Samsung Galaxy S4 – Specs, Price, and Availability in the Philippines
Samsung Mobile finally unveiled Galaxy S4, the latest model of their highly successful Galaxy S line of smartphones. The device sports a 5-in Super AMOLED HD (1920X1080) display, running on Android 4.2.2 (Jelly Bean) OS, with a computing power coming from Quadcore Processor and 2GB of RAM.
Samsung Galaxy S4 unveiled
As expected, Samsung beefed several interesting new and upgraded features such as the 13 MP rear camera, Smart Pause/Scroll eye detector that pauses a video when the user removes his eyes from the screen, S Health that lets you track health-related stats and so much more.
Behold: Samsung Galaxy S4
Samsung Galaxy S4 Specs
Here’s a brief summary of Samsung Galaxy S4 technical specifications:
- Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean
- 1.9GHz quad-core/1.6GHz octa-core CPU (varies by market)
- PowerVR SGX544MP3 GPU
- 5-inch 1080p display (441PPI)
- 2GB of LPDDR3 RAM
- 16GB to 64GB of storage
- 2.5G, 3G, 4G LTE, Wi-Fi a-ac, Bluetooth 4.0, NFC
- IR LED (for remote control)
- microSD card slot (up to 64GB)
- 13MP rear camera, 2MP front camera
- 2600mAh battery
- 136.6 x 69.8 x 7.9 mm, 130g
Samsung Galaxy S4 Features
Here’s a rundown of Samsung Galaxy S4 features
- Dual Camera
- Group Play
- Sound and Shot
- Story Album
- Drama Shot
- Samsung Hub
- S Translator
- ChatON
- Smart Scroll/Smart Pause
- Samsung WatchON
- S Voice Drive
- HomeSync
- Air View / Air Gesture
- S Health
- Adapt Display
- Adapt Sound
To explain these features further, please watch this video from Samsung Mobile.
Samsung Galaxy S4 Price and Availability (Philippines)
Though pricing was not yet revealed, it can be expected that the unit will be priced around 35000 to 40000 Pesos for the open-line, non-contract unit.
Samsung also mentioned that by late April 2013, Samsung Galaxy S4 will be available in 327 carriers in 55 countries. That may include major mobile service providers in the country – SMART, Globe, and Sun Cellular.
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Categories: Mobile, Philippines, price, smartphone, Technology Tags: Android, Google, Mobile device, Mobile OS, Philippines, Samsung
Samsung Galaxy S3 Free at Sun Elite 1500 Plan
Days before the unveiling of the much-anticipated Samsung Galaxy S4, Sun Cellular announces that the current flagship phone of Samsung Mobile, the Samsung Galaxy S3 is now free at Plan Elite 1500.
Sun Cellular now offers the Samsung Galaxy S3 free at Sun Elite 1500 Plan
[Related: Samsung Galaxy S4 Event on March 14]
About Samsung Galaxy S3
Samsung Galaxy S3 is the flagship smartphone of Samsung Mobile. Unveiled last May 2012, it quickly became one of the most successful smartphones in history selling over 20 Million units in its first 100 days.
Samsung Galaxy S3 has the following specifications:
- 4.8” Super AMOLED Touch Screen
- S Voice Application
- 1.4 GHz Quad-core Cortex A-9
- 8MP Camera
- Android Ice Cream Sandwich
For the detailed specs and features, please see the article below:
[Read: Samsung Galaxy S3 Release – Features, Availability, and Price in the Philippines]
About Sun Elite 1500 Plan
The Sun Elite 1500 Plan gives you the following services:
- Unlimited Sun Calls and Texts (Sun to Sun)
- Unlimited Mobile Internet
- Unlimited Local Landline*
- 250 FREE Texts to other networks
- 60 IDD minutes**
*For landline calls within your local area only. Unlimited landline feature is available in NCR, Rizal, Albay, Camarines Sur, Cavite, Batangas, Laguna, Pangasinan, Zambales, Nueva Ecija, Quezon, Benguet, Tarlac, Bataan, Isabela, Bulacan, Pampanga and Ilocos Sur
** IDD 10 Countries: US (Main), Canada, China, Hong Kong, Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, Brunei, Guam, Macau
How to Apply for Sun Elite 1500 Plan?
