BNM: Banks must migrate from OTPs to more secure authentication and implement measures to prevent online scams

Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) today instructed banks and financial institutions in the country to stop using SMS one-time passwords (OTPs) and instead migrate to more secure authentication methods for all relevant online transactions and activities. Moreover, BNM also told banks to provide more convenient ways for customers to suspend their accounts as well as immediately alert customers when any fraudulent transactions were detected on their accounts.

As reported by The Vibes, BNM governor Tan Sri Nor Shamsiah Mohd Yunus said that the move was in view of the cyber security issues and online scams that are prevalent these days. She also revealed that major banks in Malaysia have already started the process of migrating to secure forms of authentication.

Speaking at the launch of a virtual Financial Crime Exhibition by the BNM Museum and Art Gallery today, Nor Shamsiah also announced that additional measures will be undertaken by the banking industry to combat financial scams. These include tightening the detection rules and triggers for blocking scam-related transactions, subjecting first-time enrolments of online banking services and secure devices to a cooling-off period, as well as restricting customers to one mobile device or secure device for the authentication of online banking transactions.

Furthermore, banks have also been instructed to set up dedicated scam hotlines and provide convenient ways for customers to suspend their accounts should they suspect any fraudulent activities. Financial institutions must also block any suspicious transactions and ask customers to confirm the transaction first before they are unblocked.

The BNM governor said that these measures may cause some inconvenience for customers but stressed that they are important to protect the interests of customers. She also said that BNM and the financial industry will continue to balance security considerations with customer convenience.

So, what do you guys think of these new measures by BNM? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below and stay tuned to TechNave for more trending tech news in Malaysia and beyond!


BNM: Malaysians should carefully study SLoan’s product terms and conditions before signing up

Previously, we reported that Shopee has launched the SLoan, a digital financing loan of up to RM120,000 for sellers on the platform. Now, Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) has released a statement regarding SLoan, advising the public to carefully study its product terms and conditions before applying or accepting.

As reported by Bernama, the central bank called upon the public to make an informed decision before committing to any financing products. BNM further elaborated that SLoan is a personal financing product offered by SeaMoney Capital Malaysia Sdn Bhd which is licensed by the Local Government Development Ministry under the Moneylenders Act 1951.

Besides that, BNM also advised the public to contact BNMTELELINK by using the electronic form here for any enquiries on the legitimacy of loan services such as SLoan. Speaking of which, SLoan has a nominal interest rate of up to 18 per cent annually with an interest rate of 1.5 per cent per month.

So, what do you guys think BNM’s statement? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below and stay tuned to TechNave for more tech news such as this.


BNM assures Malaysians that nation's payment system remains secure amidst iPay88 data leak

Previously, we reported that the federal government is investigating the iPay88 security breach in which Malaysian consumers’ card data may have been compromised. Now, even Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) has issued a statement regarding the incident, reassuring the people that the nation’s payment system remains safe and secure.

As reported by national news agency Bernama, BNM asserted that banks have heightened their fraud risk management and monitoring of suspicious or fraudulent activities for affected cards. Moreover, BNM has also instructed banks to immediately notify cardholders of additional protective measures that will be taken to further protect them against risks of fraudulent or unauthorised transactions.

The Malaysian central bank further stressed that it views any incident that affects confidence in the payment system seriously. BNM iterated that it will not hesitate to take necessary supervisory or enforcement actions to ensure strong security controls are in place and maintained by financial institutions and customers are treated fairly.

BNM also urged customers to immediately notify their banks if they observe any irregular or unauthorised transactions on their cards. On the iPay88 data leak, BNM is also conducting forensic investigations but assured that the breach originated from iPay88’s platform and doesn’t involve vulnerabilities in the banks’ systems.

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


BOE announces world’s first display with 500Hz+ refresh rate

BOE Technology recently announced that they’ve made the world’s first display with a 500Hz+ refresh rate. Offering a 27-inch screen with FHD pixel resolutions, the prototype display still doesn’t have any name just yet but it will use a high mobility 0xide  backplane and support 8Lane eDP output, true 8 bit output and feature a 1ms response rate.

Since it is a prototype, BOE have not mentioned whether it will actually be mass produced anytime soon, but those who have tried displays with higher refresh rates than the standard 60Hz often say that such displays are smoother with clearer details. Quite often, these higher refresh rate displays are better for those who game but designers and other graphic fields can also benefit from higher refresh rate displays as well.

No Malaysia release rates or pricing details just yet but while BOE is a China company, their displays have been used by brands worldwide. We think that as a proof of concept, this is a good first step, but we should probably wait for the resolutions and display sizes to increase  before making any plans.

What do you think? Would you be interested in a 500Hz display? We’re thinking it has to be at least 32-inches but how big would you want it to be before you’d want to get one? What would you use it for? Let’s discuss on our Facebook page and stay tuned to TechNave.com


BOE failed to obtain iPhone 12 OLED panel supply order from Apple

It is worth mentioning that Apple doesn't only source from one manufacturer when it comes to building the iPhone 12 series. The company currently has Samsung and LG Display supplying OLED display panels to them. Other than the two, there's also BOE trying to join the supply chain but has failed. Now, it is reported that the Chinese manufacturer couldn't pass Apple's validation the second time for some reasons.

Earlier, it was suggested that BOE could be joining the supply chain for replacement units. The latest report has shown us that it is not happening as BOE has once again failed to obtain an iPhone 12 OLED panel supply order from Apple. It is stated that the reason for failure is because that BOE’s plant in Chengdu, Sichuan Province is still facing production problems. Therefore, BOE might not be up to the production standard of what Apple is looking for.

Besides the Chengdu plant, the factory in Mianyang also suffered the same fate in June this year as the yield rate was as low as about 20%. According to the report, Apple's review of the Chengdu plant only began in September and lasted for a month. For now, the only thing that BOE can do is to wait until the first half of 2021 to try again to reach a supply agreement. If they passed, they could be supplying the panels to be used on the refurbished iPhone 12 models.

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


BOE having issues with OLED panels for iPhones due to chip shortage

It has long been established that the global chip shortage has far-reaching consequences. A lot of devices and components use silicon chips, so a shortage could cause production to stall. That seems to be what's happening to this Apple's iPhones this year.

According to The Elec, display manufacturer BOE is having issues with the production of OLED panels for iPhones. Sources claim that the chip shortage will affect the production of the panels in the next two months. The company is getting its display Integrated Circuit (IC) from LX Semicon, but the Korean company is prioritising shipment to LG Display due to a lack of production capacity.

Allegedly, BOE will have to reduce its production volume by 2-3 million units in March 2022. For reference, Apple is expected to order up to 10 million OLED panels from BOE in 1H 2022. In other words, just next month's drop in production could reduce the company's available stock of displays for iPhones by 20-30%. It's also predicted that BOE will only ship around 30 million OLED panels, rather than the company's initial goal of 40 million.

Could this result in a delay in the iPhone 14 series launch? It's possible but it's still too early to say for sure. We'll keep an eye on more news, so please stay tuned to TechNave for more updates.


6 reasons why an LG OLED evo TV should be your choice for gaming, sports, and movies

When it comes to home entertainment, you can't run away from the TV. While monitors are fine if you're only into gaming, a good TV is best if you enjoy watching sports and movies. Not only do they tend to have a bigger screen but also superior image quality.

Among the types of panels available, OLED is among the best. Here are 6 reasons why an LG OLED Evo TV should be your choice for gaming, sports, and movies.

Most TVs are placed in living rooms or in bedrooms where space might be tight. In that case, a good TV should not only have a good design that's as compact as possible. This allows it to look good for visiting guests, but won't take up as much space.

OLED TVs fit that description, and the LG OLED Evo series' LG G1 TV fits the bill. With an incredibly slim body, it can rest flush against a wall and blend in without taking up much space. This makes it great for both living rooms and bedrooms. On top of that, it has incredibly slim bezels, so you won't even notice it on the wall. It would also look as if the wall was displaying images! This flush-fit gallery design is exclusive to the LG G1 series.

The next factor, and perhaps the most important one, is image quality. When it comes to this, OLED certainly beats conventional and other LED-based panels. This is because OLED panels have millions of self-lit pixels for perfect black levels and enhanced colour accuracy.

Of course, the LG G1 OLED Evo TV does more to improve the image quality. It has an α (Alpha) 9 Gen4 AI Processor (LG G1 and C1 series only), which can tune the panel and enhance the resulting output for a sharper image. Besides that, it also has 100% colour fidelity, as confirmed by global testing agency Intertek. It means that regardless of the games you're playing, or movies and sports you're watching, you'll see the most accurate colours possible.

Moving on, let's talk about the content you can enjoy on a TV. For games, after image quality comes responsiveness. To get an edge in games, visual fluidity is important. With the new LG OLED TV, you get to enjoy low input lag and a fast 1ms response time. It also comes with Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM) and Variable Refresh Rate (VRR), so it can deliver a refresh rate of up to 120Hz for 4K gaming.

If you're watching action movies or a football game, you might notice some motion blur sometimes. That can be bad for some people who have motion sickness and it's visually unappealing. But OLED TVs have less blur due to the self-lit pixels and the LG OLED Motion Pro technology can further help reduce motion blur!

As for the cherry on top, all the LG OLED TVs (including the LG G1 OLED Evo) come with the Sports Alert feature. You can register to it and receive notifications on match results, fixtures, and starting times. This is handy for people who want to keep track of matches, even while watching a movie or playing games.

Do you watch the TV or play games for hours? Then you'll want to take care of your eyes too! LG's G1 OLED Evo TV can even help with that, as it is certified to have low-blue light, is flicker-free, and is glare-free by TÜV Rheinland and Underwriter Laboratories (UL). It is also the first type of TV series panel to get the Eyesafe certification.

Finally, the LG OLEV Evo TVs are more environmentally friendly compared to LED TVs. This is partly because the self-lit pixels result in a longer product lifespan. It's also recognised as a more eco-friendly type of display panel that has a lower risk of hazardous emissions.

