Monthly Archives: April 2020

Gaming, News

Meet DualSense, Your PlayStation 5 Controller

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Sony has unveiled the final design for the upcoming PlayStation 5 controllers. The first thing to take note of: it’s not the DualShock 5. Sony is renaming its controllers to DualSense; and for good reason. The new controllers are pioneering new features we’ve not seen in any DualShock controller of the past. In fact, we may have not even seen them on any XBox or Nintendo controller to date.

The aesthetics of PlayStation controller of the past is also out the window with DualSense. The new DualSense controllers will now come with a two tone finish. A change that we are excited about. The new two tone finish puts a rather futuristic finish on what was once a drab single tone coloured design. However, we’ve seen Sony toy around with this idea in some of the later editions of the DualShock 4 controllers.

“DualSense marks a radical departure from our previous controller offerings and captures just how strongly we feel about making a generational leap with PS5. The new controller, along with the many innovative features in PS5, will be transformative for games – continuing our mission at PlayStation to push the boundaries of play, now and in the future. To the PlayStation community, I truly want to thank you for sharing this exciting journey with us as we head toward PS5’s launch in Holiday 2020. We look forward to sharing more information about PS5, including the console design, in the coming months.”

Jim Ryan, President & CEO, Sony Interactive Entertainment

Of course, aesthetics aside, we know that Sony is focusing on the gamer experience when it comes to the PlayStation 5. In fact, the company explained, at length, the technology in the PS5 which includes a new focus on audio called Tempest 3D AudtioTech. The same considerations for immersive gaming came into play with designing the PS5’s DualSense controllers. The new controllers will be the first from Sony to feature haptic feedback. The adoption of haptic feedback technology will allow developers to enhance the gaming experience by increasing the level of detail when it comes to touch. Sony touts the grittiness of driving a car through mud as one of the examples.

In addition, Sony has also brought some change to the design of the PlayStation 5’s DualSense controllers. The L2 and R2 buttons will also have adaptive technology. Sony’s new adaptive triggers will allow developers to program finer details into the triggers. Resistance and perhaps multi stop functionality will probably come with the adaptive triggers. The angle of the triggers have also been adjusted for better ergonomics and to make space for the many components of the controller.

Sony has also replaced the Share button with a “Create” button. Sony claims that they are “…once again pioneering new ways for players to create epic gameplay content to share with the world..”. However, they didn’t elaborate on what they meant – yet. Sony has also included a built in mic array to make it easier for gamers to communicate. That said, the company said that the feature shouldn’t replace a proper gaming headset in the long term.

The new DualSense controller also features a redesign which takes the traditional DualShock design and throws it out the window. Gone are the rounded tops with conical protrusions. Instead, Sony has opted to go with a more boomerang like design that looks more ergonomic than previous designs. The company also reassures us that the controller is smaller than it looks. Another major change is the placement of the lightbar. Instead of being front and centre like the DualShock 4, the lightbar is now flanking the touchpad on either side. Smaller details such as the analogue control design has also been changed. According to PushSquare Sony has changed the analogue sticks to have a textured outer rim with a smoothed center section.

Overall, the PlayStation 5’s DualSense controller builds upon the successful base of the DualShock 4. It also holds Sony’s intention of pushing “the boundaries of play” when it comes to their new console. The PS5 is set to launch later this year. To be specific – during Holiday 2020.

News

5 Ways You Can Curate Netflix for Your Kids with Enhanced Parental Controls

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An increasing number of homes are beginning to cut the cord and depend more on streaming platforms such as Netflix for their everyday entertainment. It’s a trend that many streaming apps are reporting and it is, unsurprisingly, gaining momentum even in places like Malaysia. That said, with such a wide library of content now available at everyone’s finger tips, it can become a worrisome affair for parents.

1. PROFILE It

Netflix has, over the years, introduced steps and features to help parents stay on the ball. One of the first features borne out of the need to guard against children accessing mature content is the now staple profiles.

Setting up a specific profile for the kids in the family allowed parents to keep an eye on the content being consumed. In fact, parents can ensure that only child-friendly content appears in their kids’ profile. Creating a profile on Netflix will make sure that settings, preferences and recommended shows are individualized. In this case, it would also keep more mature shows out of your kids’ profile.

2. Cu-RATE it

Creating a profile is just the first step. You also need to setup age limitations when it comes to the profile. Netflix has made this a little easier with the “Allowed TV shows and movies” option when you set up a profile.

However, limiting your kids’ access based on general ratings may not be enough. I mean, Netflix can only filter so much. So, jump into the profile and get curating! Remove shows you feel are not suitable for your child and Netflix will begin to learn the boundaries you’re setting for your kid.

