New Alienware m15 and Dell G15 Gaming Laptops Powered by AMD Ryzen Unveiled

In a very surprising move, Dell officially unveiled their newest gaming laptops; the Alienware m15 Ryzen Edition R5 and Dell G15 Ryzen Edition. As the name implies, it’s powered by the latest AMD Ryzen CPU. Without further ado, let’s dive right into it, shall we?
Alienware m15 Ryzen Edition R5

The new Alienware m15 Ryzen Edition R5 is powered by up to the new AMD Ryzen 5000-H series CPU and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 30-series GPU. It uses a 15.6-inch display with a choice of either QHD resolution with 240Hz refresh rate of Full HD resolution with 360Hz instead. Interestingly, they are letting users upgrade the DDR4 3200MHz RAM by themselves for the first time for a laptop of this size.

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As far as design goes, it is the company’s first gaming laptop to have the new Silky Smooth High Endurance paint formula which is said to improve stain resistance while giving you a more premium feel. Moreover, they are introducing a design feature called Dark Core, which will darken the interior shade of the machine for lesser distractions.

Just like the Intel counterpart, you do have the AlienFX per-key RGB keyboard. If you want to take it a step further, the ultra-low profile mechanical keyboard co-developed with Cherry MX is available as an optional upgrade, and it also features AlienFX per-key RGB lighting.
While no retail price has been mentioned yet, the Alienware m15 Ryzen Edition R5 will be launching in Malaysia sometime in early May 2021.
Dell G15 Ryzen Edition

If you’re looking to not splurge too much on a gaming laptop, then the Dell G15 Ryzen Edition could be the one for you. You get a sleek form factor with two-sided, narrow bezel display, with the chassis making use of low VOC waterborne paint.
It is powered by the AMD Ryzen 5000-series CPU and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 30-series GPU. It also features user-upgradable DDR4 3200MHz RAM. To keep all of this running cool, it’s equipped with an Alienware-inspired thermal design which is said to optimize airflow for better cooling and heat dissipation.

As for the display, the Dell G15 Ryzen Edition, you get a 15.6-inch Full HD display with a choice of either 120Hz and 165Hz refresh rates, with a 360 refresh rate option expected to be available at a later date. All of these display option will come with low blue light emission to reduce eye fatigue. Lastly, there’s a Game Shift function key which will let you maximize the cooling performance for a more stable gaming experience with just one tap.
While no retail price has been mentioned yet, the Dell G15 Ryzen Edition will be launching in Malaysia sometime in early May 2021.
Dell Gaming Monitors

The gaming laptops aren’t the only new products coming your way as there are a number of new Dell Gaming Monitors unveiled as well. First up, we have the Dell 25 Gaming Monitor (S2522HG) with a 240Hz refresh rate and 1ms response time. It uses an IPS panel and supports both NVIDIA G-SYNC and AMD FreeSync.

The three remaining gaming monitors are using VA panels, come with Variable Refresh Rate which can be used in conjunction with next gen gaming consoles, and support either AMD FreeSync Premium or Premium Pro. Those gaming monitors are:

The Dell 27 and 32 Curved Gaming Monitors (S2722DGM and S3222DGM) with QHD resolution, 165Hz refresh rate and 2ms response time.
The Dell 34 Curved Gaming Monitor (S3422DWG) is an ultrawide WQHD 34-inch display. It supports VESA DisplayHDR 400 and has a 90% DCI-P3 colour coverage. It’s still great for gaming as it has a 144Hz refresh rate.

While no retail price has been mentioned yet, all of the aforementioned Dell Gaming Monitors will be launching in Malaysia sometime in end of June 2021. All of the monitors will come with 3 years of Premium Panel and Advance Exchange, so you can get a replacement panel within one working day even if you have only one bright pixel.
Pokdepinion: While this shouldn’t be a surprise given how attractive AMD Ryzen has become for a while now, I’m actually surprised Dell and Alienware actually went down this route. I’m also very excited to see what these machines can do so can’t wait to get my hands on them.
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PS Plus Asia November 2017 Free Games Lineup; 1 Bonus Free Game Included!

The official free games lineup for PS Plus Asia November 2017 is finally here. On top of that, Sony is adding one bonus free game for PS Plus subscribers!

PS Plus Asia November 2017 Free Games Lineup

Hope all of you have been enjoying October’s lineup because we now have a new lineup to look forward to. Sony Interactive Entertainment has officially announced the PS Plus Asia November 2017 free games lineup, and if you want to know more about, then you’ve come to the right place.

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If you are from the US, Canada, or EU region, click here for your region’s PS Plus November 2017 free games lineup.

First up, we have inXile Entertainment’s Wasteland 2: Director’s Cut. This one is a role-playing game with a post-apocalyptic setting, where you and your Desert Ranger squad will have to make your mark or die trying. Bring the most devastating weaponry this side of the fallout zone, test the limits of your strategy skills, and bring justice to the wasteland. In the Director’s Cut, the graphics have improved, more voice lines added, extra perks & quirks, and the addition of Precision Strikes.
Image source: Giant Bomb
Next up in the PS Plus Asia November 2017 free games lineup is Worms Battlegrounds. The game brings friends and family together in the noble pursuit of mayhem. Join multiplayer matches where each turn is full of questionable decisions, high-powered weaponry, and exploding sheep.
As Sony Interactive Entertainment continues to celebrate the 1-year anniversary of the PlayStation VR, they are giving PlayStation Plus members another bonus PlayStation VR game. From November 9th to December 6th 2017, PlayStation Plus members can download Until Dawn: Rush of Blood as a bonus game. Get ready for the most disturbing roller coaster ride you’ll ever take in this trigger-happy arcade shooter.
For the full list of games in the PS Plus Asia November 2017 free games lineup, check it out just below here:
Full Lineup for PS Plus Asia November 2017

Worms Battlegrounds, PS4
Wasteland 2: Director’s Cut, PS4
Crypt of the Necrodancer, PS4
Until Dawn: Rush of Blood (BONUS), PS4

If you want to compare it with last month’s free games offering, which is still available if you haven’t claimed them yet until November 8th 2017, click here to get up to speed.
As an added bonus, Sony Interactive Entertainment will be offering PS Plus subscribers who own Gran Turismo Sport 3 additional in-game items for 3 months straight. For this month, you can redeem the Audi Sport Quattro S1 Pikes Peak!
Hope you enjoy this month’s lineup of free games courtesy of Sony Interactive Entertainment. Of course, this is only applicable to PS Plus members so if you’re looking for a reason to subscribe, just know that you will be eligible for a number of games every month completely free-of-charge, assuming your PS Plus membership is still active.
Do let us know what you think of the PS Plus Asia November 2017 free games lineup in the comments below, on our Facebook page, or tweet us about it. Of course, we’ll be reporting about next month’s free games lineup as soon as information becomes available.

Pokdepinion: Well, the PS Plus Asia November 2017 free games lineup seems a bit short. I mean, sure, quality over quantity but even so, a bit of a letdown this time. Maybe we can expect some special addition later in the month, or they’re just gearing up for something even better for next month’s lineup. Only time will tell.
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Redmi Note 7 launched with a 48MP rear camera for just RM600!

Xiaomi’s sub-brand has just released their very first device, the Redmi Note 7. The device is decidedly mid-range, but packs with it a flagship-worthy 48MP rear camera. The best part? It is priced from just RMB 999 (~RM603).

The Redmi Note 7 will come with a Snapdragon 660 AIE clocked at 2.2 GHz, with up to 6GB RAM and 64GB of storage under its shimmery hood. Also tucked away under the 2.5D glass panel is a 4000 mAh battery with support for Quick Charge 4. The 6.3″ FHD+ display up front is protected by Gorilla Glass, and sports a waterdrop notch. The minimal notch allows the Redmi Note 7 to boast of a screen-to-body ratio of 84%.

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The highlight of course will be the 48MP f/1.8 primary camera. The Sony IMX 586 sensor used here features a Quad Bayer filter to deliver sensitivity comparable to a sensor with 1.6 μm pixels. Aiding the primary sensor is a secondary 5MP sensor for depth sensing. A 13MP front facing camera handles the selfie fanatics.

Pricing wise, the Redmi Note 7 is still ridiculously affordable. Priced from RMB 999 (~RM603) for the 3+32GB variant, the Redmi Note 7 is available in Blue, Twilight Gold and Black. Choosing higher specifications means you will have to foot a higher price. Even then, RMB 1199 (~RM724) for the 4GB + 64GB version, or RMB 1399 (~RM845) for the 6GB + 64GB variant  are still really affordable.

Would you pick up the Redmi Note 7 if it arrives in Malaysia with similar pricing?
Pokdepinion: Well this definitely redeems the ridiculous thing that was the Redmi Note 6 Pro. How in the world is the pink-purple color Twilight Gold though?
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Acer Nitro 5 with 9th Gen Intel processors and GeForce GTX 1650 priced from just RM3499

The Acer Nitro 5 equipped with the latest hardware from Intel and NVIDIA has landed in Malaysia. Availability is set to commence in early May, with prices as low as RM3499 for a GeForce GTX 1650-powered laptop.
Acer will be offering the new Acer Nitro 5 in two variants, one with an Intel Core i5 9300H and a higher end variant with an Intel Core i7 9750H. Both variants share Acer’s latest CoolBoost Cooling Technology with dual fans for excellent cooling.

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For your viewing pleasure, there’s a 15.6″ slim-bezel 60 Hz IPS display, and also a backlit keyboard so you can work or game in the dark. Speaking of work, it packs a 55 Wh battery, promising up to 11 hours of web browsing.
Here are the specifications of Acer Nitro 5 variants to be offered in Malaysia:
Acer Nitro 5 Specifications

Acer Nitro 5 (AN515-54-5692)
Acer Nitro 5 (AN515-54-74YP)

Processor
Intel Core i5 9300H, 4C/8T @ up to 4.1 GHz, 14nm+++
Intel Core i7 9750H, 6C/12T @ up to 4.5 GHz, 14nm+++

RAM
4GB DDR4, upgradable to 32GB DDR4

GPU
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 4GB GDDR5

Storage
256GB PCIe NVMe SSD

Display
15.6″ slim-bezel 60 Hz IPS

Connectivity
Intel Wireless-AC 9560 (Gigabit WiFi)
Bluetooth 5.0
2 x USB 3.0 ports
1 x USB-C (5 Gbps) port
1 x USB 2.0 port
3.5mm Combo jack

Price
RM3499
RM4399

Acer plans to make the new laptops available at Acer’s official online stores and all Acer authorized resellers nationwide in early May, so stay tuned!
Pokdepinion: 4GB RAM is really insufficient for most purposes…
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HONOR 20 Lite Review — Triple Cameras For Triple The Fun?

