Netflix is testing letting subscribers preview its original content and give feedback before release

Popular video-streaming service platform Netflix is reportedly in the midst of testing a new practice for its original series and movies to improve their quality and reception among the public. Accordingly, Netflix will be previewing its video content in advance to selected subscribers to gauge their reception as well as to gain feedback for improvements.

According to IT Home, more than 2,000 subscribers can currently preview Netflix’s original content before their release and have been doing so since one year ago. Now, the video streaming company is planning to further expand the programme to “tens of thousands” of users worldwide next year.

Of course, this is not actually something revolutionary as the same practice has been done by Hollywood and other media creators for quite some time now. Usually, Hollywood movie producers would make a screen test of their upcoming films to see audiences’ reactions and will alter certain things based on their feedback.

Most of the time, this practice involves a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) for those that previewed the content so as to curb them from revealing to the public what they’ve seen. However, do take this information with a grain of salt as Netflix has yet to release any statement addressing this alleged new practice of previewing its original content.

So, what do you guys think of these reports? Would you join in a content preview programme by Netflix if you’re offered? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below and stay tuned to TechNave for more trending tech news.


Netflix launches a new feature for you to stop ruining your streaming experience

Have you ever accidentally scrolled your timeline while streaming a movie or an episode of a drama on Netflix? If you find that really annoying, Netflix might have come out with a solution to save the day. Today, it has been found that a new feature called ‘Screen Lock’ appeared on the Android version of Netflix app, which brings the ability of locking the screen while streaming content.

With the new server-side update, a new icon will now show up at the left bottom corner for users to lock the screen entirely, but will leave the content playing. It is to prevent users from accidentally pressing any icons, pausing the content, or even messing up the timeline while watching movie or drama on the app. To turn the feature off, just touch the icon twice and the screen will be unlocked.

However, the feature is currently only available on Netflix Android app. For iOS, the update might come soon in the future. Netflix has been the largest content-streaming service for us to enjoy a huge library of movies and dramas. It is awesome that the company can notice such problems existing among the users and came out with a solution to make their product even better.

Let us know what you think about the new feature from Netflix on our Facebook page. Stay tuned to TechNave.com for more new app updates.


Netflix looking to provide cheaper subscription tier supported by ads

Have you ever wished that Netflix subscriptions would be cheaper? Well, you're not the only one. While the prices have increased before, there have never been any signs of cheaper tiers. However, it looks like the company finally actually plans to do this soon.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Netflix will be introducing a new subscription tier to its streaming platform. Of course, there's an important catch to this: Advertising. That's right, the new subscription tier will be ad-supported. Mind you, the exact price and features for this tier haven't been revealed, so it could be worth suffering through the ads (hopefully).

When asked, Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos pointed to the loss of 200k subscribers in the last quarter as a big motivation. Obviously, the aim here is to regain those lost subscribers, and possibly gain new ones who might not mind ads. As Sarandos puts it, it's for people who think "Hey, Netflix is too expensive for me and I don’t mind advertising".

I hate ads so I won't subscribe even if it's cheaper, but how about you? Would you sign up for Netflix if it's cheap enough but has ads? Share your thoughts in the comments below, and stay tuned to TechNave for more news like this.


Netflix now allows Android users to save videos online to SD card

If you are on Netflix, and have Android devices linked to your account – you can now save the videos that you are currently watching straight into your SD card. Previously the offline viewing mode is only available to the internal storage, so if your phone has limited internal space, you are out of luck to save your shows to watch on the road.

Now the latest Android update for the app allows you to save your Netflix video clips to your microSD card. If you have a phone or tablet that can support microSD cards, you should be able to download a ton of movies and TV episodes and save them without maxing out your onboard storage.

Users just need to check in the “Download Location” setting in the app to choose either the offline clips will go to the onboard storage or the microSD slot. So if you have the app ready, and a Netflix account – save your favourite show offline now.


Netflix now allows offline viewing on devices

If you are currently subscribing to Netflix, and wished you can bring your favourite show or movie along with you while you are travelling – good news. Netflix now allows users to download shows onto your smart devices for offline viewing. This feature is now live for both the Android and iOS apps, and regardless of the subscription tier.

There will be a button to start the download in the show or movie that is allowed to be downloaded – and then the user can initiate the download to watch the content offline. The current list of downloadable content is big, but mainly focused on Netflix original productions.

Netflix has helpfully created a page named ‘Available for Download’ for contents that can be downloaded for off-line viewing. This download feature will be great for times you want to watch something where there is limited or no internet connection – for example when you are flying, especially with low-cost carriers that does not have any entertainment system.


Netflix now allows you to remove shows from "Continue Watching" list

Netflix offers a wide range of shows to suit everyone's taste, and that's one of the reasons why the streaming platform has been standing strong until now. However, if you've stumbled upon some content that you don't really want to continue binging, it could be annoying to see the show being stuck in your "Continue Watching" list. Now, the solution might have come as Netflix is letting you remove the content that you've lost interest in after clicking in.

The shows in the "Continue Watching" list that you would never get back to can now be removed with a new option called "Remove From Row". To find it, you would need to click on the three-dot menu button located just right under the show, and a menu will then pop up. However, the option is now only available on Android. For iOS, it will be rolled out on 29 June. If you're using the Web version but still really want to get rid of those annoying titles, you could head to "Viewing Activity" under "Your Account" to do that.

It is undeniable that the streaming platform is doing a great job entertaining the users, but there are also some limited control options that we can find here and there on it. To offer a better streaming experience, Netflix has been bringing new features and improving the old ones. There was a time in which a new "Screen Lock" feature was introduced for unobstructed viewing experience.

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


Netflix now delivers improved audio on Android with new audio format

While many prefer to watch their shows on a big TV screen, there are times when you feel like chilling in your best with your phone. Well, you'll soon find that the audio from Netflix is better on Android now. This is all thanks to the company switching to a new audio encoder.

According to Engadget, Netflix previously used standard HE-AAC as its audio decoder. But the company has now upgraded its Android app's audio decoder to xHE-AAC (Extended High-Efficiency AAC). Based on a content's MPEG-D DRC metadata, the new decoder can apply better dynamic range control and manage the volume of the audio. It also offers adaptive bitrate audio and better voice clarity.

You can visit the Netflix Techblog for technical details

Besides audio improvements, the new decoder's dynamic bitrate could help reduce your bandwidth consumption. It should be noted that the new changes will only apply if your device is running on Android 9 or later. The upgrade is currently in A/B testing though, so only some of you would get the update.

Having said that, have you noticed the audio of your favourite Netflix content sounding better on Android? Do let us know in the comments below and stay tuned to TechNave for more news like this.


Netflix now includes all the new Samsung Galaxy devices into the HD & HDR10 list

Nowadays, there are more people than before subscribing to Netflix at home especially during the pandemic period. Thankfully a lot of media companies have given us some entertainment and now Netflix just updated the HD and HDR10 list for their subscribers to enjoy high-quality content with added devices.

So what are the new devices? From the title, the new Samsung Galaxy devices that were launched at the beginning of this month are now included. You can now enjoy the HDR10 with your latest Samsung devices which are the Samsung Galaxy Note 20 series, Samsung Galaxy Tab S7+, Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5G, Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2. The TCL 10 series are also included in HD and HDR10 list.

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 (left) & Galaxy Tab S7+ (right)

If you don’t have the phones that we mentioned earlier, no worries. You can still enjoy the HD quality if you have these phones as well. The devices include Samsung Galaxy Tab S7, Samsung Galaxy Tab A7, Samsung Galaxy A21s, Samsung Galaxy A31, Samsung Galaxy A41, Samsung Galaxy A51 5G, Samsung Galaxy A71 5G, and Samsung Galaxy M31s.

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 is not in the list of HDR10 but the Samsung Galaxy Tab S7+ is. Both devices have the same 120Hz refresh rate but using different displays. The Galaxy Tab S7 has the 11-inch LCD display and the Galaxy Tab S7+ feature a 12.4-inch AMOLED display.

Are your devices included in this updated HD and HDR10 list? Let us know in the comments below and be sure to stay tuned for more tech news on TechNave.com.


Netflix now supports Spatial Audio for iOS users too

A few weeks back, Apple launched Spatial Audio and Lossless Audio for Apple Music. Now that the company has paved the way, other companies are looking to add similar features to their apps. One of them happens to be an iOS app for Netflix.

According to 9to5Mac, Netflix is rolling out Spatial Audio for iPhone and iPad users. It will be available to those who have updated to iOS 14. Users can enable Spatial Audio by tapping on the toggle in the Control Center for their device. For those unaware, Spatial Audio uses directional audio filters to affect the direction that sound can come from. It effectively provides you with a surround sound experience.

Besides that, Spatial Audio is set to get an upgrade soon. Apple is currently working on iOS 15, which will add a "Spatialize Stereo" to the OS. This feature will let users play non-Dolby Atmos content with Spatial Audio enabled. In other words, you will be able to play any song or video in Spatial Audio mode.

Of course, the caveat is that Spatial Audio is exclusive to AirPods Pro TWS earbuds and AirPods Max headphones. Have you gotten to test Spatial Audio? What do you think about it so far? Share your thoughts in the comments, and stay tuned to TechNave for more news like this.


ASUS ZenPad sneak peek reveals customizable tablet with 8MP cameras + fashion, power and audio cases

Intel and ASUS Malaysia were on hand to show off the ASUS ZenPad for a detailed sneak preview

Recently, ASUS and Intel Malaysia held a sneak peek preview of the upcoming ASUS ZenPad tablets, which TechNave.com was privileged to attend. While the ASUS ZenPad C was also available the star of the show was undoubtedly the ASUS ZenPad 7.0 (Z370CG). Featuring tech specs that include the 64-bit quad-core Intel Atom x3 C3230 processor, 2GB RAM, 16GB storage, a 7-inch display with 1280 x 800 pixel resolution and 8MP PixelMaster rear camera with autofocus, the main feature for the tablet is that it is the first one that you can customize. While it comes with a luxury-themed leather-textured plastic backplate called a Zen Case, this can be replaced with several other Zen Cases which include black, silver, orange and pastel blue (as added value, the ZenPad 7.0 will come with an extra free Zen Case). While we still don't have any pricing details yet, it has been revealed that the ZenPad 7.0 will be getting a lot of other accessories. This includes a fashionable leather clutch case called the Zen Clutch, the Power Case which adds on an extra 2000 mAh battery for a total 16 hours worth of battery life and the Audio Cover which features 5.1 channel surround sound, 6 built-in speakers and 1 sub woofer which combined with the dts-HD sound technology in the tablet makes for an instant boombox tablet.

