Dual App Viewing and Multiuser support on next iPad can be really exciting

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Apple’s WWDC 2015 keeps on in three weeks time and we have already anticipated the next
iPad
’s launch rather than just announcing a new version of its mobile software or OS X, the
iPad
 has seen its declining numbers in recent months and have been challenged by various Android tablets, reports have indicated that Apple will introduce dual app viewing mode and multi user support in the new
iPad
, which could breathe some new life into the tablet’s user experience.

Apple has also been reportedly testing with two new
iPad
 models – the J98 and J99 which is expected to sport 12-inch displays and possibly called the iPad Pro, these new larger tablets could allow Apple to do more with multitasking due to its increased screen estate. Dual app viewing mode will mean different apps running in reduced window size and working simultaneously, while multi user support will allow different users to use one single device and have each individual set of apps and settings in one device.

While these new features have already existed in Android tablets a long time back, it is interesting to see how Apple can manage to implement these features yet making them better, and we shall find out more when Apple announces iOS 9 in 9 June.


Dual camera Lenovo K8 Plus has a large battery

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While most smartphone manufacturers are mostly focused on the trending feature on handsets which is bezel-less displays, companies like Lenovo are focused on other aspects, slowly but surely hopping onto the dual camera bandwagon at the same time. This is why the Lenovo K8 Plus sports a dual rear camera setup, and it also has a massive battery.

The Lenovo K8 Plus has just been unveiled by the company in India. First of all, it sports a 5.2-inch display in Full HD resolution, which definitely does not disappoint by the standards of a mid range smartphone. Underneath the hood you’ll find the K8 Plus being powered by a MediaTek Helio P25 processor with 3GB of RAM. The handset also comes with 32GB of storage which is expandable via the micro SD card slot.

Dual camera smartphones aren’t too special anymore, and that includes the Lenovo K8 Plus. Its rear camera setup consists of a 13MP and a 5MP sensor. The combination of both will be capable of producing bokeh effect images and blurred background shots. The selfie camera of 8 megapixels means the K8 Plus won’t fall short of the rest in the mid range spectrum. Coupled with the huge 4,000mAh battery packed in it, this Lenovo mid ranger could be an excellent contender for the best mid range smartphone out there in 2017.

The Lenovo K8 Plus is currently an India exclusive device, available for purchase soon on the country’s popular online retailer Flipkart for INR 10,999 (RM 727.74). Sounds like one of the most value for money phone’s you can get right now. What do you think?

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Dual-edge display Vivo XPlay5 officially launched in China, with 6GB of RAM

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Chinese OEM’s have been known to emphasize a lot on spec sheets, and Vivo brings that trademark to a whole new level, launching a smartphone with 6GB of RAM. We have just received
rumors of the device
 recently, and they were right. Introducing the Vivo XPlay5, the first smartphone sporting 6GB of RAM.

Not only that, the Vivo XPlay5 also features a dual-edge display, confirming claims that they are using Samsung’s display. At 5.43 inches, it is a Super AMOLED display with QHD resolution. However, the dual-edge display doesn’t seem to make the cut as the XPlay5 doesn’t feature an edge interface like on Samsung’s Galaxy Edge line. Other specs include a Snapdragon 820 processor, 128GB of internal storage, a 3,600mAh battery which supports fast charging, dual stereo speakers with Hi-Fi 3.0, a USB Type-C port and a fingerprint scanner. In terms of build, the XPlay5 has a metal unibody design. On the camera side of things, it sports a 16MP/8MP rear and front facing pair.

While it may seem to be up against (in some ways, trump) the Galaxy S7 Edge on paper, whether or not it can live up to the standards of the Samsung flagship in terms of real-life usage remains to be seen. Nevertheless, specs and mimicry at a low price point seem to be what most Chinese OEM’s thrive on to compete against existing flagship devices out there.

According the Vivo, the XPlay5’s fingerprint reader can unlock the device in 0.4 seconds, 0.2 seconds if the screen is awake. The device runs its own FunTouch OS on top of Android Marshmallow and comes in two colors: Champagne Gold or Rose Gold. One thing to note is the XPlay5 comes in two variants. a “Flagship Edition” and an “Ultimate Edition. The “Flagship Edition” runs on a Snapdragon 652 SoC with 4GB of RAM and the latter sports a Snapdragon 820 with 6GB of RAM. The prices stand at 3,698 Yuan (RM2,349) and 4,288 Yuan (RM2,723.77) respectively.

The XPlay5 is available for
pre-order
 right now and is tipped to start selling sometime next week. It is still unlikely that the XPlay5 will pose any form of threat to Samsung’s flagship line although the 6GB of RAM might interest some enthusiasts out there. What do you think about a 6GB RAM smartphone? Let us know your thoughts!

Source:
Vivo

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The dual lens GoPro MAX is priced at RM2,310, available from October 24

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Apart from GoPro’s popular HERO series, GoPro has also introduced GoPro MAX, its dual lens GoPro camera that is all about versatility.

The GoPro MAX comes with dual lenses on the front and back of its body, a front touch screen and like the HERO8, built-in mounting. With a shotgun mic performance and a front-facing screen, the device is also great for those who love vlogging.

The GoPro MAX has Max HyperSmooth stabilisation, Max SuperView — wide lens, and also Max TimeWarp that can offer creative video concepts. It supports 16.6MP 360-degree photos, PowerPano (panorama shots) and can also capture 360 audio for stereo sound effect.

With the GoPro app, users can also reframe the 360-degree shots using the new feature called “Reframe”. Users can also go live on Facebook by using the GoPro app.

The GoPro MAX is available at RM2,310 at authorised retailers from October 24 2019.

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Dual textured HTC Desire 650 Dual SIM announced in Malaysia

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As much as performance and specs are important, it’s safe to say that most consumers out there still seek for beautifully designed smartphones. HTC has experimented with tons of designs when it comes to its own line of handsets, and the company’s attempts have prevailed till today. This particular smartphone has a unique design flair to it – 50 percent smooth, 50 percent groove.

The phone mentioned is the HTC Desire 650, which has now made its way to Malaysian shores. This uniquely designed phone that was launched late last year, features a smooth texture on its top half and a grooved texture on its lower half for its rear panel. Specs-wise, the Desire 650 falls into the entry level category – a 5-inch 720p display with Gorilla Glass protection, a MediaTek MT6737t processor with 3GB of RAM and 32GB of internal storage under the hood.

The camera department isn’t much of a scream as well. The HTC Desire 650 sports a 13MP rear camera and a 5MP selfie camera, both equipped with BSI sensors. The handset also packs a 3,000mAh battery, which is rather large given its 5-inch non Full HD screen. The aging micro USB port is a disappointment however, plus the fact that it still runs on Android 6.0 Marshmallow.

Having said that, if you don’t expect much from your smartphone, the attractive looking HTC Desire 650 will suit you just fine. Besides, the Malaysian variant of the phone has dual SIM support. It will be available at selected outlets nationwide with a price tag of RM799.

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Ducky One Review : A wonderfully simple mechanical keyboard

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A few weeks ago, I reviewed the Ducky Secret, the company’s first attempt at a gaming mouse. Now, I’m taking a look at something the company is much more famous for: a mechanical keyboard. Out of the company’s extensive keyboard catalogue, we’ve received the Ducky One, and after using the keyboard for quite a while, I can safely say that I understand why people like the Ducky keyboards.

Design

The key design philosophy for Ducky products is to keep it as basic as possible. I’ve mentioned this on the Secret review and said philosophy still holds through with the Ducky One. The Ducky One is a standard full-sized no frills mechanical keyboard that uses a micro USB to USB 2.0 cable to connect to your machine. There are no additional macro buttons or anything of the sort; it is just a very standard mechanical keyboard with LED backlights on each key. One thing to note though is that the keyboard uses a single colour LED, so when the manual says that you can toggle the colour of the LED backlight, you are actually unable to do that. Apart from that, the Ducky One features ABS double-shot keycaps, meaning that each keycap was built using two different colours of plastic combined. This material prevents the keycap surface and the character from wearing out. The overall build of the Ducky One is solid and sturdy, making it able to withstand a reasonable amount of punishment.

Performance

Underneath the keycaps, the Ducky One that we have comes with Cherry MX Black switches. The Black switches are a moderately stiff, linear, non-clicky mechanical keyboard switch in the Cherry MX family. Another interesting thing to note is the presence of DIP switch at the backside of the keyboard. These switches allows you to swap positions of certain buttons to a different location on the keybaord, allowing for easier access when you begin programming the keyboard to do certain functions.

Usage

I have very little complaints when it comes to the Ducky One because it performs well. Typing on it is highly responsive and satisfying. Apart from that, the Ducky One also has some special functions that are programmed directly into the keyboard such as backlight toggling. As mentioned earlier, most keys on the Ducky One can be programmed to function as macro keys via the use of the FN key.

To simplify the programming process, the DIP switches located at the back of the keyboard can be toggled to move certain buttons to other locations. That said, if you are serious about setting up macros for the Ducky One, you’re going to want to find an online guide for it because the manual that comes with the keyboard is very barebones.

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Ducky Secret Review : Simple yet functional

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The Secret is a gaming mouse made by a Taiwanese peripheral maker with an animal motive. No, it’s not from Razer; it’s from Ducky, a company that is rather popular for its mechanical keyboards. Wanting to be more than just a great keyboard maker, Ducky has attempted to make their own gaming mouse and the Secret is the result of said attempt. So how does this mouse fair on its own?

Design

If I had to describe the Ducky Secret with one word, it would be ‘ordinary’. The Secret, as a whole, has a really basic mouse design. Where other gaming mice would opt to slap on numerous macro keys and make it uniquely shaped, the Ducky Secret goes with the ‘keep it simple, stupid!’ design philosophy. I, for one, couldn’t be happier with this decision. The only one complaint with the mouse that I have is the decision to put the DPI switch at the underside of the mouse, making on-the-fly sensitivity switches quite cumbersome. Besides that though, the mouse’s common design means that I can start using it without having to get used to its shape or size.