So, what do you think of the LG G1 OLED Evo TVs? Currently, there's only a 65-inch size 4K model available in Malaysia for an MSRP of RM18999. If you're looking for a top-tier TV for home entertainment, do head over to the product page on the LG Malaysia website for more details. There's also the LG C1 or A1 series, which has 4K TVs in sizes ranging from 48-inch to 77-inch. You can visit this webpage to see the options available.

By the way, LG is running a year-end promotion called the "LG Trio Bonanza Sale-bration". From 15 November to 31 December 2021, you can get redeemed or win Touch 'n Go e-Wallet credits when you buy selected LG products. The product categories included are electronics like TVs and soundbars, as well as home appliances like refrigerators and air conditioners.

Altogether, there are four parts to this promo. For the first one, you can get up to RM1000 Touch 'n Go eWallet credits upon purchase of selected LG products from the above categories. You can also double the Touch 'n Go eWallet credits by buying a second item from a different product category. If you're lucky, you might even get to win RM1000 worth of Touch 'n Go eWallet credits! Last but not least, enjoy RM100 Touch 'n Go eWallet credits when you purchase any LG PuriCare product + selected LG product. For more details about that, you can visit the official promo page.

Please share your thoughts on what you look for when buying one TV below! Also, make sure to stay tuned to TechNave for more articles like this.


BOE joins in on the foldable screen trend

Joining the foldable screen bandwagon is Chinese screen manufacturer, BOE. A GIF of the device was posting by Chinese telecommunications operator, China Unicorn show the screen folded from the middle and quickly switching from phone to tablet mode. The foldable display was showcased at the Xinhua News Agency Chengdu New Media Conference in China.

Honestly, the way the foldable display worked does kind of remind us of Samsung’s tech but it may just be a coincidence. You can judge for yourself in the video below! 2019 may look to be the year of the foldable smartphone with brands like Xiaomi, Samsung and OPPO already on that bandwagon. How the smartphone would fare in the market? Well, that we have to wait and see. For more news on new innovations and tech trends of 2019, make sure you drop by TechNave.com!


BOE now able to supply Apple with OLED panels for iPhone 12 series

When Apple designed the iPhone 12 series, OLED panels from BOE was part of the plan. Things didn't quite work on at the time, but it seems like the company will be catching up at last. Sources claim that BOE is now back in Apple's plan and will help supply the Apple with OLED panels.

According to GSMArena, BOE has solved the quality control issues for its OLED panels. It's now set to become Apple's third supplier for OLED panels, with the other two being Samsung and LG. Industry analysts also estimate that BOE will supply up to 10 million units of OLED panels in 2021, while Samsung and LG will supply up to 130 million and 40 million respectively.

In other words, Apple plans to sell at least 180 million units of iPhone 12 smartphones in 2021, which is a considerable number. For BOE, the volume could increase to 20 million panels. If you look at the numbers being projected, it looks like a lot of companies are expecting production volumes to return to normal next year.

Well, higher volumes could mean lower prices and that's always good for us consumers. But with that said, what are your expectations for 2021? Let us know in the comments and stay tuned to TechNave for more news like this.


BTS' RM lost 33 pairs of AirPods which cost enough for us to buy a Mac Pro

AirPods are a good pair of buddies for iPhone users. However, these ‘buddies’ are small enough to be lost in a minute if you don’t take good care of them. Needless to say, it also hurts to suddenly lose a couple of hundred bucks of investment just because of negligence. However, if you are in a KPOP group that is currently the global sensation, you wouldn't care enough to lose 33 pairs of AirPods.

One of the members of the famously known KPOP group BTS revealed that he is currently on his 34th pair of AirPods. Kim Nam-joon (a.k.a RM) has told his fans about this ridiculous number of AirPods that he has lost during a live stream Q&A section. The star has always been notoriously known as a careless person, who has lost his passports several times as well while travelling to different countries. His fans have even created a special Twitter account to ‘mourn’ for his passports. Now, let's look at some of the hilarious tweets from his fans' reactions!

I honestly feel bad for RM to lose 33 pairs of AirPods. It's bad enough he has to buy them. Let alone how expensive they can be.  pic.twitter.com/Su9XpZirIC

NAMJOON SAID HE LOST NEARLY 34 AIRPODS?!?! pic.twitter.com/SahsmrkcUl

namjoon has gone through 33 pairs of airpods and is currently using his 34th.....wow king of distributing wealth in the form of airpods left all around the world

Back to the AirPods, it’s undeniably one of the most easily lost items at this time with other true wireless earbuds as well. The reason they are designed to be small and light is to fulfill that burdenless listening experience of yours. Apple has also noticed that their product can be easily lost. For that, they have added in a feature which is to make the AirPods play a sound when you’re looking for them, but does that really help?

Also, if you're wondering how much the 33 pairs of AirPods cost, it’s estimated roughly RM23067 with a pair selling at RM699. However, he didn’t mention which model of AirPods he would usually get. We can't imagine if some of those were the AirPods Pro priced at RM1099!

Let us know what are the ways you’re using to secure your true wireless earbuds on our Facebook page. For more cool tech news, stay tuned to TechNave.com.


BTS and YouTube announced ‘Permission to Dance’ Challenge, only on YouTube Shorts

If you are part of the BTS Army and love dancing, you now have a chance to "dance" with BTS on YouTube. This Permission to Dance Challenge will be held exclusively on YouTube Shorts starting this Friday, 23 July until 14 August 2021.

In case you didn't know, Permission to Dance is one of the K-Pop boy band's latest singles. If you choose to participate, you just have to create a 15-second YouTube Shorts video replicating the dance moves. It is also required for fans to do the "International Sign" gesture that the septet was seen inside the music video.

So is there any prize? Well, not really but BTS will be spotlighting some of their favourite Shorts in a compilation video. So participants are encouraged to use hashtags #PermissiontoDance and #Shorts for their creations to be considered. We have been told that posting a Short does not guarantee selection, though, and your Short will not be used in this manner without your permission.

Globally, BTS is amongst the top 5 most-viewed artists on YouTube so far this year. In the past 12 months, it has earned over 10 billion views on the platform. With 54 million subscribers on its Official Artist Channel, they are the third most-subscribed artist on YouTube.

Good luck and have fun, Army. Stay safe too and stay tuned for more trending tech news at TechNave.com.


Baby Shark dethrones Despacito as the most-viewed YouTube video with 10 billion views

Quick - what is the most-viewed YouTube video of all time? If you still think "Despacito", it's not anymore and has been dethroned by the popular Baby Shark song. It has finally become the first YouTube video to hit 10 billion views.

In case you didn't know, the Baby Shark song first made its debut in 2016 and certainly took the internet by storm with its catchy lyrics. The song became even more popular when it was covered by several celebrities and artists back in 2019, as well as appearing in TikTok during the pandemic.

While we're no experts, it's very plausible that the Baby Shark song was put on repeat during the pandemic when the kids were stuck at home. Parents nowadays tend to distract their kids with devices which aren't always a good thing for their eyesight in the long run.

While trends tend to fade off, Baby Shark doesn't seem to be moving away anytime soon. The Baby Shark show was renewed by Nickelodeon and even promised a movie. Besides that, there's even an NFT collection about it too.

Are you sick of Baby Shark yet? Let us know in the comments below and stay tuned for more trending tech news at TechNave.com.


Backbone One - PlayStation Edition now available for Android users as well

You may have heard about eh Backbone One - PlayStation Edition for iOS a few months ago. Now, Backbone is thrilled to announce that this officially licensed phone controller is now available for both iOS and Android users internationally. While it's not in Malaysia, here's what we know so far.

Utilizing the PS Remote Play app feature, Backbone One PS Edition allows gamers to play PS4 and PS5 games anywhere streamed from the console. As you can see, the phone controller design is inspired by the PS5 DualSense wireless controller and it even has a 3.5mm audio hack that supports the Pulse 3D wireless headset as well.

The PS Remote Play app on Google Play now has the latest update and as long as you have internet connectivity and a PS5 or PS4 console, you can just plug in your Android to the Backbone One and start playing. Available games may differ by region, but Backbone One also works well with mobile games such as Call of Duty: Mobile, Fortnite, Diablo Immortal, and more.

The Backbone One PlayStation Edition will soon be available in Japan, Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Singapore, in addition to existing availability in the US, Canada, Latin America, Europe, the Middle East, Australia, and New Zealand.


Background noise soon to no longer be an issue with Google Meet

Video meeting has become the norm for many, with people now working from home due to restrictions in many countries. Of course, the increase in use means more people know what they want out of these apps and noise cancellation is one of them. Back in April, Google announced that noise cancellation would be coming to Google Meet and that update is just around the corner.

Google recently released a demo (thanks, VentureBeat) of the feature in action. In the video, Product Management Director of G Suite Serge Lachapelle showed what's called the 'denoiser', a feature that relies on machine learning to eliminate sounds that are not considered speech. The examples he gave include the sound you get from crinkling a bag of junk food, clicking of a pen, and the tinkling sound from a glass. He also confirmed that the feature will remove the sound of dogs barking or kids crying, which would be rather common to hear on video meetings now that so many of us work from home.

This is just the second out of four features that Google promised to add to Google Meet, after the increase to 16 users participants appearing on the tiled layout for the web version. Another useful feature that's still in the works would be low-light mode, which will make your videos look clearer even under poor lighting conditions.

Google hasn't given the exact release date for it yet, but it's expected to launch on the web version later this month. The Android and iOS apps will get it after that. With that said, what are your thoughts on the noise cancellation performance based on the demo video? Let us know on our Facebook page and stay tuned to TechNave.com for other interesting tech news.


Bandai is collaborating with Neon Genesis Evangelion to release new Tamagotchis

The Evangelion hasn't been widely popular for a long time, but this old series continues to have a dedicated fan base even to this day. This is why you'll often see all kinds of collaboration or crossovers whenever a new Evangelion remake movie is about to launch. With Evangelion 3.0+1.0, Bandai is collaborating with the franchise series to release new Evangelion Tamagotchis that will be released on 13 June 2020.

