Samsung Galaxy A11 Review – Back to Basics

Samsung Galaxy A11

RM599

8.1

Performance

8.0/10

Price

8.0/10

Camera Quality

8.0/10

Functions

8.5/10

Design

8.0/10

				Pros

Cheap and affordable

Large battery to last the whole day

Large display

Fast charging ready

Light weight

				Cons

Camera can be better

More info >

When was the last time you see a large screen triple camera with hole punch front selfie camera (not the notch type) entry level phone? Don’t know? Neither do I. But we are going back to basics today with the new entry level device by Samsung – the Galaxy A11.

Typically when it comes to entry level smartphones, I can only think of the low specs and mediocre screen size with low resolution blurry display. But in recent times, there are entry level devices that are using mid-range specs from 2 years ago. And the new Samsung Galaxy A11 is definitely one of them.

I kept my mind open when I received this device for the review. I don’t want to have too high hopes for it and neither do I want to look down on it. So this will be me honest review on this new entry level A Series smartphone by Samsung.

First Look & Design

First thing I notice is the large 6.4″ display on this entry level device. It is almost very seldom that I see a large screen on any entry level smartphones from up to a year ago. The largest that I have reviewed was a 6″ screen size. So I have no complaints here. The display is a PLS TFT capacitive touchscreen with 16M colors at 720 x 1560 pixels resolution (~268 ppi density). The display itself is bright. But because of the resolution, it misses out on the punchy colours. But still look good for normal use.

On the top left of the screen, is a little punch hole that contains the 8MP front selfie camera. I’m glad that the Galaxy A11 doesn’t come with a notch like most other entry level phones. So this will be a big plus point for the A11 to stand out from the large entry level crowd.

Moving on to the rear, the obvious triple camera setup sits at the top left while the fingerprint sensor sits right in the middle, slightly towards to top. The camera bump is obvious but it has become a norm that no one is bothered by it nowadays. That includes me. I just have to slap on a thick phone case to protect the back surface and the camera bump.

The volume rocker and the power button sits on the right side of the phone while the SIM/MicroSD slot is on the left. The layout and design for this is pretty much standard for the A Series. At the top, there is a small mic hole while at the bottom, you can see the USB type-C port, an audio jack and the bottom firing speaker.

The body is made of plastic as well as the frame. On the rear side, the plastic feels really soft that when I pressed in the center part, the plastic would bend inwards. That is what you will get for an entry level device like this. But that isn’t bad. With that kind of plastic material, this Galaxy A11 feels really light.

Here are the full specification of the new Samsung Galaxy A11

SoC
: Octa-core 1.8 GHz (rumoured to be Snapdragon 450)

GPU
: Unknown

OS
: Android 10

Memory
: 32GB 2GB RAM, 32GB 3GB RAM

Display
:

PLS TFT capacitive touchscreen, 16M colors

6.4 inches, 100.5 cm
2
 (~81.6% screen-to-body ratio)

720 x 1560 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~268 ppi density)

Battery
: Non-removable Li-Po 4000 mAh battery, Fast charging 15W

Camera
:

13 MP, f/1.8, 27mm (wide), AF

5 MP, f/2.2, 115˚ (ultrawide)

2 MP, f/2.4, (depth)

Selfie Camera:
 8 MP, f/2.0

Sensors:
 Fingerprint (rear-mounted), accelerometer, proximity

Colours:
 Black, White, Blue, Red

Performance & Usage

I’m going to talk more on the day to day use of this phone rather than it not being a gaming phone. The unit that I was using comes with minimum specifications which is the 32GB + 2GB of RAM version. So I wasn’t expecting to be playing any hardcore games with this one such as PUBG Mobile or any similar to that. But I did tryout some normal type of games like Subway Surfers and Hill Climb 2. Those two games works really well for lower end devices and it certainly plays very smoothly on the Galaxy A11.

Since I know I won’t be able to test out my usual game on this phone, I do most of the normal stuffs instead. Normal here means browsing the net with the browser, chat on WhatsApp and Messenger, some social media use and editing some photos with Snapseed.

The battery capacity is 4,000mAh. And with the basic setup and low powered SoC, this Galaxy A11 was able to last a whole day of usage plus a few hours to spare before I plug in the charger. The battery supports fast charging up to 15W and it takes less than 1 hour to power it from 10% to full.

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The fingerprint sensor at the back works quickly and accurately. The phone will be unlocked as soon as I touch the sensor, so that is a good point to note as well. Until now, I still prefer to have the fingerprint sensor located at the back rather than on the front or at the side. That’s just my preference. Some people I know don’t like having the sensor at the back.

It is also good to note that the installed OS is updated to Android 10. When I got the phone, there was a security update ready to be installed so I hit the update button. The entire OS operates smoothly on the A11 so I guess this will be a good option for a cheap and basic phone.

Camera & Photography

Last time, I will always worry when it comes to reviewing low end phones’ camera quality and its abilities. When you’re getting low end phones, you will be getting low end cameras too I suppose. I do hope that I don’t get too disappointed with the camera’s abilities.

So let the photos do the talking from here onward.

Taking photos with the normal wide angle setup is a little washed out and the outer areas are a little bit out of focus. But details are good in the middle.

At the same location with the ultrawide angle camera looks very blurry on the outer edges.

The path looks better when in good lighting area. Details are good but lacks the colour vibrancy.

Again, certain areas are out of focus when taken with the ultrawide angle camera. But colours are vibrant.

Photo details are good but still lacks the oomph.

More with ultrawide angle.

Closing up to a subject tends to get clear in the middle but blurry around the corners.

Photos with the ultrawide angle camera is just okay especially with this budget device.

But when you’re thinking of being a little artistic by placing the phone near to the ground, it looks nice.

Indoor shots are slightly better from what I’m seeing here. The blurry background are from the bokeh effect that was produced by the camera. Somehow it looks fine. Colours are a little washed out.

Food photography looks okay, but still have slight blur around the corners.

However, selfies are quite good with the Galaxy A11. It can be better but in my opinion, it performs better than the main rear camera. Although we see a little over exposed shots from the front camera, it still managed to capture good details. And the Live Focus effect gives a good smooth bokeh effect in the last photo.

When it comes to the camera department, the Galaxy A11 will give you a hit and miss situation. Sometimes it can produce a good and clear photos, but at other times it will have a little miss on something. It can be a miss on focal point, colours or exposure. But it you are not bothered about having a good camera on a phone, then you’re all good. Don’t expect it to produce flagship like photos. But it still able to capture some good shots along the way.

Conclusion

Cheap and basic smartphones don’t get much attention nowadays. Most of the lower end specs are obsolete especially when it only comes with 2GB of RAM. Three years ago, I would agree that having 2GB of RAM is minimum for any lower end smartphones. Again, that was three years ago. By today’s standard, we need at least 3GB of RAM as the basic to start with. 32GB of storage is fine by me as long as we can add in a MicroSD card to expand the total storage.

Despite the low memory specs, the Galaxy A11 is able to perform well in normal usage conditions for daily use. Scrolling through social media was a breeze, basic games works well, watching movies or listening to music on its bottom firing speaker is fine and the battery will last you the whole day.

Just don’t expect to get all the bells and whistles of the higher version of A Series from this Galaxy A11. But at the same time, don’t look down on it. The A11 is still a very capable device to have and at its price point, it will be a good contender in the low end mini battle.

If you’re looking for a cheap and affordable design that won’t break your piggy bank but still have a device that is more than capable to handle your daily needs, this Galaxy A11 is a good option. Or if you’re looking for a second phone to have around, this is a good companion too. Or better yet, as your child’s first phone.

The Samsung Galaxy A11 is available for purchase from
Samsung’s online store
 at only
RM599
.


Samsung Galaxy A21s Review – The S Made a Difference

Samsung Galaxy A21s

RM889

8.2

Performance

9.0/10

Price

7.0/10

Camera Quality

8.5/10

Functions

8.5/10

Design

8.0/10

				Pros

Large battery capacity

Decent camera

Large display

Good enough for gaming

				Cons

Lack of storage space options

Slightly overpriced

More info >

At first I was thinking why the heck would Samsung add the “S” letter in the model name. They already have the Galaxy A21 but why have another one with the “S”? It is as though Samsung was building and marketing the A21 halfway through and then decided to just go the heck with it and add in a few upgrades into the device and put in the letter S just to tell the difference. Why I have this theory? They were both announced at almost the same time.

So are the upgrades worth it for the A21s? Initially, the A21 is going to be focused on the entry level market segment alongside the A11 but after they added the “S” version, they are more likely to aim the semi mid-range market segment instead. At the moment, I’m in the dark on how the A21 market acceptance status in Malaysia is like. But I reckon the A21s is going to be a better hit than the A21.

But before we find out about the market acceptance, this will be my honest review on the new Samsung Galaxy A21s for your reading pleasure. Be mindful that I am having trouble keeping up with the A series because they (Samsung) have been releasing tons of them this year. Not forgetting the M series as well.

First Look & Design

Just like the recently reviewed
Galaxy A11
 and
Galaxy A31
, the Samsung Galaxy A21s has the same look and feel to it. Both of them have identical body and probably made out of the same mold and material. I’m not complaining because it is easy to find the buttons and functions in the A series since I am so used to it now.

At the front, we have the large 6.5″ PLS TFT capacitive touchscreen at 720×1600 pixels resolution, 20:9 ratio (~270 ppi density). Good thing to note that the A21s (and A11) doesn’t come with a notch but instead we have a punch-hole located on top left for the front selfie camera. Thank you for not creating another notched device. It is also a wonder to me on why they have the notch on the higher end A31, not a punch hole.

The rear side of the A21s is pretty similar to A31 where the camera modules are placed on a “platform” to accommodate all in one place. The only obvious difference here is the rear fingerprint sensor. Like I said in my previous reviews, I prefer to have a rear fingerprint sensor and I’m glad this A21s has that.

On the right side of the phone is where the volume rocker and power button is located, while the Dual SIM/MicroSD expansion slot is located on the left side. Also to note that the A21s supports dual SIM + MicroSD card at once, unlike in the older versions of A series that was using a hybrid SIM slot instead.

At the top is where you’ll see the usual tiny mic hole, similar hole can also be found at the bottom. Also, the USB type-C port, audio jack and bottom firing speakers are located at the bottom. Question: Do you prefer to have your smartphone to still come with an audio jack? Let me know in the comment section.

Back to the A21s. The device feels a little plasticky in my hands and the rear side is shiny, making it a fingerprint magnet. But I like the colour. You can see different colour tones when you tilt it at different angles.