Another unique thing about the Ducky Secret is its build material. Instead of using ABS for the build, Ducky has opted to use a plastic called PBT to construct the mouse. This material allows the mouse to be much more durable than other mice and is stain resistant. That said, it is not exactly oil resistant as I noticed that the Secret that is currently being used by me has signs of oil on the buttons.

Performance

For the buttons on the Secret, Ducky has opted to use 5 Omron microswitches. The decision to use Omron switches for its buttons means that the Secret will be able to last quite a while before it breaks down. The Ducky Secret uses a standard optical sensor where the DPI can be toggled between 400 DPI up to 5000 DPI, which is fairly standard fare for a gaming mouse.

The weight of the mouse can also be configured if you feel the need to. The Secret comes with an 11g weight in the box and if you want to, you can install it by unscrewing the back of the mouse and putting it in.

Usage

Using the Ducky Secret is very straightforward as it is a simple plug and play affair. There are no special drivers that are required to make it run optimally, and as such, you can just plug it in and start using it.

Of course, the lack of drivers means that you won’t be able to customise the mouse buttons for your specific needs, but if you don’t need those in the first place, you won’t mind its absence. As mentioned earlier, the positioning of the DPI toggle also makes on-the-fly switching rather inconvenient.

Apart from that though, the Ducky Secret is a mouse that performs just as well as any of the other more “complex” gaming mice.

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DuitNow allows users to send money through phone numbers

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DuitNow is a newly launched service that allows bank customers to transfer money to others by keying in the recipient’s phone number, and this can be done via the Internet or mobile apps of the respective banks.

As of now, there are 14 banks that are in collaboration with the DuitNow service, including CIMB Bank, Public Bank, RHB Bank, Hong Leong Bank, Maybank and Citibank. The service will also be available to 17 other banks and non-banks, though the official date is yet to be confirmed.

To use the service, customers will need to register by linking their mobile number with their account number at their bank. The registration can be done online, and customers can also link their IC numbers, Army or Police numbers, Passport numbers or Business Registration numbers to their bank accounts. After the registration, bank customers can view, modify and transfer their DuitNow registrations via the selected banks’ Internet or mobile apps.

Fund transfers up to RM5,000 is free for consumers and SMEs, meaning that there will be no additional fees for any transaction amount of RM5,000 and below. However, some banks are also waiving the transaction fees for fund transfers above RM5,000 to allow larger transactions without additional charges, but for the banks that are not providing the waive, it’ll cost an addition RM0.50 for transactions above RM5,000.

The DuitNow service is an attempt to encourage Malaysians to adopt a cashless lifestyle and to provide more convenience and efficiency in terms of fund transfers. To further promote the service, there will be a nationwide contest starting 8 January for bank customers who registered for the service, with prizes worth up to millions of ringgit.

DuitNow


Dummy units reveal actual appearance of iPhone 12 lineup

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Several images of the
iPhone 12 lineup
 have surfaced on the internet, revealing how the three differently sized iPhones will look in real life.

Dummy units are guides for case-makers

Image credit: Sonny Dickson

Leaked by
Sonny Dickson
, these dummy units are based on CAD schematics and are used by case manufacturers so they can make iPhone cases ahead of the smartphone launch. Despite that, the dummy units aren’t 100% accurate in terms of the full design.

Dummy units aren’t completely accurate

Image credit: Sonny Dickson

Dickson mentioned that the chassis is “promising”, but the notch and cameras might
differ
. In fact, the dummy units don’t show the
LiDAR scanner
 on the pro models and the triple camera setup on the
5.4-inch iPhone
 is contradicting rumours that suggest the iPhone will only sport two lenses on its rear.

iPhone 12 lineup follows iPad Pro design

The dummy units show three sizes of the iPhones, but there will be four iPhone models in total. There’s the smallest iPhone at 5.4-inches, followed by a 6.1-inch iPhone and the biggest 6.7-inch iPhone which will be the iPhone 12 Pro Max. It resembles the latest
iPad Pro
 design in which the edges are flat and look boxier than the iPhone 11 lineup.

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Dungeons & Dragons RPG coming to PS4 and Xbox One

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Looks like this PC exclusive RPG won’t be that exclusive anymore. Dungeons & Dragons RPG Sword Coast Legends developers n-Space and Digital Extremes have officially announced that this game will be available on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One in spring this year. They mentioned that this will be an “all-new way” to play although they didn’t mentioned in what way.

The studios have also confirmed that the console versions of this RPG will come with post-released PC content, which includes the drow, a new playable sub-race, as well as more character skill trees, and new areas to explore. In addition, console players will get some in-game items bundled with the game such as the Tome of Knowledge, Order of the Burning Dawn Cloak, Beholder, Lost Mines dungeon tile set, Wisps, and Armor and Weapons.

Another extra goodie console players will get for free is the Sword Coast Legends’ Rage of Demons expansion when it is launched later this year.

The PS4 and Xbox One version of Dungeons & Dragons RPG Sword Coast Legends is priced at $20 and will only be digitally available for download on PlayStation Store and Xbox Live.

Source:
GameSpot

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Durable and fast, Angelbird introduces SSD2go PKT portable solid state drive

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Solid state drives are technically able to sustain bumps to avoid data loss, but the SSD2Go PKT from Angelbird seems to do more than just that, the company calls it a virtaully indestructible SSD as it can endure temperatures as low as -40°C and as high as 85°C, which is actually rather impressive if you are a user that uses storage in extreme temperature environments. The SSD2Go PKT also feature other protection features such as Overload protection, EMS Protection, ESD Protection, shock, dust and splash proof, it is available in storage capacities of 256GB, 512GB and 1TB, while Angelbird has used MLC Nand flash to achieve up to 560MB/s read and 460MB/s write speeds.

As its name already suggest, the SSD2Go PKT is a portable SSD that users will connect using a USB 3.1 Gen2 Type-C connector and Angelbird has been rather kind to provide a Type-C to Type-A cable and Type-C to Type-C cable in the package. The SSD2Go PKT is backed by a three-year limited warranty and retails from US$179.99 (RM721) excluding shipping, head on over to
Angelbird’s
 website to find out more.

angelbird
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DxOMark awards iPhone Xs Max a score of 105, Huawei P20 Pro still takes the top spot

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The new iPhone Xs has been unveiled yet another year, Apple has claimed that the phone is the best phone they have ever released. Their processor might be better when compared to the Kirin 980 but it looks like the camera is still not on par with other options.

DxOMark has just released their camera review of the iPhone Xs Max and it still could not dethrone the Huawei P20 Pro. To break it down, the iPhone Xs Max does perform exceptionally well when it comes to autofocus, exposure in outdoor shots are good, details and colours are great as well.

iPhone Xs Max High-Contrast Shot

However, if you are someone that relies on the zoom feature, you will be disappointed as you will see noise and less details when comparing it to the likes of the P20 Pro and even the Galaxy Note 9. Using the flash, especially at night will produce some obvious noise at areas with low-lights and shadows of high-contrast pictures. Lastly, video taking is said to be rather decent as it performs well in bright light conditions with wide dynamic range, vivid colours, accurate white balance and high levels of details. The stabilization is also good and autofocus is again excellent here as well. DxO did mention that the white balance has some issues when shooting with indoor lighting and there is luminance noise when shooting indoors or areas with low light.

iPhone Xs Max Low-Light

DxoMark has awarded the iPhone Xs Max a score of 110 for photo and 96 for video making the total score of the camera, 105. A score that could not dethrone the Huawei P20 Pro which received an overall score of 109.

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E-Huge's Avengers-themed Windows tablets are now available in Malaysia

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Alongside the JOI 11 tablet, SNS Networks have also taken the opportunity to launch two of E-Huge’s Avengers-themed Windows tablets.

The first of the two tablets is the AVR10T, a 10.1″ 2-in-1 tablet that is themed after Iron Man, complete with Arc Reactor. This particular model sports a 10.1″ 1,280×80.0 screen and is powered by a quad-core Intel Atom X5-Z8300 processor, 4GB of DDR3 RAM, 64GB of internal storage, a 5,400mAh battery, and runs on Windows 10 Home. The ACR10T packs a 5MP rear camera and a 2MP front camera. As for ports, the AVR10T supports USB Type-C, Micro USB, and Micro HDMI.

Moving on, we have the AVR116T, which is the meatier of the two tablets shown. Sporting an Avengers livery, this tablet has a 11.6″ 1,366×768 HD display and is powered by a qquad core Intel Atom X5-Z8300 processor, 4GB of DDR3 RAM, 32GB of internal storage which is expandable to 64GB via microSD card, a 7,000mAh battery, and runs on Windows 10 Home. Much like the AVR10T, the AVR116T sports a 5MP rear camera and a 2MP front camera. The tablet also supports USB Type-C, Micro USB, and Micro HDMI ports.

To fit with the Avengers theme, both these tablets come with their own set of custom wallpapers and icons. Every tablet sold will also come with its own specially designed carrying sleeve or pouch to protect said tablets from any mishaps.

The AVR10T retails for RM1,249, while the AVR116T retails for RM1,449.

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E3 2016: AMD debuts RX 470 and RX 460 graphics cards at the PC Gaming Show

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You’ve seen the RX 480 back at Computex, now AMD is introducing its brothers today as AMD CEO Lisa Su has revealed the RX 460 and RX 470 at the PC Gaming Show held in E3 earlier today.

