Yearly Archives: 2022

PR Newswire

OneConnect Makes Forbes Blockchain 50 2022 List for Advanced Trade and Financing Solutions

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SHANGHAI, Feb. 10, 2022 — OneConnect Financial Technology Co., Ltd. (NYSE: OCFT) ("OneConnect" or "the Company"), a leading technology-as-a-service platform for financial institutions, has made it on to the Forbes Blockchain 50 2022 list for the second consecutive year, as OneConnect continues developing its cutting-edge solutions to facilitate trade and financing.

The latest Forbes list, released on February 8, honors industry-leading companies with top performances in blockchain applications. Those that made the list include Adobe, A16Z, Paradigm, Coinbase, Microsoft, as well as Chinese conglomerates such as Ant Group, Tencent and Baidu.

To further its blockchain development, OneConnect formed a dedicated blockchain team in 2016 and has built a mature ecosystem in terms of technical support, products and consultancy.

Technology-wise, the Company has developed its own blockchain underlying infrastructure to ensure financial security and efficiency. Product-wise, its mature model has allowed easier access and significantly lowered the bar for clients to participate in blockchain projects. Service-wise, the company’s experts have offered well-rounded support with their years of project implementation experience.

OneConnect has been recognized by Forbes for its two blockchain projects, as the Company has demonstrated its technological capabilities for building smart and one-stop solutions for businesses and banks to facilitate cross-border trade financing.

The Company has gained traction with its financing platform built with blockchain technology for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in China’s Guangdong province. With blockchain’s unique tamper-proof nature, the platform has overcome the hurdles of information asymmetry between SMEs and commercial banks.

OneConnect’s financing platform has syndicated data from 34 government agencies to analyze a borrower’s risk level, with over 480 financial institutions offering more than 1,300 financial products on the platform. It has served more than a million businesses with an accumulated financing volume of over 68 billion yuan (approximately US$10.7 billion).

In addition, the Company’s support for Hong Kong’s "eTradeConnect" project has helped it make the cut. In November 2021, OneConnect teamed up with the People’s Bank of China’s digital currency research institute for the central bank’s Trade Finance Platform (PBCTFP), a project that uses blockchain to track and simplify the financing process for imports and exports between the Chinese mainland and Hong Kong.

The successful cross-border connectivity between the PBCTFP and Hong Kong’s eTradeConnect  —  coupled with OneConnect’s solutions  —  has further expanded the project to the second phase of "mainland imports, Hong Kong exports" from the previous stage of "mainland exports, Hong Kong imports."

Hong Kong officially launched the eTradeConnect project in September 2018 under the guidance of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority, the city’s de facto central bank. It is the world’s first blockchain trade financing platform led by regulators, enabling businesses and their trading partners to carry out cost-effective trade and financing activities through information sharing thanks to its advanced distributed ledger technology.

Such cross-platform connectivity has simplified and expedited the trade finance process by reducing the need for exchange of paper documents, thereby strengthening the economic development in the Guangdong – Hong Kong – Macau Greater Bay Area.

About OneConnect Financial Technology

OneConnect Financial Technology is a leading technology-as-a-service platform for financial institutions. The Company’s platform provides cloud-native technology solutions that integrate extensive financial services industry expertise with market-leading technology. The Company’s solutions provide technology applications and technology-enabled business services to financial institutions. Together they enable the Company’s customers’ digital transformations, which help them increase revenue, manage risks, improve efficiency, enhance service quality and reduce costs.

The Company’s technology solutions strategically cover multiple verticals in the financial services industry, including banking, insurance and asset management, across the full scope of their businesses  — from sales and marketing and risk management to customer services, as well as technology infrastructures such as data management, program development, and cloud services.

Android, Mobile, News

Samsung Announces Four Generations of Update Support – Time to Buy a Galaxy?

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Samsung just launched their latest flagship smartphones for the year 2022. They launched a few things last night. You see the Samsung Galaxy S22 series launched, including a Samsung Galaxy Note-esque Galaxy S22 Ultra. Alongside the Ultra is the Galaxy S22 and Galaxy S 22+. They also launched their latest larger-than-life tablet that is the Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 in three variants as well – the Samsung Galaxy Tab S8, Galaxy Tab S8+, and Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra.

With the new devices, they have also announced a new commitment to their devices, new and old. They have announced that they are going to be supporting updates to up to four generations for their latest Samsung Galaxy devices. That means that their new shiny Samsung Galaxy S22 devices will stay relevant until the year 2026 (if my math is right) at least. If you count the security updates, that could mean 2027 even.

