7 MEETime features that make the Huawei P40 Series best in photography & best in connectivity

With the third phase of the movement control order (MCO) declared last week, us Malaysians will have to remain mostly at home until 28 April 2020. We can't go out unless it is to purchase essentials, which means that people now can't just meet outside to catch up. Fortunately, modern technology gives us plenty of ways to keep in touch.

Thanks to smartphones and the Internet, we now have new ways to communicate with one another over distances. There are even mobile apps that allow us to video call each other with ease. One such app is the Huawei MEETime app that is available in the newly released Huawei P40 series. Today, we'd like to introduce 7 reasons why you should actively use the MEETime app with Huawei P40 smartphones.

If you're not satisfied with voice calls, then video call is the way to go. Video calls are probably the only way you get to 'meet' friends and family who are beyond the 10KM restriction imposed via the MCO. With Huawei MEETime, you'll get to make video calls between Huawei devices in full 1080p glory. Weak cellular or WiFi signal won't be an issue, because the app is optimised to deal with that as well.

Sometimes even a video call isn't enough to get your point across. Maybe you need to show something that can only be referred to on your phone, like a website on your mobile web browser. In that case, the MEETime app has just the feature you'd need. With the two-way Screen Sharing feature, you can easily share info while having a call!

To give you an example of how it can help, let's say your friend is shopping online and wants your opinion on what to buy. You can activate Screen Sharing, open the app or web browser to show you him a shortlist of items, and then draw or highlight on the item you'd recommend. Another way you can use this is to show something to your bosses or clients, meaning that you can still be effective while working remotely.

Proprietary software can be tricky to use, as it may work only on certain devices or systems. Fortunately, the MEETime app isn't a closed ecosystem. Built on Huawei distributed technology, MEETime allows certain third-party devices to be connected to your Huawei device to make video calls.

Currently, two such devices supported include the Kandao Meeting 360° and Drift Ghost series of cameras. The former is an all-in-one 360-degree camera that's great for video conferencing. As for the latter, it is a series of action cameras that are popular with bikers and allows them to live stream while they biking. Of course, Huawei has plans to add more to the list of supported devices in the future.

Ever had your calls degraded or drop due to bad signal? No worries, the MEETime aims to solve that issue as well! The app has a super-resolution technology that will compensate for any loss in the video quality in real-time. Also, it's able to adapt to changes in network quality and bandwidth to ensure as high a video resolution as possible without compromising on the call experience.

Besides that, the Link Turbo feature available in Huawei devices can combine Wi-Fi and 4G LTE signals for faster download speeds. By adopting this feature into MEETime, it can switch between the use of WiFi or 4G LTE signal on the fly depending on the quality of the connection.

There's no reason for Huawei to not take advantage of the excellent cameras on the P40 series smartphones. By integrating the features available to the camera sensors and software, Huawei MEETime is designed to perform well even in low-light situations. When using the app, it will be able to automatically adjust the lighting so that your call recipient can always see you clearly, even if you were in a dark room.

Another great thing about Huawei MEETime is that it's easy to use. All you need is a device running EMUI 10.1 and a Huawei ID to use the app. When using the app, just choose anyone on your contact list who is using a device that is compatible with Huawei MEETime and you'll be able to send them a video call. Simple and straightforward, no?

Have you seen the various news about privacy issues with the Zoom app? Well, you won't get that problem with MEETime. Huawei designed this app to have end-to-end encryption, which means that all your voice and video calls are encrypted to ensure privacy. Thanks to that feature, you won't have to worry about the contents of your conversations being exposed somewhere on the Internet.

There you go, 7 reasons that make Huawei MEETime one of the most useful apps to have on the Huawei P40 series smartphones. The Huawei P40 and P40 Pro also deliver excellent camera performance. In fact, the P40 Pro scored a whopping 128 points on the DXOMark camera ranking, making it the current world number one for smartphone cameras. If you're interested, you can purchase these devices online from the official Huawei online store.

To find out more about the Huawei P40 series, do check out our article on 10 reasons to own a Huawei P40 Series smartphone. Also, you can find out what other apps are available on the Huawei P40 by visiting the Huawei AppGallery website.

For more articles like this and the latest news on tech, stay tuned to TechNave.com.


Buddy Adventure is live now and you can treat your Pokemon like a pet in Pokemon Go

Are you still waiting for the ‘pat and feed your Pokémon’ feature to be on your Pokémon Go app? Well, wait no more! The new feature Buddy Adventure has gone live recently and you are now able to bring your Pokémon out for a walk, feed them berries and other interesting stuff!!

The feature includes a lot of new awesome things for you to discover in the AR game. It focuses more on the interactions between you and your Pokémon as they really act like your pet now. Some even said it’s a Pokémon version of Tamagotchi.

Pokémon are now able to show emotions too telling you whether they are happy or sad. By cheering them up, you would need to go through activities like walking, battling, taking a picture, feeding and more to gain Affection points. Other than that, your Pokémon buddy will also appear as a cameo in the Wild, Quests, Raids and Rocket Battles. If you’re wondering if you could switch to another Pokémon to be your buddy, the answer is you will only be able to swap once per day.

If that is not enough for you to be close with your Pokémon, the new AR camera feature allows you to take pictures with your Pokémon and your friends’ Pokémon too. Of course, you and your friends are still required to be at the same location to see each other’s Pokémon. You can even ask the Pokémon to pose and smile while taking the pictures.

The feature will now be available if you're level 30 and higher, if not, you might need to keep up. There are also other new forms of Pokémon coming soon next year and you better be prepared to catch ‘em all! Let us know what you think of this new feature from Pokémon Go on our Facebook page! Stay tuned to TechNave.com for more app updates.


Budget 2019 tech round-up - RM10 million for Esports, online services such as Steam and Spotify to be taxed by 2019 and more

The Minister of Finance, Lim Guan Eng recently discussed the allocation of funds for Budget 2019. This article will highlight on the Minister of Finance's plans for information and technology for the upcoming year of 2019.

MDEC will be allocated RM10 million to support the development of esports in Malaysia with the intention of further developing this growing industry. However, there are no specifics on which section of esports the budget will be allocated to for now, but we expect the Minister of Finance to provide more updates on this budget in the future.

Lim Guan Eng also stated that up to RM1 billion will be allocated for the National Fiberisation and Connectivity Plan which will bring broadcast speeds of 30Mbps within 5 years to rural areas in the nation. To add to that, the Mandatory Standard on Access Pricing is already in effect this year bringing more affordable broadband speeds to the masses.

Cryptocurrency was also briefly mentioned during the tabling due to the fact that it is still a growing but highly volatile decentralised currency. The government expects to start monitoring the use and trade of cryptocurrency starting early 2019.

Lastly, the government plans to introduce tax to online services such as Steam, Spotify and Netflix starting early January 2020. However, the amount taxed has yet to be solidified but expect more information from this matter very soon.

On another note, the Ministry of Finance announced starting 1 January 2019, an unlimited ride pass will be available for purchase for the price of RM100 a month which will help alleviate the transportation cost for commuters who take the MRT, LRT lines and bus servicecs on a daily basis. There is also an alternative pass which can be purchased for RM50 that provides unlimited RapidKL Bus rides. For more updates, stay tuned to TechNave.com.


Budget 2020 Tech Round-Up - Digital Service Tax, 5G, free RM30 eWallet, eSports and more

Today, Budget 2020 was announced and if you only want to know if there are any upcoming changes in the tech industry, you've come to the right place. The list is quite long and we managed to look through the relevant ones so without further ado, check out our Budget 2020 Tech Round-Up below!

First up, as mentioned from last year's Budget 2019 tech round-up, the Digital Service Tax will be in effect starting from 1 January 2020. Digital services such as Netflix, Spotify, and Steam are included, even for digital advertising by Google will also be counted. Also in other news such as Malaysians demanding faster internet connections, broadband prices will decrease by 49%.

Speaking of the Internet, our government will be focusing on future 5G connectivity. According to the report, they are planning to introduce a 5G Ecosystem Development with a RM50 million investment, as well as investing a total a RM21.6 billion on the National Fiberisation and Connectivity Plan via a public-private partnership approach. As for the public such as schools, industrial parks and more, a total of RM210 million will be invested.

Last but not least, the government is encouraging Malaysians to adopt digital payments through e-wallets more, so in order to do so, they will credit RM30 into everyone's e-wallet and will take effect on 1 January 2020 which will be valid for two months. Each citizen is required to be at least 18 years old and earning less than RM100K a year. To achieve this, Khazanah Nasional who is tasked for this is given RM450 million.

Oh yeah, our government is also allocating RM20 million budget for eSports because they think it has "high potential". BUT what do you all think? Let us know in the comments below and stay tuned for more local tech news at TechNave.com.


Budget 2021 - At least RM9.4 billion will be allocated to support Malaysia's digital strategy

Last Friday, we got to learn about some Belanjawan 2021 plans particularly for the B40 groups and how the youth would get an RM50 eWallet credit for financial support. So over the weekend, we got an overall view of the budget in terms of digital and telecommunication. Here's the summary below.

As most of you already know, a total of RM1.5 billion has been allocated for the B40 group category. This Prihatin Networking Program will assist each B40 person RM180 and it can be used in the form of telecommunication credit assistance. Moreover, free Internet data of up to 1GB will be provided daily as usual for educational and news purpose.

As we move towards the digital age and knowing the importance of it no thanks to the pandemic, the government also plans to assist 430 schools across the nation by allocating RM500 million for the National Digital Access Plan (JENDELA). In order to expand the broadband services for the period 2021-2022, the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) will be supported up to RM7.4 billion. Internet connectivity in 25 industrial areas under the JENDELA plan amounting to RM42 million.

Kenyataan Media:BELANJAWAN 2021: RM9.4 BILION UNTUK BANGUNKAN STRATEGI DIGITAL NEGARA YANG HOLISTIK#Belanjawan2021 #JENDELA#KKMM#MCMC#ProgramJaringanPRIHATIN pic.twitter.com/sVvdBb6Mh5

To continue boosting the digital economy as well as assisting the country's economic recovery process, RM100 million will be allocated to Malaysian Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC) for Skills Enhancement and Re-Training Program. This is to facilitate the transfer of existing workforce talent to the field of ICT, which is part of the Digitalization Transformation Scheme that will be revitalized on 31 December 2023. Another RM1 billion budget will be allocated to digitization and automation.

MDEC will also allocate RM150 million to the Incentive Shop Malaysia Online plan, which is to encourage online spending and will benefit 500 thousand local entrepreneurs including entrepreneurs of handicraft and handicraft products. Meanwhile, an allocation of RM15 million was given to the Agency for Economic Development, Arts and Culture (CENDANA) to mobilize the country's arts and culture programs. Then in an effort to digitize and expand the telecommunication network, the CyberSecurity Malaysia (CSM) was allocated RM27 million to deal with cybercrime.