As the designations imply, both RX 460 and the RX 470 are a step below the RX 480. The RX 470 is the graphics card that is described to be the ‘ideal card for 1080p gaming.’ Simply put, if you’re just looking for a card that can handle 1080p gaming without needing every setting to be maxed out, the RX 470 will do the job well.

On the other hand, the RX 460 is a card that is targeted at the e-sports gamers. Designed for e-sports games that don’t require huge amounts of graphical horsepower such as League of Legends, Counter-Strike or other MOBAs, the RX 460 is an affordable card that is powerful enough to drive these relatively undemanding games well.

No official pricing was given as to how much the RX 470 or RX 460 will cost, but seeing as the 4GB RX 480 card will cost around USD 199, it is entirely possible that the price of the RX 470 will be around the USD 159 to USD 179 mark. AMD has yet to announce an official launch date for the RX 470 and RX 460.

Source:
Ars Technica

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E3 2016: Bethesda Round-up

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Dishonored 2 is the headliner for Bethesda’s E3 presentation this year, but it isn’t all sneaky assassins of course. While there isn’t any huge surprised at Bethesda’s presentation this year, the company did reveal some updates that will be coming to their existing titles, as well as resurrecting a game that many thought was dead.

Quake Champions

Kicking off the Bethesda presentation is a old school command prompt that segues into a Quake Champions trailer. The trailer shows off some of the characters and weapons that will be returning to Quake Champions. Ranger, Visor and Anarki are just some of the characters that were shown off in the trailer. Weapons that will also be making a return to Quake Champions include the Lightning Gun, the Rocket Launcher, the Machine Gun, the Rail Gun and the Gauntlet. One surprising bit of information that was revealed about Quake Champions is that it will be a PC-exclusive, and will be capable of running at 120hz with unlocked frame-rates.

Of course, the Quake Champions trailer also reveal some interesting information that puts it in the questionable category. The trailer shows that each character may come with its own abilities that range from teleportation, to a straight up wallhack, something that seems rather out of place in an arena shooter. Another thing worthy of note is that the presenter on stage states that Quake Champions will be a “class-based arena shooter,” a term that seriously diminished my hype for the game. There were no gameplay footage revealed during the event, but Bethesda has said that more information will be available at Quakecon 2016. Until then, I will be cautiously optimistic about Quake Champions.

Fallout

DLCs are a-coming to Fallout 4 and most of it revolves around construction. If your favourite part of Fallout 4 has been the construction mechanic, the upcoming DLCs will make you very happy indeed as the upcoming DLC will allow you to build contraptions, a theme park, as well as your very own vault! The first DLC is called “Contraptions,” and it will allow you to build workshop related machinery such as conveyor belts sorting machines, and all sorts of other devices that would probably allow you to construct your own Rube Goldberg machine.

The second of the DLCs is “Vault-Tec.” As the name implies, this expansion allows you to build and customise your very own Vault! In fact, you can be the Overseer of the Vault you created, allowing you to run your own personal experiments on the poor inhabitants of your Vault. The last of the expansions is ‘Nuka-World,’ an expansion that appears to be centered around theme parks. All of the DLCs will be released over the course of the year.

Fallout Shelter will also be on the receiving end of some updates as well. Scheduled for July, the updates will introduces quests, new characters, as well as new locales where you can visit to gain resources or materials. Besides updates, Bethesda has also confirmed that Fallout Shelter will be coming to the PC next month, so you now control your Vault with a mouse and keyboard as well.

Elder Scrolls

Many people were expecting a surprise announcement for a new Elder Scrolls game. Unfortunately, there wasn’t one. What we have instead is an announcement that Elder Scrolls V Skyrim will be receiving a remaster. Titled The Elder Scrolls V Skyrim Special Edition, this remastered version of Skyrim will have updated visuals and will give the console version mod support. The remaster will be available for PS4, Xbox One and PC on the 28th of October.

Moving on, The Elder Scrolls Online will also be receiving a major change soon. This change is called One Tamriel, and it will introduce level-scaling to the entire game world of Elder Scrolls Online. This means that all enemies will be scaled to your level, allowing you to wander around the world of Elder Scrolls Online without needing to worry about enemies that are higher levelled than you. Aside from One Tamriel, Bethesda has announced that The Elder Scrolls Online will be rolling out to Asia, more specifically Japan, this year.

Remember that Elder Scroll cards game? Bethesda remembers it, and has announced at E3 that The Elder Scrolls Legends will be available for PC, iOS devices, Mac and Android devices later this year.

Prey

Just so we’re clear here, this Prey has nothing to do with the cancelled Prey 2. In fact, I’m not even sure if this version of Prey has any connection to the 2006 game of the same title. Developed by Arkane Austin, Prey is a first person game that is set in a sci-fi setting. Not much is known about the reboot other than the fact that the game will feature some ‘psychological elements,’ but it is good to see Prey moving out of the limbo that it was in for the past three years.

Dishonored 2

Dishonored 2 is pretty much the main event for Bethesda’s presentation today and they’ve given us a rather extensive look at the gameplay. According to an Arkane Studio’s representative, the setting for Dishonored 2, Karnaca, will be much more vertical than Dunwall. The location will also sport weather efforts in the form of storms, causing you and your enemies to have reduced vision when a storm is taking place.

As mentioned during the initial reveal of the game, Dishonored 2 will allow you to play as either Corvo Attano or newcomer Emily Kaldwin, and both of them will come with their own set of special abilities. The on-stage demo of Dishonored 2 shows off what Emily is capable of and reveals some of the powers that she has. One of the two powers revealed during the demo includes Mesmerize, a power that allows you grab the attention of enemies, preventing them from detecting you. The other new power is Domino, an ability that links the fates of multiple characters together. Once linked, whatever you do to one character will affect the others in the same way. Another interesting gameplay mechanic is the Timepiece, a gadget that allows you to time travel between the past and the present. No idea if the Timepiece is strictly limited to one level, but if it isn’t, it opens up a slew of interesting possibilities when it comes to tackling missions.

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E3 2016: EA Round-up

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The first big gaming event of the year, E3, will be running throughout the week, and numerous game companies will be holding their respective press conference throughout the next three days. Kicking off the festivities is Electronic Arts, and they have a rather stacked deck for this year’s E3 with Battlefield 1, Titanfall 2 and Mass Effect: Andromeda being showcased at the event.

Seeing as writing about each game individually would take up too much time, we’ll be going through a summary of what was shown off on stage as well as the trailers that were released for the presentation. Without further ado, let’s get right into EA’s press conference.

Titanfall 2

It’s been two years since the original Titanfall was first released. This year, on the 28th of October, Respawn Entertainment will be releasing the follow-up to their first new IP. Much like the original, Titanfall 2 will see players fight against each other either on foot, or inside the cockpit of a Titan. As far as multiplayer goes, the trailer reveals some new abilities/equipment in the game, such as what seems to be a black hole grenade that sucks anyone in the vicinity into a single spot. The biggest addition to multiplayer though is the grappling hook. With this hook, you can now grapple your way to out of reach buildings, allowing for more maneuverability. Buildings aren’t the only thing you can grapple on to as the trailer reveals that you can grapple on to Titans. You can even launch the grappling hook at your enemies, dragging them over to your so you can finish them off with a melee attack.

What is new to Titanfall 2 is the Single Player Mode. The game will now feature a proper, full-length campaign. Seeing as Respawn Entertainment is made up of ex-Infinity Ward employees, you can probably expect the Single Player campaign to be a set-piece heavy affair.

Battlefield 1

The other big shooter from EA for 2016, Battlefield 1 has been steadily building up hype as both DICE and EA have been drip feeding footage of the game through Twitter and other social media locations. Today, EA has finally revealed the first Gameplay trailer for Battlefield 1, and man does it look pretty. As expected from a game that runs on the Frostbite engine, Battlefield 1 looks stunning to say the least. Much like other Battlefield games, Battlefield 1 sounds exquisite as well, as DICE doesn’t joke around with sound design in their Battlefield games.

Perhaps the only disappointing thing that can be said about Battlefield 1 is the historical accuracy. Judging from the gameplay trailers, automatic weapons will be featured prominently in Battlefield 1. Considering that the guns used in World War I are mostly bolt-action-based, we’re going to go ahead and say that history buffs are probably not going to be happy about DICE playing loose with history. But then again, seeing as this is a Battlefield game, its probably no surprise that the game isn’t 100% historically accurate.

Star Wars

There’s really isn’t a dedicated Star Wars game announced at EA’s E3 conference this year, but EA has given us a look as to what to expect from them. For starters, there’s the upcoming DLCs for Battlefront, which will culminate in the Death Star pack in December.

New IPs are also in the works as the video confirms that both Visceral Games (Dead Space) and Respawn Entertainment (Titanfall) are working on new games that are set in the Star Wars universe. Most importantly, these games will be featuring all new stories. Perhaps the most interesting reveal is that EA may be working on a new X-Wing game for the PlayStation VR. Of course, it could just be the fact that Battlefront may be implementing PSVR support, but the thought of EA remaking the X-Wing series for the modern day is something worth dreaming about. Considering the fact that VR is now real, a VR-capable X-Wing vs TIE Fighter would probably make Star Wars fans jump for joy.

Mass Effect: Andromeda

Mass Effect: Andromeda won’t be coming out this year. Bioware has confirmed that the game has been pushed back to 2017. As such, the Andromeda presentation is relatively light on details as to the story of the game. While Bioware did not reveal much about the story, the Andromeda presentation did reveal some of the new locales, species, and perhaps even the female main character for the game.

EA Originals

EA Originals is a new program that the company announced on stage at E3 earlier today. In essence, EA Originals will pretty much be EA’s indie-funding division. The program aims to give small developers the support needed to bring their games to the market. Studios who join the program will get assistance in the form of advertising, developing and marketing their games. When the game is released, all of the profits from the finish product will go back into the developers’ hands.

