Netflix seems to be testing the waters with a new subscription plan in Kenya. The popular content streaming service is offering a new, free subscription tier in the African country. The new subscription will allow access to all of Netflix’s features including profiles and kids mode.
However, the free subscription does come with some limitations. The first being that the subscription is only available for Android phones. Users on the free subscription will also not have access to Netflix’s full library. Instead, they will only be able to access a fourth of the expansive library. In addition, features like screencasting and downloading shows will not be accessible.
Source: Netflix
The subscription will be available only in Kenya for now. Netflix has indicated that, as of now, there are no plans to expand the availability. Would-be subscribers will only need an email address and proof that they are above 18 years of age to subscribe. The plan will be rolled out in Kenya over the next few weeks. Netflix has indicated that it sees the free plan as a means of gathering new subscribers to the service.
OnePlus started out very early on in its life as that one smartphone brand that was a little out of the norm. In its early days, they dubbed their first ever smartphone, the OnePlus One, the ‘flagship killer’. There is a good reason for that. The OnePlus One had killer specs, hardware that you can only find on flagship devices at the time. While remaining at the top of the food chain, they managed to keep prices low. The OnePlus One’s asking price was a fraction of what manufacturers at the time ask for their flagships.
They were a bit of a Cinderella story too, to be fair. The founders of OnePlus, according to legends, left the highly successful and progressive HTC at the time to start the brand. They had to figure out how to design a smartphone and manufacture the devices at ridiculously low prices within just a few months. They delivered the OnePlus One. But they were running off the production line of OPPO, which was understandable. They would not have had the time and money to build their own production line anyway.
OnePlus’ Reliance on OPPO
They have never moved to their own production facility though. That also means that they share the same part bin as OPPO. That is also why over the years, the OPPO flagship devices share plenty of similarities to OnePlus’ own. They usually share the same specs and hardware within their flagship line-up only to differ slightly in terms of how they look. Last year’s flagships were differentiated by Hasselblad’s involvement too.
While we are seeing more and more of OPPO in the other brand, both parties have remained steadfast and committed to staying distinct. They started out with offering CyanogenOS on their devices and later moved to their own OxygenOS. They have also remained distinct by having their own unique design languages. It is not clever for a manufacturing plant to be producing two completely different units of flagships though, so the devices share plenty of similar design cues too.
OnePlus 2.0
Source: OnePlus
It looks like the next phase for OPPO and OnePlus will not be a unique journey for each brand anymore though. OnePlus have announced their OnePlus 2.0 roadmap. The announcement basically entails that they are now a single entity with OPPO. That also means that while each brand may be selling devices with their own unique branding, the device that comes out of both may not be so unique.
The merge of both companies will cover the entirety of the engineering and development teams. That also means that OPPO and OnePlus will have access to the same patented technologies that may have been kept separate and unique from each brand. The merge will also cover OxygenOS and ColorOS though. According to the announcement, OPPO and OnePlus will be developing a single unified platform that is supposed to be the culmination of the best of both platforms. While the branding will remain separate, the platform’s underlying codes will be similar, which also means you should have similar experiences out of both brands, however they designed the platform. Of course, they are still Android based.
With the announcement also, OnePlus has also confirmed that there will be no new flagship smartphone from them this year. They will not be refreshing the OnePlus 9 in the 9T form. If you want to see a new OnePlus, you will have to wait until next year, in this case.
The Matter of the Merge
While it may not seem like a great thing for one brand, this merge is more beneficial to both OPPO and OnePlus than it may seem. The merger allows OnePlus to and OPPO to gain insights from each other. Both brands have served different market groups and have extensive knowledge on building formidable smartphones. While both brands offer highly distinctive smartphone experiences, they have the ability to offer similar experiences or merge to create a completely new one that could better serve new and old customers alike.
Of course, one cannot ignore the financial benefits that OPPO and OnePlus will be getting from the merger. More money for OnePlus means more development resources. The learnings from Hasselblad will also accelerate OPPO’s camera technology. Obviously, by merging two brands, they are hitting a larger group of audience and buyers.
While all that sounds like a great thing, especially in the battle for supremacy in the smartphone industry, it could easily backfire. Since both brands come from slightly different market segments, internal rife could happen. Engineers from both ends might not agree on how the device should be designed and its capabilities. On the User Interface (UI) end, how OPPO and OnePlus balance having the right features from their own platforms will also be crucial to the success of the merge.
