Razer is not exactly new when it comes to producing audio accessories. Of course, their core DNA has always been gaming. They have been creating gaming-centric accessories and hardware for years. What started out as a gaming mouse maker is now a major producer in other gaming peripherals, including gaming laptops for that matter.
The trend today, at least in terms of lifestyle accessories, is to go wireless. Razer understands that too, of course. Over the years too they have been expanding their wireless gaming peripheral line-up. The latest to join that line of wireless hardware is the new Hammerhead True Wireless (TWS) earbuds.
This is not technically a new product from Razer though. They launched their first iteration of their Hammerhead TWS earbuds back in 2019. The first-generation earphones took everything that were great from their Bluetooth iteration of the Hammerhead earphones and put them in a form factor that reflects the modern craze.
The shape of the earphones, in a sense, is very different from the Hammerhead earphones that we are used to though. Its shape mimics a certain other manufacturer instead, given, it was one of the most popular designs out there in the TWS earbuds market. Its charging/carrying case was designed a little differently though. It was designed to stand out a little bit in a more pill like case, while being a little more pocketable and compact than its competitors. After all, the name of the game in TWS earphones is portability and versatility.
The new TWS Hammerhead takes a slightly different approach compared to the first generation from 2019 though. The case and earbuds design mimics Razer’s own Hammerhead TWS Pro earbuds instead. That also means the case has a larger footprint compared to its predecessor. That is good news for its battery life though, with up to 32.5 hours in total battery life (RGB and ANC Off).
Source: Razer
Source: Razer
Source: Razer
Source: Razer
Source: Razer
Source: Razer
Source: Razer
Source: Razer
Source: Razer
While the touch sensitive stem of the earbuds remains on the second-generation Razer Hammerhead, the tips are completely different. The new Hammerhead TWS earbuds features a proper earbud with replaceable silicon tips that should be a better and more secure fit in your ears. Its IPX4 certification means that you can take it out for your exercises and ensuring that you have a good seal and secure fit is important; you do not want to be running and losing your earbuds along the way.
On top of all of that, there are a few more reasons why you might want to ditch your first-generation Hammerhead TWS earbuds for the new one. For one, it now features Active Noise Cancelling technology. It also features Google Fast Pair, for an even quicker pairing and connection with your Android devices. At the same time, you get even more stable wireless connection with Bluetooth 5.2. The best part on the Hammerhead TWS though is its Razer Chroma customisable RGB. You can customise that from your smartphone app (available on Google Play Store and Apple App Store, of course.
Source: Razer
Source: Razer
Source: Razer
The new Razer Hammerhead TWS earbuds is now available from Razer.com, and authorised retailers across the nation. There are no funky colour options for you to choose from here. While it is only available in black, that also means that your RGB stands out a lot more. The TWS earphones is now available for MYR 629. For more information on the new Razer Hammerhead TWS earbuds, you can head over to their website.
Fundraising reinforces the need for cross-border solutions that enable a new era of global commerce.
HONG KONG, Aug. 12, 2021 — Currenxie, the Hong Kong headquartered cross-border payments company, today announced that it has successfully closed a USD 10 million Series A funding round led by family office BF Belmont.
While global travel has slowed down due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the demand for cross-border trade and global eCommerce has increased. However, traditional payment solutions remain expensive, restrictive and cumbersome to most businesses, both big and small. Innovation is needed to improve the situation, which Currenxie is well placed to continue providing with the proceeds from the fundraising.
Predominantly self-funded by Goldman Sachs alumni and co-founders, Riccardo and Alison Capelvenere, the latest capital injection will allow Currenxie to accelerate its vision of empowering businesses to access global commerce. The funds will be used to focus on building new products, acquiring new licenses and authorisations, expanding into new markets and accelerating recruitment. The firm sees these goals as intertwined in enabling its clients to achieve global growth. Currenxie will also be welcoming Gordon Kwong, a former Partner of a big four international accounting firm, to its board, as the official investor representative.
Riccardo Capelvenere, Founder and CEO of Currenxie, said: "From the start, we have focused on building a platform that will give our clients access to a truly borderless economy. Thanks to BF Belmont, we’re now able to accelerate our global growth and expansion plans – creating more value that will be transferable to our clients. The demand for seamless cross-border solutions will only increase, and our high calibre team is ready for this opportunity."
"With their many decades’ worth of experience, the Currenxie team has developed an impressive plan for the future of payments – one that will capture the global growth in eCommerce," said Gordon Kwong, the newly nominated Director of Currenxie. "The combination of their proprietary technology, network and infrastructure demonstrates their readiness to succeed in – and shake up – the cross-border payments ecosystem and set a new standard within the financial industry. We’re excited to be a part of this journey."
