Monthly Archives: August 2025

Android, Mobile

The REDMI 15 5G Arrives in Malaysia with a Massive Battery

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Xiaomi has just launched its latest budget-friendly smartphone in Malaysia, the REDMI 15 5G. This new device is designed to offer a balance of performance and long-lasting battery life, all at an accessible price point. The launch is also notable for the introduction of new branding for the Redmi series. The new branding, which features a fresh logo and a new design aesthetic, is a clear signal from Xiaomi that it is looking to refresh the Redmi brand and make it more appealing to a younger, more style-conscious audience.

Redmi 15 Price KV (Horizontal)

The REDMI 15 5G comes with a massive 7000mAh battery. This is a significant feature for users who prioritise battery life. The phone’s durability is also teased with the brand’s tagline suggesting it can last for two days on a single charge. To complement the battery, the phone is also equipped with 33W fast charging powered by Xiaomi Surge Battery technology. The device features a large and immersive 6.9-inch FHD+ DotDisplay with a 240Hz touch sampling rate and a peak brightness of 700 nits. The display is also certified by TÜV Rheinland for Low Blue Light and Flicker Free, which should be a welcome feature for users who spend a lot of time on their phones.

Under the hood, the REDMI 15 5G is powered by a Snapdragon 6s Gen 3 Mobile Platform with 5G, a new chip designed to provide a smooth and efficient user experience. The phone comes with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage. Users can opt to reserve up to 8GB of storage as Extended RAM for better performance.

For the camera, the REDMI 15 5G is equipped with a 50MP AI dual camera system on the back, with a main sensor that has an f/1.8 aperture and an auxiliary lens. The front camera is a capable 8MP sensor with an f/2.0 aperture. The phone runs on Xiaomi HyperOS and includes an AI assistant with Gemini, which should provide a host of new features and smart capabilities.

Pricing & Availability

The REDMI 15 5G is available in Malaysia in a single variant with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage, priced at RM729. The phone comes in three colourways: Ripple Green, Titan Gray, and Midnight Black. The REDMI 15 5G can be purchased through official Xiaomi Stores and mi.com.

Android, Mobile

Nothing’s Essential Gets More Updates Which Make AI Seem More Useful and Less Intrusive

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Nothing has always prided itself on doing things differently, from its unique transparent design language to its “less is more” philosophy. This ethos extends to its software, particularly with the “Essential Space” feature, a minimalist and distraction-free home screen experience. The company has now announced a significant update to this feature available on all Nothing phones.

Nothing Launch Malaysia 31

The update introduces a series of new features designed to make Essential Space even more powerful and intuitive. A key update is a set of new, customizable widgets that give users at-a-glance information from their most-used apps without having to open them. These new widgets are designed to be visually consistent with Nothing’s design language, ensuring that the minimalist aesthetic is maintained. The update also includes a new Focus Mode that is deeply integrated into Essential Space. This new mode allows users to silence notifications from all but their most essential apps, ensuring that they can focus on the task at hand without being interrupted. This new mode is a clear sign that Nothing is serious about its commitment to digital well-being.

Another major new feature is the introduction of a new Group Sharing function. This new feature allows users to share photos and other content with a group of friends who have also enabled the feature. The feature is designed to be a more private and secure way to share content, as the photos and other content are shared directly between the users, without being stored on a central server. This new feature is a welcome addition for users who are concerned about their privacy and want to share content in a more secure way.

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Sharing is not only getting more accessible, it’s also improving. How? Well, you’ll be able to share “Memories” and even recordings from the “Flip-to-record” feature as PDFs and images. The latter also gets support for being shared as a Markdown file.

The new update also includes a new set of “Connected Features” that are designed to make Essential Space a more central part of a user’s digital ecosystem. These new features allow users to control their smart home devices directly from the home screen, without having to open a separate app. This includes new widgets for smart lights, thermostats, and other connected devices. The feature also includes a new “Quick Settings” panel that allows users to quickly access their most-used settings, such as Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, without having to open the settings app.

Business

Open AI Launches GPT-5 Claimed to Be Leaps Better than Previous Models

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OpenAI has officially launched GPT-5, its most capable AI system to date, marking a significant leap in intelligence over all its previous models. The new model is a unified system, designed to be smarter, faster, and more reliable for a wide range of tasks from creative writing to complex coding.