Whatever it is though, it is definitely one of the most interesting development in the industry at this point. While we may not be seeing a smartphone coming out of this merger anytime soon, we can expect OPPO and OnePlus to be a lot more competitive in the flagship smartphone market. At least OPPO and OnePlus are optimistic about the merge, we should be too.
Samsung’s flagship lineups are being bolstered in Malaysia with the official launch of the Galaxy Z series and the Tab S7 FE. The company’s third-generation of foldable smartphones is finally becoming commercially available alongside the more affordable Galaxy Tab S7 FE in Malaysia.
Samsung’s Galaxy Z Flip3 and Galaxy Z Fold3 Arrive in Malaysia
Spearheading Samsung’s new lineup of devices is the two third-generation foldable smartphones: the Galaxy Z Flip3 and the Galaxy Z Fold3. The two new entries were announced internationally early last month. The Flip3 and Fold3 sold out their pre-order last week and are now making their way officially to shelves.
Source: Samsung
Of course, Samsung’s foldable smartphones aren’t just pretty, they come packed with the latest technology. The company has brought its S-Pen technology to the Galaxy Z Fold3 bolstering its capacity for productivity. The Z Flip3 on the other hand gains a larger cover display making it more functional when closed.
You can get a full rundown of the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip3 and Galaxy Z Fold3 in our coverage of their initial announcements.
Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 SE Brings Affordable Productivity to Tab Lineup
Samsung’s FE lineup continues to weave its magic. This time with the Galaxy Tab series. The new entry – the Galaxy Tab S7 SE – continues to stride the fine line between features and affordability.
The Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 SE continues to bring the power many users crave when it comes to tablets. It packs a Snapdragon 750G processor which brings it top of the line connectivity and processing speeds. This is paired with either 4GB or 6GB of RAM and up to 128GB of onboard storage with support for a microSD card.
In addition, it comes with a WQXGA display with a resolution of 2560×1600 pixels. It also has support for the S-Pen which is included in the box. The tablet also has support for Dolby Atmos with speakers that are tuned by AKG.
Of course, Samsung’s new approach to tablets isn’t all about media consumption. The Tab S7 FE continues this ethos with support for DeX and a myriad of other productivity centred tools.
Pricing and Availability
The Samsung Galaxy Z series will be available starting on 22 September 2021. They will be launching with a special promo which ends on 31 October 2021. Details are per the table below:
Model
Colours
RRP
Exclusive Gift(s)
Galaxy Z Fold3 5G (512GB)
Phantom Black Phantom Green Phantom Silver
RM7,099
Samsung Care+ 1Year Plan worth RM799 Samsung Online Store eVoucher worth RM500
Galaxy Z Fold3 5G (256GB)
Phantom Black Phantom Green Phantom Silver
RM6,699
Samsung Care+ 1Year Plan worth RM799 Samsung Online Store eVoucher worth RM500
Galaxy Z Flip3 5G (256GB)
Phantom Black Cream Lavender Green
RM4,199
Samsung Care+ 1Year Plan worth RM699 Samsung Online Store eVoucher worth RM350
Galaxy Z Flip3 5G (128GB)
Phantom Black Cream Lavender Green
RM3,999
Samsung Care+ 1Year Plan worth RM699 Samsung Online Store eVoucher worth RM350
In addition to the offers during the launch, Samsung is also offering a purchase with purchase promo for Galaxy Z series accessories. From 14th September until 31 October 2021, users who purchase a Samsung Galaxy Z series device will be entitled to a 30% discount on up to three accessories for their device.
The Galaxy Tab S7 FE is now available for purchase in Malaysia. It will be available in Black, Silver and Light Pink. There will be two variants on sale: the 4GB+64GB version which will retail at MYR1,899 and the 6GB+128GB version which will retail for MYR2,199.
From now until 31 October 2021, purchases of the Galaxy Tab S7 FE will be entitled to free gifts depending on the specification bought. The 6GB+64GB version will be entitled to a Book Cover while the 6GB+128GB version will be entitled to an additional Smart Keyboard Trio 500.
Samsung is pushing their Galaxy A series further with more options that are both affordable and power-packed. The company has in the past week introduced two new entries in the Malaysian market: the Galaxy A52 5G and the Galaxy A03s. Each caters to different needs with Samsung bringing affordable 5G connectivity with the A52 5G and an affordable media powerhouse in the A03s.
