The Sexiest Car on Your Street: The Infiniti QX70

Bold and powerful, the Infiniti QX70 certainly turns heads!

Working with a team of highly-skilled technicians, the renowned Japanese brand, Infiniti, has built a worldwide reputation for immaculate mechanics and outstanding sale prices.

Expertly transformed into a treasured piece of automotive pleasure to become one of the definitions of iconic design, the QX70 is Infiniti's original breed of a mid-size luxury SUV with a sporty and fancy look!

Loved as much for its high performance, as for its distinctive design, the QX70 is a natural beauty queen, strong and sturdy, in the times of fake plastic copies!

Not only does it demands respect, this vehicle also commands the road, with its striking design and strong performance.

I had the pleasure to try out the Infiniti QX70, from the Excellence category, for a couple of days, and ventured on a short getaway outside the city, to unleash its power up on smooth and rugged mountain roads...boy, it was the perfect lover!

Tucking our luggage into the back trunk, it felt almost impossible to fill it up, it was just too commodious!

At the heart of the QX70 sits the V6 Engine - 3.7L, pumping 329 of horsepower.

The vehicle has a very smooth and natural 7-speed automatic transmission with adaptive shift control, in addition to speed-sensitive power steering assistance and sharp magnesium paddle shifters.

Untamed by no-one, but its driver, this monstrous car incorporates intelligent technologies enhancing one's senses for an unmatched driving experience. 

The driver is treated to a very accommodating cabin, with fancy leather and a few tech toys!

To list a few options:

• Around View Monitor with Moving Object Detection. Now that I have tried it, I doubt I can live without it.
• Front and rear parking sensors; a must!
• High resolution touch screen central display with Infiniti Controller.
• Bluetooth technology for mobile connectivity and audio streaming. I like to listen to my own tunes, and how great it was experiencing it through the delicious 11 speaker system embedded by Bose; what an awesome treat!
• Keyless entry and illuminated push-button ignition.
• Multi-functional trip computer with fuel mileage range and outside temperature display.

And the list goes on and on...

Safety and security are Infiniti's top priority, providing 6 Airbags for optimum cabin safety, as well as the Cruise control with steering wheel-mounted switches, amongst others.

The seats are fully automated, heated and absolutely comfortable. I enjoyed a peaceful nap, while my friend jumped into the driver's seat! 

I wasn't very happy to wake up and find someone else getting attached to my new fling and not letting go of it!!!

The exterior is amazingly stylish and the lines and curves align in absolute harmony, demonstrating just how well the design team got it right.

The fierce and daring look is a perfect extension to its powerhouse and meticulous interior.

To know more, please check the below few of the magical features:

• Automatic On/Off Bi-functional headlights.
• Adaptive Front Lighting System w/ headlamp washers.
• Front fog lights.
• LED tail lights and center high-mounted stop light.
• Body colour exterior mirrors.
• Dual heated power-adjustable and folding outside mirrors, with reverse tilt-down Front-door handle courtesy lights.
• Aluminum roof rails.
• Power sliding glass sunroof with one-touch open/close, tilt feature and sliding sunshade UV-reducing tinted glass.
• Integrated rear spoiler.

Elegant, sophisticated and for sure the sexiest car on your street…you wouldn’t look as attractive without it!

A Step in the Right Direction

MAHEC Restaurant, Dubai's Modern Authentic Hindustani Evolved Cuisine

Located at Le Meridien Dubai, Mahec is a luxury dining restaurant specialized in Modern Authentic Hindustani Evolved Cuisine, hence the name!

With its elegant set up and comfy chairs, it creates a wonderful ambiance!

Serving and using the best quality ingredients, with utmost caution, to ensure offering their guests an extremely enjoyable and exquisite experience!

The traditional Indian cuisine is combined with modernity, giving birth to new delightful and fragrant masterpieces.

Mahec has partnered with the renowned legendary chef, Satish Arora, whose dishes have been well enjoyed by Queen Elizabeth II, Bill Clinton, Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi, Margaret Thatcher, Mohammed Ali…to name a few!

We were so lucky to be personally pampered by Chef Arora and allow me to share with you the gems he offered us.

