Sometime back, the Asus Ambassadors were invited to the launch of the Zenfone Zoom S Media Launch event. It was after so long that the group of us were finally reunited. Thank you for the wonderful opportunity as always.



Can you make a guess where we were and what was the theme of the day?





This event was very unique because it was held on-board a yacht where all the media partners gathered and get sail for a cruise to nowhere and we get to hands-on the phone and try out its features.



As it was Star Wars day, (4th May 2017). Bobby decided to dress up to the theme, while the rest of us ladies keep it chill with our hats, sunglasses and smart-casual outfits.



I love this photo of me and lyn caught by Jon's camera. Thanks for the shot! Thanks Kiyoko for lending me your hat too. I think i look great in them and it matches my outfit perfectly.



Let me now officially introduce you to the Zenfone Zoom S (ZE553KL) features:

Catch the moment features:
5000mAH long battery life, 2.3x Optimal long shot photo zooming capabilities, f/1.7 super pixel for low light photography.

Camera:
The phone camera has a dual camera zoom system which allows for easy zooming and produces super sharp results. It allows a sharp focus and bokeh effects on portrait mode.

Super Pixel Main Camera:
f/1.7 aperture, large 1.4 µm sensor pixels, powerful Super pixel engine, up to 8x light sensitivity which are perfect for low light, or night shots.



Design:
Aluminum Alloy body, Gorilla Glass 5 display with 2.5D Contoured edges, phone weighing at 170g

Audio:
Powerful New 5-Magnet, NXP AMP powered speakers, Hi-Res Audio output, DTS Headphone X5.1 Virtual surround

Battery Life:
Long lasting 5000Mah long battery life, reverse charging capabilities, fast charging with Asus BoostMaster

The Zenfone Zoom S is now available in selected superstores, Singtel and M1 stores at $678 (w/o contract) in either black or pink. I reckon the pink one will go out of stock soon so better hurry and reserve your set soon.

Oh ya! If you think your phone camera can beat the Asus Zenfone Zoom S, go take up the low light photography challenge and win yourself up to $8000 cash.



Details:
Stand to win up to $8000 cash with the ZenFone Zoom S Low Light Photography Challenge, only if your phone is able to take a clearer picture in the dark, compared to ASUS ZenFone Zoom S!



Starting from 8th July, 2 locations per week for 4 consecutive weeks, ASUS Mobile team will be around Singapore to accept challenges from everyone. Stay tuned to ASUS Mobile Singapore Facebook page for more information on the dates, time and locations of this ultimate challenge!

*T&C applies

For more details and information, do check out:
ASUS Mobile Singapore
ASUS Mobile SG Instagram

Disclaimer: This article is made possible by ASUS Mobile Singapore. All photographs are properties of either pearlywerkz or ASUS Mobile SG. Please do not take them as your own and utilize without our permission.

This article was first published on pearlywerkz.wordpress.com. It was written by the same author.

Hey dudes, look at what I've gotten here? Its the Asus ZenFone 3. Let's take a quick look at this beautiful piece of technology by ASUS. This is the Asus Zenfone 3! Watch the unboxing here!

Have you read part 1 of my ASUS ZenFone Max Review? This Monster battery phone is more than just a Smartphone.



The ASUS ZenFone Max can serve as a power bank to charge your electronic devices while on the go. Simply connect the second device with the bundled USB on-the-go(OTG) Cable and you can start charging. You can also connect to an SD card reader to view the photos contained in it via the ASUS ZenFone Max.




By default, your ZenFone Max will continue to charge a connected USB OTG device even when it is on its sleep mode. You can change this setting if you like. Go to System settings > Power Management > Reverse Charging



The ASUS ZenFone runs on the ASUS ZenUI which has many useful features which you will love. Check out my favorite 8 from this list which I have compiled for your reference. More can be found here.

The Kids Mode is great for those with young children who likes to play with their parent's phone as you can keep certain functions away from them and the Easy Mode is great for the elders who just need basic functions of a smartphone and would prefer bigger icons.