The ZenPad tablets will have the Audio Cover for your instant boombox needs

Our hands-on of the Audio cover reveals a very thin case, despite packing in six speakers and a subwoofer

The Audio Cover was actually on hand during the sneak preview and even in the noisy restaurant, the sound from the ZenPad 7.0 and Audio Cover drowned out everything else. ASUS Malaysia says that we're going to get all of these accessories, but haven't released when exactly this may happen. However, save your dates for 26 August 2015 at Mid Valley Centre court as they'll be doing a big reveal for the ASUS ZenPad tablets. Other big reveals set for that date include the ASUS ZenFone Selfie which has 13MP laser auto focus cameras with dual LED flash on both the front and back. Again, no pricing details, but we'll do some unboxings and hands-on for many interesting ASUS products in the next few days, so stay tuned for that. In other related news, ASUS Malaysia have confirmed that the ASUS ZenPad tablets will phase out the current ASUS Fonepad and MeMO Pad tablets but owners of these tablets should still expect updates and support for their devices.

The ASUS ZenPad 7.0 is the first tablet with a replaceable back that you can customize.

The Zen Cases have a leather-like texture and can be replaced with ease

The 8MP PixelMaster rear camera puts all the power of a ZenFone into the ASUS ZenPad tablet


Netflix partners with Microsoft to bring ad-supported subscription plan on the platform

Netflix has announced that it will be partnering with tech giant Microsoft for the streaming service’s proposed ad-supported subscription plan. The move to introduce such a plan was announced back in April this year following Netflix's struggles in retaining and adding subscribers.

In a statement yesterday, Netflix COO Greg Peters said that Microsoft has all the ability to support all of the streaming service’s needs as they together build a new ad-supported offering. As reported by CNBC, Netflix further elaborated that Microsoft also offered the flexibility to innovate over time on both the technology and sales side, as well as provide strong privacy protections for the platform’s subscribers.

Previously, Netflix was reportedly interviewing potential partners over the past several months, including Comcast and Google. Ultimately, a partnership with Microsoft was seen as the most ideal for both companies as unlike Comcast and Google, Microsoft do not have any streaming service or content platform.

While the partnership between the two companies have been announced, the ad-supported subscription plan itself won’t debut any time soon. Peters asserted that the plan is still at its ‘very early days’ and that there’s ‘much to work through’ still.

So, what do you guys think of this partnership between Netflix and Microsoft? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below and stay tuned to TechNave for the latest tech news such as this!


Netflix password sharing charges for Malaysia is here for RM13 per month

Looks like the day has come. We have been wondering when Netflix will take action on password sharing after several delays. According to Netflix, sharing your account with someone who doesn't live with you costs $7.99/month (~RM36). For the Malaysian market, it will officially be RM13/month.

While some of us haven't received an email about this, US citizens should have gotten it on how to control their account being used, transfer a profile or buy an extra member. In Malaysia's case, the extra member must be 18 years or older to be in the same country and he/she will get his/her own account and password outside of your household.

On top of that, the extra member will only have one existing profile or a new one, as well as all of Netflix content on one device at a time. As you can see in the screenshot above, you would have to pay RM58/month if you're using the standard package. And that's just for extra members only. For users using Premium, each primary account holder can only add up to two extra members who are outside of the household.

On the contrary, it was reported that Netflix is anticipating a huge amount of users unsubscribing. However, the board is confident that borrowers would activate their own standalone accounts and expect to see improved overall revenue.


Netflix releases Profile Transfer for users to migrate profiles to another account

Netflix has introduced a new feature besides adding a new ads-supporting tier. The video streaming company starts the press release with "People move. Families grow. Relationships end." Although it might sound serious at first read, it's actually for a feature called 'Profile Transfer', which allows users to transfer their profiles to another account.

Transferring profiles to another account will allow the migration of viewing history, My List, personalized recommendations and even saved games. Besides that, various other settings will get transferred too. Profile Transfer will be rolling out to all subscribers soon. It has started today, and users can expect a notification when it's their turn.

However, the source mentions that the major reason behind this new feature could be that Netflix doesn't want its users to use shared accounts. Therefore, if you've moved out of your parent's home, it's time to get a new account and use Profile Transfer. Of course, it's not just about Netflix getting benefits out of this. Users might actually find this feature helpful when they move in with someone and want their old profiles in the new account.

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


Netflix removed its new password sharing rules & still figuring out how to do it

If you follow Netflix, you would have heard about its intention of cracking down on password sharing since last year. While there isn't any official statement on how the company plans to do so, here's what we know about it so far.

In case you're out of the loop, reports have said that the password-sharing termination would come by the end of the first quarter of 2023. As a mission set by Greg Peters, Co-CEO of Netflix, the company has yet to figure out how exactly they would do it. Initially, there was a support page but it is removed already.

According to sources, Netflix users would have to access their accounts every month. Devices that are using the account outside of their home would then be blocked, and the system will ask the other users to create an account. Of course, this is very counter-productive because the main owner would have more than one device watching Netflix so obviously, it didn't make sense for Netflix users online.

In response to the now-removed-support page on password sharing, a Netflix spokesperson told the media that the support page was only applicable to Chile, Costa Rica and Peru. That said, the password-sharing pilot tests in those countries didn't sound successful as Netflix left the customers more confused.

Anyway, we sincerely hope that Netflix can find the best solution if the company is keen on curbing password-sharing. Otherwise, with the many TV streaming platforms out there in the market, it's easy to cancel Netflix and switch to another one.


Netflix reportedly working on a new Apple Arcade-like gaming bundle for 2022

When it comes to Netflix, it's often synonymous with movies and TV shows but gaming? Well, that's something new. From this latest news, Netflix might actually explore and expand further with a new gaming bundle. It sounds intriguing and it is exactly what you think it is, so read on below.

According to several sources, one of the first things that the industry noticed was Netflix is looking for an executive to oversee this new gaming section. Further information suggests that Netflix wants a system that is similar to the Apple Arcade where Netflix users can go into and play without any ads.

Of course, don't expect to see any new announcement about it as the plans are still in the early stage. Reports are saying Netflix might release this in 2022 so that's a long way to go. Moreover, the game bundle could include original Netflix IP games as well as others from indie game studios.

While Netflix has no comments on this news, they did tell the sources that they are "excited to do more with interactive entertainment". But what do you guys think? Do you see any potential? Let us know in the comments below and stay tuned for more trending tech news at TechNave.com.


Netflix revises subscription fee for Malaysian subscribers

All the news on digital tax has made many Malaysians sad this December. Unfortunately, that doesn't seem to be stopping yet. We've already heard of how Steam will be implementing digital tax for its platform earlier today and now Netflix has also announced that it will be revising its pricing for the Malaysian market.

So far, Netflix has decided to increase the fee for all subscription plans in Malaysia. Going forward, Basic will be RM35 (up from RM33), RM45 (up from RM42) for Standard, and RM55 (up from RM51) for Premium. The mobile-only plan is the only one to escape unscathed and will remain at RM17 per month. The new pricing will be in effect beginning 9th January 2020. Luckily, Netflix subscribers in Malaysia will be informed of the changes at least one month in advance, which means you wouldn't see the new rates on your bill just yet.

This is the first time Netflix has increased the prices of its subscription plans since it first launched in Malaysia in 2016. Do note that the pricing will also include the 6% digital tax so the actual increase on Netflix's side isn't much. For example, 6% tax on the Premium plan would have been around RM54. Netflix insists that the decision to increase the fees was not influenced by the digital tax. Instead, the goal is to allow the company to continue investing in creating content.

Are you bothered by the increase in Netflix's subscription fee? Let us know if you are planning to change your subscription plan on our Facebook page. Also, remember to stay tuned to TechNave.com for more news like this.


Netflix rolls out spatial audio for all devices, available for contents that support the format

Popular streaming service Netflix has announced that it is bringing in spatial audio support to all devices so as enhance the listening experience for its subscribers. Hence, users with devices that do not normally support the format can now use it, bringing in theatre-like sound for applicable contents on the platform.

In a statement on its official website, Netflix said that  its spatial audio helps to translate the cinematic experience of immersive audio to any stereo. It began rolling out to Netflix’ available catalogue of contents yesterday, thanks to a collaboration with Sennheiser.

For now, only a limited amount of content have support for spatial audio, including The Adam Project, Stranger Things, Red Notice, The Witcher and others. In order to track the Netflix contents that has support the format, all you have to do is key in ‘spatial audio’ into the platform’s search bar.

Support for spatial audio is the latest audio and video formats support that the Netflix platform is capable of, which include 4K, HDR, Dolby Atmos and Netflix Calibrated Mode. Furthermore, if you’re watching on an iPhone, iPad or Apple TV, spatial audio will only be available if you set the quality to “High” or “Auto”.

So, what do you guys think of this latest update by Netflix? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below and stay tuned to TechNave for the latest trending tech news!


Netflix's ad-supported plan will block users from downloading films and shows for offline viewing

Netflix is on the verge of releasing a new ad-supported subscription plan so as to attract more people to subscribe to the streaming service. However, it seems that the new plan will have more limitations than first thought as it will block users from downloading shows and films for offline viewing.

Discovered by developer Steve Moser who examined the Netflix app’s code, the said limitation was found embedded inside the app by the streaming giant. He then shared his findings with Bloomberg, whereby offline downloads are only allowed for ad-free tiers on the app.

In a way, it does make sense given how there’s no way to show users ads if they’re viewing the content offline, which when viewed through Netflix’s eyes defeats the purpose of having an ad-supported subscription plan. It also pretty much pushes people to subscribe to an ad-free plan if they like to view their content offline.

Well, do take this information with a grain of salt as while the code does point toward this implementation, nothing has been confirmed by Netflix just yet. What do you guys think? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below and stay tuned to TechNave for more trending tech news.


Netflix’s ad-supported subscription plan will limit streaming to only 480p resolution

Previously, we reported on how Netflix will block users from downloading films and shows for offline viewing and it seems that the limitations of the subscription tier don’t just end there. In fact, recent reports on the matter also point towards the new Netflix base plan to also limit streaming resolution to 480p.

