Category Archives: Lifestyle

The Sony Xperia 1V is Here – Mark V, Not Vee, Coming Soon for MYR 6,399 Onward

May 12, 2023 Darwin Sucipto Leave a comment

Sony’s Xperia flagships is always something we look forward to. Since its rebirth, the Xperia 1 brand is a household name for those who wants a unique flagship that is completely different from the ones you see in the regular stores. If you noticed, the Xperia 1 smartphone has never really been sold via the network carriers. They are sold almost exclusively by retail partners and Sony flagship stores. That is only one reason why the Xperia 1 series smartphones are so unique.

Another thing that really sets the Xperia 1 series devices is also its design. It is a very distinctive and classic design; one that has not changed over its 5 generation of flagship smartphone. Yes, it is in its 5^th generation now, hence the ‘V’ in its name. The design is not only classic though, but also functional, timeless, and rather unique for a market that focuses so much on curved and rounded edges. While it might look like an uncomfortable piece of slab in your hands, it is surprisingly one of the most intuitive shapes you might find in the industry. It also feels industrial, we admit.

As industrial as it feels, the device does come packing a lot of power. It is not built for the masses though; you can feel it when you first pick up the device. The device is made for those who are in the know, who wants function over form, who wants their smartphone to be a complete extension of themselves and their lifestyle. It is made for content creators and professionals. The new one, the mark V, might just be another game changer.

Xperia 1 V | Official Product Video - Next-gen sensor. Next-gen imaging.

Same Old Shell, But Better Internals

Source: Sony
Source: Sony
Source: Sony
Source: Sony
Source: Sony
Source: Sony
Source: Sony
Source: Sony
Source: Sony

The Xperia 1V, as we might have expected, shares mostly the same look as the older Xperia 1 devices. It is a rectangular slab with hard edges all around. The design, as we mentioned as well, is timeless, classic. But for Sony, looks is rather secondary; it is function over form and that is where the Sony Xperia 1V might appeal to you, it does to us anyway.

We do have to start with the boring stuff though. It comes with Qualcomm’s latest Snapdragon 8 Gen2 platform, the most powerful mobile integrated chip you can find on an Android smartphone today. Of course, it goes without saying that the Sony Xperia 1V also comes with 5G thanks to the platform. Alongside the powerful System on a Chip (SoC) is 12GB RAM for better multitasking experience. You get up to 512GB of storage too, for all the photos and videos you are going to be taking with the Xperia 1V. If that is not enough, the Xperia 1V also comes with a dedicated MicroSD expansion slot, a pleasant welcome for modern flagships.

Out the front though is an Xperia special. This is still one of the only flagship smartphones in the industry to pack a 4K resolution display. Measuring in at 6.5-inch, you get an OLED panel that refreshes at 120Hz for that extra smooth feel on your interface and games. Entertainment is in Sony’s blood, so they also outfitted the Xperia 1V with some low-noise speakers for the best-in-class audio performance. They even have a “Game Enhancer” mode that is supposed to improve gaming performance on the device itself and even allow players to stream their games on YouTube without additional hardware.

The Exmor T for Mobile – The Game Changer

Source: Sony
Source: Sony

This device is made for the content creators though. It packs a brand-new innovation from the camera division. It packs Sony’s latest Exmor T sensor for mobile. While it is not quite a 1-inch sensor, the newly developed sensor for mobile platforms is clever. It is a stacked CMOS image sensor with 2-layer Transistor Pixel. What that means for users is that the newly developed sensor is supposed to offer better low-light performance than ever before. It is also a much faster sensor offering higher levels of detail than older mobile camera sensor technologies. They also claim that the new sensor offers photos with less noise and dynamic range closer to what you can get out of a full-frame system. On top of the Exmor T for mobile 48-Megapixels sensor is a 24mm Zeiss lens with T* coating for less distortion and better clarity. There is also a 16mm 12-Megapixel ultra-wide shooter and another telephoto lens with 12-Megapixel sensor behind it. The unique thing about the telephoto lens though is that it offers an optical zoom between 85-125mm (3.5x-5.2x).

One big thing about the Xperia 1V is also the improvement of the S-Cinetone colour gamut. The S-Cinetone colour gamut can be considered a cinematographer favourite when it comes to shooting contents. With the Xperia 1V, S-Cinetone for mobile has been improved to offer better skin tones and offer more cinematic footages even before a comprehensive colour grading work. Since the new sensor offers better colour and detail performance, you also get enhanced saturation over the older smartphone. Of course, the low-light performance of the sensors helps with S-Cinetone too.

