Category Archives: Consumer Electronics

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beyerdynamic Finally Gave into Peer Pressure – Introducing the Free BYRD TWS headphones

July 8, 2022 Darwin Sucipto Leave a comment

Wireless earphones are all the rage these days. We do not think it is the first time we start an article with that. We doubt it will be the last time too.

It is a true statement though. Most smartphone owners today will, at some point, have owned a wireless audio solution. Most of them will have at least experienced truly wireless (TWS) headsets at least once by now. Most of them will succumb to the convenience of one and own at least one in their lifetime.

There are also reasons why plenty of high-end audio gear manufacturers avoid offering TWS type headsets though. One of which is the fact that there will be some compromises with audio quality. Latency can also be an issue with TWS type headphones.

Still, manufacturers can no longer ignore the appeal of one. beyerdynamic finally gave into that pressure as well. Welcome to the Free BYRD. Yes, it comes with a few tricks from Beyerdynamic that is meant to elevate the TWS headset experience.

The beyerdynamic Free BYRD is their first TWS type audio gear, which is why they are pulling all the stops to make this as good as they can make it. It packs a 10mm driver, which is rather large considering that even the likes of Sony have reduced their driver sizes to about 6mm with the new WH-1000XM4. A larger driver has its advantages though. Because it is bigger than the regular drivers found in similar devices, it can push more air and drive more air pressure into your ears for punchier and more detailed bass notes.

The Free BYRD also features the latest aptX adaptive codec alongside AAC support. These codecs should work together with the 10mm drivers to produce sounds as they are intended and probably even better. beyerdynamic also introduces something they call MOSAYC. It is what they call “Attention to Detail with Mimi Sound Personalisation” to really elevate your listening experience. It automatically tunes the drivers to the listeners ears to create a more optimised listening profile. In that case, no two Free BYRD should sound completely the same. To customize the listening experience even more, there is the equalizer within the proprietary MIY app on Android and iOS.

beyerdynamic Free BYRD man — Source: beyerdynamic

Of course, there is active noise cancelling (ANC) baked into the TWS earbuds. The hybrid ANC should really ensure that users block the world out. For the best experience, you want to find the best fitting ear tips for yourself. beyerdynamics includes five sets of differently sized silicone ear tips and three additional memory foam earpieces for use in sporting activities. In those cases, you can be sure that the Free BYRD can withstand all kinds of grimes and sweat with IPX4 certification.

The Bluetooth 5.2 device with Google Fast Pair headphones offers Qualcomm’s dual 2-mic cVc technology. The new technology with four mics in total should offer highly natural phone calls with excellent pick-up. Obviously, the mics should also be excellent for Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa, and even Apple’s Siri.

In terms of battery life, the Free BYRD offers up to 11 hours of battery life from a single charge in total. You can wirelessly charge the Free BYRD if you have a wireless charging pad. Of course, it is also charged via USB Type-C. A quick 10-minute plug-in can also give you up to 70 minutes in music playback time, if you are in a rush.

Source: beyerdynamic
Source: beyerdynamic
Source: beyerdynamic
Source: beyerdynamic
Source: beyerdynamic
Source: beyerdynamic
Source: beyerdynamic
Source: beyerdynamic
Source: beyerdynamic
Source: beyerdynamic
Source: beyerdynamic
Source: beyerdynamic
Source: beyerdynamic
Source: beyerdynamic
Source: beyerdynamic
Source: beyerdynamic
Source: beyerdynamic

The beyerdynamic Free BYRD is available in most of Europe via their official store on Amazon.com. It is available in Black and Gray colour options. It will set you back EUR€ 229, which is about MYR 1,029* or US$ 232**. The price range puts it squarely as a competitor of the Sony WF-1000XM4. Sadly, there is no word on its availability in Malaysia. Chances are, if you really want one, you have to get it from Amazon Europe and get someone to ship it to Malaysia for you. More information on the beyerdynamics Free BYRD can be found on their website.

*Approximately based on exchange rate of EUR€ 1 = MYR 4.49 as of 08/07/2022 on xe.com

**Approximately based on exchange rate of EUR€ 1 = US$ 1.01 as of 08/07/2022 on xe.com

Accessories, Computers, Consumer Electronics, Lifestyle, News

Samsung’s Freestyle is Now Available in Malaysia for MYR 4,999!

July 7, 2022 Darwin Sucipto Leave a comment

Samsung, back in CES 2022, announced a bunch of very interesting products. One of them is a particularly odd-looking projector with rounded body and an odd foot. It certainly does not look like the typical traditional projector.

