iflix Expands Kids Library – More For The Whole Family To Enjoy!

iflix, provider of entertainment service, has launch their all new dedicated Kids Channel, with an expansion of top movies and TV series for children of all ages.
iflix Kids Channel
iflix launches new Kids Channel
Following a tremendous view increase, iflix has introduce their Kids Channel. The new channel will feature movies and TV series from many of the world’s most popular studios and brands, which is available for both stream and download.
The new channel will include shows from Cartoon Network (Adventure Time, Ben 10, The Amazing World of Gumball, Clarence, The Powerpuff Girls), NIckelodeon (Avatar: The Legend of Aang, iCarly, The Thundermans), Nick Jr. (Blue’s Clues, Wallykazam!, Blaze and the Monster Machines).

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In addition, iflix also has recently added family favorites such as Inside Out, Finding Dory, The Incredibles, Tomorrowland, Alice in Wonderland, Big Hero 6, Brave, The Jungle Book, Zootopia, Tangled. Not to forget about local hits, Upin & Ipin and Upin & Ipin: Jeng Jeng Jeng is also added to their Kids library.
According to their Chief Content Officer, Sean Carrey, the new channel will act as a core segment that they are on this year, where it has shown of increase and sustained engagement with an 74% increase in session times in some of their Kids content.
iflix is available across 25 territories throughout Asia, The Middle East, and Africa, offering a library of Hollywood, Asian, Middle Eastern as well as local TV shows and movies.
Pokdepinion: Well while it’s named ‘Kids’, but I can still see even grown ups can enjoy the new addition of the channel. I mean if it’s something that you’ve watched in your younger day, surely you wouldn’t mind watching it again right? Plus, even if you don’t watch, I’m sure that your children would probably will enjoy it and that spares up some time for you (well assuming that you have kids) :P
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Steam Game Free Right Now — Claim It Before 10AM PT Today And It’s Yours To Keep Forever

In another episode of a long list of free PC games, The Tiny Bang Story is now available for you to claim free-of-charge, that is until 10AM Pacific Time (1AM Malaysia).
The Tiny Bang Story

Let’s be honest, who doesn’t like free games, right? Well here’s your chance to pickup The Tiny Bang Story. The game, which was released back in 2011 for both PC and Mac, is now available for everyone to download and keep the game forever, provided that you add it to your Steam library before 10AM Pacific Time (1AM 26 September 2018 for Malaysia) today.
The game is a mixture of adventure and puzzle which surrounds around a small planet that gets hits by a meteor. The impact destroyed many of the machines that kept the planet thriving, so it’s your job to fix things around.

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While the game isn’t a AAA title, overall reviews on the game that you can find on Steam is Very Positive, with a total of 2,738 votes accounted for, at the time of writing.
You can click here to go straight to the Steam website and claim the game straight away.
Pokdepinion: The game may not look much, but I actually like puzzle games. I wish there were more games in that category. If only there was a new Monkey Island game, that would be awesome.

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The Xiaomi Mi A3 officially in Malaysia from RM899

The much anticipated update to the Xiaomi Mi A-family of Android One devices is finally here in Malaysia. While the specifications are somewhat disappointing in some ways, the price makes it a pretty interesting option for those who are looking for the pure Android experience, all while having to pay less than RM1000.

One of the biggest improvements from the Xiaomi Mi A2 is the new 4030 mAh battery, which should promise much longer battery life. In addition to the lower HD+ (720p) resolution and AMOLED panel which should also contribute to increased efficiency if dark mode is enabled, the Xiaomi Mi A3 does look like it will deliver great longevity. The chipset has also been updated to the Snapdragon 665 which harnesses a newer 11nm manufacturing process, which should be great from an efficiency standpoint as well.

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Xiaomi also updated the camera system with a new Sony-sourced  48MP f/1.79 main camera and a 8MP f/2.2 ultra-wide camera, which should mean better image quality. The fairer sex should also find joy in the 32MP f/2.0 selfie camera with 4-in-1 Super Pixel technology for better low-light selfies. The Xiaomi Mi A3 touts a fresh new design too, marking a departure from the aluminium unibodies that the Mi A1 and Mi A2 featured.
Here are the Xiaomi Mi A3‘s specifications:
Xiaomi Mi A3 Specs

Snapdragon 665, octa-core up to 2.0 GHz, 11nm FinFET
Qualcomm Adreno 610
4GB RAM
Up to 128GB UFS 2.1 storage (expandable via 256GB microSD)
6.088″ HD+ AMOLED, Dot Drop notch, NTSC 102.7%
48MP f/1.79 + 8MP f/2.2 + 2MP f/2.4 depth sensor
32MP f/2.0 selfie camera
4030 mAh battery, 18W fast charge
4GB + 64GB: RM899
4GB + 128GB: RM999

The Xiaomi Mi A3 looks like a decent buy, however the screen and chipset does seem like a downgrade from the Xiaomi Mi A2. The lower resolution and larger battery does promise better battery life though, which should solve our main grouse with the Xiaomi Mi A2. And oh, it also gets the headphone jack back. What do you guys think? Do you think the Xiaomi Mi A3 is making the right compromises? If you think so, the Xiaomi Mi A3 is available from 3rd August.
Pokdepinion: Why that screen though… I am willing to pay a bit more for a FHD+ screen…
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Nintendo Switch Game Vouchers Will Save You Money on Digital Purchases

At the last bits of the Nintendo Direct show which focused on the upcoming Super Mario Maker 2, the folks over at Nintendo introduced a new way of purchasing digital games for Nintendo Switch Online Service users. It’s call the Nintendo Switch Game Vouchers.
The Nintendo Switch Game Vouchers program allows you to purchase two games for a collectively cheaper value. For USD $99.99, you’ll be able to purchase a pair of these Game Vouchers which you can then redeem to acquire two games. So basically, if you’re wanting to buy two games at their full, standard price of USD $59.99, you’ll only be paying USD $100 instead. The vouchers are good for one full year from the date you purchase them and you don’t have to use both simultaneously.
I personally buy games physically because I love having a collection at home. Also, the benefit of being able to sell it off is a major plus for me if I ever needed some extra cash after I’m done with them. This would certainly make purchasing digital games more viable for people like me with the instant discounts, especially for those looking to purchase multiple games at once.

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You can check out the video at the top of this post for a clearer idea of how it works. For more details on it, click right here.
Pokdepinion: As much as I like physical copies, I won’t say no to discounts, that much I can guarantee :P
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YouTube API update

With YouTube’s API update for the app to API v3, comes certain sacrifices. Amongst them are the discontinuation of support for certain older devices. Amongst the devices are older Apple devices which do not support iOS7 and above, Apple TV 2nd generation and older, devices running Google TV version 2 and older, and certain smart TVs. However don’t fret as owners of said devices can still use YouTube through the website or mobile website respectively. The fate of Windows Phone users are unknown as there was no mention regarding the OS. The older API will be shut down starting 20th April 2015.

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Do you frequently use the YouTube app? Personally I don’t because data is just too costly for me. Not that I own any devices in the list either. What do you think? Do you prefer the app or have you used the website all the while?

SOURCE: Google
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honor 6A Pro arrives in stores at just RM699; entry level hardware in a premium curved metal body!

The honor 6A Pro is now officially available here in Malaysia with entry level hardware and a suitably affordable price tag of just RM699.
honor 6A Pro
The honor 6A Pro has been teased for quite a while on honor Malaysia’s Facebook page. Many have guessed that the honor 6A Pro will be making its appearance here in Malaysia with pre-orders that were opened while honor Malaysia were still teasing, and today it is officially available in stores.

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The honor 6A Pro doesn’t aim to blow your mind with its specifications or an ultra-wide display. That’s for the Huawei nova 2i to do. What it offers is a good value proposition with a Snapdragon 430 under the hood and 3GB of RAM. Storage is well accounted for too, with 32GB of internal storage and support for 128GB microSD cards.

A lonely 13MP rear camera with PDAF focuses in just 0.5 seconds, while a 5MP front camera takes care of the selfie lovers. The 5″ 720p display is a poor choice in 2017, but battery life is usually more essential than screen sharpness at the entry level. It is common to see devices in this price range sacrificing resolution for better battery life. Speaking of which, the 3020 mAh battery in the honor 6A Pro promises 12 hours of video playback and 10 hours of 4G web surfing.
All of that hardware is encased in a 8.22mm chassis made of metal, belying its price tag. The honor 6A Pro runs EMUI 5.1 based on Android 7.0 Nougat, but there is no mention of an update to the Android 8.0 Oreo-based EMUI 8.0 though. It will be available in Grey and Gold for just RM699.
Pokdepinion: The honor 6A Pro is very affordable but doesn’t really offer much more than the honor 6X which is just a mere RM200 more but offers much better specifications across the board.
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Delidding Apple’s M2 Ultra Chip Shows Package Size Bigger Than Intel Xeon CPUs

Apple definitely got the message across when it comes to their M-series chips’ efficiency – which is quite ahead of x86-based competition from both Intel and AMD. However, the chip itself is by no means small, not this particular M2 Ultra chip that is effectively two M2 Max SoCs fused into one.
Twitter user @techanalye1 has managed to delid the huge IHS covering both the 24-core Apple Silicon itself as well as the surrounding DRAM chips, which occupies an area bigger than Intel’s workstation Xeon W9-3495X CPU which contains 56 cores inside, as seen on the image above. (Though to be fair, the Xeon doesn’t put memory chips under the IHS, and instead relies on DIMM modules for memory.)

