1.3 million Google accounts affected by Gooligan Android bug

You should check your account, as a new bug has made headlines with Android accounts across the world. Thanks to the Gooligan bug, several malicious apps have been downloaded by Android users allowing the malware inside them to wreak havoc with as many as 1.3 million Google accounts.

The malware collects data from the phone it has infected, and inserts a rootkit. Once the phone is rooted, email accounts are stolen and code is inserted into the phone's apps forcing more malicious apps to be installed. This then gives hackers access to the user’s Google services like Photos, Play, Docs and Gmail. Devices running Jelly Bean, KitKat and Lollipop are the ones that are affected by this bug – Marshmallow and Nougat-based devices are safe. So far, 57% of the affected accounts are in Asia, with the Americas in second place at 19%.

Google are now working to remove the affected apps from the Playstore, but it will be a slow process. If you want to check if your account is affected, click this link and type in your email address. If you are compromised, your best solution is to re-flash your current device and change all your password immediately.  [Source]


1 Reason Why You Shouldn't Replace Your Photographers with iPhones

About a month or so ago the Chicago Sun-Times newspaper decided to fire all of its 28 professional photographers and provided each of it's reporters with an Apple iPhone. These writers and reporters were instantly "promoted" to photojournalists with the responsibility of taking their own pictures for the stories they were reporting on. They were given a short course on "iPhone photography basics" and let loose.The results are as the picture above, which shows a professional photographer's pic in a rival newspaper as opposed to the one taken by the Apple iPhone toting Chicago Sun-Times newspaper about the same event. As a photojournalist myself I can safely say that a DSLR is not equal to a smartphone camera and while you can get good shots with the Apple iPhone, you either have to be very lucky or a pretty good photographer in the first place. The impact to the newspaper's reputation and credibility has no doubt been affected. It also proves that this rather costly experiment isn't something you should do just because you can. Check out the other Chicago Sun-Times Apple iPhone shots at this Tumblr site and judge for yourself.


10-inch Huawei MediaPad M2 tablet with active stylus support revealed in CES 2016

As you might have guess, Huawei’s teaser yesterday hinted a possible new tablet and it turned out to be true. Introducing the Huawei MediaPad M2 tablet, the 10-inch device was revealed in CES 2016 and has an active stylus support with two variants in Silver and Gold colour.

The MediaPad M2 has a rather low pixel density of 226ppi with a screen ratio of 16:10, but it was reported to have impressive sound system for a tablet. It features four speakers with two at the top that handles the treble, while the bottom pair releases the bass sound. It should be noted that the new tablet is using the same chipset as the Huawei P8 smartphone, and there’s also an auto focus feature available for the rear camera. The MediaPad M2 will be available in the first quarter of 2016 as soon as Huawei starts shipping them, and the prices are as follows:


223000 face masks confiscated from Facebook seller for price gouging

About 223000 three-ply face masks had recently been seized by the Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Ministry from a Facebook Seller in Kota Damansara. This is due to the fact that they were selling each mask at RM3.50 a unit, instead of the ceiling price of RM2.00, which was set on 20 March 2020.

It seems that the raid was done thanks to a bunch of information received from the public, stating that a particular seller was selling face masks higher than the controlled price. In violation of the Price Control and Anti-Profiteering Act 2011, the suspect is expected to be fined more than RM500000 or a jail term of up to five years if he meets the criteria.

With all that said, the aforementioned ministry urges the public to report any profiteering sales to their hotline at 1-800-886-800 or via their website. What are your thoughts on the suspect selling face masks higher than the controlled price? Let us know on our Facebook page and for more updates like this, stay tuned to TechNave.com.


ASUS ZenFone 5z 8GB RAM 256GB internal storage priced leaked at RM2299

Lazada has leaked the price of the ASUS ZenFone 5z but this time it is the 8GB RAM and 256GB internal storage. Based on the Lazada listing, the device is priced at RM2299 and it is equipped with the top of the line Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 chipset and camera capable of scoring 90 on DxOMark. Yesterday there was another ASUS ZenFone 5z leak as well where the price of the 6GB + 128GB internal storage went for RM1899.

In terms of tech specs, the device is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 845, 8GB of RAM, 256GB of internal storage, 12MP + 8MP dual rear camera setup, 8MP front facing selfie camera, 6.2-inch display with a screen resolution of 1080 x 2246 pixels and it is powered by a 3300mAh non-removable battery. As of now there is no exact date on when the ASUS ZenFone 5z will be available in Malaysia. For more updates like these, stay tuned to TechNave.com.


Mark Zuckerberg announces a WhatsApp campaign with three new privacy features

Mark Zuckerberg has announced a new campaign for WhatsApp in line with the launch of a trio of features. The campaign focuses on the security and privacy features of the messaging app. It'll start in India and U.K. before making its way to the other countries.

The three features include exit group chats quietly, controlling who can see when you're online, and preventing screenshots of view once messages. Exiting group chats quietly will avoid everyone getting notifications of you leaving but the group admins. Furthermore, you can now have more control of your online status by not letting everyone know you're online, with options including everyone, all the people from your contacts, some people from your contacts, and nobody.

A speedy summary of @WhatsApp's NEW privacy features Read Mark Zuckerberg's announcement post: https://t.co/yJtLVEZJpO pic.twitter.com/7l08Lp9eCe

Besides those, you can also prevent people from taking screenshots and recording video captures of the view once images and videos. At first, users complained that the view once feature was pointless as the others still could capture them without consent. However, your conversations, even with disappearing messages, would not be included in this new feature, so you might want to be careful with your words! (haha)

What do you think about these new WhatsApp features? Drop a comment to let us know your thoughts, and stay tuned to TechNave.com for more tech news.


Mark Zuckerberg confirms that NFTs will be coming to Instagram ‘in the near term’

Meta Platforms chairman and CEO, Mark Zuckerberg yesterday confirmed that non-fungible tokens (NFTs) are coming to Instagram soon. In fact, the Facebook founder said that Meta is currently working on doing just that and hopes that it would be accomplished ‘in the near term’.

This announcement comes as no surprise as Meta has previously announced its interest with NFTs. Earlier this year, Instagram top executive Adam Mosseri said that the company is ‘actively exploring’ NFTs and even made plans to add NFTs into its crypto wallet Novi.

According to a report by engadget, Zuckerberg hasn’t revealed much regarding the plan or the specific time frame of when it would be implemented. However, he did say that Meta would potentially allow users the ability to bring in their NFTs into Instagram over the next several months and also be able to mint things within that environment.

Furthermore, Zuckerberg also said that NFTs could play an important role in his company's upcoming metaverse. He gave an example of the clothing that users’ avatar are wearing in the virtual reality and how it can be minted as NFTs as well as be taken between users’ different places.

What do you guys think of Meta’s plan to integrate NFTs into Instagram? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below and stay tuned to TechNave for all the latest tech news!


Mark Zuckerberg confirms there's a new Meta VR headset in October

Meta is preparing to reveal a new VR headset in October, as confirmed by Mark Zuckerberg himself. The source suspects it could be at the annual Connect event, which also took place in October last year.

The information got revealed on The Joe Rogan Experience podcast. Although Zuckerberg didn't specifically mention the headset's name, the descriptions he made aligned with the reports about the headset codenamed "Project Cambria".

Inside the report by The Information, Reality Labs employees described the new headset as a "laptop for the face" or "Chromebook for the face." It will reportedly have outward-facing cameras enabling mixed-reality experiences. Furthermore, the publication said back then that it would have the capability to allow users' avatars in the metaverse to mirror their expressions and to show where they're looking in real life. Zuckerberg has confirmed those features on the podcast by mentioning that the headset indeed allows eye contact in virtual reality and that it will be able to translate users' expressions in real time to their avatars, whether they're smiling, frowning or pouting.

Although there was nothing shared regarding the price, the source suggests that it could be more expensive than the Quest 2 by exceeding 1000 USD (~RM4,468), which got a price hike back in August. Stay tuned to TechNave.com for more tech news.


Mark Zuckerberg hints at the arrival of multi-device support on WhatsApp, and the iPad app too

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg has dropped hints about the arrival of a WhatsApp feature that most of us need. During an interview with WhatsApp CEO Will Cathcart, Zuckerberg himself surprisingly showed up and subtly told the interviewee that multi-device support for WhatsApp is in the works.

When asked about whether the app can be used on other devices with the main one being offline, the Facebook CEO replied that it's a big challenge to get the messages across devices sync properly but it'll be solved soon. The reply might also be pointing to the launch of the iPad version of WhatsApp.

It has been almost two years since the first time we heard about the iPad app's rumour. Currently, there’s an official app available for the Mac, and third-party ones available for iPad, with both relying on the main app to work. By rolling out multi-device support, not only the iOS users, but it will also benefit the Android users to let them sync their messages across personal devices without relying on the main app.

Let us know what you think about the news on our Facebook page. Stay tuned to TechNave.com for the latest tech report.


Mark Zuckerberg is doubling the amount of content from accounts you don't follow on Facebook & Instagram

Nowadays, if you feel like you have been seeing more pages and content on Facebook and Instagram that you have never seen, you're not alone. In fact, the Meta company is actually pushing towards more recommended accounts on purpose. Why is that?

Mark Zuckerberg, Meta CEO, said that the company is going to "double the amount of content" from people that we don't even know. This is going to go for as long as until the end of 2023, and it has something to do with the Discovery Engine that we mentioned before in our previous news.

To recap, the Discovery Engine sort of works like TikTok and shifts away from the traditional way of showing your interests or list of friends. On top of that, it's also showing more unknown videos and if you surf Instagram, you would notice a lot more Reels from other creators.

Obviously, Meta is trying to be like TikTok as Zuckerberg recently said that the Discovery Engine's “Al finds additional content that people find interesting, that increases engagement and the quality of our feeds.” During the second quarter meeting for Meta, it was reported that its business has slowed down and there is a drop in Facebook users by 1% for the first time.

Personally, I find the amount of seeing unknown pages and content annoying on my Facebook and Instagram. Even the Kardashians hate the new Instagram and there's an online petition going on. But what about you? Let us know in the comments below and stay tuned for more trending tech news at TechNave.com.


Mark Zuckerberg's leaked phone number tells us that he's a user of Signal as well

Due to WhatsApp's privacy issues, Signal has risen to fame after Tesla's CEO Elon Musk subtly promoted the app by tweeting 'Use Signal'. After that, the messaging app has recorded a surge in new users and caused the company to experience verification codes delay. Now, it is found out that the person who owns WhatsApp is also a user of Signal.