Now here are the full specification of the new Samsung Galaxy A21s:

SoC
: Exynos 850 (8nm), Octa-core (4×2.0 GHz Cortex-A55 & 4×2.0 GHz Cortex-A55)

GPU
: Mali-G52

OS
: Android 10, One UI 2

Memory
: 32GB 3GB RAM, 64GB 4GB RAM, 64GB 6GB RAM

Display
:

PLS TFT capacitive touchscreen, 16M colors

6.5 inches, 102.0 cm
2
 (~82.8% screen-to-body ratio)

720 x 1600 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~270 ppi density)

Battery
: Non-removable Li-Po 5000 mAh battery

Camera
:

48 MP, f/2.0, 26mm (wide), 1/2.0″, 0.8µm, PDAF

8 MP, f/2.2, 123˚ (ultrawide), 1/4.0″, 1.12µm

2 MP, f/2.4, (macro)

2 MP, f/2.4, (depth)

Selfie Camera:
 13 MP, f/2.2, (wide)

Sensors:
 Fingerprint (rear-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass

Colours:
 Black, White, Blue, Red

Performance & Usage

First of all, the higher version A31 is using a MediaTek SoC and it performs well in gaming. I really enjoyed my time with the A31 playing PUBG Mobile so I am hope that this A21s will either match or be better than the former. This is because the A31 is using a 12nm processor while the A21s is using an 8nm processor. In this case, the lower number is better, faster and lesser power consumption. This is a good way for me to gauge which phone is actually better in performance.

So in my full performance test, I have spent a few hours playing PUBG on each device. I was amazed by the smooth graphic rendering in the A31 but I can’t bump up the in-game GPU setting to max. On the A21s, surprisingly I can bump up the in-game graphic setting to the max and using 60fps GPU render. This was my first “ooooh”.

After setting up and syncing my layouts and data, the moment of truth is how the overall gaming experience feels like. At the initial start of the game (in the lobby), the phone was showing tons of stutter and lags. I was thinking, was it the graphic settings? Did I went overboard and use the max settings too quickly? It was lagging, and like having problems with the graphic renders. But….

When the game actually starts (in plane ready to jump), everything was very smooth. Like suddenly. From the moment I landed on the ground to my one and only chicken dinner with the A21s, the gameplay was smooth. The touches were responsive, the graphic rendered quickly and my overall experience was actually not bad. And that was my second “oooooh”.

But it is still not like using the flagship devices. A21s produced good graphics for heavy gaming but it is just average. It is definitely better than the A31 but far cry from the flagships like the S20 Ultra. However, the device doesn’t heat up on heavy use. So that’s a good point to remember. After a few games, I set the graphics to run at medium 30fps settings. It runs better this time.

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As for daily use, the A21s is something I would recommend over the A31. It is cheaper and almost identical to each other. But if you love the AMOLED display and higher resolution display, A31 should be your choice instead.

I should thank Samsung for using a 5000mAh battery in the A21s too. The large capacity made the phone last close to 2 days++ on normal use for me. When I use it for games, it can last me about 1 full day before I had to recharge it. But when I don’t use it for gaming, it actually lasted 2 days++, around 55 hours or so.

Charging it up from 10% takes about 70 minutes by my count. Maybe I wasn’t using a fast charger or something but 70 minutes is not bad even when it’s not fast charging.

The rear fingerprint sensor works really fast. When setting it up, I don’t have to touch and lift many times like it was before. I simply swipe my downwards and it captured by fingerprint immediately Now I don’t have to feel annoyed with it asking me to touch and lift and touch and lift many times over. Thanks for the upgrade, Samsung.

Just like the A31, I set up this A21s to navigate using gestures only. So I don’t have the back, home and multitasking button at the bottom of the screen. The gestures works fast and it’s quite easy to get used to. Swipe up to get back to home screen, swipe left to right to go back, swipe up and hold to trigger the multitasking window. Simple.

Camera & Photography

Let’s recap on the camera specifications before I show some photos:

Camera
:

48 MP, f/2.0, 26mm (wide), 1/2.0″, 0.8µm, PDAF

8 MP, f/2.2, 123˚ (ultrawide), 1/4.0″, 1.12µm

2 MP, f/2.4, (macro)

2 MP, f/2.4, (depth)

Selfie Camera:
 13 MP, f/2.2, (wide)

The A21s has a much better camera compared to the A11. But my overall experience with the camera is just shy of it being on par with the mid-range siblings. Don’t let it disappoint you. Most of the shots that I got turns out good, given the right lighting and focus. And it is well detailed and good focus. So now we shall see how those photos turns out.

With the normal main shooter, I managed this decent shot in one go. So out-of-focus edges and the photo turns out to be nice. Colours are better and details are there.

Shooting with the ultrawide angle from the same spot, it turns out good as well. The only obvious matter is the warping effect around the edges.

Again, the normal shooter got the details just right. I was satisfied with the result.

And the obvious warping around the edges can be seen but kept to a minimal.

To shoot a close-up image with the main camera resulting a clear and focused center while the bokeh effect can be seen on the background.

Trying on the macro mode, the details are good in the middle part.

Still images are definitely good withe the A21s. Colours are good and the sharpening is just right.

More landscape photos. Depending on the lighting, sometimes I get a little washed out photos.

Getting close to the ground is always fun with the bokeh effect comes into play.

Indoor shots are good too. The main subject are in good focus while the background is slightly blurred. Colours are a little washed out though.

When it comes to food, the A21s shoots much better than the A11. Subject has very good focus in the middle while the bokeh effect can be seen on the outside area. Need more punchier colours.

I am quite happy with the selfie camera. It needs a little more colour pop to make it look better but otherwise it turns out good. I can shoot with the Live Focus mode on the selfie camera. The bokeh effects are good and smooth. Facial details are good but can be better focused.

I am liking the cameras on this Samsung Galaxy A21s. The quad camera setup is good especially on the main shooter. And at least the ultrawide angle camera doesn’t disappoint at all. It is not the best camera setup on an A series but at least I got tons of decent photos that I can keep. I would like to have a brighter and with punchier colours after the post-processing. So with the A21s, I will have a photo editing app such as Snapseed on standby.

Conclusion

As you noticed, I only compare the A21s with the A31 instead of A21. The reason is because the “S” made a very big difference in terms of specifications. Aside from the display and resolution, the performance of the A21s is almost identical to A31. So to compare it to the A21 is like night and day. That is just my opinion.

The Samsung Galaxy A21s is probably something made in haste, just to have that upgrade but it actually turns out okay. Battery life is great, gaming is good too. This is a good daily driver for the middle market segment and at the same time it is suitable for those who needs simplicity. But to me it is a tad overpriced for the lack of AMOLED display or the low 720p resolution, whichever matters.

But for the overall usage, I really enjoyed using it. It handles my usual daily tasks and social media with ease. The phone unlocks quickly with the accurate fingerprint sensor at the back. Gaming is fun and it’s good enough to play for a few hours. And the front selfie camera doesn’t sit in a notch, which I’m thankful for. The camera takes decent photos too.

There are some areas that needs improvements. More storage space options would be nice instead of capping it at 64GB. But at least it comes with larger RAM options up to 6GB. And perhaps to have at least 1080p resolution would also be great, that way I can still accept the PLS TFT screen on the A21s.

This new Samsung Galaxy A21s is available for purchase now at
Samsung’s official website
 and it retails for
RM889
.


Samsung Galaxy A31 Review – Something to Consider

Samsung Galaxy A31

RM1,049.00

8.7

Performance

9.0/10

Price

9.0/10

Camera Quality

9.0/10

Functions

8.5/10

Design

8.0/10

				Pros

Good price point

Light weight

Good camera setup

Huge battery

Good for gaming

				Cons

Speaker not that loud

RAM should be more

Design getting old

More info >

This year we see a lot of new Samsung A Series phones being launched. From my last A series review which was the A71 to the newest A21s that I am currently reviewing, all has been up to par in my opinion. Most of them are greatly improved from last year’s version in terms of memory and SoC, especially for this particular Samsung Galaxy A31.

It is very seldom that we hear a Samsung phone looking away from the main processor such as Samsung’s own Exynos or Snapdragon SoC. But the Galaxy A31 surprisingly comes with a MediaTek processor that does not disappoint. So this is my personal review of the new Samsung Galaxy A31 for your reading pleasure.

First Look and Design

As to most of the A series Galaxy phones, the design is pretty standard. If you put a few lower end A series Galaxy next to each other, you will have a tough time telling them apart from one another. The similar design is familiar, providing an easy transition when you’re switching phones.The only difference that you can tell will be the notch for the front camera. Some of them comes with a U shape notch, while the higher end version comes with a punch hole type like the Galaxy A71.

The large 6.4″ display on the A31 looks good, with a U shaped notch for the camera at the top made it look pretty standard for a mid-low range smartphone. But don’t look down on this A31 because the Super AMOLED display is bright and vibrant. The 1080 x 2400 pixels resolution at 20:9 ratio gives it about ~411 ppi density which looks really good.

At the back, you can see the new standard “platform” that holds the camera modules. Most of the new phones now comes with a rectangular shaped “platform” (which I’d like to call it) that protrudes out about 3-4 mm, giving it a rather large bump instead of being flushed to the surface. It’s okay. It is somehow a trend now.

The platform holds all four cameras plus one LED flash. The primary shooter is a 48MP, f/2.0 26mm wide angle setup. The other three are 8MP ultrawide angle, 5MP macro camera setup and 5MP depth sensor camera. So technically it’s a 3 camera setup if we don’t include the depth sensor camera. Still, it is a good camera setup. Why? Because the front selfie camera is a 20MP wide angle camera setup and the quality is pretty impressive thanks to the large sensor. More on the camera later on.

On the right side of the device, you’ll find the volume rocker at the top while the power button sits below it. On the left is where you’ll find the MicroSD and SIM card slot. On this A31, the slot holds two SIM cards and one MicroSD card. So with this, you can use two SIMs and still able to expand your storage with the memory card. At the top is pretty much nothing except for the tiny mic hole while at the bottom you’ll see the usual USB type-C port, an audio jack, a single bottom speaker and another tiny mic hole.

The Galaxy A31 comes with a large Li-Po 5000mAh battery that charges up from 10% to full within 1 hour or so. Of course, the battery lasts me the whole day without breaking a sweat even when I was playing games most of the time. So for this, I tip my hat (if I’m wearing one) and salute the endurance run by this A31.

Now lets take a quick look at the Samsung Galaxy A31 specifications.