They call it the Freestyle, and it is not really a portable projector in any case. It does not pack a battery pack within the body. It is a regular projector that requires a power adapter plugged into a wall socket. It is not technically an LED projector either. So, the only thing that is unique about this product could be its striking visual.

Except, it is not just its odd visuals that could make this a projector you want at home. While it is not a portable projector with a battery packed in, it is still a rather light device. At 830 grams, it is one of the lightest, if not the lightest projector of its kind. That also means that if you have a wall socket nearby, you can take this projector and turn any room or space within your home into and entertainment hub. Either that, or just hop it up with an external USB power source capable of pushing 50W/20V output. If you have a powerbank that powerful, you essentially have a portable projector here.

my the freestyle lsp3b sp lsp3blaxxm 531007001 — Source: Samsung

Projection wise, you are getting a Full HD image out of the Freestyle, which is actually pretty good. You can get up to 100-inch of projection with no issue too with the Freestyle. With the 180^o articulation, even your ceiling can be your cinema display. At the same time, you can technically prop the Freestyle on any surface and its auto keystone function will automatically level your images. It even features its own Smart Calibration in case you are projecting on a wall that is not black or even white.

Surprisingly enough, you can still find a speaker on the compact projector. It packs a 5W 360-degree radiation speaker that should distribute audio evenly in the room. They say that the 5W speakers should also offer cinema-quality sound experience.

It is not just a plain projector that you have to connect your media source to. Even without connecting the projector via cables to your smartphone or PC, it is a smart projector that comes with the Tizen OS for TVs. That also means that you get access to the likes of Netflix, YouTube, Amazon Prime Video, and even Apple TV+. If not, you can always just mirror your smartphone’s contents on the projector wirelessly when you want. It also comes with Samsung’s Bixby smart assistant, so you technically may not need a remote for the Freestyle.

Once you are done with the Freestyle, you technically do not have to turn it off. You can use it to set the mood for your room with ambient mode. It can be an additional lighting source, or it can also display a scene and even become your large format photo frame if you want it to be. Of course, that is going to take up some of its lamp’s life.

Source: Samsung
Source: Samsung
Source: Samsung
Source: Samsung
Source: Samsung
Source: Samsung
Source: Samsung
Source: Samsung
Source: Samsung
Source: Samsung
Source: Samsung
Source: Samsung

The Samsung Freestyle is available now from Samsung’s Malaysia Online Store, Shopee, and Lazada. You can also find one in your nearest Samsung authorized resellers and concept stores nationwide. It will set you back MYR 4,999, which is a lot of money for a projector still. If you get the Freestyle before 31^st of July 2022 though, you are entitled to complementary accessories like the Freestyle Case (Dark Green) and Freestyle Skin (Forest Green) that is worth up to MYR 498 in total. More information on the Samsung Freestyle can be found on their website.

Accessories, Computers, Consumer Electronics, Gaming, Lifestyle, News

The Predator CG437K S Launches in Malaysia – Gaming gets Bigger

July 5, 2022 Darwin Sucipto Leave a comment

When gaming consoles start pushing the boundaries of gaming with 120hz refresh rate at 4K resolutions, TVs have to get better. The latest-generation TVs made with gaming in mind have to keep up with the demands and now we see TVs with 120hz refresh rate. The thing is 4K 120hz is not a new thing in the world of high-end gaming. It is the standard in high-end PC gaming.

4K monitors are hardly popular, but they do exist. There is a good reason for that. PC monitors are usually optimised for a rather restrictive seating position. You are usually no more than 2 metres from your display. That means display sizes cannot exceed a certain size. With most gaming monitors from 24-inch to 38-inch, you do not get anything beyond Quad HD in resolution, because the differences with 4K is hardly noticeable or worth the fuss over.

At the same time, if you do have the gear to push gaming at 4K 144hz though, you would want something that can keep up. For that you get this one, a 42.5-inch behemoth of a gaming monitor that outputs at 4K resolution and at 144hz at its maximum. It is basically the dream of every hardcore gamer out there today,

You are paying quite a premium for it, at MYR 4,699. 4K 144hz is just a starting headline number for you. Delve deeper into the monitor and it really sings, or rather, displays wonders.

You get two HDMI 2.1 ports, for you to plug in two PCs, two next-generation consoles, or a combination of both. Both HDMI 2.1 allows you to take advantage of 4K 144hz or 120hz standards. Of course, your cable needs to be able to handle that much data going through it too, so you might want to consider splurging on a good set of cable.

The monitor also acts as a KVM USB hub with USB 2.0 and 3.0 ports, whis is rahter useful if you have multiple PCs set up with the 42.5-inch behemoth of a monitor. There is also a USB Type-C port that supports PD charging at 30W, which allows you to fast charge your smartphone.

