What would be the ultimate feature that you’ll be looking for in a smartphone?
Some would say the capable camera, big battery, powerful processor and the list goes on and on.
Everyone has different needs and every phone in the market fits someone’s need.
Having a humongous memory can be a good trait of a smartphone for me because I like to take photos and keep them for aeons.
Smartphones are created and engineered to be used for connectivity, but today, I think it is a productivity gadget. There are so many features; I personally feel that it is difficult to explore what a smartphone is capable for on my own.
Recently I got the chance to learn about the new Samsung Galaxy Note series, the Galaxy Note10|10+ from professionals to explore some of the fun features that comes with the phone.
PRO-LOOKING PHOTOS
First on the itinerary is: Learn how to take photos from the professional.
The fun-filled workshop was held to allow participants to discover and experience the power of the new Galaxy Note10|10+.
Fun? Yes, but it was hard work too.
I’ve been relying on my smartphone to take photos for work and also when I travel.
I find using my smartphone every time an opportunity strike is easier as compared to managing big (and powerful) DSLR cameras.
Maybe because I don’t really know how to use them but today’s smartphone’s camera can produce decent results too.
When commercial and fashion photographer Michael Yeoh took the workshop I was a bit sceptical about if I would understand what he will be sharing but the simple presentation was enough for me for understand and excel at it.
Listening to Yeoh sharing tips on how to compose a pro-grade photographs and videos using the Galaxy Note10+ was enlightening.
He said: “The Live Focus – Big Circle function is good when you have multiple light sources.”
Right after his session come a group of young Break-dancers putting up a show behind us.
“You guessed it right. You will apply what you just learn,” says Michael.
Together with a partner, we set to test our recently acquired professional grade photography skills.
We were given 45-minutes to capture the best photo before submitting our best work for Michael to judge for best photo and video.
FOR CREATIVE USERS
Yoonsoo Kim, President of Samsung Malaysia Electronics said that the Samsung Galaxy Note10|10+ is the essential device that does just about everything.
“These devices complement a generation that is always on-the-go, allowing them to create, edit and share content instantly right from their phones. The workshops were carried out to give the participants a chance to learn features that they would use in their daily life,” said Yoonsoo Kim during the launch to the Note10 series.
The president’s statement was on point.
During the second part of the workshop we learned the AR Doodle with Marianne Tan, a local professional illustrator who guided us on how to unleash our creativity by sketching simple and cute doodle arts to enhance the image we capture.
Combined with AR technology, we learned how to use the S Pen as a mixed reality paintbrush to add drawings and animations to whatever scene the camera is pointed and create our very own AR content for a twist of uniqueness and fun in the video.
Once again we got up to create masterpieces AR content based on what was shared by Tan.
How was it? It was a fun task filled with laughter as we each try out my almost non-existence doodle skills to complete the task.
After about an hour of attempting to be the most creative person to create an AR doodle video, we uploaded our masterpieces on Instagram and onto Google drive for the judging process.
AMAZING RACE
While waiting for our work of art is judged, we embarked on a race around Petaling Street to be amazed by the phone.
After the grouping exercise, we set out to put our Google-skills to test.
Armed with our Samsung devices and Google apps, we were given clues to be deciphered and navigate around Chinatown to locate and photograph hidden street art and iconic places.
The Amazing-race-like tasks got the team members to work together—we delegated our task well. One did the mapping, one was in charge of recording and submission and the rest were task doers.
One of it requires us to pose like a KPop band in front of a mata kucing drink stall.
After much running trying to solve riddles and find location, our final task was to replicate a movie poster—and it was an amazing experience as the SPen proves to be one of the best tool for me to draw the lightsabre (you can guess what movie poster we recreated).
USEFUL DEVICE
For some of us, travelling is an essential part of life – to experience new places and different cultures.
Even when exploring our very own city, like exploring Chinatown.
There are parts of Chinatown which are alien to me. I’ve been living and make a living in Kuala Lumpur for almost 15 years now and I still remember exploring the small alleys in Chinatown but thanks to the workshop I was introduced to the long-abandoned lane which was turned into a mural haven for me to enjoy.
Capturing moments like that is like bringing back a little bit of my journey back with me.
The Galaxy Note10+ comes with not only two but four cameras and combined, they offer interesting shots. Yes, what you see won’t be the same as what is captured but the four—the 10MP front camera, 16MP Ultra Wide-angle, 12 MP Wide-angle and 12 MP tele-photo give an amazing ultra-wide-angle capability to help capture the most beautiful scenery as close as it can be to what is seen.
How I wish I had this phone while making my way around the mysterious streets of Morocco where I not only have a great phone to capture memories on my road trip, all the planning materials are available in one place too.
I make it a habit to note my travel, but it tend to get really annoying trying to type a journal. I prefer writing it and this phone’s S Planner and Notes feature is so amazing, it can convert my daily diary into typed note making itinerary planning convenient and effortless.
Best still, it synchronises seamlessly with Google Calendars so I can plan out my travel schedule and file additional information on my trip in the cloud-based Google Drive for easy access.
I still remember the pain of trying to communicate with someone when they don’t understand what you’re saying.
When my French is fading fast (my biggest apology to my French teacher whom tried her best to make me speak the language fluently some 18 years ago), conversing in foreign language can be frustrating.
The Galaxy Note10|10+ has Google translate app which supports 100 languages and 37 languages via photo and having this device as you explore the foreign land would be a much pleasant experience especially when you are trying to explain to the locals that you need help with the flat tyre in the middle of nowhere, in the dark, during winter.
This make the phone one of the best traveling partner I would definitely consider on my next adventure.
MORE FEATURES
After partnering with the Galaxy Note 10+ for almost five hours, I began to know the phone. It is true what people said: Never judge a book from its cover and truly, that Aura Glow outer does not makes the phone ‘pretty’ on the inside but for me, it is a monster smartphone packed with so much features that it need proper sit down to fully understand some of the features.
The workshop proves to be a great productivity companion and for travelling too.
Cherry on top, our photo was chosen as the ‘Best Photo & Video’ by Michael making all the lying-flat-on-the-floor-to-capture-image moment so worth it!
Although our AR Doodles were not the best but we were really proud of the knowledge we gathered during the workshop.