The Samsung Galaxy Fold officially available for pre-order in Malaysia this October 9

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Months after the announcement of the Samsung Galaxy Fold, the device has finally been given a rework and will officially be on sale soon.

Samsung Malaysia have announced that the device will be available to pre-order starting October 9, which is only 5 days away! Priced at a whopping RM8,388, the Galaxy Fold will come in two flavours – Cosmos Black and Space Silver. Every purchase of the phone will grant the users “exclusive access to specialized customer care services”, which will apparently include one-on-one sessions, 24/7 support via an online hub or over the phone.

As a recap, the frailties of the device were exposed quite magnificently by reviewers who received the phone for testing. Issues that plagued the device include broken displays and a very noticeable bump created by the phone’s hinge.

Samsung have seemingly worked out the kinks and are now confident their device will work as intended. The device boasts a 7.3-inch QXGA+ AMOLED Infinity Flex  main display and a smaller 4.6-inch Super AMOLED cover display.

For imaging, there is a 10MP cover camera, a 10MP + 8MP dual front lens and a triple-camera setup at the back (16MP ultrawide + 12MP wide angle + 12MP telephoto lens).

It will sport an octa-core processor along with 12GB RAM and 512GB of internal storage (UFS3.0). The phone is powered by a 4,380mAh battery and supports fast charging and Wireless PowerShare.

Visit their
website
 to pre-order the device. There you have it folks, you can once again get excited for a foldable phone, because this one’s actually available for purchase.

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The Samsung Galaxy M series is going to be available in Malaysia as an online exclusive

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Just in case you haven’t heard of it, the Samsung Galaxy M series will also be arriving in Malaysia but, as an online exclusive. This means that if you’re interested in this series, you’d need to buy it online because you can’t get it in Samsung retail stores.

So far, we already know that the Galaxy M20 comes with a 6.3-inch Infinity V display, dual camera and 5,000mAh battery that supports fast charge. That aside, the phone comes with an Exynos 7904 processor paired with either 3GB RAM + 32GB storage or 4GB RAM + 64GB storage. The M20 is also said to have a dual camera setup which consists of a 13MP main camera and a 5MP ultra wide camera.

Image credit: Samsung

That aside, there will also be the Samsung Galaxy M10 and M30, the former being the lower end version whereas the latter being the higher end model. As for the M30, rumours suggest that it will come with triple rear cameras with two 5MP cameras and one 13MP camera, whereas its front will sport a 16MP front camera with the similar Infinity-V AMOLED display that is spotted on the M20.

In terms of pricing, Samsung has yet to reveal the Malaysian price of the devices, but the devices should be around RM1,000 or less, especially the M20 and M10.

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The Samsung Galaxy M10 arrives in Malaysia at RM449

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Out of the three Samsung Galaxy M phones that was announced a few months back, only the Galaxy M20 made its appearance in Malaysia as an online exclusive last month. Now, the Samsung Galaxy M10 joins the M20 in Malaysia.

With an Infinity-V display, the M10 comes with a 6.2-inch HD+ screen that utilises a TFT panel. It comes with dual-SIM support and instead of a traditional fingerprint mount, it supports face unlock. In addition, it also has a headphone jack on its bottom, located next to its MicroUSB port.

The M10 is powered by an Exynos 7870 processor and comes with 2GB RAM paired with 16GB internal storage. Its storage can be expanded up to 512GB via a MicroSD card, and it has a battery size of 3,400mAh.

On the back, the M10 comes with a 13MP main camera with f/1.9 aperture and an ultra-wide 5MP camera with f/2.2 aperture. On the front, it has a 5MP selfie snapper with a Smart Beauty mode.

The M10 can now be purchased at the price of RM449 and comes in two colours — Charcoal Black and Ocean Blue. You can get the device at Samsung’s
official website
.

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The Samsung Galaxy M30s is reported to have a 6,000mAh battery and a 48MP camera

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Just like how Samsung has announced the Galaxy A30s and A50s, the company has set plans to release the Galaxy M30s.

Like the Galaxy A30s and A50s, the Galaxy M30s will be getting upgraded cameras as its 13MP main lens will be bumped up to a 48MP lens. In addition, the devices will be getting an Exynos 9610 chipset that has more cores and better GPU compared to the chipset in the Galaxy M30.

Reports also suggest the device to come with up to 6GB RAM and 128GB storage, plus Samsung is increasing the battery capacity to 6,000mAh that supports 25W fast charging.

Otherwise, the Galaxy M30s sports a similar 6.4-inch Super AMOLED display with a 16MP selfie camera. With these specs, the Galaxy M30s is comparable to the Galaxy A50, but probably has a cheaper price tag tied to it.

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The Samsung Galaxy M40 with an Infinity O display is launching on June 11

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The Samsung Galaxy M40 is arriving in Malaysia soon — as soon as after Raya week itself. Launching on June 11 at 6pm, this will be the first phone in the Galaxy M series with a punch-hole display Samsung like to call Infinity O.

On Samsung’s site itself little has been revealed about the phone. The site only mentioned an Infinity O screen with the device being powered by a Snapdragon 6 series and a triple rear camera setup. However, we’ve seen previous leaks and rumours, and these are the few speculations regarding the phone.

The chipset expected in the Samsung M40 is suspected to be the Snapdragon 675 chipset and will be spotted alongside 6GB RAM and 128GB storage, in addition to shopping with Android 9 Pie. While the camera setup is not fully revealed, reports suggested that there will be a 32MP main camera and a 16MP selfie shooter.

There are no other confirmed information yet, but we’re also expecting a huge battery in the phone that charges via USB-C. For now, let’s just relax, enjoy Raya week and wait for the revelation on June 11.

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Samsung Galaxy Note 10 series full specifications revealed a day ahead of launch

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The Samsung Galaxy Note 10 series is about to debut tomorrow, but leakster Evan Blass just posted the full specs sheet of the series on Twitter, consisting of the Galaxy Note 10, Galaxy Note 10+ and Galaxy Note 10+ 5G.

If this specs sheet is legit, then we’ll be expecting three models to make their debut on August 7 during the launch. The Galaxy Note 10 will sport a 6.3-inch Infinity-O display with FHD+ resolution while the Galaxy Note 10+ and the Galaxy Note 10+ 5G will come with a 6.8-inch WQHD+ display. All three models have a Dynamic AMOLED panel protected by Corning Gorilla Glass and have an IP68 rating.

These devices will also be equipped with AKG Tuned Stereo Speakers and Dolby Atmos 3D technology, in addition to sporting an ultrasonic fingerprint scanner. Surprisingly, there will be no difference when it comes to the camera setups. The Note 10 series comes with a quad rear camera featuring a 12MP wide camera, a 12MP telephoto lens, a 16MP ultra-wide sensor and a 3D depth sensor while a 10MP camera is spotted on its front.

Under the hood, the new Samsung models will be powered by an Exynos 9825 processor but they will have different storage configurations. The Galaxy Note 10 will be integrated with 6GB RAM paired with 256GB storage while the Galaxy Note 10+ and the 5G model will be paired with 12GB RAM and 256/512GB storage. Needless to say, the 5G model will be equipped with a Qualcomm 5G Modem.

Previous rumours have already suggested the Galaxy Note 10 to support 25W Super Fast Charge and well, it’s true. The Galaxy Note 10 houses a 3,800mAh battery while the Galaxy Note 10+ and Galaxy Note 10+ 5G have a 4,300mAh battery that supports 45W Super Fast Charge. Just like the Galaxy S10 series, they support PowerShare and wireless charging.

There are also speculations regarding the local pricing of these devices and from what we’ve heard, the Galaxy Note 10 will cost RM3,799 while the Galaxy Note 10+ will be priced at RM4,399 for the 256GB variant and RM4,799 for the 512GB variant. Surprisingly, Blass has removed the tweet at the time of writing, so thank God I downloaded the specs sheet before it was deleted.


The Samsung Galaxy Note 9 might cost more than RM4500

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It’s not long now before we see the Note 9 in all its full glory, but it might not be accessible to the major population mainly due to its price which was recently reported by a Polish tech site called SpiderWeb.

Samsung is planning to price the phone at a rather premium price that can rival the price of the iPhone X. SpiderWeb, who has spoken to a local source and a Samsung representative said that the phone will cost $1,159 (RM4704.38), the US price might defer slightly as in Europe, they are charged with tax, similar to Malaysia. The Note 9 devices are targeted at productivity, evident by the advanced S-Pen and the loads of productivity apps that they have installed in the Note devices. However, to the general public, they see it as the latest and greatest phone from Samsung and just like all new and shiny things, we want to get our hands on it.

The bigger issue here is that people that require a phone that has all the productivity apps they need a stylus do not have many options. Only Samsung is still strongly catering to this market segment, pricing this much for the might not only hurt its sales but the people that require such features and accessibilities.

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The Samsung Galaxy S10 line of phones are officially available in Malaysia

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The moment we’ve all been waiting for is finally upon us: Samsung has officially released the Galaxy S10 series of smartphones in Malaysia!

Image credit: Samsung

The event – which took place in Resorts World Genting’s Sky Avenue – saw the introduction of the Samsung Galaxy S10, Galaxy S10+ and Galaxy S10e.

Let’s do a recap on the phones’ specs shall we. Beginning with the S10, the phone sports a 6.1-inch Curved Dynamic AMOLED display and comes equipped with a triple-lens setup (12MP wide + 16MP ultrawide + 12MP telephoto). The front-facing camera is a 10MP lens. Under the hood, it is powered by an Exynos 9820, 8GB RAM with 128GB ROM and a 3,400mAh battery with wireless and reverse charging.

Image credit: Samsung

Moving on to the bigger Samsung Galaxy S10+, the phone comes with a bigger 6.4-inch Quad HD+ Curved Dynamic AMOLED display. At the back, the Galaxy S10+ comes with the same camera setup as the regular Galaxy S10, but at the front, the Galaxy S10 Plus sports two front cameras (10MP selfie camera + 8MP Depth Camera). The phone is also powered by the same Exynos 9820 chipset as well as 8GB RAM and 128GB ROM. A 512GB ROM version of the Galaxy S10+ is also available. The Galaxy S10+ has a bigger 4,100mAh battery and also has wireless and reverse charging. Both the Galaxy S10 and S10+ feature the on-screen Ultrasonic Fingerprint Sensor.