Samsung Galaxy A52 5G
Samsung’s regular Galaxy A52 was crowned “the most popular smartphone of 2020” not too long ago. Now the company is looking to up the ante with a new entry into the lineup with 5G connectivity in tow. The new Galaxy A52 5G is also equipped with a more capable Snapdragon 778G processor. The processor is not only more capable than the A52’s Snapdragon 720G it brings more power efficiency thanks to its 6nm technology.
The Malaysian version of the Galaxy A52 5G will be sporting 8GB of RAM and 256GB of internal storage. In addition to this, the Galaxy A52 5G will also be sporting a 6.5-inch, Super AMOLED display with a refresh rate of 120Hz. The display retains the same 1080p, Full HD+ resolution of the original A52. It also has the same IP67 dust and water resistance rating.
Aside from this, the Galaxy A52 5G retains most of the specifications of the original Galaxy A52 launched earlier this year. The added 5G connectivity will be a boon for those looking to be a little more future-proof with their purchase as Malaysia moves to wind down 2G and 3G connectivity as the country adopts new 5G technology.
Samsung Galaxy A03s
Samsung isn’t just releasing another spec power-house into the Galaxy A series. Their budget lineup is also being bolstered by the addition of the new Galaxy A03s. The smartphone packs all the essentials you would need in a smartphone that doesn’t break the bank with its price.
The Galaxy A03s is a 6.5-inch PLS LCD display and carries an HD+ resolution. On the processor end, it will be running on the dated MediaTek Helio P35 processor and will have 4GB of RAM with 64GB of internal storage. It can support additional storage through a microSD card which caps out at 1TB.
On the camera front, it comes with a triple sensor setup for its main camera. The setup has a 13-megapixel wide sensor complemented by a 2-megapixel depth sensor and a 2-megapixel macro sensor. On the front is a 5-megapixel sensor.
It has the basics when it comes to connectivity: 4G LTE, WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n, Bluetooth 5.0 and A-GPS with GLONASS and GALILEO and BDS. It charges via USB Type-C which supports 15W fast charging for its 5,0000mAh battery. It also has a side-mounted fingerprint sensor.
Pricing & Availability
Both the Galaxy A52 5G and the Galaxy A03s are currently available in retail stores and on Samsung’s Online Store.
The Galaxy A52 is available in Awesome Black and Awesome White. It is priced at MYR1,899 (USD$452.95). Purchases made until October 31 2021 will be entitled to a free clear standing cover worth MYR109.
The Galaxy A03s is available in Black, Blue and White. It is priced at MYR559 (USD$133.33).
OPPO’s Find X3 Pro series is expanding with a China-exclusive version of the flagship. The new addition to the lineup is focusing more on the smartphone’s camera prowess and adopting some iconic camera design cues. It’s also the first time that OPPO has done a specific special edition that focuses on photography.
The new OPPO Find X3 Pro Photography edition drops the all-glass exterior of the original for a design more reminiscent of the original Kodak 35 camera. It comes with what the company is calling “metallic glass”; it is essentially the iconic silver colouration of the Kodak 35 camera with the glossy glass finish we saw with the original Find X3 Pro. The new edition also has a black leather finish that mimics the Kodak.
Source: OPPO on Weibo
In addition to the aesthetic revamp, the Find X3 Pro Photography edition comes with the same specifications as we saw in the original Find X3 Pro. It comes with a powerful Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 processor with 16GB of RAM and 512GB of internal storage. Its screen is a large, 6.7-inch Quad HD Display with a 120Hz adaptive refresh rate. It retains the 4,500mAh battery with 65W SuperVOOC 2.0 flash charging.
Even when it comes to cameras, the setup remains the same. The Find X3 Pro Photography edition comes with a 32-megapixel selfie camera with a quad sensor setup on the back. The main sensor is a 50-megapixel wide sensor. The biggest change in the smartphone is the inclusion of 14 new filters for cityscape photography and the ability to shoot in super RAW format.
OPPO Watch 2 Gets ECG Update
Together with the Find X3 Photography edition, OPPO also announced an updated version of their Smartwatch – the OPPO Watch 2. Like the Find X3 Pro Photography edition, the OPPO Watch 2 is more of the same. However, it comes with an upgrade that now allows it to monitor heart rhythms.
Source: OPPO on Weibo
The new millisecond-level ECG detection allows users to take an ECG on the OPPO Watch 2. It also comes with a 24-hour irregular heart rhythm monitor. The Watch 2 also has a 316L stainless steel middle frame with a ceramic and sapphire back cover.
