New Arrivals: Sony Walkman NWZ-ZX1 and Recorder PCM-D100

January 16th, 2014

Sony Electronics today announced the launch of two new personal audio products, the Walkman NWZ-ZX1 (S$899) and Liner Pulse-code modulation (PCM) Recorder PCM-D100 (S$999).

Available in Singapore from February onwards.

Sony Walkman NWZ-ZX1

Sony Walkman NWZ-ZX1

Update (20 March, 2014):

Sony has just announced that 30 units of the NWZ-ZX1 can now be pre-ordered exclusively at Sony Stores and Centres in Singapore, whilst stocks last.

Audiophiles have from now till the end of the month (31 March 2014) to place their orders in person. Delivery will be from 11 April onwards.

For those who miss out on the first 30 units, they can purchase the NWZ-ZX1 in stores from May 2014 onwards.

The NWZ-ZX1 was originally planned to be available in Singapore in February but this has been pushed back to May due to high global demand of the Walkman.

Sony Recorder PCM-D100 (left) and Walkman NWZ-ZX1 (right).

Sony Recorder PCM-D100 (left) and Walkman NWZ-ZX1 (right).

The Walkman NWZ-ZX1 is Sony’s first music player that supports Hi-Res Audio, offering listeners up to seven times the audio quality of a CD.

Sony Walkman NWZ-ZX1 (S$899)

Sony Walkman NWZ-ZX1 (S$899)

Powered by Android, it has a 4-inch TRILUMINOS Display for mobile touchscreen enables the easy viewing of music files, photos and videos on the device.

The new Walkman is carved out of a single piece of aluminum and has a molded base at its rear that acts as an amp block, with a rubberised back grip for added comfort and stability.

The ZX1 is the largest capacity Walkman ever created by Sony, with built-in memory of 128GB that is capable of storing High-Resolution Audio content equivalent to approximately 800 songs.

For more details and key specifications, here is the press release for the new Sony Walkman NWZ-ZX1.

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New Arrivals: Bose SoundTouch Wi-Fi music system in Singapore

January 15th, 2014

The Bose SoundTouch is available for pre-order from Atlas e-Store. Prices range from S$639 to S$1,099.

SoundTouch 30 Wi-Fi system (S$1,099)

SoundTouch 30 Wi-Fi system (S$1,099)

Atlas Sound & Vision in Singapore, has introduced its first Bose Wi-Fi music system enabling users to stream music wirelessly in any room with Bose’s lifelike audio quality and ease-of-use.

The three one-piece systems in the Bose SoundTouch family include:

  • The SoundTouch 30 Wi-Fi system (S$1,099) measures approximately 10 x 17 x 7 inches. It features exclusive waveguide technology and a new proprietary woofer to deliver deep, rich sound and the power to serve as a home’s main music system.
  • The SoundTouch 20 Wi-Fi system (S$639) is more compact at about 7 x 12 x x 4 inches. It offers natural, room-filling sound and can be placed almost anywhere.
  • The SoundTouch Portable Wi-Fi system (S$639) combines full-range audio and a rechargeable, lithium-ion battery in a speaker no bigger than the average book – about 6 x 10 x 3 inches. Take it with you in and around the home, and the music keeps playing.

Through the home network, the Bose SoundTouch communicates wirelessly and can be controlled from an app available on Android, iOS, Mac OS and Windows systems, and can be downloaded and installed on mobile phones, tablets, laptops or desktops.

SoundTouch 20 Wi-Fi system (S$639)

SoundTouch 20 Wi-Fi system (S$639)

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HTC One in Gold for the Lunar New Year festive season

January 15th, 2014

The HTC One Android smartphone will be available in Gold in Singapore from this Saturday, 18 January. Available from all telcos at S$768 (32GB).

The release of the new Gold version of the HTC One coincides with the Chinese New Year festive season.

The release of the new Gold version of the HTC One coincides with the Chinese New Year festive season.

The Gold makeover adds to the existing colour portfolio of Silver, Black and Red.

“台湾手机制造商HTC将于星期六在新加坡推出黄金色的HTC One。即日起面市。售价:S$768新元(32GB)。各大电信公司都有售卖” – 科技点心(微薄)

This latest addition to the family comes with all of the features of the HTC One, including HTC Zoe, HTC BlinkFeed and HTC BoomSound.

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New arrivals: NETGEAR Nighthawk Smart Wi-Fi router R7000

January 14th, 2014

The NETGEAR Nighthawk offers the latest dual-band 802.11ac wireless router built for gaming, streaming and mobile devices. Available now at S$359.