According to Crunchyroll (via Comic Natalie), Bandai will release three 'Evacchi' models with colours based on the EVA-00, EVA-01, and EVA-02 Evangelion mecha from the series. Also, there will be a total of 20 different angels that you can 'unlock' depending on how you raise them. Besides that, there will be a battle training minigame included in the Evacchi.

The new gadget is currently available for pre-order in Japan for a retail price of 2530 yen (~RM102). However, Bandai did not announce if it will be available outside of Japan or if they're willing to ship the products. With that said, are gadgets like this of any interest to you? Let us know what you think and stay tuned to TechNave.com for more news.


Bank Negara Malaysia warns against OctaFX, stresses that the company is operating without approval or license

If you regularly watch YouTube and don’t have an ad-blocker turned on, then it’s very likely that you’ve been bombarded with annoying ads by a company called OctaFX offering investment and financial services. Well, as it turns out, OctaFX's aforementioned services and operation were never authorised or approved by Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM).

In a press statement yesterday, BNM announced that it has added OctaFX to its Financial Consumer Alert list. The list consists of companies and websites which are neither authorised nor approved under the relevant laws and regulations administered by BNM. Moreover, it is intended to act as a guide to enhance the awareness of entities or schemes which may have been wrongly perceived or represented as being licensed or regulated by Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM).

Through the updated list BNM asserts that the entity known as OctaFX is operating under various website URLs which you can view here. Previously, OctaFX was also flagged by the Securities Commission (SC) for various reasons. In its Investor Alert List, SC said that the company is carrying out capital market activities of dealing in derivatives without a licence and operating a recognized market without authorisation from the SC.

Besides that, there are also various companies with the OctaFX branding in the list which the SC flags as potentially being clone entities that run illegal investment schemes. These include OctaFX Trading, octaFX and OctaFxPower Ltd.

Hence, it goes without saying that you should definitely stay away from using the services being offered by the company despite how enticing they may make it sound. As the old saying goes, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

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


Bank Negara: The low level of digital financial literacy among Malaysians is “deeply concerning”

Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) has warned Malaysians that sharing bank account passwords or PIN numbers with close friends will increase the risk of online fraud, including being used knowingly or unknowingly as “mule accounts” to perpetrate fraud. Worse, BNM Deputy Governor Jessica Chew Cheng Lian in a statement revealed that Malaysians have been observed to have a low level of digital financial literacy “which is deeply concerning”.

The BNM Deputy Governor made that remark based on the results from the 2021 Financial Capability and Inclusion Demand Side Survey (FCI Survey) which yielded several damning findings. According to Bernama, among the findings include how 1 in 3 individuals surveyed would be willing to share their bank account passwords or PIN numbers with close friends.

Besides that, almost two-thirds of individuals surveyed said that they do not pay attention to the security features of a website before they perform online transactions. In other words, most of those surveyed do not bother to check whether the page they are making payments on is legitimate and trusted or not.

As a result, these individuals are far more likely to be deceived into providing their banking credentials through a fake website. This in turn enables scammers to use their information to commit fraud.

Moreover, the BNM Deputy Governor iterated that using mobile devices and apps inappropriately has also led individuals to fall victim to fraud such as phishing, hacking and data theft. Hence, through the Financial Literacy Month (FLM) 2022 happening throughout this October, BNM aims to amplify the importance of digital financial literacy in helping Malaysians build financial resilience, and enable them to participate fully in the digital economy with confidence.

FLM2022 will run throughout this month with various programmes on financial literacy lined up with Financial Education Network (FEN) Mobile visiting 61 locations nationwide. For more information on FLM2022, do visit its official website here.

So, what do you guys think of this revelation by the BNM Deputy Governor? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below and stay tuned to TechNave for more trending tech news in Malaysia and beyond!


6% sales tax now hits Sony PlayStation Store users in Malaysia too

When our government declared that platforms or services offering digital content are to be taxed in 2020, many of us were right to be concerned for our pockets. More and more companies are starting to implement this digital tax for services in Malaysia and the list is increasing. Following Google and Facebook, Sony has announced that the 6% tax will be added to the PlayStation Store for Malaysia.

This change will go live on 1st January 2020 and will apply to most items on the PlayStation Store. What's interesting here is that Sony will only be implementing the actual price changes around 4th to 6th January 2020, which should coincide with the end of the store's current holiday sale. Fortunately, PlayStation Plus subscriptions won't be taxed yet. Also, the tax doesn't apply to manual top-ups for PlayStation Store wallets.

If you are used to buying physical copies of games, the tax shouldn't be a big deal. But DLCs and season passes will be more expensive so that's something to consider. Do let us know what you think about digital tax being added to the PlayStation Store on our Facebook. For more news like this, stay tuned to TechNave.com.


Banning nearly 3,000 porn sites is not stopping people in Malaysia from accessing them

To 'ensure the local internet users are protected', our government has taken initiatives to restrict access to porn sites for several years. It is reported that 2,921 porn sites had been blocked starting from September 2018 until 2020. However, it appears that their initiatives are not strong enough as Malaysia has become one of the top-ranked countries that perform most searches on a reputable porn site last year.

According to a chart shared by Pornhub, Malaysia was ranked number four in the world by actively searching (for who knows what) during the pandemic. It also shows that we are just four percent behind the second and third country which are Bulgaria and Ireland.

The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) has been putting a lot of effort into blocking such sites. "Programs such as Klik Dengan Bijak (KDB) are also part of efforts to encourage responsible and disciplined use of the internet with the focus on three aspects, which are safety, responsibility, and vigilance to protect (netizens) from negative materials and content," an MCMC spokesperson explained. Lastly, legal actions can be taken against people who share pornographic content on social media platforms as well. It is said that one can face fines of up to RM50,000 or a year in jail (Yikes, browse safely!).

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


Base Samsung Galaxy S23 colours appear in press renders

As the hype and rumours start to increase for the upcoming Samsung Galaxy S23 series, it appears that the colours for the base Samsung Galaxy S23 have appeared in fairly official-looking press renders.

Leaked by @rquandt via WinFuture, the four colours are expected to be Phantom Black, Botanic Green, Mystic Lilac and Cotton Flower. Or in other words, black, green, pink and white. The flat back design seems to now follow the Galaxy S22 Ultra but with rounded corners and flat sides.

Other tech specs and features were rather scarce but the S23 series is widely expected to use Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipsets. Some other leakers are saying that all of them will have 256GB storage but @rquandt thinks otherwise, saying that the lowest storage size would still be 128GB.

We can’t confirm either leakster though, but it would be nice to have 256GB storage right out of the box. With the launch date set for 1 February 2023, it looks like we won’t have to wait long to find out but as always with such leaks, do take them with a pinch of salt and stay tuned to TechNave.com


Basic specs for AMD Ryzen 5000 Mobile series leaked

With the launch of the AMD Ryzen desktop series CPUs last month, the company is now gearing up for the reveal of its new mobile CPUs. The Ryzen 5000 Mobile series CPUs are expected to make an appearance in next month's CES 2021, but basic specs of the chips have already been leaked.

According to VideoCardz, leaks of upcoming ASUS and Lenovo laptops have given away some info in regards to the new CPUs. For instance, there's an ASUS TUF laptop found featuring the Ryzen 7 5800H, as well as a Lenovo Flex 5 laptop with the Ryzen 3 5300U. Both high-performance and low-power CPUs have been found. If the leak is accurate, we're looking at a total of 10 new Ryzen 5000 series CPUs.

The Ryzen 5000 Mobile series CPUs are expected to have up to 8-cores and 16-threads. The 5000H series CPUs will have a TDP of 35-45W while the 5000U series ones will use less at 15-25W, which means less power consumption but also lower performance. Interestingly enough, it seems that not all the new CPUs will be built on the Zen 3 architecture, as some would be using Zen 2 instead.

New laptops featuring the CPUs will probably appear at CES 2021 too, so those looking to upgrade can look forward to that. Having said that, would you be keen on AMD laptops? Let us know in the comments below and stay tuned to TechNave for more updates.


Battery for Samsung mixed reality headset certified

Samsung hasn't made headsets since the Gear VR days

As you know, Samsung introduced its latest Galaxy S23 series and Galaxy Book3 devices at the recent Unpacked event. But did you know they also teased a mixed-reality headset? Well, sources have found a certified component for the product. So, could it be launching soon than expected?

According to Galaxy Club, a new battery part for a Samsung device was certified in South Korea recently. Bearing the product code EB-BI120ABY, it's believed that this is the battery for Samsung's upcoming mixed-reality headset. This indicates that the headset could run without being plugged in, which suggests that it connects wirelessly. It should also be noted that the battery looks quite small, so its capacity might not be that high.

It's a pretty small battery, so maybe small capacity too

Since Samsung is already sourcing for parts, the company could be planning for a launch sooner than later. Mind you, Samsung has allegedly been working on the model number SM-I120 device for some time. And this is claimed to be the device that the new battery corresponds to. It's possible that Samsung still has much R&D to perform, so there's no guarantee that we'll see a launch anytime soon.

Having said that, would a Samsung mixed-reality headset be something you'd be interested in? Let us know in the comments, and stay tuned to TechNave for more news about it.


Battery-saving Vulkan API-based Samsung TouchWiz launcher a sign of energy efficient Android?

Samsung recently demoed their brand new TouchWiz launcher at the Samsung Developer Conference, and it will be using the new Vulkan API. This has resulted in a 6% decrease in battery consumption, on basic tasks such as opening the app drawer or scrolling pages. Using this new launcher on a device with a battery of 3600mAh (like the Galaxy S7 Edge) will show an improvement of around 40 minutes extra for battery life.

The most important info is that as Google has already released the Vulkan API in the Android N preview, developers can squeeze out more performance from the chipset while keeping the power draw in check through optimized coding. While this brand new TouchWiz launcher is not ready for public release yet, it means that the next Android N could optimize battery life even better than before.


Battery shaped phones with 18000mAh battery, foldable display and pop up cameras by Energizer, anyone?

