Inside Samsung's Galaxy Note 3 & Gear media blitz in Times Square
Samsung spared no expense hyping the unveiling of its Galaxy Note 3 smartphone and Galaxy Gear smart watch in New York City on Wednesday, utilizing prime real estate in Times Square for a live music performance, a video stream of its keynote presentation, and an opportunity for pedestrians to be among the first to try out its latest gadgets.
While the "Unpacked 2013 Episode 2" presentation was being delivered from Berlin, Samsung made sure to reach potential customers across the world by setting up a stage and special "Experience Center" in the middle of Times Square Wednesday afternoon. AppleInsider was on-hand to see the event, and get a first look at the Note 3 and Gear.
Passersby were encouraged to watch the event by a number of Samsung promoters, who passed out white and blue "Galaxy" branded hats as a gift to those who would stay.
Those who did stick around saw a performance from Swedish duo Icona Pop, who performed their hit single "I Love It." Soon after, a live stream of the Samsung Galaxy keynote from Germany began on the big screen.
Samsung's massive setup included a stage with a screen for the live stream, a sound mixing area, and a mysterious platform concealed by white sheets. Samsung promoters told passersby to wait around for a "big surprise" at the end of the presentation, after which they would be able to get their hands on the South Korean company's latest devices.
A number of onlookers took Samsung up on this offer, and by the time the keynote was nearing its end, dozens of people wearing blue and white Samsung hats were waiting in line. Once the presentation concluded, Samsung representatives pulled the white sheets away to reveal a layout much like Apple's own retail stores, with a number of tables showcasing the new Galaxy Note 3 "phablet" and Galaxy Gear smart watch.
Visitors were allowed into the Samsung "Experience Center," which was raised up on a platform in the middle of Times Square, in small groups. Each group was then given a total of five minutes to play with both the Galaxy Note 3 and Galaxy Gear. Absent from Wednesday's event was the latest Galaxy Tab 10.1, which Samsung also announced on Wednesday.
At each table were numerous Notes and Gears, paired together side by side. A Samsung employee stood near each of them, showing off new features and capabilities of the gear, such as the functionality of the updated S-Pen or connectivity of the Gear watch.
Samsung's media blitz came less than a week before Apple is set to hold its own keynote presentation next Tuesday, at which the company is expected to unveil two new iPhone models. While Samsung pulled out all the stops, Apple is also planning more hype than usual, and will even hold a separate event on Sept. 11 in China for local media.
More pictures of the Galaxy Note 3 and Galaxy Gear, taken at Wednesday's event in New York, are included below.
While the "Unpacked 2013 Episode 2" presentation was being delivered from Berlin, Samsung made sure to reach potential customers across the world by setting up a stage and special "Experience Center" in the middle of Times Square Wednesday afternoon. AppleInsider was on-hand to see the event, and get a first look at the Note 3 and Gear.
Passersby were encouraged to watch the event by a number of Samsung promoters, who passed out white and blue "Galaxy" branded hats as a gift to those who would stay.
Those who did stick around saw a performance from Swedish duo Icona Pop, who performed their hit single "I Love It." Soon after, a live stream of the Samsung Galaxy keynote from Germany began on the big screen.
Samsung's massive setup included a stage with a screen for the live stream, a sound mixing area, and a mysterious platform concealed by white sheets. Samsung promoters told passersby to wait around for a "big surprise" at the end of the presentation, after which they would be able to get their hands on the South Korean company's latest devices.
A number of onlookers took Samsung up on this offer, and by the time the keynote was nearing its end, dozens of people wearing blue and white Samsung hats were waiting in line. Once the presentation concluded, Samsung representatives pulled the white sheets away to reveal a layout much like Apple's own retail stores, with a number of tables showcasing the new Galaxy Note 3 "phablet" and Galaxy Gear smart watch.
Visitors were allowed into the Samsung "Experience Center," which was raised up on a platform in the middle of Times Square, in small groups. Each group was then given a total of five minutes to play with both the Galaxy Note 3 and Galaxy Gear. Absent from Wednesday's event was the latest Galaxy Tab 10.1, which Samsung also announced on Wednesday.
