ASUS Media Press Conference Taipei – Zenvolution

Today, we attended the Asus’ 2016 Media Press Conference in Taipei, Taiwan in two separate sessions – once for their conventional product (Zenvolution) and the other for their Republic Of Gamers (Join The Republic) line-up. I’m not going to bore us with long text because there’s plenty to share, so we’ll skim through images instead to keep this engaging. I had a pretty decent seating position, but to compensate other medias and not interrupting their view, I had to work within my means, so some images might be blurry. Just click on them for a larger version. Let’s begin.
The Zenvolution is where Asus announces their conventional product line. Conventional as in non-gaming, daily use machines.
Mr. Jonny Shih – Chairman of Asus takes the stage. Seems pretty excited to share the insights, and I’ll tell you, he has all the reasons to be excited.
The curtain unfolds with the Asus Zenbook 3. Claiming it as the “most prestigious laptop with unprecedented performance”. That’s quite a claim to live up to.
Crafted to perfection. I’m not sure how perfect, but that color blend definitely captured my eyes.
Not just is it thinner than the Macbook Air, it’s even thinner than the Macbook. At this point, I’m starting to have my doubts about the specs because the Macbook, while being extremely thin doesn’t impress me with it’s specs much.
But of course, thinner would only demand lighter too. Sitting at 910g, you would be wondering if it’s even true.
But Asus is not keen in keeping secrets. Aerospace-grade aluminium alloy design is how they achieved it. Not just it’s lighter, it’s tougher. Aerospace is rocket science – in which all the hard work is already done. You just need to reuse it.
Oh, yes. I got the shock myself too. I was expecting an Intel Core M nonsense but was left speechless with the Intel Core i7. 1TB PCIe 3.0 SSD, 16GB DDR3 and USB Type-C means this machine is more than just good looks. It’s pretty bad ass!
Which actually means, you have Macbook AIr powerhouse, in the package size of the thin Macbook.
This one is rather subjective to me. Unless we were spotting NVMe or HBM chips here, these will require some real world benchmarking.
2133MHz and 1866MHz do have different clock speeds, but in the real world, you will almost not see the difference (do notice the word almost). Especially when you are running a bloated Windows on the machine.
World’s thinnest fan design at 3mm. Claiming it’s throne LIVE before thousands of eyes.
And this is the part where my prayers were answered. As a user of the Asus UX305 ultrabook, I always hated the much wasted border which could be used for a better viewing area. 82% ratio means this will be a beautiful challenge for the Macbooks.
This is a bonus because at least I myself have never scratched or broke my laptop display before.
My UX305 runs on a 45W battery, so 40W is not really a shout. But fast charging? Who can say no to that?!
Sorry for the blurry image. That’s more travel time for the keys. I love it. Vyncent likes shorter keys travel. But that’s the reason why I have never cherished the touch keyboard. Because I love that distance of the key travelled.
I think fingerprint unlocking should become an industry standard. If a device has storage, fingerprint security should be mandatory. That’s my belief.
Quartz Grey, Rose Gold and Royal Blue. My favorite is the Royal Blue and it looks like the UX301 blue. And that gold just couldn’t have been any other color.
$1999 USD. Roughly RM8222. Out of my range. But that’s because of 1TB storage.
The sweet spot! 512GB storage and everything else the same. $1499 USD equivalent to RM6166 at time of writing. But remember, you can only decide this upfront before purchasing.
Still too expensive but you need something for your daily productivity? The Core i5 + 4GB RAM + 256GB SSD will be perfect. You’re thinking it’s underpowered? I’ve got similar specs with a Core M ultrabook from which I’m typing this and batch converted CR2 RAW images to JPEG with literally no hiccups. $999 USD equivalent to RM4109.
Yes, the Zenbook 3 is awesome. But this one right here is my love at first sight. Introducing, the Asus Transformer 3 Pro. Wanna know why?
It’s a much beautiful Surface Pro. Aluminium alloy with diamond cut lid. But that’s just the beginning.
A tad thinner than the Microsoft Surface Pro at 8.35mm. This babe has a beautiful body.
This hinge takes a little practice for getting used to because it really can bend, satisfying your imaginations.
275ppi on the Transformer 3 Pro vs 267ppi on the Surface Pro. Nothing that your eyes are going to be able to differentiate though.
121% sRGB vs 98.7% sRGB on Surface Pro. This one is something designers are so going to love!
I couldn’t be bothered much with the sound on the tablet personally. But some users would find it interesting bragging rights bearing the Harman Kardon speakers.
Loudness is less important but higher frequency range = YES! Again, my personal option.
Yup! This is where I fell in love! Core i7, 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD and Intel Thunderbolt 3 port. Sounds pretty familiar, right? This is the Zenbook 3 repackaged into a totally different experience. And this IS the experience I crave for!
Dual 4K output. But I can tell you, the machine will be struggling. 40Gbps transfer, heavily needed! 8X faster than Surface Pro – that’s just a matter of time.
With the universal dock, even VGA is available for you!
1024 pressure levels. Nothing new here. Definitely enough. Obviously worth it.
Not my cup of tea. My audio cravings are not on external speakers. Period.
ROG XG Station 2. Boost the performance of Transformer 3 Pro using plug and play mechanism and have GTX1080 at your disposal. See where this is going now?
Extend to VR if you must. How portable is your VR equipment?
Too much for you to handle, well, let’s tone down to a non-Pro edition then. Introducing the Asus Transformer 3.
I won’t deny, it IS beautiful!!
You don’t like Asus bashing other products? Innovation requires improvement. Even from your OWN past products!
Again, viewing area is VERY important to me. Don’t omit the bezel altogether but minimize as much as possible.At least 75% is sufficient. 80% nails it!
Unlike the earlier comparison, 275ppi from 155ppi is a pretty significant difference to the bare eye!
Again, designers are sooo gonna love this!
You will sooo cherish this under the scorching hot sun! That’s almost double the display brightness from it’s predecessor.
Okay.
What if I start marking “no fingerprint sensor” as a CON in the future? Would you support my motion?
Why? You thought it would be under-powered compared to it’s PRO counterpart? 7th gen Processor (not i7), 512GB SSD and thunderbolt 3 ALSO present means this is not your average tablet.
more than twice the juice from it’s predecessor.
Well, 1067MHz to 1866MHz is quite a jump. This one is bound to yield noticeable results.
SSD baby! Who can say no to SSD today?!
If you have not used the Thunderbolt 3 before, you would probably be thinking that it’s over-hyping. But you’re downright wrong!
Click, click, click!
Never had a specific need for this. Matte will do fine too
Can tell the difference with the PRO sibling? This one relies on it’s accessory to redefine it’s placement.
Obviously color choice is a must nowadays! I’ve eyed the PRO so you can make your choice here.
Note the word “starting from” to avoid confusion. $999 is about RM4109 while $799 is about RM3287 at the time of writing.
Let’s move to the Zenfone 3. Jen Chuang, director of Asus Design Centre takes over.
Full metal smartphone with invisible antenna. You know what are we comparing it with, don’t pretend!
Asus calls it “PureMetal Technology”
My only concern when I saw this was how Asus is going to meet the demand within the time frame.
Honestly, I have yet to discover, to what extend of “handmade craftsmanship” are we talking about.
5.7″ super AMOLED with 1.3mm ultra-slim bezel with 79% screen to body ratio. Yep, ideally fit our requirements here.
23MP Sony IMX318 sensor. Bye-bye Toshiba sensor.
Reusing the existing. Improvising to perfection. Wait for my review in the future to explain this further.
Oh yes, if you have not yet seen the Laser in action, you’re late to the party because it actually got a LOT better!
Gone are the days where only the nearest object was of interest. Jen said, by the time you focus to the object, that moment could be long gone. Just the PERFECT definition!
This one requires animation for demonstration. But we saw it LIVE after the presentation and they were not lying!
92MP super resolution. You can start printing road side advertisment banners from your phone now. lol.
Not something I’d justify on any other display other than the device itself.
We’ll see how “professional” does it get when we get our hands on one of these soon.
I don’t even have words to describe these monstrous specs. If you are already on a 64-bit smartphone, you try to explain this to yourself – if you manage to. PERFECT!
Again, it’s nice to see numbers for as long as your device is not yet bloated.
I’d vouch for this. 4GB RAM has already left a significant difference in my life. 6GB will something my brain needs to digest first!
For those always in rush!
That was Zenfone 3 Deluxe. Now we move on to Zenfone 3. A little toned down.
I miss the red already :(
No comments. Will only comment if they actually make it to our country.
Super IPS and 2.1mm bezel. That’s pretty decent!
16MP/8MP with 64MP super resolution. After knowing the Deluxe’s specs, this one looks “meh!”
Vyncent is not gonna like this. I wanted to write it first. But then he reached out to me earlier than that. And I was right! :(
The ZenUI turns 3! There are several improvements and I do not want to highlight them except for…
Game Genie! This one packs some punch! But here’s what I would say. Release this to the public, or it will not be that much of a success. Brand it as Asus and let everyone have it because today, exclusivity has no value when it comes to apps. Remember BBM?
You couldn’t care about the performance and rather have a phablet? Well, here’s your option. Asus Zenfone 3 Ultra.
Wider. Larger. ’nuff said.
This should be called Zenphablet, no?
Nope, 4K is definitely not why I would get this device in the fisrt
This one looks rather familiar :)
When you have that much space, give them more power! Use it as a power bank too. Although it’s slightly smaller capacity than the Zenfone Max.
Zenfone Deluxe starting from $499 USD (RM2052)
The normal Zenfone 3 starts from $249 USD (RM1024) and the Zenfone 3 Ultra starts from $479 USD (RM1970)
That marks the end of our press journey today. What did you like and/or not like? Which one of these do you want us to review first? Please do share with us. I, personally have my eyes set on the Transformer 3 Pro already.
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Realme Malaysia Breaks Record By Selling Over 500 Realme 3 Smartphones In 3 Minutes

Realme Malaysia has again set a new record in terms of sales where they broke the record during Lazada’s 7th Birthday Sale, with over 2,000 realme 3 devices was sold and over 500 units of the smartphone was sold remarkably in just 3 minutes.
The phone was recently launched on the 21st of March 2019 here in Malaysia. It comes with a beautiful 3D Gradient Unibody design.
In terms of specifications, it comes with a MediaTek Helio P60 chipset, a dual 13MP+2MP rear cameras with Nightscape mode available, Chroma Boost modes, a 4230mAh battery under the hood and it runs on Color OS 6.0.

