Has been tinkering with computers since the age of 7, when I first discovered why we should not delete system32 on Windows 98. Today, I enjoy writing about tech as much I love tinkering with it.
Malaysian Apple users rejoice as 5G will finally be available on your iPhone.
CelcomDigi has announced 5G support starting with the iPhone 12.
Thanks to the iOS 16.2 update, users on Apple’s telco partner networks of Celcom, DiGi and U Mobile are now able to connect to the 5G network. This marks the end of a long wait for iPhone users wanting 5G connectivity. Apple has featured 5G since it’s 2020 iPhone 12 while the national 5G network began operating just last year. At the moment, 5G connectivity is only limited to Apple’s telco partners. Maxis users will have a longer wait while Yes Mobile and Unifi mobile users are out of luck, as they are not listed partners.
To enjoy 5G on our device, first ensure that you have a 5G compatible model. Partners Celcom, Digi and U Mobile have announced 5G connectivity support for the iPhone 12, 13, 14 and 3rd generation SE models. You als need to be on a 5G-enabled mobile plan with an Apple telco partner and within their coverage area.
Next, you need to ensure your device has updated to iOS 16.2. and carrier settings are updated to version 53.1. To check this head to Settings>General>About. Once done, head to Settings>Mobile Data Options>Voice & Data to see the new 5G On and 5G Auto options. Choose either one and your iPhone is 5G ready. You also have the option of prioritizing 5G ahead of WiFi by selecting More Dataon 5G option in the Data Mode section.
For more information on 5G for iPhone, visit the official sites for Celcom, Digi and U Mobile.
With Christmas just around the corner, PICO has kick-started celebrations with the launch of its new VR store and game bundle to boot.
First VR Concept Store opens in Sunway Pyramid
PICO opens its first Malaysian VR Concept Store in Sunway Pyramid.
PICO fans will now be able to try their favorite devices at the first PICO VR concept store in Malaysia. The new store opened its doors on the 10th of December, located in Sunway Pyramid. The store has four experiential zones for gaming, fitness, entertainment and social for customers to try out the VR headsets, especially the new PICO 4 All-In-One headset for themselves. There is also friendly, trained crew in-store to help customers with their retail or technical queries.
Apart from attracting new customers, PICO also aims to please their existing customers with a dedication to aftersales service. Their current warranty programme allows a one-for-one exchange for defective units that can be easily performed at the concept store.
Regional Director of PICO Southeast Asia, Allen An hopes that through the store, customers will enjoy experiencing the PICO 4 headset, and will be convinced to get one. With that in mind, the store had a Store Launch Promo where the first 10 customers to purchase a PICO 4 will also get a PICO Neo Link 3 (256 GB) unit for free. The next 20 customers to purchase a PICO 4 can purchase a second unit for just half price. And if you missed out on the opening day deals, fret not as PICO has more to offer.
#TheBestXmasGift for VR fans by PICO
For fans of fitness, art, music and of course VR games, the PICO 4 has something for everyone.
With more games available, the PICO 4 All-In-One VR headset is proving to be a versatile gift for Christmas to satisfy fans of all genres. Gamers can enjoy the new archery game In Death: Unchained and zombie shooter After the fall. Stay fit with VR fitness classes in LesMills Bodycombat and All-In-One Sports VR, which features 11 different sports. Music lovers will enjoy Smash Drums, enhanced with the PICO 4’s binaural stereo speakers while art lovers can express themselves on the virtual canvas of MultiBrush.
Also on offer is a special bundle of games worth RM 476.93 for free with every purchase of the PICO 4 this holiday season. The Christmas Pack 4-game bundle consists of Superhot VR and In Death:Unchained for action games fans, LesMills Bodycombat for fitness and MultiBrush for art enthusiasts. These games are in addition to the standard Starter Pack bundle that comes with every PICO 4 purchase. Games included are All-in-One Sports VR, Down The Rabbit Hole, OhShape, and After The Fall, worth RM 440.00.