NETGEAR Nighthawk retails at S$359 and is currently available at A Genuine (Sim Lim Square), Best Denki, Challenger, Harvey Norman and Mediapro (Sim Lim Square) in Singapore.

NETGEAR Nighthawk retails at S$359 and is currently available at A Genuine (Sim Lim Square), Best Denki, Challenger, Harvey Norman and Mediapro (Sim Lim Square) in Singapore.

NETGEAR Nighthawk enhances connection speeds up to AC1900 WiFi (600 +1300 Mbps) and brings outstanding range with its high-powered WiFi amplifiers and three external antennas.

“We see growing demands for a modern connected home and Nighthawk is the answer with fast and reliable WiFi connection coupled with great range. … Nighthawk is a definitely treat for gamers and media streaming enthusiasts alike,” said Tan Wee Fong, ASEAN Sales Manager for NETGEAR.

Nighthawk claims to be the first in the industry to support both implicit and explicit Beamforming+, a smart signal-focusing technology that locks onto a wireless device on the network and directly beams WiFi signals to it.

It boosts speed, reliability and range of WiFi connections in both 2.4 and 5GHz bands, providing fast downloads to uninterrupted HD video stream and lag-free gaming.

Key features of the NETGEAR Nighthawk.

New Android smartphones: Sony Xperia T2 Ultra and Xperia E1

January 14th, 2014

Sony Mobile today announced two new smartphones targeted at those big on entertainment – Xperia T2 Ultra and Xperia E1.

The former will launch in major markets from Q1 2014. Otherwise price and availability of both phones are yet to be confirmed.

The new Sony Xperia E1 (left) and Xperia T2 Ultra (right).

The new Sony Xperia E1 (left) and Xperia T2 Ultra (right).

The Xperia T2 is a large-screen 6-inch smartphone at a mid-range price point, while the Xperia E1 offers Sony’s best audio technologies and content for those looking for an entertainment device.

Sony Xperia T2 Ultra.

Sony Xperia T2 Ultra.

The LTE Xperia T2 has a 6-inch HD TRILUMINOS display in a 7.6mm form factor, fitting in a large 3000mAh battery.

It has a 13-megapixel camera (with 1.1MP front camera) and offers out-of-the-box integration with the Sony Entertainment Network as well as Sony’s PlayMemories Online storage service.

The Xperia T2 Ultra runs on a Snapdragon Quad-core 1.4 GHz processor with 1GB of RAM and 8GB of on board storage (Micro SD slot expandable up to 32GB).

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WeChat rolls out Ver 5.1 and launches WeChat Games in Singapore

January 13th, 2014

This launch is part of the latest WeChat upgrade – which also offers users with new animated stickers, group chats upsize of up to 100 members and more.

WeChat Games – a place where you can challenge your friends with fun and addictive games while you’re on the move.

WeChat Games – a place where you can challenge your friends with fun and addictive games while you’re on the move.

Gaming gets social with the Singapore launch of WeChat Games! Pit yourself against the best around your neighborhood with WeChat’s location-based service, find competitors nearby and beat the top scorers.

“The new WeChat upgrade opens a whole new paradigm of mobile social networking with the enhancement of existing features and introduction of WeChat Games which provide greater social interaction and sharing with their friends,” said Louis Song, Country Manager, Singapore and Malaysia, International Business Group at Tencent, the company behind WeChat.

You can now challenge your friends to a host of WeChat Games and gloat when you beat them with new animated stickers from the Sticker Shop. And the fun doesn’t stop there.

You can also share your life through pictures and personalised captions with StoryCam for WeChat – a photo app by Tencent.

Spice up any conversation and get your friends laughing by sending them stickers from the WeChat Sticker Shop.

For a start, check out the following games on WeChat Games.

New arrivals: 2014 Toyota Corolla Altis launched in Singapore

January 9th, 2014

Toyota today launched the new 1.6-liter Corolla Altis at S$132,988 (COE Rebate S$65,000).

The new Toyota Corolla Altis adopts the same theme showcased on the athletic Corolla Furia Concept during the 2013 North American International Auto Show in January.

The new Toyota Corolla Altis adopts the same theme showcased on the athletic Corolla Furia Concept during the 2013 North American International Auto Show in January.

This is the 11th generation since the first Corolla rolled out of the factory in 1966 some 48 years ago.

The Altis maintains an increased emphasis on style, as seen in Toyota vehicles launched in the past year, which has produced more expressive vehicle designs.

“With 10 generations and over 40 million happy owners, the Toyota Corolla Altis is the world’s best-selling car, and a legendary name amongst automobile makers and consumers alike,” said Koh Ching Hong, Managing Director of Borneo Motors Singapore.