3. PIN It Up

We all know how kids are, they’re curious and they always want to test boundaries. The best way to enforce boundaries is to set them. There’s no better way in the Netflix app than by setting up PINs. Similar to your bank account, the PIN will block unwanted access to your account – in this case, your kids.

The little explorers will hit a wall asking for the PIN should they find themselves any other profile on the app. So, you can rest at ease while you’re attending to chores and work.

4. Re-VIEW it

If you’re still a tad bit uneasy with what your kids have been watching, you don’t have to worry. Netflix has introduced a “viewing activity” section for profiles. Using this option, you’ll be able to see keep an eye on what your child has been watching. You can then go back and remove any shows that you feel are inappropriate from the list.

5. Play Next Episode? No Thank You!

We all know Netflix has a tendency to encourage binge watching shows. However, we know that too much screen time is no good for the kids – even Netflix. So, they’ve introduced an option to turn off the “Play Next Episode” option on profiles. In fact, they’ve even introduced a feature to turn off previews from playing after the show.

So, you can literally tell your kids, “This is the last one” and rest easy knowing that Netflix isn’t going to play the next episode.

Some of the steps in the list feature enhanced parental control features which have recently made their way to the Netflix app. However, a majority of them have been there since Netflix’s humble beginnings. Keep an eye out for more tips and tricks as the company rolls out more features.

Business

Malaysian Tech Company, Alchemist Codes, Reversed Acquired on the London Stock Exchange

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Alchemist Codes is a Malaysian company specialising in App and web development as well as tech consulting. However, you probably know or use the company’s most successful product, the e-commerce platform, OCTAPLUS. The growing, nascent e-commerce platform was first launched in 2019 and has since seen over 47% growth in user base in just the first quarter of 2020.

The company’s e-commerce platform joined the e-commerce industry at a time when the Malaysian e-commerce industry is experiencing a boom led by platforms such as Lazada, Shopee, PrestoMall (formerly known as 11street). That said, OCTAPLUS has the unique proposition of providing users with cashback incentives and providing retailers with an instant online retail promotions function. In addition, the platform provides users with discounts, reviews, price comparison data and detailed product information. OCTAPLUS also employs several big data, AI and analytics technologies to provide end users with a better online shopping experience.

AIQ Limited has recently reverse acquired Alchemist Codes on the London Stock Exchange despite the trying economic times amid the COVID-19 pandemic. With this acquisition, AIQ Limited is looking to up the ante with OCTAPLUS. AIQ Limited is looking to create a modern day, online “Silk Road” to bridge the eastern and western markets. It is looking to become the bridge between small and medium entreprises in Eurasian countries. The acquisition highlights the technical potential of Alchemist Code’s OCTAPLUS platform. Alchemist Code is looking to push OCTAPLUS as a global player in the e-commerce and online retail space with AIQ Limited’s backing.

AIQ Limited and Alchemist Codes are looking to the upcoming growth opportunities provided by the introduction of 5G technologies. With Malaysia looking to roll out commercial 5G by the third quarter of 2020, the company’s reverse acquisition puts them in a unique position to leverage these technologies. In fact, they see great potential in leveraging these technologies to help benefit e-commerce retailers and extend OCTAPLUS’s consumer and B2B offerings.

Business, Contributed

Boosting Banks’ Customer Experience with Operational Efficiency

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The way banking is being conducted around the world is changing, especially with customers who are always connected through mobile phones and with 5G not far away in many places.

Coupling that with the rising levels of wage growth entrepreneurship and government policies for financial inclusion, banking’s traditional customer journeys and distribution models won’t scale nor reach the average consumer, and will be significantly cost-prohibitive for the average bank to service. The idea that a consumer needs to visit a branch doesn’t even come into their equation.

Moreover, the consumption of banking products from FinTechs, including unsecured lending, peer-to-peer payments, merchant payments, and business credit, is on the rise. Providers like Ascend Money and Rakuten are fast, simple and digital-first. Simply put, they engender customer satisfaction.  

To catch up with those competitors, many banks have embarked on digital transformation in an effort to transform their customer experiences. However, while many banks have — to some degree — a maturing “front end”, their middle and back offices are often made up of fragile and inflexible applications and data systems. Since such systems limit the bank’s ability to scale and adapt to change quickly, it prevents the front office from running efficiently, which in turn hinders banks from delivering innovative customer journeys.

Furthermore, as net interest margins will likely stay very slim, the continual pressure to make these middle and back-office systems operationally efficient is becoming a higher priority in CFO’s targets.

