Plantronics announces new gaming headset with a 24-hour battery life and quick charge

385

Plantronics has just announced the latest edition to their RIG family of products, the RIG 800 series which they claim will come with a 24-hour battery life. This new entry will join the RIG 4VR, which is the company’s first headset developed specially for PlayStation VR.

RIG 400 HX

Both the Xbox One and PlayStation 4 variant of the headphone is focused on giving gamers a smooth gaming experience without worrying that their headphone will cutout during an intense gaming session. The enhanced battery has a quick-charging feature that will give 1.5 hours of gaming per 30-minutes charge. The RIG 800 is also focused on comfort, equipped with memory-foam ear cushions giving a more comfortable feel and increase sound isolation for an immersive experience.

RIG 600

The amplified 40mm drivers will bring the soundstage to live and the low-frequency resonations reinforce bass and limit distortion. The Mic monitor lets you hear your outgoing chat while the noise-cancelling mic ensures that your teammates will always hear you, when you are done, just flip the mic up to mute it. Dual control dials on the left earcup help you quickly adjust the balance between game and chat audio, as well as master volume. The EQ settings will give you the options to isolate pure highs, intensify the mid-range, enjoy seismic bass, or enhance vocal focus.

RIG 800 HS

The RIG 600 on the other hand, features high fidelity audio, balancing distortion-free bass with vibrant mids and treble, allowing gamers to hear they games and music with more detail. The RIG 400 will come with two variants for the Xbox One and PlayStation 4 and features inline volume and mute controls, high-sensitivity drivers, and removable noise-cancelling mics

Availability wise, the RIG 800 HS will retail for S$289, the RIG 600 retails for S$129 and the RIG 400 HX retails for S$89, the RIG 800 HX and the RIG 400 HS will be available at a later date. All these RIG models will be available at all Plantronics authorised retailers. For more information on locating theses retailers, click
here
.

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Plantronics launches new wireless audio devices from RM399

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Plantronics have officially launched and introduced their new headphones from the BackBeat FIT and BackBeat GO line. Altogether, there are five new products, which are dedicated for both fitness enthusiasts or travelers. The new and improved audio products promise that it delivers a better audio experience compared to their previous line of products.

One of the main concerns for Plantronics when creating the perfect audio sets for active goers is “Safety”. For active people who likes to go for jogs and exercise outdoors, both the BackBeat FIT 3100 and FIT 2100 wireless earphones feature an “Always Aware” system, which allows the wearer to be able to listen their surroundings such as car honking, dog barking and car screeching when they are working out, both headphones are sweat and water proof feature secure fit earbuds. In terms of battery life, the BackBeat FIT 3100 can last up to 5 hours whereas the BackBeat FIT 2100 can last up to 7 hours.

For those on a budget, Plantronics has also introduced the BackBeat FIT 350, a more affordable alternative. Unlike the BackBeat FIT 3100 and 2100, the BackBeat FIT 350 features noise isolation system that tends to block out ambient noise, it is also sweat and waterproof and has a 6-hour battery life.

Plantronics also came out with 2 headphones which are more ideal traveling headphones for consumers. If you are in a noisy environment, and all you want to do is escape reality and dive into your favourite music, the BackBeat GO headphone series would be ideal for you. The BackBeat GO 410 has an in flight cable which allows consumer to connect to the airplane entertainment system, so you can listen to music or watch videos without noise disturbances, it has active noise cancellation, an 8-hour battery life and dual EQ controls. The BackBeat GO 810 extends the battery life up to 22 hours and has a bigger 40mm driver.

As of now, you can purchase the BackBeat FIT 3100, BackBeat FIT 350 and BackBeat GO 810 at major retailers such as Gadget Zone SDN BHD, Charlie Cellular Sdn Bhd, and i-study Penang, whereas the BackBeat FIT 2100 and BackBeat GO 410 will only be available from November onwards.

The pricing and colour options are as below :

BackBeat FIT 3100 (Black and Grey): RM 799

BackBeat FIT 2100 (Black, Grey, Blue and Lava Black): RM 499

BackBeat FIT 350 (Black/Grey, Grey/Bone, and Grey/Blue): RM 399

BackBeat GO 810 (Graphite Black, Navy Blue, and Bone White): RM 799

BackBeat GO 410 (Graphite and Bone): RM 649

BackBeat FIT
BackBeat GO
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Plantronics launches the Voyager 5200 Bluetooth headset and the BackBeat GO 3 wiresless earbuds

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Audio experts Plantronics had a busy morning today as the company introduced two new earphones to the Malaysian market, both of which appeals to a different group of people.

The first of two earpieces is the Voyager 5200 Bluetooth headset. Targeted at professionals who wish to remain mobile, the Voyager 5200 is a Bluetooth headset that comes with Windsmart technology. This technology utilises an aerodynamic boom on the earpiece, four omni-directional mics and a proprietary wind-cancelling algorithm to remove disruptive noise while keeping the mics focused on the wearer’s voice.

Besides WindSmart, the Voyager 5200 also comes with an extended Class 1 Bluetooth range that allows you to control up to two connected smartphones or tablets from up to 30m away, as well as an exclusive P2i nano-coating that protects the headset from water and sweat. The Voyager 5200 has a battery life of up to seven hours of talk time or up to nine days of standby time. An optional multi-purpose charging case is available to give the earphone an additional 14 hours of talk time. The Voyager 5200 will retail from RM 499 with the charging case being sold seperately for RM 168.

The second earphones that was on display today is a bit more traditional than the Voyager 5200. The BackBeat GO 3, as the name implies, is the 3rd iteration of the BackBeat GO series of earphones. This wireless stereo earphone is designed with audio quality and sound performance in mind, delivering vivid, high-res sounds from a small portable form factor.

Much like the Voyager 5200, this earphone is coated with a P2i nano-coating that protects it from dust, water and sweat. Certain models of the BackBeat GO 3 will come with its own charging case, allowing you to extend the default 6.5 hours battery life of the earphones by an additional 13 hours. The BackBeat GO 3 will retail for RM 499.

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Plantronics Rig 500 HD Review: 7.1 Surround Sound Headphones That Are Affordable

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There are two things that I love the most and that is gaming and audio with gaming being the obvious first place, but audio and gaming come hand in hand and it is important to have a good audio setup may it be a speaker system or headphones as long as it immerses you into the game. I always believe that it is worth to invest into a good audio system as long the price can justify the quality that you are getting, which is why I have a 5.1 setup in my room for playing all my games and watching movies. At the same time, I do a lot of gaming and majority of the time with friends, so I don’t want to be that person that has a voice chat with people while the game is playing over my speakers as it makes for a horrible experience for the person on the other side. However, I dislike headphones as they hurt my ears after just a short period of gaming which forced me to bring down the volume of my speakers and mute my game audio making me very frustrated. So the nice people over at Plantronics sent me the Plantronics Rig 500 HD for me to try out and I can’t thank them enough because it solved many of my problems.

Design

Even if the headphones are overall made from plastic, the material they used does not feel cheap at all, the headband connecting both the ear pieces is extremely flexible allowing me to remove it easily or put it on my head without worrying about it snapping like most headphones. Just below that is the headpad that goes in between the headband and my head which is so soft and comfortable, I once had a long gaming session with some friends and after two games of Overwatch I totally forgot about it, but mainly I am grateful for it because it blocks the headband from pushing down on the top of my head, it can be removed for those of you that prefer it not to be there. Coming down to the earcups, this was where I was slightly disappointed because unlike other headphones which allow you to adjust the height of the cups, here you are limited to three settings based on the three holes where the earcups will snap to.

This was not a problem for me cause I made do with the lowers hole but I believe it will be nice if they gave the option to allow people to freely adjust it to their preference. There is a reason to this, Plantronics has given an option of two different types of earcups, the one I have is the noise cancellation cups and the other one which can be bought separately is the ventilated cups which allows you to hear your surroundings and keeps your ears cool.  Remember how I said that headphones hurt my ears? Well, this headphone did not, mainly because it is over the ear and it has a lot of space for my big ears, I never experienced any pain or discomfort while gaming which is such a huge relieve for me.

Sound

Now, this is the most important part of a headphone because even if the build quality is bad or it just looks ugly, as long as the sound quality is good I would not mind getting them. In this case, the headphone does look nice and the sound quality is great. I love how the lows feel really solid but at the same time not overwhelming making for comfortable listening even at louder volume levels. The highs are also good and not making it too sharp that it hurts to listen to. Kicks seem to come from the centre back of your head which I believe is thanks to the 7.1 surround sound with the help of Dolby Audio which can be disabled and enabled from a button press on the driver connected to the wire.

I don’t think you would want to disable it when listening to music because it just sounds so much better with it on. However, when it comes to gaming this is where it becomes a personal preference because I found myself turning it off when I am playing high action games but turning it on when I am playing RPG or games that don’t have too much sound all at once. It took me a while to figure out if I would want this on or off when playing games so I grateful again that it has a dedicated button for the 7.1 surround sound.

Microphone

When testing out the noise-cancellation microphone with my gaming buddies, they did say that my voice came out crystal clear and they also said that they could hear less of my overhead fan which after I tested out recording my voice found that it was definitely much more clearer than other cheaper headphones mics. Another feature of the mic is that if you flip the mic up it would actually mute the mic which is much easier than alt-tabbing and going to Discord to mute the mic.

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5 Games To Play On Your Smartphone When There’s No Internet Connection

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Just imagine, the coverage is bad—or even worse, there’s
none
 at all. It isn’t a choice to scroll social media anymore, and it’s not time to think about work just yet. So here are 5 free games to play to cure your boredom.

1.
The Contender

‘In a world you cannot understand, the world is your salvation. You are…
The Contender
!’

It’s not hard to win in
The Contender
, but it’s not hard to lose either. The pixel art game doesn’t need much reasoning, but it does require some strategy. Two options are available before you start the game: single-player or two-player. In single-player mode, there’s a choice between the red corner and the blue corner (although it doesn’t matter in the end). In two-player mode, the blue corner is located near the home button.

4 buttons is all you need to play the game. The directional buttons move your contender around while the fist buttons fire punches at your opponent. To win, you’ll need to knockout your opponent 2 out of 3 times.
The Contender
 sounds easy, right?

Single-player mode in The Contender

Two-player mode in The Contender

Currently,
The Contender
 is not available in Google Play Store yet. You can download
The Contender
on iOS
here
.