According to IT Home, the ad-supported plan will only allow users to stream in Standard Definition (SD) as a way to differentiate from higher-tiers and ad-free plans. Well, the move is not too surprising given the current lowest-tier Netflix plan in Malaysia, the mobile plan already has the same limitation in place.

In case you didn’t know, Netflix has been offering the aforementioned mobile plan in Malaysia since late 2019 at an affordable price of RM17 per month. As the name would suggest, the plan is only available for viewing Netflix content on smartphones and tablets and not on TVs.

SD quality is definitely passable on mobile phones, though given how most modern smartphones feature high-resolution displays, those that want the best quality videos should stray away from this upcoming ad-supported tier. What do you guys think?

Share your views with us in the comments below as we’d love to hear your thoughts. As always, do stay tuned to TechNave for more trending tech news such as this.


Netflix's gaming expansion now in early stages and will begin with mobile gaming

Last week, we wrote news that Netflix has hired a new executive to overlook the gaming expansion business. With such an exciting development, it was confirmed from the company's Q2 2021 financial report that they are now in the early stages.

Calling it a new content category, Netflix said that current subscribers will have gaming access for free and the expansion will begin with mobile gaming. Planning it for the long term, the company will of course start small and focus on many of its original intellectual properties to stand out. According to Netflix COO and CPO, Greg Peters, this move is mainly for the fans of selected franchisees who want to go deeper into the fictional world.

Since Netflix subscribers will have free access, they also won't need to worry about seeing any advertisements around. Peters said that they want their audience to focus on the gaming experience and not get distracted. By the way, this also includes without the need for in-game purchases or any monetization.

While Netflix didn't comment further about what is the endgame, it is possible that gaming could go into consoles and smart TVs in the future. Ultimately, it depends on how the subscribers react to it and Netflix will try a bunch of different gaming methods to see which works.

If you want to read the company's Q2 2021 Financial Report, you can visit the website here. But what do you think about Netflix's ambition? Let us know in the comments below and stay tuned for more trending tech news at TechNave.com.


ASUS ZenPad tablets and LG G4 spotted in SIRIM database, coming to Malaysia soon

The SIRIM Database is often used like China's TENAA and also usually gives a clear indication that a device may be coming to Malaysia soon. The ASUS ZenPad 7.0 or Z370CG, ASUS ZenPad C 7.0 or Z170CG and LG G4. The ZenPad tablets will have tech specs that include the new 64-bit Intel Atom x3 processors, 1GB/2GB RAM, 16GB/32GB storage and 3G connectivity. Both will feature 7-inch displays but the higher-end Z370CG will offer 1280 x 800 pixel resolutions compared to the 1024 x 600 pixels on the Z170CG. The listing for the ZenPad tablets appears to be to all the usual local distributors, suggesting that we could see the ASUS ZenPad tablets sometime soon, with early estimates set at July 2015. The LG G4 on the other hand looks to be going to one of the major smartphone distributors in Malaysia, which suggests that it may be making an official comeback to Malaysia. The LG G4 is currently the leather-clad flagship smartphone from LG with a curved 5.5-inch 2K display covered by Gorilla Glass 4, 16MP rear camera with laser autofocus and OIS and much more. Neither ASUS nor LG Malaysia have made any comment or teaser on these new arrivals, but we expect both to arrive in Malaysia soon.


Netflix’s latest job postings suggest that the company is planning to make an AAA PC game

Previously, we reported that Netflix is forming an in-house game studio to create ‘world-class’ original game titles and now, we may know more about this plan. In recent job listings, the video streaming company alluded that it is planning to develop a triple-A PC game.

The job listings are mostly for the Netflix Game Studios, which include openings for the position of Game Director, Technical Director, Senior Producer, Field Service Analyst and Lead Engineer. The job listing for Game Director is most telling though as it pretty much spells out what Netflix is planning to do in the game industry in the near future.

In the vacancy ad, Netflix says that they are looking for a creative and highly-skilled Game Director that could help the company “forge the game direction and creative on a brand-new AAA PC game,”. Besides that, a quick read of the responsibilities of the Game Director post suggests that this new game that Netflix is developing is a third-person role-playing game built on the Unreal Engine.

As of the time of writing, the position of Game Director is still vacant as the job listing is still up. So if you think you have what it takes to lead Netflix’s first-ever AAA PC game, do apply here.

So, what do you guys think of  Netflix’s foray into the gaming industry? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below and stay tuned to TechNave for more trending tech news such as this.


Netflix’s new ad-supported plan doesn’t currently work with Apple TV

As we’ve reported previously, Netflix is launching an ad-supported subscription tier this month and today, it is already live in certain parts of the world. However, there are some technical difficulties with its launch, whereby those that subscribe to the plan could not access it if they’re using Apple TV.

As reported by Variety, a Netflix rep confirmed that “Basic with ads plan support on tvOS is not available at launch but coming soon”. This is after many users reported that the ad-supported tier is not working on tvOS on AppleTV and Apple TV 4K.

Worry not though as a Netflix rep has confirmed that a fix is currently in the works. However, Netflix didn’t clarify why it’s not working on AppleTV since its launch.

The ad-supported tier is not currently available in Malaya and Netflix has yet to reveal when it will be coming to our shores. So, what do you guys think of the whole situation? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below and stay tuned to TechNave for more trending tech news!


Netflix’s new ad-supported tier to officially launch this November in 12 countries

After being in the works for a while now, Netflix is finally set to launch its ad-supported subscription tier next month in 12 countries. Called ‘Basic with Ads’, it will be available in Australia, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, Japan, Italy, South Korea, Spain, Mexico, the UK and the US.

The ad-supported tier will launch on different dates in November 2022 depending on the country, with Canada getting it on 1 November and the US and UK getting it on 3 November. The prices vary depending on the country as well, for example, it’s USD6.99 (~RM33) in the US, CAD5.99 (~RM21) in Canada and GBP4.99 (~27) in the UK.

According to Netflix’s official website, the ad-supported tier will limit video quality to 720p and users will be getting an average of “4 to 5 minutes of ads per hour”. As for the length of the ads, the company said that at launch, they will be between 15 to 30 seconds and will play before and during shows and films.

The Basic with Ads plan will also block users from downloading shows or films for offline viewing. As of the time of writing, Netflix has yet to reveal when the ad-supported plan will be expanded to other countries, including Malaysia.

What do you guys think of the new Basic with Ads plan by Netflix? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below and stay tuned to TechNave for more trending tech news.


Netflix's new password sharing pilot test is a mess leaving customers confused

We have talked about the Netflix password sharing function for quite some time now. The company has been doing a pilot test in Costa Rica, Chile and Peru first since March to study and understand if it works before rolling out globally. Unfortunately, it seems that the pilot test has been making users more confused.

For the uninitiated, Netflix is trying to work on a new password sharing function that charges users who share passwords with their friends and family. This is only applicable if the other party is not living in the same household but the Peruvians didn't really get the memo. From the media's interview with a few Peruvian Netflix users, the pilot testing is quite a mess.

According to them, most of them have not received the message of the new charges for sharing passwords. Most of them aren't subject to the same policies as well even after two months. On the other hand, a user told the Media that "it wasn't just the new charges", but rather she wasn't "enjoying most of their shows anymore". We can only imagine that she's not the only one feeling like that as more Netflix shows are going "woke".

Of course, since this is a pilot test, that means the function is bound to change to see what works. Netflix told the media that the rollout "has been progressive and that different subscribers might be paying differing charges". For context, adding a new member for sharing the account is around $2 (~RM8) but the price may vary in different countries.

We hope that Netflix can sort this out soon as this new function could eventually make its way to Malaysia. Malaysians are also very keen to share their passwords with their friends and family because it's more cost-effective due to the weak currency. But what do you think? Let us know in the comments below and stay tuned for more trending tech news at TechNave.com.


Netflix subscribers can now play ‘TMNT: Shredder’s Revenge’ mobile game for free on Android and iOS

In case you didn’t know, Netflix Games is a venture that the popular video streaming company expanded into since November 2021 which is a service that provides mobile games to Netflix subscribers for free. Well, the latest original title that Netflix Games recently released is Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge which is a game worth checking out.

Available as a mobile exclusive for Netflix subscribers on both iOS and Android, TMNT: Shredder’s Revenge is a classic side-scrolling game with some amazing pixel art. Furthermore, the game allows you to team up with 5 other players, with playable characters including all 5 ninja turtles, April O’Neil, Master Splinter and Casey Jones.

If you’re a Netflix subscriber, the game can be played for free, whereby you can download it from the Google Play Store as well as the Apple App Store for both Android and iOS respectively. So, what do you guys think of this Netflix Games exclusive?

What are your thoughts on Netflix Games in general? Share your comments with us below and stay tuned to TechNave for more trending tech news.


Netflix subscribers in Poland now have access to Stranger Things games

A few months back, it was reported that Netflix had begun to look into an Apple Arcade-like bundle for its platform. The company seemed quite serious about implementing this plan, so much so that it hired a former EA executive to oversee the project. Now, Netflix has taken its first steps in this direction with its Polish subscribers.

In a Twitter post, Netflix announced that its users in Poland can begin accessing selected Netflix mobile games on Android devices. Specifically, subscribers in Poland will get access to Strangers Things 3 and Stranger Things 1984. Unlike a lot of the free-to-play games that are popular these days, the two games offered are buy-to-play. But if you're a Netflix subscriber in Poland, you can download them on Android.

Here’s what you can expect:- No ads- No in-app purchases - Games included with your Netflix membershipWe’ll keep you updated as we explore what gaming looks like on Netflix. Stay tuned. pic.twitter.com/IvoEw4sTgQ

Netflix has promised that there would be no in-game ads or purchases that will tempt you to part with more money. The games will also be accessible as soon as you sign up for Netflix. Best of all, there's currently no additional cost required to get the games for free. While this is a limited test run in Poland, Netflix could expand this to more regions later to have a larger group of beta testers. The company is also looking into developing its own games, though there probably won't be anything in the short term.

Honestly, it's hard to say if this would be something that many would be interested in. Most mobile gamers prefer free-to-play gacha games or genres like MOBA and Battle Royale. Would Netflix's idea really take off? Share your thoughts on the topic in the comments, and stay tuned to TechNave for more news like this.


Netflix to charge subscribers for using their accounts on TVs outside of their primary ‘home’

Recently, Netflix announced a partnership with Microsoft to bring ad-supported subscription plans as part of its initiative to curb password sharing among users. Now, the popular streaming service is also doubling down against password sharing by charging an additional fee for subscribers that use their accounts outside of their primary household for over 2 weeks.

