A POWERFUL 10.5-inch tablet computer, the new Galaxy Tab S4 from Samsung enhances productivity thanks to the S Pen stylus and the possibility to turn it into a desktop or notebook computer by attaching the optional adapter.

The Tab S4 is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 octa-core processor with four cores running at 2.35 GHz and four others at 1.9 GHz.

It is equipped with four gigabytes of working memory or RAM and 64 GB storage that is expandable by microSD card up to 400GB.

The tablet uses a USB 3.1 (Type C) port with fast data connection and comes equipped with Samsung DeX, a native application that allows you to use a smartphone or tablet on a desktop like interface with an optional accessory.

Samsung says the Tab S4 is its first tablet to come with Samsung DeX technology. You can buy an optional Book Cover keyboard to turn the Tab S4 into a notebook and use the tablet’s special connector to install it. Another option is to use a DeX Cable to connect the Tab S4 to a large monitor, connect a Bluetooth mouse and keyboard and use the Tab S4 as a desktop computer.

With Samsung DeX, you can open multiple desktop-style windows for your Android apps, including the Microsoft Office suite directly on the Galaxy Tab S4, and re-size them as needed. Just drag and drop content between apps and use keyboard shortcuts and commands for efficiency.

When connected to an external monitor using the USB-C and an HDMI multiport adapter, the Galaxy Tab S4 can serve as a track pad or a sketch pad, and new this year, the Galaxy Tab S4 can also continue to work as a fully functional Android tablet, giving users two screens to accomplish tasks.

I found Tab S4 had good performance. The menus and touchscreen were responsive and apps ran fast and smooth.

I benchmarked its Tab S4 with AnTuTu Benchmark V7.1.0 to measure it performance and it got a high score of 203, 448 points.

The Tab S4 also has fast Internet connection. I tested it with TrueMove H’s LTE 4G network and I found the connection was very fast. I used Ookla Speedtest app to measure the connection speed and wasn’t surprised when it reported a download speed of 70.0 Mbps and upload speed of 38.1 Mbps.

Galaxy Tab S4 comes with S Pen stylus to meet all your needs and is a great way to express your creativity and communicate. You can use the stylus to take notes on the fly through the Screen-Off Memo feature, as well as navigate, translate and organise notes through Samsung Note. You can also send personalised texts through Samsung Live Message with the S Pen.

If you click the button of the S Pen above the display, the Air command menu pops up to allow you to start working with the stylus. You can create a note, view all notes, write on the screen, and create a Live message, for example.

You can also use the S Pen to capture part of your screen for sharing. And when you use the Screen write function, the Tab S4 will capture the screen for you to write or draw and even crop an area.

The Tab S4 comes with a beautiful display that has narrower bezels compared to its predecessor, the S3. It has a large 10.5-inch display with Super AMOLED technology, as well as a 16:10 screen ratio with 2560×1600, 287 pixels per inch (PPI) resolution for vivid picture detail and true-to-life visuals.

The display is great for viewing photos and for watching HD videos. During the test, I enjoyed watching new movies via TrueVisions TrueID TV app and the iflix app.

The movies also sounded exciting and immersive thanks to the Tab S4’s four speakers tuned by AKG and Dolby Atmos immersive sound technology, With Dolby Atmos, the Galaxy Tab S4 supports crisper dialogue, enveloping sound fields, maximised loudness without distortion, and consistent playback volume.

The Tab S4 also supports the Samsung Flow app that allows you to easily connect your tablet to your Samsung smartphone and use them conveniently, for checking notifications or sharing contents.

You simply install Samsung Flow on both S4 and your Samsung smartphone and connect them.

The Tab S4 also has good security features with both Face Recognition and Iris Scanner to unlock the device. You can also use the Intelligent Scan function that registers both your face and irises to unlock the phone more conveniently and securely. I found that this function worked effectively.

The Tab S4 also has good quality camera. Its rear camera has 13-megapixel resolution and front camera 8-MP resolution.

Samsung Galaxy Tab S4 has a suggested retail price of Bt23,900.