The commitment is not just made for Samsung’s latest Galaxy devices that was launched last night though. The four generations of support extend of some of Samsung’s devices that was launched last year too. This includes the flagship models like the Samsung Galaxy S21 series and the Galaxy Z series of foldable devices. It also extends to certain Samsung Galaxy A devices coming this year, none of the older Galaxy A series gets the treatment. You Samsung Galaxy Watch4 devices will also get updated for the next four years.

While 4 years is a big deal in the world of Android, it still pales in comparison to what Apple has been doing over the years though. Their Apple iOS 15.2 is available even to the Apple iPhone 6S, a device launched in 2015. That is seven years of software update and support, which is already normal to Apple iPhone users at this point. That also means that if you are on an Apple iPhone, you may not have to worry about not getting the latest and greatest from Apple until your device is old. That also eliminates the need for you to upgrade every few years or so. That saves you some bucks too, of course.

To be fair, while we are avid fans of the Android ecosystem, we must admit that the manufacturers have horrible track record in keeping their devices relevant for more than two years, let alone three. Earlier Samsung devices would only be updated to the next iteration of Android once before becoming completely irrelevant in the coming months. It is highly annoying, and if you want to be updated, it gets expensive.

Four years, compared to Apple’s seven may still pale in comparison. But it is a start, a commitment at least from Samsung that their devices should remain relevant in the coming years. That also means that if you are on a Samsung Galaxy S21, or even a Galaxy Z Fold3, you can hold off your device upgrade until 2025 or so, and you will be completely fine. Still, we do hope that Samsung and Google can commit to a more robust and stretch their software support to at least five years; we think that is a reasonable amount of time before you upgrade your smartphone.  

PR Newswire

The New Wave of Floor Cleaning Tech: obode P8 Auto Self-cleaning Mopping Vacuum Robot

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SUZHOU, China, Feb. 10, 2022 — Robotics expert obode, a brand of Midea Robozone, just announced the launch of P8, a next-generation smart robot vacuum & mopping for automated floor cleaning for the entire home. Featuring mop pads self-cleaning with the cleaning agent, LDS intelligent navigation, smart automatic water replenishment and customizable app. The P8 is available now.

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P8 is a vacuum mop combo robot with the ability to self-clean its mopping pads to prevent mold and bad smells. As the ultimate all-in-one floor cleaning solution with 3 modes for sweeping, vacuuming, mopping, and combination cleaning. P8 is equipped with double-spin mops and a heavy-duty vacuum motor with 2000pa of suction power, and the smart lifting roller brush can be raised to 7mm during its mopping motion. The system easily picks up debris and hair from both hard floors and carpets. P8 uses an advanced ultrasonic sensor to determine surface types and apply the proper vacuuming, mopping, edge cleaning, and full mapping as needed. It moves seamlessly across the room, and intelligently switches between sweeping and mopping for safe, effective cleaning of any floor type.   

"Many people have made the move to robotic vacuum cleaners for home convenience. However, over the past few years, technologies such as robotic navigation and surface sensors have greatly advanced. For P8, we applied these next-gen technologies to create the ultimate robot vacuum cleaner with mopping functions. The result is the most advanced multi-surface floor cleaning device with superior mapping, intelligent surface identification and multi-mode cleaning for all household floors. P8 intelligently cleans and features programmable functions that take the hassle out of household chores. It efficiently and thoroughly keeps your floors clean so that you don’t have to. It’s the perfect addition to the modern home." Yuan Chen, founder of obode.

obode P8 Intelligent All-In-1 Self-cleaning & Mopping Robot
obode P8 Intelligent All-In-1 Self-cleaning & Mopping Robot

P8 uses the sixth-generation navigation algorithm is combined with ToF Lidar and more than 30 sets of navigation sensors to achieve centimeter-level high-speed mapping to avoid obstacles and barriers as it determines the most efficient and effective cleaning route through the home. With a 6200mAh battery built-in, P8 is capable of up to 2.5 hours of continuous cleaning, enough to do the entire house, before it automatically returns to base for recharging. P8 is also equipped with 4.6L and 4.7L water tanks. One for dirty, one for freshwater. For superior cleaning, P8 has a backwashing mopping cloth with the cleaning agent to prevent secondary smudging and automatically returns to the base to clean and hot dry the mop to disinfect it after each cleaning session.

Convenient control of the P8 is achieved with voice commands via Alexa or Google Home and the system has the obode Life app for scheduling, customized cleaning, setting virtual no-go zones, and ‘Do-not-disturb’ modes.

P8 is available now for sale with special deals and pricing for early adopters.

