The best 5G Android phones in 2021 so far

1K

The last
thing
we heard of 5G availability in Malaysia
is that we’re
 only getting it by the end of 2021. This means in less than a year,

you
can make use of the new connectivity standard
and get blazing-fast internet speeds
, but only if
you
own a 5G phone.

So, if you haven’t gotten one, here are some of 2021’s best 5G Android smartphones that you can buy right now.

Samsung Galaxy S21

Ultra

Samsung has kept the Galaxy S series
alive

and well
for more than a decade. Among the three new models
 introduced earlier this year
, the
Galaxy S21 Ultra
 is the
best of the lot
 as it offers extra upgrades and features that
you don’t get
on
the
cheaper
Galaxy S21 and S21+.

Amazing camera performance

The Galaxy S21 Ultra has a pretty robust imaging system thanks to its 108MP main lens that is paired with a 40MP selfie camera. It offers:

Sharp and vibrant daytime shots

Steady 8K videos

Detailed zoomed in shots up to 100x zoom

Gorgeous, smooth display

T
he phone’s display is also beautiful with vivid colours
 and
 a
smooth
120Hz refresh rate
. Samsung even added the ability to set the phone at QHD+ resolution without sacrificing the screen’s motion smoothness.

A powerhouse
 that can almost do it all

Equipped with a
 powerful

Exynos
 2100 chip, the phone
 offers impressive performance without overheating easily.
We’ve tried

g
ames
 like Mobile Legend Bang
Bang
, PUBG and Call of Duty: Mobile
and haven’t faced any issues
.
 However, it does
slightly struggle to maintain a steady 60fps with resource-intensive games such as
Genshin
 impact
.

S Pen support

A
nother cool feature in the Galaxy S21 Ultra is the support for the S Pen stylus – an accessory that was available on the Galaxy Note
and Galaxy Tab series.

The Galaxy S21 Ultra is no doubt one of the best Android phones we’ve seen this year, but it is tied to a hefty price tag. You
’ll
 have to fork out RM5,299 for this high-end phone
.

I
f that’s out of your budget,
 you can a
lways
go for the
Galaxy S21
 or S21+ which is at least RM1,000 cheaper.

OPPO Find X3 Pro

A great alternative to
 the Galaxy S21 Ultra

is
th
e
sleek
OPPO Find X3 Pro
. It’s

no doubt
one of the best flagship
s
 right
now
:

The OPPO Find X3 Pro is
 the first phone in the world with 1 billion colour
display
.

It packs a dual 50MP lenses on its rear.

It houses the impressive Snapdragon 888 chipset.

60x
m
icroscopic magnification
?

The Find X3 Pro’s camera performance is comparable to that of the Galaxy S21 Ultra,
but

its night photography and videography
capabilities
outperform
the latte
r. We
were impressed

that the
 Find X3 Pro’s micro lens
 supports up to 60x magnification
, letting you capture

details that your naked eye simply cannot see.

An amazing display
, e
specially

for

the
colour-impaired

A
b
right

display with vibrant colours; pair that with a 120Hz refresh rate and you’ve got yourself an awesome
viewing
experience. OPPO even included
 the
 Colour Vision Enhancement
 feature
 that lets you
 test your colour vision to get
an optimal
 colour-corrected display if needed.

T
he most powerful chip on an Android phone
?

Thi
s phone
is
a mad
 powerhouse that
won’t
fail you in
the performance department
. It’s
 actually
 one of the few phones that
 we tested

to
handle

Genshin
 Impact
 at 60

fps
 and it surpassed
our
 expectations.

U
nfortunately
,

it
 also
 overheat
ed

quicker

than the
Galaxy
S21 Ultra
 (naturally)
.

Charging wirelessly just got faster

OPPO
recently

introduced the speedy
30W
AirVOOC

wireless charging capabilities
on top of
the even faster
65W
SuperVOOC

wired charging
 – simply put, you
can
now
charge your phone in less than an hour
.

The OPPO Find X3 Pro is priced at RM4,299, but if you get it before May 23, 2021, you’ll
receive
a RM300 discount when you use the cash rebate code
that’s
on its
official site
!

ROG Phone 5

Well, hello gamers
. If you’re looking for
 a powerful

5G gaming phone
,

the
ROG Phone 5

is a worthy pick
. Like
the Find X3 Pro
, it is powered by the Snapdragon 888
chip

with
 the addition of various gaming features.

A
 gaming-worthy
displa
y

Apart from sporting a 144Hz
 display
, the ROG Phone 5
boasts a

300Hz
touch sampling rate
,
meaning
 that it’s more responsive to touch inputs
.
The phone
 also features two
AirTrigger
 buttons
 that
feel almost as good as
 shoulder
 triggers on a controller.

The ROG
 Phone
 5’s clincher
are
 the
 additional
 gaming accessories that can be paired with this phone
:

AeroActive
 Cooler 5

An attachable rear fan that p
revents
 overheating

Offers more control mapping options with 2 shoulder buttons

Kunai 3 Gamepad

Near zero-latency

Features
analog
 triggers and rear control keys

ALPS joysticks for precise control

Longer battery life

It only took us 30 minutes to get the phone charge
d
 up to
70%
.

This is what you’ll get with a
 6,000mAh battery
that
 supports
 65W fast charging;
you should get about two days of battery life even with moderate amounts of gaming.

5G
enabled for low-latency gaming

Since the phone supports 5G, you can expect lower latency game sessions when the new connectivity standard is available in the country.

The ROG Phone 5 is the go-to option if
gaming is your priority
.

T
he
phone
 price starts at

RM2,999 but if you want the 16GB variant, it’ll cost you RM3,799.

vivo X60 Pro

The
vivo X60 Pro
 is powered by a new chip
set
 that came out this year – the Snapdragon 870. It’s a step up from the Snapdragon 865
processor that
 was
 already very powerful
.
However, un
like the ROG Phone 5, the vivo X60 Pro isn’t made for gamers
.

Almost
good enough for professional photograph
y

The vivo X series
is really
all about
photography and videography
.
The camera
system was
 co-engineered
by vivo

and
 ZEISS
,
a leading manufacturer of optoelectronics
.

A
s
 a result, you don’t only get sharp and bright images, but also a new

Biotar
 portrait filter

that gives you a bokeh effect
, which is almost
 akin to what
an
actual
Biotar
 DSLR lens offers.

On top of that, y
ou’re also getting a gimbal
stabilisation system on the
 48MP lens
,
 which
,

when
combined with EIS
,
 results in
 really smooth and steady videos.

You can get the vivo X60 Pro at RM3,299.

Is it worth getting
a
 5G phone

right now
?

Short answer:
we don’t think so.

Until 5
G
 is truly availabl
e
 across the country
,

5G phone
s

will still be limited by 4G networks
 and connectivity
.
Our best advice is to wait at least a year before getting one.

However,

if you’re
still
set on getting on
e
immediately
, the phones

listed above are some of the best ones
 you can get right now, if you have the extra cash.

Best 5G phones in 2021
OPPO Find X3 Pro
ROG Phone 5
Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra
vivo x60 pro+


Best apps that can earn you money from home

6K

We all have that one friend – who’s a self-proclaimed finance guru – tell us that the key to “financial freedom” is to side-hustle; and to a certain, that friend is correct.

There are many ways to earn extra income, but one of the easiest methods is to let an app do it for you – for the most part, the process is as easy as tapping a few buttons, and just wait for money to come rolling in.

StashAway

If you’re unfamiliar with robo-advisors – these services make use of automated, algorithm-based financial planning to help invest your money into different assets.

On StashAway, the process of getting started involves you building a portfolio to, say, buy a home – from there, you set the amount of money you want to earn by after a period of time. You then choose the amount of risk you’re willing to take with your investments – Core is a steady, low-risk plan that gets you a decent long-term ROI; while Higher-Risk will be more likely to earn you more but it comes at the cost of a volatile start.

All you, as a user need to do is deposit funds into your portfolio consistently and the app will go to work, investing your money into real-world assets. Although you don’t get a vast amount of control over what you’re investing in, some form of transparency available by way of monthly statements that tell you how your money is divvied up.

In our experience, you should see a small profit after two to three months of using the service – but it’s also important to note that you will need to pay up to an 0.8% annual fee, but the number is adjusted to the amount of money you’ve put in.

Visit StashAway’s website
here
 to learn more.

Luno

Love it or hate, cryptocurrency can potentially help you gain big bucks if you invest correctly; with the current bear crypto market, several big-name currencies are going for really cheap, making now a good time to buy and hodl (a crypto term that means “hold on for dear life”).

Luno is one of the few
regulated
 crypto trading platforms in Malaysia, and the app is considered one of the most user-friendly around. There are five currencies you can trade it at the moment – Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH), Ripple (XRP), Bitcoin Cash (BCH), and Litecoin (LTC).

One thing to note however, is that the cryptocurrency market is a volatile one – with that comes a high risk of making a loss, but with that also comes high reward. Getting the most of your investment requires you to actively react to market changes that happen on a daily basis.

Unlike robo-advisors, investing in crypto requires more work and hands-on effort on your part; in return, you stand to earn quite a sum in a shorter period of time.

Visit Luno’s website
here
 to learn more.

GO+ by Touch ‘n Go eWallet

GO+ is a fairly new investment feature that was
introduced
 by Touch ‘n Go earlier this year; it works in tandem with the eWallet app, allowing users to earn returns with their balance.

TnG markets this as a low-risk investment product that is available to all Malaysians – anchored on the Principal e-Cash Fund, users above the age of 18 can have, short-term investments without a high capital, or active hands-on efforts.

All you need to do to get started is have at least RM10 in your eWallet account, and then tap on the GO+ tab within the app, to allocate it as an investment fund. At the time of writing, our daily return rates are at 1.43% p.a – the more you cash in, the higher your returns.

The best part is, the money you earn is still usable as cash if you pay using the TnG eWallet. You can also choose to withdraw your balance into your bank account too if you need to.

Do note however that there is a management fee of up to 0.45% per annum and a trustee fee of up to 0.003% per year. On top of that, the feature is currently not Shariah Compliant and your capital is not protected by the PIDM.

Visit Touch ‘n Go’s website
here
 to learn more about GO+.