Key Specs

Chipset: Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 Octa Core (2.35GHz + 1.9GHz)

LTE Support: LTE Cat.16 DLCA, 4X4 MIMO

Memory: 4GB

Storage: 64GB, microSD up to 400GB[4]

Camera: 13MP AF + 8.0MP, Flash

Port: USB3.1 (Type C), keyboard connector

Sensors: Accelerometer, Compass, Gyroscope, RGB, Proximity, Iris Scanner, Hall Sensor

Wireless connectivity: Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, MIMO, |Wi-Fi Direct, Bluetooth 5.0

GPS: GPS + GLONASS, BEIDOU, GALILEO

Dimension: 249.3 x 164.3 x 7.1mm

Weight 483g

Battery: 7,300mAh,|Fast Charging

OS: Android 8.1

Accessories: S Pen (included)

Video: Recording: UHD 4K (3840×2160) @ 30fps; Playback: UHD 4K (3840×2160) @ 60fps

Audio: 4 speakers tuned by AKG, Dolby Atmos

For 85-year-old Ginette Bedard, staying on her feet has been an essential part of her long life, and it has kept the loneliness of her later years at bay.

When she runs her 16th New York City Marathon this Sunday, Bedard, who was born in France, will be the oldest woman in the field — and perhaps one of the few to admit she doesn’t mind indulging in a little wine, cheese and ice cream even in the runup to race day.

“I don’t need any special preparation, because I run every day for three hours, and I’m always ready,” says the slightly built woman with a big blonde hairdo, firing off her words like a machine gun as she sits in her office, filled with her medals.

“It’s an addiction, a habit, and that’s all,” she adds. “I have plenty of time, I’m retired, my husband is no longer around. What do I do? So I run, it passes the time.”

She is not alone as an older runner.

As average lifespans continue to grow in developed countries and running becomes more and more popular, there is a higher number of both octogenarians and even nonagenarians competing in marathons than ever before.

Every morning, Bedard makes her way to the beach, just a stone’s throw from her house in the Queen’s borough of New York.

She never listens to music or podcasts while running. “I don’t want anything in my ears,” she emphasizes. “I just think — about my youth, my life in France, America, a bit about everything — bills, money!”

Come rain, shine or snowfall, Bedard, who was born in Metz and emigrated to New York in the 1970s, before becoming a US citizen 20 years ago, runs 20 kilometers (12 miles) daily.

This week is no exception — contrary to the advice given by experts nowadays who suggest less exertion in the lead-up to a long run.

“My body tells me what I need to do,” she says. “I listen to it.”

Nor does she believe in special diets, describing them as “expensive and phoney.”

“I believe in everything in its place,” she says. “A bit of wine, a bit of cheese, a bit of ice cream. Everything in proportion.”

– “Quelle euphorie!” –

On Sunday, Bedard, who began her distance running career at the tender age of 69, will be aiming to beat her personal best of 3 hours, 46 minutes, which she set at age 72 in 2005.

At the time, it was a new world record for her age category, but has been bested since.

“I feel young, both physically and in my heart, as if I was still 20 years old,” she says. “I can still wear the bikini I had when I was 16.”

Bedard used to run with her husband or her sister — but no longer has a running partner her age.

No matter, she insists. “I like being alone now,” she said, adding that she doesn’t think others her age can keep up.

“Not everyone has this desire, this enthusiasm, discipline and drive,” says the former Alitalia employee who during her working days woke up every morning at 3:30 am to go running before waking her two children, then heading in to work.

Despite her fierce independence, she admits that she does at times feel lonely following the death of her husband four years ago.

“I wouldn’t mind having a boyfriend,” she says, “but all the men my age are old fogeys, and the younger ones are married. So there’s nothing for me.”

Resignation and weariness are not words in Bedard’s vocabulary, however. And she has her eyes firmly set on Sunday’s finish line. “When you cross the line and get your medal — thank you, God! What a feeling.”

Pansy aims to fit into today’s beauty industry by bringing innovations that match the urban lifestyle.

