Android Pay teams up with PayPal for more opportunities

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Android Pay has been stepping up its game lately, with various efforts to expand on its availability. Although the contactless payment method by Google hasn’t been made available in Malaysia, Google has partnered up with numerous banks from select regions, plus improvement of integration with certain mobile bank apps for easier use of cards with Android Pay.

Google has announced a new partnership which will potentially bring Android Pay to the next level. This time, it is with PayPal, probably the most popular online payment system around. Honestly, it would be a shame if these two platforms weren’t united. Since PayPal already has millions on its userbase, the payment system can soon be linked to be used with Android Pay. This means that on top of bank cards, you will soon be able to use your PayPal account to make payments via Android Pay.

Google has stated that users can expect the new feature to arrive within the next few weeks, at least for the US region. Soon, users will be able to tap and pay using their PayPal account. What do you think?

Source:
Google

android pay
card
contactless
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Android phone manufacturers in EU will have to pay for Google apps

1.1K

Google was charged with a $5 billion fine from the EU few months back and this led to its current decision to change its policy in Europe. Now in Europe, Android phone manufacturers will need to pay Google if they want the devices to come with Google Play Store and other pre-installed apps.

Hiroshi Lockheimer, Google’s senior Vice President of platforms stated that the new European rules dictate that Android phone manufacturers will have to pay licensing fees to Google for Play Store and apps like Youtube, Google Maps, Gmail and so forth, though Google Search and Google Chrome will remain free of charge.

Google will also allow “forked” versions of its free mobile operating system to be sold in Europe, which means smartphone brands may ship their phones with the Play Store even though it’s not running on Android OS. Google is basically providing choices for Android phone manufacturers to produce devices with the Play Store and other Google’s apps without Google Chrome and Google Search, or get Chrome and Search without the Play Store and Google apps, or get both like most of the current smartphones.

The new policy will be implemented starting 29 October as compliance to European Commission’s ruling. It is most likely that the final consumers will have to pay a higher price for their devices if they want to include Play Store and Google apps.

EU
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Android powered BlackBerry DTEK60 goes official

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Earlier this month, struggling company BlackBerry happened to leak details and specs of the DTEK60 on its official website. Today, the handset has finally been unveiled by the manufacturer, making it BlackBerry’s third ever Android powered smartphone, after the Priv and the DTEK50. The BlackBerry Priv was an impressive product from the company’s first attempt on the Android OS, straying away from its own operation system. The DTEK60 goes a step up from the recently launched DTEK50, with improved specs.

For starters, the BlackBerry DTEK60 sports a larger 5.5-inch display at QHD resolution. Its internals are of flagship standard – a Snapdragon 820 processor clocked at 2.15 GHz, 4GB of RAM with 32GB of onboard storage. Internal storage is expandable via a micro SD slot which supports up to a whopping 2TB of extra memory. The camera optics department consists of a 21MP PDAF rear camera with a dual tone LED flash, coupled with a 8MP selfie camera with f/2.2 aperture.

The DTEK60 packs a bigger battery 3,000mAh battery than the 2,610mAh in the mid range DTEK50. The former supports Quick Charge 3.0 via its USB Type-C port. The DTEK50 on the other hand features an older micro USB port with Quick Charge 2.0 support. The BlackBerry DTEK60 carries a price tag of $499 (RM2,072.57) and is currently available on BlackBerry’s website in selected countries such as the United States, Canada and the UK, just to name a few. What are your thoughts on BlackBerry’s latest Android handset?

Source:
BlackBerry

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Android Q will support desktop mode with multi-screen features

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While there were no huge announcements about this at Google I/O, google has been low-key developing a desktop mode for Android devices, which indicates that they’re taking this feature seriously.

It was briefly mentioned when a developer spoke about foldable, multi-display and also large screen devices, and this support will actually come in Android Q. According to Slash Gear, Samsung and HUAWEI are two companies who are already testing out desktop mode, but even then there have been many OEMs and third-party developers who attempt to create desktop mode for Android devices.

Basically, the app needs to support multi-screens for users to use it on two screens (phone and monitor screens). Moreover, multi-resume feature was discussed, stating that one app can be running while another app has focus, unless they are clashing in resource usage such as microphone and camera. To put it simply, if you’re using a camera app on one hand and trying to video call on another, only one app will work since there’s only one resource to rely on.

In Android Q, a new API is also added to check security restrictions to allow the launch of an activity on a specific display, and there is added support for software keyboard window and wallpapers on secondary screens.

android
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Android Q’s multi-resume feature allows split screen apps to run simultaneously

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After the release of Android Pie, people are already expecting new features from Android Q, the tenth version of Android which is now announced at the Android Dev Summit to have a multi-resume feature.

Android Q is rumoured to be available sooner than expected, whereby it’s said to make GSI (Generic System Images) earlier than the release of next Android version. This is something that is difficult to achieve, but the engineer of Google’s Project Treble team said that they’re in progress of achieving that so that users can actually experience new features in the Android Q before it’s even released to public.

Now as we’re discussing on the new features, the multi-resume feature is something that many are looking forward to. While the split screen feature is already old news, users who are always using the feature will know that while one app is playing, the other app usually pauses. Now the Android Q’s new feature will allow both apps to play simultaneously, meaning your app will not be in a paused state as you use the other app.

The multi-resume feature is expected to be available as early as next year, and users with Android Pie users will be able to experience the new feature if the apps and OEM opt in to test on their Android Pie devices which will require software updates. Meanwhile, the Android Q is also rumoured to have more features that are compatible with the foldable smartphones such as screen continuity and multi-displays features.

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This Android smartphone is the splitting image of the iPhone X

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But then again, what is new? Android smartphone makers especially Chinese ones are often known for creating carbon copies of flagship phones from the likes of Samsung and Apple. While the number of iPhone X clones are on the rise, we feel that this particular one by far resembles Apple’s revolutionary handset the most.

You may or may not have heard of Leagoo before. This company has officially released a slew of smartphones to the Malaysian market, and the Leagoo S9 might be next. Seen in the image above, you probably won’t be able to differentiate the Leagoo S9 from the iPhone X at first glance. The former sports a similar looking design as the latter, with the exception of a slightly larger chin below the display. Leagoo has took the liberty to copy the iPhone X’s notch and also included a rear fingerprint sensor.

Its specs and software is where you will find a world of difference. The Leagoo S9 will be powered by a MediaTek P40 processor, aimed to battle Qualcomm’s mid range chipsets, alongside 6GB of RAM and 128GB of storage. The dual rear camera setup consists of two 16MP sensors.

This phone hasn’t gone official just yet, but Leagoo did mention that the S9 will cost a fraction of the iPhone X’s price at under $300 (RM 1,225.15). That’s lesser than a third of the iPhone X’s $1,000 price point.

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Android tablets won't get Google Assistant

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Google has recently announced the availability of its Assistant to be rolling out to Android devices. Android devices that will support Google Assistant are the ones running Android 6.0 Marshmallow and above. One would expect Android tablets to get the Assistant treatment as well, but it turns out that Google has officially confirmed that Google Assistant won’t be rolling out to Android tablets.

The folks at Android Police cleared up the confusion regarding the rollout of Google Assistant to Android tablets by getting official word from Google:

“
The Assistant will be available on Android Marshmallow and Nougat phones with Google Play Services, this does not include tablets.”

It turns out that Google has no plans to have its Assistant on Android tablets, at least for now (hopefully). This might be bad news for those who are keen to have Assistant on their Android tablets as it does come in handy at times. The good news is Google did not mention that Assistant won’t ever arrive to tablets, so there’s some light in that. Does that mean that the Galaxy Tab S3 will not have Assistant as well? Because that would definitely be a waste.

Source:
Android Police

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Android users can now create their own WhatsApp stickers

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WhatsApp sticker feature is something its users are currently enjoying, with the 12 packs of stickers available to be downloaded for free at the Sticker Store. But what’s new now is that there are third party apps that can create your personal WhatsApp stickers.

For now, there’s two third party apps called “Sticker Studio” and “Sticker maker for WhatsApp” that will allow you to create stickers of your own. While the instructions might differ on both apps, basically you’ll just have to import images to the app or use the app to take photos, and then outline the part of the image that you want to use as a sticker.

You’ll have to create at least three stickers per pack for it to be published, and once you’ve published you’ll be able to use your own WhatsApp stickers in the app. For now, these apps are only available on Google Play hence iOS users might not be able to create their own stickers but maybe in the near future there will be others developing iOS apps that allow iPhone users to create their own stickers for WhatsApp.

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Android users can now use Incognito mode in Google Maps

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Are you heavily dependent on Google Maps but still paranoid about being stalked somehow? Well, Google Maps has launched Incognito mode for Maps, so you don’t have to worry about people knowing about places you’ve been.

Currently, the Incognito mode is only available for Android users, though iOS support is said to be on its way too. With Incognito mode switched on, the Maps app won’t be sending you any notifications, nor will it be able to save your browse and search history. In addition, it will not be utilising your personal data to personalise Maps for you and if won’t be able to update your location history or shared locations.

Moreover, you won’t be able to use offline maps, commute and media integration. The way we see it, the whole Incognito mode is to keep you off the radar of everyone else, except for yourself. To turn it on, you just have to tap on your profile picture in the app and select “Turn on Incognito mode”.

On Google’s support page, the Google employee also mentioned that the Incognito feature is rolling out in stages, so if you’re an Android users who hasn’t receive the update, just be patient.

android
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Incognito


Android users can start testing Plants vs. Zombies 3 in its pre-alpha stage

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The next Plants vs. Zombies game is officially revealed by EA — currently in a pre-alpha stage that Android users can choose to download via Google Play Store to test it out.

PopCap Games, the creator of Plants vs. Zombies, is making the game available for players now so that they can further improve the gameplay, though they warned that there will be bugs and other issues since it’s still under development. For now, only Android users with Android 6 and above are eligible to play Plants vs. Zombies 3.

The game is free for download, but there is a limit to the amount of download per phase. If you couldn’t download at first, the game may have reached its limit of downloads, so you’ll have to be patient and try again another day. PopCap Games also mentioned that there will be no microtransactions in the game during its pre-alpha stage and it is possible for player’s game progress to be reset due to adjustments that have to be made throughout the game’s development.