Disclaimer: This article is written based on the author’s personal experience with each app, and can be very different from your own. We urge you to exercise caution and only spend what you can when using these services.

bitcoin
cryptocurrency
go
luno
robo-advisor
stashaway
Touch 'n Go eWallet


Best apps to make the most of your time at home during the RMO

394

As the nation is observing a movement restriction order issued by the PM Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, many of us are stuck at home until the order is lifted at the end of the month. It’s a necessary move by the government to keep the COVID-19 outbreak in check; but we understand isolation can be boring.

Well, here are a few apps that you can download to help you make use of your time productively while at home – when we say productively, we don’t mean doing your job; we mean learning a new skill, maybe honing an existing one, or even just bettering your overall health.

Sanvello

As we isolate ourselves, many of us may fall into a negative headspace, worrying about work, our loved ones, and ourselves – although it’s worth noting that things aren’t as bad as they seem, some people may need a little extra help to keep a positive outlook on things.

Sanvello
 is an all-inclusive app that helps you keep your mental health in check by way of recording your moods, setting goals for self-improvement, meditation and more. You begin using the app by setting up your goals, which includes things like “feel happier”, “build confidence” or “live healthier”.

Image credit: Sanvello

From there, you can work towards achieving those goals via audio lessons, daily self-ratings for your moods, and read up on modules to help you understand your thinking patterns. You can also join a list of communities and chat groups to discuss mental health and more.

The app is
like a
 therapist in your pocket, and although this may seem like a stretch, everyone needs to stay positive mentally if we’re going to get through the outbreak.
 .

Android
 /
iOS

Kitchen Stories

So
 you have all these ingredients stocked up alongside canned food, rice and noodles; and
A LOT
 of time on your hands – why not learn how to cook a meal from
scratch
 with what you have?!

Kitchen Stories puts a slight spin on recipe apps by curating recipes daily, attached with the creators’ stories to inspire you to make them. Besides the recipes, you’ll also be given instructional videos along the way on how to prep every ingredient. This way, you won’t feel lost when
attempting
 something new.

The recipes, dishes and videos are presented in a minimalist fashion, putting focus on the food itself; plus, the menus are easy to navigate too. It makes choosing and starting to learn a recipe simple and straightforward.
 .

Android
/
iOS

FitOn

Gyms will be closed during the RMO period, and you’re not encouraged to go outside either, so parks are out of the question – if you want to stay fit, you’ll need to exercise at home.

FitOn
 is an easy-to-use, free fitness app packed with a host of routines, all
categorised
 neatly for ease of access. These categories include cardio, strength, HIIT, dance, and more depending on what you want to train.  There are also instructional videos which you can stream to a larger screen like your TV or tablet.

Plus, for added encouragement, you can add fiends in a leaderboard and challenge them to any workout too – that way, not only do you up your squat game, you can gloat about it too when the RMO is lifted.
 .

Android
/
iOS

TED

Image credit: TED

You may know what TED talks are – they’re conferences where inspirational individuals give insightful talks about technology, entertainment, and design. Topics on the environment, health, business and politics are also common too depending on the theme.

Image credit: TED

With the COVID-19 outbreak now preventing anyone for attending events – we can still enjoy these talks via the TED app where videos and podcasts are all carefully organized for your consumption. The app is a one-stop offering for all-things TED since you don’t need to go to YouTube for the videos or Spotify for the podcasts.

With this app, you’ll learn about new ideas about how to make the world better; they encourage positive thinking and that’s something we all need right about now.
 .

Android
 /
iOS

app
cooking
cooking app
corona virus
fitness app
fitness coach
fiton
kitchen stories
meditation
mental health
quarantine
recipe app
sanvello
ted


Best dating apps to try this Valentine’s Day

394

If you’re single this Valentine’s Day (you know who you are), and you’re thinking of getting back in the game, don’t let the pandemic hold you back. Dating apps are perfect for meeting new people all from the comforts of you own home.

But as there are many fishes in the sea, there are just as many dating apps to choose from. So to help you find
Mr.
/
Ms.
 Right, let us hit you up with a list of some of the best ones to try.

Tinder

Everyone and his cousin know what this is –
Tinder
 has become so synonymous with the modern-day dating app,
that it’s
 incestuous (figuratively) at this point if you date someone you meet from the app.

The phrase “plenty of fish in the sea” rightly applies here, and that’s all the more reason to recommend it – the database of potential suitors is expansive!

The way it works is simple, create your profile and add your photos, populate it with personal info like preferences, location, education, age; then you move on to write your bio – which the most important part. You can also choose to link your Instagram profile too!

Once you’re done, you can start swiping through potential matches – swipe right if you like, and left if you don’t. If both parties swipe right on each other, you have a match – let the courtship process commence. This of course takes place entirely in a chatroom.

One benefit of using Tinder is that because it’s so popular, you’ll be able to find people from all walks of life, each with their own preferences – some may be looking for serious relationships, some want to keep it casual.

With such a large pool of single people, you’re bound to find The One – just be weary of
catfish
 profiles, of which there are also plenty of.

Bumble

With former co-founder of Tinder – Whitney Wolfe Herd behind the creation of this app;
Bumble
 shares several similarities with the former. The mechanics work the same – swipe right or left, and if both swipe right, then boom, you’ve got yourself a match!

What’s different however, is that in a heterosexual match, the woman has to initiate the conversation – she has 24 hours to do so.

This puts more power in the hands of females as they get to only open conversations with matches they are interested in – this helps minimize unsolicited pick-up lines, and shifty photos

You can deck out your profile with a proper description, photos, and answer ice-breaker questions like “two things and a lie”, “A review by a friend”, and more.

On top of that, Bumble is also a great place to look for friends – there’s BFF mode which is open to anyone who’re looking for platonic friendships; and also Bumble Bizz – a career-networking mode that also employs the woman-first mechanic.

Pro tip: You may come across a few profiles with no descriptions, but we say swipe right anyways – you might unearth a gem!

Coffee Meets Bagel

Coffee Meets Bagel’s
 approach to online dating is a little different – it wants to embrace slow dating, and encourage richer profiles.

Each day, you get a limited list of ‘suggestions’ that you can like or pass – the app learns your swiping patterns, and curates your list for the next day to better highlight the profiles you’re more likely to vibe with.

Again, if both parties hit ‘like’ on each other, then it’s a match – from then on, a chat room opens, but it will expire in one week! This basically serves to either get you to exchange numbers/social media handles if you’re interested, or move on if you’re not.

You can choose to extend the chatroom with ‘Beans’ which is an in-app currency.

Speaking of, there’s a ‘Discover’ tab that lets you see additional profiles that may not have been in your suggestions list – the catch is, to like the profiles here, you’ll also need to spend Beans.

If you ever run out, you can always purchase more – who knows, maybe you’ll spot someone too perfect to pass up!

OkCupid

What was once a popular matchmaking website, is now an even more popular dating app –
OkCupid’s
 been around for so long, your grandma probably used it.

With so many years in action, the app has fundamentally stayed the same – swipe left or right to match with someone; before that, you can also choose to send someone a private message – an ice-breaker of sorts (fellas, no unsolicited pick-up lines please).

 If it’s a match, the other
party
 gets to view your full profile and your message as well.

Image credit: Mashable

OkCupid also boasts a heftier profile creation tool where you get to answer more personality questions compared to the other apps on the list – if you’re into knowing someone as much as possible from the get-go, this app may be for you.

Sure, you may not be able to meet any matches in person for a while; but hey, it’s good to get the foot in the door! I hope this article will serve as an awesome wingman on your quest for companionship, and we wish you good luck!

On the other hand, already have a Valentine’s and need a gift idea? Why not get them a new
phone
!

bumble
coffee meets bagel
dating apps
okcupid
tinder
Valentine's Day


Best Father’s Day tech gifts in 2021 for all kinds of dads

3.3K

Father’s Day is approaching and unfortunately for us Malaysians, this marks the second year that we’re celebrating this occasion whilst under lockdown. Even if we’re just staying home, we can still shower our dads with love by purchasing thoughtful gifts online.

So, here are some suggestions on what to get your dad depending on the type of person he is.

The health-conscious dad

“Healthy Mind. Healthy Body. Healthy Life” – if this is your dad’s life motto, chances are he’ll appreciate a reliable pair of smartwatch. The
Apple Watch SE
 is a good smartwatch and fitness tracker, especially if your father is already an iPhone user.

One of the reasons why we recommend the Apple Watch SE is the fall detection feature; this allows your elderly dad to quickly contact you if he has accidentally fallen down and injured himself. The Apple Watch will also notify its wearer if it detects irregular heart rhythms or heart rates that are higher/lower than usual.

Also, once
watchOS 8
 is out, you’ll get two new fitness modes – Pilates and Tai Chi. With multiple workout modes, you won’t have to worry about finding one that can properly track your dad’s exercise progress.

Of course, you can also look for Android alternatives if you’re not an Apple user; the Galaxy Watch3 is a good choice, or if you’re looking for something cheaper, you can also go for the
OPPO Watch
.

The dad who plays his phone at maximum volume

Here’s a question– is it just me, or do 90% of the older dads like to turn up their volume when they’re watching videos on their phones?

One way to prevent that from happening is to get him a pair of wireless earbuds so he can move around the house…in silence. Of course, you’ll have to get him a pair that’s comfortable so he’ll like wearing them, which is why we think the
Jabra Elite 85t
 will be the perfect choice. These earbuds are lightweight, comfortable and offer impressive audio quality.

The only problem you may face is if your dad turns on the ANC mode, he may be shouting “What?” at you multiple times while you’re talking to him. You can also opt for the
Jabra Elite 75t
 as it’s slightly less expensive, or even the
Tronsmart Apollo Air
 if your budget is below RM300.

Pssst…if you’re interested in the Apollo Air, you can get it from our store
here
 and use my code “YVONNE” at checkout for an extra 5% discount!

The cool, tech-loving dad

So, your dad loves tech; he’s the one who tells you about new gadgets and he also keeps up with the trends on the internet.
Heck, he may even watch more TikTok videos than you do
. In this case, a new phone will be an awesome gift.

The OPPO A74 is Widevine L1 certified and supports Netflix HD

One of the phones you can consider is the
 OPPO A74
. This phone comes with an AMOLED FHD+ display, so your dad can fully enjoy his Facebook and TikTok videos without complaining about a dull-looking screen. It also comes with a 5,000mAh battery that supports 33W fast charging – this is especially useful if he often forgets to charge his phone and/or is always on his phone to keep up with the online trends.