Image credit: Samsung

Finally, we come to the most affordable variation of the phone, the Galaxy S10e. The phone is a petite 5.8-inch device that sports a Flat Dynamic AMOLED display. It gets only two cameras at the back (12MP wide angle + 16MP ultrawide). The phone comes with the same 10MP selfie camera as the regular Galaxy S10. The Exynos 9820 chipset comes as standard, but the phone gets 6GB RAM and 128 ROM. This phone also has a small 3,100mAh battery but gets wireless and reverse charging.

All phones run Android 9. The Galaxy S10 is priced at RM3,299; the Galaxy S10+ 128GB at RM3,699/512GB at RM4,599; and the Galaxy S10e at RM2,699. All three phones get the Prism Black, Prism White and Prism Green color options, but the Galaxy S10+ gets two extra selections – Ceramic White and Ceramic Black. The Galaxy S10e Canary Yellow will not be available in Malaysia yet however.

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The Samsung Galaxy S10 might not support 3D facial recognition

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Samsung’s Galaxy S10 will be appearing next year with huge updates such as the new Infinity-O display and also ultrasonic in-display sensor and also 5G connectivity. However, there might be one thing that the Galaxy S10 cannot do.

First of all, the S10 will come in 4 versions in which two of the models will be the successors to the S9 and the S9+ while the other two will be a cheaper model and a 5G model. According to reports, the cheaper model will come with a 5.8-inch display with single front camera and dual rear cameras, whereas the S10 will come with dual front cameras and dual rear cameras, and the S10+ has dual front camera with triple rear cameras. Meanwhile, information regarding the 5G version is still unknown, but it is expected to be the priciest one due to the new technology adaptation.

Image credit: VenyaGeskin1

Despite that, there is one thing that these new devices seem to be incapable of, and that is the facial recognition technology have been adapted by many other smartphone brands. Because the 3D facial recognition technology requires various types of sensors, it is very likely that Samsung’s Infinity-O display will be unable to support the 3D face unlock feature. Since only one hole (or two for the dual front camera versions) will be drilled, there will be insufficient space to place components such as the infrared sensor, dot projector and flood illuminator.

It does seem like a setback for Samsung to skip the 3D facial recognition feature, but perhaps their ultrasonic in-display sensor is sufficient enough for users to skip the face unlock as the technology is supposed to result in more accurate and faster unlock. The Galaxy S10 is expected to be revealed in February next year and will probably be seen at next year’s Mobile World Congress in Barcelona.

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The Samsung Galaxy S10 series might support reverse wireless charging

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As the Galaxy S10 series gets nearer to its launch date, we’re getting more information and leaks, and the latest rumour circles around a feature that was found in the Huawei Mate 20 Pro.

The Mate 20 Pro came with one unique feature which is its ability to reverse charge wirelessly through direct back-to-back contact with another phone that supports wireless charging. Samsung is reported to be picking this feature up and putting it in the devices in the S10 series.

Image credit: Techtastic

Rumor has it that Samsung will name their reverse wireless charging “Powershare” but it is worth noting that wireless charging often doesn’t work as quickly as wired charging and it might not be completely practical. Yes, it can be used as an emergency method to charge your other devices that are running out of battery but the process will probably take some time, and you’ll be draining your S10 devices.

Image credit: Techtastic

Honestly, while this remains a unique feature, it is rather doubtful that Mate 20 Pro users will often employ this feature, and I believe the same will happen to Samsung Galaxy S10 users. Many might try out the feature in the beginning and feel like it’s a really cool feature, but the hype will slowly fade and since so many of us already own at least one power bank, it seems rather unpractical for us to want to charge our devices by draining others’ S10 devices.

This “Powershare” feature is expected to be available on all the S10 devices, including the cheaper model, the Galaxy S10 Lite. With this feature, I’m even more certain that the S10 devices will be costly.

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The Samsung Galaxy S6 and S6 edge is now official in Malaysia

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Samsung
 Malaysia has officially announced the
Galaxy
 S6 and S6 edge this morning, the new
Galaxy
 S6 and S6 edge features an all new design from the company and has superb performance internals onboard, which includes the company’s latest FinFET process Samsung Exynos 7420 14nm processor and 3GB of LPDDR4 RAM, it has a 5.1-inch Quad HD Super AMOLED display with Gorilla Glass 4, 16-megapixel f/1.9 OIS main camera and 5-megapixel f/1.9 front facing camera, a non-removable 2550mAh battery and has Bluetooth 4.1, WiFi 802.11ac and 4G LTE Cat 6 support.

The
Galaxy
 S6 and S6 edge is
expected to be
 priced at RM2599 and RM3099 respectively and
Samsung
 Malaysia will only be bring in the 32GB model of the phones, which might disappoint some fans looking forward to buy the company’s premium flagship smartphone.

 Before you fire your hatred,
Samsung
 still has some love for its loyal customers, early birds who purchase the
Galaxy
 S6 and S6 edge will be entitled to get a free Wireless Charger and
Samsung
 will offer personalized service for owners of the phone, the personalized service includes a dedicated support hotline, a regular 7-point service check on your smartphone within the warranty period and pickup services when you need to buy a Galaxy S6 or send it for service.

We’ve gotten ourselves a review unit of the
Galaxy
 S6 and S6 edge after the event and will be performing an unboxing video of it, so stay tuned while we work hard on it folks. Preorders of the Galaxy S6 and S6 edge will be available from all
Samsung
authorized dealers, retail stores and major telcos starting on April 3rd and release date is on April 17th.


The Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge is now available in Blue Coral

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With the retirement of the Samsung Galaxy Note 7, the closest 2016 Samsung handset to that is undoubtedly the Galaxy S7 Edge. The latter device did not face explosion and fire issues, plus it didn’t get a global recall only to find out that it still was fire prone. Hence, the Galaxy S7 Edge is probably Samsung’s best handset to date, discounting the already dead Galaxy Note 7.

Recent leaks have emerged showing the Galaxy S7 Edge in beautiful Blue Coral, and lovers of the said color have had their dreams come true, as the curved screen handset is finally available in Blue Coral. However, the Blue Coral Galaxy S7 Edge isn’t available worldwide, at least not yet. Currently, the Blue Coral Galaxy S7 Edge is only made available for our Singaporean neighbors. Just to be clear, the announcement itself comes from Samsung Singapore.

Having said that, the Blue Coral variant of the Galaxy S7 Edge should be heading to other regions as well, namely the United States, since the leaked image of the Blue Coral Galaxy S7 Edge carried a Verizon branding on the back panel of the device. We honestly do hope that this Blue Coral model will be heading our way as well.

It is clear that Samsung is bolstering its efforts to fill the void of the Galaxy Note 7, though the company will most likely not recover fully from the phablet’s crisis, plagued with fire incidents and explosion before and after its global recall. Let us know what do you think of the Blue Coral Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge at the comments section below!

Source:
GSM Arena

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The Samsung Galaxy S8 is now official, starts from $750 onwards

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After months of leaks and anticipation, Samsung has finally unveiled its most important flagship of the year, the Galaxy S8 and S8+ are now official with display sizes of 5.8-inch and 6.2-inch respectively while both produce the same 2960×1440 resolution, making it a 18.5:9 aspect ratio on the all new Infinity Display. When it comes to specs, the Galaxy S8 will be powered by a Samsung Exynos 8895 processor in the international market, while the US market gets the Snapdragon 835 silicon, otherwise they come with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of onboard storage with MicroSD expansion, and yes, it still has its headphone jack intact and is IP68 water and dust resistant.

While the Galaxy S8 and S8+ does come with some pretty impressive performance internals as usual, there are certain things that have not received upgrades, for instance the phone’s cameras are still an optical stabilized 12-megapixel f/1.7 main and 8-megapixel front camera, though the front camera now has autofocus, and instead of getting a bump in its battery size, the Galaxy S8 and S8+ comes with a rather small capacity battery at 3000mAh and 3500mAh respectively, however Samsung has claimed a 10% improvement in battery life despite of that, and we believe it could be the case with the new processor.

Otherwise, the Galaxy S8 and S8+ does feature a new AI assistant called Bixby, which makes interacting with the device easier. It also features an Iris Scanner that was featured back in the Note 7 (recycled component maybe?) for the best biometric security, as the company claims it. There’s also a feature called DeX, which technically turns your phone into a computer experience just like Microsoft’s Continuum feature with the help of a dock, which you can control it using a mouse and keyboard. The Galaxy S8 and S8+ also features the fastest wireless connectivity for now, which includes support for Cat 16 LTE and Bluetooth 5.0.

Samsung is making the Galaxy S8 and S8+ available from April 21 onwards in the US with a starting price of $750 (RM3,314), local availability shouldn’t take too long considering Samsung Malaysia has a good track record of making Malaysia one of the first few countries to sell its flagship smartphones.

Image Credit:
The Verge

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The Samsung Galaxy S8 predicted to sport 4K Super AMOLED display

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While QHD displays on smartphone seem more than sufficient, analysts predict that the Galaxy S8 by Samsung could feature a display in glorious 4K resolution.

If it turns out to be true, the Galaxy S8 will be the first Samsung handset to sport such resolution, but it definitely won’t be the first. Sony has written history last year when it launched the Xperia Z5 Premium, but didn’t do much justice for 4K displays since the phone technically does not run on full 4K resolution all the time. Analysts from UBI Research spotted a 5.5-inch Super AMOLED 4K display panel that was showcased by Samsung during last month’s Display Week conference, and claimed that it will be the display panel equipped in the Galaxy S8 next year.

The Xperia Z5 Premium sported a IPS LCD panel, hence a Super AMOLED 4K display might turn out to be more attractive than expected. While 4K displays on smartphones might still be deemed as an overkill, the rapid emergence of VR technology might suggest otherwise. Plus, if Samsung really churns out a 4K display Galaxy S8, chances are that the rest of the competition will follow suit. Looks like Samsung’s going all out for 2017. First with foldable smartphones, and now this. What do you think?

Source:
Korea Herald

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The Samsung Galaxy Tab A (2019, 8.0″) costs RM599 and has a 5,100mAh battery

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To accommodate those who are looking for the middle ground between laptop and smartphone, Samsung is revealing its 2019 Galaxy Tab A that measures at 8 inches.

The new Galaxy Tab A comes in two colours — black and silver. It has an 8-inch display with TFT panel and sports the power and volume buttons on the right. In addition to that, the tablet has dual speakers located at the bottom.

This tablet is equipped with 2GB RAM paired with 32GB of storage which can be expandable up to 512GB via a microSD card. It runs on the latest Android Pie and weighs around 347g. Apart from that, the tablet has a 5,100mAh battery that should last you a day or more and charges via microUSB.