On the business end, it has a display that pushes up to 1,000 nits of goodness into your eyes. The 1,000 nits’ brightness also gives it a DisplayHDR 1000 certification which also means that HDR images and videos should look rather good on the display. Additionally, colours should really pop as well with 90% DCI-P3 colour gamut coverage. At the same time, it is colour precise with Delta E<2.

Out the back, other than the ports, there is a mood RGB strip that you can synced with your music and other medias. There is also Acer ColorSense and LightSense technologies that allows the display to automatically adjust the colour temperature and brightness of the displayu according to the situation to protect your eyes. With ProxiSense, there is a proximity sensor that also detects the user’s presence in front of the display and dims the display to save power and to protect sensitive content from being displayed on the large format display.

Price and Availability

The Predator CG437KS is now available from Acer’s eStore and its online retail partners on Shopee and Lazada. You can get them from any of Acer’s authorised resellers too. As mentioned, it will set you back MYR 4,699. You can only get it in one colour option, black, as usual.

Accessories, Computers, Consumer Electronics, Gaming, Lifestyle, News

The Predator Gaming Projector is Real! The GD711 is a 4K LED Projector Made for Gaming at up to 240hz!

June 30, 2022 Darwin Sucipto Leave a comment

When you want to buy a display for your gaming rig, you first look at the gaming monitors. Gaming monitors are so common these days that you can spend anywhere between a few hundred Ringgit to a few thousands and get yourself a ‘gaming monitor’ of some sorts. Of course, if you want a good one, you are going to have to splurge a little bit.

There is a small problem though. The current biggest gaming monitor you can find on the market is no larger than 43-inches. If you want to go bigger, you are going to have to buy a TV, a 4K TV set that is not really made for PC gaming. Most of the time, these TVs are made for console gaming, which usually only tops out at 120hz refresh rate.

What if you want to go bigger than regular TVs, since the largest TV in the current commercial market tops out at 86 inches? You buy a projector that can go up to 110 inches with little issues. There are even projectors that can do much bigger than 110-inch, but those are industrial type projectors. There is still another problem here. Projectors are never targeted for gaming.

Not this one though, the Predator GD711 4K gaming projector. Yes, it tops out at 4K in resolution. At that, you do not get more than 60hz of refresh rate. Understandably, it does not have HMDI 2.1 to work with. But with gaming, refresh rate and frames per second (fps) is sometimes more important than resolution. That is why the Predator GD711 is made to refresh at 240hz in Full HD resolution.

The best thing about having a projector is that you can get a large projection almost anywhere in your home. When you have friends over, you can get the screen to go as big as 300 inches. Imagine watching a good movie at 4K with that kind of size with your friends. You can even plug your consoles in and play multiplayer games at that with no fuss with that kind of real-estate. Acer recommends a throw range of 2.7m to get a 100-inch screen though.

Projecting all the goodness from your PC or Consoles is an LED that is rated to last up to 30,000 hours with minimal drop in luminance. It is rated at 4,000 LED lumens, which is sort of equivalent to about 1250 ANSI lumens. We would say that at that brightness, you might want to think of using the projector in a slightly dimmed room.

Unlike traditional lamp though, LED projectors do boast much better colour reproduction. The Predator GD711 offers 125% of Rec.709 colour gamut coverage. You get sharp, vivid, and highly accurate colours with highly accurate details still. Even the blacks are going to be as black as your screen can be. On top of that, while you can hook it up to your sounds system, you can also rely on the 10W speakers of the GD711 if you plan on bringing it to your friend’s house or set it up in any other rooms in your house. You can even hook it up to a Bluetooth speaker if you want.

Source: Acer
Source: Acer
Source: Acer
Source: Acer
Source: Acer
Source: Acer
Source: Acer

The Predator GD711 4K gaming projector is now available at Acer’s very own online store and their official stores on Shopee and Lazada. You can also get your hands on one from Acer’s partner retailers nationwide. There are no colour options, like any other Predator products it comes in matte black. It also comes with a remote control, for you to also control its Aptoide OS built into the projector. The Predator GD711 retails at MYR 4,999, which is quite a lot of money for a projector. For a 4K projector though, and one that can refresh at up to 240hz, the price now looks more like a bargain. More information on the Predator GD711 can be found on their website.

Advertorial, Consumer Electronics, Lifestyle

ShopeePay Day is Here with More Rewards Than Ever!

