Posts Tagged ‘Ice Cream Sandwich’

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Samsung finally unveils the GALAXY S III

Friday, May 4th, 2012

After much anticipation, Samsung has officially announced the third generation GALAXY S. The GALAXY S III will be available in Singapore from Q2 2012 in Pebble Blue and Marble White. Prices to be announced later.

Update (23 May 2012): RRP (without contract but incl. GST) in Singapore has been announced at S$998. Availability to be announced later.

Latest update (25 May 2012): Marble White Samsung GALAXY S III will go on sale in Singapore on 30 May. Collection of pre-orders begin 29 May. Pebble Blue version will be available at a later date. Stay tuned!

The Samsung GALAXY S III will come in Pebble Blue and Marble White.

The Samsung GALAXY S III will come in Pebble Blue and Marble White.

The Samsung GALAXY S III has a 4.8-inch HD Super AMOLED display, an 8-megapixel main camera and 1.9-megapixel FRONT camera that shoots HD video, and is powered by Android 4.0, Ice Cream Sandwich.

“… it enables one of the most seamless, natural and human-centric mobile experiences …,” said JK Shin, President and Head of IT & Mobile Communications Division at Samsung.The GALAXY S III offers WiFi Channel Bonding which doubles the WiFi bandwidth.

For those who are tired of wires, a separate wireless charging kit allows you to charge the phone without plugging it to the socket.

Samsung boasts that the smartphone has been “designed for humans” – by making the phone recognise the user’s voice, understand more human gestures, and by making it easier to share moments on social networks.

Human-centric interface

Samsung GALAXY S III has a 4.8-inch HD Super AMOLED display, an 8-megapixel main camera and 1.9-megapixel front camera, and is powered by Android 4.0, Ice Cream Sandwich.A “Smart-stay” feature senses and recognises how you are using the smartphone.

For instance, when reading an e-book or browsing the web, the front camera detects the eyes and maintains a bright display on the phone for continual reading.

“S Voice” is Samsung’s advanced natural language user interface that listens and responds to voice commands. Does “S Voice” stand for Samsung Voice – its response to Siri?

For example, you can TELL the GALAXY S III to “snooze” when the alarm goes off, or to play songs, reduce/increase the volume, send text messages and emails, organise your schedules, or launch the camera to take a photo.

Samsung GALAXY S III will be available in Singapore from Q2 2012.Easy sharing

The new “S Beam” expands on Android Beam by allowing a 1GB movie file to be shared within three minutes and a 10MB music file within two seconds by simply touching another GALAXY S III phone, even without a Wi-Fi or cellular signal.

Click to display enlarged view of the tech specs.

Click to display enlarged view of the tech specs.

“Buddy photo share” function allows photos to be easily and simultaneously shared with the friends pictured in an image directly from the camera or the photo gallery.

“AllShare Cast” allows wireless display of the smartphone’s content onto a larger display.

“AllShare Play” shares files between the GALAXY S III and a tablet, PC or television, regardless of the distance between the devices.

“Group Cast” shares the smartphone’s screen among multiple friends on the same WiFi network.

“Pop up Play” allows a video to continue playing on one part of the screen while other apps and tasks continue simultaneously.

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Posted in Android, Announce, Gadgets, Galaxy, Operating Systems, Phones, Samsung, Software, Specifications, Tech news | 2 Comments »

Huawei unveils world’s slimmest smartphone

Thursday, January 12th, 2012

The Huawei Ascend P1 S is the slimmest smartphone in the world in the 4.3” smartphone class, measuring just 6.68mm at its slimmest point; while the Huawei Ascend P1 measures at 7.69mm thin.

The Huawei Ascend P1 and Huawei Ascend P1 S was announced during CES 2012.

The Huawei Ascend P1 and Huawei Ascend P1 S was announced during CES 2012.

Huawei announced the Huawei Ascend P1 and Huawei Ascend P1 S at CES 2012.

With the Ascend series of smartphones, Huawei promises fast multi-tasking, video replay and gaming experience for consumers

Ascend P1 S, the world's slimmest smartphone from Huawei, measuring just 6.68mm at the slimmest.