2. Tape It Up!

Since its release in April 2017, this arcade game has become a favourite for many. The concept of
Tape It Up!
 bears resemblance to
Hot Lava
, a game where children must avoid stepping on imaginary lava. If you’re familiar with
Hot Lava
, the instructions of
Tape It Up!
 is as simple as Hot Lava: swipe left or right from box to box to avoid falling on the conveyor belt. At the start of the game, you will be given Red, the default character. A trick to score higher is to tape a box perfectly.

What is worth loving about
Tape It Up!
 is the pixel art of the game environment. In exchange for 1000 coins, a randomly selected character will be given to you (pretty much like buying a mystery box). As you can see from the difference between Red and Russian Cat (below), each character is uniquely distinguished by their tape, sound effect and game environment. There are a total of 67 characters—or should I say washi tape—to collect, so what are you waiting for?

Red in Tape It Up!

Russian Cat in Tape It Up!

Download
Tape It Up!
here on
Android
 and
iOS
!

3.
Mars: Mars

At a glance, the simple geometric design gives
Mars: Mars
 a modern visual experience. In
Mars: Mars
, the greatest and the only challenge is to land the explorer from platform to platform with a limited amount of fuel. To launch the explorer and navigate its way to the next platform (like Matt Damon), tap either left or right. The character will explode if it lands too fast or lands on anything else other than the platform. Once the character lands on the next platform, the explorer’s jets will be refueled.

Mars: Mars
 is an interplanetary game; other than the first Mars-like orange planet seen in the first screenshot, the game has other worlds to explore, such as the underwater game environment in the second screenshot. You can purchase other explorers (like Neil deGrasse Tyson) for as little as RM3.90, and they come with an appealing soundtrack and give a better visual experience.

The first few levels of Mars: Mars.

Download
Mars: Mars
here on
Android
 and
iOS
!

4.
Wilful Kitty

Anyone will remember the game
2048
.
Wilful Kitty
is another
2048
 but with a cat (a cat!) and cuter animation. If you’re used to the usual gameplay of
2048
, then you might need more time to adjust to this cat craze. But it’ll be good training for the cat-ladies-wannabe out there.

The gameplay of
Wilful Kitty
 is fairly simple—or so you think! Similar to
2048
, there are a total of 16 squares. Once you swipe in any 4 directions, the game begins. Again, like
2048
, everything on board will follow the direction of your swipe. What is interesting is the elements in play. At the beginning, you are only required to mix cat food and the bowl together to create a combination that the cat can ‘eat’. Later on, the gameplay gets compli
cat
ed. More combinations appear, and the game will be a handful before you know it!

Wilful Kitty’s game environment

Download
Wilful Kitty
here on
Android
 and
iOS
!

5.
Doofus Drop

From the name itself, the game sounds silly. Well, to a certain extent, it is. But it’s no less fun, especially for those who just wants a simple game. The monochronic and sketchy design give the game a unique outlook. To play, one is just required to tap as fast as they can on their screen for Doofus to cycle his way to the edge of the hill. Once Doofus trips over a tree stump (as shown in the second screenshot), you can sit back, relax and watch Doofus roll down the hill. As Doofus descends, there are stars Doofus can collect, random meteorites that increase Doofus’ momentum, and obstacles that decrease Doofus’ momentum. The game ends once Doofus no longer moves.

The score is determined by how far down Doofus has dropped. Since you have no control over Doofus’ falling momentum, the only way to boost the score is to purchase upgrades such as Wheels, Boosters, Launchers, and Power-ups with the the stars you collected. At the start of the game, only one Can-O-Beans is given as a powerup.

Front of Doofus Drop

Download
Doofus Drop
here on
Android
 and
iOS
!

Whether you’re taking the LRT or waiting for your turn in a hospital, these games will definitely help you overcome boredom. Have you tried any of these games before? Which one do you think is the best among all 5? Leave a comment down below!

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Play chess on Facebook Messenger app

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Bring your mind games to the next level on Facebook’s Messenger with Chess. Yes, Facebook has a chess game embedded in Messenger for you to break the ice with your crushes.

Just by typing in “@fbchess play”, a chess board will appear in the conversation indicating the start of a chess game. However, players can’t make their chess moves with their mouse, neither is it touchscreen friendly. Instead, players will have to type in commands like “fbchess e4” to get the game going, which might be a learning curve to amateur and casual chess players. Not to worry, typing in “@fbchess help” will provide you with the full list of commands for the chess game.

While it might take a little longer than usual to make your chess moves, this is certainly a cool easter egg of some sort that Facebook has provided in Messenger. What’s next? Monopoly? This feature is available on iOS and Android versions of the Messenger app, as well as through your PC browser. Who’s up for a game of chess in the convenience of your own conversation? Let us know your thoughts below!

Source:
Reddit
 Via:
Android Authority

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Play Interactive launched Street Fighter V in Malaysia at midnight

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At midnight, hundreds of gamers gathered at the APW building at Bangsar to be the first to own a copy of the latest Street Fighter game, Street Fighter V.

It has been eight years since Street Fighter IV was first launched. As such, fans of Street Fighter were extremely hyped about the release of Street Fighter V. Attendees to the event starting pouring into Bangsar as early as 4pm.

Hosted by Play Interactive, attendees were given the chance to have a go at Street Fighter V before the game was officially released at midnight as the organizers have set up numerous consoles for the event. Local games retailer Gamer’s Hideout was at the event to process the pre-orders as well as selling consoles and peripherals to those who would like to get into the Street Fighter series.

The Malaysian branch of Streamline Studios, a game development company based in the Netherlands, were also at the Street Fighter V launch as the studio assisted Capcom in the production of Street Fighter V.

At the stroke of midnight, Street Fighter V was officially launched and the patient Street Fighter fans are able to finally get their hands on the game. Finally, those who pre-ordered Street Fighter V were entered into a lucky draw, with the grand prize being a trip to Japan for the Tokyo Games Show.

Photos credited to
Gamer’s Hideout

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Play Store allows you to try apps before fully downloading them

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Ever wanted to try an app or game on the Play Store but have to go through a long process of installing the app only to find out that there is more you need to download when opening up the app? Well, Google’s Instant Apps is the answer, this feature will allow you to try out the app before fully downloading it.

The feature is currently being rolled out to some apps where there is an option tap on it Try It Now button before installing it fully. To check if the app supports this feature, it has to be labelled with the Instant Apps-ready tag and with that the Try It Now button will be available on it. Other than that, Google has also given the Game section a revamp that will now show off trailers for Apps and a section for new and premium paid games.

Lastly, is the change to subscription-based apps, where Google will reduce its cut for customers that subscribe to the app for more than a year. Previously, Google would take 30% of the revenue that the developer earns. With the change implemented, developers will see that Google will only take a 15% cut from customers that stay with the app over a year.

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Play Store APK teardown reveals Play Points loyalty feature

1.3K

Google has been hiding an interesting feature in its Play Store app. A recent teardown has shown there is a feature called Play Points, which is a form of a loyalty program which will reward users with points everything they purchase an app or in-app payment.

The teardown also revealed the icon as well as badges for levels based on user tiers. 9to5Google found the code in versions 11.5 and 11.6 of the app and the code even includes a text “Introducing Google Play Points” and another state “Earn points on everything you by. Use points for special in-app items or Google play credit.” The teardown was done on the Japanese version of the app and it showed that you can earn 1 point per 100 Yen (RM3.75) used. Other than that, it also shows five levels of Play Point user tiers ranging from bronze to diamond, which will give you different benefits. Users will also be able to track their point usage and when their points will expire.

Lastly, there is also a voting feature for apps, but it is still unsure what they will use this feature for. Google has not mentioned anything about this loyalty program but when it arrives, the Account page will be redesigned to accommodate this new feature.

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Playful fun with Moto Z, the world's thinnest premium smartphone, and Moto Mods

333

Admit it. We all love customizing our personal belongings to make it, well, personal. So, many brands have made their software customizable in order to cater to that need. Today, the Moto Z, Moto Z Play and the Moto Mods have finally landed in Malaysia, allowing you to snap on all sorts of revolutionary interchangeable backs to a razor thin smartphone.

The new Moto Z is razor thin at just 5.2mm, made from military aircraft-grade aluminum and stainless steel, featuring a 5.5-inch Quad HD AMOLED display, a powerful Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 processor and 4GB RAM, with a 64GB internal storage options and supports up to 2TB microSD storage. As for its standard stock camera, the Moto Z sports a 13MP f/1.8 rear camera with Optical Image Stabilization and laser autofocus, while the front sports a 5MP camera with extra front flash and wide angle lens.

Power is of importance, and the Moto Z has that with 2600mAh battery that allows you to get gain 7 hours of battery life in just 15 minutes of charging using its TurboPower charging feature.

The Moto Z comes with a water-repellant coating, keeping it protected from rain, splashes or spills.

Today, the Moto Z Play was also launched, a phone that gives you long lasting battery life, in a thin lightweight design of solid aluminum frame and glass back, and a 5.5-inch 1080p Full HD Super AMOLED display. It sports a Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 processor with 3GB RAM, and 32GB internal storage with up to 2TB microSD card support. As for its camera, the Moto Z Play features a 16MP rear camera with Laser and PDAF autofocus, and a wide-angle front facing camera.

What was most interesting was the Moto Mods. You can instantly transform your smartphone into an entirely new device with the Moto Mods’ magnetic attachements. You can give your Moto Z or Moto Z Play an additional audio boost with the JBL SoundBoost, or share a movie with the Moto Insta-Share Projector that turns your phone into a 70-inch movie projector.

Need more juice? Just stick on an Incipio offGRID Power Pack for extra 20 hours of battery life, or you can make your phone look stylish with a Moto Style Shell made from read wood or leather, or one of the many ballistic nylon variants.

Want a more powerful camera? Then check out the Hasselblad True Zoom mod that lets you capture much more with a 10x optical zoom, and its Xenon flash.

The Moto Z and Moto Z Play will be available for preorder on 11street and Lazada starting 4 November 2016 for the price of RM2,699 and RM1,799 respectively. The first 50 preorder customers on each retailer will receive a free JBL SoundBoost Speaker Mod with purchase of Moto Z or Moto Z Play. All of these will be available starting end November.