Pricing & Availability
The OPPO Find X3 Pro is available pre-order now in China. It will be available starting on September 22, 2021 for CN¥6,499 (USD$1005.10/MYR4213.90).
Xiaomi launched something we thought we might never see from any other Android manufacturer in their launch event two days ago. They launched a tablet, and not just any tablet. They launched an 11-inch tablet that is set to take on Samsung’s Galaxy Tab S7 series and even HUAWEI’s MatePad series. If you consider its size, it competes directly with the Apple iPad Pro too.
Xiaomi is not a new player in the Android space. They have overtaken Apple to be the second largest brand globally in terms of shipped smartphones. All this while not having a major presence in the United States market. At one point, they were third globally without even hitting most of the European market. This is also a testament that Xiaomi really knows what they are doing in the smartphone space.
The tablet space is a little different though. The Android tablet market space is a sparse one. The only viable player in the Android tablet space is Samsung with their Galaxy Tab S7 series. HUAWEI is out of the picture, since their devices do not and cannot support Google Play Store and Google’s mobile framework. Even we would admit that Apple’s iPad has offered the best tablet experience so far.
The Xiaomi Pad 5 then is a peculiar product. While we liked the Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 very much, we still think that the Android tablet experience has a lot to be left desired if compared to the Apple iPad devices. While the Apple iPad goes all the way to the pro version with M1 chipset and endless potential in its applications, the same cannot be said for Android tablets, even the Samsung Galaxy Tab S7. So, what then can the Xiaomi Pad 5 offer that Samsung cannot, and what does it have that might sway you away from just buying the shiny new iPad?
The Power of Xiaomi Pad 5
Source: Xiaomi
Firstly, we have to look at its internals to understand what this tablet can offer. It is a Qualcomm Snapdragon 860 (Snapdragon 870 for Pro variant) that keeps the Android 11 with MIUI 12.5 tablet trundling along. It is no Qualcomm Snapdragon 888, which is a slight disappointment. While it makes little to no practical difference, its direct competitor is powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 865 System on a Chip (SoC). It also packs less RAM at 6GB compared to its Android competitor.
Within the aluminium and glass constructed body though is a large 8,720mAh battery with 33W charging speeds. Most tablets have batteries that can go on for days on a single charge though, so that would not be all that special anyway. Like its competitor also it packs four speakers with Dolby Atmos tuning.
Stunning Display
Source: Xiaomi
Where it holds a slight lead though is on the panel that lies under the glass protection out-front. It is an 11-inch IPS display instead of the regular TFT LCD display from the Samsung. It offers the same WQHD+ (1,60 x 2,560 pixels) resolution as well, meaning the display should look just a tad better in terms of colour reproduction and contrast, especially with HDR contents. Dolby Vision is also built-into this display for the best entertainment experience possible on a tablet device. Of course, it refreshes at 120Hz, that is quite mandatory in devices today.
Productivity Suite
Source: Xiaomi
Like most Android tablets (we say most because we still regard the HUAWEI MatePad Pro to be a variant of an Android tablet), the Xiaomi Pad 5 comes with a stylus. They call it the Xiaomi Smart Pen (seriously, can anyone come up with better names for styli?) and it is a good pen, on paper anyway. It offers 4,096 pressure points which also means that it is as sensitive as it gets when it comes to stylus technology. With 240Hz of sampling rate, the Smart Pen is also as responsive as it can get today. It is an active pen with smart programmable buttons on its side. That also means that you need to keep it charged by attaching the Smart Pen to the side of the device. It charges from flat to full in 18 minutes and should be able to keep you writing, drawing, and scribbling for as long as 8 hours non-stop.
No Other Accessories So Far
Source: Xiaomi
Everything that has been stated above and in the launch points to a very capable tablet device. It is a highly compelling device that could even be just a little better than the Samsung Galaxy Tab S7. On paper, these two offer practically the same things at different price points. The Xiaomi Pad 5 starts at MYR 1,499 or approximately while the Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 starts at MYR 3,299.
There is a problem here though. The Xiaomi Pad 5 does not come with the accessory support that the Samsung tablet has. There is a keyboard case and another magnetic case that is made for the tablet. Along with the Smart Pen, there is no other accessory for it. Then again, this is the same problem that Samsung has with their tablet line-up compared to the Apple iPad.
The basic Apple iPad starts at MYR 1,499 though, the same price as the base model of the Xiaomi tablet. The same priced Apple iPad does not come with an Apple Pencil, or a keyboard case too, which makes the Apple iPad a more expensive device compared to the Xiaomi Pad 5.
