When it comes to Android TVs, we’re used to spending thousands on getting the best of both software and hardware. This rings especially true with technologies like Quantum Dot or Full Array LEDs, however, PRISM+ is looking to change that with a series of affordable smart TVs running on Android TV. The company isn’t new to displays, in fact, the Singaporean company has made its name making some of the most affordable monitors on the market. They’ve only recently launched their Q-series Android TV.
Source: PRISM+
PRISM+ is expanding the Q-series line up with a supersized 86-inch Android TV with a Quantum IPS Display panel. The new PRISM+ Q86 PRO Quantum Edition comes with 4K Ultra HD resolution and a bezel-less design. The new large TV comes with support for HDR10, Dolby Atmos, Dolby Vision and DTS Tru Surround. This will allow users to see more details in the content they’re viewing as well as enjoy a truly immersive experience overall.
In addition to this, the TV also comes with built-in screencasting thanks to its built-in Chromecast. The PRISM+ Q865 PRO Quantum edition comes with support for Bluetooth 5.0 and has access to over 5,000 optimised via the Google Play Store. It ships with Android TV OS 10.0. These include apps like Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, HBO GO and Disney+ Hotstar. The TV also supports Google Assistant and Hands-free voice control allowing users to control their TVs with a simple “Hey Google” prompt.
Pricing & Availability
Source: PRISM+
The PRISM+ Q86 PRO Quantum Edition is currently available online via the PRISM+ official website, LAZADA and Shopee. It retails for MYR8,999 and comes with 2 years on-site warranty.
Samsung has been busy over the last year learning from the release of its Neo QLED, Lifestyle and Micro LED screens. They’ve been looking at trends and features that will help augment and enhance the user experience across the board when it comes to their displays. It looks like they’ve also taken some user and review feedback into consideration in the upcoming generation of displays. Also, Samsung has created one of the slimmest soundbars coming to a store near you.
Samsung’s Micro LED TVs Get Better Colour Accuracy, Slimmer Bezels and Better Brightness Control
Samsung’s Micro LED TVs are leading their line up with new enhancements that bolster the viewing experience of the TVs. The TVs come with better colour accuracy and more accurate control of brightness and colour levels. The new generation of Micro LED TVs come with over 1 million steps of brightness and colour levels. This improvement will be crucial in providing an even more true to life experience when viewing HDR content. In addition to this, the lineup covers 100% of the DCI and Adobe RGB colour gamuts. Samsung is also upping the ante when it comes to bezels as the new generation comes with a 99.99% screen-to-body ratio. That’s virtually no bezel!
Source: Samsung
The hardware enhancements are just the tip of the iceberg, the new generation Micro LED TVs will also be coming with Art Mode which we’ve seen exclusively in the company’s lifestyle TVs until now. Users are able to make their TVs blend seamlessly into their decor by turning the screen into stunning art pieces. It will also have an improved Multi View mode which allows users to view content from multiple HDMI slots in 4K resolution at up to 120fps.
The new lineup of Micro LED TVs will be available in three sizes, 89-, 101- and 110-inch.
Neo QLED TVs Get A New Neo Quantum Processor & More Immersive Sound
Samsung’s Neo QLED TV offerings are getting a new processor which allows its Neo QLED TVs to provide an even more immersive experience. The new Neo Quantum Processor brings a few more features that elevate the viewing experience. All the features address issues that were raised in the past by reviewers and customers.
The new Samsung Neo Quatum Processor is introducing advanced contrast mapping with back-light unit (BLU). This allows for finer control of brightness levels; increased from a 12-bit gradation to a 14-bit gradation. This translates to 16,384 steps or quadruple the 4096 of the previous generation. The increased control of the Quantum Mini LEDs will ensure your eyes don’t get blown out by the sudden whiteouts in movies while watching.
Source: Samsung
Together with this, the new processor also enables what Samsung calls “Shape Adaptive Light”. This feature will utilise the Neo Quantum Processor to analyse lines, shapes and surfaces to control the shape of light from the Quantum Mini LEDs. This will, supposedly, increase the brightness and accuracy of shapes on screen enhancing the HDR experience on Neo QLED TVs. The TVs will also feature a Real Depth Enhancer, an multi-intelligence algorithm that will make things appear more realistic on screen.
Samsung is also leveraging AI technology to help reduce eye strain. It’s EyeComfort mode automatically optimises the screen’s brightness using data from the built-in light sensor and sunset-sunrise information. This allows the processor to lower brightness based on ambient light information and decrease blue light emissions accordingly. Samsung has also improved Object Tracking Sound (OTS). OTS Pro incorporates a new set of upfiring speakes to create a more immersive soundscape.
