The new Samsung GALAXY S5 with LTE & Gear2 Review (Part 2)

Hope everyone is doing really well this June Holiday!

I'm back today for the part 2 review for the new Samsung GALAXY S5 with LTE & Gear 2! It has been about a month since I've received them and here are more functions that I'm really loving.

Samsung Gear 2

The Gear 2 is not your ordinary fitness tracker that only allows you to track your fitness goals. This gadget can do so much more. 

Notifications

Being connected to my S5 via bluetooth, I am able to see what's happening on my phone without the need to take it out from my pocket. Notifications that I'll usually receive will be emails, text messages (SMS or Whatsapp) and even from Facebook and Instagram. 

Music player

With a 4GB memory space in this smart gadget, I have the exact same playlist on my phone and my gear 2. The gear 2 has a standalone music player with a built it speaker that allows me to play my favourite tracks with a decent volume. I can also connect my bluetooth headphones without the use of my phone.

Camera

#nofilter (It's a 2 Mega Pixel Camera but good for quick shots!) 

Another function that I really love playing with is the built in camera function. I feel like a private investigator whenever I use this function but I must say that it take pretty decent photos! Here are some of the photos that I took in the gym. 

There are many more functions in the Gear 2 and I'm sure that I will get to learn them all as I journey with this wonderful gadget.

Now with the Samsung GALAXY S5 with LTE, I'll like to take this opportunity to share with you some amazing apps that Samsung has created.

The Samsung Enhanced S Health App (Available for selected Samsung Smart Phones)

The Samsung Enhanced S Health App turns your device into a personal-health-management powerhouse. You can track health statistics and weight. You can also view and track environmental conditions, and even track your exercise regimen. All you need to do is to set up your profile to begin, and your BMI will be estimated and ideal daily calorie intake recommended. You can then work on achieving the recommended 10,000 steps daily with Pedometer, or choose from 4 types of workouts in Exercise mode and set fitness goals.

You can also activate the Coach application in S Health, which recommends improvements and challenges based on a simple assessment of your current lifestyle. On your journey towards a healthier lifestyle, you can complete fun activities by taking on missions and collecting achievement habits.

I didn’t know about the S Health App until I went for the product training and since then, I’ve been diligently keeping track of my meals.

GALAXY Gifts

GALAXY S5 LTE comes with a set of specially curated third party content and services via GALAXY Gifts (worth over US$500). Users can browse through a variety of content, download them and use in their daily lives to motivate them towards achieving their fitness goals.

Some of these third party content and services include the following:

·         Lark – Your Personal Wellness Assistant, which provides easy personalised recommendations on how to be fitter and healthier. GALAXY S5 LTE users receive free 12-month premium Lark services (worth S$45).

·         RunKeeper – Turn your GALAXY S5 LTE into a personal trainer in your pocket. Track your fitness activities, measure your performance over time and share achievements with friends. GALAXY S5 LTE users receive free 12-month membership (worth S$25) for RunKeeper Lite.

·         Skimble – Workout Trainer provides thousands of multimedia workouts led by expert coaches. Workouts come equipped with dynamic move-by-move videos, photos and text instructions. GALAXY S5 LTE users can enjoy a free 6-month Pro+ premium membership experience (worth S$52). 

·         MapMyFitness – Built to help runners, joggers and walkers of all ability levels and ages. Easily track pace, distance, calories and time with audio alerts and much more. Track running, cycling, and over 600 types of other activities. GALAXY S5 LTE users receive free 6-month ad-free MVP access (worth S$45).

PROMOTIONS

Purchase GALAXY S5 LTE in 16GB with contract

- Trade in current smartphone or tablet and get an additional $50 overtrade from 14 June to 30 June 14.

- FREE 16GB micro SD card (worth $26) on a while stocks last basis

Purchase GALAXY S5 LTE in 32GB without contract and receive

- FREE Wireless Charging Kit (worth $108) on a while stocks last basis

- Battery Pack (worth $88) on a while stocks last basis

*For GALAXY S5 LTE in 32GB purchases without contract at Samsung Experience Stores, there will be additional free gifts -

Accessory Pack (HDTV Adapter and Extra Battery Kit) worth $126

S View Cover worth $78

So, after the Samsung GALAXY S5 with LTE & the Gear 2 for almost 1 month, here are my ratings:

Samsung GALAXY S5 with LTE

Design: 9/10
Performance: 9/10
Features: 9/10
Value: 9/10

Samsung Gear 2

Design: 8/10
Performance: 9/10
Features: 9/10
Value: 9/10

Thanks for reading and till the next post, take care & God bless!