Just go to the nearest Sun Shops and bring the following requirements:
Subscription Application Requirements:
I. COMPLETELY FILLED OUT APPLICATION FORM/S WITH LANDLINE NUMBERS
II. VALID ID (example Philippine Driver’s License)
III. ANY OF THE TWO (2) OPTIONS BELOW:
Option 1: Proof of Billing & Proof of Income
A. PROOF OF BILLING (example Electric Bill)
B. PROOF OF INCOME ( example Income tax Return or BIR Form 2316)
Option 2: COMPETITOR BILL – Account must be current with no overdue balance or paid if already due.
The Subscriber must have been with the competitor network for at least six (6) months at the
time of application to Sun Cellular.
Please see more details here:
[Read: Sun Cellular Subscription Requirements]
Reminders Before Applying for Sun Elite 1500
I know many already know about this but for the sake of those who still don’t, here are a few reminders and notes:
- Make sure that the place where you usually go or stay have Sun Cellular 3G signal
- for those in major cities, this won’t be a problem
- voice and text signal does not guarantee 3G internet signal
- You can always share your mobile phone internet connection through tethering or personal hotspot, a feature common in smartphones like Galaxy Grand
- Sun Elite 1500 Plan has a 2-year contract
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Categories: Internet, Mobile, Philippines, price Tags: Android, galaxy s3, Internet access, Mobile device, Samsung Galaxy S4, samsung galaxy sIII, smartphone, Sun Cellular, Telcos
HP Unveils Slate 7 Tablet at MWC 2013
Hewlett-Packard, the world’s largest manufacturer of personal computers announces the release of Slate 7 tablet during the Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona, Spain.
The HP Slate 7 tablet
HP Slate 7 is an affordable Android tablet that aims to compete in the space now occupied by Google Nexus 7 and iPad Mini. Here are the features and technical specification of the device.
[Related: Google Unveils Nexus 7 Tablet]
[Related: iPad Mini Philippines Now Available!]
HP Slate 7 Specs
- 7-in touchscreen display (High-aperture-ratio Field Fringe Switching (HFFS) panel) – Android 4.1.2 (Jelly Bean) - ARM Dual Core Cortex-A9 1.6 GHz processor - 1GB RAM – 8GB on-board storage – micro SD card slot – 3 MP rear camera and VGA front camera - embedded Beats Audio – he HP ePrint application
Pricing and Availability in the Philippines
HP Slate 7 will be available in the US this April 2013. The device was priced at $169 (around 7000 Pesos). Availability in the Philippines was not mentioned but there’s a huge possibility that the device will make it to the Philippine market.
After HP TouchPad and the WebOS
HP is struggling to come out of the fading PC business like Dell. In February 2011, the company attempted to jump into the bandwagon of the fast growing tablet market by announcing the HP TouchPad. It is a 9.7 inches tablet powered by WebOS, a mobile operating system HP bought together with Palm in 2010. The device hardware and software (WebOS) were met with positive reception from reviewers. But the key flaw of the TouchPad is the lack of available apps, an area where Apple and Google had a huge advantage.
The TouchPad endeavor eventually ended in August 2011 when HP decided to drop the development of WebOS and all other devices running on it. The remaining TouchPads went on sale for $100 and the demand was crazy. Two years after that, here’s HP again, trying to enter the tablet space with HP Slate 7. Now that they have partnered with Google in using Android, that will solve the main problem they had with WebOS, that is, the apps availability. Will HP finally make it this time? Probably. The tablet market is increasingly becoming a bloody battlefield, with better and cheaper tablets coming every other month. Having that said, it would be a tough challenge for HP.
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Categories: Mobile, Philippines, price, Software, tablet Tags: Android, Apple, Google, HP, HP Touchpad, Mobile device, Mobile OS, Philippines, TouchPad, webOS
Samsung Galaxy S4 Event on March 14
Samsung Mobile confirms the rumored event on March 14, 2013 on which they might release the long awaited Samsung Galaxy S4. The likelihood of the S4 release can be discerned by the event poster shown below. As you can see, instead of saying “Ready for the Show”, they wrote ‘Ready 4 the Show”. Is it a subtle tout to the S4 release? We shall see.
Galaxy S4 Event on March 14
Samsung Galaxy S4 Rumors Round-up
The Galaxy S line is the Samsung Mobile’s flagship smartphone product. Since the release of the first Galaxy S, the next version of the smartphone line has been a subject of rumor, most of which eventually confirmed. Here are some of the rumored features of the much anticipated smartphone of the year, the Galaxy S4.