You can get the OPPO A74 at RM899, but if you’d like to take it up a notch, you can also get the 5G model which will cost you RM200 more.

The stay-at-home/retired dad

Now that most of us are stuck at home, we may be paying more attention to our homes. Moms and dads will be more particular about the cleanliness of their houses, and to help lessen their burdens, you should get them a robot vacuum.

Two robot vacuums that come into mind is the
 ECOVACS DEEBOT OZMO T8
 and the
Roborock S6 MaxV
. Both devices are capable of vacuuming and mopping your floors, and they can also map your house and detect obstacles lying on the ground. They can also be controlled remotely using their respective apps.

Not only will the robot vacuum lighten your parents’ workload, but it’ll also prevent them from asking you to do the cleaning (you’re welcome!).

The dad who forgets

Image credit: Apple

It’s not uncommon for one to be more forgetful as they age. Your dad may often forget where he placed his belongings and the answer to that is smart tracking tags. These are keychain-like accessories that function as trackers; you just have to attach them to any item you don’t want to lose.

Image credit: Samsung

You can get the
Apple AirTag
 or
Samsung Galaxy SmartTag
 – the former costs RM129 whereas the latter is on a discount now at RM99. Both are reliable trackers that can works with apps; just use Find My for the AirTag and Galaxy Find Network to pinpoint the location of your belongings.

TL;DR: Get your dad smart tracking tags and he will never lose his keys again.

Don’t forget to spend time with your dad on Father’s Day

Yes, gifts are great; however, I’m certain that every dad will appreciate it if they get to spend some quality time with their children. You can always cook your dad a meal, or even watch his favourite movies together on
streaming services
 like Netflix and Apple TV+.

apple
ecovacs
Father's Day
jabra
oppo
Roborock
samsung


Best free apps to help you stay fit at home

1.9K

Thanks to the ongoing pandemic, we Malaysians have been staying home for the longest time. Similar to how our ways of communication have been leaning through virtual means, we can also rely on free apps to continue pursuing our fitness goals even if we’re stuck at home.

Here are some of the best apps you can download for free to stay fit at home:

J&J Official 7 Minute Workout

Even if we’re stuck at home, it doesn’t mean our chores and job responsibilities have lessened. Those who wants to squeeze in a workout or two during the day can do so with j&j official 7 mintu….

It’s a free app with a simple UI — you can choose to either follow 7-minutes workout or opt for smart workouts which are tailored based on your fitness level. You can also check out the workout library that has various different kinds of workout with different durations.

The app also comes with tutorial for each exercise, and you can also like/dislike the exercises so that the app can keep up with your preferences.

Nike Training Club

I’m sure many of you heard of
Nike Training Club
, and this free app is famous for a reason — the extensive amount of workouts that are available for free. It’s like an upgraded version of the first app we mentioned, but with more collection of videos.

You can browse for videos based on the intensity, the focus of the workout (endurance, strength, etc.) and even choose videos that may or may not require equipment. There are even videos made for yogis.

A fun aspect to this app is that you can add friends and challenge them to races, or even send/receive support from them through cheers.

Map My Run

Created by Under Armour,
Map My Run
 is a fitness app made for runners. You can choose different running activities, track your running routes and create challenges for yourself.

Apart from your daily activity information such as your average pace, distance, duration of your run and calories burned, your dashboard will also show you your weekly reports and goals. Like Nike Training Club, you can add friends on the app and interact with them on the app.

You can also share details of your run on your feed, in which you can either allow the public or your friend to view said post.

Map My Run works with many wearables, including the
Apple Watch
 and
Fitbit
 smartwatches. There are more than enough features that you can make use of for free in this app, but if you are looking for extra features like Live Tracking, heart rate analysis and training plans, you can also go for the MVP subscription that costs RM25.90/month or RM132.90/year.

FitOn

Here’s a useful fitness app if you like to watch and learn workout videos from famous trainers like Cassey Ho, Vitas, Bree Koegel and more. There are many types of workouts on this app such as dancing, yoga, kickboxing and pilates. You can even learn rē•spin from celebrity Halle Berry.

FitOn
 is also great for those who wants to read more about fitness. Its ‘Advice’ tab offers many tips and articles on fitness, nutrition and wellness to improve your overall health. You can also track your progress and achievements, or chat with your friends in the app.

If you have money to spare, you can also opt for the Pro version of the app. You’ll get to download your workout videos offline, but more importantly, you’ll get over 500+ healthy recipes and personalised meal plans to further increase the efficiency of your fitness journey.

MyFitnessPal

Have you heard the phrase, “Weight loss is 70% diet, 30% exercise”? Well, we can’t confirm that it’s 100% right, but it holds a certain amount of truth to it. It’s very hard to exercise and hope to lose weight if you’re always binging on junk food and not getting the right amount of nutrition into your body.

MyFitnessPal
 is a great app to help you track what you eat; you can track what you eat for breakfast, lunch, dinner or snacks, and either search for the food you eat, scan your meal using your phone’s camera or scan the barcode of certain foods to get their nutrition values. You can also track the amount of water you’ve drank throughout the day and exercises you’ve done, but I’d say to leave the exercise tracking for the other apps.

Unlike FitOn where you have to pay to get access to healthy meals, you can learn recipes from MyFitnessPal for free. There is a huge range of receipts — gluten-free, low sodium, under 500 calories — you name it, they have it.

Combine these free apps for the optimum result!

These are just some of the free apps that we found to be really useful for fitness. I personally will recommend you getting at least two of these apps, one being MyFitnessPal to track your diet. The other app that focuses on workouts depend on your workout routines, whether you like to run, dance, do yoga or any other forms of exercises.

fitness apps
fiton
health apps
J&J Official 7 Minute Workout
Map My Run
MyFitnessPal
Nike Training Club


Best game stores to buy PC games: Steam vs Epic vs Origin

3K

If you’re a budding PC gamer and you’re coming to grips with how buying games work, here’s a guide on how three of the biggest game stores used in Malaysia, and what benefits they offer gamers such as yourself.

Steam

This is
the
go-to platform for most gamers for two reasons – it has arguably the widest inventory of games, which range from comforting indie titles like Stardew Valley, to big-budget AAA games like Cyberpunk 2077. Steam also has two of the worlds’ best e-sports titles in DOTA 2 and Counter Strike: Global Offensive
(which are free-to-play as well
.

Also an added benefit to buying games on
Steam

is the ability to game on the
Steam Deck
, a portable PC created by Valve specifically for its users.
The second reason for its popularity is the inclusion of user reviews for every title – the PC gaming-community can be a harsh one, yes – but they’re usually honest. To make sure these reviews hold water, other users can also rate these reviews – the positively-voted reviews will show up first.

Prices for games are listed in Ringgit (RM) and you can always look forward to sale and promo periods – every festivity is a reason for Steam to give you a discount; and that’s when you can score awesome deals on your wishlist.

Besides that, it has a simple but effective chatting feature that includes voice and text-based communications. Steam can essentially be used as a social networking platform as well with each user owning a personal page, friend-adding, groups for games, and more. On top of that, there’s cloud storage so your data can be carried over across multiple devices.

Epic Games Store

This is a relatively new platform that has resorted to giving out free games one a weekly basis to lure new-comers – and we’ve seen big-name titles such as Control, Grand Theft Auto V, and Hitman go for free; so we’re not complaining.

Although not as extensive as Steam’s, the list of games on
Epic

is plentiful too – there are also ‘
exclusives
’ that can only be found on Epic; think the entire Kingdom Hearts series, Fortnite, Oddworld: Soulstorm,  Dauntless, Hitman 3, and more.

The platform offers discounts and promos too on a regular basis, and Epic sometimes offer vouchers that will make your purchases even cheaper.

The downside with Epic is the lack of a user review section – the closest you get is a link to Open Critic where you can read Audience Reviews. Other users cannot rate these reviews like on Steam, so you should take them with a grain of salt.

On top of that, Epic doesn’t have the same kind of community mechanics built-in such as groups and discussions, and it may be harder to find help for your issues.

Origin

This platform was created by Electronic Arts (EA), if you enjoy their games, you’ll find most, if not all, of their titles listed on this platform. Your choices range from the very extensive Star Wars franchise, to very popular sports titles like
FIFA
 and Madden, plus also shooters like Apex Legends and Battlefield.

It wasn’t until recently that EA started working with Valve to offer their games on
Steam
,
 so there aren’t a lot of exclusives to mention in
Origin’s

lineup of games; but with that said, there are plenty of great titles to choose from – albeit not as extensive as Steam’s.

Origin also offers the EA Play, and Play Pro subscriptions which offer you all sorts of titles available to play for free, those that aren’t free will still get 10% off. Plus, EA Play Pro subscribers can also get early access to new games. The subscription is also offered via Steam, but that you only get the standard EA Play subscription.

If you’re not subscribed, game prices usually stick to retail rates, but some titles can even be cheaper than on Steam.

Flaws of the platform include the total lack of a user reviews column, and store browsing isn’t as enjoyable – it’s filled with not just listings for game titles, but for their DLCs, game passes, and in-game currencies, which makes the page looked cluttered.

There is also no community feature to speak of, and no in-game voice-chat, which was a feature they removed back in 2020; meaning you’ll need to use the in-game comms features, or a third-party app like Discord.

TL:DR

Steam offers the most titles, offer promotions frequently, and a feature-laden platform which consist of community, user reviews, text and voice chat, friend profile pages, and an easy-to-use store.

Epic offers plenty of titles too, plus free weekly games, exclusive titles, and relatively frequent discounts as well. It lacks a proper community hub, and reviews are sourced from third-party pages.

Origin is an EA-focused platform first, but it also has plenty of other titles to choose from too. Use this if you want the EA Play Pro subscription for free games, early access, and 10% discounts on all games. Its store is messy, and there are no community features, or even voice chat.

epic
game store
origin
steam


Best USB PD chargers for iPhone 12

495

The iPhone 12 may no longer include a charger, but to be honest that isn’t necessarily a bad thing since third party chargers are usually much better than the ones included with your iPhone, and since the iPhone 12 is slightly cheaper than its predecessor, its time use the savings to shop for a decent USB PD charger, so here are a few that we recommend you check out.