There’s also no confirmation on its worldwide release date yet, but those who are interested can sign up
here
 to receive the latest Plants vs. Zombies news.

Plants vs. Zombies


Android users will soon get an in-app browser in WhatsApp

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WhatsApp is about to take it up a notch by introducing an in-app browser, but this will first appear in its beta version.

To be clear, the new feature is found in the 2.19.74 beta update, in which the in-app browser will appear when WhatsApp users try to open a link. There will also be a Safe Browsing feature that will inform users when they enter any sites that have malicious content.

Image credit: WABetaInfo

WABetaInfo wrote, “In the current stage of development, WhatsApp doesn’t allow to natively make screenshots or video captures while using the in-app browser: reasons are unknown and I don’t know if this will change before the release of the feature.”

That aside, WABetaInfo also said that the new update will require Android 4.1 or newer, so it means that WhatsApp will definitely be introducing this feature to Android users. With that being said, iOS users should not worry too, as the company usually ensures that both iOS and Android users get all the features the app has to offer.

android
in-app browser
whatsapp


Android Wear 2.9 brings notification indicators to all watch faces

323

Google has finally updated Android Wear to the latest version and it brings a feature that will excite users. The 2.9 update will bring unread notification indicators, a dot with a circle will appear at the bottom of the watch face, to indicate that there are unread notifications.

Google has also mentioned that the notification indicator can be modified by developers using the new Android Wear SDK 2.2.0. Developers are able to change the position of the indicator or even change it from the default indicator to one that shows notification counts. The new SDK will also bring better permission handling and new drawable callbacks that will improve custom developed watch face performance and it comes with an emulator based on Android Oreo.

Android Wear SDK 2.2.0 is currently out and developers can start working on further enhancing their watch faces, and version 2.9 for Android Wear is currently rolling out to devices around the world. Don’t forget to check if your Android smartwatch has already received the update by checking the Android Wear app on your phone.

2.9
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Android Wear 2.0 Developer Preview 3, no official launch for 2016

315

Development for Android Wear 2.0 has been rather slow at a crawling pace this year. With major manufacturers stating that they won’t be launching Android Wear smartwatches this year, the official release of Android Wear 2.0 has apparently been pushed back to some time in 2017. Meanwhile, Google has just released the Developer Preview 3 for the wearable OS.

The announcement, which comes from the Android Developers official blog, states that the Android Wear 2.0 Developer Preview 3 features a major add-on – Google Play Store. With the new Play Store on Android Wear, users can now install watch-only apps, meaning that if a user only wants the app to be on his smartwatch, he doesn’t necessarily have to get it installed in his Android handset. The major addition also means that users can now browse through recommended apps on their watch home screen, or search up on apps using voice, the new keyboard or handwriting.

Along with the announcement, Google has also mentioned the timeline for Android Wear 2.0. The company will be carrying on with the preview program till early next year, indicating that there will be an Developer Preview 4 for Android Wear 2.0. For the average consumer, this would mean that we won’t be seeing an official release for Android Wear 2.0 till after early 2017, though “early 2017” is pretty vague on its own. Are you looking forward to Android Wear 2.0?

Source:
Android

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Android Wear 2.0 Developer Preview 4.0 brings back swipe-to-dismiss

251

Google has been gearing up for the final release of Android Wear 2.0 sometime early next year, after being delayed for a couple of months. The latest developer preview has been rolled out, bringing in some new features, bringing back a couple of old ones.

One-click Google Sign-in has finally made its way to Android Wear, providing a seamless experience when it comes to authentication. Users are allowed to switch between Google accounts as well. Google has also added in-app billing support, enabling users to authorize their purchases swiftly. Purchase authorization can be done via a 4 digit Google account PIN.

The new Developer Preview 4 also brings in compatibility with Android Wear 1.0 apps. Google has provided a legacy embedded app mechanism that allows Android Wear 1.0 apps to work on Android Wear 2.0 smartwatches. Apart from that, the old Swipe to Dismiss gesture that is on Android Wear 1.0 has been brought back by Google to its latest Android Wear version. Activities done on Android Wear smartwatches will automatically support the Swipe to Dismiss gesture, resulting in the app navigating down in the back stack.

Other additions to Android Wear 2.0 Developer Preview 4 can be found at the source link below. When would you expect the final release of Android Wear 2.0 to arrive?

Source:
Android


Android Wear 2.0 enters Beta stage; brings gestures to third-party apps

342

Google’s next version of its wearables platform, Android Wear 2.0, has entered the Beta stage with the release of the second Developer Preview. This new update pack comes with the standard bug fixes, as well as new features to the Android Wear 2.0.

Chief among these new features is the ability for third-party developers to implement gestures to their own apps. Starting from Developer Preview 2, Android developers will gain access to wrist gestures that were previously reserved for scrolling through the notification stream.

Apart from third-party gesture support, the latest version of Android Wear 2.0 has also added a bunch of design elements, such as drawer peaking, automatic peek view, and navigation drawer closure. Developers will also be able to make custom wearable drawers.

Finally, the Android Platform API for Android Watch 2.0 has been updated to level 24, which is the same as Android 7.0 Nougat.

If you’re interested in testing out the Android Wear 2.0 Developer Preview, do note that it can only be installed on the Huawei Watch and the LG Watch Urbane 2nd Edtion LTE. If you do not own either of those watches, you’re going to have to wait until Android Wear 2.0 goes live.

Source:
9to5Google

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Android Wear 2.0 is finally ready for some watches

312

Looks like android is back to updating their devices. Previously we seen the
Pixel C getting a Android 7.1.2 update
 changing its user interface slightly to match the current look and feel of the Pixel phones. Well this time some Android Wear devices are getting an Android Wear 2.0 update mainly to the 2015 LG Watch Urbane and the New Balance RunIQ.

Although other devices were seen getting the update earlier, Google has said that the update for the devices that did not, will be delayed due to the fact that they found bugs in the final testing. LG mention that it will roll out the update to the Urbane and G Watch this week and the Urbane second edition will get the new version beginning of May. RunIQ owners will see the update before April 14th. The update was seen in February on the new LG Watch Style and LG Watch Sport, and was said to come to older LG devices shortly after.

Seven watches will be seen getting the update, leaving 12 more watches waiting for the new update including devices from Huawei, Moto and ASUS. This new OS has an easier-to-use UI, standalone apps and watchfaces, and Google Assistant.

Source:
Engadget

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Android Wear 2.0 now supports Google Handwriting Input

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Android Wear 2.0 is slowly picking up its pace since its public release not too long ago. More and more Android Wear smartwatches have been launched and the older models are beginning to get their respective updates to the latest wearable software by Google. When Android Wear 2.0 was showcased last year, it boasted numerous new and nifty features, one of which was a handwriting keyboard, but the said feature is said to be difficult to access on the wearable interface. Google has finally added support for its app Google Handwriting Input on Android Wear 2.0.

If you happen to own an Android Wear 2.0 smartwatch, or have had yours updated to the latest wearable software, you’ll now be able to input text on your smartwatch using Google Handwriting Input. This means that you can trace letters on your smartwatch screen and Google will try to predict what you’re writing by coming out with a list of word suggestion to ease your tiny screen handwriting experience.

But of course, there’s always another way to type on your Android Wear 2.0 smartwatch using the ordinary Google Keyboard. The swiping gesture allows you to swipe across the keyboard to type out your words instead of trying to tap on the letters one by one. Both handwriting and swiping takes a little bit of getting used to, especially on a screen that tiny, but they are still worth the try, no?

Source:
Play Store

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Android Wear 2.0 to go official on February 9

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Android Wear 2.0 has come a long way now, after being initially scheduled for a release last year. Google has sinced postponed the release of the wearable software till this year. Recently, Android Wear 2.0 was rumored for a February launch, and it looks like this claim by a credible source further confirms earlier statement, with an additional exact date of the launch.

Popular tipster Evan Blass has tweeted that Android Wear 2.0 will see the light of day on the 9th of February, which is only a little over 3 weeks away. Known for his spot on predictions and claims, we’re trusting Blass on this one as well. The claim by Blass falls in line with Google’s plans to launch two flagship smartwatches some time in Q1 this year. It is also about time where manufacturers such as Huawei and Motorola come out new smart wearables to grace the coming of Android Wear 2.0. The new software will likely include the highly anticipated Play Store on Android Wear, which enables installation of standalone apps on the smartwatches themselves.

Google is expected to have a final developer preview of Android Wear 2.0 to be released later this month, which will be the 5th. If the claim by Blass is true, then the Developer Preview 4 for Android Wear 2.0 will probably be a wrap up preview with last minute major bug fixes and improvements before Android Wear 2.0 gets a public release. Are you excited for Android Wear 2.0?

Source:
Evan Blass (Twitter)

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Android Wear 2.0 will arrive to the ASUS ZenWatch 2 & 3 in early Q2

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If you own an Android Wear smartwatch, chances are that it isn’t running Android Wear 2.0 unless you’re having one of LG’s smartwatches in partnership with Google – the LG Watch Style and the LG Watch Sport. Either that, or you’ve stolen a Huawei Watch 2 from the Mobile World Congress currently going on at Barcelona. As far as the launch of Android Wear 2.0 is good news, most existing Android Wear users are still anxiously waiting for the latest software to rollout to their wearables.

A Twitter user Joel blasted a question to the @ASUSUSA Twitter page, asking when will the ZenWatch 2 get Android 2.0. Based on Joel’s question and the response by ASUS, it’s likely that Joel didn’t quite understand that the roll out of Android Wear 2.0 does not mean that it will arrive to supported devices immediately, but ASUS USA’s response definitely revealed something we did not know before this:

“
Hey Joel — the Android Wear 2.0 roll-out start date was last week, however, AW 2.0 will not come to the ZW 2/3 till early Q2.”

There you have it. This is somewhat good news for both ASUS ZenWatch 2 and ZenWatch 3 users as they now know when to expect Android Wear 2.0 for their wrist toys. The rough rollout dates for the rest of the non-Android Wear 2.0 devices have yet to be revealed by respective manufacturers. Are you waiting for Android Wear 2.0 as well?

Source:
ASUS

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Android Wear 2.0 will be available next month

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The long-awaited
Android Wear 2.0
 platform will soon be available on Android Wear smartwatches as a notice sent by Google to Android Wear developers has highlighted that the platform will be launching in early February 2017.