SoC
: Mediatek MT6768 Helio P65 (12nm), Octa-core (2×2.0 GHz Cortex-A75 & 6×1.7 GHz Cortex-A55)

GPU
: Mali-G52 MC2

OS
: Android 10, One UI 2

Memory
: 64GB 4GB RAM, 128GB 4GB RAM, 128GB 6GB RAM

Display
:

Super AMOLED capacitive touchscreen, 16M colors

6.4 inches, 98.9 cm
2
 (~84.9% screen-to-body ratio)

1080 x 2400 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~411 ppi density)

Battery
: Non-removable Li-Po 5000 mAh battery

Camera
:

48 MP, f/2.0, 26mm (wide), 1/2.0″, 0.8µm, PDAF

8 MP, f/2.2, 123˚, (ultrawide), 1/4.0″, 1.12µm

5 MP, f/2.4, (macro)

5 MP, f/2.4, (depth)

Selfie Camera:
 20 MP, f/2.2, (wide)

Sensors:
 Fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass

Colours:
 Prism Crush Black, Prism Crush Blue, Prism Crush Red, Prism Crush White

Performance & Usage

You must be thinking how a MediaTek SoC is going to perform on this Samsung Galaxy A31. Let me tell you this, I was very much surprised on the overall performance especially when it comes to my usual benchmarking technique, PUBG Mobile gaming. I gauge this based on the fluidity of the gameplay, battery endurance, graphic setups and many others. The end result, I was pleased with the performance.

The unit I reviewed comes with 64GB of storage with 4GB of RAM which is good enough to run for a whole day use. Once I run PUBG on this A31, it loads up quickly and I am able to set the graphic settings to high (but not the highest). Graphics and details are rendered smoothly. It shows no lag when it comes to full gameplay and the responsiveness is above average. As I said earlier, I was pleased with the gaming experience on the A31. If only Samsung opt to use MediaTek G90T for the SoC, it will be much better for gaming. But this P65 version is not that bad.

While gaming, the battery doesn’t heat up and the device stays cool at all times. But the sound from the bottom firing speaker is not that loud and I tend to unintentionally cover the speaker with my palm while holding it in landscape mode. That can be annoying at times.

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As for daily basic use, I managed to push the A31 to last me about 2 days before I plug in the charger again. This was the day I did a non-gaming test just to see how long it can endure without recharging when the day ends. 2 days is not bad, exact hours was about 50 hours or so. This was just on basic use such as calls, messaging and a little bit of social media use.

The optical under display fingerprint sensor works fine, but not as quick as the ultrasonic sensor in the flagship devices. But they have improved the accuracy in the sensor on this A31. In the older devices, I had to scan my fingerprint a few times before it can detects correctly and unlocks the phone. On this A31, I only had to scan once. So that’s a good improvement.

With this A31, it is also the first time I use the gesture control to navigate with the back, home and multitasking options. Usually I won’t activate this function and opt to use the standard on display navigation controls that is located at the bottom of the screen. But for some reason, I wanted to try and see how this navigation option can work with this A31. All I can say is, I will be using this gesture controls on any Samsung devices from now on.

Camera & Photography

Again, if we don’t include the depth sensor camera, this Samsung Galaxy A31 has 3 good camera setup plus one selfie camera setup. The 48MP primary wide angle camera is surprisingly likable. I mean, I like it. It works well when I need it and managed to capture some nice good quality photos. It may not be the likes of the flagship S20 Ultra, but it shoots well enough that I don’t have any bad comments about it.

Now let the photos tell the story.

I managed to find the time to head over to the beach while having the A31 with me and I have a great time shooting some photos with this device. On the primary 48MP wide angle camera, photos are clear and the details are well kept. Love the overall quality of it.

While shooting from the same spot, I switched to the ultrawide angle setup and it still preserves the details but this time the colours are more vibrant. I also don’t see much of image warping at the edges, which is good.

Pointing at a different location, I am still able to see great details from the photo.

And again with the ultrawide angle camera, the colours are more vibrant and still no visible image warping or blur.

Back to familiar ground, photos from this primary wide angle is in good detail.

While we are able to capture more colours with the ultrawide angle camera.

As for the selfies, you can see the wrinkles on my face and the good details on the background. Left photo: normal angle, middle photo: wide angle, right photo: normal with live portrait mode on. I really like the bokeh effect from the live portrait mode. Selfie details are good and the effect is smoothly executed.

From another angle.

And with the ultrawide camera.

Now we are seeing this area just to see if we can get a good detail with the 48MP primary camera. Not bad in my opinion.

The same location, but with the macro camera instead. I have to get very low to capture this shot. It’s not bad actually. The focus is right in the center of the photo, so the outer edges are a little bit blurry. Nevertheless, the macro mode works.

Another shot with the macro camera.

And another one with the macro camera. This one turns out good actually.The bokeh effects are perfect.

Just to look at some colour and texture details indoors with less light. Still impressive.

I don’t know about you guys but I’m seeing some good quality photos that was produced by this Samsung Galaxy A31. The bokeh effects are spot on and doesn’t look fake. Colours are great on the ultrawide angle and the details are great too.

Selfie camera is pretty impressive too. I don’t usually take selfies, but those who love taking them will love how it turns out. Do use the live portrait mode. You will enjoy taking selfies even more. I know I did.

Conclusion

The new Samsung Galaxy A31 proved to me that it is a capable phone in today’s competitive market at this price point. Although it is not using the usual Exynos or Snapdragon processor at its core, the A31 still managed to perform well even when you throw everything at it.

The 5000mAh battery is a huge plus point for me. Just like the flagship S20 Ultra, it holds up enough juice to last a full 2 days. It even last longer than the S20, maybe because of the lower setup or simpler usage for the A31.

Gaming is great. I had tons of full gaming time that I often lost track of time (like sleeping at 4am everyday). Not just gaming, binge watching some of my Netflix series was a whole lots of fun too. The Super AMOLED display on this mid-range device is a huge bonus. Colours are vibrant and it made everything looks great.

I have good comments about the camera, especially the primary and selfie camera. It shows that you don’t need to invest in an expensive device to get a similar end result. The A31 may have a little miss in certain areas but it also has many plus points. I would like to see a first dual front firing speakers from Samsung one day. And I do hope it will come from one of the future A series.

With that I conclude my full review of the new Samsung Galaxy A31. You can get one right now at
Samsung’s official web store
. The Galaxy A31 retails at
RM1,049.00.


Samsung Galaxy Buds Plus Review – The Acoustic Upgrade

A few months ago, I was lucky enough to try out the Samsung Galaxy Buds that comes in the box with the Galaxy Fold that I reviewed. I enjoyed the true wireless portability with the Galaxy Buds then, and the audio quality was really impressive. I also have a pair of KuaiFit wireless fitness earbuds that I was using at that time to compare the audio quality. Glad to say that the Galaxy Buds sounded way better and lasted much longer.

Now, I got another chance to review the upgraded version of the Galaxy Buds, now known as the Galaxy Buds Plus (Buds+).

The new Galaxy Buds Plus comes in the same pill shaped case as the original Buds. The material is hard plastic with glossed surface that looks good on the white colour version but at the same time, glossy means it tends to show scratches and smudges all over. The case also doubles as the charging port for the earbuds. The built-in case battery has been slightly increased in capacity, making it last a little longer and better.

Another thing to note about the casing is that it supports both USB type-C port and also Qi wireless charging. This is a plus point because I can use any compatible wireless charger with the Buds Plus case. I can also opt to use the phone’s wireless charging ability to charge up the case.

The earbuds itself are very much the same as the predecessor. However, the battery capacity for each earbuds has been increased to at least 80% larger than the first version. This upgrade has extend the play time to at least 11 hours continuously. The whole 2 weeks when I had the Galaxy Buds Plus with me, I think I only charged the battery twice, second time was only for about 30 minutes.

I didn’t get to use the Galaxy Buds Plus for 11 hours straight but I managed to use it for gaming for a few hours. I will usually will turn on the Dolby Atmos setting on my phone. The overall sound quality that I get from the Galaxy Buds Plus for gaming is beyond awesome. The almost realistic surround sound made everything feels immersive. The sound of gunshots, vehicle movements, walk and steps, airplane flying overhead and sounds of bullets passing by feels so real. By this time you can tell that the game I was playing is PUBG Mobile, and the phone I was using to test the Galaxy Buds with is the Samsung Galaxy A31.

I remember using the previous version of Galaxy Buds to play the same game last time, I noticed a slight delay in the sound as I was pressing the fire button. There were about 5ms of delay between pressing the fire button, and the actual in-game trigger being shot. But that didn’t happen with the new Galaxy Buds Plus. The response is quicker, the delay is still there but almost unnoticeable.

Listening to music like Spotify however, is absolutely rewarding. Since I was at home with unlimited WiFi access, I set Spotify to play in the highest quality settings. My kind of music is a mix of everything, depending on my mood. I love jazz, heavy metal, gothic rock, ballads, R&B, Gfunk, Hip Hop, raggaeton, EDM and even classical. Like I said, depends on my mood. But while testing the Galaxy Buds Plus, I choose EDM, gothic rock and R&B music simply because I want to hear the hard bass from EDM, the acoustic ambient of multiple instruments in gothic rock and the vocal clarity from R&B.

I was pleased.

Bass was punchy, surround audio was amazing and the vocal clarity is so good that I thought the singer was standing in-front of me. It was hard for me to stop listening to music while using the Galaxy Buds Plus. I have liked the first version of the Galaxy Buds (which I think is good), and now I am in love with the upgraded plus version. It may not be as great as the more professional audio specialist brands but at this price point, the Galaxy Buds Plus is totally worth it.

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Touchpads on the outside of each earbud let you skip tracks, adjust volume, call up the Google Assistant, activate “ambient sound” mode, and even open Spotify. A single tap is play/pause, double is skip forward, and triple is skip back. Everything else is accomplished by long presses. But I was having slight problems in getting used to the gestures. And sometimes, I did a few wrong ones.

Watching movies was also very pleasing. With the Dolby Atmos settings turned on, you will now have a portable mini cinema to binge on your favourite movie or local drama. Best if you just stick to watching movies, better experience overall.

Apart from just “listening”, the Galaxy Buds Plus is also can excellent hands-free device. During a phone call with a friend a new months ago while I was using the older Buds, my friend told me that my voice sounded a little muffled, like I was talking through a piece of cloth over my mouth. I had to speak louder for him to hear my loud and clear. But now with the plus version, I don’t even have to shout. I only have to talk in my normal tone and the mic was able to pick up my voice clearly. That is a big improvement over the first version.