The first game that will come out of EA’s indie intiative will be Fe, an atmospheric adventure game from Swedish developer Zoink. We can’t quite make out how Fe works, but we do know that the game will be dominated by the colours purple and red.

FIFA 17

Rounding up the EA announcement is the EA Sports line, or more specifically for Malaysians, FIFA 17. As expected of the FIFA series, FIFA 17 will sport improvements in the A.I. and player models.

New to FIFA 17 though is something called ‘The Journey.’ Essentially a story mode, this mode will put you into the shoes of a Premier League upcomer called Alex Hunter as he climbs the ranks of a fresh young signee, to a footballing superstar a la Messi or Ronaldo. If you’ve watch the 2005 football movie called Goal!, The Journey is basically that movie made into a game.

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E3 2016: Images of the Xbox One S leaked

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Microsoft’s E3 press conference is supposed to happen at midnight today, but one of its main attractions has already been spoiled. Rumours have been swirling around that the company was getting ready to release a smaller, slimmer version of the Xbox One, and today, images of said new Xbox One is out, and it is titled the Xbox One S.

Leaked images of the Xbox One S was first spotted on Neogaf and it comes with some really interesting details. For one, the Xbox One S is 40% smaller than the original Xbox One. It will also sport a 2TB hard drive, and will be able to support 4K Ultra HD videos as well as High Dynamic Range (HDR). The Xbox One S will also come with a vertical stand as well as a streamlined controller and a built-in power brick.

Right now, the only available picture of the Xbox One S is coloured white, so its unknown if the Xbox One S will be available in the current black colour of the original Xbox One. Another important thing to note is that this is merely a slimmer version of the Xbox One and not the rumoured Scorpio system. Will Microsoft reveal more about the Scorpio? Seeing as Sony has just recently confirmed that the PlayStation 4 Neo is a thing, we expect Microsoft to comment on the Scorpio during its press conference tonight.

Source:
Neogaf

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E3 2016: Microsoft round-up

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If there is one thing that can be taken away from Microsoft’s presentation at this year’s E3, it’s this: the day of Xbox exclusive games are truly behind us. Why do I say that? Because of all the games that were shown off during the entire duration of the presentation, almost all of them will be available for Windows 10 as well. While I would like to go into a deeper discussion as to whether or not Microsoft has just made the Xbox redundant with this move, that is a story better suited for a later date. For now, here’s a quick rundown as to most (if not all) the things that Microsoft showcased at E3 this year.

Xbox One S

As

mentioned
 is previous posts, Microsoft will be introducing a smaller version of the Xbox One console in August this year. Retailing for USD 299, the Xbox One S will sport a bigger hard drive, support 4K and HDR, and will come with a redesigned controller. It is highly unlikely that Microsoft will officially be bringing in the console to Malaysia, but one can always dream.

Gears Of War 4

Gears Of War is no longer an Xbox exclusive! Gears Of War 4 will be the first Xbox game to support the Play Anywhere system. Basically, if you were to buy a digital version of Gears Of War 4 for your Xbox One, you will be able to gain access to the game on Windows PC. Cross-platform play will also be supported, with Xbox One and PC players being able to play together in various modes such as the new Horde 3.0 co-op mode. Gears Of War 4 will also be getting its own Xbox Elite Controllers, for those who like the full Gears Of War 4 experience.

Forza Horizon 3

Have you ever played a Forza game and wished that you could race against someone on the PC? On Forza Horizon 3, you can do just that as the game will be introducing cross-play functionality between the Xbox One and Windows PC. Forza Horizon 3 will also allow players to join a session without needing to first quit the game. Upon accepting an invite to join a session, the game will immediately sync up with the host, causing the time and the weather to change according to the host’s game.

Killer Instinct

Do you like new characters? Because Killer Instinct will be receiving a new character, and said character is Gears Of War’s own General Raam. The character will be available on both the Xbox One and Windows PC.

Xbox Live

A bunch of new features are coming to Xbox Live and some of those features are rather interesting. One of the more interesting features that will be coming to Xbox Live is Language Region Independence, which allows you play in the language you want anywhere and not having it been fixed to the language of a particular locale. Microsoft’s digital assistant, Cortana, will also be coming (or should we say returning) to Xbox Live.

Community groups will be coming to Xbox Live through Clubs, and if you’re a gamer looking for someone to play with, the aptly-named Looking for Group feature will be coming to Xbox Live as well. Finally, if you’re the kind of guy who enjoys competition, Microsoft will be implementing Arena for Xbox Live. This feature would allow you to host tournaments of your own on Xbox Live, complete with tournament brackets and other convenient tools. Of course, Arena will also be available for game developers, allowing them to create their own tournaments. Microsoft has announced that EA Sports titles such as FIFA will be implementing Arena support in future installments.

Indie Titles

Indie titles aren’t neglected at Microsoft’s conference as the company took the time to reveal a new game by the creators of Limbo, titled Inside. Besides that, Microsoft took the time to demo a game titled ‘We Happy Few’ live onstage. Apart from that, a quick trailer was put together to showcase some of the indie games that will be coming to the Xbox One. Titles include Yooka-Laylee, Slime Rancher, Day Z, and more.

Gwent

Quick question, what does Warcraft, The Elder Scrolls and The Witcher have in common? If you answered that it had their own card game spin-off, you’re right on the money! Much like Hearthstone and The Elder Scrolls Legends, Gwent is a card game that will see two players duel it out on the table with their pre-made or self-crafted decks. The game will be available on both the Xbox One and Windows PC with crossplay supported.

Tekken 7

Is Street Fighter V not enough to satiate your need for fighting games? Well, you’ll have yet another game to choose from as Bandai Namco’s Tekken 7 will be making its way to the Xbox One. While Tekken 7 won’t be available until early 2017, Bandai Namco will be making Tekken Tag Tournament 2 available for free for Xbox Live Gold subscribers for a week, starting from today.

Scalebound

Remember Scalebound? Platinum Games’ newest IP? Well, Hideki Kamiya was on stage to give a demo of the co-op section of the game, featuring what Kamiya refers to as ‘the biggest bossfight that Platinum Games’ has ever created.’ If the demo is anything to go by, it seems that Scalebound will allow up to four players to co-operate. Scalebound will be available on both the Xbox One and Windows PC in 2017.

Sea Of Thieves

After being silent for a relatively long time, Rare is back and they’ve brought their newest IP with the to E3: Sea Of Thieves. Available on both Xbox One and Windows 10, Sea Of Thieves appears to be a co-op game where a you and three others become pirates. In the game, you’ll steer your ship, disembark onto the shores and engage in high seas cannonfights with other ships.

Halo Wars 2

It wouldn’t be a Microsoft E3 presentation if there was no mentioned of Halo. This year though, the Halo announcement has nothing to do with the shooter; it has to do with the RTS. Available for both Xbox One and Windows PC, Halo Wars 2 will take place at a location known as The Ark and players will be introduced to a new Covenant faction called the Banished. If you want to have a quick taste of Halo Wars 2, an open beta will be available for the game starting from today.

Project Scorpio

It’s official, Microsoft has revealed that the upcoming Xbox, codenamed Project Scorpio, is a real thing. Scheduled for release during Holiday 2017, Project Scorpio will come with 8 CPU cores, 320GB of memory bandwidth per second, and a 6TFLOP GPU. The console itself is, in Microsoft’s own words, “designed to move the gaming industry into 4K gaming and high quality VR.” While nothing else about the Scorpio is known just yet, Microsoft has confirmed that accessories and games on the existing Xbox One and Xbox One S will be compatible with Scorpio.

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E3 2016: Sony Round-up

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So it turned out Sony wasn’t lying, the PS4 Neo wasn’t part of the presentation. The absence of Sony’s beefed up console aside, Sony’s press conference is one that is full of surprises. One thing is certain though, the PlayStation Vita is officially dead as Sony did not spend even a second to talk about the company’s handheld. Anyway, on with the round-up.

God of War

Kicking off Sony’s presentation is a familiar face. Kratos is back, and he now has a son and a scruffy beard. The setting for the game has been moved from ancient Greece to a snow-covered land. It isn’t too long before a giant enemy bursts out from the ground and drops the word ‘Valhalla,’ confirming the rumours that the next God Of War game will be set in Norse Mythology. Unfortunately, the game is still in development, so do not expect God Of War: Greek Ragnarok (not the actual name) until at least 2017.

The Last Guardian

Nine years. Nine years after The Last Guardian was first announced for the PlayStation 3, the game will finally be something you can actually play. While The Last Guardian wasn’t presented on stage, Sony did reveal a trailer that revealed the launch date for The Last Guardian: October 25th, 2016. In just four months time, we’ll be able to play a game that tells the story between a boy and his dog/bird/cat monster. We can’t wait.

Horizon Zero Dawn

Horizon Zero Dawn, also known as the game that allows you to hunt robot dinosaurs received a new gameplay trailer at the presentation today, and it shows off s substantial bit of gameplay. Armed with a bow, you’ll be taking down various mechanical beasts throughout the game, and you’ll be crafting various traps to assist you with that endeavour. Much like Far Cry Primal, you can tame (reprogram?) wild beast and use them as mounts to speed up your travels. As for story, Horizon seems to be going for a ‘long-lost civilization with forbidden technology’ vibe, so it’ll be interesting to see how the game plays out. Horizon Zero Dawn will launch on the 28th of February, 2017.

Detroit: Become Human

The easiest way to summarize Detroit: Become Human is that it’s L.A. Noire set in a futuristic city with the protagonist being an Android. Much like other games developed by Quantic Dreams, Detroit: Become Human will be an interactive cinematic experience where your decisions will affect the outcome of the story. You’ll take control of the android negotiator known as Connor, and you will be put into situations where your knowledge and choice of dialogue will determine the outcome of every scenario . The game is still currently in development, so don’t expect it to be out until 2017.