Introduction

Representing itself as HONOR’s first smartphone to sport the triple rear cameras, we take a look at the brand new HONOR 20 Lite. Here’s a quick fact; the HONOR 20 Lite is actually called the HONOR 10i in China, where they are exactly the same device. Thanks to the triple camera setup, their tagline for it is ‘Triple The Fun’. Does packing more lenses in a smartphone means better performance? Without wasting any more time, let’s find out shall we?
Unboxing

We’ve gotten our hands on the pre-release version of the HONOR 20 Lite, which misses out on a TPU case. Worry not, it will come included with retail units. Inside, you’ll get the smartphone itself, the charger, as well as a microUSB cable.

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Appearance

On the front, you get a clear view of the HONOR 20 Lite waterdrop notch, which houses the phone’s selfie camera.

Over at the bottom part of the smartphone, you have the 3.5mm audio jack, the smartphone’s microphone hole, a microUSB port, and a speaker grille.

Over to the right, you’ve got the power button and the volume rockers. I like the fact that they’ve decided to cover all four sides of the phone with a nice touch of blue. On the opposite side, it’s completely empty.

Instead of putting the SIM / microSD tray on the left like most phones, HONOR decided to place it on the top part of the smartphone.

The review unit that we got in our hands is the Phantom Blue version of the HONOR 20 Lite. As you can see, the back has a mixture of blue and purple, with the latter filling more on the bottom. On the back, you can find the triple camera setup, which is accompanied by an LED flash, as well as the HONOR branding towards the bottom of the smartphone.
Specifications

CPU/Chipset:
Hisilicon Kirin 710 octa-core (4 x 2.2 GHz Cortex-A73 & 4 x 1.7 GHz Cortex-A53)

GPU:
Mali-G51 MP4

RAM:
4GB RAM

Display:
6.21″ FHD+ (2340 x 1080) Dewdrop IPS LCD, 83.1% Screen-to-Body Ratio

Storage:
128GB

Camera:
Main Camera(s) 24MP f/1.8, PDAF + 8MP f/2.2 ultra wide-angle camera, 2MP f/2.4 depth sensor,  LED Flash, Panorama, HDR, Full HD recording @ 30/60 FPS
Front Camera 32MP f/2.0, HDR, Full HD recording @ 30 FPS

OS:
EMUI 9 (based on Android 9.0 Pie)

Connectivity:
Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n (2.4GHz), Wi-Fi Direct, Hotspot
Bluetooth 4.2, A2DP, LE
microUSB 2.0

Audio:
Mono speakers 3.5mm jack

SIM:
Dual SIM (Nano)

Battery:
3,400mAh with 10W charging

Weight:
164 g

Performance

The HONOR 20 Lite comes a bit short of the HUAWEI Y9 (2019), which uses the same Kirin 710 chipset. It’s still essentially the same, so we can expect essentially identical performance at least where this benchmark is concerned. It’s roughly on par with the Helio P60 but is noticeably weaker than the Snapdragon 660 in the Redmi Note 7.

CPU performance for the HONOR 20 Lite scored as expected at the mid range for both multi core and single core tests in Geekbench. It’s worth noting that once again, it is lower than the similarly powered HUAWEI Y9, but not by much.

In terms of GPU performance, it scored rather low, especially in Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1). It doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s weak in games however, just that there are other devices in the midrange spectrum that can perform better.

In this particular case, we were quite surprised to find that the difference in scores between the HONOR 20 Lite and the HUAWEI Y9 (2019) is quite noticeable. Either way, it does show that the Kirin 710 lags behind the Helio P60 by some amount.

Coming to the battery test, the phone lasted 8 hours and 30 minutes on PCMark’s Work 2.0. It’s not something to celebrate about but considering the fact that it’s not far off from what the HUAWEI Y9 (2019) scored, it’s actually not bad.

Turning to my personal battery usage of the HONOR 20 Lite, well here it is. I’ve used the phone for heavy messaging (Whatsapp and Facebook Messenger) as well as some light social media scrolling on Instagram and Facebook. It usually takes me around a day and a half before I find myself needing to charge the phone. If you are a person that games a lot or likes to binge on videos, you’ll have to charge the smartphone more often.
User Experience

I’m not really a fan of the waterdrop / dewdrop notches on smartphones as they take the space away for LED notifications, which is really hand for me most of the time. In terms of the feel of the smartphone, it was decent. It didn’t feel too big or too small, it’s a nice fit and feels comfortable on my hands.

As for charging the smartphone, I managed to get 21% of juice from a 30-minute charging period, which is pretty much average seeing that it only uses a 10W charger. So the next time you’re planning on leaving your house but your phone’s battery is low, be prepared to save some time to charge it or bring a powerbank around.
In terms of fluidity, I didn’t encounter any lags or stuttering when I was using the phone. It even feels smoother compared to the HONOR 10 Lite that we’ve reviewed previously, which uses the same chipset.

I think it’s time for HONOR and HUAWEI to step up their UI game on EMUI. It’s not exactly bad, but it looks and feels outdated at this point. In terms of appearance, it shares quite the resemblance to the EMUI 5, which is was introduced back in 2016. Hopefully, they’ll bring in a fresher look for EMUI soon.

As for the camera UI, it’s pretty much the same as any HONOR smartphones in the market. You’ve got a couple of modes to play with. This includes the likes of Pro, AR lens, Panorama, HDR, Night, and Portrait to name a few. Being the first HONOR smartphone to come with a wide-angle lens, you can simply press the dot beside the 1x circle to utilize it.
          Normal            Selfie          AI              Wide-angle            Normal            Night mode              Normal          Normal            AI              Normal            Beauty mode              Normal            Normal          Normal Low light              AI            Wide-angle
Overall image quality is decent but the wide-angle lens leaves me wanting more from the HONOR 20 Lite. Images seem quite soft and the detail is lacking when you take a closer look. As is the case with most mid-range smartphones in the market, the HONOR 20 Lite also struggles in low light photography. The Night mode does help a little bit and it certainly is better than nothing. As for the selfie camera, I was quite pleased with it. Mind you, I am not a person who loves to take selfies so it may seem a little awkward. You can check out the full resolution camera samples here on Flickr.
Conclusion
Truth be told, there are better offerings from HONOR, such as the HONOR 8X, but it does come with the perk of being the very first smartphone from them to sport a wide-angle camera. Moreover, it is also one of the most affordable smartphones in the market to sport the feature, at just RM949. With that in mind, I award the HONOR 20 Lite with our Bronze Pokdeward.

We would like to thank HONOR Malaysia for providing the HONOR 20 Lite that was used in this review.
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Touch ‘n Go and Shell Malaysia Introduce Cashless Payment with RFID

Touch ‘n Go Group and Shell Malaysia have officially introduced a new cashless experience that allows consumers to pay for petrol at 88 stations countrywide using the RFID. By the end of the year, the number of Shell stations offering this new cashless fueling experience is likely to more than double.
Customers can now pay at the stations without having to use an app on their phones or engage with a point-of-sale system since payment is made via Touch ‘n Go eWallet connected to the customers’ RFID. Shell has also integrated the RFID with their loyalty partner BonusLink, allowing consumers to quickly earn loyalty points with every gasoline purchase.

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How to use the RFID at Shell Gas Stations?

Customers must have a Touch ‘n Go RFID linked to their Touch ‘n Go eWallet account.
Touch ‘n Go eWallet requires a one-time registration and activation.
Customers only need to park their vehicles at the RFID-designated fueling bays after successful activation.
Vehicles are identified in seconds, and money is automatically deducted from clients’ Touch n’ Go eWallets, allowing them to proceed with refuelling their car.
Any unused funds will be reimbursed to consumers’ Touch ‘n Go eWallet accounts instantly.

The companies will award the first 25,000 consumers who purchase petrol at the stations using Touch ‘n Go RFID from 10 August to 16 September 2022.
To obtain an RM10 reward, they only need to spend a minimum of RM50 on their first Touch ‘n Go RFID transaction at any Shell station. Customers who are eligible for this rebate must be first-time users of this feature.
More information regarding refuelling using Touch ‘n Go RFID at Shell may be found here and here.
Pokdepinion: Great method to have RFID as a cashless payment option. It will be very convenient for many people and encourages more people to get the RFID tags.
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Xiaomi is latest to be blacklisted by Trump administration

While the Trump administration is on their way out, they still managed to pull off one last feat: adding Xiaomi to an investment blacklist. The list defines Xiaomi as an allegedly Communist Chinese military company, along with eight other companies.
The blacklist is not the same as the Entity List that includes HUAWEI and DJI, which will prevent the companies on said list from trading with US companies or even procure technology with US-based roots. Xiaomi is part of a significantly milder ban, which bars American investors from investing in the company.
American investors have until 11th November to divest their existing Xiaomi stocks. A notable investor in Xiaomi is Qualcomm Ventures, so it will be interesting to see how the entire situation will play out. With that said, Xiaomi is not barred from getting their supply of Qualcomm chips by the addition to this list, so all is still good, at least for now.

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It is quite interesting that Xiaomi is added to the list of “Communist Chinese military company”, considering that they rely pretty much fully on chips sourced from US-based Qualcomm and Taiwanese MediaTek. What remains to be seen is how will the upcoming Biden administration will handle US-China trade relations.
UPDATE 7.20pm 15/1/21: Xiaomi’s public statement
After publishing this article, Xiaomi Malaysia reached out to us to share the following public statement provided by a Xiaomi spokesperson:
“Xiaomi Corp. (The Company) has been in compliance with law and operating in compliance with the relevant laws and regulations of jurisdictions where it conducts its businesses. The Company reiterates that it provides products and services for civilian and commercial use. The Company confirms that it is not owned, controlled or affiliated with the Chinese military, and is not a “Communist Chinese Military Company” defined under the NDAA. The Company will take appropriate course of actions to protect the interests of the Company and its shareholders.
The Company is reviewing the potential consequences of this to develop a fuller understanding of its impact on the Group. The Company will make further announcements as and when appropriate.”
Source
Pokdepinion: I guess without HUAWEI to pick on, the Trump administration had to find something else to do?
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Xiaomi Teams Up With OPPO And vivo In Bringing New File Transfer System To Users

Xiaomi has recently announced of their partnership with OPPO and vivo, where they aim to bring a new wireless file transfer system to consumers around the world.
The initiative is called the”Peer-to-Peer Transmission Alliance”, a system that allows cross-brand file transfer with just a single tap.
For MIUI 11 (Xiaomi’s OS) users, this feature shouldn’t be of a surprise as it’s already available with the Mi Share app.