Together with the new lineup of Soundbars, Samsung’s Neo QLED TVs will provide an immersive soundscape that will immerse viewers in their content. Q Symphony will also be supported wirelessly in 2022. The wireless Dolby Atmos connectivity will allow for a more adaptable setup for any room. The new HW-S800B spearheads the soundbar offerings as the first Ultra Slim soundbar.
Lifestyle TVs Mattified
Samsung’s line up of Lifestyle TVs are all getting matte displays. The new display finish reduces smudges, glare and reflectivity of the screens allowing for a more comfortable experience. In fact, The Sero, The Frame and The Serif are all triple certififed from UL (Underwriter Laboratories) for being ‘Reflection Glare Free’, ‘Discomfort Glare Free’ and ‘Disability Glare Free’. Multi View on The Sero is getting an upgrade. It will now work even in vertical mode. This will allow you to simulataneously view two sources on the top and bottom portions of the screen.
The Serif is getting a larger, 65-inch option in addition to its 43-inch and 55-inch options. The Frame is available in sizes ranging from 32-inches to 85-inches.
SmartHub Brings Game Streaming, NFTs & Emotional Connection
SmartHub is getting a little bit of a redesign this year. The redesign brings the focus back to content curation with content discovery front and center. The sidebar is also more streamlined. Users will be able to seamlessly jump between Media, Gaming Hub and Ambient sections to navigate their content. Together with this, SmartHub is also getting smart calibration which will optimise your settings for the best picture quality. Basic calibration will take 30 seconds while Professional mode will optimise in about 10 minutes.
Source: Samsung
The visual upgrade also brings along a new NFT platform where you’ll be able to display, discover and purchase NFTs. Gaming Hub is also getting a new upgrade with more content coming to the platform. Samsung has partnered with NVIDIA GeForce Now, Google Stadia and Utomik to bring AAA titles and other top tier games to their TVs. You’ll also be able to take advantage of higher refresh rates in Neo QLED TVs. You’ll also be able to watch your favourite shows while on video chat with your loved ones – making the distance between that much closer.
Together with the additions to SmartHub, Samsung’s TV catalogue is getting a new Auto Rotating Wall Mount and Stand. This will bring the viewing experience of The Sero across all the whole TV line up for 2022. The mount will allow you to mirror vertical screens seamlessly. The accessory is also getting a dedicated rotate button on Samsung’s remote control.
A few months ago, Samsung launched this behemoth of a thing. It was made for gamers, and it was a gaming peripheral that the ultimate gamer would need. If anyone would own one, it is the ultimate statement piece. That was July 2021.
They call it the Samsung Odyssey Neo G9 gaming monitor and it looked glorious. While it was more expensive than the older Odyssey G9 that it replaced, the improvements perhaps more than justifies its price tag. Not that you get a bigger display or anything, you just get a much better package than before.
The headline figures say it all. Mini LED, dual QHD 1440p resolution at 49 inches (32:9) with 12-bit colours, HDR2000 at 2000nits and 1,000,000:1 contrast ratio, and 240Hz. No matter how you look at it, it just sounds majestic. It also sounds like an awfully expensive television set, not a gaming monitor.
We assure you that we are talking about a gaming monitor though. The 49-inch stretches to an ultrawide aspect ratio of 32:9. It is also compatible with NVIDIA’s G-Sync, and AMD’s FreeSync Premium to take advantage of anything you already have. Unfortunately, your PlayStation and Xbox will not be able to fill up the display, this is a PC only territory. It also has something Samsung calls ‘CoreSync’ lighting. The RGB lighting at the back lights up according to the dominant colour of your display to further transport and immerse you in your games.
Of course, to look the part, it has to work the part. That is why the Samsung Odyssey Neo G9’s 49-inch Mini LED panel’s feed is fed by HDMI 2.1. At 2,048 dimming zones, you are getting a gaming and viewing experience like no other; you might as well live in the game world. It reacts quickly too at 1ms GtG response time. When Samsung says this is the ultimate gaming display, we believe it.
Unfortunately, at the time of launch, Malaysia did not get to see the Odyssey Neo G9. The hope that it would arrive sooner was bleak due to the major stock shortage Samsung faced. Halted and delayed productions of course played a part in the whole thing too.
