Hi-res renders of OnePlus 9 series appear, OnePlus 9R could be India-only

With the OnePlus 9 series launching this week, it's no wonder we're seeing leaks every day. We've even seen official renders of the standard and Pro variant, as well as details of a third variant. But now sources claim that the latter could be region-exclusive.

Evan Blass, a reliable leaker, has recently posted uncompressed renders of the OnePlus 9 and OnePlus 9 Pro. But what caught our attention is his statement that the OnePlus 9R is rumoured to only be available in India. Of course, it does make sense as the 9R is expected to have mid-range specs.

The OnePlus 9 series is expected to launch with a 50W wireless charger

On that topic, the OnePlus 9R is expected to come with a Snapdragon 690 chipset, 8GB of RAM, and 128GB of internal storage. As you can see, the memory and storage are decent but the chipset isn't all that impressive. OnePlus could also use cheaper materials for the model, which would help bring down the cost and make it more affordable.

Mind you, Blass did say that it was a rumour, so do take the news with a grain of salt. Depending on the market, OnePlus could still launch the 9R there. But would you be interested in getting it? Let us know in the comments, and stay tuned to TechNave for more updates about it.


HiSilicon might start supplying chips to manufacturers other than Huawei

Based on a statement by eetimes.com, HiSilicon might be keen on supplying chipsets to manufacturers other than Huawei. It seems that the Shenzhen HiSilicon branch will be responsible for supplying chips to Huawei, while the Shanghai HiSilicon branch will focus solely on the open market.

With all that said, there is no official news on how exactly this will affect non-Huawei devices which are equipped with the HiSilicon chipset. As far as we know, HiSilicon could be focusing more towards other products such as IoT, smart TVs, set-top-box and more. Would you be interested in owning a smartphone with a HiSilicon chipset? Let us know on our Facebook page and for more updates like this, stay tuned to TechNave.com.


Hidden info on Apple’s website suggests that the iPhone 14 Plus was originally named ‘iPhone 14 Max’

Apple unveiled a new ‘Plus’ model for its iPhone lineup with the iPhone 14 series, which essentially replaced the ‘mini’ model with a larger model. However, the 6.7-inch iPhone model may not have been initially called ‘iPhone 14 Plus’ by Apple but ‘iPhone 14 Max’ instead, with many references on Apple’s website to corroborate this.

This was first spotted by Dutch blog iCreate who found a couple of instances on Apple’s website that refers to the Plus models as Max. First is the file image of the iPhone 14 Plus models in five colours which upon closer inspection is named ‘iPhone-14-Max-colors’. The image can be found in a support document on Apple’s website.

Besides that, on a compliance and regulatory information page for the company's products, Apple again listed the Plus model as "iPhone 14 Max" with the iPhone 14 Plus model number alongside other models in the iPhone 14 series. Based on these two references, it seems likely that the change of the model’s name to Plus was a bit last minute and Apple initially wanted to name the model ‘Max’ in line with the iPhone Pro Max naming scheme.

What do you guys think? Which name do you prefer? Max or Plus? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below and stay tuned to TechNave for more trending tech news such as this.


ASUS Malaysia launches Vivobook 15X from RM3099

ASUS Malaysia recently announced the Vivobook 15X with the Intel-powered K3504 and the AMD-powered M3504. Designed to be a stylish, durable, and sustainable laptop, it has a metal lid with a Vivobook raised logo tab, and a striped enter key for a more distinctive look. Built to last, the Vivobook 15X is made with 30% post-consumer recycled (PCR) plastics and 100% recyclable packaging, and it meets EPEAT Silver and ENERGY STAR® standards along with MIL-STD-810H durability.

The Vivobook 15X is powered by either the 13th Gen Intel Core i5-1335U or AMD Ryzen™ 7 7730U, and it has 8GB of DDR4 memory. It also has a 15.6-inch FHD IPS display with an anti-glare coating and TÜV Rheinland certification, a powerful Dirac-tuned audio system, and an HD webcam with ASUS 3D Noise Reduction (3DNR).

The Vivobook 15X is available from the first week of June, priced at RM 3,099 for the Intel-powered K3504 and RM 3,199 for the AMD-powered M3504. Considering the features, this a pretty nicely priced 15.6-inch value laptop from ASUS but which would you choose? Intel or AMD? Share your thoughts in the comments below and stay tuned to TechNave.com


High-achieving Maxis eKelas students get awarded

Maxis eKelas celebrated their high achieving eKelas students with Anugerah Gemilang eKelas that includes cash contributions to their National Education Savings Scheme as well as a school starter pack. Out of these, 11 students showed improvements in their English, Science and Mathematics for an RM1200 cash contribution while another 8 who did well in two of the subjects above got RM600 contributed to their National Education Savings Scheme accounts.

The Maxis eKelas programme has been operating from 45 Pusat Internet 1Malaysia nationwide to provide learning opportunities and eKelas access to underserved areas especially in rural communities. Since its launch last year, Maxis eKelas now has more than 4000 students with the aim of 10000 students by the end of 2018.


High-definition images of upcoming Sony WF-1000XM4 leaked before launch

Back in 2019, Sony launched the WF-1000XM3 and the pair has since been one of the top choices for people who are interested in getting themselves true wireless earbuds. In 2021, the Japanese company is expected to be back with the successor WF-1000XM4 in June 2021. Before that happens, let's take a look at these high-definition pictures of the upcoming true wireless earbuds.

The new pictures surfaced are aligned with the ones which we have seen earlier through leaks. It looks like the earbuds will get a huge makeover by eliminating the pill-shaped design and replaced with a conventional circular shape. The Sony logo has also been moved to the side and the earbuds are expected to arrive in two colours - Black and Silver.

For now, it is unsure if the WF-1000XM4 will be water and sweat resistant or support Sony’s higher-res LDAC codec, as these features are the ones that were missing from the predecessor. However, a leak that appeared earlier showing the packaging box with a “Hi-Res Audio” logo might have hinted at the new earbuds could have LDAC support. The WF-1000XM4 is also suggested to have 6 hours of playback on a single charge, plus 18 hours from the case.

Let us know if you're excited about the launch of the Sony WF-1000XM4 on our Facebook page. Stay tuned to TechNave.com for the latest tech gadget news.


High-end Lenovo Legion Y920 lands in Malaysia for RM12999, along with two Legion Tower CPUs from RM4999

Today, Lenovo Malaysia had officially launched their latest gaming products for the Malaysian gamers. Introducing the Lenovo Legion Y920 laptop, Legion Y720 Tower and Legion Y520 Tower, all three of them are now available at all Lenovo exclusive stores and multi brand stores across Malaysia for RM12,999, RM7799 and RM4999 respectively (inclusive of GST).

First up, the Legion Y920 is a high end gaming laptop featuring a NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 graphics card with 4K resolution, 7th Gen Intel Core i7 unlocked processor, along with a mechanical keyboard with an optional multicolor backlight feature. It also has a 3W Bass Subwoofer and two 2W JBL Speakers with Dolby Home Theater.

Side view, the keyboard is purely mechanical

You can see through the hardwares inside the body

Then for the two towers (#punintended), the Legion Y720 Tower is a VR-ready monster using the same Intel processor and GTX graphics card as the Y920, while the Y520 Tower offers a flexible approach for gamers to switch the optical drive, storage, or memory (the Y720 Tower also allows it). The Y520 uses the GTX 1060 graphics card.

The casing for the interchangeable drive

Meanwhile, Lenovo Malaysia also introduced new members for the Lenovo Legion community, the new influencers area none other than Tashbunny, a popular Twitch streamer and Asto eGG Network personality; Geek Fam, a local pro DotA 2 Team; and Geraldine Read, an up and coming car racer.

To learn more about the specifications, kindly head over to Lenovo Legion Malaysia website here for more information.


High-quality live photos of HUAWEI nova 8 are here to show us the design before launch

Just yesterday, we had the chance to look at some of the main tech specs of the upcoming HUAWEI nova 8 series to give us some clues. Now, some high-quality live photos are here to show us the design of the devices. Let's take a look at how HUAWEI styled their possibly last smartphones in 2020!

From one of the photos, the nova 8 can be seen having a rectangular circle camera module that has four sensors in it. The sensors are expected to be a 64MP main sensor, an 8MP ultrawide lens, and two 2MP units. On the front, the device features a curved screen with a punch-hole camera placed in the top middle. The device shown could be the vanilla nova 8 as the Pro variant is rumoured to have a dual selfie camera setup.

To recap, the nova 8 series is suggested to be powered by Kirin 985 chipset and supports dual-mode 5G. Other than knowing that the nova 8 will be packing a 3700mAh battery (not sure if it's the same for Pro), it is said that the series will be supporting up to 66W fast charging. The devices are also expected to come with two memory configurations that are 8GB/128GB and 8GB/256GB.

Let us know what you think about the design of the upcoming HUAWEI nova 8 on our Facebook page. Stay tuned to TechNave.com for more latest smartphone leaks.


High quality renders and tech specs leaked for the HUAWEI P50 series!

About a month ago, we spotted the first renders for the upcoming flagship the HUAWEI P50 and HUAWEI P50 Pro+. Today, we have a second version of higher quality renders and also a little more information of the smartphone which was leaked from schematics.

According to the renders, we can clearly notice that there are two large circles housing two lenses each which total up as 4 cameras. There is one LED flash on the center right of the camera housing as well with Leica imprinted on the top circle. The HUAWEI P50 is expected to come with a Sony IMX800 main camera sensor, ultrawide angle lens and a telephoto lens.

As for the HUAWEI P50 Pro, it will have a standard main camera, ultrawide angle lens and a periscope lens while the P50 Pro+ will have an additional 3D ToF camera on top of the three sensors. The HUAWEI P50 series will be powered by a Kirin 9000 chipset with Harmony OS out of the box and 4 colour variants,White, Black, Blue, and Beige.

Either way, there is still no official confirmation on the tech specs and release dates for the HUAWEI P50 series, so do take this with a pinch of salt. But we are expecting it to be unveiled in late April or within May-June. So stay tuned for more tech news updates on TechNave.com.


High-resolution renders of ASUS Zenfone 8 leaked before launch

In a few more hours, ASUS will be announcing the Zenfone 8 series that will bring the Zenfone 8, Zenfone 8 Pro, and the intriguing Zenfone 8 mini. Before the launch happens, more high-resolution renders of the ASUS Zenfone 8 have appeared showing more details of the device.

