Saleh Fareed

Saudi Gazette

 

BERLIN —Samsung announced here on Wednesday three new Android-powered devices that will become part of its mobile arsenal: smartphone and tablet versions of its Galaxy Note series and a much-anticipated smart watch marking the company's biggest step into the wearable computing segment.



Samsung fans staying in other parts of the world did not miss the unveiling program as the company was streaming live coverage of the event online.



Samsung unpacked event kicked off in Berlin, Germany and was streamed live in various online sites. New York citizens had the privilege to watch the live program on the giant screen at the city's iconic landmark Times Square.



While introducing the new products in front of thousands of technology experts, Samsung partners and a large number of media representatives from all over the world, JK Shin, head of Samsung Mobile Communications, said the company's latest products will be in more than 140 countries starting on Sept. 25, including Saudi Arabia.



Speaking about the new Galaxy Note 3, Samsung’s CEO said: “We introduced the original Galaxy Note in 2011 and launched a whole new smart device category. The undeniable success of the Galaxy ANote strengthened our conviction that consumers want higher quality features for smart devices and they want those new features to make their lives better.”



While demonstrating the new product, he said “Samsung Galaxy Note 3 is a powerful, original approach that enables users to tell the stories of their lives through dynamic and seamless expressions of their passions across work, play and life experiences. With a simple click of the S Pen button, users can unlock opportunities for self-expression, features that transform everyday activities into extraordinary events and access to new experiences delivered to them on Note 3’s larger screen.”



He explained that Samsung Galaxy Note 3 comes with a wider (5.7inch) full HD Super AMOLED display, yet slimmer (8.3mm) and lighter (168g) hardware design, and more powerful and longer lasting (3,200mAh) battery. Also, equipped with a 13 megapixel rear camera with Smart Stabilization and high CRI LED flash.



Later on, Menno Van Den Berg, VP of Samsung Electronics Netherlands, gave more details of Note 3 and focused mostly on the colors, accessories and craftsmanship.



David Park of Samsung Electronics’ marketing team highlighted the new S-Pen features, including Air Command. He said: “By hovering the S-Pen over the screen and clicking its button, you now get access to a radial menu featuring a few new features designed to leverage the Note 3 is giant screen and handy power.”



The second attraction of the Samsung event was the smartwatch Galaxy Gear, “Samsung’s ongoing smart device innovation leadership reflects our commitment to listen to our consumers, who want their daily lives to be easier and more enjoyable. Samsung Galaxy Gear benefits consumers by integrating smart device technology even deeper into their everyday lives, and bridges the gap between the mobile device and fashion worlds to create truly wearable technology,” said JK Shin.



Pranav Mistry, the head of the Think Tank Team, said as he was introducing the new Galaxy Gear ““Galaxy Gear is tomorrow’s state-of-the-art.” He noted that It all connects to the new Galaxy Note 3 via Bluetooth 4.0, but Samsung is promising that the Gear Manager app will be compatible with other devices like the Galaxy S4 and other Note devices in due time.



He added “Samsung Galaxy Gear frees users from the need to constantly check their smart devices while maintaining connections. It provides what we call ‘smart freedom,’ by allowing users to choose how, why, when and where they are connected.”



Samsung Galaxy Gear lets users to live in the moment while staying connected to their Samsung Galaxy devices. It notifies users of incoming messages, such as calls, texts, emails and alerts, delivers a preview of those messages and creates the opportunity for users to accept or discreetly ignore those messages. When an incoming message requires more than a quick glance, users can simply pick up their Samsung Galaxy devices and the Smart Relay feature will instantly reveal the full content on the screen.



A third, more unexpected announcement from Samsung was its newest tablet, the updated Galaxy Note 10.1 for 2014. The device has been re-sized from previous generations, and has built numerous new applications.



Speaking to the Gazette, Qusai Mukhtar, Samsung PR Manager Saudi Arabia, said “we are expecting to launch the new products in Saudi Arabia at the end of this month and the much anticipated products will be available next month.”