Now though, you do not need to just dream of the Samsung Odyssey Neo G9, you can officially own it in Malaysia. The Samsung Odyssey Neo G9 is now available in Samsung Official Stores and showrooms across the nation. Of course, you can get them from Samsung’s official retailers and resellers as well. How much? It will set you back MYR 9,499. We predicted that this would set you back a little over MYR 1,000 above its official asking price though. in that case, all in all, that is not a bad asking price, if you have the money.
What do you do when you want to have a personal audio experience at home? What if you think that soundbars are a little too much? What if you do not want to have a headphone weighing down your head? You have the Sony SRS-NS7 wearable wireless speaker.
The SRS-NS7 wearable speaker is a unique way of enjoying entertainment at home though. It is pretty much a sound bar you wear around your neck. With its wireless transmitter, you simply connect it to your TV or whatever media source you would like to experience with the SRS-NS7.
The WLA-NS7 wireless transmitter that comes with the SRS-NS7 does not only work with the speaker though. It also works with select headphones to achieve the same experience you would get from the SRS-NS7.
The SRS-NS7 is in a class of its own though paired to the WLA-NS7 and paired to Sony’s BRAVIA XR TVs. With Sony’s BRAVIA TVs, the SRS-NS7 can deliver Dolby Atmos experience to your ears from the neck. The combination of the Sony BRAVIA TV, wireless transmitter, and SRS-NS7 neck speaker you get access to Sony’s 360 Reality audio for some Spatial awareness, virtual surround sound if you haven’t understood yet. Of course, 360 Reality Audio also works with music form Deezer, and TIDAL when connected to your smartphone.
While it is not a headphone unit, the neck speaker unit allows you the immersive experience comparable to Sony’s soundbars without disturbing anyone else at home or filling the entire room with noise. The upward facing speaker is optimised to deliver rich immersive audio without the frills of disturbing your neighbours or even your loved ones in the other room.
Source: Sony
Source: Sony
Source: Sony
Source: Sony
Source: Sony
Source: Sony
Source: Sony
Source: Sony
The wireless nature of the SRS-NS7 also allows you to enjoy immersive audio experience around the house without needing bulky and complex speaker set ups. At the same time, with IPX4 splash-proof design, you can take the Sony neck speakers anywhere around the house or out of it without worrying about water damage.
The Sony SRS-NS7 and WLA-NS7 in Malaysia January 2021 onward. The SRS-NS7 will be available for MYR 1,249. The WLA-NS7 wireless transmitter will be available at MYR 269. To know more about the Sony SRS-NS7 and WLA-NS7, you can check out Sony’s website.
Toshiba is a brand with a long legacy – particularly in the Malaysian market. Once seen as a go-to for nearly everything electrical. However, in recent years, the company has been rather quiet. That is changing with the announcement of their new lineup of Smart TVs powered by Android TV.
The company is bringing two new series of Smart TVs that come equipped with a new generation of REGZA technology for users to enjoy. The two series – the C350 and the V35 series – bring some signature Toshiba technologies with a focus on different resolution propositions. The former comes with 4K UHD resolution while the latter comes with 1080p Full HD.
Both series come with the latest innovations in their REGZA Engine. The C350 comes with the REGZA Engine 4K which enables high performance, 4K resolution video even with lower resolution content. The REGZA Engine 4K also allows better-calibrated colour and contrast. This is augmented by Toshiba’s Colour Re-master technology which focuses on delivering true to life colours together. The V35 come with the REGZA Engine High Grade which comes with all the bells and whistles that allow it to deliver immersive, detailed content in brilliant Full HD and HD resolutions.
The experience of the new Toshiba Smart TVs becomes even more immersive with the DTS Virtual X and Dolby Audio compatibility in the C350 and DTS Studio Sound Technology in the V35. Both the series are able to deliver immersive sound with even more precision. The C350 will enable more audio nuances thanks to the Dolby Audio.
Content will be at users fingertips with Android TV on the new lineups. Android TV will enable apps like YouTube, Netflix, Amazon Prime Video and Disney+ for easy access to your favourite shows. It will also enable screen mirroring via the built-in Chromecast feature and easy use through Google Voice Search.
Pricing & Availability
The new Toshiba Smart TVs are available in Malaysia now via retailers and online shops. The C350 series is priced from MYR1,899 while the V35 series is priced from MYR1,199. Detailed pricing is in the table below.
LG Electronics should need no introduction by now. They are one of the foremost electronics companies in the world. What most do not realise though is that LG is also one of the most foremost manufacturers in the world of home and high-end audio. At the same time, their TVs are some of the best selling in the world.
