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“[for] Samsung, it of great satisfaction that only a month after the presentation worldwide in Berlin, the Galaxy Note 4 becomes a real option for Jamaican consumers. Combining an evolved version of the S Pen with a superior viewing experience, the newest member of the iconic Note series proposes a unique experience by presenting the latest technologies that the uses have come to expect from the Galaxy Series”

Key Accounts Manager of Samsung Electronics, Kenneth L. Moore, Jnr a quoted in the Samsung Press Release for the Galaxy Note 4 and it quintet of products launched at the Samsung Experience Store on Thursday October 16th 2014

Samsung has managed to surprise me yet again!

Just when I thought they were into super-large and bendy UHDTV (Ultra High Definition Televisions) by foisting the Curved U9000 Series the Mona Visitors Lodge on Tuesday September 2nd 2014 as detailed in my article Samsung unveils their First Curved Ultra High Definition TV, the U9000 Series at Mona Visitors Lodge, they managed to create the same “Ohhh” and “Ahhh” feeling again with yet another product launch a month later.

It was a fairly warm night on Thursday October 16th 2014 when I was able to break away from my evening classes at the MICO University College at about 1809 hours to make a belated late appearance at the Samsung Product Launch. Agent Lindsworth Deer to Geezam Base, en route to the pickup of the 084, Marvel Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D Style!

Geezam - US$1089 Samsung Galaxy Note 4 is a flatteringly fabulous Phablet with an improved S Pen - 21-10-2014 LHDEER (9)

I had no idea what product they’d be launching but based on what I knew Samsung was up to from my articles on my personal blog My Thought on Technology and Jamaica as well as the location of the launch, I knew it had something to do with the Samsung Galaxy Note 4. The Galaxy Note 4 been launched a day later in the UK (United Kingdom) on Friday October 17th 2014, amusingly three (3) days after it went live in India on Tuesday October 14th 2014.

So here I was at the Entrance to the Samsung Experience Store located at Shop 2 in the Tropical Plaza in Half-Way-Tree. Late. And under-dressed in my Technician Boots, shirt and shoulder pouch bag straight from my class. But I arrived as promised at 1830 hours to luckily find that, surprisingly, they hadn’t started without me. Sweet.

Even better, there was still food left, mostly Red Chilean Wine and rather tart Orange Juice served in pre-chilled but slightly warmed Cognac Glasses (??). Oh, and those weird looking chicken/shrimp thingies on a stick with the sweet and sour sauce and paella, which Latin America PR (Public Relations) Manager Daniella Veras was kind enough to eventually introduce to me with much gusto!

But I was still outside. I could make out the food as I stood outside of the Samsung Experience Store  facing a young man who had a Samsung Galaxy Tab, ostensibly given to him with a list of the guests.

Apparently, this was a VIP affair; if my name wasn’t on the list, I couldn’t get in. Here’s me crossing my fingers and hoping that Agent Skye had hacked the system and place my name on the list!

After a bit of a struggle searching the long list as well as 2 phone calls on his Samsung Galaxy S5, he finally found my name at 1835 hours. Just like, ladies and gentlemen, I was let into the air conditioned Samsung Showroom that looked like the crowded inside of the Flying Bus in the series Marvel Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.

Agent Lindsworth Deer to Geezam Base, I’m in S.H.I.E.L.D HQ, channeling Agent Skye from Marvel Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D ……

Samsung Product Launch at Half-Way-Tree Store – Shindig was a Scene out of Marvel Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D

There was the usual Traditional Media Press peeps present from the Jamaica Gleaner, the Jamaica Observer and even Loop Jamaica, who blocked a Press Wall to the right of the door littered with the words “Samsung Galaxy Note 4”.

The themed décor definitely looked like the inside of the Bus in the show Marvel Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D, with 50” Samsung Flat Screen TVs on the right wall next to a glass pedestal podium. Accents of their usual Samsung blue and white ribbons on the pedestal Base and stem were the only present colours for the company.

These ribbons were ensconced on a sole Romanesque Pedestal decorated with large boutonniere Blue and White Carnations that was on the left side of the right wall, located beside yet another 50” Samsung Flat Screen TV.