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The second image shows the thermal paste that runs with a relatively tidy rectangle across the IHS – that’s where the silicon of M2 Ultra is located directly below. While on the surface M2 Ultra may look like a huge chip, most of that space is occupied by DRAM chips that forms a total of 192GB unified memory, and in turn it’ll save the space required to build dedicated DIMM slots.
Of course, that comes at the cost of expandability, as there are still plenty of applications that need well beyond 192GB of RAM that Apple currently offers. The Xeon W9 meanwhile supports up to 4TB of RAM, making it capable of dealing AI or data-heavy workloads that demand a lot more RAM capacity (Apple Silicon puts its focus on media capabilities, for the most part).
Source: Wccftech
Pokdepinion: I’d say the Apple’s silicon is definitely smaller in size, but probably not much smaller than Xeon’s silicon.
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NVIDIA DLSS 3 Now Available For Diablo IV, Coming To Newest Ratchet & Clank Title

NVIDIA has announced its DLSS 3 roster has now reached 300 titles – and now this ever-growing list includes the hotly-anticipated Blizzard’s blockbuster title, Diablo IV, as well as Tower Of Fantasy. DLSS 3 is NVIDIA’s proprietary technology that renders an AI-generated frame in between native frames to provide double the framerates, which is so far limited to RTX 40 series GPUs only.

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Diablo IV has now officially launched, and with it, the PC version comes with various frame-boosting technologies from NVIDIA including DLSS 3, DLSS 2, DLAA and Reflex. The company has also teased a future ray-tracing update which definitely can use some help from DLSS to minimize performance penalties. While there is a sweepstakes to win the custom version of RTX 4080 with Diablo IV backplate, bad news: upon reading the terms, it looks like Malaysia isn’t among the eligible countries to win the prize.
Meanwhile, Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart – previously a Sony-exclusive title, is set to make its official debut this July 26th with DLSS 3, DLSS 2, DLAA, Reflex and ray tracing. The new title is set to include 48:9 triple-monitor ultrawide support as well.
Other new DLSS-supported titles include:

Tower of Fantasy (available now with DLSS 3)
Alone in the Dark (Oct 25 with DLSS 2, Alone in the Dark Prologue demo is out now)
WILD HEARTS (available now with DLSS 2)
Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty (available now with DLSS 2)
The Elder Scrolls Online: Necrom expansion (available now with DLSS 2, DLAA)

Pokdepinion: That’s quite a big list for DLSS 3 already. Might be difficult for AMD to compete unless it’s open-source like FSR 2.
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New Revenue Share Tiers for Games on Steam Revealed

The folks over at Valve / Steam has announced a new set of updates that include everything from new revenue share tiers to updates to the Steam Distribution agreement.
Moving forward, Steam has introduced new revenue share tiers for titles that hit certain revenue levels. Games that make over USD $10 million on Steam, the revenue shares for that game will adjust to 75%/25% on earnings past the USD $10 million mark. At USD $50 million, the revenue shares change to 80%/20% on earnings past the USD $50 million mark.

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This will only be applied to games released after 1st October 2018. It is noted that revenue includes everything from game packages and DLC, to in-game sales and Community Marketplace game fees.
Steam is also making a change to the confidentiality provisions to make it clear that partners can share sales data about their game as they see fit.
Some other smaller changes being introduced as well are:

Safety warranties prompted by VR
Language to address how customer data is treated under the 2018 European data rules (GDPR)

While this might seem like a minor change to some, it will seem big for those who develop these games as it means that there will be more money in their pockets, and that is awesome.
Source: Community Announcement
Pokdepinion: Well, more money for developers mean better chances for developers to thrive in the industry…assuming no shady business is going on of course. Well, it’s a good move by Steam and it will certainly encourage the developers around.
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Maxis Business Offers New Back-Up-As-A-Service Cloud Service From Commvault

Maxis has just announced a new Back-up-as-a-Service (BaaS) cloud service which makes Maxis the first Cloud Service Provider to offer such a service in Malaysia. The enterprise-proven data backup and recovery solution is a cloud-native and agile solution, making it easy to employ as it is managed by Commvault and stored in Microsoft Azure cloud. It’s the first of many data-protection services that Maxis and Commvault, a global leader in data and information management, will introduce together.
Maxis Business introduces Back-up-as-a-Service cloud services powered by Commvault

Below are some of the Back-up-as-a-Service packages offered by Maxis:

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Office 365 BaaS – Microsoft services such as SharePoint, OneDrive, Exchange, Teams, Groups, and Project Online are all covered. If there is an unintentional deletion, a security threat such as ransomware, or a retention policy gap, any documents or emails may be retrieved.
Endpoint BaaS – Via bandwidth optimisation, users can completely configure automated backups for laptops and desktops. Users may also use file-level protection to avoid unauthorised access to data on their computers. If an anomaly is discovered, for example, users can remotely delete the file to prevent a hack.

To defend against ransomware, Maxis’ Commvault Back-up-as-a-Service solution is developed with multi-layered protection and built on a zero-trust model. It separates backups from the primary source, ensuring that backups are unaffected if the source is compromised. It also takes advantage of the Microsoft Azure platform’s stability.

Thanks to its simple and fast implementation, Commvault provides storage flexibility, is highly scalable, and can be up and running in minutes, resulting in lower management overhead. It is available as a subscription model for consumers of computer devices or who have subscribed to Microsoft Office 365 applications for world-class data security on-premise, in the cloud, or on hybrid servers.
That’s not all, customers who sign up for any of Maxis Back-up-as-a-Service packages will be given free onboarding by Maxis technical experts and complementary managed services for the first year. For more information, head over to the official website here.
Pokdepinion: You really don’t want to get hacked or have your information compromised at any time and these seem like a good way to circumvent that.
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vivo NEX review — vivo pulled out all the stops for this one

Introduction

Having a notch doesn’t mean bezel-less, as much as Apple insists. The vivo NEX and OPPO Find X push the limits by removing the notch and placing whatever sensors that are conventionally found in the upper bezel (or notch) elsewhere. OPPO decided to hide both the rear and front cameras on a motorized mechanism, while vivo is a bit less extreme and just hides the front facing camera with a motorized pop-up mechanism.
Unboxing

The packaging of the vivo NEX is pretty standard for flagships, with a liberal sprinkling of Russia 2018 logos to remind everyone that vivo was official smartphone sponsor of the FIFA World Cup earlier this year.

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There is a rather interesting design here. The tray of accessories slide out after you lift off the lid, instead of the usual layered packaging most recent smartphones come in.

The stuff included with the vivo NEX are quite comprehensive, and the included rubberized hard case is a huge step up from the clear TPU cases most smartphones come bundled with. The 22.5W vivo Dual Engine Quick Charger is huge compared to most chargers, but we will probably need it to juice up quickly.
Appearance

The front is really bezel-less, with just the bottom bezel being a hair thicker than the side and top ones. For those who really hate notches, this is the device to get.

While the front of the device has no bezels or notches, the back is still more interesting. The glass back looks plain until it catches some light…

Whereby it will diffract the light with a 3D pattern under the glass. Somehow vivo has managed to design the back of the vivo NEX to be give us pretty diffractions in all of RGBae glory. Kudos for that!

At the top is where we will find a 3.5mm jack and the popup camera. The metal is finished in with a glossy sheen, so smudges do happen very easily on the sides of the vivo NEX.

The right side is home to the volume rocker and power button, while over on the other side you will find a AI button. It is a quick trigger to Google Lens and Google Assistant. We will be taking a closer look at it later.

Here’s where you will find the USB Type-C port and SIM tray. The sole loudspeaker is also found here. There is no earpiece, so mono audio is all you will get if you do not plug in any earphones.
Specifications

CPU/Chipset:
Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 (4 x Kryo 385 Gold @ 2.8 GHz + 4 x Kryo 385 Silver @ 1.8 GHz), 10nm FinFET

GPU:
Adreno 630 @ 710 MHz

RAM:
8GB LPDDR4X

Display:
6.59″, 19.3:9 FHD+ (1080p) Super AMOLED display, 91.24% screen-to-body ratio

Storage:
128GB UFS 2.1

Camera:
Main Camera(s)
Primary: 12MP f/1.8, Dual Pixel AF, 1/2.55″ Sony IMX 363 sensor, 1.4μm pixel pitch
Secondary: 5MP f/2.4 depth detection
Dual LED flash, AI HDR, portrait mode, AI scene recognition, AI Beauty, filters, Pro mode, 4-axis OIS (primary camera only), EIS, DCI-P3 color gamut
Front Camera
8MP f/2.0
AI portrait mode, AI scene recognition, Beauty mode, screen flash

OS:
Funtouch OS 4 based on Android 8.1 Oreo

Connectivity:
Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac (2.4 GHz and 5 GHz), supports WiFi 2×2 MIMO, MU-MIMO
Bluetooth 5.0 (AAC, aptX, aptX-HD, LDAC support)
LTE-FDD: Band 1/2/3/4/5/7/8/12/17/18/19/20/25/26/28A/28B

SIM:
Dual nanoSIM

Battery:
Li-ion 4000 mAh (non-removable)

Dimensions:
162 x 77 x 7.98 mm

Weight:
199 g

The specifications are really nice, with lots of RAM and fast storage. The front camera is quite surprising coming from vivo which usually fits really powerful front cameras into their smartphones. Given that vivo has to design a motorized mechanism for the front camera with the limited space, we can probably let this one slide. There is no expandable storage either, which can be bummer if you are a hoarder.
Performance

The vivo NEX actually comes pretty close to the top here, coming just below the OPPO Find X.

The vivo NEX also performs admirable in Geekbench, coming in just below the POCOPHONE F1.

GPU performance is where we see the vivo NEX shine. It scores top marks here.