Pancake, who’s the managing director of Jamikorn Group, hosted the line’s launch recently on the concept “Bellissimo de Lusso” that reflected the product’s Italian roots, its premium ingredients and internationally accepted manufacturing technologies.

“We believe that the definition of beauty in this age comes with quality. For our beauty brand Pansy, we have carefully searched for the perfect manufacturer and selected Gi Picco’s Cosmetics factory in Italy, which meets international premium brand standards,” she says.

The light compact foundation powder offers high definition powder molecules with a light and velvety smooth texture that can be retouched throughout the day along with oilcontrol and sweat resistant properties as well as UV protection for bright glowing skin.

The formula is suitable for all skin types including sensitive skin and is available in 2 oriental shades, 01 pink and 02 yellow.

The Pansy brand will be launching more products in the near future. To order and to find out more, check on Facebook: Pansy Official, IG: pansy.official, Line: @pansyth, or call (092) 263 2965.

“Yes, Plastic! Things to Rethink” an exhibition running at the Thailand Creative & Design Centre until February 17, presents the potential of plastic and raises significant questions of its qualification, environmental effect, design and the approach to live effectively with it in the future.

Admission is free. Call (02) 105 7400 extension to find out more.

The five-piece capsule celebrates the world’s most notorious slackers created by Mike Judge. Beavis and Butthead were well known to those in the golden era of skateboarding and the collection radiates ’90s nostalgia.

Playing up themes of the pair’s hustle at Burger World, the adidas x Beavis and Butthead footwear and apparel collection are inspired by a day’s work at the infamous duo’s famed fast food employer.

The collection receives a lively rendition of the recently released 3MC sneaker designed in an all-over Beavis and Butthead graphic canvas upper with pops of adidas branding in red.

The collection also includes a combination of premium apparel comprising Burger World graphics and the faces of the pair plastered across a fleece-blend pullover hoodie, lightweight jacket, sporty two-button polo and two ribbed-neck cotton T-shirts.

Founded in 1998, adidas Skateboarding, a segment of adidas Originals, creates footwear and apparel for skateboarders distributed through a global network of skateboarding retailers. It supports a group of iconic, elite, and trend setting professional and amateur skateboarders from all over the world including Mark Gonzales, Dennis Busenitz and Nakel Smith.

The adidas x Beavis and Butthead collection will be available starting tomorrow at adidas Originals Siam Center, adidas Brand Center Central World, Carnival store and Seek store.

For more information, visit http://www.Facebook.com/adidasTH.

Lawan Saeheng, marketing manager of the leading Korean skincare brand, which boasts a floral inspiration, organized the event, bringing Mamonde’s “Garden in the City” campaign from the Everland Theme Park and creating a garden filled with many kinds of flowers in the heart of Bangkok. 

Several celebrities were in attendance, among them MR Mannaruemas Yugala, Pavenelak Limpichart, Jarospan Svastiwat Na Ayudhya, Haruethai Jayant Na Ayudhaya, Natchaya Krairiksh, Dr. Pimkhwan Bunjitpimol, Chavamon Pavarodom, Yada Rungwattanaphak, Vanida Golten, Malinee Adelaide Coates, Nattacha Boonprachom, Mananya Pannuadngam, Poonpreedi Khumprom Rodsawad, Linpita Chindapu, Pimpawee Cograbin and Chayada Visuthithani.

The Everland Theme Park boasts a spectacular rose garden highlighting the success of Mamonde’s Rose Water Toner, which ranks in the top three best-selling toners. This campaign in Thailand was designed to generate awareness and allow Thai consumers to test popular products.

Park Shin Hye enthused about the Micro Lip and Eye Remover, noting that the gentle wipes have a deep cleansing effect and the lotus extracts they contain alleviate irritation and maintain moisture levels in the delicate skin around the eyes and lips. The Rose Water Toner meanwhile is suitable for all skin types and its high pure rose water content moisturizes and adjusts skin balance, gently pampering the face and neck and relaxing the senses with its light fragrance.