What are we seeing in the middle and back office in banking?

The prioritization to modernize the back-office applications, databases, and platforms in order to be agile can help re-engineer the customer journey and lower business as usual operations and change management costs. To achieve that, banks need to focus on the following areas:

  • IT infrastructure modernization, as most banks are still running on legacy IT systems that were deployed in silos. With business functions isolated from one another, it can be difficult for banks to deliver a seamless and consistent customer experience across various channels and services.
  • Digital process-driven application modernization. Many banking processes still rely heavily on manual or clunky processes to ensure compliance with policies and historic procedures. Credit adjustments, credit disputes, loan approvals, case management, fraud event management, for example, require human reviews and hand-written approval signatures. When coupled with KYC (know your customer) as a principal operating model, integrating this into manual or clunky processes is a must-have for improving customer experience.  

The keys to improving operational efficiency

Taking the application and infrastructure design lessons learnt from the digital front-end services — such as being API-oriented, able to be deployed on a Linux container architecture, can scale horizontally, and have updates delivered rapidly through a microservice architecture — and applying them to the middle and back-office systems can help deliver the desired operational efficiencies.

Most banks, however, have decades of IP, rules, and processes hardcoded deep into the system, or have multiple clunky expensive business process management middleware workflow tools, each with their own proprietary extensions and interfaces. As such, modernization can be a difficult task, especially when they don’t know where to start.

Examples of success

BBVA — which operates in 30 countries with their associated regulatory jurisdictions and serves more than 72 million customers — was one bank that faced legacy issues. The bank managed to overcome these by modernizing the middle office business process and rules centric applications to be API first, easily extendable, globally reusable with consistent developer experience, scalable, container-based and open.

Capital One undertook a similar exercise with its middle office systems. Since the bank was initially using multiple case management process tools (each with their own interfaces, runtimes and toolsets), it decided to standardize and simplify its case management processes to improve its operations. By implementing an open source, API-oriented, easily scalable, and changeable case management and process management layer, Capital One managed to speed up delivery and drive down costs.

Speaking of APIs, these have typically been utilized as a software design principle for digital front ends in banking. However, having middle and back-office systems and data with an API layer across these can drive much greater operational efficiency. With customer journeys or compliance services increasingly demanding back-office systems to be integrated, what better way of connecting those systems than to leverage APIs?

The trick to doing so successfully is to design and modernize middle and back-office applications with useable and scalable APIs to integrate the digital and front office systems of engagement with.

Moreover, as these applications and databases become updated with APIs as integration points, the use of microservices can be important in improving transactional and operational efficiency. This relates to the lowering of IT infrastructure costs and driving down the cost of IT delivery year on year.

As applications are modernized with APIs and a microservice application architecture, they are often deployed on Linux containers. For the product and customer support managers in the bank looking for ways to make constant variations to their systems — either to improve the back-office process, enhance a customer experience or meet compliance — having these systems running as small componentized microservices gives their IT team the ability to roll out updates to their system without taking down the entire application. This can give the bank a higher degree of agility, while helping to save cost because it can take significantly less time and fewer people to release an update.

All in all, providing exceptional customer experiences may call for banks to transform their digital experiences beyond impressive user interfaces. APIs, microservices, and other open source solutions can help with back-end processes that are highly integrated and streamlined. With more efficient back-office operations, banks around the world will be better prepared to provide the seamless user experience that customers expect.

Editorial, Podcast

Tech & Tonic Episode 8 Feat. Keegan Perez Tan – MCO Day 20 and We Are All Still Sane! We can Game and Game, and Game.

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In this week’s Tech & Tonic Podcast, we have a hotshot in our guest seat. Why hotshot? He used to be in the professional eSports scene. He is Keegan Perez Tan, a former Counter-Strike: Global Offensive and Overwatch eSports player. He is still an active gamer though and plays titles like Escape from Tarkov, Apex Legends, and even Dota 2. He is also currently a content producer for Technave, one of Malaysia’s largest tech news platforms.

In our stream we spoke plenty about the COVID-19 situation, like we have done since the beginning of Malaysia’s government sanctioned Movement Control Order (MCO). We caught up a little bit with Keegan about his activities at home for the past 20 days of quarantine. Of course, we will end up talking about games though. We revealed what sort of games we are most looking forward to. We also touched a little bit on the eSports community and growth in Malaysia.

