Category Archives: Business

Business, Contributed

How Managed Services Keep the Edge Ecosystem Afloat

Leave a comment

As the amount of connected “things” — vehicles, devices, equipment, sensors — proliferate, organisations continue to look for ways to securely harness the data those things generate. An entire ecosystem dedicated to collecting and analysing that data has erupted, and it’s taking data infrastructures to the edge of their capabilities.

Edge computing represents a vast opportunity for IT organisations if implemented well. Unfortunately, the data centre infrastructure required to host edge computing implementations is a patchwork affair. Today, organisations must leverage centralised data warehouses, regional edge data centres and local edge micro data centres.

person in blue suit jacket holding a black smartphone
Photo by Barbara Olsen on Pexels.com

Tech Research Asia (TRA) revealed in 2020 that organisations in Malaysia who has deployed edge computing were able to lower their costs in IT and operations, resulting in an overall improvement in employee experiences. However, most local organisations still find edge computing a fairly new concept. How can local organisations effectively tap into the full potential of Edge computing?

With so many geographically dispersed locations without on-site IT staff and often limited in-house resources, many organisations are turning to managed services providers to help deploy, monitor, and maintain their edge data centres. Still others, such as existing managed service providers and IT solutions providers, are expanding their services portfolio to help clients with the edge. This represents a vast opportunity for IT solution providers.

Managed services providers enable end-users to focus on core competencies

Edge locations need the same resilience, security, and fault tolerance as centralised locations, especially as they support more and more mission-critical applications. Managed service providers with the right capabilities offer peace of mind and operational efficiencies for edge deployments.

hands on a laptop keyboard
Photo by cottonbro on Pexels.com

Ensuring the necessary resilience and availability at the edge is not a simple matter. It requires having at least two major capabilities in place:

  • Remote monitoring and management of UPS and physical infrastructure
  • Data collection and analytics from monitoring equipment. This data improves the reliability and cost-effectiveness of assets at the edge.

These highly specific capabilities are not the core competencies of most companies. They don’t even cover all the expertise and manpower necessary to maintain support infrastructure. Turning to a managed services provider places the responsibility for infrastructure uptime into the hands of experts so end users can focus on the core of their business.  

Managed services boost revenues for existing providers

An increased need for managed services also represents an opportunity for existing providers. For example, power protection at the edge is not something many end-users consider. But an unmanned edge computing deployment without power is just another cost centre. For existing services providers, adding power monitoring and protection to their portfolio of offerings invites additional recurring revenue streams.

The story is the same for monitoring and dispatch services. When physical infrastructure in remote locations goes down, those sites need immediate attention. Most organisations don’t have a full-time response staff for such incidents, opening the door to managed services providers. Solutions and services providers can earn additional business by offering remote monitoring or dispatch services.

Managed services keep the edge ecosystem running smoothly

Edge computing has come a long way despite still having challenges to overcome. There are still operational issues to be considered in order for organisations to effectively ensure edge of network availability during this proliferation. The global health crisis too played a role in the impact of data centre downtime, making the availability of data centres, at the core and at the edge, a key concern for organisations.

close up view of system hacking
Photo by Tima Miroshnichenko on Pexels.com

Maintaining availability is challenging, given edge data centres experience more frequent total facility outages than their centralised counterparts. The primary methods companies leverage to improve edge availability — investing in improved equipment and redundant equipment — are not cost-effective ways of ensuring uptime.

It’s clear that the growing edge ecosystem represents a two-pronged opportunity for managed services. End users can turn to managed services providers for cost-effective uptime of their edge deployments, and existing providers can work with partners to add new services to their portfolios.

Regardless of where companies fall in the spectrum of offered services, the first step is to cultivate true partnerships. A typical service provider contract lasts three years. Customers must feel at ease knowing that the contract brings them the latest offerings, keeps equipment in optimal condition, and prepares them for uncertainties and surprises.

The edge is the present and future of infrastructure investments. Appropriate managed services can keep the ecosystem running smoothly for all parties involved.

Business, Contributed, Gaming

Why Payments Are the Key to the Gaming Industry in Asia Pacific

Leave a comment

The gaming industry is booming, and Asia is its centre. But it’s also becoming more competitive. And with payments increasingly being baked into the player experience, getting this fundamental element right is even more critical.

The growth of gaming over the past three years has been rapid, and there are no signs that this trend will slow down any time soon. Like many digital shifts, the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated a pre-existing trend as consumers spent more leisure time at home, on smartphones or games consoles.

For gaming publishers, this has obviously been a huge boost to the industry. Globally gaming industry revenue is predicted to grow from USD$178bn in 2021 to USD$269bn in 2025, an increase of 51% in just five years. And this is especially true in Asia, which leads the world in its number of active gamers. Almost half of all gaming revenue came from Asian markets pre-COVID-19 and this percentage has been maintained despite the growth of gaming globally in the past two years.

The Role of Payments

Another major trend in gaming is a shift in the way that consumers pay for them. The old model of buying games outright in a single one-off purchase is now outdated in the majority of cases; subscriptions and in-app purchasing have become the norm for games on all platforms, from mobile games through to many of the major titles on the most popular consoles.

Source: StockVault
Source: StockVault

This trend has given publishers much greater scope when it comes to monetizing the games that they produce. But it also means that payments are now a much more integral element to the overall player experience than before, and therefore need to be considered much more carefully.