The Android Tablet That Makes A lot of Sense
Source: Xiaomi
Here is the thing, the Apple iPad Pro with M1 wins the tablet market hands down. There are two things that holds it back though despite its processing prowess. The iPad Pro is held back by its price and the limitations of iPadOS itself. The iPadOS experience is something that is constantly evolving though, which also means that the next iteration of iPadOS might start taking advantage of the M1 chips.
The Xiaomi Pad 5 is never really designed to compete with the Apple iPad Pro line-up though. It is meant to compete with the humbler regular iPad, and in that we think it excels. At MYR 1,499, the Xiaomi Pad 5 comes in with a reasonable price tag that plenty can swallow. It is a perfect Android device that is targeted squarely at users who are thinking of buying an iPad and not willing to spend much more for a tablet. More information on the Xiaomi Pad 5 is available on their website.
Xiaomi’s launch event last night was a huge one. They launched a lot of products, including their first ever Android tablet with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 860 System on a Chip (SoC). The star of the show though was none other than their Xiaomi 11T and Xiaomi 11T Pro.
While they sound like completely different devices, these are technically spiritual successors to the Xiaomi Mi 11 series. This is also Xiaomi’s first flagship devices that does not come with the ‘Mi’ moniker. No matter though, the most important thing in a flagship is that the manufacturers do not skim on its internals instead.
Xiaomi 11T Pro
Source: Xiaomi
In the Xiaomi 11T Pro, you get the best that Xiaomi has to offer currently. It does not come with Qualcomm’s slightly more powerful Snapdragon 888+ SoC though. It is still a very potent Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G SoC that you will have a hard time complaining about still.
At the same time, you are still getting up to 12GB in RAM set up and 256GB in memory over the Xiaomi Mi 11 Pro. The internals are also kept alive for days with a 5,000 mAh battery on board. The Xiaomi 11T Pro is still an Android 11 device, since Android 12 has not officially dropped into devices just yet.
At the same time, the Xiaomi 11T Pro is a smaller device compared to the Xiaomi Mi 11 Pro. The display now measures at 6.67-inch instead of 6.81-inch. You get less resolution from the Xiaomi 11T Pro too at Full HD+ resolution. It is still a Dolby Vision AMOLED display with 10-bit colours though. Your little punch hole camera is also moved to the top-mid section of the display instead of top left corner of the display.
Source: Xiaomi
It is still an upgrade though over the older device. You now get 108-Megapixel ISOCELL sensor developed by Samsung for its main camera. With twice the pixel, you also get to record videos at 8K resolution with the main camera.
There are also two other cameras to support that high-resolution camera. The usual ultra-wide photos are handled by an 8-Megapixel sensor. To zoom in a little better, there is the 5-Megapixel telephoto lens. Selfies are handled by a 16-Megapixel sensor out front.
The biggest change to the device though is the speed the new Xiaomi 11T Pro charges at. Xiaomi cleverly splits the battery into two smaller battery packs laid separately within the device. Of course, this is not a new construction method. We have seen similar implementation in the Lenovo Legion Phone. In the Xiaomi flagship, each battery bank charges at 60W speeds. That totals to a whopping 120W of charging speed and a 100% charge in just 17 minutes. Splitting the batteries also puts less stress on each of the battery pack itself, which also means that it is a much safer implementation in fast charging. They call it the 120W Xiaomi HyperCharge technology.
Xiaomi 11T
Source: Xiaomi
As expected, the Xiaomi 11T will not be more powerful than the Xiaomi 11T Pro. It is still a shining star is Xiaomi’s “Cinemagic” product line up though. It technically is everything the Xiaomi 11T Pro is. It has the same display, same camera layout, same design, same cameras even. The only difference is that the Xiaomi 11T gets MediaTek’s Dimensity 1200 5G treatment instead. While it is not as powerful as Qulacomm’s offering, the Dimensity chip is still plenty powerful for aspiring content creators, so you are not losing out on much in terms of raw power still. You do not get 120W charging too. At 67W charging speeds, you still can get the device ready to go at 100% from flat in less than 40 minutes.
Price and Availability
The Xiaomi 11T will come in three colour options – Meteorite Gray, Moonlight White, and Celestial Blue. You get up to 8GB in RAM and 256GB in storage. The Xioami 11T starts at EU€ 499 (MYR 2,450*).