Unfortunately, we cannot fit everything we spoke about in our morning livestream show on the Podcast. For extended and full contents, we recommend you head down to our YouTube page for the livestream that we are doing every Monday 11.00 a.m. at least for the MCO period (until 14th April 2020 at the moment). Our podcast is available on the most popular podcasting platforms, so do check out our other episodes. Let us know if we are not, so that we can try to get ourselves on the platform.

Editorial, News, techENT Download, Video

techENT Download || The Fight Against COVID-19 is Real! Oh, and HUAWEI’s P40 series is finally in Malaysia!

Video Leave a comment

Last week, a few interesting happened in tech. While most has to do with the COVID-19 development and fight, there were a few new interesting products too. For one, the long-awaited HUAWEI P40 series makes Malaysian debut in the week. There are only two variants currently though – the standard HUAWEI P40 and the HUAWEI P40 Pro. The HUAWEI P40 Pro+ is, as touted, coming way later. Prices start from MYR 2,799 and you can already pre-order the devices on HUAWEI’s website and Lazada until the 10th April 2020. Alongside that is the HUAWEI MatePad Pro that was announced a little over a month ago. Malaysia is currently only getting one variant of it though (8GB + 256GB). You can also pre-order them now at MYR 2,399. The flagship smartphone and tablet will start shipping from the 11th of April 2020. Of course, if you pre-order, you get more HUAWEI exclusive stuff from HUAWEI too.

There were some new notebook PCs that is supposed to arrive in the market sometime later this year too. The 10th Generation Intel Core processor and Nvidia GeForce RTX SUPER equipped notebook PCs break cover. So many of them at the same time; there are some from ASUS, from Acer, from Lenovo, and from MSI. The most expensive we have seen so far is the MSI GS66 stealth at up to MYR 16,000.

Back on the topic of COVID-19, the world is focused at, not only in treating the disease, but also coping with the quarantine and helping the front liners. We have the #VentilatorChallengeUK that was answered by many private conglomerates in the region including Formula 1 teams. At the same time, plenty are taking advantage of the situation. So, we all must do our parts and be careful.

Business, Contributed

Driving Digital Transformation in Malaysia Through Hybrid Cloud and Interconnected Data Centres

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Digital transformation is no longer a thing of the future. In this increasingly digital marketplace, data is the key strategic asset for businesses to remain agile and effective.

To do so, more and more organisations are launching various digital transformation initiatives such as data analytics, machine learning, robotics, and artificial intelligence to boost their business’ returns and efficiency. Such efforts are already seeing measurable returns, according to 58% of C-Level executives in Malaysia in a study by Workday in partnership with IDC Asia Pacific[1].

Investing in the right technologies is crucial, and one area that businesses should look into is co-location and hybrid cloud computing.

The Competitive Edge of Hybrid Cloud Computing

With all the buzz surrounding cloud computing today, public cloud services have become a popular option among organisations. More businesses are migrating their services and application development to the cloud to take advantage of its cost efficiency, flexibility, scalability, and collaboration efficiency.

Image by Bethany Drouin from Pixabay

However, some local organisations may still be reluctant to migrate to the cloud. Among the key challenges that hinder them from adopting cloud in their day-to-day business operations include lack of awareness of the cost benefits and the cloud migration process as well as cyber security issues.

Cyber security is also an issue if the organisation’s applications use highly confidential data that can’t be stored off-premise. Public cloud services also have their fair share of concerns, such as performance, control, regulatory, compliance, and security threats. The existence of legacy monolith apps or systems may also prevent an organisation from making the migration. 

To address these challenges, many organisations are adopting hybrid cloud computing. In essence, a hybrid cloud is a computing environment that combines both public and private cloud. Part of the organisation’s IT capabilities and data are moved to the cloud (public) while certain elements remain hosted in a single-tenant environment (private).

Migrating to a full cloud environment without proper planning has its risks and pitfalls. A hybrid cloud model allows an organisation to streamline its day-to-day functionality without interrupting its core services. Hybrid cloud computing also offers a degree of flexibility and scalability since businesses can take advantage of the computing power of a public cloud when necessary while keeping essential business functions securely separated.

Furthermore, the computing workload of an organisation’s day-to-day operations will usually fluctuate depending on demand, making massive capital expenditures to handle short-term resource spikes costly and ineffective. Hybrid cloud computing with a direct connection to a global cloud service providers (CSP) would allow organisations to offload to a public cloud when required, so organisations only have to pay for the additional storage and compute resources they have ‘rented’ temporarily.

