Over RM100,000 given away to winners in the Dew Challenge 2016

The weekend saw the Mountain Dew ‘Dew Challenge 2016’ gave away cash prizes amounting over RM100,000 ringgit for the two gaming events that was held at Berjaya Times Square – DoTA 2 challenge and the Mobile Gaming Challenge. The grand finals for the two events were held in Kuala Lumpur, where the champions were crowned in front of an excited crowd.

The DoTA 2 tournament started from Penang and all the way to Johor Baharu for qualifying rounds and the top eight teams all headed to Kuala Lumpur the grand finals. The winner for the DoTA 2 challenge was in the end awarded to Fantastic Gaming which went against ZSY_Reborn in a nail biting closing match. Fantasic Gaming walked away with RM60,000 as the winner of the DoTA 2 challenge.

For the mobile game challenge, over 200 people from all over Malaysia joined in where they challengers were on foot around KL as they searched for hidden virtual Mountain Dew using the augmented-reality enabled app on their smartphones. The winner was Gilbert Chee, and he walked away RM 15,000 ringgit richer as the competition day ended at Berjaya Times Square.

“We are extremely pleased to have organized the Dew Challenge 2016 and congratulate all the winners. We would also like to congratulate to all the finalists for making it this far – it is truly spectacular. We hope that this helps to keep their passion alive and that it heightens their competitive spirit so they can work harder for the next round in 2017,” said Hemalatha Ragavan, Vice President of Marketing and Business Development of Etika Sdn Bhd.


Over RM620,000 worth of giveaways to get at HONOR Malaysia's Double Celebration Merdeka sale

It seems that HONOR Malaysia is not running out of their promo sales over the past few weeks. Well, that's not a bad thing, right? So with just half a month left until Merdeka, fans and consumers can look forward to the company's Double Celebration Merdeka promo sales with over RM620,000 worth of giveaways.

Starting today onwards (15 August 2019) until 16 September 2019, fans and customers who purchase a selected HONOR smartphone at every HONOR Experience Store and authorized stores will be getting extra freebies. Moreover, there will be some amount of cashback from purchasing the HONOR 20 Lite and HONOR 10 Lite as well.

Speaking of freebies, HONOR Malaysia is also giving every buyer an opportunity to play "tikam" as part of the National Day theme and a chance to win more gifts. There are currently over 10,000 gifts to be won which include an HONOR Band 4, HONOR Band 4 Running, a mystery HONOR gift box and more! Below is the complete list of selected HONOR smartphones eligible for the promotion.

By the way, the HONOR 20 Pro is the latest flagship by HONOR Malaysia to be released today for RM2299. It comes with a quad-rear camera setup comprising a Sony IMX586 48MP main camera, 16MP Super Wide-Angle camera, 8MP telephoto camera (30x zoom) and 2MP Macro camera. We are certainly impressed with the camera performance which you can read from our review here. Stay tuned for more HONOR news at TechNave.com.


Over-the-top 49-inch curved LG UltraGear Gaming Monitor announced

LG Electronics went somewhat over-the-top with its recently announced 49-inch curved LG UltraGear 49GR85DC gaming monitor. Featuring a 32:9 aspect ratio and 240Hz refresh rate the monitor is obviously aimed at gamers but due to the screen width it could easily double for those productivity users who need 2 screens to comfortably do work.

Other tech specs include a 5120 x 1440 pixel resolution, 1000R curvature, 3000:1 contrast ratio, 1000-nit peak brightness and the monitor is also VESA DisplayHDR 1000 certified. It also supports DTS Headphone:X. Connections include DisplayPort 1.4 and HDMI 2.1 ports.

While there’s no exact Malaysia release date or pricing details just yet, the LG UltraGear is available in the US. It is expected to come to Malaysia and Asian markets later this year. Would you wait for it? Share your reasons why in the comments and stay tuned to TechNave.com


Overclocking the HTC One to 2.0GHz

The HTC One looks great and works well with its 1.7GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 600 processor. Quite a few smartphones are now sporting this same processor with some even going to 1.8GHz and 1.9Ghz. Not to be outdone, HTC One tech fans at Pocketnow decided to see what would happen if this same processor on the HTC One was overclocked to 2.0GHz and above.For those not in the know, overclocking means to increase the speed of a chip or processor, usually by raising the clock speed within the processor, hence the term overclocking. The good folks at Pocketnow used a custom kernal called ElementalIX for the HTC One (meaning it isn't the stock Android OS that comes with the HTC One). Their initial overclock was at 2.1GHz but this was an unstable overclock, resulting in the HTC One shutting itself down a little while after it was benchmarked. The second overclock was at 1.99 GHz or more or less 2.0GHz with a bit more tweaking of the GPU seemed to hit the sweet spot resulting in an AnTuTu benchmark of 26191 (the stock HTC One scores about 25000+ in AnTuTu). Pocketnow elaborates on how to do it for your HTC One in the video below but bear in mind the dangers as well. Just a note though, we don't advocate or advise you to do any modding or overclocking with this, so be aware that the risks are on you.


Overcooked replaces ARK Survival as the current free game giveaway on Epic Games Store

Over the past few weeks, the leaks of Epic Games Store free game giveaways have been accurate. First started with GTA V, followed by Civilization VI and Borderlands: The Handsome Collection, we all thought that ARK Survival will be the next one but turns out it was not the case. In fact, turns out it was none other than Overcooked!

Interestingly, Epic Games' social account on Weibo (and not Twitter) announced that ARK Survival was supposed to be the next free game giveaway but it was postponed due to some reasons. With this, it was replaced with Overcooked and they needed a few more days until it's ready. Well, can't say we are disappointed since ARK Survival is not that popular in Malaysia but Overcooked is quite fun to play too.

The message from Epic Games on Weibo apologizing for delaying ARK Survival

For those who don't know what Overcooked is about, it's a "chaotic couch co-op cooking game for one to four players" as to how Epic Games puts it. This game demands a lot of teamwork to get the food prepared and have them delivered to your customers before they get pissed off. Not entirely a new concept, but some of us in TechNave here have played it before and it's really stressful + fun to play with your friends and family. Give it a try!

We won't know when will ARK Survival is free, it could be the next free game giveaway next week (or not). By the way, Total War Saga: Troy will be released on 13 August 2020 in Epic Games Store exclusively and although it's a brand new game, gamers will be able to claim it for free during the first 24 hours of its launch. Sweet, stay tuned for more free game announcements at Technave.com!


Overview of MWC 2021: Biggest online event of 2021 so far

After the cancellation of MWC 2020 last year, this year’s MWC 2021 began with a number of innovations including being virtual and utilizing technology to implement COVID 19 safety measures. Despite this, we were able to easily and virtually attend all the keynotes and events accordingly following the MWC 2021 theme of Connected Impact.

Starting with "trust and faith" in 5G from the GSMA and major global telco players in their first keynote, this year's MWC 2021 mostly covered 5G, cloud, startups and interconnectivity for the future. To say that things weren't the same as before is an understatement, but we can honestly say that MWC 2021 was the biggest web event of 2021 so far, even if just in terms of scale.

Samsung's One UI Watch is coming on the Galaxy Watch 4

While we didn't see as many consumer-level device launches, Samsung weighed in with their One UI Watch which is slated for release in their Galaxy Watch 4. Promising better battery life and functionality, the Galaxy Watch 4 is expected in Q3 2021.

On another note, Qualcomm officially announced their Snapdragon 888 Plus mobile chipset, while Lenovo came out with upgraded ThinkPad laptops (their first AMD Ryzen powered convertible) and a number of new tablets.

The Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra and Huawei BladeAUU series were some of the winners for GLOMO 2021 or Global Mobile Awards 2021

It would have been nice if we could see some more of the offbeat and quirky devices that used to appear at MWC but perhaps we'll see them next year as the new virtual format gains more acceptance. So stay tuned to TechNave.com and we'll keep you updated for the latest tech and gadgets for 2021 and beyond.


Own a smartphone of your choice from as low as RM74/month with Xpax EasyPhone plan

With the recent big announcement from Celcom, it's Xpax's turn now to shine in the spotlight, introducing a way for prepaid users to own a smartphone at very low prices. Xpax EasyPhone now lets every Xpax subscriber purchase a smartphone from as low as RM74 per month, with choices ranging from flagships like the latest Apple iPhone 7 Plus, Samsung Galaxy S8 Plus and Huawei P10 Plus to midrangers like the Xiaomi Redmi Note 4. Below is the list of available phones (for now) in the EasyPhone plan:

Aside from affordable monthly instalments, one of the best parts of EasyPhone is that there is no need for upfront payment or even a credit card when purchasing a smartphone. Plus, you will also earn RM30 worth of FREE monthly prepaid credit throughout the period of your instalment plan. More smartphone models will be added into EasyPhone in the near future as well.

To apply for EasyPhone, you can log on to www.xpax.com.my, choose your preferred smartphone and supply your personal particulars and following documentation listed below:

Applicants should receive an e-mail notification with a reference number and it takes 3 working days for it to be successful. Once you’ve received the email confirmation, head over to the nearest BlueCube outlet and collect your new smartphone by displaying your email confirmation to the staff.

And that's how easy it is to own your dream phone with EasyPhone from Xpax. If that sounds good to you, head over to their page here to sign up for the plan now.


Own any new Huawei flagship gadgets with a 12-month instalment plan from RM 8.97 per day

As some of you may have already heard, Huawei Malaysia have recently announced their Huawei Smart Life Package which includes the Huawei Mate 30 Pro, Matebook 13 series, Watch GT 2, Freebuds 3, Huawei X Gentle Monster eyewear and the WiFi Q2 Pro. That's a lot of products and if you're thinking of buying one but worried on going over your budget, no worries - they are introducing a monthly instalment fee with their Huawei Together 2020 campaign.

You can own all the products together for RM32.53 per day but as part of the Huawei Smart Life Package, you can also customize it with different devices and own some of them from just RM8.97 a day. If you want to know more about the products, read on more below!

Starting with the Mate 30 Pro, the flagship is the world’s first smartphone with a dedicated 40MP Cine Camera, alongside a 40MP SuperSensing camera, 8MP telephoto lens and a depth sensor. Obviously, this will allow you to take the best photo results possible in most situations from a selfie to ultra-wide moments, as well as in low-light environments.