Currently being tested in South America, the new measure is in place in Argentina, Honduras, El Salvador, Guatemala and the Dominican Republic. In these test areas, subscribers will have one primary ‘home’ where they can access Netflix across any devices in the home, as well as travel and use Netflix on laptops and mobile devices elsewhere.

However, according to the Netflix support page in Honduras, users will be prompted to pay an addtional fee of USD2.99 or ~RM13.33 per home each month for every account on a TV or TV-connected devices outside of their primary location. Moreover, the test will allow users to purchase additional ‘homes’ which they are able to choose to either add or skip to use the service on TV screens.

As it’s currently being tested only in the aforementioned countries, it is uncertain whether Netflix will be rolling out this measure to other regions. Well, let’s hope not as this sounds like a rather troublesome and restrictive measure for users.

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


Netflix to premier new Pokémon Journeys: The Series soon

So now that we know the Movement Control Order has been extended (again) to 12 May 2020, we won't be surprised if our government decides to extend it again. In case that happens, we will have time to do more things we've always wanted to do. If you're still looking for more movies or TV series to watch on Netflix, Pokémon Journeys: The Series, a Netflix Original is coming soon.

Scheduled for 12 June 2020, it will be the 23rd season (wow, that long already?) following Ash travelling around the world with a new friend Goh, who is aiming to catch all the Pokemon (even Mew). We think they will be stopping by the Galar region since that's the latest place where the game series is. Netflix will release the first 12 episodes first, then another 12 episodes every 3 months for the duration of the season.

There's also a new song for this new "journey" theme for the series, but not as catchy as the memorable "I wanna be the very best" from the first season. Doesn't seem like Ash is continuing to be the next Pokemon Champion but we will see. Stay tuned for more entertainment news at TechNave.com.


Netflix to test new password-sharing methods by adding an extra member with a price

About a year ago, it was reported that Netflix began tracking down users with shared passwords. According to some users online, they couldn't log in anymore with a new notification but ever since then, nothing has changed much until now.

In an effort to crack down on password-sharing, Chengyi Long, the Director and Product Innovation of Netflix just posted a blog post regarding the issue. While Netflix will continue to allow original users to share their passwords outside their households, you will need to top-up to do so.

Netflix is going to launch and test two features on password-sharing, starting in Chile, Costa Rica and Peru first. If you want to add an extra member to the Standard and Premium Plans, you can add up to two sub-accounts with their profile, personalized recommendations, login and password. The starting price for this is 2,380 CLP (~RM12) in Chile, 2.99 USD (~RM12) in Costa Rica, and 7.9 PEN (~RM8) in Peru.

Meanwhile, Basic, Standard and Premium plan members can also transfer profile information either to a new account or an Extra Member sub-account. After transferring, the cost should still be the same since you are adding an extra member. A reminder, these are just in the testing phase so there could be some new changes before rolling out globally.

While Netflix doesn't have a problem in sharing accounts, the company said that the way people has been abusing it is impacting its ability to invest in great new TV and films. But what do you think of this new action plan? Let us know in the comments below and stay tuned for more trending tech news at TechNave.com.


Netflix updates its parental settings to give improved controls

For those who have a family, chances are your kids are just as bored as you are during the movement control order (MCO). TV is often the easiest way to keep them out of the way, but it's important to have control over what they're watching. This is why Netflix has released an update to improve parental settings, ensuring that you have more control over what the kids get to see.

Netflix has made a couple of changes according to feedback provided by its users. The one is the inclusion of PIN protection for individual profiles, preventing kids from accessing the ones with content they shouldn't be watching. You can also filter out content based on our country's age-restriction ratings or filter them out according to specific series or movies.

Besides that, you get a better overview of the accounts that you own. With the update, you can now see and edit each profile's settings under Profile and Parental Controls. A list of what your kids have been watching will also be available, so you can be more informed about their viewing behaviour. Lastly, you can turn off auto-play as well.

All Netflix users should now have the updated parent controls, which you can access through your account settings from your mobile device or computer. With that all said, are these changes suitable for your needs? Let us know on our Facebook page and stay tuned to TechNave.com for more news.


ASUS ZenPad tablets are coming

For Computex 2015, ASUS launched their next generation of tablets by announcing four new ASUS ZenPad tablets but only revealed details on the 8-inch ASUS ZenPad S 8.0. This tablet offers an 8-inch display that boasts a resolution of 2048 x 1536 and IPS technology. It is powered by a 64-bit Intel Atom Z3580 processor and runs on 4GB of RAM. As for dimensions, it is 6.6mm thick and weighs 298g. For better productivity, the ZenPad S 8.0 has an optional Z stylus. While ASUS did announce three other ZenPads as well, the company only released model numbers. There's the ZenPad 7 (Z370C/CG/CL), the ZenPad 8.0 (Z380C/KL), and the ZenPad 10.1 (Z300C/CG/CL). No details about Malaysian pricing or release dates yet, unfortunately.


Netflix wants to create “world-class” original games with its very own game studio

Streaming giant Netflix is serious about branching out into the gaming industry and has announced that it will not just rely on third-party game teams for its gaming catalogue. Instead, the company is forming an in-house game studio based in Helsinki, Finland and aims to create “world-class” original titles.

Moreover, Netflix said that these games won’t have ads or in-app purchases, which is definitely a plus for many gamers out there. As reported by engadget, the director for the new game studio will be Marko Lastikka, who made a name for himself at Zynga and EA.

However, Netflix said that the internal studio won’t be releasing any games any time soon but may take “years” to bear fruit, as it usually is in the gaming industry. Moreover, this is the first time that Netflix is building a game studio from the bottom up instead of acquiring game studios and game developers.

Well, let’s see how Netflix would fare in the gaming industry in the future and whether its business model will be successful. What do you guys think? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below and stay tuned to TechNave for more tech news such as this!


Netflix will allow viewers to watch shows and movies from 0.5x to 1.5x speed very soon

Based on a statement by theverge.com, it seems that Netflix could allow viewers to watch shows and movies from as slow as 0.5x all the way up to 1.5x speed very soon. While not much is known in regards to when this feature will be available to Malaysians, we do know that viewers will be required to opt-in to this feature whenever they’re watching a new series or movie so that they won’t accidentally watch at a slightly slower or faster speed.

Other than the playback speeds mentioned above, it seems that Netflix is not keen on adding playback speed of faster than 1.5x due to the fact that it may disrupt how the creators intended the shows and movies are meant to be viewed. However, if you’re still keen on watching at a much faster rate than what is offered by Netflix, you might want to consider installing a third-party browser extension such as “Video Speed Controller” on the Chrome Web Store.

With all that said, what are your thoughts on Netflix offering viewers the option to watch content at a slower or faster playback rate? Let us know on our Facebook page and for more updates like this, stay tuned to TechNave.com.


Netflix will roll out Shuffle Play so that you can spend more time watching instead of choosing!

It seems that Netflix will be globally rolling out the new Netflix Shuffle Play feature in H1 2021 to encourage users to spend more time watching instead of choosing what to watch. Similar to how the “Shuffle” functions on a music player, the Netflix Shuffle Play will play something you might like based on what you have watched in the past.

If you don’t see the feature on your Netflix homepage, fret not as you might be receiving it in the near future. For more information, head over to Netflix’s official website.

What are your thoughts on Netflix introducing the Netflix Shuffle Play feature? Let us know on our Facebook page and for more updates like this, stay tuned to TechNave.com.


Netflix will start revealing how many people are actually watching its shows

Netflix is one of the most popular online streaming services in the world, but it’s always been secretive about how many people are watching a particular series or film. That’s about to change soon, well, at least in the United Kingdom as Netflix has announced it is signing up to the body that collates TV ratings in the country.

The rating agency in question, the Broadcasters Audience Research Board (BARB) yesterday announced Netflix signing up to the body. In a statement, BARB further elaborated that it will be reporting Netflix’s streaming performance alongside viewing figures for broadcast TV in the UK from 1 November 2022.

The figures will show the total number of views for Netflix shows, as well as audience share and average daily minutes. Previously, Netflix has never revealed much about audience figures for most of its shows, but instead only revealed the 10 most popular shows on the streaming service or something similar.

Well, let’s hope that this will be the start of greater transparency from Netflix. Maybe the company will expand this to other countries as well soon?

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


Never settle and share what you really think about OxygenOS in this official OnePlus survey

If you’re a fan of OnePlus or have used its smartphones in the past, then you must be familiar with its custom Android OS, OxygenOS. Well, if you got opinions regarding the OS and would like to share it with the Chinese tech company, then now’s your chance to do so as OnePlus has just launched an open survey regarding OxygenOS.

Part of the company’s initiative to make its products and services better, you can take the ‘OxygenOS User Experience Survey’ here. Moreover, the survey has many parts and asks questions such as the phone you’re currently using as well as  questions specific to OxygenOS such as how you would rank its features.

Based on the official OnePlus forum thread of the survey, it looks like many of the company’s fans are venting their frustrations towards the company via the survey. In fact, most of the comments in the thread are negative, with many fans criticising OnePlus’ recent decisions to not do what its fanbase wanted but instead follow the current tech trends.

Well, let’s hope that OnePlus will take the survey’s results to heart and implement them in its software and hardware. What do you guys think?

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


New 10.5-inch Apple iPad Pro revealed starting from $649

Today, Apple has revealed a brand new iPad Pro 10.5 as previously speculated. Why did they make that size? Apparently, they have found the perfect size for the keyboard to fit in the display, it’s also perfect for the new iPad Pro to fit in a Bluetooth keyboard. Anyway, below is the official specification:

An ARKit app will be available for developers, this is just the beta version of how it looks like on the iPad

With iOS 11 coming soon, it's able to make the iPad run different frame rates depending on what's on the displaymaking the tablet saving battery more efficiently

A demo using the Apple Pen on moving the highlight effortlessly

It also now allows you to smoothly cut out hair

The prices vary depending on the storage

Below is a clearer look at the price tags:

For more information, kindly visit their website here to check it out. Stay tuned for more Apple news at TechNave.com


New 12th Gen Intel Core HX processors formally announced at Intel Vision 2022

On day 1 of the Intel Vision 2022, Intel announced seven new mobile processors to the 12th Gen Intel Core mobile family. Now available in Core i5, Core i7 and Core i9 models, the 12th Gen Intel Core HX processor was designed to deliver high levels of performance for professional workflows like CAD, animation and visual effects.