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realme 3 record on Lazada’s 7th Birthday
If you think that’s all from the brand, well guess again. To celebrate their achievement, they will be hosting another round of online sale on the 4th of April of the realme 3 (3GB/32GB) on Lazada, where you can get it at a special price of RM549, which saves you RM50.
Interested in learning more on the realme 3? Check out our full hands on review by clicking on the link right here.
Pokdepinion: The phone is an attractive device for its price. Be sure to check out our review to know what it’s all about! (if you haven’t already)
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Intel’s 9th Gen processors for high performance laptops are on their way

Intel’s 9th Generation “Coffee Lake Refresh” processors for desktops are apparently in short supply, but that doesn’t stop Intel from preparing to bring out the mobile 9th Gen CPUs. And just like their desktop counterparts, these processors will come with up to eight cores and sixteen threads.
The processors are expected to include a new locked Intel Core i9 SKU which was absent from the 8th Gen’s lineup, as well as an unlocked one. These two processors will be the ones leading the charge with 8 cores, 16 threads, running at up to 5.0 GHz and also 16MB of L3 cache.

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Of course, the 5.0 GHz maximum boost is probably only available when the processor is running on a single core. We can probably expect a TDP of around 45W, just like the older chips, but with lower base clocks to accommodate the limited cooling that laptops can muster. Of course, how long it can maintain boosting beyond the base clock is entirely in the hands of the engineer designing the cooling system.
Interestingly Intel didn’t release 6-cored Intel i5 processors for laptops, instead keeping with an 4C/8T configuration. Meanwhile the Intel Core i7 for laptops will come with 8 cores, but drops HyperThreading, just like the desktop variants. The following are all the 9th Generation Intel Core mobile processors detailed in the documentation submitted to the authorities.

Intel Core i9 9980HK, 8C/16T, up to 5.0 GHz, 16MB L3 cache
Intel Core i9 9880H, 8C/16T, up to 4.8 GHz, 16MB L3 cache
Intel Core i7 9850H, 8C/8T, up to 4.6 GHz, 12MB L3 cache
Intel Core i7 9750H, 8C/8T, up to 4.5 GHz, 12MB L3 cache
Intel Core i5 9400H, 4C/8T, up to 4.3 GHz, 8MB L3 cache
Intel Core i5 9300H, 4C/8T, up to 4.1 GHz, 8MB L3 cache

The 9th Generation Intel Core processors are slated to hit markets as early as Q2 2019, so stay tuned to check out the latest updates on these new processors!
Pokdepinion: Well, can’t say no to more cores in a laptop. Hopefully they will be easier to cool than the 8th Generation Intel Core processors though…
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Celebrate Christmas At Sunway Pyramid With PUBG MOBILE And Win 100,000 UC

In honour of the holidays, PUBG MOBILE is providing a unique “Airdrop” to fans of the game, with the possibility to win 100,000 UC among other appealing goodies! From the 24th to the 26th of December 2021, PUBG MOBILE fans in Malaysia will be treated to a special appearance by in-game characters in Sunway Pyramid Mall, Kuala Lumpur, from 5PM to 10PM.
Win 100,000 UC with PUBG MOBILE this Christmas

Fans may also make great memories with their favourite PUBG MOBILE characters by taking as many photos as they like and posting them to their social media networks to win various permanent in-game goodies just before the year ends.

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To enter, simply share the best images of your favourite PUBG MOBILE character from the event on Facebook or Instagram with the hashtags #WinnerWinnerHappyNewYear #PUBGMOBILE #PUBGMXChristmas #PUBGMXNewYear #PUBGMXSpiderman. In January 2022, the lucky winners will be notified on the official PUBGM website.

But wait, there’s more! Your friendly neighbourhood Spider-Man will also be present at the event, which will commemorate PUBG MOBILE’s collaboration with the Spider-Man: No Way Home film. Fans are also invited to stop by for special Taokaenoi snacks and more chances to win in-game goodies. During the event, exciting flash mob performances will take place at random moments throughout the day, from 5PM to 10PM. Keep an eye out for the shows at Sunway Pyramid.
Furthermore, all PUBGM fans will have the opportunity to meet their favourite content creators and PUBGM esport athletes who will be appearing during the flash mob. Don’t miss out on this incredible end-of-year celebration with PUBGM!
For more information, please visit the official PUBG MOBILE social channels on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube.
Pokdepinion: I actually started playing PUBGM again just to get that Spider-Man skin. Not only is he my favourite comic book character but also Spider-Man: No Way Home is an absolutely amazing movie. If you haven’t watched it yet then I highly recommend you do!
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MCMC Releases Statement on Lower Broadband Prices – Streamyx is Oddly Absent

MCMC Releases Statement on Lower Broadband Prices

KENYATAAN MEDIA:
Rakyat Akan Nikmati Pengurangan Harga Jalur Lebar Talian Tetap – https://t.co/BBFGVweIOR#MCMC #SKMM #broadband #jalurlebar pic.twitter.com/q7ExFUhgX3
— MCMC (Official) (@SKMM_MCMC) October 7, 2018

Previously, we reported about the MCMC letting the public know that their plans for broadband internet in Malaysia especially with regards to MSAP is still on track, which you can read about right here. Now, they have further commented on the issue by highlighting some of the major ISPs and their new, more affordable prices.

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Four major telcos have started offering broadband internet plans with prices below RM100, most notably TM, Maxis, Celcom, and TIME. You can see from the table above here as to the price difference before and after MSAP implementation, between 34% and 56% depending on the provider. It’s worth noting that the TM 30Mbps plan does have a 60GB quota whereas the others do not.
Aside from the price reduction, we also got to see some big upgrades in internet speeds, with Unifi Turbo plans going as high as 800Mbps for RM329 per month and most recently, TIME offering a 1Gbps plan for RM199 per month. That’s right, Malaysia is actually seeing Gigabit internet speed for once.
This is all fine and dandy but there seems to be something missing here. It would seem that Streamyx is completely missing in the statement. This would not be an issue if all these providers are able to offer the same plan to everyone in Malaysia but the fact of the matter is that coverage is still rather limited for fibre internet.
Streamyx / Unifi Broadband users are paying RM160 per month for 8Mbps speed, and RM110 for 1Mbps speed. Needless to say, it is painfully slow for this day and age. It is understandable that some areas aren’t covered yet and thus, these fibre internet plans cannot be offered. However, a price cut is definitely necessary if they can’t offer it soon.
For now, MCMC will be looking to continuously improve broadband quality in Malaysia, so we might hear from them again somewhere down the road.
Pokdepinion: I get it if they can’t offer these high speed internet plans at certain areas but I believe a price cut is definitely overdue at this point.
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Get EMUI 8.0 Oreo on your HUAWEI nova 2i now! Participate in the EMUI 8.0 beta test now!

HUAWEI has announced that they are starting the beta testing for EMUI 8.0 Oreo for the HUAWEI nova 2i. As with any new software, a larger beta testing group will help identify bugs faster so they can be ironed out by the development team ASAP.
EMUI 8.0 on the HUAWEI Mate 10
The EMUI 8.0 Oreo beta for the HUAWEI nova 2i will bring user intention prediction and intelligent recommendation to improve users’ efficiency. To participate, all you have to do is:

Own a HUAWEI nova 2i (duh)
Download the BETA app from here (no it doesn’t mean you are a beta male)
Accepts the terms and conditions (which will most probably NOT involve transferring ownership of your soul to HUAWEI)
Login with your HUAWEI ID (create one if you don’t have one)
Go to the Personal tab and tap on Join project. Join the available project and you will be able to update to the EMUI 8.0 Oreo beta.

HUAWEI requests you to report any bugs and issues that you encounter. Logs will be submitted to help the developers solve it. If the bugs are too much for you, you can also opt out of the beta by signing out from the project that you have joined. You will be removed from the beta testers within 48 hours, and will cease receiving any newer beta updates.

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Pokdepinion: I have beta tested during the EMUI 5.0 time, where the battery life of my honor 8 just went down the drain. But even with that experience, I wouldn’t hesitate to participate in this beta test, if I had a nova 2i.
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Xbox’s Future Hinges on Starfield’s Success After Redfall’s Failure

Xbox’s Phil Spencer recently acknowledged the failure of Redfall and talked about the future of the console. But with Starfield on the horizon, Microsoft’s console is now at a critical point that will determine its fortunes.
Xbox’s Success Rests on Starfield’s Shoulders

In a recent interview with Kinda Funny, Phil Spencer addressed the poor reception of Redfall, acknowledging that things didn’t go as planned and discussing what the future holds. While some may make light fun of Spencer, his upfront and candid approach stands out in the big corporate console game. He even admitted that Xbox can’t “out-console” Sony and Nintendo. This is a pretty obvious statement considering that Xbox has evolved into a cross-platform brand with PC over the last decade through Game Pass, cloud gaming, and Day One “exclusives” on PC.
However, things are about to get critical for Microsoft’s strategy with Starfield. The poor reception of Redfall has damaged Xbox’s reputation, with Arkane, a well-respected studio, receiving the brunt of the backlash. Redfall being the only Arkane game exclusively under the Xbox umbrella has also created a bad look for the company. With Arkane known for not being big sellers, Redfall’s failure has put more pressure on Starfield to succeed.