About obode

Obode is an AIoT technology eco-brand that brings the future to busy, trendy working-age people to give them more freedom and a positive living environment. At home, in the world around them, with smart, stylish, easy to use AIoT products. We aim to help people reclaim their time, using smart technology that cares for their world and enhances their lifestyle.
https://obodetech.com/

About Midea Robozone Technology

Robozone is a high-tech company focusing on Artificial Intelligence, Smart Robot products, and Smart Solutions. Based in Suzhou, with R&D centers in the US and China, Robozone has a multi-brand portfolio including Midea and obode covering 100+ global markets. Robozone Technology is a subsidiary of Midea Group.

https://mma.prnasia.com/media2/1743787/obode_P8_Kickstarter_Version.mp4?_=1
Android, Mobile, News

Bigger is Better with the new Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 series

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Samsung’s commitment to tabs hasn’t wavered since its first lineup of tablets. The Galaxy Tab S series emerged from the chaotic Android tablet landscape with Samsung taking the lead in creating a tablet experience that made a difference. More recently, the Galaxy Tab S7 series took a sharp focus on bringing a seamless, multi-device experience with other Galaxy devices. The newly announced Galaxy Tab S8 series takes that focus and turns things up to a 20.

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Source: Samsung

For the first time, Samsung announced not one, two but three tablets: the Galaxy Tab S8, Tab S8+ and Tab S8 Ultra. The new lineup takes a sharp focus on enhancing the experience that the Galaxy Tab S7 series brought when it came to multitasking and productivity and turns it up a notch for a more hybridized life with work from anywhere.

Technologically Packed for a Future of Hybrid Living

The Tab S8 series comes with the same 4nm processors used in the S22 series and the same enhanced S Pen from the S22 Ultra. Of course, it goes without saying that the size of the S Pen is larger than the one on the Ultra. With up to 16GB of RAM on the Tab S8 Ultra and up to 12GB of RAM on the Tab S8 and S8+, the new lineup should be able to handle nearly anything you throw at it. It also has up to 256GB of internal memory with support for additional memory via a microSD card.

Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 series Unpacked 01

The new tablets share the same build DNA as the Galaxy S22 series. It is made of armour aluminium for added strength and rigidity. The Tab S8+ and S8 Ultra come with a Super AMOLED display with support for up to a 120Hz refresh rate. The former has a 12.4-inch display while the latter comes with a humungous 14.6-inch display. The Tab S8 comes with a smaller 11-inch LTPS TFT display which supports the same 120 Hz refresh rate.

When it comes to the cameras, the tablets come with the same dual-camera setup across the board. The main sensor is a 13-megapixel sensor with autofocus. This is complemented with a 6-megapixel ultra-wide sensor. The cameras are built to help with content creation and also video calls. The focus on video calls is most apparent in the dual-camera setup on the front of the Galaxy Tab S8+. The setup consists of two 12-megapixel sensors: a wide and ultra-wide one. On the Tab S8 and S8+, this is a single 12-megapixel ultrawide sensor. However, both versions are augmented with software features that try to enhance the video calling experience.

Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 series Unpacked 03

The tablets promise all-day battery life with their large batteries. The Tab S8 comes with an 8,000mAh battery while the S8+ comes with a 10,090mAh and the Ultra comes with a larger 11,200mAh. The tablets support 45W fast charging which allows them to get a full charge in 90 mins.

Software Features that Make Sense

While the hardware may differ slightly in the Galaxy Tab S8 series, they all come with the same One UI 4 interface. The interface is built on Android 12 and brings a level of customizability that One UI has never had before. Everything from icons to colour accents on the interface can be changed.

Of course, a Samsung tablet experience would be incomplete without Samsung DeX. This interface allows the Tab S8 series to look and feel more like a laptop computer. The new Tab S8 series brings an updated version of DeX that will support more apps in windowed mode and work seamlessly across multiple Galaxy devices.

Samsung has also upped the ante when it comes to integration with other platforms particularly Windows. The Tab S8 series can function as an additional display when you’re using your Windows laptop. That said, it brings its own productivity features with enhancements brought by One UI 4. With One UI 4, you will be able to use up to three apps simultaneously in split-screen mode with the ability to shift and resize as needed.

Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 series Unpacked 02

The Galaxy Tab S8 series also comes with three mics for a better, more optimised video call experience. The mics work simultaneously with AI algorithms to cancel ambient noise and enhance your voice when on video calls. You’ll also be able to focus on your call as the camera also comes with Auto Framing which detects and optimised the frame for up to 10 individuals within 5 meters of the camera. You can even track yourself to ensure you’re always in frame.

