Huawei Mate S; the enhanced P8

When I reviewed the Huawei P8, I thought that it was about as premium as phones could get. I guess I was wrong. The Huawei Mate S ups the ante even further and brings an even more impressive package, at a price.

Unboxing

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The P8 had a plastic box while the Mate S comes in a hard paper box, but that doesn’t mean Huawei skimped on the packaging. It looks even better and you get a nice look at the Mate S as soon as you flip the cover open. The charger got an upgrade from the weak 1A version in the P8’s package to a faster 2A charger. The included earphones now look a lot more premium with its own plastic case and also some silver accents. The Mate S solved all my grouses with the P8’s package and I am a happy reviewer.

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Appearance
The Huawei Mate S doesn’t resemble the fruity smartphone as much as the P8, and I believe that is the way to go. The all aluminium body is finished in “Luxurious Gold” and it is indeed quite luxurious.

The front of the device is quite plain. At the top you will find the well hidden front-facing soft LED flash, the speaker, front-facing camera and the usual proximity sensor. On the lower edge you get the Huawei logo. The screen is once again framed by thin black lines which give the impression that this smartphone has an edge to edge display, an illusion which is further enforced by the low reflectivity of the AMOLED display and the soft 2.5D curves where the glass meets the metal sides.

The slightly curved back is dominated by a protruding camera and a less conspicuous fingerprint sensor under it. I do not see a need for the camera to be sticking out since the P8 fits the exact same camera module in an even thinner body without any camera bumps, so this should be a purely aesthetic decision made by the design team at Huawei. Oh and before you worry about scratches, the camera lens is protected by sapphire glass.

The edges are all chamfered for that extra-premium look. The bottom bears two grilles, with the loudspeaker behind one and the microphone behind the other. Screws are located on the far ends of the grilles instead of directly flanking the microUSB port, probably another move to step away from the fruity smartphone.

The left side is devoid of anything except the microSD/nanoSIM tray, which is as flush as can be with the surface. All the physical keys are located on the right side. The power button on the Mate S is once again textured with a concentric circle pattern so you can easily differentiate it from the smooth volume buttons. But judging from the length, its a difficult mistake to make.

The top is where you will find the 3.5 mm audio output port and a microphone hole.
The Mate S is a premium device through and through, and it also fixes the P8’s flaws like the overly sleek body with the slightly curved back. While you may not notice the camera on the P8, Huawei made sure you will not miss it on the Mate S thanks to the presence of the protruding camera lens.

Specification

CPU:
HiSilicon Kirin 935 64-bit (4 x A53e @ 2.2 GHz + 4 x A53 @ 1.5 GHz)

RAM
3GB LPDDR3

Display:
5.5″, FHD (1080p) AMOLED display

Storage:
64GB internal (expandable with microSD up to 128GB)

Camera:
13MP f/2.0 Sony IMX278 RGBW sensor with OIS
8MP f/2.4 front camera with soft LED flash

OS:
Android 5.1.1 with Emotion UI 3.1

SIM:
nanoSIM (dual SIM support, one slot doubles as microSD slot)

Battery:
2700 mAh (non-removable)

Performance
Huawei used their in-house HiSilicon Kirin 935 CPU which packs 4 Cortex-A53e cores which can go up to 2.2 GHz, and four slower Cortex-A53 cores maxing out at 1.5 GHz. The 935 gets slightly faster clocks compared to the 930 but everything else is brought over from the older part. The 8 cores are mated to 3GB of LPDDR3 RAM, and the Mali-T628 MP4 is once again responsible for processing all the pixels.
For tests that have detailed information, they will be in the thumbnails below the description of the benchmark.

3DMark is a GPU benchmark, so it is quite normal to see the Mate S not performing on par with the other flagships. The Mali-T628 MP4 is pretty antiquated and really does not belong in a late 2015 flagship. The older Huawei P8 also bests it here, a surprising find.

Antutu recently updated their benchmark to version 6.0, and all the weightage of each benchmark component has been revised, along with several other changes. So the Mate S scores 48723, which is pretty low. Current flagships packing the Snapdragon 810 score around 80000 points in this benchmark.

Geekbench is a pretty consistent benchmark, and with the Mate S performing worse than the P8 once again here, I believe that there is probably an optimization issue.

In PCMark the Mate S scores a respectable 4454, just a tiny bit lower than the P8. Once again, I believe an optimization issue is present here.

Worth noting that while the benchmark scores are pretty poor for a 2015 flagship, the user experience is far from sluggish.

The Mate S is powered by a 2700 mAh, marginally bigger than the P8’s. However the AMOLED display does offer some power savings over the P8’s IPS NEO display. It offered 8 hours and 15 minutes away from the charger with 4 hours and 6 minutes of OST on WiFi, pretty decent if you consider the rather small battery compared to its competitors. However switching over to data resulted in the battery dropping a lot more quickly.

User Experience
The first moment I held it, I was reassured that this is not a smartphone that will slip out of my hand. The curvature fits into the hand a lot better than the straight edges of the P8 and to be honest I have used this phone for 2 weeks, and it hasn’t slipped out of hands even once. Judging from the comfortable heft that it carries, it should be able to withstand a few hard drops when push comes to shove.

After going through some basic configurations, I was excited to try out the fingerprint sensor’s speed. The last device I used with a fingerprint sensor was the Samsung Tab S2 which had the home button doubling up as the fingerprint sensor, and I was really interested to see how does a rear fingerprint sensor fare in terms of ease of use. I am happy to report that the rear fingerprint sensor is really fast and the location really makes sense. You will naturally place your index or middle finger when you hold the Mate S, and in a split second your phone will be unlocked.
The nifty fingerprint sensor is not only good for unlocking and it can be used for other functions like opening the notification bar, taking a photo or just swiping through the gallery when you don’t want your finger blocking the view when you are showing off your camera shots. Definitely something that must be present in all proper 2015 flagships. In fact, after using the Mate S, I am wondering how am I going to use any smartphone without a fingerprint sensor.

Emotion UI 3.1 is a rather heavy-handed skin built on Android Lollipop 5.1.1 for the Mate S, with a lot of the material design elements removed. No app drawer, no double slide down to access quick settings, no app switching with cards and more. The built-in apps’ background will change according to the general color of your wallpaper. The notification bar also changes color according to your wallpaper. While stock Android attempts to make the notification bar seamlessly blend into your app, Huawei apparently forgot the memo and only did that for their own stock apps. The addition of dual windows is welcome but currently it is only limited to the built-in apps, not very useful yet. The images of the UI are from my review of the P8, but EMUI in the Mate S hasn’t changed from the P8, so rest assured that everything looks exactly alike. Luckily the big changes on the UI didn’t affect the performance, and everything was buttery smooth.

 Fingerprint gestures Gesture controlsFree-draw screenshot
Knuckle gestures are also improved in the Mate S with Knuckle Sense 2.0. Now you can take a screenshot of a non-rectangular area of your screen by using your knuckle. Knuckle gestures also work when the screen is off, allowing you to access certain apps directly with just a rap of your knuckle and drawing out the gesture. However it doesn’t quite work as expected if you have the fingerprint security mode on. You will be stuck at the PIN entry page before entering the desired app, which is quite pointless. You can actually enter the app faster by just unlocking the device with your fingerprint. Oh and double tap to wake is now available in the Mate S, but it is also rendered irrelevant with the presence of the fingerprint sensor.
Main flashSelfie flash
The camera sensor is brought over from the P8, and I am not complaining as it was a pretty good sensor. The front gets a 8MP sensor too, but has been upgraded with a front facing flash to brighten up your selfies in darker environments.

I really like the camera software by Huawei, a simple UI that looks similar to the one used in the fruity smartphone. All the magic is done in the background, and you get all you need: amazing looking images. The Mate S brings a proper Pro Camera mode, which offers manual exposure controls and manual focus. To be honest though, I am so pleased with the output produced with the automatic mode, I never used the Pro Camera mode at all during my review. The camera once again features the light trail modes which first appeared in the P8.

The camera doesn’t seem to have gotten any improvements at all. The auto mode sometimes takes HDR shots automatically, causing a little shutter lag, but OIS ensures that minor vibrations will not translate into blurry unusable shots. The auto HDR is especially helpful when taking back-lit photos of subjects. As you can see in the camera samples, the shot of the photographer in action is well exposed without the photographer becoming a silhouette or the background getting overexposed. Full sized camera samples can be found here.
Audio wise, it offers pretty much the same features as the P8, with a DTS mode when you plug in your headphones. Once again I will note the absence of a customizable equalizer to tune the audio output to your tastes. The single speaker on the bottom is loud enough to wake you up and is able to be pushed to maximum volume with distortion.

Up next, the 5.5″ 1080p AMOLED display. While it lags behind its peers which are now pushing QHD (1440p) and above, the Mate S’ 401ppi is more than what it takes for a display to look almost print-like. While the P8 had an excellent IPS display that had near-AMOLED contrast levels, this is a true AMOLED display, which means infinite contrast ratios and extremely wide viewing angles. Under direct sunlight, the Mate S automatically boosts the brightness of the darker regions of the displayed image so everything remains perfectly visible. The panel is protected by the latest Gorilla Glass 4 for stronger scratch resistance and overall strength.

Conclusion
The Huawei Mate S is an excellent device, bringing some useful upgrades over the already great P8. However it does cost a great deal more, with a price tag of RM2698. A hefty price tag like that puts it within range of even more powerful devices like the Samsung Galaxy Note 5 and of course, the Huawei Nexus 6P which will take the exact same amount out of your wallet, but offers a much beefier processor and fast updates, part of the pure Android experience. The uninspiring benchmark figures of the Mate S makes it even harder to justify paying such a huge amount for the Mate S. I really liked the Mate S, I really do, the smoothness of the UI, premium build, excellent fingerprint sensor and amazing camera are indeed flagship-level, but otherwise the price is just a little too high. If it came with the unique Force Touch feature that the other countries get, then it may be a different story, but the Mate S here fails to properly differentiate itself in the highly competitive flagship crowd.