Most affordable USB PD charger: KUULA 36W USB PD Charger

This is the most affordable USB PD charger that we have managed to come across. At only RM17.90 at the time of writing, this is a Qualcomm Quick Charge 3.0 certified charger that comes with a standard sized USB port and a USB-C PD port that charges devices at 18W each, which makes up to a total of 36W of maximum output.

Buy from
 Lazada

For the traveler: Baseus JY-302PD Multi Adapter USB PD Charger

Although we aren’t able to travel anywhere in the midst of a pandemic, this multi adapter USB PD charger from Baseus is a good investment once this is all over. This charger has both a USB-A and USB-C port that supports a maximum 18W output each, though the total output is limited to 15W when both ports are being used, it still serves as a travel adapter for other devices.

Buy from
Lazada

More ports: Tronsmart 60W 5 Port USB PD Charger

Charging more devices other your iPhone 12? This multi port charger from Tronsmart will help you do that, while its single USB-C port can also charge a laptop with 30W of maximum output, it has four other full-sized USB ports that charges at 10W each, maximum power is capped at 60W when all ports are used.

Buy from
Lazada
, alternatively click
here
 to contact us for a special price.

Most Powerful USB PD Charger: Baseus 120W GaN Charger

Although the iPhone 12 won’t be able to take advantage of this charger’s amazing output, you definitely won’t be disappointed with its portability all thanks to GaN (gallium nitride) technology, it features two USB-C ports that supports up to 100W each and a USB-A port that maxes out at QC 3.0 speeds, both USB-C ports will output at 60W when both are being used, which is perfect for charging your laptop and iPhone 12 at the same time.

Buy from
Lazada

iPhone 12
usb charger
usb pd


Best iPhone 13 accessories you should get in 2021

1.6K

The iPhone 13 pre-order has already begun in Malaysia. If you’re one of the lucky ones who managed to pre-order the iPhone, what you’ll need next are iPhone 13 accessories.

You should get them fast too; even if you haven’t gotten your iPhone, some of these accessories should be bought beforehand so that your iPhone remains safe and secure from the moment you unbox it.

Screen protector

There is nothing more important than a screen protector when it comes to buying a new phone.

In this case, you’re buying a pretty expensive phone — even the iPhone mini will cost you at least RM3,399 — so you have to make sure to install a new screen protector the moment you get your phone.

There are so many types of screen protector…

So, which should you go for? We recommend the
3D Impact Screen Protector
 by Rhinoshield. It’s a new product that has full 3D curved coverage, oleophobic coating and up to 3x impact resistance compared to an unprotected screen.

This screen protector is 0.37mm thick and is made of custom polymer film with surface coating — it isn’t your typical tempered glass even though it feels like it.

Another great feature is its compatibility with all Rhinoshield cases; unlucky users would’ve experienced phone cases that doesn’t match their screen protector, leading to a waste of money and effort.

With this screen protector, you know that it’ll match well with RhinoShield phone cases.

Price: RM134.22

Phone case

I think you know where we’re going with this — if you’re getting the RhinoShield screen protector, you might as well get the RhinoShield phone case.

But it’s not just because they’re from the same brand and are compatible with each other, it’s also because RhinoShield has premium-quality phone cases that offer all-round protection so your phone doesn’t crack easily during accidental drops.

If you want the best protection for your iPhone 13, you should get the
CrashGuard NX
 phone case; the inner surface has a honeycomb structure to increase shock absorption up to 10% while its ShockSpread technology offers at least 11ft of drop protection.

There are also other RhinoShield cases like the
Mod NX
 modular case and the
SolidSuit
 case — the latter is 3mm thin and 30g light.

Price: RM89

20W USB-C Power Adapter

Apple will no longer provide you with an in-box charger when you purchase the iPhone 13 – this is implemented with the launch of the iPhone 12 last year.

That means you either choose to put up with slower charging using the old Apple charger and cable, or get a new USB-C charger so you can enjoy the iPhone 13’s 20W charging speed.

Price: RM99

However, if you haven’t pre-order your iPhone, stores like Machines and iTworld do offer add-on values that let you get the new iPhone and the 20W charger for an extra RM1.

Of course, you can also opt for third-party brands like Belkin, Baseus and UGreen.

Car charger

Getting the iPhone 13 means you’ll be getting a USB-C to Lightning cable; this
Baseus car charger
 offers dual-ports, each supporting 20W charging speed.

Whether you’re using the old or new Lightning cable, both will work with the car charger; plus, you can also charge an additional device with this charger.

Getting this charger will also get you a 1m Type-C cable, so you don’t have to bring your original Apple cable whenever you go out.

Price: RM34.79

MagSafe Charger

Apple introduced the MagSafe technology in iPhones since the iPhone 12; if you wanna fully make use of this feature, you’ll need this
MagSafe Charger
.

The MagSafe Charger is unlike your typical wireless charger – it magnetically attaches to your iPhone and aligns perfectly to ensure fast wireless charging up to 15W. You can use this with the aforementioned 20W USB-C Power Adapter, plus it’ll work with non-MagSafe devices, as long as they support wireless Qi charging.

Price: RM179

MagSafe Wallet

Apple’s original
iPhone Leather Wallet with MagSafe
 is pricey – there, we said it. But fret not as there are many other options in the market right now.

MOFT
 has a MagSafe-compatible
snap-on stand and wallet
 that works with both the iPhone 12 and 13; unlike Apple’s MagSafe Wallet, this accessory from MOFT has a folding design so your wallet can be turned into a phone stand.

As a wallet, this MOFT accessory is only 5mm thin and can hold up to three cards. It’s the perfect accessory for your iPhone if you hate carrying bags and wallets when you’re out – just snap on this MagSafe Wallet and bring it along with your phone.

Price: RM119.88

MagSafe-compatible powerbank/battery pack

If you don’t mind splurging, then the
MagSafe Battery Pack
 is an accessory you should get because iPhones don’t usually boast large batteries, especially the non-pro models.

While it only charges your iPhone wirelessly at 5W max, you can get it up to 15W charging if the battery pack is connected to a USB-C adapter.

It can be an alternative to the MagSafe Charger since it can be a powerbank and a wireless charger.

You can even charge the battery pack and your iPhone at the same time – for faster iPhone charging speeds, connect the cable to the iPhone and it’ll also reverse charge the battery pack.

The only downside is that its wireless charging speed is disappointing, and it doesn’t offer a huge battery capacity – it only comes with a 1,460mAh battery.

Price: RM479

A cheaper option will be the
 Anker PowerCore Magnetic 5K
 that is priced at RM179, but this powerbank only offer up to 5W charging – both wired and wireless.

Even if your iPhone isn’t here yet, you should get some of these iPhone 13 accessories in advanced

These are some of the iPhone 13 accessories that you should get, especially the first two if you don’t want scratches on your new iPhone.

You don’t necessarily have to purchase the accessories from Apple either; some third-party brands offer good products without costing you an arm and a leg.

apple
Baseus
Belkin
iphone 13
MOFT
RhinoShield
UGREEN


Best iPhone 6 Resellers in Malaysia

377

If you’ve seen recent online sources, there have been reports of many local scalpers taking advantage of selling extremely high prices for the
iPhone 6
 and iPhone 6 Plus, they can simply go up as high as RM7800, which you can very much spend that kind of money like buying yourself a flight ticket to Europe or down payment for a brand new car. Despite of that, we recently started to realize that there are some online sellers retailing the grey import of the new
iPhones
 at a reasonable price tag, some even have slightly lower retail prices than our neighboring country Singapore. We are going to show you the list of great
iPhone 6
 andiPhone 6 Plus sellers here.

The screenshot above is sniped from Apple Singapore’s online store, so the
iPhone 6
 and iPhone 6 Plus starts from $988 (RM2,568.80) and $1,148 (RM2,984.80).

Option No.1: Lazada Malaysia

We have to commend Lazada’s business model here as they allow multiple resellers to sell stuffs on their platform, therefore Lazada isn’t exactly a solely owned E-Commerce platform. One of the things that we really recommend buying the
iPhone 6
 and
iPhone 6 Plus
 on Lazada is you get to buy all color and storage options, unlike other sites that merely sell the 16GB model.

Lazada Malaysia has mainly three resellers carrying the iPhone 6 and
iPhone 6 Plus
 – T&L Mobile, Dialog Hub, and DotzConnect. We find that T&L Telecom is offering the new
iPhones
 at the best bang of the buck, you can apply a RM200 voucher from Lazada and even pay by 0% Maybank credit card installment. The only thing is that you won’t be getting any warranty from the reseller, but why worry? You should have Apple’s official warranty then. Other resellers do tend to offer their own warranty services so you may want to consider them as well despite being more expensive, you may click on the banner down below if you want to buy the new
iPhones
 from Lazada.

Option No.2: i-PMart

i-PMart is one of the fastest grey importer in Malaysia and their operations have been quite well known here, they are one of the first to bring in Google’s first generation
Nexus 7
 and now they are now having preorders for the
iPhone 6 16GB
 model starting from RM2,549, if you aren’t too particular about color and storage options, this deal from i-PMart is pretty good and cheaper than Apple Singapore, you also get to have a 1-year warranty from i-PMart and free delivery, except that there are no financial options from i-PMart.

Source:
i-PMart

Option No .3: Satu Gadget Dot Com

If you simply don’t trust online sources, then you can head on to Satu Gadget Dot Com located near Menara PGRM, KL. Their
iPhones
 aren’t selling expensive as well at starting from RM2,555 for the iPhone 6 and RM3,189 for the bigger
iPhone 6 Plus
. The company does also offer online purchase as well with free delivery and there’s even a one year warranty by them.

Source: Satu Gadget Dot Com

Will you still wait for the official arrival?

With prices already that reasonable for the new
iPhones
, despite some not providing warranty services, will you consider waiting for the new iPhones to officially launch here? If you can’t wait, you may want to consider this three options if you want a brand new iPhone.


Here are the best laptops below RM2000

1.1K

I’ve been often asked by friends on which laptop is the best, and unfortunately there is no definite answer to that question, as it really depends on your budget and purpose of usage. Now, choosing a laptop can be mind boggling as well as you can easily miss out on noticing certain hardware, which can eventually lead to a bad experience down the road. Therefore, we have decided to do some investigative work on finding out the best laptops below RM2000, which is an ideal budget for those who doesn’t intend to spend that much on buying a laptop but still require some decency, so here are the list of them for your consideration.