Besides that, there is also an innovative side touch interaction feature on the 88° curved edge Horizon display. This allows you to adjust the volume without any physical buttons, take a selfie and even act as extra buttons for whichever mobile game you want to play. That's not the only smart feature it has, but also an AI Gesture Control that allows you to do commands like unlocking, slide-changing, and screenshots without touching the display, an AI Private View mode that can hide your messages privately, as well as AI Auto Rotate that can analyse the orientation of your eyes to lock the rotation of the screen.

We also cannot forget about the 27W Wireless Charging technology which is the world's first, making your phone be ready on-the-go whenever and wherever. If you prefer charging with the cable, the Mate 30 Pro uses a 40W fast charging technology. This will surely keep the 4500mAh battery alive throughout the day.

Next, the Matebook 13 series has the ability to sync and project your work easily from your Huawei smartphone with just a single tap. Called the One Touch feature, it lets you quickly send up to 500 photos a minute to your laptop just by simply tapping onto a pre-determined spot beside the trackpad.

There is also a Multi-Device Collaboration feature which can help to increase your productivity via mirroring. With this, you can focus on the big screen and browse the mobile app there from work to leisure, so you can also easily connect the phone and project any mobile game on the laptop screen as well and that is pretty cool.

For the Huawei wearable, the Watch GT 2 won't let you miss out any alerts or important messages, monitoring your health and keep track of your heart rate easily after pairing it with the Mate 30 Pro. If you're serious on managing your healthy lifestyle, you can even view a full report on your smartphone.

It doesn't matter if you're walking, running or hiking if you have an incoming call, as long as it's connected to the phone - you will be able to talk (or play songs) on the wearable via Bluetooth. That way, you don't have to worry about missing out on an emergency call from your office, friends and family!

Another smart life product is the Freebuds 3. This pair of wireless earphones have a unique intelligent noise reduction feature to let you get immersed in the songs and have a better calling experience. Moreover, you can enjoy the sound quality for long hours thanks to the simple and comfortable design.

It's worth noting that the Freebuds 3 features a new generation of Bluetooth channel selection algorithm connectivity that can identify bands that are subject to WiFi interference, as well as having the Kirin A1 chipset which can adjust the level of environmental noise by balancing the sound on both ears in real-time. This works for recognizing speech with Smart Assistant in a noisy environment.

If you want something with a sense of fashion, the Huawei X Gentle Monster Eyewear are new smart glasses featuring dual speakers on both of the inner sides. This allows you to listen to your favourite songs and even receive incoming calls without people noticing, just answer the call or play/pause the song with a tap.

Huawei also didn't forget those who are already wearing glasses. You can also customize it with three different optical glasses as well as with two kinds of models - Jackbye and Eastmoon - to fit your style.

Last but not least, Huawei have launched a new WiFi Q2 Pro router featuring a Lingxiao 5630 chipset that guarantees a high speed and stable connection, as well as adopting a new IPv6-Internet Protocol Version 6 that makes it difficult to crack the encryption between the user and servers. Another good thing about this is that it doesn't require any network cable between the mothership and the Q2 Pro Sub Router.

With these products, Huawei can make the most out of your Smart Life experience and compliment your everyday lifestyle. Depending on your preference, there are other Huawei Smart Life package deals which can be purchased separately and each has a different instalment plan + 0% interest made easy for Malaysians to own any Huawei products.

To know more about Huawei's seamless ecosystem connectivity, you can visit the page here to check them out. Stay tuned for more Huawei promotions at TechNave.com.


Own the Apple Phone X via EasyPhone from Celcom from only RM138/month + free 100GB Super Video Walla

Mhmm...the Apple iPhone X. So glorious, so beautiful, so elite and so expensive. At its most affordable price, you will have to fork out at least RM5k and no, they don't accept cutout limbs or human livers. If only there is one way of getting it without burdening your bank account. This is where Celcom comes in with its EasyPhone™ plan and it can be yours from only RM138 per month.

As mentioned from our previous EasyPhone™ articles, the point of using EasyPhone™ from Celcom is so that you can own a smartphone of your choice at the lowest price point possible, even lower than most postpaid plans. In addition, anyone who signs up for it will get a free 100GB worth of Internet data for Super Video Walla, perfect for those who love to binge on video playbacks. Check out the table below for reference!

Sounds good? If this is what you're looking for, then sign up now at your nearest Blue Cube stores and switch to Celcom today while stocks last. Stay tuned for more EasyPhone™ from Celcom news at TechNave.com.


Acer Swift 3 announced: Intel and AMD Ryzen variant from the price of ~RM2452

If you thought Acer is done revealing all their latest products, think again. In conjunction with the first day of CES 2020, Acer has added two more laptops to the Swift series which are the Swift 3 (SF313-52/G) and (SF314-42) variant, housing an Intel and AMD Ryzen processor respectively.

Staying true to the Swift series, the Swift 3 (SF313-52/G) is super compact weighing at 1.19kg only and measures 15.95mm thin only. The 13.5-inch display has quite a high screen-to-body ratio of 83.65% and 3:2 aspect ratio gives 18% more room (vertically) than before. To support the sRGB colour space, the laptop is integrated with Acer Color Intelligence and Acer ExaColor technology.

As part of Intel's Project Athena program, it sports up to 10th Gen Intel Core i7-1065G7 processors, the latest NVIDIA graphics, and a long-lasting battery that offers users up to 16 hours of productivity alongside a fast charging technology. It also offers a few ports such as a USB Type-C Thunderbolt 3, USB 3.1 Gen 2 or DisplayPort, as well as having a dual-band Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) (3x better than your average connection) and a Wake On Voice (WoV), enabling users to interact with Cortana while the device is in Modern Standby mode.

As for the Swift 3 (SF314-42) variant, it's also quite similar to the former and lightweight as well (1.2kg). It features an AMD Ryzen 4000 series processors (7nm, Zen 2 core architecture), up to 16GB of LPDDR4x RAM, up to a 512 GB PCle SSD as well as a Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) for the best connectivity. Wake on Voice is also supported.

In terms of price, the Swift 3 laptop models differ in North America, China and Euro. Below is the official listing:

Acer Malaysia is very likely to bring in the newly improved Swift 3 series into Malaysia. Until then, stay tuned for more CES 2020 news at TechNave.com.


Own the best photography & connectivity smartphone: the Huawei P40 series during this Raya season

While the Raya holiday won't be the same this year, that won't stop friends and family from celebrating with each other thanks to our modern technology connecting us. That said, what better way to get connected with a Huawei P40 smartphone series that can do so seamlessly

Design? Nicely crafted. Photography? Check. Connectivity? Also check. It might be just the device for yourself and your loved ones this Raya, so without further ado - here are the some reasons to own a Huawei P40 series smartphone during this Raya season.

Starting with the design, the Huawei P40 series is indeed one of the best-looking smartphones in the market now. Sporting up to a 6.58-inch inch Quad-curve Overflow display, all the edges on four corners are curved elegantly, signifying modern beauty inspired by the form of flowing water. On top of that, it also features up to 90Hz refresh rate which allows users to experience a lower touch latency and jitter rate.

With such a big wide display on the device, you will definitely have a good time watching videos, playing games and looking at ultra-clear photos you take during this Raya reason. Speaking of photography...

To refresh your memory, the Huawei P40 series packs a 50MP Ultra Vision camera and the rest are slightly different for each model. For the P40, the ultrawide lens is 16MP and the telephoto lens has a 3x Optical Zoom. As for the pro variant, the ultrawide lens is 40MP and its telephoto lens can go up to 5x Optical Zoom and 50x Digital Zoom. Meanwhile, the front cameras are a 32MP AF Camera accompanied by an IR Depth Camera.

Combined with their latest AI AWB and XD Fusion Engine, the P40 series will be able to capture photos in low-light situations, top portrait shots in your Raya OOTD, and a nice family photo with the ultrawide angle lens. By the way, the P40 Pro is currently the first rank in DxOMark's score chart. You can learn more about the P40 camera capabilities here and check out the photo samples below!

Of course, mobile gaming has become one of the most popular things to do on a holiday and it won't be any different during this Raya season. Equipped with the Kirin 990 5G chipset, it can definitely handle most graphic-intense games thanks to the 7nm+ EUV technology and Mali-G76 MC16 GPU system. While 5G connectivity is not commercially available yet, you will be one of the first few to have it ready before it hits the market.

In addition to 5G, our local telcos (Maxis and Celcom) have done some 5G speed tests with the P40 Pro. So far, the speed test record is 749Mbps (93MB/s) and to put it in layman's context, you can download a 2GB HD movie within 20 seconds. That's crazy fast.

Lastly, Huawei's AppGallery has been improved a lot recently since last year. Currently, it now contains most of the frequently used apps such as Facebook, WhatsApp, WeChat, Instagram, Netflix, TikTok, Lazada, Shopee and more to come. Furthermore, the AppGallery is also secured with 4-layers of protection that have been certified by the highest industry standards. You are able to save more space storage as well just by doing Quick Apps without installing it.

So these are the Top 4 reasons to own a Huawei P40 series smartphone during this Raya season! Before we forget, every P40 series and MatePad pro users can now redeem rewards worth up to RM2381 at the Huawei Member Centre as well as getting 50GB of Huawei Cloud storage for 12 months, free of charge. To add on, there is also free premium access to Huawei Video streaming service for 3 months!

If this is the phone you're looking for, wait no more and order your Huawei P40 series smartphone starting from RM2799 at their official online store here. Hurry up before the Raya season officially kicks off while stocks last!


Owner of Nintendo PlayStation prototype has put the console up for auction

There is a beginning for every console family and for the PlayStation, it began from a prototype. First made in partnership with Nintendo, the 'Nintendo PlayStation' could read both SNES cartridges and CDs. Now, this unique creation is set to be auctioned off at the Heritage Auctions in February 2020.

According to Kotaku, Terry Diebold unwittingly purchased the machine at an auction years ago. But it wasn't until his son found the console in the attic of their family home that he realised its cultural and historical significance. Since then, the father-son duo has been bringing the console on a world tour. But it seems the tours are coming to an end, with Diebold ready to say goodbye to the console and finally cash in.

The Heritage Auctions, which is based in Dallas Texas, styles itself as an auctioneer of collectables - the best in the world. It certainly is a great place to auction the prototype and Diebold is hoping it scores big bucks. In fact, he's aiming for a bigger number than a 1.2 million USD (~RM4.97 million) offer he had already rejected, as he felt it wouldn't be enough to cover his outstanding debts accumulated over the years.

