Samsung Galaxy SIII will be available in Singapore from Wednesday, 30th May 2012. It will be retailing for SGD$998 (including taxes & without contract) at all 3 operators (SingTel, M1, StarHub) in Singapore.

Preorders will begin the day before on Tuesday, 29th May 2012. For M1, the launch event is at M1 Shop Paragon on the 29th May 2012 from 9pm till 12am. StarHub will also start from 9pm on the 29th at their shops but only for customers who have indicated their interest with them previously.

At launch time only the Marble White will be available. The Pebble Blue will be available at a later date.

Samsung Galaxy SIII – Marble White

In case you are unaware, Samsung announced Samsung Galaxy SIII which is the successor to the Galaxy SII and their flagship mobile phone at Samsung Mobile Unpacked 2012 yesterday in London.

Samsung provided a live stream to the event but apparently the NDA for the Samsung Galaxy SIII of those major tech sites was lifted right before the event. So it is weird to see so much details of the phone even before the person went up on stage to officially announced it.

I am pretty disappointed with the design of the phone, is just doesn’t look nice (I think even my Samsung Galaxy Nexus looks better), but of couse the HTC One X is still the better looking one. Two colors will be available and they are Pebble Blue and Marble White.

The screen is huge at 4.8″ with HD Super AMOLE providing a resolution of 1280×720 which gives you about 306ppi (iPhone 4/4S is about 326ppi, iPad 3 is about 264ppi). Some other notable features include the use of microSIM as well as microSD expansion slot for up to 64GB of external space.

Similar to the HTC One Series, Samsung has partnered with Dropbox to provide extra 50GB worth of Dropbox storage for 2 years (worth USD$198) for the owners of the Samsung Galaxy SIII.

Samsung have a clone of Apple’s Siri but they called it the S Voice, and it even allows you to use your voice to pick up an incoming call. Samsung Galaxy SIII also includes a facial recognition feature to zoom and track a person’s face using the camera.

According to the press release, the Samsung Galaxy SIII will be available in Singapore from Q2 2012. I am guessing it will be available around End May 2012.

Highlights

• Features a 4.8 inch HD Super AMOLED display for a vivid viewing experience and an 8MP camera and 1.9MP front camera which offer a variety of intelligent camera features and face recognition related options that ensure all moments are captured easily and instantly
• Powered by Android™ 4.0, Ice Cream Sandwich to greatly enhance usability and practicality to make life easier
• Features ‘Smart stay’ which recognizes how the phone is being used i.e. the front camera identifies the eyes by maintaining a bright display for continued viewing pleasure
• Features ‘S Voice’, the advanced natural language user interface, to listen and respond to words, allowing information search and basic device-user communication through voice commands
• The ‘Buddy photo share’ function and the new ‘S Beam’ allow for instant and easy sharing of photos and videos among friends and family
• Features the ‘Pop up play’, which boost performance and the overall user experience by allowing users to play a video anywhere on the screen while simultaneously running other tasks, eliminating the need to close and restart videos when checking new emails or surfing the Web.

Specifications

• Network: 2.5G (GSM/ GPRS/ EDGE): 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 MHz3G (HSPA+ 21Mbps): 850 / 900 / 1900 / 2100 MHz
• Processor: Samsung Exynos 4 Quad (1.4GHz quad-core processor)
• RAM: 1GB
• Display: 4.8 inch HD Super AMOLED (1280×720) display
• OS: Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich)
• Camera (Rear): 8 Mega pixel Auto Focus camera with Flash & Zero Shutter Lag, BSI
• Camera (Front): 1.9 Mega pixel camera, HD recording @30fps with Zero Shutter Lag, BSI
• Video Codec: MPEG4, H.264, H.263, DivX, DivX3.11, VC-1, VP8, WMV7/8, Sorenson Spark Recording & Playback: Full HD (1080p)
• Audio Codec: MP3, AMR-NB/WB, AAC/AAC+/eAAC+, WMA, OGG, FLAC, AC-3, apt-X
• Additional Features:
  • S Beam, Buddy photo share, Share shot
  • AllShare Play, AllShare Cast
  • Smart stay, Social tag, Group tag, Face zoom, Face slide show
  • Direct call, Smart alert, Tap to top, Camera quick access
  • Pop up play
  • S Voice
  • Burst shot & Best photo, Recording snapshot, HDR
• Connectivity: WiFi a/b/g/n, WiFi HT40, GPS/GLONASS, NFC, Bluetooth 4.0(LE)
• Sensor: Accelerometer, RGB light, Digital compass, Proximity, Gyro, Barometer
• Memory: 16/32/64GB internal storage options + microSD slot (up to 64GB)
• Dimension: 136.6 x 70.6 x 8.6 mm
• Weight: 133g
• Battery: 2,100 mAh