Another good point to note is that the Galaxy Buds Plus has the ambient sound setup. What it does is kind of like negative noise canceling. It pulls in sound from around you through the buds’ microphones and “push” it into your ears along with whatever you’re listening to. The effect is pretty convincing, and even mimics natural binaural spatial awareness — the effect that lets you judge where sounds are coming from by using both ears in concert. It’s still pretty rude to talk to people while wearing earbuds, but if you want to be aware of what’s going on as you walk down the street, it’s a good option to have.

Conclusion

If you’re looking for a new true wireless audio device, you can consider this Galaxy Buds Plus. The size and ergonomic design is comfortable and you can choose the size of the rubber buds to suit your ears. Pairing the earbuds to your device is very easy and straight forward, especially when you’re using a Samsung phone. You can also dive in to more settings from the app too.

If you’re already using the previous version of the Galaxy Buds, you’re still good to go. Unless you have that extra cash in hand and want to have a longer lasting wireless earphone, then you can upgrade to this one.

In the overall audio quality, this Galaxy Buds Plus really outclassed the original version. The sound is better, the highs and lows are better and improved, the clarity is wonderful and the hard bass is truly punchier.

It fits perfectly in your ear, in which I experience using it while being active that it didn’t fall even when I was running or jumping around. Oh yes, this Galaxy Buds Plus is not rated as waterproof so it is not advisable to take it with you while swimming. Avoid water splashes too.

So if you’re thinking of getting this for yourself, you can head over to
Samsung’s official web store
. The Samsung Galaxy Buds Plus is going for
RM599
.


Samsung Unveils Galaxy Note20 and Note20 Ultra to Empower Your Work and Play

Last night, Samsung Electronics hosted its first-ever Galaxy Unpacked virtual event livestreamed from Korea to introduce a new suite of power devices. Five devices were revealed during the event, that seamlessly integrate to empower consumers navigating a rapidly changing world: Galaxy Note20 and Galaxy Note20 Ultra, the most powerful Note series yet; Tab S7 and S7+, versatile tablets for productivity and creativity; Galaxy Watch3, a premium smartwatch along with advanced health features; Galaxy Buds Live, stylish and ergonomic earbuds with amazing sound quality; and Galaxy Z Fold2, the next generation foldable smartphone with enhanced refinements.

“Never before have we relied on technology like we are today. It’s how we are staying connected as we navigate the extraordinary challenges faced around the world,” said
Dr. TM Roh, President and Head of Mobile Communications Business, Samsung Electronics.
 “Technology must make life easier, not more complex. That’s why we have introduced five new power devices. Alone, these devices are powerful tools to help you maximize work and play. Together, as part of the Galaxy ecosystem, they work together seamlessly so you can spend your time focused on what matters most.”

Galaxy Note20 and Note20 Ultra, the Most Powerful Note Series Yet

The Galaxy Note20 series is a productivity powerhouse that works like a computer and lets you game like a pro. The series comes in two versions: Galaxy Note20 Ultra, designed for Note fans who demand the ultimate in power and productivity, and Galaxy Note20, for broader Note users looking to maximize their time for work and play. Both are built for efficiency, so you have more time to stay connected with the people you love.

Power to Work

Today, we need devices that are as flexible as we are, so we can work, play and connect however we want. Take your productivity to the next level with the Galaxy Note20 series. Samsung’s latest Note series transforms the way you work—empowering you to do more anytime from anywhere.

Now, on the Galaxy Note20 series, new S Pen and Samsung Notes features provide an even more powerful experience and extend to Galaxy Tab S7 and Tab S7+ for flexibility and convenience. Plus, a deeper relationship with Samsung’s long-standing partner, Microsoft, makes the Galaxy Note20 series and your Windows PC seamlessly work together.

An Advanced S Pen
:
A favorite among Note loyalists and multitaskers, the Galaxy Note20 series’ enhanced S Pen offers the ultimate writing experience so you can capture your ideas whenever inspiration strikes. The S Pen on the Galaxy Note20 series has more lifelike precision that gives you more accuracy and responsiveness. The S Pen’s five new Anywhere actions makes touchless navigation of your device – like returning to the home screen or taking a screenshot – as simple as a flick of the wrist.

More Flexible and Useful
 Samsung Notes
 App Experience:
 We need tools designed to let us work anytime, on any device. To help you capture, edit and share your ideas across your phone, tablet or Windows 10 PC, Samsung Notes app features auto-save and syncing capabilities, so lost work becomes a thing of the past and you can pick up right where you left off as you move from device to device. Samsung Notes easily straightens your messy handwriting into legible penmanship. Giving feedback is also easier now that you can annotate and highlight PDFs in Samsung Notes app. Record audio as you jot down notes, and just tap a word in your notes to go to that moment in the recording. And keep it all organized with a new, intuitive folder management that makes everything easier to find.

Work Smarter Across Devices:
Microsoft’s Your Phone app with Link to Windows integration now enables you to easily access your mobile apps directly from your Windows 10 PC without disrupting your flow. It’s simple and convenient to send messages, manage notifications, sync photos and make and receive calls all from your Windows 10 PC. Add your favorite mobile apps to your Taskbar or Start menu so you won’t have to search your phone for your favorite social networking apps or Gallery. Later this year, you will have the ability to run multiple apps side by side on your Windows 10 And all your productivity ecosystems will be aligned across devices when Samsung Notes app syncs to Microsoft OneNote and Outlook, and your Reminders sync with Microsoft Outlook, To Do and Teams so everything you need is at your fingertips, no matter where you are.

Power to Play

Samsung is also bringing its Microsoft partnership to the entertainment side of the Galaxy Note20 series, taking mobile play to the next level. Fully immerse yourself in the most powerful mobile gaming experience Samsung has ever engineered into a smartphone, so you can game like a pro from your couch, backyard, or wherever the day may take you. The Galaxy Note20 series packs pro-grade tools to capture stunning photos and create cinematic-style videos and offers advanced multitasking experiences.

Your favorite Xbox games on
the
Galaxy Note20
 series
:
Beginning September 15, play over 100 Xbox games on your phone or tablet, directly from the cloud (beta) with Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, including hits like Minecraft Dungeons and Gears 5. The Galaxy Note20 series gaming experience is further up-leveled with its AI game booster and Bluetooth audio response optimization, and 240Hz touch latency on the Galaxy Note20 Ultra. Plus, with a large and immersive display with smooth gaming experience thanks to the fastest processor in a Galaxy yet, the Galaxy Note20 series is a pro-gaming set-up that fits in your pocket.

Cinematic-Style Filmmaking in the Palm of Your Hand:
With 21:9 aspect ratio and 24fps recording, the Galaxy Note20 series’ 8K camera now gives you access to ultra-high resolution and a professional quality video experience. Use powerful Pro Video mode with pro-grade focus, audio, exposure, zoom speed control, and 120 fps video at FHD for cinematic-style videos. You can also control audio sources on the Galaxy Note20 series, adjusting gain and selecting between onboard mics or external sources, so the sound you want comes through clearly. Paired with Galaxy Buds Live, for example, you can record crystal-clear audio while minimizing noise in the background.

Master Multitasking with Advanced
Samsung DeX
: For the first time with Samsung DeX, wirelessly connect the Galaxy Note20 series to a Smart TV when you need a bigger screen. Manage two screens simultaneously so you can text with your friends on the Galaxy Note20 series while watching a video in a Smart TV.

Galaxy Legacy of Power and Performance

The Galaxy Note has cemented its status as an ultimate power phone. The Galaxy Note20 series continues that legacy as the most powerful Note series yet to give you all the things you know, love, and expect from Galaxy.

The Galaxy Note20 series is built with the fastest processor of all Galaxy devices. It features cutting-edge technology and best-in-class mobile experiences, without sacrificing the iconic design. Both Galaxy Note20 and Galaxy Note20 Ultra introduce new Mystic colors – soft neutral tones that transcend changing trends with a brand new, textured haze effect that cuts down on fingerprints and smudges.

For the first time in the Note series, Galaxy Note20 Ultra offers a vivid and bright Dynamic AMOLED 2X display and 120Hz refresh rate delivering buttery smooth visuals on our best screen yet, which automatically adjusts to the content you are viewing to optimize battery life. Sporting an all-day intelligent battery and Super Fast Charging capabilities, you can get more than 50% charge in just 30 minutes.

Samsung’s Galaxy 5G leadership delivers next-level power for what you love to do thanks to 5G. Enjoy the benefits of hyper-fast speeds and the peace of mind that anything you need is just a tap away with the power of Galaxy 5G on both Sub-6 and mmWave networks. The Galaxy Note20 series also provides stable Wi-Fi 6 networks with optimized latency for various streaming services. You can be confident your Galaxy Note20 series hardware and software is proactively secured end-to-end thanks to Samsung Knox, Samsung’s mobile security platform.

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For the first time on a Galaxy device with UWB, Nearby Share will reach a new level of quick and easy sharing on Galaxy Note20 Ultra. By simply pointing Galaxy Note20 Ultra to other UWB equipped Galaxy devices, Nearby Share will automatically list the people you’re facing on to the top of your sharing panel. Future UWB functionality will also help you find things more accurately with AR technology and unlock your home as a digital key.

Unlock New Experiences with the Connected Galaxy Ecosystem

Samsung devices and services are designed to work together effortlessly, elevating not only your work and play, but everything that’s important to you. Take your Galaxy Note20 series to the next level by pairing it with other new additions to the Samsung Galaxy: Galaxy Tab S7 and Tab S7+, Galaxy Watch3, and Galaxy Buds Live. With these cutting-edge complements to the Note experience, you can work smarter, play longer, live healthier, and communicate better.

Galaxy Tab S7 and S7+, Versatile Tablets for Productivity and Creativity

Galaxy Tab S7 and S7+ are two versatile tablets that combine the power of a PC, the flexibility of a tablet, and the connectivity of a smartphone. Building on Samsung’s legacy of Galaxy 5G leadership, Galaxy Tab S7 and S7+ will be unlocking seamless videoconferencing, fast downloads, and virtually lag-free streaming.

Experience PC-level productivity on Galaxy Tab S7 and S7+ thanks to a powerful processor, an improved keyboard experience and an improved S Pen with similar capabilities as the Galaxy Note20 series—all empowering you to get more done in less time. But a tablet shouldn’t just enhance our work, it should also help us get the most out of our downtime. For elevated entertainment, Galaxy Tab S7 and S7+ feature an immersive display with a 120 Hz refresh rate, so you can take full advantage of the cloud-based gaming and high-definition streaming that 5G enables—or do both at the same time with upgraded multi-tasking capabilities. For users who want even more space to work, play, and create, Galaxy Tab S7+ offers an extra-large 12.4” Super AMOLED display.