Photo credits: Asus 

Pay special attention to the Power Saving App. This app can be found on all other ASUS ZenFone series smartphone. Make use of this app to extend the battery life of the phone even more.



Check out the 5 Battery Modes:

1) Performance
2) Normal (Default setting) - System adjust phone CPU performance and Brightness
3) Power Saving - Receive and make calls as per normal, disables data network when device is asleep and re-enables when device is awake. App notification will only be received when phone is awake.
4) Super Saving

These battery saving modes are life savers especially for people whom are constantly on the go! Switch between modes to save your battery life.



5) Customized- Select extend standby to configure the apps which you would like to receive notification less frequently to further maximize your battery life.

Camera Modes and Features:

To activate the camera,  use ASUS ZenMotion, which in sleep mode, swipe the letter C on the screen to activate the main camera, or S to activate the front camera.

Camera Modes:
Information on each mode is provided by tapping on the "i" icon as seen on the left hand side of this photo If you are unsure of which mode to use, just hit on the Auto mode.



Manual - Configure your own settings
Try it if you are adventurous enough!



Look at these beautiful Orchids taken in Changi Airport, presented through the HDR Mode! It is no wonder Singapore is such a beautiful city.

HDR -Expands the dynamic range and grabs more details out from high contrast or strong back lit sense



Look at this super resolution photo which shows you such clarity and details of this make-shift building piece.


Super Resolution - Combine multiple shots to create incredible, detailed photos

Low Light (3M) - Boost up light sensitivity for a clear and bright low-light shots without the use of build-in flash.



I tried taking photos of a nearby HDB Block of flats and was surprised by the clarity of this night shot. For shots with a reasonable amount of lighting, the ASUS ZenFone Max works well, but for those with poor lighting, the photos turned out blurry.

Night - Slower shutter speed to capture more light in dark scenes

Effect - Filter effects for creative and fun images

Grabbed my husband for a Wefie with the front camera. Not too bad, we can see the instant beautification at work for selfies. Look at our flawless complexion!



Selfie - High Resolution of selfie images using rear camera.
Beautification - Applies multiple facial enhancements before pressing shutter button


Panorama - Grabs a wide panoramic view of your surroundings.


Smart Remove - Removes unwanted moving objects from the background.
All Smiles - Combines each person's best expression from multiple shots into a single perfect group photo.
Slow Motion - Records fast-moving objects with very high frame rate and plays back in slow speed.
Time Lapse -Records the Video in a slower pace and plays back in normal speed.


I put 3 different modes to the test using a vase of dried roses and my Cactus plant,

Auto - Camera's best settings depending on environment
In this mode, the Cactus was made the main focus but overall the photo looks ordinary and plain.

Depth of Field - Photos of close-up subjects with soft background
The mode made the main subject, my Cactus sharp and blurred the vase behind giving it a sharper presence in the photo.



Miniature - Captures a photo of a life-sized object and turns it into a small-scale model. This mode made my Cactus looked small. Even the vase behinds it now look like a miniature.

I also tested this mode on my plate of Thai fried rice. It gives it a nice feel although my plate of rice did not turn into a miniature.



The Time Rewind mode is perfect for unstable hands taking moving images because it captures images before you even press the shutter button! How amazing is technology nowadays?

Time Rewind - Recording images before and after pressing the shutter button.



I managed to capture this game on the social tree at Changi Airport while it was counting down as a GIF. It looks kinda fun as it seems like a mini video.

GIF Animation - Captures a series of images and convert them into a moving image or GIF.


The GIF Animation mode is perfect for my moving dinosaur photo that I took in Langkawi Skypark. I find this so amusing whenever I looked at it. I got scared by it initially as I wasn't aware that it can move.

I had fun exploring the phone and some of its main functions. Overall this is a good basic smartphone to have with a basic camera which performs better in its day shots then night shots with fun modes to spruce up your photographs and a commendable battery life and battery saving apps.

ASUS ZenFone Max is available at ASUS brand stores, ASUS authorized dealers, Singtel and StarHub at $249. Check out more information of the ASUS ZenFone Max and purchase it here.