So that's the summary of the Belanjawan 2021 in terms of technology-related. Stay safe, stay healthy and stay tuned for more trending tech news at TechNave.com.


Budget friendly 16MP selfie smartphone vivo Y69 coming soon for RM999

While the vivo V7+ is on sale in Malaysia, vivo Malaysia has decided to bring in a budget-friendly selfie smartphone - the vivo Y69 on 13 October 2017 for the price of RM999 only. It will be available at all vivo concept stores and its official online marketplace at Lazada.my. Below is the recap of the official specification:

As a dedicated selfie snapper, once again it uses vivo's Selfie Softlight in bringing a balance of good lighting at low light environments. Portrait mode is available as well so selfie lovers would be happy to know that. Additionally, there is also Bokeh mode, Group Selfie, and Live Photo in the camera feature. Also, anyone who purchases the selfie snapper at Lazada.my will receive a limited edition of vivo tumbler.

Stay tuned for more vivo Malaysia news at TechNave.com.


Budget-friendly Huawei Y6 Prime (2018) now in Malaysia for RM584

It was only a week ago that Huawei Malaysia brought in the Y5 Prime (2018), now the company just brought in the Y6 Prime (2018) here in every Huawei Experience Store and display zones across the nation. It's priced RM584 in Black and Blue and you can even get it for free with a selected Celcom Xpax Postpaid Plan.

Judging by the price tag, you can bet that it's an entry-level device featuring simple tech-specs. However, it does come with 5.7-inch FullView Display but in HD+ resolution only, two biometric security features (Face and Fingerprint Unlock), a 13MP rear camera and an 8MP selfie snapper, EMUI 8.0 based on Android 8.0 out of the box, a 3000mAh battery, a triple SIM slot and more.

On the features corner, there's also a game suite, Power Saving 6.0 Technology, floating navigation dock for convenient UI, an upcoming AR Lens and group music after future OTA update. Below is the official tech-specs list:

*RAM and storage capacity not clearly specified, please check with your nearest store.

To find out more about the device, you can go over to their official page here or the Xpax Postpaid Plan here. Stay tuned for more Huawei news at TechNave.com.


Budget-friendly Nokia 2 with 4100mAh battery released in Malaysia for RM429

Today, HMD Global is excited to announce that the economical Nokia 2 smartphone is now available in Malaysia. If you're looking for a good budget phone with long lasting battery, this is probably the one for you as it's said to live up to two-days at most. Available in Pewter/Black, Pewter/White and Copper/Black options, the recommended retail price is just RM429. Below is the official specifications:

Although the phone is incredibly affordable, its design comes with a Corning Gorilla Glass grade 3 accompanied by a polycarbonate back. The resolution reaches up to 720p and its rear camera has an automatic scene detection. Besides that, it comes with a pure stock Android featuring Google Assistant. HMD Global also mention that it will be upgradable to Android Oreo and with monthly security updates.

Stay tuned for more Nokia news at TechNave.com.


Budget friendly Samsung Galaxy J6 (2018) to be released soon from just ~RM832

It seems that Samsung can never get tired of expanding its Galaxy series, we already mentioned that the Galaxy A6 (2018) series is official but suddenly, there's a new Galaxy J6 (2018) model out of nowhere with some hands-on pictures.

According to sources, the Galaxy J6 (2018) is like another alternative to the Galaxy A6 (2018) series since both feature the same Infinity Display, but as a lower tier device. Anyway, check out the hands-on pictures and tech-specs below.

Running on a resolution of 720p, the device features an Exynos 7870 chipset and has three different variants based on memory (and depending on the market region) - it has 2GB, 3GB and 4GB of RAM, whereas the internal storage has both 32GB and 64GB. The Infinity Display is measured 5.6-inch

The rear design looks alright, you can see the fingerprint sensor just below the 13MP primary camera. The front camera uses an 8MP sensor

Then on the side and bottom is per standard, and yes, it's using a microUSB 2.0. The battery pack is 3000mAh

As for the price tag, it's really an affordable one starting with the 3GB + 32GB model for $210 (~RM832), then for the 4GB + 64GB model it will be $240 (~RM951). Will this series come to Malaysia? Time will tell, stay tuned for more Samsung news at TechNave.com.


Budget friendly Xiaomi Redmi 5 and Redmi 5 Plus unveiled with a starting price of ~RM493

As promised, the Xiaomi Redmi 5 and Redmi 5 Plus have been revealed in Beijing, China. We got all the official full specifications, features and price tags thanks to the China sources online to witness it first hand. Without further ado, check out the details below!

So from the tech-specs above, there's actually not much difference. Both are full metal, colours will be available in Black, Blue, Gold and Rose Gold. Sure, the displays are just a mere 0.29-inch difference but the screen-to-body ratio is the same 18:9. It should be noted that the capacitive touch buttons are not present, so users will have to rely on the on-screen buttons to navigate.

As for pricing, the Redmi 5 will start at 799 Yuan (~RM493, 2GB + 16GB), while the 3GB + 32GB model will retail at 899 Yuan (~RM555). Meanwhile, the Redmi 5 Plus' 3GB + 32GB model will cost a little bit higher of 999 Yuan (~RM617), whereas the 4GB + 64GB model is retailing at 1299 Yuan (~RM802).

These devices are incredibly cheap and there's a high chance that Xiaomi Malaysia will import these into Malaysia. We will just have to wait and see so stay tuned for the official Xiaomi news at TechNave.com.


Budget friendly honor 6A Pro now available in Malaysia for just RM699

Today, honor Malaysia has announced a new honor 6A Pro to the honor family line up. Now available in-stores across Malaysia, the device is set for RM699 only in either grey or gold. Check out below for official tech-specs:

It may be an entry-level smartphone, but it comes with a multifunctional fingerprint identification system. What this means is that not only you can use it for security purposes, but as well as other multiple functions such as, taking a photo/video, answering a call, stopping an alarm, browsing photos and showing the notification panel, with just one finger.

On the other hand, the phase-detection autofocus (PDAF) can focus in just 0.5 seconds, the front camera is equipped with an intelligent screen lighting technology and Beauty Mode 3.0, and the 3020 mAh battery can go on up to 12 hours of HD video playback, 57 hours of music playback and 10 hours of 4G web surfing.

[Edit] - We have a closer look at the honor 6A Pro here, so check out our hands-on pictures and stay tuned for that at TechNave.com.


7 Malaysian satellites still in GEO orbit are no longer active

Most of you are aware that Malaysia has satellites. Well, do you know how many there are and are still functioning? Our government launched a total of nine satellites into space, but seven of them are no longer in active operation.

According to Harian Metro, the Malaysian Space Agency (MySA) has announced that these seven Malaysian satellites are now inactive and are considered in their end-of-life phase. This leaves two more functional satellites that are still active in orbit - Measat-3A and Measat-3B. For your info, these are communication satellites that provide services to many countries in the world.

Malaysia is now working with other countries to remove inactive satellites or space debris from orbit. This is to prevent these dead objects from interfering with the operation of other active satellites. A plan is to use Japanese technology to launch satellites into orbit to retrieve the old satellites or install rockets to propel them out of geosynchronous orbit.

Moreover, the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MOSTI) and MySA are developing a blueprint on national space exploration called Malaysia Space-X 2030. This blueprint includes a 10-year plan for the "Program Pembangunan Satelit Penderiaan Jauh Negara" (PJPJN) or National Remote Sensing Satellite Development Program, the Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) infrastructure, and increased research capacity.

Pretty interesting news and not something the average Malaysian might know about. But what do you think about the news? Let us know in the comments, and stay tuned to TechNave for more interesting tech news.


Budget-friendly honor 7S with 5.45-inch HD+ display, 3020mAh battery and more to be on sale for RM379 from 27 June onwards

Did you just read that right? RM379 for the honor 7S? That's right, this entry-level smartphone will be soon on sale from 27 June 2018 on both hihonor and Lazada platform. Moreover, the first 500 buyers who can get their hands on the device will be able to get a free tripod selfie stick or a 32GB microSD card on hihonor and Lazada respectively, while stocks last!

So what can this entry-level phone do? Well, it has a 3020mAh battery, the FullView screen panel is up to 5.45-inch with an 18:9 aspect ratio on HD+ resolution. For the camera corner, it has a 13MP and 5MP sensor for the back and front, HDR mode is available too and there are a bunch of convenient handy features too, such as using three fingers to swipe down for a screenshot and Blue Light mode to protect your eyes.

In addition, the honor 7S also has a receiver volume that enables clear hearing in noisy environments, which can be triggered by the volume + key, as well as headset monitoring to allow users to sing and hear their own voice at real-time with a default app via earphone. Below is the tech-specs list:

If this is what you're looking for, get yourself ready and bookmark the aforementioned hihonor and Lazada page as the sale will start on 27 June 2018. Stay tuned for more honor news at TechNave.com.


Budget2023: Gov't to provide RM200 eWallet credits to youths and RM100 to M40 under ePemula

Finance Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Tengku Aziz today announced that the government will be introducing two eWallet initiatives under Budget 2023, whereby eligible Malaysians will be getting eWallet credits under the ePemula programme. These include RM200 one-off eWallet credits for youths aged 18 to 20 years old and full-time students aged over 21 years old as well as RM100 one-off eWallet credits f M40 Malaysians earning under RM100,000 a year.

Speaking in Parliament during the tabling of Budget 2023 today, Tengku Zafrul elaborated that RM400 million has been allocated for the ePemula programme for youths and will benefit 2 million recipients. Compared to the same programme under Budget 2022, the one-off eWallet credit has been increased from RM150 last year to RM200.

As for the ePemula programme for M40, this is the first time that the government will be introducing such an initiative. The Finance Minister asserted that the initiative will benefit 8 million recipients and the government will be allocating RM800 million for the programme.

To be eligible, recipients must be from the M40 category and earn less than RM100,000 a year. Each recipient will be receiving a one-off RM100 eWallet credit.

However, Tengku Zafrul has yet to reveal which eWallet provider will be selected for both ePemula programmes. In 2022, the ePemula initiative for youth was distributed by BigPay, GrabPay, ShopeePay and Touch ’n Go eWallet.

So, what do you guys think of this ePemula initiative under Budget 2023? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below and stay tuned to TechNave for the latest tech news from Malaysia and beyond!


Bug in Chrome 79 deletes data in some apps, Google decides to pause updates

The latest update for Google Chrome has been out for a few days. But the rollout has been paused for mobile users for the time being. Google made the decision after a bug in the new version began to delete data from some apps that use Android WebView.