Originally planned for a Fall 2016 launch, Android Wear 2.0 was delayed due to negative feedback that came with the developer preview. The latest notice issued by Google confirms that Android Wear 2.0 will finally be ready for launch come February and as such, developers should begin updating their apps as unoptimised apps for Android Wear 2.0 will not appear on the on-watch Play Store.

Alongside the launch of Android Wear 2.0, Google is expected to release two new “flagship” watches, codenamed “Angelfish” and “Swordfish”. Both these smartwatches will run on Android Wear 2.0, and it will also come with Google Assistant support.

No fixed date was announced for Android Wear 2.0’s launch yet, but the early February timeline probably means that it would be launched within the first two weeks of the month.

Source:
Android

Police

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Android Wear app update brings handy updates

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Google has been slow to bring updates to its Android Wear users. The release of Android Wear 2.0 has been pushed back for several months before finally being rolled out to Android Wear smartwatches. While it is currently still being seen as less practical compared to the likes of Samsung’s Gear S series of wearables and Apple Watches, the Android Wear app has been updated to bring a couple of cool new features that should have been introduced a long time back.

The latest Android Wear app, version 2.6 has rolled out to the Google Play Store. Among the features that come with the update include being able to jump into your recently used app right away on your smartwatch. There is also a download indicator that shows users how much time is remaining before a download is finished.

With the new update, Android Wear will now smartly adjust text sizes depending on the number of characters on the screen, while the quick settings menu now shows Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and/or mobile data connections. In order to enjoy these features on your smartwatch, do ensure that your Android Wear app is being updated to the latest version.

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Android Wear based on Oreo to roll out soon

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The folks at Android aren’t the most efficient when it comes to Android Wear updates. Developers have been playing catch up for Android Wear smartwatches for quite some time now, most notable for delay of the Android Wear 2.0 roll out. We have just received news that a new update is in the pipeline for Android Wear devices, which will include Android Oreo based features.

The new Android Wear update which has begun rolling out has a couple of handy features which might come in useful on a wearable. These brand new features include being able to adjust the strength setting of notification vibrations and the length of vibrations. One other notable feature is the Touch Lock feature, which is similar to theater mode, meant for wet conditions to avoid accidental touches from rain drops or splashes.

Other mentioned features are notification channels, battery saving background limits and support for 7 new countries and their languages. The list might be longer but this is all we know for now. Rumor also has it that the LG Watch Sport has seen the light of the rollout. The update will hit other wearables in the future, depending on the respective manufacturers.

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Android Wear can work without your smartphone

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Although we have seen how Samsung incorporates 3G/LTE support in its smartwatches, now we can finally see Android Wear doing the same thing by offering cellular support for its newer watches. The first compatible smartwatch that supports cellular is the LG Watch Urbane 2nd Edition, which crams an LTE radio under its screen, working on AT&T and Verizon who are both selling this watch in US this week.

These LTE compatible watches will share the same number as your phone, but since it supports cellular networks, it can work even when your phone is not anywhere near you. As long as both your watch and phone can connect to your mobile carrier, LTE Android Wear smartwatches can send and receive messages, Google-related apps and notifications and some of your favorite apps.

You can also make and take calls on your smartwatch if you don’t mind talking to your wrist. However, you might find this connection feature most useful when running errands or when at the gym and marathons since you won’t have to carry your phone with you at the most inconvenient times.

SOURCE:
Engadget

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Android Wear for iOS is now official and should work with major Android Wear devices

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Google is making a big move on Android Wear and it did the dare devil thing by making an app for iOS and guess what, the app is approved by Apple and you can now download it from the App Store at absolutely free of charge. This makes Android Wear to become the next major
smart
watch
 operating system to have cross platform support apart from Pebble. While the official Google blog indicated that Android Wear for iOS officially supports the LG Watch Urbane, I tried pairing it with the first generation LG G Watch and to my joy, it worked!

In our first impressions, the Android Wear app isn’t quite as complete as its Android counterpart and its very much expected, notifications such as phone calls and text messages can be received however contextual actions to these notifications are still limited at this point of time. Google Now works as usual and you can ask questions, set an appointment, dictate an e-mail and search on Google, everything seems to work darn good for a first time.

At this time of writing, Android Wear for iOS is currently available in the US store, which I’ve personally used my US Apple ID to download the app and it should reach the local Malaysian app store pretty soon, if you have an Android Wear
smart
watch
 and can’t wait to try out, hit up the source link to download it on to your iPhone, we’ll be testing out these few days so do stay tuned for more coverage.

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Android Wear update: speaker support and new gestures

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Google has just announced a major update for wearables with Android Wear, after a while since the last major one. The latest update is said to bring new gestures to these wearables, new options when sending voice messages to contacts, added speaker support while making calls and listening to voice messages.

After last years update which allowed users to scroll through cards without touching the screen, the new update will include the option to expand the cards, bring up apps or navigate back to the watch face on the home screen by simple gestures such as lift, push or shake.

Android Wear users are now able to send voice messages through third party apps without having to touch the screen, using the “Ok Google” feature. Apart from that, with the added speaker support, making and receiving calls can be done through the speaker, however, only available for wearables with speakers, such as the Huawei Watch and the ASUS ZenWatch 2. Have you updated your smartwatch? Give us your thoughts!

Source:
Android Blog
  Via:
Android Authority

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Andy Rubin expected to debut a new smartphone this year

328

About a year ago,
we’ve reported
 that Android co-founder Andy Rubin is looking to re-enter the smartphone market after departing from Google in 2014. If a Bloomberg report is to be believed, Rubin will be making his return to the market this year by way of a company called Essential.

According to Bloomberg’s report, Essential is a 40-man team that consists of ex-Apple and ex-Google employees with Rubin being the Chief Executive Officer of the company. The company is expected to debut a new high-end smartphone in mid-2017 that will go up with the likes of the iPhone and Google’s new Pixel phone.

While the phone itself is still in its prototyping stages, said phone is stated to come with a large edge-to-edge bezel-less screen, a ceramic back, magnetic charging, and the company’s own take on Apple’s 3D Touch. The phone is also rumoured to come with an accessory connector that would allow the device to add third-party accessories, making the phone pseudo-modular in a way.

On the pricing side of things, the phone is expected to have a price tag that is similar to the iPhone 7. That being said, seeing as the phone itself hasn’t actually been finalized yet, the phone could undergo some drastic changes until it is publically revealed.

Source:
Bloomberg
,
Engadget

andyrubin
essential
rumours
smartphone


Andy Rubin might be returning to the smartphone business.

339

In 2013, Andy Rubin, co-founder of Android, left the division. In 2014, Andy Rubin left Google altogether. Now though, it seems that Rubin is aiming to get back into the smartphone market, by way of starting up his own company.

According to rumours floating around in the mobile industry, it seems that Rubin has been trying to recruit personnel to help establish a new smartphone company via Playground, Rubin’s own tech incubator. As of this point of writing, Playground has managed to raise USD 300 million for this venture.

It is uncertain as to whether or not Rubin would take a direct operating role in this new company, or he would primarily be a backer. The interesting point regarding this new smartphone company is the fact that this would just be one of many other hardware projects that Rubin has funded and worked on since he left Google almost 2 years ago.

There is speculation that the new smartphone that Rubin wants to make would be able to communicate with the various other hardware that he’s funded, making it a highly ambitious attempt should this speculation be true.

Source :
The Information

android
andyrubin
playground
smartphone


Andy Rubin returns to Essential after taking leave

293

Andy Rubin is back to heading Essential after roughly a month’s leave since November last month. Earlier reports point to an internal investigation of Rubin who allegedly had an inappropriate relationship with a subordinate in the company. The Android co-founder has since returned to his Essential startup, according to a report by Recode.

Rubin acknowledged the relationship but has denied any wrongdoing, claiming that the relationship was consensual. Surprisingly, Rubin still turned up for work at his venture capital company Playground Global, which backed the Essential Phone project. Ironically, Playground Global happens to be in the same block as Essential.

While both Andy Rubin and Essential have declined to comment on his return, it should be good news for the company which launched its first ever smartphone the Essential Phone earlier this year. Given the hype and the anticipation leading towards the unveiling of the phone, it failed to capture the consumer market, which is unfortunate for a company led by a co-founder of Android.

The Essential Phone is by no means a bad phone, and the company has come a long way with a ton of updates to improve its software especially the camera app. The flagship standard device has since seen a significant price drop, making it much more affordable than before.

andy rubin
essential
essential phone
playground global


Andy Rubin reveals two Essential Phone modules

363

The Essential Phone has finally went on sale recently, months after the futuristic phone was announced. In an interview with Bloomberg, Android co-founder Andy Rubin has pointed out the resemblance of the Sharp Aquos S2 to the Essential Phone. True enough, both were manufactured by Foxconn, making them similar in design, particularly in their near bezel-less displays with selfie camera cut outs, which has gotten Foxconn in a minor spat with Rubin.

Apart from that, Andy Rubin has actually revealed two of Essential’s upcoming modules for their handset. The first one is “a gadget that can feed high-quality audio from the phone into a car’s stereo while the phone charges through its main port”, which definitely makes up for the lack of a 3.5 mm headphone jack. The other one will be the world’s smallest 3D laser scanner, but Rubin did not reveal the actual function of the module.

Rubin also revealed another gadget of Essential which will be called Home. It is a smart home device and will support voice assistants such as Google and Alexa. Home has also been teased on the company’s official website, showing a circular table top device. It will run on an operating system known as Ambient OS. What do you think of Essential’s future products?

alexa
ambient os
andy rubin
audio
essential phonea
google
home
sharp aquos
voice assistant


Animation program Toonz will get an open source edition

505

Aspiring animators take note, Digital Video and Dwango has announced that they have signed an agreement for the acquisition by Dwango of Toonz. The result of this acquisition? An open source platform based on Toonz (OpenToonz) will be developed and published soon.

For those who have never heard of the software before, Toonz is an animation software that was developed by Italian studio Digital Video. This software has since been used by some of the biggest names in the animation industry. One of them is Studio Ghibli and movies such as ‘Princess Mononoke’ and ‘The Tale of Princess Kaguya’ were developed with this software.

