Valve releases VR spectator suite for The International Dota 2 tournament

452

With The International being just a week away, Valve has rolled out something new that would spectators to enjoy the tournament through a new medium: virtual reality.

In a recent update made to Dota 2’s International Compendium, Valve has officially introduced the Dota VR Hub. Through this hub, spectators will be able to watch both live games and archived matches in VR. Needless to say, you’re going to need a VR headset for this to work, but once you have it, you can jump directly into VR spectator mode via the in game minimap.

From there, you’re able to view the game from various positions. You can opt to look down onto the battlefield like some kind of God, or you can place yourself right in the middle of the action and watch as the heroes from both teams battle all around you. The best part is that this mode supports up to 15 people in one sitting, although this means that you’re going to need 15 friends with VR headsets of their own. In any case, this is a new way to experience The International from the comforts of your home.

Source:
Dota 2
,
Engadget

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Valve requests game developers to use in-game screenshots for a game's store page on Steam

385

Game developer and publishers’ tendencies to post concept art of the game instead of actual screenshots will no longer be allowed on Steam as Valve has stated that the image gallery for a game’s Steam page must be populated by in-game screenshots.

Once Valve rolls out the Discovery Update 2.0, all games on Steam will need to use in-game screenshots on the Steam Marketplace. “We haven’t been super crisp on guidelines for screenshots in the past, so we’d like to take this opportunity to clarify some rules in this space. When the ‘screenshot’ section of a store page is used for images other than screenshots that depict the game, it can make it harder for customers to understand what the product is that they are looking at,” says Alden Kroll, a UI designer at Valve.

This change is Valve’s attempt to combat false advertising, with one of the games that was heavily criticize for it being No Man’s Sky. Valve has since updated the Dota 2 store page to reflect this policy change, replacing the game’s artwork with actual screenshots instead.

As Steam is incredibly huge, it is impossible for Steam to be actively policing the store. Valve themselves admitted that much, saying that the new policy’s goal is to encourage developers to “show customers what you game is actually like to play.”

Valve’s Discovery 2.0 update will go live within the next few weeks.

Source:
Polygon

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Valve shows off Steam Deck’s final packaging

5.3K

If you’re hungry for updates on Valve’s
Steam Deck
, the company recently shared images of its
final packaging
 ahead of the launch
–
 so,
feast your eyes!

As you can see, the packaging is simple and minimalistic with each box containing the console, a carrying case, and a power supply.

Carrying case for the 64GB and 128GB Steam Deck

Steam Deck DV prototype

Valve recently completed its Design Validation manufacturing build of the Steam Deck
–

its final prototype
–
 so any changes from now on would only be minor ones. Aside from testing its packaging design, the company will soon ship these DV prototypes to developers for testing.

There’s no word on whether the Steam Deck will arrive in Malaysia but its launch in February 2022 will probably provide us with more information so stay tuned for that.

Source

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Valve Steam Deck


Valve Steam Deck delayed until February 2022 due to material shortages

2.8K

Earlier this year, the
Valve Steam Deck
 was announced and it had gamers all around the world excited for its launch. However, today they revealed that this handheld console would be delayed until early next year.

Originally, Valve had planned to launch the Steam Deck in December 2021, but due to material shortages, they had to delay it to February 2022. This news won’t come as much of a surprise either, because several other consoles have suffered for the same reasons – the most popular examples being Sony’s PlayStation 5 and the Xbox Series X.

If you do want to pre-order the console, Valve will start taking more orders on February 2022, but if you have already reserved a slot, your Steam Deck will most likely ship out at the same time as well.

If you didn’t know, the Steam Deck is Valve’s take at a handheld console, that lets you play the majority of Steam’s PC games portably. The device comes with 16GB of RAM, up to 512 GB of internal storage that is expandable via a micro-SD and, has a 7-inch 1280×800 60Hz touchscreen display. The device can also be docked and connected to a separate screen.

Hopefully, Valve will continue shipping in February and there are no further delays on the console. If you would like to read more about the Steam Deck, head over to
Steam’s website.

Source

|
Via

2022
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Valve’s Steam Deck is a portable PC that you can play your Steam games on

2.1K

Hold off on that
Nintendo Switch
 purchase for a while because the new
Steam Deck
 by Valve may well be a better option if you’re looking to play PC titles while on the go.

The product is essentially a handheld computer and it packs a CPU that runs on AMD’s Zen 2 cores (4c/8t), along with an RDNA 2 architecture GPU that promises smooth gameplay on most AAA titles at 720p resolution.

The device comes with a 7-inch 1280×800 60Hz touchscreen panel that’s placed between a set of controls which include two joysticks, a D-pad, interaction buttons, and more interestingly two pressure-sensitive trackpads that mimic mouse movements. There are also triggers at the top of the device to complete the set of controls.

On the software side of things, the device runs on SteamOS 3.0 and you can run any game you have on the platform right on the console. But because the Steam Deck is basically a Linux-based PC, there are provisions for you to wipe the drive clean and install Windows if you’d prefer.

To use it like a PC, you can also connect a monitor to the device along with other peripherals. Valve is also working on an official dock that’ll allow you to hook the Steam Deck up to a monitor and other peripherals. Until then, you can actually use it with any USB-C hub that exists right now.

https://klgadgetguy.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/steam-deck-microsd-card.mp4

For storage, your options are 64GB, 256GB and 512GB – but you also have the option of inserting a microSD card too. Powering the device is a 40Whr battery which you can charge using the included 45W PD 3.0 power adapter.

The Steam Deck is priced at $399 (about RM1,676) for the 64GB model, $529 (about RM2,222) for the 256GB model, and $649 (about RM2,726) for the 512GB version. It will be available in the US, UK, and Canada this December, but there’s no word on when it’ll arrive in Malaysia yet, but we can look forward to more updates come 2022.

portable
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Valve to licence SteamVR tracking to developers royalty free

323

Aspiring VR developers take note, Valve has just recently launched a new program that would let other companies use the HTC Vive’s virtual reality tracking system for their own hardware without needing to pay royalties.

The SteamVR Tracking license would allow product designers to buy sensors like those on the Vive headset and controllers, and attach them to their own products. These products can then be tracked with the Vive’s base stations. The best part of all this is that Valve isn’t attaching any licensing fees to its system, meaning that royalty fees aren’t part of the equation when you use them to construct a custom motion controller for the Vive.

While there won’t be any royalty fees, you do need to participate in the program in order to acquire these sensors. Companies who are interested in using said technology must send at least one person to a USD3,000 training course held in Seattle, with the first of these courses being held in mid-September. Companies are also required to abide by the terms of the licenses, but the products manufactured by them would not require Valve’s approval before being sold in the market.

Source:
Steamworks
,
The Verge

developer
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Valve will begin implementing GST on the Steam Store for selected countries

366

Local gamers who rely on Steam heavily may want to brace themselves for what’s to come. According to an email that has been sent to Steam developers recently, it appears that Valve will be implementing Goods and Services Tax on the games in the Steam Store for selected countries starting from the month of March.

According to the email in question, this GST system will first be implemented in a list of ten countries. These are Switzerland, South Korea, Japan, New Zealand, Iceland, South Africa, India, Serbia, Taiwan and Australia. The first batch of countries will have the GST system in place in March, while Australia will be the last country out of the first 10 to have a GST system in place by July.

One very important thing to note about the GST system is that it doesn’t necessarily mean that games on Steam will get more expensive. Valve is looking to implement the GST system in the same way the VAT system is applied in Europe. In some cases, GST has already been factored in when the game goes on the Steam marketplace. When Valve brings the GST system online, the only change gamers can expect is that Steam will now seperate the tax out from the actual retail price of the game. Needless to say, some games will also get a tad bit more expensive as the developers decided to implement GST to their titles.

Before you breath a sigh of relief in that Valve won’t be implementing a GST system in Malaysia, do note that the company has mentioned that it intends to add other individual countries over the course of 2017 and 2018, depending on applicable law.

Source:
PCGamer
,
PCGamesN
,
Gamespot

games
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valve


Valve will replace Steam's Greenlight system with Steam Direct

303

While Steam’s Greenlight initiative was introduced with good intentions, the system as a whole has been roundly criticized to be extremely flawed. After years of complaints, Valve has decided to remove Greenlight altogether and replace it with a much more straightforward system called Steam Direct.

Much like Greenlight, Steam Direct is a program that will developers publish their games on Steam. Unlike Greenlight, developers will just need to pay an initial submission fee to Valve in order to get their games onto the digital games store. Simply put, developers will no longer need to rely on community support in order to get their games on the Steam platform. Valve has yet to decide on an amount for the submission fee, but the company is looking at a USD100 to USD5,000 range.

Apart from the submission fee, Valve’s part in the Steam Direct process is limited to just a basic check that makes sure that the game is able to run properly. Valve will not be curating any of the games that are submitted via Steam Direct, so that part falls on the Steam user themselves.

Source:
Steam
,
VentureBeat

games
greenlight
steam
steamdirect
valve


Valve’s VR headset could be available this May

411

The VR fad has died down a bit since the release of Beat Saber; and as most things VR-related go, hype generally doesn’t last long – maybe of course with the exception of the VRChat game thanks to its meme potential.

To reinvigorate public interest in VR technology again is Valve as they’ve hinted at their very own VR headset. The photo shows off the front of the headset along with the date May 2019.

Not much else has been announced, but according to Kotaku, Valve are also releasing their own controllers, which could be used together with this VR headset.

As of right now, the VR headset market are dominated by HTC Vive and the Oculus Rift, so we’ll have to wait and see if Valve can somehow innovate with an otherwise stagnant technology.

gaming
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Varmilo releases a mechanical keyboard catered to hardcore PUBG players

312

All you hardcore PlayerUnknown’s Battleground players out there, Varmilo, a Chinese keyboard manufacturer has just released a mechanical keyboard that will really appeal to hardcore players. The keycaps have been custom designed with icons that follows the default controls in the game.

VA108m

The keyboard has a nice black, white and gold theme to it which is the theme colours for the game and icons that is mapped to the shortcuts in the game. Varmilo has released two versions of the keyboard, the VA108M and VA87m with the first being a full-size keyboard and the latter is missing the numberpad, meant for tournament use. The keyboard might not be the best design as it has the Varmilo name as the winner, it would be nice if the company would allow for custom designed spacebar so users can have their in-game name printed onto the keyboard.