Combine their knowhow in making great audio products and immersive technology, and you have some of the best sound bars money can buy. The sound bars that LG makes are not just great sounding though. They look amazing and they can fit any home décor.
They just announced their new compact sound bar that is the LG Éclair QP5. It is tiny, a mere 296mm in width. It is only a third of the width of LG’s previously most compact soundbar that is the SP8YA. Comparing it to regular sound bars, it might as well be a quarter the size.
Source: LG
It is still a 3.1.2 sound bar though, for that all important surround sound experience you can only get from a soundbar. It is not just a regular 3.1.2 experience though. LG has perfected this soundbar with Dolby Atmos and DTS:X support for the most complete audio experience alongside the powerful subwoofer that comes with the Éclair set up.
There is a reason why the LG Éclair is named the way it is. Its elongated oval shape resembles that of an Éclair. The chic and song design really fits the décor of a modern home, especially in smaller apartment units where space comes at a premium.
The soundbar is a clever one too. With LG AI Sound Pro, contents are analysed, processed, and presented to you in the best settings. It even has 4K pass-through support to allow users to enjoy 4K, HDR, and Dolby Vision contents with the LG Éclair.
The Meridian technology soundbar also comes with eARC support via HDMI for lossless 5.1-channel, 7.1-channel, and other immersive audio formats on the soundbar itself. It works vest with Dolby Atmos and DTS:X compatible mediums of course. Of course, the LG Éclair soundbar works best with LG TVs.
Source: LG
Source: LG
Source: LG
Source: LG
Source: LG
Source: LG
There are no mentions on its availability in Malaysia. The LG Éclair is already available in select regions across Europe. We do think that the Éclair is a fitting product for Malaysian homes though. More information on the LG Éclair can be found on LG’s website.
In 2014, a little-known upcoming brand from China took to Malaysia by storm. Xiaomi launched their flagship class Xiaomi Mi 3 at the time and started their sale campaign in Malaysia in a way familiar to Malaysians but has yet to become a norm. They sold their highly anticipated smartphone online and sold out in minutes.
The plucky little brand has grown from strength to strength in the years it has existed. It has grown from a little company that makes affordable premium smartphones to a company that builds an ecosystem of smart products for a modern home. They have grown from making tiny devices that you put in your pockets to making electric scooters even.
Last night sees another one of Xiaomi more premium products making it into the Malaysian home appliance market. It is a big one too. Xiaomi introduced the Mi TV P1 and Mi TV Q1 to Malaysians.
Mi TV P1
Source: Xiaomi
Source: Xiaomi
Source: Xiaomi
Source: Xiaomi
The Mi TV P1, while boasting up to 4K UHD in resolution, is listed under Xiaomi’s more accessible offering in high-resolution entertainment. Understandably then you get a Full HD 32-inch option for the Mi TV P1 series. All of them still come with Android TV as standard though.
Despite being the more accessible series in the Mi TV family, the 55-inch variant gets HDR10+ on top of its 4K UHD resolution for even better colour reproduction. The added dynamic range also adds a sense of realism on the picture itself. Dolby Vision on the 55-inch also helps with more immersion as you watch Dolby Vision certified movies from the likes of Netflix.
You only get 60Hz from the LED panel. With MEMC motion smoothing technology though you are like to get a tear-free, lag-free, and smooth picture experience. Thanks to Android TV as well, you not only get to enjoy services like Netflix, Prime Video, YouTube, Spotify, and Tidal. You get to work with Chromecast built directly into the TV. You get the benefit of Google Assistant too, with the embedded mic on the TV you might not even have to reach out to your remote control.
Mi TV Q1
Source: Xiaomi
Source: Xiaomi
Source: Xiaomi
Source: Xiaomi
Source: Xiaomi
If you are looking for something more premium without breaking your bank, Xiaomi has the Mi TV Q1. The Mi TV Q1, at 75-inch, not only allow you to have a true large-screen experience. It also boasts QLED panels, the same one you find on Samsung’s premium TV line-up.
The 4K QLED TV packs a lot of punch in terms of colours with 100% NTSC colour range at 1.07 billion colours on tap to give you the best image quality with the smoothest colour gradients possible. With 192 zones of full-array dynamic local dimming, colour bleeding and fringing is kept to a minimum, almost not existent with superb contrasts.
Of course, the 75-incher supports Dolby Vision and HDR10+, it is a Samsung QLED panel after all. On top of that though the QLED TV boasts up to 120Hz and HDMI 2.1 with Auto Low Latency Mode. Those also means that the Mi TV Q1 is ready for the next-generation gaming consoles. If you really want, plug in a gaming PC and watch your fps go crazy too.
