Category Archives: Lifestyle

Self-Driving Vehicle Comes to South East Asia Courtesy of HUAWEI

With all the attention that HUAWEI is getting these past few weeks for all the wrong reasons, they are still positive. They are still Malaysia’s biggest hope to our progression toward 5G, they have collaborated with Singapore to bring more contents to their own platform, and they are still innovating on their smartphones. Also, they are still the largest network infrastructure provider in this part of the world.

Driverless cars, on the other hand, is not something that is quite prevalent here. In South East Asia at least, the most we can get is assisted braking. Even radar guided cruise control over here is not something that is readily available. To hear about a driverless car in this neck of the woods is news.

Sadly, we are not getting that technology in Malaysia. The system is placed in Thailand first. It is not a Tesla either. It is completely autonomous with no human input controls within the vehicle at least.

It is not made for commercial purposes either, so you cannot even buy it even if you have millions in the bank. Maybe you can, but that is not the point. The new autonomous vehicle is Thailand’s next step in transforming the nation into a digital one.

Technically the vehicle in question looks nothing more than a metal box on four wheels. That is because, that is all it is – a delivery vehicle to revolutionise the Thailand healthcare industry. No, it is not made to transport human beings as ambulances.

Source: HUAWEI

They are mostly made to transport medical equipment, or medical supplies either within a hospital compound or from one hospital in town to the other. Which also means that this will also be on the road. There is a problem to all these autonomous vehicles however – how are they driven?

Usually an autonomous vehicle gathers data through various cameras and sensors placed around its body panels. These data are stitched through its ‘brains’ or CPU and uploaded to the cloud for further analysis to create detailed information of the road it sees, and the objects around it. The computer within the vehicle will determine how fast it should be going, where it should be heading, and where to place itself to avoid collisions, and find the fastest route to its destination. This also means a more reliable delivery service. Important when it comes to life and death.

There is a crucial component in autonomous vehicle networks though – data. You cannot just collect endless amounts of data and not offload it and back it up somewhere else. You need to share the data, back it up, and retrieve older data for the machine to understand situations better and make decisions based on every other data. For that, you need a stable and fast internet connection. For that you can look at 5G.

In this case, HUAWEI is that big partner that brings on the 5G capabilities required for Thailand’s revolutionary delivery vehicle service for the medical field. Technically that is it, HUAWEI empowering the healthcare segment of Thailand through their 5G. There is a little more than that though.

By effectively transforming the healthcare environment with 5G infrastructures also propels Thailand at the forefront of 5G readiness. While Malaysia is aiming to get 5G to hit the streets as soon as the end of 2020, it seems that Thailand has leaped forward and start taking advantage of 5G in improving their healthcare capacity and capabilities. This is a start to a much bigger 5G future.

What do you think of Malaysia’s progress toward 5G? Which industry do you think should get 5G capabilities first? Let us know in the comments!

Another E-Commerce Challenger Has Entered the Ring – Vettons Launches

The digital marketplace in South East Asia is quite a crowded space. In Malaysia itself at least, we have Lazada, Shopee, Lelong, Mudah, and LamboPlace. Now, we have Vettons.

Launched on 7th July 2020, the platform looks to change the whole e-commerce environment in Malaysia. Yes, this is the new e-commerce platform that has been teased on social media. This is the e-commerce platform that is going to “revolutionise” online shopping in Malaysia.

Source: Vettons

Vettons is purely app based, so good luck scrolling through their web store like traditional e-marketplaces. The website will direct you to a download link on Google Play and App Store. Still, it is available for free on both platforms.

A new online marketplace is always a welcome addition in Malaysia though. Still, this is not like any other e-commerce sites like any other though. It is supposed to be cleverer.

Vettons is different because they ensure that their products are off the highest quality. Okay, maybe we are overselling that a little bit. They are just making sure that the products that are sold on their platform are genuine things from their third-party merchants.

That also means you will not see questions of whether items are genuine in the comment sections. Everything is ensured to come from partner brands. In turn, each brand ensures that their products are up to a certain standard, that is quite normal.

Source: Vettons

Of course, like other platforms too, you get the promo items or items with the lowest prices presented to you in the first page. Thing is you need to be shopping or browsing around a little bit for the algorithm to understand your purchase patterns and preferences. We can get into that a little more later.

