Category Archives: Android

OnePlus Announces the OnePlus 10T ^5G Without the Notification Slider But With 15 Antennae

August 4, 2022 Nur Jeevan 1 Comment

OnePlus seems to be returning to its “Never Settle” roots with the announcement of its latest flagship – the OnePlus 10T ^5G. The new smartphone is poised to be one of the most affordable flagships this year and focuses on top-notch performance – even in extreme temperatures.

Never Settle with Flagship Specifications

The OnePlus 10T comes equipped with the latest from Qualcomm – the Snapdragon 8+Gen 1. Complementing this is the highest amount of RAM to be on a OnePlus smartphone – 16GB. The 10T also features RAM expansion which allows you to get a further 7GB of RAM for buttery smooth performance. This comes in addition to the new software enhancements that come in OxygenOS 12.1. OnePlus is touting that these enhancements and the RAM allow the smartphone to perform even with 35 apps suspended in the background.

That said, the OnePlus 10T isn’t just about processing. It comes with a 6.7-inch, Fluid AMOLED display capable of 120Hz refresh rates, a 720Hz response rate and HDR10+. It also has adaptive refresh rate technology which allows the display to adapt the refresh rate to suit your content. Higher refresh rates will be used when doing things like gaming while battery performance will be prioritised when doing things like reading with lower refresh rates.

The one big omission in the OnePlus 10T is the notification slider which was the company’s signature. However, OnePlus is making up for that with better connectivity. The 10T comes with 15 antennae and AI enhancements that allow it to have better connectivity and network performance.

1-100% in 19 Minutes with SuperVOOC Endurance Edition

Speaking of battery life, the OnePlus 10T comes with a 4,800mAh battery which charges via the USB-C 2.0 port on the phone. It supports SuperVOOC Charging of up to 150W. With SuperVOOV Endurance Edition, the 10T can get a day’s battery life with 10 minutes of charging. A full charge from 1-100% will only take 19 minutes.

With the growing concern of fast charging affecting battery health, OnePlus is bringing what they call the Battery Health Engine to the 10T. This system will work to ensure the best battery performance with minimal loss in battery capacity. The OnePlus 10T is also equipped with two charging pumps instead of the conventional single pump. This allows the phone to charge at faster speeds more efficiently with reduced heat and greater safety.

Unibody Design with 3 Cameras

The OnePlus 10T comes with a unibody design. The phone has been designed to be ergonomic and feels good in the hand. The rounded edges on the back make it easy to hold and manoeuvre the flat display with one hand. OnePlus has also given the smartphone a signature Jade Green colourway which is accented with a punch of deep metallic green.

Within the deep green portion lies the smartphone’s triple camera setup. Yep – triple camera. The new triple camera setup consists of a wide, ultrawide and macro sensor. The main sensor of the 10T is the 50–megapixel Sony IMX766 which comes equipped with optical image stabilization and improved HDR performance. This main sensor is complemented by an 8-megapixel ultrawide sensor and a 2-megapixel macro sensor. On the front is a 16-megapixel sensor for selfies.

Pricing & Availability

The OnePlus 10T will be available in Jade Green and Moonstone Black globally. For now, it looks like only the Jade Green version of the smartphone will be making its way to Malaysia.

It will be available in three variants: 8GB RAM and 128GB of storage, 12GB RAM with 256GB of storage and 16GB RAM with 256GB of storage. The 12GB version seems to be exclusive to India. Early access starts on 3rd August 2022 on OnePlus.com. It will be available in stages across different regions starting with Europe.

Pre-orders in Europe start today, 3rd August with general availability on the 25th of August. In the U.S. pre-orders will begin on 1 September 2022 with general availability on 29th September. It will be available in Malaysia starting on 1 September 2022.

No official pricing for Malaysia has been announced just yet. However, prices in other regions are as follows:

Variant	Price (USD)	Price (Europe)	Price (UK)	Price (India)
8GB + 128GB	$649 [MYR2892.59]	€699 [MYR3164.51]	£629 [MYR3406.48]	₹49,999 [MYR2817.61]
12GB + 256GB	–	–	–	₹54,999 [MYR3099.38]
16GB + 256GB	$749 [MYR3338.29]	€799 [MYR3617.23]	£729 [MYR3948.05]	₹55,999 [MYR3155.73]

Android, Mobile, News

Samsung Galaxy Flip 4 Rumour Round-Up

August 3, 2022 Nur Jeevan Leave a comment

The Samsung Galaxy Flip 3 was arguably the tipping point for consumers when it came to foldables. It was more accessible and also provided features and experiences that made sense to consumers. This year, with the Samsung Galaxy Flip 4, we’re expecting Samsung to bring a more tailored experience while maintaining the familiar form factor of the Flip series.

Source: 91mobiles.com
Source: 91mobiles.com
Source: 91mobiles.com
Source: 91mobiles.com

With the increasing popularity, it comes as no surprise that Samsung is looking to make their foldables more mainstream and give each model its own identity. To that end, it looks like the Galaxy Z moniker will be laid to rest. The newest generation of foldables is seemingly being rebranded as the Samsung Galaxy Flip 4 and the Galaxy Fold 4 with no “Z”s in sight.