According to Android Police, Chrome now functions as Android WebView, basically the operating system's internal app to render web pages. For example, when you log in to a webpage through the use of an app that doesn't have its own internal web browser to render websites, Chrome takes over.

Now, a change in Chrome version 79 is that the storage location for web data has been changed. However, users have reported that some of the data weren't moved to the new location properly. This refers to the ones for localStorage and WebSQL, which are often used by web apps and packaged apps. As a result, there have been instances where users had the data for such applications effectively 'deleted', or couldn't be accessed.

We do not currently know which or how many apps have been affected but hopefully a fix would be provided soon. Have any of you notice this problem? Do let us know on our Facebook page and make sure to stay tuned to TechNave.com for more news like this.


Building the Ubuntu Edge - Get world's most powerful smartphone today

Canonical is the main company developing Ubuntu and have come to the conclusion that the best device for convergence between your computer devices is a smartphone. They've also realized that all the really cool hardware takes several years of testing, feasibility and analysis before they actually arrive in devices and because of that, we probably won't see the ultimate convergence device (smartphone) until we all have some grey hairs here and there. For that reason, they have created a crowd-funding campaign to create this ultimate convergence device / smartphone called the Ubuntu Edge. Tech specs for the Ubuntu Edge include:

While some specs may seem a bit lower than usual, Canonical are adamant that they will not get caught up in a screen PPI (Pixel Per Inch) pixel density or camera MP (Mega Pixel) race. Instead, the Ubuntu Edge will provide a full Ubuntu desktop PC performance while on the go. Despite the total goal of the campaign being $32 million, as of the time of writing (29 days left), they've already made $3.7 million. They've also made it clear that this is for those looking to get a premium smartphone only, which explains why the actual phone may cost about $830 (RM2638) (previously it was $600) but you can get two for $1400 (RM4451). Go check out the Ubuntu Edge campaign for more options and information.

See the Ubuntu Edge IndieGoGo Crowd-funding campaign video


Bullitt and MediaTek to launch first satellite-to-mobile messaging smartphone in Q1 2023

Communicating over satellite is a new trend in the smartphone industry. Not only Apple launched an SOS and location-sharing system with the iPhone 14 series, but T-Mobile and SpaceX are working on a more general communication system by using SpaceX's Starlink satellites. Now, it's announced that Bullitt and MediaTek will work together to launch the "first satellite-to-mobile messaging smartphone" in the first three months of 2023.

Bullitt shares that the system will enable seamless messaging between a user connected to a satellite and another connected to a regular cell network. Meanwhile, Apple's system only lets users communicate with emergency services two ways, and location sharing is one way. It's worth mentioning that Bullitt has built rugged phones for well-known brands, primarily Cat phones. The brand has also built the Motorola Defy.

Furthermore, the project is said to have been in the works for 18 months alongside MediaTek. Earlier this year, MediaTek presented its NTN modem – Non-Terrestrial Network – by testing it in lab conditions. The test simulated a connection to a satellite in Low Earth Orbit (LEO), which means 600km/370mi altitude, orbiting at 27,000km/h (17,000mph). With the technology, Bullitt phones will receive a connection and send a message over satellite in around 10 seconds. It will also automatically switch to satellite connectivity when cell and Wi-Fi reception has gotten cut off.

“We have known for a long time that the answer was in satellite but an ‘invisible’ and seamless integration into a smartphone creates enormous technical challenges. MediaTek and Bullitt share a pioneering spirit and a history of innovation so now, nearly two years into our relationship, we jointly stand at the forefront of a new era in telecommunications and the quickest, simplest way for our carrier channel partners to offer total peace of mind to their customers,” writes Richard Wharton, co-founder at Bullitt Group.

What do you think about the technology? Leave a comment to let us know your thoughts, and stay tuned to TechNave.com for the latest tech news.


Business users can now create catalogues to showcase their products on WhatsApp Business App!

WhatsApp has always been trying to make things easier for business users since the launch of the business app in early 2018. It gives access to messaging metrics and other business-oriented tools such as programming auto-replies. Today, the company rolled out the Catalogs for its Business Applications.

The new feature allows business accounts to build a list of their products with photos, prices and descriptions just like a catalogue. Also, customers who wish to look into the catalogues do not have to download the Business app. This new feature is now available for both Android and iPhone devices in a selected countries such as Brazil, Germany, India, Indonesia, Mexico, the UK and the US. Malaysia is not part of the first wave but Facebook mentioned it will soon be available around the world.

To build your catalogues, make sure you downloaded the latest WhatsApp Business app, then go to Settings, click Business Settings, select Catalog, tap on Add Product/Service and you can start adding your product pictures and descriptions.

With the new Catalogs feature update on the WhatsApp Business app, it will give entrepreneurs and other businesses an easier approach to showcase their products. So is the new feature helpful to you? Let us know at our Facebook page and stay tuned for more updates on TechNave.com!


Buy 1 Free 1 flagship smartphones from Celcom's BlueCube CNY Double Prosperity campaign!

Cai Shen Dao! Celcom is excited to present you their Blue Cube CNY Double Prosperity which is happening from 20 January – 28 February 2017. What’s this about? Well, from the title “Double Prosperity”, you're not getting one but TWO smartphones such as the Huawei P9, Samsung Galaxy J2 Prime, Oppo F1s and R9S when you sign up with FIRST Platinum!

Ah, that’s not all. After signing up for FIRST Platinum, you stand a chance to win some awesome prizes in the lucky draw and additional offers too! All these goodies are:

Customers who sign up for FIRST Gold and FIRST Gold Plus are eligible for these gifts as well!

As always, the perks of signing up FIRST Platinum are:

The promotion is happening now at all Blue Cube and Celcom Centres nationwide until the end of February, and hey - why not also get your friends and family to sign up one of the FIRST Plans to receive a free smartphone and feed their data appetite too? So hurry up and claim the double prosperity from Celcom! For more information, visit their website to check it out.


Buy 1 HONOR product to get 10 mystery gifts for free with the 10.10 sale

In conjunction with the 10.10 celebration, get up to 10 free mystery gifts when you purchase any selected HONOR products on 10 and 11 October 2020 at selected HONOR stores in Malaysia. In terms of the location, these HONOR stores are located in I-City Mall, Plaza Lowyat, Sunway Velocity, Mid Valley, IOI City Mall, IOI Puchong Mall, Sogo and Sunway Pyramid.

During the 10.10 celebration, there will be various activities and deals such as the HONOR PWP Deals, where you can get discounts on the HONOR MagicWatch 2, HONOR Band 5, as well as the HONOR Scale 2 when you purchase selected HONOR products. Last but not least, there’s the HONOR Grand Opening Special where you can get up to 13 free gifts worth up to RM1523 when you purchase selected HONOR products at Paradigm Mall, Johor Bahru from 9 to 11 October 2020.

If you want to find out more information in regards to the sale, head over to HONOR's official website. With all that said, would you be interested in purchasing any products from HONOR during the 10.10 celebration? Let us know on our Facebook page and for more updates like this, stay tuned to TechNave.com.


Buy a Galaxy device to "Win Your Dream Holiday" by Samsung

While Samsung's Super Brand Day on Shopee is ending today on 1 August 2019, they are not quite done yet with promotion sales just yet. With Merdeka coming at the end of August, Samsung Malaysia Electronics is now hosting a "Win Your Dream Holiday" social contest!

Starting from today onwards until 16 September 2019, anyone who purchases a new Galaxy device stands a chance to win RM10,000 of travel voucher and you can spend it on anywhere you want to. The list of selected Galaxy devices includes the Samsung Galaxy S10, Galaxy Note 9, Galaxy A series, Samsung wearables and tablets. Sounds exciting, right? To participate in the contest, you just need to follow these steps to submit your entry:

That's basically it, you can read more details (especially the Terms and Conditions) at the official promotion website here. Good luck and stay tuned for more Samsung news at TechNave.com.


Buy a Huawei Mate 50 series phone & stand a chance to win a free trip to Japan!

Today, Huawei Malaysia announced a new contest for the latest Mate 50 series. From now until 9 December 2022, customers who want to get the phone will stand a chance to win a trip to Japan with up to RM 10,000 expenses covered by the company.

Available nationwide, Malaysians can now purchase the Mate 50 series at every HUAWEI Experience Store, HUAWEI Official Website, HUAWEI Official Store on Shopee, HUAWEI Flagship Store on Lazada, Senheng, SenQ, Urban Republic, and any Maxis or Digi outlets. So head over to your nearest participating stores and grab the phone and participate in the Lucky Draw contest.

The winner announcement will be posted on HUAWEI’s Facebook Page on 16 December 2022. On the other hand, Huawei users can check on the myHUAWEI app to claim all promo perks such as a free cup of Zus Coffee. Customers can also trade up to 5 old devices including smartphones, tablets and smartwatches in exchange for the new Mate 50 series.


7 New Samsung Trademarks Coming Soon

Samsung recently trademarked 7 new names under the USPTO (United States Patents and Trademarks Office) including Samsung Micro, Mobile Samsung 5G, Samsung Fit, Samsung Micro, Samsung Expo, Samsung Go, Samsung Pro and the S MUSICIAN. Quite obviously, the trademarks are for different things as the Mobile Samsung 5G indicates the 5G network that the company was said to have been working on (and supposedly already completed). The Samsung Expo could indicate a yearly event of some sort while the Samsung Micro, Go, Fit and Pro all sound like device names, perhaps for smartphones, fitness devices and other similar things. The S MUSICIAN on the other hand sounds like another 'S' feature ready to come out for Samsung's already extensive list of 'S' features, perhaps a ringtone maker for their upcoming smartphones. What do you think these names could be?


Buy a Lenovo smartphone and be rewarded with prizes worth up to RM33,888!

This coming Chinese New Year, the rooster crows early as Lenovo Mobile is giving out prizes worth up to RM33,888 through its #KamKaiPoHei promotional campaign! From now onward until 5 February 2017, customers who participate in Lenovo’s campaign contest stands a chance to walk away with attractive prizes from any authorized retailer store nationwide!

Country Manager for Smartphone at Lenovo Technology Sdn Bhd, Lydia Foo Mun Yee, commented that the Lenovo #KamKaiPohHei promotional campaign is part of Lenovo’s efforts to thank its customers and celebrate new beginnings in 2017 together.

“The ‘Kam Kai Poh Hei’ phrase is a Chinese Cantonese slang, loosely translating that the Golden Rooster is here announcing auspicious news to kick start the lunar new year. With Chinese New Year round the corner, we at Lenovo would like to take this opportunity to thank and reward our customers for their support. From now till 5 February, with every purchase of either the Lenovo P2, K6 Note, K6 Power, A6600 Plus, Moto Z, Moto Z Play or Moto M, you will stand a chance to win attractive prizes, and a Grand Prize of a 40-inch LED HDTV!” said Foo.