Thanks to Real-time tracking and Eye AF functions, the Sony Xperia 1V is a powerful tool for video and photo work when you really have nothing else to work with. If you are too lazy to post process your photos or videos, the smartphone also offers colour presets in Creative Look mode. When you need it to, the Sony Xperia 1V can capture photos at up 30 frames per second while tracking moving objects rather accurately. For vloggers reviewing products, there is a Product Showcase setting that forces the camera to focus more on the product on hand over the reviewer’s face. There is also a new voice priority mic within the camera that ensures that the creator’s voice is clearly heard in every situation.

Battery – Still As Big, But Better and Longer-Lasting

Of course, for the Xperia 1V to be an extension of yourself, you need it to work an entire day and probably even more. The 5,000mAh battery within the classic body ensures that you have at least 20 hours of battery life even when you play videos at 4K the entire time. It also supports fast-charging technology so you can fully charge your device in just about an hour. With some new technologies and know-how, Sony has managed to improve the battery lifespan of the battery, which means that battery life anxiety might not be a thing for the Xperia 1V for years to come.

Price and Availability

The Sony Xperia 1V is not known for its colour options. It comes in three colour options still – Black, Khaki Green, and Platinum Silver. While some markets are getting the device in June, Sony Malaysia has confirmed that Malaysia will get the Sony Xperia 1V treatment on the 3^rd of July 2023 onward. Sony Malaysia has also confirmed that the Sony Xperia 1V will be priced at MYR 6,399 onward. More on the Sony Xperia 1V can be found on their website.

Android, Gaming, Lifestyle, Mobile, News

ASUS Launches the ROG Phone 7 in Malaysia Priced from MYR 3,599!

May 12, 2023 Darwin Sucipto Leave a comment

ASUS launched their flagship smartphone, the ROG Phone 7 last month in April 2023. As promised, ASUS has brought the new flagship gaming smartphone into Malaysia. They are also available for purchase now as we speak; if you are interested, you can check out their roadshow happening now to the end of this weekend (14^th of May 2023) at Pavilion Bukit Jalil.

To recap, the ROG Phone 7 comes in two variants, the regular vanilla ROG Phone 7, and one ROG Phone 7 Ultimate flavour. The vanilla ROG Phone 7 is still a powerful device packing Qualcomm’s latest Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 platform. You still get up to opt for up to 16GB in LPDDR5X RAM and up to 512GB in storage space if you do not mind spending a little bit more money.

Whichever ROG Phone 7 series device you pick, it comes with a large 6.78-inch AMOLED display that offers Full HD+ resolution at 165Hz refresh rate and up to 720Hz in sampling rate for a smooth and near instant input feel. The AMOLED display also offers the best-in-class viewing experience with up to 1,500 nits in brightness and ΔE<1 colour accuracy. For the ROG Phone 7 Ultimate, you get an extra matrix display shooting visuals out of the back of the device (ROG Vision).

The ROG Phone 7 Ultimate also has a trick up its sleeve over the regular ROG Phone 7. You not only get the latest AeroActive Cooler active cooling solution and attachment for your ROG Phone 7 Ultimate, but the cooler also activates a flap they call the AeroActive Portal that will increase an airflow channel to allow for better cooling. The result is up to 20% thermal efficiency from the ROG Phone 7 Ultimate. That, alongside the Boron Nitride thermal compound, bigger vapor chamber,a graphite sheets on the CPU means that the CPU can be pushed to its limits for longer periods of time without compromising gaming performance.

Other updates on the series include better audio tuned by Dirac Virtuo, X Sense software, better AirTrigger, and new gesture controls including Gyroscope aiming. Within the new ROG Phone 7 devices are 10 motion controls with an X-axis liner motor for powerful and immersive haptic feedback like the one you get on your console controller. You can even adjust the haptic feedback for better response, or just all-around better feel for your controls.

Price and Availability

As mentioned, the ROG Phone 7 series is now available in Malaysia. You can get your vanilla variant of the ROG Phone 7 in either white or black colour options. The ROG Phone 7 Ultimate will be available 15^th of May 2023 onward in Malaysia. There is no colour option for this one, unfortunately, just white. The white does bring the ROG Vision out a little bit more though. The ROG Phone 7 will start at MYR 3,599 (12GB + 256GB) while the ROG Phone 7 Ultimate starts at MYR 4,999 and comes with the AeroActive Cooler 7 out-of-the-box. More information on the ROG Phone 7 series can be found on their website.

