I’ve been using the Samsung Galaxy Note for a couple of weeks now, replacing my Samsung Galaxy S II as my Android phone. It’s time to give this great smartphone the proper review. You can read the Samsung Galaxy Note review
over at Gadgetell.com. Check it out and please share. Happy New Year everyone.

A few hours before 2011 ends and 2012 begins, allow me to give you my top gadgets of 2011. Take note, I personally used (and owned) all of these top five gadgets of 2011. Four of them are still with me. While the only one who’ve left me a few months ago was the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 which I found to be a redundant since I already have the iPad 2.  Anyway, I still find it as one of the top gadgets that I’ve owned for this year. The rest of the top five gadgets of 2011 for aczafra.com are as follow:

1.) Samsung Galaxy Note

Being the the latest of the gadgets I purchased this year, the Samsung Galaxy Note has to be on top. Although it’s only a few months into 2011, still as of latest report, Samsung announced that it has already shipped more than a million units of the Galaxy Note. And that doesn’t include shipment to the United States yet since it was not officially released there yet. There are so many things to love about the Galaxy Note. If you want to enjoy the best of both worlds – smartphone and tablet – this is the perfect gadget for you.

2.) iPad 2

Still my tablet of choice that belongs in the 7-10 inches category. There are so many things to love with the iPad 2 as well. And with iOS 5, its stock features and functionality have become more powerful, useful and so much to desire about. The only tablet that can beat the iPad 2 has got to be the upcoming iPad 3. So Apple, take your time because I still want to enjoy my iPad 2 some more this year.

3.) Samsung Galaxy S II

As previously announced, the Samsung Galaxy Note reservation page is now active. This means that you can now reserve a Galaxy Note by heading to this link, enter some of your personal details and choose whether you want to get the Galaxy Note unlocked or via Smart Unli Plan 2000. The factory unlocked Samsung Galaxy Note will set you back for Php 33,000 up front which the Smart Unli Plan will not cost you any cash out.

After reserving your unit, wait for an email confirmation which you need to bring upon claiming your Samsung Galaxy Note.

So, there good luck folks!

Related articles

• Samsung Galaxy Note Release Date, Pricing and How to Get It in Manila (aczafra.com)
• Samsung Starts Shipping the Galaxy Note to the European Market (androidnewshub.com)

Have you been planning to get the Samsung Galaxy Note since it was announced by Samsung? Well, if you do, you’ll be glad to know that the said Samsung tablet/phone hybrid device can now be yours, if you’re willing to spend around Php 36,400. The Samsung Galaxy Note is now available from online store Widget City Philippines. Yes, you read it right, the Samsung Galaxy Note will costs you more than to get the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 which I think retails for around Php 26,000. A little overpriced? Well, it’s an “unofficial unit” probably sourced out by Widget City from other countries where it is already available.

So, if you’re will to pay that much for this shiny, new Samsung device, check out Widget City, or check out this video demo first to convince yourself that the Samsung Galaxy Note is one heck of a gadget to have.

I was recently contacted by the developers of this new iPhone app called TrafficDito and I was supposed to make a preview post but I couldn’t install the beta version of the app on my iPhone 4 so I waited until the app was ready for download from the App Store. And so it was released a couple of days ago and I finally got to see the app.

Similar to the MMDA iPhone app, TrafficDito is also a traffic monitoring app. But unlike, the MMDA app, TrafficDito relies on inputs from users for monitoring traffic conditions. Yes, it doesn’t have the same traffic monitoring system as the MMDA app, but you’ll find it most useful for side-streets and major thoroughfares not covered by the MMDA app.

TrafficDito is well organized and designed as well. But its usefulness will solely depend on the validity of the traffic conditions of posted by users. Anybody who has the app installed on their iPhone or who’ll register from the TrafficDito.com site can post traffic updates. How accurate those traffic updates are depends on one’s discretion I guess.

Check out TrafficDito from the App Store now and see for yourself if it can help you in traversing the Metro.