VA87M

Both the keyboards are not cheap as they will cost you between $131 and $169 depending on the model and the type of switch.

keyboard
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VAX brings Japan and Malaysia creative industry together under one roof

342

 As part of the creative content industry, we are pretty excited to see something like this starting in Malaysia. Visual Arts Expo, or better known as VAX, is the first ever event of its type to expose locally produced visual arts onto the world stage. Organised by Valkyrie Creative Solutions, VAX will be held from 21-23 August 2015 at Mines International Exhibition and Convention Centre (MIECC), and will be host to big names from Japan.

The few big names from the industry hailing all the way from Japan includes Shoki Kawamori from Studio Satelight (well-known for involvements in popular animation projects such as Macross and Aquariom), and Hiroyuki Yamaga, CEO and Co-Founder of Studio Gainax. They will be giving talks and seminars during this three-day event. As a guest, you can conduct portfolio reviews with the public, and if you are a registered guest, you can have your work critiqued by professionals.

Not everything is serious business; as part of its itinerary, VAX will be hosting a concert, which will feature artists like Aimee Blackschleger (anisong singer involved in projects like Kill la Kill, Attack on Titan, Aldnoah.Zero), and BACK-ON, who sang opening tracks for Air Gear and Gundam Build Fighters anime series. Another famous face you will see at VAX will be Richard “Ladybeard” Magarey, a famous wrestler/comedian/singer originally from Australia who found success in Japan. Other than appearance by celebrities, there will also be fun fan-based panels where regular people like you and I can enrol and talk about our favourite topics.

How much does it cost for entry? This three-day event will cost RM15 per day for walk-in visitors, RM25 for two days when purchased online. Want special edition VIP passes that is limited to 200 only? This pass costs RM100, and you will be able to have early entry to the hall, early entry to VAX performances on the second day, and an autograph fast pass – which guarantees an autograph at an autograph session of your choice. And expect a mystery gift too!

You can purchase your tickets online at
MSpace
 or at retail partner, Spartan Games.

Here’s the video highlighting the international invitees for the event:

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backon
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Vein scanner, vibrating display and motion capture: some of the LG G8 ThinQ’s key features

487

After staying relatively quiet in mobile world, LG could finally be stepping into the limelight with the introduction of their new flagship, the LG G8 ThinQ.

The reason why we think the G8 ThinQ will make its mark in the mobile market this year is because of its quirky but fascinating features. First, the phone’s 6.1-inch screen doubles as an earpiece. The in-house developed Crystal Sound OLED screen vibrates to create sound – it works together with the phone’s boombox speaker at the bottom to create cohesive audio.

Image credit: Android Police

Another cool feature is the G8’s front-facing camera which has motion capture technology built into it. The 8MP lens is capable of 3D-mapping which it uses to scan your face for unlocking the device.

Another method to unlock the G8 is by scanning, not your fingerprints, but your veins! LG’s Hand ID uses “biometric authentication” tech; its IR sensors collect information about your blood and draws an image of your vein structure – all you need to do to unlock your device is to hover your hand over the screen and the phone will unlock. Pretty creepy when you spell out the technicalities, but it’s a cool feature, nonetheless.

Image credit: CNET

For extra value, the front-facing camera can also detect gestures. LG calls it AIrMotion and how you utilize it is by making a claw gestures above the camera and that’ll activate app shortcuts or even play media.

Now, even without these features, the G8 still looks like a capable flagship on paper; the phone runs on the Snapdragon 855 chipset – which is expected of a marquee device – it sports 6GB of RAM and 128GB internal storage, and ships with Android 9. The phone is powered by a 3,500mAh battery, which is smaller than the standard 4,000mAh that you expect to come with a modern flagship.

Image credit: CNET

When you pair these high-end specs with the phone’s features (if they actually work), the LG G8 ThinQ is
the
 flagship to beat this year.

g8
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mwc2019


Venu Sq Review: An affordable alternative to the Garmin Venu

1.7K

Garmin finally released two more smartwatches in the Venu series and they’re none other than the
Venu Sq
and
 Venu Sq Music Edition
. Both models are more affordable than the Garmin Venu, but we’ve got our hands on the Venu Sq Music Edition (which will hereon be referred to as Venu Sq for convenience).

Design

I remember the
Garmin Venu
 being a very premium-looking, elegant smartwatch, but the Venu Sq turned out to be quite the opposite. It’s much lighter than the premium model and instead of a circular display, you get a rectangular 33.1mm LCD display. The Venu Sq feels more like a casual smartwatch/fitness tracker that reminded me of the
Fitbit Sense
.

There are also two buttons on the right side, but again, they are nowhere as premium-looking as the rose gold buttons that were on the Garmin Venu. Still, it’s great that Garmin did not skip on the Corning Gorilla Glass 3 and 5 ATM rating so showering or doing the dishes with the watch on your wrist is fine.

Display

Garmin also swapped the AMOLED screen for an Always-On LCD display with the Venu Sq. The display is no doubt less impressive than the previous model, and even though its medium setting is alright, I prefer to set it at maximum brightness for better viewing.

Navigation is fairly simple; you swipe up/down for your stats, long-press the top button to access the settings and press the lower button to return to the previous screen — you can also navigate via its touchscreen. Unfortunately, Garmin still has room for improvements when it comes to this watch’s UI; though it doesn’t lag, the Venu Sq isn’t as responsive as I hoped it would be. There are instances when it doesn’t respond to my swipes which can be frustrating after awhile.

Battery

Personally, battery life is something that really matters to me. Not needing to charge my smartwatch daily is awesome, especially since I’d like to track my sleep without my battery dying on me. Garmin claims the Venu Sq has a six-day battery life and I found that accurate. Of course, that duration will shorten if you were to turn on your Always-On display, so I prefer to skip that feature. You also get a really compact charger and charging the watch only requires an hour or so.

Health tools

Garmin is usually quite thorough with its health and fitness features, and the Venu Sq is no exception. I can track my heart rate, respiration, body battery, stress level and more. To get more information, I either tap into each function or just check the Garmin Connect app that gathers all the relevant data. You can also track your blood oxygen level and abnormal heart rate by turning these features on in the app. Just like the
Garmin Venu
, this is an advanced smartwatch that has more information than needed by the average user, but there’s nothing wrong with knowing more about your health.

Fitness tracking

The Venu Sq has auto activity detection and can also automatically start a timed activity, but there are only two options – walk and run. It’s a waste that the watch doesn’t support more activities when it comes to auto-tracking, plus the activities option aren’t as extensive as compared to
Fitbit’s
. The watch also supports GPS to allow me to track my outdoor activities, but I mostly workout at home so it didn’t really affect me. For those who are interested in its GPS accuracy though, the Venu Sq does its job well, but it’s not the best one out there.

Smartwatch features

I also like that I can control music playback and stream songs on this watch. Since there’s also a built-in GPS, there’s no need to depend on my phone when it comes to exercising outdoors. I can also read the full contents of my notifications — something impossible with smaller fitness trackers — but unfortunately, I’m an iPhone user so I can’t reply through the Venu Sq.

Verdict

The Venu Sq is almost as good as the
Garmin Venu
, but it’s slightly more affordable at RM1,250. It’s lighter and more comfortable to be worn, but isn’t as attractive as the premium model. That being said, it’s a good smartwatch with extensive features that will be appreciated by sports junkies. If you can do without music storage, you can also consider the vanilla variant which will cost you RM999. However, those who prioritise smartwatch features over fitness tracking should probably go for the Apple Watch SE instead.

The Good

Advanced health and tracking features

Built-in GPS

Good battery life

Lightweight

The Not So Good

Slightly unresponsive screen

Limited activity auto-tracking

garmin
Garmin Venu Sq
Venu Sq
Venu Sq Music Edition


Verizon will purchase Yahoo for USD350 million less than the originally agreed upon price

325

Yahoo’s little security debacle has a somewhat happy ending after all as Verizon has decided to go ahead with the purchase of the company. The catch? Verizon will pay USD350 million less than the original USD4.83 billion price.

While the Verizon-Yahoo deal will now be worth only USD4.48 billion, the new agreement would see Verizon “share certain legal and regulatory liabilities” that are caused by the two security breaches that was discovered by Yahoo last year. Simply put, Verizon will pay 50 percent of any financial charges that are levied against Yahoo by government investigations and in any third-party lawsuits. That said, Yahoo will still be held responsible for damages resulting from shareholder lawsuits or from the probe done by the United States’ Securites and Exchanges Commission. The deal is expected to be completed by the second quarter of 2017.

Overall, Yahoo got incredibly lucky with the way this situation developed as many thought that Verizon would pull out of the deal entirely. Seeing as the deal has been sealed, it seems that Yahoo will live to see another day, albeit one under Verizon’s thumb.

Source:
Verizon
,
Engadget

deal
purchase
securitybreach
verizon
yahoo


Vernee's Apollo 2 smartphone will be the first phone to utilise MediaTek's Helio X30 processor

279

Remember MediaTek’s Helio X30 processor? The company’s deca-core (10-core) processor will be making its way to Barcelona next week as Chinese-based Vernee will be showing off the first phone to sport said processor at MWC 2017.

The phone in question is the Apollo 2, and the teaser image found on Vernee’s website reveals that the phone will come in either 6GB RAM – 64GB storage or 8GB RAM – 128GB storage variants. Both configurations will be sporting the Helio X30 processor, MediaTek’s 10-core processor that was manufactured using a 10nm manufacturing process.

As we’ve reported earlier
, the MediaTek Helio X30 processor consists of three clusters of cores. The first cluster consists of four Cortex A73 cores that have a clockspeed of 2.8GHz, the second cluster consists of four Cortex A53 cores that have a clockspeed of 2.2GHz, while the third cluster consists of two Cortex A35 cores that have a clockspeed of 2.0GHz. Alongside the cores, the Helio X30 processor will also come with a PowerVR 7XT GPU.

Other specifications for the Apollo 2, such as the display, battery and camera, have yet to be revealed. Nevertheless, the presence of the Helio X30 inside the Apollo 2 makes this smartphone one to look out for.

Source:
Android Authority

apollo2
heliox30
mediatek
mwc2017
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Viber implements end-to-end encryption across all of its apps

324

WhatsApp introduced end-to-end encryption to its services not too long ago and now, Viber is doing so as well.

Viber COO Michael Shmilov has issued a statement saying that the company “takes users’ securiy and privacy very seriously.” “Because of this, we have spent a long time working on ths latest update to ensure that our users have the most sophisticated security available and maximum control over their communications. We will continue to make this an ongoing priority as digital communications evolves,” says Shmilov.