Last I heard, Energizer is a battery company with a few interesting gadgets on the side. Little did I know the company is planning on bringing their own smartphones with a whopping 18000mAh battery, foldable display and pop up camera to MWC 2019. As cool as that sounds, those three will be different phone variants (aww!).

Energizer will be introducing 4 smartphone lines, which are  Power Max, Ultimate, Energy and Hardcase. The company tweeted out of those 4 lines, there will be 26 different variants of the smartphone. If you’re interested in large battery capacities, the 18000mAh line is for you, which is currently the largest battery capacity on the market thus far. Like the idea of a larger screen to body ratio with pop up cameras and waterdrop displays? Well, the Ultimate line is for you then.

#Energizer Mobile to reveal 26 new phones at the Mobile World Congress, including a foldable #smartphone and an 18,000 mAh-battery-smartphone Find out what they will be: https://t.co/YeZl1OODgU pic.twitter.com/5Wmhd0nufr

Some details of the devices have been revealed, namely, their flagship series. Energizer Ultimate U620S Pop and Energizer Ultimate U630S Pop variants may be powered by MediaTek Helio P70 and P22 SoCs and may feature a dual selfie camera housed in the pop up mechanism with a 16MP main camera as well as a 2MP depth sensor. The U620S may sport a triple rear camera setup with 16MP, 5MP and 2MP sensors with tech specs of  6GB RAM and 128GB storage. Meanwhile, the U630S may sport 4GB RAM and 64GB internal storage.

So far, no Malaysia release date or Malaysia pricing has been revealed but we do know that the U620S will be launched in July and the U630S in June. So far, from images, the smartphones with the pop up camera on top does look like a fat battery which is pretty appropriate, given the company’s reputation.

Honestly, I can’t imagine what the phones would look like, especially the foldable ones and my guess is that the phones would be pretty thick and heavy to house the 18000mAh battery capacity. What do you think? For more interesting smartphone news, TechNave.com is the place to look out for!


Battery spec for Samsung's upcoming Galaxy S series leaked

Based on a statement by androidheadlines.com, it seems that the battery spec of the upcoming Samsung Galaxy S series smartphone has been leaked, giving us a better idea of what to expect when it’s officially unveiled. While there’s no official information in regards to the Malaysia release date, we can expect it to come equipped with a new Exynos and Snapdragon chipset.

In terms of the battery, the Samsung Galaxy S21 will come equipped with a 3880mAh battery while the S21 Plus and S21 Ultra will come with 4660mAh and probably more than 5000mAh respectively. However, do take some information with a grain of salt, due to the fact that Samsung has yet to provide an official statement on the leak.

Not only that, but there’s also no news on the Malaysia release date, local pricing, and exact tech specs for now. What are your thoughts on the battery spec of the upcoming Galaxy S series smartphone? Let us know on our Facebook page and for more updates like this, stay tuned to TechNave.com.


Battlefield, Mass Effect, and Star Wars Battlefront now on Steam with up to 75% discounts

After a long time away from the platform, Electronic Arts (EA) made a big come back on Steam last week with a slew of games on promo. None of those games are new, other than the Command and Conquer Remastered Collection, but it was a good time to get some EA titles if you've never played some of them. But as expected, now the big guns are coming out as EA has made more of its games available on Steam.

If you visit EA's publisher page on Steam now, you'll find that a bunch of great games now available. These are all from the Battlefield, Mass Effect, and Star Wars Battlefront series. What's great is that like all the other EA titles that were made available last week, the newly released ones will also be sold at a discount. Honestly, since a lot of these games are quite old by now, getting it on the cheap is the only way it would be worth your money.

With that said, are there any other games on EA that you would love to see added to Steam? Let us know on our Facebook page and stay tuned to TechNave.com for more updates on this.


Bauhutte Hand Massager unveiled, relieves stiff gamer hands for ~RM626

Sometimes you get too immersed in a game that you forget to stretch. That's bad for your body, especially your hands if you're a PC gamer. But what if you can have something that can massage them while you take a break? Well, say hi to the Bauhutte Hand Massager!

For those unaware, Bauhutte is a Japanese furniture brand that makes stuff like desks, shelves, and racks catered towards gamers. As spotted by Kotaku, the company recently launched the new Hand Massager. As the name suggests, this is an electric hand massager for gamers. Inside the small machine are 15 air cushions that will massage the user's hand and fingers when placed inside.

There are three settings for the Hand Massager, allowing you to adjust the intensity of the massage (soft to hard). You can also set it to massage your entire hand or just your fingers (if you type a lot like us!) On top of that, Bauhutte included an optional heater inside the machine, great for those cool days or countries with a winter season.

The Bauhutte Hand Massager's estimated price is around USD 150 (~RM626). Note that it has an English language site, so the company could be willing to ship overseas. But is this something you'd buy for yourself? Let us know in the comments below, and stay tuned to TechNave for more news like this.


Be Cool Everyday with Acer Day!

World leading computer brand Acer has announced the opening of Acer Day starting on 3 August 2017 and will be launched concurrently across the whole Pan Asia Pacific region in 14 countries including our very own Malaysia. From then on, every 3rd of August in the future will be also be Acer’s brand day.

This year though, the key phrase is “Be Cool Everyday” as the day will be launched at the same time as the announcement of the Acer’s concept AeroBlade 3D fan. Get it? Cool because of the AeroBlade?Through some online interactions on their event page, here, participants will be able to collect Cool Points through some online challenges, leading to a better chance of winning some sweet prizes. Cool Points can also be used to extend the warranty of specific models purchased during the Acer Day event.

Consisting a total of 11 challenges for your Cool Points grinding, the event will include challenges such as memory puzzles and friend sharing. The website is already live and participants can log in with their social media accounts. Make sure to collect those Cool Points as the points can also be exchanged for raffle tickets according to event rates as well as big big prizes such as the Swift Series and Predator laptops.Interested? Want to take a look for yourself? Drop by the event website, here and have a ball being cool everyday with Acer.


6-week 'Wang with Shopee' online shopping bonanza launched, Fortune Ang Pao, RM1 million in prizes and more

Shopee Malaysia officially launched their 6-week 'Wang with Shopee' online shopping bonanza starting from 15 January 2018 to 23 February 2018 (see the schedule below for the dates to watch). Various deals and more than RM1 million in prizes are up for grabs with the Fortune Ang Pao game to win Shopee coins, over 20000 Golden Tickets where you can win gold bars, up to RM8888 in cash and more.

Shopee Shocking Sales flash deals, Shopee Prosperity Boxes, a trip for 2 to Disneyland HK and more can be won on top of deals from leading brands and partners. These include PETRONAS, Reckit Benckiser, L'Oreal, OPPO, Super. Watsons, Nestle, Unilever, Tommee Tippee, Deerma, Photo book and Xixili. Also joining them for the first time is feng shui consultant YBhg. Dato' Joey Yap with his Official Shopee shop and free tickets to the 'Feng Shui & Astrology 2018 Live in Kuala Lumpur' for the first 80 customers who make a purchase of RM30 or more.


Be among the first 500 to own a Huawei P20 Pro Twilight in Malaysia on 4 May 2018

Exactly a month before it's official release, Huawei Malaysia is giving customers the opportunity to be one of the first 500 to own a Huawei P20 Pro Twilight in Malaysia. The sale will be held in Pavilion Elite on 4 May 2018 from 6PM onwards until stocks are finished.

Priced estimated at RM3299, the Huawei P20 Pro is running on a Hisilicon 970 chipset, 6GB of RAM, 128GB of internal storage, a triple camera with 40MP + 20MP + 8MP sensors in the rear, a single 24MP selfie camera in the front, and a 6.1-inch AMOLED display with a screen resolution of 1080 x 2244 pixels. The device also scored the highest among all smartphones of 109 on DxOMark. Official release of the Huawei P20 Pro Twilight will be on 4 June 2018, for more information visit Huawei's official website, and stay tuned to TechNave.com for more updates.


Be in the running to win RM100000 cash in Digi and Vivo's Raja Futsal Tournament

Raja Futsal by Digi and Vivo is offering up to RM100000, RM20000 and RM2500 prize in cash for the top 4 teams of the tournament. Not only that, there will be additional cash prizes, medals and merchandises for teams that made it to top 4 during the state level qualifiers.

The tournament is open to all Malaysians aged 18 to 30, and the first 25 teams who registered their team in their state will be handed an early bird gift and the fees for the tournament entry is RM100 which is payable at the registration website of the tournament. The state qualifiers is going to be held between July and October of 2018 with the Grand Final being held in November at the Klang Valley area. For more information on the tournament mention, head over to the official tournament website. Stay tuned to TechNave.com for more info.


Be one of the first in Malaysia to experience the OPPO Find X

OPPO’s Official Facebook page is preparing a special event for 15 lucky OPPO Fans to be one of the first in Malaysia to experience the OPPO Find X at the OPPO Concept Store located in Nu Sentral. OPPO fans who wish to experience the Find X are able to do so by filling up the Google Form provided by OPPO and they will be personally contacted and notified via E-Mail if they are eligible to attend the event.

To go a little insight regarding the tech specs of the OPPO Find X, the device is running on a Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 chipset, 8GB of RAM, 256GB of internal storage, 16MP + 20MP dual rear pop-up cameras, 25MP front facing selfie pop-up camera, 6.42-inch display with a screen resolution of 1080 x 2340 pixels, and it is powered by a 3730mAh non-removable battery.


Be one of the first to experience the HONOR 9X before launch in Malaysia

HONOR has recently given us a heads-up, stating that their upcoming HONOR 9X smartphone will soon be unveiled in Malaysia very soon. In addition to that, HONOR also mentioned that they will be having the “HONOR Club Early Access Programme” where two lucky HONOR fans will receive the HONOR 9X for a duration before the launch so that they can have a closer look.

In order to be one of the lucky winners, head over to HONOR’s official website and follow the instructions detailed on the post. Unfortunately, HONOR has yet to provide any details such as the Malaysia release date and local pricing of the HONOR 9X for now. Would you be interested in getting the smartphone as soon as it is unveiled in Malaysia? Let us know on our Facebook page, and for more updates like this stay tuned to TechNave.com.