Can’t wait for Globe to release the iPhone 4S (which we heard won’t be happening until early 2012) ? You might want to check out the Apple Online Store in Singapore which just started accepting pre-orders for the iPhone 4S. The good thing about iPhone 4S bought in Singapore is that it comes out of the box – factory unlocked! Which means that you can use it right away with a Globe or Smart micro-SIM.

So, how can you purchase the iPhone 4S from Apple Store Singapore if you’re in Manila? Well, you just need to contact a friend or relative residing in Singapore and ask them if they can receive your iPhone 4S for you. The good news here is that you can use your Philippine issued credit card to purchase the iPhone 4S in Singapore.

So, what about billing address? Don’t worry, based on my previous experience when I bought the iPhone 4 in the Singapore Apple Store, they accepted the shipping address I indicated as the billing address.

Go ahead and try it out. You might get lucky. Apple Store in Singapore indicates 1-2 weeks shipping time. So, if you order now, you might get your iPhone 4S first week of November. Good luck!

In case you were sleeping so soundly last night, you might have missed the news that iOS 5 is now out there in the open, waiting for your iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch. Yes, mga kababayan, it’s our favorite time of the year again, Apple has released the much awaited – iOS 5. Fire up your iTunes, connect your iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch, grab a cup of coffee and bread or something, do your morning chores and hope that PLDT myDSL or whatever Internet provider that you are using at home don’t choke up. In time, you’ll have your iDevices running the best iOS version to date.

If you have no idea what to expect from iOS 5, you better this comprehensive guide and screenshot tour .

Good luck and have fun!

Related articles

• New iPhone 4S Specs, Prices, Release Date, Available in the Philippines in December? (aczafra.com)
• MMDA Traffic Navigator for iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad (mobilepinas.com)
• Apple Unveils the New iPhone 4S! (mobilepinas.com)
• MMDA Traffic Navigator App for iOS is Now Available on the App Store! (aczafra.com)

Finally, after several months of waiting, Facebook has officially released its much awaited Facebook for iPad app. The official Facebook blog has announced it and the official product page on Facebook is also live now. If you have previously installed the Facebook iPhone app on your iPad, you’ll see the iPad app as an update. Tap on the update button and your existing installation will be updated into the iPad version.

Here’s the Facebook for iPad News Feed view

Facebook for iPad Notifications tab

Facebook for iPad Profile view

Facebook for iPad photo gallery

Facebook for iPad update status

Overall, the long wait is truly worth it. Facebook has successfully created an iPad app that essentially captured all the things that you’ll look for in a mobile version of Facebook.com.

Get Facebook for iPad now, folks!

Related articles

• Are We Going to Finally See the Facebook iPad App on Oct 5? (ipadnewshub.com)

Note: Sorry for the wrong info. I didn’t notice that pre-ordering for the unlocked iPhone 4S is still unavailable. I was too surprised to see it on the site that I didn’t bother to try adding it to the shopping cart. (Thanks Mark!)

After a few hours of downtime, the U.S. Apple Store is again up and I guess it’s no surprise anymore – the iPhone 4S is now available for pre-order. What’s surprising is that if you scroll down the pre-order page, you’ll see an option to pre-order an unlocked version of the iPhone 4S.

Wait, unlocked iPhone 4S? This means that we here in Manila can pre-order the iPhone 4S and use it with our local telcom SIM card? — YES of course!

The Apple guide to unlocked iPhone 4S confirms this:

About the Unlocked iPhone

Apple has also announced an upgraded version of the iPod Nano 2011 model. Specifically, the new iPod Nano now sports a better interface, more fitness features and new clock faces. Design-wise, it’s basically the same iPod Nano of 2010. The upgrade is more on the music players system preferences. The most glaring new feature of the iPod Nano is of course the clock faces. If you’re one of those who have bought those wrist straps that lets you attached your iPod Nano, the clock faces aims to adapt to the design of those wrist straps. There are 12 clock faces all and all and you can easily switch from one clock face.

The new iPod Nano is available now from the Apple Store (Philippines) starting from ? 7,490.00.

*Note – for those who own the 2010 iPod Nano, a software update is being pushed now from iTunes, so you might want to sync up your iPod Nano to get a feel of the new interface.