The Galaxy Tab A also has an 8MP rear camera and a 2MP front camera for picture-taking purposes. It is able to support FHD video recording at 30fps, but sadly has no flash for its rear camera.

This tablet is now priced at RM599 and can be purchased both online and offline at Samsung’s official stores.

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The Samsung Galaxy Tab S5e comes with a huge design flaw that can’t be fixed

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While Samsung has been making great leaps with all its device launches and also the introduction of the Galaxy Fold, the company also had some setbacks like the Galaxy Fold being easily broken. In addition, the new Samsung Galaxy Tab S5e that was just released this year is facing a huge problem, one that iOS users would call Antennagate.

The Galaxy Tab S5e comes with a huge design flaw that can block its Wi-Fi when users cover the bottom left corner of the device. According to SamMobile, “the appendage is blocking the Wi-Fi signal from reaching the integrated receiver”, and the only way is to hold the device upside down with the front camera positioned on the right instead of the left.

Image credit: Trusted Reviews

Some reported the Wi-Fi signal being completely cut off, while others said that the Wi-Fi connection slows down rapidly. Since it’s a design flaw that is caused by the positioning of the hardwares, it’s safe to say that no software update will be able to fix this mess.

Do note that holding the device in its upright vertical orientation is fine, since the problematic area is at the top of the device and will not be blocked. Despite having a workaround, it is still not acceptable for the users to have to pay for a faulty device without getting to fully enjoy it the way they want to. There are users who have tried sending their devices back to get replacements, but unfortunately the problem can’t be fixed as the replacement devices also come with the same design flaw.

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The Samsung Galaxy TabPro S is now available in Gold, bumped up RAM and storage

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The Samsung Galaxy TabPro S has been known as one of Microsoft’s Surface biggest competitors. Having released it earlier this year, a new variant Galaxy TabPro S has been added by the Korean manufacturer, with slightly bumped up specs and a brand new paint job. This is the Samsung Galaxy TabPro S Gold Edition, the tablet that has been upgraded by just a bit to make it worth paying the extra money.

As a refresher, the 2-in-1 tablet features a 12-inch Super AMOLED screen at 2160 × 1440 resolution, allowing the display color to have a vibrant touch. The sleek form factor of the tablet makes it weigh in at 1.53 pounds. The TabPro S comes bundled with a detachable full sized keyboard plus a trackpad, which makes it a plus. Underneath the hood, the tablet is powered by an Intel Core M3 processor clocked at 2.2 GHz. The bump in specs comes into play with double the amount of RAM from 4GB to 8GB plus a larger SSD storage at 256GB.

Windows 10 is the operating system for the Galaxy TabPro S, hence putting it in the run as one of the Surface’s biggest competitors out there. The battery has a capacity of 5,200mAh, which Samsung claims to offer up to 10.5 hours of video playback. The tablet also happens to feature enhanced fast charging capabilities, so charging the device via the USB Type-C port won’t take too long.

Samsung is also offering the TabPro Pen for productivity purposes, which can be purchased separately. As mentioned earlier, this new model comes in Gold and carries a price tag of $999.99 (RM4,216.41), making it $200 more than the previous iteration of the TabPro S. What do you think?

Source:
Samsung

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The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip is one of the more affordable foldable phones around – available for RM5,888

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The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip is now available to purchase in the country after its initial arrival in the country as a pre-order product; this was of course two months ago.

The phone is priced at RM5,888 and is available at Samsung Malaysia E-store, Samsung Experience Stores, as well as selected Samsung Authorized Partners. There’s also a two-year installment plan where you pay RM245.33/month for the device.

Image credit: Evan Blass

The phone has a sizeable 6.7-inch OLED display and its party trick is that it folds in half, like a clam shell. The hinges that allow the phone to fold is covered with brushes that keep dust out of the complex mechanism hidden inside.

The phone packs a 12MP main lens and a 12MP ultrawide angle camera. For selfies, you can also use the 10MP front camera, or use the back cameras where the phone’s sub–display, besides displaying the time, also acts as a viewfinder for selfies.

Under the hood, the phone comes with capable Snapdragon 855+ chipset, with 8GB RAM and 256GB internal storage. It also has a 3,000mAh battery that supports up to 15W of fast charging.

There are three
flavours
 to choose from, purple, black, and gold.
 You can visit Samsung’s website
here
 to make your purchase.

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The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip really has glass in its display – shown in teardown video

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So, remember when JerryRigEveryting did a stress test on the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip, and its display’s durability left much to be desired? Because of how dent and scratch prone the display was, it led many who watched his video to believe the Galaxy Z Flip’s panel to be made from mostly plastic.

Many have questioned the existence of glass in the display – JerryRigEverything did mention that Samsung could’ve used a glass-polymer hybrid to make the flexible panel. But in his teardown video, he proves that there is indeed glass in the display, albeit very thin and not very durable – at least not at the level we’re used to with regular smartphones.

There’s a plastic layer that protects the glass and that’s the layer that dents when scratched with his fingernails – once removed, JerryRigEverything found the glass that Samsung keeps mentioning in their marketing materials.

Image credit: JerryRigEverything

Now, during his stress test, he used everything from blade cutters and pointed tips to just his finger nails – at a relatively blunt tool, he managed to create scratches and dents in the display. We’re so used to our smarpthones being so scratch resistant, that we expect a phone so advanced and expensive such as the Galaxy Z Flip to at least offer that same level of durability.

Even if there is in fact glass in the display, it’s not very scratch-proof; which was the whole point of contention in the first place. But the issue really does seem to be with foldable phones as a whole – take the Motorola RAZR phone – it’s a is a similar clam shell-phone and it’s reported that after just a week of folding, the display peels at the crease, making it unusable.

So if you’re strapped with cash and are looking for a new flagship smartphone, we say go for one of the Galaxy S20 devices – we think you’ll be much happier with that.

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The Samsung Gear S2 looks really good!

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Ever since we saw the teaser of the new Samsung Gear S2 smartwatch during the launch of the
Galaxy
Note5
 and S6 edge+ in New York, we have been getting pretty excited especially since the teaser showed a round-face design. The Gear S2 looks very different from the
Gear
S
, and it looks like this time
Samsung
 design team has done it right.

Now, why do we say the Gear S2 looks really good despite not having a good look at it even in the video? Well, Dennis Miloseski, the VP for Samsung Design in America just posted an Instagram photo of the Samsung Gear S2 in a test run. It looks very much like a designer watch and not so much of how we perceive smartwatches to look like. What do you think of the design?

If you have not seen the teaser video, here it is:

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The Samsung Odyssey Neo G9 monitor is going off at RM6,699 this December

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The Samsung Odyssey Neo G9 is no doubt one dream ultrawide gaming monitor one can imagine of owning it, if you have been eyeing for one to celebrate the end of 2021, Samsung is offering a 30% discount that amounts up to RM2800 till 31st December 2021 when you purchase it directly from the official Samsung Online Store.

A quick check on both Samsung’s official stores on Lazada and Shopee reveals that the monitor is already retailing at RM6,999, which is already a huge discount from its original price of RM9,499, this limited time promo means you are getting an additional RM300 off the already discounted price, which is quite a steal if you have that much of cash to spend on a gaming monitor.

To grab this RM2800 voucher, you will have to follow local gaming creators YingTze, FanCFreakz, JanuaryAKG, Mamajess520 and Aisaka Miharu on their social media, which Samsung has partnered with to promote the Odyssey Neo G9 monitor, customers will have to stay tuned to their social media pages to grab the codes that can be redeemed on the Samsung Online Store.

The Odyssey Neo G9 is a premium 49-inch ultrawide curved gaming monitor that features a superb set of features that will making any gamers drool, including a 1440p Quantum Mini LED panel with a 240Hz refresh rate and 1ms response time, NVIDIA G-SYNC compatibility and AMD FreeSync Premium Pro support. Find out more about it
here
.

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odyssey neo g9
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The Samsung S22 FE might be powered by a Mediatek chip

2.1K

Samsung’s flagships are usually equipped with either Qualcomm’s top of the line Snapdragon processors or its own Exynos processor, but things are getting interesting as Business Korea reports that we could be seeing a Mediatek chip in the Galaxy S22 FE and Galaxy S23, which is expected to be unveiled in the second half of 2022.

While it would seem rather weird that Samsung would want to introduce the successor to the S22 that soon, the S22 FE could really happen this year and its interesting that the company has decided not to use their Exynos 2200 chipset that was co-developed with AMD, this could also mean that Samsung might be giving up on making high-end chipsets to compete with Qualcomm and Mediatek, though we certainly don’t expect Samsung to stop making Exynos chips entirely since they are still being used on its latest A series phones.

Mediatek has proven its Dimensity chips to be on par with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon chips in both mid-range and high end smartphones when it comes to power efficiency and performance, the Dimensity 9000 has definitely gathered good impressions from reviewers testing out phones like the Redmi K50 Pro, and Dimensity equipped phones are usually competitively priced against Snapdragon powered phones.

One of the reasons that lead to this decision could also be Mediatek’s effort in ramping up its market share in other markets, as most of its market share remain in China, the company might have struck a deal with Samsung with hopes in increasing their market share in the US, Korea and Europe, since Samsung is still the leading Android phone brand outside of China, this action would most certainly benefit both companies equally in increasing sales volumes.

Would you buy a Galaxy S22 FE if it is equipped with a Dimensity 9000 chip?

Source:
Business Korea

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The Samsung SUHD TV: Launched and as bright as the sun

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Sa
msung
 has launched their S-Ultra High Definition (SUHD) TVs today with a grand showcase at Pavilion, Kuala Lumpur. While the curvature is impressive, it comes with the latest and greatest of
Samsung
’s display technology and the most cutting edge visual enhancement software way ahead of its competitors. Samsung has really set a new standard in premium UHD content to elevate the viewing experience to the next level and the Samsung SUHD TV is a big milestone forward to a completely new generation.

“Samsung has achieved significant milestones in the market for Visual Displays, both through collaboration and by always striving to be the best. As a result — and the ninth consecutive year —
Samsung
 is now the world’s leading TV manufacturer, shaping the future of the TV industry with award winning designs, unparalleled picture quality and innovative content partnerships — all developed with consumer preferences in mind and consumers can trust that we are more committed than ever to consistently deliver a superior home entertainment experience for years to come

— Lee Sang Hoon, President of
Samsung
 Malaysia Electronics

Samsung’s Premium “S” identification is a branding that is reserved for only the best that Samsung has to offer. The prestigious “S” identification finds its way onto its first TV with the SUHD TV line. The SUHD TV is truly amazing with it’s clear contrast picture quality as well as the Tizen software on board to provide unparalleled user interaction as well as a very stylish design.