These tablets also make it easier than ever to work across multiple devices. When there’s no Wi-Fi network in sight, you can use Auto Hotspot to automatically tether other Galaxy devices to your 5G-enabled tablet.  And with Nearby Share, you can effortlessly transmit files to nearby contacts. Use your Galaxy Tab S7 and S7+ to extend your Samsung PC with Second screen, so you can choose between duplicating and extending your display. Maximize your productivity even further with tools such as Samsung Notes, S Pen, Book Cover Keyboard and Bluetooth mouse for the complete computing experience.

Galaxy Watch3, a Premium Smartwatch along with Advanced Health Features

Galaxy Watch3 is a next-generation companion for managing your routines, smashing your fitness goals, and taking ownership over your health. Built with premium materials and a slimmed-down version of the popular rotating bezel, Galaxy Watch3 features the craftsmanship of a luxury timepiece, while still being comfortable enough to wear all day and all night. But this smartwatch isn’t just appealing to the eye—it’s also the center of your wellness experience, sporting Samsung’s most expansive health suite yet.

With the Blood oxygen feature, you can measure and track oxygen saturation over time, for fitness and wellness purposes. The new Samsung Health Monitor app on Galaxy Watch3 offers cuff-less blood pressure and electrocardiogram measurements, available in markets where these features have been authorized. When a potential fall is detected, your location will be sent immediately to pre-designated contacts. Running Analysis will help you run better, improve form and prevent injuries, while VO
2
 max follows your cardio progress to provide insight into oxygen consumption. For those who want to stay fit while being at home, Samsung Health provides more than 120 different home training programs so you can track your workout progress on your watch.

Galaxy Buds Live, Stylish and Ergonomic Earbuds with Amazing Sound Quality

Meet the newest shape of true wireless earbuds – Galaxy Buds Live. With a truly iconic design and comfortable fit– they’re like nothing you’ve seen or worn before. Combining AKG’s sound expertise with a bigger, 12mm speaker compared to Galaxy Buds+, along with a bass duct, audio sounds deep and rich so you can enjoy music the way the artist intended. Galaxy Buds Live come with three microphones and Voice Pickup Unit so you can feel like you’re in the same room as your loved ones, even when you’re apart. These earbuds feature Active Noise Cancellation for open type bringing the best of both: live and spacious sound quality, with the ability for you to tune in (or out) of the world around you. Get lost in an audiobook without missing the train conductor’s announcement.

Reshape What’s Possible with Galaxy Z Fold2

Samsung continues to pioneer an entirely new category of mobile devices by introducing the next generation of foldables— Galaxy Z Fold2. After releasing two foldable devices and listening to user feedback on the most requested upgrades and new features, Samsung unveils the Galaxy Z Fold2 with meaningful innovations that offer users enhanced refinements and unique foldable user experiences. Galaxy Z Fold2 combines the portability and flexibility of a smartphone with the power and screen size of a tablet for ultimate productivity. Whether folded or unfolded, you can enjoy a luxury mobile experience with Galaxy Z Fold2’s premium design. The Galaxy Z Fold2 comes packed with two edge-to-edge, nearly bezel-less Infinity-O Displays. The Cover Screen is 6.2-inches and the massive Main Screen is 7.6-inches, making them both larger than the Galaxy Fold. With its sleek design and refined engineering, Galaxy Z Fold2 comes in two equally stunning colors: Mystic Black and Mystic Bronze. For users who seek a unique premium design, Samsung is again partnering with iconic New York fashion house Thom Browne to deliver a limited Galaxy Z Fold2 Thom Browne Edition. With Galaxy Z Fold2, Samsung will continue to inspire all new possibilities for the entire foldable category.

Galaxy Note20 and Watch3 Pre-order

The Galaxy Note20 series and Watch3 will be available for pre-orders in Malaysia starting 10am, 6
th
 August till 20
th
 August 2020 (or while stocks last). Customers who pre-order any of the following devices during this period will receive attractive gifts as below:

Product

Model

RRP

Colour Availability

Pre-Order Reward(s)

at Samsung Experience Store (SES) and Samsung Authorised Partners

Pre-Order Reward(s) at Samsung Online Store

Galaxy Note20

Galaxy Note20 Ultra

RM5,199

Mystic Bronze

Mystic Black

Mystic White

Receive a unit of Galaxy Buds Live worth RM699

Receive an e-voucher worth RM650 to claim a unit of Galaxy Buds Live without any top-up

Galaxy Note20 5G

RM4,299

Mystic Bronze

Mystic Green

Mystic Grey

Receive a unit of Galaxy Buds+ worth RM599

Receive an e-voucher worth RM450 to claim a unit of Galaxy Buds+ without any top-up

Galaxy Note20

RM3,899

Mystic Bronze

Mystic Grey

Galaxy Watch3

Galaxy Watch3 45mm

RM1,799

Mystic Black

Mystic Silver

Complimentary wireless charger pad worth RM239

Galaxy Watch3 41mm

RM1,699

Mystic Bronze

Mystic Silver

Pre-order is available at Samsung Experience Stores, Samsung Authorised Partners and Samsung Malaysia E-store. Pre-order your Galaxy Note20 and Watch3 via the link:
https://note20preorder.mysamsungcampaign.com
.

For more information about Samsung’s latest Galaxy devices including specifications, please visit
www.samsung.com/my
.


Trend Micro Blocked 8.8 Million COVID-19 Threats

Trend Micro Incorporated
, the leader in cloud security, today released its annual mid-year roundup report, which reveals COVID-19 related threats as the single largest type of threat in the first half of the year. In just six months, Trend Micro blocked 8.8 million COVID-19 related threats, nearly 92% of which were spam delivered via email. In Malaysia, a total of 117,882,935 email threats were detected.

Cybercriminals shifted their focus from January through June to take advantage of global interest in the pandemic. The risk to businesses was compounded by security gaps created by a completely remote workforce.

“The pandemic has dominated all of our lives during the first half of 2020, but it’s not slowing down the cybercriminals,” said Goh Chee Hoh, Managing Director for Trend Micro Malaysia and Nascent Countries. “IT leaders must continue to adapt their cybersecurity strategies to account for increased threats to their new normal. That means protecting remote endpoints, cloud systems, user credentials and VPN systems, as well as refreshing training courses to turn that newly dispersed workforce into a more effective first line of defense.”

In total, Trend Micro blocked 27.8 billion cyber threats in the first half of 2020, 93% of which were email-borne.

Business Email Compromise (BEC) detections increased by 18% from the second half of 2019, in part due to scammers trying to capitalize on home workers being more exposed to social engineering.

Among all the threats in the first half of the year, ransomware was a constant factor. Although the number of detected ransomware threats decreased, Trend Micro saw a 36% increase in new ransomware families compared to the same time last year. In Malaysia, Trend Micro made a total of 2.5 million malware detections.

Global organizations have also been burdened by a significant spike in newly disclosed vulnerabilities. Trend Micro’s Zero Day Initiative (ZDI) published a total of 786 advisories, representing a 74% increase from the second half of 2019. Some of these came as part of Microsoft Patch Tuesday updates, which have fixed an average of 103 CVEs per month so far in 2020 — including the largest number of patches ever issued in a single month (129) in June.

Trend Micro also observed a 16% increase in vulnerabilities disclosed in industrial control systems (ICS), compared to the first half of 2019, which could create major challenges for smart factory owners and other organizations running Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) environments.

To effectively protect dispersed corporate networks, Gartner recommends businesses “refine security monitoring capabilities to reflect an operating environment where network traffic patterns, data and system access vectors have changed due to increased remote and mobile operations.” Trend Micro XDR helps customers do exactly that by correlating security events across the entire IT environment, which is critical for holistic protection in the second half of 2020.

To learn more about the threat landscape in the first half of 2020 and how businesses can stay secure moving forward, read the full report here:
https://www.trendmicro.com/vinfo/us/security/research-and-analysis/threat-reports/roundup/securing-the-pandemic-disrupted-workplace-trend-micro-2020-midyear-cybersecurity-report
.


U Mobile Is The First Telco To Power Waze In Smart Tunnel

U Mobile, the data-centric and award-winning telco, has partnered with Waze and SMART Tunnel to make GPS connectivity possible for all drivers commuting through the world’s longest dual purpose tunnel.

Drivers no longer have to worry about getting lost or taking the wrong exit in the area, thanks to the installation of Bluetooth
®
-enabled hardware devices known as Waze Beacons. The devices enable seamless connectivity and undisrupted navigation even in areas where there is limited GPS signal reception through the emission of wireless signals that guide navigation apps. To ensure undisrupted navigation in the SMART tunnel, drivers simply have to enable their Bluetooth
®
 connections on their devices. As of today, almost 240 Waze Beacons have been installed along the 5.2km road tunnel.

Jasmine Lee, U Mobile’s Chief Marketing Officer and a frequent commuter in the SMART Tunnel, shares that this new feature, installed just before the Movement Control Order came into effect, will make the drive in the tunnel much more convenient. “U Mobile is a firm believer in unleashing the unlimited potential of technology, be it 5G trials, 4G network expansion or service innovation. This latest partnership with Waze and SMART Tunnel has made U Mobile the first telco in the world to power uninterrupted GPS navigation in a tunnel.  With Waze’s Beacons technology, all mobile device users, regardless of which telco service they are subscribed to, will now be able to leverage on the full features of Waze uninterrupted throughout the tunnel.”

“Waze has always been about more than just giving people driving directions – we’re about solving transportation challenges and making roads better together. With 30,000 commuters using the SMART Tunnel daily, we’re happy to collaborate with U Mobile and SMART to ease traffic congestion and reduce drivers’ hesitation and confusion caused by signal loss,” says Kelvin Sim, Waze Malaysia Country Lead.

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Gil Disatnik, Waze engineer and Global Lead of the Waze Beacons programme adds, “We are excited to bring the Waze Beacons programme to the SMART Tunnel, the very first double decker tunnel in the world to be fitted with Waze Beacons to provide seamless navigation to commuters in Malaysia. Tunnel safety is a very important topic and with better visibility, as well as traffic flow into, through and out of the tunnel, we can help to ensure safer road conditions for all. We look forward to expanding the Waze Beacons programme to other areas in Malaysia and across Southeast Asia.”

“With the Waze Beacons installed in the SMART Tunnel, our users’ travel experience will become smoother and more convenient as they will enjoy uninterrupted GPS navigation and are able to share real-time information that may translate to updates on traffic conditions and proposed directions. Users will also be able to get updates on traffic jams, road closures or accidents that may have happened inside the tunnel and its surroundings, enhancing drivers’ safety as well,” says Mohd Noor Mohd Ali, Chief Operating Officer of SMART.