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OPPO R9s Green Edition is open for pre-orders now; get it now to receive FREE laser engraving!

OPPO has just the device to turn your friends green with envy. The OPPO R9s Green Edition is now available for pre-orders at all OPPO Concept Sotres, e-commerce partners Lazada, 11street, Shopee and their electrical chain partner, Sen Heng during the pre-order period which will end on the 18th of August 2017.
The best part of this pre-order is that the OPPO R9s Green Edition will be priced at a discounted price of RM1798, and as a bonus for O-fans (yeah, that’s what OPPO calls their fans), OPPO KLCC Flagship Store will be offering a complimentary laser-engraving service for all who purchased the OPPO R9s Green Edition.

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In case you forgot what is the OPPO R9s, its the world’s best selling smartphone with a great 16MP f/1.7 rear camera. Specifications wise you will be getting a Snapdragon 625 mated to 4GB of RAM, 5.5″ FHD AMOLED panel and a 3010 mAh battery keeping everything up and running.
Pokdepinion: It seems like OPPO fans really enjoy having a new color option. The OPPO R9s Black Edition was a popular device and I believe the Green Edition may see similar demand. Although honestly green is far from my favorite color.
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[UNBOXING] Razer Raiju Gaming Controller

This is the official unboxing of the Razer Raiju gaming controller. It’s a major upgrade from the standard DualShock 4, and the review is coming out later in the evening. Check it out.

Unboxing the Razer Raiju Gaming Controller

We finally got our hands on the Razer Raiju gaming controller, a piece of gaming equipment that I myself have been wanting to try out for some time now. Unlike the standard DualShock 4 gaming controller, this one is bigger, both in size and in price. It’s also more comfortable and has a bunch of additional features.

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The Razer Raiju gaming controller was designed with the PlayStation 4 in mind, but it can also be used on PC. In fact, you can still retain the PS4 button layout on Steam if you’d like that. Just use the included Micro USB cable and you will be able to use it almost immediately.
Here are the specifications of the Razer Raiju gaming controller:
Razer Raiju Specs

4 additional full programmable buttons
Ergonomic shape and weight
Quick Control Panel for easy profile and audio customization
Optional trigger stop switches for rapid-fire
2 shoulder Hyperesponse Multi-Function Bumpers
2 removable Hyperesponse Multi-Function Triggers
4 Hyperesponse mechanical action buttons
4 button Quick Control Panel
Optional trigger stop switches for rapid-fire
Optional hair trigger mode for ultra-fast responses
3.5 mm audio port for stereo audio output and microphone input
Compatible with PC
In-mold rubber grips
2 optional analog stick rubber grip caps
Carrying case
Detachable 3 m / 10 ft lightweight braided cable with Micro-USB connector
Size : 168mm / 6.62” (Length) x 105mm / 4.14” (Width) x 65mm / 2.56” (Height)
Weight (With cable): 350g / 0.77lb

If you like what you see, just wait a little bit longer. The review will be up later in the evening at Pokde.net so stay tuned. Especially with many people unfamiliar with what makes the Razer Raiju gaming controller special. You’ll definitely want to stay tuned as this might just be the you’re next gaming peripheral, regardless of whether you game on the PlayStation 4 or on PC.
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God of War Release Date Confirmed ; Digital Pre-Order Starts From 24th January 2018!

Sony Interactive Entertainment Hong Kong has lift out the lid and has announce the official release date for God of War, which is a Playstation 4 exclusive title.
God of War Release Date

If you haven’t watched the trailer, it was out yesterday, creating a hype over the internet. The game picks off from the previous installment, but this time the game features the journey of Kratos as well as his newly introduced son. God of War is an action-adventure hack and slash video game series which is based on Greek mythology, but we can tell from the trailer that it will likely feature more of a Norse background this time around.
With the confirmation of the game’s release date confirmed, the digital pre-order will start from 24th January 2018 at the Playstation Store. In addition, for those who pre-order the Digital Standard Edition or Digital Deluxe Edition and owns a PS Plus membership, they will be getting two additional digital contents that includes;

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XP Boost
Buckler of the Forge
Shining Elven Soul-Shield
Dokkenshieldr
Grace of the Wander (PS Plus users only)
Defender of the Chosen (PS Plus users only)

Physical version pre-orders will start from the 24th of January and the God of War Journal Notebook will be given as premium while stocks last.
The suggested retail price of Blu-ray Disc Standard Edition will be RM229 and RM549 for the Blue-ray Disc Collector’s Edition. For digital versions, the Digital Standard Edition is priced at RM209 and the Digital Deluxe Edition will be RM249.
Pokdepinion: The internet was all over the place last night when the video came out, and rightly so. We’ve been waiting so long for the sequel to come. It will be interesting to see how he actually survived from the previous game (where he literally killed himself, i’m sorry if i spoiled the game, but it’s been a long time since it was release….. so yeah). Bet your dollar that i’ll be buying the game.
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HUAWEI Reveals New Intel-Powered HUAWEI MateBook D 14 2020 Laptop

HUAWEI has just unveiled their new and refreshed HUAWEI MateBook D 14 2020 laptop with a faster Intel processor and better features. The new MateBook now comes equipped with an Intel Core i5-10210U processor, NVIDIA GeForce MX250 graphics, 8GB DDR4 RAM and 512GB NVMe PCIe SSD. It also features a 14-inch FHD IPS display that is TÜV Rheinland certified which means it will reduce harmful blue light effectively to protect your eyes. All this with a thickness of 15.9mm and a weight of only 1.38 kg.
HUAWEI MateBook D 14 2020: Updated!
The HUAWEI MAteBook D 14 2020 now features a fingerprint scanner integrated together with the power button. For better security, The fingerprint scanner has a separate security chipset that secures your privacy and data, enhancing the security of the laptop. Not only that, but the MateBook D 14 2020 also comes with HUAWEI’s famous recessed camera.
HUAWEI claims that the MateBook D 14 2020 is capable of 13 hours of regular day-to-day office use on a single full charge. The laptop is also equipped with fast charging speed technology that can charge up to almost 50% in half an hour using its own USB-C charger. Moreover, the laptop’s USB charger can be used to charge your smartphone as well. Pretty useful when travelling.

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The HUAWEI MateBook D 14 2020 will also be able to support screen mirroring with your HUAWEI smartphones through Multi-screen collaboration. This feature makes it easy for you to transfer and share files between your devices, where you can simply drag and drop the file. Not only that, but users also get to control their smartphone applications and perform tasks such as replying to texts, answering calls, and playing games.
The HUAWEI MateBook D 14 2020 will retail at RM3,399 with a free gift worth up to RM249. It will release this coming 26th February on either the HUAWEI Store or Shopee.
Pokdepinion: Seems like a solid work laptop. I really like some of the features like the pop-up camera and dual-use charger.
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Phidisk hosts The Elite Championship Series in Penang with RM50 000 prize pool

The Elite Championship Series (TECS)’s finals are starting today at The TOP Penang, Komtar. With a prize pool of RM50 000, TECS has players from around the region as well as local players competing to take home their share of the money. Today we will see Malaysian teams AOES and Frost Fire duke it out in the semi-final round for a chance to face Beyond Esports from Thailand in the Grand Finals.

Phidisk and The Pantheon Group co-organized this event to drive the growth of esports in Malaysia, and especially in Penang. Phidisk, being a brand based in Penang, hopes that Penang will be one of the major destinations for esports in the future, while also promoting the island to the international players involved in TECS.

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In conjunction with TECS, Phidisk is also holding a promotion on their SSDs. If you buy a Phidisk PhantomKnight or WrathKeeper 2.5″ SATA SSD at the regular prices, you can get a second unit at 50% off. This promotion is valid from now until 5th May 2019, so make sure to drop by The TOP Penang, Komtar this weekend if you need a storage upgrade.
TECS is co-sponsored by:

Archgon
Predator
Thermaltake
ZOWIE

We will be here at TECS the whole day, so do drop by and say hello!
Pokdepinion: Definitely a good chance to check out some 1337 CS:GO skills and affordable SSDs!
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A lot of people are excited to try out the new PS5 DualSense controller for a variety of reasons. Some of you aren’t interested to get it for the PS5 but instead, for PC gaming. Now, Valve has added support for the next gen controller on their Steam client beta.
DualSense Controller Support Added to Steam Client Beta

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Valve has recently updated their Steam client beta to include support for the new PS5 DualSense controller. However, this is just initial input support, with advanced features such as rumble, trackpad, and gyro still not working just yet. Compared to its rival, the Xbox Series X controller support has already been enabled.
Interestingly, there was no mention of adaptive triggers in the changelog either. It’s expected to only work properly on the PlayStation 5. However, given the phrase “not yet supported” by Valve, there is a chance that they might get it to work for PC gaming as well in the future. Just don’t put your hopes  up too high for it as it might be tricky to implement.

According to initial user reviews of the PS5, the most “next gen” experience commonly cited by them is the use of the adaptive triggers on the DualSense controller. It’s hard to explain because most of them echo the same sentiment, which is that you will need to experience it yourself to really know how good it feels. Hopefully, we’ll get to see it for PC gaming via Steam sometime in the future.
Source
Pokdepinion: If there’s one good thing I like about PlayStation controllers for a while now is the ability to also use it on PC since the PS3. I hope we can make use of most, if not all, of the DualSense’s features on PC in the future.
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realme To Introduce New Narzo Smartphone Series

It seems that realme is looking to unveil a brand new smartphone series that’s called Narzo, one that they hope to cater to the Gen Z consumers.
realme Narzo Series

#realme ka Naya Evolution!#realmeNarzo #ComingSoon pic.twitter.com/pOAFG7OxEl— realme (@realmemobiles) March 18, 2020

The series was teased at their Twitter account (realme India). Though there’s not much information that they’ve revealed, it does seem that the realme Narzo series will be catered for the youth.
It is also said that the introduction of the new series is to combat both POCO as well as Redmi.

