Hello, text sent, now shoot

MANILA, Philippines - One gadget fits all. Naysayers say there is no such thing. Believers in the wonders of technology (and the speed of techie advances), say it is only a matter of time.

I get a gadget because it works for me. This means, it has all the functions that I look for in a gadget — for the time being, that is.

Cell phones work that way for me. I am of the mind that there is no perfect cell phone.  Each one works according to what it can do; if it’s got what I want, then it’s perfect, right?

Much like love, I guess, if you find someone who has all the qualities that you look for in a partner, then perfect or not, that’s the one, right? I am no expert on love, but I do have lots of experience with cell phones.

So, I’ll stick to cell phones. I must add though that I do have strong and loving relationships with my cell phones. I care for them as much as, and perhaps some might say more than I do for lots of other things. Why not? They function the way I like them to when I want them to — what better way is there to go than that?

I love to give new things a try — at least once. I seldom listen to folks who say that this or that brand sucks or on the reverse is the best on the market. I like to take my chances — I never know what I might discover along the way.

Samsung Newbie

The Samsung M8800 Pixon is not only a cool-looker, it also has a great touchscreen. But, beyond being a cell phone, it comes with an 8 megapixel camera. 

Let me share with you the tech specs: 3.2-inch, 256K-color TFT LCD touchscreen display, eight megapixel autofocus camera with LED flash and lens protection, auto-panorama shot, face, smile and blink detection, digital image stabilization, slimmest 8MP phone, 3G with HSDPA support, quad-band GSM support, microSD card slot, FM radio with RDS, Bluetooth and USB v2.0, 200 MB internal memory, landscape on-screen virtual QWERTY keyboard.

Here’s what it lacks — Wi-Fi connectivity, no stylus compartment and no smart dialing.

So, what is it about the Samsung Pixon that captured my fancy. Well, I like a cell phone that is easy to learn or use and the Samsung cell phone is one of those. I did not have to take three days off from work to discover the basic functions that I need when I use a cell phone. For me, that is a must. Taking good photos on the run is always a pleasure for a photo-taking challenged person like myself, and the Pixon made it easy. Point and shoot and then point and shoot again. Easy.  Although I did miss the speed dialing function, something that is truly handy when I am on the road.

Go Ahead, Shoot

I guess it is really the demand for a cell phone that can take good photos that has moved Samsung to create cell phones that can do both. Keep the cell phone functions simple and make the camera on the cell phone great. And, with the Pixon, Samsung has done just that — and it is has done it really well.

With technological innovations creating more efficient and advanced gadgets, ordinary camera phones are no longer in style.  The Samsung Pixon 8 megapixel camera has features and functions comparable to that of a digital camera, all housed in a sleek and slim casing. 

I was told it is the Samsung Pixon’s  photo sharing and video uploading services through the Shozu application which has got the younger set hooked. The Shozu application works with 30 of the most popular user-generated websites, including Flickr, Facebook, Friendster, Blogger, Wordpress, Twitter, and so much more. Letting the world into your adventures (and misadventures) has become a breeze.

 It is no wonder Samsung vice president for marketing division Charles Choi once said, “Samsung has achieved success in mobile phones through our strong customer product portfolio and continuous effort to stay ahead in terms of technology and product innovation.”

Samsung claims that it continues to maintain its number two position with 20 percent market share of the total Philippine cell phone industry. 

Guess Samsung must be making cell phones right.