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Starfield will be the first-party jewel in the crown that Microsoft has been craving, and its success or failure will have a seismic impact on public perception of Xbox. Spencer has tried to downplay this by saying that “even if Starfield was an 11 out of 10 game, it’s not going to get people to start selling their PS5s.” However, should Starfield fail, that will put a huge dent in customer confidence in Microsoft’s whole project with Xbox and its handling of big single-player studios it’s acquired.
Overall, Starfield will be critical in defining Xbox’s fortunes going forward, and Bethesda has to deliver a well-received game to restore trust in Microsoft’s acquisition of these big single-player studios.
Source
Pokdepinion: I genuinely believed they were going very strong given how popular their Game Pass has been. I guess that wasn’t enough, but they definitely need a number of exclusive hits on their platform. Otherwise, it’s gonna be another big “L” for the green camp.
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OPPO Enco Air2 TWS Earbuds And OPPO Watch Free Heading To Malaysia This 23 February

OPPO Malaysia has recently announced that they will be revealing the OPPO Enco Air2 True Wireless Earbuds and OPPO Watch Free alongside the OPPO Reno7 Series.
OPPO Enco Air2 TWS Earbuds & OPPO Watch Free

They will be unveiled this coming 22nd of February 2022. If you’re wondering, the OPPO Enco Air2 features two stereo sound modes: the Bass Boost mode and Clear Vocal mode. It features a 13.4mm Composite Titanized Diaphragm Driver and Bluetooth 5.2 plus AI noise cancellation.

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As for the new OPPO Watch Free, it comes with a brand new OSleep All-Scenario Sleep Monitoring feature. With it, it monitors your sleeping pattern before, during, and after sleep by analyzing your blood oxygen levels and recurring snore.
There’s also more than 100 workout modes available for users that can even be automatically switched between of without having the need to turn it on manually. Aside from that, it sports a 1.64-inch AMOLED display that’s scratch-resistant and up to 14 days of battery life.
The company has said that they will be launched with special promotions when they are announced. Till then, stay tuned to Pokde.net for more on the latest tech and gaming news plus reviews.
Pokdepinion: We are in the midst of reviewing the earbuds as well. So stay tuned to learn our full thoughts on that!
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Missing MIUI Dialer and Messaging on your new Xiaomi? Here’s why Xiaomi uses Google’s alternatives now

Xiaomi made a jump to Google’s Phone and Messages app with the Mi 9T Pro, ditching their own MIUI Dialer and Messaging app which were on all prior devices, including the Mi 9T. The change is apparently due to Xiaomi wanting to abide by “privacy laws and restrictions around the globe.”
The change to Google’s alternatives will be across all upcoming Xiaomi smartphones. While Google’s app is competent, you will be missing out on the call recording feature, which was probably part of the reason why the MIUI Dialer wasn’t exactly compliant to privacy laws in the first place.
With that said, there are plenty of custom skins out there offering phone apps that can record calls. But given the precarious situation Chinese phones are in right now, Xiaomi probably doesn’t want to get into trouble over privacy infringement lawsuits.

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The first device to offer Google’s Phone and Messages app instead of their MIUI counterparts, the Mi 9T Pro.
Xiaomi promised that the call recording feature will be added later this year, although by what means is still unclear. Will Xiaomi be releasing a version of the MIUI Dialer which abides by the aforementioned privacy laws? The post which clarified the situation was uploaded onto the official MI Community forum before being taken down for some reason.
Pokdepinion: I have never used the call recording feature so this change really didn’t affect me aside from a aesthetic standpoint. Do you know how much Google’s apps stand out from MIUI’s general theme?
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Final Fantasy 7 Remake Part 2 Will Have an Overworld

With the INTERmission DLC out for some time now, many gamers are already looking forward to the proper sequel of the game, Final Fantasy 7 Remake Part 2. In a recent interview with co-directors Motomu Toriyama and Naoki Hamaguchi, it was revealed the game will have an overworld.
Final Fantasy 7 Remake Part 2 Overworld

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According to a recent interview with co-directors Motomu Toriyama and Naoki Hamaguchi, it was confirmed that Final Fantasy 7 Remake Part 2 will have an overworld. There were mentions of a world map and “vastness of the world” when describing the adventure in the next part as Cloud and the party leaves Midgar.
As for improvement, or should I say “change,” moving forward — because the next installment will involve Cloud and company to leave Midgar and explore the world map, our next challenge will be to create gameplay that leverages the vastness of the world, unlike what we did in this current title.
Naoki Hamaguchi
Toriyama-san also mentioned of an “expansive world outside of Midgar” in the topic of Yuffie meeting Cloud’s party. The first game didn’t have an overworld as the story focused on the events in Midgar, but hugely expanded compared to the original game. In fact, the INTERmission DLC starring Yuffie also took place in Midgar.
Previously, Tetsuya Nomura did hint about an overworld as he mentioned seeing Cloud running in an area surrounded by nature. This seems vague and it’s hard to say for sure what it could mean as they could end up making the game very linear, thus removing the need for an overworld, if they wanted to.
For now, we will just have to wait and see until Final Fantasy 7 Remake Part 2 is officially launched. No official release date for the game has been given yet but we do expect it to launch for the PS5 at least.
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Pokdepinion: When I think of the original game, it does excite me on the idea of traveling through the whole world, especially on Chocobo and airship. Can’t wait to see how this will be implemented and while I’m sure it will be somewhat limited, some changes here and there could make it a lot more fun.
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ROG Masters APAC Championship To Commence This March 2021

The folks at ROG Malaysia has announced of the ROG Masters APAC Edition, the brand’s first ever APAC tournament that covers 15 markets in the region. The tournament will see roughly 500 Counter-Strike: Global Offensive teams battling it out to be the first ROG Masters APAC Edition champion.
ROG Masters APAC Edition

The tournament, which is the first ever ROG Masters Asia Pacific eSports tournament will begin in March all the way to April 2021. Due to the global pandemic, it will be conducted entirely online, where the quarterfinal to final matches will be livestreamed.

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In the ROG Masters tournament, it will feature CS:GO as the official game title and will see players pitch their skills against each other.
There will be three stages played over the course of the 2 months, where it’ll include country qualifiers, country finals, and Asia Pacific finals.
The country qualifiers matches for Malaysia will start in the first week of April 2021. The Malaysian finals to find the top teams to represent the country will be livestreamed on the 4th of April 2021.
Professional teams from across the region will be automatically placed into seeded positions in the country finals. This gives non-professional as well as enthusiast teams from Malaysia to get through the qualifiers and meet the pro teams in the country finals.
For the winning teams in the Malaysian finals, the first place will grab US$800, US$400 for second place as well as some ROG prizes. As for the Asia Pacific finals, they stand a chance in winning US$10,000 for first place, US$3,500 for 2nd place, and finally $1,500 for third spot.
If you are interested in participating, you can register yourself at the link right here. The registration period will start on the 8th of February 2021. You can find more details, schedules, and more at the link given.
Pokdepinion: On one end, I’m glad that ROG has brought back the ROG Masters back again. It’s just a shame that the COVID-19 is still with us and we have to do with an online-only tournament.
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Samsung smartphones offers the fastest download speeds according to Opensignal

Opensignal’s analysis of the download speeds experienced by smartphones revealed that Samsung smartphones offer the fastest download speeds as compared to Apple and HUAWEI devices. With a gap of up to 12 Mbps faster than the next vendor, Samsung has made quite the impressive showing in Opensignal’s tests.

Across the 40 countries where Opensignal collected their data, Samsung smartphones were top dogs when it came to download speeds in 35% of the countries. 17.5% of the countries saw Apple users enjoying offering the fastest download speeds. Meanwhile, HUAWEI tied for first spot in 17.5% of the countries. In Malaysia, Samsung users on average enjoy 1.3 Mbps faster speeds than HUAWEI users, and 3.3 Mbps faster than Apple users.

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Opensignal also categorized the smartphones into tiers, with high-tier referring to LTE Cat.16 and above support, mid-tier for LTE Cat.5 to Cat.15 support and low-tier which sees entry level devices with support for LTE Cat.4 and below. In these categories, every major smartphone maker tested here comes up on top in one of the tiers. Samsung is fastest in the high-tier, Apple in the mid-tier, and HUAWEI in the low-tier. A major caveat though is that Apple’s “mid-tier” contenders are often priced similarly to Samsung and HUAWEI’s “high-tier” offerings.

Last but not least, Opensignal also analyzed the average download speed experience for smartphone users in 73 countries. Malaysians are enjoying on average 19.9 Mbps with high-tier devices, while mid-tier devices deliver up to 13.8 Mbps and low-tier smartphones offer 12.3 Mbps. As a consolation, Opensignal’s data also revealed that high-tier smartphones deliver 11.1ms (18%) lower latency than low-tier smartphones, and 14% faster than mid-tier smartphones.
What do you think of the results? Does it jive with your experience? Let us know!
Pokdepinion: That’s a pretty interesting result considering HUAWEI themselves offer network infrastructure solutions…
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Persona 5 Strikers Review – A Fun Twist to the Formula

What is Persona 5 Strikers About?
Persona 5 Strikers Review

Persona 5 Strikers is an action RPG that takes place 4 months after events of the primary game, Persona 5. The protagonist, Joker, along with Morgana return to Tokyo for a Phantom Thieves of Hearts reunion and to spend summer vacation together on a camping trip. To prepare for the trip, they used a popular app called EMMA.
After bumping into idol Alice Hiraagi during preparations, the protagonists receives a card that requests them to put Wonderland into EMMA for a special event. Unfortunately, it resulted in them being transported into alternate dimension Tokyo called a Jail, where they meet Alice’s shadow who rules the place as the Monarch.
Persona 5 Strikers Review – Phantom Thieves of Hearts reunite
Soon after being thrown into a dumpster, they meet a sentient A.I. named Sophia, who joins the party and easily fends off the Shadows. They then learned of rumours that Shadows have been attacking people in Jails, which resulted in them behaving weirdly in the real world. The Phantom Thieves of Hearts banded up again to unravel the mysteries as well as the evil lurking in the shadows.