Same, Same But Different

It looks like the Galaxy Flip 4 will be retaining the design of the Flip 3 with minor tweaks. This isn’t new when it comes to Samsung. They’ve already done this with the S22 and even their new Galaxy A series. It seems to be their MO at the moment releasing a smartphone with a new design every few years and tweaking it for the following. This tick-tock strategy may help in the long term as more people become more familiar not only with the brand but also each line’s design cues.

The Galaxy Z Flip4 protective case, the hinge part has also been changed and become very narrow. pic.twitter.com/uEtPHwCUtr
— ICE UNIVERSE (@UniverseIce) June 1, 2022

The Galaxy Flip 4 will be retaining the dual coloured design of the Flip 3. However, there will be minor differences that adapt to the updated tech in the smartphone. The most obvious is apparently the redesigned, slimmer hinge. While it doesn’t look like Samsung is making major changes to the hinge, according to Ice Universe on Twitter, the hinge is now significantly narrower than the Flip 3.

flip4 1024x544 1 — Source: Evan Blass (@evleaks) via 91mobiles.com

Rumours also point to the Galaxy Flip 4 being launched with four colour options: Bora purple, Light Blue, Gray and Gold. The colours are a welcomed update to the colours of the Flip 3 but there are also inklings that there will be a Bespoke edition which will allow for more than 70 colour combinations.

Better Tech. A True Flagship.

While the Galaxy Z Flip and Z Flip 3 were flagships in their own right, their insides left a lot of enthusiasts wanting. The Z Flip, in particular, came with a dated processor and specifications that left us scratching our heads. That seems to be changing with the Flip 4. The Galaxy Flip 4 is rumoured to be coming equipped with the latest and greatest Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1. That’s a major upgrade which puts it on par with other flagships that have just been released in the past few months.

Source: 91mobiles.com
Source: 91mobiles.com
Source: 91mobiles.com
Source: 91mobiles.com
Source: 91mobiles.com
Source: 91mobiles.com
Source: 91mobiles.com
Source: 91mobiles.com
Source: 91mobiles.com
Source: 91mobiles.com
Source: 91mobiles.com
Source: 91mobiles.com

That said, the Flip 4 seems to be a little more conservative when it comes to RAM and storage. Rumours indicate that the foldable will be coming with a max of 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage. It looks like there will be no support for microSD cards. The lack of microSD card support seems to be an industry standard with smartphones anyways. While there are some rumours that point to a larger 512GB version being available, nothing has been corroborated yet.

The Flip 4 is also rumoured to get a bump in battery capacity as well. While there isn’t anything solid at the moment, it looks like the battery capacity will be rated at about 3,400mAh. However, there are rumours that it may be a larger 3,700mAh. Samsung also looks to be using the same approach to battery technology as the previous Flip smartphones with the battery comprising of two units.

More Cover Display, Same Cameras?

The cover display is also getting a small upgrade. It will be a tad larger at 2.1-inches compared to the 1.5-inches previously. However, the cover display has always depended on its software not its size when it comes to functionality.

On the camera end of things, it looks like Samsung is keeping to the status quo with the dual camera setup we’ve become accustomed to on the Flip. It seems like they will also remain at 12-megapixels with a wide and ultra wide sensor. On the front, we may see the same 10-megapixel sensor or maybe a bump to a larger 32-megapixels as we’ve seen in other Samsung flagships. It also looks like the fingerprint sensor will continue to be integrated into the power button with the Flip 4.

More Affordable? More Premium?

The Galaxy Flip has historically become more affordable with each iteration. The Galaxy Z Flip and Z Flip 5G came at such a premium that it wasn’t the most appealing foldable. However, Samsung changed that with the Z Flip 3. With the Galaxy Flip 4, rumours point to the price getting even more affordable with prices starting at about GBP£900 (MYR4,885.79). That said, more recent rumours indicate a price increase in Europe. We’ll have to wait and see.

Availability

The latest editions of these smartphones are expected to be unveiled later this month on 10 August 2022 during Samsung’s Fall Unpacked press conference. If history is any indication, we can expect pre-orders to follow immediately after the announcement. In fact, Samsung is giving customers an MYR200 voucher to put towards their purchase of the Flip 4 or Fold 4 if you register your interest for the device at Samsung.com.

We’re expecting that the Samsung Galaxy Flip 4 will be commercially available towards the end of August; probably around the 25th of August. This is based on previous announcements of the Galaxy S22 and Fold3.

Android, Lifestyle, Mobile, News

Audio Switching on Android, Coming Soon by Google

July 22, 2022 Darwin Sucipto Leave a comment

Bluetooth, we think, is a gift to the world. It is the alternative to Wi-Fi. In its current Bluetooth 5.0 generation, the technology is better than it has even been. Over a short distance, it is one of the best ways to transfer large amounts of data. It allows multiple devices to be connected simultaneously. It is also the most stable type of short-range connection you can get in your mobile devices today at ultra-low latency.