What is even more interesting is that Vettons promises delivery within 24 hours for each item you buy. This is something that is not offered on most of the platforms in Malaysia. That means if you might need something urgently, Vettons can deliver if they have the item you want that is.

Now we get to the algorithm. They are touting a very clever interface that learns what you do and what you purchase and personalise the shopping experience to you. They are also looking to make the platform more interactive than just you shopping for things. After all, “customer satisfaction” is the main goal.

Source: Vettons

In some sense, what Vettons promises us as potential customers are not technically radical new things. They are looking to make things just a little smarter for us, shoppers. We do appreciate new things though.

Vettons is available for free on Google’s Play Store and Apple’s App Store now. For more information on Vettons, you can visit their website.

Qualcomm Snapdragon Wear 4100 Platform Unveiled

Wearables are the rage these days. Well, they have been for the past few years. Of course they would be; they offer unparalleled flexibility and function to something as simple as a wrist watch. Your wrist watch is now your smartphone companion, your fitness tracker, your notification bell, your personal assistant, and your alarm.

The introduction of the new Apple WatchOS just about a week ago also marks a sort of new age for wearables. The same cannot be said, however to the aging platform that is Wear OS. Not that there is nothing new with Wear OS.

The latest Wear OS is technically still in its second generation (2.18 as launched in May 2020). You are already seeing the fourth generation of Wear OS devices in the market currently. The ones that has been pushing for Wear OS plenty is Fossil these days. They do have some pretty good-looking Wear OS devices on offer right now too, for not very much money.

There is another problem, however. The platform that they have been sitting on, the Qualcomm Snapdragon Wear System on a Chip (SoC) that Wear OS rides on is also aging. To be fair, nothing much is really wrong with them. At the same time, they do leave a little bit to be desired.

Source: XDA Developers

2020 sees the new Qualcomm Snapdragon Wear 4100 platform. In this new line-up there are two processors unveiled. The top performing being the Qualcomm Snapdragon War 4100+ platform, and then there is the regular 4100 platform.

The headlines are pretty much expected. It is more powerful than the two year-old Qualcomm Snapdragon 3100. It is a lot more energy efficient too, making energy-efficient mode more colourful and functional. There is a whole slew of improvements in managing other features too, including a promised better GPS support. Oh, apparently there is better camera support too for whatever reason.

Of course, all these things are quite expected. To put them into perspective though, you have to look at numbers. Keep in mind that Wearable tech is still in its infancy and is still growing at an exponential rate.

The new 4100 platform is clocked 85% faster than the 3100 platform. Its memory clock is also that much faster while GPU performance is claimed to be more than twice faster than before. No, you might not want to use it for gaming still in a display no bigger than your webcam.

But that allows developers and Google more room for fancy animations, better looking interfaces, and generally plenty more functions to be loaded on top of Wear OS. Heck, it could even mean that you get different variants of Wear OS that fits form and function distinctly.

Source: XDA Developers

Apparently also the new 12nm Snapdragon Wear 4100 platform offers 25% more battery life compared to the outgoing 3100 platform. While that is still nothing to shout about, it is an improvement. Now you can have a Wear OS device that lasts to bedtime, rather than one that has to be charged when you get home after work. Or not, depending on what the watchmaker feels like fitting into their hardware.

There is a new 4G modem too in case you want the device to be an eSIM device. That also means you might be able to leave your smartphone behind during a jog in favour of a more secure, lighter package you wear on your wrist. Of course, new improved antenna also means better GPS coverage and tracking.

Currently nothing in Fossil’s line-up will feature the Qualcomm Snapdragon 4100 platform. The first Wear OS device with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 4100 platform will be the Mobvoi TicWatch line up. We can expect to see Fossil to follow suit later in the year. The Wear OS platform now might be worth a look.

Samsung Makes the Kitchen Hi-tech with Family Hub

Samsung has been hard at work revolutionising traditional living spaces with a touch of technology. They’ve done the living room and the outdoors with some impressive TV offering. Now, they’ve got their sights set on the kitchen with their new refrigerators. The new two door side by side refrigerators are imbued with technology to make life and meal planning easier.