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An Interesting Spin to the Dynasty Warriors Formula
Persona 5 Strikers Review
Typically when existing franchises are given the Dynasty Warriors treatment, they would just be a hack and slash game with characters and assets based on that chosen franchise. In the case of Persona 5 Strikers however, it feels like a proper mishmash of elements from two different franchises as you have the real-time action combat with the signature Persona mechanics.
As usual, you have your regular attack and special attack, which will create combos if you combine both together. For the most part, the game teaches you on the basics of combat and it’s nothing too different. What’s interesting here is that direct combat isn’t the only way for you to go about the game. Stealth is an option as you would want to ambush Shadows that have yet to spot for an advantage. This is a simple way to add strategic depth to the game.
Persona 5 Strikers Review
The primary protagonist, Joker, is essentially a permanent active party member, and you can have up to four active members at a time. You can switch between the active characters with the others being controlled by AI. This in itself does make the game more enjoyable as it will take far longer for you to grow weary of the game compared to just using one character all the time.
Going back to Joker for a moment, he is capable of using multiple Personas, which will be unlocked when you go through the game’s raandom drops and defeating certain dungeon mini-bosses. They can be fused in the Velvet Room to create new Personas, which you can then utilize in battle to wreak havoc. Shadows have particular weaknesses and the game typically tells you what they are, so it’s pretty easy for anyone to get into. When using Persona skills, the game will freeze in time to allow you to better position yourself strategically, giving that turn-based feeling again while still retaining its action-based nature.
Persona 5 Strikers Review
As you progress through the game, the Phantom Thieves of Hearts will start to learn special moves known as Master Arts. As you continue using them, you will gain access to new combo attacks and making it easier to increase your Showtime Gauge for that flashy Showtime Attack. I personally feel that it can get a bit spammy and a bit too easy but it’s still pretty cool, especially if you’re a fan of the series.
Overall, the combat system does quite a lot to be just another Dynasty Warriors spin-off of a franchise. It’s fully aware of what Persona 5 has and makes good use of their elements. Just because there’s more to do, doesn’t mean the game doesn’t feel repetitive however, but I can say for sure that it takes far longer compared to other Koei Tecmo / Omega Force games as a result.
Fancy yourself a monster hunting RPG? Check out our review of Nexomon Extinction by clicking right here.
Less Stress and More Flexibility
Persona 5 Strikers Review
Outside of the combat, it’s amazing to think how much the game resembles the main game but of course, there are notable differences in the systems and the mechanics. Instead of going through Palaces like before, you will be infiltrating Jails, which does function about the same but they don’t disappear when you’re done with them. There’s also no time penalty so you can freely leave to heal up and come back as you wish.
As mentioned earlier, you have the choice of direct combat or using stealth to progress through the dungeons. There are also puzzles that you will have to solve as you go through them but they’re nothing complicated in my opinion. Do take note of the Alert level because if you reach 100%, you will be forced to leave the dungeon. You can lower it by winning battles with surprise attacks or by simply leaving the dungeon, as there’s no reason not to as you won’t be punished even in the slightest.
Persona 5 Strikers Review
As you go through the game, you will be able to take on side quests in the form of Requests, and there is an extensive amount of them. It does a good job of padding the game’s content some more and if you’re a big fan of the series, I’m sure you’d be more than happy to clock in the hours just to go through each and every single one of them, because I know I did.
Another thing worth mentioning is the Bond system, where you get perks that are separate from individual skills. It can range from something as simple as getting more item drops to strengthening the entire party. You can increase Bond levels by interacting with party members, winning battles, and simply playing through the game. It’s a simple yet effective system that can really enhance your experience, and I personally feel that it’s good addition to the game. I wouldn’t have wanted to be implemented any other way.
Persona 5 Strikers 5 Verdict
Persona 5 Strikers Review
Persona 5 Strikers is a pretty fun game, but it’s also not a game for everyone. It’s not a re-telling of the original game but rather, a sequel of sorts from the main game so if you have not played Persona 5, you’re going to be feel a little lost. I personally wished that the pace of the game’s story would be a little faster as it feels draggy, especially in the beginning. Apart from that, there’s really nothing much to complain about.
I played this game on the PS5 so load times are minimal. Not sure if the experience would be the same on the base PS4.
At the end of our Persona 5 Strikers review, I award this game with our Silver Pokdeward.

Big thanks to Sega for giving us the game code for the purposes of this review.
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Rocket League Is Celebrating Their 3rd Birthday – And You’re Invited

Rocket League is celebrating their 3rd birthday, and Psyonix would like to bring everyone back to enjoy some awesome new stuff happening in the game.
Rocket League Is Celebrating Their 3rd Birthday

🚀Our Anniversary Event is LIVE on all platforms!
🚀Players on Steam will need a small (18MB) update to view Rewards.
🚀It may take longer than normal to find an Anniversary match as players begin to populate the Playlist.
🚀In-game Event details: https://t.co/0dkpG8vaJ4 pic.twitter.com/UDKYObA5Jx
— Rocket League (@RocketLeague) July 9, 2018

Ever heard of a videogame celebrating its own birthday? No? Me neither, but that’s exactly what’s happening in Rocket League as they’re gearing up for their 3rd birthday. Instead of bringing cake to it, it will be bringing some fun to us gamers.

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Running today through 23rd July 2018, Rocket League‘s Anniversary Event pays tribute to the game’s predecessor, Supersonic Acrobatic Rocket-Powered Battle-Cars (often abbreviated as SARPBC). During the in-game event, players will be able to play in an “Anniversary Playlist” that features a stadium (aptly) named Throwback Stadium.
This new stadium, or old stadium technically speaking, will feature the dimensions of a SARPBC stadium rather than a Rocket League stadium, including a different goal layout.
Additionally, the Anniversary Event will also abandon the game’s famous Event Crates in favor of Event Balloons. Players can either use these balloons to collect special Anniversary Items or trade them in exchange for a Golden Egg, which will give players the opportunity to collect items from the older Champion Series Crates.
This summer has been generally packed for the racing-sports hybrid, with the addition of Jurassic World themed cars and a Fortnite: Battle Royale-esque progression system being teased for later this summer.
If you’re interested in more details regarding Rocket League’s Anniversary Event, you can check out a blog post from the game’s developer Psyonix right here.
Rocket League is now available on PC, Mac, Linux, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch.
Source: Psyonix
Pokdepinion: Well, I recently enjoyed playing Lucioball in Overwatch so I suppose jumping back to Rocket League now doesn’t seem like a bad idea. Gotta get my mind ready for a bit of stress, lol.
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With Sony Interactive Entertainment doing their best to attract more people to get the PS5, it would appear that a number the next gen console owners are taking advantage of a PS Plus exploit to make some extra cash on the side. As a result, they are getting banned permanently.
PS5 Owners Are Getting Banned For This PS Plus Exploit

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According to recent reports, there are a number of PS5 owners who are taking advantage of a PS Plus exploit, specifically on the PS Plus Collection. For those of you who aren’t aware, it’s a curated list of 20 major PS4 games available to download and play.
For a small fee, these PS5 owners are selling “access” to this PS Plus collection by logging into a buyer’s PS4 console so they can play those games instead of paying full price for it. Some were discovered to be selling this access for as low as USD $30 on eBay, with plenty of other trading platforms having similar offers.
As this wasn’t what Sony Interactive Entertainment intended for the feature to be used, bans were made, potentially under account theft and sale prevention measure. While no word yet on exactly how many people were banned, it’s said to have affected thousands of PSN accounts. From what we understand, the seller gets a permanent ban whereas the buyer gets a 2-month ban instead.
This issue has raised concern amongst gamers who are legitimately sharing their games with friends and family. However, Sony Interactive Entertainment has yet to comment on the matter. We will report more on this as soon as information becomes available so stay tuned.
Source
Pokdepinion: I’m about pretty sure if Malaysians already got their hands on the console, a good number of them would do the same thing on Carousell and Facebook Marketplace. Tell me I’m wrong, I’ll wait.
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Win The HUAWEI Sound X By Following These Steps

HUAWEI Malaysia is hosting a social giveaway contest until tomorrow, where you can get your hands on the newly-launched HUAWEI Sound X.
HUAWEI Sound X contest
In case you’ve missed our previous coverage on the HUAWEI Sound X, the speaker is co-engineered with French audio company, Devialet and it comes with a price tag of RM1,299.
Interested in participating? You can follow the steps below:

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Follow HUAWEI Malaysia on FacebookLike & Share this post and make sure that your profile is set to publicComment on why you should be the proud winner of a HUAWEI Sound X in the comment sectionTag 3 friends and include #HuaweiSoundX in the comment section
Only one entry is accepted per Facebook individual and there will be only one winner, which will be announced on the 19th of May 2020 on their official Facebook account.
The HUAWEI Sound X is coming this 16th of May and you can also get it for free by purchasing the new HUAWEI MateBook X Pro, while stocks last.
Pokdepinion: No harm in trying out your luck, right?
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Galaxy S7 Edge now available in Black Pearl — 128GB storage priced at RM3399

Start your 2017 afresh with the latest color variant of the Samsung Galaxy S7 edge, the Black Pearl colour also comes with 128GB internal memory, in comparison with the standard 32GB variant currently in the market, and will available in Malaysia on 12 January 2017.
The new Galaxy S7 edge Black Pearl follows the popular Blue Coral and Pink Gold editions released last year. Black Pearl is designed to be modern and striking, perfect for those who love exploring the latest trends. The sleek black finish blankets the entire device – edges and all – and adds depth to its glass design. The result is a stylish all-black aesthetic that captures the essence of the colour in its purest form.