Great pictures have to be coupled with great audio to really immerse in. The Xiaomi Mi TV Q1’s stereo speakers pack a lot of punch at 30W. The stereo set-up is made up of two tweeters and four woofers for a balanced and clear audio reproduction. The speaker set-up also supports Dolby Audio and DTS-HD for the best audio experience in its class.
The Xiaomi MI TV Q1 comes with Android TV. That also means, like the Mi TV P1, the Mi TV Q1 works nicely with Netflix, Prime Video, YouTube, Tidal, and Spotify. There are dedicated Amazon Prime Video and Netflix buttons on the remote. But you can easily launch all these apps via voice command anyway.
Price and Availability
The Xiaomi Mi TV P1 (43-inch, 55-inch) will be available for pre-order from 6th June 2021 onward for MYR 1,499 onward. It will retail for MYR 1,799 onward after pre-order period. The 32-inch variant will be available for pre-order from 6th June 2021 as well at MYR 899 (retail MYR 999). The new TV will be available online via Shopee and Lazada, and offline via authorised retailers, Senheng, and official Mi Stores across Malaysia.
The Xiaomi Mi TV Q1 will be available for pre-order from 6th June 2021 onward at MYR 7,999. The premium Mi TV will be available online via Lazada and offline via Senheng, authorised retailers and official Mi Stores across Malaysia. For a limited time and subject to stock availability, every purchase of the Xiaomi Mi TV Q1 will include Xiaomi’s exclusive gift pack worth MYR 1,765. The gift pack comprises the Mi Air Purifier Pro H, Mi Vacuum Cleaner Mini, Mi 360o Home Security Camera 2K, Mi Body Composition Scale 2, and Mi Wi-Fi Range Extender Pro. For more information on Xiaomi’s Mi TV P1 and Mi TV Q1, you can head out to Xiaomi’s website.
Google I/O 2021 is happening right now. The three-day conference kicked off with a bang though. To put it bluntly, Google I/O 2021 kicked off with a two-hour keynote highlighting everything coming from Google in 2021. While two hours do sound like a lot of drag, the announcements do sound mighty interesting though.
Google Workspace for Everyone
Source: Google
They kick off with something that everyone is concerned about in the period of pandemic, working from home. For that Google has something called Google Workspace. Google Workspace has been one of the most popular and thriving services since the world has gone into isolation with the looming pandemic situation. In 2021, the suite is updated with something called Smart Canvas.
Smart Canvas is a collaborative workspace within Google Workspace built for project management and keeping track of a project with your team members. It is kind of like a private chat or conversation within the larger organisation, but much cleaner. You can create and share Google Docs, Sheets, and even Slides within the group and work on the files together in real time.
Workspace is also now integrated with Google Meet, Google Doc, Google Sheet, and Google Slides. That also means that you can have a meeting on Google Meet within Google Workspace, share your files across the chat, and even edit the files together with your team in the Meets room. It is all about making remote collaborative work as seamless and organised as possible. Google also said Google Workspace will be available for free later in the year.
More in Google Search
Source: Google
Google search can also bring contents or search results that comes from other parts of the world in different languages with the integration of Google Translate algorithm and Google Lens as well. On top of that, Google is improving their language understanding and processing algorithm that should benefit more than just Google Translate, Google Lens, and regular Google Search.
They developed something called Wavenet, to make Google Assistant sound more natural and more contextual. They put that together with something they call Multitask Unified Model (MUM). All these makes Google Search and Google Lens the most powerful search and item identification tool ever.
The technologies that got mashed together means that Google search is not just single words anymore. It could be a sentence, a photo, and even both. The results can turn to be more than just web suggestions too. The result can turn out to be top suggestions, a place, and even connect you to merchants to buy what you need. If you set up your Google wallet correctly with all your merchant memberships as well, Google can connect you directly to deals that might be tied to your memberships too. There is a bit more to that too with Google Chrome, where you can track back your shopping carts on various sites even after you close the page.
Cleverer Google Maps
Source: Google
Google Maps is technically the most popular navigation app in the world. But that does not mean the app is flawless. There is always room for improvements.
Eco and Safe Driving
For example, Google introduces an ‘Eco Mode’ into the app. That basically means Google will take you through the most fuel efficient and economical route to get you to where you want and need to be. It may not be necessarily the fastest though, just keep that in mind.