Lenovo IdeaPad MIIX 310

For those who prefer the 2-in-1 form factor, which in laymen’s term means that you can either use it as a tablet or laptop, Lenovo’s IdeaPad MIIX 310 is probably the best machine that you can get out there if you aren’t thinking to do some heavy work. Don’t expect the MIIX 310’s Intel Atom x5-z8350 processor to do any wonders when it comes to running heavy applications like Adobe Photoshop, however it will still be able to handle some lightweight photo editing work. The best thing about the MIIX 310 is that it is the only 2-in-1 laptop that offers 64GB of storage and 4GB DDR3 RAM in that price range, Lenovo also claims that it offers up to 10 hours of local video playback time, but expect less than that if you are going to use the machine for web browsing.

The Lenovo Ideapad MIIX 310 comes with the keyboard dock out of the box, it can be purchased at RM1,188.00 over at
11street
.

ASUS Vivobook Max X441U

If you don’t mind not having Intel Kaby Lake processors on your laptop, then consider ASUS’s Vivobook Max X441U, this laptop has a decent 14-inch display and is powered by an Intel Core i3-6006u processor, best of all it even comes with a GeForce GT920MX 2GB discrete graphics, though you shouldn’t expect it to perform like a gaming laptop, you can expect this machine to do some lightweight MOBA gaming with minimal graphics effect turned on. If you want to make things a little faster, the Vivobook Max X441U can be upgraded to 16GB of RAM and you can manually swap its hard drive to a SSD if you know how to do so.

The ASUS Vivobook Max X441U is currently priced at RM1678 and can be purchased at
11street
.

Lenovo IdeaPad 310-14IKB

Lenovo really knows how to hit the sweet spot price point for its laptops, as the IdeaPad 310-IKB offers a 7th Generation Intel Core i5 processor and NVIDIA GeForce 920MX discrete graphics for less than RM2000, it also offers a 14-inch Full HD resolution display, 4GB of DDR4-2133MHz RAM and a 1TB hard drive, these are definitely things that other PC makers aren’t able to offer at that price tag.

The IdeaPad 310-14IKB is priced at RM1979 at this time of writing and can be purchased over at
11street
, no additional coupon can be applied for this purchase.

That’s all, we think these laptops are really worth your hard earned cash if you are shopping laptops on a tight budget, though there are several models that meets the ideal price point, those laptops come with either under powered hardware or will not perform well after some time, the selection of these laptops are based on our personal opinions and is in no way affiliated with 11street or its merchants.

What do you think? Share this article if you think it is useful!

11street
acer aspire e5-553g
acer malaysia
asus malaysia
asus vivobook max
best laptops below rm2000
buying guide
core i5 laptop below rm2000
ideapad 310-14IKB
laptop buying guide
laptops
laptops below rm2000
laptops below rm2000 malaysia
laptops malaysia
lenovo
lenovo malaysia
lenovo miix 310


Best MCO Mother’s Day gifts under RM200: 2021 Edition

1.3K

We’re yet again celebrating Mother’s Day during another MCO pandemic – so if you’re planning to get mom a gift, here are some useful items she can use while at home!

1. Google Nest Mini

Get a smart little helper at home in the form of the
Google Nest Mini
 – an AI-powered speaker that can in completing tasks!

Talk to it to get information like the time, weather, or news in the morning while you’re getting in your workout; or create a shopping list for when you’re doing your shopping (online that is).

You can also use Voice Match that’s linked to your Google Account to receive
personalised
 info.

Although the device is not officially sold in Malaysia, you should still be able to get the Google Nest Mini via 3rd-distributors on Shopee or Lazada for around RM130-RM160.

2. TP Link Tapo C200

If there’s a need for a watchful eye to keep things in order around the house, the
Tapo C200
 is an affordable
WiFi
-enabled security cam that is easy to set up and use.

The device records in 1080p resolution and offers a decent 30 feet of visibility at night. It also supports motion detection in case you only want it to record when there are moving objects.

To stave off the baddies, the Tapo C200 also comes with an alarm system that can be pretty loud! You’ll also be sent a notification on your mobile app alerting you of a possible intruder. But don’t whip out that
parang
(machete) yet, talk through the camera’s speaker using the app to make sure it’s not a misunderstanding.

The Tapo C200 retails RM105-RM115 at the time of writing, and you can get it from TP Link’s
Lazada
 and
Shopee
 stores.

3. Ausdom AW635 Webcam

During this pandemic, especially during the MCO – video calls have been the go-to mode for connecting with distant family members. The
Ausdom
 AW635
 offers 1080p recording at 30FPS and has automatic light correction that improves picture quality in low-light situations.

The device is plug and play meaning you can hook it up in short notice – useful for when your aunt from Ipoh demands an audience for her daily
gossip
 sessions.

On top of that, the lens equipped in this device captures a 60-degree viewing angle, so more family members can fit in the frame!

The
Ausdom
 AW635 is priced at RM199; purchase from this
link
 and you’re entitled to RM10 off, plus free shipping on your first order!

4. Tronsmart Onyx Ace

With dad and the kids all stuck at home, the house can start to get rackety – for that little bit of ‘me time’, the
Tronsmart
 Onyx Ace
 is a great pair of wireless earbuds to help drown out ceaseless cries for mom.

If your mom is cool and into
bassy
 tunes, the Onyx Ace delivers impressive low-end frequencies; this also means the devices offers decent depth.

The earbuds connect via Bluetooth 5.0 and supports Qualcomm
aptX
, ensuring you get clear audio and calls, plus low latency when watching videos.

The device is also IPX5 water resistant-rated meaning it can withstand sweat and a bit of rain. Furthermore, with a 5-hour battery life, which is just enough time for that gossip session with your aunt from Ipoh.

Get the
Tronsmart
 Onyx Ace at just
RM159
 now. Like the
Ausdom
 AW635, you can also get RM10 off, as well as free shipping if you make this your first order.

5. Cryptocurrency

Image credit: The Independent

Your mom is your biggest investor – she’s given you education, food, and much more;
so,
 to return the
favour
, why no help her invest in some cryptocurrency?

Trading blockchain-based virtual currency is all the rage now and you, can get in on the act via Luno; it’s one of the very few crypto trading platforms
recognised
 by the Malaysian Securities Commission (so this means it’s legit
lah
).

On Luno, you can put down as much as you want on any of these cryptocurrencies – Bitcoin, Ethereum, Ripple,
LiteCoin
, and the recently-added Bitcoin Cash. Besides trading, you could also just look to invest – Bitcoin and Ethereum are widely-adopted forms of currency, like regular money, that people are using to make day-to-day transactions with.

With that said, we feel the need to lay down a disclaimer; we are not responsible for any monetary loss you may experience while you trade in cryptocurrency. Don’t sue us please.

Looking for more gift ideas? Read
here
.

ausdom aw635
bitcoin
google nest mini
luno
mother's day
tapo c200
Tronsmart Onyx Ace


Best MCO Mother’s Day gifts under RM200

479

Mother’s Day – a time for bonding, showing
appreciation
, and lots of shopping; but with how the world is today with the pandemic, our gifting plans need to be tweaked a little to accommodate the shift to stay at home.

Binging with mommy

Image credit: Getty Images

This is an obvious entry into the list, but a Netflix
subscription
 is
the
perfect gift right now. You have a few options to go about getting her a subscription – the first of which would be to let her share your account if you have the Standard (RM45/month). If you have anything less, meaning only one screen can be active at
any time; so consider upgrading
 to the aforementioned Standard membership or Premium membership (RM55/month) to allow more than one screens active at once.

The next option is to get her an account of her own and you can opt for the Mobile subscription (RM17/month) meaning she can only watch on her mobile device – which is fine if your mom
also
 exclusively consumes content from her
smartphone
.

There is a
plethora
 of classics on Netflix in every language so your mom can easily re-watch her
favourite hits
; or she can opt to watch new shows too like
Crash Landing on You
 (there’s an entire library of
K-dramas
 to choose from on Netflix). These shows would make for great time killers considering we’re all staying at home until the MCO lifts – perhaps you could watch a show together with her too.

Get a Netflix subscription here:
Netflix

Workout buddy

Staying fit shouldn’t have to be an afterthought even during
the
 MCO – in fact, you should have more time on your hands now to get in a workout; to make things interesting, why not make your mom your workout buddy at the same time?

One of the best ways to keep track of your progress even during a home workout session is with a fitness tracker – the
Xiaomi Mi Smart Band 4
 is one of the best affordable trackers (RM149) around and it offers a host of personal coach modes and
other
 fitness monitoring features that make
exercising
 at home more holistic.

Besides workout modes, the
Xiaomi Mi Smart Band 4
 can also monitor your heart rate, sleep patterns, and show you notifications too so you can detach from your smartphone a little if you want – you know, since Mother’s Day
is
about bonding with
mama
anyway.

Get the Xiaomi Mi Smart Band 4 here:
Lazada
 /
Shopee

Let a robot do it

Image credit: Lazada

Cleaning that is – it can be a real chore (because it is) to keep a spotless house; but what if you can get a little automated robot to do some of the sweeping and
vacuuming
 for you.

The
MicroBang

BowAI
 automatic vacuum cleaner is good as it is affordable – it’s got all the trappings of one including a 3-in-1 design with sweeping, mopping, and vacuuming cleaner function. The sweepers on the front end drags in hair effectively if you have pets around.

Image credit: Lazada

On top of that, it has smart sensors to keep it off of furniture and navigate around obstacles – standard stuff, but what’s impressive is that the robot emits very little noise – around 40dB according to
MicroBang
. For a retail price of RM159, it’s affordable for what it offers, and you may be able to get it for even cheaper at RM79 at the time of writing.

Buy the MicroBang BowAI here:
Lazada

A good night’s rest

Image credit: Shopee

With financial uncertainty looming over many, difficulty sleeping could be an issue for those affected, including our mamas. In comes
Xiaomi’s
Qualitell
 White Noise Machine
 that also doubles as a B
luetooth
 speaker and wireless charger – all for a retail price of RM149.