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According to reports, it seems that the realme Narzo series will be introduced with two smartphones, just to kick things off.
We will update you accordingly once they do. Till then, stay tuned to Pokde.net.
Source
Pokdepinion: We can’t say much until it’s out.. but a series to fight off Redmi and POCO? Interesting…
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HUAWEI P30 Set For End Of March Unveiling

We could possibly see HUAWEI’s upcoming P30 series to be unveiled at the end of March in Paris. The news was found out in a press release that revealed the company’s business plans in Poland and they had slip the information out.
Much has been talked about the HUAWEI P30 series such as their 40W SuperCharge and the OLED panels. While they are only rumors (as of now), the P30 series could come in a similar design as the previous P20s.
HUAWEI P30 is said to feature an in-display fingerprint sensor, sport a triple Leica camera setup at the back, and will be packed with the latest Kirin 980 as well as offering up to 6GB RAM.

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You can check out our previous post to see more on the HUAWEI P30.
Pokdepinion: I guess we wouldn’t need to wait much longer to see the new P30 series, with March being just a month away. What features of the smartphone are you excited about? Let us know in the comments below.
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Red Dead Redemption 2 Pushed Back to Spring 2018 – Why am I not surprised?

Should’ve seen this coming

Talk about history repeating itself. In a completely unsurprising move, Rockstar Games has announced that their highly anticipated western, Red Dead Redemption 2 has been delayed. The game was initially earmarked for release in the Fall of this year but has been pushed to Spring 2018.
This isn’t the first time Rockstar Games has delayed their games however, seeing how it’s happened more times than people care to admit. Grand Theft Auto IV was announced back in 2006 but was delayed to and eventually released in 2008, L.A. Noire after being rescued by Rockstar Games (the game was abandoned by then publisher Sony whilst in development) and was slated for release in 2008 but after many delays and missed release dates, the game eventually came out May 2011, Grand Theft Auto V was also delayed from 2012 to September 2013. Heck even the PC version of Grand Theft Auto V was released a whole five months than its intended November 2014 release!
So yeah, the announcement of Red Dead Redemption 2’s delay was I daresay, expected.

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In a recent blogpost Rockstar Games apologised by saying,
We are very sorry for any disappointment this delay causes, but we are firm believers in delivering a game only when it is ready. We are really excited to bring you more details about the game this summer.
Red Dead Redemption 2 is to be Rockstar Games’ first game to be built completely and exclusively for the latest generation console hardware and they’ve clarified that they need the extra time to ensure that they can deliver the best experience possible for the fans.
Rockstar Games also provided some screenshots from the game to sate fans’ appetite in the meantime. Take a gander at these gorgeous screenshots:

Red Dead Redemption 2 is set to release in Spring 2018 for both PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, for now at least. No word on a PC release date yet as of now.
Pokdepinion: While the delay is bumming me out a bit I can’t say I am at all surprised. I mean it was already written in the stars considering Rockstar Games’ infamous history of game delays but there was some sort of hope that things would pan out differently y’know? Oh how foolishly naive of me. Then again I’ve never been disappointed with a Rockstar game so this delay might do the game some good. Or not.
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[CES 2022] PlayStation VR2 Confirmed…For The Most Part

During the Sony CES 2022 show, the PlayStation VR2 has been officially confirmed. However, there is something missing in the announcement. Here’s what you need to know.
PlayStation VR2 Confirmed

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At the Sony CES 2022 press conference, the PlayStation VR2 has officially been confirmed. Previously, we reported about the VR headset entering mass production, which is a sign that an announcement is imminent.
It’s worth noting that we have no clue what the PlayStation VR2 looks like as the announcement is more so a confirmation of its existence and its final name. However, we do get to learn more about its controllers, known as the PlayStation VR2 Sense, and its specifications.
PlayStation VR2 Specifications

Display method
OLED

Panel resolution
2000 x 2040 per eye

Panel refresh rate
90Hz, 120Hz

Lens separation
Adjustable

Field of View
Approx. 110 degrees

Sensors
Motion Sensor: Six-axis motion sensing system (three-axis gyroscope, three-axis accelerometer)
Attachment Sensor: IR Proximity sensor

Cameras
4 cameras for headset and controller trackingIR camera for eye tracking per eye

Feedback
Vibration on headset

Communication with PS5
USB Type-C®

Audio
Input: Built-in microphoneOutput: Stereo headphone jack

PlayStation VR2 Sense Specifications

Buttons
[Right]
PS button, Options button, Action buttons (Circle / Cross), R1 button, R2 button, Right Stick / R3 button
[Left]
PS button, Create button, Action buttons (Triangle / Square), L1 button, L2 button, Left Stick / L3 button

Sensing/ Tracking
Motion Sensor: Six-axis motion sensing system (three-axis gyroscope + three-axis accelerometer)
Capacitive Sensor: Finger Touch DetectionIR LED: Position Tracking

Feedback
Trigger Effect (on R2/L2 button), Haptic Feedback (by single actuator per unit)

Port
USB Type-C® Port

Communication
Bluetooth® Ver5.1

Battery
Type: Built-in Lithium-ion Rechargeable Battery

Apart from that, the headset is said to use inside-out tracking so you no longer need an external camera, which was a requirement for its predecessor. It is also said to be capable of supporting HDR visuals and 3D audio. As for the controller, the adaptive triggers is said to be similar in nature to the PS5 DualSense controller, which is certainly great news.
As a special treat, the PlayStation team also included a special teaser for Horizon Call of the Mountain, the first VR game for the platform. There is no word yet on the release date and its retail price but we will report more on this as soon as information becomes available so stay tuned.
Source
Pokdepinion: Thank god we don’t need to use the camera anymore for this. It would make VR gameplay easier to setup and play with less clutter to worry about.
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OPPO Reno6 Z Review — Upping Your Bokeh Game

We’ve taken a look at OPPO’s Reno series for quite some time now. Now, we dive deep into this year’s offering with this OPPO Reno6 Z review. What exactly does it offer? Let’s get started.
Unboxing
OPPO Reno6 Z Review – Unboxing
Inside the box, you can expect to find the following items inside:

OPPO Reno6 Z
Soft TPU case
SIM ejector
Documentation
Charging brick
USB-C cable
3.5mm earphones

Appearance

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On the front, it sports a 6.4-inch AMOLED display. At the top right is where the 32MP selfie camera is located. As you can see, there are slight bezels around the corner. I’ve noticed that a number of smartphones have a big chin at the bottom, but it isn’t that noticeable here.
OPPO Reno6 Z Review – Bottom
On the bottom, you can find the good old 3.5mm headphone jack, microphone, USB-C port, and the speaker grille.
          OPPO Reno6 Z Review – Left            OPPO Reno6 Z Review – Right
On the left side, you can find the volume rockers while the right side only sports the power button for the device.
OPPO Reno6 Z Review – Top
There’s only the secondary microphone hole to be found here on the top.
OPPO Reno6 Z Review – Back
Flipping over to the back, you can see that we’ve got our hands on the Stellar Black variant of the OPPO Reno6 Z. It comes in a nice matte finish where the general colour is black but you can see hints of a blue hue at different lighting. Of course, the OPPO branding is at the usual bottom right corner and there’s the 64MP triple camera setup.
OPPO Reno6 Z Specifications

CPU
MediaTek Dimensity 800U 5G Octa-core (2×2.4GHz Cortex-A76 & 6×2.0GHz Cortex-A55) 7nm

GPU
Mali-G57 MC3

Memory
8GB

Storage
128GB (expandable via microSD)

Display
6.4-inch AMOLED (1080×2400), 60Hz

Rear Camera
64MP f/1.7, PDAF
8MP f/2.2 ultra-wide
2MP f/2.4 macro
Night Mode, AI, HDR, portrait mode, Beautify, Pro Mode, Bokeh Flare

Selfie camera
32MP f/2.4
Portrait mode, HDR, AI, Bokeh Flare

Connectivity
5G Band n1/n3/n5/n7/n8/n18/n19/n20/n26/n28/n66
LTE Band 1/2/3/4/5/7/8/18/20/26/28/38//39/40/41
Dual SIM
Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac (2.4GHz & 5GHz)
Bluetooth 5.0
USB Type-C