Disclaimer: Review is honest and based on personal experience. No monetary reward is received for the review. I was invited to review the phone by Alvinology Media.



Be Confident, Be yourself.

The ASUS ZenFone Max has finally landed on my hands! I was getting all excited about it and many had been asking for reviews ever since I attended the ASUS ZenFone Max and ASUS ZenFone Zoom's launch event. They call this the monster battery phone because of its incredibly long-lasting 5000mAh battery running on the Android 5.0 Lollipop firmware, which can also act as a power bank on its own! This allows you to charge other electronic devices which you have, on the go.

The Zenfone Max has an IPS display protected by scratch resistant Corning Gorilla Glass 4, Bluelight Filter for Eye Care. Never miss another fast moving shot again with the powerful 13MP camera which has a laser auto focus technology,  and a nearly-instant focusing time of just 0.03 seconds. 

This is some great news as you'll never have to run out of "juice" while on the go again. How would you like it that you can have a phone cum power bank in one device?



Lets take a quick look at the ASUS ZenFone Max. 

:Un-boxing:


1x ASUS ZenFone Max
1x OTG Cable
1x Charging Cable
1x 3-pin Adapter head
1x Warranty Card
1x User Guide

:Appearance:


Front: Holding the 5.5-inch handset, I noticed that my fingerprints does not stay on the screen when i held on to it, thanks to its oleophobic coating.



Back: The handset that I have received for this review is in Osmium Black with a leather-like finish. I love the leather finish which adds a premium feel and gives me a steady grip.

Image Credits: ASUS

There is another version of this phone in pure white and in Egg shell finish.



5MP Front Camera f/20, 85 degrees wide-viewing angle, perfect for taking group selfies!


13MP clarity Rear Camera f/2.0, 5P Largen lens, with ultra-fast laser auto focus (0.03 sec focus), Dual-Led real tone flash which promises accurate colours of your skin tone.


Various different camera modes are also available for different effects which makes photography fun. (I will share more on the next post)


:Weight:


Despite having the 5000mAH inbuilt battery, it weighs only 202g and is 5.2mm slick, with a metal-like classy edge all around.

:Battery Life:

It has an estimated 38 days standby time, 3G Talk time of 37.6hrs, WiFi web browsing of 32.5hrs, audio playback time of 72.9 hours and video playback time of 22.6hrs and runs on the Android 5.0 Lollipop firmware. This means that you'll never get bored again with those extended hours of entertainment.

:Sim Cards & Micro SD:



ASUS ZenFone Max supports dual sim card:

Sim Card 1 slot supports 2G, 3G, 4G
Sim Card 2 slot supports only 2G, and 3G networks
Micro SD slot supports up to 64GB of data

It has an internal storage of 16GB.

:Ports:


It comes with a micro USB port, a build in mono speaker, dual internal mic with ASUS NoiseZero Talk Technology and a 3.5mm headphone audio jack.



On the right hand side of the handset, there is the power on/off, sleep/wake button as well as the volume up/down button.

I am loving the first look of this phone and its ability to charge up my other electronic devices while on the go. I didn't have to charge the phone for days when I am not using it. This phone not only entertains me with its long battery life, it provides a back-up source of energy whenever my other electronic devices runs out of "juice". Stay tuned for more details of its functions as I explore the phone further.

ASUS ZenFone Max is available at ASUS brand stores, ASUS authorized dealers, Singtel and StarHub at $249. Check out more information of the ASUS ZenFone Max and purchase it here.

Disclaimer: Review is honest and based on personal experience. No monetary reward is received for the review. I was invited to review the phone by Alvinology Media.



Be Confident, Be yourself.

ASUS Singapore, currently Singapore's number 3, recently unveiled 2 of their latest ZenFone models which are the ASUS ZenFone Zoom and ASUS ZenFone Max. I was delighted to attend their media launch last week and managed to get a feel of how these 2 phones work.



Mr Benson Lim, Corporate VP of ASUS shared with the audience details about the partnership and features of the phonse and how he made use of the ASUS ZenFone Zoom to take beautiful photographs from his recent Cambodia trip.
 