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A Unified System for Smarter Writing and Coding

Unlike previous versions where users had to manually switch between different models for specific tasks, GPT-5 is a single, unified system. It is equipped with a smart, efficient model that handles most questions and a deeper reasoning model, referred to as “GPT-5 thinking,” for more challenging problems. A real-time router quickly decides which model to use based on the conversation’s complexity and your intent. This means the system automatically adapts to the task, providing faster, higher-quality, and more reliable results without you having to choose the right model yourself. The model’s enhanced reasoning capabilities and ability to synthesize information from a company’s files and apps like Google Drive and SharePoint with greater accuracy means every employee can now get expert-level results without having to switch models.

GPT-5 also shows notable improvements in two of ChatGPT’s most common uses: writing and coding. As a writing collaborator, it is able to help you turn rough ideas into compelling, resonant writing with literary depth and rhythm. This means ChatGPT is now better at helping you with everyday tasks like drafting emails, reports, and memos. For developers, GPT-5 is OpenAI’s strongest coding model to date. It shows particular improvements in complex front-end generation and debugging large code repositories. It can often create beautiful and responsive websites and apps from a single prompt, with a better understanding of design principles like typography and spacing. The model is also more “agentic,” meaning it can reliably carry out multi-step requests and coordinate across different tools without losing its way. This ability to reliably carry out complex tasks is expected to streamline workflows and accelerate outcomes, potentially leading to better decision-making and improved collaboration within organizations.

Broader Improvements and Future Outlook

OpenAI has also made significant strides in improving the core performance of the model. GPT-5 is much smarter across the board, particularly in math, coding, visual perception, and health, as reflected in its performance on academic benchmarks. The company claims to have made significant advances in reducing “hallucinations”—when the AI fabricates information—and improving its ability to follow instructions. This makes GPT-5 a more dependable and accurate tool for everyday use. The model’s improved capabilities in health-related questions mean it can provide more precise and reliable responses, adapting to the user’s context and knowledge level. With over 5 million paid users on ChatGPT’s business products, GPT-5’s launch is a clear signal that AI is now more deeply interwoven into the way we live and work.

Business, Entertainment

Hulu to Be Discontinued, Content to Move to Disney+

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In a major strategic move that will reshape the streaming landscape, Disney has announced that the Hulu app will be discontinued and its content will be merged into Disney+. This is a significant change that is expected to be completed in 2026, at which point the standalone Hulu app will disappear from smart TVs and other devices. For subscribers, this means a more unified streaming experience, as all their favorite shows and movies will be housed under one roof.

Disney+ Hulu

What the Merger Means for Subscribers

The merger is designed to simplify the streaming experience for consumers. Instead of having to subscribe to and manage two separate apps, subscribers will have access to all of the Hulu content—including its popular originals—within the Disney+ app. The Hulu content will be available as a “hub” or a “section” within the Disney+ app, making it easy to find and access. This move is expected to provide a more comprehensive and cohesive content library, as Disney+ will now have a broader range of content, from family-friendly animation to more mature, adult-oriented programming.

A Potential Content Boost for Southeast Asia

While the merger is currently focused on the US, it is likely to have a significant impact on other regions as well. The merger will likely see an expansion of the content available on Disney+ in other regions, including Malaysia, Singapore, and Thailand. While the full extent of the content expansion is still unclear, the move is expected to bring a broader range of titles to these markets, making Disney+ a more competitive player in the streaming space. This is a welcome change for subscribers in these regions, who have often had to wait for new content to be released.

By consolidating its content under a single brand, Disney is positioning itself to be a more dominant player in the streaming space. The move will not only provide a more unified streaming experience for subscribers but will also allow Disney to compete more effectively with other major streaming services like Netflix. The future of streaming is likely to be a battle of content, and with the addition of Hulu’s library, Disney+ is now a more formidable opponent.

Business, Mobile

Xperia Here to Stay According to Sony CFO

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Sony’s Xperia smartphone lineup has been a subject of much debate in recent years, with declining market share and a perception that its devices are priced too high for their features. This has led to speculation about the future of the brand. However, a recent statement from Sony’s CFO, Hiroki Totoki, comes as a reassurance for fans, signaling that the company is not giving up on its mobile business just yet and that Xperia is here to stay.

Screenshot 2025 05 13 at 18 32 25 Xperia 1 VII Ultra wide Long Battery Life AI Smartphones Sony Malaysia
Source: Sony

A History of Highs and Recent Woes

For a time, the Xperia brand was a major player in the smartphone market, known for its premium design and camera technology. The Xperia 1 series was a recent attempt to realign the brand with a creator-focused audience, emphasizing professional-grade features for photography and videography. However, the recent years have been a struggle. The Xperia 1 VII, for example, suffered from a software bug that caused the device to shut down unexpectedly, a major issue that led to Sony halting sales in its home country. The broader Xperia 1 series has also struggled with the perception of being a mid-range smartphone with flagship pricing, which has contributed to its loss of market share in a highly competitive market.