ABOUT CURRENXIE
Founded in Hong Kong in 2014, Currenxie’s cross-border payments and business account solutions offer businesses of all sizes a seamless online alternative to traditional banking, breaking down the financial barriers that prevent them from growing their operations on the world stage. Currenxie has built one of the largest virtual account networks in the B2B fintech space, spanning 10 jurisdictions, 30 countries and 18 currencies. The Currenxie Global Account® platform – the company’s cloud-based core banking system – allows funds to flow freely across its banking network, in real-time, without costly cross-border fees. Access global commerce with us: www.currenxie.com
Application Security Leader Named Winner in Most Prestigious Awards for Cybersecurity Companies Who Have the Potential of Being Valued at $1B
LOS ALTOS, Calif., Aug. 12, 2021 — Contrast Security, a leader in modernizing application security, today announced that it has been named a winner in the Black Unicorn Awards for 2021.
Contrast competed against many of the industry’s leading providers of cybersecurity products and services for this prestigious award. The term "Black Unicorn" signifies a cybersecurity company that has the potential to reach a $1 billion market value as determined by private or public investment, and these awards showcase those companies with this kind of incredible potential in the cybersecurity marketplace.
This is Cyber Defense Magazine’s 9th year of honoring cybersecurity innovators, in this case the Black Unicorn Awards for 2021 on the Cyber Defense Awards platform. In this competition, judges for these prestigious awards include cybersecurity industry veterans, trailblazers, and market makers Gary Miliefsky and Dr. Peter Stephenson of CDMG, Robert R. Ackerman Jr. of Allegis Cyber, and David DeWalt of NightDragon with much appreciation to emeritus judge Robert Herjavec of Herjavec Group. The complete list of finalists for the Black Unicorn Awards for 2021 can be found here.
"It is an honor to be named a Black Unicorn for 2021 as a result of our extraordinary customer growth and global expansion," said Tara Ryan, CMO at Contrast Security. "As digital transformation efforts accelerated during the pandemic, there was an increased demand for new software applications in virtually every industry. It placed an immeasurable burden on developers, leading to significant application security challenges, even for modern software development teams. The Contrast Application Security Platform transforms application security into an enabler of more secure digital transformation by instrumenting security from within the software. Our impressive FY21 results are a testament to the impact our platform has had on the industry."
"We’re pleased to name Contrast Security as a winner among a small, elite group of cybersecurity industry leaders in our second annual Black Unicorn awards," said Judges Robert R. Ackerman Jr. of www.allegiscyber.com, David DeWalt of www.nightdragon.com, Dr. Peter Stephenson of Cyber Defense Labs, and Gary Miliefsky of www.cyberdefensemediagroup.com.
About Contrast Security:
Contrast Security provides the industry’s most modern and comprehensive Application Security Platform, removing security roadblock inefficiencies and empowering enterprises to write and release secure application code faster. Embedding code analysis and attack prevention directly into software with instrumentation, the Contrast platform automatically detects vulnerabilities while developers write code, eliminates false positives, and provides context-specific how-to-fix guidance for easy and fast vulnerability remediation. Doing so enables application and development teams to collaborate more effectively and to innovate faster while accelerating digital transformation initiatives. This is why a growing number of the world’s largest private and public sector organizations rely on Contrast to secure their applications in development and extend protection in production.
About Cyber Defense Magazine:
Cyber Defense Magazine was founded in 2012 by Gary S. Miliefsky, globally recognized cyber security thought leader, inventor and entrepreneur and continues to be the premier source of IT Security information. We are managed and published by and for ethical, honest, passionate information security professionals. Our mission is to share cutting-edge knowledge, real-world stories and awards on the best ideas, products and services in the information technology industry. We deliver electronic magazines every month online for free, and limited print editions exclusively for the RSA, BlackHat and IPEXPO conferences and our limited edition paid reprint subscribers. Learn more about us at http://www.cyberdefensemagazine.com. Cyber Defense Magazine is a proud member of the Cyber Defense Media Group (CDMG).
The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip was always a looker when it comes to smartphones. The foldable was a vibrant, striking clamshell that focused on looks rather than raw power. The Galaxy Z Flip3 inherits that blatant rambunctiousness and ups the ante when it comes to performance. Once again focusing on style, the device is sleeker and more compact than ever.
The Galaxy Z Flip3 improves on some of the pain points of the Flip. In particular, Samsung has supersized the cover screen making it more useful. The screen is also hidden behind a black accent which adds to the style and attitude of the Z Flip3. The cover screen is now a 1.9-inch Super AMOLED display. The main screen is a 6.7-inch FHD+ Dynamic AMOLED 2X display with a 22:9 aspect ratio. It also has a 120Hz refresh rate.
The Z Flip3 is more power-packed than its predecessor. It comes with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 mobile platform. The 5nm processor promises a more powerful and efficient experience when it comes to the user experience of the device. This paired with 8GB of RAM and up to 256GB of internal storage should be enough power to get you through the day. It is definitely bolstered by the 3,300mAh battery with support for 15W fast charging.
It also comes with 5G support on both Sub6 and mmWave spectra. This is complemented by LTE, WiFi 6, GPS and Bluetooth connectivity. The Flip3 also has baked in eSIM support. The cameras on the Z Flip3 are dual 12-megapixel sensors; a dual pixel wide-angle sensor with support for OIS and an ultra-wide-angle sensor. On the front is a 10-megapixel selfie camera for all your selfie needs.