We tried the famous Malai broccoli, in addition to Tiger prawns, Murg Pakoda chicken and the cottage cheese and asparagus cigar as appetizers. Each item was simply flawless, and that Malai broccoli took my taste buds to a whole new level of excitement.

We also tried a variety of mains, from the slow cooked lamb in a rich yogurt sauce, also called Pudina gahi gosht, to the Goan prawn curry cooked in chef Arora’s signature Goan masala..Spectacular!

Have you ever felt a deep craving, so strong that it makes you call your travel agent to get you on the first available flight, just to enjoy that magical dish again...The Ghar ki murgi is one of those dishes, it's the best chicken curry I have ever had, another of chef Arora’s masterpieces!
Don't postpone what you can eat today, until tomorrow!

On to dessert!! We tried the Kulfa Falooda, chef Arora's take on a sundae, complete with rice vermicelli, kulfi icecream and drizzles of rose syrup..The presentation was gorgeous, surpassed only by its lavish taste..It's true art in a plate!

The Indian culture believes in immaculate service, and we witnessed nothing less than perfection at that beautiful piece of India!

Phone number

04 4376051

 - Table booking recommended 

Cuisines

Indian, North Indian, Biryani, Kebab

Average Cost 

AED 420 for two people (approx.) with alcohol

Meet the Nokia 8

Nokia is back, and stronger than ever!

Nokia was one of the first to venture into the mobile phone business and I grew up seeing its devices everywhere…it was my first love! Actually, it was everyone’s first crush!

I have used many of their devices in the past, the N70 and the E71, and I remember how impressive they looked and felt.

2017 witnessed the great comeback of this trusted brand, offering a range of devices from the Nokia 3, Nokia 5, Nokia 6 and now the Nokia 8, winning the hearts of all genres of users, from the old time faithful ones, since the 90s, to the new and curious on boarders!

People these days are allocating even more of their time to mobile rather than anything or everyone else, so Nokia jumped into the boat to impress and it did!

Their latest release flagship phone, the Nokia 8, is sleek, fast and smart, to say the least, in brief!

I am happy to share with you the following technical specifications as listed on Nokia's website:

Design Size 151.5mm x 73.7mm x 7.9mm	Colors  Polished Blue, Tempered Blue, Steel, Polished Copper	Network and connectivity Network speed LTE Cat. 9, 3CA, 450Mbps DL/50Mbps UL 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac (MIMO), BT 5.0, GPS/AGPS+GLONASS+BDS, NFC (sharing) ANT+	Performance Operating system Android™ Oreo RAM 4 GB LPPDDR4X CPU Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ 835 Mobile Platform, Octa core, (4* 2.5GHz Qualcomm® Kryo™ CPU + 4* 1.8GHz Kryo)	Connectivity and sensors Connectivity Type C, USB3.1 Gen 1 (5Gbps) Sensors Ambient light sensor, Proximity sensor, Accelerometer, E-compass, Gyroscope, Fingerprint Sensor, Hall sensor, Barometer SIM slot 1 nano-SIM slot + 1 nano-SIM or 1 MicroSD card slot
Storage Internal memory 64 GB1 UFS2.1 MicroSD card slot Up to 256 GB	Audio Connector 3.5mm AHJ headphone jack 3-mics	Display Size and type 5.3” IPS QHD Resolution 2560 x 1440 Material Corning® Gorilla® Glass 5, 2.5D Glass	Camera and flash Primary camera 13 MP (Colour + OIS) + 13 MP (Mono), 1.12um, f/2.0, 76.9˚, PDAF, IR range finder, dual tone flash Front-facing camera 13 MP PDAF, 1.12um, f/2.0,  78.4˚, display flash	Battery and charging Battery type 3090mAh2, non-removable

I didn’t want to rush things, so I took my time, exploring this magnificent phone, and now I am ready to share with you how smoothly we lived together, highlighting: Display, Battery life, Camera, Build quality and software.  

Display

Very bright and sharp. Using it outdoors in daylight, the screen is always visible and the text looks super sharp on this QHD resolution display. The colors, tend to be more natural than over-saturated.

