Archive for the ‘Review’ Category

Intel Core vPro processor family now available in Asia Pacific

Monday, April 6th, 2015

Intel Corporation has announced the availability of its 5th generation Intel Core vPro processor family in the Asia Pacific. The company also showcased a slew of gadgets using its wireless technology.

New clamshell and Ultrabook 2-in-1s, designed and built for business, boast improved performance, battery life and productivity benefits.

New clamshell and Ultrabook 2-in-1s, designed and built for business, boast improved performance, battery life and productivity benefits.

Intel wireless technology offers consumers freedom from wires in devices that include Intel Pro Wireless Display and optional Intel Wireless Docking capabilities.

Intel Core vPro processor-based devices promise built-in security and manageability capabilities that help protect data and enable remote IT access.

Below are more details from the press release.

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New arrivals: Samsung Galaxy S6 & S6 edge arives in Singapore

Monday, March 30th, 2015

The new Samsung Galaxy S6 4G+ (from S$998 for 32GB) and Galaxy S6 edge 4G+ (from S$1,168) will be available in Singapore from 10 April 2015.

Pre-order and registration of interest commences from 31 March 2015 – from M1, Singtel, StarHub as well as Samsung Experience Stores.

Update (1 April, 2015):

The Samsung Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 edge were launched in Singapore this evening at a showcase celebrating fashion, technology and the best of regional artistes, signaling the start of the Galaxy S6 World Tour 2015.

Models in stylish outfits posing with the Samsung Galaxy S6 4G+ and Galaxy S6 edge 4G+ at the Galaxy S6 World Tour event at Amara Sanctuary Resort Sentosa in Singapore.

Models in stylish outfits posing with the Samsung Galaxy S6 4G+ and Galaxy S6 edge 4G+ at the Galaxy S6 World Tour event at Amara Sanctuary Resort Sentosa in Singapore.

For now, both models will be available in White Pearl, Black Sapphire and Gold Platinum. Blue Topaz will be available for the Galaxy S6 4G+ and Green Emerald for the Galaxy S6 edge 4G+ at a later date.

For now, both models will be available in White Pearl, Black Sapphire and Gold Platinum. Blue Topaz will be available for the Galaxy S6 4G+ and Green Emerald for the Galaxy S6 edge 4G+ at a later date.

Samsung first unveiled its latest flagship Android smartphones during Mobile World Congress 2015 in Barcelona, Spain in the beginning of March this year.

Registration of interest with Telecommunication Operators for the Galaxy S6 4G+ and Galaxy S6 edge 4G+ will commence from 31 March 2015, 10am.

Pricing

Samsung Galaxy S6 4G+ S6 edge 4G+
32GB S$998 S$1,168
64GB S$1,148 S$1,298
128GB S$1,288 S$1,448

All successful pre-order customers will be getting exclusive pre-order complimentary gifts worth S$146 comprising a Samsung Wireless Charging Pad and Clear Cover on collection date.

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MWC 2015: Microsoft unveils Lumia 640 & foldable keyboard

Monday, March 2nd, 2015

Microsoft unveiled new devices, services and partner offerings during Mobile World Congress 2015 in Barcelona, Spain.

Update (16 April, 2015):

The Lumia 640 (S$299) and Lumia 640 XL (S$429) was launched in Singapore today and will hit the shelves on Saturday, 18 April, 2015.

Left: Lumia 640 pricing is estimated at 139 Euros for 3G and 159 Euros for LTE. Right: Lumia 640 XL pricing is estimated at 189 Euros for 3G and 219 Euros for LTE Actual market pricing may vary.

Left: Lumia 640 pricing is estimated at 139 Euros for 3G and 159 Euros for LTE. Right: Lumia 640 XL pricing is estimated at 189 Euros for 3G and 219 Euros for LTE Actual market pricing may vary.

The new offerings include:

Lumia 640 & Lumia 640 XL. Affordable smartphones running Windows Phone 8.1.