White noise refers to sounds that help calm the nerves – with this device, you get seven options including rain, ocean waves, birds chirping, cicadas and more. The device was made to help babies sleep but that doesn’t mean adults can’t use it too. The
device
 is easy to use and is plug-and-play – the volume buttons are on the side and has a minimalistic look that fits with any modern décor.

Image credit: Shopee

The benefit of using a separate machine to emit white noise is that you don’t need to keep your smartphone engaged throughout the night.

But if you choose to play music from your phone, the Xiaomi
Qualitell
 White Nosie Machine also works as a
Bluetooth
 speaker, and its wireless charging function can keep your smartphone powered until you wake up in the morning.

You can get the Xiaomi
Qualitell
 White Noise Machine here:
Shopee
/
Lazada

Keeping track

Image credit: Tile

Is your mother always losing things even when at home?
Tile Mate
 is a Bluetooth tracker that you can hang on items or put into your wallet – then use its companion app on your smartphone to locate the item the tile is attached to.

Conversely, you can use the tile to locate your smartphone – simply double tap on the button on the tile, and your phone will emit a loud sound even if its set to silent mode. The effective range of the Tile Mate is about 150ft so you can definitely use it around your home. On top of that, the device supports Alexa, Google Assistant and Siri too so you can use you can activate it with your voice – useful for when you’re in a hurry.

Image credit: Tile

Its design is also inconspicuous and is thin enough to fit in your wallet or purse without making an obvious
bulge
. The
Tile Mate
 is priced at RM118 per piece, or RM288 for a pack of four. Its
reliablity
 and useful companion app makes the Tile Mate a worthy buy for the forgetful mom.

Get the Tile Mate here:
 Lazada

microbrang
mother's day
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Here are the best November 11 tech deals in 2017 (Updated: 6:15PM)

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November 11 is the day that both e-commerce platforms and shoppers go bonkers, apart from the usual Black Friday and MyCyberSale, it is one that you can usually get crazy deals and discounts on items. If you have been thinking to buy that smartphone, laptop or any tech gadgets, we have compiled a list of tech deals that you should check out, so here goes.

PlayStation 4 Slim 500GB for RM999 @ 11street (Usual Price at RM1,199)

The PlayStation 4 Slim is sold for less than RM1000 on November 11 for one day, it is RM200 cheaper than its usual price with a 1-year official warranty from Sony Malaysia, if you think the savings doesn’t matter than you can also opt to add on a second DUALSHOCK controller for only RM179.

Link:
https://goo.gl/MGyt7n

Up to RM620 off SecretLab Gaming Chairs

A gaming chair is definitely cooler than an executive chair, and with SecretLab’s 11.11 deal, you could get up to RM620 off a SecretLab gaming chair with free shipping, making it probably cheaper than an executive chair. For instance, the SecretLab OMEGA that we reviewed last time now costs RM1396.39 (usual price at RM1939.79), the bigger and latest TITAN chair would cost you RM1551.89 (usual price at RM2155.67).

Link:
https://goo.gl/pnXejg

Acer Aspire E14 @ RM2,499, most affordable laptop with GeForce MX150 GPU

For those who wants a laptop that can do some lightweight gaming, the Acer Aspire E14 comes with an 8th Gen Intel Core i5 processor, 4GB of RAM, 128GB of SSD and 1TB hard drive, and a
GeForce MX150 GPU
, Acer is also offering a
3-year limited warranty
 for the Aspire E14, making this a rather attractive buy.

Link:
Lazada

VMall Honor Flash Sale and Huawei Accessories Discount

If you head on over to vmall.my, Honor Malaysia will be doing a flash sale on their smartphones, devices like the Honor 4C will retail at RM499, while the decently speced two-year old flagship Honor 7 Enhanced will retail at RM649. On the other hand, there are also huge price cuts on Huawei’s and Honor’s phone accessories such as chargers, cases and more.

Link:
VMall.my

Get up to RM510 off MSI Gaming Laptops

MSI is offering huge discounts up to RM510 on its GL, GP, GE and Prestige series laptops over at Lazada’s Online Revolution sale, all you need to do is to apply the relevant coupon codes at the check out page, and you will get the discount off the original price. Furthermore, you can also perform 0% easy installment on all the laptops.

Link:
Lazada

Casio Exilim TR80 for RM2888 @ Lazada

Selfie lovers, you will be happy to know that the Casio Exilim TR80 can now be had for RM2,888, which is RM1,211 off its original price tag. Even though this isn’t exactly an 11.11 exclusive, but you can simply head on to the link down below to purchase one, it also comes with a two-year local warranty.

Link:
Lazada

Lenovo and Motorola 11.11 Smartphone Deals @ Lazada

Lenovo Malaysia is offering huge discounts on devices like the Moto Z, which is going for RM1799. While on new devices like the Moto G5s Plus and Moto X4, you are getting great freebies when you purchase the phones from Lazada.

Link

11% off Digi Postpaid subscription for 10 months

Digi has also joined in the fun with the 11.11 Want One Revolution campaign, customers who signed up for any Digi Postpaid or family plans over at Digi’s website will get 11% discount off their postpaid bills for the next 10 months, you will also get free Lazada vouchers as part of the deal. On top of that, there are also phones on discount as well.

Link:
https://goo.gl/DU1j1x

Galaxy Note FE @ RM2209, available today only at Lazada

The Galaxy Note FE has gone on sale for today, originally priced at RM2,599, you are getting RM390 off the original price and a free Samsung Clear View Cover worth RM259 in the box.

Link:
Lazada

Get Huawei Mate 10 Pro for RM2,899 over at 11street

Originally priced at RM3,099, the Huawei Mate 10 Pro can be yours for RM2,899 after applying 11street’s Shocking Coupon, which will entitle you to a RM200 discount, grab it today as the Shocking Coupon is only available today.

Link:
11street

Great smartphone deals @ Shopee

Shopee is having some great deals on some great Android smartphones, check them out.

OnePlus 3T A3003 – RM1,499 (
Link
)

Huawei Nova 2 Plus – RM1,389, usual price at RMRM1,999 (
Link
)

Honor 8 Pro – RM1,725, usual price at RM1,999 (
Link
)

Harman Kardon Onyx 3 Studio Speaker @ RM349 (UP: RM479)

The Harman Kardon Onyx 3 Bluetooth speaker has gone on sale for a while now, originally priced at RM1,299, it has always been a Lazada Exclusive for RM479. In conjunction with the 11.11 Online Revolution Sale, the Onyx Studio 3 can now be had for only RM349.

Link:
Lazada

Developing…

11.11
11street
crazy sales
lazada
november 11


Best online whiteboards for WFH collabs

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Online whiteboard services are great tools for helping you and your colleagues plan tasks, communicate, and organize projects, whether you’re working from home or in the office.  There are plenty of options to choose from, so in this article, we list down some of the best ones to use.

Miro

This one takes the word “whiteboard” quite literally and offers you a massive virtual canvas to draw, write, and chart on.

This service can be used for free, but with limited features and only three boards, to work with any number of colleagues. Paid subscriptions are priced from $10 per person and opens up more features such as unlimited boards, private board sharing, high-resolution exports, remote meeting toolkit, and more.

With a free account, you’re still afforded a massive workspace that you can do with as you will – draw frames and use them as categorized sections for different tasks, add website and videos links and have them appear as thumbnails, add notes and comments, insert charts or images, and much more.

If you don’t want to create a whiteboard from scratch, you can select from a large variety of templates to start with, each offering different layouts depending on the type of task you’re working on – take for example a brainstorming template for cultivating ideas, workflow charts for managing timelines, and more.

Although you’re limited to just three boards – we reckon it’s more than sufficient for smaller teams that may not need to have plenty of boards running at the same time. Each board can be exported as an image, PDF, template, and many more formats too.

Visit Miro’s website
here
 to start using it now.

Trello

This project-management service has been around for a while now, and it’s a go-to for many enterprises – small and large.

Trello makes use of cards and categorized boards to help you and your team keep track of you’re a project’s progress. The common way to use Trello is to create a starting point and an end for your project timeline – tasks that need to be done first are represented as cards that can be snapped into a board. Each card can be assigned to any team member too.

From there, you can take that same card and snap it onto subsequent boards that represent the next stage of the project. The great thing is, each card can be filled with any info you need – links, document attachments, comments, and more.

Because Trello is all about managing workload and time, you get a nifty calendar, an automated notification system for upcoming deadlines, and integration with Dropbox, Google Drive and Evernote.

Trello can be used for free and you get unlimited cards and can have as many members as you want; you also get 10 boards per workspace, 250 automated command runs per month, 2-factor authentication, and much more. Paid subscriptions start at $5 per user/month and comes with more advanced features.

You can check out what these features are on Trello’s website
here
.

Gather

We previously included Gather in our article about
virtual meeting spaces
 and we also mentioned how versatile this web-based app is; this versatility actually allows it to be used as an online whiteboard too, making it a great option if you really want some semblance of a fun office environment.

As you may already know, Gather is a virtual space first and foremost and its aesthetics take inspiration from 16-bit video games. You and your team create your own avatars and drop into a virtual office of sorts and in there, you can do all sorts of things like have video calls, and even play games!

Within this space, you can place whiteboards that you can use to do presentations, write notes, share documents, and much more.

A free account lets you have up to 25 people in a room at any given time, have customizable maps, and make your rooms password protected.  Visit Gather’s website
here

to get started.

Notion

Notion is great for larger teams as you get to create a workspace that is filled to the brim with recourses – giving your team a one-stop access to a comprehensive database that contain information like company guidelines, and the sort.

Like every good whiteboard collaboration app, Notion offers features like making notes, having creating roadmaps, uploading documents, creating calendars, assigning tasks to members, and so much more.

You start by creating workspaces which will contain pages that can either be blank, or be a template – from there you can add items like calendars, notes, and more. The workspaces that you create can be easily accessed from a menu on the left of your screen that’s akin to navigation pane on your Windows 10 explorer.

Notion is free to use for one person and you invite five guests who can also edit the workspace that you have. You can also get a Team subscription which will cost you $8 per member/month – the benefit of this is that you can have an unlimited number of members, advanced permissions, and more.

Visit Notion’s website
here

to get started.