Bigger Display
The Samsung Galaxy S4 was rumored to have a 5-inch, 1,920 x 1,080 display. For comparison, Samsung Galaxy S3 has a 4.8 inches display. It will be surprising though if the S4 will not feature their self-developed Super AMOLED display technology, as some rumors claimed.
Faster and Smarter
Samsung is expected to beef up the technical specification of Galaxy S4. That may include a faster quad-core processor (or even an 8-core processor) and 2GB RAM.
Regarding the features, it might be a little more of what the S3 has offered.
Well, all these are just rumors and we still have to wait for another three weeks before finally confirming the actual Galaxy SIV.
Update: Samsung Mobile releases another poster featuring a huge number “4″. Please see the poster below.
The latest Samsung Galaxy S4 poster
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Categories: Mobile, price, smartphone Tags: Android, galaxy sIV, Google, Mobile device, Mobile OS, Samsung, Samsung Galaxy S3, Samsung Galaxy S4, samsung mobile
HTC One Philippines – Specs, Price and Availability
Taiwan-based manufacturer HTC announces their latest flagship smartphone - HTC One. The announcement was made in a simultaneous two-location (London and New York) event tonight. After several leaked reports, here is the final and official specifications of HTC’s premier product:
- OS: Android 4.1.2 with HTC Sense 5
- 4.7 inches Super LCD 3 Display
- Processor: Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ 600, quad-core, 1.7GHz
- Memory: 32GB and 64GB
- RAM: 2GB DDR2
- Battery: 2300 mAh Li-polymer battery
- Ultrapixel Camera (HTC technology) capable of 1080p recording
- NFF capable
- Infrared, Bluetooth 4.0, WiFi, DLNA for TV streaming
- MicroUSB slot
- Beats Audio
- Dual stereo speakers (at the front)
- GSM/GPRS/EDGE/WCDMA/CDMA/LTE support
- Gyro, Promity, Ambient Light, Accelerometer sensors
- GPS and compass
The all-new HTC One
HTC One Price and Availability
HTC One pricing and availability in the Philippines is yet to be revealed. Historically, SMART Communications and Sun Cellular are the only carriers that offer HTC phones in the country. The units were tied up with a data, voice and text plans. For HTC One, we can expect the same.
Open-line models will eventually arrive in the country but price is yet to be announced by specific vendors.
HTC One Savior?
HTC had a rough 2012. Their HTC One X flagship smartphone released last year failed to totter the increasing grounds of Apple and Samsung in the smartphone arena. Apple iPhone 5 and Samsung’s Galaxy SIII and Note 2 were still the favorite of consumers. Both companies had posted record sales last year.
Will HTC One be the product that will thrust HTC back to the forefront of the smartphone battle? Maybe. But what is clear is that it will be a tough battle, especially this year. Apple is poised to announce the successor of the highly successful iPhone 5 (iPhone 5S?) late this year. Samsung is also poised to announce the much rumored Galaxy SIV next month. It will be a bloody battle indeed.
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Categories: Mobile, Philippines, price, Technology Tags: Android, Google, HTC, HTC One, HTC One Philippines, HTC One X, HTC Smartphone, Mobile device, Mobile OS, Philippines, smartphone, Smartphones
Cloudfone Review- Good Buy or Goodbye?
The Cloudfone is on a hype nowadays, especially the Cloudfone Thrill 430X! And why not? Its key selling point, battery life is terrific. Imagine, it promises to deliver two days of uptime battery life. Current tech reviews shows that the smartphone does so. That’s way more than what iPhone 5 has to offer. On top of that, this smartphone has decent specifications such as:
- Android 4.0 (ICS)
-huge touchscreen (4.3 to 5 inches depending on the model)
- 5-8 MP Rear Camera (depending on model)
- Dual SIM
- 1 -1.2 GHz Dual Core Snapdragon S4 Processor
The screenshot of Cloudfone Thrill 430x
All of these were packaged in a box that cost only around 8000 Pesos. It seems that it’s at the right value at the right price. But does it? Well, the answer is I don’t know. And talking about things I (and maybe you) don’t know, here are some of them.
1. Durability. I don’t know how long will Cloudfone last. Since this is a relatively new product, announced around 4Q last year, I can’t expect a user review when it comes to its life. Users can differ in opinion about this. Some may not need to have the unit alive for years, but others do.