Official Site (Singapore): Samsung Galaxy SIII

Samsung Galaxy SIII – Marble White

Samsung Galaxy SIII – Marble White (Back)

Samsung Galaxy S3 – Pebble Blue

Samsung Galaxy S3 – Pebble Blue (Back)

I have problems finding MHL cables in Singapore for my Galaxy Nexus. MHL stands for Mobile High-Definition Link and here is the definition from Wikipedia:

Mobile High-Definition Link (MHL) is a proposed industry standard for a mobile audio/video interface for directly connecting mobile phones and other portable consumer electronics (CE) devices to high-definition televisions (HDTVs) and displays. The MHL standard features a single cable with a low pin-count interface able to support up to 1080p high-definition (HD) video and digital audio while simultaneously charging the connected device.

It is essentially a Micro USB to HDMI cable. Since I could not find it in Singapore, I tried sites like Deal Extreme and Amazon. The MHL cables being sold at Deal Extreme cost about USD$15 with free shipping which is not exactly that cheap. I saw one from Amazon (Samsung MHL to HDMI Adapter – Data Cable – Retail Packaging for AT&T SGH-i77 & T-Mobile SGH-T989) which apparently is made by Samsung and it cost only USD$17.58 (at that time I bought it) and shipping cost an additional USD$11.99. Ended up paying USD$29.57 (SGD$37.20) for it.

Placed my order on the 17th March 2012 and I received it on the 29th March 2012.

Samsung has a huge presence in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, much more than Apple. While I was in Kuala Lumpur for my birthday weekend, I went to the Samsung store in Plaza Low Yat and they are apparently selling it for about SGD$44.

The MHL cable comes with two ports, one for the HDMI cable and the other is a micro USB port for external power. For some reasons, the cable only works when I used the charger provided by my Galaxy Nexus package.

Once connected, your Galaxy Nexus will automatically be switched to landscape mode and your television will be mirroring the screen on your phone. Do note that the mirroring of your phone forces your television to use the resolution of your phone.

Samsung MHL Cable – Package

Samsung MHL Cable

Samsung MHL Cable – HDMI Port

Samsung MHL Cable – Micro USB Port

Samsung MHL Cable – Connected

Samsung MHL Cable – Connected To TV

Bought the Galaxy Nexus (White) from SingTel Shop at ComCenter on the 18th February 2012. Initally, the white color is only available online via SingTelShop.com. Since I am already at the physical store, so I thought no harm trying my luck to ask the Customer Service Officer (CSO) and to my surprise they have it in store at ComCenter! So those who wants white, take note of this!

I ported Li Xiang over from M1 to SingTel and she signed a 2-year 3G Flexi Lite contract which cost SGD$39 per month. After telecom subsidy, the phone cost SGD$488.

After playing with it for about a week, I kinda like the Galaxy Nexus which is powered by Android OS 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich). The interface is nice, smooth and quite consistent throughout the OS. Love the NFC feature which I use the app FareBot to check my EZ-Link card balance! Not forgetting I love the huge screen which makes my iPhone 4S screen looks small!

With regards to apps, Android Market is still not too bad, coming from an iOS guy, the only app (right now) that I wish they have it on Android (and Windows Phone 7) is Instagram!

Since Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2012 is around the corner, and Samsung Galaxy S3 is expected to be announced during that period, you might ask why not wait for Galaxy S3?

The reason why I decided not to wait for it, is because I hate to wait for OS upgrade (Google’s phone is always the fastest) and hate to have an additional UI on top of Android (I never like TouchWiz, Sense UI or whatever crap UI that the manufacturer installed). Rooting is an option but I would like to avoid it.