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With the transfer system, it provides a streamlined mobile experience which doesn’t require internet connection.
It uses Bluetooth for pairing and WiFi P2P technology for the data transfer, offering stable and high-speed connection as well as low power consumption to users.
On Xiaomi’s end, the feature is compatible to devices that’s running Android Pie or later but excludes Redmi 6 Pro, Redmi 6, Redmi 6A, Redmi 7A, Redmi 7, Redmi S2, Redmi 8, Redmi 8A, Redmi Note 8, and Redmi Note 8T.
Pokdepinion: Nice to see that Xiaomi isn’t just holding their technology and to share it with other brands. A not so common act these days.
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Pixel 4’s face unlock doesn’t need your eyes open to work

Before you think that this is a racist joke, this is actually a serious issue. Most smartphones with face unlock require your eyes to be open to work. Apple’s Face ID does check if the user is alert i.e. eyes open and looking at the phone, before unlocking the phone. Google apparently decided that it isn’t necessary, and the Pixel 4 will unlock even if you are eyes are closed, or even if you are asleep.
The latter scenario was tested by BBC’s Chris Fox, unlocking his Pixel while pretending to be asleep. Basically it means if your significant other decides to go through your phone while you are asleep, all they need to do is put your Pixel 4 in front of your face to unlock it.
Proof, for those asking #madebygoogle #pixel4 pic.twitter.com/mBDJphVpfB— Chris Fox (@thisisFoxx) October 15, 2019
Apparently pre-launch software offers a setting to “Require eyes to be open”, but that option has been removed from the outgoing Pixel 4. And this isn’t even an unknown issue, the support page for the Pixel 4 does explicitly mention:

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 Your phone can also be unlocked by someone else if it’s held up to your face, even if your eyes are closed.
Google is really proud of the Pixel 4’s facial recognition system, comparing it against Apple’s. However with this rather serious flaw, I do have my doubts. There’s is literally no reason for the phone to unlock if your eyes are closed. You can’t use the phone normally with your eyes closed anyway. In any case, why did they remove the fingerprint scanner in the first place?
Pokdepinion: Yes, I have small eyes.
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Samsung Galaxy Note10 may come with all-new S Pen and a 3D ToF camera

The dust may just be settling around the Samsung Galaxy S10, but we are sure there are plenty who are already peering into the future to sneak a glimpse at the Samsung Galaxy Note10. Those who are holding out for the Galaxy Note10 might be in for a treat though, as Samsung does look set to add a number of new features to the upcoming flagship.

We would recommend taking this leak with a healthy dose of sodium chloride though, as Samsung has traditionally introduced their new camera technologies with the Samsung Galaxy S series rather than the Samsung Galaxy Note series. They might be adding a fourth camera to the back of the Samsung Galaxy Note10, with a 3D ToF being the newest member to be featured on the backs of the Samsung Galaxy smartphones.

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Given that the HUAWEI P30 series is expected to feature a quad-camera setup and a 3D ToF camera, Samsung’s move to add a 3D ToF camera to its back might seem an appropriate response. It is however worth noting that 3D ToF cameras don’t exactly have that many features taking advantage of the technology. Hopefully with the two big dogs in the industry adding it to their flagships, we may see more practical features that make use of the 3D ToF sensor.
Samsung’s patent for the S Pen with a camera inside.
The rumor goes on to share that the Samsung Galaxy Note10 will come with the same cameras that the Samsung Galaxy S10 feature. The other features that might make it to the Samsung Galaxy Note10 include 5G network support and of course, the much-rumored S Pen with a selfie camera embedded into it. But of course, there are just as many rumors floating around with the Galaxy Note10 sporting an Infinity-O display…
Pokdepinion: We are still months away from the Samsung Galaxy Note10 and these leaks are already rolling in!
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Western Digital redesigned the iconic My Passport and My Book hard drives — new design language

Western Digital Corporation today introduced modern and innovative redesigns of its My Passport®, My Passport for Mac, and My Book® hard drive lines, which have been highly recognized leading sellers for more than a decade. In partnership with fuseproject, an award-winning industrial design and branding firm, the reimagined products were built with the customer in mind. Developed to help make a connection between the device and user, the new drives also include password protection and hardware encryption so customers will love their hard drive as much as they cherish the content stored on it.

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     “As the storage landscape continues to rapidly evolve, and the bars for design and user-experience have increased, the team focused on the design and user experience to catapult My Passport and My Book to the next level,” said Jim Welsh, senior vice president, Content Solutions Business Unit, Western Digital. “Through the reimagined design language, we want to engage consumers in a conversation about how storage is core to their lives and how they feel more empowered by the real benefits of capturing, protecting and enjoying life’s precious memories.”

The My Passport drives will come in six vivid colors – Black, Yellow, Red, White, Orange and Blue – while still providing reliable portable storage that perfectly complements an on-the-go lifestyle. The My Passport for Mac drive is available in a stylish Black color. The trusted desktop storage device, My Book, combines personal style with a massive amount of storage space, up to 8 TB, so users can keep their photos, videos, music, and documents. Each storage device comes with an automatic backup solution for a seamless, user-friendly process, as well as password protection to keep your precious data safe.

The new WD® products include:

My Passport portable hard drives – trusted and loved portable storage, in a reimagined design, that fits in the palm of your hand

New attractive design with textured bottom
Password protection with 256-bit AES hardware encryption
Automatic backup with included WD Backup™ software
Up to 4TB capacity

My Passport for Mac drives – your MacBook® computer’s best friend

New attractive design with textured bottom
Password protection with 256-bit AES hardware encryption
Formatted for Mac OS® X and Time Machine® ready for easy backup
Up to 4TB capacity

My Book desktop hard drive – trusted, high capacity backup for PC and Mac®

Password protection with hardware encryption
Automatic backup with included WD Backup software
Up to 8TB capacity

Pricing and Availability

1TB
2TB
3TB
4TB
6TB
8TB
10TB

My Passport
RM279
RM409
RM569
RM709
N/A
N/A
N/A

My Passport for MAC
RM319
RM475
RM709
RM739
N/A
N/A
N/A

My Book drives
N/A
N/A
RM519
RM639
RM1,009
RM1,319
RM1,599

The My Passport, My Passport for Mac portable hard drives and My Book desktop hard drives  are protected by a 2-year limited warranty and is distributed by Eternal Asia (M) Sdn Bhd in Malaysia.
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The New Samsung Galaxy M02 Is Launching On 27 March Exclusively Online On Lazada

The latest addition to the Samsung Galaxy M series, the Samsung Galaxy M02, is making its way to Malaysia exclusively online through the Samsung e-store and Lazada. The Samsung Galaxy M02 packs many attractive features in a very affordable package.
The brand new Samsung Galaxy M02 features a 6.5-inch Infinity-V Display for an immersive viewing experience and a dual-camera system consisting of a 13MP main camera and a 2MP macro camera. The device also packs a large 5,000mAh battery as well as running on Samsung’s One UI Core. For a more in-depth look at the Galaxy M02’s specifications, check out the table below.

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Display
6.5″ HD+ (720 x 1600) TFT
Infinity-V Display

Chipset
MediaTek MT6739W
Quad Core 1.5GHz

Memory
2GB RAM + 32GB Storage
(expandable via microSD up to 1TB)

SIM Card
3 slots: 2 Nano SIM + 1 MicroSD

Camera
Rear: 13MP (F1.9) Main + 2MP (F2.4) Macro
Front: Selfie 5MP (F2.0)

Connectors
Micro USB, USB 2.0, 3.5mm Stereo Earjack

Sensors
Accelerometer, Virtual Proximity Sensing

Dimensions (mm); Weight (g)
164.0mm (H) x 75.9mm (W) x 9.1mm (D); 206g

Battery capacity
5,000mAh (typical), 7.75W Charging

Video

Video Recording Resolution: FHD (1920 x 1080)@30fps

Colour
Blue, Black

Samsung Galaxy M02 price and availability

The Samsung Galaxy M02 will retail for RM399 through the Samsung e-store and Lazada and will come in two colour variants; black and blue. To celebrate Lazada’s upcoming 9th birthday, the Galaxy M02 will be available for a promotional price of RM299. This exclusive offer will be available on 27 March only and will be on a first come first served basis while stock lasts.
Pokdepinion: This is the kind of device that would be perfect for either the elderly or a child as their first smartphone.
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$57,000 COVID Relief Fund Spent On Pokemon — Man Hunted Down By Government!

A man over in the US has spent around $57,000 on Pokemon cards. That on its own sounds absurd but there’s no wrong in that.. except the fact that he is reported to have used COVID-19 relief money in order to make his purchase.
Man uses COVID-19 relief money to buy Pokemon cards

The federal government of the United States of America is investigating Vinath Oudomsine for the matter. As you all know, COVID-19 has hit hard globally and over in the US, the government has allowed business owners to apply for relief in order to help their businesses.