Pricing & Availability

The Galaxy Tab S8 series will be available starting on February 10, 2022. The Galaxy Tab S8 and S8+ will be available in Silver, Graphite and Pink Gold. The S8 Ultra will be available only in Graphite.

The Tab S8 is priced starting from USD$699 (MYR2,925.45) while the Tab S8+ will start from USD$899 (MYR3,762.48) and the Ultra will be priced from USD$1,099 (MYR4,599.52).

In Malaysia, the Galaxy Tab S8 series will be priced as follows:

ModelRRPMemory & StorageColour
Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 UltraRM5,89912GB + 256GBGraphite
Samsung Galaxy Tab S8+RM4,5998GB + 256GBGraphite, Silver, Pink Gold
Samsung Galaxy Tab S8RM3,2998GB +  128GBGraphite, Silver, Pink Gold
Android, Mobile, News

The Galaxy Note Series is Back as the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra

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Samsung isn’t messing around with the Galaxy S series this year. With their refocusing of the Galaxy S22 and S22+, they’re also working on redefining their Galaxy S22 Ultra. After skipping the release of a new Galaxy Note last year, the Galaxy S22 Ultra is being imbued with the DNA and ethos of their most popular lineup.

The new Galaxy S22 Ultra is going through a total makeover this year and it starts with the design and seeps into its features. The first thing you’re going to realise about the new Galaxy S22 Ultra is that it doesn’t even share a hair with the design language of its siblings, the S22 and the S22+. Instead, its design cues hearken from the Galaxy Note series. In fact, it’s even adopted the integrated S-Pen slot! In essence, the Galaxy Note seems to have found new life as the top-of-the-line Galaxy S22 Ultra.

Samsung Galaxy S22 series Unpacked 01

When it comes to materials, the Ultra shares the same materials that were used in its sibling devices. It comes with the same armour aluminium frame sandwiched in Gorilla Glass Victus+ that we see in the S22 and S22+. However, that’s where the similarities end. The Galaxy S22 Ultra adopts a dual-curved design that meets at the middle of the frame for a more ergonomic finish. It also has an angular finish. It has a rectangular silhouette that we saw in the Galaxy Note20+. However, like the Samsung Galaxy S22 and S22+, the S22 Ultra is also thicker. The thickness gives it a more natural feel in the hand. The S Pen finds itself back where it belongs in a slot on the right side of the device. On the back, the cameras are nearly flush and protected by Gorilla DX.

Making a Note-able Comeback

Speaking of the S Pen, it’s making a note-able comeback. Puns aside, the S Pen on the S22 Ultra is not the same we’ve seen in the Note10. Samsung has worked on making the writing experience on the S22 Ultra an even more natural one. The latency of the S Pen has been reduced even further to 2.8ms. This is done with improvements to the Wacom technology in the S22 Ultra as well as with AI prediction algorithms. The new Wacom IC is more sensitive allowing faster reaction to inputs while AI works in the background to predict the trajectory of the S Pen when in use. This time it will be able to predict multiple trajectories which allow the experience to feel even more instantaneous.

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Together with the new hardware and AI, the S Pen is also supported by new software features. The Samsung Notes app is getting a few new features including improved handwriting recognition. You will be able to convert your handwritten notes into tidier typed out notes with a single click. It’s also coming with a new Quick Notes feature which allows you to capture full web pages for your notes. Additionally, it will also be able to work seamlessly with the new Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 in Collaboration View. This allows you to not only share via nearby share but also work on a larger display when needed. Similarly, Samsung has worked with Clip Studio to allow you to use the S22 Ultra as your colour palette for more precise control of colours in your digital art. You can even use the S22 Ultra’s camera to get colours you can’t get in the palette by snapping a photo and lifting the colour from there.

Packed with Cutting Edge Technology

Of course, it goes without saying that the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra’s note-able features are supported by the latest technologies. Like the S22 and the S22+. the S22 Ultra is coming with the latest 4nm processor. Depending on the region you’re in, it may be the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 or the AMD RDNA touting Exynos 2200. The processor will be complemented by either 8GB or 12GB of RAM and up to 1TB of internal storage. The S22 Ultra comes with the same 120 Hz capable Dynamic AMOLED 2X display as its siblings albeit in a larger 6.8-inch flavour.