That is why it is the preferred connection when it comes to your portable and wireless audio gear. Microsoft and Google have made it a point to allow for certified Bluetooth devices to connect to their devices much quicker and easier. The Quick Pair and Fast Pair functions saves us users a lot of time in connecting our Bluetooth gear.

There is a problem with all these conveniences however, or rather, an inconvenience. Especially since multi-device connectivity is available on Bluetooth earphones, getting your devices or audio coming out from the right devices seems to be an issue today. For you to switch audio input from one device to the other is still a manual labour, no more inconvenient that just completely switching your Bluetooth earphone’s input source.

Google Audio Switching

According to Google’s blog post, their audio switching technology works on top of their Fast Pair algorithm. That also means that you do need to have a Bluetooth device that supports Google Fast Pair for it to work. Most new Bluetooth enabled wireless headphones today, save for Apple’s offerings, features Fast Pair anyway.

They explained that using contextual information on what you are listening to, the algorithm automatically switches your audio input based on your actions. The algorithm is also highly dependent on audio prioritization to determine which audio source should be prioritized over which. For example, if your headset is connected to both your tablet and your smartphone and you are listening to music on your tablet and you received a simple notification on your smartphone, your gear should not be switching sources. When you get a call on your phone, for example, only then your audio source should prioritize the phone call and switch its source to your smartphone immediately.

While there is a default priority setting to what your Bluetooth device prioritizes, Google is also giving users the ability to select and customize the experience on their own. At the same time, the experience will not only be limited to Fast Pair enabled Bluetooth audio gear connected to Android or Google devices only. The feature will also be available for all devices that support Bluetooth multipoint connection allowing you to have the convenience of quickly switching audio sources from your smartphone to your Windows laptop and vice versa.

Currently, Google will be rolling out the new feature update to their own Pixel Buds Pro first. They say that they are rolling out the updates to their manufacturing partners like Sony and JBL over the next few weeks. From then on it is just a matter of time before the current line-up of Sony and JBL Bluetooth headsets get the update from the manufacturer’s end. You do not necessarily need an app to toggle audio switching as well, you just need to head into ‘Device details’ in the general Bluetooth settings page.

Android, iOS, Mobile, News

Move to iPhone They Said, WhatsApp Can Moved There They Said – Wait, What?

July 21, 2022 Darwin Sucipto Leave a comment

For the longest time, one of the biggest problems when it comes to moving from one smartphone platform to the other is data transfers and backup. To be fair, when you change from one Android manufacturer to the other, transferring your data can be as easy as setting up a Wi-Fi Direct connection with your older device today. It is a slightly different story when you shift from Android to an iPhone platform though. You tend to have to accept that most of your data will be gone and you must start building your own ecosystem from scratch. One of those databases that might be important to you is your messenger data, specifically WhatsApp.

WhatsApp is one of the only messengers currently active within both the Android and iOS ecosystem that relies on storing data locally. While that is better in terms of security, privacy, and encryption, it makes life a little difficult when you want to transfer your data between devices. For Android devices, WhatsApp can work with Google’s Drive platform to offer data backup and restoration. In iOS devices, WhatsApp relies on Apple’s iCloud service, which is a completely different platform entirely that has nothing to do with Google’s Drive cloud storage platform. That creates a problem when you shift from Android devices to iOS devices and vice versa.

Luckily, WhatsApp knows that this is a problem and has been working hard to rectify the issue, just so that users have more options in terms of choosing their next devices. Now, they have found a sort of solution. We say sort of because it currently only works one way and not the other.

WhatsApp has released an additional app that is available for free on the Google Play Store to make this shift happen. They call it the ‘Move to iOS’ app, which may be rather unoriginal, but straightforward. There are a few requirements to transferring your WhatsApp data from your old Android to your new iPhone though.

First, you need at least Android 5 installed on your device, which should not be too hard if you own a smartphone within the last 5 years. Second, you want to ensure that your new iPhone device packs iOS 15.5 and above, which also should not be too difficult if you go for the latest iPhone devices anyway. Of course, you need to install Move to iOS app as well on your Android device. WhatsApp must be updated too for this to work. You need at least WhatsApp version 2.22.7.74 for your Android device and WhatsApp version 2.22.10.70 for your iPhone. The iPhone device must also be a fresh unit or factory reset unit to pair with the Android app. Then you must ensure that both devices are being plugged in and charged, for some reason. Both devices need to be connected to the same Wi-Fi umbrella, or the Android device must be connected to the receiving iPhone’s hotspot. Of course, the phone number used must be the same.

Once you tick all those boxes, you want to head to the Move to iOS app on your donor Android device and start the process. The process itself is rather straightforward and easy to follow. Once you get on your iPhone, you simply have to log into WhatsApp with your attached phone number and sign in to the messages and other medias waiting for you.

There are no cloud backups, uploads, or download process in this process. Everything is done through Wi-Fi Direct to your iPhone. There is technically no way to monitor the data transfer progress via WhatsApp as well currently. At the same time, like with any WhatsApp transfer, your data is not moved to the new device, it is merely copied. So, if you sign into your Android device after the transfer, you will still have everything in place. There is also a few things you cannot transfer from the Android to the iPhone; namely your personal messages, and peer to peer payment messages (Not like this works in Malaysia currently anyway).

