Better by the dozen

MANILA, Philippines - I never thought that I would get to a day when I would be able to use a title like this one for a cellphone.

I mean really, would it be better if I owned a dozen cellphones or would it?

When I was much younger I remember my mother saying, “Don’t bother me now, I have a dozen things to do.”

When I would hear that I knew it was not a good time to ask her for that new toy I had my eye on.

As I grew older, I began to use the expression myself.

So, I know that if I have a dozen things to do - I can’t be bothered.

But Samsung Pixon 12-megapixel camera has changed all that - when it comes to cellphones, at least. It is good news, very good news indeed that the Samsung Pixon is loaded with a 12-megapixel camera. The better news is that this baby has all the wonderful techie-features that Samsung cellphones have come to be recognized by intact.

Really cool.

Recently Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. introduced the Samsung Pixon 12 (M8910). The Pixon is the world’s first 12-megapixel camera phone with full-touch screen.

Samsung has really gotten a good feel of the market it serves.

I recently made a trip to my favorite suki sellers in Greenhills and they told me that the Samsung Pixon 12 is one hot selling cellphone.

“Grabe ang demand para sa Pixon 12,” said Joey F, one of my most trusted suki seller. “Mga 12 ang lumapit sa akin at naghahanap ng cellphone na Pixon 12.”

It was Joey’s opinion that cellphone users really want good value for their money. And he was certain that the Samsung Pixon was a great buy.

As a response to today’s consumers who demand robust camera features in their mobile phones, the Pixon 12 comes packed with a host of functions which enable consumers to easily capture, browse and share their images on the move - all on a brilliant full-touch, 3.1-inch AMOLED screen.

Yes, the AMOLED screen is another super Samsung feature. I recently got a chance to visit the Samsung office in the Fort and the LED TV amazed me.

Sorry to digress, but the Samsung LED TV is a testament to the Korean company’s continuing efforts to give the best picture- quality a TV can.

Let’s get a little techie. The Samsung ultra screens use ultra bright AMOLED (Active Matrix Organic Light Emitting Diode) technology. The benefit of OLED is that it uses a lot less power than an LCD and doesn’t require a backlight; the result, a lot longer battery life in the cellphone. OLED also delivers more vibrant on-screen colors and allows you to view the screen a lot better in bright light situations.

What all this means is that, once you shoot a picture or a video with the Pixon 12 - you get to see just how beautiful (or not too beautiful, depending on the type of photographer you are), your shots are.

And I will add here that even if I am an amateur when it comes to taking photos, I was really happy with the shots I took on the Pixon 12.

“The Pixon 12 is a testament to how Samsung’s ongoing consumer research enables us to develop ground-breaking products that do not just meet but also surpass our customers’ expectations. Speedy access to the camera mode, fast shutter speed and quick browsing are some of the key factors consumers are looking for in their mobile phone cameras,” said Charles Choi, vice president for handheld phones of Samsung Electronics Philippines. “We are very pleased to introduce the world’s first 12-megapixel camera phone that holds the answer to these pressing consumer needs.”

Easy, easy, easy

If there is one thing about cellphone users, or gadget users for that matter, it’s that they prefer gizmos that are easy to use and configure, too. Don’t believe those folks who tell you otherwise. The easier to configure, the better.

And so it is with the Samsung Pixon 12. Nothing is complicated when it comes to setting up the phone. Samsung has developed a format, which is basically the same with all its cellphone lines. So once you’ve gotten the hang of one - setting up another follows a similar format.

Let’s get back to picture taking.

Perfect pictures can be snapped quickly and easily, thanks to a Dedicated Camera Power Key, which gives users fast one-touch access to the camera function. Once the camera is turned on, users can aim and snap, capturing images as fast as any of the advanced digital cameras around. The Samsung Pixon 12 also features fast image saving for the next shot, so users can move to the next shot within around two seconds.

If you live with doggies and want to get their photos, two seconds make a difference. More so if your doggies love chasing butterflies.

The phone provides the best photo quality by adopting innovative camera features. With Touch Auto-Focus (AF) tracking, you can select the focus point with the touch of a finger, after which the AF function will automatically follow the object, keeping it in focus even as it moves across the screen. Moreover, the Smart Auto feature allows users to capture the perfect images as the camera automatically changes the scene and mode based on its object, background and lighting.

I must add that the 28-mm wide-angle lens also allows a better perspective and capture of a scene.

Watch it

I spent an afternoon taking shots of my two doggie companions and then some in the park close to our home.

I really enjoyed looking at the hilarious photos I got on the Pixon 12’s brilliant 3.1-inch AMOLED screen.

The Pixon 12 let me easily organize and manage photos with multiple ways of sorting - by tags, file names, ratings, and time. In addition, the multi-selection feature enables users to pull up images in groups rather than one by one, making viewing and editing photos much easier.

I did try to upload the photos on my Facebook. It was fun and really fast.

The phone is also loaded with Wi-Fi connectivity and is HSUPA-capable - so sharing photos is a breeze.

Call, text and personalize

I did personalize the Pixon 12 to my liking. I loaded my favorite ringtones and photos for wallpaper. I set up my mailbox and included my Facebook account on the phone.

A snap.

Oh, yes, I was so happy that my favorite Samsung tone called Bugs song is included among the ringtones. I just love it because it sounds like a cute cartoon melody with bugs singing.

Thank Samsung for the little extras.

Cellphone users who are always in a hurry like me will appreciate how quickly text messages can be typed up and sent. The sound of calls is just perfect.

Techie, techie

The phone uses GPRS and EDGE technologies for data connectivity and transfer. HSDPA or 3G allows fast downloading of data and you get high-speed Internet connectivity. With Wi-Fi you can easily transfer data in wireless mode. For local connectivity and transferring of data you can use Bluetooth technology and MicroUSB port. It can play eAAC+, WMA, MP3, AMR music files. Document viewer allows you to view PowerPoint, Word Excel and PDF files. The internal memory it offers is 150 MB that can be expanded up to 16GB by using a MicroSD card. The card can be inserted into a laptop so you can transfer your data to the laptop for backup. You can store your favorites songs in the music player. WAP allows you to surf webpages with ease. The battery offers you minimum hours of talk time and 250 hours of standby time.

What can I say?

The Samsung Pixon 12 is really better by the dozen. If you are the type of person who wants a cellphone in your camera - this one is for you. The features are just great. The shots taken are almost always perfect.

It makes fast connections - and is a classy-looker, too.

Wait, while I include the Pixon 12 in my Christmas wish list to Santa.

Dear Santa...