Samsung Galaxy S22 series Unpacked 02

When it comes to the camera, it’s imbued with the same features that are packed in its siblings. However, it comes with a more robust quad camera setup. The main sensor is a 108-megapixel wide sensor with dual pixel autofocus, an f/1.8 aperture and an 85° field of view (FOV). This is complemented with a 12-megapixel ultrawide sensor with an f/2.2 aperture and 120° FOV and two 10-megapixel telephoto sensors. One of which is capable of 3x optical zoom and has an f/2.4 aperture while the other is capable of 10x optical zoom with an f/4.9 aperture. The front camera is a 40-megapixel sensor with an f/2.2 aperture and 80° FOV.

Like the S22 and S22+, the camera of the S22 Ultra comes with new enhancements. The biggest enhancement is the larger pixels of the 108-megapixel sensor which is 1.23 times the size of the pixels of the Galaxy S21. In addition, it utilizes the same nona binning technology for better low light photographs. Galaxy AI enhances this with multi-frame exposure. This means that the camera will take up to 20 frames and use the data in each to get a more detailed picture with better dynamic range. The more capable NPU in the processors of the Galaxy S22 Ultra allows it to process up to 4 times the data. The Galaxy S22 Ultra is also able to shoot in 16-bit RAW which allows for more flexibility when processing pictures.

Samsung Galaxy S22 series Unpacked 15

It also comes with an enhanced super steady mode which allows you to shoot even steadier video at higher resolutions. Portrait mode has also been enhanced with Galaxy AI. A new feature called AI Stereo map captures a more detailed picture of your subject and allows you to adjust everything from the intensity of the bokeh to the light positioning with the new Studio Lighting feature.

Pricing & Availability

The Galaxy S22 Ultra will be available starting February 10, 2022, in Malaysia. It will be available in Phantom White, Phantom Black, Green and Burgundy. Prices for the Galaxy S22 Ultra will start from MYR5,099 (USD$1,218.46) for the lowest variant.

Prices and variants for Malaysia are as below:

ModelsRRP
Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra 5G 512GBRM 5,899
Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra 5G 256GBRM 5,499
Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra 5G 128GBRM 5,099

Official Specifications

S22 Ultra Spec sheet LI
Android, Mobile, News

Samsung Unveils New Galaxy S22 & Galaxy S22+

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Samsung’s Galaxy S series has been the company’s hallmark Android touting series since its first foray into smartphones. This year it looks like the company is turning its formulaic approach on its head by bringing some of the signature design and features of its Note line up to the flagship. The new Galaxy S22 series not only builds on features of the Galaxy S21 and the new 4nm chipsets, but it’s also set on redefining the Galaxy S series moving forward.

Samsung Galaxy S22 series Unpacked 06

This year’s Galaxy S22 series will be coming with three versions as it has before – the Galaxy S22, Galaxy S22+, and the Galaxy S22 Ultra. However, Samsung is changing things up when it comes to the features and differentiation between the smartphones in the series. While the biggest change in their approach this year is with the Ultra, we’re zooming in on the Galaxy S22 and S22+ here.

Designed for Functionality & Durability

Samsung is reigning things back a little bit when it comes to the design of the S22 and S22+. It’s keeping things familiar with design cues we’re used to seeing in the Galaxy S series thanks to the S21. However, they’ve done away with the multicoloured colourways which left a lasting impression – at least for now. The smartphones are now flat. The curved screens we’re used to on the Galaxy S series are no more.

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That said, Samsung has focused on making the new S series devices are sturdier and more functional. The Galaxy S22 and S22+ come with Armour Alumunium which made its debut with the Fold3 and Flip3. It gives added strength and rigidity to the frame of the phone and to the camera modules under the metallic camera hump. This is sandwiched by Gorilla Glass Victus with a matte coloured finish.

It’s not a question of “how thin can you go” for Samsung anymore, they’ve focused on making their phones last longer and feel more ergonomic in hand. The S22 and S22+ have thicker silhouettes but hold larger 3,700mAh and 4,500mAh batteries respectively. The thicker form also allows you to hold the phone with a firmer grip.

Camera, Camera and more Galaxy AI

The Galaxy S22 and S22+ are sticking to the Galaxy S formula. They’re looking to build on the camera features with their new release. Samsung’s focus this year is very much on their improved Galaxy AI implementation and also bringing features that make sense. The S22 and S22+ come with the same camera setup. They have a triple sensor setup. The main sensor is a 50-megapixel (f/1.8) wide sensor with Dual Pixel autofocus, optical image stabilisation (OIS), and an 85° field of view (FOV). This is complemented by a 12-megapixel ultra-wide sensor with an f/2.2 aperture and 120° FOV and a 10-megapixel telephoto sensor capable of 3x optical zoom with an f/2.4 aperture and 36° FOV. On the front is a 10-megapixel sensor with an f/2.2 aperture and 80° FOV.  While it may seem like the S22 and S22+ is taking a step back when it comes to the telephoto sensor, Samsung is claiming that they are able to achieve better performance with a larger main sensor and the 12-megapixel telephoto sensor.