PCMark sees it score rather poorly for some reason. I guess this device isn’t meant for productivity-related workloads? You might also notice that we don’t have the scores for the PCMark battery test for the vivo NEX. That’s because it just refused to run the full test, quitting at just 50%. Bad vivo NEX, bad.
As vivo removed the standard battery usage chart from the vivo NEX, we can only judge it based on how long it was away from the plug. It did an excellent 24 hours away from the plug before hitting 15%, and it charged up 48% in just 30 minutes. Given that we have a huge 4000 mAh battery in the vivo NEX, that’s really impressive.
Surprisingly, in my daily use of the vivo NEX, I did encounter some hiccups even when doing some basic tasks like using SwiftKey to reply to Facebook messages. I absolutely did not expect this, nor have I seen this behavior with any other Snapdragon 845 device. I did not encounter this kind of lag in the rest of my usual apps though, so it could be an optimization issue.
User Experience

The fingerprint scanner which is hidden under the display was a very interesting feature that vivo brought to the table back at MWC 2017. However sad to say the accuracy may be a little off. My device which was secured with my the biometrics of my two thumbs, has since been unlocked by 3 different people. And the funny thing about that is that it doesn’t even unlock every single time with my own thumbs. It does not fail every single time, but when it does, I can’t help but wish for the good ol’ fingerprint scanners that have never failed me. Or unlocked with my friends’ thumbs.

While what’s under the display may not be impressive, the Super AMOLED bezel-less display taking up 91.24% of the vivo NEX’s front is really good. Deep blacks are a given, as are vivid colors. This display is about as faultless as it is bezel-less. There’s an ambient brightness sensor somewhere, but it’s hidden way too well for us to see.

Part of the appeal of AMOLED displays to me is Always On Display, and I am happy to see it here. There are an array of themes to select from too, so you won’t be bored with just the clock showing on your screen.

vivo’s FuntouchOS is probably the closest you get to iOS on an Android device, with a swipe up from the bottom for the quick settings. Curiously, there are two ways to access recent apps, the first being a row of it above the quick settings, and another being the standard card view of the recent apps. The gesture navigation is actually exactly the same as the one on the OPPO Find X, but because of the non-curved display, it is actually usable. The overall UI is quite easy to get a hang of, and I was quite comfortable using it, except when trying to get to the quick settings. That took a bit more time to get used to.

The AI button here on the left is supposed to bring up Jovi, vivo’s AI assistant, but it brings up Google Lens with a short press and Google Assistant with a long one. There’s no way to switch it around, so you are stuck with having to long press to bring up the more useful AI feature on the vivo NEX.

Moving on, the dual camera on the vivo NEX might seem like something that mid-range devices would feature. The 5MP secondary camera is only there for depth perception to enhance bokeh effects, so you don’t get any zoom or wide-angle bonuses. The primary camera is definitely flagship-worthy though, with a Sony IMX363 sensor behind a f/1.8 aperture and 4-axis OIS. There is also the mandatory AI scene recognition somewhere here.

The software is typical for Chinese-made smartphones. You will have to swipe through the different modes, instead of having a popup where you can choose the mode you want. Clunky. vivo offers the ability to shoot 24MP images, taking advantage of the Dual Pixel technology on the sensor. Checking the EXIF also reveals a rather interesting detail about the camera — it’s a 30mm (35mm eqv.) lens which is slightly narrower than usual.

Images in good lighting taken with the vivo NEX are quite good if you ignore you the graininess that’s visible in all lighting conditions. You might want to enable HDR for most shots though, as dynamic range is somewhat limited despite the large-ish sensor here. Shots at night do get even grainier,with the 24MP shots even worse than the 12MP ones. I liked the results I got from the vivo NEX, and here you can check out the full-sized camera samples on Flickr.

Now let’s talk about some of the new technology to make the device fully bezel-less. For one, the vivo Screen SoundCasting Technology works great. I didn’t have any complaints at all about call quality. While you won’t get to enjoy the stereo audio most recent flagships tout, I can’t say I missed it all that much. I was much happier without a notch getting in the way of everything I do. The front camera is nice enough, it pops up fast and selfies look decent enough. There are some selfies I sneaked into the camera results up above, so do check them out.
Conclusion
The vivo NEX is one innovative phone, with a long list of fancy features. I love the popup camera, the Screen SoundCasting Technology and the gorgeous display, and I must say that this a strong offering from vivo. However the vivo NEX also skips a lot of features that other flagships tout, like NFC, dust and liquid resistance, expandable storage and wireless charging. But then again none of the others have a display that nearly entirely fills up the front fascia either. I am somewhat disappointed with the hiccups I encountered in normal usage as well as the fingerprint scanner which failed to block my friends from accessing my device, and these aren’t flaws I can easily overlook.
The vivo NEX isn’t all bad, but there is definitely room for improvement. For RM2799, it is quite reasonably priced for a device with so many new features, but whether you are willing to live with the slew of drawbacks is a more difficult decision to make. If given the choice between the two truly bezel-less devices in the market right now, I would pick the vivo NEX anytime. I just can’t accept that fingerprint scanner though.
Our thanks to vivo Malaysia for provisioning the vivo NEX used in this review. To support us, do check out the vivo NEX on Lazada via the following link:

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Alcatel 11.11 sale offers up to 40% discounts!

Affordable smartphones are a dime a dozen, but there are few brands that are as nostalgic as Alcatel. And what better way to relive that nostalgia than picking up a new Android-powered Alcatel smartphone during 11.11? They were affordable, but are now downright cheap as you can get one from as low as RM269!

Alcatel’s exclusive partnership with 11street will see three of their latest devices being sold at discounted prices until stocks run out. That includes the Alcatel 1 which is powered by Android Go, the Alcatel 3L and the Alcatel 5V. Pricing during the Alcatel 11.11 sales are as follows:

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Alcatel 1 – RM269
Alcatel 3L – RM359
Alcatel 5V – RM539

For those of you who weren’t checking out Alcatel until you saw this post, the usual prices for the Alcatel 1, Alcatel 3L and Alcatel 5V are RM298, RM498 and RM898, respectively. With these promotional prices only on 11.11, exclusively on 11street, you are getting up to 40% off their usual prices!

If you get the Alcatel 5V now, you will also receive an Alcatel merchandise bundle worth RM99. The Alcatel 3L and Alcatel 1 will come with a smaller Alcatel merchandise bundle worth RM29.
Interested, go check out these deals on Alcatel’s Official Store on 11street!
Pokdepinion: The promotional price of the Alcatel 5V makes it a device worthy of consideration if you are looking for an entry-level smartphone!
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MSI GE75 Raider 8SE Review — semi-portable desktop replacement?

Introduction

We checked out MSI’s entry-level GeForce RTX 2060 gaming laptop, the MSI GL63 8SE, previously. It was interesting enough, but thick bezels and a full-plastic build means it can’t compete with more premium offerings from other OEMs. Today we will be checking out a slightly more premium model, the MSI GE75 Raider 8SE. It comes with most of the same base specifications as the MSI GL63 8SE, but in a much more premium package. Let’s see whether it offers any tangible extras over their entry-level model. Hint: it does.
Unboxing

As customary of MSI’s mainstream gaming laptops, it comes in a standard cardboard package with the MSI logo smack dab in the center. It should probably come with a backpack as well, but we didn’t receive it with our review unit.

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Inside of the box is the laptop, a 180W charger and the standard documentation. The MSI GE75 Raider 8SE does have a fabric sleeve, so you can use it to protect it from minor scratches when you carry it in your bag.
Appearance

The lid is typical of MSI gaming laptops. The Dragon Army logo flanked by two red lines. The lines do not feature illumination but the logo does. One thing which I found interesting was that the MSI GE63 Raider RGB has 16.8 million-colored accents on the lid, while we get regular red lines here. Well, at least it is made of aluminium, right?

While they made the lid from aluminium, the bottom here is plastic through and through. MSI still clearly paid a lot of attention to the design, with one of the most intricate pattern we have ever seen on the underside of a laptop. Nay, on any surface of a laptop.

Opening up the MSI GE75 Raider 8SE reveals slim bezels around 17.3″ FHD display. The keyboard here sports RGBae backlighting, thus the clear sides you can see around the keyboard. People who use the built-in webcams would also be pleased to find that the camera is located above the display where is should be.

Let’s take a closer look at the lower half of the MSI GE75 Raider 8SE. The entire palm rest area is made of aluminium, giving the MSI GE75 Raider 8SE a more premium feel than some of the competition which has resorted to plastics in this area. The keyboard here is by SteelSeries, so you get to take advantage of the extensive lighting effects they have to offer. And with the per-key RGBae backlighting of the keyboard, there really is a lot to play around with. More on that later. Also, MSI being MSI, has decided that the trackpad needs a red accent around it.
The exhaust vents are plenty aggressive, with the vanes extending well beyond the actual exhaust area. The MSI GE75 Raider 8SE has vents on the sides as well, but we will talk more about that later. The large-ish area between the vents does leave us wondering if MSI could have equipped the MSI GE75 Raider 8SE with a more extensive set of I/O, given the space, and also the fact that this is a 17-inch behemoth which will probably see most of its life spent on a desk with a plethora of peripherals attached.
Specifications

CPU
Intel Core i7-8750H @ 2.2 GHz (up to 4.1 GHz Turbo Boost)

RAM
16GB (2 x 8GB SODIMM) 2667 MHz DDR4

GPU
Intel UHD 630
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 6GB GDDR6

Storage
128GB Kingston M.2 PCIe 3.0 x2 NVMe SSD
1TB Seagate Barracuda 7200rpm 2.5″ HDD
1 x vacant M.2 SSD Combo slot (M.2 PCIe Gen3/ M.2 SATA support)

Software
Microsoft Windows 10 Home
MSI Dragon Center
MSI Battery Calibration
MSI App Player
Killer Control Center
SteelSeries Engine 3
NVIDIA GeForce Game Ready Driver 430.39 WHQL

Connectivity
Killer Wireless-AC 1550i WiFi (802.11ac Wave 2 160 MHz)
Bluetooth 5.0
Killer Ethernet E2500 Gigabit LAN
2 x USB 3.0
1 x USB 3.1 Gen2 (Type-A)
1 x Type-C USB 3.1 Gen2
SD card reader

Display
17.3″ FHD (1920 x 1080) 144 Hz,  IPS-level panel, 100% sRGB
1 x HDMI 2.0 ([email protected])
1 x Mini-DisplayPort

Audio
2 x 3W speakers
2 x 3W woofers
1 x 3.5mm microphone in
1 x 3.5mm headphone out (SPDIF/HiFi)

Power
180W power adapter
51 WHr 6-cell Li-Ion battery

Dimensions
397 x 268.5 x 27.5 mm

Weight
2.64 kg

Performance

The storage speeds of the MSI GE75 Raider 8SE are in line with what we would expect of a lower-end PCIe 3.0 x2 SSD and a 7200rpm HDD. The write speeds of the SSD is quite abysmal though due to the small capacity of the drive, but the outgoing model will sport a 256GB SSD. Our review unit came with a 128GB one for some peculiar reason.