Ascend P1 S, the world's slimmest smartphone from Huawei, measuring just 6.68mm at the slimmest.

The smartphones in the series will boast SUPER AMOLED screen with Corning Gorilla Glass and will ship with Android 4.0 upon availability.

They will be powered with a dual core 1.5GHz Texas Instrument OMAP 4460 Cortext-A9 processor, 1GB RAM and 4GB ROM.

Both will be equipped with an 8-megapixel  BSI rear-facing and a 1.3-megapixel front-facing camera, with the ability to capture 1080p HD videos.

The camera comes with dual flash LED and HDR effect optimization.

The Huaweil Ascend P1 and Ascend P1 S have the same tech specs except for the thickness and battery rating.

The Huawei Ascend P1 has a 1670mAh battery while the Huawei Ascend P1 S features a whopping 1800mAh battery.

Both smartphones utilise a PPVD back cover coating that evenly distributes heat, and sport a strong metallic, three-dimensional design with a delicate texture.

Huawei Ascend series: three colours to choose from.

Huawei Ascend series: three colours to choose from.

The Ascend P1/P1 S is available in metallic black, ceramic white and cherry-blossom pink with more colors to come.

The Huawei Ascend P1/P1 S will be available in Europe, Asia-Pacific, North America, Australia, Middle East, and China from April 2012.

Here are the tech specs for the two phones.

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Posted in Android, Announce, Exhibition, Gadgets, Huawei, Phones, Specifications | 1 Comment »

Technical specifications: Asus Eee Pad Transformer Prime

Thursday, January 12th, 2012

The 10.1-inch tablet sports the latest Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich and the newest NVIDIA Tegra 3 Quad-core mobile processor. Prices within.

Asus Eee Pad Transformer Prime TF201, world's first tablet with Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich and NVIDIA Tegra 3 Quad-core mobile processor.

Asus Eee Pad Transformer Prime TF201, world's first tablet with Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich and NVIDIA Tegra 3 Quad-core mobile processor.

The Asus Eee Pad Transformer Prime is housed in an ultra slim 8.3mm metallic spun finish chassis that weighs only 586g.

Super IPS+ screen for vivid wide-angle viewing.

Super IPS+ screen for vivid wide-angle viewing.

The Eee Pad Transformer already boasts a wide 178° viewing angle IPS display, with scratch-resistant Corning Gorilla Glass.

Now the Transformer Prime goes further, upgraded with a brighter Super IPS+ screen that enhances the brightness of the screen for a better outdoor reading experience.

It has a 1.2 megapixel front camera for video conferencing and an 8 megapixel rear auto-focus camera with LED flash.

Asus Transformer Prime in Amethyst Gray colour.

Asus Transformer Prime in Amethyst Gray colour.

The rear-camera boasts a large aperture of F/2.4 and a back-illuminated CMOS sensor, touch-to-focus depth of field and low light noise reduction.

A first for any tablet, the 8 megapixel camera also has the ability to take full 1080p HD video.

Battery life of the pad alone is 12 hours, with an additional six hours when combined with the mobile dock.

The tablet itself has a micro SD card slot, 3.5mm combo audio jack and micro HDMI port for sharing.

The docking station comes with keyboard and touchpad, additional ports and 6 more hours of battery life.

The docking station comes with keyboard and touchpad, additional ports and 6 more hours of battery life.

The S$199 mobile dock contains a keyboard and touchpad, as well as a USB port and SD card slot.

The other available colour is Champagne Gold.

The other available colour is Champagne Gold.

The preinstalled SuperNote application is able to take, draw or record notes.

Polaris Office gives users the ability to read and edit Word, Excel and PowerPoint (MS Office 97-2007 version compatible) files.

In addition, ASUS is offering 8GB of free cloud storage for life via ASUS WebStorage, so users have access to their files via the cloud no matter where they are.

The Asus Eee Pad Transformer Prime was launched yesterday evening and goes on sale today.