Aside from the aforementioned products, other grand Prizes from the campaign also include electrical home appliances such as a washing machine, refrigerator and sound bar system.  Other prizes include daily hamper prizes worth RM199 each, and instant gifts of shopping vouchers and merchandise such as Skullcandy earphones, memory cards, Nut trackers and etc. redeemable at the store. The Lenovo #KamKaiPohHei campaign is made up of three engagements i.e. Shop and Win Contest, Yuen Bao Golden Egg Lucky Draw and Tongue Twister Challenge.

As a bonus, participants who walk in, record and post the tongue twister video at any participating Lenovo brand store will be given a pair of free Skullcandy earphones on the spot.

For more information on the Lenovo #KamKaiPoHei Campaign and the list of participating authorized outlets, visit their official campaign page.


Buy a Xperia smartphone and get free gifts on Sony Mobile's “Malaysia Day” promotion and contest

Looking to buy a new Sony smartphone? Sony Mobile has got you covered. Starting from 25 August until 17 September 2017, they have announced its "Malaysia Day" promotion and contest, if you happen to buy any selected Sony smartphone - you will be entitled to win some nice free gift redemptions which include a transparent phone case, a screen protector, DK52 Charging Docks or one-year warranty extension.

Below is the list of selected Sony smartphones eligible for the promotion:

In addition, you can also look forward to the exclusive “Malaysia Day” contest with prizes including two Bravia 4K Ultra HD TVs, four PlayStation 4s, and 30 BSP-10 Bluetooth Speakers. To participate in the contest, every Xperia owner must log on to the Xperia Lounge or to the website here within the promotional period to answer a few simple questions, followed by their details. The winners of the contest will be announced on Facebook and notified via phone or email.

Do note that the gifts with purchase of smartphones are limited and are only valid at selected Sony Stores, Sony Centre, Sony Mobile Stores and Sony Mobile Authorized dealers in Malaysia. Have fun shopping!


Buy a vivo V9 to stand a chance to win a free BMW Bike or 4K LED TV

Today, vivo Malaysia is releasing a Raya Gaya Shop & Win Lucky Draw competition for all Malaysians this coming Hari Raya festive season. Starting now until 8 July 2018, any customers who purchase a vivo V9 or any other vivo smartphones will get a scratch card and who knows, you might actually win a BMW Bike worth RM29,000!

That's just the grand prize and there are others too, for the second prize - you will get a 4K LED TV! But for those who can't get lucky, there's still some consolation prizes such as an Adidas World Cup Football Jersey, a free powerbank or an Arena of Valor Hero Card. Keep in mind that this can only be done at their concept stores or authorized dealers across the nations, not online.

Just FYI, the V9 is now selling at RM1319 (0% GST) and its Sapphire Blue is a limited edition (while stock last). Good luck and stay tuned for more vivo news at TechNave.com.


Buy a vivo phone through Digi for a chance to win big

Are you feeling lucky? If you are, then you might want to check out out a promo by Digi and vivo. vivo Malaysia has just announced on its Facebook page that those who purchase a vivo smartphone with Digi Postpaid will have a chance to win some prizes.

A few quick things have been revealed about the campagin, including the duration and prizes you could win. First, this promo begun on 9 December 2019 and will continue till 5 January 2020. That means you only have about two weeks left to try your luck at winning the grand prize of a RM8000 cash voucher. There are also two RM5000 and two RM2000 cash vouchers up for grabs.

Even if you're not lucky, the consolation prize is an extended 6-month warranty for your purchased vivo smartphone, which is okay if you're the clumsy type or work in a hazardous environment. To find out more, you have visit the closest Digi stores. It's likely you'll have to sign up for this deal there, since there's no online page to do so.

To those out there looking for a new phone, which vivo device would you get? Let us know on our Facebook page and stay tuned to TechNave.com for more promotions that may appear.


Buy an ASUS ROG G751JT or G751JY and get Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain for FREE

ASUS Malaysia recently revealed that on top of getting an awesome mobile gaming machine, those who purchase the ASUS ROG G751JT or ROG G751JY gaming laptops will also receive a game download code to get the Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain game. The offer is valid until 1 September 2015 while the game code download is valid until 1 Oxtober 2015. The Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain game is scheduled for release on 15 September 2015. Check out the steps below or register at the event microsite.


Buy and get free gifts from Samsung's Smart Living Surprise campaign

Starting from 15 September until 31 October 2017, Samsung Malaysia Electronics is hosting a Smart Living Surprise campaign which you can get great deals and free gifts from purchasing Samsung home appliances, ranging from a refrigerator, washing machine, air-conditioner, air purifier, microwave oven as well vacuum cleaners.

For starters, you can get a free microwave oven (RM299) if you purchase the Triple Cooling Multi-door Refrigerator. Or if you need a new washing machine, buying the AddWash washing machine will grant you a free vacuum cleaner (RM299), or buying a Samsung vacuum cleaner allows you to save up to about RM100 with 2 years warranty.

To find out more about the offers, please visit their website here to check it out. Also, starting tomorrow (21 September) until 24 September 2017, Samsung Malaysia is also holding a special Galaxy Note8 roadshow at Pavilion (Kuala Lumpur), Gurney Plaza (Penang) and AEON Tebrau City (Johor Bahru), with special guest appearance Running Man star Song Ji-Hyo, on stage in person (Pavilion) giving a free Clear View Standing Cover autographed by the star herself.

Stay tuned for more Samsung Malaysia news at TechNave.com.


Buy and win exclusive ROG merchandises from ROG x NVIDIA – Back To School campaign

So you're here because you're curious about how to win those ROG prizes (worth over RM1000) that you saw on the cover image. Well, you've come to the right place and without further ado, this is how you can stand a chance to win exclusive ROG merchandises from the Republic of Gamers (ROG) x NVIDIA – Back To School campaign.

As the saying goes, there's no such thing as a free lunch. You will have to purchase selected ROG gaming laptops and desktops during the promotion period. That said, there are some conditions like those purchasing a ROG laptop or desktop with GeForce RTX graphics card will get a ROG NVIDIA Hoodie.

Then for those who purchase a ROG laptop or desktop with GeForce GTX 1660Ti or 1650 graphics card, the customers will get a ROG Umbrella. There's also a lucky draw during the campaign period, which ASUS Malaysia will be giving out 12 bags of ROG NVIDIA Doof Bean Bag. On top of that, a ROG Keychain and ROG Sticker Pack will be given away as student exclusives.

The campaign has already started and will end on 13 October 2019. To find out more about the campaign, you may head over to the official website or the Facebook page here. Stay tuned for more ROG news at TechNave.com.


Buy any selected ROG RTX Laptop and get up to RM1699 of Peripherals for FREE

Stand a chance to win up to RM1699 worth of peripherals from ASUS, when you purchase any of the selected ASUS ROG RTX laptops. Do take note that only purchases made between 1 April 2019 until 27 April 2019 at authorised ROG Dealers in Malaysia will be eligible to win the prizes, so why not buy your laptops between those dates?

Once the purchase has been made, the participants are required to keep the official receipt issued by the store and fill the contest form on this website. To find out more about the contest, head over to the official contest website. For more updates like this, stay tuned to TechNave.com.


Buy discounted Sony Xperia phones on DirectD and stand a chance to win free tickets to OneRepublic concert, a Thailand trip and more

Hey Sony fans, until the end of March 2018, there has been an on-going promotion called Sony Fest by DirectD where you stand a chance to win a lucky draw prize worth more than RM15,000. What prize could cost so much? Well, the grand prize winner will win a pair of ticket holiday trip to Krabi, Thailand for three-days-two-nights, followed by the first runner-ups (four in total) to bring home a free Xperia Xperia XZ1, Xperia XZS, Xperia XA1 Ultra and Xperia XA1 each, and for the second runner-ups (ten in total) to receive two free tickets to OneRepublic concert in Malaysia each!

Of course, there is a condition for this. To enter the lucky draw, you will have to purchase a few selected models and it can only be done with DirectD. Below is the list of the pricing for each Sony Xperia model:

Just so you know, the current market price for XA1 Plus and XZ Premium is RM1499 and RM3399 respectively. A pretty good time to purchase one now if you're looking for this. Stay tuned for more Sony and Direct D news at TechNave.com.


Buy realme gadgets on 10.10 Shopee Flash Sales and stand a chance to win prizes worth up to RM20,000

Realme Malaysia have launched two new smart devices and Malaysia is the first overseas market to launch. The new smart devices are the realme Smart Scale and M1 Sonic Electric Toothbrush, you can even get some great deals on 10.10 Shopee Flash Sales.

As mentioned earlier, it will be the first online sale on realme’s official store at Shopee. The realme Smart Scale only cost RM99 (RRP RM149) and it comes with 2 colour variants which are white and blue. If you purchase the product during the sales, you also can join the lucky draw and win prizes that is worth up to RM20,000.

The realme Smart Scale promotion on 10.10 Shopee Flash Sales

The realme M1 Sonic Electric Toothbrush promotion on 10.10 Shopee Flash Sales

On top of that, the realme M1 Sonic Electric Toothbrush also features 2 colour variants which are blue and white, with a price tag of RM199. There’s no discount on the price tag but it comes with a free gift, which is realme Buds Classic earphones that are worth RM59.

To know more about the product details, you may visit realme Malaysia's official Facebook and Instagram. Would you get yourself one of those gadgets? Let us know in the comments below, be sure to stay tuned for more tech news on TechNave.com


7 Reasons why you should get yourself a Front Load Washer Dryer with AI Ecobubble™

Imagine that you were surveying an empty condominium unit. The place looks nice, the kitchen is spacious enough, so is the living room, and...there's no balcony. If you're one of those who prefer to hang their washed clothes outside, the place might be a hassle for you because that would mean you need a dryer.

If you've ever had to move into a new place, you would know that having a washing machine and a dryer can take up quite a space. You might be able to stack either one on top of the other if your new place has enough space. But what if I told you that you can get yourself a 2-in-1 washing machine that can dry your clothes too? Introducing the Front Load Washer Dryer with AI Ecobubble™, 11KG Wash & 7K Dry machine.

As the title suggests, we will be telling you all about the Front Load Washer Dryer with AI Ecobubble™, 11KG Wash & 7KG Dry. That's quite a mouthful, so let's just call it the Washer Dryer from here on. Without further ado, let's get straight into the 7 reasons why you should get one.