Of course, like the Fold3, the Galaxy Flip3 also comes with enhancements to the software experience. Samsung optimised apps to allow them better functionality on the foldable display of the smartphone. These optimisations have also been implemented in a number of partner apps.
Pricing & Availability
The Galaxy Flip3 will be available in Cream, Green, Lavender, and Phantom Black. Gray, White, Pink colour options will be available exclusively from Samsung.com. It will be priced from USD$999.99*.
The Galaxy Flip3 will be available for pre-order starting on 11 August 2021 in select regions. Retail availability will begin on 27 August 2021. Pre-orders of the Flip3 are entitled to a year of Samsung Care+ protection which covers accidental damage including water damage, screen replacement and back cover replacement. A special Thom Browne limited edition will also be available for pre-order at the same time.
Official Specfications
*USD to MYR conversions taken from xe.com at the rate of USD$1= MYR4.23955 on 12 August 2021 at 1am.
Samsung is no stranger to foldables. The company already has more foldables out in the market than any other company out there. This year, the company is doubling down on foldables touting it as the new normal for smartphones. The Galaxy Z series is now Samsung’s new flagship line up which will bring their vision of foldable smartphones to the mainstream. Galaxy Z Fold3 and the Galaxy Z Flip3 are iterative updates that up the ante in what Samsung calls a “meaningful way”.
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold3 looks to be coming in to fill in the void left by the Galaxy Note this year. Samsung is gearing the Fold3 to be the next productivity powerhouse in its arsenal. Similar to previous Z Fold smartphones, the Fold3 comes with two screens: a 6.2-inch cover screen with a 24.5:9 aspect ratio and a larger 7.6-inch display with a 22.5:18 aspect ratio. The two screens strike the delicate balance of being accessible with a large display. Both displays are Dynamic AMOLED 2X displays with a 120Hz refresh rate.
Big Innovations Unfold with the Fold3
The biggest change to the Galaxy Z Fold3 comes with the inclusion of a digitizer in the smartphone. Both the cover and main displays of the Z Fold3 come with digitizers that enable S Pen functionality. What changed with this year’s Fold? Samsung and Wacom worked together to adapt digitizer technology for a new form factor. We say new form factor because, as the company highlighted, a flexible display will continuously bend which can damage the digitizer. So, Samsung and Wacom opted to use two separate digitizers for each side of the phone while filling in the gap at the hinge with an algorithm which allows the phone to seamless detect movement and usage.
Source: Samsung
Together with the integration of the digitizer, Samsung and Wacom also developed a unique S Pen specifically for the Galaxy Z Fold3. The new S Pen Fold Edition comes with design and function changes which allow all the S Pen functionality while preserving the softer, foldable display. The first change is the replacement of the sharp, pointed tip with a rounded one for use on the softer display. The S Pen Fold Edition also has an internal spring to preserve the sensitivity that S Pen users are accustomed to. Latency is also improved on the new S Pen.
In addition to the S Pen, the Galaxy Fold3 is also the first Samsung smartphone to feature an under display camera. The main front facing camera is now hidden behind the pixels of the main screen. The 4-megapixel sensor only appears when it is in active use. Otherwise, it remains hidden behind the pixels of the content on screen giving users a seamless, uninterupted experience.
Powered for Play, Optimized for Productivity
Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold3 is running on the Snapdragon 888 mobile platform. The 5nm processor has already proven its prowess in both power efficiency and performance this year. In the Fold3, it’s paired with 12GB of RAM and up to 512GB of internal storage. The trifecta promises smooth performance even when it comes to multitasking – which the Fold3’s large screen is built for.
However, it’s not all about the raw power when it comes to the Z Fold3. Samsung has also introduced optimisation to One UI 3 in the smartphone. They have redesigned a number of apps to have better optimisations for the larger main screen of the smartphone. Apps like the calendar app have more functional layouts which maximise the screen to allow better usage. These optimisations are not just limited to Samsung apps. Samsung has collaborated with a number of partners including Spotify, TikTok and YouTube to optimise their apps for the Fold’s unique form factor.
Source: Samsung
Source: Samsung
Source: Samsung
When it comes to the cameras, the Galaxy Fold3 comes with a triple sensor setup. This year it comes with three 12-megapixel sensors: wide angle dual pixel, ultra wide angle and telephoto. The cover camera is a 10-megapixel sensor.
Pricing & Availability
The Z Fold 3 will cost USD$1,799 (MYR7,632.64*). It will be available in Phantom Black, Phantom Green, and Phantom Silver
The Galaxy Z Fold3 will be available for pre-order in select markets starting from 11 August, 2021. It will be on shelves starting August 27, 2021. A limited edition Thom Browne edition of the smartphone will be available at the same time. It will come in matte white with silver accents.
Official Specifications
Source: Samsung
*USD to MYR conversions taken from xe.com at the rate of USD$1= MYR4.23955 on 12 August 2021 at 1am.