I so loved the screen, but it would have been more astounding if it was bigger…Nokia, is there anything up your sleeves for a 6 inch?!

 

Battery Life

This phone is a champ in this department. At last, I have a phone that does not give up on me, in my hour of need, nor in any hour…the battery’s long life allows it to run for long hours.

Who needs those chargers and cables when you can’t find them? I surely don’t when am with my new Nokia; charge it once and juice lasts you all day long, and more!

The Nokia 8 chargers very quickly thanks to "Quick Charge 3.0" and comes with USB Type C

My bed calls while I am still left with around 25% battery remaining, which is amazing, considering the fact that I am a heavy internet user.

The extended battery life is one of the best characteristics in this device…I fall asleep a happy man!

Camera

If your phone has just one camera on the back of it, then I am sorry to say that it’s so 2016!!!

The Nokia 8 features a dual-sensor 13 megapixel rear shooter that can capture ‘bokeh’ images with superb blurred background.

The “Carl Zeiss” optics are there too; just like the old days, and if you’re familiar with the Zeiss name in the photography industry, then you should know that having their name on a camera or lens, means that the product has undergone heavy testing and fine tuning to ensure optimal image quality. The result is vibrant, sharp and contrasty images.

Check the following sample images:

Day Shot

Night Shot

Notice the "Bokeh" or Background blur

Video on the Nokia 8 is excellent. With the ability to capture videos at 4k resolution, and the availability of optical image stabilization with great surround audio capture, the outcome is nothing short from impressive. You also have the option to further stabilize the captured video from within the gallery app to the point where the video has no shakiness what so ever!! Check out the below video taken during a bumpy ride in the mountains!

In addition, you have the ability to broadcast live video streaming to Facebook Live and YouTube Live with a single touch..what a feature!

The front facing camera is amongst the best I have ever seen. I assure you, that you will not need to flip your phone and use the rear facing cameras to take selfies.. I swear, it is awesome!

A new remarkable feature, introduced first and only by Nokia, is the “Bothie”! It allows you to capture images with the front and rear facing cameras, simultaneously.

Imagine being able to capture your mouthwatering cheese burger and your facial expressions when it is in-front of you..at the same time 🙂!

Build Quality

The phone is well built, using metal and glass, and aligns brilliantly with Nokia’s legacy of sturdy phones. I went for the shiny blue, called Polished Blue, by Nokia…it’s gorgeous!

The overall look of the phone is very clean, the front of the phone is flaunted by the display and a finger print scanner located beneath it that works as should, yet, I would have preferred to move it to a different location, in favor of smaller bezels.

Though the phone is not water-proof, it can still withstand the casual splashes... not that I have the guts to dip it in water, even if it was tolerant…I love my baby too much!

The phone comes with 64GB Build-in Storage and an additional slot for either MicroSD card or a second SIM

Software

Hello Android, you’re here and I love you.

Nokia 8 runs Android 7.1.1 Nougat out of the box

The Nokia 8 has the latest version of Android installed – Android 8, aka Oreo, at the time of this review. Since I got the phone, around a month ago, I have already received an OTA update to the latest software, a positive indication that consistent update cycles will be followed.

With no additional skins on top of Android, the phone provides an almost pure Android experience, thus, it is buttery smooth, no lag, no hiccups, no nothing going bad. There’s only speed, speed and much more speed…I wake up a happy man!

  

Verdict

Nokia is here, and definitely on track.

I have to admit, with all the brands and options in the market, it is hard to compete these days. But with long years of manufacturing experience they possess, Nokia have a huge chance to be back on the scene as one of the big players in the mobile industry.

The Nokia 8 is a good start, with a great build, good cameras, excellent battery life, and these are exactly the basics that most users require. I expect the following generation to incorporate more features like water-proofing, wireless charging, smaller bezels and bigger displays, but for now, all I can say is welcome back Nokia, welcome back…we had a wonderful well spent honeymoon!

The Samsung Galaxy Note 8 has Finally Landed

The waiting game is finally over and The Galaxy Note 8 has been revealed, promising an improved S Pen functionality, 6GB of RAM and an outstanding new dual camera set-up.