According to the images, the Zenfone 8 will feature a punch-hole display this time without the flipping camera module. The front-firing speaker can also be seen on the top bezel with the other speaker on the bottom edge alongside a microphone, a USB-C port, and a SIM slot. On the top edge, the device has a 3.5mm audio jack and another microphone.

Besides that, the power button has also been coated with blue paint and it's located on the right edge below the volume rocker. For the camera module on the rear, it is rectangle-shaped and houses two camera sensors with a LED flashlight. Overall, the Zenfone 8 features a metallic frame and ASUS has already confirmed that it will be coming with an IP68 rating for waterproof and dust resistance.

Let us know if you're excited to see the upcoming ASUS Zenfone 8 series on our Facebook page. Stay tuned to TechNave.com for more smartphone news.


High traffic caused Disney+ to crash on the first day of its release

Disney+ is a highly anticipated streaming service developed by Disney and it finally launched on 12 November in the United States, Canada, and the Netherlands. The streaming service provides you with all your favourite shows and movies from Disney, Marvel, Star Wars and some new content which you will definitely love if you’re a big fan of those. However, Disney+ crashed on the first day of its release and the subscribers were not really happy about it.

Although it is considered normal for new large scale streaming services to face technical issues and getting them fixed immediately, but the problem faced by Disney+ was somehow unidentified and subscribers panicked over it. A lot of them were facing issues like unable to load any content or can’t access into the service at all.

Being troubled by the crashes, it is also said that the Disney+ helpline has put customers on hold for almost one hour as they couldn’t figure out any solution yet. At the same time, it was reported that there are signs of Disney managing to fix the issue by reducing 8441 complaints to 748 left as the day progresses.

The internet has also trolled the widely advertised streaming service because of its breakdown on social media platforms. There were a lot of Disney+ memes created by the frustrated users so let’s enjoy them down below.

all of us trying to log onto disney+ in just a few hours pic.twitter.com/iPP0Op6xo9

me seeing ppl’s #DisneyPlusfail while binging on the app all day pic.twitter.com/KytgMq2wiL

Disney on their way to the bank while seeing your complaints #DisneyPlus #Disney #DisneyPlusfail pic.twitter.com/g28fPxjAjf

Let’s hope that Disney+ can rise once again to fight against the other giant streaming services in this tough war. We also hope that Disney+ will be available in Malaysia soon for us to enjoy shows like The Mandalorian, remake of Lady and the Tramp and more.

Let us know if you would subscribe to Disney+ once it's released in Malaysia on our Facebook page! For more news like this, stay tuned on TechNave.com.


Higher Education Minister: 97,635 PerantiSiswa applications have been approved under phase one of the programme

The Minister of Higher Education, Datuk Seri Dr Noraini Ahmad today gave an update regarding the PerantiSiswa Keluarga Malaysia programme, revealing that a total of 97,635 applications have been approved. During her speech at Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) today, Noraini said that all of the approved applications were from phase one of the programme.

Previously, we reported that nearly 60,000 out of 100,000 applications under phase one of the programme were approved and that the remaining applications are subject to a review process. Therefore, it is safe to assume that the new figure mentioned by the Higher Education Minister includes appeal cases that have since been approved.

According to Bernama, Noraini asserted that out of the 97,635 applicants, 21,633 were from Sabah. Moreover, 3,748 of those applications are in the process of getting their PerantiSiswa tablet package delivered to them.

The Higher Education Minister further asserted that the application for the programme was open since April 2021. As for the screening process, it started on 29 August 2022, with approval being given in stages and the process of handing over the devices to be done within a three-month period.

She also urged students of higher learning from B40 families to send their applications under phase two if they haven’t done so yet. The due date for the second phase is 30 September 2022.

During the event in UMS today, Noraini also handed over the PerantiSiswa tablet package to 100 students from the B40 group studying at the university. The PerantiSiswa package includes a Samsung Galaxy Tab A8 LTE, a detachable keyboard (Smart Keyboard Trio 500), a stylus pen, and a black tablet cover (Galaxy Tab A8 Book Cover).

So, what do you guys think of the PerantiSiswa Keluarga Malaysia programme? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below and stay tuned to TechNave for more tech news in Malaysia and beyond!


Higher-end ZTE Nubia Z5s and Nubia Z5s mini officially announced

ZTE is kicking it up a notch with the official announcement of their ZTE Nubia Z5s and Nubia Z5s mini smartphones. Targeting the mid-range to high-end market, both devices feature higher-end tech specs that include 1080p Sharp IGZO displays, Snapdragon 800 processors and other features. The full list of tech specs for the ZTE Nubia Z5s and Nubia Z5s mini is listed below:

Pricing for the ZTE Nubia Z5s is said to be 1999 Yuan (RM1043) for the 3G 16GB version and 3456 Yuan (RM1803) for the 4G LTE 32GB version. Users can expect the Nubia Z5s smartphone in black and white. The ZTE Nubia Z5s mini on the other hand will go for 1499 Yuan (RM782) for the 3G 16GB version and 2345 Yuan (RM1223) for the 4G LTE 32GB version. The Nubia Z5s mini will be coming in blue, green, red and yellow.  No exact Malaysia release dates were available but we expect it to come soon after the 26 November 2013 launch in China. If these prices remain the same by the time they arrive in Malaysia, the ZTE Nubia Z5s smartphones could give HTC a run for the money.


Highlights from Computex: ASUS E1Z pocket projector + 5.1 sound cover

Quite a number of devices caught our eye at Computex but these two from the ASUS booth were just a bit more interesting. This includes the ASUS E1Z, a tiny projector array that fits into your pocket and a new tablet cover that comes with six speakers and 5.1 channel surround sound. The E1Z uses LED technology to project images and videos from your Android phone. It also uses a micro-USB connection, so you won't have to buy an MHL cable. What's more, is that it doubles as a battery bank, and thanks to its 6000 mAh battery, there's sufficient power for emergencies. Official Malaysian pricing and tech specs are yet to be announced, but it seems that the E1Z will be priced around US$200 (RM740). The tablet cover on the other hand comes with six speakers. This allows the cover to support 5.1-channel surround sound and according to ASUS, boost the standard volume of the attached tablet by up to six times. Reports have said that it'll go on sale at the same time as the ASUS ZenPad 8.0, but it remains unclear if the cover is only compatible with the ZenPad 8.0, or can be used with other tablets as well.


ASUS Malaysia launches new Fonepad 7, ZenFone C and EeeBook X205

ASUS Malaysia recently launched a trifecta of affordable yet feature-filled devices with the ASUS Fonepad 7 FE171CG, ASUS ZenFone C and ASUS EeeBook X205. The Fonepad 7 FE171CG doubles tech specs and features by offering a slimmer 7.9mm thin body, 8MP rear camera, 16GB storage and 2GB RAM for just RM529. While it doesn't replace the Fonepad 7 FE170CG, the ASUS ZenFone C replaces the ZenFone 4 smartphones for RM349. Notable tech specs for the ZenFone C includes a 4.5-inch display, larger 2100 mAh battery, 5MP PixelMaster camera with Low-Light function and SonicMaster audio with external amplifier. The third device is the ASUS EeeBook X205 which is a stylish and thin Windows 8.1 notebook computer with an 11.6-inch display for just RM699 for the 32GB storage version and RM799 for the 64GB storage version. Check out our hands-on photos of the three ASUS devices below:

Compared against a previous Fonepad 7, the new Fonepad 7 FE171CG is sleeker, thinner and slimmer

The ASUS Fonepad 7 FE171CG on the left compared to the ASUS Fonepad 7 FE375

The ASUS Fonepad 7 FE171CG is slimmer and thinner than the previous Fonepad 7 tablets. It is also 10g lighter, weighing in at 280g. The most notable new feature remains the 8MP rear camera which now has autofocus and can offer the PixelMaster Low-Light function. ASUS have also included a new TruVivid technology for the Fonepad 7's IPS display. It should be available from February 2015 at a retail price of RM529.

Replacing the lower-end ASUS ZenFone 4 is the ASUS ZenFone C with it's 4.5-inch display. The general ZenFone look remains the same but it is definitely less chunky looking than the ZenFone 4. ASUS have said that the ZenFone 5 and 6 will remain with the same names though. The new ZenFone C will also be available from early February 2015 from RM349.

The ASUS EeeBook X205 on the other hand offers a nice 11.6-inch display with anti-glare panel and 1366 x 768 pixel resolution. It is powered by a 1.33GHz quad-core Intel Z3735 processor, 2GB of RAM, 32GB / 64GB storage and comes in dark blue, gold and white colours. It is very thin and slim at 286 x 193.3 x 17.5mm and weighs a fairly light 0.98kg. The large touchpad will support gestures while dual-front speakers with Sonic Master audio tech will offer better sound. The 32GB version will be available for RM699 while the 64GB version is going for RM799 with a Malaysia release date expected in March 2015.


Highlights from Intel Developer Forum 2015

Intel recently held their Intel Developer Forum (IDF) 2015 where Brian Krzanich, CEO of Intel revealed more upcoming Intel technologies that will impact the world. Of note was the new Intel Opane technology based on the 3D XPoint memory media for Intel SSDs that will offer better performance, endurance and space when or if it does come out. The Fossil Group also revealed an Intel-based wearables coming in September 2015 including an Android Wear smartwatch. Continuing Intel's focus on the Internet of Things, a platform for the Intel Curie module, the button sized computer system in a chip will enable even more devices. Check out all the highlights below:


Hints of iOS 15 and macOS 12 found, could be unveiled during WWDC in June 2021

Every year, Apple makes major announcements during its WWDC conference. Most of them are software related and that should be the case for WWDC 2021 too. Interestingly, we may already have an idea of what's to come thanks to recent finds.

According to 9to5Mac, references to iOS 15 and macOS 12 were found on Apple's open-source WebKit repository. The references were added using the commit message "Update WKWebView getUserMedia delegate to the latest proposal". We're not sure what that means, but it sounds like a request for a document update.

Of course, this doesn't tell us anything about the upcoming updates. However, the timing could be an indication that Apple is starting to make plans. For your information, WWDC was held in June for the last five years, so we can expect it to be the same this year.

With that said, what are you hoping to see from iOS 15 and macOS 12? Is there a specific feature you want? Let us know in the comments, and stay tuned to TechNave for more updates on this.


Hiroshi Masuoka, the voice actor of Master Roshi on Dragon Ball, has passed away

Legend will leave this world someday, but their works and achievements will always be here to enlighten us. Today, it is sad to announce that the voice actor Hiroshi Masuoka, who was famously known as the voice of Master Roshi on Dragon Ball, has passed away.