End-to-end encryption is expected to be available as part of Viber’s 6.0 update, which is stated to be rolling out “over the coming weeks.” Viber will be colour-coding various levels of encryption that represents how secure the participants in a chat are. Viber will also be adding a “hidden chat” feature with the 6.0 update, allowing users to hide specific one-to-one or group chats from the main screen. You can only gain access to these chats through a four digit PIN, or in the case of iOS, via Touch ID.

Source:
Mashable

chat
encryption
viber


Viber introduces secret chat

368

You probably haven’t heard of Viber for some time now. Viber used to be the go to app for making data calls around five years ago. The app is still being widely used at certain regions around the world, boasting an 800 million strong user base. Viber has added a new secret chat feature to its app, further enhancing the privacy of the app’s user experience.

This new secret chat feature comes after Viber implemented end-to-end encryption last year and secret messages back in January this year, which allowed users to put self destructing timers on individual messages. Secret chat extends the self destructing timer to a whole conversation. This means users can now set a time before an initiated secretive conversation vanishes.

Viber places an extra emphasis on security in this new feature, in which messages are blocked from being forwarded to other conversations. Not only that, as far as screenshots go, iOS users will be notified when a screenshot is being captured while Android users are blocked entirely from performing screenshots. Now that’s a really handy feature. Secret chats can also be protected with a PIN code.

As technology advances, people are placing more importance on privacy and security. It is no doubt that Viber has pushed all the right buttons with this new feature. Hopefully the app will see an increase in active users after this update.

Source:
The Verge

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Victus and OMEN by HP 16 – the AMD powered 16-inch gaming laptops you will want

2.2K

16-inch gaming laptops are becoming the norm these days as it offers better viewing experience compared to 15-inch and doesn’t feel as big as 17-inch. Whether you are the casual gamer looking for an affordable gaming laptop, or a hard-core gamer looking for the ultimate portable battle station, the Victus and OMEN by HP 16 are 16.1-inch gaming laptops from HP that you definitely need to check out, powered by AMD Ryzen processors, these gaming laptops are set to take on any modern game titles with exceptional performance.

Victus by HP 16 – Designed for the productive casual gamers

Your gaming journey shouldn’t be hampered by a slow performing battle station, the Victus 16 is here to ensure that your subsequent game match is a victory with the performance it offers and accessible price tag.

Powered by the AMD Ryzen™ 7 5800H processor and NVIDIA® GeForce RTX™ 3050Ti Laptop GPU with 4GB GDDR6 memory, the Victus offers exceptional processing power and is ready to take on any modern game titles with ray-traced shadows all thanks to the advanced Ray Tracing and Tensor cores of the GPU.

All thanks to the speedy 512GB PCIe SSD, which can also be upgraded to 1TB, the Victus 16 boots up in mere seconds and game load times are significantly reduced.

The Victus 16 is the perfect machine for high frame rates games such as Overwatch and Apex Legends, as it keeps you focused on the game with a 144Hz refresh rate on its 16.1-inch QHD panel, images look crisp and graphics tearing is a thing of the past with the most responsive display of its class.

Gaming on the Victus 16 is even more immersive with the Bang & Olufsen tuned loudspeakers, which offers crisp audio and deep rumbling bass without the need to connect external speakers.

As a work and gaming machine, the Victus 16 is equipped with an all-purpose anti-ghosting gaming keyboard that features a numpad for better productivity, the keys also offer a silent and tactile typing experience so that you never need to annoy your co-workers.

Furthermore, the Victus 16 stays cool even when gaming to the extreme all thanks to two large cooling fans ventilating heat out of the wide rear vents.

With up to 8 hours of battery life on a single charge, the Victus 16 is ready to take on your busy day and get things done quickly with its exceptional performance all thanks to the power efficient AMD Ryzen processor. Running low on power? Trust HP Fast Charge to get the Victus 16 up to 50% in 30 minutes.

Forget about buying dongles for your gaming laptop, because the Victus 16 comes equipped with the essential ports you need, such as a full-sized HDMI 2.1 port that supports up to 8K 120Hz display resolution, an RJ45 ethernet port for faster network connectivity, and a full-sized SD card reader that’s super useful for content creators.

OMEN by HP 16 – The ultimate 16-inch gaming experience

For those looking to level up their gameplay on the go, the OMEN 16 will offer the ultimate gaming experience as HP has filled it with the brim with useful features and eyewatering specs, not to forget to mention a head turning distinguished design that’s available in Mica Silver color with a 4-zone RGB backlit keyboard.

The OMEN 16 is powered by the AMD Ryzen 7-5800H processor and AMD Radeon RX6600M GPU with Smart Access Memory, exclusively available for devices that contain both an AMD Ryzen 5000 Series processor and an AMD Radeon™ RX 6000 Series graphics card – providing up to 15% more gaming performance.

On top of that, a 1TB PCIe SSD speeds up boot and game loading times so you never have to make your team mates wait for you to join the game.

With a super responsive 16.1-inch FHD 144Hz display, the OMEN 16 eliminates graphics tearing when playing high frame rates games and reduces gaming fatigue, complemented by the Bang & Olufsen tuned loudspeakers with DTS: X Ultra that produces high quality surround sound, the OMEN 16 enables gamers to experience the games they were meant to be played.

Great power requires great cooling, which is why the OMEN 16’s powerful internals are cooled by the exclusive OMEN Tempest Cooling Technology that ventilates heat out of the chassis through two vents at the back and one on the right with two big cooling fans, gamers will never experience performance throttling even after extended periods of gameplay.

The OMEN 16 is a powerful yet efficient gaming laptop, as the battery lasts up to 9 hours on a single charge for productivity usage, it also supports the HP Fast Charge technology that charges the battery from 0% to 50% in just 45 minutes, which makes this one reliable workhorse when it is off your gaming desk.

OMEN Gaming Hub – Tune your Victus and OMEN for the best experience

The Victus 16 and OMEN 16 comes with the OMEN Gaming Hub, a one stop dashboard that amplifies the experience your gaming experience with the following features:

Oasis – With Oasis, chat and talk seamlessly. Invite up to 15 friends and stay connected to the hangout of your dreams.

Performance control – choose between various performance modes to match up your gameplay

System vitals – keep an eye on your system’s vitals with a dashboard that tracks every key metric in real time. Scan utilization, temperature of your CPU, GPU and memory

Network Booster – bump your game up to VIP status and prioritise it over everything else while Dual Force functionality sends gaming traffic over the fastest connection for the fastest specs

Where to buy Victus 16 and OMEN 16?

The Victus 16 and OMEN 16 retails from RM3,999 and RM6,399 respectively. For a limited time, HP is giving away RM80 e-wallet credit when you purchase a Victus 16 and RM100 e-wallet credit when you purchase the OMEN 16, visit the links below to purchase these great gaming laptops.

HP Victus 16 –
Victus by HP Laptop 16-e0127AX | HP Store Malaysia

HP OMEN 16 –
OMEN 16 2021 AMD Laptop | HP® Official Site

This article is sponsored by HP.


Video call functionality is currently being rolled out on WhatsApp

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Have you ever wanted to do video calls on WhatsApp? Well, you may very well be able to do so right now, as WhatsApp is rolling out support for video calls on the Android App.

Before you get too excited, do note that the feature is only available for some users. Apparently, the feature is currently only available on
WhatsApp beta version 2.16.318
. If you do not want to wait for WhatsApp to complete the rollout, you can always download the APK in the link provided.

Assuming your version of WhatsApp has video calls enabled, all you really need to do is to go to your contacts list and tap on the video camera button. Alternatively, you can just tap on the call button when you’re in a conversation, and a dialog box will pop up, asking you if you wish to place a voice call or a video call. Do note that in order to do a video call, both parties must have the video call functionality available. If one side does not have video call functionality available, WhatsApp will open up a window that informs you that the recepient needs to update his/her WhatsApp app in order to receive video calls.

Source:
Android Police

android
videocall
whatsapp


Video: CoolerMaster MasterCase 5 explained, PSU Voltage Monitor on Smartphone and more

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CoolerMaster is one of the most noticed brands over at COMPUTEX Taipei and this year, the Taiwanese based company is introducing a whole new product range for DIY enthusiasts and gamers to choose from. The MasterCase 5 is the spotlight of the showcase, it is a modular CPU
case
 that allows easy installation and removal of the chassis components whenever users want. In addition, CoolerMaster has also introduced a new minimalist mechanical gaming keyboard, the MasterAir Maker cooling fan with a huge silent 140mm fan and new laptop coolers. Simply hit the play button to find out what we have captured through our lenses.


Video leaked on dummy phones of the iPhone 9 and X Plus

359

Another year, another iPhone that is going to be released by Apple. This time they might be releasing three new phones which are meant to come at different price points so people can own the new design of the iPhone. For a long time, these phones have been rumours, but it looks like they might actually be true.

A video posted by Shai Mizarchi which was shared to 9to5Mac hows two of the three iPhones which are the iPhone 9 and iPhone X Plus. The leak does not actually show the phone but it does show us how the case for the phones will look like on dummy phones. The two cases indicate that they are for the two mentioned phones, next to an iPhone X. The iPhone 9 is said to come with a 6.1-inch LCD screen which is meant to replace the iPhone 8, while the bigger case is probably meant for the iPhone X Plus, which comes with a 6.5-inch OLED screen. The phone cases come from an accessory maker called Skech, and seeing as they are already producing the cases of the phone means that the phones are probably in production already.

There is no picture on the front of the dummy phones but we expect that Apple is going to stick with the notch approach, as the back of the phones have similar camera designs as the iPhone X.

9
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VIDEO: Neabot P1 Pro Pet Grooming Vacuum Review

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Having a cat and dog at home can be a real joy, however the chore of grooming them can sometimes make a mess at your home, while sending them to your pet groomer isn’t always convenient, this is where the Neabot P1 Pro comes to the rescue, it is a vacuum cleaner that’s designed for pets and comes with a comprehensive set of grooming and cleaning tools.

For RM699, the Neabot P1 Pro has saved me trips to my groomer and has been a life saver for not messing up my house when deshedding my pet Corgi, watch the video and find out how well it has worked for me.

neabot
neabot p1 pro
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Video of the Nintendo Switch's UI has been posted up online

345

In two weeks’ time, Nintendo will launch its portable/home console hybrid, the Nintendo Switch. Fortunately for NeoGAF user
hiphoptherobot
, he need not wait that long as his preorder for the console arrived at his doorstep two weeks early.

Seeing as the console won’t be officially available for another 14 days, hiphoptherobot has decided to post up a video that showcases the UI of the Nintendo Switch. Judging from the three minute long video, the overall feel of the Switch’s menu feels like a refined version of the Wii U’s interface that seems to incorporate elements from Android and even the PlayStation 4’s UI.