Like we said, the migration is a one-way street currently. There is no easy way for you to transfer your WhatsApp messages and data from the iPhone to an Android device currently. Obviously, transferring WhatsApp data from an iOS to Android devices can be a little complex given the various Android devices you get from differing manufacturers with different standards of complexity as well. If WhatsApp can be transferred from an Android to iOS though, you can expect the reverse to come soon.

Android, Lifestyle, Mobile, News

OnePlus Nord 2T 5G Hits Malaysian Shores for MYR 1,899 Onward!

July 15, 2022 Darwin Sucipto Leave a comment

In the early days of OnePlus, they have always adopted the moniker of a ‘flagship killer’. They were offering flagship level smartphones at a much lower price point. Over the years though, things have changed a little. While their flagships have gotten much better, as per flagships in the modern era, their price points have also gone higher than before. Their flagships smartphones can no longer be called ‘flagship killers’. They are just flagships now.

The ‘flagship killer’ moniker did not die though with the introduction of the OnePlus’ Nord mid-range smartphone. The first Nord was through and through a mid-range smartphone. It offered a mid-range smartphone experience that is rather close or comparable to most flagships in the modern era though. It was also offered at a much lower price point.

Of course, the first-generation Nord, however good it was, must be replaced with a new one. The latest one of the bunch is the Nord 2T 5G. Welcome to the flagship experience, but at a fraction of the price.

Flagship Level Speeds

At MYR 1,899, it is not the cheapest mid-range smartphone you can find in the market. At the same time, on paper, it could be one of the most value packed smartphones you can find in its segment.

For starters you get MediaTek’s Dimensity 1300 5G system on a chip (SoC). On paper at least, the MediaTek Dimensity 1300 is one of the most powerful, if not the most powerful SoC in its class. It also packs improved AI and imaging capabilities for improved photo and video processing. Thanks to the new SoC, videos can be taken in HDR as well. Working with Sony’s DOL-HDR technology brightness, colours, and even contrasts in videos are improved greatly for natural looking videos with accurate colours. You can also shoot videos at 960fps slow motion with the new processing power from the SoC.

Alongside the 3GHz clocked SoC you may find a 12GB (up to) RAM for that smooth and snappy multitasking mode. When you need more, the clever Oxygen OS 12.1 can allocate up to 5GB of your 256GB (up to) storage as temporary RAM for even better experience. For more stable connectivity on both Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, the device packs Wi-Fi/Bluetooth Hybrid 2.0 technology.

Class-Topping Display

Displaying Oxygen OS 12.1 on top of Android 12 in all its glory is a large 6.43-inch Full HD+ AMOLED display. The AMOLED panel refreshes at up to 90Hz for that extra smooth feel when scrolling through the interface. With HDR10+ support also, movies with HDR support should look better than good.

Super Cameras

Out the back is the same 50-Megapixel shooter you can find on OnePlus’ falgship OnePlus 10 Pro. The Sony IMX766 features a large 1/1.56-inch sensor with optical image stabilisation that allows for more light to be captured for more natural looking and better detailed photos. On the side, there is an 8-Megapixel ultra-wide camera for when you need more things to fit into the display. Out the front is also the same 32-Megapixel shooter you can find on the OnePlus 10 Pro.

Thanks to the Dimensity 1300 SoC’s improved camera AI performance, the OnePlus Nord 2T 5G’s camera can shoot even better in low-light conditions. Of course, the fact that the larger 50-Megapixel sensor allows for 56% more light to be captured helps with low-light photography as well.

Long Lasting, Fast Charging

To keep the Nord 2T 5G running an entire day and more is a large 4,500 mAh built-in battery. If that is not enough to keep you going, the device features SuperVOOC ultra-fast charging technology that charges the device at up to 80W. At that kind of speed, the device can be charged from nothing to 100% in a single 27-minute charge. It also supposedly takes only 15-minutes for a charge that lasts an entire day.

Price and Availability

The OnePlus Nord 2T 5G will be available at OnePlus authorised retailers, their own webstore, and their official online stores on Shopee and Lazada from the 19^th of July 2022 onward. It comes in either Gray Shadow (only 12GB + 256GB) and Jade Fog (only 8GB + 128GB). The Nord 2T 5G will set you back MYR 2,099 and MYR 1,899 respectively. More on the OnePlus Nord 2T 5G can be found on their website.

Android, Mobile, News

Much Ado About Nothing? Not Really… Meet the Nothing Phone (1)

July 13, 2022 Nur Jeevan Leave a comment

Carl Pei’s Nothing is at it again trying to redefine a smartphone. He successfully redefined the flagship smartphone while he helmed OnePlus. Now, he’s taking another go at it with the Nothing Phone (1). The new smartphone defies expectations and chooses to focus on the core user experiences instead of high powered hardware.