Resident Evil 7

Ever since Resident Evil 4, it’s hard to remember that the Resident Evil series was a game that was set in the Survival Horror genre. Judging from the trailer for Resident Evil 7 though, it seems that Capcom is dialing back the action and cranking up the atmosphere, making the RE7 trailer to creepiest thing that Capcom has done with the franchise in quite a while. The game will be available on the 24th of January, but the demo for the game will be up later today.

PlayStation VR

October 13th, 2016. That is the date that the PlayStation VR will be available for purchase. Of course, what good would the PSVR be if it didn’t have any games at launch. Well, Sony has you covered as the press conference showed off a slew of games that will be coming to PSVR. Some of them are original IPs, such as Farpoint and Here They Lie. Some of them are pre-existing games or games that have been announced, such as Final Fantasy XV, Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare, an X-Wing VR mission for Star Wars Battlefront, and Batman Arkham VR. Simply put, Sony is serious about the PSVR, and there will be software available for the platform when it launches in four months time.

Days Gone

Would you like to play a game that feels like The Last Of Us with zombies coming straight out of 28 Days Later? Because that is what Days Gone feels like. Developed by Bend Studios, a company that has created the Syphon Filter franchise, Days Gone is an open-world action-adventure game that is set two years after a global pandemic. Nothing much is known about the game, but there will be zombie hordes that would zerg rush you throughout the game. The game is still in development, so a 2017 release window seems likely.

Crash Bandicoot

Crash Bandicoot has returned…sorta. No, Sony did not announce anything about a new Crash Bandicoot game, but they did announce that the original Crash Bandicoot, Crash Bandicoot 2 and Crash Bandicoot Warped will be receiving the Remaster treatment. Alongside that, Crash Bandicoot himself will be making an appearence in Skylanders Imaginators in October.

Spider-Man

There’s a new Spider-Man game. It’s being made by Insomniac, creators of the Resistance and Ratchet and Clank series. It’s currently in development so 2017 seems to be a realistic release date. Yes, I’m hyped.

Death Stranding

Oh look! Kojima Productions has made something else other than a logo! Jokes aside, Hideo Kojima was bound to appear on stage at E3 at some point, and ‘lo and behold, the man himself appeared at the Sony presentation to reveal the first game from the all-new Kojima Productions: Death Stranding. As expected of a Hideo Kojima game, the trailer for Death Stranding is incomprehensible, featuring a completely naked Norman Reedus waking up on a beach, finding a baby that was presumably given birth by him through cesarian section, and a bunch of people floating in the air. Does the trailer make any sense? No. Did it make me hype? Yes. When can we expect the game? No idea, but I’m giving an estimate of late 2018.

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E3 2016: Xbox One S has its price leaked by an insider

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With less than an hour to go before Microsoft launches the highly anticipated Xbox One S, a rumored price has been leaked, coming from NerdLeaks on Twitter. Just earlier today, images of the upcoming Microsoft gaming console have been leaked on the web spotted on Neogaf, and now we have what might be the correct pricing for the Xbox One S.

According to NerdLeaks, the Xbox One S will start at a price of $299 (RM1,219.28), which NerdLeaks stated the leak to have originated from an insider. Earlier image leaks of the Xbox One S shows the console in white, making the availability of a black model questionable. Once again, rounding up the details of the Xbox One S – 40% smaller than the previous Xbox One, a 2TB hard drive plus 4K Ultra HD video and HDR support.

Sony has previously confirmed that the new PlayStation won’t be making its appearance at E3, hence Microsoft has a slight advantage crowd pulling before Sony unveils the next PlayStation. Stay tuned with us as we bring you coverage from E3!

Source:
NerdLeaks (Twitter)

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E3 2020 — another big event cancelled

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Yep, you guessed it; E3 2020 has been cancelled and its organisers will soon release an official announcement.

Set to take place from June 9 to June 11 at the Los Angeles Convention Centre, E3 2020 is a massive event that celebrates the video game culture. Each year, gamers and video games enthusiasts take interest in the event, excited to know what games are coming next.

Sadly for this year, E3 will not be held — just like many other events that have been cancelled due to coronavirus. Even though the official announcement is still not out, game publisher Devolver Digital has already posted a tweet online asking people to cancel their flights and hotels.

Prior to this, Sony has already confirmed its withdrawal from the event. Instead, the company will be hosting their own events to announce the upcoming PS5 that many are looking forward to.

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E3 to host public event this year

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The Electronics Entertainment Expo (E3) has always been a closed-door affair where the general public aren’t allowed to attend. That is sort of changing this year as the hosts of E3, the Entertainment Software Association, has announced that they will be hosting a free public event during the duration of the expo.

Called E3 Live, this free ticketed gathering will run alongside E3 on the 14th of June until the 16th of June. While it isn’t exactly the proper E3 experience, E3 Live is expected to showcase some of the newer games from Ubisoft and Warner Bros.. Hardware seems to be the main focus for E3 Live though as HTC, Oculus, and Alienware will be present at the event.

If you’re hoping for the big names to appear at E3 Live though, you may be disappointed as Sony, Microsoft and Nintendo aren’t among the list of companies that will be present at the event. Hopefully, if E3 Live becomes a success this year, more companies may decide to join in on the festivities next year.

Source:
E3 Live
,
Electronic Software Association

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EA confirms next-gen upgrade for FIFA 22 only available if you spend USD99.99

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It’s been a while since we wrote about video games, but this gamer needs to rant – I’ve been playing the FIFA series of football games for over 10 years now, and as much I disagree with EA’s money-grabbing antics with the Ultimate Team mode, I usually find a way to play the latest title without forking out for the full price – think EA Play, Christmas Sale discounts, etc.

But this year – this God-awful year – the powers that be in EA have gone a step too far, which is saying something considering how much their greedy tactics have irked long-time fans like myself since Ultimate Team became a thing. They have confirmed that the next-gen upgrade for the upcoming FIFA 22, will only be available for those who fork out for the Ultimate Edition of the game!

Because of how new the next generation consoles are, and how little units are available due to the pandemic, many people are still need to rely on their trusty old systems to play their favourite games; understanding this, many developers offer FREE next gen upgrade, so when you can finally get your hands on that shiny new PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series X or S, you can enjoy the same game again in higher fidelity or framerates.

EA works differently – the Ultimate Edition version of FIFA 22 costs $99.99 (about RM419); which isn’t for everyone; but FIFA fans who were planning on getting a next-gen console this year will be left with the two options, either get the Standard Edition for less money, but have to buy the game again if they want to play it on their new consoles; or fork out that hefty sum to enjoy “
Dual Entitlement
”, which EA’s way of calling next-gen upgrades.

The game is set for an October 1
st
 launch, so there’s plenty of time for EA to fix the issue; until then, this FIFA fan is downloading Pro Evolution Soccer right now.

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EA debuts two new trailers for Mass Effect: Andromeda in time for N7 Day

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November 7th is known to Mass Effect fans as N7 day, and in order to celebrate that occasion, EA has released two new trailers about the next game in the Mass Effect series, titled Andromeda.

The two trailers surrounding Mass Effect: Andromeda is drastically different. The first trailer is an official cinematic reveal trailer that shows off some of the characters, settings and planets that the player will be visiting in the game. The second trailer continues on the whole “exploration” style narrative that Bioware has been teasing for a while now, giving Andromeda a sort of timeline as to when the game takes place. Judging from the trailers, Andromeda’s central characters will be unaffected by Mass Effect 3’s controversial endings, which is probably a wise decision.

Both trailers did not reveal too much specific information about the game proper, but it does give Mass Effect: Andromeda a launch date of Spring 2017. This pretty much confirms an earlier leak that Mass Effect: Andromeda will launch in March 2017, but as
EA has stated that it is ready to delay the game by up to five months
, things can change at the last minute.

Source:
Mass Effect

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EA games will now be available on Steam after a long hiatus – Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order now available for pre-order

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What seemed impossible for so long, has now become a reality – EA and Valve are joining hands to bring EA games to Steam once again.

The collab will see titles such as Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, Apex Legends, The Sims 4, FIFA 20 and more to be attainable on Valve’s distributing platform.

You may remember a time when EA released their games on Steam – even now you’d still be able to find games like Mirror’s Edge, Mass Effect 2, The Sims 3 and more on the platform. It wasn’t until EA pushed their own distributing brand Origin, that the company started pulling out of Steam.

With that said, now that EA is back on the menu for Steam users, it is unsure if booting up a game will redirect you to Origin – something that Ubisoft and Rock Star does with their own respective platforms.

In any case, it’s cause for celebration for PC gamers – EA has confirmed that Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order is available for pre-order now ahead of its launch this November 15.

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EA gets dishonor of having most downvoted comment in Reddit history

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It’s been a while now since we’ve written anything about the video games industry – but this one’s too good of a story to pass up. EA has received a Guinness World Record for the most downvoted comment in Reddit history. You may have already seen this story make the rounds on the internet in the past two days, but we’re going to write about it anyways – because more publicity towards this is good.

So, you know how EA likes their loot boxes? They’ll try to implement it in any game that they publish – including Star Wars Battlefront II (the new one).  We say the new one because the original had amassed a serious cult following – a generation of gamers who adored that game; it was a masterpiece.

When EA launched the reboot back in 2017, they introduced it, yes – you guessed it, loot boxes. What was locked behind these loot boxes were characters – cool ones like Darth Vader and Luke Skywalker. The issue here is that, not only are you paying full price for the game already, you had to pay extra to play as the characters that should’ve been available on the get go. Another way to get these characters would be to grind endlessly (about 40 hours) to get them.

Image credit: MXVideos

So you can already see the mechanics were designed to tempt players at spending money if the grind took too long for them. Gamers were unhappy, and in true gamer fashion, we took to the internet, and Reddit to blast the American company for their attempt at broad daylight robbery.

