Microsoft today unveiled Windows Phone 7 Series at the Mobile World Congress 2010. Since it is a brand new OS, Microsoft got rid of the Windows Mobile 7 branding and named it as Windows Phone 7 Series instead. From the first look, it looks pretty impressive.

Check out the UI videos:

Today at Mobile World Congress 2010, Microsoft Corp. CEO Steve Ballmer unveiled the next generation of Windows Phones, Windows Phone 7 Series. With this new platform, Microsoft offers a fresh approach to phone software, distinguished by smart design and truly integrated experiences that bring to the surface the content people care about from the Web and applications. For the first time ever, Microsoft will bring together Xbox LIVE games and the Zune music and video experience on a mobile phone, exclusively on Windows Phone 7 Series. Partners have already started building phones; customers will be able to purchase the first phones in stores by holiday 2010.

Designed for Life in Motion

With Windows Phone 7 Series, Microsoft takes a fundamentally different approach to phone software. Smart design begins with a new, holistic design system that informs every aspect of the phone, from its visually appealing layout and motion to its function and hardware integration. On the Start screen, dynamically updated “live tiles” show users real-time content directly, breaking the mold of static icons that serve as an intermediate step on the way to an application. Create a tile of a friend, and the user gains a readable, up-to-date view of a friend’s latest pictures and posts, just by glancing at Start.

Every Windows Phone 7 Series phone will come with a dedicated hardware button for Bing, providing one-click access to search from anywhere on the phone, while a special implementation of Bing search provides intent-specific results, delivering the most relevant Web or local results, depending on the type of query.

Windows Phone 7 Series creates an unrivaled set of integrated experiences on a phone through Windows Phone hubs. Hubs bring together related content from the Web, applications and services into a single view to simplify common tasks. Windows Phone 7 Series includes six hubs built on specific themes reflecting activities that matter most to people:

• People. This hub delivers an engaging social experience by bringing together relevant content based on the person, including his or her live feeds from social networks and photos. It also provides a central place from which to post updates to Facebook and Windows Live in one step.
• Pictures. This hub makes it easy to share pictures and video to a social network in one step. Windows Phone 7 Series also brings together a user’s photos by integrating with the Web and PC, making the phone the ideal place to view a person’s entire picture and video collection.
• Games. This hub delivers the first and only official Xbox LIVE experience on a phone, including Xbox LIVE games, Spotlight feed and the ability to see a gamer’s avatar, Achievements and gamer profile. With more than 23 million active members around the world, Xbox LIVE unlocks a world of friends, games and entertainment on Xbox 360, and now also on Windows Phone 7 Series.
• Music + Video. This hub creates an incredible media experience that brings the best of Zune, including content from a user’s PC, online music services and even a built-in FM radio into one simple place that is all about music and video. Users can turn their media experience into a social one with Zune Social on a PC and share their media recommendations with like-minded music lovers. The playback experience is rich and easy to navigate, and immerses the listener in the content.
• Marketplace. This hub allows the user to easily discover and load the phone with certified applications and games.
• Office. This hub brings the familiar experience of the world’s leading productivity software to the Windows Phone. With access to Office, OneNote and SharePoint Workspace all in one place, users can easily read, edit and share documents. With the additional power of Outlook Mobile, users stay productive and up to date while on the go.

…

Official Site: Windows Phone 7 Series
Press Release: Microsoft Unveils Windows Phone 7 Series
More Information: Windows Phone Press Kit
YouTube: Windows Phone Channel

Conducted across eight Asia-Pacific markets (Australia, China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and Taiwan), the second quarterly Digital Brand Index (DBI 2.0) continues to unveil insights about; the most discussed brands online, the most active channels and the subject areas that spark the most vibrant debate.

Researched during the last three months of 2009, DBI 2.0 found almost 1.5 million online technology brand mentions – double the level tracked in DBI 1.0, conducted July to September 2009. Other key findings from DBI 2.0 include:

• Mentions of large technology brands online doubled in the last quarter of 2009, reaching 1.5 million across Asia Pacific’s top 300 large technology brands, covering almost 3,800 channels and online sites.
• Twitter’s massive growth trajectory has seen it become the dominant channel for sharing news about technology brands across Asia, except in China where it is banned. For example, in India, Twitter represents over three-quarters of all online conversations tracked.
• Despite massive online buzz generated by Microsoft around Windows 7, Google continued to be the most discussed brand across the region, generating significant mentions in areas such as its Chrome and Android operating systems, and the Nexus One smart phone.