The new Samsung side by side (SBS) Family Hub brings features that make grocery shopping and meal planning a breeze. The new fridge comes with a ViewInside camera which allows users to peek into the fridge without letting any of the cold air out. Not only is this convenient, it helps when it comes to maintaining the temperature of the fridge. It also helps with power efficiency.

The SBS Family Hub also gives you a screen that seamlessly integrates with any Samsung smartphone; allowing you to share precious memories on the screen. The screen can also act as a virtual bulletin board; bringing a traditional use of the refrigerator surface into the future. The Family Board feature also allows you to share music and images on an interactive screen.

The Family Hub brings connectivity to your kitchen like never before. As part of Samsung’s Smart Things ecosystem, it brings seamless connectivity to your kitchen. Interact with your other Smart Things enabled devices such as your Samsung TVs or even smartphones. Mirror your screens on the Family Board, bring your daytime soap opera to the kitchen as you get started cooking for the family or even put your favourite tunes on while you’re getting ready for your day with breakfast. The functionality isn’t device dependent, the Family Hub is able to support apps and independently run music streaming or video streaming apps.

Pricing & Availability

The Samsung SBS Family Hub is now available in Malaysia for MYR8,999.

ASUS ROG Malaysia Partners with Stoned & Co. for AniMe Inspired Streetwear Line

ASUS’s Republic of Gamers (ROG) has always been about being a gamer and with gaming and gamer culture going mainstream, the brand has been branching out over the years to include ROG branded apparel in their line up. This year, ASUS Malaysia is partnering with Stoned & Co. to hit the streets with it’s apparel.

The new collaboration is drawing its inspiration from the AniMe Matrix dot matrix that emblazons the top of the recently released ROG Zephyrus G14. The dot matrix on the laptop allows users to customise their laptop with retro, cyberpunk style dot matrix designs that light up when enabled. The monochromatic accent to the Zephyrus G line up is a touch of personalisation which made waves at CES 2020.

Hence, it comes as no surprise that ROG would want to bank on the head turning feature to inspire it’s streetwear line with Stoned & Co. The line up will be consisting of four pieces: two t-shirts, a bomber jacket and a hoodie. The designed emblazoned on the apparel will share the monochromatic AniMe Matrix feel.

The new apparel line up will be available first to ROG fans who purchase the new Zephyrus G14 laptop. Purchases of the new Ryzen 9 touting G14 will be entitled to a free Stoned X ROG bomber jacket while those purchasing the Ryzen 7 or Ryzen 5 models can stand a chance to win the same. The promotion comes as part of ROG’s ROG My Style campaign. However, if you’re not eager to get a brand new laptop, you’ll be able to get the apparel in Stoned & Co. outlets starting in August.

Parenting Digital Natives

*This article is contributed by Nana Murugesan, Managing Director, International Markets, Snap Inc.*

Parenting the next generation always raises a new set of challenges as well as opportunities. After all, new parents are raising their children in a world that is very different from the one they experienced in their own childhood. Over the past couple of decades, technology has also changed things more fundamentally with parents today raising a generation who at times can feel as if they are speaking an entirely different language to them.

In his 2001 paper “Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants,” the author Marc Prensky said that the rapid arrival and dissemination of digital technology at the turn of the century has created a generation of digital natives who have grown up immersed in technology and who are separated from the generations before who have come to learn technology.

Today’s parents face the challenge of parenting digital natives in a rapidly evolving world that their children understand and adapt to far better than themselves. But while it can sometimes feel like they are inhabiting different worlds, there are ways in which parents can bridge the gap.

Celebrity parents such as Reese Witherspoon and Julianne Moore have realised that Snapchat is a cool way of communicating with their teenage children. The platform can be part of any parent’s digital set up to maintain and develop an intimate relationship with their digital native offspring

Understand their thoughts to understand their actions 

A study conducted by Snap Inc, The Friendship Report[1], explored friendships in four distinct age generations, from Gen X to Gen Z. While both Millennials and Gen Zs can be classified as digital natives, there are some key differences in how they interact and present themselves in the (digital) world.

From The Friendship Report, 37% of Gen Z in Malaysia was found to be more selective over the people they let into their close circle of friends, as opposed to Millennials, who are comfortable sharing intimacies beyond the borders of their close friends.