This Saturday, Dwango will be releasing Toonz Studio Ghibli Version for free. This version of OpenToonz will include features developed by Studio Ghibli. Apart from that, Digital Video will be moving to an open source business model, offering to the industry commissioning, installation & configuration, training, support and customization services while allowing the animators’ community to use this technology at all cost. That said, Digital Video will still be developing Toonz Premium and that paid version will feature a very competitive price.

Source:
Toonz Premium
,
Engadget

digitalvideo
dwango
free
opensource
studioghibli
toonz


Animax Carnival returns to Malaysia

590

Fans of Japanese Animation rejoice as the Animax Carnival Malaysia is coming back to the Sunway Pyramid Convention Centre on the 26th and 27th of March 2016.

This year’s Animax Carnival Malaysia is expected to be a big one, as Animax is roping some of the biggest names in the Anime Music scene to perform in Malaysia. For the Animax Live Performance, angela, GARNiDELiA and yanaginagi will be performing live for the first time in Malaysia. Besides performing on stage, these artists will also be meeting their fans.

Also returning to the Animax Carnival is the Animax Cosplay Competition. Like the previous years, Animax will be set the stage for cosplay aficionados from all across Malaysia to showcase their costume-making talents and emulation of their favourite anime characters. Participants in the cosplay competition stand a chance to win prizes such as a Sony Xperia Z5 and a Sony PlayStation 4.

Cosplays and concerts aside, the Animax Carnival will also be filled with various other fun-filled activities. Attendees will be able to step into the worlds of their favourite shows as the event will have an experiential zone inspired by One Punch Man and The File of Young Kidaichi R. Carnival games will also return, with this year’s theme being ‘Animax Academy’. Finally, OO-Kun Animation Studio will be at the event alongside various merchandise booths.

animax
animaxcarnivalmalaysia2016


Anker Soundcore Liberty Air Review – Giving the AirPods a run for its money

408

The Anker brand may be more popular in the country for their powerbank offerings, while it may not be a household name when it comes to its audio products. Well, the Anker Soundcore Liberty Air looks set to change that.

The second-gen Apple AirPods took the world by storm when it first launched, and the Soundcore Liberty Air has also made a name for itself for being a worthy competitor to the former, while costing RM200 less.

Sure, at this point each product has their follow-ups already – the Soundcore Liberty Air 2 and the AirPods Pro, but the original models still offer great quality for less money.

And that’s just what the Soundcore Liberty Air does – it offers you the kind of music and call quality you’d get from the AirPods.

But being the cheaper of the two, there are areas that the Liberty Air lack compared to the
AirPods
 – the most notable is the lack of a wireless charging case and voice-activated assistant feature.

But it’s the basics that the Anker gets right with this. The most basic is of course, sound quality and for the price you’re paying, this is some of the best in its class.
Mids
 are crisp, while highs can be drowned out by the
boomy
 bass. There is a slight lack in frequency balance but at least you can go quite loud on this without crackle.

When it comes to calls, the earbuds engage noise cancellation and drowns out the background quite well – not completely, which is important. The call clarity is also fantastic – as it should be considering it’s one of the Liberty Air’s most advertised feature. Seriously, on their website and box, “Crystal-Clear Calls” is the order of the day for these pair of earbuds. There’s is no hear through feature however, so we recommend lower volumes when you’re around traffic.

In terms of fit, walking and running with the Liberty Air should be no problem with the right earbud size, but the in my experience, tilting my head down makes the earbuds slip out. I haven’t experienced this with other earbuds that I’ve used, but I reckon this could just be the shape of my ear that’s causing this.

But hey, at least there’s touch
controls
 on both earbuds – for music, long taps on either side skips to the next or previous song, while double taps pause and play songs. For calls, double tapping answers and end calls. Simple features, but undoubtedly useful when you’re out and about.

Here’s what I would criticize the product for – at this point in time, the
SoundCore
 app doesn’t support this model anymore – instead, it supports the newer
SoundCore
 Liberty Air 2. This is a huge bummer because you’re supposed to be able to tweak the equalizer settings and more from the app.
So
 you’ll need to try a third-party equalizer app if you want to tweak your outputs.

Plus, the overall build quality of the earbuds and charging case can feel a bit cheap – it’s especially noticeable if you’ve used other wireless buds of the same class. The Apple
AirPods
 does a better job at this with a sturdier-feeling case with stronger charging magnets inside.

But those are only minor gripes that I have – one thing that I can’t complain about is the battery life. Anker promises 5 hours of listening time, and that is true, if not slightly better. With the charging case, you should get a little less than the 20 hours of listening time Anker claims, but that’s still impressive. Once drained, the earbuds can be charged up to full in about an hour – a three lit dots on the front of the case indicate how much juice you have left – a feature I that’s useful for those who don’t like fully draining their devices before charging.

Verdict

The Anker
SoundCore
 Liberty Air is a decent buy, especially for its price. It’s almost half the price of the Apple
AirPods
 at RM439, and for that you get great call quality, good fit and fantastic battery life. The
AirPods
 win out with a more balanced audio frequency output, but if you like your music with bass, then the Liberty Air is your pic. Head over to their official
Shopee

page
 to m
ake
 your purchase.

The Good

Great call quality

Long battery life

Fast charging

Decent depth in sound quality

Good fit

Convenient touch controls

The Not so Good

No Voice Assistant support

Not the best signature balance

Lack of companion app support

Scratch-prone materials

Lack of hear through and noise cancellation features for music

airpods
anker
audio equipment
earbuds
headphones
soundcore liberty air
wireless earbuds


Announcements from Microsoft’s Build event will change the way we use Windows

378

Microsoft has just wrapped up their Build 2017 keynote and they have a lot of exciting news for consumers to loyal fans that will come in their second major update called The Fall Creators Update. The keynote revealed big changes and addition to the Windows environment such as a new design direction for all Microsoft apps, mixed reality efforts, and a system similar to Mac’s Continuity feature.

Unlike the previous Creators Update which had a huge focus on 3D functionality, the new update will focus on cross-device experience, start something on your Surface and finish it on your iPhone, this feature will bring your files, activities and other content across other devices seamlessly. Cortana will ask if you want to continue where you left off when you switch between devices and the new Timeline feature will give you a view on what you been working on and apps that you have been using for easier access.

Microsoft is also moving on from Metro to adopt a new Fluent Design philosophy that focuses on light, depth, motion, material, and scale, where consumers can see design changes such as blur effects and flourishes of light meant to draw your attention to the right places in the company’s mobile apps. Next is Story Remix, which is an app for creating videos. This app will turn your photos and videos from your phone into instant video stories, you can be as hands-on as you like or let the app do the work in creating the best video based on the content that you feed it. Microsoft claims that it can produce videos that feel professional with just minutes of work.

The company has also added a broader functionality to the Surface Pen by allow it to be used across entire systems at all times and they have also built PDF annotation right into the Edge browser. Microsoft has also announced a new set of motion controllers that will pair with its Windows Mixed Reality VR headsets. The controllers will have multiple LEDs around them which can be tracked by the device itself without the need of an external camera or sensors. The device will ship bundled with the Acer headset and comes with a retail price of $399 (RM1733.85).

Microsoft is going up against Apple with its own version of the Apple Universal Clipboard but will work across multiple platforms. The cloud-powered clipboard will allow Windows 10 users to copy content from an app on their PC and paste it into mobile devices like iPhones or Android, it will also integrate with Office apps, making it easier to drag and drop content into your work while working on your desktop.

Lastly and probably the most surprising is the arrival of iTunes on the Windows Store giving more freedom to iOS users that enjoy the best of both worlds. The app will come to the store by the end of 2017. Could this be the start of a unity between the two giants of the computing world? Well, that yet to be known but this is a good first step towards that direction.

Source:
The Verge

build 2017
creators update
microsoft
windows 10


Anonymous attacks Nissan website to protest Japan's stance on whale hunting

361

Faceless hacktivist group Anonymous has directed their attention to Nissan as the group has launched a DDOS attack on the car manufacturer’s websites as part of an anti-whaling campaign against Japan.

The attack is part of #OpSeaWorld, an anti-whaling campaign that started in December of last year. This campaign is a protest against Japan’s plans to continue hunting 333 minke whales per year for the next 12 years as part of its new whaling plan.

The attacks first occured late yesterday and has cause both
Nissan’s Japan website
 and
global website
 to be inaccessible. A member of the Anonymous group has since come forward to claim reponsibility for the attack, stating that they only intend to bring the website down and not steal data.

Nissan spokesman Dion Corbett has confirmed the attack on their websites to
Bloomberg
 and has stressed that the company has no stance nor any connection to whale hunting. Corbett has also stated that Nissan will be temporarily suspending its websites to prevent further risks. As of the time of writing, both websites are still inaccessible.

Source :
International Business Times
,
Bloomberg

anonymous
hacking
japan
nissan
politics
protest


Another Galaxy Note 7 explodes as Oculus warns against using Gear VR with the device

383

Samsung’s firework of woes doesn’t seem to be stopping at anytime as we have reports of yet another explosion of the Galaxy Note 7, this time coming from Australia. Samsung has recently issued a global recall for an estimated 2.5 million units of the Galaxy Note 7 as reports of the device catching fire or exploding have been increasing. The folks at Android Authority has reported that one of their readers happened to be a victim of a Note 7 mishap.

Tham Hua, a Galaxy Note 7 user in Australia has claimed that his unit “exploded” while it was plugged in and charging. The images above show the badly burnt Galaxy Note 7, which looked similar to the aftermath images of other cases alike. Fortunately, Tham did not sustain any major injury, but he did burn his finger in the process. Tham contacted Samsung Australia and he will be loaned a device by the company.

Meanwhile, Oculus has issued a statement on their Gear VR page on their website, warning users not to use the Galaxy Note 7 with the Gear VR until they get a replacement:

“
Please note: Samsung has issued a product exchange program for all Note7 devices due to battery issues. Don’t use your Note7 with Gear VR until you get your replacement. Contact Samsung directly with any questions.”

If you happen to be a user of a Galaxy Note 7, we strongly advise you to contact Samsung immediately for arrangements to be made. Meanwhile, be sure that your Note 7 is being charged in a safe place, or on stable surfaces, and not on the bed or a couch where phones are prone to overheat while charging. If you have any questions regarding the recall, contact Samsung Malaysia at 1800-88-7799.

