ASUS VivoBook S14 and S15 adopts new 5.65-inch ScreenPad 2.0 display and more

Apart from the new ASUS ZenBook lineup, ASUS also got to show new VivoBook lineup too at their 30th Anniversary in Computex 2019. Designed to appeal to a younger audience, the new VivoBook products are featuring the ScreenPad 2.0 secondary screen but not like the ZenBook Pro Duo.

The VivoBook S14 and S15 will be the first in its series to have the ScreenPad 2.0 and will be supported by the ScreenPad 2.0 for utility usage where content creators can multitask on the 5.65-inch touchscreen. For example, users can use Quick Key for a convenient one-tap command, they can also use Handwriting for text input, Number Key for entering numbers and more. Third-party developers are able to use ASUS API to optimize their software and user experiences on the ScreenPad 2.0 as well.

Moving away from the ScreenPad 2.0 feature, both laptops are using a four-sided NanoEdge display with the narrowest bezel they can come up with (up to 88% screen-to-body ratio) and are extremely compact weighing just 1.4 kg and 1.8 kg respectively. They are powered by up to Intel Core i7 processors, NVIDIA GeForce MX250 graphics, 1TB PCIe SSD, an infrared camera, WiFi 6 (802.11ax) and more.

They will have multiple colour selection as well for the younger generation, there are Moss Green, Punk Pink, Cobalt Blue, Transparent Silver and Gun Metal. Unfortunately, no price tags were announced for the new VivoBook S14 and S15 but are likely to make its way to Malaysia. Until then, stay tuned for more ASUS news at TechNave.com.


Is Samsung Galaxy M21 2021 Edition the same as Galaxy M21 Prime Edition?

A few weeks ago, the Samsung Galaxy M21 Prime Edition (SM-M215G) appeared on the Samsung India website. Here, we spotted the same model number that appeared on the Google Play Console under the device named 'Galaxy M21 2021 Edition'.

According to sources, it only appears on the supported device list without any tech specs details. We think in the upcoming weeks there are more tech specs leaks about the Galaxy M21 2021 Edition. Besides that, the original Galaxy M21 was revealed a year ago which is similar to Galaxy M31 but at an affordable price. Click here to learn more about the Galaxy M31.

The SM-M215G appear on the Google Play ConsoleThe original Samsung Galaxy M21

Well, let us just sit back, relax, and wait for the official announcement. What tech specs do you wish the Galaxy M21 2021 edition to feature? Let us know in the comments below and be sure to stay tuned for more tech news on TechNave.com.


Is Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra coming with a Penta-camera and 65W fast charging?

A few weeks ago, there's a rumour that said there could no more Note series after the Samsung Galaxy Note 21 launch next year. Here is another new rumour about the Samsung Galaxy S series might no longer be the premium lineup and it could be replaced by the Galaxy Fold series.

On top of that, a leaker - Anthony mentioned the Galaxy S21 Ultra might sport a penta rear camera with an HM2 108MP (main camera). It also supports up to 8K video recording at 30fps. Besides that, the S21 ultra could feature a 5000mAh battery capacity and 65W fast charging technology.

On the other hand, the devices could feature with a Snapdragon 875 or Exynos 2100 chipset. Furthermore, the devices perhaps feature an OLED display with 1080p resolution and a 120Hz or 144Hz refresh rate.

Although these are just leaks, do you think the S21 Ultra could come with these features? Let us know in the comments below, be sure to stay tuned for more tech news on TechNave.com.


Is Samsung bringing back removable batteries?

Do you miss the days when you could just pop off the back cover of your phone and replace the battery? The phones of today have traded that flexibility for seamless phone bodies and water or dust resistance, but we may get that back in the future. A new rumour claims that Samsung could look to bring back removable batteries for some devices.

According to Sammobile, a newly discovered battery for Samsung is believed to be a removable one. This removable battery (EB-BA013ABY) has a decent capacity of 3000mAh and is meant for a device with the model number SM-A013F. But what device is this? Judging from the battery's max capacity, it's not a flagship device. In all likelihood, this SM-A013F is an entry-level model, possibly a lower-end Galaxy A series device.

The device is still in development, but Sammobile claims that there's some info on it already. Supposedly, it'll come in two variants with 16GB or 32GB internal storage, with the phone in black, blue, or red colours. The low internal storage suggests that this could indeed be an entry-level device.

Some of you may want to see removable batteries come back to mid-range devices, but it's not necessary these days thanks to power banks and fast-charging. Having said that, what do you think about this? Would you like to have removable batteries again? Let us know on our Facebook page and stay tuned to TechNave.com for more news.


Is Samsung going to integrate five cameras for the Galaxy S10+?

What can be better than a row of a triple camera setup? Four cameras? Nah, that would just hike up the cost. But how about having another dual camera on the front? That's five cameras in total and while we wish we were joking about it, this is based on recent reports from a South Korean publication the Samsung Galaxy S10+ next year.

Of course, do take this information with a grain of salt, five cameras are just overkill but given with the dual front cameras on the Galaxy A8 series, we have some ideas on how the penta-camera setup might function. Since there's no official configuration yet, we are just going to throw in some random numbers. For the front, it could be just like the Galaxy A8 with 16MP + 8MP, while for the back, a dual pixel 12MP camera should be the main one, followed by a wide-angle 16MP as the secondary sensor and 8MP as the telephoto lens for portrait mode purpose.

Meanwhile, the report further wrote that the standard Galaxy S10 will also have a triple camera set but only has a single selfie snapper. This applies the same for the Galaxy S10 Lite, but with a dual rear camera. Other than that, an in-display fingerprint sensor could also make an appearance on the Galaxy S10+.

So what do you think? Is having five cameras too many? Let us know in the comments below and stay tuned for more Samsung news at TechNave.com.


Is Samsung going to unveil the Galaxy S20 FE with Snapdragon 865+?

Samsung could be unveiling the Galaxy S20 FE (Fan Edition) on the ‘Galaxy Unpacked for Every Fan’ event that is held on 23 September. This device might come with some flagship-level tech specs, and it is expected to be a big success as the Galaxy S10 Lite that was launched early this year.

According to the leaks, the Galaxy S20 FE could come with a 6.5-inch Super AMOLED Full HD+ display and support a 120Hz refresh rate. As for the chipset, the device might feature a Snapdragon 865+ chipset, or remain the same chipset as the Galaxy Note 20 series -  Exynos 990.

On the other hand, it might perhaps sport the triple-rear camera with a 12MP (main camera), 12MP (ultra-wide lens), and an 8MP (telephoto lens). As for selfie snapper, it could come with a 32MP selfie sensor. Additionally, the Galaxy S20 FE could come with a 3.5mm audio jack port, 6GB of RAM, up to 128GB of internal storage, and IP68 water resistance.

On top of everything, the battery capacity may feature a 4000mAh battery and support a 15W fast charging adapter. This is totally a different story with the previous rumours as mentioned that it could come with a 4500mAh battery life. To learn more, you may click here to read the previous leaks.

Lastly, the price tag is expected to be around €729 (~RM3547) and Samsung could be launching a wide variety of colour options. So would you consider the Galaxy S20 FE to be your next smartphone if it is launched in the Malaysian market? Let us know in the comments below, be sure to stay tuned for more tech news on TechNave.com.


Is Samsung making a new yellow-blue Galaxy Note 9 model?

With Samsung #Unpacked 2018 event on the way on 9 August 2018, you might have noticed that the teaser image by the company shows a yellow device. Obviously, the Galaxy Note 9 will probably come in a new yellow skin and the giant South Korean tech has released another video highlighting the S-Pen in that colour as well.

So how does it look like in yellow? Well, someone at PhoneArena.com had the time to sketch out and render an entire Galaxy Note 9 so it's not really official. But still, the complete render concept does give a strange look. In fact, it's probably not gonna be yellow but rather gold instead, with a touch of a premium feel and brassy. Also, we also noticed that the S-Pen's clicker is blue in colour, which is the same blue background in the video.

Taking that into consideration, it's quite possible that Samsung is preparing a new colour combo model - gold on the front and back wrapping around the blue frame. Since the S-Pen's clicker always matches the colour of the phone's frame, here's another concept render that they made to give us a "preview".

Anyway, this is just speculation but what do you think of the new colour combo? Yay or nay? Let us know in the comments below and stay tuned for more Samsung news at TechNave.com.


Is Samsung trying to make the Galaxy Note20 Ultra a 'portable gaming console' device?

As we get closer to the Samsung Galaxy Unpacked on 5 August 2020, more rumours just keep popping up online showing us the design, tech specs and features. In this latest news, Some folks from Russia managed to get some information about the Galaxy Note20 series, especially on a new Xbox Game Pass, S Pen and more.

So first, sources are claiming that the Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra could be the first smartphone to integrate a Xbox Game Pass feature. This means it would allow more than 90 games to be played on the device as well as streaming online with Project Cloud, hence turning the device as a "portable gaming console". This really explains on the teaser that Samsung released a few days ago with the gaming console gesture and although this is a pretty good idea, Xbox services aren't that popular in Malaysia so we are not really sure how would Samsung Malaysia go around promoting that feature.

On top of that, the upcoming S Pen is said to be better with new functions such as having a "laser pointer" from our previous news. To further back that up, sources are claiming that Samsung is working closely with Microsoft on an automatic OneNote synchronization and gesture commands. Moreover, the new S Pen response time has been improved by 9 milliseconds, making writing as realistic as possible.

Besides that, the source also mentioned about the 108MP camera sensor having laser dual-pixel autofocus and up to 50x Space Zoom (bye-bye, 100x Space Zoom), a 12MP ultrawide lens, a 120Hz 6.9-inch AMOLED display (with Corning Gorilla Glass 7), a new "wireless-DeX", 4500mAh battery with fast-charging technology. Other features include a USB-C 3.2 port, NFC, Bluetooth 5.X, WiFi 6, AKG stereo speakers, IP68 water and dust resistant, and dual GPS support.

The Galaxy Unpacked will be unveiled on 5 August as mentioned and if you're interested to check it out, you may get yourself registered at the link here. The livestream will start at 10PM and stay tuned for our official news coverage at TechNave.com.


Is Spotify's mobile app going to have music videos in the future?

Those who stream music online usually choose Spotify, but if you prefer music videos then YouTube is likely your best option. Spotify may be looking to change this though, as a new leak suggests that the company could be working on adding music videos to its mobile app.