New York city furnished the unveiling for the latest and most anticipated generation in the Note series: The Galaxy Note 8.


This phablet holds the biggest screen on any mobile device Samsung has ever released, making it even larger than that of the S8 Plus.


The Note 8 also debuted Samsung's dual camera technology, allowing users to take portrait shots with DSLR like bokeh effect.


The S Pen, an iconic and standout feature in the Note series, has also undergone some upgrades and added functionality.


Check out Samsung's official press release below for more details.


Now let's put our hands on one of those gems!

Do Bigger Things with Samsung Galaxy Note8, the Next Level Note

Designed to help you achieve more in work and life with an Infinity Display, enhanced S Pen and Dual Camera with Optical Image Stabilization

Beirut, Lebanon (Aug. 23, 2017) – Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. introduces the Galaxy Note8, the next level Note for people who want to do bigger things. With the Galaxy Note8, consumers get a bigger Infinity Display that fits comfortably in one hand, S Pen to communicate in more personal ways, and Samsung’s best-ever smartphone camera to capture stunning photos. The Galaxy Note8 is designed for the way consumers lead their lives and lean on technology today.

“We appreciate the relentless passion of the Note community. They’ve been a constant inspiration to us and we designed the new Note for them,” said DJ Koh, president of Mobile Communications Business, Samsung Electronics. “From the Infinity Display to the enhanced S Pen and a powerful Dual Camera, the Galaxy Note8 lets people do things they never thought were possible.”

Samsung first introduced the Note series in 2011. Since then, a community of enthusiasts emerged through their affinity for Note’s signature expansive screen and S Pen. According to Samsung market research1, 85 percent of Note users say they’re proud to show off their Note and recommend it to friends, and 75 percent say it’s the best phone they’ve ever had.

Enjoy and Do More on the Infinity Display

The Galaxy Note8 has the biggest screen ever on a Note device, yet its narrow body makes it comfortable to hold in one hand. The 6.3-inch Quad HD+ Super AMOLED Infinity Display lets you see more and scroll less. The Galaxy Note8 gives you more room to watch, read and draw—making it the ultimate multitasking smartphone.  

Note users have long been able to do more with Multi Window. With the Galaxy Note8, the new App Pair feature lets you create a custom pair of apps on the Edge Panel and simultaneously launch two apps with ease. Watch a video while messaging your friends or dial into a conference call with the number and agenda in front of you2.

A New Way to Communicate with the S Pen

Since its introduction, the S Pen has been one of the Note’s defining features. With the Galaxy Note8, the enhanced S Pen unlocks entirely new ways to write, draw, and interact with the phone and communicate with friends. It has a finer tip, improved pressure sensitivity3, and features that enable users to express themselves in ways that no other stylus or smartphone ever has.

When communicating with text just isn’t enough, Live Message allows you to reveal your unique personality and tell expressive stories. With the Galaxy Note8, you can now share animated texts or drawings across platforms that support animated GIFs 4. It’s a whole new way to communicate with the S Pen—adding lively and emotional connections that bring your messages to life.

The Always On Display allows Galaxy users to stay on top of their notifications without unlocking their phone. And with the Galaxy Note8, it’s even more powerful. Screen off memo allows you to take up to one-hundred pages of notes as soon as you remove the S Pen, pin notes to the Always On Display and make edits directly from the Always On Display.

For overseas travels or when you come across a website in a foreign language, the improved S Pen Translate feature lets you hover over text to quickly translate not only individual words, but entire sentences in up to 71 languages, and instantly convert units and foreign currencies.

Better Pictures with Galaxy Note8’s Best-in-Class Camera

For most consumers, one of the things they look for when purchasing a new device is the camera. Samsung set the standard for smartphone cameras and with the Galaxy Note8, we’re delivering our most powerful smartphone camera yet.

The Galaxy Note8 is the first smartphone with two 12MP rear cameras with Optical Image Stabilization (OIS) on both the wide-angle and telephoto lenses. Whether you’re exploring a new city

or running around your backyard, OIS lets you capture sharper images.

For more advanced photo-taking, the Galaxy Note8’s Live Focus feature lets you control the depth of field by allowing you to adjust the bokeh effect in preview mode and after you take the photo.