The Xiaomi 11T Pro also comes in the same three colour options, which also means that both devices will be visually similar. You can choose between an 8GB+128GB, 8GB+256GB, and 12GB+256GB configurations. The new Xiaomi flagship will set you back EU€ 649 (MYR3,186*) onward.
More information on the Xiaomi 11T and 11T Pro can be found on their website.
*Approximately based on exchange rate of EU€ 1 = MYR on xe.com as of 16/09/2021
Here is a trivia; which manufacturer brought the under-display fingerprint sensor technology to the masses? Here is another; which manufacturer brought the gimbal technology into smartphones? If you know your tech, you will quickly know that the answer to both question is vivo.
While Samsung jumped on the bandwagon of making under-display fingerprint sensors a thing, they were not the first who went to market with it. To be fair, the power button integrated fingerprint sensor was not a Samsung-first technology too. That was Sony.
vivo though is a manufacturer that is plenty known for its innovations for the smartphone industry. They were one of the earliest adopters in pop-up front-facing cameras too, if you have not known yet. They like introducing their new innovations in their flagships too.
Source: vivo
Source: vivo
The X70 series that was just announced though, may not seem like they are about pushing new technologies. Rather, they are pushing the current boundaries of current technologies for flagship devices. In the grander scheme of things, vivo announced three new devices in the X70 series – the vivo X70, X70 Pro, and the X70 Pro+.
vivo X70 Pro+
Source: vivo
We have to start with the Zeiss camera, because we just have to. It will still be the biggest draw for the vivo flagship class. The vivo X70 Pro+ is also the flagship of flagships for vivo. That also means you get an unparalleled Zeiss camera experience.
Fronting the camera array is a 50-Megapixel shooter. Alongside the main sensor is a gimbal-stabilised 48-Megapixel ultra-wide sensor that is becoming a staple for smartphone cameras. You also get a 12-Megapixel portrait lens and an 8-Megapixel periscope telephoto. Zeiss also made some effort in making the cameras extra special here with SLR-grade glass lenses for the main camera. Of course, the rest of the sensors gets Zeiss optics and Zeiss T* coating.
Additionally, vivo recently developed its own imaging chip they call the V1 imaging chip. The V1 chip is technically a completely separate AI processor just for the vivo X70 Pro+’s camera array that is supposed to perform better in reducing noise and in low-light videos. A separate imaging chip also means that the vivo X70 Pro+ can deal with photos and videos better.
Just special cameras do not make a flagship device though. It has to come with flagship class processor too. That special processor is Qualcomm’s latest and most powerful Snapdragon ever. The vivo X70 Pro+ is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 888+ System on a Chip (SoC), the same one you will find on the ASUS ROG Phone 5S. because it does not have to handle its camera’s operations, the one of the vivo X70 Pro+ is freed to focus on other SoC demanding jobs like gaming even.
To match the power of the SoC, you get ample 12GB of RAM to deal with any tasks you can throw at the vivo X70 Pro+ simultaneously. 512GB of storage should also be ample enough to house all the high-resolution photos and videos from the cameras. You can record videos at 8K resolution, by the way.
Covering a large 4,500mAh battery alongside all the powerful internals is an expansive 6.78-inch AMOLED display. It offers WQHD 1,440p resolution that matches the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra. At up to 120Hz in refresh rate and 240Hz in sampling rate, you are not going to be wanting for more in a modern flagship. The display is interrupted by a single punch hole on top of its display though. The punch hole houses a 32-Megapixel sensor for great looking selfie cameras.
The Funtouch OS 12 Android 11 device should be able to last you an entire day and more with the 4,500mAh battery. If not, you can fully charge the device within two hours with 55W charging via USB Type-C. If you prefer the convenience of wireless charging, it charges at 50W too. Of course, for an extra peace of mind, the entire package is IP68 certified.
vivo X70 Pro
Source: vivo
Sitting below the sophisticated X70 Pro+ is the X70 Pro that also comes with quad camera set-up. You may not be getting the same sophisticated lens treatment from the X70 Pro+, nor the dedicated V1 imaging chip, but you are still getting a capable smartphone for photography when you need it. You still have a 50-Megapixel main sensor that is flanked by a 12-megapixel ultra-wide sensor. There is also a 12-megapixel portrait sensor and another 8-Megapixel telephoto sensor you can work with for various shoot conditions. The front-facing camera is still a 32-Megapixel unit as well.