Be one with the Force with new Star Wars themed features on Facebook Messenger

Facebook has announced that they will be introducing several Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker-themed features, on Facebook Messenger from today onwards. The new features allow you to express yourself via limited edition chat theme, reactions, stickers and more.

There are also limited edition AR effects where you can use to create Star Wars-themed Facebook stories, or even as a filter during video calls. In order to enable the aforementioned theme, simply head into any Messenger thread, tap on the thread settings and change the theme to Star Wars.

Would you be changing your chat theme to Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker on Messenger? Let us know on our Facebook page and for more updates like this, stay tuned to TechNave.com.


Be the FiRST to get lucky with Celcom's pre-order for the Apple iPhone 7 starting from RM7!

As the Apple iPhone 7 & 7 Plus get closer to Malaysia every day, Celcom is ready to make an offer that you can't refuse. Are you ready? Because together with their FiRST Gold Internet plan, you can get your hands on the new iPhone 7 series with an exclusive price for - wait for it - RM7, RM77 or RM777 only!

Starting on 7 October onwards until 11 October 2016, if you happen to be a brand new Celcom user and you have started your pre-order in Blue Cube Online, you might get really lucky by getting the flagship at a special price of RM7 only!

To add on to that, for existing FiRST customers or those who wishes to switch to Celcom doing it at any Blue Cube nationwide and signing up with FiRST, they too do stand a chance to get special prices of RM7/RM77/RM777! All who pre-order the iPhone 7 & 7 Plus can collect them on 14 October 2016, it's that simple!

Did we also mention that you will probably have a happier iPhone 7 experience if you sign up with FiRST Gold? Because you also get:

Wait, you're still reading? Hurry up and sign up while stocks last and get lucky!


Be your own pilot with this new Waze feature

Today, Waze has announced a new feature for Wazes to simulate their own “pilot experience”! Apparently, Waze has collaborated with Malaysian Airlines for this feature. So how do you enable it? Read below to find out.

Turning your car in Waze into a cute MAS plane is fairly simple, all you have to do is go to the settings icon > display and map > car on map and then select Malaysian Airlines plane icon, and you’re set! Keep note, this feature is available in selected countries only and will be within reach for a limited time only. There will also be special takeover advertisements that will ask you if you would like to change your car icons into a MAS plane.

For more details visit: www.waze.com and fly away!


Beam Malaysia break records in Malaysia with over a million ride for 2022

As the year 2022 closes to an end, Beam Malaysia is proud to announce that since its debut in Malaysia in 2019, there are now over a million trips taken this year. Compared with 2021, that's 2.5 times more than before.

According to the year-end report, Beam Malaysia registered over 80,000 new sign-ups, bringing the total pool of riders to 65% higher than it was in 2021. Moreover, over 100,000 of those trips were to move people to or from a public transportation facility like an MRT, LRT, or bus station. This is five times the increase compared to the year before as the workforce returns to the office after COVID-19 lockdowns.

Also over the past year, the company has been ramping up the deployment of new e-scooters in key areas around the nation. Over 3,500 e-scooters are deployed all over Peninsular Malaysia in Perak, Pahang, Johor and a wider coverage in Klang Valley to include neighbourhoods like Mont Kiara, Bandar Utama, Ara Damansara, Cheras, and more. Moreover, a total of over two million kilometres of Malaysians used Beam e-scooters instead of cars, preventing more than 486 tonnes of carbon emissions from releasing to the air.

Beam Malaysia noted that most of the Beam e-scooter riders are more prominent in the cities of Shah Alam (Selangor), Petaling Jaya (Selangor), Ampang Jaya (Selangor), and Kuantan (Pahang), thanks to the city councils fo providing the micro-vehicles. This applies the same to campuses such as Universiti Sains Malaysia (Penang), Universiti Teknologi MARA Seri Iskandar (UiTM Perak), and EduCity Iskandar (Johor).

The Beam app is available to download on the Apple Store or Google Play Store. If it's your first time on a Beam, you can complete the in-app Beam Safety Quiz to redeem RM5 free credits. Riders can enjoy Discounted Beam Credits Packages that are available now when reloading a minimum of RM10*. Not only that, riders can also take advantage of Discounted Rides and enjoy scooting around town*.

We did a review on riding a Beam e-scooter back in September and we can tell you that it's safe to use and ride. However, Malaysian sideroads are something that can be improved further as they aren't the most pedestrian-friendly paths, even for those who are just walking. You can take read about our review right over here.

*Available in selected areas only. Access the Beam App on your mobile device to view promotions and discounts available around you.


Beam Malaysia is now available at 9 universities nationwide

Beam Malaysia has announced that it is partnering with local universities to encourage car-free journeys among young citizens. In fact, thanks to keen interest from faculty staff and support by URBANICE Malaysia, Beam e-scooters are now available at 9 universities nationwide.

In a press release, Beam said that more universities are expected to adopt Beam e-scooters this year and currently, more than 1000 rides are being completed across Malaysian universities daily. With Beam’s presence at these campuses, residents, students and even teachers are now able to easily hop on and off Beam e-scooters to travel between faculty buildings, lecture halls, sports and leisure facilities, and residential suites.

Aiming to support the car-free generation, Beam shared that this is part of its efforts to alleviate some of the pressures of car ownership on students and young adults. A public survey conducted by Beam involving 1,008 Malaysians found that more young Malaysians are turning away from cars due to the rising costs of ownership and increasing traffic congestion.

Besides that, responses from Beam’s public survey indicate that Malaysians are willing adopters of shared-e-scooters, with 76% of 670 car-commuting Malaysians saying they would “definitely” or “probably” switch to a combination of e-scooters and public transportation if they had access to them. More encouragingly, 26% of respondents from this group added that they “currently own a car, but would be more likely to sell it”, if shared e-scooters were readily available.

So, what do you guys think of Beam’s expansion to local universities? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below and stay tuned to TechNave for more trending tech news such as this.


Beam Ramadan Promotion: Enjoy RM2 Credit Cashback for every group ride

Beam Malaysia has announced a special Ramadan Promotion in conjunction with the Muslim holy month. Happening from now until 23 April 2023, users can enjoy RM2 Beam Credit Cashback for every group ride taken.

In a press release today, the micromobility operator said that a trip on its e-scooters can easily save Malaysians ample time on their round trips to the bazaar when compared to cars. As a result, these areas can see reduced congestion and carbon emissions, making it safer and more comfortable for pedestrians to roam, and for vendors to operate.

With its compact size, accessibility, and availability in various Klang Valley neighbourhoods, Malaysians will be able to travel quickly and safely around the city – be it towards public transportation hubs or their local Ramadan bazaars! Beam’s e-scooters can also be of great use to Muslims travelling to and from their local mosques to perform their nightly Terawih prayers.

Besides that, Beam also announced that it is expanding its reach to 15 new locations in Petaling Jaya. These include:

Awesome! For more information, visit Beam Malaysia’s official Facebook or Instagram channels. As always, make sure to stay tuned to TechNave for more tech news from Malaysia and beyond.


60 more languages added onto the Google Translate Instant Camera

One of my favourite features on Android is definitely the Google Translate Instant Camera. It makes the world smaller and travel a lot easier thanks to its instant translation on the app just by pointing the camera at any text. Now the app is about to get more diverse as Google adds 60 more languages to the app.

The languages include Malay, Hindi, Arabic, Thai, Vietnamese and more which makes it easier for us Malaysians who aren’t too fluent in English when we travel or even if we converse with people who speak different languages in our country (I mean, we are a melting pot of cultures after all). Now, translations are no longer to English only as it works both ways flawlessly.

In addition, the app now has 3 modes which is Scan, Instant and Import for easier translations. The app can also detect the source language on its own without any prompting. Google claims that translation errors on the app is now 50% less thanks to the Neural Machine Translation (NMT) technology.

We can expect to see the update out on the app in the next coming weeks. You can find the Google Translate app on the Google Play Store. For the latest updates on tech and beyond, stay tuned to TechNave.com!


Beam deepens investment in Malaysia, launches new 8000sqft central warehouse in Subang Jaya

Beam Malaysia today announced the launch of a central warehouse in Subang Jaya, Selangor to support its growing footprint in our country. The 8000sqft central warehouse services the company’s operations in Selangor, ensuring a steady supply of fully charged batteries and other hardware maintenance to its fleet on the ground.

In a press release, Beam said that the new central warehouse will play a crucial role in its existing warehouse network, functioning as Beam’s main distribution, repair and hardware testing hub in Malaysia. Moreover, it will also serve as the primary hub for receiving overseas shipments and dispatching spare parts to all other Beam warehouses nationwide.

The micromibility operator - the largest in Asia Pacific - currently operates in six cities in Malaysia, namely Kuala Lumpur, Ampang Jaya, Petaling Jaya, Shah Alam, Kuantan and Langkawi.  Moreover, it has over 800,000 registered users in our country.

Besides that, Beam also lauded the central warehouse as benefitting the local gig economy as this creates more opportunities for local talents. These include Beam Rangers, the on-ground operations team who regularly patrol the streets of Klang Valley to collect, distribute, and maintain Beam’s shared e-scooters to meet ever-changing public demands and the authorities’ high standards for safety.

These efforts are part of Beam’s involvement in the Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation’s (MDEC) eRezeki programme, specially designed to create more jobs in the sharing economy. Moreover, the Central Warehouse will continue to serve Beam’s commitment to its ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) efforts.

Beam has been a certified Climate Neutral operator since 2019 and has pledged to take its commitment to the planet a step further by being Climate Negative by 2025. The company aims to achieve this through strategic partnerships with like-minded organisations, thorough research, and upholding better practices to be kinder to the planet.

Awesome! For more information on Beam Malaysia, visit its official website here. As always, make sure to stay tuned to TechNave for tech news from Malaysia and beyond.


Beam eScooter review - Is it safe to ride in Malaysia?