In the far left corner of the wall on the Right of the well lit room was what appeared to be a mini Champagne room, complete with Desk lit with a soft radiant candlelight ambiance. This Chill Spot was complemented by two (2) Latin American femme fetales (or Secret Mexican Agents!?) sitting alert, their beady little eyes surveying the room with measured wide eyed smiling stares.

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To the immediate left of the room way at the back was a DJ Console playing mostly pop music, setting the technology themed tone for the evening. There were a total of six (6) tables in the room, with five (5) of them having products laid out on the tables that looked like the backlit Holo-Tables from ….you guessed it….. Marvel Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.

The sixth Table at the back on the left hand side of the room having laptops that were a part of the Samsung Experience Store décor and unrelated to the evening proceedings. The left wall was also unrelated to the launch, merely being a hanging garden of accessories for their various Samsung products!!

So I was right.

It WAS the Samsung Galaxy Note 4 that was being launched. I sauntered over to the other side, greeting the host from Prism Group PR (Public Relations) Manager Angela Thame and then making sure to deftly avoid the crowd, making a straight beeline for one of the tables laden with the shiny new toys.

I was really trying to play with one of the product Settings Menu on the holodeck-looking Tables, again arrange a la Marvel Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D, with the intent of finding out what version of Android they were running.

It was at that point I realized that this was more than just a launch for the Samsung Galaxy Note 4. In fact, based on what was on the Tables it appeared that they had at least three or four (3 or 4) other products that were along for the ride, with the Samsung Galaxy Note 4 being the star of the Show.

Basically, it was a showcase for Samsung’s shiny new toys that sported Google Android KitKat with a dash of Tizen OS, making me realize that Samsung was giving us a break of that KitKat Bar with a side of Tizen!

Samsung Galaxy Note 4 has company – Galaxy Alpha unveiled with 2 Tab S Tablets and a Walkie-talkie Smartwatch

So when 1845 hours arrived, our attention was directed to the MC (Master of Ceremonies) Karen Gardner, dressed like the Scarlet Witch, extolled the virtues of the Samsung Experience Store, thanking the invited for having made it to the launch and re-stating Samsung commitment to the Jamaica and Latin American market, of which Jamaica is a part, being as Samsung regards the Caribbean as being part of Latin America.

Her introduction was a segue for Key Accounts Manager of Samsung Electronics, Kenneth L. Moore, Jnr , who look like a cross between a Mexican Telenovela version of Shemar Moore from the Bold and the Beautiful and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, only built more like a CIA Field Agent.

He dressed like one and spoke like one too, ringing off facts about the Samsung Galaxy Note 4 and mentioning the other main product of the night, the Samsung Galaxy Gear S Smartwatch. That caught my attention, sure enough, as I knew that it was coming sometime in October 2014.

But when he mentioned two other minor products, I realized that this launch was no play Pen. Rather this was a serious product push of premium Google Android 4.4.1 aka KitKat Products.

Apparently Samsung was going for broke, with the smartwatch that could make phone calls running Tizen OS knocking your socks off and then the Samsung Galaxy S 8.4” and 10.5” Tablets as well as the Samsung Galaxy Alpha smartphone making you put them back on, only to then be knocked off again!

In short, five (5) products were being launched that night. The two (2) major products were as follows:

  1. US$1089 (JA$122,000) Samsung Galaxy Note 4
  2. Samsung Galaxy Gear S smartwatch

The other two (2) apparently were regarded as minor products, even though they’re more likely to sell:

  1. US$526 (JA$59,000) Samsung Galaxy S Tab 8.4″ Tablet
  2. US$652 (JA$73,000) Samsung Galaxy S Tab 10.5″ Tablet
  3. US$974 (JA$105,000) Samsung Galaxy Alpha Smartphone

After he was done impressing us with his selfie-posing with the Jamaican glitterati in front of the Jamaican Press, I settled into my Review mode, simply flitting from table to table, observing people and their interacting with the products to get a feel of their enthusiasm level.

I noticed that the Journalists themselves, even Sanjay from Intense, an Entertainment Program on Television Jamaica, seemed a little confused as to what to make of the products, leaving the cameramen to walk around and do the same thing I was doing; watch other people fiddle with the Gadgets.

Soon Key Accounts Manager of Samsung Electronics, Kenneth L. Moore, Jnr would be free for an interview. Lindsworth Deer to Geezam Base, I’ve got the package in my sight, repeat, package is in the open. Moving in for the strike!