Depending on who wins the upcoming auction next year, we may or may never see the console appearing publically again. But as the saying goes, that's the way the cookie crumbles. What do you think about Diebold's decision to auction it, would you have thought of a different way to monetise ownership of it? Let us know on our Facebook page and stay tuned to TechNave.com for more news like this.


Owners of TikTok might be releasing their own music streaming service soon

Based on a statement by Beijing ByteDance Technology, they are currently in the talks with labels such as Universal Music, Sony Music, as well as Warner Musics to have their songs included on a new music streaming service. The aforementioned service has yet to be named, but ByteDance plans to have it available on markets such as India, Indonesia and Brazil due to the growing popularity of streaming services.

As of now, there is no official price on the music streaming service by announced by ByteDance. However, if they want to go against streaming giants like Spotify, they’ll most likely price their service lower than USD10(~RM41) a month.

With all that said, would you be interested in subscribing to a new music streaming service by the owners of TikTok? Let us know on our Facebook page, and for more updates like this stay tuned to TechNave.com.


Oxford study says spending time playing games has nothing much to do with our well-being

From time to time, you would still have people telling you playing games is a waste of time and bad for your brain. However, a recent study from the University of Oxford says otherwise, saying that there's no relation between the amount of time gaming and a person's mental health.

It's only natural that parents would get worried if their kids play a game for long hours. That said, the Oxford research team reported that motivation is highly a factor in playing and has no effect on their well-being. In the largest-ever study that was assisted by almost 40,000 participants, the study measured their feelings during gaming and general level of satisfaction with their life.

The study was conducted for six weeks and concluded that the "Time spent playing video games had limited if any impact on well-being. Similarly, well-being had little to no effect on time spent playing". Furthermore, "if they felt they had to play, they felt worse. If they played because they loved it, then the data did not suggest it affected their mental health. It seemed to give them a strong positive feeling".

While it sounds good so far, the researchers did say that the data for longer playtimes couldn't be determined because it was kept below 10 hours to avoid logging errors. Nonetheless, as a gamer myself, I do recommend having a good life balance. Too much of anything isn't good after all.

The games that were included were Animal Cross: New Horizons, Apex Legends, Eve Online, Forza Horizon 4, Gran Turismo Sport, Outriders and The Crew 2. It was also a collaboration between the game publishers and the research team. The latter suggests more studies are needed for more variety of games, genres and players. A lot more work still needs to be done, said the Oxford research team.

If you would like to read the full study report by the Oxford research team, you can check out the link right over here. Stay tuned for more trending tech news at TechNave.com.


OxygenOS 11 revealed 8K 960FPS video recording mode and OnePlus Buds Z existence

Previously, we reported that the upcoming OnePlus 8T might not have a pro variant and depends on your view, it could be a good thing since the OnePlus Nord was released not too long ago. Now in this new report by XDA Developers, they spotted a new code inside the OxygenOS 11 beta program and it's hinting that there could be an [email protected] video recording mode update soon.

That may be great news to mobile videographers, but not all the newer OnePlus models would get it according to sources. At the moment, the update in OxygenOS 11 is assigned for the OnePlus 8 and OnePlus 8 Pro model but it's weird because they don't have the hardware to support such feature. Referring back to the OnePlus 8 Pro's tech specs, it can only handle [email protected] at best and not 960FPS for 8K, 4K, and 1080p video recording.

Since the current OnePlus 8 series hardware is not strong enough to handle [email protected], that could mean that this feature could be a preparation for next year's device, the OnePlus 9. But who knows, maybe the OnePlus 8T could surprise us that this feature. By the way, the OnePlus Buds Z was also mentioned in another code and we probably won't see the new wireless earbuds so soon.

OnePlus would usually release a T variant at this time of the year, so we will have to wait and see what they are up to. Until then, stay tuned for more trending tech news at TechNave.com.


PAKEJ PERPADUAN officially launches in Malaysia, 30GB for RM30 at 3Mbps with 180 days validity

The Ministry of Communications and Digital (KKD) today officially launched the PAKEJ PERPADUAN prepaid mobile internet plan. First announced in December last year, the package is available from now until 31 December 2023 and offers 30GB of data at 3Mbps speed, with a validity period of 180 days for just RM30.

Moreover, local telco companies would be offering the package at the aforementioned price, including CelcomDigi, Maxis, U Mobile, Unifi Mobile, Yes, OneXOX, Mcalls and TuneTalk. Replacing the previous Pakej Remaja, PAKEJ PERPADUAN is targeted at youths below 30 years old, senior citizens, veterans of uniformed bodies, persons with disabilities and the B40.

Accordingly, several participating telcos have already announced the availability of PAKEJ PERPADUAN to their customers, including CelcomDigi and U Mobile. For the package offering on U Mobile, the company in a press release clarified that the 30GB data can be used for hotspot and on all applications.

Moreover, it can also be stacked if its customers decide to purchase Pakej Perpaduan again. Eligible U Mobile customers can subscribe via the MyUMobile app if they are on the latest U Mobile 5G Prepaid Pack and  can be activated through the following steps:

Meanwhile, CelcomDigi in a press release said that its customers who activated PAKEJ PERPADUAN require more data anytime within the 6-month timeframe, they can choose to subscribe to any of Celcom or Digi active Internet passes. The statement further said that CelcomDigi’s internet passes are available from as low as RM3.

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


It was recently announced that the aforementioned PAKEJ PERPADUAN will launch on 28 February 2023. It will be available by major telcos such as CelcomDigi, Maxis Berhad (Maxis), Telekom Malaysia Berhad (Unifi Mobile), U Mobile Sdn Bhd (U Mobile) and YTL Communications Sdn Bhd (YES). It will replace the previous Pakej Remaja.

For those who don’t remember, PAKEJ PERPADUAN will be offered for RM30 for 6 months. The speed will be set at 3Mbps while data quota is 30GB. We’ve reached out to see if that’s actually 30GB per month, but according to the wording it seems like that 30GB is for 6 months at 5GB of data per month.

As before, the PAKEJ PERPADUAN is targeted at youths below 30 years old, senior citizens, veterans of uniformed bodies, persons with disabilities and the B40. While we applaud the good intentions behind the move, 5GB of data per month at 3Mbps means you can only check email, read news and avoid content with high resolution video.

Watching too many high resolution videos might cause you to burn through that 5GB of data just like that. What do you guys think? Would 5GB be enough per month? Perhaps to drive Grab or something like that? Let us know in the comments below and stay tuned to TechNave.com


PC launch of Death Stranding delayed till 14 July 2020

Looks like we're not going to be able to make any delivers in post-apocalyptic United States for a while more, at least not on PC. The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in delays for many companies, industries, and even game launches. One of these games includes the PC version of Death Stranding, which has now been delayed to 14 July 2020.

Originally slated for release in June 2020, Kojima Productions has announced that the launch of the PC version for Death Stranding will have to be delayed. This is because the developer has temporarily closed its office and having its staff work remotely. As a result, they are expecting there to be a need for more time to do the final polishing. They also have to confirm the minimum and recommended system requirements for the PC version.

Following the temporary closure of KOJIMA PRODUCTIONS, we have had to delay the PC launch of DEATH STRANDING to July 14, 2020, to allow more development time amidst the current work-from-home orders in place. Thank you all for your patience and continued support!#keeponkeepingon pic.twitter.com/euOmebcdQj

For your information, Death Stranding is an open-world action game where you play as Sam Porter Bridges. Hideo Kojima calls it a "strand game", which is a game genre that is all about connecting people. Sounds vague? Well, let's just say you'll be doing a lot of deliveries and 'connecting' different isolated cities called KNOTs. Oh, and you'll be dodging a lot of otherworldly creatures called Beached Things.

While the delay is unfortunate, there's plenty of games you can get now for free like Just Cause 4 (till 23 April 2020) and Uncharted: The Nathan Drake Collection (till 5 May 2020). Aside from that, what other games are you playing these days to pass the time? Let us know on our Facebook page and stay tuned to TechNave.com for more news.


PDRM: Beware of latest scam claiming to give RM500 GE15 aid via Touch ’n Go eWallet

The Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) has advised the public to be wary of a new scam that’s taking advantage of the 15th General Election (GE15). It involves giving out RM500 aid via a fake Touch ’n Go eWallet link shared through SMS.

As reported by Bernama, under the scam, victims will receive notification of the RM500 assistance given to people who support Barisan Nasional (BN) and victims will be asked to make an identity verification using the link. As it turns out, the link is not an official Touch ’n Go link but instead a phishing site that is masked as an application.

Sentul district police chief, ACP Beh Eng Lai has stressed that Touch ’n Go would not send any message or notice to users. The messages are from scammers who are attempting to dupe victims.

He further elaborated that the link with the RM500 aid message is not from Touch ’n Go. It’s instead a fake link as there was ‘emy.top’ at the end of the touchngoemy.top link clearly showed that it is not an actual link but definitely an online scam run by a syndicate. Beh thus urges the public to not click on any suspicious link shared via SMS.

Earlier, social media was abuzz when an individual claimed to have been a victim of the scam. The individual allegedly lost RM1950 after accessing the fake Touch ’n Go link received through SMS.

So, what do you guys think of the whole situation? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below and stay tuned to TechNave for more trending tech news.


PDRM: Beware of viral fake Petronas lucky draw link that is actually a phishing website

The Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) today warned Malaysians to be wary of a viral link related to a fake lucky draw allegedly organised by Petronas. It is believed that the link will take users to phishing website designed to obtain user data for illicit use.

Bukit Aman Commercial Crime Investigation Department (JSJK) director Datuk Mohd Kamarudin Md Din said that the link was transmitted and has gone viral through WhatsApp. Bernama reported that the link would prompt users to answer four simple survey questions and send the link to 20 other people.

Petronas has nothing to do with the website and never conducted any such lucky draws. The phishing was made by irresponsible scammers trying to obtain personal data of users that fall for the tactic.

As a precautionary measure, the JSJK director advised the public to not browse the content of the website. Besides being a phishing site, JSJK also warned that it may contain trojans or malware that can harm the data stored on users' devices.

What do you guys think of the prevalence of these phishing site scams? Share your thoughts with us in the comments and stay tuned to TechNave for the latest trending tech news.


Acer Swift 3X Review: Lightweight and well-rounded laptop with great battery life

When it comes to Acer's Swift series laptops, they're known for being lightweight and productivity-focused that's geared towards individuals who are constantly on the go. With that in mind, Acer recently released the Acer Swift 3x not too long ago during the [email protected] press conference which is priced at RM3799 in Malaysia.

