BERLIN — Korean technology giant Samsung is hoping to change the way people use technology in their everyday lives with the launch of its two latest products — the Galaxy Note 3 smartphone and the highly-anticipated Galaxy Gear smartwatch.

Despite the Galaxy Note 3 boasting more state-of-the-art features, it was the Galaxy Gear that wowed the media, who got a glimpse of the product before its official launch at the IFA trade show, which opens today.

The watch features a touchscreen display big enough to accommodate my chunky fingers, and its folding clasp also functions as a speaker. It will be available in six colours — Jet Black, Oatmeal Beige, Rose Gold, Wild Orange, Mocha Grey and Lime Green — all of which look extremely stylish.

The smartwatch is meant to be a companion device for the Galaxy Note 3, but Samsung has confirmed that it is looking to expand the list of compatible devices soon.

Users can then use the Gear to answer calls, view SMS or email notifications and take pictures and record videos via a 1.9-megapixel camera. They can also adjust the volume of any music player via the watch.

Around 70 apps, including Pinterest, Evernote and Find my Phone, are compatible with the Galaxy Gear now, and this number is expected to grow over the coming months, Samsung said.

BIGGER, BETTER

The Galaxy Note 3 is the third iteration of Samsung’s popular phablet series, and will boast a 5.7-inch full HD Super Amoled display.

Samsung has done away with the plastic body for the Note 3. The device instead has a very sleek metal body and the back is made of leather, which can be removed to access the battery.

This new design makes the device feel a lot more premium and professional than all of Samsung’s previous smartphones, and that should please tech enthusiasts.

The Note 3 is also slimmer and lighter than its predecessor. It only weighs 168g and is just 6.8mm thin. It will also have a longer battery life than the Note 2, according to Samsung executives.

But it is what is under the hood that impresses the most. The phablet is powered by a 2.3GHz processor and comes with 3GB of RAM and the latest Android 4.3 Jelly Bean operating system. The camera has also been upgraded to 13 megapixels from the Note 2’s 8-megapixel sensor.

The S Pen — a stylus developed by Samsung — has also been revamped. Removing the stylus from its slot on the smartphone will start the Air Command feature, which allows users to quickly access features such as Action Memo, Scrapbook and S Finder.

Action Memo looks like a basic note-taking app on the surface, but it promises to take handwriting recognition to a whole new level.

The Note 3 will be able to recognise handwritten phone numbers and call them straight from the memo, while addresses written down on the app can also be detected by the device without the user needing to key in anything.

The Scrapbook feature lets users collect and save a range of media, including videos, memos, pictures and websites, onto a single location, while the S Finder searches for all sorts of information on the smartphone via a range of parameters such as date or location.

The S Finder can also direct users to specific settings on the phone to help them with set up.

A new Multi-Window feature will be available on the Note 3.

This allows users to open and view two apps on the screen at the same time to better share and communicate information.

For example, opening the maps and the messaging apps will let users send directions to their contacts quickly and more efficiently via a drag-and-drop system.

Windows commonly used together can be saved as a pair on the multi-window taskbar, allowing users to open both apps with just one touch.

The Galaxy Note 3 and Galaxy Gear may be mere evolutions from the very first phablet and watch respectively, but their simple solutions to sophisticated problems and Samsung’s desire to give users information at their fingertips could make them the devices that change how we use technology in our everyday lives.

Samsung said its Note 3 and Galaxy Gear smartwatch will be available from Sept 25. Registration of interest for the Samsung GALAXY Note 3 will start at midnight of Sept 7, with the mobile operators at the following URLs: M1: www.m1.com.sg/galaxynote3 SingTel: www.singtel.com/galaxynote3 StarHub: www.starhub.com/galaxynote3 From Sept 7, consumers can also visit the Samsung Experience Stores during opening hours to pre-order a unit of the Samsung GALAXY Note 3 (without contract) by placing a $50 deposit. More information will be shared on www.facebook.com/SamsungMobileSingapore from Sept 7.