The PICO 4 All-In One VR Headset is retailing now at RM1699 for the 8GB RAM + 128GB storage variant and RM1999 for the 256 GB variant. To get your, head to the PICO VR Concept Store or buy online at Lazada, Shopee or TikTok shop. For more information on more products and the store, visit https://www.picoxr.com/my.
ZTE has unveiled in China, a souped-up version of their Axon 40 Ultra flagship with the new Space Edition.
With memory options you can see from space, the Axon 40 Ultra Space Edition ups the flagship game. Image source: GSMArena
Extra-large memory configurations and faster charging speeds
The major offering of this new edition is perhaps the largest configuration of memory and storage in the market. It is available in 12 GB RAM with 512GB storage or 18GB RAM with 1TB storage. This not the first time ZTE has done this, with its previous Axon Ultra 30 flagships offering the same in its Aerospace edition last year.
The Space edition shares mostly the same hardware with the Ultra 40 standard edition. It comes with Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 platform, a 6.8-inch 120hz AMOLED display with 2480 x 1116 pixels resolution and 5000mAh battery. It also has the same dedicated security chip by ZTE that is claimed to have passed encryption testing and has three privacy and security certifications. However, no concrete details on specifications and functionality on this chip has been announced just yet. The camera setup is a triple 64MP sensor assembly with wide angle, ultra-wide angle and periscope capabilities respectively.
The hardware upgrades, apart from larger memory, is faster charging speeds of 80W from the base 65W. The design of the phone receives some changes for the better too. The back panel of the conventional Ultra 40 is replaced with ceramic material that is textured to give a more premium feel. The camera bump is now flush against the back panel, as opposed to the island design of the base unit.
Available only in China, ships with a bespoke box
A bespoke box for a truly premium feel. Image source: GSMArena
The Axon 40 Ultra Space Edition is currently only available in China and comes with a bespoke box and protective case. Price estimates are RM3744 (5999 yuan) for the 12GB/512GB variant and RM4886 (7700 yuan) for the 18GB/1TB variant. For further details and availability in Malaysia, visit the official ZTE Malaysia website and follow ZTE Malaysia Facebook page.
OPPO has unveiled a dazzling new color variant for its Reno8 5G to brighten up this festive season.
Shimmer and dazzle with Reno8 5G’s new Sunkissed Beige color.
Dubbed Sunkissed Beige, the new color appears as a light gold finish that shimmers when catching the right light. Coupled with a new glossy back, it promises to add a touch of elegance to the Reno8 5G. The RAM capacity gets a boost, now coming with 12 GB of RAM instead of 8 GB with its original release in July 2022. The device still retains the original specifications, with a MediaTek Dimensity 1300 chipset, 6.4-inch 90Hz AMOLED display, 4500mAh battery with 80W SUPERVOCC fast charging and 256GB of storage.
A new sheen for the “Portrait Expert” experience
Dual Sony Flagship sensors for better portraits.
With the new color, fans will still get OPPO’s “Portrait Expert” experience with the Reno8 5G. The camera setup has Dual Sony Flagship sensors, with the main camera an IMX766 50MP sensor with autofocus and front camera a Sony IMX709 32MP sensor. The rear camera setup also has a wide-angle camera with 112-degree field of view and Macro camera. True to its moniker, the device features AI Portrait Retouching and Night Portrait for the best shots in any lighting.
Get the new color and increased RAM for the same price.
Same great price with deals to boot
The Reno8 5G is available now for RM2399 like its predecessor, even with the increased RAM. From now until 31st January 2023, each purchase of the device comes with OPPO Care’s 1-Year Screen Protection Plan and 1-Year Extended Warranty. To sweeten the deal, OPPO is offering a PWP deal to get the Enco Buds2 at only RM 10 with every purchase. You can get your own at OPPO Brand stores, official OPPO Malaysia Online Store, Telco Partners, E-comm partners and our Chain-store partners.
Vivo has announced through its official Chinese website, its latest X90 series. The highlights include a contender for best camera setup and the first to offer Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 in its premium variant.