When thinking about payments in gaming, there are three primary factors that need to be considered:

  • Invisibility – Ultimately players don’t want to go through the process of making payments when it means interrupting the game they are playing. So any payment needs to be as quick and painless as possible to encourage them to do it frequently.
  • Security – But at the same time, any game’s checkout process must be safe. Games have been proven to be a target for scammers in the past who have viewed the industry as an easy target.
  • Choice – The payments landscape is becoming more diverse, and in-game payment options need to reflect that. Consumers are increasingly unprepared to spend money online if they cannot use their payment method of choice, particularly those that have developed into regional payment preferences.

Let’s look at these in more detail, particularly what they mean for gaming companies in the Asian market.

The impact of poor UX, card declines, and inefficient risk management

As we have already stated, one of the key criteria for the success of payments in gaming is that transactions such as subscriptions and in-app purchases are seamless to the point of being invisible. A clunky user experience with multiple verification steps is one way checkouts can fail in this objective.

The Legendary Gems make Diablo Immortal totally Pay2Win Heres jpg
Diablo Immortal’s Lootboxes. Source: latestgamestories.com

Multi-step authentication processes, high lag times or time-outs, or hidden costs can make a payments experience frustrating to such an extent that the consumer abandons the transaction and in extreme circumstances could stop them playing the game altogether. And research does suggest that APAC consumers have the highest rates of cart abandonment in the world generally, meaning gaming companies in the region must focus on giving players a best-in-class payment experience.

Even more significant can be the impact of payment declines. If a player cannot complete a transaction because their card payment is declined then this completely de-rails their gaming experience. A declined transaction not only has a negative effect on revenues for gaming companies that lose the individual transaction in the short term but also the frustration this causes players may render the game unplayable in the long term, costing the operator recurring payments from loyal customers.

Partnering with a payments partner that minimises abandoned transactions and their associated costs is critical. Some of the criteria gaming partners should consider include:

  1. Does the payments company connect me to local acquiring and enable smart routing to maximize acceptance rates?
  2. Does the payments company prevent mass declines of legitimate transactions and limit false positives through industry and regional expertise in risk management?
  3. If a legitimate transaction is declined due to human error or oversight e.g. a card used for a recurring transaction expires, does the payments company have capabilities in place to recover the transaction?

Fighting fraud

Unfortunately, gaming platforms have long been a target for fraudsters. This threat has increased in the past two years as bad actors were better able to hide in plain sight due to the increase in player numbers more generally. Card-not-present fraud (where a fraudster uses stolen card details to make a transaction) and friendly fraud (where a consumer uses their own card details to make a legitimate transaction and then claims a chargeback) are both frequent in gaming, including in APAC.

person holding black framed eyeglasses
Photo by Mikhail Nilov on Pexels.com

Another practice gaming publishers should be aware of is carding, where a fraudster steals credit card information and tests its usability by making one or a number of small transactions at a relatively insecure platform, before moving on to making more substantial transactions elsewhere. In-game purchases have been a traditional target of these types of fraud.

Offering seamless gameplay via in-app purchases and subscriptions without compromising the safety of the platform or players must be a priority. A risk management platform with real-time, highly configurable, fraud detection and scoring engine capabilities is the optimal solution to maximise protection.

Diversifying Checkout

The APAC region is a diverse landscape when it comes to payment preferences, with local digital wallets being particularly popular. And it isn’t only the region as a whole that has marked payment preferences; within APAC, individual countries have their own local payment methods that have proved to be popular with consumers. So for gaming companies with ambitions to expand their player base throughout the region, having more options to enable players to pay is essential.

This is particularly true because we know that there are several key payment methods that are important to consumers in many APAC countries. AliPay and WeChat are obvious examples in China, but countries such as Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia all have diverse payment landscapes that do not rely on card transactions.

photo of person using laptop for graphic designs
Photo by ANTONI SHKRABA on Pexels.com

According to research conducted by Mastercard, 94% of consumers in APAC are thinking about trying an alternative payment method for the first time in 2022 and 84% said they already had access to more payment methods than they did in 2020. This includes crypto; 45% of APAC consumers are considering using crypto for payments in 2022 vs. only 12% that said they had used crypto to make a payment in 2020.

And globally younger consumers tend to be less reliant on traditional payment methods such as debit and credit cards than older generations. More tech-savvy and less loyal to financial institutions such as banks, these consumers will happily switch payment methods to ones that offer a better user experience. As gamers tend to skew towards younger demographics as well, having a diversified checkout is even more important.

It’s an Exciting Time for Gaming in Asia Pacific

And APAC continues to lead the world when it comes to the sizes of the gaming industry market. But there is a route to making the most of the opportunities a booming industry provides, and that begins with payments.

Working with a payments partner that doesn’t offer you a one-size-fits-all solution and instead can tailor a customized platform that suits your business strategy and needs is essential in today’s market. This is especially true in a region such as APAC with so many individuals, and unique markets. Gaming businesses

Business, Mobile, News

3nm is Not the Future – It Is Now with Samsung 

Leave a comment

Before we go any further; yes, the global chip shortage phenomenon is still a thing. Yes also, things are recovering, and it is looking much better now than last year, at least. Yes, 5nm chips are also already mighty impressive, the most powerful mobile devices are powered by 5nm chips.  

The Apple M1 chips and its variant powering all kinds of things are also 5nm chips, technically the most advanced computing solution you can find today. They introduced the M2 chip, also a 5nm chip to power their next generation devices, The most powerful mobile chip today, the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 is built on the 5nm process too, and it is technically the most technologically impressive integrated processing chip made for smartphones today. 

