GadgetDotRed

StarHub has reached an agreement with Apple to bring in the iPhone to StarHub customers later this year – just like M1, with a range of tailored service plans. “More information on pricing, tariffs and availability dates will be released in due course.” Great news for consumers. More choice, more competition and lower prices!

M1 finally announced on October 13th that they have reached an agreement with Apple to bring the iPhone to M1 customers in Singapore later this year. M1 also hinted at ‘tailored’ service plans for iPhone customers. More details will be revealed in ‘due course’.

Way to go M1! Welcome to the party, better one year late then never.

It’s here again! Boy does time fly – COMEX 2009, one of the major Computer Shows in Singapore is boasting to be the ‘Most Complete Showcase The Latest Technologies‘

Event Details
10 – 13 September 2009
Suntec Singapore Levels 1, 2, 3, 4 & 6
12 noon to 9pm
Admission is FREE.

Press Coverage :
Digital Life – 9th September 09 (Wednesday)
The Straits Times – 10th September 09 (Thursday)
TODAY Newspaper – 10th September 09 (Thursday)

Sony has finally yielded to the netbook phenomenon and has pre-launched the VAIO W Series
in Singapore. Pre-orders are available on the Sony Website.

Retailing for S$899, the VAIO should be available in August, after the current pre-sales
event held from 28th July – 12th August 2009. Visit the Sony VAIO W Mini-Website
for more product info or pre-order details.

Quick Update : Singtel’s launch date for the iPhone 3GS will be on Friday, the 10th of July, Details of the event will be updated here once they become available.
Stay tuned…

Update : Singtel has made their iPhone 3GS pricing available on their website.

Here’s some snapshots of PC Show 2009

Apple is holding it’s 14th Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) on June 8th to 12th 2009. The event brings together apple engineers and developers as well as fans and enthusiasts interested in the latest developments in Apple. Apple also releases news on upcoming products as well as uses the event to launch new products. Here’s a summary of the announcements made during the June 8th keynote.

New MacBook Pro Lineup

Apple® updated the aluminum unibody MacBook® Pro line to include 13-inch, 15-inch and 17-inch models featuring Apple’s innovative built-in battery for up to 40 percent longer battery life. Each MacBook Pro includes an LED-backlit display, the innovative glass Multi-Touch™ trackpad, an illuminated keyboard, an SD card or ExpressCard slot, a FireWire® 800 port and state of the art NVIDIA graphics.

The interesting thing about this update is that Apple managed to bump the specs of the notebooks, and in the case of the MacBook Pro 13-inch, the new price was lower than the MacBook it replaced. Another noteworthy tidbit is that on the 13-inch Macbook Pro, there is only one audio jack, which is user selectable for either line in or line out with one exception – it supports the Apple Headset with Microphone – The same one which comes with the iPhone!

Snow Leopard’s September Release

Apple® also unveiled Mac OS® X Snow Leopard™, an even more powerful and refined version of Apple’s Leopard operating system. Snow Leopard builds on OSX innovation and success with hundreds of refinements, new core technologies, out of the box support for Microsoft Exchange and new accessibility features. Snow Leopard will ship as an upgrade for Mac OS X Leopard users in September 2009 for USD$29.

There’s way too many features in Snow Leopard to go into detail here, but here’s 2 groundbreaking features.

64 Bit System - The OS has a 64 bit core, with nearly all system applications rewritten in 64 bits. This enchances the performance as well as future proofs the OS for “whatever computing enhancements might arrive in the future“

Grand Central Dispatch – This built-in technology allows full use of every core in multi core systems to be used by applications. This offloads thread management from the application to the OS, resulting in more responsive apps as well as full utilisation of modern CPUs.

iPhone 3G S

Last but not least, Apple® introduced the new iPhone™ 3G S, their fastest, most powerful iPhone yet, with improved speed and performance, longer battery life,a 3 megapixel autofocus camera, video recording and hands free voice control.

There is no news on Singtel’s apple-inspired site as of today on any informatioon regarding the new iPhone, possibly hitting the region in July. It would be interesting to see if current iPhone users get any upgrade options, and most importantly, at what price.

Images Courtesy of Apple. For more details, do check out the Apple® Website or you can catch the WWDC Keynote posted online as well.

In solemn grey lettering on the iShop’s Website, – “Sadly it’s time for us to go”, iShop announced it’s planned closure on 30th June 2009, leaving Mac users with less retail choices. Dubbed as the largest Apple reseller in Asia, with 10,000 sq feet of retail space, it will be missed by the local Mac community as well as fans of it’s style, brand and service quality.

Edit :  MacRyu.com has an insightful article on the closure of iShop linked here.

Back in September, we reported that the G1 had launched. Well, the G1 has finally hit our shores and is now available via Singtel

Looks like Singtel managed to score a hat-trick, fielding both the G1(Singtel has rebranded it as the Singtel Dream; ugh!) and the iPhone, giving it the leg-up againast the local mobile competition.

Hold on to your GST Credits! The IT Show 2009 is just around the corner (precisely timed) to tempt you with the latest and greatest in gadgetry and the like. The Show opens on the 12th which is a Thursday; which is probably the best day to snatch the offers and enjoy the most of the supposedly spacious 4m walkway. Our advice this year – plan beforehand and hit the floor early (read : Thursday noon) Saturday and Sunday is going to be ‘Famiy Weekend’ again. Definitely.

As always, the local media will have ’supplements’ detailing the event and offers available. Use these to plan in advance.

DIGITAL LIFE             -  11th March
THE STRAITS TIMES   – 12th March
TODAY Newspapers  – 12th March

Once again the details are :

Date : 12th – 15th March 2009
Time : 12 noon to 9pm

Place : Suntec Singapore
Levels 1, 2, 3, 4 & 6

As Always : Free Admission