The picture quality on the Samsung SUHD TV is amazing, standing in front of the TV really made me feel like the picture was really pulling me in. The 4K OLED panel is ground breaking on terms of its infinite black-levels and striking contrast as well as accurate color reproduction which delivers superior picture quality experience. There is nothing like it, as they use their own eco-friendly nano-crystal technology that is powered by their intelligent SUHD re-mastering picture quality engine.

The SUHD TV’s nano-crystal technology transmits different colors of light depending on their size to produce the highest color purity and light efficiency of this generation. The nano-crystals are able to provide 6400% more color expression compared to other TVs. The intelligent SUHD re-mastering engine is able to optimize content to match the reproduction of videos on SUHD TV, it automatically analyzes the brightness of images while produces unlimited black levels and 1000nits brightness levels — the only other thing brighter than this is probably the sun — which translates into unlimited contrast levels as well. Samsung had a hand-in with Fox Innovation Lab to re-master multiple scenes from its critically acclaimed film, “Life of Pi”, directed by academy award winner Ang Lee, specifically for the SUHD TV. The blue colored water that appears on conventional TVs is actually a soft jade color, which is reproduced perfectly on the SUHD.

What’s seriously not to love about it, it has incredibly beautiful picture reproduction as well as being environmentally friendly.

The Samsung SUHD TV is available in both flat panels, but is limited to the 55-inch model and curved models as well. Samsunghas cleverly brought in the models based on market analysis that they have conducted as not to saturate stocks. Of course you could order the 88-inch curved panel, just contact Samsung and they’ll definitely get that sorted out for you. The newly announced Samsung SUHD TV JS9000 — where the JS9500 is the higher end model — for example is a curved form factor, 78-inches comes with a curved display, which is what is featured in the photo above.

To showcase some of Samsung SUHD TV’s greatest was Osman Ali, local award winning film director, who mentioned that the TV was very convenient as well as beautiful, reproducing the colors from his work far more accurately than conventional TVs of this era. He even touched on Tizen, a powerful open-source operating system that has been specially tailor-made for the SamsungSUHD TV. The TV comes with Quick Connect, which connects to your phone and pairs via BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy) and has some very interesting functions such as sharing video content directly from your mobile device or even syncing the TV with your alarm to show the weather and your schedule when you wake up in the morning. The Tizen operating system is aiming to makeSamsung TVs the
IOT (Internet of Things)
 device to have in the home by 2017. Tizen really is the right way to go.

Another great addition which was announced to the immersion provided by this TV is a 9.1 channel sound bar, the
HW-J8501
 that is going on sale as well. It comes in a curved form factor as well which fits very nicely with the TV’s sexy curves. Although it wasn’t showcased at the event, they still announced the availability of this particular model into the Malaysian market. Samsung really did good on our living rooms this time around, you get your entertainment in one sexy package!

Pricing for the SUHD TVs and soundbar are retailing as follows:

SUHD TV 78JS9500: RM39,999

SUHD TV 65JS9000: RM24,999

SUHD TV 55JS8000: RM9,999

Curved Wireless 9.1 Ch 350W Soundbar (HW-J8501): RM3,999

All prices inclusive of 6% GST.


The self-flying camera Skydio R1 can be controlled with Apple Watch

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Skydio introduced its first self-flying camera, the Skydio R1 and now it fully supports Apple Watch so users can control the R1 directly from their wrists.

Skydio R1 is similar to drones, except that it doesn’t come with a controller or need a pilot. It has 12 navigation cameras and uses Nvidia processors that are also used for self-driving cars. The technology in the R1 enables it to understand the surrounding environment and identify and differentiate humans, and the motion planning system made it possible for the R1 to capture its subject while diligently avoiding obstacles.

Users can easily launch the self-flying camera through their smartphones and as mentioned, the Apple Watch. Simply install the Skydio app on your Watch, and you can fully operate the device from your wrist. Launching, rotating, landing and changing the different cinematic skills that are offered by the R1 can all be done through your Apple Watch. You can also choose who to follow using your R1 and now on Apple Watch, there will be thumbnail images of people it sees, hence you can tap on whoever you want, and the R1 will follow and focus on that person. The Skydio app also allows stabilised HD video clips to be created, and for further editing, users can download the UHD 4K files to their computer via USB.

Skydio also announced that the Apple stores will start selling the R1, thought it’s probably not going to be in Malaysia anytime soon.

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The Selpic P1 is a handheld printer that mobile workers will want for $99

403

This is a gadget that you don’t get to see everyday. Selpic, a California based company that specializes in mobile printers, has launched what it claims the smallest handheld printer in the world called the Selpic P1.

How small? Imagine the form factor of a pen with a thicker body, where it weighs a mere 180g and can be easily stowed away into your pocket or bag, the Selpic P1 can print on various surfaces, including metal, textiles, plastics, wood and leather. With up to 3 hours of working time, Selpic claims it is sufficient for printing 90 pages of A4 paper.

The Selpic P1 can print up to 600DPI of resolution using a fade resistant water based ink, users can choose to print their custom logos or documents from their smartphones using a free app over a WiFi direct connection, your PC and Mac will also work and all you need to do is to slide the device across the surface you want to print.

Customers can now place their orders on Indiegogo, where Selpic is currently offering the first 500 orders with a super early bird reward at US$99 (RM424), it will officially retail at US$199 after the campaign ends, so grab it
here
 if you want it.

portable handheld printer
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The serverDNA: Reach Out is now open for registrations in 7 cities

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A fan of the gaming and esports industry? Well, serverDNA is organising its next nationwide event called The serverDNA: Reach Out so you can network and meet other gamers, streamers and more.

This event will include exhibits, game areas, showcases and other activities for gamers to gain insights while enjoying themselves with their friends. You can go there just to experience the game areas and test out your gaming skills, or improve you and your teammates’ gaming abilities by meeting industry experts and specialists.

The serverDNA: Reach Out will also have a RM100,000 worth of lucky draw pools, so you might just be able to win some super cool gaming peripherals when you attend the event. Not only is the admission to the event free of charge, serverDNA will also be providing you food on that day so you won’t have to spend a single penny.

If you’re excited to join the event, do note that it will be held in these 7 cities at these dates:

Alor Setar: February 27, 2020

Penang: February 29, 2020

Kuantan: March 12, 2020

Kota Bahru: March 14, 2020

Johor Bahru: March 23, 2020

Kuala Lumpur: April 18, 2020

To register for the event, check out
serverDNA
.

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The smallest gadgets money can buy

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With the emergence of crowdfunding sites like Kickstarter and Indiegogo, it is no wonder that creators are inventing crazier and cooler gadgets, which makes you think, “Why didn’t I think of that?” Anyway, we have compiled here a list of gadgets that are not just practical and good looking, but is mostly the smallest gadgets we’ve seen so far.

#1: World’s Smallest Bluetooth Headset |
Indiegogo

Although the trend of using a Bluetooth headset has simmered down, does not mean that there is no demand for it. Now, meet Dot, the smallest Bluetooth earbud that packs wireless and audio technology that is almost impossibly small, weighing at only 3.5g. Still funded on Indiegogo, Dot is completely wireless and features a single multi-function button that can answer and end calls with just a tap. It supports aptX, which gives you minimal latency and audio syncing issues while delivering CD-like quality music. Whether you are using Apple, Android or Windows phone, you can use Dot since it supports at least 8 different devices using the latest in Bluetooth technology. Price? A single Dot will be retailing for $99, but with early bird special you can get it from $59 onwards.

#2: World’s smallest USB cable |
inCharge

I’m not sure if you have this problem, but as for me, I always tend to forget my USB cable even though I remember bringing along my powerbank. So for people like me, here’s a solution. inCharge, a USB cable that is so compact, you can bring it with you anywhere without a hassle. Using magnets as a closure, inCharge can be snapped onto your keyring or a chain, or anything else for that matter. It comes in a multitude of colors and available in both Lightning and microUSB type. Retailing at $12 before shipping cost.

#3: World’s Smallest Wearable Powerbank  |
Indiegogo

When you need to make that last call, or send that last urgent message just before your phones battery goes dead, is when you wish you have a powerbank with you. So here is the smallest powerbank that you can almost wear on you. The CulCharge is a powerbank, charge cable and data cable all in one. Weighing at only 38g and smaller than your credit card, the CulCharge offers 1,000mAh battery capacity and can be attached to your keys or bag easily. It comes with either a microUSB or Lightning cable and is compatible with Apple, Android and Windows devices. Priced from $29 onwards.

#4: World’s Smallest Quadcopter |
Indiegogo

Drones are a rage, and nothing is as cute and functional as the Aerius latest smallest quadcopter, which is the same size as a quarter. Although it does not have an onboard camera, the Aerius offers some flying fun especially at night as this quadcopter is fitted with 4 bright LED lights. Using a USB cable to charge this little fella, you can fly it for about 5-7 minutes after a 15 minute charge. This is a great way to practice flying indoors with lots or pre-programmed trick modes to try out. You can back this project and receive this quadcopter for only $35.

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The Smart Boy will support your ancient GameBoy cartridges

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Don’t dispose your old Game Boy cartridges just yet, the Smart Boy has returned, and it’s for real this time, not a prank. Hyperkin, the developers behind the Smart Boy actually announced the device as an April Fools’ prank, which caused a fair amount of ripples and waves among hardcore Nintendo Game Boy fans. But guess what, the company has decided that the Smart Boy is actually a good idea.

The Smart Boy was spotted by NeoWin at E3 last week, but it turns out that the device won’t be seeing the light of day too soon. We don’t have much details, but we do know that the Smart Boy supports Game Boy and GameBoy Color cartridges, plus you will be required to slot in your smartphone as well, since the device is technically just a smartphone holder cum emulator. Not only that, Game Boy titles are said to be rendered into color, to your smartphone’s LCD or AMOLED displays. Hence, the best of both worlds – a pretty screen and the authenticity of a Game Boy build with physical buttons on board.

Hyperkin has opened up pre-orders for the Smart Boy developer kit at $60 (RM243.23), asking for developers’ help to make this dream come true, turning the Smart Boy into a retail ready device for fans worldwide. The developer kit will start shipping in December this year. Are you a fan of the good old monochrome screen Game Boy’s?