Why are we reviewing a Beam eScooter (a.k.a. Beam Saturn+, but let's just call it the eScooter) and can you even buy this? Well, we are a tech media website, after all... And no, you can't buy one here. To be frank, I was also surprised when Beam Malaysia contacted us to review it. But I guess it was to test out how well and safe the eScooter is due to increased usage in Malaysia recently.

Before I get started, let me share the story of my first time using the Beam eScooter. The year was 2020, just before the pandemic happened, and I got invited by AMD to check out the Ryzen 4000 Series Processors in Texas. I used to have a Xiaomi Electric eScooter, so I'm quite experienced with them. And I was delighted to know that I could get around some areas in Texas with the Beam eScooter just outside of a hotel.

This is one BIG BOI (so big that it's almost impossible to fit into a car)

I didn't use it that much, though, because I had to pay in USD. But I still remember how big and sturdy it was. Compared with the Xiaomi Electric eScooter, the Beam eScooter is a lot more robust. I remember drifting on the wet road a bit when making a turn; you have to take my word for it because it was a pretty cool moment.

Fast forward to today, the Beam eScooter is how I remembered it but with some new things. Now that I get to fully explore the whole vehicle, there are a couple of interesting features that I got to try, starting with the app. The Beam app is fairly straightforward, and by tapping at the Settings on the top left, you will see a bunch of options for you to get started. But since I'm reviewing it, I don't have the customer rider feature to show you where and how you should pay for it.

That goes the same for the Tools section because those are for the admin so it's also not available to normal riders. The Tools for admins are like diagnosing or inspecting the battery. For me, the most important one is the lock and unlock function which normal riders would have but not entirely (locking still works if you park at a parking location). So if you happen to park the scooter at a designated destination or random place where you're scared it might get stolen, you can very much rely on this because it will set a speed limit (so nobody can ride away with it). Trust me, nobody is ever gonna bother stealing it.

Although the speed limit is set when locked, you can still push the scooter but I doubt the thief would get very far (it's like trying to push a dead cow, figuratively speaking). You can also rely on the Beam app to easily locate it since it's already paired, so don't fret. Additionally, you will find other functions like on/off for the headlight. But you don't really need to use it that much because the Beam eScooter automatically switches it on if you're riding at night.

It has two brakes on each handle for some reason

My thumb is too short to reach for the headlight switch lol

Left: The headlight on the front; Right: An iPhone on the phone holder

Left: The cupholder and speaker; Right: The stand holder and front wheel

The red light behind shines quite brightly, and the wheels aren't the air-pump type

In terms of riding experience, the Beam eScooter definitely feels safe. I've had my fair share of falls, from the Xiaomi Electric eScooter and a non-electrical type with almost uncontrollable speed (not recommended, no matter how cheap it is). Due to the weight, it's able to stabilise speed and momentum quite well, even when taking a corner.

I'm not sure how fast the Beam eScooter can go, but that doesn't really matter. For safety, the micro vehicle has a limitation of 25km/h, no matter how hard you try. Even when going downhill, the scooter can detect the velocity and try to slow down. Personally, I find this very helpful as it helps prevent potential accidents down the road. Also, it's powerful enough to go uphill, but not when it's too steep.

Before and after putting a cup of coke in the cup holder, I was really worried that it would spill, but thank goodness it didn't

Fortunately, I don't think you really need to worry about the battery performance. The Beam eScooter has a 15300mAh battery, so it has plenty of juice to go around, even when half-full. Even if you have the eScooter with you for the whole month (and you can't turn the Beam eScooter off), you only need to charge it overnight once a week, and you're good to go. Of course, it varies on how often you ride it.

All in all, Beam Malaysia is doing a good job of making the eScooter an enjoyable and safe riding experience. However, the same cannot be said for many Malaysian roads. Per Malaysian law, micro vehicles have been prohibited on the main roads. But even so, most Malaysian roads don't exactly have the most pedestrian-friendly paths. Broken sidewalks, chairs and tables on the pathways, motorcycles parking illegally, even non-existent walkways and many more. The best way to ride the scooters is in a park or around your neighbourhood.

But what do you think of Beam eScooter? Are you keen on taking it out for a spin with your friends and family? Let us know in the comments below, have a Happy World Car Free Day (Google it), and stay tuned for more tech gadget reviews at TechNave.com.


Beam invites Malaysians to ‘Drive Something New Today’ with its affordable mobility solutions

Beam, Asia-Pacific’s largest and fastest growing shared micro-mobility company today launched a new campaign that seeks to educate Malaysians on alternative, convenient and more sustainable modes of transport. Called ‘Drive Something New Today’, the company is looking to demonstrate the key role that its shared e-scooter services play in solving the everyday issue of completing first and last mile journeys when using public transport.

According to the company, its mission is to turn little drives into better rides and make cities flow better for everyone. During an event in Kuala Lumpur earlier today, we experienced first-hand how Beam’s shared e-scooters could fill a long-time gap in Malaysia’s public transportation system.

Indeed, the e-scooters are able to connect people to transit points, popular destinations and hotspots with ease thanks to its affordable sharing concept. Furthermore, Beam is also seeking to reduce dependency on private vehicles which in turn decreases CO2 emissions. In fact, the company claims that with every 10km ridden on its e-scooters instead of a car, riders save 2.65kg of CO2 emissions.

In a recent poll among micro-mobility riders in May 2022, Beam found that almost 50 percent of 1800 Beam riders surveyed said that its services had made them more likely to consider using public transport as an option. Furthermore, 77 percent of regular riders said that they always, usually or sometimes use an e-scooter to connect to or from public transport.

During the same event, Beam also elaborated on the technology that it used to safeguard the safety of its riders. One of the most notable features are its speed-limiting technology which caps the e-scooters to 25km/h, even when riding downhill, which is in line with the proposed regulation for micro-mobility vehicles in our country.

This is thanks to a sturdy aircraft-grade aluminium chassis underneath Beam e-scooters that houses an efficient electric powertrain and a high-grade IoT communications device. The latter also enables Beam’s proprietary virtual parking technology as well as a geofencing technology that ensures riders stay within designated areas approved by the local authorities.

In addition to utilising various technologies, Beam is also safeguarding riders’ safety with an in-person flagship safety programme called the ‘Beam Safe Academy’. Conducted by the company’s certified instructors, the programme educates attendees on proper e-scooter usage.

Besides that, the Drive Something New Today campaign also introduces the Beam Booster programme that the company asserted as having the potential to boost the local economy and tourism. A platform that highlights local businesses through Beam’s virtual parking technology, riders are encouraged to make pit-stops or end their journeys right in front of a Beam’s partner doorstep, which could generate interest and even gain revenue for local businesses.

Furthermore, Beam is also an MDEC e-Rezeki partner that has created employment opportunities in the gig economy for locals. Currently, the company employs over 250 Malaysian gig workers as Beam Rangers to conduct important maintenance tasks on its e-scooters.

Striving to ensure that its e-scooters are accessible and affordable, the #BeamForAll campaign advocates for equitable access to transportation services for all Malaysians. This is more significant than ever now, considering how microbility has been recognised as an essential part of the public transport framework in the 12th Malaysia Plan.

So, what do you guys think of Beam and its shared e-scooters service? Have you tried riding one before? Share your thoughts and experiences with us in the comments below and stay tuned to TechNave for more tech news from Malaysia and beyond!


Beam now available in 6 Malaysian cities, has over 800,000 users

Beam Malaysia today announced that it now operates in six major cities in our country, namely Kuala Lumpur, Ampang Jaya, Petaling Jaya, Shah Alam, Kuantan and Langkawi. Furthermore, the company recorded 65 per cent higher sign-ups last year compared to 2022, boasting a user database of over 800,000 people.

In a press release, Beam Malaysia said that its presence in these 6 major cities has made a positive impact on the way citizens move around. In Klang Valley alone, 100,000 trips on Beam’s e-scooters were undertaken by riders travelling to or from a public transportation facility such as the MRT, LRT, or bus station.

The company said that this is a clear sign that Malaysians are receptive towards using Beam’s e-scooters to complete the first and last mile of their journeys. Moreover, the total distance travelled on Beam’s shared e-scooters for 2022 was recorded at over 2,000,000 kilometres.

With its strong performance in 2022 and evolving public perception about shared micromobility services, Beam Malaysia stressed that it fully intends to offer its shared e-scooters in as many Malaysian cities as possible, with the aim to improve how cities flow while giving back to the environment. Accordingly, the company is offering a Weekly Pass promo which users can use to enjoy unlimited rides starting from RM9.99 per week.

This pass is limited to 15 minutes per day and can be utilised by users as their go-to option for first and last-mile transport. Besides that, frequent Beam users can also take advantage of Beam’s 50% off promo on its Zero Unlock Fees Monthly Pass.

Happening from now until 28 February 2023, users can get the pass at RM10 to enjoy zero unlock fees on any Beam e-scooter, perfect for those who use Beam’s e-scooters to travel frequently or simply for fun. For more information, visit Beam Malaysia’s official Facebook or Instagram channels. The Beam app is available for download via the Apple Store or Google Play Store and for first-time registrations, complete the in-app Beam Safety Quiz to redeem RM5 free credits.

So, what do you guys think about Beam Malaysia’s statement? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below and stay tuned to TechNave for more trending tech news from Malaysia and beyond.


Beat boredom today and stream your favourite videos FREE with Super VideoWalla™ only with Celcom FIRST™!

Celcom FIRST™ has just introduced the solution to your daily boredom with their latest add-on feature – Super VideoWalla™.

For a limited time only, Celcom offers up to 100GB FREE streaming of your favourite videos only with VideoWalla™. All you have to do is to be a FIRST™ Gold user (RM80 for 20GB) or FIRST™ Gold Plus user (RM98 for 40GB) and you will automatically enjoy an entirely FREE access to 30GB and 100GB free streaming for 12 months on VideoWalla™.