The first flagship with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 platform, vivo X90 Pro+. Image source: Vivo
The X90 Pro+ Plus is the premium option for the series and is the only one to offer the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 platform. With the flagship mobile platform only recently announced, Vivo has taken the lead in releasing the first device to run it with X90 Pro+ available from December 6th. Apart from the expected performance upgrade, the new platform has AI integration for image enhancements and camera features. Vivo has decided to capitalize on this with an enhanced camera setup.
Vivo’s challenger for best smartphone camera 2023
The main shooter is a 50MP, 1-inch Sony IMX989 sensor and a secondary 50MP IMX758 2x telephoto shooter. There is also a 64MP 3.5x periscope camera and a 48MP ultrawide shooter with 114-degree field-of-view. The four-camera setup is housed in a camera lens-esque bump on the rear, with corner mounted flash. The cameras also have added features such as astrophotgraphy, a freeze motion mode in low light and, HDR video and a lens flare portrait mode.
Improved four-camera setup with AI enhanced features challenges for the best-in-class. Image source: Vivo
With the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 onboard, it will be the first to utilize Qualcomm’s new 3D Sonic Max In-Display Fingerprint Sensor. It will run the Android-13 based Origin OS3. Storage options of 256 GB or 512 GB with UFS 4.0 flash storage for the fastest read and write speeds in the market. The display is a 6.78-inch 120Hz OLED screen with 3,200 x 1,440-pixel resolution and the device comes with IP68 rating. Powering it is a 4700mAh battery with 80W wired charging and 50W wireless charging.
Affordable but no push overs
While the X90 Pro+ promises to give the full flagship experience, the standard and Pro variants have a lot to offer too. Both devices come with the Mediatek Dimensity 9200 processor and a 6.78-inch 120Hz OLED display with lower resolution of 2800 x 1260 pixels. The Pro series steps ahead with the same 50MP one-inch main and 50MP 2x telephoto shooter setup in the Pro+. However, it does not have the periscope camera and has a third 12MP ultrawide shooter. It also offers a larger 4870mAh battery, 50W wireless charging and IP68 rating.
The standard comes in a unique Ice Blue while the rest are available in Original Black and Huaxia Red. Image source: Vivo.
The standard option on the other hand has a 4810mAh battery with no wireless charging and an IP64 rating. The camera setup is also a step down with a 50MP IMX866 main, 12MP ultrawide with 108-degree field-of-view and 12MP 2x telephoto shooters.
All three devices come with Origin OS 3 based on Android 13 out of the box, a 32MP selfie camera in punch-hole cutout on the screen and a faux leather back. The vanilla X90 is available in four memory configurations of either 8 GB or 12 GB RAM with 256 GB or 512 GB of storage. The X90 Pro comes in 8 GB RAM with 256 GB storage, 12 GB RAM with 256 GB storage or 12 GB RAM with 512 GB of storage.
Pricing and availability
The X90 series is currently only available to the Chinese market starting 6th December 2022. All devices are available in Original black or Huaxia red color options, with the vanilla variant available in Ice Blue. Based on pricing in the Chinese market, the standard X90 will retail starting at approximately RM2340 (3699 yuan). The X90 Pro will retail approximately from RM3165 (4999 yuan) and X90 Pro+ from RM4115 (6499 yuan). For official updates on price and availability, visit the Vivo Malaysia Official Store and Vivo Malaysia Facebook page.
UPDATE 16th November 2022: Both cards are now available at AMD.com and in retail, with the Radeon RX 7900 XTX priced at USD 999 (approx. RM 4420) and Radeon RX 7900 XT at USD 899 (RM 3980).
AMD has released their first generation of rDNA 3 architecture cards, the RX 7900 XTX and RX 7900 XT to be available from mid-December 2022.
The RX 7900 XTX and RX 7900 XT sports the new rDNA 3 architecture.
Chiplet design in rDNA 3 brings the most efficient performance possible
Announced in November, the RX 7900 series cards are the first chiplet design graphics cards available on the market. The chiplet design uses multiple dies interconnected using similar technology to the Ryzen CPU’s, resulting in improved performance with up to 54% better power efficiency as claimed. The most anticipated feature is of course performance that the rDNA 3 architecture brings. AMD has claimed that it delivers up to 54% more performance per watt than the rDNA 2 cards, a significant improvement.