June 29, 2022 Nur Jeevan Leave a comment

*DISCLAIMER: This is a paid advertorial by SHOPEEPAY MALAYSIA SDN BHD. It does not reflect the opinions or views of the techENT editorial board or writers. *

ShopeePay Day is happening every 1st of the month! With ShopeePay Day around the corner, the Shopee App is brimming with offers and deals that are out of this world. In fact, these offers are available at physical shops near you – thanks to ShopeePay! How? Well, you simply need to click into your Shopee App and look for the “ShopeePay Near Me” icon. Inside “ShopeePay Near Me”, you’ll see a whole new way of using ShopeePay and be rewarded! You get to purchase vouchers that give you cashbacks and more discounts at stores near you.

For July ShopeePay day (1st July 2022), you can get 1 SEN ShopeePay vouchers that give you up to 100% cashback deals.

If you’re looking for something to do this weekend, these 1 SEN deals have you covered. Either grab a meal with a friend or plan a feast with family, ShopeePay’s vouchers got you covered!

Enjoy RM3.50 off any Salad with a free Coke Zero at Salad Atelier. OR
Get three regular pizzas at Domino’s Pizza for RM39.90

All you have to do is redeem these ShopeePay Vouchers and pay using your ShopeePay at the restaurant.

Deals are getting even sweeter during Shopee 7.7 Mid Year Sale this 7 July! With the ShopeePay voucher, you can get:

Buy 1 Free 1 Kenny Rogers with a voucher for only RM 1.88, save up to RM 15!
A small tub of Ilao Ilao for only RM11 instead of RM13.90.
An RM10 cash voucher for LiHO Tea

All you have to do is to use ShopeePay! You can do this by either scanning a QR code or letting the cashier scan your QR Code. Remember to select the vouchers you have purchased when you pay!

In addition to 1 SEN deals, ShopeePay is also giving even more cashback during ShopeePay Day. You can get up to 100% cashback at participating merchants.

Looking for a killer bargain? Shopee’s got your back with:

100% cashback of RM1 with a minimum spend of RM1 at Childhood outlets, AND
100% cashback of RM2 with a minimum spend of RM2 at Vivo Pizza

If you’re planning on splitting the bill after lunch, use your ShopeePay to pay them back! Why? Well, you’ll be in the running to win up to 177,777 Shopee Coins. That’s nearly RM2,000 in cash value! All you have to do is make a transfer with ShopeePay for as low as RM1 and you’ll be joining the lucky draw.

Look out for even more deals that will be coming your way, only on ShopeePay Day, the 1st of every month. Wait no more, check out these 1st July ShopeePay Day deals now!

*DISCLAIMER: This is a paid advertorial by SHOPEEPAY MALAYSIA SDN BHD. It does not reflect the opinions or views of the techENT editorial board or writers. *

Accessories, Consumer Electronics, Lifestyle, News

BenQ Launches World’s First Portable LED Projector, the GV30 in Malaysia

May 26, 2022 Darwin Sucipto Leave a comment

Having a projector at home makes a lot of sense. With enough surface area, you can have an entertainment display that is usually larger than regular TVs you find today. You can usually resize and change the placement of your projector at any time you want. You can stow it away too when not in use to have a much cleaner looking surface free of a blank TV screen. You can even use the projector at any flat surface you have in your home, which also means you can set up your entertainment hub anywhere in the home.

Obviously, there are some trade-offs. 4K resolution projectors are usually quite large and bulky, you hardly want to move them too much. To get the best sort of colours, you want an LED projector too, which also lasts long. Most of the LED projectors are not really made with portability in mind too though. Unless you go for BenQ’s GV30 projector, that is.

The BenQ GV30

Source: BenQ
Source: BenQ
Source: BenQ
Source: BenQ
Source: BenQ
Source: BenQ
Source: BenQ
Source: BenQ
Source: BenQ
Source: BenQ
Source: BenQ
Source: BenQ

The BenQ GV30 is the world’s first smart portable LED projector of its kind. It packs powerful 2.1-channel speakers as well so that you do not need to carry around a separate speaker set to get great audio anywhere you set the projector up. At the same time, the projector also offers up to 300 ANSI Lumens in projection brightness and up to 720p HD resolution at that. Colours should not be an issue too with CinematicColor and Rec. 709 colour gamut capabilities.

The LED light source is supposed to last up to 30,000 hours with minimal drop in brightness. Of course, it has multiple ports to sport all sorts of input like game consoles, smartphones, PCs, Blu-ray players, and even USB sticks. You do not need to carry a power cord with the projector as well, there is a built-in battery that allows you to use it anywhere with no fussy cables.

Source: BenQ
Source: BenQ
Source: BenQ
Source: BenQ
Source: BenQ

You may not even have to plug anything to the portable projector. It comes with Android TV onboard which also means that you can operate it like a TV without any other inputs. You can directly download apps from Google Play store and stream movies on your favourite streaming platforms like Netflix, Amazon Prime Videos, or even Disney+. If you wish so, you can even stream contents directly from your iOS or Android devices.