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Best PCIe Gen4 SSD to buy for your PlayStation 5 in Malaysia

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Sony recently released a beta update that unlocks the extra SSD storage slot in the PlayStation 5, allowing selected users in the beta program to add additional storage in their console.

If the beta tests go swimmingly, we can expect the official update to roll out soon; and i
n preparation for that, here’s a list of some of the best options available now so you can start filling up your shopping cart.

Samsung 980 PRO

Samsung makes some of the best SSDs around, so you’re spending your money not just on performance, but reliability as well. Besides being a go-to premium option for PC gamers, Samsung has an SSD that’s compatible for the PS5 too which comes in the form of the
980 PRO
.

This drive offers up to 6,900MB/s of sequential read speeds, in comes in the 2280 form factor, and it comes with Samsung’s Dynamic Thermal Guard technology that uses software to help it stay relatively cool.

The 980 PRO
costs

about RM699 for the 500GB model, RM1,399 for the 1TB version, and RM2,699 for the 2TB version.

Western Digital WD Black SN850

The
SSD

meets all the requirements set by Sony, including a speedy sequential write speed of up to 7,000MB/s.
Western Digital
 lists this at RM612 for the 50GB version,  RM1,010 for the 1TB model, and RM2,340 for the 2TB variant.

There’s a version of the WD Black SN850 that comes with a chunkier heatsink as seen in the picture above, but we couldn’t find a reliable source that sells this version of the product.

ADATA XPG GAMMIX S70 Blade

ADATA claims that
this 2280 form factor drive
 is capable of delivering sequential read speeds of up to 7,400MB/s!

This one comes with a
heatsink

too, and ADATA claims the it can lower temperatures up to 20 percent based on their own internal tests.

The XPG GAMMIX S70 Blade can be attained for
around

RM938 for the 1TB model, and around RM1,818 for the 2TB version.

Gigabyte AORUS Gen4 7000s

The
AORUS Gen4 7000s
 is one of the more readily-available models in the country right now, and it offers everything you need for your PS5 – speedy 7,000MB/s sequential write speeds, a beefy-looking heat spreader, up to 2TB of capacity, and just the size and format required by the console.

The 1TB SSD will
set you back
 around RM965, while the 2TB version will cost you around RM1,769.

Disclaimer: We are not affiliated with any of the shops and brands listed in the article. The prices mentioned could be different for you depending on where you shop.

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Here are the best (prepaid) telco plans for students in 2021

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The significance of good telco plans for students have increased over the year. Students are now depending on the internet to attend classes, take exams and discuss assignments.

Ideally, a house with WiFi will be beneficial to a student. But what if you can’t afford a WiFi plan at home, or your WiFi breaks down at the exact moment when you have to attend your lecture, or take your exam?

Well, that’s where your telco plans come in.

If you’re a student who has to pay for your own telco plan, chances are you’re looking for one that’s affordable. Needless to say, a plan with good internet will be necessary in this scenario, hence why we believe the telco plans below will be the most fitting for students.

Digi Pakej Data Khas Pelajar

This RM20 monthly prepaid plan is literally made for students — you’ll have to be aged between 12 to 24 to subscribe to this high-speed internet plan.

The pros of this plan is that you’ll enjoy high-speed internet without restrictions — no speed cap, no speed limit or time limit. This is the only prepaid plan in our list to offer these features; the following plans are all limited to different speed caps.

However, the downside to
Pakej Data Khas Pelajar
 is that you’ll only get 15GB of internet. Once that’s finished, you’ll have to subscribe to Digi’s Monthly Plan Booster for extra internet.

That being said, 15GB of internet should be more than enough if you’re not using it for video streaming or ‘training’ your PUBG/Mobile Legends skills.
That’s right students, focus on your studies.

We do have an alternative if you’re looking for more internet — the Next 35 prepaid plan. For RM35/month, you can enjoy the same benefits as the special package mentioned above, but instead of getting only 15GB of internet, you’ll get 30GB and unlimited calls to all networks.

Hotlink Prepaid Unlimited

Here’s another RM20 monthly prepaid plan you can opt for; unlike the Digi plan, the Hotlink Prepaid Unlimited offers unlimited internet and unlimited calls to all networks.

If you’re a student by day and a drama-binger by night, you’ll also get to enjoy free premium Viu subscription. Pair that with Hotlink’s unlimited internet, you won’t have to worry about finishing your internet data overnight.

So, what’s the catch? Well, this prepaid plan comes with a speed cap at 3Mbps. According to Hotlink, this is ideal to stream 720p videos, so you should expect some buffer time if you’re trying to watch videos at 1080p or higher.

Still, the speed cap should not hinder your zoom calls — so there are
no excuses
 not to attend your classes.

U Mobile Giler Unlimited GX38

Priced at RM35/month, the
GX38
 offers unlimited data with a speed cap of 6Mbps, unlimited calls and 12GB of hotspot. If we compare this to the Hotlink plan, you won’t get a Viu subscription, but you’re getting faster internet speeds and hotspot data to share with your family members — perhaps your younger siblings who also need to attend online classes.

You can also opt for the GX30 plan which is RM5 cheaper, but you’ll be missing out on unlimited calls (who needs them these days?) and your hotspot data will be cut down to 6GB. The GX38 offers more value, but if you have no need for the extra hotspot data or unlimited calls, then the GX30 plan should be good enough.

So…what’s the best one?

We think all three plans are great and they each have their pros and cons, so it wouldn’t be fair for us to say one is better than the other. But if you’ve read everything above and still can’t decide, here’s our advice:

Pakej Data Khas Pelajar: best if you have WiFi at home (for backup) and prefer no speed caps

Hotlink Prepaid Unlimited: best for entertainment and study

U Mobile Giler Unlimited GX38: best for sharing with family and friends

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hotlink
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Best smartphones below RM2,000 in 2021

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Great smartphones are a dime a dozen, and we’ve arrived at a point in time, you don’t have to fork out hefty amounts on a really good device.

For less than RM2,000, there are plenty of great smartphone in the market that offer impressive features, performance, and longevity as well.

Xiaomi Mi 10T series

This was one of
2020’s
 standout products thanks to its performance-to-price ratio – it retails from RM1,699 but you should be able to find it for a bit less if from reliable retailers.

For that kind of money, you get a Snapdragon 865 5G chipset which was one of the most powerful chipsets of 2020 – and with it, the
Xiaomi Mi 10T
 smartphones could handle almost any game you throw at it; the only exception is, of course, Genshin Impact; heck even 2021 chipsets can’t handle this game properly.

The phones decent photography devices too – the Mi 10T has a 64MP main lens, while the Mi 10T Pro has a 108MP lens. The latter costs RM1,999, so if you don’t really do high-res photography, the regular Mi 10T will do just fine.

The downsides of owning a Mi 10T or Mi 10T Pro is that both phones are very heavy for a modern-day device – they weigh at least 216g and is 9.3mm thick; this makes the phones uncomfortable to hold in one hand. Another drawback to the Mi 10T series is the IPS LCD screens – they don’t produce punchy colours like AMOLED panels do.  But a plus point is that they support 120Hz refresh rates!

Samsung Galaxy S20 FE 4G

This
 phone
 is the closest you’ll get to a well-rounded flagship experience thanks to its powerful chipset, great build quality, and impressive Super AMOLED display.

One of the biggest draws of the phone is its classy design – the matte finish back panel feels premium while the curved edges of the chassis make the phone easy to hold. Its 190g weight and slim 8.4mm body makes it one of the easiest phones on this list to slip into your pocket.

The Galaxy S20 FE also packs a gorgeous 6.5-inch Super AMOLED panel that makes colours pop – meaning content consumption and social media browsing on this device is a treat.

Under the hood is an Exynos 990 chipset that was also one of the more powerful flagship chipsets of 2020 alongside the Snapdragon 865. The latter is technically the better performing chip, but the Exynos is still a beast in its own right.

For imaging, although the Galaxy S20 FE doesn’t have a high-res lens – it’s 12MP triple-camera setup still gets the job done thanks to Samsung’s reliable photography software.

vivo V21 5G

If fancy photography is what you’re after – particularly in the selfie department – the
vivo V21 5G
 is a good option. It offers a 64MP triple lens setup at the back, alongside an impressive 44MP selfie shooter – all while priced at RM1,899.

For selfies, you get high-res shots thanks to that 44MP shooter; on top of that, there’s also OIS video recording too even on the front lens. In poor lighting conditions, the Super Night Selfie feature helps you take brighter shots with minimal noise.

If conditions are
really
bad, you can also use the Dual Selfie Spotlight feature, that will brighten up your face using two bright lights located at the top of your phone.

The main camera lenses are capable of getting you sharp images with decent colour reproduction – while the 64MP camera can get you more detailed shots that you can use for physical prints as well.

Under the hood is a MediaTek Dimensity 800U chipset which will do fine at running popular games like Mobile Legends and Call of Duty Mobile without stuttering.
 With the addition of the phone’s ability to use 3GB of storage to use as
temporary RAM
, the vivo V21 can handle multitasking well too!

POCO F3

This is the most affordable phone in the list, which makes it one of the best bang-for-your-buck options – this phone retails at from RM1,399 for the 6GB+128GB model, while the 8GB+256GB version only costs RM1,699.

For that price, you’re getting one heck a package – powering the phone is a Snapdragon 870 chipset which was introduced early this year. The chip outperforms the older Snapdragon 865 by some margin in both CPU and GPU performance, while maintaining impressive power efficiency as well.

Another plus point for the
POCO F3
 is its 6.67-inch AMOLED display that pushes a 120Hz refresh rate, along with support for HDR10+ and 100% DCI-P3 colour output.

All this fits in a 7.8mm thin body so it’ll still fit in your pockets nicely. On top of that, you also get a dual stereo speaker system that’s Dolby Atmos certified.

This is an ongoing write-up and more suggestions will be included soon; so, stay tuned on our website for updates!

POCO F3
samsung galaxy s20 fe
smartphones under rm2000
vivo v21 5g
xiaomi mi 10t series


Best streaming services in Malaysia: Netflix vs Apple TV+ vs Disney+ Hotstar vs Astro Sooka

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In Malaysia, there are four major content streaming services to choose from; each offering their own take on streaming by way of content selection, and pricing. With so many options on the table, we know choosing one to subscribe to can be a real head-scratcher.

To help you decide, here’s our breakdown of each service and what they offer.

