Get Exclusive Lazada Vouchers, Cashback From Nike and Taobao and Many More Via ShopBack This 12.12!

Time to shop till you drop with ShopBack

What a time to be alive! After the insane discounts during the last 11.11 sales, 12.12 is now upon us to deliver the same kind of insanity 11.11 brought with its own slew of eye watering discounts and cash rewards. Considering 12.12 is meant to be the biggest online sales period in Southeast Asia, I’d say they’re doing pretty well considering the amazing discounts offered by the major online retailers such as Lazada, Taobao, 11Street and Zalora. Now ShopBack is here to present to you some amazing rewards when you shop this 12.12!

With more than 30 online stores giving out Cashback up to 50% when you use ShopBack, customers should definitely take this chance and make full use of this 12.12 sales period! Not only that, in celebration of this Christmas season ShopBack users who make any purchases from 12 December to 14 December will stand a chance to win a spanking new iPhone X! Tis truly a season of giving!

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Here are the Top 6 deals going on during this 12.12 Online Fever. Check em out!
Lazada

12th – 14th December: Up to 11% Upsized Cashback
ShopBack users get exclusive 13% off voucher code (capped at RM30 with a minimum purchase of RM50. Limited quantities available. Code available through the ShopBack website.
Discounts across the whole website with up to 90% off, Daily Flash Deals, and super brand vouchers from Samsung, Tefal, Drypers, Nivea & more.
Taobao collection with free shipping for purchases above RM60!

Taobao

12th – 14th December: Up to 50% Upsized Cash Rewards
Download ShopBack’s NEW Cashback Buddy, search in our drop-down search bar to discover Cashback items in Taobao & Tmall!
Get Hongbao discount and shipping coupons when you log in to Taobao today!

11Street

12th – 14th December:  Up to 7.5% Upsized Cashback (was up to 2%)
Ends 12 Dec (with limited time Flash Deals up to 90% off at 12am, 9am, 12pm, 3pm & 9pm.)
Add items to cart, download and unlock shocking coupons up to RM300.
Special movie offer by MBO cinema: Get RM10 voucher at RM6 (for a limited time only through the 11Street website).

Zalora

12th – 15th December: storewide 4% flat Cashback
ShopBack users get exclusive additional 15% off voucher code (minimum purchase of RM150. Code available through the ShopBack website.)
You could get full refund if you don’t receive your order, and full or partial refund if the item received is not as per description under AliExpress’s Buyer Protection programme.
12.12 Specials – Shop your favorite brands with up to 80% discounts + buy 3 Women’s dresses and get 20% off or buy 3 Men’s tops and get 25% off!

Qoo10

12th – 14th December: Up to 14% Upsized Cashback
ShopBack users get exclusive 11% cart coupons ready for grab (capped at RM350 with a minimum purchase of RM400 for Digital & Living category. (Code available through the ShopBack website.)

Nike

12th – 14th December: sitewide 12% Flat Cashback
Enjoy 30 days free returns & free shipping with orders of RM400 and more!

Apart from the offers from these online stores, you will also find other great offerings from other websites such as Booking.com, Expedia, Fave, Photobook Malaysia, ASOS, Uniqlo Online, Cotton-On, Kinokuniya and many more all on ShopBack. Happy shopping peeps!
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Pokde.net Top Picks: Best Gadgets in 2017

2017 has been an exciting year where we saw amazing gadgets introduced. Here are some of the best gadgets as picked by the Pokde.net crew.
Pokde.net Top Picks: Best Gadget of 2017
We look back at 2017 and see what every brand has done. Everyone of us look for different things in gadgets, and the uniqueness in each of us is what drives each brand to try and seek out an unfulfilled niche. Each of us has picked what we think is the best gadget this year. May be too late for Santa’s list, but hey, maybe some new devices to start the new year with?
Vyncent Chan, Mobile Evangelist of Pokde.net

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For me, the biggest winner this year has got to be the Razer Phone. It’s a stark departure from all the other smartphones in the market. Gaming on mobile has been always considered a given: when you have a flagship SoC under the hood, you are bound to have great gaming performance. However Razer went that step further and threw in a 2K 120 Hz UltraMotion IGZO display, dual front-facing speakers and a big 4000 mAh battery. We disregard the fact that maybe no one will ever need the ultra-fluid display and also that gaming on loudspeakers can get obnoxious rather quickly, but this is a true blue gaming smartphone, something which few have tried and given up on years ago.

Worth a mention would be the ASUS ZenFone 4 (ZE554KL) which rather unfortunately shares its name with its predecessor. The smartphone does not tout the fastest chipset, nor the smallest bezels, but it does carry quite a bit of courage in it. Instead of the more popular zoom or monochrome second camera, the ZenFone 4 offers a wide angle camera which is infinitely more fun than a zoom lens or monochrome sensor. Most manufacturers prefer to go with a zoom lens for the secondary camera, but the Huawei Mate 10 has proven that digital zooming usually suffice for a mere 2x zoom. In fact most of ASUS’ ZenFone 4 family feature a wide angle camera, including the very affordable ASUS ZenFone 4 Max, but the ASUS ZenFone 4 takes the cake with the much nimbler chipset and pretty glass-sandwich design. The pricing of this device is really a bit too courageous for my liking, but it doesn’t take away from the fact that ASUS has made an amazing step forward with the ASUS ZenFone 4 series.
Raja Idris, Kingky Writer of Pokde.net

Personally, the honor for this award goes to Nokia 8. Now where do I start? First of all… its Nokia for god sake! You’ve got to have a special moment stored inside of you pertaining the brand. With the launch of the Nokia 8, it was finally a giant awoken, with it being their flagship device since coming back to the scene.
Featuring ZEISS optics for both rear and front cameras, it introduced #bothie to the world, which I thought was a cool way to showcase your story to friends and family. Packing 4GB RAM (there’s also a 6GB variant) and running on a Snapdragon 835, it is certainly priced well at RM2299.
These specifications also aren’t only for showing. You can check out our extensive Nokia 8 review here and find out what it’s all about.
Maybe I’m just a sucker for brands that is synonym to my history and Nokia has definitely been a part of it. Guess it’s too late to ask anyone to buy me one for Christmas. sobs
Aiman Maulana, Gaming Wizard of Pokde.net

Without a doubt in my mind, the best device for me that pretty much anyone and everyone will have a good time with and brought back a feature that I thought was impossible from the old days, the ASUS Zenfone 3 Zoom. Using it felt like I was given a breath of fresh air.
Powered by a Snapdragon 625 chipset, the ASUS Zenfone 3 Zoom aimed to take the base Zenfone 3 smartphone, a solid offering to begin with, and make it even better. The dual camera setup featuring the SuperPixel camera and Zoom camera allows you to take good pictures, perform decently in low-light situations, and gives you optical zoom capabilities. Sure, it’s not the best camera around especially in recent times, but it’s definitely more than enough for you take a good snap or two.
Then we have the monstrous 5,000 mAh battery capacity which, when you combine it with the efficient chipset and FinFET technology, gave it a battery life that we don’t see in most other smartphones. That feeling of being able to go through 2 to 3 days of moderate to heavy use without the need charge your smartphone is a freedom that I’ve yearned for since the old days of mobile phones.
Sure, I’ve now started using the Apple iPhone 8 Plus myself but here’s the thing; I will always be tempted to switch back to the ASUS Zenfone 3 Zoom because of the killer battery life, and it’s generally problem-free for me. Despite ASUS now moving to the Zenfone 4 lineup, believe me when I say that if you opted for the Zenfone 3 Zoom instead, you will not regret it. It is the closest to a “perfect” smartphone in my book.
If you wanna see how good the Zenfone 3 Zoom actually is, check out our full review of the device by clicking right here. Spoiler alert, we gave it our coveted Gold Pokdeward.
Super Daddy, Founder & Editor-in-Chief at Pokde.net

While the rest have been eyeing more on smartphones, my gadget of the year is much different. This year, I was much impressed with Sony’s α7R III mirrorless camera that was recently launched in Singapore. It only wins when it’s also paired with Sony FE24-105mm F4 G OSS full-frame lens.
You see, I was never a mirrorless camera person. It just never impressed me for all the same reasons DSLR purists have. I’ve tried plenty of them and never got the satisfaction my Canon 60D has given all these years. This year, things just took a big 360° turn. Put aside the α9 which is totally out of my pocket’s range, the Sony’s α7R III has delivered some serious mind boggling images without much effort.

The one thing we can always appreciate in Sony’s interchangeable lens cameras is the fact that the stabilizer is built inside the camera rather than the lens – which makes all the sense in the first place, rather than having to buy countless lenses and thinking about whether you should get the ones with stabilizers or not. The Sony α7R III takes shots on its Exmor R CMOS image sensor and hones a super wide ISO range of 100 – 32000 which is expandable to ISO 50 – 102400 for still images.
I can go on and on about the features and awesomeness of this beast, but I would be repeating myself. Why not have a read if you haven’t?
Syed Hassan Algadrie, Social Media Evangelist at Pokde.net
It’s tough to single out just one gadget for the “best gadget of 2017” moniker as there are so many great gadgets out there. Case in point, the ones listed by my colleagues above. However if there is one gadget that came out this year that I’d say won me over has to be the Nintendo Switch. Early on I was naturally very skeptical of the Nintendo Switch when it was first announced considering how bad the Wii U did but the overall quality of the console was surprisingly good.