According to Jane Manchun Wong, Spotify is working on adding separate tabs for Canvas, Album Art, and Video to the app. These tabs will appear on the music playback screen, allowing you to switch between them on the fly. What's exciting is that the Video tab could let you watch the corresponding music video for the track you are playing.

Spotify is finally working on a tab to switch between Canvas, Album Art, and Video (which is new!) pic.twitter.com/xOwvoSnBdV

For those who don't know, the YouTube Music mobile app has plans for a similar feature. In this case, the music videos appear directly on the playback screen. If Spotify wants to have the same feature, it will need to host music videos on its servers or embed YouTube videos.

Spotify hasn't made any official announcements about this feature, so there's a chance that it may never be released. Having said that, would you be interested in being able to watch music videos directly on Spotify? Let us know on our Facebook page and stay tuned to TechNave.com for more news.


Is Unifi going to offer more than 10 times broadband speeds at no extra cost?

Unifi has been hinting on their social media profiles on Twitter that the Unifi Turbo Plan will offer 10 times increase in broadband speeds at no additional cost to existing home and business customers. There was no specifics regarding the exact speed increase but that will be known soon during a briefing held by TM next week on the 12 July 2018, which should give us a better clue as what to expect from the Unifi Turbo Plan such as the price of the plan as well as the speeds that it offers.

I predict that the speeds could be around 60Mbps for the cheapest Unifi Turbo Plan, and maybe up to 150Mbps for the most expensive subcription. Stay tuned to TechNave.com for more updates on the matter.


Is Virtual Reality popularity declining after poor sales from Black Friday and Cyber Monday?

Virtual reality has been promoted here and there this year, you know what it is, as seen in various companies trying to utilise it such as Samsung, HTC, and Sony in Malaysia, but it seems tat VR is starting to slow down according to DigiTimes, with its collection from a few market research firms have noticed that virtual reality and augmented reality products "have been weaker than expected,".

The data were altogether collected from the recent Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales last week, with branded VR gears such as Sony's PlayStation VR, Google's Daydream View, HTC's Vive, Samsung's Gear VR, and the Oculus Rift all sold lower than the initial expectation, making the VR section the "biggest loser" in this holiday sales from USA. Some factors were drawn in to understand why VR didn't take off, most were pointed to the lack of VR content, as well as the price for being too expensive.

What does this mean for the VR industry? Well, with such a poor reception, companies that have been investing in VR and AR technology such as Apple, are definitely feeling the pressure. Even HTC has been "seeing decreasing share in the worldwide smartphone market".

"Many research firms' numbers also have shown that VR product sales in 2016 have been weaker than expected due to lack of content and high product costs. VR/AR technologies also require more improvement in order to stimulate demand from both the consumer and enterprise sectors.

It will take more time before the VR/AR market may begin enjoying robust growth, and such a slower-than-expected development is putting pressure on firms that have invested resources into related development, such as HTC, which is seeing decreasing share in the worldwide smartphone market while its Vive has yet to start contributing profits. The year of 2017 could be a difficult one for HTC." said the report.

So what do you think of the VR and AR decline? Are you using it? Let us know in the comments below and stay tuned for more news at Technave.com.


ASUS VivoBook S14 released: Intel Evo performance in Deep Green

I hope you are not sick of another ASUS news because this is the last one (we hope). From gaming laptops to business PCs, as well as introducing a new TUF Dash F15 and ZenBook series, ASUS didn't forget about the VivoBook series as well.

This time around, there is only one new VivoBook model which is the VivoBook S14 (S435). This 14-inch laptop is Intel Evo-verified and it features an 11th Generation Intel Core i7 processor with Intel Iris Xe graphics, 16GB memory, Intel Optane Memory H10 and up to a 1 TB PCIe SSD. It's also integrated with a new ASUS Intelligent Performance Technology, which delivers up to a 40% performance boost while conserving battery life, enhancing cooling efficiency and ensuring quiet operations.

Available in one colour model only in Deep Green, the VivoBook S14 uses a frameless four-sided NanoEdge display with a 90% screen-to-body ratio. Weighing at 1.3kg only, this makes the laptop compact and small enough to accommodate Thunderbolt 4 USB-C ports that support fast-charging, data transfers of up to 40 Gbps and connections with one external 8K or two 4K UHD monitors. There are also USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A and USB 2.0 ports as well as a microSD card reader.

There's a good chance that the VivoBook S14 would make its debut in Malaysia, but we shall have to wait and see what ASUS Malaysia says. So until then, stay tuned for the official announcement at TechNave.com.


Is Xiaomi making plans for the Mi Mix 10 and MIUI 15 already?

For companies that make any kind of electronics, it's not surprising to hear of them making plans for the future. But Xiaomi may be planning way further ahead than many would expect if speculations are true. At a recent event held by Xiaomi, there were hints that it's already planning for the Mi Mix 10 smartphone and MIUI 15.

According to Gizchina, Xiaomi held its Security and Privacy Promotion Month event where attendees were asked to rate which kind of security they found most important. It was on this rating board that people found stickers referring to the Mi MIX 10 and MIUI 15. Specifically, the label on the stickers roughly translates to "Mi Mix 10 outer design" and "MIUI 15 functionality document".

These stickers look a little out of place, so why were they there? They could have been planted by Xiaomi staff to hint that the Mi Mix 10 will come with the MIUI 15 and would have high-end data protection. Of course, it could also be that someone made up the stickers to fool attendees into making wild speculations.

Considering that we're only getting the Mi Mix 4 and MIUI 12 this year, the Mi Mix 10 and MIUI 15 won't be available for at least a few years. But having said that, what would you want to see from the Mi Mix series and Xiaomi's UI in a few years? Let us know on our Facebook page and stay tuned to TechNave.com for other news like this.


Is Xiaomi really releasing a smartphone with 108MP camera? Lin Bin says yes.

During the Xiaomi Future Image Technology Communication conference in Beijing, China earlier today. Xiaomi has made a rather big announcement, stating there is a big possibility that they will be releasing a smartphone equipped with a 108MP image sensor that's manufactured by Samsung. The sensor is capable of churning out images with a resolution of up to 12032 x 9024 pixels.

Unfortunately, Xiaomi did not give any specifics as to which smartphone will come with the aforementioned image sensor as well as tech specs. With that all being said, an image sensor like this requires a rather beefy chipset to process the raw data.

Would you be interested in owning a smartphone equipped with a 108MP camera? Let us know on our Facebook page and for more updates like this stay tuned to TechNave.com.


Is Your Personal and Private Data Safe On FaceApp?

By now, you should have noticed another new trend on your social media accounts. Friends and family are now trying and posting up their version of how they look being old, thanks to this app called FaceApp and yes, this is very similar to the previous #10YearsChallenge that happened earlier this year and you should probably be careful with this #AgeChallenge trend as well due to privacy concerns.

Before we get into the privacy concerns of FaceApp, here's a quick lesson about the app. It's not exactly a new app but certainly, a young one as it was released in 2017 on both iOS and Android.

At first glance, it is a pretty harmless app as it uses the AI algorithm to filter the user's facial construction to look older, younger, or with a beard, a new hairstyle and others, which is what you're seeing on the social media and we are quite impressed with the results. Here's mine, for example.

By the way, FaceApp is currently the #1 top free and #2 top-grossing app on the Apple App Store now, thanks to everyone who's jumping on the bandwagon. There are also more than 100,000,000 Android FaceApp users.

So now that we have put the introduction aside, it's time to look into the privacy concerns. You see, this is not some app from the west, this app is developed by Wireless Lab, a Russian firm and you probably skipped the Terms and Conditions (we are guilty as charged as well) and to save your time, here's one of the sentences where it reads:

In other words, you are authorizing the Russian firm with the rights to use your photo that you uploaded to the app. Even if you have deleted or stop using the app, they still have the rights to use your photo. So who knows, your face might be used for some photoshop illustration or something, but ultimately with the many faces uploaded there, the AI algorithm is learning fast to distinguish and train itself to recognize facial features.

Although the company won't share your information with third parties, they aren't restricted in sharing them with other businesses that are legally part of the same group of companies.

To be frank, things like this is inevitable and many social apps do the same practice. However, it looks like Senator Chuck Schumer (D-NY) has requested the FBI and the FTC to investigate Wireless Lab's app. Here's a transcript of his letter below:

"In order to operate the application, users must provide the company full and irrevocable access to their personal photos and data. According to its privacy policy, users grant FaceApp license to use or publish content shared with the application, including their username or even their real name, without notifying them or providing compensation.

Furthermore, it is unclear how long FaceApp retains a user’s data or how a user may ensure their data is deleted after usage. These forms of “dark patterns,” which manifest in opaque disclosures and broader user authorizations, can be misleading to consumers and may even constitute a deceptive trade practice. Thus, I have serious concerns regarding both the protection of the data that is being aggregated as well as whether users are aware of who may have access to it.

In particular, FaceApp’s location in Russia raises questions regarding how and when the company provides access to the data of U.S. citizens to third parties, including potentially foreign governments."

To add on, FaceApp makers have also responded to the issue. They claimed that the company don't track users and doesn't sell their data to third parties (as stated earlier). They also claim that most of the photos are deleted within 48 hours, as well as the data aren't transferred to Russia at all since they are using AWS and Google Cloud. You can read the rest of their statement below:

Just like the #10YearsChallenge trend, I think this #AgeChallenge is pretty harmless and it's totally nothing new about companies using your personal and private data for their marketing research.

But just so you know, we are now in the digital age where the AI algorithm is watching your every move you make online, hence the annoying advertisements popping out so please be careful as usual about what you do online.

So what do you think about this? Let's discuss and if you managed to read until the end of this page, get yourself a deserved cookie and stay tuned for more tech opinion pieces at TechNave.com.


Is a boyfriend/girlfriend renting service coming to Lazada Malaysia?

So, Chinese New Year is just around the corner and you're single. Your typical Asian relatives are probably going to ask you the same old question - "Do you have a boyfriend/girlfriend yet?" Well, Lazada Malaysia might actually have a solution for that. BUT, just so you know, it's not really an official thing since it's just a teaser on their Facebook page.

According to the teaser, it seems that many Malaysians customers were jokingly requesting if they could "buy" a partner on its platform. For some reason, Lazada actually listened, made a teaser and hinted that there's a new promotion for Chinese New Year. If you are aware, the boyfriend/girlfriend rental is a normal occurrence in China where people would bring fake partners to their family gathering. Actually, we aren't even sure how would this workout in Malaysia (should it happen) or whether if it's legal or not. Nonetheless, it is an interesting teaser and I'm sure a lot of Malaysians would be pretty happy to skip the ever-annoying question.