Price and Availability

The BenQ GV30 will be available June 2022 onward via BenQ’s official stores on Shopee and Lazada. You can also get your hands on one via BenQ’s official retailers across the nation. It will retail for MYR 2,688. If you do pre-order your BenQ GV30 projector between the 20^{th of} June 2022 and 4^th of July 2022, you can get your hands on one at an exclusive price of MYR 2,499. For more information on the BenQ GV30 mini portable LED projector, you can visit their website.

Consumer Electronics, Lifestyle, News

PRISM+ Officially Launches Their New Q Series Pro TVs – 86-inch 4K UHD TV for Less Than MYR 10,000? Yes, Please!

May 12, 2022 Darwin Sucipto Leave a comment

They say that your Television (TV) is the modern-day centerpiece of your living room. It becomes one of the first few furnitures that you get for a living room. It is your entertainment hub, and in the age of IoT (Internet of Things), your TV becomes your smart home’s central hub and control panel. It is no wonder that large format 4K UHD TVs is one of the first and biggest consideration when designing a home. In some cases, a modern living room is designed around your TV choices.

Choosing the right TV set for your home is not easy though. There are plenty of choices for a TV today, anywhere from the budget option to the premium option. In the world of TVs though, you get what you pay for. What if we tell you that you can get more than what you pay for?

If you have not heard of PRISM+, we cannot really blame you for it. It is, technically, a new player in the display industry. They made their mark in Malaysia back in 2021 by first releasing their 34-inch ultra-wide gaming monitor.

They have since grown strength to strength, launching new models catering to a larger variety of needs. Their growth can also be associated with the fact that their displays are some of the best valued displays you can find in the market. This is also translated when they started launching their Q series TV sets.

To be fair, they have launched their 86-inch Q Series Pro (Q86 PRO QE) TV before today. The 4K UHD TV packs Quantum IPS technology with Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos technology for a rather surprising price. At retail, the Prism+ TV will set you back MYR 8,999. An equivalent Quantum Dot TV from Samsung will set you back at least twice the price.

What if you need something smaller though? What about a 65-inch? Smaller? 55-inch perhaps?

PRISM+ now have a solution for you in the Q65 PRO QE, and Q55 PRO QE. They are practically the same products as the larger Q86 PRO QE that came before, but in smaller form factor’s to fit tighter spaces. They are perfect for smaller households and if you are just looking to add some flavour in your own rooms.

The QE in their naming refers to Quantum Edition, which also refers to the Quantum technology that you will get in the TVs. No, unfortunately it is not an OLED display that you are getting. Instead, you get the next best thing to OLED, IPS LCD display. You are still getting highly vivid colours while eliminating the risk of OLED burn-ins.

All of them are good for 4K UHD resolution at 60Hz, not 120Hz. 4K UHD 120Hz contents are reserved for the latest generation gaming consoles though, so you might not be missing out on much. At least you still get to experience 4K gaming in this case.

Still, what it lacks for in refresh rate, it makes up in image quality. The panel is rated for HDR10 with 1.07 billion colours, which also means you get excellent colour contrast. With the addition of Dolby Vision tuning, movies on the screen comes to life with even darker blacks, and brighter whites. You can even see those details in the dark in this case.

To ensure that your immersion stays true, you get Dolby Atmos tuned speakers to ensure you hear every little thing in all the right directions. Of course, if you can pair it to Dolby Atmos speakers, you get even better surround effects. You can plug your external speakers, soundbars, or sound system via Bluetooth 5.0, optical cable, or HDMI ARC connection.

It runs Android TV OS 10,0 too, the latest and greatest from Google currently. With Android TV 10.0, Google Chromecast is also built-in, allowing you to stream your smartphone contents to your TV whenever you want or need. Of course, with Android TV 10.0, you get Google Assistant built in as well. Instead of speaking into your remote though, the Prism+ Q Series PRO TVs come with far-field microphones so that you can command the TV to do whatever you need to it do from the comforts of your couch just via a “Hey Google”, or “Okay Google” command.

The PRISM+ Q55 PRO QE and Q65 PRO QE is now available on PRISM+ online store and all their online retail partners. Every purchase of the Q Series PRO TV will entitle you to exclusive free gifts, while stocks last. The 55-inch Q55 PRO QE will set you back MYR 2,399, while the 65-inch Q65 PRO QE retails at MYR 3,299. For more information on the Prism+ Q Series PRO TVs you can head over to their website.

Accessories, Consumer Electronics, Lifestyle

Robot Vacuums Just Got a Whole Lot Better – The ECOVACS DEEBOT X1 Series is Officially in Malaysia!

