Samsung Galaxy Note 3,Gear smartwatch unveiled ahead of September 11 Apple Inc. iPhone 5 launch

Watch video: Introducing Samsung Galaxy Note 3

The IFA Berlin 2013 event was platform for many new products.

Galaxy Note 3,which has a 5.7 inch Super-Amoled screen will weigh 168 grams. The device will be available in 140 countries from September 25 starting at price tag of $860 and the worldwide availability will be from October.

Photos: Samsung unveils Galaxy S4

The phone will be available in jet black,classic white,and blush pink color options.

“For the first time we have given Galaxy Note 3 a warm texture-touch cover,” claimed Samsung. “It is slimmer,lighter,and more powerful. All in a beautiful design,JK Shin,President & CEO Head of IT and Mobile Communication Division at Samsung Electronics said.

The Note 3 also boasts of a multi-window feature. T his is Samsung’s option that allows you to have two apps side by side. This functionality also allows users to drag content from one app to another.

Samsung also showcased additional features to its S Pen stylus for the Galaxy Note 3. Samsung showcased a new Air Command menu on Note 3,with Action Memos,S Finder,Scrapbook,and Pen Window.

The S Note app on Note 3 is meant to the user to write,edit and view anywhere,said Samsung. The S Note app also syncs up with other apps like Evernote.

The device was unveiled at the event ‘Samsung Unpacked 2013’. The launch comes as a part of the IFA consumer electronics fair.

Shin started the event by saying that the company launched a whole new category with the first Galaxy Note,back in 2011.

Samsung also showcased the Galaxy Gear watch. “Smart freedom. Perfect companion to Galaxy Note 3,” Shin said.

The Android-powered device starts shipping in most countries September 25 starting at $299. It will be compatible initially with two Samsung products also unveiled Wednesday _ the Galaxy Note III,which is a smartphone with a giant 5.7-inch screen and a digital pen,and the Galaxy Tab 10.1,a tablet computer with a 10.1-inch screen comparable to Apple’s full-sized iPad.

Samsung Galaxy Note 3 review: A stylish makeover

The South Korean electronic giant believes its Galaxy Gear watch will lead a new trend in smart mobile communications.

“We are confident that the Gear will add meaningful momentum to the mobile industry,” the head of the group’s mobile business,Lee Young-hee told the Korea Times in a recent interview.

It will be compatible initially with two Samsung products also unveiled Wednesday _ the Galaxy Note III,which is a smartphone with a giant 5.7-inch screen and a digital pen,and the Galaxy Tab 10.1,a tablet computer with a 10.1-inch screen comparable to Apple’s full-sized iPad.

With smartphones and tablets now ubiquitous,electronics companies are trying to create a new category of products to lure consumer spending. That includes building advanced computing technology into everyday objects such as wristwatches and glasses.

Sony introduced its latest SmartWatch in June and unveiled an update Wednesday. Google is working on Google Glass _ a device designed to work like a smartphone and worn like a pair of glasses. Apple is seeking an iWatch trademark. Apple had no comment Wednesday on its plans. It has an event scheduled next Tuesday,during which it is expected to unveil new iPhones

Apple Inc. has invited Chinese journalists to an event in Beijing on September 11,just hours after it is widely expected to unveil its newest models,iPhone 5C and iPhone 5S, in the United States,Chinese media reported on Wednesday.

The event would mark the first time that the company has held near-simultaneous briefings in the United States and in China,the world’s biggest mobile phone market where Apple Inc. has been losing its star power to rivals like Samsung Electronics Co Ltd.

The event has fuelled speculation that Apple Inc. may announce a long-awaited deal with China Mobile Ltd,which is the world’s biggest mobile phone company by customers and the only one of China’s big carriers that does not have an agreement with the US tech giant.

At Apple Inc.,birth of iPhone 5S,5C set to herald death of iPhone 4

For Apple Inc. gadget lovers the month of September holds out much promise,not just for those who willingly pay top dollar for the company’s pricey gadgets,but also for those who covet the iconic products even though they can’t really afford them.