Battery
4310mAh
30W VOOC 4.0 fast charging

Dimensions
160.2 x 73.3 x 7.97mm

Weight
173g

Ingress protection
N/A

Performance
OPPO Reno6 Z Review – Antutu V9
We start off the synthetic tests with Antutu V9 and the OPPO Reno6 Z falls behind when compared to the vivo V21, which uses the same Dimensity 800U chipset. Surprisingly the previous OPPO Reno5 performed better here.
OPPO Reno6 Z Review – Geekbench 5
We see a more positive result here on Geekbench 5 but it still falls short from the Reno5’s scores in both Single-Core and Multi-Core tests.
OPPO Reno6 Z Review – 3DMark
In terms of graphical performance, we’re not surprised to see the scores for the device. It’s not bad, but not impressive either, which is to be expected from a mid-range device such as this.
OPPO Reno6 Z Review – PCMark Work 3.0
We had to switch up the models on the benchmark for PCMark as they’ve released a newer version recently. Regardless, we can see how the phone fared against some of the more recent devices in the market here on PCMark’s Work 3.0 test.
OPPO Reno6 Z Review – PCMark 3.0 Battery
Finally we head to the battery test and here’s where the phone really shines. Despite packing the smallest battery capacity out of the list, the OPPO Reno6 Z lasted quite long. This could be due to the lack of higher refresh rate that others on the list provided, so it consumed less power.
As for personal usage, I found that I could go nearly two full days before I need to charge the device again, which is good in my opinion. Of course, this also depends on your usage and in my case, there’s the usual social media usage such as Facebook, WhatsApp, Telegram, Instagram, and the occasional YouTube videos.
Besides the battery being efficient, it’s also helped by the fact that it fully supports the 30W VOOC Flash Charge 4.0 charger, where it manages to juice up the phone from 15% to full in less than an hour.
User Experience
OPPO Reno6 Z Review – User Experience
As mentioned earlier, the phone sports a 6.4-inch AMOLED screen that offers a standard 60Hz refresh rate. Some might argue that the lack of high refresh rate is a downer but we can’t really complain about the display as the colours are vibrant and definitely more than enough for viewing content.
Continuing on the topic of media consumption, despite the phone only coming with a single speaker, it’s surprisingly loud. There is the option for wired connection thanks to the 3.5mm headphone jack if you want to have a better audio experience.
OPPO Reno6 Z Review – Design
I pretty much like the rear design, where it comes with a nice matte finish. I’d take this over a glossy finish any day, and it feels great to hold. Usually I’d use the phone case on review products, but it’s too nice on the hands that I opted not to with this one. The colour however is a bit plain for me, it would’ve been nicer if we got our hands on the other colour variant instead but of course, that comes down to personal preference.
OPPO Reno6 Z Review – ColorOS 11
The phone runs on the latest ColorOS 11, which is based on Android 11. If you’ve used an OPPO smartphone before, the experience is similar and generally, it’s a decent skin. While we did say that the lack of a higher refresh rate helped in prolonging its battery life, having it would result in a buttery smooth UI experience. You win some, you lose some at this point.
Another thing that’s worth noting is that the phone comes pre-installed with bloatware. You might use some of them, but I usually don’t bother with them.
OPPO Reno6 Z Review – Camera UI
As for the camera UI, they’ve improved on the complaints that I had from their OPPO A74 which I reviewed previously. Everything’s on hand, easy to access, and if you’re not digging the looks, you can easily customize it, which is a nice touch.
                                              Bokeh Flare                                              Portrait mode              Normal selfie            Low-light selfie            Bokeh Flare selfie
As is the case with most devices, the OPPO Reno6 Z captures decent shots in good lighting. If you are a big fan of macros, they’ve done some tweaks to the software so your shots aren’t as overexposed as the OPPO A74.
One of the key selling points of the phone is the Bokeh Flare mode. Using the mode in daytime, it gives a sort of a cartoonish look to it. While I’m not a big fan of it, you might fancy the look. With that being said, it’s actually pretty useful, especially in low-light conditions. You can clearly see the difference that it makes, making the selfie clearer and with more details.
You may check out the full-sized photo samples by clicking the link right here.
OPPO Reno6 Z Verdict
OPPO Reno6 Z Review – Verdict
Priced at RM1,699, I think that it’s a bit higher than what I would’ve liked. Despite that, I’d still say that it’s a good enough device thanks to some of the features that it brings, especially the design, Bokeh Flare mode, and fast charging. If you want to get the phone, I would suggest you to take advantage of the pre-order that they are having (at the time of writing) which gets you freebies worth RM799. With that, I award the OPPO Reno6 Z with our Bronze Pokdeward.

We would like to thank OPPO Malaysia for providing us with the OPPO Reno6 Z that was used in this review. You can get your hands on the OPPO Reno6 Z right here!
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SSD Price Per GB Expected to Reach Lowest Ever By End of 2019

If you’ve been looking to make an upgrade to SSD or simply looking for one with more storage capacity, you might want to wait until the end of this year. According to DRAMeXchange, a division of the TrendForce market intelligence firm, the NAND flash market is showing clear signs of oversupply.
This oversupply has lead to suppliers competing with costs instead. With that being said, SSD rates for PC OEMs have seen a drastic drop. To put that to perspective, it’s the first time we might just see 512GB and 1TB capacity SSD storage getting a USD $0.10 / RM0.41 per GB cost by end of 2019.

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DRAMeXchange mentioned that this will cause 512GB SSD storage to replace 128GB as a mainstream offering together with the 256GB SSD. PCIe SSD is also expected to reach 50% market penetration due to similar rates to your standard SATA counterpart. Adoption rates for the fast storage device could reach as high as 65% this year.
There are many factors for the price per GB freefall, as DRAMeXchange highlights.
Compromised equipping momentum due to the careful position of PC, mobile phones and servers/datacenters OEMs towards end market sales and high stock levels, causing an extremely oversupplied NAND flash market; rate wars by leading SSD providers who are keen to get their 64/72-layer stocks off their hands; and the rate contrast result as a result of Intel 3D QLC SSDs.
It is said that the Intel CPU supply scarcity plays a role in the overall formula. However, with the holiday season not far off, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see improvements in supply.
Pokdepinion: Both my 240GB SSD storage devices are already starting to fill up pretty fast with all these games. I guess an upgrade later in the year doesn’t sound like bad idea.
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Transcend StoreJet 25H3 3TB external drive review

So maybe the fast-but-small storage of the Transcend ESD400 256GB is not your cup of tea. If you are after good old traditional spinning media storage, the Transcend StoreJet 25H3 3TB will offer you oodles of it.

Packaging

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A big clear window is in front for a quick peek at the product you will be getting. The beautiful hand is not standard issue.

On the back, more details regarding the Transcend StoreJet 25H3 3TB is found.

The contents in the box of the Transcend StoreJet 25H3 3TB is a little sparse. You get the external hard disk drive itself, some minimal documentation and the USB cable.

Appearance

The Transcend StoreJet 25H3 3TB is a chunk of plastic nearly entirely wrapped in rubber .The purple colored rubbery jacket may or may not be your cup of tea, but it is there for a reason.

Over on the back, there is a cool pattern which also improves grip of this rather large external drive.

At the top, there is the USB 3.0 port and the One Touch Backup button which will also double as a status LED.
Depending on whether you like the color purple, the Transcend StoreJet 25H3 3TB may either appeal to you or just be a major turn off. Too bad Transcend didn’t come up with interchangeable jackets with various designs for it.

Specifications

The unit I am testing has a Toshiba hard disk inside, according to HWiNFO.

Performance
We will test the performance of this drive with CrystalDiskMark, which has proven to be quite a good judge for the performance of external storage drives.

As expected, the Transcend StoreJet 25H3 3TB shows us speeds that are in line with the other external hard disk drives out there. However, it is the fastest external hard disk that we have reviewed, yet.

User Experience

The drive features a cool blue ring around the One Touch Backup. It illuminates in blue when powered up and blinks to indicate drive activity.
The Transcend StoreJet 25H3 3TB can be powered up by a USB 2.0 port, but it will not work via USB OTG with smartphones, unlike the Transcend ESD400 256GB that I recently reviewed. This is usual for external hard disk drives though.
ARVE Error: need id and provider
While I didn’t test it out, I am pretty confident that it can take a few hard knocks and live to tell the tale, thanks to the military-grade shock resistance. The thick rubber jacket and tough plastic shell does instill some confidence.

The Transcend StoreJet 25H3 3TB comes with the Transcend Elite suite which should be sufficient for most users to back up their data.

Conclusion
The Transcend StoreJet 25H3 3TB can be gotten for RM628. For portable, and not to mention, tough, bulk storage, I believe it is a reasonable price. If you will mainly just use it to store media files without needing to move it around, you may be better off getting a larger 3.5″ external storage that will be cheaper than this. The tough rubber shock protection is also a major selling point, especially if you are of the clumsier variety. The fast speeds is also a major advantage, especially when transferring the massive amounts of data that this baby can hold. I only wish it came in some other color than purple.

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Bring the Xiaomi Mi Note 10 and leave your bulky camera behind

Compact cameras have the advantage of sporting a wider range of focal lengths aside from featuring larger sensors as compared to smartphones, but they are also relatively bulky. Aside from the fact that you will be carrying a smartphone with you, regardless. With the Xiaomi Mi Note 10, you can forget about compact cameras and just bring it on your next vacation. In fact, it may have longer zoom and a larger sensor than your average compact camera. Let’s see…
Large 108MP 1/1.33″ Samsung ISOCELL Bright HMX Sensor
Most compact cameras come with sensors that are just 1/2.3″, while the average 48MP smartphone out there packs a 1/2″ sensor. The 108MP sensor in the Xiaomi Mi Note 10 is none other than the Samsung ISOCELL Bright HMX, which measures a whopping 1/1.33″. It’s substantially larger than most compact cameras, and is definitely among the largest sensors in a smartphone to date.

With 4-to-1 pixel binning technology, the 108MP sensor can deliver impressive 27MP images. Also, remember the Redmi Note 8 Pro and how you could use it to print 3.26m tall posters? The Xiaomi Mi Note 8 Pro can let you print 4.2m tall posters with the absolutely ridiculous 12032 x 9042 resolution. It’s most probably just a bragging right for most, but you can do it if you want.

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If it’s not huge posters you seek, then you can enjoy the more flexible cropping enabled by the higher resolution sensor, along with the wide dynamic range with the pixel binning technology that Xiaomi has equipped all their smartphones with since the Xiaomi Mi 9, as you can see below.