Security researcher Dave Walker has found out that Facebook co-founder Mark Zuckerberg was a user of Signal as well with his leaked phone number. The source has also contacted Facebook for confirmation but a spokesperson replied by saying that “this isn’t something they would comment on and have nothing further to add." However, Zuckerberg's Signal account has been deleted as of yesterday (5 April)

The source claims that one of the reasons that Zuckerberg was on Signal could be he prefers the app's security, features, or design. There's also a possibility that he was just on it to check out how the competitor is doing.

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


Mark Zuckerberg takes aim at Apple, claims that WhatsApp is “far more secure” than iMessage

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg is further heating up his company’s rivalry with Apple, this time around taking aim at the security features of iMessage. In an Instagram post sharing a Meta advertisement billboard, Zuckerberg boldly claims that Meta-owned WhatsApp is “far more private and secure” compared to Apple’s iMessage.

In the Instagram post, Zuckerberg shared a billboard in New York City promoting WhatsApp over SMS and iMessage as it has enhanced security features better than both. The Meta CEO elaborated in the post:

“WhatsApp is far more private and secure than iMessage, with end-to-end encryption that works across both iPhones and Android, including group chats. With WhatsApp you can also set all new chats to disappear with the tap of a button. And last year we introduced end-to-end encrypted backups too. All of which iMessage still doesn't have.”

Well, we’ve got to say that Zuckerberg does have some valid points in his argument, especially how WhatsApp is available across-platform compared to the closed nature of iMessage. Though, given Meta’s track record on data privacy, we’re not too sure that bragging about your app’s security is the right move.

What do you guys think? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below and stay tuned to TechNave for more trending tech news.


Marketing materials show that the LG Velvet 2 Pro could have been a decent flagship

On 5 April 2021, LG officially drew the curtains on its smartphone business. This meant that all development was cancelled, including the successor to last year's LG Velvet. However, its successor - the LG Velvet 2 - was clearly far into the development process as there are some marketing materials for a Pro variant.

Thanks to the leaker @FrontTron, we now get to see the marketing materials for the LG Velvet 2 Pro. They're quite blurry so it's hard to point out the finer details, but do show you what the phone would have looked like. As you can see, the design is largely similar to last year's LG Velvet. However, the 3.5mm audio jack is missing on the unreleased successor.

This is the LG Velvet 2 Pro (LG Rainbow) marketing materials. (with English translations) pic.twitter.com/MsVYFQeTOK

Since it's apparently a Pro variant, it should have a more powerful chip than the LG Velvet's Snapdragon 765 chipset. In fact, the spec list shows that the LG Velvet 2 Pro's uses the Qualcomm SM8350, which is the Snapdragon 888 chipset. It was also supposed to have 8GB of RAM, 128GB of internal storage, a 4500mAh battery, and a 6.8-inch FHD+ P-OLED display with a refresh rate of 120Hz.

If the price was appropriate, the LG Velvet 2 Pro could have been a pretty good flagship smartphone. Unfortunately, it's too late to talk about what-ifs. Regardless, what do you think about the phone? And what could LG have done differently to turn its fortunes around? Share your thoughts in the comments, and stay tuned to TechNave for more news on the latest smartphones.


Marketing video of Samsung Galaxy S22 series leaked, confirms some tech specs

With the Samsung Galaxy S22 series launch just around the corner, much about the company's new flagship series is already known. But so far, most of the details were revealed via leaks that might not always be accurate. Fortunately, the latest leak dispels some doubts.

Thanks to screenshots from a leaked marketing video by @dohyun854 (via Phonearena), we have confirmation on the details of the Galaxy series. Also, the video has been disabled and the leaker's Twitter account got locked. These signs all show that the leak is most likely the real deal.

While it's hard to see from the design, all three models seem to less pronounced camera bump as expected. You can also see the S Pen with the Galaxy S22 Ultra, which practically looks like a Galaxy Note device. In addition, both the Galaxy S22 and Galaxy S22+ have slightly smaller bodies, compared to their predecessors.

Besides that, the Galaxy S22 and Galaxy S22+ would have smaller 3700mAh and 4500mAh batteries, respectively. Interestingly, the info leaked is for the SEA region and both the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 and Exynos 2200 chipsets were listed. This suggests that our region would get both options, but we're quite certain that Samsung would still fix the choice depending on the country. Other listed specs include the cameras, RAM, and storage.

The Samsung Galaxy S22 is set to launch next week, so everything will be revealed then. But don't be surprised if you see more last-minute leaks. Having said that, what do you think about Samsung's latest flagship series so far? Let us know in the comments, and stay tuned to TechNave for more news about it.


Martin Parr to receive Outstanding Contribution to Photography Title at 2017 Sony World Photography Awards

As of 17 January 2017, the World Photography Organisation has announced British documentary photographer Martin Parr as the recipient of its Outstanding Contribution to Photography title. The photographer will collect his title at the 2017 Sony World Photography Awards ceremony held in London on Thursday, 20 April 2017.

Upon being told of the award, Martin Parr commented:

“It is a great honour to receive the Outstanding Contribution to Photography title, especially knowing the illustrious previous recipients such as William Klein and William Eggleston. It is also very reassuring to see the World Photography Organisation and Sony’s continuing support for all aspects of contemporary photography, through this exhibition and this season of awards.”

To coincide with the awards, a specially curated exhibition of rarely seen black and white images from Martin Parr’s early career will be presented at Somerset House, London alongside some of his most talked about work, books and films. As part of the 2017 Sony World Photography Awards exhibition, Parr’s work will be on show for a limited run from 21 April – 7 May 2017. In addition, the photographer will give a public talk at the London School of Economics and Political Sciences (LSE) on Friday, 21 April.

The Sony World Photography Awards is the world’s largest photography competition. The shortlist for the 2017 awards will be announced on February 28. Tickets are on sale now at www.worldphoto.org/2017exhibition.


ASUS ZenFone 5z and ZenFone Max Pro M1 flash sale happening on Lazada 9.9 Super Sale

ASUS Malaysia is back at it again. In conjunction with Lazada's 9.9 Super Sales this coming long weekend, the company will be putting the ZenFone 5z (6GB + 128GB) and the ZenFone Max Pro M1 (6GB + 64GB) on another flash sale on 9 September 2018 only, for a price of RM1699 and RM899 respectively.

Aside from the attractive price tag, there are other benefits to each ASUS smartphone as well. For the ZenFone 5z (6GB + 128GB), it comes with the LAZADACARE Plus that gives a free 1-year accidental damage cover and a 1-year extended warranty. In addition to that, ASUS Malaysia is also giving away a RM50 off voucher but you can only use it for spending above RM800. There is limited quantity on the two phones so grab it fast with the voucher code - ASUS99RM50.

That's it folks, remember to bookmark their online store in Lazada here and have a great long weekend ahead!


Marvel Phase 4 is exciting, but who exactly are The Eternals and Shang-Chi?

It's hard to think about what can come after Avengers Endgame, how do you continue the saga after a 10-year epic conclusion? Well, Marvel Studios has just recently announced their Phase 4 plan at the San Diego Comic-Con 2019 and it's huge! A prequel Black Widow film is already in the making, so is Doctor Strange (multiverse confirm!), as well as Wanda, Vision, Hawkeye, The Falcon, Winter Soldier and Loki making their way to Disney+, along with finally Thor getting its fourth entry.

However, many non-Marvel fans will probably not be familiar with The Eternals and Shang-Chi. Like, who the heck are they? And why are they a big deal? That's what we are going to break down today, so sit back and read on!

If you think that name sounds cosmic, well... close enough. Created in July 1976 by Jack Kirby, these Eternals are sort of like the next-stage evolution of the human race with superpower abilities (what's new?) with the help of a group of Celestials. Also, they have an eternal lifespan so hence, The Eternals.

To add on, these Celestials actually did appear briefly during the first Guardians of the Galaxy movie when the Collector was explaining to them about the Power Stone. These "Gods" came to Earth a long time ago and performed a genetic experiment because they can, but this also begs the question of where they were all this time? Well, the MCU timeline is different from the comics so they are probably going to be introduced right after the events of Endgame.

Besides the Eternals, the experiment also resulted in two other races - The Deviants which are deemed "failures" as well as the human race as the balance between the two. So what do the Eternals do exactly? According to the comic page, "The Eternals took to the highest mountain tops. They probed the universe with their minds and developed powers which surpassed those of all other earth-life, they were regarded with awe and fear". There are a few members in the Eternals as well, which consists of:

Also - fun fact of the day, Thanos was considered a Deviant from the comics! This is why The Eternals are a big deal.

Another exciting MCU movie to look forward to is Shang-Chi (pronounced as "Seng"-Chi) and The Legend of the Ten Rings. For Marvel fans, the Legend of the Ten Rings certainly rings a bell - that's because it's referenced to the Mandarin who was supposed to be the "main" villain in Iron Man 3 tapi bukan. With this, it's great to know that the real Mandarin will make an appearance and will be played by legendary Hong Kong action star actor, Tony Leung. Simu Liu will be starring as Shang-Chi and will be joined by Awkwafina (aka, Nora Lum).

As for Shang-Chi, you can think of this character as the Bruce Lee equivalent for the comics. He has been regarded as one of the best fighters in the (Marvel) universe despite not having any superpowers and has consistently been placed as one of the best easily. According to sources, he is often one in the top spots for a few reasons:

In other news that you might not know, there are also other bunch of tibbits that are worth mentioning here. Here's what we found out about the rest of the Phase 4 shows:

So that's what you pretty much need to know and given with Marvel Studio's reputation for making unknown characters popular, we aren't worried about the Eternals and Shang-Chi's debut to the MCU. The two movies are set to release on 5 November 2020 and 12 February 2021 respectively.

Are you excited about Marvel Phase 4? Which one are you looking forward to the most? Let us know in the comments below and stay tuned for more pop culture news at TechNave.com.


Marvel announces multigame partnership with Square Enix

If you are a fan of the Marvel universe, brace yourself. Marvel has announced that they will be creating a multi-year, multi-game franchise based on the Avengers universe. The company has announced that they have roped in Square Enix, Crystal Dynamics and Eidos Montreal to develop the game universe.

Set to be released in 2018, the game will have all the characters, environments, and iconic moments that have thrilled longtime fans of the franchise. No platforms has been announced, but we may see it on PS4 and the PC. For the uninitiated, Square Enix is the developer and publisher for the famous Final Fantasy game franchise, while the Crystal Dynamics created the new Tomb Raider series of games.

No other games have been announced yet, nor has the plot for the Avengers game, known for now as "The Avengers Project", been revealed. Are you excited with this news? Stay tuned for more information on the new Marvel game universe coming 2018.


