Tag Archives | smartphone

Samsung Galaxy S10 Now Available for Preorder in Lebanon

By Rami on February 21, 2019 in Lebanon, Technology

Samsung unveiled yesterday the latest version of its Galaxy S series, the S10, and this year it is coming in 3 models. The S10e (relatively cheaper model), the S10, and S10+ with 5.8 inch, 6.1 inch, and 6.4 inch displays respectively.

In comparison to last year’s version, and without going much into numbers and detailed specifications, the S10 now has a bigger display with more screen rel estate and smaller bezels, an in-screen ultrasonic fingerprint reader, an upgraded triple-lens camera with the ability to take wider scenes, and reverse wireless charging allowing you to use your phone to charge other devices. I am personally currently using the S9 and already feel tempted to do the upgrade (I hope I’ll be able to get my hands on a test unit).

The S10e, S10 and S10+ are already available for pre-order on Samsung CTC website for $779, $929 and $1,029 (for the 128GB models) and they all come with free gadgets (Galaxy watch and wireless charger for the S10 and S10+, or a bluetooth Speaker and battery pack for the S10e).

I also noticed you can also save $179 on the S10 and S10+ if you preorder via Phonefinity.net who is offering the same bundles at a less price with 1-year CTC warranty, which is a pretty good deal tbh!

Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8+ Already Available at Amhaz

By Rami on April 19, 2017 in Technology

The new Galaxy S8 and S8+ are set to be released on April 21st in the U.S. and on April 28th around the rest of the world. However, Amhaz is as usual a step ahead of the official resellers in Lebanon and is currently offering the two phones at City Centre and Bir El Abed for a ridiculous $950 and $1150. Still, as in the case with any new smartphone the prices should decrease by the day.

On the other hand, the official prices for the S8 and S8+ are set by Samsung Lebanon to $799 and $899 respectively, and you can pre-order your device while benefiting from free bundles by placing an order on their website.

I personally briefly passed by Samsung’s Dbayeh showroom today and found the S8 to be absolutely gorgeous, and I’m now having a hard time resisting the urge to get one even though my current S7 is still running perfectly. Disregarding all the phone features and specs, the infinity display alone is guaranteed to make you fall if in love with the S8.

Price wise, I expect Amhaz and other stores to soon start selling at a price lower than Samsung’s once the S8 is officially released, but after the issue I enountered with my old S7 Edge, if I’m buying the S8 then I will certainly get it from an authorized retailer because the official warranty is definitely worth it.

The Authorities Just Noticed Amhaz, Sa7 El Nom!

By Rami on November 17, 2016 in What the fuck!

The owner of Amhaz cell shops, Kamel Amhaz, was arrested two days ago for illegaly smuggling more than 1.5 million phones with an approximate value of $45 million since the year 2000. And just like everytime a significant figure is put behind bars, some supporters blocked some roads near Beirut airport and in Baalbeck to protest his arrest.

However, while the protests are justified at a time where people hit the streets for the silliest reasons, the timing of the arrest is totally unacceptable. I know it’s always better late than never, but how on earth can the authorities wait more than 16 years to arrest such guy while everybody knew everything about his illegal business during the past years! Hell even I wrote a couple of times about getting smartphones from his shops. And it isn’t like Amhaz was operating from secret places, his shops are well know and one of them is even at a mall in Beirut.

Seriously, how can you brag about such accomplishment in the media and not lose credibility?!

On a lighter note, I wish getting people in jail was a simple as writing about them!

Smartphones in Lebanon – Low Prices VS Genuine Warranty

By Rami on November 11, 2016 in Opinions

Back in June when I got my S7 Edge, I decided to save some money by getting it from Amhaz in Bir El Abed because the price they provide for smartphones and accessories are usually the lowest in the market ($630 back then) *cough no VAT and no tax cough*. However, for selling at such prices, Amhaz does not give you a receipt and the warranty you get only covers factory defects which seemed fair enough for me.

I previously got some phones for my friends and family from there and luckily never had any problem with the handsets so I never resorted to the warranty. But fast forward to last week, my phone’s screen suddenly started to show a pink and green tint then continuously flashing, so I immediately took it to Amhaz to have it checked.

I got a phone call the next day that the screen is defected and I can have it replaced for $350 (Edge screens are expensive), so I went to the shop and started arguing with a technician about the origin of the problem as he insisted the screen was damaged due to some shock, knowing that the phone was unscratched and I never dropped it during the last days of using it.

Long story short, I couldn’t convince him of having it replaced under the warranty so I sold him the phone as it is for $160 and got an S7 instead.

I’m not sharing my story with you to bitch about Amhaz customer service, but to rather shed light on the importance of buying gadgets and electronics from authorized dealers. Such dealers have direct contact with the manufacturers and can help you easily replace a handset if it proved to be factory defective. On the other hand, other shops get their stuff imported through alternative channels and should go through a hassle to send a defective item to its origin, which explains why the warranty they give you is very limited.

I will never know what was wrong with my screen, maybe it was factory defected or maybe I could have damaged it myself, but what I’m sure of is that I had a higher chance of repairing it for free had I opted to originally get it from CTC because I heard of so many stories where people were able to get their phones repaired at no cost. Needless to say, with dealers like CTC and others the cases where a service is provided for free are clearly defined and do not depend on the technician’s mood.

