The Encryption Conundrum: Apple vs FBI (Part Two)

332

Image Source:
UltraDroid

In our previous article, we’ve given you the basics of the ongoing encryption saga between Apple and the FBI. For this part of the article, we’ll be taking at look what has happened within the past two weeks because some of the recent developments have been rather interesting to say the least.

Apple’s Allies File Amicus Briefs

Image Source:
TechCrunch

When it became clear that the FBI will be going through the legal system to force Apple to build them a backdoor into iOS, Apple immediately prepared their lawyers for the oncoming legal battle. It is obvious that even though the battle for encryption is currently limited to Apple and the FBI, various tech companies know that the result of this legal battle could have huge ramifications for all other tech companies in the US.

To that end, various Silicon Valley companies such as
Google, Microsoft, Twitter
,
Facebook, Yahoo, LinkedIn
 and many others sided with Apple in this case. Tech companies aren’t the only ones that have sided with Apple in this case as various Non-Government Organizations such as the
Electronic Frontier Foundation
, the
American Civil Liberties Union
 and many more have also sided with Apple. On the 4th of March, many tech companies that sided with Apple filed their Amicus Briefs in support of Apple, all of which can be found
here
.

The New York Court Rules In Favour of Apple

Image Source:
Yahoo!

While the San Bernardino Court believes that Apple should heed the FBI’s demands, a New York court seems to think otherwise. In an almost identical case surrounding the use of the All Writs Act to compel Apple to unlock an iPhone,
New York magistrate judge James Orenstein
 rejected the US Justice Department’s attempt to gain access to the iPhone of an accused meth dealer. Ornstein states that the All Writs Act cannot be used to force a company to modify its products and that should the court accepted the government’s stance, the result would be “so expansive – and in particular, in such tension with the doctrine of seperation of powers – as to cast doubt on the All Writs Act’s constitutionality if adopted”.

The New York court’s decision was not taken very well by the Department of Justice, and they have since
appealed the decision
, stating that this particular case is no different from the dozens of times that Apple had agreed to cooperate in cases before this one, and that it “in no way upends the balance between privacy and security”.

Apple And The FBI Testify In Front Of Congress

On the 2nd of March, both Apple and the FBI went to congress to plead their cases in front of the House Judiciary Committee. This resulted in a five hour long session that has congress questioning both the FBI Director James Comey and Apple’s general counsel Bruce Sewell over the potential ramifications of what the FBI is demanding Apple to do.

James Comey was on the receiving end of much flak from the congress, as some of the questions asked by the congressman that were present forced Comey to admit that if Apple really does do what the FBI wants them to do, it would set a precendent not just in the US, but it would apply to countries outside the US as well.

Bruce Sewell would then go on to say that Apple’s drive to make iOS more secure is due to seeing security issues outside of the country. Sewell further states that following the FBI’s request isn’t a burden on time or money, it is instead the burden of compromising the security of their customers. When asked why that would be a burden, Sewell responded that he believes that this isn’t a one phone issue, nor can it be contained to a single phone.

I highly recommend that you watch the entire congressional hearing in its full, as many good points were raised by the congressmen.

The Department Of Justice Fires Back

Image Source:
Wikipedia

Apple’s continued refusal to assist with unlocking the iPhone 5c has caused the Department of Justice to escalate tensions between the government and Apple even further. In a response that can be viewed
here
, the DoJ shot back at Apple, saying that “the Court’s Order is modest. It applies to a single iPhone, and it allows Apple to decide the least burdensome means of complying. As Apple well knows, the Order does not compel it to unlock other iPhones or to give the government a universal ‘master key’ or ‘back door’. Apple’s rhetoric is not only false, but also corrosive of the very institutions that are best able to safeguard our liberty and our rights.”

The DoJ would also lash out at the other tech companies that sided with Apple on the case, saying that everything that the entire legal issue between Apple and the FBI is “a diversion.” The DoJ claims that “Apple desperately wants – desperately needs – this case not to be ‘about one isolated iPhone.'”

Image Source:
Bloomberg

Understandably, Apple wasn’t exactly thrilled with the report that the Department of Justice filed.
In a conference call with reporters
, Bruce Sewell says that the tone of the brief reads like an indictment. “In 30 years of practice I don’t think I’ve ever seen a legal brief more intended to smear the other side with false accusation and innuendo and less intended to focus on the real merits of the case,” says Sewell. Whatever the case, Sewell said that Apple has every intention of going to court to exercise its legal right. “Everyone should beware because it seems like disagreeing with the Department of Justice means you must be evil and anti-American. Nothing could be further from the truth,” added Sewell.

That is what has transpired so far in the Apple vs FBI case. There is no doubt in my mind that the case between Apple and the FBI (or perhaps the Executive Branch of the American government) will not be settled anytime soon. It is almost a certainty at this point, that the case would only be settled once it reaches the Supreme Court. This summarizes the entire Apple vs FBI saga thus far. We will be keeping a close eye on the development of this case as both sides fight each other in the courtroom.

Source:
Bloomberg
,
The Guardian
,
TechCrunch

apple
encryption
fbi
ios
politics
security


The FiiO M6 is a high-res audio player made for music streaming services

483

Smartphones may have become the replacement of digital audio players, but that doesn’t mean that every smartphone have great audio output, while digital audio players these days lack easily downloadable content, this is why FiiO, the audio company that sells audio amplifiers, have unveiled the FiiO M6 high-res audio player.

The M6 runs on a modified version of Android, as you don’t get access to Google Mobile Services, what it offers in the software experience is access to a handful of preloaded popular streaming services, including Tidal, NetEase Cloud Music, MOOV and KKBOX.

FiiO has also whitelisted apps such as Spotify, Qobuz, Roon, Deezer，QQ Music, Xiami Music, JOOX、ES File Explorer and Ximalaya, which you will have to sideload the respective APK files into the device.

Obviously, the M6 has built-in WiFi to go online and stream music, while it has a 3.2″ touch display, 2GB of internal storage that is expandable via a MicroSD card, powered by a Samsung Exynos 7270 dual-core processor and a 1200mAh battery that offers up to 15 hours of battery life on Bluetooth audio streaming.

Otherwise, the M6 is a rather capable music player as it supports various wireless streaming codecs such as LDAC, HWA, aptX HD and AirPlay, audio performance is driven by a ESS Sabre 9018Q2C DAC and it can also be used as an external DAC when connected to your computer via USB-C.

Here are the specs of the FiiO M6:

CPU：Samsung Exynos 7270 Dual-core 1GHz 14nm

DAC：ES9018Q2C

WiFi：2.4GHz

Bluetooth：Version 4.2，supports LDAC，HWA，aptX HD，aptX，SBC

USB：Symmetrical Type C connector, USB2.0

Screen：3.2 480×800 HD touchscreen

Dimensions：53.3mm×92.5mm×11.
5mm

Weight：83g

Accessories：TPU clear protective case, USB data cable, PET screen protector (one already pre-applied)

Charging time：＜2.5 h（DC5V/2A charger)Battery life：＞13 h（using earphones）＞15 h（over Bluetooth）

Standby time：＞26 days

Battery：1200mAh lithium-ion polymer battery

Storage：Built-in storage（2GB）+ micro-SD card（up to 2TB supported）

Pre-loaded music apps：FiiO Music，Tidal, NetEase Cloud Music, MOOV，KKBOX

Whitelisted apps：Spotify, Qobuz, Roon, Deezer，QQ Music, Xiami Music, JOOX、ES File Explorer, Ximalaya (copy the app’s APK file to the M6 and install)

Frequency Response：10 Hz~85 kHz（-3dB）

Signal-to-noise Ratio：≥118dB (A-weighted)

THD + N：＜0.002%

Peak output voltage：4.24Vp-p

Noise Floor：＜3uV

The FiiO M6 is available in Singapore for a rather reasonable price tag of S$279 (RM850), we also expect the M6 to pop up soon at local stores such as Jaben Malaysia and Star Pickers.

fiio
fiio m6
fiio m6 audio player
fiio m6 malaysia


The first 240W fast charging phone gets a global debut

2.1K

If you are wondering if there’s a phone that could charge at a similar wattage as gaming laptop, the Realme GT3 has made its global debut at MWC 2023 that sports a 240W charging speed, this is the company’s flagship that succeeds last year’s GT Neo 2.

Originally launched as the GT Neo 5 in China, the Realme GT 3 is powered by a Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 chipset and sports a blazingly fast 6.74-inch 144Hz 1240p AMOLED display, the phone offers an impressive storage configuration of up to 16GB RAM and 1TB storage. In terms of cameras, the GT3 has three of them which includes a 50MP main, 8MP ultrawide and 2MP microscopic lens, while selfies are serviced by a 16MP camera.

Aside from its blazing fast charging speeds, one of the more interesting things about the Realme GT3 would be a rectangular RGB lighting on the back, which the brand calls it a ‘Pulse Interface’ and serves as a notification light for various purposes such as incoming messages, low battery levels, countdown timer and more, we daresay that it probably took a page from the Nothing’s Glyph Interface.

Realme claims that despite the fast charging speeds, the GT3’s 4600mAh battery should still retain 80% of its maximum capacity after 1,600 charging cycles, it also has charging protection features such as limiting maximum charge level to 80% when the phone is charged overnight and spacing out its three 100W charging chipsets to minimize heat output.

As for its local launch, Realme Malaysia confirms that the GT3 will be coming really soon, and judging from the great pricing strategy of the Realme GT Neo 2 last year, the GT3 is probably one well-priced flagship to look out for.

mwc 2023
realme gt 3
realme gt 3 malaysia


The first-ever BMW X2 has arrived in Malaysia

370

BMW has introduced a new model to its X-series Compact Premium segment, the BMW X2. It features a sporty, dynamic and urban design which will leave a confident impression for its class. The BMW X2 is introduced in in the BMW X2 sDrive20i M Sports variant that will stand out from the crowd no matter where you are.

The kidney grille has been an icon for BMW cars and on the X2, it comes with a wider outline on the base rather than the top, making it the first BMW to come with this design language. Below it, the hexagonal surface treatment in the bumper reinforces the design and provides a visual expression of the brand’s classy appeal. In the car, there are LED ambient lighting with colour choices like Orange, Lilac, Mint, Bronze, Blue and White colour to cater to your mood while driving.

Powering the car is a BMW’s award-winning two-litre TwinPower Turbo 4-cylinder petrol engine with combines twin-scroll turbocharger with Valvetronic, double VANOS and High Precision Injection. All of this features allows for a top speed of 227KM/H and an overall output of 192hp and 280Nm of torque. The X2 will get you from 0 to 100KM/h in just 7.7 seconds and it comes with a 7-speed Steptronic Sport double-clutch transmission. The car’s response can be changed by simple activating the Driving Experience Control switch which will put the car into COMFORT mode, efficiency-enhancing ECO PRO mode and SPORT mode.

On top of the Comfort Access System, there is a contactless opening of the tailgate, and the luggage compartment has a capacity of 470 litres and up to 1,355 litres with the 40/20/40 split folding down rear backrests. The X2 also comes with ConnectedDrive which is designed to assist, inform and entertain the drivers at the right time with the right service.