This leads us to a question. What could possibly be better? How could anyone top off 5nm in the current generation? Is 4nm even possible? Turns out, it is. But Samsung did not just stop there, they went ahead and did one better with 3nm. 

Ahead of their closest rival in chip making, Samsung has kickstarted their 3nm fabrication line just today. If this goes into Samsung’s next generation Exynos, the Exynos chips will be the most advanced integrated processing chips the world has ever seen. That is also if there is no pushback from TSMC (Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co.).  

Samsung foundrys first 3nm chip production 4
Source: Samsung

TSMC’s foundries are responsible for more than half the world’s supply of chips. You can find TSMC produced chips in Apple devices, and more than half the Android devices in the world today with Qualcomm relying mostly on the Taiwanese foundry. They are expected to start their 3nm mass production as well later this year.  

Currently though, the only reference for 3nm chips is from Samsung. They say that 3nm chips are now 45% more efficient than 5nm chips. Samsung also says that 3nm chips are 23% more powerful comparatively.  

While this is a good step in the right direction for the technological world, it could mark a more important step in the chip industry. While the 3nm fabrication process could be more intensive and expensive than before, smaller more efficient chips could lower the strain on the entire global supply chain. Then again, it really depends on the overall demand for 7nm, 5nm, and 3nm chips in the current market.  

While Samsung has started their mass production efforts, and TSMC is looking to start their own 3nm production soon, we will not be seeing devices coming with 3nm chips anytime soon. You can expect 3nm chips to star in devices starting 2023, if we are lucky enough. Still, the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1 is coming soon, and we are still excited about that.  

Business, Computers, Contributed

Cyberattackers are Using the Cloud too – Are Malaysian Enterprises Prepared?

Leave a comment

Cloud technology has been an integral component in paving the way for organizations across industries to undergo digital transformation. Globally, 50% of organizations are adopting a cloud-native approach to support both employees and customers, and the number of connected devices is expected to climb to 55.9 billion by 2025.

In Malaysia, we’ve also seen swift progress in cloud adoption – with the most recent milestone being the upgrade of the Malaysian Government’s Public Sector Data Centre (PDSA) into a hybrid cloud service called MyGovCloud. The pace of cloud adoption is expected to accelerate following the government’s decision to provide conditional approval to Microsoft, Google, Amazon, and Telekom Malaysia to build and manage hyperscale data centres and cloud services in Malaysia.

With cloud-based systems becoming a key component of organizations’ operations and infrastructures, malicious actors have been turning to the cloud, taking advantage of weaknesses in cloud security to perform various malicious activities — leading to new complexity regarding effective attack surface risk management. 

Why Malaysian Businesses Need Better Risk Management

The shift to the cloud and dramatic increase in connectivity gives malicious actors new and often unmanaged attack vectors to target.

photo of person typing on computer keyboard
Photo by Soumil Kumar on Pexels.com

As revealed in Trend Micro’s semi-yearly Cyber Risk Index (CRI) report, 67% of organizations in Malaysia report they are likely to be breached in the next 12 months – indicating a dire need for local organizations to be better prepared in managing cyber risks.

To better reduce the risk of cyberattacks, enterprises must first understand how cyberattackers are exploiting the cloud for their own benefit and bridge security gaps by proactively anticipating data breaches.

One of the most common ways that organizations put themselves in a vulnerable position to be attacked is through misconfigurations of the cloud. While misconfigurations might seem straightforward and avoidable, they are the most significant risk to cloud environments – making up 65 to 70% of all security challenges in the cloud. This is especially true for organizations that have been pushed to migrate quickly to the cloud since remote work became the new norm.

security logo
Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

Malicious actors are also turning to low-effort by high-impact attack strategies in gaining access to cloud applications and services. On top of exploiting new vulnerabilities in an enterprise’s network, cyberattackers will persistently exploit known vulnerabilities from past years as many enterprises still lack the ability to get full visibility on environments that are left unpatched.

How Malaysian Businesses can Stay Prepared

Since criminals can execute their attacks more effectively, they can also target a larger number of organizations, potentially leading to an increase in overall attacks. Organizations now have much less time to detect and respond to these incidents, and this will be expounded as the business model of cybercriminals matures further.

With that in mind, enterprises must strengthen their security posture foundations to defend against evolving cyberthreats. Among the key cybersecurity strategies to adopt include:

Automating everything

We live in a world where skills shortages and commercial demands have combined to expose organizations to escalating levels of cyber risk. In the cloud, it leads to misconfigurations and the risk of knock-on data breaches, as well as unpatched assets which are exposed to the latest exploits. The bad news is that cybercriminals and nation states are getting better at scanning for systems which may be vulnerable in this way.

Better digital attack surface management starts with the right tooling. Solutions such as Trend Micro Cloud One enable and automates platform-agnostic cloud security administration and cloud threat detection and response, which can help security teams improve the efficiency of threat investigation and response, as well as reduce the risk of a security breach.

Empowering employees with resources and tools to ensure cloud operational excellence  

Many enterprises are already well on their way in the world of cloud, with more and more security teams using cloud infrastructure services and developing cloud-native applications. However, this can often be a steep learning curve for cloud architects and developers – leaving gaps in protection, compliance, and visibility.

woman using a computer
Photo by cottonbro on Pexels.com

To improve the situation, organizations need to provide resources to employees to ensure that the cloud service configurations adhere to industry best practices and compliance standards. One such way is to use tools that automatically scan cloud services against best practices, relieving teams from having to manually check for misconfigurations.

