Save Up To RM600 On ROG RTX Graphics Card With Their Spring Promotion

ASUS Malaysia is having a special sale promo for their ROG Strix RTX 2080 and RTX 2070 graphic cards where you can save up to RM600 during their spring promotion.
ASUS ROG Strix RTX 2080 & RTX 2070 Spring Promotion
In the promotion, you can get the ROG Strix RTX2080-08G-Gaming for just RM3,799 (originally RM4,399) which saves you RM600 and you can save RM500 by purchasing the ROG Strix RTX2070-08G-Gaming at RM2,999. The promotion is already up and running and will last until the 25th of April 2019. In addition, you stand a chance to get free ROG merchandise when you register your card here.
If you’d like to learn more on the graphics card and their performance, do check out our ROG Strix 2080 and ROG Strix 2070 cards by clicking on their respective links.

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ASUS ROG Delta gaming headset
Additionally, if you are a fan of ROG and want to check out more products, well ASUS ROG Malaysia will be opening up a booth at the Malaysia IT & Electronic Expo at Midvalley Exhibition Hall which runs on the 29th till the 31st of March 2019. They’ve prepared several items on promo prices which includes the latest ROG Delta headphone, ROG Gladius II Wireless, Cerberus gaming headset, ROG Swift PG348Q gaming monitor and more.
Pokdepinion: Wow, that’s a lot of offers and deals that ASUS/ROG are promoting all together. So whether it’s graphics card or gaming peripherals, you should definitely check them out!
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You Can Only Redeem Your Free RM50 EWallet Credits After Downloading MySejahtera App

As many of you may know by now, Malaysian citizens are eligible to get RM50 EWallet credits starting July 2020. However, the method of doing so and the list of eligible EWallets have still yet to be revealed. However, we are aware of one particular condition, and that is the MySejahtera app.
Download the MySejahtera App to be Eligible for the Free RM50 EWallet Credits

This initiative is part of the ePENJANA program, one of the many initiatives under the PENJANA economic stimulus plan by Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin. There are expected to be 15 million Malaysians eligible for the RM50 free EWallet credits, which are targeted towards individuals ages 18 years and above with an annual income of RM100,00 and below.

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The MySejahtera app is available for download on Google Play Store, Apple App Store, and HUAWEI AppGallery. The app itself was developed by the Malaysian government to manage the COVID-19 outbreak, which includes a QR-based contact tracing platform, self-assessment health check, hotspot tracker, and resources for you to look for help.
For now, we still have no idea as to which EWallets are eligible for the free RM50 credits, and the verification  method for the MySejahtera app. Given that previously the government chose GrabPay, Touch ‘n Go eWallet, and Boost, we expect at least these three to be the available choices. We will report more on this as soon as information becomes available so stay tuned.
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Pokdepinion: Well, we are getting free money in a sense. Just downloading the app is a pretty easy task for that.
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Intel Sunny Cove will be designed from the ground up — all new core design is coming in 2019!

If everything goes well, Intel should be back in the game pretty soon. They have an all-new core microarchitecture, which will be called Sunny Cove, set for 2019. We are only around two weeks away from 2019, so it would be interesting to see when the new processors will appear.
Worth noting is that Sunny Cove is just the core architecture, instead of the processor architecture represented by the older naming scheme. Something like how Zen+ cores are in Pinnacle Ridge processors, Sunny Cove cores will be in Ice Lake processors.

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Sunny Cove will be built on Intel’s elusive 10nm process, and will come with upgrades in the way of scalability for more cores, support for new instruction sets including AVX-512 and improved integers-per-clock (IPC), the latter which was rather stagnant since the Lake-series CPUs came around.

Intel goes on to reveal their roadmap for 2020 and 2021 as well, with Willow Cove and Golden Cove coming after Sunny Cove. Willow Cove is most probably an optimization on top of Sunny Cove, while Golden Cove comes with increased IPC and curiously, AI performance. Will Intel be adding a NPU to their CPUs soon?
Intel’s roadmap for their upcoming core architecture does seem very promising, and it appears as if Intel will be going down the chiplet path as well. Well, it seems like Intel is interesting once again and we can’t wait to see what they have up their sleeves for 2019 and onwards!
Pokdepinion: Intel’s back, alright!
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Battlefield 2042 is free with GeForce RTX 30 series systems

NVIDIA has just announced that Battlefield 2042 will be bundled free with selected GeForce RTX 30 series laptops and desktops. While Battlefield 2042 drops real-time raytracing, it offers NVIDIA DLSS and NVIDIA Reflex, to allow gamers to enjoy the high performance, low latency advantage that GeForce RTX GPUs bring to the table.
EA has announced that NVIDIA is the official PC Graphics Platform Partner for Battlefield 2042, and to celebrate that, the game will be bundled free with selected NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090, RTX 3080 Ti, RTX 3080, RTX 3070 Ti and RTX 3070 desktop PCs, while laptops powered by the GeForce RTX 3080 and RTX 3070 will also receive a free copy of Battlefield 2042.
The promotion runs from 24th August to 14th September, so if you want your copy of Battlefield 2042, you better act quick. Interestingly enough, it appears that individual graphics card purchases are not eligible to claim this Battlefield 2042 code, with only pre-built desktops and laptops listed. It would be best to double check with your reseller if you want to be sure whether you will be getting a free copy.

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Not all retailers are participating in this promotion, so you should double check with them. So far we have noted the ASUS Republic of Gamers page announcing their participation, which you can check out here.
Pokdepinion: Get your laptop/desktop with the eligible GeForce RTX 30 series GPUs and let’s play Battlefield 2042 together!
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VEED GIF to MP4 Review – Easy, Quick, Hassle-free Online Tool

Today, we have a bit of an unconventional review as it’s an online tool for content creators, both personal and businesses. It’s our VEED GIF to MP4 review, where users can easily convert their GIF animated images to MP4 video files online without the need to install any software. Without further ado, let’s dive right into it.
What is VEED?
VEED GIF to MP4 Review – Main page
VEED, otherwise known as VEED.IO, is an online tool that is primarily known to help users create, edit, and share videos online without the need for any software installations. This makes it easy for users to get into as you simply need a browser. What makes them really stand out is their auto-subtitling features, leveraging the power of AI to to help users in subtitling their videos, right down to the exact timing the words are spoken, though users will need to do some quality control on their via the UI to ensure accuracy.
Furthermore, you’re not limited to a single PC as you can also use the tool on your tablets and smartphones, so you can have your work with you wherever you go for as long as you have internet access. You can also share the project with other users that share the same Workspace, essentially streamlining the collaboration process with ease, which is very valuable for businesses. For this specific review, we are checking out their GIF to MP4 tool, though we will end up touching on some of the other tools on the platform as well.

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In case you’re wondering, you can find the VEED GIF to MP4 tool by clicking right here.
The Good
VEED GIF to MP4 Review – Video editor
There are a number of good reasons why you should use VEED’s GIF to MP4 tool for conversions. For starters, it’s fast and easy to use. Basically, you have to click the “Convert GIF File” button, upload the GIF, and you’re good to go. There’s really nothing else to it so you can immediately get to work whenever you need it.
VEED GIF to MP4 Review – All the available formats
Furthermore, you do have options as it’s not limited to just MP4. You can convert GIFs to the following visual formats:

AVI
FLV
GIF
MKV
MOV
MP4
MPEG
SWF
TS
VOB
WEBM
WMV

There are also audio formats available but in this case, it wouldn’t make sense as GIF’s are simply animated pictures with no audio attached to it.
VEED GIF to MP4 Review – Advanced Settings
In case you need to do some tweaking prior to conversion, you can do so via the Advanced Settings tab. This gives you the option to change the resolution, aspect ratio, FPS, sample rate, and audio channels (if any). At this point, you might be wondering why there are audio options since we’re converting a GIF. That’s because you can make use of their video editing tool prior to converting to make simple videos.
The original GIF

Take the above as an example, where I took a GIF of the popular anime Konosuba, specifically Megumin’s sister Komekko from the movie, added a sound effect, a song, a transition, and random pictures to make a meme. It even allows you to import your own assets or make use of what’s already available in their library. You have all the necessary tools as well as different layers for both audio and video, giving you quite the flexibility in creating videos. It’s not Adobe Premiere Pro but for simple video edits, it’s more than capable.
If you’re having trouble with MOV videos files, especially when editing, they have an MOV to MP4 converter tool as well. Click right here to give it a try.
The Bad
VEED GIF to MP4 Review – Export options
Personally, I didn’t have a bad experience with the VEED GIF to MP4 tool. However, I do have one point that could be used to improve the service, which is batch conversions. If you don’t need to do any edits and simply want to convert the files, you will have to do them one by one. There are no options here to do them in batches, and it would be a neat addition to the tool.
Lastly, there was a point where the browser tab that the tool was on, specifically the video editor, just turned completely white with nothing in sight. This obviously sent alarms blaring in my head as I believed I would have lost my progress. Turns out, the project does automatically save so I have zero worries about any loss in progress. With that being said, I’m not sure what caused the issue but it’s likely due to my system running out of resources, either RAM or CPU, as I noticed that there were sudden major slowdowns prior to it happening, but it only happened once thus far.
VEED GIF to MP4 Tool Verdict
VEED GIF to MP4 Review
The VEED GIF to MP4 tool works great, and it’s clear that it’s capable of converting more than just that as it can easily deal with other formats as well. Whether it’s suitable for you or not depends on the type of content you’d like to create, edit, or convert. At the end of the day, it’s a reliable tool that is capable of helping a whole bunch of creators out there, whether it’s for personal or commercial use.
At the end of our VEED GIF to MP4 review, I award this online tool with our coveted Gold Pokdeward.