These features include Emergency Call, Teleservices, Concierge Services, BMW Online and BMW Remote Services. The BMW Head-UP display displays driver-relevant information to offer the best customer experience in this segment. The car also offers Navigation Plus with an 8.8-inch touch display which also has split-view.

There is also a wide selection of Driver Assistance Systems, aside from the cruise control with brake function, the Park Assistant helps when it comes to parallel parking manoeuvres.

The BMW X2 will come with new colours of Galvanic Gold Metallic, Misano Blue Metallic and Sunset Orange Metallic with Black Interior Colour with Gray seams. The X2 will be available from all authorized BMW dealerships from 21 March 2018 and will cost RM320,800 without insurance. The price includes 5-years unlimited mileage warranty, free scheduled service programme and BMW Tyre Warranty Programme.

bmw
launch
malaysia
x2


The first Intel Z97 motherboard to be certified for Windows 10 – Biostar Gaming Z97X

264

BIOSTAR Gaming Z97X is the first ever complete gaming motherboard built from scratch. The Gaming Z97X is an ATX form factor board that comes with key features such as USB 3.1, 3 PCI Express 3.0×16 slots, PCIe M.2 support, Dual Gbe LAN and Super Hi-Fi Audio technology. Biostar also included on-board HDMI that can support up to 4K and 2K resolutions. There is also the introduction of the SATA Express Connector which supports both SAT and PCIe storage solutions, giving maximum data transfer speed of up to 10Gb/s.

BIOSTAR is proud to work with partners like Microsoft and Intel to be the first to bring high-end motherboards like the Gaming Z97X certified for Windows™ 10.


The first trailer of Marvel’s Avengers game is out, releasing on May 15, 2020

403

The long-awaited Avengers game is finally revealed during the E3 2019 press conference, alongside its launch date. The game will be officially released on May 15 next year, and players will be able to play the game as a single player or up to four players in a co-op mode.

The trailer reveals the original Avengers characters — Captain America, Iron Man, Black Widow, Thor and Hulk. Sadly, Hawkeye was not in the trailer but there will be more heroes added in the game after its launch so we might even see characters like Black Panther and Scarlet Witch.

The trailer starts with Avengers Day but quickly turned into another battle that led to a great tragedy. The glorified Avengers were then blamed for the incident and starts their journey to fight against evil, but the story stops there. Nevertheless, it has got many video gamers hooked, especially Avengers fans. Meagan Marie of Crystal Dynamics also revealed that there will be “new content delivered at a regular basis” and there will be no “random loot boxes or pay to win scenarios”.

The Avengers game will be playable on PS4, Xbox One, PC and Google Stadia, but we’re going to have to wait awhile before we get to play the game.

Avengers
e3
marvel
Square Enix


The FSP NB H series are the world’s first universal notebook adapter to sport built-in USB 3.0 hubs

256

We’re just a few days away from COMPUTEX 2015 and here’s more hardware news, FSP has announced the first multifunction notebook adapter featuring a convenient built-in USB 3.0 hub: the NB H series, available in two models – the NB H110 with 3 USB 3.0 ports and NB H 65 with 2 USB 3.0 ports, these notebook adapters will allow you to charge your smartphones and tablets without the need to use your laptop’s precious USB ports while being able to sync data. Best of all, the power adapter isn’t a brick with a mere size of a glasses
case
 which makes it a great solution for Ultrabook users with limited input ports.

The NB H65 is expected to retail at €54.99 (approx.RM 218.70) and the NB H110 at €69.99 (approx. RM 277.90), which costs similar to a genuine laptop charger and you are definitely rest assured that you will not need to switch chargers all the time if you have multiple laptops, its a shame that it doesn’t come with a built-in power bank, which we are probably hoping too much of course.


The Galaxy A Series Gives You 16GB of RAM to Get You Going

3.1K

It’s always a huge bonus to have a device that’s packed with a large RAM. For any social savvies and busy bees, it’s extremely important to own a device that doesn’t slow you down. Enter this year’s Galaxy A Series: the entry-level range of smartphones from Samsung that gives you essential features and more without compromising on the power to perform, power to create and power to last.

With Octa-Core processors and 16GB of physical and virtual RAM, you can easily enhance the performance of your Galaxy A53 5G to power through your tasks to avoid the irritating laggy experience. More RAM comes with great abilities – you can smoothly multitask and navigate between apps without having to worry that it will slow down your device and your work process. This also means that you can use heavy-duty gaming apps or editing software without any glitch.

The Galaxy A53 5G features a 5nm Exynos 1208 processor that give you up to 6% faster performance as well as up to 33% faster graphics, making it a multimedia powerhouse for gamers and streamers alike and giving you more bang for your buck.

If you have your eyes on the Galaxy A53 5G, get your hands on it from today until 31st May 2022 to receive a Protective Standing Cover worth RM99 for free. For more peace of mind, get 20% OFF Samsung Care+ Accidental & Liquid Breakage or Breakdown Plan for up to 2 years when you purchase the new Galaxy A53 5G. Even better, enjoy great savings with the Purchase with Purchase “PWP” promotion or when you trade-in your eligible device and receive an additional rebate of up to RM150 added to the base trade-in-value.

For more information on the Galaxy A53 5G, check out:
https://www.samsung.com/my/smartphones/galaxy-a/galaxy-a53-5g-awesome-blue-256gb-sm-a536elbhxme/

Galaxy A73 5G Video Review

galaxy a33 5g
Galaxy A53 5G
galaxy a73 5g


The Galaxy A04s offers a 90Hz display and 50MP camera for RM699

11.5K

Samsung has introduced the Galaxy A04s smartphone to the Malaysian market, it is a very attractive mid-range device that offers a 6.5-inch Infinity-V HD+ display that refreshes at 90Hz.

The phone is powered by a rather modest octa-core Exynos 850 processor that’s paired with 4GB RAM and 64GB of expandable storage, users can expand the RAM virtually up to an additional 4GB if they desire to, it sports a triple camera system comprising a 50MP f/1.8 main, 2MP depth and 2MP macro lens, which is a decent upgrade from the A04s, while the front camera remains a modest 5MP lens.

For storage expansion, you will be glad to know that it has a triple SIM slot that takes two SIM cards and a MicroSD card so you won’t need to compromise one of them to do so.

The Galaxy A04s can now be purchased at RM699 and is available in color options of Copper, Green and Black, get it at
Lazada
 and
Shopee
.

galaxy a04s
samsung malaysia


The Galaxy A14 5G is now available in Malaysia for under RM1,000

6.5K

With 5G phones getting more affordable these days, Samsung is joining the fun with the introduction of the Galaxy A14 5G, it resembles its 4G sibling in design but uses a Mediatek Dimensity 700 chipset for its 5G radio.

Featuring a 6.6-inch Full HD+ PLS LCD display that refreshes at 90Hz, the Galaxy A14 5G comes with 6GB RAM and 128GB of storage that supports expansion over a Micro SD card. Despite having a triple camera system like the regular Galaxy A14, it unfortunately gets a downgrade on its ultrawide lens where it is replaced by a paltry 2MP macro lens accompanied by the same 2MP depth lens, while thankfully the main lens is still a 50MP f/1.8 camera, the front camera will then take 13MP stills.

Otherwise, you get the same side mounted fingerprint reader, NFC support, a 3.5mm headphone jack and 5,000mAh battery with 15W charging.

Available in colors of Black, Dark Red and Silver, the Galaxy A14 5G retails slightly more than the 4G model at RM949, which is a pretty decent value if you are looking for an affordable 5G Samsung phone, it also comes with a free one-year extended warranty, two major OS upgrades and four years of security updates.

Visit
here
 to purchase the Galaxy A14 5G.

galaxy a14
galaxy a14 5g


The Galaxy A54 and A34 goes official in Malaysia

3.9K

Samsung isn’t sitting on its laurels on smartphone releases, while it is still riding high in momentum with its flagship Galaxy S23 series, the company has introduced the Galaxy A54 and A34 in Malaysia, these phones continue to feature the hallmarks of their predecessors, including IP67 water and dust resistance, optically stabilized cameras, large 5000mAh batteries with 25W fast charging, and both phones come with double the storage of their predecessors.

The Galaxy A54 interestingly feature a smaller 6.4-inch display as compared to its predecessor, its FHD+ Super AMOLED panel refreshes at 120Hz and pushes 1200 nits of peak brightness, which is a decent upgrade over its predecessors’ 800 nits of brightness.

In terms of performance, the phone is powered by an Exynos 1380 chipset while the Malaysian market gets on storage configuration of 8GB RAM and 256GB storage, the internal storage can still be further expanded with a MicroSD card, which makes it a big selling point as compared to other similar classed phones.

Like its predecessor, the Galaxy A54 doesn’t come with a headphone jack but comes with stereo speakers, it continues to sport a triple camera array with a similar design language as the Galaxy S23 series, though its main sensor has gotten a resolution downgrade to 50MP from 64MP, but we reckon that it has a larger sensor size that should see improvement in low light photography.

Otherwise, the optically stabilized main camera is joined by a 12MP ultrawide and 5MP macro lens, selfies are taken by a 32MP front camera.

As for the Galaxy A34, it surprisingly has a larger display than the A54 at 6.6-inches that’s also a FHD+ Super AMOLED panel that refreshes at 120Hz, its processing power is handled by a Mediatek Dimensity 1080 chipset and it is sold with 8GB RAM and 256GB of storage here, its triple camera configuration is similar to the Galaxy A54 albeit with a lower resolution, you get a 48MP main lens with OIS, an 8MP ultrawide and 5MP macro lens, the front camera also gets a resolution downgrade to 13MP.

Galaxy A54 and A34 Preorder Deals in Malaysia

The Galaxy A54 and A34 can now be preordered in Malaysia at RM1,899 and RM1,599 respectively, they also come in similar color options of Lime, Violet, Graphite and White.

As usual with all Samsung devices, the Galaxy A54 and A34 will come with four generations of Android OS updates and five years of security patches, customers who preorder either of these phones will receive a Galaxy Buds Live and 2-Year Extended warranty for free.

Head
here
 to preorder the Galaxy A54, and
here
 to preorder the Galaxy A34.

galaxy a34
galaxy a34 price malaysia
galaxy a54
galaxy a54 price malaysia


The Galaxy A73 5G made me hate expensive flagships

8.4K

The Galaxy A73 5G has officially made me an expensive flagship phone hater, I mean don’t get me wrong, owning a flagship phone still gives you the benefit of better cameras and performance than any mid-range phone, but the Galaxy A73 is so close to being a flagship and is above almost every mid-range phones I have tested, and you don’t need two months of an average Malaysian’s salary to enjoy some flagship phone benefits, but it isn’t perfect, and I’m here to tell you all about it after using two weeks as my daily driver.

