Samsung delivers upscale designs

After the successful launch of its benchmark Galaxy S4 smartphone earlier this year, Samsung Electronics recently unveiled the successor to its Galaxy Note II. Featuring a more upscale design from the existing Galaxy range, the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 improves on its predecessor in a number of ways as a multitask-oriented phablet, while incorporating a lot of the bells and whistles that made the S4 stand out. The design has been slimmed down from the Note II, but features a larger 144.3 mm (5.7 inch) full HD AMOLED screen, as well as a reliable 3 200mAh battery, almost as large as the screen itself. Another important update is in the design and functionality of the Note 3’s stylus, dubbed the S-Pen, which when held over the screen activates a small navigation wheel for pen-activated apps, rather than taking over the whole screen. Among the S4 features is ‘Group Play’, where having two or more of the same phones in the vicinity turns each into a separate speaker channel. S-Voice voice is activated by double clicking the start button and can be activated even when the phone is locked. It allows the user to make and save short voice memos. Translation options It also allows for inputting sound in one language and having that translated into a number of languages listed. The S-Voice feature is, however, most optimally used in conjunction with the Samsung Galaxy Gear watch - sold separately - and comes with both a speaker and 13 MP AF camera. There is also no reason to fret losing either the S Pen stylus or the watch, with security features like ‘Find my Gear’ and ‘S Finder’, which sound off an alarm signal should the accessories be misplaced. The Gear takes a bit of set-up to get started, requiring the upload of the Gear Manager App, but once activated serves for an enriched and futuristic experience. Health data Only fitted with one button, the Gear is touchscreen enabled, and allows for checking emails, taking pictures and organising your gallery. It serves as an external media controller for the Note 3 and even features a Pedometer to record exercise and health data. While the version handed to the media was a gimmicky rubber orange, the Gear is also available in black and white. The Samsung Galaxy Note 3 sells for N$8 999, while the Galaxy Gear is priced at N$3 999 in Namibia.