Here’s the pricing of each Moto Mod available in Malaysia:

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PlayLink will allow you to control games using your smartphone

346

Sony has announced an interesting way for us to interact with games and it comes in the form of PlayLink, where players will need to use their smartphones to play certain games. Five titles have been announced that will support this feature SingStar Celebration, Knowledge is Power, Frantics, and Hidden Agenda. Not much is known about the games except Hidden Agenda, which comes from the makers of Until Dawn, an interactive story game where your decisions will determine the fate of the game characters.

In Hidden Agenda, players will get information sent to their phones and how they want to use that information is entirely up to them. This is not a new concept as there are games out there such as Eon Altar that allows you to make decisions, move and fight all through your smartphone without touching the keyboard at all. Sony mentions that PlayLink’s main objective is to get more people into gaming and the developers of Hidden Agenda said that this method will make their title more accessible.

Sony has not mentioned anything on the release date of these games or what devices are compatible, but more news will surely surface days and weeks after E3 and we hope information about PlayLink too.

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Playpark Esports 2015 a success with a prize pool of RM450,000

337

Playpark Esports 2015 has just concluded its 4-day gaming event held in Malaysia and Singapore. CIB Net Station placed gamers from both countries under one roof in Mid Valley Exhibition Centre from 24-27 December 2015. Despite it being held during Christmas, there were a total of 217, 726 visitors in these four days.

There were four tournaments held during the event: M.A.T International Championship 2016 Malaysia League, Heroes of the Storm Nexus Championship, Special Force 2 League Grand Finals 2015, and XDO Malaysia 2015 Championship. Gamers turned up to battle against each other to win the prize pool of RM450,000.

Here are the winners of the tournaments played at Playpark Esports 2016.

MATIC 2016 Malaysia League

Champion         : Team EMO
1st Runner Up   : EDP TEAM AK
2nd Runner Up  : Synthetic
3rd Runner Up  : KaKiCrew-WTO-
4th Runner Up   : EDP RoG

Heroes of the Storm Nexus Championship

Champion         : Salt Gaming MY
1st Runner Up   : Downtown Poundtown
2nd Runner Up  : NothingToLose

Special Force 2 Malaysia League

Champion         : Grandiose
1st Runner Up   : SST.Intel
2nd Runner Up  : Axis

XDO Malaysia 2015 Championship

Champion         : KaganNyan
1st Runner Up   : iChigo
2nd Runner Up  : Curt1221

cibnetstation
esports
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Playstation 4 has sold over 40 million units worldwide

297

The Playstation 4 console has hit a major milestone this week as Sony revealed that the console has sold more 40 million units since its release two and a half years ago.

Sony’s current console first hit the 40 million mark back in March 31st. In 2015 alone, Sony states that an estimated 17.7 million units were sold over the course of the year. Microsoft has yet to reveal the sales figure for their own console, the Xbox One, but judging by third-party statistics, the Xbox One has thus far manage to move 21 million units. If this statistic is true, it would mean that the Playstation 4 is currently outselling the Xbox One by roughly two to one.

While the Playstation 4 will likely continue to outsell the Xbox One for the foreseeable future, the sales numbers for 2016 will be particularly interesting. Rumour has it that Nintendo will be launching the NX during the end of the year, so it remains to be seen if Nintendo’s latest console could upsurp Sony on the console market much like how the Wii did with both the Xbox 360 and the Playstation 3. With Sony planning to release both the Playstation Neo and the PSVR later this year, it’ll be interesting to see both Nintendo and Sony going head to head in the console space.

Source:
Sony

microsoft
nintendo
nx
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sony
xboxone


PlayStation 4 System Software 4.00 update will be available on the public beta program tomorrow

332

More improvements are coming to the PlayStation 4 as Sony begins rolling out the 4.00 update, codenamed Shingen, to those who are part of the PlayStation 4’s public beta program.

The improvements that come with 4.00 are mostly UI-centric, with Sony introducing new system backgrounds, a revised What’s New tab, updated popup notifications and redesigned system icons. The Quick Menu and Share Menu has also been overhauled, meaning that you’ll no longer need to leave gameplay entirely as both menus will occupy just half of the screen while adding several new feautres to both menus.

Folders and library organization tools will also be introduced with the 4.00 update, give you even more options to organize content on the PS4. Apart from allowing users to create new folders on the PS4’s conent launch and library, Sony will also be adding a new tab called Purchased, which will show all of the content you own. To go with this, the PS4 will be receiving new sorting tools for the Library.

Trophies have also been improved upon with the 4.00 update giving you the ability to view your Trophies even if you are offline. You can also view Hidden Trophies now, although you’ll need to toggle a setting on for said Hidden Trophies to be visible. Finally, Sony is changing the icons for the rarity of a Trophy, replacing the current design for something that looks like a pyramid instead.

Lastly, user profiles will be updated, allowing itto display relevant info for a player at a glance. You will also be able to add a background image to your own profile once the 4.00 update goes live.

Source:
PlayStation Blog

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shingen
softwareupdate
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PlayStation 4 will be receiving the System Software Update 4.00 later today

697

After weeks of being a beta, Sony will finally be publishing System Software Update 4.00 later today, bringing with it a slew of UI changes and additions, as well as HDR to all PS4 consoles.

Codenamed Shingen, System Software Update 4.00 will come with new system backgrounds, a revised What’s New tab, updated popup notifications, overhauled Quick Menu and Share Menus and many more changes, making the PS4 UI easier to navigate. Also bundled with the update is High Dynamic Range (HDR) support, which Sony mentioned was coming to all PlayStation 4 consoles back at the PlayStation Meeting even in New York last week.

Interestingly enough, System Software Update 4.00 will come with some updates that are tailored for the PS4 Pro, even though the console won’t be out until November. Some of the features that will be made available on the PS4 Pro via the 4.00 Update includes 1080p streaming for Share Play and Remote Play on PC, Mac and compatible Xperia devices, as well as 1080p 30/60FPS live broadcasting on YouTube, and 30FPS broadcasting on Twitch.

Source:
PlayStation Blog

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PlayStation 4’s new 5.0 update brings major improvements to the interface

333

The PlayStation 4 console has just received its milestone update which comes as version 5.0. The new update will be roughly around 375MB but brings about update and major improvements to the user interface of the system.

One of the major changes is the broadcasting capabilities, PS4 Pro users will now be able to stream at 1080p at 60 FPS and PSVR users will be able to see new messages and comments through the headset while streaming. Next is the friend list which is not updated to allow users to sperate friends into different groups making it easier to send invites to players that play a particular game. The next is my favourite as Sony has reduced the time spent in menus as the Quick Menu has been updated to have more options, so you don’t have to go back to the home screen when you want to change some of the settings.

Finally is parental control, where owners can set their account as the Master account and assign the other accounts as Parent, Adult or Child which will give this accounts limited access based on the settings by the Master account. To get the update, simply turn on your console and wait for the download to come in or select the check for updates option to get the latest update.

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Sony PlayStation 5 automatically controls fan speed depending on game title

454

According to a report by
4Gamer.net
 (via GSMArena), the Sony PlayStation 5 is capable of controlling its fan speed depending on what game you’re playing.

The console does this using its AMD APU which studies the data collected from gamers around the world and, with the help of temperature sensors, tweaks the fan control accordingly.

We’ve seen fan-control tech on PCs before, so in the same vein, this is done to keep noise levels at a minimum when the temps don’t reach alarming levels – should a game push the console’s hardware hard, the APU ramps up the fan speed to dissipate heat faster.

We also think this is a direct response to the PS4’s reputation for sound like a jet engine regardless of what game you’re playing.

The PS5 is set to launch globally this
November 19
, so it isn’t long now before we can get our hands on what looks to be a promising next-gen gaming machine.

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New PlayStation 5 reveal date confirmed: June 12, 4am GMT+

1.3K

Sony has confirmed the new PlayStation 5 event date set for June 11 – the unveiling of the company’s latest game console was supposed to take place on June 4; but in light of the George
Floyd
 protests, the event was
called off
 to show solidarity to the cause.

A new date

Sony has since taken to their blog post to announce the new date where they’ll be streaming the event live on YouTube and Twitch, at 9pm British Summer Time, or 4am June 12 in Malaysia.

What else to expect

Alongside the actual design and specs of the device itself, we’ll likely be treated to a first look into the list of games that’ll be launching for the console. But as usual, these early next-gen console games serve more as
tech demos
 rather than
fleshed
-out titles – remember the PlayStation 4’s tech demo,
The Dark Sorcerer
? The game never saw the light of day; taking its place instead was
Knack
 and underwhelming action-platformer game.

Image credit: Sony

Regardless, we’re still excited to see what Sony has up their sleeves; especially with all that power and
storage speeds
 they’ve been touting of late.
 Visit their
YouTube
 or
Twitch
 channels to catch the livestream.

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PlayStation 5: Malaysia preorder starts November 12

826

UPDATE: You can now pre-order the PS5 from Shopee! Visit the links below to make your purchase:
 1.
PlayStation 5
 2.
DualSense Wireless Controller
 3.
DualSense Charging Station
 4.
PULSE 3D Wireless Headset
 5.
PlayStation 5 HD Camera

————————–
 The long-awaited PlayStation 5 is now
confirmed
 to launch in Malaysia on December 11, 2020, but you can already pre-order the console from tomorrow onwards.

The PS5 will come in two variants — a Digital Edition and one with Ultra HD Blu-ray Disc drive. Both versions are similar in terms of specs; the only difference is that the digital edition will not have a disc slot.

PlayStation 5 specs

The PlayStation 5 comes with 16GB RAM and 825GB storage, in addition to supporting 4K 120Hz TVs and 8K TVs. As for the
DualSense
 wireless controller, it’ll come with a 2-point touch pad, a SIXAXIS motion sensing system and a USB-C port for charging purposes.

Games to launch alongside the PS5

Image credit: Marvel

There will also be several games launched on the same day with the PS5; this includes Demon’s Souls, Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales and Astro’s Playroom which is pre-installed on the console.

Price and availability

The PlayStation 5 Digital Edition is priced at RM1,869 while the the PlayStation 5 with Ultra HD Blu-ray disc drive is priced at RM2,299. You can also get the PS5 accessories which are priced as below:

DualSense Wireless Controller (standalone): RM349

PULSE 3D wireless headset: RM469

HD camera: RM279

Media remote: RM149

DualSense Charging Station: RM149

Get the new PS5 and accessories at Sony Stores, Sony Centres, ALL IT Hypermarket, Gamer’s Hideout and more!