Many of you might hate the fact that the Galaxy A73 uses a polycarbonate build where most mid-range phones have already shifted to a glass and aluminum build these days, however the phone is actually a very well-built device and during the review period, I accidentally dropped the phone without a case and screen protector at least seven times off my 3-foot table and it survived with just a few scuffs off the bottom frame and the back camera bump.

Noticed that slight scuff on the camera bump?

Of course, I do hate the fact that Samsung didn’t pre-apply a screen protector and despite being protected by Corning Gorilla  Glass 5, it has already got some minor scratches and could get worse in the long term if I continue using it without any form of protection, so I’d recommend that you apply a screen protector the first day you unbox the Galaxy A73.

In general, the Galaxy A73 5G is an iterative upgrade of the A72 5G with a faster Snapdragon 778G chipset that enables it to be a 5G device, though it still sports the hallmarks of its predecessor such as a 6.7-inch Super AMOLED display that refreshes at a buttery smooth 120Hz, IP67 water and dust resistance, 256GB of internal storage and 5000mAh battery with 25W fast charging, Samsung has unfortunately stripped off the headphone jack and telephoto camera that was present on its predecessor, these are not broken features and I can only assume this is done as a cost cutting measure.

The Galaxy A73 5G supports Samsung Pay, which is the only mobile credit card payment that’s available in Malaysia

What the phone differs from its competition is that it ships with Android 12 with One UI 4.1, which sports the same amount of Samsung software and features found on its flagships, Samsung has also promised up to four years of OS and security upgrades, that’s definitely one thing that you won’t find on most other Android phone brands of the same class and perfect for those who use their phones till it breaks.

In terms of performance, we are definitely no strangers to the Snapdragon 778G chip, which is essentially a rebadged Snapdragon 855 chip with a more efficient process, the Galaxy A73 5G launches apps and games really fast and though Samsung’s heavy skin does tend to bog down the performance after a while, the user experience has so far been reliable and I will occasionally restart the phone which you will probably do the same if you used other Android phones.

Gaming on the Galaxy A73 5G is decent and I was able to enable the 60 FPS option on Asphalt 9, the racing game is still a rather graphics intensive game by today’s standards which many mid-range phones will still have to run at lower settings to be playable. In more graphics heavy games such as Genshin Impact, the phone will still run the game with playable frame rates given that if you don’t push it to the highest graphics setting, the back can also get very hot after a while so you better

Although the Galaxy A73 5G now gets 108-megapixel primary camera that’s also optically stabilized, you shouldn’t expect this to match the Galaxy S22 Ultra’s camera in terms of image quality just because it has the same resolution, though I have to say that the camera does produce pretty passable images for social media uploads, there’s obvious graininess and soft focus in photos as you can see in the camera samples above, which is expected due to the smaller sensor size that the phone employs and not forgetting to mention the ISP engine of its processor, the ultrawide camera is serviceable but again, it’s not the best within the category.

However, it isn’t fair to not give the A73 5G’s camera any credit, because with optical image stabilization, it is the best mid-range video shooter that we have seen as it can take decently stabilized videos at 4K 30 FPS, this is one thing that’s also hard to come by on value flagship phones.

Despite not having the best cameras on a mid-range phone, I am glad that Samsung has included camera modes such as Single Take, which takes a 10-second shot of a moving subject with both the main and ultrawide camera then shows you a series of recommended shots and short videos; and Pro Video, which lets you configure how you want your videos to look like and it is particularly useful when you are shooting video in challenging lighting conditions.

Having a 5000mAh battery is a mid-range phone standard these days, and the Galaxy A73 5G has it and supports Samsung’s standard 25W fast charging, which isn’t the fastest in the industry but charges up the phone fast enough in a matter of 90 minutes if you are charging from single digit battery levels, the phone will easily last me 5 hours of screen on time for a day of usage, and if you aren’t doing anything intensive on the phone, it should offer up to two days of battery life effortlessly.

Overall, the Galaxy A73 5G is a great all-rounder mid-range phone that one shouldn’t hesitate to pick up if you aren’t ready to spend two months of a typical Malaysian salary on a flagship phone, although its selling price of RM2,099 is a little hard to swallow for some, as you can easily top up slightly extra cash for a Galaxy S21 FE, which at least offers true flagship performance and a camera system that can serve you better, but for those who wants to feel more awesome, perhaps the Galaxy A73 5G’s design and colors might just be your cup of tea.

The Galaxy A73 5G can be purchased
here
.

Samsung Galaxy A73 5G Review

The Galaxy A73 5G is a good all-rounder, but it needs to be priced lower to be 'awesome'

KLGadgetGuy

Galaxy A73 5G

7

The Goods

Good performance

Android 12 and One UI 4.1

Good stereo speakers

IP67 water and dust resistance

Battery life

The Bads

Questionable price tag

Macro and Depth camera not so useful

Average cameras

 7.0

Average Score

a73 5g malaysia price
a73 5g malaysia review
galaxy a73 5g
galaxy a73 5g malaysia
samsung


The Galaxy A9 goes official, the first Galaxy phone with four cameras (Update: Pricing)

297

Samsung has officially launch the Galaxy A9 today at at its first Unpacked event that is held in Malaysia. The Galaxy A9 is the first Galaxy device to ever feature four cameras on the back, with each of them having its on functionality when taking photos.

For starters, the Galaxy A9 features a large 6.3″ FHD+ Super AMOLED panel. In terms off its cameras, you get a 24MP main sensor, a 10MP telephoto sensor, a 8MP ultra wide 120-degree sensor and a 5MP depth camera – that’s a lot of them. The camera software has also been enhanced to support this, with just a tap of a button you can easily switch between the lenses to take the photos you want.

Samsung also claims that the main 24MP to have great low light performance as it combines four pixels into one to make every pixel brighter, the Galaxy A9 also sports the Note 9’s intelligent scene recognition and flaw detection feature, which makes taking photos easier and fun. As for the front camera, you get a 24MP sensor to take high resolution and flawless selfies.

In terms of specs, the Galaxy A9 is powered by a Snapdragon 660 processor and comes with either 6GB or 8GB of RAM with 128GB of onboard storage, it has a 3800mAh battery that supports Samsung’s Adaptive Fast Charging over its USB-C port. The Galaxy A9 also supports other features such as Bixby Voice, Bixby Vision and Samsung Pay.

On top of that, Samsung has also announced the Galaxy A7 at the event, where it lacks the  telephoto lens of the A9, it has a smaller display at 6-inches as well. Instead of the Snapdragon 636 processor, you are getting an Exynos 7885 SoC supported by either 4GB/64GB or 6GB/128GB storage configurations.

Unlike the A9, the Galaxy A7’s fingerprint scanner is mounted on to the side instead of the rear, it also uses a micro USB port for charging and has a 3300mAh battery onboard.

The Galaxy A7 will officially retail for RM1,299 and preorders are kicking off on 15th October, while the Galaxy A9 is expected to be priced at RM1,999 according to certain sources that we have heard. Both the Galaxy A7 and A9 comes in colour options of Lemonade Blue, Caviar Black and Bubblegum Pink.

a galaxy event
galaxy a7
galaxy a9
samsung


The Galaxy Buds2 Pro should be your workout partner and here’s why

4.1K

A good sounding pair of wireless earbuds can greatly enhance your fitness activities, especially when it can present every beat and thump in your workout playlist to motivate you to push further, and this is why the Galaxy Buds2 Pro should be your workout partner.

The Perfect Sound Experience for Workouts

Who doesn’t love listening to amazing music while working out? With the Galaxy
Buds2
 Pro’s ultimate Hi-Fi audio system, you can discover a whole new world of sound! You’ll get to hear the most satisfying audio quality yet, thanks to 24-bit Hi-Fi processing and coaxial 2-Way speakers, especially while exercising. By turning on the intelligent ANC (Active Noise Cancellation), your workout sessions will be spicier as it’ll block out external noises and balance the music playing, so you can focus on what matters most in the moment. Trust us, these incredibly advanced audio features will bring you to another level of music sensation while working out!

The Ideal Earbuds for Your Comfort

Galaxy Buds2 Pro

Worried about your earbuds dropping off while jogging or posing some fitness stunts? Fret not, with the Galaxy
Buds2
 Pro, that worry will be a thing of the past. Designed ergonomically with a more compact fit (5.5g per bud) and True-Fit sizing for various ear shapes to fit everyone’s ears perfectly, you can enjoy having the earbuds stay snugly in your ears all day, no matter how rigorous your fitness activities become.

Vibe to the Same Workout Music Together In Different Earbuds

Have you ever worked out at the gym with your friends, and low-key wished that you could all jam to the same workout tunes without blasting them out loud through the phone speaker? Well, now with the Music Share feature, you can easily link both yours and your friend’s Galaxy
Buds2
 Pro to a single Galaxy device and broadcast music to the connected buds at once! Good bye tedious pairing and unpairing Bluetooth processes!

Maintain Your Momentum with Long-Lasting Battery

Blasting your favourite playlist during your workouts will keep your spirits up and help you get through the most challenging parts. With the Galaxy
Buds2
 Pro’s long-lasting battery life – which lasts up to 18 hours in its cradle and 5 hours long with ANC continuously turned on, you can energize your workout session with top-notch music quality for up to 5 hours, if you’re hard core! Kidding! Jokes aside, you won’t have to worry about charging your Galaxy
Buds2
 Pro frequently because its strong battery life can power through your workouts with you for a long period of time.

Stay Connected Whilst Working Out

Wouldn’t it be great if your earbuds could automatically detect what you’re doing? That’s precisely what the Galaxy
Buds2
Pro can do for you! With its intelligent audio feature like Voice Detect (Conversation mode), enhanced Ambient mode and Bixby, your Galaxy
Buds2
 Pro can follow your voice to provide high resolution sounds quality.

When you need to speak to someone nearby, you won’t have to stop your music or plug out your Galaxy
Buds2
 pro because the Voice Detect feature will automatically turn on Ambient sound, lower the media volume, and focus the beamforming microphones on the person in front of you!

Besides that, you can easily activate Samsung’s Bixby to perform simple hands-free actions for you such as changing your playlist or activating the ANC back after your in-person conversation by simply saying ‘Hi, Bixby!’ and continuing with further instructions.

Even If Your Sweat Enter Your Earbuds, You Don’t Have To Worry

Sweat isn’t an issue as the new Samsung Galaxy
Buds2
 Pro is water resistant with a higher level of IPX 7 compared to previous Samsung earbuds. No matter how much you sweat or even wash your face, there’s no need to worry as your Samsung earbuds will be perfectly safe and fine. You can exercise as long as you want while listening to your favourite Spotify playlist.

Read our review of the Galaxy Buds2 Pro
here
.

galaxy buds2 pro
samsung


The Galaxy J2 Pro comes with 4G and a Super AMOLED display at RM499

344

Samsung may still be building hype on the Galaxy S9, but it hasn’t given up on entry-level devices like the Galaxy J2 Pro, which has just been announced today for less than RM500. The J2 Pro isn’t an all impressive smartphone, but it sure does have things that will entice users on a budget or looking for a spare device, such as a 5-inch Super AMOLED display with an acceptable qHD resolution, dual SIM support with 4G LTE connectivity, and dual messenger app support.