This laptop also one of the first laptops to come equipped with an 11th generation Intel Core processor i7 CPU and Intel Iris Xe Max graphics, which promises high performance and battery efficiency. With all these technology and hardware crammed inside a small package, how exactly does it perform in a real-world environment? Come get a closer look with our review below.

In terms of design, the laptop has a minimalistic look plus a matte finish. It feels smooth when you glide your fingers on the chassis. Interestingly, the hinge of the laptop has a cyan tinge that helps the laptop stand out a little, as compared to having the entire thing in the same colour.

As for the dimensions, the Swift 3x is around 322.8mm x 212.2mm (slightly little wider than an A4 paper). It also has a thickness of 17.95mm and weighs 1.37Kg. With that said, the laptop and the power adapter can fit into most bags, without weighing it down to the point it becomes uncomfortable to carry around.

You can see the Swift branding on the hinge of the laptop

While the hinge feels sturdy enough to give you the confidence that it won't break after extensive use, it lacks the ability to unfold up to 180 degrees, which makes it a little awkward to use when placed on your lap, especially if you're a much taller person. When unfolded, the first thing you'll notice is the thin bezels along the sides of the display, as well as a small webcam located above the display.

The keyboard comes equipped with white LED backlighting, which can be useful if you frequently do work in the dark. However, it lacks a dedicated number pad. Instead, Acer turned the right-half of the keyboard into a num pad that you can toggle on by tapping on the F12 key.

The keyboard has no dedicated number pad!

The integrated number pad is located on the right-half of the keyboard

Capacitive fingerprint sensor slightly below the arrow keys

Other than that, the laptop comes equipped with a capacitive fingerprint sensor that's integrated with Windows Hello, which means you can easily log into Windows with a tap of a finger. In terms of the I/O options, it comes equipped with a single HDMI port, two USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A port, a USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C port, and a combo audio jack.

With that many ports, the Swift 3X can hook up an external keyboard, mouse, a pair of headphones, as well as an external monitor to exponentially increase your productivity. However, if you require even more ports, you might want to consider getting a USB Hub, so that you can plug in more devices to the laptop.

On the left, you'll find a charging port, HDMI slot, USB Type-A, and a USB Type-C port

On the right, you'll find a combo audio jack port, USB Type-A port, and the Kensington lock

Moving to tech specs, the Acer Swift 3x comes equipped with up to an 11th gen Intel Core i7-1165G7, Intel Iris Xe graphics, up to 16GB RAM, and up to a 512GB SSD primary storage. It also has a 14-inch ComfyView IPS display with 72% NTSC colour gamut, as well as a 3815mAh battery that's capable of delivering up to 14 hours of runtime (on paper) before needing to recharge.

If you opt for the highest variant of the Swift 3x, which is what we have on hand right now, you'll need to fork out around RM5499. However, if you don't need these kinds of tech specs, you can get the cheaper variant that has most of the specs mentioned above, except it comes with an 11th gen Intel Core i5 CPU and just 8GB of RAM.

It managed to score 1470 points on 3DMark!

Onto the performance aspect, the laptop equipped with the Intel Iris Xe integrated graphics managed to score around 1470 on 3DMark, which is not exactly ideal but is enough to run some games decently. To put things into perspective, the Swift 3x was able to run Dota 2 at slightly over 60FPS at the highest setting. Pretty good, considering that the laptop is running on an integrated graphics processing unit.

Valorant was pretty much the same here, as it had an average FPS of around 60 with all the settings cranked to the max. However, do note that you will experience a dip in frame rates in some scenarios, such as when agent's (characters in Valorant) abilities start flying around on your screen. As for Genshin Impact, I noticed that it ran much choppier at maximum graphic settings when you're fighting monsters because of the visual effects.

Dota 2 ran surprisingly well at around 65FPS on maximum settings

Valorant ran at about 60FPS on average at maximum settings

Genshin Impact felt slightly choppier, especially during large battles against monsters

A weakness of this laptop is how it heats up to the point of becoming uncomfortable during resource-intensive tasks, such as gaming or editing videos. In particular, you will feel it around the wrist rest section right below the keyboard on the bottom right. Other than gaming, the laptop performed well in most productivity workloads such as word processing, photo editing, and when producing music on a digital audio workstation.

We do like the keyboard's smooth feel and tactile feedback, as it's great for typing. In particular, the white LED backlight helps tremendously, especially while doing work in the dark. On to battery life, Acer's official website claims that the Acer Swift 3x can run for about 14 hours before needing to recharge. However, the battery runtime heavily depends on what application you run on the laptop.

It may be decent for photo manipulation, but not for colour-accurate work because the display only covers 72% of the NTSC colour gamut

Can edit 1080p 60FPS video files with ease but lags a little when dealing with raw 4K footages.

Content creation workloads such as video editing are where the Intel Iris Xe really shines. I was able to smoothly scrub through the timeline of a 1080p 60FPS project with close to minimal lag on the Magix Vegas Pro 15 video editor. I did notice a slight dip in performance when editing raw 4K 60FPS video files. But transcoding the raw file to a proxy format such as CineForm or ProRes 422 made the editing process faster and smoother.

After installing most of the application I frequently use, such as Discord, Google Chrome, and Spotify, I started to test how long the battery would last. However, the laptop only managed to run for around 5 hours before it began prompting me to charge it. Thankfully, I can charge it by using the power adapter that came with the laptop, or via a power bank with the help of a USB Type-C cable.

In conclusion, if you’re keen on getting a lightweight laptop that's productivity-focused, you might want to consider getting the cheaper Intel Core-i5 variant of the Acer Swift 3x that is priced at RM3799. However, if you need more performance then we suggest one of the Intel Core-i7 variants, which cost as low as RM4599.

For those who want some alternatives, the ASUS ZenBook 13 and ZenBook 14 series are great options (price from RM3999). The Lenovo Yoga Duet 7i (RM4299) is also a great pick if you want a much lighter machine that supports a stylus.

Pros - Sleek and lightweight productivity laptop with great battery life

Cons - It only covers 72% of the NTSC colour gamut, which makes it less ideal for workloads that require accurate colour reproduction

Conclusion - Great for students and professionals that are always on the move


PDRM announce MCO interstate travel date for each state, online applications via Gerak Malaysia app starting from today

PDRM recently announced that you can apply online for interstate travel using the Gerak Malaysia app during this current MCO period. They’ve also just announced the time table for interstate travel for each state from 1 May 2020 to 3 May 2020. Those looking to travel interstate back to the city can apply now until 29 April 2020.

On 29 April 2020, you can check the Gerak Malaysia app to confirm your destination and on 1 May 2020 to see if your application was approved. As previously revealed, interstate travel is only for specific reasons such as buying essential supplies within a 10km range, getting medical treatment, family emergencies like the death of a close relative and fixing a damaged vehicle or damage in your home.

If your application is approved, a QR code will be generated using the Gerak Malaysia app that you can show to pass through roadblocks. You can see the time table for each Malaysian state from 1 May 2020 to 3 May 2020 below.

Further details will be announced later this month but police also said that only applications to return to the city (for those who were previously stuck at kampung or at college) will be processed for now. You can download the Gerak Malaysia beta app on the Google Play Store or Apple App Store.

So, what do you think about all this? It's certainly helpful that you don't have to physically line up to apply for interstate travel at a Police Station and you get to stay safe from COVID-19, but we've noticed some users having issues with the Gerak Malaysia app. Let us know on our Facebook page and stay tuned to TechNave.com


PDRM considers providing taser guns to police staff in hopes to reduce the use of firearms

Police brutality has sparked a huge discussion nowadays. To minimize such issues from happening in our country, our government is planning to arm the police forces with taser guns instead of firearms when it comes to dealing with certain disruptions.

As announced today, The Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) is considering to let their staff use taser guns in the daily operations. Their initiative is to resolve issues without the loss of life. An example can be when it comes to dealing with persons who are aggressive or not mentally stable while under the influence of drugs.

The Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Abdul Hamid Bador stated that the use of taser guns have actually been introduced before. However, not many were provided to the police staff and most were of poor quality. If it's possible, the PDRM wants to acquire taser guns like those used by the police in America which are durable. Besides arming the police with taser guns, the PDRM is also in the process of equipping the police with body cams for patrol duties in city areas.

Let us know what you think about the news on our Facebook page. Stay tuned to TechNave.com for more viral local news.


PDRM has detained 627 individuals, seized RM69.8 million worth of items for illegal bitcoin mining since 2020

The Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) yesterday revealed that a total of 627 individuals and RM69.8 worth of itemas have been seized since 2020 in cases related to illegal bitcoin mining in our country. Furthermore, the cases involved electricity theft for the cryptocurrency mining activities.

Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Tan Sri Acryl Sani Abdullah Sani in a statement yesterday said that the arrests were made possible thanks to cooperation between Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB) and the Criminal Investigation Department (JSJ). In fact, PDRM even received 9 Mitsubishi Tritons from TNB to be used for combating electricity theft in Malaysia.

As reported by national news agency Bernama, the IGP has advised the public to be wary against illegal bitcoin mining activities. He further called for Malaysians to channel any information to the police or TNB if they see parties other TNB representatives tamper with TNB installations or do any suspicious connections to them.

Acryl also reminded owners to always be vigilant before handing over their premises to tenants. Moreover, owners should also regularly inspect their premises to ensure it is not being used for illegal bitcoin mining.

Previously, TNB proposed for there to be a special tariff for Malaysians doing bitcoin mining in order to deal with this problem. As of March 2022, TNB estimated a total loss of RM2.3 billion due to electricity theft by illegal bitcoin miners

What do you guys think of the revelation by IGP regarding illegal bitcoin mining activities in Malaysia? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below and stay tuned to TechNave for all the latest trending tech news!


PDRM has no rights to inspect your mobile phones randomly! Here's why

Today, a formal statement was issued on the Ministry of Home Affairs (KDN)'s official Twitter account to clear the confusion statement mentioned by Deputy Home Minister Datuk Mohd Azis Jamman on 18 November. So what was the confusion? Well, he said that the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) has the right to inspect the public's phones which seems to be inaccurate. Here's what the KDN statement said.