CPU performance is in line with what we have seen from previous laptops with the Intel Core i7 8750H.

It seems like the increased amount of RAM and more memory bandwidth allowed the MSI GE75 Raider 8SE to perform on a higher level in Superposition than its lesser brethren, the MSI GL63 8SE.

We see a similar trend in 3DMark Time Spy, with the MSI GE75 Raider 8SE outperforming the MSI GL63 8SE by quite a sizeable margin.

For those of you who are into DirectX Raytracing effects, the MSI GE75 Raider 8SE’s upgraded specifications allows it to deliver around 10% better performance than the almost identical MSI GL63 8SE.

Gaming performance is actually much better than on the MSI GL63 8SE, with the additional RAM bandwidth and capacity seemingly offering quite a huge boost to the average frame rate of the titles we tested. And since Shadow of the Tomb Raider now has raytraced shadows and DLSS, we also tested the MSI GE75 Raider 8SE’s performance with those features turned on. DLSS in SotTR doesn’t have as much of an impact on the visuals as Battlefield V’s DLSS, which is nice to see.

Despite the larger footprint, for some reason our unit of the MSI GE75 Raider 8SE runs hotter than our sample of the MSI GL63 8SE. The CPU hit up to 97°C while the GPU went all the way up to 67°C in Battlefield V with DXR on. Even in a short benchmark like Cinebench, the Intel Core i7 8750H throttled down to 2.8 GHz. It’s still well above base clocks, but we have seen designs maintaining an all-core boost of around 3.7 GHz in much longer benchmarks. These results are observed with Cooler Boost on, which pushes the fans to maximum speed. The fans in the MSI GE75 Raider 8SE are definitely audible at full tilt, so you would be sticking to headphones if you want to focus on your gaming experience.
User Experience

The bezels on the MSI GE75 Raider 8SE are much slimmer than on traditional laptops, bringing it much closer to more recent designs like the ROG Strix SCAR II and the like. MSI’s lower bezel is probably a fair bit thinner than ROG’s designs though, thus resulting in a smaller footprint. Our unit here sports a Chimei VA panel that runs at up to 144 Hz, so we have nearly no complaints about the display. I say nearly because the MSI GE75 Raider 8SE doesn’t have G-SYNC, probably to make way for NVIDIA Optimus. I personally feel like a 17-incher shouldn’t need Optimus, given that you probably won’t be carrying it around.
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While you may be inclined to use a 17.3″ laptop as a desktop replacement, the MSI GE75 Raider 8SE doesn’t really cut it with its I/O ports. It only offers three USB-A ports, one of which supports USB 3.1 Gen2. I don’t know why MSI decided to add illumination to the USB ports, but they light up in bright red if you enable the feature. The USB-C port doesn’t support Thunderbolt 3, so you won’t be able to run an external GPU off it. MSI’s separation of the 3.5mm mic and audio output ports is nice if you have a dedicated microphone and audio output that you want to connect to your system. On the other hand, to a gamer, this decision is questionable at best. The number of gaming headphones using a 4-pole 3.5mm connector has been steadily increasing over the years, thus forcing you to bring a dongle to use headphones like the Cooler Master MH751 with the MSI GE75 Raider 8SE.
If you decide not to go with headphones, the built-in speakers on the MSI GE75 Raider 8SE do a pretty good job too. There are dedicated woofers to handle the lower frequencies, giving the laptop much better presence in the bass area than most of the competition. I would probably still put on some headphones, but if you are alone in the room and you decide that headphones are like miniature saunas for your ears, you won’t be too disappointed with the audio quality of the speakers.

The per-key RGB keyboard doesn’t only look good, but it feels great to type on it as well. MSI has really nailed their keyboard experience, probably thanks to their partnership with SteelSeries. There’s a sufficient amount of travel, and the tactility is almost perfect. I have yet to try a keyboard that can match the MSI GS65 Stealth Thin’s, but this is a pretty good laptop keyboard in its own right. The aluminium palm rests feel way more premium than plastic ones, but it also comes with the unfortunate drawback of it being more conductive of the heat from the toasty chips under it. The area above the space bar can warm up a fair bit, but at least the WASD area doesn’t get too hot.
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On the software side, we have the MSI Gaming Center suite which is an overlay allowing you to tune up the MSI GE75 Raider 8SE’s performance with MSI Shift, adjust the sound profile with Nahimic, set the fan speed or even play around with the keyboard’s RGB lighting. I like that MSI has combined everything into one single software, instead of using it like a launcher of sorts. Temperature and load graphs would be nice to have, but maybe we will have to wait for the iteration of MSI Dragon Center for that.
Conclusion
The MSI GE75 Raider 8SE has an SRP of RM8199, but it has just been replaced by the a refreshed model touting the 9th Generation Intel Core (Coffee Lake Refresh) processor, the MSI GE75 Raider 9SE. The newer model is priced at RM7999, which is quiter a bit more affordable. The newer model also offers more storage, and we can expect better CPU performance from the refreshed model although given the temperatures of the MSI GE75 Raider 8SE here, we aren’t sure how much you will be able to enjoy the higher clock speeds of the Intel Core i7 9750H.

Ignore that for a moment though. Is the MSI GE75 Raider 8SE a good 17″ laptop? We are getting good performance, and the display is great although we don’t have G-SYNC. The keyboard is one of the best I have used recently, with the extensive RGBae effects being a great bonus. Audio quality from the speakers is also quite amazing. As a desktop replacement, I do wish for more USB ports though. Three is the bare minimum, and even 15.6″ laptops come with that many USB ports. On the plus side, MSI did a good job with the display outputs, with mini-DP and HDMI making an appearance to support triple display setups if you want.
Portability is not going to be one of the MSI GE75 Raider 8SE’s strong points with its 2.64kg weight. The thin bezels do help with it fitting into bags, but it is still one chunky laptop. Probably would recommend it if you want a system that you can use without a monitor comfortably, but can still be packed away into a bag if you need to go somewhere. It is still one of the lighter 17″ laptops, so that somewhat helps. Other than that particular use case, you would probably be better off with the GL63 Raider RGB 9SE with similar specs but in a more portable and RGB-ed design. And that is also RM100 more affordable than the MSI GE75 Raider 9SE.
Our thanks to MSI Malaysia for providing the MSI GE75 Raider 8SE for review purposes.
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HUAWEI P50 Pocket Looks Set For Launch Soon

It appears that HUAWEI is set to launch their new clamshell device in the form of the HUAWEI P50 Pocket as they’ve teased it over the web.
HUAWEI P50 Pocket

The device was teased over at Harper’s Bazaar China’s official account on Weibo where it seems like a flip device. As for the launch date, it appears that the company is looking to introduce it on the 23rd of December 2021, which isn’t far away from now.

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As you can see from the image, the smartphone comes with two circular rings, where it appears to sport a display and a camera bump for the lower one. According to reports, the display ring is 1-inch across in measurement while the main display measures 6.85-inch.
Other than that, the phone’s specifications is unknown at the time being. Be rest assured that we will update you when new details is announced.
For more on the latest tech and gaming news plus reviews, stay tuned to Pokde.net.
Source
Pokdepinion: Is it just me, or the device looks quite wide, at least to hold on the hands? Maybe it’s just the angle, but I hope it’s not that big. I prefer these types of devices to be more compact.
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The Lenovo Legion Phone Duel is one of the hottest gaming smartphones to be unveiled this year. It’s taking a while to launch in a number of countries but now, we finally know when it will be coming to Malaysia, and it’s coming very soon.
Lenovo Legion Phone Duel Launch Date in Malaysia Confirmed

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We recently received an invite for a Lenovo Legion Phone Duel launch event, and it’s slated for 20th October 2020. Their gaming phone was first launched in China earlier this year in July 2020. Prices, exact availability, and freebies (if any) will be revealed on the day itself.
For those of you who aren’t aware, the Lenovo Legion Phone Duel is a gaming smartphone powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 865+ chipset. It has a 6.65-inch Full HD+ (2340 x 1080) display with 144Hz refresh rate and an in-display fingerprint scanner, The touch sampling rate is 240Hz, which is said to minimize input lag. Apart from that, you get dual front-facing speakers and two ultrasonic air trigger buttons on the side.
All of this will be powered by a 5,000mAh battery with 90W Turbo Power Charging technology, which is split in two for improved thermals. It is said to be capable of being fully charged in just 30 minutes, provided that you make use of both USB-C ports for charging. As for memory, it’s expected to have two variants; 12GB LPDDR5 RAM with 256GB UFS 3.1 storage and 16GB LPDDR5 RAM with 512GB UFS 3.1 storage. There is no word yet on whether both variants will be available, or if Lenovo will only be selling one of them in Malaysia.
As for the camera, you get a dual-camera setup consisting of a 64MP f/1.9 wide angle camera and a 16MP f/2.2 ultra-wide angle camera. What makes the Lenovo Legion Phone Duel unique is the side-mounted pop-up camera module for the 20MP f/2.2 selfie camera.
If you’re excited to get the smartphone, be sure to keep an eye out for as the Lenovo Legion Phone Duel will be officially launching in Malaysia on 20th October 2020. We will be reporting more on this as soon as information becomes available so stay tuned.
Source
Pokdepinion: I really wanna see how well it performs against the other gaming phones around. Can’t wait to try it out.
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HUAWEI Holding Major Product Launch This July 6

HUAWEI Consumer Business Group’s APAC stated on its official social media account on July 6 that the APAC Summer Product Launch would take place on that day. HUAWEI hosted a product launch event in APAC after a six-month hiatus. It will very certainly include a slew of new flagship items, including smartphones, tablets, and smartwatches.
What’s in store during HUAWEI’s launch on July 6?