Developed by Edelman and derived from Brandtology data, the second quarterly Digital Brand Index (DBI 2.0) for Singapore found:

• Google (over 20,600) and SingTel (over 13,700) topped the rankings by way of volume of conversations, with increases of 245 per cent and 50 per cent in the last quarter respectively
• StarHub closed the gap on SingTel, enjoying a 137.3 per cent increase in online buzz
• Canon (4.3) once again topped the Average Engagement scoreboard, ahead of LG (3.3)
• The centre of gravity for online conversation regarding technology brands in Singapore was once again dominated Hardwarezone Forum, Eat, Drink, Man, Woman (37,043 mentions) and Twitter Singapore (20,643). The channels combined accounted for over one third (37.2 per cent) of all chatter
• StarHub knocked SingTel from the top spot in the Channel Index, which reveals the number of unique channels discussing a brand

Source: Twitter Leapfrogs Established Digital News Sources finds the Asia Pacific Quarterly Digital Brand Index

Google launches its own phone called the Nexus One. However before that, there are so many leak pictures, videos, specifications and even the official website was leaked for a while. I think it can be considered the most leaked phone of 2009 or perhaps the most leaked mobile phone.

Pricing & Availability

• USD$529 (without contract)
• USD$179 (with 2 years contract from T-Mobile USA)

Verizon Wireless in the US and Vodafone in Europe plan to bring in the Nexus One as well during Spring 2010. The Nexus One will ship to three international market at the moment, UK, Singapore, and Hong Kong.

Shipping To Singapore
If you are living in Singapore and interested to get the Nexus One, here is the price breakdown for you:

• Nexus One phone (without contract): USD$529
• AC Adapter (Singapore): USD$19.99
• DHL International (Shipping & Handling): USD$28.32
• Total: USD$577.31 or SGD$806.10 (USD$1 = SGD$1.3963)
• After adding in 7% GST: SGD$862.52

Hardware Specifications

• Display: 3.7″ AMOLED 480×800 WVGA display
• Thinness: 11.5mm; Weight: 130g
• Processor/Speed: Qualcomm Snapdragon 3G QSD8250 chipset, delivering speeds up to 1GHz
• Camera: 5 megapixel auto focus with flash and geo tagging
• Onboard memory: 512MB Flash, 512MB RAM
• Expandable memory: 4GB removable SD Card (expandable to 32GB)
• Noise Suppression: Dynamic noise suppression from Audience, Inc.
• Ports: 3.5mm stereo headphone jack with four contacts for inline voice and remote control
• Battery: Removable 1400 mAh
• Personalized laser engraving: Up to 50 characters on the back of the phone
• Trackball: Tri-color notification LED, alerts when new emails, chats, text messages arrive

Software Innovation

• Google Maps Navigation: offering turn-by-turn driving directions with voice output.
• Email: multiple Gmail accounts; universal inbox and Exchange support.
• Phone book: aggregate contacts from multiple sources, including Facebook.
• Quick Contacts: easily switch between communication and social applications.
• Android Market: access to more than 18,000 applications.
• Enter text without typing.
• Use a voice-enabled keyboard for all text fields: speak a text message, instant message, tweet, Facebook update, or complete an email.
• Tell your phone what you want it to do.
• Search Google, call contacts, or get driving directions by just speaking into your phone.
• Take personalization to the next level.
• Dynamic, interactive, live wallpapers react to the touch of a finger.
• More widgets and five home screen panels allow for further device customization.
• Capture camera-quality pictures and video with your device.
• 5 megapixel camera includes LED flash, auto focus, zoom, white balance and color effects.
• View pictures and Picasa Web Albums in the new 3D Gallery.
• Record Hi-Res MPEG4 video, and then upload to YouTube with one click.
• Read your voicemail messages.
• Get transcribed voicemail with Google Voice integration, without changing your number.

Video

Links

• View: Nexus One Official Homepage
• Buy: Nexus One
• Press Release: Google Offers New Model for Consumers to Buy a Mobile Phone
• Video: Nexus One Videos
• Image: Nexus One Press Photos

SingTel and INQ brings multi-tasking INQ Chat 3G with Facebook and Twitter integration to Singapore
Affordable 3G Social Mobile with QWERTY keypad and Twitter updates directly to the home screen, plus SingTel’s award winning AMPed music service.
SingTel offers phone at S$0 with enhanced data bundled mobile plan

Singapore – 17 December, 2009 – SingTel and INQ Mobile will be bringing in the much anticipated INQ Chat 3G, the first QWERTY mobile from INQ and one of the world’s most unique phones – to Singapore.
The INQ Chat 3G brings updates from Twitter directly to the homescreen and offers push Gmail. It also offers consumers the chance to switch between different applications with one click – thanks to
its ‘Switcher’ key conveniently located on the side of the phone.