Big thanks to VEED.IO for sending us the VIP access for the purpose of this review.
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Diablo 4 Will Have Microtransactions With An Important Limitation

Diablo 4 Microtransactions

Many gamers are on the fence with Diablo 4, especially given how microtransactions were implemented in Diablo Immortal. In a recent developer blog post, it was confirmed by director Kegan Clark that it will be limited purely to cosmetics only.
This means that there will be no microtransactions that could affect gameplay. This is especially important since Diablo 4 is a full priced game complete with a season pass. The idea here is for them continue working on the game for years to come in order to have a slew of fresh content for gamers to enjoy post-launch.

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From our understanding, the season pass will come with both free and premium content, with in-game boosts being available for everyone as leveling rewards. Premium subscribers will be able to enjoy cosmetic rewards and premium currency to be used in the cosmetics shop. In other words, the boosts will available for everyone and there’s no way to level up faster by paying money.
There is also an emphasis that while you can enjoy unique visual appearances by using premium currency, they aren’t necessarily better than the cosmetics you would find by playing the game.
Diablo 4 will be launching sometime in 2023.
Source
Pokdepinion: Well, that is a relief. Given now that the company is under new management, I suppose this type of change was bound to happen.
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GlobalFoundries sets up new fabrication plant in Singapore

While GlobalFoundries is a name that might not be as familiar to everyone as TSMC, they are still one of the top semiconductor manufacturers. And they are adding a new fabrication plant to their Singapore campus to further increase their production capacity to meet the ever-growing demand for semiconductors.
GlobalFoundries will be investing more than $4 billion (~RM16.65 billion) into the Singapore manufacturing plant. The new plant is slated to churn out 450 000 wafers a year, bringing the total capacity of the Singapore campus up to around 1.5 million 300mm wafers per year.
GlobalFoundries has not revealed what process node will be used in the new Singapore fab, but they did reveal that they will be churning out chips for the automotive, 5G mobility and secure device segments from the fab. With the recent global semiconductor shortage affecting carmakers to the point that they were forced to stop production, this expansion must be very welcome news to them.

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The new fab in Singapore is planned to be ready by 2023, and it is expected to bring 1000 new high-value jobs to the country. GlobalFoundries also has plans to expand their capacity in the U.S. and Germany.
Pokdepinion: I wonder if they will consider exploring beyond 12nm since they now can probably earn a lot more revenue from the global shortage.
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Razer Investigates Potential Data Breach, Source Code Allegedly Leaked

The news emerged that a potential data breach has hit gaming gear company Razer, with the company stated that investigation is underway to verify the breach. Last Saturday, a hacker forum post was spotted with the user claiming they have stolen the source code, database, encryption keys and backend access to Razer.com website.

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The hacker demands $100,000 in Monero (XMR) cryptocurrency for anyone interested to strike a deal, however it looks like there’s no immediate deadline and the price is seemingly negotiable, based on the image tweet published by cybersecurity company FalconFeedsio. Razer responded to the tweet with a short statement: “We have been made aware of a potential breach and are currently investigating.”
BleepingComputer has verified that leaked accounts are legitimate, and has spotted the website has now reset everyone’s login sessions and request users to immediately reset their passwords. For reference, this is not the first time Razer was hit with data breach – the previous breach occurred back in 2020 leaking customer’s contact information, including email, phone numbers, customer ID, order details and shipping addresses of some 100,000 customers.
Source: BleepingComputer
Pokdepinion: Reset your passwords ASAP if you happen to have registered accounts.
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Razer Raptor 27 Unveiled — The World’s First THX Certified Monitor

Razer has recently unveiled the latest version of their award-winning gaming monitor with the introduction of the new Razer Raptor 27. It is the the world’s first PC monitor to obtain THX certification.
Razer Raptor 27 gaming monitor

The new Raptor 27 comes with a 165Hz refresh rate and 1ms response time. As we’ve mentioned earlier, it comes with THX Certification where it has undergone more than 400 individual tests to ensure colour, tone, and images are displayed as their creators intended.

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Its wide-angle IPS display boasts a QHD (2560xx1440) resolution with support for both AMD FreeSync Premium and NVIDIA G-Sync. Apart from that, it comes with 95% DCI-P3 colour gamut and HDR400 capability.
In terms of design, it has a matte-black finish to the forged aluminum base, a textured fabric back as well as a built-in cable management channels running along the backside. Of course, it has to feature Razer’s Chroma RGB lighting, which can be synchronized with other Synapse 3 compatible devices.
For flexibility, the company is also releasing the Raptor VESA adapter, which is sold separately. As you might have guessed, it will allow you to add a VESA mounting plate to the rear of the monitor.
The gaming monitor will be released in Q3 of this year for the price of US$ 799.99 (~RM3,291) at Razer’s website and select retailers. As for the Razer VESA Mount Adapter itself, it will come with a price tag of US$ 99.99 (~RM411) exclusively on Razer.com.
For more on the latest tech and gaming news plus reviews, stay tuned to Pokde.net.
Pokdepinion: It certainly sounds like an awesome monitor to have but it comes at a cost (a very big one indeed). That put aside, there’s no news yet on whether it will arrive here in Malaysia. Would you be willing to get one of them? Let us know in the comments.
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Razer Announces Razer Wolverine V2 For The Xbox Series X

Razer has recently announced the new Razer Wolverine V2 controller, designed specifically for the Xbox Series X/S, where it features Razer’s Mecha-Tactile Action Buttons and Mecha-Tactile D-Pad.
Razer Wolverine V2 Designed for Xbox Series X/S

Razer has said that the gaming controller comes with improved ergonomics and contoured design that’s “ideal for all-day gaming comfort”, offering a natural grip plus agile and accurate button interaction.

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Its Mecha-Tactile Action Buttons is rated for 3 millions tap life cycle and comes with a reduced actuation distance of 0.65mm.
Aside from that, the Razer Wolverine V2 features two programmable multi-function buttons, which you can setup through the Razer Controller Setup Designed for Xbox. This allows you to remap the front-facing buttons for added control. Adding to that, there’s also a Hair Trigger Mode with trigger stop slides for you to have ultra-fast rate of fire.
The Razer Wolverine V2 is available at the price of $99.99 (~RM409) where you can find it at Razer’s website, RazerStore retails, as well as select retailers.
Previously Razer unveiled their Razer Kaira Pro gaming headsets. Do read more on that by heading to the link right here.
Pokdepinion: Hopefully they’ll have a PlayStation version soon. I’ve been looking around for one.
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You Can Now Get Xiaomi’s Redmi Note 5 Cheaper

We’ve noticed today that Xiaomi has slashed the price of their Redmi Note 5 smartphone on their official Facebook page. The new price changes include both the 3GB/32GB  and 4GB/64GB variants.
Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Now Cheaper
If you’ve been wanting to purchase the Redmi Note 5, now’s a good time for it as Xiaomi has decided to make a price cut for both of their 3GB and 4GB variant. For the 3GB variant, you can now get it for just RM699 instead of its original RM749 price tag. As for the 4GB  RAM variant which was originally priced at RM939 is now set at RM869.
Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Specs

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CPU/Chipset:
Qualcomm Snapdragon 636 (Octa-core 1.8 GHz Kryo 260)

GPU:
Adreno 509

RAM:
4GB/3GB  LPDDR4X

Display:
5.99″, FHD (1080p) IPS 18:9 display

Storage:
64GB/32GB (expandable up to 256GB)

Camera:
Main Camera(s)
Dual 12 MP (f/1.9, 1.4 μm) + 5 MP (f/2.0, 1.12 μm)
Dual pixel phase detection autofocus, LED, Beautify 4.0
Front Camera
13MP, LED, Beautify 4.0

OS:
MIUI 9 based on Android Oreo 8.0

Connectivity:
Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac
Bluetooth 5.0
FDD-LTE (Band 1/3/4/5/7/8/20)

SIM:
3 slots (2 hybrid SIM card)

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

Weight:
181 g

If you would like to learn more on the device itself, you can read our full hands on review by clicking on the link right here.
Pokdepinion: Hmm, interesting move there from Xiaomi. I wonder if ASUS will do the same thing with their Max Pro M1 device. If they did, it’s a win-win situation for us consumers.
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Shopee 9.9 Super Shopping Day Deals And What To Expect

9.9 is soon coming and of course Shopee has to be a part of it with their Shopee 9.9 Super Shopping Day. If you’re curious on what’s on offer, you’ve come to the right place.
Shopee 9.9 Super Shopping Day

The campaign will start on the 9th of September (duh) at 12am itself, where you can find a host of deals with prices as low as RM9.90.

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You can also enjoy discounts up to RM100 with a minimum spend when you claim and apply bank vouchers from Maybank, Citibank, HSBC, Standard Chartered, RHB, Ambank, Affin Bank, Bank Islam, and Alliance Bank.
Aside from that, you can take matters offline as Shopee users can continue shopping at ShopeePay’s retail merchants. To do so, you can check out the Deals Near Me feature on the app for the best offline deals closest to you. You can grab the voucher for only 1 sen to enjoy up to RM6 in cashback when you pay your items with ShopeePay at participating retail stores such as Senheng, Ninjaz, Gadget Hub and more.
There’s plenty of deals to go around but here’s some of them that you’ll be able to enjoy:

iPhone 12 (RRP RM4,099) – RM3,589
HUAWEI MateBook D14 (RRP RM2,699) – RM2,299
Samsung 4K UHD Smart TV 50″ AU7000 (RRP RM2,299) – RM2,259
Mi Air Purifier 3C Global Version (RRP RM549) – RM369
POCO X3 Pro (RRP RM999) – RM799
Xiaomi Redmi 9C (RRP RM399) – RM299
POCO F3 (RRP RM1,699) – RM1,499
Edifier X3 Plus TWS Earbuds (RRP RM169) – RM69.90
Mi In-Ear Headphones Basic Piston Earphones (RRP RM39) – RM9.90
ROG Zephyrus G14 (RRP RM4,799) – RM4,619

To find out more on the deals, you may head to the link right here. For more on the latest tech and gaming news plus reviews, stay tuned to Pokde.net.
Pokdepinion: Plenty to go around with, will you be getting anything this 9.9? My wallet is dry enough as it is…
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Far Cry 6’s New DLC Brings Beloved Villain Vaas Back To The Franchise

New Far Cry 6 is bringing back Far Cry 3’s infamous villain through the game’s latest DLC, Vaas: Insanity. The new DLC will be available for Far Cry 6 players on Xbox Series X and S, Xbox One, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, as well as PC via the Ubisoft Store and the Epic Games Store this 16th November.
Vaas is back!