Adopt a Shared Responsibility Model

Clouds aren’t secure or insecure, they’re as secure as you make them. Instead of “who is more secure – AWS, Azure, or Google Cloud?” ask “what have I done to make all of my clouds as secure as I need them?”

Security in the cloud works using the Shared Responsibility Model – which dictates who is responsible for any operational task in the cloud and security is simply a subset of those tasks. Security self-service for the cloud is fully here in all its forms, and understanding this model is critical to success in the cloud.

While increased cloud adoption allows organizations to be more agile, scalable, and cost-efficient, the benefits of using cloud services and technologies are no longer just reaped by legitimate companies, but also cybercriminals who keep up with the trend. As criminals accelerate attacks and expand their capabilities, businesses must adopt a solid cybersecurity strategy to stay a step ahead.

Business, News

Samsung Launches First Premium Experience Store in Malaysia

Leave a comment

Samsung Malaysia isn’t a stranger when it comes to launching experience stores. However, since its first Experience store launch, the company has evolved into one that offers more than just mobile experiences. In Malaysia, at least, there hasn’t been a store which showcases the full range of Samsung offerings including their smartphones, TVs and household appliances.

  • Senheng x Samsung Malaysia Electronics visual5
  • Senheng x Samsung Malaysia Electronics visual6
  • Senheng x Samsung Malaysia Electronics visual7

Samsung Malaysia is changing that with the launch of their new Premium Experience Store. The store sees Samsung collaborating with local retail giant Senheng to showcase all of Samsung’s offerings. The new Samsung Premium Experience Store is located at ground floor of theShoppes at Four Seasons Place which is nestled in the heart of Kuala Lumpur. The store covers a humungous 5,399 sqft and not only showcases Samsung’s extensive offerings but also contains experience zones for customers to get the full experience.

Edward Han President Samsung Malaysia Electronics 1
Source: Samsung

“We are excited for this collaboration with Senheng that extends on our long-term partnership to enhance Samsung consumers’ experiences. At Samsung, people are at the centre of everything we do. Everything that we are doing today is being designed to enrich people’s lives in ways that matters the most and provide a healthier environment”

Edward Han, President of Samsung Malaysia Electronics

The store is also the first to showcase Samsung’s new BESPOKE line up. Walking in, you will be able to see Samsung’s BESPOKE refrigerators, the BESPOKE AirDresser and even the BESPOKE Jet vacuums. The store itself has six experiential zone which showcase different products and experiences including mobile, Neo QLED 8K TV, Lifestyle TVs and more.

Accessories, Business, Computers, Lifestyle, News

ViewSonic Launches New Projectors and Smart Interactive Display for the Boardroom and the Classroom

Leave a comment

ViewSonic has just opened their new showroom in Malaysia. That is besides the point though. They are also one of the most known display manufacturers in the world at this point. Considering that they come from the humble beginnings from making budget computer displays, it is a huge feat.

They have come a long way from just making PC monitors though. They now also make several display related items and solutions that can be deployed in different situations. They also make projectors, if you have not known yet. They just launched a new one, alongside a smart display that is compelling for meeting rooms and even classrooms.

ViewSonic LS500WHE and LS550WHE

Product photos
Source: ViewSonic

Toe be fair, while there are two names you see here, they are really one product made for two slightly different use cases. The LS550WHE is more like a short throw version of the LS500WHE. Both are also LED Laser projectors.

The current LED projector technology only allows it to hit 3,000 ANSI Lumens in brightness. Comparatively, ViewSonic even sells a lamp-based projector at 3,800 ANSI Lumens. On paper, the lamp-based projector should be a better choice based on the projection brightness alone. But there is more to it than that.

The new LED projectors offer 125% in Rec.709 colour space coverage. That also means that the new projectors should be displaying images with vivid colours like no lamp projectors can display. In that case as well, the lower brightness count might not even matter with more vivid and better colours than ever before.

At the same time, because LED has a much longer shelf life at 30,000-hour cycles, replacing the lamp becomes a thing of the past. LED is also a lot more power efficient than lamp, which also means that your electricity consumption is nearly halved saving you more in terms of maintenance and usage. Of course, there is the fact that LED’s clarity drop off is much less drastic than traditional lamp.

ViewSonic ViewBoard Smart Display

Country Manager of ViewSonic Malaysia Mr Chaw Foo Hong
Source: ViewSonic

Then there is the ViewBoard, a large slab of touch screen display that is a real clever solution for classrooms and boardroom. To be fair, the ViewBoard is designed mostly for the education sector. It is a powerful tool even in the boardroom though.

What makes it powerful is not really its size or touch screen features. You can get a touch screen display from any manufacturer technically and will get pretty much similar experience. What makes it special is the software solution that is built for the ViewBoard.

They call it myViewBoard and it is web based, so it is compatible with all kinds of platforms including Windows, Android, iOS, and even Mac. It is really designed as a complete collaboration and learning tool. The platform allows you to turn the ViewBoard into a rather powerful smart display that can be shared with all the participants in the classroom and boardroom. From the board itself, you can control how an entire class or meeting flows.