According to HUAWEI’s official posters, the company’s consumer business group will hold a summer launch event in APAC on July 6 and will introduce six new flagship devices to the area, indicating that the company will continue to offer flagship goods in APAC countries.

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According to industry insiders, HUAWEI is set to deliver smart gadgets to the Asia-Pacific market, including smartphones, tablets, smartwatches, headphones, and monitors, which were just unveiled at HarmonyOS’ worldwide launch event.
HUAWEI previously conducted an online launch event on June 2 to announce a variety of new HarmonyOS 2 products, including smartphones, smartwatches, and tablets, as well as the HUAWEI Mate 40 series, HUAWEI Watch 3 series, and HUAWEI MatePad Pro.

The HUAWEI FreeBuds 4 and two high-end monitors, the HUAWEI MateView and MateView GT, are also included. In addition, the HUAWEI P50 series, a new flagship smartphone, was unveiled.

The company utilised a warm-up video to show off the P50 series’ look, including the rear camera module. It features four internal cameras and employs the latest dual-ring camera. The P50 series will have this camera architecture and will be equipped with Sony’s IMX800 CMOS sensor, which is nearly 1-inch in size. However, HUAWEI has not stated when the P50 series will be available.

The HUAWEI Watch 3 and HUAWEI MatePad Pro are two new HarmonyOS devices that were unveiled at the global launch of HarmonyOS 2. The Watch 3 and MatePad Pro can function efficiently with other intelligent devices such as mobile phones thanks to HarmonyOS’ distributed data management and distributed job scheduling capabilities. Increase your productivity and creativity by double.
The MatePad Pro, for example, can be used in conjunction with HUAWEI PCs and MateViews to enable multi-screen communication. The MatePad Pro may be utilised as a hand-drawn board and display in mirroring and expansion modes. It also allows users to drag files between devices, making cooperation more efficient.
HUAWEI’s Seamless AI Life concept has been their main strategy since 2018. It aims to make it possible for diverse types of devices to communicate their unique skills and information in a seamless manner, giving users an intelligent experience across five major scenarios: smart office, fitness & health, smart home, easy travel, and entertainment.
HUAWEI may also reveal its new strategy in the Asia Pacific area, in addition to bringing a number of new goods to the region. The company’s new plans and products aren’t expected to be revealed until July 6.
Pokdepinion: I’m pretty interested to see what else is in store come July 6. What sort of new plans or products are they looking to reveal apart from the ones we know?
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It’s July now and many gamers are looking forward to learning more about the next Genshin Impact update. It might be version 1.7, and there’s also a chance they might move straight to version 2.0. Either way, it appears the livestream schedule for it has been leaked.
Genshin Impact 1.7 / 2.0 Livestream Schedule Leaked

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According to renowned leaker Sukuna, the livestream for Genshin Impact 1.7 / 2.0 will be happening on 9th July, 8AM EST / 8PM GMT+8 (Malaysia time). The English and Chinese livestream will be happening at the same time, and it will be taking place on Twitch.
This is a rather interesting change since they previously held their livestreams on YouTube instead, which suggests that Twitch has reached some form of exclusivity deal with miHoYo. It could also help the studio reach a new audience as a result. Normally, the English livestream takes place 4 hours after the Chinese one on Bilibili but it looks like they’re trying to get to more people as soon as they can.
For now, Genshin Impact 1.7 / 2.0 will be launching on 21st July 2021. It will be available on the PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Android, iOS, and PC. A Nintendo Switch port of the game is still in the works and is expected to launch sometime soon.
Source
Pokdepinion: It appears that miHoYo is aware of how popular their game is with the English-speaking crowd, so it’s a good change. Can’t wait to see the new Inazuma region, or at least the final version rather than the leaked version that we’ve learned about thus far.
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Smosh / Smosh Games Parent Company Defy Media Shutting Down

An important message: pic.twitter.com/qMlXrI2v2O
— Ian Hecox (@SmoshIan) November 7, 2018

YouTube is the biggest video sharing / streaming website on the internet today. We’ve seen plenty of your regular, everyday folk become big stars and helped made YouTube the platform that it is today. One of those channels is Smosh, who later started a secondary gaming channel called Smosh Games. We may have to bid them farewell as we have received word of parent company Defy Media shutting down.
In a statement given by Defy Media, they have officially ceased operations immediately, so we won’t be seeing any new content coming from them. The parent company also stated that this was a result of “market conditions got in the way of us completing our mission.” What exactly is this supposed to mean? Who knows for sure.

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While this means that we won’t be seeing new videos from Smosh and Smosh Games, it might not necessarily be the end for them just yet. Co-founder Ian Hecox tweeted that they are already looking to find a new home for the channel.
As of right now, a notice has been given to the employees in their Los Angeles office which stated that they will be officially closing down in January 2019. As to what the employees will be doing from now until then, no one except for those within the company knows for sure.

Defy Media has seen a number of issues such as the lawsuit with former employee Andy Signore, and people on the internet claiming that the company owes them or their clients a sum of money. However, former Smosh star and co-founder Anthony Padilla has uploaded a YouTube video detailing some of the “shady business” that the parent company has been running.
Since then, we’ve seen the likes of The Jovenshire and Lasercorn chiming in on the matter. One thing’s for sure, it’s a sad day for YouTube and fans of the channels. Hopefully, we’ll be seeing them in another form or fashion in the future. For now, we’ll just have to wait and see.
Source: The Verge
Pokdepinion: My favourite YouTube channels are going down. This is not how I imagined my November would be like.
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realme X2 Pro Pre-orders Fully Booked In 14 Minutes

Recently realme Malaysia unveiled their first flagship smartphone, realme X2 Pro, where they’ve opened up the pre-orders for it. Well guess what? They’ve managed to finish all pre-orders in simply 14 minutes.
The realme X2 Pro’s stocks were fully booked on Lazada Chup Dulu recently. Tiffany Teh, the Brand Manager of realme Malaysia had this to say on the feat:
realme X2 Pro pre-order fully booked on Lazada Chup Dulu (on Wednesday) within 14 minutes only. Such an unbelievable success for us and due to overwhelming support and trust from realme fans, we have extended the deals. It is our endless mission to constantly bring our consumer realme’s upgraded features and functional experiences so they can enjoy realme’s leap-forward experience together with us.Tiffany Teh, Brand Manager of realme Malaysia
If you wish to learn more on the realme X2 Pro, do check out our full hands-on review of the phone.

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The realme X2 Pro will start to go on sale (offline) tomorrow, 7th of December 2019 for the price of RM2,399. They are having a promo where customers who purchase on the first offline sale will receive exclusive realme’s Buds Wireless, realme Backpack, and realme PowerBank at DirectD Gadget MEGA Store (PJ).
Learn more about the first sale right here.
Pokdepinion: Wow that was fast. Be sure to check out our review to know what the hype is all about.
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Want the ASUS ZenFone 5 for just RM1? Here’s what you need to do!

The ASUS ZenFone 5 is a great deal for just RM1299, packing some awesome specifications including the efficient Snapdragon 636 and flagship-tier 12MP IMX363 rear camera. But with us being Malaysians, we always want more, while paying less. What say you to a ASUS ZenFone 5, that costs just RM1?

ASUS Malaysia are collaborating with Lazada to bring a series of RM1 promotions when they hit certain thresholds in Malaysia. At 10 000 follows on the official ASUS Official Store on Lazada, ASUS Malaysia will be practically giving away 20 ZenPower Slim for RM1. Hit 12 000 followers, and we are looking at 10x ZenFone Max Pro (M1) for RM1. At 15 000, 2 units of the ZenFone 5 for just RM1.

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Right now, we are looking at 8342 followers, so start inviting your friends to follow ASUS Malaysia’s Official Store on Lazada!
Pokdepinion: Okay, I am definitely waiting for the RM1 ZenFone Max Pro and ZenFone 5!
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#Pokdepicks Best Gaming Laptops Of 2018

It has been quite a year in the gaming laptop scene, with a number of devices entered the market in 2018. Have a look of what we think that are the best gaming machines of the year. Do note that the list is in no particular order.
ASUS TUF FX505

We personally feel that the ASUS TUF FX505 is one of the best gaming laptops of 2018. Sure, it is not the most powerful gear in the market right now, but hey, it packs almost everything that you’d need essentially. Packed with Core i7-8750H that’s mated with a GTX 1060 6GB, that is more than enough to play your mainstream games.

