Samsung Galaxy Note 3 & Gear

1973 saw the very first mobile handset in action. It weighed 1 kilogram and cost around R40,000. Since a more commercially acceptable handset was developed in the late 80’s, cellphone subscribers grew from 12 million to over 6 billion to date. Which brings us to the invention of a great little gadget called the ‘Gear’. It’s part and parcel of the new Samsung Galaxy Note 3 and is going to change the way we use cellphones forever.

It’s a bit like Dick Tracy meets James Bond in this cloak & dagger scenario where you can now make phonecalls, receive and reply to text messages and even take photos & videos all by using this watch!

  

I’ve had the pleasure of using the phone & watch for the past week and it’s been just that. Let’s start with the phone. To be honest, it took me a few days to get round the interface. There are so many different pages, apps, news sources, system settings, a camera with about 10 different ways of taking pics, a new type of stylus, and so many different ways of personalizing your phone it’s really very hard as to know where to start. If you’re not patient, then forget it…stick with an iPhone. However, if you’re up for the challenge, then you’ll be in for some great surprises.

Now I could bore you with all the tech specs but frankly speaking, I want to know how easy it is to use and if I’m going to enjoy it! First of all the screen truly is beautiful and the resolution is outstanding! You can rent or buy videos through the Samsung Hub and watch them quite comfortably. The camera takes amazing pictures but don’t worry about all the options, they’re just frills. The stylus, with it’s new options, also comes with its difficulties but once you’ve mastered them then you’re golden! 

I also like the convenience features like easy access to wi-fi & blue tooth and to the notifications. My biggest gripe, however, is the fact that this is more of a tablet than a phone and is not very easy to handle. I have big hands and it’s still not manageable. If you’re comfy with never putting it in your pocket and walking around with it like a 90’s Filofax, then fine. Oh and another thing…it’s gonna kick you off wi-fi if it feels that the internet connection is too slow. So while you think you’re using wi-fi, you could just be using your own data. So be careful, there’s a setting to switch that off hidden somewhere in the different millions of setting options the phone has.

Now onto the watch. It’s water resistant, neat and quite fashionable coming in a variety of colours including, green, orange, white & black and on it’s home page you can view the time and the weather! You can make and receive phone calls & text messages although it’s near impossible typing on the small screen. There is a camera for taking both photos & videos but of it’s poor position you have to take it off before the right shot can be taken. The speaker & microphone is housed in the same place and is quite surprisingly enough very clear. It is however for the moment, only compatible with the Galaxy Note 3 so don’t go just buying it willy nilly, ok? You won’t even be able to tell the time if the Note 3 isn’t anywhere close by.

I’m an Apple fan and have been for quite some time, but I can tell you this, if an iWatch doesn’t come soon…you may just see me wearing this little gear soon.

Halloween Gadgets

It’s not traditionally a South African holiday… but celebrating Halloween is gaining popularity under our African sun….

Yes, it’s kind of American to dress up in sheets and demand sweets from your neighbours… but truth be told, there is a little part of me that enjoys this time of year, but I’m too old and mature to dress up so I’ve moved on to the next best thing, gadgets! And this year I’ve discovered 3 cool little toys that’ll make the festivities just that much more bearable.

You remember the Addam’s Family right? Well, say hello to ‘Thing’. The lovable little hand that saved the family’s fortune and gave Gomez a head massage. This realistic little gadget will only move once it hears a noise. Which means that it can lie somewhere undetected until *clap* ready to move on and scare unsuspecting victims…at R255 it’s not bad value. I think I’m gonna have more fun with this with my cat.

On to this little device. You know in horror movies when you hear this *SFX (wolf howl)* or how about this *SFX (blood curdling scream)*, well now you have that power in your hands! All you do is push some buttons and you can have heaps of terrifying sounds at your finger tips ready to startle and send shivers up the spines of those little trick or treaters…at R155, it’s worth it.

And finally, my personal favourite. While sitting comfortably on my couch, listening to ‘Trick or Treat’ from the neighbours kids going from house to house, I can quite simply drown out the noise whilst slurping some coffee from my heat changing zombie mug!! It says, I don’t care about Halloween but I do care about Halloween all in one but for R115…I’d rather go and buy some sweets, leave them outside in a bucket and stop being bitter about the whole thing. I mean, if you think about it, we’re just jealous we’re not outside doing the same thing.