Granted the power the Nintendo Switch packs is far below the likes of its competitors, the PS4 and Xbox One but where it lacks in that department the console makes up for it with its amazing design, user friendliness and the games it cranks out. Besides, Nintendo has always been the king of handheld video game consoles and with the Nintendo Switch, they’ve managed to successfully pull off the ability to switch (pun intended) between handheld and home console, kinda like a Transformer.
While I don’t personally own the console (that honour goes to our very own Super Daddy), I have played it enough to know that the Nintendo Switch is a very special device and one of the best consoles put by Nintendo or any company for that matter. It’s proven popular enough with the gaming community to amass sales of 10 million units. For a console that just came out last March, that’s a huge testament on how good and popular the Nintendo Switch really is.
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Intel previews latest 14nm-based Compute Stick and NUCs

Previously we reviewed the first generation of Intel Compute Sticks. We found it a little lacking in terms performance and also practicality due to its weak-ish Intel Atom Z3735F paired with a meager 2GB of RAM along with the lonely little USB 2.0 port. After doing that review, we were invited to an event where Intel and Achieva Technology Sdn. Bhd. introduced the latest Compute Stick and NUCs to dealers and also several select media representatives.
The theme of the day was oriented towards server and enterprise class solutions, but sadly we missed that part as we went arrived at the event a little late. However we were just in time to catch their introduction of the Compute Stick and NUC by Wong Kay Vin, Marketing Manager at Achieva Technology Sdn. Bhd.

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The older Compute Stick was compared with the newer one in terms of performance and features offered. We are proud to inform you that our review was used as the basis for the comparison, and how the new Compute Stick compares favorably against the first generation.

This is a spec-sheet comparison but it is clear that the newer version is leaps and bounds better than the older Compute Stick in every way. The newer Atom processor, dual channel RAM, upgraded wireless chipset now with support for Wireless-AC and the addition of a USB 3.0 port makes the newer Compute Stick that much more practical from a consumer’s perspective. The previous wireless chipset proved problematic when trying to use Bluetooth peripherals with a WiFi connection active, but this will solve it. The addition of a USB 3.0 port also enable faster data transfer rates to USB 3.0 storage drives and opening up the USB 2.0 port to accept a USB wireless peripheral adapter. Nifty, I must say. And it comes with Windows 10 built-in, so it is about as plug-and-play as any computer can get.

I did catch the new Compute Stick in action. It looks virtually the same as the first generation model, aside from the extra length gained due to the new USB 3.0 port. Aside from that, every comment regarding its outlook is the same. It is small, sleek and hides behind your TV or display without any fuss. When I tried using it, it does appear more fluid than the previous model, but that can also be attributed to the improvements Windows 10 has compared to Windows 8.1. I can’t wait to put it through its paces in our labs to see how does it compare against the older model.

The Skylake NUCs were also introduced to us, with a few enhancements and of course new ultra-low voltage Skylake CPUs that will be paired with DDR4 SO-DIMM. The newer NUCs didn’t experience as big an upgrade as compared to the Compute Stick, but the improved performance will definitely be appreciated. During my short time trying it out, it does seem to be plenty capable of usual office work and web browsing, but once again I will withhold my judgement until I get it into our labs to torture it.

Moving on to the DIY PC section, ASUS’s representative Jane Lie was also present to introduce us to their ASUS E3 Pro Gaming V5 motherboard which is based on the C232 chipset and supports Intel Xeon E3 1200 V5 CPUs as well as other LGA1151 CPUs. The C232 chipset lacks support for integrated graphics but given that gamers will most probably add a dedicated GPU, the loss of iGPU functionality will not be missed much. The benefits of using Xeon E3 1200 V5 CPUs are performance on par with Core i7 CPUs but pricing like a Core i5 model. Thanks to its workstation heritage, the motherboard will also come with support for ECC RAM for mission critical workloads.

We had the opportunity to feast our eyes on a running ASUS E3 Pro Gaming V5 inside a familiar looking Cooler Master MasterCase 5 with a transparent side panel and also try it out in several popular titles. Needless to say the E3 1230 V5 CPU, and ASUS GeForce GTX 960 Turbo performed flawlessly in all the games tested. The motherboard actually looks pretty gamer-ish but enthusiasts may be turned away by the lack of SLI support with the PCIe x16 + PCIe x4 configuration.

Two lonely looking server boards were also present at the event, but because we missed the enterprise part of the event, I don’t know what’s special about these two boards. Hm. Gotta make a note to be more punctual next time..

We would like to thank Achieva Technology Sdn. Bhd. and Intel for the opportunity to attend this event and we hope to attend more events in the future!
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WhatsApp is Developing Their Own Search Engine

It looks like WhatsApp is working on their own search engine, which will allow you to find photos, videos, links, GIFs, audio, and documents in chat. While it is already available right now, it’s only accessible in the beta versions.
WhatsApp Search Engine

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This new WhatsApp search engine is only available for specific beta testers of the app. It will include photos, videos, links, GIFs, audio, and documents. It’s expected to make its way to more users in the future, but there is no time frame as to when that will happen. It’s being said that the new WhatsApp search engine currently works rather slow due to the activation being partial on the central app server and the fact that they are undergoing testing and corrections.
The new feature is currently available for a specific beta version, between 2.20.197.7 and 2.20.197.10, but that doesn’t guarantee that you will have access to it. You will have to be selected in order to make use of it. Once they are done testing, it will start to get implemented in more regions. Previously, WhatsApp added a new self-destructing message feature, which can automatically delete messages after a set time period.
It’s being said that the reason for the move is to help curb the spread of false information on WhatsApp. This makes it easier to verify the authenticity of specific information, especially those pesky forwarded messages which now has a proper label to indicate as such. There are more details that have yet to be revealed on the WhatsApp search engine so we will report more on this as soon as information becomes available so stay tuned.
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Pokdepinion: If it makes it easier to track the spread of false information, then I’m in full support of it.
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Here’s How to Get Free RM30 Credit for Touch ‘n Go eWallet

During the most recent budget announcements by the government, it was mentioned that there will be an RM30 incentive for Malaysian citizens in the form of eWallet credits. This is to encourage Malaysians to go cashless and embrace the new digital age.
We’ve learned that Touch ‘n Go eWallet is selected as part of the government’s e-Tunai Rakyat program. The criteria to receive the free RM30 credit is the following:
Malaysian citizensAbove 18 years of ageEarning less than RM100,000 annually
The e-Tunai Rakyat program will be taking place for two months from 15th January 2020 to 14th March 2020. You can make use of your free credits in the same period of time. There are over 110,000 merchants that accept Touch ‘n Go eWallet as a payment option. It can be used for movies, flights, utilities, petrol, groceries, and more.

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If you want to claim the free RM30 credit, you simply have to take the following steps:
Download the Touch ‘n Go eWallet app.Verify your Touch ‘n Go eWallet account with a snapshot of your Identification Card, a selfie, and related personal details.Claim your RM30 free credit, along with other rewards, starting 15th January 2020.
Just be sure to keep this in mind so you don’t miss out. It’s essentially free money for you to use, and it gives you a good reason to try out eWallets if you have not done so yet.
For more details on the program, click right here.
Pokdepinion: Can’t say no to free money. If you have no reason to use ewallets, you have one now.
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This is What the Nothing Phone 2 Looks Like; Officially Launched

After much anticipation and teasing, Nothing has finally taken the wraps off its second-generation smartphone, the Nothing Phone 2. The new device promises significant improvements in hardware, features, and overall user experience. Let’s dive into the details of this eagerly awaited smartphone and explore what it has to offer.
Nothing Phone 2 Officially Launched

At first glance, the Nothing Phone 2 may appear similar to its predecessor, but a closer look reveals subtle design refinements. The smartphone now boasts a slightly larger form factor and features a rounded glass back that enhances comfort during use. The iconic Glyph lighting system has also undergone enhancements, with 11 segmented LED strips and 33 lighting zones. This allows for new use cases, including displaying volume levels and acting as a countdown timer.

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Nothing has addressed a common concern from users of the Phone (1) by incorporating a new sensor that automatically adjusts the intensity of the Glyph interface based on ambient lighting conditions. This improvement ensures that the lighting system is not overly bright or distracting. The initial teasers showcased a small red indicator light and a supposed switch on the rear plate. It has been revealed that the indicator light illuminates when recording videos, while the switch is purely cosmetic and not functional.

The Nothing Phone 2 sports a larger 6.7-inch flat LTPO OLED display with FHD+ resolution, adaptive refresh rate of up to 120Hz, and up to 1600 nits brightness. The screen features Corning Gorilla Glass protection and an optical under-display fingerprint sensor. The device also incorporates stereo speakers, three high-definition microphones, and IP54 splash, water, and dust resistance.
Under the hood, the smartphone is powered by the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 flagship chipset, offering seamless performance. It comes with up to 12GB of RAM and up to 512GB of storage, ensuring smooth multitasking and ample storage for apps, media, and files. The Nothing Phone 2 runs on the latest Android 13-based Nothing OS 2.0 interface, which introduces new widgets, theme colors, folder layouts, illustrated covers, and the Glyph Composer tool for customized ringtones and lighting effects.

The Phone 2 is equipped with a larger 4,700mAh battery that supports 45W fast charging via USB-C. Nothing claims that a full charge can be achieved in approximately 55 minutes with a compatible charger. Additionally, the device supports 15W wireless charging and 5W reverse wireless charging. In the camera department, the smartphone features a dual-camera setup on the back, comprising a 50MP primary sensor with OIS and a 50MP ultrawide shooter. The Phone 2 also boasts improved video recording capabilities, allowing for 4K resolution at up to 60fps. For selfies and video calls, there’s a larger 32MP front-facing camera housed within the punch-hole cutout.
The Nothing Phone 2 is available in white and dark grey color options. It is set to ship in select regions starting from July 17. In terms of pricing, the device starts at $599 (~RM2,792) for the 8GB + 128GB configuration, $699 (RM3,257) for the 12GB + 256GB, and $799 (RM3,723) for the 12GB + 512GB variant. Malaysian consumers can look forward to Nothing revealing the pricing and availability for its second smartphone on July 14, 2023.
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Pokdepinion: The Nothing Phone 2 brings a range of enhancements and upgrades, from design refinements to improved display, performance, and imaging capabilities. With its innovative Glyph interface, larger battery, and advanced camera system, this smartphone aims to provide users with an enhanced and engaging experience. As we await its official release, the Nothing Phone 2 sets high expectations for consumers and showcases Nothing’s commitment to delivering innovative and feature-rich smartphones.
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honor 10 Unveiled Today – Get Cash Back When You Purchase From 24th May 2018!

honor Malaysia has officially unveiled their brand new honor 10 smartphone today at Sheraton Hotel Petaling Jaya. The brand new device from the company comes in four color variants; Phantom Blue, Phantom Green, Midnight Black, and Glacier Grey.
honor 10 Unveiled
The new honor 10 features a double-sided 2.5D glass design with a mirror-like reflective glass back. Featuring a 5.84-inch FHD+ display, the phone weighs 153g. Utilizing a Kirin 970 chipset, it packs 128GB of internal storage paired with 4GB of RAM.
For the cameras, it sports a dual 24MP + 16MP rear shooter that comes with 3-in-1 fast focusing. Adopted similarly like HUAWEI’s Mate 10 and also the P20, the honor 10 also comes with AI where it can detect multiple objects in the shots that you would like to take. As for selfies, over at the front it features a 24MP camera. With it, you’d get facial lighting compensation, Portrait Lighting, as well as an AI Portrait mode.