Five cameras for five times the flexibility

With the main camera out of the way, it’s now time to talk about the other members of the penta-camera array on the Xiaomi Mi Note 10. We mentioned that compact cameras have an advantage of zoom range, but the Xiaomi Mi Note 10 offers a 5x zoom lens, 2x telephoto portrait lens, an ultra-wide angle camera and a macro camera, in addition to the main 108MP shooter. Actually, you get two macro cameras as the ultra-wide angle camera also comes with macro auto-focusing capabilities. If you would prefer to see them in numbers:
5MP f/2.0 5x telephoto, OIS12MP f/2.0 2x telephoto (portrait camera)108MP f/1.69, 1/1.33″ Samsung HMX, OIS20MP f/2.2 117° ultra-wide angle camera, AF2MP f/2.4 macro, AF
So why do we need two telephoto cameras, and two macro cameras? Aren’t they redundant? Not exactly.
Why two telephoto lenses?
The two telephoto cameras actually are designed to handle different scenarios. Xiaomi calls the 12MP f/2.0 camera a portrait camera and rightly so. If you have read any photography guides and what not, one of the most popular lenses recommended to budding photographers is a 50mm one. Why so? That’s because it gives a more natural perspective of your subject.

Or you can also use it to just zoom into your scene and leave out the clutter. Unlike most smartphones, the sensor behind the 2x telephoto camera in the Mi Note 10 packs 1.4 μm pixels, which is exactly the same size the pixels in the main camera of the likes of the Pixel 4. Most flagships use 1.0 μm pixels for their telephoto cameras. The aperture is also a lot wider than your usual 2x telephoto camera at f/2.0. The large pixels and a wider aperture means a lot better performance overall, especially when it comes to low light scenarios. And when mated to Xiaomi’s impressive processing, you get accurate blurring without the need for gimmicky 3D ToF sensors and depth sensors.

The second 5x telephoto camera meanwhile will handle the insane zoom when you need to really close the distance between you and the subject. You can use the 5x zoom for portraits, but then you would have to stand awkwardly far from your subject to get a good shot. The Mi Note 10’s 5x zoom lets you get closer to subjects than you would naturally be able to with the main camera or the 2x zoom, without having to sacrifice image quality. Some say your legs are the best zoom, but why walk over there when you can just zoom in?
What about the two macro cameras?

As far as I know, there isn’t a smartphone that packs two macro cameras. But then again, there aren’t that many smartphones out there with macro cameras in the first place. The Xiaomi Mi Note 10 offers two. I however enjoy using the ultra-wide angle more for scenic shots, as the 20MP resolution gives you plenty of detail in every image.

It’s a pretty awesome combo and also helps overcome the drawbacks of having an ultra-wide field of view when you are going up close for macros. But if you are really into macros, you should just use the dedicated macro camera, which serves up amazing results even though it is just a 2MP sensor. The autofocus definitely helps here, besting even the flagships offering dedicated macro cameras but not giving you autofocus.

Most compact cameras go from the standard 27mm wide-angle view to maybe around 3x, some up to 5x, and few offer an ultra-wide angle on top of that. Or macro focusing capabilities from as near as 1.5cm. The best part is that all of those cameras fits right into your pocket. Oh and let’s not forget the 32MP f/2.0 selfie camera sitting in the tiny notch above the screen.
Battery for days

Now with one of the best cameras in the industry packed into the Mi Note 10, you will want to be able to carry it out with you and take lots of photos without having to worry about running out of battery. That’s why there is a huge 5260 mAh battery here, complete with 30W Charge Turbo which is even faster than what their last flagship was capable of. That 30W charger also comes in the box, fleshing out the value proposition of the Mi Note 10.
Speaking of value, how much does the Mi Note 10 cost? It costs RM2099, which is a fair bit more affordable than many of the flagships which tout lesser photography chops. The Xiaomi Mi Note 10 is the perfect answer for mobile photography enthusiasts. If you want an even better package, you can opt for the Mi Note 10 Pro which features an enhanced 8-element lens instead of the Mi Note 10’s 7-element lens, as well as a more capacious 256GB of built-in storage.
Get the Mi Note 10 and Mi Note 10 Pro via the following links:
Mi Note 10:LazadaShopeeMi Note 10 Pro:LazadaShopee

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HUAWEI Mate 30 Pro gets Google apps installed in less than 10 minutes

The HUAWEI Mate 30 series are launched without the Google services we are used to, due to the ban on US companies from dealing with the Chinese tech giant. One major concern is how will we get our apps, given that the Google Play Store is still the primary source of apps for most of us. Well, apparently it isn’t that huge of a hurdle anyway.

Damien from 9to5Google managed to install Google apps on a HUAWEI Mate 30 Pro in less than 10 minutes. Here are the steps according to them:

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Head to https://www.lzplay.net/ and download the Google Services Framework installer
Let the installer run its course
Fire up Google Play Store. You might need to restart the phone if you find yourself unable to login
Download all the apps you want

They have successfully gotten Gmail, Drive and Maps to run on the HUAWEI Mate 30 Pro as it would on any other Android smartphone. Even Google Pay works fine, indicating that everything is indeed well. All you need is an additional 10 minutes when setting up your HUAWEI Mate 30.

This is Google Pay working on the #Mate30Pro. pic.twitter.com/sb0hvPzUdn
— Damien Wilde (@iamdamienwilde) September 24, 2019

The ability to quickly and easily install Google Services Framework on the HUAWEI Mate 30 and HUAWEI Mate 30 Pro should entice more users to get the latest flagship from HUAWEI. After all, there probably isn’t any other smartphone that offers what the HUAWEI Mate 30 Pro does.
HUAWEI Mate 30 Pro Specifications

Kirin 990, octa-core @ up to 2.86 GHz, 7nm
8GB RAM
256GB storage (expandable via NM card)
6.53″ FHD+ (2400 x 1176) OLED panel, HUAWEI Horizon Display, 88° curved edges
40MP f/1.6, OIS, SuperSensing RYYB sensor + ultra-wide 40MP f/1.8 Cine Camera + 8MP f/2.4, OIS, 3x telephoto + 3D Depth Sensing Camera
32MP f/2.0 selfie camera, 3D Depth Sensing Camera
4500 mAh battery, 40W HUAWEI SuperCharge, 27W Wireless HUAWEI SuperCharge
€1099 (~RM5087)

I am sure there will still be those who find the additional hassle of installing the Google Services Framework manually a burden, while some would consider it a worthwhile sacrifice to enjoy what may be the best camera on a smartphone so far. What say you?
Pokdepinion: I am definitely considering the HUAWEI Mate 30 Pro now. Now, for the local Malaysian pricing for the Mate 30 series…
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A Live-action Gundam Movie Is Heading To Netflix

If you’re a big fan of Gundam, well here’s possibly some great news for you; a live-action movie of the title will be heading its way soon to Netflix.
Live-action Gundam coming to Netflix

Grab your Mobile suits! Jordan Vogt-Roberts has been set to direct and produce Legendary’s first-ever live-action feature film version of Sunrise’s GUNDAM for Netflix.
— NX (@NXOnNetflix) April 12, 2021

It appears that Legendary Pictures is the team behind the movie and it is set to be directed by Jordan Vogt-Roberts. If he sounds familiar to you, well he is known for his work on Kong: Skull Island.
Despite the announcement, Netflix hasn’t shed any light on who the cast or what the story is all about. It does seem like a match made in heaven however as Legendary Pictures has previously worked on Pacific Rim movies, so we’re rest assured that they have some experience in big mecha fights.

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Aside from that, it appears that Netflix will also be releasing a live-action Cowboy Bebop which starts John Cho. The film is said to arrive as early as this year. For more on the latest tech and gaming news plus reviews, stay tuned to Pokde.net.
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Pokdepinion: I’m sure the question that’s on everyone’s mind is which arc they will take from or is it entirely an original story. I might be going against the trend here, but I wish they do the latter and bring in something new.
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Lenovo Mobile to operate as Motorola in Malaysia; no more Lenovo smartphones?

As we know, Lenovo has obtained Motorola from Google some time back. However they have been still releasing their own smartphones here in Malaysia, the most recent being the Lenovo K8 Note. Their latest announcement is that they will be phasing out the Lenovo Mobile brand, and be unified under the Motorola brand here in Malaysia.
They will be shutting down Lenovo Mobile Malaysia’s social media and online presence gradually, starting with the Facebook and Instagram pages. The website will be deactivated too at a later date. For 2018, you will only be seeing new innovative and fun devices coming from Motorola. Of course, current Lenovo devices will still be supported and available from all their authorized sales channels, but there will be no new Lenovo smartphones coming to Malaysia.
Henceforth all queries about Lenovo devices should be directed to Motorola Malaysia’s FB page. For more information about this unification, read this.

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Pokdepinion: Motorola is definitely a more familiar name in the smartphone market, and this move should help Lenovo focus their marketing efforts on a single brand rather than two.
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HUAWEI nova 3i AIS Handheld Super Night Shot Mode Update Coming Soon

If you’re user of a HUAWEI nova 3i, well great news. HUAWEI has released the device’s new AIS Super Night Shooting update.
HUAWEI nova 3i AIS Handheld Super Night Mode

With the new update, nova 3i users can take better low-light photos. The company is so confident with the update that they’ve mentioned that you wouldn’t need a tripod to shoot great pictures in the night to achieve a natural, brighter, and clearer photo.

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The new update will be helped with HUAWEI’s AI algorithm, where it assists in AI handheld detection, AI light detection, AI anti-shake processing as well as other AI photography features to ensure that users can capture a brighter and sharper quality lowlight image.
Previously, the nova 3 was the first device in the nova series lineup to receive this update. As for the HUAWEI nova 3i, the update will be released in batches starting from 1st November 2018.
The HUAWEI nova 3i retails at RM1,299 and can be purchased at all HUAWEI Experience Stores, HUAWEI Online Store, authorized dealers and major telco partners. Every purchase entitles you to a Nova VIP Privilege card that offers exclusive gifts and vouchers worth up to RM1,000.
To know all about the device, you can click here to read more.
Pokdepinion: Despite the news, I’m wondering on how well does the update will enhance the experience? Well anyways, be sure to on the lookout for the update, starting from this 1st November 2018.