Overall I am pretty satisfied with this phone. The previous Android phone that I used was HTC Desire.

Galaxy Nexus Specifications

• Network: HSPA＋ 21Mbps/HSUPA 5.76Mbps 850/900/1900/1700/2100 EDGE/GPRS 850/900/1800/1900
• Processor: 1.2 GHz Dual Core Processor (OMAP 4460)
• Display: 4.65″ 1280×720 HD Super AMOLED
• OS: Android 4.0, Ice Cream Sandwich
• Main (Rear) Camera: 5 MP AF with LED Flash with zero shutter lag and fast shot2shot
• Sub (Front) Camera: 1.3MP for Video Call
• Connectivity: Bluetooth technology v 3.0, USB 2.0, Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n (2.4GHz/ 5GHz), NFC
• Sensor: Accelerometer, Compass, Gyro, Light, Proximity, Barometer
• Memory: 1GB(RAM) ＋ 16GB Internal memory
• Size: 135.5,, x 67.94,, x 8.94mm, 135g
• Battery: Standard battery, Li-on 1,750 mAh

Galaxy Nexus – Box

Galaxy Nexus – Box Open

Galaxy Nexus – Box Contents

Galaxy Nexus – Front

Galaxy Nexus – Back

Galaxy Nexus – 11th February 2012 – RRP: SGD$948

Galaxy Nexus

• World’s first smartphone running on Android™4.0, Ice Cream Sandwich, the latest release of the Android platform
• Features a 4.65″ HD Super AMOLED display at 720p resolution and an ultra-fast 1.2GHz dual core processor to take advantage of GALAXY Nexus’ enhanced multitasking capabilities
• Redesigned user interface with improved multi-tasking, notifications, Wi-Fi hotspot, NFC support and 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 are available

Official Link: Galaxy Nexus
Press Resource Link: Galaxy Nexus

Galaxy W – January 2012 – RRP: SGD$498

Galaxy W

• Ideal for those seeking a balance between style and performance
• Powered by a 1.4GHz dual core processor, the GALAXY W weighs just 114.7 grams
• Value-added features include Samsung’s Social Hub, Samsung Apps, Polaris Office, Android Market

Press Resource Link: Galaxy W

Omnia W – January 2012 – RRP: SGD$498

Omnia W

• First Samsung Smartphone based on the latest release of Microsoft’s Windows Phone, code-named Mango
• Sleek design with a metallic finish and a rich 3.7″ Super AMOLED display, ensuring photos and videos captured with the 5MP camera can be enjoyed with vivid clarity
• Enhanced Windows Phone usability including superior web browsing with integration of Internet Explorer 9 and Bing, and Office Hub that provides productivity on-the-go
• Samsung-exclusive productivity apps including Samsung AllShare that provides seamless content transfer between the smartphone and other DLNA-enabled devices such as HDTVs, monitors and digital cameras

Official Site: Omnia W
Press Resource Link: Omnia W

Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus – January 2012 – RRP: SGD$768

Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus

• With a 7-inch display and weighing just 345g and measuring only 9.96mm in thinness, GALAXY Tab 7.0 Plus provides enhanced portability and fits easily into a jacket pocket or handbag
• Offers voice and video call support, without the need for a headset, allowing users to catch up with friends and family from anywhere

Official Site: Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus
Press Resource Link: Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus

Galaxy Tab 7.7 – 11th February 2012 – RRP: SGD$898

Galaxy Tab 7.7

• World’s first tablet to feature the brilliant Super AMOLED Plus display technology that allows for a wider range of colours that make images incredibly vivid
• Powered by a 1.4GHz dual core processor, the GALAXY Tab 7.7 is one of the most portable devices available in the market, measuring only 7.89 millimeters in thinness and weighs 335 grams
• Samsung’s Hub Services – Game Hub, Readers Hub and Social Hub – offers easy access to content including games, eBooks and music; GALAXY Tab 7.7 is the first mobile tablet to include a pre-loaded Game Hub with easy social games delivered with lightning fast graphics

Official Site: Galaxy Tab 7.7