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For those of you who want to unlock your phone besides than using your fingerprint, well the phone also offers facial recognition so that you can unlock it just by using your face.

Under the hood, the new honor 10 has a 3,400mAh battery to power it up. For those audio fans, it has a 3.5mm port for all your audio products. It also uses a USB Type-C, giving you a faster charging of your phone. Equipped with a Kirin 970 chipset, the phone runs on EMUI 8.1 (Android 8.1 Oreo).
So you might ask, what price does this phone falls under? To answer that, the phone is retailed at a price tag of RM1,699. Despite that, for a special period, you can get it at a lower price. From 24th May 2018 until the 31st of May 2018, you can get a RM100 cash rebate, and get the honor 10 at a price of RM1,599.
Pokdepinion: When I first saw the phone, it seemed too ‘flashy’ for my liking. Well, that’s just me, there might be those who like to stand out (with the colors of the phone, of course).

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[Update] HONOR Malaysia Teams Up With JOOX

The folks at HONOR Malaysia has announced of their partnership with JOOX, exclusively for their HONOR 9 Series.
HONOR x JOOX

The HONOR 9 Series includes the HONOR 9X Pro, HONOR 9X, HONOR 9X Lite, as well as the HONOR 9A, all of which we’ve reviewed previously.
Though the partnership was announced, there’s no precise detail on what it will bring. It’s more than likely that they will be including free JOOX subscription when you purchase one of their HONOR 9 Series.

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HONOR has said that there will be more details revealed soon, so you can stay tuned for that.
Earlier of this year, the HONOR 9X series recorded a sales volume of over 10 million units worldwide since its debut in July 2019.
[Update] Enjoy 3 months of JOOX VIP access with the HONOR 9 Series

Well it seems that our guess was correct, you indeed will get a 3-month of JOOX VIP subscription when you purchase the HONOR 9 series, as revealed by HONOR Malaysia today.
This promotion is applicable for any purchase of an HONOR 9X Pro, HONOR 9X, HONOR 9X Lite, and HONOR 9A during the HONOR Merdeka Sale period which is already up and running and will last until the 16th of September.
Pokdepinion: Well I won’t say no to free music.. What do you think is the offer that they’ll present? Let us know in the comments below.
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Check out these images taken with the HUAWEI Mate 20 Pro!

HUAWEI’s claim to fame ever since the HUAWEI P9 was the incredible Leica cameras on their smartphones. They started with two cameras, and are now offering Leica triple camera on the HUAWEI P20 Pro and HUAWEI Mate 20 series. Does image quality scale with the number of cameras though? The answer is no, but HUAWEI has made impressive advancements in the cameras, and the latest HUAWEI Mate 20 Pro can deliver images that can rival a professional camera, without having to lug around a hefty professional camera.
HUAWEI has enlisted several professional photographers to help showcase the unprecedented camera performance of the HUAWEI Mate 20 Pro. Here are some images taken with the HUAWEI Mate 20 Pro in various locations, so sit back and enjoy.
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You can also check them out on our Flickr in full-resolution glory. What do you think of these images taken with the HUAWEI Mate 20 Pro? Let us know in the comments section!
Pokdepinion: I doubt that I can even take such nice images even if I had a full-frame DSLR in my hands…
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You Can Now Share Instagram Stories Via the Netflix App

The folks over at Netflix have unveiled a brand new feature which will allow users to share what they’re watching through Instagram stories.
Using the Netflix app, you can select a title that you’d like to share, add the custom art for the title, and share it out to your followers to see on Instagram Stories or to your friends via direct message. As usual, the story will be visible for up to 24 hours and will include a “Watch on Netflix” link, which will lead to the title page on the app.

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If that’s a bit confusing for you, here’s the step-by-step guide by Netflix themselves:

Netflix members navigate to any title on their iPhone Netflix app and tap share.
They’ll be presented with a list of apps, including Instagram Stories.
Tapping Instagram Stories will take them into Instagram Stories, where they can have some fun with the title’s background art and text sticker.
When ready, they can post it to their stories or send directly to one or more friends’ DMs.
Friends and followers can click on the link in the story to view the title on the Netflix app.

Leigh Wong, Netflix Head of Communications for Southeast Asia, said:
We’re always on the lookout for ways to make it easier for members to share the Netflix titles they’re obsessing about and help them discover something new to watch. We hope our members enjoy this new feature!
For those concerned about security and privacy, Netflix mentions that they will obtain a “high level” of information from Instagram as to how people engage with this feature but it will simply be the aggregate number of stories generated along with views of those stories. They will not receive any specific information on who is sharing or viewing those stories, and they will also not have access to see or save those Instagram Stories.
It’s worth noting that this is only available on the iPhone and is not available for Android devices yet. However, they are currently working on implementing it for Android and it’s to come sometime later this year. Alongside that, there may be a Snapchat version of this coming later as well.
Pokdepinion: Is there even anyone still using Snapchat? If so, why tho?
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Touch ‘n Go GO+ Launched — Allows Money Market Investments From As Low As RM10

Today marks the official launch of the Touch ‘n Go GO+, a financially inclusive investment product that allows the app’s users to gain access to money market investments.
Touch ‘n Go GO+ launched

With the feature, it enables users an easy returns to their GO+ balance where the returns will be credited daily. It also features a ‘cash-out’ option that allows movement of funds between your eWallet account and designated bank account. In order to provide flexibility, the GO+ balances can also be used for all eWallet payments use cases.

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The Touch ‘n Go GO+ is anchored on the Principal e-Cash Fund, a money market fund managed by Principal Asset Management, an ASEAN asset management company. In case you’re wondering, the Touch ‘n Go eWallet is the first eWallet provider to obtain approval to operate as a Recognised Market Operator by the Securities Commission of Malaysia. This in turn allows the company to distribute capital market products, including money market unit trust funds, through the Touch ‘n Go eWallet platform.
GO+ is available starting from today, 29th of March 2021 to Touch ‘n Go eWallet users who are Malaysian citizens above 18 years old. You can tap on the GO+ logo on the app, follow the steps, and as we’ve mentioned earlier, do an initial minimum RM10 cash-in to get started.
You can head to the link right here for more details on GO+. Stay tuned to Pokde.net for the latest tech and gaming news plus reviews.
Pokdepinion: I’m not a person that invests… but if you are, RM10 doesn’t seem too high to begin with. I wonder how much earnings can you get though.. Would you give the feature a go? (pun intended).
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[IFA 2019] How Lenovo Super Resolution Works in the New Yoga Laptops

Recently, we reported about the new Lenovo Yoga laptops with focus on smarter technology. In the journey of making smarter technology for everyone, there was a new feature that caught the attention of many. That is the new Lenovo Super Resolution feature.
If you missed out on the new Yoga PCs announcement, click right here.

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The name sounds pretty cool but you might be wondering what it actually does. Allow me to explain.
How Does it Work?

The Lenovo Super Resolution, which is available in the new Yoga PCs that were introduced at IFA 2019, is a video upscaling feature that is designed to make visuals look better. It does so by upscaling it up to Full HD 1080p resolution.
However, that doesn’t mean that everything will be automatically upscaled to Full HD 1080p. It will only be upscaled by one notch. For example, if you’re on 720p HD, it will be upscaled to Full HD 1080p but if you’re on 540p, it will only be upscaled to 720p HD.
If the material is already in Full HD 1080p resolution, it will not be upscaled to 1440p or 4K as its limit is on Full HD resolution. Another limitation is that it will only be available on media files that are played on Windows Media Player.
One of the more interesting new features available in the series is Super Resolution. What it does is it upsamples a video by one notch, up to a maximum of Full HD 1080p resolution. Meaning here that if you’re on 480p, it will turn into 720p HD, but if you’re already on 720p HD, it will be upscaled to 1080p Full HD.
This will make videos look sharper / aesthetically more pleasing for your viewing pleasure, but it won’t overkill it by going from say 144p to Full HD. That will most likely result in some really grainy footage instead. It will be available when used with Windows Media Player. Super Resolution will be available in the 14-inch Yoga C940 and Yoga S740.
For more details on new technological innovations and features, stay tuned to Pokde.net.
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ASUS ROG G20 receives Pascal update

The previous generation of the ASUS ROG G20 gaming desktop were packed with 4th-gen Intel Core-i CPUs and NVIDIA Maxwell or Kepler cards. Having all that hardware in a 12.5L chassis was already very interesting, but now ASUS is ready to provide even more performance in that compact size, with a new Intel Core i7-6700 Skylake CPU and a choice of Pascal-based NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 or GeForce GTX 1070 graphics cards.

The updated ROG G20 gaming desktops will come with up to 32GB of DDR4-2133 RAM, 256GB M.2 SSD and a 2TB SATA HDD. The variant with the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 will come with 32GB of RAM, while the GTX 1070-packing one will have 16GB of RAM. With the improved efficiency of the Pascal cards, this upgrade shouldn’t need any changes to the current ROG G20 power supply.