Enhanced 4K gaming experience with Display Port 2.1
Being top tier graphics cards, they are geared towards 4K gaming and fans can expect significant improvements. For a direct comparison, the RX 7900 XT has up to 1.7X higher 4K performance than the previous generation Radeon RX 6950 XT, highlighting the generational uplift of rDNA 3. Being one of the first cards to support DisplayPort 2.1 with UHBR 13.5, expect high refresh rates on 4K gaming (up to 480Hz) and 8K gaming (up to 165Hz).
Enhancements and availability of RX 7900 series
FSR 3 and AMD Advantage for Desktop promises better gaming performance in 2023
Alongside the new cards, AMD has also announced the latest iteration of temporal upscaling technology, FidelityFX Super Resolution. AMD plans for the new technology to be available in 2023 alongside the new AMD Fluid Motion Frames technology. Collectively, these enhancements are expected to build on the current FSR 2.2, though no exact details on how it works have been revealed just yet. AMD also announced the AMD Advantage for Desktop PCs to the benefit of both gamers and streamers. The feature further enhances gaming and streaming performance by combining the Ryzen 7950x processors and RX 7900 XTX graphics cards.
The Radeon RX 7900 XTX and RX 7900 XT are available now at USD 999 and USD 899 respectively from AMD.com and in retail.
OPPO has announced on its official Chinese website the launch of its new Reno9 series of devices. Three devices have been named: the Reno9, Reno9 Pro and Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1-powered Reno9 Pro+.
Three variants announced for the Reno9 series. Image source: GSMArena
The Reno9 basics: 6.7-inch 120Hz display, dual camera-setup and 4500mAh battery with fast charging
120Hz OLED display, 12GB RAM and eye-catching Red and Pink Gradient colors for the Reno9. Image source: GSMArena
The vanilla variant of the Reno9 offers a 6.7-inch OLED display with FHD+ resolution and 120Hz refresh rate. It offers good visibility as the display reaches up to 800 nits of brightness, rated for HDR10+ content and has 2160Hz PWM dimming. It is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 778G and runs on the Android 13-based ColorOS 13 out of the box. Rear cameras are a 64MP main shooter with 2MP black and white sensor. The front facing camera is a 32MP selfie camera with autofocus. The device itself is pretty light and handy, weighing in at 174g with thickness up to 7.2mm. This space fits a 4500mAh battery that supports 67W fast charging with the adapter provided. The Reno9 is available in 4 colors: Black, Gold, Red and Pink Gradient. For memory configurations, there are two variants, both with 12GB of RAM and option of 256GB or 512GB of storage.
Reno9 Pro steps up performance with imaging platforms and 16GB speedier RAM
Powered by the Mediatek Dimensity 8100 and dedicated imaging platform MariSilicon X, the Reno9 Pro brings impressive photos and videos. Image source: GSMArena
The Reno9 Pro is an upgrade on the Reno9 hardware wise despite sharing the same body. They share the same body dimensions, 4500mAh battery and 6.7-inch OLED display. It is powered instead by the flagship Mediatek Dimensity 8100 platform, that promises better performance while still running ColorOS13. Photo taking gets a big upgrade with the improved dual camera setup. It now consists of a 50MP main shooter, and an 8 MP ultrawide-angle module. It also features the MariSilicon X Imaging NPU, an Oppo developed platform for image processing. This imaging platform also enables 4K AI night video, 20-bit ultra HDR and live preview on Android devices among other features. All variants of the Reno9 Pro come with 16GB LPDDR5 RAM, a capacity not seen since the Find X3, and options of 256GB and 512GB. The device is available in three colors: Black, Gold, and Pink Gradient.
Spearheading the series with Snapdragon 8+Gen 1
Headlining the new series is the Reno9 Pro+ that promises premium features and hardware. While sporting the same 6.7-inch display as its siblings, the display and the phone itself has a curved design. The highlight feature is the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 platform under the hood, making it the first Oppo flagship to run this platform. It is also coincidentally the first device to have both the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 and Marisilicon X Imaging platform. By leveraging the image and video enhancements features of both platforms, we can expect enhanced image quality, color accuracy and clarity.
