--By Sanjeev Sharma
Samsung, the Korean smartphone manufacturer seems to be adding a new definition of smartness with the latest line-up of its high-end gadgets. On October 4, Friday, International Marketing Services Pvt Ltd, the authorised distributor of Samsung Mobile in Nepal launched the highly anticipated gadgets - Samsung Galaxy Note 3 and Galaxy Gear smartwatch amid an event in Kathmandu.
Samsung Galaxy Note 3
The Galaxy Note 3 is the third in the line of Samsung's popular Note 'phablet' series. This time it has just become even more powerful and bigger. Powered by a 1.9 Ghz octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 processor along with 3 GB of RAM and Adreno 330 (N9005) GPU, the Galaxy Note 3 runs on Android 4.3 Jelly Bean with the latest Samsung Touchwiz UI overlay. The Samsung Galaxy Note 3 has a 5.7-inch Full HD display that comes with the latest edition of Samsung’s S-Pen stylus. The 1920x1080 resolution (386 pixel density) of Super AMOLED capacitive touchscreen displays vibrant colours giving sharp and crisp experience to the users. The sheer power of Note 3 turns the phablet into the most powerful smartphone available in the market till date. With these specs, users can easily do their computing needs including high-end mobile gaming and smart multitasking. The powerful processor and mammoth RAM size helps to instantly load apps with no noticeable lag. Though being a phablet, users won't feel it too large in their hands as the Note 3 is thin at just 8.9 mm and weighs around 168 grams.
The Note 3 sports 32 GB internal storage. The phablet also houses a micro SD card slot which can be used to expand the storage capacity up to 64 GB. The Note 3 comes with enhanced privacy and security protection provided by Samsung KNOX feature. Users can activate Samsung KNOX with ease which allows them to run and store security-sensitive applications and data inside a protected execution environment called "container." Furthermore, the phablet is equipped with an improved "Find My Mobile" feature that allows users to disable the phone when it is stolen or lost. The Note 3 sports USB 3.0 support, which makes transferring movies and music to the device much faster than most other smartphones. The phone has 4G LTE, Bluetooth 4.0, Wi-Fi, Near Field Communicator (NFC) and Infrared for internet and other kinds of connectivities.
The phablet also has decent power backup as it comes with a 3,200 mAh battery. The Note 3 houses a 13 megapixel camera at the back side which produces clean, colourful and sharp images in decent lighting. The camera is capable of capturing ultra high-definition 4K video. Similarly, for 3G calls the phablet sports a 2 MP front facing camera. The build quality of the phone is another striking feature. Unlike other smartphones with plastic back panels, Samsung has covered the back panel of Note 3 with leather which gives users a premium and exclusive feel. Samsung Galaxy Note 3 is priced at Rs 91,500 in Nepal.
Samsung Galaxy Gear
Another attraction of the launch event was Samsung Galaxy Gear smartwatch. The highly anticipated wearable gadget not only lived up to the hypes but also gave a glimpse of the changes occurring in the technology market. The Galaxy Gear seems to be changing the way of wearing wristwatch and managing the digital life of users in the near future. The stylish computerised watch allows users to check their e-mails, messages and take photos. The Gear also lets users make and take phone calls right from the wrist using a built-in speaker and microphone. The 1.64 inch Super AMOLED touch screen of the smartwatch has 320 x 320 pixels resolution with an image density of 277 ppi. It comes with an 800 Mhz processor, 4 GB internal storage and a 1.9 MP camera that is attached to the left side of hand strap. Samsung has linked the Gear with Galaxy Note 3. Galaxy Gear will notify users and give quick previews of incoming texts, e-mails and more from synced Note 3. Similarly, users can click videos and images from the Gear and transfer it to their Note 3 device via Bluetooth 4.0 connectivity. The Gear also sports an accelerometer and a gyroscope. This wearable computerised wristwatch carries a price tag of Rs 46,500 in the Nepali market.