2. Reliability. Will it always work fantastic at all times? Will the battery degrade over months or years to follow?
3. Safety. Is it safe to use? Since this product has been released already, it has likely undergone evaluation at the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) but I’m not sure how rigorous those tests where.
Cloudfone – Not All Made in China are the Same
I’ve had a five year experience in product design and development. And although I only worked at the mechanical side, I have learned several other factors that affect the final quality of a product. One important thing that I’ve learned is that, not all made in China are the same. They differ greatly in the following aspects:
1. Quality Management. Apple are known to manufacture iPhones in China. But why is iPhone better than the fake ones that come from China or other smartphones? It could be that they used the same material or parts, but Apple’s quality management is superior, a product of thinking of a team or teams focused in maintaining or improving the quality of the finished product.
2.Tests. Before a product could be sold in a certain geography, especially in Europe, it has to pass certifications such as with regards to safety and energy efficiency. Are all China-made products undergone these tests and certifications? No.
The two factors above and others not mentioned all add up to the price of a product. That’s why not all made in China have the same quality and price. I always remember these buying principle: At rare best times, you buy things at a discount. At a rare worst cases, you buy things for a loss. But most of the time, you get what you paid for. Apply that principle at 7777 Pesos price point of Cloudfone Thrill 430x. So your biggest chance in Cloudfone Thrill 430X is you get what you paid for.
Disclamer: Some contents of this article are just based on personal experience.
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Categories: Mobile, Philippines, price, Technology Tags: Android, Apple, cloudfone Thrill 430x, cloufine, Mobile device, NTC, product development, Technology
Latest Tech News: New iPad 128 GB and Temple Run 2
Temple Run 2 released. Apple iPad 4 128 GB Model. More below on the latest news in the tech world.
Temple Run 2: Download and Play
The second version of the phenomenal mobile game application Temple Run is now available. It can be downloaded in your Kindle, Android and Apple devices. Temple Run 2 features new terrain, new power-ups, new characters and many improvements in performance and experience.
Yesterday, Imangi Studios the creator of the game, announced that the game has unseated Angry Birds Space as the fastest growing mobile game. The press released reported that Temple Run 2 was downloaded 50 Million times in just 13 days. For comparison, Rovio’s Angry Bird Space reached the 50 Million milestone in 35 days.
Temple Run 2 is a game where the user takes the role of an explorer who stole an idol from a temple. Being chased by demonic monkey, he must run continuously, picking up coins and power-ups along the way. To stay alive he must ensure that he would successfully avoid the obstacles. The game was favorably received by critics and users and is a certified time consumer. 
Temple Run 2 in iPad
Apple Releases iPad 128GB
Aiming for enterprise customers with big memory needs, Apple released Tuesday the 128 GB version of iPad 4 (iPad with Retina). With twice as much space as before, enterprise customers, artists and educators has more reason to use the iPad in their professional tasks.
The 128 GB iPad is priced at 799 USD for WiFi models and 929 USD for WiFi +Cellular models. The units will be available online at store.apple.com, Apple Retail Stores and select Apple Authorized Retailers starting February 5.
The fourth generation iPad or iPad 4 comes with 9.7 in Retina Display, a quad-core A6X Processor, 1.2 MP front and 5 MP Rear Cameras. Cellular versions now supports LTE wireless connectivity, the fastest mobile wireless technology available commercially.
The new iPad with Retina Display now comes in 128 GB version
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Categories: Games, Mobile, tablet Tags: Android, Apple, Apps, games, Google, Mobile device, temple run, temple run 2
Smart Nexus 7 Is Bundled With Pocket Wifi Plan
Smart Communications is set to offer Google Nexus 7 to the Philippines bundled with Smart Bro Flexisurf Pocket WiFi plan 599. Pre-order can be done starting November 30 at flexisurf.smart.com.ph. You can get the device in just 600/month for 24 months at zero interest.
Smart to Offer Nexus 7 bundled with Pocket Wifi Data Plan
About Google Nexus 7
Google’s Nexus 7 tablet features a stunning 7-inch touchscreen display, a quad-core processor and the latest Android OS, version 4.2 (Jelly Bean). The device itself was designed by Google in partnership with Taiwanese company Asus. Reviews of the device were mostly positive because of its price relative to its more-than-decent specs.
The device that will be offered by Smart is the 32 GB version.