This is SingTel’s second exclusive INQ phone and will be available on 19 December 2009 for as low as $0 if customers subscribe to a 3G Flexi Lite-AMPed Plan which costs $39 monthly and now comes power- packed with free data of up to 12 GB with a $30 price cap on data usage. SingTel’s 3G Flexi Lite-AMPed Plan complements the INQ Chat 3G’ functionalities of a phone without a hefty price tag that comes with simple applications for customers to use their mobile phones as social network devices.

To complete the social networking experience, SingTel customers will also enjoy free six months subscription on SingTel’s IM on Mobile service and SingTel’s award winning AMPed music service free with selected mobile plans. AMPed, which won the coveted award “Best Mobile Music Service” at the GSMA’s Asia Mobile Awards 2009, offers an unsurpassed social music experience with the first-of-its-kind mobile music service in Asia that goes beyond offering free unlimited music downloads and daily music news.

INQ CEO, Mr Frank Meehan, said: “We’ve upped the ante with this phone. It’s got the multitasking and ease of use that INQ is known for combined with a qwerty keyboard that’s fantastic for people doing a lot of emailing or messaging.”

Mr Shane Da Silva, SingTel Vice-President Consumer Sales, said: “The social networking trend is unstoppable and this unique phone allows users a one-click access to popular social networks while on the move. This unique product, coupled with SingTel’s innovative services, will address the needs of customers who want to stay in touch and connected with family and friends anytime, anyplace.”

INQ phones are rated as one of the ‘top 10 gadgets for social media junkies’ by Mashable.

The INQ Chat 3G comes complete with an expanded suite of INQ applications and features:

• Facebook, email, and Twitter are ‘always on’ and accessible with one-click from the home screen; a login to any application is required only once.
• Customers can receive instant Facebook and Twitter updates on the home screen.
• A new email client incorporating push Gmail.
• The integrated message inbox includes pokes and updates from Facebook, and direct messages from Twitter.
• A built-in GPS capability allowing customers to easily access Google Maps.
• Seamless media syncing with Macs and PCs. The software, powered by doubleTwist, synchronise music from iTunes and Windows Media Player straight to the phone. Unlike most other synchronise solutions, the media sync doesn’t require customers to give up using their favourite media player on their computer. It also allows users to synchronise videos and photos.

For more information on phone features, click on www.singtel.com/INQ.

I have gotten the review unit in my hands, shall review it after I get back from Hong Kong.

Finally! Street View on Google Maps has landed on our shores, been waiting for years for this!

Singapore, December 2, 2009 – Google today announced the launch of Street View in Singapore, allowing users to view and navigate 360 degree street-level imagery of Singapore. Taken by Street View cars along all public roads earlier this year, the imagery includes iconic locations like Orchard Road, Marina Bay and Clarke Quay; cultural areas like Chinatown, Little India and Kampong Glam; and the heartland like Tampines, Jurong and Woodlands. In addition to viewing the images on your PC, Street View can be accessed on your mobile phone, meaning you now have a virtual photo-based street guide of Singapore in your pocket. See it for yourself at maps.google.com.sg.

First launched in May 2007, Street View is hugely popular worldwide and is available in more than 100 metropolitan areas around the world. Singapore is the first country in Southeast Asia to get Street View and the fourth country in Asia Pacific after Japan, Australia and New Zealand.

In areas where Street View is available, you can access street-level imagery by zooming into the lowest level on Google Maps, or by dragging the orange “Pegman” icon on the left-hand side of the map onto a blue highlighted street. You can check out a restaurant before arriving, make travel plans, arrange meeting points, get a helping hand with geography homework, or just explore and get to know Singapore better. The coolest way to use Street View is on smartphones so users can do all of this fun stuff on-the-go, anytime, anywhere.

Organisations can also benefit from the Street View technology by putting a business listing on Google Maps for free or embedding Google Maps directly into their websites at no charge. The street-level imagery of their location can help them to promote and increase awareness of their business – whether its a chain of restaurants, a library, a local attraction or even a new hotel. For more tips and videos about using Street View in Singapore, visit maps.google.com.sg/streetview.