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“Sugar Dating” Website Sugarbook To Be Probed By MCMC

Dr Fadhlullah Suhaimi Abdul Malek, the chairman of the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) has announced that they have launched an investigation on dating website Sugarbook. The “sugar dating” website has seen itself attracting controversy over its comments alluding that their sudden rise in traffic among local college students is due to the current economic climate in Malaysia.
Sugarbook, we’re going down

According to a news report by Berita Harian, Dr Fadhlullah stated that for now, they are investigating whether Sugarbook itself is a registered app in Malaysia or just an app being used locally. He also states that the investigation will adhere to the 1998 Communications and Multimedia Act. Furthermore, the MCMC chairman mentions that the case will be referred to the police as well if they find evidence that Sugarbook has in any way promoted the act of prostitution. This is because MCMC does not have the authority to act on such activities.

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Sugarbook was created by Malaysian, Darren Chan, who himself caused an uproar online for recently posting a list ranking Malaysian colleges and universities based on the number of sugar babies they reportedly have. Many condemned the list, including Sunway University who was mentioned in the said list as well as the Ministry of Higher Education. The Ministry is also conducting its own investigation on the “sugar dating” app following the release of the list.
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Pokdepinion: Disgusting. Hope the MCMC finds something and takes Sugarbook down.
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Cooler Master Launch Remastered MasterCase MC-Series — Now With FreeForm Modular

Cooler Master has announced today of their launch of the Remastered MasterCase  with the MC-series and are now available for purchase in Malaysia now.
Cooler Master Remastered MasterCase MC-Series
MasterCase MC500P
The MasterCase series was launched back in 2015 and gained admirers back then. Now with the remastered edition, they have set new standards in terms of internal and external modularity.
With their FreeForm Modular System, it gives users control on how their case looks and most importantly, how they function.

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MasterCase MC600P
They come with removable partition plate and M-Port, allowing them to be reallocated and obviously, be removed. RGB partition plate will also be available as an accessory so you can upgrade the standard steel plate in the other models with the RGB version, because we all need RGB don’t we?
MasterCase MC500Mt
Some of the upgrades that the remastered rendition offers is on the specifications such as the I/O panel functionality, cable covers for a clean build, and all of the MC-series cases will have 360mm support brackets for a front radiator.
The three of the MasterCase MC-series are now available here in Malaysia. Prices for each are as followed:

MasterCase MC500P – RM439
MasterCase MC600P – RM499
MasterCase MC500Mt – RM769

Pokdepinion: If people like it, why not bring it back, right? The upgrade to today’s standard is definitely a welcomed addition.
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HUAWEI Mate 20 can wirelessly charge other devices. Like the wireless Freebuds 2 Pro that looks eerily similar to the AirPods

Wireless charging is no new feature now. Even Apple has it. I don’t factor it as an important feature which will decide whether I pick a device, but I am pretty sure some people do find it nice to have. I can understand the novelty of being able to charge your device when you put it down onto a Qi wireless charger, but what if, your phone is a Qi wireless charger itself?
That’s exactly what the HUAWEI Mate 20 is going to be capable of doing. Aside from vanilla wireless charging where the Mate 20 will get juiced up, it can wireless charge another device. And guess what, HUAWEI will be releasing a new HUAWEI Freebuds 2 Pro, which supports wireless charging. Putting two and two together, HUAWEI wants you to charge your new wireless earbuds with your new HUAWEI Mate 20.

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That probably won’t be your primary method of charging your Freebuds 2 Pro, but it is definitely a novel way to go about it. I would imagine that it would be useful to users who run out of battery when they are out and about, away from a Qi wireless charging pad. Or you can also connect a USB Type-C cable to charge it, but that won’t be nearly as cool, would it?
Aside from cool charging chops, the Freebuds 2 Pro will be among the few earphones with Bluetooth 5.0 support, Hi-Res Wireless Audio with bitrates of up to 560 Kbps, and is expected to work seamless with Google Assistant. We expect to see the new Freebuds 2 Pro launched 16th October, with pricing around €150 (~RM725.86).
Source: WinFuture
Pokdepinion: Reverse charging is so last-gen. Now there’s reverse Qi wireless charging!
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Samsung ISOCELL JN1 is a 50MP sensor smaller than most 12MP sensors!

With camera sensors, the general idea is the bigger the better. But as you would expect with smartphones, there are also a lot of other concerns like the thickness of the lens assembly required as well as the overall space in your device. Thus we have things like the latest Samsung ISOCELL JN1, a 50MP sensor featuring Samsung’s latest and tiniest 0.64µm pixels.
The tiny pixels allowed Samsung to deliver the massive 50MP resolution in a 1/2.76″ type sensor. For comparison, the average 48MP sensor in the market today are 1/2″ sensors with 0.8µm pixels, while the premium 12MP sensors in smartphones today are usually 1/2.55″ with 1.4µm pixels.

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Tinier pixels have their drawbacks like lower sensitivity, but Samsung hopes to overcome it with ISOCELL 2.0 technology. It involves an upgraded physical barrier between the pixels to not only reduce color interference between neighboring pixels, but also ups the sensitivity by 16% as compared to ISOCELL technology.
On top of that, the 0.64µm pixels will be combined into 1.28µm pixels with the Tetrapixel technology, resulting in better 12.5MP images via pixel binning. Samsung will also be equipping the Samsung ISOCELL JN1 with Double Super PD. The name pretty much explains the technology; the ISOCELL JN1 has double the amount of autofocus pixels as compared to its predecessors.
The ISOCELL JN1 can shoot 4K60 video as well as 1080p240 slow-mo. But of course that will depend on whether the smartphone maker wants to implement that, and whether the chipset used will support the resolutions and frame rates.

Samsung hopes that the smaller size of the sensor will allow OEMs to integrate it for just about any camera configuration, including selfie cameras, ultra-wide or even telephoto cameras without huge changes in their designs. It can also potentially help smartphone makers offer up to 10% thinner devices, as the smaller sensor can be paired with a thinner lens assembly.
Samsung is apparently mass producing the Samsung ISOCELL JN1 already, so look forward to more 50MP smartphones in the market soon.
Pokdepinion: I am sure a 50MP ultra-wide camera will be nice. A higher resolution will come in handy for more detailed ultra-wide shots, as there’s just more take in with a wider field of view. Hope we will see more of them than 50MP selfie cameras!
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[WWDC 2021] FaceTime Coming to Android and Windows – New Video and Music Sharing Features

FaceTime has always been exclusive to Apple since they developed it themselves, most notably for the iPhone / iOS. Soon, more users will be able to use it as it’s coming to Android and Windows.
[WWDC 2021] FaceTime Coming to Android and Windows

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At the WWDC 2021 keynote, Apple has officially announced that FaceTime will be coming to Android and Windows. It won’t be a standalone software however as it will be available via web, meaning that you need to use your browser for it. Previously, it was only available for iOS and Mac.
Given that the pandemic is affecting the world for longer, Apple is basically turning FaceTime into something similar to Zoom for easier video conference calls, group calls, and more. You can schedule calls and share the link to the call in advance so other people can join with ease.

Apart from that, Apple is adding a number of new features to FaceTime. This includes a new grid view option, voice isolation for improved voice communications, spatial audio, background blur, and SharePlay. For those of you who aren’t aware, SharePlay lets you watch videos or listen to music with a group of people. The services that have been confirmed to support the feature is:

Disney Plus
Hulu
HBO Max
Twitch
Apple Music
Apple TV Plus

There is no release date announced yet for this. It’s likely to launch around the same time as iOS 15 sometime in Fall 2021.
Pokdepinion: It’s a good move by Apple so more people can stay connected and do things together, especially since many of us are still stuck at home. I wish they had done this sooner but then again, better late than never.
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2018 Sony World Photography Awards’ Juries Chosen- Get Ready For Out Of The World Pictures!

It’s that time of the year again, where the Sony World Photography Awards will take place as the panel of judges for the awards have been confirmed by the World Photography Organisation. Get ready to see some breathtaking pictures!
2018 Sony World Photography Awards
By; Anastasia Kaloshina
Judges have been picked by the World Photography Organisation, featuring professionals from different backgrounds and publications.  There are four categories in the Awards, with the Professional category having 6 judges. While both Open and Youth categories will be judged by Zelda Cheatle. Lastly is the Student Focus category, where it will handled by Reiner Opoku.
Now the Awards which is in its eleventh year, offer a shining example of both the beauty of our incredible planet and skills plus talent of contemporary photographers worldwide. The best thing is, the awards are free to enter! So for those photo aficionados out there, this is a great way to get exposure.