To use the service, all Waze users in the SMART Tunnel will be prompted to turn on Bluetooth to enjoy uninterrupted GPS navigation. For more info, visit www.u.com.my

U Mobile customers subscribed to Unlimited Mobile Internet (UMI), U28, P38 and P48 plans enjoy free data for Waze, whilst those on unlimited data plans such as GX30, GX38, GX50, GX68, P79, P99 and P139 enjoy Waze without ever having to worry about their data running out.


U Mobile Named Mobile Service Provider of the Year Again

U Mobile has been named Malaysia Mobile Service Provider of the Year at the 2020 Frost and Sullivan Asia Pacific Best Practices Awards and this marks the telco’s third time winning this accolade.

Apart from winning the prestigious title, the telco also gained recognition in five categories under the 2020 Excellence in Customer Experience for the Telecommunications Industry Malaysia, and this includes Overall Experience, Mobile Experience, Online Experience, Contact Center Experience and Dealership.

Wong Heang Tuck, Chief Executive Officer of U Mobile, said that these awards are testimony to U Mobile’s commitment to continue to innovate its products and expand the business to meet its customers’ needs in the telecommunications service market.

“U Mobile is delighted to have received the accolade of being Malaysia Mobile Service Provider of the Year for the third time. It is testament that despite being the youngest telco, our efforts to innovate and invest in our network are paying off. We are working hard to be on par with the others who have had a long head-start as we want to enhance our customers’ experience so that they may unleash their full potential. Of course, our accolades could not have been possible if not for the support of our customers and stakeholders as well as the entire U Mobile family.”

Based on its analysis of the Malaysian mobile service provider market, Frost & Sullivan credited U Mobile’s wins to the telco’s customer acquisition and retention strategy, backed by strong product lines and service offerings. “Through being innovative and customer-centric, U Mobile has managed to overcome both market saturation and strong competition in Malaysia’s mobile services market. This has enabled the company’s existing customer and enterprise bases to reach their full potential. With its impressive double-digit growth in both total service revenue and subscribers in 2019, U Mobile has maintained its position as a formidable contender in the mobile services market. Its growth performance has been well above that of competitors, demonstrating U Mobile’s leadership in Malaysia’s mobile services market,” shared Sofea Zukarnain, Research Associate (ICT Practice) at Frost & Sullivan.

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U Mobile was also recognised as Malaysia Mobile Service Provider of the Year in 2017 and 2019. In 2018, U Mobile received the title Malaysia Mobile Data Service Provider of the Year. Last year, the telco also received acknowledgement for its Excellence in Customer Experience in the area of Mobile Experience, Online Experience and Overall Experience in the Telecommunications Industry.


Visa Launches ‘Where You Shop Matters’ Campaign to Help SMEs Go Digital

Visa, the world’s leader in digital payments, has launched Where You Shop Matters, an initiative that encourages consumers to support their local businesses, while helping SMEs go digital following the onset of COVID-19. The introduction of Where You Shop Matters is aligned to the Malaysia government’s “Buy Malaysian Products Campaign” that was launched last month and Cuti-Cuti Malaysia campaign to encourage domestic travel.

Where You Shop Matters
 is an initiative part of Visa’s broader small businesses strategy and follows commitments the company has made to support 10 million small and micro businesses in Asia Pacific. In addition, the Visa Foundation committed USD210 million to support small and micro businesses and immediate COVID-19 emergency relief earlier this year.

Ng Kong Boon, Visa’s Country Manager for Visa Malaysia
, says: “We introduced
Where You Shop Matters
 to rally Malaysians to support our small businesses in the country. The impact of COVID-19 for these businesses, along with shifting consumer behaviours to eCommerce, reinforced the need for Visa to launch this initiative. We understand that taking their business online can be a daunting prospect for many SMEs who might not know where to start. In Malaysia, our focus is to help these small businesses embark on this digitalisation journey to start and grow their online presence. We are excited to offer SMEs an eCommerce toolkit, together with Visa commercial offers to help them start, manage and grow their online storefronts.”

“To further support local retailers, Visa will be featuring hundreds of local brands in Malaysia on our website to encourage Malaysians to purchase from homegrown retailers during this period of difficulty. This initiative supports the national “Buy Malaysia Products Campaign” launched by the Malaysian government. We are heartened that 98 per cent of Malaysians have indicated that they are willing to shop at local retailers to support their business recovery,” added Kong Boon.

Datuk Musa Bin Hj Yusof, Director General Tourism Malaysia
 said “We are proud to expand our long-standing relationship with Visa as we work towards recovering and boosting the nation’s economy through local tourism and brands. Since the interstate travel ban was lifted, we have seen an increased appreciation for the local tourism industry. Through Visa’s variety of offerings for cardholders, as well as local entrepreneurs, we believe we will continue to see an enhanced patriotism among Malaysians for locally made goods and services.”

“‘Where You Shop Matters’ is a timely campaign that complements the ongoing PENJANA Shop Malaysia Online initiative and the PENJANA Micro, SMEs (MSMEs) eCommerce Campaign that was aimed to assist in the recovery of the country’s economy.  Moreover, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has been the motivation for a large number of local MSMEs and businesses to accelerate eCommerce adoption. I am confident that this campaign will promote more digitally-powered businesses, and at the same time help catalyse more high-value digital jobs for the nation,” said
Surina Shukri, CEO of Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC).

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Based on the recent Visa study conducted on Malaysians, almost half of Malaysians intend to shop online more often. In addition, 83 per cent of Malaysians believe it is important for small businesses to have an online presenc. As part of the Where You Shop Matters initiative, Visa has partnered with several eCommerce enablers such as BigCommerce, EasyStore, SiteGiant and StoreHub to encourage and help SMEs begin their journey to kickstart their businesses online.

To incentivise small businesses to kickstart their digital journey, Visa’s partners will be providing eCommerce starter packages including waivers on monthly subscriptions for small businesses who may be setting up their businesses online for the first time. In addition, there will be a series of Visa commercial offers that small businesses can utilise to grow their online presence and manage their businesses digitally including advertising support and business office tool.

“We encourage small businesses to embrace digital transformation and bring their businesses online. Apart from providing the right business automation for EasyStore merchants, we are glad to partner Visa to open up new opportunities for more merchants to sell across Malaysia and worldwide effortlessly,” said
Frost Chen, Chief Technology Officer for EasyStore.

“We are excited and pleased to partner with Visa in a shared objective to reach out and empower more SMEs to digitalise their business. Over the years, we saw the challenges that SMEs have faced to start their businesses online. With this initiative, SMEs will now have more opportunity to transition into the eCommerce industry. We believe this is an essential step to provide small businesses the tools and support they need to grow digitally and ultimately, accelerate the digital transformation in Malaysia,“ said
Stanley Lim, Chief Executive Officer for SiteGiant.

“The StoreHub Business Program is one of our ongoing initiatives to add value to our merchants as we are committed to helping them succeed. We are pleased to partner Visa in this program and continue supporting local F&B businesses,” said
Wai Hong Fong, Chieftain and Co-founder at StoreHub.

To find out more, please visit
https://www.visa.com.my/run-your-business/small-business-tools/whereyoushopmatters.html


Change Your Game in Both Work & Play with New Samsung Galaxy Note20

Malaysians rejoice! Today, the 18
th
 of August 2020, will be marked a significant day in our history with the momentous launch of the new Samsung Galaxy Note20 – the latest powerphone set to make Malaysians reassess the way they approach work and play. Officially launched here at Sentul Depot, Kuala Lumpur, the event was witnessed by a multitude of mesmerized media, content creators, influencers, and more – who were all thrilled about the new device that can help them in all dimensions of life.

“The Galaxy Note20 finally becoming official in Malaysia is an especially memorable event for all of us at Samsung. Every detail of the Galaxy Note20 was meticulously thought through, all with the aim to allow people to bring every crucial part of their lives, be it work or play, onto one single device. So, with all that’s happening this year in 2020 and us adapting to a new normal, we are absolutely thrilled to release the Galaxy Note20 to Malaysians to redefine the meaning and purpose of the smartphone in this day and age” said Yoonsoo Kim, President of Samsung Malaysia Electronics.

While most products feature just one specialty that is compelling enough to capture the attention of Malaysians, the Galaxy Note20 arrives on Malaysian shores with several. Sometimes, we are forced to pick between being a master of one or a jack of all trades. This is where the Galaxy Note20 stands apart from the others, as the master of all.

Power to Work

Gone are the days when we had to be anchored to a desktop to get actual work done. Gone are the days when we need an actual laptop or notebook to take legitimate notes at an important meeting. The Galaxy Note20 has managed to combine the computer and the notebook into one unified device, allowing users to be a genuine professional with the device that was taken out from their pockets.

The new Galaxy Note20 and more Galaxy Ecosystem devices help Shu Faye not just with connectivity and photography, but with looking sleek and classy as well!

The Galaxy Note20 comes with a much-improved S Pen, giving users a more lifelike and fluid S Pen-to-screen writing feel. Combined with the enhanced Samsung Notes, users are given an experience that is arguably even more seamless than an actual pen-and-paper. For one, the enhanced Notes app automatically syncs with other Galaxy tablets or Windows PCs, which means that you will never need to worry about leaving your notes at home again.

Last but definitely not least, Samsung has expanded its integration with Microsoft devices even further with its Galaxy Note20, introducing a suite of new experiences for more continuous productivity! Its Link to Windows feature allows you to respond to texts, receive notifications, and even answer those pesky calls all from your PC, even if your phone is in another room. Moreover, the Your Phone Apps feature even lets you to launch and run multiple apps on your Windows 10 PC as well!

Power to Play

10 years ago, no one would believe that the smartphone will be the primary source of entertainment for the everyday person. Today, this reality is the truth. When conceptualizing the Galaxy Note20, Samsung didn’t hold back in making sure its users will get the ultimate experience in all forms of entertainment; from watching videos and movies, to listening to your favourite music, to playing the best games.

Mobile game streamer Intan Serah uses her new Galaxy Note20 Ultra to dominate her PUBG matches.

Powered by the latest and most powerful Exynos processor yet, a 120Hz display, and accompanied by Samsung’s latest Wireless DeX feature; the Galaxy Note20 Ultra allows for next-generation mobile gaming like never seen before. Picture this: You’ve just gotten home from a long day at work. You immediately let yourself melt into your couch, but you’re still itching for a quick Asphalt race with console-level gameplay and graphics. Simply connect your Galaxy Note20 with your Smart TV via Wireless DeX and enjoy a race with your friends!