First Energy Essence contains fermented honeysuckle for a radiant complexion while the Moisture Ceramide Light Cream is formulated for oily and combination skin and contains hibiscus extract to strengthen skin barrier and store moisture.

Ryan Lee, Korean’s top makeup artist unveiled the makeup trends for 2019, saying: “The emphasis is on a dewy look with a stronger focus on glossy lips. We will go from a natural look to being more daring with bolder and more vibrant shades on the eyes, cheeks, and lips. Pastel pink will also be back in vogue.”

He added colour to the lips of the actress with Creamy Tint Balm, a lipstick in crayon format that is popular in Korea and Thailand and which combines lipstick, lip tint, and lip balm to keep lips moisturized, before finishing with the Highlight Lip Tint Matte Velvet for a long-lasting effect.

The Mamonde Flower Toner Series range consists of Flower Honey Toner, Aqua Peel Toner, the popular Rose Water Toner, Pore Clean Toner, and Camomile Pure Toner. It’s available at all branches of Eveandboy.

Tickets costing from Bt1,500 to Bt5,000 go on sale on Sunday at http://www.Win2Oneth.com. Find out more at Facebook.com/win2one/

High in the hills

The In Doi Festival returns for its fifth year at the Doi Tung Development Project in Chiang Rai, one of the flagship projects of the Mae Fah Luang Foundation established in 1988 by the late Princess Mother.

Running from December 1 to January 27, the winter festival is designed as a walking street and offers a range of handcrafted products as well as more than 30 dishes native to the six hilltribes who live in the area.

Find out more by calling (02) 252 7114 extension 332 or visit Facebook: MaeFahLuangFoundation.

Warp on the beach

The Warp Music Festival is back for its fourth edition and takes place on the beach of Na Jomthien in Pattaya tomorrow and Saturday.

Designed on the theme “The Edge of Neptune”, it features a lineup of international DJs including Bear Grillz, Blinders, Myrne, and Pegbpard Nerds.

Tickets are Bt2,500 for 2 Crew Pass and Bt11,750 for Warp Squad Pass for 5 persons available at http://www.TicketMelon.com.

All about Japan

More than 100 Japanese entrepreneurs will be manning booths at the “Visit Japan FIT Fair 2018” being held at Royal Paragon Hall 2 on the fifth floor of Siam Paragon from tomorrow through Sunday. Tour agencies, hotels and representatives from the JR trains will be on hand to answer questions. Those purchasing an air ticket at the fair should show their receipt to get a free Endless Discoverypatterned blue neck pillow.

The fair also features talks by actor Sunny Suwanmethanont tomorrow at 6.30pm, Worrawech “Dan” Danuwong and Ungsumalynn “Pattie” Sirapatsakmetha on Saturday at 11am, Panissar “Opal” Phimpru on Sunday at 2pm, and Sano Hirokazu, aka Hiro San also on Sunday at 5pm.

For more information, please visit http://www.Jnto.or.th/contactus/pressreleases/visitjapanfit2018.

TEN MILLION tons of trash, much of it plastic, end up in the ocean every year, with 60 per cent of it coming from Asia. The effects on marine creatures is devastating, as they become irrevocably entangled in plastic netting or mistake the waste for food, with the result that minute pieces of plastic often find their way to our dinner plates. In an attempt to make a difference, the “Upcycling the Oceans Thailand” project has organised ocean clean-ups off many of Thailand’s best known beaches.

Phakawat Suwan, winner of a recent contest organised byEcoalf, created a 3 in 1 cushion made of the fabric recycled from the bottom of the ocean. 

The project recently held its first design contest, “SB’18 Bangkok Redesigning the Good Waste”, integrating it with the recent seminar “Sustainable Brands 2018 Bangkok” at the Siamese Fighting Fish Gallery in Bang Krachao, Samut Prakarn province, often referred to as “Bangkok’s Green Lung”.

The contest was held in collaboration with Spanish fashion brand Ecoalf. Founded by Javier Goyeneche in 2010, it uses breakthrough technology to create clothing and accessories made entirely from recycled materials, much of it fished out from the sea.