No games were shown off during this demonstration as, again, the console isn’t officially out yet. The user also refuses to go into the Nintendo eShop out of fear that doing so would land him and the store he preordered the console from in trouble. Nevertheless, this video is great for those who have pre-ordered the system just to get a feel for how the Switch would work once they’ve removed it from the box.

Source:
NeoGAF

console
nintendo
portable
switch
userinterface


Video of the Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8+ leaked online

340

In one month’s time, Samsung will announce the Galaxy S8 and S8+ to the world. For those who think that one month is too long a wait for Samsung’s latest flagship, perhaps you can keep the cravings at check for now as videos of the Galaxy S8 and S8+ in action have been leaked online.

First spotted by the folks over at Slashleaks, this Weibo-based video features a man showing off the upcoming S8 and S8+ side by side. This 34-second long video manages to give us a good glimpse of how both the phones will look like when it eventually launches. For one, the video confirms that the S8 phones will no longer have the Home button. It also confirms the existence of a fingerprint scanner located at the rear of the phone, as well as the iris scanner.

Unfortunately, the video didn’t touch upon the software of the S8, so we are unable to see some of the new features that will be coming to the S8 such as Bixby. Nevertheless, this video manages to confirm some of the hardware features that the S8 and the S8+ will have.

Source:
Slashleaks

galaxy
leaked
s8
samsung
video


Videos showing the gestures for app switching and new location of the Control Center surfaces in the iOS 11 beta

321

You have probably heard that the fingerprint sensor on the iPhone 8 will be removed, so the question that is probably on your mind is how do I switch my apps? Well for future iPhone 8 owners worry not, for there is away and it will be using your swipes.

A developer by the name of Guilherme Rambo has uncovered two new features that will help you navigate the upcoming iPhone in the beta preview.

This is also interesting
pic.twitter.com/JdYDhZDkev

— Guilherme Rambo (@_inside)
August 21, 2017

As you can see, the Control Center gesture has changed, when you swipe from down to up as it brings up the app switcher instead. Worry not, because the Control Center is not removed rather, it has moved to a different part of the phone.

https://twitter.com/_inside/status/899778337350012928

In this video, you can see that on the lock screen, swiping from right to left will display the Control Center and apparently swiping from up to down will actually bring down the lock screen though we are not sure if that is a feature that Apple is planning to keep because it would make more sense to just press the power button to lock the phone.

As usual, time will only tell if these features will actually see the light of day because all these were found in the beta preview and features might be removed or added before the final launch when the iPhone 8 releases.

app
apple
center
control
gestures
ios
iphone
switcher


ViewQwest enters the Malaysian market; will offer 1Gbps internet by the end of 2016

323

TM should probably start looking behind them as Singaporean boutique ISP ViewQwest has officially entered the Malaysian market today.

According to a report by The Straits Times, ViewQwest’s entry to Malaysia is a joint venture project done in partnership with Malaysian telecommunication firm Televentures. Since the beginning of 2016, both sides have been busy rolling out its network in key areas around Kuala Lumpur and Selangor. These key areas includes the Golden Triangle, Bangsar South and Cyberjaya.

Currently, ViewQwest does not have any commercial Internet plans available, but the company is looking to introduce a 1Gbps fibre Internet plan by the end of 2016. Coverage-wise, expect the availability of ViewQwest’s internet plan to be limited to the areas mentioned above. Alongside the internet plan, ViewQwest is also looking to introduce its own virtual private network (VPN) services to Malaysians which is incorporated in its own media streaming box.

In the meantime, businesses located in selected commericial buildings around the Golden Triangle, Bangsar South and Cyberjaya are able to sign up for ViewQwest’s corporate internet plan.

Source:
Lowyat.Net
,
The Straits Times

fibre
internet
isp
singapore
televentures
viewqwest


ViewSonic announces PJD5533w Widescreen Resolution Projector

322

When most mainstream projectors today are still using the standard 4:3 aspect ratio and causing inconvenience in projecting contents that are created using widescreen displays, ViewSonic introduced a value for money widescreen projector – the PJD5533w. Featuring a 720p (1280×800 Native) resolution and 3D Blu-ray ready, the PJD5533w has a 15000:1 contrast ratio, 3000 lumens brightness and BrilliantColor technology to produce more vivid colors using 6 separate colors instead of combining 3 standard colors (RGB).

ViewSonic has designed the PJD5533w to be compatible with widescreen laptops, so that users do not need to worry on projecting widescreen contents such as pictures, videos and presentation slides. The projector only measures a mere 3.3 inches high and weighing only 4.6 pounds, it also features a new advanced lamp technology and eco mode that extends the lamp life up to 10000 hours. A filter-less design is also featured, unlike LCD projectors that require the users to clean, or sometimes replace filters after every 100 to 300 hours of operation, the filter-less design eliminates filter cleaning or filter replacement which is virtually zero-maintenance for the user.

The ViewSonic PJD5533w is available now at USD$519.99 (approx. RM1670), do find out more on details from your nearest PC retailer.


ViewSonic announces the Pro8520HD Full HD 1080p projector

284

ViewSonic has announced their all new Pro8520HD projector in the company’s ProAV lineup, this Full HD projector is designed for mid to large size conference rooms, theatres, museums and exhibition halls.

The Pro8520HD has a brightness of 5000 lumens and high contrast ratio of 15000:1 (DCR) to ensure every pixel stays crystal clear on large rooms. A 1.5x all-glass optical zoom lens is also available to make images 40% larger and also deliver higher brightness, sharper images and superior colour performance. The projector offers a variety of connectivity options as well such as USB display, wired and wireless LAN display.

If you happen to have multiple units of the Pro8520HD, the projector supports Crestron RoomView(R) network management system that efficiently controls and manages all projectors in the system from a central terminal. Using Ethernet connection, the Pro8520HD can simultaneously display inputs from 4 different computer screens when all of them are connected to the same network. Input ports such as HDMI, RGB, S-video, component inputs, integrated speaker s and microphones make the Pro8520HD to be the optimal solution for projection in large rooms.

The ViewSonic Pro8520HD projector retails at US$2229.99 (approx. RM7282) and available from local resellers Ban Leong and INGENS.


ViewSonic announces ViewSync projectors for PC-less and mobile presentation

357

After announcing its wireless presenter gateway the ViewSync WPG-370 a few months back, ViewSonic today announced its new range of ViewSync projectors that features the technology itself, these new range of projectors comes with a wide range of wired and wireless connectivity options, making access to your projectors more flexible. Now you can conduct lectures and play media content from PCs, mobile devices, or without a computer at all. With an optional Wi-Fi dongle, WPD-100, and the vPresenter app for Android and iOS devices, users can wirelessly stream multimedia content directly onto ViewSync projectors. Alternatively, you can simply plug-and-play via a single USB cable to quickly connect your laptop and start presenting. The ViewSync projectors also have a built-in embedded office document viewer, so that you can present your contents directly by simply plugging in your USB flash drive into the projector’s USB port.

ViewSonic ViewSync® Technology is able project content simultaneously from up to 4 PCs, or from smart phones and tablets, via wired or wireless LAN, to one display screen. In addition, users can download ViewSonic’s exclusive vPresenter App from Google Play Store and the Apple App Store to enable live draw and live cam functions to create an interactive experience for your presentation. The vPresenter Live Cam function in the vPresenter App also allows users to stream live videos straight from a mobile device’s camera to the projection screen.

ViewSonic ViewSync® projectors now include ViewSync PJD7333 (high bright XGA), PJD7533w (high brightness WXGA), PJD8333s (ultra short throw XGA), PJD5533w (portable WXGA), PJD6345 (portable XGA), and PJD6544w (widescreen WXGA). Pricing has not been revealed by ViewSonic but expect them to reach our shores very soon.


ViewSonic introduces the PX747-4K Home Projector and the ultra portable M1 Projector in Malaysia

465

ViewSonic has introduced two new projectors that come in two unique form factors. The first in the ViewSonic M1 which is an extremely portable projector and the other is the ViewSonic PX747-4K for the home entertainment experience enthusiasts.

ViewSonic M1

Being a portable projector, it comes with an inbuilt battery that supports up to 6-hours of viewing, 16GB of built-in memory and LED technology that offers up to 30,000 hours of usage. Other than that, it has 250 lumens of brightness and supports a contrast ratio of 120,000:1, as well as a short-throw lens to display large images in a small area. The smart stand doubles as a 360-degree setup as well as the lens cover for the projector.

Users can position the image on any surface at any location thanks to its auto-cornerstone technology. Perhaps, the most impressive feature is its support for Dual Harman Kardon speakers which delivers a deep, loud, 360-degree room filling sound which is perfect for listing to music or watching a movie.

Lastly, it is versatile when it comes to connectivity options as it supports MicroSD card, USB 2.0 and USB Type-C, Audio Out and HDMI depending on your preference and media type.

ViewSonic PX747-4K

The PX747-4K is designed for users that want the ultimate home theatre experience as it supports resolutions of 3840×2160 with a brightness of 3500 lumens, so you won’t have to turn off your ambient lighting when viewing a movie using the projector.

Thanks to the XPR technology, the projector is able to project 8.3 million pixels giving it the clarity in images produced. They have also taken a step further by incorporating the Award-winning TI DLP DMD display technology which is used in 90% of the world’s movie theatres for digital projector. As for ports, it comes with dual HDMI ports and HDCP 2.2 support making it compatible with 4K Blu-ray players and the PS4 Pro.

It even supports dongles like the Google Chromecast and other TV sticks which can be connected directly to the projector’s USB ports and it supports media streaming from wireless devices without the need for external power.

The ViewSonic M1 and PX747-4K are now available on ViewSonic’s official Lazada and 11street stores as all authorised distributors nationwide for RM1,349 and RM5,999 respectively.

m1
malaysia
projector
px747-4k
viewsonic


ViewSonic introduces VP2768 and VP3268-4K professional color grading monitors

405

ViewSonic has introduced two new monitors to its VP series of professional monitors, designed to deliver the ultimate performance for the most demanding professionals and prosumers. With the release of the 27-inch VP2768 and 32-inch VP3268-4K, the company brings professional grade colour accuracy, hardware calibration, sleek frameless design, HDR support and resolutions up to 4K UHD.

ViewSonic VP2768

The ViewSonic VP2768 monitor features a WQHD resolution and is capable of displaying both vivid details and lifelike colour. The 27-inch screen comes with a four-sided frameless design which makes editing images an excellent experience.