That isn’t to say that the Nothing Phone (1) is packing a punch. It comes with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 778G+ processor. According to Carl Pei, the company opted for a more reliable processor instead of the latest and greatest on paper. This was influenced by their drive to build a smartphone with their instincts rather than the data. The Snapdragon 778G+ comes with a 6nm archiecture which brings the best of battery life and performance. The Octacore processor also brings 5G connectivity and also Bluetooth 5.2 connectivity.

When it comes to design, the Nothing Phone (1) is made of a combination of plastics, glass and aluminium. During the launch, Carl Pei highlighted that none of the surfaces with which a user interacts is made of plastic. In fact, the front and back of the smartphone is made with Gorilla Glass 5 while the frame and bezel are made of recycled aluminium. The Phone (1) is possibly one of the more ecofriendly phones out there with more than 50% of its plastics being bioplastics. Even the tin used for soldering is 100% recycled.

The Nothing Phone (1) is keeping to the utilitarian approach which the company is becoming known for. Its version of Android is barebones and brings the best features of Android. Like the processor, the company is looking to focus on stability and quality. They believe that their approach to software will give their users a better, more reliable software experience. Of course, they are bringing in features that allow the Phone (1) to play nice with their own Ear (1) earbuds. This takes the form of controls front and center in the dock for active noise cancellation and more. The company is also looking to the future by creating their own NFT widget which allows users to display their collection or view floor prices for NFTs. Nothing is also promising 3 years of major Android Updates and 4 years of security patch updates rolled out every 2 months.

“At the beginning of the smartphone revolution, it felt like this amazing product category complete changed we lived, the way we communicate and, lately, it feels like – after a slew of more and more similar products, and more and more uninspiring products – that somehow the smartphone revolution has ended.“

Carl Pei, CEO and Co-Founder of Nothing

When it comes to cameras, the Phone (1) isn’t packing an extensive multi sensor setup. Instead, they are focusing on the essentials and looking to deliver a more consistent and well rounded experience with a dual 50-Megapixel setup. The main sensor is the Sony IMX766 bolstered with opitcal image stabilization and electronic image stabilization for better quality. This is complemented by the ultrawide Samsung JN1 with 114° field of view. The main camera setup is also capable of 4K recording at 30 frames per second. Up front is a 16-megapixel Sony IMX471 sensor with an f/2.5 aperture.

The Phone (1) comes with a 6.55-inch, FHD+ OLED display. It has a resolution of 2400×1080 pixels and a 500 nits brightness. Peak brightness tops out at 1,200nits. The display on the Phone (1) is a little unique in that it’s a flexible OLED panel. No – the screen is not curved, it’s flat. However, the design team opted for a flexible panel to bring a sense of symmetry to the face of the phone. The flexible display allowed them to bend the connectors backwards which allowed the display to be more symmetrical. It has support for HDR+ with 120Hz refresh rate and 240Hz sampling rate.

All of these specs are powered by a 4,500mAh battery which Nothing touts to provide more than a day’s battery life. It also supports 33W fast charging over USB-C with support for PowerDelivery 3.0. It also has support for 15W Qi wireless charging and 5W reverse wireless charging. According to Nothing, the Phone (1) will have a complete charge in 70 minutes with wired charging and in 120 minutes when charged wirelessly.

The Glyph Interface

The one feature which sets the Nothing Phone (1) apart from the competition is the Glyph Interface. The interface is essentially a series of LED lights which will illuminate according to different setting which the user can customise. The Glyph Interface is also Nothing’s approach to allowing users to know who’s contacting them even when in silent mode.

For now, the Glyphs can be customised to flash to help identify specific contacts. It’s also a complement to the silent mode on the Phone (1). Simply flipping the phone over with glyphs up will put phone in silent mode. The Glyphs will then flash when calls come in and if the call comes from a user defined caller, the pattern of the flashing will follow the customized one.

Screenshot 2022 07 13 at 16 08 51 273 Nothing Event. Return to instinct YouTube

Nothing is touting this as the start of what can be done with the Glyph Interface. The company is building more features while working with its community.

Pricing & Availability

The Nothing Phone (1) will be available in both Black and White starting on 16th July 2022. From 16th July until 20 July, it will be available exclusively at the Nothing Kiosk in London in limited quantities. There will be partner drops from 18 July 2022 both online an in-store while open sales will begin on 21 July 2022.

The Phone (1) will be priced at GBP£399 (MYR2,110.74) for the 8GB RAM + 128GB storage version. The 8GB RAM + 256GB storage version will be retailing for GBP£449 (MYR2,375.11) while a 12GB RAM + 256GB storage version will be retailing for GBP£499 (MYR2,639.60).

It will be available in Malaysia on 18 July 2022 with an exclusive drop via Crossover on its online store and in-store. Starting on 1 August 2022, the Nothing Phone (1) will be available at all major electronics retailers including SenQ, Satu Gadget, DirectD, and TMT. It will also be available online on Nothing’s official LAZADA and Shopee stores. Prices in Malaysia are MYR 2,399 for the 8GB+256GB version and MYR2,699 for the 12GB+256GB version.