Source:
Hyperkin

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The Snapdragon 660 and 630 provide enhanced gaming and camera capabilities

348

Qualcomm has been well known for producing mobile processors for modern smartphones. The company’s line of chipsets are definitely one of the most, if not the most popular in the smartphone market today. This year saw the first couple of handset running Qualcomm’s top of the line Snapdragon 835 processor, and today marks another day where the chip maker continues to push the boundaries of its mid range processors.

Qualcomm has finally unveiled two new mid range chipsets – the Snapdragon 660 and 630. Both processors come with the usual upgrades along with a couple of notable highlights this time round. As compared to last year’s mid range chips, Qualcomm has promised a bump up in performance in the photography and gaming aspect. The chips are also claimed to provide longer battery life and faster LTE speeds.

Both the Snapdragon 660 and 630 feature Qualcomm’s Spectra™ 160 premium camera ISP, which supports better camera image quality, better lowlight photography, as well as power efficiency for dual camera smartphones. It also supports smooth optical zoom, bokeh effects and dual pixel autofocus. In terms of connectivity, the Snapdragon 660 and 630 sport a Snapdragon X12 LTE modem, supporting peak downlink data rates of 600Mbps, a first in the company’s Snapdragon 600 series. They are also up to 60 percent less power consuming than the Snapdragon 652 processor when it comes to downloads.

Both chipsets as usual feature better CPU and GPU performance. The Snapdragon 630 for instance, features 10 percent and 30 percent better performance in CPU and GPU power respectively. The SD660 and 630 too come with Qualcomm Quick Charge 4.0 support, capable of giving 50 percent of battery life with only 15 minutes of charging.

The mid range chipsets by Qualcomm has definitely caught up with its flagship processors and will continue doing so in the future. For the full low-down of the Snapdragon 660 and 630, pay Qualcomm’s
blog
 a visit.

qualcomm
snapdragon
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snapdragon 660


The Snapdragon 660 likely to be first seen in the Mi MAX 2

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The Mi MAX, not to be mixed up with Xiaomi’s concept flagship the Mi MIX, is said to have a sequel in the coming months. The huge 6.44-inch mid range phablet was launched last year, with its Snapdragon 650 processor performing only at a sub par standard. Xiaomi tried to switch it up with a Snapdragon 652 in a Mi MAX Prime variant which was only available to the Indian market. The Chinese manufacturer is rumored to fit a new better performing chipset underneath the hood of the Mi MAX 2 later this year.

The processor in the rumor play is the Snapdragon 660, which is said to feature a Kryo CPU, like the flagship Snapdragon 820 chip. If that happens to be true, we will be looking at a snappier performing Mi MAX this time round. On top of that, the upcoming phablet is tipped to pack up to 6GB of RAM, plus a huge 5,000mAh battery, which are also a bump up from the current Mi MAX’s specs.

All the upgrades definitely will come with a price increase, and the rumored price tag of the Mi MAX 2 is significantly higher than its predecessor, at 2,000 CNY (RM1,294.71). Would you give the Mi MAX 2 a chance when it launches in the coming months?

Source:
Weibo

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The Soleus Rise fitness tracker lands in Malaysia

335

Soleus is a U.S based company that manufactures fitness tracking devices and watches, Crystal Time Sdn. Bhd is the authorized reseller of the brand and they are making things happen by introducing a pretty affordable fitness tracker called the Soleus Rise.

The Soleus Rise looks fitness oriented alright with its form factor resembling the Huawei Talkband B1 a lot while lacking its
Bluetooth headset
 feature. The fitness tracker has an OLED display showing information such as distanced travelled, calories burned, and your sleep activity, it even features a smart alarm feature that knows when to wake you up according to your sleep pattern.

In addition, the Soleus Rise has Bluetooth connectivity to go with its companion app available at Google Play and the App Store, users will also be able to receive incoming notifications such as phone calls and messages on the device itself. While there’s no IP certification on the device’s rugged usage, it should be able to support a standard 3 ATM water resistance level and you should be able to swim with it.

The Soleus Rise fitness tracker and watch retails at an affordable RM315, and it is available in a wide range of major retail outlets such as Parkson, Isetan, World of Sports and World of Outdoors, and some authorized watch retailers.


The Sony a7 III is arriving in Malaysia with a price of RM8,999

369

Sony has introduced a new addition to their full-frame mirrorless cameras with the new a7 III. The new camera features a 24.2MP back-illuminated Exmor R XMOS image sensor with increased sensitivity, resolution and 15 stops of dynamic range at low sensitivities.

The Image sensor is paired with a front-end LSI that doubles the readout speeds of the image sensor and an updated BIONZ X processing engine that increases processing speed by 1.8 times compared to the a7 II. This allows the camera to shoot at faster speeds even when the ISO range is from 100 to 51200. The camera also features a 1.5-stop dynamic range at low sensitivity settings to ensure a great overall performance at all settings and shooting conditions. The full-frame mode can output at 14-bit RAW format and is equipped with a 5-axis optical image stabilisation that results in a 5.0 step shutter speed advantage.

The AutoFocus performance has also improved thanks to the addition of 4D FOCUS, the camera has 425 contrast AF points that work with a 693-point focal-plane phase-detection AF system that was adopted from the a9 model. It is also equipped with an updated image processor that allows shooting of full resolution images up to 10fps with continuous, accurate AF/AE tracking for up to 177 Standard JPEG images, 89 compressed RAW images or 40 uncompressed RAW images. High-speed mode is available with either a mechanical shutter or completely silent shooting.

Not only is the a7 III a great camera for photo taking, it also a great video camera, offering 4K video recording across the full width of the full-frame image sensor. It uses full pixel readout without pixel binning to collect about 2.4x the amount of data required for 4K movies, it then oversamples it to produce high-quality 4K footage with exceptional detail and depth.

The a7 III comes with a variety of enhanced capabilities, these include dual media slots with support for one slot of UHS-II type SD memory cards. Users also have a variety of options for storing their content, including separate JPEG/RAW recording, separate still image/movie recording, relay recording and more. Other than that, it also features My Menu functionality which allows up to 30 menu items to be registered for instant use when you need it. It is also capable of transferring files to a smartphone, tablet, computer or FTP server via WiFi. If you prefer a wired connection, it supports SuperSpeed USB  via the USB Type-C connector.

The a7 III is also compatible with a wide variety of Sony E-mount accessories including the BC-QZ1 Battery Charger, and the VG-C3EM Verticle Grip. The camera and SEL2870 lens will be available in Malaysia in April 2018 with a body-only pricing of RM8,999.

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The Sony PlayStation 5 is official and will be on sale late this year

342

The Sony PlayStation 5 is official – after about a year of speculation and leaks, Sony has announced that the upcoming gaming console will hit stores late this year.

Image credit: Sony

The announcement was made during their CES 2020 press conference, but for the larger audience, Sony took to their social media accounts to make the news public. Over on good ol’ Twitter, a light-hearted stick emoji can be seen holding up a banner with “PS5” written on it, several times, along with the caption “See you this holiday” written at the bottom; so yes, Christmas this year is the gazetted release date of the device. Interestingly however, the post has been made private or deleted – maybe Sony doesn’t agree with the page admin’s sense of humour.

View this post on Instagram

Welcome to 2020. #PS5

A post shared by
 PlayStation
 (@playstation) on
Jan 6, 2020 at 5:12pm PST

Over on Instagram, PlayStation’s official account shared the logo for the new device and it looks the same as the PS4’s but in a black and white theme instead of blue and white. What we can deduct from this is that the console’s OS will take on the same colour scheme as this.

In terms of hardware, we know it’ll sport an AMD Ryzen CPU along with a NAND flash drive for storage. There will be 24GB of RAM with 4GB dedicated to the OS.

Image credit: The Next Web

Patents for the system’s controller were also leaked – and its overall looks should remain the same. Changes to the triggers will be present while the rumble technology will be replaced with haptic vibrations instead.

Now that Sony has confirmed the existence of the console, we should be seeing more concrete developments on the console leading up to its launch this holiday period.

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The Sony Walkman NW-ZX2 is now official in Malaysia at a whooping RM4999

396

Meet the most expensive
music player
 ever from Sony, the flagship Walkman NW-ZX2
music player
 is now officially available from Sony Malaysia and it retails two times more than its predecessor at RM4999. The NW-ZX2 is much bigger and bulkier than the NW-ZX1 however it features a more rigid and solid construction than its predecessor, while featuring the same leather back for better grip and the same 4-inch FWVGA (854×480) display, the new flagship Walkman from Sony still runs on Android 4.2.2 Jelly bean and added support for MicroSD expansion on top of the 128GB internal storage.

Announced back in Consumer Electronics Show this year, the NW-ZX2 has improved wireless audio transmission with the company’s very own LDAC Technology that aims to transfer more bandwidth than aptX to wireless output devices with the most minimal latency. When we asked
Sony
 reps if anyone would buy its most expensive player, they are confident that the NW-ZX2 will appeal to a niche market of audiophiles and they are paying for the product that doesn’t compromise its hardware components, the NW-ZX2’s body is carved from a singleb block of aluminum alloy and has adopted a gold-plated copperplate in the structure that results in an extremely stable ground due to its low electric resistivity.

The NW-ZX2 will have the usual wireless connectivity options found on its predecessor – Bluetooth, NFC and WiFi 802.11b/g/n, Sony’s own S-Master HX Digital Amplifier and DSEE HX is also present, file format support includes MP3, WMA, FLAC (192KHz/24bit), Linear PCM (192KHz/24bit), WAV (192KHz/24bit), AAC-LC, HE-AAC, Apple Lossless (192KHz/24bit), AIFF (192KHz/24bit) and DSD (2.8MHz, 5.6MHz). Last but not the least,
Sony
 rates the NW-ZX2’s battery life up to 60 hours of MP3 (128kbps) Playback and 33 Hours of Hi-Res audio (FLAC 192KHz/24bit) playback, which is double the playback time of its predecessor.

The
Sony
 Walkman NW-ZX2 is now available at Sony Stores and its authorized resellers, if you have some money to spend on audio, this could be something in your shopping list, otherwise this isn’t a device that the average consumer will be able to afford.


The Sony WH-1000XM3 headphone’s touch controls have a cold weather issue

400

Sony’s WH-1000XM3 headphones are undoubtedly one of the best noise cancellation headphones you can buy as an alternative to the Bose QC35. Unfortunately, it seems that this almost perfect pair of headphones has been reported to have an issue on its capacitive control pad when temperatures drop.