First, this washing machine has Intelligent Washing, meaning that it's controlled by an AI that can remember your habits, suggest cycles, and display timely information. Furthermore, you can use Samsung's SmartThings App to customise your preferred wash cycles, as well as plan and troubleshoot without being near the machine. This is incredibly convenient.

Sometimes, it's difficult to determine the right amount of detergent and softener to use for each load. However, there's no such problem with the Washer Dryer because it has an Auto Dispense function to help you dispense the appropriate amount. It can hold enough detergent to last up to a month of washing, so there's no need to fill up the detergent tank after every wash. As you can tell, this is another convenient feature that helps you get the best washing results with less waste and effort.

You probably also noticed the word Ecobubble™ in its name, but what does that really mean? Well, the Washer Dryer's Eco Bubble technology offers efficient cleaning even at low temperatures. When the detergent becomes bubbles, it will quickly penetrate the fabric for easier removal of dirt. Eco Bubble also helps save energy and protect the colour and texture of clothing.

If you're in a hurry to wash and dry your clothes, you can rely on the Washer Dryer's QuickDrive. According to Samsung, QuickDrive can reduce the washing time by up to 50%*, so you don't need to wait that long. Moreover, its Q-Bubble technology has a dynamic drum rotation and additional water shots. This will allow the Washer Dryer to make more powerful bubbles, thus making the detergent penetrate faster and wash gently at the same time.

*Disclaimer - Saves 50% time on cotton (40°C, half-load) cycle with washing performance within ±5%. Based on Intertek data and tested on WW7000T compared with WW6500K

If you think that's fast, wait until you meet the Super Speed feature that can wash everything inside in just 39 minutes. On top of QuickDrive and Eco Bubble, the Samsung Washer Dryer has a function that's called Speed Spray. This helps to shorten the rinsing time by accelerating the spinning speed.

Now that we've talked about its washing capabilities, how does the drying part work? Well, Samsung integrated an innovative Hygiene Steam technology to dry the clothes. The company also said that this function can remove ingrained grime, 99.9% of bacteria, and inactivate allergens derived from dust mites.

Finally, let's talk about the Air Wash feature. After steaming the clothes inside the laundry, Air Wash can deodorise and sanitise all your clothes without any water and detergent. Like Hygiene Steam, this function gets rid of 99.9% bacteria and odours via heated air. It's super easy, barely an inconvenience.

So, what do you think of the Front Load Washer Dryer with AI Ecobubble™, 11KG Wash & 7KG Dry laundry machine? On paper, this looks like the ultimate washing machine thanks to the intelligent washing and powerful cleaning functions. If you can get yourself this bad boy, it can definitely help save time and energy without compromising washing performance.

If you would like to learn more about the AI Ecobubble™, QuickDrive technology and others. You can visit the official Samsung Malaysia Electronics webpage over here. Stay tuned for more trending tech news at TechNave.com.


Buy selected OPPO products on 11.11 and get a free gift worth RM389

In conjunction with the upcoming 11.11 sale, you can get either OPPO F11 or the F11 Pro from only RM619 and RM799 respectively via Shopee or Lazada. But that’s not all, but if you were to purchase the OPPO A9 2020 or the OPPO Reno series, you will be eligible for a free gift courtesy of OPPO.

To go into more detail, customers who purchased the both the aforementioned smartphones during the 11.11 sale from 12 AM onwards will get a Neo Smartband worth RM389. With all that said, would you be interested in getting either the OPPO A9 2020 or OPPO F11 on 11 November 2019? Let us know on our Facebook page, and for more updates like this stay tuned to TechNave.com.


Buy selected vivo smartphones and get 10000mAh powerbank from Senheng and senQ

From 21 December until 29 December 2019, get free gifts such as a 10000mAh powerbank, gift box or a Bluetooth speaker when you purchase either the vivo V17 or vivo S1 Pro from Senheng and senQ. Do note that stocks for the gifts are limited, so act fast if you are interested in getting any of the aforementioned devices.

But that’s not all, vivo has mentioned that it’s possible to get up to 24-months 0% interest as well as 1-year additional warranty for the vivo V17. Head over to vivo or Senheng’s official website or Facebook page, if you want to find out more information in regards to the promo.

Would you be interested in getting any of the smartphones mentioned? Let us know on our Facebook page and for more updates like this, stay tuned to TechNave.com.


Buyer beware, smartphone from China sold with built-in malware

Apparently, malware makers are becoming more bold as reports have shown that the Star N9500 smartphone comes straight from the factory with a Uupay.D trojan malware disguised as the Google Play Store app. The malware will then get all your personal information (including the all important credit card information) along with sending all your calls to the malware makers. Your text messages will go to premium services for more data mining and follow up spam. The tech specs are quite tempting with a quad-core MTK6589 processor, 8GB of storage, 5-inch display with 1280 x 720 pixel resolution, 12MP rear camera, 2100 mAh battery and Android 4.2, all for the very low price of $217 (RM698). The report has been backed by Kaspersky, makers of the antivirus software and it seems to have already been in the market for quite some time. We managed to find it on Amazon for just $159.99 (RM515), with other buyers there confirming the existance of the malware, so Malaysian deal seekers beware.[Source, Source]


ByteDance CEO wonders if his employees are obsessed with Genshin Impact

Genshin Impact has certainly taken over the gaming community by storm this year. Not only is it playable on the PlayStation 4, but it's free to play (with in-game items purchases) on mobile devices and has set a new standard in mobile gaming. But to ByteDance CEO, Zhang Yiming is wondering if his employees are too obsessed with it.

This was seen on a screenshot online and was shared by a ByteDance employee. We can't seem to find it anymore so we assume it was taken down already but it was mainly about Zhang criticising in the group chat that most of his employees were "talking excessively about [Genshin Impact] during work hours". Zhang actually joined the group chat to try out Genshin Impact alongside his active employees.

Another thing that bothered Zhang was the number of chats by his employees. According to his experience, there were hundreds of messages at one day and he wondered if they have been chatting all night, and seems to continue during working hours. Overall, he was really surprised by this active gaming community for several days and wondered if this is common (lol).

In case you missed it, Genshin Impact won the Best Mobile Game of 2020 in the Apple App Store and Google Play Store. Now that's an achievement that should be respected, but I understand the annoyance of having hundreds of message spams in the group chat and so should you. Stay tuned for more trending tech news at TechNave.com.


ByteDance applied trademark "TikTok Payment" for their possible e-payment service

E-payment services have become more and more popular nowadays. Besides letting users make payments, some services have also been offering various features like transfer and cashback. Now, it looks like the parent company of TikTok is interested in starting their own e-payment service as well. It is spotted that ByteDance has applied for a new trademark under the name "Tik Tok Payment".

According to the source, the trademark applied has an international classification covering 36 categories of “Financial Property Management,” and it's currently waiting for approval. It is worth mentioning that this is not the first time the company involved in such news. Earlier in September, they have indirectly won a payment license after buying UIPay to boost their e-payment capabilities in China.

Back in June, ByteDance has also managed to obtain three financial licenses for third party payments and insurance through acquisitions and other means. Therefore, it looks like the Chinese company has been planning this for quite a while. It is said that they have also started to hire globally at the beginning of 2020 to expand a team that would be in charge of building a platform that can provide cross border payments solutions.

Let us know what you think about this news on our Facebook page. Stay tuned to TechNave.com for more interesting tech news.


ByteDance could launch TikTok Music as Spotify's new rival

Not only is a platform famous for short videos, but TikTok has also helped most of us discover new songs. ByteDance, the parent company of TikTok, filed a trademark application for "TikTok Music" with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office back in May. Could it be something that rivals the likes of Spotify?

Besides the U.S., ByteDance filed the same trademark in Australia in November last year, which gives the idea that the company will launch a standalone music streaming service for the markets. It's worth mentioning that the company has a streaming app called Resso in India, Brazil and Indonesia. It has been stealing market share from other companies over the past year. Therefore, it's not inconceivable for the company to launch one using the famous "TikTok" branding in other countries.

However, the source also mentions the possibility for other use cases, such as an app that allows users to use "live audio and video," as well as the ability to "edit and upload photos as playlist covers" and "comment on music, songs, and albums."

Would you hop on "TikTok Music" if it really turned out to be a music streaming platform? Drop a comment to let us know, and stay tuned to TechNave.com for more tech reports.


ByteDance rejected Microsoft's offer for TikTok

Right after US President's executive order on banning TikTok, it was also reported that Microsoft was interested in acquiring the company from ByteDance. After a few weeks, we had to wait if the acquisition was successful or not but it turned out that Microsoft is no longer acquiring TikTok due to the rejection by ByteDance.

The statement was published on Microsoft's official blog just yesterday, which was a simple paragraph of how the company's expectations were not met even though they have made changes for "security, privacy, online safety, and combatting disinformation". Although they have made the principles clear in their August statement, ByteDance still refused the offer so that's all that. So now what?

Well, with Microsoft out of the picture. There is new information that Oracle was secretly bidding for TikTok all this time. According to The Wall Street Journal and Engadget, Oracle has successfully won the acquisition but there is no official news about this by the company itself, ByteDance, nor the US Government. We might probably take this news with a pinch of salt for now.

Honestly, ByteDance rejecting the offer by Microsoft was a surprising one as the company should have no problem in transferring the millions of data. We aren't sure how Oracle could incorporate TikTok into their business model as well. Stay tuned for more trending tech news at TechNave.com.


ByteDance's Pico launches new Pico 4 VR headset, expected to arrive in Malaysia later this year

ByteDance's virtual reality headset brand Pico has launched a new product today. The Pico 4 sets to arrive in several European and Asian countries, aiming to become a much more accessible VR headset in the current market with a price that doesn't scare its customers off.

The Pico 4 has two 2.56-inch LCD panels with support for a resolution of 2,160 x 2,160 per eye and refresh rates of 72 and 90Hz. Besides that, the lenses used by the device are called pancake lenses with 105 degrees field of view. It's said that the field of view will appear larger than the degree figure indicates because of the proximity of the pancake lenses to the user's eyes. On the internals, the Pico 4 gets powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon XR2 processor paired with 8GB of memory. It also has a battery that lasts about three hours.

The Pico 4 works with SteamVR on PC and has a dedicated Pico app store. Games confirmed coming to the device include Peaky Blinders: The King's Ransom, Ultimechs, and The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners 2. There's an exclusive cooperation with Ubisoft expected to start in 2023, and Just Dance will then get released in the Pico Store. Besides gaming, fitness apps include Les Mills Body Combat, All-in-One Summer Edition, and Creed: Rise to Glory are also available. Pico is also launching its version of metaverse called "Pico Worlds" in 2023.

