessory pack includes four accessories: a flip cover, a protective back cover, a car adapter and a portable battery pack.
To buy the GALAXY Note II LTE without contract, register your interest at the Samsung Experience Stores.
The free app works on iOS, Android and web platforms and helps users discover new blogs, follow bloggers’ updates and conduct two-way conversations with them while on the go.
NuffnangX is a free app for iOS, Android and Web platforms for perusing blogs on the road.
Netccentric Pte Ltd, the parent company of Asia Pacific’s blog advertising community Nuffnang.com, has globally launched NuffnangX.
With thousands of blogs out there, NuffnangX hand-picks blogs to suit your reading preferences and interests.
The app serves as your personal blog shopper which selects the best blogs from around the world for you.
NuffnangX’s Patent Pending Technology summarises hundreds and thousands of words of each blog entry on your feed to a single line that is known as the “elevator pitch” so you can decide quickly whether a blog is interesting enough for you to read.
NuffnangX also simplifies the commenting process, making it seamless and easy to use.
Where to get NuffnangX
NuffnangX is available for free download from the Apple App Store and Google Play store.
Both partners had met whilst studying in London, and fresh from graduation, started Netccentric Pte Ltd as the holding company for their web ventures.
Coupled with a mixed bag of working experience in the Finance and Government sectors, their first project was Nuffnang.com, Asia Pacific’s First Blog Advertising Community.
LG has launched the Optimus G in Seoul, Korea today. Available in Korea next week and in key global markets in October.
The Optimus G is LG’s new flagship smartphone model, with 1.5 GHz Quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro processor.
| LG Optimus G | |
| OS | Android 4.0.4 (ICS) |
| Screen | 4.7″ WXGA, True HD IPSPlus |
| Resolution | 1280 x 768 |
| Battery | 2,100 mAh, sealed |
| Processor | Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro processor with 1.5 GHz Quad-Core Krait CPUs |
| Features | LTE, NFC |
| Camera | Rear: 13 MP* |
| Front: 1.3 MP | |
| Video | 1080p Full HD |
| Memory | RAM: 2 GB |
| Int: 32 GB | |
| Ext: Nil | |
| Size /mm | 131.9 x 68.9 x 8.45 |
| Weight | 145 g |
| Price | TBA |
| * In certain markets, the phone could be shipped with an 8 MP camera. | |
The Android 4.0.4 (Ice Cream Sandwich) phone has a camera that shoots an amazing 13 megapixels while the sealed battery is rated at 2,100 mAh.
The Optimus G has a 4.7-inch WXGA True HD IPS Plus (1280 x 768 pixels) screen and is only 8.45mm thin.
It is both LTE and NFC capable.
LG’s new flagship smartphone leverages the powerful 1.5 GHz Quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro CPU to provide speedy performance and a sleek user experience.
LG boasts that the Optimus G goes beyond multi-taking into “cross-tasking” of activities without limitations.
According to LG: whereas multi-tasking applies to running various applications at the same time, cross-tasking applies to complex tasks that can be completed simultaneously without having to compromise other tasks.
Some new UX features that will be included into the Optimus G to showcase its cross-tasking and engaging capabilities are listed below.