Players will take on the character of Vaas, the iconic villain from Far Cry 3 played by Michael Mando (Better Call Saul), who is returning his role in a brand-new roguelite adventure. Beginning with only a pistol to defend themselves, players will need to collect different weapons and earn power-ups in order to get stronger and journey deeper into Vaas’ psyche. Vaas: Insanity, which combines intense action and storyline, will deliver a one-of-a-kind opportunity to better comprehend Vaas’ past, personal problems, and motives.

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For more information on Far Cry 6 and its DLC, visit the game’s official website right here.
Pokdepinion: While I’m excited to see Vaas back, I’m not really all that into Far Cry 6. Far Cry 5 has soured my taste for the franchise. I will eventually get the game though when it goes on sale.
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Magnus Games Studio Signs with Publisher 505 Games – First Malaysian Studio to Sign with Italian Game Publisher

Malaysian indie game developers Magnus Games Studio has landed a publishing deal with Digital Bros’ subsidiary, 505 Games for their Kickstarter game Re:Legend.
Magnus Games Studio Signs with Publisher 505 Games

At an event in Bangsar today, Magnus Games Studio has announced that the company has entered a worldwide publishing agreement with Italian game publisher and distributor Digital Bros S.p.A., through its subsidiary 505 Games  S.p.A.. The agreement will see Re:Legend, a Malaysian-made indie monster-raising multiplayer simulation RPG crowdfunded on Kickstarter, be marketed over digital games platform Steam to players in globally including Northern America, Western Europe, and Asia.

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Re:Legend first made waves among the gaming community when the company broke the record with a 99% upvotes on Square Enix Collective – a curated platform that enables creators to post ideas, and gamers to judge whether those ideas should become a reality.
Inspired by cult-classic farm simulation game Harvest Moon, Monster Rancher and Stardew Valley, the game is described as a monster-raising RPG that allows the player to raise magical monsters known as Magnus.
Convinced of the marketability of the game, brothers and co-founders DC Gan and Welson Gan ran a month-long Kickstarter campaign in July 2017 which was a massive success as the project surpassed its target of US$70,000 in less than 24 hours, achieving 900% funding from backers all around the globe by the end of the campaign and making it the most crowdfunded game in Southeast Asia in 2017.
Raffaele Galante, Chief Operating Officer of Digital Bros said,
We have strongly believed in this project far before the beginning of the Kickstarter campaign and we are very pleased to finally have the chance to announce it here today with Magnus Games Studio and the support of Malaysia’s MDEC.
It is a promising project with passion, novelty, and creativity. Our cooperation with Magnus Games Studio on Re: Legend further confirms our footprint in Asia and our increasing focus on Asian markets, where expectations from fans for games are proving to be very high.

According to games market intelligence research house Newzoo, there are 2.2 billion gamers across the globe, generating an estimated USD $108.9 billion in game revenues in 2017, with Asia Pacific contributing to at least a quarter of all revenue. On digital distribution, Steam shared August last year that it now counts 67 million monthly active players, largely from North America and Western Europe, with users in Asia fast catching up with the trend.
DC Gan, co-founder of Magnus Games, said:
We dared to dream big with Re:Legend and we couldn’t have done it without the support from our fans who gave feedback and helped shaped the game. We are also truly grateful to have the support from MDEC in providing us with the industry exposure – locally and internationally – to make this game a reality for many of our fans around the world.
This vast opportunity in digital distribution is a boon for Magnus that had a humble beginning as a two-man project back in 2015. The company today consists of 20 people and is based at LEVEL UP Inc. At the recent LEVEL UP KL Games Conference 2017, Magnus won the year’s Southeast Asia Best Rising Star Award.
Pokdepinion: Congratulations to Magnus Games for their successful Kickstarter campaign and landing the publishing deal with 505 Games / Digital Bros. Hoping to see more of stuff like this from MDEC and their Level UP Inc. incubator.
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Black Shark 2 Pro Officially Launched – Cheapest device with Snapdragon 855 Plus is now in Malaysia

The Black Shark 2 Pro has officially been launched here in Malaysia this afternoon over in KL after being announced in China back in July. The Black Shark 2 Pro comes with a newly designed back, UFS 3.0 storage as well as Qualcomm’s new and most powerful Snapdragon 855 Plus mobile chipset. Apart from these, the Black Shark 2 Pro sports the same specifications as the previous Black Shark 2.

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The Black Shark 2 Pro and the Gamepad 2.0
These features include a notchless 6.39 inch AMOLED display made by Samsung with a 240Hz touch report rate, up to 12GB RAM and 256GB internal storage, and is available in three different colours, Shadow Black, Iceberg Grey,and Gulf Blue. As for the Black Shark 2 Pro’s camera, it features a dual camera system; a 48MP main lens and a 12MP secondary lens. Powering the device is a big 4,000 mAh battery and the device supports 27W fast charging. Below is a more detailed spec sheet for your perusal.
Black Shark 2 Pro Specs

Snapdragon 855+, octa-core up to 2.96 GHz, 7nm FinFET
8GB or 12GB RAM
128GB or 256GB internal storage
6.39″ AMOLED display, MEMC technology, 240 Hz touch polling
48MP f/1.75 + 12MP f/2.2 2x telephoto camera
20MP f/2.0 selfie camera
4000 mAh battery, 27W fast charging

Price and Availability
The Black Shark 2 Pro is available now on the official Black Shark Shopee page and will come in two storage variants:

8GB + 128GB: RM  2,499
12GB + 256GB: RM 2,999

Gulf Blue
At the moment only two colour variants of the Black Shark 2 Pro (Shadow Black and Iceberg Grey) are available for purchase with the Gulf Blue variant only coming in at the end of September. Not only that, the first 200 customers who purchase the Black Shark 2 Pro will receive a limited edition Black Shark 10,000 mAh power bank worth RM 99 as well as a RM 150 cash voucher. The Black Shark 2 Pro is also available for purchase at all Maxis and other operators offline stores.
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Nokia PureBook X14 packs last-gen hardware into a premium chassis

Nokia has added laptops to their lineup of products, with the Nokia PureBook X14 announced in India. The Nokia PureBook X14 is a pretty interesting laptop, with Nokia’s signature mix of mid-range internals, high-end build materials at a premium price point.
On the inside, you get outdated hardware, in the form of the last-gen Intel Core i5-10210U. Based on the 10th Gen Comet Lake architecture, it is still manufactured on Intel’s ageing 14nm process, instead of the newer 10nm node that the 10th Gen Ice Lake and 11th Gen Tiger Lake processors are manufactured on.

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With the 11th Gen processors already in the market, I have no idea why Nokia still went with a 10th Gen processor for their very first laptop in years. The processor is paired with 8GB of DDR4-2666 and 512GB of solid-state storage. According to the Flipkart listing, the RAM is upgradeable, so that’s a nice touch.
All of that is packed into a premium magnesium-aluminium chassis, that allows the Nokia PureBook X14 to weigh in at just 1.1kg. The display is a standard 14″ FHD IPS panel, with support for Dolby Vision. Above the display is a HD IR webcam that supports Windows Hello for facial recognition.
Nokia PureBook X14 Specs

Intel Core i5-10210U, 4C/8T @ up to 4.2GHz, 14nm
8GB DDR4-2666 RAM
512GB PCIe NVMe SSD
14″ FHD IPS display, Dolby Vision
46.7WHr, 3-cell battery, 65W power adapter
320.2 x 214.5 x 16.8 mm
1.1kg
59 990 INR (~RM3311)

Unless you really want the ultraportability that the Nokia PureBook X14 brings to the table, there are laptops with much better performance at this price point. It is currently available as a Flipkart-exclusive in India, so we have no idea whether it will come to Malaysia.
Source
Pokdepinion: Probably could have put beefier internals, but maybe Nokia wants to leave room for higher-end laptops down the line.
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Western Digital Unveils MAMR HDD – A World’s First!

At their “Innovating To Fuel The Next Decade Of Big Data” event today, Western Digital has unveiled an innovation on ultra-high capacity hard disk drives with the demonstration of the world’s first microwave-assisted magnetic recording (MAMR) HDD. They expect for the ultra-high capacity MAMR HDD to start shipping in 2019.
The MAMR is one of two energy-assisted technologies that Western Digital has been developing for years. The other is heat-assisted magnetic recording (HAMR). Despite that, the latter presented new material science and reliability challenges that aren’t a factor on the MAMR. Thus, it demonstrated that MAMR had the reliability and cost profile that meets the demand of data center operators.
As the volume, velocity, variety, value and longevity of both Big Data and Fast Data grow, a new generation of storage technologies are needed to not only support ever-expanding capacities, but ultimately help our customers analyze and garner insights into our increasingly connected universe of data Mike Cordano , President and Chief Operating Officer at Western Digital
At the heart of Western Digital’s innovation breakthrough is the “spin torque oscillator” to produce a microwave field that raises the ability to record data at ultra-high density without sacrificing reliability. The MAMR technology is expected to offer 4 terabites-per-square-inch over time. MAMR promises to enable hard drives with 40TB capacity and more by 2025.