The Pico 4 retails at €429 (~RM1,929) for a 128GB model and €499 (~RM2,243) for a 256GB model. It's expected to arrive in Malaysia later this year. Stay tuned to TechNave.com for more tech gadget launches.


CAT B15 shows other smartphones how tough they should be

We've seen any number of smartphone torture tests where people drop them, dunk them in water and drive over them. Most don't survive the last test and even then, usually end up with at least a cracked screen. The Caterpillar CAT B15 smartphone on the other hand takes all that and one ups all these other torture tests by adding heavy machinery to the mix, courtesy of Caterpillar of course. Tech specs for this smartphone include a 1GHz dual-core MediaTek processor, 1GB RAM, 4GB storage, 2000 mAh battery, support for GPS, WiFi, Bluetooth and a rear and front camera. It is also one of the few smartphones out there with mil-spec 810g shock proof military grade certification. Priced at $360 (RM1169) the phone shoud be available from Caterpillar. Do you think your tough smartphone can handle being run over by a 4.6 ton tank tread loader? Check out the CAT B15 doing just that in the video below:


CD Projekt Red giving away free GOG copy of The Witcher 3 but there's a catch

Epic Games Store has been giving out a lot of games and Steam constantly has discounts, but GOG (Good Old Games) has the occasional freebie as well. In conjunction with the fifth anniversary of The Witcher 3, CD Projekt Red has announced that it will be giving away free copies of the game on GOG.

While that sounds fine and dandy, there are a few caveats to this deal. First, you have to own a copy of regular edition or Game of the Year Edition of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. It will have to be on a PC platform other than GOG (Steam/Origin/Epic Games) or consoles (PS4/Xbox One). If you fulfil those requirements, then you can redeem a free copy of The Witcher 3 on GOG.

To do so, you'll have to sign up for an account on GOG first. Next, log in to GOG and click on The Witcher 3 offer and it'll prompt you to link the account of the platform that has your existing copy of The Witcher to the GOG account. Once that's done, you should be able to redeem a copy of the normal or GOTY edition, depending on which copy you already own.

It sounds very tedious, but it's a great way to grab an extra copy that you can give to friends, as the GOG version is DRM-free. With that said, have you already played this game before? What other games should GOG give away to entice PC users to its platform? Let us know on our Facebook page and stay tuned to TechNave.com for more news.


7 Villages in Hulu Langat are on Enhanced Movement Control Order (EMCO) from 30 March until 13 April 2020!

Today, the second enhanced movement control order (EMCO) was implemented in 7 villages in Hulu Langat by the government after it was imposed on two villages in Simpang Renggam, Johor last week. This is due to 71 positive cases identified among 274 residents of a tahfiz schoolSenior Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yakob mentioned the EMCO is effective from today until 13 April 2020 and involves 3,918 residents from 700 houses in the areas of Batu 21 to Batu 24 in Sungai Lui. During the lockdown, all entry points are blocked to ensure no visitors are allowed in while all locals and visitors in the areas are on a house curfew with no business activities running. All essential food items will be distributed by the Social Welfare Department and also a medical base will be set up there.

Kenyataan penuh Perintah Kawalan Pergerakan di kawasan Batu 21 - 24 Sungai Lui, Hulu Selangor bermula tengah malam ini, 30 Mac - 13 April.Ini bagi mengelak #COVID19 merebak selepas 74 kes positif dikesan. PKPD yang kedua dikenakan selepas dua kawasan di Simpang Renggam. pic.twitter.com/S9LMBleLop

There are currently 2,470 positive cases of COVID-19 in Malaysia with 35 deaths on record and 388 recovered from the infection. While Selangor, Kepong, and Klang are now officially red zones, Health Director-General Datuk Noor Hisham Abdullah has yet to announce the possibility of EMCO in more areas in these states.

With that said, we urge all Malaysians to please stay at home and always keep your hygiene well taken care of. If you really need to go to the grocery store, do go alone, not in pairs or with families. Do stay tuned for more local news updates on TechNave.com!


CD Projekt Red may have hinted at the launch window next-gen consoles

Big fans of CD Projekt Red (CDPR) were recently disappointed when the developer announced that its next big game was being delayed. The release date of Cyberpunk 2077 has been moved to 19 November 2020, making this the second time it's been delayed. But it's not all bad news, as this delay could coincide with the launch of next-gen consoles.

After the announcement of the delay, CDPR confirmed that the game will be compatible with next-gen consoles. In other words, if you bought the game on Xbox One or PlayStation 4, you'll be able to use that copy to play the game on the Xbox Series X or PlayStation 5. This is something that many expected, but it's still great to see an official confirmation on it.

We are happy to confirm that Cyberpunk 2077 will be backwards compatible with both next-gen consoles! Your PS4 copy of the game will work on PS5 on launch day. Anyone who buys the game on Xbox One will be able to play their copy on Xbox Series X when the console launches too!

Both Microsoft and Sony have stated that their next-gen consoles will be launched in Holiday 2020, which falls around November to December. Coincidentally, the PS4 first launched on 15 November 2020, followed by the Xbox One on 22 November 2020. So, Cyberpunk 2077's new release date and the announcement of compatibility with next-gen consoles is seen as confirmation that the console will be launched around that time.

Of course, the above is just speculation, but the possibility is quite high. Having said that, what do you think about the rumour? Let us know on our Facebook page and stay tuned to TechNave.com for further updates on this.


CD Projekt Red pushing back Cyberpunk 2077 again until 19 November 2020

Once again, the makers of The Witcher 3: The Wild Hunt, CD Projekt Red is delaying their upcoming anticipated Triple-A title game, Cyberpunk 2077 again. Initially scheduled to be released on the 17th of September, it has been pushed back to two more months which is 19 November 2020. The company have released an official statement just a few hours ago to address their actions.

Of course, this wasn't the first time that CD Projekt Red did this and loyal fans to the company are already familiar to their methods. According to their official statement, Cyberpunk 2077 is already complete and ready to play but if that's the case, then why the delay? Good question, well, as all gamers know - most game's first release tend to have bugs here and there so the company wants to fix that first as well as balancing the game mechanics. Night City Wire, which the game takes place is a huge metropolis so it will take some time to refine the game into near perfection.

An important development update pic.twitter.com/uFGrt9Tqpi

At the same time, the game is already sent out to multiple gaming journalists around the world playing the game. This is due to their first preview of Cyberpunk 2077 that will be released on 25 June 2020 so do look forward to that. Moreover, their first look at the game will help the company to refine the game further as well.

Welp, we have already waited for years, so what are two more months? We think Cyberpunk 2077 will be a top-tier class Triple-A title game that will stay with us for many years just like The Witcher 3 which is still enjoyed by many gamers until today. Until then, stay tuned for more trending gaming news at TechNave.com.


CD-quality for music streaming coming via Spotify HiFi

For most people, Spotify is enough to enjoy music daily. But a bitrate of 320kbps is not enough for audiophiles, who demand CD-quality music to go with their expensive audio gear. Well, Spotify HiFi should be able to cater to their needs.

According to Spotify, Premium subscribers will soon be able to upgrade to Spotify HiFi. You can also stream lossless audio content from your devices to speakers that support Spotify Connect. The company is also working with speaker manufacturers to ensure that more speakers can stream Spotify HiFi.

Obviously, the idea of CD-quality for Spotify isn't new, as it was first teased in 2017. But nothing came out of that until the company announced Spotify HiFi yesterday. With the new upgrade, selected countries will soon be able to enjoy CD-quality music on the platform. Hopefully, Malaysia will be one of the countries included.

Having said that, would you be keen on subscribing to Spotify Premium with this upgrade? How and where do you normally source your CD-quality music from? Let us know in the comments and stay tuned to TechNave for more updates on Spotify HiFi.


CEO OF MAXIS INTERRUPTS A BAND PERFORMANCE TO DELIVER iPHONE 7!

The iPhone 7 hype is finally over here in Malaysia. Maxis Berhad started to deliver the device to the customer via their #Maxis24hrExpress plan. Morten Lundal, CEO of Maxis also joined the game and delivers the brand new iPhone 7 to one of their customers.

Maxis is focused on eliminating unnecessary queues, headaches and frustrations from the customer's buying journey. They want their customers' iPhone 7 experience to be effortless.

The company guarantees all online pre-orders will reach every customer at any location of their choice within 24 hours, regardless of where they are within the country. It is the third time Maxis been having the 24 hour Maxis express delivery. They have expanded the self-collection points to over 100 locations nationwide.

About 800 Maxis employees have been mobilised for the 24 hours nationwide delivery, covering all states. Check out the full coverage video of Maxis CEO, Morten Lundal interrupts a band performance and delivers the iPhone 7 himself down below!


CES 2015 Bits: Saygus V2, Hyperdon Smart Watch and Jide Remix

CES 2015 is past and gone and while all the big brands have made their announcements and big showcases, there were actually quite a few smaller companies that caught our eye. True, some of them like the Polaroid Selfie camera are just copycats but they certainly offer a different angle on things. While we still don't support blatant copy-paste manufacturers some other devices from these smaller manufacturers caught our eye. They include the Saygus V2 which is a tech spec monster smartphone, the Hyperdon Smart Watch which is a $27 (RM95) Apple Watch clone and the Jide Remix Ultra-Tablet which is an Android powered Surface 3 tablet look-a-like. Check out their details below:

Featuring a design entirely it's own, the Saygus V2 is a tech spec monster of a smartphone. These include a 2.5GHz Snapdragon 805 processor, 3GB RAM, 64GB storage, 2x 128GB microSDXC slots and 5-inch full HD 1080p Sunlight Viewable display with the latest Corning Gorilla Glass 4. It also has a 21MP rear camera with dual LED flash and 13MP front camera and both cameras pack Optical Image Stabilization. There is also a dedicated camera shutter button. Features include a fingerprint side scanner, NFC, WiFi 802.11ac, Harmon Kardon Stereo speakers with 3 noise cancelling microphones, an IR blaster, 4G LTE support, Qi wireless charging and IPx7 Water proofing. It can Multi-boot and is likly shock proof to a certain degree as well. No Malaysia release dates or pricing details but you can pre-order at their site.

The Saygus V2 has all the features any smartphone could have

Now, this is a straight-up copy-paste job of the upcoming Apple Watch. It looks the same, has the same knock-off icons and same big dial interface running on a cheap display with poor backlighting. It's one claim to fame is that it was sold from $27 (RM95) to $36 (RM127) whereas the upcoming Apple Watch will likely start from $350 (RM1243). Build quality is probably terrible but the Hyperdon Smart Watch does everything most smartwatches do including showing notifications and taking and answering calls. While we won't speculate as to Malaysia release dates or pricing you could probably see this being sold by third-party sellers here in the near future. Just don't be duped to buy it at Apple Watch pricing.

