South Korea has become one of the biggest electronic giants the world has ever seen. With the likes of Samsung and LG, it is no wonder the South Koreans are highly regarded in the modern era of technology. The two electronic giants have conquered everything from televisions to even washing machines in 2021. They make some of the best-selling televisions, fridges, even down to a water purifier.
They have also been a leader in the smallest things we carry with us every day. Samsung and LG have been at the forefront of smartphone technologies for the past few years now. But there has been some interesting development for the past few weeks or so. One of them is the fact that LG has made an announcement that they are no longer interested in the smartphone business.
The announcement from LG’s very own newsroom describes that LG Electronics Inc. will close its mobile business unit as per approved by their board earlier in the day. What that means is that LG will give up its smartphone business unit and not dabble in the smartphone market in the future.
To be fair, the company has been considering the exit for a while now. LG’s Mobile Business Unit, or its smartphone division has been posting losses for the past five years at least, and they show no sign of recovering. The company has been focusing on selling some mid-range smartphones while developing interesting concepts that produces smartphones like the LG Wing. They also showed some concept of a rollable smartphone, something we do not expect to see LG producing ever with the announcement.
As per the announcement as well LG will continue to make their current inventory available for sale. LG will also continue to provide support and software updates for their current customers and their existing products until an unspecified time. Although there is no indication to when they will end their product life support. They only indicated that it will be varied by regions.
This also means that the company will have to repurpose its workforces from its mobile business units. They mentioned that this will be determined at a local level as well. Still, they have some time to repurpose everyone within the business unit.
LG is expecting the close to complete by the 31st July 2021. While LG will no longer be officially selling their devices by the end of July, they expect some existing stocks to still be available after specified date and those will still be on sale. LG will still be involved in the development of mobile technologies, however. They will continue to work on 6G network related developments even after the Mobile Business Unit concludes its closure.
The Apple Worldwide Developer Conference (WWDC) is a huge yearly ensemble for Apple. The annual conference is one of Apple’s most significant in a year. We see Apple upping the ante for WWDC every year too, and this year is no different. Apple this year is looking to make WWDC21 the biggest one yet.
WWDC is where we see the evolution, or the new iterations of Apple’s software. You can expect to see a new macOS, tvOS, watchOS, iOS, and even iPadOS. Sometimes, you might get to see some new hardware, or get an announcement as big as hardware dependency change like last year’s announcement. If you forgot, WWDC20 saw Apple announcing that they are moving away from relying on partner processors and move their supply chain to rely on their own Apple Silicon processors. Later in the year 2020 we saw the Apple M1 chip.
2020’s WWDC was also completely online due to the global situation that is the pandemic. There are some good that came out of last year’s WWDC though. It was accessible to everyone in the world, no matter their location or time zone. Last year’s WWDC was what Apple claimed to be its largest ever so far. They are expecting around 28 million developers around the world to tune in for this year’s WWDC.
While hardware has not been much of a focus for WWDC, we should not be surprised when Apple does make some announcements on hardware additions to their line-up. In 2019 and 2017, Apple launched new devices and even desktops during their WWDC keynotes. As usual also, there are no new details on what Apple will announce this year at WWDC. Although, some are speculating that Apple might launch their long-awaited AR glasses or some sort of VR headset. These are rumours based on the visuals Apple chose for this year’s WWDC21 tease.
Apple’s WWDC 21 is happening 7th June 2021 onward all the way to the 11th of June 2021. As per the current pandemic situation and like 2020, the event will be an all-virtual affair. For more information on WWDC21 you can head over to their website.
If you checked your Touch ‘n Go eWallet app these past few days, you would have noticed a new feature, or a new icon. You might have come across ‘GO+’. I know I have, and a few of our friends have asked us what it was before today’s official launch of Touch ‘n Go’s GO+. Now that it is officially launched, we can properly explain what GO+ is.
Welcome to GO+, your gateway to small time investments and mainstream financial services. Essentially, you are investing with Principal, an asset management platform anchored by CIMB. In turn, GO+ is anchored by Principal, in alliance with CIMB, specifically their e-Cash Fund platform.