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New colour and a bigger storage aside, the Samsung Galaxy S7 edge brings a new way of thinking what a phone can do. This flagship smartphone brings with it cutting-edge features including its IP68 dust and water resistance, a professional-grade Dual Pixel Sensor + 12MP rear camera that is able to take crisp, clear photos even in the dark, and a powerful processor to get you through the day effortlessly.

Vice President, IT & Mobile Business Unit, Samsung Malaysia Electronics, Mr Lee Jui Siang said:

“At Samsung, we are constantly evolving to offer the best products to our customers. We listen to their demands and we give them what they want. The new Samsung Galaxy S7 edge 128GB in Black Pearl is a new edition created for the modern-day user who is effortlessly chic, who often stores and consumes content constantly while on-the-go.”

The 128GB variant in Black Pearl will be available in Malaysia tomorrow (12 January 2017) at a recommended retail price of RM3,399 at participating Samsung Experience Store outlets. In addition to the Black Pearl colour and the other aforementioned editions, the Galaxy S7 edge is also available in 32GB variant in distinctive colours of Black Onyx, Gold Platinum, Silver Titanium, Pink Gold and the latest Blue Coral at RM 3,099 nationwide. All prices stated are inclusive of 6% GST.
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CES 2020: OmniVision made a 48MP sensor that’s bigger than Samsung’s 108MP sensor

It seems like camera sensor makers are backing off the megapixel race again. Or at least OmniVision is. They just announced the OmniVision OV48C, a 48MP image sensor that’s larger than even Samsung’s 108MP ISOCELL Bright HMX sensor. Yes, the one used in the Mi Note 10.
OmniVision’s sensor measures in at 1/1.3″, which is bigger than any other 48MP sensor (1/2″), 64MP sensor (1/1.7″) and 108MP (1/1.33″) sensor in the market right now. You also get much bigger pixels on the OmniVision sensor. The OmniVision OV48C’s pixels measure 1.2 μm, much bigger than the 0.8 μm pixels the current crop of high resolution sensors have.
This difference is quite important as the OmniVision OV48C is probably the first true 48MP camera sensor for smartphones. While the rest of the industry is currently using Quad Bayer color filters, the OmniVision OV48C uses a standard Bayer color filter over its 48 million photosites. This approach eliminates the need for software remosaicing, and just delivers true 48MP images from the sensor.

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Why the 48MP Sony IMX586 doesn’t deliver 48MP images by default
Interestingly, the OmniVision OV48C also boasts of near-pixel binning for better low light images with an equivalent 2.4 μm pixel pitch. The resulting resolution is 12MP, and it can capture these shots with pixel binning at 60 fps, while 48MP native images can be shot at up to 15 fps. This pixel binning capability feature also enables better videos at up to 4K60, with the extra pixels used for EIS. Slow-mo aficionados might want to look elsewhere though as it only offers 1080p240 and 720p360.
OmniVision’s sensors hasn’t been featured as the main camera in most recent releases, although a number of smartphones use it for their ultra-wide cameras. With that said, the OmniVision OV48C does seem rather interesting and hopefully we will see them more in 2020’s flagship smartphones.
Samsung ISOCELL Bright GW1: 64 million pixels!
With that said, I do forsee smartphone makers shying away from this sensor just to have a bigger number on their specifications sheet though. The same thing happened with the 64MP Samsung GW1 which was inferior when compared to the 48MP Sony IMX586 in low light situations, but yet made it into a number of flagship smartphones. Now with Samsung’s 108MP sensors around, the OmniVision OV48C will have to really impress the OEMs to gain traction. I mean, that’s more than double the megapixels. Consumers like big numbers, right?
Pokdepinion: This might just make it into the upcoming iPhones… It’s about time for Apple to catch up with the megapixel race anyway.
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[UNBOXING] ROG Strix SCAR II GL504GS — smaller yet faster than its predecessor!

We unbox the ROG Strix SCAR II GL504GS, arguably one of the sleekest i7 8750H-packing, GeForce GTX 1070 8GB-slinging son of a gun. Speaking of guns, it is designed for FPS gamers, so for you PUBG and Overwatch fans out there, do stay tuned for the full review!

Specifications

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

RAM
16GB (1 x 16GB SODIMM) 2666 MHz DDR4

GPU
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 8GB GDDR5

Storage
256GB M.2 PCIe 3.0 x4 NVMe SSD
1TB 5400RPM FireCuda SSHD

Software
Microsoft Windows 10 Home
ROG Gaming Center 2.5
ROG Aura Core 2.5
ROG Sonic Radar III
ROG Sonic Studio III
ROG GameFirst V

Connectivity
Gigabit Ethernet
Quad-antenna 802.11ac 2×2 Wave 2 WLAN
Bluetooth 5.0
2 x USB 3.0
1 x USB Type-C (USB 3.1 Gen2)
1 x USB Type-A 3.1 (Gen 2)
SD card reader

Display
15.6″ FHD (1920 x 1080) IPS, 144 Hz, 3ms GtG response time, anti-glare display
1 x HDMI 2.0 ([email protected])
1 x mini Display Port 1.2

Audio
2 x 3.5W speakers with Smart AMP technology
1 x 3.5mm combo jack

Power
180W power adapter

Dimensions
361 x 262 x 26.1 mm

Weight
2.4 kg

Price
RM8499

There is also the ROG Strix SCAR II GL504GM variant with a GeForce GTX 1060 6GB inside, priced at RM6799.

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PUBG MOBILE Pro League 2021 Has A New Official Theme Song In Rich Brian’s Sydney

PUBG MOBILE has just revealed the new official theme song the PUBG MOBILE Pro League 2021. The theme song, by Indonesian rap artist, Rich Brian is called “Sydney” and is the first single released by him in 2021. The new anthem, via 88rising, will accompany Malaysia’s top team on their trip and competition in the PUBG MOBILE Pro League MY SG area, which starts on March 24.

Listen to Rich Brian’s “Sydney” while watching the PUBG MOBILE Pro League 2021
PUBG MOBILE Pro League 2021 is set to kick off this 24 March and will end on 18 April. Furthermore, PUBG MOBILE has announced the group result for the PUBG MOBILE Pro League MY SG Season 3 that is divided into five groups, 20 esports teams that will showcase their abilities to win the glory and opportunity to take home a USD150,000 (RM616,710) prize pool.

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The overall sound of Rich Brian’s “Sydney” track is inspired by hip-hop group Three 6 Mafia. Throughout “Sydney”, Rich Brian talks about how he’s evolved as an artist, from rapping on YouTube in his Jakarta bedroom to becoming the first Asian artist to top the iTunes Hip Hop charts. Rich Brian reflects on how, over the years, he has learned to care less about his critics and focus more on his work, lifestyle, and future. You can check out “Sydney” below.

Fans can catch the PUBG MOBILE Pro League 2021 on either WeTV, PUBG Mobile Malaysia’s YouTube channel or Facebook channel. You can also download “Sydney” right here.
Pokdepinion: Didn’t see this coming. I actually listen to a lot of Rich Brian’s songs on YouTube, with my favourite track being Midsummer Madness. He’s also one of the few Asian rap artists I actually listen to. Oh yeah, I enjoy PUBG MOBILE too.
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U Mobile Postpaid 38 Users Are Getting Double Data

For all U Mobile Postpaid 38 users and those looking to subscribe to it, you will be able to enjoy double data moving forward.
U Mobile Postpaid 38 Double Data

The popular orange telco has announced the doubling of the U Mobile Postpaid 38 plan’s data offerings as a permanent change, effective immediately. Both existing and new customers of the entry-level 5G subscription can now enjoy 60 GB of high-speed data, up from the original 30 GB. The RM38 monthly plan also provides unlimited calls to all networks. The upgrade is a response to customer needs and feedback, according to U Mobile.

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As part of its limited-time promotion, Ultra Hotspot 5G, U Mobile has also unlocked hotspot access for its U Postpaid 38, 68, and 98 plans. Subscribers of these plans can now share their main data quota via their device’s hotspot feature, instead of using a separate data quota. This means that U Postpaid 38, 68, and 98 subscribers can use their 60GB, 100GB, and 1000GB high-speed 4G or 5G data across multiple devices and share it with others who are connected to their hotspot.
U Mobile’s limited-time Ultra Hotspot 5G promotion is only available to new subscribers or those upgrading their existing plans to the U Postpaid 38, 68, and 98 options. The telco stated that once unlocked, the permanent hotspot benefits will be available to current U Postpaid 38, 68, and 98 users. For more information on U Mobile’s services and products, interested parties are encouraged to visit the official website or contact customer service.
Source
Pokdepinion; Would be nice if my telco suddenly doubled my data but oh well. If you’re a user, then I’m sure this is great news for you.
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Corsair Releases New Range Products – From PC Cases To Headset Stand!

Today, Corsair has announce of the release of a wide array of products, which features gaming headphones, a headset stand, and PC cases.
Corsair New Range Of Products

SPEC-04 TG
First up is their SPEC-04 TG which features a tempered glass window and angular exterior design. For storage, there are rooms for three HDD as well as two SSD cages for your usage. It comes with one 120mm LED front fan (pre-installed) and has room for up to 4 more 120mm fans, making it a total of 5 fans possible. The SPEC-04 TG is priced at RM299.