As you can tell, the 12th Gen Intel Core HX processor is meant for content creators to execute their media work. This includes 3D rendering in the background while working on other 3D assets, as well as supporting gamers with a high bandwidth platform technologies like PCIe Gen 5 with RAID support. According to Intel, the new processor provides 65% more performance in multi-threaded workloads with more cores, memory and I/O.

To break down the 12th Gen Intel Core HX processor, here are the details on the features that can help you with your productivity, collaboration, content creation, gaming and entertainment:

We expect major OEMs to feature the 12th Gen Intel Core HX processor sometime this year with the likes of Dell, HP, Lenovo and many more. Intel said that there should be more than ten workstations and gaming designs powered by the new processor. Until then, stay tuned for more trending tech news at TechNave.com.


New 21.5 & 27-inch iMac coming soon, will feature 12-core Apple M1 chip

About two weeks ago, sources found references to an Apple iMac that would feature an ARM-based chip. Like us, most people are guessing that this model would come with the Apple M1 silicon. In fact, sources claim that there would be two models available.

According to LeaksApplePro (via Wccftech), there will be a 21.5-inch and 27-inch iMac that's arriving later this year. Both are expected to feature an Apple M1 silicon with a 12-core CPU and 16-core GPU. The leaker also claimed that the new models will have narrower bezels, redesigned cooling system, a new Magic Keyboard and Magic Mouse.

The original Twitter post has since been deleted, which usually means that the leaker was sent a demand to remove the leak. Of course, he could also have deleted it because of false info. But if it's the former, then the leak is probably accurate. Interestingly, this year's iMacs could allegedly come in two more colour options of Green and Blue (lol).

Since it's a 12-core CPU, these iMacs could be fairly powerful. In fact, they might be why there's a rumour that Apple wants to discontinue the iMac Pro. Having said that, is the 12-core CPU going to be important for you? Let us know in the comments below! For more news like this, stay tuned to TechNave.


New 5G Boosters now available on more Digi Postpaid plans for free

As previously announced CelcomDigi, Celcom customers will be able to access a free 5G trial through their Celcom MEGA Postpaid, Xpax Postpaid and Xpax Prepaid plans. That applies to Digi customers as well with its new 5G Booster for selected Digi Postpaid and Prepaid plans.

Starting today, Digi Postpaid customers can enjoy 5G connectivity by activating the new 5G Booster for only RM10 per month. Digi Prepaid customers will also be able to experience 5G via the RM10 per month 5G Booster starting 16 March 2023, on selected monthly internet plans.

As an introduction, the monthly fee for the 5G Booster will be waived for all activations during the free trial access period from today until 30 April 2023. Thereafter, the standard fee of RM10 per month will apply, while customers on Digi Postpaid plans above RM90 will continue to enjoy the 5G Booster for free.

The 5G Booster free trial access is also available for all Digi Business customers based on the eligibility of their respective rate plans. In the coming months, CelcomDigi will be introducing more 5G Boosters with the flexibility for customers to choose their preferred 5G experience. More information on these new products will be announced in Q2 2023.

For more information on Digi’s 5G Booster, you can visit digi.my/5G to check it out. Stay tuned for more trending tech news at TechNave.com.


New AEC reports digital data management is key in advancing the digital economies within the ASEAN Economic Community

Nur Sulyna Lim Abdullah, Chief Officer Corporate Strategic Sector, MCMC; Jasmine Begum, Director, Legal, Corporate & Government Affairs, Microsoft Malaysia & New Markets; Ambassador Michael Michalak, Senior Vice President and Regional Managing Director of the US-ASEAN Business Council; Jeff Pirie, AEC Leader, Deloitte Southeast Asia and Claudia Chan, Regional Director, Government Affairs, Asia Pacific for Seagate, at US ASEAN Business Council report launch on 18 January, 2017 in Kuala Lumpur

Just yesterday, a new report titled The Digital Economy and the Free Flow of Data: Advancing the ASEAN Economic Community was presented by the US-ASEAN Business Council and Deloitte to the Malaysian government and business community, highlighting how ASEAN Member States can advance their digital economies and the ASEAN Economic Community through pro-growth digital data management policies.

“The digital economy plays a strategic role as a critical enabler for deepening ASEAN regional integration and as well as helping drive next generation domestic demand led growth for startups and SME's," said Ambassador Michael Michalak, Senior Vice President and Regional Managing Director of the US-ASEAN Business Council.  “We encourage Malaysia to lead in ASEAN by supporting policies on data management that allow member economies to benefit from greater efficiency, extended reach and lower costs.”

Ambassador Michael Michalak, Senior Vice President and Regional Managing Director of the US-ASEAN Business Council with Jasmine Begum, Director, Legal, Corporate & Government Affairs, Microsoft Malaysia & New Markets, addressing the media at US ASEAN Business Council report launch on 18 January, 2017 in Kuala Lumpur

“Regional integration and the digital economy are both big opportunities in what is one of the world’s fastest growing regions. All manner of business, from the start-up to the regional champion as well as the multinational, will benefit if the AEC framework puts the digital economy front & center. Now is the time to do so,” Jeff Pirie, AEC Leader, Deloitte Southeast Asia, added.

Policies like these can support modern high-tech industries, such as Malaysia and throughout ASEAN in their development of e-commerce, help small and medium enterprises reach customers and optimize their businesses, enable financial inclusion, and encourage foreign investment. However, governments need to consider regulatory, legal and policy issues stemming from technology, platforms and providers.

To read more about the report, kindly visit Microsoft’s new channel page to find out.


ASUS ZenPower 9600 mAh powerbank unboxing and hands-on video

While we've seen a whole range of ASUS ZenPower powerbanks at the ASUS ZenFone 2 regional launch in Jakarta, Indonesia, thanks to ASUS Malaysia we managed to get our hands on the ASUS ZenPower Credit Card-sized 9600 mAh powerbank. Featuring a shiny metallic surface with rounded corners, the powerbank is indeed the size of a credit card, but a bit thicker than 10 of them. Be that as it may, it is still smaller and more compact than some other 9000 mAh and most 10000 mAh powerbanks we've seen so far. It also features a power button, four LED power indicators, a USB port and a microUSB port. Priced at just RM59, it is currently available at the ASUS Store Malaysia in metallic black, blue, pink, silver and white. Check out our hands-on video of the pink coloured ASUS ZenPower Credit Card-sized 9600 mAh powerbank below:


New AMD Ryzen 7040U Series mobile processor officially announced

Last night, AMD announced a new AMD Ryzen 7040U Series mobile processor. It's the first AI processor of its kind and capable of running features on Ryzen AI to free up processor performance for other tasks and more.

According to AMD, the Ryzen 7040U Series mobile processor features Zen 4 Technology with up to 8 cores and 16 threads running up to 5.1GHz (Max Boost). Consuming between 15-30W Thermal Design Power (TDP), the new processor also integrates AMD Radeon 700M Graphics RDNA Technology and AMD Ryzen AI based on XDNA Architecture.

On top of that, it also comes with a new built-in AMD Radeon 700M series graphics. Its GPU Max frequency can go up to 2.7GHz on AMD Ryzen 7 and 9 based on 12 cores & 4RB+. Peak performance has also been increased up to 8.6 TFlops (FP16) all thanks to the DDR5/LPDDR5 memory configuration.

AMD also said that it has an exceptional battery life thanks to smart power management, which was designed to deliver the longest possible time unplugged. There will be four models available in the future, namely the Ryzen 7 7840U (with Ryzen AI), Ryzen 7 7640U (with Ryzen AI), Ryzen 7 7540U and Ryzen 7 7440U.

We should be expecting to see more laptops equipping the new AMD Ryzen 7040U series mobile processors sometime this year. Until then, stay tuned for more trending tech news at TechNave.com.


New AMD Ryzen PRO 7040 Series Mobile processors announced for Windows 11 business laptops

In case you missed it, the AMD Ryzen PRO 7040 Series Mobile processors were announced just last week. Here's a brief breakdown of what we can expect from the advanced Zen 4 architecture, RDNA 3 integrated graphics, and a dedicated Ryzen AI engine for premium Windows 11 business laptops.

According to AMD, the new Ryzen PRO 7040 Series is built on 4nm technology and increases performance and efficiency by 17% for business applications over the x86 competition. Also features Ryzen AI to enable a premium AI experience, this can serve IT managers to have the proper technology infrastructure to handle AI workloads.

Introducing AMD Ryzen PRO 7000 Series processors. The world's most advanced and power-efficient processors for elite ultrathin business laptops. Delivering leadership performance to advance your workforce experiences. pic.twitter.com/ZZ6sgJzOh6

Matthew Unangst, Senior Director, Commercial Client and Workstation, AMD said that the new Ryzen PRO 7040 Series has incredible performance and battery life to meet the needs of today’s workforce. On top of that, it also offers a new dedicated AI engine on select models, to help meet the demands of the AI transformation.

Further expanding its commercial lineup, AMD also announced the Ryzen PRO 7000 Series processors for desktops, featuring integrated Radeon graphics, up to 12 high-efficiency cores and up to 5.4 GHz boost to deliver leading performance for professional workloads. You may refer to the tables below for their specifications.


New ASUS Chromebox revealed, coming in March for $179 (RM595)

Small form factor PC enthusiasts or just people who like smaller computers should rejoice as ASUS has recently revealed it's newest Chromebox line of computers. Utilizing 4th generation Intel Haswell processors, this latest Chromebox currently offers an Intel Celeron 2955U or Intel Core i3 4010 processor with an Intel Core i7 version available for Malaysia and other regions soon. Measuring at just 12.4 x 12.4 x 4.2 mm, the ASUS Chromebox is the smallest version yet but still manages to pack in tech specs and features which include Intel HD graphics capable of 4K display playback, 16GB of storage, 3x HDMI ports, a DisplayPort and 4x USB 3.0 ports along with an SD card reader. The ASUS Chromebox can support a dual-monitor setup and all from just $179 (RM595). ASUS is also bundling 100GB of free Google Drive cloud storage as well with the ASUS Chromebox being available from March 2014.


New ASUS ExpertBook 2021 lineup Malaysia release: latest 11th Gen Intel Core processors. starting price from RM3599

While ASUS is usually known for the gaming rigs, they haven't forgotten about the professionals and business people too. It has been almost a year since we reviewed the last ExpertBook and the lineup is back again with four new 2021 models - the ExpertBook B1 series, ExpertBook B9, ExpertBook B5 and B5 Flip from a starting price of RM3599.