Source:
Android Authority
,
Oculus

7
burn
explosion
fire
galaxy
note
recall
samsung


AOC AG493UCX ultrawide curved gaming monitor launched: Priced at RM4,999

642

If you’re looking for a massive curved gaming monitor, read our review of the 34-inch PRISM+ X340 Pro 165Hz
here
! If you need something larger however, AOC has just launched the 49-inch AG493UCX.

This behemoth of a monitor is priced at RM4,999 and packs a gaming-centric VA panel that pushes a resolution of 5120×1440 resolution and a curvature of 1800R. The panel supports up to 120Hz refresh rate at 1440p via DisplayPort 1.4, or 120Hz at 1080p via HDMI 2.0.

There’s also support for AMD FreeSync Premium Pro, and Display HDR 400. In terms of colour output, the monitor offers DCI-P3 93% and an sRGB colour gamut coverage of 121%.

In terms of ports, you get 2x HDMI 2.0, 2x DisplayPort 1.4, and 1x USB-C with support for DisplayPort Alt Mode. There’s a line-in port for you earphones, plus a couple of 5W speakers too.

The monitor weighs 14.4kg with its stand, and measures 467.6-567.5mm x 1194.4mm x 308mm; it also supports a 100mm x 100mm wall mount too.

You can purchase the monitor via AOC’s Shopee page
here
, or learn more about their products via their
website
.

49-inch gaming monitor
AG493UCX
aoc
ultrawide gaming monitor


AOC announces a 240hz refresh rate monitor and a 4K curved monitor

314

When it comes to watching content or gaming on a monitor, refresh rates plays a big part in getting a smooth and enjoyable viewing experience. It looks like AOC understands that and are releasing two new monitors in Malaysia this month that focuses on high refresh rates and immersive experience, the AG251FZ AGON Monitor and C4008VU8 Curved Monitor.

The AG251FZ is focused mainly on gaming to give gamers the competitive edge when it comes to reaction time. The monitor will come with an eye watering 240hz refresh rate, making it 4 times more than a regular monitor. Not everyone is going to realise the change in refresh rates, but to those that can differentiate it, it will make a big difference in winning a game or losing.
It also has a low blue light which is damaging to your eyes, with this technology from AOC, it reduces the amount of blue light coming out of the monitor without impacting colours. AMD FreeSync is also included in the monitor to deliver a lag-free gaming experience. AOC Game Mode and Game Colour gives users the freedom to adjust screen settings for better visuals and comes with USB 3.0 hub with fast charging to get your wireless peripherals charged at all times.

Next, is the AOC C4008VU8 Curved monitor that seems to wrap around you, making your videos or gaming even more immersive as it covers the scope of your vision. It comes with support for 4K Ultra High Definition to give users a more detailed image, which is sharp and crisp for any type of entertainment that supports it. In addition to that, the monitor comes with Super Colour Technology that gives you 85% NTSC Wide Colour Gamut and is made better with the immersion effect that is easier to look at mainly because it is naturally easier for the eye to track the sides of a curved display. It also has the Low Blue Light feature and anti-flicker, making it comfortable to look at.

Both the monitors will be available in Malaysia starting from August 2017 through AOC partners. The AG251FZ and C4008VU8 will retail for RM2,188 and RM2,388 respectively. In conjunction with the launch of the AG251FZ monitor, AOC Malaysia is offering RM100 free Steam Wallet voucher to those that purchase the monitor.

4k
ag251FZ
aoc
c4008vu8
curved
gaming
monitor
refresh rate
uhd


AOC introduced the G2590VWQ gaming monitor with 75Hz FreeSync and 1ms responce time

368

AOC has been a brand that produces decent monitors at attractive price points and the new G2590VWQ is no different. It is a 25-inch display that is targeted at consumers that are on the budget but comes with very decent features.

The TN panel with a 1ms response time and 1080p resolution will be well suited for most graphics card configuration but AOC is banking on AMD Radeon cards as this monitor supports FreeSync which helps to eliminate tearing when gaming and especially important with First Person Shooter games. It covers 35 – 75 Hz refresh rates so for those of you that have semi-powerful cards can utilize the extra frames when going over 60 frames per second. For a budget monitor, it does not look bad as it comes with a 3-side frameless design which is simple but at the same time attractive. There is a red line at the bottom of the screen which acts as the only bezel but it gives a sense of style to the monitor, as red seams to always associate with gaming.

The G2590VWQ as mentioned before is targeted to budget gamers but the price tag of $212 (RM864.01) might be a turn off for some but the specs seem to slightly justify the price point when you are getting a 1ms and 75Hz of refresh rate seems pretty appealing.

1080p
1hz
aoc
freesync
g2590vwq
gaming
monitor


AOC Releases U3277PQU and Q3277PQU 32-inch Monitors

487

AOC releases two new monitors – U3277PQU and Q3277PQU, both of the monitor features 32-inch monitors. But, differ with resolutions which the U3277PQU offers 4K QHD (3840 x 2160 pixels), whereas the Q3277PQU offers WQHD (2560 x 1440 pixels). However, there isn’t any statement that these monitors will be equipped with G-Sync or FreeSync technology.

The Q3277PQU features an AMVA display panel, with 178°/178° viewing angles, 4 ms (GTG) response time, 300 cd/m² maximum brightness, dynamic mega contrast ratio, 30-bit color (1.07 billion colors). Luckily, the inputs will be included dual-link DVI, DisplayPort 1.2, and HDMI 1.4 with MHL support.

In other hand, the U3277PQU features an IPS display panel, with 178°/178° viewing angles, 30-bit color (1.07 billion colors), 4 ms (GTG) response time, 350 cd/m² maximum brightness, and dynamic mega contrast ratio. Unlike the Q3277PQU, the U3277PQU has an HDMI port with MHL support (30 Hz), and DisplayPort 1.2 (60 Hz).

Both of these monitors are backed by 3-year warranties. The U3277PQU is expected to be priced around USD 800 (approx. RM 3,050), and the Q3277PQU around USD 500 (approx. RM 1,905).

2k
4k2k
aoc
monitor
pcmasterrace


AOC unveils new raXor series ultra slim IPS monitors

474

AOC has unveiled its new raXor series ultra slim IPS monitors today, they are handsome looking monitors for the desk that features an ultra slim 2mm bezel and as slim as 7.5mm at its thickest point. The term ‘raXor’ can also be referrred as Razor X, which reminds us of a certain smartphone brand moniker that we have long heard of. The new raXor monitors are available in 21.5-inches, 23.8-inches and 27-inches, these monitors are equipped with extremely bright and colorful IPS panels that sports a 1000:1 contrast ratio, 5ms of response time and Full HD resolution. Furthermore, the unique design of the monitor stand simply leaves us in awe on how beautiful these monitors can be.

The new AOC raXor monitors have flicker free backlight technology that reduces eye strain on long durations, its clear vision feature also helps in upscaling Standard Definition resolution content to HD for a sharp viewing experience. Among the three models, the 23.8-inch I2481FXH and 27-inch I2781FH sports two HDMI inputs for connecting multiple devices, which is rather thoughtful considering that many users have more than one HDMI devices on their desks these days. AOC will begin selling the raXor monitors from July 2016 onwards through AOC partners, the company has also taken the opportunity to announce its official online store on 11street, which both are giving away exclusive movie premiums of ‘Independence Day: Resurgence’ for pre-orders of the raXor monitors starting from June 30 till July 15.

AOC’s raXor monitors will retail at the following prices:

I2281FWH (21.5″) – RM558
I2481FXH (23.8″) – RM728
I2781FH (27″) – RM1,058

aoc
monitors
raxor


AOC's curved 32-inch AGON gaming monitor with AMD FreeSync costs less than RM2000

377

It isn’t common to hear of affordable gaming monitors with high refresh rates and curved panels, AOC is however refining that with the launch of its new curved 32-inch (actual size at 31.5-inch) AGON gaming monitor, the AG322FCX supports AMD’s FreeSync and 144Hz refresh rate for a smooth tear-free gaming experience, it uses a vertical alignment (VA) panel that produces a low 4ms response time and covers 85% of NTSC color gamut. While these features do sound decent, the monitor however produces a fairly low 1920×1080 resolution with no support for HDMI 2.0 and doesn’t come with a built-in speaker, which explains its affordable price point but still, you are actually saving a huge sum of cash considering that it can be owned for RM1,888.

The AGON II AG322FCX has a number of gamer centric features, which includes a scene light on the back that allows changing of colors between red, green or blue. Game Mode allows fast changes to image settings, while Game Color is able to boost saturation and grey levels with 20 levels of details for a better gaming experience. Eye protection features such as flicker free and low bluelight are also included as well. As this is the first model of the AGON Gaming series monitor, AOC is retailing the current RM1,888 price for a limited time. For more info on AOC’s AGON Gaming monitors, head on over to
http://agon.aocmonitorap.com/my/
 to find out more.

ag322fcx
agon
aoc


GIGABYTE AORUS AMD Radeon RX 6800 and RX 8600 XT launched

687

if you’re gunning for a next-gen GPU for your rig, AORUS has just announced the arrival of the
AMD Radeon RX 6800
 and RX 6800XT cards.

Their Gaming OC cards offer 16GB of VRAM and a 3-fan cooling system featuring Gigabyte’s cooling solution combo of stripped fan blades, alternate spinning programming, and composite copper heat pipes keep the GPU nice and cool. Their 3D Active Fan tech also allows the system be quitter by only ramping up the fans when necessary.

The cards are also equipped with RGB fusion 2.0 which are addressable and can syncs with AORUS’ other devices.

The RX 6800 series is comparable to the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 cards – and
AORUS’ RX 6800 XT
 model has a max boost clock of 2285Mhz, while the regular
Radeon RX 6800
 has a boost frequency of 2155Mhz.

Both use 8-pin (x2) connectors and offer DisplayPort 1.4 and HDMI 2.1 outputs – 8K gaming anybody? XT model has a 286 (L) x 118 (W) x 58 (H) mm chassis while the regular Radeon 6800 measures at 286 (L) x 112 (W) x 58 (H) mm.

