Made in Value: LASCO's Huawei Product Range Has Options

Sure Apple and Samsung dominate the market when it comes to handsets and tablets.  They offer great high end devices with matching prices.

So, is there an option?  Huawei.  Yup.  Huawei recently rose to the the #3 spot in the mobile market with a suite of devices that includes handsets, tablets and even wearables.

Bang, Bang Features

Locally, the Chinese brand has partnered with LASCO Financial Services to make the line available to Jamaica.  As a special bonus, all Huawei phones distributed by LASCO are unlocked, making them perfect for a post number portability landscape.   Bang!

Many handsets are also dual SIM; this is great if you have a work and personal number, like to have a number with both Digicel and FLOW or if you just like to show off with two numbers. Bang!

Value Handsets

The impressive range of seven featured handsets on offer include the G7 and G730, P8 and P8 Lite, the G Play Mini and the very affordable Y520, Y525 and Y535.  All handsets take advantage of the Android OS and have a clean, un-cumbersome user interface (UI).  Gram for gram, Huawei devices offer comparable features to their top rivals.

Talk About Range

Huawei TalkBand B2

Sure, handsets are sexy.  But Huawei takes it further by offering tablets and wearables.  At LASCO, you can pick up the Media Pad 2 for a lot less money but with excellent build quality - a feature often absent from budget tablets.

Most notable however are the TalkBand B1 and TalkBand B2, exclusively offered by LASCO.  The device is a trendy looking smart watch and activity tracker that pops out to become a bluetooth headset … a headset!

This awesome functionality makes the TalkBand more than just a another smartwatch.  For someone like me who tends to lose small gadgets often, I think its one of the best new tech features in recent times.

But wait!  That is not all.  The TalkBand B1 and B2 works seamlessly with Huawei gear … AND iPhones.  Amazing!

Sammy Gets A Friend

Fabulous fitness bands like the Fit Bit Force (my personal favorite before this review), Nike Fuel Band and Jawbone Up, among others, have suffered from one major design flaw, a functional screen.

Enter the Samsung Gear Fit, a smart watch/fitness band combo that boasts exactly that ... A brilliant, curved AMOLED screen along with all the robust features of a fitness band. It's a great concept, a good accessory, with some minor flaws.

Thanks to folks at Samsung and the Black Ink team for providing a number of journalists and media professionals and me with our very own Fits to give real world tests. The extended, rather than truncated tests that are usually offered to Jamaican media, meant that we could really explore all the features of the wearable. So, here goes.

Right out of the box, the Fit is useless, even as a watch. The first thing to note is that the Fit is an accessory for 20 and counting Samsung devices including the recently launched Samsung Galaxy S5. The Fit requires a compatible Samsung to set up and configure.

Fortunately, set up is simple. Download the Samsung Gear Fit Manager on your handset, turn on the Fit and within moments, you are good to go. If you are a lover of Samsung's brilliant S Health app that tracks your steps, height and weight, calories burned and consumed and general level of fitness, you are out of luck.

Samsung has created a whole new app for the Fit, Fitness with Gear, rather than add Gear functionality to the S Health app. Further, as of this writing, Fit is not compatible with other popular fitness apps like Lose It and Run Keeper. Maybe that will change.

An earlier firmware update added the ability to adjust the orientation of the screen from landscape to portrait depending on your preference, which was great because the portrait orientation made the Fit really easy to look at.

As a fitness band, the Fit offers a pedometer to track steps through out the day and can monitor a variety of activities including running, walking, cycling and hiking (with more on the way I'm sure).  Users can enhance their training with both a stopwatch and a timer that vibrate rather than make an audible sound - a highly effective and discrete feature.

The Fit also tracks sleep patterns over time and reports on motionless vs active sleep with a view to providing insight on how restful your sleep may be.

All very effective features. But, the Fit stands heads and shoulders among other fitness bands in its price range thanks to a built in heart rate monitor.  Serious fitness enthusiasts will really appreciate the convenience of being able to check and track their heart rate while exercising.

Though the Fit does allow you to see the historical measurements, the real heavy lifting is done by the compatible Samsung device with which the Fit syncs.  Enter Fitness by Gear. This app, free from the Samsung App Store and required to configure and update the Fit, provides simple and easy to view charts and graphs tracking steps, exercise, sleep and heart rate. Regrettably, there is no tracking of calories burned, you'll need S Heath for that.

Fitness aside, the Fit does offer a suite of smart watch features as well.  Users can change the watch face, colour and style based on their moods with more styles coming with each update. Email and text message notifications pop up on the small screen and though small, I had no problems reading them on the go.  If I needed to see more, the nifty 'Show In My Device' would bring up the relevant message immediately on my screen. Cool.