They also introduced ‘safer driving’ routes for Google Maps. Obviously, that is what we call it, not what Google calls it. The idea is to navigate you to routes that might avoid traffic with sudden braking points and overall a smoother, clearer ride. All these are obviously done with Google’s navigation algorithm, traffic analysis, and GPS data such as speed or acceleration that Google Maps itself can see and work with in real-time.
Better Live View
Source: Google
They have expanded on Live View too in this case. Google Maps Live View does not just include navigation data in Augmented Reality anymore. It now shows you street names so that you can navigate better. It also now includes points of interest, landmarks, and you can pull up information regarding a place including its reviews directly from Maps app itself. Google Maps is also introducing Live View indoors now. It starts with the major train stations and airport in Zurich for now. The feature will be introduced to Tokyo also next month.
More Details
If you are getting yourself around by driving though, Google Maps is also a lot more detailed. Major intersections with road crossings and traffic lights will now show on maps so that you are better prepared. With Google’s understanding on your behaviour, your routine, and your usual routes, Google can also highlight relevant information, landmarks, or points of interest for you. A breakfast takeaway for example, on a Monday morning drive to work.
On top of all of that, Google Maps can now be a tool to help you plan your day not just on the road. Google Maps can track or predict how busy and packed an area will be at certain times just so you do not have to squeeze into the area at that time. You could plan to go another day for example, or just not go at all if it is not important. This is important in this day and age where social distancing is a recommended practice.
LaMDA
Source: Google
LaMDA is meant to be a conversational Artificial Intelligence (AI). Google says they have been using and testing it internally and it is powered by everything great about Google’s search engine and linguistic programming. In its demo, it sounds like an amazing piece of tech that could keep you having conversations with it from day to night.
It is programmed to know everything there is to know about our current world and situation. But it is not built to answer you with data necessarily. It is built to have natural conversations about the weather in general terms like “you might want to bring an umbrella in the afternoon”, rather than “there is a 78% chance of a light rain at 2.00 p.m.”.
While the answers that we saw from the demo does sound a little metallic and robotic at times, we cannot wait for LaMDA to be introduced into things like Workspace, YouTube, or even Google Maps. It is like having your own version of Iron Man’s JARVIS in your smartphone, or PC, or whatever you fancy.
More Organised Google Photos
Source: Google
Google Photos is a little bit more than just your photo gallery now though. It is now something you can use to create photo collages, to understand yourself better, and sort of your memory bank. Google’s image recognition recognises your photo patterns and puts all of them together to tell you that you tend to take photos of a certain context or a certain look. It tells you that you might be attracted to a certain sort of colour for example.
With Machine Learning (ML) as well, Google Photos can stitch multiple similar photos taken in succession to create a moving photo or video for you, even if there are gaps. Organisation and searching for your photos are even more intuitive too when you can find photos associated to certain celebrations for example.
Android 12 and Wear OS
Source: Google
Trust us when we say Android 12 is a huge overhaul of the Android OS. There is nearly no difference in terms of function, to be fair. Most of the changes are in the way things look and gets organised, and even customised. They call all this Material You design.
In terms of looks, things are a lot more intuitive, most organised, bigger, and a lot less cluttered. You get more control in how your User Interface (UI) looks in total as well. There are supposedly about 22% faster animation, they say.
You get more control over your own security and even privacy, and they are easier to access and understand with Privacy Dashboard. With the new UI as well, IoT controls are more front and center than before. There is a new improved remote app for your Android TV too.
Wear OS is getting a fresh lease of life too, thankfully. They want to make Wear OS a major smartwatch platform competitor to Apple’s WatchOS. To do that they managed to strike a partnership with their long-time partner, Samsung to bring Tizen and Wear OS together to make a more robust wearable operating system (OS) for everyone to use. Fitbit will also be introducing their own Wear OS later in the year and lend their expertise and know how in health and fitness into the upcoming Wear OS.
Your Safety, Privacy, and Protection Matters
Source: Google
Google has also improved their Google Password Manager. While the app still functions the same as before, you can now transfer password information from older devices. That also means that your passwords can be stored on-device instead of on-cloud. With Android’s on-device encryption nature, saving your managed passwords on your device could be a more secure option. With compromise alerts, you know when your accounts are accessed, and you can easily change passwords for whatever you have quickly via Password Manager.
Privacy Core
Google also introduced something called their Privacy Core. It is Google’s effort in giving control over information shared with Google back to its users. Supposedly as well, thanks to Privacy Core, you Live Caption sessions or translations will not be shared back to Google.