ASUS ZenFone Zoom
Starhub now owns the exclusivity to this ASUS ZenFone Zoom which is the World's Thinnest 3X Optical Zoom Smartphone with optical image stabilisation, so those with shaky hands can bid good bye to blurred shots. The laser auto-focus captures a total clarity at lightning speed and up to 12X total magnification. You can now see the world up close. 



The ZenFone Zoom eliminates the needs of a basic DSLR-style camera. If you are a photo enthusiast and does not wish to carry a heavy DSLR camera around your neck, the ASUSZenFone Zoom which weighs only a mere 185g should do just the trick. Point and shoot at 0.03 seconds with it's rear lens which has a laster auto-focus function.

 

Ms Wang Li-Na, Head of Product & Marketing, StarHub shares with the audience her take on the phone after bringing it along with her to meetings and shooting her meeting notes with it. 

 

Phone Specs: 
✓ 13MP Pixel Master Rear Camera
✓ 3X Hoya Lens in an innovative 10-element lens
✓ Laser auto-focus and 5mm edge 
✓ Pocket-sized DSLR experience, Periscopic innovation, SmartFSI sensor, 52MP
Super Resolution, 5cm macro shots and pro-style Manual mode
 ✓ Monster performance: 64-bit quad-core processor, 4GB DDR3 RAM, 64GB
storage, BoostMaster fast-charging and Full HD display 
✓Powered by a high-performance quad-core Intel® Atom™ processor with 4GB RAM for ultra-fast performance. 
✓High-capacity 3000mAh battery  (non removable)
✓60ms touch-response time
 
Mr Benson Lim also shares with us some shortcut features unique to all Zenphones, such as triggering the email by writing an "e" on the screen of the phone, "c" for the camera feature and "s" to activate the front camera for a selfie.



I like that the phone comes with a handy leather strap and is encased in Italian leather, which gives it a stylish feel and safety feature.


What's more, it only takes the phone 39 minutes to be 60% charged up and the The Corning® Gorilla® Glass 4 display offers 2x the drop-damage resistance of its predecessor, so its 85% less likely to break in daily use, making it safer and stronger than before, plus with the strap, its almost impossible to drop your phone now.




Other than the DSLR look alike lens which does not protrude out of the phone (unlike its competitor phones in the market). You can trigger the phone's camera by pressing on the side camera button. A short press auto-focus on your photographs while a long press snaps the photo.

The phone also comes with many pre-installed camera and movie editing applications. I'll leave it all to you to check it out when it launches in the market.



The Asus ZenFone Zoom phone comes in 2 colours, the obsidian black and glacier white. I personally favour the white one more! Starting from 10 March, Starhub customers with 4G5 and above can get this phone at $0. While 4G4, 4G3 and 4G300M plans customers can purchase the phone at $99, $349 and $449 respectively.


******

Next up is the ASUS ZenFone Max, which is launching on the same day. If your phone is always out of juice, this is one model you would like to look out for. Not only will you not run out of juice, now you'll be the favourite person your friend would sit next to.



ASUS ZenFone Max is your all new monster battery smartphone with an incredible long-lasting, low depletion 5000mAh lithium-polymer battery that not only acts a smartphone but an on-the-go power bank for your charging convenience. It can last up to 38 days of standby.




Phone Specs:
✓Ultimate display: Beautiful 5.5-inch IPS HD panel with latest-generation
✓Corning® Gorilla® Glass 4 offers double the drop-damage resistance
✓ Ultimate speed: 13MP PixelMaster camera with ultra-fast laser auto-focus for
point-and-shoot simplicity and total clarity in just 0.03 seconds
✓5.2mm slim, powered by quad-core, 64-bit Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ 410 processor
✓ Features LTE Category 4 for fast mobile-download speed up to 150Mbps






Weighing only 202g, it is available in Pure White and Osmium Black, pick it up at the IT Show, ASUS brand stores, ASUS authorized dealers, Singtel and StarHub at $249.


Thank you ASUS and Soon Koon of Originally US/ Alvinology for the launch invitation.

Be Confident, Be Yourself,