Caller ID and short, pre-packaged text replies when declining a call are also standard, but no, you cannot use the watch as a phone. It is a watch after all.  The ability to control the media player on your Samsung handset or tablet is also baked into the watch; this is both practical and cool as I used this to really amaze by friends by controlling my speakers through my S4 from across the room.

Speaking of 'across the room', the Fit syncs with your Samsung device via Bluetooth.  It depends on that Bluetooth connection and your handset/tablet internet connection for much of its functionality including firmware updates.  If there is no Bluetooth connection, then the Fit stores the data until one is reestablished.

Samsung Gear Fit

There are some feature that are not yet available, that I guess will be available soon, such as:

•    The ability to see pictures on the display, after all, the screen is gorgeous
•    The ability to customize the wallpaper with user generated content
•    Auto dim in sleep mode (the gorgeous bright screen is very disconcerting in my dark bedroom)
•    An alarm clock even

But the absence of these features which I sure are on the way pale in comparison to what the wearable can do:

•    Add a PIN for extra privacy 
•    Wake up on raising your hand (which is better for battery life and for privacy vs the wake up on notification feature which is also available)
•    Make your phone light up and make a sound with one touch of the 'Find My Device' feature
•    Go for up to three days on a full charge, so plan a hike up Blue Mountain Peak why don't you 
•    Pop out of its original band into colorful interchangeable armbands
•    Resist sweat and water, clearly you can't go swimming, but you don't have to worry that your investment will go down the drain if it rains.

The Fit is immediately available at Samsung Lifestyle stores across the island ... That is the one in Kingston and the one in MoBay, hence stores, and costs about $40,000.00 as of this writing.

Even without greater compatibility with non-Samsung apps, the Fit is a formidable fitness band with an excellent design and many improvements likely in the wings. My Sammy is happy to have a friend.

Galaxy S4 Controls Your Flow Box

Samsung Galaxy S4 Watch On

There is no doubt.  The Samsung Galaxy S4 rocks.  And one of the coolest features of the phone is the Infrared (IR) Remote Control.

Lots of times, hot phones have great features that don't work on our shores.  But I am thrilled to report that the Watch On app, which is both free and pre-loaded, works seamlessly with Flow cable boxes - standard and PVR.  So throw away your Flow remote.

Hell.  Throw away all your home theatre remotes.  Watch On operates just like a universal remote.  The smartphone is ridiculously easy to programme; it practically picks up the code for your TV, DVD player, Blu-ray players, audio system and of course, your cable box.  And, to steal a line from the fruit people (like myself), it just works.

Other smartphones have Bluetooth making them compatible with some TV if they have proprietary software.  Only IR is the universal standard on home theatre and the Samsung Galaxy S4 is the only locally distributed smartphone that has IR.  (The HTC One is not distributed in Jamaica to date).

It is no surprise that it works with Samsung TV's, and other late model TV sets.    They are made in the US for the US.  But, devices for Jamaica are different; often the sweetest features just are not accessible.

If you've spent the money on the phone, you can spare your living room a little space by replacing your remotes and using the phone to change the channel, change the volume, visit the programme guide and adjust the settings.

Think of the convenience.  Surf the internet on WiFi, make a quick call, switch to the clean looking remote app and immerse yourself in hours of home theatre enjoyment.  Love it!

I also love the simple easy to use design that prominently places the most used functions on the screen (like the volumen and channel controls), yet keeps the higher functions just a single touch screen tap away.

Wait, here's another mind blowing benefit.  You'll never have to by another penlight battery again in life.  Check your mailbox for the 'thank you' card from the environment.

I bet you will send me a 'thank you' card when you realize, you'll never spend forever searching the sofa cushions for your remote ever again. Remote lost? Just dial your own phone number and follow the sound of the ring tone. 

Since I can't be there to personally help you configure your remote .. ehm .. I mean phone, here are a few links to get you started.

• CNet
• PCMag

Technology should be practical.  This is as practical as it gets.  Try it and let me know if it works for you.

Less is more

Blackberry Q10

Frankly, I don't get the hype about the Blackberry Z10.  As smartphones go, it is a perfectly adequate mobile device with all the necessary features except a physical keyboard.  If you put your new Z10 down on the meeting table beside the Apple iPhone 5, the Samsung Galaxy S4 or the HTC One, would you be able to tell it apart from the field at a glance?

If you want your smartphone to stand out from the pack, consider the Blackberry Q10.  Running the updated Blackberry 10.1 OS, the Q10 flaunts a physical QWERTY keyboard.  For the true Blackberry loyalists, this is the Blackberry you have been waiting for!

I can tell you are excited, and you should be.  But temper your excitement just a bit.  The Q10 is a capable smartphone.  It will do everything you NEED it to do, and it will do so, well.  It will not blow your mind.  Don't feel bad though, chances are it won't blow your pocket either.