The contest drew 13 teams and while all the creations were outstanding, the freestyle design award in the “Redesigning the Good Waste” activity went to Phakawat Suwan for the multifunctional pillow – the 3 in 1 Cushion.

Produced under the UTO (Upcycling the Oceans Thailand) brand, the pillow has been designed to ensure that every square inch of the recycled fabric – made from plastic bottles – is meaningful. Practical and portable, users can unzip it to remove the folded blanket inside. Phakawat also paid attention to detail, printing both sides of the blanket with pictures relating to the sea and such inspirational quotes as “Good Waste for Good Life is Happiness” or “Please Don’t Waste Things”.

The Takra Bike Bag, designed by Tanawan Samleerat and Brian Carraway, was another winner. Created by Flying Squirrel Outfitters and NoNo Bags, it is shaped like a bottle hinting at giving new life to the plastic bottles we unthinkingly throw away. The name “Takra” comes from the Thai work for basket, a gesture to the green lifestyle of the Bang Krachao community.

Tanawan Samleerat and Brian Carraway with their “Takra Bike Bag” design.

While plastic has changed the world, improving and adding convenience to modern lives, its very durability is proving a major problem. This is particularly true of single-use plastic – among it the millions of disposable plates, bowls, cutlery and bottles that end up in the trash everyday.

In 2016, the Pollution Control Department of Thailand found 10.78 million tons of trash in the ocean off 23 coastal Thai provinces. Equally as worrying, it reported that only 1.67 million tons (15 per cent) are recycled, 6.28 million tons (59 per cent) are properly eliminated, and 2.83 million tons (26 percent) are not properly eliminated.

Research conducted by the University of Georgia pointed the finger at Thailand for being the fifth biggest contributor of ocean trash in 2015. It was estimated that 80 per cent of ocean plastic litter comes from land-based sources and the other 20 per cent from marine-based activities. The figures clearly show that we are all responsible for the plastic trash contribution, which is definitely not good for a country that has long been one of the world’s most popular beach destinations.

In October 2016, the Ecoalf Foundation, funded by the HAP Foundation, started the Upcycling the Oceans project in Thailand. With the support of the Tourism Authority of Thailand and PTT Global Chemical, the Ecoalf Foundation faces the challenge of replicating the initiative in this country. The goal is to implement multiple actions to promote awareness of the gravity of the situation among citizens and tourists alike as well as to help organise and coordinate all fishermen and beach-cleaning associations in Thailand in a regular and sustainable trash-collecting system.

The “Upcycling the Oceans, Thailand” project runs for three years, from 2017 to 2019. The first year focused on education and promoting the concept of responsible tourism while conducting waste management activities such as collecting, segregating and transforming plastic waste. This year, innovative eco-friendly technology is used to transform the raw material. Several companies process the waste, transform it into pellets and thread, and produce the fabrics. Ultimately, the raw materials made from the plastic waste removed from the sea will be transformed into stylish fashion items and accessories.

“The Ecoalf Foundation implemented its first Upcycling the Oceans project in Spain in 2015. By partnering with the federation of fishermen, we managed the entire process, from waste collection through the transformation into raw material (premium-quality yarn and fabric from the plastic bottle is 100 per cent polyester), and making clothing and fashion collections. Thailand is our first collaboration in Asia. The project also aims to raise awareness of the negative impact of improper waste disposal in the oceans,” says founder Goyeneche.

“In Spain, we started on the east coast of the Mediterranean Ocean and today we cover the entire Atlantic coastline. We remove the waste from the ocean with the help of fisherman. We have more than 3,000 fishermen involved in the project and they all lift the trash into their nets instead of leaving it lying there. In that waste can be plastic bottles, plastic bags, aluminium cans, glass, rubber and lots of different types of materials. We collect, classify, and then transform them into fashionable sneakers, bags, and fabric for jackets. Ocean waste is a worldwide problem. Whether in Thailand, Spain or Mexico, we create a lot of waste and we have a problem,” he stresses.

Fishermen collect waste from the seabed off Thailand.