The new Samsung GALAXY S5 with LTE & Gear2 Review (Part 1)

In this modern day and age, one simply can’t live without the usage of technology. And plus, it’s not every day where you get to try out gadgets that you’re super interested in! So when I received an email inviting me to do a tech review for the new Samsung GALAXY S5 LTE &Samsung Gear 2, I gave the biggest YES! Well, slightly smaller than the one on my wedding day….. just slightly =)

As there are just so many features to the 2 gadgets, I’ll be doing a 2 part blog post for these products. Are you ready for part 1? Let’s go….

As I’m currently using the Samsung GALAXY Note 3 with LTE, making the change to the GALAXY S5 LTE is a breeze for me. So when I was told to attend product training at the Samsung office, I didn’t think that there will be much for me to learn. But boy was I wrong!! I’m sure everyone is aware of some brands that make very minimal technological advancements when they launch their new models, Samsung is definitely not one of them! Every single launch seemed to have a very clear aim and objective. And as for the GALAXY S5 LTE, the objective is to build a smart, sleek & functional phone that is dedicated to Health & Fitness!

Even though I have been using my GALAXY Note 3 with LTE for a few months, having to switch to a new phone can be quite a pain. But the staff at Samsung shared that there is this app developed that helps users to switch from one phone to another with ease. What I mean is that all your data from your original phone will be transferred over to the new one. And the best part is that you do not need to do any backup at all.

Smart Switch App

The full transfer  took me only 10 minutes!

This app also supports the switch from Apple or Blackberry devices.

Click here for more information!

Now, before I go into the health functions, I have to start off talking about the wonderful built-in camera. This camera totally blew me away!!

Let’s have a look at the specs of the camera:

16 Mega Pixel + 2 Mega Pixel Front Facing Camera, 4X Digital Zoom, LED Flash, Auto Focus, Real Time HDR (Rich Tone), Selective Focus, Dual Camera, Panorama Shot & the list goes on…

With its advanced Real Time HDR, the GALAXY S5 LTE is capable of reproducing natural light and colour with striking intensity in any circumstances

Apart from how clear the photos are, I really love the Selective Focus function. This function allows you to take photos with a good amount of depth of field.

Here’s what I mean..

What is even more amazing is while you’re taking the photo, the camera intelligently captures more than what you require, so that you can further choose the correct focus to tell your story.

Near focus

Far focus

Pan focus

Ultra-Power Saving Mode

The other function of the phone that I found really useful is the Ultra-Power Saving mode function. I believe everyone has encountered a time when you’re down to your last 10% battery life and there’s no charging unit within reach. What’s worse is that you’re still very much in need of your phone. When I’m down to 10% of my battery life, I’m usually in panic mode!! I’ll turn off my wifi, Bluetooth functions and try all means to preserve the little that I’m left with.

 But with the new UltraPower Saving mode function, this is what the phone will do for you.

1) Your phone will enter grayscale mode. (Colours, apparently consumes a huge amount of battery life)

2) Your phone will limit you to only 6 functions. Yes, you can still choose Facebook & Instagram!

3) You can then enjoy up to 30 hours' of standby time 

Heart rate sensor 

Now on the health function of the new GALAXY S5 LTE, I’m really impressed that a phone can have a built-in heart rate sensor! Unlike the Phyode W/Me, that takes quite a number of minutes to measure your heart rate, the Samsung GALAXY S5 LTE takes just around 10 seconds to do the job!

IP67 Rating (Water & Dust Protection)

Photo credit: Samsung.com

Recognising the demands of a dynamic lifestyle, the GALAXY S5 LTE was engineered to take on life without compromising the experience. This phone has qualified protection from water & dust (IP67)!! I am really impressed with the phone being able to be submerged into water for up to 30 minutes and still survive! I didn't do this to my phone of course! 

Found a video showing how well the phone is surviving underwater. Click here to watch!

There are many other functions that I really love about the GALAXY S5 LTE but I’ll stop here for today and bring your attention to the Samsung Gear 2. 