The WH-1000XM3’s right ear cup can be used to control music playback when performing taps and swipe gestures. The Verge reports when temperatures drop between -1°C-4°C, the headphones will randomly perform phantom actions such as calling on Siri and changing music volume, a strong gust of wind could also trigger such actions too.

The issue has been made known to Sony while a number of users have already reported similar issues over at Reddit and Sony support forums, the company responded over a tweet that it is currently investigating the issue and advised affected users to restart their headphones to recalibrate the touch sensor.

Sony has yet to identify what has actually caused the headphone to function in such way, whether it is a hardware design fault or a manufacturing defect, the only way that users can actually prevent this from happening for good is to just go the wired route.

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The Sony Xperia Z5 Premium comes pretty in pink

305

The launch of the Xperia X series ended the Xperia Z line’s reign by Sony over the last couple of years, but the company isn’t bidding its goodbye’s to the Z series just yet, announcing a new color for the Xperia Z5 Premium, bringing out its feminine side.

Whether or not the color is considered to be feminine is highly debatable, since pink seems to be a man’s color, or pink being the new black. Sony has confirmed that they were in the works of a pink Xperia Z5 Premium earlier in January, collaborating with designer Murai-san. Well at least the company isn’t claiming the device to be a Rose Gold Sony Xperia Z5 Premium. Pink is the clear-cut color for this 2015 flagship handset.

But of course, the only change is the color of the device, the rest of the specs remain 2015-same-old. No extra RAM, better camera, or any Snapdragon 652 processor. However, the Xperia Z5 Premium still remains as the only smartphone to sport a future-proof 4K UHD display. Under the hood, it runs on the Snapdragon 810 SoC of yesteryear. Apart from pink colored fanatics, we aren’t convinced that consumers would revisit Sony’s 2015 flagship smartphone, but maybe, just maybe, this stunning pink device will capture the attention of some fans out there. What do you think about the pretty pink version of the Xperia Z5 Premium? Let us know your thoughts at the comments section below!

Source:
Sony Mobile

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The SOS equipped LG K10 (2017) launches in India

256

One of LG’s latest mid ranger smartphones, the LG K10 (2017) was announced not too long ago back in December last year. The SOS equipped handset is finally being launched in India and will go on sale via the country’s local retailers beginning, before seeing an online launch on the 26th of February through respective online avenues.

The LG K10 (2017) doesn’t seem too impressive when you look it what it offers. First off, on the front is a rather lacksture 720p display instead of a 1080p one, measuring at 5.3-inches. Moving on to the K10’s internals, you’ll find a respectable MediaTek MT6750 processor, alongside 2GB of RAM and a measly 16GB of internal storage which fortunately is expandable to a further 256GB via the micro SD slot.

The camera department of the LG K10 sings typical entry level to mid range. The phone features a 13MP rear camera, coupled with a front facing wide angle selfie shooter of 5 megapixels. The handset packs a 2,800mAh battery, which doesn’t sound too bad given that it only sports a 720p display. A welcome handy feature is that the LG K10 is SOS equipped, and by that we mean pressing the power button 3 times will automatically link you to India’s national emergency number “112”.

The LG K10 however, does not carry a pretty price tag when you consider its specs. Coming in at 15,000 INR (RM997.11), there are definitely better options out there unless you can’t live without the SOS feature of the K10. What do you think?

Source:
LG

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The Sphericam 2 makes taking 360-degree VR footage possible without paying too much

374

Remember the rig that consists of
24 GoPro Hero 4 cameras
? The price to pay for that might probably shatter your dreams on making VR content however there could be a better solution to this, the Sphericam 2 on Kickstarter is a spherical like gadget that will let you record 360 videos with 6-lenses built around it, and it will only cost you a mere $1399 at this time of writing.

Made with an anodized aluminum body, the Sphericam 2 is able to capture 360-degree videos up to 4K resolution with a super smooth 60 frames per second frame rate, the device also houses 4 microphones, 8 tripod mounts, and 6 MicroSD slots which makes it extremely future proof. The camera will record video footage in either H.264 or Cinema DNG formats, and it features real time stitching so you don’t need any software to stitch all that 360-degree footage.

Judging from the sample footages based on a very early build of the product itself, the concept seems promising and the team could do some software updates to improve the overall image quality, the project has already met its goal of $150k and options are running out really fast despite of its expensive price tag, the camera will ship by the end of this year which should be perfect for a Christmas gift, head on to the source link to Kickstart this geeky but powerful VR camera now.

4k
action
camera
kickstarter
reality
sphericam
virtual
vr


The Steam Winter Sale begins on the 22nd of December

297

Get your wallets ready ladies and gentlemen because the annual Steam Winter Sale will begin very soon.

We’re delighted to announce the
@steam_games

#SteamWinterSale
 is coming on the 22nd. What do you have your eyes on?
pic.twitter.com/CYBFiMGTd7

— PayPal UK (@PayPalUK)
December 20, 2016

Paypal UK confirmed yesterday through Twitter that the Steam Winter Sale will begin on the 22nd of December. Yes, the Steam Winter Sale starts at midnight today, so get your credit cards ready.

Apart from the regular Steam Sale, Valve will also be opening the door on voting for the Steam Awards. Running until the 29th of December, Steam users will have 24 hours to vote for their favourite games in each category. The categories will be rotated throughout the sales, and the winners will be announced on New Year’s Eve. The first category that will be open for voting is “The Villain Most in Need of a Hug Award”, and the nominees are Borderlands 2, Dead by Daylight, Far Cry 3, Far Cry 4 and Portal 2.

games
steam
steamawards
wintersale


The super slim new MacBook gets unboxed ahead of time

310

There are just some times that you wonder how the heck these people manage to get their hands on a retail unit of a product ahead of its launch dates and Apple isn’t a company that gladly gives out review units to medias, apparently Vietnam tech site Tinthe.vn has managed to get themselves a unit of the new MacBook ahead of its release time in which you’ll be able to check out the video down below despite already taken down on YouTube at this time of writing.


The Surface Dial will work on the Surface Pro and Surface Book

506

During the Surface Studio reveal, Microsoft showed off a very interesting peripheral in the form of the Surface Dial. This little control wheel is able to manipullate the Surface Studio once placed on the screen, and when it is not on the screen, pressing it will bring up a wheel menu that gives the user access to certain functions. Understandably, many assumed that this peripheral will be a Surface Studio-exclusive. Fortunately, that isn’t the case as Microsoft has announced that the Surface Dial will work on both the Surface Pro 4 and the Surface Book as well.

Speaking to The Verge, Microsoft’s Vice President Terry Myerson has confirmed that both the Surface Pro 4 and the Surface Book will be getting firmware updates that will allow it to utilise the Surface Dial’s on-screen functions. No solid release date was given as to when the firmware would be available, but Myerson mentions that it will be available early next year.

Once the firmware is available, both the Surface Pro 4 and the Surface Book will support the Surface Dial’s contextual radial menu when the peripheral is placed on the screen of the devices. Of course, seeing as the screen on both devices are considerably smaller than the one found on the Surface Studio, it remains to be seen if using the Surface Dial on said devices will be worth your time.

Source:
The Verge

firmware
microsoft
surfacebook
surfacedial
surfacepro4
update


The Surface Laptop Go 2 can now be purchased from RM3488

3.6K

The Surface Laptop Go 2 has gone on sale in Malaysia, the entry-level laptop from Microsoft has received a processor upgrade along with a few hardware improvements, while retaining the exact same design as the previous model but still, it is the only laptop at the RM3000 price range that still doesn’t come with a backlit keyboard.

Well, if a non-backlit keyboard isn’t a deal breaker for you, the Surface Laptop Go 2 should offer a significant performance bump with the Intel Core i5-1135G7 processor, it’s not quite the latest processor from Intel but it will do fine for most productivity workloads, the base 64GB eMMC model has thankfully been removed and now starts at 128GB SSD and 8GB of RAM, the SSD is a removable one which you can upgrade at a later time.

Featuring a 12.4-inch PixelSense touch display, the Surface Laptop Go 2 weighs 1.1kg and is the lightest laptop of its class, ports selection remain the same with one USB-C and A port, a Surface Connect port and a 3.5mm headphone jack, the 720 HD webcam has been updated to offer better image quality than the previous model, and finally, it offers up to 13.5 hours of battery life, a slight 0.5 hour increase from the previous model.

Pricing wise, the Surface Laptop Go 2 will start at RM3488 for the base storage model and goes up to RM3788 for the 8GB+256GB storage model, which isn’t competitive if you compare to other Windows laptops of the same price range, but hey, if you want a small 12-inch laptop for school and work, this is probably the only choice you have right now.

microsoft
surface laptop
surface laptop go 2


The Surface Laptop had a USB Type-C history

326

Microsoft launched its first ever pure laptop yesterday at its press event in New York City. The Surface Laptop comes with premium design materials along with a decent price tag. The laptop sports a 13.5-inch display said to be fitted in a 13-inch overall form factor. The Surface Laptop was filled with the right ports as well when you look at its set of I/O, except for one – USB Type-C. USB Type-C is a future proof technology which has been added to most modern laptops, but not on the Surface Laptops.

According to a report by The Verge, Microsoft initially had the idea of adding USB Type-C to the Surface Laptop. In fact, two USB Type-C ports were included in one of the prototypes leading towards the final product of the laptop. But Microsoft seemed to have discarded that technology some time right before the final build of the Surface Laptop. A couple of designers have responded, with answers mostly relating to “a lack of maturity in USB-C with power and cable issues”, plus the lack of market adoption of the technology.

Instead of going with USB Type-C, Microsoft opted with the more conventional USB port and a Mini DisplayPort, which together isn’t a bad decision on Microsoft’s part. But with the increase of USB Type-C technology adoption, the Surface Laptop will likely face some minor issues in the long run. What do you think of Microsoft’s decision?

Source:
The Verge

microsoft
surface laptop s
surface laptop usb-c


The Surface Laptop Studio can now be preordered in Malaysia

729

With the Surface Pro 8 officially going on sale today at all authorized IT retailers in Malaysia, Microsoft has initiated preorders for the Surface Laptop Studio, a powerful laptop that’s announced alongside the Surface Pro 8 and Surface Go 3.

The Surface Laptop Studio is the most powerful Surface that Microsoft has ever built, it features a 14.4-inch PixelSense flwo display with a 120Hz refresh rate that can be used in three different modes all thanks to the Dynamic Woven Hinge, it can be used as a laptop, a drawing and a presentation device, though it is a rather hefty device that weighs up to 1.8kg.