Selecting the Right Hybrid Cloud Deployment

The adoption of hybrid cloud technology has become increasingly important, however choosing the right data centre is also vital for any business strategy. Organisations need data centres that provide comprehensive global points of presence and connectivity. AIMS Data Centre, a leading cloud infrastructure services provider in Malaysia, offers direct access to multiple global CSPs. Instead of multiple connections, a single connection is all that is required to connect to global CSPs, simplifying IT infrastructure management. The connection also bypasses the public Internet, which enables better latency and enhanced security & consistency when accessing cloud services.

By co-locating with AIMS, businesses can be linked to its dynamic ecosystem for faster, more optimised performance. As one of the most interconnected data centres in the region, AIMS Data Centre can help to accelerate your company’s digital transformation and deliver greater value to customers and stakeholders. 

Improving Business Efficiency Through Interconnected Data Centres

In the past, businesses had to allocate resources to maintain a server room with its own specialist team to manage and maintain individual servers. Today, businesses can greatly reduce their operational expenditures by co-locating in dedicated interconnected data centres, which are instrumental in connecting, supporting, and safeguarding an international business network thanks to their larger bandwidth and capability to connect to multiple transit providers.

Image by TheAndrasBarta from Pixabay

As the point of connection for local and international Internet Service Providers as well as content providers, a business co-locating at AIMS Data Centre will enjoy direct peering privileges, which means optimised traffic and services at a lower cost. 

Data centres like AIMS also offer a host of benefits that organisations may not have the time and resources to set up, such as specialised cooling containment technology, customisable rack solutions, uninterruptible power supply systems, and 24/7 round-the-clock security, monitoring, and support. This means an organisation’s IT team can focus on their core business and maximise its potential, while AIMS takes care of the rest.   

[1] https://www.digitalnewsasia.com/digital-economy/malaysia-leads-apac-showing-returns-digital-transformation-projects

Editorial

Machine Learning in Sports: A Paradigm Shift in Progress

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Sports, data analytics and machine learning. Three words you would never expect to be in the same sentence, right? Well, what if we told you that they already are in the same sentence in sports teams the world over. That’s right, we’re already seeing the inclusion of data analytics and machine learning in sports – some even as early as 15 years ago. You’d be surprised how advanced things have gotten when it comes to data analytics and sports; we’re even seeing companies use Amazon Web Services (AWS) to help deal with and store the data.

In sports such as the F1, American football and even rugby we’re seeing more and more decisions being made when taking into consideration probabilities and numbers generated by machine learning. In fact, one of the sports most adept at using data is the Formula 1. Teams generate up to 600GB of data per lap from the 200 to 300 sensors in the cars. When it comes to the American NFL (National Football League) each player is analysed based on over 100 data points. These data points drive the plays we, as fans, cheer and look for when we watch the athletes play.

Dilemma: Where to store the data? How to capitalise on it?

When it comes to dealing with the data generated from these sports, the first dilemma is where to store the data. Of course, Amazon Web Services has a slew of container and data lake services such as Amazon S3 storage and more these teams are already using to store their data. However, just keeping the data in the cloud isn’t enough. They will need to run through and analyse the data for it to truly be useful to the teams. That’s where machine learning comes in.

While it might seem like a brand-new paradigm, we can assure you, that it’s been happening behind the scenes for quite a while. Teams in the F1, NFL and even rugby have been collecting data and analysing them to help players perform better, drivers drive better and engineers optimise their technology further. In fact, there are companies out there such as Pro Football Focus that actually process and analyse the data in real time. In fact, at AWS Re:Invent, Cris Collinsworth, CEO and Co-Founder of Pro Football Focus, said that what used to take coaches around two to three days to analyse is done in less time. He said that with this improvement, coaches are given more time to strategize and tweak their plays to help their teams win.

Photo by Chris Peeters from Pexels

The data collected during the races of the F1 doesn’t just go to the cloud for storage. Analysts on the ground are constantly looking at it to help tweak and make critical decisions for that edge. In fact, the data plays a big role in the teams pitting and undercutting strategies in a race. The engineers are also using this data to help with their car design and tweaking between races. However, the F1 has a pretty good head start compared to other sports out there. They’ve been using data analytics in their sport for over a decade now and have been able to use it to help with performance. However, that isn’t the only way they use their data, they also use it to create new regulations that affect the whole game and the welfare of the drivers.

Machine Learning in Capitalising on Collected Data

“We don’t do magic. We use technology to make decisions.”

Rob Smedley, Expert Technical Consultant, Formula 1

With the advent of machine learning in the past few years, the work of analysing the data has been made even easier. Using services like Amazon SageMaker, companies and teams are able to take advantage of the numerous data points in real time. Machine learning algorithms can churn out predictions and probabilities based on the collected data near instantaneously.

Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay

That said, the data generated by the machine learning algorithms is only half the picture. It informs the coaches and players of not only the probabilities and possibilities but also what could be done to help give the teams an edge over the competition. The decision making process on the pitch or track is no longer only a question of gut instinct, it’s about tempering and guiding the gut instinct with mathematics.

“The teams that are really embracing the new approach are going to win the championships”

Cris Collinsworth, Co-founder and CEO, Pro Football Focus. and Broadcaster for NBC Sports Sunday Night Football

We are at the crossroads of a change in sports paradigms. Coaches are beginning to accept that the data being processed by machine learning algorithms as guides for their game time decisions. The game is changing based on how teams are able to use and optimise machine learning to get the edge they need during game time.

Creating New Fan Experiences

That said, machine learning isn’t just giving the edge during game time. It’s also being used to create new fan experiences. Watching sports can become a pretty mundane experience for some. However, using machine learning and data analytics, broadcasters can create new experiences for fans to keep them more engaged.

Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay

In the United States, broadcasters have been experimenting using data lakes and machine learning to enhance the sports viewing experience. This isn’t just restricted to F1, NFL, NBA or the MLB. It’s across the board. These broadcasters are using machine learning to create overlays and explanations of complexities that help fans better understand the sport. In fact, with the amount of data they have at their fingertips, shout casters and commentators are able to see plays before they happen or even suggest some that would have led to a better outcome. These hints of information are also opening up the sports world to new audiences. It is also creating a more engaging experience for long time sports viewers and fans.

Given the amount of data being collected, it also comes as no surprise that broadcasters and even teams are looking into giving fans a better experience via a second screen. They are looking at what information would make sense and enhance the experience for viewers. Of course, raw data isn’t the answer but the data processed by machine learning algorithms are able to give a better understanding and appreciation to fans. In fact, they expect that it would engage a whole new type of viewer.

“You still need the human element”

Rob Smedley, Expert Technical Consultant, Formula 1

With all the emphasis on machine learning and data analytics, it would seem that sports will be reduced to 1s and 0s. However, as Rob Smedly highlighted, artificial intelligence and machine learning can never replace the driver or player. In fact, the thing that makes sports engaging is the human element in the game. It’s about how athletes are able to push boundaries of human performance and how we use the data to improve, not only the game, but also other aspects of human life.

Lifestyle, News

MCO No Problem, Shopee’s 4.4 Got You Covered

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The whole Movement Control Order situation in Malaysia means that none of us can step out to get to work. Well, not all of us anyway. The essential services are still up and running. Services like restaurants, groceries, certain workshops, obviously clinics and hospitals; they are all running.

There is another service that is still running though. Something that we take for granted sometimes. That service is the delivery service. Without these guys, we would not have anything getting to us at these trying times.

That also means while you cannot go out to do your usual window shopping or casual shopping, you can still shop at home. In fact, tomorrow is Shopee’s 4.4 Brands Festival. While you cannot go out to shop, you can shop from Shopee in this case.

We all know that shopping online is sometimes better than going to the regular bricks and mortar shops. You get better deals, you do not have to step out of home, and you get your things delivered directly to you. At the same time, you get a plethora of choices when you go online shopping.

For Shopee’s 4.4 Brands Festival that has been going on from 20th March 2020 onward to 4th April 2020, you get even better deals than usual. The finale, that is happening tomorrow (4th April 2020) is the big one. You get even better deals than the deals that you are getting used to since 20th March 2020, especially for gadgets.

For us to list down and elaborate on everything is a little bit of a drag though. So, you can check out below for the full list of things that Shopee has in store for you. We are just going to give you highlights of the products we think is worth checking out.

Smartphones

There are some very interesting offers from Shopee for the Brand Festival here. We think that the best deal you might get here is the Samsung Galaxy S10 Lite that retails for MR 2,699. For tomorrow only, you can get your hands on one for MYR 1,999. While he Oneplus 7T is very tempting with an MYR 400 discount for the 4th April 2020, the Samsung Galaxy S10 Lite packs flagship like specs with just minor disadvantages compared to the likes of the Galaxy S20. From our review, we think that it is a stellar smartphone. The biggest issue we had with it is the price, which is remedied by Shopee at least.

