Samsung has rolled out more than 40 new interactive edutainment apps in partnership with Singapore developers. These apps will be available on Samsung smart mobile devices.
Overview of content strategy and edutainment apps by Winston Goh, Senior Product Marketing Manager, Mobile Communications, Samsung Asia
The 40 new apps are entertaining, intuitive, social and visual in nature and allows users to engage in self-learning experiences, whether at home or on-the-go.
The suite of edutainment apps includes:
Mandarin Speaking Skills for Kids: comprises speech interactive exercises to build Mandarin speaking skills for kids from Primary 1 to 6.
Zalairos Adventures: comprises 25 e-books for kids aged between 5-10 years old to improve vocabulary, reading and comprehension skills.
Skoolbo Core Skills: comprises more than 50,000 questions designed for kids aged between 4-10 years old to improve mathematics and language skills.
PREPTEST: standardized self-assessment modules and admission guidelines for GMAT (Graduate Management Admission Test), SAT (Scholastic Aptitude Test) and more.
Samsung is working with the developer community to promote the creation of interesting educational content.
Hands-on impression
My favourite is the “Skoolbo Core Skills” app from Skoolbo which drills young children on basic words and math concepts without them even realising it.
Colourful graphics are used and the kid feels he’s playing an adventure game.
Answering the drill questions correctly is only part of progressing in the game.
The company commits the tools, resources, technical content and support that app developers require, to create rich applications optimised for its GALAXY range of tablets and smartphones, as well as the GALAXY Note.
The local app developers that Samsung is working with for this range of edutainment apps are B-Secure Technologies, Prep Zone, iQ-hub and Skoolbo.
Some of these apps, such as those developed by B-Secure Technologies and Prep Zone will be made exclusively available on Samsung mobile devices.
Another impressive app is iQ-hub’s “Mandarin Speaking Skills for kids”.
Going beyond basic word recognition, the app is able to grade the accuracy of pronunciation by the user, who reads out chinese characters displayed on the screen.
Various exercises using the word recognition and grading engine are available and it was quite fun even for an adult to go through some of the exercises.
The launch was held at Samsung’s store at Vivocity.
I tried out some of the apps during the launch and it’s quite impressive what our local developers are capable of.
Windows Phone 8 will get a Start screen facelift; share technology core with Windows 8; support for NFC, in-app purchases and eWallet; more developer tools; and better security for enterprise use.
But existing Windows Phone 7.5 users will only get the revamped Start screen through an upgrade to Windows Phone 7.8.
Microsoft gave a preview of what Windows Phone 8 will be at the Windows Phone Summit in San Francisco.
The immediate cosmetic change to the user-interface is the Start screen.
In addition to the current square tiles and rectangular (twice the width of the square tiles) tiles, there is now a third size for tiles.
This is what I call the “mini-square” tile. Each of these is a square tile a quarter the size of the original square tile.
Whereas Windows Phone 7.5 does not allow users to specify which tile to use for an app – Windows Phone 8 will let users specify which tile size to use for each app.
Bigger tile for more frequently used apps (or to display more live information), and smaller tiles for less used apps.
The smaller tiles also allows more tiles/apps to be displayed on each screen to minimise scrolling.
Existing Windows Phone 7.5 users will get this revamped Start screen through an upgrade to Windows Phone 7.8 (no date given), but that’s pretty much all they’ll get – they will NOT be able to upgrade to Windows Phone 8 when it becomes available end of the year.
Yes, some who have just bought spanking new Windows 7.5 phones are complaining that they’re now landed with “obsolete” handsets.
Microsoft says that Windows Phone 8 is a generation shift in technology so it will not run on existing hardware.
Read more details about Windows Phone 8 on the official Windows Phone Blog.
Sony Mobile has unveiled another two new Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) smartphones. The Xperia ion takes over the flagship role from the Xperia S, while the Xperia neo L is a follow-up to the Xperia neo V.
Both smartphones will be available in Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore in calendar Q3 2012.
New flagship from Sony Mobile: Xperia ion; and the Xperia neo L.
The Xperia ion and Xperia neo L were launched today as part of Sony Mobile’s South East Asia debut of a slew of six new Xperia smartphones.
The Xperia ion and Xperia neo L are part of a slew of six that debuted in SE Asia today. From left: Sony Xperia ion, go, acro S, neo L, miro, and tipo.
They had been unveiled progressively over the past two weeks.
New flagship Xperia
The 4.6-inch screen of the Xperia ion is bigger than the 4.3-inch display of the Xperia S.
The Xperia ion also has a microSD card expansion slot for up to 32GB – which the former flagship model lacked.
The Xperia ion has a massive 4.6-inch display (1280 x 720 pixels on a 16-million colour TFT), and a high-capacity embedded 1,900mAH battery.
Both the rear (1080p) and front (720p) cameras are HD capable.
The 12-megapixel rear camera boasts a quick sleep-to-snap speed of just over a second via a single key press.
The Xperia ion will be available in black in Singapore; and in black and red in Malaysia and Indonesia.
Sony Xperia neo L
The Xperia neo L has a 4-inch display (480 x 854 pixels on a 16-million colour TFT), a 5.1-megapixel (720p) rear-camera, VGA front camera, and a 1,500mAH battery.