Improved cameras with Snapdragon and MariSilicon X platform-driven image enhancement. Image source: GSMArena
The camera setup is once again improved with a 50MP main shooter with autofocus and OIS capabilities and 2MP depth sensor. The secondary module is an ultrawide 8MP shooter with 120 degrees field of view and has macro capabilities when shooting close up to 4cm. The battery receives an upgrade to keep everything powered with 4700mAh capacity and 80W fast charging over USB-C. It is available in the same memory configuration of the Pro series, with 16GB RAM and 256GB or 512GB storage. As for color options, Oppo has done away with the Pink Gradient and introduced a new Mint Green option alongside the standard Black and Gold. Unfortunately the Mint Green is only available for the 256GB storage variant.
Stand out with the Mint Green color for the Reno9 Pro+. Image source: GSMArena
AMD offers to improve your gaming experience by offering free games bundled with select graphics cards.
Get Dead Island 2 and Callisto Protocol with AMD graphics and raise your game!
From now until 4th February 2023, every purchase of RX6000 series cards at participating retailers will come with up to two games for free. All purchases of the selected cards will come with the zombie-slaying sequel Dead Island 2. Purchases of the RX6700 and higher will also get the highly anticipated sci-fi survival horror, The Callisto Protocol. Additionally, The Callisto Protocol comes with AMD Radeon inspired weapon skins, a digital skin and special character.
A full list of eligible graphics cards can be found on the AMD Raise the Game bundle offer page. The free games will be given as game codes that can be redeemed online at www.amdrewards.com/terms.
More FPS with FidelityFX Super Resolution 2.2
Alongside the free games giveaway, AMD has also announced FidelityFX Super Resolution (FSR) 2.2. AMD’s temporal upscaling answer to nVidia’s DLSS technology, FSR 2.2 promises to bring improved framerates and enhanced visuals.
Up to 218 games already supported by AMD’s FidelityFX Super resolution upscaling tech.
FSR 2.0 was announced earlier in May 2022, with up to 218 games combined supported by the technology and its previous 1.0 iteration. FSR 2.2 support will begin its rounds of the gaming sphere starting with its first game, Forza Horizon 5. AMD has also announced that FSR 2.2 will be free to download for game developers on GPUOpen.com soon though no specific date was mentioned. This should help speed up FSR 2.2 support for more games in the near future. Gamers can maximize their FSR and Radeon graphics card experience with the AMD Software: Adrenalin Edition™. This enables enhancements such as 4K gaming with DirectX 12 Ultimate and DirectX Raytracing (DXR).
For more information on AMD’s Raise Your Game Bundle and FidelityFX Super Resolution technology, visit AMD’s official website.
Honor has announced the Honor 80 series of smartphones on its official website for China. Three variants of the series, Honor 80, Honor 80 Pro and Honor 80 SE are expected, sporting better cameras, display and faster charging.
Honor 80 Pro (left) and Honor 80 (right) renders. Image source: GSMArena
Better triple camera setup, 120Hz displays and MagicOS 7.0
The new series of smartphones was unveiled by Honor during two-day launch event in China, which also showcased MagicOS 7.0. Leading the pack are the vanilla Honor 80 and more premium Honor 80 Pro variants. The Honor 80 Pro comes with a 6.78-inch, 120Hz curved OLED display with 2700×1224 resolution. A highlight of the device is the 160MP main shooter, enhanced with Honor’s Image Engine software. The revamped software features upgraded AI RAW algorithms, scene optimizations, skin texture detection and even AI Vlog mode. The other modules on the back are a 50MP ultrawide and 2M depth module. The front camera is a 50MP selfie camera with secondary 2M depth module. It is powered by a Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 SoC, though it appears to be a slightly underclocked version as reported by GSMArena.