Lifestyle, News

Bring Some HONOR into Your Fitness Routine With Three New Health Products

May 8, 2023 Nur Jeevan Leave a comment

HONOR is expanding its offerings yet again with a few new additions. The company has already been actively producing AIoT and health related products since it was a Huawei sub-brand. Now, it’s continuing to do so on its own. HONOR has brought three devices made to help users achieve their fitness goals: the HONOR Band 7, HONOR Earbuds X5 and HONOR Scale 3.

Keep Track of Your Fitness with the HONOR Band 7

HONOR is upping the ante with the HONOR Band 7. The new entry into their fitness band line up brings an all new chipset powered by AI algorithms and professional optical components. These algorithms and sensors allow users to track metrics like heart rate more accurately and display it as easy to understand information.

The Band 7 comes with a 1.47-inch AMOLED display with 2.5D curved glass and comes with sensors that that allow it to track multiple health metrics. Users will be able to measure heart rate, sleep, stress and blood oxygenation. The Band 7 will display these metrics in real time on its display. It also comes with tracking modes for 96 different workout modes including running, walking, cycling, swimming, elliptical, rowing and free training.

Stay Focused with the HONOR Earbuds X5

Workout without distractions with new HONOR Earbuds X5. Tune out the world while you workout with the 13.4mm dynamic coil drivers. The Earbuds X5 can deliver deep bass, clear trebles and distinct highs with its polymer composite diaphragm.

With the 27 hours of battery life in total, the Earbuds X5 is built for you to take charge of your workout playlist. You don’t have to worry about running low on battery either, a short 10 minute charge will get you 3 hours of playback.

See more than Weight with the HONOR Scale 3

Of course, keeping track of your fitness comes with the understanding that at some point you will need to check in with the scale. HONOR is trying to make your scale do more with the HONOR Scale 3 that is able to measure more than just weight. It is able to give you measurements of your body fat, BMI, bone mass, muscle mass and more. The Scale 3 can even calculate your basal metabolic rate (BMR).

It doesn’t even need a smartphone to give you insights and data. You can do it all on the scale itself. If you have a WiFi connection, the data gets automatically communicated to the HONOR Health App with automatic synchronization.

Pricing & Availability

All three devices are now available in Malaysia via the HONOR Store, Lazada, Shopee and TikTok Shop. They are priced at:

Band 7: MYR199
Earbuds X5 : MYR279
Scale 3: MYR129

Android, Lifestyle, Mobile, News

Google Reveals the Pixel Fold, The Next Word in Foldables

May 5, 2023 Darwin Sucipto 1 Comment

Google I/O 2023 has been announced and it is happening on the 10^th of May 2023. Among other things, we expect to see a new Android being announced. We expect to see the new Google Pixel 7 series for 2023 with their second-generation Tensor, the Google Tensor G2 integrated chip. We could see a new Android Wear update, or a new Google smartwatch being announced in I/O. These are all speculations and expectations though. There is one thing that Google have just confirmed as of yesterday that you will see at Google I/O 2023, the Pixel Fold.

The Pixel Fold announcement is more like a teaser than anything else. They announced on their Twitter and Pixel store that the Pixel Fold is coming with a teaser video. The 8-second video does not tell us much more than what we the rumour mills have said about the Pixel Fold though. It shows the exterior display, internal display with some bezel space to fit a front facing camera, the rear camera with Google logo to boot below it, the hinge plate, and the unfolding of the device. There are no details whatsoever in the teaser video on its specifications, hinge mechanism, or the version of Android it comes with. The teaser also only showed a single colour option for the Google Pixel Fold. Expect a black colour variant though, always expect black colour as an option.

It is not hard to figure out what you might get with the highly anticipated foldable device though. Based on many rumours, reports, and educated guesses, we can expect the Google Pixel Fold to come with their very own Tensor G2 chip rather than a Qualcomm one. It is also reported that the external display will measure at 5.8 inches while the internal main display will measure at 7.6 inches. The displays are supposed to support up to 120Hz in refresh rate.

As for the camera, rumours and reports point to a 48-Megapixel main camera supported by a 10.8-Megapixel ultrawide shooter, and 10-8-Megapixel telephoto camera with up to 5x optical zoom and 20x hybrid zoom. The rumours also point to a larger and more durable battery to its main rival, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold4. They say that this will have a battery that can go on for up to 72 hours on a single charge, which is quite a bold claim considering battery technology has stagnated for a while.