EA then responded in typical EA fashion – which you can read below:

The intent is to provide players with a sense of pride and accomplishment for unlocking different heroes.

As for cost, we selected initial values based upon data from the Open Beta and other adjustments made to milestone rewards before launch. Among other things, we’re looking at average per-player credit earn rates on a daily basis, and we’ll be making constant adjustments to ensure that players have challenges that are compelling, rewarding, and of course attainable via gameplay.

We appreciate the candid feedback, and the passion the community has put forth around the current topics here on Reddit, our forums and across numerous social media outlets.

Our team will continue to make changes and monitor community feedback and update everyone as soon and as often as we can.

Image credit: Reddit

Cringe right? Yeap, you and 683,000 Redditors cringed too – the comment had amassed that many amount of likes, scoring EA the dishonourable award. Never try to mask greed as a game mechanic designed to challenge players – we’re not that dumb, and we don’t have that much time…or money. Perhaps this will serve as a warning to EA and other developers to listen to their core audience; you know, because they’re the ones paying for the game.

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EA launches Origin Access for PC

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EA’s Origin service has received a surprising new feature as the publisher has introduced Origin Access, a USD 5 subscription service that grants you access to full-games that are in the “EA Vault”.

While the name may be similar, this is not exactly the same as the
EA Access
 that the publisher is offering on the Xbox One and PlayStation 4. For one, Origin Access offers an across-the-board 10 percent discount on every Origin store purchase.

So what does five dollars a month get you? As mentioned earlier, subscribers can download full games from the “EA Vault” that includes recent EA games such as Battlefront : Hardline and “legacy” games like Battlfield 3 and 4, Dragon Age : Inquisition and SimCity 2013. DLCs are not included in the Vault, so you will still have to pay for those. There are a total of 15 games currently in the Vault and EA has promised to add more Vault games on a monthly basis, including third-party offerings.

According to the
FAQ
, EA claims that some of the games in the Vault will work offline, so long as players “periodically reconnect to Origin”. No mention has been made about whether or not former subscribers will be able to keep their EA Vault games once their subscription expires so we’re going to assume that they won’t be able to.
According to Ars Technica
, EA has confirmed that the Vault games can be removed after being initially offered, but they have claimed that they “currently have no plans to remove any game from the Vault”.

If this subscription service seems like something you’re interested in, you’re going to have to wait a little bit longer as the service isn’t available in Malaysia just yet. In the meantime, you can wait for feedback from others who’ve subscribed to Origin Access to decide whether or not the service is worth your time.

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EA launches their own cloud gaming service – public beta test starts now

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Riding on the hype (or what’s left of it) of Google Stadia’s launch this November is EA – the giant American developers have launched the beta of their cloud gaming service.

Dubbed Project Atlas, it will apparently cost a subscription fee – unlike the base version of Google Stadia. We reckon the first games available on Project Atlas will be from EA’s portfolio, however it is unsure if they’re planning to bring in third party titles.

Image credit: Amazon UK

At the moment, public testers are being recruited to try out the beta, which will allow testers to play games FIFA 19, Need for Speed Rivals, Titanfall 2 and Unravel – pretty dated games, even FIFA 19 since its successor is due for its launch very soon. If you’d like to be a part of the beta testing, visit EA’s website here.

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EA representative calls loot boxes “surprise mechanics” to avoid legal action – our take on the matter

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This is about two days old now, but we need to talk about this. If you’re an avid gamer, you would’ve had some experience with loot boxes by now; and chances are you’ve also decided where you stand on the matter. Made popular by the likes of Team Fortress and Counter Strike: Global Offensive (albeit for cosmetic skins and hats only) as well as mobile games (for currency, items and energy).

Image credit: Talk Esport

American giants EA are notorious for the way they incorporate loot boxes into their titles of late – think the newer FIFA titles as well as Star Wars: Battlefront 2; both AAA games that warrant full price charges that have scummy loot box mechanics for player packs in Ultimate Team for FIFA and playable classes and items for SW: BF2.

A large portion of the gaming community have voiced their distaste for such implementations of loot boxes – and it seems like EA haven’t learned their lesson. In an attempt to slither their way around a legal hearing against loot boxes, EA representatives have called loot boxes “surprise mechanics” – we can’t even right now.

Image credit: Wickiwildwild

Part of the issue with loot boxes is the purported gambling aspect of it, especially when actual money comes into the picture. Skin trading sites for CS:GO are popular and was one of the primary focuses of the anti-loot box campaign, because gun skins in the game can fetch a pricey sum.

Image credit: CSGO Boosting

Now, when you talk about player packs in FIFA Ultimate Team, you’re talking about players spending real money on coins, to be spent on packs, that played around with odds. The chances of you getting a player that 90+ rated in a Gold Pack in FIFA is about 3.4% according to FIFA UTeam – making try-hard players spend money on points to purchase more and more packs.

Image credit: FIFA UTeams

In a game where “scripting” is very real, you need the very best players in your squad to stand a chance – and therefore you have the need for more spending to get in-form players and what not. It’s turning out to favour EA’s wallets – but now they have the nerve to call it “surprise mechanics” when the games they make are inherently reliant on loot boxes and player packs.

If you’d like to see a positive change in the matter, stop buying the products of developers who’re notorious for adding loot boxes; and stop buying said loot boxes too. Support those that put players first, and perhaps then, we might see some change.

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EA puts Medal of Honor: Pacific Assault as its On The House game on Origin

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EA has just refreshed its On The House game today, replacing Need For Speed Most Wanted with Medal of Honor: Pacific Assault.

First released in 2004, Medal of Honor: Pacific Assault was released at a time where World War II-based FPS were in its heydays and where Call of Duty just started off. As the name indicates, Pacific Assault takes place in the Pacific Theater of World War II, putting you in the shoes of a American soldier facing down the Imperial Japanese Army. Throughout the course of the game, players will go through historical scenarios such as the infamous bombing of Pearl Harbour, the island hopping campaign of the Solomon Islands and more.

As always, all you have to do to get a copy of Medal of Honor: Pacific Assault is to install EA’s Origin client. From there, click on the On-The-House banner and click on download to acquire the game. After that, the game is yours to keep. Do remember that the game will be rotated out eventually, so if you want to relive how shooters were made in the early 2000s, you might want to get the game ASAP.

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EA shows off creepy but hyper-realistic hair physics for next-gen games

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Game developing giants EA are known for many things – good and bad; but one cannot deny that the American company does try to innovate every now and then, with mixed results. This time around, they’ve shifted their attention to…hair physics?

EA have added new hair rendering capabilities to their impressive Frostbite engine and a video shared by the company shows off this new feature in a simple, albeit creepy manner – by fixing faceless mannequins with long luscious hair that are rendered real-time.

Individual strands of hair can be seen and everything to hair volume and length is translated into how it flips and bounce when the mannequin moves. And then cut to the mannequin doing a flying spinning kick to show off the hair in action – because why not.

This looks even more impressive than Nvidia’s Hairworks, so obviously it’ll will take up a considerable amount of processing power. Future titles from EA are touted to come with this feature and since we’re nearing the start of the next console cycle and with the existence of ray-tracing technology, we foresee ridiculously realistic graphics to come.

ea
Electronic Arts
engine
gaming
graphics
hair physics
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EA temporarily blocks access to Origin in Myanmar

1K

EA is in the center of yet another controversy as it appears that the game publishing company has temporarily blocked access to its Origin service to gamers living in Myanmar.

This issue was first brought to light in a
reddit post
, whereby a redditor mentioned that he was unable to access Origin and his library of games. Upon enquiring as to what is happening, a volunteer who helps with EA’s Answers HQ replied that Myanmar has been denied access to the Origin service due to sanctions placed on the country by the U.S. government.

Unfortunately, the answer provided by EA makes little sense as gamers in Myanmar have been able to use and purchase games off the service for years despite the sanctions. Furthermore, these sanctions have been lifted since the 7th of October, making the ban even weirder.

Perhaps sensing the imminent backlash against the company, an EA Community Manager has responded, mentioning that the company is working to restore access to Origin for its Myanmar customers.

Source:
Reddit
,
EA Answers

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ea
myanmar
origin
politics
sanctions


Eagle I launches the Vision 1 and Iris-M1 dash camera

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At the IT Fair held at the Mid Valley Exhibition Center that occured prior to the New Year, Malaysia-based Eagle I took the opportunity to launch two new dash cameras: the Vision 1 and the Iris-M1.

The main attraction of the launch is the Vision 1, a 3.5″ 16:9 widescreen dash camera that comes with a 480×320 glass lens display. The camera itself is powered by a MediaTek 6735VCM processor with 1GB of RAM, and comes with 8GB of internal storage that is expandable up to 32GB via microSD card. For the recording part of things, the Vision 1 is capable of capturing videos in VGA, HD or Full HD resolution at 30fps. The videos will be stored in 3gp format.

In addition to the standard dash camera specifications, the Vision 1 runs on Android 5.1 and comes with a SIM card slot that supports 3G and 4G mobile network as well as Wi-Fi connectivity. The camera also comes with integration to the WeChat app that lets you share your videos to the app in just a few clicks. Furthermore, the Vision 1 has features such as Loop recording, Find Your Car, Auto Video Look, Capture Moments and Wi-Fi Hotspot Sharing.

Aside from the Vision 1, Eagle I also launched the Iris-M1 camera. The Iris-M1 comes with a 5″ HD display screen with 140-degrees wide angle. It sports a 380mAh battery and is capable of recording VGA, HD and Full HD videos in AVI format.

The Vision 1 is available right now for RM738, while the Iris-M1 is available for RM448.

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Easy Converting to LED lights

385

What lights do you use at home ?