For existing FIRST™ Gold and FIRST™ Gold Plus consumers, including FIRST™ Gold Supreme and FIRST™ Platinum consumers, they can also enjoy this super experience simply by logging on their MyCelcom Postpaid App and subscribe to Super VideoWalla™. Existing consumers who are not on these plans can simply upgrade their plans and subscribe to begin enjoying up to 100GB Video Walla per month entirely free with no additional costs!

Super VideoWalla™ offers great streaming data deals that can be used on sites and apps from video streaming sites such as YouTube, iflix, Netflix, Tonton, Astro GO, dimsum, HeroTalkies, MOX Digital, Metro TV and DailyMotion.

Outside of the promotional period, Super VideoWalla™ at RM50 offers 100GB (value of RM600 for 12 months) and RM30 offers 30GB (value of RM360 for 12 months) of VideoWalla™ respectively.


Beat on the road traffic with Waze and Tony Fernandes

The big boss of AirAsia is no stranger to exposure to the normal people – Tony Fernandes's airline moves millions of people around the region and beyond every day. Now you can get a slice of his time, as he voices the directions on your daily Waze drive.

Following local artists Yuna and Harith Iskander, Tony Fernandes is the latest Malaysian that is featured as the guiding voice for Waze travels. You just need to head to the Voice Language option in the Settings menu, and scroll down to find the downloadable Tony Fernandes audio pack. You can then have the big boss of AirAsia alert you to the best of Klang Valley traffic can offer.

This is a cool thing to have, and we thank Waze and Tony for giving us the opportunity to have him help us guide through our daily drive. Now do we have to print our driving instruction before Waze/Tony charges us for it?


Beats Fit Pro earbuds with ANC coming soon

In the wee morning hours today, Apple fans were treated to new MacBook Pro and AirPods models. But what if the design of the AirPods isn't quite to your preference? Some people prefer sporty designs, and the Beats Fit Pro could just be what you need.

According to 9to5Mac, the 3rd-Gen AirPods isn't the only new TWS earbuds that Apple has up its sleeve. It's believed that the company would also launch the Beats Fit Pro soon. This model is available in black, white, grey, and light purple, making it more colourful than the AirPods. It also has a more angular design, which some may prefer.

The Beats Fit Pro is expected to come with Apple's H1 audio chip. In terms of features, it offers Active Noise Cancellation (ANC), Transparency Mode, Adaptive EQ, quick pairing, and more. It also has a total battery life of about 27-30 hours, if you include the charging case.

Apple will allegedly launch this on the first week of November 2021, so expect to see more leaks soon. With that said, is this model more to your preference? Let us know in the comments, and stay tuned to TechNave for more updates about it.


Beats Fit Pro global launch coming soon, pre-orders begin on 24 Jan 2022

Remember the Beats Fit Pro launched in early November 2021? At the time, Apple launched it in the US only, and fans have been wondering when it would come to Malaysia. Well, good news because this pair of TWS earphones is getting a global launch soon.

Earlier today, Beats confirmed that the Beats Fit Pro would be launching worldwide on 28 January 2022, with pre-orders starting from 24 January 2022. Also, it has officially been listed on the Apple Malaysia website for RM909, so we can expect these dates to apply to Malaysia too. The Beats Fit Pro will be available here in white, black, grey, and purple colours.

Beats Fit Pro are available worldwide starting 1/28! Preorders open on 1/24.: Danika Magdelena (@MaddoLuu) captures women who are making power moves through music. pic.twitter.com/Qn0olaydrZ

As a reminder, the Beats Fit Pro is Apple's latest TWS earphones under the Beats by Dre brand. It comes with an Apple H1 audio chip and a custom transducer that combine to deliver balanced sound. Moreover, it comes with plenty of features including active noise cancelling, Spatial Audio, audio sharing, and more. These earbuds can deliver up to 8 hours of music playback, or up to 24 hours with the charging case.

So, is anyone planning to get one of these? Let us know in the comments, and stay tuned to TechNave for more news like this.


Beats Fit Pro release: Apple H1 audio chip, Spatial Audio, ANC, and more for ~RM830

In mid-October, renders of the Beats Fit Pro appeared, before a celebrity was found wearing it outdoors a few days later. This is clearly Beat Studio's new style of leaking info before a product launch. And now, the new TWS earbuds have indeed launched.

The Beats Fit Pro is now available in the US and it was created for those who want to stay active. It comes with a secure-fit wingtip that's designed to be soft and flexible, allowing it to fit the ears of more users. This design ensures that you can wear it comfortably for hours while providing good audio isolation.

Beats Studio made sure the Beats Fit Pro would sound good too. It uses the Apple H1 audio chip and a custom transducer to deliver powerful but balanced sound. In terms of features, it supports Spatial Audio, Active Noise Cancellation (ANC), on-ear controls, audio sharing, and more.

As you can see, the Beats Fit Pro offers plenty of features, all that at a retail price of USD200 (~RM830). Now that you've seen it, would you be interested in getting one if it launches in Malaysia? Let us know in the comments, and stay tuned to TechNave for more news about it.


Beats Flex Fragment Design edition to launch on 18 Nov 2021

Earlier this month, Apple launched the Beats Fit Pro, a new pair of TWS earbuds that have excellent features. But Apple's not quite done with its lineup of Beats products for 2021. The company has confirmed that another Beats headset will be launching soon.

Yesterday, Beats by dre announced a collaboration with Fragment Design for a new edition Beats Flex headset that will launch on 18 November 2021. This sleek, pure black headset will feature Fragment Design's signature double lightning logo. It will also have the letters 'FRGMT' etched onto the neck/collar of the headset, which will be tangle-free for easier storage.

Beats and fragment design have partnered for a second time this year on a limited-edition, black-on-black Beats Flex.Dropping 11/18 at 9 am PT. pic.twitter.com/KqZ1cUeyiq

In terms of specs and features, it shouldn't be any different from the original Beats Flex. Apple has confirmed that it will have a dual-chamber acoustic design and a proprietary layered driver to deliver outstanding stereo separation and precise bass. It will also have a built-in microphone with wind noise reduction, an audio sharing feature, and up to 12 hours of battery life.

This special edition Beats Flex will retail for USD70 (~RM292), so it's an affordable model for those always on the go. Would you be interested in buying one? Let us know in the comments, and stay tuned to TechNave for more news about it.


60% of Samsung Galaxy phones dominate Opensignal's 5G download speed test chart

Currently, the trend of having 5G on new smartphone models is inevitable. While we still have to wait until the end of this year (according to our lovely PM) for 5G connectivity, one might wonder how is the connection speed performance of a particular smartphone? Opensignal did a test and here's what you need to know on which phone performs the best in 5G.

According to Opensignal, Samsung has the most 5G phones modes in the US market. Out of the 25 5G phones, 60% of them belongs to Samsung and the latest Galaxy S21 5G currently sits at the first spot for the highest US average download speed of 56Mbps. Other notable smartphones include the OnePlus 8T at number 3, as well as a legion of Samsung phones such as the Galaxy Note10+, Galaxy S21 Ultra, Galaxy Note20, Galaxy S20 and many more.

Interestingly, none of the latest Apple iPhone 12 series is listed in the top 25 charts. But in terms of download speeds from 4G to 5G, Apple users experienced the most significant jump with 2.3x than normal. Looking at the chart, their 4G experience is somewhat low but all that changed when 5G appeared. That said, they are still behind OnePlus and Google in download speeds but it can be argued that the users might not feel a big difference.

Of course, this test is based in the US and we also have to remember that all the Samsung Galaxy phones are using a Qualcomm Snapdragon chipset instead of the Exynos version which we use here. The 5G infrastructure quality will also be different from our local counterparts so we shouldn't expect the same result here. However, it's still a reference to follow if you're choosing which 5G phone to get.

But what do you think? Let us know in the comments below. If you want to read the full report, you can check it out here and stay tuned for more local trending tech news at TechNave.com.


Beats Studio Buds+ listed on Apple Malaysia website for RM699, coming soon

It was late April when we saw a design leak on the Beats Studio Buds+ by Apple. Well, the wireless earbuds have finally been listed on Apple Malaysia's website at the price of RM699 and besides coming in a transparent design, it also comes in Black and Gold.

In terms of features, you can expect Active Noise Cancelling (ANC) integrated within but that's not all, you can also easily switch to Transparency mode if you need some awareness of your surroundings. Apple also advertised that it has up to 36 hours of total battery life, including 27 hours from the charging case and up to 9 hours of music playback.

Like all Apple AirPods, the Beats Studio Buds+ supports one-touch pairing, Siri voice assistant, and Find My in case you ever misplaced it. You may also connect to any Android or Chrome device, and it has an Audio Switch to let you switch between your devices altogether. It's worth mentioning that it has a sweat and water resistance (IPX4) rating too.

Last but not least, Spatial audio for Dolby Atmos is available with Sound Extended range and Class 1 wireless Bluetooth connectivity. Although the price is on the Apple Malaysia website already, the delivery has yet to be announced. So until then, you need to wait until it becomes available.


Beats now has a glow-in-the-dark variant of Powerbeats earbuds priced at ~RM817

If you want a little bit more oomph when it comes to audio devices, here's something fun for you to consider. Beats has announced a new version of the Powerbeats earbuds, made in collaboration with a fashion brand from Tokyo called Ambush.

So, what's special about the Powerbeats Ambush edition? Well, it has this neat feature where it glows in the dark. Ambush's Creative Director Yoon Ahn said that she wanted the product to replicate the feel of Shibuya late at night. During the day, the Powerbeats Ambush would have a mint-green colour but glows dark green when used in the dark.

In terms of features, the Powerbeats features Apple's H1 audio chip, which provides fast pairing to devices and hands-free Siri access. The battery life is pretty robust too, as it can last up to 15 hours on a single charge. However, do note that the Ambush version costs more at USD199.95 (~RM817), while the standard Powerbeats retails for USD149.95 (~RM613).

With that said, what do you think about this version of the Powerbeats earbuds? Is it a product you'd be interested in? Let us know in the comments below and stay tuned to TechNave.com for more news on the latest gadgets.