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Power to Create

Artists and content creators unite! The Galaxy Note20 is finally here in Malaysia to introduce you to a whole new galaxy of convenient creativity – be it creating sketches or music recordings or videos.

With a camera system upgraded with today’s advanced technology, the Galaxy Note20 is able to capture professional-grade pictures and 8K videos that can make photography and videography amateurs look experienced. What about visual artists, you ask? The newly redesigned S Pen and the Galaxy Note20 offers artists the realest pen-to-paper feel that one can get. If you ever feel that art produced on a digital device will never be as good as the real thing, we beg to differ. Simply visit Samsung’s PENUP app and you will see a huge collection of stunning art made with Samsung devices and the S Pen.

And now with the significantly improved S Pen, the art will only get better!

Power Your Style

Through its latest Galaxy Note20, Samsung has elevated the design heritage of its Note series with lavish new Mystic colour options – Bronze, Green, Black, White, and Grey with matching S Pens. Moreover, the new power smartphone is also wrapped in neutral tones and a textured haze finish that confidently give the Galaxy Note20 a touch of sophistication and a timeless premium feel to the most powerful Note yet.

But that’s not all. The Galaxy Note20 is just one device in one larger, seamless, and gorgeous Galaxy Ecosystem; with each and every one of these devices playing their own crucial part for the most authentic Galaxy experience. The Galaxy Note20 helps you get all your work done, the Galaxy Watch3 supplements your phone with easy access to notifications and an upgrade to your health and lifestyle, and the Galaxy Buds Live provides the ultimate entertainment experience. Not only that, if you have a new Galaxy Tab S7 at home, rest assured that all your Galaxy devices are automatically synced even if they’re not in the same room!

Power Up Connectivity

As we head deeper into the year 2020, we continue to await the next generation of connectivity and technology. With that, it is only inevitable that content get better but heavier too. This is why Samsung is future-proofing its Galaxy Note20 making it 5G-ready so that when the time comes, Malaysians will be able to enjoy blazingly fast internet speeds.

Samsung Galaxy Note20 Celebratory Launch Promo in Malaysia!

Samsung Malaysia Electronics, high on the thrill of the launch of its latest Galaxy smartphone, is excitedly giving away exceptional gifts along with the Galaxy Note20 for a limited period! From August 21
st
 till October 31
st
 2020, customers who purchase any Galaxy Note20 smartphone within the series will be entitled to a FREE UV Sterilizer with Wireless Charger and a Wireless Charger Convertible, worth RM508! This deal can be made at all Samsung Experience Stores nationwide or the Samsung e-store

Moreover, a Galaxy Note20 Trade-Up programme is available as well, where customers can trade in their existing smartphone for up to RM4,005 for a new Galaxy Note20 series! For more information about the Galaxy Note20’s celebratory launch promo, visit:

http://samsung.com/my/offer/note20campaign
.

For more information about the new Samsung Galaxy Note20, visit:
https://www.samsung.com/my/smartphones/galaxy-note/


11 Days of Amazing Deals with HONOR 9.9 Mega Campaign

Save even more with the 3-day special promo happening from 8-10 Sept

Due to popular demand, HONOR 20 PRO in Icelandic Frost returns to shelves and will be available for grabs between 8-10 Sept only

HONOR fans rejoice! The
HONOR 9.9 Mega Campaign
 is here – and this time, more rewards and surprises await consumers. For 11 days only on Hihonor.com/my, from 8-18 September, consumers get to enjoy incredible deals and take home awesome freebies.

Below are some of the not-to-be missed deals to look forward to during the 11-day HONOR 9.9 sale:

3 Days of Great Savings

Offering up to 40% discount, you can now save much more on the following items when you shop between
8-10 September
, and take home these amazing gifts.

Item

9.9 Price (RM)

RRP (RM)

Discount/Freebies

HONOR MagicBook 14 8GB+256GB

2,299

2499

HONOR backpack + HONOR mouse + HONOR Band 5i

HONOR 8X Max

699

829

n/a

HONOR Magic Watch 1

299

499

n/a

HONOR Magic Earbuds

299

499

n/a

HONOR 9A

n/a

549

HONOR TwinLine backpack

The Return of HONOR 20 PRO’s Icelandic Frost

Back by popular demand, the HONOR 20 PRO in Icelandic Frost is returning in limited quantities and only between 8-10 September. Inspired by the magnificence of Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon in Iceland, the HONOR 20 Pro features the world’s first Dynamic Holographic Design.

It was previously sold out thanks to its Sony IMX586 48MP AI Quad Camera, which sports a 48MP main camera, 16MP Super Wide-Angle camera, 8MP telephoto camera and 2MP Macro camera. It also earned the second highest spot on DxOMark with a score of 111 when it was first launched in 2019.

The limited-edition smartphone will retail at RM1,599.

Amazing Deals to Look Out For

Below are the other promotions that will be available during the sales period. Some deals are for particular dates only, so be sure to set reminders for those!

Item

Promotion Dates

9.9 Price (RM)

RRP (RM)

Discount/Freebies

HONOR MagicBook 14 8GB+512GB

8-18 Sept

n/a

2,999

HONOR backpack + HONOR mouse + HONOR Scale 2

HONOR MagicBook 14 8GB+256GB

2,299

2,499

HONOR TwinLine backpack

HONOR 9X PRO

n/a

999

HONOR Scale 2

HONOR 9X

n/a

899

HONOR Scale 2

HONOR 8X MAX

799

829

Giftbox

HONOR 9A

n/a

549

Free 15GB Huawei cloud storage

HONOR H8A

459

469

32GB SD Card

HONOR 8S

n/a

369

Data cable + mini phone holder

HONOR 7S

n/a

299

Data cable + mini phone holder

HONOR MagicWatch 2 46mm (Charcoal Black)

649

699

Waterproof bag

HONOR MagicWatch 2 46mm (Flax Brown)

699

749

Waterproof bag

HONOR MagicWatch 2 42mm (Agate Black)

549

599

Waterproof bag

HONOR Watch 2 42mm (Gold)

749

799

Waterproof bag

HONOR WatchMagic Strap (Blue)

69

89

n/a

HONOR Sport Pro

249

299

n/a

HONOR Band 5

109

129

n/a

HONOR 9X Lite

n/a

699

HONOR travel adapter

HONOR Magic Buds

399

499

Vouchers Worth Up to RM100 Up for Grabs Daily

On top of these incredible deals, HONOR is also offering consumers with a chance to claim vouchers worth up to RM100 daily during the campaign period. All you need to do is log in to the
campaign page
 and check in daily during the promotional period to see which vouchers are up for grabs!

Additionally, those who subscribe for HONOR updates via the campaign will automatically be in the running to win lucky draw prizes, which includes three units of HONOR Band 5i and three units of HONOR Scale 2.

Don’t Wait to Enjoy These Amazing Deals!

Lock in your dates now and set reminders for yourself and your loved ones to enjoy the amazing deals only available during the HONOR 9.9 Mega Sale!

For more information, log on to
https://www.facebook.com/HonorMY/
.

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5 Features You Might Not Know of on the Galaxy Note20 and Note20 Ultra

The latest additions to the Galaxy Note family, the Galaxy Note20 and Note20 Ultra, are packed with meaningful innovations that to help you maximize your day. From powerful productivity to premium entertainment, the Galaxy Note20 series has something for everyone.

While the stunning display, seamless syncing with Microsoft services, and upgraded S Pen have already made headlines, there’s still more to discover about Samsung’s most powerful Note series yet.

Check out these five hidden tips and tricks that will help you get the most out of your experience with the Galaxy Note20 series.

1. Capture More of the Moment With Single Take

The Galaxy Note20 and Note20 Ultra’s camera introduces an improved Single Take experience. The AI-powered feature now allows you to capture up to 14 types of photos and videos simultaneously within 5 to 15 seconds of capture time. To use the feature, open the Camera app and tap Single Take mode from the menu options.

Set your capture time by tapping the timer above the camera menu and sliding the timer bar to your desired setting. Then, tap the shutter button, pan around, and the camera will automatically capture the best clips. After finishing, tap the preview thumbnail and you will see optimized results for the scene you captured.

Make Your Personality Shine in Portraits

The upgraded Single Take mode on the Galaxy Note20 series isn’t just giving you more time to shoot – it’s also allowing you to do more with the results. Color Picking Portrait has been added to Single Take, allowing you to take studio-like portraits by choosing a background color to make your subject stand out.

2. Share Wi-Fi With Friends

We’ve all felt the frustration of repeatedly sharing the Wi-Fi password when having guests over. The Galaxy Note20 series removes that pain by allowing you to request Wi-Fi access information from near-field devices with people in your Contacts. Your friends can then share the password with you, making it easy to log in to new Wi-Fi networks.

3. Find the Highest Quality Wi-Fi Connection

When connecting to Wi-Fi in public spaces, the Galaxy Note20 series also makes it easy to find the fastest and most stable signal. When searching for Wi-Fi, the Galaxy Note20 series provides information about the login requirements and quality of the connection below the name of the network, so you can easily find the most stable, secure connection every time.

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4. Share Your Favorite New Song With a Friend

Nothing brings friends together like a shared love of music. The Galaxy Note20 series makes sharing your latest favorite song easy with an upgraded Music Share experience. While previously the feature only allowed music to be played on devices connected to a shared friend’s phone, on the Galaxy Note20 series, you can listen to the Buds connected to your phone and the Galaxy Buds connected to your friend’s phone.

Simply turn on Music Share, select your friend’s Buds, and both Buds will play the same music.

5. Take Control Over Video Watching With Bixby

The Galaxy Note20 series gives you more control over your video watching experience with Bixby voice control. While streaming your favorite show from your phone, you can seamlessly switch to the TV screen by telling Bixby: “Play this show on TV.” You can also switch back by saying “Play this show on mobile again” for a smooth, continuous viewing experience.

If you missed a scene or want to skip ahead, voice control makes it easy by giving you the power to rewind, fast forward, pause, and play content. Voice control can also help you search for something to watch by telling Bixby to play the title of your favorite show.

Samsung Galaxy Note20 Promo in Malaysia

Samsung Malaysia is giving away few incredible promotions for the Samsung Note20 series you won’t want to miss! Check out more details as listed below:

No

Promotion

Details

1

Protection Plus
 plan worth up to RM387

Purchase the Galaxy Note20 series from now till 31 October 2020 at any Samsung Experience Store and receive a free Protection Plus plan (1-year extended protection and 1-time screen protection) worth up to RM387.