But what do you all think? Would you welcome this service with open arms? Let us know in the comments below and stay tuned for more local tech news at TechNave.com.


Is dark mode finally coming to Facebook on Android and iOS?

Remember this news from a few months ago? Back in June, sources claimed that Facebook was officially rolling out dark mode for mobile devices but months went by and the update didn't happen. Fortunately, it looks like the wait may finally be over.

According to Jane Manchun Wong, Facebook will be releasing dark mode as a public beta feature for both Android and iOS users. An official promo video of the new feature is now out, which should mean that we can expect access to dark mode pretty soon. MacRumors also claims that many iOS users have gotten the update on their devices.

Facebook is publicly testing Dark Mode! You asked it, I chatted with Facebook’s @alexvoica about it and here’s a video made in collaboration with Facebook! pic.twitter.com/TGjdTXDxoP

If we assume that nothing major has changed since June, then Facebook's dark mode will probably be enabled using the same method. Specifically, you have to manually go to the Settings & Privacy section of the app and toggle Dark mode to enable the feature. It should be noted that system-level dark modes don't apply to Facebook, which is why this update is great news.

So, has any of you gotten public beta access to dark mode for the Facebook mobile app? Do let us know in the comments below and stay tuned to TechNave for more updates on this.


Is "good" good enough? Here's how Samsung could unfold the next Galaxy phone

If you are a Samsung fan, you should know that the next Galaxy Unpacked is coming soon, on 11 August 2021. But what do you think the theme is, though? Well, you won't be the only one. Most of us have been staying at home, so it's not like we get to see a lot of the Galaxy Unpacked marketing around town. But if you have, you might have noticed that Samsung has been teasing us with the question of Is "good" good enough? on some digital platforms and billboards.

So do you think what you own now is good enough for you? Can you imagine a more dynamic technology in your hands? How do you answer if "good" is good enough? Maybe instead of answering it, we can look at how far technology has advanced in the past decade and make some predictions on what could come next. Back in the 90s, we had our fair share of flip phones, slider phones or rotating phones. But a few people envisioned touchscreen displays that were inspired by old sci-fi movies. Soon after, technology advanced and smartphones were given increasingly larger touchscreens over the years. Then one day, Samsung introduced foldable smartphones - a completely new paradigm.

The next Galaxy Unpacked advertisement nearby KLCC

When the first foldable Galaxy phone appeared, we thought it would be a one-time thing because it was Samsung's 10th anniversary. But the company didn't stop there and improved on the foldable smartphone category with its 2nd-Gen foldable phones. Honestly, we think that the next Galaxy foldable phones may look more or less the same as their predecessors. But there is nothing wrong with that because we can expect cool new features! For example, foldable phones are compact enough to bring around and when we need to use them, the display can be expanded to almost a full-sized tablet. It simply changes how we do things on it such as multitasking, work and even mobile gaming.

Remember how Samsung introduced the DeX for us to multitask between our phones and computers? Samsung is definitely going in that direction. New technologies continue to reshape how we live digitally. If you went back a decade, there were only a few tech companies. But now, we have far more tech companies competing with each other and sharing resources. Over the years, these devices have slowly become integral parts of our lives and are more personalised than ever.

Apart from personalising our devices, more companies are also innovating and introducing an ecosystem of their own, giving people more freedom to customise their own user experiences according to their lifestyle. Samsung is no exception, so it would be interesting to see what the company will unveil with the next Galaxy. But what do you think? How would the next Galaxy level up?

For your information, the next Galaxy Unpacked will be ready to unfold on 11 August 2021 www.samsung.com/my, Samsung Malaysia YouTube, Samsung Malaysia Facebook and Samsung Malaysia Newsroom at 10 PM MYT. Do and come join the hype and register your interest at the Galaxy Unpack page. By signing up, you are entitled to redeem an RM300 Samsung e-voucher, which you can use after you pre-order the next Galaxy device!

Stay tuned for our official news coverage of the next Samsung Galaxy Unpacked event only at TechNave.com.


Is honor 10 the Best Overall Flagship Smartphone of 2018?

Whenever you hear the name honor, you will most probably think of it as the cousin of Huawei. Granted, honor is always using similar specifications after Huawei releases their devices, but what gives honor the edge is always the price tag. For the honor 10, we've never seen a flagship tier device priced so low at RM1599 (thanks to 0% GST) for a long time and considering its tech-specs and features, does this make it the Best Overall Flagship Smartphone of 2018?

There are some factors to look into, the first one is obviously the premium design look which flagships strive for. The honor 10 has four colour options but the two that really stands out are the Phantom Blue and Phantom Green. We reviewed about the Phantom Blue before, looking straight at it it looks pure blue but when you look sideways, top or bottom, the purple shades comes out like a phantom. We thought the Phantom Green would be the same but it takes it to another level, instead of showing green and purple, it also shows blue in between the colour transition and it's truly eye-catching.

From green to blue to purple, what sorcery is this?!

So how did they achieve this? Well, instead of settling on a non-conductive vacuum metalizing (NCVM) coating, honor decided to use 15 layers of optical nano coating on the rear glass and dubbed it as the "Aurora Glass" for a good reason. If you still remember your science classes, this results in a prismatic effect and hence, the different shades of colours appearing depending on the light and your viewing angle. From our experience, many of our friends and family have agreed that it's very attractive.

On a side note, the Phantom Green model is already out in Malaysia so if you want to get your hands on it. Better act quick because it has limited stocks.

Then in the tech-specs corner, the honor 10 houses a Kirin 970 chipset and an independent Neural Processing Unit (NPU) which means it has Artificial Intelligence (AI). Ah yes, AI is like on every-smartphone-ever nowadays and as users, you aren't the only one rolling your eyes over the term. And what does an "independent" AI really mean anyway?

We have yet to see the NPU taking effect but don't scoff now, the honor 10 was only released recently, but there are other devices that use the same stuff (hint, it's Huawei) and according to Forbes, the writer has finally witnessed the NPU's effectiveness after five months of usage being able to recognize obstacles instantaneously while driving (yes, it drove a car) and that's a relief. This is because often times, most media reviews will only have 2-weeks time to review and most of us don't actually get to see the long-term benefits of the NPU.

That's basically what Machine Learning is - the NPU learns how the user uses the device after learning the usage of apps, habits, patterns, whatever, then allocates the necessary number of memory to minimize energy wastage. Like a newborn baby, this takes time and as an independent unit, it doesn't rely or ride on the Kirin 970 chipset's CPU and GPU cores, which also means that it doesn't make the honor 10 and other devices using the same specs lag or drain the battery like a vampire, making it more powerful yet power efficient in the long run.

While we are still on the topic of AI, the company slapped the "AI Camera" tag next to its dual rear camera and you can also toggle it on the camera UI. Like every-smartphone-ever, the honor 10 is capable of detecting 22 sceneries (and more to come) but it's more than that. How so? Well, the company said the honor 10 has this feature called Semantic Image Segmentation Mode for the camera. It sounds complicated, but the technology behind it is pretty cool.

Most of you should know that the MasterAI can differentiate between a sun and a cat (you know, that scene detection stuff) but this segmentation mode takes it to another level - instead detecting just one type of object, it does multiple scene detections and applies a filter to each of them at the same time and the NPU learns from it. At first glance, it may look like a gimmicky move and is quite similar to turning on the High Dynamic Range (HDR) mode on, so we decided to take it out for a spin and we are pretty convinced that it really works. Check out photo comparison below with AI Camera mode turned on.

(L-R) Focus on the sky, no focus + point-and-shoot and focus on greenery

Can you see any difference between the three photos? Perhaps the most obvious one is at the most right, where the overall colour saturation looks brighter on the greenery plants which is the result of focusing on that. The middle and left photo are almost identical but a sharp eye would noticed that the middle's greenery is just slightly more lighter and it's the result of having an overall greenery balance from both left and right.

For the left photo, I actually focused on the sky and it looks exactly the same as the middle photo, the sky from the right photo is almost similar but brighter. Then finally, the buildings in all the three photos are also 99% the same. This proves that the Semantic Image Segmentation actually works.

Moving on, there are also other plenty of perks that make the honor 10 a valued for money flagship. If the battery is going flat, SuperCharge (5v/4.5A) is here to the rescue and in just within half an hour, 50% of battery will be back. The Easy Talk function is convenient too as it automatically reduces background noise or increases volume if you're whispering. Face Unlock is quite good and works in a low-light environment, but we prefer the fingerprint sensor which unlocks really fast with its ultrasonic technology. Then finally, the AI Portrait Mode and 3D Portrait Lighting can be powerful tools when mastered.

So with all the aforementioned factors above and RM1599 price tag, we think this is why the honor 10 is the best overall flagship smartphone of 2018 (for now) until a new opponent comes along. You can get it online now either at Shopee or hihonor.com. But what do you think? Anything else we missed? Let us know in the comments below and stay tuned for more opinion pieces from TechNave.com.


Is honor secretly manufacturing a 6.9-inch phablet?

Not the honor Note 10, just the Note 8 model for illustration purpose

FullView display smartphones are so common nowadays, it makes "phablets" look like yesterdays. There are a few exceptions, though, namely the Samsung Note series and while we are waiting for that in August, honor has decided to go back to that route and planning to reveal a new honor Note 10 (yes, they are skipping the 9 lol) this year.

According to past reports, apparently honor has been collecting Super AMOLED screen panels from Samsung and it's going to be a big one measuring at 6.9-inch. Initially, speculators thought that Huawei will be integrating it onto their upcoming Mate series but that doesn't seem to be the case anymore since a new honor device (Ravel) was spotted online. Furthermore, honor's president also expressed that they have been planning this for quite some time now.

On top of that, the honor Note 10 tech-specs should be similar with the honor 10. So it's likely to feature an octa-core Kirin 970 processor, probably up to 6GB of RAM and 128GB of storage, a QHD resolution, dual 16MP + 24MP rear cameras with AI capability and there's a good chance that the battery will be over 3400mAh.

Would you want a plus-sized version of the honor 10? Let us know in the comments below and stay tuned for more honor news at TechNave.com.


I’m pretty sure by now that everyone knows that a brand new 5G network is currently being tested in Malaysia and it is capable of offering up to or even more than 6Gbps download speeds. However, there are still some users out there who are sceptical towards the new network, probably due to the fact that even the current 4G network coverage in Malaysia is nowhere near perfect just yet.