Before we go into the functions of this amazing gadget, here are some of the specs:

Display: 1.63” 16M colours(320x320) Full touch (C-type) SUPER AMOLED Screen

Weight: 68grams

Processor: 1.0 GHz Dual Core

Platform: TIZEN

Camera: 2 Mega Pixel Camera (Auto Focus, Macro Focus, Sound & Shot, etc.)

Additional Features: Make & Receive Calls, Standalone music player, Alarm, Sleep tracker, etc.

Connectivity: Bluetooth 4.0, USB 2.0, WatchON^TM

Sensor: Heart Rate, Accelerometer, Gyroscope, IrLED

Battery Life: Up to 6 days

For more information about Samsung Gear2 Specs, click here.

When I first bought my Nike Fuelband SE, I was pretty impressed by the design and functions of the band. It was able to tell me the time, number of steps I took as well as to set daily goals. I was then impressed by some of the gadgets that EpiCentre got me to review. But for the Samsung Gear 2, this thing made my jaw drop. Here’s why…

I was telling the product manager of Polar that if there’s a device that can:

1) allow users to take their heart rate measurements accurately without the chest strap

2) store music & connect to a Bluetooth earpiece

3) count the number of steps I take a day

4) track my sleep, and that will be the perfect gadget!

Well guess what guys, the Samsung Gear 2 can do all of the following and more!

Sleep Tracker

Before the Samsung Gear 2, I’ve never done any sleep tracking before. So this was the first function that I had to try out.

Here’s my result on my 1^st sleep tracking night.

I was asleep for 7hrs 8mins & was motionless for 86% of the time! I was pretty glad to know that I do not move around that much during my sleep and I’m always very recharged when I wake up every morning.

Heart Rate Sensor

The built-in Heart Rate Sensor located at the back of the Gear 2 can] determine your heart rate

The Samsung Gear 2 has a built in Hear Rate Sensor that is really important for a fitness enthusiast like me. I wear this watch during my gym trainings & cardio sessions so that I can monitor my heart rate and ensure it is in the optimal training zone!

When I do not have my phone with me, I will periodically check my clients’ heart rates in between sets, to make sure that every training session with them is effective & enriching.

My choice is clear!

So that’s all for part 1 of my Samsung GALAXY S5 LTE& Gear 2 review. Please stay tuned for part 2 and until then, stay fit & healthy!

Product Review - Polar Loop

When I was given the opportunity to try out 4 fitness wearables: Phyode W/ME, Scosche Rhythm, TomTom Watch & Polar Loop, the Polar Loop was the 1st band that caught my eye!

With it's sleek & stylish design, is this band really as good as it looks? Let's find out.....

I believe everyone knows Polar as the brand that produces really good heart rate tracking devices. So when Polar first launched their Loop band, the heart rate tracking function is a clear must have in its list of capabilities.

So what is Polar Loop?

The Polar Loop is one of the first fitness/activity tracker that has the function of tracking your heart rate real time. It also provides users with the information of the amount of calorie burned based on the activities performed.

As I wan't given a brand new set with the box, I had to grab some photos from Polar's website for this part of the post.

Like most of the fitness wearable, the band will be connect to your PC/Laptop for charging as well as data syncing purposes.

When having the Polar Loop on my wrist, it felt really light weight and comfortable. The main body can be unscrewed from the strap if there is a need to have the strap replaced. Which I personally found really cool. 

The down side came when I found out that the size of the band can be adjusted by cutting the strap to your desired length. Owning a Nike Fuelband SE myself, I find that having size options will be much better than to cut up your brand new band!

One really cool feature of the Polar Loop has is that the charging point of the band doubles up as an activation sensor. Without the contact of skin with the metal ring, the LCD display will not work. I believe this feature will help to save on the battery life especially when the band is not worn.

Functions of Polar Loop

Heart Rate Tracking

Polar Loop can be used as a standalone band or paired with the H7 Heart Rate Sensor. I was quite disappointed to find out that the heart rate tracking function requires an extra device, which in my opinion, makes no technological advancement from watch & the heart rate sensor. What was even worse is that for people who currently owns a Polar watch & heart rate sensor, your heart rate senor will not be able to pair with the Polar Loop unless it is the H7 Bluetooth version. 

Activity Tracking

Polar Loop did a wonderful job tracking my daily activity. I was able to get the following information from the display screen:

- TIME 

- STEPS (Estimated number of steps that I've taken for the day)

I will like to spend some time to elaborate on the ACTIVITY LEVEL function.