According KDN, the PDRM has no rights to inspect or take over anyone's mobile phones randomly. Instead, the PDRM can only check the device of a suspect that is involved in an ongoing investigation and also if an individual has committed an offence under the following acts. The following acts fall under five acts which are:

KENYATAAN MEDIA TIMBALAN MENTERI DALAM NEGERI MENGENAI PENJELASAN BERHUBUNG KENYATAAN BERKAITAN ISU PDRM MEMPUNYAI HAK MENYEMAK TELEFON BIMBIT ORANG AWAM SEMASA SESI JAWAB LISAN DI DEWAN RAKYAT#kementeriandalamnegeri#kdn pic.twitter.com/4nmki5xBqB

The Deputy Home Minister did mention if your device got randomly inspected by any PDRM officers, you can file a police report at any nearby station or go straight to Bukit Aman to report on it. So do note down these acts and know your own rights at any circumstances. Stay tuned for more local news updates on TechNave.com!


PDRM to use iCOPS and In-Car Radar on highways to catch traffic offenders this Hari Raya

The Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) has announced that it will be using In-Car Radar and ‘Intelligent Compound Online Payment System (iCOPS) devices throughout highways this festive season. Through both devices, the police can detect traffic offenders with summons arrears and warrants of arrest.

Specifically, In-Car Radar will be used as a speed limit detection for vehicles on the road. As for iCOPS, it is a technological device that checks vehicle registration numbers and accordingly, detects traffic offenders with outstanding summonses and traffic arrest warrants.

Bernama reported that PDRM would be stationing these devices on mobile modes and not focused only in on place. Deputy Inspector-General of Police, Datuk Razarudin Husain said that it was difficult to detect offenders on normal day but since it’s the festive season, these delinquents would be easier detected as they return to their hometown en masse.

Razarudin further stressed that those with warrants of arrest and outstanding summonses will be immediately detained on the road. They will then be taken to the nearest police station for the process of bail documentation and would then be asked to attend court for further action.

What do you guys think of this move by PDRM? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below and stay tuned to TechNave for the latest tech news in Malaysia and beyond!


PDRM urges Telegram users to turn on two-step verification after over RM2 million were lost to online fraud since January

The Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) has urged Telegram users in Malaysia to activate the messaging app's ‘two-step verification’ security pin setting. This is following a rampant syndicate that has hacked numerous Telegram accounts in our country since the start of the year.

According to Bukit Aman Commercial Crime Investigation Department (CCID) director Datuk Mohd Kamaruddin Md. Din, the modus operandi of the syndicate is to hack social media accounts and then pose as the person that they hacked. He revealed that a total of 314 cases of online fraud involving more than RM2 million were recorded from January to March 2022 alone.

As reported by Bernama, Kamaruddin said that from early this year, the syndicate began hacking Telegram accounts of their victims and obtained a list of the victims’ friends to borrow money. The actual owner of the Telegram account would only realise of the scam when they couldn’t access their accounts or when they receive calls from contacts asking about the validity of the loan that the scammer requested.

Hence, Kamaruddin urged Telegram users to be vigilant and use the two-step verification feature to enhance their accounts’ security. This would hopefully prevent criminals from activating the Telegram account on other devices.

The CCID director also advised the public to not easily believe messages requesting money from their contacts. One red flag for this is when the person asks for you to transfer to another account not belonging to them.

In order to activate two-step verification on your Telegram account, go to your Settings tab, select 'Privacy and Security' and then select the 'Two-Step Verification' option. Telegram will then prompt you to add an add an additional password and an optional recovery e-mail to activate the feature.

What do you guys think of this Telegram hacking syndicate? Have you or your friends been a victim by these scammers?

Share your thoughts and experiences with us in the comments section below. For more tech news and tips such as this, stay tuned to TechNave!


PDRM will take legal action against e-scooters on the roads starting on 1 January 2021

Photo by Seat (AFP) - It seems the bigger e-bikes are also included

Sometimes the government organisations make decisions we don't agree with, especially when it comes to aspects like transportation. The bad news this time is that e-scooters will no longer be allowed on the roads and those who do not comply could face legal action.

According to The Malay Mail, this regulation will be in effect starting from 1 January 2021. The reason behind the decision was due to the many complaints that the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) has received about e-scooter users on the road. Currently, you'll still be able to ride your e-scooter as usual. But once the regulation is in place, offenders could be fine RM300 (and up to RM1000 for repeated offences) or be jailed up to 3 months.

Fortunately, it's not a complete ban of e-scooters. You will still ride in areas that are permitted, such as playgrounds or around shopping centres. On top of that, you can ride on the road if you apply for a special license from the Road Transport Department (JPJ). Of course, this does imply that we would have to pay for a license fee and possibly a road tax.

This news is quite disappointing for many, as e-scooters have become a popular choice for travelling ultra-short distances. Having said that, what are your thoughts about it? Let us know in the comments below and stay tuned to TechNave for more updates on this.


PEMERKASA announced: RM300 subsidy for smartphone purchase and more

Earlier today, the Malaysian government announced the PEMERKASA programme which provides families with school children with RM300 in order to purchase a smartphone. Not only that, but they’ve also introduced the MyBAIKHATI programme to help distribute laptops as well as used electronics to those in need.

If you want to find out more information on how to donate your used electronics, head over to Digi’s official website. Furthermore, MCMC has allocated RM3.2 billion in order to upgrade existing telecommunication equipment as well as expand fibre coverage across the nation.

With all that said, what are your thoughts on the PEMERKASA programme so far? Let us know on our Facebook page and for more updates like this, stay tuned to TechNave.com.


PERMAI announced: free 1GB internet, tax relief for electronics, and more

Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin has officially announced the PERMAI initiative which comes with various assistance ranging from tax relief, free internet data, and more. To go into more detail, the government will waive tax of up to RM2500 for any electronics bought until 31 December 2021 to encourage the acquisition of smartphones, laptops, and tablets.

But that’s not all, free 1GB data will be allocated daily will be extended to 30 April 2021 which can be claimed from your respective telco provider. Last but not least, students who are taking SPM, STPM, as well as those who are studying in college and universities, will have their “Special Telecommunications Package” extended to April 2021.

With all that said, what are your thoughts on the PERMAI initiative? Let us know on our Facebook page and for more updates like this, stay tuned to TechNave.com.


PEV Malaysia reveals meeting discussions with JPJ over escooters

Small e-scooters are ill-suited for use on normal roads

Last week, PDRM declared that e-scooters would no longer be allowed on the roads. But what vehicles would be considered micromobility vehicles or e-scooters? What kind of regulations can users expect? The Personal Electric Vehicle Association (PEV Malaysia) decided to meet with the authorities to find out.

PEV Malaysia announced that it had a meeting with the JPJ's Enforcement Director, Head of Enforcement Division, and Head of Law & Act Division for clarification. The association posted a list of confirmed details on its Facebook page, which mostly touched on some of the broad strokes that were mentioned last week.

For now, there's no official statement calling for a ban of all use on micromobility vehicles. However, these vehicles will not be allowed to be used on any gazetted roads in Malaysia. Also, the JPJ will be meeting with various authorities and the lawmakers for further discussions. This is because the use of micromobility vehicles is considered to have preceded existing policies, so they can't simply decide on anything yet.

As it is, nothing has been resolved and e-scooters will still be limited to areas like local parks or around shopping centres. But at least we now know that the authorities are in discussions and won't make arbitrary decisions. Share your thoughts on this topic in the comments below and stay tuned to TechNave for potential updates on this.


Acer Swift 3X and Aspire 5 Malaysia release: 11th gen Intel Core processor and up to 17.5-hour battery from RM2799

Acer Malaysia has officially announced the Acer Swift 3X, as well as the Aspire 5, in Malaysia starting from the price of RM3799 and RM2799 respectively. Those who are interested in purchasing the aforementioned laptop can do so via any Acer authorised dealers across Malaysia, as well as e-commerce platforms such as Shopee and Lazada.

But that’s not all, those who purchased any of the aforementioned laptops before 31 December 2020 will be eligible for free gifts, RM100 Touch ‘n Go eWallet credit, as well a personalized premium laptop sleeve which can be redeemed via Acer’s official website. If you want to find out more information in regards to the Acer Swift 3X and Acer Aspire 5, head over to their official website.

In terms of the tech specs for the laptops, the Acer Swift 3X comes equipped with up to an 11th gen Intel Core i7 processor with Intel Iris Xe MAX graphics, up to 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD and a 14-inch display with 72% NTSC colour gamut. The Aspire 5, on the other hand, comes with an 11th gen Intel Core processor with Intel Iris Xe MAX graphics (or an optional Nvidia GeForce MX350 graphics card), 4GB RAM (with additional RAM slots), 512GB SSD, as well as up to 15.6-inch FHD display.

With all that said, would you be interested in getting any of the laptops mentioned above? Let us know on our Facebook page and for more updates like this, stay tuned to TechNave.com.


PICO 4 All-in-One VR Headset Malaysia release: Special early bird price from RM1599 until 16 October 2022

PICO today launched the PICO 4, the first All-in-One VR Headset introduced to the Malaysian market. Offering Malaysians a multitude of ways to build new connections, reimagine life experiences and unlock boundless potential. Blending sleek minimalist design and technology, the PICO 4 sports wireless all-day play with better comfort through a lighter body and balanced design.

Unveiled during an event in Petaling Jaya today, the PICO 4 offers better picture quality thanks to its Qualcomm Snapdragon XR2 processor. Specifically, the VR headset features a 4K+ level 90Hz display and pancake options that bring 105° ultra-wide field-of-view combined with 6DoF (6 degrees of freedom) tracking.

Furthermore, PICO 4 also give users more entertainment options with native 6DoF games and apps that can be found in the PICO Store. According to Allen An, the Regional Director of PICO Southeast Asia, the company has a dedicated local team, official agents and retail partners in our country in order to provide Malaysians with a VR experience like no other.

PICO also hopes that its presence in our country will drive the development of the VR industry in Malaysia, bringing local audiences worldwide and on a journey to explore a world of infinite possibilities with VR. Besides that, with the launch of PICO 4, the company is holding a roadshow from 13 to 16 October at the Orange Concourse of Sunway Pyramid so that consumers can get a first-hand experience of its latest VR product.

In Malaysia, the PICO 4 is available for purchase starting today (12 October 2022) at RM1699 (128GB) and RM1999 (256GB) respectively. The All-in-One VR headset can be purchased at PICO authorised dealers, PICO flagship stores on Shopee and Lazada, as well as TikTok Shop and receive their device from 14th October.

There’s also an early bird promo for purchases made between 12 to 16 October, whereby consumers will get RM100 off for both variants of the PICO 4. For more information, do visit PICO’s official website here.

Awesome! So, what do you guys think of the PICO 4? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below and stay and stay tuned to TechNave for more trending tech news in Malaysia and beyond!