However, recently MCMC Minister YB Gobind Singh announced that states such as Kedah, Kuala Lumpur, Perak, Selangor as well as Terengganu will be part of the original Putrajaya and Cyberjaya 5G-network testbed. If all goes well, we might just expect a few cities in Malaysia to officially offer the new 5G network as early as the first quarter of 2020. That being said, Is it actually worth investing in a flagship smartphone without 5G right now?

The 5G network brings along several benefits such as up to 100 times faster download speeds, faster upload speeds as well as significantly lower latency. This makes it suitable for use cases such as streaming CCTV footages, 4K movies, as well as VR (Virtual Reality) or AR (Augmented Reality) content via 5G.

Not only that, but there is also the possibility that 5G network could be fast enough to handle complete IoT devices because in a world where everything is connected to the Internet, it's definitely not something that current 4G networks may be able to handle. However, with a 5G network supporting IoT devices we could well improve the quality of life for all users. Below is a video demonstrating the capabilities of such a 5G network.

With all that said, should you still get a smartphone without 5G connectivity? We're practically on the verge of the introduction to 5G networks here, so should you be spending RM4K to RM5K on a flagship device with just 4G network support? Maybe you should wait for a 5G capable device? Honestly, there is no right or wrong answer to this as it fully depends on what you need. Also, there are other parameters to consider as well, such as your budget, which 5G smartphone you would need to invest in, as well as whether it would benefit you in the long run.

If you feel that the current 4G network speed is more than enough for your day to day use, it may not be a worthwhile investment to upgrade to a 5G capable device. After all, most such 5G devices are exorbitantly expensive. But if you can't wait for your device to do all those cool 5G things mentioned above, buying a 4G flagship device right now might be a mistake, especially if you're expecting to keep using it for the next 2 or 3 years (when 5G networks are expected to roll out). On the flip side, if you have the funds to spare, you could well be one of the early adopters of 5G in Malaysia once one of those 5G devices becomes available.

Honestly speaking, if you're going to be spending RM4K to RM5K on a flagship device, it'd probably be better for you to wait for a 5G capable device, but that's just our own opinion. So, which would you choose right now? A 5G or a 4G capable smartphone? Let us know on our Facebook page and for more updates like this, stay tuned to TechNave.com.


Is it raining 6-inch phablets? Coz here comes the OPPO R9s Plus to Malaysia!

OPPO Malaysia had been teasing that “Something Big is coming” on their official Facebook page yesterday. Well, it’s no secret now, the OPPO R9s Plus is coming to Malaysia! We have received media invites for the launch event happening next week.

The R9s Plus looks pretty much identical to the OPPO R9s that is already available here. So, what gives it the “Plus” moniker? Is has a slightly larger 6-inch screen that retains the Full HD resolution from its smaller brother. It is also the first device from OPPO to feature 6GB of RAM, though storage remains at 64GB. While the smaller R9s runs a power-efficient Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 processor, the R9s Plus comes with the powerful Snapdragon 653 processor that offers more raw power. It packs a larger 4000mAh battery (with support for OPPO’s proprietary VOOC fast charging) to keep up with the increased power consumption from the larger screen and also more powerful processor. Last but not least, while it retains the same 16MP cameras for both front and back, the R9s Plus will have a steadier shot, as there’s the added advantage of having Optical Image Stabilisation (OIS).

The new device will be officially unveiled on 1 March 2017, OPPO Malaysia's R9s Plus endorsers, local celebrities Ayda Jebat and Min Chen will also be present during the launch event. There’s no pricing details available as of now, but based on a dealer listing found on Facebook, it is estimated to be priced at RM2498.

The alleged estimated pricing from Facebook page of a dealer

Looks like this March, we will see some exciting competition in terms of 6-inch phablet segment. Given the price and similar specifications between the OPPO R9s Plus and Samsung Galaxy C9 Pro, what would your choice be if you’re shopping for a 6-inch phablet? Drop your comments below or on our Facebook Page. Stay tuned on TechNave.com for more news regarding the OPPO R9s Plus.


ASUS VivoWatch SP Malaysia release: Heart rate monitor, sleep monitor and more at RM1499

ASUS Malaysia has officially launched the VivoWatch SP in Malaysia, which will be available starting from today onwards at the price of RM1499. The aforementioned product will be available at all ASUS’ official store located across the nation, as well as on platforms such as Lazada and Shopee.

In terms of the tech specs, the VivoWatch SP comes equipped with a 1.34-inch display, 200mAh battery that’s capable of lasting up to 14 days of use, as well as a myriad of sensors including an ECG, PPG, Gravity sensor, GPS, and an altimeter. It’s capable of monitoring pulse transit time, pulse O2 level, heart rate, sleep quality, as well as exercise tracking, distance travelled and more.

Not only that, but it can also display message notifications, call notification, alarm, stopwatch, reminders, menstrual cycle reminders, and medication reminders as well! If you want to find out more information in regards to the VivoWatch SP, head over to ASUS’ official website.

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


Is it worth buying the Apple iPhone 6s Plus just because it has RM700 off?

Apparently SenHeng Malaysia are offering the Apple iPhone 6s Plus 32GB or 128GB with RM700 discount. Of course, there are strings attached, in that the discount is only available for SenHeng members but it only costs RM12 to become a member (unless you're a member already) and you get extra 1 year warranty, so in light of that, is it actually worth it to buy the Apple iPhone 6s Plus? Check out the breakdown below:

The short answer is: depends on whether you like a bigger 5.5-inch display and you're willing to fork out RM550 more. As it is, the 4-inch display Apple iPhone SE 32GB is still priced at RM1949 while the 128GB version is going for RM2449. If you don't care about the display or actually like smaller iPhones then the iPhone SE is the better deal still.

Both iPhones (iPhone SE vs iPhone 6s Plus) are practically identical (you can check this using our comparison tool) with the only difference being screen and battery size, so performance between the two is also practically identical. Most Apple iPhones have the same battery life so it doesn't matter that the iPhone 6S Plus has a bigger battery as the bigger display will even things out (but we still think the iPhone SE would probably last a bit longer).

In any case, both the iPhone SE and iPhone 6s Plus will soon be third generation Apple products as the Apple iPhone 7s or iPhone 8 set for release this year will push them back. Once you hit third generation, certain iOS features may not be updated with the next iOS update (and may actually slow down) so regardless of which iPhone you buy, you're basically buying an iPhone that will be semi-obsolete by the end of the year. So, buyer beware.

Knowing the above would you still buy the Apple iPhone 6s Plus? Or would you go for the Apple iPhone SE? Let us know in our TechNave.com Facebook page.


Is realme going to reveal the X50 Pro at MWC 2020?

If news of a potential realme smart TV and smartwatches weren't enough for you, how about a new flagship smartphone? Since it's the Mobile World Congress (MWC 2020) and realme has confirmed it will be doing a global launch, a new smartphone is definitely par for the course.

A new Twitter post from realme Europe confirmed the news on realme's first global launch and provided the coordinates for Barcelona. Current speculation is that the device set to be launched will belong to the realme X family, possibly Pro variant of the realme X50 that is equipped with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 chipset. We can probably expect high tech specs overall, such as 12GB of RAM and 256GB of internal storage. As for features, it's likely that realme will maintain the quad-camera setup, except with higher pixel counts.

We can't confirm anything since realme has been keeping things close to the chest. But MWC 2020 is just around the corner so we'll definitely know more about it soon. Until then, please stay tuned to TechNave.com for more news and updates.


Is screen sharing Xiaomi’s upcoming new feature?

Today, Xiaomi posted a video on their Weibo account and showed off a new feature. The new feature is quite similar to Huawei Share and Samsung's Link to Windows. For your information, screen sharing is when we need to use a certain gadget and connect through the NFC or a QR code, but what’s the difference between these three?

Xiaomi’s “screen sharing” feature is when you can directly pull the files from your device to the PC or laptop with just a simple step, which is to scan the QR code on the monitor. From the video, the lady showed that you can also pull the photo from the phone and paste it to the PowerPoint document, reply message from the PC instead of your phone, you can even post videos on TikTok after editing on the PC. The Link to Windows by Samsung also uses the QR code, whereas Huawei relies on NFC.

Besides that, you can even play mobile games on the PC. What do you think of this Xiaomi’s ‘screen sharing’ feature? Let us know in the comments below, be sure to stay tuned for more tech news on TechNave.com.


Is that Samsung's new foldable device (Galaxy F) in a leaked official video (Update: Now its official)?

What seems like an official Samsung #DoWhatYouCant video has leaked with what appears to be Samsung's upcoming foldable phone/tablet (Update: Samsung have since made it an official video on their YouTube Channel). Looking much like a showreel of future Samsung products, the brief time the device appears seems to indicate that it will open up from a 4.58-inch display to a 7.3-inch display.

Rumours about Samsung's foldable device are few and far in between with many guessing it may be called the Samsung Galaxy F or Fold. It might also have 5G enabled but even here in the video it looks rather thick as a smaller display device. Quite obviously, there's no Malaysia release dates or pricing details so take everything with a good deal of salt.

The video also highlights other possible Samsung innovations with a fullview tablet that has a super sensitive stylus, so much so that it wirelessly controls a robot tattoo artist. There's also glass that animates and mirrors that allow ‘minority report’ style clothing adjustments along with an ultrasound attachment. A group of people are also doing an AR (Augmented Reality) battle. Any innovation asides from the rumoured Samsung Galaxy F that caught your eye? Check it out for yourself below.


Is that an edge-to-edge display bezel-free smartphone on OPPO’s Waterfall Screen device?

OPPO VP Brian Shen recently revealed hands-on images of an upcoming OPPO smartphone with a “Waterfall Screen”. Unlike current curved edge displays, this still unnamed device has an almost edge-to-edge display that goes down the sides at a sharp angle, much like a waterfall. Images seem to indicate that it could be the next OPPO Find X device and looks to be fully functional.

It still has a teeny tiny forehead and chin though but there’s no sign of any notch or cut-out, indicating that it is either using a pop-up front camera, or OPPO have also perfected an under-display front camera as well. There’s no other tech specs or features revealed yet, so we don’t know what resolution it is using or chipset, memory and storage, but the device looks very slim with no buttons (unless they’re all on the side displays).

No Malaysia release dates or pricing details yet, but it really makes us wonder how exactly you’re going to hold it, as any accidental side grip could activate a button on the side displays. We can’t think of any other practical use for them but it would certainly turn heads, that’s for sure. Would you be interested in such a phone? Let us know and stay tuned to TechNave.com.