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By; Diego Faus Momparler
A selection of photos from the open competition has been released to coincide with the announcement of this year’s judges (all the pictures that are displayed in this post).
By; F. Dilek Uyar
Winning and shortlisted photographers for the Awards will receive world recognition and exposure. In addition to that, multiple grants of $7000 (USD) will be awarded to selected winners of the Professional category and $3500 (USD) will be awarded to chosen shortlisted Student Focus photographers to work together on a new photographic commision set by Sony and the World Photography Organisation.
The closing dates for entree;

December 4, 2017 – Student Focus
January 4, 2018 – Open, Youth and National Award Competition
January 11, 2018 – Professional Competition

To get to know about the Awards in detail, you can do so by checking them on their official website right here.
Pokdepinion: I’ve always admired the photography in these sorts of competitions. They always find awesome scenes and moments and capture them perfectly.
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Among Us Is Adding A Number of New Language Options

Among Us is without a doubt one of the most popular online multiplayer games today. It’s simple in concept, but it’s surprisingly addictive, especially when played with friends. Now, they’re looking to ensure that more people can enjoy the game as InnerSloth plans to add more language options in their game.
Among Us To Add New Languages

Second… 💬 Languages 💬
Here’s the task list for us: English, French, Italian, German, Spanish EU and LA, Dutch, Russian, BR and EU Portuguese, Japanese, Korean, FIlipino (Bisaya).
More languages to come, but that’s the focus for now!
ok byeeeeeeeeeeee 🚀
— Among Us (@AmongUsGame) November 19, 2020

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Among Us is one of the most popular online multiplayer games in the world right now. To make it a better fit for more people, they will be adding more languages in the game. The ones that have been confirmed thus far is French, Italian, German, Spanish EU and LA, Dutch, Russian, Portuguese BR and EU, Japanese, Korean, and Filipino (Bisaya).
One notable country that the game is popular in is Japan, where Famitsu tweeted an article showing off how popular it is in the country and how the players will continue playing the English version until they have the option to play it in their native tongue.
Apart from new language options, InnerSloth is looking for more ways to moderate the game. With the game being a target of hacks which ruins legitimate players’ experiences and people being unnecessarily toxic, they want to make it a safe and fun environment for everyone to enjoy.
Innersloth recently revealed the addition of Community Director Victoria Tran, where her Twitter account has kept fans of the game up to date on what’s going on with Among Us. We’ve seen a teaser for an upcoming map, which seemingly shows a section of a new space station.
Source
Pokdepinion: I’m secretly hoping for the game to add the Malay language in the future. Mostly for giggles, but yes.
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HUAWEI Malaysia Launches Latest Flagship Smartphones; HUAWEI P60 Pro and Mate X3

HUAWEI Malaysia has officially announced its latest photography flagship smartphone, the HUAWEI P60 Pro, along with the ultra-light and thin foldable phone, Mate X3. These devices are sure to catch the attention of mobile phone enthusiasts, with the P60 Pro boasting exceptional camera capabilities and stylish design. Meanwhile, the Mate X3 features an industry-leading foldable smartphone that sets a new standard for how light, thin and reliable a foldable smartphone can possibly be.
HUAWEI P60 Pro

The HUAWEI P60 Pro promises to deliver a sublime sensory experience with its stunning design and exceptional performance. The device features an Ultra Lighting Telephoto Camera with Multiple Lens Groups, the first of its kind in the industry, which boosts light intake with hardware that does not affect the device’s thin and lightweight build.

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The HUAWEI P60 Pro adopts the New Quad-Curve Display with HUAWEI-exclusive durable Kunlun Glass panel. With a strong array of display features, the HUAWEI P60 Pro became the first mobile phone in the world to be certified with TÜV Rheinland Color Accuracy Dual Certification (Colour Accuracy & Precise Colour Projection). The device is also equipped with a 4,815 mAh high-capacity battery that is placed in a compact body of only 8.3mm in thickness and supports 88W wired HUAWEI SuperCharge.

The HUAWEI P60 Pro is available in two variants: 8GB RAM / 256GB storage, priced at RM4,699, and 12GB RAM / 512GB storage, priced at RM5,499, offering Rococo Pearl and Black colour options.
HUAWEI Mate X3

The HUAWEI Mate X3, on the other hand, features an ultra-light weight of 239g and an astounding thickness of 11.08mm while folded, and 5.3mm while unfolded – making it the world’s slimmest and lightest large-screen foldable smartphone.
The device is equipped with a 6.4-inch 3D OLED exterior screen and a 7.85-inch foldable OLED internal screen, with both interior and exterior screens supporting ultra-high resolution and 426 PPI pixel density. The Mate X3 is embedded with a 4800mAh large battery and 66W wired HUAWEI SuperCharge, 50W wireless HUAWEI SuperCharge, 7.5W Wireless Reverse Charging, and is IPX8 rated for water resistance.
The HUAWEI Mate X3 is available in Dark Green Vegan Leather and Black for RM8,888.
Source
Pokdepinion: These devices are sure to set the standard for high-performance smartphones and foldable phones in the industry, especially given their retail pricing. One thing I am curious about with the foldable is how reliable and optimized the software / UI is with the added screen real estate. Maybe we’ll find out sooner or later if we get our hands on the new foldable.
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Hideo Kojima Accused of Stealing Money from Konami – Kojima Productions Respond

Image source: The New Yorker

The game industry was shocked recently when alleged details surfaced on why Hideo Kojima left Konami. He is now being accused of stealing money from Konami, which allegedly led to them cutting ties with him.
What is Hideo Kojima Actually Accused Of?

“KOJIMA PRODUCTIONS normally does not comment on rumors or speculation, however we can confirm that the article recently posted on https://t.co/zDfUnEnnip is categorically false.”
– Jay Boor, Global Head of Marketing and Communications https://t.co/d3o5rV0K0O
— KOJIMA PRODUCTIONS (Eng) (@KojiPro2015_EN) June 24, 2020

It was first reported by French gaming site Gameblog, who claims to have spoken to numerous sources who “knew about Konami’s plans at the time”, that Hideo Kojima allegedly stole budget money from Metal Gear Solid V in order to develop P.T.
They even went on to claim that Hideo Kojima developed P.T. in secret with only a handful of colleagues. This resulted in the higher ups in Konami and virtually everyone else being unaware of its existence, including the fact that P.T. is a teaser for the cancelled Silent Hills project featuring Guillermo Del Toro and Norman Reedus.

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Furthermore, it was mentioned that Metal Gear Survive was initially pitched as a DLC by Hideo Kojima for Metal Gear Solid V. It would have seen gamers fight against monsters akin to Godzilla and Kaijus. To the extent of completing his goals, it was claimed that dummy companies were created.
Kojima Productions have responded to the issue on Twitter, as seen above, denying the accusations surrounding the departure from Konami and the development of P.T. The statement was signed by Jay Boor, the Global Head of Marketing and Communications at Kojima Productions.
If proven false, Gameblog could face severe repercussions. After all, the details can damage the man’s reputation in the game industry. This issue may still develop so we will be reporting more on this if and when information becomes available.
Source
Pokdepinion: I personally think it’s impossible to develop P.T. in secret, given how big of a reception it had. I also feel like if it was true, Konami would have immediately put a stop to the project instead of letting it be promoted. Only time will tell, I suppose.
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ARMAGGEDDON NRO-5 STARSHIP III Review — feature-packed gaming mouse

ARMAGGEDDON was well known for offering affordable gaming gears with lots of features, and they are still on track now. The ARMAGGEDDON NRO-5 STARSHIP III was with me for several weeks, and this is what I think about it.

Unboxing

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The ARMAGGEDDON NRO-5 STARSHIP III comes in a package with their trademark black and yellow color scheme. The main features are highlighted here too.

Flip the front cover and we can see the mouse itself, more detailed information about the product and a rather long essay trying the best to tell us why it’s “THE ULTIMATE GAMING GEAR” on the left side.

More information regarding the product is found on the back.

Inside the packaging we have the ARMAGGEDDON NRO-5 STARSHIP III, user manual, CD with the driver installer and replacement Teflon mouse feet. It comes with 2 years manufacturer warranty which is common. The extra set of mouse feet is a welcome addition, especially if you use a hard mousepad which will wear down the feet faster than if you use a cloth mousepad. The CD containing the driver is another oddity as most manufacturers have turned to downloads instead to reduce their costs.

Specifications

Body material
Plastic with a rubberized finishing

Sensor
Avago 9800 laser sensor

DPI
Up to 8200 CPI

USB report rate
250/500/1000 Hz

Switch type
Omron switches

Microprocessor
N/A

Cable
1.8 m, nylon braided

Weight
7 level weight management

Included accessories
User manual
Driver CD
Replacement Teflon feet

Appearance
The ARMAGGEDDON NRO-5 STARSHIP III has a rather unique design. The ergonomic body is a perfect fit with who have smaller and average palm size. Unlike the HAVOC III, this mouse only comes in a matte black rubberized finishing or as ARMAGGEDDON calls it, Sable Soviets.

A total of 9 buttons are on the ARMAGGEDDON NRO-5 STARSHIP III, with a four way click scroll, allowing for up to 12 macro scripts to be programmed to this mouse. Five side buttons are found on the left side of the ARMAGGEDDON NRO-5 STARSHIP III. The scroll wheel and ARMAGGEDDON logo on the rear end of the ARMAGGEDDON NRO-5 STARSHIP III feature RGB illumination but the CPI status and all the side keys only get orange LEDs.

There was an additional button which opens the hidden weight tray. I find this design really cool as I slid out the tray to add or remove the weights. Kudos to ARMAGGEDDON for featuring weight management so that everyone can tune their mouse to their preference.

Large Teflon feet on the bottom should ensure that the ARMAGGEDDON NRO-5 STARSHIP III glides smoothly across any surface. The braided USB cable and gold plated connector both improves appearance and durability.

User Experience

For someone who has a bigger hand, it could be difficult at first to get used with the unique shape of the ARMAGGEDDON NRO-5 STARSHIP III. It took me several days but still I find it slightly less comfortable when compare to the ARMAGGEDDON SRO-5 HAVOC III.
Personally what would make a good mouse is the lift off distance, the STARSHIP III has a very minimal lift off distance and the AVAGO 9800 sensor ensured that no abnormal sensitivity or tracking issue is occur. No input lag is detected and tracking is just perfect.
I assigned all the macro keys to improve my productivity, opening the explorer, back and forward, and multimedia control was fine just as expected. Multiple profiles in the software allowed the STARSHIP III to be fabulously customizable. At first I thought it was a waste when the side buttons can only light up in a single color, but then I think they are just fine as they were. You can switch them off with the software if you want to.

The driver software has a small installer file, and sports a simple design and intuitive user interface. Setting up and calibrating the mouse was quick and hassle-free. I love the CPI switch offering up to four stages. When comparing it with the ARMAGGEDDON SRO-5 HAVOC III, the most noticeable difference that I really appreciate is the responsive and tactile feedback on every button.