It is a smaller device compared to its more premium brother. The display only measures in at 6.56-inch, which is still nowhere near small. The AMOLED display only features Full HD+ in resolution though. You still get up to 120Hz in refresh rate and 240Hz sampling rate when you need it.
You find more differences internally too starting with a battery that is a smidge smaller than the X70 Pro+. You get a 4,450mAh unit powering up a potent MediaTek Dimensity 1200 SoC. You can still opt for a 12GB RAM and 512GB storage combination if you really want with the X70 Pro. There is no wireless charging option here, but you can charge the X70 Pro at 44W via its USB Type-C.
vivo X70
Source: vivo
Then there is the Vanilla, Plain Jane X70. It is the least powerful variant of the vivo flagship series. It is still no slouch though.
You get one less lens compared to its more premium brothers. Instead of the 50-Megapixel, you have a 40-Megapixel shooter at hand. That is also supported by a 12-Megapixel ultra-wide shooter and a 12-Megapixel telephoto sensor. Those are still very good camera set-up in the modern smartphone market though.
You get the same display that you find on the X70 Pro too at 6.56-inch. Underneath the display is the same MediaTek Dimensity 1200 SoC that is the beating heart of the X70. You will not be able to opt for a 512GB storage though. At the same time you get a slightly smaller battery too at 4,400mAh. The smaller battery should not affect its battery life performance though. You can still charge it at 44W as well.
Availability
For now, the device has only launched in China. We can safely confirm though that the vivo X70 sereis is coming to Malaysia at the end of September 2021. Specifically, you can expect to see the vivo X70 coming to Malaysia 22nd September 2021 onward. There is no confirmed pricing just yet. vivo is yet to disclose the full colour options for the vivo X70 series too. All we can say for now is; stay tuned.
Switching digital platforms is still a thing in the modern world. Switching platforms today though is harder than ever before, especially when you buy a smartphone. You get to choose between an Android or iOS smartphone if you go out to the market today to buy yourself a new one. Most of the time as well, you are going to stick to what you had before.
There is a reason why it is difficult for you to change platforms when it comes to smartphones. A lot of times, your operating system (OS) and its apps require you to have a functioning account with its particular provider to take full advantage of the system and its ecosystem of apps and services. For example, if you are on an Android smartphone you are required to have a functioning Google account to access Google’s Play Store and their own apps like Gmail and Calendar. Likewise, if you are on an Apple iOS device, you are required to have a functioning Apple account.
There is an added complexity on Android devices too, because Android devices come from different manufacturers. Different manufacturers have their own unique ecosystem too that requires you to have a functional account that could be tied to their ecosystem. One of the most famous ecosystems outside of Apple and Google right now is Samsung’s ecosystem which requires you to have a functioning Samsung account.
Of course, there are ways manufacturers have made porting from one platform to another easier over the years. The most notable effort of all is Samsung’s Smart Switch which makes porting and transferring data over any Android or even Apple device a breeze. It is not perfect though.
For the longest time, one of the most popular messenger apps that is available on both iOS and Android has been the biggest obstacle to switching platforms. That app is WhatsApp. There is a clear problem why too.
WhatsApp stores its data on your device. It regularly backs your messaging data into a cloud storage. On an Android device, the cloud storage of choice is Google Drive, which requires you to run a Google account anyway. On an Apple iOS device, you are relying on Apple’s iCloud storage services, which incidentally requires you to have an Apple account. You can see the problem here in itself.
While transferring your WhatsApp data over from platforms has been impossible if you are doing it over wifi, Samsung has rectified that with the latest Smart Switch version in Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 3 and Z Flip 3 announcement. But what if you are not on a Samsung Galaxy device? Or, what if you want to switch from an Android to an Apple instead?
That function is now hitting other Android and iOS devices. The service now allows you to transfer your entire chat history and conversations from one smartphone to another, no matter the platform. The transfer also includes your entire WhatsApp media library for good measure.
Of course, there are some caveats. Your WhatsApp can only be transferred over from one platform to another via a wired connection. At the time of writing, your Samsung Smart Switch will require a USB Type-C connection with the donor Apple device to extra all its data, including WhatsApp data. While WhatsApp have not specified the transfer method, we are assuming that a cabled connection is the most viable way to data to be shared between an Android and iOS device without having to merge and mash Google Drive and Apple iCloud services together.