Just a brief through the ExpertBook B1 series, the B1400 and B1500 variants are two new slim and compact laptops designed for businesses that are powered up to the latest 11th Gen Intel Core i7 processors, 8GB of RAM and up to 512GB of storage. There are multiple ports as well, including a Thunderbolt 4, VGA, USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A, USB 2.0, HDMI, LAN, micro SD and an audio combo jack. Although it is lightweight, users don't need to worry about damage since it is made with military-grade construction and an aluminium-alloy lid. For security, it also comes with an optional Trusted Platform Module (TPM) 2.0 chip, power-key fingerprint sensor and shielded webcam.

Next, the ExpertBook B9 2021 version has a slight upgrade which features an 11th Gen Intel CPU and Iris Xe graphics, WiFi 6, Thunderbolt 4, and a 66Wh 4-cell lithium-polymer battery. As lightweight as before, the 14-inch laptop is also the most powerful of the bunch with 16GB of LDDR4x RAM and 1TB SSD with RAID 0 and RAID 1 technology for improved data reliability or faster operation. Loaded with I/O ports, the Thunderbolt 4 offers support for USB4 interface, 40 Gbps data transfer speeds, dual 4K display output and fast charging.

Finally, the ExpertBook B5 and B5 Flip are powered by an up to 11th Gen Intel Core i7 CPU with Iris Xe graphics, 8 GB of RAM and Intel WiFi 6. These two variants are quite similar to the ExpertBook B1 series, sporting the same lightweight military-grade construction, TPM 2.0, webcam shield and more, except they have a 360° convertible form. The laptops have up to 14 hours of battery life with fast-charging technology that only needs 39 minutes to charge up to 60%.

For the pricing, there are a couple of variants based on processors and memory capacity. You may refer to the details at the table below:

Stay tuned for more trending tech news at TechNave.com.


New ASUS ROG gaming desktops showcased at CES 2017

ASUS Republic of Gamers (ROG) didn't shy away from their products at the CES 2017 last week, showing plenty of goodies for the gamers of all ages. One of the highlights is the latest ROG gaming systems and mods on display, we will take a look at some of the gaming desktops.

GT51CH is an extremely powerful gaming desktop PC featuring an overclocked 4.8GHz Intel Core i7-7700K processor, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 2-way SLI graphics, and 64GB of fast DDR4 2800MHz memory to let gamers enjoy the latest games with stutter-free 4K UHD visuals. Exclusive Aegis III three-way overclocking technology enables easy and safe CPU, GPU, and memory overclocking for even better gaming performance and also provides the ability to monitor system stats in real-time.

Gamers can customise Aura with different lighting colors and effects to reflect the feel of the game that is currently being played, on the ROG GT51CH that features a dynamic ASUS Aura lighting effects for its central air intake and motherboard-mounted LEDs. It also has an ESS SABRE headphone digital-to-analog converter (DAC) and amplifier that delivers 32-bit/384kHz output for immersive, dynamic sound with tight, defined bass and minimized noise for incredible gaming audio.

The GD30 has a brand-new look, with a unique customizable design featuring interchangeable black and white front panels so gamers have the freedom to express their style. It features an up to 7th Generation Intel Core i7 processor and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 graphics for unrivalled performance. And of course, it has the cooling performance to go with all this firepower — ASUS engineers created an intelligent thermal solution to effectively cool the system, with large front and underside air intakes for increased airflow and more efficient cooling. The latest ASUS Aegis III software enables gamers to monitor system performance, as well as tune and control other system parameters. Like all new ASUS gaming desktops, it feature Aura RGB lighting on the motherboard, which can display millions of colors and multiple effects.

Moving on, the G20CI is small-form-factor (SFF) gaming PC, housed in a compact 9.5-liter chassis. G20CI can be specified with up to the latest 7th Generation Intel Core i7-7700 3.6GHz processor, and up to NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 graphics with 8GB GDDR5 VRAM for extreme gaming performance and exceptional in-game visuals. It also features full Microsoft DirectX 12 support. What's more, it runs whisper-quiet at just 22dB at idle and has an efficient heat-management system, including two internal fans and copper pipes to dissipate heat.

Speaking of small, the GR8 II is the smallest gaming PC built for VR, and has the most advanced graphics in its class — offering full-on performance with a desktop-grade ASUS-customized NVIDIA GeForce 1060 GPU, 7th Generation Intel Core i7 processor, and 32GB DDR4 memory. The PC is housed in a tiny four-liter chassis and includes Aura Sync for stunning RGB light shows that can be synchronized with a variety of ROG peripherals, and with 10 different effects.

With two VR-friendly HDMI ports for simultaneous connection of both a VR headset and a gaming display, it has a specially-tuned cooling system with an optimized airflow design, copper heat pipes and dual fans to purge heat from the system. The GR8 II also comes with renowned audio performance with ROG SupremeFX, Sonic Studio III, and Sonic Radar III. In addition, GameFirst IV and Intel Gigabit Ethernet provide gamers epic gaming experiences.

To know more about other products, simply click one of the links below to check it out.


New ASUS TUF Gaming, Zephyrus, and Strix series Malaysia release: up to an RTX3080 GPU, up to an 11th Gen Intel Core i7 or AMD Ryzen 7 from RM4199

ASUS Malaysia has officially announced a bunch of new laptops for the TUF Gaming, Zephyrus, as well as Strix series starting from the price of RM4199. In terms of the availability date, most of the laptops mentioned will be available starting from May 2021, while some of TUF series will be available in the middle and end of June 2021.

Starting with the TUF Gaming series, there’s the ASUS TUF Gaming F15 priced from RM4199, which comes equipped with up to an Intel Core i7-11800H processor, up to an Nvidia RTX 3060 GPU, a 15.6-inch 144Hz display, up to 16GB RAM, as well as a 512GB SSD. There’s also the TUF Gaming F17, which comes with largely the same specs except for a slightly larger 17.3-inch display, Intel Core i5-11400H processor, as well as an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3050 GPU at the price of RM4299.

There’s also the TUF Dash F15 priced at RM4799, which only weighs in at only 2Kg, making it the lightest laptop compared to the other TUF series laptops. The TUF Dash F15 comes with an Intel Core i7-11370H processor, as well as an Intel Iris Xe IGPU alongside the Nvidia GeForce RTX 3050 Ti GPU which powers the 15.6-inch 144Hz display.

As for the storage, it comes with 8GB DDR4 RAM pre-installed which occupies one of the two DIMM slot, as well as a 512GB SSD. Next, there’s the ROG Strix series which consists of the ROG Strix G15, G17, as well as the G15 Electro Punk edition from the price of RM4199, RM4599, and RM4799 respectively.

As for the specs, the laptops are equipped with up to an AMD Ryzen 7 5800H processor, an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3050 GPU, up to a 17.3-inch 144Hz display, 8GB of RAM occupying 1 of the 2 DIMM slot, as well as a 512GB SSD. The benefit of getting the Electro Punk Edition is that you’ll be able to an Electro Punk themed ROG Strix G15 laptop, a pink ROG backpack, a pink ROG mousepad, as well as an ROG Strix Impact II Electro Punk products bundled together.

Last but not least, ASUS also unveiled a bunch of new Zephyrus G14 laptops starting from the price of RM4799 for the variant that does not come with the AniMe Matrix while those that come with are priced from RM5699 onwards. In terms of the tech specs, the AMD Ryzen 5800H processor and up to an RTX 3050 Ti which powers up to a 144Hz 14-inch 100% sRGB Pantone validated display.

Not only that, but it comes with 8GB of RAM, as well as a 512GB SSD. It also comes with a fingerprint sensor, which allows you to power up and unlock your laptop with a touch of a button. Unfortunately, the ROG Zephyrus S17 will not be available in Malaysia while the Zephyrus M16 pricing and release date will be announced in June 2021.

If you want to find out more information about all the laptops mentioned above, head over to ASUS’ official website. Would you be keen on getting any of the products mentioned above? Let us know on our Facebook page and for more updates like this, stay tuned to TechNave.com.


New ASUS Vivobook Pro 14X OLED, Vivobook Pro 15 OLED & Vivobook 15 OLED announced, starting price from RM2799

Today, ASUS Malaysia has announced a new Vivobook series featuring OLED displays for the first time. According to the company, the new Vivobook lineup was designed for a new generation of lifestyle and content creators in mind. In this article, we will be checking out the Vivobook Pro 14X OLED, Vivobook Pro 15 OLED and Vivobook 15 OLED.

Starting with the Vivobook Pro 14X OLED (N7400), it is the world's first 14-inch 16:10 OLED laptop with 2.8K resolution, HDR 600-nit display and an ultrawide 100% DCI-P3 colour gamut. To further display the best colour accuracy, it is also integrated with VESA DisplayHDR True Black 600 certification, as well as TÜV Rheinland-certified for low blue-light emissions for eye protection.

Powered by 11th Generation Intel Core i5, the Vivobook Pro 14X OLED also features up to NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 graphics, 16 GB of RAM, and a dual-fan cooling system with ASUS IceCool Plus technology. Moreover, the trademark DialPad returns alongside a built-in fingerprint sensor on the power button. You can find a Thunderbolt 4 USB-C port too.

If you want a bigger size unit, then there's the Vivobook Pro 15 OLED (M3500) with a 15-inch NanoEdge FHD OLED screen panel. Weighing at just 1.65kg, the laptop is packed with up-to-the latest AMD Ryzen 9 5900HX Mobile Processor, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 graphics, Harman Kardon-certified audio system, a dual-fan cooling system with ASUS IceCool Plus technology, up to 16 GB memory and 512 GB PCIe SSD.

As for the non-pro variant, the Vivobook 15 OLED has two variants which are powered either by up to AMD Ryzen 7 processor (M513) / Intel Core i3 processor (K513). Besides that, it still has the same 15-inch NanoEdge FHD OLED display, a 100% DCI-P3 colour gamut and a Harman Kardon-certified audio system.

If you want to learn more about these new Vivobook lineups, you can visit the links below for your reference:

Stay tuned for more trending tech news at TechNave.com.


New ASUS ZenFone 3 teaser video reveals faster low-light autofocus engine?