About Smart Bro Flexisurf Pocket WiFi Plan 599
Flexisurf Pocket WiFi plan 599 will give you 50 hours/month of internet usage with speed up to 7.2 Mbps and a Pocket Wifi device. This plan is under what smart termed as “anti-bill shock” where your bill will automatically be capped at 999 Pesos per month (80 hours of usage).
You Monthly Bill?
If you decide to buy this device, you will have to pay 1199 Pesos (600 for the Nexus 7 and 599 for the data plan) per month for 24 months lock-up period.
Learn more about Nexus 7 in this article: Google Announces Nexus 4, Nexus 7 and Nexus 10
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Categories: Internet, Mobile, Philippines, price, tablet Tags: Android, Google, Google Nexus 7, Mobile device, Mobile OS, Nexus 7, Philippines, Smart, Smart Bro, Telcos
Google Free Zone Philippines – Free Google Access Via Globe
Google Free Zone is now in the Philippines and in fact, the Philippines is the first country where this Google initiative goes live.
What is Google Free Zone?
Google Free Zone allows users of mobile phone to use Google Search, Google+ and Gmail without charges. You do not need to have a data plan, just your ordinary phone service will work. Here in the Philippines, Google has partnered with Globe in the project. It means, Google subsidized all the data consumed by the user using the three Google services mentioned.
Google Free Zone works only to mobile phones with a browser. Feature phones with WAP browsers up to smartphones like Android and iPhones with fully functional mobile browsers will work. Tablets and PCs won’t work.
Google Free Zone Philippines via Globe Telecoms
On Clicking Links and Attachments
Google Free Zone aims to reach billions of people in developing countries who do not have access to broadband connections. But there are certain actions that will incur a charge from the service provider. Here’s some of them.
1. Viewing an image outside Google or Gmail.
2. Viewing an email attachment.
3. Clicking a link on the results page will not incur charge and will allow you to view the webpage for free. But clicking a link on that webpage will incur charges.
Don’t worry much about this rules. Globe will pop-out a warning before you do anything that will incur charges.
Google Free Zone and Facebook Zero
Remember Facebook Zero? Similar to Google Free Zone, Facebook Zero allows users to view their Facebook accounts for free but there are also actions that may incur charges.
If you are asking how Google and Facebook benefit in these “free” (subsidized) services, well, the answer is simple: advertisement. I’m not sure if either Google or Facebook serves ads on pages viewed using these free services. If not now, it is likely that they will do in the future to compensate for the expenses.
For more details about how to activate Google Free Zone on your phones, please check this link:
Google Free Zone
For more details about Facebook Zero, check this article.
How to Register Facebook Zero – Sun’s Free Facebook Access?
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Categories: Internet, Mobile, Philippines, social network, Technology, web browser Tags: Android, broadband, Facebook, Globe Telecoms, Gmail, Google, Google Free Zone, Internet access, Mobile phone, Philippines, Telcos, Web browser, World Wide Web
Google Announces Nexus 4, Nexus 7 and Nexus 10
Google announced an expanded portfolio of mobile devices (Nexus) via its official blog. The announcement was made through blog instead of an actual event due to Superstorm Sandy. The following were the new devices:
Nexus 4
The fourth generation of Google phone made by LG, features a stunning 4.7 in display, a quad-core processor, and the new Android 4.2 (Jelly Bean) OS. The updated Android OS enables its 8.0 MP camera to shot a bigger picture via the new feature called Photo Sphere.
Google partnered with LG Electronics to make Nexus 4 smartphone
New Nexus 7 Model and Pricing
Google also updates its affordable yet powerful 7-in tablet, Nexus 7 with support for HSPA+ connectivity. They also released the new model, 32 GB in addition to existing the 16 GB slate while phasing out the 8 GB model. The pricing was also revised. Now, the 16 GB model is just 199 USD while the 32 GB model is now 249 USD. The 32 GB model with HSPA+ enabled will come at 299 USD.
Google revamps the Nexus 7 models and pricing
Nexus 10
Google also released a high-end version of their slate, the Nexus 10. It sports a stunning 10-in high-definition (HD) display (300 dpi). It also features a faster A15 processor, MIMO WiFi (claim: 4X faster than ordinary WiFi) and a front facing stereo speakers. It also allows multiple users of the tablet making it the first fully shareable tablet.
Google partnered with Samsung to make this device.
Google introduces Nexus 10, the first multi-user tablet
Well, the bad news is that these devices are not yet available in the Philippines.
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