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570x RGB White
The other case on display is the Corsair 570x RGB White. This sleek case features tempered glass which encloses the entire chassis, making it possible for everyone to see everything from the outside. It has a direct airflow design and comes with removable fan trays in the front and top. Coming with 3 RGB LED fans in front, which the case has room for up to 6 fans, it also has a built-in LED controller.
570x RGB White is priced at RM759.
H550 STEREO
Priced at RM209, the H550 STEREO features an oval ear cup shape and has a 50mm audio driver. It uses synthetic leather, memory foam, and metal (internal) for the headband construction. For the earpad, it uses synthetic leather and memory foam as well. Its microphone has noise cancelling feature and volume and mute functions can be controlled by on-ear.
ST100 RGB
Last on the list is the premium headset stand, the Corsair ST100 RGB. Not only does it has RGB lighting, it also offers 7.1 surround sound by utilizing through its 3.5mm analog jack. It is built out of aluminum and features a rubberized base. There are two USB ports available for your disposal as well. Coming in at a retail price of RM259, it will certainly bring ‘style’ to your gaming setup.
Pokdepinion: Out of all, I fancy the 570x RGB White. That case looks spacious and of course its design caught my attention right away.
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Sapphire introduces AMD-based mining cards; look ma, no display connectors!

NVIDIA may be working on releasing graphics cards without display connectors or DirectX support, but Sapphire is already putting up their Sapphire Radeon RX 470 Mining Edition and RX 560 Mining Edition cards for pre-orders on OverclockersUK. As far as we know, these are the first mining cards based on gaming GPUs available on the market.
The cards do not feature display connectors (aside from the RX 560 which features a sole DVI connector for some reason), but AMD cards do not need bridges for CrossFire, which means that the RX 470 mining cards may be capable of CrossFire with a standard RX 470 with display connectors. NVIDIA is reportedly disabling DirectX support in their mining cards, so we don’t know if these cards have a similar limitation to prevent users from using these cards for gaming. These cards aren’t cheaper than their standard counterparts at the moment though, so while it could be entirely possible, it doesn’t mean its worthwhile.

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Sapphire is offering specific variants of these cards equipped with Samsung memory, which is known to clock higher for higher hashrates. This is a great option for miners who want to get the highest performance from their cards without having to participate in the lottery of VRAM chips. Sapphire is charging a small premium of £10 for the cards with Samsung memory though.
These cards are covered by a shorter 1-year warranty, which is understandable given the constant stress these mining cards will be put under.
Pokdepinion: I would stand behind specialized mining cards if they were cheaper than their standard variants. That will drive miners towards these purpose-built cards, and make the normal gaming cards available for people who actually get these cards to game. As it stands, a lot of popular mining cards are sold out here, causing a price hike that is hurting gamers who are looking to get graphics cards for their gaming rigs.
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Bethesda Shares Update on Fallout 76 Changes After Beta

The Fallout 76 beta has come to an end and Bethesda has already taken the fans’ feedback to heart at a surprisingly fast pace. They will be using the feedback to improve the game before it’s finally launched for real.
At the Fallout 76 subreddit, Bethesda gave a thank you message to all the fans who took part in the Fallout 76 beta. Along with doing so, they also addressed many of the problems that they’ve become aware of and are looking to fix on or soon after the launch of the game.

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These are some of the changes that Bethesda mentioned in the subreddit:

Ultra-Wide Support: We will support 21:9 post launch. Once available, or shortly before, we’ll be sure to post our patch notes that let you know when to expect it.
Larger Stash Size: We’ve seen this one come up a lot and understand the frustration. While the Stash size at 400 weight limit can get easier to deal with over time, we do plan on increasing it in the future.
Push-to-Talk: While we aim to create a consistent experience no matter what platform you’re on, we understand that some of you on PC would like the option for Push-to-Talk. Our goal with voice chat being on by default is to highlight that the world is alive with real people, other players like you. We like to start with encouraging player interaction and will look into adding this in the future.
FOV Slider: We haven’t supported FOV sliders in our previous games as it is known to break a lot of animations and causes a lot of clipping to occur onscreen. You do have the option to zoom out in third person on PC by holding View and moving the mousewheel, but we won’t be able to have it for first personview.
Exploits of Various Types: Many exploits we’ve seen reported have been known and will be addressed in a future update.
Issues with social menu and inviting friends/making teams/etc.: Those who were experiencing issues with the social components will find that many of these issues have been fixed. We will continue to fix issues as they arise as fast as we’re able to, so keep letting us know when you run into them.
Hunger not being sated: Some were saying their “Hunger bar” wouldn’t replenish no matter how much they ate or how cleared of diseases they were. This issue has been addressed and will be in a future update so no more hungry dwellers.
Loud Gunshot / Noises: The issue of players hearing sudden random gunshot/loud sounds around Appalachia will be addressed in a future update near launch.

A massive online multiplayer game is a first for Bethesda, which is why feedback is very important to make the game something that fans will come to love. They’ve had no issues on adjusting and making changes to the game, big or small, to make it more enjoyable for gamers.
Fallout 76 is set to launch on 14th November 2018 for the PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC.
Source: Reddit
Pokdepinion: I’m all primed up and ready for the game. Can’t wait for it :)
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GIGABYTE Z690 AORUS motherboards come with impressive overclocking features!

GIGABYTE announced their Z690 AORUS motherboards, all of which are designed to help you unleash your 12th Gen Intel Core processor! With up to 20+1+2-phase power delivery, advanced thermal designs and shielded memory, you should be able to achieve new heights of performance with the GIGABYTE Z690 AORUS motherboards!
GIGABYTE Z690 AORUS XTREME

As the flagship of the series, the GIGABYTE Z690 AORUS XTREME packs the ultimate features available in GIGABYTE’s arsenal. The GIGABYTE Z690 AORUS XTREME bears the signature dark aesthetics of the AORUS XTREME series, but with a touch of gold to highlight the fact that this is one premium board. On the functional end, you get two large finned heatsinks connected with a heatpipes cool the impressive 20+1+2 phase direct digital VRM configuration. There’s also a huge heatsink for the first M.2 PCIe 4.0 slot, to help cool your blazing fast SSDs. And there’s even a memory fan!

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For the RAM, GIGABYTE went with SMD-mounted DIMM slots and shielded memory routing to enable higher memory frequencies than conventional designs. GIGABYTE claims that the GIGABYTE Z690 AORUS XTREME is capable of pushing frequencies above DDR5-6600. Aside from the performance-oriented features, the GIGABYTE Z690 AORUS XTREME features 10GbE, ESS Sabre audio, Thunderbolt 4, among a slew of other features that cement its position at the top of the GIGABYTE Z690 AORUS lineup.
GIGABYTE Z690 AORUS XTREME WATERFORCE
If you plan on a custom liquid cooling loop for your build, this might also be an option for you. With an All-in-One Monoblock design, the GIGABYTE Z690 AORUS XTREME WATERFORCE allows for a neater way to cool not only your CPU with your watercooling loop, but also your VRMs. However it seems that GIGABYTE has yet to finalize the design, with there being no images of the product available yet.
GIGABYTE Z690 AORUS MASTER

The GIGABYTE AORUS Z690 MASTER makes its first step into the E-ATX realm, a form factor usually reserved for the AORUS XTREME boards. The aesthetic of the board is once again pretty reminiscent of AORUS MASTER boards of yore, with an emphasis on monochrome hues but with a splash of RGB just to spice things up a little. The power delivery system is scaled down a little, with a 19+1+2 phase direct digital VRM design, but you still get niceties like SMD DIMM slots and shielded memory routing to bring speeds of up to DDR5-6400. One major difference is the fact that you don’t have two PCIe 5.0 slots unlike the Z690 AORUS XTREME, and you also miss out on Thunderbolt 4 and the ESS Sabre audio hardware. Instead, you get a Realtek ALC1220-VB for audio, and Thunderbolt 4 headers.
GIGABYTE Z690 AORUS TACHYON

Similar to the likes of the ROG Maximus Z690 Apex and MSI MEG Z690 UNIFY-X, the GIGABYTE Z690 AORUS TACHYON is designed for the hardcore overclocking enthusiasts. However it does seem pretty interesting that GIGABYTE decided to drop a number of phases from the power delivery, with the GIGABYTE Z690 AORUS TACHYON only offering a 15+1+2 phase digital VRM design. With its dual-DIMM slot design, the GIGABYTE Z690 AORUS TACHYON might not be for everyone, but it enables speeds of DDR5-7000, and beyond.
As this is an overclocking-focused board, features like connectivity and audio has been pared back, with the GIGABYTE Z690 AORUS TACHYON packing 2.5Gb Ethernet and the Realtek ALC1220.
GIGABYTE Z690 AORUS ULTRA

As we move towards the more gaming-oriented boards, we have the GIGABYTE Z690 AORUS ULTRA, a board that definitely doesn’t stray too far from the aesthetics of earlier AORUS motherboards. This is also AORUS’ most premium Z690 motherboard too, which is probably of interest to some. With a 16+1+2 phase power delivery system featuring the same 105A smart powerstages like the boards above, the GIGABYTE Z690 AORUS ULTRA straddles the middle ground between the mid-range and premium boards in GIGABYTE’s lineup.
Something that the hawkeyed might notice is that the GIGABYTE Z690 AORUS ULTRA drops the dual fin stack design of the Z590 AORUS ULTRA, and instead only gives you one above the socket. Quite an interesting decision. GIGABYTE is promising speeds of up to DDR5-6200 with this board. Features like WiFi 6, Intel 2.5GbE LAN and USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 are available, although you will also be missing out on stuff like Thunderbolt.
GIGABYTE Z690I AORUS ULTRA