It also covers 99% of the sRGB colour gamut which makes it perfect for content meant for web and mobile devices. The monitor’s 14-bit colour has the ability to produce 4 trillion colours for smooth colour transitions.

ViewSonic VP3268-4K

The VP3268-4K is the company’s first 4K UHD models for the VP line and the first to support HDR. With its Ultra HD resolution provides excellent colour and detail enhancement for HDR supported content. Users will also see that the monitor has a good balance between resolution and screen size with its 32-inch screen, making it perfect for large colour critical projects like video editing.

Both models are equipped with a SuperClear IPS panel for wide distortion-free viewing angles and with ViewSonic’s Auto Pivot feature, it makes it easy to change between portrait and landscape modes quickly and easily. Both monitors are currently available for purchase now with a retail price of RM3,999 and RM2,299 for the VP3268-4K and VP2768 respectively.

4k
monitors
resolution
viewsonic
vp2768
vp3268-4k


ViewSonic introduces the XG2402 gaming monitor with 144Hz refresh rate at RM1,119

309

ViewSonic is adding another monitor to its gaming line up with the introduction of the XG2402 gaming monitor which comes with a highly customizable experience at a competitive level of performance. It also comes with AMD FreeSync and high-demand features like a 144Hz refresh rate and 1-millisecond response.

Other than that, it also comes with ViewSonic’s RampageX lighting feature on the back of the monitor which radiates a red glow and can be used to accent the other RGB peripherals. The XG2402 is designed to give a flexible keyboard placement and aside from the high refresh rates and respond time, the XG2402 is improved upon the success of the previous gaming models with a more customizable viewing option and specialized gaming presets.

The monitor offers different preset modes tailored to different game types as well as ViewSonic’s ColouX which fine-tunes colour and reduces motion blur. In addition to that, it also comes with other customizable options like five levels of response, 22 levels of black stabilization and more to give gamers control over game visuals.

The XG2402 comes with great connectivity options like two HDMI 1.4 ports, a DisplayPort, USB 3.0 port and integrated speakers. The monitor is currently available at all authorized ViewSonic retailers and their online store on Lazada.

gaming
monitor
viewsonic
xg2402


ViewSonic launches seven new IPS monitors in Malaysia

361

ViewSonic has had a very busy morning today as the company launched not one, not two, but seven different monitors spread out across five different models. These monitors cater to a wide range of audience, ranging from the professionals, to the gamers.

The first of many monitors launched today is the VA19 series. Available in 24 and 27 inch variants, the full HD VA19 monitors sports a VGA connector and HDMI connector, as well unique ViewSonic features such as ViewMode, Flicker-Free, and Blue Light Filter. The monitor comes with a narrow 6.4″ frame which is coupled with a modern, minimalistic and frameless design. The narrow frame and the overall design of the VA19 makes it ideal for multi-monitor setups. The 24″ VA2419-sh will retail for RM499, while the 27″ VA2719-sh will go for RM799.

For those looking for a bezel-less experience, the VX76 series is just what you’re looking for. Sporting a 6.6mm ultra slim design with frameless bezels, the VX76 series sits atop a minimalist and chrome-like triangle stand, giving the overall monitor a stylish, modern look. Much like the VA19, the VX76 series is available in 24″ and 27″ variants, VGA and HDMI support, and ViewSonic’s own batch of unique features. Additionally, the VX76 series also comes with DisplayPort support and a built-in stereo speaker system. The 24″ VX2476-smhd goes for RM699, while the 27″ VX2776-smhd retails at RM999.

Those who want something bigger can opt for the 32″ beast called the VX3209-2K. As the model number may clue you in, the VX3209-2K has a native resolution of 2560×1440, allowing it to deliver amazing visual clarity with stunning details. The monitor itself comes with a 8.9mm slim bezel with narrow frame, and adopts a unique white T stand and white bezel to sit on. The VX3209-2K retails for RM1,199.

Next up, we have the VP2468, a 24″ Full HD monitor that offers amazing colour accuracy for the professionals. Sporting an edge-to-edge SuperClear IPS panel and featuring a 4 Sided Frameless Design, the VP2468 is factory calibrated to a Delta E<2 value for superior accuracy of all the included colour spaces, including sRGB, EBU, SMPTE-C, REC709 and DICOM SIM. Additionally, the VP2468 comes with a six-axis colour enhancement that allows users to individually adjust six primary colours: red, green, blue, cyan, magenta and yellow. The monitor itself is equipped with a DisplayPort, a mini DisplayPort, dual HDMI ports, and four USB 3.0 ports. The VP2468 retails for RM1,299.

Rounding up the monitor reveals is the gaming-centric XG2703-GS. Measuring at 27″ and coming with a native resolution of 2560×1440, the XG2703-GS is a gaming monitor that has a refresh rate of 165Hz. The XG2703-GS is also the first monitor in its line to sport Nvidia’s G-Sync technology, allowing it to seamlessly synchronize the frame rate output between the graphics card and the monitor. Additionally, the monitor also comes with Nvidia’s Ultra-Low Motion Blur (ULMB) technology and ViewSonic’s own Flicker-Free and Blue Light Filter technology. The XG2703-GS comes with DisplayPort and HDMI ports and will retail for RM3,299.

monitor
va19
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vx76
xg2703gs


ViewSonic launches the VX63 series with fast response time

297

As display technology advances with more features, some have emphasized too much on its picture quality rather than motion responsiveness, ViewSonic has apparently thought of offering the best of both worlds and has introduced the VX63 series monitor, which features MHL connectivity and a fast response time of 2ms while offering an attractive price tag.

Available in 22- and 23-inch sizes, the VX63Smhl series offers premium features, including native Full HD 1080p resolution, “frameless” bezel and ViewSonic’s SuperClear
®
 IPS panel technology, the ViewSonic
®
 VX2363Smhl-W and VX2263Smhl-W are Full HD 1080p displays that have been designed for entertainment, gaming and multimedia applications. The distinctive design includes a glossy white finish, and a frameless edge-to-edge glass faceplate and slim bezel beneath the glass, making each VX63Smhl display a stylish visual in any setting.

With dual HDMI and VGA ports, VX63Smhl displays can link to multiple video sources, offering flexibility between entertainment and PC-related work content. The SuperClear image enhancement panel technology and 50M:1 MEGA Dynamic contrast ratio ensures superior color performance and reproduction from the IPS panel.

The VX2363Smhl-W and VX2263Smhl-W displays also have integrated features that ease comfort and reduce eye fatigue, such as Flicker-Free Technology and a Blue Light Filter. Flicker-Free Technology reduces screen flickering to a minimum at all brightness levels, helping to reduce eye strain that comes from long periods of viewing. ViewSonic’s proprietary Blue Light Filter allows users to dim the blue light levels to ease potential eye strain. Both the VX2363Smhl-W and VX2263Smhl-W also feature exclusive ViewMode™ settings that deliver five preset user options, including “text,” “game,” “movie,” “web,” and “mono.” These scenario presets incorporate ViewSonic’s proprietary color gamma adjustment to produce the best combination of color and brightness modifications for the best viewing experience.

The ViewSonic VX2263Smhl-W and VX2363Smhl-W retails at USD$169.99 and USD$179.99 respectively, it is already available at your local nearest PC retailers so do check them out.


ViewSonic is having a lucky draw with prizes up to a RM1,500 Air Asia flight ticket

663

Everyone loves a good lucky draw and with that, ViewSonic wants to have a great lucky draw by giving away attractive prizes to its customers with the grand price being Air Asia Tickets worth RM1,500. All customers need to do is purchase selected ViewSonic monitors or projectors and they will be in the running to win some prizes.

ViewSonic VA2419-SH

The first prize winner will be getting the ViewSonic VA2419-SH monitor worth RM500 and 10 consolation prize of RM50 shopping vouchers. To sign up for the chance to win this prizes is very simple, after purchasing the selected products, visit the
competition page
 and fill in your details and the product you purchased and you will immediately be part of the lucky draw. Below is the selected monitors and projectors that:

Monitor Models

VA2407H

VA2419-Sh

VX2719-Sh

VX2476-Smhd

VX2776-Smhd

VX3209-2K (White)

VX3276-MHD

VX3276-2K-MHD

VX2457-MHD

VX2757-MHD

XG2530

XG2402

XG2701

XG2703-GS

TD2421

VP2468

VP2768

VP3268-4K

Projectors

PJD5154

PA503S

PJD5254

PA503X

PJD7326

PJD5555W

PA503W

PJD7720HD

PJD6352LS

PJD6552LWS

PLED-W800

The event will run from 1st December 2017 until 31 January 2018 and the lucky draw will be held on 2nd February 2017 on
ViewSonic Malaysia Facebook Page
 via live stream. Customers can purchase any of these monitors and projectors from all authorized ViewSonic resellers. Don’t forget to read the terms and condition to get a better understanding.

draw
lucky
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projectors
viewsonic


ViewSonic PJD7822HDL Full HD DLP Projector : A projector with a rainbow problem

633

Projectors are a rarity these days in my opinion. I’ve done multiple monitors and TV reviews throughout the year, but the amount of times I’ve reviewed a projector can easily be counted on one hand. When I was first told that I’m reviewing the ViewSonic projector, I was worried as I didn’t know if my room has a big enough wall to accomodate it. After some spring cleaning, I’ve managed to find enough space to properly utilise the projector, and after I tried out the PJD7822HDL, I can say that the ViewSonic projector is great for the most part, but it does have one flaw.

Design

Looks-wise, the PJD7822HDL is an attractive thing. The white, rectangular box isn’t as boring as I expected and it has a certain charm to it. The projector is on the small side, making it rather portable as well. The diamond layout at the top of the projector where the buttons are placed is also rather unique. A small chunk of the projector was cut out right above the lens barrel, allowing easy access to the zoom and focus rings.

Performance

The PJD7822HDL boasts a 3200 Lumens of light output and comes with ViewSonic’s own ‘SuperColor’ technology. The projector has a full HD resolution of 1920×1080 pixels with a contrast ratio of 15,000:1. Surprisingly for a projector of this price, the PJD7822HDL is capable of supporting 3D Blu Ray media, which is probably a plus if you have 3D media in your hand.

As for ports, the PJD7822HDL comes with a good number of them. It features two HDMI ports, an RS-232 port, a D-Sub input, a Monitor input, an S-Video input, a composite video input, and 3mm audio input and output jacks. Basically, the PJD7822HDL can support almost all cable types.