As for the price, rumours suggest that the Google Pixel Fold will be sold at US$ 1,700 (MYR 7,544*) onward andu p to nearly US$ 2,000 (MYR 8,876*). While the prices are not too far off Samsung’s offering, they are still rather premium. Like the Google Pixel devices though, Malaysia will most likely not see the device in an official capacity at least. You can expect our good neighbour Singapore to get it sometime after the device goes on sale in the United States (U.S.) though. In that case, you might be able to secure your hands on one from Singapore if you really want one. More on Google’s Pixel Fold and Google I/O 2023 can be found on their website.

*approximately based on exchange rate of US$ 1 = MYR 4.44 as of 05/05/2023 on xe.com

Accessories, Android, Business, iOS, Lifestyle, Mobile, News

Apple and Google Agrees on Something Again – AirTags Needs Better Standards for Improved Privacy.

May 3, 2023 Darwin Sucipto Leave a comment

Apple and Google hardly agree on many things when it comes to their consumer offerings. When we say that they hardly agree, of course we do not mean that they are always on each other’s throats on every single issue. They offer two wildly different products that arrive at the same solution most of the time. Take Android and iOS for example, both highly successful smartphone platforms that offer an app ecosystem, smart integrations, and even machine learning based digital assistants. Both platforms look vastly different and function even more so in the hands of consumers though. There is a common denominator for both Google’s and Apple’s offerings though – privacy and security.

In this case though, while Apple and Google share the same concern over privacy and security, their approach can also be quite different. Android’s privacy and security layer has a slightly different depth compared to Apple’s. The Apple Play Store and Google Play Store ensure that app developers comply to certain practices and regulations to stay relevant, but both Apple and Google offer slightly different guidelines for their app marketplaces. Still, if developers want to have their app listed on both stores, their apps naturally must comply to both Apple’s and Google’s guidelines. Not so for location tracking devices so far though.

Apple introduced a clever Bluetooth based location-tracking tool we now know as AirTags. While the AirTags were intended as a sort of keychain or tool to keep track of your things at home or as a reminder for you not to leave things in your favourite café, the reality is a little different. A few weeks after AirTags were introduced, there were reports of the tiny pucks used for stalking purposes. To be fair, while AirTags was the center of attention in many of these cases, Apple’s solution was not the one being used in privacy invasion cases. Solutions from manufacturers like Samsung got involved shortly after they were introduced. To be fair though, thanks to the sophistication of the AirTags, offenders preferred Apple’s solution.

Over the years, Apple has introduced new measures as a stop gap solution to ensure that users are not being unwantedly tracked by other individuals. One of the solutions was a sort of notification when an AirTag device that your iPhone does not recognize comes in proximity via Find My app on the iOS. But this is only a solution for AirTags, what about others in the field? This is where Google also comes in.

Google does not make their own Bluetooth based location-tracking tool, but their partnering manufacturers do. Players like Samsung, Tile, and a few others make tracking devices that can easily pair to both Android and iOS devices. That also means there needs to be a standardized specification to ensure that all the trackers are as safe as one another to use. Yes, it is a beneficial thing for us the users.

Google and Apple’s partnership in the issue of standardizing Bluetooth based locating-tracking tools is a big step forward for this segment in the industry. In one way, it allows other players in the industry to catch up to what Apple has done with their AirTags. It ensures that industry players comply to a certain standard in making these little tracking devices, meaning there will be standardized parts produced by a single or multiple manufacturers creating economies of scale allowing the technology to be a lot more accessible. Standardized parts not only ensure that the industry can be policed at higher standards, but it also offers plenty more compatibility for users. It could allow Android users to use an AirTag to track their keys, for example and vice versa.

For now, standardized specifications for these trackers are not yet a reality. Google and Apple have submitted their draft proposal to the authorities for now, which means you can only expect to see some sort of results in the coming few months. Samsung, Tile, Chipolo, eufy Security, and Pebblebee have expressed their support in the program, which is a good sign for the proposal. Google and Apple expects to have some sort of production guideline and implementation by the end of 2023 with support for both iOS and Android in the same timeline.