GO+ will take advantage of Principal’s asset management platform to sort of make investments to grow your financial assets via Touch ‘n Go’s eWallet platform. By putting as little as RM10 into the platform will supposedly guarantee a growth rate of 1.43% per annum. While that may not seem like much, it is more than putting your money into your bank’s savings account or current accounts.
The growth is not credited over a year long period too. You get returns on a daily basis and the returns are credited to your GO+ account every day. That also means the growth is an immediately visible one. Principal also promises no risks to the platform, so you can be rest assured that you will only be seeing growth.
What makes GO+ even better for users is that because it is integrated with Touch ‘n Go eWallet app, you can transfer the funds from GO+ into Touch ‘n Go eWallet accounts immediately at any given time, and vice versa. It does not stop there though; you can transfer credits from GO+ to any of your registered bank accounts immediately too. You can even use your GO+ account to pay for things via Touch ‘n Go eWallet app. That also means with GO+, you are more flexible than anything else you can currently find on the Malaysian market.
To get yourself on GO+ now, you can look into your Touch ‘N Go eWallet app and immediately register and upgrade your account to a GO+ account. You can start investing with GO+ with as little as RM10. For now, the service is only available to Malaysian citizens above 18 years of age. The Touch ‘n Go eWallet app is available for free from Google’s Play Store and Apple’s App Store for Android and iOS respectively
Have you ever wanted a seamless home theatre setup at home? Well, Epson is looking to help you get that dream setup with its new Epiqvision Mini laser projection TV. The new offering from Epson is hoping to bring a complete experience from picture to sound with a partnership with Yamaha.
The new Epson Epiqvision Mini EF-12 is powered by the company’s advanced 3LCD technology. This technology splits the incoming white light into red, green and blue spectra and filters it through it’s own LCD. This gives better brightness control as it allows more accurate brightness according to each spectrum. 3LCD also allows better colour reproduction across a wider range of colours.
Source: Epson Malaysia
The Epiqvision Mini EF-12 is able to project images up to 150-inches in size from a distance of about 3.4m. The short throw distance allows the Epiqvisio Mini EF-12 to adapt to any sized room. It is supports inputs from 4K sources but projects in Full HD 1080p resolution and is capable of projecting with to 1000 lumens in brightness.
With Epson’s signature picture quality, the company has opted to partner with Yamaha to bring a more holistic experience. The new Epiqvision Mini EF-12 has a built-in Yamaha speaker which completes the experience with stellar sound. It also allows the projector to act as a standalone speaker for the room it’s in. In addition, it comes built-in with Android TV allowing you to easily access services like Google Play Movies, YouTube and Netflix without the need to plug in. Screen sharing and taking video calls on the Epiqvision Mini shouldn’t be a problem too. All you’ll need to do is mirror over with any device with Google Home installed or miracast for mirroring. Video calls will require an additional webcam.
The compact size of the Epiqvision mini complements its features and makes it more adaptable and portable than most of its competition. To make things even more compelling, the laser projector comes also comes with a maintenance free guarantee for up to 20,000 hours. So you won’t be struggling to find a replacement bulb too soon after setting it up. Setup is breeze with its auto keystone feature which will adjust the shape of the projection to fit any angle.
Pricing & Availability
The Epson Epiqvision Mini EF-12 will be available come mid-April in Malaysia. It will be retailing for MYR5,000 (USD$11,212.80)
Instagram today just introduced a brand-new feature for content creators. They call it ‘Reels’ to help content creators make even more variety of contents on Instagram stories at least. Of course, short form contents on Instagram Stories can be shared across to Facebook as well.
Reels for Instagram will bring the long-awaited Instagram Music feature that has been available in other regions for a while now. But Reels is not just about taking the Music feature into Instagram Stories for Malaysia. It is also about helping content creators to create more varieties of contents on Instagram.
There are a few tools that comes with Reels too to make it a speedy content creator tool of choice for the many content creators on Instagram and Facebook. You can control your video speed for one, to make seamless and great looking slow-motion videos. You can record your videos now without even touching your smartphones too with a timer and countdown function now. You can add timed texts and stickers on selected parts of your video too now, instead of guessing and just hoping for the best. You can even align yourself up from previous videos to create a smooth, seamless transition in videos. Most of the time as well, on your smartphone, you are shooting free-handed so Instagram Reels can touch-up the videos to add extra stability and control over your short form videos.