Is that the ASUS ROG Phone 2 with a monstrous 5800 mAh battery + 30W fast charge!?

The ASUS ROG Phone 2 has appeared on China’s TENAA sporting a massive 5800 mAh battery (that's tablet territory already!) with 30W fast charging (the previous ROG Phone has a 4000 mAh battery). Other tech specs listed include a 6.59-inch AMOLED display which is rumoured to be able to switch between 60Hz and 120Hz and 170.99 x 77.6 x 9.78 mm measurements which does mean a significantly thicker ASUS ROG or Republic of Gamers Phone.

The listing doesn’t confirm other features but the ROG Phone 2 is expected to come with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 855+ chipset, up to 8GB of RAM and 512GB of storage. The TENAA images reveal no rear fingerprint sensor, so we assume that the ROG Phone 2 will have an in-display fingerprint sensor but the dual front speakers are still there. There’s also no vents but this could mean that ASUS have incorporated an internal cooling chamber that works even better.

We hope that it also retains the signature Air Triggers but no Malaysia release dates or pricing just yet. The previous ROG Phone initially went for RM3499 (but it’s much more affordable now from RM2499) so we expect the ROG Phone 2 to be at least below RM4000 as well. The ROG Phone 2 is expected to be launched on 23 July 2019 so we shouldn't have to wait that long.

What do you TechNavers think? What other features will the ROG Phone 2 have and how much will it cost? Due to the extra thickness, we expect it to only work with a few of the original ROG Phone accessories but do let us know in our Facebook page and stay tuned to TechNave.com.


Is the ASUS ZenFone 7 about to be unveiled soon with SD865 Plus chipset?

ASUS ZenFone 6. For illustration purposes only.

It seems that the ASUS ZenFone 7 has been spotted on Geekbench, which hints that the device will come equipped with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 Plus chipset as well as 16GB of RAM. While not much is known in regards to the full tech spec, we do know that the device will run on the Android 10 operating system for now.

With all that said, do take every bit of information with a grain of salt, due to the fact that ASUS has yet to provide a statement on the leaks. Not only that, but there’s also no news on the Malaysia release date, and local pricing for now.

Suspected ASUS ZenFone 7 spotted on Geekbench-Snapdragon 865+ processor-16GB RAM-Android 10 OS#ZenFone7 #ASUS7Z pic.twitter.com/LV4XEws1Fg

Would you be interested in getting the ASUS ZenFone 7 as soon as it is available for purchase in the local market? Let us know on our Facebook page and for more updates like this, stay tuned to TechNave.com.


Is the Apple iPhone 7 Plus dual camera better than the dual pixel Samsung Galaxy S7 camera?

The folks at Business Insider recently did a camera sample comparison between the Apple iPhone 7 Plus and Samsung Galaxy S7 which you can see below. Clearly, the dual rear camera on the iPhone 7 Plus brings much better quality photos compared to the iPhone 6s Plus but they found that when compared against the dual pixel camera on the Galaxy S7, the iPhone 7 Plus isn't as consistent and has autofocus issues. Granted, the new telephoto lens does help make zoom up shots more detailed.

However, because the iPhone 7 Plus automatically adjusts the exposure and lighting of each photo based on autofocused targets, each shot (even though it is taken in burst mode) can be slightly different. The Galaxy S7 also managed to catch better detailed low-light shots. As usual of the iPhone 7, colour reproduction is closer to the human eye compared to the Galaxy S7 which sometimes takes vividness to a different level.

Both the Apple iPhone 7 Plus and Samsung Galaxy S7 take clear shots during day time situations.

Clearly, the Apple iPhone 7 Plus telephoto lens offers a few more details for the zoomed in images below.

However, even in burst mode, the Apple iPhone 7 Plus automatically adjusts lighting based on the focus which is determined "intelligently" by the system, resulting in sometimes inconsistent shots.

You can see that this Apple iPhone 7 Plus "intelligence" sometimes results in over exposed shots, something that the Samsung Galaxy S7 does not do

Still, the Apple iPhone 7 Plus clearly takes more natural colours compared to the "vivid" Samsung Galaxy S7

But, the Apple iPhone 7 Plus has rather inconsistent autofocus as well

While both perform quite well in mixed light situations, the Samsung Galaxy S7 offers a few more details than the Apple iPhone 7 Plus when you zoom up

And the Samsung Galaxy S7 also takes low-light shots with more details.


Is the Google Pixel 4a 5G the same as Pixel 4a?!

Before the Pixel 4a 5G and Pixel 5 5G launch, there is already a lot of rumours on the internet. Now there is another new rumour about the Pixel 4a 5G, so what can we know about the device? Let us continue to read the news.

According to the leaks, the Pixel 4a 5G could remain the same as the Pixel 4a. This means the camera setup on the back and the punch-hole selfie snapper could be 12.2MP and 8MP respectively. Besides that, the Pixel 4a 5G could come with a bigger size than the Pixel 4a which measures a 6.1-inch or 6.2-inch display and 153.9 x 74 x 8.6mm. Could it be that there is not much difference from the Pixel 4a?

And, again, because so many of you asked me to share my own, this likely is your closest look yet at which I assume #Google will soon launch as the #Pixel4a5G.360° video + official looking 5K renders + dimensions on behalf of my Friends @91mobiles -> https://t.co/hOLrapKHX9 pic.twitter.com/tpmNQa6dps

On the other hand, the leaker posted a video of a fully rendered Pixel 4a 5G showing all angles. From the video, we can see that there are 2 speakers at the bottom, a 3.5mm headphone jack port on the top, and a USB-C port. The video also showed that there is an extra camera lens which could be either the ultra-wide or telephoto lens.

As usual, sit back, relax, and wait for the company’s official announcement. But at the end of the day, we think the Google Pixel series won’t be here in the Malaysian market, don’t you think so? Let us know in the comments below and be sure to stay tuned for more tech news on TechNave.com


Is the HONOR Play 3 releasing tonight with a Kirin 980 chipset, a 48MP quad camera and a 6.39-inch HD display?

The HONOR Play 3 may be releasing tonight as an addition to the HONOR 20S conference alongside with a new notebook. There are already some tech specs spreading around the internet. According to the rumors, it seems that the HONOR Play might be skipping the HONOR Play 2 and going straight to the HONOR Play 3 with a 6.39-inch 720p LCD screen and a Kirin 980 chipset that comes with 6GB of RAM.

This sort of combination of the flagship level Kirin 980 chipset and 6GB of RAM combined with the HD display could mean super smooth playability for practically any game around. No Malaysian release dates or pricing details yet, but the more affordable LCD display could also lower prices enough to make the Honor Play 3 a very interesting gaming smartphone to get.

Other features leaked include the battery capacity at 4000mAh that supports up to 10W charging. There also might be a quad camera setup on the rear with 48MP+16MP+12MP+8MP cameras and a 32MP front camera sensor.

Regardless, the authenticity of the news is still uncertain, so do take this news with a pinch of salt. The phone is expected to be revealed tonight so stay with us for more updates on the HONOR Play 3 at Technave.com.


ASUS VivoWatch announced with 10 days battery life and fitness tracking features

While Malaysia didn't get the ASUS ZenWatch, we can still hope for an ASUS wearable in the near future as ASUS have just announced the ASUS VivoWatch smartwatch. Featuring a built-in heart-rate monitor, a 10 day battery life and a stainless steel frame design, the VivoWatch comes in black or white and looks to be IP67 dust and water resistant. However, it does not run Android Wear and there are still no pricing details or Malaysia release dates just yet but it is expected to be priced from around $158 (RM586) which would be quite attractive all things considered.


Is the HUAWEI Matebook 14 2020 a powerhouse laptop? | Unboxing & Hands-On!

HUAWEI has finally brought in the Huawei Matebook 14 to Malaysia after such a long wait. This laptop is now available at the price starting from RM3799. HUAWEI Matebook series has always been a demanding laptop with its practicality and reasonable pricing. So will this HUAWEI Matebook 14 be your next laptop to go for?In terms of tech spec, the HUAWEI Matebook 14 2020 comes in with 2 variants, the AMD Ryzen TM 5 4600H processor  variant and the Ryzen TM 7 4800H processor variant coupled with 8GB of RAM and up to 512GB of SSD storage. Furthermore, AMD mentioned that the Ryzen TM 7 performs better than the i7 when it comes to graphic performances. So let's take a closer look on the HUAWEI Matebook 14 in the unboxing video below.

Stay tuned for more in-depth review of the HUAWEI Matebook 14 on TechNave.com.


Is the Huawei Mate 20 X REALLY that big?

So 11.11 has long passed, there were a lot of great sales and it probably overshadowed the fact that the Huawei Mate 20X was released on the same day. Designed for gaming purposes and currently available in Malaysia for RM3199, this phablet has an incredible display measurement of 7.21-inches and to say it's massive would be an understatement... or is it?

Before we get to that, just so you know, there were actually a couple of very big phones over the years. Since new smartphone displays nowadays can easily go over 6-inches thanks to the notch trend, we are going to take a look back at some of the phones that are considered a giant in no particular order. So here-we-go.

So going to 2014, there was a phablet that measured 6.44-inches and this was a big boy. The Sony Xperia Z4 Ultra was powered by a quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 processor and the memory capacity was just 3GB of RAM and up to 32GB ROM (ah, those were the days). The battery wasn't bad too packing a 4000mAh battery and during that time, the phone really stayed true to its name (Ultra) and people quite liked it as there weren't many big devices around.

Fast forward to 2016, ASUS also released its own ultra phablet called the ZenFone 3 Ultra and surpassed the former with a 6.8-inch display in Full HD resolution. The processor was just a mid-range Snapdragon 652, though, but at that time it was good enough for entertainment purposes with 4GB of RAM and 64GB internal storage. It's worth mentioning that the primary camera and battery pack were ultra-size, featuring a 23MP sensor and a 4600mAh. As you can imagine, the phablet is really thick and from our old review, it was one of the best all-in-one devices you could find around.

If you thought 6.8-inches was impressive, Xiaomi did it better with the Mi Max 3 which has a 6.9-inches screen panel (things just keep getting bigger, don't they?). Similarly to the ZenFone 3 Ultra, the Snapdragon 636 processor was also in the mid-range category which was respectable enough for gaming, backed up by 6GB of RAM and up to 128GB storage, not to forget the battery is a freaking 5500mAh which is crazy. Also like most new devices nowadays, it packs a dual 12MP + 5MP camera setup.