With the ASUS Zenvolution Computex reveal happening in just 5 more days, ASUS have been releasing a number of teaser videos for the upcoming ASUS ZenFone 3. This time around the teaser video shows a "Speed Revolution" of a car drifting away in the darkness with the tagline "Ready for an engine that will leave the competition in the dust?". Dramatic, we know, but it also probably points towards a faster low-light autofocus mode with perhaps a dedicated ISP chip, considering that the current ASUS PixelMaster 2.0 already has a low-light mode and laser autofocus features.

No actual tech specs were revealed but rumours say that the ZenFone 3 smartphones will pack in 23MP rear cameras and 8MP front cameras, pointing perhaps to a better hybrid autofocus that works in the dark? Check out the video for yourself below and share your opinions in the comments, we'd love to hear from you here at TechNave.com.


New ASUS ZenFone 5 LTE and 4.5-inch ZenFone 4 models appear

The new ASUS ZenFone 4 (A450CG) could have a 4.5-inch display and 8MP rear camera

The ASUS ZenFone range of smartphones are selling quite well here in Malaysia, which could be the reason why they may be bringing in new models for it. This includes the ASUS ZenFone 5 LTE (A500KL) and the ASUS ZenFone 4 (A450CG). The major differences in these two new models is that the ZenFone 4 (A450CG) will sport a 4.5-inch display while the ZenFone 5 (A500KL) will have 4G LTE connectivity. Still no word from ASUS Malaysia on the exact tech specs for these smartphones but it could have tech specs that include an 8MP rear camera, 8GB storage, larger 1740 mAh battery and weigh in at 134g as opposed to the 115g of the ASUS ZenFone 4. Based on direct distributors, it seems that the ASUS ZenFone 4 (A450CG) is already available in the Malaysian market but the ASUS ZenFone 5 LTE has yet to be officially available.

While not officially available the ASUS ZenFone 5 LTE is already available at third party sellers

In our earlier review of the ASUS ZenFone 4, we found the 5MP rear camera to be one of the downsides in this very capable smartphone so an 8MP rear camera upgrade should make it an even more tantalizing offer. Malaysia pricing or release dates have yet to be revealed but the ZenFone 4 (A450CG) is currently available from third-party sellers at RM369 so we would assume that the official pricing would be RM399. The ASUS ZenFone 5 (A500KL) on the other hand will probably maintain the same tech specs as the original ASUS ZenFone 5 except with the addition of 4G LTE connectivity. Pricing for the ZenFone 5 LTE at third party sellers is currently around RM859 but since this is quite close to the pricing of the ASUS ZenFone 6 we assume that it could be somewhat inflated with the actual pricing around RM799. Stay tuned for more updates and reviews for the ASUS ZenFone smartphones but for now do check out our ASUS ZenFone 4 (A450CG) vs ASUS ZenFone 4 vs ASUS ZenFone 5 (A500KL) comparison tool.


New ASUS ZenFone 5 smartphone manual images get leaked, is it the ASUS ZenFone 5 Max Lite?

Ahead of the upcoming #backto5 ASUS ZenFone 5 series launch at MWC, leaked images from the ASUS X00PD smartphone manual have surfaced along with some tech specs. These include a 5.7-inch 18:9 aspect ratio display, dual rear cameras, a rear fingerprint sensor and a rather lower-end microUSB port.

Because of this and the rather iPhone-like chassis we expect this ZenFone 5 smartphone to probably be the ZenFone 5 Max Lite which should come with at least a 4000 mAh battery and probably a Qualcomm Snapdragon 430 processor, 3GB or 4GB of RAM and 32GB / 64GB of storage.

No Malaysia release dates or pricing details yet but we should know more by the end of the month.


ASUS ZenPower Pro and ZenPower Ultra coming to Malaysia for RM129 and RM249 end of July 2016

Building upon the powerful yet affordable ASUS ZenPower 9600 mAh powerbank, ASUS Malaysia recently revealed two new powerbanks with the 10050 mAh ASUS ZenPower Pro and 20100 mAh ASUS ZenPower Ultra. Both feature quick charge, dual USB ports and a built-in LED flashlights in compact space saving form factors. The ZenPower Pro will be priced at RM129 while the ZenPower Ultra will go for RM249, with both set to be available in Malaysia by the end of July 2016.

The ASUS ZenPower Pro offers 10050 mAh battery

Here are the ASUS ZenPower Pro and ZenPower Ultra tech specs with some hands-on pics.

The ZenPower Pro offers dual USB Type A ports with quick charging and a built-in LED flashlight

The ASUS ZenPower Ultra is longer but offers double the battery life at 20100 mAh

Our initial hands-on with the ASUS ZenPower Pro revealed a credit card sized device that is both lightweight and compact for easy portability while still offering a premium metal body. Pressing and holding the power button for about 2 seconds turns on the built-in LED flashlight while tapping the power button twice turns the LED flash light on in power-saving mode. You can charge two devices at one time with the dual USB Type A ports.


New ASUS ZenFone Max Pro variant tech-specs leaks online, runs on pure Android, 5000mAh battery and more

The ASUS ZenFone Max Pro is quite a popular device thanks to its economical price and nice features such as the badass 5000mAh battery. But there seems to be another variant called the ZenFone Max Pro M1 and it's said to run on "pure" Android.

There are some slight differences between the M1 and the original, for starters the M1 is using a 14nm Qualcomm Snapdragon 636 chipset as opposed to the 430 unit. Then there's the 6-inch display with an 18:9 screen-to-body aspect ratio. The memory capacity is quite good as well, going up to 6GB of RAM and 64GB storage, which also means that it's possible for a 4GB + 32GB variant as well.

The rest of the specifications remains the same, such as the 16MP + 16MP dual rear camera, a 16MP selfie snapper, 5000mAh battery, and a triple SIM card slot for two nano-SIMs and a dedicated microSD slot which is nice. In addition, you can also see a rear fingerprint sensor and apparently, there's a "5 magnet" speaker with an NXP amp for sound quality.

The Zenfone Max Pro M1 will be unveiled in India first on 23 April, so until then, stay tuned for more ASUS news at TechNave.com.


New ASUS device to be announced on 4 January 2017

So it's official, on 4 January 2017 at CES, ASUS will announce some brand new devices and even released a teaser video about it, mentioning "incredible exploration without limitations." and nothing else.

Speculations have it that the device is likely to be the ZenFone 3 Zoom, as spotted this month from China, the device is adapting a pair of cameras that is similar to the Apple iPhone 7 Plus with an optical zoom lens. Besides that, it will feature a Snapdragon 625 processor, 4GB RAM + 64GB ROM, a 5.5-inch display in 1080p, and a huge 4850 mAh battery.

The event will be on live stream on their website here, stay tuned for more ASUS news at Technave.com.


New ASUS smartphone found on Geekbench and WiFi Alliance is most likely the ROG Phone 3

It's been a while since ASUS launched the ROG Phone 2 gaming smartphone. We knew back in February that a new one was coming when Qualcomm announced the phones that would be using its Snapdragon 865 chipset this year. But it was only recently that we got some news on the ROG Phone 3 after hints of it appeared on Geekbench and the WiFi Alliance website.

The device in question appeared as ASUS I003DD on Geekbench, with a motherboard and CPU identifier that is usually seen with devices sporting the Snapdragon 865 chipset. It also shows that the device will have 8GB of RAM, though we're expecting to see variants with at least 12GB as well. Anyway, if you consider that the ROG Phone 2's code number was I001D (looks similar, right?), it's safe to assume that the new device could indeed be the ROG Phone 3. The device was also certified by the WiFi Alliance, but all we know from that listing is the fact that it will support WiFi 6 (aka 802.11ax WiFi).

Besides that, very little is known about the phone so far. However, rumours suggest that ASUS could launch the phone either in June or July 2020, which means we can expect more details to be revealed in the coming weeks. Having said that, would you be keen on getting the ROG Phone 3 when it comes to Malaysia? Let us know on our Facebook page and stay tuned to TechNave.com for more news.


New Acer Air Monitor will be showcased in MWC 2017

Today, Acer has announced a new device air monitor. Simply called as the Acer Air Monitor, the compact device is designed to help people keep tabs on indoor air quality, as well as allowing users to monitor key air quality indicators through a dedicated app for smartphones.

Through the usage of smartphone monitoring, the user can know how is the air quality by the changing colors of a breathing LED light embedded on the chassis. Thanks to IFTTT integration, home automation based on air quality indicators, such as activating an air purifier, can be achieved.

With a wide variety of sensors, the device is able to keep track of six key air quality indicators which are TVOC (Total Volatile Organic Compounds), carbon dioxide, PM2.5, PM10, temperature, and humidity

The measured data can be easily accessed in real time from a dedicated smartphone app from anywhere in the world through the internet, while warnings can be sent via push notifications when indicators exceed predefined thresholds. Triggers can also be sent to IFTTT, allowing users to take action when air quality changes.

The Acer Air Monitor will be available in Q2 in selected countries, and will be on display during MWC 2017 at the Taiwan Excellence booth (Hall 7, 7L81). Exact specifications, prices, and availability will vary by region.


New Acer Enduro, Predator, Chromebook, Swift, and ConceptD series released: price starting from ~RM1835

During the [email protected] event, Acer unveiled several new products to their existing Predator, Swift, and Chromebook line-ups. Not only that, but they’ve also unveiled a new series called Enduro, which focuses on developing durable laptops with an IP rating of up to IP65, making it resistant to drops, liquids as well as dust.

To go into detail regarding the refresh, the Acer Swift 5 comes equipped with an Antimicrobial Corning Gorilla Glass as well as up to an Nvidia GeForce MX350 graphics card and it starts from USD999 (~RM4272). Other than that, the Predator Helios, Triton, and Nitro series gaming laptops come equipped with up to a 10th Gen Intel Core processor as well as up to an RTX 2080 Super graphics card.

Not only that, but the laptops also come equipped with up to 240Hz refresh rate display in order to provide a more smooth and responsive gaming experience. Other than that, they’ve also unveiled the new ConceptD 3 Ezel which comes equipped with the Ezel hinge, which allows the user to convert the device from laptop mode to tablet mode simply by flipping the screen around.

There’s also a new convertible Chromebook Spin 713 equipped with the 10th Gen Intel Core processor, Military-grade durability, as well as a 2K VertiView Corning Gorilla Glass touch display. Not only that, but it also capable of achieving up to 15 hours of battery life on a single charge.