Andrew McGlinchey, Google’s Head of Product Management in Southeast Asia said, “Street View has been hugely popular with our Google Maps users worldwide so we’re thrilled to extend our Street View coverage to Singapore. Imagine all the great uses of Street View here, from promoting tourist hotspots to hunting for property to educating students about historic buildings, and of course, getting directions and searching for businesses. Street View will allow locals and visitors to visit places in Singapore they may not have had a chance to experience before.”

Our launch partner, the Singapore Tourism Board (STB), is very pleased with Street View’s ability to showcase some of Singapore’s best-loved tourist attractions and hidden gems to a global audience. Said Mr Ken Low, Assistant Chief Executive (Marketing), STB, “STB is very excited by Street View’s marketing potential as it will further raise Singapore’s prominence and reach through the Internet. People unfamiliar with Singapore can now get a first look at our city. The convenience of Google Maps, and the Street View feature, will give people from anywhere in the world a much better idea and picture of what Singapore looks like, and what it has to offer and we welcome private sector initiatives such as these which help us add value to our visitors’ experiences.”

Singaporean businesses and organizations keen to leverage Street View

Many other Singaporean businesses and organisations have already identified significant opportunities for Street View to be used in travel, tourism, house buying and renting, education and helping make small businesses easier to find.

Chris Robb, Managing Director of Spectrum Worldwide, OCBC Cycle Singapore event owner and organiser said, “Spectrum Worldwide and OCBC Cycle Singapore are thrilled to be the first local sporting event to use Google Street View to provide participants with the ability to virtually cycle the routes before event day. Street View will also give OCBC Cycle Singapore supporters an opportunity to find vantage points and see what the cyclists will tackle in March next year.”

Patrick Grove, Executive Chairman, iProperty.com Group said, “We welcome the opportunity to incorporate Street View on our website with the potential of providing a whole new approach for property search in Singapore for our users. Street View could benefit users in selecting the relevant properties to visit by providing detailed visual insights of the surrounding public transport, malls and other amenities. In short, the online property search process becomes less time-consuming, more informative, more efficient and most importantly resulting in smarter decisions made for your dream home.”

PropertyGuru’s Co-founder and Director Steve Melhuish said, “We are looking forward to having Street View on www.PropertyGuru.com.sg as it offers our users a new and unique way to view the location of properties and save time in their search. It’s an amazing tool that will allow our users to see each property and its surroundings and help them get a real feel for the area without having to physically be there. For those who are looking around to buy or rent a home in Singapore, the search just got easier!”

The winner of the Street View Trike online vote is…

Google and STB also announced the winners of the online poll in which the Singapore public voted for the best tourist attractions to be photographed by the Street View trike. Google received thousands of suggestions and votes over the past month and the top winner in each of the four voting categories are: Chinatown, Pagoda Street and Mosque Street for ‘Cultural Areas’; the Southern Ridge, Henderson Wave Bridge, Hort Park and Kent Ridge for ‘Hidden Gems’; Sentosa’s beaches and trails for ‘Natural Wonders’; and the Quays (Robertson, Clarke, Boat) and the Fullerton for ‘The City’.

And the top spot goes to… Sentosa, Asia’s favourite playground, which received the most number of votes to be hailed as Singapore’s most popular tourist attraction! These top voted locations will get a visit from the trike first while it is here in Singapore. The images it collects will later appear in Street View to help millions of Google users in Singapore and all over the world get a special view of some of Singapore’s famous attractions and inspire them to visit the attractions for themselves.

Privacy features built into Street View

Google has also gone to great lengths to safeguard privacy while allowing all Singaporean users to benefit from Street View. Street View only contains imagery that is already visible from public roads and features technology that blurs both faces and licence plates. In addition, any user can easily flag images for removal that he or she considers inappropriate by clicking on “Report a problem”. Google has consulted extensively with many privacy and community groups around the world in developing these privacy features and safeguards.

For more information, check out Press Release Site.

The lightup will start tonight at 7:30pm outside Wisma Atria’s INDOCHINE restaurant, on level 1. The world longest chain of light-sticks consisting of about 10,000 red light-sticks will stretch from SingTel’s Comcentre headquarters at Exeter Road through Skate-Park, Orchard Cineleisure, ION, Wisma Atria, Ngee Ann City, Heeren, Centrepoint, Plaza Singapura, Cathay Orchard, Singapore Management University, Raffles City, Esplanade, Collyer Quay, Keppel Road and Vivocity to Siloso Beach (Sentosa). That is about 8.09km long!