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If you are interested in the updated ROG G20, be prepared to part with S$3198 (RM9549.34) for the one with the GTX 1080, or S$2598 (RM7757.72). We aren’t sure when it will be made available in Malaysia, but we will be sure to update you when we receive news of its availability here.
SOURCE: HardwareZone SG

Pokdepinion: While it may seem pricey for the specs, you do get a very compact full-specced gaming rig for the price.
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Intel Core i9-12900K Review — is this Intel’s redemption arc?

It is quite surprising that Intel decided to unveil the 12th Gen Intel Core processors so soon, considering that they just announced the 11th Gen Intel Core lineup earlier this year. But while the short gap between the 11th Gen and 12th Gen might make you think that it is a mere refresh, the reality is that it is everything but that. Let’s go over the architecture briefly, before we get to the actual review.—
Intel Core i9-12900K: a fresh take on x86 processors
New Hybrid Architecture

Unlike earlier processors, the Intel Core i9-12900K sports a hybrid architecture that combines performance cores (P-cores) based on Golden Cove core architecture, with efficient cores (E-cores) based on Gracemont core architecture, which is meant to improve scalability across multi-threaded apps. And interestingly enough, while such an architecture would be perfect for a multi-chip module (MCM) design, Intel made a monolithic die, combining both core architectures.

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PCIe 5.0 and DDR5 Support + Intel Z690 chipset
Along with these new architectures, Intel is also adding both PCIe 5.0 and DDR5 support to the 12th Gen Intel Core processors. This is a pretty big step forward, especially when just a year ago, they were lagging behind AMD with the lack of PCIe 4.0 support with the 10th Gen Intel Core support. Intel now literally leapfrogs over AMD with the DDR5 and PCIe 5.0 support on the 12th Gen Intel Core processors, although you can probably expect AMD to respond soon enough.

The processor itself is not the only one that gets a huge step forward, but the chipset too, as the Intel Z690 chipset now offers 12 PCIe 4.0 lanes and 16 PCIe 3.0 lanes, which allows for some really insane storage configurations, if the motherboard vendors decide to offer that. The link between the 12th Gen Intel Core CPU and Intel Z690 chipset takes a huge leap forward too, offering double the bandwidth over the Intel Z590 and the 11th Gen Intel Core processors with a new DMI 4.0 x8 link.
Interestingly, power consumption has not substantially increased, with both the Intel Z590 and Intel Z690 rated with a 6W TDP. When AMD released the AMD X570 chipset, virtually all the AMD X570 motherboards at launch had to have active cooling for the chipset due to its insane 11W TDP. And you can pretty obviously see that all Intel Z690 motherboards do not have active cooling for their chipsets, so I guess there’s definitely something here.
New Intel 7 manufacturing process

Intel also decided to manufacture the Intel Core i9-12900K on the 10nm Enhanced SuperFin (Intel 7) node, that’s an improved version of the 10nm SuperFin process that Intel used for the Tiger Lake mobile processors. With new core architectures on a new process node, the Intel Core i9-12900K is a huge leap of faith for Intel, and a major departure from their previous cadence of process-architecture or the later process-architecture-optimization. Does it pay off? Well, that’s what we are here to see.
Intel Core i9-12900K Specifications

Cores / Threads
16C (8P + 8E) / 24T

P-core / E-core Base Clock
3.2 / 2.4 GHz

Single P-core / Single E-core Turbo
5.1 (5.2 with ITBM 3.0) / 3.9 GHz

Cache
14MB L2
30MB L3

Memory
Up to 128GB, 2-channel, DDR4-3200 / DDR5-4800

Integrated Graphics
Yes, Intel UHD Graphics 770 @ up to 1.55GHz

PCIe
16 PCIe 5.0 + 4 PCIe 4.0 lanes
DMI 4.0 x8 to Intel Z690 chipset

TDP
125W (241W Max Turbo Power)

Process
Intel 7

Socket
LGA1700

Test System
12th Gen Intel Core Test Platform

CPU
Intel Core i9-12900K

Cooler
ROG Ryujin II 360

Motherboard
ASUS ROG Maximus Z690 Hero (BIOS ver.0702)

GPU
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Ti Founders Edition

Memory
2 x 16GB Kingston FURY Beast DDR5-5200 CL40

Storage
Kingston NV1 1TB
Kingston UV500 1TB
Seagate FireCuda SSHD 1TB
Kingston KC2500 1TB

Power Supply
Cooler Master V850 Platinum

Case
Vector Bench Case

OS
Windows 11 Pro 21H2 (22000.282)

For the stock settings, we set the BIOS to enforce all of Intel’s limits, and all the voltages were set to Auto in the BIOS. The Kingston FURY Beast DDR5-5200 memory’s XMP profile was enabled, but aside from that, everything was set to default. The default settings includes a rather generous 241W for both PL1 and PL2, a rather substantial change from the Core i9-10900K and Core i9-11900K’s 125W PL1 and 250W PL2. The manual overclocking settings are as follows:

P-core multiplier: Sync all cores, 52X (5.2GHz)
E-core multiplier: Sync all cores, 41X (4.1GHz)
Cache: Min/Max 44X (4.4GHz)
Bclk: 100MHz
Vcore: 1.375V, LLC @ L5

11th Gen Intel Core Test Platform

CPU
Intel Core i9-11900K (5.1GHz all-core, 4.6GHz cache)

Cooler
Cooler Master ML240R

Motherboard
ASUS ROG Maximus XIII Hero (BIOS ver.1007)

GPU
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Ti Founders Edition

Memory
2 x 8GB Kingston FURY Renegade RGB DDR4-4600 CL19

Storage
Kingston UV400 120GB
Kingston UV500 1TB
Seagate FireCuda SSHD 1TB
Kingston KC2500 1TB

Power Supply
Cooler Master V850 Platinum

Case
Vector Benchcase

OS
Windows 11 Pro 21H2 (22000.282)

Performance
As we are finally moving on to Windows 11 for our benchmarks, we will only be comparing against the 11th Gen Intel Core i9-11900K that we were using as a part of our test bench platform previously. And to up the stakes, we will be comparing the Intel Core i9-12900K at both stock and overclocked settings against the overclocked Core i9-11900K.
We will also be making references to the AMD Ryzen 9 5950X here and there, but we won’t be including the scores in the charts as they might not be directly comparable in most cases as we didn’t get the opportunity to retest the AMD processor on Windows 11. For the Ryzen 9 5950X scores that we will be referring to in the following paragraphs, head on over to the AMD Ryzen 9 5950X review.
Cinebench R20

Cinebench R20 shows that the Intel Core i9-12900K is a lot faster than the overclocked Core i9-11900K. Single-core performance of the stock Core i9-12900K is up a massive 23% here versus the 11th Gen Intel Core part, while multi-core is up an even more insane 65%. Once overclocked, we get the multi-scores to go up by nearly 7%, while single-core scores remain virtually unchanged. That’s because we managed to hit the same 5.2GHz overclock, albeit the manual overclock giving you 5.2GHz on all cores, instead of just on a single-core.
At stock, single-threaded applications can see 5.2GHz occasionally on the P-cores, while maxing out the utilization of all cores will see the P-cores drop to 4.9GHz, while the E-cores run at 3.7GHz. The cache also drops to just 3.6GHz under load, which is quite slow. It seems that overclocking the E-cores doesn’t yield much, as while those cores are now 10% faster, the 7% higher multi-core score seems to be mainly be the result of the 6% overclock on the P-cores (5.2GHz vs 4.9GHz).
As compared to the scores we achieved with a stock Ryzen 9 5950X, the stock Intel Core i9-12900K delivers about 20% higher single-core scores, and close to 2% faster multi-core scores. Once we enable PBO, the single-core gap remains pretty similar, but the multi-core scores of the AMD processor is now nearly 11% higher versus the stock Core i9-12900K, or a mere 3% faster than the overclocked Core i9-12900K.
The manual overclock of the Ryzen 9 5950X drops the single-core scores very significantly, with the OC-ed Core i9-12900K now scoring 28% more. But when it comes to multi-core, the overclocked AMD processor pulls ahead of the overclocked Core i9-12900K by 8% in Cinebench R20.
3DMark CPU Profile

The 3DMark CPU Profile sees that the difference between the Core i9-11900K and the Core i9-12900K from 1-thread all the way to 4-thread to be rather small. However the gap quickly widens once we get to 8-thread and 16-thread, since the Core i9-11900K is an 8C/16T processor, while the Core i9-12900K is a 16C/24T one. At max-thread, we are looking at a near 37% improvement over the Core i9-11900K with the stock Core i9-12900K. The overclock gives it a 7% boost here, although you can see that the all-core overclock mainly comes in handy when the thread count increases, just like what we saw in Cinebench R20.
7-zip

This is probably the most interesting benchmark that we will be looking at today. The Core i9-11900K actually scores a win in the single-threaded compressing section of the benchmark. I do believe that this might be due to the difference in cache, as the results from the stock Core i9-12900K also pulls ahead of the manually overclocked Core i9-12900K. The cache frequency of the Core i9-12900K can opportunistically go much higher under light loads, like a single-threaded test, but our sample here only managed to be stable at up to 4.4GHz cache under heavier loads.
7-zip gives the win to the Core i9-11900K overall when it comes to single-threaded performance, and the AMD Ryzen 9 5950X is also evidently faster than the Core i9-12900K in this benchmark. Based on the overall ratings, we are seeing the Ryzen 9 5950X with PBO enabled being 12% faster than the overclocked Core i9-12900K.