Netflix

This service needs little to no introduction – tell a friend you don’t have a
Netflix
 subscription, and you’ll likely be met with a sharp glare. Well, with its repertoire of award-winning originals and box office hits, your friend may have a point.

The barrier of entry to this much-lauded service is small – a low RM17/month lets you stream on one phone or tablet at a time, with content playing at SD resolution. The Basic (RM35) package is a step up for single-user accounts, letting you stream on TVs, and laptops.

The value however is at in the Standard (RM45) package – it lets you stream at HD quality instead of SD, and lets you watch on two devices at one time. Divvy up the bill with the second user, and you’re only paying RM22.50/month for better streaming quality.

If mom and dad
want
 in on the action – Premium (RM55) is the way to go; four devices can watch at one time, all at Ultra HD resolution!

With Netflix, you get both quality and quantity in terms of content – originals like Stranger Things, Lupin, and Alice in Borderland will keep you occupied for days on end. A vast collection of licensed movies and shows from across the globe are available too, including local titles like Polis Evo, Paskal, and Sangkar.

Apple TV+

Like Netflix,
Apple TV+
 can be streamed across plenty of devices such as the Apple TV box, iPhone, iPad, Mac; as well as devices like the PlayStation, Xbox, and some smart TVs from Samsung, LG, VIZIO, and Sony. The only unsupported devices here are Android phones and tablets – however, Apple TV+ is supported on Android TV.

A monthly subscription will only set you back RM19.90 and you get a one-week free trial too, which is a more accessible and streamlined barrier of entry compared to Netflix. To sweeten the deal, just get the Apple One four-in-one service subscription; for the same price you also get Apple Music, Arcade, and iCloud (50GB) on top of Apple TV+. Plus, if you purchase an Apple device, you’ll get a year’s worth of Apple TV+ for free!

For content, Apple TV+ makes up for the lack of quantity with quality – originals like See, Home Before Dark, Central Park, and
Wolfwalkers
 offer plenty of entertainment for viewers across different age groups. If you’re looking for older films and shows that aren’t originals, Netflix will still be your best bet.

Disney+ Hotstar

Need to scratch that itch for nostalgia?
Disney+
Hotstar
 is finally available in
Malaysia
 via their website or app, as well as through Astro. The initial price is RM54.90 for a three-month subscription, which is equivalent to RM18.30.

Your subscription lets you watch on two devices at the same time at 1080p resolution, or 4K for certain titles if you’re an Android TV or Apple TV user.

The biggest selling point for Disney+
Hotstar
 is obviously its plethora of Disney titles – old and new. Think movies like the critically-acclaimed Soul, nostalgia-inducing Mickey Mouse series, and even all the Star Wars content you can ever ask for.

There’s a decent selection of local, Hindi, and Chinese titles as well. Disney+
Hotstar
 has something for everyone.

Astro Sooka

Malaysia’s biggest satellite TV provider is putting their hat in the ring with the introduction of
Sooka
 – a streaming service that offers both free and paid content.

The range of titles include dramas and flicks from Malaysia, Korea, Hong Kong, Indonesia, China and much more. At the moment, there doesn’t seem to be any English content included in the list. Some of these contents – including
Sooka
 exclusives – are put behind a RM15.90/month paywall called the VIP Entertainment plan.

There’s also the VIP+ Sports plan that costs RM41.90/month which will allow you access to football, badminton, Formula 1, and much more. At the time of writing, this subscription lets you catch the ongoing EURO 2020 tournament too. There are also 17 live channels too which include names like
tvN
, Astro SuperSports, Astro Arena,
eGG
 Network, and Astro Awani.

You can stream
Sooka
 via their app, which is available on the Google Play Store, and the Apple App Store; or via their website
here
.


Best virtual spaces to make WFH meetings more fun!

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If you’re tired of using the same video conferencing platforms for your remote meetings, these unique virtual spaces put a spin on virtual meeting platforms using immersive worlds, and engaging mechanics.  Next month’s quarterly sales meeting is going to be
lit
!

Gather

You’ve likely been pulled by your peers into a session on this video-game inspired app before – Gather puts users and their adorable avatars in a 16-bit space that has the same charming aesthetics of games like Stardew Valley and Habbo Hotel.

You can use the app for free, or you can also choose to subscribe to get more benefits; however, it’s not necessary because a free account still lets you have up to 25 people in a map, plenty of customizable maps, and password protected access – which plenty enough.

The way Gather works is that each map is dissected into different areas and private zones – like an actual office building; when two people are in a private zone together, they automatically engage in a video or voice call; people outside these zones will not be able to hear or see you; if you’re feeling particularly upset with Steve that day, head over to the virtual pantry with Jen and vent away – Steve won’t hear it!

Other features include whiteboards for work discussions, shared documents, games that you can play to de-stress, and more! You can also spruce up your personal space with objects to make it your own – maybe put some Wisteria trees at the entrance to make your room more enchanting, games to make it a lounge where people can hang out!

You can try out Gather

here
.

Topia.io

This uses the same proximity-based video conferencing mechanics as Gather where both your avatars need to be close in order to engage in conversation. The difference between the two apps is that Topia.io uses a wider variety of art styles that make each experience different.

Topia.io is free to use, or you can also opt to upgrade your account for more features – with the basic account, you get to customize your world which fits up to 25 people, embed a website, shop, add sounds or live streams, and make your world private with passwords.

The world in Topia doesn’t resemble an office, but rather an open and scenic space with trees, lakes, campfires, and more. You can choose desert landscape, or beachside; and add any object you want in the world to spruce it up.

Start using Topia.io

here
.

Microsoft Teams Together and Zoom Immersive View

These two features in the popular Microsoft Teams and Zoom apps do away with gridded squares, and opt for a more holistic virtual meeting experience by putting all members in front of a virtual background.

You’ve seen this feature used a lot by classrooms, and it’s a great way for one person to address an audience – meaning this is useful in a work setting should there be any presentations, or town hall meetings.

These features aim to aid in reducing video fatigue and improve group cohesion, and allow us to tap into our social and spatial awareness systems so talking to a group of people can feel more natural.

Visit
MS Teams

or
Zoom
 to find out how to use these features.

VR Chat

This is the outlier in our list mainly because it’s actually a video game – but that doesn’t mean it can’t be used as a video conferencing tool either. VR Chat is free-to-play and you can get it on Steam.

As the name suggests, this VR game puts players in a virtual world where you can pick your avatar and interact with one another – which is as immersive as you can get as far as virtual conferences go. This option is great if your colleagues have their own
VR sets
, but those who don’t can also play it using their keyboard and mouse.

You can create private world too, and simply send the invite links to your peers. The downside to VR Chat is that it may not be accessible to those who don’t have the system requirements to run the game. But the upsides are plenty – including the option to go as Shrek or a weirdly distorted Pikachu.

Download VR Chat
here
.

So those are some of few ways you can spice up your next meeting, and have fun while discussing quarterly sales numbers. Let us know if you’d like to see more added to list down in the comments!

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Beta version of Android Nougat sets 1080p as Galaxy S7's default resolution

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Android Nougat is currently in beta form when it comes to Samsung’s sole flagship of 2016, the Galaxy S7. The beta software includes not only new features from Android Nougat, but also has a series of tweaks and improvements surrounding Samsung’s TouchWiz UI. According to Android Central, the latest beta software update brings a new quirk to the Galaxy S7, in terms of its display resolution.

The folks at Android Central have reported that the latest Nougat beta for the Galaxy S7 has its screen resolution adjusted to 1080p as the default screen resolution. Fortunately for beta testers, this doesn’t come as much of an issue as users are able to tweak the resolution back to the sharper QHD resolution. This feature, in a way isn’t exactly new, given the fact that the unlucky Galaxy Note 7 introduced a battery saving measure whereby it would lower the display resolution from 1440p.

In the Galaxy S7’s case, users have the option to select between HD resolution at 720p, Full HD resolution at 1080p and QHD resolution 1440p. The only tiny problem is that 1080p resolution will be default along with the latest beta software. Scaling down display resolutions isn’t something new as well. The Xperia Z5 Premium, a handset which supposedly has a 4K display, only renders media in 4K, but for the most part runs only at 1080p resolution.

Samsung will certainly be fixing this issue when the next beta software update rolls out. Meanwhile, adjusting the display resolution back up to 1440p can be done in a matter of seconds via the Galaxy S7’s settings menu. Maybe Samsung thinks that the S7 does not have to run on QHD resolution all the time, or not? What do you think?

Source:
Android Central

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Beta versions of Apple's various software updates released

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Apple has started rolling out beta versions of its software updates across its various devices and platforms. These include – iOS 9.3 beta 1 for iPhone and iPad, El Capitan 10.11.4 beta 1 for Mac, tvOS 9.2 beta 1 for Apple TV and watchOS 2.2 beta for Apple Watch. One thing to note is both iOS 9.2.1 and OS X 10.11.3 are still running in beta, which means developers are testing multiple betas simultaneously.

Developers have the option to view statistics using App Analytics in iTunes Connect on their Apple TV, a feature available on tvOS’ latest beta release. Apart from being able to see data on product page views, downloads and engagement, developers also have access to view the number of iOS users acquired with their marketing campaigns, also through App Analytics.

All these versions of Apple software updates are available for download at the company’s Developer Center website. We’re hoping to see more rollouts by Apple prior to their Keynote and WWDC (Worldwide Developers Conference) this year.

Source:
9to5Mac

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Bethesda is bringing Legend of Zelda content to Skyrim on the Switch

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Are you a fan of the famous Zelda franchise and the equally popular Elder Scrolls franchise? Well, hold on to your pants because Skyrim is confirmed to be coming to the Switch and not only that, Nintendo and Bethesda have confirmed that they are bringing something special to the game for both Zelda and Elder Scrolls fans.

By tapping the Link Amiibo on the Switch while playing Skyrim, it will give you a loot box that contains Link’s blue tunic, the Hylian Shield, and the Master Sword and what sets the icing on the cake is that all these equipment can be controlled by motion using the JoyCon, one for each hand.

 Bethesda did not confirm when will the game be out on the Switch but they did mention that it will come out sometime this fall. If you are playing on the PC well I would not worry too much as the modding scene for the PC is huge that there is already countless mods that contain content from the Zelda games.

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