Other than that, the J2 Pro is powered by a Snapdragon 425 processor supported by 1.5GB RAM and 16GB of storage, the phone has an 8-megapixel main camera with autofocus and a front facing 5-megapixel camera for selfies, the 2600mAh battery is removable and should technically last a day with it’s less power consuming hardware. The Galaxy J2 Pro is available starting today at all Samsung Experience Stores and authorized resellers nationwide, along with color options of Blue Silver, Pink, Black and Gold.

If you prefer to buy online, you can always visit Samsung’s online store at
Lazada
 and 11street.

galaxy j2 pro
samsung


The Galaxy Note 6 rumored to have an early launch

323

With the hype from the Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge still ongoing, rumors have surfaced that the next anticipated Samsung flagship smartphone, the Galaxy Note 6 will be released rather early this year. According to Korean site The Bell, the upcoming flagship handset, codenamed “Grace”, will be launched in July, which is roughly four months away from now.

The Galaxy Note 5 was launched earlier than expected last year in August, less than a year after the Galaxy Note 4 in September 2014. Hence, it seems possible that Samsung will pull off this move on the consumer market this year. The site has also mentioned that the Galaxy Note 6 could be running on Android N out of the box. That is also possible since Google has already released a developer preview of the new Android version this month.

Bear in mind to always take rumors with a huge grain of salt. The Galaxy Note 6 is rumored to have 6GB of RAM running under the hood, like what we’ve seen with Vivo’s Xplay 5 not too long ago. The Note 6 is also said to have a 5.8-inch QHD Super AMOLED display and the same 12MP rear facing camera packed with the S7 and S7 Edge. If the rumored early launch is true, we might be looking at more premature rumors in the coming weeks and months. What do you think?

Source:
The Bell

5
6
android
edge
galaxy
n
note
rumor
s7
samsung


The Galaxy Note 6 to feature a Lite version

313

A projected early launch of the Samsung Galaxy Note 6 isn’t going to stop overwhelming rumors of the device from reaching us. This time, a rumor originating from Chinese micro-blogging site Weibo tells us that Samsung is working on a variant of the Galaxy Note 6, dubbed as a “Lite” version. It seems more like a theory than of a solid basis, but let’s dive into it anyway.

First off, the Galaxy Note 6’s specs include a 5.8-inch QHD display, a Snapdragon 823 processor with 4 or 6GB or RAM underneath the hood. The Lite variant on the other hand, isn’t a letdown as well, with the handset rumored to be sporting a slightly toned down 1080p resolution 5.8-inch screen instead of QHD. The Note 6 Lite is also said to pack a Snapdragon 820 SoC, the go-to processor for most flagship smartphones this year.

The Galaxy Note 6 Lite is also said to be powered by a slightly smaller battery than that in the Note 6, since the device will only feature a Full HD screen. Do bear in mind that this is only a mere speculation, but speculations do turn out to be true sometimes, don’t they? Let us know your thoughts at the comments section below!

Source:
Weibo

6
galaxy
lite
note
samsung
weibo


The Galaxy Note 7 may return with a different product name

280

Even though Samsung has completely removed the ill fated Galaxy Note 7 from the shelves, the company certainly isn’t letting go of the device that soon, as it has finally confirmed that the phone may return with a different product name, this doesn’t mean that the company is just going to sell leftover devices by merely renaming them, but it will reportedly work with US authorities and carriers to sell a revised ‘Note 7’ with a smaller sized battery that should prevent it from exploding, there has been no news if the company will ever extend this initiative to other parts of the world.

If you think the reason behind this is to keep the company’s sales going, Samsung has given The Verge a statement that this is done to reduce and minimize any environmental impact, more details on the ‘Note 7’ replacement will be announced when the device is made available, and the company has reassured that it has no plans to sell refurbished units of the Galaxy Note 7. The company’s decision to do this could be related to the Greenpeace protest that happened back in Mobile World Congress this year, where protesters are against the company’s effort in disposal the Galaxy Note 7. In this case, we hope to se some of the Note 7’s components to be reused on the new device, considering that the only affected component during that time was the battery.

Meanwhile, Samsung’s Galaxy S8 will be announced in two days, and we can probably expect to see more on what the company is up to.

SOURCE:
The Verge

galaxynote7
greenpeace
samsung


The Galaxy Note 7 might return in refurbished units

285

The tale of the Galaxy Note 7 will never be forgotten in the smartphone world. The chapter for the 2016 Samsung phablet has been officially closed, but the discontinued device might be making a surprise return. Samsung is probably not over what might have been its best smartphone just yet.

According to South Korean news outlet Han Kyung, the Galaxy Note 7 is set to make a return despite being rendered as not safe to use late last year. The report suggests manufacturing giant Samsung to refurbish a number of its Galaxy Note 7 units to be resold in the market. Samsung will reportedly repackage the units by replacing the existing hazardous battery with a new one, reduced to 3,200mAh from its original 3,500mAh capacity.

Samsung is said to be reselling the refurbished Galaxy Note 7 devices to ease up on the loss caused by the recall, and also to avoid penalties by South Korea’s Environmental Ministry upon the disposal of an estimated 2.5 million units of the Galaxy Note 7 units. 200,000 units have been reported to already been used for investigation and testing purposes.

The refurbished devices will primarily be sold in emerging markets such as India and Vietnam. Will you buy a refurbished Galaxy Note 7 for yourself?

Source:
Han Kyung

2016
7
galaxy
india
note
recall
refurbished
return
samsung
vietnam


The Galaxy Note 7R has surfaced in Vietnam

296

We have reported back then that Samsung has plans to refurbish the Galaxy Note 7 with a smaller battery and different name, and it seems that the company is confirmed to do so, as reported by Android Central via SamsungVN forums, the refurbished Note flagship has been spotted in Vietnam and is known as the Galaxy Note 7R, which the R moniker is pretty self explanatory, the model number of the phone is known as the N935.

The Note 7R’s design has remain pretty much unchanged judging from the pictures, the battery is now a 3200mAh one, down from the exploding 3500mAh one, there’s no mention of what system-on-chip it uses but we assume that Samsung would just retain whatever it can from the Note 7s it recalled back then. Samsung’s decision to refurbish the Note 7 has been reportedly due to minimize and reduce environmental impact, and a repsonse to the Greenpeace protest back in Mobile World Congress, which the company has been criticized of not handling the disposal of the ill fated Note 7 well.

We should expect Samsung to make an official announcement of this after the launch of the
Galaxy S8
, preorders are starting tomorrow and you can check it out
here
.

SOURCE:
Android Central
 via
SAMSUNGVN

galaxy
note7
note7r
samsung


The Galaxy Note 9’s Bixby button can be disabled later this month

363

Bixby has gotten a little better on the Galaxy Note 9, but that doesn’t mean everyone loves it, and it gets worse when you tend to (accidentally) press the Bixby key when you just want to decrease your phone’s speaker volume. If you can’t find the disable Bixby key option on your Note 9, fret not, because this feature is coming later this month.

This comes from a reply tweet from Samsung Germany, where it claims that the disable Bixby button isn’t available until the end of the month. Unlike the Bixby key on the Galaxy S8, pressing it on the Galaxy Note 9 takes you directly to the new Bixby Voice interface instead of Bixby Home, hence the reason why the company needs to rework on that feature, and you probably shouldn’t expect it to let you remap the button to work with Google Assistant.

While its good to know that the company is still taking note of the inconvenience, it tends to defeat the purpose of introducing its own voice assistant on its own products, but nonetheless let’s hope Samsung keeps improving Bixby till the day that we no longer need to disable that button.

bixby
disable bixby
galaxy note 9
samsung


The Galaxy S10 goes official in three flavours

441

After seeing so many leaks, probably the most leaked smartphone in history, Samsung has finally pulled the veils off its new flagship during the wee hours of Malaysian time, the Galaxy S10 is finally official in three variants as speculated previously – the Galaxy S10+, S10 and S10e.

Starting with the S10+ and S10, they sport 6.4″ and 6.1″ Super AMOLED displays respectively and do look gorgeous on first impressions, however notch-haters might not like the fact that it comes with a hole-punch cutout on the front for their cameras, even though that is less obtrusive than a huge notch on the middle.

The S10+ houses two cameras that houses a main 10MP f/1.9 lens accompanied by a secondary 8MP camera for portraits and bokeh, while the S10 comes with a single lens, hence the shorter cutout for the latter.

Galaxy S10 Camera. Image Credit: The Verge

Furthermore, Samsung is doing three lenses on the S10’s main camera, the first two are are technically the same optically stabilised cameras as last year’s S9 Plus, the main shooter being a 12MP sensor with a dual aperture that switches between f/1.5 and f/2.4, while the telephoto shooter being a 12MP f/2.4 sensor, the third sensor is a 16MP f/2.2 ultra-wide angle sensor.

One of the biggest change to the S10 is the use of an ultrasonic fingerprint scanner, which the company claims that it is the most advanced variant that it has sourced, however The Verge reported that unlike optical in-screen fingerprint sensors on devices like the OnePlus 6T, the former’s solution may not work well with thick screen protectors (aka tempered glass screen protectors), hence you probably have to do with the usual plastic ones if you want to prevent the screen from scratches.

In terms of specs, the Malaysian market will receive the Exynos 9820 variant as usual with dual SIM support, the S10+ and S10 will have 8GB or 12GB RAM, storage variants will start from 128GB, while the S10+ gets to have the option to go all the way up to 1TB, and there’s still support for MicroSD storage if you need more.

Despite everyone following Apple’s lead to kill off the headphone jack, Samsung does know how to keep its customers happy by retaining it on the S10.

The company is also more generous this round when it comes to the phone’s battery, though the S10 still gets the same battery size as the S9 at 3400mAh, the S10+ receives an even bigger battery than the Note 9 at 4100mAh, though we aren’t seeing any faster charging speeds here, both phones will however support reverse wireless charging, a worthy gimmick at the very least that could charge the company’s new Galaxy Buds wireless earbuds.

Wireless connectivity has been improved with WiFi 6 and 2Gbps LTE, there’s IP68 water and dust resistance as usual, and yes – Bixby is here to stay as well as the physical key for it.

If you prefer no cutouts on your screen and want to save some cash, the Galaxy S10e could be the better option for you, however you will be getting a smaller 5.8-inch Super AMOLED display with no curved edges and a FHD+ resolution, a 12MP wide-angle and 16MP ultra-wide angle camera on the back, and lesser RAM and storage at 6GB and 128GB respectively, you will however still get the speedy Exynos 9820 powering the phone so it still isn’t too bad.

Availability of the Galaxy S10 in Malaysia will be made very soon, as preorders are already starting today, our friends over at Mdroid has reported that Samsung will be bringing in the 8GB+128GB and 8GB+512GB model for the S10+, which will retail at RM3699 and RM4599 respectively, while the S10 will only be available in the 8GB+128GB storage variant and retails at RM3299.