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PlayStation 5 UI unveiled: Better accessibility

462

As the launch of the PlayStation 5 draws closer, Sony teases everyone by
revealing
 the console’s UI. Their blog post details its aesthetics and functionality.

Starting with the home screen, you’ll see a more or less familiar layout with quick access to your recent games, the PlayStation Store, and more. The background will still show a game
wallpaper
 of your choice. There are two tabs now – Games and Media.

When you hover over a game, you’ll be able to see certain info like activities, screenshots, and game news.
GSMArena
 notes that this feature also works on PS4 games.

To open up the PlayStation ecosystem to the users, there’s an Explore tab that gives you info about your games and even news on the PlayStation hardware.

Image credit: PlayStation

GSMArena
 also notes that the PlayStation Store is now integrated into the OS and not a separate app, so there’s no boot-up time when accessing the store.

Another new feature is the Control Centre that allows you to get options for switching games, access notifications, view your friends list, and more. Added to the Control Centre are cards that show you game progress, recent screenshots, and more.

Image credit: PlayStation

When it comes to social features, your friends can now share their game session that you can view using picture-in-picture mode while you’re also in-game. Video capture now supports 4K resolution and can be
shared
 on social media.

So
 there you have it – the new PlayStation 5 UI doesn’t look drastically different, but rather it improves on the PS4’s with new features to improve accessibility. The console will be released this
November 19
 and it’s safe to say everyone’s excited.

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PlayStation Asia has announced that PSX is coming to SEA once again

278

Just a few hours ago, PlayStation Asia announced on their Twitter page that PlayStation Experience (PSX) will be coming to South East Asia once again. Last year, the event was held in KL Live in Kuala Lumpur and it was met with great response.

Last year’s event had both released and upcoming games, they even had demos for the unreleased game which gave gamers a chance to try the games before it was released. Games like Final Fantasy Dissidia NT was on display, and gamers lined up for almost two hours to try out the game. They even hand smaller indie titles like MatterFall and Everybody’s Golf which again, had long lines of people trying it out. There was even local developers showcasing their games, which was very impressive and even our closest neighbour, Singapore, was there showcasing their games.

#PSXSEA2018

pic.twitter.com/GvLOlhuYbS

— PlayStation Asia (@PlayStationAsia)
June 25, 2018

Sadly, they did not mention any dates or the location of the event but for our sakes, let’s hope they decide to host the event in Malaysia again and perhaps in a bigger venue this time.

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PlayStation Asia teases a date for something that is coming specifically to Malaysia

362

You would think that Sony has revealed all their cards during their conference at E3 2017, but recently they posted an image on their Asian Facebook page with nothing by just a date 5.8.17. Nothing is known about this posting or the purpose of it, but I hope that they are improving the experience for Malaysians on the PlayStation environment, something we truly need.

I hope this is an improvement on the Malaysian PlayStation Store which is a big let down as there are so many games on the US store that are not available on the Malaysian store, even when those games are also available on Steam with local pricing, forcing us to create American accounts and purchasing games in USD. Another assumption is the release of PlayStation Now locally, which is Sony’s streaming service to play PS3 games on your PC or PS4, but there is the issue with the generally slow Internet we have in Malaysia.

My honest opinion, Sony did not do well during E3 2017 and I was disappointed about that, as a person who is a Master Race follower for my whole life, getting a PS4 has been a slight hit-and-miss for me. I really hope that this might bring something big to the platform.

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The DualShock 4 Back Button Attachment gives you extra buttons for your PS4 controller

426

PlayStation just introduced a handy accessory that can enhance your gaming experience — the DualShock 4 Back Button Attachment.

Just like what the name suggests, this accessory attaches at the back of your DualShock 4 wireless controller to give you two extra back buttons that can be used to map to 16 different functions. There’s also an OLED screen in the middle that displays your button assignments and profile, and if you click the screen button, it’ll allow you to switch between three profiles.

In addition to that, the DualShock 4 accessory comes with stereo headset jack so you can still connect your headphones to the controller for a more immersive audio experience. Perhaps this is just the thing PS4 players need with the upcoming arrival of the PS5.

As for its price, the back button attachment will cost you $29.99, which is around RM124. That is quite pricey to be honest, especially since you can get a DualShock 4 wireless controller for RM179 in Malaysia. The DualShock 4 Back Button Attachment will be available late January next year.

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PlayStation Experience SEA 2018 will be held in Bangkok, Thailand on 18 and 19 August

392

We got some bad news, PlayStation has just informed us that PlayStation Experience 2018 will be held in Bangkok, Thailand. However, they di say they are modelling it after PSX in the US, so this might mean it will be huge.

The event will be held in GMM Live House in Bangkok and will happen on 18 to 19 August 2018. They have also said that visitors can expect to try out the latest demos of PS4 and PSVR games. Some of the games that have been confirmed to appear during the event are Blood and Truth, ASTROBOT: RESCUE MISSION and Firewall: Zero Hour, while more titles and activities will be announced at a later date. Other than that, they will also have Game Stages Events which will feature game representatives to share up-to-date information for their games and gaming personalities will be there as well.

PSX 2018 will be held from 10 AM to 9 PM and PlayStation will release information on ticket prices in the near future.

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PlayStation goes big with PlayStation VR at GameStart Asia

290

Looks like the VR bug has hit PlayStation as well, with the PlayStation VR being unveiled for the first time in Southeast Asia at GameStart Asia held from 13-15 November 2015. Sony Computer Entertainment Hong Kong Limited Singapore Branch (SCES) will be dedicating 6 PlayStationVR machines to an entire level of booth space at its double-storey booth.

Some games that have yet to be released on PlayStation will be showcased at the booth in GameStart which includes Star Wars Battlefront, Street Fighter V, as well as newly launched games like Call of Duty: Black Ops III where you can challenge the Shadows of Evil.

On top of these three anticipated games, you can also try out up to 30 of the latest game titles showcased on 50 gaming stations, including PlayStation 4 blockbuster titles such as Fallout 4 and Gravity Rush Remastered to name a few, as well as home-grown indie titles Masquerada and Rocketbirds 2.

For those who have pre-registered online to experience the PlayStation VR, can try out titles such as Playroom VR, The Deep, Kitchen, The London Heist Getaway, Summer Lesson and SEGA feat. HATSUNE MIKU Project: VR Tech DEMO.

You can also get exciting gifts and promotions at the booth. The first 50 visitors who purchase a PS4 console will receive a lucky bag which includes a Sony MDR-EX110AP headphones (worth SGD 49) or Sony MDR-XB450 headphones (worth SGD 89), a PlayStation duffel bag, a PlayStation gadget pouch and a PlayStation Fish Eye lens) daily.

Out of these first 50 visitors, the first 30 visitors will also be entitled to a lucky draw where they will stand a chance to win a either a 40-inch Sony BRAVIA TV (worth $699.00), a 32-inch Sony BRAVIA TV (worth $459.00) or a Mobile Projector (worth $549.00).

In addition, one lucky customer will be picked out from a winning customer each day who will get to upgrade his/her existing PS4 set to the 20th Anniversary Limited Edition PS4 console!

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PlayStation mobile games to be made by ForwardWorks

345

For a couple of years, Sony Computer Entertainment has been making efforts to bring their console gaming titles to our smartphones. Back in October 2012, the PlayStation Mobile framework was released to the public, after a year of beta testing, only to be shut down last year. Over a hundred games were released by PlayStation Mobile, which were playable only on mobile devices that were PlayStation Certified, the first one being Sony’s own Xperia Play.

Sony Computer Entertainment will be reviving the initiative by forming a new company, and this comes from their official press release announcement made on the company’s website. Not only that, the company’s name will be changed to Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc (SIE):

“
Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. that will change its company name to Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc. (SIE) effective Friday, April 1st, 2016, announced today the formation of ForwardWorks Corporation (ForwardWorks), a new company that is aimed to deploy new services toward the ever-expanding smart device market. ForwardWorks will begin its operation from April 1st, 2016.”

Sony has stated that ForwardWorks will be making full use of dedicated PlayStation titles and optimize them for smartphone use. Its target is to provide smartphone users ranging from Japan to all over Asia with full fledged gaming titles from PlayStation consoles. What do you think of the resurrection of the company’s recent efforts? Tell us what you think at the comments section below.

Source:
SCEI

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PlayStation Network prepaid cards are now available in convenience stores and supermarkets in Malaysia

326

Getting a PlayStation Network prepaid card will no longer be a huge hassle as Sony has announced that the PSN prepaid cards can now be acquired from convenience stores and supermarkets in Malaysia.

Starting from today, PSN prepaid cards and PlayStation Plus memberships cards can be purchased from 7-Eleven. The cards will also be made available for purchase at Giant, Tesco, and Cosway soon. The PSN prepaid cards will come in RM100 and RM250 denominations, while the PS Plus membership cards will be available in 3-month or 12-month subscriptions durations which costs RM43 and RM129 respectively.

“This is just the start of our efforts to make digital purchases on our online PlayStation Store more accessible to gamers in the region. We want to offer consumers greater choice in deciding where to buy and how to pay for their favourite digital content. These cards are also wonderful Christmas gifts for friends and family,” says Hiroyuki Oda, Deputy President of Sony Interactive Entertainment Japan Asia.

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PlayStation Network’s ID change might cause in-game losses

320

When the Sony’s new feature that allows PlayStation Network users to change theirs names was introduced, many were excited and welcomed the new change. However, Sony is warning that the initial update may cause game and app compatibility issues.

Beta testers of the new feature were warned that changing their online IDs might cause various issues, and some games and applications might not even support the new feature. While games published 1 April 2018 onwards will be compatible, games before that will require an amount of time before their compatibilities are confirmed. This could lead to loss of in-game currency, game data, Trophy progress and so on. Users might also still have their previous names displayed instead of the new ones.

Users are allowed to revert back to their initial online IDs free of charge if they faced the issues mentioned previously, though it might not be able to solve all the issues they faced, meaning they might not get back their lost data or Trophy progress. Once the new feature is launched in public, possibly in early 2019, PlayStation Network users will be able to change their names once for free and changes after that will require payment of $10 though there is a 50% discount for PlayStation Plus members.