Samsung Galaxy S22 series Unpacked 04

The mainstay of the new camera is the improved VDI that comes with the 4nm processors that Samsung is using in their flagships. The improved processing of images allows them to bring better low light performance as well as imbue its camera with more Galaxy AI features for better pictures. Samsung’s buzzword this year is “Nightography”. With “Nightography”, the company is highlighting their new approach to low light photography on smartphones. In particular, how Galaxy AI composites 20 different versions of the same image for better low light results. It also improves dynamic range and creates a more detailed picture. Of course, this works in tandem with the nona binning technology that we’ve seen in Galaxy S smartphones before. When taking low light video, Galaxy AI will also adjust the frame rate of the video to ensure the best result.

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Source: Samsung

Galaxy AI also brings features like Auto Frame which intelligently adjusts the camera’s framing to ensure that the person or object of interest is constantly in the frame. Even when it comes to moving subjects, Galaxy AI is able to adjust for the best framing. With the version in the Galaxy S22 and S22+, you’ll be able to automatically track up to 10 subjects. The Galaxy S22 and S22+ are also able to shoot in 16-bit RAW format. This will allow you to have more flexibility when it comes to posting processing shots taken on the smartphone.

In addition to this, Galaxy AI is also taking charge of the frame rate of your phone. While the new smartphones come with a Dynamic AMOLED 2X panel with 120Hz refresh rate, they will not be running at 120Hz all the time. Galaxy AI will dynamically adjust the screen frame rate for better battery performance according to the content on the screen. It will go all the way down to 1Hz when viewing still images.

Pricing & Availability

Samsung Galaxy S22 series Unpacked 10

The Galaxy S22 and S22+ will be available in Phantom Black, Phantom White, Green and Pink Gold. They will be available with either 8GB of RAM and 128GB of internal storage or 8GB of RAM and 256GB of internal memory. All Galaxy S22 and S22+ models will be available starting February 10, 2022.  

Prices in Malaysia are as follows:

ModelsRRP
Samsung Galaxy S22+ 5G 256GBRM 4,299
Samsung Galaxy S22+ 5G 128GBRM 4,099
Samsung Galaxy S22 5G 256GBRM 3,699
Samsung Galaxy S22 5G 128GBRM 3,499

Official Specifications

S22 Spec sheet LI
Accessories, Android, Lifestyle, Mobile, News

Sony Launches Two New Premium Walkman Music Players – Yes, Walkman is Still a Thing

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When you talk about portable music, 20 years ago you would be looking at something like a Sony Walkman player that played cassettes and later, CDs. Mind you this was the time before MP3 players was a thing. This was way before Apple’s iPod came into the market too.

To be fair, the Sony Walkman brand has existed since 1979 and they were one of the pioneers of portable music. They were so popular until the 2000s that their brand name is synonymous with portable music. The millennium changed, and times changed with that too. Apple introduced the Apple iPod, a digital music player that holds 1000 songs within a premium shell that is packaged smaller than the smallest cassette player Sony could make. It also holds more songs than any single CDs, at the same time you can just change your loadout at any given time eliminating the need to lug around CD cases with you.

The Apple iPod revolutionised portable music and marks the beginning of digital music players. Sony’ Walkman had to evolve. To their credit though, they have evolved and progressed by quite a lot since.

Sony’s Walkman are still makers of portable digital music players. But they are not just any music players. They are some of the most premium digital music players in the market, and there are two new ones.

Welcome to the NW-WM1ZM2 and NW-WM1AM2 high-resolution portable digital audio players.

Sony Walkman NW-WM1ZM2

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Source: Sony
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Source: Sony

They call this one the ‘Signature Series’. There is a very good reason for that. This is the more premium one between the two, and you can tell just by looking at it too. The NEW-WM1ZM2’s chassis is made of 99.99% purity (4N) Gold-Plated Oxygen-Free Copper plates. This is not done just to make it look impressive, it is proper material science here. The superior digital grounding from the material combination ensures cleaner electrical signals from the internal components to produce cleaner, richer, expansive, and more accurate sounds. Of course, the chassis is also made with rigidity in mind.

Sony Walkman NW-WM1AM2

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Source: Sony
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Source: Sony

It does not get space age material like its more premium brother. But it is still a solid aluminium alloy frame that is resistive to electrical noise to ensure that you still get a high-quality audio reproduction. That, on top of Oxygen Free Copper cables that runs from the same state-of-the-art amp as the NW-WM1ZM2 to the AUX jack should still provide you with a highly accurate and immersive audio experience with low distortion and noise.