At a time when tech companies are always challenged to keep innovating and releasing new models, shit can happen with their new designs and you never know when you might end up purchasing a messed up device like the Note 7 and regret not having a valid warranty with it. I learned my lesson the hard way, but I urge you to learn from my mistake! I now believe a genuine warranty is worth a few tens of bucks when buying such expensive devices, and no don’t settle for “kafeilit ma7all”. When it comes to mobile phones, make sure you a warranty from CTC for Samsung phones, and from Gomobile for Sony, Alcatel, HTC, and Lenovo.

Phonefinity.net is one of the shops I recommend for smartphones with genuine warranty at a really good price.

Annoying Moviegoers !

By on January 7, 2015 in Lebanon

Smartphone theaters

Movie theaters usually ask you to silence you phone before the movie starts in order to perfectly enjoy the screening and avoid any disturbance to the experience. Most moviegoers usually abide by this which is good. However, another problem that really annoys me and is starting to become more and more recurrent, is people that cannot get off social media and keep using their smartphones while cranking up the brightness to maximum. These people do RUIN the movie experience. Have you lately came across such people at the cinemas?

On a somewhat related level, Old Trafford (Manchester United’s stadium for those of you who are not football fans) introduced some changes to its policy last year, one of which was banning the use of large devices (mainly tablets) during matches in order not to ruin the experience for people who just want to enjoy watching the game.

So don’t you think that theaters should ask viewers not only to silence their phones, but also to reduce their brightness to minimum?

A smart phone decision!

By on September 29, 2014 in Random

smartphones

If you’re on the market looking to upgrade your smartphone, you might get lost looking at all the offerings currently available. Since all current smartphones are more than capable of handling whatever you throw at them, i will refrain from going through detailed spec sheets. Instead, I’ll try to focus on specific features that are offered by the various manufacturers that would make you choose their handset over others.

LG: The current flagship smartphone from LG is the G3. Having a 5.5″ QHD screen, the G3 holds the highest pixel density among all phones to be highlighted in this article. What’s more impressive however, is it’s compactness a.k.a. screen to phone size ratio which stands at spectacular 76.4%. To get a better idea of what I’m talking about here, check the picture below comparing it to the 5.5″ screened iPhone 6 plus (note that when bent, the iPhone 6 plus is actually the shorter phone). Another highlight feature of the G3 is laser focus, which LG says improves the camera’s auto-focus time.

Ip6 M8 .

HTC: The HTC one (M8) is undoubtedly the most premium android phone on the market offering an impeccable build quality surpassing that of any other phone maker (we’re looking at you apple). The aluminum-clad 5″ screened M8 offers dual speakers but a so-so camera. Also, having been on the market for a while now, its price is easily accessible. Note that the same applies to the G3.

SONY: The Z3 is the latest entry in Sony’s Xperia line of smartphones. Building on the features of the Xperia Z2, the Z3 offers a 5.2″ screen, dual speakers, a 20.7 Mp camera with a larger than standard camera sensor, noise cancellation and high-resolution audio, all tucked inside a water-proof glass body with aluminum edges. An impressive feature that will grab gamers attention is ‘PS4 remote play’ that allows you to stream PS4 games using your wifi network to the phone. In regards to build quality, The Z3 just falls short of beating that of the M8 but comes very close. Note that Sony offers a compact version of the Z3 called Z3 compact (duh!) providing the same experience in a smaller (4.6″) more ‘pocketable’ device. Both phones are promised to provide a 2-day battery life.

SAMSUNG: The Korean manufacturer is infamous for flooding the market with endless iterations of its Galaxy lineup. The Galaxy S5 is its current flagship offering a 5.1″ super saturated screen, a solid camera, a heart-rate sensor and a fingerprint sensor (a la iPhone 5s/6/6 plus) tucked in a water-resistant plastic body. The S5 is the least premium-feeling device among all android flagships. Samsung also recently released the Galaxy Alpha (aimed at competing with the iPhone 6) offering a 4.7″ screen in a plastic, metal-framed body.

APPLE: The iPhone 6 and 6 plus are Apple’s latest gadgets. Having a respective 4.7″ and 5.5″ screen, both phones provide the usual simplicity and ease use of iOS while offering a fingerprint scanner and an enhanced yet protruding 8 Mp camera with improved auto-focus in premium looking devices. On a subjective side note, I hate how the back of both phones look and much prefer the 5/5s in that perspective.

iPhone

When looking to purchase a new smartphone, my advice is to look for the one that provides you with the features you need or might need in the future, and of course all while considering its price.

For example, photography oriented users might lean more towards the Z3 or even the S5. Others looking for the most premium looking device would go for the M8 and iPhone siblings. If you consume lots of multimedia the choice would definitely be the M8 and Z3 for their dual speakers (and the Z3’s audio capabilities). Looking for a smartphone that’s not afraid to get wet you got the water-resistant S5 and the water-proof Z3.

photos via phonearena using their phone size comparison tool.

I would have played Candy Crush too

By Rami on March 21, 2014 in Lebanon

candy crush

This photo of MP Ahmad Karami has been making rounds on Facebook over the past couple of days with people criticizing him for playing Candy Crush during the cabinet policy debate.

But think about it for a second, what do people usually do during boring pointless gatherings? I for myself know that I would have played Candy Crush too!

At least he wasn’t watching porn like those politicians from India!