The AORUS Radeon RX 6800 Gaming OC 16G is priced at RM3,399, while the Radeon RX 6800 XT is priced at RM3,899. You can visit Gigavyte’s website
here
 to learn more about the cards.

amd
aorus
gigabyte
gpu
radeon 6800 xt
radeon rx 6800


AORUS announces the THUNDER M7 MMO Gaming Mouse

282

AORUS, the gaming division of GIGABYTE Technology has announced its new essential gaming mouse the THUNDER M7 MMO Gaming Mouse, the company claims that the mouse is the most ergonomic MMO mouse in the world without crazy numerous buttons or dial-pad hotkeys. It is perfectly designed for MMO games which equipped with massive 8 MMO/MOBA optimized thumb buttons. AORUS THUNDER M7 provides maximum 16 programmable macro buttons, which also offers an instant execution of the gaming commands with maximum efficiency and comfort.

The THUNDER M7 features an advanced laser sensor, which supports up to a whooping 8200dpi resolution and 150ips tracking speed that will ensure a precise and smooth operation. It also exclusively features built-in AORUS Macro Engine which can support five gaming profiles on the go. The profile switch at the fingertips enables gamers to switch between five different gaming profiles.

AORUS THUNDER M7 Specifications

The THUNDER M7 Gaming mouse is now already available at your local retailers so do check them out.


Aorus reveals lightweight laptops fitted with the latest GeForce GTX 10 series GPUs

519

Aorus has just announced a series of its latest gaming laptops that feature full GeForce GTX 10 GPUs, which includes the 13.9-inch X3 Plus v6, the 15.6-inch X5 v6, and the 17.3-inch X7 DT v6 and X7 v6.

The 17.3-inch X7 DT v6 and X7 v6 offers desktop-grade performance with enhanced cooling design. Fitted with the all-new GeForce GTX 10 series GPUs and while retaining the latest 6th Generation Intel Core i7 overclocked processor, this laptop is not only powerful but retains a thin and lightweight chassis. The X7 DT v6 features a GTX 1080 GPU while the X7 v6 is fitted with a GTX 1070 GPU. The X7 series is also the first laptop to offer 120 Hz display with 5ms response time, and having paired with Killer DoubleShot Pro, you can reduce your game lags and enjoy a smoother and more fluid gaming experience. Aorus has also made some subtle changes to its X7 laptop design to improve thermal cooling to improve air intake.

Prefer something smaller? Aorus has also announced its 15.6-inch X5 v6 laptop that maintains the X5’s signature slimness and lightweightness. It also features the latest GeForce GTX 1070 and a 6th Generation Intel Core i7 overclocked processor. However, there are 2 display options to choose from: WQHD+ 2880×1620 IPS display, or Full HD 120Hz refresh rate display. Aesthetically, the X5 now features orange logo back-lighting and the Aorus RGB Fusion Keyboard, a per-key fully customizable RGB backlight keyboard.

For something even more portable, Aorus has its 13.9-inch X3 Plus v6, a 1.8kg lightweight gaming keyboard. Not only is it lightweight, it is also fitted with 6th Generation Intel Core i7 overclocked processor, and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 GPU to power its QHD+ 3200×1800 IGZO display. With this kind of setup, this Aorus laptop can even meet the requirements for premium Virtual Reality experience.

aorus
gaminglaptop
nvidiagtx10
nvidialaptop


AORUS NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 ELITE 12G launched in Malaysia: Priced at RM2,569

1.3K

The Gigabyte AORUS NVIDIA GeForce
RTX 3060
 ELITE 12G has just been launched bringing to the country more options for affordable next-gen gaming.

Design

In terms of design, the card packs AORUS’ familiar three-ring RGB lighting system that offers customizable lighting effects via the brand’s RGB Fusion 2.0 software. The rest of the card is mostly black, including the metal backplate that AORUS claims offer better protection.

Cooling

A big selling point for the card is its WINDFORCE 3X cooling system which features 3x 80mm blade fans, that dissipate heat from the 5 composite copper pipes. When in low load, the fans remain off to offer a quieter experience. You can manually enable Silent mode as well which is available thanks to the on-board dual BIOS.

Under the hood is 12GB of VRAM and 3,584 CUDA cores. The GPU is capable of a 360GB/s throughput.

Price and availability

The AORUS GeForce RTX 3060 ELITE 12G is available today onwards and is priced at RM2,569. Visit AORUS’ website
here
 to learn more.

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Ray Tracing


Apacer AH650 Fingerprint Flash Drive

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It may be a small thing to some, but there are people who want to keep their files secure when sharing them amoungst a few people. Here we have a USB 3.0 flash drive from Apacer that allows you to use it in two different partition – publicly and securely.

The Apacer AH650 USB 3.0 fingerprint flash drive features biometric technology that has 360-degree readibility so your fingers don’t have to perform yoga to get it scanned. It is pretty easy to use. At the start, just plug it into your USB port and you will see a Public partition that holds the fingerprint management software and a folder with user manuals. If you’re a first time user, you won’t need to scan your fingerprint to access the software, but you will be asked to create an administrator account on launch. Once you get 2 fingers scanned (in case you lose one finger), you can add other users. You can add 8 other users’ fingerprints who are given the green light to access the Secure partition.

In order to access the Secure partition, you will just need to scan your fingerprint for quite a while and you can see the Secure partition then. The scanner bed gets pretty hot though and it is obviously felt when trying to access the Secure partition. Honestly, the software could use some improvements to ensure it doesn’t lag as much.

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Apacer announces industrial grade MicroSD cards

285

You probably think MicroSD cards would stop at high speed or capacity options, then you really have to know that there’s actually industrial grade MicroSD cards meant for the heavy duty industry. Apacer, the Taiwanese memory and storage manufacturer has announced its full line of MicroSD cards with storage capacities from 256MB up to 32GB, these SD cards conform to the SD 2.0 specifications and have been through Apacer’s rigorous testing that is able to sustain environmental temperatures from -40°C to +85°C. Apacer also mentions that these industrial grade memory cards are made for embedded devices for military use, communication and surveillance as well as vehicle mounted devices.

Apacer’s industrial grade Micro SD/Micro SDHC cards support ECC (Error Correcting Code), debugging function and SMART (
Self
–
Monitoring Analysis

and

Reporting Technology
)
. They are able to sustain long-term unceasing overwriting operation of monitoring system while guarantee data integrity. Moreover, users can inspect the health condition of memory cards at any time, significantly enhancing the product reliability.

For enquiries on availability of Apacer’s industrial grade MicroSD memory cards, do head on over to Apacer’s contact page in the source link, they are also evaluation samples for customers who are interested in buying one as you won’t be able to buy them off shelf.

Source:
Apacer


Apacer announces the AH157 and AH116 flash drives inspired by a cork design

351

Trendy hardware design has always been one of Apacer’s goal in making storage devices more interesting, the company has just announced two cork-inspired
flash
drives

– the USB 3.0 AH157 and USB 2.0 AH116 that comes built-in with an advanced Chip on Board technology which delivers dust, water and shock proof features.

The AH157 is available in 8GB, 16GB, 32GB and 64GB storage options, it offers fast USB 3.0 file transfers in an incredibly small sized form factor, its design also sports a grommet that allows user to attach a lanyard on to it to avoid losing the flash drive. On the other hand, the AH116 has the very same design while offering storage options in 8GB, 16GB and 32GB. Apacer has also added support for its ACE compression software, which will compress files stored on its flash drive and further increase storage capacity up to 500%.

Apacer’s new
flash
drives

are already on sale in local IT retailers, head on to stores to check out the company’s new chic design
flash drives
.

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Apacer AS2280P2 480GB SSD Review: Speedy Value Performance, Expected Compromises

417

Apacer makes interesting storage devices, at times they tend to surprise us by offering better features on their hardware yet priced cheaper than their competition, one of the examples include the
AS720
, a SSD that comes with both SATA and USB-C ports onboard. This time, we take a look at the newly launched AS2280P2 SSD from the company, which comes in a M.2 form factor and uses the PCIe Gen 3×2 interface, it sports sequential read speeds of 1650 MB/s and write speeds of 1000 MB/s at the price of an entry-level SATA SSD, making this a very attractive choice for budget conscious system builders that requires great storage performance.

One look at the packaging and you will know that the AS2280P2 isn’t a premium product, it only comprises of the storage device itself and there’s no paperwork, free SSD clone software and motherboard screw, very straightforward indeed.

The AS2280P2 uses 3D TLC NAND, a reliable flash chip that rivals against the more costly MLC NAND with a larger density. Storage performance is managed by a Phison ES5008-E8 controller, which runs on two lanes of PCI Express rather than the usual four lanes, effectively bringing down the cost of the SSD while offering faster speeds than a standard SATA SSD.

System Configuration

CPU:
 Intel Core i7-7700K

Motherboard:
 Gigabyte Z170X-Ultra Gaming

RAM:
 Patriot Viper RGB 16GB DDR4-3000MHz

GPU:
 NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 Founders Edition

SSD:
 Kingston UV400 120GB

HDD:
 Seagate FireCuda 2TB

PSU:
 Aerocool KCAS-800W

Case:
 Cooler Master Test Bench V1.0

Synthetic Benchmarks

With an affordable price, the AS2280P2 is best used as a secondary drive for data storage, hence we used the AS2280P2 as our test bench’s secondary drive while Windows 10 runs on our Kingston UV400 SSD.

Using CrystalDiskMark, we managed to achieve higher than advertised speeds in multi threaded sequential data transfers, even random 4K file transfer speeds look impressive.

AS SSD is used to measure the actual transfer speeds of a SSD using both sequential and random blocks without cache, while access time looks fine, we do realize a huge variance from the numbers recorded on CrystalDiskMark.

Disclaimer: The MKV file used is for testing purposes only.

In real world file transfer tests, we made a copy of a 14GB MKV file to a separate directory on the same drive, which we managed to achieve maximum 1GB/s in transfer speeds, performance dipped to 500MB/s in the middle of the transfer, averaging around 700MB/s. Despite the inconsistency in transfer speeds, the AS2280P2 is still a very fast drive that we can live with for day-to-day file transfer tasks.