Asus Eee Pad Transformer Prime

The usual prices for the tablet with and without the dock is S$1,098 and S$899 respectively; although the introductory prices are S$899 and S$759 respectively.

All prices include GST.

The main technical specifications for the Transformer Prime is tabulated below.

(more…)

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Posted in Android, Asus, Eee Pad Transformer Prime, Gadgets, Prices, Specifications, Tablets | 1 Comment »

New Android tablet: Asus Eee Pad Transformer Prime

Wednesday, January 11th, 2012

The world’s first Android 4.0 tablet has been launched in Singapore. The 10.1-inch slate is also the first in the world to sport the new NVIDIA Tegra 3 quad-core mobile processor.

The Asus Eee Pad Transformer Prime was launched in Singapore on 11 January 2012.

The Asus Eee Pad Transformer Prime was launched in Singapore on 11 January 2012.

The Asus Eee Pad Transformer Prime comes in Amethyst Gray or Champagne Gold and the 32GB version will be available from tomorrow at introductory prices at S$899 (with dock) and S$759 (without dock). All prices include GST.

The predecessor of the Transformer Prime in Germany and the Czech Republic.

The predecessor of the Transformer Prime in Germany and the Czech Republic.

Attending the launch event for the Transformer Prime brought back pleasant memories of our family holiday in Germany last year, when we had the opportunity to bring along the newly-launched Transformer.

The predecessor to the Transformer Prime was already a powerful performer and proved really useful for the parents and entertaining for the kids during our two-week drive down the castle route from Frankfurt in Germany to Prague in the Czech Republic.

Singapore is the third destination after Taiwan and Hong Kong to launch the Eee Pad Transformer Prime, which has been nominated as a CES 2012 Innovations Honoree.

The new tablet boasts the latest operating system, an extremely powerful processor, highly spec-ed camera and quality music.

The 10.1" tablet comes with a mobile dock with keyboad and touch pad, additional ports and 6 more hours of battery life.

The 10.1" tablet comes with a mobile dock with keyboad and touch pad, additional ports and 6 more hours of battery life.

100 units of the tablet were put up for pre-order on Facebook last week and all were snapped up within two hours on 4 January.

The Transformer Prime is the world's first Android 4.0 tablet.

The Transformer Prime is the world's first Android 4.0 tablet.

Another 200 units will be put up for sale on-the-spot today after the launch.

These pre-launch units come with Android 3.2 Honeycomb but will be upgraded over the air to Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich tomorrow.

NVIDIA claims that the new Tegra 3 processor is up to five times as fast as its predecessor, the Tegra 2.

Although the Tegra 3 is named a quad-core processor, NVIDIA says there are actually five processors.

The pad is 8.3mm thin while the mobile dock is 10.4mm thin.

The pad is 8.3mm thin while the mobile dock is 10.4mm thin.

A companion processor handles most of the work until additional processing power is needed, at which time the remaining four processors begin kicking in one at a time.

The Transformer Prime is the world's first tablet to run on Tegra 3 Quad-core mobile processor.

The Transformer Prime is the world's first tablet to run on Tegra 3 Quad-core mobile processor.

A demo showed how the increased processing power of the Tegra 3 and its 12-core GeForce GPU rendered a smoother and better quality output when playing videos and graphics intensive games, when compared with competing tablets.

The Transformer Prime also boasts enhanced audio performance that is powered by ASUS SonicMaster technology, which is known for its crisp and acoustically accurate audio reproduction.

Check out the technical specifications here.

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Posted in Android, Asus, Eee Pad Transformer Prime, Events, Gadgets, Launch, Operating Systems, Prices, Software, Specifications, Tablets, Travel | 2 Comments »

CES 2012 roundup: Smartphones

Tuesday, January 10th, 2012

Here’s a quick round-up of smartphones announced prior to the four-day CES 2012 (10-13 January 2012) being held in Nevada, Las Vegas. Offerings from LG, Huawei, Nokia and Sony.