Samsung Galaxy Note 9 (left) and the Apple iPhone XS Max (right)

So the first three phablets that we mentioned are really huge. But even though that's the case, Samsung was the first phablet pioneers thanks to its Note series and it just keeps getting bigger and bigger every year. During the era of the early 2010, the first Note went over 5-inches. Seven years later, the latest and current Galaxy Note 9 has grown to just 6.4-inches which seems to be getting normal since newer smartphone models can easily reach that size now. On the other hand, Apple has always been conservative about its size but has finally went big this year with the iPhone XS Max measuring at 6.5-inches only. Make no mistake, the Galaxy Note 9 and iPhone XS Max are quite big, but the Mate 20X really came and blew everything out of the water.

As we have mentioned, this phablet has a 7.21-inches display with Full HD+ resolution but it also carries high-end tech specs such as the latest HiSilicon Kirin 980 chipset, 5000mAh battery, a triple 40MP + 20MP + 8MP camera setup, 6GB + 128GB memory capacity and more. Moreover, it also has a unique cooling system that combines graphene film and a vapour chamber for cooling down while gaming.

The Huawei Mate 20X (left) and Mate 20 Pro (right)

While it may have the largest sized display of the bunch, its measurements of 85.4mm x 174.6mm x 8.15mm thin are actually smaller than some of the big display smartphones mentioned above for a more comfortable grip. This is mostly thanks to the smaller teardrop notch design on top of the display, so you can get the most out of your gaming. Oh, and it also packs a fast Super Charge technology and you'd be surprised to know how fast it charges. Also, dual-speakers! A nice add-on feature that should go a long way towards your gaming marathons.

So what do you think about the Mate 20 X? Is it too big? Are you interested in checking it out at your nearby Huawei Experience Store? And will we be seeing bigger devices in the next few years? Let us know what your favourite phablets are in the comments below and stay tuned for more tech articles at TechNave.com.


Is the Huawei Mate 30 Pro Worth it? Mark O'Dea shares his thoughts

Since early October, Malaysia was the first country to get the Huawei Mate 30 Pro at the price of RM3899 but up until now, there aren't many full-fledged reviews going around due to the ongoing trade war which restricts Google Mobile Services (GMS) on the flagship. But that didn't stop some people trying it out, and Mark O'Dea happened to be one of them.

In case you have no idea who he is, he was originally from the UK and is now living in Malaysia as a YouTuber and Presenter. In his first-ever tech review video, Mark shared about what he liked and didn't like about the Mate 30 Pro from a content creator point of view. So without further ado, here's what he said.

As most how first impression videos start, it goes without saying that Mark really likes how the design looks (which I think most can agree). Granted, the quad rear camera design has already made it as an Internet meme online but it still looks unique and very distinctive. It will certainly get the attention and double glances when you're on a call.

Ultra Night Mode works in wide-angle mode too

Onto the technical side, Mark was super impressed with the Super Slow-Mo which can shoot up to 7680FPS and that's currently the highest in the smartphone industry by leaps and bounds. The Ultra Night Mode is also one of his favourite features as he often shoots videos in the evening, and the feature helps to retain the colours in low-light environments.

Aside from that, the phone's Horizon OLED display measures up to 6.53-inches and Mark noted it fits nicely in his hand. Of course, the shininess has a touch nice as well. The Multi-Screen Collaboration is quite helpful for Mark too, especially to transfer media files between the Mate 30 Pro and MateBook laptop. Surely, this is a must-have for content creators.

Multi-Screen Collaboration can transfer your files in an instant

Lastly, Mark commented that the 4500mAh battery is a nice addition but what's even better is the 40W SuperCharge technology. We would also like to add on that the phone has an improved 27W Wireless SuperCharge technology, so that's nice too.

As mentioned before, the Mate 30 Pro doesn't have any GMS installed so that means there's no Google Play Store out of the box. Huawei has its own platform, though, which is the AppGallery. Despite that, there are still many missing apps that Malaysians use and for content creators like Mark himself, it's not very convenient.

Currently, the only apps that we know that you can download from the AppGallery are dahmakan, Astro, fave, Malaysia Airlines, The Star and more. Regardless, there are still too many missing apps but there is a way to get around this. From our previous news report, someone found a way to transfer the most used apps onto the Mate 30 Pro via Phone Clone and it worked. As long as those apps aren't relying on GMS, apps such as Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram, Waze, PUBG Mobile, Maybank, Touch n' Go, Shopee and many others will function just fine.

Another way is to actually install the GMS manually but it requires several steps to complete the process. According to YouTube guy, 大马机哥, you will need a pen drive with a USB Type-C connector to download the GMS data from the Google Drive link (found on video's description), plug it into the phone and extract the files, install the apps one by one, activate and restart the phone. As to how Mark said it, if you're not comfortable or find it too tedious to do this, then you might want to ask your more tech-savvy friends to help out.

At the end of the video, Mark also shared his personal referral code (8030d) for those who are still interested in owning the Mate 30 Pro. To refresh your memory, the Huawei Mate 30 series Referral Program's last day is on 7 November 2019 and with the referral code, customers are eligible to receive gifts worth up to RM656.

So that was the breakdown of Mark's likes and dislikes of the Huawei Mate 30 Pro, BUT what do you folks think and what's your take? Let us know in the comments below and stay tuned for more local tech news at TechNave.com.


Is the Huawei MateBook X Pro the better MacBook Pro alternative?

As mentioned in our previous news, Huawei Malaysia will soon be introducing the MateBook X Pro into the Malaysia market and although the local price tag is not confirmed yet, initial estimates have it around RM4796 (not inclusive of tax) due to a direct conversion from its 7988 Yuan price tag in China. Thanks to this price tag, slim design and 13.88-inch display, it lines up as a very strong alternative to the 13-inch Apple MacBook Pro. Read on and see why.

From the design perspective, both notebooks are quite similar in a way that they are featuring a 13-inch and above display but the MateBook X Pro has a bigger screen ratio at 91% featuring a fullview display in a compact laptop body compared to the 86% of the MacBook Pro. The bigger screen and more compact body means the MateBook X Pro is lighter at 1.33kg and in addition, the display is also a touchscreen, while the MacBook Pro display is not.

Moving on, the MateBook X Pro is also equipped with an Intel Core i5-8250U (8th Generation) and has 256GB worth of storage. Compared to the MacBook Pro, which starts from the Intel Core i5-7360U (7th Generation) with storage beginning from just 128GB only. Despite all this, the MacBook Pro has a starting price of RM5932 which only grows larger with more memory and better processors.

In addition to that, the MateBook X Pro also has a better sound system setup than the MacBook Pro, utilizing Dolby Atmos with 4x microphones and 4x speakers for a nice audio entertainment setup (the MacBook Pro only has 2x microphones and 2x speakers). We won't go into comparing between the operating systems though, as it's quite a subjective matter of personal preference between Windows and MacOS. However, it is clear that the MateBook X Pro's hardware figures are significantly better.

The processor goes up to the latest Intel Core i7-8550U

Here's all the official specifications of the MateBook X Pro:

It should be just a matter of time until Huawei Malaysia releases the pricing and more information on the official launch day but for now, the Huawei MateBook X Pro is shaping up to be a very attractive but value-added alternative against the 13-inch Apple MacBook Pro. Is it better than the MacBook Pro? What do you think? Until the official launch day, stay tuned for more Huawei news at TechNave.com.


Is the Huawei Nova 2 plus with a 20MP front camera coming to Malaysia soon for RM1899?

After a teaser about a Huawei Nova phone with a 20MP front camera was recently released by Huawei Malaysia, it turns out that this could be the Huawei Nova Plus 2 as it was also recently listed on the US FCC. Other tech specs for the Nova 2 Plus include an octa-core HiSilicon Kirin 659 processor, 4GB RAM, 128GB storage (wow!) , 5.5-inch FHD display and 3340 mAh battery. It will also feature a 12MP + 8MP dual rear camera to go with the aforementioned 20MP front camera and eLux tech. No exact Malaysia release dates or pricing details yet but it is going for 2899 yuan or about RM1838 (which could mean an RM1899 price tag here) in China.

In the previous teaser, Huawei said that the 20MP front camera Nova will offer:


Is the Huawei Nova 8 series coming soon?

The Nova 7 series was just launched earlier this year and now there’s a rumour that Huawei is going to announce the Nova 8 series. Here are the leaks about the Nova 8 series which is the Nova 8 and Nova 8 Pro.

According to the leaks, the Nova 8 could come with a Dimensity 820 chipset, 90Hz OLED display, and the price tag is expected to be CNY3299 (~RM2018). As for the Nova 8 Pro, this device might feature a Dimensity 1000+, 120Hz OLED display, and the starting price of CNY3999 (~RM2446). The supplier for the display could be either Visionox or Tianma.

The leaks from a Weibo user - Really Asen Jun

All of these are leaks, so we just need to sit back, relax, and wait for official announcement. Are you excited of the upcoming Nova 8  series? Let us know in the comment below, be sure to stay tuned for more tech news on TechNave.com.


Is the Huawei P9's monochrome mode as awesome as Huawei says it is?

Is the Huawei P9's monochrome mode just a gimick like critics say it is?

The Huawei P9 recently launched here in Malaysia with a dual-camera setup from just RM2099. Featuring a unique monochrome mode with a dedicated ISP (Image Signal Processing) chip for each rear camera, quite a lot of critics are asking if the Huawei P9's monochrome mode is really that awesome? Isn't it just a native greyscale? Well, the short answer to that is Yes and No respectively. But if you want to know more read on and find out.

Recently, we were able to get some time with the Huawei P9 and took the monochrome mode for a spin. While we took some pics by itself, we also compared it against a fairly good 13MP cameraphone (which won't be named) so you can see for yourself just how awesome the monochrome mode on the P9 really is.

The Huawei P9 clearly shows more details with better gradation of blacks

This 13MP greyscale filter from another smartphone camera looks like it was slapped on to the usual picture

Colours and details are spot on in colour but see what happens when you put it into monochrome mode below...

... details are sharper and clearer as the blacks stand out more, so much so that you can even ...

... see the dust particles which were missing in the colour picture.

Clearly, the Huawei P9's monochrome mode captures more details than the usual greyscale filter. There is a better gradation of blacks and if used well, it captures more details than just the big clump of black mass most greyscale or black and white effect filters do. Stay tuned for our full review and following Huawei P9 articles to see what other surprises the P9 has in store for us.


Is the MSI P75 Creator great for aspiring content creators?