I am 100% LED now – even my fridge light is LED. You don’t need to go that far – I’m a little obsessed! It has taken me a couple of years of learning to get it right.

The most important lesson has been light ‘temperature’. This is measured in Kelvin (you’ll find it on the packet of any light bulb). I like a warm white, much like the old-fashioned tungsten bulbs. This is about 2700 Kelvin (K).

It’s interesting that folks from colder climates tend to favour a warm light, while folks from hotter climates prefer something more white or blue. Now I understand the colour I like, I generally get the right bulb each time.

One of the reasons I switched to LED is that I have solar panels on my roof, which contribute to the electricity demand of my house during the day. However after I bought a real-time energy meter I quickly learned that I was using a crazy amount of electricity at night – when my panels don’t help. With a bit of investigation I realised my lighting was drawing a lot of electricity. But my electricity bill for my three-bedroom house is now £7 a month, and upgrading my lighting played a big role in that. Even if you don’t have solar panels, lighting uses a lot of power. The good news is, it’s one of the easiest things to change.

Knowing which colour you like is important.


Get RM4 off when you pay for your EasyBook tickets with Touch ‘n Go eWallet

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Touch ’n Go eWallet has announced partnership with EasyBook — the online booking platform for public transportation — so that TnG eWallet users can use the app to purchase their tickets.

Easybook offers tickets for various public transportation including buses, trains, ferries and even flights. With the new partnership, users will only need to use TnG eWallet’s popular scan-to-pay feature to complete their booking transactions.

To celebrate the new partnership, both companies have decided to offer several discounts for its users. Those who travel to/from Melaka, Penang and Johor

with booking period from November 1 to December 15 this year will get RM4 discount when they pay with their TnG eWallet. The same applies to those travelling within Sabah and Sarawak with booking period from November 15 to December 31 this year.

Touch ’n Go eWallet has been expanding quickly recently — the company has recently partnered with Lazada and also Malaysia’s 7-Eleven outlets so that users can use their eWallets to make purchases on the online platform and in nationwide 7-Eleven outlets.

EasyBook
Touch 'n Go eWallet


Eavesdropping FaceTime bug fixed by update released by Apple

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Two weeks ago, Apple were thrown into a PR frenzy when people discovered a bug in the FaceTime app, that allowed users to eavesdrop on others, while using its group video chat feature.

The issue didn’t sit well with consumers at large and prompted Apple to disable the group chat feature to avoid anyone from abusing the bug. We’ve had to wait awhile for a proper fix for the issue, and thankfully, an update has been released to address the flaw in the form of the iOS 12.1.4 update.

The update should fix the FaceTime bug across all Apple products and users can resume regular usage of the app. Do keep in mind however, the update will cause problems on jailbroken devices, according to
Forbes
.

Forbes has also reported that ongoing WiFi issues continue to exist while new bugs were introduced with the update – think broken voice memos, photo glitches and issues with e-mails, however, the problems seem to be isolated occurrences so far.

If you’re a frequent user of the FaceTime app, this update should be useful for you. Looking ahead, it’ll be interesting to see how Apple recovers from this blunder and Apple fans should keep a keen eye on developments.

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ebble Time Unboxing and First Impressions: A smartwatch with a modern design and retro software

421

When the Pebble Time was announced, it was the only
smart watch
 that truly moved me from my ground, while there are many other wearable brands out there that I also favored, but wearing a Pebble has made it almost impossible to move to other
smartwatch
es as I switch devices for review every week, because this is one of the best cross-platform
smart watch
, and it is no wonder that the third generation smart watch got sold off Kickstarter extremely fast.

The Pebble Time isn’t really expensive when it kick off its Kickstarter campaign, I got mine a tad more expensive at US$179 and received a couple of days back on the day of writing. The first thing that has truly impressed me is the watch’s packaging, though simple, but the tagline “It’s time” has excited me enough to quickly rip open the box and get the watch activated. Out of the box, we’ve got one new proprietary USB charging cable, the Pebble Time and manuals.

If you have been a Pebble user, you will not be able to use the existing app to pair with the Time as it works very differently from the original Pebble and Steel. The best part of the software experience is that Pebble doesn’t require you to download all of your favorite watchfaces and apps once again as it carries them over to the new app once you have your Pebble account signed on. I had no issues pairing with the Time, though it takes a while to download a new firmware update I was up in about 6-7 minutes later, and you will then be greeted with the Time’s new Tictoc watchface in color – finally a Pebble
smart watch
 with a color display!

Apart from having a much modern design and less cheaper design than its predecessor, the Time’s display is a color e-Paper display, it isn’t as bright nor as colorful as a standard LCD display, but I actually find it very pleasant to look at it. If you can visualize things, just simply imagine your old Tamagochi and Digimon devices with colorful graphics with better resolution and vibrant colors, it is definitely much better than having a monochrome LCD display. Unfortunately, Pebble still doesn’t love touch screens and while you’re limited to use the standard buttons to operate the watch, it isn’t really a major problem to be honest.

One of the most significant updates to the Time is that you no longer require slots to store your watchfaces and apps, which you might first have an impression that Pebble has finally put in gigabytes of memory on the device, however that is not the
case
. In real fact, Pebble has done a pretty smart move by having those apps and watch faces stored on your phone, loads them on demand when your watch requests for it, and this of course comes with an disadvantage as well, which literally means that you will not be able to change watch faces as freely as you do back on older Pebble devices and use standalone Pebble apps without connecting to your phone.

Pebble is a company that consists of a group of young and creative people, and I have to say that the new Timeline interface does have some fun elements in there – the animations, doodles and menus, everything just feels very retro-style and it would be cool if Pebble could one day allow users to customize themes on their operating system, it is refreshing to see something different after seeing so many flat, 3D designs that I’m beginning to feel very irritated by it, and at this point of time, I find no issues in connectivity and receiving notifications.

I have no regrets in backing the Pebble Time, the Steel has impressed me with its minimalist
elegant design
 and now, the Time has gotten me interested into wearables once again, even though its features still may not be a breakthrough in wearable technology and doesn’t feature a 24K carat gold body, its user experience is fun yet unique and you have got to experience yourselves on what it really is like to have a Pebble Time on your wrists, stay tuned to our final review while we’ll be wearing the Time and see how it goes.

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ECOVACS DEEBOT M81 Pro Review: Robot Vacuum and Wet Mopping at a friendly price

646

A few years back, my father bought a robot vacuum cleaner for the household, it was cute, helpful and the family loved it, however during that time such consumer electronics aren’t that smart, it had poor battery life where it needs to be recharged in 30 minutes, it also requires a lot of supervision as it occasionally gets stuck in tight corners. Today, robot vacuum cleaners are a lot more capable than it used to be back then, some can be controlled over the cloud, packed with advanced sensors for smarter cleaning, and they are no longer expensive to own. A few days ago, we received the ECOVACS DEEBOT M81 Pro for our review, though it doesn’t look any different from any other robot vacuum cleaners I have come across, it has some pretty interesting features that I was eager to find out, and here are my thoughts about it.

Setting up the device is very straightforward, it comes with four pairs brushes which two is only required to be installed at the bottom, install the battery at the bottom, lift up the top lid and install the dustbin case, connect the charging station to an available power socket, place the robot with the two pins at the bottom to charge the robot vacuum cleaner, and you are set once the battery is fully charged.

The M81 Pro has built-in WiFi that is mainly used for controlling its operation via the ECOVACS smartphone app, which is available as a free download for Android and iOS devices. The pairing process can be initiated by holding on to the WiFi button on the remote, where the vacuum cleaner will give a beep with the WiFi indicator flashing, then follow the instructions on the app to have it connect to your home WiFi network.

One interesting fact here is that the D81 Pro can be controlled over the cloud, though it doesn’t have a mapping feature due to the lack of an ultrasonic sensor, you are still able to see its battery level, set a schedule for it to start cleaning, and have it return to the charging station.

Unlike other robot vacuum cleaners in the same range, the D81 Pro has a small reservoir for its mopping feature, where it dispenses water together with the provided mopping cloth while vacuuming the floor, as most vacuum cleaners still tend to leave some dust as they clean, this is an extremely useful feature as it ensures a cleaner floor, the reservoir can be refilled by opening the flap at the back.

The Deebot M81 Pro performs fairly well during my test, I had it clean the living area of my landed house and while I was impressed with how well it was able to squeeze through tight corners, there were times where the robot got under my couch or accidentally running through room slippers on my floor. As for carpets, the robot’s thick wheel was able to go across it without any issues, which is certainly an improvement from what I have seen on my previous robot vacuum cleaner. Probably the most impressive part of the M81 Pro, is how ECOVACS has managed to make a really efficient vacuum system without making much noise, the company rates the maximum noise level at 57dB, which you can definitely still hear your music playback and not have someone yelling at you while it is working.

In terms of battery life, the Deebot M81 Pro was able to last up to 3 hours continuously, which is rather decent and should technically last two times of casual use, the robot will automatically return to the charging station once the battery is low, however if it travels too far away from it, you may have to manually transport it back to the charging station due to its limited IR sensor.

Overall, the DEEBOT M81 Pro is a pretty decent robot vacuum cleaner with floor mopping features that doesn’t break the bank, it doesn’t require much human intervention as it is able to work its way through tight corners really smart with its soft bumper and IR sensor, the added feature of being able to control it using an app is also rather commendable, considering that the provided remote control has the most chances of getting misplaced than a smartphone. The DEEBOT M81 Pro retails at RM1,499, and for a limited time, ECOVACS is giving away 3 units of the DEEBOT M81 Pro on its Facebook page, so do head on over to try your luck as you may stand a chance to win one this month.