That being said, it is advisable for PSN users to be more patient and wait for awhile longer before they try out the new feature. Better safe than sorry, right?

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PlayStation Now will be coming to Windows

298

Ever wanted to play God of War on your PC? Well, you can do just that very soon as Sony has officially stated that PlayStation Now will indeed be coming to Windows PC.

For those who do know what PlayStation Now is. PS Now is a cloud gaming service that allows paid users to access a selection of original PlayStation 3 titles on either a per-game basis or via subscription. Currently, the service is available on the PlayStation Vita and PlayStation TV, as well as some smart TVs from Sony’s own Bravia line and Samsung’s own SUHD and Smart TVs.

With PlayStation Now set to make landfall on Windows PC, Sony has published the recommended specs for those who wish to run PS Now on their PC. Sony recommends that your PC sports a 3.5GHz Intel Core i3 or 3.8 GHz AMD A10 or faster, 2GB or more of RAM, and runs on Windows 7 SP1, 8.1 or 10. As PS Now is a game streaming service, a minimum 5Mbps wired connection is recommended for the best possible gaming experience.

The arrival of PS Now on the PC has also led to Sony releasing the DualShock 4 USB Wireless Adapter for the PC. Available in early September for a retail price of USD24.99, this adapter will allow you to connect a DualShock 4 controller to the PC and Mac wireless. It will also enable every feature of the controller as well, such as the touch bad, light bar, motion sensors, vibration and stereo headset jack.

PlayStation Now for Windows is expected to launch in parts of Europe soon, with a North American launch following shortly thereafter. No timeline was given as to when PlayStation Now for Windows will be available in Asia.

Source:
PlayStation Blog

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PlayStation Plus January Lineup includes Steep and Portal Knights

355

PlayStation Plus’s January lineup has been announced, revealing games that will be free for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Vita.

The games will only be free if you’re an active PlayStation Plus member, and you’ll have to make sure that you’re actively paying for the subscription if you want to keep the game.

One of the notable titles for the PS4 that will available to PS Plus member is Steep, a massive open world sports game that revolves around skiing, snowboarding, paragliding and using wingsuits. The game supports up to 4 players, and you can compete with others in this winter sports game. Originally, Steep is priced at $29.99 so you’ll be saving some cash if you download it next month.

Another title that will be free to PS Plus members is Portal Knights, a 3D sandbox action RPG. Featuring characters with different roles, you can pick the character you want to be and fight creatures and complete quests. You can also mine and build your own home, and you can architect your own island. The game supports multiplayer, so you can join forces with your friends and defeat enemies together. Portal Knights is priced at $19.99 for those who are not PS Plus members.

There are also other games for PS3 and PS Vita such as Zone of the Enders HD Collection, Amplitude, Fallen Legion: Flames of Rebellion and Super Mutant Alien Assault. The games will be free for download starting 1 January and will last around a month before the games reverts to their original prices.

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PlayStation Plus subscription to receive increased prices come August this year

257

Bad news PS4 players – if you play online on your trusty console, you will have to pay more for your PlayStation Plus membership starting August this year.

Sony Interactive Entertainment has confirmed that the subscription service – which you need to be play online – will get a significant price hike across Europe and Asia.

The current subscription prices are as follows, 1 month (RM21), 3 months (RM43) and 12 months (RM129); and here are the increased prices: 1 month (RM29), 3 months (RM69 – lol) and 12 months (RM159).

These bumped-up numbers are still cheaper than Xbox Live though, so maybe Sony are seeing an under-tapped resource well and are making these changes to rake in more cash.

According to Stuff, you can stack your subscription periods if you already are a subscriber, so you save yourself some bucks when the price hike is implemented. The best time to purchase your subscription is from June 7 to June 17 when the PlayStation Days of Play promos happen where subscriptions get discounted.

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PlayStation specs confirmed by Sony – SSD, backwards compatibility and AMD-powered

348

It’s official – the PlayStation 5 is confirmed to be in the works by Sony representatives and it seems like prior rumours are true.

According to a report Games Radar, the PS5 will be backwards compatible with the PS4 and will come with a disc drive. Considering the console gaming industry’s gradual transition to disc-less game consumption – we reckon the PS5’s disc drive will mostly be used to run PS4 discs.

Sony has also confirmed that the console will run on an AMD GPU, which makes previous rumours of the console sporting a Navi-based AMD card more likely to be true. Also one of the biggest changes to the PS5 is the addition of an SSD card – for the longest time, consoles gaming was marred by long loading times – especially on AAA games – and at least not, an SSD would effectively rid the PS5 of such a problem.

The Sony PS5 will also apparently support 8K gaming which was also suggested by prior rumours – albeit the 8K will come in the form of scaling while 4K would be native. Because its supposed to have power comparable to a gaming PC, the PS5 will also support VR.

Sony has also mentioned of improvements to audio output quality for the PS5 which would bring about a holistic set of upgrades to the next gen PlayStation machine.

Based on older reports, the PS5 is set to be announced next year, so its time we appreciate our PS4s for all the great memories they’ve given.

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PlayStation Store celebrates its 10th anniversary with a sale

253

Nine years ago, Sony launched its online network for the PlayStation console. Alongside the PlayStation Network, Sony introduced its digital marketplace called PlayStation Store, allowing users to purchase digital versions of the game without needing to leave the house. Today, Sony is celebrating the 10th anniversary of the PlayStation Store, and it is doing so with a weekly sale that begins today.

The first batch of sales will run until the 15th of November (next Tuesday), with various games receiving discounts of up to 60% off. For those of you who are part of PSN Plus, the discount can go as deep as 70%. Some of the titles that have been discounted for the first week includes the entire Grand Theft Auto series and Bloodborne, alongside indie darlings like Fez and Towerfall. If any of those games interest you, you really should get them before the offer expires. Games aren’t the only thing that are discounted in the PSN Store of course as videos and movies will be available for cheap as well.

One quick thing to note is that the sale is, so far, only available on the US PlayStation Store. We don’t quite know if Sony will be bringing the sales to the PlayStation Stores of other locations, but here’s to hoping that it does.

Source:
PlayStation Network

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PlayStation unveils Darth Vader-inspired PS4

407

With all the hype going around on the upcoming Star Wars movie, it is no wonder that
Sony
PlayStation

has hopped onto the bandwagon with its latest limited edition PlayStation 4 console. This Darth Vader-inspired console is part of the two Star Wars bundles
Sony
PlayStation

is offering, which will be available in November 2015.

For this console, you will be looking at a custom 500GB limited edition PS4 system (CUH-1200 series) and DUALSHOCK 4 Wireless Controller inspired by Darth Vader. The PS4 body is black in colour with an image of Darth Vader, with Star Wars logo repeated along the top part of the system. As for the controller, it is inspired by the design and colour accents of Darth Vader’s chest panel, with Star Wars logo repeated across the touchpad.

The Darth Vader console bundle comes in two different configurations: the Battlefront bundle, and the Star Wars Disney Infinity 3.0 bundle. The Star Wars bundle comes with a whole bunch of goodies – the Star Wars Battlefront Deluxe Edition game, as well as a voucher to download four classic Star Wars titles – Super Star Wars, Star Wars: Racer Revenge, Star Wars: Jedi Starfighter and Star Wars Bounty Hunter. These games are finally playable on the PS4! It will feature enhanced graphics, as well as support for PlayStation’s Trophy system.

As for the Star Wars Disney Infinity 3.0 bundle, it comes with the Darth Vader system, as well as the Disney Infinity 3.0: Star Wars Edition PlayStation Exclusive Hardware Bundle Kit. This kit includes a physical copy of Disney Infinity 3.0 Edition, the Disney Infinity Base, the Rise Against the Empire Play Set Pack, which features Luke Skywalker and Leia Organa figures, as well the Rise Against the Empire Play Set piece, and the Boba Fett figure, exclusive to PlayStation only. The Limited Edition Disney Infinity 3.0: Star Wars PS4 Bundle will also include a digital voucher for the same four classic Star Wars games found in the Battlefront bundle. However, this bundle is only available exclusively at Wal-mart on 17 November 2015.

Are you excited yet? Well, if you still prefer the original PS4 looks, you can also go for the standard-edition Star Wars Battlefront PS4 Bundle, which includes a PS4 system and DUALSHOCK 4 Wireless Controller in Jet Black, as well as Star Wars Battlefront and a digital voucher for the four classic Star Wars games.

All these will be available on November 14th, but pre-orders will be starting soon. Will keep you updated!

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PlayStation VR is getting an new model that comes with built-in earphones

400

Sony has just unveiled an updated version of its PlayStation VR headset which will feature some hardware refinements and one of it is the addition of stereo headphone cables integrated with the headset and a slimmer connection cable.

The updated headset will also come equipped with a new processor unit which enables HDR pass-through. This would allow PS users to watch HDR videos through the TV without plugging out the headset. Based on the
Japanese PlayStation
 website, the headset will retail for 44,980 Yen (RM1686.09) and will arrive in Japan on 14 October. The website also mentions that Sony is working on improving the move controllers as well and will release a PS4 exclusive version with a micro-B USB connection.

There did not mention release dates for other countries but they listed that North America will be getting it at a later date. It’s nice to see that Sony is improving on the issues with the headset and overall experience. It is the cheapest VR alternative

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PlayStation VR Review: The most affordable VR experience available

329

Mention the words “virtual reality headset” to someone and the first image that comes to mind will most likely be a magical gadget that costs an arm, leg and a kidney to acquire. Let’s not beat around the bush here, the whole virtual reality experience has been prohibitively expensive thus far, requiring a top of the line PC and a not exactly affordable headset in order to experience it first hand.

While a huge majority of the VR experience is currently limited to the enthusiast market, Sony is looking instead at the mainstream market. Is it possible to create a great VR experience that doesn’t require someone to fork out large sums of money in order to do so. The answer lies within the PlayStation VR, one of the most affordable VR headsets available at the moment.

Design

Before we get into the meat of the PlayStation VR, let’s talk about the design of the headset. In terms of looks, I daresay that the PlayStation VR is the sexiest looking VR headset I’ve seen thus far, beating out both the Rift and the Vive. The entire white and black aesthetic of the headset, coupled with the smooth, rounded edges and lights gives the PlayStation VR a sense of class to it.