Mr. Masuoka was diagnosed with rectal cancer and passed away on 21 March 2020, after dedicating most of his life voicing for different anime characters. He voiced Master Roshi in four episodes of Dragon Ball Z from ep. 288 to ep. 291, but he also voiced the character in other Dragon Ball spin-offs.

For those who are a fan of anime series Anpanman, you might recognize his voice as he was also the voice of Jam Ojisan. Other than those series mentioned, he has also starred in Sazae-san, Ashita no Joe, GeGeGe no Kitaro, and dozens more. He has also participated in works other than voicing for anime characters like commercials, US TV shows, and Japanese TV shows. The beloved voice actor will always be missed and his legacy will continue to inspire the next generations of anime voice actors.

Let us know what you think about the passing away of Hiroshi Masuoka on our Facebook page. Stay tuned to TechNave.com for more viral news.


Hisense A5C and A5Pro series are launched today with the world's first colour e-ink screen smartphones

Do you still remember the colour e-ink screen smartphone from Hisense that was showcased at CES 2020 last time? Today, the smartphone was finally launched at the 2020 China Digital Reading Cloud Conference in conjunction with World Book Day. The e-ink screen smartphones debuted at the conference with two series which are the A5C and A5Pro, let’s find out the differences between them!

Before we go to the tech specs, let’s first dive into the official features of these smartphones! If you’re looking for the ones which come with a colour e-ink screen, the A5C and A5Pro CC from the A5Pro series are the models that come with the technology. The other model which is A5Pro Classic from A5Pro will still use a black and white screen like other book readers. For the A5C and A5Pro CC, they have been added a layer of color filters on the devices which makes them able to display 4,096 different colours.

Other than that, all of the models retain a minimalist desktop design, volume keys to turn pages and a high-fidelity HIFI chip. There’s also a new ‘Do Not Disturb Mode’ being added to enhance the reading experience among users. During the reading process, the system notifications and social messages will be displayed in the form of floating windows as well just like regular smartphones.

In terms of the tech specs, the A5Pro Classic and A5Pro CC both house a UNISOC T610 processor with fast refresh time at only 136ms. The devices also come with dual SIM card + T card slots, independent speaker, a 13MP rear camera, a 5MP selfie camera, and a fingerprint recognition module. Other than that, they will be running on Android 10 as well with NFC and 4G support. A 4000mAh battery will be used by both devices with a Type-C charging interface. For the A5C, it has similar tech specs to the models from the A5Pro series but will house a Qualcomm Snapdragon 439 processor instead.

All of the devices mentioned will sport a 5.84-inch screen and will go on sale on different dates in China. The A5C (4/64 GB) is priced at 1,699 Yuan (~RM1,046) and it's going on sale starting from 29th April. For the A5Pro series, the A5 Pro Classic (4/64GB) with the price of 1,599 Yuan (~RM984) will go on presale starting from 10 June. The A5Pro CC with two variants which are 4/64GB and 6/128GB will be priced at 1,799 Yuan (~RM1,107) and 1,999 Yuan (~RM1,230) respectively, with presale starting from 1 June.

Let us know what you think about all the Hisense’s e-ink smartphones on our Facebook page. Stay tuned to TechNave.com for more new smartphone launches.


Hisense D50 5G spotted on TENAA with 4900mAh battery capacity

The Hisense D50 5G just got certified and spotted on TENAA with some tech specs in the database. We think this device might be the Unisoc T7510 which the company has been shipping from their recent 5G smartphones.

The D50 5G could feature a 6.53-inch 1080p display and a selfie snapper on the middle of the screen. This device may come with three RAM variants which are 4GB, 6GB, and 8GB. As for the internal storage, it might feature three different variants as well with 64GB, 128GB, and 256GB.

On the other hand, it might perhaps sport a quad-rear camera with a 16MP + 8MP + 2MP + 2MP. The device could be powered by a 4900mAh battery and run on Android 9 Pie.

Well, this is just a leak, so why not just take it with a pinch of salt and don't be serious about it. Do you think Hisense Malaysia will bring the D50 5G into the Malaysian market? Let us know in the comments below and be sure to stay tuned for more tech news on TechNave.com.


Hisense's new 55-inch and 65-inch Galaxy OLED TVs are certified with IMAX Enhanced

Hisense has announced two new Galaxy OLED TVs today in China with a 55-inch model priced at 6,999 Yuan (~RM4,324) while another 65-inch model priced at 9,999 Yuan (~RM6,178). They are not just ordinary OLED TVs as they're the first Chinese-branded televisions to come with IMAX Enhanced certification.

The 55-inch and 65-inch TVs bear the model numbers 55J70 and 65J70 respectively. They both sport a 4K OLED panel with support for 1.07 billion colors, 137% wide color gamut, 13,50,000:1 contrast ratio, ΔE1.2 JNCD, and 178° viewing angle. Although the screens are limited to 60Hz, the TVs come with MEMC to cope with some fast-paced content. They also feature IMAX Enhanced, Dolby Vision, and multiple other certifications for low blue-light emission.

For the outer look, the TVs feature metal bodies as well as metal stands. The 55-inch is only 3.8mm thick while the 65-inch is measured 4.9mm. Other than that, the bottom bezels of both TVs are slightly thicker as they house an unknown quad-core chipset with 4 x ARM Cortex-A73 cores paired with 3GB RAM and 32GB internal storage along with speakers, microphones, I/O interfaces. For audio, the TVs come with far-field microphones for voice control and support DTS Listen, DTS Virtual X, and Dolby Audio. They will be running Android Pie out of the big box.

Let us know what you think about these two new TVs from Hisense on our Facebook page. Stay tuned to TechNave.com for more latest smart TV news.


Hisense will be launching the world's first colour e-ink screen smartphone soon

Have you ever heard of e-ink screens? If you’ve never heard about them, we bet you are familiar with e-book devices like the Amazon Kindle. Yes, the Amazon Kindle does use the type of screen mentioned. Now, it looks like we’re going to have the world’s first color e-ink screen smartphone being launched by HiSense soon. Let’s continue reading for more information!

The Hisense device was first showcased at CES 2020 earlier and is scheduled to be launched on 23rd April. It uses the latest colour printing technology to display 4096 colours. If you want to know why it is so special, it is because the device’s screen doesn’t emit light on its own. The screen actually depends on natural light imaging to display the content, which means that the users will no longer have to worry about blue light hurting their eyes. During the night, the device will also use its built-in warm front lights as a source of illumination.

Other than that, the device will feature ultra-low power consumption as well since the screen is not either a LED or LCD, not to mention it is said that the screen can continue to display content while the power is off. The Hisense device named Color Ink Reader will arrive soon with many different apps for content.

Let us know what you think about the world’s first colour e-ink smartphone on our Facebook page. Stay tuned to TechNave.com for more cool tech news.


Hitman GO is temporarily available for free on Android and iOS

Do you enjoy the Hitman series and want a new Hitman game to play? Well, why not try Hitman GO? No, it's not a Hitman version of Pokemon GO. Unlike its more action-oriented PC/console counterparts, Hitman GO is more of a puzzle game. It's now available for free for Android and iOS users until 23 April 2020.

Developed by Square Enix Montreal and launched back in 2014, Hitman GO is a turn-based puzzle game that plays a bit like a board game. You still play as Agent 47 and your goal is to complete the assassination missions given to you. Each level has a map that looks like a grid, with Agent 47 and other characters or obstacles placed across the map.

The game has an interesting art style and the gameplay is simple, so it's great when you want to burn a few minutes. What's great here is that you after you installed the game, it's yours for good. You can download it from the Google Play Store or Apple App Store. Also, remember to stay tuned to TechNave.com for more updates on tech and gaming.


Hold on to your wallets! Xiaomi products will be increasing in price soon

CEO and co-founder of Xiaomi, Lei Jun, mentioned that the Xiaomi Mi 9 may be the last flagship smartphone to be priced under 3000 Yuan (~RM1826). This is to ensure that the company would be able to invest more and create better products in the future.

There were rumours swirling around last year that the prices of Xiaomi smartphones would be increasing. Xiaomi denied these rumours and assured Mi fans that if the prices were to increase, the profit margins would not exceed 5%. However, this may no longer be the case anymore as the company does have to show some form of return to investors.

At least the Mi 9's price will stay the same... :(

On the bright side, you don’t have to worry too much about the prices as Lei Jun reassured fans that, “Our (Xiaomi) smartphones could become more expensive, not much but slightly more expensive”. To be fair, with Redmi now branching away from Xiaomi, you can always turn to Redmi for a cheaper alternative as the brand guarantees low prices. How do you feel about the future price hike for Xiaomi? For the latest Xiaomi news, make sure you check out TechNave.com!


Home Audio System tips by Sony

If you’ve bought a Hi-Res audio system already and wondered how you can bring out the best of it. Sony is here to give you some helpful tips to have a wonderful entertainment experience at home. Whether it’s your TV, subwoofer or sound bar, here are 4 ways to maximize the sound quality without having to spend an extra money.

The first rule of having such equipment is the position of the audio speaker and yourself. One should not sit too far or too close to the TV screen, there’s an ideal set-up distance for that and it can be calculated as

– Diagonal length of HDTV x 2 = Distance from TV (in feet) – to get the best of surround sound. After that, you can determine your seating location couch and it should be placed at least one foot away from the rear wall so that the bass will sound just nice. The sound bar should be placed below the TV, and turn the speakers 22-30 degrees towards the left and right from where you sit.

The size of your room plays a role and it can reflect the echoes, if it does that try adding sound absorption materials such as curtains, books, photo frames and rugs. But remember, don’t over do it as balance is important for the sound.

If you know any audiophiles, you would know that a full surround sound system is not cheap and takes up a lot of space. If you don’t want any of that, then a sound bar is just right for you. The sound bar not only enhances the audio from the movies and videos you’re watching, but it also produces great music quality if you’re having a house party.

The purpose of a subwoofer is to boost the sound with an extra “oomph” to sound effects and audio tunes. Like the positioning rule, you will have to test which room area suits best for the subwoofer as it affects the sound quality of the bass.

We hope this is helpful for you to re-evaluate how you set up your living room, at the meantime you can also visit Sony’s latest audio system to check it out more should you be interested.


10 Netflix titles that were the most popular amongst Malaysians in 2019

With the new year just around the corner, Netflix has decided to share some of its year in review with us. A new list that was released has revealed the top 10 titles on Netflix that Malaysians particularly loved.