Official Specifications

Android, Gaming, Mobile, News

The ROG Phone 6 series Officially Here For Those Who Dare

July 5, 2022 Nur Jeevan Leave a comment

ASUS’s smartphone offerings were bolstered by the initial release of the ROG Phone back in 2018. The unique, gamer-centric smartphone not only brought a more performance-centric smartphone, but it also brought along a whole ecosystem focused on extending the mobile gaming experience. This year, the company is announcing the new ROG Phone 6 series which brings an offering for every price point and continues to keep gamers front and centre.

Power-packed Entries Staying True to ROG’s Gamer-first Ethos

The new ROG Phone 6 series consists of two smartphones: the ROG Phone 6 and the ROG Phone 6 Pro. These smartphones continue to offer the highest-end performance with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1. The new processor brings improvements in power efficiency and performance over the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1. This is enhanced by ROG’s X mode which unlocks performance on the smartphone. In X mode, the ROG Phone 6 and ROG Phone 6 Pro are able to average 59.4 fps on Genshin Impact – one of the most demanding games on mobile right now. On the ROG Phone 6, the processor is complemented by up to 16GB RAM and 512GB of onboard storage. The Pro, on the hand, comes with a whopping 18GB of RAM with 512GB of storage.

On the display side of things, the ROG Phone 6 series comes with a Samsung AMOLED display made of E4 materials. This allows for increased brightness and high refresh rates. Speaking of, the 6.78-inch display comes with a 165Hz refresh rate and 720Hz touch-sampling rate giving users an edge when it comes to games. The display is also colour accurate coming with a ΔE below 1 which means that the colour accuracy is virtually indiscernible from real life. It’s also got a 111% coverage of the DCI-P3 colour gamut and always on HDR technology. The graphical performance is also enhanced by the Pixelworks i6 image processor. It’s also got HDR10+ compatibility.

Completing the Mobile Gaming Experience

The ROG Phone 6 Series brings back some of the features that we’ve come to expect with the series. One of which is the Air Triggers. These Ultrasonic Buttons enable more robust controls in-game. It does this by acting like triggers we’re used to on controllers; allowing users to tap and enable mapped functions in game. This allows for a more natural gaming experience on the smartphone itself. It’s also bringing a a whole slew of gestures that are aimed at making mobile gaming more intuitive.

Together with the improved Air Triggers and gestures, the ROG Phone series is once again bringing back its ecosystem. The new ROG Phone 6 Series also comes with a slew of accessories that make it a portable console. The ROG Kunai 3 Gamepad allows players to pair a more complete controller to the smartphone akin to the Nintendo Switch. The newer design brings slight refinements which make the Gamepad more natural and ergonomic.

Of course, an ROG Phone wouldn’t be an ROG phone without its signature AeroActive Cooler. The new AeroActive Cooler 6 has been improved with more robust design. It comes with features that not only make it more conductive but cool more efficiently. The AeroActive Cooler 6 now comes with a thermal conductive pad and copper plate to better conduct heat with a Peltier Element, Cooling fins and a centrifugal fan for better heat dissipation. ASUS touts that these elements allow the cooler to reduce heat by up to 25°C on the back cover. On top of that, the cooler now comes with 4 physical triggers to help make gaming a little more immersive while using it.

Deepening Immersion while Empowering Personal Expression

It also incorporates better, more immersive sound with its Dirac Virtuo spatial audio system and dual speakers. This allows for more immersive sound dynamics with higher clarity and contrast as well as deeper bass. It also brings an Audio Wizard and Equalizer to customise the sound for your personal tastes. It also comes with a special low latency mode for better fidelity over Bluetooth. This comes in addition to support for Qualcomm’s aptX Adaptive and Hi-Res Audio.

The ROG Phone 6 series comes with a more robust ROG Vision display on the back. On the 6 Pro, the ROG Vision display is a PMOLED display. This allows users to express themselves with full RGB visuals. Users are able to customise this on the smartphone itself with their own visuals or with a myriad of preset animations. On the regular Phone 6 this is replaced by an illuminated RGB ROG Logo.

S.Y. Hsu Kris Huang and Sascha Krohn Present

In addition to all the gaming features, ASUS is also equipping the ROG Phone 6 series with pretty respectable camera sensors. On the back is a triple camera setup with a 50-megapixle Sony IMX766 main sensor complemented by a 13-megapixel ultrawide sensor and a 13-megapixel macro sensor. These cameras will be front and center as gamers look to capture meaningful moments or create content. On the front is a 12-megapixel Sony IMX663 camera.

Pricing & Availability

The ROG Phone 6 will be available in Storm White and Phantom Black. The phone will be available in two variants: 12GB + 256GB and 16GB + 512GB. The 12GB + 256GB will be retailing at MYR3,599 while the 16GB + 512GB will retail at MYR4,399. The ROG Phone 6 will be available starting in September 2022 in Malaysia.

The ROG Phone 6 Pro will only be available in Storm White with 18GB RAM and 512GB internal storage. This will be retailing for MYR4,999 starting in September 2022.