At the Activity Level function, there is bar that shows my daily goal and how much more activities to be done to have it filled up. What is really cool is that the band will give you the 'To Go' information, telling you how much more activity that is required before meeting your set daily goal.

The 3 information given will be:

- Walk (Duration required to walk before you fill up the bar)

- Jog (Duration required to jog before you fill up the bar)

- Up (Duration required to stay active before you fill up the bar)

As compared to the Nike Fuelband SE that only displays your current fuel points, the Polar Loop took an extra step to advice users the amount of activities that is required.

So what's my take after trying out the Polar Loop?

Price: 10/10

Design: 8/10

Usefulness: 8/10
Battery Life: 7/10
Usage with the H7 Heart Rate Sensor: 8/10

I personally find the Polar Loop a really good product as compared to its competitors. If you're someone who's looking for a band that tracks your day to day activity and at the same time allowing you to set some activity goals, then the Polar Loop is the right band for you!

The Polar Loop is retailing at SGD 149 at all EpiCentre. A beautifully designed fitness/activity band that will match your every outfit!

I'm really excited to announce that next product I'll be reviewing is the Samsung Galaxy S5 LTE & Samsung Gear 2. If you're a Samsung fan and will like to find out more, please stay tuned!

Until then, take care & God bless!

Product Review - Phyode W/Me

As some of you may already know, I've been approached by EpiCentre a week ago to test out a total of 5 fitness/lifestyle gadgets. So my job was to play around with these toys and give a "talk" for 3 days at EpiCentre @ Ion Singapore! By the time you're reading this, the 6 sessions of talks should already be over.


I'll be taking some time off to write about some interesting products. Not all of them are worth mentioning.

The 1st product that I decided to test out was Phyode W/Me. I was told by the product manager that it's lifestyle wellness monitor. So what does it actually do? Let's find out...

What is Phyode?

Phyode W/Me is a Taiwan product that uses this technology called the Life Spectrum Analyser (LSA) to detect your body's harmonic frequency.

Using the app, the band will be able to map out your subconscious mental state. It takes 3 minutes to do the measurement and during the 3 minutes, you'll be able to see your heart rate real time.

The Phyode W/Me has 2 senors on the band, one on the outer side and one one the inner side of the band. Each of the sensor has to be one of your hand.

This sensor will be touch your wrist when you're having it on

Place your index finger on the sensor of the outer band

Now all you need to do is to keep calm and hold it there for 3 minutes. During the 3 minutes, this is what you'll be seeing on your screen.

You'll be able to see your heart rate real time. The signal was unstable because I had to take my finger off to do a quick screen shot. Nothing to do with the device. At any point in time where the signal is unstable, the timer will stop counting down.

And 3 minutes later, your results will be ready...

The cursor will show you which quadrant your current mental state is in

Apart from measuring your heart rate & subconscious mental state, it also measures your Autonomic Nervous System (ANS) Age & your Mental Agility Score.

I have a mind of a 17 year old?

Pretty good score ya?

Apart from these measurements, this band also has a function where it coaches you how to breathe correctly. It has a total of 5 different levels for users to work their way up!

Some other cool functions that the Phyode W/Me has will be the find your phone function. With a touch of a button, your phone will ring if it is within the bluetooth range.

Your band will also automatically vibrate whenever you receives a phone call.

Last but not least, you're able to use your band as a remote for taking phones through the Phyode W/Me App.

So at the end of the trial session, here's how I rate this product.

Design: 5/10
Usefulness: 7/10
Battery Life: 9/10
Bluetooth connectivity: 6/10

Overall, I find this a really interesting product where it provides me with information about my mental health! Many people will think that it's enough to just be physically healthy but I feel that it's equally as important to be mentally healthy as well. As for the design, the part where this product lost most of it's points is from the fact that there's only one size. Most ladies that tried on this product complained that it's really loose on their wrist and it will not be something that they'll be wearing all day. I also did experience quite bad connection from time to time, where it became really pointless if users want to take some time off to check on their mental state.

Here's a link for you to find out more about the Phyode W/Me: http://www.phyode.com/about.html

And you'll be able to grab one of these from the EpiCentre at SGD269.

Thanks for reading and have a great Sunday!