April 11, 2022 Darwin Sucipto Leave a comment

Cleaning up at home is a tedious job. While you should allocate a single day for a major clean up operations at home, there are certain things that you should also consider doing consistently to ensure that your living space is livable until those major cleaning days. One of which is to keep your floor properly clean, very important in Asian homes where shoes are not allowed indoors. You want a smooth, clean floor for that.

The introduction of robot vacuum cleaners are a blessing and a little bit of a curse. They are mighty convenient to work with. At a touch of a button, or tick of a timer, the robot vacuums start its own cleaning routine without too much of a fuss, do a round around your space, and goes back to its own little corner. It is perfect for smaller spaces, thus making it the perfect home cleaning companion when you live alone in a single-storey apartment.

A lot of them were not very good though. Because they were not very big, you still want to ensure that they are not exposed to large chunks of debris. While they were advertised to be “smart cleaners”, they were not very clever sometimes. They tend to fall off ledges, trip over cables, gets themselves stuck transitioning from regular flooring to carpet, and sometimes they are not able to comprehend that there are a lot more floors than what they are cleaning. You still must do some regular maintenance cleaning on the robot vacuum itself, because it has a small stomach. If your robot has mopping functions, you must ensure you top the water up, or replace the murky water after every vacuum session. You also want to make sure your mopping attachment is clean all the time. In conclusion, having a robot vacuum cleaner can be more hassle than it is marketed to be.

Now though, ECOVACS is here to save the day with the DEEBOT X1 series of robot vacuum cleaners.

ECOVACS DEEBOT X1 Family

ECOVACS, if you have not heard yet, is one of the leading brands when it comes to home service robots, especially robot vacuum cleaners. They were one of the first in the industry to push an AI powered vacuum robot that uses various sensors to map out your entire floor plan it can access, understand the surfaces it is exposed to, and run more efficient cleaning programs for itself the next time it goes around.

There was still another problem to solve. The maintenance of the robot vacuums themselves. At least that was a problem until now.

The DEEBOT X1 family of products looks rather sophisticated. All it is, in essence anyway, is an ECOVACS DEEBOT robot vacuum with a large docking station that also acts as its bin, and refilling tank. The DEEBOT X1 robot vacuum itself also has mopping functions, which explains the refilling part.

The robot vacuum itself comes with ECOVACS’ state-of-the-art vacuum technologies. It is powered by a powerful 5000Pa suction mechanism. Of course, being a premium product, ECOVACS also ensured that it maps your floor plan as accurately as possible with their proven AIVI 3D and TrueMapping 2.0 technologies. There is even a clever AI voice assistant YIKO. You can interact with YIKO, which could be fun. At the same time, they have also fitted the OZMO Turbo 2.0 Rotary Pressure Mopping System for the most advanced robot mopping experience you can get in the current market.

DEEBOT X1 OMNI

Ecovacs X1 Omni Top — Source: *© ECOVACS*

Ecovacs X1 Omni Base Station — Source: *© ECOVACS*

The highlight of the DEEBOT X1 family though is their docking stations. There are two on offer: the OMNI, and the TURBO. The OMNI would be the flagship model with a 4L water tank for both clean and dirty water to ensure that the robot has fresh water supply for its own cleaning and the mopping programs. All the cleaning and refilling happens automatically. All you need to do to for maintenance is to ensure that dirty water is disposed, and fresh water is topped up periodically.

The docking station is also where the DEEBOT X1 dumps its vacuumed load to ensure that its bowels are empty again for its next vacuum station. Like the 4L water tank, all you need to do is to replace the vacuum bag within the housing periodically, or when it gets full.

DEEBOT X1 TURBO

Ecovacs X1 Turbo base station — Source: *© ECOVACS*

Ecovacs X1 Turbo Flap Open — Source: *© ECOVACS*

For the TURBO model, the docking station acts only as a cleaning station for the DEEBOT X1 after every vacuum and mopping session. That means you need to still replace the filter bags and water supply of the robot vacuum itself. The cleaning station on the TURBO docking station, like the OMNI station too, ensures that the mopping pad is cleaned and dried removing any bad odours that might come from the pads.

Price and Availability

The DEEBOT X1 is now available on both Shopee and Lazada. The DEEBOT X1 OMNI will set you back MYR 7,999. The DEEBOT X1 TURBO will retail for MYR 6,999, a whole MYR 1,000 less than the OMNI. While both models do sound premium, it does cut out a lot of cleaning work for yourself. Just think about how much time you save on cleaning and the price will make a lot more sense.