While we won't say it is a hundred-percent copy-paste job, but the Jide Remix Ultra-Tablet looks a lot like the Microsoft Surface 3 tablet, right down to the aluminum casing, keyboard dock and built-in kickstand. However, instead of Windows, it runs on Android 4.4.2 and a customized interface Jide calls Remix OS which also has a Windows-like taskbar. Tech specs include a 1.81GHZ NVIDIA Tegra 4+1 processor, 2GB RAM, 64GB storage 11.6-inch full HD 1080p display, up to 128GB microSD support, 5MP rear and front cameras and 8100 mAh battery. Measuring in at 189 x 295 x 9.5mm and weighing 860g, the tablet is WiFi-only but comes with a magnetic 5mm thin full-size keyboard and touchpad which doubles as a screen cover. Like always, there isn't any Malaysia release date but the ex-Google developers at Jide are estimating it at $449 (RM1595).


CES 2017 Keynotes and Events time table

Are you excited for CES 2017? We know we are, for those who aren't familiar with it, CES stands for Consumer Electronics Show and this year marks the 50th anniversary for all tech geeks and nerds alike. As one of the largest shows on the planet, this year will be held in Las Vegas and several key players are set to present something awesome.

We managed to collect some date schedules of the major keynotes and events for you, check them out below and get hyped!

Any of your favourites are in there? Stay tuned for more CES 2017 news at Technave.com!


CES 2018: A new Swift 7, Chromebook 11 and Nitro 5 gaming laptop by Acer

It's CES 2018 news time and Acer has launched four new laptops namely a revamped Swift 7, Chromebook 11, a new Nitro 5 gaming laptop and a new Spin 3 notebook. Just before we dive into the details, all specifications, prices and availability may vary by region. With that being said, let's check the new Acer toys out.

Acer's Swift 7 is currently the thinnest laptop but this new one is said to be even thinner than before. The New 14-inches Full HD IPS Swift 7 (SF714-51T) is just 8.98 mm thin and also an always-connected PC running Windows 10 that is designed for mobility, with an ultraportable design packing a 7th Gen Intel Core i7 processor, all-day battery life of 10-hours and strong built-in Intel XMM 4G LTE connection. In addition, there's even an eSIM technology that allows download and activation of eSIM profiles and the data will be free and valid for a month for 48 countries including Malaysia (not much is said how that works, but we will let you know when it does come to Malaysia). Meanwhile, it also has 256 GB of PCIe SSD storage, 8GB of LPDDR3 memory and a fingerprint reader allows password-free and more secure sign-in through Windows Hello.

Next, the 11.6-inch Chromebook 11 (CB311-8HT / CB311-8H) offers an all-day battery life up to 10 hours in a portable and fanless design, so it’s great for users who will move the device around or use in shared spaces. Users will also be glad to know that it has two USB 3.1 Type C ports and of course, the Chromebook provides easy access to the Google ecosystem including Google Drive, Gmail, Google Play and a variety of useful Chrome apps and extensions. To add on to that, the Chromebook 11 features the latest Intel Celeron processor, 4GB of memory and 16GB or 32GB of eMMC storage, MicroSD card reader, Bluetooth 4.2.

For the gamers, the Nitro 5's IPS screen is 15.6-inch wide (Full HD) and it's powered by Windows 10, an AMD Radeon RX560 graphics card, 512GB worth of storage space, and a DDR4 RAM of up to 32 GB combined with the SSD. To control the heat from intense gaming, NitroSense utility allows the monitoring of the CPU/GPU, and adjustment of cooling fan speeds via Acer CoolBoost to keep them in optimal operation. Gamers can also enjoy the laptop's Dolby Audio Premium and Acer TrueHarmony technology, as well as the reliable dual-stream 802.11ac wireless technology, USB Type-C, HDMI 2.0, and Gigabit Ethernet.

There's also a refreshed Spin 3 (SP314-51) laptop, nothing much has changed as it's still the same flexible device that can turn into a tablet, display or tent mode with an 8th Gen Intel Core processor, 12 hours of battery life and a 14-inch FHD IPS display.

We also did a news about Acer's new 65-inch Predator Big Format Gaming Display (BFGD). If you want to read about that, head over here to check it out and stay tuned for more CES 2018 news.


CES 2018: ASUS previews new consumer laptops and AiO PCs

At the CES 2018, the ASUS Showcase Room showcased four new upcoming products that are slated to be released this year. Introducing the ZenBook 13 (UX331UAL), Vivo AiO V272, Vivo AiO V222 and the ASUS X507 laptop, these Windows 10 consumer laptops and all-in-one PCs don't have a price tag yet nor the availability, but for now here's what we know about the products.

Ultralight and thin, the ZenBook 13 is only 985g light and powerful enough to stand by up to 15 hours from its battery life. Performance is not compromised as well, it sports an 8th Gen Intel Core i7 processor, 16GB of RAM and 1TB PCIe SSD. Harman Kardon audio system is available too, along with new features such as Windows Hello, Modern Standby, and Microsoft’s digital assistant Cortana.

Next, the 1.68kg ASUS X507 is powered by a 7th Generation Intel Core i7 processor, NVIDIA GeForce MX110 graphics and a flexible, convenient dual-storage design. With its slim-bezel NanoEdge Full HD display for unbounded visuals, and preinstalled Windows 10 including Cortana, X507 is the ideal laptop for daily computing and entertainment, even if you are always on the move, the X507 is quite compact to bring around on your travels.

Moving on to the Vivo lineup, the AiO V272 also sports the latest 8th Gen Intel Core i7 and it's accompanied by an NVIDIA GeForce MX150 graphics card. Together with the 27-inch multitouch display that houses a wide 100% sRGB colour gamut and 178˚ wide-view for the visuals. Combining with ASUS SonicMaster audio system, this will surely offer a good entertainment experience. There's also a ZenAnywhere app that gives users a remote access that turns the product into a personal cloud storage centre.

Lastly, the Vivo AiO V222 is a 22-inch Full HD display with an 87% screen-to-body ratio for edge-to-edge visuals, it also has the SonicMaster on board and combining with ASUS Splendid and Tru2Life Video technology, the AiO V222 is designed for the ultimate entertainment experience. Likewise, ZenAnywhere app is available for this product as well.

We think we will be seeing more of these products in the future, perhaps at Computex 2018. Stay tuned for more CES 2018 news at TechNave.com.


CES 2018: ASUS unleashed a wide array of ROG gaming products

Aside from ASUS lineup of laptops and PCs, its gaming department - Republic of Gamers (ROG) also showed up at the CES 2018 and there is a one big family including the ROG Strix SKT T1 Hero Edition laptop, ROG Strix GL12 desktop, ROG Strix FLare RGB mechanical keyboard, ROG Aura Terminal addressable RGB controller, ROG Spotlight RGB projection light and Bezel-free Kit display accessory.

For the gaming products, the ROG Strix SKT T1 Hero Edition is a limited-edition gaming laptop developed in collaboration with one of the top eSports team SK Telecom T1. Designed for MOBA gaming, the laptop has an Intel Core i7 processor, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 10-Series graphics and a 120Hz IPS-level display with a 100% sRGB colour gamut. On the other hand, the ROG Strix GL12 desktop is a serious power machine using a factory-overclocked 8th Generation Intel Core processor (up to 4.8GHz full Hexa-Core) with NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 graphics card.

Moreover, the ROG G703 is the world's first gaming laptop with a 17.3-inch Full HD wide-view display with NVIDIA G-SYNC technology for a 144Hz refresh rate. Housing a factory-overclocked Intel Core i7-7820HK processor that can reach up to 4.3GHz out of the box, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 graphics with a maximum boost clock of up to 1974MHz, and Windows 10.

For the gaming peripherals, you have the ROG Strix Flare RGB mechanical gaming keyboard that allows customization on the keys with individual backlit Cherry MX RGB switches, dedicated media keys positioned for instant in-game control, an illuminated customizable logo badge and Aura Sync lighting.

There's also the ROG Aura Terminal and ROG Spotlight accessories (Aura Sync) that give synchronized lighting, as well as a Bezel-free Kit that enables gamers with multiple-monitor setups to visually eliminate the gaps where their displays connect the edge of each monitor at a 130-degree angle, it does require any software or power to operate. On top of that, ASUS also introduced a high-refresh-rate display, the ROG Strix Scare Edition with a 144Hz panel and GTX 1070 graphics card.

There will be a lot more CES 2018 news to come so stay tuned for that at TechNave.com.


CES 2018: Acer shows off a new 65-inch Predator Big Format Gaming Display

During the CES 2018 event, Acer has unveiled a new 65-inch Predator Big Format Gaming Display (BFGD) with NVIDIA G-Sync for the PC gaming market. Built with the same top-of-the-line specifications from its smaller gaming monitor brothers, it has the capability to use NVIDIA Shield streaming for video playback in 4K HDR setting.

Designed for the hardcore gamers, the BFGD has a Variable Refresh Rate technology that provides the smoothest stutter-free gaming experience, as well as ultra-low latency at 4K 120Hz. It can also deliver up to 1000 nits peak luminance with adjustable higher contrasts, deeper blacks and brighter whites. Gamers can also easily switch between gaming and other forms of entertainment, with access to movies and TV shows from popular streaming apps and can be controlled by Google voice assistant and a bundled remote / game controller.

In other news, Acer also revealed a new Swift 7 model, Chromebook 11, Nitro 5 gaming laptop and a revamped Spin 3 as well which you can check it out here. Stay tuned for that and more CES 2018 news at TechNave.com.


It's been a few weeks now since Apple has rolled out iOS 11, followed by iOS 11.0.1, iOS 11.0.2, iOS 11.0.3 and finally, the latest iOS 11.1 that was released on 31 October 2017. Anyway, for those who have gotten the latest iOS 11.1, the update may not seem like there are many changes except for the obvious new App Store design and the Control Centre. But there's more than meets the eye, check out our discovery of the Top 7 iOS features that are hiding in your iPhone (this should work on the iPad too, but we are focusing this on the iPhone).

If you take a look at the screen recording video (yes, finally Apple did it), you will see that we can now put a handful of cool message filters ranging from echo to balloons and even those disco lasers. To get access to those iMessage filters, simply type a message and press and hold the send button. A new page will roll up and show you a new section called "Screen", tap on that and you will have 9 different filter effects to play with and "kacau" your friend. Also, since this is available in iMessage, this means it only works between Apple users.