The Good

Affordable robot vacuum cleaner with wet mopping feature

Straightforward smartphone app

Great battery life

The Not so Good

Lack of ultrasonic sensor for better floor mapping

Charging time could be better

To purchase and find out more info about ECOVACS products, you can head on over to
Ban Leong’s website
.

deebot m81 pro
ecovacs
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ECOVACS DEEBOT N8 PRO and DEEBOT T9 now available from RM1,649

3.4K

ECOVACS has released two new robot vacuums a few days back — the DEEBOT N8 PRO and DEEBOT T9 are available now on ECOVACS’s official store on
Lazada
 and
Shopee
.

DEEBOT N8 Pro

Between the two robot vacuums, the N8 Pro is slightly more affordable at RM1,649. It has the TrueDetect 3D Technology that helps it detect obstacles on the floor so it can clean the house without getting tangled up in wires or banging into objects. This technology is supposedly 10x more accurate than traditional infrared technology, allowing the robot to scan and create accurate 3D images of what’s around them.

In addition to that, the N8 Pro can also map house layouts using laser technology, so users can plan a more efficient cleaning strategy while also remembering the house layout for future cleanings. ECOVACS also upgraded its suction power to 2,600 Pa and included the OZMO Mopping System, so N8 Pro owners can easily clean and mop their floors using the ECOVACS HOME app.

Users can also pair the N8 Pro with the Auto-Empty Station that comes with a 2.5L disposable dust bag; the robot vacuum will return to the station after cleaning and clean itself.

DEEBOT T9

The DEEBOT T9 takes things one step further; it comes with TrueDetect 3D 2.0, TrueMapping 2.0 and OZMO Pro 2.0 Electric Oscillating Mopping System. This robot vacuum is even more precise when detecting objects and with the help of 2D and 3D Maps, the exact location of the T9 can be determined so that cleaning more efficient.

Another feature that makes the T9 stand out is its built-in air freshener. Not only can the robot vacuum clean and mop, but it can also release fragrance onto the floor on its own using replaceable capsules and a fan at the bottom of the vacuum to spread the smell evenly.

The DEEBOT N8 Pro is priced at RM1,649 whereas the DEEBOT T9 is priced at RM2,149.

DEEBOT N8 Pro
DEEBOT T9
ecovacs


ECOVACS DEEBOT OZMO 900: The Terminator of Dust and Dirt

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Cleaning the house can be time- and effort-consuming, but it doesn’t always have to be. With advancements in technology, we no longer need to get our hands dirty to keep our house clean. Instead, we can take advantage of household robots like the DEEBOT OZMO 900 to keep everything spick and span.

The DEEBOT OZMO 900 is what people will recognize as a cleaning robot. In its box, you get the robot itself, a docking station, a quick start guide and an instruction manual. You’ll also receive several cleaning accessories like side brushes, a main brush interchangeable with a “direct suction” accessory, as well as a cleaning cloth plate which you can attach the microfiber cleaning cloth to. Plus, there’s a multi-function cleaning tool to clean all your brushes.

Setting up the DEEBOT OZMO 900 requires some reading, especially if it’s your first time operating one. However, the steps are pretty simple. Once you’re done setting up the robot, get it to charge at its docking station for four hours to get a full charge. After that, just press the AUTO button to start the cleaning cycle.

The DEEBOT OZMO 900 features Smart Navi 3.0 mapping and navigation technology, allowing it to scan your home layout and create a visual map so it knows where to clean. It also has a Laser Distance Sensor, as well as anti-collision sensors and bumper, which help keep the robot from knocking into walls too often. Once the robot is done with the layout mapping, it’ll automatically create a systematic cleaning pattern to clean your house thoroughly and more efficiently. Another benefit of having a visual map is that you can enjoy more advanced features on the dedicated app, say for example, using the virtual boundary to prevent the DEEBOT from going to specific areas to protect your privacy.

Now, the DEEBOT OZMO 900 is not just a cleaning robot that can sweep and vacuum; it’s also a robot that can mop. Featuring ECOVACS’ signature OZMO mopping technology, its multi-functionality is what makes it a must-have cleaning robot. It can vacuum and then mop in one go to save time and  you won’t have to worry about slippery floors as its technology prevents water leaking from the reservoir. With two side brushes and a main brush under it, the robot is capable of thoroughly cleaning your floor and even your carpets without missing a spot.

Struggling with hair strands? You can also replace its main brush with a direct suction accessory so it can vacuum all the hair without tangling up the brush. When heavy-duty cleaning is required, the DEEBOT OZMO 900 is engages its innovative resistance sensor technology, allowing it to automatically increase its suction power – useful when cleaning carpets so it can remove all the stubborn dirt. If you insert the cleaning cloth plate and fill the reservoir with water, the robot will also mop your place so you can come home to squeaky clean floors.

Using the ECOVACS Home app on your smartphone, you can also use the ‘area cleaning mode’ to clean specific places and create virtual boundaries to keep it away from certain areas. You can even customize the area you want it to clean for situations like accidental spills.

The app isn’t just useful for customizing cleaning areas; in fact, it does much more. It gives you control over the DEEBOT OZMO 900 whenever and wherever. You can be working in the office or enjoying a holiday trip in Japan, but as long as you have the app with you, you can control the robot to clean your place however often you’d like. Even better, you can set a cleaning schedule for the DEEBOT OZMO 900 via the app too. On days where you believe a rigorous cleaning is needed, you can even increase the vacuum power and water flow level using the app. The app also comes with a cleaning log so you can track how often it has been cleaning the place and how long each cleaning cycle took.

Another great feature of the DEEBOT OZMO 900 is its compatibility with Google Home and Amazon Echo. If you have either of these devices, you can link the DEEBOT OZMO 900 to the system and use voice commands to get it to clean. The robot is also integrated with voice reporting, so it can report to you when it starts cleaning, stops cleaning, start charging and more.

With so many functions in a single device, you must wonder if the battery drains very quickly, but fret not, as the DEEBOT OZMO 900 automatically returns to its charging dock whenever its battery runs low. The robot will also automatically resume its unfinished tasks after it’s fully charged – if “Continuous Cleaning” is activated via the app. This is particularly useful for large homes, as the robot will be able to pick up where it left off and never miss a spot.

Own one now at the lowest price of the year ONLY on 11.11:

A vacuum and mop cleaning robot will be a great addition to any home – the only thing however, would be its typically steep price; the DEEBOT OZMO 900 is no different, retailing at RM2,799. But, you’re in luck because Lazada’s 11.11 Sale is approaching, and ECOVACS will be having a 24-hour flash sale on its products on November 11. The DEEBOT OZMO 900 will be priced at only RM1,499 (with voucher) on that day and will come with a one-year warranty and free shipping. ECOVACS’s flagship store on Lazada is also giving away RM50 vouchers so you can use that to get more ECOVACS products on the cheap. Don’t miss out on the biggest deal of the year, or it’s another 365 days until you get a deal this good. Click
here
 to check out the DEEBOT OZMO 900.

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DEEBOT OZMO 900
ecovacs


Ecovacs introduces the DEEBOT OZMO 610 with advance mopping technology

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Ecovacs Robotics has introduced the all-new OZMO Mopping Technology to the Malaysian market with the DEEBOT OZMO 610, offering an intelligent cleaning experience to users.

It features a mopping system that is equipped with an intelligent and electronically controlled water thank that will pump water into a cleaning cloth. If a mopping plate is connected, it will wet the cloth without soaking it and starts mopping automatically. The tank can hold up to 300ml of water and will be sufficient for cleaning the whole floor without refills. It even goes the extra step to follow a back-and-forth cleaning path to ensure it does not miss any spots, it also ensures that no water will be pumped when its stationary or returning to its dock.

You can control the DEEBOT OZMO 610 from where ever you are by using the app, and it offers a range of options to offer the best cleaning for your needs. The OZMO 610 will be available in stores starting April 2018.

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ECOVACS launches DEEBOT X1 robot vacuums in Malaysia, priced from RM6999 onwards

4.3K

Despite the competitive industry, ECOVACS has continued to innovate its robot vaccums and has brought in the flagship DEEBOT X1 Family to Malaysia, they comprise of the X1 OMNI and X1 TURBO, which feature their respective base stations that does more than just emptying the robot vacuum’s dustbin.

Both robot vacuum will feature a strong suction power of up to 5000Pa and equipped with the latest AIVI 3D and TrueMapping 2.0 technologies, they also come with a new interactive voice assistant called YIKO, which the company claims as the first natural language to be on robot vacuums.

ECOVACS promotes the X1 OMNI as a robot vacuum that manages the entire floor cleaning process that frees users from more house cleaning chores, the provided OMNI Station is an all-round base station to integrate automated dust collection, cleaning the mop, refilling water and hot air drying, it features a 4L clean/dirty water tank to automatically stores and recycle wastewater after cleaning the mopping pad and refilling the water tanks of the X1 OMNI with clean water.

On the other hand, the X1 TURBO’s base station will omit the refilling feature but still washes the mopping pad and dries it with cool air after every cleaning session

The DEEBOT X1 Family features the strongest mopping system ever produced by ECOVACS, dubbed the OZMO Turbo 2.0 Rotary Pressure Mopping system, which combines high speed and high pressure rotation at 180 rpm that can clean solidified stains after three days; Furthermore, its 3D mapping system is also much improved that can navigate away from obstacles better all thanks to a new RGBD sensor, which does HDR imaging technology and allows the robot to navigate in dark rooms better.

The DEEBOT X1 OMNI and X1 TURBO will retail at RM7,999 and RM6,999 respectively in Malaysia, but for a limited time on March 26 to 27, customers can purchase these robot vacuums at a significant discount at ECOVACS official Shopee and Lazada store, where the X1 OMNI can be purchased at RM4,999 at
Shopee
, and the X1 TURBO at RM4,399 at
Lazada
.

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x1 turbo