Marvel is giving out free access to some of its comics to encourage you to stay home

Staying home during the movement control order (MCO) doesn’t sound bad at all with some of the perks offered by different companies during this period. Earlier, we’ve seen the news of Astro providing free channels for every Malaysian, Candy Crush giving out unlimited lives, and the list goes on. Now, Marvel is joining the force (it’s not saving the world) by giving out free access to some of the comics available from its Marvel Unlimited subscription service.

From now until 4th May 2020, you can just chill and lay back on your couch to read those comics that feature your favourite Marvel characters. The comics come with titles including Avengers. Vs. X-Men, Black Panther, Captain America: Winter Soldier Ultimate, Amazing Spider-Man: Red Goblin and more are now free for your reading pleasure.

You can access the free titles via Marvel Unlimited’s Android and iOS apps, or from its official website. Normally, these content can only be accessed if you’re a Marvel Unlimited’s subscriber that will cost you 9.99 USD (~RM43) for a month. To encourage everyone to stay home, Marvel is making an exception this time for you to catch up with some of Marvel's classics.

Share with us about which title you will read first on our Facebook page! Stay tuned to TechNave.com for more viral cool stuff.


Marvel's first MOBA mobile game, Marvel Super War will be releasing on 19 December 2019

If you’re a fan of both multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) and Marvel, you should definitely check out this game! The long-awaited Marvel’s MOBA mobile game, Marvel Super War, finally has an official launch date which is on 19 December 2020!

The mobile game will be available for download on both Android and iOS devices. It is going to allow you to fight the opponents using your favourite characters from Marvel comics. The gameplay is also similar to the one you see in games like Arena of Valor and Mobile Legends, which is battling as a team against your opponents in a 5v5 arena using different skills and powers.

We definitely can’t wait for it to be released so that we could have one more game in our smartphones that we can get addicted to. With Marvel’s heroes and villains joining the game, we believe it is going to be one hell of an experience!

You may pre-register for the game now at the official site or on Google Play and App Store! Let us know what character you would be using in the fight on our Facebook page! Stay tuned on TechNave.com for more mobile game news.


Mass Effect Legendary Edition & many other games are now free to claim on Prime Gaming, promotion ending soon

If there's one thing that Malaysians love, it's free stuff. No matter what is it, we would happily take and in the case of Malaysian PC gamers, Amazon has a treat for you. Recently, Amazon Prime just started a massive Prime Day promotion across its platforms and this includes Prime Gaming with a bunch of free video games giveaway.

From its lineup, the biggest giveaway is none other than the Mass Effect Legendary Edition. Since it's published by Electronics Arts, you will need to link your account to the EA Origins platform and you can immediately claim it. That said, if you never had an Amazon account before, you will need to input your online payment method before claiming it but you can have a 7-day free trial.

Besides the Mass Effect Legendary Edition, there are also other notable games with the likes of Need For Speed: Heat, Grid: Legends, as well as classic old games such as Star Wars: Jedi Knight series and Republic Commando, King of Fighters 2000 and 2002 version, Metal Slug 2 and many more. There are a total of 35 free games to claim and some are ending a few hours before the 15th of July (US time).

For the uninitiated, subscribing to Amazon Prime not only gives you access to Prime Gaming but as well as Prime Video at RM25 per month. As mentioned before in our TV streaming service comparison article before, you can watch the critically acclaimed superheroes gone bad The Boys, Fear The Walking Dead, Star Trek: Picard, as well as animated movies like Shrek. There are also a good number of Indian TV shows and movies on Amazon Prime Video.

If you're not keen on paying another subscription fee, you can just use the 7-day free trial to claim the free games and cancel it before the expiry date. Stay tuned for more trending tech news at TechNave.com.


Mass Effect Trilogy Remastered is allegedly real and coming in Fall 2020

If there's one game series from EA that many would remember fondly, it would have to be the Mass Effect series. But while fans were thrilled to hear of the rumour that the Mass Effect Trilogy would be getting a remaster, some were sceptical of on whether it's real. However, a new rumour now claims that the remaster is very real indeed and would be released within this year.

According to Wccftech (via Game Reactor), a remaster of the Mass Effect 1, 2 and 3 is in development. It's expected to be launched in Fall (September to November) 2020 and will replace the major release slot that EA has every year. Since there's no new Battlefield or Star Wars Battlefront title scheduled for launch this year, there's enough reason to believe this to be the case.

It so happens that EA Play will be held on 18 June 2020 at 4 PM Pacific time (19 June, 7 AM MYT), so we'll find out whether the rumours are true then. Having said that, are you excited for a remaster of the Mass Effect Trilogy? What improvements would you like to see in the remaster? Let us know on our Facebook page and stay tuned to TechNave.com for more news.


Massive 6.44-inch Xiaomi Mi Max 2 announced with new 5300 mAh battery for 1699 Yuan

Today, the Xiaomi Mi Max 2 was announced in China with two different variants based on its memory storage - 64GB and 128GB for 1699 Yuan and 1999 Yuan respectively, that’s around RM1056 and RM1243 in direct currency conversion. Anyway, here are the official tech-specs from the live stream we saw on YouTube.

Comparing it with the predecessor, the Mi Max, there was that much difference except the huge battery upgrade, same goes to the quick charge technology that enables to charge up to 68% in an hour. Gamers and heavy entertainment users will be happy to know there’s a new dual stereo speakers and one-handed mode for easier tasking.

However, the processor remains the same, the new split screen multitasking feature is yet to be featured as well but Xiaomi promises future MIUI updates will enable it. It’s also only available in Gold.

The massive phablet will go on sale on 1 June 2017 in China, while we surely can get an imported set, but it’d be nice if Xiaomi Malaysia officially export the it here. Time will tell. Stay tuned for more Xiaomi news at TechNave.com.


Massive Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra leak reveals S Pen support, up to 16GB of RAM and more

Tonight is the Samsung Unpack livestream at 11 PM but before that, a massive leak of the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra is now online. Initially leaked by Evan Blass, more information of the upcoming flagship is now on his Twitter account and website. Let's take a look at what are the exciting highlights.

According to the new leaks, pre-ordering the Galaxy S21 Ultra could grant the customer a free pair of Galaxy Buds Pro and Galaxy SmartTag (to trace items) but of course, not every region would have the same benefits. The leak also revealed that only the ultra variant has the S Pen support, a 6.8-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2x display with 120Hz refresh rate, a next-gen 8K Video Snap, and a new dual telephoto lens (3x and 10x optical zoom, 100x or 20x zoom lock) system.

Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G key selling points / range specs pic.twitter.com/YydnDSOK4x

The leak also confirmed that the Exynos 2100 chipset is on board and even features up to 16GB of RAM. There could be three memory variants which are 128GB, 256GB and 512GB but as always, each region would get a different set. Last but not least, the leaked teaser also said there's no charging adapter inside the box.

Are you excited about the Samsung Galaxy S21 series? As mentioned, the livestream will start at 11 PM (Malaysia time) at Samsung Malaysia's website or you can visit their channel on YouTube as well. Stay tuned for our official news at TechNave.com.


Masterpass, a new Mastercard global digital payment service

Today, in an important industry milestone, Mastercard has unveiled the foundation for the future of commerce with the new Masterpass global digital payment service. This enables consumers to look no further than their own trusted bank or credit union to make fast, simple and secure digital payments – across devices and channels – anywhere they want to shop be it online, in app and now in-store with contactless.

Masterpass simplifies everyday payments and checkout experience, it helps issuers differentiate existing products, including mobile banking apps, by integrating digital payment functionality and new services like purchase alerts and paying with points. It also allows issuers to design and develop their own branded digital payment solution using Masterpass APIs and SDKs, while merchants can use Masterpass APIs and SDKs to enable checkout online and within mobile apps.

More than 80 million accounts will be automatically enabled through issuing partners as the service rolls out globally. The rollout of the enhanced Masterpass service in North America first, followed by Europe, Latin America & the Caribbean, Middle East & Africa by the end of 2016, Asia Pacific will continue through 2017.

“With billions of cardholders across the globe, we are working with our issuers and merchants to ensure that we’re delivering digital payments that support consumer expectations for a familiar and secure payment experience both now and in the future,” said Craig Vosburg, President of North America, Mastercard. “The expansion of Masterpass represents an important evolution of our business. We’re packaging the intelligence and insights generated by digital payment solutions to power a wide range of merchant and consumer experiences.”

“Mastercard is one of those unique brands that is instantly recognizable around the world,” said Raja Rajamannar, Chief Marketing and Communications Officer, Mastercard. “To thrive in this new digital world where business moves faster than ever, we want to modernize and elevate the brand in a design that is simple and elegant, yet unquestionably Mastercard.

For a list of Masterpass online and in-app accepting merchants visit www.masterpass.com. In-store enabled merchants can be found here.


Material You from Android 12 is now rolling out to some Google apps

Before launching Android 12, Google is already rolling out part of the update to the users. The Material You, a more aesthetic-looking design language from the upcoming operating system update, will now be available on some Google apps, including Gmail, Google Drive, Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides.

The design change is meant to match the colours of the upcoming Pixel 6 devices with the user interface to create a "more dynamic, personalized look." However, it'll not be bringing drastic changes to the current Google apps but only subtle ones. For example, the existing colour schemes and colour-coded file types and folders will remain unchanged, with the layout being mostly the same as the previous design.

The Material You design is also heading to Google Calendar on 20 September and Google Meet on 19 September. It will be available to both personal Google accounts and Google Workspace customers. Furthermore, it is also worth mentioning that the Pixel 6 series could launch on 19 October, where we'll also be seeing the full version of Android 12.

Do you like this change, or it's not that significant for you to like it or not like it? Leave a comment to let us know your opinion and stay tuned to TechNave.com for more tech reports.


ASUS ZenFone 5z now on flash sale for RM1799 on Lazada for one day only

Hey TechNavers, in this short announcement - today is a special day from ASUS Malaysia because there is a flash sale going on at their online store in Lazada! Just for ONE DAY ONLY until 11.59PM today, you can purchase their latest flagship ZenFone 5z (6GB + 128GB) for just RM1799 while stocks last!

Not only will you be able to take advantage of the RM100 discount off the ZenFone 5z, but as well as the ZenFone Max Pro M1 (3GB + 32GB) for just RM599 with free delivery charges! The ZenFone Max Pro M1 (4GB + 64GB) model is also making a return but with no discount offer, but it will be on sale for RM849 + a free 32GB SanDisk Ultra MicroSD Card (limited quantity) and a free delivery too.

In addition, it seems that they are also having discounts sales up to 25% on their other products such as laptops, monitors and routers. You can check their online store out right here for more information, stay tuned for more ASUS news at TechNave.com.