Powered by 11th Gen Intel H series processors, the Surface Laptop Studio is available in Core i5-11300H and Core i7-11370H processor models with the latter having equipped with RTX 3050Ti Laptop GPU, it comes with 16GB of RAM as standard and the Core i7 model will have 512GB of SSD storage, an exclusive Core i5 model that comes with 32GB RAM and 1TB SSD can be purchased at Harvey Norman if you are interested, Microsoft claims up to 19 hours of battery life for the Core i5 model and 18 hours on the Core i7.

New Microsoft Concierge Service

In addition to this announcement, Microsoft is working with Gloo by SNS Network and Harvey Norman to have a Microsoft Concierge service in Low Yat Plaza and Pavilion Bukit Jalil 2 respectively, where customers can seek advice on the right Microsoft Surface and Windows devices to buy, while receive assistance in setting up their new devices or upgrading them to Windows 11.

Surface Laptop Studio Pricing and Availability

The Surface Laptop Studio will be generally available starting 8 March onwards at retailers such as ALL IT, Gloo by SNS Network, Harvey Norman, Lazada-Microsoft Authorised store, PC Image, Senheng, Shopee-Microsoft Authorised store and TMT by Thundermatch, here are the price and specs:

Core i5, Intel Iris Xe Graphics, 16GB RAM, 256GB SSD – RM7,399

Core i7, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050Ti Laptop GPU, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD – RM9,399

Exclusive to Harvey Norman –
 Core i5, Intel Iris Xe Graphics, 32GB RAM, 1TB SSD – RM11,999

microsoft
Surface Laptop Studio
Surface Pro 8


The Surface Pro 8 could come with a 120Hz display and Thunderbolt

582

Microsoft’s Surface line up has always been a little dated when it comes to hardware specs compared to its other partners.

However, things might finally turn around this time as a leaked Chinese poster reveals that the Surface Pro 8 might come with hardware fans have been waiting for a long time.

Microsoft Surface Pro 8 Exposure ✅

– Intel’s 11th-generation Core processor
 – 13″ 120Hz High Refresh Rate Narrow Border Screen
 – Windows 11
 – Dual Thunderbolt Interfaces
 – Replaceable SSD Hard Drives
#Microsoft

#Surface

#SurfacePro8

pic.twitter.com/ITFftYG4dg

— Sam (@Shadow_Leak)
September 19, 2021

As we can see from the poster, the Surface Pro 8 finally takes on a slimmer bezel design that the two generation Surface Pro X has been using with a similar sized 13-inch panel, it is also set to come with a 120Hz refresh rate, which will definitely improve the Surface Pen’s stylus input latency just like how Apple has achieved on the iPad Pro.

Apart from that, expect the transition of ports to all USB-C just like the Pro X, but one thing we still can’t be sure is the support of Thunderbolt.

Microsoft has been rather critical of it due to security reasons and didn’t even include in the recent Surface Book 3, but if it does materialize, this could finally be the most attractive Surface device for Pro designers who wants to connect faster storage and high resolution monitors.

Microsoft is hosting its Fall 2021 on September 22nd where we can expect an update to existing to Surface devices, so stay tuned on our side as we will be reporting the event.

Microsoft Fall Event 2021
Surface Pro 8


The switch from iOS to Android has never been easier with Google Drive

479

Google has added some new features and abilities to its Drive app on the iOS platform, making it easier for iOS users to switch over to an Android device if they so wish to. Google Drive now supports photo, video and calendar events on iOS platform devices.

Google has also listed down 3 simple steps on its android.com/switch page for potential Android users who are ready to leave the iOS world. First off, users will need to download the Google Drive app on their iOS device and sign in the app with their Google account. If you happen to already have the Google Drive app on your device, be sure that it is updated to the latest version before proceeding.

Users can then perform backups of their data by going to “Menu > Settings > Backup”. You will then be given the option to backup either contacts, calendar events or media, or all at once by selecting the “Start Backup” option. Google recommends performing the backup via a Wi-Fi internet connection, and that the backup might take up to several hours, so be aware of that.

After that, it is just as simple as signing in to the Android device with the same account that you used to backup your data on the iOS device. Do bear in mind to de-register and turn off iMessage before moving on to the new Android device. Simple? What do you think?

Source:
Android

android
backup
data
device
drive
google
ios
photo
video


The Tecno Spark Go 2023 is a pretty decent RM299 entry-level phone

7.4K

When you thought most RM299 phones come with crappy hardware, Tecno is about to prove you wrong with the Tecno Spark Go 2023, this phone has a lot to impress for what is priced at.

Sporting a 6.6-inch 720p display, the Spark GO is powered by a Mediatek Helio A22 chipset that’s paired with 4GB RAM and 64GB of storage, which is really generous as it offers double the storage of its competitors, storage can also be expanded with a MicroSD card.

Aside from having the regular WiFi 5 and Bluetooth 5.0 connectivity, the Spark Go supports NFC, which is essential for reloading your Touch ‘n Go Enhanced card these days, it even has a USB-C port for charging and data connectivity and rear fingerprint reader that’s located next to the cameras.

The Spark Go comes with two cameras on the back, which comprises a 13-megapixel main camera and secondary depth sensor, while on the front, you get a 5-megapixel camera through a water drop cutout.

Sadly, the Spark Go ships with Android 12 out of the box instead of Android 13 with no guarantee of future software updates, but that’s a very minor compromise that you shouldn’t be complaining for the price you are paying, and you can get the phone now at Tecno’s official store at
Lazada
 and
Shopee
, it will come in color options of Uyuni Blue, Endless Black and Nebula Purple.

tecno
tecno spark go
tecno spark go 2023


The third-gen BMW X3 launches in Malaysia, estimated price from RM320,000

555

It’s a beautiful Friday morning and BMW Malaysia has taken the cloth off it’s third generation mid-size SAV, the BMW X3. The X3 features an all new aggressive design and combines advanced connectivity tech in it, the variant introduced to the Malaysian market is the xDrive30i, which comes with a 4-cylinder 2.0-litre BMW TwinPower Turbo engine that is paired to an 8-speed Steptronic Sport transmission, the car will sprint to 100km/h in 6.3 seconds with a maximum output of 252hp and 350Nm of torque, which is impressively powerful it’s class.

The X3 sees a 55kg reduction in weight due to an intelligent lightweight construction, which enables better fuel efficiency and dynamic performance. The standard Driving Experience Control is also available in the X3, allowing drivers to choose between drive modes of ECO PRO, COMFORT, SPORT and SPORT+ to suit their driving style. Like the rest of the BMW X family, the X3 is rooted in its 50:50 weight distribution and xDrive intelligent all-wheel drive system interlinked with the Dynamic Stability Control system, which means the power split between four wheels can be constantly varied to produce the handling characteristics, there’s also Hill Descent Control that helps the car maintain at a steady pace when driving down a steep incline.

Enter the BMW X3, and you will be treated with a sports seat is made of Leather Vernasca with contrast stitching, completed with padded side bolsters and eye-catching shoulder section, the Luxury line also offers a Sensatec-covered instrument panel with contrast stitching and dark oak fine wood interior trim strips with accent strips in Pearl Chrome. The X3 also carries over the 10.25-inch infotainment display and iDrive system from the BMW 5 Series, which comes with touch controls and BMW ConnectedDrive, which the latter allows you to access information from your smartphone and online services.

The third generation BMW X3 will be available nationwide from 25th April 2018, with deliveries commencing starting July 2018, the car will come with BMW’s complete premium ownership experience, including a 5-Year Unlimited Mileage Warranty, 2-Year Tyre Warranty Program, BMW Roadside Assistance, BMW White Card and BMW Service Online. BMW hasn’t gave an exact price of the car, but it is estimated to retail at RM320,000 on the road without insurance.

bmw
bmw x3
idrive
xdrive


The Titanium M6 5G is officially confirmed to be powered by the upcoming Snapdragon 865 chipset

299

Qualcomm may be releasing the Snapdragon 865 chipset before the end of this year, and already there’s a company that made an announcement stating that it’ll be using the latest chipset in its phone.

Based on rumours, there will be a 5G variant and a non-5G variant of the Snapdragon 865 chipset. The company named 8848 wants to use the 5G variant of the chipset to manufacture its next flagship phone called the Titanium M6 5G.

The Titanium M6 5G is announced to sport a 6.01-inch AMOLED display and with the flagship processor, it’ll be paired with 12GB RAM and also 1TB storage. In addition, it’ll also get a 64MP camera as seen in several phones like the Redmi Note 8 Pro and vivo NEX 3. However, 8848’s president, Zhou Jia, also mentioned that the device will be connected to live assistants instead of digital assistants and instead of providing reliable response, the phone will be offering assistance in a “stupid” way (we’re guessing sarcasm or humour is involved in the responses).

Despite 8848 being the first to announce that their device will be powered by the upcoming chipset, they might not be the first to do so. It is still possible for other brands to produce their own smartphones with the chipset before 8848.

qualcomm
Snapdragon 865 chipset
Titanium M6 5G


The Turing Phone trades convenience for security

322

While smartphone security these days are all about biometrics and probably retina scans, the Turing Phone brings a different level of security features to the table, instead of adding hardware the phone have got its USB connector and headphone jack removed, heck, even its charging port has been made proprietary so you won’t be able to share your cables with your friends.

Manufactured by Turing Robotic Industries, the Turing Phone has a very unique design, which I think its beautiful, it comes with some respectable hardware under the hood which includes Qualcomm’s trusty Snapdragon 801 CPU mated to 3GB RAM, up to 128GB of internal memory, a 5.5-inch Full HD display, 13MP main and 8MP front cameras, a 3000mAh battery and comes preloaded with Android Lollipop.

The Turing Phone isn’t just any over hyped phone as it comes with some pretty impressive features, including:

A “Liquidmorphium” alloy chassis for durability

Side built fingerprint scanner that doesn’t require a thumbprint to login

A multi factor authentication software that requires both a fingerprint and PIN, passcode to get through certain features of the phone

A waterproof design which doesn’t require flaps on ports

If you are thinking of how the Turing Phone syncs with your computer, the company wants you to do so by using WiFi and even audio listening is encouraged by using a
Bluetooth
headset

(as if 3.5mm headphone jacks pose a risk). The phone’s price starts from a cool $610 for the 16GB model, $740 for 64GB and $870 for the 128GB model, the company is currently taking pre-orders in the US.

android
industries
phone
robotic
secure
security
smartphone
smartphones
turing


The UBIK Uno is a $300 smartphone on Kickstarter that is totally bezel-less

367

New smartphones are not stopping just yet, because here comes a new player in Kickstarter. Meet the UBIK Uno, a Korean manufactured US handset that features a bezel-less display and costs a mere $300 is currently seeking for backers over at the crowd-funding website. Why another smartphone in the already competitive market? Because the company wants to skip the middleman process, at least this is what they claimed so.