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Oudomsine was approved for the relief fund where he received $85,000 to help finance his company. It is said that instead of doing that, he has used more than half of the money to purchase a Pokemon card.
He previously reported that the company consists of up to 10 different people in total with an annual gross revenue of $235,000. That being said, the company details were said to be a scam and he was just looking to get some easy cash to his wallet.
What Pokemon card?
Upon receiving the money, he is said to have spent $57,789 on a single Pokemon card. Unfortunately, it is not known on what card precisely that he’s used the money on. There’s no concrete details at the moment on what will happen to him but officials has said that he could face 20 years in prison as well as a $250,000 fine.
For more on the latest tech and gaming news plus reviews, stay tuned to Pokde.net.
Source
Pokdepinion: Man, conning your way to get COVID-19 relief is one thing, but to spend a huge some of it on Pokemon cards? Well that says something. You’ve got to wonder though, what card exactly did he purchase? It’s intriguing me on how expensive they can be..
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WD Blue SN550 NVMe SSD 1TB Review — rendering SATA SSDs irrelevant

Western Digital (WD) is very well known for their hard drives, and you will most probably have used one in your PC too. As the industry transitioned to solid state drives (SSDs), they adapted to satisfy our storage needs too, with the acquisition of SanDisk. Fast forward to today, and we are looking at WD’s second generation WD Blue NVMe SSD, dubbed the WD Blue SN550.
What’s in the Box?

Packaging wise, WD goes for a simple packaging that is really easily differentiated from the other drives in the market. The predominantly blue package is easy to spot and identify, and it also part of WD’s branding for the drive, which is neat. The back features a window which reveals the serial number of the drive, among other things.

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In the box is the drive encased in a plastic tray, along with a warranty guide. I would probably have loved it a bit more if WD threw in a M.2 screw, but that’s definitely not a deal-breaker as your motherboard should come with the screws.
Appearance

The drive we received is a 1TB drive, and it only features two main chips, the controller and the 3D NAND chip at the end of the drive. This is part of their improved thermal design which puts more space between the controller and the NAND chip to avoid having all the heat being saturated near the M.2 connector. The flip side of the M.2 stick is bare. The blue PCB might not fit in well with every board, but that’s a small issue as most boards have M.2 heatsinks to hide these away.

The controller is an in-house design this time around, reportedly based around the more premium controller found in the WD Black SN750, albeit with half the channels. You might notice that there’s no DRAM on the WD Blue SN550 NVMe SSD 1TB, as WD went with a bit of SRAM built into the controller.

And here’s the NAND flash package. It features Sandisk’s latest BiCS4 96-layer TLC 3D NAND, which allowed them to deliver 1TB in such a small package. In fact WD probably could have gone with a smaller form factor if they wanted, but since most laptops and motherboards feature support for M.2 2280, going smaller would probably be more viable for OEM-specific variants.
Specifications
WD Blue SN550 NVMe SSD 1TB

Capacity
1TB (931GB usable)

Interface
M.2 PCIe 3.0 x4

NAND Type
SanDisk BiCS4 96-layer TLC 3D NAND

DRAM Cache
No

Controller
WD custom controller

Rated speed
Sequential:
Read: Up to 2400 MB/s Write: Up to 1950 MB/s
Random:
Read: 410 000 IOPS Write: 405 000 IOPS

Endurance
600TBW

Dimensions
80 mm X 22 mm X 2.38 mm (M.2 2280 standard)

Weight
6.5 gram

Included accessories
Warranty information booklet

Warranty
5 years

Pokde Benchrig

CPU
Intel Core i7-5820K @ 4.125 GHz

Motherboard
ASUS ROG Rampage V Extreme

GPU
ASUS ROG Strix RX 480 8GB

Memory
4 x 4GB Kingston HyperX Predator 3000 MHz CL15

Storage
Samsung 850 EVO 250GB
Plextor M9PeY 512GB
Kingston UV500 1TB
Toshiba PCIe 3.0 x4 NVMe SSD 256GB

Power Supply
Cooler Master V850

Performance
Synthetic

In CrystalDiskMark we see them exceeding their rated speeds in the sequential tests.

It doesn’t perform as well in AS SSD, but it is still a lot faster than similarly priced M.2 PCIe 3.0 x2 drives. In fact it handles random reads and writes surprisingly well for a drive of this price range.

A similar pattern is observed in Anvil’s Storage Utilities too, with the drive delivering surprisingly good random performance for a drive of this caliber.
Real World

So we also put the drive through our usual game loading test too, with it delivering respectable performance, although it comes in at a second slower than the fastest drive we have tested.

Transferring files from the Toshiba PCIe 3.0 x4 drive, we see that it handles large files really well, although it does stumble a bit when we were transferring small documents, which is often seen even in expensive drives. Thermals are well controlled, as we do not put a heatsink on the drive and yet we saw temperatures only hit a max of 61°C after 80GB of files transferred.

Cost-per-GB is the lowest we have seen, which is exactly what you would expect from a budget-oriented drive like this. In fact it is more affordable than the Kingston A1000, which is nice to see, although the latter offers DRAM which the WD Blue SN550 NVMe SSD 1TB doesn’t. The impact is relatively minimal though as the Kingston A1000 is held back by its PCIe 3.0 x2 bandwidth.
Conclusion
RM589 is a really good price for the WD Blue SN550 NVMe SSD 1TB. It’s plenty of storage at an affordable price, and will definitely give SATA SSDs a run for their money. If you have free M.2 slots, I don’t see why you should not just get this drive over any SATA drive, as you will have an easier time with cable management and also faster speeds. What’s not to like?

Our thanks to WD Malaysia for sending us the WD Blue SN550 NVMe SSD 1TB for review.
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Toshiba introduces Portégé X30 and Tecra X40; new members of Toshiba’s premium ultra mobile range

Toshiba has just introduced the Portégé X30 and Tecra X40 business laptops engineered to provide a premium, powerful and secure experience for professionals. The new laptops are designed to be as thin as light as possible for maximum portability, while maintaining durability with strong magnesium alloy chassis.

The 14″ Tecra X40 weighs in at just 1.25kg and measures a svelte 16.9mm thin, while the 13.3″ Portégé X30 takes it up a notch with an even lighter 1.05kg weight and 15.9mm thinness, a good 11% thinner and 13% lighter than its award winning predecessor. The premium magnesium alloy chassis, built-in shock absorption and honeycomb reinforcement ensure durability while on the go. Anti-glare displays with optional In-Cell Touch technology and backlit keyboards with optimized key travel ensures that professionals will have no trouble working on the go in any environment.

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While being so thin, the laptops are far from performance starved. The Portégé X30 and Tecra X40 pack up to 512GB PCIe NVMe SSDs and 32GB of DDR4 memory. 7th generation Intel Core U processors power these portable laptops, with i7 vPRO CPUs as an optional upgrade. USB 3.0 and USB 3.1 Type-C Gen 2 offer blazing fast file transfer rates as well as support for a wide range of expansion options via the Thunderbolt 3 standard.

Security is vital for any business professional, which is why these laptops come with multiple layers of security to protect your sensitive data. Biometric and optional facial authentication technology ensures that only authorized users will be able to access the information on your laptop. The new touchpad with an integrated fingerprint sensor called SecurePad comes standard, while an optional IR camera enables facial authentication through Intel Authenticate and Windows Hello face sign-in. These layers of protection are bolstered by Toshiba’s own built-in BIOS, cutting out the risk of third party interference leaving the devices at risk of unauthorized access. An optional SmartCard reader can also be added to the Portégé X30 and Tecra X40.
The Portégé X30 and Tecra X40 will be available across Asia from July 2017. For enquiries, contact your local enterprise consultants or email [email protected]
Pokdepinion: These laptops pack a lot of features and would be great for the professional on the go. However I am quite certain that the impressive build materials and security features won’t come cheap…
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The cooler Cooler Master Caliber X1C and R2C with Cool-in Tech now available from RM1199

Cooler Master has just announced the Cooler Master X1C and R2C gaming chairs. The Cooler Master Caliber X1C and R2C share the designs of the regular Caliber X1 and Caliber R2, respectively, but feature the innovative Cool-In Fabric Tech which makes them more suitable for our warm and humid climate.
Cooler Master Caliber X1C and Caliber R2C: the cooler Cooler Master gaming chairs!
Cooler Master Caliber R2C
The Cool-In Fabric Tech is pretty aptly named, as it is literally meant to keep you cool in the heat of battle. On a more serious note, the fabric features a unique star-shaped yarn design with “Jade Powder” particles embedded, making the new Caliber X1C and Caliber R2C vastly more comfortable, especially in tropical climates like Malaysia. With the breathable, moisture-absorbent and also quick-drying Cool-In Fabric Tech, the Cooler Master Caliber X1C and Caliber R2C can feel up to 2°C cooler than regular gaming chairs.
Cooler Master X1C
Aside from being more comfortable, the Cool-In Fabric Tech is also designed to be scratch-resistant and easy to clean, with a dust-repellent property to help extend the periods between the cleaning sessions. Along the theme of endurance, the Caliber X1C and Caliber R2C feature steel frame and metal legs that are designed to withstand up to 150kg loads, for the larger ones among you.

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As mentioned earlier, these new chairs share the same designs as the regular Caliber X1C and Caliber R2C, which means that they offer the same excellent ergonomics that the chairs offered. You get full-range 90° to 180° reclining backrest, adjustable armrests – 2D with the Cooler Master R2C, 4D with the Cooler Master X1C – and 8cm of height adjustability, letting you dial in the perfect settings for your comfort.

The Caliber X1C and Caliber R2C are now available in Malaysia at the following prices:

Caliber X1C: RM1499
Caliber R2C: RM1199

Pokdepinion: I wonder how will the Cool-In Fabric Tech stack up against a mesh-backed chair in non-airconditioned environments…
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Sony Xperia 5 Review – Big Things Come in Small Packages

Unboxing the Sony Xperia 5

With every purchase of the Sony Xperia 5 smartphone, you are expected to get the following items:

USB-C cableChargerUSB-C to 3.5mm jack adapterHandsfree kitUser guideWarranty cardThe Sony Xperia 5 smartphone itself
Appearance

Remember when 6-inch smartphones used to sound really big in size? Clearly I didn’t because when I first held this, it felt so small compared to most other smartphones out there today. The first thought that came to my head is that the Sony Xperia 5 is what I expect the Samsung Galaxy Fold to be when it’s folded, albeit much thinner. The body is mostly comprised of glass and aluminum.
The Sony Xperia 5 comes in four different colours; Black, Grey, Blue, and Red. For our review unit, we got the red colour variant, which honestly looks pink-ish to me. The general aesthetic certainly makes it appeal more to the younger crowd, with this colour most likely targeted towards women given the more feminine look in this.