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MWC 2015: Samsung Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 edge smartphones unveiled

Sunday, March 1st, 2015

Samsung unveiled during Mobile World Congress 2015 in Barcelona, Spain its latest flagship smartphone – the Galaxy S6 – as well as the curved edge version – the Galaxy S6 edge. Global availability: 10 April, 2015.

The Galaxy S6 (right) measures 143.4 x 70.5 x 6.8mm and weighs 138g; while the Galaxy S6 edge (left) measures 142.1 x 70.1 x 7.0mm and weighs 132g. Both run Android 5.0 Lollipop.

The Galaxy S6 (right) measures 143.4 x 70.5 x 6.8mm and weighs 138g; while the Galaxy S6 edge (left) measures 142.1 x 70.1 x 7.0mm and weighs 132g. Both run Android 5.0 Lollipop.

Going further than the Galaxy Note edge which only has one curved edge, the new Galaxy S6 edge has curved displays on both edges.

Its glass body is made from tough Corning Gorilla Glass 4 and is available in an array of colorful jewel tones, including White Pearl, Black Sapphire, Gold Platinum, Blue Topaz and Green Emerald.

Both the Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 edge are equipped with F1.9 lenses for both the front 5-megapixel and rear 16-megapixel cameras.

A new “Quick Launch” feature give users fast, direct access to the camera from any screen in just 0.7 seconds by simply double clicking the home key button.

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New arrivals: Nikon D7200, COOLPIX P900 cameras & ViewNX-i software

Sunday, March 1st, 2015

The Nikon D7200 DSLR and COOLPIX P900 compact zoom camera will be available in Singapore by end March, 2015. Prices TBA. The ViewNX-i will be available for free download beginning 17 March.

The Nikon D7200 will be available by end March 2015 with the AF-S DX 18-105mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR lens, or AF-S DX 18-140mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR lens, or with the body-only configuration.

The Nikon D7200 will be available by end March 2015 with the AF-S DX 18-105mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR lens, or AF-S DX 18-140mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR lens, or with the body-only configuration.

Nikon has announced two new cameras and new image-browsing software.

D7200 DSLR

The DX-format D7200 DSLR offers enthusiasts features for low-light photography, social connectivity and Full HD videos.

Nikon D7200

Nikon D7200

The 24.2-megapixel DSLR comes with EXPEED 4 image-processing engine and CMOS sensor.

The 51-point autofocus (AF) sensor module is also utilised by the Nikon D750, and has an AF detection range down to -3EV for low-light photography.

Standard ISO ranges from 100 to 25600, extendable to ISO 102400.

There is built-in Wi-Fi connectivity and it is the first Nikon DSLR to feature Near Field Communication (NFC)-support (for NFC-compatible Android smartphones and tablets with Android 4.0 or later).

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New arrivals: Nexus 6 phablet from Motorola & Google

Friday, February 27th, 2015

The new 32GB Android Nexus 6 will be in Singapore from tomorrow (28 February) at S$998.

The 32GB Nexus 6 is available in Midnight Blue and Cloud White, and will retail for S$998 exclusively through open channel (retail stores).

The 32GB Nexus 6 is available in Midnight Blue and Cloud White, and will retail for S$998 exclusively through open channel (retail stores).

The phablet-sized 6-inch Nexus 6 is the first to run Android 5.0 Lollipop.

“Every one of our Moto phones is built on a foundation of pure Android – it’s easier to use, delivers amazing performance and lets you choose how you want to use your phone,” – Motorola Mobility.

The new Material Design interface responds to touch and voice in more intuitive ways, while its 2.7GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 805 processor with quad-core CPU makes it easy to switch between apps.

The phablet has 3GB RAM and is water resistant.

Nexus 6 measures 83 x 159.3 mm and weighs 184g.

It has a 5.96-inch AMOLED display with 1440p Full HD, 16:9 aspect ratio, 493 ppi, Corning Gorilla Glass 3.

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Lumia 930 Gold version smartphone for Chinese New Year (S$699)

Tuesday, February 17th, 2015

The Gold version of the Lumia 930 comes with an anodised gold colour around its sides and will be available in Singapore (S$699) starting this Saturday, 21 February, 2015. Promotions for other Lumia models below.