Maxis 4G LTE Expanding Coverage to Penang and Johor Bharu in Q3

In another aggressive push of their 4G LTE services, Maxis recently announced that they were expanding their LTE network onward and outward from the Klang Valley. These areas incude Penang and Johor Bharu. According to Maxis Joint Chief Operating Officer Mark Dioguardi, Maxis will offer their LTE services in Penang and Johor Bharu in Q3 of 2013. This means said areas will most likely get it sometime between July and September.Celcom have also indicated that they will deploy their own LTE network in those areas by the middle of 2013. Considering that Celcom have yet to offer any LTE coverage even to the Klang Valley we can only assume that it has been postponed or they're going to do a mass roll-out of Celcom LTE services for all of these areas in one big swoop. This may mean some competition for Maxis then but its all good for the consumer as more competition just means lower prices and better deals for the rest of us. Check out more of these Maxis telco deals here.


Maxis 4G follows up YouTube Ad of The Year ‘The Last Kitemaker’ with a new reunion film for Chinese New Year

Today, Maxis 4G Films is proud to release ‘The 50-Year Promise’, a short film about long-lost siblings who search for each other with the help of technology. In conjunction of the coming Chinese New Year at the end of this month, Maxis teams up with the same award-winning team that scripted and produced ‘The Last Kite-Maker’, which won YouTube’s Ad of The Year 2016 a few weeks ago.

Inspired by true stories, the ‘The 50-year Promise’ hopes to encourage Malaysians to reconnect, reunite and capture lost years with family and friends this Chinese New Year, no matter how far apart or how long they’ve not seen each other, using the Internet.

Check out our latest 4G film ‘The 50-Year Promise’ here (best enjoyed on a mobile screen on Maxis 4G):

‘The 50-year Promise’ marks the third in the series of Maxis 4G films. Last year, Maxis released two films, The Road Trip and the award-winning Merdeka-themed The Last Kite Maker, which was awarded the three YouTube Ads Awards 2016 including YouTube Ad of the Year.


Maxis 4G presents ookyo, a 100% digital internet plan for only RM30 per month

Maxis has just launched a pretty fresh and honestly, very Malaysian internet plan that is 100% digital only for RM30 a month called Ookyo! Digital means that you don’t have to get off your couch at all to pay your bill, everything can be settled on the ookyo app.

Ookyo will provide users unlimited internet access in their Social or Entertainment All Access Pack. Users will be able to choose either a social or entertainment pack that will allow them unlimited internet in the apps included in the pack. For any other apps that aren’t in the access packs, there is a 3GB internet provided for your pleasure.

3GB isn’t enough for your special app? Worry not, for as low as RM3 per app for the month, you can also experience unlimited access for that app for the month. Oh and by the way, messaging apps such as LINE, WhatsApp, WeChat and FB Messenger are always free! Did we mention that all these will be on Maxis’ high speed 4G network? Insane!

Not to forget about the Google Play Credit rewards; that’s right, for every ringgit you spend on ookyo you get 10% of it back in Google Play Credits. Plus you can earn up to RM100 if you invite your friends to sign up. you can learn more about Google Play Credits, here.

Feel free to stop by ookyo's official website to find out more about this fresh and cool internet plan because life’s too short for #basic internet plans. Also, don’t forget to check out TechNave.com because you know we give only the best to our fans.


Maxis Also Offering HTC One from RM1299

Maxis has recently released it's bundle plans for the HTC One. In view of how popular the smartphone is, Maxis have been a bit more flexible this time around so you can get it on either a 12 or 24 month contract or with a SurfMore or TalkMore plan. For the full details, check out the table below:

According to Maxis you can only get the HTC One at selected Maxis Centers such as e-Curve Cheras, Danga Bay, Gardens, KLCC, Pavillion, Penang i-centre, Sunway, TTDI and Queensbay. You can also get it from the Maxis online store. Check out other Maxis Telco deals but for more information regarding the Maxis HTC One bundles go to the Maxis site.


Maxis Apple iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus on preorder with FREE Maxis Midnight Express

Maxis is also offering the Apple iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus on pre-order. The iPhone 6 is available from as low RM659 while the iPhone 6 Plus can be had for as low as RM999. This is of course on a 24 month contract but you also have the option to sign up for a 12 month contract as well. As a bonus to Maxis fans and helping it stand out from the other telcos, Maxis will be offering their Midnight Express delivery service as well. In short, Maxis will select a few lucky users from their Pre-order list and send it to you on 6 November 2014 for FREE anywhere, as long as you put down the details in the Deliver Option field for the pre-order. Check out all the details below:

For other options you can check out our Apple iPhone 6 and Apple iPhone 6 Plus plan comparison tools. However, like DiGi, the Maxis Apple iPhone 6 page is swamped. So much so that they aren't even redirecting people. While you wait for them to get some more bandwidth, why don't you check out our other Maxis Telco deals as well or the full explanation video of the Maxis Midnight Express service below:

The Maxis Midnight Express will deliver everywhere for FREE


Maxis Business Fibre now offers 64MBbps and 100Mbps plans

If you are looking for an alternative business fibre plan, check out Maxis. They just updated their plans to offer users 64Mbps and 100Mbps plans. It comes with both Dynamic IP and Fixed IP, for a 24 month contract and limited to Maxis Business Fibre coverage area.

It is a business focused plan so you will get features such as symmetrical uploads and downloads, business size scaling, on-call technicians, and a Wireless Broadband (WBB) connection that serves as a backup for Dynamic IP customers.

While we would love to get more internet speed from ISPs, Maxis is taking good first stetps to serve business with higher bandwidth so they can be more productive and not experience the dreaded ‘buffering’ or ‘ loading’ prompts from their services and servers.


Maxis CEO Morten speaks out over recent port-out ruckus, apologizes with better upgrades

Maxis CEO Morten recently spoke out about the recent MaxisOne customized plans offered to customers who were going to port out. Quite obviously, cries of "unfair" were heard in Maxis social media. Morten, Maxis CEO and Dushyan, Head of Consumer Business, Maxis recently upped a video apologizing about this ruckus and the late response on the Maxis Social Media. Apart from the apology, their response to MaxisOne customers include:

There have been many questions about our plans lately and we’d like you to hear from us. Join our CEO Morten and Head of Consumer Business Dushyan as they address some of your questions.

If you prefer to read it yourself, here's the complete transcript, courtesy of Maxis Malaysia:

Morten:Hi, I am Morten, CEO of Maxis. With me is Dushyan, Head of Consumer Business. We want to talk to you about some updates on our MaxisONE Plan.

We are committed to listen well to customers, not just to surveys and big numbers, but to individual customers. Lately, our call center and social media have been alive with many negative opinions on Maxis. Of course this has concerned us.

We have always been focused on offering unique products that excite people and we were the first to offer unlimited voice/sms, guarantees for zero bill shocks, and worry free roaming and free basic internet.

But very recently the markets have moved on, focused on providing much more data. We have been preparing our own offerings but we have taken too much time because we wanted to add more great features than just more data.

While we were developing these new plans, some individual customers had special plans offered to them. This has angered some of you and it also doesn’t fit with our company’s commitment to fairness and transparency. So, we were late in responding to you, and we treated individual customers differently and for that, we’re sorryBut we’re very excited about what we are doing now.

Dushyan:We will actually be launching our upgraded plans later this month, but I would like to now announce that all our existing One Plan customers will be automatically upgraded to much higher data quotas, and we mean MUCH HIGHER for the same price. For example, our MaxisONE customers with 1GB now will move to 5GB and customers with 3GB will now get 8GB. Unlike many other new plans in the market, we are not limiting these benefits to new customers but to all MaxisOne customers.

In addition to these quota upgrades, we will also be announcing further innovations that will enable our customers to do a lot more with their data on our network.

Similar changes will also happen to our Maxis One Business customers.This enhanced plan will be available later this month, but to tide you over until then, all principal One plan customers will benefit from enjoying free 3GB starting next week.

Morten:We’ll remain focused on our priorities, the best network, great customer service and great value and we will be even better and quicker to deliver on this from now on. But finally, now with our new plans, there has never been a better time to be with Maxis.

Thank you for listening. Now, we’ll get back to work. Bye for now.


Maxis CEO confirms that the telco will sign 5G agreement with DNB ‘soon’

The 5G network rollout in our country has been relatively successful, albeit not as straightforward as Malaysians would’ve preferred. Case in point, the government recently announced that it will move from a single 5G network to a dual model after the former’s coverage reaches 80% of populated areas.

This move was supported by almost all Malaysian telco companies, including Maxis, which to this day never actually signed the 5G agreement with Digital Nasional Berhad (DNB). As such may change soon though, as its CEO Goh Seow Eng has reiterated the company’s commitment to sign the agreement.

As reported by Bernama, Goh confirmed the matter during a panel discussion titled “Rethinking the 5G model - Building Tomorrow’s Infrastructure, Today” at Invest Malaysia Series 2 conference in Kuala Lumpur today. However, the Maxis CEO didn’t reveal when the agreement would be signed.

Instead, he stressed that it is not a matter of Maxis not signing the agreement as it is pretty much confirmed. However, the 5G network coverage itself is still an issue, something which all stakeholders need to work together to overcome.

During the same conference, Communications and Digital (KKD) Minister Fahmi Fadzil also announced that Maxis will be signing the agreement soon. Well, do stay tuned to TechNave for the latest development on this and for other trending tech news from Malaysia and beyond.


Maxis Drops Galaxy Note II down to RM1149

Maxis seems to be dropping prices on their smartphone bundles on a weekly basis as this week they revise their Samsung Galaxy Note II bundles so that you can buy one for as low as RM1149. Of course this means having to sign up for a contract under Maxis but this time Maxis are being a bit more flexible in terms of their contracts. The Samsung Galaxy Note II bundles are available for either 12 or 24 month contracts under either SurfMore, TalkMore, Value First or Value Plus plans. For more details check out the table below:

For more Maxis plans click here, but if you need more information about this deal please go to the Maxis site here.


Maxis Drops Samsung Galaxy S III Malaysia Price to RM599

Only just a few weeks ago, the price of the Samsung Galaxy S III at Maxis was slated at RM799 for a 12 months contract under their TalkMore48 plan. It appears that Maxis changed their minds as they've dropped the price of the Samsung Galaxy S III to RM599 for the same TalkMore48 plan but this time under a 24 months contract + 1GB data plan. A closer look at the details shows that the monthly for the plan remains at RM96 (RM48 + RM48) per month.For more details check out the table below:

Compare our other Maxis plans here but if you need more information regarding this offer please visit the main Maxis site.