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(Source: Nikkei Asia) Sony CFO, Lin Tao

In an effort to streamline its operations, Sony has reportedly made the significant decision to outsource the manufacturing of its Xperia smartphones to a third-party manufacturer. This move, a departure from its traditional in-house manufacturing model, is a clear signal that Sony is looking to optimise its business and reduce costs. Against this backdrop, the statement from Sony’s CFO, Lin Tao, comes as a reassuring sign for fans of the brand. Tao stated that the Xperia business is a “very important business” for Sony. This statement, while not a promise of a new product, is a strong indication that Sony is committed to the future of its mobile business.

Carving a Niche in a Crowded Market

The smartphone market is more competitive than ever, with major players like Samsung, Apple, and a host of Chinese manufacturers dominating the landscape. For the Xperia brand, the challenge is to find a way to carve out its own niche and regain some of its lost market share. With the new focus on outsourcing and the CFO’s statement of commitment, there is hope that Sony will be able to find a new path forward. By focusing on its strengths in imaging, audio, and its unique creator-focused features, Xperia may yet be able to return to being a serious contender in the smartphone market.

Android, Lifestyle, Mobile

Samsung’s New Galaxy Z Fold7, Z Flip7 and Z Flip7 FE Arrive in Malaysia

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Samsung is doubling down on its foldable technology with the official launch and availability of the Galaxy Z Fold7, Galaxy Z Flip7, and Galaxy Z Flip7 FE in Malaysia, starting from August 1, 2025. These new devices, along with the latest Galaxy Watch Series, are designed to showcase Samsung’s continued commitment to foldable technology, offering smarter features, better cameras, and expanded utility.

KV Samsung Galaxy Z Fold7 GalaxyZ Flip7 and Galaxy Watch Series Arrives in Malaysia Available 1st August 2025

AI and Productivity on the Go

This year, AI features are at the forefront of the new devices, working seamlessly both on the main screen and on the cover screen. On the Galaxy Z Flip7, the 4.1″ edge-to-edge FlexWindow now supports Gemini Live, allowing users to speak to their AI assistant and get personalized trip plans or set reminders without even flipping the phone open. Meanwhile, the Galaxy Z Fold7 leverages its immersive 8.0″ main screen for AI experiences that feel native to its expansive layout, such as Circle to Search and split-screen AI Results View. All of this is powered by chipsets tailored for on-device AI, like the Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy on the Z Fold7, which has a 41% faster NPU performance. For productivity, the Z Flip7 introduces Samsung DeX for the first time in a Flip device, while the Z Fold7 becomes a portable multitasking workstation with its large screen.

Ultra Cameras Make Their Galaxy Z Debut

The new foldables also come with enhanced camera systems. The Galaxy Z Fold7 features a pro-grade 200MP camera system that, when paired with its large display, becomes the perfect device for on-the-go editing with AI-enhanced tools like Generative Edit and Suggest Erases. The Galaxy Z Flip7, on the other hand, is a selfie powerhouse with a 50MP wide-angle lens and real-time preview on the FlexWindow. New features like the Zoom Slider and Real-Time Filters make it easy to compose the perfect shot hands-free with FlexCam mode.

Health and Wellness with the Galaxy Watch

The Galaxy ecosystem is further enhanced with the new Galaxy Watch8 and Watch Ultra. The Watch8 series is now 11% slimmer and comes with a suite of new wellness features. The most notable are the first-ever Antioxidant Index for smartwatches and Vascular Load, which tracks stress levels of your vascular system during sleep. Health tracking has also been made more accurate thanks to a reengineered sensor system. With Gemini now built into Wear OS, a simple voice prompt can schedule a run, find a café, or set reminders, all from your wrist.

Pricing & Availability

The new Samsung Galaxy Z Fold7, Galaxy Z Flip7, and Galaxy Z Flip7 FE are now available for purchase in Malaysia, along with the latest Galaxy Watch series.

  • Galaxy Z Fold7: RRPs start from RM7,799 (12+256GB) up to RM9,899 (16GB+1TB). It is available in Silver Shadow, Blue Shadow, Jetblack, and an Online Exclusive Mint.
  • Galaxy Z Flip7: RRPs start from RM4,999 (12+256GB) up to RM5,599 (12+512GB). It is available in Blue Shadow, Coral Red, Jetblack, and an Online Exclusive Mint.
  • Galaxy Z Flip7 FE: RRPs start from RM3,999 (8+128GB) up to RM4,299 (8+256GB). It is available in Black and White.
  • Galaxy Watch8 series: RRPs start from RM1,299 for the 40mm Bluetooth model to RM2,099 for the 46mm Classic Bluetooth + LTE model.
  • Galaxy Watch Ultra (2025): The Bluetooth + LTE model is priced at RM3,399. It is available in Titanium Blue, Titanium Gray, Titanium Silver, and Titanium White.