Verdict

If you have a spare M.2 slot on your motherboard or notebook, while not having much cash to splurge for a fast PCI Gen3x4 drive, the Apacer AS2280P2 is a no-brainer for users wanting to upgrade from a SATA SSD or use as a secondary drive. While Apacer hasn’t start selling the AS2280P2 in Malaysia, we’ve learned that it will retail at RM150 for the 120GB model and RM290 for the 240GB model, which is slightly expensive than the Kingston A1000, its rival of the same class that offers up to 960GB of capacity, let’s hope Apacer does the right thing to make this an even worthy purchase.

The Good

Great reliability

Fast sequential and random transfer speeds

Affordable and faster than mid-range SATA SSD

The Not so Good

Inconsistent speeds in large file transfers

No cloning software included

No screw included (your motherboard probably has it anyway)

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Apacer focuses on innovative storage technology and cloud-based smart home solution in COMPUTEX 2015

297

Apacer has been one of the more aggressive memory providers out there, at least to our own knowledge, the company’s MicroSD cards are the fastest and the recent announcement of its NFC SSD is set to make a difference in the storage industry with its innovative industrial security features. At COMPUTEX Taipei this year, the company has got us interested with a couple of its products that focuses on cloud, lifestyle and security.

Apacer’s very first consumer cloud storage solution is a looker alright at its showroom, what makes it really different from the rest of the pack is that it features a removable enclosure that supports either one 3.5-inch or 2.5-inch hard drive up to 4TB. The ACD-1 has an
SD card
 slot to backup your memories and a USB 2.0 port to share external hard drives to the network. Best of all, this unique design storage device is also a 802.11n wireless access point and supports Wi-Fi direct for fast file transfers.

Looking more like a router, the Power Speaker WP-210 is another interesting product that Apacer aims to deliver convenience to consumers, the WP210 offers Bluetooth 4.0 and NFC connectivity, Qi wireless charging, and is fitted with two decent loudspeakers that plays impressive low effects, it also has a built-in battery that offers up to 7 hours of continuous playback time and there is a built-in microphone for making phone calls.

Flash drives are getting too common these days however lacking certain security features it should have, therefore Apacer has once again made a breakthrough on the AH650 flash drive, the world’s first to feature a biometric sensor that locks out any unwanted users from accessing sensitive data. The AH650 will work on both PC and Mac, and only requires one touch of your authorised fingers to unlock its main drive.

Apacer has also taken the opportunity to introduce its full range of USB Type-C flash drives made for next generation mobile devices, the announcements of these new products will make Apacer distant itself from just being a storage company, and we are definitely more interested in finding out how the ACD-1 cloud storage will work well in our daily lives.


Apacer introduces reversible-plug AH180 Dual Flash Drive

238

Apacer has a brand new flash drive, but unlike many other flash drives, this one has a trick up its sleeve: it features both a traditional USB port and a Type-C port.

Called the AH180 USB 3.1 Type-C Dual Flash Drive, this flash drive comes with a Type-C front end in its reversible-plug. Aside from eliminating the inconvenience caused by misplug and reducing slot damage by repeated plugging and unplugging, the AH180 also supports OTG functions, allowing it to expand the capacity of compatible smart phones or tablet PCs.

On the other end of the AH180, the flash drive features a Gen 1 Type-A interface that is backwards compatible with computer devices having USB 3.0/2.0. The bandwidth on the AH180 is 10 times faster than USB 2.0, allowing it to significantly reduce the time it takes to transfer files onto the flash drive itself or vice versa.

The AH180 comes in 16GB, 32GB and 64GB variants. As for operating systems, the AH180 is able to support Windows, Linux Kernal 2.6.x, Mac OS 10.4x and above, Chrome OS and other mainstream operating systes. The flash drive’s OTG functions is compatible with mobile devices that runs on Android 5.0 and above.

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Apacer introduces two new “Snap Hook” USB flash drives

350

Apacer introduced the brand new AH13A/AH15A “Snap Hook” USB flash drives which features a patented metal hook that can be easily operated using one hand coupled with the extended length of the body which is designed for easy handling and the metallic case provides protection to the exterior. They did not stop there, the flash drive is also waterproof, dustproof and shockproof ensuring your data is protected in case of an accident.

The patented snap hook design can be used by just pressing down on the button and will easily attach to your handbag or keychain as a personal accessory. The length of the body gives it an ergonomic design, making the process of attaching and detaching easy and smooth. Thanks to the cap-less design, you can easily access the data stored without the hassle of removing the cap and without the worry of losing a cap. Apacer takes into consideration knocks, drops and spills which is why the chip on the board is protected against the elements, assuring the user that all variables are taken into consideration to protect their data.

AH15A is a USB 3.1 Gen 1 offering high speed read and write and the AH13A is a USB 2.0 with excellent compatibility. Both will come with capacities of 8GB, 16GB 32GB, and the 128GB variant will only be for the AH15A which can store up tp 33,000 images, 30,000 tunes or 30 hours of high-resolution videos. For more information, check out Apacer’s official website
here
.

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ah15a
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Apacer launches AS720, the world's first dual interface SSD

318

Apacer, the company famous for memory cards and storage, has come out with the AS720, the first dual interface SSD in the world.

Coming equipped with both SATA III and a USB 3.1 Type-C connector, the AS720 is features stable flash chips and adopts a two-in-one high-speed transmission interface design. Tests done by Apacer shows that data access through the SATA III interface gives the AS720 a read speed of up to 540MB/s and a sequential write spped of up to 450MB/s.

The USB 3.1 interface is no slouch either as it has a read/write speed of up to 540/450MB/s. The speed of the AS720 allows users to copy a HD video that is 5GB in size into the SSD in under 15 seconds.

All of that performance is enclosed in a body that measures only 0.7cm in thickness and 75g in weight. The AS720 features a 30G anti-vibration and 3000G anti-shock protection, making it resilient against collisions.

Built-in advanced wear leveling and Error Correction Code (ECC) functions and Windows 7 Trim command support gives the AS720 enhanced reliability of data transmission and a longer service life. Using it as a system hard disk would result in improved response capabilities, multitasking functions, start-up speed and read/write efficiency.

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Apacer launches its fastest UHS-I U3 SDXC and MicroSDXC cards

254

A pacer has been one of the more interesting memory companies out there, the company announced its fastest memory cards today that is able to achieve read/write speed of 95/85MB per seconds. Based on UHS Speed Class 3 standards, the new SDHC/SDXC cards from Apacer will make 4K video recording a breeze and it has waterproof, anti-shock, anti-magnetism, X-Ray proof and heat resistance, certainly one of the best memory cards in the industry.

Apacer’s UHS-I U3 SDHC/SDXC cards will have storage options from 32GB to 128GB while there’s only a 64GB option for the MicroSDXC model, these cards are extremely fast that will surely boost performance of your cameras, smartphones and tablets. Serious photographers who shoots RAW pictures/4K videos and power smartphone users will certainly appreciate the speed that these cards offer.

In addition, Apacer has implemented a brand new packaging design that makes it easier for consumers, the new packaging will adopt the company’s green colored scheme and highlights capacity and speed marks while distinguishing Standard/Medium/Premium level series by different colors. The new memory cards will be heading to local IT resellers soon and let’s hope it gives other manufacturers a good run for their money.


Apacer microSDXC 128GB: Read/Write speed at 80/20MB

344

Apacer is proud to unveil their latest and greatest 128GB microSDXC with Read/Write speeds up to 80/20MB/s. This ultra high volume UHS-I U1 memory card has been tailored towards smartphone users who have the need or want for massive data storage at very competitive speeds. You can rely on this Apacer microSDXC 128GB to store entire TV series, for spamming continuous bursts with your camera or even recording hours and hours of 4K video. The excellent Read/Write speed in this class provides an excellent and fluid user experience for mobile devices that rely on a microSDXC for expanded memory.

Apacer microSDXC UHS-I U1 (128GB) was created with speed and capacity in mind. The reading speed of 80MB/s and writing speed of 20MB/s exceeds its competition by a huge margin, significantly reducing waiting times when scrolling through pictures, accessing data or loading up apps that are installed in the microSDXC. This will definitely make browsing and interacting with data on your phone much more fluid while on the move, not needing to constantly look at your screen while waiting for large pictures or huge e-books to load up.

The 128GB capacity is a real eye opener since a lot of users nowadays are seen snapping anything and everything in sight. Whether they plan to upload it immediately (and never delete it) or save it for later (and still never delete it), you can snap as many pictures, save as much offline Spotify music in Extreme Quality and store way too many meme-images than you can keep up with — without worrying of storage space. Full HD video recording in 4K will also be a breeze with the high capacity — coupled with the fast write times, make it a luxury and a great way to pamper your smartphone. 128GB can roughly accommodate 32,000 JPEGs while still being able to hold 45.6 hours of HD videos (720p).

This product is also available (in both microSD and microSDHC) 8GB, 16GB, 32GB and 64GB storage options. Apacer promises that their microSDXCs are the best and indispensable accessories for your mobile device.


Apacer releases Apacer X Snoopy limited edition products

322

Apacer has just announced a collaboration with the upcoming Snoopy movie with all its beloved “Peanuts” characters. With Snoopy and his good friend Woodstock as Apacer main characters, they have developed unique digital products by combining the characters with Apacer’s bestselling AH333 USB flash drive, B510/B513 power bank, and AC233 portable hard drive.

The first product will be the Apacer B150, which made out of boutique quality aluminum alloy with 5,000mAh capacity that can charge ordinary smartphones at least twice. Its appearance is extremely slim at only 1.2cm wide and weighs only 170g. It is light, easy, and is the best consumer electronic device to take with you.

Apacer also appreciates the friendship of Snoopy and Woodstock that will always accompany you with its “Snoopy and Woodstock” AC233 Portable Hard Drive. It offers “high-speed, slim, streamlining and fashionable” as its design concept, and utilizes the high-speed communication interface of USB 3.0 with a unique arched design of “Streamline Shark” to emphasize the sense of speed.

Another Snoopy-branded product is the Apacer B513 power bank, which sports a cute image of Snoopy and Woodstock sleeping on top of the roof. Besides that, it has a dynamic and sporty digital accessory that combines unique circular fastener with LED signals, in which it enables you to check the power status easily, and can be used with the carabiner to hang it on backpacks, stands or anything else.

Lastly, there is a USB Flash Drive – Apacer AH333, which has the perfect coordination of Snoopy with ivory white appearance and red crystal circular decorations. It has a pebble-like circular body of AH333 USB Flash Drive, and offers storage selections from 8 GB to 64GB to satisfy the demand for storing massive data.