Samsung’s Galaxy Watch4 series is a revolutionary device for more than one reason. The Galaxy Watch4 series is the first Wear OS 3 enabled device. According to Samsung, the new smartwatch OS brings the best of Wear OS and the company’s own TizenOS to the smartwatch experience. Wear OS powered by Samsung makes the Galaxy Watch4 series the most compatible and open Galaxy Watch yet.
Source: Samsung
The new Watch4 series comes in two flavours – the Galaxy Watch4 and the Galaxy Watch4 Classic. Just like its operating system, the Watch4 series is preserving adaptability and customization. It adopts the form factor of what was once the Galaxy Watch Active. It touts the signature digital bezel which allows users to easily navigate the circular interface. However, if that’s not your drift, the Classic brings back the signature rotating bezel which gives it a navigator watch appearance.
The Watch4 is also the first smartwatch to come with a 5nm processor with the Samsung Exynos W920. The dual-core processor promises longer battery life with better power efficiency. It is paired with 1.5GB of RAM and 16GB of internal storage. The hardware combination promises smooth performance with the optimisations that come with the Wear OS 3. There will also be options for LTE connectivity on the Watch4. This comes in addition to the GPS, NFC and WiFi connectivity.
Source: Samsung
You’ll be able to interact with the Galaxy Watch4 series through the digital or rotating bezel. In addition, the Classic comes with a Super AMOLED display in 46mm and 42mm sizes. The former comes with a 1.4-inch display while the latter has a 1.2-inch display. The Watch4, on the other hand, comes in 40mm and 44mm sizes; screen sizes remain the same as the Watch4 Classic. You will also be able to interact via voice with Bixby.
Staying Healthy with Samsung’s BioActive Sensor in the Galaxy Watch4 series
The smartwatch is more than a watch. It becomes a valuable companion in our journeys to keep healthy. It’s even more important now, in the current global climate. Samsung’s Galaxy Watch4 series is equipped with Samsung’s BioActive Sensor. The BioActive Sensor is a unified sensor capable of measuring heart rate and electrical heart and bioelectrical impedance. This sensor allows users to monitor their heart rate, blood oxygen saturation (pO2), pulse and even get an ECG (electrocardiogram).
With such a powerful sensor in the Galaxy Watch4 series, Samsung is also buckling down on their Galaxy Health app. The app is now more powerful with more features and more information than ever before. Users are even able to collaborate and get healthier together with their friends or communities via the app. The Watch4 series is also able to track over 40 different types of exercises.
Source: Samsung
Samsung has even made conscious design choices to enable better tracking. The Watch4 series is thinner and the straps allow it to be in closer contact with the skin to allow better, more accurate tracking. It also has IP68 water and dust resistance with MIL-STD-810G durability to keep up with your workouts. You can even express yourself with the interchangeable straps and watch faces.
Pricing & Availability
The Samsung Galaxy Watch4 series will be available for pre-order in select markets starting August 11, 2021. It will be available in retail on August 27, 2021.
The Galaxy Watch4 will be available in 40mm and 44mm sizes. It will be priced from USD$249.99 (MYR1,059.85*) for the Bluetooth version while the LTE version will be priced from USD$299.99 (MYR1,271.83*)
Source: Samsung
The Galaxy Watch4 Classic will be available in 42mm and 46mm sizes. Prices will start from USD$349.99 (MYR1,483.82*) for the Bluetooth version and USD$399.99 (MYR1,695.80*) for the LTE model.
A limited-edition Thom Browne version of the Galaxy Watch4 with a special rhodium plating will also be available in late September 2021..
Official Specifications
Source: Samsung
*USD to MYR conversions taken from xe.com at the rate of USD$1= MYR4.23955 on 12 August 2021 at 11:30pm.
LAS VAGAS, Aug. 11, 2021 — POPSHOWROOM, a fashion brand aiming for a flexible fashion-on-demand supply chain, makes its debut at MAGIC fashion trade, the largest trade show in the United States, from August 8th to 11th, 2021.
Visitors showing great interest in POPSHOWROOM’s low MOQ and short lead time.
Vibrance of life and youthfulness is the message POPSHOWROOM wants to convey. Inspire women to live an à la mode casual and energetic lifestyle, POPSHOWROOM will present a curated collection of active and casual wear. They are designed for those who are meant to bringing forward creativity, self-expression, and passion for life. The offering combines diverse trendy elements to create a relaxed and carefree look, including tie-dye, crochet, irregular cuts, stretchable light-weight fabrics, and many more.
The significance of sticking together has been key for the period where we are in now, after having been through the physical distancing on a global scale. POPSHOWROOM has been staying connected with its community and growing via social platforms. The brand has been interacting with its global audience via Live Q&A, shopping and ordering live streaming, and many other online events. In facing the fact that many merchants are not able to personally be part of the MAGIC community as the result of travel restrictions, POPSHOWROOM will continue its community engagement by going live during the exhibition and broadcasting through its Instagram account @thepopshowroom. Promotions and giveaways will be hosted as well to create a vibrant experience for its customers regardless of their geological locations.