Customers who purchase the new Galaxy Z Series devices until August 31, 2025, can enjoy launch rebates and promotions worth up to RM2,209.

Accessories, Lifestyle

Sony and Hatsune Miku Team Up for a Limited Edition LinkBuds Fit

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Sony and Hatsune Miku Team Up for a Limited Edition LinkBuds Fit

Sony Malaysia has announced a unique collaboration that fuses technology with virtual pop culture: a special edition of its closed-type wireless noise-cancelling stereo headset, the LinkBuds Fit, featuring the global virtual idol Hatsune Miku. This limited-quantity release is a nod to the growing cultural phenomenon of virtual singers and a unique offering for fans and collectors.

Hatsune Mi-Who?

Hatsune Miku Banner アートボード 1

For those unfamiliar with her, Hatsune Miku is a music software developed by Crypton Future Media, which allows anyone to create music by entering lyrics and melodies. As a massive number of users created and shared music online, Hatsune Miku quickly evolved beyond a piece of software into a cultural phenomenon. She has since gained global popularity as a virtual singer, with a presence in merchandising and live performances around the world.

The Collaboration’s Contents

This special collaboration set, available in a limited run of just 50 units, includes several exclusive items. The set features the LinkBuds Fit device itself, which comes in black, white, or green. However, it is important to note that the headphones and their case do not feature any special engravings or designs.

Hatsune Miku Hatsune Miku Digital Figure Holomodel (AR) 01

The limited edition will also come with a Sony Store exclusive original Digital Figure of Hatsune Miku, called the “Holomodel.” This augmented reality (AR) figure features a limited animation of Hatsune Miku singing and dancing to the original song “BELIEVE DAY”. The set also includes a newly designed acrylic stand, which is designed to hold both the acrylic figure and the LinkBuds Fit headphone case.

The LinkBuds Fit

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The LinkBuds Fit is a wireless headset that is designed to allow users to listen to music and other content while staying connected to their everyday life. It is a closed-type wireless noise-cancelling stereo headset, which means it is designed to block out a significant amount of external noise. At the same time, it is also equipped with a high-performance ambient sound capture function that automatically adjusts the amount of ambient sound capture according to the surrounding noise level. This allows users to hear their surroundings naturally, even while wearing the headphones, but also enjoy a high level of immersion when enjoying content.

Pricing & Availability

The Hatsune Miku collaboration model of the LinkBuds Fit is priced at RM999. Orders for the set, limited to just 50 units, will be accepted starting on August 8, 2025, at 10:00 am. The collaboration model is only available for purchase at the Sony Store, BBCC Lalaport. Sales will end as soon as the planned number of units is reached.

Business, Lifestyle

Sonos Roam Speakers Getting A Little Too Toasty and Combusting

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Reports of some Sonos Roam speakers overheating are circulating online, with a few users claiming their devices have experienced partial melting. These reports have raised concerns among the user community about the safety and reliability of the popular portable speaker. On Reddit, for instance, a user posted an image of their Sonos Roam, claiming that it “set itself on fire”. While the exact cause of the overheating is still unclear, these reports have prompted a response from the company, which is now taking steps to resolve the issue.

The original Sonos Roam was a significant product for the company, marking its entry into the ultra-competitive portable speaker market in 2021. The device was praised for its sound quality and features, designed to deliver the premium audio experience Sonos is known for, but in a mobile form factor. Since then, Sonos has expanded the lineup with the Sonos Roam SL, a version without a microphone, and the Sonos Roam 2, which was released in June 2024. These successors have continued the Roam’s legacy as a lightweight and durable speaker for users who want to take their music on the go.

This incident, however, comes at a difficult time for Sonos, as the company has experienced a few recent setbacks. The launch of the Sonos Ace, the company’s first headphones, was reportedly delayed due to software issues. More significantly, a major app redesign in mid-2024 was met with widespread criticism from users who complained about bugs, a confusing interface, and missing features. These issues created a lot of frustration within the Sonos community and were a major public relations headache for the company. The overheating reports, therefore, are not an isolated incident but rather another speed bump in a period of change and transition for Sonos.

Source: SONOS

The Company’s Response

In response to the overheating reports, Sonos has acknowledged the issue and is taking action. A Sonos spokesperson confirmed that the issue affects a “very low number” of the original Roam speakers and that the company is “actively investigating” the matter. This quick and direct response is a good sign that the company is taking the reports seriously and is committed to ensuring customer safety. The company has also begun a process of replacing the affected units for free. This incident serves as a stark reminder of the challenges that come with designing and manufacturing portable electronic devices, particularly those with internal batteries.