In Dual Capture mode, both rear cameras take two pictures simultaneously and allow you to save both images; one close-up shot from the telephoto lens and one wide-angle shot that shows the entire background.

The wide-angle lens has a Dual Pixel sensor with rapid Auto Focus, so you can capture sharper, clearer shots even in low-light environments. The Galaxy Note8 is also equipped with an industry-leading 8MP Smart Auto Focus front-facing camera for sharp selfies and video chats.  

Galaxy of Features and Services

The Galaxy Note8 is built on the Galaxy legacy—a collection of unique features and capabilities that, together, have redefined the mobile experience:

• Water and Dust Resistance: Four years ago, Samsung introduced the first Galaxy device with water resistance. And today, you can take your Note almost anywhere you want with water and dust resistance (IP685) on the device and the S Pen. You can write even when the display is wet.

• Fast Wireless Charging: Two years ago, Samsung introduced the first Galaxy device with wireless charging. The Galaxy Note8 supports the most advanced wireless charging capabilities yet, so you can get a quick, convenient charge6 without having to mess around with ports or wires.

• Security: The Galaxy Note8 offers a choice of biometric authentication options—including iris and fingerprint scanning. Samsung Knox7 provides defense-grade security at the hardware and software layers and with Secure Folder, keeps your personal and professional data separate.
• Powerful Performance: With 6GB RAM, a 10nm processor, and expandable memory (up to 256GB), you have the power you need to browse, stream, play games, and multitask.
• Innovative Mobile Experiences: Samsung DeX enables a desktop experience, powered by your phone. You can keep your files on your device, conduct work on the go, and use Samsung DeX when you need an even bigger screen. The Galaxy Note8 includes Bixby8, a smarter way to use your phone; it learns from you, improves over time, and helps you get more done.

Mobile Performance, Productivity and Security for Businesses

The Galaxy Note8 takes business innovation to the next level with advanced features that improve performance, productivity and security for a wide range of industries, simplifying how work gets done:

• Enhanced S Pen for Business: The S Pen lets professionals do what other smartphones can’t, like discreetly taking notes in Screen off memo or quickly annotating documents and photos.
• Non-Contact Authentication: The Galaxy Note8 offers iris scanning for professionals—for example, professionals in the health care, construction, or public safety sectors who may find themselves in a position where they need to unlock their phones without having to swipe or scan a fingerprint.
• Enhanced DeX Capabilities: The Galaxy Note8 powers Samsung DeX for those who need to extend their simple mobile experience seamlessly to the desktop —whether they’re in the field, at the office or at home.  

Our Continued Commitment to Safety

Samsung continues to uphold its commitment to lead the industry in battery safety. The Galaxy Note8’s battery has undergone Samsung’s 8-Point Battery Safety Check—the most rigorous in the industry.

"We have been closely working with Samsung to make meaningful advancements in the science of smartphone quality and safety evaluation. As a result, the Galaxy Note8 has successfully completed a rigorous series of device and battery safety compatibility test protocols. We look forward to maintaining our strategic relationship with Samsung and helping ensure device safety for all consumers” said Sajeev Jesudas, President, UL International.

The Galaxy Note8 will be available starting in mid-September and will be offered in Midnight Black, Orchid Gray, Maple Gold and Deepsea Blue9.

For more information about Galaxy Note8 visit http://www.samsungmobilepress.com, news.samsung.com/galaxy or www.samsung.com/galaxy.