But then again, no one will be using 7-zip with only a single thread, so let’s take a look at the all-core performance. Overall, the stock Core i9-12900K is nearly 48% faster, while the overclock tacks on an extra 6.5% of performance. Once again, the overclock doesn’t seem to be doing a whole lot to boost performance, which is a good thing if you don’t plan on overclocking. We will get to that in a bit.
Compared to the AMD Ryzen 9 5950X, the playing field is a lot more level. The AMD processor takes the win in the Decompressing section, pulling a good 46% faster score, while the overclocked Core i9-12900K takes the win in the Compressing section, with a 35% lead here. The AMD Ryzen 9 5950X still wins overall, with it getting a 15% higher overall score in 7-zip.
3DMark Time Spy

3DMark Time Spy gives the stock Intel Core i9-12900K a 44% lead over the overclocked Core i9-11900K. The manual overclock only gave us less than 3% higher performance in this benchmark. Since 3DMark Time Spy is a good gauge of gaming performance, this is a sign of things to come.

Interestingly enough, the CPU overclock does give the Intel UHD Graphics 770 a slight boost in terms of performance. A very minor one, but one that was repeatable across three runs of 3DMark Time Spy. In any case, we are seeing  a healthy 16% improvement over the Core i9-11900K’s UHD Graphics 750. We are now nearly as fast as some of the slower 64EU Intel Gen11 iGPU laptops, like the ASUS ZenBook 14 UX425, which is pretty impressive.
Multitasking Workload (Lightroom Classic + Premiere Pro)

This is a scripted benchmark test provided by Intel which runs Lightroom Classic concurrently with Premiere Pro, and we are using the time taken to export a 4K video. Instead of using NVENC for accelerating this, we are using Intel QuickSync to accelerate the video export instead, to really test what Intel has to offer. We actually see a pretty huge uplift when it comes to export times, which is really interesting.
Premiere Pro used the Intel QuickSync encoder to export the video nearly 50% faster, all while the Lightroom images are being exported. The Lightroom export export also saw the export time reduced very significantly, with the Intel Core i9-12900K taking twice as long to export the 100 images in the workload. It seems that the manual overclock once again doesn’t do much here, which seems to be quite the theme with the Intel Core i9-12900K.
Gaming

Gaming performance is very good, as you would expect. Manually overclocking yields very minimal improvements in most games, with the biggest gap seen in Shadow of the Tomb Raider and The Riftbreaker, although it is worth mentioning that we specifically went for the CPU benchmark option to better illustrate the difference. In any case, we are looking at a 7% uplift on average with the stock Intel Core i9-12900K versus the OC-ed Core i9-11900K, while slapping an OC on the Core i9-12900K widens the gap to 8%. If you are mainly gaming, just leave it on auto.
Clocks, Thermals, Power

Average Clocks [GHz]
Average Vcore [V]
Average CPU consumption [W]
Average Temps [°C]

Stock
P-core: 4.9GHz
E-core: 3.7GHz
1.17
173.10
66

Manual OC
P-core: 5.2GHz
E-core: 4.1GHz
1.345
225.78
79

It seems that at stock, while the 241W PL1 and PL2 limit might have raised some eyebrows, the Intel Core i9-12900K isn’t actually that power hungry. In Realbench, we saw it draw 173W on average, with a rather low 177W peak, which resulted in relatively cool temperatures of 66°C on average, with a 73°C peak. Of course, we are also looking at a Ryujin II 360 with max RPM on its fans and pump, so it does get some pretty good cooling.
The manual OC sees the average power draw go up to 226W, but the peak power draw is much higher now. It draws up 261W, and the average temperatures also reflect it. The peak temperature is now a pretty toasty 94°C, although the average temps are much more acceptable at 79°C. It really feels like manually overclocking the Intel Core i9-12900K isn’t exactly worth it. Or maybe more tweaking was in order, to really optimize the power draw to performance.
Conclusion
While the 11th Gen Intel Core i9-11900K paled in comparison to the competition, I would say that Intel is definitely back in a huge way with the 12th Gen Intel Core i9-12900K. Aside from being competitive in terms of performance, Intel priced the Intel Core i9-12900K pretty strategically at around $589 (~RM2446). With this processor being able able to trade punches with the Ryzen 9 5950X while coming in at just a smidge more expensive than the Ryzen 9 5900X, this is a pretty enticing option for the enthusiasts out there. It is worth mentioning that Intel is stating their RCP, while AMD stated their MSRP, so it isn’t an apples-to-apples comparison, but it should provide a pretty good idea of the pricing.
Overall, I am quite impressed by this processor, and I do enjoy having the future-proofing of PCIe 5.0 and DDR5 on this platform. The idea that I can skimp and get a DDR4 motherboard while still enjoying PCIe 5.0 is also something that I quite like. And the Intel Z690 platform is also great for those who really like to pack a ton of fast storage into their PCs. I can’t say that Intel has made the perfect processor though.

The power consumption and cooling needed to tackle this processor is going to be a concern for most people, and especially so if overclocked. The good thing is that the traditional way of manually overclocking it seems to yield very marginal improvements, so running stock settings might be the best way to use the Intel Core i9-12900K. Which is rather ironic, given that this is an unlocked processor.
Intel seems to have taken an approach that squeezed out what might be the best performance out of these processors, while still leaving some room for manual overclocking. It might also be possible that tuning the hybrid architecture requires more finesse than just slapping a fixed overclock on everything, as it seems like the boost algorithms are refined enough that we can worsen performance in certain workloads by manually overclocking. Well, all in all, an interesting comeback from Intel, and all I can say is that this is really proof that competition drives innovation.

Our thanks to Intel for sending us the Intel Core i9-12900K for review. We would also like to thank ASUS Malaysia for providing us the ROG Maximus Z690 Hero and ROG Ryujin II 360, as well as Kingston for the Kingston FURY Beast DDR5-5200 memory kit.
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[E3 2018] Anthem Gets New Cinematic and Gameplay Trailers – All Aboard the Hype Train

One of the most highly anticipated games from EA, Anthem, finally has some solid details revealed at EA Play 2018 @ E3 2018. If you’re not excited for the game, this might just change your mind.
E3 2018: Anthem Gets New Cinematic and Gameplay Trailers

Today, during the EA Play press conference, BioWare finally showcased a new cinematic trailer as well as a gameplay trailer for its upcoming multiplayer action RPG Anthem.
The trailer focuses on the story and the world of the game, providing a look at the dangers that lurk in the wilds. We also take a look at some of the characters that we’ll meet, which as usual play a central role in BioWare games. You can check out the cinematic trailer at the top of this post, and see if it gets you excited about the story and the characters you’ll meet in this new game.

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As for the gameplay portion for Anthem, the game will place quite a lot of emphasis on storytelling and loot, which may remind some people of Destiny even if the approach appears to be quite different here.
It’s a shared world as you do the missions with other players, but when you get back to the hub it works as a single player game, in which you can live your own story. It’ll also be possible to challenge missions solo, but it will be more difficult.
We also received more info on pre-orders, and on the two editions, which will be a standard one and a “Legion of Dawn” edition. Those who pre-order the Anthem standard edition will receive a legendary weapon and the Legion of Dawn Armor Pack for the Ranger Javelin. As for the Legion of Dawn Edition for pre-order or after launch, gamers will receive the full set of Legion of Dawn Armor Packs (including the Ranger Javelin Legion of Dawn Armor Pack), a Ranger Javelin gear attachment, the digital soundtrack and more.
Players will be able to customize their characters, and they will be able to personalize their Javelin as well, both in colors and in geometry. There will be cosmetic items available for purchase, but there won’t be any loot boxes. It will also be impossible to purchase anything that influences gameplay.
The whole single player story will also be available at launch, though the game may see additional story content somewhere down the road.
Anthem will be coming to the PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC on 22nd February 2019.
For more developments and news on EA’s reveals at E3 2018, be sure to stay tuned to Pokde.net :)
Pokdepinion: This is definitely the one I’ll be looking forward to among all the other announcements at EA Play 2018 @ E3 2018. Anthem looks gorgeous, to say the least. I’m hoping it doesn’t end up a disappointment like how Destiny 2 turned out.
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Blizzard Bans AU Hearthstone Team for “Free Hong Kong” Sign

Happy to announce the AU Hearthstone team received a six month ban from competition. While delayed I appreciate all players being treated equally and no one being above the rules. pic.twitter.com/mZStoF0e0t— Casey Chambers (@Xcelsior_GU) October 16, 2019

Blizzard is the subject of controversy as of late, especially with the removal of Hearthstone player blitzchung with regards to the Hong Kong riots. It looks like that’s not the end as they’ve already banned the American University Hearthstone team for showing a “Free Hong Kong” sign.
The American University Hearthstone team recently threw up a sign during a livestreamed match which said “Free Hong Kong, boycott Blizz”. Initially, it seemed like no punishments were coming their way so they voluntarily dropped out of future tournaments. Shortly after, they received a 6-month ban.
Every voice matters at Blizzard and we strongly encourage everyone in our community to share their viewpoints in the many places available to express themselves. However, the official broadcast needs to be about the game and competition, and to be a place where all are welcome.Blizzard
The official ruling here is that they’ve violated a sportsmanship rule, according to team member Casey Chambers. It’s clear that this was done in solidarity with Chung “blitzchung” Ng, who got banned for relaying a similar message albeit in voice.

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The pressure is certainly building towards Blizzard. This resulted in company president J. Allen Brack releasing a statement which says that blitzchung wasn’t banned for the message, but rather for breaking a general rule which states that Blizzard can punish players for “engaging in any act that, in Blizzard’s sole discretion, brings you into public disrepute”.
It’s worth noting that blitzchung’s 12-month ban has been reduced by half, and his prize money was returned to him.
Source: Kotaku
Pokdepinion: This issue is turning out to be a much bigger mess than I expected. If the protests continue to grow in momentum, I wonder if Blizzard will take any actions directly to address it.
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Redmi Note 9T specs leaked out by Amazon before launch

Xiaomi has only revealed a teaser for the Redmi Note 9T launch event, but Amazon Germany has listed the full specifications and even the pricing of the upcoming mid-range device. The Redmi Note 9T is launching this Friday, and based on the information revealed by Amazon Germany, it will be a pretty interesting affordable 5G offering.