The bold T-shaped motif of the all-new Corolla Altis represents Toyota’s intent to bring sharper, sleeker and sportier designs that will appeal to current Toyota customers while also attracting more youthful buyers.

The new Corolla Altis has a longer wheelbase and shorter overhangs,to give the car an athletic stance with greater presence.

Viewed in profile, a sweeping crease in the body sheet metal spans the length of the sedan and accentuates the integrated door handle design.

The exterior tapers towards the front and rear of the vehicle to emphasize its wheel arches, with a longer, faster sloping roofline that blends into a shorter rear deck to give the sedan a sportier image.

Borneo Motors is bringing into Singapore the 1.6-liter Corolla Altis with four-cylinder 16 Valves DOHC engine equipped with Dual VVT-i that generates a power output of 121 bhp and 154 Nm torque.

More pronounced flared wheel arches, and a clean yet impactful sculpted surface adds an air of elegance to its sporty exterior.

More pronounced flared wheel arches, and a clean yet impactful sculpted surface adds an air of elegance to its sporty exterior.

The Dual VVT-i varies the timing and lift of the engine’s valves to suit your driving requirements, resulting in improved responsiveness, superior fuel economy of 6.5l/100km and low CO2 emission of 151g/km.

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New arrivals: Panasonic Toughpad FZ-M1 rugged 7-inch tablet

January 8th, 2014

Panasonic claims the 7-inch Windows 8.1 Pro fully-rugged tablet is the lightest and thinnest device of its kind . Available in March 2014. Price TBA.

Update (16 January, 2014):

Panasonic has launched the Toughpad FZ-M1 tablet (together with the Toughbook CF-LX3) in Singapore. It will be available in March 2014 at S$2,600.

The Panasonic Toughpad FZ-M1 fully rugged 7-inch Windows 8.1 Pro tablet offers power, flexibility and durability for maximum mobile workforce productivity.

The Panasonic Toughpad FZ-M1 fully rugged 7-inch Windows 8.1 Pro tablet offers power, flexibility and durability for maximum mobile workforce productivity.

Panasonic introduced during 2014 International CES the latest member of its Toughpad family of rugged, enterprise-grade tablets.

The tablet runs Windows 8.1 Pro, on an Intel Core i5 processor, making it easy to integrate into enterprise and government environments.

The Toughpad FZ-M1 has multiple configuration options enabling it to be customised to meet the unique needs of mobile users in various markets such as field services and sales, retail, supply chain and logistics and government.

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New camera: Nikon D3300 with enhanced image & video quality

January 7th, 2014

The new entry-level DSLR from Nikon has 24.2 megapixels, 13 special effects modes, and a retractable kit lens. Price TBA. Available probably in February.

The Nikon D3300 will be available in three colors (Black, Red and Grey) with the AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-55mm F/3.5-5.6G VRII kit lens.

The Nikon D3300 will be available in three colors (Black, Red and Grey) with the AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-55mm F/3.5-5.6G VRII kit lens.

The Nikon DSLR is targeted at first time DSLR users, with its easy-to-use interface and Guide Mode, which provides tips and step-by-step guiding information along the way.

Top view of the new Nikon D3300 SLR.

Top view of the new Nikon D3300 SLR.

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Samsung GALAXY Gear Android smartwatch now available at $398

January 5th, 2014

The Samsung GALAXY Gear Android smartwatch is now available for S$398 in Singapore. Six colours are available: Jet Black, Mocha Gray, Wild Orange, Oatmeal Beige, Rose Gold, and Lime Green.

The GALAXY Gear is available at S$398 in Singapore at major consumer electronics stores, telecommunications operators and Samsung Experience Stores.

The GALAXY Gear is available at S$398 in Singapore at major consumer electronics stores, telecommunications operators and Samsung Experience Stores.

The GALAXY Gear is a smartwatch that notifies users and give them quick previews of incoming texts, emails and more coming from a compatible Samsung Android smartphone or tablet.

The Smart Relay feature of the GALAXY Gear enables users to see the full content of incoming messages on its display.

The GALAXY Gear serves as a wristwatch and comes preloaded with 10 different clock options so users can personalise their watch face.

The Memographer feature uses the 1.9 Megapixel camera on the GALAXY Gear to record both photos and video to help users capture quick, visual records of important information or events from their daily lives, while on the move.

Samsung GALAXY Gear during a preview on 18 September. In the background is its charging frame and the white GALAXY Note 3 phablet.

Samsung GALAXY Gear during a preview prior to its release back in September. In the background is its charging frame and the white GALAXY Note 3 phablet.

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