Usage

The first thing that I immediately realise when I started using the PJD7822HDL was the fact that it is surprisingly bright. Even with most of the lighting in my room on, the projection on my wall is still very visible. Colour and contrast on the projection is great as well, as the images are vivid, crisp, and features minimal noise as well.

While the general performance of the PJD7822HDL is great, the one sore point with this projector has to do with the tech that it uses. As the projector uses DLP technology, it is susceptible to something called the Rainbow Effect. Basically, there is a colour wheel inside the projector that moves at a rapid pace in order to reproduce the projected image. Those with very sensitive eyes would be able to see the colour shifts as the wheel spins inside the projector, giving it the Rainbow Effect. The PJD7822HDL has this particular problem and it can be particularly glaring at time. One important thing to note is that not everyone’s eyes will be able to pickup the Rainbow Effect quite as easily. If you’re not able to notice it, I highly recommend that you do not try to look for it intentionally as this will undoubtedly ruin your experience with projectors in general.

One other lackluster thing about the projector is the audio. Audio isn’t exactly the best part of a projector and the PJD7822HDL is no different. You would only want to rely on the speakers of this projector if you have no other options. If you do have options, you would want to hook those speakers up and use those instead.


ViewSonic Releases a Pair of 25-inch IPS Monitors for the Health Conscious

310

ViewSonic announced a new monitor with two colors – VX2573-SG (Gold-and Black-coloured) and VX2573-SHW (White-coloured). The monitor offers 25-inch displays with SuperClear IPS technology with 178/178-degree wide angle with stunning image quality and powerful visual performance. Additionally, VX2573 is equipped with low EMI emission, Flicker-free, and
Blue
Light
Filter
 eye-care technologies to achieve a reliable and sincere commitment for the users’ health.

The VX2573 series carries
Full
HD
1920
x
1080
 resolution which enables users to discover more delicate details and more comprehensive content. Connectivity includes VGA, DVI, HDMI, and MHL input options and a pair of integrated speakers (VX2573-shw only) to provide a complete multimedia package for home entertainment.

There is a convenient “My Button” hotkey design to allow users to easily access specific OSD functions of ViewMode and
Blue
Light
Filter
, for further adjustment with one press of a button. Hence, ViewSonic’s
Blue
Light
Filter
 technology can be adjusted to different viewing scenarios, lowering the amount of blue light output to a maximum 87% and protecting viewers from the possible side effects of blue light without compromising the color performance.

The ViewSonic VX 2573-SHW and VX2573-SG pricing haven’t been unveiled at the moment, but we will update you as soon we got the latest information.

bluelightfilter
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ViewSonic releases PJD6352LS projector

279

Viewsonic is one of the world’s leading global provider of visual solution products, expands the exciting LightStream series with the new advanced PJD6352LS short-throw projector. The projector features 3200 lumens, native XGA 1024×768 resolution, and an intuitive, user-friendly.

Although the projector is using a short throw lens with 0.61 throw ratio, but it has ViewSonic LightStream to project large images from short distances in small rooms with short throw distance. A screen size of 80-inch can be displayed from just one meter away plus the project has horizontal and vertical keystone correction to eliminate crooked and distorted images regardless of the location.

Users can plug in ViewSync WPG-300 Wireless Presentation Gateway Dongle, PortAll in a hidden compartment with an integrated MHL/HDMI port will enable discretely and wirelessly stream multimedia content from a mobile device to the projector. Designed with other smarter features like the proprietary SonicExpert sonic enhancement technology powering a 10W speaker land an exclusive rear cable management cover to fix cable clutter.

Other than that, ViewSonic includes SuperColours technology with an innovative proprietary colour wheel design and dynamic lamp control capabilities using an advanced digital image process to strengthen the wheel color and response speed. Eventually with the help of a high-quality colour wheel coating, it increases 15% in light engine efficiency in order to best present brightness and colour.

The pricing and availability for the ViewSonic PJD6352LS haven’t been unveiled yet, we will update you as soon as we get the first news.

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ViewSonic unveils new lineup of high resolution monitors and DLP projectors

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ViewSonic has once again held its media day over at its headquarters in Taipei in conjunction with Computex and its 30th anniversary this year, the company unveiled a collection of exciting display products that offer features that target both the consumer and prosumer market, such as an affordable 32-inch monitor with 2K resolution, a 32-inch 4K monitor for photography with color calibration features, and projectors that shows better contrast than other competing models in the market.

Starting with the VP3268-4K monitor, this monitor produces 4K resolution and covers 99% of sRGB color space, like the VP2468 that was launched back in Malaysia, this monitor is factory calibrated to deliver a Delta E<2 value, allowing professionals to see the most accurate color reproduction of their work. Furthermore, the VP3268-4K’s panel also supports a 240Hz Film Mode and HDR10, hence it is also suitable for videography work.

The successor to the affordable VX3209-2K monitor is also being showcased, the VX3218-shdw continues to impress with its great SuperClear IPS-Type panel technology with a 2K resolution, it has a pretty modern design with an arc-shaped stand, not to forget to mention that its input ports are pretty accessible from the side, which includes a HDMI, DisplayPort, and DVI port.

Probably the most attractive monitor in the showcase, is the VX3211-2K-mhd monitor, don’t let the looks fool you as this is very much a gaming monitor in disguise, it features a fast 3ms GTG response time on a 32-inch 2K resolution 88% NTSC IPS-Type panel, a narrow bezel makes the hardware more compact than standard 32-inch displays, not to forget to mention that the triangle stand looks pretty attractive, and it even has a hook at the back to hang your headphones.

As for projectors, ViewSonic has showed off its new pico projector called the Baby Vision, a very portable hardware that is expected to be sold approximately NTD8000 in the market soon, it supports wireless screen mirroring from Android and iOS devices, a MicroSD card slot is also available for content playback. Furthermore, the company has also unveiled a number of projectors with improved color reproduction – the LS620X short throw laser projector for education, PX725HD home theater projector with Full HD resolution projection and Rec.709 & RGBRGB color wheel.

Expect ViewSonic to ship these new monitors and projectors later this month, check out ViewSonic’s website at ap.viewsonic.com for more details.

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ViewSonic VA2419-sh monitor: A simple and affordable 24-inch monitor

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Monitor tech has been getting pretty crazy as of late seeing as tech like G-Sync and curved screens are becoming more common nowadays. However, the price one pays to get a monitor that comes with the aforementioned tech can be a bit too steep for some. For most people, all they really want out of monitor is one that performs well, is big enough for their purposes and doesn’t have a price tag. One such monitor that fits the criteria is the ViewSonic VA2419-sh, a 24″ monitor that doesn’t make too big of a dent in your wallet.

Design

In terms of how the monitor looks, the ViewSonic VA2419-sh can be described as rather traditional. While it is true that the ViewSonic VA2419-sh has a narrow 6.4″ frame and sports a frameless design, the monitor itself isn’t the thinnest monitor around, nor is it one that is bezel-less. The VA2419-sh doesn’t come with a particularly unique design, but if you’re thinking of getting the VA2419-sh in the first place, the aesthetics of the monitor isn’t a huge priority in the first place.

One thing I would like to make mention of with regards to the VA2419-sh is the lack of adjustments that can be made to it. Apart from tilting the angle, you can’t really adjust the height of the monitor. Do take note of that when you place the monitor on your desk, as you may or may not need to do some adjustments to the height of your seat.

Performance

As far as performances go, the VA2419-sh has some pretty good faetures of its own. For starters, the monitor uses a 1080p SuperClear IPS panel, allowing for wide viewing angles. Some of ViewSonic’s own tech can be found on the VA2419-sh too, such as the ViewMode presets, flicker-free technology, as well as a built-in blue light filter.

For those who like raw numbers, the VA2419-sh boasts a response time of 5 ms grey-to-grey, a contrast ratio of 1,000:1, a brightness of 250 cd/m2, and a 60Hz refresh rate. The monitor comes with a single VGA port, a single HDMI port and a 3.5mm headphone jack.

Usability

My experience with the VA2419-sh over the course of two weeks has been pretty smooth overall. The monitor itself is able to display colours that are accurate and vibrant enough for my tastes. The various presets that come with the monitor has been tweaked well and will come in handy for those who rely on it. The blue light filter feature is especially useful if you’re planning to use the monitor in complete darkness. There is some minor backlight bleed on the monitor itself, but it isn’t too drastic to be distracting. In short, the VA2419-sh is a jack of all trades.

If there is one part that I don’t quite like about the monitor, it would be its weight. Sitting at 4kg, the VA2419-sh is a rather heavy monitor on its own. This can mainly be attributed to the overall build of the monitor, which can only be described as solid. That said, it isn’t a monitor that you’ll want to carry around too frequently.

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ViewSonic VX3209-2K Review: 32-inch 2K IPS monitor made affordable

2K

Let’s face it, having multiple displays on the work desk isn’t ideal if you don’t have the space to do so, and sometimes you just need one monitor to see everything you can. Multitasking on a single display is still possible, if you invest into a high resolution or ultra-wide monitor, however the prices of such monitors will probably turn you off. Hence, ViewSonic wants to resolve that issue with the VX3209-2K monitor, a huge 32-inch display that comes with a Quad HD resolution and doesn’t break the bank, it also happens to be a handsomely sleek display that doesn’t look overwhelmingly huge on your work desk, so here’s what I think about it after having it for two weeks in the office.

ViewSonic monitors have never been the most pretty ones when you compare to the likes of LG and Samsung, however the VX3209-2K looks unlike any of the company’s older monitors. What you are looking at is a gorgeously slim panel that could easily resemble your bedroom television, the monitor features an extremely slim white color chassis with a mere 8.5mm thickness, all thanks to the use of a SuperClear IPS-Type Panel, ViewSonic has also added a metallic finish around the frame, while offering a strong and solid metal stand.

On the back, you find a bulk halfway down the monitor as it houses an internal power board, which I think is a pretty thoughtful as you will only need to plug in the a “mickey” connector cord to power up the monitor, instead of lugging around a heavy power brick like the recent
LG 27UD88
 we have reviewed. If you prefer to mount the monitor on the wall, the monitor supports a 100mmx100mm VESA mount.

What’s slightly disappointing here is that the VX3209-2K doesn’t have a lot of ports despite having a large foot print, though you get to have a HDMI 1.4, DisplayPort 1.2a, VGA and audio out port, ViewSonic could have easily included an extra HDMI port or USB-C port, since many would have wanted to purchase this as a TV replacement.