Turns out the Redmi Note 9T 5G has also been listed on Amazon (Germany). Amazon is on “Fire” today 🤪#Xiaomi #Redmi #RedmiNote9T pic.twitter.com/omlp0wc66s
— Mukul Sharma (@stufflistings) January 4, 2021

According to the leak, the device will be priced starting from €229.90 (~RM1132). The Redmi Note 9T will pack a MediaTek Dimensity 800U chipset, 4GB RAM and up to 128GB of storage. On the front, the display is going to be a 6.53″ FHD+ display with a 90Hz refresh rate. There is a triple camera setup on the back of the device, and a 5000mAh battery to keep everything running.

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These leaked specifications pretty much confirms that this is a rebranded Redmi Note 9 5G with some tweaks to the RAM and storage configurations. The latter device is available in China starting from 1299 CNY (~RM807) with 6GB RAM and 128GB storage, so if the Redmi Note 9T makes it to our shores, we should be able to see it priced lower here than in the EU.
Redmi Note 9T Specs *leaked*

MediaTek Dimensity 800U, octa-core @ up to 2.4GHz, 7nm
4GB RAM
Up to 128GB storage
6.53″ FHD+ display, 90Hz refresh rate
48MP + 8MP ultra wide-angle + 2MP macro
13MP selfie camera
5000mAh battery
4GB + 64GB: €229.90 (~RM1132)
4GB + 128GB: €269.90 (~RM1329)

Source
Pokdepinion: I seriously wonder why hasn’t Redmi started on the the Redmi Note 10 series instead.
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MSI SPATIUM M480 PCIe 4.0 NVMe M.2 1TB SSD Review — premium performance

MSI SPATIUM M480 1TB
MSI SPATIUM M480 2TB
MSI might not be the first brand you think of when you are looking for storage, but hey, they have added some into their fold now. The MSI SPATIUM M480 PCIe 4.0 NVME M.2 not only makes its mark as the first SSD MSI has ever made, but is also the first PCIe 4.0 SSD they have in their lineup. Pretty interesting stuff, right? Well, let’s check it out.

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Unboxing

The packaging of the MSI SPATIUM M480 looks good. The capacity and rated speeds are very clearly highlighted with a sticker at the top. You also get a nice stylized peek at the drive inside, but we will get to that in just a bit.

The back doesn’t have more details about the drive aside from mentioning the warranty period and the fact that it supports the PCIe 4.0 x4 NVMe interface.

In the box we have nothing much aside from the MSI SPATIUM M480 itself, protected by clear plastic. There’s also an installation guide, although I kinda doubt that you will need to read it to install a M.2 SSD.
Appearance

The MSI SPATIUM M480 touts some nice golden accents on its sticker, although you definitely won’t see it with most motherboards. There’s actually another version of the SPATIUM M480 with an actual heatsink with these accents, but unfortunately we didn’t get to check that out. I am quite surprised that MSI didn’t park the SPATIUM series under their MEG series though, considering the use of the gold accents on the packaging and drive here.

As we have the 1TB version, the back of the PCB doesn’t have any chips. You do get a sticker here, although this one only tells you that you will void your warranty if you remove it. The 2TB version will presumably have NAND modules here to make up the capacity.
Specifications
MSI SPATIUM M480 PCIe 4.0 NVMe M.2

Capacity
1TB (931TB usable)

Interface
M.2 PCIe 4.0 x4

NAND Type
256GB Micron 96-layer 3D TLC NAND

DRAM Cache
1GB DDR4

Controller
Phison E18

Rated speed
Sequential:
Read: Up to 7000MB/s Write: Up to 5500MB/s

Endurance
700TBW

Dimensions
80 mm X 22 mm X 2.15 mm

Weight
8 gram

Included accessories
N/A

Warranty
5 years

Test System

CPU
Intel Core i5-11600K

Cooler
Cooler Master ML240R

Motherboard
GIGABYTE AORUS Z490 MASTER

GPU
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Ti Founders Edition

Memory
2 x 8GB KLEVV BOLT XR DDR4-3600 CL18

Storage
512GB Plextor M9PeY PCIe 3.0 x4 NVMe SSD
1TB MSI SPATIUM M480 PCIe 4.0 x4 NVMe SSD

Power Supply
Cooler Master V850 Gold

Performance
Synthetic

CrystalDiskMark shows that MSI didn’t overclaim when it comes to the rated speeds. The MSI SPATIUM M480 hit 7069.77MB/s read and 5438.09MB/s write speeds, which is about right on the money, with MSI claiming that the drive is capable of 7000MB/s read and 5500MB/s write.

AS SSD puts it down a notch, with the drive still putting out a respectable 5784.82MB/s read and 5157.80MB/s write. With that said, speeds of above 5GB/s is nothing to scoff at.

Anvil’s Storage Utilities sees it slightly slower, but it still maintains speeds well above the 5000MB/s mark.

This linear write test in AIDA64 puts the drive through continuous writes, and we can see that the MSI SPATIUM M480 maintains speeds of around 5.2GB/s until about the 33% mark, which should be its SLC cache capacity. After some massive fluctuations, we see that it manages speeds of around 1GB/s, averaging 2.2GB/s at the end of the test.

One thing we noted with the MSI SPATIUM M480 is that you should definitely slap a heatsink onto it. While shorter benchmarks didn’t really affect it, when we subjected the MSI SPATIUM M480 to the AIDA64 linear write test, it hit around 52°C even with our AORUS Z490 MASTER’s heatsink slapped onto it. It can quite easily throttle without one, which is something that you might want to take note of. With that said, you can probably run it without one if you are only going to use it for general daily tasks and not constantly writing to it.
Real-world

It seems that while the benchmark performance is excellent, our game-loading test shows that it isn’t the fastest SSD when it comes to game loading times, at least in Final Fantasy XIV: Stormblood. With that said, only the Kingston KC2500 is just a smidge faster, with the MSI SPATIUM M480 outperform the rest of the stack quite easily.

The MSI SPATIUM M480 is quite expensive, even when stacked up against other PCIe 4.0 x4 drives in the same performance bracket. With a RM1175 MSRP, you are essentially paying RM1.175 per GB, which is about the price that you would expect to pay for an SSD about two years ago.
Conclusion
For their first storage product, the MSI SPATIUM M480 is quite impressive. It has good performance and while you will most probably not see it once you have it installed in your build, it actually looks quite nice as well. RM1175 is definitely on the higher side of things when it comes to PCIe NVMe SSDs, but the actual market price is slightly lower, and well in line with the rest of the PCIe 4.0 SSDs capable of 7000MB/s speeds.

While I personally still think that PCIe 4.0 SSDs aren’t necessary yet in PCs if you are a gamer, but if you need the faster storage speeds, this is a great option. There’s also the point that “there’s no such thing as overkill”, which is a perfectly valid reason to get a PCIe 4.0 drive like the MSI SPATIUM M480. PlayStation 5 owners might also want to consider getting the MSI SPATIUM M480 to upgrade their storage, as it easily exceeds the PS5’s 5500MB/s speed requirement.

Our thanks to MSI Malaysia for sending us the MSI SPATIUM M480 for review. You can check out the MSI SPATIUM M480 on Shopee via this link. Alternatively, you can also check it out on MSI’s Webstore via the following links:
MSI SPATIUM M480 1TB
MSI SPATIUM M480 2TB
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Discord Store Global Beta is Now Live for Everyone

A couple of months back, Discord launched its Game Store beta for a limited number of users. Now, it has been expanded to include all Discord users and dubbed the Discord Store Global Beta.
For those not previously familiar with the storefront, the Discord Store Global Beta is available directly within the app itself, along with a universal library that lets one find and launch any game they own, no matter which service the game is from. Clicking on the Store option will bring you to the curated storefront that already features tons of previously released games as well as some new, exclusive “First on Discord” games.
One of these games is a multiplayer top-down game from Mild Beast Games called At Sundown. It will be available for PC exclusively on their Store before it launches for the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. Looks like there will be plans for more exclusives for the storefront coming in the future to attract more users as a viable alternative to existing ones out there.

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While the Discord Store Global Beta is now available for all users, we’re not expecting to see a huge user base for it just yet, especially with giants like Steam around. There’s definitely plenty of room for improvement on this and I’m sure they’re working on making it a much better place based on users’ feedback.
For now, you can check the store out for yourself by clicking right here.
Pokdepinion: Guess everyone trying to expand their line of business. We might not see it as a huge move for now but it might be different somewhere down the road.
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Genshin Impact 2.4 Leaks Unveil Zhongli and 2 Other Banner Reruns

The latest Genshin Impact 2.4 leaks have revealed a Zhongli character banner rerun, alongside two other characters. If you’re planning as far ahead as possible, then here’s what you need to know.
Genshin Impact 2.4 Leaks: Zhongli and 2 Other Banner Reruns

Explaining it further, ALL 4 of Shenhe / Zhongli / Xiao / Ganyu should be in 2.4 Banners.
I’m not sure if it would be Shenhe and Zhongli then Xiao and Ganyu OR Shenhe then Xiao and Ganyu and Zhongli but it’s likelier to be the latter.
— UBatcha (@Ubatcha1) November 25, 2021

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As mentioned by infamous leaker UBatcha, we can expect to see Zhongli, Xiao, and Ganyu alongside Shenhe in Genshin Impact 2.4. While there were some hints of it in the beta, the information was said to have come from a personal source, which is likely kept secret to avoid causing trouble.
This shouldn’t be much of a surprise, at least for some of those characters, as Ganyu was already highly speculated to be part of the next set of character banners in Genshin Impact 2.4. Hopefully for those of you who are still clamoring for the characters or simply looking to strengthen them, it will end up being true. Do take this information with a grain of salt either way.
Genshin Impact is currently available for free on the PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Android, iOS, and PC. A Nintendo Switch port of the game coming in the near future. Update 2.4 is expected to launch sometime in early January 2022 for all available platforms.
Source
Pokdepinion: Time for daddy Zhongli supremacy to rise once again. The dude can really tank a lot of damage and I’m looking to boost his constellation.
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Dynasty Warriors 9 To Have 60 FPS Option; No Nintendo Switch Version

The upcoming entry to Koei Tecmo’s popular hack & slash series, Dynasty Warriors 9, will have the option to play at 60 FPS. No Switch version at the moment.
Dynasty Warriors 9 To Have 60 FPS Option

Koei Tecmo’s NiOh was one of the first games to offer different graphics settings on this generation of consoles, allowing players to favour higher frame rate or resolution. The publisher’s next big title, Dynasty Warriors 9, will follow in William’s footsteps.