Been waiting for the Nikon DL? Looks like it will never see the day of light

If you had been waiting for the Nikon DL series of premium compact camera to finally hit the market, you’ll be sorely disappointed that Nikon is now officially cancelling its release.

Nikon announced recently, thru a press release, that the long-awaited Nikon DL series of premium compact camera, the DL18-50 f/1.8-2.8, DL24-85 f/1.8-2.8, and DL24-500 f/2.8-5.6, will be cancelled.

The Nikon DL series was originally planned for a June 2016 release, but was delayed indeterminately due to some issues with the integrated circuit for image processing. Considering the increase in development costs, and the drop in the number of expected sales due to the slow-down of the market, Nikon is concerned regarding the profitability of the DL series which ultimately see it being cancelled.

This is probably due the consumer market shifting towards mobile photography and also intensified competition from other brands. The company also released its third quarter financial results which seemed to indicate extraordinary loss from April to December of 2016, causing them to update their forecast for the financial year ending in March, lowering predictions and operating income. This is all due to a sluggish and shrinking market for digital cameras.

It is really sad news to see the Nikon DL series to be cancelled, especially considering how promising the unique DL18-50 is in a class of its own, being an ultra-wide angle premium compact camera. Well I guess, we still have the Sony RX100 series and the Canon G7x series to count on for premium compact cameras.


Been wanting to get your hands on the iPhone 7? It is now RM500 off in Malaysia!

If you had been thinking of getting an iPhone 7 or iPhone 7 Plus, now is probably the best time to get one in Malaysia. If you have always felt like you had just enough budget for the base 32GB model, you can rejoice that there’s a "free" storage upgrade at most of the major authorised resellers in Malaysia now.

The iPhone 7 128GB, is yours for only RM3199. That’s the exact same price for the 32GB model, which wasn’t offered a price reduction. While the 256GB variant now costs RM3699, which is the usual pricing of the 128GB model.

As as for the iPhone 7 Plus, the 128GB model is now RM3799, and the 256GB is offered at RM4299.

Both Machines and Switch, which are Apple authorised resellers, announced the price reductions earlier today. This offer is valid in stores, as well as online. The same offer is extended on both SenHeng and Harvey Norman too. Though, SenHeng seems to be the only one listing that this “free” storage upgrade offer is a month-long limited time offer, valid from 26 February untl 25 March 2017, or while stocks last.

If you’ve been eyeing on that 32GB iPhone 7 or 7 Plus, time to cash in on this “free” storage upgrade![Source]


Behind the Scenes - The making of the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2

Previously, we wrote about how Mystic Bronze came to be the theme for the Samsung Galaxy Note20 series and it was quite an interesting insight into the makings of the device. So in this article, the next behind-the-scenes that we want to talk about is the Galaxy Z Fold2, which appeared alongside the Note series recently. If you've always wondered how much improvement Samsung made on this foldable phone, read on below on the making of the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2!

Believe it or not, Samsung started this journey back in 2011. While conducting a survey, people who took the survey wanted an immersive viewing experience, but also want it to be a portable phone at the same time. Back then, the tablet was the only answer to the first part but it was certainly not compact or as portable as a phone. It didn't help that phablets back then were humongous due to the thick bezels, so the viewing experience wasn't as nice as a tablet. In that case, what would be the right solution? The answer Samsung arrived at was: A foldable screen.

Fast forward to 2019, Samsung unveiled their first foldable smartphone - the Galaxy Fold - and it was truly a spectacle to marvel at. Granted, it wasn't perfect and there were some issues here and there (if you know, then you know) so before they could come out with a successor, Samsung had to go back to the drawing board and improved it further.

Obviously, you can't fold glass so for the Galaxy Fold, Samsung resorted to using a plastic-glass material for the screen panel to fold the phone. For the Galaxy Z Fold2, the material used is called Ultra-Thin Glass or UTG for short. It may seem unbelievable at first, but this material is indeed a type of glass, one that is extremely and ultra-thin. Thanks to the efforts of Samsung's Display R&D team, a material that's thinner than a human hair was created. Not only that, but the team also worked hard to make it durable.

Striking the right balance was no easy task, though. The research team had to optimise the formation of the display layers, rearranged the physical interaction between the soft and rigid layers for strength, then optimised the property and thickness of the adhesive so that the display remains flexible at all times.

While both the Galaxy Fold and Galaxy Z Fold2 look more or less the same, the hinge has been improved to be more durable than before. Not only that but it's actually more flexible than before thanks to the two virtual axes hidden underneath the display. This helps the screen panel stay intact and gives it that firm 'snap' when folded.

A normal hinge (left) and a double hinge (right)

The screen panel can stay in any angle you prefer thanks to the CAM mechanism, but because the Galaxy Z Fold2's screen panel is large and wide, a stronger hinge is needed to support this flexibility. To achieve that, Samsung not only doubled the CAM mechanism in the hinge structure but also the elastic components. This is why the Galaxy Z Fold2 feels so much firmer than its predecessor.

Having experienced both the Galaxy Fold and Galaxy Z Fold2, I can confirm that the latter does feel studier. And that durability co-exists with the premium look, making it a good looking device that's also tough. All in all, the craftsmanship on this foldable phone is incredible and we are glad to give Samsung the credit it deserves. By the way, you can also check out what we thought of the viewing experience on the Galaxy Z Fold2, which really brought out the best the display panels visual capabilities.

If you're interested, the Galaxy Z Fold2 is now on sale for RM7999. It also comes bundled with the Galaxy Buds Live wireless earbuds, an Inner Screen Crack Protection, and you can get instant rebates by trading your old device via the Trade-In program. The premium phone cases are 20% off as well (for each). You can make your purchase at selected Samsung Experience Stores or the Samsung E-store.


Behind the scenes of the Mystic Bronze Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra

At the end of August 2020, the latest wearables from Samsung went on sale. What's impressive is that the Galaxy Buds Live and Galaxy Watch3 sold three times more than their predecessors. That's quite an impressive feat, considering that it has been less than a month since the unveiling at the recent Samsung Unpacked. We also noticed that the Mystic Bronze variant was responsible for half of the sales.

Over the years, we have seen our fair share of attractive colours. For a while, gradient colours (dual-colour combos) were popular and so were others that aren't the usual black and white. Samsung is certainly no stranger to releasing different colour variants and has gained a lot of attention with the Mystic Bronze colour. So in this article, we will take a look at some behind the scenes of the Mystic Bronze Galaxy Note20 Ultra.

In an interview with Jung-taek Lee, the Senior Designer of Samsung Electronics mentioned that selecting the main colour is the most important thing so that greater value can be given to the consumers. Clearly, you can see that it's working from the sales results, so we have to give credit to them for that. Lee also said that compared with the Note10 series, the Mystic Bronze (along with other colour variants like Mystic Green) is thematically focused on comfort, calmness, as well as being premium and sophisticated at the same time.

A fun fact that we learn from the interview was that when the bronze was chosen as the main colour theme, the design team also added some shades to complete a timeless tone. On top of that, they blended in a Haze Finish so that the phone's texture looks soft. It's no wonder that when we look at the Mystic Bronze Note20 Ultra, it does indeed have that mystical look to it.

Another Senior Designer, Yunjin Kim, said that in order to sustain the value of the Galaxy Note20 Ultra, they decided to keep it simple with one neutral tone. With that in mind, they focused on three key factors for the design of the Galaxy Note20 - Minimal, Extrusion and Geometric. Based on those concepts, Samsung was able to create a bold and robust look to give the Galaxy Note20 Ultra a clear identity.

While the rear camera design is evidently protruding, Kim mentioned that the reason why the final design is like that is that they wanted to increase the "degree of completeness" in the camera design detail. It is the company's belief that featuring a high-performance camera would add some confidence-value for the consumers, so they developed this as a key element by improving the completeness with the depth and refinement of the lens, similar to how it's done for optical instruments.

So to sum up, the Galaxy Note20 Ultra design's most attractive feature is that it has the most premium specs while being minimalistic and robust. Not to forget, the mixture of bronze and haze give off a timeless, comfortable, calm, and sophisticated feel thanks to the neutral tone. It also fits well with consumers who live a trendy lifestyle, so props to Samsung for that. Personally speaking, Mystic Bronze is indeed one of the best designs we have seen from Samsung.

Anyway, you can either get the Galaxy Note20 (RM3899), Galaxy Note20 5G (RM4299) or Galaxy Note20 Ultra 5G (RM5199) at any Samsung Experience Store (SES), authorised dealers and its official online store now. Moreover, the purchase of any model will come with a UV Sterilizer with Wireless Charging (RM299) and Wireless Charger Convertible (RM209) on a first-come-first-serve basis.

Furthermore, you can choose to pay via an instalment package with a 0% interest rate and have one month of payment waived, saving you up to RM433.25. It's also worth mentioning that customers who purchase the Galaxy Note20 series from SES will have access to the Protection Plus warranty package (RM387), which not only includes an extended 1-year warranty but also a free screen replacement. Then there's also the Trade-Up campaign that allows customers to get instant rebates by trading in an old device for any Galaxy Note20 series model.

Interested customers can visit the nearest Samsung official store and choose any of the Galaxy Note20 series variants they want. Do note that this campaign will end on 31 October 2020. For more information, you may refer to this website. Lastly, what do you think of Mystic Bronze? Let us know in the comments below and stay tuned for more tech articles at TechNave.com.


Beidu Little Pepper 6 smartphone packs in 20MP camera for $193 (RM688)

China continues it's March towards smartphone domination with the recent announcement of the Beidu Little Pepper 6 smartphone. Retailing for just $193 (RM688) it's most notable features include a 20MP rear camera, 8MP front camera, 4G LTE, IR blaster and Corning Gorilla Glass 3 covering the 5-inch display with a 720p pixel resolution. Other tech specs are rather entry-level though with a 64-bit quad-core 1.5GHz MediaTek processor, 1GB RAM and 16GB storage. The overall design looks very similar with the Huawei Honor 6, complete with a metal frame and a 7.1mm thin chassis. No news yet about any Malaysia release dates and pricing details, but it could come up from third-party sellers here in Malaysia.