What POPSHOWROOM presents at MAGIC is only part of its aspiration. This brand is developing an all-over print print-on-demand service. All-over printing is a new and exciting trend that recently hits the printing world, which a few print-on-demand platforms have dived into. What is special about POPSHOWROOM is that its all-over printing tool allows anyone, without knowing how to cut and sew patterned materials into ready-to-wears, can still be an all-over print designer.
Holding respect for those individuals who are dreaming of having their fashion lines, POPSHOWROOM aims to build an efficient and agile supply chain. This will benefit these small- and medium-sized entrepreneurs financially and psychologically through lowered inventory risk, minimized design cost and accelerated capital turnover — everything that matters to scale up their businesses.
"I am an independent artist running a small souvenir shop which also sells stuff with designs of my own. For clothing items, I used to buy from domestic wholesalers, yet they only provide the most basic styles. There are few choices when it comes to, for instance, neck shapes. As my business is growing bigger, I need more styles and variations. I found POPSHOWROOM online. Their products are amazing. A large base of various patterns and various customization services are offered at an affordable price. Their pricing is absolutely reasonable for such quality and service."
This is the review of one of their customers, Yolanda, who owns a shop selling local souvenirs and t-shirts with the prints designed by herself.
POPSHOWROOM is excited to be part of this energetic fashion event. The brand is looking forward to acquiring a keen understanding about its global audience, establishing a closer collaboration with influencers, and gaining deeper insights from industry thought leaders.
Samsung’s biggest Unpacked event for the year 2021 is happening tonight (11th August 2021). We say tonight because we are in Malaysia at +0800 GMT and the event will go live at 10.00 p.m. local time. It is also one of the most exciting Samsung Galaxy Unpacked event for a few reasons.
1. No Notes
Samsung has made a name for itself in the innovation industry. They introduced their Galaxy line-up 10 years ago with the first Samsung Galaxy S that went on the be one of the best-selling, if not the best-selling smartphone in its day. It showed what and Android smartphone is capable of in the hands of an experienced mobile phone manufacturer. It propelled Samsung into the limelight of modern smartphone world too.
A year later they introduced a smartphone that was heavily criticized by pundits around the world. It was a humungous device that comes with an accessory that was thought to be dead, or rather old fashioned. The first Samsung Galaxy Note was not received very well at all initially (I liked the idea though). But the Galaxy Note line-up was later known as one of the devices that really defined Samsung as a smartphone brand and sealed its hold of the Android smartphone market.
Sadly, we are not going to be getting any new Samsung Galaxy Note devices this year. As per Samsung’s reports from the end of 2020 and early 2021, the Samsung Galaxy Note series will be laid to rest and will be discontinued. There are still rumours surfacing around a final Samsung Galaxy Note device coming in 2022, but we are not entirely hopeful. This is the first time as well in 10 years that Samsung is not launching a Samsung Galaxy Note device for the year.
2. Folding and Flipping into the Future
While we may not be getting Samsung’s behemoth of the Galaxy Note, they are replacing the line-up with two larger than life devices though. They are replacing the Galaxy Note line-up with two foldable devices: the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold and Galaxy Z Flip series. As with any one of Samsung’s innovative devices, these two series have had their fair share of hardships and critics.
While most of the flaws of the first product was sort of corrected when Samsung launched their Galaxy Z Flip device in the same year, its price point is still higher than any flagship device that came before. It was not as stacked, in terms of specifications, as the other flagships around it too. The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 last year fixed even more of the Galaxy Fold’s flaw, but it was still the most expensive mass-produced smartphone you can get in 2020.
Thing is Samsung is betting its future in foldable devices. Since Samsung launched the Samsung Galaxy Fold in 2019, other smartphone manufacturers have started taking notice. Since then, Motorola made the new Razr with a foldable display, HUAWEI also made their foldable line-up (2020) to mimic the form factor of the Samsung Galaxy Fold, OnePlus teased a foldable device just today, and even OPPO is jumping to the bandwagon of a shapeshifting smartphone with rollable displays.
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3
There are still plenty of unknowns surrounding the new behemoth flagship that is the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3. Like we pointed out, Samsung is betting on foldable devices. The S Pen feature remains a Samsung special though, as we saw on the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra.
That same S Pen capability is touted to be coming to the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold line-up too. It makes sense, since the device opens to a large form factor device that would mimic a tablet. Although we are not entirely sure if the S Pen storage is integrated within the body of the Z Fold 3.
The Z Fold 3 is expected to pack Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 888 5G System on a Chip (SoC). Although we would also like to see Samsung’s own Exynos SoC powering the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3; chances are, we are only going to be seeing a new Exynos chip in the coming year 2022 instead on the Samsung Galaxy S22, or whatever they decide to name the next device. The Snapdragon 888 5G SoC is considered the most powerful chip available for Android devices though, so it may not necessarily be a bad thing.
It will also come with up to 12GB of RAM, as we have seen on the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra. Alongside the ample sized RAM is storage choices from 256GB onward to 512GB. It might make sense for Samsung to up the ante this time with 1TB storage though, since there will be no MicroSD support for the device.