The Q10 sports a square (yet another distinctive feature) 3.1" super AMOLED display with a 720 x 720 pixel resolution.  It has got a micro SIM card slot, micro SD slot and a micro HDMI port.  I may be wrong, but I didn't see a micro HDMI port on either the iPhone 5 or the Galaxy S4.  (And cables are much more reliable that wireless technologies like AirPlay and AllShare).

You'll find front and rare facing HD cameras and a decent 1.5 GHz processor.  Like it's big brother, the Q10 has all the Blackberry OS 10 popular features like my personal favourites, Time Shift, Balance and BBM Screen Share, along with the heavily touted features like Hub, BBM Video Share and Tag. Q even has some additional features like typing straight to an email from any screen.

But let's get back to what sets the Q10 apart, its remarkable Blackberry keyboard.  In the few moments I was able to hold the handset, thanks to Troy Cocking at LIME, the large, tactile, keys caressed my finger tips.  It was so easy to type using this physical keyboard.  If you thought the keyboard on the Bold 9900 was the best keyboard on a smartphone ever, you will love the tweaks on the Q10 keyboard.

Of course, the best keyboard and good specs mean nothing if the phone freezes up like Siberia every time you try to complete a task.  I didn't have enough time to put the phone through the paces myself, but I do note that I haven't heard any complaints from the early demos.  Troy assures me that this new BB OS 10 is just the right type of cool.

If you are so inclined, here is the best reason to get the Blackberry Q10: it stands out and it gets the job done for likely half the price of the candybar copycats.

Silent Chill

I am ashamed to admit that, I've been startled awake in the middle of the night by the compressor on my fridge kicking in.  That sucker is loud.

If I had the new, recently launched, Samsung Refrigerator with a digital inverter compressor, I could sleep like a baby.

Samsung Refrigerator
with Digital Inversion Compressor

Thanks much the people over at CME for inviting me to the launch at Courts Constant Spring.  During the event, everyone went through great pains to highlight the energy efficiency of the fridge.  They say, the digital inverter compressor uses a 5 speed RPM to automatically manage temperature fluctuations.

In effect, if you open the door a lot, or your put in Sunday dinner right off the stove, the fridge is smart enough to know to speed up the cooling process to re-establish the perfect temperature.  This saves you money in two ways - saving on electricity and saving on food spoilage.  Sounds like a win/win.

The stainless steel finished kitchen appliance is reported to be durable too.  All that power cooling leads to less wear and tear on the compressor that sports a 10 year warrant from the manufacturer.

I sure liked the cool, if unnecessary, digital display on the door, the super efficient LED lights, the recessed door handles and the very high capacity water dispenser (we really should drink more water).

But the coolest feature (no pun this time) is, the remarkably quiet compressor.  If I had this fridge, I would have to open the door to know it if was on.  Sweet.

Digicel Samsung Galaxy S 4 - First Impressions

Certainly, I've been a Sammy fan for a long time. So, I was thrilled that Digicel would invite me to their Samsung GS4 event. It gave me an opportunity to, at least, touch the phone.

The handset goes on sale, exclusively I am told, tomorrow. And, from my 'touch' demo I can say, it's a great smart phone.

The phone is roughly the same size as the GS3, yet boasts a slightly larger screen. Samsung had to sacrifice the size of the near invisible (or maybe the launch event at CRU was just dark) Menu and Return buttons.

I like the rounded square edges and the sturdier feel of the construction. The SG4 doesn't feel like a piece of cheap plastic, but it doesn't feel quite as sturdy as the iPhone.

As expected, the screen looks great and is ridiculously responsive. Navigation was effortless. With the low light and the high background noise, I was unable to try out features like the air gestures or S Voice.

As for the air gestures, I heard from a couple attendees (in Digicel branded shirts) that they work like a charm. The same folks told me that the previous non-functioning (practically speaking) S Voice was much improved.

The Dual Shot feature on the camera was cool, but, I wonder, would we get bored of it by next week. Hmm. The camera has a lot of new and upgraded features to explore.

I like the slightly enhanced icons, the S Health looks cool, the screen mirror looks useful, the IR remote I hope works and the upgraded All Share looks like fun.

The Samsung Hub left me feeling like it was completely unnecessary. So too did the typing, just like the SG3. I don't find the keyboard easy to use or insightful.

But, the feature that has me thinking 'I like this phone' is the Safety Assistance ... a feature I hope I never need but glad I have.

Beyond that, this new Sammy has so many features crammed into one mobile device, that its hard to want anything else. I'm told the bigger battery and the improved OS make it run faster for longer on one charge. I will try to confirm that if I ever get a road test model.