Looks aren’t the only thing that the PSVR headset has going for it as the headset itself is rather comfortable to use as well. The headrest located at the rear end of the headset is well-cushioned, making it ideal for long gaming sessions. Also, the headpiece itself is big enough to accomodate glasses with little problems. Overall, the PSVR headset itself is a very well designed headset that is both pleasing to the eye and great to use.

Set Up

The entire PlayStation VR experience centers around a couple of items. These are the PlayStation 4 console, the PlayStation VR headset itself, the Processor Unit for the PlayStation VR headset,  the PlayStation Eye camera, the PlayStation Move controller, and a DualShock 4 controller. Setting up the PlayStation VR is simply a matter of running wires between the PlayStation 4 console, the headset, and the Eye camera to the Processor Unit and the TV. Generally speaking, the process isn’t very complicated, but it is easy to get lost in the tangle of wires that comes with it. You’ll also want to do some basic cable management once you have all the wires and cables set up correctly as the entire setup is rather messy.

Once you’ve tidied up the cables and boot up the device, all that’s left to do is to update your PSVR’s software to the latest version and complete the calibrations needed. After the device is properly calibrated, you’ll finally be able to get right into the main attraction of the PSVR: the games!

The Experience

So how does the PlayStation VR feel? The short answer is that it is better than expected, but not perfect. The PSVR experience is one of those things that will be affected by your familiarity with other VR headsets available in the market. If you’ve never tried out the Rift or the Vive before, the PSVR will manage to seriously impress you. Inversely, if you’ve experience either the Rift or the Vive before, the shortcomings of the PSVR is far more noticable.

Let’s begin with the general performance of the PSVR. Sony has set a target to developers that games must run at 60FPS at all times in VR to if they are to be certified as VR-ready. For the most part, games that are currently available for the PSVR do run at a steady 60 FPS. That being said, there are occasions where the frame rate drops noticeably. This can mostly be attributed to the PS4’s lack of horsepower, something that the PS4 Pro has more of.

Playing PSVR games using the DualShock 4 is very enjoyable as games that employ it are rather straightforward. Furthermore, looking around with the PSVR on is mostly problem free as the PlayStation Eye and the refresh rate of the headset allows you to move your head around without any obvious lag. There are the occasional PlayStation Eye chokes where the camera fails to track your head movements, but those are few and far in between.

If there is one part of the PSVR experience that I am not completely sold on, it would be the motion tracking experience. Because of the limitations that comes with the PlayStation Eye, the PSVR experience isn’t exactly suited for games that rely on full motion tracking. The nature of the PSVR setup means that the amount of space you have to play with is extremely limited as the PlayStation Eye can only function up to a certain distance. Additionally, the PlayStation Move is ill-suited for precision-based actions like say picking up the key in Arkham VR.

As for the whole motion sickness thing, that one is going to be a case-by-case basis. Personally speaking, I didn’t run into any motion sickness problems during my entire PSVR sessions, but your experience may vary.

Cost

As far as barrier of entry is concerned, there is no doubt that the PlayStation VR is the most affordable full VR experience available in the market right now. That said, just because it is affordable doesn’t mean that the thing is cheap. Make no mistake, the PlayStation VR is still rather expensive to own. For starters, you’re going to need a PlayStation 4 console, which costs RM1,349 for the 500GB Slim version. Alternatively, you can opt for the PS4 Pro instead, a decision I highly recommended if you’re serious about making the PSVR your default VR headset. The PS4 Pro would cost you RM1,799.

Once you have the console, you’ll need the headset itself which costs RM1,799. Assuming you don’t have the camera, you can get the PSVR Camera bundle that costs RM1,949. Finally, you need the two PlayStation Move controllers which costs RM189 per unit.

In total, you’ll need to spend at least 3.5k Ringgit in order to get all the part needed for PSVR. There is no denying that 3.5k is miles cheaper than building a powerful PC and grabbing a Rift or Vive instead, but 3.5k is in no way a small sum of cash for the layman.


PlayStation VR to be available in Malaysia on the 13th of October; retails for RM1,849

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Sony’s long awaited VR headset, the PlayStation VR, will be coming to Malaysia on the 13th of October.

In an special press conference held by Sony Interactive Entertainment Japan Asia (SIEJA), Sony has officially revealed that the PSVR unit itself will retail for RM1,849, which is a tad bit more than units being sold in both the United States and Japan.

Utilising the PSVR will also require two other peripherals aside from the PS4 console. The first is the PlayStation Camera, the other is the PlayStation Move controller. Sony will be releasing a PSVR+PS Camera bundle for those who require it, this particular package will go for RM2,029. Unfortunately, a PSVR+Camera+PlayStation Move bundle doesn’t seem to be available, so you’re going to have to source a PS Move controller yourself.

Pre-orders for the PSVR will begin this Saturday (30th of July). If you’re interested in securing your own PSVR unit, you can head to any of the PlayStation Authorized Dealers listed above.

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PlayStation VR to be delayed in Malaysia until the 21st of October

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Are you one of many who are eagerly awaiting for the launch of the PlayStation VR? If so, we hate to be te bearer of bad news, as PlayStation Asia has just announced that the VR headset will be delayed until the 21st of October.

The announcement was first made on
PlayStation Asia’s Facebook page
, with both PS Asia and Sony apologizing for the delay. Needless to say, fans of the device are…disappointed with the announcement.

Neither Sony nor PlayStation has come forward with the reason why the PSVR is delayed as the official reason the headset is delayed is due to “unforeseen circumstances.” However, there are rumours going around that the reason the PSVR is delayed because the device ran into some complications with the SIRIM certification process. On the bright side, the PSVR is delayed for a single week, so while we won’t be getting the device this week, we don’t have to wait too long for it either.

Source:
PlayStation Asia Facebook

delay
malaysia
playstationvr
sony


PlayStation’s CEO states that the PS5 will have a 2021 release date

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There are many rumours and speculation that the PlayStation 5 will release really soon with the latest being 2020. However, John Kodera, Head of PlayStation has said that the PS4 is entering the final phase of its life cycle.

He goes on to add that because it is at the end of its life cycle, it would have a negative impact to the unit, and recurring revenue via membership services should cushion some of that. To put all these rumours and speculations to rest, Kodera told analysts and investor to not expect to see the PS5 until 2021, silencing all leakers analysts that have said the PS5 will come by the end of 2018 and some even stating it will come in 2020. PS4 sales have passed 75 million units but it is expected to slow down, due to them running out of customers to buy it.

We will finally see the PS5 in another three more years, some of you might be thinking to wait and go straight for the PS5. However, just like all new console release, there might not be a lot of games that will wet your appetite. Should you buy the PS4 now? Seeing as it is reaching the end of its line, its probably the best time to buy a PS4 seeing as some shops are selling the Slim for below RM1000. Plus, you will have a lot of game to sink your teeth in while waiting for the PS5 to catch up with new releases. Lets hope it has lesser remasters this time.

2021
5
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Plextor announces its fastest M7e PCI-E SSD with PlexTurbo 3 and PlexVault

263

As the PCI Express interface has become the standard for faster flash storages, Plextor has announced its latest and fastest PCI-E M7e solid state drive, coupled with the company’s latest PlexTurb0 3 caching software and PlexVault encryption software, Plextor is set to become a differentiator in its SSD offering.

To extend the lifespan of SSDs, Plextor has made the M7e’s heatsink and internal airflow larger to improve heat dissipation, the company has also made the hardware more handsome by including striking light effects that attracts enthusiasts. In terms of performance, Plextor have managed to achieve significantly faster access speeds on the M7e with its new PlexTurbo3 software, which caches and preloads applications that has been active prior shutting down the system and lets users achieve earlier startup times in the next warm boot.

What has truly impressed us today is the company’s PlexVault software, which is able to encrypt data and storage space by simply pressing a pre-configured hotkey, users are able to specify a certain amount of storage space and drives to be hidden from spying eyes and there is no backdoor way of accessing the data should the hotkey is forgotten, Plextor officials have told us that this feature will only be supported on the company’s SSD and the software detects its controller in order to use this feature. Lastly, Plextor’s PlexCompressor technology ensures that your precious SSD storage is used efficiently with its smart file compression technology.

Availability of the Plextor M7e PCI-E SSD hasn’t been revealed by Plextor, however we should expect it to arrive probably the end of Q2 this year.


Plextor releases M6V value SSD

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Plextor is one of the best memory and storage manufacturer you can get out in the market and today they announces the availability of its entry-level SATA 6 Gb/s SSD, the M6V series. The M6V series has various type of drives that consists from a 7 mm thick 2.5-inch, an M.2 (as M6V series), and mSATA (as M6MV) form-factors. It uses a combination of Silicon Motion SMI-2246 controller with Toshiba 16 nm Toggle NAND flash memory.

The 128GB variant has 128 MB of DRAM cache with sequential speeds of up to 535 MB/s reads, with up to 170 MB/s writes. The 256 GB variant will come with a higher 256 MB DRAM cache and offers sequential speeds up to 535 MB/s reads, with up to 335 MB/s writes. The largest capacity you can get is 512 GB, it has a 512 MB DRAM cache that can achieve a sequential speeds of up to 535 MB/s reads, and up to 455 MB/s writes.  All these drives offer 4K random-access up to 83,000 iOPS read, with up to 80,000 writes.

The M6V pricing starting from USD 65.99 (approx. RM 250) for 128GB, USD 99.99 (approx. RM 380) for 256 GB, and USD 189.99 (RM 720) for 512GB. Price might change often, please check the price again with the store nearby you.

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Plextor S1 SSD: The entry-level SSD for first time SSD users

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Solid State Drives (SSD) are getting rather common nowadays as the prices for these components are no longer as prohibitive as they used to be. That being said, the fancier SSDs available on the market aren’t exactly what I would deem affordable either as some of them still fetch a…shall we say “generous” price. Thankfully, the SSD we’re talking about today isn’t one that’ll break your bank as the Plextor S1 is an entry level SSD that comes easy on the wallet.

Design

There is very little to talk about when it comes to the design of the Plextor S1. The SSD itself is very much your traditional 2.5″ SATA-powered storage device that comes with a sticker on top with none of those “gamer” aesthetics that many other components have. This minimalist approach stretches to the boxing of the device as well, considering the fact that all that is included alongside the SSD is the documentation. If you’re looking to fit this into your desktop, you’ll need to source a mounting bracket of your own.