Obviously, bringing Music feature into Instagram and Facebook in Malaysia is huge too. Creators in Malaysia now have access to an expanded licensed music library for their own contents on Facebook and Instagram. Users can also use music stickers on their Instagram and Facebook Stories and even easily add lyrics on their contents. It does not stop there too, you can now have music on your Facebook Profile.
If you think that Reels adds some ‘TikTok like’ functions and features to Instagram and Facebook, you may not be completely wrong. The rise of TikTok has empowered plenty of content creators to quickly make compelling short form contents that you can easily follow on their platform. TikTok has also appealed to plenty of Instagram and Facebook content creators thanks to the innovative tools that TitTok has provided for quick and seamless content creation. The introduction of Reels and its suite of content creation tool should bring some content creators back to Instagram and Facebook.
Reels is now available for Instagram and Facebook users in 50 regions. Malaysia is a part of those 50 countries with Reels introduced in Instagram and Facebook. Music is available in 90 countries so far and Malaysia is now part of those countries to have Music features available. Instagram and Facebook are two free apps available on Google Play Store and Apple App Store.
Fitbit has announced the Fitbit Ace 3 with a swimproof design. The new Fitbit Ace 3 is designed for kids ages 6 and above, and is aimed at helping develop healthy habits in kids. Everything from getting enough sleep for their age to staying active throughout the day.
The Fitbit Ace 3 encourages a kid to get active by giving them goals to achieve. The watch will remind the kids to move around to take at least 250 steps within an hour and reach at least 60 daily active minutes. Parents can even set different goals for their children when it comes to school hours. Unlike other fitness trackers, the Fitbit Ace 3 focuses on steps with its pedometer instead of a heart rate monitor. This due to the varied heart rate in children at different stages in their life.
That said, the Ace 3 is an incremental update to the Ace 2. This time, the Ace 3 comes with a timer, sleep tracking, bedtime reminder, silent alarm as well as do not disturb and sleep modes. To ensure kids stay active every day and practicing healthy habits, the watch will remind the kids to develop a consistent sleep schedule. Additionally, there are new animated clock face characters including a bunny, a cat, a martian, and a spaceship. Aside from these, there are up to 20 clocks to choose from.
To make things even more kid friendly, Fitbit is partnering with Illumination to bring Minions to the Fitbit 3. The two companies have created two new bands called Despicable Blue and Mischief black which allow the kids to have more self expression with their favourite minions on their wrist. The bands are simply the beginning of the partnership as Fitbit promises that there is more to come.
As always, the Fitbit wearable is only half the equation. Parents are able to add their kid’s devices to a family account on the Fitbit app on Android and iOS. This allows parents to manage the apps shown on their kids, and even approve kid’s friend requests on the app. Parents are also able to view their Kid’s recent activity in the app. Kids can also access the app on their devices with a view that focuses on the development of healthy habits and customisations.
The Ace 3 also allows kids to receive call notifications directly on-wrist from their smart devices. Even with these features, the smartwatch is able to last up to 8 days compared to 5 days of the Ace 2.
Price and Availability
The Fitbit Ace 3 will be available in Black with a Sport Red clasp and Cosmic Blue with an Astro Green clasp. It will retail for MYR328.00.
This watch is available to preorder now at fitbit.com. First sales start on March 29, 2021 with all major retailers in Malaysia including on Lazada and Shopee.
Microsoft has finally rolled out end-to-end encryption (E2EE) feature to Microsoft Teams after a long wait. This feature is available for commercial or paid subscriber, and it only applies to one-to-one unscheduled meetings. Although, Microsoft mentioned that this feature will be applied in other types of meeting in the future.
This security feature has provided users a better platform to discuss sensitive and confidential matters or topics. Microsoft’s implementation not only encrypts the conversation during the meeting but also enhances cryptographic keys held on users’ devices. In other words, no third party gets access to the meeting or trace the conversations, including Microsoft. The latest security upgrade is supposed to reduce privacy concerns.
On the other hand, PowerPoint Live is one of the new features in Microsoft Teams, it allows users to remotely control the slides, while the viewers or other presenters can privately skip ahead to the content they want without disrupting the presentation. Presenters can review comments, content, notes, and meeting participants on a single screen, which is convenient.