If money was no object, I would buy this computer masquerading as a phone in half a heart beat. If you have the S2, time to ditch and move up. If you've got an S3 and you're tapping it out, time to upgrade. If you're a poser that is rich and likes to have the latest, time to upgrade.

If you're a student, fixed income professional, unemployed loafer, tech newb or person who actually uses a phone primarily for making calls (amazing), you may want to wait for my final review after the price check.

Eulogy for Sammy

Samsung Galaxy S3

Sammy wasn’t just any smart phone, he was my constant companion.

I sought out the best care I could find for Sammy and he tried valiantly to return to his former greatness, even after many technicians said his days were numbered.   When I shared news of Sammy’s ultimate demise with Digicel, his parents, they too were devastated.  After all, he was irreplaceable.

During Sammy’s four short months in my hands, he had a tremendous impact on my life; most significantly, Sammy’s 8 megapixel camera helped me document and share the growth of my beautiful baby boy.  The high-resolution images and video displayed brilliantly on the 4.8-inch Super AMOLED display.  The images also helped distant relatives feel connected while tugging my heartstrings every time I showed the albums to friends and well-wishers.

Of course, Sammy’s impact was equally profound at work.  The S Calendar, Contacts and Voice Recorder apps were constantly accessed.  It seemed that Evernote never had a chance to close when it was right there at my fingertips thanks to Sammy, and when combined with S Note, I never felt helpless without at pen.

With Sammy gone, I must wait until I get to my desk to check my email or chat on Google Talk.  He was gone before we had a chance to experiment with AllShare Play; I am sure my iPad is happy about not having the competition.

Co-workers and associates will tell you that Sammy made me look good!  With apps like TeamViewer, Dropbox and Skype I could turn any location on the planet with an internet connection into an office.  And I could find any location on earth with Google Maps.

Speaking of travel, Sammy’s Bluetooth integration with my SUV, allowed me to drive hands free; so cool.

I never had a dull moment with Sammy.  I listened to music on my phone, on my micro 32 GB micro SD card and streamed over the internet.  I listened to FM radio, recorded interviews and even shared clips with clients on the fly.  I read all my favourite magazines and websites on Flipboard, caught up on all the latest news with a slew of apps from BBC, CNN and USA Today.  I got lost in my favourite games including Temple Run.  I am going to miss watching (and sometimes uploading) my favourite videos to YouTube.

Amazon is going to miss Sammy too.  Amazon and Sammy served up the Amazon App, Audible and my personal favourite, Kindle.

Sammy was very sociable.  He was friends with Whatsapp, Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram and LinkedIn.   He made new friends with phone calls.  And, he would share his internet connect with anyone near by, by converting his 4G signal into a WiFi Hot Spot.

We did so much together.  Sammy and I would browse all day through local news sites that didn’t have native apps.  Sammy and my son had fun together too.  He had his own screen full of kid-friendly learning and gaming apps.

Sure, S Voice is no Siri and sure Sammy couldn’t go half a day without being tethered to a power source, but that is only because he worked so hard and did so much.  He did what he did with style; he was sleek and thin.

His Bible app comforted me in my darkest hours and every hour I needed to reach for the scripture.  Sammy wasn’t just any smart phone, he was my constant companion.  Yes.  Sammy will be missed.  But his data lives on.  Thank you Lord, for back ups.

Time Travel

Samsung Galaxy S3

So, my Sammy aka Samsung Galaxy S3, has been critically ill since just before Christmas.  He's been in and out of the hospital (read: repair shop), and in the interim, I have been using a variety of basic and feature phones.

I can attest, I don't need a smartphone.  I don't need internal plumbing either, but it certainly makes life much easier.

I feel like I have stepped back in time.  Without Sammy, I have to go to my desk to check my email, Twitter and Facebook because I don't have mobile access.  I am unable to take interesting pictures, because I gave up my camera.  I can't edit pictures I capture as I capture them and share them everywhere, or even anywhere. I am unable to record FM radio, edit and share clips with friends on the fly.  I don't have my entire music library with me, nor all my Kindle books, so waiting in line is no longer entertaining, its torturous.

I can't sit on the bus and browser the internet, post items to Pinterest.  I can't write meeting notes on the screen and email them to my team. I can't turn my phone into a WiFi hotspot and give internet to my iPad or laptop.  I can't. I can't.  I can't!  Argh!

My smartphone was certainly not for profiling.  I really used it and all its features for my productivity and entertainment.  Everything I did on my phone, I can do elsewhere.  It is just not as efficient and requires many more devices.

I am giving myself one more week.  One last week.  If Samsung is not able to fix Sammy by next Friday, it will be time to toss in the towel and make the financial sacrifice to replace Sammy.

Take this journey with me and tell me how does your smartphone impact your life.