Source: Samsung
ProductRRP (RM)4.4 Shopee Brands Festival Promo Price (RM)Product Link
Samsung Galaxy S10 Lite (G770) (8GB+128GB)26991999https://shopee.com.my/product/37587911/6016122249/
Samsung Galaxy A30s (A307) (4GB+64GB)899599https://shopee.com.my/product/37587911/2847886771/
Honor 20 (6GB + 128GB)1399999https://shopee.com.my/product/57745492/2231652236/
Vivo Y91c (2GB RAM + 32GB ROM)499369https://shopee.com.my/product/19049195/1989916208/
ONEPLUS 7T (HD1903) (8GB + 128GB)25992199https://shopee.com.my/product/33550146/3108298601/
Xiaomi Redmi 7A (2+32GB)399199https://shopee.com.my/product/56447030/5123300146/
OPPO A3s Smartphone (3GB RAM + 32GB ROM)899469https://shopee.com.my/product/12017474/1434720059/

Audio

Sometimes, your life is never really complete without good music accompanying you. Music is a big part of all our lives. Every season can be described with a tune. There are a few very interesting, very new products here including the Apple AirPods Pro that is selling for only MYR 999 tommorrow. We think that the winner here is the Audio-Technica ATH-M40X headphones though. Yes, you need to get an adapter for smartphones that does not come with 3.5mm jack. We still think that wired is the best way to enjoy your tunes at home though. From a retail price of MYR 560, it is now MYR 260; less than half the usual price. If that is not a good deal, we do not know what is.

Source: Audio-Technica
ProductRRP (RM)4.4 Shopee  Brands Festival Promo Price (RM)Product Link
Edifier TWS1 Bluetooth True Wireless Stereo Earphones29999https://shopee.com.my/product/16046076/2626377407/
Edifier W830BT Bluetooth Headphones499242https://shopee.com.my/product/16046076/1238424790/
Edifier R1280DB Bookshelf Speaker599269https://shopee.com.my/product/16046076/1241924819/
Marshall Kilburn I Black + Major III Headphones Black bundle17081025https://shopee.com.my/product/77679423/2626168812/
Apple AirPods Pro1119999https://shopee.com.my/product/73600336/7710052775/
Jabra Elite Active 65t True Wireless Earbuds Bluetooth899548https://shopee.com.my/product/53791796/1768944308/
Audio-Technica ATH-M40X Professional Monitor Headphones560260https://shopee.com.my/product/78735890/1332959933/

Wearables

In terms wearable items, we have been quite a loyalist to a certain brand. Not because we are fanboys over the brand. We just like the wearable products they produce. I doubt it is a secret that we think that Samsung’s wearable offerings in the market is the best one we have seen on Android devices. They are good value for money, since they are not sold at the price or the Garmins. The Tizen Wear OS is smooth, intuitive, simple to operate. Their battery life is always longer than what we can find on conventional Android wearable devices.

Source: Samsung

That is why we think that the Samsung Galaxy Watch Active 2 is a winner here. Which one in particular? That is really your preference. Aluminium tends to be lighter. Stainless steel has a nicer finish and quality feel to it. Durability wise, I think both are quite similar. It now depends on your budget and preference.

ProductRRP (RM)4.4 Shopee Brands Festival Promo Price (RM)Product Link
Samsung Galaxy Watch Active 2 R830 40mm Bluetooth Smart Watch (Stainless Steel)1299899https://shopee.com.my/product/37587911/7301438884/
Samsung Galaxy Watch Active 2 R830 40mm Bluetooth Smart Watch (Aluminium)999599https://shopee.com.my/product/37587911/5420277694/
HONOR Band 5i Color Screen Smart Wristband11995https://shopee.com.my/product/57745492/6220139707/
HONOR Magic Watch 2 46MM Smart Watch699615https://shopee.com.my/product/57745492/3211878312/

Camera

You might think that you do not need anything more than your own smartphone as a camera. In most cases, that can be true. Your smartphone cameras can do much these days that you start wondering; “why would you buy another separate camera”? We will tell you why tough.

Source: Insta 360

Purpose built cameras are built to a certain purpose. Like the action camera that we picked out of this box right here; the Insta360 G0 action camera. This is really great, you get a wide angle lens camera that you can stick to your shirt, strap on your head, or wherever you fancy really and it will not be a distraction because it is so small. Our good friend over in Philippines has one and she loves it.

ProductRRP (RM)4.4 Shopee Brands Festival Promo Price (RM)Product Link
Insta360 GO Flow State Action Camera745630https://shopee.com.my/product/5807617/7915179167/
DJI Ryze Tech Tello Quadcopter319287https://shopee.com.my/product/52209777/1639342718/
FUJIFILM INSTAX Mini 9 Instant Film Camera + 10sheets film220196https://shopee.com.my/product/64599831/2268133817/
SIPII SP200 Dual Channel Dashcam Front & Rear Dash Camera 1080p599450https://shopee.com.my/product/5807617/2720635186/

Accessories

When it comes to completing your devices, you always think of some accessories that would fit your lifestyle. It is hard to pick and choose here because everyone has different priorities and preferences in choosing what is right for them. For us, we might really go for the Xiaomi Mi Smart Robot Vacuum Cleaner just because it just helps with our work process. We just need to let it occasionally run around the office, clean it, and voila, you have a clean home or office.