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Western Digital’s demonstration of MAMR technology is a significant breakthrough for the hard disk drive industry. Commercialization of MAMR technology will pave the way to higher recording densities, and lower cost per terabyte hard disk drives for enterprise datacenters, video surveillance systems, and consumer NAS products John Rydning, research vice president, Hard Disk Drives, IDC
Western Digital’s micro actuation technology for data center applications enables hard drives to accurately and reliable position magnetic heads for writing and reading at ultra-high densities.
Pokdepinion: So in the future we’ll have 40TB worth of storage huh? That’s a definite increase on educational videos we can store!
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Samsung acquire HARMAN for USD 8 billion in cash — accelerating automotive industries

Samsung Electronics and Harman International Industries today announced that they have entered into a definitive agreement under which Samsung will acquire HARMAN for approximately USB 8.0 billion. HARMAN is the market leader in connected car solutions, with more than 30 million vehicles currently equipped with its connected car and audio systems, including embedded infotainment, telematics, connected safety and security.

Samsung expects the combination to deliver significant growth opportunities and benefits to customers by leveraging Samsung’s and HARMAN’s complementary technologies, resulting in increased market penetration across important end markets.

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The main focus of the purchase is for automotive sector which Samsung still doesn’t have the real solution to compete with the Apple’s CarPlay or Android Auto. With the purchase Samsung, also will gain access to HARMAN’s 8000 software designers and engineers to unlock the potential of IoT market.

Samsung also will acquire all the HARMAN’s audio systems include JBL, Harman Kardon, Mark Levinson, AKG, Lexicon, Infinity and Revel. The company also licenses Bowers & Wilkins and Bang & Olufsen for automotive.
Upon closing, HARMAN will operate as a standalone Samsung subsidiary, and continue to be led by Dinesh Paliwal and HARMAN’s current management team.
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Microsoft Puts AI Into Minecraft In A Test To Build Things For Players

Have creative thoughts about your virtual world but not sure where to start?

Minecraft is one of the most popular games to date with 238 million copies sold, and has since given years’ worth of updates, mods and everything in between. Players has been using the game to create some pretty exquisite landscapes – but what if all you need to do is to tell the game to build for you?

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The feature is currently demoed by Microsoft internally – with capabilities such as the ability to understand natural language from players, who can tell it to build the world as they like. It’s not the same underlying Prometheus Model that runs the Bing AI though, and the company says there’s no immediate plans in releasing the feature into public builds of the game.
Image: OpenAI
This information is courtesy of Semafor Technology Editor, Reed Albergotti, who cited “people familiar with the matter” – so consider this at the very least a rumor, or a leak if you will. Microsoft’s attempts here isn’t new – in fact, OpenAI has tried in last year with a model which is designed to play Minecraft and even perform some pretty complex tasks by showing the AI 70,000 hours worth of gaming footage.
This puts Microsoft in a prime position to introduce a true AI-based game element in any of its franchises, although Sony may have beaten them to the punch with the introduction of its GT Sophy in Gran Turismo 7, a virtual driver trained entirely through AI.
Source: Tom’s Hardware
Pokdepinion: Not everyone may appreciate this feature though, since it basically took away the process of playing the game which some people appreciate.
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GameSir VX AimBox Review – Bringing PC Gaming to Consoles

Unboxing the GameSir VX AimBox
GameSir VX AimBox Review – Box

Inside the box of the GameSir VX AimBox, you will find the following items:
GameSir VX AimBox Review – Box content

User manual
Thank you card
USB-C cable
MicroUSB cable
GameSir sticker
The GameSir VX AimBox itself

Appearance
GameSir VX AimBox Review
The GameSir VX AimBox is essentially a USB hub. From the top, you have the GameSir logo (which doubles as a button) and text, LED lights, and icons signifying what each USB port is for. It has a more octagonal shape rather than being rectangular like a box.
GameSir VX AimBox Review – Ports
Moving over to the front, you get a clear view of the three USB Type-A ports. As for the rear, you have a USB Type-C port and the USB cable, which uses a USB Type-A connector and is about 50cm in length.

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GameSir VX AimBox Review – Bottom
As for the bottom, you have some of product’s basic details listed in the center as well as four rubberized stands to make sure it doesn’t glide off from the surface that it’s placed on.
Overall, the GameSir VX AimBox is a rather simple product as far as appearances go. It has everything you need to get you up and running for bringing the PC gaming experience to consoles. As for how well it works, we will detail it in the user experience section.
Specifications

Platform Compatbility
PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch

Ports
3 x USB Type-A
1 x USB Type-C

Cable length
50cm

Dimensions
129.03 x 122.94 x 28.96 mm
340g

User Experience
GameSir VX AimBox Review
The GameSir VX AimBox is designed to bring PC gaming experience to consoles, and by that, we mean letting you use the keyboard and mouse to game. What makes this interesting is that it boasts compatibility with next gen consoles, namely the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X / S. For the most part, setting it up is rather easy but the method of going about it will differ depending on which platform. We only have a PS4, PS5, and Nintendo Switch to test it out with so we will be skipping out on the Xbox part.
GameSir VX AimBox Review – PS5 setting in case it doesn’t work.
For the PS4, you will first need to head to Settings > Accessories > Controllers > Communication Method and select “Use USB cable”. Then, connect the DualShock 4 controller to the controller interface on the GameSir VX AimBox, as well as your preferred mouse and keyboard on the respective interfaces. Afterwards, connect it to the PS4 console via USB and the LED indicator will start have a phantom colour cycle. When the light flashes blue 3 times, it means that connection is successful and you can use it. The method is the same with the PS5 with the exception of the first step, and you’re limited to games that work with the PS4 controller.
As for key mapping, these are all the keys by default:

ESC: PlayStation button
F1: Up
~: Share button
1: Left
2: Down
3: Right
Tab: Options button
Q: L1
E: R1
R: Square
Caps Lock: Touchpad
F: Triangle
Shift: L3
C: Circle
Spacebar: Cross / X
Arrow keys: Left analog stick
Mouse movement: Right analog stick
Left mouse click: R2
Right mouse click: L2
Mouse wheel click: R3

GameSir VX AimBox Review – Nintendo Switch
As for the Nintendo Switch, the method is slightly different. You start off by going to System Settings > Controller and Sensors and enable Pro Controller Wired Connection. Then, connect your preferred mouse and keyboard to their respective interfaces on the GameSir VX AimBox. Afterwards, connect it to the Nintendo Switch via the dock’s USB port, which will result in it going to the same phantom colour cycle. When it finally flashes red 3 times, it means that the connection is successful and you can use it.
As for key mapping, these are all the keys by default:

ESC: Home button
F1: Up
~: Capture button
1: Left
2: Down
3: Right
Tab: + button
Q: L
E: R
R: Y
Caps Lock: – button
F: X
Shift: L3
C: A
Spacebar: B
Arrow keys: Left analog stick
Mouse movement: Right analog stick
Left mouse click: ZR
Right mouse click: ZL
Mouse wheel click: R3

For the most part, first time setup and connecting it subsequently is pretty easy and straightforward. The only thing that you need to get used to, somewhat, is knowing which key serves as which function. However, that isn’t really much of a problem as you can still remap the buttons using the GameSir mobile app. In the user manual, there’s a QR code that will bring you to the page to download it.
The GameSir mobile app will let you remap buttons for the GameSir VX AimBox. Simply enable Bluetooth on your smartphone and pair it to the peripheral. You can also customize the lighting effect for that added bit of personalization.
GameSir VX AimBox Review – USB-C port for additional power
From my own experience, my Corsair K95 (White LEDs) keyboard and Razer Basilisk V2 works perfectly with the GameSir VX AimBox. I don’t have any issues getting any buttons to work, and it seems to perform flawlessly. In case you couldn’t get your gaming peripherals to work with it, there is a chance that it’s due to a lack of power being supplied to them. This is the sole purpose of the USB-C port on the rear, as it’s meant to give additional power supply if needed. If it works fine without it, you can just leave it alone.
GameSir VX AimBox Review
One thing I personally don’t like about the GameSir VX AimBox is its limitations with next gen consoles, specifically with the PlayStation 5. It can only work with games that support the use of the DualShock 4. This means that games which requires the use of DualSense specifically, it will not work. In this regard, I believe the GameSir VX2 AimSwitch which we reviewed earlier would be the better buy, as the single-handed keyboard and mouse combo would be better suited for the situation, and you can still use your favourite gaming mouse instead if you wish to do so.
If you want to check out the GameSir VX2 AimSwitch, click right here to check out our review of it.
GameSir VX AimBox Verdict
GameSir VX AimBox Review
The GameSir VX AimBox is a nifty gaming peripheral that brings the PC gaming experience to consoles. It’s easy to use, customizable via the mobile app, works flawlessly, and they even prepared a solution in case your peripherals require more power to work. However, the drawback here is its limitation with the PS5 as it only works with games that are compatible with the DualShock 4, which hinders its potential.
It’s still a relatively solid buy if you take gaming seriously, especially shooters and battle royales. At the end of our GameSir VX AimBox review, I award this with our Silver Pokdeward.

Big thanks to GameSir for sending us this product for the purposes of this review. If you want to get this for yourself, you can buy it with a 5% discount. Simply head to the official store by clicking here and use the coupon code “pokde“. The discount code will be valid until 11.30PM on 1st May 2021.
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Microsoft: Asia Pacific Among the Most Vulnerable to Malware Threats

Your PC could be in danger, according to a Microsoft report.
As technology evolves and the world grows more dependent on the internet, we slowly start to forget something vital. Being on the internet exposes your computer to many risks. Some websites, like ours at Pokde.net, are safe and secure while others might land your PC in a bunch of nasty things.
We never really know how much of a threat we’re facing but according to Microsoft, countries in the Asia Pacific region are currently the most vulnerable to malware threats. This is something you definitely need to take note of.