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Additionally, the 144Hz refresh rate offering is certainly welcomed. The laptop does indeed give an aggressive look and who can forget about that time when the folks at ASUS showed a live demo of how durable the laptop is by jumping on it? I doubt many laptops could survive that amount of pressure. Easily put, the FX505 performs as well as providing durability.
MSI GS65 Stealth Thin 8RF

Another gaming laptop that deserves the award is MSI’s GS65 Stealth Thin 8RF. Just by looking at it, you could just tell that MSI means business with the GS65. Offering a sleek and thin looks, it cetainly gives you a premium feeling. Aside from that, it doesn’t just gives you that. It also packs a punch with an Intel Core i7-8750H, NVIDIA GTX 1070 Max-Q graphics, as well as 16GB DDR4 RAM.
Battery life of the laptop is top notch and it comes with a super Dynaudio sound system. We’ve rated it highly here at Pokde.net (you can check out our review here just in case you’ve missed it) and it is not a surprise to why. I dare say that the laptop is even more powerful than my very own personal PC.
Acer Predator Helios 500

A huge laptop with poor battery life isn’t a dealbreaker? Well, here’s the thing. When you’re looking at a laptop like the Acer Predator Helios 500 (powered by an Intel Core i9-8950HK nonetheless), you’re prioritizing performance over everything else. The review unit we had also included a GTX 1070 8GB, 32GBs of DDR4 RAM, 512GBs of blazing fast NVMe SSD, and a 1TB HDD for good measure. You’d certainly enjoy that much power when gaming on the 17.3-inch Full HD IPS 144Hz G-Sync display.
As such, having a huge laptop or with subpar battery life wouldn’t matter to you because otherwise, you wouldn’t be looking for a laptop like this and instead opt for the more portable, efficient ultrabooks. If you’re considering this then chances that you want a desktop-like performance that you can bring around. Just keep in mind that it will set you back about RM13,499.
ASUS ROG Strix GL503VS SCAR Edition

Like the FX505, the ASUS ROG Strix GL503VS SCAR Edition is surprisingly portable for a gaming laptop of its calibre. Powered by the Intel Core i7-7700HQ, GeForce GTX 1070 8GB, 16GBs of DDR4 RAM, 256GB PCIe 3.0 x4 NVMe SSD, and 1TB HDD for additional storage. For all the firepower its packing, it still manages to run at very acceptable temperatures.
Add that together with the fact that it comes with a 15.6-inch Full HD IPS-level 144Hz display with G-Sync capabilities and it’s surely something plenty of gamers can enjoy. Just keep in mind that its asking price is RM9,299 but there is a more affordable variant that utilizes GTX 1060 and a 120Hz display instead.
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VAIO Phone Biz; a true premium Windows Phone

Remember when we discussed about the rumor of a VAIO Smartphone? Apparently the rumor was real, but not the exact one that was rumored. The VAIO Phone Biz is a Windows 10 smartphone, with an all-aluminium construction.

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Instead of Microsoft’s polycarbonate (read: plastic) devices, the VAIO Phone Biz is a premium aluminium smartphone. VAIO is emphasizing on the attention paid in its construction and also stringent tests performed on this phone.

Specifications wise, the VAIO Phone Biz sports a Qualcomm Snapdragon 617, 3GB of RAM, 5.5″ 1080p display and a 13 MP camera. The Snapdragon 617 while mid-range offers support for Window’s 10 Continuum desktop mode.
VAIO will sell the Phone Biz from April from about ¥50,000 (RM 1760.22) unlocked, and the company is also partnering with leading Japanese carrier NTT Docomo to include various applications and network support.

SOURCE: The Verge

Pokdepinion: Its nice to see more variety in the Windows 10 smartphone market. We are interested to try one for ourselves but haven’t gotten about to getting one into our labs to review…yet.
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GALAX GAMER III RGB MEMORY – Arriving in Malaysia This October 2017!

Coming to our shores this October is GALAX’s GAMER III RGB DDR4 (8GB) memory. The RAM runs at 2400 MHz but its main sales pitch is its RGB light bar that is certified to work with MSI Mystic Light RGB lighting control technology. This is an upgrade over the previous Gamer DDR4 memory kits which came with the option of fixed red, green or blue illumination.
GAMER III RGB MEMORY

With this new model, GALAX has implemented 10 RGB LEDs with a HOLTEK Lighting Control MCU to handle the effects. As we know, RAM is sensitive to even the most minor of interference, but GALAX has designed the PCB layout to minimize the interference to offer better stability in overclocking as well as to ensure that thermals are not severely affected by the RGB illumination.

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As you can see, the MSI Z270 and X370 GAMING PRO CARBON is the first to the support the new Gamer III RGB series. You can use the MSI GAMING APP software and enter the light effect settings option which will automatically detect the GALAX GAMER III RGB RAM. There are a total of 9 presets that you can choose from and it can be set in a specific color if you so wish with the RGB hue ring lighting settings.
GALAX’s local distributor will be bringing in the 8GB single sticks to Malaysia, but pricing has yet to be confirmed at the time of writing. We will be sure to update you guys once we have more information.
Pokdepinion: If you prefer looks rather than performance, this looks like a good option but I’m sure GALAX will come up with even more powerful RGB RAM in the future. GALAX has experience with much faster RAM, so it will just be a matter of time.
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Fancy a PS4 with a Xbox One controller?

While that may be a dream for some console gamers, apparently it is possible to get such a thing by supporting a crowdfunding campaign by a Chinese company on a Chinese version of “Kickstarter”. Only problem is, it is junk.
Aside from the apparent similar design on the controller and console, it is absolutely rubbish compared to the originals. Powered by an Allwinner A80 SoC which has a octa-core big.LITTLE configuration of A15/A7 cores with a PowerVR G6230 and 2GB of RAM. Oh and it runs Android 4.4.2.

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So you get a console that looks like the PS4, a controller that looks like the Xbox One’s and it’s name is possibly a copy of Ouya. A hybrid of three pre-existing consoles for RMB439 (RM279.75), no less. Credit must definitely be given to this China company. Let’s see whether anyone actually backs this.

SOURCE: Kotaku

Pokdepinion: It does look good though.
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This Year’s iPhones Could Feature AOD And In-Display Fingerprint Sensor

According to leaks, Apple will be bringing in several features for the upcoming iPhone 13 series (or possibly iPhone 12S series), which Android smartphones have been packing for quite some time now.
iPhone 13 features leaked?

The leak comes from Max Weinbach, where he suggests that this year’s iPhone will be introducing features such as always-on-displays, in-display fingerprint sensors, as well as a fast 120Hz refresh rate.

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As you might know, Apple introduced Face ID with the iPhone X back in 2017, but considering wearing face masks due to the pandemic might pose a problem for the security system, it does make sense for Apple to head into in-display sensors.
With the AOD however, it appears that they will have one that’s simple where he claims it “basically looks like a toned-down lock screen”.
Though recent iPads have been introduced with fast refresh rate displays, the company’s iPhone 12 series only came with 60Hz refresh rate. So getting a 120Hz one will seem like an upgrade for the company.
At the meantime, take the news with a pinch of salt as they are not yet official. We should hear more details soon. Till then, stay tuned to Pokde.net for the latest tech and gaming news plus reviews.
Source
Pokdepinion: If they indeed do come with the features mentioned, I for one can’t wait to see their presentation on the latest iPhones and see whether they will use the word “innovation” or something along the lines.. Well you probably know why.
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Enjoy Discounts Up To RM1,300 From HUAWEI This 88 Ulti-Mate Sale

The folks at HUAWEI Malaysia has announced that they are ready to kickstart the month of August with a host of bargains on their products.
HUAWEI 88 Ulti-Mate Sale
You can enjoy a RM88 accessories voucher on HUAWEI Store as well on top of other offers that they’ve provided. How to get this voucher you might ask? In order to get it, you will need to login to the HUAWEI Store for any three days between now till the 8th of August 2020.
Once you have done that, you will be eligible to redeem a RM88 voucher for accessories on the 8th of August 2020 itself, which is applicable with a minimum purchase of RM200. The voucher lasts only on the date itself so be sure to plan out what you want to use it for.

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This voucher can be used for several of their products such as the HUAWEI FreeBuds 3i, HUAWEI SuperCharge Wireless Charger Stand, HUAWEI CM70-C FreeLace Earphones and more.
Aside from that, they are also offering a store pick up service called O2O (Online-to-Offline) service which offers convenience to customers while also providing discounts that online sales would normally have. For one-day only, they are offering the following on the 8th of August:
ProductRRPStore Pick Up Service PriceHUAWEI Band 4 ProRM229RM149HUAWEI Y7PRM699RM499HUAWEI GT2e RM599RM499HUAWEI MateBook 13 i5RM4,499RM3,999HUAWEI MatePadRM1,399RM1,199
Not to forget, they also prepared their ‘MUST BUY’ items on HUAWEI Store, Lazada and Shopee where you can enjoy discounts up to RM1,300. Here’s what you can expect:
ProductRRPMust Buy PricePlatformHUAWEI Mate 30 Pro 5GRM4,199RM2,999All threeHUAWEI Mate 30RM2,499RM1,999All threeHUAWEI Mate 30 ProRM3,599RM2,299All ThreeHUAWEI MateBook D 15 (8+256)RM2,299RM2,099HUAWEI Store + LazadaHUAWEI T5RM899RM599Lazada
[Update] HUAWEI Ulti-Mate roadshow

HUAWEI’s Ulti-Mate roadshow is happening from now till the 16th of August at Sunway Pyramid Blue Atrium. There, you can get your hands on freebies worth up to RM1000 and stand a chance in winning several gifts as shown in the picture.
Pokdepinion: Well there’s plenty to go around if you’re looking for a HUAWEI product. Will you be getting anything from the list?
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Google Releases Malaysia’s Year In Search – Some Of The Biggest Trends Of The Year!