Source: Shopee
ProductRRP (RM)4.4 Shopee Brands Festival Promo Price (RM)Product Link
Samsung Wireless Charger Pad 2019 P310515955https://shopee.com.my/product/3437289/3820526664/
Aukey PB-N42 Mini Power Bank (10000mAh)7929https://shopee.com.my/product/28077173/3817653125/
Anker A1241 PowerCore Nintendo Switch Edition 13400mah Power Bank349229https://shopee.com.my/product/148120148/5712799056/
Anker T2108 RoboVac 11S Slim Cleaner1399849https://shopee.com.my/product/148120148/2889129003/
Xiaomi Mi Smart Robot Vacuum Cleaner1299799https://shopee.com.my/product/2302204/4716943287/

There are plenty more deals from Shopee for the 4.4 Brands Festival. Acer, for example is giving out more than 25% in discounts and vouchers on Shopee. From their Shopee store, you get to own monitors from as low as MYR 233. Need 4K resolution? There is a 43-inch 4K display that is available for MYR 1,269 only on Shopee’s 4.4 Brands Festival. If you fancy a new work-from-anywhere notebook, the new Acer Swift 5 is offered with MYR 420 off its retail price.

All these are going to be on sale tomorrow on the 4th April 2020. From 12.00 a.m. to 2.00 a.m., you get to enjoy free shipping if you purchase more than MYR 8 worth of items. For the rest of the day, a minimum spend of MYR 16 will get you free shipping. For more information and other things, maybe even essentials, you can head over to Shopee’s website, or app. The Shopee app is available for free on both Android and iOS via the Google Play Store and Apple App Store respectively.

Computers, Gaming, News

Lenovo Legion to Add Two More in Their Line-up – Lenovo Legion 7i and Legion 5i

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We have always said that some of the best value for money PCs come from Lenovo. We say that because while they do not offer the best or the most powerful specs in that class of PCs, they always pack it with not only great build quality, but price them very reasonably. It also does not hurt that their keyboards are one of the best we have ever typed on when it comes to notebook PCs.

This value-for-money concept stretches from their business-line ThinkPads all the way to the gaming Lenovo Legion line. We especially like the Lenovo Legion Y700 and Y500 series. They keep things simple and honest. At the same time, they still offer great value and looks.

Source: Lenovo

This year though the Lenovo Legion Y500 and Y700 series is going to be joined by two newcomers, the 5i and 7i. To be fair, not much are known about the notebook PCs yet, but we can tell you that the Lenovo Legion 7i is coming in with 17-inch screen size and the 5i a 15-incher. We can also tell you that both notebook PC line-up will feature the latest 10th Generation Intel Core H-series processors. We are guessing the 7i will come with Intel’s most powerful and extreme Core i9.

The new series of notebook PCs will also come with NVIDIA’s GeForce RTX technology. The 5i will stop at the RTX 2060, presumably to fit a tighter budget. The Lenovo Legion 7i though will pack a Max-Q design NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER GPU.

Source: Lenovo

Gaming notebook PCs are known to be a battery drainer though. No matter the size of the battery, you might run out within 4 hours. That is if you do not game. By the looks of it, the Lenovo Legion 7i and 5i might not have that big of a battery though. Their design focuses more on portability and a thinner form factor. Thanks to an industry first NVIDIA Advanced Optimus technology though, you might get all-day battery life from the Lenovo Legion 7i and 5i. The technology is basically a GPU switch. You get the idea.

At this time, there are no word on availability in Malaysia just yet. Of course, we can safely say that the Lenovo Legion 7i and 5i are coming sometime this year. That said, the Lenovo Legion Y540 and Lenovo Legion Y740 are also getting a refresh of their own with 10th Generation Intel Core H-series and NVIDIA GeForce RTX SUPER cards. The Lenovo Legion 5i and Lenovo Legion Y540 will be available for US$ 999 (MYR 4,354*). The Lenovo Legion 7i and Lenovo Legion Y740 with NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 GPUs will be priced at US$ 1,199 (MYR 5,226*). More information can be found on their website.

*Based on approximate rate of US$ 1 = MYR 4.36 as of 02/04/2020