It should be noted that the list considers only Netflix originals but it's still one filled with great shows. The list even includes the recently launched The Witcher, which stars Henry Cavill as a mercenary monster hunter in a fantasy world. Interesting enough, The Witcher and The Umbrella Academy seem to be the only TV series, while the rest are Netflix original movies.

Have you watched any of the shows on this list? Do let us know which ones were your favourite on our Facebook page. Also, stay tuned to TechNave.com for more news like this.


2.3 million BPN applicants have been recently approved!

Based on a statement by finance minister Tengku Zafrul, up to a total of 2.3 million Bantuan Prihatin National (BPN) applicants have recently been approved to receive the financial aid in the near future. Furthermore, the minister also added that they have already distributed RM620 million to 830000 eligible individuals since 15 May 2020.

In addition to that, Zafrul recently pointed out that there will be a stimulus package aimed towards SME in the near future. However, there’s no official date on that happening for now.

With that said, have you checked on their official website whether you’re eligible for the BPN? Let us know on our Facebook page and for more updates like this, stay tuned to TechNave.com.


ASUS Malaysia launches new ZenBook and VivoBook laptops powered by 11th Gen Intel CPUs

It wasn't all that long ago when ASUS Malaysia launched ZenBook and VivoBook laptops with the 10th Gen Intel CPUs, but new ones are already on the way. The company just revealed that new ZenBook and VivoBook models powered by the latest 11th Gen Intel Tiger Lake CPUs will be available this month.

First to be introduced were the ZenBook 13 and ZenBook 14. These two models come with an 11th Gen Intel Core i7-1165G7 or Core i5-1135G7 CPU, 8GB of RAM, and the new Intel Iris Xe GPU inside. You'll also get a 512GB PCIe SSD, which should be enough for most people. As usual, the focus for the ZenBooks is ultra-portability. both models measure a mere 13.9mm in thickness and the ZenBook 13 is only 1.07kg in weight.

In terms of features, it has a ClearVoice Mic and AI Noise-Cancelling Audio technology to ensure clearer voice quality, making it great for those who need to attend video meetings often. It's got a relatively large 67Wh battery too, which can last up to 22 hours.

Moving on to the VivoBook series, the VivoBook 14, VivoBook 15, and VivoBook S15 offer more in the way of performance, as well as a more colourful exterior. They're still light enough at 1.4kg and 1.7kg respectively but only come with the Intel Core i5 CPU. However, they do have the same 8GB of RAM and 512GB of PCIe SSD storage.

As for the features, you can expect these to deliver more performance thanks to the ASUS Intelligent Performance Technology (AIPT). It's can push the CPU's TDP from 15W to 28W, providing a boost to the CPU's performance of up to 40%. Currently, this feature is only available to VivoBook laptops featuring the new Intel Tiger Lake CPUs.

The only difference between the VivoBook models would be that only the VivoBook S15 comes with a USB-C port that supports Thunderbolt 4. On the other hand, the VivoBook 14 and VivoBook 15 have come with both the Intel Iris Xe graphics and option for the Nvidia GeForce MX350 GPU.

If you're interested in getting one of these, you can get them from the official ASUS Malaysia store on Shopee starting from 20 November 2020. With that said, what do you think about the new models? Let us know on our Facebook page and stay tuned to TechNave.com for more news like this.


Home Ministry: Passports renewed online must be collected within 90 days or it will be disposed of

The Ministry of Home Affairs has urged Malaysians who have renewed their passports online to collect the document immediately after it is ready. This is because any passports uncollected by applicants within 90 days will be disposed of by the Immigration Department.

As reported by national news agency Bernama, Home Minister Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin asserted that it is not the jurisdiction of the Immigration Department to send the passports to the applicants. Furthermore, under the regulations that have been stipulated under the authority of the Department, they have the power to dispose of passports that have not been collected after 90 days.

In fact, the Immigration Department had recently revealed that a total of 2600 passports renewed online have yet to be claimed by their applicants. This follows the announcement made by the Department that most passport renewals by Malaysians can only be done online through MyOnline Passport beginning 11 May 2022.

Furthermore, in a statement on 15 May 2022, only the below categories are allowed to walk-in for renewal of passport at the Immigration Department:

So, what do you guys think of this statement by the Home Minister? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below and stay tuned to TechNave for the latest tech news in Malaysia and beyond!


Honda Malaysia debuts UNI-CUB β mobility device at ISETAN The Japan Store

Starting today onwards (27 October) until 24 November 2016, Malaysians will have an opportunity to take a ride on Honda’s personal mobility device, the UNI-CUB β, at ISETAN The Japan Store in Lot 10 Shopping Centre.  Between the collaboration between Honda Malaysia and ISETAN The Japan Store, the public can have a first-hand experience of this Honda advanced technology through a ten-minute ride on the UNI-CUB β. The ride-on sessions will start from 11AM until 9PM every day until 24 November, which is located at Ground Floor in Lot 10 Shopping Centre.

Not particularly a new invention, as the UNI-CUB was first evolved from the U3-X which was demonstrated in Honda’s showcase during Kuala Lumpur International Motor Show (KLIMS) in 2010. Introduced in May 2012, the UNI-CUB was designed to give an ease of control and a high degree of mobility to riders in barrier-free indoor environments such as offices, shopping mall, airport, museum and library.

Then in 2013, Honda announced the enhanced version, the UNI-CUB β to be even more user-friendly for a wider range of people. Being smaller and lighter than its previous version, some parts were adopted to enhance the senses of unity of the user with the UNI-CUB β.

With the freedom of movement going forward, backward, side-to-side and diagonally by shifting body weight, this is all thanks to the balance control technology of UNI-CUB β which is a part of the Honda Robotics family of technologies, which originates from Honda's research into humanoid robots, including ASIMO.

For more information on UNI-CUB β, please log on to the company's website to check it out.


Honda spoofs smartphone airbag casing

While known for the airbag safety features of their cars Honda is less well known for their smartphone safety efforts. However, this could all change with their "Smartphone Case N" which automatically activates airbags when it detects the smartphone falling. This protects your smartphone from any cracks, dents or damage while ensuring the safety of your smartphone. Unfortunately, this is all just a spoof, mostly we think to highlight Honda's airbag safety technology, but it certainly is fun, watching the semi-serious design video below:


Hong Leong Bank just opened their first online bank store on Shopee Malaysia

What's a bank doing on Shopee? That's a good question and we are as curious as you are. Hong Leong Bank is the first Malaysian bank to appear on Shopee Mall and it seems to be activated at 9 AM today. Here's what you need to know about their products online.

Looking into their store in Shopee, there are only three products at the moment - Hong Leong Basic Savings Account, 3in1 Junior Account and a Pay&Save Account. Each cost just RM1 and surprisingly, many customers have already bought their products online (up to 120 and counting in total). It's also noted that each customer gets a free Shopee Voucher up to RM28 from each purchase.

It is understood that Hong Leong decided to open an online store so that their customers don't need to visit the branches during the MCO. This should work similarly to their online banking at their official website, except it comes with Shopee benefits. The bank also plans to add in more products in the future.

If you're a current or new Hong Leong Bank user, you ought to check it out on your Shopee app or website. Stay tuned for more trending tech news at TechNave.com.


Hong Leong Bank's new [email protected] app is where you can open a bank account online

As we're still fighting the pandemic, many of us would like to stay home and avoid going out as much as possible. With that said, we prefer to get things done online nowadays rather than exposing ourselves to unknowns. By acknowledging that, Hong Leong Bank has now become the first to allow customers to open a bank account online.

To do that, new customers can head to their preferred app store and download the new [email protected] app. After finished downloading, just follow the guided steps and you'll have a new bank account without physically visiting the bank. During the process, the app will require customers to provide information like IC number, phone number, type of account that customers want to open, and more. The app will also ask the customer to scan their faces in order to verify identification.

After sucessfully owning a Hong Leong Bank account, the app can be used to perform services such as transfer and payment. For the physical card, it will also be mailed to the customer's address after registration. It is worth mentioning that the online bank account opening service is only opened to customers who are 18 years of age or older and must comply with the regulations.

Let us know what you think about this new service offered by Hong Leong Bank on our Facebook page. Stay tuned to TechNave.com for more latest local tech news.


Hong Leong Connect app is now available for the Apple Watch

There are still not that many apps for the Apple Watch but Hong Leong Bank Berhad have just announced the extension of their Hong Leong Connect mobile banking app for the Apple Watch. While Malaysian users may have to wait a while for the official release here, those that have gotten their hands on Apple Watch can quickly install the Hong Leong connect app for Apple Watch. As the first bank in Malaysia to do so, the app allows Hong Leong Connect mobile banking customers to view balances of their Savings, Current and Credit Card accounts along with receive TAC notifications. Other features are coming soon. Here's what Hong Leong Bank Berhad had to say about it:

“It came to our attention that some of our customers were already wearing the Apple Watch even though it is not yet available here, and we wanted to ensure that they would be the first customers in Malaysia to enjoy the convenience of Hong Leong Connect from their wrist.” Galvin Yeo, General Manager for Digital Innovation & Transactional Banking, Hong Leong Bank Berhad.

“Technology adoption is evolving and we take it very seriously. We believe that this digital offering will provide Hong Leong customers with the next level of convenience.” Tan Kong Khoon, Group Managing Director/CEO, Hong Leong Bank Berhad.


HongMeng OS by Huawei may launch on August 9

The 9th of August is a pretty important day for Chinese smartphone manufacturer, Huawei. The company will be launching its largest global developers conference in China. What seems to be the main highlight of the event would the company’s OS, HongMeng. Many are speculating that the OS may be launched then.

Richard Yu, Huawei’s head of business had mentioned before that the OS is expected to be ready by fall of this year and will start off in China. He also said that the OS is not only made just for smartphones but is also made for mobile phones, computers, tablets, TVs, cars and smart wearable devices. In addition, he mentioned that HongMeng OS is compatible with all Android apps as well as web applications with an improved performance by 60% if the Android app is recompiled.

The conference expects to see a huge surge in attendees this year with over 1500 partners and 5000 global developers swinging by. It is probably due to the sheer amount of global attention that Huawei has garnered these past few months. Despite the US softening the blow on the Huawei ban, the Chinese manufacturer has mentioned that they are not giving up development on the OS. They've currently trademarked the name in several countries and has reportedly performed 60% faster on different brand smartphones than Android. Are you excited for HongMeng OS? Keep up with the latest news on TechNave.com!