The Galaxy S10e will be available at a very attractive price point of RM2,699, which by all means is even more accessible than Apple’s iPhone XR.

Color options are a little more interesting this round for the S10+, as it will be available in two ceramic glass options of Black and White, while having Prism Green and Prism White colors for the glass option, the S10 will only receive the two latter color options.

Unfortunately for the S10e, we will not be getting the Canary Yellow color model as shown in the launch but you still get to choose between Prism Blue, Prism Black and Prism White colors.

Galaxy S10
Galaxy S10 Plus
galaxy s10 price
samsung
samsung malaysia


The Galaxy S10e will get a Canary Yellow color

394

If you think a yellow color S-Pen isn’t enough, Samsung is about to bring that color to its upcoming Galaxy S10e, which is the more affordable model of the Galaxy S10 series slated for release in its February 20th Unpacked event at San Francisco.

Obtained by MySmartPrice via Twitter user @IshanAgarwal24, the leaked official render of the Galaxy S10e confirms that the phone will be available in a Canary Yellow color variant, along with an Infinity-O punch-hole display and a dual-camera on the back.

The phone will also be available in three other color variants, namely Prism Black, Green and White.

The render tells us that the S10e will not have a curved display like its higher end siblings, which makes this a cheaper display to manufacture and is a good news for those who finds curved displays annoying, especially when hunting for screen protectors and viewing content on them could sometimes be really annoying.

Another thing that we noticed is the lack of facial recognition sensors on the front like we get on the Galaxy S9, there isn’t a fingerprint scanner on the back so we should assume that Samsung should have embedded it on the power button, just like it did on the Galaxy A7.

Specs wise, the S10e features a 5.8-inch display and should be powered by the Exynos 9820 or Snapdragon 855 chipset, paired to 6GB RAM and 128GB of internal storage, if all is true, the S10e could be a great compact powerful flagship that we should expect to be well received when it gets released.

Galaxy S10
galaxy s10e
galaxy unpacked
samsung
samsung malaysia
unpacked


The Galaxy S22 is impossible to bend

1K

The Galaxy S22 may be an iterative update to the S21, however Samsung has certainly made some great internal improvements such as the build quality, as it now uses an armor aluminum frame that makes the phone strong, and it turns out that it is the real deal.

YouTuber PBKReviews did a typical stress test video that we are all familiar with, including the standard scratch test on the display and frame, the Galaxy S22’s front Gorilla Glass Victus+ only managed to get scratched on level 8, and while using a knife to scratch the frame, you can also see that the damage is pretty mild.

On 4:19, the presenter failed to bend the phone and commented that its really strong and no easy way to bend it, as most flagship premium phones would have actually suffered a minor bent in such kind of stress test, hence ending up with a perfect 10/10 durability score along with other stress tests.

The Galaxy S22 is currently up for preorder in Malaysia and you can be rest assured that this will probably be the most durable flagship you have ever owned.

Watch our hands on with the Galaxy S22 series

bend test
Galaxy S22
samsung
stress test


The Galaxy S22 series now supports 5G in Malaysia

4.7K

Shortly after listing the Galaxy S21 series as official 5G devices in Malaysia, DNB has added the Galaxy S22, S22+ and S22 Ultra to the list of 5G supported devices in Malaysia, which definitely shows a good sign of moving forward on the development of 5G in Malaysia.

Till today, the only telco that offers 5G connectivity is Yes, as other telcos have yet to finalise their decision on the Reference Access Offer (RAO) for DNB’s 5G network, 5G coverage is still rather spotty at this point of time with slow ping response and inconsistent speeds, but nevertheless if you haven’t experienced more than 500Mbps of speed on your phone’s mobile data, you can easily sign up for a free SIM with Yes, as the free 5G data has been extended to the end of June 2022.

As for Galaxy Z Fold and Z Flip owners, you might have to wait after June 2022 in order to enjoy 5G services in Malaysia, and we do hope other telcos would have either finalised a solution to work with DNB on rolling out 5G across the country by then.

Source:
Amanz

Galaxy S22 Review

Galaxy S22
s22
s22 ultra


The Galaxy S5 is still a better phone than the Galaxy S6, says Consumer Reports

360

Samsung
 may have made dramatic changes to the
Galaxy
 S6 over its predecessor, it comes with compromises as we’ve mentioned back in our review such as a non-removable battery and no storage expansion due to its all new slim body design. Consumer Reports, known for its controversial report for not recommending the iPhone 4 a few years back due to the infamous ‘antennagate’ is now ranting about Sammy’s latest flagship for lacking the flexibility when compared to its predecessor.

Consumer Reports here have made some valid points on recommending the older
Galaxy S5
, including IP67 Water and Dust Resistant, a longer battery life due to than the
Galaxy
 S6, the flexibility of swapping batteries and expanding the memory anytime users wished to even if they weren’t necessary at times. Despite of that, we personally don’t really see the need for them to argue with this since most users already have their own charging banks for juicing up their smartphones should it die in the middle of the day, the
Galaxy S5
didn’t really fare well in our review last time due to a couple of imperfection in features.

The iPhone is technically the first smartphone to have no expandable storage and removable battery from the very beginning and such design trend has been used by most smartphone companies since then to achieve a thinner smartphone design language, Consumer Reports should probably be conducting some research on users today live on these compromises and judge it differently, while we somehow agree the
Galaxy S5
 could be more superior than the S6 is some ways, you just have to give up something for having something great onboard.


The Galaxy S7 Active is a tougher camouflage designed S7

362

We’ve probably heard enough rumors regarding the rugged Samsung Galaxy S7 Active, whose name first appeared on the Google Play Store not too long ago, leading up to a couple of leaks of the device in the flesh, alongside some specs as well. The Galaxy S7 Active is finally unveiled, and yes, it will still be exclusive stateside with US carrier AT&T.

As far as design goes, recent leaks of the Galaxy S7 Active appear to be spot on, boasting a largely polycarbonate material design as opposed to the glass and metal used on the Galaxy S7. The phone sports a pretty thick and tough rubber frame, meant for absorbing the impact of drops. On the rear panel of the S7 Active, we see a camouflage themed design, like on the S6 Active from last year. Apart from the Green Camo, very army-like variant, the S7 Active will also be available in Sandy Gold and Titanium Gray colors. Overall, you’re trading a toughly built phone for its design and form factor, in which the S7 Active comes taller, heavier and thicker than the original S7.

On the front of the Galaxy S7 Active is the same 5.1-inch display seen on the S7, but the screen itself is claimed to be able to withstand drops of up to five feet. Five feet is a tall order for phone screens, hence the S7 Active’s screen is said to be shatter resistant up to that height. Much of the S7 Active’s internals appear to be the same when compared with the S7 – a Snapdragon 820 processor, 4GB of RAM and 32GB of expandable storage, a 12MP primary camera and 5MP selfie shooter. The fingerprint sensor is buried beneath the home button on the front, such is the case for the S7. However, the capacitive back and recent apps buttons on the S7 is replaced with tactile ones on the S7 Active.

The rugged version of Samsung flagship also sees a 25% bigger battery from its more domestic brother, with a capacity of 4,000mAh compared to the 3,000mAh battery in the regular Galaxy S7. Even the 5.5-inch Galaxy S7 Edge sports a slightly smaller 3,600mAh battery. The rugged device also supports wireless charging as well, a huge plus for its already mammoth battery. The Galaxy S7 Active retains the same IP68 rating from the S7, but should prove to be more than sufficient for dust protection and water submersion of up to five feet, unless you’re planning to bring it underwater for deep ocean dives.

To sum it all up, the Galaxy S7 Active isn’t very much surprising, with a routine “Active” upgrade from the regular flagship phone in typical Samsung fashion. What are your thoughts on this rugged variant of the Galaxy S7?

Source:
Android Central

4000mah
active
battery
galaxy
ip68
resistant
rugged
s7
samsung
shatter


The Galaxy S7 Active will be thicker and heavier than the S6 Active

274

The Samsung Galaxy S7 Active is rumored to be unveiled early next month, and probably only exclusive to the AT&T carrier in the States. Previous leaks of the ruggedized device have exposed in in the wild, alongside specs which aren’t surprising given the history of Galaxy Active handsets.

According to Venture Beat, the Galaxy S7 Active will be sporting pretty much the same design from its predecssor, as shown in the images. The handset however, will turn out to be thicker than the Galaxy S6 Active. Not only that, the S7 Active is said to be of a slightly larger form factor across all three dimensions. The ruggedized phone will be of 9.9mm in thickness, compared to the S6 Active’s thickness of 8.6mm, bringing a difference of more than 1mm. The S7 Active will also be putting on some weight, 15g to be specific, according to Venture Beat, increasing it from 170g to 185g.

The report further states that the increase in its weight and size is likely because of the mammoth battery packed by the S7 Active – 4,000mAh, a significant increase from the 3,500mAh battery of its predecessor. Other rumored specs are pretty much similar to the Galaxy S7. A 5.1-inch QHD Super AMOLED display, a Snapdragon 820 SoC with 4GB of RAM and 32GB of storage. It is also said to sport the same 12MP camera seen on the Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge, coupled with a 5MP front facing camera. To sum it all up, it’s basically a Galaxy S7 with a much tougher and beefier body. What do you think?

Source:
Venture Beat

4000mah
active
battery
galaxy
s7


The Galaxy S7 and S7 edge Exynos model will see performance variance in graphics

331

The Galaxy S7 is easily one of the best smartphones this year and Samsung has once again packed in loads of high performance hardware under the hood, however for those who wants to purchase the phone for gaming here’s a bad news, as the Exynos variant of the Galaxy S7 and S7 edge are expected to see performance drops in the graphics department when compared to the Snapdragon variant. According to reports from Digital Trends, which gets its source from benchmarking app Antutu, the Snapdragon 820 is 32 percent faster in graphics when compared to Exynos 8890 SoC, hence this can be a major issue down the road when Android devices start getting higher quality games, especially when Samsung announced its support for the Vulkan API on its new phones.

The Exynos 8890 still remains as Samsung’s most advanced silicon to date, it sports a new set of quad Exynos M1 high performance cores that delivers siginificant performance improvements over its predecessor while maintaining an additional quad Cortex A53 cores for low power applications. On the other hand, the Snapdragon 820 is a quad-core SoC that features four Qualcomm-made Kryo cores with two high performance and two low power cores, which is totally a different approach from the company’s previous efforts and it definitely sounds like better efficiency over the Exynos. On the GPU side of things, the Exynos continues to use a Mali powered T880MP12 GPU while Qualcomm also uses its in house Adreno 530 GPU.

A quick check on both Wikipedia and chipmakers’ product page, the Mali GPU on the Exynos has a higher core clock speed than the Adreno 530, which the former should be able to outperform the latter in some ways but in early stages, we can assume that benchmark apps for now aren’t optimized yet for the advantage of this new Mali GPU, similar to the PC world we always have games usually optimized for either AMD and NVIDIA, which performance results will tend to differ with different manufacturer support. Hence, things will be interesting once games take advantage of the Vulkan API, which will be available on both platforms of the S7 and S7 edge, for now we shall keep our fingers crossed that the Exynos variant of the S7 and S7 edge will not see much difference in performance.