World’s Longest Chain Of Light-Sticks Beckons Singapore’s Youth To Come To Where The Bright Lights Dance – Singtel’s ZoukOut 2009

Singapore’s youth will feel the light on the night of the 20th of November, as most parts of the island frequented by young people will be draped in possibly the world’s longest chain of light-sticks. This unique and record-breaking installation is one of the highlights of SingTel’s on-going campaign for ZoukOut, which it is presenting for the fourth consecutive year.

The chain of close to 10,000 specially designed red light-sticks is about 8.09km long, and will stretch from SingTel’s Comcentre headquarters at Exeter Road through Skate-Park, Orchard Cineleisure, ION, Wisma Atria, Ngee Ann City, Heeren, Centrepoint, Plaza Singapura, Cathay Orchard, Singapore Management University, Raffles City, Esplanade, Collyer Quay, Keppel Road and Vivocity to Siloso Beach (Sentosa). Each light-stick bears an invite to “Come where the bright lights dance” at SingTel’s ZoukOut 2009.

The region’s biggest music and dance festival presented by SingTel, will take place on the 12th of December, 2009. Sentosa’s Siloso Beach will be rocked by the vibes of DJs such as Armin Van Buuren, Martin Solveig, Bob Sinclair, Ame and Kings of Tomorrow.

“SingTel is pleased to present ZoukOut 2009 for the fourth year running in partnership with Zouk. ZoukOut 2009 is an ideal platform for our customers to be entertained by world-class acts including an impressive line-up of international DJs. This partnership further demonstrates our commitment to reaching out to youths through music and entertaining lifestyle-related activities, and our customers can look forward to more similar events from us,” Ms Sarah Chua, Vice President of Consumer Marketing, SingTel, said.

“ZoukOut is a dusk to dawn event, and bright light-sticks are a common sighting amongst the partygoers. SingTel has hence decided on the deployment of brilliant light-sticks as the invitation to our young customers to the region’s biggest and wildest music & dance festival. At ZoukOut 2009, our customers can also look forward to more delightful surprises at the SingTel VIP zone,” Mr. Derrick Heng, Director of Segment Marketing & Communications, SingTel, said.

ZoukOut 2008 saw SingTel’s customers chilling out on board a specially erected VIP yacht. Customers can gain free entry to ZoukOut 2009 by signing up to any SingTel youth plan. SingTel customers also enjoy free-flow from 8-11pm at the VIP zone, which structure still remains a mystery.

LTA and Google collaborate to help travelers get to their destinations around Singapore faster and easier
Singapore is the first country in the world to launch a comprehensive range and nation-wide coverage of land travel planning tools, from walking to public transit to traffic, on Google Maps

Singapore, November 19, 2009 – With a daily public transport ridership of 6 million travelling by buses, taxi and trains; and more than 870,000 other vehicles on the roads in Singapore, commuters and motorists can now better plan their trips on Google Maps through a unique collaboration between Google and Singapore’s Land Transport Authority (LTA). Mapping, directions and route planning for various forms of land transport modes – from buses to trains to cars to even by walking – are now all available for free on Google Maps. Transit and traffic information are also available on mobile devices with Google Maps for Mobile, so commuters and motorists can check the latest updates to make route changes on-the-go.

Singapore is the first country in the world to provide this comprehensive range and nation-wide coverage of land transport options on Google’s global online map platform. Today at the Dhoby Ghaut MRT station, LTA’s Chief Executive, Mr Yam Ah Mee, and Google’s Geospatial Technologist, Mr Ed Parsons, launched this new service at maps.google.com.sg/transport.

Under this collaborative effort, LTA provided key transit and traffic information such as live traffic feeds and public bus/MRT routes and schedules. Google combined the high quality of LTA’s transit data, and worked with Quantum Inventions, a Singapore company, to integrate traffic data, on the popular and familiar user interface of Google Maps. The integration of LTA’s information on Google Maps complements existing LTA and third-party travel planning tools for commuters.

Whether a private car owner switching to go by bus or MRT, or a public transit rider choosing to drive or take a taxi, or even one of 10 million international visitors each year finding their way around, the Singapore public can now check all of their land transport options to make an informed decision on the quickest, most convenient route and method to reach their destinations. For example, each time a Google Maps user requests driving directions, the user will be given the opportunity to plan the same trip using public transit – a useful option when the driving route is highlighted as red or experiencing heavy congestion.