Business, Consumer Electronics, iOS, Lifestyle, Mobile, News

Apple TV App is Now Useless on Android TVs and Google TVs – This Could Go Either Way

March 22, 2022 Darwin Sucipto Leave a comment

Apple TV+ is, there is no easier way of saying this, good. There are plenty of interesting and captivating shows that are exclusive to the platform. Those exclusives actually won awards, just to prove our point. But unti 2021, Apple TV+ holds their cards very close to their chest. You can only access the Apple TV+ app via Apple devices like Apple TV, Mac, iPhone, and iPad. You could not, and still cannot access it on your Android smartphones.

In 2021, it seems that Android users might be able to get a glimpse of what is on the other side with the introduction of the Apple TV app on their Android or Google TVs. Through the app, you can access whatever that Apple has on their Apple TV box, they can buy movies, rent movies, and even subscribe to Apple TV+. Their app is also available on NVIDIA Shield, and Google’s Chromecast dongles.

There was a recent update for the app on Android and Google powered TVs. After the update, it TVs or boxes with Google’s operating system works, but only just. The app on these devices can only play the movies or stream on Apple TV+ only if you have already bought them, or rent them, or subscribed to Apple TV+ previously. If you have not, you are out of luck because you no longer have an option to buy, rent, or subscribe to anything on the app. The only button left here is “How to Watch”.

Yes, the app will teach you how to watch your movies or shows on Android or Google TVs. But you are also required to have an Apple device at that, which also means it is going to be an extra spend if you do not own an iPhone or an iPad. Like we said earlier, this could go either way.

The decision by Apple to remove their in-app purchase features could be due to a few things. For one, Apple might want to avoid the 30% commission that Google demands for all in-app purchases on their platforms. The other one could also be to probably just sell more devices. Both are likely though.

For now, this might lead to a sharp drop in their subscriber count on Android and Google TVs. In the future though, there might be a bigger demand for affordable Apple devices just for Apple TVs services and features. It also could discourage Apple iPhone or iPad users to switch out of Apple’s ecosystem. We will just stick to Netflix, Disney+, and Amazon Prime Videos for now.

Business, Computers, Consumer Electronics, Lifestyle, News

[MWC 2022] Samsung Introduces the 2nd Generation Galaxy Book – Introducing the Samsung Galaxy Book2 Pro Series

February 28, 2022 Darwin Sucipto Leave a comment

Samsung introduced their Galaxy Book line-up last year, to everyone’s delight and confusion. Samsung has pulled itself from the PC business for a long time now, and they announced that they are back in the Windows PC world in 2021, a time where the world is still deciding whether exposure to the sun is a good thing or not. At the same time, it is a very sensible move from Samsung.

Samsung’s position in the smartphone industry makes it a prime candidate to introduce new technologies and innovations in the space. As one of the largest electronics manufacturers in the world as well, they are perfectly positioned to introduce a wide range of electronic packages that can work and communicate with each other seamlessly; an ecosystem of sorts. After all, if Apple can do it without owning factories, why not Samsung? Hence, the Samsung Galaxy Book series in 2021; there is the Galaxy name, so we know they are supposed to work with the smartphones at least.

While most second-generation stuff are minor updates to the older devices, the latest generation of Galaxy Book devices that are showcased from Samsung’s MWC 2022 gambit are more than minor updates though. They maintain largely the same looks as before, so it is not a facelift. Yes, it also packs Intel’s latest 12^th generation Core processors; that is a given update for 2022.

They introduced two new Galaxy Books for MWC 2022 though; three if you count the Galaxy Book2 Business. Let us stick to the stuff that ultimately gets to regular consumer’s hands though. They introduced a sort of convertible 2-in-1 Galaxy Book2 Pro 360, and a regular clamshell Galaxy Book2 Pro. Both are quite tantalizing for both Samsung Galaxy users and other Android device users.

Better Video Calls for Work

The Galaxy Book2 Pro series now has a Full HD 1080p webcam for better quality video calls. Still important for the current working from home practice. It also features a wider angle of capture, which allows you to get a bit closer to your laptop without looking overly creepy. It works with group calls too, of course. If not, the higher resolution might be useful for the “Auto Framing” function where the camera cleverly follows you in a call.

To ensure that you feel included and present in the call is also an excellent display. It is an AMOLED display that is supposedly brighter than before, meaning everything is a bit more vivid than before. The brilliant display is matched with equally impressive audio hardware in two AKG tuned, Dolby Atmos certified Smart Amp speakers. With bi-directional AI noise cancelling, video calls are crisp and clear, free from distractions.

Better for the Galaxy

The new Galaxy Book2 Pro series now comes with more integrated Galaxy Experience on it. What that means is that it gets some of the things that makes your Galaxy smartphones great, now optimised for Windows. One of them is the Galaxy Book Smart Switch.