Conclusion
I thought that the ARMAGGEDDON NRO-5 STARSHIP III will not get along with my palm and I was wrong. Actually it takes me several days to adapt its own ergonomic body design. The only thing that I still find awkward to use are the macro keys. I hope that ARMAGGEDDON would consider to repositioning the macro keys on the next product revision. It’s difficult for me to recommend people who have big palm to get this mouse, instead of getting this mouse it would be better if you take a look at the ARMAGGEDDON SRO-5 HAVOC III first. Software wise, it should be given a compliment for the user-friendly interface with no major issues, but it could definitely still be further improved.
The ARMAGGEDDON NRO-5 STARSHIP III is more suitable for MOBA and RTS but it is also recommended for those who are keen to use it for video or photo editing. Priced at RM199, it’s priced rather reasonably. It isn’t particularly affordable or expensive, just somewhere in the middle. Nice with similar features would usually have a higher price tag than the ARMAGGEDDON NRO-5 STARSHIP III. The macro keys really improved my productivity but personally I would go for the ARMAGGEDDON SRO-5 HAVOC III just because it perfectly fits my grip. But it’s still pretty darn good and I award the STARSHIP III a Bronze Pokdeward.

I would like to say thank you to ARMAGGEDDON Malaysia for the opportunity to play with the STARSHIP III.

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Square Enix Confirms Next Gen Dragon Quest HD – Dragon Quest XII?

The folks over at Square Enix have opened a new recruitment page specifically for the next gen Dragon Quest game. With this, it officially revealed simultaneously that the game is in development. The game isn’t listed as Dragon Quest XII, but we expect it to be named as such when the official announcement is made.
This next gen Dragon Quest HD / Dragon Quest XII is said to be developed by the “Second Main Development Team” at Square Enix. It is the same team behind Dragon XI and past entries in the series. Interestingly, the recruitment page also included a message from Square Enix Second Main Development Team Director and Dragon Quest XI Director Takeshi Uchikawa, which we’ve included below with the help of Google Translate:

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The Second Development Division has launched a new project to be produced by the “Dragon Quest XI” team, and has begun to challenge Dragon Quest unique to the next generation. The mission of this project is to deliver the new appeal of Dragon Quest to customers all over the world. In order to achieve that, we need new “friends” with the same aspirations.
Development is complete after the conception phase, and will be in the phase of further improving the quality of the game. As a new HD title for Dragon Quest, why not create an unprecedented impression and a new history of Dragon Quest with Yuri Horii and us? We are waiting for your application for developers who love new things!

From what we understand here, the game is no longer in the conceptualization phase, and that they will be focusing on the brunt of development. It’s safe to say that Dragon Quest XII won’t be coming out anytime soon, so we would expect it to be available on next gen platforms. The page is currently recruiting Battle System Planners, Facial Motion Designers, 2D Backgrounds Designers, Motion Designers, and Technical Artists.
Pokdepinion: This is quite interesting given that the latest mainline entry is still rather recent, with the Nintendo Switch version not even out yet. Well, I’m pretty sure we still won’t be seeing it anytime soon anyway as it’s way too early for that.
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NVIDIA Allegedly Preparing Yet Another RTX 3060 Variant

This would be the fourth model sharing the same name.

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NVIDIA has spawned a few variants of RTX 3060s since its inception back in early 2021, including the vanilla 12GB GDDR6 variant, the crypto-resistant LHR (Lite Hash Rate) model, and later on even a 8GB GDDR6 128-bit model. The most popular GPU to date in the PC community may even see the fourth one, this time with the spiced-up GDDR6X VRAM instead.
Unlike the previous three which all uses the GA106 die, this GDDR6X version of what alleged to be yet another RTX 3060 is using a bigger die, the GA104 (usually reserved for RTX 3070). It’s not exactly rare to see mid-range GPUs using huge hand-me-down dies as this is among the ways GPU vendors salvage sub-optimal dies from the chip fabs to recoup the costs, often at no extra cost to the consumers (RTX 3060 Ti for example has a variant that uses GA103, a flagship-class die).

RTX 3060 GA104 GDDR6X…Another 3060 lol
— T4C Fantasy (@T4CFantasy) March 6, 2023

The info comes from T4C Fantasy – who maintains the TechPowerUP GPU database. Should this variant exist, this would see the RTX 3060 utilize a much faster VRAM with 36% increase in total bandwidth, in the case of its Ti-named sibling. Of course, nothing has been truly confirmed so far – so take this info with a good pinch of salt, if you will.
Source: Videocardz
Pokdepinion: Buying a RTX 3060 almost sounds like a lottery at this point, isn’t it?
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New Dissidia Final Fantasy NT Trailer Released; Highlights Noctis and FFXV

During the Dissidia Final Fantasy 2nd anniversary livestream, Square Enix and Koei Tecmo had more to share on Noctis Lucis Caelum in Dissidia Final Fantasy NT.
New Dissidia Final Fantasy NT Trailer Released

During the livestream which was aired to celebrate the 2nd anniversary of the arcade version of Dissidia Final Fantasy, Square Enix and Koei Tecmo introduced a new look at Noctis, that was presented for Dissidia Final Fantasy NT at Tokyo Game Show 2017.
The new trailer showcases Noctis in action, ahead of the his release on the arcade version on with a large update on December 7th 2017. We also get to learn that several BGM from Final Fantasy XV will come to Dissidia Final Fantasy NT, including arrangements of Stand Your Ground, Veiled in Black, The Fight is On!, Careening into Danger, and Apocalypsis Noctis.

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On top of that, his alternate costume (2nd form) and colours have been revealed. Interestingly, he isn’t the only one getting alternates, the whole cast will, and you can see them in the gallery at the bottom of the post. Tetsuya Nomura himself provided a new piece of artwork for Noctis, which you can also enjoy in the gallery.

A new stage from Final Fantasy VIII will be added, on top of a lot of improvements and additions. One interesting update is a custom victory fanfare for the villains. Speaking of NT, we also get to see the menu to choose skins, colors and more on PS4.
It’s worth noting that Dissidia Final Fantasy and Dissidia Final Fantasy NT aren’t the only fighting games receiving Noctis, as he will be a playable character in Bandai Namco’s Tekken 7 as a DLC character. Dissidia Final Fantasy NT will be coming to the PlayStation 4 on January 20th 2018.

Pokdepinion: I’m still really pumped for the game to finally come out. Not so much Noctis but rather, the idea of several Final Fantasy characters fighting together / with each other in HD. Ultima fangasm engaged!
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Acer Integrates Sustainability With Latest TravelMate And Veriton Models

Acer Malaysia today introduced a new lineup of business-grade products, including refreshed TravelMate and Veriton devices, as well as new laptops, desktops, and an all-in-one (AIO) desktop. Both lineups contains configurations that feature 4GB or 8GB of RAM, 256GB or 512GB of SSD, and powered by Intel’s latest 13th Gen CPUs.
The TravelMate models in particular (with P2, P4 and P6 series available) provides fan self-cleaning feature called “Acer Dust Defender”, which cleans up every 6 hours to prevent dust buildup, extending its lifespan; webcams also comes with physical shutters for extra peace of mind to users in the commercial and business environments.

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Meanwhile, both the Veriton Vero Mini and Veriton Vero AIO gets same designs that offers easy maintenance, minimizing cost and waste – the chassis features up to 56% of PCR plastic in its construction as compared to regular desktop systems, and the VeroSense software provides the option to enable energy-saving ECO+ mode to further cut down on energy usage.
Pricing-wise, the Acer TravelMate laptop lineup starts at RM3,249; with the Acer TravelMate Spin P4 priced at RM5,699. The TravelMate P6 meanwhile is priced at RM6,899. As for the Veriton models, the Veriton Vero desktop starts from RM2,749, with the Veriton Vero AIO (featuring a 24-inch display) costing RM3,499.
Pokdepinion: A very important aspect of sustainability is also reparability – and it looks like Acer understands this.
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Tech Data Hosts Tech Data Cybersecurity Day 2018

Tech Data Cybersecurity Day 2018

Following the recent news that Media Prima was attacked by hackers, cybersecurity is now looking more and more essential in today’s world of technology.
Coincidentally, Tech Data Advanced Solutions has hosted their Cybersecurity Day 2018, where they held talks concerning the topic.

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The event saw companies such as KPMG, Citrix, Sophos, IBM, and MDEC to name a few, where they had representatives in giving their own thoughts on the matter which revolves around the evolution of crime, digital workspace security, cloud security, digital economy in cybersecurity and more.

The companies even setup their own booths at the venue, showcasing some of their solutions to attendees.
Interestingly, the APAC Cyber Lead of KPMG, Dani Michaux, has said that the recent attack on Media Prima was not a targeted attack but more of a collateral damage for the company. It just means that, the hackers did so, simply because they were capable of the act.
In addition to that, we’ve managed to talk with some of the folks from Tech Data and question them about how they feel about the cybersecurity scene here in Malaysia. They’ve said that while it’s good to have a big security system for protection, it will still come down to individuals. Every person has a part to play and they need to realize how important it is to have security from the top to government, corporate and finally to individuals. To add to that, they have also mentioned that a majority of Malaysians are only reactive to problems, where the goal that should be focused on is preventive measures.
Towards the end, they’ve mentioned that even normal consumers should take security more seriously and that doesn’t mean that you’d need to pay for expensive security offerings, where a simple free anti-virus would work as well. It’s just a reminder that you’d need to be wary in today’s digital world.
Pokdepinion: Well the event was an eye-opener for me. I for one am guilty for taking something such as internet security very lightly. Remember guys, it’s better to be safe than sorry. Just ask… okay never mind. You get the point. Stay safe guys!
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