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Asia Pacific Among the Most Vulnerable, According to Microsoft

Yesterday, Microsoft shared the regional findings from the Security Intelligence Report (SIR), Volume 21. For those of you who aren’t aware, the security report is a twice yearly report that provides unique insights into the threat landscape. This is done to help organizations learn about trend data in industry vulnerabilities, exploits, malware, and web-based attacks.
In that same report, Microsoft has identified Asia Pacific markets as being at the highest risk of cybersecurity threats. As far as Malaysia is concerned, it has ranked 11th amongst the top markets in Asia Pacific under malware threats. It has found that Malaysia has a malware encounter rate of more than 27.6%. which is noticeably higher than the global encounter rate of 20.8% during the same the same time period.
Interestingly enough, Microsoft found that markets in the region with a more mature IT level such as Japan, Australia, New Zealand, South Korea, Hong Kong, and Singapore have lower malware encounter rates compared to the global average. It goes to show how diverse the cybersecurity landscape in Asia Pacific is.
Top Markets in Asia Pacific Under Malware Threats:

Mongolia
Vietnam
Pakistan
Indonesia
Nepal & Bangladesh
Cambodia
Philippines
Thailand
India
Sri Lanka
Malaysia
Taiwan
China
Singapore
Hong Kong
South Korea
Australia
New Zealand
Japan

Common Malware Encounters in Asia Pacific
Image source: Kaspersky Lab
Microsoft also shared the most encountered malware is Malaysia, which includes:

Gamarue, a worm which can give a malicious hacker control of your PC, steal information and change PC security settings;
Lodbak, a trojan that is usually installed on removable drives by Gamarue, and which attempts to install Gamarue when the infected removable drive is connected to a computer; and Peals is a generic detection for various threats that display trojan characteristics.

Microsoft also pointed out the dangers of the most commonly encountered malware, Gamarue. It has an encounter rate of 3.3% in Malaysia, and this worm can be distributed via exploit kits, social engineering, and e-mail attachments. When infected, Gamarue allows malicious hackers to control the infected PC. These hackers will usually steal information and quietly change the PC’s security settings.
Threats to Cloud Computing

With the rise of cloud computing, it’s no surprise that it too can have multiple threats looming over it. Microsoft pointed how the report includes a deep dive section on Protecting cloud infrastructure: detecting and mitigating threats using Azure Security Center. In this part, the report explains the potential threats that organizations may face as well as how they can utilize Azure Security Center to protect, detect, and respond to threats.
Some of those cloud-targeted threads are:

Pivot back attacks, which occurs when an attacker compromises a public cloud resource to obtain information that they then use to attack the resource provider’s on-premises environment
“Man in the Cloud” attacks, in which an attacker induces a prospective victim to install a piece of malware using a typical mechanism, such as an email with a link to a malicious website. It then switches out the user’s cloud storage synchronization token with the attacker’s token, allowing the attacker to receive copies of each file the user places in cloud storage. This effectively makes the attacker a “man in the middle” for cloud storage.
Side-channel attacks, where an attacker attempts to put a virtual machine on the same physical server as the intended victim. If he succeeds, the attacker will be able to launch local attacks against the victim. These attacks might include local DDoS, network sniffing, and man-in-the-middle attacks, all of which can be used to extract information.
Resource ransom, where attackers hold cloud resource hostage by breaking into and controlling public cloud account, and then requiring the victim to pay a ransom to release encrypted or restricted resources.

Microsoft listed out 5 best practices for organizations to improve their defense against cybersecurity threats, which are:

Ensure strong fundamentals: Use only genuine, current and updated software. The usage of IT assets which are old, unprotected, or are non-genuine in nature, substantially increase the chances for a cyberattack. For example, pirated and counterfeit software are known to come with embedded malware infections.
Focus on cyber hygiene: Poor cyber hygiene of IT users, negligent employee behaviour or weak credentials/password protection within an organization, adds a high degree of vulnerability for system compromise. With more and more personal devices being used at the workplace, the higher the chance they are infected.
Have a data culture: Develop a big data analytics culture involving data classification, multifactor authentication, encryption, rights management, machine learning for behavioural analytics and log analytics to spot user anomalies and irregular or suspicious patterns, which could provide potential clues in advance to prevent impending or ongoing security breaches.
Invest in a robust cyber defence ecosystem and monitor all systems in real time: Invest in trusted security solutions and modern threat protection technologies to monitor, detect and remove common and advanced cyber threats in real time, while developing in-house expertise to undertake threat analytics.
Regular assessment, review and audit: Be comprehensive on all aspects of cybersecurity, not just technology. Have a IT trusted supply chain across cloud, software, hardware, Internet of Things, BYOD (bring your own device) and regularly review and assess cybersecurity investments and performance of both software and hardware deployment, including customer and vendor access to the corporate network.

The Security Intelligence Report is just one of many ways Microsoft is trying to provide a comprehensive approach to security. They believe it is a critical component to enabling the digital transformation of leading organizations in Asia.

Pokdepinion: Cybersecurity threats are no joke. It could spell the end of businesses if not taken care of well. Data is an important aspect in everyone’s lives today. Sometimes, you never know the dangers of being in the internet until it hits you right on your face.
Given the recent technological advances in the Asia Pacific region, Microsoft simply wants to point out that we, along with other Asia Pacific countries, need a major upgrade in cybersecurity if we’re hoping to keep the growth consistent.
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New Summer Lesson Game’s New Waifu Revealed; We Regret Nothing

It appears that the new heroine of Summer Lesson: Chisato Shinjo Seven Day Etude has been revealed and strangely, our PlayStation VR seems to be dust-free.

New Summer Lesson Game’s New Waifu Revealed

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After the recent reveal on Famitsu, Bandai Namco released the first direct feed screenshots of the new Summer Lesson PlayStation VR  game named after its heroine Summer Lesson: Chisato Shinjo Seven Day Etude.
In the game, the player is hired as the private tutor of the home-schooled granddaughter of a wealthy man, Chisato Shinjo. She lives in an old-fashioned western-style mansion and knows very little about modern society.
We’ll have to teach her everything about it, from using personal computers to enjoying manga, and games, as well as common sense among normal people. Basically, she’s your anime trope ojosama in need of an anime trope commoner to fall for. She is rather spoiled, difficult to handle, and she will treat the player poorly at first because he’s just an employee.

4 DLC packs will also be coming, providing additional content:

Chisato Shinjo’s Red Carpet Magic Hour (Additional Experience Pack)
Chisato Shinjo’s Cool Breeze Break Time (Additional Experience Pack)
Chisato Shinjo’s Extra Scene: Twilight of Youth (Costume and Situation)
Chisato Shinjo’s Extra Scene: Fashion Show (Costume and Situation)

Summer Lesson: Chisato Shinjo Seven Day Etude will release on October 12th 2017 in Japan, with pre-orders opening on the local PlayStation Store today, including a Deluxe Edition with a DLC pass, and a standard edition, priced respectively at 8,320 yen and 2,980 yen.
Those who pre-order the game will receive an exclusive PS4 theme featuring super deformed Chisato, and 2 costumes, “Dusky Colored Blouse” and “Black Embroidered Blouse“.

Pokdepinion: Well uhh, all of a sudden, I feel the need to un-dust the PlayStation VR headset lying around at home. I mean, you gotta prepare for these kinda stuff, you know?
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HUAWEI Launches P60 Series, With Significant Upgrade In Imaging Tech

Camera upgrade is the main focus of this launch.

HUAWEI has launched its latest flagship series, the HUAWEI P60, in China – which promises to redefine mobile photography and aesthetics. The new series features an upgraded optical system, including a 48MP main shooter with multi-aperture system that utilizes 10 steps from f/1.4 to f/4; imaging sensor with RYYB color array, which allows for more light to enter and achieve high dynamic range in scenes with high light ratios.

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The camera’s interface is updated with the new XMAGE UX which is said to feature a new zoom ring for easier controls, also comes equipped is the long-travel sliding axis zoom lens group that allows users to capture clear images from various distances which can go all the way to Macro distances, according to the company.
The phone’s design aesthetics are inspired by Rococo design, and it introduces the industry’s first “Mother-of-pearl design”, which uses natural mineral bead powder to create a unique natural texture. Additionally, the phone has a 6.67″ quad-curved screen design with a 1-120Hz automatic response dynamic refresh rate for a more immersive display experience and balanced battery life. HUAWEI claims the P60 is the first model to be TUV-certified for color accuracy, which targets DCI-P3 color space.

It also features a 4815mAh silicon-carbon negative electrode battery with 50W wireless HUAWEI SuperCharge and up to 88W wired SuperCharge capabilities (which claims 0-50% in 10 minutes). However, the smartphone maker didn’t provide details on performance metrics like SoC and storage options – so that’ll have to wait until the company drops more information down the line. HUAWEI is expected to bring the P60 Series into Malaysia, but nothing solid as of this writing. Stay tuned for updates!
Pokdepinion: A lot of R&D has been spent into the cameras by the looks of it.
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If you’ve been planning to get a new gaming laptop, this might just be a good time as the Alienware m15 R4 and m17 R4 is now available in Malaysia, both of them powered by the new NVIDIA GeForce RTX 30-series GPU.
GeForce RTX 30-Powered Alienware m15 R4 and m17 R4 Now in Malaysia

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As revealed in CES 2021, the Alienware m15 R4 and m17 R4 have finally arrived in Malaysia. Both gaming laptops offer souped up specifications over their respective predecessors, the R3, with better CPU and GPU options, most notably the addition of the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 30-series.
Both laptops will have the Intel Core i7-10870H CPU as a standard option, with the base model coming in the with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 GPU. If you want something stronger, an additional RM1,000 will get you an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 instead.
For a better look at the specifications, check it out right below here:

Products
Starting Price
Available Specs
Availability in Malaysia

Alienware m17 R4
RM10,799

10th Generation Intel Core i7-10870H
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070
2TB PCIe M.2 SSD
17.3” FHD (1920 x 1080) 360Hz (also available in UHD 3840 x 2160 60Hz)
Available colours: Lunar Light, Dark Side of the Moon

January 2021

Alienware m15 R4
RM10,999

10th Generation Intel Core i7-10870H
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070
2TB PCIe M.2 SSD
15.6” FHD (1920 x 1080) 300Hz
Available colours: Lunar Light, Dark Side of the Moon

January 2021

The refresh rate for the Alienware m15 R4 can go as high as 300Hz for the Full HD version but if you want, you can opt for a 4K OLED display with Tobii Eyetracking technology but it only goes up to 60Hz. As for the Alienware m17 R4. you can opt for a Full HD display with G-SYNC native support with refresh rate options of either 144Hz or 360Hz. The 4K OLED with Tobii Eyetracking is also available as an option for this model as well.
Both gaming laptops can have up to 32GB DDR4 2933MHz RAM with storage maxing out at either a single 2TB SSD or two 1TB SSDs. As we’ve previously reported, the Alienware m15 R4 will start from RM10,999 whereas the larger m17 R4 will start at a slightly lower RM10,799.
Source
Pokdepinion: I’m still happy with the m15 R3 as it still works great, but if you don’t own the R3, the R4 is definitely an attractive option.
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Mr. Tim Cook said the PC is dead — Ipad Pro is the real deal

“I think if you’re looking at a PC, why would you buy a PC anymore? No really, why would you buy one?”