The Lumia 930 will be available in black or white, both with a premium gold finish.

The Lumia 930 will be available in black or white, both with a premium gold finish.

The gold Lumia 930 will be retailing in Singapore for S$699 at Singtel, M1 and Amobile with bundled data plans.

Below are some promotions for other Lumia Windows smartphones for this Chinese New Year. Promotion ends Saturday, February 28, or while stocks last.

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Review: ASUS Fonepad 8 (FE380CG) Android phablet

Monday, February 16th, 2015

The ASUS Fonepad 8 is one of the largest and most affordable phablet on the market. At only S$299, it provides you with all the features and functionality that you need out of a tablet/phone combo.

ASUS designed the Fonepad series with affordability in mind. The Fonepad 6 and Fonepad 7 were released in 2013, while the Fonepad 8 were launched in late 2014.

ASUS designed the Fonepad series with affordability in mind. The Fonepad 6 and Fonepad 7 were released in 2013, while the Fonepad 8 were launched in late 2014.

The dual-SIM gives you much needed flexibility especially when you’re travelling and wants to slot in a cheap local SIM, but still wants to remain contactable on your regular number.

Two features which impressed me was the dual-SIM capability and long battery life of the ASUS Fonepad 8 phablet.

It is easy to slot in/out the two micro-SIM cards as both slots are in a special compartment on the left side of the phablet, along with the microSD card slot, that allows you to expand the 8 or 16GB internal storage of the Fonepad 8 by up to another 64GB.

Top right corner of the Fonepad 8.

Top right corner of the Fonepad 8.

The phone supports 3G for both SIM cards but not 4G/LTE.

I found usage of dual SIM straightforward like in other dual-SIM Android phones.

The internal, non-removable 4,000mAh battery provided long hours of usage without worry of running dry.

Even with intense usage and video viewing, the Fonepad 8 easily lasted an entire day and then some.

On my more typical day, there was usually at least 20-30 percent battery left at the end of the day.

Fonepad 8 is available in four colors—black, white, red and gold. White and gold models include white bezels, while the black and red models feature a black fascia. Out of the box, the pre-loaded ZenUI color scheme matches the device’s back cover color, which is plastic and features a non-slip diamond-pattern coating.

Fonepad 8 is available in four colours—black, white, red and gold. White and gold models include white bezels, while the black and red models feature a black fascia. Out of the box, the pre-loaded ZenUI color scheme matches the device’s back cover color, which is plastic and features a non-slip diamond-pattern coating.

ASUS rates the battery life to 14.2 hours of Wi-Fi Web browsing, 12 hours of HD video playback, and 21 hours of 3G talk time.

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New arrivals: Dell completes its Alienware portfolio of gaming laptops

Friday, February 13th, 2015

Dell launched its latest Alienware 15 and Alienware 17 gaming notebooks in Singapore, together with the Alienware Alpha Console. Prices & availability below.

From left: Alienware 17, Alienware Alpha, Alienware 15.

From left: Alienware 17, Alienware Alpha, Alienware 15.

The new gaming devices round up the Alienware portfolio following the recent launches of Alienware 13, the Alienware Graphics Amplifier and Area-51 gaming desktop to offer a spectrum of powerful gaming systems for enthusiast gamers.

Price & availability

With the exception of the Alpha Console which is available in early March 2015, the entire Alienware portfolio is available now in Singapore. Prices below.

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New arrivals: LG G Flex2 curved smartphone in Singapore (S$998)

Wednesday, February 11th, 2015

The new LG G Flex2 is curved along its length and width, with a 5.5-inch curved screen. Available in Singapore on 14 March 2015 at S$998. Pre-order from M1, Singtel and StarHub from 27 February 2015.

The LG G Flex2 (S$998) comes in two colors: Platinum Silver and Flamenco Red. I prefer the red version.

The LG G Flex2 (S$998) comes in two colors: Platinum Silver and Flamenco Red. I prefer the red version.

Compared to its predecessor (the 6-inch G Flex), the G Flex2 has a smaller 5.5-inch display, but with increased resolution to 1080p Full HD at 403ppi.

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