This opens up a whole other world of possibility for smartphone users though. Since transferring data between platforms are becoming easier, changing your smartphones is a simpler affair than ever before. That also means that the power to decide is now in the hands of the users more than ever. You get to choose which platforms works best for you every single time you want to upgrade your device, and that should mean more competitive pricing on even more powerful devices, especially in between platforms.
Netflix has pretty much changed the way we consume contents. To be fair, this whole streaming business started becoming a thing when YouTube started blowing up. To be fair to that also, YouTube’s rise to popularity is contributed by the increase in interest with short form contents and independent content creators.
In some sense Netflix’s rise in popularity is a little different than YouTube’s astronomical rise. Of course, Netflix has been in the general entertainment industry for longer than we know them to be the top Over-The-Top (OTT) content streaming service known to man today. Instead of dabbling in independent film makers, Netflix dabbles is offering the big budget film and on-demand TV shows on a single platform. You can watch all that Netflix has to offer in terms of films and TV shows at any time you want and at an affordable price. It did for films what Spotify has done for music. It democratizes big budget contents that were traditionally made for a scheduled TV programme or even the theatres. It put the controls of consuming these contents right in your palms and at home.
Their disruptive business model proves to be a winner with us, the users. Netflix, currently anyway, is still the top performing content streaming platform in the world with a huge global presence. Their success in the world of end-user entertainment platform leads to plenty of “me too” products we see today like Amazon’s Prime Video, Paramount+, HBO Max, and even Disney+.
While Netflix is still the king in content streaming platforms, they want to be more than just providing watched contents. They want to dabble in interactive contents. You can see Netflix experimenting with interactive contents when you look back into Black Mirror: Bandersnatch, a kind of movie where you can decide what your ending would be. It is like playing a game, except you are doing it on your browser and it involves a live-action content.
Black Mirror: Bandersnatch, while a successful endeavour, is a huge undertaking though. It is time consuming to create, it is also complex to work with, which are all usually translated into the final cost of production in terms of currency. There is a cheaper way to do what Netflix wanted to do with Black Mirror: Bandersnatch, create actual games and host them on Netflix itself. That is what they want to do into the future though.
Netflix’s own exclusives have inspired games like Stranger Things 1984 and Stranger Things 3. While they are not strictly games you play on the PC or even a console, they are still games that puts you in the shoes of the main characters imagined from the Netflix exclusive series, ‘Stranger Things’. Yes, we are saying that they are mobile games.
Let’s talk Netflix and gaming.
Today members in Poland can try Netflix mobile gaming on Android with two games, Stranger Things: 1984 and Stranger Things 3. It’s very, very early days and we’ve got a lot of work to do in the months ahead, but this is the first step. https://t.co/yOl44PGY0r
So, Netflix is trying to make games and launch a gaming platform of their own. That is nothing new though. Since Google announced their Stadia platform, their competitors have all been jumping on board and are betting their futures with Cloud Gaming. In other words, everyone wants to get into game streaming, since the gaming industry is on a steady rise. Netflix wants that piece of action too.
Of course, at this time, Netflix has only confirmed that they are going to be integrating mobile games into their platform instead of a whole dive into cloud gaming. In that sense, Netflix Poland has already started testing their gaming platform. The experience, so far, has not been reportedly great though.
You are not accessing a completely different app, which is great news. While you are accessing the Netflix app to get to the games that are on offer though, it is not the third-party app store experience that Netflix wants you to believe at this time. The games that are on offer, at least according to current reports, are the two Stranger Things titles we mentioned earlier. They are not cloud based gaming as well, at this time anyway. You still have to download the games to play the games. Users are also led to the Google Play Store for the games to be downloaded too.
Once downloaded though, the games can only be launched via the Netflix app, which is a little counterintuitive. The games are tied to your Netflix credentials instead of your Google Play credentials though, which kind of makes sense. Reportedly also, the games you play through Netflix will not feature any ads or in-app purchases. Currently also, Netflix is focusing on bringing mobile optimised games on their platform, hence the test starts with smartphones. In some sense, it does sound a lot like Netflix is trying to create a platform that is likened to Apple Arcade. Unlike Apple’s Arcade though, membership is free as long as you have an active subscription with Netflix, for now anyway.
At the time of writing, there are only two game titles available on Netflix’s gaming section. The test is also only currently conducted in Poland with no other regions being confirmed at this time. Netflix also says that the iteration that is being tested in Poland is a very early development. While it does not feature cloud gaming yet at this time, it is not ruled out, at least from our point of view anyway. Still, would you play games on Netflix? Let us know in the comments.