Sony Xperia S with 4.3-inch 720p screen, 1.5GHz dual-core processor and 12-megapixel camera.

Sony Xperia S with 4.3-inch 720p screen, 1.5GHz dual-core processor and 12-megapixel camera.

LG from Korea has unveiled the Spectrum, which runs on Android 2.3 (upgradeable to 4.0) and has a 4.5” full HD display, a 1.5 Ghz processor and an 8-megapixel camera.

Huawei from China has announced the Android 4.0 Ascend P1 and Ascend P1 S, which will be available in Asia Pacific in April 2012.

Ascend P1 S, the world's slimmest smartphone from Huawei, measuring just 6.68mm at the slimmest.

Ascend P1 S, the world's slimmest smartphone from Huawei, measuring just 6.68mm at the slimmest.

The Huawei Ascend P1 S is the slimmest smartphone in the world in the 4.3” smartphone class, measuring just 6.68mm at its slimmest point; while the Huawei Ascend P1 measures at 7.69mm thin.

Both have Super AMOLED screen with Corning Gorilla Glass.

Sony from Japan has announced Xperia S, its first next generation smartphone from the new Xperia NXT series, after it bought over Ericsson’s 50% stake in the former Sony-Ericsson joint venture.

The Xperia S has a 4.3-inch 1280×720 screen, 1.5GHz dual-core processor and 12-megapixel camera.

It will be available globally from Q1 2012 with Android 2.3 Gingerbread. It will be upgraded to Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich in Q2 2012.

Nokia from Finland has announced the Lumia 900 for the US market. It will basically be another Lumia 800 but with a bigger screen and battery, as well as LTE.

That’s all for now, will add on as more smartphones are unveiled in CES 2012 over the next few days.

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Posted in Android, Events, Exhibition, Gadgets, Huawei, LG, Nokia, Operating Systems, Phones, Sony, Specifications | 2 Comments »

Technical specifications: PRADA Phone by LG 3.0

Saturday, January 7th, 2012

Pre-orders for the PRADA Phone by LG 3.0 (S$1,088 without contract) starts today, from the three local Telcos. It was first announced in November last year and launched in Singapore yesterday.

Pre-orders in Singapore for PRADA Phone by LG 3.0 begins today. Android 2.3 to be upgraded to Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich.

Pre-orders in Singapore for PRADA Phone by LG 3.0 begins today. Android 2.3 to be upgraded to Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich.

Here are the main tech specs of the Android 2.3 Gingerbread smartphone jointly developed by LG and PRADA. The phone will be upgraded to Android 4.0 in a few months time.

Network

 2G GSM / GPRS /EDGE
850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900
3G HSPA+ 21
900/1900/2100

Chipset

 Application
Processor		 OMAP4430
1.0GHz Dual Core / Channel

Memory

 RAM 1Gb LP DDR2
ROM 1Gb + 512MB
Internal Memory 8GB eMMC
External Slot Micro SD (up to 32GB)

Display

 Type TFT
Size (Inch) 4.3 inches
Resolution WVGA (800 x 480)
Brightness 800nit

Camera

 Main 8MP AF

Connectivity

 Bluetooth 3.0+HS
USB 2.0
Wi-Fi 802.11 a / b / g / n
A-GPS Yes
NFC Share contacts, URL, memo, text messages

SW Spec

 OS / UI Android 2.3 Gingerbread / Prada UI
Codec Audio: MP3, AAC, AAC+, eAAC+
Video: MPEG4/H.264/DivX
Video Recording: 1080P@30fps
Playback: 1080P@30fps
Browser Android Web-kit based

Features

 Dimension 127.5 x 69 x 8.5 mm
Battery 1,540mAh / Li-Ion
Audio FM Radio
3.5mm Headset Jack
Color Black

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Posted in Android, Gadgets, LG, Operating Systems, Phones, Prices, Specifications | 1 Comment »

New Android smartphone: PRADA Phone by LG 3.0

Friday, January 6th, 2012

PRADA and LG Electronics today launched in Singapore their jointly developed Android 2.3 Gingerbread smartphone. Pre-orders from the three local Telcos begin tomorrow.