“In line with LTA’s vision for a people-centred public transport system, we have launched several initiatives to help commuters better manage their travel time, transfers, and make more informed transport decisions. Recent initiatives include PublicTransport@SG which has received good responses of 679,000 average page views monthly,” said Mr Yam Ah Mee, Chief Executive, LTA. “The collaboration with Google is another step in this direction to make it even easier for the public to plan their trips with transit and traffic information on Google Maps, whether travelling to their nearest shopping mall or across the island to their favourite eating joint.”

“Google’s goal is to bring LTA’s accurate, comprehensive land transport information together on a global mapping platform for easy access, search and use on PCs and mobile phones by millions of Singaporeans and Google Maps users around the world,” said Mr Ed Parsons, Geospatial Technologist, Google. “Google Maps seeks to provide users with tools to help them explore the world around them and working with LTA to improve the daily lives of Singaporeans is an example of how Google can partner with government agencies to serve the public on a national scale.”

Mapplets increase usefulness of Google Maps

Mapplets are useful mini-applications developed by third parties that can be added directly on to Google Maps Singapore. With just a single click of the mouse, users can customize their Google Maps by adding useful tools created just for Singapore.

The three highlighted mapplets on the left navigation panel on maps.google.com.sg are incidents, ERP locations/rates, and cycle routes (from National Parks Board). The incidents mapplet is based on LTA data and displays real-time traffic incidents, constructions, and road closures island-wide. If the traffic looks sluggish, you can find out what is causing it by clicking on the pin to get additional details such as when and where the incident happened.

Other Singapore mapplets can be found in the My Maps directory including petrol station finder, carpark finder, highway cameras and more.

More Information at the press release site, http://sites.pressatgoogle.com/sgtransport/ or visit Google Maps Singapore to have a feel of it.

Brother today launches three new P-Touch labellers. My first labeller was from Brother I think back in the early 2000s. I used it to label my books and electrical switches.

Singapore, 18th November 2009 – Brother International Singapore, a leader in home and business IT peripherals that focuses on the ‘Customer-First’ approach, announced today the launch of new P-Touch labellers. Compromising of three models, (PT-90, PT-1090 and PT-1290), the new series features enhanced “Deco Mode”, easy-to-use function keys and have simple chic designs.

“The new P-Touch series adds a creative and fun touch to traditional labelling. Easy to handle thanks to an enhanced look, these three labellers are designed for everyone to get organised in their own style.” said Mr Takeo Shimazu, Managing Director, Brother International Singapore Pte Ltd.

Brother’s new labellers are versatile and can meet personal, family and businesses labelling needs. The PT-90 has a changeable faceplate and compact body and is useful for anyone looking for a handy organiser that will allow them to tag and personalise their items and documents. The PT-1090 is great for those in the electrical or technical industries as the machine has a specific function for easy labelling of wires and cables. It also appeals to homemakers who need to add date and time to their labels to keep track on the shelf span of food items. The elegant-looking PT-1290 will suit home offices and businesses as they come with business design formats and two font options for a professional output.

These new electronic labelling P-Touch series comes with multiple “Deco Mode” label formatting options, font styles and symbols that enable users to create original labels. Specific models offer up to 15 deco modes and 178 attractive symbols on a large screen (from 12 to 15 characters display) for easy viewing and editing of text.

The new series also features efficient and easy-to-use functions keys. PT-1090’s cable labelling as well as time & date modes are directly accessible on the control panel and allow convenient and time-saving print flag labelling. Also available in each labeller’s menu are function short-cuts that allow quick access to editing tools such as style, auto format, size, memory, etc. All three models are battery-operated for an optimal portability and convenient use. Optional power adapters are also available for purchase for PT-1090 and PT-1290.

For outdoor labelling, the durable TZ tapes are used for PT-1090 and PT-1290. These TZ tapes can withstand water, scratches and extreme heat.

All P-Touch series comes with a 1-year carry-in warranty with a starting price from $39.90.

PT-90

PT-90 (SGD$39.90)

Personalise while you organise

• 8 Deco Mode formats for more creative labelling
• 12-character display
• 3 changeable faceplates
• Attractive new symbols
• Compact body

PT-1090

PT-1090 (SGD$49.90)

Organise your family and home products

• 12 Deco Mode formats for creative labelling
• 12-character large display
• “Cable Labelling” function key
• “Time & Date” function key
• 178 attractive symbols

PT-2090

PT-1290 (SGD$69.90)

Add a professional touch to your business

• 15 Deco Mode formats for creative labeling with professional formats in deco mode
• 12-character display
• 2 new fonts available
• Memory to store up to 9 label designs

Acer neoTouch and beTouch E100 will be exclusive to SingTel customers. The next generation Windows Mobile touchscreen interface supports hundreds of Microsoft-certified mobile apps

Singapore, 9 October 2009 – SingTel and Acer today jointly announced the Singapore launch of Acer’s first Windows phones, Acer neoTouch and beTouch E100, exclusive to SingTel customers from 17 October 2009. They will be among the first in the world to enjoy both smartphones, which run the new Windows Mobile 6.5.