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bank
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Apacer releases enterprise grade SFD 25H-M SATA3 SSD

411

Data centers today face performance issues in data processing as more applications and users are more demanding than ever. This is why Apacer has introduced their SATA 3 SSD for the demanding enterprise users who wants the need for speed to access and process data as fast as they could. The SFD 25H-M SSD from Apacer has a capacity of up to 1TB and possesses a sequential read/write speed of 510/420MB per second, which is around 4-5 times faster than a usual server grade hard disk.

Jeff Lin, Embedded Application Business Unit Director of Apacer, remarks, “Most Cloud servers require frequent access to hard disks. So it is a very good choice for Big Data storage devices to take SSD as its Cache and to boost the overall efficiency.” SFD 25H-M adopts SATA 3.0 high-speed transmission interface, as well as 1x nm Toggle DDR 2.0 NAND Flash chip, endowing it with perfect performance. On the other hand, the advantage of its large capacity up to 1TB not only saves the storage space inside servers and reduces server heat output, but also economizes enterprises’ TCO and avoids depleting enterprise resources. Moreover, enterprises will be able to safeguard the storage and backup of their big data generated every day, enhancing their enterprise competitiveness.

The SFD 25H-M is able to operate in harsh environment temperatures of up to 85°C, it also features common SSD features such as anti-shock, anti-vibration and low power consumption, which is very suitable for industries such as medical, military, gaming and transportation. Enterprise who wants to check out how this SSD performs can contact local distributor Mobile Network Dot Com Sdn Bhd for sample tests.

Apacer SFD 25H-M Specifications


Apacer's AC531 rugged hard drive offers shock and dust resistance up to 2TB of capacity

493

Shown in Computex two months back, Apacer has finally launched its latest rugged AC531 hard drive in the market, available in storage capacities of 500GB, 1TB and 2TB, this hard drive offers duo protection and is resistant to drops and dust all thanks to its rubber shell, there’s even a strap to keep your USB cable in place should you ever worried of losing it. If you are always off to places such as construction sites and forests but require storage on the go, this is the hard drive that you may want to consider purchasing.

The AC531 is IP5X certified dustproof, it has a fast 125MB/second read and write speed which is achieved via a USB 3.1 Gen 1 connection, the rubber case is specially designed to absorb shock from all corners when dropped, the company even claims that a 1-meter drop would not affect the hard drive’s operation, which is rather impressive since this is the usual height where most users will drop the hard drive.

The Apacer AC531 is currently available in most PC retailers and is backed by a three year warranty, visit
www.apacer.com
 for more information.

ac531
apacer


Apacer's AC730 USB hard drive is water resistant and shock proof

313

If you have been using a series of rugged tech gadgets, then Apacer’s AC730 USB hard drive should make it to your list if you require a extremely rugged storage device, the AC730 passes the MIL-STD-810G standards and is able to sustain accidental drops of up to 1.2m, and the company claims that it can be run over by a military heavy armor vehicle and sustain up to 1500KG of pressure. On top of that, the AC730’s chassis is also IP68-certified water and dust resistant, which will stay intact if submerged in 1 meter depth of fresh water for 60 minutes.

For its shock proofing features, Apacer achieves this by adding a suspension structure built between the case and the core, which forms a buffer for external forces from any direction. In case of impacts during data accessing, this design can minimize the harm and effectively ensure extended life of the portable hard drive, while the tightly sealed enclosure will ensure no water and dust gets inside easily.

In terms of drive performance, the AC730 is no slouch as it uses the USB 3.1 Gen 1 interface, which offers data transfer speeds of up to 5Gb/s, the hard drive is available in storage capacities of 1TB and 2TB, and it is currently available at most major IT retailers. For more information on the AC730, head on over to http://ap.apacer.com/products/AC730

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Apacer's B222 and B221 power banks have huge battery in a compact size

276

Its been a while since we’ve heard from Apacer, the Taiwanese memory maker has just announced two new additions to its power bank family, the B222 and B221 power banks are designed for the road warrior in mind with its huge battery capacity and compact form factor.

The B222 is the world’s smallest powerbank designed for notebook computers and smartphones, it packs a huge 11400mAh capacity with a maximum output of up to 19V 3.42A, which should actually charge notebooks fast and efficiently. In case you are worried about safety, the B222 uses LG battery cells commonly used in light electric vehicles which is able to supply power at high voltage and current with multiple disaster safeguards, which include short circuit, overcharge, overcurrent, overvoltage, and overheat.

As a pocket sized device measuring at 8.32×4.6×2.68 and weighing 130g, the B221 power bank packs 6000mAh of power under the hood and offers two USB connectors with a maximum 3.5A output. The B221 uses quality Samusng battery cells and features a beautiful smooth contour design that offers better grip and storage convenience, two color options – Armani Black and Tiffany Blue – are available to suit users with different color tastes.

The Apacer B222 and B221 power banks will be available in local computer retailers soon, expect the prices of these two power products to be not more than RM250.

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Apex Launcher causes complaints due to pop-up ads and defective settings

336

While people might complain about the lack of app drawer in some Android phones, there’s always been a simple solution — third-party launchers. However, one of the famous ones known as Apex Launcher is going to be boycotted due to invasive ads.

The once popular launcher has recently pushed an update to its users, causing several features to be removed and certain settings to go haywire. Apex Launcher has been sending pop-ups to users whenever they launch their Internet browsers like Chrome or Firefox, causing many to be annoyed.

What’s worse is that Apex Launcher developers did not provide any notifications or warning beforehand. The updated launcher also prevented users from being able to recover their old settings.

Oh well, there goes the remaining users of Apex Launcher.

android
Apex Launcher
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Apotop introduces its slimmest SSD drives

291

Apotop, a brand of Carry Technology Co. Ltd in Taiwan has just introduced its slimmest SSD drives ever to the market with it’s new SM2246 controller and Synchronous NAND Flash while storage options start from 64GB up to 512GB. Measuring a mere 7mm in thickness, the S3C is able to achieve 500MB/s and 300Mb/s in sequential read and write speeds respectively thanks to the NAND Flash Multi-Level Cell (MLC) NAND Synchronous Flash Memory and the SATA III 6Gb/s interface. It also features the Trim command and has support for a max of 4k write IOPS along with RAID support.

The Apotop S3C SSD drives come with a 3 year manufacturer warranty and is now available at your nearest PC retailer, do check them out when you can.


Apotop’s Wi-Copy is a wireless card reader that is also a wireless router and powerbank

281

We’ve seen the popularity of USB OTG flash drives increasing as it offers additional expansion option and great convenience for our smartphones and tablets, but unfortunately you are only limited to use it on a single device. Apotop here has made things better by introducing the Wi-Copy, a multipurpose card reader that has wireless routing features and charges your devices, a pretty rare combination of features if you ask us.

The Wi-Copy simply looks like a standard card reader on first impressions and but you won’t find a protruding USB connector on it. On the front it has a
SD card
 slot and USB 2.0 port that lets you connect
external hard drives
 and flash drives, the USB port also outputs a power of 2.1A that lets you charge your smartphone or tablet with its built-in 5200mAh battery.

The device also has built-in Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n and supports a maximum theoretical transfer speed of up to 150mbps, it has a 100mbps Ethernet port on the back that lets you share you fixed line internet connection over its wireless router mode, and to our surprise, this little beast even sports a repeater feature. With the huge 5200mAh battery onboard, you are able to store, transfer and stream content to and from your Android or iOS devices with a claimed continuous usage of up to 14 hours, a free app is available for download in the Apple App Store and Google Play Store for accessing the Wi-Copy.

The Apotop Wi-Copy is a great choice for those who are always on the go and wants to refrain from carrying too many devices, we found the device being sold at Amazon for around USD$80 with free shipping in the US, which is kind of pricey but it really is a unique device with so many features that will make any road warrior drool over it.

Source:
Apotop


App created by Chinese communist party can spy over 100 million Android users

416

Study the Great Nation, a Chinese communist party’s app has been found to have what a German cybersecurity firm called “superuser” access to more than 100 million Android devices.

According to the agency, the app coders have integrated weak encryption in essential features like email and biometric data, allowing the communist party to read data from user’s phone without them realising. It was also discovered that the app comes with a backdoor-like command line that allows the coders to expand the amount of access they have to a user phone’s data without needing additional permissions.

With the app installed in the phone, the communist party can easily track user’s whereabouts, activate audio recording and even make phone calls without user’s acknowledgement. Although there was no evidence that the backdoor-like command line was used for malicious activities, there’s no doubt the effort made to hide the code causes the cybersecurity firm to be skeptical.

It is also considered a violation of human rights to intentionally use weak encryption in code, according to the European Convention on Human Rights. However, there hasn’t been any legal actions taken against them yet.

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Study the Great Nation


This app helps you decide which restaurant to dine based on your Spotify playlist

286

It becomes a mind boggling situation when you are in a mood for lunch and dinner, but don’t know which place to dine, and you have probably dined in the same restaurant almost every occasion, which eventually becomes a first world problem. Therefore, the folks have IPC Shopping Centre has released a feature in its app called ‘The Mood Menu’, which connects to your Spotify account and detects the playlist, using ‘a complex proprietary algorithm’ to decide the mood you are in and suggests a few restaurants you should visit within the mall.

The feature is created in collaboration with world-renowned taste psychologist Professor Robin Dando of Cornell University, and using Spotify’s rich user data, create a food and mood matching tool to suggest the type of food the user should be taking. As Professor Dando puts it, taste perception can be modulate by a variety of factors and includes our emotional response to pleasant and unpleasant real life events. Hence, we assume the same can be applied to music as well, for instance you will listen to energetic music when your day is good, or listen to some slow music when you had a long day, the Mood Menu detects that to decide if you are in a happy or sad mood.

Even though there isn’t a simple explanation on how the match-making of the restaurants are being done, based on my tests I got a hit for a few ‘Happy Mood’ restaurants as I was previously listening to some fast music, but I can’t relate how places like Ah Cheng Laksa or Absolute Thai can be a place I would like to go if I’m in a happy mood. If you would like to try out, the IPC Shopping Centre app is available as a free download on
Google Play
 and
App Store
.

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