PICO Malaysia is offering discounts of up to 50% on all apps and games this Valentine’s Day

PICO Malaysia has announced a special promotion in conjunction with Valentine’s Day in which consumers can get up to 50 per cent off all apps and games on the PICO Store. Happening from 11pm on 10 February until 11.59pm on 19 February 2023, read below to know more about the special offer.

In a press release, PICO said that couples can enjoy the aforementioned discounts on their PICO Neo 3 Link or PICO 4 devices to enhance their date night activities. Furthermore, throughout the 10-day campaign period, couples can take a romantic stroll through the PICO Store and pick out their favourite apps and games to be purchased at a discounted rate.

By clicking on the banner on the campaign page, users can claim up to 4 coupons. These include a 30 per cent off coupon and a 50 per cent off coupon with no minimum spend as well as an RM46 and RM60 off coupon with a minimum spend of RM89 and RM135 respectively.

For more information, do visit PICO Malaysia’s official website or contact its customer support at [email protected] for any redemption queries. Moreover, for online purchases, the PICO 4 is available on Lazada, Shopee and TikTok Shop.

As always, do make sure to stay tuned to TechNave for more engaging tech news and tech deals such as this.


PICO #TheBestXmasGift: Get the PICO 4 VR headset with 4 additional free games and extra gifts from just RM1599

PICO Malaysia is offering special deals in conjunction with the upcoming Christmas celebration to make it #TheBestXmasGift for virtual reality (VR) enthusiasts in our country. Happening from 3 to 25 December 2022, consumers can get the company’s all-in-one VR headset PICO 4 at a discounted price and with additional free games as well as extra free gifts.

Throughout the aforementioned period, you can get the PICO 4 at RM1599 for the 128GB variant and RM1899 for the 256GB variant. Moreover, every purchase of this ‘PICO’s Christmas Pack’ includes 4 additional free games worth RM476.93. Nice!

The additional free games are LesMills Body Combat (worth RM139.49), Superhot VR (worth RM104.96); In Death: Unchained (worth RM139.49) and MultiBrush (worth RM92.99). Moreover, these games come on top of the PICO’s 4-game Starter Pack that include All-in-One Sports VR, Down The Rabbit Hole, OhShape, and After The Fall.

That’s not all too, as PICO is also giving 3 extra free gifts with the Christmas Pack. These include a PICO 4 Casing (worth RM99.00), Lens Protector (worth RM19.90) and a Sweat Proof Silicone Cover (worth RM49.90). All-in-all, buyers who purchase the PICO 4 during the promo period stand to gain over RM600 in savings.

Besides that, PICO is also running 24-hour flash deals on 12.12 (12 December 2022) as well as on Christmas Day (25 December 2022) whereby the PICO Neo 3 Link will be offered at a special price of RM999 (RRP: RM1599). Furthermore, the purchase of the PICO Neo 3 Link also comes with free games from both the Starter Pack and the Christmas Pack.

Awesome! Both the PICO 4 and PICO Neo 3 Link can be purchased at the PICO store on Lazada, Shopee and TikTok Shop, while stocks last. For more information on PICO 4, please visit PICO Malaysia’s official website here.

So, would you be getting a PICO VR headset this festive period? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below and stay tuned to TechNave for more trending tech news and deals such as this!


PICO XR Malaysia teams up with FitXR, bringing VR fitness to the PICO 4

Today, PICO XR Malaysia announced its new partnership with FitXR. This initiative will allow users of the PICO 4 to experience VR workout experience with FitXR. To celebrate the launch of FitXR on PICO XR Malaysia devices, the company is thrilled to introduce the "WORKOUT PICO ON" campaign from the 3rd until the 30th of July 2023.

Between 19 June and 1 July, PICO invites its users to participate and register via email and receive a complimentary one-month FitXR subscription. Users can also download the PICO Fitness App from the Apple App and Google Play Store, allowing users to track their workout duration, calorie expenditure, and other essential fitness metrics.

Registered PICO users will receive a weekly workout plan, and those with the highest scores will have the opportunity to win exciting prizes. Participants are encouraged to play FitXR on the PICO 4 by following the provided weekly workout plan sent by PICO every Sunday via email. The weekly workout plan will also be shared on PICO's Facebook and Instagram accounts every Monday.

Scoring is based on calories burned during FitXR points (1 Kcal = 1 point) and workout duration (1 minute = 1 point). Participants are requested to set their Fitness App information to the public, allowing their fitness data, including workout minutes, to be visible for tracking purposes. The challenge prizes include:

PICO XR Malaysia has also collaborated with renowned fitness expert Jordan Yeoh to develop a series of fitness programs that integrate FitXR workouts with an eating clean guide. For more information about the FitXR challenge and the "WORKOUT PICO ON" campaign, please visit PICO XR Malaysia's Facebook and Instagram accounts.


PICO announced full compliance with OpenXR for the PICO Neo 3 series & PICO 4 series

In continuing its effort to push out more Virtual Reality (VR) content for customers, PICO announced that it is now compliant with the OpenXR standard. This will allow developers to run OpenXR apps on PICO headsets with minimal modification, thus, more VR games.

Developed by the Khronos Group, OpenXR is a royalty-free open standard designed to simplify VR development by enabling developers to access more platforms while reusing the same code. This means developers can benefit from the OpenXR standard to achieve the best portability on PICO headsets. The OpenXR standard is compatible with all PICO headsets including PICO Neo 3 Pro/Pro Eye, PICO Neo3 link, PICO 4 and PICO 4 Enterprise.

Just last year, PICO introduced the lightweight all-in-one PICO 4 consumer headset as an accessible VR experience for everyone. The PICO 4 is equipped with the Qualcomm Snapdragon XR2 chipset, Pancake Optics, a 4K+ resolution display and more. The introduction of the PICO 4 follows the launch of PICO’s first consumer headset, PICO Neo 3 Link, in May of last year.

Then in October, PICO launched PICO 4 Enterprise, a commercial-grade all-in-one VR headset powered for enterprise applications. It also compliments the PICO Neo3 Pro and Neo3 Pro Eye which focuses on deep eye-tracking technology in the healthcare industry.


PIKOM announces ICT sector 'Wish List' for BUDGET 2016

Cheah Kok Hoong, PIKOM Chairman and key spokesperson for the ICT Sector

With just three more days for the upcoming Budget 2016 (23 October 2015), the National ICT Association of Malaysia (PIKOM) have prepared a few recommendations or 'Wish List' to the Malaysia government for the budgetary plans of the ICT sector next year.


PLUS Highway to increase number of RFID lanes in stages

With CNY just around the corner, many are once more planning their balik kampung drive. As usual, we can expect massive congestion on major highways like PLUS Highway. Fortunately, the Lembaga Lebuhraya Malaysia plans to ease the burden this year.

Earlier today, PLUS Malaysia confirmed that it will be cooperating with Lembaga Lebuhraya Malaysia to increase the number of RFID lanes on the PLUS Highway. Specifically, a total of 12 RFID lanes would be added to 11 toll plazas. These include the Rawang Selatan, Setia Alam, Kubang Semang, Subang, Putra Mahkota, Shah Alam, Jalan Duta, Jambatan Pulau Pinang, Sungai Buloh, Sungai Besi, and Kajang toll plazas.

PLUS melahirkan komitmen untuk menambah 12 lorong RFID yang melibatkan 11 plaza-plaza tol utama di lebuh raya kami untuk menyediakan perkhidmatan yang lebih baik demi kesejahteraan, keselesaan dan kelancaran perjalanan pengguna lebuh raya. (2/3)

As a reminder, these Touch 'n Go RFID lanes help you drive through tolls at a faster rate, as there's no need to stop your car and wind down your window. Having more RFID lanes should ease the congestion at the toll plazas. Of course, you can only benefit from this if your car has a TnG RFID chip. PLUS also said that this project will be undertaken in stages, and should be completed in mid-April 2023.

If you're part of the balik kampung gang and are RFID-ready, this should come as good news for you. But do you think this is enough to ease the usual festive period congestion, or is there something else the authorities should do? Share your thoughts in the comments, and stay tuned to TechNave for more news like this.


PLUS could let you replace damaged or faulty RFID tags for free

For those unaware, the government is considering switching the tolls in Malaysia to fully cashless. The plan is to phase out Touch 'n Go and cash payments for RFID payments. However, things haven't been too smooth.

Massive congestions have been a regular thing since the RFID-only lane was added on the North-South Highway section between Juru and Skudai. Not every vehicle owner uses RFID. But while the cost of installing one isn't much (RM35), it has to be placed outside the car, which can quickly cause wear and tear. In other words, you might have to replace it often.

The sticker has to be placed outside of the car

Thankfully, PLUS Malaysia has decided to make things easier for road users. According to NST, the company will replace RFID tags that have detection issues for free. If your RFID tags can't be detected by handheld scanners by on-site staff, you'll be given a coupon to do a full diagnostic at a Touch 'n Go fitment centre. Tags that remain undetectable will then be replaced free of charge.

Have you switched over to RFID? How's your experience with it over Touch 'n Go? Share your opinions in the comments below, and stay tuned to TechNave for more news like this.


PLUS introduces Putri, the AI chatbot that will handle all your basic info needs

Despite the conditional movement control order (CMCO), many parties are preparing for an increase in activity with Hari Raya just around the corner. PLUS Malaysia is expecting traffic to increase during the holidays and has taken steps to make it easier to support road users. Earlier today, the company announced Putri, a new AI chatbot that will help with user feedback and customer services.

According to Malay Mail, Putri stands for 'PLUS Texting Realtime Interface'. It's an AI that's built to receive up to 1050 calls every day. These calls are usually requests for highway traffic information, including toll rates, traffic updates, and other promotions. As an AI, Putri is also able to improve over time via machine learning.

By allowing a chatbot to take over such repetitive tasks, PLUS will be able to make better use of its staff officers. Once the chatbot goes online, PLUS intends to have its staff mostly focus on taking emergency calls or to assist customers who run into problems on the highway. As for when Putri would be fully operational, PLUS Malaysia said that it should be ready by Q3 2020.

Since Putri was announced this close to Hari Raya, we're assuming that PLUS plans to implement it soon. But as of the time of writing, we haven't spotted the chatbot on PLUS' website yet. If you see it up and running, do let us know on our Facebook page. And for more news like this, stay tuned to TechNave.com.