Performance

When it comes to the performance of the Plextor S1, Plextor boasted that the SSD is capable of Sequential Read speeds of up to 510MB/s and Sequential Write speeds of up to 440MB/s. With that in mind, I’ve decided to put the Plextor S1 to the CrystalDiskMark test and the ATTO test. Here are the results of the benchmarks:

As far as results are concerned, the Plextor S1 manages to live up to Plextor’s boast. In terms of real life performance, the Plextor S1 manages to perform well under daily use as well.

So how does the Plextor S1 stack up to other SSDs? For the most part, the read/write speeds of the Plextor S1 allows it to stand on its own, particularly against other entry-level SSDs in the market. However, if you put the S1 up against high-performance SSDs like the Kingston HyperX Savage, the S1 will fall short against it. Considering that the S1 was meant to be a gateway into the SSD in the first place, that really shouldn’t be all that surprising to many.

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Plextor's blazingly fast M8Pe SSD series to be available in mid-August

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We have seen Plextor’s impressive range of M8Pe SSD series back in Computex and the company is finally making it available in the coming weeks, the Plextor M8Pe SSD series are high efficiency SSD made for professional gamers, it utilizes NVMe PCIe Gen3 x 4, the latest Marvell controller chip and Toshiba’s 15nm NLC NAND flash to deliver sequential data transfer speeds of up to 2500MB/s read and 1400MB/s write, random data transfer speeds of 280,000 IOPS read and 240,000 IOPS write, the SSD also ensures advanced error correction capabilities with the latest LDPC correction technology.

Plextor’s fastest M8Pe SSD will be available in PCIe and M.2 2280 connection standards with storage capacities of 128GB, 256GB, 512GB and 1TB, they are backed with a 5-year warranty and a 2.4 million hour MTBF guarantee, so make sure you hit up on your nearest IT retailers to find out the exact availability date.

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PLUS to allow credit and debit card payments for tolls by end of this year

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For all your gripes with them, toll and highway concessionaires have always tried to make paying for tolls a seamless process – the tried-and-tested methods of course being Touch N’ Go as well as Smart Tag. With the introduction of MyRFID, we now have a new method of paying, and it’s said to replace the use of Smart Tags.

According to a report by Berita Harian, the toll-paying process could become even easier – the report says that PLUS will soon allow highway users to pay using their debit, credit cards and e-wallets as well, which should all be linked to the drivers’ RFID tags.

This does away with having to reload credit on cards and e-wallets even, which is a big plus if you’re a forgetful person.

This comes as PLUS aims to beef up their toll infrastructures by offering more payment options to drivers by the end of this year.

Managing Director of PLUS Azman Ismail said that drivers with insufficient funds in their cards are contributing factors to congestion at toll plazas. He adds that with the introduction of this new payment method, we should see less congestion happening.

PLUS also adds that they are upgrading a total of 1,400 CCTV cameras to UHD ones to aid in traffic analysis; while a number of cameras will also be installed at 24-hour R&R locations too.


PLUS to open all RFID booths in the country this 1 April; with a total of 173 lanes

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PLUS has announced that all its 83 closed toll systems will go live on the first of April – bringing to fruition the company’s three-year project to evolve our local toll system into a cashless one.

The tolls will stretch along the Peninsula Malaysia including the LPT2 highway along the East Coast. Malaysians had a taste of RFID in action at PLUS’ 10 open toll plazas earlier this alongside free fitment programs for the RFID tags.

With this, a total of 137 RFID lanes will be active come 1 April – you can visit the RFID fitment centres listed here and use your Touch ‘n Go eWallet to pay for your fares.

Previously, PLUS closed all Touch ‘n Go top-up lanes during the Chinese New Year period this year to improve traffic flow and reduce the number of cards with insufficient money from passing through – according to reports, it worked, citing a drop in up to 1.3% in the central region, and up to 3.2% in the northern region in the number of insufficient balance issues.

Image credit: PLUS Malaysia

This was an early sign of PLUS and Touch ‘n Go’s intentions to create a cashless toll ecosystem in the country. The tried-and-tested physical cards and SmartTAG payment methods still work of course, and there are several zero top-up fee vendors available now that won’t impose a surcharge when you reload.

Visit PLUS’ website
here
 for the list of fitment centres, and Touch ‘n Go’s website
here
 for a list of zero surcharge reload locations.

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Plus Xnergy offers rent-to-own solar panels for homeowners

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Local solar energy brand Plus Solar Systems has officially rebranded itself, changing its name to Plus Xnergy Holding; with this change in identify comes new offerings too.

In the B2C front, the company is introducing a “first-in-market” solar rent to own program; it allows homeowners to sign up for an approximately five-year rental program, after which the panels will be wholly owned by the residents.

During this five-year period, the operations and maintenance costs will be borne by Plus Xnergy, which gives new adopters a lower barrier of entry into owning and using solar panels. With their setup, the company believes that homeowners can save up to 90% of their monthly electricity bills.

Once you’ve signed up, the company will take over handling all aspects of getting your home fitted with solar panels; this includes the preliminary study of your home prior to designing the layouts, commissioning, installation, remote monitoring, and maintenance.

Visit Plus Xnergy’s website
here

to learn more about their offerings.

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PM Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin announces free internet for Malaysia starting April 1

472

Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin has today announced the
Bantuan
 PRIHATIN economic stimulus package to provide RM250bil worth of financial help to the
rakyat
during the MCO period.

Antara pakej khas yang akan ditawarkan syarikat-syarikat komunikasi adalah internet percuma kepada semua pelanggan dengan nilai RM600 juta bermula 1 Apr 2020 selama tempoh pelaksanaan PKP
#prihatinrakyat

— Muhyiddin Yassin (@MuhyiddinYassin)
March 27, 2020

From the pool, RM600 million will be allocated to provide every Malaysian with 1GB of free internet everyday starting this April 1. This is to help folks continue working from home without forking too much for their internet.

On top of that, the PM also announced that RM400 million will be invested into improving internet coverage and quality across the nation. Not much else has been disclosed so far, but we can expect a more detailed run down of the stimulus package in the coming hours.

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PNY GeForce GTX 950 Graphics Card been unveiled

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The new budget-oriented graphics card from NVIDIA is just around the corner, and we reported the possibility of the new specifications for the new Geforce GTX 950 graphics card. However, this time TechPowerUp unveils the first picture of a PNY-branded GeForce GTX 950 with a mecha box art.

The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 950 graphics card has a compact size, a dual-slot card that will draw power from a single 6-pin or 8-pin power connector and has a simple fan-heatsink cooling. Besides that, the GTX 950 graphics card will be based on the GM206 silicon with 768 CUDA cores, and 2GB of GDDR5 memory, across the chip’s 128-bit wide memory interface. Comparing to its predecessor GeForce GTX 750 graphics card have only 512 CUDA cores, 1GB of GDDR5 memory and the similar 128-bit wide memory interface.

The reason NVIDIA to release this SKU is to compete with the Radeon R7 370 from AMD, and the expected price from the GeForce GTX 950 will be around USD 150 (approx. RM 620). Rumors mention about this new graphics card will be coming someday within this month, and we hope that they will retain 6-pin power instead of 8-pin power because this budget-oriented graphics card is meant to sit on low power consumption group.

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Pocket Maple Story SEA is finally launched in Malaysia

597

Pocket Maple Story was launched a while ago at other countries but was unavailable in SEA. Well, the good news is that today, Playpark has finally launched Pocket Maple Story SEA on
Google Play
 and
App Store
, with extra goodies to be given out too.

If you have pre-registered for the game, you can claim your early bird rewards, including a Bunny Plush Cape, premium currency and other items to kickstart your adventure. There are also guilds in-game, so you can form guilds to gain exclusive access to guild-only dungeons and powerful guild buffs.

If you’ve never heard of Maple Story, this game has been around on PC since it was first launched in 2005. The game is still going strong today, and now with a mobile version, you can take your game wherever you go. You can get the same party experience in a platformer style just like the PC game. However, in the mobile version, there are mobile-only features such as Auto mode, a compact map and controls to suit playing the game on the go.

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POCO C3: Budget phone to launch with a Helio G35 chip

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There are many phones that will be launching on October 6, this includes the POCO C3 that will be revealed in India.

POCO C3: Rebranded Redmi 9C?

The POCO C3 will be the first phone of the C series, but it’s unclear why POCO didn’t start with the number ‘1’.

However, if rumours are true, the POCO C3 is merely a rebranded Redmi 9C — a budget smartphone that holds a large battery.

5,000mAh battery, Helio G35 SoC and triple rear camera

👀3⃣, the next
#GameChang3r
 from POCO is arriving on 6th October @ 12PM on
@Flipkart
.
 Know more:
https://t.co/FgindDwGMo

3👁👁👁 RTs & we’ll giveaway 1
#POCOC3
 to a lucky winner.
pic.twitter.com/Coec2qqd3o

— POCO India #POCOC3 (@IndiaPOCO)
October 1, 2020

Apart form its 5,000mAh battery, we should be expecting the phone to use a Helio G35 chipset, a 6.53-inch LCD panel and a triple rear camera setup. On the front, the phone will probably sport a 5MP selfie lens.

As it is a budget phone, the POCO C3 will probably come with 2/4GB RAM and 32/64GB storage. GSMArena also said that it’ll be available in three colours — Midnight Grey, Sunrise Orange and Twilight Blue.

A previous leak also revealed that the phone will be priced at Rs.10,990 (RM619.15), but the price is sure to be adjusted if it launches in Malaysia. On the other, POCO launched its
first midrange phone
 with a 120Hz display in Malaysia less than a month ago.

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POCO C3


POCO F2 Pro made its debut in Malaysia, price starting from RM2,199

417

The official pricing of the POCO F2 Pro has been announced and is available to purchase this June 10. The 6GB+128GB model is priced at RM2,199, while the 8GB+256GB variant is priced at RM2,599.

The former will have its price dropped to RM1,999 during a Lazada flash sale on June 10; meanwhile, the latter will get you a free Black Shark Funcooler fan that helps dissipate heat when you’re gaming.

To recap, the phone packs a 6.67-inch FHD+ AMOLED display with very thin bezels and no notch or punch hole cutout – this is thanks to the phone’s pop-up front camera mechanism that’s positioned on the left side of the phone.