Lifestyle, News

GWM HAVAL Debuts Fierce Dragon MAX with Hi4 Technology at Auto Shanghai 2023

May 2, 2023 Nur Jeevan Leave a comment

Four Wheel Drives (4WD) and eco-friendly don’t necessarily go together. In fact, you rarely hear the two in a single sentence. However, GWM HAVAL wants to change that with their Fierce Dragon MAX. The New Energy SUV is the first to come with the company’s ground-breaking Hi4 technology.

Hi4 Technology is a new hybrid technology that brings together the four-wheel drive system and optimised intelligence. These optimisations significantly improve the overall performance of HAVAL’s Fierce Dragon MAX. Built with a 2.8-metre wheelbase, the Fierce Dragon MAX boasts a fuel consumption of only 1.78L/100km in simulated tests measured according to WLTC standards. In addition, the SUV also had an acceleration time of 6.8 seconds from 0 to 100km/h.

*(Source: GWM HAVAL) Hi4 Technology Showcased at Auto Shanghai 2023*

GWM HAVAL’s Hi4 technology achieves these feats thanks to its dual-motor design with both parallel and series connections between the front and rear axles. This combination allows the SUV to achieve 4WD performance with the energy efficiency of a two-wheel drive (2WD) system. This is further enhanced with GWM’s Intelligent Torque Vector Control System (iTVC) and Intelligent Energy Management System to ensure power-efficient performance over all speed ranges and scenarios. The GWM HAVAL Fierce Dragon MAX can also dramatically shift between nine driving modes to adapt and operate optimally ensuring consumers get powerful performance and low energy consumption.

*(Source: GWM HAVAL) GWM HAVAL at Auto Shanghai 2023*

The GWM HAVAL Fierce Dragon MAX isn’t just about the power and efficiency brought by its Hi4 Technology, it also comes with a sleek, stylish exterior which echoes the style of a lot of EVs in the market. However, its unique design and approach supercharge the SUV with more than just looks. The new SUV is already available in China and will be making its way to international markets in the near future.

Computers, Lifestyle, Mobile, News

Your Chromebook Can Be Your Video Workstation Now with Google Photos

April 28, 2023 Darwin Sucipto Leave a comment

We have proven that Chromebooks can be a versatile mobile workstation that is also budget friendly. Google’s Chrome OS is a genuine viable choice if you are looking for a new laptop for both work and entertainment, at least to a certain extent. While it proved to be a powerful tool for internet browsing, document processing, presentation creation, basic data crunching, movie watching, and music listening to a certain extent, it is not something you want to use if you need to get videos or photos out quickly. You might prefer to get a more powerful Windows PC for that, alongside the many software suites available on the platform. With the latest Google Photos update though, your Chromebook might now be a viable option for a quick video edit.

thread 208682996 12031739330739615511 — Source: Google

Google announced a new Google Photos update for Chromebooks as of last month. It is a significant update for the app on Chromebook. It allows users to use the app to edit videos on the Chromebook via the Google Photos app. The video editing tool on Google Photos app on Chromebooks is also designed to be as simple to use as possible. That announced feature is now available on the latest update to the Google Photos app on Chromebooks.

If you are new to video editing, the Photos app’s movie tool should be an easy enough tool to work with even for amateurs. The tool offers suggestions on the themes you can use for your own movies. Once selected, alongside the clips you select for the video, the app will cleverly put them together to create a custom movie in just a few taps. The app can even pick out the most interesting and meaningful moments in your clips to include in the video and cut out the rest to make it even easier and quicker to get your videos out.

thread 208682996 12031739330739614288 — Source: Google

If you are more used to picking out your own clips, and have a more hands-on approach to your videos, the app also allows you to select your own videos, arrange them, and put them together on your own. You do get the versatility and browsing power of the Google Photos app for you to quickly surf through and pick the right clips for your video. You also get to use copyright free music selected from the built-in music library. Of course, if you prefer to insert your own music, you can too.

You can try out the Google Photos movie editor yourself if you have a Chromebook. As mentioned, you just have to update the Google Photos app to its latest version via the Google Play Store on your Chrome OS. Once you updated your app, you simply access the function via the app. More on the new feature on Google’s Photos App on the Chrome OS can be found on their blog announcement.

Computers, Gaming, Lifestyle, Mobile, News

ROG’s Gaming Handheld Officially Announced, the ROG Ally is Live!