But first things first. Apple Inc.’s much-touted iPhone 5S’s launch is set for September 11,according to reports. Fingers crossed. Secondly,for the budget conscious,iPhone 5C (less feature rich,but affordable) is scheduled to go on sale latest by September 20. The date holds true also for iPhone 5S. Thirdly,according to a tech blog,Apple Inc. is rolling out the final version of iOS 7 on September 16,while ‘Apple iOS7 Golden Master’ release is tipped to be out on September 10. Earlier,iPhone 5S and iPhone 5C were reported to start shipping in October. And,speaking of October,according to the blog,Apple Inc. is preparing for a second big media announcement on the launch of iPad 5 and iPad Mini 2,which are expected to go on sale in the same month.

Whether intentionally or otherwise,Apple Inc. has kept interest alive in iPhone 5C and iPhone through timely leaks via ‘images and videos’.

Sadly,the updated lineup will also mean the death of the iPhone 4,released first in 2010,But it has its pros and cons,of course. Experts believe that ‘iPhone 5C’ can replace both iPhone 4S and iPhone 4,simply because Apple Inc. wants its entire iPhone lineup to feature large 4-inch displays and a new lightning connector,completely removing the legacy 30-pin connector from existing lineup.

Considering that design and colour play such a huge part in Apple Inc.’s work culture,the company may follow,for iPhone 5S,the trend in booming Chinese (Asia-Pacific region) handset market whose colour preference is trending toward gold and orange – the ‘champagne’ colour which has taken the tech world by storm.

Apple’s newly revamped iPhone lineup is expected to include the high-end ‘iPhone 5S’,a plastic ‘iPhone 5C’,and a low-end option with the legacy iPhone 4S,according to media reports.

Apple iPhone 5C is expected to include mostly the same components as iPhone 5,including an A6 processor and a 4-inch Retina display. The tech major is expected to cut costs and boost margins by featuring a plastic rear for the device,which is likely to come in a variety of colors as per various ‘leaks’. iPhone 5S is,however,expected to become Apple’s new premium smartphone,featuring same metal construction as iPhone 5,but sporting a fingerprint sensor beneath the home button as well as a dual LED flash component for better low-light photos.

With iPhone 5S,current iPhone 5 and iPhone 5C,all sporting similar designs and screen sizes,it would bring welcome parity to the lineup,an analyst says

What Leaks Said

Snapdragon 800

The powerful processor features the new Quick Charge 2.0 protocol,which would allow for up to 75 per cent faster battery charging on a Samsung Galaxy Note 3 handset. According to Qualcomm,a device that normally took seven hours to charge now takes just three hours with Quick Charge 2.0.

Better Battery

As well as faster battery charging,the device will have a better battery life too. The device’s processor features Energy efficient High Performance for Mobile (HPm) technology and aSMP dynamic CPU power control,which should help to maintain efficient performance. The Galaxy Note 3’s slightly larger design also allows it to have a slightly enlarged battery that should ensure the device has one of the best battery lives on the market.

Faster Wi-Fi,LTE

The Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 processor has updated connectivity with 802.11ac1 Wi-Fi as well as LTE-Advanced – the next generation of mobile communication standard. The device should be able to provide speeds of up to 150 Mbps.

Jelly Bean 4.3.

The latest phablet is expected to launch with Android Jelly Bean 4.3 already preinstalled. Meanwhile,its predecessor,the Samsung Galaxy Note 2,is expected to skip the 4.2 Jelly Bean update and jump straight to 4.3 when it becomes available

Other than Galaxy Note 3,Samsung is also launching ‘Gear Smartwatch’ with 2.5-inch 320×320 OLED display and dual-core Exynos 4 processor. Its interface is slated to be similar to other Samsung Galaxy devices.

Can Samsung Electronics with its range of new products beat Apple Inc.’s iPhone 5S,5C,Nokia Lumia 1020?

With Reuters inputs