This is also reflected in differing preferences for social and messaging platforms. While social networks are built to curate a digital representation of one’s self, Snapchat’s emphasis on privacy by design offers the ability to control who has access to your Snaps, is one of the reasons Gen Z’s prefer it over other, more public, platforms. Local Gen Z (27%) are more reluctant than Gen Y (56%) to share life updates publicly on Facebook.

At Snapchat, we have put a great deal of thought into how to empower young people to engage creatively, safely and positively with their close friends when online. Our app was built with privacy at its core — starting with ephemerality — and designed to combat the online popularity contests fuelled by other platforms. In line with that, Snapchat was deliberately designed to be free from public vanity metrics such as likes, comments or shares. Our focus is on creating fun and surprising experiences that make snapping with your best friends fun. We strongly believe that there are different types of screen time and that we should be judging quality and not quantity.

Get on their wavelength

While the familiar trope of parents attempting to be fun, hip or cool will outlast us all, there are ways to learn and understand your digital native’s language. One way is to meet them as an equal and show understanding, which begins with putting away judgement and nostalgia about “the way things were”.

One of the best ways to get to know someone is to find an activity to share. While Snapchat’s audience is predominantly made up of Millennial and Gen Z digital natives, there’s plenty to interest everyone, not just the teens. Create an account and explore the messaging app, which offers entertainment via Discover and Snap Games, and AR experiences through Lenses. Why not move your family group chat over to Snapchat, so you can discuss and celebrate genuine, private family moments with full control over what gets shared outside the group?

Things they don’t teach you in school

In today’s day and age where information is available at the tap of a finger, we have access to high resolution videos of the highest highs, and the lowest lows of humanity. It’s important not to be overwhelmed, and to tackle this anxiety-inducing state of affairs by educating ourselves and our children. Teach them to be discerning consumers who critically assess the information they gain over the internet. One key step is in learning to be discerning when choosing news outlets, which is a lifelong practice.

Discover is a curated platform, with shows and news coming from trusted news sources, and what you are served isn’t based on friends activity – preventing the widespread dissemination of fake news, or creating an echo chamber.

Parenting often involves having one foot in the present and another in an unknown future. While all parents want the best for their children, we can learn to be nimble, and collaborate with our digital natives. Along the way, they might teach us a thing or two about this brave new world, though they can’t imagine a time before cellphones were a gateway to the rest of the world.

OPPO Enco W31 Launches in Malaysia – TWS Goodness for MYR 259

Personal audio is awesome. Being able to tune out the world at your daily commute is awesome. There is a problem however, there always is. Earphones are often quite messy. That is why true wireless (TWS) earphones are all the rage these days, overtaking regular Bluetooth headphones.

Of course we can understand why. TWS earphones come with its own protection case that even charges the earphones. When you carry it around and use it, it is completely wireless, which also means that there is no risk of wasting five minutes trying to untangle the earphones. You just simply take out your earphones from the case and start playing music, awesomeness in less than five seconds.

TWS earphones are not cheap though. You cannot usually find any decent TWS type earphones that would cost less than MYR 500. OPPO is looking to change that though.

Source: OPPO

No, we are not talking about the OPPO Enco Free. The OPPO Enco Free was launched a few months ago that was priced at MYR 599. Yes, Still MYR 599. They just launched a completely new TWS earphone for the market alongside their new OPPO A92 mid-range smartphone.

They launched the OPPO Enco W31 and it is priced at MYR 259. Oh yes, it is priced below MYR 500, and we know that OPPO makes good audio devices since their OPPO Digital days. Remember they made the iconic OPPO PM-1 high-end headphones?

Source: OPPO

The new OPPO Enco W31 has some design cues that is very reminiscent of a certain other manufacturer in their newer earphone too. Still, by the looks of it, it seems a little more ergonomic than the outgoing Enco Free with a more standard earbud design.

The MYR 259 price tag does not mean that the OPPO Enco W31 is anywhere near cheap quality or cheap sounding though. At least we do not think it is. Still, you are getting quite a few features for the money.

Source: OPPO

It has noise cancellation, albeit only for phone calls. It even has the same sort of Bluetooth technology that Enco Free has. The Binaural Low-Latency Bluetooth technology on top of Bluetooth 5.0, as we have experienced in the OPPO Enco Free, is quite amazing. That technology also helps with latency differences between earphones, which means you are getting properly synchronised audio through the earphones.