ASUS ZenFone 5z pricing leaked at RM1899 on Lazada

Lazada recently listed the ASUS ZenFone 5z earlier than expected and it is priced at RM1899. The device is expected to come out with another 8GB RAM slightly more expensive model but there is no confirmation on when it will be released. It is surprising to see a smartphone that is equipped with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 within a price of less than RM2000, not to mention that it has a DxOMark score of 90.

In terms of tech specs, the device is running on a Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 chipset, 6GB of RAM, 128GB of internal storage, 12MP + 8MP dual rear camera setup, 8MP front facing selfie camera, 6.2-inch display with a screen resolution of 1080 x 2246 pixels and it is powered by a 3300mAh non-removable battery. You can take a look at the ASUS ZenFone 5z listing on Lazada and stay tuned to TechNave.com for more updates like these.


Maxis Drops Samsung Galaxy S III Mini down to RM200 and iPhone 4S to RM699

Maxis is just dropping prices for their various bundled devices. This time around it is their Samsung Galaxy S III Mini which used to go for RM399 under their TalkMore48 + 1GB data plan. Now, in a move that will make those who don't call or SMS that much very happy, the Samsung Galaxy S III Mini is available with the Maxis TalkMore28 or TextMore28 from RM76 a month (the original site may say as low as RM56 but this applies to the HTC Desire C with 200MB Mobile Internet Plan). The fineprint for this deal is that the Samsung Galaxy S III Mini is only available under a 24 month contract and new subscribers have to pay an advance payment of RM500. Existing Maxis customers who have been using Maxis Postpaid plans for more than a year don't have to pay this advance payment. Check out all the little details in the table below:

In addition to this, Maxis have also added an Apple iPhone 4S (16GB) to their TalkMore48 + 1GB Mobile Internet Plan bundle for RM699. Like the previous Apple iPhone 4 deal, this Apple iPhone 4S deal is for a 24 month contract with a monthly fee of RM96. The fineprint for this deal is that if you're a new user the advance payment fee you'll have to fork out is RM1000. Like above, if you're a Maxis Postpaid customer for more than a year you may not have to pay this advance payment fee. Check out the details in the table below:

Check out our other Maxis telco plans here but for more information regarding these deals you should visit their respective Maxis sites here and here.


Maxis Festive Sale offers HTC One, Huawei Ascend Y511, Samsung Galaxy Ace 3 and Samsung Galaxy Y Neo

With Christmas gift giving just around the corner, Maxis are currently offering a number of affordable smartphones from as low as RM0 with their Festive Sale. This includes the HTC One, Huawei Ascend Y511, Samsung Galaxy Ace 3 and Samsung Galaxy Y Neo provided you sign up for a 24-month contract with either the TalkMore28 or TalkMore48 plans packaged with a mobile internet plan. Both plans are also quite affordable and should make for a good value present come Christmas time except for perhaps the HTC One, the only premium smartphone in the bunch but the price is quite good considering the still rather high price it retails for. Check out the table below for more information:


Maxis Jualan Riang Raya now offers up to 90% off on smartphones and more

We recently just reported a brand new Hotlink app with Raya deals and prizes worth up to RM100,000, so now it's Maxis' turn. For this festive season, the company just launched its Jualan Riang Raya and it will last until 29 June 2022.

So what can you get out of the Jualan Riang Raya? Well, there is now a wide range of devices with up to 90% with a 12-month contract. From brands like Samsung, OPPO, vivo, HONOR and Redmi, this deal is available only on Maxis Postpaid 98 and Maxis Postpaid 128. This goes the same for those who are subscribing to Hotlink Postpaid 60 with a RM0 upfront payment.

On top of that, you can also check out exclusive device deals on Maxis Business Postpaid 98 and Maxis Business Postpaid 128. It comes with unlimited data roaming in 55 countries from RM29/month and a 12-month contract only during the sale. Last but not least, you can sign up for the Maxis Home Fibre when you pair it with a new 70" Sharp 4K TV or 65" Samsung 4K TV from RM21/month.

For more information on Jualan Riang Raya Maxis, you can go to www.maxis.com.my to check them out. Stay tuned for more trending tech news at TechNave.com.


Maxis-MRCA Youth M-Race checks out Maxis Business Solutions while on the go

Maxis recently launched their Maxis-MRCA Youth M-Race in an 'Amazing Race' style event to solve puzzles while utilizing Maxis Business Solutions in and around Cyberjaya and Putrajaya. This included setting up a webstore on Maxis eCommerce, answering trivia and trying out activities involving other solutions like the Maxis Cloud POS, Maxis FlexiShare, Maxis ONEBusiness Fibre and Unity Hotline.

Partnering with BMW Wheelcorp Premium, Samsung, Setia Haruman, Petronas, GHHS Healthcare and Coca-Cola, you can get more details on Maxis Business solutions at their site.


Maxis Makes Apple iPhone 4 Free for 24 Months of TalkMore48 in Malaysia

In a move that will make some people who have always wanted an Apple iPhone very happy, Maxis is now offering the Apple iPhone 4 (8GB) for FREE with their TalkMore48 plan and a 1GB data plan. In effect it means that all you're really paying for are the TalkMore48+1GB data plan bundle. You will have to sign up for a 24 months contract though. Like other Maxis TalkMore48 bundle promotions you'll have to pay RM96 (RM48 + RM48) per month.Check out the table below for all the little details:

For some more information regarding our other Maxis plans click here but for more information regarding this FREE Apple iPhone 4 plan go to the Maxis site.


Maxis Malaysia offers Samsung Galaxy Mega 6.3 at RM899

Maxis Malaysia is currently offering the Samsung Galaxy Mega 6.3 LTE version for RM899 under its TalkMore48 plan and TalkMore78 plan with an additional Maxis Mobile Internet package. The smartphone appears to be the 4G LTE version and you will have to pay an advance payment of RM500 worth of rebates plus 1 month subscription. For the full details of this Samsung Galaxy Mega 6.3 Maxis package check out the table below:

While both the TalkMore48 and TalkMore78 Maxis postpaid plans offers the smartphone at the same price, the only difference between the two Maxis packages lays in the rates and freebies, so if you're a heavy user go for the TalkMore78 plan. For more information regarding this deal check out here and the Maxis site or if you're interested in a different Maxis Telco plan click here.


Maxis Now Offering Sony Xperia E for FREE

For the entry to midrange user, Maxis are currently offering the Sony Xperia E for FREE on one of their lowest priced plans. The plan in question is the TalkMore28 plan which when bundled with 1GB of data and a 24 month contract, lets you get the Sony Xperia E for FREE. You can opt for the 12 months contract but expect to pay for half the price of the phone at RM249. For full details check out the table below:

Do check out more Maxis telco plans or for more information regarding this deal go to the Maxis site.


Maxis ONEplan bundles include HTC One M8, Samsung Galaxy S5, Sony Xperia Z2, Xiaomi Mi 3 and more

The Maxis ONEplan aims to offer a simple to understand and follow post-paid plan for new and existing Maxis users. Seeking to maintain this simplicity with their device bundles, Maxis have set the advance payment of a device retailing above RM400 to four months charge of either the ONEplan or ONEplan Lite while a device retailing below RM400 is only charged two months of either the ONEplan or ONEplan Lite plans. All advance payments are rebated into the customer's bills and loyal customers with more than 12 months on Maxis and who have a good credit record won't have to make these advance payments. So far, the device list includes the HTC One (M8), Samsung Galaxy S5, Sony Xperia Z2, Samsung Galaxy Note 3, HTC One (M7), Sony Xperia M2, Samsung Galaxy Ace 3, Huawei Ascend Y530 and the Xiaomi Mi 3. Check out the tables below for more details on the devices available:

The Xiaomi Mi 3 is also available on the ONEplan. All of the devices can also add on extra combo that adds on another 1GB worth of data. The details can be seen below with a table of the Xiaomi Mi 3 on the ONEplan + 1GB data combo:

For more information about these deals check out the Maxis Devices page but you can also check out our other Maxis Telco deals as well.


Maxis Offers BlackBerry Q10 Pre-order Packages

While the BlackBerry Q10 may arrive very soon (15 May 2013) Maxis are opening up Pre-order packages for the smartphone. For those of you too antsy to wait, Maxis are offering the BlackBerry Q10 from RM1178. This is for new subscribers only though and cover the BBMore55, BBMore88 and BBMore148 plans. Check out the table below for more details:

This Pre-order for the BlackBerry Q10 does have another advantage in that Maxis will deliver the smartphone to you for free. For more Maxis telco plans click here and if you need more information regarding this deal go to the Maxis site.


Maxis Offers BlackBerry Q10 Registration of Interest

Just like all the other previous smartphones, Maxis is currently offering the chance to register your interest early to get the BlackBerry Q10. While the BlackBerry Q10 offers a bit more familiarity with an actual physical QWERTY keyboard it also provides support for 4G LTE, something which the BlackBerry Z10 didn't.For now, you can register your interest by going here but registration will be closed at 5pm on 13 May 2013. According to schedule, the BlackBerry Q10 should reach your hands by 15 May 2013. Maxis are sweetening the deal for the first 1500 customers with an extra rebate of RM150 provided you apply for the Q10 using the BBMore88 and BBMore148 plans.Click here for more Maxis telco deals or check out the Maxis site for more information.


ASUS ZenFone 6 hands-on video, playing Asphalt 8:Airborne

As the phablet in the ASUS ZenFone smartphone range, the ASUS ZenFone 6 sports a larger 6-inch display to go with the usual great looks of the ASUS ZenFone smartphones. Other notable tech specs that set it apart include a 13MP rear camera with LED flash, a 2GHz Intel Atom processor and a 6-inch display with 1280 x 720 pixel resolution covered by a layer of Corning Gorilla Glass 3. We managed to get some hands-on time with it and put it through it's paces. From it's size alone, we feel that it would definitely be the gamer's ZenFone but do check it out for yourself in our hands-on video below:


Maxis Offers Huawei Y300 for Free

Adding on another FREE smartphone to their list, Maxis is now offering the Huawei Y300 for a 12-months contract with the TalkMore28+1GB data plan. If you're a very light data user then you can also opt for the TalkMore28+200MB plan but you'll have have to pay RM200 for the smartphone. For the full details check out the table below:

The Huawei Ascend Y300 is a mid-range Android smartphone released in March 2013 and as such has pretty good tech specs including a 4-inch IPS screen. For more Maxis Telco deals click here but if you need more information regarding this Huawei Y300 deal go to the Maxis site.