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Surprisingly, it doesn’t sport any type of notch and does have noticeable bezels. The side bezels are very slim but very noticeable for the top and bottom. The front camera can be seen on the top bezel, right beside the earpiece. While it does appear to be a design from years ago, the lack of a notch surprisingly makes it feel fresh compared to the typical designs of today. The display is rather long as it has a CinemaWide 21:9 aspect ratio.

There’s nothing much on the top aside from a microphone hole. On the bottom however, you have a USB-C port, speaker grille, and another microphone hole. As you can tell here, it doesn’t have a 3.5mm audio jack.

On the left side of the Sony Xperia 5, you have the SIM / microSD card slot which resides in solitude. The best part here is that you can eject the tray with your fingers as you don’t need a pin / ejector tool for it. On the right side, you have a volume rocker, fingerprint scanner, power button, and a camera shutter button. You read that right, the fingerprint scanner is located here but we’ll go more on that later.

The glossy back here is what I would describe as a double-edged blade. It looks great but it stains very easily as it’s a huge fingerprint magnet. If you’re worried about scratches, the back utilizes Gorilla Glass 6 as well, so you don’t have to worry about that.
Overall, the Sony Xperia 5 looks good and has a solid build quality that practically screams premium. The IP65/68 rating takes it up a notch as you don’t have to worry about water and dust damaging the smartphone. Given that the body is susceptible to fingerprints and that it can be a bit slippery to hold, a protective case is still needed.
Specifications
CPU:Snapdragon 855 (1 x Kryo 485 Gold @ 2.84 GHz + 3 x Kryo 485 Gold @ 2.42 GHz + 4 x Kryo 485 Silver @ 1.8 GHz), 7nm FinFET GPU:Adreno 640RAM:6GBDisplay:6.1″ FHD+ (2520 x 1080) OLED Triluminos display, 100% DCI-P3, HDR BT.2020, X-Reality Engine, Corning Gorilla Glass 6 Storage:128GB UFS 2.1Camera:Main Camera(s)12MP f/1.6 26mm wide, predictive Dual Pixel PDAF, 5-axis OIS12MP f/2.4 52mm telephoto, predictive PDAF, 2x optical zoom12MP f/2.4 16mm ultrawideNight Mode, Pro mode, Portrait Mode, 4K @ 30 / 24 fps video, Full HD @ 60 / 30 fps video, HDR, eye-tracking, panorama, LED flash, 5-axis gyro EISFront Camera8MP f/2.0 24mm wideHDR, Full HD @ 30 fps video, 5-axis gyro EISOS:Android 10Connectivity: LTE Band 1/2/3/4/5/7/8/20/28/38/40/41/46/66Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac (2.4 GHz, 5 GHz)Bluetooth 5.0, A2DP, aptX HD, LEGPS with with A-GPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEONFCSIM:Dual SIMBattery:Li-Po 3140 mAh (non-removable)Xperia Adaptive Charging18W fast charging supportUSB Power Delivery 2.0Dimensions:158 x 68 x 8.2 mm Weight:164gIngress protection:IP65/68
Performance

Given that the Sony Xperia 5 is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 SoC, we expect it to deliver stellar performance. In Antutu v8, it didn’t perform as well as the Xiaomi Mi 9 with rather big difference in score. It’s understandable for the realme X2 Pro and Black Shark 2 Pro given that it’s the beefier 855+ but it’s odd that the Mi 9 performed that much better.

A similar pattern can be seen in Geekbench 5, albeit only in multi-core performance. It managed to beat every other device, even the ones running 855+, in single core performance.

Then in 3DMark, it claimed the highest score in Ice Storm Unlimited, but loses out to most Snapdragon 855 devices in Sling Shot and Sling Shot Extreme. Given that the ROG Phone 2 performed even worse here, it makes the whole thing a lot more intriguing.

As for PCMark’s Work 2.0 benchmark which puts it up against everyday tasks, the Sony Xperia 5 performed pretty well against the other Snapdragon 855 devices. It only lost out to the ones running 855+.

I’m sure many aren’t expecting the Sony Xperia 5 to do well in PCMark’s Work 2.0 battery endurance test. To my surprise, it actually lasted pretty long given the small 3,140mAh battery. While the top 3 devices shown here are also running Snapdragon 855, they do have a bigger battery capacity.
In my own personal use, I actually managed to last a whole day with it. This includes light gaming, messaging, social media, web browsing, and calls. The 7nm chipset is certainly efficient, but I still do wish Sony fit in a bigger battery so it can last even longer.
User Experience

The Sony Xperia 5 uses an OLED Triluminos display at Full HD+ resolution. In other words, you get a display that has the best contrast and truest blacks while the Triluminos technology reduces colour fading when viewing under direct sunlight or at an angle. Adding the X-Reality Engine image processing technology to the mix and you get yourself some really punchy colours and sharp images regardless of how you look at the smartphone.
The size of the display is on the smaller side and the 21:9 aspect ratio can make viewing videos or playing games a little awkward to see. A slightly bigger screen would be better but that would be where the Xperia 1 shines. This one has stereo speakers; one being the earpiece and the other is a bottom-firing speaker. While sound quality is good enough and the volume is adequate, having two front-facing speakers would have been better.

While it is certainly an attractive smartphone in terms of looks, it’s a fingerprint magnet and is also slippery to hold. At the moment, Sony Malaysia is selling this together with a protective case and screen protector but we’re uncertain if it’s a temporary promotion or a permanent addition. If you don’t plan on using a case and are worried about scratches on its glass back, don’t worry about it. The back is using Gorilla Glass 6.

As far as using the Sony Xperia 5 goes, it came with Android 10 and Xperia Home launcher out of the box. It’s pretty clean with minimal bloatware inside and runs smoothly. There are additional tools in the form of Xperia Assist that you can make use of, such as battery and memory optimizations. If this isn’t up to your liking, you can always opt to use a different launcher.
One of our readers have reported to us that his unit comes with Android 9.0 Pie with no option to upgrade to Android 10. The update may not be available for every unit yet but is expected to appear soon.

One thing that I both liked and disliked here is the fingerprint scanner. I liked the fact that it’s situated on the side, right below the volume rocker, as it’s a space-saving placement. What I didn’t like is its inconsistency. Sometimes it works fine but other times, it requires multiple tries. When it does work, it works really fast but I do feel like it requires a bit more work to make it more reliable.

The stock camera app has a simple user interface that most people shouldn’t have trouble with. You can easily switch between the three cameras by tapping the 1x (standard wide camera by default), which will change into 2x for the telephoto camera, and W for the ultrawide camera. Other settings like flash and aspect ratio can be changed easily on the opposite side.
You can change to a variety of shooting modes by tapping on Mode, where you will have access to Portrait Selfie, Lens, Slow Motion, AR Effect, Manual (Pro), Creative Effect (filters), and Panorama. It may not be the fastest way to change shooting modes but it’s certainly more consistent than sliding over like in other camera apps.
As for video, you can shoot at 4K resolution but it will be limited to 30 FPS. If you want 60 FPS, you will have to move down to Full HD resolution instead. As for slow motion, it will record videos at 720p at 120 FPS. As much as competitors can do higher frames, it’s honestly good enough for most users.

Camera performance is decent but it does have the potential to do better. On Auto, the Sony Xperia 5 has the tendency to overexpose almost every shot regardless of lighting condition. It also has a bit trouble with moving objects as I couldn’t get it to focus on a plate of sushi on a conveyor belt. You’re honestly better off shooting in Manual (Pro) if you want an overall better experience. Having a dedicated camera shutter button is great.
The telephoto and ultra-wide cameras are better than I expected, and are definitely usable. It manages to capture quite a good amount of detail in every shot. With these two cameras however, lighting becomes even more critical for a good shot however.
Sony Xperia 5 Verdict

The Xperia 1 is clearly the flagship smartphone but the Sony Xperia 5 certainly feels like one, just smaller. It’s a compact smartphone that looks good, packed with flagship-level performance thanks to its Snapdragon 855 SoC, and it has a number of surprises up its sleeve, such as the battery life and display.
However, there are a few points that may turn you off. It’s a fingerprint magnet, it’s slippery to hold, the camera could do better, and the 21:9 aspect ratio can be awkward to use. If you can look past that and are looking for a compact smartphone, it’s hard to find a package as attractive as this.
With that, I award the Sony Xperia 5 with our Silver Pokdeward.

Big thanks to Sony Malaysia for letting us this smartphone for the purposes of this review.
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Xiaomi Mi 9T Pro announced from RM1599 — the closest you will get to a POCOPHONE F2?

The Xiaomi Mi 9T was an awesome mid-range device, with a great slew of specifications that looks really awesome. But since the Xiaomi Mi 9T is also known as the Redmi K20 in India, and there is a Redmi K20 Pro, everyone was expecting a Mi 9T Pro to also come into Malaysia. And now it’s finally here.

Well, not exactly here yet. The Xiaomi Mi 9T will only start selling this 30th August 2019, with an additional Pearl White option to choose from. The Xiaomi Mi 9T Pro comes in exactly the same design as the Xiaomi Mi 9T. So you get the beautiful flashy back and also a popup camera. The insides are totally different though.

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Xiaomi Mi 9T Pro Specs

Snapdragon 855, octa-core up to 2.84 GHz, 7nm FinFET
Adreno 640
6GB LPDDR4x RAM
Up to 128GB UFS 2.1 storage
6.39″ FHD+ AMOLED display
48MP f/1.8 + 13MP f/2.4 ultra wide-angle + 8MP f/2.4 telephoto
20MP f/2.2 selfie camera, popup camera
MIUI 10 (based on Android 9 Pie)
4000 mAh battery, 27W Fast Charge
6GB + 64GB: RM1599
6GB + 128GB: RM1799

For those of you who have been following the Mi 9T closely, you will know what the Mi 9T Pro improves upon. For those who don’t, here’s for you. You get a flagship chipset, a better Sony IMX586 sensor instead of the Sony IMX582, and also support for 27W Charge Turbo. The charger is sold separately though.

The Xiaomi Mi 9T Pro poses as an amazing alternative to the Xiaomi Mi 9 as well, given how close their specifications are. The former offers a larger battery and a headphone jack, all while being slightly more affordable. Meanwhile, the Mi 9 has better auxiliary cameras and wireless charging, so its a pretty fair fight.