As the POCO F2 Pro is basically the rebranded version of the Redmi K30 Pro, you can expect the same circular camera bump at the back. The housing is populated by a 64MP main lens, a 2MP depth sensor, a 5MP telemacro camera and a 13MP ultrawide angle lens. For selfies, you get a single 20MP shooter.

Under the hood, the phone packs flagship-like hardware with a Snapdragon 865 chipset alongside up to 8GB LPDDR5 RAM and 256GB UFS3.1 storage.

The POCO F2 Pro also packs a 4,700mAh battery with support for up to 30W of fast charging. The phone also comes with Xiaomi’s LiquidCool Technology 2.0 that helps lowers the temperature of the phone while gaming.

This is phone comes after the launch of one of its main competitors, the realme X3 SuperZoom which, despite having an older Snapdragon 855+ chipset, could prove to be a better value since it has a 120Hz display and also supports 30W fast charging. Plus, the realme X3 SuperZoom is priced at RM2,299 for its 12GB+256GB model while the F2 Pro will already set you back RM2,599 with the 8GB+256GB variant.

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POCO F2 Pro


POCO F3 and POCO X3 Pro officially launched in Malaysia

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POCO launched two new flagships from different lineups today — the POCO F3 and the POCO X3 Pro. Both phones are equipped with new Qualcomm chips — the Snapdragon 870 5G and Snapdragon 860.

120Hz displays for both

The POCO F3 and X3 Pro have a large 6.67-inch screen supporting a 120Hz refresh rate — however, the former uses an AMOLED panel and supports up to 360Hz touch sampling rate while the latter uses LCD panel and supports up to 240Hz touch sampling rate. Both also come with dual speakers, but only the F3 supports Dolby Atmos.

POCO F3 has three lenses, but the X3 Pro has one more

Imaging-wise, the POCO X3 Pro has a 48MP quad-camera — apart from its main lens, it comes with an 8MP ultrawide camera, a 2MP macro lens, and another 2MP depth sensor. Interestingly, the F3 only comes with a triple rear camera setup — POCO swapped the macro and depth lenses for a 5MP telemacro lens. On the front, both phones have a 20MP in-display camera.

The X3 Pro also has a bigger battery

The F3 also has a smaller 4,520mAh battery as compared to the X3 Pro’s 5,160mAh battery, but both supports 33W fast charging via USB-C. They’re also available in two storage configurations — 6GB + 128GB and 8GB + 256GB.

POCO X3 Pro and POCO F3: Flagship killers

Here’s the most surprising news — the POCO X3 Pro is only priced from RM999 while the POCO F3 is priced from RM1,399 despite being flagships. That being said, you can get up to RM200 off each phone when you purchase them during their flash sales. The POCO X3 Pro’s sale start on March 24 on
Shopee
 whereas the POCO F3’s start on March 27 on
Lazada
.

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POCO X3 Pro


POCO F5 and F5 Pro launches in Malaysia from RM1,699 and RM2,199 respectively

4.2K

POCO has launched the POCO F5 series in Malaysia, the series include the POCO F5 and F5 Pro, and they will be available in Malaysia from May 9, with a starting price of RM 1,699.

According to Angus Ng, the Head of Product Marketing at POCO Global, the new devices are “designed for dedicated techies who want the best forward-looking technology”.

The POCO F5 Pro, powered by Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1, is the brand’s first device to feature a WQHD+ 120Hz AMOLED DotDisplay.

Meanwhile, the POCO F5 is the first smartphone in global markets to feature a Snapdragon 7+ Gen 2 processor, delivering a super-fast gaming experience, it is essentially the cousin of the Redmi Note 12 Turbo, which is sold exclusively in China.

The POCO F5 Pro promises to deliver incredible visual experiences with its hyperclear 6.67-inch WQHD+ 120Hz AMOLED display, it delivers 1400 nits of peak brightness and 68 billion true-to-life colors, making images produced stunningly clear and detailed. The device is powered by the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 that’s complemented with LiquidCool Technology 2.0, with a high-efficient Vapor Chamber and intelligent frame stabilization technology FEAS 2.2, which improves performance by dissipating heat efficiently, and extends the lifespan of the battery and the device.

In terms of photography, the POCO F5 Pro features a triple camera setup that comprises a 64MP f/1.79 OIS main camera, 8MP ultrawide and 2MP macro cameras, with only the main camera supporting 8K video shooting at 30 fps, selfies are serviced by a 16MP front camera.

Battery life on the POCO F5 Pro is also expected to be top notch with a 5000mAh battery that supports 67W fast charging, while it is also the first POCO phone to come with fast wireless charging at 30W.

On the other hand, the POCO F5 merely gets a slight downgrade in spec, aside from the still capable Snapdragon 7+ Gen 2 chipset, the 6.67-inch display pushes FHD+ resolution at 120Hz with a 1000 nits peak brightness, wireless charging is omitted though it still supports the same 67W wired fast charging, while due to the limitation of its chipset, its main 64MP camera with OIS will only take up to 4K videos, while the rest of the features remain similar to the POCO F5 Pro.

The POCO F5 Pro can be purchased exclusively on the POCO Official Store on
Lazada
 from May 9 onwards, available in color options of Black and White, here are the storage variants and prices:

POCO F5 Pro

8GB+256GB

RM 2,099

RM 1,999

12GB+256GB

RM 2,199

RM 2,099

12GB+512GB

RM 2,399

RM 2,199

As for the POCO F5, it can be purchased exclusively on the POCO Official Store on
Shopee
 from May 9 onwards, available in color options of White, Blue and Black, here are the storage variants and prices:

POCO F5

8GB+256GB

RM1,699

RM 1,399

12GB+256GB

RM 1,799

RM 1,499

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Poco Launcher is now available on the Play Store

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Xiaomi had an official regional launch of their Pocophone F1 just this week and it got people excited as they were offering flagship specs on a phone that comes with an entry-level pricing. Not only that, it also comes with the Poco Launcher which is based on MIUI but has an app drawer.

The regular MIUI does not come with an app drawer which forces neat-freaks to download a launcher that has an app drawer, but MIUI does not play well with other launchers and some features might not work or be slightly bugged. Now, MIUI users that like the look of the interface can download the Poco Launcher from the app store and bring back the app drawer. In addition to that, users will also have a search option in the app drawer and 20 system optimizations.

You can find the
Poco Launcher on the Play Store
 but it is currently listed as an early access app and when we checked it out, it says that the early access program is currently full. You might have to wait a few days before slots are open again

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POCO M3: Entry phone with powerful specs

577

The POCO M3 is the latest smartphones from
POCO
 that caters to the entry-level market and today the company revealed its key specs that aligns with its tagline “More than you expect.”

Huge battery with fast charging support

The POCO M3 has a huge 6,000mAh battery that comes with 18W fast charge and reverse charging. Apart from that, POCO also included a 48MP camera on the POCO M3 paired with a 2MP macro lens and a 2MP depth sensor. The camera setup is also complemented with its software — despite being a budget phone, POCO added features like Time-lapse, Movie frame and Colour-focus.

There’s also a 6.53-inch FHD+ display protected by a Corning Gorilla Glass, in addition to an L1 Wide Vine certification. Under the hood, the Snapdragon 662 chip powers the POCO M3. It houses 4GB RAM and 128GB storage which is expandable up to 512GB.

The new POCO phone is available globally in Power Black, Cool Blue and POCO Yellow and each variant has an anti-fingerprint textured back with a camera bump that is less than 1mm thin. The POCO M3 also has dual speakers, a side-mounted fingerprint speaker and a headphone jack.

POCO M3 local availability

In Malaysia, the POCO Yellow model will be arriving at a later date but the other two colour options will be available starting November 27 in two storage configurations — 4GB + 64GB and 4GB + 128GB. The former is priced at RM599 whereas the latter is priced at RM699.

Early birds can buy the phone on Xiaomi Official Store Global on
Lazada
 for RM100 less and POCO will even gift the Mi In-Ear Headphones Basic Piston Earphone.

poco
POCO M3


POCO M3 Pro 5G launched: Priced from RM699

838

Xiaomi has just launched the POCO M3 Pro 5G which is slight upgrade over the impressive POCO M3 that we
reviewed
 earlier this year.

The phone comes with a 6.5-inch IPS panel that now offers a 90Hz refresh rate. Like the regular POCO M3, this too comes with a FHD+ panel layered with Corning Gorilla Glass 3.

Design-wise, the phone now has a large painted corner of the phone where the camera is. Here too sits the POCO logo front and center. Also, unlike the regular M3, the back panel finish is now glossy, and mirror-like.

The phone comes in POCO Yellow, Power Black, and Cool Blue.

For imaging, no changes have been made – you still get a 48MP main shooter, a 2MP macro lens, and a 2MP depth sensor. For selfies, you get an 8MP lens.

Under the hood, you’ll find a MediaTek Dimensity 700 5G chipset powering the device, along with up to 6GB of RAM and 128GB of internal storage.

The POCO M3 Pro comes with a large 5,000mAh battery and the phone supports 18W of fast charging as well.

The phone is priced at RM699 for the 4GB+64GB mode, while the 6GB+128GB version will cost RM799. The interesting thing is, the
Redmi Note 10 5G
, which was launched two weeks ago, also costs RM799, but offers 8GB of RAM.

But to sway you over, POCO is offering a RM100 discount on both POCO M3 5G variants from June 6, midnight until June 7, 11.59pm. Visit the brand’s Shopee page
here
 to make your purchase.

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POCO M3: Budget phone with a 6,000mAh battery to launch on November 24

409

There will be a few launches happening on November 24, and one of them is a phone catered for budget users, the
POCO M3
.

Global launch happening next week

The POCO M3 will be the first of its series to launch in Malaysia. It’s a budget device that will be powered by the Snapdragon 662 chipset and will feature a huge 6,000mAh battery with 18W fast charging. Leaks have also suggested that the POCO M3 will have a 6.53-inch display that houses a water drop notch.

POCO M3 = Redmi 10?

POCO X3 NFC

On the back, we should be expecting a 48MP triple camera setup. Some says that the POCO M3 will be a rebranded Redmi Note 10 or Redmi 10; if so, we should also be looking at up to 6GB of RAM and 256GB of storage.

The
POCO X3 NFC
 that was released a few months ago is priced at RM899, so we should be expecting the POCO M3 to be priced significantly lower.

POCO M3