Price and Availability

The LS500WHE LED projector is now available for MYR 3,599. The short throw variant of it, the LS550WHE is available for MYR 3,999. For the ViewBoard, you want to contact your local ViewSonic representative. More on ViewSonic’s new products can be found on their website.

Business, Computers, News

Dell Technologies Updated Storage Software Solutions Enable Better Data Resilience

Leave a comment

Dell Technologies is updating its portfolio of storage solutions to empower businesses with better data resilience and flexibility. The newly updated solutions take the lead from businesses which have inadvertently adopted a multi-cloud approach which Dell has identified as “Multi-Cloud by Default”. These updated solutions enable businesses to seamlessly access and store data across their multiple clouds while increasing efficiency.

overview vid 580x480 jpg
Source: Dell Technologies

Dell’s PowerStore, PowerMax and PowerFlex have been updated with over 500 software advancements across the board to deliver better multi-cloud control, insights and resilience. The updates come as part of Dell’s project Alpine which looks to bring enterprise performance, protection and capacity that is offered by Dell Technologies to public clouds.

The Dell PowerStore solution is one of the fastest ramping new architecture in Dell’s history. It is capable of delivering improvements of up to 50% in mixed workloads and up to 66% greater capacity than most of the current market offerings. With the new software updates, it now supports better, more secured file workloads with file level retention, native file replication and support for third-party solutions for file monitoring and ransomware protection. Deeper VMware integrations which empower better vVols latency and performance allow businesses to run more workloads faster. In addition, it’s been imbued with added resilience with better VMware vSphere Virtual Volumes (vVolss) replication and VM-level snapshots and fast clones.

dellemc powermax2000 ff bk 1280x1280.jpeg
Source: Dell Technologies

PowerMax, on the other hand, empowers mission-critical operations with data security and resilience. These include cyber vaults for traditional and mainframe deployments. It comes with added data security thanks to CouldIQ ransomware capabilities which enable early detection of ransomware attacks minimizing exposure and recovery. Dell PowerMax now offers up to 65 million secure snapshots to better data recovery and resiliency with a new 4:1 data reduction guarantee. Software updates enable automated storage operations including multi-array smart provisioning, workload optimisation, health monitoring and remediation. It will also be able to quickly move and mobilise workloads between public and private clouds with snapshot shipping and recovery. This also allows for better, higher availability to minimise downtime.

Rounding up their offerings, Dell PowerFlex is available to help consolidate traditional and modern workloads. It does this through new file services that allow for a unified platform for both block and file capabilities. PowerFlex works to simplify the complexities of a multi-cloud environment as well as DevOps with support for the broadest file and block support for all Kubernetes and container orchestration platforms from Amazon, Google, Microsoft, Red Hat, SUSE and VMware. New software updates also allow PowerFlex to unify compute, storage and system lifecycle management helping simplify workflow.

powerstore t gallery front 792x159 xxl jpg
powerstore t gallery back 792x159 xxl jpg 1

These innovations and cloud storage solutions from Dell Technologies is one of the first steps the company is taking to its vision of a multi-cloud by design work environment. In this new work environment, entreprises are able to work on-prem and in the cloud with the flexibility and security needed regardless of being in the public or private cloud. In fact, they will work seamlessly as data and operations stores and retrieves data from both.

The Dell PowerMax and Dell PowerStore updates and upgrades will be available globally starting in mid-July 2022 while PowerFlex will see global availability in mid-August 2022.

Business, Computers, Editorial, Lifestyle, Mobile

[Editorial] Daily Driving the Chromebook Part 4 – It Can Be Done, at a Cost

Leave a comment

The past few weeks with the Acer Chromebook Spin 713 have been quite a journey. We got it at quite an opportune time as well. We got to be one of the first few people that managed to try Steam on Chrome OS. The experience, if you read our editorial last week, left quite a lot to be desired, to be fair. There was an inherent scaling issue, which would be quite expected since getting games to run on the Chromebook’s native resolution is problematic at the best of times.

This is the last part of the editorial series though, which we will sort of wrap-up the entire series. We will be summarizing our experience with the Chrome OS in the past four weeks with a video too, so do look out for that. But yes, all three parts of the editorial has been leading up to this – an answer to the question; “can the Chrome OS be a viable daily driver?”

There is no one simple answer to this question though. Choosing an operating system to work with is never a straightforward process. There is a lot to consider when you want to invest in a computing solution for your own personal use. You often must decide on a budget, you want to think about the main function of the device as well.

The More Budget Conscious Option

Chromebook713 3

Sure, compared to a Mac, any PC option looks like a budget option. When it comes to the world of the Chromebook though, its starting price is usually much lower than what you can expect even compared to a regular Windows PC. That makes the Chromebook, by default, the most budget friendly computing solution option.

A Chrome OS may not look as versatile as a Windows PC or a Macbook. You cannot expect it to game given its specs. Beyond that, it browses the internet just like your regular PC does. It processes through all your documents and even play music like any Macbook does too. It is a as versatile in most use cases as a MacBook or a PC at a fraction of the cost.

The requirements of Chrome OS are low in most cases too. You do not need an ultra-powerful set-up to get Chrome OS running nicely and smoothly. You can work with the most basic of specifications and still have a nicely functioning Chromebook with no fuss. You can still sort of play mobile games on it too, if you so wish to. That is why a basic Chromebook can be made so cheaply and is highly popular for young learners in school.

Versatile Worker

Chromebook713 2

You can work with Microsoft’s full 365 suite with Google Chrome browser. While some may see that as an inconvenience and downgrade, the web-based suite is closer in function and look to the full Windows/Mac version than what you get on the mobile version of the apps.