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Questions for Kenneth Moore – Pricing, Availability to be determined come Payday Friday October 24th 2014

After discovering that most of the products ran Google Android 4.4.1 aka KitKat with the help of Samsung Representatives Andre South and Kerine Tulloch, I realized that their strategy wasn’t altogether clear, especially given the pricing.

Were they trying to push Phablets, Smartphones, Smartwatches and Tablets all at the same time due to Samsung lackluster performance in the Third Quarter of 2014? Or was it that they suddenly perceived an increase in demand for their product in the Caribbean, even with such inflated prices?

Also, what’s up with the lack of pricing for the Samsung Galaxy Gear S smartwatch? Even when I asked several of the Samsung Experience Store Representatives about the product, none could give me a price for the product, telling me that they’d not ordered enough stock and it wasn’t intel they were privy. So if it was the main product, why were they not ready with pricing and availability information?

I asked the Key Accounts Manager of Samsung Electronics, Kenneth L. Moore, Jnr this and other questions on my mind.

He told me that the Samsung Galaxy Note 4 and the Samsung Galaxy Gear S smartwatch were indeed the main products and the pricing information would be available come Friday October 24th 2014. I quickly pointed out to him that that date was exactly one (1) day after the Diwali Festival of Lights in India on Thursday October 23rd 2014, where the Samsung Galaxy Note 4 had already been launched as of Tuesday October 14th 2014, based on invitations that have been sent out for the event.

His responses suggested that the launch coincided with payday, when many were inclined to go spending and possibly pass through the Samsung Store in Half-Way-Tree to purchase one of their smartphones. Fair enough, as aside from myself and my Indian friends, most Jamaicans really don’t celebrate Diwali.

Still, at these prices, even with the offer of JA$11,000 discount for the first person who walks into the Samsung Experience Store when the Samsung Galaxy Note 4 and the Samsung Galaxy Gear S go on sale on Friday October 24th 2014, it’ll be a much harder sell than the US$4,000 55” Samsung Curved U9000 Series UHDTV.

Then again, a Video Game competition would easily sell the Samsung Curved U9000 Series UHDTV as pointed in my article Samsung unveils their First Curved Ultra High Definition TV, the U9000 Series at Mona Visitors Lodge. Perhaps is some Dancehall artiste were to rock them in public, they’d sell too? Just a thought….

Jamaican will love the Galaxy Alpha and the S Tab Tablets – Bluetooth toting Dancehall Artiste needed to rock the Note 4 and the Gear S

Also it’ll be interesting to see how Jamaicans warm up to the Samsung Galaxy Gear S smartwatch, the fourth smartwatch in two (2) years, that doubles as a Fitness Tracker, runs on Tizen OS and can make phone calls tethered to a Bluetooth headset. I can only envision Dancehall artiste wearing the Samsung Galaxy Gear S smartwatch and I doubt that they work out that much to even use its Health and Fitness Tracking Feature!

For the record, their first was in August 2013, the Samsung Galaxy Gear watch, which I declared a bit too Dick Tracey and straight out of a Sci-Fi Comic Book to be taken seriously as per my article Samsung Gear Smartwatch is too Dick Tracey and not Simple enough to want you to Rock the Future on your Wrist.

Aside from the Samsung Galaxy Gear, the Samsung Galaxy Gear 2 and Samsung Galaxy Gear Neo 2 came next by February 2014. Again, I was unimpressed by their brought-forward design for the drawing board that wasn’t pret-a-porter, sexy or even had improved battery life as noted in Don’t cry over spilt Samsung Milk as Samsung Galaxy S5 and smartwatches disappoint.

Good to note that these are the unlocked prices for the device sold in the Samsung Experience Store. When sold by the Telecom Providers, whether it be Digicel or LIME, (I’m suspecting Digicel; LIME already has the Apple iPhone 6 coming up in January 2015) they’ll most likely be sold on Plans and come with Voice and Data packages. So that’ll cushion the payday dip into your bank account a bit to a manageable monthly installment!

Gentle people, look out for my review for these five (5) products as Samsung’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D make this quartet of Note-worthy Products to Tab the Gear S Alpha in all Jamaicans.

Agent Lindsworth Deer to Geezam Base leaving at 2045 hours with the 084 in tow for pickup and rendezvous, Marvel Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D Style.

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