Samsung reveals Note 3 and Galaxy Gear

Yesterday, at the Unpacked event in Berlin, Samsung announced the Galaxy Note 3 and its first smartwatch, the Galaxy Gear, reports SEAN BACHER.

The Unpacked event just before IFA is typically where Samsung unveils a new Galaxy Note. This year was no different as the Galaxy Note 3 was announced, but the highlight of the event was launch of the company’s first smartwatch – the Galaxy Gear.

The Galaxy Gear acts as an extension of a user’s Samsung Smartphone and is compatible with the Galaxy S4, Galaxy Note III and Tab 10.1. It alerts users of incoming calls, notifications and even has a range of apps specifically designed for it. When a call comes in, the caller’s name is shown on the 1.63″ Super AMOLED display. The user then swipes to answer the call, and although it looks a bit odd speaking to your wrist, the sound quality is surprisingly good.

Should the task require the use of a bigger screen, for instance when editing an alert, the watch will automatically transfer what is shown on it to the accompanying smartphone. The Galaxy Gear sports a 1.9MP camera and although it is not the greatest of quality, it is fine for taking quick snaps when the phone is buried deep in a pocket or handbag. The camera is also well integrated with social media and fitness apps like Twitter, Facebook and RunKeeper.

The Android watch will start shipping in most countries by September 25. The Galaxy Gear sports 4GB of internal storage, a 800MHz processor, 512MB RAM and will pair with compatible devices using a Bluetooth connection and weighs 74 grams.

And now for the new Note

Also announced at the event was the Galaxy Note 3, an upgrade on the company’s previous phablets. The Galaxy Note 3 uses a 5.7″” Super AMOLED display, but with a 13MP camera that is capable of shooting 4K videos. Two versions of the Note 3 were made available: a 4G or LTE model that is powered by a 2.2 GHz quad-core processor, and a 3G model powered by a 1.9 GHz processor. Both have 32GB or 64GB of internal storage, 3GB RAM and a 3200 mAh battery. Users will be able to expand storage through a microSD card.

Samsung has taken note of the increased need for mobile security and has included Samsung Knox on the device. This security application is designed to offer complete security, allowing the user to lock it down should it go missing and secure it from viruses and other malicious programs.

The Galaxy Note 3 measures 151.2mm x 79.2mm x 8.3mm and weighs 168 grams and also offers a 2MP front camera.

The new S-Pen features Air Command, a control panel shaped like a wheel that allows users to scroll through active applications and perform a variety of actions on each app. The company has also beefed up its Multi-Window app, now making multitasking easier by allowing a single app to be duplicated onscreen. The S-Pen’s functionality has also been extended so users can easily drag and drop links and content across the two available app windows. Last, but not least, the Note 3 includes Multi-Vision, which allows for a single image to displayed in totality across a number of the devices side-by-side.

“”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 the larger screen,”” said JK Shin, CEO and president of IT & mobile division at Samsung Electronics.

* Follow Sean on Twitter on @SeanBacher

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