It has a sleek curved back design and glossy finish; and incorporates Sony’s xLoud technology for crisp and loud sound.
The Xperia neo L is available in Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia in both black and white.
The tech specs for the Xperia ion and Xperia neo L can be viewed/downloaded below.
Sony Mobile’s debut of new Xperia phones in SE Asia
The six new models are: Xperia go, acro S, miro, tipo, ion, and neo L. The first four models were announced over the last two weeks, while the Xperia ion and neo L were unveiled today.
All six phone models will be available in Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore in calendar Q3 2012.
Mathew Lang, Corporate Vice President and Head of SEA & Oceania Customer Unit, Sony Mobile at the event at Art Palates Café, Istana Park, Singapore.
The Xperia ion is the new flagship smartphone for Sony Mobile.
Its 4.6-inch display is bigger than that of the 4.3-inch in the previous flagship Xperia S.
Water resistant Sony Xperia acro S. Don’t try this at home. Photo taken with Panasonic LUMIX DMC-GF5.
The Xperia ion also includes a microSD card expansion slot for up to 32GB – which was absent in the Xperia S.
They are supposedly water-proof up to a depth of 1m.
The Xperia miro offers deep Facebook integration and features Sony’s xLOUD audio technology together with the Xperia neo L.
The Xperia tipo comes in both single and dual SIM versions.
The latter allows one-touch switching between two numbers through a dedicated network switch button on the phone.
All six models either ship with Android 4.0 installed or can be upgraded over-the-air to Android 4.0.
The six new Android smartphones debuting in SE Asia in Q3 2012: Sony Xperia ion, go, acro S, neo L, miro, and tipo. Photo taken with Panasonic LUMIX DMC-GF5.
With such a range of smartphones catered to different tastes and needs, Xperia fans willl be spoilt for choice when shopping for their next smartphone.
Microsoft has unveiled two 10.6-inch Windows tablets and accessories.
One model will run on Windows RT and will be released with the general availability of Windows 8. The other tablet will be available about 90 days after and feature Windows 8 Pro.
Microsoft’s Steven Sinofsky has just announced at its annual sales meeting that customers will be able to get Windows 8 on 26 October, 2012. This will be available both as an upgrade or on a new PC.
Microsoft finally joins the fray by unveiling its 10.6-inch Surface tablets.
The Windows RT Surface tablet will run on an ARM processor, while the Windows 8 Pro version will have a third-generation Intel Core processor.
The Touch Cover and Type Cover double up as keyboards.
Each Surface tablet will have a full-sized USB port, a microSD slot, and a 16:9 aspect ratio; with edges angled at 22 degrees.
The casing of Surface is created using VaporMg (pronounced Vapor-Mag), where metal and deposit particles are molded to create a finish akin to luxury watches.
Starting with magnesium, parts can be molded as thin as .65 mm, thinner than the typical credit card, to create a product that is thin, light and rigid/strong.
The VaporMg materials and processes has enabled the thin and sleek design of the Surface tablets.
This also enables an extremely thin built-in kickstand to prop the tablet up when watching movies or video conferencing with the HD front- or rear-facing video cameras.
The integrated, built-in kickstand removes the need for a separate accessory.
I like the idea and design of this integrated kickstand.
To transform the tablet into a “notebook”, a 3 mm Touch Cover uses pressure-sensitive technology to sense keystrokes as gestures, allowing users to touch type significantly faster than on an on-screen keyboard.
The Touch Cover will be available in a selection of vibrant colors. It clicks into the Surface tablet via a built-in magnetic connector, forming a natural spine like you find on a book, and doubles up as a protective cover.
The Touch Cover and Type Cover comes in many vibrant colours.
Alternatively, users can click in a 5 mm-thin Type Cover that adds moving keys for a more traditional typing feel.
Retail pricing will be announced closer to availability but is expected to be competitive with a comparable ARM tablet or Intel Ultrabook-class PC.
OEMs will have cost and feature parity on Windows 8 and Windows RT.
Oh and if you’re interested in a 40-inch tablet, check out the Samsung SUR40 for Microsoft Surface. (I haven’t heard anyone else calling THAT a tablet yet).
The main technical specifications of the two Surface tablets are tabulated below.
The camera-less BlackBerry Curve 9360 is now available in Singapore. Suitable for those who need a camera-less smartphone for use in an environment where security concerns forbid the use of cameras or devices with cameras – such as military camps and installations.
The camera-less BlackBerry Curve 9360 is now available in Singapore.
The BlackBerry Curve 9360 was first unveiled in August last year and launched in Singapore in October.
The Curve 9360 comes equipped with the BlackBerry 7 OS and enables users to connect to the Internet, play games, BBM and be socially connected at all times.
Samsung is bringing in to Singapore the GALAXY Tab 2 (10.1) 3G tablet (S$798) on 16 June, and the GALAXY Tab 2 (7.0) tablet (S$598) on 23 June. Prices include GST but excludes line contract.