April 26, 2023 Darwin Sucipto Leave a comment

Handheld gaming is a thing, an inevitable thing. Nintendo has always championed the concept and is a huge pioneer in the handheld gaming industry. The Nintendo Gameboy, for example, is one of the first and one of the most popular gaming handheld devices ever produced. It was iconic too, the namesake stayed on for a couple of generations and made way for a couple of new ideas in the handheld gaming space. It gave birth to the Nintendo Switch, partly.

The Nintendo Switch gave way and inspired many other new gaming devices that flooded the market. All that accumulates to Valve’s very own Steam Deck handheld gaming device. While not the first of its kind to play games on the Steam library while on battery, it is sort of the best solution and culmination of that concept. Then there is this new device, the new ROG Ally.

If you have scoped around the internet; YouTube especially, the ROG Ally should not be foreign to you by now. It is an ASUS manufactured handheld gaming device that mimics the concept of the Steam Deck. Unlike the Steam Deck though, it does not run its own version of Linux. It runs Windows, like a lot of the Chinese made gaming handheld that fancies itself the “Switch” of the PC gaming industry. More Specifically it runs Windows 11, making not just Steam library games available to users. You can theoretically play games from Ubisoft, Amazon Games, Epic Games, or even Origin Games.

Source: ASUS
Source: ASUS
Source: ASUS
Source: ASUS
Source: ASUS

The internal that keeps you happy gaming as long as the battery allows you is an integrated AMD APU. It is an AMD Ryzen Z1 series processor, not the same one you find on the latest gaming consoles for your couch. The Ryzen Z1 processor you find in the ROG Ally comes with AMD’s latest RDNA 3 architecture making it the most efficient and powerful APU of its kind found in a gaming handheld. You do need to keep it rather cool to get the best out of it though. In the restricted space that is the ROG Ally’s body is their new Zero Gravity thermal solution that keeps the internals happy with two fans pulling temperature away from ultrathin heatsink fines and high-friction heat pipes out the top of the device.

The powerful APU and cooling system projects Windows 11 and all your games on a high-resolution 7-inch display. It offers Full HD 1080p resolution, twice as much as the Steam Deck, and it is possible thanks to the powerful APU. It also offers 120Hz in refresh rate with FreeSync Premium, meaning your AAA games play smoothly and tear-free. If you wish to play in the great outdoors; because your mother has been telling you to play outside, it offers 500 nits in maximum brightness. It is also a touch sensitive display for easy Windows 11 and the Special Edition Armoury Crate navigation.

All of this is packed in a hardware that weighs only 608g. Unlike a Switch, the control panels are not detachable. But that means that the lightweight device is a solid build that you can just chuck in your bag without taking up too much space and adding too much weight in your backpack. The device is also shaped ergonomically for maximum comfort for its users with unique textures to improve grip on the device.

The ROG Ally will be launching globally on the 11^th of May 2023. You can be part of that launch too on their event website. For now, that is the only information we have on ASUS’ ROG Ally. More information on the ROG Ally can be found on their website.

Lifestyle, News

GWM Doubles Down On New Energy & Electrification at Auto Shanghai 2023

April 25, 2023 Nur Jeevan Leave a comment

Great Wall Motor, an automotive company focused on creating vehicles with greener, more sustainable energy sources, doubled down on its commitment to new energy vehicles (NEVs) at the recently held Auto Shanghai 2023. The company showcased a new range of NEVs that form its five major brands – HAVAL, TANK, ORA, POER and WEY – that upped the ante with hybrid and NEVs. It also showcased GWM’s readiness to be the next xEV leader.

Their showcase at Auto Shanghai 2023, showcased their prowess and dedication to NEVs. Having only recently announced their commitment to new energy vehicles with their nine-in-nine strategy, the showcase at Auto Shanghai 2023, reinforced their commitment with the launch of fifteen new energy vehicles which advances Great Wall Motor’s mission. These vehicles also cover a wide range of segments from pickups to SUVs to plug-in electric hybrid vehicles (PHEVs).

At the show, GWM HAVAL introduced an all-new star product lineup. The hallmark of the showcase was the new energy SUV from GWM HAVAL dubbed the Fierce Dragon MAX in the Chinese market. It boasts the revolutionary Hi4 (Hybrid Intelligent 4WD) technology. The Fierce Dragon MAX features what GWM calls a youthful, futuristic design. Together with this, GWM also launched a new pickup; a 6×6 version of the GWM POER alongside their hybrid pickup – the POER Shanhai PHEV/HEV. The latter further enforces GWM’s commitment to developing new energy pickup solutions.