Moreover, Microsoft Teams is offering 3 presenter modes for customized presentations. The 3 modes are ‘Standout’, ‘Reporter’, and ‘Side-by-side’.Only Standout mode will be released within this month (March 2021), Reporter and Side-by-Side mode will be released soon as per Microsoft. Standout mode places the presenter’s video feed front and center. Side-by-side places the video feed right beside the presenter’s slides. Reporter mode is pretty self-explanatory.
Of course, users can leave it in Dynamic Mode to keep things simple. Dynamic View personalizes and automatically manages the frame to the speaker window as people speak up or turn on their cameras. Users can decide to place the participant gallery at the top of their window, closer to your webcam’s placement. This layout arrangement helps maintain a sort of natural eye gaze. Dynamic View will also be coming later this month.
Netflix has rolled out a new iOS exclusive feature they call ‘Fast Laughs’, aat least it is exclusive for now. The feature is very similar to TikTok, full-screen short video streaming platform. Like TikTok as well, you interact by swiping vertically, and you can engage with the creator that you like via the engagement buttons on the side like the “LOL” button. Users can also share the short clips to their family and friends on multiple platforms or drag it to ‘My List’ so that you can watch the full film later.
This feature will be accessible from the bottom navigation tab, right beside the ‘Coming Soon’ tab. Short clips on “Fast Laughs” ranges anywhere from 15 to 45 seconds. Of course, the feature will not be avaialble on Netflix Kids’ profile because clips can be inappropriate.
At this time, “Fast Laughs” will be a sort of gateway for users to the comedy world that exists in Netflix. “Fast Laughs” at this time will feature clips from the comedy catalog with films like “Murder Mystery”, “big Mouth”, “the Crew”, and even snippets from stand-up comedians like Kevin Hart and Ali Wong. While the feature is only tapping into their “Netflix Originals” Comedy catalog within Netflix, they also said that they are looking to allow the feature to tap into their full catalog later on.
This feature is now available for iOS users in selected countries like U.S, Canada, UK, Australia, and Ireland. Netflix is also looking to be testing the feature on Android devices soon. Netflix is a free app available on both iOS and Android via the Apple App Store and Google Play Store respectively. While the app is free, there is a subscription fee. For more information, do visit the Netflix blog.
Samsung has, over the years, established itself as one of the leaders when it comes to display technology; not only in the homes but also in commercial settings. They have been pioneering new display technologies with Quantum Dot (QLED) and now they are pushing boundaries with new form factors, MICRO LED technology, and even projection.
MICRO LED Makes Its Way to Your Living Rooms
Samsung’s foray into MICRO LED started back in 2018 when they introduced “The Wall”. This year, the company is finally bringing their MICRO LED technology to homes. Their new MICRO LED equipped TVs will come in larger sizes starting from 76-inch all the way to 110-inch. The 110-inch and 99-inch sizes will see a global rollout starting at the end of March 2021 with an 88-inch model slated for fall 2021 and a 76-inch in the near future.
The new MICRO LED technology will enable users to get a deeper cinematic experience with deeper blacks, increased brightness and sharper image quality. The new inorganic LED technology prevents burn-in and is claimed to have an increased lifespan compared to QLED and OLED TVs.
Samsung’s new MICRO LED TVs will also be coming with 4Vue (Quad View) – a new way to experience content. The new 4Vue feature will allow users to maximize their visual real estate with up to four sources of content simultaneously. Yep – you’ll be able to watch four different content sources at the same time.
Neo QLED Becomes More Feature Packed
Building on the success of last year’s lineup of Neo QLED TVs, Samsung is making strides in addressing the evolving role that the TV is playing in a household. Of note was the increase in the number of TVs being used as a screen for fitness. Samsung’s Neo QLED TV lineup is getting a new improvement to the Samsung Health suite introduced last year. The new Smart Trainer in Samsung Health allows users to plug in a compatible webcam which will add an AI layer to help them up their fitness game. The new AI coach will send prompts to the user about their form and more while they exercise.