A really bold statement from Apple CEO, Tim Cook also continued in an interview “the iPad Pro is a replacement for a notebook or a desktop for many, many people.” What he’s said is not 100% accurate and there are reasons why the PC is not dead and also certain aspects in which the iPad Pro has bested PCs.

To begin with, the new iPad Pro starts selling at USD 799 (approximately MYR 3500), equipped with an A9X chip, 32gb storage, 4GB of RAM, a 12.9 inch Retina display and comes in pretty light at 713gram. Wait a minute, it’s “not even its final form”, I don’t think it can truly call itself a PC killer without a stylus and keyboard. Yes, Apple does offer those accessories, at a price. To get an iPencil in your hand, you will need to shell out USD 99, and the Smart Keyboard will cost you USD 169.

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How an iPad Pro can be a good device for multitasking and productivity? Multitasking, from Adobe press release we know the iPad Pro comes with 4GB of RAM which is plenty for iOS as we could see even the iPhone is efficiently handling RAM resources. Regarding productivity, the iPad Pro has a great advantage because of the stylus, especially if the user is keen on digital art and drawing on the iPad Pro is really quite convenient. The iPad Pro really can do multitasking and improve productivity, in its own way.

Let’s move on to the CPU performance. Apple claims that the A9X is 1.8x faster than its predecessor, the A8X which you can find in the iPad Air 2, and the GPU is two times faster. Taken from Weibo, below is the benchmark score for the iPad Pro.

Apple does claims that the new A9X is faster than some Intel Core i5 mobile CPU. So I took the Intel Core i5 6300U that used in the Microsoft Surface Book 4 which is priced at USD 999 (approximately MYR 4350,) without the Surface Pro Type Cover that costs an extra USD 130. So I searched for the Surface Pro 4 benchmark score and yes, they are actually almost on par with each other. The iPad Pro almost has the same performance as the Intel Core i5 6200U.

Below is a short comparison of specifications of the iPad Pro and Surface Pro 4:

iPad Pro
Surface Pro 4

CPU
Apple A9X
Intel Core i5 6300u

RAM
4GB
4GB

Storage
32GB
128GB

Display
12.9” (2732*2048)
12.3” (2736*1824)

Connectivity
WiFi AC, Bluetooh 4.2
WiFi AC, Bluetooth 4.0, USB 3.0

Dimension
12 x 8.68 x 0.27 inch
11.50 x 7.93 x 0.33 inch

Weight
713 grams
786 grams

Battery life
Up to 10hours
Up to 9 hours

OS
iOS 9
Windows 10

Price
USD 1067 (MYR 4640)
USD 1129 (MYR 4900)

By looking at the table above the iPad Pro is cheaper than the Surface Pro 4, and note that both devices comes with a stylus and detachable keyboard. But on the Surface, you will get full USB 3.0 port and bigger storage. This could be a hard decision for the consumer to decide which is the best choice, as we know Apple marketing gimmicks are pretty powerful.

Even though specification-wise they are quite similar, the big difference is here, the processor architecture. The iPad Pro is using the A9X chip, based on ARM architecture and running on iOS, while the Surface Pro 4 is running on a X86 CPU and Windows 10. Software wise, the Surface Pro 4 has an obvious advantage against the iPad Pro. You can get Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator and Premiere for iOS but you will not be getting Adobe After Effects yet.

It is not only in the Adobe suite where we can see a disadvantage, take a look at students who are taking engineering courses, most of them need  engineering software for learning that obviously does not exist on iOS yet, like Matlab or Autodesk 3D. How about if the student is taking a digital arts course, surely they need 3D creation software like Autodesk 3D Max, Maya or the open-source Blender. Let’s not forget the game design student who needs to design game characterr, coding the game on an iOS device? Except Unity and Unreal engine, there are not many game engines which support iOS platform, Windows on the other hand…

This is enough proof that the iPad Pro is not enough to kill the PC. Of course this article wouldn’t make a big headline on the internet. But to me the iPad Pro is a failed product if it aims to replace the PC notebook. The mistake lies in the processor and operating system, and the only way iPad Pro can even come close to killing PCs is by using a X86 processor and full Mac OSX operating system. Then, there is definitely the possibility of “killing” PCs and would at least threaten the PC market. For now, just no.

Pokdepinion : The iPad Pro is not going to kill the PC, but it will definitely be akin to a cancer and eat into the sales of PCs. As I said earlier, Apple marketing gimmicks has always worked, and I am quite sure that the iPad Pro sales will be a success but is it really worth it to get the iPad Pro? For me it depends on your usage and workloads. For now, the iPad Pro can’t even replace the Macbook Pro ever, much less come close to “killing” PCs.

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Virtuelle Bundesliga SEA Qualifier Now Open – Could You Be The Next FIFA Star?

Hear ye hear ye, eGG Network and FOX Sports Asia are looking for the best FIFA 18 players in the region to compete in the Virtuelle Bundesliga South East Asia Qualifier.
Virtuelle Bundesliga South East Asia Qualifier
So here are the prizes for winners. The champion of the tournament will get the chance of a lifetime to represent South East Asia and compete with the world’s best FIFA 18 players at the finals in Germany.
The SEA Qualifiers is open to all FIFA 18 players on Playstation 4 platform residing in South East Asia. Period for registration from now till 31st of January 2018. Participants who are successful will be notified latest by 5th February. 8 seeded players will be invited to the Main Event where they will be meeting the top 8 players from the open qualifier in the playoffs.

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The catch of the tournament is, you will only be allowed to use Bundesliga teams and players during the tournament. FIFA Ultime Team (FUT) will be used for the grand finals in Germany.
Participants of the tournament will receive exclusive Bundesliga merchandise, while the top 4 players will take home a portion of the RM6,000 prize pool.
Fans of FIFA 18 can also watch selected match live on eGG Network. The qualifier will be held at Batlle Arena, Petaling Jaya, on the 10th-11th February 2018.
For more information on the tournament or you want to register for the tournament, you can click here to go to eGG’s website.
Pokdepinion: Have you got what it takes to represent South East Asia? Well now’s your chance to so. On the tournament, I can see that there will be a major influx of people choosing Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund as they’re one of the more famous teams in the Bundesliga. Would be a major shock if someone won by using a different team than those two. I’d join myself, but I’m working *sobs*
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Neffos reports incredible growth in 2018 — promises a more interesting 2019 for smartphone enthusiasts

Neffos’ shipments has grown by 300% year-on-year, with 110 000 units shipped in just December 2018. For Neffos, that marked an impressive amount of growth and is a true achievement for the relatively new smartphone brand by TP-Link. In Q4 2018, they charted an impressive 125% increase shipments, representing somewhat of a growth spurt for Neffos in 2018.
The most impressive market for Neffos was the Middle East, with a 528% growth, followed by a 474% growth in East Europe. Neffos attributes the growth to their understanding of consumers, with their range of smartphones targeting the budget smartphone niche with the latest features and technologies to deliver excellent value for consumers.

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This year, Neffos has already unveiled the Neffos X20 and X20 Pro flagships at MWC 2019, with more devices to come. It comes with Android 9 Pie out of the box and the NFUI 9.0 overlay. NFUI 9.0 comes with a slew of improvements across the board, upgrading the camera performance and general user experience of the device.

For now, the next device that is entering Malaysia will be the Neffos C7 Lite, which is going to be an Android Go powered device. It is expected to enter Malaysia by May 2019, but expect to see more from Neffos soon!
Pokdepinion: I wonder will Neffos be able to top their Neffos N1 this year… That was a solid phone!
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Final Fantasy XV Officially Launched in Malaysia; Here’s What Went Down

After nearly 10 years, Final Fantasy XV is finally out!
I’ve been a fan of the Final Fantasy series for years now, most notably beginning with Final Fantasy VII on the Sony PlayStation. It was a game, but it’s also one that told a very compelling story. Fast forward to today, I have not missed a Final Fantasy game, save for the MMORPGs, since.
A few hours ago, Final Fantasy XV was officially launched, and here’s what went down.

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Final Fantasy XV Officially Launched

Final Fantasy XV was officially launched at an event in Berjaya Times Square organized by PLAY Interactive and supported by Square Enix as well as Sony Interactive Entertainment Hong Kong Limited. The event saw around 500 gamers, who have pre-ordered from PlayStation Authorized Dealers, attended to be one of the first few people to own a copy of Final Fantasy XV in Malaysia.
This isn’t the first time PLAY Interactive has organized a videogame launch event, especially this year where they did the same for Uncharted 4, Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare, and Street Fighter V. Gary Chong, Director of Play Interactve, mentioned how they wanted to give fans a chance to be part of the game itself by giving back to the gamers who have supported the gaming industry. He also wanted to create awareness of the fact that the videogame industry in Malaysia, as well as Southeast Asia, has started to grow to international levels.