PM: 5G network coverage in Malaysia has now reached 30% in populated areas

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob recently commented regarding the federal government’s digitalisation agenda for our country and how 5G connectivity will play a huge role in the matter. Accordingly, he announced that as of right now, the 5G network coverage in Malaysia has now reached 30% in populated areas.

As reported by Bernama, Ismail further revealed that Digital Nasional Berhad (DNB) has set several goals for 5G network coverage in our country. These include 40% coverage in populated areas by the end of 2022 and 80% coverage in populated areas by 2024.

Hence, the Prime Minister hopes that the digitalisation programme that has been implemented by various ministries and agencies will continue to be improved. This is important so as to maintain the current momentum and further drive the nation’s digitalisation agenda.

Meanwhile, Ismail also announced that the government will strengthen its cooperation with Microsoft Malaysia in the field of cyber security and online fraud cases to support Malaysia’s digital development vision. The prime minister said a comprehensive programme will be implemented for Keluarga Malaysia, including awareness forums, skills workshops and technical training for the public and private sectors.

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


Acer Swift 5 2022 comes with 12th Gen Intel CPU and uses more sustainable materials

For most PC brands, CES 2022 was the time to show off their new products. It's the same for Acer, which unveiled new laptops, desktops, monitors, and more at the event. What the company didn't announce at the time was a new Swift 5 model, which was unveiled at the Virtual Immersive Experience 2022 event.

According to Acer, the Acer Swift 5 2022 comes with a silver ion antimicrobial finish for the major touchpoints. This includes the touch-screen that's protected by Corning Gorilla Glass and the Ocean Glass touchpad. The display is a 14-inch QHD+ (16:10) aspect ratio) with thin bezels, offering a screen-to-body ratio of 92.2%.

On top of that, this laptop packs the latest 12th Gen Intel Core CPU, up to 16GB of LPDDR5 RAM, and up to 2TB of PCIe 4.0 SSD storage. In terms of features, it is Intel Evo certified and supports fast charging for your mobile devices via a USB Type-C port. As for the price and availability, Acer hasn't announced them yet so don't expect this to be out anytime soon.

We still don't have the full specs and features list for the new Acer Swift 5, but we'll keep an eye out for the official product page. Until then, stay tuned to TechNave for more news like this!


PM: All Malaysian university students will get RM200 eWallet aid regardless of age

The Unity Government previously announced an RM200 eWallet credit aid for youths aged 18 to 20 years old, as well as university students within that age bracket under Budge 2023. Now, the eTunai Belia Rahmah will be expanded to all Malaysian university students regardless of age.

According to Bernama, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim announced the matter during a recent dialogue session with students in UiTM Shah Alam. He asserted that this move was to ensure that the aid would benefit the group concerned.

During the session, the issue was raised by a representative who found that Budget 2023 put the category of the RM200 eWallet recipients to those aged 18 to 20. As such meant that students not within the age bracket can’t apply under the bachelor category.

The Prime Minister then asserted that he has made the decision for the eWallet aid to benefit all university students.  Formerly called ePemula, the eTunai Belia Rahmah will cater to 2 million youths.

So, what do you guys think of this extension of the eTunai Rahmah programme? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below and stay tuned to TechNave for more tech news from Malaysia and beyond.


PM Anwar Ibrahim: Malaysia to review DNB’s 5G rollout due to lack of transparency

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim today announced that his administration will be reviewing the plan for state-owned Digital Nasional Bhd’s (DNB) 5G network rollout. This is because the plan, which was introduced by the previous administration was not formulated transparently.

As reported by Reuters, DNB’s single-ownership of 5G spectrum previously raised concerns from Malaysia’s telco companies over pricing, transparency and monopoly. DNB owns the single-wholesale 5G network and infrastructure while other mobile service providers signed a subscription agreement in order to use the network.

According to Anwar, the 5G plans will be evaluated to ensure they strictly followed procedures as it was previously not done in a transparent manner. The Prime Minister said so during a press conference following his unity government’s first cabinet meeting.

It is not yet known what impact this will have on the existing agreement that is in place between DNB and Malaysia’s major telco companies. Currently, telco companies are beginning to offer 5G connectivity via DNB’s network to their respective customers as per the DNB 5G subscription agreement.

So, what do you guys think of the whole situation? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below and stay tuned to TechNave for more trending tech news in Malaysia and beyond.


PM Anwar: Malaysia to immediately draft Cyber Security Bill

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has announced that our country would immediately draft a Cyber Security Bill. The decision was made by the National Cyber Security Committee to ensure that all relevant aspects of legislation be finalised.

According to Bernama, Anwar stressed that there will be no compromise on national security, including in the digital domain and cyber eco-system. Towards this end, the National Cyber Security Agency (NACSA), an agency under the National Security Council (MKN) will assume the main responsibility of mobilising efforts across various government entities.

The Prime Minister elaborated that the proposed Cyber Security Bill will provide NACSA with a clear legal authority to regulate and enforce laws related to cyber security. Furthermore, it will also improve the effectiveness of its functions.

Anwar added that our country must explore the challenges of the digital era that demand preparedness at the highest level in the entire government machinery when dealing with cyber security threats. As such was a priority not only in the country but also includes larger affairs at the global level as cyberspace and digital communications now encompass various aspects of life.

So, what do you guys think of the announcement by the Prime Minister? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below and stay tuned to TechNave for more trending tech news.


PM Anwar promises to reconsider Touch 'n Go's monopoly & look into the issues

A few hours ago, Astro AWANI released a video regarding Prime Minister Anwar on his views on Touch 'n Go. As the title says, Anwar promises to pay attention to the issues of the company.

In the short clip, the question was asked by one of the participants during a conference called Youth Empowerment Fair 2023. In the session of meeting Anwar, a youth asked him about his point of view and this is what he replied:

"You are right, you see, Touch 'n Go has been in operations for more than two decades. There has not been convincing, or development, or progress in the system. And I think you are right, we will have to reconsider that," said Anwar.

Touch 'n Go has recently been busy adding new features to the eWallet app. This includes two new insurance plans, paying for foodpanda via eWallet, and implementing five new safety & security measures before the banks do. That said, the Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry (KPDN) still think its service issues are not resolved entirely, as well as recommending the company change its Visa Card name to avoid confusion.

But what do you think about Touch 'n Go? Should the government really reconsider the company? Let us know in the comments below and stay tuned for more trending tech news at TechNave.com.


PM Ismail Sabri's personal Telegram account hacked; incident highlights cyber security issues in Malaysia

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob today revealed that his personal Telegram account has been hacked by ‘irresponsible individuals’. Furthermore, he also urged for anyone that have received messages from the account to disregard its content and report the matter to the authorities.

Sharing the matter on his official Twitter account, Ismail did not elaborate on how the account was compromised by hackers. However, the incident does highlight cyber security issues in our country, as if the Prime Minister’s own personal account can be hacked, it could definitely happen to anyone.

This latest high-profile hacking incident follows a rising concern on cyber security in country recently which includes an increased number of online scam cases. In fact, as reported by our sister website TechNave BM, Malaysia is actually ranked amongst the worst nations in the world in terms of cyber security.

Previously, we reported that there’s a rampant phishing scam going around via SMS which uses a fake Touch ’n Go website to deceive users. Besides that, the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) also recently issued a PSA on a fake SMS scam from ‘GOV’ that tried to deceive users by saying that it is linked to MySejahtera.

Earlier this year, the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) reported that over RM2 million were lost to online fraud from January to March 2022 with many of the cases involving compromised Telegram accounts. In a report by Bernama, Bukit Aman Commercial Crime Investigation Department (CCID) director Datuk Mohd Kamaruddin Md. Din advised Telegram users to activate two-step verification on the app to avoid having their accounts being hacked.

Accordingly, all you have to do to activate two-step verification on your Telegram account is to go to your Settings tab, select 'Privacy and Security' and then select the 'Two-Step Verification' option. Telegram will then prompt you to add an add an additional password and an optional recovery e-mail to activate the feature.

So, what do you guys think of the state of  cyber security in Malaysia? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below and stay tuned to TechNave for more trending tech news.


PM Muhyiddin announced PEMULIH and extends the free 1GB daily data until the end of 2021

Today, our Prime Minister Muhyiddin has officially announced PEMULIH which is a new financial assistance scheme in this pandemic period. The target groups are those in the B40 (lower-income side) and M40 (middle-income) groups. Among the many highlights, here's what we learn about the tech side.

As expected, one of the highlights from the tech side is the internet access for Malaysians. The free daily 1GB for productivity purpose and online classes will continue to be provided by our local telcos until 31 December 2021. Initially, it was supposed to end on 31 July 2021.

By this initiative, the government has allocated RM500 million. About 44 million mobile subscribers will benefit from this but as a reminder, the free 1GB data cannot be used for entertainment such as your social media accounts, streaming services and of course, mobile gaming.

We will be keeping an eye on any other tech-related news from Pemulih. Until then, stay tuned for more trending tech news at TechNave.com.


PM Muhyiddin announced that 5G will be ready by the end of 2021

At 10 AM this morning, there was a MyDigital launching ceremony held by our Prime Minister in regards to the digital economy blueprint. Among the topics, 5G was mentioned and here's what you can expect on the execution plan for Malaysia.

According to PM Muhyiddin, the 5G technology is scheduled to be released by the end of 2021 which is earlier than expected. Initially, it was aimed at the end of 2022 or early 2023 but there seems to be a change of plan. It was also previously announced that the industrial sector would have it first, but he seems to imply that the public will get to utilize it as well.

On top of that, Muhyiddin also shared that a total of RM21 billion will be invested in the National Digital Network (JENDELA) project to improve the connectivity over the next 5 years. Our local telco companies also plan to invest a total of RM1.65 billion to improve the connection to the international submarine cable network until 2023. Finally in the next 10 years, a total of RM15 billion will be invested in 5G across the nation which would create approximately 105,000 job opportunities.

5G not only improves our network speed experience but has some uses for industrial work. This includes health monitoring applications for chronic patients, smart emergency assistance, and applications for senior citizens. But do you think Malaysia is really ready for 5G? Let us know in the comments below and stay tuned for more trending tech news at TechNave.com.


PM: TNB, Perodua and TM should collaborate for affordable EV charging rates in Malaysia

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob has proposed for Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB) and Perodua to forge cooperation in introducing affordable electric vehicle (EV) charging rates in Malaysia. Furthermore, Ismail also proposed for Telekom Malaysia (TM) to join in and provide data package that will enable users to book EV charging sessions online.