In addition to this, Samsung’s 2021 Neo QLED and QLED TVs also come with FreeSync Premium Pro certification. Thanks to their collaboration with AMD, the new generation of TVs will be able to hook up to PCs and consoles and take advantage of high dynamic range (HDR) for better colour saturation and reproduction for more realistic content. In addition, the new lineup gets a new Game Bar that allows users to monitor information while gaming. Users will also be able to use Samsung’s Super Ultrawide Gameview to access ultrawide aspect ratios previously available only on ultrawide monitors like Samsung’s Odyssey gaming monitors.
The new features come in addition to use of mini LED technology which is 1/40 the size of regular LEDs. The finer size allows for ultra-fine light control allowing the TVs to produce deeper blacks, brighter whites and finer control on an LED level. This paired with Samsung’s Neo Quantum Processor allows the TVs to upscale content and dynamically adjust to optimise content quality.
Samsung’s Neo QLED line up will come in 8K and 4K resolutions. The 8K models will be available in 65-, 75- and 85-inch models while their 4K line up will have a wider selection of sizes starting from 50-inch sizes.
Screens to Adapt to Any Lifestyle
Samsung has been on a recent bend of creating TVs that will accommodate any lifestyle. That’s not changing in 2021. With the introduction of The Frame, The Serif, The Sero and The Terrace over the years, Samsung has successfully created a new demand for adaptable TVs. This year, they are upping the ante with additional features and partnerships for The Frame and The Terrace while introducing a whole new experience with The Premiere.
The Frame is getting a refresh from the design up. This year’s The Frame comes in slimmer at 24.9mm with more options for customizations. The most notable being the introduction of My Shelf which allows users to create visually stunning areas around The Frame. The new accessory is compatible with the 55-, 65- and 75- inch versions. In line with the Frame’s original introduction, Samsung is partnering with NAVA contemporary and Etsy to bring even more stunning pieces of art to the screen. Storage on the Frame has also been increased from 500MB to 6GB in the 2021 The Frame.
The Premiere is Samsung’s first triple laser projector. It comes with 4K resolution and even built-in sound. Designed with minimalism in mind, The Premiere packs a stereo sound system with a built-in subwoofer in a sleek body. Those looking to get The Premiere need not fret for space as it only requires 5-inches from the intended projection surface.
The Terrace is also getting a slight bump in specifications. Introduced for the outdoors, the new version is coming with more features for the outdoors. This year’s model will come with Sun Protection which will allow it to last in the outdoors particularly in sunny conditions. Of course, the Terrace will still retain its IP55 dust and water resistance rating.
In addition to the TVs, Samsung also introduces a new Odyssey G9 gaming monitor which comes with Quantum MiniLED technology. The 1000R curvature allows users to get a more immersive experience from their gaming content with optimisations and features meant for gamers. Samsung is also bringing its Smart Monitor line up to the forefront. The new monitor brings all the features of a smart TV to a monitor and even includes DeX.
A Complete Experience
Samsung’s experience wouldn’t be complete without a matching sound system. Together with their new displays, the company announced the availability of a new Q series lineup. This year’s lineup comes fully equipped with Q Symphony technology which they introduced last year. This technology allows the soundbar and the TV’s built-in sound system to work together in unison for a unique, immersive sound system. This year’s iteration of Q Symphony comes with an additional feature that allows the soundbar to dynamically measure and adapt to the room it’s in.
The company’s flagship Q950A is the first 11.1.4 channel soundbar which creates an even more immersive sound experience. It comes with Bass Boost for added oomph and Tap Sound to allow you to seamlessly connect to the soundbar from your mobile device.
All the announced products will be available soon across the globe with some countries already rolling out the product.
Update (10 March 2021): More rumors are continuing to surface about the ROG Phone 5 in the days leading up to its release. The first is that the new gaming phone will have a variant with 16GB of RAM. Something we highlighted in our original article. In addition to this, we’ve got our first look at the phone thanks to leaker @IshanAgarwal on Twitter. It seems like the phone will be coming in a new, sleek white color similar to the Zephyrus G14/15. The official renders also show a new AeroActive Cooler with a slight redesign.
And here is the ASUS ROG Phone 5 White Color Variant!
ASUS’s ROG Phone is arguably one of the most popular gaming phones on the market. ASUS launched the first ROG Phone to much fanfare in 2019 creating a new niche for loud, gamer-proud devices. They also pack specifications and software features that allow users to get the most out of their phones when it comes to performance and comes with software optimizations for gaming. Don’t forget the plethora of gaming-centric accessories that is now a signature of the ROG Phone lineup.