Samsung Galaxy Note8 Product Specification

	Galaxy Note8
Display	6.3-inch Quad HD+ Super AMOLED, 2960x1440 (521ppi) *Screen measured diagonally as a full rectangle without accounting for the rounded corners *Default resolution is Full HD+ and can be changed to Quad HD+ (WQHD+) in Settings
Camera	Rear: Dual Camera with Dual OIS (Optical Image Stabilization)      - Wide-angle: 12MP Dual Pixel AF, F1.7, OIS      - Telephoto: 12MP AF, F2.4, OIS - 2X optical zoom, up to 10X digital zoom Front: 8MP AF, F1.7
Body	162.5 x 74.8 x 8.6mm, 195g, IP68 (S Pen: 5.8 x 4.2 x 108.3mm, 2.8g, IP68) *Carrying an IP68 dust and water resistance rating. Based on test conditions of submersion in up to 1.5 meters of fresh water for up to 30 minutes
AP	Octa core (2.3GHz Quad + 1.7GHz Quad), 64bit, 10nm processor Octa core (2.35GHz Quad + 1.9GHz Quad), 64bit, 10nm processor *May differ by market and mobile operator
Memory	6GB RAM (LPDDR4), 64GB/128GB/256GB *May differ by market and mobile operator *User memory is less than the total memory due to storage of the operating system and software used to operate the device features. Actual user memory will vary depending on the operator and may change after software upgrades are performed.
SIM Card	Single: one Nano SIM and one MicroSD slot (up to 256GB) Hybrid: one Nano SIM and one Nano SIM or one MicroSD slot (up to 256GB) *May differ by market and mobile operator
Battery	3,300mAh Wireless Charging compatible with WPC and PMA Fast Charging compatible with QC 2.0
OS	Android 7.1.1
Network	LTE Cat. 16 *May differ by market and mobile operator
Connectivity	Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac (2.4/5GHz), VHT80 MU-MIMO, 1024QAM, Bluetooth® v 5.0 (LE up to 2Mbps), ANT+, USB Type-C, NFC, Location (GPS, Galileo*, Glonass, BeiDou*) *Galileo and BeiDou coverage may be limited.
Payment	NFC, MST
Sensors	Accelerometer, Barometer, Fingerprint Sensor, Gyro Sensor, Geomagnetic Sensor, Hall Sensor, Heart Rate Sensor, Proximity Sensor, RGB Light Sensor, Iris Sensor, Pressure Sensor
Authentication	Lock Type: Pattern, Pin, Password Biometric Lock Types: Iris Scanner, Fingerprint Scanner, Facial Recognition
Audio	MP3, M4A, 3GA, AAC, OGG, OGA, WAV, WMA, AMR, AWB, FLAC, MID, MIDI, XMF, MXMF, IMY, RTTTL, RTX, OTA, DSF, DFF, APE
Video	MP4, M4V, 3GP, 3G2, WMV, ASF, AVI, FLV, MKV, WEBM

1 Survey conducted by Edelman Intelligence, July – August 2017, commissioned by Samsung Mobile. For more Survey details, see https://www.samsungmobilepress.com/stories/getting-to-know-samsung-galaxy-note-users

2 Application must support Multi Window mode

3 Compared to the Galaxy Note5 S Pen

4 GIFs created may not be supported by some social media and messaging services depending on the size and length of GIFs

5 Water resistant in up to 5 feet of water for up to 30 minutes; rinse residue/dry after wet.  

6 Fast charging requires Adaptive Fast Charging (AFC) or Quick Charge 2.0-compatible charger to work. Testing under laboratory conditions. Results may vary. Battery power consumption depends on factors such as network configuration, signal strength, operating temperature, features selected, vibrate mode, backlight settings, browser use, frequency of calls and voice, data and other applications usage patterns.

7 Knox is a mark for a Samsung device tested for security and is specifically configured with enterprise use in mind. For information about Samsung’s Knox device, please refer to www.samsung.com/us/knox.

8 Bixby service ability may vary by country. Voice command recognizes English (U.S.) and Korean. Not all accents, dialects and expressions recognized. Service ability may vary by country or carrier. Voice command works with a select, growing list of Samsung and third-party apps; see “Apps with Voice” in Bixby for list of compatible apps

9 Color availability varies by region.

*All functionality, features, specifications and other product information provided in this document including, but not limited to, the benefits, design, pricing, components, performance, availability, and capabilities of the product are subject to change without notice or obligation.

About Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.

Samsung inspires the world and shapes the future with transformative ideas and technologies. The company is redefining the worlds of TVs, smartphones, wearable devices, tablets, digital appliances, network systems, and memory, system LSI and LED solutions. For the latest news, please visit the Samsung Newsroom at http://news.samsung.com