State-of-the-art Technology

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Source: Sony
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Source: Sony
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Source: Sony
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Source: Sony
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Source: Sony

The new music players have something called an S-Master HX amp technology. It is a full amplifier that is manufactured and made to fit inside the tiny bodies of the new music players. The result of that is a powerful amp that is capable of reproducing sounds at a greater dynamic range. To ensure that you get the purest of sounds, Sony fitted various FT CAP3 capacitors paired with a large solid high polymer capacitor that offers large electrical capacitance and low resistance.

From the amp to your headphones is a thick KIMBER KABLE (NW-WM1ZM2) wiring from the amp to the headphone jack. To ensure that you get the best audio experience you can have, Sony also includes a dual clock and fine sound register within the Walkmans. They went an extra mile with manufacturing as well this round by using reflow solder with gold in it.

Sony’s DSEE Ultimate is a world renown upscaling technology they extensively use in all their premium audio products. The algorithm allows any sort of music file you put into the player to be played at CD-quality (16 bit 44.1/48kHz) lossless audio. The algorithm fills the gaps that has been created when music is compressed and restores all the acoustic subtleties and dynamic range lost due to the compression. Of course, you get the benefit of Balanced Connection and High-Res Audio support with the new Sony Walkmans so that you can hear music the way the artists intended them to be.

Just Like Your Smartphone, But Just Better for Music

NW WM1ZM2 MDR Z1R Situation01 Mid
Source: Sony
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Source: Sony
NW WM1AM2 MDR Z7M2 Situation02 Mid
Source: Sony
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Source: Sony

Both the new music players work like regular smartphones, to make your life easier. They are also Wi-Fi compatible now, which also means you have access to music streaming services now, should you choose to use them instead of loading your own music files into the device. All of these are accessible via the large 5.0-inch HD 720p touch sensitive display.

If you are in for a long travel plan, you are going to appreciate its extensive battery life. You can continuously play 96kHz FLAC High-Resolution codec files for up to 40 hours on a single charge. Of course, you charge via a modern USB Type-C port that doubles as data transfer port. To ensure you have enough music to play for 40 hours, you get up to 256GB (128GB for NW-WM1AM2) in built-in storage. If that is not enough to hold all your collection, there is a MicroSD card slot to expand your library.

Availability

The NW-WM1ZM2 and NW-WM1AM2 will be available in Malaysia from April 2022 onward. Pre-orders are supposed to start from the 17th of March 2022 onward. They have not announced the official pricing of the item yet though. We expect the prices to be announced nearer to the pre-order dates. More information on the new Sony Walkman devices on their website.

PR Newswire

Last Chance to Register for NFTs of the digital Kiss by Gustav Klimt for Valentine’s Day

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VIENNA, Feb. 9, 2022 — The Belvedere museum in Vienna and the NFT investment fund artèQ are in the process of launching an exceptional NFT drop: Whitelisting ends on Thursday, 10 February, midnight (Central European Time), Gustav Klimt’s masterpiece The Kiss will be available for sale in a limited number of 10,000 digital excerpts.

A high-resolution digital copy of the most famous depiction of a pair of lovers has been divided into a 100 x 100 grid, resulting in 10,000 inimitable individual pieces that are currently offered as non-fungible tokens, or NFTs. The "whitelisting" phase, when interested parties can register to purchase on the thekiss.art platform, started 26 January 2022 and will close this Thursday night, 10 February, at midnight or 00.00 am, Central European Time. If the sale is oversubscribed, allocation of the 10,000 NFTs will be decided by lottery. From 11 February, whitelisted buyers can complete the transaction within 24 hours. If any pieces are left after the whitelisting phase, they may be purchased from 12 February at thekiss.art. Each NFT can be purchased at an retail price of 1,850 euros (incl. minting costs and VAT), respectively 0.65 Ethereum (excl. minting costs, incl. VAT). The drop, or official release of the NFTs, will take place on Valentine’s Day, 14 February. The NFT may be dedicated to a loved one on the official site – a most romantic digital declaration of love!

The press kit is available here for download.

For more information please contact: presse@belvedere.at.