2

Easy Instalment Plan
 to save up to RM433.25

From now till 25 October 2020, enjoy the flexibility and convenience of Samsung’s 0% Easy Instalment Plan (EIP), which can also save you up to RM433.25 in total!

3

Trade in
 to save up to RM4,005

Customers can trade in their old devices for up to RM4,005 to purchase a brand-new Samsung Galaxy Note20 series from now till 31 October 2020.

4

Exclusive Gifts worth RM508

Get the new Galaxy Note20 series and receive a complimentary
UV Sterilizer with Wireless Charging
 and a
Wireless Charger Convertible
 worth RM508, while stocks last.

For more information about the Galaxy Note20’s launch promo, visit:
http://samsung.com/my/offer/note20campaign
.


Best 3 Ways to Convert EPUB to PDF

Converting an EPUB file to another format is usually a delicate process. This is due to the fact that EPUB documents are presented in a way that is intended for readers to stylistically enjoy. Because it was created for eBooks specifically, EPUB files are made in a way that makes them easy to digest page-by-page.

Therefore, if you want to convert an EPUB to PDF, you have to carefully ensure that you use a good converter to avoid any inconsistencies or formatting errors. On the internet, a plethora of converters exist. However, if you want something that consistently delivers, you can’t go wrong with our top 3 picks listed in this article.

Onlineconvertfree.com

Onlineconvertfree.com is an online conversion method that presents a simple UI that gives users easy access to any of their conversion needs. In addition to the smart design, it features an EPUB to PDF feature that can be used to change the format of your favorite eBooks. Whatever the reason may be for your conversion, onlineconvertfree.com can make the conversion in just a few minutes.

Step 1: Go to
 www.onlineconvertfree.com
.

Step 2: Under the Documents subheading, choose the PDF converter.

Step 3: Once selected, upload your EPUB document by dragging it onto the page. Alternatively, you can simply use the file explorer method.

Step 4: Choose the language and output format.

Step 5: Click on the ‘Recognize’ button and download the file.

iSkysoft PDF Editor

iSkysoft PDF editor is a downloadable windows application that can be used to convert EPUB to PDF. If you are looking for how to convert EPUB to PDF, this converter can get the job done. Available on both Mac and PC, you can easily convert other documents to a PDF format with just a few clicks. It allows you to also OCR a PDF, create, or edit a PDF file.

Step 1: Go to
pdf.iskysoft.com
 and download.

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Step 2: Once installed, open the application.

Step 3: Click on Convert PDF and select the EPUB file from your PC.

Step 4: Wait for the conversion to be completed and access the file from your computer.

PDF Architect

PDF Architect is another EPUB to PDF converter you can download on your PC. As far as converters go, PDF Architect is among the top 3 thanks to its overall customization options. However, its conversion feature is only available on the Pro version. With the regular edition, it is great for converting EPUB to PDF and making personalized customizations like changing the font. There are also pre-made packages that save some time during the whole customization process.

Step 1: Go to
pdfforge.org
 and select PDF Architect.

Step 2: Click on download and install once completed.

Step 3: After your installation, open the file on your computer.

Step 4: Click on the Convert tab to choose the file you’d like to add.

Step 5: Upload the EPUB document and choose PDF.

Step 6: Convert and wait for the process to be completed.


eSIM Technology to Increase IoT Connections in APAC by 2025

Many industry analysts and players believe the switch from a traditional, removeable SIM card to a smarter user identification module embedded into a device, aka eSIM, has transformational potential for Internet of Things (IoT), opening up entirely new markets for mobile connectivity. The technology will soon be ubiquitous with
two billion devices
 estimated to be connected via eSIM by 2025, representing an ever-increasing proportion of total mobile connections.

In the case of the IoT, cellular connectivity is fundamental in enabling the technology for IoT market. The globally-backed remote SIM specification has significant impacts on seamless delivery of day-to-day functionality and remote updating demands of the industrial IoT applications. This universal approach will allow multiple mobile network operators (MNOs) to provide global coverage, thus supporting manufacturers in building a new range of products for rapid deployment and optimized operation around the world.

“We can already see a strong demand for eSIM-based connectivity in IoT projects. The technology reduces the traditional complexity of a physical SIM card, and we can expect the switch to accelerate in the coming years as eSIM becomes more readily available and affordable,” said Yoseph Wijaya, Head of Product at Forest Interactive. “This simplified yet powerful technology will allow manufacturers and vendors to focus more on device production and system capabilities rather than mobile connectivity.”

According to the GSMA Intelligence, Asia Pacific accounts for 35% share of IoT revenue in 2020, leading with a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 20% between 2019 and 2025 to reach $343 billion; the fastest of all regions. The region is expected to witness a positive outlook for IoT connections as the government stimulus plans help digital transformation efforts across the region.

“Manufacturers, cities, and municipalities on a global scale are awake and looking for the newest applications and expertise in various areas to optimize process management and improve services,” said Jocelyn Chang, Regional Head at Forest Interactive. “The smart IoT concept, at its best, utilizes information and communication technology to optimize the efficiency of operations and services for entire nations to improve the quality of government services and citizen welfare.”

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“For example, in Taiwan, the demand for eSIM-backed IoT services is mainly divided into two segments; Machine to Machine (M2M) and consumer electronics. That being said, the government, alongside with telcos and IoT associations, have already planned and developed an IoT market in many areas. Some of the applications have been operating in the country through public infrastructures such as smart parking, streetlights, smart buildings, intelligent auto-meter reading on electricity or water, and many more. The IoT in consumer electronics has also been up and running, as seen with smart door locks, smart phones, tablets, laptops, and wearables.”

“Moving forward, the widespread demands for eSIM will lay the foundation for device manufacturers to innovate and improve efficiency with products that can be deployed across a wide range of markets. For operators, eSIM will be a tool that connects more devices across different industries, opening the door to new markets and, potentially, enormous increases in number of subscribers,” added Jocelyn.

Source:
Forest Interactive


Count Your Wins In The Gemilang Confirm Amazing Campaign

Today, winning the hearts of consumers, Samsung technology brings together products that seamlessly connect with one another to help consumers empower their work and play exactly the way they want to live it – leaving them feeling powerful, productive, stylish, and above all, amazing!

Samsung Malaysia through its Gemilang Confirm Amazing campaign aims to make this Malaysia Day a meaningful and rewarding experience – one where everyone has a chance to go home feeling like a champ. The campaign involves a contest spanning from
14
th
 September to 18
th
 October 2020
, giving away prizes worth up to a total of RM472,000 and more.

Consumers who purchase an eligible Samsung Galaxy device, will not only be rewarded from purchasing on the spot but can take part in Gemilang Confirm Amazing contest by following the simple steps stated below – if selected, they may just walk away with a Samsung 65″ TU8500 4K UHD Smart TV (2020) worth RM4,699 or win weekly prizes such as the Convection Microwave Oven with HOT BLAST™ (32L) worth RM1,499 and Samsung Canister Bagless with Twin Chamber System (360W) worth RM309.

To top it all off, Samsung Malaysia is offering exclusive discounts and rebates when consumers purchase the selected Galaxy A series listed below. In all of its glory, the Galaxy A Series brings awesomeness of style and versatility that comes with a valuable price tag – need we say more? Tawaran #KonfemAwesome.

Confirm Amazing Contest

Consumers can enter the contest in just 4 simple steps:

Step 1: Purchase any eligible models

Step 2: Strike a creative pose and take a selfie

Step 3: Register your details on Redemption Management System (RMS):

Customer Name, Contact Number, E-mail Address, Mailing Address

Date of Purchase, Invoice Number, Invoice Picture, Device IMEI No.

Selfie photo with creative pose (“Creative Photo”)

Step 4: Stand a chance to win a prize

Categories

Units

Prizes

Grand Prize

16

Samsung 65″ TU8500 4K UHD Smart TV (2020)

2nd Prize

100

Samsung Convection Microwave Oven with HOT BLAST™, 32L

Consolation Prize

800

Samsung Canister Bagless with Twin Chamber System, 360W

Confirm Amazing Promo

Whether it is big or small, everyone has a chance to be a winner – consumers will be rewarded with the following model-specific promotion or gift(s) when they purchase any of the devices listed below at participating Samsung Experience Stores, Samsung Online Store and Samsung Authorised Dealers from 14 September to 18 October 2020.

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Product

RRP

Promotion Rewards

Galaxy Note20

RM3,599

• Free 1 unit of Samsung UV Sterilizer and Samsung Wireless Charger Convertible worth RM508

Galaxy Note20 5G

RM4,299

• Free 1 unit of Samsung UV Sterilizer and Samsung Wireless Charger Convertible worth RM508

Galaxy Note20 Ultra

RM5,199

• Free 1 unit of Samsung UV Sterilizer and Samsung Wireless Charger worth RM508

Galaxy A51 (8GB RAM)

RM1,399

• Instant rebate of RM100 OFF – now only at RM1,299

Galaxy A71

RM1,799

• Instant rebate of RM100 OFF – now only at RM1,699

Galaxy A31

RM1,099

• Instant rebate of RM100 OFF – now only at RM999

Galaxy A21s

RM939

• Instant rebate of RM40 OFF – now only at RM899

Galaxy A11

RM599

• Instant rebate of RM70 OFF – now only at RM529

Galaxy A01

RM499

• Instant rebate of RM100 OFF – now only at RM399

Galaxy Tab S7+

RM4,599

• Free 1 unit of Microsoft Office 365 Single user license (1 year) worth RM269*

• Free 1 unit of Samsung 128GB MicroSD Card worth RM139*

Galaxy Tab S7

RM3,299

Galaxy Tab S6 Lite

RM1,699

• Free 1 unit of Samsung 128GB MicroSD Card worth RM139*

Galaxy Tab S5e

RM1,999

• Free 1 unit of Samsung 128GB MicroSD Card worth RM139*

Galaxy Watch3 (45mm) Bluetooth

RM1,799

• Free 1 unit of Samsung Wireless Charger worth RM239

Galaxy Watch3 (41mm) Bluetooth

RM1,699

• Free 1 unit of Samsung Wireless Charger worth RM239

Galaxy Watch (42mm) Bluetooth

RM1,199

• Instant rebate of RM400 OFF recommended retail price

*Terms and conditions apply. Microsoft Office License 365 Single User and/or 128GB MicroSD card must be redeemed through Redemption Management System.

For more information about Gemilang Confirm Amazing campaign, please visit
https://www.samsung.com/my/offer/mobile/confirm-amazing-promo/