These two phones will be the first of Acer’s second generation 2009 models to be launched in Singapore. The devices continue Acer’s goal to break down the barrier between technology and people, and form a cornerstone in the company’s strategy towards becoming a leader in the ‘mobility market’.

“The neoTouch is Acer’s flagship smartphone model of 2009 and will spearhead our highly anticipated range of devices that will be launched in the fourth quarter,” said Mr Roger Yuen, Vice President Asia Pacific, Smart Handheld Business Group of Acer Inc. “We are very excited about this partnership with SingTel. With neoTouch’s powerful 1GHz processor, we see this as a perfect fit for SingTel’s customers who want a mobile device that can meet their need for speed and real-time internet access. The other device we are launching exclusively with SingTel is the beTouch E100. This device is a great, intuitive smartphone that allows people to network with their friends on Facebook, Flickr and Instant Messaging. It is the perfect device for the young who are tech savvy and demand connectivity with their contacts on the go.”

He added, “We are confident that the neoTouch and beTouch E100 will be highly appealing to tech-savvy SingTel customers who are looking to upgrade from a feature phone.”

“We are pleased to partner Acer on this exclusive launch of the latest Windows phones. The next generation features like My Phone syncing service and Windows Marketplace for Mobile, coupled with its high-speed processor will allow our customers to enjoy an integrated and richer mobile experience, similar to that on a PC,” said Mr Shane Da Silva, SingTel’s Vice President of Consumer Sales.

“In addition, customers will enjoy a differentiated and hassle-free Windows phone experience with SingTel’s one-stop Windows Mobile Support where they can call a centralised hotline for enquiries and assistance. With SingTel’s MobileM@il Exchange service, bundled with 1GB data and PHONESafe security service, customers can have peace-of-mind while surfing to their heart’s content,” added Mr Da Silva.

Pricing, availability and promotions
Customers who purchase any of the two phones will enjoy the following:

• Sign up for MobileM@il Exchange 1GB at $9.95/month (50 percent discount off normal subscription of $19.90/month). The data plan comes with 1GB of bundled data, allowing customers to surf the Internet and access their emails on-the-go affordably. MobileM@il Exchange customers will also enjoy free access to PHONESafe service, a mobile phone security solution that allows customers to lock their handsets and backup important data remotely.
• Customers who purchase the phones with any of SingTel’s Youth plans will enjoy free IM on Mobile for 12 months, PHONESafe for 6 months and 50 per cent discount for BroadBand on Mobile Plus (1GB) (normal subscription is $19.90/month). This is on top of the youth perks of Free Unlimited SMS (to any service provider) and Free Camp / Campus Calls.

neoTouch and beTouch 100 will be available for pre-ordering at https://www.singtelshop.com/ from 10 October, Saturday. Both phones will be sold island-wide from 17 October 2009 at SingTel Shops, hello! stores, selected SingTel Exclusive retailers and its online store, www.singtelshop.com.

About Acer neoTouch
The Acer neoTouch is an iconic product that brings together performance and style. The flagship Acer smartphone promises high speed Internet connectivity and processing – providing a full PC experience on a mobile handset. It runs on the new Windows Mobile 6.5 platform which was officially unveiled on 7 October, and the Qualcomm Snapdragon chip which allows for up-to-double processing speed over current industry standards. It is anticipated to be a leader in the Windows phone arena and is a fully touch-operated smartphone that will provide seamless user-experience.

The neoTouch will appeal to the top range of smartphone users who want a light and convenient device that can function seamlessly as a PC (Personal Computer), employing both leisure and business applications. Pragmatic users who value a reliable smartphone that is effective and efficient, will also be attracted to the neoTouch, particularly for its ability to access and manipulate word processing and spreadsheet applications.

About Acer beTouch E100

The beTouch E100, also known as the ‘C1′, will appeal to both feature phone users looking to upgrade to a smartphone, and customers looking for a fresh and bold design. With a variety of colours to choose from, the beTouch E100 features a large touch screen with Acer’s intuitive user interface, a whooping 3.2″ touch screen and a 5-way navigation wheel.