But security and privacy are more than that as well. It spreads to your search history, and even browsing history. Google is including an option now to delete ‘recent history’ on your Google Chrome.
Even in Google Maps, you can tell the app to not track your location history just so that the app does not collect your location data. You can allow Google Maps to track you accurately, or just give Google access to your approximate location now, in different apps. Not allowing Maps to track your data and build a history data also means that you are not going to get recommendations or suggestions from Google though. A worthy trade off, we think, for more privacy.
Better Health, Better Quality of Life
Source: Google
Since Google’s expansion and changing their own corporate name to Alphabet, they have been hugely involved in medical research. One of the places they have been pushing on is in the field of Mammograms. Google’s AI push into the platform means that screening for breast cancer is more accurate than ever. Their AI also helps doctors in understanding Mammograms and the severity in the diagnosis helping the health institutes prioritise different cases.
That is not all though. Dermatology is one huge field that could be expanded even using your own devices. Because this field has more to do with skin conditions, Google Lens can be an early diagnosis tool. You can take a photo of your skin conditions and Google can possibly identify what you have to a certain degree. Of course, nothing replaces a doctor in matters of treatments and full diagnosis, so Google can direct you towards a dermatologist near you via your browser. This feature will be available in the EU region by the end of the year 2021.
Project Starline
Source: Google
Speaking of health, we cannot ignore the current pandemic situation. We are all recommended to stay at home as much as possible and avoid as much human interaction as possible. The COVID-19 pandemic, while has brought humanity together more than ever, ironically has isolated us even more too.
Project Starline is a video chat tool that uses multiple cameras to create a 3D image model and project that 3D image to another part of the world. While that means that the file packages from that implementation are so bug that our regular internet speeds will not be able to cope, Google is working to compress the image files to a more sensible package size so that the images can be transferred using our regular internet connection.
The function of that is to implement a 3D video chat experience. While regular video chat today has progressed further than before, nothing replaces a physical presence and interaction. The idea with 3D projection calls looks to bridge that gap a little. Although you cannot touch the person still, having a 3D representation of a person is as close as you can get in having a physical presence in today’s world.
Google I/O 2021
Source: Google
To wrap up, Google announced that they are committing to shift their entire operation to carbon free energy sources by 2030. While Google has been proud of operating entirely on renewable energy, they are taking the first steps in relying on clean energy that does not leave any footprints. The commitment has led them to invest into Geothermal energy currently.
As promised by Google, the Google I/O 2021 is the largest ever. It is not just based on attendance though. It is also about the number of things that Google is introducing for 2021. It is also about Google’s commitments for the future, and we are excited, especially for Wear OS. For more information on what happened in Google I/O, you can check out Google’s Blog.
When someone asks us what TV they should buy for their homes, we always go back to Sony. We are big fans of Sony’s TV line-up and that is no secret too. We do think that they have been consistently making great TVs for a long time now. When you get a Sony TV as well, you get a sort of assurance that it will at least work properly with your Sony PlayStation 5; they are made by the same manufacturer, after all.
The BRAVIA series from Sony has also proven itself to be some of the best TVs in the world. While some of their TVs are based on older LED technology, the BRAVIA TVs still offer one of the best, if not the best, image contrasts and colour accurate images in the industry. Comparatively as well, BRAVIA TVs are more reasonably priced than some of its competitors.
Sony has just announced a new BRAVIA series with a very small difference that makes a lot of difference in how you experience TV in 2021. They have introduced the BRAVIA XR with a new processor, the Cognitive Processor XR. Yes, it is just a new processor to the TV.
As its name suggest, the new processor is a more intelligent processor Sony produces for the BRAVIA XR TVs. As with any modern processors in the market for any electronics items, it is also an Artificial Intelligence (AI) equipped chip. Sony claims that it is not conventional AI that they use here though.
Source: Sony
Source: Sony
They call it cognitive intelligence, and it does kind of work to work with our cognitive behaviour when we watch the TV. Sony says that the processor is designed to replicate the ways we see and hear, like replicating focal points on the TV screen anyway; at least they are attempting to. In some sense, the processor is not attempting to create better, more vibrant, and upscaled image. Instead, they are trying to make images look more natural to our eyes.
The processor divides the display panel into zones to detect focal points in a picture. It still works like conventional AI where colours, contrasts, and details are refined. It does a bit more than just analysing and refining the general elements though. When it finds the focal points of each frame it automatically enhances its elements to the best it can be alongside the other parts of the image. The result of that is a more natural looking image that is almost lifelike, at least according to Sony.