As online content these days such as videos, 3D models, and special effects become more and more sophisticated, so are the equipment needed to produce these masterpieces. As a content creator, I would want to make sure that the laptop I am using is up to the task of creating complicated content without crashing.

Thankfully, MSI released a laptop called the P75 Creator, which as the name suggests, is focused more towards aspiring content creators such as myself, who are keen on creating content to amaze the masses. It can be bought from MSI’s official website at the price of RM7499 and it comes complete with a two-year warranty to boot. Let's take a closer look at our variant, which is the MSI P75 Creator 9SD and see if it is great for content creators.

Usually when I receive a new laptop, I usually put it through its paces by running it through some benchmarks so that I have a better idea what kind of performance I can expect. Starting off with the PCMark 10 benchmark, the MSI P75 creator managed to score 5729 points due to the fact that it comes with specs such as an Intel Core i7-9750H processor, 16GB of DDR4 RAM and an Nvidia GTX1660Ti graphics card.

This tech spec combination allows the laptop to multitask between several intensive creative software at the same time such as Adobe Premiere Pro, Photoshop, Autodesk Maya, FL Studio and more. It's also nice to know that I could upgrade the RAM capacity up to 64GB, if I feel that the current configuration isn't enough for what I would be working on.

I did not feel any lag while editing FHD videos

Rendering was pretty fast thanks to the NVENC encoder on the graphics card

While editing videos on the MSI P75 Creator, I was able to smoothly edit several hours of full HD footages without the laptop lagging up on me. Not only that, but the fact that it comes with an SSD primary storage drive made scrubbing through the timeline rather painless as well.

But that’s not all, rendering the final video is also pretty fast thanks to the NVENC encoder which is found on the Nvidia GTX1660Ti graphics card. While editing pictures and digital art on GIMP, everything ran pretty smooth except when handling high-resolution images such as 8K and above.

It also comes with the MSI Creator Center which allows the user to optimize the selected applications, in order to improve the responsiveness and performance. Even though the MSI P75 Creator isn’t geared towards gaming, it still managed to hold its own when it comes to playing Triple-A games such as Monster Hunter: World, Borderlands 3 and more thanks to the NVIDIA GTX1660Ti graphics card and an Intel Core i7-9750H under the hood.

When it comes to content creation, I find that it is very important to have at least a 100% sRGB compliant display such as the one found on the MSI P75 Creator. This is because doing any kind of project that requires a lot of colours, might look different on other displays that are calibrated properly.

Rainbow Six: Siege ran really smooth surprisingly

Monster Hunter: World ran quite smoothly even though it's quite graphic intensive

When running intensive applications such as Vegas Pro 15 and games, the fan in the laptop was loud enough to be audible but not to the point of annoyance. In terms of the heat generated from the laptop, the portion under the keyboard where I usually rest my wrist stayed moderately warm, allowing me to work for extended hours without my wrist feeling uncomfortable. I did notice that the majority of the heat seems to be concentrated towards the exhaust port on the side of the laptop.

As for the battery life, the laptop is more than capable of lasting up to 8 hours depending on the workload thanks to the 4-cell Li-Polymer battery under the hood. However, depending on the application I was running, the overall battery life of the P75 Creator could be drastically reduced to anywhere between 3 to 6 hours.

The MSI P75 Creator is quite a capable laptop when it comes to creative workloads such as video editing, motion graphics, as well as 3D modelling thanks to the fact that the display is nearly 100% sRGB compliant. Not only that, but I find that it is also quite a capable gaming machine provided you’re not playing esports titles that benefit from having a high refresh rate monitor.

I’d say the laptop is a great choice for aspiring content creators who requires a beefy laptop to handle projects ranging from video to 3D modelling thanks to specs such as a 9th generation Intel Core i7 processor, up to 64GB RAM support and an Nvidia GTX1660Ti graphics card. Not only that, but the laptop is more than capable of handling some games as well which is great especially when taking a short break from a project.

If you are interested in getting the MSI P75 Creator laptop, you can purchase it at MSI’s official website from the price of RM7499 along with a free Air Gaming Backpack. Let us know if you are interested in purchasing the laptop in question on our Facebook page and for more updates like this, stay tuned to TechNave.com.


Is the Nest smart speaker the latest product from Google?

When we mention “ok Google”, what comes to your mind? Yes! It is the Google Home speaker. A few weeks back, Google confirmed that the product is discontinued, but after 4 years we got a surprise that they might announce a new speaker.

From the teaser and image, the company revealed a brand new speaker called the Nest Speaker. Since there’s not much information about the Nest, we can assume that the speaker should be similar to Google Home. That means it can help users by just giving commands such as waking you up in the morning with your favourite song, helping in the kitchen with a recipe, setting a reminder for your daily routine, telling you a bedtime story, and many more features.

Looking at the image, what we can see is that the speaker still maintains the simple yet classy design that can fit anywhere in our room. But do you think there are any new features? Would you like to get one? Let us know in the comments below and be sure to stay tuned for more tech news at TechNave.com.


Is the Nintendo Switch Pro happening? Here's what the Nintendo of America President said

Since E3 is over, the livestream event was quite good to many with many newly announced video games. However, those who were looking forward to the much-rumoured Nintendo Switch Pro was a no-show. This piece of rumour news has been around for nearly 3 years now but here's what Doug Bowser, the Nintendo of America President has to say about it.

During an interview with the man by Washingtonpost.com, Bowser replied that Nintendo is always looking at how technology can continue to improve gameplay experiences but "not technology for technology's sake". He further explained how to specifically enhance and apply the technology, and whether to apply it on the current or the next. To end the answer, he said there are simply too many factors and they are always exploring them.

President of Nintendo of America, Doug Bowser

To cut the long story short, he neither confirmed nor deny the existence of the alleged Nintendo Switch Pro. On top of that, the answer he gave above also means new hardware will be introduced when the time is right. Bowser also highlighted that Nintendo's strategy of prolonging the console life cycle is doing well which can't be argued. After all, the company has already sold more than 85 million Switches as of April.

Over the years, Nintendo has been adding a wide variety of video games that are exclusive (like Mario, Pokemon and Zelda) as well as from other developers. It's also not a surprise that Malaysia also contributed to the Switch sales, especially since when the pandemic began last year as a source of entertainment for the many Malaysians stuck at home, even until today.

If you would like to read the full interview, you may visit the official webpage right over here. How do you feel about Nintendo not planning the pro variant anytime soon? Let us know in the comments below and stay tuned for more trending tech news at TechNave.com.


ASUS VivoWatch pre-order sale on 21 and 22 November in Malaysia

ASUS Malaysia have just announced in their Facebook page that a pre-order sale for their ASUS VivoWatch for 21 and 22 November 2015 in selected local outlets, the local outlets that will be selling the watch are:-


Is the OnePlus 6 finally waterproof?

OnePlus have announced on their official Twitter account that their upcoming flagship, the OnePlus 6 will be waterproof. There is no additional information on whether the device will be IP67 or IP68, but it should be splashproof or safe in the rain. Still no Malaysia release dates or pricing details yet though.

Based on what we know about the OnePlus 6. The smartphone will be powered by a Snapdragon 845 chipset with either an 8GB of RAM with 256GB of internal storage or 6GB of RAM with 64/128GB of internal storage. More information about the device will be revealed during the official unveiling. For more updates on the device mentioned above, stay tuned to TechNave.com.


Is the POCO C3 a repackaged Redmi 9C?

POCO came back with the POCO F2 Pro and now they are going to launch the Poco C3 in India. From the sources, it seems that this smartphone is another version of the Redmi 9C. This phone was launched in Malaysia not too long ago, so let’s investigate.

Comparing between the POCO C3 and the Redmi 9C, both feature the same MediaTek Helio G35 chipset, a 6.53-inch screen with 720p resolution, a fingerprint scanner, 5MP for the selfie sensor, and 5000mAh battery. Besides that, the difference between both phones is that the POCO C3 has up to 3GB of RAM and up to 64GB of internal storage (Redmi 9C is just 2GB +32GB). As for the camera, both phones are similar except the C3 has an extra 5MP depth sensor (Redmi 9C’s triple rear camera is 13MP + 2MP +2MP). Furthermore, both are running on Android 10.

The Redmi 9C costs RM429 in Malaysia but what about the POCO C3? Would it be cheaper? Do you want the POCO C3 to launch in Malaysia? Let us know in the comments below, and be sure to stay tuned for more tech news on TechNave.com.


Is the ~RM2.1k Brandeis Prometheus a scam 3 years in the making?

When it comes to smartphones, we always appreciate seeing new designs. In that sense, the design for the Brandeis Prometheus is considerably different. This device is an Indiegogo project by a startup and it's expected to ship in November 2020.

The Brandeis Prometheus is an all-black 6.5-inch device that was first introduced about 3 years ago. It has very angular and has sharp corners, which isn't something you normally see these days. The dual-camera at the back is surrounded by an octagonal ring that has 8 LED lights embedded, likely to provide sufficient lighting even in the dark.

Specs for the Prometheus are also going to be high-end. It's expected to launch with a Snapdragon 865 chipset, 16GB of RAM, and 512GB of internal storage. Also, it has a 4000mAh battery, 65W fast-charging, and 40W wireless charging. As for the cameras, there's a 108MP main camera and 48MP secondary camera at the back, while the selfie camera is a 40MP sensor.

The one important thing to note is that this is an Indiegogo project by a small startup company, so there could be delays in shipment and the whole project could even be a scam. But having said that, what do you think of its design? Is this a phone you would want to use? Let us know on our Facebook page and stay tuned to TechNave.com for news on more smartphones.


Is the Redmi K40 coming with a big battery capacity?

The Redmi K40 is expected to launching soon and based on a statement by Redmi's General Manager - Lu Weibing on Weibo, the device will come with durable battery life.

According to his Weibo post, the device shown there is 64% of battery life after 10.5 hours of continuous use. As for the remaining 64%, it can stay up to 25 hours and 4 minutes. There is a battery saving mode option, it can allow the remaining battery life can stay up to 38 hours and 34 minutes.

Lu Weibing posted on Weibo about the Redmi K40 battery life

On top of that, the device can also stay up to 231 hours and 25 minutes via the super saving mode. However, we can't judge the battery by the screenshot because we didn't know if the device usage is on standby mode, light usage, or heavy usage. To learn more about the Redmi K40, you may click here.

Are you excited about the Redmi K40? Let us know in the comments below and be sure to stay tuned for more tech news on TechNave.com.


Is the Redmi K40 going to launch at the end of the year?