In the past, ASUS has announced their gaming smartphone closer to mid year. However, this year, the company has already announced that they will be revealing their new entry into the ROG Phone line up on March 10 at 7pm. With that in mind, we thought it’s be an opportune time to round up the rumours and everything else we know so far about the ROG Phone 5.
Bringing New Design Cues from Successful Laptops
Yep. You read that right. No you didn’t miss a ROG Phone somewhere in between. Instead, ASUS has decided to skip straight to 5 as the number 4 in Mandarin and other Chinese dialects sounds similar to the word for death.
With that out of the way, let’s get down to business. You’d have realised that ASUS has been teasing the ROG Phone 5 for about a week now. If you’ve been paying attention, it looks like the AniMe matrix from the ROG Zephyrus G14 is coming along for the ride. It seems to be the hallmark design feature of the phone and will be replacing the RGB logo which was one back of the phone.
From the leaks, it looks like this may be complemented by a small display. The small strip could be used as a notification ticker or possibly in a similar way that the HTC One Ultra used it for interactive features. However, there’s no confirmations so far on the functionality of the display.
This would be an excellent complement to the triggers that we already know will be coming to the ROG Phone 5. It also seems like there is an extra red button on the phone’s lower left edge. Keep in mind, that the ROG Phone series has historically come with a side mounted USB-C port.
Specc’d to Kill
As is the usual, it seems like the ROG Phone 5 is specced to kill – in a matter of speaking. We know the phone will be coming with a Snapdragon 888 processor. However, what we don’t know is whether the processor will come with a special build like previous years. Typically, ASUS and Qualcomm have launched the ROG Phone 5 with a “plus” or + variant of the year’s top processor. However, this year, the ROG Phone seems to be coming with the run of the mill Snapdragon 888.
We know from TENAA documentation that there will be an 8GB version of the smartphone, possibly the Tencent or STRIX version which we’ve seen in the past. However, we also have an inkling through rumours that ASUS is likely to have a 16GB and 12GB versions as well. Of course, they will be using the UFS 3.1 standard of memory for that snappy runtime. We will definitely see versions with 256GB and 512GB of internal storage however we wouldn’t put it past ASUS to offer a whopping 1TB version too perhaps paired with 16GB of RAM.
When it comes to the battery, we know for a fact that ASUS hasn’t shied away from large battery capacities. This year’s ROG Phone seems to be coming with a 6,000mAh battery if rumours are to be believed. ASUS is apparently achieving this by doubling up on 3,000mAh battery modules. Of course, the phone will be able to support up to 65W Fast Charging and come with Quick Charge 4, USB-C Power Delivery 3.0 and maybe even reverse charging. However, we don’t expect to see wireless charging in the ROG Phone 5 if ASUS keeps to its trends.
Source: ASUS
On the display front, it looks like ASUS might be equipping the ROG Phone 5 with a 6.78-inch AMOLED screen. However, rumours point to the gaming smartphone only coming with a Full HD+ resolution. That said, the display may be getting a boost from the HDR10+ feature it’s rumoured to be touting. It also looks like the smartphone will be coming with Android 11 out of the box.
Thanks to DxO Mark’s audio review, we know that the ROG Phone comes with stereo speakers and a 3.5mm audio jack – hooray~! In addition, it looks like the phone will be equipped with an ESS DAC for better quality sound and it will also have at least four microphones. On the optics side of things, not too much detail is known. However, we do have leads showing that the phone will be coming with a triple sensor setup. It will be fronted by a 64-megapixel main sensor. The remaining sensors are unknown but if we are to go with what came in the ROG Phone 3 and similar phones this year, we’re betting on an ultrawide sensor and a macro sensor.
Pricing & Availability
While nothing much has been said about the price, we’re expecting ASUS to maintain the general price point of the ROG Phone 5. The ROG Phone came with a price tag of $999 in the U.S. and €999 in Europe at launch. In Malaysia, pricing was about MYR4,499 at launch.
However, given Samsung’s move to make the barrier to ownership a little lower this year, we can probably expect that ASUS may do the same; either with a lower specc’d entry or a very slight price decrease. We’ll have to wait and see.