“Ecoalf in Europe is growing fast. People are increasingly acknowledging the value of this kind of meaningful brand. We have succeeded in obtaining 100-per-cent recycled products of high technical quality and textures without using more of the planet’s natural resources. Ecoalf it is not a storytelling brand, it is a ‘doing’ brand. We convince thousands of fishermen to help collect waste from the ocean and that makes us different and convinces people to believe in what we are doing.

“This SB’18 Bangkok Redesigning the Good Waste is fantastic project. Waste has value and we have to upcycle it so as to recreate products. Design or fashion items have value. If we create cheap products, they don’t have that value. And design is a very good way to give value to things. Sometimes we are not conscious of the situation, specifically in our ocean. Few people get to see how dirty it is on the ocean bed. Everything simply goes down,” Goyeneche says.

BOTTOM UP

>> See more about Upcycling the Oceans Thailand project at Facebook.com/ Upcyclingtheoceansthailand.

He was 94.

Cha was most famous for his wuxia, or martial arts and chivalry, novels. Over 300 million copies of his works have been sold in the Chinese-speaking world.

In 1955, Cha published his first wuxia novel The Book and the Sword in the then New Evening Post under his pen name Jin Yong.

IN PICTURES: Life of Louis Cha

Louis Cha with his fans. (PHOTO / VCG) Louis Cha gives a talk during the Hong Kong Book Fair in July 2006. (PHOTO PROVIDED TO CHINADAILY.COM.CN)

He wrote 15 popular wuxia novels, his last, The Deer and the Cauldron, in 1972.

His novels have been adapted in films, TV and radio series, and deeply influenced the cultural development of Chinese-speaking communities around the world.

Louis Cha and the main cast of the film The Story of the Great Heroesin a group photo taken in 1960. From left: Patrick Tse, Louis Cha, Nam Hung, Leung So-kam. (COURTESY OF DR LOUIS CHA, WHO PROVIDED THE PHOTO TO THE HONG KONG HERITAGE MUSEUM)

Cha also founded Hong Kong’s major Chinese-language newspaper Ming Pao in 1959, and served as its editor-in-chief until retiring in 1989.

He has been honored by top universities in China and around the world.

Revised Manuscript of the new edition of The Demi-Gods and the Semi-Devils. (COURTESY OF DR LOUIS CHA, WHO PROVIDED THE PHOTO TO THE HONG KONG HERITAGE MUSEUM)

Cha also served on the Basic Law Drafting Committee before Hong Kong’s return to China in 1997.

Born in Haining, Zhejiang province, Cha graduated from the Law School of Soochow University in 1948.

Louis Cha at home in Hong Kong, Aug 12, 2004. (PHOTO / VCG)

To help support himself during his studies, he began to work as a journalist and translator for Ta Kung Pao newspaper in Shanghai.

In 1948, he came to Hong Kong to work for the same paper’s Hong Kong office.

Tributes poured in after the literary giant’s passing.

Louis Cha, left, at the office of China Daily Hong Kong Edition in March 2005. (EDMOND TANG / CHINA DAILY)

Hong Kong’s Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor, on behalf of the Hong Kong government, expressed deep condolences to his family.

Lam said Cha made some of the greatest contributions to Chinese culture and Hong Kong’s media development.

Louis Cha, left, at the office of China Daily Hong Kong Edition in March 2005. (EDMOND TANG / CHINA DAILY)

Hong Kong science fiction novelist Ni Kuang called Cha’s novels “the best in the world and of all time” and said Cha’s legacy would live on forever.

Hong Kong Screenwriters’ Guild President John Chong Ching said Cha was “China’s Shakespeare” and the “grandmaster” of Chinese screenwriters.

I

n this July 22, 2001 photo, Louis Cha signs a book for a reader during Hong Kong Book Fair in Hong Kong. (SHEN QIAO/XINHUA)

Chinese actors and actresses known for playing leading roles in TV series adapted from Cha’s novels posted online tributes to the late novelist on Tuesday night.

As of 10 pm, Weibo, China’s Twitter-like service, recorded 650 million views under the #JinYongpassedaway.