Two new NEVs were also showcased by GWM TANK at the exhibition. THE TANK400 PHEV made its world debut while the luxury off-road new energy SUV TANK500 went on worldwide pre-sale. On the high-end intelligent NEV side of things, GWM showcased its luxury MPV model – the GWM WEY Gaoshan PHEV. This first was complemented by the six-seater electric PHEV SUV, the GWM WEY Lanshan. GWM ORA also released two pure electric vehicles.

Together with all these exciting new vehicles and offerings, GWM also showcased its innovation strengths. The company showed off new technology and platforms like the 3.0T V6 engine+9HAT+P2 platform, Hi4, TANK platform, and the proprietary 6×6 super off-road platform. These innovations were lauded and praised by critics and dealers present at the exhibition.

Parker Shi, Vice President and Head of the International Market at GWM reiterated the company’s commitment to technology advancement and sustainable technology saying, “GWM will rely on the forest ecosystem to accelerate technology iteration and product upgrading, and provide global users with more high-quality and intelligent new-energy products in line with GWM’s intelligent NEV’s philosophy of ‘Greener, Higher, and Safer’.”

Android, Lifestyle, Mobile, News

You Can Now Unlock your BMW With Your Android Smartphones, If It Supports UWB Digital Keys

April 25, 2023 Darwin Sucipto Leave a comment

Last year, iOS users got their first dibs in unlocking their cars; well, their BMWs with their smartphone. They call this a Digital Key Plus and it was made exclusively for the iPhone. With ultra-wideband (UWB) technology, a sort of secure wireless communication technology that was introduced in the iPhone not too long before. They also introduced the same technology in Samsung’s Galaxy device and a few Android devices a few years ago onward. To be fair, the technology was introduced specifically for modern cars that now offers keyless entry technology. The technology was meant to be worked into a digital key that you can use to unlock and drive your car even without the original key from the manufacturers for the specific cars. So far though the only manufacturer that has been progressive enough to introduce digital keys for smartphones is BMW, for iPhone users.

That will not be the case anymore though, at least in terms of only iPhone users getting BMW’s love. BMW have updated their cars to bring digital keys to Samsung and a few Google Pixel devices running Android 13 and supporting UWB connection. Samsung devices from the Galaxy S21 Ultra onward with UWB support can now unlock BMW cars. The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4, Z Fold 3, Note 20 also can now support UWB digital keys. Select Google Pixel smartphone like the Pixel 7 Pro and Pixel 6 Pro can unlock BMW cars with UWB digital keys too.

There is another caveat too with the new UWB digital key function. The function will only work with BMW vehicles produced November 2022 onward with older vehicles to be added in the future via a software update.

BMW says that the function can be easily activated via the My BMW app, available on the Google Play Store. Once activated, your smartphone becomes your Digital Key Plus. That also means that you can leave your physical keys in the drawer and drive your car as if it had a key in it just if you carry your smartphones with the My BMW app with you. It does not just unlock your car and allow you to drive it wherever you want to go, you can also program the BMW to lock itself as you walk away from your BMW. That way you can walk away from your car without worrying about locking your cars.

For now, BMW has not opened the function to any other Android devices. As more Android smartphones feature UWB function on the smartphones, we are suspecting that BMW will also start offering more Digital Key Plus support to other devices. BMW will not be the only manufacturer that jumps on the Digital Key bandwagon too as more smartphones support UWB.

techENT

Category Archives: Lifestyle

The Sony Xperia 1V is Here – Mark V, Not Vee, Coming Soon for MYR 6,399 Onward

Same Old Shell, But Better Internals

The Exmor T for Mobile – The Game Changer

Battery – Still As Big, But Better and Longer-Lasting

Price and Availability

ASUS Launches the ROG Phone 7 in Malaysia Priced from MYR 3,599!

Price and Availability

Bring Some HONOR into Your Fitness Routine With Three New Health Products

Keep Track of Your Fitness with the HONOR Band 7

Stay Focused with the HONOR Earbuds X5

See more than Weight with the HONOR Scale 3

Pricing & Availability

Google Reveals the Pixel Fold, The Next Word in Foldables

Apple and Google Agrees on Something Again – AirTags Needs Better Standards for Improved Privacy.

GWM HAVAL Debuts Fierce Dragon MAX with Hi4 Technology at Auto Shanghai 2023

Your Chromebook Can Be Your Video Workstation Now with Google Photos

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