In a statement to Bloomberg, the company noted, “We’ve closely tracked a limited number of reports involving the USB-C charging connection on some first-generation Sonos Roam speakers,” a Sonos spokesperson told Bloomberg in an emailed statement. “While the overall incidence rate is very low, and environmental conditions appear to play a role, we’ve taken several proactive steps to even further reduce the likelihood of this issue, including software updates and hardware improvements.””

News

OpenAI Returns to Open-Source with New GPT-OSS Models

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OpenAI has just made a significant announcement, marking a return to its roots by releasing its first open-weight models since GPT-2. The company’s new models, named gpt-oss-20b and gpt-oss-120b, are a clear signal from OpenAI that it is once again embracing the open-source philosophy. This move is set to have major implications for the developer community and the future of artificial intelligence.

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Photo by Mariia Shalabaieva on Unsplash

What are Open-Weight Models?

For those not familiar, the term “open-weight” is a big deal. In a traditional closed-source model, a company keeps the underlying code and data—the “weights”—a closely guarded secret. This means that while a developer can use the model, they can’t see how it was built, what data it was trained on, or modify it for their own specific needs.

An open-weight model, however, makes all of that information public. This means that developers and researchers can now download, inspect, and modify the core of the model, allowing for greater transparency, collaboration, and innovation. This move is a significant departure from OpenAI’s more recent closed-source approach with its more powerful models, and it’s a move that could significantly democratize AI development.

The New Models and Their Potential

The new models, gpt-oss-20b and gpt-oss-120b, are designed to give the developer community a powerful new tool. The “b” in their names stands for billions, referring to the number of parameters in the model. A larger number of parameters generally means a more capable and intelligent model. The release of a 20b and 120b model gives developers a choice between a more compact model that can be run on more modest hardware and a more powerful model for more demanding tasks.

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Photo by Aerps.com on Unsplash

The potential implications of these models being available are vast. Developers can now use the open-source code to create their own custom versions of the models for specific tasks, from creating chatbots for niche industries to building more personalized AI assistants. Researchers can now inspect the inner workings of the models, which could lead to breakthroughs in understanding how large language models function. It also creates a more level playing field for startups and smaller companies that may not have the resources to build a large language model from scratch. By providing a powerful and open foundation, OpenAI is empowering a new wave of innovation in the AI space.

A Return to a More Open Open AI?

The release of gpt-oss-20b and gpt-oss-120b is a clear signal that OpenAI is committed to a more open-source future. It’s a move that acknowledges the power of the developer community and the importance of open collaboration in the AI space. While the company will continue to develop its closed-source models, this new direction gives it a strong foothold in the open-source community, which is likely to be a major battleground for AI dominance in the years to come. Ultimately, this move is a win for developers, researchers, and anyone who wants to see a more transparent and collaborative future for artificial intelligence.

Business, Lifestyle

Spotify Brings Sharing to Audiobooks via Audiobooks+

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Spotify is continuing its expansion into other forms of audio content. The platform first introduced its audiobook feature in late 2024, when it launched in the United States. The initial offering gave Premium subscribers access to a library of over 150,000 titles, with a monthly limit of 15 hours of listening time. Following its initial success, the feature was expanded to other markets, including the UK, Australia, and Canada.

Spotify Audiobook (1)
Source: Spotify

Now, the company has announced that it has extended its audiobook feature to its shared Premium Family and Premium Duo plans. This is a welcome change for many subscribers, as the feature was previously only available to individual Premium subscribers.

With this new Audiobooks+ update, all members of a Premium Family or Premium Duo plan will now have access to the audiobook library. This means that a single family or duo subscription will now give multiple users access to a vast library of audiobooks, providing more value to a shared plan. The feature is being rolled out in the US first, with other markets to follow in the coming months.

Spotify Audiobook (2)
Source: Spotify

The expansion of the offering comes on the heels of Spotify’s announcement of wide-sweeping increases to its premium subscription prices across the world. However, it is undoubtedly part of Spotify’s broader strategy to diversify its offerings and to become a one-stop shop for all audio needs. By bundling audiobooks with its existing music and podcast offerings, Spotify is making a compelling case for its Premium subscriptions. For a family of four, for example, the new feature provides significant value, as all members can now access the audiobook library without having to purchase a separate subscription.

At the time of writing, there has been no indication of whether the Audiobook library will be expanded further to other countries. We will need to wait to see.