It even has a Bass Mode to pump the low frequencies up. Most smaller earphones with small audio drivers have a problem of a less powerful low frequency. This should solve that issue with OPPO’s 7mm diaphragms. All this is packed in a package that can last you a total of up to 15 hours of battery life. On their own, the earbuds last you 3.5 hours. It charges fast enough though. 10 minutes of charge gives you up to 80 minutes of music playback time. All you need to do is pop the Enco W31 ear buds into the carrying case.

The OPPO Enco W13 TWS earphones is now available for pre-order until the 8th of March 2020. That is the same time as the OPPO A92 smartphone. It will set you back MYR 259 still. If you pre-ordered your OPPO Enco W31 alongside the OPPO A92 though, you are only paying MYR 199 for it. It is available in two colours: Black and White.

Picture Perfect: Choosing the Best Projector Resolution for Your Needs

It started with The Magic Lantern in 1895, one of the earliest recorded functional projectors in history, the technology behind projectors today challenges the concept of flexibility, mobility and visual quality. The projector has evolved in so many aspects but one that is particularly significant: the projector resolution.

Projector resolution significantly affects the image quality and our viewing pleasure; it is a measure of clarity & size of the output image. ‘Resolution’ refers to the number of pixels on screen. A pixel is the smallest element on a screen display which produces a complete image when put together. Hence, greater resolution produces greater image quality.

What are the resolution formats available?

Resolution formats vary depending on the intended input/output device and purpose:

Resolution Format
SVGA (800 x 600 pixels)An affordable option for business, large venues and classrooms to project simple data, charts and short clips.
XGA (1024 x 768 pixels)Following the advancement of technology and computers, the XGA format became the native resolution for most desktops and laptops.
WXGA format (1280 x 800 pixels)The widescreen version of the XGA, a common resolution suited to movie-viewing and video gaming.
WUXGA (1920 x 1200 pixels)A standard format for modern desktops and laptops, commonly equipped in large venues due to its bright and high-definition content projection.

Why should we choose a higher resolution at work and schools?

The greater the number of pixels = The higher the resolution = The greater the image quality. When it boils down to image quality, high-resolution formats enrich the quality and detail of charts, graphs, texts and high-definition videos resulting in a sharper, cleaner image[1]. These details are vital for effective classroom learning.

A projector for your home cinema experience

Additionally, high-resolution projectors for home entertainment is an investment for avid moviegoers and film enthusiasts as it allows for an at-home cinematic experience. This allows you to control the quality of your experience to completely immerse yourself in cinematic adventures with more privacy and intimacy.

ResolutionsRecommended Usage
720p (1280 x 720 pixels)An economical choice for movie projection and is compatible with the standard HDTV format
1080p (1920 x 1080 pixels)The standard format for home theatre, commonly used for 1080i/1080p HDTV broadcast and Blu-ray formats
4K UHD (4096 x 2160 pixels)The highest resolution for moving pictures, this means crisp visuals with quality cinematic experience within the comfort of your home

How do we choose the right projector resolution?

It all depends on your content. To guarantee viewing quality and pleasure, the projector’s resolution must be compatible with the content output. For example, the WXGA resolution is best suited with 720p videos and a HD resolution with Blu-ray discs and 1080i HDTV[2]. The projected image quality depends on both the resolution of the content and the projector itself. You may compromise on the content’s quality if the resolution of your input device doesn’t match the resolution of your projector. This happens when your input device (laptop/smartphone), a WUXGA format is projected through XGA formatted projector. The number of pixels will be reduced to fit within the ratio of your projector, reducing the display quality. Hence, making a careful choice in a projector that matches or is higher than the resolution of the input device is necessary to guarantee fine image quality, minimum compression and maximum compatibility[3].

You should opt for solutions that include exceptional image quality with a low total cost of ownership accompanied with excellent reliability and service[4]. Unsurprisingly enough, Epson can provide these and more! Investing in a quality projector, no matter the physical setting and content can improve performance, productivity and ultimately – viewing pleasure.