Pre-orders of the ROG Phone 6 will start on 6th July 2022. You can pre-order online at ASUS’s official Shopee store or at participating retailers. Pre-orders will be entitled to freebies worth MYR548. This includes 1 year extended warranty worth MYR199 and the AeroActive Cooler 6 worth MYR349. Online pre-orders are also entitled to a 10% discount on the ROG Slash Hip Bag which retails at MYR499 and the ROG Slash Crossbody Bag which is priced at MYR399.

Android, Mobile, News

HTC A101 – A New Mid-range Tablet from HTC

July 5, 2022 Nur Jeevan Leave a comment

It seems like HTC may be coming back into the mobile markets albeit in a very limited way. The company only recently released a new HTC Desire smartphone. Now, it’s releasing a new tablet – the HTC A101 – in Russia and South Africa. The new tablet is rather mediocre on paper and comes with specifications comparable to the Samsung Galaxy A8 or the Nokia T20 Tablets.

The 10-inch tablet comes with a 10.1-inch MIPI In-Cell display with an FHD+ resolution of 1920×1200 pixels. It runs on the UNISOC T618 octa-core processor. The processor comes with two large A75 performance cores clocked at 2GHz and six smaller A55 power efficiency cores. This processor will be complemented by 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage. It also has support for microSD cards allowing for some additional memory of up to 256GB.

On the camera side of things, it comes with a dual camera setup for its main camera. It has a 16-megapixel, f/2.2 sensor with autofocus. This is complemented by a 2-megapixel, fixed focus ultrawide sensor. The HTC A101’s main camera setup is completed with a single LED flash. On the front is a 5-megapixel, fixed focus sensor for selfies complete with Beauty Mode and AI Face Unlock.

The HTC A101 itself is a slim, relatively small one. It measures only 8.4mm in thickness and 241.5mm in length and 160.3mm wide. It comes with two physical buttons: a volume rocker and a power button. Under the hood, it’s powered by a 7,000mAh battery with support for 5V/2A charging via USB-C. It also comes with mobile connectivity supporting 4G LTE connectivity and Dual SIM with Dual Standby.

Pricing & Availability

The HTC A101 will be available in Russia and South Africa. It will come in Silver and Grey. For now, it looks like the tablet will be retailing as the HTC A100 in Russia for ₽22,490 (MYR1,799.50).

Android, Mobile, News

Samsung Launches Online Exclusive Colours of the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra in Malaysia

July 5, 2022 Nur Jeevan Leave a comment

Samsung Malaysia has announced three new colours for their latest flagship – the Galaxy S22 Ultra. The S22 Ultra is already available in a splattering of colours including white, black, burgundy and green. Samsung’s latest additions to the lineup are Graphite, Red and Sky Blue. These colours will be available exclusively through Samsung’s own online store at Samsung.com. It will not be available in their official stores on LAZADA or Shopee.

These colours are just aesthetic choices which allow for a little more personability when it comes to choosing your own Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra. Aside from that, they come with the same insides as the already available colours. The smartphone runs on the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 Mobile Compute Platform with up to 12GB of RAM and 512GB of onboard storage. It has a colour-accurate 6.8-inch, AMOLED 2X display with support for the latest and greatest S Pen.

S22 Ultra Exclusive Colours Promo Portrait KV — Source: Samsung

The exclusive colours have one teeny difference from the currently available selection – they come with a black frame. The ones currently available have a little bit of customisation when it comes to the metal frame or trims. The black colour comes with black trim, the white comes with silver while burgundy and green have their respective colours. These combinations give the smartphone a more unibody feel. The black accent on the new colours allows the colours to pop more making them a tad bit more stylish.

Pricing & Availability

The new colours are not immediately available though. They are available, on pre-order, starting on July 4th 2022 until July 14th 2022. These new colours are also only available for the 12GB RAM with 256GB storage version of the S22 Ultra.

During the pre-order, purchases of the Galaxy S22 Ultra in these colours will be entitled to an eVoucher worth MYR800. This voucher can be used when buying select Samsung smartphones, wearables and accessories on the Samsung Online Store. You can also take advantage of an immediate rebate of MYR600 when you trade in your old device.

Android, Mobile, News

The Xiaomi 12S Ultra with Leica Co-Engineering Spearheads Xiaomi’s New Flagship Lineup

July 5, 2022 Nur Jeevan Leave a comment

Xiaomi took to the stage to announce their new flagship series – the Xiaomi 12S series. The series has multiple entries and has the Xiaomi 12S Ultra as its centrepiece. The new flagship is the first device in what looks to be a long-term partnership with Leica when it comes to imaging and photography.

You’re Gonna Leica this – the Leica Summicron 1:1.9-4.1 / 13-120 ASPH. camera system

The Xiaomi 12S Ultra comes with the Leica Summicron 1:1.9-4.1 / 13-120 ASPH. camera system. Yep – that’s a mouthful. The new co-engineered system marries Leica’s camera technology with Xiaomi’s smartphone prowess. It’s a Triple sensor setup with the new, 1-inch Sony IMX989 sensor as the main sensor. The 50.3-megapixel sensor comes with Quad Bayer technology which promises better image capture in both low- and normal lighting and an aperture of f/1.9. It also comes with Octa-phase detection Autofocus which apparently allows it to focus faster. The main sensor is complemented by a 48-megapixel f/2.2 Sony IMX586 ultra-wide sensor and a 48-megapixel f/4.1 Sony IMX586 periscope sensor. These sensors also use Quad Bayer technology.