With the GIGABYTE Z690I AORUS ULTRA, you can get it in both DDR5 and DDR4 versions, depending on your appetite for cost versus performance. With the DDR5 version, GIGABYTE seems to be pretty conservative with their claims, promising up to DDR5-6200 speeds, while the DDR4 variant is rated for up to DDR4-5333. Due to the form factor limitations, the VRM is further scaled down to a 10+1+2 direct digital design, with 105A smart powerstages. You still get support for two M.2 PCIe 4.0 SSDs with a stacked heatsink design over its PCH, so I guess enthusiasts of small form factor systems have quite a bit to look forward to with this board.
GIGABYTE Z690 AORUS PRO

Coming in with two options, you can get the GIGABYTE Z690 AORUS PRO with support for either DDR4 or DDR5. Both boards will feature a rather beefy 16+1+2 direct digital VRM design with 90A powerstages. GIGABYTE has also entirely dropped the fin array VRM cooling by this point, instead only offering chonky aluminum heatsinks. I wonder how well will this perform, considering that the GIGABYTE Z590 AORUS PRO AX had a finned heatsink, but yet suffered from terrible VRM thermals.
GIGABYTE Z690 AORUS ELITE

GIGABYTE claims that this is the “Best Value of AORUS Z690”, and I think you would be hard-pressed to disagree.  There are four options to choose from, with the choice of DDR5 and DDR4 options, as well as the option to get included WiFi 6 on them. Interestingly enough, the DDR4 version gets a beefier VRM, at least on paper, with 70A DrMOS ones, versus the DDR5’s 60A DrMOS. Both of them have a 16+1+2 arrangement though, so I guess regardless of which one you get, the Z690 AORUS ELITE boards should have no issues handling your 12th Gen Intel Core processors. The GIGABYTE Z690 AORUS ELITE is rated for speeds of up to DDR5-6000, while the Z690 AORUS ELITE DDR4 is rated for up to DDR4-5333. You get support for up to four M.2 PCIe 4.0 SSDs with the Z690 AORUS ELITE boards.
GIGABYTE Z690M AORUS ELITE DDR4

When it comes to the mATX version, GIGABYTE is offering two options, giving you the choice to get the Z690M AORUS ELITE AX DDR4, or Z690M AORUS ELITE DDR4. The difference is pretty obvious. Here, we get a 12+1+2 phase power delivery system, featuring 60A powerstages. The feature set is pared back quite significantly, with only support for three M.2 PCIe 4.0 SSDs, and there isn’t a heatsink over two of them. Still, it is nice to see GIGABYTE offering an option to the underserved mATX market.
Pokdepinion: Quite a number of options for gamers who do not want to pay the premium for DDR5 yet… Nice.
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Opensignal Reveals Malaysia’s Late 5G Adoption Causes Drop In Global Download Speed Ranking

Opensignal has just revealed in a new report that Malaysia has suffered a drop in the global download speed ranking. The report, titled ‘5G Impact On The Global Mobile Network Experience’, examines the impact of 5G adoption in 100 countries, including Malaysia, and employs billions of real-world measurements collected from millions of devices between the first quarter of 2019 and the end of 2021.
Opensignal reports on the global impact of 5G adoption

According to the report, the introduction of 5G has caused Singapore and Malaysia to fall down the global speed rankings. Strong and early 5G markets have surpassed markets where 5G was introduced late, such as Malaysia, or where the new spectrum for 5G is limited, such as Singapore and Malaysia.

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Singapore was ranked fifth out of 100 markets for average download speed in early 2019 but had dropped to ninth by late 2021. Malaysia dropped from 61st to joint 70th in the same time period, with 5G services not arriving until the end of 2021 as part of a single 5G wholesale network (Digital Nasional Berhad or DNB).

Malaysian mobile users now have lower average download speeds than users of networks in Thailand, Indonesia, and the Philippines. According to Opensignal data, the download experience of mobile users in these countries lagged Malaysia as recently as 2019 but has improved significantly over the last two and a half years (partly due to the preparation and implementation of 5G), whereas the download experience of Malaysian users has improved only sluggishly over the same period.

Malaysia scored 61.9 on a 100-point scale for Games Experience — multiplayer real-time mobile gaming — putting it in joint 43rd place across 100 global markets in Q4 2021 – a significantly higher ranking than that based solely on the Download Experience score. According to Opensignal’s Insight, while countries that have launched 5G services with significant adoption have seen an improvement in their Games Experience score, countries without significant 5G influence have not (such as Malaysia).
According to Opensignal, current 5G networks (based on the initial 5G standards) do not significantly improve the mobile service characteristics that underpin a great real-time multiplayer gaming experience. Notably, a great Games Experience necessitates a combination of low latency, low packet loss, and low jitter, among other characteristics, and these factors have not changed dramatically – owing to the fact that current iterations of 5G rely heavily on 4G infrastructure.
Malaysia (score 61.9, rank 43) was still outperformed by Singapore (score 79.7, rank #4), Vietnam (score 70.9, rank #25), and Thailand (score 64.2, rank #40), but surpassed Indonesia (score 59.6, rank #51), Cambodia (score 44.1, rank #58), and the Philippines (score 41.2, rank #56) in terms of Games Experience.
For a more in-depth look at Opensignal’s ‘5G Impact On The Global Mobile Network Experience’ report, head over here.
Pokdepinion: I’m sure we will be back up the global rankings soon now that 5G connectivity is finally being introduced properly here in Malaysia. How far up the ranking is anyone’s guess.
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Take Part In vivo’s ‘That’s Y I’m Proud’ Photography Contest And Win new vivo Y33s

In conjunction with the recent launch of the vivo Y33s series on September 11th, 2021, vivo Malaysia launched a picture contest titled “That’s Y I’m Proud” on Facebook and Instagram.
vivo’s new photography contest, which runs from September 8th to September 15th, 2021, aims to encourage fellow Malaysians to take and submit images that feature uniquely Malaysian things and the “That’s Y” hand signal to commemorate Malaysia Day.
How to enter vivo’s ‘That’s Y I’m Proud’ photography contest

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To enter vivo’s photography contest, all you have to do is follow the steps below:

Take a photo of an item that is uniquely Malaysian
The image must include a “That’s Y” hand gesture.
Write your reason for “That’s Y I’m Proud” about being a Malaysian in the caption.
Upload to Facebook/Instagram, hashtag #vivoThatsYimProud and set the post as Public.

Here are the prizes vivo will be offering for the contest:

Grand Prize: vivo Y33s smartphone (1 unit)
First Prize: Fujifilm Mini Link Printer (1 unit)
Second Prize: vivo mystery gift (1 unit)

Pokdepinion: This seems like a pretty fun contest. I’m definitely gonna try my luck and enter.
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ASUS ROG And Intel Become GSA Championship 2017 Sponsors – With Partial Scholarships Up For Grabs!

ASUS Republic Of Gamers (ROG) and Intel were announced as the official sponsors of the Garena Student Alliance (GSA) Championship. This year, participants will compete with each other for partial scholarships worth RM62000 in the nationwide campus eSports tournament.
GSA Championship 2017
The collaboration will see Malaysia handpick one League of Legends team for the upcoming Join The Republic : Community Challenge in Stockholm, Sweden in early 2018. Malaysia will be competing against other powerhouse nations such as China, Spain, United States, Thailand, Taiwan, and South Korea.
“We are excited to be part of this tournament which is primarily run by GSA eSports Clubs in Malaysia. The students play a big role in the gaming community and we can’t wait to see gamers and influencers share this journey from Malaysia to Stockholm together.” Ren Hu, ROG representative
Coming back to the GSA tournament, a total of 32 universities across Malaysia will be participating in two main events, which are League of Legends and EA Sports Fifa Online 3 (FO3). Each university will be limited in sending 4 teams only for League of Legends and 16 individuals for FO3.

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There is a lot at stake for the students as the overall champions will walk away with a cash prize and partial scholarships to pursue their studies. Our primary objective is to educate the students through hands-on experience and hope the Malaysian campus scene becomes the pioneer region for Southeast Asia. Chun Jan Bong, GSA Coordinator.
For those of you who don’t know, GSA was established in April 2017 which was built to empower passionate student gamers to build a gaming community that thrives and also to create a healthy eSports scene in campus.
Pokdepinion: Well who wouldn’t want that? Although it’s only a partial scholarship, still, its money. With cost of living rising day by day, we’ve got to find some ways to save money where we can, don’t we?

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Recently, game developer miHoYo has come under fire as accusations of them using Genshin Impact to spread spyware to steal users’ personal information. They have since denied the allegation made against them.
miHoYo Denies Using Genshin Impact as Spyware to Steal Personal Data

Genshin Impact recently trended on Twitter but for the wrong reasons. A number of users shared an article from Generation Game, which listed an anti-cheat program present on PS4, PC, iOS, and Android versions of the game known as mhyprot2. It will continue running in the background even after the game has been closed, similar to the Vanguard anti-cheat program for Valorant. However, it was also mentioned that it will still remain installed even after the game itself has been uninstalled.

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miHoYo has since published an official statement, explaining that none of the information read by mhyprot2 is processed, saved, or uploaded like how typical spyware works. Regardless of the platform, it will only be used to ensure a fair gaming environment for everyone and nothing more. They have also apologized for making gamers think that it could be anything as harmful as spyware.
Since then, the company has updated mhyprot2 so it will automatically close when you’ve closed the Genshin Impact game client. Moreover, it will also be properly uninstalled when the game is uninstalled as well. They claim that the anti-cheat program running even when the game isn’t, as well as it remaining to be installed, is a bug and the update is meant to be a fix.
Genshin Impact is now available for the PlayStation 4, PC, Android, and iOS for free.
Source
Pokdepinion: Well, it will still be hard for a lot of people to trust the company after that. However, I’m sure people will be even more vigilant on matters like this moving forward.
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GEMFIVE surprises customers with midnight delivery of iPhone 7

While others will have to queue up to get their hands on the latest iPhone, 5 lucky customers who pre-ordered their iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus from GEMFIVE got their unit delivered to them at midnight. One lucky Stephenee Won got her unit personally delivered to her by none other than the CEO of GEMFIVE, Kwek Kon Chao. Won liao lor.
The rest of the customers who pre-ordered the latest Apple smartphones will be contacted to arrange deliveries directly to their office or residence. GEMFIVE said that they are dedicated to delight and surprise their customers, despite being smaller than the competition.
In conjunction with the launch of the iPhone 7 in Malaysia, GEMFIVE has also launched a limited-time promotion for the iPhone 7/7 Plus which ends on 31st October 2016. Customers who purchase any iPhone 7 or iPhone 7 Plus model will receive a discount of RM 225.00 plus a 1% cash rebate in store credit. Furthermore, customers will also receive RM 300.00 worth of Expedia shopping vouchers.