The beTouch E100 comes in white, and customers can choose battery covers that come in lime green, red or pink to further personalize their phones. This phone will be especially appealing for the youth who want a smartphone that is trendy and easy to use.

Photos of the Acer neoTouch and the Acer beTouch E100 are available at http://www.flickr.com/photos/acer_smartphones

Press Release: SingTel launches Acer’s new Windows Phones
GSM ArenaAcer neoTouch S200
GSM ArenaAcer beTouch E100

Yet another first from SingTel. SingTel first in Asia to launch INQ Mini 3G, the ultimate 3G social networking mobile phone.

Singapore Telecommunications Limited (SingTel) and INQ Mobile today announced that SingTel mobile customers will soon become the first in Asia and among the first in the world to get their hands on the ultimate 3G social mobile phone, the new INQ Mini 3G.

The innovative phone is exclusive to SingTel customers in Singapore and will hit the stores on 19 September 2009. The launch of the new INQ Mini 3G follows the global success of the first INQ Mobile phone, INQ1, which was named ‘Handset of the Year’ at the 2009 Mobile World Congress.

The much-awaited INQ Mini 3G by the social networking communities around the world boasts a ‘carousel-style’ menu with one-click access to popular social networking applications such as Facebook and Twitter. The phone is also customised to offer SingTel users a complete social experience on the move with instant access to AMPed, SingTel’s social music service, IM on Mobile and inSing.com, SingTel’s one-stop information portal.

Mr Yuen Kuan Moon, SingTel’s Executive Vice President of Consumer, said: “SingTel is pleased to partner INQ and be the first in Asia to bring the INQ Mini 3G exclusively to our customers. The device complements our efforts to transform SingTel into an integrated multimedia solutions company, helping to strengthen our foothold in the social networking space, especially with the youths who are active users of Facebook and Twitter. We believe that INQ’s unique features provide an ideal platform for our customers to enjoy a social music experience and at the same time always stay connected to their communities.”

INQ Mini 3G: Innovative features that strengthen SingTel’s leadership in the multimedia and social mobile space

The INQ Mini 3G is the first social mobile phone to be fully integrated with Facebook, offering ‘always on’, one-click access to this popular social networking application, as well as Twitter. It also merges contacts on the mobile phone and Facebook to create the world’s first ‘live’ address book. Customers will see the caller’s latest Facebook profile picture with every incoming call. Another impressive feature is that the main Inbox will contain separate folders for Facebook messages, pokes and requests, as well as emails and SMS, all on the same page.

Customers can multitask easily with the user-friendly INQ Mini 3G to access popular social networking services such as Twitter, email and instant messenger using its Switcher feature. They can view updates 24/7 with the ‘always on’ feature by simply logging in just once to these applications and staying connected even when the phone is powered off.

INQ Mini 3G is pre-installed with the popular Twitter service. With the ‘always on’ feature, Twitter fans will enjoy a one-click tweeting experience and can tweet and retweet via the Internet rather than sending an SMS.

And the light-weight INQ Mini 3G offers all these impressive application-rich capabilities at a fraction of the price of other smartphones.

Mr Frank Meehan, Chief Executive Officer of INQ, said: “We are very excited to be bringing the INQ revolution to Singapore with a world class, innovative partner, SingTel. INQ’s social mobiles represent a real breakthrough; easy-to-use, high speed 3G handsets created to make Internet communications services accessible for everyone.”

Mr Yuen added: “The online community has been waiting for the right mobile phone – function, form factor and price – that can meet their social networking needs while on the move. INQ Mini 3G packs a punch with its novel features and delivers the ultimate social mobile experience to our customers, especially with INQ’s complete integration with Facebook – a world’s first. SingTel is making it very easy and attractive for everyone to network and even download their favourite music with AMPed on their INQ mobile device.”

“Are you INQ?” marketing campaign

Last month, SingTel organised a design competition to encourage budding artists and designers to express themselves freely. Contestants had to design works based on Singapore life and incorporate interesting elements of social and music activities. The two-week competition received over 60 entries, some of which will be incorporated into the advertising campaign for the INQ Mini 3G on SingTel.

To complete the social mobile experience, customers who sign up for selected mobile plans can enjoy free AMPed and IM on Mobile services.

Pricing details will be announced on 19 September 2009 when the phone goes on sale at SingTel Shops, hello! stores and exclusive retailers island-wide.

Official Site: Singtel INQ
Official Site: INQ Mobile