While the company calls it an affordable flagship phone, it does sound really affordable with its early bird price from $280 up to $320 while its final retail price is set around $345 and it rivals with more established brands such as Xiaomi, Lenovo and even Samsung’s
Galaxy

A series. In terms of specifications, the phone is powered by a Mediatek MT6795 Octa-Core processor mated to 3GB of RAM, a 5.5-inch Full HD display is in place with Corning Gorilla Glass 3 and most impressively, the phone packs a 20-megapixel
Sony

IMX230 main shooter on its back.

In the software department, UNIK has loaded up the phone with
Android
5
.
1

Lollipop and that becomes the phone’s unique selling point, as the company prides itself as the first open source brand with a ready community to be able to support the phone’s ongoing development.

While we are positive that the company may eventually turn up to become one major smartphone player, the phone’s final price isn’t really cheap judging by its hardware specification and only gaining advantage in the software department, however if you are looking for a decent performing smartphone, the UBIK Uno could be something worth considering since the phone should get OS updates easily, unless Mediatek isn’t playing nice with drivers again. Head on to the source link down below to back this project.

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The unveiling of the new Moto 360 smartwatch

327

The Moto 360. One of the most talked about and successful Android Wear watch, the new Moto 360 still features the traditional round face, but with much more flexibility in terms of customization and design. Not only does the new Moto 360 comes in new materials and colours, it now offers a collection specially designed for women.

Since not all wrists are of the same size and
Motorola

noticed that, the new Moto 360 comes in two different
case

sizes for men – 46mm and 42mm. As for the women’s edition – which comes in a 42mm
case
, features lugs that are even smaller and elegant, with a peak shaped bezel and even comes with a double wrap band for those who are fashion-forward. If you have multiple bands you want to switch according to your style, with the new Moto 360, doing that is really easy with its quick-release bands.

Each Moto 360
case
 is made from aircraft-grade 316L stainless steel and fitted with Corning Gorilla Glass with IP67 certification. The bezel has slimmed down noticeably to maximise the viewing area (~3mm). As for the smartwatch screen, it sports a high resolution LCD screen with the most screen to
case
 ratio of any smartwatch.

Are you a fitness buff or lead an active lifestyle? Then you might want to look into the new Moto 360 Sport. This watch features GPS tracking that can record info such as speed, distance, pace and more. Plus you can see that information clearly, even in bright sunlight due to its new AnyLight hybrid display.

Speaking of customisation, Motorola has also upped the game by offering Moto Maker, an online design studio where you can build how your watch is to look like, and then get it shipped to you in a few days. However, unfortunately this is only applicable to US residents only.

Apparently the new Moto 360 has an improved battery life. With Ambient Mode off, you can double the battery life of the original Moto 360. The watch is fitted with Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 with 1.2GHz quad-core CPU, 4GB internal storage and 512MB RAM. Charging the new Moto 360 is still as convenient as the previous generation by using the wireless
charger
.

New apps are available in the new Moto 360 via Android Wear such as Spotify, Shazam, IFTTT, myFord Mobile, Kevo and Todolist. This smartwatch is also compatible with both Android and iOS smartphones via Android Wear although we think the functions for iOS version of Android Wear at this moment is still pretty basic.

android
moto
motorola
smartwatch
wear


The upcoming Vivo X27 looks like a beaut – teaser trailers point to a fashion-oriented device

437

Just about a month after the introduction of the Vivo V15 and V15 Pro, the Chinese company are seemingly set to announce the new Vivo X27.

The Vivo X23 was released late last year and, unless we’re missing something, Vivo seems to have completely skipped the X25, and have jumped right to teasing the release of the Vivo X27.

Vivo has teased the phone via trailer videos featuring their brand ambassadors. According to GSM Arena, Vivo is going for a “high-fashion” theme with the X27 much like the V15 series. The report points out Vivo’s more fashion-oriented approach to building phones and it shows with the X27’s aesthetics.

GSM Arena have seemingly gotten pretty realistic renders of the phone showing off two coloiur options – one is a very bright blue that is similar to V15; and another, very pretty black and blue gradient version with gold accents.

Image credit: GSM Arena

The phone’s specs have also been leaked detailing a 6.39-inch display with 8GB RAM, a Snapdragon 710 chipset and 256GB of internal storage.

According to GSM Arena, the phone is set to announced on March 19 in China. Considering that the Vivo X23 didn’t make its way here, there’s a chance that the X27 won’t either since the V15 series is only about a month old.

android
china
leaked
teaser
trailer
vivo
vivo v15
x27


The US Government hands Huawei a temporary license to provide support and service updates to existing Huawei devices

368

In light of the recent Trump-mandated trade ban that saw the blacklisting of Huawei, the US Government has apparently granted the Chinese company a temporary license to continue providing Android updates through to August.

As per the ban, Google reportedly had to stop granting several Android-related services to Huawei and its devices – this meant that Google Play Services along with Maps and Gmail, among many more features, were halted from being updated on upcoming Huawei phones.

Many users voiced their concerns over whether their devices would still continue to receive security and general updates; and this move by the government means that they will, at least until August. If anything, this is a sign of a half-baked trade sanction that was imposed in a hurry for whatever reason on the Trump administration’s part; and now the rest of the industry are left to tie up loose ends left by the new law.

As for the Chinese manufacturer, they have since released a statement regarding the situation, promising to continue offering updates and services to existing Huawei and Honor products — whether it is already in consumers’ hands or in stock. “Huawei has made substantial contributions to the development and growth of Android around the world. As one of Android’s key global partners, we have worked closely with their open-source platform to develop an ecosystem that has benefitted both users and the industry.”

We here are hoping this won’t be a long-term fracas and that both parties would play nice for the sake of users.

android
huawei
trade ban
update
us government


The US Government wants to halt the global supply of chips to Huawei with a new rule

374

It’s business as usual for Huawei after launching the much-anticipated P40 series – there are three variants available in fact; so at least on surface level, Huawei doesn’t seem to be riding the trade-ban storm quite well.

The US Government looks to put a halt to Huawei’s momentum by halting all global chip suppliers from providing Huawei with the Hardware they need. A report by Reuters say that any company that use American-made equipment to produce chips for Huawei, will need a license to continue supplying goods to the Chinse phone maker.

The companies who will be affected by this law will include the Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co, who’s a major producer of chips for the
HiSilicon
 unit. Many other chip-making companies also use American-made equipment including KLA Corp, Lam Research and Applied Materials.

According to the report, this moves comes after rising tensions between the two nations over who’s to blame for the spread of the coronavirus. The article quotes a trade lawyer as saying the new law to negatively affect the US more than Huawei, as the latter will have the means to develop their own supply chain anyways.

Image credit: CNBC

It is also clear that many companies, even American ones, want to c
ontinue working with Huawei – the likes of Qualcomm and
Microsoft
 have already continued doing business with Huawei, while Google has come out to say they want Huawei to resume using their software – which includes Google Mobile Services.

The whole issue stemmed from President
Turmp’s
 suspicion of Huawei developing hardware to spy on the US – this, of course, was never proved to be true; the trade ban has happening for nearly a year now. But during this time of global emergency, this matter
seems
 trivial, but all the same, we hope for a positive conclusion to all this bickering soon.

android
beijing
gms
google
hisilicon
hms
huawei
HUAWEI P40
kirin
presicent trump
trade ban
trade war
us gfovernment
usa
washington


The Vertu Constellation will definitely cost a fortune

316

UK company Vertu is back at it again with another handset made for luxury. From its design to its internals, the Vertu Constellation has premium written all over it, not to mention expensive as well. The smartphone is the latest to be added to Vertu’s luxurious collection of devices.

Starting with designed, the Vertu Constellation is handmade in England, down to “the turning of the final screw”. On the front is a 5.5-inch AMOLED display at WQHD resolution, protected by a 6th generation sapphire glass. Also, the phone sports two front facing speakers, featuring Dolby Digital Plus surround sound. The high end label continues underneath the hood, with a Snapdragon 820 chipset, 4GB of RAM and 128GB of internal storage.

Vertu continues to impress with the Constellation featuring a 12MP rear camera featuring huge 1.55um micron pixels, plus a decently large 3,220mAh battery that can be charged via the USB Type C port. The luxurious exclusivity comes into play as users can access Vertu’s services such as its 24 hour Concierge service which is available globally with just a press of the Ruby key on the side of the phone. On top of that, the Constellation features a dual SIM slot which supports 34 international bands to suit the needs of rich travellers.

The Vertu Constellation is definitely meant for the rich and the elite, but if you happen to be one of them, you can register your interest at Vertu’s official site to get more info about the Constellation and yet to be announced price. What do you think?

Source:
Vertu

collection
concierge
constellation
expensive
luxury
premium
ruby
sapphire
vertu


The ViewSonic M1 Mobile Projector with Harman Kardon speakers is now available for purchase

392

ViewSonic’s new mobile projector is probably the most interesting piece of tech that we have come across in COMPUTEX last week, featuring a pair of 3W Harman Kardon speakers built-in, up to 250 lumens of brightness and an impressive 6-hour battery life, the ViewSonic M1 Mobile Projector is finally here in Malaysia for a very affordable price tag of RM1,299.

The ViewSonic M1 has a lot of features to impress for it’s price, weighing at 0.8kg, it has 16GB of built-in memory that you can take advantage to store photos and videos, while it also comes with a number of inputs, including HDMI, USB-C, USB 2.0 and a MicroSD card slot. Unlike other mobile projectors, the projector features a swivel stand that users can easily adjust the projection angle and serves as the lens cover, there’s also no need to replace the lamp like traditional projectors as it uses a solid state LED technology, it will be able to output Full HD resolution with a 120,000:1 contrast ratio, offering a great viewing experience for the cozy living room.

ViewSonic mentioned to me that the projector should last at least 2.5 hours when used at it’s maximum potential, which is still very reasonable considering the amount of features it has. I’ve personally got my hands on it during my time at ViewSonic’s office and suffice to say, this is easily the best mobile projector that I’ve ever come across and will definitely appeal to those who wants to do presentation on the go or use this to watch movies in your room when there isn’t space for a TV.

Get the ViewSonic M1 from
ViewSonic’s Lazada Official Store
.

viewsonic
viewsonic m1
viewsonic malaysia