SOURCE:
Antutu

VIA:
DigitalTrends

adreno
exynos
galaxys7
qualcomm
s7
s7edge
samsung


The Galaxy S7 is now available in beautiful pink

342

The Galaxy S7 series by Samsung is now the company’s sole 2016 flagship, after it stopped producing the Galaxy Note 7 due to explosion and fire incidents clouding the infamous phablet. Over the last couple of months, the Galaxy S7 has been launched in a series of new colors including Pink Gold and Coral Blue. This time, the Korean manufacturer has launched a pink model of the Galaxy S7. There’s no catch to it, just pure pink, without a touch of gold this round.

According to tech news outlet Tech Grapple, Samsung has listed a pink color option for the Galaxy S7 on its South Korean website. Local consumers often get the first cut of something new so it wouldn’t be surprising if the pink variant of the Galaxy S7 remains exclusive for the South Korean market in the foreseeable future. This new pink model will carry the same price tag as the other colors of the S7, so that’s another piece of good news.

One thing to note however, is that the pink variant of the Galaxy S7 is only available for the 32GB storage configuration of the handset. It appears that buyers won’t have the pink color option available to choose if they opt for the 64GB storage configuration. On top of that, the pink edition of the Galaxy S7 only happens to be limited to the standard model of the S7, meaning that the larger and curved edge sceen S7 Edge doesn’t have a pink model. Hence, if you’re able to get your hands on the South Korean variant of the Galaxy S7 have the desire for a pink handset, the standard Galaxy S7 with 32GB storage seems to be the sole option for you.

What are your thoughts on the new array of colors for the Samsung Galaxy S7? Which color is your favorite so far?

Source:
Tech Grapple

color
edition
galaxy
korea
model
option
pink
s7
samsung
south


The Galaxy S8 comes with a Harman AKG earphone and streams to two headphones at the same time

428

Samsung haven’t been emphasizing much on audio when it comes to its flagship smartphones, while I’m not sure how the loudspeaker of the new Galaxy S8 will sound like, it seems that Samsung is finally taking audio seriously this round as every Galaxy S8 will come bundled with a $99 (RM437) Harman AKG earphone, which features a ‘comfortable hybrid canal fit’ and an anti-tangle cord, the earphone will be sold separately if you are interested to get one for your phone.

Furthermore, Engadget has reported that the Galaxy S8 can actually stream audio to two listening devices at the same time, a feature that is found in a leaked manual of the Galaxy S8 by Phandroid and is achieved by using Bluetooth dual audio. Sure enough, the Galaxy S8 comes with the latest Bluetooth 5.0 connectivity, and this is where it takes advantage of the hardware to be able to stream the same music sources to two listening devices, while also being able to control the volume of both devices at the same time.

Even though Samsung didn’t really boast any sound enhancement features in the Galaxy S8 just like some other smartphone manufacturers, it would be great to hear it out when the phone gets released and find out how it plays with HTC’s BoomSound and phones with Dolby Audio. The Galaxy S8 and S8+ will be released in the US on April 21, and will be sold from $750 onwards.

SOURCE:
Engadget

akg
galaxys8
samsung


The Galaxy S8 might ditch the headphone jack

387

The advancement of technology is necessary and inevitable at the same time, but let’s face it, the removal of the headphone jack from smartphones are still a no-no in most of our books, excluding Apple’s diehards. The absence of headphone jacks require users to now go wireless or carry headphone jack adapters with them on the go. Not the kind of scenario everyone intends to be in. Nevertheless, it looks like Samsung’s next flagship will be joining the party as well.

According to a report by Sam Mobile, Samsung is said to ditch the headphone jack with the Galaxy S8 that is due for a launch early next year. Samsung’s decision to move onto the USB Type-C standard is very much reasonable and expected, since most manufacturers have begun adopting USB Type-C ports for their handsets
in 2016. But the company’s other controversial decision? Not so much.

Perhaps Samsung is yet again following the trendsetting Apple, whose removal of the headphone jack on the iPhone 7 series still sold well, despite receiving a lot of criticism. Apple labeled the move as courageous. We’re not sure what Samsung’s intentions are, but maybe the company is taking a risk and testing waters. With the Galaxy Note 7 tragedy that occured earlier this year, we would think that the South Korean manufacturer will tread carefully with its upcoming flagship next year. What do you think?

Source:
Sam Mobile

7
apple
galaxy
headphone
iphone
jack
s8
samsung


The Galaxy S8 will not launch at MWC 2017

291

Since the whole hoo-ha of the Samsung Galaxy Note 7, there have been rumors circulating around suggesting that South Korean manufacturer Samsung will treat its fans to an early launch of its next flagship – the Galaxy S8. However, rumors are still rumors and they change from time to time. Tipped for an MWC 2017 launch, it is now confirmed that the Galaxy S8 won’t be making an appearance at the Barcelona trade show.

According to Reuters, Samsung mobile chief Koh Dong-jin did not mention the exact date or time frame in which the Galaxy S8 will be launched, while addressing the press after Samsung finally revealed the cause(s) in detail behind the faulty Galaxy Note 7 phablet of last year. The news outlet however stated that Koh did mention that the 2017 Samsung Galaxy flagship will not be unveiled during MWC 2017 at Barcelona.

This could be possibly due to the fact that the company is making extra sure that the upcoming handset, or any future Samsung phone at all, will face the same fate as the disastrous Galaxy Note 7 which we can finally bid goodbye to, now that there’s an official explanation. One pattern to note is that the past three Samsung Galaxy S flagship smartphones (Galaxy S7, S6 and S5), were launched in MWC, whereas the Galaxy S4 had an exclusive launch in New York.

We shall not digest too many rumors for now, but the Galaxy S8 has been tipped for an April launch this year. When do you think the Samsung Galaxy S8 will be unveiled?

Source:
Reuters

2017
7
galaxy
launch
mwc
note
s7
s8
samsung


The Galaxy S9 and S9 Plus can already be bought at RM200 off

298

The Galaxy S9 and S9 Plus officially goes on sale today, and while we wrote
why you shouldn’t buy the phone now
, the offer from 11street merchant Terra managed to cross of one of the reasons we have mentioned, as both the Galaxy S9 and S9 Plus can be purchased at RM200 off its original retail price, all thanks to 11street’s Electronics Savings Coupon, which you can download over
here
 and apply to your shopping cart during check out, best of all you still get the free Harman Kardon Onyx Mini speaker worth RM699 at no extra cost, making this the best Galaxy S9 deal at this point of time.

At this time of writing, all colors of the Galaxy S9 and S9 Plus are still available for purchase, Terra requires an additional RM50 for the Lilac Purple and Midnight Black color model, and will only send out the phones starting 22nd March, this is a rather decent deal to consider if you aren’t in a rush to get the Galaxy S9. If you still prefer to head on over to the Galaxy S9 launch roadshow to buy the phone, you’ll still get some decent perks such as RM50 off the phone’s accessories, a 30% discount for the Gear Sport, a free wireless charging stand worth RM279, 1500 reward points on Samsung services, and a trade up program.

If you aren’t in a rush to own the Galaxy S9, head onto Terra’s
Galaxy S9
 and
S9 Plus
 11street product page. You can thank us later once you make the purchase.

11street
galaxy s9
galaxy s9 plus
samsung


The Galaxy Tab S4 may come with an in screen fingerprint reader

331

While most of us thought Samsung has given up on making high end tablets, it seems that we are going to see the Galaxy Tab S4 from the company this year, as a leaked official render has reached Android Headlines, the tablet seems to have thinner bezels and there’s no fingerprint scanner to be found on the front, which could suggest that a in-screen fingerprint reader could be used for security.

Samsung’s tablet releases haven’t gotten much highlight in recent times, however we should expect Samsung to announce the Tab S4 in its upcoming Galaxy Unpacked event, which the company has already teased the arrival of the Galaxy Note 9 last week. Like its predecessor, the tablet could also be using last generation’s hardware such as a Snapdragon 835, 4GB RAM and 64GB of storage, still good for running modern Android apps and games. The Tab S4 should presumably come with better sounding AKG-tuned speakers, and will be compatible with the S-Pen like its predecessor.

Android tablets haven’t been keeping up the game like what Apple has done with the iPad, and while Google has shifted its focus to Chromebooks to challenge Apple, which is more of a computing device rather than a laptop, its good to know that companies like Samsung are still producing high end tablets like this that some folks will appreciate.

galaxy tab s4
samsung
samsung malaysia
tab s4


The Galaxy Tab S8 series will be updated with Android 12L

961

Although the Galaxy Tab S8 series come preloaded with Android 12 and One UI 4.1, it still isn’t the best version that has been optimized for big screens, and Samsung confirms that it will update these flagship tablets to Android 12L at a later time.

Android 12L will have improved multitasking experiences for larger screens and foldables, such as an improved split screen view, a task bar for faster multitasking and a revamped notifications tray.

While Samsung has done exceptionally well with DeX on its tablets, which essentially transforms the user interface into a PC desktop like interface, the update is expected to bring further enhancements to that experience and we definitely can’t wait to see what Samsung will do with it.

At this point of time, Google has yet to release Android 12L and the Galaxy Tab S8 series should receive a major One UI update when the time comes.

The Galaxy Tab S8, Tab S8+ and Tab S8 Ultra can now be purchase in Malaysia, which can be purchased online at
Samsung’s website
.

Source:
9to5Google

android 12l
Galaxy Tab S8
samsung


The Galaxy Xcover 4 has military standard toughness

338

In the midst of all the hustle and bustle of this year’s Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Samsung has launched a phone outside the trade show which might just interest you. After 2 years, the Galaxy Xcover 3 finally has a successor – the Galaxy Xcover 4. The new rugged handset has received a bunch of improvements over its predecessor, plus a decent price tag to it as well.

The Galaxy Xcover 4 definitely does look more towards an ordinary smartphone when compared to its beefy predecessors. Despite its sleeker design, Samsung did not shift its focus from the rugged features of the phone. The Xcover 4 is rated IP68 this time for water and dust resistance. It has also been certified with a US military standard of MIL-STD 810G, being able to withstand shocks and vibrations, extreme temperatures, intense sunlight and salt water mist.

In terms of display, the Galaxy Xcover 4 sports an improved 5-inch HD screen, a welcome upgrade from its non-HD predecessor. The screen is glove responsive too, and the physical navigation buttons below it are definitely handy. Underneath the hood lies an unnamed processor clocked at 1.4 GHz, likely to be of Exynos nature. Alongside that are 2GB of RAM and double the amount of storage from the Xcover 3 at 16GB. The Xcover 4 features a much improved camera this time with a 13MP rear camera of f/1.9 aperture. The selfie camera on the front is of 5 megapixels.