At each table were numerous Notes and Gears, paired together side by side. A Samsung employee stood near each of them, showing off new features and capabilities of the gear, such as the functionality of the updated S-Pen or connectivity of the Gear watch.
Samsung's media blitz came less than a week before Apple is set to hold its own keynote presentation next Tuesday, at which the company is expected to unveil two new iPhone models. While Samsung pulled out all the stops, Apple is also planning more hype than usual, and will even hold a separate event on Sept. 11 in China for local media.
More pictures of the Galaxy Note 3 and Galaxy Gear, taken at Wednesday's event in New York, are included below.
Comments
Okay, now who cares? It's one thing to report online, "Oh, also, Samsung released such and such product, yada yada…" But actually wasting time to go to the thing?
See you sued out of business.
Those slotted screws look tacky. Even I know whenever you use slotted screws in a finished application such as on electrical switch plates. etc, you always make sure that the slots are aligned, not just Helter Skelter any random angle they end up. No attention to detail.
And wow is that ever a hunk of kit to be wearing on your wrist! You know 25 hour battery life is not that good either.
I predict a new low in sales out failing the Zune.
BTW what is this new editor? CKEditor or a new TinyMCE?
All Samsung is doing is a bunch of theatrics before there unveiling.. Like having an orchestra play out music, and have live broadcasting right at Time Square. Seriously why stop with just Time Square, they should have picked up a few more cities.
I thought a watch is meant to tell the time? None of those pics show the time!
A smart-watch that tells the time? How boring. A normal watch can already do that. They should really call it a smart-wrist device as it does everything BUT show the time. I'm sure you can easily ask it the time anywhere in the world and it will tell you.
Here is what I find interesting and I think many people are thinking the same thing. iWatch, is it a real wrist watch or something else, did the competitors rush to out market Apple on a product which was not what they thought. Someone here already eluded to, iwatch could be the next apple TV, they may have renamed it so not to confuse people with ITV which is a completely different experience.
I am thinking that apple has now move on to the next great thing while Samsung and other are trying to out pace apple on the Phone side only to find that Apple has now move into a completely different market. Apple did it with the Ipad, everyone was chasing the next phone only to be blind side on the table side. Everyone was think about the next ipod only to find out that apple was planning a phone.
It would not surprise me at this point to hear next week that apple announces the new phones with iOS 7 as expect but they show off the real iwatch which is not a wrist watch. Then watch the competition say but what about the watch we though you were making a watch.
So the Galaxy Gear is finally here, not quite as fugly as I was expecting but still way too clunky and tacky looking with those exposed screw heads. Apple hasn't got much to worry about here me thinks! As for the other introductions - the Tab 10.1 does have a very good spec, while the Note 3 (in the photos at least) does look classier with that faux-leather back and cover, and has always been the strongest product in the Galaxy line of phones/phablets/tablets (if you're into Samsung and Android that is) but overall these products aren't 'wow' enough to overshadow Apple's introductions next week...which I'm still waiting for with baited breath!
Meh.
Who the HELL would buy a device from a company that can't even put the screws in straight!?!??! That's ridiculous!
Times Square? Where every other store is perpetually "going out of business" and the curbside vendors sell knockoff crap by the card table load?
Terrific venue choice, just terrific.
So the Galaxy Gear is finally here, not quite as fugly as I was expecting but still way too clunky and tacky looking with those exposed screw heads. Apple hasn't got much to worry about here me thinks! As for the other introductions - the Tab 10.1 does have a very good spec, while the Note 3 (in the photos at least) does look classier with that faux-leather back and cover, and has always been the strongest product in the Galaxy line of phones/phablets/tablets (if you're into Samsung and Android that is) but overall these products aren't 'wow' enough to overshadow Apple's introductions next week...which I'm still waiting for with baited breath!
The leather seems to just be a case, Vaja has bunches of them available in a wide array of colors.