HongMeng OS equipped Huawei smartphone priced at ~RM1203 to launch alongside the Mate 30 series

Based on a statement by globaltimes.cn, Huawei is expected to launch their very first HongMeng OS equipped smartphone somewhere around Q4 2019 along side the Huawei Mate 30 series.  The smartphone in question has been reported to start from the price of around RMB2000(~RM1203).

That being said, the upcoming Huawei phone will not be the first to come with the HongMeng OS. Instead, the first batch of devices that will have the operating system pre-installed is HONOR’s smart TV series which is available for purchase exclusively in China starting from 10 August 2019.

As of now, there is no information in terms of the Malaysia release date and local pricing. In addition to that, there is also no official information in regards to the tech specs and features as well. Would you be interested in owning a HongMeng OS equipped device? Let us know on our Facebook page and for more updates like this, stay tuned to TechNave.com.


HongMeng ecosystem is expected to be released in December 2020 for Huawei smartphones

It's been more than a year now since we heard about HongMeng OS (or also known as HarmonyOS). Up until now, it was speculated to be the replacement for Huawei's smartphones lineup but nothing really happened and it was revealed to be made more for the company's ecosystem instead. But recently, Huawei Consumer Business Software President Wang Chengju revealed that HongMeng OS 2.0 is expected to be released in December 2020.

According to a post on Weibo, the Software President reported that the OS is progressing quite well. Should the research and development go well, the software could be ready at the end of 2020 as scheduled. A beta version is expected to open on 18 December, then rolling out to selected smartphones in January or February, followed by a verification process then a full-upgrade in a few months. He also mentioned that more than 90% of their devices can be upgraded to HongMeng OS 2.0.

HongMeng OS 2.0 would be Huawei's answer to the lack of Google Mobile Services as a new ecosystem. So not only would it be for Huawei (and HONOR) smartphones, but a wide variety of products including smart TVs, cars, tablets, and many more. We should be seeing it on the Mate 40 series first but they have yet to announce its arrival and availability globally.

What do you think of this? And would you give HongMeng OS 2.0 a try if given a chance? Let us know in the comments below and stay tuned for more trending tech news at TechNave.com.


Honkai Impact 3 now available on Huawei AppGallery with a free in-game item gift pack

Hey mobile gamers, in this short news announcement apparently Huawei Malaysia has teamed up with miHoYo, the makers of Honkai Impact 3 and they are rewarding the fans with some gifts along with the new game app update.

In case you haven't downloaded the game on your Huawei smartphone, Huawei Malaysia has a treat for you - if you download the game on the Huawei AppGallery, you can claim a Honkai Impact Gift Pack at the gift centre. On top of that, it will coincide with the game app's newest version: V2.9 [Spring Flurry].

Honkai Impact 3 has been around in Malaysia for quite some time now and it's been gaining popularity with 10 million downloads and counting. For more information on HUAWEI AppGallery and Mobile Services here, or follow HUAWEI Mobile Services official Facebook Fans group here.


ASUS Malaysia launches the new TUF Gaming Series Laptop + new ROG lineup

The TUF Gaming Series laptop, namely the FX504, being the first of it's kind, combines the performance of work and play as well as the durability to deliver extreme reliability to the consumer. The FX504 includes features such as the FireCuda storage, which uses an SSHD 1TB storage, a durable keyboard rated at 20-million-key-press lifespan and lastly, the HyperCool technology that pairs the anti-dust cooling as well as Fan Overboost to keep the laptop at optimal temperatures and dust free.

In terms of tech specs, the FX504 is powered by the 8th generation Intel Core i7-8750HQ processor along with an NVIDIA Geforce GTX 1050 Ti in a small 2.5MM chassis weighing in at only 2.3KG.

On another note, ASUS Malaysia also launched their new lineup of ASUS ROG Gaming laptops, such as the ROG Zephyrus M, ROG Zephyrus, ROG G703, ROG Strix GL703 SCAR Edition, and lastly, the ROG Strix GL503 Hero Edition.

It is worth pointing out some of the unique features found in the laptops mentioned such as the ROG Zephyrus M being the slimmest gaming laptop ever developed in the world currently, houses a Geforce GTX 1070 graphics processor as well as an Intel 8th Gen Processor. Speaking of 8th Gen Processors, all ASUS ROG laptops that are powered by it will have a feature named Aura Sync Technology which allows gamers to change and customize the lighting of the device to their preference.

You can find out more about the laptops mentioned above by visiting ASUS Malaysia's Official Website.


Honor 10 - Most Premium Device yet from Honor

Honor 10, a flagship device that coupled with AI Camera and a unique Phantom Blue design, this is honor's most premium device yet and considering the high-spec tier with the likes of Kirin 970 processor, a 16MP + 24MP dual rear camera, 24MP front camera and more. Check out the 3 episode series to know more:


Honor 10X has been renamed to Honor X10, expected to come with 5G and should launch in May 2020

When renders of a new Honor device came out last week, it felt like the typical leak or rumour that no one could verify yet. But it seems that Honor 10X will indeed be arriving sometime this year, just not with the moniker it's expected to. Recently, Honor confirmed that series is being renamed to the Honor X10.

Zhao Ming, President of Honor, announced this during the GMIC Live 2020 but did not explain why the change was made. It's also expected to be a 5G device that he claimed will set off a '5G storm' in China. Although that's a bit vague, we can surmise that the Honor X10 will most likely be a more affordable device so that more people can have access to 5G.

If that's true, we're expecting this device to come with the Kirin 820 5G chipset. The leaked render from before also shows that it will have a triple-cam setup at the back and a pop-up front camera. Also, it will most likely use a side-mounted fingerprint sensor.

Honor also revealed that there will be a product launch in May, which is when the Honor X10 series could be launched. With that said, what do think of Honor's decision to rename the series? Does it even have any significance? Share your thoughts with us on our Facebook page and stay tuned to TechNave.com for more news.


Honor 20 Lite hands-on first impressions video

In this video, Natasha will be taking a look at HONOR’s very first triple camera smartphone which is the HONOR 20 Lite. Based on the information we have so far, the smartphone is expected to be announced on the 17 April 2019.

As for the tech specs, the HONOR 20 Lite in the video comes equipped with the HiSilicon Kirin 710 chipset, 4GB of RAM, 128GB internal storage, 24MP + 8MP + 2MP rear view camera, 32MP front-facing selfie camera, 6.21-inch display with HD+ resolution and it is powered by a 3100mAh non-removable battery. For more videos like this, stay tuned to TechNave.com.


Honor 30 and 30 Pro full specs found on TENAA listings

As the launch date of the Honor 30 series approaches, we're seeing more and more info for the two phones revealed. What's interesting is that the full specs of the two devices been leaked one week ahead of the launch. The specifications for the Honor 30 and 30 Pro were found on TENAA yesterday and there were quite a few details revealed.

In terms of the overall design, the two devices are expected to have similar sizes and hardware. According to GSMArena, the main camera on the Honor 30 Pro is a 50MP sensor, while the Honor 30 will come with a 40MP main camera instead. We also know that both devices will be featuring Sony sensors with larger pixel sizes. As for the front camera, both will use a 32MP lens.

two Honor 30 Pro variants pops up in Tenaa one with IMX600Y and one with IMX700YBoth have FHD 6.57 "oled screen4000mAh batteriesAnd Kirin 9905G chips Models are (Edinburgh) EGB AN00, EGB TN00 and EGB AN10TN is just China mobile variant. #Honor30Pro pic.twitter.com/if9uxOQgLA

Under the hood, the Honor 30 Pro will house a Kirin 990 5G chipset, up to 12GB of RAM, up to 256GB of internal storage, and a 3900mAh battery. On the other hand, the Honor 30 will be powered by a new Kirin 985 chipset, 8GB of RAM, up to 256GB of internal storage, and also have a 3900mAh battery. Both phones will feature a 6.57-inch OLED display.

Interestingly enough, the two TENAA listings for the Honor 30 series have since been removed. But with the launch just around the corner, it's likely that these specs are accurate. With that said, what do you think of the specs revealed so far? Let us know on our Facebook page and stay tuned to TechNave.com for more updates on the Honor 30 series.


Honor 4C seen on TENAA, coming to Malaysia soon?

With the recent announcement and release of the Honor 4X for RM619 on pre-order it looks like we'll soon be seeing a lower-end version of the smartphone in the form of the Honor 4C which recently made an appearance at China's TENAA. Tech specs include a slightly slower but still octa-core 1.2GHz processor (probably still the 64-bit Kirin 620), 2GB of RAM, 8GB storage and a smaller 5-inch display with 720 x 1280 pixel resolution. The cameras remain the same though with a 13MP rear camera and 5MP front camera. For the looks of the pictures, this Honor 4C smartphone retains the same cross-thatch design on the cover as the Honor 4X and retains the same capacitive function keys as the Honor 4X. No Malaysia release dates or pricing details yet, but with the Honor 4X retailing from RM619 to RM699 we assume that the Honor 4C would go for around RM499 to RM599, slotting in between the Honor 3C Lite and the Honor 4X or perhapseven replacing the Honor 3C.


Honor 4X coming to Malaysia on 1 April 2015?

The Honor Malaysia Facebook page has just hinted something coming soon to Malaysia with a countdown to 1 April 2015. Looking through the various Honor devices previously announced it is a high chance that it could be the Honor 4X with it's 64-bit processor, 4G LTE connectivity, 13MP camera and 5.5-inch display tech specs. No pricing details yet but we assume that a prebook period could be coming soon as well. Previously we had a chance to have some hands-on time and do a preview of the Honor 4X revealing that it is the Kirin 620 powered version which could mean a price range from RM499 to RM799 as the 2GB Kirin 620 version was initially sold for $161 (RM566). If you're interested in the Honor 4X do check out our previous hands-on video and preview for an exclusive look at the upcoming phablet from Honor. In related news, there have been rumours about a slightly lower-end version of the 4X which considering Honor's current naming system could be called the Honor 4C. Hopefully our anonymous tipster comes through with some more info but for now stay tuned as we keep track of the latest developments.