Topping the Galaxy Xcover 4 is its price tag which seems pretty decent for its rugged features, overlooking the specs that the phone packs. The handset will be priced at 259 Euros (RM1,216.80). Pricing and availability for regions outside Europe have yet to be revealed.

Source:
Samsung

4
68
dust
galaxy
ip
military
rating
resistance
rugged
samsung
water
xcover


Samsung’s new Galaxy Z Flip uses ‘flexible’ glass display; arriving on Valentine’s Day for $1,380

398

Despite Samsung revealing a commercial of the Galaxy Z Flip a day before its launch, the crowd still went wild when Samsung’s Marketing Director, Rebecca Hirst revealed the foldable phone.

Image credit: Samsung

As rumours have previously suggested, the Galaxy Z Flip features a 6.7-inch OLED display paired with almost no bezels. When folded, it fits right in your palms while still being able to offer notifications and call alerts. The new foldable phone will also come in three sparkly colours — Mirror Purple, Mirror Black and Mirror Gold. While the other two colours will be available globally, Hirst mentioned that the Mirror Gold option will only be available in select countries.

Image credit: Samsung

The Galaxy Z Flip also uses an ultra-thin glass that is described as durable; it can fold/unfold over 200,000 times. “You’re not just bending glass, you’re bending the laws of physics,” said Hirst. This device also comes with a three-stop hinge so instead of just opening and closing the phone, you’ll get to open it at three different angles.

Image credit: Samsung

Samsung also promoted something called the Flex mode — a mode that lets you fully utilise the foldable phone’s design that separates it into two parts. On stage, Hirst demonstrated using the top screen to watch YouTube while using the bottom screen to read the comment sections. You will also be able to scroll through your gallery and look at your pictures with the top screen while controlling it using the other screen.

Image credit: Samsung

Samsung also made sure to include a dual-camera setup: a 12MP ultra-wide camera and a 12MP wide-angle camera. On the other hand, the front camera is a 10MP lens with an f/2.4 aperture. Other specs include a 64-bit octa-core processor, 8GB RAM, 256GB storage and a 3,300mAh battery that supports wireless charging and fast charging.

The Galaxy Z Flip will be available starting from February 14 at the price of $1,380 and those who purchase it will also be getting a free subscription to YouTube Premium.

flexible glass display
Foldable phone
galaxy z flip
samsung


The Galaxy Z Flip4 and Z Fold4 goes official with nice subtle improvements

7.5K

Samsung has officially introduced the Z Flip4 and Z Fold4 foldables, they look very identical to their predecessors but Samsung has in fact done some subtle improvements to the build and software, which gives people more reasons to consider switching over from a conventional smartphone form factor.

Galaxy Z Flip4 and Z Fold4 First Impressions Video

Both the new Galaxy Z foldables now feature a new slimmer hinge that has a smoother mechanism when you unfold them, which essentially makes them thinner and easier to handle than their predecessors, they also have their screen bezels slimmed down that gives it a higher screen-to-body ratio while maintaining the same screen size, and best of all, they are the only foldables in the market to still feature IPX8 water resistance.

The Z Flip4 and Z Fold4 are powered by the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 processor, which users will find improved performance and better efficiency compared to the Galaxy S22 series, they are preloaded with One UI 4.1.1 based on Android 12 and is expected to receive up to 4 years of major Android OS upgrades.

Samsung has essentially fixed the major shortcomings of the Z Flip3 on its successor, as the Z Flip4’s battery has been bumped to 3700mAh from 3300mAh and now supports 25W fast charging instead of 15W, the main 12MP camera now comes with a larger 1.8μm sensor that users should see improvements in low light and is supported by a 12MP ultrawide, and if you require more storage, the Z Flip4 will be offered in a 512GB storage variant alongside the usual 128GB and 256GB storage variant with 8GB of RAM.

As for the Z Fold4, Samsung has basically slimmed down the bezels of both the cover and internal display while retaining their sizes at 6.2-inch and 7.6-inch respectively, due to the similar slim hinge mechansim that’s also present on the Z Flip4, the Z Fold4 now weighs lighter at 263g, down from 271g on the Z Fold3, while having a slightly larger battery size of 4400mAh and it continues to be an IPX8 water resistant body.

The Z Fold4 also has significantly better cameras than its predecessor, as the triple camera array comprise of a 50MP main sensor, a 12MP ultrawide and a 10MP telephoto that does up to 3x optical and 30x digital zoom, while the under glass camera on the internal screen has also been improved with better image quality despite still being a 4MP resolution camera, the cover screen camera is the same 10MP camera as the Z Fold3.

Samsung has done a number of enhancements to the Z Fold4’s software too, as it features a taskbar that essentially lets you switch between apps on the dock while within an app, and an improved Flex mode that lets you use the bottom part of the screen as a trackpad when folded half way, the foldable will still support last year’s S Pen and S Pen Pro accessory, while it now gains the ability to recognize address from text.

Additionally, power users will be happy to know that the Z Fold4 now comes with a 1TB storage variant alongside the 256GB and 512GB variant, though the 1TB storage variant is exclusive to Samsung.com.

Z Flip4 and Z Fold4 Price and Availability in Malaysia

The Galaxy Z Flip4 is currently available for preorders with color options of Bora Purple, Blue, Pink Gold and Graphite, pricing details are as below:-

8GB+128GB – RM4,099

8GB+256GB – RM4,399

8GB+512GB- RM4,899

BESPOKE Edition 8GB+256GB – RM4,599

The Galaxy Z Fold4 is also available for preorders with color options of Graygreen, Beige, Phantom Black and Burgundy, pricing details are as below:-

12GB+256GB – RM6,799

12GB+512GB – RM7,299

12GB+1TB (exclusive on Samsung.com) – RM8,299

samsung
samsung malaysia
z flip4
z fold4


The Galaxy Z Flip4’s camera is better than many phones in one big way

3.4K

If there’s one thing that makes me not to switch away from the Galaxy Z Flip4, that would be its cameras, and in one big way.

Granted, it might not be on par with the Galaxy S22 Ultra’s cameras when it comes to image quality and doesn’t have two zoom lenses, but it simply enables more creative ways to take photos than the usual portrait or landscape modes, and that feature is called FlexCam on the Z Flip4.

Just like its name, FlexCam literally lets you use the camera in angles that wouldn’t be possible on a regular smartphone, all thanks to the phone’s foldable hinge design, you can adjust the phone’s camera angle and set it on a stable surface, then take advantage of the main and ultrawide 12-megapixel cameras to take dramatic looking selfies and creative short videos.

To do that, all I need to do is to just double press the power button and when the camera’s live view comes up on the 2-inch cover display, I can switch between lenses by just swiping up and down, switch between photo and video mode by swiping left and right, set a desired angle by looking at the full live view by double tapping on the display, do a ‘high-five’ gesture to the camera and start taking a photo or video.

FlexCam isn’t just supported on the main camera, it is also enabled on the in-display 10MP camera of the Z Flip4 where it supports a variety of applications, such as making a video call on WhatsApp, where you will only need to raise the screen of the Z Flip4 and callers will appear on the top part of the screen, eliminating the need for a case or stand to do so.

Last but not least, FlexCam turns the Z Flip4 into an ergonomic camcorder and while it is slightly awkward to hit the record button with my thumb, holding it to record videos this way sure makes it way more comfortable than many other smartphones I have used, ultimately making it a great road trip camera to have.

The Galaxy Z Flip4 retails from RM3,999 in Malaysia and there’s no better time to upgrade your current smartphone to one, as Samsung is still offering free gifts worth RM1,298, and a trade in offer that enables you to own the Z Flip4 for as low as RM2,239, go check it out
here
.

z flip4
z flip4 flexcam
z flip4 malaysia


The Galaxy Z Fold5 and Z Flip5 will launch on 26 July

5.3K

Get ready for the next Galaxy Unpacked event, as Samsung has begun to tease the arrival of its next generation foldable phones and interestingly, it will be hosting the event at its homegrown as you can see the ‘Unpacked’ words written in Hangul.

The event will be livestreamed on Samsung’s social media and official YouTube channel at 7PM Malaysian time on 26th July, and Samsung Malaysia has as usual offered a RM400 pre-order voucher for the new foldables if you register your interest
here
.

https://twitter.com/mysmartprice/status/1676913884664418304

The new Galaxy Z series are expected to be powered by the same chipset as the Galaxy S23 series – the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy, while the Z Fold5 is expected to have a similar design to its predecessor though we expect Samsung to further improve the phone’s build and durability, the Z Flip5 is the more exciting device as Samsung is rumored to include a larger 3.4-inch cover display, which can have more interesting features and better usability than before.

On the other hand, we can also expect Samsung to also introduce a new wearable during the event as a companion to the new foldables.

Until then, we will be back with more updates as the date draws near.

galaxy unpacked
samsung
samsung malaysia
z flip5
z fold5


The Galaxy Z Fold5 could come with a less noticeable crease

4.5K

Although Samsung had made significant improvements to the Z Fold4’s display hinge and made it lighter than the previous model, the display crease is still largely visible as compared to its competition, however it could possibly change with the upcoming Galaxy Z Fold5.

As reported by Korean site
Naver
, Samsung could adopt a “droplet”-style hinge that allows the display to form a teardrop shape when closed, such design will reduce the pressure applied on the flex display and ultimately make the crease less visible, the Z Fold5 is also expected to have both halves of the display sit flat against each other when the phone is shut, leaving no gaps unlike the Z Fold4.

Samsung may have been the pioneer of foldable phones and manufactures the displays, however competitors such as OPPO and HONOR that obtained the displays from Samsung for their foldables are already ahead when it comes to hinge design and the reduction of display creases, the HONOR Magic Vs that we checked out a few months ago have no gaps when closed and its display crease isn’t as obvious, albeit it lacks the Z Fold4’s IPX8 water resistance.

Samsung is set to announce the Galaxy S23 in a few weeks, though we would most likely not hear anything about the development of its foldable phones, we definitely look forward to what the company has in store for us this year as it is set to have some real competition this year, with devices such as the OPPO N2 Flip already registered in Malaysia’s SIRIM database, this is going to be an interesting year for foldable phones.

samsung z fold5
z fold4
z fold5


The GeForce GTX 1060 goes official, priced from $249 and available July 19 onwards

316

Finally, after all the leaks circulating over the Internet, NVIDIA has officially announced the availability of the GeForce GTX 1060, it is the most powerful mainstream GPU ever released and as fast as last year’s flagship GTX 980. The GTX 1060 continues to be powered by the efficient Pascal architecture which is manufactured on the 16nm FinFET process, the specs of the GPU is also the same that has been leaked earlier, which comprises of 1280 CUDA cores, 6GB GDDR5 memory and a boost clock of 1.7GHz, power is rated at 120W via a single 6-pin connector, which makes it 75 percent more power efficient than the GTX 980.

In addition, the GTX 1060 will also support NVIDIA VRWorks and Simultaneous Multi Projection technology, which will improve three times performance improvements on VR applications over older GPUs. NVIDIA’s in-game screen camera tool ANSEL will also be made available to The Witcher 3 and Mirror’s Edge Catalyst this month, while the company’s very own VR Funhouse Demo will be available on Steam this month, which all of these will be supported by the GTX 1060.