Looking at the situation of the Xiaomi Mi 9T Pro versus the Xiaomi Mi 9, it somewhat reminds me of the POCOPHONE F1 against the Xiaomi Mi 8. Priced cheaper, yet offering a pretty similar feature set. In this case, the cost-cutting measures are very much less apparent though, as you still get a beautiful glass body and an AMOLED display panel. Pretty good stuff.

Let us know what do you think of the Xiaomi Mi 9T Pro in the comments below! Also, stay tuned for our full review using an official Malaysian set of the Xiaomi Mi 9T Pro — not going to mislead you guys on what you guys will be getting in the box with the Mi 9T Pro!
Pokdepinion: Is it time to change from my Mi 9 to the Mi 9T Pro?
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Celcom Introduces dash4ME 24-hour Express Delivery Service

Celcom has introduced a new 24-hour express delivery service in the form of dash4ME, which you can access SIM and devices delivered straight to your doorsteps.
Celcom dash4ME service

As we all know, with the current COVID-19 pandemic, it’s best that we all stay at home. With Celcom’s dash4ME express service, that doesn’t mean that you can can’t enjoy some of the best things around.
With the introduction of Celcom dash4ME, the telco company is also offering the first 100 Celcom Online Shop customers a waiver on their dash4ME delivery for purchasing their Celcom MEGA with Unlimited L, Celcom Mega Lightning L or XL plan, and Device bundle or EasyPhone witht he mentioned Celcom MEGA postpaid plans. This offer lasts from now till the 30th of November 2020.

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The Celcom dash4ME service is a 24-hour delivery service and it is currently available throughout Klang Valley (Selangor and Kuala Lumpur).
Aside from that, those who sign up for Celcom MEGA and family lines’ postpaid plans can enjoy a 50% discount on their bills for three months, where the rebate is offered to new Celcom MEGA registration with any pass made through the Celcom Online Shop.
Additionally, Celcom is having their Be A Winner campaign from now till the 31st of December 2020, where they are offering all Postpaid and Prepaid customers the chance to win prizes such as a Myvi, Honda motorcycles, Apple Airpods and more. All you need to do is subscribe to any plan on Celcom Online Shop and download the Celcom Life app for entries. You can gain even more entries by performing transactions through the app.
Lastly, from now till the 26th of October 2020, you can save up to RM120 on Celcom MEGA postpaid plans and InternetGo, plus a 7-day pass of free unlimited internet for Xpax Prepaid pack, exclusively available online.
For more details, you can head to the Celcom website right here.
Pokdepinion: I think it’s best if more companies offer delivery services like Celcom is doing here. In this period of time, it’s best to just stay at home and not endanger one another.
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Digi offers FREE unlimited data for subscribers — 61 days of unlimited data to celebrate Merdeka?

Digi subscribers apparently received free 61 days of unlimited data under a new Internet Gemilang add-on. Digi prepaid and postpaid subscribers paying RM38/month or more are now able to enjoy unlimited data from 12am to 12pm.
Eligible users received this SMS from Digi earlier today:
Thanks for being a Digi customer. Celebrate being Malaysian! Enjoy 61 days of Unlimited Internet 12AM-12PM starting Aug 1. #InternetGemilang . T&Cs apply
And upon checking their MyDigi app, they found a new Internet Gemilang data balance in the internet page. Apparently those who were previously on cheaper plans, also received the free unlimited quota upon upgrading to a plan worth RM38/month or more.

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The new Internet Gemilang seems like an extension of the Digi RM38 unlimited plan spotted by some users in the official Digi forum earlier. While 12am to 12pm might not seem like the most useful time for unlimited data, you can set your smartphone to download updates overnight to conserve on your quota during your waking hours.
Or if you are nocturnal, you can also enjoy it. :P Postpaid subscribers will see speeds up to 30 Mbps, while prepaid subscribers will be capped to 15 Mbps. Digi subscribers rejoice!
Pokdepinion: Well, at least it is yet another step towards unlimited data…
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The newest female character to Dissidia Final Fantasy NT that has been teased for a while now has finally been revealed. It’s Rinoa from Final Fantasy VIII.
Dissidia Final Fantasy NT: Rinoa Is The Newest Addition to the Roster

Square Enix has been teasing a new female character for Dissidia Final Fantasy NT and in its arcade counterpart for a while now. Today, we got to know just exactly who this female character is, and it’s straight from Final Fantasy VIII.
The new character is Final Fantasy VIII‘s heroine Rinoa Heartilly. She will be added to the arcade game via an update sometime this month, while the DLC for Dissidia Final Fantasy NT on the PlayStation 4 will be released in late August 2018.

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Alongside the announcement, we get a trailer introducing Rinoa, which you can watch below at the top of this post, which shows the first gameplay and her full move list. I don’t know about you, but looking at her renewed looks, I really wish that Square Enix would release a Final Fantasy VIII remake.
Game Director Takeo Kujiraoka did mention that he wanted Rinoa and Angelo to be added to the game. It appears that he managed to do just that, and fans of the game (as well as her) will be able to enjoy playing as her again, albeit in a more fast-paced manner.
If you’re interested in Dissidia Final Fantasy NT, you can also check out the previously-announced DLC character, Final Fantasy VI‘s protagonist Locke Cole. If you’re not familiar with the game and want to read more, you can read our review and see what we think about it.
Pokdepinion: Personally, I would think that it would be tough to have Rinoa in a game like Dissidia Final Fantasy NT but looking at the trailer, it actually seems pretty good. Can’t wait to try her out.
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Acer launches new ConceptD 3 Ezel with ultra-sleek 360° hinge

Acer has just announced a number of new products during the #NextAtAcer Global Press Conference 2020, but one of the most interesting ones to me was the ConceptD 3 Ezel. While previously reserved for their higher-end and pricier offerings, Acer has managed to bring the Ezel Hinge to the more affordable Acer ConceptD 3 Ezel as well, and also made it look even sleeker now.
Acer ConceptD 3 Ezel

Designed for creators, the Acer ConceptD 3 Ezel sports a 360° hinge to let you unleash your creativity. The screen is covered in Corning Gorilla Glass and sports a coating that offers just enough resistance for a natural feel when drawing on the display.

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The Acer Active Stylus which comes with its own stowage in the fuselage of the laptop supports up to 4096 levels of pressure sensitivity. The main highlight of the stylus here is that unlike most active styli, the Acer Active Stylus is designed to be extremely light to avoid encumbering your creative visions.

You can get the Acer ConceptD 3 Ezel with 14″ and 15.6″ displays. Both options are PANTONE Validated display panels that covers 100% of the sRGB color gamut and boasts a delta E<2 color accuracy. Resolution is limited to just FHD though, which might be a bummer for some.

Acer offers the Acer ConceptD 3 Ezel with up to the 10th Gen Intel Core i7-10750H, GeForce GTX 1650 Ti GPUs and 1TB PCIe SSD storage. If you need more GPU processing capabilities, the Acer ConceptD 3 Ezel Pro can be configured with a NVIDIA Quadro T1000 GPU. The fan profile also tuned to run at 40 dBA or quieter, so as not to disturb the focus when you are expressing your creativity on the Acer ConceptD 3 Ezel.
The 14″ variant of the Acer ConceptD 3 Ezel weighs just 1.68 kg, while the 15.6″ weighs a bit more at 1.95 kg. Prices start from $1500 (~RM6418) in North America.
Acer ConceptD 3

For those who do not need the fancy Ezel hinge, Acer offers the ConceptD 3. It comes with the same impressive color-accurate display, same 10th Gen Intel Core processors and same GPU options, including the Quadro T1000 which will be available for the ConceptD 3 Pro. Prices are significantly more palatable, with the Acer ConceptD 3 starting from just $1000 (~RM4274), with North American availability to commence in October.
Acer ConceptD 100

Creators who prefer having a fixed working environment can opt for the Acer ConceptD 100 desktop PC. Equipped with Intel Core processors and NVIDIA GeForce or Quadro graphics, it allows for impressive performance in a compact and silent form factor. The ConceptD 100 is designed to stay under 40 dBA with a well-ventilated case with front intakes and side vents, so the fans don’t have to work nearly as hard to cool the hardware in it.

The mini-workstation can be configured with up to 256GB SSD storage and up to 32GB of DDR4 memory. Acer plans on offering the ConceptD 100 in the EMEA starting June at €799 (~RM3879).
ConceptD CP5 and CP3
Targeted at professional computer graphics creators, video editors and animators, the ConceptD CP5 and CP3 monitors promise color accuracy and reliable compatibility. Of course, there are some differences between the monitors.

The ConceptD CP5271U V promises Delta E<1 color accuracy, and is PANTONE Validated with 1.07 billion colors. It covers a whopping 99% of the Adobe RGB color space. On top of that, it sports DisplayHDR 600 support for a more vivid viewing experience. The ConceptD CP5271U V sports a 170 Hz refresh rate and Adaptive Sync, which makes it ideal for professional video editing and also CG work, as well as for the content creator who does a little gaming on the side. Last but not least, its 2K (1440p) resolution ensures that you will be able to enjoy sharp visuals working on the ConceptD CP5. Pricing is set at $750 (~RM3209) in North America, with availability starting August.

Meanwhile the ConceptD CP3 is a 4K monitor that supports up to 165 Hz and also 98% of the DCI-P3 color gamut. The HDR support is slightly lower, with it supporting DisplayHDR 400 only. The Acer ConceptD CP3 will be available in August too, with prices starting from $620 (~RM2653) in North America.
ConceptD CM3

While the earlier monitors touted high refresh rates on top of impressive color accuracy, the Acer ConceptD CM3 offers a high resolution and a wide color range for photo editors and graphics designers. The Acer ConceptD CM3 comes with a 4K panel supporting 99% of the Adobe RGB color space, DisplayHDR 400 and PANTONE Validation with Delta E<2.
The Acer ConceptD CM3 will be available for $710 (~RM3038) in North America in July.
Local availability of the latest Acer ConceptD laptops, desktop and monitor have yet to be announced, so stay tuned for more info about that!
Pokdepinion: I am quite smitten by the Acer ConceptD 3 Ezel!
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Capcom Adding 6 Characters to Street Fighter V; Sakura Leads the Fray

It would seem that Street Fighter V: Arcade Edition will have 6 new characters added to the roster. One of them is the lovable Sakura Kasugano.
Capcom Adding 6 Characters to Street Fighter V

Today, towards the end of the Capcom Cup in Anaheim, Capcom revealed the next batch of characters that will come to Street Fighter V‘s season 3.
The first is Sakura, who was teased pretty overtly back in November and is the protagonist of a brand new trailer. She will be released on January 16th 2018 and she isn’t a kid anymore. Now she has a definitely more “adult” look, while her old costume is available as an alternate.