Like the previous Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2, there are two displays you can work with on the Z Fold 3, obviously. One is an external display that is supposed to measure at 6.2-inch covered by durable gorilla glass and producing a little more than 720p in terms of resolution. You get a 7.6-inch in display real estate that boasts a little more that QHD+ in resolution inside. Of course, each of the display gets their own punch hole cameras.
Like the older device too, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 is supposed to come with a triple camera array that is reportedly packing three 12-megapixel sensors for different functions. This is not a device made for ultimate photography, so that is quite understandable.
In terms of battery, it seems like Samsung might have shrunk it a little bit. The previous Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 had a 4,500mAh battery. While it seems like it makes more sense to fit a similarly sized battery on the upcoming foldable, Samsung is looking to put a 4,400mAh battery to keep its weight down. It could also be an indication to an S Pen cargo hold.
There are also rumours pointing to multiple versions of the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3, which also means there might be a more affordable option for the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3. That is good news if Samsung is planning to bet its future on the foldable devices.
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3
We are also expecting to see a certain clamshell device to make the event tonight. It is the successor to the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip we saw in 2019 too. Instead of the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 2, they jumped straight into naming the upcoming device the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3. As we have discussed in our podcast, it could be because Samsung treated the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5G as its second-generation model. It could also to simplify Samsung’s product range and their naming scheme.
More recent leaks show that the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 device will be more of lifestyle-centric device. It is supposed to come in more colours than before with a more industrial and minimalistic design language. Apparently also, the device is supposed to come with a larger and more functional external display compared to the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip’s.
Of course, the Z Flip 3 will still command a reasonably premium pricing. You are still getting Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 888 5G platform. You are also supposed to be getting up to 8GB in RAM and 256GB in storage.
You should get a similarly sized internal display at 6.7-inch that boasts Full HD+ resolutions with up to 120Hz in refresh rate. We do not expect the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 to come with S Pen capabilities though. Because the device is supposed to be more pocketable than the Z Fold 3, it will come with a rather small 3,300mAh battery and also two cameras on the outside rather than the three you get on the Z Fold 3.
3. New Wear OS in the form of One UI for the Galaxy Watch 4 and Watch Active 4
Source: Samsung
The Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 is supposed to be coming, and for the first time ever, it does not come with Samsung’s own Tizen OS for the Galaxy Watch. It is also the first smartwatch to come with Google’s brand-new Wear OS 3, albeit in a Samsung Galaxy flavour.
Samsung calls the new UI the One UI. They have also confirmed that One UI is based on Google’s latest Wear OS 3. It is also the culmination of Samsung and Google’s partnership to creating a unified Android smartwatch ecosystem. In some sense, it is Google’s attempt to not just improve Wear OS, it is Google finally taking wearable devices seriously.
Wear OS 3 is touted to come with a slew of improvements not just on its own functions. With Samsung’s input from the success of their Tizen OS for wearable series, there are new functions that are integrated into Wear OS as well. At the same time, Samsung and Google Both benefit from an expansion in terms of developer base.
Samsung’s Galaxy Watch 4 series is supposed to come with Samsung’s very own Exynos SoC with 5nm process. That also means that it should be Samsung’s most powerful smartwatch so far. At the same time, the new SoC is supposed to allow for a longer lasting battery alongside Wear OS 3.
Reportedly, there are supposed to be more sensors withing the watch for even more accurate health tracking with even more data that can be collected. One such sensor is supposed to be able to detect your blood sugar level.
In term of design though, we are expecting the Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 series, including its Active counterpart, to come in similar design languages as before. The rotating bezel that acts as a navigation tool should also make a comeback in the Watch 4 series. Of course, the two physical buttons will not be going away anytime soon.
There are supposed to be three sizes that users can choose from in the range. There will be a 42mm, a 44mm, and 46mm watch sizes that should fit a larger variety of users and preferences instead of the two 42mm and 46mm choices from before. All of them comes with 20mm lugs though, for standardisation purposes. They are also supposed to come in either aluminium or stainless-steel build material choices. Either builds will still be 5ATM water resistant and MIL-STC-810G certified though.
4. One UI 4.0 on Android 12
Android 12 has been on beta testing mode for a while now. Google is expecting the first Android 12 devices to be rolling out in September 2021 onward. They are even updating their Google Pixel devices in about the same time frame, which also means we can expect Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 3 and Z Flip 3 to come with Android 12 with their very own iconic One UI 4.0 flavour.
One UI, if you are not yet familiar with it, is Samsung’s custom skin on top on Android. While One UI started out its early life as TouchWiz UI, the new One UI design language has been dialed back from TouchWiz UX that technically existed since the first Samsung Galaxy S. One UI, while sort of retains some of the old charm from TouchWiz UX, is a completely different beast of an overlay though.
It cleans up the UX to the point that it is near barebones on top of Android. Of course, to ensure that Android on Samsung Galaxy devices takes full advantage of what Samsung’s devices are capable of, One UI still has to add some functionalities to Android as well.
The look and feel of One UI, in the Android world at least, is one that is quite unique to Samsung though, and one of the most intuitive out there. Thanks to Samsung’s own optimisation as well, you cannot possibly think using a Samsung device without the power of One UI. It is especially true when you start working with devices such as Samsung’s Galaxy Note series.