Honor 4X official ROI page opened up, HiRes shots leaked too

We recently posted that the Honor 4X could be coming to Malaysia and this has been confirmed with an ROI or Registration of Interest page for the smartphone at VMALL.MY itself. Tech specs and features for the Honor 4X are quite high-end for a midrange smartphone with a 64-bit octa-core processor, 4G LTE connectivity, 2GB RAM, 5.5-inch display with 1280 x 720 pixel resolution and EMUI 3.0 out of the box. While there is still no definite news about the Honor 4X pricing it is rumoured to be from RM400 to RM700. Thankfully, an anonymous tipster provided some hands-on pics last time and has also seen fit to send in some high resolution images of the Honor 4X. Check them out below:


Honor 4X officially priced at RM699, coming with freebies

The upcoming Honor 4X smartphone just got it's official pricing from VMALL.my at RM699. Tech specs and features have also been revealed, confirming that this is the version packing in a 64-bit octa-core Kirin 620 processor, 2GB RAM, 5.5-inch display, 13MP rear camera, 5MP front camera, 4G LTE and 3000 mAh battery. While the price may be a bit higher than what was earlier expected, Honor Malaysia have hinted that there could be a number of freebies coming along with it. Considering our hands-on and preview time with it we assume that this would be a free microSD flash memory card and maybe a casing or screen protector. If you're interested in finding out about it first you can register your interest but the release date will probably remain the same at 1 April 2015.


Honor 4X preview - Hitting the sweet spot more than 4X

Just a few years ago a midrange smartphone would be a rather slow device with equally slow mobile Internet, a 4-inch display, 5MP camera and a price tag well above RM1000. Fast forward to today in 2015 where we were privileged enough to get some preview time with the up and coming Honor 4X which sports a fast 64-bit processor, 4G LTE connectivity, 13MP camera and 5.5-inch display for well below RM1000. The smartphone landscape is rapidly changing as more higher-end features appear in affordable devices for the masses. The Honor 4X may well be one of these devices. As such we're doing a quick preview of the Honor 4X so do read on to find out more.

Featuring a plastic back cover with cross-thatch pattern and engraved Honor logo the Honor 4X smartphone hits that sweet spot between 6-inch phablet and 5-inch midrange smartphone nicely with it's 5.5-inch display. It feels very balanced with a solid yet removable back cover. Removing this cover reveals an up to 32GB microSD card slot and dual SIM slots which can be accessed without having to take out the battery. Unlike most midrange smartphones (which tend to have the onscreen keys), there are shiny capacitive keys located below the screen for the back, home and current apps functions. Tech specs and features include:

The Honor 4X is powered by a 64-bit HiSilicon Kirin 620 processor

The Honor 4x has nice molded back for a more balanced and comfortable grip

Having tried out EMUI 2.0, EMUI 2.3 and EMUI 3.0, the EMUI 3.0 is very stable, much more so than EMUI 2.0 on the Honor 3C Lite and the EMUI 3.0 on the Huawei Ascend Mate 7. As you can see from the features list above, many of the features you previously had in the Honor 3C are now available in the Honor 4X including double tap to wake up, flip to mute and a 1.3 second quickshot by double pressing the volume key. In addition, there are now draw controls which let you quickly go to a specific function or app from the sleep or standby screen just by drawing a letter or shape on it.

The Honor 4X comes with EMUI 3.0 right out of the box

The EMUI 3.0 packs in all the new features but retains the stability

The display has full 10-point multitouch with 720 x 1280 pixel resolution

Considering that this is a preview, we won't be touching all of our usual benchmarks but thankfully, the Honor 4X does very good in AnTuTu with a score of 30598, placing it between the LG G3 and HTC One, both of which are more powerful former flagship models. Epic Citadel showed a very good score of 58.7 on the full 1280 x 720 pixel resolution display, which indicates that it should be able to play games smoothly as well (but we'll have to wait for the full review to try out Asphalt 8). We didn't manage to try out some of the other performance benchmarks but for the most part, the Honor 4X does not get hot apart from when using the GPS or if you play 3D intensive games. Even then, it doesn't become too hot that you cannot handle it.

A score of 30598 on AnTuTu places the Honor 4X around the same level as former flagships the HTC One and the LG G3

Running our standard demo video on it reveals smooth playback, clear display and fairly loud audio quality even if it is a bit tinny due to the single speaker on the bottom. We did not test battery life as extensively as we normally do, but 3000 mAh worth of battery should give the Honor 4X around 2 days or so of operation on a single charge. Our one peeve with the device is the 8GB worth of built-in storage which already has more than 4GB taken up by the stable Emotion UI 3.0. Thankfully you can expand memory up to 32GB via the microSD slot (hopefully the Honor 4X will come with a free microSD combo deal). Connectivity was stable and clear with fast 4G LTE in the right coverage area.

The Honor 4X scores highly on Epic Citadel and should do equally well in other games too

Camera performance is very good with very smooth and easy to use exposure controls. We found that the 13MP rear camera delivered very good shots, clear and accurate colour representation and fast autofocus. Like the Honor 3C before it, the 5MP front camera on the Honor 4X is also very good and should satisfy most selfie photographers. As usual, there is a beautify mode, panorama mode and HDR mode along with a refocus mode. The automatic HDR and sharpening modes are usualy spot on and should help you get a fairly good shot. We also liked that the quickshot feature is available on the Honor 4X as well as we used it a lot on the Huawei Ascend P7. This is actually faster than drawing a C for camera but both features work well. Low-light performance is also quite good but we'll be able to test this and other features like panorama and the front camera more in the full review.

While we'll be able to provide a more detailed review later on, this preview of the Honor 4X reveals a very well-balanced smartphone for those looking for a larger smartphone but don't want to go for 6-inch display models. For the most part, performance and features are excellent and lag free with a very good 13MP rear camera and 5MP front camera for those wanting an affordable but powerful cameraphone. Talking about the price, we still cannot confirm the exact Malaysia pricing details but rumours from an anonymous tipster indicate that the Honor 4X could be priced from RM400 to RM700. Even on our maximum estimate of RM700, the Honor 4X delivers excellent value, so if you're interested  in the smartphone you should register your interest on VMALL.my. A specific Malaysia release date is also unavailable yet, but the fact that there is an ROI page already indicates that we could see the Honor 4X very soon or around late March 2015 to early April 2015. If it does, it should hit before the expected implementation of GST, making it more imperative that you sign up for the Registration of Interest page as soon as you can. Stay tuned for the full review soon but do check out the preview hands-on video below:


Honor 4X preview hands-on video

The Honor 4X is coming soon to Malaysia and in an exclusive video we managed to get our hands on an early preview of this 5.5-inch display smartphone. Our anonymous tipster sent it in for a little prevew to see what it can do asides from the 64-bit processor, 2GB RAM, 4G LTE connectivity, dual SIM support and 5.5-inch display tech specs that we already know. While we couldn't do an unboxing the hands-on video reveals plenty of features including double tap to wake and a gesture based draw feature for quick shortcuts from standby mode. The Honor 4X is set for release in Malaysia very soon but we've yet to get any confirmed pricing details yet (our guess would be from RM599 to RM799). We've got a more detailed preview coming up but for now check out the hands-on video below:


ASUS Malaysia lowers 8GB Fonepad 7 (FE170CG) to RM429

Calling all large smartphone fans (especially those looking to replace their current 7-inch smartphones), ASUS Malaysia is now offering their slim and trim 8GB ASUS Fonepad 7 (FE170CG) smartphone for just RM429. The tablet with smartphone capabilities features the new ASUS ZenUI which can be upgraded to Android 4.4 KitKat and connects to 3G at speeds of up to 42Mbps. It supports Dual SIM and offers tech specs which include a 1.2gHz dual-core Intel Atom Z2520 processor, 1GB RAM and for this promotion, 8GB worth of storage. A 2MP rear camera and VGA front camera round up the other features along with GPS, WiFi, Bluetooth 4.0 and up to 64GB microSD support. The slimmer bezels on this version of the Fonepad 7 make it more compact and easier to carry around while the low promo price of RM429 should be available at the larger stores and authorized distributors here in Malaysia.


Honor 4X review - More than 4X the value 5.5-inch display smartphone

The entry-level to midrange smartphone market in Malaysia is quickly becoming crowded with quite a lot of choices for around RM600. While it isn't too difficult to find a smartphone within this price range with a phablet sized 5.5-inch display finding one that combines the best value with good build quality and attention to detail is still fairly hard. Our previous preview with the Honor 4X revealed that it could well be one of  these phones but in our full review below we make sure if the Honor 4X is really worthy of your money and attention so check it out below.

The Honor 4X tech specs are decidedly midrange, except for perhaps the 8GB internal storage

Build quality is excellent with a thread-like cross-thatch pattern on the back

Despite the 5.5-inch display the Honor 4X feels very nice in the hand

Check out the design behind the Honor 4X

Having tried out EMUI 2.0, EMUI 2.3 and EMUI 3.0, the EMUI 3.0 is very stable, much more so than EMUI 2.0 on the Honor 3C Lite and the EMUI 3.0 on the Huawei Ascend Mate 7. As you can see from the features list above, many of the features you previously had in the Honor 3C are now available in the Honor 4X including double tap to wake up, flip to mute and a 1.3 second quickshot by double pressing the volume key. In addition, there are now draw controls which let you quickly go to a specific function or app from the sleep or standby screen just by drawing a letter or shape on it. The Kirin 620 processor is also 64-bit, future proofing you for when the 64-bit Android Lollipop update comes out.

The EMUI 3.0 offers many features and stable performance

Most smartphones in this price range with 64-bit processors offer AnTuTu scores around 27000. The Honor 4X does even better with a score of 30598, placing it between the LG G3 and HTC One, both of which are more powerful (and expensive) flagship models. Epic Citadel showed a very good score of 58.7 on the full 1280 x 720 pixel resolution display, and this was reflected in Asphalt 8:AirBorne which played smoothly even on high quality visual settings. Geekbench 3 returned a score of 554 on single-core and 1643 on multi-core, placing the Honor 4X on par with the LG G3 again but 3DMark just showed 3843 on the Ice Storm Extreme test. For the most part, the Honor 4X does not get hot apart from when using the GPS or if you play 3D intensive games. Even then, it doesn't become too hot that you cannot handle it.

30598 on AnTuTu places the Honor 4X between the LG G3 and HTC One, both of which are former flagship smartphones

The Honor 4X scored very well on Epic Citadel with a very high 58.7 fps on 1280 x 720 pixel resolution, showing that it should deliver good game-engine performance

Running our standard demo video on it reveals smooth playback, clear display and fairly loud audio quality even if it is a bit tinny due to the single speaker on the bottom. Battery life was quite good, reaching around 1 day and a half or so on medium to heavy usage (playing games, browsing the Internet, answering emails, chatting, etc.) but you should  be able to stretch this to 2 days on minimal usage. Our one peeve with the device is the 8GB worth of built-in storage which already has more than 4GB taken up by the Emotion UI 3.0. This is probably the price you pay for it's stable performance. Thankfully you can expand memory up to 32GB via the microSD slot.

