Galaxy A – TWFLD

Samsung’s 2016 Galaxy A line is finally here

Papi Mabele — Fri, 06 May 2016 18:32:47 +0000

The Galaxy A series was born from a time when Samsung was derided for its plastic fetish. Showing that it could do metal just as well on the mid-range like it did in its flagship, it launched the first Galaxy Alpha, which was later on superseded by the Galaxy A3, A5, and A7. This year, Samsung once again borrowed cues from its flagship for the 2016 Galaxy A series, lending the same attention to design, cameras, and mobile payment (nope, not for SA) as the Galaxy S6 and now S7, as seen in some of their new youtube ads.

From just metal, Samsung has moved to metal and glass, which has the effect of offering both premium looks as well as the durability of something like Gorilla Glass. Normally reserved for high-end flagships, Samsung has decided to trickle down the design to the Galaxy A series. In its stead, the rumored Galaxy C series will be the one to tout the all-metal design of the previous generation.

Samsung has been focusing a great deal on smartphone cameras lately, and that effort has born fruit in the Galaxy S7. Of course, mid-range devices like the Galaxy A line can only dream of that, but it isn’t that far behind. All three, from the lowest A3 all the way up to the A7 have 13 megapixel rear cameras gifted with the same large f/1.9 aperture. The Galaxy A5 and A7 add optical image stabilization on top of that to deliver more than decent shots and videos.

The 2016 Galaxy A series has so far been available only in select markets in Asia and Europe, even fourth months after it’s launch. Samsung confirmed to having the devices on SA soil earlier this week, at an undisclosed recommended price.

Two new stores for Samsung SA

Papi Mabele — Mon, 30 Mar 2015 11:41:32 +0000

We’ve all been to that huge Samsung branded store in Sandton city, right? That store that leaves your jaw on the floor from all of the out-of-this-galaxy gadgets that you can’t afford, right?

Samsung’s dabbled in creating dedicated spaces for SA shoppers a few times, but unlike arch-rival Apple, hasn’t built up any long-standing retail presence. That’s not the case in other regions, though, and in late 2013 Samsung decided it was high time to set up a bunch of shops across South Africa to call its own.

Thursday will see another two of these “Samsung Experience” stores open their doors in the SA. The shops, which are located in Durban and Cape Town, play host to all things Samsung, from washing machines to wearables, in the familiar try-before-you-buy type setting. We’re going to check out the Durban store on Thursday, but if you’re close to one, head inside to get an early look at the new GS6 and A range before they launch next week Friday.

• Pavillion Shopping Centre, Durban – Jack Martens Drive, Westville
• Somerset Mall, Cape Town – Centenary Drive, Intersection of N2 & R44, Somerset West

Meet Samsung’s all-metal Galaxy A5 and A3

Papi Mabele — Thu, 29 Jan 2015 18:19:07 +0000

A unibody metal body, 5-inch AMOLED display, 13-megapixel camera, and claim as Samsung’s “thinnest smartphone to date” the Galaxy A5 and A3 yet more smartphones from Samsung, measuring at 6.7mm and 6.9mm thickness. They may not be close to the thinnest smartphone but with a metallic body, it’s still quite an interesting proposition. They’re both apparently geared at the youth, with Samsung’s own presser praising its social network skills – extending to a GIF maker and 4G connectivity – and the five-megapixel front-facing camera, because selfies, but given the notion of a metal-framed Galaxy phone, other crankier demographics might also be tempted.

The Galaxy A5 priced at R6499 is the five-inch model, with a 720p Super AMOLED display and a 1.2GHz processor — it’s a relatively middleweight specification but it’s probably what ensures Samsung were able to squeeze down the dimensions. Meanwhile, the Galaxy A3 which will set you back R4999 has a 4.5-inch qHD Super AMOLED screen, and the same processor. The camera here dips down to a 8-megapixel model, but you’ll still get the full 5MP whack of the front-facing camera. Both devices are set to officially launch in either Pearl White, Midnight Black and Champagne Gold this weekend, whilst your local Samsung experience stores and authorised retailers already carry stock.