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But wait, there’s more. During season 3 we’ll also get three beloved returning characters, Blanka, Cody, and Sagat, and 2 new ones, Falke and G. On top of the new character announcement, we also get a video showcasing the epic cinematic opening of the Street Fighter V: Arcade Edition.
In a related Street Fighter news, today we also got the announcement of the Street Fighter 30th Anniversary Collection for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC, and Nintendo Switch.

Street Fighter V is already available for the PlayStation 4 and PC, while the Street Fighter V: Arcade Edition will release for the same platforms on February 16th 2016. Those who already own Street Fighter V will get the updates for free.
If you missed out on the Street Fighter V: Arcade Edition and want to know more about it, click here to get up to speed. You definitely don’t want to miss out on it if you’re a fan of the series or just fighting games in general.
Pokdepinion: Well, my childhood crush Sakura is coming to the game, and I could not be any more excited. Not to mention my usual main, Sagat is being added as well. Things are about to get interesting.
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New Hero Kyoshin Joins Ubisoft’s For Honor In New Update

Today, Ubisoft announced For Honor Year 5 Season 2 – Title Update 2.0 will release on July 22, adding a new playable Hero to the game: the Kyoshin. The Kyoshin are mystical Samurai who wield a hidden blade and are known for their elegance and power on the battlefield.
For Honor welcomes the Kyoshin

The Kyoshin are renowned warriors with a strong connection to the spiritual realms who have joined the Samurai group. Their unique training enabled them to learn the skill of combat with the Shikomizue, a single-handed blade with a sheath that can be concealed. Their celestial abilities can be deployed against foes as they flow through battle, and their distinctive Kaze Stance protects incoming assaults, allowing them to retaliate fast.

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Beginning July 22, players can purchase a package that contains the new Kyoshin Hero, one special Ornament, one Elite Outfit, seven days of Champion Status, and three scavenger crates from first-party merchants. Starting August 5, gamers can purchase the Kyoshin Hero in-game for 15,000 Steel. You can check the new hero out in the reveal trailer below.

For Honor will be free to play on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S from today until July 19. For Honor’s Standard Edition, which contains the storey mode, all multiplayer game modes, 12 playable Heroes, and 30 maps, will be available for free this weekend. After the weekend, players who wish to keep fighting can transfer their progress and heroes to the full edition of For Honor, which will be offered for up to 85% discount on PC.

Head over here for more information.
Pokdepinion: This looks pretty interesting, to be honest. I have yet to pick the game up again after leaving it a long time ago.
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Super Mario Maker 2 Has a Weird Online Co-Op Limitation

We’ve had quite a bit of details pop up on Super Mario Maker 2 thanks to a recent Nintendo Direct show. While many gamers were excited to try out the new co-operative play, there is one vital detail that we weren’t made aware of, a particular limitation.
A Nintendo representative has indicated to Nintendo World Report that friends aren’t allowed to party up online and play together in Super Mario Maker 2. You only have the option for online matchmaking with random people.
According to the spokesperson, Nintendo’s concern is that being able to play with friends could potentially compromise global leaderboards. This certainly does seem like a legit concern for the company unless they plan on releasing a competitive mode of sorts so you can still play with friends outside of it.

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It’s not the first time we’ve seen some bizarre decisions on multiplayer portions of games on Nintendo’s end. You couldn’t party up with players in Splatoon 2’s competitive multiplayer, and New Super Mario Bros U Deluxe doesn’t support online co-op multiplayer.
At the moment, do take this information with a grain of salt. It may have come from a representative of the company but perhaps, an official announcement would be better to rely on such things. For now, there’s a good chance it might just be real.
Super Mario Maker 2 will be coming exclusively to the Nintendo Switch on 28th June 2019.
Source: Nintendo World Report
Pokdepinion: I feel like it really limits the fun you can have on the game. I definitely have plans to fool around with friends in this game. Well, I guess I can still do that locally.
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New OPPO Find X5 Pro Leak Fully Reveals Design

It seems that there’s a new leak when it comes to the OPPO Find X5 Pro where it shows off the design in its entirety.
OPPO Find X5 Pro leaked

Based on the leaked image, it appears that the new device has retained a majority of the design from its predecessor but has slightly changed the design for the cameras at the back. Just underneath the upper camera shows that it is powered by MariSilicon, the brand’s very own imaging NPU.

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The phone is said to be powered by the latest Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor and features two Sony 50MP IMX766 sensors with OIS and 10-bit colour depth.
Under the hood, it seems to be packing a 5000mAh battery which you can juice up with its 80W fast charger. For the display, it sports a 6.7-inch LTPO AMOLED screen that’s protected by Corning Gorilla Glass Victus, at least according to the source.
As for memory, it packs 12GB LPDDR5X RAM that’s mated with 256GB of internal storage. We should learn more about the device soon. Till then, stay tuned to Pokde.net for more on the latest tech and gaming news plus reviews.
Source
Pokdepinion: While I do fancy the look, I just hope that the camera bump isn’t that big to deal with.
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PS Plus Asia May 2017 Free Games Lineup; It’s Good, It’s Damn Good

Finally, the official free games lineup for PS Plus Asia May 2017 is out, and it’s pretty damn good.
We’ve reported on the free games lineup for PS Plus US and EU for May 2017 pretty early. Sony Interactive Entertainment broke the news out pretty early, most likely to avoid clashing with an upcoming big announcement.
Some have started wondering where the PS Plus Asia May 2017’s lineup is and, well, it’s finally here. Be prepared for another good month of free games if you’re an active PS Plus member.

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PS Plus Asia May 2017 Official Lineup
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Today, Sony Interactive Entertainment announced the full lineup of free games for PS Plus Asia May 2017. This means that if you are a PS Plus subscriber in May, you’re getting some free games your way and this month, it’s looking pretty damn good.
The first major game that we have up here is Tales from the Borderlands from developer Telltale Games. Across this 5-part episodic series you follow the journey of Rhys and Fiona across Pandora as they are thrown together to recover a fortune. Oh, and Handsome Jack plays an integral role in the story.
Then, we have Abzû, an adventure game by Giant Squid Studios. In the game, the player takes on the role of a Diver in a vast ocean after waking up floating on the ocean’s surface, the Diver begins exploring the surrounding underwater environments filled with plant and animal life, in addition to uncovering ancient technology and submerged ruins. As the game progresses, the Diver unlocks new areas and pursues the secrets behind the forces harming the local environment.
For the full list of free games coming for PS Plus Asia May 2017, check it out just below here:
Full Lineup

Tales from the Borderlands
Abzû
Curses ‘n Chaos
Type: Rider
TEKKEN Tag Tournament 2

Pokdepinion: If I’m going to be completely honest, I’m just happy that they’re giving out Tales from the Borderlands for free. After all, we got Life is Strange last month and I’m really into these heavy-narrative games. If these seem enticing to you, be sure to subscribe to PS Plus this month!
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Transcend introduces SSD370S 2.5″ SSDs in Malaysia

Transcend, a leading storage manufacturer has announced the Transcend SSD370S 2.5″ SSD in Malaysia. The Transcend SSD370S packs synchronous MLC NAND flash for better reliability. In addition to the inherent reliability of MLC NAND, the drive also incorporates multiple technologies including Error Correction Code (ECC) to help detect and correct potential transfer errors, Device Sleep (DevSleep) mode to reduce power consumption and shorten the response time upon wake-up from Sleep or Hibernate, and the S.M.A.R.T. function to efficiently monitor SSD health conditions. More standard mechanisms include Intelligent Block Management and Wear-levelling algorithm to protect data integrity and prolong SSD lifespan.

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The SSD370S comes in a wide variety of sizes, ranging from 32GB to 1TB to suit everyone’s needs. The Transcend SSD370S is rated for speeds of up to 560MB/s read and 460MB/s write, promising faster loading times for professionals and gamers alike. The Transcend SSD370S is a quick and easy way to improve productivity in both your desktop and notebook. At only 6.8mm and weighing at 63g, it fits most modern notebook and replaces the heavier traditional hard drive providing faster application loading times and start-up speeds as well as dropping power consumption to help improve battery life. A 3.5mm bracket is also included for desktop users.

Monitor and maintain your Transcend SSD and keep it running in top condition with the advanced SSD Scope software application available for free download so you can check on your SSD730S’ status anytime. SSD Scope allows you to check and get informed how your SSD730S solid-state drive is doing by providing health status information via S.M.A.R.T. technology, enable TRIM command to maintain optimal write speeds and update the SSD firmware via a single click. All of these are presented in a user-friendly tool for ease of use.
The Transcend SSD370S will retail for RM179 (32GB), RM219 (64GB), RM269 (128GB), RM419 (256GB), RM749 (512GB), RM1449 (1TB).

Pokdepinion: The prices of the Transcend SSD370S is quite competitive with the current crop of SSDs by the other manufacturers. I am currently in the process of reviewing the 512GB variant of the Transcend SSD370S. I have used SSD Scope to clone my boot drive and so far it has worked pretty well. Full review will be coming soon!
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COD Modern Warfare 2 Remastered Release Date Accidentally Leaked

If you have been looking forward to Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2 Remastered, then good news. Not only has it been accidentally leaked, the game will be coming a lot sooner than expected.
According to the leak on the German PlayStation Store, Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2 Remastered will be launched on 31st March 2020. The game will have improved textures, animations, physical rendering, and HDR lighting.

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It’s worth noting that the game will only include the campaign as the multiplayer portion will not be coming along with it. Anyone who purchases the game will receive the “Underwater Demo Team Classic Ghost Bundle” for Call of Duty Modern Warfare and Warzone. The bundle will include the following items.