Legit Teh Tarik in Final Fantasy XV

During the launch event, Wan Hazmer presented on how Malaysian culture has been embedded into the game, showing examples of Malaysia’s famous ‘roti canai’, ‘teh tarik’, and chicken rice being an actual food choice in the game. Furthermore, he added that these foods play an integral part in the game and it’s not merely there for looks, as the food can be used to strengthen the protagonists. In fact, it could be the difference in winning and losing when it comes to boss battles. When asked if there’s a PC version coming, Wan Hazmer said that while the game will not be launched for the PC at this time, anything can happen down the road and the possibility is indeed there.
The Managing Director of SoundtRec Malaysia, Falk Au Yeong, also shared on his side of developing content for Final Fantasy XV. He cited how music played a big role in setting the feel of the game, and while he wanted to create something new and beautiful for Final Fantasy XV, he also wanted to pay homage to the older Final Fantasy titles. Without giving out too much information, Falk talked about how there will be many points in the game where music from past Final Fantasy titles will play, and fans will have to keep a keen ear out to catch it.

The event is packed to the brim with gamers and fans of the Final Fantasy series. It was unfortunate that not all gamers were able to attend the launch event as there were simply too many people who pre-ordered the game, and they had a limit as to how many people who can actually attend it. They wanted it to be more special for the gamers and having too large of a crowd would spoil it. The launch event ended at 2AM and everyone went home happy with a bag of gaming goodies.

Pokdepinion: Too bad the game isn’t available for PC gamers but it might happen down the road. We have the complete Final Fantasy XIII trilogy on PC now after all. Gameplay is a lot more refined compared to its Episode Duscae 2.0 Demo, so that’s something I’m looking forward to. On a side note, I too pre-ordered the game. Should we do a review of this game? Let me know what you think in the comments below or on our Facebook page. If there’s enough people who want to see us review Final Fantasy XV, we might just do it ;)
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ASUS Zenfone 2 Review [UPDATE]

If I had mentioned the name “Samsung Galaxy S6”, or “HTC One M9”, or “LG G4”, you could immediately configure your mind into positioning these devices as “high-end” devices because these devices don’t come cheap. And we expect them to perform, after all you buy these gadgets with your hard-earned money. On top of that, because these devices are extremely expensive, they are not easily dispensable. I would need to spend on a handbag for SuperMommy before I spend on the next one anytime soon.
But what if I told you that I’m holding a device that costs one-third of your idea of a high-end device but delivers undivided superiority? Perhaps even better than your high-end device? In our mindset, if it’s going to cost one-third of the price, it’s going to be right in the mid-range or low-end range. But let me tell you this, you are wrong. Take off your ASUS Zenfone 5 hat if you are wearing one.
Beautiful Outlook
Even the packaging has been innovatively horizontalized!
Look. If you think I am going to be biased in my review, just read this paragraph without reading the rest of it, then head to the town, validate this fact, and if it’s true, come back for the rest of the article. Chances are, you might just end up buying it there itself. The body of the ASUS Zenfone 2 is arc-ed in such a way that it just feels perfect in your palm. You could have a larger palm, or you could have a smaller one. But you definitely form an arc shape of your palm when you hold a mobile device. See, you are looking at your palm now. I was right, no? So to complement the naturally arc-ed shape of our palm, the back of the ASUS Zenfone 2 is designed to fit just perfectly. The brushed metal texture blended on the plastic back case is seriously not slippery and it feels firm in the palms. Okay, now you may head to your nearest store and validate this first fact.

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Simplicity has a new name. The sides of the ASUS Zenfone 2 are empty. There are no buttons – at all! The power button is at the top and the volume button has been shifted to the back. ASUS decided to be innovative, but this is the first time you don’t have to worry about which accidentally pushing buttons when you hold it wrong. You are supposed to be able to decide on how and where you want to grip the phone at and not be blocked by some buttons on either side. This is where knowledge of user experience comes into play. You would only notice the difference when you actually hold a ASUS Zenfone 2 yourself.
You would not believe how comfortable it is holding this device!
World’s First 4GB Smartphone In The Market
Done already with the mid-range or low-end range mindset? Indeed, the ASUS Zenfone 2 has a variant with 4GB dual-channel DDR3 RAM and it’s the one that I have in my hands right now. Is there any difference in 2GB vs 4GB, you ask? Hell yeah – A big one! Especially if you are going to give it the Android 5.0 Lollipop breath! We have approached the times where idle phones are easily hogging 1.5GB of RAM (some, like my Samsung Galaxy Note Edge even hogging 2.3GB on idle!). You would demand plenty of memory to run bulky applications in this case. The ASUS Zenfone 2 totally has it!
64-bit Powerplant In Your Mobile
The ASUS Zenfone 2 sports the Super Quad-Core Intel Atom Z3580 2.3GHz (codename “Moorefield”). We brought the 22nm processors into mobiles, yo! And for your gaming, there is a PowerVR 6430 GPU clocking 533MHz with OpenGL 3.2. Combining this, the ASUS Zenfone 2 churns out a super fast touch response time of only 60ms. Know what that means? A blink of an eye takes 300ms, so the ASUS Zenfone 2’s touch response is 5 times quicker than that!
Yep, Intel baby!
That is not too technical for you? The processor inside the ASUS Zenfone 2 is based on the same technology that was first introduced in the 3rd Gen Intel Desktop Processors (codename “Ivy Bridge”). It utilizes 3D Tri-Gate Transistor technology that provides triple amount of surface area compared to single plane (or planar) transistors. This allows a higher number of electrons through due to a higher surface area. This also means the transistor switching performance is much more efficient and power leakage decreases. Out of this, we get higher performance at low voltages and almost twice the power! Just the perfect combination isn’t it? Ask any desktop computer owner, what was the revolution in the Ivy Bridge processors that was legendary. This is the answer you would be getting.
The next question you would be asking me is what about the battery life with it having that many horses under the hood? I unplugged this device at 12pm today, and at 2am (14 hours later of continuous usage), I’m still left with 51%, approximately another 13 hours to go! Take a look at it yourself!
Don’t ask me about the battery. I still have 51% after whole day usage!

Did you see how much on screen time usage?
On screen time details
The second days without charging
Performance Beyond Imagination
Once again, let me prove you wrong that only high-end devices can perform awesomely. I took the ASUS Zenfone 2 to test against my Samsung Note Edge. Both devices were rebooted and running at their stock ROMs on idle, followed by immediate benchmark testrun. On the Samsung Note Edge, I got a total score of 45875. On the ASUS Zenfone 2, I got a whopping 46773! Then there was an OS update for (WW_2.15.40.13_20150506_3876_us_er_rel that was supposed to improve “stability”. Upon updating, I got an even higher score of 47246! Let the screenshots do the talking!
Samsung Galaxy Note Edge Score
ASUS Zenfone 2 score before OTA update
ASUS Zenfone 2 score after OTA update
Stunning PixelMaster Camera 2.0
On the back of the ASUS Zenfone 2, you will spot a 13MPx camera bearing 5 element lens manufactured by the infamous Largan Precision, capable of taking pictures at f/2.0 aperture with dual tone flash for natural colors. There you go. One single sentence to describe the awesomeness the PixelMaster Camera has. Up front, we have 5MPx PixelMaster Camera 2.0 with 85° wide-angle lens for the selfie addicts.
The PixelMaster’s Low-Light Mode is definitely still the highlight of the day. Using this mode, you can capture low-light mode images and videos in under 1Lux lighting. The algorithm behind PixelMaster’s Low-Light Mode identifies details in the dark and automatically enhance the light sensitivity. Using pixel-merging technology that joins four adjacent pixels to form a new pixel, the light sensitivity is increased by 400% so you can take pictures in the dark without even using a flash.
Then we have the Super HDR. If Low-Light Mode combines four adjacent pixels, the Super HDR captures multiple shots that are then merged to create a detail-revealing HDR shot. The multiple shots are captured at different EV settings, and later is dynamically adjusted by detecting the environment lighting every second. Finally the Super HDR post-processing algorithm performs local area detection that expands the dynamic range up to 4 times that the picture can have 400% more brightness, contrast and details. And this is how you get super vivid natural pictures from the ASUS Zenfone 2!
Note that I am saving the camera review for my heads-on post coming up next.
The Ever Beautiful ZenUI
Since I got myself the red Zenfone 2, the interface was also matched by default.
I’ve used too many devices in my life and I used to be a huge fan of HTC’s Sense UI. When ASUS bought over the Sense team and formed its ZenUI team, I knew the results would not be disappointing. I even proved that in my ASUS Zenfone 5 review last year. This time around, ASUS has upped the ante by making it even more simpler, smarter and yet giving more personalization options! With more than 30 native dedicated apps, you can say that ASUS has really put their love in delivering the utmost experience to their end-users. The ZenUI 2.0 is brighter, smarter, simpler and very beautiful! The stylish new layout expands white space for a cleaner design, placing the information you need front and center. I had to emphasize on this because I am a UX/UI Engineer myself and the toughest part in this field is balancing the whitespace perfectly.
Just look at how beautifully the icons are spaced!

Then they have included the ASUS ZenMotion that allows you to create just about ANY shortcut. While the display is off, scribble a “C” on the display to run the Camera app. Write a “W” to launch the World Wide Web browser. Or gesture an “S” for SMS. You wouldn’t realize it, but the less buttons that you have to press to reach your final destination is a big part in the User Experience understanding.
Varieties To Fit Your Style & Pockets
Now, after reading this article, it’s totally up to you to decide on which version to get. ASUS has brought ample options to spoil you with choices. As for me, I have the 4GB RAM instead of 2GB because you can never have enough RAM, 32GB instead of 64GB because there is an option for SD Card for my storage, Glamour Red because it has haunted me in my dreams since I saw it in Jakarta during its launch and Z3580 2.3GHz processor because I’m serious about my mobile gaming. What’s your choice?