Maxis Offers LTE-enabled Samsung Galaxy S4 from RM1399

Maxis has recently begun selling the LTE-enabled Samsung Galaxy S4 or I9505 from as low as RM1399. The smartphone is available with Maxis TalkMore and SurfMore packages and for 12 month or 24 month contracts. As stated earlier the RRP for the Samsung Galaxy S4 I9505 is RM2499 because it is the 32GB version. While Maxis have put it up on their website, it isn't available online so if you want it, you'll need to pay a visit to a nearby Maxis Store. Check out the table below for more details:

As usual, do check out the Samsung Galaxy S4 LTE Maxis's Plan and other Maxis telco deals and for more information regarding this deal, go to the Maxis website. If you need some help making up your mind about whether to buy the LTE-enabled Samsung Galaxy S4 or I9505 check out our review on the Non-LTE-enabled Samsung Galaxy S4 I9500 vs the LTE-enabled Samsung Galaxy S4 I9505.


Maxis Offers RM1/Day Unlimited Mobile Internet with Opera Mini

If you need mobile Internet for a day on your smartphone, most of the available packages cost upwards of RM5 and even then, you only get a few hundred MB or so. However, Maxis is now offering Mobile Internet for an all-time low of RM1/Day and with no limits. The catch is that you have to do it through Opera Mini. This can be accessed from the Opera Mini speed dial screen where you tap the RM1/DAY icon, select the one-day unlimited plan, confirm and you're good to go. While it does say unlimited, there are some "limitations" to that which include:

Maxis users can access Twitter Mobile via the Maxis Freezone from another of the icons on the Opera Mini speed dial screen. This plan should be compatible with BlackBerry, J2ME and Android phones. For more information regarding this deal check out the Opera Mini plan at the Hotlink site or if you're looking for more Maxis Telco deals click here.


Maxis 'RM1 million 3G SIM Swap' lets you upgrade to a 4G SIM card and get a chance to win cash!

Maxis and Hotlink customers who have yet to upgrade their 3G SIM cards should hurry up and visit their nearest Maxis Centre or Hotlink dealer to upgrade to a 4G SIM card as the new 'RM1 million 3G SIM Swap' campaign may make them eligible for RM1 million in cash. The campaign starts on 25 April so make sure to get your dates right for a chance at RM1 million in cash.


Maxis Safeguards Android With Norton Mobile Security

In a move that is the first we've seen any telco in Malaysia do, Maxis is making Norton Mobile Security (which is an antivirus and security app for mobile devices) available to their subscribers and customers. The offer extends to mostly smartphone users willing to pay RM1 a week or RM3 a month for the Maxis Norton Mobile Security app features which include:

Asides from the Maxis Norton Mobile Security app, Maxis also offers Locker, which is a free personal cloud back up service. Those interested in applying for the Maxis Norton Mobile Security app offer can dial *200# and select Maxis Secure or subscribe through SMS by sending ON NMS7 (for 1 week) or ON NMS30 (for 1 month) to 20088. New subscribers for both 1 week or 1 month subscriptions will be offered a 1-month free trial. For more information about this go to the Maxis site but if you're interested in other Maxis Telco deals click here.


Maxis Spreads LTE Coverage to East Malaysia

Maxis is spreading it's LTE coverage gradually and at a much faster rate than expected. As such it has since offered LTE coverage in East Malaysia, specifically in Kota Kinabalu and Kuching. On top of that, they've also added on more areas in existing states and areas. For a more complete listing, check out the coverage areas below:Klang Valley

For more Maxis Telco deals click here but if you need some more information regarding the Maxis LTE Coverage go to the Maxis site.


Maxis TV launched with flexible OTT bundle passes from as low as RM3 per day

Just yesterday, Maxis launched an all-new Maxis TV for Malaysians and it's the company's first-of-its-kind video entertainment service. Maxis TV is also available for non-Maxis customers where they can purchase premium video contents, TV pass and a free one-month trial for new subscribers.

That separates Maxis TV from other TV boxes is that it has a flexible OTT bundle passes. Currently, there are 5 streaming services available for Maxis TV which are WeTV/iflix, Viu, MUBI, iQiYi and Dimsum entertainment. You can personalise them with the option to stream content from two or more OTT providers so if you all the channels, it's priced at RM42 + unlimited data.

Maxis TV also offers daily, weekly and monthly passes starting from RM3, bundled with free data. Single Pass is also seen on the website, it's a one-time daily OTT Pass at RM2 per provider but it's not available yet. Users can access Maxis TV and browse their options through the Maxis, Hotlink and Hotlink Postpaid apps.

To learn more or browsing through your preferred VOD passes, you can visit the official webpage right over here. Stay tuned for more trending tech news at TechNave.com.


Maxis Travel Fair offers even more for #lifeatmaxis travelers

Maxis Berhad recently launched their own “MATTA Fair” with their Maxis Travel Fair. Available just for their own Maxis staff, the fair showcased over 30 vendors with discounts and deals on travel packages, flights, tours and a variety of travel accessories. Part of their #fitterfasterstronger internal employee well being improvement campaign, #lifeatmaxis seems even sweeter with more to come. Check out the video and pics below for a peek at what else you might get if you join up at Maxis Berhad.


Maxis VoLTE is finally available in Malaysia. Which smartphone supports it?

Looks like Maxis has finally rolled out the VoLTE feature, which is now available in Malaysia starting from today onwards. With that said, it is best to note that only selected smartphones support VoLTE for now with possibly more coming in the future.

Currently, there are currently 36 smartphones from brands such as Apple, Xiaomi, OPPO, Samsung, and more that support the VoLTE feature. If you are keen on taking advantage of the VoLTE, be sure to check out Maxis’ official website to see whether your smartphone supports it or if you’re planning on purchasing a new smartphone.

In terms of the benefits, the new feature provides such as high-quality calls, fast call setup, as well as seamless switching between voice and video calls. What are your thoughts on Maxis finally launching VoLTE in Malaysia? Let us know on our Facebook page and for more updates like this, stay tuned to TechNave.com.


Maxis & YouTube unveil Malaysia's first 360° film series to celebrate Merdeka 2016

The Maxis staff and film makers taking a group photo

Today, Maxis 4G and YouTube Malaysia have premiered Maxis Rojak 360° event in TGV Cinema @ One Utama. Maxis Rojak 360° is Malaysia's first ever 360° film series by five homegrown award-winning storytellers, using YouTube's 360° immersive video-on-mobile platform, each film invites the audience to move their phones around in all directions in order to "See Malaysia From All Angles".

YouTube superstars The Ming Thing, RED People, Tamil hit movie directors Veedu, Busan Fillm Festival-awarded short film maker Junad Mohd Nor, and award-winning commercial director Barney Chua are in collaboration with Maxis together to create a multi-location, multi-lingual film series in a 360° setting, this is also a project to celebrate Malaysia's colourful diversity highlighting the uniqueness of local dialects such as Johor Hokkien and Kelate (Kelantanese Malay), little-known cultural traditions and showcasing the beauty of Malaysia from different corners like Batu Caves, Kota Bharu and Kota Kinabalu Park.

"With our phones, films can be more inclusive than ever before. After all, every one of us has an entire cinema in our pocket. The Rojak 360 project is our way of marrying classic storytelling, 360 video technology and the unmatched video streaming experience on Maxis 4G. So unlike previous Merdeka film festivals, the five Maxis Rojak 360 films will not be screened in the usual cinemas but instead on a 15 million mobile screens across Malaysia starting 26 August." said Bernard Lee, Maxis Head of Marketing Communications.

Below are the first three films that were shown at the premier while the other remaining two films will be released in time for Hari Malaysia. The videos are best enjoyed on your mobile YouTube app via VR headgear (if you have one).

1. “Rojak 360 Lost and Found” – by The Ming Thing

“Every year we continually focus on our festive and national celebration videos made in Peninsular Malaysia. So, this year, I thought we’d entirely embrace the theme of togetherness by involving both East and West Malaysia – both in story and in location,” said Ming Han, one half of YouTube superstar duo The Ming Thing.

2. “Rojak 360 Cham Cham” – by RED People

“In Malaysia, when we see a person, no matter their skin colour, he or she can speak more than 2 languages. We Malaysians take that as normal. To those not from Malaysia, that might seem extraordinary, but our film aims to show that to us Malaysians, that’s very normal,” said leading Malaysian Chinese YouTube entertainment channel, RED People.

3. “Rojak Cow Cow” – by Veedu Productions

“Respecting each other's beliefs will lead to a better nation, one that is strong, diverse and united,” said Denes / Vimala of Veedu Productions, who were behind the Malaysian Tamil box office hit Vetti Pasanga.

To find out more about Maxis Rojak 360°, visit www.maxis.com.my/rojak360.

For best viewing experience on mobile, please watch the short films on the YouTube app.


ASUS ZenFone 6 now comes with free bumper case at ASUS Store

The ASUS Store here in Malaysia is now offering the ASUS ZenFone 6 smartphone with a free bumper case. In addition to protecting your new ZenFone 6 smartphone it also looks to be the original ASUS bumper case, so it should fit well with the smartphone. Unlike some other third-party sellers, the official ASUS Store is selling the ASUS ZenFone 6 at the standard Malaysia pricing of RM699. Notable tech specs and features of the ZenFone 6 A601CG includes a 1.6GHZ Intel Atom 2560 processor, 2GB of RAM, 16GB storage, a 6-inch 1280 x 720 pixel resolution display with Corning Gorilla Glass 3 and a top-of-the-line 13MP PixelMaster rear camera. The only limition for this offer seems to be that the first 100 online buyers at the ASUS Store will get the free bumper case so if you don't qualify you can always get it the next day.


Maxis Zerolution offering HTC U11 for as low as RM70 per month

Did you know? Maxis is currently the only telco company in Malaysia that's offering the HTC U11 with exclusive deals and promotions. So what's the deal? Well, you can have the flagship phone at your fingertips for as low as RM70/month when you sign up for a MaxisONE Plan with Zerolution.

As per tradition with Maxis Zerolution, customers won't have to do any upfront payment, no credit card and no interest. Of course, there are other ways for this, such as opting the standard 24-month contract from as low as RM1499 or simply trade in their old smartphones, saving up to RM1680 and get the U11 from RM0/month on Maxis Zerolution.

To add on to that, if you purchase the U11 at the Maxis Online Store, you will be entitled to a RM300 discount and an exclusive HTC U11timate box set that includes a limited edition HTC merchandises! We should also mention that the U11 model is the Amazing Silver 6GB + 128GB model.

If you've always wanted to get the U11, now is a good time. So hurry up because stocks are limited. For more information, kindly visit Maxis Zerolution U11 plan here.


Maxis adds 10GB extra of mobile data for both Hotlink Postpaid 60 & 40

Hotlink Postpaid 30 has been around for some time but it's not the one getting the upgrades. Instead, Maxis is throwing in an extra 10GB of mobile data for both Hotlink Postpaid 60 and Hotlink Postpaid 40.