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Game producer Akihiro Suzuki revealed during a chat that the PS4 Pro and Xbox One X will be supported, and they will have a mode providing stable 30 frames-per-second with higher level of detail, and another running at 60 frames-per-second with dynamic adaptive resolution to keep the action smooth.
In other words, you’ll either be experiencing high details in 30 FPS, or less detailed visuals but with buttery-smooth 60 FPS. Which one is better? Well, that depends on your taste and what you prefer in gaming but either way, it’s a good option to have.
On that note, he was also asked on whether a Nintendo Switch version might be considered, and Susuki-san clarified that at this moment the team isn’t thinking about something like that.
Dynasty Warriors 9 will be coming to the PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC in early 2018. In Japan however, it will be a PlayStation 4-exclusive.
If you want to check out some gameplay footages of Dynasty Warriors 9, the folks over at DualShockers got an inside look into the game. Check it out right here.

Pokdepinion: I’ve been a fan of Dynasty Warriors since I was 10 years old and it’s amazing to think how far the series has come. Sure, there are other more notable entries, especially the spin-off ones, but the main entry titles are usually the ones to look out for. Let’s see what Koei Tecmo has up their sleeves with Dynasty Warriors 9.
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Barista Refused To Serve Customer Who Was Wearing AirPods

Over in the US, it seems that a barista has interestingly refused to take orders from a person who was wearing Apple’s AirPods.
The incident happened at a place called The Takeout in Chicago, where the wearer was clearly offended with the ordeal. The man, who’s called Kevin complained “I was at the coffee shop counter, and the cashier wouldn’t take my order until I took off my AirPod! And it was only in one ear! Am I the ***hole here?”.
In response, the waitress, said that in her defense “I am trying hard here to give you the benefit of the doubt. Perhaps you were in the middle of a very important phone call/ podcast/ guitar riff that could not be paused for the 30 or so seconds it takes to order a cup of coffee. In which case, you very politely step aside to conclude your business and then order your coffee”.

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She then suggested that if Kevin wanted to embrace technology so much, he could’ve went to either Starbucks or Dunkin’ Donuts instead where their apps allow you to order and he can pick up a coffee without any human interaction.
Additionally she adds “Because that’s the thing, sweetie pie. THE CASHIER IS A HUMAN BEING! JUST LIKE YOU! Their role in your life may be temporary and functional, but they’ve got feelings and hopes and dreams and aspirations. And like you (probably) they would like your full and undivided attention while you ask them to perform a service for you”.
Pokdepinion: I won’t be taking sides in this argument… but it’s not that hard to pull out both your earbuds/AirPods for just a little while..
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WhatsApp was set on introducing a number of privacy-based features, including the highly-anticipated disappearing messages. Now, iOS users can get their hands on it early in the latest beta version of the popular messaging app.
WhatsApp Beta for iOS Getting Disappearing Messages Feature

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As many of you already know, disappearing messages already made its way to Android but not for iOS. Now, WhatsApp beta for iOS finally has the feature, which means it wouldn’t take long before the feature makes its way to the final version for everyone to use.
The disappearing messages feature isn’t limited to just texts as it can apply to media as well, such as pictures, videos, and audio. In this case, it will disappear as soon as the receiver has seen it, which means they can only view it once. It’s also aptly called “view once” but it can only be used if both the receiver and sender have the feature.  Texts on the other hand will only disappear after 7 days.
In case you were curious, there is a dedicated timer in the caption input field when you send media, with a notification being sent as soon as the receiver opens it. With that being said however, the receiver can still take a screenshot before it disappears anyway.
Source
Pokdepinion: I still can’t believe Telegram has this feature for so long but WhatsApp is still struggling to put it in theirs. Either there must have been some major changes in the system infrastructure or the developers aren’t certain of how to properly implement it. Only time will tell, I suppose.
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Windows 11 Is Testing Downloading Apps Through Search Bar

This new feature is available in the highly experimental Canary channel, for now.

The new Windows 11 Build 25330 has introduced a few improvements here-and-there, though most notably is the new app download through search feature. As it implies – you can search up any apps you need, then click download from there, skipping the store page entirely. However, this is only limited to free apps, so any paid stuffs will still go through the conventional route (which contains improved UI to better fit Windows 11’s design language).

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Another update is the Wheel devices setting (intended for devices such as Surface Dial), which are now redesigned to match the look of Windows 11 as well. Apart from that, there’s minor changes, including: pressing PrtScn (Print Screen) key will now bring up Snipping Tool first by default, though this can be reverted back; the Camera app can now be uninstalled, and other minor UX changes.
You can read on the updates of the latest Canary build here.
Source: PCWorld
Pokdepinion: Should speed up the first-time setup with this feature, though it’d be great if Win32 apps are also supported.
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Microsoft, Sony, and Nintendo Investigated Potentially For Breaking Consumer Protection Law

Microsoft, Sony, and Nintendo could possibly be in hot water right now as the Competition and Market Authority (CMA) in the United Kingdom is investigating them over several of their business practices.
Some of the issues that they’re looking at includes the companies’ auto-renewals for services such as Playstation Plus, Xbox Live, as well as Nintendo Switch Online. Additionally, CMA is looking deep into their cancellation, refund policy, and terms and conditions.
Besides of requesting the listed companies’ online gaming contracts, they’ve also asked for the public’s experience when it comes to using the services.

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The Chief Executive of CMA, Andrea Coscelli, has said given their view on the matter by saying “Should we find that the firms aren’t treating people fairly under consumer protection law, we are fully prepared to take action”.
Just recently, Sony has decided to update their cancellation policy over pre-order games, where they allow for customers to cancelled their pre-ordered games to get a full refund.
Pokdepinion: Well this is interesting. I wonder how will they react to the investigation. Let’s see how this pans out.
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Grand Prix Comes To Crash Team Racing Nitro-Fueled

Crash Team Racing Nitro-Fueled is out in the market just recently where it receive rave reviews from Metacritic and GameRankings. Now it seems that they don’t plan on stopping where they’ve released the game’s first ever Grand Prix.

Gamers who purchase the game will be able to play the first Grand Prix season called Nitro Tour for free, which gives fans more gameplay, including a brand-new track, Twilight Tour. In the map, it will take players on an epic ride through the shifts from day to night during gameplay.
Crash Team Racing Nitro-Fueled players will be able to compete in Grand Prix challenges and fuel up (pun intended) their Nitro Gauge with Nitro points, to earn rewards such as a new character called Tawna new character skins, new karts, and new kart customization items.

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Additionally, as part of the content being offered during the Nitro Tour Grand Prix, the in-game Pit Stop is being updated with new characters, skins, karts, and kart customization items. You can also use the Wumpa Coins that you earn by playing the game to unlock additional cool items such as the Nitro Squad as playable characters for the first time. Formerly known as the Trophy Girls in the original CTR, the Nitro Squad have come to compete as some of the fiercest racers around.
Pokdepinion: More content, more gameplay hours :P Have you been enjoying the game so far? Let us know in the comments!
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Playstation Plus Subscription Price To Be Increased — Starts On 1 August 2019

It’s been circulating that Sony/Playstation would increase the subscription fee of their online service and now it has become a reality. Starting from the 1st of August 2019, all three subscription periods will see an increase in price.
The new changes will see the following prices:

PlayStation Plus 12-months recurring payment plan will change to RM159
PlayStation Plus 3-months recurring payment plan will change to RM69
PlayStation Plus 1-month recurring payment plan will change to RM29

Before it is fully implemented, you can still purchase a PlayStation Plus subscription at the current price, which will then stack on to your current membership period.

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Playstation Asia has said that if you do not wish to continue with your subscription, you are advised to cancel it by turning off the auto-renewal option in your account settings before the 31st of July 2019.
Pokdepinion: Can’t say that I’m surprised, it’s been coming. Well I’m probably going to add another year to my subscription, just to save some money.
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POCO X4 Pro 5G and POCO M4 Pro announced from RM899 — here’s all you need to know about POCO’s latest mid-rangers!

POCO has just announced their latest mid-range offerings at MWC 2022, and they are also coming to Malaysia as early as 3rd March. The POCO X4 Pro 5G features some upgrades over its predecessor while the POCO M4 Pro brings about a more affordable option by losing the arguably unnecessary 5G connectivity capability. Without further ado, let’s check out what they have to offer.
POCO X4 Pro 5G: lower performance, but now with 5G!

We dubbed the POCO X3 Pro the “true heir to the POCO F1”, with it prioritizing raw performance over everything else. In contrast, it seems that the POCO X4 Pro 5G is less focused on all-out performance, and is intent on offering a better smartphone experience overall. With that comes a major downgrade in terms of its performance, going from the Snapdragon 860 to the decidedly weaker Snapdragon 695, but you do get 5G with the POCO X4 Pro 5G.