Geekbench 3 scores are quite good but 3DMark scores aren't as high as expected

The Honor 4X was able to play Asphalt 8: Airborne with ease, even on high quality visual settings

Camera performance is very good with very smooth and easy to use exposure controls. We found that the 13MP rear camera delivered very good shots, clear and accurate colour representation and fast autofocus. Like the Honor 3C before it, the 5MP front camera on the Honor 4X is also very good and should satisfy most selfie photographers. As usual, there is a beautify mode, panorama mode and HDR mode along with a refocus mode. The automatic HDR and sharpening modes are usualy spot on and should help you get a fairly good shot. We also liked that the quickshot feature is available on the Honor 4X as well as we used it a lot on the Huawei Ascend P7. This is actually faster than drawing a C for camera but both features work well. Low-light performance is also quite good.

It even handles night shots quite well, with very little noise

At RM619 (includes 6% GST), few 64-bit smartphones can rival the Honor 4X in terms of features, performance and value. The closest we can think of would be the Honor 4C, Xiaomi Redmi 2 and the ASUS ZenFone 2 ZE500CL, all of which are priced less but offer smaller screen sizes. The Honor 4X is obviously made for those who want a bigger display (or have huge hands) and the design is well-balanced enough that it seems smaller than it really is. It helps that it also looks good too, while the plastic backside should also provide fairly good protection for the most part. In terms of performance, the Honor 4X delivers midrange quality scores above it's entr7-level pricing and features that are on par with former flagship smartphones. It should also satisfy most camera users or selfie takers as well for a very high value smartphone at just around RM600.


Honor 4X spotted in Malaysia, coming soon?

The next-gen value smartphone known as the Honor 4X was recently spotted out and about in Malaysia thanks to an anonymous tipster. Previously codenamed the Honor Cherry, the new smartphone will use a 64-bit processor and come with 4G LTE connectivity. A look at the tech specs in the pics reveal 2GB of RAM and the aforementioned octa-core processor running at 1.2GHz. Other visible tech specs includes 8GB storage and what appears to be a 5.5-inch display with 1280 x 720 pixel resolution. The back design appears to have a nice looking cross thatch pattern and the Honor logo looks engraved. A side by side shot of the Honor 4X next to an Apple iPhone 6 Plus reveals other design changes along with no sign of any Huawei branding. Our anonymous tipster claims that the Honor 4X is coming to Malaysia sometime in late March to early April 2015 and will slot in somewhere in between the Honor 3C Lite and Honor 6. Since the Honor 3C Lite is priced at RM399 while the Honor 6 is going for RM999, this would place the Honor 4X at around RM499 to RM899. No news yet on specific Malaysia release dates or pricing details but stay tuned as we could be getting more information soon.


Honor 4X surprice is RM619 pre-order pricing inclusive of GST!

After initially being priced at RM699, the Honor 4X is due for pre-order release today at 3.08pm. However, according to an anonymous tipster that's not all as the Honor 4X surprice or surprise will be an 11.44% discount inclusive of the 6% GST due on 1 April 2015. This means that instead of RM699 + RM42 (6% GST), those who pre-order the Honor 4X at 3pm will be able to get the smartphone for just RM619. Tech specs and features for the Honor 4X are quite high-end including a 64-bit octa-core Kirin 620 processor, 2GB RAM, 5.5-inch display, 13MP rear camera, 5MP front camera, 4G LTE and 3000 mAh battery. While this may be different from our expected surprise of extra freebies like a casing or memory card, this RM619 pre-order pricing is still a very welcome surprise, especially with brand new implementation of GST today. Stocks are limited to just 3000 however, so if you're interested in the Honor 4X do check out our preview or hands-on video of the smartphone and then head on over to VMALL.my at 3.08pm for the pre-order. Shipping will begin on 18 April 2015.


Honor 4th Anniversary to offer up to RM500 in savings on 9 April 2018

Honor Malaysia recently announced their 4th Anniversary sales in Malaysia with savings of up to RM500 across all their ecommerce platforms including 11street, Lazada, Shopee and VMALL. The sales will be available all day on 9 April 2018 but certain device deals will have specific times to get them as you can see below.

The sales will include the honor View10 (normal RRP RM2099) for RM1899 with a powerbank for 1 hour on each platform (10am-11am, VMALL | 3pm - 4pm, Shopee | 5pm - 6pm, 11street | 9pm - 10pm, Lazada) and at RM1899 at other times on the appointed date of 9 April 2018. The newly released honor 9 lite also gets a cut down to RM699 (normal RRP RM749) at the same times and platforms as above.

The honor 7x on the other hand gets a cut down to RM888 (normal RRP RM1099) and the honor 6A Pro goes down to RM588 (normal RRP RM699). The largest price slash of RM500 would be for the honor 8 pro at RM1499 (normal RRP RM1999) so if you've been waiting to get this 2K display gaming phone, then 9 April 2018 is the day to do it.

Check out the respective links below on 9 April and our coverage of the phones if you need help deciding:


Honor 5 Play announced for RM 365

Not only Honor launched their largest smartphone ever, they also launched a second smartphone that is catered for the middle market. The Honor 5 Play is a follow up to last year’s Honor 4 Play is an upgrade to the predecessor, and still keeps the low price of 599 Yuan (~RM 365)

Inside, it comes with a 5-inch HD display with a narrow frame design and is powered by a 1.3GHz MediaTek MT6735P quad-core processor backed by 2GB of RAM and 16GB of onboard storage. For imaging, it comes with a 8-megapixel rear camera with a dual LED flash, and a 2-megapixel front camera. Its not the best, but at the price, you cant complaint too much. It has a built-in 2200mAh, supports 4G VoLTE support, Dual SIM and an EasyKey one-touch access.

No news of availability in Malaysia even though it has global network support, but we hope that the retail price will retain if Honor Malaysia ever release the phone here.


Honor 50 series and realme Quicksilver expected to come with Snapdragon 778G

When a new Qualcomm chipset launches, you can bet that there will be smartphones powered by it. For the company's latest 5G chipset, Honor and realme are right in the mix with new devices. Now, you can expect at least two devices with the Snapdragon 778G.

According to XDA Developers, the Honor 50 series will feature the Snapdragon 778G. The company hasn't confirmed which models will feature the chipset, but expect there to be at least one variant with it. realme India CEO, Madhav Sheth, also confirms that the company will be using the new 6nm 5G chipset. In this case, the device is believed to be the realme Quicksilver.

Thrilled to share that #realme will be one of the first brands to Leap to #Snapdragon 778G 5G! Who's excited? pic.twitter.com/4DswTsozg8

But that's not all, other brands have plans to launch phones with the Snapdragon 778G. So far, Qualcomm has confirmed that iQOO, Motorola, OPPO, and Xiaomi are on board. The most interesting feature of the new chipset is the ability to "record from three lenses at once". In terms of performance, it promises an improvement in CPU and GPU of up to 40%, compared to the Snapdragon 768G.

The performance increase is quite significant, so we might see a lot of new phones featuring it soon. But the one we want to know is whether a phone can really record from three lenses simultaneously. What do you think? Let us know in the comments, and stay tuned to TechNave for more news like this.


Honor 50 series confirmed coming with Google Mobile Services

Last month, there was a rumour mentioning that the HONOR 50 series might come with Google Mobile Service (GMS). Looks like it turned out to be true, as we found that HONOR Germany had confirmed that the device is going to feature GMS on their official Twitter.

According to sources, the device will sport a Snapdragon 778G chipset as well. Other than that, there were plenty of rumours that the HONOR 50 Pro might come with a 6.79-inch QHD+ AMOLED display and 120Hz refresh rate. As for the cameras, it could feature a 50MP (main camera) + 13MP (ultra wide-angle lens) + 8MP (telephone lens) and a 3D ToF sensor. The device might also power a 4400mAh battery that supports 66W wired charging and 50W wireless charging.

Ja, das können wir bestätigen. Aber pssst, soll noch eine Überraschung werden

Well, let us just sit back, relax, and wait for the official announcement for the further update on this device. What tech specs do you wish the HONOR 50 series to features? Let us know in the comments below and be sure to stay tuned for more tech news on TechNave.com.


Honor 5A officially launched in Malaysia from RM599, available 20 September 2016

Apart from launching their latest flagship, the Honor 8, Honor Malaysia also announced that their Honor 5A will also be launched for Malaysia. Replacing the previous Honor 4A series, it will be available for RM599 in black and white and RM629 in gold at VMALL.my and other authorized retail outlets from 20 September 2016.

While the Honor 5A was not available during the launch event, here are some of the tech specs:


Honor 5A review - Budget enough for anyone with a few nice surprises

Looking for an affordable smartphone with respectable tech-specs? Maybe what you're looking for is the Honor 5A which was launched alongside the Honor 8 back in September this year. Priced at only RM599 in black and white, or RM629 in gold at VMall.my, you might think that a device this affordable might not be able to offer good performance, but check out what we think of the Honor 5A below.

Since we got ourselves the gold version, this actually looks sleek and solid for a RM599 smartphone, especially the back cover even though it's purely plastic, but the way Honor put the finishing touch on the surface feels rugged yet delighfully smooth, so a thumbs up for that. However, however nice it may be, if you're the reckless type of person, be prepared to see some scratches on back cover if you don't have a protective casing.

The back side with the nice pattern design

Other than that, there's nothing much to say about the front and sides, except that it looks quite shiny giving off that premium feel. The cross thatch pattern on the back helps to improve this premium yet plastic feel while the front has an anti-shock toughened aluminosilicate glass to protect somewhat from drops or the keys in your pockets. Like most Honor phones, the Honor 5A doesn't have any physical home button or capacitive keys.

The front view with the 5.5-inch display, which is also an anti-shock toughened aluminosilicate glass protection

The back cover is detachable, but battery is non-removable

Power and volume buttons on the right side, the left side is completely empty

USB 2.0 port, microphone and speaker grill, the headphone jack is at the top

Here are the official specifications for the Honor 5A:

Being an entry-level device, these are the specifications that you should expect. The 16GB ROM may look like a nuisance, and certainly not enough for most smartphone users today in this era, but there's some good news to that. Not only do you have an expandable storage for extra space, but you can set the microSD card as the default setting for your storage, which is nice.