Xiaomi 12S Ultra Camera specs — Source: Xiaomi

The main sensor uses an 8P Aspherical Lens. This helps reduce glares and also helps with imaging performance overall. All of the sensors have Pixel binning which increases the quality of the photos taken by the camera thanks to an even larger hybrid pixel size. Binning essentially creates larger pixels by combining four pixels in the sensor. The Xiaomi 12S Ultra also comes with HyperOIS technology and boasts even better image stabilization thanks to an innovative approach of taking the time between images (7ms) to stabilize and reset the sensor.

In addition to the hardware, Xiaomi and Leica have worked together in developing the software. The result? Two shooting modes that bring Leica’s signature elements into your smartphone. The “Leica Authentic Look” hearkens back to Leica’s signature aesthetic. It brings the vibrancy of true-to-life colours and the depth and emotion of Leica’s surrealism. The resulting photos are colourful or monochrome with a sense of depth. Xiaomi and Leica’s collaboration is more apparent with the “Leica Vibrant Look”. This look brings Xiaomi’s know-how with mobile cameras to Leica’s signature aesthetic. The resulting pictures are more vibrant and work to capture the feel of the moment.

Partnering with Adobe and Dolby

Keeping photography centerstage, Xiaomi and Leica have also worked with Adobe to enable RAW capture on the Xiaomi 12S Ultra. The RAW capture on the 12S Ultra allows you to capture your images in DNG format preserving all the image data so you can edit and manipulate the image on programs like Adobe Lightroom. Adobe Lightroom will come equipped with a special profile for the 12S Ultra which will allow it to show you the actual image captured without you tinkering. Lightroom will be able to load the profile automatically from the image metadata.

When it comes to video capture, the Xiaomi 12S Ultra is the first smartphone to come with the ability to capture Dolby Vision HDR video. This brings a wider colour depth to video than HDR10+, allowing you to impart more emotion and character to your video shots. It will also help with low light performance.

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While it may seem like the Xiaomi 12S Ultra is all about the camera, the series still comes packed with cutting-edge technology under the hood. The whole Xiaomi 12S series runs on the new Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 mobile platform which ups the performance of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 by nearly 10%. The new Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 is fabricated with TSMC’s new 4nm node which allows for better energy efficiency with a 21% smaller core and 10% boost in both CPU and GPU performance.

Xiaomi has also equipped the Xiaomi 12S series with a brand new cooling system which it touts as more efficient than currently available vapour cooling systems. The technology mimics the hydrostatic system of a leaf and its capillaries. This mimicry allows the system to dissipate heat more effectively and quicker than traditional vapour cooling systems. In fact, Xiaomi is touting a 100% better thermal conductivity.

The Xiaomi 12S series comes with a Samsung AMOLED display with 2K resolution. The panel comes with an E5 material which helps increase brightness. The display has a peak brightness of 1,500nits. On the 12S Ultra, the display comes with 1-120Hz AdaptiveSync Pro which allows it to hit 1Hz refresh rates when viewing text and 120Hz when gaming. The other regular 12S and the 12S Pro come with 120Hz AdaptiveSync. Across the board, the displays are calibrated with 100% coverage of the P3 colour gamut and support Dolby Vision.

Xiaomi 12S Pro Combination 3 — Xiaomi 12S Pro Source: Xiaomi

The smartphones come equipped with Dual 5g connectivity with a 4×4 MIMO modem. They also support Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.2 with support for Qualcomm’s Snapdragon sound and aptX Adaptive.

The smartphones come with Xiaomi’s Surge G1 Battery Management chip and the Surge P1 fast-charging chips. These chips work in tandem to help preserve battery health while extending battery life and reducing charging time. The Xiaomi 12S Ultra comes with a 4,860 mAh single cell, silicon-oxygen anode battery which supports 16A output current. The Ultra supports 67W wired fast charging, 50W wireless fast charging and 10W reverse fast charging. The Pro sports a smaller 4,600mAh with support for 120W wired fast charging and 50W wireless fast charging. The regular 12S comes with an even smaller 4,500mAh battery which has support for 67W wired and 50W Wireless.

Pricing & Availability

The Xiaomi 12S Ultra will be available in Mainland China in the near future. It will be available in Classic Black and Verdant Green. It’s will be available in three variants 8GB+256GB, 12GB+256GB and 12GB+512GB. The 8GB+256GB version will be priced at CNY5999 (MYR3,951.18) while the 12GB + 256GB will retail at CNY6,499 (MYR4,280.08) and the 12GB+512GB version will be priced at CNY6,999 (MYR4,609.82).

The Xiaomi 12S and 12S Pro will be available in 8GB + 128GB, 8GB + 256GB, 12GB + 256GB and 12GB + 512GB variants. Pricing for the 12S starts at CNY3,999 (MYR2,633.90) for the 12S while the 12S Pro will start at CNY4,699 (MYR3,096.10).

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