Navigating the monitor’s OSD menu is pretty straightforward by pressing the row of buttons on the back, while I appreciate the use of physical buttons and where they are located, I wished they could be slightly bigger for large fingers. Picture controls are pretty standard like most monitors, notable features include a selection of color presets to choose from and a Blue Light Filter feature to reduce blue light emissions for eye comfort. If you are thinking to take advantage of the huge screen estate to view multiple input sources, the VX3209-2K doesn’t support Picture-in-Picture mode.

In terms of picture quality, the VX3209 displays 8-bit+FRC colors, which technically translates into 1.07 billion colors. In layman terms, it has a wide color gamut which will work really well in editing photos and videos. If you are thinking to take this monitor for outdoor work, the 250nits brightness isn’t going to give you great visibility.

For indoor usage, this is a really great monitor for work and play, viewing angles are good and I appreciate the use of an anti-glare matte panel, the 8ms GTG response time is also decent enough in gaming. With the QHD resolution, you are going to enjoy opening a lot of windows and multitask with ease. The rated power consumption for the VX3209 is pretty accurate at 33W on our power meter, which is pretty efficient if you are going to use it for long durations.

Overall, the ViewSonic VX3209-2K is an excellent display for both work and play, I’ve never found its size an issue on my work desk and never have I find the need to extend my desktop monitor since then, its asking price tag of RM1,299 makes it the most affordable 2K display with an IPS panel, though you aren’t getting an exceptionally bright display, it should suffice for those who wants to multitask on a single display while taking advantage of the available screen estate.

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ViewSonic wants you to watch FIFA with its projectors

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If you are rich, you’ll probably fly to Brazil for the world cup this year, but if you don’t, you’re probably left with choices to sit down at a local tea shop a.k.a mamak here in Malaysia or watch it on your great TV at home. ViewSonic here wants to make the FIFA world cup experience different by suggesting the company’s Full HD and high lumens PJD7820HD and Pro8520HD projector.

“According to a maket research survey, in the last World Cup most of football fans would rather watch the game at home as it is more confortable and convenient in the living room. Besides, many people go to authentic pubs or sports bars to watch live matches with other people and enojy the convivial atmospheres.”said Max Hsu, PM Director for ViewSonic Asia Pacific.

As a small screen is not good enough for those football fans, ViewSonic introduces PJD7820HD and Pro8520HD projectors that bring exceptional details and outstanding color saturation for incredible pixel-by-pixel performance and superior image quality on a big screen. The high lumens and contrast ratio of our projectors will enable you watch every move in details like you were there at the stadium.

The PJD7820HD and Pro8520HD retails at USD$779.99 and USD$2229.99 respectively.
Head on to our post here
to know more about these two projectors.


ViewSonic’s HQ has a 270-degree panoramic screen made up of 6 Full HD projectors

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In the event of COMPUTEX Taipei, we visited ViewSonic, a leading manufacturer in display solutions, PC monitors and projectors, and the first thing when we got up to the company’s demo area, we were greeted by the most amazing panoramic projected display that not many could have imagined and this solution is made up of six Full HD projectors, which ViewSonic told us that the projectors are able to link with each other to stitch images and videos properly.

Sadly, we failed to grab some quick videos as we were quickly shoved to the main session, but you guys should pretty much get the point on how it looks when you are there, and this is one cool display tech.


ViewSonic's new 4000 Lumen LightStream projectors delivers a great audio and bright visual experience

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ViewSonic has announced two new members to tis LightStream 7 proejctor series, the PJD7325 and PJD7525W 4000 lumen projectors has enhanced color and sound technologies that tends to offer an entirely different viewing experience which will set the new standard for corporate or educational environments. The new LightStream projectors uses the company’s new SuperColor technology which uses a newly designed color wheel to provide an accurate color projection, combined with a 4000 lumen light these new projectors are able to project bright and vivid images.

Apart from projecting bright visuals, the PJD7325 and PJD7525W feature ViewSonic’s proprietary SonicExpert enhanced sound technology, the projectors both have a built-in 16W speaker that should sound great for small lecture halls or small living rooms, it is also claimed by ViewSonic to be able to deliver great frequency range and minimized distortion at high volume levels. In terms of projecting resoltuion, the PJD7325 has a native XGA (1024×768) resolution while the PJD7525W delivers a WXGA (1280×800) resolution. The projectors have ViewSonic’s PortAll, an integrated compartment supporting a MHL/HDMI port and allows users to wirelessly stream multimedia content via an optional wireless HDMI dongle. The new LightStream 7 series projectors will come with HDMI v1.4 and HDMI/MHL ports, RGB, Composit, Audio In/Out, VGA, RJ45 and RS232 connectors.

The ViewSonic PJD7325 and PJD7525W are now available in Malaysian markets, you may head on to local IT stores or contact Ban Leong Technologies for more details.

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ViewSonic's Pro7827HD projector brings cinematic colors to your living room

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ViewSonic has introduced the Pro7827HD projector, the first living room projector to feature a RGBRGB 6-segment colour wheel powered by ViewSonic’s SuperColor technology, the technology aims to provide detailed pictures and a brilliant colour gradient coverage, the projector also has a powerful 10W speaker that should sound reasonably loud and clear for the average living room. Along with 2200 lumens brightness, the Pro7827HD comes with ISF certification for colour optimization and five viewing modes.

The RGBRGB Colour Wheel is a rather unique feature for home projectors as it intends to transform your viewing experience into a cinematic one, it adopts a special coating that filters segmental spectrums of RGB and fulfills sRGB and Rec.709 standards. The colour wheel also focuses on enhancing Hue and Saturation and viewers will be able notice great color reproduction in footages such as sunrises, sunsets or blue skies with intense colour gradients. In addition, blacks and whites are further enhanced by the TI DarkChip3 technology, which is the reason why this projector could offer an impressive 22000:1 contrast ratio with a Full HD resolution.

Last but not the least, the Pro7827HD also offers a HDMI/MHL connector with a 5V USB power that allows users to connect streaming dongles like ChromeCast and Fire TV, you also need not worry if you have a small living room as the projector comes with a short throw ratio, vertical lens shift and 1.3x optical zoom, which offers a very flexible out of the box setup experience. The ViewSonic Pro7827HD projector will be available in major IT retailers, so do check them out or visit
www.viewsonic.com
 for more details.

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ViewSonic’s VX2573 is a 25-inch monitor with super low radiation emission

407

A 25-inch monitor is a rare size and we’ve hardly seen display sizes like this, ViewSonic’s new VX2573 is a 25-inch wide screen monitor, it has a standard 1920×1080 resolution and according to the company itself, this monitor has in fact exceeded beyond the standard global requirements on radiation emission and emits 30% lesser radiation when compared to its competition.

Equipped with ViewSonic’s SuperClear IPS technology and a 178/178 degree wide viewing angle, this stylish 25-inch monitor comes with flicker free and low blue light technology that soothes the human eye for long duration usage, the 25-inch screen size also offers 11% larger screen estate than 24-inch monitors, which offers an even great entertainment experience. Not to forget to mention, the VX2573 comes equipped with VGA, DVI, HDMI, and MHL ports and a pair of integrated speakers (VX2573-shw), perfect for any devices and peripherals.

A quick check at online retailers, the ViewSonic VX2573 will retail approximately RM950 which sounds very reasonable for such an power efficient and eye caring monitor, we should be seeing this in local retail stores really soon.

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ViewSonic’s X Series 4K projectors comes with Alexa and Google Assistant built-in

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Even though ViewSonic isn’t present at the CES showfloor, the company is still joining in the spotlight by unveiling its new X Series 4K projectors.

The X Series sports a rather interesting retro design in the form of a cinema projector, there are two models here, namely the X10-4K and X1000-4K.

The X10-4K is a short throw projector capable of projecting 2400 lumens of brightness, while the X1000-4K is slightly dimmer but offers an ultra short throw capable of projecting an 8-foot image with a few inches away from the wall.

Both projectors use LED technology with up to 30,000 hours of life, they also come with built-in Harman Kardon speakers, which is obviously much louder and larger than the M1 Projector we’ve seen, so you can probably save on a sound system in your living room.

In terms of ports selection, you have a USB-A and USB-C port, HDMI 2.0, Ethernet and an audio jack for external speakers.

ViewSonic notes that these projectors will support both Alexa and Google Assistant, which we assume you can control the power and certain features of by using a voice assistant of your choice.

Both projectors are also said to run on a non-GMS version of Android, as the company highlights that you can install apps from the Aptoide store, an open source app market for Android that holds 900,000 apps.

ViewSonic is expect to ship the X series projectors by Spring 2019, and if you are prepared to upgrade your living room experience, the X10-4K and X1000-4K will cost you US$2,399 (RM9875) and US$2,799 (RM11,522) respectively.

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ViewSonic’s XG2530 gaming monitor offers 240Hz refresh rate for less than RM2000

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As ViewSonic begins to make efforts into the gaming monitor market, the company has unveiled the most affordable gaming monitor with a 240Hz refresh rate, the XG2530 is a 25-inch monitor that features a fast 1ms response time and Full HD (1920×1080) resolution, it uses a TN panel and features an exclusive ColorX gaming mode that delivers optimum speed and visual effects for FPS games.

The XG2530 is equipped with AMD FreeSync, which eliminates tearing when reaching high frame rates in games, the 240Hz refresh rate is then achieved with the monitor’s DisplayPort 1.2 and HDMI 2.0 ports, it also has two USB 3.0 ports and two built-in speakers, there’s also an adjustable stand that allows gamers adjust the monitor’s viewing angle, all of these features make this a rather attractive purchase if you don’t have space for huge monitors on your desk.

For a limited time period from 17-22 May, ViewSonic is offering early birds a free unit of a Steelseries Rival 300 Optical Gaming Mouse and RM100 Steam Wallet when customers purchase the XG2530 over at Lazada, the XG2530 retails at RM1,999, and you opt for a 12-month installment plan for RM166.58 per month. Head on to the source link to purchase the XG2530.

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Vine is now a camera app

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The old Vine as we know it is dead. The six second looped video sharing platform has gotten a makeover and is now a camera app instead – Vine Camera. Vine Camera has just emerged and is now available on both the App Store and the Google Play Store.

The pre Vine Camera version of Vine still has its website “vine.co” operating, but users won’t be able to upload new Vines anymore. However, users can still watch their favorite viral video loops on the website. The company has stated that it will be transforming the website into an archive of Vines, so those Vines from the past won’t be going anywhere.

The all new Vine Camera carries on the same concept of six second long looping videos, but this time, users can upload them directly onto Twitter, or just save them locally on their handsets. It also features the same tools to retain the Vine legacy. For instance, multi clip trimming, grid overlay, AF focus, ghost tool, flash and front facing camera. Vine has laid those out for users so they won’t miss the old Vine too much.