To buy the phone without contract (S$1,088), head down to the LG LIVE Store at Marina Bay Sands on 21 January for a one-day-only sale.

PRADA Phone by LG (S$1,088 without line contract)

PRADA Phone by LG (S$1,088 without line contract)

LG and Prada announced the PRADA Phone by LG 3.0 at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in Singapore.

The PRADA Phone by LG targets those who desires both shic design as well as technical performance in their smartphones.

The PRADA Phone by LG targets those who desires both shic design as well as technical performance in their smartphones.

The phone will be upgraded from Android 2.3 Gingerbread to Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich in Q2 2012.

A small number of units will be delivered prior to the Lunar New Year (23 Jan) while the rest of the orders will be delivered in February.

Early birds get a free limited edition PRADA-branded cradle worth S$228, while stocks last.

I like the design of the phone. The NOVA display of the smartphone looked brilliant even under the bright spotlights at the function hall.

The 800 nit display must be the brightest I know among the current crop of smartphones.

Physically, the phone is wide and thin, measuring 127.5 by 69mm, with a thinness of only 8.5mm.

The back of the phone is covered in PRADA’s signature Saffiano pattern, while the UI – designed by PRADA has a black and white theme and includes fonts and custom designed line-drawing icons to replace the normal app icons.

Black and white themed user interface designed by PRADA and customised line-drawing icons for apps.

Black and white themed user interface designed by PRADA and customised line-drawing icons for apps.

My personal favourite was the covered socket for the cradle.

Instead of a plasticky cover, it is a metallic sliding cover that you can slide to one side to expose the socket.

The inertial for the slide is just right – not too loose or tight.

I suppose these are the little subtle design touches that people pay a premium for to won a PRADA-branded handphone.

Mind you, the premium is actually not very steep, considering phones with comparable technical specifications that are being launched range in price from S$800 onwards.

The closest smartphone with a similar target market segment is the Porsche Design P’9981 from BlackBerry, which was expected to be launched in January 2012 as well and has been estimated at US$1,700.

PRADA Phone by LG 3.0

PRADA Phone by LG 3.0

After Korea and Japan – which have already begun taken pre-orders – Singapore, Hong Kong and Taiwan are the earliest countries to accept pre-orders for the PRADA Phone by LG 3.0.

This is the third generation of the collaboration between PRADA and LG, which began in 2006 with the PRADA Phone by LG 1.0.

PRADA provides the aesthetic design while LG provides the technology and technical expertise for building the phone.

Here are the main technical specifications of the PRADA Phone by LG 3.0.

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Posted in Android, Events, Gadgets, Launch, LG, Phones, Prices, Software, Specifications | No Comments »

First Android 4.0 smartphone: Samsung GALAXY Nexus

Wednesday, January 4th, 2012

Samsung and Google introduced the GALAXY Nexus today, the world’s first smartphone to feature Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich and a Super AMOLED display.

The GALAXY Nexus will be available in February 2012 at S$948 (incl GST, excl line).

Samsung GALAXY Nexus, available in February 2012 at S$948 (incl GST, excl line).

Samsung GALAXY Nexus, available in February 2012 at S$948 (incl GST, excl line).

I had a quick hands-on on the sleek looking smartphone. It felt really responsive and fast.

I was looking for glitches and bugs since it’s the first phone to feature the latest iteration of the Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich.

The GALAXY Nexus is the world's first Android 4.0 smartphone.

The GALAXY Nexus is the world's first Android 4.0 smartphone.

However, the phone didn’t miss a beat, even though I tried to load it with as many applications as I could on multi-tasking.

But then it’s only a short hands-on, so the verdict is still out.

First announced in November 2011, Samsung launched the GALAXY Nexus in Singapore as part of a line-up of 2 new tablets and 3 new smartphones to usher in the year.

The smartphone features a 4.65” HD Super AMOLED display at 720p resolution and a fast 1.2GHz dual core processor to take advantage of its enhanced multitasking capabilities.