Last but not the least, NVIDIA has also announced the Special Limited Founder’s Edition of the GTX 1060, which has been leaked previously and will be available for purchase directly from NVIDIA at $299. In previous reports, we have reported that the GTX 1060 will have a different cooler from the flagship GTX 1080 and the
omission of SLI bridge fingers
, hence we certainly look forward to how other OEMs would over the come the lack of SLI, given that this is a rather capable GPU that could be even more powerful with an SLI configuration. The GeForce GTX 1060 Special Limited Founder’s Edition and other OEM variants will be available on July 19, retail prices will start from $249 onwards.

geforce
gtx1060
nvidia


The GeForce X80 series will be Nvidia's new line of flagship graphics card

337

Nvidia will be moving on from the GTX moniker altogether as the next flagship graphics card from them would be the GeForce X80 series.

If rumours are to be believed, the GeForce X80 will be built based on the “Pascal” architecture. Based on the performance-segment “GP104” and high-end “GP100” chips, the GeForce X80 series is expected to consist of the performance-segment GeForce X80, the high-end GeForce X80 Ti, and the enthusiast GeForce X80 TITAN.

The GP104 silicon is expected to feature roughly 4,096 CUDA cores, 256 TMUs, 128 ROPs, and a GDDR5X memory interface with 384 GB/s memory bandwidth. Texture and pixel fillrates on the GP104 is rated to be 33% higher than the GM200-based GTX TITAN X. The GP104 chip will be built on the 16nm FinFET process and will have a TDP of 175W.

On the other hand, the GP100 will be built on the same 16nm FinFET process as the GP104 and will have a TDP of 225W. That said, the chip will feature memory controllers that are rumoured to support both GDDR5X and HBM2 memory interfaces. The X80 Ti is expected to get 5,120 CUDA cores, 320 TMUs, 160ROPs, and a 512-bit wide GDDR5X memory interface that holds 8GB of memory with a bandwidth of 512GB/s.

The X80 TITAN will feature 6,144 CUDA cores, 384 TMUs, 192ROPs, and a 4096-bit wide HBM2 memory interface that will hold 16GB of memory with a memory bandwidth of 1TB/s. Both the X80 Ti and the X80 TITAN will double the pixel and texture fillrates from the GTX 980 Ti and the GTX TITAN X respectively.

Source:
TechPowerUp

geforcex80
graphicscard
nvidia
pascalarchitecture


The General Mobile GM 6 is the first fingerprint enabled Android One smartphone

365

Despite Google’s increasing developments on smartphones and new technology such as Tango, the company still ensures that it pays attention to developing markets via its Android One initiative of affordable Google Android phones. Google and General Mobile have partnered up once again, this time launching the GM 6 with a feature that is never seen before on any Android One device.

The feature mentioned is a fingerprint sensor. Don’t be surprised. Android One smartphones are very affordable hence they may not necessarily have the best hardware. Considering the fact that more entry level and mid range smartphones are adopting fingerprint sensors, it is no surprise that General Mobile has managed to squeeze in this feature for the low cost device.

Other specs include a 5-inch 720p display, a MediaTek MT6737T processor with 3GB of RAM and 32GB of internal storage. Another feature that is a rarity on budget handsets is a front facing selfie flash on the GM 6 which greatly complements the on-paper-impressive 8MP front facing camera. On the rear end, we’re looking at a 13MP shooter. The GM 6 is the second Android One smartphone to have Android Nougat installed out of the box, with version 7.0. With Google’s stock software, the GM 6 will definitely be in the VIP list of future software updates.

Pricing hasn’t been revealed just yet, but considering the fact that the GM 6 packs some extra features which are now made “necessary” like the fingerprint reader, it will likely cost a little more than the current Android One phones. Not by much, we hope. What do you think?

Source:
General Mobile

6
android
camera
fingerprint
flash
general
gm
google
mobile
one
selfie
sensor


The Genius SP-925BT Bluetooth Speaker has a raised cube form factor that delivers 360 degree sound

474

Genius has a pretty humble booth setup in COMPUTEX this year, the company has introduced us a very nice looking cube form factor
Bluetooth speaker
, the SP-925BT has Bluetooth 4.0 connectivity and dual-stereo paring that delivers stunning clarity with a massive full range of 360-degree projection sound. While it may look like any common mini speakers out there, Genius has fitted the speakers with dual 50mm drivers and a subwoofer under its compact body while leaving a gap at the bottom to allow stronger bass reproduction.

Last but not the least, the SP-925BT has a built-in battery that allows to transport it on the go without the need to carry a heavy charging adapter and charges conveniently via its MicroUSB port, the speaker also has built-in microphone that will allow you to make handsfree calls, and with that huge driver onboard, phone calls are going to sound very loud and audible, do look forward to the following month for its release and we know Genius products are always very affordable.


The Google Home smart speaker will launch in November

389

The Google Home smart speaker is yet another device that was teased back at Google I/O. Today, the company has finally revealed the capabilities of the Google Home as well as the device’s launch date.

Inspired by modern day household items, the Google Home comes with three “extrusion speakers.” While the device is mainly operated by voice commands via two microphones, the top of the Google Home is a capacitive touch surface that allows you to control the device manually.

For the speaker side of things, Google Home will work with YouTube Music and Google Play Music natively. In the event that these two services aren’t your music streaming platform of choice, Google Home can also integrate with Spotify, Pandora, iHeartRadio and TuneIn. The device can also double up as a Chromecast Audio receiver, allowing you to cast music to any Chromecast connected television or speakers in the house. In the event that you have more than one Google Home devices in the house, all of these devices will be able to communicate with each other directly.

As with many of the devices introduced by Google today, the Google Home speakers will come with Google Assistant support. In terms of third-party services, Google will be releasing the device’s API within the coming weeks. At launch, Google Home will come with a limited number of services such as the ability to request for an Uber, but over time, the number of services that Google Home will support will hopefully increase. Google will also be making improvements to the device in order to turn it into a proper smart home hub as the company has mentioned that the device will work with Hue lightbulbs, SmartThings, Nest devices, and Sonos integration.

Google Home will be launching in the States on the 4th of November for USD129. Those who purchase the speaker will net themselves a 6-month free subscription to YouTube Red.

androidplaymusic
google
googleassistant
googlehome
music
smartdevices
smarthome
smartspeaker
youtubemusic


The Google Pixel 4 can be unlocked with your face with your eyes are closed – raises security concerns

351

The Google Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL were launched recently to mixed reception – some lauded it for its camera and software upgrades, while others weren’t convinced by its value proposition with the specs it packs.

But one thing that’s got to interest you is the newly added motion gesture features that are powered by Google-engineered Soli. It pretty much allows you to interact with your phone with air gestures and motion. One aspect of the phone that benefits from Soli is the face unlock feature – Google says that the phone preps the camera as soon as Soli detects your hand moving towards it. Once you pick it up, the sensors and camera detect your face immediately.

Proof, for those asking
#madebygoogle

#pixel4

pic.twitter.com/mBDJphVpfB

— Chris Fox (@thisisFoxx)
October 15, 2019

That’s all fine and dandy, until reports surfaced that you can actually perform the same unlock even if your eyes are closed – which shouldn’t be happening. For safety reasons, the phone should only unlock when you open your eyes, otherwise someone could just unlock your Pixel even when you’re asleep.

The phone technically isn’t on sale yet, these flaws were discovered on review units – Google has gone on to say that the issue will not be present when the retail units are available. Plus, according to the Verge, Google has said that the design of the phone will improve as time goes by with software updates. In any case, this looks like an easy fix for Google, still; it shouldn’t have been in the review units to begin with.

android
face unlock
google pixel 4
Pixel 4 XL
soli


The Google Play Store is now 5 years old!

364

Google first launched the Android Market nearly a decade ago when the operating system was still in its primitive stages, struggling to play catch up with Apple’s then more superior iOS. It was till 2012 that Android users had to go to different platforms if they wanted to download apps, music and e-books respectively. In that same year, Google decided to unite all Android content into one place we now call the Google Play Store.

Today, Google celebrates its 5th anniversary of the Play Store, boasting a bunch of impressive stats we should know about. Since its birth, the Play Store saw its user base grow to more than 1 billion active users from a total of 190 countries today. The Play Store is now the one stop place to get content such as apps, music and e-books for any Android device ranging from smartphones to Chromebooks. In conjunction with its 5th birthday, Google has listed down the top 5 most popular content in the US since the launch of the Play Store:

TOP INSTALLED GAMES

Candy Crush Saga

Subway Surfers

Temple Run 2

Despicable Me

Clash of Clans

TOP INSTALLED APPS*

Facebook

Facebook Messenger

Pandora Radio

Instagram

Snapchat

*Download only. Does not include pre-installed apps on Android devices.

TOP SELLING SONGS

Ed Sheeran – Thinking Out Loud

Lorde – Royals

Taylor Swift – Blank Space

Mark Ronson feat. Bruno Mars – Uptown Funk

Pharrell Williams – Happy

TOP SELLING ALBUMS

Adele – 25

Eminem – The Marshall Mathers LP2 (Deluxe)

Taylor Swift – 1989

Drake – If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late

Kendrick Lamar – To Pimp A Butterfly

TOP SELLING MOVIES

The Interview

Frozen

Deadpool

Star Wars: The Force Awakens

Guardians of the Galaxy

TOP SELLING BOOKS

Fifty Shades of Grey, by E L James

The Hunger Games trilogy, by Suzanne Collins

A Game of Thrones, by George RR Martin

The Fault in Our Stars, by John Green

Gone Girl, by Gillian Flynn

How often to you visit the Play Store to download content or update your apps? Do you find anything of your favorite on Google’s popular list?

Source:
Google

5
android
anniversary
app
birthday
download
google
market
music
play
store
years


The GoPro Hero 2014 is coming soon as a budget friendly action camera

344

GoPro has done pretty well with its Hero 3+ right here and most people actually treat it like a selfie camera more than an action camera, the Hero 3+ is also pretty pricey at around RM1.3K and a lot of us are actually wondering if there are cheaper alternatives, but before we start searching for it GoPro seems to have something great for the budget conscious users out there with the introduction of the GoPro Hero 2014.

According to reports, the GoPro Hero 2014 Edition could be a sub $200 action camera which is actually very much cheaper than the Hero 3+, we could probably expect GoPro to strip off some features from its flagship model such as 4K video recording, WiFi and Bluetooth connectivity and 12 FPS burst photos, however the GoPro Hero 2014 will still be able to support 1080p30 and 720p60 video recording so it isn’t too bad if you aren’t too particular about recording extremely high res videos.

Of course, you would have to compromise a lot for the cheaper GoPro model, as you can see in the comparison image above, colors looked slightly washed out when it’s compared to the Hero 3+, so you are pretty much paying for what you are getting on the Hero 2014 Edition. Expect the GoPro Hero 4 coming soon as well with an expected official announcement on October 8.