Another filter effect that Apple users seem to miss out is the new camera live modes which are Loop, Bounce and Long Exposure. In other words, you can finally do your own gif. or Boomerang-like pictures in the Camera app now. Loop and Bounce are kind of similar but in certain conditions, you can make some "magic" photos with a Loop effect of taking someone jumping with a skipping rope, or a Bounce (which goes forward and reverse) of the shopping mall glass door opening and closing. Long Exposure doesn't need any explanation, as it tries to mimic DSLRs long exposure shots like the one below that I took in a train tunnel.

To have access to those effects, you must have the Live Photo mode (which is the small orange logo in the top middle of the camera user interface, in case you forgot) enabled. After that, just snap a picture, go to the newly taken picture and swipe it up to see the Loop, Bounce or Long Exposure effect. Additionally, you can also edit the photo in either one of the effects such as cropping or adjusting the lighting.

Apple iPhone 7 Plus photo with long exposure effect in a train tunnel

Most Apple users should already know about the new Control Centre design, but did you also know that you can customize them as well? Customizing your Control Centre is as easy as breathing, all you need to do is just go to Settings -> Control Centre -> Customise Controls and you will be greeted with a bunch of useful shortcuts to your liking. It's possible to actually fill up the whole Control Centre with 12 of them (the bottom ones) and depending on the shortcut app, you can also still use 3D Touch to adjust or do whichever task you want to do. Pretty neat huh?

The new Control Centre and customise page in Settings

Another cool feature that I think most people aren't utilizing enough is Siri, perhaps it's our Manglish slang that's difficult for Siri to understand but now Siri knows how to speak French, German, Italian, Mandarin and Spanish. However, for some reason, Siri doesn't really pronounce the words in iPhone 6s series (and perhaps the ones before) but only iPhone 7 series and onwards. So if you happen to go travelling to either one of the countries that knows these languages, it will be most helpful.

Yup, I'm looking at you, Whatsapp #deathstare

Next, the new update also made some changes to the iPhone storage management (iPad should have this too). It's actually now easier to monitor which App is taking up the most space in your storage. To go there, just tap on Settings -> General -> iPhone Storage and you can see a new look on the page. But what's even better is that each App now offers an "Offload App" which means it will free up the storage within but still keep the documents and data. This is different from "Delete App" where you will have to start everything from scratch again, even if you have an account.

So here's the funny story about how I discovered this feature when my friend and I were looking for new features, my friend somehow discovered that you can activate Emergency SOS by quickly pressing the power button on the side 5 times. By doing so, this will deactivate your Touch ID immediately and we think this is a great way for preventing a stranger and even yourself to access your iPhone.

You can also set up emergency contacts or auto call in Settings -> Emergency SOS

Sliding the Emergency SOS will allow you to dial 911 (USA) or 999 (Malaysia), this is pretty great if you're really in danger #touchwood and have no time to dilly dally through the steps of searching the police contact. To deactivate the SOS button, simply tap in your passcode and your iPhone will be back to normal.

Lastly, perhaps everyone's favourite one is the battery life performance. Although the iOS 11.1 did not specify that they have improved the battery life, but it does feel like they did. To give you my testimony, the TechNave team recently went on a video shooting day trip to Bukit Tinggi at Pahang the other day, I started going out at 9.30am with a fully charge iPhone 7 Plus, listening to songs, replying messages, surfing Facebook and taking some pictures for the whole day and it lasted me until around 10pm going back with 10% left. For real, you have to take my word for it.

Before I end this article, there is one more feature that iOS 11 also brought to the table and that will be that both iPhone and iPad can now download Augmented Reality (AR) Apps through the Apple Store. Granted, the AR graphics actually look quite good, bringing the surrealism on your iPhone and iPad. However, much like the ASUS ZenFone AR, the number of AR App choices is very limited and not all of them are fun to play with. To add on to that, my iPhone 7 Plus became lava (#exaggerating) within a minute and some apps are crashing by itself too. But of course, this is not the case for the iPhone 8 series and iPhone X.

So what do you think? Anything else we missed out? By the way, we also did a 5 Hidden Tips about the iPhone on our Facebook page so do check that one out too. Thanks for reading and stay tuned for more tech articles at TechNave.com.


CES 2018: Lenovo releases new laptop products to basic home usage starting from ~RM801

Lenovo didn't miss out the CES 2018 party and boy, do they have a lot of products to show off. There are new X1 Tablet, X1 Carbon, X1 Yoga, Miix 630 2-in-1 Detachable, a Smart Display and a ThinkVision X1 monitor. Currently, all prices are in USD but let's see what the products offer before we get into that.

First up, the ThinkPad X1 Tablet comprises a full PC performance inside the 13-inch 3K display body featuring an Intel 8th Gen Intel Core processor, compatible with HDR2 and has an improved and optional global LTE-A connectivity. On top of that, it also features a facial recognition via IR camera, an optional Lenovo Pen Pro and quick charging for up to 30 days of battery life.

Next, ThinkPad X1 Carbon is one of the newest and thinnest 14-inch commercial laptops now packing some interesting features like Glance Eye tracking, 360-degrees Far Field Communication for voice control and even ThinkShutter Camera Privacy if you're actually paranoid of anyone seeing you. Battery life is quite long as it can standby up to 15 hours and you won't have to worry about charging long because it has Rapid Charge, a one-hour charge is said to add up to 12 hours of usage.

The X1 Yoga also has the exact same features as the X1 Carbon, plus using the latest 8th Gen Intel Core processors and an all-new Premium Dolby Vision capable display.

Moving on, the new Miix 630 is Lenovo's latest Windows 10 S 2-in-1 detachable laptop. Integrated with 4G LTE connectivity, the device uses a Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 chipset and can stay up to 20 hours of video playback without the power cable attached to the battery. As a detachable laptop, the 12.3-inch WUXGA+ touchscreen tablet can connect to a lightweight full-sized keyboard easily and its standby mode lets you stay connected with up-to-the-minute emails, notifications, message syncing and Skype calls in standby mode – all without draining your battery.

Last but not least, the Lenovo Smart Display with Google Assistant built-in sports an 8 or 10-inch screen, a Qualcomm Home Hub Platform based on the Qualcomm SDA 624 SoC. Designed for home-based usage, it's available in soft grey or natural bamboo colour matching most wooden, glass or granite tabletops, it's also flexible as it can be positioned a digital picture frame, horizontally or vertically to fit nearly any space.

The updated 27-inch UHD display features one of the world’s slimmest profiles at just 4.7mm and four-side near borderless bezels. The ThinkVision X1 is not just about appearance though. The Thunderbolt™ 3 port offers a true one-cable solution for this display that boasts more than 99% sRGB 10-bit color gamut to produce images that are bright and vivid.

Below is the list of official price in USD and links to the full specifications.

For more Lenovo CES stuff, head over here to check it out. Stay tuned for more CES 2018 news at TechNave.com.


CES 2018: Samsung introduces a new Notebook 7 Spin (2018)

While Samsung showcased a lot of technological products at the CES 2018, they also announced a new Notebook 7 Spin (2018). Designed for working professionals, students and those looking for entertainment, it will be available in selected countries starting in the first quarter this year in the USA. Below is the official specifications.

There is a wide variety of features that allow users to work wherever, whenever and however they want while staying secure. These features include:

Stay tuned for more CES 2018 news at TechNave.com.


CES 2018: Sony α6300 and new 18-135mm lens announced

Sony recently announced its 46th E-mount lens series, called SEL18135, the new APS-C lens features an 18-135mm focal length and an aperture range of F/3.5 - F/5.6 with optical SteadyShot stabilization. The SEL18135 will be available in Malaysia from the end of February or early of March 2018, no price was revealed, though.

Its optical zoom goes up to 7.5x and remains sharp thanks to its advanced design featuring one aspherical lens and two Extra-low Dispersion glass elements that minimise aberrations, allowing photographers to take close-up images with acceptable bokeh effect of its maximum magnification ratio of 0.29x and a minimum focus distance of 0.45m.

Although it measures at 67.2 x 88mm and weighs 325g, the lens is said to be quite compact and lightweight. Useful for a wide range of shooting situations ranging from daily life to portraiture, landscape, nature and travel photography, it's an ideal fit for Sony's APS-C sensor camera lineup such as the α6500, α6300 and α6000.

On the other hand, Sony also announced that the α6300 will be available in silver and will come to Malaysia as well from the end of February/early of March 2018. Stay tuned for more CES 2018 news at TechNave.com.


CES 2018: Sony brings on new wireless audio products, coming to Malaysia soon

A lot of Sony technological products appeared at the CES 2018, but what intrigued us was that some of the audio products will be making its way to Malaysia soon, namely the MDR-1AM2, new EXTRA BASS wireless speakers, and three new pairs of noise cancelling wireless earphones in March 2018 onwards. Prices are not revealed yet but we will surely let you know, so in the meantime, check out the details below.

The MDR series has made its mark as one of the best headphones in the market, with Hi-Res audio, the 1AM2 is compatible with up to 100KHz frequencies with a newly developed 40mm HD driver unit. To support an ultra-high frequency range, it uses a Fibonacci-patterned grill as well as a silver-coated oxygen-free copper to minimize the transmission signal loss and there are two cables - a standard one as well as a 4.4mm balanced-connection headphone cable in the box, plus the MUC-S12SB1 Kimber Kable is compatible with this. You can also rely on the synthetic leather earpads for comfort, coming in two black and silver, it will be available in Malaysia from mid-March 2018.

As for the new EXTRA BASS speakers, Sony is excited to introduce the new SRS-XB41, SRS-XB31, and SRS-XB21 EXTRA BASS wireless speakers. These are for the party people who want a compact speaker that is able to deliver a perfect balance of "deep bass" and "punch bass" for a wide variety of EDM. To boost the sound further, you can use a new Digital Signal Processor that achieves a Live Sound mode which helps to create a 3D music experience by spreading the sound both vertically and horizontally, which means it was designed to make you feel like you're in the middle of a music festival. What's more, you can also bring them to pool parties or the beach because it was an IP67 water and dust resistance grade. The EXTRA BASS wireless speakers will be available in Malaysia from June 2018 onwards, in several colour options.

Sony didn't forget about the earphones too, they have three new sports wireless headphones - the WF-SP700N, WF-SP600N and the WF-SP500. The Noise Cancelling technology is only available for the WF-SP700N and WI-SP600N so that you can concentrate on your training with your favourite tracks. But if you want to be aware of your surrounding, you can turn on the Ambient Sound. It's also good to know that you can bring them (all three earphones) under the rain too, as it has an IPX4 rating. The WF-SP700N and WI-SP600N will be available in Malaysia from July 2018, while the WI-SP500 will be available in Malaysia from mid of March 2018.

For more Sony news from CES 2018, check out what else they have released right here. Stay tuned for more CES 2018 news at TechNave.com.