Perhaps the most surprising feature is the fact that Honor has the special Light Painting mode that was normally seen on higher-tier Honor and Huawei smartphones, offering a bit more for the users who are into photography. Besides that, you also have All Focus mode (basically wide aperture or bokeh mode), Document Readjustment, and Good Food mode that brings out the best of food pictures for the foodies.

However, despite the surprise camera features inclusion, it's also missing quite a few stuff. For one, the screen is only HD so the display's density and contrast is quite low. There's also no fast charging technology, no on-the-go (OTG) supported, and no gyroscope either (so you can't use it with VR).

Moving on, the Honor 5A performance is just alright. For the good points, given that the octa-core Kirin 620 chipset is clocking in at 1.2GHz, it could surprisingly play games like Asphalt 8: Airborne reasonably well. It even managed to do so with barely any overheating problems, so again, thumbs up for that. Even for games like Pokemon Go it is quite excellent, with its strong GPS signal being somewhat faster and stronger than other brands.

That being said, this also means the battery performance is quite good, being able to last at least a day as long as you don't push it. Our record was lasting more than a day so we are actually quite surprised at this. But then again, since there's no fast charging technology, it's takes awhile to fully charge up to 100% at around two and a half hours.

As for the camera, the photo quality is okay. We think when taking pictures, users are probably best off taking pictures with HDR and Good Food mode on at all times. Of course, this does not apply to everyone if one has good camera knowledge. Still, it's not recommended to take pictures at night, and sometimes the focus is slow to catch the moment. Check out some of the pictures below that we took:

Like all phones, pictures tend to look better with sufficient light

Flash mode (top), extreme low light shot (bottom)

Overall, we think the Honor 5A is just average at best. For an RM599 smartphone, it's quite impresive that it can play games likes Asphalt 8: Airborne without burning out, battery performance is pretty good and it has a nice design. The foodies are going to love the Good Food mode for their Instagram collection too, especially if they add on a 128GB microSD card.

But of course, you get what you pay for. It's lacking quite a few features like fast charging technology, the screen is just HD level, and we think the camera quality could have been better. So if all these issues aren't an issue for you, this is one of the most economical phones we have in the Malaysia market. If they are an issue, then you will have to look for other phones that cost higher.

By the way, did you know that Honor is still having their Christmas sales promotion on until 12 December? Because if you're buying the Honor 5A during the promotion, you'll get a “mysterious gift”!

That's all we have to say, thanks for reading and stay tuned for more future reviews at Technave.com.


Honor 5C confirmed coming to Malaysia, want to win one?

The good folks at Honor Malaysia have confirmed that the honor 5C will be coming to Malaysia. No specific Malaysia release dates or pricing details yet but it was announced in China for $138 (~RM537). Featuring a Kirin 650 processor and 5.2-inch full HD display, the smartphone will also carry Android 6.0 Marshmallow, which are better tech specs than the current honor 5X.

If you're as interested as we are about the honor 5C, you can also win the phone by taking a photo of yourself in the "5C" pose. Submit it with a creative caption and hashtag it appropriately before 11.59pm, 17 June 2016 and you could win a Honor 5C for free. Check out the Honor Malaysia Facebook Page for more details.


ASUS Malaysia offering FREE ASUS Fonepad 8 FE380CG by playing FonePad is Calling - Halloween game

ASUS Malaysia are now offering 2 brand new ASUS Fonepad 8 FE380CG tablets for free. All users have to do is play the new "FonePad is Calling - Halloween" Facebook game to be in the running for a lucky draw. With a contest period going all the way to 23 November 2014, 2 lucky winners will be able to get their hands on the very capable 64-bit Intel Atom processor based Fonepad 8 complete with tech specs and features that include 3G smartphone functionality and a large 8-inch display. For further details about the ASUS Fonepad 8 FE380CG do check out our review of the tablet. Check out the game instructions below:


Honor 5C review - Surprisingly good value for money smartphone in every sense of the word

This is not the first Honor phone that has passed through our labs. We have seen the bigger brother Honor 5X getting great comments from our reviewers, and who can forget the flagship specced Honor 7 that was priced like a mid-ranger?

The Honor 5C is the latest model to come from the China based company, and what it brings to the table is a combination of good features (5.2 inch Full HD screen, Kirin 650 quad-core processor, 2GB RAM) with a nice looking body that features a metal back – all for under RM 800. Does it deliver? Lets find out in this review.

You can’t mistake the phone anything other than coming from Honor. The brand is clearly stated in front and the back of the device – but that is also a good thing, as nowadays most smartphones share similar design. Talking about design, the Honor 5C gets brownie points because it felt comfortable in the hand – a hallmark of good ergonomic design. No sharp edges, no creaks (unless you really twist it) and no unwanted corners. We like that in a design.

The standout design is the back metal backing. Note that we did not say full metal back – Honor has elected to just put in a metal backing over the polycarbonate body rather than have it feature a full metal body. However, we can’t fault Honor with the choice as the construction of the phone still felt a grade higher than it is, i.e. it feels more mahal than the price-lah.

For something that costs less than RM 800, the Honor 5C features a fingerprint scanner – similar to the Honor 5X but just a tad slower in recognising the fingerprint recorded in the system. However, it still features the same gesture controls as the bigger brothers, so that is a plus point for it.

At only 8.3 mm, the phone does not feel too bulky in the hands, and the smaller 5.2-inch screen also helps in keeping the bulk down, so that it fits nicely in the palm or even in your pocket. One bad design element of the Honor 5C is the slightly raised camera module – we wished that the camera can be flush with the body like on the Huawei P9 but asides from that, everything else looks very premium.

Going around the device, the bottom reveals the speaker grilles flanking the microUSB port, while on the left hand side sits the SIM/MicroSD tray door. The right is where the power and volume controls are located. On the top there is a 3.5mm audio jack, and the noise reduction microphone for better audio quality during calls.

The sound quality of the speakers are acceptable for its price - it doesn't break at high volumes. However once you go to maximum, you will hear distortions. In any case a pretty decent set of speakers as it can fill up your immediate vicinity, and because it is located at the bottom, the sound doesn't get muddled if you place it on any surface, and the cupping method will greatly help in increasing the volume of the phone.

As a recap, the specs of the Honor 5C are as listed below:

While the specs will not win any performance race, the day-to-day performance was actually pretty good, with enough grunt in the Kirin 650 to power just about any app we threw at it, as well as having a long battery life.

As stated before, it comes with a fingerprint scanner for secure access to the phone, which also supports gesture control, turning the fingerprint scanner akin to a touchpad like on a laptop. It can be activated through the menu.

The fingerprint scanner just below the camera module

Control many things with just a single finger

Honor is using the EMUI 4.1 OS, based on Android 6.0 Marshmallow - just like its brother in Huawei. The UI for EMUI is the same between the two companies - with just minor branding differences here and there in the menu. Thanks to the Android 6.0, EMUI 4.1 is smooth even on this mid-range device, with no lag when going through menu, settings or apps on the home screen.

Speaking of apps, the EMUI does not feature an app drawer, so users who are used to app drawers may need to relearn a few things while using this smartphone.

The homescreen for the Honor 5C is simple and easy enough to understand

A quick glimpse of the settings menu and the EMUI information

As per usual, we ran the bevy of tests that is expected these days. For Antutu, it scored 53072 points – right in the middle of the pack of new performers. Gaming wise the Honor 5C is a good performer as well, netting a score of 11569 in 3DMark Ice Storm Unlimited test. We tried Asphalt 8: Airborne, and it ran without any hitch as well. Even Epic Citadel, the Unreal Engine test ran nicely, with an average framerate of 42.2 fps – perfectly good for mid-level 3D gaming.

Here are the stats of the processor and system

Pretty good score for Epic Citadel at 1080p

The battery for the Honor 5C may just be a 3000mAh unit, but when we tested it on a day-to-day basis, it performed like a unit that is 30% larger. We frequently managed to get over 10 hours of battery life per charge with heavy usage (WiFi on, display brightness 70%, 4G on, moderate screen-on time) and when we tried a casual user scenario, 14-15 hour days are the norm. Intense video playback and gaming does cut into the battery life, but even then we saw a solid 8-hour battery life. Impressive and probably partly due to the Kirin 650 processor powering the device.

The 13 megapixel on the Honor 5C is one of the nicer mid-range smartphones we have encountered thus far. The images captured are most of the time spot on, and the high resolution of the sensor is enough to pick up details in most of the scenes we pointed it to. Low light was not too much of a problem with the Honor 5C, but it does have a bit of a cooler tone out of the camera. You may want to edit it a bit to get punchier colours at night.

The other available options for shooting and settings

Conclusion – Really good value for money

The Honor 5C can be labeled as the 'smaller' brother of the Honor 5X, but don’t let the moniker fool you – it can stand on its own, thank you very much. The combination of the power-sipping Kirin 650 processor, 3000mAh battery and good design makes this phone a compelling buy for anyone, especially when you consider that it can be yours for only RM 799 straight from VMall.my.

The closest competitor would be the Xiaomi Redmi Note 2, which features similar specs but without the metal back and the fingerprint scanner. The other competitor is the Flash Plus 2, which features a full metal body but with a MediaTek chipset. Even so, the Honor 5C is a very compelling purchase for anyone who is looking for a good-for-value smartphone to own for themselves.


Honor 6 Plus and Honor 4C coming to Malaysia on 28 April 2015

In conjunction with their first Anniversary Celebrations, Honor Malaysia will be launching their new dual-camera Honor 6 Plus and Honor 4C smartphones for Malaysia on 28 April 2015. While you can still register up until 6pm today for the Anniversary Celebration, only 30 lucky winners will be selected but there are guaranteed door gifts. The new Honor 6 Plus on the other hand offers a unique 13MP dual rear camera setup, 5.5-inch display and 1.8GHz octa-core HiSilicon Kirin 925 processor. Other tech specs include 3GB RAM, 32GB storage, 8MP front camera, 4G LTE connectivity, an IR blaster and a metal frame design much like the Honor 6. The Honor 4C on the other hand is likely to place in between the Honor 3C Lite and the Honor 4X. Featuring a similar tough polycarbonate backside the Honor 4C shrinks the screen down to a 5-inch display but retains a HD 720 x 1280 pixel resolution. It will likely still pack in a 64-bit 1.2GHz octa-core HiSilicon Kirin 620 processor with 2GB RAM and 8GB storage along with a 13MP rear camera and 5MP front camera. The smaller screen will also mean a slightly smaller battery at 2550 mAh. Stay tuned and we may have some hands-on with the new devices just next week.