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To grab an iPhone 7 before the promotion ends, head over to http://www.gemfive.com/my/iphone7-special.

Pokdepinion: Wow I guess I would be really surprised to receive a pre-ordered item at midnight. The next day would suck though, as there would be no sleep for me that night.
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Google Experiments Writing Replies For You – Simply With A Tap Of A Button!

It seems that Google are experimenting on writing IM replies for you with their Google Smart Reply feature for Android with the use of your location and traffic data.
Google Smart Reply
Google wants to implement the feature to all Android devices so you know, that you won’t have to be so focused on your phone while it scan your incoming text messages or emails and then write replies in your stead.
While you might think that it is quite similar to Gmail’s option of replies (which you can find sometimes at the bottom of the mail), they are using your location as well as your traffic data as well.

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As you can see from the picture, it shows notification from Hangouts and Android Messages which comes with a few machine-produced replies, where you can answer conveniently with a tap of a button. While on the second box, it shows how you can answer ETA question with a precise calculation on how long will you reach your destination, that with a cute car emoji added to it. Doing so would need to utilize your GPS, which of course it to figure out your location.
In addition to that, the feature doesn’t only work with Google apps, it will probably compatible with Whatsapp, Facebook Messenger, Android Messages, Skype, Twitter, and the likes.
Besides offering you for a quick reply, the app will feature a Do Not Disturb mode, neat when you’re in meetings, driving or even on a vacation to add an auto-responder across various chat apps.
For those who wants to try the feature, you can actually apply to be one of the beta testers at their google form. While it isn’t fully out yet, we will definitely be updating if does indeed comes out.
Source: arstechnica
Pokdepinion: If the the app does indeed come out, it will definitely be useful (I’m looking at you, people who text while driving!).

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Xiaomi Invites Malaysians To Become Their New Xiaomi Bunny Designer

Xiaomi is inviting all Malaysian creative minds to participate in the next Malaysian Xiaomi Bunny Design contest. From now until July 4, Mi fans and Malaysians can submit their creative designs for a chance to win special Xiaomi products, the title of “Official Xiaomi Bunny Designer in Malaysia,” and the chance to have their design manufactured as the next Malaysian Xiaomi Bunny.
Design the new official Xiaomi Bunny

The Xiaomi Bunny has been a symbol for the Mi Community and fans alike since its inception and has played a vital part in the Xiaomi brand. Its distinct appearance and design have won hearts and become an integral element of the brand’s identity and culture. Xiaomi is now in the process of creating a Mi Bunny to represent Malaysian Mi Fans.

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Mi Fans and Malaysians can participate in the Xiaomi Bunny Design contest by submitting their designs to Mi Community. All entries will be voted on by Mi Community members, and the top three most popular designs will advance to the final round. The best design that reflects Xiaomi and the Mi Community in Malaysia will be chosen by a team of judges from Xiaomi Global HQ and Xiaomi Malaysia. Mi Fans will also be able to make stickers and memes based on the winning Mi Bunny design.
Pokdepinion: Now this is an interesting contest and I would love to try it out for myself. Who knows? Maybe my design could be the winning design.
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Cooler Master MasterAccessory Backpack XL Review – Practical, Comfortable, and Valuable

Cooler Master MasterAccessory Backpack XL Review
Appearance

The Cooler Master MasterAccessory Backpack XL is a rather large gaming backpack, and for a good reason. It’s meant to be a complete solution for gamers whenever they travel for whatever reason. Be it for work, a LAN party, or just a simple gathering with friends. It’s built to be durable, comfortable, and with plenty of space / pockets to keep all your precious gears and items.

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When you look at the whole Backpack XL, it’s a relatively simple looking backpack. It’s mostly black with some gray accents from the zippers, and it has a top cover flap which seems rather glossy. This flap is waterproof (for weather-protection), the only one with a black zipper, and it also has a mini compartment which would be useful to keep smaller items. Interestingly, there is this thingamajig behind the flap which can be used for cable management purposes.

Open up the flap and you’ll be greeted with a total of four storage compartments which vary in size. Three of those compartments have reinforced pockets of varying sizes which will give you a rough idea of what it’s meant for. For example, the longer pocket would be suitable for laptop chargers whereas the smaller ones would fit nicely for a gaming mouse, powerbank, and similar items.
Would not recommend putting a water bottle here.
The laptop sleeve portion differs from the usual pockets as it has more cushioning to ensure that your laptop is well-protected at all times. It doesn’t have a side pocket on the outside to store water bottles in, though you might be able to utilize a makeshift one with the side plastic buckles. I personally would not recommend it as there’s nothing to stop it from falling off except for the buckles themselves.

Moving to the back, you have your shoulder straps which seems like nothing special at first glance. However, the straps do have an air ventilated surface on the back (the part which makes contact with your body). This same surface is also seen on the backrest portion here, with the difference being that this one has noticeably more cushioning for added comfort.

Lastly on the bottom, you have four rubberized stands, similar albeit bigger than the stands seen on laptops. This will make it easier for it to balance when placed on a flat surface so you won’t need to be heavily reliant on a wall to prevent it from falling flat. Just keep in mind that its balance will still be dependent on what items are inside the backpack.
Specifications

5 Storage Compartments
Waterproof top cover flap
Reinforced pockets and notebook protection cushion
Air ventilated surface on the back
Can fit 17-inch laptops
342 x 185 x 500 mm (L x W x H)

User Experience

For a bit of context, I am an avid gamer and I also have a rather active lifestyle given my job scope. I do usually travel lighter when it comes to work unless I’ll be away from home for a day or longer. When I’m bring stuff around for gaming, it can be rather extensive. For example, I will be carrying the following items:

A laptop + charger
Gaming mouse
Nintendo Switch + dock
5 controllers
1L Water bottle
Powerbank
Various USB cables
A change of clothes

All of these can easily take up a lot of space, and I’m very happy that the Cooler Master MasterAccessory Backpack XL can easily fit in all of these items. It has zero trouble fitting larger, 17.3-inch laptops. Moreover, I can place specific items in specific pockets in the bag, which makes packing a very clean endeavour without the need of extensive planning.

Admittedly, I do feel like at times, it would’ve been better if two of the main compartments combined to form a singular, bigger compartment overall. However, that would also come at a price of some of the pockets, and I can understand why it was designed in such a way. On another note, you may feel a bit overwhelmed by the sheer number of pockets and you may not end up using some of it. That is fine actually. After all, you can use it however you like. Just take the time to know what the bag has to offer, and eventually, you might end up using everything single space.

As for comfort, I do feel like the strap and backrest has that soft, plush feel which makes it feel quite comfortable when carried. Furthermore, the Backpack XL hugs my back tightly enough that it doesn’t feel as heavy as I thought it was even with the bag filled up. In a sense, I feel like it hugging my back well enough, as well as the fact that heavier items like laptops are placed in compartments closer to my back, allow for better weight balance and thus, feels lighter than it actually is when carrying it.
Nowadays, security has become an increasingly important feature for backpacks. Having some form of theft protection can make it a much more valuable, worthwhile purchase. It doesn’t have any sort of hook / chain with a PIN lock that you can safely tie it on a pole and leave it there without worries. However, the top cover flap does provide some form of anti-theft measure. How so?
It would be very obvious if someone is trying to steal from you.
Well, it’s true that it’s primary function is to protect the insides from water / weather but at the same time, it also prevents access to three of the main compartments of the bag. These three compartments are the biggest ones on the Backpack XL, so you’d be storing the more valuable items here, such as laptops and gaming peripherals. The other two compartments are small and more suited for items that would require quick access like keys. This way, it would be tough for someone to try to steal from it, especially while you’re wearing it, without being completely obvious.
While I do like the simplicity in the Backpack XL’s aesthetics, I wished there was a bit more colours to make it look a bit more lively. For example, instead of just neutral colours, perhaps black with purple accents. Even having the Cooler Master logo in white would make it stand out better. Not to say that the colours on this are bad as I can see it appealing to certain people as well. Just that having more colour options would make it more enticing for consumers who may have an added emphasis on aesthetics.
Cooler Master MasterAccessory Backpack XL Verdict

The Cooler Master MasterAccessory Backpack XL is one of the most practical backpacks out there regardless of whether you’re a gamer or not. Despite being able to store so many items and also 17-inch laptops, it doesn’t look particularly huge. Despite its simple design with the neutral colour choice, it’s aesthetically-pleasing, especially thanks to the top cover flap. Its design also makes it suitable for both genders across all ages and even for office use.
The pockets and all the compartments make it easier for us to store items as we’ll know where to place specific items. However, consumers who prefer having a singular large pocket / compartment as opposed to having all of these divided pockets / compartments will certainly dislike this. Furthermore, consumers who prefer a more bombastic gamer-esque aesthetic may find this a little dull.
However, if practicality and comfort are what you’re looking for in a backpack, then this will certainly suit your needs. With that, I award the Cooler Master MasterAccessory Backpack XL with our coveted Gold Pokdeward.

Big thanks to Cooler Master Malaysia for providing us with this backpack for review.
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