Google today has release their annual Malaysian Year in Search, which showcase some of this year’s trending Internet searches made by our locals.
Google Malaysian Year In Search

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For those of you who don’t know what Google Malaysian Year in Search is, it reveals not only searches, but also give insight into global, regional, past, and present search trends. This year’s results includes some interesting searches (and some controversial ones too!).
Topping the list of trending searches of 2017 are BR1M, Hero Seorang Cinderella, SEA Games 2017. Coming in at a number 7 spot is Suamiku Paling Sweet (I swear the titles are getting weirder and weirder).
As for the most trending people of 2017 awards goes, 1st place is taken by Izara Aishah followed by Wonder Women herself, Gal Gadot in second. Filling up the top three is Singaporean celebrity, Hannah Delisha.
In the news topic category, it showed that JJPTR (JJ Poor to Rich) was popular with the topic ranks highest. Following in 2nd spot is the Petrol Price in Malaysia, and deserving of its position with the constant increase of price in the country. Taking 3rd place is the country’s Budget 2018.
Not to forget about movies, it has its own top searches as well. The most popular movie search in Malaysia is the action-packed Fast and Furious 8. It is followed DC Comic’s Justice League and then Beauty and the Beast (with all the controversy here in Malaysia).
Last but not least, since we’re a tech site, surely we would include the most trending devices’ result. Coming in at number one is the recently released iPhone 8 and followed closely by its brother, the iPhone X. Taking up 3rd spot is Chinese company, OPPO’s F5 smartphone.
Pokdepinion: I’m just going to focus on the trending device section, not really surprised with the rankings. The followers for Apple’s iphones are huge and OPPO have shown how big of a crowd they can attract.
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NVIDIA CMP 170HX cryptomining GPU is available for $4435

NVIDIA announced the NVIDIA CMP lineup alongside the GeForce RTX 3060 which was the first of the Lite Hash Rate (LHR) graphics cards. While they have only announced up to the NVIDIA CMP 90HX, there is apparently an NVIDIA CMP 170HX, and it will cost a whopping $4435 (~RM18 405), according to a listing by a Vipera, a retailer in Dubai.
NVIDIA CMP 170HX: 164MH/s, 250W TDP

Interestingly, the NVIDIA CMP 170HX is based on the GA100 GPUs, so it definitely isn’t a GeForce RTX 30 series GPU that didn’t pass muster, but instead it is the ones that didn’t meet the specifications for the datacenter NVIDIA A100 GPU. The NVIDIA GA100 isn’t even manufactured on the same process node as the GeForce RTX 30 series GPUs, as it is made with TSMC’s 7nm process node.

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The NVIDIA CMP 170HX’s GA100 die is a heavily cut-down version, with it only featuring 70 SMs, versus the full 108 SMs you get with the NVIDIA A100. But what’s more interesting is probably the fact that it packs 8GB HBM2e memory, fed via a wide 4096-bit memory interface. This allows for massive memory bandwidth at a significantly lower power consumption than GDDR6X, evident with the 250W TDP of the NVIDIA CMP 170HX, and its single 8-pin PCIe power connector.
NVIDIA A100 SXM
Thanks to the massive memory bandwidth available, the Ethereum hash rate is very high as well, reportedly hitting 164MH/s, which is really great, if you take the relatively low power consumption into consideration. For context, the NVIDIA CMP 90HX is only capable of 86MH/s while pulling 320W, according to NVIDIA’s official specs. The NVIDIA CMP 50HX, which draws the same 250W, only pushes 45MH/s.
Miners who wish to equip their mining rigs with the NVIDIA CMP 170HX will need to ensure that they have plenty of airflow, as the cards themselves do not have any form of active cooling, and instead are designed with coolers similar to server GPUs. They have a fin stack that runs longitudinally along the card, letting air enter one end of the card and exit the other.
NVIDIA CMP 170HX Specs

Vipera has listed that they have 866 units of the NVIDIA CMP 170HX in stock, which might draw the ire of gamers. Should NVIDIA have went with TSMC’s 7nm for the GeForce RTX 30 series instead? But then again, it also means that a substantial portion of the NVIDIA GA100 GPUs didn’t meet the requirements…
Source
Pokdepinion: Well, at least it isn’t taking away from gamers’ supply of GPUs…
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For the 4th year in a row, the folks over at Sony Interactive Entertainment will be sponsoring indie developers for Tokyo Game Show 2018, which will happening at the Makuhari Messe convention centre in Chiba, Japan.
Tokyo Game Show 2018: Sony Sponsoring Indie Developers Again This Year

If you think Sony Interactive Entertainment isn’t doing their part in helping indie developers grow in the industry, you’re gonna be delighted to hear this. They have reached out with a press release to announce that applications are open for the indie game area of the upcoming Tokyo Game Show 2018.

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This year we’ll also see the return of Sense of Wonder Night, a celebration event that will have a number of indie developers exhibiting at the indie game area showcase their projects to the world. We also get the announcement that Sony Interactive Entertainment will once again sponsor the independent developers that will exhibit in the indie game area.
Not only they will co-sponsor the Sense of Wonder Night, but they will cover the exhibition fees of those developers chosen by the Tokyo Game Show management office to present their games in the Indie Game Area Type A. As a result, they will be able to get a booth for free.
This sponsorship has become pretty much a tradition over the past few editions of Tokyo Game Show, starting in 2015, and continuing in 2016 and 2017.
Tokyo Game Show will be held at the Makuhari Messe convention centre in Chiba, Japan, between September 20th 2018 and September 23rd 2018. Will Team Pokde be there at Tokyo Game Show 2018? We’ll have to see about that.
Source: Expo Link / Indie Game Arena
Pokdepinion: To go to TGS 2018 or no, that is the question. Well, there’s certainly going to be a lot of interesting things happening there, especially the Indie Game Arena with all the indie developers there. Only time will tell.
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[E3 2019] Kingdom Hearts 3 Re:Mind DLC Adds New Playable Characters and Content

During the Kingdom Hearts Orchestra World of Tres concernt, Square Enix Japan gave the audience a first look at the upcoming expansion, Kingdom Hearts 3 Re:Mind DLC. While someone recorded it at the event, it was soon taken down. Now, we have the official video courtesy of Square Enix.
The Re:Mind DLC will essentially act as the Final Mix version of the game with additional episodes, bosses, and plenty of other secrets you’ll be able to find. The trailer also appears to show Aqua and Roxas as playable characters. They also showed an additional portion of Riku as a playable character. No idea if there will be more playable characters aside from these three characters and Sora. If there is, I would personally point towards Lea and King Mickey as favourites for that.
Nothing much is known aside from the details given in the trailer itself. The Kingdom Hearts 3 Re:Mind DLC is expected to release sometime this Winter 2019, but no specific release date has been mentioned. I would personally brace myself for potential delays given their track record thus far.

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We may be able to learn more about the Kingdom Hearts 3 Re:Mind DLC at the Square Enix press conference at E3 2019, especially since the trailer itself is listed for E3 2019. Maybe, we’ll finally be able to see Final Fantasy characters make their way into the game but perhaps, that’s just wishful thinking. Aside from that, we also expect to hear more about the Marvel’s Avengers game, Final Fantasy VII remake, and something on the Dragon Quest series.
For now, be sure to stay tuned to Pokde.net for further updates.
Pokdepinion: Well, if it lets me play as Riku longer, then it’s something to look forward to. But Roxas and his dual-wielding Keyblades though :o
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ROG Zephyrus G14 Alan Walker SE now available in Malaysia at RM7999

If you were waiting for the ROG Zephyrus G14 Alan Walker Special Edition, you will be glad to know that it is now available in Malaysia. The laptop will be priced at RM7999, with the exclusive ROG Remix sampler as well as a set of customized merchandise.

For the uninitiated, the ROG Zephyrus G14 Alan Walker Special Edition doesn’t come in a regular box, but instead arrives in the ROG Remix as its packaging. The ROG Remix is a cool sampler that lets you, err, remix, your music. It’s pretty cool, and you can watch me play with it here. On top of the ROG Remix, the laptop also comes with Alan Walker and ROG-styled baseball cap and socks. Even the laptop sleeve is also customized to show off Alan Walker’s naming.

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The ROG Zephyrus G14 Alan Walker Special Edition itself features two fabric belts running across the lid, with cybertext styling that matches the AniMe Matrix panel under the perforations on the lid. Other customizations include the Spectre Blue LEDs for the AniMe Matrix and keyboard backlighting instead of the regular version’s white lighting, as well as an exclusive Alan Walker-inspired keyboard and trackpad design.

ROG Zephyrus G14 Alan Walker Special Edition Specs and Price in Malaysia

ROG Zephyrus G14 Alan Walker Special Edition (GA401QEC)

Processor
AMD Ryzen 9 5900HS, 8C/16T @ 3.1GHz (Boost up to 4.5GHz), 7nm

RAM
16GB DDR4-3200 (8GB on-board + 8GB SO-DIMM)

GPU
AMD Radeon Graphics
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 Ti 4GB GDDR6, 60W TGP (75W with Dynamic Boost)

Storage
1TB M.2 NVMe PCIe SSD

Connectivity
Wireless
Wi-Fi 6, 802.11ax
Bluetooth 5.1
Wired
1 x USB 3.2 Gen2 (10Gbps) Type-C (USB-PD, DisplayPort)
1 x USB 3.2 Gen2 (10Gbps)  Type-C
2 x USB 3.0 Type-A
1 x Proprietary charging port

Display
14″ WQHD 120Hz IPS-level LCD, Adaptive Sync, 300 nits Pantone Validated
1 x HDMI 2.0b
1 x DisplayPort Alt Mode over USB-C, G-SYNC Support

Audio
2 x 0.7W tweeter
2 x 2.5W speaker with smart AMP
1 x 3.5mm combo jack

Power
76WHr, 4-cell Li-ion battery
180W power adapter
100W Type-C USB-PD power adapter

Dimensions
324 x 220 x 19.9 mm

Weight
1.7kg

Price
RM7999

ASUS Malaysia is currently running an introductory promotion on the ROG Zephyrus G14 Alan Walker Special Edition, where you can get a free ROG Slash Sling Bag worth RM399 along with your laptop. As usual, the promotion is only valid while stocks last, so be quick if you want an extra bit of ROG merchandise with your laptop.
Pokdepinion: Somewhat puzzling that you can get the better specced ROG Zephyrus G14 with the RTX 3060 for just RM7699, but I guess you will be paying the premium for the exclusive design and unique merchandise.