Microsoft’s 365 suite is not the only web app that works well for Chrome OS though. Tidal and Spotify works better on Chrome browser than their mobile app counterpart too in this case. The Chromebook is not meant to just run web-based apps though, it is also built so that the Android apps can also run on it.

In that sense, while there are plenty of Android apps that will not run on top of Chrome OS, many does as well. Adobe’s Lightroom for Mobile can work on the Chromebook, for example. Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and even Sony’s Headphones app can run on the Chrome OS. For apps like Sony’s Headphones app, you get a full suite of control on whatever Sony audio device that connects to the Chromebook just like you do on your smartphone.

ChromeOS Setup11

You technically can even run mobile games on the Chromebook to a certain degree of success. Just remember that these games are designed with touch screen in mind, so you do want to use the touch screen functions that are in most Chromebooks for mobile gaming. Because the display is so expansive as well, you get to see everything down to their tiny details.

Because it is also effectively an Android tablet, many of the tablet applications can be scaled to the sizeable displays that Chromebooks usually come in. If you have a router that needs to be accessed with an app, for example, you can rely on a Chromebook and work on your router via the mobile app without going through too much of a hassle.

Not Really a Gaming Machine

Steam en Chrome OS
Source: Steam Addicts

Sadly, while there has been many rumours and hype surrounding Chromebook and gaming, there has not been any solid solutions for it. Steam is now on Alpha access for select Chromebook devices. That means that not everybody on Chrome OS gets access to Steam. We are lucky enough to have secured a unit that can support the Alpha version of Steam (Volteer).

The gaming experience, if you have read our previous editorial, is choppy at best. Sure, some games like Undertale should not take too much to run well. The scaling issue is something that is quite off-putting though.

The scaling issue does not just stop at Undertale too. It continues in titles like This War of Mine in our case. There is no denying that there is some potential to gaming on the Crhomebook, but for now it is just that, a potential.

The other option is to play mobile based games from Google’s Play Store. You can technically download games like Pokémon Unite and PUBG Mobile. We’ve only managed to play Pokémon Unite a few times with no issues. Most of the time the game failed to launch or just crashes halfway through matchmaking. PUBG Mobile should be quite an experience on the larger display. Unfortunately, the game will also assume that you are playing on an emulator and will only pair you with other players with emulators, so you technically will not get to play ever.

More like an Entertainment Powerhouse

Chromebook713 1

The unit we have is a versatile worker with a display that is also the envy of PCs at its price range. While the display’s aspect ratio is a little odd, it is still a brilliant display. If not, you still get plenty of Chromebook devices with at least 1080p Full HD display which would be more than sufficient.

With at least 1080p Full HD resolution, you get to enjoy plenty of Netflix, YouTube, Disney+, and even Amazon Prime Video. The Chromebook is prove that you do not need a high-end PC or TV to be entertained really, you have access to all of those contents and even more via the Chrome browser itself. You are technically doing the same thing with your regular PCs and Macbooks in this situation.

While the speakers are usually not great, you can easily get yourself decent Bluetooth speakers for not a lot of money. If you prefer an uninterrupted personal audio experience, there is the option of going for wired headphones or even Bluetooth headphones at that.

It Does Everything – So Why Not?

So, back to the question we first posed in the first part of our editorial; can the Chromebook be a proper workhorse? Can it be used as a reliable work device for the professionals? Can you call upon the Chromebook to be your trusted corporate device?

We want to say yes to all the questions we posed but take it with a pinch of salt. You cannot expect it to become your entertainment rig to game with. You cannot expect it to also be a workhorse that edits your videos too. You cannot have most of the apps and programs that you can get on Windows PCs and Macs.

But you can expect it to be reliable. You can expect it to work through the night with a single charge. You can expect the Chromebook to still work well outside of your workplace as long as you keep it charged.

Business, Computers, Health, iOS, Lifestyle, Mobile, News

More Apple Than Ever: Apple is Preparing to Launch More Products Beyond WWDC 2022!

Leave a comment

Apple’s Worldwide Developer Conference (WWDC) 2022 was a big success. We saw the Apple M2 chip being introduced to the world. We also saw the new MacBook Air that is no longer a wedge-shaped laptop. There is also new MacBook Pro with M2 chip in it, obviously.

According to Mark Gurman, the Apple guy at Bloomberg, who has also been a highly reliable source for all things Apple, WWDC 2022 is really a pre-cursor to what Apple has planned out for the rest of 2022. In that case, 2022 looks rather busy for Apple.

We know that Apple’s next new iPhone will be coming somewhere in September, and it will come with a new proprietary Apple chip. The new Apple iPhone models, four of them, will also be the most powerful iPhone devices you can get your hands on. That is also a given, and a known fact.

According to Gurman, the new iOS 16 that was announced at WWDC 2022 is a good indication of what is to come with the next-generation iPhone. The revamped lock screen points to an always-on display feature on the new Pro models of the iPhone. At the same time, the lock screen could display a lot more information than just the clock. It could tell you the weather, your calendar, stocks, activities, and other information. For the sake of privacy, you can also control how much of the information gets displayed on the always-on display.

While the EU has made regulation changes and enforces that every electronics manufacturer, including Apple, to start transitioning to USB Type-C standards in the coming years, the new Apple iPhone 2022 will not sport USB Type-C just yet. It will still feature Apple’s proprietary Lightning port for now. You can expect USB Type-C iPhones to come in 2023 though.