The processor also tampers a little bit with audio and its signal positions. The processor will identify the images, analyse sound positions and correctly places them through the speakers. The processor also converts the audio signal into proper 3D surround sound for an immersive experience without you spending extra on sound bar or a separate sound system. All-in-all, the Sony BRAVIA XR with Cognitive Processor XR is meant to really elevate your TV experience with little tweaks that matter.
Source: Sony
Source: Sony
Source: Sony
Source: Sony
With the introduction of the new Cognitive Processor XR too, the BRAVIA TVs get some new features. For one, Google TV is now available on Android TV. All BRAVIA XR TVs also get HDMI 2.1 and e-ARC compatibility for 4K 120fps support, beneficial for modern console gaming. The new BRAVIA XR TVs will also add additional support for smart speakers like Google Nest Speakers so you can control your TV with smart speakers too. On top of all of that, the TVs will also come with Netflix Calibrated Mode for studio like Netflix experience on Sony BRAVIA XR TVs.
For now, the Cognitive Processor XR will be available in five models in Malaysia. The Sony BRAVIA XR XR-65A90J OLED TV (65-inch, MYR 17,999), XR-65A80J OLED TV (65-inch, MYR 14,999), XR-55A80J OLED TV (55-inch, MYR 9,199), XR-65X90J Full Array LED TV (65-inch, MYR 7,599), and XR-55X90J Full Array LED TV (55-inch, MYR 5,399) are all available in Malaysia. There will be an 8K XR-85Z9J, OLED XR-77A80J, Full Array LED XR-75X90J coming soon into Malaysia. For more information on the Sony BRAVIA XR TVs, you can head over to Sony’s website.
There is a problem with the smartphone and smart device industry today. That problem is accentuated by the accelerated growth of the industry as well. It is not just a localised problem, mind you.
That problem is electronic waste. Technically, electronic waste has started becoming a problem since electronics have become a part of our lives. Today, electronics are an excessively big part of our lives. Wherever you go, you carry your smartphones with you. Every where you go too, you are exposed to at least one electronic display that is not your smartphone. When these devices go out of phase and gets replaced, it becomes electronic waste. We are sure you could be spared from the lecture though.
In that case, plenty of the current electronics manufacturers look for ways to reduce their own electronic waste, or waste in general in some cases. Apple claimed that they are reducing their own electronic wastes by not including charging adapters when you buy your Apple iPhone 12 series devices. Samsung followed suit with their Samsung Galaxy S20 devices. Superficial or not, you have to admit that your old chargers are still effective in charging your modern devices, albeit at a slightly lower speed (that also protects your battery a little bit).
Source: Samsung
Samsung also took liberties in redesigning their packaging so that users can opt to repurpose their unused packaging for some other purposes, like a pencil holder or something. This is all part of their Galaxy Upcycling Programme, very clever stuff. But your old smartphones are still collecting dust in your drawer.
With SmartThings Labs though, your old Samsung Galaxy devices can stop collecting dust in your drawer and be a smart home accessory. Of course, this is not a new thing that we have heard about. Samsung has been talking about upcycling their older Galaxy devices into an IoT device for a couple of years now, correct us if we are wrong.
Via SmartThings Labs within the SmartThings app on a Galaxy device, your old device can now become an enhanced sound and light sensor. The implementation uses Galaxy’s improved Artificial Intelligence (AI) to accurately distinguish sounds in its surroundings. It can even record certain sounds too, if you want it to. You can get it to record knocks, dogs barking, baby crying, and even cat meowing. If any of those sounds are recorded, it will send notification to your current smartphone of choice and you can listen to the recording yourself. Nothing too new here, except you do not need the camera function.
Source: Samsung
Other than sounds, Samsung Galaxy device can be turned into a light sensor. Thanks to the existing light sensor on your smartphones, the Galaxy devices can measure the brightness level of a room quite accurately. That could also be an indication to automatically turn on the lights in a room or even adjust the brightness level of your TV through SmartThings.
What makes it cleverer is that Samsung’s SmartThings implementation to make your device a smart sensor for sounds and lights technically reduces its battery consumption as well. Your smartphones already uses its mic and light sensors constantly anyway, which also means that they devices already consume minimal battery life on their own. With the implementation though, Samsung also introduces their very own battery optimisation solution to minimise battery consumption. We suspect that the implementation turns off other sensors in favour of the sensors the device has exclusive access to for the purpose of measuring light and sounds. So, is this another glorified light sensor? Sort of, but it is a start.