You won’t be required to re-install the Vine Camera app if you already have the existing Vine app. You would only have to update the existing Vine app. If you don’t happen to have the Vine app installed, simply head on to the source link below to download the all new Vine Camera app.

Source:
Play Store

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Vine will release a camera app while its video upload service gets discontinued

320

Vine as a short video upload service will be dead
within the coming months
. However, those who are fond of Vine won’t need to say farewell for good after all, as Vine will still be as a camera-app.

In a post published on Medium
, Vine has announced that the company will be releasing a pared-down app called Vine Camera. With this app, users will still be able to make the six-second looping videos that the service is known for. As the Vine servers will be taken offline soon, videos taken via the Vine Camera will not be automatically uploaded. Instead, users can choose to either post the video up to Twitter directly, or save them on their devices for later use.

You can now download your Vines on
https://t.co/8uc7yWpE77
 or through the iOS & Android apps. ✅
https://t.co/uCQpEVA0VK

— Vine (@vine)
December 16, 2016

For those who have a significant library of videos on their Vine account, you can now download your uploaded Vines through the app or the website. On top of that, Vine will also be rolling out a “Follow on Twitter” notification soon, allowing your Vine followers to follow your Twitter account instead.

Source:
Medium

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Vine will return as Byte app in March 2019

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With the success of the Vine app back in 2012, gaining more than 200 million active users and acquired by Twitter, it was a shame that the app had to shut down in 2016 after Twitter struggled to find a way to make money out of the app.

But things might take a turn for better as Vine co-founder, Dom Hofmann, has officially announced that he will be releasing a new looping video app in March 2019, which will be called as “Byte”.

our new looping video app is called byte. launching spring 2019
pic.twitter.com/C3FMvkcIwc

— dom hofmann (@dhof)
November 8, 2018

Similarly like Vine, the new Byte app would also feature looping videos. Though there isn’t much that was disclosed from Hofmann’s Twitter post, this is an exciting news for Vine fans world wide after calling for a return of their beloved app ever since Twitter shuttered it.

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Viral IG Photographer Confesses to Using AI Art

3.4K

It’s not just artists that have to worry about AI stealing their jobs now. Portrait photographer,
Joe Avery
 has recently confessed to
Ars Technica
 about using his AI art for this portraiture photography and passing it off as his own.

His camera of choice, which he claimed to be a ‘Nikon D810 with 24-70mm lens’, was actually just a subscription to Midjourney, an AI image creator. After writing the prompts for his images, he then selects the best ones before editing them in Photoshop and Lightroom. He then posts the pictures with a (clearly labelled fictional) story behind the ‘person’ as the caption.

Having created his Instagram account in October of 2022, his ‘photography’ had amassed over 15,000 followers, with hundreds of comments praising his skills and work.

Speaking to Ars Technica, Avery tried to defend his actions, comparing using AI images to makeup and cosmetic surgery.

Avery has yet to disclose his use of AI art to his followers directly, but has changed his Instagram bio to mention ‘AI, photos, digital art’. Although this may seem like a step in the right direction, it does not gloss over the fact that of Avery’s 160+ posts, only two are real photographs.

The debate surrounding AI generated content, whether it’s photographs, art, or even writing, has been scaldingly hot lately thanks not only to recent advancements within the technology but also public availability. It remains a controversial topic, especially ethically, considering how it often abuses
actual
 artists and writers’ work without their permission.

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Visit the ASUS Malaysia roadshow this week at Mid Valley Megamall

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The next school holidays are almost here, Merdeka day is happening next week, with so many good things happening won’t you like to buy some gadgets to reward yourself? Head over to Mid Valley Megamall this week to check out the ASUS Roadshow, our friends over at ASUS Malaysia are doing a fantastic sale there and you will be able to buy their amazing Zenfones, powerful and affordable laptops, budget friendly Android tablets and many more! Besides, they have made the roadshow even worth visiting by having lucky draw sessions and even queuing up for RM1 gadgets! Still thinking of where you want to buy your favorite gadgets for work and play? Don’t think, visit the ASUS Malaysia roadshow that will start from 20-24 August 2014.


Visual Arts Expo returns for 2016

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After a successful first outing in 2015, the Visual Arts Expo will be making a return for 2016, and much like last year, they’re bringing in some of the biggest names in Japan’s creative industry.

Scheduled to be held on the 3rd until the 5th of June, VAX 2016 aims to be the one-stop location for creatives to gather and present to parties their ideas and portfolio, giving them the opportunity to expand their services and reach into larger markets outside of Malaysia.

Headlining VAX 2016 are Japanese publishing company VisualArt’s Co. Ltd., a company well known for the publishing and distribution of visual novels made by visual novel masters Key. Key will also be attending the event as Key’s musician and composer Orito Shinji, as well as illustrator and character designer Itaru Hinoue will be present at the event. Both of them will also be hosting a presentation panel on stage. Studio GAINAX will also be returning to VAX 2016 as GAINAX president Yoshinari Asao will be a guest speaker at the event.

As for live performances, VAX 2016 will be hosting Mika Kobayashi, an artist well known for providing songs for animes such as Kill La Kill, Attack on Titan and Gundam Unicorn. Also new to VAX is Tetsuro Shimaguchi, the leader of the samurai sword artist troupe known as KAMUI. For those who don’t know, KAMUI is known for performances that revolve around Kengido and are often accompanied by various music styles from traditional Japanese to modern rock. Highly regarded in Japan as well as foreign countries, Shimaguchi will be performing at VAX in tandem with Kobayashi.

The local acts will also be present at VAX 2016 as Fusion Wayang Kulit will be attending the event as well. Founded with the am to revive wayang kulit by merging it with fusion elements and enhancing it with various multimedia components, Fusion Wayang Kulit will be at VAX exhibiting their wayang kulit adaptations of popular franchises such as Star Wars and DC SuperHeroes. Also confirmed for VAX 2016 is Malaysia Pro Wrestling, a homegrown pro wrestling promotion. Other activities that will also be making a return to VAX 2016 include portfolio review sessions, artist booths, special interest panels and hobby workshops.

“Based on our success last year, VAX 2016 will continue to further connect and nurture relationships between the Malaysian creative industry players with like-minded partners and collaborators from countries such as Japan, America and continental Europe. We hope VAX 2016 can be a great stepping stone for other Malaysian companies to achieve greatness and be successful on the international stage to promote the Malaysian Boleh spirit to the world,” says Fazri Nuha, Project Director for VAX.

Visual Arts Expo 2016 will be held at the STARXPO Centre in Kuala Lumpur on 3rd to 5th of June. Standard tickets for one-day access can be bought for RM 20. An early bird promotion is currently ongoing, allowing you to nab two day access for just RM 30. For those who want more than just an entry ticket, VAX 2016 will also be offering a Gold Pass that comes with premium benefits for RM 120.

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VIU launches in Malaysia in partnership with TM

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A new Over-the-Top (OTT) video-on-demand (VOD) service is in town, and its name is Viu.

Launched yesterday, Viu is a VOD service that focuses on premium Asian content. The service is expected to deliver over 10,000 hours of content in 2016 from Korea’s top broadcasters like KBS, MBC, CJ and SBS. Selected Korean dramas will be available subtitled in English after 8 hours of their Korean premiere and in Bahasa Malaysia within 24 hours on Viu.

Additionally, more exciting content will be available from regional and international marquee studios such as Primeworks Distribution, Media Prima, MD Entertainment Indonesia, and many more.

During the launch event, Telekom Malaysia Berhad announced a partnership with Vuclip, a PCCW media company. With this partnership, TM’s UniFi and Streamyx broadband customers will be able to enjoy access to Viu as part of their subscriptions, in addition to their existing HyppTV service.

For those who do not rely on UniFi or Streamyx, Viu is a freemium service, allowing viewers to access thousands of content for free. If you wish to access premium content, you can subscribe to Viu’s premium service for RM 10 per month.

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Viv plans to reveal 'an intelligent interface to everything' next week

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Are you a fan of aritificial intelligence? If you are, then mark down Monday on your calendar as Viv Labs has announced that they will be debuting the next generation of AI assistance on Monday.

This wouldn’t be the first time Viv Labs have worked on AI assistant of course, as one of their earlier projects is a little known feature called Siri. Viv Labs has confirmed that roughly a third of the team behind Siri is working on the latest AI assistant, and they’re expecting this project to be leaps and bounds above what Siri is capable of.

Touted to be what Siri was originally meant to be, the ‘Viv’ personal assistant will be an open system. It will feature deep integration with a variety of third-party apps such as Uber. One example that the ‘Viv’ team gave was that you can use the AI assistant to order a pizza and the assistant would ask what kind of toppings you would like.

Viv Lab’s will be demo-ing the ‘Viv’ AI assistant at TechCrunch Disrupt net Monday.

Source:
The Washington Post
,
Engadget

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Get vivo smartphones from RM299 on Shopee 11.11 sale

723

If you’re looking for a phone on the cheap,
vivo’s
 got you covered during this
11.11
 sale as you’ll be able to snag yourself a brand-new device from just RM299!

The smartphones on sale include:

Y91C (2GB+32GB) – RM299 (RRP: RM379)

Y50 (6GB+128GB) – RM659 (RRP: RM999)

S1 Pro (8GB+128GB) – RM779 (RRP: RM1,099)

If you’re looking to get any other vivo products, you’ll also get a bunch of discount vouchers to knock up to RM70 off your shopping cart.

You can visit
vivo’s
 official Shopee page
here
 to start filling up your shopping cart!

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Vivo unveils 120W Super FlashCharge tech

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It’s the battle of the 100W fast chargers and
vivo
 weighs in with their whopping 120W Super FlashCharge tech that the company claims can fully charge a 4,000mAh battery in 13 minutes.

We’ve seen the tech make its appearance previously on the
vivo APEX 2020
 and was showed off at
MWC
 last year – but as the device was a concept smartphone, we had to assume the 120W charger to be merely a tech demo too. But it’s not official and vivo confirms that we can see it arrive with a new
iQOO
, a vivo sub-brand, flagship smartphone soon.

To make sure the phone charges safely, vivo also will come with a VC liquid cooling system that helps regulate the phone’s temperature while fast charging.

As
iQOO
 smartphones don’t make their way into the country, we’re eagerly anticipating for the first vivo device to pack this fast charging support.

120W
fast charging
iQOO
Super FlashCharge
vivo