[1] https://epson.com/projector-guide-how-to-buy-a-projector-resolution

[2] https://electronics.howstuffworks.com/gadgets/high-tech-gadgets/video-projector-buying-guide1.htm

[3] https://www.projectorpoint.co.uk/projector-resolution

[4] https://epson.com/projectors-and-displays

Netflix US Gets Exclusive Rights to Pokémon’s Latest Series: Pokémon Journeys

Pokémon has become one of the most valuable intellectual properties (IPs) in the world. What started off as a role playing game on the original Nintendo Gameboy, is now a multibillion dollar household name. Most recently, the Pokémon Company released the latest generation games, Pokémon Sword and Shield, on the Nintendo Switch. It has since announced much anticipated expansions to the Galar region; the first of which, Isle of Armour, due out in June.

In classic style, each new region introduced also signals a new adventure for the long running anime. Pokémon’s anime started off in 1997 in Japan and found its way to Western audiences a year later. With Ash Ketchum’s adventures well underway in Japan, the anime is now slated to make its US debut exclusively on Netflix as a Netflix Original.

The new series will follow protagonist Ash Ketchum as he travels the world with his Pikachu. The new series kicks off when Ash and Pikachu meet Goh, an extremely curious boy who looks to catch every Pokémon including the mythical Mew. The duo are appointed as official research fellows by Professor Oak’s prodigy, Professor Cerise. The series will follow the duo as they work towards becoming the ultimate Pokémon Master and catch ’em all around the Pokémon world.

Pokémon Jouneys: The Series will debut with 12 episodes on June 12, 2020. Netflix and the Pokémon Company International will be adding new episodes every quarter after. The new series joins a growing catalogue of Netflix originals which encompass licensed and Netflix produced shows on the platform.

Lenovo Learn From Home – A New Type of Ambassador

If you look into the PC market these days, you see nearly the same things from every other manufacturer. It has been that way for a while now actually. Every mainstream brand goes with their usual line-up, then there is the high-end professional line-up, a mainstream and high-end gaming line-up, and now, they have the high-end creative industry line-up. There is one segment that many manufacturers are not taking enough advantage of though. That is the student market.

It is a completely different market compared to what the other markets are serving you see. In this segment, consumers are looking to buy value-for-money portable set-up that they are comfortable to work with. Preferably you have something at 14-inch to 15-inch of display, large enough to easily browse through documents and rifle through research papers. It is also large enough to enjoy YouTube and Netflix when they need to relax. Of course, the main aim is to get work done on it. It has to be able to comfortably run excel files, easily create attractive and purposeful PowerPoints, and write long essays away from the charging port preferably.

Lenovo has a number of things that they are already doing to make their Notebook PCs more appealing to students. One of which is to bundle Microsoft’s whole office offering for students into their value Notebook PC line-ups. Their new strategy is to find a completely new kind of brand ambassador.

Source: Lenovo

Their new IdeaPad Slim 1, IdeaPad S145, and ThinkBook 14 Notebook PCs are included under their “Learn From Home” package. The Notebook PCs prices starts from MYR 999, MYR 2,049, and MYR 3,399 respectively. Selected devices will get the Students package with Microsoft Office 365 Student access.

They are looking for a full-time student to be their new ambassador this time. Of course, there are some criteria other than being a full-time student and being able to verify that status. The candidate has to also be active in their campus activities as a student. Interested participants also have to be active on social media and be a registered Member of Lenovo’s Education Store

If selected, the ambassadors will be exclusively invited to watch Lenovo Tech Talks. The Tech Talks are kind of product launch events or even concept show cases. Selected students will also get to participate in the Q&A sessions that happens within the events.

They also get direct access to Lenovo team members as part of a sort of a mentorship program. Students can speak to Lenovo team members in virtual office hours to gain skills that may be essential to their career path or as entrepreneurs. All this, on top of a 15% discount referral code they can use and share with friends or family members to purchase selected Lenovo devices listed under the “Learn From Home” program.

Eligible students may apply for Lenovo Malaysia’s Student Ambassador program or find out more about the program on Lenovo Malaysia’s website. All participants will be awarded with a certificate of participation to be added to their portfolio. At least you tried, you know. If you are selected though, you might be featured in one of Lenovo’s Quarterly Student Ambassador newsletter. For more information on Lenovo’s “Learn From Home” offers, head over to their website too.