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Along with that, you also have a more premium 120Hz OLED display, versus last year’s 120Hz IPS panel, and the camera also received a major upgrade to a 108MP one. The charging speed is also significantly upgraded, with 67W fast charging, up from 33W in the POCO X3 Pro. I would say the design has matured as well, although that’s probably subjective, depending on your tastes.
POCO X4 Pro 5G Specs and Price in Malaysia

CPU
Snapdragon 695, 6nm FinFET
2 x Kryo 660 Gold (Cortex-A78) @ 2.2GHz + 6 x Kryo 660 Silver (Cortex-A55) @ 1.7GHz

GPU
Adreno 619

Memory
Up to 8GB (+3GB through RAM expansion)

Storage
Up to 256GB UFS 2.2 (expandable via microSD)

Display
6.67″ FHD+ (2400 x 1080) 120Hz AMOLED DotDisplay, 1200 nits peak brightness, DCI-P3 gamut support, Reading mode 3.0, Sunlight display, 360Hz touch sampling rate

Audio
Dual speakers
3.5mm headphone jack
Hi-Res Audio certification

Camera
Main camera: 108MP f/1.9, 1/1.52″ ISOCELL HM2, 0.7µm, 9-in-1 binning (2.1µm equiv.)
Ultra-wide: 8MP f/2.2, 118° FoV
Macro: 2MP f/2.4
AI Camera, Auto HDR, Pro Mode, Portrait, Beauty, Panorama, 1080p30 video recording

Selfie camera
16MP f/2.4 selfie camera

Connectivity
Hybrid dual SIM
WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac
Bluetooth 5.1
USB-C (USB 2.0, 480Mbps)
IR Blaster

Software
MIUI 13 based on Android 11

Battery
5000mAh
67W Turbo Charge (67W charger included in box)

Dimensions
164.19 x 76.1 x 8.12 mm

Weight
202g

Ingress protection
IP53

Price
6GB+128GB: RM1199
8GB+256GB: RM1499

POCO M4 Pro: OLED upgrade, 64MP camera in a fresh new design

For a more affordable option, there’s the POCO M4 Pro. The POCO M4 Pro is a slight downgrade from the POCO M4 Pro 5G, which as you would have gathered by the name, sports 5G. The POCO M4 Pro is based on the Helio G96, which is a touch slower than the Dimensity 810 that powered the POCO M4 Pro 5G. However, just like the POCO X4 Pro 5G, you lose some, and you win some. It is also a touch more affordable than its 5G-toting sibling.

The POCO M4 Pro gets a smaller 6.43″ display than its 5G brethren, but makes up for it in quality. This device packs an OLED panel that goes up to 1000 nits, and also supports the DCI-P3 color gamut for vibrant visuals. On the back, you get a new 64MP main camera, up from 50MP. There’s also an additional 2MP macro shooter, although this lacks autofocus or the telemacro capabilities that we have seen from some of POCO’s previous devices.
POCO M4 Pro Specs and Price in Malaysia

CPU
Helio G96, 12nm FinFET
2 x Cortex-A76 @ 2.05 GHz + 6 x Cortex-A55 @ 2.0 GHz

GPU
Mali-G57 MC2

Memory
Up to 8GB (+3GB through RAM expansion)

Storage
Up to 256GB UFS 2.2 (expandable via microSD)

Display
6.43″ FHD+ (2400 x 1080) AMOLED display, 90Hz refresh rate

Audio
Dual speakers
3.5mm audio jack, Hi-Res Audio certification

Camera
64MP f/1.8 main camera, PDAF
8MP f/2.2, 118-degree ultra-wide
2MP f/2.4, macro
AI Camera, Auto HDR, Pro Mode, Portrait, Beauty, Panorama

Selfie camera
16MP f/2.4 selfie camera

Connectivity
WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac
Bluetooth 5.0
USB-C (480Mbps)
IR Blaster

Software
MIUI 13 based on Android 11

Battery
5000mAh
33W fast charging

Dimensions
159.87 x 73.87 x 8.09 mm

Weight
179g

Ingress protection
IP53

Price
6GB: 128GB: RM899
8GB+256GB: RM1099

POCO M4 Pro and POCO X4 Pro 5G Availability

The POCO M4 Pro and POCO X4 Pro 5G will be available starting 3rd March, with the former being available exclusively on Lazada, and the latter available exclusively on Shopee. Early birds can get to enjoy significant discounts on the POCO M4 Pro and POCO X4 Pro 5G, with them available at the following prices on 3rd March:

POCO M4 Pro (Lazada): 6GB + 128GB at RM799, 8GB + 256GB at RM949
POCO X4 Pro 5G (Shopee): 6GB + 128GB at RM1099, 8GB + 256GB at RM1249

Pokdepinion: Hmm a performance downgrade for an overall feature set improvement… I am not sure how will that sit with POCO fans. Personally, not a huge fan of this move.
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SSD prices to go up with 6.5EB of 3D NAND lost to contamination

If you are looking for storage upgrades, you better buy it quickly. NAND flash prices are expected go up by 10% in Q2 2022. This is because Kioxia (Toshiba) and Western Digital reported that they lost 6.5 exabytes, or 6.5 million terabytes, of 3D NAND flash due to contamination in their production facilities.
6.5EB of 3D NAND lost to contamination to affect SSD prices by up to 10%
Production has also yet to resume at the affected Yokkaichi and Kiakami plants in Japan, so you can probably expect a pretty huge impact on the global supply of SSD storage products. According to statements by Kioxia and Western Digital, the contamination has affected the production of their 3D BiCS flash, and that they identified the issue in late January.
It’s unclear whether any contaminated 3D NAND has shipped out before the issue was detected though. If there were, Western Digital and Kioxia may have to pull off an arduous recall exercise that will include several brands since their 3D BiCS flash is used by other vendors like Kingston too.

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TrendForce puts Western Digital and Kioxia at 32.5% of the overall NAND flash market output, with this incident wiping out 13% of their Q1 production. As such, they are estimating NAND flash prices to go up by 5 to 10% in Q2 2022, owing to lower supply of NAND flash in the market.
Source
Pokdepinion: Hopefully prices of consumer drives won’t go up by too much…
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New WD My Passport SSD now available from RM599

External drives are a great way to store your files and carry them with you, as they offer more capacity than your average USB thumb drive while being faster as well. Western Digital’s new WD My Passport SSD gives you exactly that: huge capacities up to 2TB and blazing speeds of up to 1050MB/s.

The new WD My Passport SSD features a sleek metal shell that protects the solid state storage inside while offering a premium look and feel. It sports smooth rounded corners and soft edges contrasted by waving ridges to make it easy to carry around, while also being instantly recognizable as a member of the WD My Passport family. Speaking of being easy to carry around, you don’t have to worry about dropping it, as it is drop resistant up to 1.98m.

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The aforementioned high speeds are enabled by the use of PCIe NVMe technology inside along with the latest USB 3.2 Gen2 (10Gbps) interface. Read speeds reach up to 1050MB/s while write speeds can achieve 1000MB/s. The WD My Passport SSD is also secured with 256-bit AES hardware encryption to ensure that your precious data will be well protected.

You can get the WD My Passport SSD in 500GB and 1TB capacities for now, with the 2TB option arriving later this year. More colors including blue, red and gold will also be coming, but Gray is available now from LazMall, Shopee Mall and select retailers. Pricing are as follows:

500GB: RM599
1TB: RM1069
2TB: RM1999

All of the WD My Passport SSDs are covered by a five-year limited warranty.
Pokdepinion: It is pretty costly for the storage… Would probably prefer getting a standard M.2 SSD like the WD Blue SN550 and throwing it into an enclosure.
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Redmi Just Made A Phone Capable of 300W Charging

It’s a prototype based on its Note 12 Discovery Edition – but that charging power…
Image: Redmi (Weibo)
Smartphone companies, especially Chinese-based ones are very keen to push the limits on just how fast you can charge the battery to full capacity. This time around Redmi, the budget sub-brand of Xiaomi, has successfully developed a charging system that can push a staggering 300 watts to the phone’s 4,100mAh battery, completing the full charge in just 5 minutes.
Based on the infographic (in Chinese) posted on its Weibo page – the test started out with a heavily-modified version of the Note 12 Discovery Edition, with design improvements to the ‘charge pumps’ that achieves 98% conversion rate, which reduces the heat generation and provides additional thermal headroom for higher voltages and amperages. The test performed has seen the charging peaked at 290.6W, with sustained 280W for 2 minutes (nearly half of its entire charging duration).

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The battery itself has also been modified to receive these amount of power, with 35% thinner cathode and anodes and new additives to reduce heat generation. On the charger side, it now uses dual-GaN system that do not increase the physical footprint over Xiaomi’s previous-generation 210W charger. There’s various heat-dissipation elements at work here too, including the use of graphene and fluid-based cooling.
Redmi also touted over 50 charging protection systems in place, including individual sensors and over-voltage, over-amperage, overheating and output protections on each charge pumps, with battery PCM (protection circuit module) protected significantly over the industry standard. The company didn’t mention a potential release of this tech so far, but if it does – would you buy one?
Source: Wccftech | Weibo (1, 2)
Pokdepinion: My gaming laptop “only” comes with a 240W charging brick, mind you.
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Dell Mobile Connect Will Be Officially Discontinued Soon

The Dell Mobile Connect software, alongside Alienware Mobile Connect, will officially be discontinued starting 30th November 2022 globally, and 31st January 2023 for the US, Canada, and Japan specifically.
For those of you who aren’t aware, both Dell Mobile Connect and Alienware Mobile Connect allow you to use your iPhone and Android smartphone on your Dell PC / laptop. This includes screen mirroring, messaging, calls, and checking notifications. It even comes with a handy feature to transfer files wirelessly and with ease.

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While this wasn’t the cited reason, it’s likely due to Microsoft having a similar app called Phone Link for Windows OS. This is compatible with all desktops and laptops running Windows 10 and Windows 11, which makes it a more universal solution. However, it’s worth noting that Phone Link only works with Android devices at the moment.
Dell Mobile Connect will no longer be available to download starting 30th November 2022 globally so if you plan on using that for a while longer, make sure to have it downloaded by then.
Source
Pokdepinion: For iPhone users, I recommend keeping this for a while longer, at least until Phone Link officially adds iOS support. It’s a pretty useful feature to have, complete with a clean and user-friendly UI.
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