One UI 4.0 though will focus on bringing the best out Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold and Z Flip capabilities. It will optimise Android to the odd display aspect ratio on the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 for example. One UI 4.0 will also expand on the multitasking capabilities of Android 12 on the foldable devices, obviously.
Of course, One UI 4.0 does not only highlight the benefits of Samsung’s foldable devices. It will also embrace Android’s Material You design language. In that sense it should be even more customisable for its users. The amount of customisation should reflect very well on the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 and Z Flip 3. No two devices you pick up will be the same.
5. Samsung Galaxy Buds 2
Samsung’s Galaxy Buds started out life as the Samsung IconX. The IconX also kickstarted the whole True Wireless earphones (TWS) industry on its own. It also put Samsung on a path to becoming a one stop shop for all things mobile and seamless integration for Android devices. It spawned the Samsung Galaxy Buds in 2019.
Since then, there has been many iterations that comes from the humble Samsung Galaxy Buds. While capturing completely different markets, the Samsung Galaxy Buds was often compared to its Apple competition, the AirPods. Since then, the TWS earphones market has grown tremendously too, in terms of market size, demand, and even technology.
The new Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 is supposed to feature Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) technology. It is also reportedly an improved ANC technology that came on Samsung’s Galaxy Buds Pro. In that sense, there are also more ANC controls on Samsung’s Wearable app too. The ANC is supposed to be capable of blocking out 98% of noise.
In its IPX7 rated body (supposedly) is a powerful 11mm driver and 6.5mm tweeter. It also houses a battery that sllows the Galaxy Buds 2 to last up to 5 hours from a single charge. Its case is supposed come with three extra charges to give it 20 hours of total battery life. We are also expecting Samsung’s Galaxy Buds 2 to connect to smartphones via Bluetooth 5.2.
All Will be Revealed Tonight at Samsung Galaxy Unpacked 2021
Source: Samsung
Of course, everything we have written here is a collection of speculations and even hopes that Samsung addresses problems with their older devices. We are extremely excited about Samsung’s Galaxy Watch 4 with Google Wear OS for the first time. It is also the first time we are looking at Google Wear OS 3 with Samsung’s input.
Everything will be revealed and announced tonight at Samsung Galaxy Unpacked 2021 though. Of course, due to the current pandemic situation, Samsung will not be holding a LIVE physical event. Instead, they will be holding the global press conference online. You can watch Samsung’s Galaxy Unpacked 2021 event LIVE on YouTube. We are also including the stream link here, so that you can just watch the announcement here.
Bringing brilliant imaging, smarter displays and boosted performance together for incredible mobile experiences
HSINCHU, Taiwan, Aug 11, 2021 — MediaTek today announced the new Dimensity 920 and Dimensity 810 chipsets, the latest additions to its Dimensity 5G family. This debut gives smartphone makers the ability to provide boosted performance, brilliant imaging and smarter displays to their customers.
Designed for powerful 5G smartphones, the Dimensity 920 balances performance, power and cost to provide an incredible mobile experience. Built using the 6nm high-performance manufacturing node, it supports intelligent displays and hardware-based 4K HDR video capture, while also offering a 9% boost in gaming performance compared to its predecessor, the Dimensity 900.
The Dimensity 810 is built using the 6nm high-performance manufacturing node. It provides Arm Cortex-A76 CPU speeds up to 2.4GHz, premium camera features including artistic AI-color in collaboration with Arcsoft, and advanced noise reduction techniques for superb low-light photography.
"With the expanded Dimensity chipset series, MediaTek is providing device makers and smartphone users with the latest innovations at more accessible price points for the mainstream market," said Dr. JC Hsu, Corporate VP and GM of MediaTek’s Wireless Communications Business Unit. "Delivering a boost in performance, display intelligence and image brilliance, these new Dimensity chipsets will improve user experiences and deliver advanced 5G features and capabilities to 5G smartphones."
Key features of the Dimensity 920 include:
MediaTek Smart Adaptive Displays: Adjusts the display refresh rate according to the game or UI action detected, raising it during periods of intense action to improve user experiences, and then lowering it to improve power efficiency.
4K Video Capture Hardware Engine: Integrates a flagship-class, HDR-native image signal processor (ISP) and incorporates a unique hardware-accelerated 4K HDR video recording engine supporting up to four concurrent cameras and up to 108MP sensors.
Boosted Performance: With the Arm Cortex-A78 processors in the octa-core CPU that can reach 2.5GHz clock speeds, along the latest LPDDR5 memory and UFS 3.1 storage, the Dimensity 920 maximizes performance.
Advanced Connectivity: Supports dual 5G SIM, dual VoNR, up to 2CC carrier aggregation, MediaTek 5G UltraSave power efficiency suite and 5G SA/NSA networking, 2×2 MIMO Wi-Fi 6 connectivity, Bluetooth 5.2 and multi-GNSS.
Smooth Gaming: Supports MediaTek HyperEngine 3.0 with 5G call and data concurrency, plus connection enhancements for high-speed rail and ‘Super Hotspot’ technology.