Honor 80 and 80 Pro will be available in 4 colors. Image source: GSMArena
The standard Honor 80 variant sports a slightly smaller 6.67-inch OLED display with 2400×1080 resolution with 120Hz refresh rate. It has the same 160MP main shooter and 2M depth module but with a lesser 8MP secondary module. The selfie camera is also of a lesser resolution with 32MP. It is powered by the newly announced Snapdragon 782G SoC and like the Honor 80 Pro, runs on MagicOS 7.0 based on Android 12 out of the box. Both Honor 80 and Honor 80 Pro comes with 4800 mAh batteries and with fast 66W wired charging. They will be available in four color options; Blue Wave, Pink Morning Glow, Jade Green and Bright Black. And for storage options, both devices will be available in three combinations; 8GB RAM + 256GB ROM, 12GB RAM + 256GB ROM and 12GB + 512GB ROM.
A wallet friendly variant, the Honor 80 SE
Honor 80 SE is the budget entry of Honor’s new smartphone series
Honor has also announced the Honor 80 SE as a budget entry for the series. It sports a 6.67-inch curved 120Hz OLED display with FHD+ resolution of 2400 x 1080. The main camera is a toned-down 64MP main with 5MP ultra-wide module and 2MP macro triple-camera. It will still sport a 32MP selfie camera as seen in the Honor 80. Instead of a Snapdragon SoC, it comes with a MediaTek Dimensity 900 but still runs on MagicOS 7.0 out of the box. It also packs a 4600mAh battery with 66W charging and only comes in two memory configurations; 8GB RAM + 256GB ROM and 12GB RAM + 256GB ROM. The device will also be available in four colors; Moonlight Crystal, Iceland Fantasy, Cherry Pink Coral and Bright Black.
At the moment, there is no official word on release dates and pricing for the Honor 80 series outside of China. Based on the prices on the Honor official website, TechNave has estimated the prices as follows; Honor 80 starting at RM1727, Honor 80 Pro starting at RM2237 and Honor 80 SE starting at RM1535. For more updates on availability and pricing in Malaysia, follow HONOR Official Store and HONOR Malaysia’s Facebook page
Logitech has released its latest webcams with the Brio 500 series. The new series of 1080p webcams offer light correction, auto-framing, noise-cancelling mics and a versatile, movable mount.
Be your best self with Logitech’s Brio 500 webcam. Image source: Logitech
No more bad angles with magnetic mount design
In its launch video, Logitech has promised that customers can “Be your best self every video call” with the Brio 500 series webcams. Perhaps the most unique feature is the “Show Mode”. The “Show Mode” allows you to share your desk by simply tilting the webcam. Logitech has improved the mount design to accommodate this movement. The webcam attaches to the mount magnetically and clamps onto your monitor with an adjustable foot lined with microsuction tape. The mount also has a round attachment point to the webcam. This makes it easy to turn the camera horizontally to get the best recording angle for your video call.
The Brio 500’s unique magnetic mount allows for better video call angles while maintaining grip. Image source: Logitech
Better video and audio for video calls
Logitech’s Brio 500 series offers 1080p video calls with a bonus of improved lighting and framing. The new webcams come with Logitech’s latest RightLight 4 technology which automatically corrects lighting in both over lit and poorly lit scenarios. RightLight 4 also performs auto-framing, helping the camera stay centered on you. This is particularly helpful in situations where movement is required such as presentations. To access RightLight 4 and other “advanced meeting experiences”, Logitech requires the download of their Logi Tune software for free. On top of these features, the Brio 500 also has AI-based face image correction for greater clarity during video calls. As for audio, the webcam has dual microphones with beamforming noise-reducing technology. This offers greater call clarity and is capable of capturing your voice even when you move around in front of the webcam.
Other features and pricing
Brio 500’s in built privacy shutter. Image credit: Tom’s Hardware
The Brio 500 includes a built in-privacy shutter that works by rotating the right-end cap on its cylinder-shaped body. Logitech has also developed this webcam series with sustainability in mind. The plastic parts are certified post-consumer recycled plastic, with varying proportions between 54% to 68%, used in its different color offerings. It is available in three colours; graphite, off-white and rose. The Brio 500 series is available in Malaysia now. Retail price as per the official Logitech website is RM609. It is also available in store with authorized retailers and resellers.