Galaxy Book Smart Switch

You might be familiar with Smart Switch if you are a Samsung Galaxy smartphone user. It is one of Samsung’s most popular features especially when it comes to helping their customers transition from their older devices – be it another Galaxy device, other Android smartphones, and even Apple device. Now it comes to the Galaxy Book2 Pro series to help you transition from your old laptop. This is also the first time a PC maker allows users to completely duplicate data from one computer to a new one seamlessly. All you need to do is fire up Smart Switch on either the Galaxy Book2 Pro or the Galaxy Book2 Pro 360, connect it to your older laptop, and watch the progress bar go. It is just as simple as that, and we are excited to see it happen with our own eyes.

Work with Windows, or Your Phone, or even Other Galaxy Devices – One UI Book 4

The Samsung Galaxy and Microsoft Windows integration is much deeper in the Galaxy Book2 Pro. Your Galaxy Windows device now does Your Phone app with Samsung’s Galaxy smartphones much better now. Recent Apps now allow you to quickly check your smartphone and even pull up apps that you often use directly from the desktop.

Your Phone app, in nature, allows you to use your smartphone natively on Windows without you even touching your Galaxy device. You can make calls with the smartphone remotely, reply to messages on WhatsApp, or Telegram, or even emails on your smartphone via Windows. It is a one-stop-shop solution for controlling your smartphone from one device.

But the Galaxy One UI Book 4 is more than just a regular Your Phone companion app. If you own the new Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 series tablet, your Galaxy Book2 Pro’s keyboard and trackpad can be used for your tablet too. In that case, you can just leave your keyboard case at home and go with a more protective bumper case for your Galaxy Tablet.

Better Data Sharing

Quick Share on your Galaxy devices are some of the best data sharing features available on the devices. It allows you to quickly share out documents from one device to another without needing to go through the qualms of getting your devices paired first. The data transfer speeds are much faster than Bluetooth data sharing too, making your workflow more seamless.

Then there is Private Share, for when you are sharing more sensitive data with your colleagues or friends. No, do not use this for blackmailing people. It is designed for you to quickly share over files or photos with more security built in. Built on top of blockchain technology, you can even embed your files with functions like ”view-only” access by selected users. You can disable the files you share to be screen captured, have full control over who has access to the files, and even having a “self-destruct” timer for the files.

SmartThings – Samsung’s Integrated IoT

Of course, as per the name of the device, Samsung integrates SmartThings into the Galaxy Book2 Pro series. With Bixby, instead of Cortana, you can now control all sorts of stuff at home. You can turn on your TV, check the room temperature, tell your vacuum cleaner bot to start picking up the slack, check your security cams, and even control your lights via SmartThings Dashboard on your Windows PC and Bixby. If you are one of those that keeps misplacing your stuff at home, SmartThings Find can also help you find your keys, your smartphones, your Galaxy Buds, and whatever else you can attach your Galaxy Smart Tag (not to be confused with Malaysia’s SmartTag).

Better for the Planet

Additionally, Samsung has reiterated its commitment to their Galaxy for the Planet initiative very recently. In their recent Unpacked 2022 announcement, Samsung said that they are starting to make their stuff from eco-conscious materials like discarded fishing nets. The said material is being used in the Samsung Galaxy Book2 Pro series’ inner brackets and touchpad holders. To ensure that your Galaxy Book2 Pro series’ shelf-life is longer, new algorithm is introduced to regulate the battery charge and health to ensure that it lasts longer. The display is also a GREENGUARD certified AMOLED panel that is produced with more sustainable processes. Of course, you get your Samsung Galaxy Book2 Pro device in a recyclable paper boxes and mold trays that are also sourced from sustainable sources.

009 galaxy book2 business lte dark gray r perspective uk — Source: Samsung

8.Galaxy Book2 Pro 360 13 Silver — Source: Samsung

Price and Availability

Samsung’s Galaxy Book2 Pro is available in two flavours; a convertible and a regular clamshell, as mentioned. The Galaxy Book2 Pro 360 convertible will be available in Burgundy, Graphite, and Silver colour options. It will start their pre-order campaign on the 18^th of March 2022 onward and ship on the 1^st of April 2022 onward. The Galaxy Book2 Pro clamshell variant will be available for pre-order and ship on the same dates. You can opt for Graphite or Silver colour options. The convertible will retail at US$ 900 (MYR 3,782*) onward while the clamshell will set you back US$ 1,050 (MYR 4,413*) onward. These are details for its U.S. availability though, there are no mentions on its local (Malaysia and Southeast Asia) availability yet.

*Approximately based on conversion rate of US$ 1 = MYR 4.20 as of 28/02/2022 on xe.com

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