According to the previous rumour, the Redmi K40 might launch at the end of the year and it could come with 5G connectivity. Today, the device has passed on EEC cert with the model number M2011K2G.

On top of that, the device might perhaps sport a Mediatek Dimensity 1000+ chipset and a 64MP main camera. As for the battery, it could feature a 4500mAh or 5200mAh battery capacity and support 33W fast charging technology. To read more leaks about Redmi K40, you may click here.

Well, all of the information is just a leak, so let's just sit back, relax, and wait for the official announcement. Do you think the day of the launch is around the corner?  Let us know in the comment below, be sure to stay tuned for more tech news on TechNave.com.


Is the Redmi K40 series sporting a different chipset? Snapdragon 888 or 870?

There are plenty of rumours going around before the Redmi K40 series is launched. Here we found a leak about the K40 and K40 Pro might sport a different chipset.

Speaking of the chipset, the K40 could sport a Snapdragon 888 chipset and the K40 Pro might perhaps equipped with the Snapdragon 870. Besides that, there's might be another variant which is the Redmi K40s and it may feature Dimensity 1200 chipset.

The tech specs list of the K40 Pro (left) and the K40 (right)

Both devices might come with the same 6.81-inch AMOLED display with 1440p resolution, a 108MP main camera, and 30MP selfie snapper. On top of that, the K40 Pro will have up to 12GB + 256GB and the K40 have 6GB + 128GB.

The company teased the starting price of the K40 Pro will be CNY3000 (~RM1886), and we believe the K40 variant might be slightly cheaper. Would you get this device if it is launched in the Malaysian market? Let us know in the comments below and be sure to stay tuned for more tech news on TechNave.com.


Is the Redmi gaming phone coming with a Dimensity 1200 chipset and 5000mAh battery?

There are plenty of rumours going around about the Redmi gaming phone before it is launches. Here we found the latest leaks about the device.

According to the leak, the device will launch at the end of April with an affordable price tag. The smartphone may come with a punch-hole OLED display with a 144Hz refresh rate. As for the chipset, the company said it might sport a MediaTek Dimensity 1200 chipset.

On top of that, it could be powered by a 5000mAh battery and supports a 67W fast charge thanks to the Chinese Center 3C certification which passed with the model number MDY-12-EF. To learn more about the device, you may click here.

Would you buy this device if it is launched in the Malaysian market? Let us know in the comments below and be sure to stay tuned for more tech news on TechNave.com.


Is the Redmi gaming smartphone coming with a 65W fast charge?

There are plenty of rumours before the Redmi's first gaming smartphone launches. Here, we found another leak about the device that might sport a 65W fast charging.

According to the leaker, the device comes with the model number M2104K10C and features a Dimensity 1200 chipset. It could sport a punch-hole OLED display which as same the Redmi K40. As for the battery, it might be powered by a 5000mAh battery and supports 65W ultra-fast charge.

On the other hand, the starting price for the device is CNY2000 (~RM1259). This is just a leak, so why not just take it with a pinch of salt and don't be serious about it. Are you excited about the first gaming smartphone from Redmi? Let us know in the comments below and be sure to stay tuned for more tech news on TechNave.com.


Is the S22 Ultra the better Nightography cameraphone? - Check out these Nightography photo and video samples

The recently launched Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra not only packed in a built-in S Pen, it also comes with the highest-end camera specs of the entire Samsung Galaxy S22 series so it’s safe to assume that the S22 Ultra is every bit a super cameraphone as it’s S21 Ultra predecessor. This year, Samsung says that the S22 Ultra will also “break the rules” when it comes to night photography or “Nightography” as they put it, so we took the S22 Ultra out for a couple of nights.

If you didn’t know already, the S22 Ultra comes with quad rear cameras consisting of 108MP (main) + 12MP (ultrawide) + 10MP (telephoto) + 10MP (periscope) cameras and a 40MP (wide) front camera. Most of the new camera features are automatic like the AI Autoframe rate while the AI-assist will choose the best mode (like Night mode, Macro mode, etc) based on the amount of light available but you can easily adjust these settings directly from the camera UI.

For Samsung’s “Nightography”, the S22 Ultra has Adaptive Pixel technology and a Detail Enhancer function on top of the better Night Mode. Thanks to the improved Samsung Gallery, Photo Editor and Video Editor, you can also remaster your photos, add stickers or AR and edit your videos. Feel free to check out our samples below:

The AI enhanced Night mode really brightens up the details

A cloudy night sky is easily captured with the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra 5G

On a rainy night, you don't need a lake to get a reflection shot

Just look for puddles for a reflection shot with the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra

Ultra-widescreen works just fine at night with the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra

You can still capture all the details even after you enlarge the image that was captured on 10x zoom

The Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra 5G captures images well on dark, rainy and misty nights too!

Put the phone upright for a bit more space from the top

Selfies look good at night too with the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra

Clear Portrait shots at night even with bright lights in the background

As mentioned in the S22 Ultra review the cameras on the phone are now able to better capture RAW format pictures. However, to do that, you have to download and use the Expert RAW app which you can find on the Samsung Galaxy Store to take photos.

You can then use compatible photo editors to edit these RAW photos via a variety of settings like Shadows, Highlights and so forth (definitely more options than just your usual Brightness and Contrast). We used Google’s Snapseed, which is both free and readily available to edit the RAW photos below:

You can download Expert RAW from the Samsung Galaxy Store

RAW format pictures are easier to adjust and you can get many feelings across using just one photo captured with the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra 5G and Expert RAW

The S22 Ultra can record videos up to 8K in 24fps but since most people don’t have an 8K TV or display (including us!), we recorded several video samples in FHD or Full HD at 60fps and 4K at 60fps. Like in our previous video testing we found that the S22 Ultra works well in most night situations with very low noise.

However, if you take videos while moving, it tends to amplify shakes, causing each foot fall to shake in the video. You can easily remedy this by turning on the Super Steady mode though.

Overall, based on our experiences and from the samples you can see above, the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra is one of the better cameraphones, especially if you intend to use it for night photography or videography. So, in answer to the question, “Is the S22 Ultra the better Nightography cameraphone?” our short answer would be Yes.

Of course, this still means that you have to frame the photo or video properly. While the Super Steady mode does almost get rid of shake, our alignment was still a bit at an off angle, so if you’re going to use the S22 Ultra to record video at night, either make sure the alignment is correct before recording or use a gimbal or stabilizer.

My favourite shot cropped from the black and white filter photo

If you’re interested in getting the S22 Ultra for your own Nightography shots or videos then there’s still various freebies that come with the phone if you order before 31 March 2022. The 8GB RAM + 128GB storage version starts from RM5099 going all the way up to RM5899 for the 12GB RAM + 512GB storage variant. These freebies include a free Samsung Galaxy Watch4 (40mm) and a Galaxy X Lamy Safari Twin Pen so do check it out.

If you’ve got any nice Nightography shots or videos of your own from your brand new S22 Ultra then do share it with us on our Facebook page. As always, stay tuned to TechNave.com for more articles like this.


Is the Samsung Exynos 7904 the chipset set for the Galaxy M series? Will a Galaxy M have triple rear cameras?

Samsung India recently announced the new Galaxy M series (the Galaxy M10, Galaxy M20 and Galaxy M30) and almost too coincidentally, Samsung have announced the Exynos 7904 for India's midrange. While it doesn't exactly confirm that the Galaxy M series will actually utilize this new octa-core chipset, the fact that both are set for India seems a bit too much of a coincidence.

The Exynos 7 Series 7904 supports triple-cameras, including for wide angle and bokeh cameras. The ISP enables single camera resolutions of up to 32MP along with FHD at 120 fps or UHD at 30 fps video playback. Built on a 14nm process the chipset uses an embedded LTE modem that supports Cat 12 3-carrier aggregation for 600 Mbps downloads.

Does this mean we'll see 32MP dual rear cameras or a 32MP front camera? We think at most it would be a 24MP sensor considering that it is a midranger from Samsung but the cover image clearly shows a triple rear camera for perhaps the Galaxy M30. What do you think? Would you want to get one of the Samsung Galaxy M series smartphones considering these features?


2018 Sony World Photography Awards is now open for everyone

Sony is back once again with its 2018 Sony World Photography Awards, in case you're wondering what is that - it's one of the world's leading photography competitions and it's also now open for entries, allowing any free submissions at www.worldphoto.org. With this, the Malaysia National Award is open to photographers of all abilities from Malaysia.

To enter the National Awards, photographers must submit one image to the Open Competition. Photographers can enter any of the following ten categories:

The winner of Malaysia National Award will be announced on March 2018. The prizes include:

The winning image will be published in the annual Sony World Photography Awards’ winners book, the 2018 Sony World Photography Awards Exhibition held in London in April-May 2018 and showcased online at www.worldphoto.org. Do note that your submitted photo work must be taken before 31 December 2017, the Open Competition (including National Awards) will close on Tuesday 4 January 2018.

For the full list of competition categories and descriptions please visit Sony World Photography Awards website.


ASUS Vivobook 13 Slate OLED Malaysia release: 13.3-inch OLED PANTONE touchscreen, quad stereo speakers, ASUS Pen 2.0 and more for RM3499

For those who are always on the go, a 2-in-1 laptop is probably the best option you can get. But they tend to lack specs like a pro-level display, which is useful when you work with graphics design. The good news is that ASUS has a device for that particular need.

Yesterday, ASUS launched the Vivobook 13 Slate OLED. This is a 2-in-1 Windows 11 device with a detachable keyboard, so you can use it as a regular laptop or high-quality tablet when needed. It comes with a modest Intel Pentium Silver N6000 CPU (1.1GHz), 8GB of LPDDR4X RAM, and a 256GB M.2 NVMe SSD (PCIe 3.0). It also has Intel UHD Graphics, which is enough for basic productivity apps.

Of course, the core feature of the ASUS Vivobook 13 Slate OLED is its display. This laptop packs a 13.3-inch Full HD+ OLED touchscreen with 100% DCI-P3 colour gamut, 550nits peak brightness, and Display HDR True Black. It's also PANTONE validated, which means it has professional-grade colour accuracy. Combined with the ASUS Pen 2.0, you can draw art or create designs of the highest quality even when you're on the go. It also has other features like Dolby Atmos quad speakers.

The ASUS Vivobook 13 Slate OLED is now available in Malaysia for RM3499. If you're interested, check out the ASUS Malaysia website for more info and specs. With that said, what are your thoughts on the device? Is it something that fits your needs? Let us know in the comments, and stay tuned to TechNave for more news like this.