Then there will be the new iPads. Apple did not release the M2 for nothing. Like the M1 chip in the iPad Pro, you can expect the new iPad Pro launching later in the year to feature the M2 chip. In that sense, there will be new 11-inch and 12.9-inch Apple iPad Pro models coming at the end of the year with M2 chips. The M2 chips should be able to take advantage of the new iPadOS 16’s Stage Manager multitasking functions too. There is also a chance, according to Gurman, that Apple will launch larger form factor Apple iPad Pro models. He expects Apple to launch 14 and 15-inch variations of the Apple iPad Pro.

Unlike how Apple took their time with M1 chips spreading across Apple’s range of products. The M2 might spread more like wildfire this time. Gurman expects Apple to start launching even more products equipped with the M2 chip. There is an M2 Mac mini, M2 Pro chips on the Mac Mini and MacBook Pro models. There could be the M2 Max, M2 Ultra, and M2 Extreme chips coming too, since Apple already has the knowhow on building even more powerful chips based on their original SoC design.

The HomePod is also something that Apple might be looking to upgrade in the coming months. Apple might be looking to update the new HomePod with new processing chips, like the new Apple Watches. There is also supposed to be some new optimization made to the smart speaker in terms of size and audio performance. There are also rumours about multi-touch functions. Gurman also expects new AirPods Pro to be launched with new updated processing chips and higher quality audio.

Remember that all these things are just speculations. There are no straight up confirmations from Apple that they will be launching these new products immediately or in their regular September launch. Until they do make their official announcements, we can only wait and watch.

Source: Bloomberg

Business, Computers, Lifestyle, News

ASUS Launches New ExpertBooks for 2022 Powered by Intel’s 12th Generation CPUs

Leave a comment

Working on the go is a thing, there is no denying that. Working from home is also a huge thing now, since the pandemic hits in 2020. In this kind of environment, Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) culture is stronger than ever. You have the choice of bringing your own laptop for work, you even use your own smartphone at work and for work. It is a headache to the IT team though.

If you are working as a part of the IT workforce in your own company, you want to limit the number of foreign devices accessing your system and network at work. You want standardized devices that you can monitor and service quickly. At the other end though, you want a device that is powerful enough and sleek enough to make it look like you mean business in the boardroom.

You get a standardized set of laptops for business use case of course. ASUS has some new ones for 2022. Specifically, they have the ExpertBook series for 2022.

ASUS ExpertBook B7 Flip

  • ASUS EXPERTBOOK B7 FLIP LAUNCH 01
  • ASUS EXPERTBOOK B7 FLIP LAUNCH 15
  • ASUS EXPERTBOOK B7 FLIP LAUNCH 14
  • ASUS EXPERTBOOK B7 FLIP LAUNCH 13
  • ASUS EXPERTBOOK B7 FLIP LAUNCH 12
  • ASUS EXPERTBOOK B7 FLIP LAUNCH 11
  • ASUS EXPERTBOOK B7 FLIP LAUNCH 10
  • ASUS EXPERTBOOK B7 FLIP LAUNCH 09
  • ASUS EXPERTBOOK B7 FLIP LAUNCH 08
  • ASUS EXPERTBOOK B7 FLIP LAUNCH 07
  • ASUS EXPERTBOOK B7 FLIP LAUNCH 06
  • ASUS EXPERTBOOK B7 FLIP LAUNCH 05
  • ASUS EXPERTBOOK B7 FLIP LAUNCH 04
  • ASUS EXPERTBOOK B7 FLIP LAUNCH 03
  • ASUS EXPERTBOOK B7 FLIP LAUNCH 02

We start with the most premium option of the bunch, the ExpertBook B7 Flip. It packs Intel’s latest 12th Generation Core i7 CPU for good measure. To ensure that it will multitask like a champion you can spec it with up to 64GB of RAM. To ensure you never run out of space, you have up to 2TB SSD. To ensure you get an entire day of work, the ExpertBook B7 Flip has a quoted battery life of 11 hours.

All of these is packed in a body that weighs just below 1.5kg. While that might not sound all that light, you must remember that the ExpertBook B7 Flip is a convertible laptop that can also quickly turn into a tablet. It is not a light tablet by any means in that case, but it also carries a large battery and proper keyboard to work with. Additionally, the shell that encases all the powerful internals is an MIL-STD 810H certified construction. That also means that it will withstand all kinds of drops, scrapes, and spills without too much of an inconvenience.

All that power also gets translated into Windows 11 on the expansive 16:10 14-inch screen. You can opt for QHD+ resolution too, if you want the best experience on the ExpertBook B7 Flip. If QHD+ is not enough for you, you can also get a 4K monitor and connect the ASUS ExpertBook B7 Flip via the Thunderbolt 4 USB Type-C port. The USB Type-C also supports PD 3.0. Speaking of ports, it has a full HDMI 2.0b port for good measure. If you need, there is also a Mini DisplayPort as well alongside a full-sized 3.5mm audio jack and an SD card reader. It even has a Nano SIM slot, if you need the constant connection. For all your teleconferencing needs, there is the 720p webcam that can be covered too with a quick flick of a latch above the camera module.