Key features of the Dimensity 810 include:
Faster Performance: Arm Cortex-A76 processors now support up to 2.4GHz in its octa-core CPU.
Faster Displays: Mainstream 5G smartphones can now benefit from 120Hz displays for an ultra-smooth user experience.
Incredible Cameras: Supports advanced noise reduction techniques (MFNR & MCTF) for excellent low-light capture, and supports up to 64MP cameras.
High-end AI-Camera Features: Enables stunning camera experiences like AI-Bokeh and artistic AI-Color in collaboration with Arcsoft.
Smooth Gaming: Supports MediaTek’s HyperEngine 2.0 gaming technologies with an intelligent resource management engine and advanced networking engine.
MediaTek’s Dimensity 5G series brings smartphones an unrivaled combination of connectivity, multimedia, AI and imaging innovations to global markets with the Dimensity 700, 800, 900, 1000, 1100 and 1200 families. With support for every cellular connectivity generation, the new Dimensity 5G chips deliver the latest connectivity features including 5G standalone (SA) and non-standalone (NSA) architectures, 5G two carrier aggregation (2CC) including mixed mode FDD+TDD, dynamic spectrum sharing (DSS) technology support, True Dual SIM 5G (5G SA + 5G SA) and Voice over New Radio (VoNR).
The new MediaTek Dimensity 920 and Dimensity 810 will power 5G smartphones that are expected to launch in the global market in Q3 2021. For full specifications and further details, please visit: https://i.mediatek.com/mediatek-5g
About MediaTek Inc.
MediaTek Incorporated (TWSE: 2454) is a global fabless semiconductor company that enables 2 billion connected devices a year. We are a market leader in developing innovative systems-on-chip (SoC) for mobile device, home entertainment, connectivity and IoT products. Our dedication to innovation has positioned us as a driving market force in several key technology areas, including highly power-efficient mobile technologies, automotive solutions and a broad range of advanced multimedia products such as smartphones, tablets, digital televisions, 5G, Voice Assistant Devices (VAD) and wearables. MediaTek empowers and inspires people to expand their horizons and achieve their goals through smart technology, more easily and efficiently than ever before. We work with the brands you love to make great technology accessible to everyone, and it drives everything we do. Visit www.mediatek.com for more information.
MediaTek Press Office:
PR@mediatek.com Kevin Keating, MediaTek +1- 206-321-7295 10188 Telesis Ct #500, San Diego, CA 92121, USA
SEOUL, South Korea, Aug. 11, 2021 — Key Foundry, the only pure-play foundry in Korea, announced today that it has developed a customer-friendly semiconductor design support tool named PDK Version E (Process Design Kit, enhanced version), and begun its offering to fabless companies.
A PDK is a semiconductor fabrication process-related database offered by a foundry company. This database enables customers to create designs that are well-suited for the foundry service provider’s fabrication processes and equipment characteristics.
Recently, PDK has become a key indicator of foundry service provider’s technical strength. When fabless companies use well-defined PDKs, they can reduce risks that may occur during semiconductor manufacturing and shorten the time for development.
Key Foundry has been offering PDKs that support environments of major chip design tool companies such as Synopsys, Cadence, Siemens, etc. to help customer design. PDK version E was developed by adding a PDK setup environment (PDK Organizer) and gate-level PCells (GCELL) to improve customer design convenience.
The PDK setup environment helps customers build user environments suitable for their product designs and allows the customization of the entire PDK set compared to the existing method that supports customization of only part of the PDK set. In addition, GCELL, the first feature introduced in the foundry industry, supports functional units consisting of combinations of basic unit devices, which improve design convenience and reduce design time, unlike traditional methods that support only independent basic unit devices provided in the fabrication process.
Key Foundry has applied PDK Version E to all of its BCD (Bipolar-CMOS-DMOS) processes and continues expanding the application to Mixed-Signal, Embedded Flash and High Voltage processes. In particular, for BCD processes, where demand has been increasing in recent years, Key Foundry expects PDK Version E with additional updated models which more accurately represent silicon characteristics compared to the previous one will provide an opportunity to expand the customer base.
In a recent customer satisfaction survey conducted by Key Foundry, the majority of customers who have used PDK Version E gave positive feedback that the tool was helpful, and they intend to continue using it for future designs. It is deemed that the tool’s easy customization of design environments and high design and layout convenience are major reasons for the positive survey result.
"Key Foundry has made years of relentless development and verification efforts to reinforce design support for our fabless customers," said Dr. Tae Jong Lee, CEO of Key Foundry. "We will continue striving to perfect our foundry service by improving our PDKs and grow the competitiveness of our process technology."
About Key Foundry
Headquartered in Korea, Key Foundry provides specialty Analog and Mixed-Signal foundry services for semiconductor companies to serve a wide range of applications in the consumer, communications, computing, automotive and industrial industries. With a broad range of technology portfolio and process nodes, Key Foundry has the flexibility and capability to meet the ever-evolving needs of semiconductor companies across the globe. Please visit https://www.key-foundry.com for more information.