COD Modern Warfare 2 Remastered “Underwater Demo Team Classic Ghost Bundle” Content:

UDT Ghost operator skin
“Task Force” weapon blueprint
“One for One” weapon blueprint
“Flippers” weapon charm
“Belly Flop” finishing move
“Stay Frosty” voice quip
“No Easy Days” player card
“Ghost” player emblem

Previously, much of the game’s details were leaked online. This includes the listing on the Korean Game Rating and Administration Committee, the game’s content, and the cover art. We should expect an official announcement to be made soon.
For now, Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2 Remastered will be launching on 31st March 2020.
Source
Pokdepinion: Didn’t think it would pop up so soon. If you have nothing to do while stuck at home, might as well use the time and play the game.
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Passengers On Board Of A Plane Got Their Hands On A Nintendo Switch For Free

Passengers on board of a plane on Southwest Airlines (US) got more than they bargained for as they received a free Nintendo Switch console each as well as the newly released Super Mario Maker 2 game.

!!! pic.twitter.com/11R6BPmc9z
— Nicholas Friedman (@NMFreed) July 17, 2019

The news was revealed Nicholas Friedman, a social media manager at Funimation. It seems that the giveaway is a join collaboration between Southwest Airlines as well as Nintendo. Passengers of the plane got their hands on a special voucher, which enables them to redeem the bundle when they land their trip to San Diego.
Lucky passengers huh? Well this isn’t the first time that Nintendo did a giveaway such as this as they’ve previously did a cross-promotion with the same airline in giving away Wii U consoles.

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Nintendo just unveiled their new Nintendo Switch Lite. If you wish to learn more on the console, you can do so here.
Pokdepinion: So if Nintendo announces a new product, be ready to book a flight ticket on Southwest Airlines? Got it.
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Here’s all you need to know about the HUAWEI P40, P40 Pro and P40 Pro+

As members of the HUAWEI P-series, you would expect that the HUAWEI P40 series will feature a strong emphasis on its camera department. And you would be spot on because the HUAWEI P40 series comes with the best cameras they have ever put into a smartphone, and they even highlighted the camera very apparently on the back of the device.
Here’s a recap of the global launch event, in case you would rather watch a video than read about it:

Three models, three different camera configurations
So unlike previous years, the HUAWEI P40 series comes with three members: the HUAWEI P40, HUAWEI P40 Pro and HUAWEI P40 Pro+. Between these three devices, the main difference would be their camera configurations. Most of what was leaked yesterday were revealed to be true, although the HUAWEI P40 Pro+ eluded us. So here are the main differences in the camera hardware:

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HUAWEI P40
HUAWEI P40 Pro
HUAWEI P40 Pro+

Main camera
50MP f/1.9, UltraVision RYYB sensor, 1/1.28″ sensor
(23 mm eqv. focal length)
50MP f/1.9, UltraVision RYYB sensor, OIS, 1/1.28″ sensor
(23 mm eqv. focal length)
50MP f/1.9, UltraVision RYYB sensor, OIS, 1/1.28″ sensor
(23 mm eqv. focal length)

Ultra-wide camera
16MP f/2.2
(17 mm eqv. focal length)
*supports macro from as close as 2.5cm
40MP f/1.8, SuperSensing RGGB 1/1.54″ 3:2 sensor
(18 mm eqv. focal length)
40MP f/1.8, SuperSensing RGGB 1/1.54″ 3:2 sensor
(18 mm eqv. focal length)

Telephoto
8MP f/2.4, 3x optical zoom, OIS
(80 mm eqv. focal length)
12MP f/3.4, RYYB sensor, 5x optical periscope zoom, OIS
(125 mm eqv. focal length)
8MP f/2.4, 3x optical zoom, OIS
(80 mm eqv. focal length)

Secondary telephoto
N/A
N/A
8MP f/4.4, 10x periscope optical zoom, OIS
(240 mm eqv. focal length)

3D ToF Camera
N/A
Yes
Yes

The HUAWEI P40’s camera setup is pretty much identical to the one in the HUAWEI Mate 30, while the HUAWEI P40 Pro shares more in common with the HUAWEI Mate 30 Pro, with the exception of the much improved zoom camera. HUAWEI actually went the distance to source a 12MP RYYB sensor for the HUAWEI P40 Pro’s telephoto camera though, which should promise improved low-light performance.
And while the HUAWEI P30 series faced complaints of inaccurate white balance due to its SuperSpectrum sensor, the HUAWEI P40 will strive to deliver more precise white balance with an AI Auto White Balance (AWB) algorithm paired with a multi-spectrum color temperature sensor that can feed the algorithm with 8 color channels versus the 3 color channels that typical color temperature sensors can identify.

Meanwhile, the HUAWEI P40 Pro+ sports the most impressive camera array with five cameras in total covering a range of 0.8x to 10x zoom, although it does miss out on the fancy new RYYB sensor in the telephoto camera. The 10x zoom module in the HUAWEI P40 Pro+ features multiple prisms to allow HUAWEI to cram such a long zoom into the limited space in the HUAWEI P40 Pro+.

In terms of software, HUAWEI is debuting the HUAWEI Golden Snap feature which throws in more AI features such as AI Remove Reflection, AI Best Moment and AI Remove Passerby to improve your images. The names are pretty self-explanatory. There’s also something HUAWEI calls XD Fusion Image Engine which can use data from multiple cameras to create better images especially when software-based bokeh is applied.

The HUAWEI P40 series will all feature 32MP selfie cameras aided by an IR Depth sensor which lets you take better bokeh-enhanced selfies and also enables low-light facial unlocking. The HUAWEI P40 comes with a 32MP f/2.0 fixed-focus selfie camera, while the HUAWEI P40 Pro and P40 pro+ comes with 32MP f/2.2 selfie camera with autofocus.
Stunning new colors, ceramic is now an option

Well, ceramic is not really an option if you don’t pick the HUAWEI P40 Pro+. Only the HUAWEI P40 Pro+ is offered in Black and White with a nano-tech ceramic back. Meanwhile the HUAWEI P40 and HUAWEI P40 Pro come in Silver Frost, Blush Gold, Deep Sea Blue, Ice White and of course, the classic Black. All the finishes are matte, which is a nice touch for those who just hate wiping off fingerprints. Of course, you will most probably slap it into a case anyway.

Aside from the new colors, the HUAWEI P40 Pro+ and HUAWEI P40 Pro will feature a new 6.58″ Quad Curve Overflow Display. From the renders and product photos, it’s obvious that the display doesn’t curve nearly as sharply as the Horizon Display in the HUAWEI Mate 30 Pro. In fact it doesn’t even look nearly as curved as the HUAWEI P30 Pro’s panel. It does look very sleek though and hopefully we can get a better idea of how it feels when we finally get our hands on a review unit. Speaking of feeling the device, the displays in the HUAWEI P40 Pro and P40 Pro+ run at up 90 Hz for a more fluid user experience.

The display of the HUAWEI P40 is decidedly more boring, as it comes with a flat 6.1″ FHD+ OLED screen that sports a 60 Hz refresh rate instead.
5G across the board and 40W Wireless HUAWEI SuperCharge
HUAWEI has equipped all three members of the HUAWEI P40 series with the Kirin 990 5G, which means that they are currently running the fastest chipset HUAWEI has to offer. It also means that all of them come with 5G connectivity, which is important as 5G deployment is expected to ramp up in 2020. Aside from that, it might also mean that TSMC has managed to improve the yields on its 7nm+ EUV process to supply enough Kirin 990 5G chips to power the entire HUAWEI P40 series, but I digress.
All three models also get 8GB RAM, although the HUAWEI P40 only gets 128GB storage, while the HUAWEI P40 Pro makes do with 256GB and the range-topping P40 Pro+ gets 512GB. All of them are support expansion via NM cards though, so you should be fine even if you use the cameras extensively.

HUAWEI also made sure that all the HUAWEI P40 smartphones will have fast charging, although to varying degrees. While the HUAWEI Mate 30 and Mate 30 Pro featured identical support for fast charging, the HUAWEI P40 series is a lot more staggered. Here goes:

HUAWEI P40: 22.5W HUAWEI SuperCharge
HUAWEI P40 Pro: 40W HUAWEI SuperCharge, 27W Wireless HUAWEI SuperCharge
HUAWEI P40 Pro+: 40W HUAWEI SuperCharge, 40W Wireless HUAWEI SuperCharge

HUAWEI finally managed to cram in 40W Wireless HUAWEI SuperCharge in the HUAWEI P40 Pro and I do believe that they went with two wireless charging coils, if the renders in the presentation slides are to be believed. Despite all that, they managed to cram the same 4200 mAh battery found in the HUAWEI P40 Pro into the HUAWEI P40 Pro+, but the HUAWEI P40 gets a smaller 3800 mAh unit.
Pricing and Availability
The HUAWEI P40 and P40 Pro will be available in the EU starting 7th April, while the HUAWEI P40 Pro+ is expected to arrive later in June 2020. Pricing are as follows:

HUAWEI P40: €799 (~RM3832)
HUAWEI P40 Pro: €999 (~RM4791)
HUAWEI P40 Pro+: €1399 (~RM6709)

Malaysian availability and pricing has yet to be confirmed, although you can safely expect it to be less than the EU’s pricing. What do you think of the HUAWEI P40 Series?

Pokdepinion: I am most intrigued by the RYYB telephoto camera to be honest. Telephoto cameras are often the weakest link, so if HUAWEI managed to solve it in the HUAWEI P40 Pro, that would be great.
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Dead Island 2 Supposedly To Be Released This Year According To Leak

While Dead Island 2 was announced way back in 2014, it has still yet to come out. After such a long delay, we might actually see the daylight out of it this year, at least according to a leaker.
Dead Island 2 coming this year?

When it was originally announced, the game was originally developed by Yager Development. After some issues in 2016 however, it was then shifted to Sumo Digital but it didn’t last long as they were then replaced by Dambuster Studios. Since that change, there wasn’t much news regarding the game.

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According to leakster Tom Henderson, it seems that the game is coming together and it’s finally going to be released. When exactly? Well according to him, the game is most likely to be out between Q4 2022 and early 2023.
Aside from that, he has said that the game has remained “very faithful to the first game”. As this nothing confirmed by the game developers themselves, do take the news with a pinch of salt.
Stay tuned to Pokde.net for more on the latest tech and gaming news plus reviews.
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Pokdepinion: It seems like ages since we’ve heard about the game since it was first announced. I quite enjoyed the first title. Let’s hope we do see the light of it this year.
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