Update (22 June, 2012):
Samsung has just announced that the GALAXY Tab 2 (7.0) will only be available in Singapore on 30 June 2012. Price remains unchanged at S$598 (inclusive of GST) without contract.
Pricing and availability of the Wi-Fi versions for the GALAXY Tab 2 series will be announced closer to the launch date.
Samsung GALAXY Tab 2 in 7-inch and 10.1 inches
The GALAXY Tab 2 series of tablets are Samsung’s first Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich tablets. There are now some 400,000 apps for Android phones and tablets.
The GALAXY Tab 2 tablets are available in 3G and WiFi versions.
Samsung GALAXY Tab 2 (7) and GALAXY Tab 2 (10.1)
GALAXY Tab 2 Series offer users easy multimedia access, playback and sharing experiences with Samsung Hub services.
Samsung’s Music Hub provides a full music store solution with access to over 17 million tracks.
GALAXY Tab 2
The Readers Hub provides access to over 2.3 million e-books, 3,500 magazines and over 2,000 newspapers in 51 languages, while Game Hub instantly connects users to the latest game titles.
Samsung’s upgraded Touchwiz user interface features Hub widgets for one-step access to users’ content in Hubs.
The device also presents S Suggest, a new service offering recommendations of apps suited to users’ tastes directly on a home screen.
Samsung’s AllShare is a content-sharing service that allows users to search for and play video, photo, and music files freely across their GALAXY Tab 2 Series from PCs and other Samsung smart devices – such as PC, TV, mobile phone, and digital camera – by using the local network for streaming playback.
With the voice call capability, the GALAXY Tab 2 Series can be used as a phone, serving as a second device in case they misplace their primary phone.
It also lets users spontaneously arrange multi-party video calls via Google+ hangouts, as well as engage in group chats or micro-communities to collectively chat or share content.
In addition, ChatON, Samsung’s cross-platform communication service, connects all phone users of any platform into a single community.
Rear of the Samsung GALAXY Tab 2 tablets
ChatON uses phone numbers instead of ID and passwords, and provides easy instant messaging and group chatting in various formats — images, video, voice, contacts — to make messaging simple and intuitive.
Below are the main technical specifications of the two Samsung GALAXY Tab 2 tablets.
Sony Mobile has unveiled two new Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) smartphones that are designed to be stylish, fun and easy to use. One of them has a dual-SIM version available (Xperia tipodual).
Both smartphones will be launched globally in calendar Q3 2012.
The HTC Desire V (S$498) and Desire C (S$338) are the successors to the HTC Desire. Both Android 4.0 smartphones will feature Beats Audio technology and hit the shelves in Singapore from this Saturday, 16 June.
The HTC Desire V (S$498) and Desire C (S$338) will be available on 16 June 2012.
HTC Desire V
The new HTC Desire V and Desire C are also among the first entry-level smartphones to offer Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich.
Both phones come with two years of free 25GB Dropbox space.
Beats Audio technology is integrated into the software and hardware of the phones to provide a powerful, yet rich studio-quality sound experience – whether the user is listening to music or playing a game.
The HTC Desire V has a 4-inch display, a 5-megapixel camera with WVGA video recording, and a 1650mAh battery.
It runs on a 1GHz CPU; and is available in Polar White and Stealth Black.
HTC Desire C
The HTC Desire V supports dual SIM cards so you can keep two active numbers in the same phone – there is no longer any need to carry two phones.
The HTC Desire C has a 3.5-inch (320 x 480) display, a 5-megapixel camera with VGA video recording, and a 1,230mAh battery.
It runs on a 600MHz CPU; and is available in Flamenco Red, Polar White and Stealth Black.
I am particularly partial to the Flamenco Red skin for the HTC Desire C. Doesn’t it just evoke impressions of Darth Maul?
Below are the key specifications of the HTC Desire V and HTC Desire C.
The HTC One S Regular Edition will be available at S$748 from this Saturday, 21 July. The HTC One S Regular Edition does not include the Beats Solo Headset.
The HTC One S Deluxe Edition, which includes the Beats Solo Headset is still available at S$948.
The HTC One S will be available in Gradient Metal.
The HTC One S is the slimmest of the four phones in the HTC One series of Android phones. The others are the HTC One X, HTC One V, and HTC One XL.
The HTC One S is launched with Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich; HTC Sense user interface; and runs on a 1.7 GHz dual-core CPU.
It has a 4.3-inch (540 x 960) screen, an 8-megapixel camera with 1080p HD video recording, and a 1,650 mAh battery.
As with the other phones in the HTC One series, the phone excels in its camera and audio performance.
S$948: HTC One S bundled with a Beats Solo Headset
The camera has an f/2.0 aperture and 28mm wide angle lens, captures a shot in 0.7 seconds and in burst mode can shoot up to 60 continuous snapshots at one go.
Bundled with a Beats Solo Headset, HTC One S users enjoy a superb audio experience with Beats Audio Technology, which is integrated into the hardware and software of the smartphone.
Other notable features include an internal storage of 16GB with 2 years’ worth of free 25GB Dropbox storage; and the ability to playback the smartphone’s content on a large screen, via an optional HTC Media Link HD accessory.
Below are the key specifications of the HTC One S at a glance.