A user interface has been redesigned with improved multi-tasking, notifications, Wi-Fi hotspot and NFC support, as well as a full web browsing experience

Designed to provide a “pure Google” experience, GALAXY Nexus will be the first to receive software upgrades and new applications as soon as they become available.

Here are the main technical specifications of the sleek smartphone.

(more…)

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Posted in Android, Events, Gadgets, Galaxy, Launch, Phones, Prices, Samsung, Specifications | 5 Comments »

Prada phone available for pre-order by January 2012

Thursday, December 15th, 2011

The Prada Phone by LG 3.0 will be available for pre-order (prices TBD) in January 2012. Those who purchase the phone through the pre-order will receive a Prada-branded accessory with their phone.

Prada Phone by LG 3.0

Prada Phone by LG 3.0

Styled with Prada’s clean and sharp design philosophy, the handset features a full glossy touchscreen to the front and Prada’s signature Saffiano pattern at the rear, all finished in classic black.

Slim and sleek at only 8.5mm

Slim and sleek at only 8.5mm

An exclusive Grey and Black themed user-interface has been created in collaboration with Prada.

Using LG’s signature Floating Mass Technology, the phone will be extremely thin at only 8.5mm.

The phone will come with LG’s NOVA high brightness display, one of the biggest and brightest screen at 4.3inch and capable of displaying at 800-nit.

The Prada Phone by LG 3.0 will ship with Android 2.3 Gingerbread with 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich available via and update.

Dual-band WIFI will enable high-speed mobile surfing.

Here are the main tech specs for the PRADA phone by LG 3.0:

Operating System Google Android 2.3 Gingerbread

(with update to 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich)
Processor 1.0 GHz Dual-Core/Dual-Channel/Dual Memory
Display 4.3″ WVGA (800 x 480) NOVA Plus (800 nits)
Dimensions 127.5 x 69 x 8.5 mm
Camera Rear: 8.0MP with Auto Focus & LED

Front: 1.3MP

Video: 1080p recording
Connectivity Bluetooth 3.0, USB 2.0, Wi-Fi Direct, DLNA, HDMI/MHL, NFC, A-GPS
Network HSPA+ 21Mbps
Memory Up to 8GB internal + micro SD
Battery 1540 mAh Lithium-ion

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Posted in Android, Gadgets, LG, Lifestyle, Phones, Specifications | No Comments »

Singapore prices and launch dates for Samsung GALAXY Note and Nexus

Tuesday, November 8th, 2011

The GALAXY Note (S$998, 16GB) will be available in Singapore in November 2011, and the GALAXY Nexus (S$948) in January 2012.

Samsung GALAXY Nexus, available in Singapore (S$948) in January 2012.Samsung and Google has jointly launched the GALAXY Nexus, the world’s first smartphone running Android 4.0 or Ice Cream Sandwich, the latest release of the Android platform.

GALAXY Nexus features a 4.65” HD Super AMOLED touch screen display with 1280×720 pixels and a 1.2 GHz dual core processor with 1GB RAM.

It also sports a 5-megapixel rear camera and a 1.3-megapixel front camera; and comes with 16GB or 32GB of onboard memory.

Samsung GALAXY Note (S$998, 16GB) will be available in Singapore in November 2011.Samsung has also announced the launch of the GALAXY Note, a device that tries to combine the larger screen size of tablets with the portability of smart phones.

The 9.65mm thick GALAXY Note features the world’s first and largest 5.3” HD Super AMOLED touch screen display at WXGA (1280×800, 285ppi) resolution. It works with pen-input technology using a stylus called the S Pen.

Powered by a 1.4 GHz dual-core processor, the gadget runs on Android 2.3 (Gingerbread) and comes with 16GB onboard storage, with a microSD slot that supports up to 32GB.

GALAXY Note comes with an 8-megapixel rear camera and a 2-megapixel front camera.

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Posted in Android, Cameras, Gadgets, Galaxy, Google, Launch, Phones, Prices, Samsung, Specifications, Tablets | 3 Comments »

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