To refresh your memory, both postpaid plans initially offered 40GB and 20GB for RM60 and RM40 per month respectively. So in conjunction with the CNY Postpaid Deals, both now have 50GB and 30GB of mobile data respectively for the same price. Furthermore, if you are already an existing user of the said plans, your data quota will automatically be increased.

That being said, the FAQ section also mentioned that the free quota will be for 12 months and the YouTube pass will be removed. Changes are expected to happen from the 9th of February until the 3rd of March 2023. Customers of Hotlink Postpaid 60 and 40 should receive an SMS when the quota gets upgraded.

For more information, you may visit the official webpage right over here. Stay tuned for more trending tech news at TechNave.com.


Maxis also Release Samsung Galaxy S4 / S IV plans

Maxis have also come out with their Samsung Galaxy S4 / S IV plan bundles and again it looks like it is the Non-LTE powered version. Perhaps the LTE-enabled version will come out with a special Maxis 4G LTE plan bundle later on, which Maxis have confirmed by saying that it is "Coming Soon". The lowest subsidized price of RM1149 has a couple of conditions which include:

Check out the table below for all the details:

For more Maxis Telco plans click here, but for more deals regarding the Samsung Galaxy S4 / S IV plan bundles check out the Maxis site.


Maxis also offering Apple iPhone SE on 13 May 2016, preorders start tomorrow

Maxis recently announced that they will also be offering the Apple iPhone SE beginning on 13 May 2016. Featuring the 4-inch display and metal frame of the Apple iPhone 5S with the tech specs and hardware of the Apple iPhone 6S, the iPhone SE should offer a more powerful iPhone in a smaller yet classic form factor. Maxis preorders begin as early as tomorrow on 5 May 2016 at the Maxis site.


Maxis also teases Apple iPad Air and iPad mini with Retina Display

Maxis has recently opened up teaser images of the Apple iPad Air and iPad mini with Retina Display. Unlike Celcom and DiGi, Maxis isn't opening any registration of interest forms just yet, but rest assured that they will be offering the tablets with Maxis 4G on their SurfMore data plans. This also means that if you're looking to get either an Apple iPad Air or iPad mini with Retina Display from Maxis you can expect to get the 4G LTE Cellular models that also come with the same prices. Unfortunately, Maxis did not reveal any pricing or Malaysia release dates but many are expecting this to come up in early December 2013 so people can get their Christmas shopping done. Check out the Maxis Apple iPad Air and Maxis Apple iPad mini with Retina Display pages for yourself.


Maxis also teases Samsung Galaxy S5, still waiting

Rounding off the telco tease for the Samsung Galaxy S5 is Maxis who just put up a teaser page. Like Celcom, it isn't a Registration of Interest page. Nor does it give away any other details. With this sort of build-up we're expecting all three telcos to come out with the Samsung Galaxy S5 with a bang on 11 April 2014, so keep that date open. No Malaysia release dates or pricing yet though, so stay tuned for more updates.[Source]


Maxis and Celcom are winners in Opensignal Mobile Network report 2019, but Ipoh has the fastest Internet

Opensignal is back with their Mobile Network Experience Report for April 2019 and this time Maxis and Celcom are vying for the top spot with each retaining clear positions like Download Speed Experience (Maxis) and 4G Availability (Celcom). Both are neck and neck in Video Experience though while Maxis retains best Latency Experience and Celcom achieves best Upload Speed experience, for a draw for top spot.

Oh, and Ipoh is surprisingly the best place to be if you like fast Mobile Internet, offering the highest Download and Upload Internet speeds in Malaysia. Kuala Lumpur on the other hand, supposedly outperforms in 4G Availability with almost every operator able to provide a 4G connection more than 80% of the time.

While they also observed significant growth in other telcos like Digi, U Mobile and Unifi, most of their ratings were either fair or poor compared to Maxis and Celcom. The other 2 Opensignal awards of Latency Experience and Upload Speed Experience were won by Maxis and Celcom respectively.

Opensignal do remark that 4G growth is slowing down now that Malaysia has gone past 80% 4G Availability, indicating that we could soon see 5G coming to Malaysia (we think probably end of the year or 2020). What do you think? Anyone from Ipoh who can vouch for its Mobile Internet prowess? Can you actually get 4G 80% of the time in KL like Opensignal says you should be able to? Let us know in our Facebook page and stay tuned to TechNave.com


Maxis and Digi now offering vivo V5s Rose Gold edition on Postpaid

In case you haven't heard, a vivo V5s Rose Gold edition has been released by vivo Malaysia over the weekend. If you want to get your hands on it, both Maxis and Digi will be having a Postpaid bundle promotion of the V5s and Y55s/Y66 together, which cost RM1299 and RM799 respectively. Let's check out what they have to offer.

First up, Maxis has a Power of 1 promotion that allows you to own the device for just RM1. However, this also means you will need to sign up for their MaxisOne Plan 158 or 188 for the V5s. Signing up for the MaxisOne Plan 128, 158, or 188 will get you a vivo Y55s. Both contracts are for 24-months.

Next up, Digi is offering the the V5s and Y55s on their P78, P108 and P138 postpaid plans. Like Maxis, the contract is 24-months and customers can opt to either purchase the device from the telco or opt for a payment plan with 0% interest. Note that if you can't find this plan on their website, stay tuned as they will update it on 31 May 2017.

The V5s retains the 20MP front camera alongside with the Softlight technology from the original V5, as well as adding a group wefie function in it too so none of your friends will be left out again. To find out more information, kindly visit either one of the sites below.


Maxis and Gamuda signed new MoU to prepare Gamuda Cove as the first 5G township in Malaysia

Since last November, Maxis and Gamuda signed an agreement in the provision and deployment of network infrastructure and services for twentyfive.7. This time around, both parties did another Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) and Maxis is to provide and deploy 5G network infrastructure and services in Gamuda Cove, which will eventually be the first 5G township when it's ready in the country.

The term “smart city” has garnered a lot of attraction with 5G development, but can Gamuda Cove really become one? Well, according to Ngan Chee Meng, CEO of Gamuda Land, stated that the blueprint will need to be flexible to adopt the new technology and is confident of Maxis' expertise in network infrastructure and services. Once available, the connectivity can potentially go up to 10x higher than what the 4G network can do, as well as access to the Internet of Things (IoT) sensors and devices, autonomous vehicles as well as robotic applications.

Gamuda Cove is currently under development in the Southern Klang Valley, along the Elite Highway and opposite Cyberjaya with proximity to KLIA and KLIA2. The area is approximately 1530 acres, surrounded by woodlands and waterside meadows, even a 60-acre pet-friendly central park with interconnected lakes.

To find out more about Gamuda Cove, please log on to gamudaland.com.my or visit Gamuda Cove Experience Gallery. For more information on Maxis, visit maxis.com.my.


Maxis and Hotlink users can now grab Lazada deals from their apps

Today, Maxis has announced a new partnership with Lazada Malaysia and even made an official online store! A collaboration for the 11.11 sale tomorrow, both Maxis and Hotlink users will be the only telco customers in Malaysia who can grab some Lazada deals directly from their Maxis, Hotlink prepaid and Hotlink postpaid apps. Here's how it works.

First, you just have to open up the aforementioned apps and go to the 'Shop' tab at the bottom. Upon entering, you should see the 'RM12 OFF First Purchase' news column at the first thing there. Tap into it and then redeem the free RM12 and that's it! However, we also noticed that the RM12 voucher is for first-time Lazada shoppers and it's only for 11.11. So...yeah.

In addition, Hotlink prepaid customers will also get to enjoy a special 11.11 HotlinkMU Internet deal with more rewards. Every shopper including non-Maxis and Hotlink users can also purchase the latest smartphones without any contract with up to RM890 discount, or choose 30% off Prepaid, Postpaid & Broadband plans with free delivery via the Official Maxis Store on Lazada Malaysia.

To find out more about Maxis' online store in Lazada, you can visit their page right over here. Stay tuned for more trending tech news at TechNave.com.


ASUS ZenFone 6 smartphone unboxing

While it hasn't officially landed in Malaysia just yet, the ASUS ZenFone 6 has arrived in limited quantities. Thankfully, ASUS Malaysia dropped one off for us to check out so we'll start out with an unboxing video before going on to a hands-on video and full review. Thanks to some really good tech specs and features like a 13MP PixelMaster rear camera, 6-inch Corning Gorilla Glass 3 covered display with 720 x 1280 pixel resolution, 2GB of RAM and 2MP front camera at RM899 it is currently being awaited for more than the other ASUS ZenFone smartphones. For now, check out the unboxing video of the ASUS ZenFone 6 below:


Maxis and Hotlink users get discounts off and a chance for a free upgrade to Business Class with Malaysia Airlines Travelicious Deals

Maxis and Malaysia Airlines are now collaborating to offer both Maxis (postpaid) and Hotlink (prepaid) users up to 10% discounts and free upgrades from economy to business class (selected destinations) with their Malaysia Airlines Travelicious Deals. The 10% discount is available if you make a flight booking from 12 to 13 August 2018 for travel from 19 August 2018 to 30 June 2019 via the MyMaxis, Hotlink RED, MyMaxis Biz and Hotlink Postpaid Flex apps. Just click on Deals and select “Malaysia Airlines Travelicious Deals” to get the promo code.

To win the free upgrades from economy to business class, Maxis and Hotlink users must book economy class tickets to Tokyo (NRT), Seoul (ICN) or Sydney (SYD) during the campaign period of 12 to 13 August 2018 for an automatic entry in the draw. These users may also enjoy roaming the more than 100 countries with the MaxisONE World pass (RM38 per day) or Maxis FamilyRoam if they’re travelling to ASEAN countries.

Check out the Maxis site for more details.


Maxis and U Mobile reportedly reject stakes in DNB for 5G rollout in Malaysia

Today is the deadline day for the 5G service agreement in Malaysia and it seems that the 5G single-wholesale network under Digital Nasional Berhad (DNB) may exclude Maxis and U Mobile. This is after both telco companies reportedly say no to taking up stakes in DNB, despite agreeing to the matter back in June 2022.

In a report by Reuters which cites "people familiar with the matter", Maxis and U Mobile allegedly do not see any benefits in being a minority shareholder in DNB. Previously, both companies alongside Celcom and Digi made a counter-offer to the government so that they, the four major telco companies in Malaysia become the majority stakeholder in DNB.

However, that proposal was rejected by the government which up to this day is adamant that the four aforementioned telco companies share a 70% stake in DNB with another two telco players, YTL and Telekom Malaysia. Merdeka Day, which is today is supposed to be the deadline for them to agree on the amount to be paid to gain access to the 5G network.