There are also other products such as the Predator Gaming Massage Chair which was designed in partnership with OSIM, 360Hz Predator Gaming Monitor, as well as many more. If you want to find out more information on all the products unveiled during the [email protected], head over to Acer’s official website.

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


New Acer Nitro 16 & Nitro 17 unveiled with 13th Gen Intel, RTX 40 series GPUs & more

Besides the plethora of laptops showcased by Acer, the company also unveiled a new batch of 2023 Acer Nitro gaming laptop lineup. This time around, they are packed with the latest Intel processors and RTX 40 series GPUs, as well as bigger screen panels with higher screen-to-body ratios.

The new Nitro 16 (AN16-51) gaming laptop comes with a 5% larger screen area than its predecessor and features an upgraded 16-inch WUXGA or WQXGA display with a 165 Hz refresh rate that supports NVIDIA Advanced Optimus. Like most gaming laptops, it comes with a 4-zone RGB backlit keyboard and keeps colors bright with 100% sRGB color gamut support and a boosted 84% screen-to-body ratio for a more attractive viewing experience.

On the other hand, the Nitro 17 is powered by up to 13th Gen Intel Core HX processors and weighs less than 3 kg. The 17.3-inch laptop comes with multiple display options, with either a FHD display with 144 Hz or 165 Hz refresh rates, or a quad high-definition display (QHD) with a 165 Hz refresh rate. It also offers a large touchpad (125.0 mm x 81.6 mm), an 81% screen-to-body ratio, and an RGB 4-zone backlit keyboard.

Furthermore, the new Nitro laptops come with to 32 GB of DDR5 4800 MHz memory, and up to a massive 2 TB M.2 PCIe Gen 4 storage, as well as one month of Xbox Game Pass or PC Game Pass. To keep the system cool, there is a pair of fans and four fan outlets located at their sides and rear, upper air intake, and are further supported by liquid metal thermal grease.

Each model comes with Killer DoubleShot Pro and is Killer Wi-Fi 6 1650i, an HD camera, two microphones, and two speakers with DTS:X Ultra audio. Of course, there are plenty of ports including an HDMI 2.1 port, a microSD card reader, two Thunderbolt 4 ports supporting Power Delivery, and three USB 3.2 Gen 2 ports, with one that allows for offline charging.

Exact specifications, prices, and availability of the Acer Nitro 16 and 17 will vary by region. Below are some details of them.

Acer Nitro 16 (AN16-51) will be available in:

Acer Nitro 17 (AN17-51) will be available in:

That's all, folks. Stay tuned for more trending tech news at TechNave.com.


New Acer Nitro Malaysia release - price starting from RM379 with up to 180Hz refresh rates

Today, Acer Malaysia just announced new Nitro gaming monitors. There are three in total - the QG270S3, QG240YS3 and QG240YH3 with up to 180Hz refresh rate. , with a starting price of RM379.

Designed with casual gamers in mind, the Acer Nitro QG270S3 and QG240YS3 support up to 180Hz refresh rates and 1ms (G to G) response time. On the other hand, the Acer Nitro QG240YH3 supports up to 100Hz refresh rate and 4ms (G to G) response time. All three new monitors have AMD FreeSync technology which eliminates screen tearing.

On top of that, all three monitors are HDR10 certified and have 95% sRGB coverage. Coming with three-pronged stands and ZeroFrame bezel-less VA panel displays, the stand allows users to tilt their monitors for the best viewing angle while Acer VisionCareA technology helps reduce eye strain over long hours. Additionally, both the QG270S3 and QG240YS3 monitors come with a DisplayPort, while the QG240YH3 monitor features a VGA port.

Available immediately at Acer eStore and official stores on Shopee and Lazada, the Acer Nitro QG270S3, QG240YS3 and QG240YH3 monitors are available priced at RM589, RM 499 and RM379 respectively. Stay tuned for more trending tech news at TechNave.com.


New Acer Nitro series & Swift Go 14 variants announced with AMD Ryzen 7000 Series Processors

Besides the Intel-based Acer Nitro series and Swift Go 14, Acer also announced other variants that are powered by AMD Ryzen 7000 Series processors. The tech specs are more or less the same, but here's a quick recap below.

The 16-inch Nitro 16 (AN16-41) features an upgraded WUXGA or WQXGA display with a 165 Hz refresh rate and 5% more screen area than its previous model. With up to NVIDIA GeForce RTX 40 Series Laptop GPUs, it also supports NVIDIA Advanced Optimus which lets players seamlessly switch between integrated graphics and discrete graphics.

On the other hand, the Nitro 17 (AN17-41) houses the latest AMD Ryzen 7000 Series processors and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 40 Series GPUs. The 17.3-inch display comes in either an FHD display with 144 Hz or 165 Hz refresh rates or a quad high-definition display (QHD) with a 165 Hz refresh rate, supported by an 81% screen-to-body ratio.

The two AMD Nitro devices come with up to 32 GB of DDR5 5600 MHz memory and up to 2 TB of M.2 PCIe Gen 4 storage, as well as dual fans that are further supported by liquid metal thermal grease. Of course, you can expect a full range of connectivity options, and they're also LAN E2600G and is Wi-Fi-enabled, alongside free access to Xbox Game Pass or PC Game Pass for a month.

Next, the Swift Go 14 (SFG14-42) weighs less than 1.3kg only and combined the latest AMD Ryzen 7000 Series processors with a 14-inch 16:10-ratio 2.8K OLED 90Hz display. Its display is also supported with 500-nit peak brightness, 100% DCI-P3 colour range, VESA DisplayHDR True Black 500 and TÜV Rheinland Eyesafe certified. It's also said that the battery power can last all day for up to 9.5 hours.

For price and availability, below are the details for your reference.


New Acer Predator Triton and Helios gaming laptops announced with 13th Gen Intel & RTX 40 series

[email protected] returns this year with another new lineup of laptops. This time, Acer introduced its all-new high-performance Predator Triton 17 X and Predator Helios Neo 16 gaming laptops. On top of that, there are also the new Predator Triton 14 and Predator Helios 3D 15 SpatialLands Edition laptops.

Starting with the Predator Triton 17 X (PTX17-71), it's Acer's most powerful gaming laptop to date. Configured with up to a 13th Gen Intel Core i9-13900HX processor featuring up to 24 cores at a 5.4 GHz max turbo frequency, as well as an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 GPU with NVIDIA Ada Lovelace architecture, it can deliver full ray tracing with its AI-powered DLSS 3. Gamers can also choose to upgrade it up to 64 GB DDR5 5600 Hz memory and up to 4 TB PCIe solid state drives in RAID 0.

The Predator Triton 17 X's display is huge too, measuring 17 inches and supporting a 16:10 aspect ratio. It also has two-panel configurations, including a WQXGA mini-LED (AmLED) display that clocks a 250Hz refresh rate and a peak brightness of over 1000 nits. The connectivity is impressive too, using Intel Killer E3100G+ Ethernet and Intel Killer Wi-Fi 6E AX1690i alongside a full range of ports including Thunderbolt 4 ports and an SD 7.0 card reader.

Next, its little brother, the Predator Triton 14 is a laptop designed for gaming and work. It houses a 13th Gen Intel Core i7-13700H Processor, NVIDIA GeForce RTXTM 4070 or 4050 Laptop GPU, up to 32GB of 6000 MHz LPDDR5 RAM and an M.2 SSD slot. The 14-inch display features up to a WQXGA (2560 x 1600) Mini LED technology, a 250Hz refresh rate, is DisplayHDR 600 certified and covers 100% of the DCI-P3 colour range.

Moving to the Helios, the Predator Helios Neo 16 (PHN16-71) is a mid-range gaming laptop with 13th Gen Intel Core HX processors, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Laptop GPU with a Maximum Graphics Power (MGP) of 140W, up to 32GB of dual-channel DDR5-4800 MHz RAM and up to a 2TB PCIe NVMe SSD in RAID 0. The line offers several different panel options including a WQXGA (2560x1600) IPS display at 165Hz and 3ms response time and a WUXGA (1920x1200) display with a 165Hz refresh rate covering 100% of the sRGB colour range.

Last but not least, the Predator Helios 3D 15 SpatialLabs Edition is back and now supports a 13th Gen Intel Core i9-13900HX Processor, NVIDIA GeForce RTXTM 4080 Laptop GPU and up to 32GB of faster DDR5-5600 MHz memory. Like before, it combines SpatialLabs eye-tracking solution, stereoscopic 3D display, and real-time scene rendering technologies to bring eye-popping 3D scenes, objects, and characters to life in its 15.6-inch display.

For price and availability, you may refer to the details of each model below:

Exact specifications, prices, and availability will vary by region. To learn more about availability, product specifications and prices in specific markets, please contact your nearest Acer office via www.acer.com.


New Acer gaming monitors & a gaming projector Malaysia release: starting price from RM1799

During Acer Malaysia's roadshow at Sunway Pyramid today, there were a bunch of products revealed from gaming laptops to desktops. Moreover, the company also introduced three new gaming monitors ranging from 32 to 42.5-inches and even a Predator gaming projector.

The Predator GD711 is a smart 4K LED gaming projector that is compatible with both console and PC devices. Offering 4K (3840 x 2160) resolution, you can opt for two game modes or for watching movies from your devices. Furthermore, you can also choose a 240Hz or 120Hz refresh rate in FHD, 125% of Rec 709 wide colour gamut which is backed up by 4,000 LED lumens of brightness and HDR10 function.

Supporting up to 300-inch throw size, the Predator GD711 can handle a wide range of throw sizes with a throw ratio of 1.22. It also comes with the convenience of a 10W speaker and remote control that has an antimicrobial coating. Airflow to dissipate heat is present and Acer said that it helps to deliver a long 30,000-hour lifespan. It can be purchased now at RM4,999 and customers who purchase it before 14 July 2022 will be entitled to a RM300 cash discount and redeem gifts worth up to RM199.

As for the other three gaming monitors, you can check out the details below:

During the ‘It Lies Within’ roadshow, the projector and monitors are entitled to additional discounts of up to RM150. For more information, you can visit the roadshow in Sunway Pyramid. Stay tuned for more trending tech news at TechNave.com.


ASUS ZenWatch 2 hands-on video

The ASUS ZenWatch 2 sports a 1.2GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 processor, 512MB RAM, 4GB storage and also iP67 water resistant. The display is protected by a 2.5D curved Corning Gorilla Glass 3 and cost RM899 for the metallic strap version. Check out our hands-on video below!