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HUAWEI will continue supporting all existing HUAWEI and HONOR smartphones

Google may have severed ties with HUAWEI, but HUAWEI is still committed to providing timely updates and after sales services for their existing smartphones. This includes devices that they may still have in their inventory, which should include the upcoming the HONOR 20 series, set to be launched tomorrow.
Here’s HUAWEI official statement, posted on their Facebook:

It seems like HUAWEI will continue pushing out security patches for all the HUAWEI and HONOR smartphones they have previously sold or is in stock. HUAWEI seems to still consider themselves as one of Android’s key global partners, although what happens next is still pretty complicated.

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They did allude to the fact that they will continue to build a safe and sustainable software ecosystem, which might be a hint at Hongmeng, HUAWEI’s upcoming smartphone OS.
Pokdepinion: Well at least the people who spent thousands on a HUAWEI P30 or HUAWEI Mate 20 aren’t going to be left high and dry…
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[MWC2018] Sony announces Xperia XZ2 and XZ2 Compact — the most compact smartphones with the Snapdragon 845!

Sony designers would probably agree with you that their edgy rectangular slab design has gotten a little long in tooth. Used since the inception of the Xperia Z flagship series, Sony has kept that design for nearly 5 years. Huge bezels marred the appeal of the Xperia flagships when everyone was minimizing bezels as much as they could with 18:9 or edge-to-edge displays. This year, at MWC 2018, Sony has finally woken up from their lull and introduced the Xperia XZ2 and XZ2 Compact, both featuring 18:9 displays and ergonomic curved backs with a metal frame in between.
Sony Xperia XZ2

Leading the Japanese giant’s charge into 2018, the Xperia XZ2 packs a 5.7″ Full HD+ 18:9 HDR display. With Sony’s expertise in displays, you will be assured of visual enjoyment in exceptional color contrast. Thanks to the X-reality technology, standard content can be up-converted to HDR for a better viewing experience. The other side of the device is a lustrous fluid 3D glass surface that might remind you of the HTC U11 Plus.
Audio is yet another area that Sony has worked on for the Xperia XZ2. The new Dynamic Vibration System allows you to feel the action by analyzing the audio data to bring your movies, games and video to live. While the bezels are minimized with the 18:9 display, Sony didn’t skimp on the speakers and you still get powerful front facing stereo speakers. Sony claims these are their loudest Xperia speakers yet with S-Force Front Surround. DSEE HX upscaling together with Hi-Resolution Audio ensures a great audio experience, while the LDAC Bluetooth codec means you can enjoy hi-res audio wirelessly with compatible headphones. Sony has followed the trend and dropped the 3.5mm jack from the Xperia XZ2, forcing you to use an adapter if you want to use wired headphones.

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The Deep Green is probably a bit too bluish…?
The camera is an upgraded 19MP Motion Eye camera that seems to be carried over from the Xperia XZ. However it has received an upgrade to make the Xperia XZ2 the first smartphone to be capable of 4K HDR movie recording. 960fps super slow-mo recording is now possible in FHD resolution, offering you even greater creativity freedom. The 3D Creator feature that was introduced in the Xperia XZ has also been upgraded with the ability to create 3D scans using the front camera now.

CPU/Chipset:
Snapdragon 845 (4 x Kryo 385 @ 2.8 GHz + 4 x Kryo 385 @ 1.8 GHz)

GPU:
Adreno 630

RAM:
4GB LPDDR4X

Display:
5.7″, FHD+ (2160 x 1080) 18:9 IPS panel, HDR, TRILUMINOS Display for mobile, X-Reality for mobile, Dynamic Contrast Enhancer

Storage:
64GB UFS (expandable with microSD up to 400GB)

Camera:
Main Camera(s)
19MP f/2.0, 1/2.3″ IMX 400 sensor, 1.22μm pixel pitch, 25mm (35mm equiv.) G Lens, 5-axis OIS (SteadyShot), BIONZ image processing engine, Triple image sensing technology, 4K HDR Movie, HDR Photo, Hybrid Autofocus
Front Camera
5MP f/2.2, 1/5″ Exmor RS for mobile, 23mm (35mm equiv.) focal length

OS:
Android 8.0 Oreo (Android One)

Connectivity:
Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac
Bluetooth 5.0
LTE Cat 18 1200 Mbps DL / 150 Mbps UL

SIM:
nanoSIM (dual SIM in certain regions)

Battery:
Li-ion 3180 mAh (non-removable), Quick Charge 3.0, Qi wireless charging

The Snapdragon 845 is definitely flagship-class, but the 4GB RAM, smallish battery and FHD+ display seem rather poor for a 2018 flagship. The lower resolution is definitely there to help Sony eke out more life from the battery with software features such as Smart Stamina and STAMINA mode to extend your usage time, but 4GB of RAM in 2018 seems a tad too little, especially when mid-range devices like the ASUS ZenFone 4 are already pushing 6GB.

The Xperia XZ2 will be available from March 2018 in Liquid Silver, Liquid Black, Deep Green and Ash Pink.
Xperia XZ2 Compact

One of the things Sony does right consistently is that they always offer a flagship with smaller dimensions with the Compact moniker. The Xperia XZ2 Compact is no different, with a 5″ Full HD+ 18:9 HDR display. As 18:9 displays allow designers to shrink the width, the Xperia XZ2 Compact is the world’s most compact 5″ smartphone. And it is probably the most powerful one ever too, with a Snapdragon 845 under its polycarbonate back.
It shares its camera and audio chops with its bigger brother, but drops the Dynamic Vibration System. That means you are getting the latest Motion Eye camera, S-Force Front Surround, Hi-Res Audio, LDAC and also a USB Type-C to 3.5mm audio jack adapter. Yep, no 3.5mm jack here either.

CPU/Chipset:
Snapdragon 845 (4 x Kryo 385 @ 2.8 GHz + 4 x Kryo 385 @ 1.8 GHz)

GPU:
Adreno 630

RAM:
4GB LPDDR4X

Display:
5.0″, FHD+ (2160 x 1080) 18:9 IPS panel, HDR, TRILUMINOS Display for mobile, X-Reality for mobile, Dynamic Contrast Enhancer

Storage:
64GB UFS (expandable with microSD up to 400GB)

Camera:
Main Camera(s)
19MP f/2.0, 1/2.3″ IMX 400 sensor, 1.22μm pixel pitch, 25mm (35mm equiv.) G Lens, 5-axis OIS (SteadyShot), BIONZ image processing engine, Triple image sensing technology, 4K HDR Movie, HDR Photo, Hybrid Autofocus
Front Camera
5MP f/2.2, 1/5″ Exmor RS for mobile, 23mm (35mm equiv.) focal length

OS:
Android 8.0 Oreo (Android One)

Connectivity:
Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac
Bluetooth 5.0
LTE Cat 18 1200 Mbps DL / 150 Mbps UL

SIM:
nanoSIM (dual SIM in certain regions)

Battery:
Li-ion 2870 mAh (non-removable), Quick Charge 3.0

Aside from the screen size and battery, there really isn’t much differentiating the XZ2 Compact from the bigger XZ2. There is the missing Qi wireless charging, but will we really miss that? The rest of the specifications are similar, making this a great smartphone for those who prefer more compact devices that can easily be used with one hand.

The Xperia XZ2 Compact will be available from March 2018 in White Silver, Black, Moss Green and Coral Pink.
Pokdepinion: Anyone else thinks that the fingerprint sensor is a bit too low on the Xperia XZ2?
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Meizu Unveil Meizu M6 Note One Piece Special Edition

For the fans

Calling all One Piece fans in the house! Meizu has just announced a One Piece special edition of the Meizu M6 Note and it looks absolutely glorious.
Decked out in a red metal body with yellow coloured antenna bands running across the top and the bottom of the phone that is meant in invoke One Piece’s main character, Monkey D. Luffy’s overall look.They even included a yellow Straw Hat Pirate logo near the bottom of this Meizu M6 Note One Piece special edition. The front of the device is black in colour with a red accented fingerprint sensor at the bottom.

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Meizu even equipped a custom One Piece themed UI on the Meizu M6 Note One Piece special edition. Which includes all the icons, widgets and the wallpaper in the Meizu M6 Note One Piece special edition. The device will have two variants, one with 3GB RAM and 32 GB of internal storage while the other will have 4GB RAM and 64GB internal storage.

Specs wise it’s pretty much the same as the normal edition of the Meizu M6 Note which you can check out below.

Model
Meizu M6 Note/Meizu M6 Note One Piece special edition

CPU
Qualcomm MSM8953 Snapdragon 625 Octa-core 2.0 GHz

GPU
Adreno 506

RAM / Storage
3GB / 32GB / 4GB / 64GB

Rear Camera 1
12 MP, f/1.9, phase detection autofocus

Rear Camera 2
5 MP, f/2.0

Front Camera

16 MP, f/2.0, 1080p

Display
5.5″ FHD (1080 x 1920) IPS LCD, 403 ppi

Wireless
Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n, dual-band, hotspot

Connectivity
Bluetooth 4.2
Micro USB 2.0, Type-C 1.0 reversible connector
Fingerprint sensor

SIM and Expansion
Dual SIM (Nano-SIM, dual stand-by), microSD, up to 256 GB

Battery
4000 mAh

Audio
Loudspeaker

Colors
Black, Blue, Gold, Red (Meizu M6 Note One Piece special edition)

Price
CNY 1699 / 2399

The Meizu M6 Note One Piece special edition retails at CNY 1,699 (around RM !,080) for the 3GB model and CNY 2,399 (around RM 1,530) for the 4GB model. No idea yet when the Meizu M6 Note One Piece special edition will launch in Malaysia but we’ll definitely keep you posted once we do.
Pokdepinion: This is pretty sweet for fans of the One Piece anime and manga series and for Meizu fans in general with the Meizu M6 Note One Piece special edition rocking some pretty decent hardware, not to mention the unexpectedly affordable price.
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