As mentioned, there is a Nano SIM tray. The ExpertBook B7 Flip supports 5G connectivity to make it the ultimate productivity machine wherever you go. At the same time, if it is available to you, the ExpertBook B7 Flip connects to WiFi 6E for an extra stable and fast internet connection. For all your wireless peripherals, Bluetooth 5.2 should be more than enough while maintaining a low power draw.

ASUS ExpertBook B3 Flip

  • ExpertBook B3 Flip dual camera
    Source: ASUS
  • ExpertBook B3 Flip tent mode
    Source: ASUS
  • ExpertBook B3 Flip LTE
    Source: ASUS
  • ExpertBook B3 Flip garaged stylus
    Source: ASUS
  • ExpertBook B3 Flip flip display
    Source: ASUS

Sitting slightly below the premium B7 Flip is the B3 Flip. Just because the B3 Flip is not premium as the B7 Flip, does not mean you get a lot less for your money.

You still get to spec your ASUS ExpertBook B3 Flip with up to Intel’s Core i7-1165G CPU. Similarly, you do not get a dedicated GPU here, just Intel’s Xe Graphics (up to). Pair the CPU and integrated GPU with up to 48GB of RAM though, and you are still getting a rather powerful multitasker.

You get a Full HD display that measures at 14-inch. The IPS panel is not a 16:10 aspect ratio screen though, it is a regular 16:9 aspect ratio display. There is nothing wrong with that. It is also a touch screen display with stylus support, understandable since it is a convertible.

In terms of port, you get two Thunderbolt 4 USB Type-C ports that both support 4K and USB PD 3.0. There are two full USB Type-A ports, a full-sized HDMI 2.0a port, and even an RJ45 LAN port for you to work with. It even has a microSD card slot that also doubles as a Nano SIM slot if you want one.

Inside, you will find up to 1TB SSD to store all you need to store in your ExpertBook B3 Flip/ You will also find that the ExpertBook B3 Flip has support for 4G LTE bands, WiFi 6 (up to), and Bluetooth 5.0. Dig further you will see two speakers and two microphones for crisp teleconferences. For video conferencing there is the 720p webcam that also has a handy shield to cover it when it is not in use. There is also another 13-Megapixel camera that sits on the keyboard, right below the display that faces away from you in tent mode.

All of these great things are packed in an aluminium body that weighs just over 1.6kg. It is not ExperBook B7 Flip light, but it is not too heavy considering all that it packs. At the same time, the body is an MIL-STD 810H certified body, so it can withstand almost anything you can throw at it.

ASUS ExpertBook B3 Detachable

  • ASUS EXPERTBOOK B3 DETACHABLE 01
  • ASUS EXPERTBOOK B3 DETACHABLE 15
  • ASUS EXPERTBOOK B3 DETACHABLE 14
  • ASUS EXPERTBOOK B3 DETACHABLE 13
  • ASUS EXPERTBOOK B3 DETACHABLE 12
  • ASUS EXPERTBOOK B3 DETACHABLE 11
  • ASUS EXPERTBOOK B3 DETACHABLE 10
  • ASUS EXPERTBOOK B3 DETACHABLE 09
  • ASUS EXPERTBOOK B3 DETACHABLE 08
  • ASUS EXPERTBOOK B3 DETACHABLE 07
  • ASUS EXPERTBOOK B3 DETACHABLE 06
  • ASUS EXPERTBOOK B3 DETACHABLE 05
  • ASUS EXPERTBOOK B3 DETACHABLE 04
  • ASUS EXPERTBOOK B3 DETACHABLE 03
  • ASUS EXPERTBOOK B3 DETACHABLE 02

If you need to be a lot more agile, a lot more mobile, ASUS has a solution for you. The ExpertBook B3 Detachable is technically a tiny Windows tablet that can get you working from anywhere and anytime.

Powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 7c Gen 2 Compute Platform, the ExpertBook B3 Detachable is more like a tablet on paper than a laptop. It is still a Windows 11 device though, making it technically a proper PC. At the same time, because the B3 Detachable is powered by a highly power efficient processor, the portable workhorse offers a longer battery life like no other PC in its range can.

The display is not a big one for a PC, a 10.5-inch display that boasts WUXGA resolution. Yes, it is an ideal 16:10 aspect ratio display too for working. It is also an IPS panel which should boast vivid and accurate colours with up to 87% NTSC colour gamut coverage. The glass out front also houses a 5.0-Megapixel camera that can be used, and mostly will be used as a webcam. There is also a 13-Megapixel camera out the back for high-resolution photos when you need it.

The keyboard it comes with, as per its name, is detachable. There is still some tactility on the keyboard though with 1.5m of key travel. At the same time, it is a spill resistant keyboard. It comes with a matching back cover too that is rather clever. The back cover acts as a two-way kickstand. You can stand it in portrait mode, or even the regular landscape orientation in almost any angle you want.

Of course, this being more of a tablet, it only packs one USB Type-C port alongside a 3.5mm combo jack. It still has two speakers and two mics for crystal clear teleconferencing. Of course, you get WiFi 802.11ac connectivity on top of Bluetooth 5.1.

Price and Availability

These are notebooks made mostly for enterprise use. In that case, you might not find them listed or displayed in your favourite PC stores. You want to contact ASUS corporate representative to get your hands on one. If you are interested to get them for your company though, the ASUS ExpertBook B7 Flip will set your company back MYR 8,499. The ExpertBook B3 Flip costs MYR 4,499 while the detachable variant will set your company back MYR 2,099. For more information on the new ASUS ExpertBooks can be found on their website.