Picture is available at AP Images (http://www.apimages.com)

Contact
Belvedere Press
T: +43 (01) 795 57-185
M: presse@belvedere.at
www.belvedere.at

PR Newswire

LeanIX Launches Free Academic Edition of Enterprise Architecture Management Tool

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Company empowers enterprise architects of the future by providing its industry-leading and ready-to-use Enterprise Architecture Management tool to universities and teaching institutions

BONN, Germany and BOSTON, Feb. 8, 2022 — LeanIX, the platform to plan and manage continuous transformation across the enterprise, has launched LeanIX Academic Edition, which provides universities and teaching institutions free access to the company’s Enterprise Architecture Management (EAM) tool. The LeanIX Academic Edition makes it possible for students to learn enterprise architecture fundamentals using the EAM tool’s core Application Portfolio Management and Technology and Risk Management modules.

With the release of the Academic Edition, LeanIX aims to support the growing enterprise architecture field by introducing students to the discipline through intuitive, cutting-edge software.

To register for LeanIX Academic Edition or to learn more about the program, please visit: https://www.leanix.net/en/products/enterprise-architecture-management/academic-edition

With the Academic Edition, teachers and students can:

  • Put academic theories to practice using an industry-leading EAM tool.
  • Explore best practices with a data model trusted by IT architects at some of the biggest brands in the world.
  • Leverage LeanIX collaboration-based features and explore the many possibilities of the tool.
  • Get students ready to communicate with business leaders and bridge the gap between business and IT.

"Every future digital leader should understand the fundamentals of enterprise architecture," said LeanIX CEO and co-founder, André Christ. "We are thrilled to offer LeanIX EAM tools for free to those teaching these leaders of the future and I’m proud of the amazing program the LeanIX team has put together."

To learn more about the LeanIX EAM product and review its extensive product documentation, please visit: https://www.leanix.net/en/products/enterprise-architecture-management. 

About LeanIX
LeanIX’s Continuous Transformation Platform® is trusted by Corporate IT and Product IT to achieve comprehensive visibility and superior governance. Global customers organize, plan and manage IT landscapes with LeanIX’s automated and data-driven approach. Offering Enterprise Architecture, SaaS, and DevOps Management, LeanIX helps organizations make sound decisions and accelerate transformation journeys. LeanIX has hundreds of customers globally, including Adidas, Atlassian, Bosch, Dropbox, Santander or Workday. The company is headquartered in Bonn, Germany, with offices in Boston, San Francisco and around the world.

Contact:
Jeremy Douglas
Catapult PR-IR
303-589-1941
jdouglas@catapultpr-ir.com

Business, Computers, Mobile, News

[UPDATED] NVIDIA + ARM Deal is Not Happening After All!

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[UPDATE on 09/02/2022] NVIDIA and SoftBank has officially announced that the ARM acquisition bid from NVIDIA will not go through! Read SoftBank’s statement here.

NVIDIA, the world’s largest graphics chip maker, expressed their interest in acquiring ARM, the people behind some of the world’s most powerful mobile chips currently, back in 2020. It was not just an expressed interest though; they really started the whole process of acquiring the chip designers from 2020 onward. It became a whole thing too through 2021.

To be fair, the concerns that were raised by multiple parties regarding the acquisition efforts were not baseless. Companies like Qualcomm, Microsoft, even Samsung and Apple rely on ARM’s chip architecture and designs for their processing chips. It makes sense then that Qualcomm and even Microsoft would have objected the acquisition efforts. The purchase could have led to a massive imbalance in the chip business, since ARM is a key player in the chip making industry. If the purchase went through, it would have been the biggest ever in the chip business too with Softbank selling it at US$ 66 billion.

There were also a lot of regulatory issues that were raised prior to 2022 regarding the purchase. Investigations were also launched by United Kingdom, United States, and European Union as well regarding the acquisition. They raised concerns of anti-competition efforts and market monopoly despite NVIDIA promising that ARM’s deal with all its customers will still be honoured and it will be business as usual.

There are no official announcements just yet on the deal not going through. NVIDIA, ARM, and SoftBank have not commented on the reports that first broke on Financial Times. According to early reports too, SoftBank, ARM’s owners will be receiving US$ 1.25 billion from NVIDIA for failing the acquisition bid.

The falling through of the deal should be a relief to many in the tech industry. It means that Apple, Qualcomm, Intel, Samsung, and plenty of other key chip manufacturers can sleep soundly as their deal with ARM continue without NVIDIA’s intervention. Their relief is another person’s headache though, in this case probably two. SoftBank is still selling ARM, but given the significance of ARM in the industry, selling the chip designers will be a tall order. As for NVIDIA, their stock prices might tank once the fall through is official, but it is NVIDIA after all, they should bounce back quickly enough. If you want to know more about the acquisition bid, you can head over to NVIDIA’s blog.

Source: 9 to 5 Mac, ars Technica, The Verge