Speaking to the press during the launch of the new Perodua Alza today, the Prime Minister said that the cooperation would help achieve Malaysia’s target of being a carbon-neutral nation by 2050. As reported by Bernama, Ismail asserted that TNB is currently working to increase its energy production by using renewable energy sources and providing adequate EV charging stations.

Hence, Perodua can use this opportunity to enter the EV market by producing high-quality EVs that Malaysian families can afford. Ismail claims that such smart cooperation should be forged as soon as possible to overcome the effects of climate change.

He also stressed that the federal government is more than willing to discuss with the private sector to ensure that all policies introduced are in line with country’s direction. So, what do you guys think of this proposal by the Prime Minister?

Share your thoughts with us in the comments below as we'd love to hear from you. As always, do stay tuned to TechNave for the latest tech news in Malaysia and beyond!


PM announces that cinemas can reopen starting from 9 September

Photo courtesy of The Star and Astro Ulagam

As some states in Malaysia have reached an 80 per cent rate of vaccination for the adult population, the government is allowing more activities to resume with the need to adhere to the set guidelines and procedures. With that said, the cinemas in the country have also gotten greenlit to reopen to fully vaccinated individuals starting from 9 September.

According to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob in a statement, the cinema halls could only operate at 50 per cent audience capacity. However, it would still be good enough to relieve more than a million creative industry workers and artists in the country, as well as assisting more than 19,000 companies related to the industry.

Other than reopening the cinemas, activities in the list below can resume as well in states under Phase 1 of the NRP:

Leave us a comment to let us know your thoughts on this news. Stay tuned to TechNave.com for more local reports.


PMCO 2019 Fall Split Grand Finals racked up around 532 million views

The PMCO 2019 Fall Split Global Finals took place at PWTC, Kuala Lumpur from 29 November until 2 December 2019 and it managed to rack up around 532 million total views and up to 57 hours in total watch time. During the tournament, the Indonesian team called Bigetron RA managed to emerge as the champions and bagged the grand prize of 180000USD.

With that said, General Manager of Global Publishing Vincent Wang stated that they will continue to improve upon PUBG mobile as well as introduce the “Project: Ban Pan” to reduce the number of cheaters in the game. They’ve also revealed that PUBG Mobile has been downloaded more than 600 million times on the Google Play store as well as the Apple App Store.

With all that said, did you managed to catch the PMCO 2019 Fall Split Grand Finals? Let us know on our Facebook page and for more updates like this, stay tuned to TechNave.com.


Acer Swift 5 Malaysia release: 12th Gen Intel Core i7 CPU and 14-inch IPS touch display from RM4699

In conjunction with Acer Day 2022 today, Acer Malaysia is releasing a catalogue of new laptop for our local market, one of which is the new Acer Swift 5. Featuring the latest 12th Gen Intel Core i7 and i5 processors, the laptop offers performance and portability for busy on-the-go professionals, students and family needs.

In terms of design, Acer lauded the Swift 5 as being sleek and contemporary thanks to a unibody CNC-machined chassis made of Aerospace Aluminium. It is relatively light too at just 1.2kg despite being 14.95mm tall.

Offered in 3 variants, the Swift 5 packs a 14-inch IPS WQXGA display with a resolution of 2560 x 1600 pixels and 425 nits brightness for the higher end models and 1920 x 1200 pixels and 340 nits brightness for the base model. All variants has a 92.22 percent screen-to-body ration, support for Acer CineCrystal LED-backlit FT LCD, multi-touch, Antibacterial cover glass, 16:10 aspect ratio as well as 100 percent colour gamut sRGB.

Under the hood, the higher end models are powered by the 12th Gen Intel Core i7 while the base model packs the 12th Gen Intel Core i5. All variants utilise Intel Iris Xe graphics, up to 16GB dual-channel LPDDR5 RAM and up to 1TB PCIe NVMe SSD storage.

Besides that, the Swift 5 comes with a built-in fingerprint reader on the power button, an Antimicrobial Corning Gorilla Glass for touch surfaces protection and an air inlet at its backlit keyboard for better cooling. Speaking of the latter, the laptop packs an upgraded TwinAir dual-fan system with D6 heat pipes.

Acer also ensured that the Swift 5 is verified with Intel Evo to meet key experience targets, inclduing instant wake from sleep, 10 hours of real-world battery life and a 30-minute charge that yields over 4 hours of battery. Moreover, the laptop’s OceanGlass touchpad is made from ocean-bound plastic waste, providing a glass-like tactile feeling while supporting multi-finger gestures.

You can check out the available variants and their respective specs set below:

Available for purchase starting today at Acer eStore, Acer official store on Shopee and Lazada as well as authorised Acer resellers, the new Acer Swift 5 retails starting from RM4699. Moreover, customers who purchase the new Swift 5 before 30 September 2022 will be eligible to redeem a Sleeve Case, Urban Backpack and RM120 worth of Touch n’ Go eWallet credit, while an additional RM100 off will be available during the ongoing Acer Day roadshow until 7 August 2022.

For more information on the Swift 5 and other products by Acer, do visit the company’s official website or Facebook page. As always, make sure to stay tuned to TechNave for the latest tech news and releases in Malaysia and beyond!


PMCO 2019 came to an end with vivo as the main mobile sponsor

With the PMCO 2019 coming to an end, teams such as Bigetron Esports, TOP Esports, as well as MEGA Conqueror managed to bag the first, second, and third placing respectively at the tournament. Malaysian Team Yoodo Gank, on the other hand, managed to end the aforementioned tournament at 11th place out of the 16 total teams that participated.

This is made possible thanks to the vivo who was their main mobile sponsor, where they have supplied the latest vivo NEX 3 smartphone for everyone to use. This is due to the fact that the NEX 3 comes equipped with the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 Plus chipset as well as 8GB of RAM, which is more than capable of smoothly running an esports game such as PUBG Mobile.

With all that said, congratulations to all the participants who have made it this far in the tournament. What did you think of the PMCO 2019? Let us know on our Facebook page and for more updates like this, stay tuned to TechNave.com


PMCO 2019 has started with Vivo as the main mobile sponsor

The PUBG Mobile Club Open 2019 fall split has started from 24 September 2019 onwards, with more than 32 teams competing for the total grand prize of up to USD2.5 million to be won. If you are interested, you can hop onto the PUBG MOBILE Esport channel on Youtube to watch the matches unfold.

The grand finals of the PMCO 2019 will be held Putra World Trade Center in Malaysia, so be sure to get your tickets for an opportunity to experience the tournament in the flesh. On another note, Vivo is currently the main mobile phone sponsor of the PMCO 2019, to ensure that all contestants would be able to perform at their best.

Would you be interested in watching the PMCO 2019 Fall Split? Let us know on our Facebook page, and for more updates like this stay tuned to TechNave.com.


PMCO 2019 to enter their final stages with vivo as their main sponsor

The final stages of the PUBG Mobile Club Open 2019(PMCO 2019) are about to start, with vivo as their official mobile sponsor. Mike Xu has mentioned that they are proud to be a part of the PMCO Tournament and has also highlighted that the Vivo V17 Pro comes with Game Mode, which ensures that the device is able to run smoothly.

Not only that, with the Game Mode feature, esports athletes will be able to perform at their maximum potential during the tournament. As mentioned previously, the grand finals of the PMCO 2019 Autumn stage will be held on 2 and 3 November 2019 in Bangkok, Thailand.

Would you be going to Bangkok to witness the grand finals? Let us know on our Facebook page, and for more updates like this stay tuned to TechNave.com.


PMNC 2019 grand finals happening in Quill City Mall with up to RM114000 in prize pool to be won

The PUBG Mobile Malaysia National Championship 2019 with up to RM114000 prize pool to be won, is currently happening in Quill City Mall until Sunday, 14 July 2019. As many as 12 teams will be competing for their share of the prize pool, as well as one of the 4 spots to compete in the PMCO SEA Fall Split 2019. At the event, there are several professional teams such as Team Secret, ViP, Junior Talent, as well as AROV Esports will be there too.

That being said, previously qualified teams such as Team Secret, ViP, as well as Yoodo.Gank had already qualified for the upcoming PMCO Global Finals. If you’re interested in knowing more about PMNC 2019, head over to their official website. Would you be interested in checking out the best PUBG Mobile teams in Malaysia duke it out for glory? Let us know on our Facebook page and for more updates like this, stay tuned to TechNave.com.


POCO C3 release: Comes with 5000mAh and 6.53-inch display from ~RM424

POCO has recently unveiled the POCO C3 smartphone in India, and it starts from the price of INR7499 (~RM424) and INR8999 (~RM509) for the 3GB RAM + 32GB and 4GB + 64GB ROM respectively. While there is no news on the Malaysia release date, we have good reason to believe that the Malaysia pricing could be around RM500 or less.

In terms of the tech specs, the phone comes equipped with a MediaTek Helio G35 chipset, memory configuration mentioned above, 6.53-inch display with HD+ screen resolution, as well as a 5000mAh internal battery. Camera-wise, the phone has a 13MP + 5MP + 2MP rear camera while the front comes with a 5MP selfie camera.

With all that said, would you be interested in getting the POCO C3 as soon as it is available in the local market? Let us know on our Facebook page and for more updates like this, stay tuned to TechNave.com.


POCO C3 to be unveiled soon as an entry-level gaming device

Back at the end of July 2020, we read rumours about a new POCO C3 phone that could be a revamped Redmi 9C. Things quiet down after that, but it seems that the phone is real and it's set to be unveiled on 6 October 2020 in India first. Here's what we know about it so far.

According to the tweet post, POCO India is promoting the POCO C3 as a "#GameChang3r" so it has to be for mobile gaming. Since it's for the Indian market, there's a good chance that this device is an entry-level phone so we aren't expecting a Snapdragon 700 series chipset. However, if the rumours are true, the phone might be the Redmi 9C.

, the next #GameChang3r from POCO is arriving on 6th October @ 12PM on @Flipkart.Know more: https://t.co/FgindDwGMo3 RTs & we'll giveaway 1 #POCOC3 to a lucky winner. pic.twitter.com/Coec2qqd3o

Looking at the Redmi 9C, it features a MediaTek Helio G35 chipset which is for mobile gaming at its optimized level for budget-conscious consumers. On top of that, there's also a 2GB + 32GB memory capacity which is honestly too small for mobile gaming. But at least it has a 5000mAh battery pack inside and supports 10W charging.

Anyway, we are not that far off from the launching date so we will keep a lookout for that. Until then, stay tuned for more trending tech news at TechNave.com.