Model Identifier
ZE500CL
ZE550ML
ZE551ML

Processor
Intel Atom Z2560 (1.6GHz)
Intel Atom Quad Core Z3560 (1.8GHz)
Intel Atom Quad Core Z3580 (2.3GHz)

Operating System
Android 5.0 Lollipop

Display Size
5″ IPS
5.5″ IPS

Resolution
HD (1280 x 720)
HD (1280 x 720)
FHD (1280 x 1080)

RAM
2GB DDR2
2GB DDR3
4GB DDR3

Storage
8GB + MicroSD
16GB + MicroSD
32GB + MicroSD
64GB + MicroSD

Connectivity
3G, Bluetooth 4.0, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n
LTE, Bluetooth 4.0, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n

Multi-SIM
NO
YES

Rear Camera
8MPx, Auto-Focus, LED Flash, f/2.0, 5-Element Lens
13MPx, Auto-Focus, PixelMaster

Front Camera
2MPx, f/2.0
5MPx, Fixed-Focus, Wide View, PixelMaster

Dimensions
148.1 x 71.5 x 3.9 ~ 10.9mm
152.5 x 72 x 3.9 ~ 10.9mm

Weight
155g
170g

Colors
Charcoal Black / Pearl White / Cherry Red
Glacier Gray / Osmium Black / Glamour Red / Ceramic White / Sheer Gold

Price
RM599
RM749
RM899
RM1099
RM1299

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Girl Claims YES 4G Phone Burned Down Her Neighbour’s House But Not Really

In recent times, there has been cases of YES 4G Phones burning up or exploding. It appears that a new case has appeared where a girl claims that the phone burned down her neighbour’s house. What’s unique about this time around? Well she changed her claims afterward.
Student makes u-turn after claiming YES 4G Phone burned down neighbour’s house

Here’s the original tweet that she posted, thanks to the tip from one of our readers. Her claims that the phone had been the cause of the fire even got the attention of politician Syed Saddiq, where he even said that the company and state government should compensate for the damages as shown below.

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After the incident, it seems that the public has gathered and provided aid and support for the victim’s house. Following that, the neighbour that made the claims then suddenly changed her statement, saying that the cause of the fire wasn’t made by the phone but instead due to short circuit from the house itself. You can check out her explanation below.

She acknowledges that it was her fault for not confirming the real cause of the fire and said sorry for the confusion caused by her tweets. Unfortunately she has then made her Twitter account private. It’s not known if she has deleted her original tweets or not. It is also unclear on whether YES will take any actions due to the misinformation that she has spread but we’ll sure to update you should there be more details. Till then, stay tuned to Pokde.net for the latest tech and gaming news plus reviews.
Source
Pokdepinion: This is why you should do your research properly beforehand. Not only did she influenced a politician with misinformation but also created a negative image towards YES. I’m just worried that people won’t take exploding phones seriously next time that a real case happens. This article isn’t meant to disgrace her or anything. If anything, it’s so that we be more alert and refrain ourselves from spreading false information.
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Sony Xperia 1 II and Xperia 5 II’s prices in Malaysia revealed

Sony announced a pretty impressive videography beast in the form of the Sony Xperia 1 II, and then announced the gaming-oriented Sony Xperia 5 II. While they are both currently still unavailable in Malaysia, Sony Malaysia has listed the pricing on the local landing page for both flagships.

Both the Sony Xperia 1 II and Sony Xperia 5 II are powered by the Snapdragon 865, so the only differentiating factor are their displays, camera features and wireless charging. With a rather significant RM900 gap between the two devices, you might want to pay a bit more attention to the following table though.

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Sony Xperia 1 II vs Sony Xperia 5 II Specs

Sony Xperia 1 II
Sony Xperia 5 II

Processor
Snapdragon 865, octa-core up to 2.84GHz, 7nm

RAM
8GB

Storage
256GB, expandable up to 1TB microSDXC

Display
6.5″ 4K (3840 x 1644) HDR OLED, 21:9
Creator mode
DCI-P3 100%
Illuminant D65 white point
10-bit
6.1″ FHD+ (2520 x 1080) HDR 120Hz OLED, 21:9
240Hz motion blur reduction
Creator mode
DCI-P3 100%
Illuminant D65 white point
10-bit

Rear Camera
12MP f/1.7, OIS
12MP f/2.4 3x telephoto, OIS
12MP f/2.2 0.6x ultra-wide
ZEISS T* Coating
Cinematography Pro
Optical SteadyShot
3D iToF
4K HDR 24/25/30/60 video
12MP f/1.7, OIS
12MP f/2.4 3x telephoto, OIS
12MP f/2.2 0.6x ultra-wide
ZEISS T* Coating
Cinematography Pro
Optical SteadyShot
4K HDR 24/25/30/60/120 video

Selfie Camera
8MP f/2.0 selfie cam

Battery
4000mAh
USB-PD fast charging
Qi wireless charging
4000mAh
USB-PD fast charging

Price
RM4999
RM4099

With the Sony Xperia 5 II, you seem to be getting most of the features of the Sony Xperia 1 II, with the exception being the sweet 4K display, 3D iToF sensor and Qi wireless charging, for RM900 less. But on the bright side, you are getting a faster 120Hz display, and you can even record 4K 120Hz slow-mo to match your display. The latter will probably be added to the Sony Xperia 1 II sometime down the road, considering that both appear to share the same hardware across the board.

The Sony Xperia 1 II is slated to arrive in Malaysia by November, while the Xperia 5 II is scheduled to go on sale this December. For now, availability is listed as coming soon. If you aren’t limited by a budget, which device will you choose, and why? Let us know!
Pokdepinion: I think I would get the Xperia 5 II as I somewhat doubt I will need a 4K display. But then again, I do love my wireless charging…
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Leaks Suggest 128GB Samsung Galaxy S23 to Use Slower UFS 3.1 Storage

Some new leaks have suggested that the 128GB Samsung Galaxy S23 will be using the slower UFS 3.1 storage instead of moving up to UFS 4.0.
Samsung Galaxy S23 Staying in UFS 3.1 Instead of UFS 4.0?

It is understandable that the 128GB of the S23 uses UFS 3.1. There are indications that Samsung does not seem to produce the 128GB version of the UFS 4.0 chip. It is currently known that only Kioxia has produced the 128GB UFS4.0, but through the 128GB UFS4 chip of the Xiaomi 13
— Ice universe (@UniverseIce) January 28, 2023

The Samsung Galaxy S23 is launching with 128GB storage and using older UFS 3.1 format, according to renowned leaker Ice Universe. The 256GB version will have faster, more efficient UFS 4.0 storage and be available at the same price as the 128GB model. Samsung only manufactures 256GB and above UFS 4.0, while rival Kioxia has 128GB UFS 4.0, but Samsung is not using it. Smaller storage configurations may not perform as well due to slower data transfer speeds.

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Another source, @chunvn8888, says that the Samsung Galaxy S23 has further cutbacks, such as 25W charging, Wi-Fi 6E instead of Wi-Fi 7, thicker display bezels, and a less advanced vibration motor. It is not known if the small S23 will have UWB, which is important for using advanced SmartTag+ trackers. Wi-Fi 7 has not been finalized and devices claiming to support it only have a draft version.

Despite the cutbacks, the base model Samsung Galaxy S23 is expected to be more expensive in Europe and India, but not in the US. This information is unconfirmed, and the official launch is coming this Wednesday / Thursday depending on which timezone you are in so stay tuned for further updates.
Source
Pokdepinion: For me personally, UFS 3.1 is still fine but I suppose if you’re looking at it from the viewpoint of purchasing a new smartphone from a flagship series, I can understand the expectation of using a new, better standard. At the end of the day, buy what you can afford and buy one that suits your needs.
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Innosilicon Fantasy 1 GPU to feature up to 32GB GDDR6X memory

Innosilicon has revealed their first discrete GPU, dubbed the Fantasy 1. The Innosilicon Fantasy 1 GPU will power various graphics solutions for not just gaming but also server applications. It seems that Innosilicon has managed a number of breakthroughs that allowed them to deliver this GPU.
Innosilicon Fantasy 1 GPU: GDDR6X, PCIe 4.0 and HDMI 2.1?

At its core, the Innosilicon Fantasy 1 GPU is based on the Imagination Technologies BXT graphics IP. Remember the PowerVR graphics that were featured in earlier Apple, Exynos and some MediaTek chips? Yeah, Imagination Technologies designed them. In any case, Innosilicon took the graphics IP and built upon it with some innovation of their own, including GDDR6X.

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GDDR6X has previously been exclusive to NVIDIA, with NVIDIA working with Micron to bring GDDR6X to the GeForce RTX 30 series. However it seems that Innosilicon worked on PAM4 signaling to enable 19Gbps speeds for their memory. While that’s plenty fast, the memory does get somewhat bottlenecked by a narrow 128-bit memory bus. Innosilicon is also going to offer cards with up to 32GB GDDR6X, which is way more GDDR6X than what you get with the GeForce RTX 3090.

Innosilicon will apparently be offering two configuration, a Type-A and a Type-B. The former features a single Fantasy 1 GPU, while the latter gets two, connected via the Innolink interface. Innosilicon claims that the single GPU can deliver 5TFLOPs of FP32 and a 160GPixel/s fillrate, with the Type-B GPU understandably doubling those figures. For reference, the Radeon RX 480 puts out around 5.8TFLOPs FP32. These will power a variety of offerings, including a fanless server-class card and a low-profile half-height graphics card.

Other interesting details include the fact that it supports OpenGL, Vulkan and even DirectX, which is pretty exciting, although I don’t expect gamers to start looking for Innosilicon Fantasy 1-based graphics cards anytime soon. It will connect to your system via a PCIe 4.0 x16 interface, and there’s even support for HDMI 2.1, DisplayPort 1.4 and VGA.

There are quite a lot of missing details, including which DirectX version does the Innosilicon Fantasy 1 support, as well as what process node it is manufactured on.
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Pokdepinion: While it may not be competitive against the top graphics cards of today, we might see them grow rapidly and hopefully offer an alternative to the incumbents in the GPU market today.
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