Despite rejecting the stakes in DNB, the report by Reuters claims that U Mobile and Maxis still want access to DNB’s 5G network. Both companies have allegedly told the government that they want to remain in talks to gain access to the network. As for the other four telcos that agreed to purchase stakes in DNB, it looks like the agreement must be restructured yet again.

So, what do you guys think of this latest development regarding the 5G network rollout in Malaysia? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below and stay tuned to TechNave for more trending tech news both in Malaysia and globally!


Maxis and U Mobile reportedly to miss out on DNB's 5G network if they don't comply

We are almost in the middle of August and there's still no official news from any telcos that they have signed on Digital Nasional Berhad (DNB)'s 5G single wholesale network. Initially, our Malaysia Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) Minister Tan Sri Annuar Musa said they have agreed but it seems that Maxis and U Mobile may miss out.

The news report came from the Straits Times and claimed that these two telcos could risk on missing out on 5G. While we still don't know the outcome yet, the report says Maxis and U Mobile haven't complied with Putrajaya's terms on the contracts and shares in DNB. An official also told the media that both telcos are still apprehensive about DNB's governance on the 5G network.

Moreover, the source says that each telco is paying up to RM200 million each for an equal 11.7% share of DNB. This is based on the Finance Ministry’s injection of RM500 million for its 30 per cent stake. And for every three years, MCMC will oversee the price review agreement as previously reported.

Nevertheless, we should know about the results by the end of August, if the source is believed to be true. After all, Musa did say that it should take 7-8 days for the telcos to announce it but it seems that DNB is saying a different thing which is taking two months to finalise the stake sale.

Right now, only YES is distributing 5G SIM packs but only selected locations have access to 5G. Telekom Malaysia has also signed on but nothing is in motion so we are still waiting for any official announcement. Stay tuned for more trending tech news at TechNave.com.


Maxis announced the launch of Maxis Zerolution360, a complete all inclusive device leasing plan

Today Maxis has announced the Maxis Zerolution360 device lease and protection plan which includes a total device protection from accidents such as screen damage and even phone theft. Not only that, the plan also offers yearly phone upgrade where the user can upgrade to the latest smartphone every year for a small fee. On top of that, if the customer wants to use that same phone for more than 24 months, the upgrade fee to upgrade the device will be completly free.

The price of the Maxis Zerolution360 depends on the price of the device that they wish to lease. However there is an option to upgrade to a premium package in which the customer will gain access to priority repairs, one-time free screen replacement in case of damage as well as a back-up loan phone while the repair is on going.

As for now the Maxis Zerolution360 is limited to only the upcoming Samsung Galaxy Note 9 for now which you can lease for RM99 a month. Maxis has mentioned that they will be offering more premium and flagship smartphones into the Maxis Zerolution360 plan in the future. For more information, check out Maxis' official website for details and stay tuned to TechNave.com.


Maxis announces NeXT X1 smartphone for RM98 a month, 24 month warranty protection + 6GB Data and 1 to 1 FREE replacement + Scha Alyahya

Today, Maxis announced their NeXT X1 smartphone on their Starter 98 plan along with celebrity Scha Alyahya as their brand ambassador. Available for RM98 a month with 6GB of data preloaded, instant 1-to-1 replacement, 12 months screen protection and 24 months warranty the 4G LTE metal body phone comes with no upfront payment and joins the NeXT M1 on the Starter 78 plan. To get the NeXT X1, you'll have to sign up for a new line under a 24 months contract. It also comes with a free case and screen protector.

Stand out features for the phone remains a 5.5-inch full HD display, 16MP autofocus camera and a fingerprint sensor but the brushed metal backside does look nice. Check out the Maxis site for more details.


Maxis announces two new fibre broadband plans with unlimited Internet data starting from RM89

Today, Maxis has just launched a new affordable and fibre-free broadband plan for both consumers and businesses. Called as the MaxisONE Home Fibre and ONEBusiness Fibre, the former is available in the speed of up to 100Mbps, the fitting price from that for the consumers is RM129 and if you want even lower, it starts from RM89 but only at 30Mbps.

On the other hand, business customers are eligible for the ONEBusiness Fibre 100Mbps plan at RM139, as well as 30Mbps at RM99 on a monthly basis. If you're thinking if there are any differences between the two new plans, the difference is the latter is packaged with the "Always On" feature where businesses will always stay connected with an automatic backup wireless internet, as well as Unlimited domestic voice calls (100Mbps only), and Maxperts Service for free consultation, installation and configuration services if you are switching over.

“In a digital world, connectivity is the lifeblood of any business particularly for SMEs and micro SMEs who operate in an extremely competitive space. This means they need the peace of mind of ‘Always On’ and a reliable connection 24/7. With the increasing reliance on web usage and cloud services, fibre connectivity with Maxis offers the best tool to any business so that they can operate, expand and grow with complete confidence. Our business fibre plans are therefore the right solution to future proof Malaysian businesses, as it allows them to focus on what matters most to them, which is running their business with the reassurance that their connection will never let them down. The underlying technology will be flexible enough to support them as their needs grow in the future,” said Paul McManus, Maxis’ Head of Enterprise.

Pre-registration for both MaxisONE Home Fibre and ONEBusiness Fibre is currently live and you can just visit either one of the links below to get started. Both current and new Maxis users are eligible and the new plans will be available from 13 September 2018 onwards.

Stay tuned for more Maxis news at TechNave.com.


Maxis assures customers that its 5G services are coming soon

After multiple telcos have announced their plans for the 5G rollout in the country, Maxis has also come forward to promise that it's bringing the latest generation mobile network to its users. The company has issued a public release about utilising Digital Nasional Berhad's (DNB) network for its 5G services.

Maxis states that "the Board is still assessing the governance requirements for the 5G Access Agreement". However, it is striving to bring the process to an end as soon as possible. The public release continues by mentioning that the company has already "been developing multi-industry use cases and forging partnerships with major players for 5G services and solutions".

5G will also be part of Maxis' converged Rangkaian Menyeluruh – mobile, fibre and satellite network. It would be in line with the commitment to help Malaysians connect in every possible way, in all situations, and at all times.

Malaysia is now officially welcoming the era of 5G. If your mobile devices still do not support it, are you planning to switch? Let us know your answer by leaving a comment, and stay tuned to TechNave.com for more local tech reports.


Maxis awarded 30 participants with RM1 million from participating 3G SIM Swap Campaign

Just earlier this week, Maxis has concluded their 3G SIM Swap Campaign and gave away RM1 million to those who had participated. The campaign first started in May, resulting 30 Maxis and Hotlink combined awarded for upgrading their 3G SIM card to a 4G SIM card.

Among the lucky winners was  Encik Pakaruzi Daud, who got the call from Maxis while he was on the road. “At first I couldn’t believe it. I was driving and I received a call from Maxis’ 123 number informing me that I’m a winner. I checked Maxis’ website to verify that my name was listed. I then received a call to collect my cheque. I’m thankful to Maxis.” Pakaruzi also added that the prize money will go a long way in helping pay for his child’s education.

Another one was Puan Amiey Noor Fazrina, who was happy for her win,  commented that her surfing experience since using 4G was “a big difference, as streaming has been much faster especially when watching YouTube.”

James Teoh, a long-time Maxis customer, said he never really thought about changing his 3G SIM to 4G SIM because he was already happy with the network, but after doing the SIM swap, he’s happier with the fast Internet experience.

To get the latest updates about Maxis’ network, visit www.maxis.com.my/4gnetwork and stay tuned for more Maxis news at TechNave.com.


Maxis begins 5G trial in Cyberjaya with a new download speed record of 3Gbps

After the news of implementing 5G connectivity in Putrajaya and Cyberjaya starting from April onwards, Maxis has announced that they have already started its first 5G live trials in Malaysia. The live trial will be conducted in Cyberjaya for six months so far, Maxis has managed to achieve a download speed of 3Gbps.

Besides from just running a trial on the network speed, Maxis will also be collecting data analysis of 5G characteristics, such as the spectrum usage in higher bands, co-existing with services and the usage of ultra HD virtual Reality applications. Should the live trial go well, it will enable and allow greater capacity for wireless networks, low latency, massive connection to the Internet of Things (IoT), as well as opening new possibilities of a more efficient AI, robotics, drones, autonomous driving, smart manufacturing, eHealth, personal AI assistants and smart city initiatives. When 5G is available, it's expected to be 10 times faster than 4G.

“This is another significant step forward for us in our 5G journey. Over the last few years, we have been assessing the technology and conducting demo trials in our test lab. We are already upgrading our transport network to support these gigabit speeds and at the same time virtualising our core network elements for flexibility and scalability for the capacity demands of this technology. We are really excited at the potential of 5G in a future of smart solutions for both consumers and businesses, and we are pleased with our progress. Maxis has always been at the forefront in introducing new technologies to Malaysia. We were the first to bring 4G and we are excited to be doing it again with 5G,” said Morten Bangsgaard, Chief Technology Officer, Maxis.

Just in case you didn't know, Maxis has recently signed an MoU with Huawei to accelerate 5G in Malaysia at MWC 2019, where the two companies will work together to a full-fledged 5G trial with end-to-end systems and services. This is a pretty exciting time and we can't wait for good news. Until then, stay tuned for more 5G news only at TechNave.com.


Maxis begins process to shutdown 3G networks, Terengganu is the first to go

Last month, Maxis announced that it's helping Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd (MAHB) implement a 5G network in KLIA. Local telco companies are working hard on developing 5G in Malaysia, which means that 4G coverage and speed has to keep up to be a reliable backup. It also means that they're starting to consider shutting down older networks.

According to Malaysian Wireless, Maxis posted an announcement on Facebook that it would be shutting down the 3G network in Terengganu. Maxis would then proceed to do the same for 3G networks on the East coast like Kelantan and Pahang, before moving to the rest of Malaysia. The entire process is expected to be complete by mid-December 2021. Interestingly, the post has since been taken down by Maxis, so we're not sure if there are changes in the plan or if the post was unintentionally leaked in advance.

This post has been taken down, so did plans change?

The writing was on the world since the government announced the Jalinan Digital Negara (JENDELA) last year, which aims to provide more centralised 4G networks in populated regions of the country. This would have then meant that the country was ready to implement 5G and phase out 3G. As such, it's not surprising to see that Maxis has begun the process of doing so.

Mind you, the lack of 3G networks isn't a problem for most Malaysians. However, there are still people who use old phones with only 3G connectivity or live in areas with poor 4G network coverage. Should Maxis start dismantling 3G networks so soon? Share your thoughts in the comments, and stay tuned to TechNave for more news like this.